Hack and Slay IX Player’s Guide

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. General Skill Rules
3. Movement
- 3.1. Long-Distance Travel
4. Combat
5. Skills (General)
6. Alchemy Skills
7. Elemental Magic
8. Magic System
9. Magic Spells
10. Psionics (Psi)
11. Technical Skills
- 11.1. Undescribed Technical Skills
12. Chaos Rules (Optional)
13. Prices And Money System
- 13.1. Typical Wealth Of People
14. Miscellaneous Rules
15. Silly Rules
Appendix A: Success, Failure, and Fumble Probabilities
Appendix B: Obsolete And Rarely Used Rules
Appendix C: Change Log

1. Introduction

Figure 1. Hack and Slay

This is the Player’s Guide for the Hack and Slay gaming system. Hack and Slay is a Role-Playing Game system developed by Josef Frisch and with additions and modifications from other GMs and players using the system over many years.

Note

(Jon) Just for completeness…

The Party is a group of characters who travel and adventure together.

Player Characters or PCs are characters designed and played by the people around the table. They should have distinctive personalities, names, and abilities, and actual Role Play of your character is appreciated.

Non-Player Characters or NPCs are characters designed by the GM. They may be opponents or random neutral people you encounter, or people you hire. In some cases when a PC dies, an existing NPC associated with the Party finds that there is a "Glowing PC Mark" on their forehead, and that character can be taken over by the player whose PC died as their new PC.

NPCs are usually much less skilled and powerful than the PCs, except for the top-level opponents (Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Lich King, Khan Noonian Singh, Sauron, etc.). But NPCs should still be treated as people. They have agency and problems of their own, and there are always many more NPCs than there are PCs.

2. General Skill Rules

The GM’s Decision is final, and takes precedence over anything written in these rules.

Note	(Graham) God is always right, but is not necessarily consistent.

You roll 3d6 + (Skill Plus).

Your opponent or the universe rolls 3d6 + (Plus).

You must equal your opponent’s roll to succeed.

Multiple spells per round: If not otherwise specified, with 2 skills, both are at -2, with 3 at -4, with 4 at -6, etc.

In these rules, 3d6 refers to extended 3d6, where on an 18, MAX(3d6-10,0) is added, and on a 3, MIN(3d6-10,0) is added. These rolls are iterated for multiple 3s or 18s.

For skill rolls for unspecified skills, roll at the listed stat plus.

Scale: 1 round is 2 seconds, 1 hex is 5 feet.

Characters are generated by the Slay program. Very roughly, you get +1 for about 500 EP, additional +1 for each 2X in EP.

Skills are listed along with the amount of training (1 EP (experience point) = 1 hour of training or experience) and the resulting plus. Pluses are calculated by the Slay program and are based on skills and stats. Note that there are interactions between skills, so that training in one skill can improve others. Training in skills affects stats - usually, but not always resulting in an increase.

2.1. Order Of Actions

Note	(Jon) When engaged in combat, the order of actions in each round is as follows. Otherwise, the GM will keep track of time depending on what the group is doing.

Reserved Actions can occur at any time during a round.
Movement, which includes Engage rolls.
Hand to hand (Melee) combat
Missile weapons (Bows, Guns)
Magic
- Declare and roll all spells being cast.
- Declare and roll all brute force Counters to spells.
Psi Actions.
Special Actions
- (Jon) Most Special Actions cannot be performed if you were in combat, cast spells, or used Psi - you were fully occupied in this round. Examples: Switching weapons, Military Command to determine enemy combat pluses, looting a corpse.
- (Jon) A few actions can always be performed. Examples: Soliloquy (keep it short!), Intimidation, Dropping your weapon.

2.2. Experience Points

An Experience Point (EP) represents 1 hour of training in a skill. Skills where you have less than base EP are shown without a vertical bar after the skill on the character sheet. Skills with very low Pluses (less than a large negative value) are not shown on the character sheet as they are likely to always fail when used.

Note

(Jon) "Typical activities and EP gain" section moved to the appendix.

Characters start with relatively low EP and the amount increases after each run depending on what happened.

In principle, you must apply the EP for the time you have spent performing some skill. For example, if you are working harvesting crops for a week, you must put 40 EP / week into farming.

In practice, this turns out to be a bookkeeping nightmare resulting in characters having extremely high EP in skills related to Travelling, and not much else. Instead, the GM usually awards a fixed number of EP for each run of a campaign, and players are expected to allocate them reasonably based on what they did in the run. Sometimes there will be directives given by the GM which must be followed, e.g. "1000 EP of which 200 must be in Sailing."

2.3. Available Skills

Note

(Jon) Proposed general disclaimer for GM / campaign-specific rules and skill.dbs:

There are many skills, spells, and weapons in the Hack and Slay system. Some are found only in one GM’s ruleset - see the GM-specific appendices - and some are found only in one specific campaign. Do not assume that because it is described in this document, it will always be available.

The Slay character generation program relies on a per-campaign database (skill.dbs) created by the GM. If it isn’t in skill.dbs it does not exist in that world - at least at that time - and is not an option. Players can request that the GM add to the database if they desire a skill or weapon not found there. As always, the GM’s decision is final.

2.4. Combining Skills

2.4.1. Adding Pluses

Several characters can combine their skills in working on a problem (where it makes sense as decided by the game master). The "value" of a skill is 2^plus. Add all of the skill values, take the log₂ of that value, and round down. Example: 3 magicians are working on a combined spell. They have pluses of 5,4,3. The values are 32,16,8. The sum is 56 which is between 2⁵ and 2⁶ so the net plus is still 5. If the magicians had pluses of 4,4,4, the sum is 48, which gives a net plus of 5.

For some skills, like stealth, more people decrease the effectiveness. In that case, add the inverses. In that case, 5,4,3 would add to 3 (round up). 4,4,4 would add to 3.

Note

(Jon) A simpler way is to sum lower-valued Pluses: "Two +2s is a +3. Is there a +3? Yes, so two +3s is a +4." Likewise 3 +2s is a +3, 4 +2s is a +4.

The player with the highest Plus normally rolls the dice with the group Plus.

Players are not likely to all think of doing the same thing at the same time. Players are not required to accept other players' help when using skills, no matter how much sense that makes to the other players.

Usually the GM will allow only one roll for the group to be made for the party in a specific situation, such as rolling Alertness to detect an ambush.

In certain circumstances, such as Scrounging for unique items or Shopping in a bazaar, each player will be allowed a separate roll with separate results.

2.4.2. Multiplying Damages

Various items and spells increase damages in combat. If the use of two devices gives NX and MX damage, the resulting damage is (M+N)X.

2.5. Character Sheets

Note

(Jon) Character abilities are based on stats, which are intrinsic properties of the character. Stats can range from 3-18, and in rare circumstances, higher. The Slay program starts with each stat set to a default value for the character’s chosen race. They may be changed at will during character creation, but not afterwards.

In rare cases, the GM may impose or allow stat modifications after the campaign begins, through rare, dangerous, and/or expensive means such as Chaos Pow (can be temporary), Stat Potions (permanent), or Polymorph Potions (permanent).

Stats affect how easily you gain pluses in skills. Each skill has a weighted contribution from the stats which affect it; this can be seen in the GUI for the Slay program (or extracted from the skill.dbs file, if you’re that dedicated).

There are a fixed number of stat points available to starting characters, and the program rebalances the output stat values to match the available stat points. The cost of increased stat points is nonlinear, so it’s much more expensive to raise a stat from 17 to 18 than it is to raise it from 10 to 11.

The number of stat points rarely increases, unlike EP. It’s usually best to pick one or two stats relative to your character’s role and make them as large as possible, in the 16-18 range; for example, mages might choose MAG 18 and INT 16, heavy weapon fighters STR 18 and CON 16, rogues AGI and DEX 17, etc. Other stats which are significant can be raised to the 13-15 range, and the rest left near the defaults for the character race.

This is general advice, not a rule. Hyper-optimization of your character is possible, but not in the spirit of the system. The Slay algorithms are very nonlinear and very poorly documented. Rather than write optimization software, make some reasonable guesses, iterate a bit, and then play the character you have.

Table 1. Character Stats

Name	Abbreviation	Description
Size	SIZ	Height and weight
Strength	STR	Strength relative to size.
Constitution	CON	Hardiness, stamina, resistance to disease, etc.
Agility	AGI	Ability to move entire body quickly.
Dexterity	DEX	Ability to move with precision.
Psi	PSI	Strength of will, Psi powers in some scenarios.
Magic	MAG	Magical power / ability
Intelligence	INT	Not necessarily common sense.
Appearance	APP	Physical appearance.
Money	MON	Starting money and social status
Senses	SEN	Sight, Hearing, Sense of smell, etc.
Reactions	REA	Physical reaction speed

2.6. Character Races

Note

Most characters are human. Different races (Human, Elf, Orc, etc.) may sometimes be chosen for a character. Races usually differ in important ways both in terms of their default stats - Elves are more attractive, Orcs are stronger, Dwarves are tougher, etc. - and in how they are played.

Races are built into the Slay program’s database, and may be selected at character creation time.

(Jon) Moved the rarely used Experimental Rules section to an appendix.

2.7. Special Stat Rules

Money gives the character starting wealth in gold = 2^(MON-10). The character must spend this much each year on luxuries to maintain their social standing. If they spend less than this in a year, the social status drops by as much as 3 (down to the level set by the amount spent). If you spend more than this in a year, you can move up 1 status level (max) by spending 2X the amount required for the next level. Valid luxuries include housing, food, clothes, parties, etc. Invalid are weapons, training, and investments.

Table 2. Money and Social Class

Money	Social Class
<3	Escaped slave, escaped criminal, a hunted man
3	Slave
4	Villain, Indentured servant
5	Low servant (cleaning staff, etc), or laborer
6	Generic servant
7-8	Generic worker, guard
9-11	Craftsman, farmer, poor merchant, etc. Soldier
12-14	Wealthy craftsman or merchant, Low ranking officer
15	Noble family, (second son, etc.), Rich merchant. High-ranking officer.
16	Noble, - Baron, etc. Commander, Ship captain
17	Noble - Duke, General, Fabulously wealthy merchant
18	Prince.
19	Crown Prince
20	King

Senses: The SEN Plus is rolled to observe things that have already been noticed by the character. The Alertness skill is used when the character needs to notice something.

2.8. Weapons

Each character has several standard sets of equipment. All combat pluses are calculated for each set of equipment (e.g. sword and shield). Equipment may affect other abilities, as listed in the skill description. Carrying or using various weapons will reduce other skills. A typical list is give below; however, it is up to the GM to make the decision in each case. For multiple items carried, use the skill "subtraction" rules.

For the purposes of this discussion:

Small weapons: Dagger, nunchucks.
One hand weapons: sword, mace, short bow (carried).
Weapon and shield: any weapon used with a shield
Two hand weapons: two hand sword, long bow (carried), any bow used, staff.

Table 3. Weapon Modifiers

Item (carried)	Move	Climbing	Stealth	Acrobatics	Swimming	Protect (1)
Small Weapon	0	0	0	0	0	0
One hand weapon	0	0	0	0	-1	0
Two hand weapon	0	0	0	0	-2	0
Weapon and shield	-2	-1	0	-2	-2	0
Item (used)						+
Small weapon	0	-1	0	0	0	0
One hand weapon	0	-2	0	0	-1	+
Two hand weapon(2)	0	-5	-1	-1	-2	+
Weapon and shield	-2	-6	-2	-3	-3	50%
Armor effects	Included					+
Light leather		0	-1	0	0	80%
Heavy leather		0	-2	0	-1	80%
Chain / ring		-1	-2	-1	-3	80%
Plate		-2	-3	-3	-6	90%
Heavy plate		-5	-5	-5	-10	95%
Juggernaut(3)		-7	-7	-7	-12	98%
Flack Jacket		0	0	-1	-1	80%

[1] Reduce area effect damage by this amount: see notes in combat section

[2] No acrobatics or stealth minus for Light 2-hand Sword. No swimming minus for staff.

[3] 2X normal price

Note	(Jon) Moved Aging Rules section to an appendix.

2.9. Hunger And Thirst

Lack of food and water will have both short and long term effects. Base effects on the most limited of food or water. Both affect all skills. For each time, make a roll at con+. Failure means you take the minus, otherwise roll again after another time period.

Table 4. Hunger and Thirst Modifiers

Condition	Skill Modifiers
No Water (1)	-1 every 12 hours
No Food	-1 every 2 days
Limited food	Take minus at 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, 10 years
Recovery from limited food	+1 at 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month.

[1] Effects of no water at normal temperatures. Otherwise, see the Outdoor Survival tables.

3. Movement

Note

(Jon) New section - oddly, this phase was never described!

Your maximum movement (in hexes / round) is determined by your Running skill, as affected by your current weapon and armor and bulky or heavy items you may be carrying.

Full Move = maximum amount you can move over short periods of time. This is the value in the "Move" column for your currently wielded Weapon + Armor on your character sheet. See the Running skill for exhaustion effects.
Half Move = your sustained movement rate when walking long distances, without tiring. This is 1/2 of the Move value, rounded up.

A party’s aggregate movement rate when marching over long distances is the slowest Half Move in the group.

When in combat time (when the Order of Actions is being followed), you may move the following distances:

Zero hexes if Engaged with an opponent and cannot Disengage.
One hex if Engaged and you win a STR roll to Push Back.
One hex if moving in Stealth.
One hex if carrying or dragging something very heavy, such as another PC.
Two hexes (and no other combat actions) if holding a Reserved Action.
Up to your Half Move, without combat penalties.
Up to your Full Move, with penalties for defense and potential bonuses for attack and Engage rolls.

Movement interaction with Melee effects is enumerated in more detail in the Combat Actions section.

3.1. Long-Distance Travel

Note

(Jon) This was moved from the Skill section, as it isn’t a skill.

(Jon) Party members usually find themselves travelling a great deal. Often on foot, even in high technology worlds, but other modes of transport may be available, and much faster. Sometimes the characters need an appropriate skill (Riding Horseback, Sailing, Vehicle - Aircraft, etc.) to utilize them. Sometimes transport can be managed by NPCs (take passage on or purchase a ship, rent a carriage, kidnap a starship captain and her ship). Available forms of transit and speeds vary at GM’s discretion; these are just a few examples.

(Jon, rant mode on) Spending time drawing maps is rarely, if ever useful. The GM will provide maps and other navigation information at a level appropriate to the needs of the party. Spending valuable gaming time demanding exact distances, directions, names, etc. is neither useful nor "realistic" (for values of realistic appropriate to a role-playing game).

Making accurate maps is a difficult and time-consuming task requiring specialized skills largely unknown until the Age of Exploration began, and not something the party should be spending effort on.

I recommend to severely obsessed players the fascinating history of the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India.

The following examples are based on Roman tech levels.

Table 5. Roman Travel Speeds

Transport Type	Speed
Mule	12 miles / day
Fast Carriage	42 miles / day
Ship	50 miles / day
Horse relay (24 hour - information only)	150 miles / day

4. Combat

Reserved Actions: An action that is ready to be performed may be "reserved" until a later round. A character may not take any other action (anything requiring a roll, or a move above 2 hexes / round) while holding a reserved action.

4.1. Combat Skills and Weapons

Note

(Jon) None of the Combat - skills are present in the original document. I suggest adding them in the new "Combat Skills" section, something like this:

During combat, each character is wielding a chosen weapon. Their ability with that weapon is determined by the Combat skill applicable to that weapon. The relationship between weapon Pluses and Combat skill Pluses is made in skill.dbs and the Slay program. Adding a weapon in the "Weapons" tab will show the applicable Combat skill. This section enumerates the common Combat skills and related weapons. Additional Combat skills and weapons may be defined in the the GM-specific appendices.

Combat - Bow - Composite Bow, Crossbow, Long Bow, Short Bow.
Combat - Cohe Wand - Cohe Wand.
Combat - Darkness - not a weapon, but the character’s ability to operate in darkness conditions.
Combat - Eastern - Eastern Bow, Karate, Light Two-Handed Sword, Naginata, Nunchuks, Shiruken, Eastern Staff, Vorch Sword.
Combat - Fencing - Rapier.
Combat - Flail - Flail.
Combat - Grappling - not a weapon, but the character’s ability to grapple and hold an oppponent.
Combat - Gun - Assault Rifle, Blaster, Elephant Gun, Flame Thrower, Flintlock, Fusion Cannon, Laser Crossbow, Phaser, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Sniper Rifle.
Combat - Gun Speed - not a weapon, but the chacter’s ability to quickdraw and shoot before their opponent.
Combat - Hand To Hand - Barehand, Club, Dagger, Knife, Spear, Staff.
Combat - Heavy Weapon - Chainsaw, Hammer, Two Hand Axe, Two Hand Sword. Flail, if Combat - Flail skill is not available.
Combat - Light Saber - Light Saber.
Combat - Mounted - Lance and Shield (Mounted)
Combat - Net - Special weapon used for Grapple attacks.
Combat - Random Object - Improvised weapons (chairs, flagpoles, rocks, etc.). These fall into four categories: Small (e.g. a pot), Medium (e.g. a chair), Big (e.g. a table), and Random - Thrown (such as a rock). Exact categories and modifiers are determined by the GM in each case. Rarely used except for throwing rocks in low-level runs.
Combat - Sonic Axe - Sonic Axe (obscure high-tech weapon)
Combat - Sword - Axe, Broadsword, Cutlass, Light Sword, Long Sword, Mace, Short Sword, Sword.
Combat - Sword And Shield - Shield combined with selected Hand to Hand and Sword weapons; also Morning Star and Shield, and Lance and Shield (Mounted) if the Combat - Mounted skill is not available.
Combat - Thrown Weapon - Atlatl, Grenade, and selected blunt and edged weapons such as Axe, Dart, Knife, Rock, Spear can be thrown. Also used for throwing potions such as Flash Powder, Glue, or Slippery Liquid when needing to hit a character or a hex.

4.2. Hit Points

Hit Points (HP) are the damage you can take before your actions become impaired due to damage. Effects of negative HP are listed below.

Note

C* = CON² / 10. C* affects your recovery rate as shown below, is used in several other places. C* is shown on generated character sheets below the skill plus table.
(Jon) Dead At is the HP value at which your character has died. It is shown next to C* on character sheets. You cannot recover from Death (except by unusual GM fiat). Some potions and spells, such as Vigor, will temporarily change your Dead At value, but if the effect wears off and your HP are below your normal Dead At, you will still die at that time.

Table 6. Hit Points, Combat Modifiers, and Recovery Rates

HP	Effect	Recovery
HP to HP / 2	None	C* / 10 / hour
HP / 2 - 1 to 0	None	C* / 10 / day
-1 to -C* / 2	-1 combat for each 10% of C*	C* / 10 / week
-C* / 2 - 1 to -C*	-1 move for each 20% of C*	C* / 10 / week
-C* - 1 to -2 * C*	Unconscious	C* / 10 / week
< -2 * C*	Dead At - no recovery possible	n/a

4.2.1. Recovering Hit Points

After 3 rounds of no combat actions, you recover d6 HP. Note that you may not recover more points than you lost in the battle.

Each hour, day or week (depending on your position on the chart) a healer may make a healing roll. The number of points you regain is multiplied by (1+ the amount by which the healer makes their roll).

Orc Recovery Rates:

above 0: C*/10/hour
0 to dead: C*/10/day.

Note

(Jon) I believe our usual rule is that you can only recover d6 HP once in a given battle.

(Jon) Once someone with a given Plus has Healed you, you cannot be Healed again from that damage unless a better Healer becomes available (This, oddly, replicates the effect commonly seen in teaching hospitals where Interns get first crack at patients followed by Doctors.)

4.3. Hand To Hand Weapon Combat

Note	(Graham) Morale die. A 12 sided die may be rolled to determine monster morale. A 12 means very aggressive, a 1 means reluctant to fight. (Jon) Players may also roll a morale die when they themselves are unsure how to react.

4.3.1. Engaging

When there is disagreement about who should be fighting who, the characters roll 3d6 + Engage plus to see who wins. On a tie, the situation remains unchanged. In general, if two combatants are not engaged, they must not be in adjacent hexes.

Note	Combat actions may change the engagement plus. Engagement must be handled by the GM on a case by case basis. Good rules for resolving engage conflicts would be very useful in mass combat.

4.3.2. Attack Mode

The attacker chooses which defense to attack against. They choose to attack against one of the following armor classes:

Low - Attempt to smash through defender’s parry and armor. Subtract the "Parry" and "Armr" values from the defender’s character sheet from the attack damage.
Medium - Attempt to avoid defender’s parry and bash through armor. Subtract their "Armr" value from the attack damage.
(Jon) Modified High - used only during missile attacks. See discussion in the Ranged Weapon section.
High - Attempt to avoid defender’s parry and armor entirely. No damage subtracted.

Note	(Jon) The list needs additional entries for e.g. Ultrahigh, with appropriate disclaimers about when they may be attacked against.

Note

(Jon) The dice modifier rolled by the defender is determined by the attack chosen by the attacker, and shown in the Low, Med, High, or M.H. columns of the weapons table row for the defender’s current armor. The resulting value is known as the DCV, or Defense Combat Value, for that combat.

Dropping Pluses to Attack First

Weapons normally attack simultaneously. You may drop pluses to attack first. If both combatants drop the same number of pluses, the attacks are again simultaneous. Dropping pluses only effects the order in which attacks occur within a phase of combat; it will not, for example, allow missile combat to occur before hand to hand combat.

Note

(Jon) Moved from the beginning of the section and expanded a bit.

Simultaneous Death: Combat is assumed to be simultaneous unless otherwise noted (see dropping pluses to attack first). If fighters attack simultaneously and both would have died, roll d6 to determine the outcome:

1 or 2 - Combatant #1 hit first, combatant #2 is dead and #1 is unhurt.
3 or 4 - Combatant #1 and #2 hit simultaneously, both are dead.
5 or 6 - Combatant #2 hit first, combatant #1 is dead and #2 is unhurt.

4.3.3. Multiple Opponents

If you are fighting more than one opponent, you defend against 2 at -2, 3 or more at -4. Note: your DCV is never worse than -4 absolute when in combat. Missile attacks are not included in multiple attacks.

Note	(Jon) I believe our current rules are that a Fully Offensive attacker defends at -5 absolute, which disagrees here and in the table below. (Jon) If someone has multiple attackers, do they remain at minuses for missile attacks? I think there’s been confusion about this.

4.3.4. Attack Damage

Note

(Jon) Again amazingly, this wasn’t described anywhere I can see.

If the attacker hits (rolls 3d6 + attack modifiers >= the defender’s 3d6
defense modifiers), the damage done to the defender is the "Damg" column for the attacker’s current weapon multiplied by the "over" - the difference in dice rolls. The damage is subtracted from the defender’s Hit Points and may affect their abilities in actions following the attack, This mechanic is also used for ranged weapons and magical direct attacks.

For example, if an attacker is wielding a staff that does 6 points / over, and rolls 14 vs. the defender’s 11, the damage done is (14 - 11) * 6 = 18 points.

Some magical effects can reduce damage from attacks.

If the attacker rolls the same value as the defender, no physical damage is done. However, with certain types of weapons, such as poison, Flesh To Stone, and magical direct attacks, there may still be consequences to the defender as determined by the GM.

4.3.5. Grappling And Holding

Bare hand and some creatures or weapons have the ability to use grappling attacks. The procedure is as follows:

If both opponents want to grapple, skip to Grappling, below. If not, the one who wants to grapple must start the round already engaged. Grappling attacks must be announced at the beginning of combat, and will take place after hand to hand combat. The grappler must use their Combat - Barehand (or Combat - Eastern, if using Karate) combat stats for defense the round in which they are grappling. The grappler must then roll an attack at Combat - Barehand Plus against the defender’s low DCV. If it succeeds, no damage is done, but proceed to Grappling (below). Otherwise the round ends. Note: it is often effective for the defender to move pluses to attack, and kill the grappler before the grappling occurs

Grappling: When grappling has started, each rolls with their grapple skill plus at the start of each combat round. Keep track of the running total (the amount by which one or the other player is "Grappled"). The current winner can end the grapple at any time and switch to normal weapons attacks.

Grappled < 5: either opponent can decide to break the grapple and return to normal combat the next round.
Grappled at 5-20: Only the opponent currently ahead can break the grapple.
Grappled at 20 or more: The loser takes a point of damage for each cumulative grapple point over 20.

Note	(Jon) I believe the usual mechanic is that at a grapple of 20+, the defender is immobilized (they can still complain, spit, breathe fire, etc.)

Net: Special weapon. A hit against low counts as a grapple attack at +10 for the first attack, then the net "grapples" at +0. Can be used with a 1-hand weapon, on the net round, defend with "Net" weapon defense levels, then attack. Can be readied overhead (spun) for an initial attack at +15 first round.

4.4. Ranged Weapon Combat

4.4.1. General Rules

Pluses: Attacker uses their attack Plus against opponent’s defense Plus - range modifier. You take 1 range minus for each multiple of the weapon range distance (round down: if the weapon has range 3, you are at 0 for 3 and less hexes, -1 for 4 to 6 hexes). Note: The attacker may not shift Pluses from offense to defense.

Surprise Attack: If the opponent is not aware they are being attacked and is not in combat, their DCV is given in the combat actions list (later).

Aiming: This may only be used against a target that is not moving, or is walking slowly. Attacker gains +1 for each round spent aiming. During aiming, DCV is as for Fully Offensive. Aimed weapons attack first in combat. Maximum aiming = +5.

Hitting a hex: The DCV of a hex is -10.

Multiple Missile Attacks: Normally multiple attacks are rolled separately. In order to save time with many attacks, the GM may use the following, only making a single roll. The defender is at -1 for each factor of 2 in multiple attacks. For 8 attacks, the defender is at -3. Against 200 archers on the walls, the defender is at -7.

Reduced Mobility: A defender whose mobility is limited is at worse minuses against attacks. A defender who cannot possibly move out of an area which will be covered with missiles, will be attacked at no worse than +0 net by the number of missiles which hit the hex. This only applies for synchronized and planned attacks.

Auto Fire: If you fire multiple shots at a single target, the first shot hits normally, the next 2 at -1, the next 4 at -2, etc. Subtract armor from each projectile.

Defense: For targets without a shield: Medium DCV is equal to Low DCV. High DCV is equal to low DCV + armor plus. Note: "armor plus" is the difference between High DCV and Medium DCV. A shield may only be used to parry missile attack from one hex side per round and will increase your medium DCV by 2.

Note	(Graham) Adjusted High is Low DCV + (High DCV - Medium DCV) (Jon) This is commonly referred to as Modified High and shown as M.H. in generated character sheets.

Running Throw: Spears and axes may be thrown from a running start. Gain charge damage bonus, and +1 range for each hex moved, but run must be declared in movement round, and DCV is -2.

Note	Missile weapons do not count as additional attacks for hand-to-hand combat, nor do hand-to-hand attacks count as multiple attacks for missile combat. Maximum Packing of archers: For standard bowmen, 2 / hex can be packed if they are not attempting to defend, otherwise 1 / hex.

4.4.2. Cover

Protective walls, etc provides cover. It is possible to shoot through cover using the Damage to Physical Objects rules below.

Table 7. Taking Cover

Cover type	Comments	Attack	Defense
None		0	0
Wall edge		-n	+2n
Prone	Movement = 1 / round	0	+2
Arrow slit	Can use like a wall edge	-1	+5

4.4.3. Explosion Damage

Weapon does listed number of dice in the megahex hit. See chart for range effects. Damage if the explosive actually hits a target is the calculated at base explosion damage * number over, for instance if you actually hit someone with a meteor.

Table 8. Explosion Damage

Distance from center	Explosion damage divider
Center Hex	full
1 hex	full
2-3 hexes	1/2
4-5 hexes	1/3
6-7 hexes	1/5
8-10 hexes	1/8
>10 hexes	10 / hexes², e.g. at 30 hexes, do 1 / 90 damage.

Shielding: Hexes that are in line of sight of the explosion take full damage. If the blast must make a turn to hit the target, damage is reduced by 2X for each turn required. A wall counts as 1 turn normally, 2 turns if you are hiding (no shots that round). Arrow or gun slit counts as -5 dice damage.

Armor: Armor protects against explosion damage in the same fashion it protects against area effect damage.

4.5. Damage To Physical Objects

Note that the physical damage rules are complex in order to prevent absurdities like hacking through a stone wall with a fencing foil, or even with a sword. Damage required to destroy physical objects has been greatly increased.

A table of the damage resistance of common objects is given below. Physical objects are attacked normally. You may go fully offensive, or charge attack a physical object. Some special rules apply to damaging physical objects:

A hex sized or larger physical object defends at DCV -10.

4.5.1. Attacking Through Objects

A shot with a bow or gun through a solid wall will have its base damage reduced by 1/10 the defense of the object.

An attack through an object with a normal weapon will have its base damage reduced by 1/4 the defense of the object.

4.5.2. Weapon Types

The effect of various weapons types depends on the target material. Note that the base weapon damage must be taken into account when evaluating the damage. e.g. Bare hand weapons have advantages against soft targets, however they typically do much less damage than swords and axes. Note you can NOT shift pluses when attacking a solid object.

Blunt / soft - Barehanded, club, staff, etc. These weapons are effective against soft targets.
Edged - Swords, Daggers, and spears. These weapons rely on sharp edges or points to do damage. They are effective against soft targets, but ineffective against hard targets.
Edged / impact - Axes, These weapons are intermediate between edged weapons and hard impact weapons
Hard impact - Hammers, Maces: These weapons rely on an impact by a hard object. They are effective against hard targets.
Concentrated impact - Pick Axe: These weapons are especially effective against hart brittle targets.
Impaling - Spears, arrows, bullets, etc

4.5.3. Types Of Materials

Hard - Stone, ceramic, brick, etc. These materials are primarily damaged by concentrated shock.
Metal - Ductile materials, generally immune to fracture
Soft - Wood, plastic, organic materials. Can be fractured, or cut.

Table 9. Damage Ratios (Weapons vs. Material Types)

Weapon type	Soft	Metal	Hard
Blunt / soft	1	1/2	1/4
Edged	1	1/2	1/4
Edged / impact	1	1	1/2
Hard impact	1	1	1
Concentrated impact	1	1	2
Impaling	1/4	1/4	1/4
Fire	1	1/10	1/4
Explosion	1	1/2	1

Table 10. Properties of Structural Materials

Material	Defense	Hit points	Type / special rules
Wood door / wooden wall	30 / in. (max 200)	80 / in.	Soft
Iron bound wood door	50 / in. (max 500)	200 / in.	Soft
Iron clad wood door	100 + 50 / in. (max 600)	200 / in.	Metal, until first in. destroyed, then soft
Bronze door	100+100 / in. (max 500)	400 / in.	Metal
Masonry Wall	100 / in. (max 500)	200 / in.	Hard, 2000/in. beyond 3 feet (tunneling)
Stone Wall - large blocks	150 / in. (max 600)	800 / in.	Hard, 2500/in. beyond 3 feet (tunneling)
Iron	300 / in. (max 2000)	2000 / in.	Metal (not very realistic)

4.6. Other Combat

4.6.1. Mounted Combat.

At the beginning of each round of mounted combat, you must make a riding roll with the horse temper plus + 5. If you fail the roll, you lose control of the horse and it will shy away from combat. If you lose control of your horse, you must make a riding roll to stay on (again with the temper plus).

Horses can be used for charge attacks with damage increases for up to movement 10.

You may attack an opponent’s horse. The opponent gets to parry for the horse (count attacks against the horse in addition to attacks against the rider). See stats on horses for HP and defense (if not being parried by rider).

Horses give +50% damage (or charge bonus) to hand-to-hand weapons.

"Plus" and "minus" horses are available. The plus applies to:

Riding roll
Engage plus
The horse’s combat Pluses
Movement (for long races)
Appearance.

A general purpose horse is -1, and costs 1 GP.

A "war horse" is +0 and costs 10 GP

Then there are various more spectacular horses for 10X cost for each +1.

For Animal Training, a horse starts at -1. A successful Animal Training roll, and 1 year will make it +0. A successful roll at -5 and 1 year will make it +1. If the roll beats the universe by +10, then the horse is +2.

4.6.2. Combat In Water

Character must make a Swimming roll each round or lose 1 HP from water inhalation. All attacks are at -4 for swinging weapons, -2 for stabbing weapons. (it is difficult to move weapons in water). Low DCV is reduced by 5. Parry DCV is reduced by the same amount as weapon skills.

4.6.3. Flying Combat

Simplified rules: Each combatant rolls their Flying skill Plus (usually Flying - Dizbusters). The winner gets to attack (no shifting combat pluses for either combatant).

A flying attacker may disengage at will from all opponents on the ground. Otherwise it engages normally. Note that flying creatures typically have good Engage pluses.

4.6.4. Grabbing Weapons

It is possible (but difficult) to grab an opponent’s weapon in combat. You must: be engaged, make a normal Combat - Barehand attack against High (which goes after your opponent’s attack), and then win a STR roll. If the STR roll fails you need to try again next round.

Grabbing a sheathed weapon only requires a Combat - Barehand attack against High.

4.6.5. Area Effect Damage

Applies to damage from fireballs, fire, or other area attacks. Take the damage done, A shield (if any) will stop 50% of the damage (up to the shield parry). Then the armor will stop an amount (usually 80%) of the remaining damage, up to the armor defense. The remainder is done as damage.

4.6.6. Light / Darkness Rules

Darkness affects pluses to attack and defense. In also affects some other physical skills including Acrobatics, at the GM discretion. Note that your DCV in combat is never worse than -4 absolute. You may add your Combat - Darkness skill to reduce the size of these negative pluses (but not increase them above their daylight values). These pluses apply to offense and defense. Note: flash powder is assumed only effective in darkness. Note: remember minimum combat DCVs.

Table 11. Light Rolls

Light Conditions	Effect for normal creatures	Effect for darkness creatures (Orcs etc)
Direct Sunlight	No effect	-7
Outdoor shade or cloudy sky	No effect	-5
Light brighter than half moonlight or torch 0-2 hexes	No effect	No effect
Crescent to half moon, or torch 3-4 hexes	-1	No effect
New moon to crescent moon, or torch 5 to 8 hexes	-2	No effect
Starlight, or torch 9-16 hexes	-3	No effect
Darkest night or torch 33-64 hexes.	-4	No effect
Against invisible opponent	-5	-5
Pitch black (worst darkness modifier)	-7	No effect
Sudden darkness (no time for eyes to adjust)	Additional -2 (+1 each round)	No effect
Flash powder (against normal creatures) 5-10 hex	See special rules under Alchemy	See special rules

Multiple Light Sources: Range goes as the square root (sqrt) of the total light (round range in hexes down). In general, use GM’s discretion.

Interaction of various light / dark sources:

4.6.7. Darkness Vs. Light Spells

Light can be used to counter darkness and vice versa using standard countering pluses but without a bonus for a continuing spell. If the spells are cast independently, in the area where they overlap the effects cancel (no mater how much Pow is put into the spells) and the prevailing non-magical light conditions apply. Use of multiple light or dark spells does not cancel this effect.

Darkness spell and natural light:

A person carrying a torch does not fight at minuses in a darkness, but they need to use one hand to hold the torch. Flash powder only works in the target hex in darkness (A roll against low to hit is required, or the target can move out of a hex).

Ranged weapons - Firing a ranged weapon or spell into darkness takes the darkness minus on the to-hit. Firing a ranged weapon into a lit area does not take a "light" minus for Darkness Creatures.

Mass weapons fire into darkness ares - Assume fire is divided equally among hexes and use mass fire rules.

4.6.8. Swarms

Some small creatures (wasps, rats, etc) attack in groups. The entire group is treated as a single creature. The HP are proportional to the number of creatures involved. Engage / disengage is based only on the movement; if they can reach, they can attack. Swarms have a Low / Med / High attack damage (all simultaneous, usually only High is important). Attack damage is treated like auto fire: First at normal, next 2 at -1, next 4 at -2.

4.6.9. Special Weapons

Flame thrower: Single target. Damage goes as plus². Can be used area effect, with total of 20d6 to divide among hexes (target can move out of range). If detonated (1% chance per point of damage through armor), does 30d6 explosion damage.

Grenade: Does d20 explosive. Note, can hit target (eg explode at exactly the correct time. Then target takes center hex damage). NOTE: if roll + Combat - Thrown Weapon Plus < 3, then grenade explodes in hand.

C4: Explosive. Each ounce does 5d6 explosive damage, or 100 points * Demolitions roll.

4.6.10. Guns

Pistol: Any hand pistol, various eras. Typical 38 caliber revolver 1 shot / round, then 6 rounds to reload

Rifle: Classic medium weight rifle 30.06 rifle, 1 shot / 2 rounds.

Shotgun: 12 gauge. 2 shots (can be fired in same round for 2X damage, but wielder takes d6 damage from recoil. 1 round to reload each barrel

Elephant gun: 0.600 Nitro express or similar. 2 barrels. Takes 10 rounds to reload each. Each shot causes wielder to take (2d6-size+) damage. Can fire both barrels, but take (4d6 - size+ )damage

Quick draw (gun speed). Can drop that many pluses on gun to go first.

4.6.11. Combat Actions Summary

Absolute plus (abs) indicates that 3d6 is rolled, but no character based values are used for MEDIUM DCV. Other pluses are relative to the character’s normal combat values. Shifting of pluses is only allowed when "n" is listed. Normal move is movement / 2 (round up) unless otherwise noted. DCV in combat is never worse than -4 absolute.

Table 12. Combat Actions

Combat action	Comments	Attack Plus	DCV	Fully Defensive
Hex DCV	Required to hit a hex	No attack	-10abs
Sleeping	Or unconscious	No attack	-8abs
Standing	Attacker must make stealth roll	No attack	-6abs
Walking	Attacker must make stealth roll	No attack	-5abs
Running	Attacker must make stealth roll	No attack	-4abs
Combat *	Minimum ever in combat!	-	-4abs	Yes
Normal *	Can shift Pluses (1)	+n (-2 <= n <= 2)	-n	Yes
Fast attack	Drop more to go first.	-n	Normal
2 attackers *		Normal	-2	Yes
>=3 attackers *		Normal	-4	Yes
Fully Offensive	Rarely used - VERY dangerous	+5	-4 Abs.
Fully Defensive	Allowed only if Fully Defensive column is "Yes"	No attack	+5 added
Charge (hand to hand)	May move up to full (2)	+2, +10% / hex	-3
Full move	No pluses can be shifted	None	-2
First round	Defender not ready for combat	None	-2
Combat surprise	Attacker makes stealth roll (at -3) against defender	None	-4
While climbing	Climbing roll made at -climb_shift (max 2)	-2 +climb_shift	-2 +climb_shift
Grab weapon	Attack bare hand, then STR contest	Normal	Normal
Push 1 hex	STR roll to push back, otherwise Normal	+2	-3
Pull attack	Drop N pluses for option to drop N more after damage is calculated	-n	Normal
Retreat 1 hex	Opponent has option of not following	-2	+3

[1] (Jon) In normal combat, you may shift up to two Pluses to attack or DCV. That is, increasing your Attack by 1 or 2 decreases your DCV by the same amount, and vice-versa. The shift must be announced before the GM’s dice roll is revealed. If announced during the Engage phase, it affects your Engage Plus by the same amount.

[2] Charge Attacks must be in a straight line. Add +10% / hex damage up to a maximum of 100% (2X). Add +3 to Engage. Defender may plant weapon (spear or similar) to get same damage multiple.

[3] Missile weapon aiming bonuses can only be applied if the target is not moving faster than a walk, and is not in combat. The player may take no other actions during an aiming round.

5. Skills (General)

Note

(Jon) New section intro.

In addition to Combat skills, there are many other possible skills in a campaign. General Skills - commonly practiced occupational and activity skills - are described in this section, followed by separate sections for Alchemy, Magic, Psi, and Technical skills.

(Jon) Names of Alchemy / Magic / Elemental Magic / Metamagic / Psi skills in section headers are now prefixed with the category, to help distinguish them and better (not perfectly) match the skill.dbs names.

5.1. Unlisted Skill Pluses

Note	These guidelines do not apply to Working Out, Magic - General, or Psi - General. (Jon) For skills without explicit descriptions provided, use the following general guidelines for difficulty. The GM will determine the difficulty of a particular roll.

Table 13. Unlisted Skill Pluses

Skill level	Effect for generic skill
0	Minimum competence to be hired as a professional in this skill
1	Pretty good, best in a small town in a specialized skill
2	Solidly competent.
3	Best in a town
4	Best in a small city
5	Expert, can train others, best likely to be found in a large city
6	A true expert, could be hired anywhere. Might find one like this in a major capital
7	The best … In all of France.
8	Legendary

5.2. Undescribed General Skills

Note

(Jon) New section, new content.

Many general skills lack explicit descriptions and tables, and are summarized in the following list. There are similar lists for undescribed Magic Spells, Psi Skills, and Technical Skills.

Architectural History
Architecture
Assasination - This is not what most people assume it is.
Astrology
Bartending
Botany
Bribery
Bureaucracy
Carpentry
Cartography
Chaos Sailing
Chemistry
Chess
Civil Engineering
Construction
Cooking
Crime Lord
Dancing
Diplomacy
Divination
Drawing
Drinking
Escape
Evaluate Merchandise
Fashion
Fashion Design
Fast Talk - Ability to convince someone to believe something they have no particular reason to. Generally rolled against their applicable in the topic of conversation.
Finance
Fishing
Fletcher
Flying Dizbusters
Forensics
Forestry
Forgery
Geology
Gunnery
Herbal Lore
History
Horse Training
Hunting
Interrogation
Interviewing - Also known as Journalism
Intimidation
Lasso
Law
Leadership
Leatherworking
Librarian
Life Magic
Linguistics
Lipreading
Literature
Lock Picking
Logging
Massage
Megalithic Sculpting
Merchant
Meteorology
Mumbdledy Peg
Musical Instrument
Mythology
Navigation (Chaos)
Navigation (Land)
Navigation (Sea)
Navigation (Tree)
Occupational Skill
Over Acting - Khaaaaaaaaaaaan!
Painting
Panhandling
Parachute - Failing roll can be bad
Partying
Piracy - More commonly used to avoid or negotiate with Pirates, rather than commit Piracy.
Poetry
Poisons
Pottery
Practical Chemistry
Prestidigitation
Psychology
Public Speaking
Read Body Language
Reading - Surprisingly often negative even for knowledge characters.
Revolution!
Rioting
Sailing - Ice
Scrounging - Very commonly used to get loot. You want a good Scrounger in the party.
Seduction
Setting Traps - More often used to locate and disarm traps.
Sex
Ship Commander
Shipbuilding
Singing
Skiing
Skydiving - Needed to steal someone else’s Parachute or fight in free fall.
Slaver
Smuggling
Snake Eating
Snake Training
Stone Cutting
Story Telling
Streetwise
Torture
Tracking
Trailing
Ventriloquism
Weaving
Whip
Working Out - How to get stronger. GM may ask for a Working Out roll for some types of strength-based actions.
Zoology

5.3. Acrobatics

The ability to jump, tumble, and swing from chandeliers. Acrobatics reduces falling damage. Normal damage is d6/5'. If you make an acrobatics roll, damage is reduced to d6/10'. Subtract an additional point for each one over on the roll. A typical acrobatics roll is jumping, grabbing a chandelier, and swinging across the room.

Table 14. Acrobatic Actions

Action	Roll required
Jumping a 10' gap while in combat	+0
Jumping onto a normal height table while in combat	+1
Leaping from a balcony, swinging on a chandelier, and attacking at normal plus	+2
The Luke Skywalker on the gangplank trick	+3
Using curtains, scaffolding, etc to break your fall. No damage with a roll every 10'	+4
Strange combat maneuver to gain +3 attack, -2 defense. Failure is no attack, -2 defense	+5
Leap over opponent to wind up behind (no engage required)	+6
Fighting while running on opponent’s heads	+7

5.4. Acting

The ability to perform on stage. Also the ability to pretend to be something you are not. For professional career, you need to be working full time, and must spend 1 year to become known in the area. Otherwise, pay is for 2 skill levels lower.

Table 15. Acting Ability

Skill Level	Effective ability
0	Extra in a semi-pro play 25 SP / yr
1	50 SP / year
2	Typical town actor 1 GP / year
3	2 GP / year
4	10 GP / year
5	Major role in a hit play 100 GP / year
6	Star of a hit play 200 GP / year
7	World fame 500 GP / year
8	Historical fame

5.5. Agriculture

The practical skill of farming. Includes knowing which crops to grow. An even roll will allow you to make the normal amount of money for an acre of land. Each +1 will increase / decrease the profits by 20%.

5.6. Alcohol Making

The person creating alcohol prepares a "batch". The default size is 10 drinks and take 1 hour to produce and costs 1 SP. The size of a batch can be doubled for -1 on the roll.

The plus can also be increased by 1 by spending 10X on ingredients.

Anything worse than -5 is undrinkable.

Drinking rolls done at the plus for the batch.

For plus < 0, take d6 damage for each negative plus.

If Silly Drinking Rules are not in use, use the following.

Table 16. Drinking Rolls

Plus	Effect
0 to 2	Acceptable booze
5 to 3	Good, +1 on morale
9 to 6	Excellent, +2 on morale
10+	Legendary, +3 on morale

5.7. Alertness

Alertness is "jungle honed reflexes". It is the ability to notice (as opposed to sense) things. A senses roll would be used to try to see a distant object you knew was there. Alertness would be used to notice a bird flying high overhead. Note that Alertness has a very strong senses correlation. You get to use your Alertness Plus against an opponent’s stealth roll.

5.8. Animal Handling

This is the ability to work with animals. A successful animal-handling roll will prevent a vicious (but not carnivorous, or trained) animal from attacking. A roll at +3 will prevent a non-intelligent (but even carnivorous) animal from attacking. Animal Handling is also used to control or alter trained animal behavior. Animal trained to guard its master would not require a roll, but would require one to guard to guard someone other than its master. If an animal is urged to do a trained task that is particularly difficult a animal handling roll will be required. (e.g. Commanding a guard dog to sit or even attack a normal creature would not require a roll, but to attack a natural predator to the animal would.) Animal Handling is used for specific situations to get an animal to do something for which it has not been trained. If a situation persists successive rolls may be required (at GM’s discretion). Typically subsequent rolls are +1 for each success and -2 for each failure.

Table 17. Animal Handling Rolls

Plus	Typical Effect
+6	Animal is devoted to handler. (domesticated Pet that is very well taken care of)
+4	Animal is loyal to handler. Handler is considered the animals "master" or alpha or handler trained the animal.
+2	Animal knows and trusts handler (is the pet of a friend of handler)
+Training Success	Animal is trained for task: add the training roll success margin. If GM allows the success margin should be kept with the trained animal’s stat. (i.e. must have been trained in advance.) (note: animals can be trained in 1 month at: +0; about 3 hours at: -5; about 7 minutes at: -8 )
0	Animal was trained for task but is nervous for some reason (crowd, predator in the area, unusual smells, loud noises that the animal wasn’t trained to ignore)
-1	Animal is trained for a conflicting task. (trained to hunt rabbits but asked to sit and ignore a rabbit)
-2	Animal is confused or has conflicting loyalties. (cumulative with devotion pluses. If conflict is with a devoted master modifiers: -1 and -3 )
-2	Animal is frightened. Animal doesn’t want to do task. Animal doesn’t clearly understand task.
-4	Animal is terrified.. Animal cannot clearly understand task. Animal risks death or serious injury
-6	Action goes against animal’s basic instinctive reactions.
+Int	Successful Animal Empathy / Psi - Animal Communication then Plus animal’s int. Typical animal Int is 1-3.

At GM discretion, communicating with a hostile animal may not help other than to provide a level of intimidation or a common understanding of intent.

5.9. Animal Training

This is the ability to train domestic, or possibly non-domesticated animals to perform as required. Typically it will take a month to train an animal. There is a plus (minus) one for each factor of 3 in time. Additional Pluses (minuses) to animal training roll.

Table 18. Animal Training Rolls

Plus	Typical Effect
+2	Train a domesticated animal in its "normal" function. Dog barking (only) at strangers, etc
+1	Train a riding horse
+0	Train a war horse, guard dog,
-1	Train a show horse (train to do non-normal functions consistently on command)
-2	Train a non-domesticated animal (cumulative with other numbers)
-3	Train a Dizbuster for riding
+Int	Successful Animal Empathy / Psi - Animal Communication then Plus animal’s int.
-1	Animal is ferocious (Guard Wolf vs guard dog)
-4 or more	Animal is vicious or enchanted creature with animal int. (GM discretion)

5.9.1. Examples

A character with successful Psi - Animal Communication and +3 in Animal Training trains a wild wolf for 12 months to act as a guard animal. The modifiers are:

Not domesticated: -2
Time 12 Months: +4
Wolf INT: +3
Ferocious: -1
Skill: +3

For a total of +7.

Training a falcon for 12 months to be a hunting bird has modifiers:

Not domesticated: -2
Time 12 months: +4
Falcon INT: +2
Non-normal function: -1
Skill: +3

For a total of +6.

Training a ferret scout for 12 months has modifiers:

Not domesticated: -2
Time 12 months: +4
Ferret INT: +2
Non-normal function: -1
Skill: +3

For a total of +6.

5.9.2. Guard Animal Commands

Roll at +7 training roll for each command, except as noted.

Have and obey one master and ignore commands not from master: (temporarily changing masters requires control roll at minus "training success" plus modifiers)
Not be distracted by battle noises.
Use senses to alert master of danger. The animal is always alert; if commanded to silence, it will nuzzle or otherwise silently get attention of master).
- Add -2 to the silence command training roll, because it is very unnatural.
Guard master from attackers (always guarding unless commanded to heel, sic, or protect. Will attack anything physically attacking master. May require a handling roll if negative condition exists.
Attack a target specified by master: (command Sic point at target): will attack until defeated or called off. May require handling roll if negative condition exists or if severely injured.
Protect an area, item, or person if commanded to do so (command Protect point at thing to protect, or touch / show thing to protect) will guard the thing it’s protecting, even if master gets attacked. The animal will attempt to keep the thing from moving away if it is animate. This may require handling roll if negative conditions exist, or if master has difficulty communicating what to protect).
- Add -1 to the training roll. Not natural, and difficult.
Fetch an object (command Fetch point at thing to fetch or throw thing to fetch). May require handling roll if negative conditions exists or if master has difficulty communicating what to fetch.
Perform pet tricks (sit, lie down, roll over, stay, come, common things learned during first stages of animal training).

The animal knows the following commands at the training success Plus. Roll separately for each command:

Sit @ _
Down @ _
Stay @ _
Guard @ _
Protect @ _
Sic @ _
Heel @ _,
Come @ _
Fetch @ _
Silence @ _.

5.9.3. Hunting (Scout) Animal

Fetch Prey (command gesture). Animal will go / fly in indicated direction looking for natural prey, If possible, it will attack and kill the prey and return it without eating it. Typically trained to limit to a specific prey.
- Add +1 to the training roll, for a natural act.
Seek specified Prey (command gesture). Master must communicate prey to seek (i.e. let a hound smell something of the prey). Animal will stay near prey and circle above, bay / howl, or otherwise indicate its presence. An Animal Handling or Psi - Animal Communication roll may be necessary to indicate prey to seek.
Scout specified Prey (command gesture). Master must communicate prey to scout. Animal returns when found or after about an hour if not found and attempts to communicate. Communication without Psi - Animal Communication is very limited. (found prey / didn’t find prey / in that direction).
- Add -1 to the training roll. Not natural.
Scout for danger (command gesture). The animal needs to be trained for what indicates danger. Psi - Animal Communication is essential for any flexibility in this otherwise the definition must be natural enemy or predefined condition (other humans, large creatures, etc.) Animal handling or Animal communicate roll necessary to indicate what danger is.
- Add -2 to the training roll. Not natural.
Scout (command: animal communication. This can only be done with Animal Communication. Animal will follow instructions and communicate information. This is limited by animal’s INT and ability to understand instructions and to understand what is observed. Animal Handling and Psi - Animal Communication rolls required.)
- Add -3 to the training roll. This is a very useful and difficult skill.
Return (command gesture or "call" or animal communicate. Animal returns to master.)
Flee (command gesture animal returns to home. Animal Handling or Psi - Animal Communication roll required if home is beyond the understanding of the animal.

The animal knows the following commands at the training success Plus. Roll separately for each command:

Fetch * _
Seek * _
Scout prey * _
Scout danger * __
Scout * __,
Return * __
Flee * _

5.10. Anthropology

This is the knowledge of primitive cultures, and the ability to interact with them. Typically a flat roll would be required to make peaceful contact with a group of primitives. Some effects of other rolls:

Table 19. Anthropology Rolls

Roll	Typical Effect
+10	Convince them that you are a God
+5	Convince them to join and accept your culture
+2	Establish favorable trading relations
0	Establish peaceful contact
-2	Escape without violence
-5	They will hunt you down
-10	They will apply all of their cultural energy to destroying you and all that is yours.

5.11. Archaeology

This is the study of ancient civilizations and ruins. A flat Archaeology roll allows the character to identify the culture, and age (to 50% - unless defined more accurately by the knowledge of the culture) of an artifact from a known civilization. Each +1 cuts the age uncertainty in half. This is also the ability to find interesting things in ruins. Typically the GM will define a required Archaeology roll to find some important artifact or piece of information.

5.12. Bargaining

Note	(Jon) This is misspelled as "Barganing" in skill.dbs.

This is the ability to convince someone to sell at a lower price. Roll with bargaining skill, For each 1 difference the price will multiply or divide by the purchase "variance percentage". For typical (food, weapons, etc) purchases, the variance is 10%. An equal roll is no change. For example a +2 roll would divide the price by 1.2. NOTE: you cannot hire someone to bargain for you (after all, you would need to bargain for hiring them).

Table 20. Bargaining Effects

Item	Retail / Wholesale typical	Variance
Gold	1	0%
Gems	1.5	10%
Food	2	10%
Weapons	2	20%
Artifacts	4	50%

5.13. Child Care

This is the skill of raising, educating and controlling children. It is not normally useful in the game.

5.14. Climbing

The climbing skill allows you to climb anything more difficult than a ladder. A roll must be made for each standard distance, or part of a standard distance climbed.

5.14.1. Climbing Speed

Normal climbing speed is 1' / round, max 20' / minute, 300' / hour for long climbs, 2000'/day for day climbs. Climb rolls are based on the distance to be climbed. Rolls below are for 10' climbs. All climb rolls are made for a minimum of 10'. Climbs are at -1 for each factor of 10 in climbing distance (up to 1 day). Climbs can be made faster (up to 1 hex / round) at -1 for each additional ft. / round. Roll each round.

Table 21. Climbing Modifiers

Type of Climb	Difficulty
Tree with lots of branches, rope	-9
Snow slope	-8
Mountainside - Teneya canyon	-7
Glacier - Ice covered cliffs, Outside of typical building,	-6
Rock cliff - Yosemite valley walls, siege ladder	-5
Tree - no branches	-4
Rock face - Half Dome	-3
Poorly made stone wall	-2
Good stone wall (typical castle)	+2
Overhang - rock	+4
Overhang - good stonework	+6
Vertical wall of glass (without th’pocks), otherwise 0.	+8
With appropriate equipment (pitons, Ice Axe, etc)	+3 extra

If you fail your climbing roll, you did not succeed in moving climbing in that round. Roll again at the same plus to catch yourself. If you fail, you fall. For each climb a typical falling distance should be defined. For example: for Half Dome, the distance is 2000'. For a rubble slope, the distance might only be 20'. After a fall, roll d100 % of this to find the distance you actually fell. Damage is d6 / 5'. Armor does not protect.

5.14.2. Fixed Ropes

If you are roped to a fixed location, the damage is d6/20' falling, the rope will limit the distance you fall. Note, climbing with fixed ropes reduces you climbing speed to 1/4 normal. In this case, only one climber must roll the difficult climb. Minimum fall damage is d6.

5.14.3. Party Roped Together

This allows you to climb at normal rate. If one person falls, any neighbors get to roll a climb roll at -2. If either succeeds, things are OK. If all neighbors fail, the next in line must make the roll at -4, then -6, etc. If all fail, all fall (and die?).

5.14.4. Effects Of Altitude

For each 3000' above 10000', take a -1 at all skills.

5.15. Demolitions

This is the knowledge of how to destroy physical structures. When attacking a structure, each +1 on a Demolitions roll gives 2X on the amount of damage done to the structure. A demolitions roll is a full round action. A structure designed by a superior engineer may be resistant to demolitions. In that case, roll demolitions plus against the engineering plus.

5.16. Disguise

The ability to make yourself or another look like someone else. It is always assumed that you have sufficient clothes, etc to at least be plausible.

Table 22. Disguise Modifiers

Situation	Plus
Disguising another	-1 (additive)
Trying to look like a different human race	-2 (additive)
Trying to look like a different humanoid species	-4 (additive)
Trying to look like a non-human (silly)	-6 (additive)
Full set of disguise equipment (several trunks worth)	+2(additive)
No equipment (but able to find minimum clothes, etc)	-2 (additive)
Trying not to be recognized as self	+3
Trying to look like a specific type of person (A guard)	+0
Trying to look like a specific person to strangers (The duke)	-2
Trying to look like a specific person to an acquaintance	-5

5.17. Engineering

This is the ability to construct devices and buildings and strange mechanisms.

5.17.1. Clockwork Creature Construction

Base cost for clockwork creature: 10 gold.

Base time to build clockwork creature: 1 week

Basic creature stats: +0/5 0/0/0 10 HP, move 0, preprogrammed behavior

-1 for each additional attack plus
-1 for each additional 5 points of attack damage
-1 for +1 to Med DCV / parry ++10
-1 for +1 to High DCV / defense ++10
-1 for each 2 hexes of movement
-1 reprogrammable
-3 voice controlled
-5 animal level intelligence
+1 doubling of time
+1 doubling of cost
+2 for each engineering plus

So, if you wanted to build a clockwork tiger: +5/25 0/3/5 parry 30 defense 20 Move 8 Animal Intelligence, the engineer would be at minus -23. If they were a +7(14) engineer and spent 320 GP (+5) and 64 weeks(+6), they would be at +2.

If they only had a week and ten GP and wanted to build something to defend his entryway. +4/30 0/0/5 defense 50.

5.17.2. Golem Construction

Bronze Golem: Materials cost 20 GP. Requires an Engineering roll at -13
bonus for time spent taken from the Spell Casting Time Modifiers table with your Engineering Plus. On failure, the materials are destroyed. 1 engineer (+0 or more) year, + 100 worker years to produce.

Standard bronze golem is 6/5 +5/30 5/9/15 250/100/2000 1/2 dam from fire or cold.

Iron Golem: Materials cost 100 GP. Requires engineering roll at -15 (or materials destroyed). 2 engineer years and 500 worker years.

Standard Iron golem is: 7/6 +6/60 6/10/16 500/200/5000 1/10 dam fire or cold.

Golem repair: Each day, engineering roll, rather than healing roll for number of dice.

Golems with souls. Take best combat skill (skill plus, not weapon plus), -4, add to golem pluses.

Other golem skills:

Stealth -10
Climbing -3 (10X damage from falling due to weight)
Weight 1 ton
Acrobatics -10
All Dexterity-based skills -5.

5.18. Espionage

This is the ability to discover secret information from conventional sources. The player must describe the method by which they obtain the information. Note: a roll failed by 5 will result in suspicion. It is a very general skill, but some typical required rolls would be:

Table 23. Espionage Rolls

Required Roll	Action
-5	Learn about plans for nearby encamped army to move, rough size, etc.
-3	Learn approximate size of garrison in fortress
-2	Learn that a dispatch has been sent or delivered
-1	Learn destination and departure time of nearby army.
0	Learn what a typical foot soldier would know
1	Get rough (secret) plans to fortress.
2	Get detailed plans to a fortress. Learn a general battle plan
3	Learn a detailed battle plan (good for +1 military command, but on -5 failure, get -1 military command).
4	Learn about a secret alliance
5	Learn plans for a secret betrayal

5.19. Falconry

This is the ability to use hunting falcons. A successful roll means you falcon has caught something.

5.20. Fletching

This is the ability to make bows and arrows. It normally takes 1 day to make a bow, and 1 hour to make an arrow. A successful fletching roll is required on each try, or the materials are destroyed. A roll at +10, and 10X normal time will produce a +20% damage bow, or +1 to hit arrow. Special materials may improve the probabilities. A roll at +15 in 10X time will produce a + 2 bow or arrow. Use of Dizbuster tendon for bows: One Dizbuster can produce enough tendon material for 10 bows. It takes 2X as long to use it to make a +1 bow (20 days) but you get a +1 on your roll.

5.21. Gambling

Typically a gambler gets to play one "game" per night. The plus of the game varies with the stakes - higher stakes games are favored by better gamblers. These are "typical" pluses, in some cases a more skilled gambler may be playing in a lower stakes game, or an incompetent wealthy person may be playing in a high stakes game.

Table 24. Gambling Rolls

Stakes	Plus	Example Game
1 copper	0	Pitching pennies
10 copper	1	Dice in the guard room
1 silver	2	Typical casino games
10 silver	3	"high stakes" casino games
1 gold	4	"Back room games"
10 gold	5	Rare

Different games have different limiting pluses depending on the amount of skill involved. The absolute value of the plus will never be larger than listed, independent of the player skill:

Table 25. Gambling Game Difficulty

Game	Maximum plus
Pure chance games - dice, roulette. (We assume they are not COMPLETELY fair)	1
Card games - simple optimal rules - Blackjack	2
Card games - complex optimal rules - Poker	3
Card Games of skill - Whist, Bridge	4
Games of pure skill	unlimited

Stopping Gambling: A player who has lost a game must make a Psi roll at +5 - gambling_plus or they will play again. Note that playing again is not optional - it only happens on a failed PSI roll. They will stake any property in their possession if necessary.

5.22. Gardening

This is the ability to tend plants in a garden and to arrange them in an artistic fashion. Typically a +3 would be required to be a head gardener at a major garden.

5.23. Glass Blowing

The craft of fashioning glass objects, both lab ware, and artistic items.

5.24. Healing

The healing skill causes others to recover HP. First aid uses the healing skill. A roll in the first minute after combat stabilizes the victim and usually allows them to recover consciousness. Normal Healing requires 1 hour. The victim recovers d6 for each plus. Healing can only be done once for each set of wounds. Healing can be used to help cure disease in a group of people. The healer’s plus is added to the victim’s roll. For healing multiple people: subtract 1 from the plus for each factor of 10 in people healed.

5.25. Jewelery Making

The ability to cut gems, and manufacture jewelery. Most often used to cut Pow Storage gems from raw diamonds. A flat roll is sufficient to cut a diamond. For each +, gain 10% in final stone weight relative to the "nominal" uncut weight. For each -1 failure, reduce size by 20%, residuals assumed to be in 10 pieces.

5.26. Languages (TBD)

Note

(Jon) None of the languages in skill.dbs are described here. We don’t necessarily want to enumerate them all, but at least describing what’s available could be helpful. N.b. ideally there would be language groups (Romance, Chinese, Germanic, etc.) with greater cross-weighting between them.

Anyway, suggested format for this section:

Many languages are spoken. Each is a separate skill. Some are much easier to learn than others. The known languages are enumerated here. Most of these languages will not be found in most campaigns.

Someone with +0 skill at a language can make themself understood, albeit they will be an obvious foreigner with a heavy accent, stumbling over their words and grammar. +3 at a language lets you speak "like a native", though you may still be easily told from a native for other reasons, such as your appearance or behavior.

Language - Angel
Language - Arkan
Language - Chaldrian
Language - Chinese
Language - Danish
Language - Daquan
Language - Deep Ones
Language - Dendran
Language - Drolan
Language - Dutch
Language - Dwarvish
Language - Elvish
Language - English
Language - French
Language - German
Language - Ghoul
Language - Giant
Language - Goblin
Language - Gower
Language - Ice Barbarian
Language - Indian
Language - Latin
Language - Mongol
Language - Native - this is the character’s (and usually for practical purposes, the party’s) native language.
Language - Northern Empire
Language - Norwegian
Language - Old Tongue
Language - Orcish
Language - Russian
Language - Savage
Language - Scrallen
Language - Sign
Language - Spanish
Language - Suchan
Language - Swedish
Language - Teotihuacano
Language - Vertian
Language - Vestanian
Language - Yeti

Languages found only in Joel’s campaigns (to add to list or go in appendix - we’re really not describing anything special about most languages so for those we don’t need more than a table here, at most).

Language - Arabic
Language - Aramaic
Language - Avesta
Language - Cantonese
Language - Egyptian
Language - Gaelic
Language - Gnomish
Language - Greek
Language - Hebrew
Language - Hittite
Language - Italian
Language - Japanese
Language - Mandarin
Language - Mayan
Language - Meroitic
Language - Nahuotl
Language - Norse Runes
Language - Persian (Old)
Language - Portuguese
Language - Sabaean
Language - Sanskrit
Language - Seal Script
Language - Tibetan
Language - Turkish
Language - Zoquean

5.27. Mathematics

The ability to do abstract calculations. Everything from calculating probabilities to knowing tricks to get through mazes, to hacking encryption.

5.28. Military Command

Used to organize troops. A roll is required for each situation where the loyalty or bravery of the troops might be called into question. This includes: Starting a battle, Avoiding theft and pillaging, special dangerous actions - e.g. unusual combat actions. Rolls are also required for each 25% of the force disabled. Rolls are required if the military leader goes down.

Table 26. Military Command Rolls

Roll	Effect
-10 or worse	Troops mutiny, betray their leader, etc
-5 to -9	Troops surrender or retreat at the first opportunity
0 to -4	Troops will fight but at most at +0 offense
+1 to +4	Troops follow all combat orders except fully offensive
+5 to +7	Troops follow all combat orders
+8 to +10	No additional moral rolls that combat
+11 to +15 rolled in a combat situation	Troops perform any heroic deeds for the commander
+16 or more rolled in a combat situation	Troops forever loyal to commander

Note, all situation modifiers are summed before rolling

Table 27. Military Command Modifiers

Situation	Roll modifier
Commander acts is suspicious or cowardly fashion	-5
Commander makes a clearly bad decision	-3
Commander not directly in physical combat	0
Commander in physical combat alongside troops	+2
Commander taking greater risks than troops	+1 (in addition to other modifiers)
Commander kills a powerful enemy	+2
Commander has a reputation or medal of honor	+2
Commander has an evil reputation for retribution	+2 (ignore all other modifiers)
Troops are in a very superior tactical position	Never worse than +2
Troops are in a very inferior tactical position	Additional -4 if roll is worse than +0
Troops are in a hopeless position	-5 if roll is worse than +5, otherwise +5

Table 28. Military Command Pluses

Plus	Typical rank
+0	Required for any command position
+1	Commands a dozen men
+2	Centurion - commands a century 100 men
+4	Tesserarius - commands a cohort of 1000 men
+6	Legatus = Legion commander, 10,000 men
+7	Imperial commander
+8	Alexander, Genghis Khan

Military pay in GP / year = 2^Plus. A Centurion would get 4 GP / year, the Imperial Commander 128 GP / year.

5.29. Mining

The ability to direct mining operations. A mining roll at +5 is required for each month’s operations (to make normal progress). For each -1 on the roll, the mining speed can be improved by 20%. A roll failed by 5 results in a collapse, the loss of d6 month’s work, and the death of any miners involved. Mining rates (assumes 2 digger, 8 support per 5' tunnel. Minimum vertical tunnel is 10'.), 1 shift per day work.

Table 29. Terrain Modifiers

Terrain	Speed feet / month
Dirt (includes support construction)	25
Soft, good rock (sandstone)	25
Hard rock (granite, basalt)	10

5.30. Outdoor Survival

This is the ability to survive in the wild under adverse conditions. The group makes a roll at their combined plus vs. the universe (flat) to determine the general survival strategy. Then everyone makes an individual roll (adding their own pluses and the group plus) against a universe roll (modified by conditions). If the individual roll fails, damage is equal to the amount by which the individual roll fails. A roll is required each day, and each night. If the roll succeeds, outdoor survival damage is recovered by the amount by which the roll is made, limited by normal maximum recovery rate.

Table 30. Cold Environment Modifiers

Condition	Plus
Temperatures between 65 degrees, and 100 degrees (F)	no roll
Temperature degrees above / below freezing	-1 / 5 degrees
Rain / snow	-2
High wind	-2
Violent storm (includes wind, rain, snow)	-5
No clothes	-6
Minimal daytime clothes	-2
Normal outdoor clothes (leather jacket, etc)	0
Winter coat	+3
Parka (reduces abilities by 1)	+6
Winter Gear (modern)	+5
Survival Suit (modern) (reduces abilities by 1)	+8
Fire available	+5
Shelter - snow cave	+3
Shelter - cave	+5
Enclosed shelter - building	+8

Table 31. Hot Environment Modifiers

Condition - for hot areas	Plus
Temperature degrees above 100 degrees F	-1 / 3 degrees
No shade	-4
No water / shift cumulative	-4
Lots of water available (1 gallon / shift)	+4
Good hot weather clothes (not with armor)	+2
No clothes	-6
Tent	+4
Leather armor	-2
Chain / scale / ring armor	-4
Plate armor	-6

Table 32. Storm Environment Modifiers

Condition	Plus
Hurricane force winds and rain	-8
Area can be flooded	-1

5.30.1. Examples For Outdoor Survival

Chicago cold winter: Temp = -20F, (-10) Wind (-2) = -12. Winter clothes = +3. Net roll is -8. Typical person would take 8 points / day. In a Parka, would take 5 points.

Antarctica in a storm: Temp = -50F, (-14). Storm (-5) = -19. Clothes = Parka +6, Snow cave +3, Fire +5 = +14. Net -5.

Death Valley 121F (-7) no shade (-4). = -11. Good hot weather clothes (+2). net -9.

5.30.2. Environment-Specific Skills

Note

(Jon) Add JoelWorld skills.

In some campaigns, instead of a single generic skill, there are Outdoor Survival skills applicable to different environments. In those cases, use the appropriate skill plus for the environment the GM declares you to be affected by:

Outdoor Survival Arctic
Outdoor Survival Desert
Outdoor Survival Jungle
Outdoor Survival Mountains

5.31. Pickpocketing

The ability to remove something from someone. Rolls are made at plus as follows:

Table 33. Pickpocketing Modifiers

Target is sleeping	+5
Target in standing motionless (on guard or watching spectacle)	+3
Target is sitting	+2
Target is walking slowly (walking, shopping)	+1
Target walking normally	+0
Target walking quickly	-2
Target gets sense plus / minus	*
Object resting on target, in lap, exposed scroll in pocket, etc	+2
Object is in pocket	0
Object is tied to person	-2
Object is in hidden inside pocket	-3
Object is < 4 oz.	+0
Object is 4 oz. to 8 oz.	-1
Object is 8 oz. to 1 lb.	-2
Object is 1 lb. to 2 lb.	-3

5.32. Religion

Clerical knowledge and authority. Effects will vary with the religion, but typical rank based on pluses is:

Table 34. Clerical Rank Modifiers

Plus	Rank	Followers
0	Minimum to belong to a church and follow the rituals	0
2	Deacon	0
3	Parish Priest	100
4	Large church priest	1000
5	Bishop	25,000
6	Arch Bishop	1,000,000
7	Pope	All

Note the above table lists the highest rank which can normally be obtained for a given religion plus. Hermits, etc will not have as many followers as indicated. For smaller religions, use the number of followers to determine the effective rank.

Divine Intervention: A guideline for divine intervention (if the religion is based on a real deity): Roll at religion plus plus (or minus) the log₂ of the number of brownie points give below. For specific gods, especially those created during the game, the rules for intervention may be different.

Table 35. Clerical Action Effects

Action	"Brownie points"
Cleric has violated a major rule of the religion	-10000
Cleric has violated a minor rule	-1000
Cleric has ignored a duty to the religion	-100
Cleric has given gifts to their church	1 / % income, max 10 / GP.
Cleric has worked directly for the religion	10 / year
Cleric has done a service, eg converted someone	10
Cleric has done a heroic service	100

Typically a roll of +10 is required for any action. Any intervention will generally divide the remaining brownie points by 2.

5.32.1. Religious Attendants

Clerics can have a number of attendants depending on their religion plus. These are people who generally follow the cleric around, and work for the cleric. They are assumed to be paid out of church funds. Specific followers should be designed for each religion type.

Table 36. Clerical Attendants

Plus	Followers
1	1: 250 EP, servant or guard
2	2: 250 EP servant or guard
3	4: 250 EP servant or guard
4	4: 1000 EP servant or guards
5	1: 4000 EP attendant, + 4 1000 EP servants or guards
6	2: 4000 EP, 10: 1000 EP
7	1: 10,000 EP hero, 2 : 4000 EP, 10 1000 EP.

5.32.2. Creating Gods

In order to become a god, the subject must have a soul, and must willingly accept godhood. Note that a soul can be created by various circumstances, including mass deaths, etc. A priest must then make a religion roll by +5, at a time when at least 10,000 people are actively worshiping the god.

5.32.3. Special Abilities Of Gods

Gods can see through the eyes of their priests. A priest needs to make a flat religion roll to be noticed by their god. Any worshiper may be observed by their god if they make a specific religion roll.

5.32.4. Religious Worship

Table 37. Prayer Effects on Gods

Effect	Rate
Maximum Magical Pow	1 / 100 / worshiper. Decrease 1% / year if worshipers decrease
Temporary maximum Pow increase	Can channel Pow from human sacrifice (20X sacrifice Pow)
Magical Pow recovery	1 / 1000 worshipers
Chaon gain rate	1 / year / 1000 worshipers
Chaon from sacrifice	1 / 100 Chaons / sacrifice + sacrifice Pow

5.32.5. Sacrifices

A sacrifice to a god must be conducted by a properly trained religious attendant. A religion roll (flat) is required for each sacrifice. A group of sacrifices may be made at -1 for each factor of 10 in simultaneous sacrifices.

5.33. Riding Horseback

Ability to ride horses. A riding roll is required if a horse attempts to throw you, or for a jump of more than 1', or to control an unruly or frightened horse. See combat - riding above for more details.

5.34. Running

This skill allows you to move faster in combat, and also allows you to move larger distances. For a dash, maximum move is Full Move (so movement 9 is 22.5 ft. / second Make a CON roll at Plus = (8 CON - 10 / 3). If you fail, take -1 on combat stats and CON Plus, and roll again each CON # rounds. Before exhaustion, with CON 20, speed 9 (an excellent runner) could go 1.7 miles at 3.9 minutes / mile. CON 10, speed 6 gives 15' / second 2/3 mile, at 6 minute mile.

Distance running: Use 1/2 move. -1 CON effect each minute. CON 10, speed 6, rate is 12 minutes / mile for 50 minutes or 4.25 miles. CON 20, speed 9. 12.5'/sec, 7 minute mile, 28 miles in 4 hours. Can increase speed by 1 but lose CON 2X as often, or decrease by 1 and roll 2X less often.

5.35. Sailing

Skill at operating a ship. Add sailing plus to ship seaworthiness and compare with universe roll. Roll for sailing conditions each day of travel at low tech levels, 1 / week at higher tech. Weather plus moves 3d6 roll -10 each day, then move 1 towards zero. If universe wins by 5, no progress is made that day. Each point above that does damage - typically ships can take 20 damage before sinking. If actual damage is taken roll again under same conditions! A ship can sink in a single day. A typical ship can repair 1 damage / day.

Table 38. Sailing Modifiers

Condition	Modifier to weather
Small Lake	-5
Lake or bay	-3
Sea or great lake	-1
North Atlantic	2
Roaring 40s	4
Seasons	+/- 3.

For weather (under normal conditions), each day roll 3d6 - luck. Each point above 2 add 1 to weather. Each point below -2, reduce one. Otherwise move 1 point toward normal.

5.36. Sculpting

The ability to carve statues, etc from stone.

5.37. Shopping

The ability to find things in a market. Increases the roll for finding a specific article.

5.38. Smithing

The ability to forge metal. There are several related skills

5.38.1. Smithing - Mithril

The ability to make armor and weapons out of mithril. Mithril armor is 3 step: Chain wears like Nothing. Times and mithril requirements (assuming 10 assistants with the master smith):

Note	(Graham) Folkore asserts that mithril blocks magic. For example, supposedly magic cannot be detected through mithril.

Table 39. Mithril Armor

Type	Mithril Required	Forging Time
Chain	10 oz.	1 month
Plate	20 oz.	2 months
Heavy Plate	40 oz.	4 months
Juggernaut	80 oz.	8 months
Shield	10 oz.	1 month

Mithril Shield: Gives 2X parry and 100% shielding against any directed magical (direct or indirect) attack: for example: dragon breath, ball lightning, fireball, etc.

5.38.2. Smithing - Weapons

Ability to create standard steel swords, axes, shields, etc. It takes 10 days to make a standard sword (normal roll required). If 10X time is taken, a +10 roll will produce a +1 sword. A +15 roll will produce a +2 sword. Using special materials (meteoric iron, etc will give a +5 to the roll). Same time and roll is required to make "step" armor. e.g. Chain weighs like heavy leather.

The following Pluses are for the Smithing roll:

Table 40. Smithing Modifiers

Dragon Fire	+5 (+6 in combination with dragon fire)
Volcano	+5 (+6 in combination with dragon fire)
Fireproof tools (tungsten or hadrium)	+2
Meteoric iron	+5
Quench in glacial ice	+2
Fireproof workers - fire elementals etc.	+2
Still glowing meteor	+10, but no other pluses

The following Pluses are for the magical casting for enchanting the weapon:

Table 41. Magical Weapon Enchantments

Human sacrifice	+3, additional +1 for 10, 30, 100 etc
Chanting	+1 for 100, 300, 1000 etc
Volcano or dragon fire	+3 for either (doesn’t add), for fire related weapons
Storm, outside, lightning	+3 (doesn’t stack with volcano)
Heat over a burning diamond fire	+3, costs 10,000 GP in diamonds

5.38.3. Smithing - Unusual Materials

This is the ability to work unusual materials to make unique weapons. All specific instances are at the GM’s discretion. Some examples:

Table 42. Smithing Unusual Materials

Material	Application	Difficulty	Time
Tungsten	Hammer : 2X damage, hammer. STR * SIZ > 400 to use.	3	1 month
Black iron	Anti magic weapon	5	1 month
Magnesium	Flaming Arrow heads. Do 6d6 fire damage on hit	2	1 day
Hadrium	Fire proof armor	2	1 day

Note	(Graham) Tungsten Mace: 1.5X damage. Requires STR * SIZ >= 324 to use. Difficulty 4, time 1 month

5.39. Spelunking

The ability to find your way around underground caves and tunnels. Typically a flat roll is required to avoid getting lost for a full day’s travel underground. If lost, a roll at -1 for each day lost is required to find your way again, down to a worst case of -5. (this assumes ~infinite underground caves).

5.40. Stealth

Table 43. Stealth Modifiers

Sneaking by someone within their line of sight.	Plus
Opponent in combat, from behind	-4
Opponent very alert / waiting / a trap	-6
Opponent on guard / trained guard	-3
Opponent not on guard	0
Opponent distracted - card game, etc	+2
Opponent very distracted - specific distraction	+4
Dim light (indoors)	+2
Very dim light - Room with single candle.	+4
Movement in direct line of sight	-4
Camouflage gear designed for situation (e.g. White coat in winter)	+2
Camouflage not designed for situation (e.g. White coat in dark tunnel)	-2

Table 44. Stealth Modifiers (second table)

Sneaking by someone outside their line of sight. Same roll as above.	Plus
Opponent asleep	+8
Opponent very alert and waiting	0
Opponent on guard	+2
Opponent not on guard	+4
Very quiet area	-2
Ground surface is noise (leaves etc)	-2
Some background noise (people talking)	+2

Leather armor will produce a -2 on any stealth roll where sound is important. Metal armor will produce a -6, (-4 if it is sound padded). Special quiet boots will provide a +2.

5.41. Swimming

A typical swimming roll is made for swimming 1 mile in standard ocean water (or one hour). Use +1 for each factor of 10 less time, down to +4 each round, -1 for each factor of 2 more time. Some typical swimming rolls. If a roll is missed, take d6 damage for each point missed.

Table 45. Swimming Modifiers

Situation	Roll
Calm water	+3
Stormy water or river rapids	-2
Cold water. Each 5 degrees F below 60. Double minus for >1 hour.	-1
Floating items to hold	+5

5.42. Unobtrusiveness

The ability to not be noticed when in plain sight. Negatively correlated with PSI. The ability to be unobtrusive varies with the number of people in an area. Numbers below assume 10 people "milling about". For each factor of 3 in people, take a +1. Some typical situations:

Table 46. Unobtrusiveness Modifiers

Situation	Modifier
Dark or dimly lit	+2
Public gathering	+2
Everyone knows each other	-2
Security conscious area or gathering	-2
Established disguise	+1
Foreign culture	-2

6. Alchemy Skills

Note	(Jon) Potions in this section do not have magical components, and are based only on the general Alchemy skill and specific potion ability. Some potions require magical ingredients and/or abilities, and are listed in the Magic Spells section.

Alchemical potions can be created in bulk. Take a -1 for each 3X in quantity produced.

Note that time spent on an alchemical potion produces the same pluses as for magical casting.

Record the plus at which a potion is constructed. Roll for success when used.

6.1. Alchemy (General)

Note	(Jon) This is the base skill for being an alchemist, comparable to Magic - General and Psi - General. In some cases the GM may ask for an Alchemy roll to identify a potion or make a judgement call about alchemy.

6.2. Alchemy - Acid

The spell creates a strong acid (like sulfuric) which will eat through most base metals. It will do some damage (d6 / bottle) if thrown, but that is not its primary intended use. Minimum creation time is 10 minutes. Can be made in almost any quantity. The acid will last indefinitely.

Components are common minerals, 1 SP / bottle.

6.3. Alchemy - Alpine Snuff

Cocaine. Each dose is .01 gram. Requires 10 minutes to make.

Components are parts of rare plants, 1 SP / dose.

Note	(Jon) Effects determined by GM but generally include difficulty resting, increased Alertness, paranoia.

6.4. Alchemy - Berserk Strength

Note	(Jon) This is misspelled as "Beserk" in skill.dbs.

PCP. Gives 2X damage on all attacks (not defenses) for 10 rounds of combat. Then at -1 for all combat due to fatigue. Subject does not know when they take damage until they are dead. They may fight normally until dead. Subject must always go at least +2 to offense if in hand to hand. Subject must attempt to engage in hand to hand combat. If fighting multiple opponents, subject may tactically disengage from all if the GM believes this has a reasonable chance of resulting in combat with at least one opponent. Subject must make a PSI roll to avoid being taunted out of a defensive position by attackers.

Components are blood from a lion, wood from an oak, iron powder, and aged mead.

6.5. Alchemy - Black Face

A dark paint that can be used to cover the body and make you more difficult to see in the dark. +5 visual stealth at night but doesn’t wash off easily.

Components are coal and oil.

6.6. Alchemy - Cheez Whiz Bomb

Note	(Jon) Previous noted as "Silly", but found in most campaigns these days.

Used like a grenade, it coats everything within a 3 hex radius with sticky, bright yellow cheesy goo. All non-sentient creatures find the goo tasty, and will attempt to eat it in preference to anything else in the area (including the PCs). This is an effective way to distract any creature that attacks purely out of hunger. It will typically take a minute for a creature to eat all of the Cheez Whiz in a hex. The nutritional value of Cheez Whiz is similar to that of a similar amount of cheese.

Componennts are yellow dye, sugar, corn starch, salt, and vegetable oil (no cheese).

6.7. Alchemy - Fire Shield

Gives 50% damage resistance to all fire attacks, and 5 points / round defense on any damage which gets through the 50%. Reduces all DEX based skills by 3. Reduces movement by 2. Reduces SEN based skills by 2. Looks sort of like foamy dough. A fumbled potion catches fire, causing additional 5d6 damage (no armor).

Components are asbestos, sand, mineral oil, and ash.

6.8. Alchemy - Fireworks

Provides a spectacular but harmless fireworks display.

Components: Sulfur, saltpeter, metal powders.

6.9. Alchemy - Flash Powder

Note: this is one of the most easily abused of the alchemical mixes. It has been converted from Magic - Flash Powder. Flash powder is thrown using the Combat - Thrown Weapon Plus to hit the target (normal a hex, sometimes an opponent). It takes effect at the end of the special actions phase of the round in which it is thrown.

Components are charcoal, sulfur, alum, silver, and mercury, 10 SP / bottle.

Flash Powder has the following effects:

Table 47. Flash Powder Effects

Situation	Effect
In light as bright as or brighter than a full moon	No effect
Any normal creature within 5 hexes and facing the flash	Defender must make Int roll. If failed, take -5 (add combat darkness), +1/round
Any darkness creature within 10 hexes and facing the flash	Defender must make Int roll. If failed take -7 +1/round.
Multiple flashes	Use the effect of the worst flash
Ally with eyes closed	Must make PSI roll at +5 to close eyes BEFORE the powder is shot. Take one round at "pitch black" pluses.
Defender has seen flash powder before	+2 on roll
Multiple uses of flash powder in single combat	Defender gets +1 each use.

6.10. Alchemy - Flash Superpowder

Note	(Jon) Colloquially "Mithril Flash".

Similar to normal Flash powder, but also has the effect of sunlight on the undead. Damage to undead is 3d6 * 100 points explosive (see the Explosion Damage table: full damage in center hex, 1/10 damage at 10 hexes, 1 / r² beyond that. )

Components 1 oz. mithril / bottle, cost 100 GP.

6.11. Alchemy - French Roast

Gives a +1 Alertness plus for 4 hours, but a -1 on all DEX skills.

Components are beans from exotic tropical (or hot house) plants.

6.12. Alchemy - Fuel Air Bomb

For high level / silly campaigns only. The alchemist prepares a bottle of liquid which fills a room with mist. When ignited, the mixture explodes. Each unit fills a hex³ with explosive gas, and will do 10d6 damage in a 5 hex radius, then dropping to 5d6 out to 10 hexes, then 2d6 to 15 hexes. Increasing the quantity of explosive will increase the radius of damage as the square root of the quantity. Unlike nitro, fuel air explosives do not detonate accidently. Use: Potion must be activated, then placed on the ground. 1 to 5 rounds later it can be detonated by any source of ignition in the central hex. Can be manufactured in quantity.

Components are petroleum and sulfur.

6.13. Alchemy - Glue

A liquid with the properties of crazy glue. Covers 1 hex. Anyone remaining in the area of effect for one round is stuck. Strength roll at -3 required to break free.

Components are plant materials.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

6.14. Alchemy - Hard Water

A powder which when added to water causes the water to solidify into a high melting point ice. The resulting material has a melting point of about 100 degrees C, and mechanical properties like soft rock. Mixture must be frozen (at normal water freezing temperature), then will not melt until boiling temperature. 1 "unit - pint bottle" will convert 1 m³.

Components are sand, iron ore, chalk, and trace platinum (1 oz. / 100 m³ converted).

6.15. Alchemy - Heat Balm

Gives a +3 to survival rolls in hot areas. Each application lasts 8 hours. Can resist 10 points of fire damage one time only per application.

Components are tropical oils and redwood bark.

6.16. Alchemy - Love Potion

Gives a plus on your seduction roll for 1 evening. The plus is equal to the amount by which the alchemist made the required roll. Side effect: reduces your resistance to seduction by 5.

Components are wine, rose petals, gold dust (10 SP), and diamond dust (10 SP).

6.17. Alchemy - Migo-be-gone

Anti-migo spray. Creates a cloud of ~7 hex radius (3d) of mist. Cloud lasts 30 rounds in calm air, 20 rounds in a light breeze (<5 hex / sec), 10 rounds in a strong wind. (5-10 hex / sec). cloud center moves with the wind. Any migo in, or passing through the cloud takes d100 damage in the special actions phase. Any human in the cloud takes 1 point / round.

Components sulfur, salt, and pine oil.

6.18. Alchemy - Molotov Cocktail

The old D+D device returns. When thrown, does 3d6 / round for 10 rounds in a 3 hex radius.

Components are petroleum.

6.19. Alchemy - Nitroglycerine

This is a powerful and very unstable explosive. Does 20d6 explosive damage (see explosion rules). Fumble is an explosion at point blank range (very nasty).

Each container of nitroglycerin has the following chance of detonating.

Table 48. Accidental Explosions

Event	Detonation chance EACH unit
Fall while Climbing	10%
For each point of damage through armor	1%
Another unit has detonated on your person	50%

Components are saltpeter, sulfur, and dried wood (1 SP / bottle).

Note	Use of Nitroglycerine is strongly discouraged.

6.20. Alchemy - Poison Gas

This is a particularly nasty potion which releases a cloud of dense amber gas that flows mostly downhill, in a layer about 10' thick. Gas will spread at 5 hexes / round from source to maximum size, then flow downhill at 2 hexes / round. One bottle affects a 20 hex radius. Gas will persist for several hours. Damage is 3d6/round if target is breathing, d6 / round if holding breath (-1 points each round in combat).

Components are sulfur, soda ash, limestone, tar, and mercury (1 GP / bottle).

6.21. Alchemy - Relighting Fire

Creates a wax that can be used as a candle, or burned as a lump. Once ignited, will re-light unless doused in water for more than 10 minutes. 1 bottle is enough for 1 short candle.

Components are sulfur, wax, coal dust, silver dust (1 SP / bottle), annd diamond dust (10 SP / bottle).

6.22. Alchemy - Scent Duplication

Allows the alchemist to duplicate the scent of an existing object. Alchemist must have a (very small is OK) sample of the material to be duplicated. Useful for slipping past guard dogs, etc.

6.23. Alchemy - Sleep Potion

Causes the drinker to fall into a deep sleep from which they cannot be awakened for several hours.

Components are herbs.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

6.24. Alchemy - Sleep Vapor

Causes anyone in the area of effect to fall into a deep sleep. Can be awakened normally for a deep sleeper. Targets must roll senses (use combined senses roll) at-5 to detect the vapors. Then, each individual must make a con roll at -5 or fall asleep. If any target does not sleep, they may notice, and wake others (Alertness roll at typically +0). Area of effect is 20 hex radius / bottle (liter). Note: will drift in wind.

Components are plant materials, limestone, and spring water.

6.25. Alchemy - Slippery Liquid

A liquid which reduces friction to almost nothing. Can be used for various mechanisms, or in combat to make opponents slip (acrobatics roll if passing through the area or fall (-4 defense, no attack next round). Each unit (about a pint) will cover 1 megahex of ground. Only works on non-porous surfaces (stone, wood, metal, etc). Will not work on dirt.

Components are various plant and animal matter.

6.26. Alchemy - Smelling Salts

Used to wake an unconscious person. Will allow them to operate at no worse than -5 (relative to normal) on all skills. Effect lasts for 10 minutes. Cannot be used a second time. Recipient takes 1 point of damage.

6.27. Alchemy - Smoke Bomb

Limits visibility to 2 hexes inside area of effect. This has effects on stealth, and overall confusion. Area of effect 5 hex radius.

6.28. Alchemy - Stink Bomb

Will cause people to want to leave the area of effect (but will not force them to leave). Area 10 hex radius. Fumble effects are obvious.

Components are sulfur, stink weed or skunk oil.

6.29. Alchemy - Sunlight Lamp

Creates a mithril burner that produces the equivalent of sunlight. Burns 1 oz. of Mithril / hour to produce the effect of sunlight in a 3 hex radius.

6.30. Alchemy - Volcano Survival

Allows you to operate normally in volcanic terrain and tunnels. Provides immunity to sulfurous gasses, air temperatures up to boiling, and brief contact with boiling water (treat as 130 degree F water). Does not protect against fire, or non-volcanic gasses. Potion lasts 1 day.

Components are sulfur, redwood bark, and spring water.

7. Elemental Magic

This is an independent type of magic from the standard system, appropriate for certain types of very high magic worlds. Mages are experts in single elements and cannot have spells in more than one element. Each element obeys different rules. This system does not use Pow.

A mage must connect to the elemental power they are using. This requires an elemental magic roll at -5. Once connected the mage can stay connected as long as they wish.

A mage must have a gem for their element. A 10 ct. gem gives +0, each factor of 2 size above or below gives +/- 1. This applies to spell casting and attack pluses. Other gems may also work. Diamond will work for all types of magic.

Table 49. Elemental Magic Gems

Element	Gem Type
Air / Water	Sapphire or Tanzanite
Earth / Fire	Ruby or Garnet (need 4X weight)
Life	Emerald or Bloodstone.
Death	Black Opal or Obsidian (1 oz. counts as 1 ct.)

A mage may cast multiple spells at -2 for each subsequent spell. Spells generally last until canceled by the mage.

Note	(Jon) As long as the mage can pay the continuing Pow cost to maintain the spell.

7.1. Elemental Magic - Air And Water

Weather Conditions: A roll is required to move the weather away from its non-magic enhanced level. The roll is at -3 for the starting number of steps away from the non-magic level. A one round roll is done at flat, +1 for every factor of 10 in time. If the mage disconnects, weather will return to normal at one box / hour. Mages can contest the weather - use the difference in rolls as the net plus in either direction. A roll every hour is done at net +3.

Note	Weather effects on sailing or outdoor survival are combined with temperature, ocean and other modifiers.

Table 50. Elemental Weather Modifiers

	Sea	Plains	Mountains	Arctic	Desert
0	Dead Calm	Dead Calm	Dead Calm	Dead Calm	Calm
1	Breeze	Breeze	Breeze	Breeze	Breeze
2	Strong wind (-4 sailing)	Strong Wind	Strong wind (-2 O.S.)	Strong Wind -2 O. S.	Strong wind. sand, visibility 1 mile
3	Thunderstorm (-6 sailing)	Thunderstorm (-3 O.S)	Thunderstorm (-5 O.S.)	Blizzard -5 O. S.	Sand Storm 1 point / round outside shelter
4	Hurricane (-10 sailing)	Tornado (special)	10d6 everywhere.	Powerful storm (-8 O.S)	Blizzard -7 O. S.

7.1.1. Elemental Magic - Air And Water - Body Of Air

The mage transforms themselves or a target (hit against high) into a whirlwind. Move = 20, Cannot attack, Has original DCV. Any hit against low with an iron weapon will destroy the target, but otherwise immune to weapons. Plus = 0.

7.1.2. Elemental Magic - Air And Water - Bolt

Sends a small lightning bolt from the caster’s finger tips to a target. Damage 10 at Elemental Magic Plus. Range is 10 hexes. Acts like a missile weapon. Plus = -5.

7.1.3. Elemental Magic - Air And Water - Call Lightning

Causes a bolt from the clouds to hit all targets in a megahex at +3/30 (missile). Fail by -1 causes a random megahex 2 away from the caster to be hit for +5/30. (caster isn’t hit). Weather must be Thunderstorm or higher (Doesn’t work in arctic). Can be cast out of sight, but attack is at -5. Plus = -3.

7.1.4. Elemental Magic - Air And Water - Deflect Lightning

Redirect a lightning bolt that would have hit the caster to any location in 10 hexes at caster’s plus. Note - it is possible to call lightning on yourself and then deflect it to get a better plus. This can be cast after other magic in defense (but at minuses if other spells have been cast). Deflecting multiple lightning strokes all done at the same plus. Plus = 0.

7.1.5. Elemental Magic - Air And Water - Intercept Lightning

Can intercept and deflect (but not aim) lightning at range (up to 20 hexes). Can be cast immediately after lightning is cast. May be cast multiple times in a round at no minuses. Plus = -2.

7.1.6. Elemental Magic - Air And Water - St. Elmo’s Fire

Casts a dim blue-green light over an object - up to 10 hexes size..Can be cast on an opponent by hitting low DCV. Plus=0.

7.1.7. Elemental Magic - Air And Water - Tornado Control

Allows the caster to direct an existing tornado. Range 1 mile. Fumble causes the tornado to move over the caster. Tornado is 100 hexes diameter, does 10d6 damage (no parry) to everything in its path. Plus = -5. Must have existing tornado weather.

7.1.8. Elemental Magic - Air And Water - Tsunami

Creates a 10meter tall tsunami that will flood a 20 mile coastline. Plus = -8. Minimum 1 hour.

7.1.9. Elemental Magic - Air And Water - Whirlpool

Creates a 100 hex wide whirlpool that will destroy an ship in its path. Plus = -5.

7.1.10. Elemental Magic - Air And Water - Wind Control

Changes the direction (but not strength) of the existing wind over a 1000 hex radius. Lasts 1 hour.

7.2. Elemental Magic - Death (Undocumented)

7.3. Elemental Magic - Earth And Fire

7.3.1. Elemental Magic - Earth And Fire - Animate Rock

Causes a rock or boulder to stand up and work at the caster’s command. Move 2 Engage 2. Att +1, DCV 1/1/Inf. Damage depends on size. Human sized (300kg) 30 damage, HP 100, Defense 50 (1/2 damage from edged weapons). Damage is linear in size. Casting plus is -1 / factor of 2 in size. Mage can cast on multiple smaller stones. Stones must be detached to be used. A stone carved into a functional shape (human, monster, etc), can trade pluses for damage: +1 attack, defense, move for 2X damage. Plus = -2. Fumble → attacks caster. Spell lasts for 1 day , cannot be dropped.

7.3.2. Elemental Magic - Earth And Fire - Body Of Stone

Turns the caster or anyone they touch into animate stone. All damages are increased by 4X. Parries are increased by 4X. All combat values are reduced by 2. 50 points of defense is added. Divide all damage done to target by 2 before applying to HP. In addition to the above, all heat and cold damage are reduced by an additional 2X. Target’s movement (base) is reduced to 2. All falling damage is multiplied by 4X before applying to HP. Plus = 0.

7.3.3. Elemental Magic - Earth And Fire - Control Lava

Allows the mage to direct the flow of lava within a 20 hex radius. Lava will move at 3 hexes / round, but will not flow uphill. Anyone trapped in lava will take 10d6/round. (armor only protects for 1 round). Plus = 0

7.3.4. Elemental Magic - Earth And Fire - Fireball

Caster takes 1 round to form a fireball between their hands, then next round casts. Fireball moves 10 hexes / round up to a maximum of 50 hexes. It covers 1 gigahex, and will travel until it hits something. Then it detonates doing 10d6 in a gigahex. +=0.

7.3.5. Elemental Magic - Earth And Fire - Flesh To Stone

Turns the target into stone. Range 10 hexes. Must hit against high at earth / fire Plus - 1 for each factor of 2 in target size vs. human. Plus = -3.

7.3.6. Elemental Magic - Earth And Fire - Peer Through Rock

Allows the caster to see though solid rock as if it were water - visibility is about 10 hexes. Plus = 0.

Note	(Jon) "Through" is misspelled as "Thru" in skill.dbs.

7.3.7. Elemental Magic - Earth And Fire - Stone To Flesh

Reverses the flesh to stone effect. Plus = -3. -1 for each factor of 2 in target size. Can be cast the same round as a counter, roll against opponent at +3.

7.3.8. Elemental Magic - Earth And Fire - Wall Of Stone

Creates a series of crystal like spikes the grow out of the ground. Covers 10 hexes to a height of 10'. Requires a flat climbing or acrobatics roll to cross. If attacked, DCV -10, Defense 600, HP 5000, 1/4 damage from edged weapons. Blocks vision. Plus = 0.

7.3.9. Elemental Magic - Earth And Fire - Volcano

Causes a volcano to begin to grow at a location. The ground opens immediately and the hole spreads at 1 hex / round to 100 hexes diameter. Then lava starts flowing. This is a permanent volcano, the eruption will last months, eventually leaving a mile tall volcano and a 50 mile wide devastated area. Plus =-10

7.4. Elemental Magic - Life (Undocumented)

8. Magic System

The mage’s Plus with a spell is given on the character sheet. In order for a spell to work, you must equal a 3d6 roll + Plus, against a flat 3d6. Note that many spells have negative pluses. Increasing casting time increase the Plus for spells.

Note	(Jon) Psi moved to its own section for TOC / indexing purposes.

8.1. Casting Spells

8.1.1. Spell Casting Requirements

Comment: There must be a way to prevent a mage from casting spells other than by killing them. Otherwise, any captured mage will immediately be executed, with undesirable plot implications. Typically one (or both) of the two following options is used in the game:

Focus: Each magician has a personal focus, usually an amulet. If the focus is removed, no spells can be cast. A magician can make a new focus in a few weeks. A magician’s focus is useless to any other magician. This rule applies only to humans. Some creatures have inherent magic and can cast it without a focus.
Iron handcuffs: Magic may be stopped by a particular substance, typically iron. A magician cannot cast spells when in contact with that material. Contact with this material does not reduce Pow to zero.

8.1.2. Pluses And Pow

Each character has a Magic - General Plus (abbreviated as MG+) which is used when specified, such as when countering of rolling a combat plus when casting a direct spell on an opponent.

In addition there are pluses for casting each individual spell. Note that a character’s MG+ is typically high (+5 to +10), while the plus for individual spell is typically low, often negative. Each character also has a listed magical Pow. These Pow points are expended to cast spells (see later in this section).

8.1.3. Casting Time

Increasing casting time improves the plus for casting spells. For many spells, long casting times are the only way to obtain reasonable pluses. Note that some spells have minimum casting times. They still gain pluses for time spent, but cannot be cast in less than the minimum time.

Note that one cannot simply be "preparing" a spell indefinitely. Specific preparations are required. Symbols must be drawn, devices constructed, etc. Mages cannot be "holding" a spell at all times or it is assumed they are only gaining EP in that particular spell.

Table 51. Spell Casting Time Modifiers

Casting time	Plus	Actions / restrictions
1 round	+0	No attacks, If defending, must roll (MG+ - 5) or lose spell
2 rounds	+1	Spell acts like a combat action, -2 to all other attacks. Roll at MG+ to keep spell. 1/2 move only.
4 rounds	+2	"
8 rounds	+3	"
16 rounds	+4	"
32 rounds (1 minute)	+5	"
10 minutes	+6	Other actions may be taken normally, but roll at MG+ Plus or lose spell.
2 hours	+7	Must be at final spell casting location (within ~100 hexes)
1 day	+8	May start spell in different location
1 week	+9	Other actions may be taken normally, no roll required.
3 months	+10	Spell may be interrupted without cost.
2 years	+11	..
20 years	+12	Spell research may be transferred to another magician.

In some campaigns, spells have listed casting times and pluses. These pluses (which are always better than the normal casting time plus) can be used for fixed casting time spells.

8.1.4. Casting

The casting mage applies Pow to the spell, and rolls at the spell Plus (with any time modifiers) against the universe. If the roll is equal or higher than the universe the spell is cast (but may be countered later). If the spell misses by exactly 1 plus, the spell is a Fumble. In a fumble something bad happens, at the GM’s discretion. If the roll misses by more than one, the spell fails, and the Pow goes uncontrolled (see later chart).

Multiple Spells: Magicians casting multiple spells in a single round take the usual -2 for each additional spell. There is no penalty for casting an additional spell while maintaining another.

8.1.5. Symbol Spells and Scrolls

The magician creates a symbol that is then activated by applying Pow. The exact effect of the spell must be decided when the symbol is drawn. The symbol always operates at a fixed Pow level. If the symbol construction roll fails, the symbol cannot be repaired, and must be re-created from scratch. The spell is cast by applying Pow, a magic roll at -5 is required. 5 rounds are required to activate a symbol spell. No time pluses are gained.

Symbols may be filled gradually with Pow and then used. The Pow in a symbol may not be tapped off for other uses (except for storage symbols).

A symbol may be carved by a group of mages working together. Mages with lower pluses can combine their efforts (using the plus summing rule) to aid the main magician. The work is divided by the number of groups of mages whose skills sum to that of the main mage. Unskilled labor can be used for very large symbols (max 1 laborer / hex). For each factor of 10 in laborers relative to magicians, the construction time is divided by 2. The original casting of the spell is at -8 (but count the full time for symbol creation). Symbol spells are not allowed in some campaigns.

Symbols can be used for Pow storage as well as for spell casting. Note that some spells require specific types of gems or other materials for symbols.

Table 52. Spell Symbol Effects

Type	Pow / ft.²	Cost (GP)	Hours / Pow	Notes
Lines in Dirt	1	0	1/10	Destroyed by wind or rain,
Silver / gold dust	100	1 SP / Pow	1/10	Can be easily scratched. Must be drawn on >6" of stone or wood
Carved in rock (1' thick)	100	0	1	Durable
Three dimensional structure	100 / ft.³	5 SP / Pow	1	Can be re-assembled in 1% of creation time
Ink on Paper (scroll)	100 / page (for spell)	0	5	1 minute / page minimum casting time. Cast at +3 (general magic - 2). No Pow storage.
Carved in gem	30 Pow / ct.	(Pow / 30)²	1	Portable, expensive. Maximum gem size limits maximum spell Pow
Tattoos	1000 / body		1	Cannot be changed.

Sample symbol spell: "Flesh To Stone" on a gem by a mage who is -2 at flesh to stone, 8 MG. Pow is 20, so a <1 ct. gem is required. The original casting is at -10, so 3 months is required to reach +0. Carving the gem is only an additional 20 hours (3 days). The completed gem will allow the mage to cast the spell at +3 after 5 rounds. Normally, after 5 rounds, the mage would be at +0, and 32 rounds would be required to reach +3.

Sample symbol spell: "Lightning Bolt" by a mage who is 0 at lightning bolt, and +8 MG, 100 Pow in spell. A 4 ct. gem (16 GP) is required. 3 months would give a +2 casting the spell. Carving the gem requires 100 hours. The completed gem allows casting after 5 rounds at +3. Mage would normally be +2 after 5 rounds and +3 after 8 rounds, so this is of marginal use.

Sample symbol spell: "Gate" spell to Yuggoth, 100 hex area, cast by Arch-Lich (13 MG) with 100,000 slaves as carved stone symbol: Spell is at +0, Pow is 1 million. Casting time is 2 years for spell to reach +3, Symbol is 10,000 ft.², 1 million hours time. 100,000 slaves give 2⁵ factor = 1/32 casting time, or about 3000 hours = 1.5 years. Will need to build an equal size symbol to store the Pow = 1.5 additional years. After creation can cast spell at +8.

Sample symbol spell: Book (scroll) of "Army Of Darkness" cast by an insane mage who is 11 MG, -3 at Army Of Darkness. Cast for 1 mi.² (10,000 hexes). Pow is 10,000. Will need a 100-page book. Will require 50,000 hours for Pow (25 years!). Plus after 20 years is +12, -3 for spell, -8 for symbol = +1 net (he is crazy remember). The 100 page book requires 100 minutes to cast, but will go at +9. (otherwise their plus would be +4 (after120 minutes), but would need somewhere to store Pow.

Note	Scroll spells are a special case of symbol spells.

8.1.6. Magic Books

A mage may cast a spell by following the directions in a spell book. Note that the spell book is not itself magical. Minimum casting time is 1 hour. For fixed casting time spells, use the larger of the fixed casting time and 1 hour, using the time plus appropriate for the fixed time spell. Spells are cast at: general_magic_plus - 2 - spell_difficulty + time_plus.

8.1.7. Effects Of Armor On Magic

In general, armor will stop damage from indirect spells the same way it does for weapon attacks (either direct, or area effect). Armor improves high DCV and thereby improves protection against direct spells. See table in weapons section for armor protection.

8.1.8. Permanent Spells

Some spells can be made permanent. The spell must be cast at -5 (in addition to all other minuses). Pow =(1+ log₂ (duration / original duration)) * original Pow.

Sample permanent spell: An earth mage who wants permanent Body Of Stone, he is normally -2 at the spell, which requires 120 Pow + 10 Pow / round to maintain. For 200 Pow, the spell would normally last 8 rounds (16 seconds). If we want 100 years, we need about 2²⁸ time increase, so the Pow will be 5600 Pow. Casting will be at -5 (or net -7). After 3 months would have a +3 casting.

Sample Permanent symbol spell: Use the above permanent Body Of Stone, cast by an arch mage who is +11 general, +2 at the spell, creating a scroll. The Pow is 5600, so the scroll (book) is 56 pages (will take 30,000 hours, or about 15 years). Casting is at -8, -5 or -13. With the mage +2, and 20 years work we get a net +1 (pretty scary), but when cast, the book can be used in 1 hour at net +6 to create stone warriors.

8.2. Magical Pow

8.2.1. Types Of Pow

Each magician has a personal Pow and Pow regeneration rate (equal to MAG stat each minute) listed on their character sheets. There are several ways to store / transfer Pow.

Note: Some worlds have higher or lower Pow regeneration rates, up to MAG stat / round.

Personal Pow: This Pow is always available for use, and automatically acts as a defense against outside spells. Pow may be freely transferred out of personal Pow.

Storage symbol: Pow may be stored in a carved symbol using the standard Pow storage spell. This allows the casting of very large spells if there is time to prepare a symbol. See section on symbol spells.

8.2.2. Pow Sources

In addition to a magician’s natural regeneration of Pow, other Pow sources can be used. No special training is required to use these sources, only a roll a your MG+. If two magicians are trying to control the same Pow source, they may share, or they can make rolls at MG+ to see who gains control each round. Casting the "channel" spell allows Pow from any of the following sources to be collected at range. Otherwise, the magician must be in contact with the effect, or use a Pow storage symbol.

Death: The death of a human (or other intelligent creature) releases 20X their MAG stat in Pow. Magician must be in contact (or have a special spell) to collect this Pow. Mass human sacrifices can be used to cast very large spells.

Lightning: A bolt of lightning contains 200 Pow. The magician needs to have some mechanism (eg symbol) to store the Pow. Note that call lightning can be used to gather the Pow. The lightning must strike a specifically designed lightning rod.

Volcano: An erupting volcano releases 100 Pow / round.

8.2.3. Combining Pow

Multiple mages can only combine Pow if each makes a general magic roll. If any fail, all of the combined Pow of the mages goes uncontrolled.

8.2.4. Detecting Pow

Active or stored Pow may be detected at a range of sqrt(Pow) in hexes. Also, anyone within the area of effect of a direct or indirect spell can detect the casting of the spell. Note that "area of effect" is defined by the GM, but generally the smallest reasonable definition is used.

Note	(Jon,Graham) Formerly the range was 10 * sqrt(Pow) - corrected above.

8.3. Basic Spell Types.

8.3.1. Direct Single Target

Example a death spell cast on an individual. The magician chooses a quantity of excess Pow for the spell to overcome the target’s resistance. The magician rolls to see if the spell is successful. If it is, the target has a chance to counter. (See section on countering spells). If the counter fails, the target has a chance to dodge. The Magician rolls at their base MG+ against the target’s High DCV. On an equal roll, the spell hits. If the spell hits, and if its additional Pow exceeds the target’s Pow, the spell takes effect. Note, the target Pow is unchanged after the attack. Note, target can still perform normal combat actions that round. Note that for symbol spells, the mage may add Pow to overcome the target’s resistance while not changing the Pow in the original symbol.

8.3.2. Indirect Single Target

Example: a magic missile cast on an individual. The magician rolls to see if the spell is successful. If it is, the target has a chance to counter. If the counter fails, the magician rolls an attack with their base MG+ against the target DCV - as if the spell was a standard missile attack.

8.3.3. Area Effect - Direct

Example: mass Death spell. These spells always take effect on the magic phase after the one in which they are cast. These spells must always have a visible effect - fog for example. The defender can move up to their full move to get out of the area of effect before the spell takes effect. If the defender cannot move out of the area, roll against the defender’s Pow as for a single target direct spell.

8.3.4. Area Effect - Indirect

Example: Fireball. These spells take effect on the round after the one in which they are cast. Defenders have a chance to try to run out of the area of effect.

8.3.5. Area Effect - Animate

Example: Animate Ground. These spells create a number of combatants who attack according to the rules for the spells.

8.3.6. Ranged Spells

It costs 1 Pow / hex of range for direct spells. All indirect spells have a listed spell range.

8.3.7. Continuing Spells

These are spells which can be maintained indefinitely at some Pow cost. Examples are Body of Stone, Create Darkness, Vigor, etc. With the exception of the Pow requirements, continuing these spells does not in any other way affect the casting magician. If the casting magician is disabled the spell will end. If the casting magician is injured, or fails a spell roll, a general magic roll is needed to maintain each spell. If no other duration is given, 1 minute is assumed.

8.3.8. Permanent Spells

These are spells that continue without the expenditure of Pow. Examples: Permanent Sleep, Sanctuary, Flesh to Stone, etc. These spells remain in effect even after the death of the casting magician.

8.3.9. Permanent Alterations

These are spells that change the structure of the world. Examples: Create Rock, Alchemical creations, etc. The effects of these spells cannot be reversed magically. Even black iron will not affect them after they are cast.

8.4. Countering Spells

8.4.1. General Rules

A counter requires a minimum of 1 Pow for each spell countered, for each magician countering. Note that some spells (indirect) must be countered at range, and that range costs must be paid for the counter. Countering is very effective, magical battles with multiple magicians are typically a draw.

New rule: Caster can add additional Pow to a spell to make it more difficult to counter.

8.4.2. Which Mages Can Counter

Any mage in the area of effect of a spell can counter. The area of effect includes any location that will take damage from, or be directly effected by the spell. An "ice age" spell could be countered by anyone in the world. A "summon demon lord" does not have any "area of effect", although the demon summoned may later damage a very large area. Any spell can be detected and countered to a range of sqrt(Pow) in hexes. Any mage within line of sight of a spell casting may counter the spell.

8.4.3. Information About A Spell Before A Counter

A magician within the area of effect of a spell will only learn the Pow in the spell, not which spell is being cast, until the counter is cast. If the counter is successful, the mage will learn what spell was cast.

Note	(Jon) In the past, a successful counter did not reveal what spell was cast. Corrected above. (Jon) Standard Counter - NO LONGER USED rules moved to an appendix.

8.4.4. Brute Force Counter

The defender rolls 3d6 at base MG+ against the attacker. If the rolls are equal, then the defender must use as much Pow as was in the original spell. Each 1 difference in the rolls leads to a halving or doubling of required Pow to counter. So missing by three requires 8X, making by three requires 1/8.

Note

(Jon,Graham) Old language said "If the defender wins by N, then they must use 1 / (N+1) of the Pow in the original spell. If the defender loses by N, they must use (N+1) times the Pow in the original spell. All unused Pow (including the countered spell) goes uncontrolled. Either attacker, or defender may choose (or not) to control the Pow. A mage may attempt to counter any number of different spells." Corrected above.

8.4.5. Multiple Counters And Multiple Attacks

All attacking spells must first be declared in terms of their caster, and the Pow involved.

Defending Mages then select which spells they wish to counter. In general defending mages must make these decisions independently without communication (there are only 2 seconds in a round). In the case of mages who have worked together for a long time, in can be assumed that some general set of rules has been agreed upon, and brief discussion is allowed. For non-communicating mages, assume a random selection of spells is countered, and an even distribution of required Pow among counters.

For a mage countering multiple spell: 2 spells are counted at -2, 3-4 at -3, 5-8 at -4, etc.

The pluses for all counters against a single spell are added using the usual plus adding rules: 2-3 counters at +2, 4-7 at +3, 8-15 +3, etc.

A single (combined) counter roll is made for each spell cast.

The defending mages divide the required counter Pow. If the mages have trained together, they may choose the Pow division. Otherwise the required Pow is divided evenly.

8.4.6. Countering Permanent Spells

These spells are more difficult to counter than standard spells (Note that permanent alteration spells cannot be countered at all after they have been cast). The countering magician must apply as much Pow as was in the original spell. The counter is cast at -8 relative to the original spell. Time pluses for counters are allowed. A "fumbled" (see section on spell casting) counter is likely to cause the original spell to affect the countering magician.

8.4.7. Blocking Counters

Magic wall will prevent countering of a spell (in both directions), unless the area of effect of the spell extends through the magic wall. In the later case, the magic wall is destroyed by an outward going spell, and will block an inward going spell. A lightning bolt cast from inside a magic wall could be countered if it is targeted outside of the wall.

Range Notes: Counters do not need to have enough range to reach the attacker. They can be cast at an intermediate range to stop ranged spell attacks. The attack will then dissipate at that intermediate range. For example, a direct spell such as a death spell only needs to be countered at its target, not at its source. An indirect spell like lightning, however, needs to be countered at its source.

8.5. Uncontrolled Pow And Fumbles

8.5.1. Uncontrolled Pow

When Magical Pow or Chaons are released, the mage rolls at (MG+ - 8) against the universe. Start at the indicated Pow level and count down (but not up) to determine the effects on a failed roll.

Table 53. Uncontrolled Pow Effects

Pow	Plus	Effect
<100	0	None
100	6	Gneeches (Small annoying, but harmless pan-dimensional insects).
200	7	Fireball (cannot be countered) centered at casting point
500	8	Ubu Beast
1000	9	Mage polymorphs to frog (but retains magical abilities).
2000	10	Karaken Demon
5000	11	Hezrou Demon
10000	12	100 hex radius transported to alternate plane
20000	13	3d6 Ubu Beasts
50000	14	d6 randomly generated chaos creatures created. (see chaos section for rules)
100000	15	Summon Demon duke
200000	16	Summon Demon Queen
1M	17	Summon Death elemental
2M	18	Open gateway to hell / chaos
5M	19	Summon Elder God
10M	20	Summon Azothoth

8.5.2. Fumbles

Fumbles occur when a spell caster misses the required plus by exactly 1 plus. The results of a fumble are up to the GM, but will by definition be bad for the caster. Some sample fumbles are:

Lightning Bolt: Bolt is directed at caster, at normal Pow and caster’s full plus.

Body Of Stone: Becomes Flesh To Stone on caster.

Summon: Summons the (very) wrong thing.

Note	(Jon) See the Fumble probability column in the appendix to get an idea of how dangerous casting a spell at a given Plus is.

8.6. Learning Magic

Learning spells: In order to learn a spell, the character must have access to spell books. Spell books (which are non-magical) are lengthy texts on the theory and casting of a spell. A spell book may be copied by any reputable book copier - but will require about a year to copy. Some spell books may be restricted in some campaigns.

8.6.1. Magic - General

This is general knowledge / study of magic.

Note	(Jon) Magic - General (MG+) rolls are made for counters, when rolling to hit with a direct spell, and other purposes as specified.

8.6.2. Theoretical Magic

Theoretical Magic is required to create new spells and to attempt to understand magical artifacts or effects.

8.6.3. Spell Creation

New spells may be created at the GM’s discretion. In general an attempt can be made each week to create a new spell. Typically a roll of +10 on Theoretical Magic is required. Of course the difficulty will vary with the type of spell to be created. A full magical library is required to create new spells.

8.7. Detecting Magic

General Rules - Magical Pow is detectable at a range of sqrt(Pow) in hexes. This includes a magician’s personal Pow, or Pow stored in a device. The detection allows a general direction (within a 60 degree cone), but not exact location of the source. A magic general roll (made by the GM) is required to detect a spell. For each plus by which the roll is made, the detection range is doubled. Note that detection does not automatically allow countering.

Spell Detection - A spell can be usually be detected (to allow for countering) anywhere inside its area of effect. This is an intentional kludge to prevent the "surprise you’re dead" effect from ranged spells. Some spells may have specific detection ranges listed.

8.8. Black Iron

Black Iron is an anti-magical material found in some worlds. A gram of Black Iron can absorb 1 Pow (each round). (Note, in some worlds, there is not limit to absorption) If it absorbs more, it will detonate as an explosion, producing 1 point base damage / Pow in the center megahex It has the following effects:

8.8.1. Mage

A mage who touches black iron (must touch skin - e.g. hit high), will lose all Pow, but may regain normally. A mage in contact with black Iron cannot cast any spells. Any spells being cast are lost.

8.8.2. Creature With Magical Abilities

(Dragons, etc.) Will be unable to use magic, but will not be otherwise damaged.

8.8.3. Enchanted Creatures

(Skeletons, Golems, etc) - Will be destroyed if touched by enough black iron. Note, the creature, not its weapons must be touched.

8.8.4. Summoned Creatures

(Demons, etc) - If an amount of black iron smaller than the demon’s Pow is used, the iron just explodes. The black iron must hit the demon against High, e.g. exceed weapon parry and armor (if armor is not part of the demon). Note that demon Pow must be decided by the GM for each demon type. If a large enough piece of black iron is used, roll d6 to determine effect on the following table:

Table 54. Black Iron and Summoned Creatures

Roll	Effect
1	Demon binding spell is broken - demon is uncontrolled - probably kills caster
2	Demon is destroyed
3	Demon is returned to home plane
4	Demon loses magical abilities
5	Demon takes d6 of d6 of d6 damage (no armor or parry).
6	No effect.

8.8.5. Direct Spells

If the target (or any target) of a direct spell is in the same hex as black iron, the spell is absorbed.

8.8.6. Indirect Spells

Black iron will stop a spell before it has converted to an active effect. It will stop a fireball before it explodes, but not a lightning bolt. It will stop ball lightning.

8.8.7. Area Spells

If black iron is within the area of the spell, It will absorb the spell. If a small amount of black iron is present, it will explode, and subtract that much Pow from the spell.

8.8.8. Spell Disruption

For spells where the area of effect is unclear - fast walk, teleport the spell is cast at -5 if the spell in some way crosses an area of black iron.

Other properties of black iron: It cannot be melted, only carved. It cannot be joined once broken. Under special rules it can be enchanted.

8.8.9. Black Iron Armor

Black iron plate will protect the wearer from ALL spells up to the destruction limit of the black iron (about 30,000 Pow). Wearer is also protected from fire and cold.

8.8.10. Black Iron Dust

The presence of black iron dust will make spell casting difficult. The added difficulty is:

Table 55. Black Iron Dust Effects

Density	Effect
< 0.1 gm / M²	Spells at -1
> 0.3 gm / M²	-2
1 gm / M²	-3
3 gm / M²	-4
10 gm	-5
30 gm	-6
100 gm	-7
300 gm	-8
1 kg	-9

8.9. Magical Artifacts

Special devices can be created to perform magical functions. Due to the wide range of possible artifacts, only general guidelines can be made for their creation.

Form - The form of the artifact must be consistent with its function. A Hammer of Thunder is OK. A Propeller Beanie of Lightning Bolts is not.

Composition - Artifacts must be constructed of nearly unique materials. (no mass production). Some examples are > 100 carat gemstones, teeth of a Greater Dragon, or large meteors,

9. Magic Spells

Note

(Jon) In the spell descriptions below, a Pow requirement, and in some cases fixed casting time are usually given. These are representative only, and may vary for a given campaign. The required minimum EP and difficulty of spells also varies and can be found using the Slay program.

In some cases, a magic scroll cost and availability are also given. The availability is at a large city (100K population) with Magic shops. Prices are retail; "wholesale" prices, if available, might be 1/4 of the listed price.

Some scrolls are indicated to have restricted availability, which generally means the local authorities will try to imprison or kill anyone casting them. Of course, the authorities often try this due to many other non-Magical Party behaviours, so don’t take it personally.

Some scrolls are indicated to not be generally available. This is probably due to extremely rarity and value. They might still be found in a powerful Mage’s library.

Some spells indicate that scrolls for them "cannot be created". This may be because a scroll would make no logical sense, or it may be that scrolls still exist which were created in the past by means no longer available.

There may or may not be scrolls available for spells not giving scroll information.

Prices, availability, etc. may vary in specific campaigns, as always at GM discretion.

9.1. Undescribed Magic Spells

Note

(Jon) New section, new content.

Many magic spells lack explicit descriptions and tables, and are summarized in the following list. There are similar lists for undescribed General Skills, Psi Skills, and Technical Skills.

Magic - Ankle Grass (same as JoelWorld spell?)
Magic - Bonfire (same as JoelWorld spell?)
Magic - D Alterego
Magic - D Devourer
Magic - D Elementalattribute
Magic - D Hellfire
Magic - D Mark
Magic - D Posession
Magic - D Talkinghead
Magic - Flight (same as JoelWorld spell?)
Magic - Hedge Magic
Magic - Ice Castle (same as JoelWorld spell?)
Magic - Ice Floor (same as JoelWorld spell?)
Magic - Lava Pool (same as JoelWorld spell?)
Magic - Mob (same as JoelWorld spell?)
Magic - Oasis (same as JoelWorld spell?)
Magic - Resist Environment (same as JoelWorld spell?)
Magic - Sanctuary
Magic - Smoke
Magic - St Elmos Fire
Magic - Tunnel Walk
Magic Air - Wall (Metamagic) (could be a JoelWorld spell?)
Magic Enchant - Sword (Metamagic) (could be a JoelWorld spell, or equivalent to Magic - Enchant Weapon?)

9.2. Magic - Alarm

Cast on an object, if the object is ever removed from its current location by more than the number of hexes specified by the owner, it will cause the object to cry "Thief, Thief "at 120 dB (at 1 hex).

Pow variable. Alarm lasts 1 month / Pow, alarm sounds for 1 min. / Pow.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 50%, sets a permanent alarm for a specific distance.

9.3. Magic - Analyze Magic

Allows the magician to know the operation of any active spell or enchanted device and the amount of Pow in the spell.

Pow 10

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.4. Magic - Animal Empathy

Causes animals to be friendly to the caster. Allows the caster to communicate with animals (at the level of the animal’s intelligence).

Pow 5.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.5. Magic - Animate Rock

Causes a piece of rock to extrude active arms and weapons. The spell will affect one hex of rock for each 5 Pow. The area must be approximately circular. The rock may be used to attack. It will attack at +5, for a base damage of 5. It can attack multiple opponents. If the rock hits, it may grab the target. The target must be able to do 50 points of damage to break out of the hold. Once animated, any area will remain animated for 1 minute. Casting tie roll will produce animated, but uncontrolled rock.

Pow 5 / hex.

Fixed casting time 1 minute, +7, base damage 10.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 5%.

9.6. Magic - Animate Tree

Causes a tree to uproot itself and do your bidding. The spell requires 10 Pow for each foot of height of tree. Tree movement will be 1 hex / round for each 20' of height. Tree hp is height³ / 1000. Def is = 20 -100 varies with type of tree. Attack at -2. Base damage = height of tree.

(Jon) Scroll cost unknown, not generally available.

9.7. Magic - Army Of Death (Metamagic)

Causes all of the dead in the effected area to rise from the grave and serve your will. A roll equal to that required will cause the dead to attack you. The dead will continue to serve you until they are destroyed. They attack as zombies or skeletons. Zombies if no weapons are available. If no bodies are available, they are raised as shades. Note the dead are animated by spirits.

Pow 1 / 100 hex area of effect.

Fixed casting time 1 day, +10

(Jon) Scroll cost >1,000 GP, not generally available.

9.8. Magic - Asteroid Strike (Metamagic)

Damage is 1,000,000,000 points / (distance in hexes)². E.g. deadly at 3 miles, very damaging at 10-30 miles. About a megaton. Must actually drop an existing star out of the sky. Range = line of sight (be careful). Damage counts as physical. There is a 1 minute time delay from when the spell is cast until the asteroid hits.

Pow 1,000,000 (must be collected and stored somehow).

(Jon) Scroll cost >1,000 GP, not generally available.

9.9. Magic - Audible Simulacrum

Causes a sound to emanate from an object. Note the sound must originate from a physical object, not from thin air. Maximum sound level is like a person yelling (eg no damage).

Pow 1 / minute to maintain.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 80%, for a specific sound.

9.10. Magic - Aurora Shield

Creates a protection from meteor and asteroid strike attacks. All meteors will be defused to act as fireballs. An asteroid strike will be disintegrated into a shower of 10,000 meteors (which are not stopped by the shield). The meteors will fall in about a 30 mile radius. Typical separation is 300 hexes. Shield area is 30 mile radius.

Pow 1000, Pow 50 / round to continue.

(Jon) Scroll cost unknown, not generally available.

9.11. Magic - Ball Lightning (Metamagic)

Causes glowing spheres of damage causing energy to fly from the caster’s fingertips. Spheres do 10 points base at caster’s MG+. Balls last for 6 rounds (use a d6) and travel at speed 10. Note, they can be parried. Movement is :flow like water toward target - so it is possible to trap them. If they miss, they continue in a straight line that turn, then come back for another pass.

Pow 50.

Fixed casting time 1 round, +4.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, not generally available.

9.12. Magic - Banish

Returns a creature to its plane of origin, typically used on demons. If target is inside a drawn symbol (minimum 1 hour to draw), then if the spell succeeds, the target is banished. Without a symbol, counts as a direct single target spell: target has a chance to counter.

Pow 1000.

Fixed casting time 1 day to setup for a particular creature, then 1 round when target is in the symbol. Cast at +8.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 30%.

9.13. Magic - Blackout

A potion which acts like the ultimate black paint. One portion can cover about 10 hexes² with absolute light absorbing black. requires coal dust, gold, silver, mercury. Used on a person causes + 5 visual stealth at night. Minimum creation time 10 minutes.

1 Pow / 10 hexes² covered.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 10%.

9.14. Magic - Blindness

Causes the victim to become blind. Lasts until dispelled. Direct spell.

Pow 30.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 5%.

9.15. Magic - Body Of Stone

Causes the target to become made of stone. They move more slowly, but gain strength and damage resistance.

Note

(Jon) We use this a fair amount, so break out the effects in detail.

All combat Pluses (Attack, Low / Medium / Modified High / High DCV, Engage) are reduced by 2.
Weapon damage is increased by 4X.
Parries are increased by 4X.
50 points of defense (armor) is added.
Reduce damage reaching the target by 2X before subtracting from HP.
All heat and cold damage is reduced by 2X.
Full Move is reduced to 2.
Falling damage is increased by 4X before subtracting from HP.

Pow 120, Pow 10 / round to continue.

Note	(Graham) Costs Pow 300 / minute to maintain.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 20%, permanent.

9.16. Magic - Brass To Bronze

Pow 10 / lb.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1,000 GP, not generally available.

9.17. Magic - Brass To Iron

Pow 10 / lb.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000, availability 20%.

9.18. Magic - Break Rock

The magician must touch the rock to be broken.

Pow 10 / ft.² of rock fracture.

Fixed casting time 5 rounds, +5.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 20%.

9.19. Magic - Bronze To Silver

Pow 10 / oz.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.20. Magic - Call Lightning

Note	(Jon) Sometimes misspelled "Call Lightening". Pow to continue the spell is drawn from the lightning itself.

Can only be used during a storm or severe storm. Range is 200 hex. Spell attacks as a single target indirect spell at 5. Base damage is 50. The total amount of lightning which can be called from a storm is 1 bolt / round / 100 hex radius. If multiple people are casting, do a base MG contest to see who wins each round.

Pow 10. Once started, spell continues.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.21. Magic - Call Sun

Causes the sun to come out from behind clouds, even during a storm. This spell will dissipate storms.

Pow 80.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 10%.

9.22. Magic - Camouflage

A potion which causes your skin to have chameleon properties. Lasts 1 hour. Gives a +2 to stealth in appropriate circumstances. Does not change the color of your clothes.

Pow 10.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 10%, permanent.

9.23. Magic - Channel (Metamagic)

Allows the caster to interact with, and to some extent control natural forces like storms, volcanoes, oceans, etc. Allows the caster to manipulate the effect within the normal parameters for that sort of natural phenomena.

Pow: once started, magician gains up to 1000 Pow / minute from a major phenomena. Can be used to combine magical Pow from multiple magicians. Must be cast for each magician.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, not generally available.

9.24. Magic - Chaos Binding

Allows the caster to collect the raw energies of chaos. A proper vessel is required. A vessel can be constructed for 10 SP / Chaon trapped. Vessel must be constructed of crystal, platinum, gold and iron. It will have a volume of about 1 ft.³ for each 100 Pow stored. The area from which the Pow will be collected and must be enclosed in a symbol of area 100 hex / Pow.

Pow amount of Chaons trapped.

Fixed casting time 1 day, +12.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.25. Magic - Chill

Causes momentary fear (undirected) in victim. Direct spell.

Pow 5.

Fixed casting time 1 round, +3.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 5%.

9.26. Magic - City Walk

Allows the caster to move between any two outside places inside a city. The spell works by turning a corner, the far side of which must be out of the view of anyone trying to follow the caster. As with Fast Walk, others can follow the caster if they are directly behind him.

Pow 20,

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%, for a specific location.

9.27. Magic - Cleaner

Animates an object or objects to clean and tidy an area. Fumble is the Srcerer’s Apprentice effect. Area effect.

Pow 1 / hex, Spell requires about 1 minute after casting to operate.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 30%.

9.28. Magic - Conflagration (Metamagic)

Creates a spreading fire - acts as if the air were turned to pure oxygen. This spell has no specific range limit, but will typically burn any city, or forest to ashes.

Pow 10000.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.29. Magic - Control Undead

Allows the caster to gain control of an undead. Single target direct spell. Once control is gained, it does not need to be maintained.

Pow 10.

Fixed casting time 1 minute, +7

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.30. Magic - Control Fire

Allows the caster to move fire within the spell range, reducing damage to zero in some areas, or increasing to 3d6 (from the normal d6) in others. It protects the caster or anyone they choose to protect in the spell area from up to 100 points / round of fire damage (before armor). Fire may be moved 10 hexes beyond the area in which it is naturally burning to do a 3d6 area effect damage.

Pow 10 / hex. Duration 1 minute. May be continued.

9.31. Magic - Corona

Creates a magical halo around a creature which causes it to extend into another plane. This allows the creature to affect (specific) things normally immune to weapons, and to defend normally against (specific) attacks which normally bypass defenses. The creature is surrounded by a violet halo, and therefore unable to use stealth.

Pow 20 / round (not per minute). Spell may be cast at multiple targets by multiplying Pow cost.

Fixed casting time 5 rounds, +4.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.32. Magic - Crack Of Doom (Metamagic)

Opens a crack in the earth, up to 1 mile wide by 10 long, and all within that area are cast into the void (or hell, or Chaos, or pick your favorite space).

Pow 1,000,000.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.33. Magic - Create Rock

Causes rock (granite or basalt) to appear. Direct spell. rock must appear in contact with the earth, in a stable configuration.

Pow 1 / ft.³.

Fixed casting time 1 minute, +6

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 30%.

9.34. Magic - Create Zombie

Animates a corpse. Can create a zombie, skeleton, or shade. Failure Causes a zombie not under your control.

Pow 30. Can be multiple target for extra Pow.

Fixed casting time 1 hour, +8.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 10%.

9.35. Magic - Curse

A special spell. You must make up a curse in rhyme. It is entirely up to the GM to determine results. Note that the best curses also affect the caster.

Pow 20.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.36. Magic - Darkness

Creates an area of darkness around the caster. Within this area, light does not illuminate anything, but the light sources are still visible. Can be countered with an equivalent amount of Pow in a Light spell. Area is 1 hex / Pow to create, 0.1 Pow / hex to maintain. Darkness is total, normal light will not help except see interactions between light and darkness rules.

Fixed casting time 1 round, +4.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 20%.

9.37. Magic - Death

Kills victim on the spot. Direct spell.

Pow 50.

Fixed casting time 1 round, +2.

(Jon) Scroll cost 100 GP, availability 10%.

9.38. Magic - Deflect

Allows a magician to deflect an incoming spell. It is in some ways similar to a standard counter. It is a continuing spell. It can only be used against ranged spells (direct or indirect). The roll done at the same way as for a counter except: The amount of deflect points must be declared before the roll. The deflect is cast at MG+ plus 5. The number of hexes the spell can be deflected is the number of pluses by which the deflect "wins". The incoming spell must be deflected directly away from the deflecting mage. If the attacking spell was not targeted at the deflecting mage, range cost , 10 Pow / hex must be spent. A spell cannot be deflected out of its normal range. A spell cannot be deflected within the 60 degree cone in the range of the original casting mage.

Pow 10 / round continuing.

9.39. Magic - Deflect Lightning

Redirect a lightning bolt that would have hit within 10 hexes of the caster to any location in 10 hexes at caster’s plus with this spell. Note - it is possible to call lightning on yourself and then deflect it to get a better plus. This can be cast after other magic in defense (but at minuses if other spells have been cast). Deflecting multiple lightning strokes is all done at the same plus.

Plus = 0. 1 round +0.

Note	(Jon) This notation is confusing. I think it means that it’s always a fixed casting time of 1 round and always goes at +0. Is there a Pow requirement?

9.40. Magic - De-scent Oil

Will eliminate smells in an area (useful if you are being tracked). Only lasts a few minutes after manufacture. Requires several herbs.

Pow 1 / hex.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 5%.

9.41. Magic - Disease

Causes disease in target when touched (no range allowed). Disease will kill in about 2 weeks without treatment if victim fails a flat con roll. Must add Pow to exceed CON in addition to other costs. Direct spell,

Pow 10.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 5%.

9.42. Magic - Distract

Direct spell. Causes to victim to pay attention to something else momentarily. Spell failure causes the victim to notice the caster.

Pow 10.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.43. Magic - Door Bar

Will hold a door locked as if it were made of stronger material. The strength of the door depends on the Pow put into the spell (see door break).

Fixed casting time 1 round, +5.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 20%.

9.44. Magic - Door Break

Will shatter a locked door. Direct Spell. Amount of Pow depends on the door. Effective "damage" to door is roll MG+ * 1 / Pow in spell.

Fixed casting time 1 round, +3.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 20%.

9.45. Magic - Drain

This drains strength from a victim. Target must be below 0 hp or must be willing. They lose CON and STR, you gain in Pow 5X the amount drained. You may drain d10 from each. Direct spell. Victims drained below zero may not be drained again. Must touch victim. Victims recover 1 of CON and STR each day.

Pow 10.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 5%.

9.46. Magic - Earth Elemental

Calls an elemental a creature: move 1, -2 / 10,000, DCV -5,-5, inf. Def 2000, HP 50000. Depends on the scenario. Currently the animate type is in use. Elemental will remain active for 1 day.

Pow 5000.

Fixed casting time, 2 hours +10.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1000 GP, availability 1%.

9.47. Magic - Earthquake (Metamagic)

This spell can devastate a large area. It does not damage people, but will destroy many buildings. Casting this spell generally requires the use of an extra Pow source. The approximate magnitude is magnitude 8 earthquake. 100,000 Pow.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.48. Magic - Elemental Sphere

A sphere of protection that encircles the caster. It is composed of 6 concentric layers, with a hex gap between each. It is actually a partial sphere, it does not extend into the ground. The layers, from outside in, are:

Earth - wall of slicing blades - attacks all targets at MG+ - 5. Damage is 50/over, parries missiles at (MG+ - 3) (for 100 points). Attack can be parried
Air - wall of lightning. Attacks at MG+ for 10 / over
Fire - does 10d6 fire damage to anything passing through (use armor resistance). 10d6 / round for remaining in wall
Water - Missile weapons stopped. Movement 1/round. Damage is 3d6 cold damage (normal armor does not stop). Openings appear as needed for spells cast out
Life - Writhing vines - Attack at MG+ to grab, grapple at +3. Can hack through, DCV 3, Defense 10, HP 1000.
Death - near invisible dark shapes - must defend with combat darkness. Each attacks at MG+ - 5, no armor or parry, damage is 10/over. Each takes 20 points to kill, (need magic weapons), DCV = MG+ - 5. Each round d6 can attempt to engage (at MG+) and attack.

Pow 100 / round to maintain.

Fixed casting time 10 rounds, +5.

9.49. Magic - Enchant Weapon

It is used to put an enchantment on a weapon to make it +1 to hit. Weapon must be crafted of the finest materials. A weapons making roll (Smithing or similar) must be made at -5 to create the base weapon. A failed roll destroys the materials (typically 1 GP cost).

Pow 1000.

Fixed casting time 1 week, +10.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.50. Magic - Enchant Vorpal

Used to put a +2 on a weapon - a very difficult spell. Weapon must be made of meteoric iron or similar. Materials cost is 20 GP. A weapons making roll must be made at -7 or the materials are only suitable for a +1 weapon. If failed at -5, materials are destroyed.

Pow 5000.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.51. Magic - Enchant Slaying

Weapon will kill a single type of creature if it does any damage. Weapon must be made as Vorpal above (separate spell required to also make a weapon Vorpal). Weapon must also use parts from a dead creature of the type to be killed.

Pow 10,000.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.52. Magic - Enchant Special

Creates a weapon with special properties. The use of this spell is up to GM discretion.

Note	(Jon) Examples: Thrown weapon returns to wielder’s hand (Mjollnir). Weapon can Call Lightning (also Mjollnir).

9.53. Magic - Energy Wall

Stops energy (fire, lightning, etc) based attacks, in a fashion similar to physical protection. The barrier is DCV 0.

Pow 1 / hex side covered + 1 / each 5 points of damage inflicted on the barrer.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 20%.

9.54. Magic - Exorcism

Cures possession. Works when a person is possessed by a demon (or angel), or similar spirit. The target must be inside of a drawn symbol (minimum 1 hour to draw). The magician (Or other) must plunge an enchanted dagger into the target’s heart (hit against High). Target should probably be restrained. Fumble kills the target, or possibly moves the possession to the magician.

Pow 100.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.55. Magic - Extinguish

Will put out all fires in an area.

Pow 1 / hex affected.

Fixed casting time 3 rounds, +5

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.56. Magic - Fast Walk

Allows the caster to travel large distances quickly. Can only be used to travel between places the caster has visited before. Fast walk moves characters quickly over the terrain between the two points. Up to 12 people can follow the caster through the fast walk. Each additional dozen people is at -1 (rapidly becomes impossible) It is possible for only the later groups to fail. You can follow someone else’s fast walk, at a penalty equivalent to the MG+ for that duration. Example: you follow 10 minutes later at -6 (from the original caster’s plus). Spell duration is from casting time until sunset or sunrise (whichever comes first). Exactly equalling the roll required causes you to become lost. Note, fast walk can only allow you to travel between "outdoor" areas. It cannot be used to get into or out of castles, dungeons, etc.

Pow 10 * sqrt(speed multiplier).

Fixed casting time 2 hours, +7, continuing for up to one day.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.57. Magic - Fear

Causes fear in target. Direct spell. Fear will last hours. Failure causes victim to be aware of spell.

Pow 15.

Fixed casting time 5 Rounds, +4.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 20%.

9.58. Magic - Fire Elemental

Summons a single fire elemental to do the caster’s bidding. Elemental will remain active for 1 day.

Pow 5000.

(Jon) Scroll cost unknown, not generally available.

9.59. Magic - Fireball

Fixed Pow spell doing 10 dice center hex, -1 each hex from center. Spell goes off the round after it is cast. The caster must secretly write down the target location.

Pow 50.

Fixed casting time 3 rounds, +3.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 20%.

9.60. Magic - Flesh To Stone

Affects single target, direct spell. Target is turned to stone. Target is not conscious while stoned. The reverse spell is learned automatically.

Pow 20

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 20%.

9.61. Magic - Flesh To Stone Potion

Causes the person drinking to turn to stone. Not reversible except with Stone To Flesh spell (a statue can’t drink).

Pow 50

(Jon) Scroll cost unknown, not generally available.

Note	(Jon) Often used to coat arrowheads in higher-level campaigns. In some campaigns, Stone To Flesh potions are also available.

9.62. Magic - Floating Liquid

This material, composed primarily of mercury, will fall up. It pulls up with the same force that the same amount of mercury would pull down.

Pow 1 / oz.

(Jon) Scroll cost 100 GP, not generally available.

9.63. Magic - Fog

Causes fog to rise from the ground. Must be used outside. Covers an area of 10,000 hexes / Pow.

Pow 10 (minimum).

Fixed casting time 3 rounds, +4.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 10%.

9.64. Magic - Forget

Causes the victim to forget something until the spell is broken. Direct spell.

Pow 30.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 5%.

9.65. Magic - Gate (Metamagic)

Opens a door to a new location or dimension. Symbol spell only.

Pow 10K / hex.

Fixed casting time 1 day, +9.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.66. Magic - Glow

Causes an object to glow, producing about the light of a candle. The glow lasts for about a day.

Pow 10.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 50%.

9.67. Magic - Glow Water

Liquid is like the liquid in Cylume sticks. It can be made in any lifetime from 30 minutes to 24 hours, and in any color.

Pow 10 / oz. Components water, sulfur, coal, crushed fireflies, plants.

(Jon) Scroll cost 100 GP, not generally available.

9.68. Magic - Golem

Animates a stone statue. A human sized statue will require 1 Pow / round, and can only be operated within line of sight of the mage. The Pow increases linearly with the size of the statue, as does the damage and resistance of the statue. A human sized statue acts as a stone golem. A statue may be precharged with up to 100 rounds worth of Pow, and set to activate with an Alarm spell. Outside of human range the Golem’s instructions must be able to be written in 12 words or less: "kill everything except me" works. A golem can house a soul, in which case it acts like a permanent body of stone.

Obvious fumble.

9.69. Magic - Healing Potion

A magical potion which causes healing. Must draw energy from other people when it is prepared. Can be used in conjunction with non-magical healing, but not with any magical healing. Not storable - must be created at time of use. Repairs 6d6 damage. Blood must be drained from some number of people. A total of 10 dice in HP must be drained, minimum 1 die (with extensions) per person. On each die roll, if get a 6, roll again and add. On a failed roll, points are drained, but no healing takes place. On a fumble, something interesting happens.

Pow 50.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.70. Magic - Heat

Causes heat equivalent to a camp fire. Heat is cast on an object.

Pow 1 / round.

Fixed casting time 1 minute, +7.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 20%.

9.71. Magic - Hellborer (Metamagic)

Blasts a hole through (nearly) anything. Hole is 10 hexes in radius, and is drilled at 10 hexes / round. Much of the material is destroyed, but some is ejected around the entrance. The spell must be targeted at least 3 rounds before it begins to drill - it makes a poor weapon. Anything in its path will take 1000 points / hex / round damage.

Pow 100 / hex drilled (minimum 10,000 Pow).

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.72. Magic - Hulk

A strength spell that cause the recipient to gain +5 CON, +5 STR and +5 SIZ (armor will not fit), and lose 5 on all other stats and turns green. Lasts 1 minute.

9.73. Magic - Hurricane (Metamagic)

Causes a hurricane class storm (about 100 miles diameter. peak 150 mph winds). Storm will last for 1 week at sea, or 2 days on land. It will move up to 500 miles / day, under the mage’s control.

Pow 20,000. Metamagic reduces EP.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.74. Magic - Hypnotize

Causes a victim to perform a set of actions under a set of prescribed conditions. The victim performs as if asleep, and may be woken, breaking the spell. Must be cast on an unsuspecting victim. Direct spell. Failure causes victim to be aware of spell.

Pow 10.

Fixed casting time 1 minute, +7.

(Jon) Spell is restricted (mind control Magic). Scroll cannot be created.

9.75. Magic - Identify Artifact

Allows a magician to know the function of a created device. If the casting fumbles, an incorrect reading is obtained. If the casting succeeds by 2, additional information, including the object’s origin, and any curses, etc are revealed.

Pow 5.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.76. Magic - Identify Rock

Allows the magician to know the composition, and age of a rock. Note that the age of a rock is defined as when it was removed from its natural place in the ground, or when it was broken from a larger piece.

Pow 5.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.77. Magic - Ignite

Causes any flammable object in the area of effect to catch fire. Continuing spell. May be cast on a hex, or on the wielder. Clothes typically do d6 damage (no armor). All lamp oil, flash powder, etc will ignite. Spell area must be approximately round.

25 Pow / hex, 1 / hex to maintain.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.78. Magic - Igniteall

A wax like substance which burns very hot and will ignite almost any flammable material. It will also melt soft metals. Requires mercury, sulfur, charcoal.

Pow 1 / bottle.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 5%.

9.79. Magic - Immortality

Alchemical potion. When first drunk, or poured on to wounds, it provides up to 100 points of healing within a few minutes. 10 doses, taken at one time confer immortality. All damage will heal at at least 1 point / day. Severed limbs will grow back. If the body is hacked into many pieces, the brain will be the center of the new body (which will grow slowly). Without food or water, the body will wither but not die. Only burning to ashes will destroy the body forever, and even then the soul will live on as a spirit, trapped on this plane.

Note	Knowledge of this spell is very restricted, and allows a reverse potion to be created. (Jon) Typically the ingredients for Immortality include one human life / dose.

Pow 10000.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.80. Magic - Inferno (Metamagic)

A higher Pow version of "control fire" it allows a mage to also dramatically increase the speed at which things burn causing 100 points / round damage in the active area, but consuming burnable materials at 100X normal fire rates. Fire may be extended beyond the initial range by 30 hexes. A minimum of 100 hexes of fire must already be burning in order to use this spell.

Pow 1000, Pow 10 / round to continue.

9.81. Magic - Invisibility

Causes magician to move toward the spirit world. The further you move, the less you can be seen, and the less you can see. As you move further, you can interact with spirits. Failure leaves you trapped on the other side.

Pow 10, Pow 10 / minute to continue.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 5%.

9.82. Magic - Lead To Brass

Costs 1 Pow / lb.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 5%.

9.83. Magic - Light

Causes light to radiate from the magician’s hand. Intensity depends on Pow used. Spell lasts as long as Pow is used.

Table 56. Light Spell Effects And Continuing Pow Cost

Pow / minute	Effect
1	Candle
3	Flashlight
10	Floodlight (may temporarily blind dark adjusted eyes),
30	Searchlight (can illuminate things up to 1 mile away, will blind anyone looking toward the light as long as it lasts.
100	Flare - Will blind everyone within 100' for 1 round.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 30%, permanent???

9.84. Magic - Lightning Bolt

An indirect single target spell.

Note	New rules: Fixed 100 Pow spell, does 20 points base damage / over. Old rules: Standard 1 Pow / hex range. A 10 point or more lightning bolt will also act as a "flash powder" spell. Damage 1 point base / 10 Pow.

Pow 100.

Fixed casting time 3 rounds, +3.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 30%.

9.85. Magic - Liquid Rock

Will liquify a large volume of broken rock or gravel then re-solidify it into a concrete like substance, generally used for construction. The spell works on pieces of rock smaller than a few inches across, and not connected together with mortar. Minimum casting time 10 minutes,

Pow 1 / 100 ft.³ rock.

9.86. Magic - Livelong

An alchemical potion, which can indefinitely prolong your life. You must drink a dose every month ( on the day of the full moon) or you will lose the effects of all of the previous potions. Failure causes you to lose all effects of previous livelong potions.

Pow 20. Components water, mercury, wood from an ancient bristle cone pine, bone from someone dead a thousand years, gold dust, glacier ice.

(Jon) Spell is restricted. Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.87. Magic - Magic Hide

This spell will mask the presence of stored magic (not active spells) in an area. Pow required = sqrt(Pow to be hidden). Area for hiding is 1 hex / Pow in this spell. The spell may be continued at a cost / round of sqrt(Pow in this spell). To hide a 10,000 Pow storage area, you would need to cast a 100 Pow spell, and maintain at 10 Pow / round.

Continuing spell.

9.88. Magic - Magic Wall

This spell puts up a barrier which magical energy cannot pass. It stops only direct magical spells. It is destroyed by any physical or energy attack. A magic wall is visible. Continuing spell.

Pow 100 / hex. Pow 1 / hex / minute to continue.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.89. Magic - Magical Sword

Allows an existing weapon to affect things otherwise immune to normal weapons. Weapon will also glow in the dark - eliminating darkness minuses, but preventing stealth. Fumble will destroy weapon.

Pow 1 / minute to continue.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.90. Magic - Major Illusion

Similar to Simulacrum, but can create complex and large objects, complete with sound. After spell is cast, must make a roll at MG+ to create the desired effect. Roll is at the following minuses: Minus log₂(total size of animate creatures / normal human size). e.g. 20 men would be -5. A dragon at 20X man sized would be similar). For large inanimate effects (avalanches, tidal waves, etc), roll at -1 / log₂(effect area / 100 hexes²).

Targets get a (combined) senses roll against the mage’s MG+ to notice the illusion. The roll is re-done every time there the illusion changes actions in a significant way. Spell can also be used to change the appearance of objects or people when used at an additional -2 on general magic roll.

Pow 1 / hex / minute (minimum 1 minute, continuing).

Fixed casting time 10 rounds, +6.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 20%.

9.91. Magic - Mesmerize

Allows you to take control of a victim. Direct spell. It lasts until dispelled. Victim is immune if they state they are avoiding your eyes (resulting in a -2 on all combat stats). An attempt to force the target to do something directly self destructive will break the spell. The target can be caused to fight in a more or less offensive fashion than normal, but typically not fully offensive or defensive unless it is to their benefit. The caster will know when a command will break the spell before it is issued. A mesmerized person will seem distracted, but not abnormally so to observers.

Pow 30.

Fixed casting time 1 hour, +8.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.92. Magic - Metamagic

Note

(Jon) This is general knowledge and study of Metamagic, and helps cast specific Metamagic spells.

In some (most?) campaigns, Metamagic is a separate class of spells, with a Magic - Metamagic skill they are based on. In other worlds, there is no Magic - Metamagic skill, but some of the same spells exist. In most (all?) worlds, Metamagic spells tend to be very destructive, very difficult to cast, very dangerous to fumble, and require a huge amount of Pow.

Metamagic spells are included in the main spell list, with "(Metamagic)" appended to the spell name in the section header to help distinguish them.

9.93. Magic - Meteor

Causes a meteor to fall from the sky and hit a specified target. Range = 1000', Damage is 10,000 points explosive. Magician can specify smaller damage if desired. Failure may cause meteor to hit caster. If the attack misses the target, the target can half (or full) move out of the target hex.

Pow 2000.

Fixed casting time 10 rounds, +5.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.94. Magic - Mold Rock

Gives a rock the consistency of putty. Requires 10 Pow / ft.³, lasts 1 minute.

Fixed casting time 2 rounds, +4.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.95. Magic - Moonlight

Spell causes a glowing disk to rise into the air and illuminate 1 mi.² as if by moonlight with all appropriate effects.

Pow 30. Duration 1 minute.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 5%.

9.96. Magic - Move Rock

Allows the magician to exert a force on stone. The target can only be moved slowly (1 hex / round) and cannot move more than 1 hex above the ground. The force exerted is 100 lb. / Pow, and must be distributed over at least 1 ft.³ of rock. For less than 1 ft.³, de-rate force appropriately.

Pow 250.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.97. Magic - N-liquid

A material which flows like water, but up. It follows the path water would take down, but follows it in reverse (along the ground only).

Pow 1 / unit.Components water, silver dust.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 5%.

9.98. Magic - Necromantic Collection

A very powerful and dangerous spell. Collects all of the Pow released by death in an area (200 Pow / death typically). A set of 5 stones must be erected in a pentagon to mark out the area. The collection area is roughly spherical. Each stone must be of solid basalt in the form of a obelisk, 10:1 aspect ratio. Stones must be at least 1/100 of the diameter of the circle. Stones may be buried. Typically takes 100 hours to carve each 1' stone, with time increasing as the height² - but carving may be done by minions. Stones are reusable.

Note	You must be able to use the Pow as quickly as it is delivered.

Pow 100.

Fixed casting time 1 week (preparation), 1 round activation, +10.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.99. Magic - Nightmare

Causes the victim to have a horrible nightmare. Direct spell. Failure causes inability to use this spell on that victim again. You may decide in general the course of the nightmare, or let their worst fears take over. Pow 10.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.100. Magic - Olfactory Simulacrum

Causes a smell to emanate from an object. The smell can duplicate in detail anything the caster has personally smelled, and is accurate enough to, for example, confuse tracking dogs. Note that the smell overlays, but doesn’t replace existing smells. Smells can be made very unpleasant, but not disabling.

Pow 1 / minute to continue.

9.101. Magic - Oxyliquid

Alchemical - eliminates the effects of oxygen starvation due to high altitude, under water, or the breathing effects (but not contact) with poison gas, etc. Spell creates a potion - which has a shelf life of 1 week (only!).

Pow 1. Components water, mercury (1 GP / unit), plant components. Potion lasts 8 hours.

9.102. Magic - Paralysis

Causes the victim to be unable to move or fight. This spell will be broken by any sudden movement toward the victim. You must approach slowly for the kill. This spell only allows you to get to combat range before it is broken. It does not give you a free attack. Direct spell.

Pow 30. Duration about 5 minutes.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 5%.

9.103. Magic - Partial Petrify

Causes a part of the victim to turn to stone. Note that this will not kill the victim.

Pow 10. Duration about 1 day, then target slowly recovers.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 5%.

9.104. Magic - Peer Through Rock

Makes rock as clear as glass (to the caster only).

Pow 10 / ft. distance. Duration 1 minute.

Fixed casting time 1 minute, +6.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.105. Magic - Permanent Sleep

Induces a sleep which cannot be broken. Must be cast on a victim who is already sleeping. The victim will not age, or change in any way until awakened. A specific action must be declared which will awake the victim. (GM discretion for acceptable actions). Direct spell.

Pow 30.

(Jon) Scroll cost 100 GP, not generally available.

9.106. Magic - Phase Through Rock

Allows the magician to move through solid rock at 1 hex / round. A failed roll means death.

Pow 1 / round to maintain.

Note	(Jon) Originally this said "Difficulty 10 to start, 0 to continue", which suggests a roll every round to stay phased. We don’t do that now.

Fixed casting time 10 minutes, +8.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 1%.

9.107. Magic - Physical Protection

Allows the magician to surround himself with a barrier that will stop physical attacks. The barrier is transparent, but slightly visible. Once created it is immobile. The magician allocates Pow to the barrier at each magic phase. That Pow will remain in the barrier until it is attacked. The barrier acts as DCV 0. 1 Pow will be consumed for each 5 points of damage. inflicted on the barrier. The barrier has a base cost of 1 Pow for each hex side covered.

Fixed casting time 1 round / hex side, +6.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 20%.

9.108. Magic - Plague (Metamagic)

Causes an outbreak of plague which will continue naturally. The death rate is 50% over 6 month. Make con roll to survive.

Pow 1000.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.109. Magic - Plant Growth

Causes plants in the area to grow at up to 1 years growth / minute. Lasts 1 minute. This spell can be very powerful. Magician can control direction of growth within reason.

Pow 15.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 1%.

9.110. Magic - Poison

Creates a poison which causes death (if ingested) in seconds to days (magicians choice).

Pow 1.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 5%.

9.111. Magic - Portal

Creates a symbol which allows travel to any location. A single symbol can be used for multiple destinations. Failure has effects similar to a failed "fast walk". The target must be a "known" location - it must have been visited and its coordinates measured by some mage - but not necessarily the caster of the portal spell. The portal will operate at a 2 if the target has a "beacon" - a unique object enchanted by the portal spell caster. Symbol takes a minimum of 2 months to construct , plus 1 additional month per hex of active area. The symbol is designed for a specific location - and can be activated to that location using standard symbol rules (MG - 5 casting). The portal spell must be cast again for any change in target (but can use the existing symbol).

Pow 100 / hex.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.112. Magic - Power Generation

Allows the construction of a Pow generation gem. This gem will produce and radiate Pow. Only a single Pow generation gem can be liked to a storage or symbol gem.

Pow 10.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

Note	(Jon) Should say what the Pow generation rate is?

9.113. Magic - Power Storage

Allows the storage of Pow in a gem. Once created, the gem automatically charges when "linked" to a magician. Power in the gem can be used by anyone who "links" to it. If the gem is destroyed, all Pow is released as uncontrolled. A fumble on a spell when you are "linked" will discharge the entire gem Pow. Any Pow left in a gem when it is unlinked from a magician goes uncontrolled. A roll for this spell is required when you first choose to link to a gem. You can only link to a single gem at a time.

Pow 10.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

Note	(Jon) This rule may not always be used: "A fumble will discharge the entire gem Pow".

9.114. Magic - Rain

Spell causes it to rain over an area about 10 miles on a side. Rain will last for a few hours.

Pow 200.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 5%.

9.115. Magic - Rainbow

Causes a rainbow to appear in the sky. +5 on casting if there is rain and clouds, -2 at night.

Pow 200, Pow 1 / round to continue.

9.116. Magic - Rebuild

This spell will rebuild a structure which had previously been destroyed. It will rebuild the oldest and / or most significant structure which had been constructed from the materials at hand. The structure will remain intact, only if it can stand on its own after being assembled.

Pow 1 / hex rebuilt.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available, permanent.

9.117. Magic - Rock To Lead

This spell causes a volume of rock to convert to lead.

Pow 1 / lb.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 5%.

9.118. Magic - Sanctuary (Metamagic)

The caster creates an area of safety. Any attempt to enter the area must be made with a Navigation - Land roll at -10. The sanctuary spell is not noticeable unless someone attempts to get to a specific location. The area of effect is 100 hex radius for 1000 Pow (minimum), radius linear in Pow. Note that the sanctuary spell does not affect anyone inside the area of effect, until they leave. If the casting magician wishes to re-enter, they must cast a 1 Pow Sanctuary spell at +5 to find their way back in. A fumble destroys the entire sanctuary. The area will last until dispelled by the caster. Sanctuary may only be used outdoors. It is difficult to lead large groups into a sanctuary. If trying to break in, the navigation roll is made at -1 for each power of 2 of people above 12. The same applies to the Sanctuary roll required to re-enter the sanctuary. Note that a large Sanctuary can be cast in segments. If it is broken, the entire spell breaks.

Pow 1000.

Fixed casting time 1 week, +10.

(Jon) Scroll cost >100 GP, not generally available.

9.119. Magic - Scrying

Spell allows the caster to see things at a distance. The caster must have a part of something currently held by the target. The caster can see things in the area of the item. Note the caster has no control over the exact direction the spell looks. The target is not aware of the scrying.

Pow 50.

(Jon - ??? permanent) Scroll cannot be created. If it could, the Scrying effect would be permanent.

9.120. Magic - Shadow Hide

Allows the caster (only) to hide perfectly in shadow. Failure of any roll will result in detection. A roll is required each time someone looks. Rolls are made without time modifiers. Note that you can be seen if you directly attack someone. Roll at difficulty 6 for first roll, then 0 for each successive roll,

Pow 1 / round.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.121. Magic - Shatter Metal

Will break a metal object. Direct spell.

Pow 10 / in.².

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 10%.

9.122. Magic - Shatter Rock

This spell will break an object at range. Direct spell.

Pow 20 / ft.².

Fixed casting time 3 rounds, +3.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.123. Magic - Silence

Causes the victim to be unable to make any noise. This will also prevent indirect noise from the victim. Can be used on caster. Direct spell.

Pow 10, Duration 10 rounds.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.124. Magic - Silver To Gold

Pow 100 / oz.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.125. Magic - Simulacrum

Makes an image of an object. Image does not move. Maximum size is 1 hex (approximately human size)

Pow 1 / minute lifetime.

Fixed casting time 1 minute, +7.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.126. Magic - Sleep

Cast on someone in a situation where they might fall asleep (a guard at his post for example). Direct spell. Casting failure has no effect.

Pow 10, Can be cast over an area at 1 Pow / hex + 10 Pow / victim.

Fixed casting time 1 minute, +8.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.127. Magic - Slow

Cast on someone to slow their movement. Causes movement to be at 1/2 normal. Direct spell.

Pow 20, Duration 10 rounds.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.128. Magic - Slow Burn

A substance which will burn very slowly and regularly. It has the consistency of clay. 1 cc. will burn for about an hour.

Pow 1 / cc. Components plant materials, oil, sulfur.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 25%.

9.129. Magic - Smoke - Magical

A spell which produces a puff of smoke, about enough to fill a room.

Pow 1 / 1000 ft.³.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 25%.

9.130. Magic - Soul Bind

Connects a soul to an object. Direct spell.

Pow 100.

Fixed casting time 1 day, +8.

9.131. Magic - Soul Creation (Metamagic)

Uses Chaons to create a new soul. Requires 500 Chaons to be trapped. This spell will convert the Chaons to a new soul which is bound to a person. The target permanently gains: Angel abilities, immortality. It’s a good deal. Spell requires chaos trapping.

Pow 5000.

(Jon) Scroll cost >>1000 GP, not generally available.

9.132. Magic - Soul Creation (Version2) (Metamagic)

Creates a new, 0 Pow chaos soul. This type of soul is required in order to absorb other Chaons (see Chaons).

Pow 5000.

Note	(Jon) There is only one Soul Creation skill in the database. Probably the original version is obsolete and should be moved to the appendix.

9.133. Magic - Soul Rip

Removes a soul from a person. Direct spell.

Pow 100.

Fixed casting time 1 day, +8.

9.134. Magic - Soul Talk

Talk to a soul.

Pow 1.

Fixed casting time 1 hour, +8.

9.135. Magic - Spirit Wall

Creates a wall (actually a dome) that spirits cannot cross. A line must be enscribed around the area to be protected,

Fixed casting time 1 round / hex, +6. Each Pow in the wall can stop 10 spirits from crossing the wall.

9.136. Magic - Spring

Causes a small water spring to grow in the ground. Cast at -5 in very dry areas.

Pow 100. Duration 1 hour.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%, permanent.

9.137. Magic - Statue Garden

Turns people to stone in a prepared area. Area must be prepared - cost is 1 SP and 1 EP (applied to this spell) for each hex prepared. A Pow source (Pow stone for example, or the mage) must be provided. Acts as an area effect direct spell. Trigger can be any action specified by the caster.

Pow 100 / target.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available, permanent.

9.138. Magic - Stone Golem

Causes a rock or boulder to stand up and work at the caster’s command. Move 2 Engage 2. Att +1, DCV 1/1/Inf. Damage depends on size. Human sized (300kg) 30 damage, HP 100, Defense 50 (1/2 damage from edged weapons). Damage is linear in size. Casting plus is -1 / factor of 2 in size. Mage can cast on multiple smaller stones. Stones must be detached to be used. A stone carved into a functional shape (human, monster, etc), can trade pluses for damage: +1 attack, defense, move for 2X damage. Plus = -2. Fumble → golem attacks caster.

Pow cost linear in size of golem. Duration 1 day, cannot be dropped.

Fixed casting time 1 hour, +8.

9.139. Magic - Stone Zombie (Metamagic)

Creates a stone "zombie" that will kill other people and turn them into stone zombies. Each zombie is move 3/2, +0/40 0/0/10 50/0/300. They are slow but almost indestructible. They will mindlessly hunt down the nearest humans and kill them. Single zombies are not too dangerous, but once a horde gets started it is almost unstoppable.

Pow 1000.

9.140. Magic - St. Elmo’s Fire

Casts a dim blue-green light over an object - up to 10 hexes size..Can be cast on an opponent by hitting low DCV at casters MG+.

Fixed casting time 5 rounds, +3.

9.141. Magic - Storm

Spell causes a strong thunderstorm to cover an area about 10 miles on a side. Storm will last about 1 hour.

Pow 500.

Fixed casting time 10 minutes, +7.

(Jon) Scroll cost 100 GP, availability 1%.

9.142. Magic - Summon

This is used to summon demons, etc. Power used is variable. Spell will work if all particulars have been carried out exactly. See summoning section for details on requirements for summoning each type of demon.

Pow 1000.

Fixed casting time typically 1 week to prepare (varies), +8.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 1%. A scroll summons a single specific demon.

9.143. Magic - Sun

This spell causes the sun to appear in the sky (if it is not there already). The sun will rise in the east, and reach the zenith in 3 rounds. It will light up an area 10 miles on a side with normal levels of daylight. This will have all the normal effects on undead.

Pow 2000. Duration 1 hour.

(Jon) Scroll cost >100 GP, not generally available.

9.144. Magic - Sunlight

This spell causes a beam of light with all of the effects of sunlight to emit from the caster’s hand. Damage to undead (roll to hit is required) is 10 base (no armor or parry). Range is 20 hexes.

Pow 100. 20 Pow / round to maintain.

Fixed casting time 10 rounds, +5.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 1%.

9.145. Magic - Teleport

Causes mage to spend the next full round moving to a specified hex, the subject appears with a popping sound, loud enough to wake a sleeping person. The mage must appear on solid ground. The destination must be in line of sight. Direct Spell.

Pow 10 / hex.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.146. Magic - Terrify Animal

Causes any animal (non enchanted creature) to flee in panic. Direct spell.

Pow 5.

Fixed casting time 3 rounds, +4.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.147. Magic - Tidal Wave (Metamagic)

Causes a 200' tall wave, approximately 20 mile wide to move on shore. Damage depends on the local terrain.

Pow 10,000.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.148. Magic - Tidiness

Spell causes you to look clean, repairs clothes, etc.

Pow 10.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%.

9.149. Magic - Time Stop

Causes a bubble to be created around the caster. Outside the bubble, the world stops. Alternately time inside the bubble can be stopped for a predetermined time - creating an invulnerable shield. No Pow can be naturally collected inside of a bubble - however otherwise magic can be used. It takes one round (as viewed by both inside and outside observers) for the bubble to form or disappear. Fumble has the obvious very bad effect (caster frozen for some very long time - thousands of years). Area covered must be round and centered on the caster.

Pow 30 / hex.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 1%.

9.150. Magic - Tornado (Metamagic)

Creates a category 5 tornado which lasts 300 rounds under the control of the casting magician. Range Pow costs must be paid to create the tornado. The tornado has a diameter of 500 hexes (fuzzy edged), and moves at up to 20 hexes / round. Tornado includes summoning a severe storm. Typically all wooden buildings in the area of effect will be destroyed, all trees uprooted. Stone buildings may be destroyed. All exposed persons will take an attack at +3 / 10 against Outdoor Survival every 10 rounds when in the tornado. Armor gives normal protection against area attacks. Outdoor clothes give 10 / 90% protection.

Pow 3000.

Fixed casting time 10 rounds, +5.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.151. Magic - Track

Allows you to find the direction to a person if you have some item of theirs. Failure will give an incorrect direction.

Pow 10 / mile range, minimum 1 mi.

Fixed casting time 1 hour, +7.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.152. Magic - Trigger

A spell bound into a magical device that allows the firing of a symbol spell. The trigger must be as large as the triggered symbol. A trigger is attached to one and only one symbol spell.

Pow 1.

(Jon) Scroll cannot be created.

9.153. Magic - Unerase

A liquid which will cause erased or faded writing to reappear on a page.

Pow 1.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 20%.

9.154. Magic - Vampirism

Converts anyone into a vampire (permanently). You gain all the powers and disadvantages of a vampire. A failed roll means the target dies.

Pow 1000.

(Jon) Scroll cost 100 GP, not generally available.

9.155. Magic - Vigor

Allows the recipient to fight at negative HP. Recipient will fight to negative 4X normal death, but will die if spell ends while you are worse than death.

Pow 10. Pow 1 / round to continue.

Fixed casting time 1 round, +2.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, availability 10%, permanent.

9.156. Magic - Volcano

Causes a volcano to begin to grow in a specified location.

Volcano will start producing 100 m³ of lava each hour. This will double each hour for 3d6 hours. This rate will continue for (d2*)² days. It will then subside, and remain dormant for (d2*)² years. It will then begin to erupt again.

Pow 50,000.

(Jon) Scroll cost >1000 GP, not generally available.

9.157. Magic - Volcano Control

Includes protection from fumes, walk on lava, survive lava, redirect lava, lava control.

Pow 20 / round.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, not generally available.

Note	(Jon) Used to say "Difficulty 7 (each round)". In modern games, typically the mage only casts Volcano Control once and does not need to re-roll every round.

9.158. Magic - Wall Of Fire

Create an immobile curtain of raging fire. It cannot be created through a solid object (or person). Anything which crosses through the curtain takes fire damage equal d6 for each 10 points in the spell. Continuing spell.

Pow 5 / hex length + Pow for damage (above).

Fixed casting time 3 rounds, +3.

(Jon) Scroll cost 1 GP, not generally available.

9.159. Magic - Wall Of Stone

Creates a series of crystal like spikes to grow out of the ground. Spikes are 10' tall. Requires a flat Climbing or Acrobatics roll to cross. If attacked, DCV -10, Defense 600, HP 5000, 1/4 damage from edged weapons. Blocks vision.

Fixed casting time 10 rounds, +5, 1 Pow / hex / 10' spikes.

9.160. Magic - Water Breathing

Potion allows you to operate under water without needing to breathe and makes you immune to pressure effects. After taking the potion, you cannot survive in air until the effects wear off.

Pow ???. Components deep sea fish oil, squid ink, and crushed pearls (1 GP / potion). Duration 1 day.

9.161. Magic - Wind

Spell causes a wind to blow over the area of effect. Pow = radius(hexes) * speed(knots)² / 1000. A 10 knot wind over a 1000 hex radius (1 mile), would cost 100 Pow. Maximum wind speed is 30 knots. Maximum radius is 10 miles. Minimum Pow is 20.

Pow 1000. Duration is 1 hour.

(Jon) Scroll cost 10 GP, availability 25%.

10. Psionics (Psi)

Note

(Jon) Psi (Psionics) refers to disciplines and abilities which let you directly act using your mind alone - think Jean Grey (X-Men), Gully Foyle ("The Stars My Destination") Denise Castanaveras ("Emerald Eyes").

Psi skills are not available in many campaigns, and when they are available, they almost always require training in each Psi skill by someone who is already expert in it. You cannot put points in Psi skills without GM approval in each case. Once you have EP in a Psi skill, you can add to it from there like any other skill.

Psi is not "The Force", unless the GM defines it that way. The only time there are actual "Jedi" is if the GM defines a campaign based on the Star Wars Mythos, or a world with characters with knowledge of the Star Wars movies who explicitly try to create that Mythos. You can play such a character, and even wield a "Light Saber", in other campaigns - but don’t expect the other PCs to do anything but laugh at your crazy belief system.

If your Psi - General Plus is <= 0, you are considered to be Psi inactive, and are not noticeable to other psionic creatures. If your Psi - General Plus is > 0, then you are noticeable by other Psi creatures (using Psi - detect).

Psi attacks are rolled with the attacker' skill at the Psi ability, against the target’s Psi - General or PSI Plus (defender’s choice). Psi - Block and other actions without a specific target are rolled against the universe.

Psi attacks may not be rolled at negative (base) pluses. A negative base plus means you don’t know that ability. Some abilities like Psi - Communicate may be rolled if the base plus is not negative, even if the final plus with modifiers is negative.

Psi attacks are performed every round. Any targets that failed a Psi defense against the same attack in the previous round are at -5 defense. Any who succeeded are at +5. After 10 rounds, Psi attacks are launched (and resisted) every minute, after 10 minutes, every hour, after 10 hours, every day.

Combining Psi Attacks - Multiple people can combine Psi attacks. Each must make a Psi - General roll. If any fail, the attack fails for all. Pluses are added as for normal skills.

Multiple Psi Actions: Are performed at -2 for each additional ability used.

10.1. Undescribed Psi Skills

Note

(Jon) New section, new content.

Many Psionic skills lack explicit descriptions and tables, and are summarized in the following list. There are similar lists for undescribed General Skills, Magic Spells, and Technical Skills.

Psi - Animal Communication - Ability to communicate with an animal mind-to-mind, on your shared minimum level of sentience and intelligence.
Psi - Animal Sight - Ability to see through an animal’s eyes.
Psi - Scare Animal - Like Magic - Fear, for animals.
Psi - Vigor (like Magic - Vigor spells)

10.2. Psi - Area Block

This is used to block others from Psi attacks. The rules are similar to Psi - Block (see below). It can be used to block any number of people within line of sight. The roll for Psi - Block is made when the first attack occurs. The block is rolled for every round in which an attack occurs. Psi area block has a range of 100 hexes. It is cast at -1 for each factor of 2 in range. Psi - Block and Psi - Area Block cannot be used with any other Psionic ability.

10.3. Psi - Area Hide

Really a lot more like area unobtrusiveness. Normal range is 100 hexes. Cast at -1 for each factor of 2 in range. Add this plus (using plus addition rules) to the unobtrusiveness plus of the group. The effect is not invisibility, but rather "These are not the droids you are looking for".

10.4. Psi - Block

This is used to block the effects of Psi attacks. The amount by which the Psi - Block roll succeeds each round is added to the defender’s PSI Plus. Psi - Block must be rolled separately in every round in which there is a Psi attack. Psi - Block cannot be used with any other Psi ability.

10.5. Psi - Brain Scan

This is a very powerful psi ability. It allows you to read the target’s deepest thoughts. It requires a roll every 1 minute of scanning. Typically it will take 100 minutes to scan all of the data in the target’s mind.

10.6. Psi - Detect

This is the ability to detect psionic creatures at a distance. Creatures must have PSI Plus > 0 in order to be detectable. A flat roll is required to detect a creature with 10 Psi at a range of 1 mile. Range is linear in the PSI of the creature to be detected. Each +1 rolled, gives you 2X range.

Note	It’s not clear what "10 Psi" means here. A PSI stat of 10, or a PSI Plus of 10, or something else?

10.7. Psi - Displacement

This causes the target to think that you are in a slightly different location. This will prevent missile attacks from hitting. It does not work in hand to hand. Like other Psi abilities, it can be stopped by a Psi block. It affects a single target.

10.8. Psi - General

This is your Plus at resisting psionic attacks.

10.9. Psi - Hide

Allows you to hide from searchers. It is treated like a stealth roll with the same modifiers. Psi - Hide does not work against Psi - Detect. Use Psi - Block instead. Adds to stealth plus using plus addition rules.

10.10. Psi - History

Gives the ability to tell something about a person’s history by touch. After a touch, the psionic will see important, but random scenes from the person’s past.

10.11. Psi - Language

This allows you to communicate with the target in their native language. The language is normally forgotten after use.

10.12. Psi - Madness

A high level Psi ability. Causes everyone in the affected area to roll against an attack at Psi - Madness plus or behave in an irrational fashion. The choices (up to the attacker) are fear, aggressiveness, randomness, or paralysis. The base area of effect is 100 hex radius, at a range of up to 200 hexes. The ability is used at -1 for each 2X in range or radius.

10.13. Psi - Paralyze Gaze

This is the ability to freeze an opponent in their tracks. Target must look at your eyes or a -5 applies. Targets in combat will look at your eyes on a 7-. Range is line of sight to max of 10 hexes. Note, opponent can avoid eyes but is -1 on all combat.

10.14. Psi - Read Impression

The psionic equivalent of Read Body Language. Tends to be less abstract / emotive: rather than "they’re worried about something", would tend to return "they’re thinking they might be in trouble with their boss". Succeeds proportional to amount over.

10.15. Psi - Pain

Your basic psionic distraction attack. Opponent is -N on next rounds offensive actions where N is the number your roll beat them this round. Opponents in combat are already steeled for pain, and thus are only -N / 2 (round down). Range is line of sight to 10 hexes.

10.16. Psi - Psi Communication

Allows sending communication to a target that is expecting the communication (-5 otherwise). Distance penalty: -log₂(distance in miles). If the target also has this skill, it may be added to the attempt.

10.17. Psi - Send Idea

An idea occurs to the target. Target is not compelled to act on the idea. -1 for each additional target of one "attack". Distance penalty: -log₂(distance in hexes). "These are not the droids you are looking for".

10.18. Psi - Send Image

Causes the target to think that they see something. Very powerful.

10.19. Psi - Telekinesis

A very advanced psi ability. Provides the ability to move objects by mind alone. It provides motions and forces similar to those a human could produce. If used for attack, it attacks at your Psi - General Plus for 2.0 base (for a dull object) and 5.0 base for weapons, or a parry of 15. If used for lifting, the maximum amount that can be lifted is 30 lbs. These numbers are multiplied by Psi / 10.

11. Technical Skills

Note

(Jon) None of the high-tech skills in skill.dbs are described in the original document. They are segregated here because they are rarely relevant to most campaigns. For that matter, we might want to group all of the skills in the same fashion as the Slay program tabs.

Some skills are only relevant in world with high levels of science and technology - "Modern" or "Space" campaigns. These skills (other than those associated with vehicles) tend to rely heavily on INT

11.1. Undescribed Technical Skills

Note

(Jon) All technical skills currently lack explicit descriptions and tables. They are summarized in the following list. There are similar lists for undescribed General Skills, Magic Spells, and Psi Skills.

Astronomy
Astrophysics
Biochemistry
Biology - Macro
Biology - Micro
Computer Skills - Player suggests which one is appropriate to their action, but the GM may decide differently.
- Computer - AI
- Computer - Data Analysis
- Computer - Hacking
- Computer - Network
- Computer - Programming
Cybernetics
Electronics
Fighter Pilot - For aircraft or spacecraft.
Hyperphysics - Portals, Stargates, Krell Machines, Wormholes, and other stressors and/or violations of General Relativity. Such devices are often found in medieval worlds and characters may be able to gain enough Pluses to control, if not understand them.
Materials Science
Nuclear Engineering
Physics - As currently understood. See Hyperphysics.
Starship skills - Roughly matches the bridge crew of the Enterprise. They are used during Starship Combat.
- Starship Commander - Used in starship movement phase to determine order of actions. May be combined with Overacting to dramatically impress Viewing Audience.
- Starship Communications - "Hailing Frequencies open, Captain"
- Starship Engineer - "My poor bairns, they cannot take it!" / "I’d have to be a Miracle Worker to do it in an hour, Jim!"
- Starship Helmsman -
  Kirk: "But from where?
  Spock: "His pattern indicates… two-dimensional thinking."
  Kirk: "Z Minus 10,000 meters. Stand by Photon Torpedos!"
- Starship Navigator - "Is There in Truth no Beauty?"
- Starship Science - "It’s a type of radiation unknown to our science, Captain!"
- Starship Weapons -
  Sulu: "Phaser lock inoperative, sir."
  Kirk: "Best guess, Mr. Sulu. Fire when ready!"
Vehicle - general ability to control type of vehicle. Take Minuses for weather, environment, road conditions, etc.
- Vehicle - Aircraft - Powered, endoatmospheric only. Wright Flyer, Hindenberg, SR-71, etc.
- Vehicle - Balloon
- Vehicle - Car - Automobile, Tractor, Truck, etc.
- Vehicle - Power Armor - M.I. Powered Armor, Iron Man, MJOLNIR Mk. V, etc.
- Vehicle - Ship - Wet-water, Age of Steam or later. See Sailing for other ships.
- Vehicle - Tank - M-1 Abrams
- Vehicle - Walker - AT-AT

12. Chaos Rules (Optional)

Chaos is not even remotely fair. You can die (or worse) without warning.

Note	(Jon) Chaos rules are not available in most campaigns. I edited to consistently use "Chaons" instead of the mix with "Chaos Power" found in the original document.

12.1. Collecting Chaos Power (Chaons)

All sentients in Chaos have some amount of "Chaos Power" or Chaons. A random trid will have one Chaon. When you kill something, you absorb half (round down) of its Chaons except for those bound to "permanent" abilities. The remaining Chaons are released. In order to collect the Pow, you must meet the following requirements:

The target must be killed by a direct, immediate attack: sword, arrow, spell, etc.

Chaons can only be absorbed from one source each round. Even if you asteroid strike an entire city, you only get the Chaons from one (the most powerful) entity. All other Chaons are lost.

People who do not already have chaos souls, will need the soul creation spell to be cast before they can absorb Chaons. This depends on the particular game, in some games anyone can collect Chaons, or there are Chaon collection devices.

Permanent Pow may only be collected from a target by using the Chaos Binding spell.

Chaons can also be collected from raw chaos with the Chaos Binding spell. Raw chaos has a Pow density of 1 Chaon / 100 hex.

Chaons can be collected from worshipers at a rate of 1 Chaon / 1000 man years of worship. Worshipers must visit a temple at least one time each year.

Chaons can be gained by sacrificing people (or similar sentients). 1/10 Chaon is gained for each person sacrificed.

12.2. Uses Of Chaos Power

Unbound Chaons are those collected by a player, but not yet bound into chaos abilities (see below). Unbound Chaons may be moved to those abilities (but not back), or used for Chaos Manipulation.

Note	(Jon) "Unbound" is colloquial contemporary usage. Formerly the documented used "Pure Chaos Power".

Table 57. Chaos Manipulation Pluses

Chaons	Chaos Manipulation Plus
0	Impossible
1	+0
3	+1
10	+2
30	+3

12.3. Chaos Abilities

Immortality: 100 Chaons. Provides the effects of the immortality potion, but does not stop aging. Permanent.
Unaging: 5 Chaons. Stops aging at middle age.
Regeneration: Regenerate 1 HP / round for 100 Chaons. Regeneration goes as sqrt(Chaons). Permanent.
Strength: strength increases by (10 * sqrt(Chaons))%. This affects Damage, Defense, Parry, HP.

Note

Do not change your strength stat when gaining Chaos Strength.

(Jon) It is simplest to compute the modifier and write a line with the modified stats in the weapons table.
Growth: 2X the effect of strength increase for the same cost. Height increase is proportional to strength increase. Irreversible. Can be combined with strength increase, but take square root of total Chaons in both to get Chaons required. Minimum 25 Chaons (100% strength and size increase). Permanent.

Note

Strength or Size abilities increase Grapple Plus by 1 for each multiple of original strength.
Poison Immunity: 10 Chaons - immunity to all forms of poison
Flight: Minimum 100 Chaons, then hex / round for additional Chaons = 2 * sqrt(Chaons).
Beauty: Each increase in effective appearance requires 2^N Chaons.
Insubstantiability: Allows the character to fade partially out of the real world, and into the spirit world. Maximum "percentage" a character can fade is equal to Chaons in the ability. Fading or reappearing happens at a maximum of 10% / round. Effects of fading are:
- All damage done, or received is multiplied by the % character is in the real world.
- Stealth is +1 for each 20% fade
- Sunlight does (1 point / round / fraction in the spirit world). For example, at 80% faded (20% in spirit world), damage will be 50 points / round from sunlight. Mithril flash powder does 3d6 * sunlight damage each round.
Magical Pow: Each Chaon increases your personal Pow by 1. Note: this is the only linear Chaon dependence.
Language: 100 Chaons for all languages
Speed: +n movement for n² Chaons. Minimum 25 Chaons.

12.3.1. Lesser Elemental Powers

The cost for the first elemental power is 100 Chaons. For each new element selected, the abilities for that element cost 2X for an unrelated element, 4X for an opposite element. All lesser elemental powers are permanent

Earth
- Immunity to normal weapons (not hand to hand, wood, or magical)
- Walk through rock
- See through rock
Air
- Weather control
- Light
- Call lightning (like the spell, but no roll needed) / invulnerability to lightning
Fire
- Immunity to fire
- Ignite on touch
- Body of flame (opponents take 3d6 within 1 hex)
- Control fire in 20 hex radius
Water
- Immunity to water / cold (includes unlimited time under water)
- Walk on water, purify water (up to lake size)
Life
- Healing 6d6 touch (one time per target per injury)
- Total animal empathy
- Repair permanent damage
- Non-aging (character does not age, and may (at the time the ability is taken ONLY) choose their age)
Death
- Death touch (Causes death on any hand to hand hit against high. - only works on mortal creatures)
- Darkness - see in dark, 10 hex radius
- Control dead (on touch)
- Life Drain - Transfers 10 years of life from target on a touch against high

12.3.2. Greater Elemental Powers

The cost for greater elemental powers is listed for each power. You can only have one element of greater elemental power. These provide god-like abilities. All greater elemental powers are permanent

Earth
- Earthquake on demand - 5000 Chaons for Magnitude 8
- Animate ground - minimum 1000 Chaons, 1 hex radius / sqrt(Chaons)
Air
- Tornado on demand - 2000 Chaons
- Hurricane on demand - 5000 Chaons
Fire
- Meteor strike on demand - 25,000 Chaons
Water
- Control Tides - 1000 Chaons
- Create Tidal Wave - 10,000 Chaons
Life
- Create Life - 10,000 Chaons. Can create any sort of non-enchanted creature.
Resurrection - 50,000 Chaons
Dominion - 100,000 Chaons. Causes all of a race to view you as their leader (but they do not necessarily follow orders).
Death
- Control Dead - 10,000 Chaons for area control of 1 mi.². Diameter increases linearly with Chaons.

12.4. Chaos Environment

Generic Chaos: Exists in the unstabilized regions of chaos. All magical recovery occurs per round, not per minute. Spell miss by 1 or 2 is a fumble. The terrain changes on a time scale of minutes. All distances are variable.

Each 12 hours roll for one of the following effects (flat roll):

Table 58. Chaos Environment Table

Roll	Effect
< 2	chaos god appears. (typically 100,000 Chaons)
3	Chaos Tornado
4	Chaos Tornado
5	Chaos forms d6 (roll each) chaos creatures
6	Chaos forms a chaos creature.
7	Chaos storm
8	Chaos wave
9	Special chaos effect - see table.
10-13	No effect
14	Clear area - no roll needed next hour. 10,000 hex
15	Clear area - no roll next day, 1,000,000 hex
16	Permanent clear spot found. 100 hex area
17	Permanent clear spot 1000 hex area
18	Permanent clear spot 10,000 hex area
> 18	Etc.

Table 59. Special Chaos Effect Table

Roll	Result
1	Meteor Swarm: Each character has a 1% chance of taking a +0 / 200 attack
2	Rain of Fire: d6 fire damage / minute until find shelter - resisted by volcano survival, fire shield, etc.
3	Crevasse opens. All must roll an acrobatic roll at +8 (or be swallowed).
4	Food from heaven - bread drops from the sky, or grows out of the ground.
5	Geyser appears - Fire attack at +0 / 30 to all involved.
6	Hail of d6( Magnesium, Silver, Gold, Rubies (1-10 ct), Diamonds (1-10 Ct), Mithril): each 1 lb. / hex total. Counts as +6/3 attack each round. Last 5 rounds.

If there are no waves, a roll for effects is required each day. If the roll fails go to the chaos effects table.

Clear Area - An area which is temporarily or permanently clear of chaos. Normal world rules apply here (except for the faster magic regeneration). Even permanent clear areas can be destroyed by attacks from chaos creatures.

Chaos Wave - These occur in chaos areas. They are a more dense form of chaos with stronger effects. A chaos wave may be generated by expending one Chaon for each hex of range. The wave expands at 10 hexes / round from the point of origin. When the wave passes, roll against the universe on the chaos effects table. Physical objects affected at +0 / 10 when it passes.

Chaos Storm - A swirling area of chaos about 10 miles on a side. Every hour (but at least once) everyone in the area must roll on the chaos effects table at -3. Chaos storms can enter clear spots and travel for up for about a day at 1 hex / round. Each hour a chaos storm has a 1% chance of spawning a chaos tornado. Each hour there is a 10% chance of d6 level d6 chaos creatures. A chaos storm can be created (but not controlled) by releasing 1000 Chaons. Each hour, roll physical damage +6 / 20 scale pluses +1 for each 10X time.

Chaos Tornado - A small but very powerful chaos storm. It is 10 hexes in radius, has a 1% chance / round of disappearing and can be detected d100 hexes (center of storm) away. It will move 3d6 hexes toward the largest single source of Chaons in the area. A tornado is always accompanied by d6 level d6 chaos creatures. Each round in a chaos tornado, roll at -6 against the universe on the chaos effects table. A chaos tornado can be created by releasing 1000 Chaons and making a successful chaos roll. A chaos tornado can be controlled (moved) by a successful chaos roll at -6. If controlled, it moves at 20hex / round. On a failed roll, a storm is created. Each round physical effect +8/50

Chaos Wall - A wall in chaos, generally stationary. Can be created by expending 1 Chaon / hex length (roll required). Anything passing through the wall will be affected: Roll at -6 against the universe on the chaos effects table. When passed +8/30

Table 60. Chaos Effects Table (add Chaos Plus)

Roll vs. Universe	Effect
< -11	Become chaos creature (roll randomly)
-11	Lose physical form - all non-physical abilities remain.
-10	Lose a limb (roll randomly). Arm: only 1 hand weapons, Leg, move = 2
-9	Lose a sense (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, psi)
-8	Grow extra arm. 1 additional attack / round, at -1 on all attacks. (need new armor)
-7	Change to hideous appearance (=0)
-6	Change to (reptilian, avian, mammalian). (see chart below).
-5	All Chaons in one chaos ability removed (choose randomly, include unbound Chaons)
-4	Lose 3d6 Chaons or HP if at zero
-3	Lose d6 Chaons or HP if at zero
-2 to 5	No effect
6	Gain d6 Chaons (if you are REALLY good, you can win consistently)
7	Gain 3d6 Chaons
> 7	Gain Nd6 Chaons (N is GM-determined, usually (roll-4)

12.4.1. Class Change (Mammal, Bird, Reptile, Amphibian, Fish)

Mammal: The default, normal stats
Bird: Gain flight at 2X normal move (with NO armor), Move on ground is normal. HP divided by 2.
Reptile: All damages and HP 2X, but fatigue after CON / 4 rounds. Shift all outdoor survival rolls by 20 degrees hotter.
Amphibian: Move -2, Can swim at original Full Move -2, and survive underwater to 100M depth. Fight normally underwater. All survival rolls at -2. Must have 1 pint water / hour (3 gallons / day) or lose 1 hp / hour.
Fish: Move -2, Can swim at original Full Move +2, Survive underwater to any depth. Stealth underwater gain +5. All survival rolls at -5. Must have 2 pints water / hour (6 gallons / day), or lose d6 hp / hour.

12.4.2. Damage To Physical Objects

Any object in chaos is subject to damage. Damage is done per hex length of the object, in the area of influence. For example a 100 hex long chaos ship, hit by a tornado will take damage only for 20 hexes of length (the size of the tornado). You need to keep track of the total damage to the object, and the "area" damage. Use reasonable statistics for overlaps.

Each type of chaos effect (tornado, etc) has a chaos Plus, and a base damage. Static Physical objects always have a DCV (for chaos purposes) of 0. Moving objects (like ships, etc) will have their own plus, which is added to the captain’s plus.

12.4.3. Chaos Creatures

Chaos creatures are rolled randomly. Chaos creatures are immune to chaos effects - or rather they are the result of the effects of chaos after long periods of time. In general chaos creatures are motivated to kill to gain more Chaons. However, those with INT above 10 can be bargained with. All chaos creature can bring chaos behind them - they automatically destroy clear zones when they enter them.

Intelligence d20, HP = d10 * d10 * d10, Def = d6 * d6 * d6, Move = d20. On a 18-20, d100 flying.
Combat plus = 3d6-6, Attack+ = Combat plus + d6-3 (Engage = (move
attack+)/2)
DCVs: Low = Combat Plus + d6 - 3, Med = Low + d6 - 1, High = Med + d6 - 1
Attack damage = d6 * d6 * d6, Parry = Attack damage * d6 -3.

Table 61. Chaos Creature Abilities

d10 roll	Special Ability
1	No ability
2	Surrounded by flame, 3d6 to anyone within one hex.
3	Teleport: Bamf / Snickt attack. 20 hex range.
4	Tunneling at normal movement rate
5	No corporeal form but damaged by weapons
6	Multiple attacks - up to 6 opponents / round, no minuses
7	Ranged attack: range = 3d6 hexes
8	Immune to normal weapons
9	Invisibility (treat as combat in total darkness)
10	Gain 3 rolls above

12.4.4. Manipulating Chaos

Chaons can be used to control chaos. When an attempt is made, roll with chaos plus against the Difficulty (+3d6). Rules are similar to magic, with a miss by 1 being a fumble. Failures release Chaons, and the GM will roll on the Uncontrolled Pow Effects table.

The listed Chaons must be expended to perform the listed action. Note that if several entities try to control chaos in an area, you use the largest rolled plus, but all other Chaons go uncontrolled (producing waves or tornadoes). Note that chaos effects cannot be created inside a solid object. Chaos effects created in a clear area will take 100 rounds to form, as the chaos drops from the sky.

Table 62. Chaos Manipulation Effects

Action	Chaons	Difficulty
Any chaos roll	1 minimum	-
Create temporary clear spot	1 / 1000 hex-minutes	0
Create permanent clear spot	1 / 1000 hexes	3
Form terrain - inanimate temporary	1 / 1000 hex - minutes	2
Form terrain - inanimate permanent	1 / 1000 hexes	5
Create servant chaos creature (random)	10	3
Create human (soulless)	1 each	6
Use your plus over a larger area or range	-	log₁₀(hex radius)

Contesting Chaos: if several people are contesting control over an area of chaos, take into account range effects, then each rolls with chaos plus. The winner wins, the loser’s Chaons are released, producing storms, etc.

12.4.5. Chaos Ship Combat

Scale is 100 hexes, 10 rounds (so things move at 1/10 speed). Tornadoes always move at 1 if uncontrolled, 2 if controlled (and last indefinitely on combat scales)

Drafting: You can move at 2X normal speed, when following the route of another another ship. The cleared routes last for the duration of the battle (the map may get complex). When each ship moves, draw its move. The next turn, any route can be followed at 2X speed (each hex counts as 1/2 movement point.

Typical chaos warship stats: Speed 5, turn 1 / hex max. Accelerate / decelerate 2 each round. Length = 100 hexes, DCV = 100 / hex, HP = 300 / hex (50,000 total).

12.5. Spirits

In some games the souls of the dead remain active as spirits. A spirit with no Chaons is a formless, invisible thing, unable to move. Spirits are not effected by physical or energy attacks, but are effected by direct spells. Spirits are dispelled by direct sunlight, or mithril flash powder.

12.5.1. Gaining Chaos Pow

In addition to the standard methods, spirits gain 1/100 Chaons for each normal human they kill

12.5.2. Uses Of Chaos Pow

The following abilities are gained as Chaons are added

Form: 1 Chaon. Required for any other abilities
Movement: 1 Chaon: Can move 1 / hex. Movement rate increases as sqrt(Chaons).
Speech: 1 Chaon: ability to talk
Physical Form: 1 Chaon for each 1% of normal strength and coupling to physical attacks. Maximum coupling is 100%.
Magical Interaction: 100 Chaons gives normal magical interaction - both for offense and defense.

13. Prices And Money System

Note	(Graham, Jon) * 1 gold piece (GP) = 1 oz. = 100 silver pieces * 1 silver piece (SP) = 1 oz. = 100 copper pieces = $5 US (roughly) * 1 copper piece (CP) = 1 oz.

Effect of MON stat: For MON = 10, income is 100 SP / year, with savings of 100 SP. Double savings for each +1 in MON. Multiple typical income by sqrt(2) for each +1 in MON. Note: all prices are retail. R indicates the percentage of value when sold.

Item costs are retail. Wholesale prices are R * listed cost.

Costs are for long term labor are 4X for 1 hour - 1 day, 2X for 1 day to 1 week.

Hazardous duty (combat expected) is 10X. Combat time is 100X (minimum 1 day).

Bargaining lists percentage.

Availability of a specific skill in the general population

Table 63. Standard Item Purchases

Item	Unit	Price (SP)	Barganing	R	Notes
Blackout	oz.	100	25%	50%	1 oz. covers 10 hexes black paint
Brass	Lb.	2	5%	75%
Bronze	Lb.	5	5%	75%
Clothes: Normal street clothes	Set	10	25%	25%
Clothes: poor winter coat (-1)	Ea.	5	50%	10%
Clothes: outdoor (winter coat etc)	Ea.	20	25%	25%
Clothes: top grade outdoor	Ea.	1000	25%	25%	+1 outdoor survival (not for parkas)
Clothes: parka, other special	Ea.	100	25%	50%
Clothes: +1 parka	Ea.	2000	25%	50%
Copper	oz.	.01	0%	75%	Monetary standard
Diamonds	Ct²	100	10%	75%	10% appraisal fee, or evaluate merchandise
Flash Powder	lb.	100	25%	50%	If available, about 10% in a normal city
Food, - 1 day, minimum	1 day	0.03	50%	25%	Sustenance, no more
Food, Beer	Ea.	.02	50%	25%
Food - meal, typical	Ea.	0.1	50%	25%	Pub meal
Food - meal, good	Ea.	1	50%	25%	Nice Restaurant
Food - meal, exceptional	Ea.	10	50%	25%	Posh, fancy place.
Food - wine bottle, typical	Ea.	1	50%	25%
Food - wine bottle, excellent	Ea.	10	50%	50%
Food - wine bottle, legendary	Ea.	100-500	50%	75%	Collectors items to >1000 SP.
Gold	oz.	100	0%	100%	Large Monetary Standard
Horse - normal	Ea.	100	25%	50%
Horse - good riding	Ea.	500	25%	50%
Horse - war	Ea	1000	25%	25%
Horse - superior war horse	Ea.	5000	25%	75%	General’s war horse, etc
Horse - Princely	Ea.	20,000	25%	50%	Like superior, but classy, One of a kind.(luxury )
Housing - 1 night cheap inn	Ea.	0.1	25%	50%	Fleas, shared, room, etc.
Housing - 1 night good inn	Ea.	1.0	25%	50%	Ramada, Best Western, Holiday inn
Housing - 1 night excellent hotel	Ea.	5	25%	50%	Ritz
Housing - Apartment cheap	Month	1	25%	50%	Tenement
Housing - Apartment good	Month	10	25%	50%	3 bedroom
Housing - Villa	Month	100	25%	50%	10 bedroom, staff of 2
Housing - Purchase					See construction section
Land - farmland	Acre	100	25%	75%	Can support ~1 person. In protected area.
Lands - as noble lord	person	200	50%	90%	Each peasant, can only sell after 1 year
Iron	Lb	2	5%	75%
Lamp (brass, wind block)	Ea.	20	10%	50%	3 hours. 1 lb., fragile
Mercury	oz.	100	25%	75%	Important magical ingredient
Nitroglycerine	Lb.	100	25%	50%	If available, 10% in city, dangerous
Mithril	oz.	2000	50%	50%	Rare
Platinum	oz.	500	0%	100%	Largest standard monetary unit
Prostitute	Night	2	50%	50%	Varies
Ship					See Sailing Ship Rules
Silver	oz.	1	0%	100%	Monetary standard
Steel	Lb.	5	10%	75%	Weapons grade
Torch	Ea.	0.1	10%	50%	1/2 hour, weighs 1 lb.
Wages - General Skilled +N	Hour	0.05*2^N	25%	50%	Carpenter, smith, etc
Wages - Judge, magistrate	Hour	1	10%	50%
Wages - soldier 250 EP [5/5 +0/13 0/5/9 69/17/13]	Hour	.05	10%	50%	Guardsman (100 SP / yr) 1 / 20 population available.
Wages - Soldier 500 EP [5/5 +0/16 0/5/9 20/84/12]	Hour	0.1	10%	50%	Good Guardsman (200 SP / yr) 1 / 100 population available.
Wages - Soldier 1000 EP [5/7 +1/16 1/6/10 21/87/13]	Hour	0.2	10%	50%	Expert Guardsman (400 SP / yr) 1 / 500 population available
Wages - Soldier 2000 EP [6/8 +2/17 2/7/11 22/92/14]	Hour	5	25%	50%	Arms master (10 GP / year) 1 / 2500 population available
Wages - Soldier 4000 EP [7/11 +4/18 4/9/13 22/93/14]	Hour	10	25%	50%	Hero (20 GP / year) 1 / 10,000 population available
Wages - General Skilled	Hour	2^Plus	25%	50%	Percent of population = 10^-Plus
Wages - Unskilled	Hour	.01	25%	75%	Laborer (20/year)
Weapon: Arrow	Ea.	1	25%	25%
Weapon: Bow (long or short)	Ea.	50	25%	25%
Weapon: Shield	Ea.	20	25%	50%
Weapon: cheap Staff (-1 attack)	Ea.	Free			Just a stick
Weapon: staff	Ea.	10	50%	25%
Weapon: cheap Sword (-1 attack)	Ea	5	25%	50%
Weapon: Sword, Mace, etc	Ea.	100	10%	50%
Weapon: Sword - elegant	Ea.	1000	20%	50%	Normal pluses
Weapon: Sword +1 non-magic	Ea.	10K	50%	75%	Can be more if bejeweled
Weapon: Sword +1 magical	Ea.	5K-50K	50%	75%	Varies with abilities
Wood - good	Lb.	.01	20%	50%	Standard construction wood (oak)
Wood - prime	Lb.	0.3	10%	50%	Mahogany or equivalent

13.1. Typical Wealth Of People

Table 64. Wealth and Class

Class	Money Stat	Net Income / Week	Cash On Hand	Net Worth
Peasant	MON 5	0.4 SP / week	0.5 SP	3 SP
Baron	MON 21	100 SP / week	250 GP	2500 GP
Duke	MON 23	180 SP / week	1000 GP	10,000 GP

Other:

Merchant ship (large) 100 GP War ship 250 GP
Book - about 10 pages / SP (hand copied)

Table 65. Weapons and Armor Prices

Type	Cost
Cheap Dagger (-1)	2 SP
Dagger	20 SP
Short Sword	20 SP
Long or Short Bow	50 SP
+1 Bow (to hit)	50 GP
+1 Arrows (to damage)	1 GP / ea.
Shield	10 SP
Leather Armor	1 GP
Chain	20 GP
Plate	20 GP
Juggernaut Armor	50 GP

Note	(Jon) We no longer have "Ring Armor", which was listed at 2 GP in the original document.

Professional services (if available): 1 SP / day for +0. increase 2X for each plus. Available people 1/4 each plus.

Guide for the day in a city: 10 CP (cheap), 1 SP (expensive).

Random Purchased Items

Table 66. Magical and Special Armor and Weapon Costs

Item	Cost (GP)	Found At
Heavy plate like chain	1000	Chaos - Eternal City
+1 all plane sword	250	Chaos - Eternal City
Ignore metal sword	3500	Chaos - Eternal City
Palantirs (5)	2000	Chaos - Eternal City
+2 rapier	800	Chaos - Eternal City
+2 long sword	800	Chaos - Eternal City
Chain like light leather	1000	Chaos - Eternal City
Plate like heavy leather	1000	Chaos - Eternal City
Iron Golem	3000	Chaos - Eternal City
Chaos resistance sticks	1	Chaos - Eternal City
Ruby bladed dagger	100	Chaos - Eternal City
Chaons (clean)	2	Chaos - Eternal City
Chaons (normal)	1	Chaos - Eternal City
Chaons (dirty)	0.5	Chaos - Eternal City

Note

(Jon) The Eternal City is a trope, discussed in the gaming Cliche List. Great shopping, very dangerous (especially if you have a lot of unbound Chaons). The difference between "clean", "normal", and "dirty" Chaons (formerly "Soul Points" in this table but nowhere else) may be just a marketing gimmick to make the players feel better about eating people’s Souls.

Roughly speaking "dirty" == Blood Sacrifice of children, "normal" == adults who were killed in battle, "clean" == someone who voluntarily gave up their soul and died?!

13.1.1. Hirelings

Typical rates for hirelings: with stat power equal to EP. Cost is total cost of support. Pay is 1/2 of listed cost.

Table 67. Hiring People

Stat and EP	Cost / year normal	Percentage of population
250	1 GP	1 / 100
500	2 GP	1 / 400
1000	4 GP	1 / 2000
2000	10 GP	1 / 10,000
4000	20 GP	1 / 50,000
10,000	>100 GP	1 / 500,000

Prices are for normal guard / military duty. Occasional combat expected. Unit losses <10%

Prices 10X for short term combat duty (but at least 1 week) - for a specific function where battle is expected.

Prices 100X for a single day of battle.

Expect 1 year’s pay for each 10% loss expected.

Customized hirelings (with PC designed stats and EP) are available for 10X the listed cost and 1/100 of the listed availability.

Magical training:

Spell book - typically 1 GP if available
Magic training - about 1 SP / day, 5 EP / day training at a magic school
Magic school equipment - minimum 100 GP.
Magic research lab - about 1000 GP, including at least 300 books.

14. Miscellaneous Rules

14.1. Encumbrance

There is a limit to what can be carried by a character.

The following have special effects on encumbrance, in addition to their weight.

Table 68. Encumbrance Effects on Movement

Item	Acrobatics / Climbing / Stealth minus (in addition to encumbrance effects)
Shield	-2
Long bow (but not short bow)	-1
Light leather	-1
Heavy Leather	-1
Chain	-2 (swimming impossible)
Scale, plate	-3 (swimming impossible)

Note	(Jon) In practice, we rarely follow the rules below, although the effects on movement (above) should be respected. The GM may inform a player that they cannot carry multiple sets of Plate Armor or thousands of GP, but it’s a tedious hassle to track this all the time.

14.1.1. Encumbrance Of Typical Items:

Table 69. Encumbrance Effects

Item	Typical costs	Encumbrance
Coins		1 / 10
Dagger, etc		1
One hand weapon		10
Two hand weapon		15
Bow		5
Arrow		1/2
Winter Coat		10
Parka		20

14.2. Construction And Fortifications

Type of wall and time to construct per foot of perimeter. It is assumed that resources are available for wall. Note that normal labor rates are 25 SP / year or 1 CP (.01 SP) / hour. Material costs are for a typical area. Stone and wood costs can easily vary a factor of 10 from the given numbers. In areas where raw materials are free, assume 1/2 of the material cost is the labor to "refine" the materials into useful forms. Defense and HP is per hex.

Table 70. Fortification Construction Times

Type	Construction time	Material cost	Def and HP
Wood wall 5' high, 6" thick	1 hour	0.02 SP	180 / 480
Wood palisade, 10' tall, 1' thick	5 hours	0.1 SP	200 / 1000
Wood palisade, 10' reinforced, walkway on top 1' thick	10 hours	0.5 SP	200 / 1000
Wood palisade, 15' tall, thick, walkway on top 2' thick	20 hours	2 SP	200 / 2000
Massive timber wall, 20' Tall, reinforced, walkway 3' thick	50 hours	5 SP	500 / 7200
Masonry wall 5' tall, 6" thick	3 hours	.1 SP	500 / 1200
Stone wall 10' tall, walkway, 1' thick	75 hours	2 SP	600 / 9600
Masonry fortification 15' tall (great wall of china), 10' thick	200 hours	5 SP	500 / 170,000
Stone fortification 30' tall (Walls of Constantinople) 10' thick	1000 hours	50 SP	600 / 210,000
Colossal stone fortification 100' tall (dark tower), 30' thick	20,000 hours	200 SP	600 / 1,000,000

Examples:

A castle wall, 200' on a side, with 15' stone fortifications, would cost 50 GP in materials and labor.

Defensive Wall gates: A typical gate for a defensive wall will have 1/4 the Defense and HP of the wall itself. A gate costs as much as 100' of wall.

Building construction costs per ft.² of living area. These costs are approximations. Occupancy is minimum ft.² per person living in the building. Building costs except where given are for wood construction. Stone construction with wood floors is 50% more expensive. Stone construction with stone floors is 2X the listed price. Additional cost is both on labor and on materials.

Table 71. Shelter Construction and Occupancy

Construction type	Occupancy	Residents	Construction time	Materials cost / ft.²
Minimal wooden shelters	20	20	3 hours	.05 SP
Adobe hut with miscellaneous roof	20	20	5 hours	.005 SP
Army barracks	20	20	10 hours	.15 SP
House - wooden - cheap	30	100	10 hours	.25 SP
House - wooden - expensive	200	500	50 hours	1 SP
Commercial - bar, shop, etc	50	500	25 hours	.5 SP
Mansion	200	2000	200 hours	5 SP
Palace	200	5000	500 hours	50 SP
Ultimate palace	500	20000	2000 hours	100 SP
Fancy commercial - Bank, government	50	~	100 hours	10 SP
Specialty workshop - smithy, magic lab	1000	~	100 hours	10 SP

Examples:

Peasant hovel for family of 6: purchase cost 10 SP
Army barracks for 1000 troops: purchase cost 50 GP
Cheap house, 1000 ft.², extended family of 10: purchase cost 3.5 GP
Expensive house, 3000 ft.², family of 6: purchase cost 45 GP (Atherton, with a nice view)
Bar for 20 patrons: 1000 ft.² 7.5 GP
Mansion, 10,000 ft.²: family of 5, up to 50 servants, 700 GP
Palace, 50,000 ft.², extended family of 10, 250 servants, 30,000 GP (Hearst Castle)
Versailles, 1,000,000 ft.², 50 residents, 2000 servants, ~1 Million GP (the Emperor’s residence)

Furnishings cost 25% of purchase price.

Table 72. Accommodation Types

Type	Sleeps	Cooking	Studying	Meetings	Status	Entertainment
Peasant	6	-2	No	No	-1 or less	Peasants
Cheap	10	-1	No	10	-1,0	Working Class
Expensive	12	0	Studying	20	0,1	Merchants, etc
Mansion	55	1	Research	50	1,2	Minor Nobles
Palace	260	2	Research Project	200	3.4	Anyone
Versailles	2050	3	Research Project	10000	5	Anyone

In addition to construction costs, there are land costs, ranging from about 1 GP / acre for farmland to 10 GP / acre for land in a town, to >1000 GP / acre in the city center.

Table 73. Door break Damage Required

Wooden door - light	20 points
Wooden door - heavy	50 points
Interior wall	30 points
Stone wall	200 points (50 against explosion)
Steel door (1 in.)	200 points.
Car door	25 points

14.3. Combat Situations

Dropping stones: stone base damage = height in feet. Attack at thrown weapon plus.

Boiling Oil pot: 1 megahex, 6d6, no armor, leaves 3d6 burning pool for 6 rounds. Ignores parry

14.3.1. Siege Engines

Small catapult - gravel, Range 100 hexes, Damage 6d6, area 1 megahex, accuracy 10%, attack plus 3.

Small catapult - stone, Range 150 hexes, Damage 100 base, accuracy 5%, attack plus 0.

Big catapult - gravel, Range 150 hexes, Damage 6d6, area 1 gigahex, accuracy 10%, attack plus 3

Big catapult - stone, Range 250, Damage 250 base, accuracy 3%, attack plus 0.

Ballista - steel bolt Range 300, Damage 200 base, attacks target like a -2 weapon.

Grapples - Make a thrown weapon roll at -1 for each 5' of wall height.

Cutting a grapple takes 1 round, automatic

Climbing ropes - base +3 climbing roll for 1' / round.

A body is 1' high by 1 hex wide. 5 bodies are required to raise a hex by 1 foot.

Battering Ram: Does 10 points base for each wielder. Attacks at +0. Maximum of 20 wielders. 1 attack / 2 rounds.

14.4. Sailing Ship Rules

Table 74. Sailing Ship Statistics

Long distance movement:	Ship type	Tonnage	Length ft	Crew	Cargo tons	Speed	Miles / day	Cost
seaworthiness	Small merchant	100			50		30	50 GP
+1	Large Merchant	500			250		40	200 GP
+2	Huge Merchant	2000			1000
	Small warship	200			10		100	200 GP
0	Trireme	50	120	170		11 row / 7 sail	180	400 GP
-2	Yacht	50			15		120	50 GP
-1	Explorer	500			200		30	250 GP

Crew: 400 lbs. of cargo must be allocated for each person, plus 5 lb. / day / person supplies.

Scale: Hexes are 100 ft, turns are 1 minute (for both to move). Speed 1 = 1 Knot.

14.4.1. Ship Stats:

Speed = number of "movement points" per round

Maneuverability, turns per hex. 1 - 1 hexside per hex. 2 = 2 hexsides per hex.

Port cannon = number of cannons on the port side

Starboard cannon = number of cannons on the starboard side

Hull points = damage the hull can take

Rigging points = damage the rigging can take

Typical ship:

Hull points = 40
Rigging points = 18
Cannon = 10 Port, 10 Starboard
Calm wind movement: 0 points available
Light wind movement: 2 points available: cost = Inf, 2, 1, 1, turn cost = 1
Medium wind movement: 6 points available: cost = Inf, 3, 1, 1, turn cost = 1
Strong wind movement: 12 points available: cost = Inf, 6, 3, 2 turn cost = 2
Storm movement: 6 points available: cost = Inf, Inf, 2, 1 turn cost = 3

14.4.2. Wind Direction And Strength

The wind direction is determined before combat begins. The wind may be defined as normal, strong, or very strong. Unless there is a game reason it should do otherwise, the wind has a 1/6 chance of changing direction by one hex side each round (determined by die roll); if it changes, it has a 50-50 of each direction.

14.4.3. Ship Movement

At the start of its move, each ship has a number of available movement points (determined from a chart of movement points vs speed for that ship).

Movement alternates between sides. Ships must use up all their movement points in a round (though pointing into the wind to use them up is acceptable). A ship cannot make more turns in a round than its maneuverability stat. Turning opposite directions in succession (i.e. in a single hex) is not allowed.

Movement points can be permanently dropped (by removing sails) by deciding to do so during the movement round before the one in which the movement is reduced. Movement points can never be increased during a combat.

If the wind is strong, ships will drift one hex / round downwind. Storm, two hexes / round (and higher drifts may be possible in more severe weather conditions). These motions occur at the end of the ship’s movement phase.

14.4.4. Attacking Ships

Damage Effects:

Hull damage: The ship behaves normally down to zero hull points. At zero and below, the ship is taking on water and will sink (probably in longer than combat time) unless repaired, and cannot move (except to drift with the wind). At negative hull points, the ship sinks at the start of its next movement round.

Rigging damage: Movement points are proportional to the number of rigging points. As you take rigging damage, your movement points decrease. Round movement points up. At zero rigging points, the ship cannot move except to drift with the wind.

Cannon damage: One point of damage to cannons takes out one cannon on the side fired upon.

Attacks:

Ships fire at their gunners plus, with base damage = #cannons (on that side) / 10. Rigging shots are at -3. Damage is calculated in standard Hack and Slay fashion. Cannon can only fire every 3 rounds: keep track as follows:

After finishing your move, put a horizontal line under the columns for Port and Starboard guns. When you fire you cross the bottom-most line for that side of the ship. There must be 2 uncrossed lines above the line you cross in order to fire. You may fire at any point during your, or your opponent’s move.

14.5. Starship Combat Rules

Note

(Jon) There are ad-hoc starship combat rules that have been used in several campaigns and should be added to the system. The Universe is two-dimensional, movement is in hexes on planetary / astronomical scale defined by campaign, ships have multiple "Units" (contiguous hexes) such as Command, Engines, Weapons (short-range and long-), Sensors, Shields, etc.

Phases are something like (there are better descriptions written up of all this, just not in readily-accessible documents to this editor):

Roll for captain’s initiative using Starship Commander Plus.
Move using Starship Helmsman Plus, depending on conditions (manuevering in gravity wells, Mutara Nebula, etc.). Losing captain’s ship must move first.
Weapons Fire, winning Captain’s Weapons Officer shoots first using Starship - Weapons skill. Take minuses for different weapons ranges. GM determines effects on enemy ship (weaken shields, damage or destroy a hex of their ship, etc.
Repairs to damaged hexes, using Starship Engineer Plus.
Special Actions - "Jedi" boards enemy ship, Captain makes Overacting or Fashion rolls to Intimidate other Captains, Science Officer determines everyone is about to be eaten by a Ravenous Space Amoeba, etc.

15. Silly Rules

These rules are for Vikings, Pirates, Barbarians, Bikers, and others whose HP are more than twice their INT. Do not use in serious campaigns.

15.1. Recovery Rates (Silly)

HP always recover at C* / 10 (CON² / 100) / hour.

15.2. Drinking Effects (Silly)

It is well known that a few stiff drinks will make you tougher. Just watch any Viking, Pirate, or Biker flick. For each drink, make a Drinking roll at minus the number of previous drinks. So, the third drink is at -2. If the drinking roll fails, you take a -1 on all skills (including drinking). If you fail a roll, roll again (for the same drink, but including the new minus). If you fail, lose another plus, etc. When you are at -10 you pass out. That’s the bad news. The good news is that if you have N drinks, you gain N² HP.

15.3. Challenge By Head Butting (Silly)

The two challengers run head first at each other, and smash their heads together. If both are left standing, they do it again.

Mechanics: Each secretly chooses a damage amount, which must be no greater than their size (and should probably be quite a bit less). Each rolls 3d6, adding the following Pluses:

+2 for the combatant who applied the most points in damage
+ CON Plus for each combatant.

Each combatant then takes damage equal to: The sum of the damage points applied by both combatants + the difference in the die rolls (added to one, subtracted from the other).

15.4. Contest Of Rock Carrying (Silly)

Each contestant picks up a 200 lb. rock, and tries to carry it as far as possible without dropping (it or themselves). Contestants are allowed to ram each other.

Mechanics: This challenge is rolled at your working out plus. The roll is made for each 10' the rock is carried. The roll is at -ft / 10 for feet already traveled. If you wish to ram, make a roll at (size plus) + (agility plus) against your opponent. If either loses by 5 or more, they drop their rock. The ramming is done after the movement that round.

15.5. Trial By Axe (Silly)

Used to clear someone’s reputation, usually after an accusation of infidelity. The accused is placed in stocks, with their head exposed, and their hair braided and nailed to the sides. The accuser, spouse, friend, enemy, or random guy stands 5 hexes away and is given 3 axes. They then throw the axes. If both braids are cut, the accused is cleared of all charges. If the accused is hit - well then they were guilty. If the accuser fails to cut the braids, they are taken away and executed (or forced to undergo another trial).

Mechanics: The accused is DCV 0 (but gets a roll). Their hair is DCV -4, (-6 for long pigtails, -2 for short hair - if you are bald, well every see a bald Viking?). The accuser throws the axes (they may drop pluses to drop more pluses, and may aim). If they hit the hair, one braid is cut. If they hit the accused, the accused takes normal damage (no armor or parry of course).

Appendix A: Success, Failure, and Fumble Probabilities

Note	(Jon) This was moved from the JoelWorld rules at it is just mathematics of 3d6 + N vs. 3d6, and generally useful. Added "Failure" column. Edited description to account for that and generalize from spells.

This table shows the likelihood of winning a 3d6 + modifier roll against the GM’s 3d6. Modifier is the final number you add to your die roll - skill Plus, casting time Plus, environment conditons, etc. Note that the GM may be adding modifiers to their roll that you’re not told about, though this is not all that common.

Success - Probability of rolling >= GM roll
Failure - Probability of rolling < GM roll
Fumble - Probability of a Fumble (rolling exactly 1 under the GM) when casting spells.

Even a -10 roll may succeed and even a +10 roll may fumble!

Table 75. Success, Failure, and Fumble Probability Table

Modifier on 3d6 Roll	Success	Failure	Fumble
-10	1.1%	98.9%	1.0%
-9	2.1%	97.9%	1.6%
-8	3.7%	96.3%	2.5%
-7	6.2%	93.8%	3.5%
-6	9.7%	90.3%	4.8%
-5	14.5%	85.5%	6.1%
-4	20.6%	79.4%	7.3%
-3	28.0%	72.0%	8.4%
-2	36.3%	63.7%	9.0%
-1	45.4%	54.6%	9.3%
0	54.6%	45.4%	9.0%
1	63.7%	36.3%	8.4%
2	72.0%	28.0%	7.3%
3	79.4%	20.6%	6.1%
4	85.5%	14.5%	4.8%
5	90.3%	9.7%	3.5%
6	93.8%	6.2%	2.5%
7	96.3%	3.7%	1.6%
8	97.9%	2.1%	1.0%
9	98.9%	1.1%	0.5%
10	99.4%	0.6%	0.3%

Appendix B: Obsolete And Rarely Used Rules

B.1. Mounted Combat (Obsolete)

Damages increases are for normal melee, they do not add to charge damage. Charge damage is up to full 160% addition.

Warhorse Combat Stats:

Attack +2 / 10 points
Without Armor
- Low / Med / High 2/2/4
- Parry / Armor / Hit Points 0 / 0 / 100
With Armor
- Low / Med / High 2/2/9
- Parry / Armor / Hit Points 50 / 0 / 100

Table 76. Riding Horse Properties

Type of horse	Temper	Attack Plus	Damage (1 hand)	Damage (2 hand)
Wild horse	-5	+0	+25%	0
Tame cart horse	+2	-1	0	0
Good riding horse	0	+0	+25%	0
War horse	0	+1	+50%	+25%
Superior war horse	+1	+2	+100%	+50%

B.2. Fireball (Obsolete)

Causes a ball of flame to explode at some range from the caster. This is an indirect area-effect spell. A N die fireball, does N dice of damage in its hex, one less die for each hex distance. Range cost is normal, 1 / hex.

Pow 2 * N².

B.3. Darkness (Obsolete)

Darkness affects pluses to attack and defense. In also affects some other physical skills including acrobatics, at the GM discretion. Note that your DCV in combat is never worse than -4 absolute. You may add your "Combat Darkness" skill to reduce the size of these negative pluses (but not increase them above their daylight values). These pluses apply to offense and defense. Note: flash powder is assumed only effective in darkness. Note, remember minimum combat DCVs.

Table 77. Darkness Effects

Light Conditions	Effect
Light brighter than half moonlight or torch <3 hexes	No effect
Crescent to half moon, or torch 3-6 hexes	-1
New moon to crescent moon, or torch 6 to 10 hexes	-2
Starlight, or torch 11-20 hexes	-3
Darkest night ( or against an invisible opponent)	-4
Pitch black	-5
Sudden darkness (no time for eyes to adjust)	Additional -2 (+1 each round)
Flash powder (against normal creatures) 5-10 hex	-2 additional, +1 / round
Flash powder (against darkness creatures - Orcs) 5-10 hex	-7 +1 / round
Flash powder (against normal creatures) 2-5 hex	-5 additional, +1 / round
Flash powder (against darkness creatures - Orcs) 2-5 hex	-10 +1 / round
Flash powder (against normal creatures) 1 hex (must hit)	-7 additional, +1 / round
Flash powder (against darkness creatures - Orcs) 1 hex (hit)	-15, +1 / round
Flash power, target facing away	1/2 minuses, round down

New flash powder Rules: Flash powder maybe used to blind opponents when fighting in a dark area. The lightning bolt spell may be used as the equivalent of flash powder. A minimum of 10 points must be put in the spell.

For normal opponents, flash powder causes an additional -2 to all combat, for a number of rounds equal to 10 - range. The total effect is never worse than -5 (pitch black combat). The effects of flash powder on normal opponents are reduced by combat darkness.

For Darkness Creatures (Orcs, Goblins, etc), flash powder causes a minus to all combat abilities equal to (10-range). This improves by 1 / round.

Special note on flash powder: Creatures who are expecting to be flashed may close their eyes during the phase in which the flash occurs. During this time they fight at "pitch dark" plus (fully defensive may be used). This applies to people on both sides of the combat The defender may only use this option if they are expecting the flash. One round must be spent in this condition, before the attacker is flashed. Note that flash powder is only effective in darkness.

B.3.1. Flash Powder (Obsolete)

A fine powder which burns brightly and quickly. Requires fine metal powders, coal, sulfur. 1 unit will light up about a 10 hex radius with temporarily blinding light. Requires at least 10 minutes to manufacture. See darkness rules in combat section. Note that flash powder is flammable. Any accessible flash powder units will explode at a percent chance = fire or lightning damage done. Protected units have 1 / 10 chance of exploding, but take 10 rounds to ready. An exploded unit does 3d6 (add damages from all units, then subtract armor). Materials cost is 10 SP / unit.

Pow 5 / unit.

B.4. Special Angel And Demon Rules (Rarely Used)

These rules only apply in a limited set of games.

Angels (with 500 point souls) gain the following abilities: Gain 10X HP, 5X all damages and defenses (even weapons - its magic). 5X Pow, 5X Pow regeneration rate. Gain +20 defense. Gain +5 on all psi abilities. 20 points / round regeneration.

Characters with angelic / demonic powers have a certain number of power points (independent of normal magical Pow) which can be distributed among special abilities. Increase in power points happens very slowly, typically just as a function of time. 1 Pow / year would be a typical increase rate.

Points may only be moved slowly from one ability to another. Movement rate is 1 Pow / day moved. Abilities:

Size: For each Pow, the character gains the ability to grow 1/10 foot taller. Minimum 100 Pow increments. All damages, and defenses (including armor - this is a magical ability) grow by 2% / Pow. This is above and beyond all other effects. The character has the ability to change between normal size, and any size up to the maximum allowed by the allocated Pow, at will.
Flight: For 300 Pow, the character gains the ability to grow wings and fly (at will). Flight speed is 200 MPH, or about 5000 miles / day.
Beauty. For 100 Pow, the character gains unearthly beauty.
Weather control. For 100 Pow, the character gains the ability to control the local weather to some extend. Weather can be changed from calm to mild storm. This ability is not able to overcome other magical weather control.
Shape change - minor: Costs 100 Pow. Ability to change one’s shape - but must remain vaguely humanoid - new appendages, and different appearance are OK.
Shape change - major: Costs 300 Pow. Ability to change one’s shape to any form, Must conserve mass. Gain abilities of any animal of appropriate shape.
Shape change total: Cost 500 Pow. Ability to change shape to anything. Any size. Gain appropriate abilities.
Resistance to element: Cost 50 Pow. Reduce damage by factor of 10 from any elemental attack. Earth, Air, fire, water.
Invulnerability to Element: Cost 100 Pow, Completely immune to any damage from that element.

B.5. Mass Combat Rules (Rarely Used)

Movement sequence:

A move
Both attack / defend
Both morale check
Both move
Both attack / defend
Both morale check

1 unit = 10 men. 1 hex = 50', time = 20 seconds, stack limit = 10.

Movement rates are normal.

Combat occurs on hex sides, or in hexes for melee.

Each unit is described by a combat plus.

For each hex side roll combat. (attacker plus) + 3d6 compare with (defender plus) + 3d6. +n destroys n - 2 units (up to max in hex).

After combat, if a unit is destroyed, the attacker may move units 1 hex into the empty hex (except across walls).

Missile attacks (after normal combat). Range is 3 hexes. Typically missile units are -2 relative to normal units. If 2 missile units are attacking, +1, 4 units +2, etc.

B.6. Huge Army Combat Rules (Under Construction)

Run sample combats to determine large-scale effects?

B.7. General EP Gain Rules (Rarely Used)

Note	(Jon) - Converted list into a table.

Table 78. EP Gain

Situation	EP Gain
"Free time" while doing some other full time job	2 EP / week
"On the job training" in job related skills - while working full time	10 EP / week
Training while not working (cost of living 2 SP / week)	20 EP / week
Being trained by someone N Pluses better (cost 2⁺ GP / year)	40 * N EP / week
Training someone else - must put EP into skill you are teaching	20 EP / week
Learning a skill - below min. EP, without reference materials	1/4 normal
Learning a skill - below min. EP, with reference materials	Normal
Training in stressful conditions (guard, combat duty, wartime)	100 EP / week
Single event training - for some special situation (combat etc)	100-500 EP
Typical EP gain for a game "run"	500 - 1000 EP

B.7.1. Typical Activities And Ep Gain

The following are listed for reference, and as a guide to EP gain rates. "Additional training hours" indicates the amount of time that can be applied to training using the previous table.

Table 79. EP Gain

Situation	EP Gain
Soldier / guard duty - peacetime	5 EP / week combat, 10 EP Mil. Command + 5 hours training / week
Soldier / guard duty - wartime	20 EP / week combat, 10 EP Mil. Command + 2 hours training / week
Soldier / guard duty - combat included	100 EP / week combat, 20 EP Mil. Command, no outside training
Outdoor travel - easy conditions (no outdoor survival rolls)	10 EP / week outdoor survival + 10 EP Navigation - Land + 10 hours training / week
Outdoor travel - harsh conditions (with survival rolls)	30 EP / week outdoor survival + 10 EP Navigation - Land + 5 hours training / week
School / training center - 10 SP / week cost - if available	40 EP / week in trained skills
Working on a spell	1 EP / hour, 40 / week. In that specific spell. No other activities

B.8. Standard Counter

Note	(Jon) This section was next to the Brute Force Counter section but marked as no longer used and was empty. We should probably also remove it from the order of actions and any other places it appears.

B.9. Experimental Character Races

In addition to the races built into the Slay database, other humanoid player races are defined below. After generating a character sheet in the normal way, set the stat total to zero, which prevents state rebalancing. Then apply the following modifications. You should save a copy of your character file (name.chr) before doing this, in case of errors.

Note	(Jon) It is the GM’s choice whether these races are allowed. In recent campaigns, the race system built into the skill database has been used in preference to these hand-coded races.

B.9.1. Demon

Roll all stats on d20. On 20, re-roll and add. Player must agree to play whatever they roll (not recommended). Need to invent "special effect" to explain stats.

B.9.2. Dwarf

Agility -4
Appearance -2
Constitution +5
Dexterity +5
Money +2
Size -5 (minimum 3)

B.9.3. Elf

Appearance +5
Con -3
Magic +3,
Size -2 (minimum 8)
Strength -3

B.9.4. Goblin

Agility +3
Appearance -3
Constitution -2
Dexterity +2
Intelligence -2
Magic -3
Psi -3,
Senses +3
Size -5 (minimum 3)

Goblins have the ability to see in near total darkness, and operate at -1 in absolute darkness using sonar. They are sensitive to light (like a Darkness Creature). They can wear a hood to protect, but then are at -1 on all abilities. Goblins have small vestigial wings which allow them to glide (5:1 glide ratio), and fall unlimited distances without injury. Goblins have a natural Spelunking plus of +4.

B.9.5. Halfling

Con +2
Psi +5 (no intrinsic Psi abilities)
Senses +3
Size -6 (minimum 3)

B.9.6. Myrkidia

Agility +2
Appearance -2
Con -3
Magic -3
Money -3
Psi -2
Reactions +5
Size -3 (minimum 7)
Strength +2

B.9.7. Orc

Appearance -5
Con +2
Dexterity -3
Intelligence -3
Magic -6
Psi -6
Size +2
Strength +2

Orcs are Darkness Creatures.

B.9.8. Troll

Agility -3
Appearance -5
Con +2
Dexterity -5
Intelligence -5
Magic -3
Psi -3
Reactions -2
Senses -3
Size +4
Strength +2

Players of Trolls must join discussions using only single-syllable words.

B.10. Aging Rules (Rarely Used)

These rules are optional and rarely used.

Typical character starting age is 15 + EP / 300. For characters entering in the midst of a campaign, the GM should produce a set of rules.

Note

Most campaigns now start new characters with the same number of EP as existing characters, to avoid disgruntlement and the desire to keep the eldest character alive at all costs, so new characters get the most EP possible.

In the past, it was typical to give a new character the base EP the campaign started with plus half of the difference between that and the maximum EP of any player, and add the length of the campaign to the character’s age.

After a character is generated, the Stat EP field in the Slay program should be set to 0, which prevents stat rebalancing. Then the following modifications are made to the character’s stats. Note that these charts are not exact for extreme ages, and should only be used as guidelines outside the 15-75 age range.

Note	(Jon) In the aging table, "youth" is defined as (15 - Age) and "old" is defined as (Age - 75). Added variable names for these quantities to simplify the table a bit.

Table 80. Aging Modifiers On Stats.

Stat / Age	<15	15-20	21-30	31-45	45-60	60-75	>75
Agility	+2	+1	0	-1	-2	-3	-3 - old / 2
Appearance	0	+1	+1	0	-1	-2	-3
Constitution	+2	+1	0	0	0	-1	-2 - old
Dexterity	0	+1	0	0	0	0	-old / 2
Intelligence	-2 - youth / 2	-1	0	0	+1	+2	+2 - old
Magic	0	0	0	0	+1	+2	+2
Money	-3	-2	-1	0	+1	+2	+2
Psi	-3	-2	-1	0	+1	+2	+3
Reactions	+2	+1	0	0	0	-1	-1 - old / 2
Senses	0	0	+1	0	0	-1	-1 - old / 2
Size	-1 - youth	-1	0	+1	0	-1	-1 - old
Strength	0	+1	0	0	-1	-2	-2 - old

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Appendix C: Change Log

2016/09/10 (Jon Leech) - Add new JoelWorld spells from email.
2016/09/08 (Jon Leech) - Remove the "Magic Spells and Scrolls" table and merge the price and availability information into the Magic Spells section, with a new introduction. Remove the EP and Difficulty information from potions and spells and make the Pow / duration information consistently formatted.
2016/09/07 (Jon Leech) - Added descriptions of terms to the Introduction. Changed Order of Actions list by adding links to other sections and examples of allowed Special Actions. Added Movement and Attack Damage sections. Document Simultaneous Death d6 mechanic. Better document C* and Dead At in Hit Points section. Add introduction to the Psi section noting limitations on learning Psi skills. Moved Success and Fumble Probabilities table into the main document and added "Failure" column. Add Gaming Cliche list. Minor formatting cleanup.
2016/09/07 (Jon Leech) add many skills and spells from various skill.dbs missing from the document, mostly in outline form. Add "Technical Skills" and "Starship Combat" sections. Split "Alchemy" and "Psi" into their own sections. Add suggested description for "Magic - Metamagic". Add RatWorld appendix.
2016/09/04 (Jon Leech) - add JoelWorld appendix. Numerous minor cleanups, typo fixes, and consistency edits.
2016/09/03 (Jon Leech) - move some obsolete and alternate-rule sections into the appendix.
2016/09/02 (Jon Leech) - convert to Asciidoc, license per agreement with Joe, and create a GitHub hosting project.
2013/09/05 (Joe Frisch) - last update of the .doc guide shown in the shared group folders.

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Hack and Slay IX Player’s Guide

1. Introduction

2. General Skill Rules

2.1. Order Of Actions

2.2. Experience Points

2.3. Available Skills

2.4. Combining Skills

2.4.1. Adding Pluses

2.4.2. Multiplying Damages

2.5. Character Sheets

2.6. Character Races

2.7. Special Stat Rules

2.8. Weapons

2.9. Hunger And Thirst

3. Movement

3.1. Long-Distance Travel

4. Combat

4.1. Combat Skills and Weapons

4.2. Hit Points

4.2.1. Recovering Hit Points

4.3. Hand To Hand Weapon Combat

4.3.1. Engaging

4.3.2. Attack Mode

4.3.3. Multiple Opponents

4.3.4. Attack Damage

4.3.5. Grappling And Holding

4.4. Ranged Weapon Combat

4.4.1. General Rules

4.4.2. Cover

4.4.3. Explosion Damage

4.5. Damage To Physical Objects

4.5.1. Attacking Through Objects

4.5.2. Weapon Types

4.5.3. Types Of Materials

4.6. Other Combat

4.6.1. Mounted Combat.

4.6.2. Combat In Water

4.6.3. Flying Combat

4.6.4. Grabbing Weapons

4.6.5. Area Effect Damage

4.6.6. Light / Darkness Rules

4.6.7. Darkness Vs. Light Spells

4.6.8. Swarms

4.6.9. Special Weapons

4.6.10. Guns

4.6.11. Combat Actions Summary

5. Skills (General)

5.1. Unlisted Skill Pluses

5.2. Undescribed General Skills

5.3. Acrobatics

5.4. Acting

5.5. Agriculture

5.6. Alcohol Making

5.7. Alertness

5.8. Animal Handling

5.9. Animal Training

5.9.1. Examples

5.9.2. Guard Animal Commands

5.9.3. Hunting (Scout) Animal

5.10. Anthropology

5.11. Archaeology

5.12. Bargaining

5.13. Child Care

5.14. Climbing

5.14.1. Climbing Speed

5.14.2. Fixed Ropes

5.14.3. Party Roped Together

5.14.4. Effects Of Altitude

5.15. Demolitions

5.16. Disguise

5.17. Engineering

5.17.1. Clockwork Creature Construction

5.17.2. Golem Construction

5.18. Espionage