Empire of Tyrs - Mystic Realms

Transcription

A
Guide to the
Empire of Tyrs
A Chronicle of the Realm of Meredia
Mystic Realms
®
The Empire of Tyrs
Play Test Version 2009-03-20
A Chronicle of the Realm of Meredia
Written by Anton Kukal
MYSTIC REALMS is a registered trademark and service mark of Mystic Realms, Ltd. REALM OF MEREDIA and
all M ystic Realms characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of M ystic Realms,
Ltd. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or
unauthorized use of the material contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Mystic Realms,
Ltd. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely
coincidental. Copyright 2006 Mystic Realms, Ltd. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.
Mystic Realms, Ltd.
Table of Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
History of the Empire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Epoch of Human Slavery. . . . . . . . .
Epoch of Freedom Fighting .. . . . . .
Epoch of the Republic. . . . . . . . . . .
Epoch of Woe and War. . . . . . . . . .
Epoch of the Empire . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
3
3
4
4
5
People of the Empire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Social Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Citizenship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appointee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Denizens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Malefactors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-Human Agent. . . . . . . . . .
Non-Human Visitor. . . . . . . . .
Political Factions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Abolitionist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Anarchist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Individualist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Imperialist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Purists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Secessionist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Senatist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unaligned. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cultures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Imperial City.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Provinces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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6
6
6
6
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
Occupations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Acolyte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ambassador. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Animator.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Apothecary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Apostle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archer.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Assassin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Barrister. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Beggar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bounty Hunter. . . . . . . . . . . .
Brigand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Burglar .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cabalogist.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Captain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Commander. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Constable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Destroyer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Duellist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elementalist. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Enchanter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Explorer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Forger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gladiator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Granger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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11
11
11
11
12
12
12
12
13
13
13
13
13
14
14
14
14
15
15
15
15
15
16
16
Knight.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mechanator.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Merchant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mortician. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Musketeer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Naturalist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Obliterator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Physician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prostitute. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rat Catcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sailor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scrivener.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scholar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scout.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seer.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Soldier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Spy .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Terrorist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thug. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tomb Raider . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Troubadour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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16
17
17
17
17
17
18
18
18
18
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
21
Occupation Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Common Skills List. . . . . . . . . . . .
Esoteric Lore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Advanced Skills (Bows). . . . .
Advanced Skills (Chopping).
Advanced Skills (Crushing). .
Advanced Skills (Cutting). . .
Advanced Skills (Guns). . . . .
Advanced Skills (Thrown). . .
Anti Automaton Magic.. . . . .
Anti Elemental Magic.. . . . . .
Anti Undead Magic. . . . . . . .
Athletics Skills. . . . . . . . . . . .
Assassination Skills. . . . . . . .
Automaton Assimilation.. . . .
Beast Aversion SP&Ps. . . . . .
Beast Commanding SP&Ps. .
Beast Rituals.. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Body & Spirit SP&Ps. . . . . . .
Compound Skills. . . . . . . . . .
Compounds Alchemical. . . . .
Compounds Medical.. . . . . . .
Compounds Subversive. . . . .
Depletion SP&Ps. . . . . . . . . .
Divination Magics. . . . . . . . .
Elemental Assembly Magic. .
Enchantments of the Body. . .
Enchantments of Combat. . . .
Enchantments of Items. . . . . .
Enscrolling SP&Ps. . . . . . . . .
Healing Magics.. . . . . . . . . . .
Immobilization SP&Ps. . . . . .
Injuring SP&Ps.. . . . . . . . . . .
Item Affecting SP&Ps. . . . . .
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22
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22
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23
23
23
23
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24
24
24
24
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24
24
24
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
26
26
26
26
26
26
Mana Enhancing Feats. . . . . .
Mana Opposition Feats.. . . . .
Mana SP&Ps. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mending Magics.. . . . . . . . . .
Mental Magics. . . . . . . . . . . .
Military Skills.. . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-Lethal Combat Skills. . .
Spirit Searing Magic.. . . . . . .
Stealth Skills.. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Religion Skills (Holy).. . . . . .
Religion Skills (Profane). . . .
Song & Sound Magics. . . . . .
Traps.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unarmed Combat Skills. . . . .
Undead Animation Magics. . .
Writing Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . .
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26
26
26
27
27
27
27
27
27
27
28
28
28
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28
Non-Humans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Airadin .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aquarian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Canarrin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Decidiun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ghoul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Klacton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Minotaur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Orc .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pythian .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rakarrin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Satyr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Weetle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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29
29
29
29
29
30
30
30
30
31
31
31
31
Supernatural Beings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cultist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pagan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vampyre. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wyre-Beast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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32
32
33
33
Life in the Empire.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Governing the Empire . . . . . . . . . .
Imperial Government. . . . . . .
Provincial Governments . . . .
Colonial Governments . . . . . .
Town Governments. . . . . . . .
Camp Governments. . . . . . . .
Law and the Empire .. . . . . . . . . . .
Imperial Law.. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Local Laws. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Religion in the Empire . . . . . . . . .
General Beliefs. . . . . . . . . . . .
Imperial Faiths. . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-Traditional Faiths. . . . . .
Cults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Animal Worship. . . . . . . . . . .
Pagan Faiths. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Imperial Military. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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34
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35
35
36
36
36
37
38
38
38
40
41
42
42
43
Knightly Orders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Realm of Meredia.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General Information. . . . . . . . . . . .
Magic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nodes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Spirits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Base Substances .. . . . . . . . . .
Gunpowder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Portals.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Air Ships.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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45
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46
46
46
46
47
47
Demons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Necromancy. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Piracy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plagues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Storms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lesser Beings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ergann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Marynn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Troll. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Beasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Carnivorous Crawlers. . . . . . .
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47
48
48
48
49
49
49
49
50
50
Crystalteem . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dragon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mantid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reanimant.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wolves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
50
50
50
51
51
51
Coins & Equipment.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Introduction
Some say the history of the Empire of Tyrs should be written in blood, but for this
document I will settle for ink. The Empire was born of humanity’s hope, but the violent
world of Meredia could twist even the noblest of dreams. With dark magic flowing
between blighted nodes of magic and corruption spreading across the land, there is little
peace and too much war.
Meredia is a realm where demons sow seeds of destruction, hordes of undead
spontaneously rise, ghosts haunt lonely ruins and vampyres hunt the night. Shape-shifters
and magic-using beasts lurk in the wild areas. Fierce mana-driven storms can destroy
whole swathes of civilization. And above it all hangs the Father and the Mother giving life
to the realm. . . and the Dead One, the pock-marked lifeless twin of our world that shines
in the night, sending its dark energy to wash over the realm and poison everything good.
Humanity was once a race of slaves and barbarians, but we fought for our freedom to
become a leading force in the world. Under the Protection of the Emperor and
Government of the elected members of the Senate , the Empire of Tyrs now controls the
central continent and has established colonies all over the realm. As an Imperial
Appointee you bear the weighty responsibility of protecting humanity and defending the
Empire against attack from without and within.
Many in this world desire the destruction of humanity. We are not a sinless people, and
kindness is not in the doctrine of the Empire. I will not deny that our history has been
written in blood, but we have always acted in our defense. The Empire fights a constant
war against the world, a war humanity is forced to wage by the non-humans. We only
hold territories and establish colonies on other continents in an effort to secure our borders
from encroachment. In our history, there has never been a generation without an invasion
of some part of the Empire. There is no peace for humanity!
Our society is not perfect and some argue we have reached the apex of our glory and are
falling fast into anarchy. Despite efforts of the law and righteous citizens, some decadent
people turn to heretical cults and demon worship, practicing human sacrifice, cannibalism,
ritualistic sadism and other heinous rites to gain strange abilities. Pirates scour the lawless
seas in search of easy prey, and brigands and burglars abound wherever the law is lax.
The Empire is a melting pot of diverse human cultures. The untamed tribes of the frozen
north, the rustic hamlets of the agricultural south and the sprawling cities in between are
vastly different. The people in each Imperial Province have their own styles of dress,
1
mannerism, patterns of speech and their own unique ideology. But each cultural group
is woven together into the complex fabric of the Empire and bound together by the will of
the Eternal Emperor.
The laws of the Empire may seem inequitable to some and various policies may even be
untenable to certain individuals, but the common weal requires that we support the status
quo. The survival of humanity depends on the stability of our government and the unity
of our society. The Emperor controls the military might stationed throughout the Empire,
while the Senate controls the civilian infrastructure; together, in theory, the Emperor and
the Senate provide the checks and balances necessary to allow the Empire to exist without
fragmentation.
The Empire of Tyrs is the greatest national power in this realm, and possibly the greatest
in its history. Ironically, though our economy drives the world market and our soldiers
are stationed around the globe, the Empire has never been weaker than it is today. We
have grown too secure in our power and divisive in our politics. Various factions struggle
within the Empire to further their own personal agendas weakening the foundations of our
society.
It seems these days that everyone has a secret. People look the other way when crimes are
committed because they do not want to draw attention to themselves and their own
questionable dealings. Bribery is commonplace and justice is hard to find. Where is the
glory of the Empire today?
The non-humans move against us, the dead rise, demons spawn and natural catastrophes
occur with alarming frequency! The survival of humanity lies in the cooperation of our
race. The strength of the Empire has always come from the people. From the lofty Citizen
to the rabble of society all have their part to play. Supporters of the Emperor, senate
supporters, rebellious revolutionaries, non-human agents and even criminals heed my
words or it will be too late. We must lay aside our personal differences and join together
once again in the common defense for the Epoch of Decline is upon us.
Barthelmey Brunt
Minister of History
2000
2
History of the Empire
The history of the Empire of Tyrs is the chronicle of
human triumph against constant adversity. Humanity
rose from a people of slaves to be the most powerful
nation in the realm of Meredia, but their position of
power is challenged from every corner of the realm and
from those discontents within its own borders. There has
never been a decade without an invasion of some part of
the Empire or a war between internal political divisions.
world and all the races of Meredia paid them tribute.
They were masters of magic and created many strange
and wondrous inventions. The Cerebrans possessed a
vast army (composed mostly of human slaves) and
terrible machines of war. No other nation dared
challenge them.
Since the dawn of recorded history, the Cerebrans
supported their society by enslaving humans captured
from the north. They worked as domestics, toiled in the
fields and served as soldiers.
As internal strife threatens to tear the Empire apart, the
non-human races of the realm, jealous of human success,
are moving against human civilization.
Their
machinations have been subtle, but political, economic
and military movements can only mean that another great
war is coming.
Epoch of Freedom Fighting
While serving as slaves, a few humans learned to
manipulate mana by stealing the knowledge from their
Cerebran masters. They formed a secret society of
humans and planned a rebellion. Agents of this society
traveled north into the wild lands where human
barbarians still roamed free and recruited them to the
rebellion.
Epoch of Human Slavery
Three thousand years ago bands of nomadic humans
roamed the northern parts of the central continent. They
were a simple hunter-gatherer people. They were not
capable of working iron and used implements of
fire-hardened wood and bone. They lived in huts made
with wooden frames covered with hides or wooden long
houses with thatched roofs.
The human slaves revolted against their Cerebran
masters and the free humans of the north swept down in
support. Terrible battles were fought. Atrocities were
committed on both sides. The Cerebran sent magical
plagues upon the humans. The humans responded by
slaughtering whole cities of Cerebran.
In the southern part of the central continent the
Cerebrans dwelled in spectacular cities connected by a
series of roads. Cerebrans are similar in appearance to
humans, but they have large bald heads covered with
various colored veins. High walls surrounded their cities
with towers that reached the sky and immense arched
gates.
As the years passed, the conflict became a war of
attrition that the Cerebrans were destined to lose. Other
nations supported the human’s rebellion eager to see the
end of the Cerebran’s world dominance.
Hereditary leaders ruled each of the great cities. These
families were strong in magic and excelled in trade and
diplomacy. The Cerebran civilization was the dominate
civilization in the world.
Elves, minotaurs, orcs and pythians sent armies to the
central continent to aid humanity. The Ghouls, who
were hated by Cerebran and hunted to near extinction
rose up to take revenge against the Cerebrans.
Cerebran homes were sprawling estates of polished
stone gilded with gold. They had tall tower adorned with
beautiful statues and luxurious gardens with trellises and
stone benches along cobblestone walks.
Despite the Cerebran' magical ability and terrible
machines of war, the humans and their allies were many
times more numerous. One by one the wondrous cities
fell.
The Cerebrans were the most powerful civilization in the
The last battle took place on a plain northwest of the
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Cerebran First City. It was constructed five thousand
years before and was all that remained unconquered of
the mighty Cerebran civilization. Here the remnants of
the Cerebran military made their final stand, knowing
their cause was doomed. The humans sacked the First
City, knocking down every stone and carrying them
away to build their own cities.
The provinces were forced to continually aid one
another. In time the ties between these Provinces grew
closer and the leaders created the Republic of Humanity
where each of the Provinces sent representatives to a
ruling body called the Senate. The Republic proved an
effective government allowing humanity to prosper
despite constant attacks against them.
In victory, humanity was
cruel. They hunted down the
surviving Cerebrans and
murdered them. The humans
of the time called it
retribution.
As the republic grew stronger
it began to push out the nonhuman settlements.
The
non-humans grew jealous of
human success.
They
watched as the human
republic gained control of the
central continent with its vast
mineral wealth, fertile lands
and mild climate.
Ghouls long hidden in
crevices, caves and wild
places came out to help the
human hunt down Cerebrans.
The Cerebrans had tried to
extinguish the ghoul race and
now the ghouls paid them
back. It was genocide.
They ghouls knew all the
hiding places in the realm.
They feasted on the Cerebans
who tried to hide.
In time the non-humans
began to see humans as
usurpers who sought to
replace the Cerebran as the
leaders of the realm.
Epoch of Woe
and War
The ruins of the Cerebrans’
wondrous civilization can be
f o un d throughout t h e
southern portion of the
continent.
Occasionally
adventurers still stumble on secret caches of Cerebran
inventions, treasure troves and long forgotten tombs.
The klactons and the orcs
were the first to attack the
humans; they had entered
into a secret treaty known as
the Butchers Accord. They
planned to defeat the humans and divide the Central
Continent between them. They landed huge armies on
the central continent and both armies were in a race to
reach the heart of the Republic and Consul City.
Epoch of the Republic
Humanity, freed from the shackles of slavery, entered a
period of rapid growth and expansion. The great heros
of the revolution united their followers into a loose
confederation of Provinces.
Seeing the success of the orcs and klactons, and not
wanting those races to gain control of the entire central
continent the rakarrins, canarrin and weetles entered into
their own agreement and landed an army on the western
part of the central continent.
The elves, minotaurs, orcs, pythians did not wish to
reqlnguish land gained on the central continent. Other
non-human races sent armies seeking to gain their own
footholds in the rich and fertile lands of the central
continent.
The Republic of Humanity was hard pressed to defend
its borders. The human army, though well trained and
disciplined, was not large. Most humans did not choose
4
to enter military service and only ended up there as a
result of criminal activity or debt. Assaulted from all
sides the lands of humanity were falling fast. The
leaders of the Republic began conscripting soldiers
throughout the land.
Tyrs’ use of necromantic magic horrified the world.
Necromancy was the forbidden dark art - a magic having
a corruptive essence. To the world Tyrs was an
aberration, to humanity he was their savior.
Tyrs researched the ancient Cerebran inventions and
applied them to war. Tyrs turned jets of flame used to
boil water on enemy soldiers. He used gunpowder in
cannons and shot fist sized balls of iron into the massed
troop formations of his enemies.
Epoch of the Empire
His name was Tyrs. He was born in the north and
conscripted as a child into the legions. He rose to the
rank of centurion and proved himself a very capable
soldier.
Tyrs the Terrible the world called him. After the
non-humans were driven from the continent, Tyrs took
the battle across the seas and established colonies in the
territories of the non-humans. Tyrs used these lands as
a buffer to protect the main continent.
The generals defending Republic City panicked on the
field of Cambrous twenty miles south of the capital
causing the legions to begin a full rout. Centurion Tyrs
appeared on a black horse leading his century forward
into the retreat. His soldiers marched in perfect time
singing the Battle Hymn of Humanity. Their armor
shone in the sun; their gideons flapped in the wind.
The Senate proclaimed Tyrs Emperor for life in year 1 of
the Imperial Calendar.
All those who fought in the defense of the Republic were
granted citizenship in the Empire of Tyrs. Citizenship
was a reward to those who defended humanity and they
were afforded many privileges not available to those who
did not serve. Citizens can vote, hold public office and
pay no taxes anywhere in the Empire.
The army rallied around Tyrs and his legion. He led
them to ambush the Klactons as they attempted to ford
the river Avarice.
The Klactons were caught
unprepared. Tyrs slaughtered the Klacton host refusing
to accept their surrender. He placed the Klacton heads
on stakes along the river Avarice.
The Government was divided into the Civilian Sector
which was controlled by the Senate and the Military
Sector which was controlled by Emperor Tyrs and the
Pretorian Command composed of nine generals and nine
admirals who command the army and navy in the name
of Tyrs. This division was to ensure that bureaucratic
process never again threatened the safety of the Empire.
After the triumph by the river, the soldiers demanded
that Tyrs be made the general of the army and the leaders
of the Republic were forced to confirm his appointment.
Victory after victory drove the Klactons back into the
Southern Sea and made Tyrs the hero of the Empire. As
other non-human armies continued to plunder human
lands and threaten the capital city, the Senate invested all
military authority in Tyrs.
When Tyrs did not die rumors grew. Was he a powerful
undead? Was he a Divine Avatar of Humanity? In truth,
no one knows. His place as been closed for ninehundred years. Imperial dogma teaches the Empire will
endure for as long as Tyrs exists and should he be
destroyed so shall humanity.
Tyrs took up this mantel in his cold calculating manner.
He would accept no surrender from the non-humans
whose armies had plundered humanity. When he
defeated them he slaughtered them and ordered his
animators to raise the corpses into undead.
5
People of the Empire
The Empire of Tyrs is a government driven by political
diversity. The Empire is a melting pot of beliefs,
cultures and ideologies. Geographically, the wild lands
of the north are home to the nomadic barbarian tribes
who barely acknowledge the Empire. The southern parts
of the Empire are dotted with fortified small towns
governed by local leaders pay allegiance of the Empire
only for its protection. The great heartland of the Empire
contains the sprawling industrialized cities of humanity.
extraordinary feats, perform rituals and procedures, mix
compounds, brew poisons, fashion items, scribe runes,
draw glyphs and set traps. They can also cast spells,
prayers and powers or learn much of the knowledge
available to the world.
An Appointment is the only way to become a citizen.
Most Appointees live in Imperial towns where they
perform services to the community. Civilian Appointees
are directly responsible to the closest democratic body
that governs the area in which they reside. The locale
ruling body has authority to require Civilian Appointees
to perform any service to the community they deem
necessary for the betterment of the community.
Social Status
The people of the Empire can also be divided into
various groups according to their social status within the
Empire. According to their social status Imperials live
very different life styles. The Citizen has earned a place
of power and respect, but is required to participate in the
political machines that governs the Empire. The
Appointee lives a life of service to the Empire, knowing
that at the end of service there will be the reward of
citizenship. The Denizen is a free person who is his or
her own master who does not have the weighty
responsibilities of Appointment and Citizenship.
Some Appointees serve in the military. Military
Appointees support the Emperor and generally follow
the orders of the Governor or local Generals, but they
may be on assignment for other military purpose and
therefore outside of local command. Most military
appointees understand the need for discipline and realize
the fragmentation of the Empire means doom for the
human race.
Citizenship
Citizens are humans who have served the Empire and are
afforded a number of benefits, such as participation in
the government and freedom from taxes.
Appointees follow the instructions of the leading citizens
in the community. These are citizens who support the
Senate and the local democratic governing body. They
are part of the bureaucratic infrastructure that allows the
Empire to function.
Citizenship is an honor reserved for those who swear an
oath to serve the empire. All persons seeking citizenship
must complete their Imperial Appointment.
Appointees must fulfill their full term of service.
Desertion is considered one of the worst crimes and
Appointees found guilty without mitigating
circumstances are generally obliterated.
After performing this duty, the Imperial Appointee’s
citizenship is confirmed and he may at any time
thereafter retire from service.
After becoming a citizen the person must participate in
the government of their local community. They are
required to attend all posted meetings of citizens.
Denizens
Denizens are freemen who choose not to serve the
Empire as Imperial Appointees or who are unable to
serve because they are not arcane. Not every person can
meet the requirements of citizenship, but they can lead
very successful and prosperous lives within the Empire.
Appointee
Appointees are humans who are serving the Empire
through their Appointments. Imperial Appointees can do
6
A denizen is every other human who lives and works in
the Empire who is not a citizen or a Appointee. Most
denizens follow an occupation. Occupations allow
people to perform ordinary feats, set traps and learn the
knowledge commonly available to the world. Under
Imperial Law, denizens are not allowed to manipulate
mana.
some hold them very strongly. Most average people just
have an idealistic leaning, but those who seeking to
impact the world will have a greater attachment and be
willing to act on their ideologies.
Politically the people of the Empire are grouped int two
main political factions: the Imperialists And Senatists.
Diametrically opposed both groups maneuver against
each other for power and prestige. Other political
factions such as the Abolitionists, Anarchists,
Individualist, Purists, and Secessionists increase the
complexity of government.
Denizens are not allowed to learn or practice arcane
skills even if they are capable (because they are arcane).
Learning and practicing arcane skills illegally is called
Malefaction. Denizens may learn Malefaction illegally.
Non-citizens found knowing Malefaction have their
skills purged from their bodies.
All Political Factions have secret societies that support
them. These societies are often run by powerful citizens
who secretly recruit member and solicit funds. Members
of Political Factions will receive political missions from
local secret societies. Completing these missions will
gain the member addition status.
Malefactors
Malefactors are humans who have illegally learned
esoteric skills. Malefaction (the act of learning or using
skills) is punishable by purgation. Repeat offenders are
generally obliterated.
Abolitionist
Abolitionists want to free all of the non-human slaves
within the Empire. They preach peace and equality
between the races of Meredia. They blame the Emperor
for continued hostilities with the rest of the world.
Non-Human Agent
Non-human Agents of the Empire who have sworn to
serve the Empire and expand Imperial policies within
their homelands. They understand that when their nation
is conquered by the Empire they will be given citizenship
in the Empire and rule their nation.
Anarchist
Anarchists want to destroy all world governments. They
have allies throughout all of the races. Their goal is to
undermine the central government of every nation so that
the people can live with each other in peace. They
blame the leaders of the national governments for the ills
of the world.
Non-humans Agents still face prejudice, but most
humans respect their willingness to serve the Empire.
Non-humans generally despise Agents and see them as
traitors and turncoats.
Non-Human Visitor
Individualist
Non-human visitors to the Empire often face
discrimination and prejudice by the humans of the
Empire. They must have traveling papers. Most nonhuman visitors are in the Empire to further their
governmental ends. Many are terrorists and brigands
who seek to undermine the foundations of the Empire
from within.
Individualists believe that intrusive governmental
policies should be avoided at all costs. They are not
against the Emperor or the Senate and see the necessity
of both, however, they speak out against laws that limit
individual freedom. They generally do not like
conscription of non-criminals, limits on land use, seizure
of personal property or the use of taxes to support people
who can’t support themselves.
Political Factions
The Empire of Tyrs has become divided by various
political ideologies. Almost every member of society
has an opinion on which point of view is correct and
Imperialist
Imperialists advocate the destruction of the Senate. They
argue that the democratic body acts to harm the unity of
7
the Empire. They blames much of the corruption and the
inability to stop cults and Malefactors on the
bureaucracies created by the Senate.
The unaligned have no allegiance apolitical faction. The
cannot earn status by completing missions for political
action groups or secrete societies.
Purists
Cultures
Purists demand the extermination of all non-human
races. They see non-humans as less than human and
argue that humanity will never be safe as long as these
jealous beings are allowed to walk the realm. They were
the prime movers behind the genocide of the Cerebrans.
The Imperial City has developed its own unique culture.
Each of the Nine Imperial Provinces has their own
unique culture. The colonies are a melting pot of
different cultures and people dwelling there trace their
routes back to the Nine Provinces.
Imperial City
The Imperial City is a vast expanse of white marble
buildings with great columns and coliseums. The people
dwelling here live a life of peaceful luxury. The
common clothing is togas and long robes with wide
sleeves.
Provinces
The culure of the provinces along with their styles of
dress can traces their heritage back to the time when
humans were slaves of the Cerebrans.
Alder
To the east of the Imperial city is the densely populated
Province of Alder. This is an area of affluence and
wealth.
Secessionist
Secessionists want to withdraw their city, province or
colony from the Empire. They believe that taxes, tariffs,
military conscriptions and other laws or policies
inequitably impact on various areas within the empire.
They argue that these areas would be better off standing
alone and seeking their own peace with various nonhuman races. Most secessionists actively seek alliances
with non-humans to support their secession.
The people of Alder wear velvet and satin. The men
commonly wear doublets and breeches. The woman
wear fancy gowns on formal occasions, but for traveling
their wear breeches and waist length jackets.
Exton
The province of Exton is located just to the west of the
Imperial City. It is the industrial heart of the Empire.
Great factorie sand founders are found throughout Exton.
The massive brick structures are soot blackened.
Senatist
Senatists advocate restoring the Republic. They believe
many of the Emperor’s policies are outdated and prevent
peace accords with the non-humans. They argue that
non-humans would cease their hostilities if humanity
became less of a militaristic threat. Some suggest
relegating the Emperor to a more religious or spiritual
role and assigning control of the military back to Senate;
others demand the Emperors death at secret rallies.
The people who dwell here wear dark clothing to hide
the stains of soot and dirt. Breaches and jackets are
common.
Hosten
The province of Hosten is located on the richest
Unaligned
8
farmland in all of the Empire. Understandably, the
people of Hosten are mostly farmers and herdsmen.
Most of the realm’s agricultural food products come
from Hosten as well as its supplies of meat and poultry.
with overlapping fronts tied at the waist with a belt or
held together by cloth frogs. The colors are often bright
with much embroidery often displaying dragons, military
scenes or floral patterns.
Men and women traditionally wear light colored earth
toned shirts and breeches. Narrow belts and light
colored hooded capes are common.
Sennay
The plains and forests of Sennay are home to a tough
nomadic people who dwell in pointed, conical tents
supported by lengths of wood.
Castles are very common in Hosten. They were built
using the stones of the Cerebran civilization the heart of
which existed in Hosten.
Their clothing is made from animal skins, primarily
mountain sheep and deer. Their clothing consists of a
shirt, leggings, breechcloth and moccasins.
Ornamentation of the body and clothing is common.
Jewelry comprises of fringe pendants, ribbon trim,
porcupine quills, bear claw necklaces and earrings, shell
earrings and drops and body paint derived from animals,
soils, plants and minerals.
Iristan
The people of the Iristan Province are bedouins. The
clothing of the Bedouins reflect the harsh climate of the
desert province.
Men and women typically wear long gowns, which are
either open down the front, or split to the waist and again
at the ankles for mobility. This is ornamented with braid,
and worn over a tunic and wide pantaloons. Men usually
cover their heads with either with a turban, or a scarf and
headband. Women usually wear a veil on their head, and
attach gold and silver dowry coins to the front to frame
the face.
Forneare
The coastal province of Forneare is a wild land of craggy
coastlines with shallow bays and tall oak forests. They
are a sea-faring people.
Men and women wear heavy thigh length jackets with
long sleeves and wide cuffs. They wear tri-corner hats,
turned down boots, wide belts and puffy long sleeves
shirts.
Kelluck
The mountainous province of Kelluck is home to proud
independent people who raise sheep and goats and who
to drink and to dance.
Wildar
The province of Wildar encompasses the wild plains of
the north a broad expanse of grass-covered, rolling hills
where the winds always blow and the sky is blue and
large. In this inhospitable landscape, dwell the Wild
People, an ancient culture with a proud heritage and
timeworn traditions.
Traditionally, men and women dress very similarly. Both
sexes wear kilts, which are pleated "skirts" made from a
tartan or plaid pattern. However, men's kilts reach to
their knees, whereas women's skirts were lower. On top,
men and women usually wear a light-colored tunic, often
with puffy sleeves. The kilt is made from wool, and the
tunic from linen.
Lyrea
The people of the coastal province of Lyrea are steeped
in traditions of honor and family lineage. The province
has many rainforests and is very damp, the primary crop
is rice.
The Wild People were never subjugated by the Cerebran.
They value their freedom and acknowledge the power of
the Emperor and understand the benefit of a unified
Humanity. They pay their taxes, perform their civic
duties and generally follow Imperial law when dealing
with outsiders, but the Wild People have never
surrendered their sovereignty of their clan leaders. They
live by their own codes of honor, justice and hospitality.
The people of Lyrea generally dress in pants and shirts
The wild people dress in furs to ward of the icy winds
9
that blow down from the north. They are viewed by
many as uncivilized barbarians. They travel by
horseback and most are nomadic in nature. Their cities
are great log forts built on high hills.
10
Occupations
There are many ways for people to make their way in the
Empire of Tyrs, but most people choose an occupation.
likely face purgation or obliteration. For example, a
Denizen who is a rat catcher that learns the skill kill
crush has broken the law.
Occupations allow people access to Esoteric Lore.
Esoteric Lore are powerful skills that represent advanced
of specialty training in the occupation. Once a person
learns all the basic skills of the occupation they may
begin to learn any of the esoteric lore allowed to the
occupation.
Non-humans may pursue any of the listed occupations
and learn any of the esoteric lore attached to each. Their
legal status in the Empire is not determined by their
skills.
The following listed Occupations are the only
occupations in the world of Meredia that allow the
learning of Esoteric Lore. People do not need to follow
an occupation. Persons who do not follow these
occupations may still learn common skills listed in the
next chapter, but they cannot learn any Esoteric Skills.
Acolytes are religious leaders. They run temples and
handle the day to day affairs of their religions.
Religious tolerance is one of the hallmarks of the Empire
and so long as the faith does not encourage the violation
of Imperial laws the faith will be allowed.
Acolyte
Imperial Acolyte Appointees are responsible for
managing temples of the Imperial faiths. Imperial
Acolytes are allowed to create their own faiths in the
Empire. Imperial Acolytes following Dark Faiths must
be careful. They often suffer prejudice and commonly
are declared cults so their enemies can seize their assets.
People can learn multiple occupations. They can declare
a second (or third) occupation, but they must learn all the
basic skills of the occupation, before they may begin to
learn the esoteric lore of the additional occupation(s). It
is easier to switch between similar occupations because
the basic skills are similar. When the occupations are
dissimilar (for example a gladiator becoming an apostle)
the basic skills are very different requiring a larger
expenditure of status in order to learn all the required
basic skills.
Basic Skills
Feat: willpower I
Knowledge: astronomy, bandage, biology, chemistry,
embalm, fatal finish, geology, literature, occult,
psychology, resuscitate, splint, theology, weapon
All of these Occupations allow for an Imperial
Appointment. The Empire needs dedicated rat catchers,
burglars and prostitutes. Each entry describes the duties
of a non-imperial or Denizen, but also describes the
duties of an official Imperial Appointee.
Esoteric Lore
Athletics, magical opposition feats, non-lethal combat
skills, religion skills (holy), religion skills (profane),
unarmed combat
Thus, if humans want to legally learn Esoteric Lore they
must have an Imperial Appointments in the occupation.
Imperial Appointments are recorded with the Empire and
all Imperial Appointees are expected to act for the
protection of humanity. For examples, an Imperial
Appointee Rat Catcher can legally learn the Esoteric
Lore permitted by his occupation.
Ambassador
An ambassador is a diplomat sent by one of the nations
of Meredia to represent its interests in a foreign country.
Imperial Ambassador Appointees travel the realm
promoting Imperial policy.
Basic Skills
Feat: willpower I, willpower II
Knowledge: bandage, fine arts, history, literature,
If a human without an Imperial Appointment learns
Esoteric Lore he or she is a malefactor and if caught will
11
Esoteric Lore
Compound skills, compounds alchemical, compounds
medical, compounds subversive, healing, mana
enhancing skills
occult, politics, psychology, theology, weapon
Esoteric Lore
Mana enhancing feats, mana sp&ps, mental magic,
unarmed combat skills
Apostle
Animator
Apostles spread their faith around the world. They are
travelers who convince others to join.
Animators raise the dead. They are hated by most races
of the realm, because necromantic energies warp the
heart and mind. All animator struggle against the terrible
side effect of their magic, many succumb to insanity.
Imperial Apostle Appointees are responsible for
spreading Imperial faiths throughout the realm. Apostles
are allowed to create their own faiths in the Empire.
Religious tolerance is one of the hallmarks of the Empire
and so long as the faith does not encourage the violation
of Imperial laws the faith will be allowed. Those
following Dark Faiths must be careful. They often suffer
prejudice and commonly are declared cults so their
enemies can seize their assets.
In the Empire, the raising of corpses by anyone other
than an Animator in military service is prohibited by law
and carries a sentence of purgation or obliteration.
Imperial Animator Appointees serve in the Imperial
military where they raise the dead to reinforce the army.
Animators are not allowed to become citizens. When
they retire from military service they are given an estate
to manage. Sometimes Animators will go renegade
especially after they have spent a few years in the
boredom of retirement.
Basic Skills
Feats: willpower I
Knowledge: astronomy, bandage, biology, climb I,
geology, history, literature, psychology, politics,
resuscitate, rumors, splint, theology, weapon
Basic Skills
Knowledge: bandage, biology, chemistry, law, military,
occult, resuscitate, splint, weapon
Esoteric Lore
Body & spirit sp&ps, healing, immobilizing sp&ps,
mana enhancing feats, mana sp&ps, religion skills
(holy), religion skills (profane)
Esoteric Lore
Depletion sp&ps, injuring sp&ps, mana enhancing feats,
military, unarmed combat skills
Archer
Apothecary
Archers specialize in using bows. They are commonly
found in the military of civilian defense forces.
Apothecaries mix and brew magical compounds. Their
knowledge of the interaction of chemicals on body
processes is astounding. They can manipulate forces in
the body to heal and to deplete the body energies.
Imperial Archer Appointees train the rank and file
archers of the Empire. Veteran archers are some of the
best shots in the world.
Basic Skills
Feats: critical ranged attack I, critical ranged attack II,
dodge I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, military, repair, swim I,
weapon
Imperial Apothecary Appointees serve governmental
leaders and other important persons within the Empire.
Basic Skills
Feats: critical ranged attack I
Knowledge: bandage, biology, chemistry, forensics,
geology, mathematics, medicine, physics, resuscitate,
splint, surgery, weapon
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (bows), athletics, enhancements
of combat
12
They travel the underbelly of society searching out
malefactors, revolutionaries and criminals.
Assassin
Assassins kill for a variety of reasons including for
money, ideologies and sport.
Basic Skills
Feat: dodge I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, crime, fatal finish,
politics, rumors, weapon
Imperial Assassin Appointees murder in support of the
Empire. They are clandestine operatives trained to
operate under a variety of conditions.
Basic Skills
Feats: dodge I, parry I, surprise strike I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, crime, law, politics,
rumors, swim I, weapon, wear armor I
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (thrown), athletics, stealth,
unarmed combat
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon
assassination, stealth
Bounty Hunters apprehend fugitives.
Bounty Hunter
skills
(thrown),
athletics,
Imperial Bounty hunters Appointees go after criminals
that flee the Imperial Courts. They are paid when they
bring the accused in for trial. Bounty Hunters follow
their own code of conduct within Imperial Law.
Barrister
Barristers are courtroom advocates who prosecute and
defend accused criminals or represent clients in noncriminal matters. They are the lawyers of Meredia.
Feats: dodge I, parry I, stun I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, crime, disarm traps, fatal
finish, forensics, law, repair, rumors, swim I, weapon
In the Empire, trained Barristers are the only persons
allowed to interpret Imperial Law and serve in judicial
positions or represent clients in the Imperial Court.
Interpreting laws by non-barristers is a crime.
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (cutting), athletics, stealth, traps
Imperial Barrister Appointees serve within the Imperial
Court system. They train Barristers and serve as Judges.
Brigand
Feats: negate I, willpower I, willpower II
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, crime, fine arts, law,
literature, politics, swim I, weapon
Brigands rob travelers along the highways. Most
brigands form into bands and follow a brigand leader. In
the wilder areas of the world some of these bands can
have three or four score members.
Esoteric Lore
Enscrolling sp&ps, mana enhancing feats, mana sp&ps,
mental magic
Bridgands are more common in the rustic provinces of
the Empire. Many of the large groups of brigands are
supported by non-human governments. Often an
Imperial Legion needs to be dispatched to destroy the
band of brigands
Beggar
Beggers survive by asking others for money, food and
shelter. They are arguably the lowest class of person in
the realm.
Imperial Brigand Appointees travel to foreign countries
where they operate clandestinely as highway robbers in
an effort to disrupt civil affairs within that nation.
Begging is allowed throughout the Empire, but some
localities establish beg-free areas of the city.
Basic Skills
Feats: critical melee attack I, dodge I, parry I, surprise
strike I
Imperial Beggar Appointees are clandestine operators.
13
Esoteric Lore
Anti-elemental magic, anti-undead magic, healing, mana
opposition feats, mana sp&ps
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, crime, repair, rumors,
swim I, weapon
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (chopping), advanced weapon
skills (crushing), advanced weapon skills (thrown),
unarmed combat
Captain
Captains are military leaders trained to sail ships on the
sea or in the sky.
Burglar
Imperial Captain Appointees are the military officers of
the Imperial Navy. They command a ships complement
of sailors and various other supporting Appointees. All
captains are part of the Imperial Navy and have complete
control over their ship. Captains will design specific
symbols and uniforms for their units. Ships can be
raised by the Empire or the Senate.
Burglars break into homes and businesses intending to
steal. The gulf between the rich and the poor is great and
getting larger every year. Crime in all of the Imperial
Cities is on the rise.
Imperial Burglar Appointees use their skills to control
crime in the Empire, ensuring that criminal codes are
adhered to and that violence does not spill over into
upstanding communities. They also steal from foreign
countries and those who stand against the Empire. They
are sent to rob precious artifacts, scientific documents,
pieces of art, magical items and other things of value.
Basic Skills
Feats: critical ranged attack I, dodge I, parry I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, law, military, navigation,
swim I, vehicle I, weapon, wear armor I
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (bows), advanced weapon skills
(crushing), advanced weapon skills (cutting), advanced
weapon skills (guns), advanced weapon skills (thrown),
military
Basic Skills
Feats: dodge I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, crime, disarm traps, pick
locks, rumors, weapon
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (crushing), athletics, stealth,
traps
Commander
The military commander leads soldiers into battle.
Every nation of Meredia has vast armies.
Cabalogist
Imperial Commander Appointment is the military officer
of the Empire. The lowest level of Commander is called
a Centurion and they small lead units which are
composed of Appointees and soldiers.
Cabalogists study the tides of dark magic that flow
through the realm.
The Imperial Cabalogist Appointee protects the Empire
by hunting cultists, harmful secret societies and creatures
spawned by the dark energies of the Dead One. Their
goal to prevent the corruption of the world and maintain
the natural order. Cabalogists sometimes specialize in
the hunting and destruction of one form of undead or
demon.
Centurions will design specific symbols and uniforms for
their units. Military units can be raised by the Empire or
the Senate.
Basic Skills
Feats: critical melee attack I, dodge I, parry I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, law, military, navigation,
swim I, weapon, wear armor I
Basic Skills
Feats: negate I, willpower I
Knowledge: astronomy, bandage, climb I, disarm traps,
history, navigation, occult, rumors, swim I, weapon
Esoteric Lore
14
(chopping), advanced weapon skills (crushing), advanced
weapon skills (cutting), advanced weapon skills (guns),
military
few who survivor their appointment the right to become
citizens.
Basic Skills
Feats: dodge I, disarm I, parry I, stun I,
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, fatal finish, history,
politics, splint, swim I, weapon
Constable
Constables enforce laws and keep the peace throughout
the empire.
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills
enchantments of combat
Imperial Constable Appointees are the leader of civilian
police forces.
Basic Skills
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, crime, disarm traps, law,
military, pick locks, swim I, weapon
(cutting),
athletics,
Elementalist
Elementalists are mages that specialize in manipulating
the four worldly elements of fire, water, air and earth.
They create and control elementals. Elements are
animated by four elemental powers: earth, air, water and
fire. Denizens of the Empire cannot legally follow the
occupation of destroyer.
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (crushing), non-lethal combat
skills, stealth, unarmed combat skills
Imperial Elementalist Appointees are often used to
support the army or civilian defense forces or in
construction projects.
Destroyer
Destroyers are battle mages who specialize in magic that
causes damage, injury and death. Denizens in the empire
cannot legally follow the occupation of destroyer.
Basic Skills
Feats: dodge I, negate I
Knowledge: astronomy, bandage, chemistry, climb I,
geology, mechanics, occult, physics, swim I, weapon
Imperial Destroyer Appointees are often found in
military units or assisting civic authorities.
Basic Skills
Feats: dodge I, negate I, parry I
Knowledge: astronomy, bandage, climb I, law, military,
occult, swim I, weapon
Esoteric Lore
Anti elemental magic, elemental assembly magic,
healing, immobilizing sp&ps, mana enhancing feats,
mana sp&ps
Enchanter
Esoteric Lore
Depletion, injuring sp&ps, mana enhancing feats, mana
sp&ps
The enchanter is a mage that specializes in enchanting
people and objects. Denizens in the empire cannot
legally follow the occupation of destroyer.
Duellist
Imperial Enchanter Appointees are often found in
military units or assisting civic authorities.
Duellists are professional fighters hired by wealthy
persons to settle matters of honor or questions of
legality. The results of a duel be used as proof in legal
proceedings.
Basic Skills
Fashioning: fashioning I
Feats: willpower I
Knowledge: astronomy, bandage, chemistry, climb I,
law, occult, repair, rumors, swim I, weapon
In the Empire the best Duelists gain an Imperial
Appointment and are used to settle matters of honor and
law between citizens so that the citizens themselves are
not injured. This important societal function earns the
15
Esoteric Lore
Enchantments of the body, enchantments of combat,
enchantments of items, fashioning, item affecting sp&ps,
mana enhancing feats, mana sp&ps
bequest of chanting crowds. A few great fighters have
become known throughout the Empire, but most meet
tragic ends in the pursuit of glory.
Basic Skills
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, fatal finish, forensics,
rumors, splint, swim I, weapon
Explorer
Explorers press civilization into the deep wilderness and
unchartered areas of the world. They seek out new
mineral wealth, undiscovered fertile lands and old ruins.
They lead settlers into these areas and help to establish
colonies for the Empire.
Esoteric Lore
skills (crushing), advanced weapon skills (cutting),
athletics, unarmed combat skills
Imperial Explorer Appointees are in charge of finding
the best areas of historical or economic interest.
Granger
Basic Skills
Feats: dodge I, parry I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, disarm traps, fine arts,
geology, history, law, navigation, repair, rumors,
survival, swim I, weapon
Grangers are farmers or herders that earn their living
through agriculture. A large majority of non-citizens
practice this occupation.
Most work communal
properties or the properties of a wealthy citizen, but there
are a fair number of old money families that own vast
estates with hundreds slaves.
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (cutting), athletics, stealth
Imperial Granger Appointees come from the wealthiest
land owners.
Forger
Basic Skills
Knowledge: animal handling, astronomy, bandage,
biology, climb I, geology, resuscitate, splint, survival,
swim I, tracking, weapon
Forgers are the builders and engineers of the Empire.
They fashion weapons, armor and shields for the soldiers
by using the force of mana.
Imperial Forger Appointees manager the vast factories of
the Empire. They preside over the massive foundries
with their thousands of laborers.
Esoteric Lore
Beast aversion sp&ps, beast commanding sp&ps, beast
magics, mana enhancing feats
Basic Skills
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, fine arts, geology,
mathematics, physics, repair, swim I, weapon
Knight
Knights compete in the tournament circuit, which starts
as soon as the spring rains end and lasts until the harvest.
The tournaments are gala affairs in which the knights
compete in jousting, archery and grand melees. Some
knights outfit themselves, but many are supported by
wealthy patrons. Knightly tournaments are the
entertainment of the wealthy.
Esoteric Lore
Anti automaton, enchantment of items, fashioning, item
affecting sp&ps, mana enhancing feats, mending
Gladiator
The most famous knights found Knightly Orders. These
are military units that dress in fancy uniforms and adorn
themselves with heraldry. Some knights go on quests and
these are called questing knights.
Gladiators fight in local games for the entertainment of
the common people. They are often cruel, bloody
spectacles, where non-humans are fed to arcane beasts as
pre-shows and men and women fight to the death at the
16
In the Empire all of the best tournaments are only open
to the Imperial Knight Appointee. Only an Imperial
Knight Appointee can found an Imperial Knightly Order
which is recognized by the Empire.
empire. The establish and manage the trade routes that
link the provinces.
Basic Skills
Feats: willpower I, willpower II
Knowledge: bandage, crime, fine arts, forgery, history,
law, navigation, rumors, weapon
Basic Skills
Feats: dodge I, parry I, will power I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, fine arts, history, law,
military, navigation, politics, repair, swim I, weapon,
wear armor I
Esoteric Lore
Enchantments of items, fashioning, mana enhancing
feats, mana sp&ps, mental magics
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (crushing), advanced weapon
skills (cutting), athletics, enchantments of combat,
military, non-lethal combat
Mortician
The mortician cares for the dead and in a world where
the dead rise spontaneously this job is extremely
important. The mortician embalms the body to ensure
the dead does not rise. They also cosmetically prepares
bodies to be displayed for funerals.
Mechanator
The mechanator specializes in the creation and control of
machines. These mechanical constructs are powered by
the arcane mechanical principles empowered by the
forces of physical order.
Imperial Morticians Appointees are commonly assigned
to blights areas were the dead need to be entombed
properly to prevent their rising and where undead need
to be laid to rest again.
Imperial Mechanator Appointees specialize in the
animation of corpses through mechanical processes.
They are primarily used a a cheap labor force, but have
been proven effective in military engagements.
Basic Skills
Feats: dodge I, negate I, parry I
Knowledge: bandage, electronics,
mathematics, mechanics, repair, weapon
Basic Skills
Knowledge: bandage, biology, chemistry, embalm, fatal
finish, forensics, history, occult, theology, weapon
geology,
Esoteric Lore
Anti-undead, body & spirit sp&ps, healing, injuring
sp&ps, mana enhancing feats
Esoteric Lore
Anti automaton, automaton assimilation magic, depletion
sp&ps, fashioning, mana enhancing feats, mending
Musketeers train with firearms. The guns of Meredia are
operated with black powder. Humans use guns
extensively, but many other races do not.
Merchant
Imperial Musketeer Appointees train the rank and file
sailors of the Empire. Veteran musketeers are some of
the most accurate marksmen in the world.
Musketeer
Merchants earn their living through trade. Some own
stores where customers purchase their wares, but other
merchants travel in caravans from town to town selling
items. As lawlessness becomes more common in the
Empire of Tyrs the life of a merchant is increasingly
risky. Merchants have to learn how to defend
themselves.
Basic Skills
Feats: critical ranged attack I, dodge I, parry I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, law, military, swim I,
weapon
Esoteric Lore
Imperial Merchant Appointees supervise trade within the
17
Esoteric Lore
Body & spirit sp&ps, spirit searing magics
Advanced weapon skills (guns), athletics, enhancements
of combat
Naturalist
Physician
Naturalists are those who seek to understand the wild
world.
Physician care for the sick using mundane medicine and
surgical practices. There are not many hospitals and
clinics in the Empire as healers generally control the
practice of medicine in the large cities. Most doctors are
country physicians practicing medicine in small towns.
They often have to travel to remote places to treat the
sick and injured.
Imperial Natralist Appointees travel the Empire and the
fringes of human civilization protecting threatened
communities and attempting to command nature when it
rampages out of control.
Basic Skills
Knowledge: animal handling, bandage, biology, climb
I, navigation, swim I, survival, weapon
Imperial Physician Appointees supervise the great
hospitals of the Empire.
Basic Skills
Feats: willpower I
Knowledge: bandage, biology, chemistry, climb I, fatal
finish, literature, medicine, resuscitate, splint, surgery,
weapon
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (chopping), beast commanding
sp&ps, beast magics, mana sp&ps
Esoteric Lore
Body & spirit sp&ps, compounds medical, healing
magics, injuring sp&ps, mana enhancing feats, mana
sp&ps
Obliterator
An obliterator has the power to send a persons soul into
the void. It is universally agreed, by humans and nonhumans alike, that the skills of obliteration and purgation
should only be learned by governmental officials. All
national governments will purgate individuals who have
those skills.
Prostitute
Prostitutes ply the oldest trade known to the realm; they
give love for money. From the poorest street-walker to
the most exclusive escort the prostitute can always find
ready work.
Imperial Obliterator Appointees work for the Imperial
Court. Their sole task is to destroy the spirits of
criminals punished by the Imperial Court. They
commonly purge malefactors of their skills. They often
travel with Barristers.
In the Empire prostitution is not against the law and
prostitute do not get arrested or prosecuted by
government officials, but the majority of the people in
the Empire find prostitution immoral and hence its listed
under the unlawful occupations.
Obliterator Appointees are the only persons allowed to
know obliteration and pergation. They can only perform
obliteration or purgations with a Writ of Authorization
from the Emperor.
The best prostitutes can earn an Imperial Prostitute
Appointment where they act as consorts to citizens and
other high governmental officials.
Basic Skills
Knowledge: astronomy, bandage, biology, climb I,
crime, history, law, literature, mathematics, medicine,
physics, occult, physics, resuscitate, splint, swim I,
theology, weapon
Basic Skills
Feats: dodge I, willpower I, willpower II
Knowledge: bindings, climb I, crime, fatal finish,
psychology, rumors, weapon
18
Esoteric Lore
Athletics, enchantments of the body, mana opposition
feats, stealth
Scrivener
Scriveners are found where ever documents need to be
copied. In some parts of the world scriveners set
printing presses, but in others all documents are copied
by hand.
Rat Catcher
Rat catchers patrol the streets and sewers of cities and
larger towns hunting the rats and other vermin that infest
the realm of Meredia. Rats of all sizes are a major
problem. They carry all sorts of disease, and some can
be as big as a man. Keeping the rat population down to
a manageable level is a constant struggle for the rat
catcher.
Imperial Scrivener Appointees write and copy imperial
documents. They specialize in scripting runes of
protection and drawing powerful glyphs.
The Imperial Rat Catcher Appointee is an expert rat
catcher who supervises the rat catching of the city.
Basic Skills
Feats: will power I
Knowledge: bandage, chemistry, climb I, fine arts,
forgery, law, literature, swim I, weapon
Basic Skills
Knowledge: animal handling, bandage, biology, climb
I, crime, fatal finish, swim I, survival, vermin handling,
weapons
Esoteric Lore
Enscrolling sp&ps, mana opposition feats, mana sp&ps,
writing
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (crushing), advanced weapon
skills (thrown), athletics, stealth
Scholars are the keepers of the knowledge in the world
of Meredia. They write and read books to preserve and
pass on the wisdom of the ages.
Sailor
Imperial Scholar Appointees are the caretakers of the
Imperial Libraries, the researchers and the writers of
history.
Scholar
Sailors serve on ships. Sea sailors are often recruited by
impressment from coastal towns. The Imperial Navy has
airships and Imperial sky sailors are chosen from the best
recruits in the Imperial Navy.
Basic Skills
Knowledge: astronomy, bandage, biology, chemistry,
enigmas, fine arts, history, literature, mathematics,
mechanics, occult, theology
Imperial Sailor Appointees are often called Marines.
They train the rank and file sailors of the Empire.
Veteran marines are some of the most powerful fighting
men and women in the world.
Esoteric Lore
Enscrolling sp&ps, immobilizing sp&ps,
opposition feats, mana sp&ps, mental magics
Basic Skills
Feats: critical melee attack I, critical ranged attack I,
dodge I, parry I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, crime, law, military,
swim I, weapon
mana
Scout
Scouts perform reconnaissance duties. They range out
from the main body of a group to gather information
about the route ahead.
Esoteric Lore
(crushing), advanced weapon skills (cutting), advanced
weapon skills (guns), advanced weapon skills (thrown),
Imperial Scout Appointee are often assigned to a military
unit or merchant caravan.
19
Basic Skills
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, military, navigation,
rumors, swim I, weapon
(chopping), advanced weapon skills (crushing), advanced
weapon skills (cutting), advanced weapon skills (guns),
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (cutting), advanced weapons
skills (throwing), athletics, beast magics enchantments of
combat, unarmed combat
Seer
Spies are paid informants. They are generally household
servants, military personnel or government
administrators, but occasionally a flamboyant figure
becomes an unlikely spy. Spies need to learn a unique
set of athletic skills, how to climb up walls to listen at
windows or to sneak across moats.
Seers specialize in divination and scrying. They are
often consulted before any important decision can be
made.
Imperial Spy Appointees conduct clandestine operations
to further the goals of the Empire.
Spy
Basic Skills
Feats: surprise strike I, willpower I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, fatal finish, forgery,
rumors, pick locks, swim I, weapon
Imperial Seer Appointees serve military or civilian
leaders as advisors.
Basic Skills
Feats: willpower I
Knowledge: astronomy, bandage, climb I, law, occult,
rumors, swim I, weapon
Esoteric Lore
Athletics, mental magics, stealth
Terrorist
Esoteric Lore
divination magic, enscrolling sp&ps, mana opposition
feats, mana sp&ps
Soldier
Terrorists use acts of violence to compel people to
acquiesce to their desires. They often have a political,
cultural or religious beliefs as their motivations.
Terrorist are becoming more popular in Meredia.
Every nation of Meridia has soldiers who serve in their
armies. The soldiers of the imperial legions are often
conscripted and placed into centuries befitting their
character and ability.
Imperial Terrorist Appointees conduct terrorist attacks
against the populations of non-human nations in an effort
to disrupt their governments.
Basic Skills
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, crime, demolitions, fatal
finish, politics, psychology, rumors, swim I, weapon
The best soldiers in the Empire become Imperial Soldier
Appointees, often called Legionnaires. They serve in the
Imperial army and train the rank and file soldiers.
Veteran legionaries are some of the most powerful
fighting men and women in the world.
Esoteric Lore
Athletics, compounds subversive, stealth, traps
Basic Skills
Feats: critical melee attack I, critical melee attack II,
dodge I, parry I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, crime, law, military,
swim I, weapon
Thug
The thug acts as a bodyguards for important persons or
leaders. They are often called on to coerce people to
their bosses pint of view. Thugs in the underworld run
protection rackets, intimidate other criminals and
generally serve as muscle.
Esoteric Lore
20
Imperial Thug Appointees serve as intimidating personal
body guards for Imperial governmental officials.
opposition feats, stealth
Troubadour
Basic Skills
Feats: critical melee attack I, deflect I, dodge I, parry I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, crime, fatal finish,
gambling, rumors, weapon
Troubadours are entertainers. They are proficient
jugglers and acrobats who are trained in songs and oral
histories of the world.
Imperial Troubadour Appointees are specialized
entertainers of the Empire.
Esoteric Lore
skills (crushing), advanced weapon skills (cutting), nonlethal combat skills, unarmed combat skills
Basic Skills
Feats: dodge I, willpower I
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, fine arts, history, politics,
psychology, swim I, weapon
Tomb Raider
Tomb raiders make their living by stealing from tombs,
graves and mausoleum. The wealthiest tombs have the
most dangerous defenses. Tomb raiders survive by
athletic grace, uncanny stealth and cunning wit.
Esoteric Lore
Mana opposition feats, song and sound magics
Robbing tombs is a very dangerous, but often lucrative
occupation. There are countless tombs located all across
the continent in inaccessible valleys, dark swamps,
forgotten moors, high mountains and even deep
underneath human cities. They are almost always
trapped and cursed their tombs with their powerful
magic.
Imperial Tomb Robber Appointees travel to far off lands
and steal the treasures from the tombs of the most
revered non-human heros. These items are eagerly
purchased by wealthy citizens.
Basic Skills
Knowledge: bandage, climb I, disarm trap, fatal finish,
history, occult, rumors, theology, swim I, weapon
Esoteric Lore
Advanced weapon skills (cutting), athletics, mana
21
Occupation Skills
People in the Empire practice various occupations. They
learn these occupations in Imperial schools or through
their parents or community. Every person in the Empire
above the age of ten has an occupation. Those without
occupations have no skills.
1, mutilation - 1, navigation - 1, occult - 1, physics - 1,
pick locks - 3, politics - 1, psychology - 1, regain feat
socially (activity cultural) - 2, region lore <location> - 1,
repair - 1, resuscitate - 2, rumors - 1, sense I - 1, sense II
- 3, sense III - 2, splint - 1, surgery - 4, survival - 1, swim
I - 1, teach I - 1, teach II - 1, theology - 1, tracking - 2,
vehicles I - 2, vehicles II - 2, vehicles III - 2, vermin
handling - 3, wealth I - 2, wealth II - 2, wealth III - 2,
weapon chopping I - 1, weapon chopping II - 1, weapon
chopping III - 1, weapon crushing I - 1, weapon crushing
II - 1, weapon crushing III - 1, weapon cutting I - 1,
weapon cutting II - 1, weapon cutting III - 1, weapon
body combat I - 2, weapon bows I - 2, weapon bow II - 2,
weapon bows III - 2, weapon bows IV - 1, weapon bows
V - 1, weapon guns I - 2, weapon guns II - 2, weapon
guns III - 2, weapon guns IV - 1, weapon guns V - 1,
weapon throw I - 1, weapon throw II - 1, weapon throw
III - 2, wear armor I - 3, wear armor II - 3, wear armor III
- 3, wear armor IV - 3, wear armor V - 3
The skills listed under the occupation represent the
“core” of the occupation that all members must know.
For example, a soldier must initially learn critical melee
attack I-II, parry I, military knowledge.
People practicing an occupation are not limited to only
these skills and once hey learn the core skills they may
learn off the general skills list.
Common Skills List
These skills are common to all people. They are nonmagical in nature. All persons may learn skills of this
list at anytime, even characters without occupations.
Esoteric Lore
Fashioning
Rank I - 3
Certain occupation prepare people to learn certain
groups of esoteric skills. Before a person may learn
from these lists they must have learned all of the basic
skills listed under their occupation.
Feats
critical melee attack I - 2, critical melee attack II - 2,
critical ranged attack I - 2, critical ranged atack II - 2,
disarm I - 2, dodge I - 2, fend I - 2, knockback I - 2,
knockback II - 2, limb chop I - 2, limb crush I - 2, limb
cut I - 2, limb pierce I - 2, limb shot I - 2, limb throw I 2, negate sp&p I - 4, parry I - 2, pursue I - 2, quick aim I
- 2, quick load I - 2, rage I - 2, strength I - 1, stun I - 2,
stun II - 2, surprise strike I - 2, surprise strike II - 2,
willpower I - 2, willpower II - 4
A break in the chain of required perquisite skills will
prevent a character from learning a skill.
Only citizens and appointees may legally learn esoteric
skills. Denizen humans may not legally learn esoteric
skills. Non-human agents and visitors, traveling in the
Empire, must declare their esoteric skills as part of their
traveling papers.
Knowledge
animal handling - 1, astronomy - 1, bandage - 1, bindings
- 1, biology - 1, chemistry - 1, climb I - 1, compound
combat - 4, compound handling - 2, coordinate - 2, crime
- 1, demolition - 2, disarm trap - 2, embalm - 1, enigmas
- 1, extrasensory perceptions - 2, fatal finish - 1, fine arts
- 1, forensics - 1, forgery - 2, gambling - 2, gaming - 2,
geology - 1, history - 1, hypnosis - 4, imaging - 1,
interrogation - 4, law - 1, literature - 1, maintenance - 4,
mathematics - 1, mechanics - 1, medicine - 2, military -
Advanced Skills (Bows)
Feats
critical ranged attack III - 2, critical ranged attack IV - 4,
distance drop I - 4, dodge II - 4, eye pierce - 6, kill pierce
- 6, limb pierce II - 4, quick aim II - 2, quick aim III - 2,
quick load II - 2, quick load III - 2, vocal pierce - 4
Advanced Skills (Chopping)
22
dome (permeable acid) - 1, dome (permeable electric) 1, enclosure (damaging acid) - 2, enclosure (damaging
electric) - 2, return - 2, summon construct (simulacrum)
- 2, visage (mechanical) - 2, wall (permeable acid) - 1,
wall (permeable electric) - 1, ward (machine) - 4
Feats
bash I - 2, critical melee attack III - 2, critical melee
attack IV - 4, deflect I - 2, disarm II - 2, eye chop - 6,
feint I - 2, fend II - 2, kill chop - 6, limb chop II - 4, parry
II - 4, strength II - 1, stun III - 2, vocal chop - 4
Spells, Prayers & Powers
avert all machines - 4, blast (acid blast) - 2, blast (electric
blast) - 2, disrupt machine - 2, enhance weapon (acid) 2, enhance weapon (electric) - 2, pacify machine - 4, pass
harm - 2, rebuke machine - 2, slow machine - 4, speaking
machine - 2, stop machine - 3
Advanced Skills (Crushing)
Feats
bash I - 2, critical melee attack III - 2, critical melee
attack IV - 4, deflect I - 2, disarm II - 2, eye crush - 6,
feint I - 2, fend II - 2, kill crush - 6, limb crush II - 4,
parry II - 4, strength II - 1, stun III - 2, vocal crush - 4
Anti Elemental Magic
Rituals & Procedures
dome (permeable earth) - 1, dome
(permeable heat) - 1, dome (permeable
water) - 1, dome (permeable wind) - 1,
enclosure (damaging earth) - 2,
enclosure (damaging heat) - 2,
enclosure (damaging water) - 2,
enclosure (damaging wind) - 2, return
- 2, visage (elemental) - 2, wall
(permeable earth) - 1, wall (permeable
heat) - 1, wall (permeable water) - 1,
wall (permeable wind) - 1, ward
(conjuration) - 3
Advanced Skills (Cutting)
Feats
bash I - 2, critical melee attack III - 2,
critical melee attack IV - 4, deflect I 2, disarm II - 2, eye cut - 6, feint I - 2,
fend II - 2, kill cut - 6, limb cut II - 4,
parry II - 4, strength II - 1, stun III - 2,
vocal cut - 4
Advanced Skills (Guns)
Feats
critical ranged attack III - 2, critical
ranged attack IV - 4, distance drop I 4, dodge II - 4, eye shot - 6, kill shot 6, limb shot II - 4, quick aim II - 2,
quick aim III - 2, quick load II - 2,
quick load III - 2, vocal shot - 4
avert all conjurations - 4, blast (earth
blast) - 2, blast (heat blast) - 2, blast
(water blast) - 2, blast (wind blast) - 2,
destroy conjuration <base> - 2,
enhance weapon (earth) - 2, enhance
weapon (heat) - 2, enhance weapon (water) - 2, enhance
weapon (wind) - 2, pacify conjuration - 4, pass harm - 2,
rebuke conjuration - 2, slow conjuration - 4, speaking
element - 2, stop conjuration - 3
Advanced Skills (Thrown)
Feats
critical ranged attack III - 2, critical ranged attack IV - 4,
distance drop I - 4, dodge II - 4, eye throw - 6, kill throw
- 6, limb throw II - 4, quick aim II - 2, quick aim III - 2,
quick load II - 2, quick load III - 2, vocal throw - 4
Anti Undead Magic
conjure haunting - 2, dome (permeable holy) - 1,
enclosure (damaging holy) - 2, return - 2, visage
(undead) - 2, wall (permeable holy) - 1, ward (undead) 4
Anti Automaton Magic
23
avert all undead - 4, blast (holy blast) - 2, destroy undead
- 2, enhance weapon (holy) - 2, pacify undead - 4, pass
harm - 2, rebuke undead - 2, slow undead - 4, speaking
corpse - 2
avert all beasts - 4, blast (earth blast) - 2, blast (heat
blast) - 2, blast (water blast) - 2, blast (wind blast) - 2,
call all beasts - 4, destroy beast <base> - 2, enhance
weapon (earth) - 2, enhance weapon (heat) - 2, enhance
weapon (water) - 2, enhance weapon (wind) - 2, pacify
beast - 4, pass harm - 2, rebuke beast - 2, slow beast - 4,
speaking beast - 2, stop beast - 3
Athletics Skills
Feats
dodge II - 4, pursue II - 4, strength II - 1, strength III - 2,
tough I - 4
Beast Commanding SP&Ps
blast (earth blast) - 2, blast (heat blast) - 2, blast (water
blast) - 2, blast (wind blast) - 2, command beast
(<amphibian, fish and reptile>) - 2, command beast
(<arachnid, insect and worm>) - 2, command beast
(<avian>) - 2, command beast (<fungi, mold and plant>)
- 4, command beast (<mammal>) - 2, enhance weapon
(earth) - 2, enhance weapon (heat) - 2, enhance weapon
(water) - 2, enhance weapon (wind) - 2, pass harm - 2,
speaking beast - 2
Knowledge
balance - 2, blindfight - 2, catch - 4, climb II - 2, escape
- 2, leap - 3, pratfalls - 3, swim II - 2
Assassination Skills
Feats
assassinate - 8, pursue II - 4, strength II - 1, stun I - 2,
stun II - 2, surprise strike III - 2, surprise strike IV - 4,
waylay I - 4, waylay II - 4
Beast Rituals
Knowledge
blindfight - 2, sleight-of-hand I - 3, sleight-of-hand II - 3
beast skin - 2, call familiar - 2, call vermin - 3, claws - 2,
conjure guide - 2, dome (permeable earth) - 1, dome
(permeable heat) - 1, dome (permeable water) - 1, dome
(permeable wind) - 1, earthworks - 4, empower beast - 1,
enclosure (damaging earth) - 2, enclosure (damaging
heat) - 2, enclosure (damaging water) - 2, enclosure
(damaging wind) - 2, enclosure (natural) - 3, heightened
senses - 2, morph avian - 3, morph mammal - 3, morph
reptile - 3, wall (permeable earth) - 1, wall (permeable
heat) - 1, wall (permeable water) - 1, wall (permeable
wind) - 1
Automaton Assimilation
assimilate automaton I - 3, assimilate automaton II - 1,
death awareness - 2, dome (permeable acid) - 1, dome
(permeable electric) - 1, enclosure (damaging acid) - 2,
enclosure (damaging electric) - 2, enclosure
(mechanical) - 3, node (raising) - 6, protection - 1, return
- 2, summon construct (simulacrum) - 2, visage
(mechanical) - 2, wall (permeable acid) - 1, wall
(permeable electric) - 1
Body & Spirit SP&Ps
assimilate corpse - 4, assimilate automaton I - 6,
assimilate automaton II - 4, assimilate automaton III - 2,
blast (acid blast) - 2, blast (electric blast) - 2, control
machine - 4, enhance weapon (acid) - 2, enhance weapon
(electric) - 2, master mechanical creation - 3, machinate
- 4, speaking machine - 2, stop undead - 3
anchor spirit - 2, blast (toxic blast) - 2, damnation - 4,
enhance weapon (toxic) - 2, injure body <base> - 4,
injure mana <base> - 2, purify food and drink - 1, sever
soul - 2
Beast Aversion SP&Ps
Compound Skills
24
- 2, talisman - 1, voices - 1
Knowledge
sleight-of-hand I - 3, sleight-of-hand II - 3
Elemental Assembly Magic
dome (permeable acid) - 1, dome (permeable cold) - 1,
dome (permeable electric) - 1, dome (permeable heat) 1, enclosure (damaging acid) - 2, enclosure (damaging
cold) - 2, enclosure (damaging electric) - 2, enclosure
(damaging heat) - 2, enclosure (gaseous) - 4, laboratory
- 2, preservation - 1, purify blood - 4, restoration - 3,
return - 2, wall (permeable acid) - 1, wall (permeable
cold) - 1, wall (permeable electric) - 1, wall (permeable
heat) - 1
assemble elemental I - 3, assemble elemental II - 1, death
awareness - 2, dome (permeable earth) - 1, dome
(permeable heat) - 1, dome (permeable water) - 1, dome
(permeable wind) - 1, enclosure (damaging earth) - 2,
enclosure (damaging heat) - 2, enclosure (damaging
water) - 2, enclosure (damaging wind) - 2, enclosure
(elemental) - 3, node (raising) - 6, protection - 1, return
- 2, visage (elemental) - 2, wall (permeable earth) - 1,
wall (permeable heat) - 1, wall (permeable water) - 1,
wall (permeable wind) - 1
Compounds Alchemical
assemble corpse - 4, assemble elemental I - 6, assemble
elemental II - 4, assemble elemental III - 2, blast (earth
blast) - 2, blast (heat blast) - 2, blast (water blast) - 2,
blast (wind blast) - 2, control conjuration - 4, enhance
weapon (earth) - 2, enhance weapon (heat) - 2, enhance
weapon (water) - 2, enhance weapon (wind) - 2, master
conjured creation - 2, speaking element - 2
Compounds
Disabler - 5, Enabler - 5, Hazard - 3
Compounds Medical
Compounds
Curative - 5, Infection - 3, Narcotic - 3
Enchantments of the Body
Compounds Subversive
alertness - 2, alter auras - 2, bestow body - 2, bestow
mana - 2, breathe water - 2, call familiar - 2, claws - 2,
conjure spiritual attendants - 2, death awareness - 2,
deform - 3, dispel - 1, electroshock - 2, firm grip - 1, glib
voice - 3, heightened senses - 2, invulnerable limb - 4,
protection - 1, regain feat ritually - 2, spatial location - 2,
summon construct (homunculus) - 2, summon spirit
strengthener (laborer) - 1
Compounds
Intoxicant - 3, Poison - 5
Depletion SP&Ps
dome (permeable withering) - 1, enclosure (damaging
withering) - 2, wall (permeable withering) - 1
blast (wither blast) - 2, death - 2, disorient - 2, enhance
weapon (wither) - 2, enfeeble - 2, exhaust - 2, fatigue - 2,
incapacitate - 3, weakness - 2, weary - 2
Enchantments of Combat
alertness - 2, armor arms - 1, armor hat - 1, armor legs 1, bridge - 2, death awareness - 2, dispel - 1, firm grip 1, invulnerable limb - 4, polishing rag - 2, regain feat
ritually - 2, reinforce shield - 2, reinforce weapon - 2,
replenish ammunition - 2, summon spirit strengthener
(recruit) - 1
Divination Magics
ascertain - 2, curse - 2, dispel - 1, dream sending - 1,
enclosure (tranquil) - 3, locate - 2, seance I - 4, seance II
25
Enchantments of Items
Injuring SP&Ps
bottomless bag - 3, bridge - 2, buoyant item - 1, dispel 1, dome (permeable electric) - 1, enclosure (damaging
electric) - 2, healing location (<types>) - 4, lock - 2,
mana storing (<types>) I - 2, mana storing (<types>) II
- 2, recover item - 2, smuggle - 2, spirit adornement
(<types>) - 1, summon spirit strengthener (laborer) - 1,
talisman (<types>) - 1, theft protection - 1, time reducer
(<types>) - 2, transmutation - 2, weight - 2, workbench
-2
blind - 2, deafen - 2, disintegrate - 5, dull senses - 2,
hemorrhage - 4, hobble <left or right> leg - 4, maim <left
or right> arm - 4, mute - 4, snuff - 2
Item Affecting SP&Ps
disable item - 2, disenchant <item> - 2, find items - 2,
form <tool> - 2, form <melee weapon> - 2, form
<shield> - 2, fragment item <base> - 4, open lock
<base> - 2, weight decrease - 2, weight increase - 4
Enscrolling SP&Ps
Knowledge
read sp&p I - 4, read sp&p II - 2, read
sp&p III - 2, read sp&p IV - 1, read
sp&p V - 1
Mana Enhancing Feats
Feats
augment sp&p I - 2, augment sp&p II - 2,
breaking sp&p I - 2, breaking sp&p II - 2,
bursting sp&p I - 4, conceal sp&p I - 2,
conceal sp&p II - 2, double sp&p I - 2,
double sp&p II - 4, impacting sp&p I - 2,
impacting sp&p II - 2, negate sp&p II - 4,
quick cast sp&p I - 2, quick cast sp&p II
- 2, recover I - 2, recover II - 2
dispel - 1, enscroll sp&p - 2
Fashioning
Fashioning
Rank II - 3, Rank III - 3, Rank IV - 3,
Rank V - 3
Mana Opposition Feats
Healing Magics
Feats
deplete I - 2, deplete II - 4, deplete III - 4,
negate sp&p II - 4, negate sp&p III - 6,
repulse sp&p I - 4, repulse sp&p II - 6
healing location (<types>) - 4, node
(healing) - 2, purify blood - 4, restoration - 3, return - 2,
spiritquest - 4, summon construct (golem) - 2
Mana SP&Ps
heal - 4, purify food and drink - 1
attenuate - 1, disorient - 2, drain mana - 2, energy - 5,
fortitude - 4, heal - 4, mass moving force - 6, mete mana
<base> - 2, pass harm - 2, purify food and drink - 1,
repelling force - 2, seal source - 1, shell - 5, squelch - 2
Immobilization SP&Ps
attach - 2, immobilize arms - 3, immobilize body - 3,
immobilize legs - 3, immobilize vocals - 3, kill - 2,
lethargy - 2, restrain <left or right> arm - 3, tangle - 3
Mending Magics
buffing - 2, preservation - 1, recover item - 2, restore
26
item - 2
afflict I - 1, afflict II - 2, afflict III - 2, afflict IV - 2,
dreamsending - 1, obliteration - 6, purgation - 6, voices
-1
mend <base> - 6
Mental Magics
Stealth Skills
dome (permeable psi) - 1, electroshock - 2, enclosure
(damaging psi) - 2, subservience I - 6, subservience II 2, subservience III - 2, telepathy - 5, wall (permeable psi)
-1
Feats
elude shadows I - 2, elude shadows II - 4, elude
woodlands I - 2, elude woodlands II - 4, pursue I - 2,
strength II - 1
aggression - 4, amnesia - 2, awaken - 2, bewilder - 2,
blast (psi blast) - 2, confuse being - 4, dazzle - 2,
dominate being - 6, emotions - 2, enhance weapon (psi)
- 2, enhance weapon (wind) - 2, fugue - 2, laughter - 2,
pacify being - 4, screaming - 2, sleep - 5, spook - 2, terror
-2
Knowledge
resist interrogation - 2, sleight-of-hand I - 3,
sleight-of-hand II - 3
astray - 4, conjure guide - 2, disguise - 4, dispel - 1,
invisibility - 4, locate - 2, node (raising) - 6, return - 2,
smuggle - 2, spatial location - 2, stealth - 3, theft
protection - 1, transpose - 3
Military Skills
Religion Skills (Holy)
Feats
hero stand - 6
ascertain - 2, conjure devout - 2, curse - 2, divine
alligience - 2, divine altar - 3, divine avatar - 4, divine
benovelence - 1, divine body - 3, divine bond - 2, divine
homage - 1, divine mana - 3, divine mark - 2, divine
prayers - 2, divine reliquary - 3, divine shrine - 2, divine
symbol - 2, divine vestment - 3, dome (permeable holy)
- 1, dreamsending - 1, enclosure (damaging holy) - 2,
enclosure (pious) - 3, enclosure (tranquil) - 4, eulogy - 1,
requiem - 4, seance I - 4, seance II - 2, summon spirit
strengthener (ecclesiastic) - 1, voices - 1, wall
(permeable holy) - 1
Knowledge
resist interrogation - 2
earthworks - 4, military alligience - 2, military armory 3, military barrack - 3, military body - 2, military code 2, military mana - 2, military memorial - 2, military
retreat - 1, military shield - 2, military standard - 2,
summon spirit strengthener (recruit) - 1
Non-Lethal Combat Skills
blast (holy blast) - 2, enhance weapon (holy) - 2
Feats
deflect I - 2, deflect II - 4, disarm II - 2, disarm III - 4,
dodge II - 4, feint I - 2, fend II - 2, fend III - 4, knockback
III - 2, knockback IV - 2, knock out II - 4, knock out II 4, parry II - 4, parry III - 4, strength II - 1, strength III - 2,
strength IV - 2, stun III - 2, stun IV - 2
Religion Skills (Profane)
ascertain - 2, conjure devout - 2, curse - 2, divine
alligience - 2, divine altar - 3, divine avatar - 4, divine
benovelence - 1, divine body - 3, divine bond - 2, divine
Spirit Searing Magic
27
homage - 1, divine mana - 3, divine mark - 2, divine
prayers - 2, divine reliquary - 3, divine shrine - 2, divine
symbol - 2, divine vestment - 3, dome (permeable
profane) - 1, dreamsending - 1, enclosure (damaging
profane) - 2, enclosure (darkness) - 3, enclosure (pious)
- 3, eulogy - 1, requiem - 4, seance I - 4, seance II - 2,
summon spirit strengthener (ecclesiastic) - 1, voices - 1,
wall (permeable profane) - 1
Feats
dodge II - 4, dodge III - 4, parry II - 4, parry III - 4,
strength II - 1, strength III - 2, strength IV - 2, tough I - 4,
tough II - 4
blast (profane blast) - 2, enhance weapon (profane) - 2
Undead Animation Magics
Knowledge
blindfight - 2, catch - 4, weapon body combat II - 2,
weapon body combat III - 2
animate undead I - 3, animate undead II - 1, conjure
haunting - 2, death awareness - 2, dome (permeable
profane) - 1, enclosure (damaging profane) - 2, enclosure
(undead) - 3, node (raising) - 6, protection - 1, return - 2,
visage (undead) - 2, wall (permeable profane) - 1
Song & Sound Magics
Ballads
absorption - 1, anchor spirit - 1, awareness - 1, body
healing - 1, bolster will - 1, corpse call - 1, heightened
senses - 1, hover - 1, injuries - 1, item fixing - 1, life - 1,
miss shots - 1, miss strikes - 1, pass harm - 1, poison
pausing - 1, resist <specific> damage - 1, restfulness - 1,
spatial location - 1, stay healthy - 1, stop bleeding - 1,
strength - 1, truth song - 1
animate corpse - 4, animate undead I - 6, animate undead
II - 4, animate undead III - 2, beckon corpses - 2, blast
(profane blast) - 2, control undead - 4, enhance weapon
(profane) - 2, enhance weapon (wither) - 2, feign death
- 2, master undead creation - 4, speaking corpse - 2
Knowledge
read ballad I - 4, read ballad III - 2, read ballad III - 2,
read ballad IV - 1, read ballad V - 1
Writing Skills
compose ballad - 4, conjure celestine - 1, dance - 2,
dirge - 1, dome (permeable sound) - 1, enclosure
(damaging sound) - 2, enscroll ballad - 2, glib voice - 3,
summon spirit strengthener (muse) - 1, voices - 1, wall
(permeable sound) - 1
Glyphs
rank I - 2, rank II - 2, rank III - 2
blast (sound blast) - 2, enhance weapon (sound) - 2
education - 2, enclosure (tranquil) - 4, engraved shield 2, engraved weapon - 2, enscroll rune, script, sigil - 2,
talisman (<types>) - 1, tracing tune, script & sigil - 4
Knowledge
read rune I - 4, read rune II - 2, read rune III - 2, read
rune IV - 1, read rune V - 1
Traps
Traps
box traps - 2, door traps - 2, hanger traps - 3, obstacle
traps - 4, pressure plate traps - 3, snare traps - 3
Runes, Scripts & Sigels
rank I - 3, rank II - 3, rank III - 3, rank IV - 3, rank V - 3
Unarmed Combat Skills
28
Non-Humans
The realm of Meredia is populated by numerous
different Beings. The Empire of the Tyrs is just one of
the many governments of the world.
ocean shelf on which the bulk of the aquarian civilization
was built. Their ancient city of cyclopean edifices and
towering monoliths collapsed into the deeper parts of the
ocean trench. The loss of life was staggering and it has
taken two thousand years for the aquarian civilization to
recover, but they have and they are eager for revenge.
Non-humans in the Empire of Tyrs must have
Identification Papers issued by the Emperor. These
papers allow them to travel around the Empire using
main roads and staying in Imperial Inns. They must have
a City Pass to enter any town or city that is issued by the
local magistrate or his agents for a fee. Non-humans
who do not have passes are subject to imprisonment,
enslavement or deportation.
Canarrin
Canarrins are dog humanoids. They are covered in fur,
the colors and patterns depend on their culture. Canarrin
faces appear more dog-like than human. Canarrins
typically organize themselves into a strict hierarchy.
Airadin
The canarrins dwell with the weetles and the rakkarins.
They invaded the Empire of Tyrs during the time of the
Republic, but have not attacked since.
Airadins appear similar to humans in physical shape, but
in place of human hair they have small feathers.
Airadins are thought to be wise, but are sometimes
described as aloof. While they may take a long time to
make friends, they have a reputation for being fiercely
loyal. Airadins have wings and can learn to fly.
Decidiun
Decidiun are plant-like humanoids with deciduous
leaves, instead of body hair. As a race, they are
generally seen as solitary and reserved, preferring to live
in the remotest wilderness areas. Their knowledge of the
natural world is often astounding.
Airadins dwell to the west of the Empire of Tyrs. They
lost a large portion of their kingdom to Emperor Tyrs
one thousand years ago when the Emperor discovered
that there were large sulfur deposits in the Airadin
mountains. The Empire established a colony in the
Airadin mountains and the colony has grown to a
prosperous Province from the manufacture of
gunpowder.
They dwelled peacefully on a beautiful tree-covered,
mist-shrouded island in the south sea. Their island home
was taken over by the klactons when they were on the
way to invade the Republic of Humanity. After Emperor
Tyres drove the Klactons off the central continent he
landed a force on the Decidiun Isle and defeated the
Klactons there. Instead of returning the isle to the
Decidiun Emperor Tyrs established the first human
colony which later grew into the first Province not on the
central continent.
Aquarian
Aquarians are a water dwelling race. They have
humanoid forms and facial features. However, their
bodies are light blue in skin tone and covered with fine
scales. Their hair is a complementary shade of green.
Decidiuns are the most common non-humans found in
the Empire. After the human colony was settled
decidiuns were taken from their homeland and used as
slaves throughout the Empire.
Their homeland is in an ocean crevice between the
central continent and the eastern continent. The
aquarians once charged tariffs to cross the eastern sea,
but after the coronation of Emperor Tyrs his first act as
Emperor was to declare war on the aquarian for their
refusal to revoke the crossing toll.
Elf
Elves look very much like normal humans, but with
pointed ears. Elven society is full of ancient heritage and
traditions. They value their past, reliving it in the form
of stories, dances, games and other social activities.
Emperor Tyrs used large casks of gunpowder with slow
burning fuses as depth charges. This attack collapsed the
29
Their customs pass from one generation to the next with
great reverence, and remain unchanged for hundreds of
years. Elves value learning and education. Though their
culture is rooted in the past, their minds are quick to
grasp new concepts.
hive. Most klacton larvae grow into a lesser form of
klacton that have specialized duties in the hive. These do
not have independent thought and perform their hive
duties instinctually as part of the hive mentality.
However, some larvae can grow into an independent
form of klacton, known as evolved klactons.
The elves hate humans as bringers of war and
perpetrators of genocide. The elves were the second most
powerful race when the Cerebrans ruled the realm. Both
races coexisted and complemented the other. When the
Cerebrans fell the orcs and the pythians both took the
opportunity to seize Elven lands. The Elven holdings
shrunk and they saw their glorious civilization toppled as
their allies were destroyed.
Evolved klactons are warm-blooded insect-appearing
humanoids with four limbs, two arms and two legs.
Their insect-like head has mandibles, antenna and two
large round eyes. A chiton shell covers their torso and
long bones and short fur often appears on their joints.
Their exact look depends on their particular hive.
Evolved klactons are intelligent and autonomous;
however, they remain emotionally tied to the hive mind,
and long periods of separation from the hive may cause
feelings of loss, guilt and homesickness. Evolved
klactons who operate away from the hive for extended
periods of time must learn to overcome these feelings.
If enough time passes, evolved klactons will become
more independent in thought and can separate
completely from the hive mind.
The elves blame the humans for the state of the world.
They accuse the humans of causing the conditions that
allow the formation of demons and spontaneous rising
undead.
Ghoul
Ghouls are true undead. They are reproduced by the
union of a male ghoul and female ghoul and born from
the female ghoul. Their life energy is a negative,
necromantic essence, but they are alive in all other ways.
Minotaur
Minotaurs have human facial features, brown skin-tones
and two sturdy horns growing from either side of their
forehead. Generally the males have larger horns than the
females. Minotaurs have sturdy physiques and make
powerful fighters. They also have a thick hide that
provides additional protection from injury.
Ghouls have no never had a homeland. They live in dark
recesses (such as sewers and catacombs) and lonely wild
places living off the scraps of civilization. All races look
down on the unliving ghoul and treat them as
abominations.
Ghouls generally travel in packs of ghouls with groups
of families traveling together. The men hunt and the
woman care for the children. They generally live
nomadic existences.
The minotaurs paid gravely for their invasion of the
Republic. Emperor Tyrs took one third of their nation
and carried the minotaurs who dwelled there into
slavery. The human province that exists on the territory
is a place of constant war. Humanities best legions are
honed to excellence on the Minotaur Isles.
On the central continent, ghouls were hunted to almost
to extinction by the Cerebrans. When Tyrs gained
control of the empire he used the Ghouls to hunt down
an destroy the last of the Cerebrans. Thus in the Empire
ghouls are tolerate.
The battle lines have stagnated. The Emperor has not
pushed further into minotaur lands, because the Senate
has been divided on their support of such an action for
many centuries. The minotaurs continue to fight against
the occupation of a portion of their traditional homeland.
Klacton
Klacton are an insect-like hive-oriented society living on
the frozen wastes of the southern continent. The hives
are ruled by fertile queens, who lay eggs to populate the
Orc
Orcs are green-skinned humanoids. They are often seen
30
as a barbaric people, quick to anger and ferocious in their
capacity for violence. But beneath these casual
observations, one can discern a rich culture filled with
stories of heroism and honor. Orcs believe that the
strong survive to lead and the weak survive to serve, if
they survive at all.
The humans invaded the western portion of the orc
kingdom and seized valuable gold mines. The humans
have held onto mines and established a Province there.
Pythian
Despite their lizard-like appearance, pythians are
warm-blooded humanoids that walk upright. Their
well-muscled bodies are covered with greenish scales
and a fin that crests their heads. Pythians have a great
respect for the elders of their people. They value
wisdom and rarely act rashly. Many pythians are deeply
religious.
Province. The borders are very clear and both sides have
experienced peace for nearly five hundred years
Satyr
Satyrs are humanoids with short, nubby horns on their
heads and furry goat-like legs.
They are seen as
light-hearted people who enjoy feasting, dancing and
have a passion for storytelling and songs.
The humans are constantly launching campaigns into
pythian territory to mine diamonds and other precious
stones. There is talk amongst the Senate that the
Emperor may send a large expeditionary force to
establish a series of colonies along the coast, but rumors
such as these have circulated for centuries.
Satyrs never want to fight. They have nothing valuable
in their lands, but certain humans capture satyrs and
force them into slavery as entertainers or lovers.
Rakarrin
Weetle
Rakarrins are cat humanoids, whose bodies are covered
in fur with colors and patterns reflecting their pride.
Rakarrins typically live a nomadic life style and tend to
be excellent hunters. They value family and social
status, and are well known for their grace and athletic
ability.
Weetles are nimble and dexterous humanoids, with shiny
black noses and whiskers on an otherwise
human-looking face. Extending from their lumbar region
is a long vestigial tail. Weetles are inquisitive collectors
of items of intellectual interest such as books, maps,
writing and tools. Weetles are also well known for their
fondness for shiny items, which is more of an instinctual
attraction than a real desire for wealth.
Rather than fight the Rakarrins allowed a few colonies
along the coast. These colonies grew into an Imperial
31
Supernatural Beings
Supernaturals are people (humans and non-humans) who
have gained additional abilities and skills because of a
permanent physical change to their true form.
human sacrifice, especially the sacrifice of innocent
infants, children and virgins, is prevalent in many cults.
Cannibalism is sometimes found, as well as sexual
deviance.
All beings have a certain set of abilities that they can
perform which are innate to their physical form. For
example, humans can breath air, walk on two legs,
manipulate their environment with their hands. These
are the abilities of a “normal” human. When people
somehow go beyond what they can normally do they are
called “supernatural.” For example, if a human gains the
ability to fly he is called supernatural. Supernaturals in
the world of Meredia include cultists or pagans who have
learned abilities and people who have changed into
vampyres and wyre-beasts.
Cult members have no limit to the number of abilities
that their dark practices can offer them. For each ability
they gain, they will gain one immoral practice or
physical deformity. Cult members who pursue power
through abilities degenerate into crippled, insane
persons.
Imperial Appointees often search for cultists by testing
for abilities by such methods as “swimming the suspect”
or “branding the suspect.”
Research by Imperial scholars have determined that
supernaturals have additional abilities because of subtle
changes to their physical form. These changes can occur
through various processes, including a necromantic
changes, religious worship and biological mutations.
These changes are generally permanent, but in some
cases they have been removed.
Abilities (Choose at least one positive ability and one
counter balancing need or deformity): Bound, danger
sense, deformity (visible physical deformity (must have
one for each ability purchased)), imbue (profane),
increase body I, increase mana I, invulnerability (one
type), need (inhuman practice (must have one for each
ability purchased)), respiration II (water), stealth.
Most supernatural beings are hunted in the Empire.
Supernaturals that can prove they bear no animosity to
the Empire are allowed to exist, but they must register
themselves in the Empire in a fashion similar to nonhumans. They are not allowed to be Imperial
Appointees, nor can they become citizens. Registers
supernaturals may learn estoteric skills, provided the
skills they know are listed on their traveling paper.
Pagan
Pagans follow the ancient religions that were closely
connected to the prehistorical times. Though the
practices are primitive in nature, many pagans in the
Empire today secretly practice in civilized areas.
Pagan religions can become invulnerable to a certain
types of damage or gain one level of increase body, mana
or rests for as long as they actively practice their pagan
faith and retain their pagan marks.
All supernaturals must possess the negative abilities
listed under their descriptions.
However, the
supernaturals must develop the listed positive abilities
like normal people learn skills. The negative abilities are
listed in italics and must be taken.
Celestial Spire
Ability: Invulnerability (profane), deformity (at least 5
five inch or larger spiral tattoos over torso and limbs)
Cultist
Disciples of the Dead One
Ability: Invulnerability (enervation), deformity (phases
of the Dead One tattooed on forehead)
Cultists serve dark powers and demons. Cultists can
gain abilities from their inhuman practices, such as
32
Classicifaction: undead
Abilities (Additional): debility (sunlight), feeding,
increase body I-II, increase mana I-II, need (blood),
unaging, vulnerability (holy).
Sect of the Suns
Ability: Invulnerability (fire), deformity (burns on body,
face and hands)
Vampyre
Wyre-Beast
Vampyres are undead supernatural beings that consume
the blood of the living. They have pointed canine teeth
and dress in the clothing style popular during their life.
Wyre-beasts have gained the ability to shift into the form
of certain beasts by worshiping a totem beast. They are
closely connected to nature and generally do not live
happily in civilized areas. Some wyre-beasts can shift to
multiple forms.
Vampyres are outlawed throughout most of the Empire
and hunted by specialized Necrologists. While there is
no Imperial Decree demanding their destruction, most
provinces have passed laws requiring the destruction of
Vampyres. The few who do not prohibit Vampyrism
require registration. Most Vampyres who register end up
destroyed.
The nature of a wyre-beast is a blending of intelligent
being and instinctual beast. Both become one mind
sharing a singular connection and bleeding into each
other. The freedom of running wild and the power of the
hunt, competes with the capacity to appreciate reason, art
and philosophy.
Much has been written about the Vampyres of Meredia.
Our history is replete with tales of terror regarding their
unquenchable thirst for blood and their mad rampages
through the countryside. It is because of these tales that
so many of the Provinces have outlawed Vampyrism.
Wyre-beasts always carry the pelt of the beast which
they use to effectuate their transformation.
Whole tribes of wyre-beasts once populated the wild
lands of Meredia, but they resisted the civilization of the
Empire of Tyrs and became enemies. In the early years
of the Empire there were terrible battles, but the legions
of the Empire could not be beaten. With their power
broken wyre-beasts were hunted in the Empire for sport.
Now there are only a few wyre-beasts left and they
wander the wild lands of the Empire a broken people.
This is a great tragedy, because of all the necromantic
creatures, vampyres tend to retain most of their
humanity. There is a deeply romantic side to the
Vampyre. They dwell on the fringes of living society
experiencing a desire for life, called the Yearning. Most
vampyres hate what they have become and yearn to live
again. A Vampyres feelings are heightened as well as
his physical prowess.
Being a wyre-beast is no longer a death sentence. The
practice of Animal Worship is still looker on with
disdain but the wars were long ago and wyre-beasts are
no longer held to be a threat. The Emperor repealed
laws demanding their immediate obliteration and allows
wyre-beasts to register themselves in the Empire in a
fashion similar to non-humans. Many citizens explore
the worship of animal totems.
Vampyres are subconsciously rooted to their past and
revere the age in which they lived. They cling to the
memories of their life by retaining their dress, behaviors,
mannerisms and beliefs. Many try to hold onto morality
and struggle against their dark, necromantic nature.
A vampyre only becomes a danger when their yearning
for life is replaced by an emptiness of the heart. In this
condition the vampyre becomes disconnected from the
memories of his life and experiences perdition. Perdition
is the opposite state of the Yearning where vampyres
have no regard for life. Vampyres in Perdition become
the vicious killers well known in the folklore of the
Empire.
Classification: Beast
Abilities (Additional): increase body I, skin I-II(<totem
beast>).
33
Life in the Empire
Life in the main provinces of the Empire is fairly stable.
Life in the outer provinces is difficult and sometimes
lawless. Life in the colonies is hard and fraught with
danger.
The truth is that the Empire needs both to survive. The
Senate maintains society, but the Emperor protects the
people. Both sides know that an interruption of the
status quo would mean destruction for humanity. Both
Governing the Empire
The Empire is composed of the Imperial City, the
original Provinces, a number of additional Provinces
added in the years after the Empire was founded and an
ever changing number of colonies as the Empire works
to expand its reach. Many colonies are destroyed by the
enemies of Humanity, but some fail for economic or
social reasons.
Imperial Government
The Empire is ruled by the Eternal Emperor and an
elected body called the Senate who meet in the great
Imperial City located near the center of the continent.
The Eternal Emperor has ruled the empire for over two
thousand years. Most of the day-to-day governance is
managed by the Pretorian Command. A group of nine
high military leaders control the armies and the navies of
the Empire.
The Senate is an elected body of distinguished confirmed
citizens. Each province sends three to nine Senators to
the Senate. Each colony sends one to three Senators. It
is customary for colonial Senators to vote on issues by
proxy or absentee ballot.
sides maneuver against each other, but neither can gain
the upper hand because there are enough people to
realize the truth.
The relationship between the Emperor and the Senate is
tenuous at best. The Emperor controls the Imperial
Military. The Senate controls the government and its
infrastructure. They are responsible for taxes, funding,
road building, entertainment, construction and so forth.
Provincial Governments
Each Province is ruled by an Imperial Governor who is
supported by the council of esteemed citizens called a
Provincial Council. Members of the Provincial Council,
known as Provincial Councilors, are elected by residents
of the Province and serve for three year terms.
The Senate and Emperor have been at odds many times.
There have been cases where the Senators have
conspired to overthrow the Emperor and there have been
times when the Emperor has openly slaughtered Senators
who were suspected of conspiring to undermine his
authority, but the Emperor never destroys the Senate.
Provincial Councilors may only be selected from
confirmed citizens. The Provincial Council is presided
over by the Senators of the Province.
Senators represent the Provincial Council in the Imperial
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Senate. Senators must be confirmed citizens and are
elected for three year terms by the residents of the
Province. Each province has three to nine Senators
depending on the population of the Province. The
Senators select from their numbers the Council
Chairperson for that meeting.
Colonial Councilors (unlike Provincial Councilors) do
not have to be confirmed citizens, but they must be at
least Imperial Appointees. Denizens are not allowed to
serve as Councilors, nor are non-humans.
A colony has one to three Senators who govern the
Colonial Council. Senators must be confirmed citizens
and are elected by the residents of the Colony. They
have a one-year term.
Colonial Governments
Imperial Colonies are found all around the world of
Meredia. They are usually located on the coastlines and
serve as a foothold for future expansion into non-human
territory. A Imperial Colony is composed of at least one
major cities and many smaller cities and towns. There is
always a strong military presence in the colonies.
Colonial Senators also represent the colony in the
Imperial Senate, but because of the distance most
Colonial Senators vote by proxy or absentee ballot.
Elections of Senators and Councilors are by popular vote
of all residents in the colony as determined by the yearly
census. All ballots must contain the name of individual
and their vote. The votes are counted by a designee of
the Governor.
Each colony operates under guidelines stated in an
Imperial Charter issued by the Emperor and ratified by
the Senate. Most colonies start as a small town in a wild
area of the world that is not
on the central continent.
Town Governments
The colony is administered
by a Governor who is
supported by a council of
esteemed persons called
Colonial Council.
There are many towns in
the empire and every town
must have the following
positions filled: Mayor
(runs the town), Magistrate
(tries legal cases),
Pr o s e c u t o r ( p r e s e n t s
evidence against criminals),
Sheriff (hunts down
criminals), Executioner
(carries out sentences of the
colonial court) Recorder
(publishes newspaper for
colony) and Tavern Keep
(supplies the food),
Torturer (finds out the
truth). Every town must
have its own volunteer
militia led by a Warlord.
The government of a colony
is very similar to that of a
Province.
The Imperial
Governor is appointed by
the Senate and serves a one
year term. The governor
must be a confirmed citizen.
Every Colony has a Colonial
Council that supports the
Governor and provides
representation in the
Imperial Senate.
The Colonial Council is
composed of a specified number of elected persons,
generally twelve. Its members are called Colonial
Councilors and they are elected by residents of the
colony each November and serve for one calendar year
unless they are removed.
Every town has a Town
Council composed of local Citizens and Appointees.
The Town Council supervises the general elections for
town officials.
Citizens of the Empire are encouraged to found their
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own colonial towns. A colonial towns is organized in
the wild un-colonized areas of the realm of Meredia.
Many colonial towns are located on islands or continents
controlled by non-humans. Many do not survive for
more than a few seasons.
Law and the Empire
Law in the Empire is a complicated system of conflicting
and competing laws, codes and practices. In general
there are two kinds of law affecting persons: Imperial
Law and Local Laws. The latter tends to cause the
complication to the system.
Founding a colonial town requires a citizen to apply to
the Empire for a charter on a suitable location. If
approved the Empire will grant the charter and divert
Imperial Resources (military and otherwise) to protecting
the town and its residents.
Imperial Law
The Empire like any other government that exists for a
period of time has amassed a large amount of law. Laws
are found in the Edicts of the Empire, statutes passed by
the Senate and in the precedent established by preceding
decisions of Imperial Judges.
Colonial towns can grow into full Imperial Colonies if
they become large enough.
Edicts of the Emperor
On the day that Tyrs became Emperor he issued a long
list of edicts that he would enforce through his Imperial
Appointees and the Court. These are four of the many
Imperial Edicts.
Camp Governments
Imperial camps are the loosest form of government.
They are nothing more than wild boom towns that grow
in areas of economic or technological interest. Camps
form quickly on the discovery of ancient ruins, mineral
deposits, precious metals, and so forth. Anything that
can create instant wealth, fame or power draws people
from around the world to these camps.
From Henceforth all persons will have to earn their
Citizenship through Appoints in the Empire. Wealth and
family name will no longer guarantee citizenship. All
must earn the right to govern by humble service to the
greater good.
Camp governments are not well organized governments;
they are a product of the wild lawless lands where they
form. Groups of Imperials will seek to establish
alliances that will allow the accomplishment of their
mission. Survival and success almost always depends on
a person’s ability to politic.
From henceforth only Citizens of the Empire and those
Appointees seeking to become Citizens shall be
permitted to learn magic. All persons who pursue magic
shall be called Malefactors. Malefaction will be
punished with Purgation.
Many times the remote nature of these camps also draws
large contingent of non-humans who are also interested
in recovering the resources for their own nation. It is not
uncommon for these boom-town camps to degenerate
into wholesale mayhem and death.
The Republic’s policy against Necromantic, Enervation
and Unholy magic is henceforth modified to allow the
use of these negative energies by the Imperial Military in
the defense of the Empire.
Cultists and revolutionaries are also drawn to these
camps where they blend in with honest folk in an attempt
to undermine the fabric of camp society.
From henceforth it shall be unlawful for non-citizens to
practice the following immoral cults, demon worship,
Vampyrism, shape shifting and all similar supernatural
ascensions without registration with the Empire. It is
unlawful for Citizens and Appointees to become
supernatural beings, and discovery will result in
Purgation or Obliteration.
Law may eventually come to the Imperial Camp. Many
times Imperial Camps will grow into Colonial towns and
then into established Colonies, but this process takes
many years and more often then the boom bursts and
everyone moves on to the next discovery.
From Henceforth all non-citizens of the Empire shall pay
a tax as determined by the local council governing the
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area. This tax shall be collected by that council and
used for the betterment of the community. Citizens shall
not be taxed. Appointees may be taxed at the discretion
of the council.
criminals.
Justicons derive their power directly from the Emperor
and the Senate. Their commands on legal matters
supercede all authority possessed by governors,
democratic councils, consuls and military leaders. Only
they have the power to convey complete authority over
a territory and this power can only be canceled by direct
action of the Emperor or the Imperial Senate.
General Laws
Imperial Laws prohibits violent crimes (murder, robbery
and assault), non-violent theft (burglary and fraudulent
or deceptive practices) and inchoate crimes (conspiracy
or attempted crimes). Imperial law also out laws bribery
of government officials.
Imperial Courts are not generally corrupt. Judges and
Justicons cannot normally be bribed or blackmailed.
They are for the most part honest and well-intentioned;
however, they zealously prosecute the laws of the
Empire and not lenient in their sentencing.
The Empire outlaws the learning, teaching and use of
magic by all human denizens within its boundaries. This
crime is called Malefaction, the offenders are called
Malefactors and it is punishable by purgation or
obliteration.
Most people prefer to bring their cases to local courts
and deal with the corruption rather than risk examination
by an Imperial torturer.
Sedition or treasonous acts against the Empire is
punishable by purgation or obliteration.
A Barrister is allowed to use all of his skills to the
advantage of his client.
The practice of necromancy or the creation and control
of undead by anyone other than an Animator serving in
the military is punishable by purgation or obliteration .
Local Laws
The provinces have very structured legal systems
modeled after the Imperial Code and all Potential Towns
follow the Imperial Laws. However, Imperial law is
much more pliable in Colonial town. In Imperial Camps
the law is almost non-existent.
All non-humans must carry with them an Imperial
Decree allowing them within the Empire. These decrees
can be obtained in the capital city or from military
governors on the frontiers. The decree states their reason
for visiting the Empire and the duration of their stay. All
non-humans may have and use arcane lore, but al of their
skills must be stated and they may not teach non-citizens
of the Empire.
All Imperial Laws are valid throughout the Empire and
must be enforced by all local authorities. Imperial Laws
prohibiting criminal activity (murder, theft, bribery),
malefaction, sedition, necromancy and non-human
registration are universal. Magistrates who fail to
enforce these laws can be censored by the Empire.
Enforcement
The Empire establishes an Imperial Courthouse in every
Province and Colony of the Empire. More remote areas
are serviced by traveling judges called Justicons. They
are always senior barristers with years of judicial
experience. They are always accompanied by one or
more obliterators.
Many towns have locale laws. These laws are permitted
so long as they do not conflict with the Imperial Code.
Local laws and punishments vary greatly are rarely
published in proper form. They are sometimes word of
mouth and sometimes even change according to the
magistrate that interprets them. They are often
extremely corrupt.
Justicons travel with their entire court, including a host
of bailiffs, torturers, goalers, informants, executioners,
clerks and so forth. Justicons are never happy about
being summoned to a far off area to decide some piece of
obscure legal doctrine or to pass sentence on petty
Enforcement
All towns have a magistrate, prosecutor, sheriff, torturer
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and executioner. These positions may be held by any
resident of the town. A magistrate and prosecutor do not
have to be barristers, but they must have studied law.
and draw dark energies to them.
The Dead One exudes a negative energy that can be
easily harnessed to facilitate evil. Her power waxes and
wanes, but when she is at her full the world suffers the
most; undead spontaneously rise from their graves,
arcane beasts become more viscous and can rampage
even in civilized areas, the power of hauntings increase
and demons spawn from the immoral thoughts and
actions more easily. Cultists always hold their dark rites
when Malidia is fully facing the realm.
Local laws may not prohibit an accused from hiring a
barrister to help in his defense. During a trial a Barrister
is allowed to use all of his skills to the advantage of his
client.
Religion in the Empire
Most religions in the Empire are based on a set of
common beliefs, descended from the religious beliefs of
the Humans who had fought the Cerebran in ancient
times. Over the last 2000 years, these beliefs have given
rise to a number of interpretations. In the past 100 years
many new religions have developed. Its almost as if the
population of the Empire is seeking something they
cannot find in the physical world.
Malidia’s energy is not evil, she cannot help her nature.
Some say she is responsible for having corrupted the
world, but this is not true. Malidia only provides the
energy to bring evil into being, it is the immoral actions
and thoughts of people in the world who give form to the
things that result. If all people were good, Malidia’s
energies would wash harmlessly over the world.
Legal Religions: All religions contributing to the
stability of the Empire are allowed. Those who lead
each religion are called Reverends. Under Imperial Law
no religion can be practiced unless it is registered with
the Empire. Once registered the faith is entitled to land
grants for temple complexes and other benefits once it
has a sufficient number of followers.
The duty of laying these Evils to rest falls to the Imperial
Appointee.
The Unaging Emperor
The Emperor appeared among Humans as a sign from
the heavens that they are blessed and saved. The
blessing they received, has given humanity the mighty
Empire and the right to rule the realm. This right carries
a weighty responsibility to the world. They must unite all
the peoples of the world under one banner to oppose and
destroy forever the horrors of the Dead One.
General Beliefs
Whether they practice a religion or not most people of
the Empire believe the following to be a true description
of their world.
Imperial Faiths
Creation Story
The Father and Mother are responsible for the creation
of life. The realm of Meredia and the realm of Malidia
were born from her womb. Meredia was full of life, but
Malidia was born dead. Her lifeless body hangs in the
night sky above Meredia. Rain is the mother’s weeping;
she mourns the death of her child in eternal anguish.
There are seven major religions among the people of the
Empire. Each has ideas about the major issues of
Imperial government and each is favored by a different
element of Imperial society.
Despite the Emperor's statements condemning the
practice, the different religions have become rallying
points for various political factions that contend for
power within the Empire. Their political differences
have become entwined with their doctrinal differences
resulting in a deepening rift between factions.
Malidia’s birth name is never spoken, instead she is
referred to in whispers as the “The Dead One.” People
may whisper, “When the Dead One rises we had best be
indoors” or “The Dead One will be full tonight is the
militia ready to stand guard.” It is said in the Empire
that only Malfactors and madmen will invoke the birth
name of Malidia, because doing so cane hex the person
Worshiping traditional Imperial faiths will not grant
abilities.
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Bearers of Light and Love
The Lightbringers, as they call themselves, preach that
the Mother and Father provide day to end the night.
They give illumination to remove ignorance and love to
end heartache.
the Father and Mother.
Harvestors of the Imperium
The Harvestors are an agriculturally based religion.
They preach that all life on Meredia is born from the
elements and must be nourished and cared for or it will
grow wild.
The Lightbringers believe their purpose is to cleanse Evil
and bring love and learning. The Lightbringers will not
hesitate to arrive with their burning torches and condemn
someone for immorality or Malefaction.
Harvestors are concerned with morality and right, but are
not overly fond of laws or intrusive governmental
policies. As a general rule they prize self-reliance and
individual freedom.
The followers of this faith range from simple people to
highly educated persons. All are trained in the use of
weapons and military tactics.
Typical followers are elementalists, farmers, herders and
others who labor to produce food, clothing and products
derived from plants or animals. They often use slaves to
harvests their corps or produce their wares.
Emperor: The divine defender of morality and right.
Senate: The wealthy that are often corrupted by power.
Slavery: An acceptable means of punishment for those
doing Evil.
Non-humans: They must be converted to the Light or
burned in the Pyres of Absolution.
Undead: The creation of undead is wrong.
Demons: A symbol of moral decline within the world
that must be rectified.
Emperor: The divine guardian and defender of
humanity.
Senate: The voice of the people to be heeded by the
Emperor.
Slavery: An acceptable necessity for the survival of the
Empire.
Non-humans: Their lands could provide valuable
resources to the Empire.
Undead: Terrible, but no threat to the prepared.
Demons: Horrors spawned by vice and depravity.
Conventional Ways of the Orthodox
Followers of the Conventional Ways, called Orthodox,
see human society as intimately connected to traditional
values and morals.
Industrialists of the Imperium
The Industrialists believe in industry. Massive foundries
and factories belching black smoke and consuming vast
amounts of natural resources produce machines to serve
the empire.
Members of this faith see the Empire as one large family.
They believe the Mother and Father created humanity to
guide the world in a positive direction.
This faith is typically followed by lower and middle
class working people of the Empire. They are generally
conservative persons who have high morals and place
great importance on the family unit.
They predict in time in the future when filament globes
will end all darkness and that brass, man-like,
mechanical clock-work machines will free people from
all work.
Emperor: A father figure who protects the Empire.
Senate: The senate mothers the Empire.
Slavery: A way to punish crime and the enemies of
humanity.
Non-humans: They could become part of the family.
Undead: A divine judgment on those who ignore
tradition.
Demons: The embodiment of people's lack of faith in
Typical followers include forgers and mechantors.
Emperor: The architect of industry
Senate: Benefactors of the machine.
Slavery: A very cheap factory worker.
Non-humans: Backward superstitious, but technology
will show them the benefits of the Empire.
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Undead: Wayward magic to be ceased.
Demons: Horrors spawned by a world overly reliant on
magic.
Slavery: A sad condition, but one from which we can
gain spiritual strength.
Non-humans: Vast populations of potential converts.
Undead: A result of violence in the world.
Demons: Corruptions of the soul and enemies to peace.
Masters of Meredia
The Masters preach a militaristic world domination.
They believe in manifest destiny and that humanity will
eventually dominate the entire realm.
Suns of the Coin
Since gold is the metal of the Father and the Mother,
those who collect the most of it could be considered the
most divine.
The Masters base their claims in on ancient grievances
when the Cerebran and their Elven allies kept humanity
in chains. They argue that when humanity broke those
chains humans became a force of righteousness in the
world.
The Suns of the Coin have long tried to establish trade
agreements with non-humans. It is rumored that the
Brotherhood of Pirates will not attack ships owned by
the Suns of the Coin.
The typical followers of this faith are high-ranking
military leaders and government officials.
Typical followers of this faith are wealthy merchants,
powerful Citizens and members of the upper class.
Emperor: The salvation of the world, whose word must
be obeyed.
Senate: The Emperor's best servants, who have a duty to
make his plans happen.
Slavery: A way to make violent non-humans suitable
servants of the Emperor.
Non-humans: Fit to obey the Emperor, until they prove
themselves otherwise.
Undead: Undead should be used exclusively by the
Imperial Military.
Demons: Their energy should be exploited when
possible.
Emperor: He should keep the trade routes safer.
Senate: They should pass more laws favoring trade.
Slavery: Their use lowers the cost to produce goods.
Non-humans: Potential costumers.
Undead: Causes interruptions to trade and commerce.
Demons: Distract people from spending money.
Peaceful Heart of Humanity
The Peacemakers favor peaceful solutions rather than
advocating the use of violence. They preach that
individuals should be given the afforded to opportunity
to accept peace.
Peacemakers try to establish missionaries in non-human
lands. They often end up murdered or as hostages
needing rescue by Imperial Servants.
Typical followers of the Peaceful Heart are generally
highly educated persons especially Civilian Appointees.
Non-Traditional Faiths
Into this grouping falls the countless religions that do not
have large congregations through the Empire or that have
been created in the past hundred years. Many of these
faiths are practiced locally and have only a few
followers.
Emperor: Forced to do terrible things to save his
people.
Senate: Overly concerned with simple material matters.
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Cannibal Cults
Members of cannibal cults eat the flesh of other human
and non-human beings. They often believe that
consuming the flesh will give them the power of the
person they are eating.
Some non-traditional faiths have become very popular in
the Empire. They are created by Apostles who use their
divine energies to bestow blessing on their followers.
Worshiping non-traditional faiths will not grant abilities.
There are far too many non-traditional faiths to list.
Cannibal cults are very social and have a secluded
gathering place that is usually a dark cave, remote ruins
or even a basement. They decorate their gathering place
with the bones of their victims.
Cults
There is a fine line between legitimate religion and a
cult. Generally, the religious leaders of a legitimate
faith empower their followers to better themselves, while
cults tend to empower only the religious leaders and
often at the expense of the cult followers. Legitimate
religions support the moral underpinnings of their
society, while cults encourage immoral or anti-social
activity.
Members of the Cannibal Cults gain their abilities from
eating flesh. The needs to subsist on a continued diet of
flesh from human or non-human beings. They cannot
maintain their powers. Cult members with multiple
abilities must eat from multiple victims each day.
Death Cults
Members of death cults relish in killing their victims.
The slower the death the better. They often use
suffocation to kill their victims. The like to cause
extraordinary amounts of pain to their victims before
they grant the release of death.
Cults in the Empire practice heinous immoral rites which
gain them certain abilities. Human sacrifice, especially
the sacrifice of innocent infants, children and virgins, is
prevalent in many cults. Cannibalism is sometimes
found, as well as sexual deviance.
Members of death cults need to kill specific beasts or
beings everyday . If they do not satisfy their need for
this senseless killing they will not be able to use their
abilities. Cult members with multiple abilities must kill
multiple victims each day.
Mass suicides are common ways to turn cult leaders into
Avatars. The cult leaders convince their follows of
some impending doom and use their belief to become
immortal deities while their congregations goes into the
Void.
Demon Cults
These are by far the most common cults. Demons form
from immoral thoughts and grant their followers all
kinds abilities provided they act in the service of the
Demon. Demon Cults require the cultist to have a
permanent visible deformity or immoral need that must
be fulfilled every day or they may not use their abilities.
The worship of cults is illegal in the Empire, but
sometimes cults masquerade as legitimate religious
hiding their decadence from view. It’s often hard to
distinguish between the two, but since cultist gain
abilities form their heinous practices Imperial
Appointees often search for cultists by testing for
abilities.
Doom Cults
The cults preach that the end of the world or some other
great catastrophe is coming. Their cult practice
generally revolves around preparation for this event.
For example, many cultists gain the ability to breath
water. Appointees will “swim a cultist” by holding
them underwater until they die. If the accused breathes
water then they are proven to be a cultist. Similarly,
invulnerability to fire is a common cult ability so
appointees often burn suspected cultists to see if they are
injured.
Some doom cults are mere shams where the cult leader
is trying to trick his followers into committing mass
suicide to steal their life energy so he may ascend to
become an avatar.
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Animal Worship
Crow: Prophet of death, guide to spirits and the seer of
one’s fate, the crow is a dark and foreboding bird.
Pagan humans once worshiped beasts drawing from them
certain attributes and skills they needed to survive in the
world. These primitive people danced around bonfires
to the beat of ceremonial drums, drank the blood of
beasts and wore on their bodies the pelt of the totem
beasts. A some point during this heathen ceremony the
spirit of the totem animal would enter their bodies and
the pagan would gain the ability to wear the skin of that
beast.
Eagle: Proud, majestic, with sharp eyes, the Eagle
embodies decisive leadership.
Hound: Loyal and protective of loved ones, the hound
guards and defends.
Hyena: Ever the part of the team, the Hyaena lives
closely with his pack mates teaching cohesion and unity.
The traditional pagan mythology of shape-shifting beings
tells that eighteen totem beasts came to the people of
Meredia and offered to merge spirits. Shape-shifters of
various races do tend to share a common ground, but this
is often not enough to make peace.
Monkey: Graceful, nimble and quick, the monkey is an
agile provider.
Lion: A natural, charismatic and courageous leader, the
lion inspires action.
Bosks
The beasts were worshiped in magical groves located
within a forest or other wooded area, called a bosk. The
trees of ancient bosks had faces on them and contained
spirits that could speak to the shamans who lead the
ceremonies.
Owl: Adviser to the leaders, mediator between the
beasts and ambassador to all outside the forest, the owl
is the voice of nature.
Panther: The silent, stealthy, remorseless killer, the
panther is secret death hidden in the shadows
Every bock contains a totem pole that represents all the
wyre-beasts in the local area. When all fifteen beasts are
represented in the bosk their circle of the bosk is said to
be complete. All aspects of survival will be offered.
Rat: Plague bearer, spy, thief, the rat is adept at many
things, but master of none.
Raven: At home in the tempest, a bird of battle and
death, the raven is will fight on long after the cause is
lost.
Beasts of the Bosk
The following eighteen beasts have offered their totem
spirits to beings who seek to become wyre-beasts.
Tiger: Strong bones, powerful muscles and sharp teeth
and claws, make the tiger an opponent to be feared.
Bat: The nocturnal scout, hearing rather than seeing, the
bat is a guide through the darkest times.
Vulture: A scavenger, a survivor against all odds, the
vulture has no shame.
Bear: Honorable, proud and capable to inspire, the bear
is known for his thoughtful guidance.
Wolf: Stealthy, cunning, with a sharp mind, the wolf is
a pack hunter who respects those above his station, but
always seeks to rise to the top.
Boar: Powerful in short bursts, the boar is known for his
unbridled ferocity.
Pagan Faiths
Cheetah: Fastest of the animals, the cheetah knows
when to run, but also when to fight.
Into this grouping falls the old faiths practiced by
humans in times before they were enslaved by the
Cerebrans.
Some of these faiths were how the
Cerebrans justified their enslavement of Humanity.
Coyote: The cunning trickster who always finds a way,
the coyote is the ultimate scavenger.
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Sadly, all of these faiths are still practiced in secret
places throughout the Empire. Most people think they
are regulated to the wild lands, but Imperial Servants
know they are alive and well in civilized areas. There is
a great power in these pagan religions and each can grant
abilities to the worshiper.
Dead One, a circular black disk, in placed in the center
and two waxing and waning faces proceed to either side.
They worship in a large stone circle that is oriented to
the seasonal movements of the Dead One. The
Disciples’ holiest days are when the Dead One fully
faces the realm. During their ceremonies they often wear
white robes with silver trim and use as silver disk as their
symbol.
Celestial Spiral Sect
The Celestial Spiral Sect worships the movement of
mana energy through the world. They were extremely
skilled astronomers and knew about cosmology and
portal use.
Sect of the Suns
Members of the Sun Sect worship the two the suns at the
center of the solar system. They were highly skilled
astronomers and understood galaxy. They see the suns
as life-giving balls of fire.
They teach that all beings and all realms are
interconnected though the force of magic. Long time
practitioners of the Celestial Spire gain the ability to
increase the mana held in their body.
The revere fire above all and practice ritual sacrifice by
burning as well as self mutilation of their flesh of their
body, face and hands by branding. Long time worshipers
of the sun gain the ability to avoid harm from fire.
Members of the Sect mark their entire bodies with
spiraling tattoos. Massive towering monoliths of stone
with a large spiral chiseled into the stone mark locations
of ancient power.
They worship in a large stone circle that is oriented to
the seasonal movements of the Suns. Their holiest days
are when the suns shine the longest on Meredia and
when the two suns can be seen as separate entities.
During their ceremonies they often wear yellow robes
with golden fringe and use two golden disks attached as
one as their symbol.
Disciples of the Dead One
The disciples are said to control the power of Maladia
the dead twin of the world. They are able to channel its
negative energies into positive use for the world.
The Disciples had a complicated religion using
necromancy and enervation magic for beneficial uses.
This ran afoul of the Republic’s civilized beliefs against
the use of necromancy for any reason and the Disciples
were destroyed. Much of their faith was lost.
Imperial Military
The Imperial Military is organized into legions. Legions
are lead by Legion Commanders who are appointed by
local governors or the Emperor. Each Province
maintains a number of legions for its defense. The
Emperor has ten Legions directly under his control
stationed in the Imperial City.
Old legends claim the care taking ways of the Disciples
kept the dark power of the Dead One from overwhelming
the world. When their faith was destroyed the negative
energies of the Dead One slowly perverted the world.
Each legion is composed of ten centuries and each
century has up to 100 mundane soldiers and a group of
Arcanes who provide leadership and support.
A
centurion is in over command, while legionaries lead
units within the century. In addition to the centurion and
legionnaires the century has various other military
appointees to performing healing, scouting, religious
services, repairs to equipment and other functions for the
century. In essence every century is a self-contained
unit.
Some scholars believe if the true practices of the
Disciples could be regained the world could be protected
again form the energies of the Dead One. This is belief
is reinforced by the knowledge that long time Disciples
gain the ability to avoid harm from enervation magic.
Disciples of the Dead One tattoo the phases of the Dead
One’s facing across their forehead. The full face of the
43
Centuries augment their fighting capacity by becoming
miliary Orders. Their enchanted uniforms provide extra
armor, their banners protect them from magics that will
disrupt their formations and their physical capacities are
increased.
In the Empire of Tyrs there are many Orders of
Knighthood, but not all of them value chivalry and
honor. There are knights that follow honorable codes,
but there also are knights who are little better than
mercenaries.
The smallest unit called a Century. A Century is
generally composed of 100 soldiers, led by a Centurion
who is the highest ranking Appointee in the Century.
The Century is supported by a host of other Appointees.
All members of the Century report directly to their
Centurion.
Knightly Orders are primarily military organizations, but
they also represent the social standing of the knight. A
Knight with a large group of retainers is much more
valuable to his liege. The goal of every knight is to
induct members into his Order. These are the forces that
he will command on the battlefield.
The orders are maintained by the Centurions who
command them. A centurion is expected to start an
Order when he is given command of a century within the
Imperial legion.
When a person joins an Order, they must be inducted
into the Order. These members must memorize the
codes tenets and wear the surcoat and the symbol of the
Order. They are then trained in military procedure and
planning and learn to fight as part of the Order. They
may then gain the benefits of being a member of the
Knightly Order.
Knightly Orders
Knights will often found Knightly Orders. A knight can
use the military rituals to provide augmentations to the
members of his Order.
Knightly order will often hire out to Senators and
wealthy citizens where they serve as household guards
and fight for the honor of the house in Tournaments and
such.
Knightly Orders are always lead by a Knight. The “First
Knight” is the leader of the Order and he is supported by
“Knight Commanders.”
44
Realm of Meredia
The Empire of Tyrs is located on the second largest
continent of Meredia. The other continents are
controlled by various non-human races. There are vast
portions of the world that remain unexplored.
Mana comes from the sky, sun, moon, stars and also
from within the earth. Mana flows through the universe
and across the surface of the earth and within every
single living thing. But much of the increased mana
activity on Meredia can be related to the presence of the
two highly magically charged stars that mark the center
of the Meridian solar system. The suns are so close
together that they almost always appear as one star.
General Information
I would be remise if I did not at least briefly explain the
various circumstances affecting the world of Meredia.
Traditional world religions worship the suns. The larger
is Father and the smaller is Mother. The world of
Meredia is said to be born of their union. The moon is
Meredia's twin that died in the womb.
Magic
Meredia is permeated with magic; invisible currents of
mana flow over the realm in ever changing patterns.
These magic flows cause all sorts of supernatural
manifestations. Citizens capable of sensing magic can
determine the presence of mana flows.
The presence of two suns affect the mana flows washing
over the world. The gravitational pulls and exuded
forces cause great natural catastrophes to occur at
irregular intervals. Astronomy can be used to detect
these stellar mana tides and to predict the possibility of
catastrophes.
Life on Meredia has been heavily influenced by magic.
At least 50% of its general population is born arcane.
The natural world is filled with dangerous beasts with
arcane powers that stalk the wild lands with no fear of
civilization.
45
Traditional teaching identifies stars in the sky as other
realms, but otherworldly contacts are infrequent because
Meredia is generally inaccessible by interstellar portal
travel except in rare moments. Cosmology is used to
predict portal openings.
leave the world and go to a place between the realms.
The place were spirits go after death is called the Void
by most cultures in Meredia.
Almost every culture has religious practices for
removing the spirit from the body. This process is called
embalming. No one wants a body with a spirit lying
around that’s not going to be restored to life. It’s too
easy in some places (especially near blighted nodes) for
the spark of necromancy to enter the body and
spontaneously raise the corpse as an undead.
Nodes
The force of mana permeates all things running like
unseen rivers through the landscape. Mana collects in
certain areas saturating the plants, beasts, soil, minerals
and ore. These points of collection are called Nodes.
Sometimes when a person is killed in tragic
circumstances or dies with a task undone the spirit
becomes trapped in this world. These spirits can become
ghosts or other forms of quasi-corporeal undead.
Nodes exude a neutral energy when they form, but the
nature of the energy will change with their environment.
Nodes surrounded by good, wholesome activities will
develop a positive demeanor, whereas nodes that are
exposed to dark thoughts or violence develop negative
energies.
Base Substances
Mana inbued base substances are plentiful in the realm
of Meredia. The base substances form when flows of
mana settle in various minerals and plants, after these
materials are moved the mana begins to seep out of them
leaving behind mundane material.
Hallows
Positive nodes are called hallows. These nodes exude a
tranquil, restorative energy that makes the world around
them seem to sparkle. People entering hallows feel a
peaceful reverence. Hallows are often used for religious
buildings and cemeteries, hence the term hallowed
ground. The number of hallows in the realm of Meredia
is decreasing at a rapid rate.
All base substances can be found more easily in the wild
areas of the world. They are extremely common in the
unexplored areas of Meredia.
Blights
Negative nodes are called blights. These nodes exude a
spooky, pernicious energy that makes the world seem a
dark and dreadful place. The light in a blight is never
bright enough and mists often collect around plants that
have withered and died. Necromancy and harmful
hauntings are common in blighted areas.
Gunpowder
Gunpowder was one of the Cerebran inventions that
humanity sole when they rebelled against the Cerebrans.
When their civilization was destroyed by the humans the
surviving Cerebrans carried the knowledge of
gunpowder into the realm, but most races did not adopt
its use. The principle ingredient of gunpowder is not
very common in the realm of Meredia and because of the
expense in its manufacture, gunpowder is generally only
used in cannons and expensive collector sidearms.
Blights are very common in the realm of Meredia,
especially in the Empire of Tyrs. Humanity’s violent
struggle to gain their independence and the wars fought
to stay free has seriously harmed the landscape. Nonhuman invasion and inner turmoil has tipped the scale
towards destruction.
Humans use gunpowder the most of all races. Wealthy
humans carry flintlock weapons as a badge of social
position and the military makes extensive use of
cannons, especially on ships. Orcs make use of large
gunpowder cannons, but most other races do not use
gunpowder because of the expense. Weetles will use
small pistols; Elves and Decidiuns generally despise its
use.
Spirits
All living things have spirits. A spirit gives form to the
physical body. Spirits need a body to anchor them to this
world and when the physical body dies most spirits will
46
Gunpowder sees its greatest use among the Brotherhood
of the Pirates who use its power in their cannons to
cripple ships. The pirate’s wealth allows them to
purchase gunpowder and use it to increase their wealth.
balloons support sleek wooden ships their rails lined
with cannon or ballista.
Human air ships float on air super-heated by the use of
mana imbued ore. Great bellows fan red-hot flames that
push the hot air up exhaust pipes into the massive
balloons.
Portals
Since ritual powder is very plentiful its economically
possible to send small groups around the realm via
portals. The skill to open portals is a closely guarded
Air ships are moved forward by large propellers on the
rear of the ship. The shafts of the propellers are driven
by steam engines also heated by the mana imbued ore.
Air ships are very rare and only used by elite forces of
the Imperial Military or by extremely wealthy Citizens.
Demons
Demons are so common in Meredia that the Empire has
special persons trained to hunt them. The demons of
Meredia are manifestations of evil malevolence that seek
to cause death and destruction. They are drawn to blights
and the corruption caused by the dark mana energies.
Demons have varied appearances. Some demons are
little more than deleterious clouds of reeking sin, others
have red skin, bat-like wigs and walk on hoofed feet and
some can even appear just like a normal person.
secret and known only to a secret society within the
Empire. The members society are fanatically loyal to
Emperor Tyrs.
The Cerebrans developed the magic to open portals and
refused to give it to any others. When the humans took
over their society much of Cerebran learning was lost,
but that which was retained was kept in the Great
Library. When Tyrs took over the army he seized the
library and its contents.
Cabalogists hunt down and destroy demons. They often
enlist the aid of local citizens and other imperial
appointees as demons can become extremely powerful.
No one knows how demons form and the goals of every
demon is different.
Knowledge of portal control, like the composition of
gunpowder, was one of the things which Emperor Tyrs
decided to keep secret. There is a society of adepts
within the Empire who open all portals. They are the
only ones capable in the world and they are chosen for
their loyalty to the Empire and their commitment to keep
portal opening a secret. They will go into the Void
before disclosing any information on portal use.
Necromancy is a perversion of the natural cycle of death
and life. Those who cast necromantic magic will
eventually suffer mental and physical effects such as
insanity and crippling illnesses. The presence of blighted
mana flows in the realm amplifies these conditions so
that they often become very obvious.
Necromancy
Spontaneously rising undead are common in the realm of
Meredia, due to the prevalence of blighted nodes. Many
who die under tragic circumstances are apt to come back
as ghosts or even more powerful accursed undead.
Battles are a dangerous place even for the victors as the
Air Ships
Another one of the Cerebran inventions which the human
stole when they rose up in rebellion. Huge oblong
47
dead rise to attack all around them. Even animals have
come back from the dead! Cemeteries are abodes of
terror where no one goes after sunset.
For nearly two hundred years a fleet of ghostly pirate
ships have been the scourge of the western seas. Every
year the fleet seems to grow larger and the Empire seems
powerless to stop its growth.
The spontaneous manifestation of undead is becoming
increasingly common and many people believe the world
is heading to some form of necromantic Armageddon
where bodies will rise from the earth wholesale to
slaughter the living!
The Imperial Navy has tried to destroy the fleet, but
efforts to locate its base have been met with failure and
when the ships of the Ghost Fleet are encountered the
Imperial Navy usually ends up on the losing side.
Cabalogists spend their lives researching the dark powers
and trying to find a way to prevent the spontaneous
arising of undead. Each day more nodes turning into
blights and they are powerless to stem the tide. Their
findings lend credence to the concerns over
Armageddon. There is too much violence in the world;
the cycle of hate is corrupting the mana flows.
The Ghost Fleet is protected by a large bank of
necromantic energy and obscured by a billowing fog
bank.
The nighttime attacks of the Ghost Fleet are preceded by
the eery fog and glowing red eyes. The few survivors
report skeletal pirates in rotting cloth. Costal villages
and merchant ships are the undead pirates usual prey.
Piracy
The Ghost Fleet is believed to be under the command of
a single pirate captain who is a powerful undead. He is
rumored to be a dues paying member of the Brotherhood
of the Pirates. (Though there is talk in the brotherhood
that the Ghost Fleet is getting too large and dangerous).
The high seas are fraught with peril. Pirates and
privateers abound. The shallow waters and rock shores
of the obsidian isles make for perfect pirate hideouts.
Brotherhood of Pirate
The brotherhood of the pirates is a multi-racial
organization devoted to personal gain through acts of
piracy. Members of the brotherhood forsake their own
race and swear allegiance to brotherhood.
Plagues
Terrible plagues appear throughout the realm. People
die of pestilence and flesh consuming disease, but there
are other sicknesses that cause true terror. Lycanthropy
infections change people into rampaging beasts and
reanimating viruses transform the infected into
shambling brain eating corpses.
The brotherhood lives by a democratic code whereby
captains are elected and shares are divided according to
rank on board the ship. Their symbol, the skull and
crossbones, marks them as predators of merchant ships
and undefended coastal towns. Every pirate has this
symbol placed on their body as proof of allegiance.
Storms
The wild flows of mana traveling unseen and undetected
through the world give increased power to weather
phenomena.
Meredia experiences tremendously
powerful rain and snow storms and have a fair number of
tidal waves, earthquakes, droughts, whirlpools, tornados
and other spontaneous weather conditions on good days.
The tidal washes of mana exuded by the twin suns at
irregular intervals contribute to these phenomena. These
storms make sea travel very dangerous and the wealthy
prefer to travel by using portals.
The brotherhood of pirates strike their own coins which
bear the symbol of the brotherhood to us in their own
commerce. By agreement between thieves, these coins
are not shaved or counterfeited and can be trusted as
holding their full value and as a result honest folk will
gladly take these coins. On the few occasions when
persons did break trust and try to alter the coins the
brother handled the situation in a manner that deterred
similar acts.
Lesser Beings
The Ghost Fleet
48
There are a variety of other beings that populate the
realm of Meredia. They do not have powerful
civilization and live in relatively small communities.
dominated on one side by a large temple complex and on
the other three sides by government and military
buildings. Broad avenues radiate from the central
square and contain the private residences of the
community. Outside the city edge, which is usually
marked by a low wall, are broad fields of sea plants
grown for food.
Ergann
Erganns have mottled pale-white skin. They have round,
broad faces with sloping foreheads and bushy eyebrows.
Their mouths are filled with thick flat teeth and their
bald heads have sharply pointed ears. Erganns have one
normal hand with five fingers, but the opposite arm ends
in a large digging claw. The claws vary in shape,
ranging from a hand with longer nails, to a lobster-like
claw, to a shovel-like appendage.
Stereotypical Marynn culture revolves around the
religious worship of a city deity. These pious people
gather each morning and evening in the square to pray as
a community. Daily life revolves around pleasing their
god and performing the various duties necessary to run
the city and feed its populace. Tasks are assigned by
religious leaders, work loads are shared and all property
is communal.
Erganns dwell deep underground in subterranean
labyrinths. Their diet consists of moss, phosphorescent
lichens and cave fish. They train ferrivores, stone beasts
and other underground beasts using them for various
chores, including construction and defense.
There are Marynns who do not dwell in the cities and are
considered by their religious brethren as "godless ones."
Many have been banished from the cities, because of
criminal activity or religious differences, but some end
up as outcastes due to the accident of birth. These
Marynn exist as nomadic hunter-gathers and are
generally lead by a charismatic leader who organizes the
group as needed. Rarely these groups can become large
enough found their own city or to take control of an
existing one through military means. These cities often
begin as dictatorships, but over-time they may move to
a religious theocracy which is the cultural norm.
Ergann society is divided in castes. The main castes are
the priestly and soldier castes. The castes are generally
determined by physical characteristics. The size and
shape of the claw is important to their society. The
closer the claw is to a normal hand, the more likely the
ergann is to be accepted into the priestly class; while
those with sharp or serrated claws are more likely to
become soldiers.
Erganns are found on every continent in the realm of
Meredia. Imperial laws places Erganns in the same
category as beasts, but human miners and citizens in far
flung colonies will often enter into trade relationships
with them.
Troll
Trolls are muscular beings with reddish brown skin.
They are extremely strong and exceptionally resilient to
injury. As a result of their physical prowess, young trolls
are often captured and trained as bodyguards. They
remain fiercely loyal if treated properly. Trolls that are
dominated or controlled will always leave their physical
form, if ordered against their masters.
Marynn
Marynns are deep-water dwelling lesser beings. They
have dark-blue skin tone with thick knobby scales. Their
hands and feet are webbed. Their heads are narrow with
large round fish eyes. They have sturdy jaws with many
rows of sharp teeth. They have a natural sonar which
allows them to sense their environment through emitting
sounds.
Trolls living in the wild form into extended family
groupings. They prefer to live in caves or other stone
structures. They are sometimes found living under
bridges or in cellars.
They were once very common on the central continent,
but the humans have enslaved most of them, now only a
few wild bands remain in the North. Enslaved trolls are
Their vast civilizations are built on the ocean floor and
are primarily agricultural. Their cities are generally
constructed of stone and include a vast central square
49
mostly found as body guards, construction laborers,
gladiatorial combatants and used by the military as
special expendable units.
Crystalteems are motivated by a desire to reach the
surface where they bask in the rays of the sun. The light
reflecting through their crystal structure is believed to be
extremely pleasurable. After a few weeks on the surface
the crystalteem begins to dry out and flake apart.
Eventually only the gem stones and a fine white powder
remain.
Trolls are hard workers who enjoy building with their
hands, and as a result they are used as laborers. They do
not possess the intelligence necessary to design elaborate
structures, and they need supervision to perform
complicated tasks, such as leveling, arch building and
other more precise forms of construction.
These nonthreatening life forms are hunted throughout
Meredia for their gem-encrusted forms. When attacked
their crystal structure can produce harmful harmonics as
well as causing injury when it is struck.
Beasts
The wild lands of Meredia are full of strange beasts that
have developed magical powers. There are far to many
to list here, but the following in a small sampling of the
kinds of creatures that populate the Empire and terrorize
its inhabitants.
Dragon
There is no word that evokes more terror in the common
person of Meredia than that the word “Dragon!”
Dragons are large reptilian creatures that live in the wild
lands. While there does not seem to be as many dragons
as there once were the dragons that remain are some of
the most powerful.
Carnivorous Crawlers
Carnivorous crawlers are vicious man-eating worms that
burrow just beneath the surface of the soil. They never
live lower than ten feet from the surface. Their lairs are
often small hollows just underground. They prefer to
live in rich agricultural soil and prey on farm laborers.
Whole legions are often dispatched to drive off a dragon
when one is sighted in the settled areas. While the goal
is to kill the dragon, most often the dragon is merely
driven back into the wild areas.
The footsteps of land-dwelling beings cause vibrations
that can be sensed by the worms. The worms follow the
vibrations and dig themselves out a short distance away.
They attack aggressively, but if their prey is not
dispatched quickly they will retreat beneath the surface
to recuperate before launching another attack.
The four common varieties of dragons can breath fire,
ice, earth or electrical damage. These are called
elemental dragons.
Down through the years there have been rumors of other
kinds of dragons. There are also stories extremely
powerful skeletal dragons that exude withering auras and
suck the life from persons. None of these have been seen
in recent years.
Crystalteem
Crystalteems are animated masses of precious and
semi-precious gems connected by articulated crystalline
structures, organs formed with rubbery membranes and
internal fluids composed of silicon oils. They form deep
under the surface in areas of extremely high pressure and
heat where they siphon energy needed to survive from
their environment.
Mantid
The Mantid is a common are arcane insect in the world
of Meredia. Mantids are narrow bodied, green-colored
insects with triangular faces and powerful fore claws.
They are sometimes called praying mantis because the
insect usually holds its front legs as if it were praying.
Most mantids live in tropical or warm climates, but can
survive in cooler climates. It is not uncommon to find
these giant insects in civilized areas.
Crystalteems do not eat, breath or reproduce. They do
not speak or reason at a high level. They have simple
intelligence and a limited awareness. They understand
pleasure and pain, but not much else. They are
non-aggressive and peaceful until harmed.
50
Mantids prey on other insects, including other mantids.
Man-sized mantids will attack anything smaller than
itself, including animals and people. Mantids generally
blend into the vegetation in which they hunt. A mantid
uses its arm-like forelegs to grasp and capture its prey.
The forelegs have sharp spines and hooks that hold
captives.
after death. They are not intelligent and do not
remember their past lives. Reanimants moan constantly
and can only speak short phrases. They are driven by an
instinctual desire to consume living cranial tissue which
contains the neurotransmitters they need to survive.
Reanimant bodies continue to rot and, as time passes,
appear more corpse-like and have less motor
coordination. Older reanimants have mottled skin,
shadowed eyes and blueish lips. Reanimants with
constant food supplies can survive for up to one month,
but eventually they will cease to function.
A female mantid will sometimes devour her own mate,
but the male is able to continue mating with the female
even after his head and brain have been eaten. Female
mantids lay their eggs in masses. The eggs can be found
attached to trees and shrubs during the winter when
leaves no longer hide them. The eggs are light brown and
ribbed.
Rat
Rodents are a plague on the world of Meredia. Imperial
cities and larger towns are filled with all sizes of rats
ranging from small vermin to man-sized brutes. In the
country farmers fear rat swarms that descend on their
crops.
Cadaver rats live in graveyards, morgues and
mausoleums, where they eat dead human flesh. This diet
makes them extremely aggressive and causes them to
mass into hordes. They are identified by the reddish cast
to their eyes.
Wolves
The wolves of Meredia are very aggressive and have no
fear of civilization. They will hunt any kind of beast or
being. Wolves group into large packs and they
communicate by howling as they track their prey. Day
or night, wolf packs have been known to descend on
travelers with unrelenting ferocity.
Plague rats are the harbingers of disease. They live in
slums, refuse piles and sewers. They are vicious beasts
and will not hesitate to attack anyone approaching their
lairs. Plague rats are marked by their swollen eyes that
drip a yellowish puss. They will transmit a variety of
diseases.
Arcane wolves, such as dire or winter wolves, will
sometimes join with normal wolves as the alpha of their
pack and the whole pack will rage through settled areas.
These wild wolf packs are known to enter homes and
pull victims from their beds.
Water rats dwell along the edges of moving water. They
are found on river banks and in sewers. They have
blueish membrane which glide down over their eyes and
allows them to swim in dirty, moving water with their
eyes open.
Reanimant
Dire wolves are distinguished by the dark black color of
the fur on top of their heads around the eyes and ears.
Winter wolves are distinguished by the white color of the
The waves of dark energy exuded by the Dead One can
cause the reanimation of dead flesh. Reanimants are
corpses that are animated by a necromantic infection,
which activates the body’s muscles and nervous system
fur on the top of their heads around the eyes and ears.
The primary coin of the Empire is called the Imperial
which is struck in solid gold. The prices of the
C o i n s & E q u ip m e n t
51
Box
equipment listed below is the average cost in the Empire
in Imperials. Prices in remote areas may be higher and
many small towns use a barter system.
Box, Normal
Box, Sturdy
Camping Equipment
To make change people commonly break the Imperial
into halves and quarters. Imperfect breaks, coin shaving
and striking impure coins are a large problem in the
Empire. Many a murders have been caused by trying to
swindle another with inferior coins. To help combat the
breaking and shaving each province and many colonies
have their own smaller gold and silver coins; some even
print paper money. The value of these coins depends on
their composition when compared to Imperials, paper
money is not usually accepted outside the issuing area.
Fishing Tackle
Fire Starting Kit
Tent
Thick-wall Tent
Climbing Equipment
Climbing Rope
Climbing Rope, Sturdy
Descender
Grappling Hook
Pitons
Ascender
Rappel Harness
The non-human nations have various monetary systems,
a collection of coins, gems and trinkets.
General Gear
Boots
Coat, winter
Shirt, dress
Shirt, work
Shoes
Skirt
Spectacles
Trouser
Backpack
Blanket roll
Candle
Canteen
Case, Map
Lantern
Lantern Oil (per gallon)
Pick
Shovel
Door
Door, Normal
Door, Sturdy
Locks
basic lock
mechanical lock
Medical Equipment
bandages
crutches and canes
poultice
splints
syringe
surgical kit
Navigation Equipment
compass
map
sextent
Ammunition
arrows
powder and shot
Observation Equipment
Armor
spyglass
telescope
time piece
Breast plate
Back plate
Bracers
Greaves
Helmet
Restraining Devices
Ball and Chain
52
Gag
Manacles, Arm
Manacles, Leg
Stockade
bow
military
short
catapult (M)
crossbow
hand
military
pulley
repeater 1hnd
repeater 2hnd
slingshot
military
pulley
Riding Gear
Harness
Saddle
Tools
Bar
Battering Ram
Block and Tackle
Chisel
Crowbar
Hammer
Lock Picking Tool Kit
Music Box
Repair Kit
Rope
Rope, Sturdy
Scale
Shears
Trap Disarming Kit
Torch
Weapons, Ranged (Guns)
blow gun
burst gun (black powder blunderbuss - 1 shot)
cannon, solid (M) (black powder - 1 shot)
cannon, burst (M) (black powder - 1shot)
dart gun
handgun (black powder pistol - 1 shot)
military gun (black powder musket - 1 shot
spray gun (M) (kerosine fire - 10 shots)
Weapons, Ranged (Throwing)
bal. throwing weapon, large
bal. throwing weapon, small
compound container
javelin
net
rock, large
rock, small
sling
Weapons, Melee
axes
axe-blunt combo weapons
clubs
flexible weapons (chain, flail whip only)
hammers
mace
polearms
staffs & spears
swords
Mana-Imbued Supplies
(These may only be purchase with genuine, unbroken,
unshaven, pure-cast, Imperial Coins.)
shield I (buckler)
shield II (kite)
shield II (round)
catalysts (compounds)
inks (glyphs, runes)
materials (fashioning, traps)
powders (rituals and procedures)
Weapons, Ranged (Bows)
ballista (M)
53
Conclusion
The history of the Empire is the story of humanity's struggle to survive
against outside forces and themselves. The tale is full of betrayal,
murder and assassination, but also great nobility, sacrifice and devotion.
As the greatest achievement of humanity, the Empire of Tyrs is both the
best and the worst of humanity. May the glory of the Empire remain!
54

Empire of Tyrs - Mystic Realms

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