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The Mythical Journeys II Rulebook
Revised Edition Live Fantasy Roleplaying Copyright© 2006, 2007, 2013 Mythical Journeys, LLC Acknowledgements Mythical Journeys, LLC would like to thank the following people for their hard work in making this rule book possible: Project Manager: Jonathan Dale, without whom this rule book would not have been possible. Mythical Journeys II Rules Team Gene Barry Jonathan Dale Brian Harvard Derik Rochon Scott Thompson Liz Bischof Troy Danko Zoë Lawson Mike Romatelli Brandon Boucher Dan Desilets Grant Lower Dave Tamburin David Chau Paul DiNunno Carl Mikkelson Eric Tetreault Gene Barry Jonathan Dale Connor Griffin Robert Johnson Derik Rochon Lacey Trepanier Michael Calabrese John Ellingwood Ed Griffin Grant Lower Mike Romatelli Steph Tyll Jarrid Clifton Dan Desilets Nikki Guarino Jessi Jaffe Zoë Lawson Todd Pahner Meg Steele Steph Tyll Chris Dahlberg Paul DiNunno Brian Harvard Larry Joyce Amber Loomis Cameron Peterson Brian Swedis Jonathan Dale Dennis Fusaro III Michael Henthorne Allison Kara Grant Lower Mike Romatelli Eric Tetreault Abby Barry Saurav Chatterjee Angela Jacobs Amber Loomis Sara Shatkyvich Steph Tyll Gene Barry Jonathan Dale Jessi Jaffe Jen Mailloux-Rochon Dave Smith Seth Bender Jay Gormley Allison Kara Kaitlyn McCarthy Meg Steele Mythical Journeys II 2012 Rules Revision Team John Agostino Erica Conlon Michael Fenton Kyle Griffin Rick May Marc Seyfried Scott Thompson Sabrina Arroyo Sean Conlon Jay Gormley Jeff Hyland Brian Paul Matt Soucy Zoë Lawson Mythical Journeys II Settings Team Brandon Boucher David Decker Jeremy Glidden Bizzy Jacobs Kim Langstaff Todd Maguire Sara Shatkyvich Scott Thompson Models Tatiana Antunes Eric Burt Derek Herrera Zoë Lawson Amanda Parla Scott Thompson Special thanks to The Lady and the Leopard for supplying costuming. Photographers: Derik Rochon and Eric Tetreault Graphic Editor: Derik Rochon Editorial Staff Liz Bischof Jonathan Dale Layout & Design: Zoë Lawson Zoë Lawson Todd Pahner Eric Tetreault Mythical Journeys Logo: Louis LeClerc Original Mythical Journeys Game Concept Dan Desilets Louis LeClerc Brad Harrison Ian Sudimak Brian Harvard Paul Swedis Craig Laprise Eric Tetreault Notice All rules in this guide are subject to change. Please visit http://www.mythicaljourneys.com for errata and updates. 2.5 C ontents Welcome to Mythical Journeys ....................................vii What is Mythical Journeys? ....................................................vii Why Mythical Journeys ............................................................ix The Basics ................................................................................. xii Combat ............................................................................. xii Healing ............................................................................. xii Death and Dying ............................................................ xii Safety Calls ...................................................................... xii Spells ................................................................................ xii Beneficial Magic ............................................................. xiii Effects ............................................................................. xiii Durations .........................................................................xiv Special Attacks ................................................................xiv Traps and Poison ............................................................xiv Treasure and Other Items .............................................xiv Searching People and Monsters .................................... xv Where to Go From Here .......................................................xvi If You Are Playing ..........................................................xvi If You Are Casting .........................................................xvi Part 1 - Getting Started Chapter 1 - Making a Character ...................................3 Character Creation .................................................................... 4 Character History ..................................................................... 5 Character Classes ...................................................................... 8 Divine Classes: Sanctity and Devotion ......................... 8 Fighting Classes: Finesse and Might ............................ 9 Magical Classes: Power and Sight ................................. 9 Stealth Classes: Precision and Subtlety ........................ 9 General Skills .................................................................. 10 Craft Skills ...................................................................... 10 Character Skills ....................................................................... 10 Reserves ............................................................................11 Choices .............................................................................11 Character Advancement ..........................................................11 Resetting Your Character .............................................12 Advanced Classes ............................................................12 Chapter 2 - Races ........................................................ 15 Race Overview ..........................................................................15 Basic Races .......................................................................15 Special Races ...................................................................16 Basic Races ...............................................................................17 Dwarves ............................................................................17 Elves ..................................................................................18 Famori ...............................................................................19 Humans ............................................................................20 Ra'Kash .............................................................................21 Wargs ................................................................................22 Special Races ............................................................................23 Dark Elves, Half .............................................................23 Enselari .............................................................................24 Fiend Elves .......................................................................25 Frost Elves .......................................................................25 Goblins .............................................................................26 Mistborn ..........................................................................27 Orcs ...................................................................................28 Varns dos Sedrin .............................................................29 Unique Races ...........................................................................30 Racial Skills ..............................................................................31 Chapter 3 - Skills ......................................................... 33 Learning Skills .........................................................................33 Crafting Skills ..........................................................................33 Skill Descriptions ....................................................................36 Skill costs .........................................................................36 iii Contents Chapter 4 - Preparing for the Event .........................55 Weapons ................................................................................... 55 Armor ........................................................................................ 55 Light Armor ..................................................................... 56 Medium Armor ............................................................... 56 Heavy Armor ................................................................... 56 Helmets ............................................................................ 57 Shields .............................................................................. 57 Costuming ................................................................................ 57 What Not to Wear ......................................................... 58 The Test ...........................................................................58 Costuming For Cast ...................................................... 58 Real World Equipment .......................................................... 58 General Information ............................................................... 59 Web Site ...........................................................................59 Contacting Us ................................................................. 59 Before the Game ...................................................................... 59 User Profile ..................................................................... 59 Privacy Policy .................................................................. 60 Membership ..................................................................... 60 Registration and Refunds ............................................. 60 Parental Consent ............................................................ 60 Participant Agreement Form ........................................ 60 Part 2 - Playing the Game Chapter 5 - Arriving at Game ....................................63 Setup ......................................................................................... 64 Sleeping Arrangements ........................................................... 64 Drop Off Your Gear .............................................................. 64 Check In .................................................................................... 64 New Player Meeting ............................................................... 64 Opening Meeting .................................................................... 64 Chapter 6 - Interacting with the Game ....................65 Acceptable Behavior ................................................................ 65 Sexual Harassment Policy ..................................................... 65 Definition ........................................................................ 65 What is Not Sexual Harassment ................................. 65 Complaint Procedure ..................................................... 65 Retaliation Prohibited ................................................... 66 Alcohol and Drugs .................................................................. 66 Cheating .................................................................................... 66 Disciplinary Action ................................................................. 66 Thieves and Stealing ............................................................... 66 Lost and Found ....................................................................... 66 Disguise and Forgery .............................................................. 67 Living Space ............................................................................. 67 Out Of Game Areas ................................................................ 67 iv Metagaming ..............................................................................67 Searching Others .....................................................................67 Physical Search ................................................................68 Describing Your Search .................................................68 All Searches ......................................................................68 Carrying Others ..............................................................68 Staying In-Game ......................................................................68 Chapter 7 - Combat ..................................................... 69 Physical Contact ......................................................................69 Stopping Combat ....................................................................69 Combat Safety .........................................................................70 Noncombatant Players ...........................................................71 No-Combat Areas ...................................................................72 Legal Hits .................................................................................72 Courtesy ....................................................................................72 Calling Skills ............................................................................73 Role-Playing Combat .............................................................73 Resist, Armor, Barrier, and No Effect ........................73 Damage and Vitality ...............................................................74 A Hit is a Hit ..................................................................74 Thrown Weapons ............................................................74 Torso Shot and the Stun Rule .....................................74 Death and Dying .....................................................................75 Life States ........................................................................75 Being Dead .......................................................................76 Improving Your Chances ...............................................76 If you return . . . ..............................................................76 Suicide ..............................................................................77 The Dead Don't Sneeze! ...............................................77 Chapter 8 - Sounds of Battle ..................................... 79 Special Attacks .........................................................................80 Melee Weapon Special Attacks .....................................80 Thrown and Missile Weapon Special Attacks .................................................................................81 Subdue Packets ...............................................................81 Magical Attacks ...............................................................81 Area Effects ......................................................................81 Backlash ............................................................................82 Special Defenses ......................................................................82 Other Details ...........................................................................83 Durations .........................................................................83 While I Sing .....................................................................83 ...Until Death ...................................................................83 ...To... ................................................................................83 Attack Calls ..............................................................................83 Poison ........................................................................................89 Traps .........................................................................................89 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Contents Chapter 9 - The Stuff Adventures Are Made Of ... 93 Immovable vs. Irresistible ...................................................... 93 Red Stickers .................................................................... 93 Heavy Objects ................................................................. 93 Yellow Stickers ............................................................... 93 Locks ................................................................................. 93 Magical Locks: Secure ................................................... 94 Magical Gates .......................................................................... 94 Loot ........................................................................................... 95 Coins and Money ............................................................ 95 Gems and Jewelry ........................................................... 95 Materials .......................................................................... 95 Components .................................................................... 95 Enchanted Items ...................................................................... 95 Potions and Oils ............................................................. 95 Powders ............................................................................ 96 Charms ............................................................................. 96 Scrolls ............................................................................... 96 Magic Items ..................................................................... 97 Stealing ..................................................................................... 97 Chapter 10 - Magic and Spells .................................. 99 Religions ................................................................................ 111 Fortune .......................................................................... 111 Radiance ........................................................................ 113 Shamanism .................................................................... 114 The Fiend Goddess ..................................................... 115 The Undead Lords ....................................................... 115 Pilgrim Spells ........................................................................ 115 Chapter 12 - Alchemy and Herbalism ....................117 Collecting Magical Components ....................................... 117 Alchemy vs. Herbalism ........................................................ 117 Potions, Oils, and Powders ................................................ 118 Potions and Oils .......................................................... 118 Powders ......................................................................... 118 Learning Alchemy ................................................................. 119 Learning Herbalism ............................................................. 119 Starting Recipes ................................................................... 120 Alchemical Starting Recipes ...................................... 120 Herbalism Starting Recipes ....................................... 120 Using Your Processes .......................................................... 120 Chapter 13 - After Game ..........................................121 Schools of Magic ..................................................................... 99 Your First Spells ..................................................................... 99 Rules of Magic ......................................................................100 Beneficial Spells and Stacking ............................................100 Spellbooks ......................................................................101 Learning New Spells .............................................................101 Teaching .........................................................................101 Knowledge Scrolls ........................................................102 Self Instruction .............................................................102 Beginning Spells ....................................................................102 Elementalism .................................................................102 Mentalism ......................................................................104 Rune Magic ...................................................................105 Wizardry ........................................................................106 Leaving the Game ................................................................. 121 Check Out ..................................................................... 121 Sunday Breakdown ....................................................... 121 After the Game ..................................................................... 121 Feedback Letters and Updating ................................ 121 The PEL in Detail ....................................................... 122 Updating Your Character ........................................... 124 Message Board .............................................................. 124 Donations ..................................................................... 125 Universal Point Rewards ............................................ 125 Miscellaneous Information ................................................. 126 Merchanting Policy ..................................................... 126 Volunteers Needed ...................................................... 126 Cast Members ............................................................... 126 Chapter 11 - Faith and Religion .............................109 Chapter 14 - Advancing Your Character ...............127 Faith, Pilgrims, and Dedication ..........................................109 Casting Faith Spells .............................................................110 Prayer Spells ..................................................................110 Learning Faith Spells ............................................................110 Teaching .........................................................................111 Knowledge Scrolls ........................................................111 Self Instruction .............................................................111 Mythical Journeys Renaissance Prerequisites ................................................................. 128 Rites of Passage ........................................................... 128 Skills .............................................................................. 128 Focus .............................................................................. 128 Reserves ......................................................................... 128 Choices .......................................................................... 128 Mystic and Holy Weapons ......................................... 128 Prestige Classes .................................................................... 133 Temporary Prestige Skills .......................................... 133 v Contents Part 3 - Setting Chapter 15 - Regions of the World ........................141 Places of Note .......................................................................141 Arkenstone .....................................................................141 Dragon Dynasty ............................................................141 Dumar .............................................................................142 Felnar ..............................................................................142 Forgotten Forest ...........................................................142 Free Cities ......................................................................143 Freelands ........................................................................143 Frozen North ................................................................143 Harradon ........................................................................144 Imperium ........................................................................144 Midnight Moor .............................................................144 New Arcadia and Nova Korhadien .............................144 Oakholme .......................................................................145 Purk .................................................................................145 Sandridden Plains .........................................................145 Sarden .............................................................................146 Shattered Lands ............................................................147 Shimmering Coast ........................................................147 Southern Continent .....................................................147 Valley of No Return ....................................................147 Zelfir ...............................................................................148 Accents ....................................................................................148 Chapter 16 - The World of Pendaan ......................149 The Age of Darkness ............................................................149 The Great Rebellion .............................................................150 The Age of Light ...................................................................150 The Turning of An Age .......................................................151 Recent Events ........................................................................152 507 ..................................................................................152 Felnar .....................................................................152 Arkenstone .............................................................152 Sarden ....................................................................152 Dumar ....................................................................152 508 ..................................................................................152 Dumar and Harradon ..........................................152 Felnar .....................................................................152 Sarden ....................................................................152 Goblins ..................................................................153 Purk ........................................................................153 vi 509 ................................................................................. 153 Arkenstone ............................................................ 153 Felnar ..................................................................... 153 Harradon ............................................................... 153 Sarden .................................................................... 153 Zibberwan, Dragon Dynasty, and El’Idur ....... 153 Ra’Kash ................................................................. 153 Frozen North ....................................................... 154 510 ................................................................................. 154 Felnar ..................................................................... 154 Arkenstone ............................................................ 154 Harradon ............................................................... 154 Dumar ................................................................... 154 Imperium .............................................................. 154 Free Cities ............................................................ 154 Frozen North ....................................................... 154 Dragon Dynasty and El'idur .............................. 154 511 ................................................................................. 155 Felnar ..................................................................... 155 Arkenstone, Part 1 .............................................. 155 Imperium .............................................................. 155 Dragon Dynasty .................................................. 155 Arkenstone, Part 2 .............................................. 155 512 ................................................................................. 156 Arkenstone ............................................................ 156 Turn of Time ........................................................................ 156 Part 4 - Appendices Appendix A - Weapon Construction........................159 Creating A Safe Sword ........................................................ 159 What You’ll Need ................................................................ 159 Sword Construction ............................................................ 160 Weapon Guidelines .............................................................. 164 Bow and Crossbow Guidelines ........................................... 165 Appendix B - Packet Construction...........................167 Spell Packet Construction .................................................. 167 Construction Needs .................................................... 167 Instructions ................................................................... 167 Index .............................................................................169 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Welcome to Mythical Journeys Six years ago... It is the 506th year of the Age of Light, rather optimistically named for the period after the fall of the Dark Queen. The term is perhaps an exaggeration, but not without some truth. The wars of the Great Rebellion are a distant memory. Even for the Dwarves they are an old tale passed down by grandparents and for the other races, they are many, many generations past. Old enmities have shaped prejudices but the details of their origins are foggy. Many of the events of the Great Rebellion are shrouded in legend, and the true history is no longer entirely clear. Nor do any but the historians really care about the details. One thing is clear. After the fall of the Queen and the long, hard battles of the Great Rebellion, there was little impetus to continue losing troops wiping out the last remnants of her forces. Without a leader, many assumed they would scatter or fade away, and weren’t worth the trouble. Five hundred years later, some still wait for the Fiend Goddess’s forces to release their grasp on Blackhold. One settlement lies near the borders of the darkness. On the northern border of the perilous Forgotten Forest, south of the Midnight Moor, lie the lands of Felnar. A crossroads between the port city of Arkenstone, the holdings of Sarden, the hunting grounds of Harradon, the Imperial city of Ironwatch, and the western margin of the woods of Oakhome, Felnar survives despite its perilous location. Some say it also is spared some of the brunt of evil’s attacks because it harbors smugglers who trade in and out of Blackhold. Certainly, both Harradon and Ironwatch have tried to conquer it under this pretense, but the intervention of other states has so far kept it independent. It attracts a curious mix of traders, magical researchers, treasure hunters, those tempted by the promises of darkness, and those dedicated to wiping out darkness’s last vestiges. A place of struggle, strife, heroism, and above all… adventure. In the small town of Eldyrwood, just a few days journey outside Felnar, an unlikely assortment of brave souls is gathering. Some have their eyes out for hints of ruins from the war, or even from the settlements of the Golden Vale destroyed at its inception. Others are concerned or fascinated with the liches said to dwell within the Forgotten Forest and on the Midnight Moors. One way or another, each of them will find their destiny soon, for dark powers are gathering. The Age of Light has lasted five centuries, but all things must come to an end... It is now the 512th year of the Age of Light. The great Fiend War has come to a close, leaving Pendaan battered but intact. Arkenstone has only just been freed from fiendish control while other regions are still rebuilding. Magical storms rage in the Imperium, and undead hordes roam in southern Purk and the northern Free Cities. Heroes and heroines have saved the day before, but what is yet to come? What is Mythical Journeys? Mythical Journeys is a game in which an everyday person like you can live the life of a fantasy hero or villain for a weekend. Using your imagination, creativity, and the game’s rules you create a role of your choosing much like the author of a book or movie would do. You then play this character for an entire weekend at Mythical Journeys, making decisions and doing what you feel your character would do in any given situation. This is known as improvisational theater. Unlike regular theater, there are no scripts to follow or lines to memorize at Mythical Journeys. You say and do what you feel your character would and face the repercussions of your actions within the game. You, and hundreds of others who are working with you, create this fantasy world and are your own audience in a consistent, ongoing storyline that continues for years. Using thousands of props, masks and costumes, the creative staff of Mythical Journeys sets the stage of a 100acre camp by transforming everyday buildings and cabins into taverns, alchemy labs, mages guilds, shops, town hall and much more. There is no need to ask “What do I see before me?” in this WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) game that leaves little to your imagination. With the words “Game on” on Friday night, the fun begins. Citizens of the town rush off to attend guild meetings, suspicious folk hang out in the shadows of the tavern, adventurers make dangerous treks into the monster-ridden forest, and the staff of Mythical Journeys begins to send supporting actors out (Cast) to interact with you and your fellow players to help move the story along. You are now your character for the weekend. There are monsters to do battle with, mysteries to solve, maps to follow, friends to make, and an unlimited number of things for you to see and do. The choices are yours to make and you are in control of your own destiny. It is in this enchanted world you can face off against darkness itself and become a legend. vii What is Mythical Journeys? I’ve done something like this before so what sets Mythical Journeys apart? So you’ve “been there and done that,” but you haven’t done anything like Mythical Journeys before. Here are some things to consider when it comes to us: Active Membership - Mythical Journeys runs six weekend-long events every year, occasional one-day events and a community-building winter feast during the offseason. When the game isn’t in session our members are actively flooding our message board, having between-event get-togethers and meetings, sending e-mails, and trying to guess what’s up our sleeves for the next event. This is a great place to make new friends who share a common interest. Choices - When your character and history are approved by Mythical Journeys, you are able to take your character in any direction you choose. Heroes and villains alike receive support from writers and “player vs. player” encounters are a possibility for those who wish to pursue that path. Just be prepared to face the repercussions for your actions in a Feudal-style justice system. With so many choices, plots, and options available you aren’t left in the cold if you don’t want to participate in a particular adventure. There is always something to see or do for those willing to explore the unknown. Combat & Safety - Our first concern is the safety of our members and we always go the extra mile to insure this. Mythical Journeys uses safety-checked foam weapons for combat resolution as well as soft beanbags for magic spells. All weapons do a single point of damage per hit. This makes combat easier to follow, more “in-game,” and balanced regardless of how powerful a character or monster is. Consistency & Continuity - Like any good story, the work of our writers is reviewed by an editor for continuity. This helps make the world more consistent and the storyline able to continue smoothly. And when your actions change the world—the world changes. Easy Rules - This guide is the culmination of nearly ten years of member feedback that has allowed Mythical Journeys to create a streamlined game system that is both easy to learn and fair to everyone involved. Mythical Journeys rules are consistent from event to event eliminating a need for constant “Holds!” and rules viii P a rt 1 - In tro ductio n clarifications that interrupt game play. Additionally, new players are instructed in how to play the game to make sure they are comfortable with the system and aware of the rules. Our goal is to keep the game fair, user-friendly and flowing as much as possible. Instant Action—Just Add You - Mythical Journeys runs specially developed new player adventures designed to pull you right into the action your first event. These adventures often group you with other new folks, enabling you to make new friends while exploring a monster-ridden forest, decoding notes, following maps, interacting with veterans, and having fun. Rich Storyline - We have several teams of highly creative writers who spend hundreds of hours between adventure weekends writing up the numerous high-fantasy stories and adventures you’ll encounter at events. Some of these stories continue from event to event while others play out quickly. These same writers are responsible for breathing life into the game’s world with books upon books worth of background information, lore, and statistics. You won’t believe the things you can discover in the library, on ancient scrolls or simply by talking to others. This alone makes the world seem real as though it has been around for thousands of years. Characters are able to take heroic risks and become legends with a lenient death system that offers second-chances. This means more opportunities to make a name for yourself and further develop your character. Make A Difference - Our plots don’t railroad you to a pre-determined ending. We decide how it starts but no one, not even us, knows how it will end. At every step of the way, your actions determine the outcome. That outcome may determine the path of future plot for years—until another player comes along and changes it again. Service - Mythical Journeys is a game run like a professional business or organization. Our goal is to offer fair and consistent service to our members and proactively prevent issues that affect game integrity before they arise. We know this all sounds too good to be true, but don’t take our word for it. We encourage you to visit our online message board and ask our members what they think of the game. They’ll give you their honest opinion of the game and what to expect. You won’t be disappointed. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Welcome to Mythical Journeys Why Myt hical Journeys Why Mythical Journeys Mythical Journeys is usually an odd curiosity amongst those who have not tried it. The concept of “make-believe” often implies a lack of organization and direction. In today’s success driven world, why would anyone want to participate in Mythical Journeys when there are countless television stations, movies, videos, computer & board games, magazines, web sites, sports and many other forms of entertainment? While it appears that other activities offer a more consistent level of social interaction and benefits, you’ll be amazed to discover just how beneficial and unique Mythical Journeys really is. There is far more to it than mere amusement. Often overlooked, Mythical Journeys games provide a combination of benefits that are uniquely its own. 1. Mythical Journeys is social. It requires participants to verbally interact face-to-face with friends (not strangers over the Internet) in a positive manner. This interaction with peers helps to develop social skills that can be applied to the everyday world: teamwork, fair play, conflict resolution, and many other “people skills.” 2. Mythical Journeys is educational and encourages reading. Participants are encouraged to seek out new knowledge to enhance their playing experience and often read about ancient history, mythology, weaponry, science, codes of honor and much more. It is no surprise to find our members improving their reading skills with books by renowned writers such as C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, T. H. White and even Mark Twain. 3. Mythical Journeys teaches an inherent sense of morality. The sense of honor, honestly, loyalty, and courage all pervades our environment. At the same time, chivalry is tempered with logic and strategic thinking. Very few traditional sports have preserved these concepts so innately into the mechanics of their game. 4. Mythical Journeys encourages a “drug-and-alcohol free” environment. Because safety is an important overlying concern at Mythical Journeys, alcohol and illegal drugs are strictly forbidden and enforced with a zero-tolerance policy. There are no “warnings” or second chances in this regard. Rule-breakers are expelled from the game immediately and permanently. Not only does this make game play safer, but it also reinforces the concept of a drug-free environment where one can interact with friends who share a positive, similar interest. 5. Mythical Journeys is relatively inexpensive. Mythical Journeys doesn’t require memory upgrades or expensive equipment. Once you have your costume and equipment the remaining costs are nominal. Because all props and equipment are crafted from common household items, there are no brand names and endorsements to worry about keeping up with. This often levels the playing field for people who do not have a financial advantage. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 6. Mythical Journeys is about having fun outdoors. Psychological studies have shown the importance of play to human health and well-being. Mythical Journeys is very much about getting “off the couch” and into the great outdoors. Leaving the video game or computer screen behind, Mythical Journeys characteristically incorporates hiking down nature trails and navigating woodland paths, or at least running away from monsters. 7. Mythical Journeys improves self-esteem. People need a certain amount of interaction with others to feel a sense of belonging and camaraderie. This builds self-esteem. Taking part in social and leisurely activities helps to achieve this. Players learn to set realistic expectations and achieve the in-game goals they set. A routine sense of accomplishment also increases their feeling of self-worth and confidence. ix Why Mythical Journeys 8. Mythical Journeys encourages teamwork. In some cases participants can only succeed at a given quest if they work together as a team. Participants are encouraged to work together to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles. Parties (teams) must organize themselves and delegate tasks in order to complete quests while building trust and a sense of community. These are valuable lessons that can be directly reapplied in the real world where employers state that individuals are often not prepared to work in a collaborative work environment. In traditional educational settings, unfortunately, teamwork is usually not high on the priority list. 9. Mythical Journeys has no losers. Many sports and games pit players against each other in a win/lose battle. Mythical Journeys encourages players to work together as a single team to complete goals and objectives, overcome obstacles and save the day. Furthermore, it teaches that winning and losing is not “the end”; that winning or losing does not solely determine one own worth. At Mythical Journeys, each loss only acts as a vehicle to teach the player how to better survive and achieve. 10. Mythical Journeys encourages imagination and creative expression. Many of our members enjoy painting, sketching characters, and sewing. Some write game-related poetry or short stories, compose game-related songs, and create costumes. Others enjoy cooking “period” meals. Simply participating in the game automatically requires one to exhibit their creativity by creating their character and interacting in a fictional world in which the game takes place. x Part 1 - Introduction 11. Mythical Journeys teaches conflict management. When participants are posed with a problem, they are encouraged to create and explore different methods of problem solving within the constraints and resources of the game. Players must learn to become objective and look at things from another person’s point of view. Participants learn that things aren’t always what they appear to be and to get all sides of a story through research and better understanding. 12. Mythical Journeys is safe. Mythical Journeys enjoys an excellent safety record that far exceeds the safety records of most other sporting endeavors. At Mythical Journeys, safety guidelines are enforced with mark precision. A mandatory equipment check is performed on all equipment; and the safety protocol is reviewed at each and every game before any action begins. All physical conflicts happen within the construct of the safety protocols that only allow for actions that can safeguard the well being of all other players. 13. Mythical Journeys improves public speaking skills. Mythical Journeys is a verbal game and through practice players improve their speaking skills. Live Role-Playing is also a form of acting (Improvisational Drama) and participants learn to improvise and convincingly present themselves to others while they play. Improvisational drama teaches participants to imaginatively solve problems or think on the spot. This type of “thinking on your feet” learned at Mythical Journeys becomes an invaluable skill in the real world. 14. Mythical Journeys doesn’t discriminate. Mythical Journeys members can be almost any age, ethnicity, health/ disability, income, religion, sexual orientation, shape, size or level of fitness. Likewise, in-game, players learn to accept and reject other player characters based on actions and character traits and not appearance or association. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Welcome to Mythical Journeys 15. Mythical Journeys is occupational counseling. Many parents complain that their children have no professional interests; no direction for the future. In addition to its therapeutic benefits, Mythical Journeys allows us to “try on” different occupations (merchant, scientist, firefighter, policeman, tavern keeper, botanist, soldier, guardsman, etc.). This can be a useful tool that helps participants realize what professions may make them happy in real life without the rigors of real-world trial and error. 16. Mythical Journeys is something you can do with your kids. You heard right. Parents are encouraged to participate with their children. Unlike other sporting events such as baseball, football, soccer, etc., parents are active participants instead of simply those cheering on the sidelines. Struggles and achievements are experienced together, enabling parents to create stronger bonds with their children. Playing with your kids is a lot of fun. Mutual participation is a great way to learn more about your children in ways you may never have otherwise learned. Bonding with them gives you a chance to see what their friends and social circle is like. Plus it makes you the coolest parent in your neighborhood. 17. Mythical Journeys improves physical prowess and reduces stress. Participants are put into situations that may test their manual dexterity and challenge them physically through balance, strength, endurance and aerobic exercise—a proven method in stress reduction. Most players will attest that after a full weekend event, they go home “stress-free” of their everyday pressures. 18. Mythical Journeys teaches critical learning traits. Critical learning traits allow individuals to become empowered learners. At Mythical Journeys participants learn problem solving, independent thinking, organizational skills, and teamwork, while expressing individuality through creative outlets and confidence building. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Why Myt hical Journeys 19. Mythical Journeys encourages leadership skills. Mythical Journeys encourages members to be enthusiastic and optimistic while teaching creativity, flexibility and cooperation—all key requirements to building strong leaders. With these tools, participants will learn to delegate, hire individuals who have different skills sets, seek advice from others, show dedication and stand by their team members. Finally, participants will learn to take their leadership potential to the next level through vision, mentorship, sharing in celebration, giving back to their community, and not letting it all go to their head. Skills learned during Mythical Journeys are often applied to the real world through increased self-confidence. 20. Mythical Journeys is wish fulfillment. Mythical Journeys is sometimes mistaken for rank escapism. Given, using fantasy to escape from responsibility is obviously detrimental. However, there is something to be said for “productive escapism”. Doing the same old thing day-in and day-out can eventually wear even the best of us down. Mythical Journeys can be a relief from the every-day grind and enables us to become a fearless warrior, a prince/ princess or even a wise, old wizard for a while. Mythical Journeys lets us be someone else for a short time... and most of us could use that break in our lives. So why play Mythical Journeys? Mythical Journeys is a positive and social form of entertainment that encourages team play and camaraderie. Not only is Mythical Journeys fun, but educators and counselors have also used roleplaying for decades to improve skills and encourage learning. Mythical Journeys is storytelling, one of the oldest art forms known to mankind. It is a great way to get off the couch, off the Internet or out from in front of the television into a positive, drug-free environment. It is here you will make new life-long friends and acquire some adventurous tales you can share for the rest of your life. xi The Basi cs The Basics The basics of Mythical Journeys are very simple. If you are a player, you will play a single character that you have created. You'll dress like the character, act like the character, and even try to think like the character. If you are a member of the cast, you will play many characters and creatures over the course of the event, but you'll still dress and act like the character or creature you are playing. Each character's capabilities are defined by their Skills. These may be simple, like the ability to swing a sword in combat or the ability to read. Or they may be more complex, like the ability to cast spells or perceive the near-invisible magic auras that surround enchanted items. Some skills create exceptions to the rules summarized in this section. For the sake of simplicity, these exceptions are not listed here. For information about making a character, see Chapter 1 Making a Character. For information about the skills, see Chapter 3 Skills. Combat The world of Mythical Journeys is a dangerous one and you may need to defend yourself. Combat is simple. We use safe, padded weapons (see Appendix A Weapon Construction for details). To damage your opponent, you simply strike them with your weapon. You don't need to hit hard; any touch to a legal target area is a hit and does one point of damage. Hits to the head, hands, feet, and groin are not legal targets and you should avoid striking them. Anywhere else on the body counts. A blow that is partially blocked but still touches the body is still a hit. Each time you take a point of damage, you lose 1 Vitality. When you have only 1 Vitality left, you can only lose it if you are struck in your torso area, but any hit to a limb will Stun that limb, making it unusable for 5 minutes or until healed. Some skills permit you to make special “called” attacks. You call the effect and then swing your weapon. If it hits an appropriate target, the target takes the effect. For example, if you have the Maim skill, you could call “Maim” and then strike. If your swing hit the target's limb, that limb would be Maimed and unusable until healed. The skill is not expended unless the strike hits or is resisted. For most called weapon attacks, the strike must hit any legal target area on your body, but is not effective if it hits your weapon or shield. (Disarm is effective against a weapon only, and Knockdown and Push are effective if they hit your body or your shield.) If an effect is called, it replaces the normal 1 point of damage from the strike. See Effects, below, for a brief summary of the effects that can be called. For more details about combat, see Chapter 7 Combat. Healing The most common forms of healing are bandaging and the Healing spell. Bandaging is used on a patient who is unconscious and dying. It takes one or five minutes, depending on the skill of the bandager, and when it is complete the patient is restored to 1 Vitality (bandaging will not raise them above 1 Vitality). Bandaging can also repair Maimed or Stunned limbs even on a conscious patient. xii Part 1 - I n t r o d u c t i o n The common Healing spell can be used on anyone, not just the dying. It takes one minute to cast and restores 1 Vitality, up to their original maximum Vitality, and also repairs all Maimed and Stunned limbs. More advanced healing spells heal more Vitality or do so more quickly. Death and Dying If you are reduced to 0 Vitality by damage, you fall unconscious and begin bleeding to death: you are Dying. Fall down, lie motionless and silent, and begin silently counting out 5 minutes. If someone begins tending you, with bandages or other types of healing, this will pause your count. Otherwise, if you are not healed before the 5 minutes are up, you will die. If you are helpless (e.g. Unconscious, Paralyzed, etc), someone with the Quickdeath skill can finish you off by placing their weapon on your torso and stating “I grant you a quick death.” If they are not interrupted, you die immediately. Once you are Dead, healing and bandaging are no longer effective. Your dead body will linger for another 5 minutes before you dissipate, become a spirit, and go to Fate. (If no one is around to take interest in your body, you may dissipate early.) Keep your eyes down, do not interact with anyone, and go directly to Fate. If anyone tries to interact with you, just say “Spirit.” When you reach Fate, knock on Fate's door and wait to be called before Fate, who will determine what will happen to you. Normally, you will not remember your last 5 minutes of consciousness before your death. Safety Calls Three calls are used for out-of-game concerns and safety issues. Caution: this call is used to warn people of a dangerous situation. For example, Caution would be called if your opponent is about to back into a tree or step on a fallen person. Caution creates a personal hold between the individuals involved. Nothing affects either of you until the situation is resolved. You should resume play as quickly as it is safe to do so. Clarify: this call is used when you don't know the effect of a call, or could not hear it clearly enough to understand. Like Caution, Clarify creates a personal hold until the situation is resolved. Hold: it is rarely necessary to stop the action for everyone in the area, but when it is necessary, the call of Hold is used. For example, if there is an injury and the action needs to be stopped to avoid further harm. When Hold is called, everyone present must stop and drop to a knee. Allow people to deal with the situation. When the situation has been resolved, the most senior person present will count down “3... 2... 1... Game on.” Spells Some characters have the ability to cast spells. Spells are powered by Mana or Faith. Each spell will have an Incantation and a cost in Mana or Faith. To cast the spell, you expend the Mana or Faith and state the incantation. If the spell is offensive, you throw a spell packet—a small beanbag filled with birdseed—at the target. If it hits anywhere on the target, even on their shield, weapon, or Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Welcome to Mythical Journeys cloak, it takes effect. If the target is willing, you may simply touch them with a packet or, if they give permission, with your hand. Certain conditions must be met when casting a spell: y The Incantation must be spoken clearly and loudly enough for the target to hear everything you are saying. y If your spell requires the expenditure of Mana, you cannot cast it while you are wearing Armor. y You may not have anything in your hands except one spell packet. At least one of your hands must be free (not pinned, bound, or Maimed). y You must have both feet stationary while speaking the incantation, and can take only one “pitching step” while throwing the packet. Most spell incantations are descriptive. For example, “Through fire, bolt, damage one” is a simple spell that does one point of damage. “I heal you one vitality” will heal you, restoring one vitality and also repairing any Stunned or Maimed limbs (this spell takes one minute to cast). Spells can have many of the same types of effects as called weapon attacks. See Effects, below, for a brief summary of possible effects. All magical damage is treated as a torso hit. If you are on your last Vitality, it will take away that last point and leave you Dying, even if the packet hit your limb. Beneficial Magic Some magic is harmful, but other spells can be helpful. Most helpful spells are Shield, Barrier, Armor, or Bestow effects. You may receive these benefits from a spell, potion, scroll, magic item, or other source. If it is one of these types of effects, it will have the word Shield, Barrier, Armor, or Bestow in it. You may only have one effect of each type on yourself at any time. For example, you can have a Shield and a Barrier, but not two Shields. If you receive a second one, you must decide which one is removed. A Shield allows you to resist one effect of the specified type. For example a Fire Shield allows you to resist one spell with Fire in its incantation. A Slumber shield allows you to resist the Slumber effect once. When using a Shield defense, you must state “Resist.” A Barrier allows you to resist all effects of the specified type for a certain duration. For example a Fire Barrier would allow you to resist all Fire spells, typically for one or five minutes. When using this defense, you must state “Barrier.” You'll also hear “Barrier” called by enemies who are temporarily protected against different kinds of attacks, including creatures who are immune to nonmagical weapons until their defense is broken. An Armor effect provides protection similar to armor. For example, the Ice Greaves spell (”Through ice, I armor your bones, resist next maim”) allows you to resist one Maim effect. A Bestow effect grants you use of a skill or spell. For example, the Rune of Holding spell allows you to be Bestowed the use of a given spell. Mythical Journeys Renaissance The Basics Effects These effects may be called as weapon attacks or as spells, or even specified as the effect of potions or other magic. Acid: represented as splashing water, acid does 1 point of damage if it hits your body at all. Amnesia: for the duration, you are unable to remember anything, even your own name. Assassinate: if it strikes your back, you are instantly Dead and cannot be healed. Backstab: if it strikes your back, you take 3 damage. Betrayal: you must try as hard as possible to kill or destroy your friends. Bind: your wrists are bound to your sides and you cannot fight or cast spells. Bloodrend: in one minute, you will lose all your Vitality. Charm: you must treat the caster as your closest friend. Disarm: drop your weapon, and you cannot pick it up for 5 seconds. If called with a weapon strike, it must hit your weapon. Two-handed weapons held in both hands are immune, as are shields and bucklers. Death: you are instantly Dead, and cannot be healed. Disease: you cannot be healed by any means, including bandaging and Karma. Dispel Enchantment: you cannot use any magic item, including potions and scrolls. Defenses against spells will not protect you against Dispel effects. Dispel Magic: any spell cast upon you is removed. Defenses against spells will not protect you against Dispel effects. Drain Vitality: lose one vitality; it cannot be healed (unless you go to Fate). If all your vitality is drained, you fall and start dying, but can still be healed your last point of Vitality. Enslave: you must do anything the caster says, even kill yourself or your friends. (You do not need to reveal any secret information, however.) Explosion: the caster throws a handful of packets and you are affected if any of them hit you, but do not take extra damage if hit by more than one. Feeblemind: you cannot cast any spell by any means, or use any called expendable skill except those whose call is “Resist.” Final Death: you are dead forever. You will go to Fate, but never return. Flat: the attacker is pulling their blow, and the attack does no damage. Forget: you permanently forget the events of the last 5 minutes. Freeze Limb: your limb is frozen solid and cannot move. Knockdown: you fall down and must lay flat on your back/front before getting up again. If called with a weapon strike, it even works if it hits your shield. Magnetize: your body or the specified object is pulled to the specified location and cannot move from it. Maim: your limb is broken and cannot be used. You cannot hop with a Maimed leg or hold things in a Maimed arm. xiii The Basi cs Mimic: you must be dead for this to work. It animates you as a minor undead who will serve your creator. Any skills expended while you are a mimic will be restored when you go to Fate. Pain: you suffer overwhelming pain which continues until you fall and touch both knees and a hand to the ground. Paralyze: you are immobilized and must stand in place, motionless. Petrify: your body and everything on it is turned to stone. You are immune to non-magical attacks and cannot be searched, but you also can't move. Pierce: this attack (which must be an arrow, crossbow bolt, or javelin) will be effective even if it hits a target wearing medium or heavy armor (which normally resist missile attacks). Poison: you suffer 10 seconds of agony during which you cannot fight, cast spells, or defend yourself. After 10 seconds, you fall unconscious for 5 minutes. At the end of that time, if you have not been Cleansed, you die. Push: you must immediately move at least 10 feet from the attacker. Repel: you must begin moving away from the attacker, and continue moving away for one full minute. Silence: you may not speak or otherwise vocalize, and you are unable to cast spells or use any skill with an in-game incantation. Slay: if it hits your torso, you take 5 damage. Slumber: you fall into a magical slumber and cannot be woken up except with an Awaken spell. Snare: your feet are bound to the ground and cannot be moved. Subdue: if the subdue packet hits your torso, you fall to the ground for a quick ten-count, during which time you may not defend yourself. Venom: this will be called with another effect. Take the other effect, but it can also be resisted as a Venom and, if it has an ongoing effect, can also be cured with a Cleanse spell. Waylay: if it hits your back, you fall unconscious for 5 minutes. Weakness: you are unable to fight, carry heavy objects or other characters, or even to throw spell packets farther than 5 feet. Wither: your limb is unusable, and cannot be cured except by Cure Disease. Durations Some effects are instant (e.g. Damage, Death), and some continue until you take a required action (e.g. Knockdown, Pain). Ongoing effects always last one minute unless otherwise specified. Until cured: this is an ongoing effect that will not go away on its own. It lasts until it has been cured. Until death: a few effects become more severe and eventually fatal. For example, “Through earth, petrify five minutes until death” will turn you to stone for five minutes. At the end of the duration, if it has not been cured, you will de. If the effect is cured, the death is prevented. xiv Part 1 - I n t r o d u c t i o n Special Attacks The most common attacks are weapon strikes and spells. However, there are a few other possibilities. Backlash: after you strike a creature with your melee weapon, it may call Backlash followed by an effect. The person (or people) who struck the creature takes the effect. Backlash can only be used in response to melee attacks that have injured the creature; it does not protect the creature against your attack at all. All Within... magic that affects everyone within a designated area will begin with a call of “All Within...” followed by a description of the area. For example, “all within this cabin, heal one vitality” would restore one vitality to everyone inside a cabin. Traps and Poison Danger comes in many forms. Traps lie in wait for the unwary. There are several types: Acid traps: any squirting water represents acid. If any water hits your body, you take one point of damage. Buzzer traps: these are magical traps which Paralyze you for 1 minute. Flash traps: everyone in the area of the flash suffers Pain. Mechanical traps: if you are struck by anything like a weapon, you take either the Slay effect (if it hits your torso) or the Maim effect (if it hits a limb). Popper traps: small poppers or string pull-traps represent caltrops or small explosives. These Maim the limb that set off the popper. Contact poison: vaseline represents a poison that affects the first person to touch it. It causes the Poison effect—you are incapacitated for the first 10 seconds (no fighting or casting spells), then unconscious for 5 minutes, and then if not cured you will die. Ingestive poison: poison in your food or drink is represented by a Swedish Fish (a red gummy candy). If you find a Swedish Fish in your food or drink, whether or not you consumed it, you have been poisoned, with the same effects as Contact Poison. Treasure and Other Items Adventure takes more than enemies and traps, there must also be treasure and other types of enchantments. Coin: the common currency consists of copper farthings, silver crowns, and gold sovereigns. A gold sovereign is worth 10 silver crowns; a silver crown is worth 10 copper farthings. Battle scrolls: these small scrolls written in special scripts store magical spells that can be used by characters with the Read Magic or Read Divine skills. Potions: a piece of paper rolled up inside a clear film canister represents a potion. On the outside, you will see a picture of the potion and a color which you can use to identify familiar potions. To use the potion, open the vial and read the paper. You cannot open the vial or read the paper without using the potion. Gems, Ores, and other materials: many types of gems, ores, and other materials such as furs, leather, and glass can be used by craftsmen, ritualists, and others. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Welcome to Mythical Journeys Yellow stickers: other items that can be taken are marked with yellow stickers. The sticker indicates that the item must be checked in at the end of each event. Red stickers: items marked with red stickers cannot be taken, either because they are immobile, breakable, or simply have no value. If the red sticker has a number written on it, it represents a very heavy item. It can only be moved by the combined efforts of the number of people written on the sticker. Each person needs to be able to get both hands on the item in order to assist. Locks: in-game locks are represented by locks with a yellow sticker or Mythical Journeys logo (other locks should not be disturbed). Such locks can be picked if you have the Lockpicking skill and the ability to do so—you'll need to actually open the lock. Otherwise, the item with the lock cannot be opened. Secure: items can also be magically locked. The opening will be covered with a Secure tag indicating the strength of the Secure spell. It can only be opened by the person who placed the Secure or someone who casts a sufficiently potent Pry spell. Gates: a doorway ringed with light represents a magical Gate, a portal through which a distant location can be reached. You may pass through the opening only if the lights are on. Using magical Gates can have harmful effects on those who do so often, though there are no untoward effects of a single trip. Searching People and Monsters After the defeat of your foes in combat (or just stumbling across their unconscious bodies), you may wish to search the bodies for treasure. You may search any dead, unconscious, or non-resisting body. The physical contact rules of Mythical Journeys require that one person may touch another only with the consent of both parties. Consequently, searching others must proceed as follows. Approach the person and state “I search you.” The victim may respond with either “You may search me” or “Describe your search.” You may always choose to describe your search if you prefer. Regardless of which searching method you use, you still must accept any effects that such a search might inflict upon you (e.g., poison or disease). Physical Search: If the person you are searching responds “Search me,” this means that they have given you permission to do a basic body search. In this situation you are permitted to pat their pouches and pockets and generally search their clothes. Do not touch taboo areas such as the groin and chest. No in-game items or coins may be hidden in “taboo” areas, including inside your pants or under a skirt. Describing Your Search: If the person you are searching responds with the statement “Describe your search,” this means that they have refused permission for you to do a body search. You must roleplay searching their body, leaning over them close enough to perform a search, but perform your search verbally by describing where you are searching. Describe your search with a series of “I search your (area)” statements, which must be answered truthfully. For example: “I search the pockets of your tunic.” “You find nothing.” “I look for anything around your neck.” (Victim removes jeweled necklace and gives it to searcher) “I search both your boots.” “You find nothing.” “I search the small of your back.” “You find a tiny dagger strapped to my back” (removes dagger and hands it over) “I remove your bracelet” “Prop.” Mythical Journeys Renaissance The Basics Although the search is being described, your responses must be true. You can hide an item in your boot, but it must really be hidden in your boot. You cannot simply describe it as being there. Each area to be searched will take about 5 seconds. However, if you are being searched in an area that has already been searched by someone else, you should immediately tell the searcher. “I search this pouch.” “It looks like it has already been opened and emptied.” All Searches: Any search that is thorough enough will eventually reveal everything you have. After five minutes of search, you must hand over any in-game items that have not already been found. You may hand them over earlier if you prefer. Cast, especially, who may need to get on with another role, may choose to hand over any loot more quickly. If you have an item on your body that is not in-game, simply state “Prop” when the searcher says, “I take your (blank).” Obviously, items acquired in-game cannot be props. This rule is to enable players to enhance their characters’ costumes without risking the loss of their real-life treasures. Anything that has in-game value can be stolen. Additionally, any item that has been sealed in an ingame way (e.g. with a lock or Secure spell) can be taken, if the searcher has the ability to do so. You may take weapons to put them out of reach, for example if you are afraid your victim is not entirely dead. However, you may not take and keep the weapons unless they are yellow-stickered. You must leave them nearby where your victim will easily be able to find them. On occasion there will be the need to gather things like Fiend claws, Troll’s hide, and other components for the completion of potions and such things. This will be dictated by plotlines delivered during the events. A vivid description of cutting up a body, or of a full body search will not be necessary and will not be tolerated by Mythical Journeys. Harvesting parts outside of designated plotlines will prove futile (no Cast Member will purchase them from you). Anything that can be taken and has value will be represented by a prop that the monster will give you. It is polite to gently roll any monster’s body out of sight to keep it from decaying in public (see Carrying Others). This allows that cast member to leave the area more quickly so they can come back out into play sooner. Searching Cabins: Cabins and most other buildings are ingame unless otherwise marked, and you can enter them in search of treasure—although there may be in-game consequences of doing so. In-game items can be taken: in-game coins, gems, minerals, crafting materials, potions, scrolls, any item with an Appraisal or Magic Item code, or any yellow-stickered item. All in-game items must be stored in in-game locations, never in out-of-game locations (such as your car). Other items, especially personal items such as clothing, bedding, and food, cannot be taken. In addition, underneath the beds is considered an out-of-game area. No in-game items may be placed there, and you may not search there. The out-of-game belongings of other players must always be treated respectfully. These items should be left in place, not thrown on the floor or in disarray. xv Where to Go From Here Where to Go From Here Do not be afraid of the length of this rule book. Mythical Journeys wants to provide you with the richest world possible, and that does require some details. However, you do not need to know all of these details all at once. You’ll need to read some sections in order to play, while other sections you can safely skim, and get back to when you want the additional detail. You've already finished reading the core rules, on the preceding four pages. These are enough to begin play. What follows are the details about making characters, more in-depth explanation about the core rules, and information about our world. If You Are Playing If you want to make a character to come play Mythical Journeys, you must read the following chapters: Chapter 1 Making a Character - this chapter describes the nitty-gritty of making a character. w You might want to skim Chapter 2 Races to get an idea about different races as well as skim Chapter 3 Skills for details about skills. w If you are playing someone who uses magic, read Chapter 10 Magic and Spells. Otherwise, you can skip all of this chapter except the short section titled Beneficial Spells and Stacking on page 100. w If you are playing a character who follows a divine path, read Chapter 11 Faith and Religion. y Chapter 4 Preparing for the Event - this chapter talks about what you should bring to an event. y Chapter 5 Arriving at Game - this tells you about checkin and what to do before game start. This is a short chapter, don’t be afraid! y Chapter 6 Interacting with the Game - this chapter describes real-world rules of conduct you’ll need to follow while at Mythical Journeys. y Chapter 7 Combat - this chapter describes how combat works at Mythical Journeys. Even if you play a noncombatant character, you’ll need to know how to react to attacks and the effects of injuries. y Chapter 8 Sounds of Battle - this chapter briefly describes every special call in the game. Even if you are unable to call the skill, you just might run into a creature who can. y Chapter 9 The Stuff Adventures Are Made Of - this chapter describes all the physical things you might run into: treasure, magic items, locks, and magical barriers and gates. At minimum, you’ll need to know about the red and yellow stickers we use to mark special items. y xvi Part 1 - Introduction If You Are Casting If you want to run around and play monsters all weekend at Mythical Journeys, you must read the following chapters: Chapter 4 Preparing for the Event - this chapter talks about what you should bring to an event. y Chapter 6 Interacting with the Game - this chapter describes real-world rules of conduct you’ll need to follow while at the game. y Chapter 7 Combat - this chapter describes how combat works at Mythical Journeys. Even if you play a noncombatant character, you’ll need to know how to react to attacks and the effects of injuries. y Chapter 8 Sounds of Battle - this chapter briefly describes every special call in the game. Even if you are unable to call the skill, you just might run into a creature who can. y Chapter 9 The Stuff Adventures Are Made Of - this chapter describes all the physical things you might run into: treasure, magic items, locks, and magical barriers and gates. At minimum, you’ll need to know about the red and yellow stickers we use to mark special items. y Rules of Magic on page 100 and Beneficial Spells and Stacking on page 100 for an overview of how magic works in the game. y Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Part 1 Getting Started Chapter 1 - Making a Character ...................................3 Chapter 3 - Skills ......................................................... 33 Character Creation .................................................................... 4 Character History ..................................................................... 5 Character Classes ...................................................................... 8 Character Skills ....................................................................... 10 Character Advancement .......................................................... 11 Learning Skills .........................................................................33 Crafting Skills ..........................................................................33 Skill Descriptions ....................................................................36 Chapter 2 - Races ......................................................... 15 Race Overview ......................................................................... 15 Basic Races ............................................................................... 17 Special Races ............................................................................ 23 Unique Races ........................................................................... 30 Racial Skills ............................................................................. 31 Chapter 4 - Preparing for the Event ......................... 55 Weapons ....................................................................................55 Armor ........................................................................................55 Costuming ................................................................................57 Real World Equipment ..........................................................58 General Information ...............................................................59 Before the Game ......................................................................59 Chapter 1 Making a Character They had all met at Rich’s house to make their characters and try to develop some form of group. Rich had finally convinced them to try live action roleplaying, and after visiting the Mythical Journeys web site, talking with some of the players and cast, and reading the rule book, they couldn’t wait to get started. Rich told everyone he wanted to be a Human fighter, cocky and fearless like his favorite fantasy character. His best friend, Lloyd, quickly decided to be a fighter as well, but since he met the height requirements, he decided that playing a Dwarf Barbarian might be more fun. Jason wanted to become a fighter too, but he was also intrigued by the magic system. He chose to play an Elven Ranger because of their affinity to both fighting and magic skills. He would start as a fighter and advance to the mystic elements of Ranger as he met teachers in the game. Kim didn’t particularly enjoy fighting, and decided she would play the role of a magic user. She checked the requirements for the races and quickly chose to become a Famori since she admired the way they were portrayed in the lore as masters of mental pursuits. Tim was always a loud person, and so none were surprised when he announced his desire to become an outspoken Human cleric of Radiance. Gerry announced his character would be a Mistborn thief. Some knew the paths they wished to follow in their careers as adventurers, and others were content to let what happened at the game guide their character progression. They chose skills which would support their initial character choices and started to think about other information they would have to decide on. What would their names be, what personalities would they have, what did they like or not like, did they have any annoying traits or endearing ones and did they have family? They worked through these and then decided where they came from and how they had met each other. When they were done the room was no longer filled with the same six people. The room now contained Rasaan, a boisterous Human pit fighter from the mean streets of Arkenstone; Grog, the surly and excitable Dwarven Barbarian from the Frozen North; as well as Dunnam, the calm Elven Ranger from the wastes of the Freelands. The same room now held Kimba, the world naïve but book smart Famori mage straight from the colleges of Nova Arcadia; Gabriel, the fiery Human cleric of Radiance, initiate to the Temple of Divine Right in Arkenstone; and finally Melkar the dashing but misguided rogue whose background was as much a secret as his activities during the darkness. In that moment, in that room, amid the hopes and excitement of six people who could not wait for the chance to play, the Soldiers of the Shadow were born. Their adventures would help to write the saga that is Mythical Journeys. 3 Character Creation Character Creation Your character is your alter-ego in the world of Mythical Journeys. Your character may have a personality much like yours, or you may choose to play a character that is very different. Your character will have a name and a history, defining where he or she grew up, what kind of experiences he or she had, what he or she learned in the process, and how. Your character may be Human, like you, or another race, like an Elf or Dwarf. And your character will have a class or classes that defines his or her particular talents or aptitudes. A character is a fictional being; you, the player, are the real person. For simplicity, though, we’ll often refer to your character as “you.” The steps of making your character: 1. Choose a name. Your name is very important. Since Mythical Journeys is such a large world, oftentimes people will never have met you and therefore will form much of their opinion about your character based on your name. If you are successful with your character you might have to live with this name for years to come. Here are some things to avoid: Don’t use names of well-known fictional characters. While Bilbo or Aragorn might seem like good names, trust us, they really are not. You will never live up to the original character, and even if you establish yourself as your own, unique character, you’ll never escape the shadow of the name. Don’t use names that are extremely cliché or over the top. A name like “Death Dealer the God Slayer” is not a good name. You can take a title like “Giantslayer” after you’ve slain some giants in-game, but if you start with it, people won’t take you seriously. Don’t use names of modern people or characters. This is a fantasy setting, after all. Don’t use names that are just silly. If you take a name that is a joke, serious role-players will avoid you, because your name isn’t a believable part of the world. And, since our goal is to create a believable world for you and others to take part in, a joke name does not belong. Lastly, your name will be made public. Before you can play Mythical Journeys, you must enter your character into the online character database (see Submit your character online on page 5 for more information about submitting your character online). So if your character has a secret identify of some sort do not put that in the “Character Name” section of the online character creation page. Put the secret name in the “History” section and your Character Name should be what you want publicly known. Can’t think of anything? There is a name generator on the Mythical Journeys web site. 4 P art 1 - Get ting Start ed 2. Choose a race. There are six basic player races at Mythical Journeys: Dwarves, Elves, Famori, Ra’Kash, Wargs, and Humans. (There are more special races available for returning characters.) All the races have unique and rich histories and cultures, as well as advantages and limitations. Often the race you choose will influence the rest of your decisions in creating a character. All races have benefits that might lower the cost of certain skills or offer other bonuses. For example, Humans can select any one weapon skill and any one craft skill for a reduced cost. See Chapter 2 Races for more details. 3. Choose a class. All characters begin with one Basic Class and can gain more Basic Classes immediately or later on by spending Character Points for them. Each class provides access to a unique set of skills. There are also General skills from which you can choose to help make your character unique. Looking for more possibilities? New classes will open up to your character as you develop later on. The eight Basic Classes are the beginning of your development, not the end. See Character Classes on page 8 for an overview of the Basic classes. Chapter 14 Advancing Your Character discusses Advanced Classes, which you might want to read to see where you can take your character in the future. Not sure? Don't worry, you can change your mind once before your fourth game (see Resetting Your Character on page 12 for more details). 4. Choose your specific skills. Skills define what abilities the character has, whether you’re good with a sword, skilled with magic, full of faith, or stealthy. The skills available to you are determined by your classes, and are listed in Skill costs on page 36. For a full description of all the skills, see Chapter 3 Skills. In addition, the General skills are available to everyone. All starting characters receive 100 Character Points (CP) to make their initial skill purchases. 5. Write your character history. Before you play Mythical Journeys for the first time, you can earn 10 extra CP (for a a total of 110 CP) for writing a detailed character history. This is the story of your character up to the moment they arrive in Eldyrwood for the first time. To receive points, you will need to submit your history at least two weeks before the first event you attend so that we can use it to generate unique plots for you to join, and characters for you to meet. You can also make additions later on. Your character history is something you will do anyway in your imagination, so please write it down and submit it to us! Once you've submitted your history, we'll read it and either approve it as written or make suggestions to help your character fit the world better. See Character History on page 5 for suggestions on writing your history. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Making a Character 6. Submit your character online. For everyone’s convenience, you must submit your character to the My Character section of the Mythical Journeys web site. Here you give us your name, history, and other details of your character. This includes submitting your skills to our interactive skills database, which automatically calculates skill costs, etc. Character History Once you have decided what your character’s personality is going to be like, you must decide what made your character become that way. What are the events in your past that have shaped and molded you into a hero or villain? Below are a list of questions for you to answer that will help you flesh out your character and develop your history. Once you have written your history, enter it into your online character at least two weeks before your first game so we can do our best to fit you into our world quickly and logically. Don’t be afraid to leave openings and hooks for our plot writers to play with: a stuttering cleric whose face you have never seen, a long-lost sister who was separated from you at birth, or even a map which you seek that leads to something unknown. Avoid writing noble titles into your history; similarly avoid personal wealth, land ownership, magic items, or other such resources or status. Histories that include these things will certainly be declined; after all, there would be no reason for you to adventure if you already had everything you needed. You can bring heirloom items (e.g. the sword of your great-grandfather), but these will be non-magical items of only normal value, no matter what you write in your history. Character History When you begin to play always keep in mind a number of things. Set goals for your character over the short and long term. Have your character work toward them. Feel free to transfer your own character and personality traits into your character, but also realize that this is your chance to roleplay an entirely different personality that you may want to experience. How long should it be? It's more important to cover the basics than worry about length. Tell us something interesting about your character. Where is your character from? Who are some people he/she knew? (With names!) If you want a target length, 1000-2000 words is good. It is almost impossible to cover everything you need to cover in 100 words or less. If your history is much longer (e.g., 5000+ words), it may take us longer to get through but we'll still read it. You may want to start with a summary in that case. Here are some questions to help create your history: How old is your character? - You don’t have to play someone your own age. You can play someone older, or if you can pull it off, younger. It can be quite a challenge. Where was your character born? - Are you an Elf from the great Oakhome Forest? A bounty hunter from Arkenstone? A barbarian cleric from the far reaches of the Frozen North? Where you come from helps to shape who you are. A thorough understanding of your home region helps to make your character more believable and more exciting to role-play with. For instance, if you are from the Frozen North, then the hot weather in Eldyrwood will drive you crazy. Does your character have a family? - What was your family like? Do you have brothers and sisters? Pets? Did your childhood affect who you are today? Was your family poor or commonfolk? Are your parents still alive? Do you get along with your family? Do you miss them, search for them? What are/were their names? If you had to describe your character with five adjectives what would they be? - Cruel? Kind? Peaceful? Friendly? Forgiving? Merciless? What are your character's beliefs? - If you have not already done so, take a look at Chapter 11 Faith and Religion. Does your character follow or believe in Fortune, Radiance, or Shamanism? Were you raised in one of these religions? Is your character lawful? Does he or she have a strict code that they must follow, or are they more free with their decisions? What is your character's moral code? - When will your hero steal, cheat, or lie? What does it take to make you kill something? Are you capable of killing at all? Would you leave someone behind to save your own skin? To what lengths will your character go to defend their beliefs? Mythical Journeys Renaissance 5 Character History What is it that your character loves? - Does your character love being outside? Being alone? Being with others? Reading dusty books? Dwarven ale? Creating the perfect end to every battle? A clever phrase? Money? Carnage? Someone else? Who is the most important person in your character's life? - Your father? Mother? Best friend? What is that person’s name, and why were they important to you? What does your character hate? - Trail Rations? Snooty Elves? Nethermancers who raise the dead? Guards that ask prying questions? Slow service from the tavern? Laws? People who mess with the forest? Your family? Yourself? Game masters who ask too many questions? What is your character's weakness? - Beautiful artwork? Are you unable to resist a bribe? Chocolate? Gold? Gems? Do you always give in? Are you incapable of lying? Incapable of telling the truth? What is your character's worst fear? - Are you afraid of being alone? Spiders? Crowds? Goblins? What makes your character happy? - Sunny days? Long walks alone? A warm fire to tell tales by in the tavern? The perfect crime? A good fight? What is your character's idea of a good night of entertainment? - Socializing in the tavern? Dancing or singing? Hosting a party? Theological debate over a game of chess? Gladiatorial combat? What did your character do before they arrived? - Who taught the character his or her beliefs? Who trained your character? What is your character’s relationship with their teacher? Or, are you seeking a teacher? What was your profession previously and why did you leave it? 6 P art 1 - Get ting Start ed Why did your character leave to come to this new land? Most people in our town are not from around here. This means they left somewhere. Knowing why you left is probably one of the most important things you will decide about your character. Did you have a falling out with your family? Are you searching for your family or a lost love? Do you seek wealth? Are you running from a previous action you are ashamed of? Shame is a great motivator. Revenge? Tracking down someone who stole something from you? Are you being tracked, or are you on the lam? How about starting off with amnesia and wandering into Eldyrwood by mistake? Does your character have unusual habits, or quirks? What are they? Why do you have them? How do others react to them? Phobias? Think of a physical attribute that might be different, or a way of speech. Again, what many might consider to be flaws actually help define who a person is. Consider them endearing and choose a few. Create a character from your past - Though not essential, you could create a description of somebody your character has very strong feelings about. Perhaps an enemy, a long lost friend, a family member, etc. How would you recognize this character if you were to see them? It’s best to specify a style of clothing, a tattoo, a facial marking, a speech mannerism (e.g. a stutter) rather than their actual appearance. If you have a 7’ purple-haired character in your history, we can’t bring that character into the game until we find a cast member who is 7’ tall and purple-haired. If the person always wears a yellow turban, we can always find someone to play them. characters became Death and destruction - Many adventurers when their families or towns were destroyed by undead, orcs, the thieves guild, or some other enemy. It’s cliche, but not unreasonable. You may wish to explain why they did not come back from Fate, or at least note that they did not. Perhaps their spirits were taken to create undead, or they were killed by evil creatures whose power was sufficient to destroy their very spirits. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Making a Character Melkar’s History Medrin Glennon was born in the port city of Temmek to poor Human parents. Shocked by his strange appearance, with white, purple, and blue markings around his eyes, they decided that he was still their kid, and they would raise him just the same. The city of Temmek was ruled by Ra’Kash, but many of the common laborers were Human, and even some of the merchants. Medrin’s father, Tareld, worked on the docks, loading and unloading ships. Usually he worked when the Human-crewed ships came in from Arkenstone or Colonna, since the Ra’Kash captains preferred Ra’Kash workers. Medrin’s mother, Cenda, worked as a seamstress, but she mostly had her hands full with five children. Of these, Medrin was the youngest. Although Medrin appreciated his family, he spent a great deal of time away from them, especially in the Ra’Kash sections of the city. The Ra’Kash children would tease him, but only the same way they teased the Humans for being hairless, which gave him a sort of twisted sense of equality. The Human children were more merciless. As Medrin grew up, his father found him odd jobs around the docks. He wasn’t strong enough to load and unload the ships yet, but he was quick and there was often a copper or two to be had for a messenger. It was these jobs that brought him to the attention of Nydar, a hulking lion Ra’Kash. Nydar often needed small packages delivered. Eventually, after he found Medrin to be reliable, he began trusting him with more “discrete” deliveries. Often these had to be delivered after dark, in poorly-lit taverns, or only after the recipient had given a pass-phrase. Medrin knew not to ask questions, and not to talk about how he earned his coin. Nydar also gave the young Mistborn a few pointers on how to handle a knife. The lessons came in handy one night when some street toughs tried to shake him down for his delivery. Medrin knew better than to fight, but a few quickly-tossed daggers made them duck while he made his escape. After that, Nydar showed him how to prepare and apply what he called a “blade polish” that would slow his targets down even more. By the time Medrin was 16, Nydar had introduced Medrin to his own boss, a tiger named Vaokath. The tiger clearly did not think much of using non-Ra’Kash, but Medrin’s jobs became a little more interesting after that. He might be tasked to observe who entered or left a certain tavern, to see what cargo was stored in a certain warehouse, or follow a particular person. Sometimes he would pick up “samples” from the cargo. One night, Nydar brought Medrin along to case out a warehouse. Vaokath wanted an inventory, saying a competing merchant would pay well for the Mythical Journeys Renaissance Character History information. Nydar and Medrin split up and circled the warehouse, noting the positions of the guards. Then they took advantage of a low wall near the building to jump up to the roof. Nydar picked a padlock on the rooftop trapdoor, and they dropped into the dark building. “Nice work,” said Vaokath, sitting on top of a crate. They could barely make out his outline in the gloom. “What are you doing here?” said Nydar. “Just solving a little problem. I hear one of my men has been doing a little freelancing on me. Undercutting my business. Can’t have that, now, can we?” “Wait, I’m sure we can...” Nydar started to answer. But then the doors burst open and the guards came in from both sides. Vaokath tossed a glowing light spell at Nydar’s feet, then dropped out of sight behind the crates. Medrin, a few feet back from Nydar, made it to cover but Nydar was hit by a half-dozen crossbow bolts before he could jump. Vaokath appeared again near one of the doors. “Make sure to take care of Medrin the misborn thing, too. The two of them are the last ones left.” Then he slipped out, shutting the door behind himself. In the gloom, Medrin considered his position. Clearly it was time to go. The guards looked tough, but they were easy to hear moving, and he had learned to be quiet. The trapdoor was not an option, it would put him in the open, but the second door was still open. He slipped over. There were two guards at the ready by the door, but he readied and threw two of his “polished” daggers at them and they staggered, suddenly offbalance and weak. He knew better to wait around to see what would happen, and made his dash for freedom and into the chill night air. Outside, he stopped by home just long enough to slip a note through an open window, and then he made for the gates of the city. It was time for a new life. [] In Arkenstone, a Mistborn slipped into a noisy tavern. Accustomed to listening, he sat down close to a simmering argument. The Human pitfighter was trying his best to keep his voice down, but his anger was obvious. “What do you mean, lose?!? I don’t lose to anyone!” The well-dressed man he was speaking to was calm, “We can make a lot more money if you just throw this one fight. Just help me out here and I’ll make your name big, like I promised.” “I’m not letting some Elf whelp beat me, no matter what the price!” “Listen, if you want to throw your future away, you can do that. But these papers right here—“ he brandished a sheaf of parchment before stuffing it back in his oversized pouch “—say you won’t fight unless it’s for me. So take it or leave it. Your choice, I suggest you think it through and make the smart decision.” As the well- 7 Character Classes dressed man stood up and turned to go, the Mistborn got up for a drink, accidentally bumping him. By the time the Mistborn had his drink and was approaching the corner table where the Human pitfighter was talking to a dwarven companion, the well-dressed man had left the tavern. The Mistborn leaned over the table. “I think I can help with your problem,” he suggested. The Human glared but gestured for him to take a seat. The Mistborn continued, “Now, as long as you’re in this town where people know you’re fighting for old so-and-so, and he’s got your papers, you’re pretty much stuck. But supposing you weren’t in this town, and he didn’t have your papers, you could get started fighting without his interference, and by the time he found out it would be too late.” Grog scowled, and in a too-loud voice complained, “I know, I know. Freakishly tall and not a hair on his chin. But you spend enough time among Humans and you can start to overlook those things.” “Actually I meant...” the Famori started to explain. The Dwarf glared at her. Catching the look and thinking for a moment, she finished, “...I guess you have a point.” Melkar smiled to himself. This would work out all right. Character Classes “Ah,” said the Mistborn with a knowing look, “but it seems to me he may have misplaced these papers somewhere or other,” pulling out a sheaf of papers. “And if we leave town before he notices, there’s not much he can do about it.” A character’s classes define the skills they are able to learn. There are eight Basic Classes: the divine classes Sanctity and Devotion, the fighting classes Finesse and Might, the magical classes Power and Sight, and the stealth classes Precision and Subtlety. Every character may select one Basic class at no cost. Additional classes can be purchased by spending character points for them: 20 points for your second class, 30 points for your third, 40 for your fourth, and 50 for each subsequent class after four. (These costs will also apply for Advanced and Prestige Classes later on. See Chapter 14 Advancing Your Character for more details.) The Dwarf slapped the Human on the back, “Laddy, this is an offer you can’t turn down.” Divine Classes: Sanctity and Devotion “How does that help? He’s still got my contract. If I get in the fights somewhere else no one else will sponsor me.” The Human smiled. “I’ve been wanting to see Felnar now that you mention it. Name’s Rasaan, and this is Grog. And you’re welcome to join us.” The Mistborn smiled back. “Med... Melkar. The name’s Melkar. And I’d love to see Felnar.” [] Rasaan, Grog, and the newly renamed “Melkar” reached Lacarta and then stopped in an inn for the night. While Rasaan made the arrangements, Melkar overheard an Elf, a Famori, and a Human talking about the road to Felnar. “Is it safe? I hear there are bandits in the hills, and if it’s just the three of us...” said the Human. Melkar interjected, “Pardon me, but any bandit who attacked a pitfighter or a Dwarf is dumber than dirt. And it just so happens that I am traveling with one of each, if you would like the company.” And so Rasaan, Grog, and Melkar made the acquaintance of the Elf Dunnam, the Famori Kimba, and the Human Gabriel. [] As they walked along the road to Felnar, the Famori sidled over to the Dwarf. “Your friend looks a little... freakish.” 8 P art 1 - Get ting Start ed Some draw upon spiritual power through the intensity of their own belief, while others are blessed for reasons they may not understand. You may be devoted to one of the faiths, such as Fortune, Radiance, or Shamanism, or you may not yet have chosen your path. In time, the Sanctified and the Devout may grow in wisdom and become a devout and respected Cleric. The spiritual who fight for their faith become Holy Warriors, those who combine spiritual and magical power become Mystics, and those whose other talents are cunning and discreet may become Fatespinners or Scourges. Sanctity provides access to the minor miracles of faith most call “spells.” Some of the sanctified also channel spiritual power to destroy the unholy undead. Skills: Destroy Undead (10/15/+), Faith (20/*), Divine Scrollcraft (10/*), Read Divine (20). Arms and Armor: The Sanctified often use the Staff (20) and Short Staff (15) as their weapon of choice. Devotion is a selfless path, concerned especially with advanced forms of healing but also with rites such as the creation of holy water and the blessings upon the dead. Skills: Advanced Bandaging (30), Create Holy Water (10/ 15/+), Diagnose (30), Empathic Healing (10), Last Rites (10/15/+), Read Divine (20), Self-Sacrifice (10). Notes: Any character with Devotion and the Bandaging skill may Bandage in 1 minute, instead of the usual 5. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Making a Character Fighting Classes: Finesse and Might A warrior is one who faces battle head-on and delights in the countless cuts, bruises, and aching muscles that come with it. Many warriors consider adventure to be a chance to test their strength, courage, and swordsmanship against an endless plague of danger. Warriors are not simply men and women who fight. Some view battle as a sacred duty, some as what they happen to be good at, and some just find it fun. Many warriors will focus on a particular style of combat and train to become Duellists, Champions, or Archers. Others blend martial training with magic (the Warrior Mage), with stealth (the Rogue), or with spirituality (the Holy Warrior). Finesse grants speed and control, striking with accuracy while keeping just beyond reach of a foe's weapon. Finesse is the method of the Duellist. The arms of Finesse are quick and nimble. Skills: Chosen Foe (30/45/+), Disarm (30/45/+), Pain (30/45/+), Parry (20/30/+), Pierce (10/15/+). Arms and Armor: Archery (20), Armor I (20), Blowgun (15), Buckler (10), Long Blades (15), Net (20), PoleArm (20), Shield (20), Short Blades (10), Thrown Weapon (15), Two-Weapon (10/15/+). Might is sheer strength, overwhelming the foe with force. Might is the style of the Champion. The arms of Might may be heavy but they hit hard, and the strong warrior may take advantage of the heaviest armor. Skills: Knockdown (20/30/+), Maim (20/30/+), Push (10/15/+), Slay (40/60/+), Subdue (20/30/+). Arms and Armor: Long Blunt (15), Net (20), Pole-Arm (20), Short Blunt (10), Two-Handed Weapon (20), Armor I-III (20/30/40), Shield (20), Tower Shield (30). Magical Classes: Power and Sight The arts of Elementalism, Mentalism, Rune Magic, and Wizardry depend on the manipulation and perception of magical energies. These energies can only be absorbed, stored, and channeled by those trained in the art of magic. Most magic-users concentrate on one type of magic and eventually become Elementalists, Rune Mages, Mentalists, or Wizards. Magic may also be combined with faith (the Mystic), with martial training (the Warrior Mage), or with stealth (the Shadow). Mythical Journeys Renaissance Character Classes Power is the manipulation and control of magical energies. Magical spells are powered by Mana, or may be stored in scrolls. Skills: Mana (20/*), Scrollcraft (10/*), Read Magic (20). Arms and Armor: Mages of all types often use the Staff (20) and Short Staff (15). Sight permits the perception and comprehension of the hidden energies within people and items. Skills: Alchemy (30/*), Analyze Alchemical Powder (15), Detect/Attune Magic (20/30/+), Read Aura (10/15/+), Read Magic (20), Recharge Item (20), Scroll Mastery (10/15/+). Notes: Only characters with Sight may learn more than one school of magic. Stealth Classes: Precision and Subtlety Some are not pious, magical, or strong, yet are quick and cunning with a knack for survival. Some specialize in theft and become Burglars, while others focus on the art of the stealthy strike and become Assassins. Those who combine cunning with strength may be Rogues; those who combine stealth with magic may be Shadows; those whose nimble talents serve spiritual ends may be Fatespinners or Scourges. Precision guides a knife through the ribs or prepares a poisoned blade. It is the way of the Assassin. The arms of Precision are quick and compact, to keep out of sight until the perfect moment. Skills: Apply Poison (25), Backstab (30/45/+), Hamstring (20/30/+), Poisoncraft (30/45/+), Quickdeath (5/*), Resist Poison (30/45/+). Arms and Armor: Archery (20), Armor I (20), Blowgun (15), Buckler (10), Short Blades (10), Thrown Weapon (15), Two-Weapon (10/15/+). Subtlety may be overlooked until it is too late. A skilled Burglar may never be seen at all. The arms of Subtlety, like Precision, are quick and small enough to keep out of the way. Skills: Avoid Trap (20/30/+), Catch Thrown Weapon (20), Dodge (20/30/+), Escape Artist (20/30/+), Lockpicking (20), Waylay (10/15/+). Arms and Armor: Archery (20), Armor I (20), Blowgun (15), Buckler (10), Short Blades (10), Thrown Weapon (15), Two-Weapon (10/15/+). 9 Character Skills Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Skill costs: 10/15/+ — skill increases in cost by 50% of the original cost every purchase (e.g. 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35…). If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost is 5/7/+, the first purchase costs 5, the next costs 7 (not 7.5), and the next 10. y 10/* — skill increases in cost by 50% of the original cost every 5 purchases (e.g. 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 15, 15…). If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost is 5/*, the first five purchases cost 5 each, the next five cost 7 each (not 7.5), and the next five cost 10 each. y 10~ — skill does not increase in cost. It costs the base amount every time you purchase it. y 10 — skill can be purchased only once and used once per event. y 10 (unlimited use) — skill is only purchased once but may be used as often as you like. See Chapter 3 Skills for a detailed description of all the skills available to you. y General Skills Some skills may be learned without too much trouble by anyone, though they may be easier for members of certain classes. These are the General skills. General skills do not count as a class and you do not have to pay for access to them. Skills: Appraisal (5/*), Bandaging (30), Hardiness (40), Karma (40), Last Rites (20/30/+), Literacy (10), Quickdeath (15/*), Read Divine (40), Read Magic (40). Arms and Armor: Small Weapon (5). In addition, anyone may learn any Arms and Armor skill from any other class for double the listed cost. Craft Skills The Craft skills are a category to themselves. These are the trade skills of the common folk and artisans, of gatherers and crafters. Each craft represents the basics of a field, but opens the door to learn more advanced techniques which you must be taught in-game. Your first craft costs 20 Character Points, your second costs 30, your third 40, etc. The gatherer skills are Farmer, Miner, Scavenger, and Trapper/Tanner. With these skills, you will start each event with a supply of trade goods. The crafter skills are Blacksmith, Carpenter, Glassblower, Herbalist, Inkmaker, Lapidary, Leatherworker, Papermaker, Tinker, and Weaver. These crafts let you use materials you obtain during game to repair or create items. Character Skills There is more to a character than just their class. If you want to walk the path of a warrior, are you a brute with a single club, a fighter of finesse with a rapier, or a skirmisher with a bow? There are dozens of ways to make your character unique. Remember your character starts with 100 CP (plus 10 CP for a character history). 10 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Making a Character Reserves Every character gains one of these three benefits, based on the basic class they have invested the most points in. If two are equal, they may choose either one. Characters who have an Advanced Class should see that class instead. Physical Reserves: If your primary basic class is Finesse, Might, Precision, or Subtlety, you are more physically resilient. Any time you are healed by any means (healing spell, bandaging, karma, etc), when the healing is complete you will have a minimum of 2 vitality. For example, if you are unconscious with 0 vitality and are bandaged, normally you would recover consciousness with 1 vitality, but instead you would have 2. You can be Bandaged even if you are not unconscious, and it will bring you up to this minimum if you are not there already. In addition, the maximum amount of Vitality you can purchase is 5 (for most characters it is 4). Magical Reserves: If your primary basic class is Power or Sight, you can draw on your reserves when your spell power is exhausted. When you have 0 mana remaining, you may spend 5 minutes preparing a single use of any 1-2 Mana spell you know. You can then cast this spell once. If the spell is an Armor, Shield, or Bestow spell, it may only be cast upon yourself. You can’t have more than one spell prepared at a time. If you have multiple types of mana, you must be out of all of them to use this ability. During the 5 minutes of preparation, you should roleplay an activity related to magic, such as drawing magical symbols or discussing or studying magical matters. Divine Reserves: If your primary basic class is Sanctity or Devotion, you can draw upon divine energies when your faith is exhausted. This works exactly the same as Magical Reserves, except you must be out of Faith, the spell must be a divine spell, and the roleplay should relate to your faith, such as prayer or discussing or studying religious matters. Resting in an area consecrated to your faith is also sufficient. Choices Depending on which skills you’ve chosen, you may have a few more choices to make. Mana and Scrollcraft: These must be purchased for a particular school. Unless your character has Sight, you may only select one school; you may have both Mana and Scrollcraft but they must be for the same school. The schools available to starting Basic races are Elementalism, Mentalism, Rune Magic, and Wizardry. Enselari and Fiend Elves may start with Sorcery. For more information on these schools, see Chapter 10 Magic and Spells. C haracter Advancement Spells: If you purchased Faith, Mana, or Scrollcraft, you also need to choose your starting spells. All characters with Faith or Mana receive Light and Cancel Spell automatically; characters with Faith also get the Healing spell. In addition to these, if you purchased any of these three skills, you may select a total of four more spells of Faith or your selected school of magic. If you have Faith and a school of magic, you may distribute the four spells however you like between the two: two of each, four of one, etc. For Faith spells, see Pilgrim Spells on page 115. For magic spells, see Beginning Spells on page 102. Alchemy, Herbalism, and Poison Craft: These skills allow you to make things from specific plants and animals you find during the game. Each skill requires you to select one or more recipes. Alchemy and Herbalism allow you to choose one recipe from the list in Starting Recipes on page 119. Poison Craft allows you to choose between contact poison, ingestive poison, and weakness venom. For more details, see the skill description Poison Craft on page 47 and the section on Poison on page 89. Character Advancement As your character seeks adventure, learns new things, and explores our world, he or she develops. For each game event that you participate in, you receive 10 CP. y 10 CP are awarded for writing a post-event letter to let us know how the game went for you, and what you are planning on doing in the future. See The PEL in Detail on page 122 for more information. y We award 10 or more Universal Points for helping us set up before each event and clean up afterwards. These Universal Points can be converted into Character Points or used for other benefits. Your CP can be used to buy more skills, just like the CP you used when you first made your character. This allows your character to develop and grow. You can also earn additional Universal Points by donating your time and effort to the game, but in the interest of fairness to those who don’t have the time, we limit how many of these points can be spent on skills. Unless you purchase a cap increase, you can not have more than 150 + 50 x (number of games played) CP of purchased skills. You can, however, spend as many UP as you want on other items for your character such as Fate’s Kisses, potions, scrolls, and many other things. A selection of what you can purchase is listed in Universal Point Rewards on page 125. For a complete list, see the Mythical Journeys web site. Universal Points can also be given to other players. y For characters with a spending cap below 1000 points, once per event attended, you may “upgrade” the cap received for that specific event by 25 points (from the standard 50 point cap increase per event, to a 75 point cap increase for that event). You can upgrade any event attended in August 2012 or later. The upgrade costs 25 UP. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 11 Character Advancement Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Resetting Your Character “But I really need to be a Mistborn,” Gerry said to his friends as they met to strategize, “everything I want to do depends on it”. “Yeah, and I need 20 more points to buy that Parry” said Rich, “I have to have some way to protect us from a fighter with skills.” “Well I need 20 more points”, said Kim “or I won’t be able to get Read Magic, and then I won’t be able to read scrolls.” After your fourth event or if you've already used your reset, you can retire your character and start a new one. A retired character is gone forever—we may even make the character's fate part of the story—although you do keep any unspent CP and UP. When you start a character after retiring an old one, the initial limit on your spent CP is 50 points for every three events you played as the previous character, with a minimum of 150. “Ok, Ok, we all need more points for things we want to do,” Jason replied. “Lets see if there is a way to get more points to start with and let’s see if we can live without some of the things we need until we get through our first event.” If you are unhappy with your character design, you can change it. You are allowed to reset your character once before the fourth game you play. If you reset, you keep the CP you’ve spent, reset all your skills to zero, and then purchase skills again with the CP. You can either keep your name and character history or start completely from scratch. Advanced Classes There are Advanced and Prestige Classes you can advance to from the Basic Classes. See Chapter 14 Advancing Your Character for more information. It typically takes at least a year to reach an Advanced Class, so while they may give you ideas, don't feel you need to decide right away. Sometimes the experiences you have in game will lead you in a completely unexpected direction. They proceeded to check the message board, the rule book and the web site’s FAQ, and found others had similar questions. Jason found they could each get 10 extra points by writing down a detailed character history. This would also help them remember things they had agreed on when making their group and help the game directors know what sorts of goals and dreams they had for their characters. That sounded easy enough and a pretty good idea. Rich found they could also get extra points by helping the game acquire necessary props and supplies for the events. Gerry checked the list of donations on the web site and found that spell packets and weapons, as well as specific types of costuming were on the list of things they could get extra points for donating. Kim found directions on the site for making weapons and spell packets and Tim, who was sewing their basic tabards anyway, agreed to sew up some basic Orc tabards the game had been looking for as well. It would be worth the extra time if he could start the game with that dagger skill he was hoping for. Lloyd really scored when he located information about helping to set up and break down the game. Lots of extra points were awarded for doing that, and even though they wouldn’t help initially, they would ensure that the Soldiers of the Shadow always had an extra edge. Armed with that information, they submitted a Help request on the website to confirm that the items they would bring were still needed, and arranged a time to drop off the props before the event to get the points to make their characters. They resolved to write character histories and have them ready for the next time they met. They divided up the tasks and went home, each one of them dreaming about the new skills they would be able to start the game with. 12 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Making a Character C haracter Advancement Jason: Dunnam Lloyd: Grog The aspiring ranger chose Might as his free Basic Class, giving access to fighting and weapon skills. Armor - light armor would have to suffice for Grog. Picking Might as his free Basic Class made it available for 20 CP. Long Blades - Although Might granted blunt weapons, Jason really wanted a longsword. Normally it would cost him double to purchase as a General skill, but selecting it as his human Racial weapon cut that back in half, to the original 15 CP. Armor - Light armor seemed like a good idea, he could always improve it later on. Since he already had Might, it cost him only 20 CP. Maim - It would help to have at least one trick up his sleeve, and again it was available through Might, for 20 CP. Vitality - A few extra points of vitality might make up for inexperience. Jason decided to purchase two points, the first for 20 CP and the second for 30 CP. Since his primary class was Might, he could also benefit from Physical Reserves. Dunnam’s skills totaled 105 CP. He decided he would save his last 5 points for future advancement. Rich: Rasaan Rich also chose to start with Might. This allowed him to buy the mighty skill, Slay, as well as heavy armor. Long Blades - Since Rasaan is a Human, Rich could choose one weapon skill for half cost, making up for choosing one of the few weapons not available through Might. 15 CP. Slay - The most powerful fighting skill in the book, Rich can’t resist. 50 CP. Armor - Rich decided he wanted the best protection he could get. To start with all three levels of the skill cost 20+30+40 CP, or 90 CP in total, but Rich decided it was well worth the cost. Rasaan’s skills totaled 145, just under the 150 CP limit for new characters. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Long Blunt Weapon - Grog would wield a sturdy onehanded mace. A skill within Might and also a Dwarven racial skill, the cost was only 7 CP. Blacksmithing - This skill would let Grog repair Rasaan’s heavy armor. As a Dwarf, he received a 10 point discount, bringing the cost down to 10 CP. Maim - Lloyd decided to purchase this twice, so he could get a little more use out of it. The first purchase cost 20 and the second purchase cost 30, for a total of 50 CP. With his remaining 20 points, Lloyd chose one point of Vitality. He hoped it would be enough! Grog’s skills total 107 points. Lloyd would earn some extra points by helping set up and break down the event, but for now the normal starting points were enough. Kim: Kimba Mana - Kim decided this would be the most important skill for her aspiring mage, so she picked Power as her free Basic Class. She purchased it 5 times, for a total of 100 CP. After reading about the different schools of magic, she decided she liked the direct approach of Elementalism. For her starting spells, she received Light and Cancel Spell, like everyone with Mana, and also selected Fire Bolt, Giant’s Grip, Silence, and Snare. Literacy - No self-respecting Famori would neglect this skill, and besides, she needed it in order to learn Read Magic. As a Famori racial skill, it cost her only 5 CP. Read Magic - This skill would let her use any magical battle scrolls she could find, helping to augment her own spell abilities. Since it was also a Famori racial skill, it cost only 10 CP. Kimba’s total was 115, but since Kim was making spell packets for herself anyway, she made enough extra to donate and receive 5 extra CP before the event. 13 Character Advancement Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Tim: Gabriel Gerry: Melkar Short Blunt Weapon - Tim would have liked to carry a longer weapon, but there were too many other skills he wanted as well, so he would have to make do with a smaller Hammer. He planned on doing more healing than fighting, anyway. Still, he picked the basic class of Might and chose this as his racial weapon skill, as a Human, so the cost was just 5 CP. Gerry had decided to play a Mistborn character; the mystery of their origins suited him. It cost him 50 CP that had to be paid from extra points, but he made enough extra weapons to donate to the game that he was able to pay the cost, although not enough for any extra skills. He picked Precision as his free Basic Class and decided to pick only skills within that class to save points. Knockdown - He didn’t want to fight often, but this skill might help him out of a tight spot. It cost 20 CP. Armor - Some light armor might keep him alive long enough to help his friends and let him get full benefit of Might. 20 CP. Short Blades - A nice compact short sword would suit his stealthy character. It cost him 10 CP. Small Weapon - A dagger to tuck behind his back would serve him well. 5 CP. Bandaging - This skill would let him patch up his friends as often as he needed to. 30 CP. Thrown Weapons - Without a long weapon, it might be useful to be able to attack from a distance. 15 CP. Literacy - Gabriel was well-educated, and Tim decided he should know his letters. 10 CP. Apply Poison - With short weapons, poison might be a great equalizer. 25 CP. Faith - Now that he had established the basics to let him defend himself, Tim’s next choice for Gabriel was to learn Faith, the spells of the priests. Since he already had one Basic Class, he would have to purchase the second for 20 CP, and then he chose to purchase two Faith for 20 CP each. Like everyone with Faith, he received the Light, Cancel Spell, and Healing spells, and in addition he selected Cleanse, Free Will, Purify, and Repel Undead. He wouldn’t have enough power to cast all of them at the first event, but it did give him plenty of options. Poison Craft - His last skill would allow him to make his own poisons. He decided he would make a Weakness Venom which could be applied to one of his weapons. 30 CP. Melkar’s total was 85 CP, plus the 50 points he spent to become a Mistborn. Gabriel’s total was 145 CP. Since Tim was making the group’s basic tabards, he also made a set of Orc tabards the game was looking for, and received enough extra points to complete his character. However, he couldn’t spend more than 150 CP before the first event and decided to save the remaining 5 CP he had earned. 14 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Chapter 2 Races There are many different races and intelligent beings that populate the magical world of Mythical Journeys. This section describes the races that can be chosen by players. Many other races exist in the world, of course, but they are mysterious and rare; you will learn about them as you meet them in your adventures. You can choose to be a Dwarf, Elf, Famori, Ra’Kash, Warg, or Human. The descriptions of these races offer a general summary of the qualities and abilities of each of these races. They are not rules to which your character must adhere, simply guidelines to help enhance your role-playing experience. Other than a few specific constraints, the rest is up to you. There is no rule that states that you cannot play an Elf from an Asian-like culture, a Dwarf from a barbarian culture, or perhaps a Ra’Kash from a long-lost Celtic-like culture. Your Human may have been raised by Dwarves (and you had to leave town when the tunnels got too small for you to navigate), or your Famori may be in denial of his or her heritage. Try not to choose a race based only upon its benefits. Often the most creative and fun role-playing comes from your weaknesses. Famori can be hopelessly formal, Elves a bit physically weak, and some Ra’Kash have tempers that get the best of them at times (while others are easily distracted by squirrels). Combined, these benefits and weaknesses form the core of your character, so spend some time thinking about which race to choose. More information is available about each of the races in a Racial Packet on our web site. We encourage you to read the packet for the race you select. GbgX5 Because Mythical Journeys is a WYSIWYG game, we take our make-up and height requirements seriously to preserve the atmosphere of the game. If your make-up, height, or costume does not meet our requirements you may not be allowed to play the character. Race Overview There are many different races at Mythical Journeys, The following gives a brief description of the general opinion of each race. Basic Races on page 17 and Special Races on page 23 give detailed descriptions of each race. Basic Races These races are the most common inhabitants of Pendaan. Dwarves - Short and often stocky, with thick beards, Dwarves live long and industrious lives under mountains and hills. Other races respect their skilled craftsmanship, but often find them stubborn and cantankerous. See Dwarves on page 17. Elves - With their usually fair features and slender, pointed ears, Elves sometimes seem fragile, a remnant of their faery ancestry. Most who deal with Elves learn to first determine what type of Elf they are dealing with. See Elves on page 18. Elves, Imperial - The Imperial Elves have carved out an empire for themselves, which is organized along militaristic and strictly hierarchical lines. When other races see the curved facial brands of the Imperials, they usually expect a haughty, superior attitude to go with it. In addition to the six races listed above, a few unusual races are also available as options: Orcs, Goblins, Enselari, Half-Dark Elves, Fiend Elves, Frost Elves, Mistborn and the Varns dos Sedrin. These are races that are often unwelcome in civilized areas, and consequently will be more difficult to play. In addition, some have masks or substantial make-up requirements. To ensure their rarity, and in order to limit them to returning players who understand them well enough to play them well, these races have a CP cost that must be paid before making the character. This cost does not count against the normal limit of expended CP. Elves, Grue - Unlike their Imperial cousins, the Grue prefer the quiet peace of their forests, and their egalitarian society cooperates without the need for leaders or rank. Many races see them as weak or backwards, but those who need the forests often come to respect them. We may consider requests to play characters of other races, on a case-by-case basis. See Unique Races on page 30 for more information. Humans - Populous and adaptable, Humans are the most common race of Pendaan. Most find them at least tolerable, although among the Imperial Elves there are those who still look upon them with contempt. See Humans on page 20. Famori - Tall and sturdy, with a gem-like Charak prominent on their forehead, Famori are best known as scholars and mages. Some find their intellects invaluable, while others are put off by their sometimes tiresome humor or meticulousness. Orcs and Famori retain an ancient disdain for each other, which sometimes rises to the level of hatred. See Famori on page 19. 15 Race Overvi ew Ra'Kash - The dominant race of the Southern Continent, the cat-like Ra’Kash also rule the city of Harradon on Pendaan. Harradon’s neighbors see them as wild, with little regard for borders and other niceties of law. Most races in other regions treat them well enough, however. Ra’Kash themselves save their greatest hatred for gnolls and kobolds. See Ra'Kash on page 21. Wargs - Often monstrous in appearance, Wargs were despised by most races for many generations, as they were created to be soldiers of the army of the Dark Queen. Since their role in the Queen’s fall and their establishment of the northern city of Haven, their reputation has improved. Parents may still tell children to keep their distance, but usually Wargs are treated as civilized beings unless they prove otherwise. See Wargs on page 22. Special Races These races are rare or found only in remote areas. Most have poor reputations and are often unwelcome in civilized areas. Some are considered monsters, not people, and are not protected by local laws in many areas. Elves, Half- Dark - True Dark Elves, with black skin and shock-white hair, are known only from stories and history. According to legends, they live deep underground and emerge only to conduct murderous raids on the surface. These stories might be considered fiction if their halfblooded relatives did not offer the proof of their existence. Half Dark Elves are gray in color, but otherwise look much like Dark Elves. Most react to them with fear or, at least, grave distrust. They are often suspected of collaboration with or spying for Dark Elves. Most consider their homes safer without Half-Dark Elves around. See Dark Elves, Half on page 23. Elves, Fiend - A group of Imperial Elves corrupted by fiends, little love is lost on Fiend Elves. Even Enselari consider them untrustworthy. Elves with the marks of their taints are especially despised by Imperials. See Fiend Elves on page 25. Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Elves, Frost - Few have encountered Frost Elves beyond the Frozen North, but those who know them find them cold and distant at best, callous and amoral at worst. Most find it wisest to help them finish their business and assist them with a quick departure. See Frost Elves on page 25. Enselari - The silver-marked Enselari hail from a western isle which only recently made contact with Pendaan. Their novelty fascinates some, but many find them violent and callous. They are widely known as sorcerers, and Radiants especially shun them as servants of fiends. See Enselari on page 24. Goblins - Green-skinned and warty humanoids, Goblins live in tribes in the Freelands and on the fringes of other societies. Some are traders, while others are more inclined to theft and brigandry. Other races find them opportunistic and dishonest. See Goblins on page 26. Mistborn - More commonly known by a variety of slurs, including Misborn, Misbegotten, Maskling, or simply freak or aberration, Mistborn are born to other races. Their white “mask” is difficult to hide, and most are treated as outcasts. Some believe them to be changelings or part fiend; neither theory improves their reputation. Mistborn are extremely rare, and many will go through their entire lives without even encountering another of their kind. See Mistborn on page 27. Orcs - A violent race usually organized into tribes, Orcs are uncivilized and brutish. Their red monstrous faces are recognized and unwelcome in most areas. Orcs are most common in the Freelands, where they dominate some regions. In other areas they are most likely to be encountered as mercenaries or pit fighters. Orcs and Famori hold each other in mutual contempt or hatred, and many Orcs will attack Famori when the opportunity arises. See Orcs on page 28. Varns dos Sedrin - Indistinguishable on the surface from the other races of Pendaan, the Varns dos Sedrin travel the land in their caravans, often taking the role of performers and itinerant workers. Distrusted by most civilized people as vagabonds and miscreants, most Varns stick close to their families, keeping true to the belief that they are chosen above all others. See Varns dos Sedrin on page 29. The diviners of the path of sight and the diviners of light have examined the signs and portents, and have determined that this turn, the second of the arc of storms, shall be the turn of searching... 16 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Races Basic Races Basic Races There are six races in Mythical Journeys that are the most common: Dwarves, Elves, Famori, Humans, Ra’Kash, and Wargs. Any player can portray one of these races without extra CP (assuming you meet the height requirements). All of these characters, including Humans, can either purchase certain skills at a reduced cost, or have access to special racial skills. Dwarves “Poke a grizzly, pull a badger’s whisker, and wrestle a giant kin before breakfast each day.” - Recruiting Poster for the Iron Brigade Physical Description - Dwarves are bearded, stocky folk, no taller than 5’ 6”. Dwarves’ beards are their pride and joy, males and females alike, and they would rather bury their heads in the dirt than be seen without one. Some Dwarves will braid their beards, or adorn them with ribbons or bows. Culture - Dwarves generally reside in, or come from, the mountainous and hilly regions of the world. It is said that the birth of the Dwarves came with the creation of the mountains. To remark that a Dwarf is “as old as the hills” is a compliment indeed. Dwarves are clannish, and can be as stubborn and blunt as they are aggressive. This stubbornness often sustains an unbreakable loyalty, but can also result in a bit of tunnel vision. Dwarves often lack many of the social graces found acceptable in surface society; however, at heart most Dwarves are honest folk. Dwarves dislike water, and will generally refuse to travel by such means even if the situation is life-threatening. History - Dwarves are more concerned with history than many of the younger races, as many among them have outlived numerous human generations. Even today, Dwarves speak of their old Citadel of Flame, Kilnjen, built within an active volcano of the Fireforge Mountains, and destroyed by the Dark Queen’s Earthrending. Just as Mythical Journeys Renaissance important is their pride in supporting the rebellion that led to her destruction. Today, most Dwarves live within the Fireforge Mountains, but few are allowed to see their underground cities, and no one outside of the Dwarf clans knows how many there are. Dwarves do trade with the other races, however, especially in Purk and Kadir Safwan (in the Sandridden Plains). Roleplaying - Dwarves are often gruff, blunt, honest, and have a tendency to enjoy Dwarven ale a bit too much. They are a quiet, private, and somewhat bitter people as a result of their great loss. They have no difficulty getting along with most of the other races, but hold bitter contempt toward Wargs for their part in the Dark Queen’s sinister war. The destruction of Kilnjen resulted in the near genocide of the Dwarven race; consequently, Dwarf sightings are few and far between. Language - In general, Dwarves speak and write Common. In addition, Dwarves hold sacred the Language of the Stone, a language of cryptic runes used to inscribe texts in stone. Costuming - Dwarves, male or female, may not be taller than 5’6”. All Dwarves, male and female, must have a prosthetic beard unless your real beard is at least 4” long. Racial Advantages Dwarves may learn the skills Long or Short Blunt Weapon for half the normal cost. If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost of a skill is normally 15, as a racial skill the cost is 7 (not 7.5). In addition, Dwarves receive a 10 point discount on Blacksmith, Miner, and their choice of any two other crafts. Racial Limitations - Costuming and height requirements. Half-Dwarves - Dwarves rarely interbreed with Humans, producing Half-Dwarven offspring. Half-Dwarves must be 5’6” or shorter, and have a beard (including women), but there is no length requirement for the beard. They receive a 10 point discount on one chosen craft. 17 Basic Races Elves “There is a song in the soul of each of us. To know it is to achieve perfect harmony.” - Llanden Valinsre, Elven Warrior Physical Description - Elves are a magical race that once lived among the ranks of the Faery. They are usually slender and graceful, and all have pointed ears. They do not have facial hair (except eyebrows). Culture - Once, long ago, the immortal Elves lived in eternal harmony with the other Faery Folk in enchanted glades and forests. Different groups had passion for different pursuits: arts, culture, philosophy, nature, magic. Today, they are mortal and long parted from the Faery, but they remain diverse in their ways. Still, all Elves bring a passion and artistry to everything they do, whether it is music, gardening, or warfare. History - When the war against the Dark Queen began, the Faery were forced into the deepest reaches of the forests to escape the battles among the mortals. Years passed with the Faery watching as the Dark Queen’s cruel minions slew countless mortal men, women, and children. The Elves, always a thoughtful race, eventually could stand no more 18 P art 1 - Get ting Start ed and petitioned the Faery Ring to allow them to help the mortals against this evil foe. The Faery Ring refused. The Elves chose then to defy the Ring and help the mortals in the struggle against the Queen, knowing well that in doing so they would sacrifice their immortality. And so it was that the Elves, now mortal themselves, were exiled from the Faery Ring in order to stand with the mortals in the war against darkness itself. Roleplaying - Elves are proud of their heritage, their ability to appreciate the finer things, and their sense of beauty. Elves age at approximately the same rate as mortals, having left the graces of the Faery Ring. In fact, they can be somewhat frail as a result of this sacrifice; this limitation is something to consider when choosing to play an Elf. Language - Elves speak and write the Common tongue. Elves also have an enchanted speech all their own and a flowing handwritten script that is nearly impossible to duplicate with a non-elven hand. Costuming - All Elves must wear full pointed ears. Examples include Large Space Ears, Troll Ears, Vampire Ears, Pro Artist Ears by Woochie, or Anime Ears (small or large) by Aradani Studios. Elves cannot have facial hair, except for eyebrows. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Races Racial Advantages - All full Elves may purchase the skills Resist Slumber (see Resist Slumber on page 31) and Resist Charm (see Resist Charm on page 31). Additional racial skills depend on the type of Elf. Racial Limitations - May not use any two-handed weapon except for a staff or pole-arm. Types of Elves: Grue Elves favor the woods for their homes, and prefer to live peaceful lives. Generally they live in small villages that blend harmoniously into the natural environment. Grue Elves receive Archery for half cost, and receive a 10 point discount on Farmer, Herbalist, and Trapper/Tanner. y Imperial Elves focused their passion and art on warfare, and played a critical role in the fall of the Dark Queen. Their society is strictly hierarchical, and all Imperials bear a brand that identifies their status and, for the Highborn, their House. Player Imperials will have the rank of Citizen, marked only with a single curl down from the corner of their right eye. (Halfelves have a single curl up from the corner of the right eye.) Imperials may purchase Long or Short Blades for half cost. If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost of a skill is normally 15, as a racial skill the cost is 7 (not 7.5). In addition, Imperials receive a 10 point discount on Blacksmith, Carpenter, and Glassblower. y Some Elves grow up outside of Elven society, separated from their heritage or even unaware of it. These Elves do not receive any additional racial skills. y Half-Elves, with one Elven and one Human parent, are the most common hybrid race. Half-Elves must wear ear tips. Examples include Small Space Ears by Woochie, or Small Ear Prosthetics, Halfling/Hobbit Ears by Aradani Studios. They may purchase Resist Charm or Resist Slumber, but not both. Dark Elves, Fiend Elves, and Frost Elves are uncommon types of Elves. For more information, see the entries for each race under Special Races on page 23. y Mythical Journeys Renaissance Basic Races Famori “How many Famori does it take t’ change the torches? None. By da’ time dey’s all done discussin’ how t’ do it, it’s daylight again.” - Warg Humor Physical Description - Famori are a tall and sturdy race, with a Charak, or gem, in the center of their foreheads. They are direct descendants of the Ogres, an ancestry they share with Orcs, with whom they share an animosity that has existed for centuries. Culture - Famori tend to adapt to whatever society they are part of. Individually they are renowned intellects, serving as Chief Librarians in many cities. They adore debate, the pursuit of knowledge, information in all forms, and have a predilection for puns. Their own societies are egalitarian meritocracies overseen by their elders. History - As time went on, the Ogre race split into two factions: “those who would learn” became known as the Famori and “those who would fight” became known as Orcs (a derivative of Ogre). With time, the gems on the Orc’s foreheads slowly faded away and their towering height began to diminish. As the Orcs changed, so did their relationship with the Famori. The two factions began to quarrel and have done so ever since. The two great cities of the Famori, Arcadia and Korhadien, were destroyed by the Queen, but rebuilt after her fall as New Arcadia and Nova Korhadien. Roleplaying - The Famori are an intellectual and strong race of people. They tend to pay great attention to detail and the gathering of information, much to the consternation of the less patient races. They come from an ancient, organized, formal and highly ritualized society. Many Famori despise their Orc cousins as much as the Orcs despise them. Language - Famori read and speak the Common tongue. Costuming - All Famori wear a colored gem on their forehead (known as a Charak). The chosen color holds no known significance. The area around the gem is often decorated with makeup or runes. The gem cannot be removed. Famori Guardians have three gems; the two additional gems are added by a magical ritual but are just as permanent as the birth Charak. Famori males must be at least 6’2” tall; females at least 5’8” tall. 19 Basic Races Racial Advantages - Famori may purchase Resist Poison even if they do not have Precision; the cost is halved if they have Precision. Literacy and Read Magic may also be purchased for half cost. If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost of a skill is normally 25, as a racial skill the cost is 12 (not 12.5). In addition, they receive a 10 point discount on Inkmaker and Papermaker. Racial Limitations - Costuming and height requirement. Half-Famori - None. Famori are not able to interbreed with other races. Humans “If ever a curse was placed upon this land, it is the blight known as humanity...” - Triannis Mosswind, Elven Seer Physical Description - Humans are the most populous race in the world. They hail from a diverse set of cultures, lands, and races. They are of every height, color, and build. Culture - Humans come from all walks of life. They tend to be a communal and social people, although there are always exceptions. They are a highly successful race and have populated the far reaches of the world. 20 P art 1 - Get ting Start ed History - Humans are a younger race than the Elves, Dwarves, and Famori, though older than the Wargs and Enselari. They have prospered and spread throughout the world. Roleplaying - Just because one is a Human playing a Human need not limit the complexity of one’s roleplaying. Because of the Humans’ mixed history, their complex relationships with the other races, and their highly diverse cultural backgrounds, nearly any kind of character can be played as a Human. Language - Humans speak the common tongue. There are also some regional and cultural dialects. See Accents on page 148 for more details. Costuming - Any. An understanding of your culture will guide you in your costuming. We encourage you to consult the Region Packet(s) for the area(s) your character grew up in or lived in. Racial Advantages - Humans may select any one weapon skill (not including armor, any type of shield, or TwoWeapon skill) for half cost. If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost of a skill is normally 25, as a racial skill the cost is 12 (not 12.5). In addition, they receive a 10 point discount on one chosen craft. Racial Limitations - None. Half-Humans - Humans can interbreed with Dwarves and Elves. See Half-Dwarves on page 17 and Half-Elves on page 19 for more information. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Races Basic Races Ra'Kash “The dogs of war are nothing compared to the cats.” - Siamese Ra’Kash proverb Physical Description - The Ra’Kash are an intelligent race of cat people who come from a Mayan-like culture in the jungles of the southern continent. Culture - Far in the southern reaches of the world lie countless miles of lush jungle which are as beautiful as they are dangerous. Hidden within the deepest regions of this jungle continent are cities made up of Maya-like ziggurat pyramids, cobblestone streets, and straw houses. These are the places the Ra’Kash call home. The Ra’Kash society is matriarchal, and usually led by groups of female priestesses who perform the Ra’Kash religious ceremonies. Women in this culture are held in the highest regard, and are treated with the utmost courtesy and respect by males. Priestesses are particularly revered. Ra’Kash are renowned hunters and are said to be able to track a falcon on a cloudy day. Needless to say, Ra’Kash bounty hunters are in great demand. Language - The Ra’Kash speak and write the common tongue. In addition, the Ra’Kash have a unique language of growls, hisses, and purrs as well as a written language of hieroglyphics and complex symbols. Costuming - Ra’Kash must have full face make-up in a natural cat color or pattern plus at least two of the following: Furry ears (on the side of your head, where your real ears are, not on top of your head), Tail, Cat’s eye contacts, Fangs, Nose/whiskers prosthetic, Furry paws, or Body Suit. Paws and Body Suit may be counted as one of the two required items only if they have an appropriate pattern (e.g. tiger stripes, leopard spots), not a uniform color. Note, if your ears are not covered by costuming, a headpiece, or your hair, they must be furry. Racial Advantages - Ra'kash may purchase Karma for half cost, and may purchase it up to eight times. In addition, they receive a 10 point discount on Trapper/Tanner. Racial Limitations - Extensive costuming requirement. Half-Ra'Kash - None. Ra’Kash are not able to breed with other races. History - The Ra’Kash kept themselves apart from the affairs of Pendaan until the Dark Queen invaded, attempting to conquer the Southern Continent as she had conquered Pendaan. Her first defeat came here, and the rebellion began when her defeated armies were attempting to sail home. During the rebellion, a large group of Ra’Kash came to get their revenge, promised payment in the form of lands. To this day they control the city of Harradon and other lands around the eastern half of the Forgotten Forest. Ra’Kash hold no discontent toward any of the other races, but do hold a great hatred for their ancient enemies: the gnolls and kobolds. The war between these races and the Ra’Kash has endured for hundreds of years. Escaped Ra’Kash prisoners have told many stories of their treatment at the hands of the savage gnolls and their demented kobold allies, and of the unspeakable acts they saw performed on helpless captives for sport. It is for this reason that Ra’Kash are eternal enemies of the gnoll and kobold races. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 21 Basic Races P art 1 - Get ting Start ed Wargs “Thunder bashes your name, smashes your name, then you have no name. Then your name is broked.” - Kodee, Warg Poet History - Wargs were created by the Dark Queen for her armies, a monstrous race that grew quickly to maturity. They were never meant to breed on their own, or think for themselves. Yet, even before the Queen’s fall there were small breeding populations in the wilderness, and after her fall many migrated to the new Warg city of Haven. Physical Description - Wargs are one of the youngest of races, and they retain some of their monstrous heritage, with horns, tusks, or other features. Most are strong of build and hardy. There are three breeds of Wargs. Yellow skinned Wargs posses warts and pointed ears. Blue Wargs have pointed ears and horns from their heads. Finally, the Black skinned Wargs have tusks and horns protruding from their faces as well as black skin. Role-playing - Wargs are seen by many as monstrous, savage, and uncivilized, even to this day. Indeed, some live up to this reputation. Yet others try to live like the other races, or practice their own form of civilization. Wargs grow up quickly compared to other races, and their typical lifespan is half that of humans. Culture - Wargs keep the details of their culture to themselves, but have divided many of their duties along breed lines. The Black Wargs are the warriors, the Blue the spiritual leaders and the Yellow Wargs their liaisons to the other races. A mongrel culture, they value brains and brawn and are curiously protective of their children. Costuming - There are three common types of Wargs. Language - Wargs speak and write the common tongue, but on occasion have been known to speak Orcish as well. Yellow Wargs must have full yellow make-up, extensive warts, and pointy ears. Blue wargs must have full blue make-up, horns, and pointy blue ears. Black wargs must have full black make-up and at least three horns on their head and face; the horns must be obvious (black horns or small horns hidden in your hair are not acceptable). 22 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Races Special Races Racial Advantages - Yellow wargs may purchase Resist Paralyze and receive a 10 point discount on Scavenger. Black wargs may purchase Two-Handed Weapon for half cost, and may purchase the racial skill Stones Throw. Blue wargs may purchase Empathic Healing even if they do not have Devotion; the cost is halved if they have Devotion. Bandaging may also be purchased for half cost. They receive a 10 point discount on Herbalist and Farmer. If a half-cost skill results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost of a skill is normally 25, as a racial skill the cost is 12 (not 12.5). Racial Limitations - Costuming possess more than 12 Mana. requirement. Cannot Half-wargs - The unique breeding habits of wargs results in all wargs being a mix of many parents. If Human parents have any effect on the mix, it is not apparent. Special Races These races are rare in civilized lands, and many are feared or distrusted. We provide them as additional options for players starting their second (or later) characters, who should realize the difficulties they will face. Characters of these races are held to a higher standard of consistency with the appropriate racial packets, and histories that go against the packet (including characters growing up outside their race’s society) are much less likely to be approved. Dark Elves, Half This is a special race, and is only available to players with at least 150 saved CP, which must be spent to select this race. These points are not considered part of your total spent points. See the spending cap rule in Character Advancement on page 11. Physical Description - Half-Dark Elves have gray skin, gray pointed ears, and white hair. Culture and History - Dark Elves were said to live in subterranean cities, hidden away from the world Mythical Journeys Renaissance and emerging only to raid and pillage. They were said to work with Fiends and other foul creatures. However, they have not been seen on the surface for centuries and many believe them extinct. Players may not play Dark Elves, but they may play Half-Dark Elves, shunned by surface Elves and scorned by Dark Elves. Roleplaying - Dark Elves were arrogant, violent, and intolerant. Their society was matriarchal, but only because the females of the race were stronger than the males. HalfDark Elves may emulate Dark Elf behavior, or some try to reject it, but arrogance and violence are in their blood, and they find the traits difficult to shake. Language - Dark Elves spoke and wrote the common tongue as well as their own language. Half-breeds would not have been exposed to their language, however. Costuming - All Half-Dark Elves have gray skin and ears, and white hair. Half-Dark Elves who have one Dark Elf and one other type of Elf as their parents must wear full pointed ears. Examples include Large Space Ears, Troll Ears, Vampire Ears, or Pro Artist Ears by Woochie. They cannot have facial hair, except for eyebrows. Those with one Human parent must wear ear tips. Examples include Small Space Ears by Woochie, or Small Ear Prosthetics, Halfling/Hobbit Ears, or Anime Ears (small or large) by Aradani Studios. They may have facial hair, but it must be white. Racial Advantages - Half-Dark Elves may purchase the skill Resist Magic (see Resist Magic on page 31) and may also purchase Maim even if they do not have Might; Maim is half cost if they do have Might. They may also purchase one chosen weapon skill for half the usual cost. If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost of a skill is normally 25, as a racial skill the cost is 12 (not 12.5). Racial Limitations - May not use any two-handed weapon except for a staff or pole-arm. Their vitality is reduced by 2 during the day unless underground; the vitality is restored at sunset. This limitation will not drop them below 1 Vitality. 23 Special Races Enselari This is a special race, and is only available to players with at least 50 saved CP, which must be spent to select this race. These points are not considered part of your total spent points. See the spending cap rule in Character Advancement on page 11. Physical Description - The Enselari appear much like Humans, and many scholars believe they are closely related. However, their faces, and sometimes other parts of their bodies, show patterns of silver or gray. Many wear silver jewelry to complement their patterns. History - The Enselari live on the western isle of Zelfir, several hundred miles west from the port of Arkenstone. Under favorable winds, the trip can be made in about a week. Yet, it was not until the 498th Year of Light that the first encounter between them and the people of Pendaan took place. In fall of that year, a small vessel from Zelfir reached the coast just north of Arkenstone, and Enselari explorers first encountered the people of Pendaan. Since that time, many expeditions to and from Zelfir have occurred, led by merchants, missionaries, and scholars. The Enselari welcomed the merchants and scholars, and have shown great interest in the products of Pendaan, as well as in its lore and art. Conversely, they almost immediately banned missionaries and priests of both Fortune and Radiance. For this reason, and because many Enselari practice Sorcery, many Radiants believe that the Enselari are the servants of fiends and shun them at all times. P art 1 - Get ting Start ed The recent Fiend War began with a Radiant-led crusade to the isle of Zelfir, and resulted in divisions within the Enselari people. Those who follow the Elders blame the Radiants for drawing the fiends, while those who follow the Queen appreciate the aid. The Queen has directed her people to renounce Sorcery, although not all have. Culture - While there is an artistic side to Enselari culture, they primarily value strength in battle, both physical and magical, and from a young age engage in combats and duels to test their abilities. Often, these battles are to the death. Those who die permanently are mourned, but the sorrow is not such much at their deaths but rather that they had the misfortune to grow up weak. Families are large, and most families will lose at least one child in such tests before they reach adulthood. Some Enselari are malicious or have tempers, but just as many pursue violence with a purely practical, matter-of-fact attitude that other races find unnerving. In contrast, the use of faith is nearly unknown in Enselari society, with few practitioners of Shamanism and no representation of Radiance or Fortune. Roleplaying - Enselari who come to Pendaan may be adventurous and looking to test themselves in new ways, scholarly and looking to learn about Pendaan for its own sake, spiritual and wishing to explore Pendaan’s faiths, or even discontented with their society and simply trying to find a new lifestyle. Language - Enselari speak the common language of Pendaan easily. Their own language is a closely-related dialect, which is one piece of evidence that they are related to Humans. Costuming - Patterns of silver markings. These are variable between individuals, and can range from patterns like warpaint to tribal designs to geometric patterns like spirals. They must be obvious to viewers. Normally an individual’s design remains the same over time. Racial Advantages - May purchase any one weapon skill for half the usual cost. If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost of a skill is normally 25, as a racial skill the cost is 12 (not 12.5). In addition, they may purchase Resist Charm (see Resist Charm on page 31). Enselari may also begin play with Sorcery Mana. Racial Limitations - No Enselari was raised in the religions of Fortune or Radiance, or taught any magic in their youth aside from Mentalism or Sorcery. Consequently, Enselari character may not start with Faith or with Mana other than Mentalism or Sorcery. 24 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Races Half-Enselari - Since Enselari and Humans encountered each other recently, all offspring of mixed parentage are still children. However, the few that have been born have all been full Enselari, as far as can be determined. Fiend Elves This is a special race, and is only available to players with at least 50 saved CP, which must be spent to select this race. These points are not considered part of your total spent points. See the spending cap rule in Character Advancement on page 11. Physical Description - Fiend Elves appear much like other Elves, but with traces of red or black coloring. Culture and History - Once part of the Imperium, the Fiend Elves grew too close to fiends and were corrupted. They are feared or despised by other races. Other races know little of them. Roleplaying - Fiend Elves are militaristic, much as Imperials, but more violent. Otherwise, little is known of their personalities. Special Races Racial Advantages - Fiend Elves may purchase the skills Resist Slumber (Resist Slumber on page 31) and Resist Charm (Resist Charm on page 31). They may choose one weapon skill for half the usual cost. If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost of a skill is normally 25, as a racial skill the cost is 12 (not 12.5). In addition, Fiend Elves may start with Sorcery Mana. Racial Limitations - May not use any two-handed weapon except for a staff or pole-arm. Frost Elves This is a special race, and is only available to players with at least 50 saved CP, which must be spent to select this race. These points are not considered part of your total spent points. See the spending cap rule in Character Advancement on page 11. Physical Description - Frost Elves are usually slender and graceful, like other Elves, with pointed ears and no facial hair. Unlike other Elves, their skin and hair color tends towards white or blue. Language - Fiend Elves speak and write the common tongue. If they have developed their own language, it is unknown to other races. Costuming - All Elves must wear full pointed ears. Examples include Large Space Ears, Troll Ears, Vampire Ears, or Pro Artist Ears by Woochie. Elves cannot have facial hair, except for eyebrows. Fiend Elves also have minor physical traits that distinguish them from other Elves. Fiend Elves must choose one (and only one) of the following traits: a red tinge of color over their eyes, black fingernails, a red streak in their hair, or a red tinge on the ears. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 25 Special Races P art 1 - Get ting Start ed Culture and History - Frost Elves turned away from the war against the Dark Queen, bent on regaining their lost immortality. It is said they succeeded, finding a way to join themselves with ice and preserve themselves forever. The Crystalline, or True Frost Elves, seek little contact with world beyond their fortresses and domains in the Frozen North, but those younger Frostlings, inexperienced in their ways, sometimes wander in northern Pendaan while they learn to master their magic. Roleplaying - Frost Elves are cold in demeanor, unforgiving and without mercy. Most are intent on proving themselves and joining with ice. Language - Frost Elves speak and write the common tongue. If they have developed their own language, it is unknown to other races. Costuming - All Elves must wear full pointed ears. Examples include Large Space Ears, Troll Ears, Vampire Ears, or Pro Artist Ears by Woochie. Elves cannot have facial hair, except for eyebrows. Frost Elves must also have full face make-up in ice colors (white/blue/silvery), and white or blue streaks in their hair. Racial Advantages - Frost Elves may purchase the skills Resist Slumber (see Resist Slumber on page 31), Resist Charm (see Resist Charm on page 31), and Resist Ice (see Resist Ice on page 31). They may choose one weapon skill for half the usual cost. If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost of a skill is normally 25, as a racial skill the cost is 12 (not 12.5). Racial Limitations - May not use any two-handed weapon except for a staff or pole-arm. Their Vitality is reduced by 3 during the day in the months May through September. The vitality is restored at sunset. This limitation will not drop you below 1 Vitality. Goblins This is a special race, and is only available to players with at least 50 saved CP, which must be spent to select this race. These points are not considered part of your total spent points. See the spending cap rule in Character Advancement on page 11. 26 Physical Description - Green-skinned humanoids that come in all different shapes and sizes, much like humans. Culture - Goblins are loosely organized into tribes, although these are not structured the same as Human tribes. Their leaders are respected for their intelligence and savvy, and tribe members go to them for advice and guidance. When their leaders lose their respect, they are replaced, or tribe members will simply leave the tribe and look for a new, smarter tribe to join. Most goblins do not like to live without the community support of a tribe, however. Goblins are adaptable and can be found both in cities and in wilderness areas such as the woods. Some even live in caves. The one thing that all goblins have in common is that they make their money through some kind of trade. Woodland goblins are often herbalists, woodworkers, or other types of craftsmen, using the resources available to them in the woods. Goblins without resources often migrate to cities, where they are usually poorly treated by other races, and primarily interact with others of their own kind. No major city grants citizenship to goblins, and some cities bar them from entry entirely. History - Goblins had a long and proud history, which was recorded in their library until it was burned centuries ago. Now, much of Goblin history has been lost. Currently, most tribes claim to be the oldest and greatest of the tribes. Within the last 250 years or so, increasing areas of Goblin land has been taken over by cities of other races. Their numbers have been gradually declining overall. Role-playing - All goblins are traders, whether they are craftsmen who produce goods or fighters or Elemental mages who sell their services. Goblins are usually very smart about their one trade, such as herbalism, while they are often ignorant about most other subjects. Some cover their ignorance with bluster, but outside of their area of expertise, many goblins are hesitant or even shy when dealing with others. Goblin players should pick one of the local tribes to be from, or may submit another tribe for approval with their character history (generally from a more distant area). Local tribes include the Ajagar (living in the outer parts of the city of Felnar), the Tessen (a woods tribe), the Oldback (a merchant tribe), the Takmok, the Hammertooth, and the Redfoot. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Races Special Races Language - Goblins speak the common tongue, though usually heavily accented, but they write in symbols or pictures because most are not literate. Costuming - Green Goblin half-mask (available from Mythical Journeys) and the bottom half of the face must be painted a similar shade of green. Racial Advantages - Goblins receive a 10 point discount on Scavenger, and may also purchase Resist Tamper (see Resist Tamper on page 31). Racial Limitations - Extensive costs 50 CP to play. costuming requirement, Half-Goblin - None. Goblins are not able to breed with other races. Mistborn This is a special race, and is only available to players with at least 50 saved CP, which must be spent to select this race. These points are not considered part of your total spent points. Physical Description - Mistborn appear much like Humans, Elves, or Famori, but with distinctive markings around their eyes. These markings have a shape similar to a raccoon’s “mask,” but are predominantly white with darker blue and/or purple accents, and some have bright “sparkles” dotting their face. Mistborn themselves show no inherent gift for Sorcery or other signs of a fiendish taint, although some have traveled that path as a means of striking back at the communities that spurned them. Most, however, are content to find a place in society where they can be useful and prove their worth as individuals. Being an outsider from the moment they are born gives them a stronger sense of self than most people and consequently the discipline of Mentalism appeals to many. Others turn to Shamanism as a means of getting in touch with the greater world and distancing themselves from the provincial concerns of a wary populace. Mistborn have no society or culture of their own and many live their entire lives without seeing another of their kind. Consequently, their names, accents, manners of dress and customs are largely dependent upon the community they are born into. Most possess the physical traits of their parents while having a white “mask-like” pattern around their eyes. Some have inexplicably pointy ears like an Elf—even though both parents are Human—and some even have a gem in the center of their forehead like a Famori. Role-playing - Mistborn have all the problems typical of halfbreeds in that they have no real society of their own and must do their best to fit in where-ever they can. Due to their distinctive markings, this is not always easy, and some Elves and Famori look down on are History and Culture - Mistborn born to otherwise normal parents of any race, but usually Humans or Elves. Their appearance seems unrelated to that of their parents, and a Mistborn with Famori parents is no more likely to have a charak than one born to Human parents. Even those born to Ra’Kash or Wargs have skin like Humans, aside from the mask, and never have fur or the color of the skin of Wargs. (Players of Mistborn characters may choose any basic player race for their character’s parents: Human, Dwarf, Grue or Imperial Elf, Famori, Ra’Kash or Warg.) While many rumors and tales exist attempting to explain their origins, there is no established rhyme or reason as to when and to whom they’re born. The disproportionate number that are born to an unmarried parent give rise to tails of fiendish liaisons and sorcerous pacts although none of these claims have ever been proven. Unfortunately, lack of evidence has failed to save more than one “fiend-wife” and her offspring from murderous mobs of frightened villagers. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 27 Special Races P art 1 - Get ting Start ed them as “pretenders” due to the “fake” ears and gems. It was a kinder, gentler time and place that christened them the Mistborn. Very few cultures refer to them by their “proper” name, often favoring more colorful terms such as misborn, misbegotten, mistakes, and the like. Even the term “Mistborn” can be perjorative, referring to creatures (variously fiendish, undead, fey, or other spirits) coming out of the “mist” to taint or replace a natural child. Mistborn have a natural affinity for mind-based magics and strong senses of self which often makes them seem haughty or dismissive to other races despite their need to fit in. Some Mistborn embrace this enforced solitude and spend their time looking inside themselves or exploring the wonders of the natural world. Many take up shamanism of some form, while others delve into the mysteries of Mentalism. Ultimately, a Mistborn can be found in almost any profession as the one thing important to them above all is a sense of purpose. Language - Usually the common tongue of Humans, as appropriate to their region of origin. Costuming - White markings in a mask-like pattern around the eyes, with blue or purple accents, sometimes glitter around the markings. The mask must extend all the way across the face, ending at the hairline on each side of the face, and must extend upwards all the way to the eyebrows. In addition, Mistborn may wear elf ears or a Famori gem, although these are not required. Racial Advantages - May purchase Resist Terror (see Resist Terror on page 31) and Resist Charm (see Resist Charm on page 31). Racial Limitations - Mistborn have their maximum Vitality reduced by one during the day (it will not drop below 1, however). The vitality is restored at sunset. Children of Mistborn - Mistborn can apparently have children with any of the basic player races, and possibly with other races as well, but these offspring take on the features and traits of the nonMistborn parent and show no signs of their Mistborn parentage. Players of characters with one Mistborn parent should simply select the other parent’s race as their character’s race. If two Mistborn have ever produced a child, it was not made public knowledge. 28 Orcs This is a special race, and is only available to players with at least 100 saved CP, which must be spent to select this race. These points are not considered part of your total spent points. See the spending cap rule in Character Advancement on page 11. Physical Description - Red-skinned humanoids that come in all different shapes and sizes, much like Humans. Most are strong and muscular. Culture - Orc are arranged in many tribes, all of which are said to have stemmed from the Iron Helm clan. They have a strong emphasis on war and physical strength. Orcs that are unfit to be in the Orcish army are deemed second class in the tribe and may become skilled workers in crafts, especially those relating to weapon and armor crafting. Those that do not take up a craft often become shamans. Most Orc shaman believe that spirts serve and obey them because of the aid the spirits of their tribe’s ancestors. Women in the Orc society are viewed as third class citizens for the most part, though there are some that have broken this mold. In some tribes, to do so is treason punishable by death. Orcs identify themselves with their clan, often wearing symbols and even wearing face paint to show which clan they are in. History - Orcish History dates back to the separation of the Famori and the Orcs from the Ogre. At that time it is said there was one clan, The Iron Helm Clan. All clans of the orcs are split off of this main clan. Orcs do value their history, and most know and respect their great leaders. The Clans have spent much of history warring with each other until recently. Some fear the orcs will cease warring each other and turn their attention towards the other races. Each Clan also has a rich history shown in the Orc Racial Packet. Role-playing - Orcs are warriors by birth-right, they want nothing more in life than to become the Warchief of their clan. They train for hours each day in combat arts. Honor to an Orc is only something gained on the battlefield. You cannot gain honor if you do not fight, and you are often dishonored if you do not fight. Orcs will fight for almost any reason. Their first response to most situations is to take swings. They are crude and have horrible social Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Races manners as well as table manners. Most orcs also view all women as potential wives because that is the known mold for females in the Orc culture. Orc players should pick one of the local tribes to be from, or may submit another tribe for approval with their character history (generally from a more distant area). Local tribes include the Bone Crusher Clan, the Clan of the Shattered Steel, the Clan of the Stone Minds, the Iron Helm Clan, the Fist of Stone Clan. More information is available about these clan in the Orc racial packet. Language - Orcs speak the common tongue, normally with a harsh sounding voice. They do not have a written language and struggle greatly to learn to write in common. Costuming - Red Orc half-mask (available from Mythical Journeys) and the bottom half of the face must be painted a similar shade of red. Racial Advantages - Orcs may purchase Subdue even if they do not have Might; it costs half if they do have Might. They may also purchase the racial skill Recovery. Hardiness and one weapon skill cost them half the usual amount. If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost of a skill is normally 25, as a racial skill the cost is 12 (not 12.5). Racial Limitations - Costuming requirements, cost 100 CP to play. May not start with Mana. Half-Orcs - There are no half-orcs. They cannot interbreed with other races, just like their cousins, the Famori. Special Races Varns dos Sedrin “The world is no longer any place for us and yet we remain, too stubborn to see what it is we’ve become.” Chuvani Observation This is a special race, and is only available to players with at least 50 saved CP, which must be spent to select this race. These points are not considered part of your total spent points. See the spending cap rule in Character Advancement on page 11. Physical Description - The Varns dos Sedrin, or Children of the Clans, can be found across Pendaan though they are physically indistinguishable from the other races of the world. Culture - The Varns are a wandering people, found traveling across Pendaan in their Kumpaniyi (caravans), made up of numerous families in their personal Vardos (wagons). Each individual Kumpania belongs to one of the Tribes, most of which are bound to a specific element. The rarest of these folk are the Forgotten and the Wicked. These two Tribes keep few Kumpaniyi of their own, preferring to blend in with the other Clans when they can. Even then, their numbers are insignificant when compared to the Elemental Tribes. The Varns dos Sedrin on the whole are a highly superstitious people and suspicious of outsiders, even when they’re also of the Varns though of a different Tribe. Due to their ties to the Elements, all Elementalists must walk the path of the Purist, learning no spells outside their Element and all faithful are Shaman who follow the Ways of their Tribal Element. History - Once times were good for the Varns, but those happier times are no more. Once their vardos and Kumpaniyi spanned the whole of the Pendaan and in the many times the Gaje rose up against them never could they be destroyed. They claimed to be created from all the Gods, yet they were abandoned the same as everyone else when the Godless Time struck. Elemental Wars created rifts among friends and families, driving the Varns to seek out those who walked the same path. Those who had joined The Destroyer’s ranks looked upon their brethren as prey and those who clung to the Old Ways were written off and left behind, artifacts of a time now past. Language - The Varns have a language all their own which they often blend seamlessly with the common tongue. Costuming - A Varn may appear to be of any race, but must adhere to any height, make-up, and prosthetic requirements for that race, and also have the racial limitations of that race. Varns may not appear to be of any special race without permission, and additional CP cost in some cases, although no racial advantages are ever gained from the race they share their appearance with. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 29 Unique Races P art 1 - Getting Started Racial Advantages - Varn receive racial benefits only according to their tribe. They do not gain any racial advantages from the race whose appearance they share. Half-Varns - None. A child is either born as a Varn or not, though until they’re tested by their Satarma they won’t know for certain. Detlene—They have no name they call themselves and tend to try to blend with the others, who call them the Detlene, the Forgotten or the Spirits of Dead Children. Their Chuvani follow the old ways of the spirits who have departed the world. All Elements are found within this Tribe. May purchase Resist Spirits (See Resist Spirits on page 31); Last Rites may be purchased at half cost. y Dharter—The Tribe of the Earth, they are methodical in all that they do. Dharter are slow to anger and slow to act, but when they have reached a decision, none can sway them from their chosen course of action. May purchase Resist Earth (see Resist Earth on page 31); Herbalism may be purchased with a 10 point discount. y Jastaqui—The Tribe of Water, the Jastaqui are performers and charmers extraordinaire. Under this veneer, however, hides a cool, distant personality always calculating how to get the result they desire. May purchase Resist Ice (see Resist Ice on page 31); Read Magic skill may be purchased at half cost. y Jhanarum—The Tribe of the Wind, the Jhanarum are the most socially adept. The have a gift for blending in with the Gaje and have earned the Varns their reputation for trickery and swindle. May purchase Resist Wind (see Resist Wind on page 31); Escape Artist may be purchased even if they do not have Subtlety, or for half cost if they do. y Kuyignum—The Tribe of Fire, they are quick to assess and take action. Kuyignum are prone to acting without thought regarding cause or consequence and have a well earned reputation for vengeance. May purchase Resist Fire (see Resist Fire on page 31); a weapon skill may be purchased at half cost (not including the armor, any type of shield, or two-weapon skills). y Mizhak—The Wicked Ones, they are deceivers and destroyers to the core. They believe they challenge and make their people stronger by keeping them on their guard. All Elements are found within this Tribe, as well as a predilection for the darker arts of Sorcery and Nethermancy. May purchase Apply Poison and Backstab even if they don't have Precision, or for half cost if they do. Racial Limitations - Elementalists must be purists of their elements. Faithful of the Elemental Tribes are Elemental Shaman, while the Chuvani of the Detlene follow their deceased ancestors, the Spirit Wardens. GbgX5 Unlike most races, Varns can not be distinguished y 30 solely by appearance, and some characters who discover they have strong ties to the Varns may, in fact, be Varns themselves. Those who are tested and discover that they are Varns will lose all previously gained racial advantages of their original race. Unique Races If you have an idea for a race that is not listed here, and you believe it would fit our setting, you may submit it for approval. We will consider your idea within these guidelines: 1. Any special request will cost CP. Generally it will cost more CP than the special races that we’ve already made available. 2. You must provide backstory that meets our approval. Where is the race from? Why is your character here? Even if we approve it, we may make changes as we see fit, and we may or may not tell you about these changes. It’s possible that not everything you believe is true. 3. You must submit a picture of yourself in full make-up and costume, and you are committing to wear something at least that good at all times. If you can’t wear it in hot weather, it’s not suitable for use. 4. You can propose racial skills, but we will consider this merely a suggestion and usually will not assign any racial skills to your proposed race. If we do, you will be eligible to buy your racial skills for the appropriate CP cost, but you get nothing for free. 5. We may reject your idea for any reason, including the backstory not fitting our world, your make-up not meeting our standards, your concept not being balanced against other races, your idea is silly or cheesy, or because there are too many unique races already in-game. We may or may not tell you why we rejected your idea. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Races Racial Skills Some races have skills available only to them. Since these skills are not available to all characters, they are described here, not in Chapter 3 Skills. y 10~—skill cost per use, does not increase in cost. Recovery Category: Racial Cost: 50 ~ Prerequisite: Orc Once per event, when you are Dying due to your injuries, at the end of the usual 5 minutes, this skill allows you to recover instead of becoming Dead, and regain all your vitality. Treat this as a Healing effect, so it will also repair any Maimed limbs but it cannot be used if you are Diseased. Resist Charm Category: Racial Cost: 10 ~ Prerequisite: Elf, Enselari, or Mistborn You may resist one Charm spell or effect. This may not be used to resist any other spell or mental effect, only “Charm.” Resist Earth Category: Racial Cost: 10 ~ Prerequisite: Varns dos Sedrin of the Dharter Tribe You may resist one spell or effect that contains the word “Earth.” Resist Fire Category: Racial Cost: 10 ~ Prerequisite: Varns dos Sedrin of the Kuyignum Tribe You may resist one spell or effect that contains the word “Fire.” Resist Ice Category: Racial Cost: 10 ~ Prerequisite: Frost Elf or Varns dos Sedrin of the Jastaqui Tribe You may resist one spell or effect that contains the word “Ice.” Resist Magic Category: Racial Cost: 50 ~ Prerequisite: Half-Dark Elf You may resist one spell. This skill may not be used during the day. Even if you have purchased this skill more than once, you must wait at least 10 minutes after each use before using it again. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Racial Ski lls Resist Paralysis Category: Racial Cost: 10 ~ Prerequisite: Yellow Warg You may resist one Paralyze spell or effect. Resist Slumber Category: Racial Cost: 10 ~ Prerequisite: Elf You may resist one Slumber spell or effect (including Slumber Venom). Resist Spirits Category: Racial Cost: 10 ~ Prerequisite: Varns dos Sedrin of the Detlene Tribe You may resist one spell or effect that contains the word “Spirits.” Resist Tamper Category: Racial Cost: 25 ~ Prerequisite: Goblin Allows you to resist the last complete sentence from any potion. Resist Terror Category: Racial Cost: 15 ~ Prerequisite: Mistborn May resist one effect with the word “Terror” in its incantation. Resist Wind Category: Racial Cost: 10 ~ Prerequisite: Varns dos Sedrin of the Jhanarum Tribe You may resist one spell or effect that contains the word “Wind.” Stones Throw Category: Racial Cost: 20 ~ Prerequisite: Black Warg You may pick up and throw a large boffer stone or similar object, calling “Pain” when you do so. You may make and bring throwing rocks for use with this skill. The object must be made entirely of foam and duct tape, just as a normal thrown weapon, but larger. They must be larger than your head, and red-stickered with a 2, 3, 4, or 5. They should be irregular in shape, like a rock, not perfectly round like a ball. Red-stickered objects with no number may not be picked up. After picking up a numbered redstickered object, you must throw it within one minute, or put it back down. The skill is expended whether or not you throw the object. 31 R a ci a l S k il l s 32 Pa rt 1 - Get ting Start ed Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Chapter 3 Skills Skills represent your in-game abilities. These can include what weapons you know how to use, how much Faith or Mana you can wield, what trade skills you know, etc. There are several types of skills: General skills are available to every character. These are abilities anyone can learn or use, such as bandaging, literacy, or vitality. y Craft skills are available to every character. These abilities represent the mundane skills of the World such as farming, leather working, smithing, etc. y Finesse and Might skills represent techniques with weapons such as disarming your opponent. Finesse skills are quick and precise, while Might is strong and brutal. y Precision and Subtlety are the skills of stealth. Precision skills are the skills of murder, poisons, and a quick knife. Subtlety skills are the tricks of the thieving trade. y Sanctity and Devotion skills represent abilities of those who have learned to call upon their faith or the spirits. Sanctity is concerned with shaping faith into spells and other direct effects. Devotion focuses on other methods of healing and holy rites. y Power and Sight skills represent manipulation and perception of magical energies. Power provides the methods of shaping magical energy into spells, while Sight encompasses a variety of means to perceive and manipulate magic in other forms. y Special skills require more advanced training and are available only to those in the appropriate Advanced or Prestige classes. y Learning Skills Any skill listed in this chapter may be learned by any character of the appropriate class who meets the listed prerequisites. We encourage the roleplaying of being taught these skills, but such teaching is never required. Some skills are not listed in this rule book, and can only be learned if you are taught by someone who has the appropriate skills to teach you. These include the skills for teaching magical and divine spells, advanced ritual skills, and all craft skills beyond those listed here. You may never be taught more than one skill per event. (You may, however, learn a skill and a spell at the same event.) If a skill requires instruction over multiple events, you can learn other skills during the preliminary lessons, but not during the final event when you complete your training. To purchase the skill, note the name of the skill and your teacher in the appropriate section of your Post Event Letter (PEL). If you do not have enough points to buy the skill immediately, you may save your points and buy it later. Skills that you have been taught, but not yet purchased, may not be used to fulfill prerequisites to learn other skills. Crafting Skills Craft skills represent trade skills and ordinary, everyday skills used by those who work for a living, instead of adventuring. Your character may have learned a craft skill before becoming an adventurer, or you may choose to develop one later on. Characters who focus on developing their craft skills may discover more advanced techniques and reach a level of mastery far beyond those who simply dabble. These advanced techniques are skills that you must learn while playing Mythical Journeys. Your first craft costs 20, the second costs 30, the third 40, etc. Some races receive a discount on certain crafts, reducing the cost by 10. This discount applies to the initial purchase of the craft, not to the additional techniques you may learn within the craft. 33 Crafting Skills Part 1 - Getting Started Table 1 Skill Costs General Skills (Available to everyone) Bandage 30 Literacy 10 Karma 40 Read Divine 40 Small Weapon 5 Hardiness 40 Any arms/ armor skill for double the listed cost Last Rites 20/30/+ Quickdeath 15/* Vitality 20/30/+ (max of 4) Read Magic 40 Appraisal 5/* Crafts: First costs 20, second costs 30, etc. Finesse Might Chosen Foe 30/45/+ Disarm 30/45/+ Knockdown 20/30/+ Maim 20/30/+ Pain 30/45/+ Parry 20/30/+ Push 10/15/+ Slay 40/60/+ Pierce 10/15/+ Subdue 20/30/+ Arms and Armor Arms and Armor Archery 20 Armor I 20 Long Blunt 15 Net 20 Blowgun 15 Buckler 10 Pole-Arm 20 Short Blunt 10 Long Blades 15 Net 20 TwoHanded Weapon 20 Armor I, II, III 20/30/40 Pole-Arm 20 Shield 20 Shield 20 Tower Shield 30 Short Blades 10 Thrown Weapon 15 Two Weapon 10/15/+ 34 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Skills Craft ing Ski lls Table 1 Skill Costs Precision Subtlety Apply Poison 25 Backstab 30/45/+ Avoid Trap 20/30/+ Catch Thrown Weapon 20 Hamstring 20/30/+ Poison craft 30/45/+ Dodge 20/30/+ Escape Artist 20/30/+ Quickdeath 5/* Resist Poison 30/45/+ Lockpicking 20 Waylay 10/15/+ Arms and Armor Arms and Armor Archery 20 Armor I 20 Archery 20 Armor I 20 Blowgun 15 Buckler 10 Blowgun 15 Buckler 10 Short Blades 10 Short Blunt 10 Short Blades 10 Short Blunt 10 Thrown Weapon 15 Two Weapon 10/15/+ Thrown Weapon 15 Two Weapon 10/15/+ Sanctity Power Destroy Undead 10/15/+ Faith 20/* Mana 20/* Divine Scrollcraft 10/* Read Divine 20 Read Magic 20 Arms and Armor Short Staff 15 Staff Scrollcraft Arms and Armor 20 Short Staff 15 Devotion Staff 20 Sight Alchemy Advanced Bandaging 30 Create Holy Water 10/15/+ Diagnose 30 Empathic Healing 10 Last Rites 10/15/+ Read Divine 20 SelfSacrifice 10 Mythical Journeys Renaissance 10/* 30/* Analyze Alchemical Powder 15 Detect/ Attune 20/30/+ Read Aura 10/15/+ Read Magic 20 Recharge Item 20 Scroll Mastery 10/15/+ 35 Skill Descriptions Skill Descriptions This section describes many of the skills available for your character. There are some skills available only to certain races, and they are listed in Racial Skills on page 31. There are other skills available to Prestige Classes and advanced Crafters, but you will need to learn about those in-game. Unless otherwise specified, a skill may be used once per event per time purchased. Skill costs 10/15/+—skill increases in cost by 50% of the original cost every purchase (e.g. 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35…). If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost is 5/7/+, the first purchase costs 5, the next costs 7 (not 7.5), and the next 10. y 10/*—skill increases in cost by 50% of the original cost every 5 purchases (e.g. 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 15, 15…). If this results in a half point, round down. For example, if the cost is 5/*, the first five purchases cost 5 each, the next five cost 7 each (not 7.5), and the next five cost 10 each. y 10~—skill does not increase in cost. y 10—skill can be purchased only once and used once per event. y 10 (unlimited use)—skill is only purchased once but may be used as often as you like. y Advanced Bandaging Category: Devotion Cost: 30 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: Bandaging Through practice and natural talent, you can aid the injured more than most. After one minute of normal Bandaging, the recipient is restored to one vitality and all their maimed limbs are repaired. With this skill, you can choose to spend four more minutes (for a total of five minutes) to restore the recipient to half of their total purchased vitality (round up). For example, a person who has purchased a total of three vitality can be restored to two vitality. The remaining vitality cannot be healed by this skill, although it can still be restored by the Healing spell or other Healing effects. You may use this skill on someone who is conscious. It does not heal them any more than if they had been unconscious to start with. For example, a person who has purchased a total of three vitality and currently is conscious with one vitality can be restored to two vitality. If they had two vitality already, you could not use this skill to restore any more. 36 Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Alchemical Analysis Category: Special (Sight: Alchemist) Cost: 50 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: None By spending five minutes role-playing study of a potion, oil, or powder, and expending a required component (when you take this skill, you will learn which component is needed), you may safely determine the effects of the potion, oil, or powder without drinking or using it. The potion is not consumed during testing. Alchemical Extraction Category: Special (Sight: Alchemist) Cost: 100 Prerequisite: None You may break down an elixir and extract one component from it. You must turn in the potion, oil, or powder at check-out, and it will be destroyed. You will receive the extracted component in preserved form. If the elixir was made from multiple unknown ingredients, you will receive one at random. If you know at least one of the ingredients, you can specify that you do or do not want a specific known ingredient to be extracted. You may only use this skill on one elixir per event. Alchemy Category: Sight Cost: 30/* Prerequisite: None Alchemy is the art of creating magical potions, oils, and other elixirs from certain natural and supernatural components that must be sought in-game. For each purchase of the Alchemy skill you learn one Basic Process. A Basic Process can be used to make a potion or oil from certain appropriate types of components. An alchemist may create as many potions as they can find components for, provided that they know the appropriate recipes. See Chapter 12 Alchemy and Herbalism for more detailed information. Alchemy, Moderate Process Category: Special (Sight: Alchemist) Cost: 60/* Prerequisite: None You have mastered one of the Moderate alchemical processes. Once you enter the Alchemist class, more information will be available to you. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Skills Alchemy, Advanced Process Category: Special (Sight: Alchemist) Cost: 90/* Prerequisite: None You have mastered one of the Advanced alchemical processes. Once you enter the Alchemist class, more information will be available to you. Analyze Alchemical Powder Category: Sight Cost: 15 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: None You can identify the stored magics within properly-made alchemical powders without setting them off. An alchemical powder will be marked as a powder, contained in a vial (like a potion), and also contain a powder packet which is thrown at the target when the powder is used. You may open powders and read the tag. If it has side effects or effects on the person using the powder, you take those effects and the powder must be used as explained on the tag. If it does not have any effect on you, you may use it immediately or re-bottle the powder for use later. Apply Poison Category: Precision Cost: 25 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: None You may safely apply any type of blade venom or contact poison. If a character without this skill attempts to apply blade venom or contact poison, they will always accidentally poison themselves. You do not need this skill to apply ingestive poison (swedish fish). You also do not need this skill to wield a weapon which has been poisoned, but you do need this skill to poison a weapon. See Poison on page 89 for examples of some types of poisons. Blade venom may not be applied to blunt weapons, but it may be used on bladed weapons, arrows, crossbow bolts, blowgun darts, or other non-blunt weapons. Appraisal Category: General Cost: 5/* (unlimited use) Prerequisite: None To the practiced eye, the value of jewelry and other items is easily apparent. These items are marked with letters of the alphabet encoding their values. By adding up the corresponding letter values, you can calculate the worth of the item. This skill gives you the ability to know what each of the letters represents. Each purchase gives you the value of one letter. Also, this skill will give you information about the general value of some other items, which may vary over time. This information should not be shared with other players. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Skill Descriptions Archery Category: Finesse, Precision, or Subtlety Cost: 20 (unlimited use) General Cost: 40 Prerequisite: None You may use a bow or crossbow. Real bows (maximum 25 lb. draw) may be used with the approval of Mythical Journeys, and during daylight hours only. All missiles (arrows and bolts) must be manufactured to Mythical Journeys designs and specifications. Bows may not be used as melee weapons under any circumstances. When firing into combat, only a half-draw on the bow is allowed. Overdrawing is never allowed. Approved NERF© or equivalent bows and crossbows may be used day or night. Some types of finger arrows may be used in conjunction with a real bow, day or night. For complete information about all types of acceptable bows and crossbows, see Appendix A Weapon Construction. The only Fighting or Stealth skills which may be used with a bow or crossbow are Pierce, Venom, Slay With Bow, Maim With Bow, and Pain With Bow. Note that Medium and Heavy Armor allow the wearer to resist any uncalled missile attack. Armor Category: Finesse, Precision, or Subtlety (all limited to 1 purchase), or Might. Cost: 20/30/+ (unlimited use) General Cost: 40/60/+ Prerequisite: None You are able to move and fight in such a way as to gain the full effectiveness of armor. The first purchase of this skill allows the use of light armor, the second purchase allows the use of medium armor, and the third purchase allows you to use heavy armor. The second purchase also allows the use of a helm. See Armor on page 55 for descriptions of the various types of armor and their benefits. Assassinate Category: Special (Precision: Assassin) Cost: 50/75/+ Prerequisite: Small Weapon, Short Blade, or Short Blunt Weapons You have learned to kill a victim with one well-placed blow. To use this skill, you must be standing completely behind the victim, using a weapon no larger than a short sword, and have one foot solidly planted on the ground (not running or walking). Call “Assassinate” (you may do so quietly) and strike your foe with your weapon. If the attack is successful, the victim is instantly Dead. Assassinate cannot be parried. 37 Skill Descriptions Avoid Trap Category: Subtlety Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: None Your quick reflexes allow you to avoid the consequences of one trap that has been triggered. If you trigger a trap, immediately say “Avoid Trap” and you will suffer no damage or other consequences from it. This skill does not protect any bystanders from the effects of the trap. See Traps on page 89 for more information. Part 1 - Get ting Start ed In general, bandaging is the best way to begin healing an unconscious person, because you are not limited in how often you can use it, and it requires no resources (other than a simple strip of cloth). If they need additional healing you can follow it with Healing spells or potions or with Advanced Bandaging. Blacksmith Category: Precision Cost: 30/45/+ Prerequisite: Small Weapon, Short Blade, or Short Blunt Weapons You have learned how to strike with great effectiveness against your victim’s back. You must be standing completely behind the victim, using a weapon no larger than a short sword, and have one foot solidly planted on the ground (not running or walking). Call “Backstab” and strike your foe with your weapon. If the attack is successful, the victim takes 3 points of damage. Each purchase of this skill allows another use of the Backstab skill. Backstab always does 3 points of damage. Backstab cannot be parried. If it misses, it is not expended. Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None You may repair metal armor that has been broken. Armor is considered metal armor only if it is primarily metal (e.g. complete coverage with metal plates, chainmail). Armor that is leather with metal plates is repaired using the Leatherworker skill. Repairing medium metal armor requires 1 piece of steel for every three areas the armor covers (torso, head, right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg). Repairing heavy metal armor requires 1 piece of steel for every two areas the armor covers. For example, heavy armor covering the torso and both arms (three areas total) requires 2 pieces of steel to repair. The repair takes two minutes per piece of steel required. Blacksmithing must be performed at a forge. For more information about different types of armor, see Armor on page 55. Skilled blacksmiths may learn to make and enhance weapons and armor. These skills must be learned in-game. Bandage Blowgun Backstab Category: General Cost: 30 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: None By bandaging the wounds of the injured, you can save the dying and the maimed. When you begin applying this skill to an individual who is Dying, you immediately stop them from slipping into death. After five minutes of bandaging, this skill brings the victim up to one vitality (but never above one vitality unless they have Physical Reserves or Fortitude) and repairs any Maimed limbs. If you are Dying, your five-minute death count is suspended as long as someone is bandaging you. After the first minute of bandaging, your five-minute death count is reset; if the person bandaging you is interrupted after the first minute, begin counting out your five minutes again starting at zero. Characters with Devotion require only one minute to apply bandages. You can use the Bandage skill on yourself to heal a maimed limb as long as you have one arm free and are able to tie the bandage. Bandaging will not awaken a character who is Unconscious (e.g. from Waylay, Slumber, etc). You must use actual bandages and the bandages must remain until the end of the event or until the character is healed by magical means. If the bandage is removed or falls off, you will lose any benefits of the bandage (restored vitality or limbs). This will not happen instantly, you can take up to a minute to adjust or re-tie the bandage. 38 Category: Finesse, Precision, or Subtlety Cost: 15 (unlimited use) General Cost: 30 Prerequisite: None This skill allows use of a blowgun. This weapon may not be used in close combat or while running. Darts must be made entirely of foam, and your blowgun must be approved as safe by Mythical Journeys. Buckler Category: Finesse, Precision, or Subtlety Cost: 15 (unlimited use) General Cost: 30 Prerequisite: None You have trained in the proper use of a buckler, a small shield up to 18” in diameter which is held in your hand. This bucker can only have a one hand grip, with no arm strap. This is not a weapon and may not be used as one; shield bashing, rushing, and punching are not allowed. A buckler cannot be disarmed. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Skills Carpenter Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None You have learned to select, gather, and refine wood that is of extremely high quality, suitable for the construction of staves, bows, and shields. At each event, you will receive four pieces at check-in. Skilled carpenters may gather more wood, as well as using it to make high quality bows, mystic staves, holy shields, and other items. These skills must be learned ingame. Catch Thrown Weapon Category: Subtlety Cost: 20 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: Thrown Weapon Your talent with thrown weapons enables you to safely catch them when they are thrown at you, at least some of the time. Thrown weapons may be caught or swatted aside with the hands without taking damage. If any other part of the body is contacted by the thrown weapon, you take damage as normal. This skill does not permit the catching of arrows or crossbow bolts. If a weapon with blade venom is caught (not merely swatted aside), you can still use the venom. Other calls, such as ‘Pierce’ on a javelin, cannot be returned. You cannot catch or deflect boulders or other items that are too big for you to pick up. However, the Strength skill will allow you to do so, and if you have the Stones Throw skill, you can use it to catch boulders and throw them back. Charms Category: Special (Devotion: Cleric, or Sight: Rune Mage, Wizard) Cost: 50 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: 15 Faith or Mana of one type, and at least one Craft skill. You have learned to store your spells in single-use magic items called Charms. These items do not need to be attuned, and anyone can use them. You will learn the material requirements and other details after taking this skill, but generally a gem (type and quality depends on the spell) and one other item will be required. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Skill Descriptions Chosen Foe Category: Finesse Cost: 30/45/+ Prerequisite: any melee weapon You have studied the fighting style of one specified race. At any time, you may expend this skill to gain unlimited use of the Parry skill against your chosen foe for 5 minutes. You can only have one Chosen Foe in your character's lifetime and it may not be changed, even by multiple purchases of the skill. Each purchase allows another use of the skill for 5 minutes, against the same foe. Acceptable foes include: Dwarves, Normal Elves, Dark Elves, Half-Dark Elves, Fiend Elves, Frost Elves, Enselari, Famori, Orcs, Goblins, Wargs, Giantkin, Gnolls, Ra’Kash, Rats, Trolls, Skeletal Undead, Clawed Undead, Zombies, Non-corporeal Undead, Fire Elementals, Ice Elementals, Earth Elementals, Wind Elementals, Imps, Bestial Fiends, Sulfur Fiends, and certain other specific kinds of fiends. You may also choose any specific individual person or creature as your foe. Some groups may also be acceptable foes but this requires approval on a case-by-case basis. Notes: See Parry on page 47 for complete details (especially note that you must have a weapon in your hand to use this skill). Chosen Foe: Additional Foe Category: Special (Finesse: Holy Warrior, Hunter) Cost: 20 Prerequisite: Chosen Foe Your careful study of your foes extends to a second, related type of foe. For these purposes the types of foes are: y Elementals: Fire Elementals, Ice Elementals, Earth Elementals, or Wind Elementals. y Fiends: Imps, Bestial Fiends, Sulfur Fiends, or other specific types of fiend. y Common monsters: Orcs, Goblins, Wargs, Giantkin, Gnolls, Rats, Trolls. y Undead: Skeletal Undead, Clawed Undead, Zombies, Non-corporeal Undead. y Humanoids: Dwarves, Normal Elves, Dark Elves, Half-Dark Elves, Fiend Elves, Frost Elves, Ra’Kash, Enselari, Famori. 39 Skill Descriptions You can pick a second type from the same category as your original foe. For example, if your original Chosen Foe was Orcs, you might choose Giantkin as your second Chosen Foe. Each time you use your Chosen Foe skill, you have unlimited Parries against both foes for the duration. Chosen Foe: Unabated Wrath Category: Special (Finesse: Holy Warrior, Hunter) Cost: 20 Prerequisite: Chosen Foe Once you have learned this skill, every use of the Chosen Foe skill lasts 30 minutes for you, instead of the normal 5 minutes. Cleave Category: Special (Might: Champion) Cost: 50 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: Slay Effective follow-through is key to your success in battle. When you use the Slay skill and your foe falls, you may immediately swing slay against a second foe. You call only “Slay”, not “cleave.” You may not move more than one step before the second swing. If the second Slay misses, the opportunity is lost. You may not swing a third “Slay” even if your second one is successful. Cloak Fighting Category: Special (Finesse: Duellist) Cost: 10/15/+ Prerequisite: None You have learned to use a cloak to distract your foe and divert his attacks. This skill allows you to wrap a cloak around your forearm. For the next 5 minutes, your cloak is treated exactly as a shield for all purposes. State 'Resist' to all weapon attacks hitting your cloak. Counterspell Category: Special (Sight: Elementalist, Nethermancer, Sorcerer) Cost: 50 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: None Your mastery of elemental or dark magics allows you to counter any spell you know how to cast using Elementalism, Nether, or Sorcery. To do so, you must expend as many Mana as the spell requires to cast, and then state “Resist.” The spell you are countering doesn't need to have been cast using one of these three schools (you may not be able to tell), but it must have exactly the same incantation as the spell you know in these schools. 40 Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Create Holy Water Category: Devotion Cost: 10/15/+ Prerequisite: Rite of Dedication Through meditations and prayers, you can infuse pure water with holy power. You may create one vial of Holy Water per purchase of this skill. To create Holy Water, you must turn in one new, clean vial at the end of game for each vial of Holy Water you wish to make. You will be given vials of holy water at that time. Holy Water comes in vials (black film canisters) marked with your religion (Fortune, Radiance, or Shamanism), and is represented by a white spell packet which can be thrown. Call “Holy Water” when you throw the packet. Holy Water can affect certain creatures and undead, but you will have to experiment ingame to find out the details. You may give vials of Holy Water to others and they may also be stolen. Holy Water is resisted as a spell, because it is delivered by packet. However, it is not a spell and other limitations on spellcasting (e.g. no weapon in hand) do not apply, and it cannot be stored in a Rune of Holding. Destroy Undead Category: Sanctity Cost: 10/15/+ Prerequisite: None You have learned to channel holy energy at undead, which may weaken or destroy them. You must have a holy symbol of your faith if you are dedicated, which must be visible; Pilgrims do not need a holy symbol. To use this skill state a spell-like incantation as follows: (“With Fortune”, “With Radiance”, “By the Spirits”, or “Through my Faith” for Pilgrims), state the incantation (“I destroy this undead, damage 5”) and then throw a spell packet at the undead. Destroy Undead has no effect on normal living creatures. Destroy Undead is resisted as a spell, because it is delivered by packet, and if you are Silenced you cannot speak the required incantation. However, it is not a spell and other limitations on spellcasting (e.g. no weapon in hand) do not apply, and it cannot be stored in a Rune of Holding. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Skills Detect/Attune Magic Category: Sight Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: None You can see and comprehend the auras of magical items. Upon learning this skill, you will receive a decoder for deciphering the aura codes placed upon magical items. Additional purchases will allow you to comprehend more details of the aura. This aspect of the skill may be used as often as you wish. You may also use this skill to detect magic on an item, once per purchase per event. To detect magic on an item, turn the item in during check-out and fill out the magic item detection form. Next event, you will receive more details about the item. Detecting an item may trigger some curses. Or, you may use this skill to attune one item per purchase per event to yourself or to another willing person, by turning in the item at check-out and filling out the magic item detection form. Once you are attuned to an item, you can use the item. You can detect and attune an item at the same time with one use of the skill. Items may be unattuned as well. You must bring the item to check-out and expend one use of this skill to unattune it from yourself or someone else. Cursed items can not be unattuned this way. All enchanted items require attunement before they can be used. Knowing the properties of an item is not sufficient; you must still be attuned to the item. You may only be attuned to four items at any time. When attuning an additional item beyond four, you should specify which previously attuned item you will lose your magical connection to. You may attune the same item to multiple people by using multiple uses of this skill. See Chapter 10 Magic and Spells for more details. Diagnose Category: Devotion Cost: 30 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: None You have learned the signs of physical ailments and can identify them. Anyone can check for a pulse or heartbeat to see if someone is Alive or Dead. By using this skill, you can go behind this simple test and ask the following specific yes/no questions of any cooperating or helpless person: Are you Poisoned? Are you Alive? Are you Diseased? Are you Paralyzed? Are you Wounded? Are you Dying? Are you Unconscious? The subject should answer yes or no, without any additional comment or elaboration. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Skill Descriptions Disarm Category: Finesse Cost: 30/45/+ Prerequisite: any melee weapon With a quick turn of the wrist, you can remove your opponent’s weapon from his hand. Once the skill is called (call “Disarm”), you must strike your opponent’s weapon with your melee weapon. If you successfully hit their weapon, they must drop their weapon and may not pick it up for at least 5 seconds. If you miss, the skill is not used up. Bucklers, Shields, Tower Shields, and spell packets may not be disarmed with this skill. Two-handed weapons (weapons that are more than 48” and designed for two-handed use) are immune to Disarm when they are held in both hands. Parry will negate this skill, and cause it to be expended. Disguise Category: Special (Subtlety: Burglar) Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: None Any player may disguise themselves by wearing different clothing, but not add, remove, or alter their makeup or prosthetics. This skill allows you to go farther, disguising yourself as a monster or other creature by putting on the appropriate mask (and makeup if appropriate, such as for orcs and other monsters with half-masks). The disguise lasts until you remove the mask. You must supply your own masks. All disguises must be done with a mask, not prosthetics and makeup alone. If you recognize a voice, clothing, posture, or other clues that lead you to suspect a person is disguised, you may draw your own conclusions. However, the disguise cannot be removed except by the person using the skill, nor can it be verifiably detected by any normal means. Dodge Category: Subtlety Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: None Quick reflexes allow you to duck or dodge out of the way of thrown or missile weapons once per purchase of this skill. This skill can be used to resist both called and uncalled attacks from thrown or missile weapons. Call “Dodge” when using this skill. Empathic Healing Category: Devotion Cost: 10 (unlimited use) Your great compassion allows you to transfer one of your own Vitality to someone who is injured by touching them with a spell packet, concentrating or praying for one minute, and stating “Empathic Healing.” Your vitality is expended even if they cannot use it (e.g. they are not injured or they are diseased). You may only transfer one Vitality at a time; each additional vitality requires another minute of concentration or prayer. The Vitality you have expended may be healed by any normal means. Empathic Healing will also repair any maimed limbs. You may not give your last vitality. You may not use Empathic Healing on yourself. 41 Skill Descriptions Empower Weapon Category: Special (Power: Warrior Mage) Cost: 20 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: must have a specially crafted melee weapon A Warrior Mage who has obtained a Mystic Weapon may use this skill to channel pure mana into this special weapon only (not into normal weapons) to enhance its abilities to harm certain creatures. As with other melee weapon calls, the skill (in this case, the mana) is not expended if the blow misses or if it hits a weapon or shield. Because this is a skill (not a spell), it may be invoked even if the Warrior Mage is wearing armor, is walking, or does not have a hand free. The specifics depend on the Warrior Mage's mana type. The Warrior Mage may use this ability with any mana type they have as a Focus skill (normally this will be one type of mana). y Elementalism: the Warrior Mage may call “Earth”, “Fire”, “Ice”, or “Wind” when striking. 2 Elemental Mana must be expended each time this ability is used. The Warrior Mage must have at least one spell of the appropriate element in order to make an attack using that element. y Mentalism: the Warrior Mage may call “Will” when striking. 2 Mentalism Mana must be expended each time this ability is used. y Rune: the Warrior Mage may call “Mana” when striking. 2 Rune Mana must be expended each time this ability is used. y Wizardry: the Warrior Mage may call “Mana” or “Void” when striking. 2 (Mana) or 3 (Void) Wizardry Mana must be expended each time this ability is used. y Nether Mana: the Warrior Mage may call “Spirits” when striking. 2 Nether Mana must be expended each time this ability is used. y Sorcery: the Warrior Mage may call “Darkness” when striking. 2 Sorcery Mana must be expended each time this ability is used. Escape Artist Category: Subtlety Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: None Ropes, chains, and similar bonds cannot hold you for long. This skill allows you to escape from ropes, cords, shackles, chains, stocks, or any other form of physical binding placed on your body, once per time purchased. For safety reasons, no one should be tied, chained, or shackled in such a way that they are unable to release themselves. If you do not have this skill, you cannot get free regardless of what tools are at hand. If you cannot free yourself, ropes can be untied by anyone with a free hand, while chains and shackles that have a lock attached can be removed only after the lock has been unlocked or picked by someone with the Lockpicking skill. If there is no lock, the chains or shackles can be removed instantly by anyone with the Lockpicking skill (but not by the wearer). 42 Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Extend Shield Category: Special (Sight: Warrior Mage) Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: any appropriate Shield spell The Warrior Mage has learned to modify normal Shield spells in order to extend their utility. This skill may be used in conjunction with any Shield spell in the Warrior Mage's Focus school of magic with a normal cost of 1 or 2 Mana (note: this may never be used with a Spell Shield). If the Warrior Mage has more than one Focus school of magic, it can be used with any of them (this will not normally apply). To use this skill, at any time after the Shield spell has been cast on the Warrior Mage, he or she must speak this incant: “I convert my Shield to a Barrier, 5 minutes.” After 5 minutes, the protection is expended (it does not revert to being a Shield). This skill cannot be used to convert Shield spells cast on other people (only on the Warrior Mage), it cannot be used with Aegis spells (any spell with Aegis in the name), and it also cannot be used to convert Shield spells from other schools of magic besides the Warrior Mage's Focus school(s). The Barrier created by this skill cannot be stacked with any other Barrier. Because this conversion is a skill (not a spell), it may be invoked even if the Warrior Mage is wearing armor, is walking, or does not have a hand free (normal restrictions still apply when casting the original Shield spell). However, it may not be used if the Warrior Mage has been Silenced and is unable to speak the incant. Faith Category: Sanctity Cost: 20/* Prerequisite: None Being a spiritual person, you are able to call on holy power to create minor miracles. (Most people call these “spells.”) You may choose to dedicate to a particular religion, and doing so will allow you to learn spells specific to that religion, but this is not required. Unlike Manabased spells, you may wear armor while casting Faith-based spells. See Chapter 11 Faith and Religion for more information. Farmer Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None You grow crops of various types. Unless special circumstances interfere with your harvest, each game you begin with four bushels of Produce, which may be used in a number of ways. Skilled farmers produce more crops and can even learn to grow unusual plants. These skills must be learned in-game. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Skills Feign Death Category: Special (Subtlety: Ninja) Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: None By slowing your breathing and heart rate, you appear Dead even to the most knowledgeable examiners. Anyone checking you for a pulse or diagnosing you will believe that you are Dead. The effect lasts until you move. Forgery Category: Special (Subtlety: Burglar, Fatespinner, Shadow) Cost: 30 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: Literacy Anyone may use normal writing implements (pen, pencil, paper) to attempt handwritten forgery. With this skill you may attempt forgery of papers or documents using any resources available to you (including photocopier, computer, scanner, printer, etc). Even with this skill, you may not forge any type of magical scroll. Fortitude Category: Special (Might: Archer, Champion, Duellist, Monk, Rogue) Cost: 30 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: 2 Vitality Any time you are healed by any means (healing spell, bandaging, karma, etc), when the healing is complete you will have a minimum of 2 vitality. For example, if you are unconscious with 0 vitality and are bandaged, normally you would recover consciousness with 1 vitality, but with this skill you would have 2. You can be Bandaged even if you are not unconscious, and it will bring you up to this minimum if you are not there already. In addition, the maximum amount of Vitality you can purchase is 5 (for most characters it is 4); beyond your maximum, the cost of all Vitality is doubled. If you also have Physical Reserves, this is cumulative with it, so your minimum vitality after healing is 3 and your maximum vitality is 6. Glassblower Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None You may use pieces of glass to make high quality vials, suitable for bottling potions, oils, powders, poisons, and holy water. These vials may only be used once. Each batch of 10 vials requires three pieces of glass, plus one piece of wood to stoke the fire. You may melt down used vials to make new ones, although some glass is lost in the process (10 used vials can be melted down to make one piece of glass). You can also make larger bottles, such as wine bottles (three pieces of glass plus one piece of wood can be used to make one wine bottle). Skilled glassblowers learn to make their own glass as well as glass items such as lenses and alchemical equipment. These skills must be learned in-game. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Skill Descriptions Hamstring Category: Precision Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: Small Weapon, Short Blade, or Short Blunt Weapons With a quick and precise blow to the leg, you can keep your victim from escaping. You must be using a weapon no larger than a short sword. Call “Maim” (not “hamstring”) and strike your foe’s leg with your weapon. If the attack is successful, the leg is Maimed. The wound can be cured by Bandaging or with any healing magic. This skill may be Parried, just as the Maim skill, but is not expended if the blow misses. Hardiness Category: General Cost: 40 Prerequisite: 3 Vitality You’re exceptionally hard-headed. You may resist the first Waylay or Subdue attack received per event (call “Resist” when you use this ability). This skill may be purchased only once. Healing Poultice Category: Special (Devotion: Holy Warrior) Cost: 30 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: Bandaging You have learned to use certain specific enchanted herbs, magnified by your own faith, to enhance the healing effects of your bandages. To use this skill, you need a new, unused piece of Fine Cloth and one plant component of an appropriate type, which will be expended and must be turned in once you are finished. After learning this skill, you will be told which plant components are suitable. Applying the Poultice takes one minute and counts as Bandaging, but heals one additional point of Vitality. (If you also have Advanced Bandaging, you can choose to spend 5 minutes and restore half of the recipient's Vitality, plus one.) Additionally, after one hour, the poultice may be removed with no ill effects (unlike a normal bandage). Herbalism Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None A variety of plants have beneficial properties. You have learned one process for the use of such plants. See Chapter 12 Alchemy and Herbalismfor more information. Skilled herbalists learn additional processes as well as baking and brewing. These skills must be learned in-game. 43 Skill Descriptions Inkmaker Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None You may make high quality ink, suitable for making battle scrolls and possibly other magical purposes. One vial of ink, suitable for writing 10 scrolls, requires three bushels of produce and a new, unused glass vial. Skilled inkmakers learn to make other types of inks. Each recipe must be learned in-game. Iron Will Category: Special (Sight: Mentalist) Cost: 50 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: Mentalism Mana Your mind is stronger than most. You may resist any spell that contains the words “Feeblemind” or “By will” by expending 2 Mentalism Mana and stating “Resist.” Karma Category: General Cost: 40 Prerequisite: None It’s difficult to kill you. One per event, when you are Dying due to your injuries, at the end of the usual 5 minutes, you will be Healed 1 vitality instead of becoming Dead. Treat this as if a Healing spell was cast upon you, so it also repairs any Maimed limbs, and you will also gain the benefits of Fortitude or Physical Reserves if you have them. However, it will not help you if you are Diseased. Notes: This skill may only be purchased once, except by Ra’Kash who may purchase it up to eight times. This skill does not stop a Quickdeath, Poison, or any other fatal effect. It only prevents bleeding to death after normal injuries and will not revive you after being Quickdeathed, Assassinated, or Deathed. 44 Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Knockdown Category: Might Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: Short Blunt Weapons, Long Blunt Weapons, or Two Handed Weapon (must be blunt) With a powerful blow from a heavy, blunt weapon (e.g. mace, hammer, but not a staff), you can knock your foe right off his feet. This skill also works if it hits your foe’s shield. Call “Knockdown” before striking. After being struck in any legal target area or on their shield with this skill, your foe must safely fall to the ground and then lie flat on their back or front before they can stand again. Unlike the Subdue skill, they may defend them self if they are able to do so while falling. Knockdown can be Parried. Knockdown Punch Category: Special (Might: Monk, Ninja) Cost: 20 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: Knockdown Your fists hit like a hammer. You may expend your Knockdown skill, state “Knockdown”, and throw a Subdue packet. The packet may hit anywhere on your foe’s body, or on his shield. If it hits, they suffer the same effect as the Knockdown skill. Although delivered by a Subdue packet, Knockdown Punch gives the Knockdown effect and may not be resisted by Hardiness, a helmet, or any other ability or item that allows Subdue to be resisted. You cannot Parry a Knockdown Punch. Lapidary Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None You have learned to cut and polish gems, enhancing their value and suitability for both jewelry and magic. With the base level of this skill, you may cut up to four gems per event. To use this skill, bring the gems you wish to cut to check-out at the end of game. Skilled lapidaries learn to cut more gems, to split large gems, to make jewelry and even to tap into the mystic properties of the materials they work with. These skills must be learned in-game. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Skills Last Rites Category: Devotion Cost: 10/15/+ Prerequisite: None A few respectful words over the body of the fallen (not a spirit) can aid them greatly when they reach Fate. You know just the right ones to say. After performing Last Rites over a corpse, state “Last Rites.” The Spirit must tell Fate that Last Rights have been performed on him/her, and Fate will look upon the deceased more favorably. Some people choose to give the corpse a token to indicate Last Rites have been performed, but this is not required. The Read Aura skill can be used to determine whether a corpse has received Last Rites. Lay On Hands Category: Special (Devotion: Cleric, some Holy Warriors) Cost: 30 Prerequisite: None By calling upon holy aid, you may fully heal one person per event. You must touch them with a spell packet, meditate or pray for one minute, invoke your religion (“With Fortune”, “With Radiance”, “By the Spirits”, or “Through my Faith” for Pilgrims), and state, “I heal you to full vitality.” The individual is healed completely, with all vitality restored and all maimed limbs healed. Lay On Hands may be resisted as a spell, and cannot be used if you have been Silenced. However, it is not a spell and other limitations on spellcasting (e.g. no weapon in hand) do not apply, and it cannot be stored in a Rune of Holding. Leatherworker Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None You may repair leather armor that has been broken. Armor that is mainly leather, even if it has metal reinforcement, plates, or rivets, is considered leather armor. Repairing light leather armor requires 1 piece of leather for up to one full suit. Repairing medium leather armor requires 1 piece of leather for every three areas the armor covers (the areas are torso, head, right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg). Repairing heavy leather armor requires 1 piece of leather for every two areas the armor covers. For example, heavy armor covering the torso and both arms (three areas total) requires 2 pieces of leather to repair. The repair takes two minutes per piece of leather required. Repair of medium armor and heavy armor requires the use of an anvil. For more information about different types of armor, see Armor on page 55. Skilled leatherworkers learn to make and enhance leather armor as well as other leather items such as sheaths and pouches. These skills must be learned in-game. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Skill Descriptions Literacy Category: General Cost: 10 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: None This skill enables you to read and write the common language. Additional languages beyond this may be learned in-game. Literacy is common among the noble and merchant classes, but less common among the peasantry. If you do not have this skill, it does not mean your character is stupid; it merely means that you cannot read or write. Lockpicking Category: Subtlety Cost: 20 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: None Anything worth locking is probably worth investigating. You have learned to open locks. Locks at Mythical Journeys are represented by real locks that must be either opened with a key or with lock picks. In order to attempt to pick a lock you must have the lockpicking skill. All locks in Mythical Journeys need only a well-placed paperclip with the proper curves to bypass them. For safety reasons, locks on doors (and occasionally on other items) will be secured with eyehook screws. These eyelets cannot be removed, nor can these locks be stolen since they represent a keyhole in a door. Locks may not be smashed off using force or opened with spells. Players must supply their own paperclips and may not use professional lockpicking tools. All locks that are legal to pick will have the Mythical Journeys symbol on them. All other locks are not to be picked and are there for out-of-game reasons. See Locks on page 93 for more information. Long Blades Category: Finesse Cost: 15 (unlimited use) General Cost: 30 Prerequisite: None You are proficient in the use of any long bladed weapon, including swords and axes, with a length between 31” and 48”. One-handed weapons may be fashioned for use with one or two hands. Long Blunt Weapons Category: Might Cost: 15 (unlimited use) General Cost: 30 Prerequisite: None You are proficient in the use of any long blunt weapon with a length between 31” and 48”, such as a war hammer. One-handed weapons may be fashioned for use with one or two hands. 45 Skill Descriptions Maim Category: Might Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: any melee weapon With a painful strike to a nerve or joint, you can disable your foe’s arm or leg. This skill must strike an arm or leg to have any effect. Call “Maim” before striking. If successful, the arm or leg may not be used for any purpose, and anything held in the arm must be dropped. Maim can be cured by Bandaging or with any healing magic. Maim can be Parried, but if it simply misses the limbs, it is not expended. Heavy Armor worn on the limbs allows the wearer to resist the Maim skill. Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Net Category: Finesse, Might Cost: 20 (unlimited use) General Cost: 40 Prerequisite: None You may use a net in combat. Mesh fabric is best suited for constructing battle nets, as open spaces in the net must not be able to fit over a person's head. Nets do no damage but may be able to entangle opponents if used properly. If the creature is physically tangled in the net, the use is successful. Monsters and characters may choose to roleplay being more entangled than they actually are. This weapon, like all weapons, must be inspected at check-in. Pain Maim With Bow Category: Special (Might: Archer) Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisites: Archery or Thrown Weapon (Javelins only) With a precise shot at a joint, you can disable your foe’s arm or leg, exactly as the normal Maim skill. This skill may be used with a bow, crossbow, or javelin. The missile must strike an arm or leg to have any effect. Call “Maim” before firing. The skill is not expended if it does not strike a limb. This skill can be blocked with the Dodge skill, but it cannot be Parried. Heavy Armor worn on the limbs allows the wearer to resist the Maim skill. Category: Finesse Cost: 30/45/+ Prerequisite: any melee weapon By hitting your foe in a vulnerable area with a melee weapon, you can cause them sudden, incapacitating pain. Call “Pain” before striking. If the attack is successful, your foe must immediately fall to the ground and role-play severe pain (scream in agony). The pain continues until your foe touches both knees and a hand to the ground. During this time, your foe cannot cast spells, fight, or defend him or herself. Pain can be Parried. If the attack misses or is blocked, it is not expended. Mana Pain With Bow Category: Power Cost: 20/* Prerequisites: None: Mana is the power to cast magical spells. Mana must be bought for a specific school (which must be specified at the time of purchase): Elementalism, Mentalism, Rune, or Wizardry. Only characters with Sight may purchase more than one of these types of Mana. You must have the appropriate Mana type to cast a spell. For example, a fireball spell might require three Elemental Mana to cast; three Wizardry Mana would be useless in this casting. Once a spell is successfully cast, the Mana is spent. While casting with Mana, the character may not wear any armor. See Chapter 10 Magic and Spells for details. Miner Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None Any player lucky enough to find a mine can try to discover ore. A miner knows where to go and how to mine to recover ore that hasn’t yet been exposed. A miner will begin each game with four pieces of ore, unless special circumstances interfere with the mines. Skilled miners produce more ore and more types of minerals. These skills must be learned in-game. 46 Category: Special (Finesse: Archer) Cost: 30/45/+ Prerequisite: Archery or Thrown Weapon (Javelins only) With a precise shot at a sensitive area, you can cause them sudden, incapacitating pain, exactly as the normal Pain skill. This skill may be used with a bow, crossbow, or javelin. Call “Pain” before firing. The skill is not expended if it misses. This skill can be blocked with the Dodge skill, but it cannot be Parried. Palm Thrust Category: Special (Might: Monk, Ninja) Cost: 20 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: Push You can strike with perfectly placed force to send your foe reeling. You may expend your Push skill, state “Push”, and throw a Subdue packet. The packet may hit anywhere on your foe’s body, or on his shield. If it hits, they suffer the same effect as the Push skill. Although delivered by a Subdue packet, Palm Thrust gives the Push effect and may not be resisted by Hardiness, a helmet, or any other ability or item that allows Subdue to be resisted. You cannot Parry a Palm Thrust. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Skills Papermaker Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None You may make high quality paper, suitable for making battle scrolls and possibly other magical purposes. One batch of paper, sufficient to make 10 battle scrolls, requires three pieces of wood and one bushel of Produce. Skilled papermakers produce more paper as well as special types of paper and paper-related items such as books. These skills must be learned in-game. Parry Category: Finesse Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: any melee weapon, plus Chosen Foe, Disarm, or Pain With a quick move, you can block most kinds of special attacks. You must call “Parry” during or immediately after the attack hits you. Failure to do so means you have failed to block the attack. The attack you are defending against may be blocked from any direction, but your weapon must be unsheathed and in your hand in order for this skill to be used. (You cannot Parry with a shield, it must be a weapon.) Any called attack delivered by a melee weapon may be parried using the Parry skill, except the stealth skills Backstab, Waylay, and Assassinate. Parry cannot block Subdue or any skill used with a subdue packet, thrown weapon, or missile weapon. Parry also may not be used against a regular melee attack with no called skill or effect, even if an enchantment is called (e.g. “Fire”, “Holy”). Pierce Category: Finesse Cost: 10/15/+ Prerequisite: Archery, Blowgun, or Thrown Weapon (Javelins only) By aiming for joints or weak spots in armor, you are able to damage even armored targets. Pierce can only be used in conjunction with a bow, crossbow, thrown javelin, or blowgun. It may not be used with a melee weapon or thrown weapons other than javelins. Call “Pierce” before firing. Pierce does not penetrate shields. You may not combine pierce with other fighting skills. If the attack misses, it is not expended. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Skill Descriptions Poison Craft Category: Precision Cost: 30/45/+ (unlimited use) Prerequisite: None You have learned to extract and prepare one type of poison or venom: contact poison, ingestive poison, or a Weakness venom that can be placed on a blade. After purchasing this skill you will learn the recipe for your chosen type of poison. To make the poison, turn in the components and a new, clean vial at check-out. You will then receive the poison. The first three Poisons can be learned in any order. The fourth (and final) purchase of this skill allows you to extract additional types of blade venoms. For complete information on poisons, see Poison on page 89. Once made, poisons will last from event to event if not used. Poison Craft: Composite Category: Special (Precision: Assassin) Cost: 50 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: 4 purchases of Poison Craft You have learned to make compound poisons. You will receive additional information about this skill after purchasing it. Pole-Arm Category: Finesse, Might Cost: 20 (unlimited use) General Cost: 40 Prerequisite: None You are proficient in the use of pole-arms in combat. You may also use a staff. Two-handed weapons such as pole-arms are immune to the Disarm skill when held in both hands. You may not wield a two-handed weapon with one hand. If you are holding a two-handed weapon in one hand, you take the damage from any attack that it prevents from hitting your body. Push Category: Might Cost: 10/15/+ Prerequisite: any melee weapon With a powerful or wellplaced blow, you can send your foe reeling. This skill also works if it hits your foe's shield. Call “Push” before striking. After being struck in any legal target area or on their shield with this skill, your foe must move back from you at least 10 feet. They should do so safely, not blindly running backwards. 47 Skill Descriptions Quickdeath Category: Precision Cost: 5/* General Cost: 15 Prerequisite: any means of inflicting damage Simple wounds may kill, but it takes time for enough blood to be lost and breath and spirit to leave the body. Yet those without remorse may use foul means to strike directly at the spirit of their helpless victim. These methods may be shunned by goodly folk, but you have learned how to deliver a death blow of this sort. Your victim must be Unconscious, Dying, or otherwise unable to move. To kill them with a weapon, you must place your weapon to their torso and state the incant, “I grant you a quick death.” To kill them by magic, you must hold a spell packet on the torso, state the incant, “I grant you a quick death,” then the incant for a spell that will damage your victim. If you are not disturbed during the incant, then your victim is Dead. If you are disturbed in any way (including any weapon or spell attack striking you, your weapon, your shield, or anything else on your person whether or not it affects you) the skill does not work but it is not expended. If for whatever reason a non-helpless character allows themselves to be Quickdeathed, their spirit separates from their body immediately and they die just as if they had been helpless. Read Aura Category: Sight Cost: 10/15/+ Prerequisite: None You have learned to identify magical disturbances in a person's aura. By using this skill, you can ask the following specific yes/no questions of any cooperating or helpless person, who must answer only “yes” or “no”. One use of this skill is one person, but you can ask all of the questions. When you use this skill, state “Read aura. Answer yes or no.” Then ask the question(s): y Are you cursed? (This refers only to effects specifically identified as Curses, not other harmful effects.) y Are you under any mental influence? (This refers to any ongoing Will or Terror effect, but not Forget which is not considered on-going.) y Are you under the effects of any other harmful magic? (This refers to any other undesirable magical effect from a spell, potion, etc.) y Do you have any beneficial spells on you? (This refers to any Armor, Barrier, Bestow, or Shield effect.) y Were you given Last Rites? y Were you given Fate's Disfavor? The subject must answer yes or no, but should not elaborate. In the case of special afflictions such as curses, they will be informed of the appropriate answers to these questions. 48 Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Read Divine Category: Sanctity, Devotion Cost: 20 (unlimited use) General Cost: 40 Prerequisite: Literacy The power of divine spells can be stored using special inks and papers in writings called Battle Scrolls. You have learned to read, decipher, and use Divine scrolls. After purchasing this skill, you should request a Divine decoder at check-in. To use a Battle Scroll, you must write the full translation on the scroll (this can be done in advance). To cast the spell from the scroll, you must hold the scroll in one hand and the spell packet (if needed) in your other hand, speak the incantation, and then throw the spell packet. If it is too dark to read, you must have a light source to cast the scroll. You must be able to read the scroll, even if you already know what it says. Wearing armor does not interfere with casting from scrolls. Read Magic Category: Power, Sight Cost: 20 (unlimited use) General Cost: 40 Prerequisite: Literacy The power of magical spells can be stored using special inks and papers in writings called Battle Scrolls. You have learned to read, decipher, and use Magical scrolls. After purchasing this skill, you should request a Magical decoder at check-in. To use a Battle Scroll, you must write the full translation on the scroll (this can be done in advance). To cast the spell from the scroll, you must hold the scroll in one hand and the spell packet (if needed) in your other hand, speak the incantation, and then throw the spell packet. If it is too dark to read, you must have a light source to cast the scroll. You must be able to read the scroll, even if you already know what it says. Wearing armor does not interfere with casting from scrolls. Ready Powder Category: Special (Sight: Alchemist) Cost: 10/15/+ Prerequisite: Analyze Alchemical Powder You may decant a powder and keep it ready for use. Open the powder and read the tag. As with Analyze Alchemical Powder, any side effects or effects on yourself will affect you immediately, but if not you may then choose to use the powder as normal, re-bottle it (using the Analyze skill), or expend this skill and imbue yourself with its power. If you choose to expend this skill, you can cast the powder at any time before the end of the current event. You do not need to keep it in your hands or in the bottle, and you do not need to read the tag at the time of casting (essentially you may cast it as if it was a spell bestowed upon you, although it does not count as a Bestow effect). You may only have one powder readied at a time. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Skills Recharge Item Category: Sight Cost: 20 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: None If a magic item grants a spell that you are capable of casting, to be used a limited number of times per event, and at least one use has been expended this event, you can recharge one use of the item for this event by expending the Mana or Faith for the spell. This skill does not apply to charms, to items with a fixed number of total charges, or to items which have expired. Resist Poison Category: Precision Cost: 30/45/+ Prerequisite: None Your strong constitution allows you to resist poison or venom once per purchase of this skill. This resistance must be used against the first poison or venom attack you are subjected to. State “Resist” when using this skill. Riposte Category: Special (Finesse: Duellist) Cost: 40/60/+ Prerequisite: any melee weapon Your mastery of the flow of combat allows you to reverse your foe’s attack back upon him. This skill is used as Parry (call “Parry”, not “riposte”), but immediately after using it, you may call the same skill your foe attempted to use. If it misses, the opportunity is lost. for example, if your foe swung Slay at you, you could riposte it by calling “Parry” and then attempt to use the “Slay” against your opponent. You can use this ability even if the skill to be returned is one you could not normally use. For example, you can Riposte a Knockdown even if your weapon is not suitable to use Knockdown normally. You can even Riposte effects like Venom; effectively you are causing your foe to hit himself with his own weapon. Ritual (Divine) Category: Special (Devotion: Cleric, Mystic) Cost: 30 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: 5 Faith Your faith is strong enough for you to invoke effects through ritual and ceremony. Specific rituals must be learned in-game. Advanced rituals require advanced skills, for which this skill is a prerequisite. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Skill Descriptions Ritual (Magical) Category: Special (Sight: Alchemist, Elementalist, Mentalist, Mystic, Nethermancer, Rune Mage, Sorcerer, Wizard) Cost: 30 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: 5 Mana Your understanding of the principles of magic allows you, in principle, to perform simple magical rituals. Specific rituals must be learned in-game. Advanced rituals require advanced skills, for which this skill is a prerequisite. Scavenging Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None You have a knack for finding useful stuff. You never know what you’re going to find. Sometimes it’s a copper coin, or an empty vial. Other times it’s a nice piece of metal, a lost piece of jewelry, or even a potion. You will receive four randomly determined items at the start of each event. Skilled scavengers find more useful stuff, and can learn to be more selective in what they find. These skills must be learned in-game. Scrollcraft (Divine) Category: Sanctity Cost: 10/* Prerequisite: Read Divine By using special inks and papers, which you must acquire in-game, and expending Scrollcraft points, you are able to record your Faith spells as Battle Scrolls. These may be used by anyone with the Read Divine skill. To make your scrolls, you must turn in your ink and paper at check-out and fill out a Scrollcraft Checkout Form. You must know the spell completely; if you partially learned it with a limitation or side effect, you cannot make a scroll of it. It is possible to make scrolls of Cancel Spell and Light if you have Scrollcraft. These cost none of your Scrollcraft points but do require the ink and paper components. 49 Skill Descriptions Scrollcraft (Magical) Category: Power Cost: 10/* Prerequisite: Read Magic By using special inks and papers, which you must acquire in-game, and expending Scrollcraft points, you are able to record your Mana spells as Battle Scrolls. These may be used by anyone with the Read Magic skill. To make your scrolls, you must turn in your ink and paper at check-out and fill out a Scrollcraft Checkout Form. You must know the spell completely; if you partially learned it with a limitation or side effect, you cannot make a scroll of it. When you purchase Magical Scrollcraft, you must choose a school of magic: Elementalism, Mentalism, Rune Magic, or Wizardry. Each school of Magical Scrollcraft is considered a separate skill. If you can cast a spell with Mana and you have Scrollcraft in the same school, you can scribe that spell as a Battle Scroll. You may only learn one school of magic, which applies to both your Mana and Scrollcraft, unless you have Sight. It is possible to make scrolls of Cancel Spell and Light if you have Scrollcraft. These cost none of your Scrollcraft points but do require the ink and paper components. Scroll Mastery Category: Sight Cost: 10/15/+ Prerequisite: Read Magic and Mana, or Read Divine and Faith You may draw upon the magics within a battle scroll using your own power instead of expending the power in the scroll. You must have the correct type of mana or faith to cast the scroll, and expend this skill and the specified amount of mana or faith (which will be marked on the scroll). Scrolls that have modified effects due to special inks and papers cannot be used with this skill (and will be marked accordingly), nor can scrolls for spells with a casting cost more than 4 mana/faith. When using the scroll this way, tear off a corner of the scroll. A scroll can be used this way no more than three times (each counts as one expenditure of this skill), after which it can be used only by expending the scroll. When the fourth corner is gone, the scroll is immediately destroyed and must be torn in half. 50 Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Self-Sacrifice Category: Devotion Cost: 10 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: None Through your great compassion, you are able to transfer an affliction (magical, physical, or spiritual) from another person to yourself. This ability is limited to negative or hindering effects (e.g. Waylay, Quickdeath, Bind, Snare, Maim, Break Limb, Disease, Assassinate, Death, Poison, Petrify, etc.) and does not apply to bodily damage or the exchange of vitality (you cannot self-sacrifice Slay, Backstab, Fireball, Bolt, etc.). If someone has Died because they lost all their vitality and then bled to death (as long as they are still a corpse and not a spirit), you can selfsacrifice that, but it will not restore any vitality; they will have 0 vitality and begin bleeding to death again, and you will be Dead. You cannot self-sacrifice the mind-controlling effects Charm, Enslave, or Betrayal. You also cannot self-sacrifice Curses, other permanent effects (including Forget), Sojourn, or Final Death. Self-Sacrifice cannot be used to transfer an ailment to yourself if you already are suffering that ailment. For example: if you are Diseased, you may not Self Sacrifice disease from another person. If your right arm is Maimed, you may not Self-Sacrifice another person’s maimed right arm. You must state which effect you are Self-Sacrificing in order to show that you are willingly accepting this fate. For example, if your victim has been poisoned, you would say, “Self-Sacrifice Poison.” If the victim is not suffering from the effect that you think they are, they will state “No Effect.” Diagnose will assist you in determining what the victim might be suffering from, but will only work as stated in Diagnose on page 41. If the victim is suffering multiple effects, you take one at a time. You can choose to take one and not the others. You may not resist in any way the affliction that you have Self-Sacrificed, even if you have a spell or ability that normally would allow you to resist it. Once taken on, this affliction may however be cured in any normal way. Once you take over an effect for a person, they must inform you the length of time remaining on the effect and you must then take over exactly where they left off. (Example: You Self-Sacrifice Poison. You immediately fall Unconscious and the original victim becomes Conscious again. They inform you that they only had one minute to live, so you now have only one minute to live.) Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Skills Skill Descriptions Shield Slay Short Blades Slay Foe Category: Finesse, Might Cost: 20 (unlimited use) General Cost: 40 Prerequisite: None You have trained in the proper use of a shield up to 30” in diameter if round, or up to 24” x 30” otherwise (e.g. rectangular). It must be larger than a buckler, and have both a handle and an arm strap. This is not a weapon and may not be used as one; shield bashing, rushing and punching are not allowed. A shield cannot be disarmed. For more details see Shields on page 57. Also see Buckler on page 38 and Tower Shield on page 53. Category: Finesse, Precision, Subtlety Cost: 10 (unlimited use) General Cost: 20 Prerequisite: None You are proficient in the use of any bladed weapon, including swords and axes, with a length between 19” and 30”. One-handed weapons may be fashioned for use with one or two hands. Short Blunt Weapons Category: Might, Precision, Subtlety Cost: 10 (unlimited use) General Cost: 20 Prerequisite: None You are proficient in the use of any blunt weapon with a length between 19” and 30”, such as a war hammer. One-handed weapons may be fashioned for use with one or two hands. Short Staff Category: Sanctity, Power Cost: 15 (unlimited use) General Cost: 30 Prerequisite: None You are proficient in the use of the Short Staff in combat: a blunt weapon without a head or any type of blade, no longer than 48”. Only one hand is required to wield a Short Staff. Short staves (and other weapons 48” or less) can be affected by the Disarm skill. Short staves may also be wielded using the Short Blunt Weapons or Long Blunt Weapons skill (depending on the length). Silence Category: Special (Subtlety: Burglar) Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: Small Weapon, Short Blade, or Short Blunt Weapons With sudden strike you can knock the wind out of a foe, leaving them gasping for air and unable to speak. You must be using a weapon no larger than a short sword. Call “Silence” before striking. After being struck in any legal target area, your foe is Silenced for 1 minute. Silence can be Parried, but if it simply misses or is blocked, the skill is not expended. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Category: Might Cost: 40/60/+ Prerequisite: any melee weapon With a mighty strike of your weapon, you can inflict 5 points of damage. Call “Slay” before striking. The strike must hit the torso area of the opponent. If it does not hit the torso area, the skill is not used. This skill can be blocked with the Parry skill, or resisted if the target is wearing heavy armor on their torso. This skill may not be used with a missile or thrown weapon. (Slay With Bow is a separate skill.) Category: Special (Might: Holy Warrior, Hunter) Cost: 30/45/+ Prerequisite: Chosen Foe Not only have you learned to anticipate the attacks of your chosen foe, you also know how to target their most vulnerable areas. This skill works like the “Slay” skill (and you call “Slay” to use it), but may only be used against your chosen foe. Slay With Bow Category: Special (Finesse: Archer) Cost: 40/60/+ Prerequisite: Archery, at least 5 Pierce With a powerful and well-aimed shot from your bow or crossbow, you can inflict 5 points of damage. Call “Slay” before shooting. The strike must hit the torso area of the opponent. If it does not hit the torso area, the skill is not used. This skill can be blocked with the Dodge skill, but it cannot be Parried. Heavy Armor worn on the torso allows the wearer to resist Slay, including Slay with Bow. This skill may not be used with a melee weapon. (Slay and Slay with Bow are separate skills.) Small Weapon Category: General Cost: 5 Prerequisite: None You may use any weapon up to 18” in length, such as a dagger or a small hammer. 51 Skill Descriptions Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Spellbreaking Subdue Staff Taming The Cobra Category: Special (Sight: Wizard) Cost: 50 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: Wizardry Mana Your ability to perceive and work with pure magical energy allows to you weaken or use spells cast against you. Any time you are damaged by a bolt spell, are Conscious when hit, and do not resist it, you are restored one Wizardry Mana. Storm and Explosion spells count as one spell for this purpose, not one per packet. (Storm spells allow multiple packets to be thrown with abbreviated calls such as “Fire, damage one”. Explosion spells allow multiple packets to be thrown simultaneously with a single call.) Any time you are under the effects of a spell with a duration of 1 or 5 minutes, and Conscious, you may cancel the spell after 10 seconds by expending 1 Wizardry Mana and stating, “Spellbreak.” Spellbreaking cannot be used when you are unable to use your Mana (including under the effects of Feeblemind) but can be used against other mental effects (including Charm and Enslave) and against Silence, as long as they have a duration of 1 or 5 minutes. Category: Sanctity, Power Cost: 20 (unlimited use) General Cost: 40 Prerequisite: None You are proficient in the use of the Staff in combat: a 49-72” blunt weapon without a head or any type of blade. Two-handed weapons such as staves are immune to the Disarm skill when held in both hands. You may not wield a two-handed weapon with one hand. If you are holding a two-handed weapon in one hand, you take the damage from any attack that it prevents from hitting your body. Staves may also be wielded using the Pole-Arm skill. Strength Category: Special (Might: Champion) Cost: 30/45/+ Prerequisite: 4 Vitality You are capable of summoning reserves of strength far beyond those of ordinary people. By using this skill, you may pick up or manipulate an item marked with a numbered red sticker with a number up to 10. The item may be lifted or moved for up to one minute. If attempting to lift heavier objects, you count as 10 normal people for the group effort. Alternatively, you may expend one use of this skill to resist or remove the effects of Weakness. 52 Category: Might Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: None With a strong and quick arm, you may surprise your foe with a punch to the jaw. To perform this skill, you must be standing approximately one-and-one-half arms’ lengths away from your target, call “Subdue,” and throw a small fist-sized bean bag at your opponent’s chest. If it connects with your opponent’s torso (front or back), they will be rendered senseless for a quick ten-count. During this count your victim will be unable to do anything but fall to the ground. If your opponent catches or blocks the beanbag in any way, successfully preventing the chest from being struck, the attack fails but is not expended. Subdue can be resisted using Hardiness or a helm (if it is not broken), and the skill is expended if it is resisted. Unlike the Knockdown skill, you may not defend yourself at all while Subdued. Parry cannot block this skill (because it is not performed with a weapon). Subdue does not last long enough for the victim to be Quickdeathed. Category: Special (Might: Monk) Cost: 10/15/+ Prerequisite: None You have mastered the kata of the serpent. If Poisoned, you may state “Taming the Cobra” and drop to the ground in a meditative state before the onset of Unconsciousness caused by the poison. While in a meditative state with your eyes closed, you will not go Unconscious from the poison and will be aware of your surroundings by listening. As long as you do not stop meditating and are not attacked during your meditation, you will remain alive. As soon as you stop meditating, or are attacked, the poison takes effect. This can be used to delay the effects of other venoms as well as long as it is used immediately after you are struck. This skill does not cure you of the effects of the poison. Tanner/Trapper Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None Any player can try to skin monsters or other creatures which have useful hides, although some pelts will be damaged excessively by the encounter or destroyed in the attempt. A trapper will obtain four hides at the beginning of each game, unless special circumstances interfere with his traps. Hides are represented with pieces of fur. In addition, you can tan these hides and produce leather instead, and if you obtain furs you can tan them (one piece of fur produces one piece of leather). Skilled tanners/trappers produce more hides or leather, can tan special types of leather, and can trap small animals that have useful magical properties. These skills must be learned in game. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Skills Thrown Weapon Category: Finesse, Precision, Subtlety Cost: 15 (unlimited use) General Cost: 30 Prerequisite: Small Weapon You may effectively use thrown weapons in combat. This skill includes thrown weapons and javelins. Thrown weapons, except for javelins, may not have any piping or solid object within them; they must be made entirely out of foam, and no larger than 8”. Javelins may be all foam and between 24” and 36”, or they may be made from uncut golf tubes with the end padded in the same way as a melee weapon’s thrusting tip. Thrown weapons should be made to look like weapons. Daggers, axes, hammers, and javelins are all acceptable; rocks are not. Pierce may be used with javelins only, and Venom may be used with any non-blunt thrown weapon, but no other Fighting or Stealth skill may be used with any thrown weapon. Any Armor allows the wearer to resist any uncalled thrown weapon attack. Tinker Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None You have a talent for the mechanical. You may use this skill to set up traps. These traps may be purchased ingame; this skill lets you set them up for use. You may also move your own mechanical traps and acid traps, but not those set by others. Caltrops (popper traps) may be pushed aside using a tool, but not touched with your hands or collected. Buzzer traps and flash traps may never be moved once they have been set up. If a trap is accidentally set off while being set up, the character setting the trap will suffer the full effect of the trap as if they had triggered it normally (the Avoid Trap skill can still be used), and the trap will be expended. Skilled tinkers may produce their own traps as well as other types of complicated mechanisms (within the limits of what is possible in a fantasy setting). These skills must be learned in game. Tower Shield Category: Might Cost: 30 (unlimited use) General Cost: 60 Prerequisite: None You are proficient in the use of a tower shield up to 21”x38”. It must be larger than a buckler, and have both a handle and an arm strap. This is not a weapon and may not be used as one; shield bashing, rushing, and punching are not allowed. A tower shield cannot be disarmed. Also see Shield on page 51. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Skill Descriptions Transcend Armor Category: Special (Power: Warrior Mage) Cost: 30 (unlimited use) Prerequisite: Armor The Warrior Mage has learned to overcome some of the interference that light or medium armor creates for spellcasting, although only with great effort and concentration. The Warrior Mage must spend 30 seconds roleplaying preparation for the spell, during which time he must be stationary and have nothing in his hands which would interfere with spellcasting. At the end of this time, he must state “I transcend my armor,” and immediately cast the spell. (For Rune spells, he may not begin drawing the runes until the preparation time has been completed.) The spell may only be cast by touching the target/recipient with a spell packet, not by throwing the spell packet. The spell may also be cast on the Warrior Mage them self. This skill does not allow casting with heavy armor. Two-Handed Weapon Category: Might Cost: 20 (unlimited use) General Cost: 40 Prerequisite: None You may use two-handed swords, axes, hammers, and maces in combat. These weapons must be 49-66” in length. Two-handed weapons are immune to the Disarm skill when held in both hands. You may not wield a twohanded weapon with one hand. If you are holding a twohanded weapon in one hand, you take the damage from any attack that it prevents from hitting your body. Two-Weapon Category: Finesse, Precision, Subtlety Cost: 10/15/+ (unlimited use) Prerequisite: any one-handed melee weapon You have learned to fight with two weapons at once. One of the weapons may be the size of a long sword (or shorter); the maximum permissible size for the other weapon depends how many times you have purchased this skill. If you have purchased it once, you can only use a small weapon as your secondary weapon (up to 18”). If you have purchased it twice, you can use a short weapon (19-30”), and if you have purchased it three times, you can use a long weapon (31-48”). You still need the appropriate weapon skills in order to use your weapons. When using fighting or stealth skills and two-weapon, two-weapon does not allow you to call a skill simultaneously for both weapons. Your call applies only to one weapon (whichever strikes immediately after the call). 53 Skill Descriptions Vitality Category: General Cost: 20/30/+ (see below) Prerequisite: None The purchase of Vitality increases the amount of physical damage you can sustain. New characters receive their first point of Vitality for free, and purchasing this skill grants additional points. In addition to increasing in cost as most skills, the cost of Vitality doubles after you reach a limit, which for most characters is 4. This means your first point is free, your second point costs 20, your third point costs 30, your fourth point costs 40, and your fifth point costs 50 x 2, or 100. In other words, the cost of your next point of vitality equals the number of Vitality you will have after the purchase, times 10, and doubled if this will put you above the limit. Physical Reserves and Fortitude each increase the limit by one. Waylay Category: Subtlety Cost: 20/30/+ Prerequisite: Small Weapon With a quick hit to the head from a blunt object, you can knock your foe Unconscious. Waylay must be performed with an item 8” or smaller. This item must be all foam, with no pipe in it, but could be a boffer mug, plate, pan, 54 Part 1 - Get ting Start ed etc. Waylay must be performed when you are standing entirely behind your victim, and you must strike your victim on the back. In addition, you must have one foot solidly planted on the ground when using Waylay. Call “Waylay” before striking. If successful, the victim must fall to the ground for five minutes, unconscious. While Unconscious, the victim may be attacked or injured, or may be killed by using the Quickdeath skill. Any head protection that meets the requirements for Medium or Heavy armor will protect you completely from Waylay and Subdue, as long as it has not been destroyed. Weaver Category: Craft Cost: Special (craft) Prerequisite: None You may refine Fur (wool) or Produce (cotton/flax) to produce Fine Cloth. Each piece of Fur or Produce can be used to make one piece of Fine Cloth. You must spend at least two minutes roleplaying your weaving for each piece of Fine Cloth that you produce. Skilled weavers learn techniques to dye their cloth, some of which impart special properties. They can also produce cloth items, such as clothing, that have magical properties. These skills must be learned in-game. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Chapter 4 Preparing for the Event “We're all dead anyway....somebody hand me a longsword” ~ Morguhn Mac-Tyr Weapons Mythical Journeys uses weapons made from CPVC (3/4”) or kite rod (minimum .505” for one-handed weapons, .610” for two-handed weapons), with foam padding (minimum 5/8” wall thickness) and a foam thrusting tip, held together with duct tape. For more information about making your own weapons, see Appendix A Weapon Construction. No weapons may be made of any materials other than those listed in the Sword Construction section of the rule book. If you have an idea for an unusual weapon, please contact the Mythical Journeys staff for approval before you begin constructing it. We don’t want all your hard work to go to waste. Be prepared to have your weapon dismantled for internal safety inspection. Bring a regular style game weapon as a back up in the event your weapon fails inspection. It is highly recommended that all new players with no previous weapon crafting experience bring all the supplies necessary to create a new weapon. If your weapon fails to pass safety inspection you will be left weaponless for the duration of the event if you can’t construct a new one, purchase one, or borrow one from a fellow player. Unfortunately, Mythical Journeys does not have enough weapons to replace unsafe player weapons. Maximum weapon lengths are: Small Weapon: up to 18” y Short Blade/Blunt: 19” - 30” y Long Blade/Blunt: 31” - 48” y Two Handed Weapon: 49” - 66” y Staff or Polearm: 72” y Thrown Weapon: 8” y Thrown Javelin: 24” - 36” y Armor Armor has been indispensable for warriors throughout history, and Mythical Journeys is no different. The use of armor requires the Armor skill, which represents the ability to move effectively and position the armor against attacks to achieve its full defensive potential. A single purchase of the Armor skill allows the use of light armor, two purchases allows medium armor, and three purchases allows heavy armor. Real weapons (real swords, knives except pocket knives, guns, etc.) are forbidden on site at Mythical Journeys. Individuals with these items will be asked to leave for the remainder of the event without refund. 55 Armor Those who use Mana-based spells should remember that it is impossible to cast these spells while wearing armor. To receive the benefit of armor, in addition to the skill, you must actually be wearing armor. Armor is assigned by location. The five locations are your torso, right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg. At least half the location must be covered for it to be considered armored. Costume armor is acceptable, however the Mythical Journeys staff will not grant you armor protection for lowgrade, or “cheesy” armor. Tin foil is not suitable as armor, nor is duct tape or similar material. At no time do we want you to think that you have to spend your life’s savings on armor for a game. If you can’t afford to have a full suit of shiny plate armor, don’t sweat it! There are many ways to make armor for your character. Just ask on our message board for ideas. Your armor is destroyed any time you are Dead due to bleeding to death or being Quickdeathed. Armor that is removed from a Dying body is still considered to have been destroyed during combat. Consider the damage to have occurred during the battle, not while you were laying on the ground. If you die from a Death spell, or from contact or ingestive poison, your armor is not damaged. When your armor is destroyed, it does not offer any protection at all. You should remove it as soon as convenient. Destroyed armor still interferes with the use of Mana-based spells. Light Armor Light armor can be made of leather that does not meet the requirements for Medium or heavy armor. It is repaired using the Leatherworking skill, and requires 1 piece of Leather and two minutes to repair up to a full suit of light armor. Any location protected by light armor is immune to all uncalled attacks from thrown weapons. You should state “Armor” when using this protection. An “uncalled attack” is one in which no skill is called. If any skill or effect is called (e.g. Fire, Magic, Venom), the armor does not protect you. Medium Armor Medium armor can be made of leather, if it is very thick (11+ oz.), rigid (e.g. boiled or waxed), or reinforced with metal plates. If the base material is leather, it is repaired with the Leatherworking skill, even if it contains some metal. Repairing these armors requires 1 piece of leather and two minutes to repair up to three areas of armor. The areas are the torso, right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg. For example, repairing armor that covers both arms and both legs (four areas total) requires 2 pieces of leather and four minutes, total. Chainmail and scale or lamellar armor (any armor made of small overlapping metal plates) is also considered medium armor. These armors are repaired with the Blacksmithing skill, and require 1 piece of metal and two minutes to 56 P art 1 - Get ting Start ed repair up to three areas of armor. The areas are the torso, right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg. For example, repairing armor that covers both arms and both legs (four areas total) requires 2 pieces of metal and four minutes, total. Any location protected by medium armor is immune to all uncalled attacks from thrown weapons and missile weapons. If any skill or effect is called (for example “Fire”, “Magic”, or “Venom”) the medium armor does not protect you. In addition, if you are wearing medium armor on your torso, you are immune to Bolt spells (any spell that does 1 point of damage). You should state “Armor” when using this protection. Heavy Armor Rigid or 11+ oz. thick leather armor that is reinforced with metal plates is considered heavy armor. These armors are repaired with the Leatherworking skill, and require 1 piece of leather and two minutes to repair up to two areas of armor. The areas are the torso, right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg. For example, repairing armor that covers the entire body (five areas total) requires 3 pieces of leather and six minutes, total. Plate armor (armor made of large metal plates with no significant gaps) is also considered heavy armor, and is repaired with Blacksmithing, and require 1 piece of metal and two minutes to repair up to two areas of armor. The areas are the torso, right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg. For example, repairing armor that covers the entire body (five areas total) requires 3 pieces of metal and six minutes, total. You can also combine medium metal armor (chain, scale, or lamellar) with medium leather armor to receive the benefits of heavy armor. You still need the skill to wear heavy armor, and both your metal armor and leather armor must cover at least half of the location. Just adding a small amount of chain mail does not count. Both must be visible at least in part, one cannot completely cover the other. No other armor can be stacked, only medium metal armor with medium leather armor. When your armor breaks, it is treated as two broken sets of medium armor. The metal armor must be repaired by a blacksmith and the leather part by a leatherworker. If you fix only one, you only get the benefit of medium armor. Your armor can be enhanced by a blacksmith or a leatherworker with the appropriate skills, but not both at once. Any location protected by heavy armor is immune to all uncalled attacks from thrown weapons and missile weapons. In addition, any limb protected by heavy armor is immune to Maim, and if you wear heavy armor on your torso, you are immune to Slay and all Damage spells (regardless of where they hit you). You should state “Armor” when using this protection. Armor does not protect against called attacks other than those listed here, nor does it protect against uncalled melee attacks. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Preparing for the Event Helmets Any head protection that meets the requirements for Medium or Heavy armor will protect you completely from Waylay and Subdue, as long as it has not been destroyed. Bike helmets, hardhats, and other anachronistic items are not suitable for use as helmets. A helmet may be worn if you have purchased the Armor skill at least twice, and is considered one area for repair purposes. Shields Shields must be padded around the rim, and may not have any protruding sharp points. For example, if you have attached the grip using bolts, these must be covered. Buckler: up to 18” diameter, with a one hand grip and no arm strap. Bucklers cannot be disarmed. y Shield: up to 30” diameter if round, up to 24”x30” otherwise (e.g. rectangular). Shields cannot be disarmed. y Tower Shield: up to 21”x38”. Tower shields cannot be disarmed. y Costuming “A life of danger is no excuse for looking shabby. A true hero always remembers to look the part.” - Shae Tallencrest, Seamstress of Dumar At Mythical Journeys, our goal is to create a realistic world that you are completely immersed in, from Friday night at Game On to Sunday noon when the game ends. In part, we do this by creating plots, by sending out cast in various roles (including monsters), by supplying appropriate costuming to our cast for whatever role they happen to be playing, and by using props to decorate game buildings. However, it also depends on you wearing an appropriate costume. The importance of a good costume cannot be overstated. Costuming helps to set the atmosphere for the events and also helps you to role-play your character to its fullest potential. In addition to enhancing the setting for everyone, it makes you look like someone who’s been around, who knows what’s what, who is worth interacting with. A good costume can make you memorable, and can make an impression on everyone you meet. The better you look, the more experienced and respectable you appear. If you are playing a race besides Human, make sure you consider the costuming requirements of your race. See Chapter 2 Races for more details. We expect everyone to meet a certain minimum standard for costuming. Obviously modern items are not permitted. These include tank tops, t-shirts, cargo pants, jeans, trench coats, sunglasses (normal glasses are okay), white or bright colored sneakers, or anything with an obvious logo. Technological devices (wrist watches, cell phones, radios, beepers, etc.) are also not permitted. An analog pocket watch is permitted. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Costuming You have no costuming? There are numerous vendors of medieval clothing, many of whom are listed on our web site’s Links page, and some have very reasonable prices. If you have a little bit of extra money to spend, Mythical Journeys often has merchants on Friday night before the game, selling proper game attire, pouches, hoods, and other gaming accessories to make your character look like a long time veteran. You want to spend as little money as possible? Costuming doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are some ideas to get you started: A large, roughly square piece of material with a hole in the top makes a quick and easy poncho. A narrower rectangle of material (about as wide as your shoulders) with the same hole is a surcoat - add a belt and you’ve got the basis of a costume. If you can sew, you can fancy these up with trim, or for the more ambitious you can find patterns at your local fabric store. The “t-tunic” is a basic design that anyone with even marginal sewing ability can accomplish; search the web for “t-tunic” and you’ll find a wide variety of patterns (some obviously easier than others). For your pants, a plain pair of sweat pants is simple and generic. An alternative, wrap pants, are easy to make (another easy web search if you need a pattern). A t-tunic or a surcoat and shirt over either type of pants, finished off with a belt, and you can consider yourself dressed. You can find usable or adaptable costuming in many places. Thrift stores and flea markets are good places to find unusual clothing items cheap. These include belts and leather or fur jackets that can be adapted for the barbarian look. An old leather purse from the thrift store, with the strap removed and some holes to fit a belt through, is a quick and easy belt pouch. Army surplus stores are also good places to find leather pouches and belts. Many craft stores will carry simple drawstring pouches, too. Martial arts supply stores can be useful for some Dragon Dynasty characters. Footwear is a challenge for many people. Sandals are an easy choice, when the weather is nice. Minnetonka Moccasin© makes a variety of relatively inexpensive boots (although they provide little ankle support and are not suitable for everyone—a pair of good insoles help a lot, though). You may be able to find simple leather boots at a local discount shoe store, too. Keeping warm is important. Wearing layers under your costume is often the best option. A cloak (or poncho as above) can also help keep you warm. A simple but traditional cloak can be made from a large rectangular piece of fabric, pinned in front. Waterproofing your cloak and boots will keep you much more comfortable if it rains. Also, bring extra socks. It doesn’t really have anything to do with costuming, but wearing cold, wet socks is not how you want to spend your game. Trust us. A hood or mantle can also add a great look while adding warmth; these are relatively inexpensive (and easy to make). 57 Real World Equipment You can use wigs, make-up, and facial prosthetics as ways of making your character look even more distinctive, but please note that these are considered parts of your character, and if worn at all, they must be worn at all times you are in-game. If you create a character that wears armor, we ask that you try to make it authentic looking, such as chainmail, studded leather or plain leather. Costume armor is acceptable, however Mythical Journeys reserves the right not to grant protection for low-grade armor (such as tin foil armor which can’t stop a plastic butter knife). Please keep in mind the armor rules when constructing your armor. Need more ideas? Ask on our message board and people will be glad to help. What Not to Wear Some items and costume pieces may not or should not be worn, either because they have specific meanings, or they are anachronistic. Do not wear a yellow armband or horizontal yellow stripe on your arm. A yellow armband indicates a non-combatant player. See Noncombatant Players on page 71 for more information. y Do not wear a circlet or crown. Circlets and crowns indicate nobility. It is a crime punishable by death in many areas of Pendaan to impersonate a noble. y Do not wear a red armband or horizontal red stripe on your arm. A red armband indicates a member of the Courier’s Guild. y Obviously modern items are not permitted. These include tank tops, t-shirts, cargo pants, jeans, trench coats, sunglasses (normal glasses are fine), white or bright colored sneakers, or anything with an obvious logo. Technological devices (wrist watches, cell phones, radios, beepers, etc.) are also not permitted. An analog pocket watch is permitted. y The Test Once you’ve put your costume together, it’s time to test it out. Don’t wait till you get to the game! Put on your costume, add any weapons you might be carrying, and put some coins in your pouches/pockets. (You have no pouches or pockets? Then how will you carry your loot?) Now, run 50 feet. What worked? What hit you in the face? Did all your stuff fall out of your pockets? This is the time to fix it. 58 Part 1 - Get ting Start ed Costuming For Cast For those planning to be cast, not players, the requirements are simpler. We can supply most of your costuming for the event. You need to bring suitable shoes (as above) and “basic black”—a base layer of black that you can wear under other costuming. Black tshirts and sweats are fine for this; you should bring more than one of each, since you’ll be running, fighting, and sweating for much of the weekend. Bringing your own belt guarantees you’ll have one that fits, and pouches are also useful if you have any. Cargo pants and jeans are not acceptable. Cast are welcome to bring your own costuming beyond these items, if you have it, but these are the minimums you can get by with. Real World Equipment “You don’t need to run faster than the monsters to escape certain death, just faster than your friends.” - From the Mythical Journeys Rules of Adventure What should you bring to an event? Here is a list of items you may want to consider: Costuming, which is essential to the atmosphere of the event. This may include changes of costuming or just the basics of extra boots, clothing, and socks. Maybe even a type of period rain gear or something easily covered up by costuming. Remember to pack for the weather. y A tankard or period looking drinking vessel for partaking in the tavern. y Feast gear if you plan to eat at the tavern including a plate or bowl, a cup or tankard, and utensils. y Food and drinks are very important to your survival at the event. We suggest bringing plenty to drink such as water and juice to prevent dehydration. y Sleeping bag (good for down to zero degrees) and pillow. It can get chilly at the earlier spring events and the later fall events. y Tent, if you plan to stay outdoors. y Shower gear including your essentials (shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, towel, etc.). Shower shoes are recommended. y Insect repellent is always nice to have. Remember we are in a wooded area. y First aid kit including wrap bandages, band-aids, etc. y Props to decorate your cabin and enrich the atmosphere. y Boffer-style weapons as described in Appendix A Weapon Construction. y A notebook, pen, and pencil (to take in-game notes). y Weapons repair/creation kit to include duct tape, open-cell foam, scissors, etc. y Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Preparing for the Even t G eneral Information Spell packets if you are a spell caster. Always bring spell packets for yourself. Cast will not provide extras for you to use. y Flashlight to be used in the cabins only (or after “game off ” at 2 AM). y Glow sticks for Light spells. y Trash bag(s) to keep your cabin clean during the event. y The Mythical Journeys Rule Book in hard copy form to reference during the game. By no means is this list the end all of what you may need. There are more suggestions available on our web site. Each person’s needs differ and we could never fit all the possibilities here. Make a list and be sure you have everything on it. Once you think you do have it all, check again. In short, the web site is the place to go for all your Mythical Journeys needs. General Information Contacting Us y The first step to interacting with Mythical Journeys is keeping in contact with the Game. You will need to contact Mythical Journeys often—to create your character, to register for events, to interact with other players and cast members, both about in-game and out of game concerns. Web Site The Mythical Journeys web site is the main method of interacting with Mythical Journeys. Our web site, http://www.mythicaljourneys.com, was developed to be a fully interactive and informative resource for our members. It is “one stop shopping” for all your questions and needs related to Mythical Journeys. Here you can interact with staff and fellow members via our Message Board, view and update your character online and get any and all information related to Mythical Journeys and our events. We also have an online Help System that makes the process of getting your questions and issues resolved quick and easy. Some of the information resources you will find include: event location and directions y event schedule & costs y sleeping arrangements y contact information for Mythical Journeys and its members y news and developments y online feedback form (Post Event Letter or PEL) y our mission statement and company information y game promotional stuff y photos of events y game lore y online rule book y message board y and so much more y Mythical Journeys Renaissance If you have any questions, comments, or feedback please feel free to use our Message Board, Online Help Feature, or e-mail [email protected]. Additionally, we are continuously striving to improve our site. Please e-mail any thoughts, comments, ideas or issues you have to [email protected]. You do not have to own a computer or have internet access in order to enjoy all the Mythical Journeys web site has to offer. Stop by your local library. Most libraries now have computers that give you internet access and the ability to do e-mail through free services such as Yahoo! or Hotmail. Mythical Journeys can be reached by the following means: Our web site: http://www.mythicaljourneys.com In addition to a Contact Mythical Journeys page, the web site has a HELP feature on its menu that will bring your question or request to the prompt attention of the Mythical Journeys staff. E-mail: [email protected] - All feedback— positive or negative—and post event letters (if you did not use the online form). For our mailing address, please see our web site. Before the Game There are several things that need to be taken care of before you come to play Mythical Journeys. These include: Creating a user profile y Registering for the event y Paying for the event y Providing a signed parental consent form if you are 16 or 17 years old (part of the Mythical Journeys Participant Agreement Form) y Completing the Mythical Journeys Participant Agreement Form (Waiver) y User Profile Before you can come to Mythical Journeys as a player, you should create a user profile in our online database. Once you have a user profile and log in to our site, you can register for events online, view the in-game message board (if your character is literate), and have access to many other “members only” features of Mythical Journeys. 59 B e f o r e t he Ga me P a r t 1 - Get t i n g S t a r t e d Privacy Policy Your address, e-mail address, and phone number are your business and will not be furnished to anyone without your permission. All personal information submitted to us will be held in the strictest of confidence. If you would like to contact another player, we recommend you attempt to reach them through our message board. Our web site also has ‘couriers’ to send private messages to individual players or cast members. Membership Membership to Mythical Journeys is free and as simple as creating your online profile through our web site. Registration and Refunds Pre-registration reserves your place for an event and allows us to better prepare for your stay. Pre-registration also allows us to design plot that directly involves your character. You can register for our events on our web site, making payment by credit card. If payment is made before the preregistration deadline (generally two weeks before the event), you can pay the lower pre-registration price. After the deadline, you will pay the at-the-door price. To pay at the door (cash only), you can register online after the pre-registration deadline. If the event fills before you have registered, you can put yourself on the standby list, in case other players cancel. If you were on standby and a space opens up for you, you have two weeks to pay from the date we moved you to the registration list. If you do not pay within two weeks, you will lose your spot. If you were on standby, and you pay by credit card online, you can pay the pre-registration price as long as you are paying within two weeks of being registered, and you are paying no later than the Wednesday before the event. If you are paying at the door, payment must be made in cash. We cannot accept credit cards on site, or checks at any time. registration canceled and payment refunded or applied to a future event. If you don't notify us at least one week before the event, you are responsible for the cost of the event. If you were registered and told us you were paying at the door, but fail to give us one week notice you still must pay for the event even if you didn't attend. If you do not attend the event, you will not receive points for the event even if you were registered. If you have been suspended, expelled, or removed from play for any reason, your registration is forfeit. Parental Consent You must be at least 18 years old to play or cast at Mythical Journeys. Those who are 16 or 17 years old may play or cast if: you have played or casted for us before, or y a parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult family member is playing or casting for us. Young adults (ages 16-17) are required to submit the parental consent form (available for download on our web site) before participating in a Mythical Journeys event. You will not be allowed to participate until this form is completely filled out and signed by your parent or legal guardian—no exceptions. y Proof of age is required at your first event (a birth certificate will do if you have no photo ID). Falsifying signatures misrepresenting your age, or aiding someone in misrepresenting their age will result in expulsion from all future events. If you have a youthful appearance, we cannot allow you to participate until you have shown us a valid proof of age—no exceptions. Participant Agreement Form Before you can play or cast for Mythical Journeys, you must complete the Participant Agreement Form, available for download on our web site. This form is also available when you arrive at the game for check-in. If you are registered for the event, you are committed to attend and to pay for the event. You can notify us at least one week before the event to have your 60 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Part 2 Playing the Game Chapter 5 - Arriving at Game .................................... 59 Chapter 9 - The Stuff Adventures Are Made Of ... 89 Setup ......................................................................................... 60 Sleeping Arrangements ........................................................... 60 Drop Off Your Gear .............................................................. 60 Check In .................................................................................... 60 New Player Meeting ............................................................... 60 Opening Meeting .................................................................... 60 Immovable vs. Irresistible ......................................................89 Magical Gates ...........................................................................90 Loot ...........................................................................................91 Enchanted Items ......................................................................91 Stealing .....................................................................................93 Chapter 6 - Interacting with the Game .................... 61 Acceptable Behavior ................................................................ 61 Sexual Harassment Policy ..................................................... 61 Alcohol and Drugs .................................................................. 62 Cheating .................................................................................... 62 Disciplinary Action ................................................................. 62 Thieves and Stealing ............................................................... 62 Lost and Found ....................................................................... 62 Disguise and Forgery .............................................................. 63 Living Space ............................................................................. 63 Out Of Game Areas ................................................................ 63 Metagaming .............................................................................. 63 Searching Others ..................................................................... 63 Staying In-Game ..................................................................... 64 Chapter 7 - Combat ..................................................... 65 Physical Contact ...................................................................... 65 Stopping Combat .................................................................... 65 Combat Safety ......................................................................... 66 Noncombatant Players ........................................................... 67 No-Combat Areas ................................................................... 68 Legal Hits ................................................................................. 68 Courtesy ................................................................................... 68 Calling Skills ............................................................................ 69 Role-Playing Combat ............................................................. 69 Damage and Vitality ............................................................... 70 Death and Dying ..................................................................... 71 Chapter 8 - Sounds of Battle ..................................... 75 Special Attacks ......................................................................... 76 Special Defenses ...................................................................... 78 Other Details ........................................................................... 79 Attack Calls .............................................................................. 79 Poison ....................................................................................... 85 Traps ......................................................................................... 85 Chapter 10 - Magic and Spells .................................. 95 Schools of Magic .....................................................................95 Your First Spells .....................................................................95 Rules of Magic .........................................................................96 Beneficial Spells and Stacking ...............................................96 Learning New Spells ...............................................................97 Beginning Spells ......................................................................98 Chapter 11 - Faith and Religion .............................105 Faith, Pilgrims, and Dedication ......................................... 105 Casting Faith Spells ............................................................. 106 Learning Faith Spells ........................................................... 106 Religions ................................................................................ 107 Pilgrim Spells ........................................................................ 111 Chapter 12 - Alchemy and Herbalism ....................113 Collecting Magical Components ....................................... 113 Alchemy vs. Herbalism ........................................................ 113 Potions, Oils, and Powders ................................................ 114 Learning Alchemy ................................................................. 115 Learning Herbalism ............................................................. 115 Starting Recipes ................................................................... 116 Using Your Processes .......................................................... 116 Chapter 13 - After Game ..........................................117 Leaving the Game ................................................................. 117 After the Game ..................................................................... 117 Miscellaneous Information ................................................. 122 Chapter 14 - Advancing Your Character ...............123 Prestige Classes .................................................................... 129 Chapter 5 Arriving at Game “Trust me, I have a plan” ~ Famous Last Words Rich and his friends arrived early the Friday of the first event to help set up the camp. There were a lot of things that needed to be done to translate a nature camp into a Medieval village. Helping out gave them an excellent opportunity to see the site in the light of day and get acclimated. They learned where the Tavern was, where “Fate” could be found, they even helped to set up the cemetery where fallen adventurers find their rest. At one point, Kim walked through the giant operations center that the cast used to control the encounters of the event. Gerry even caught a glimpse of the “Module Building” where indoor adventures were rumored to take place when the players needed to be someplace that couldn’t be represented in the camp. It was hard work, but a lot of fun, and even more so when they thought about the new skills they would buy with the points they were earning. They resolved to try staying late on Sunday to help with site breakdown as well. Time passed quickly and it was time to check in as their characters. They showed up at the tavern in their costumes and with their armor and weapons ready to be checked for safety and given values. Gerry had been practicing with his weapons for so long that he had forgotten to make a new weapon for the game. His weapon had some weak spots and he had forgotten to bring weapon repair materials to the game. He cursed his luck, but Lloyd had a spare short sword he could borrow, so the rogue was able to start with a weapon. Rich was especially pleased that the armor he had spent so long on was given heavy armor status. He had found instructions for making it on the internet and he was extremely proud of it. He bragged to Lloyd that he would be a tank now. They received packets at check in, complete with a character card listing the skills they had chosen. Tim was surprised to see a note on his about a vision that his character had experienced the evening before. It told of dark omens for the future and an adversary covered in feathers. He was sure it was a hint of things to come and resolved to be alert to any foes who wore headdresses. Gerry found a vial of poison within his packet and remembered that he had decided to take the poison skill. He remembered reading that Poison was illegal in Eldyrwood and resolved to keep the vial in a secret place until needed. He had a perfect hiding place in mind for the poison, in his sleeve. Nobody would ever check there, and it would be available if he needed it. It was only an hour before game start and before they would finally see what came of all their plans. They headed to the New Player Meeting to get a brief overview of the game and its rules as a refresher. In the next hour, they would get to ask any of their final questions or clarifications. The team thought they had a pretty good understanding of the rules, but soon found many causes to be grateful for the overview. Tim, Jason, and Lloyd were particularly happy to get some pointers on fighting safely from the instructor. For their part, Kim and Tim learned some new ways to carry their spell packets and how to ensure their spells incantations were said clearly, so that they wouldn’t fail. As they became confident enough to ask questions about the town or political structure and where they could find work, they learned the most often repeated phrase of Mythical Journeys as well: FOIG, or “Find Out In Game”. 63 Setup Part 2 - Playing the Game Finally, the anticipation is over, and you’ve arrived at the event site! vehicle to the parking lot as soon as possible so traffic to and from the cabin areas may flow smoothly. Now what? GbgX5 Vehicles are forbidden on site during game play You may arrive at the Mythical Journeys game site as early as 5 PM on the Friday night of an Adventure Weekend. You may arrive earlier if you wish to help us with setup. We ask that before the game you remain within the confines of the town and do not venture off into the woods to explore. Below is a listing of the steps you will need to take upon arrival at Mythical Journeys. Setup Set up for an event usually begins Friday morning. If you would like to receive extra CP for helping us transform the camp into a medieval fantasy town, this is your big chance. We appreciate the help as well. We need many hands to transform a nature camp into Eldyrwood. Sleeping Arrangements If you preregistered for the event, you will find a listing of all sleeping arrangements in the Check-In area. If you did not preregister (or if you need to change your sleeping arrangements) a staff member will promptly help get you situated. Sleeping arrangement information is available on our web site in the Event Details section and is updated daily as registration comes in. Once you have gotten your sleeping assignment, proceed to the next step. Drop Off Your Gear Bring all of your equipment to your assigned cabin and get into costume. Once all of your gear is properly stored and you are in full costume, armor, and weapons, return to the Check-In area. If you are staying in a tent, please let us know where it is located for safety reasons. Be sure to return your 64 hours unless there is a medical emergency. Please plan accordingly. Check In Check-in begins at 7:00 PM and ends at 9:00 PM. At check-in, we will give you your character cards and any notes specific to the event, check your weapon(s) for safety, evaluate any armor you are wearing for its protective value, and assist you with overall character creation. If you did not pre-register, and space is still available, you may register at check-in. If you have never played before, be sure to ask where the New Player Meeting is being held. New players should try to arrive early, so they can be done moving in, in costume, and checked in before the new player meeting begins at 8 PM. After you have completed the check-in process you are off to the New Player Meeting. Players arriving too late for normal check-in may come to the plot center to check-in, no earlier than 10:00 PM. GbgX5 Weapons must be checked for safety every event. You cannot check in without your weapons. New Player Meeting Our New Player Meeting is required for all new players and cast. It will teach you how to play Mythical Journeys in just a short period of time. Here we will go over game rules, basic safety, role playing, and a variety of other interesting things. This meeting is usually conducted at 8:00 PM on Friday night. Opening Meeting At approximately 9:30 PM on Friday night, a half-hour before game start, we begin our opening meeting. This short meeting is essential for all Players to attend, as we will be filling you in on vital information regarding safety, rules, and other issues or changes. All Players must attend this meeting. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance C ha p t e r 6 Interacting with the Game “Whoever said, it does not matter if you win or lose, it only matters how you play the game, never fought as a gladiator.” ~ Cor-Muth “Digger” Thul Game on! However, as you play, there are certain things you need to remember. These rules are here to make sure everyone has a fun and safe game play. We’re all here to have fun, so let’s help each other. Acceptable Behavior “Will I get out for good behavior?” - Last Words of F’Gor Before his Sentence to the Void In one form or another you are going to interact both in and out-of-game with Mythical Journeys. The following are explanations of these ways. Though we travel to a fantasy world, the laws of the real world are still in effect at Mythical Journeys. Assault, harassment, sexual harassment, theft, vandalism, etc., all still exist. Breaking real world laws will result in action from the local police department and expulsion from Mythical Journeys. Vulgar and obscene language is not appropriate. Mythical Journeys is intended for participants as young as 16, and therefore adult content is not appropriate. For example, discussion or implication of sexual assault is not acceptable (including your character history), nor are lewd and/or tasteless descriptions of in-game searches. Please report any of the above incidents to the game owners as soon as possible. If you would like, you may remain completely anonymous. We are also available between events at the regular Mythical Journeys address to discuss issues from previous events. Please remember when searching and moving people that you are not allowed to touch other players without their permission, as described in Searching Others on page 67 and Carrying Others on page 68. Sexual Harassment Policy Mythical Journeys believes that you, as our guests, cast and staff, should be afforded the opportunity to participate in an environment free of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a form of misconduct that undermines our desired relationships. No one, either male or female, should be subjected verbally or physically to unsolicited and unwelcomed sexual overtures or conduct. Sexual harassment refers to behavior that is not welcome, that is personally offensive, that debilitates morale and, therefore, interferes with our effectiveness. Behavior that amounts to sexual harassment may result in disciplinary action, up to and including Expulsion. Definition Mythical Journeys has adopted, and its policy is based on, the definition of sexual harassment set forth by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with your performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. y submission to or rejection of such conduct by you is used as the basis for decisions affecting you. y submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of your participation. y What is Not Sexual Harassment Mythical Journey’s recreation of a medieval/renaissance village may include bawdy behavior. Flirtation as part of creating this atmosphere should not be construed as sexual harassment. Complaint Procedure If you experience or witness sexual harassment during event hours (set-up until clean-up), report it immediately to an event manager or owner. All allegations of sexual harassment will be quickly investigated. To the extent possible, your confidentiality and that of any witnesses and the alleged harasser will be protected against unnecessary disclosure. When the investigation is completed, you will be informed of the outcome of that investigation. 65 Alcohol and Drugs Retaliation Prohibited Mythical Journeys will not tolerate retaliation against anyone who brings a complaint of sexual harassment or who speaks as a witness in the investigation of a complaint of sexual harassment. Alcohol and Drugs The use or possession of alcohol or illegal drugs on the game site are not permitted. We also cannot permit anyone on site who is under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. If you go out for dinner and have a drink, even just a beer or a glass of wine, please do not return to game. If we believe you are using, have, or are under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, you will be suspended or permanently expelled from the game. Cheating Mythical Journeys strives to keep the game free of individuals who bend the rules to their advantage, blatantly cheat, reveal plots, violate safety rules, and those who are constantly grieving. Grieving is when an individual constantly complains to the game staff to have previous rulings overturned or game rules changed to their advantage. Cheaters cause others to quit the game due to the negative experience. They also discourage new players from joining who don’t want the hassle. We need your help to immediately and discreetly identify cheaters so they may be observed and disciplined appropriately. We need your help to send a clear message to cheaters: you will be caught. All reports of cheating or possible cheating are considered anonymous, and investigated. In some cases your report may provide corroboration to reports from other players. If we can’t determine what happened, we often place the individual under observation to see how they handle similar situations. Mythical Journeys will not tolerate retaliation against anyone who brings a complaint of cheating or who speaks as a witness in the investigation of a complaint of cheating. Disciplinary Action The following methods are used by Mythical Journeys to discipline disruptive players: Warning (Minor) - A warning is nothing more than an education in policy on minor issues and a tool for our staff to track member behavior. We use warnings to officially remind you of specific game rules and log the warning to your profile. Warnings in your profile are unlikely to have any long-term repercussions unless you accumulate several in a short span of time. 66 P art 2 - Playing the Game Ejection (Serious) - Ejection is a short form of suspension where the member is immediately removed from game play and asked to leave without refund or compensation for the remainder of the event. Ejection is used when real-world emotions have caused the individual to forget their sense of fair play or rules of safety. Ejected individuals will not receive CP for the event they are ejected from. Ejection may be combined with Suspension if we deem it necessary. Event Suspension (More Serious) - An event suspension may be used for individuals who have previously received a warning for a similar or identical incident. Event suspensions help reinforce the unheeded warning previously issued by staff. Event suspensions are also used on policy violations we do not consider minor and are issued to stress the importance of the situation. During an event suspension the individual may not attend events or use the game message board. Extended Suspension (Very Serious) - An extended suspension lasts for a period of time determined by game staff and may be used for individuals who need to be removed from the game for repeatedly violating game policy in a brief period of time. Extended suspensions tend to be rare and are issued only for serious violations. During an extended suspension the individual may not attend events or use the game message board. Expulsion (Most Serious) - Individuals who excessively and/or grossly ignore game policy will be permanently banned from participating in Mythical Journeys events. Expulsions are very rare and represent a member who is unable to abide by game rules and/or insists on negatively affecting the enjoyment of others at the game or harming the game itself. Our goal is to make Mythical Journeys a safe and fun environment for everyone involved. We have written the system to be clear, concise and fair to all those who participate in the game. Through your efforts we can keep Mythical Journeys the most incredible game out there. Thieves and Stealing When you join us at Mythical Journeys, we consider you a friend and part of our family. Though we do our best to maintain this atmosphere, sadly it is possible for a real-world thief, who couldn’t care less about friends, to exist in our midst. Please do your best to safeguard valuables under lock and key (combination locks or your car are the best means). Real world thieves will be caught and tried to the fullest extent of the law. We do prosecute. Lost and Found If you find something that does not belong to you, please turn it in to Game Operations as soon as possible so its rightful owner may claim it. Items left behind after events will be disposed of (underwear, toiletries, towels, etc.). Mythical Journeys is not responsible for lost or stolen goods. Please secure your items. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Interacting with the Game Disguise and Forgery You may not make any costume changes to your character that alter your race or appearance without permission from the Mythical Journeys staff. Example: An Elf could cover her ears to hide her heritage, however, she could not remove her ears to appear Human. You can not wear a costume beard, wig, etc., unless you started your character with them. In this instance they are considered to be the real features of your character and may not be removed. However, you may change your clothing freely. All forgery attempts of any sort must be handwritten, unless you have the Forgery skill. Living Space During the weekend, you will most likely be staying in a cabin provided by the camp. Your cabin is home for your character, so treat it as such. You are encouraged to decorate your weekend home to suit your character. Your cabin is considered “in-game” during the entire weekend including “after-game” hours. The only part of your cabin that is considered out of game is under your bed. Real world laws and morality apply here. If you wish to sleep out of game, simply place a lighted glowstick above your bed. Your bed is also out of game in this instance. No one may touch or harm you or your bedding. Likewise, you may not use this place to hide in-game objects. Nor may you use knowledge gained when you are out of game, in-game. For instance, if an Orc wanders in and begins attacking your cabin mates, you may not “magically appear” and come to the aid of your friends. Out Of Game Areas Certain areas are designated as Out Of Game. These include the bathrooms and the parking lot, and may also include other areas marked with a drama face in a crossed circle. Areas marked with a sword in a crossed circle are considered in-game for roleplaying purposes, but combat is not permitted, usually for safety reasons. The full size version of these posters are available on our web site. Feel free to copy them should you need to put one on your cabin. In addition, the owner of the game site may have specific rules such as no open flames, designated smoking areas, etc. These will be covered at the opening meeting. You should enter out-of-game areas only for out-of-game reasons. You may not enter an out-of-game area to escape or evade danger. You also may not use information gained while you are in an out-of-game area. You must leave the out-of-game entrance the same way you entered it (e.g. leave the bathroom from the same door, leave the parking lot on the same side). While we recognize that players may need to access items stored in their cars (which may not include any in-game items), we ask that you minimize your access to the parking lot area, and when going to your car you must leave the parking lot the same way you entered it. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Disgu ise and Forgery Players may pass through the parking lot only when being led by a cast member or when following a group that is led by a cast member. In addition, you may pass through the parking lot immediately after leaving fate. In neither case may you linger in the parking lot, you must pass through as quickly as possible. You may not follow someone through the parking lot when they leave Fate. Metagaming The term “metagaming” means using out-of-game information in an in-game way. There are only a few times you are expected to not use out-of-character knowledge: 1. You died, and Fate did not allow you to remember the circumstances of your death. 2. You died permanently and are starting a new character. You can use all your knowledge about the world but should be selective about what you know of the town and people in it. 3. Very, very rarely there are spells and effects that make you forget something. 4. You were Unconscious or Dead when it happened. 5. You were out-of-game when it happened during the Event. For example, you put a glow stick over your bed and went to sleep. In those few cases, you shouldn’t use the information as your character, and you shouldn’t talk about it out of game, either. Aside from those circumstances, if you see or overhear something, even if you overhear something in an out-of-game conversation, you can use that information. You don’t have to, and many players like to limit what their character knows more than this, which is fine, but it is their choice. This means that if you want to keep something secret, you should keep it secret both in and out of game. If you talk about it and someone uses the information, you have no one to blame but yourself. Cast are held to a more stringent standard. If you are cast, you are expected to keep separate what your different characters know. If you cast and then become a player again, you are expected to not use things you learned as cast. Cast are also expected not to reveal in-game information to players. Searching Others After the defeat of your foes in combat (or just stumbling across their unconscious bodies), you may wish to search the bodies for treasure. You may search any dead, unconscious, or non-resisting body. The physical contact rules of Mythical Journeys require that one person may touch another only with the consent of both parties. Consequently, searching others must proceed as follows. Approach the person and state “I search you.” The victim may respond with either “You may search me” or “Describe your search.” You may always choose to describe your search if you prefer. Regardless of which searching method you use, you still must accept any effects that such a search might inflict upon you (e.g., poison or disease). 67 Staying In-Game Physical Search If the person you are searching responds “Search me,” this means that they have given you permission to do a basic body search. In this situation you are permitted to pat their pouches and pockets and generally search their clothes. Do not touch taboo areas such as the groin and chest. No in-game items or coins may be hidden in “taboo” areas, including inside your pants or under a skirt. Describing Your Search If the person you are searching responds with the statement “Describe your search,” this means that they have refused permission for you to do a body search. You must roleplay searching their body, leaning over them close enough to perform a search, but perform your search verbally by describing where you are searching. Describe your search with a series of “I search your (area)” statements, which must be answered truthfully. For example: “I search the pockets of your tunic.” “You find nothing.” “I look for anything around your neck.” (Victim removes jeweled necklace and gives it to searcher) “I search both your boots.” “You find nothing.” “I search the small of your back.” “You find a tiny dagger strapped to my back” (removes dagger and hands it over) “I remove your bracelet” “Prop.” Although the search is being described, your responses must be true. You can hide an item in your boot, but it must really be hidden in your boot. You cannot simply describe it as being there. Each area to be searched will take about 5 seconds. However, if you are being searched in an area that has already been searched by someone else, you should immediately tell the searcher. “I search this pouch.” “It looks like it has already been opened and emptied.” All Searches Any search that is thorough enough will eventually reveal everything you have. After five minutes of search, you must hand over any in-game items that have not already been found. You may hand them over earlier if you prefer. Cast, especially, who may need to get on with another role, may choose to hand over any loot more quickly. If you have an item on your body that is not in-game, simply state “Prop” when the searcher says, “I take your (blank).” Obviously, items acquired in-game cannot be props. This rule is to enable players to enhance their characters’ costumes without risking the loss of their reallife treasures. Anything that has in-game value can be stolen. Additionally, any item that has been sealed in an ingame way (e.g. with a lock or Secure spell) can be taken, if the searcher has the ability to do so. You may take weapons to put them out of reach, for example if you are afraid your victim is not entirely dead. However, you may not take and keep the weapons unless they are yellow-stickered. You must leave them nearby where your victim will easily be able to find them. 68 P art 2 - Playing the Game On occasion there will be the need to gather things like Fiend claws, Troll’s hide, and other components for the completion of potions and such things. This will be dictated by plotlines delivered during the events. A vivid description of cutting up a body, or of a full body search will not be necessary and will not be tolerated by Mythical Journeys. Harvesting parts outside of designated plotlines will prove futile (no Cast Member will purchase them from you). Anything that can be taken and has value will be represented by a prop that the monster will give you. It is polite to gently roll any monster’s body out of sight to keep it from decaying in public (see Carrying Others). This allows that cast member to leave the area more quickly so they can come back out into play sooner. Carrying Others If you wish to move a fallen character or monster, approach them and state “I carry you.” The victim will either get up and move with you or state “You may move me.” You are not required at any time to physically pick up another person and may repeat “I carry you,” in which case the victim must move with you. With both parties’ permission you can role-play the carry by having the victim walk in a slump alongside you with an arm draped across your shoulder, your arms about their waist, etc. While carrying someone, you may only travel at a leisurely walking pace (no speed walking) unless you have a Strength spell cast on you. Although it is not encouraged, if both parties are willing you may carry an individual on your shoulder or in your arms and flee with them without the use of a Strength Spell. Please consider the terrain and the physique of both players when doing this. Always think of your own safety as well as that of the person you are carrying in these situations. Staying In-Game Mythical Journeys succeeds at creating an exciting, immersive world because of the cooperation of all of our players and cast. We ask that you do your part by avoiding out-of-game talk. Outof-game talk can disrupt the experience for our other players, whether you are talking about real-world subjects like the latest sports events or movies, or confusing in- and out- of game ideas, like calling people by their real names. Other characters may respond to out-of-game talk by shunning you, assailing you for using “vulgarity,” or even throwing you in the stocks for madness. If these things happen to you, you should recognize them as warnings. If we are forced to speak to you out-of-game, we may take further action as well. If you have a rules question, please quietly pull a cast member or fellow player aside and quietly ask them to “Clarify.” Even if there are only a few of you in a room, please don’t break character. Some of the most intense ingame moments are those between just a few players. See Stopping Combat on page 69 for more details about special calls to switch between in- and out- of game for safety or rules clarification. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Chapter 7 Combat “Sounds incredibly dangerous....I know this goes without saying, but I'm in.” ~ Cedric Argentum Mythical Journeys places a great deal of emphasis on roleplaying. Nevertheless, players will often find themselves in combat situations. Combat adds an unparalleled sense of danger and excitement to the game and Mythical Journeys can be a very combat-intensive game. Players use lightweight weapons made out of plastic pipe and foam to resolve these situations in a safe yet exhilarating manner. While every measure is taken to ensure the safety of all participants, the nature of combat presents some unavoidable risk of injury. For this reason, Mythical Journeys has instituted important rules and common-sense recommendations pertaining to this aspect of the event. The safety of players and cast members is the primary goal of Mythical Journeys. The greatest risk of injury occurs when those involved in combat become over-excited. The cast and players of Mythical Journeys are like a troupe of improvisational actors working together to wring the greatest amount of drama and suspense out of every interaction. If any of the participants loses control and begins swinging wildly, or too hard, it could be bad for everyone. Please keep your wits about you and remember at all times that the person who is trying to kill you is your friend. Any person, whether cast member or player, who earns a reputation as an unsafe fighter is a danger to everyone involved and may find that no one wants to play with him or her. It is important to follow the rules of safety listed below and to use common sense and courtesy at all times. Physical Contact Physical contact is strictly forbidden unless all parties volunteer their consent. This applies particularly to the searching and moving of both player and non-player characters, and additionally outlaws all direct person-toperson contact during combat. Please refrain from touching anyone else without their express permission. The only physical contact you may make with someone else without their permission is to attack them with spell packets and weapons. (See also Searching Others and Carrying Others on page 68.) Stopping Combat On occasion there may be a need to clarify a rule or the working of a spell, or to completely stop combat for safety reasons. Below are listed the out-of-game command words to pause or end combat. Please memorize this list of key words and refrain from using them in-game for any other purpose. “Hold” - Use this out-of-game word only in serious or potentially serious emergencies. When someone calls “Hold!,” everyone in hearing range should repeat the word “Hold” and drop to one knee. This stops all game activity in the area in order to tend to a medical emergency or to prevent a large-scale safety hazard. It is important that everyone kneel so the appropriate Emergency Medical Response personnel can clearly see and take charge of the scene. This also lets approaching persons know that you are all in a Hold and therefore not to enter the area. During a Hold the game is stopped. This means that your character would not see a warband of Orcs coming over the hill in the distance, or an assassin poised behind you. Although everyone in such a situation will be concerned about the well-being of their friends, we therefore recommend that those not involved with the actual emergency situation stare at the ground and not look around them to see what is going on. If you inadvertently do witness such things during a hold, please consider it as out-of-game knowledge and have your character react accordingly. Also, please do not use the word “hold” in your regular role-playing, as in, “Hold, varlet!,” as it will stop all play. We also ask that you avoid the use of the word “halt”, which can be misheard as “hold.” All action remains stopped until a call of “Play On” is heard. “Caution” - Use this word when you need to prevent someone from getting hurt, but need not stop everyone in the area from doing what they are doing. The word “Caution” puts you, the individual in danger, and any persons directly interacting with that person (attacking them, etc.) in a personal hold. 69 Combat Safet y P art 2 - Playing the Game “Clarify” - Use this word when you need an explanation of the meaning of a spell or rule. The word “Clarify” creates a personal Hold between yourself and the individual you are questioning. If you are attacked at this time, quietly state “In a Clarify” and ignore any damage inflicted. You may also use this word if you did not hear which spell or skill was called. “Play On” - Use this phrase to resume game play after any Hold, Caution, or Clarify is called. Normally, it is up to the person who first called the hold to determine if everyone is ready and to restart the game. If the person who called the Hold Example of Unsafe Combat - Baseball Bat Swinging and Turtling has left the area, a member of the staff, or any other person who can verify that the through your weapon’s pommel either. Avoid leaning on danger is over, should restart the game. For courtesy’s sake, the tip of your sword or staff; this could compress the it is best to prepare everyone for the “Play On” with a protective foam on the most important part of your countdown, i.e., “Three, two, one, Play On!” weapon, creating a safety hazard. “Check Your Swings” - Use this phrase to tell someone that In the heat of combat it is possible to forget just how fast they are swinging too hard. It does not interrupt play. If the and hard one is swinging. Remember to pull back just Mythical Journeys staff receives multiple complaints that a before your weapon strikes your opponent so they only feel particular person is swinging too hard or acting dangerously, that a slight tap. Every blow that lands will count, no matter player will receive a warning. If this same person receives three how lightly it hits, unless your opponent has some special warnings within a one-year period, they will not be allowed to use immunity. Excessive force is not necessary and is frowned their weapon for at least the remainder of that event. If the player upon. has their weapon taken away because of this rule two times over any span of time, that player will be suspended. Please abide by Never swing your sword at your opponent from more than this rule. a 90 degree angle. This will help prevent swinging too hard. Swinging from more than a 90 degree angle and hitting someone hard is called baseball bat swinging and is against the safety rules. Mythical Journeys can be a physically challenging experience. While combat involves the exchange of weapon blows by Expect that you will encounter a few bumps and bruises from combatants, the combatants themselves should never come participating, as well as some aching muscles. For maximum into bodily contact. You should be in full control of flexibility and in an effort to reduce injury, we strongly suggest yourself at all times. When advancing on a foe, especially stretching before every event and recommend the use of proper on one who is backing away, you must be able to stop eye and groin protection. immediately without running into them, even if they stop or take a step towards you. Running towards someone at It is important that before, after, and even during combat high speed without being in control, or pushing up against that you check your weapon(s) to make sure they are safe their body or against their shield (even pushing your shield enough for further combat. It is possible for a weapon to against their shield), is known as charging. Charging is be damaged in combat without the wielder noticing. Take against the rules of safety because it often results in the time to feel the tip of the blade and the padding along collision and injury, may knock your opponent over, and the blade (or other “business end”) itself. If you can feel violates the physical contact rules. If your opponent must hard pipe then you need to repair your weapon before back away in order to avoid having you collide with them injury occurs. Though it is not often used in combat, it is or their shield, you are also charging. Moving quickly into just as important to ensure that you cannot feel piping Combat Safety 70 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance C o m bat N o n co m b a ta nt P l aye r s find that you are frequently hit in the head, ask your friends whether you are leaning forward and leading with your head. You may not be aware that what you are doing is putting yourself at risk. Though not unsafe, repeatedly striking your opponent with rapid and repeated movements is unrealistic and against the rules. This form of attack is known as machine gunning or drum rolling for obvious reasons. In real life, a heavy weapon could not be wielded with such speed. Machine-gunned attacks beyond the first do not count as hits. Rapid, repeated strikes count only if you hit a different location with each swing. You may not use your weapons or hands to bat missile weapons (arrows, bolts) out of the air. If a thrown or missile weapon hits your weapon, it is blocked, but you may not actively bat or knock away any type of missiles with your weapon. You may use your hands to bat thrown weapons out of the air only if you have the Catch Thrown Weapons skill, see Catch Thrown Weapon on page 39. Please do not use non-legal targets as cover. For example, do not block with your hands or head as this violates the spirit of our combat system. We want to have fun and be safe at the same time. At night, cast will pursue you at the pace you set. If you choose to run headlong into the darkness, cast may choose to follow you. If you choose to move hurriedly and carefully away, cast will follow you no faster than the same speed. During the day when we can all see the rocks, twigs, and logs, etc., cast will chase you. Another Example of What Not To Do - No Contact When Fighting melee range is not charging if you can safely stop without running into your opponent, even if they take a step forward. The best, most challenging, and most enjoyable method of swordplay is to move in for a strike or two and then step out of reach of your opponent’s weapon, like you see in the movies. There is nothing more exciting and dramatic than good swordplay; it is similar to a dance. Shields offer the greatest amount of protection against weapon and missile attacks. They can also be a safety hazard if used improperly. Never use your shield as a weapon to strike your opponent; this is known as shield bashing and is against the safety rules. It is also against the rules to throw your shield at an opponent, or to use it in any other way than to block an adversary's attack. Crouching low to the ground and hiding behind your shield is known as turtling; this creates an unsafe condition because your head is the only available target and is likely to be hit. Leaning forward and holding your shield far away from your body is also a form of turtling, and is also likely to result in you being struck in the head. If you Mythical Journeys Renaissance The Mythical Journeys staff encourages all new players to arrive to the game site as early as possible so our game weapon masters can instruct them in safe weapon creation, sword play, and proper use of the combat system. This orientation usually occurs at the New Player Meeting (held at 8:00 pm) which is held before every event. Noncombatant Players At any Mythical Journeys event there may be noncombatant players. These are players or cast members who, for medical reasons and with the knowledge of the Mythical Journeys staff, choose not to participate in combat or other strenuous physical activities but are still participating in role-playing. These individuals can be recognized by the yellow armband they must wear in a visible location at all times. Under no circumstances are noncombatant players to be struck by any weapon, spell packet, or in any other way. Similarly, noncombatant players may not strike anyone with any weapon, spell packet, or the like. While noncombatant players may not participate in the more physical aspects of game play, their characters still run the risk of being killed. To do so, all an opponent need do is come to within a weapon’s reach of the noncombatant player, point a weapon at them, and slowly state, “I kill you.” If this action is interrupted in any way, the life of the noncombatant player has been saved. You may also 71 No-Combat Areas target them with spells at this distance by simply stating the incant and pointing; the spell is considered to automatically hit. Please do not use any form of yellow armband as part of your costume unless you have been approved as a noncombatant player by the Mythical Journeys staff. No-Combat Areas There are certain areas of the camp that are designated as No-Combat areas. No combat is allowed to take place in these areas for a variety of reasons, such as the presence of fragile or dangerous props in the area. These areas will be specified at the pre-game meeting which takes place before every Mythical Journeys event and may also be marked with a sign showing a sword surrounded by a circle and crossed diagonally with a thick line. Areas marked with these signs may still be entered for role-playing and in-game thieving, but no fighting will be allowed in such areas. There is no combat allowed near open flame. Combatants must move away from the fire before engaging in combat. Please note that fires must be attended at all times. Being near a fire does not protect you from attacks (if combat is going to ensue, you must move to a safe distance) but you may not leave the area unless someone remains to tend to the fire. If you attack a group at a fire, you may be required to stay to tend it until a replacement arrives (or you may put it out). If no one else is available, if you have died, you may remain as a Spirit to tend the fire, in which case you may not speak to anyone except to say “Spirit” and you should go to Fate as soon as someone else arrives and agrees to take responsibility for the fire. Legal Hits Please avoid striking any opponent in the head, face, neck, hands, feet, or groin. These areas are considered illegal targets. Your character will not take any in-game damage from weapon strikes to these illegal areas. None of these illegal targets should ever be swung at, especially the head and neck areas. However, accidents do happen and it is possible that someone may inadvertently hit you in the head, neck or another illegal area. If this does happen and you are able to continue the combat, simply state, “Head shot,” do not count the hit, and continue fighting. If you need a few minutes to recover, simply call a “Caution” and step away for a few moments, or if necessary call a Hold (see Stopping Combat on page 69). It is important to remember that your opponent probably did not intend to hit you illegally. Keep in mind that individuals wearing masks have a difficult 72 Part 2 - Playing the Game time seeing and may accidentally strike these areas. Please be understanding. If you should encounter another player or cast member who habitually disregards these and other safety rules, the best course of action is to walk away and inform one of the Mythical Journeys staff. This way, the matter can be dealt with in a way that is considerate to all the players. Mythical Journeys will give a warning for unsafe behavior, or suspend the violator for repeated or deliberate violations. It is against the rules to use your hands and feet to block weapons. However, you may block or catch a thrown weapon if you have the skill Catch Thrown Weapon. Courtesy No one wants to play with someone who is constantly hurting them. It is therefore important to use common courtesy when hitting other players or cast members. If cast members are constantly injured through rough handling by players, they may decide it is not worth their while to continue. It is important to remember that without the dedicated and talented people who make up the Mythical Journeys cast, there would be no one to interact with. Players and cast members should work together to ensure the greatest amount of enjoyment for everyone involved. On the same note, if a monster does not seem to be affected by your weapon blows, it may be safe to assume that it cannot be injured by normal weapons. This is not a cue to hit the creature harder. Remember that there is an unfortunate cast member in that costume. Try to combat such creatures in some other way instead. It is never wise to anger a creature you can’t fight. Every creature at Mythical Journeys can be defeated, but sometimes you’ll need to be creative to discover the appropriate means. While some creatures at Mythical Journeys may be difficult to battle, others can be incredibly easy. It is unnecessary for eight to ten players to descend on such monsters to beat them into a pulp. Some of the most enjoyable combat experiences are one-on-one. The type of “wolf pack” attack described above can take the challenge away from both the players and the cast members involved. If you should find yourself fighting such low-level monsters, why not step back and let your buddy have some fun? You’ll be there as backup if needed, and next time you can be the hero. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Combat Live Action Role Playing, by its very nature, seems to attract power players. Players will often find themselves in situations in which they will be exerting power over cast members and other players alike. This is not an invitation to victimize or insult other people in out-of-game or borderline ways. No one enjoys leaving a situation feeling like a victim; this includes cast members as well as players. Vanquishing your foe in-game does not mean you may humiliate them in real life. The same goes for insults. Such things must always be kept in-game. Please avoid references to another that could be construed as a real-life insult. The best way for all of us to have fun together is for all to remain friends. Calling Skills Mythical Journeys provides a number of fighting skills that can be purchased with a character’s skill points (see Chapter 3 Skills). These skills enhance a player’s natural abilities by allowing the character to do things the player cannot. Parrying blows that have already landed and inflicting greater amounts of damage with each hit are examples of these skills. For a full description of these combat skills, refer to Chapter 3 Skills. Normally, a player must call out the name of the fighting skill they intend to use before swinging their weapon (the Parry skill is an example of a skill that is called out after a weapon strikes you). In each case, if the blow lands the skill is used up, and the opponent suffers the effect (unless they have some special protection). In most cases, the skill or effect is not used up if the blow does not land. The exceptions are the Cleave and Riposte skills. See Cleave on page 40 and Riposte on page 49. If a skill is called, it replaces the normal damage for the attack. For example, if you are hit with a call of Pain, you suffer the Pain effect, but take no damage. If the attack hits you but in the wrong area (e.g. Slay hitting your arm, Maim hitting your torso), the skill is not used but you do not take any damage. Some calls indicate that a weapon is magical but do not have any effect of their own. These Weapon enchantments include Magic, Void, Earth, Fire, Ice, Wind, Holy, Will, Spirits, and Darkness. In these cases, you take the normal one point of damage. See Chapter 8 Sounds of Battle for a list of combat calls. You can combine one Weapon enchantment with one other effect. No other skills or effects can be combined. For example, you could have a “Wind Slay,” but not a “Knockdown Slay“ or “Backstab Weakness Venom.” Against normal characters (who have no special vulnerability to the enchantment), the attack delivers only the stated effect. For example, if you are hit by 'Wind Slay', you take 5 points of damage. If you are hit by 'Wind Knockdown', you are knocked down but take no damage. If the effect or enchantment is resisted, the entire call is negated. For example, you can Parry a “Fire Slay”, though not a “Fire Backstab”, because the Backstab effect cannot be Parried. Similarly, heavy limb armor will stop a “Fire Maim”, Mythical Journeys Renaissance C a l l i n g S k i ll s because it resists all Maim calls, and heavy torso armor will stop a “Fire Slay” (even delivered by a missile weapon) because it resists all Slay calls. The ability to Resist Fire will also allow you to resist “Fire Slay” or “Fire Maim”. If a weapon enchantment is called by itself (e.g. “Fire”), it can be Dodged (if thrown or missile) but cannot be Parried (whether melee or otherwise), and is considered a called attack for thrown and missile weapons against armor (because it is a call). As with other calls, the weapon enchantment is not used up unless it hits or is resisted. Any time you hear a called skill or effect it is assumed you are able to see or hear what happened. If you use stealthy skills such as Assassinate or Venom, it is recommended you speak them only loud enough for your target to hear. Role-Playing Combat Because most combat skills are not expended unless they land, it is important to role-play the effects of these skills during combat. If your opponent does not realize that the Slay he has just hit you with has landed, he may assume that the skill is still active on his weapon and will continue to call out the skill until he knows it has been used. Therefore, it is always wise to indicate that the skill has hit you. It is also advisable to role-play any normal damage that you sustain, so that your opponents don’t assume you are ignoring their blows. Your barbarian fighter may be tough, but no one can ignore an axe wound in their side. It is recommended that each player acknowledge each weapon strike that hits them. A phrase such as, “That scratch was all I needed to awaken me!” or something as simple as an “Ow!” or “Ooof!” should be enough. Not only do these actions show that you are taking your hits, but they add to the atmosphere, drama, and overall enjoyment of the battle. No classic swashbuckling movie is complete without the quips and insults traded between combatants, or the hero who suddenly turns the tables on his foes when all appears lost. This is just the sort of atmosphere that Mythical Journeys strives to create. Resist, Armor, Barrier, and No Effect Sometimes you will meet opponents who do not seem to be affected by your attacks. If any player or cast member responds to your attack by stating, “Resist,” it indicates that, through some special means, they were protected from an attack that normally would have injured them. In such a case, a second attempt might have better luck. If your opponent calls “Armor,” then they are receiving the effects of armor, an armor spell, or in the case of monsters, an especially thick hide. Additional attacks of the same type will not be effective. If your opponent calls “Barrier,” then they are immune to attacks of the type you used for a certain amount of time or until their defenses are breached by a specific type of attack, the nature of which will depend on the creature. 73 Damage and Vitalit y Part 2 - Playing the Game If a cast member responds to an attack with the statement, “No effect,” it indicates that your opponent was not affected by this form of attack and probably never will be. You should only state “No effect” if you are permanently immune to an attack. None of these situations will be resolved by hitting your opponent harder. Remember, it’s a friend underneath the mask and you don’t want to hurt them. Damage and Vitality Normally, each player starts a Mythical Journeys event with all of their Vitality. Throughout the course of the event, Vitality can be lost in many ways, notably through combat. All weapons do one point of damage per hit unless otherwise stated by the attacker. In order to cause damage the weapon must make contact with a legal target area on the body (arms, legs, or torso). Please remember that Mythical Journeys uses a “lightest touch” combat system. You do not need to hit someone hard for a weapon blow to count. If the weapon touches you in a legal target area, you have been hit. Each time a weapon blow strikes a legal target area, subtract the appropriate amount of damage from your Vitality (one point unless the attacker has used a skill or spell to change this). Vitality can be restored by Healing. If you have lost all your vitality, one point can be restored by Bandaging. A Hit is a Hit At Mythical Journeys we want to make fighting as simple, clear and easy to follow as possible. In order to remove all of the “grey” areas of fighting the rule is “If it hit you, it hit you and you should take it.” If a weapon strikes you in any legal target, that hit counts no matter if it first hit your sword or shield or a wall. We are a “lightest touch” game so no hit should ever have much force behind it, so arguments like “that barely touched me” should never come into play, as all hits should barely touch you. If you have the appropriate skills to use them, you may use the melee weapons in your hands and a shield to block attacks. Any other item, worn or carried, does not block attacks. This includes other carried items, missile weapons such as bows and crossbows, backpacks, pouches, weapons that are sheathed or strapped to your body, and shields slung over your back. If these items prevent an attacker's weapon from hitting your body, you must take the hit. If the blow would not have hit your body (for example, it whiffs by but hits your cloak), you do not need to count it. 74 Thrown Weapons Thrown weapon do damage if they hit you even after bouncing off of other players, weapons, shields, walls, and other objects. However, once they hit the ground, they are considered spent. Any thrown weapon bouncing off the ground to hit you, or sliding or rolling along the floor before hitting you, does no damage. Torso Shot and the Stun Rule When a player’s Vitality Points have been reduced to one, that last point is considered to be the “Torso Shot.” This last point of Vitality cannot be removed unless that player is hit somewhere in the torso area. The torso area is defined as the area that would be covered by a sleeveless tshirt, both front and back. A character can survive combat for an entire event with only this “Torso Shot”, provided they are not struck in the torso area. Damage from spells, poison, and traps are always considered to apply to the Torso area, regardless of where they hit. Once a character is reduced to one Vitality (with only the “Torso Shot” needed to take you down) every hit to a limb will stun that limb. This means that the limb struck will be useless for five minutes, or until healed. Treat this as the Maim effect, except that armor, spells, and other resistance against Maim will not protect you. You cannot hold anything in a stunned arm, and you cannot stand on a stunned leg, nor may you hop on one leg while the other leg is stunned. Unlike Maimed limbs, Stunned limbs will recover after 5 minutes (healing will also fix Stunned limbs). Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance C o m bat D ea th an d D yin g Death and Dying “What happened to the prisoner?” “He died of natural causes.” “He looks like he was stabbed.” “Yes, and he naturally bled to death.” For those of us who are mortal, dying is a big step in life— usually our last. At Mythical Journeys death isn’t always the end. In the Realm of Pendaan, dying is done a bit differently, and everybody knows that the slain often—but not always—return from Fate’s realm to walk the mortal lands again. Death is quite common at Mythical Journeys; the first thing any player should know is that their character will die, possibly permanently. When your Vitality points have been reduced to zero (e.g., by a hit to your torso, or by any damage from a trap or spell), you will slip into unconsciousness and must fall to the ground and lie still. At this point, you are considered to be bleeding to death and will die in five minutes unless proper steps are taken. During this period your body may be searched, but you will not suffer any additional Vitality damage by any cause. Quickdeath, Assassinate, or a Death spell will cause you to die instantly, but no amount of other physical damage will cause you to die any faster. Cutting up the bodies of your victims or treating them in other disrespectful ways is not permitted at Mythical Journeys. When you are the victim of any form of Poison you have ten seconds to receive some form of antidote. After those ten seconds, you will collapse into unconsciousness, and will die after five minutes unless you are somehow saved. See Poison on page 89 for more details. Finally, if you are hit by a Death spell or the Assassinate skill, affected by Death venom, or Quickdeathed, you will die immediately. In these situations there is no period of unconsciousness during which you might be saved by bandaging or healing. You must still lie on the ground for five minutes in order to allow your body to be searched. Life States These are the terms we use throughout the rule book to describe the various conditions you may find yourself in. Conscious Conscious means you are awake and aware of your surroundings. Example causes - this is your normal condition. Unconscious Unconscious means you are unaware of your surroundings and unable to move or speak in any way. Fall to the ground and lie motionless. Example causes - Waylay, Slumber. Cures - Awaken spell or effect. Dying You are Unconscious, and bleeding to death. Fall to the ground and lie motionless. After 5 minutes, if you have not been healed or otherwise aided, you become Dead. Example causes - losing all your Vitality, Slay. Cures - Healing, Bandaging. Dead You have died, and healing can no longer help you. You are unaware of your surroundings and unable to move or speak (just as Unconsciousness). If you died by bleeding to death or due to being Quickdeathed, any armor you were wearing is now broken. After 5 minutes, you become a Spirit. Example causes - Quickdeath, Assassinate, Death spell or effect, the result of being in the Dying state for 5 minutes. Cures - Restore Life. Spirit Spirit means you have become a ghost. Your body and all of your possessions on your body become incorporeal and travel with you. All spirits are compelled to journey immediately to Fate and not detour. Once you arrive at Fate you must knock on Fate’s door. Entering Fate’s realm before summoned within could be harmful or fatal to your character’s mortal existence. Example causes - Being Dead for 5 minutes. Cures - None. The process of life, injury, and death can be summed up in these states. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 75 Death and Dying Being Dead After you have died, your body fades from existence and you are drawn to the realm of Fate as an insubstantial Spirit. You should remain, as a Dead body, for 5 minutes, then stand up, assume the look of a zombie, hold your weapon or hand on the top of your head to indicate that you are a Spirit, and proceed to Fate. (If no one is around or paying attention to your body, you can become a Spirit earlier than 5 minutes.) As you walk to Fate, you may not stop to talk to anyone unless you are forced to do so with magic or some special skill. You must proceed directly to Fate and will not remember anything you see during this walk to Fate’s realm. Other players will be able to see you as an amorphous Spirit and will be able to recognize who you were in life. However, no one will be able to interact with you without a special skill or magic. Players may choose to role-play the sensation of a cold breeze when spirits pass by. When you arrive at Fate’s door you must indicate you are there and wait for Fate to tell you to enter. Entering Fate’s realm before you are invited to do so can be hazardous to your character’s future. It is always advisable to treat Fate with respect since your character’s life hangs in the balance. You must be honest when telling Fate your name and the circumstances that led up to your death. Assume that Fate will know if you are lying. Improving Your Chances There are a few ways you can improve your experience with Fate. The first is the inexpensive Last Rites skill. This skill allows a cleric or other spiritually-attuned character to bestow a final rite upon the Dead that will give that person a very favorable aura to Fate, who, in turn, will reward them. You must tell Fate when you arrive that you have Last Rites cast upon you. Last Rites will always benefit the recipient. (That there are also evil creatures who might curse your spirit and make your time at Fate more difficult, granting you Fate’s Disfavor.) You may also use your CP to purchase a “Fate’s Kiss” card which will allow you the benefit of Last Rites in the event that no one bestows this rite upon you before you become a Spirit. You may not use both Fate’s Kiss and Last Rites on the same trip to Fate. Fate’s Kiss cards can only be purchased between events when you are updating your character. You may buy as many as you have the points for. You must have this card in your possession when you go to Fate in order to use it. Fate’s Kiss will always benefit you, but you must use it before Fate determines your fate. New characters are treated more generously by Fate than veterans. Characters with 750 or fewer spent character points automatically receive the benefits of Last Rites every time they go to Fate, while those with more spent character points will need to provide a Fate's Kiss or receive a Last Rites before they dissipate. Those with 1500 or more spent character points require two Fate's Kisses to receive any benefit, although a single Last Rites is still effective. Those with 3000 or more spent character points require three Fate's Kisses. 76 P art 2 - Playing the Game The greatest method of influencing a character’s chances with Fate is the “Twist of Fate” card. This card may be used in combination with any of the other ways of improving your chances with Fate. If all else fails and your character is going to die forever, you can cash in your Twist of Fate card and your character will be pulled from the brink of death. This card may only be used once per character. (You may have or purchase more than one, but never use more than one.) Both Fate’s Kiss and the Twist of Fate cannot be stolen, but you can give them away. If you do not have them with you when you reach Fate, they will not help you. Characters have died forever because they left these precious items in their cabins! Consider yourself warned. Surviving death at Mythical Journeys is not difficult, it simply requires a bit of planning. If your character should die permanently while at Fate, you may start a new character with the usual 100 CP (plus 10 if you give us a character history). Any unspent CP you have accumulated may also be used up to a total spending cap of 50 points for every three events you attended as your now-deceased character, with a minimum of 150. If you return . . . If Fate decides to return you to the realm of the living, you will not remember the circumstances of your death unless Fate tells you otherwise. This covers about 5 minutes before the last moment you were conscious. If you were in battle for longer than 5 minutes, you will remember the beginning of the battle. If you are struck down, recover consciousness (for example if someone healed you or you used Karma), but then are struck down again, you only forget the 5 minutes before the last time you were conscious. If enough time passed, you may still remember being struck down the first time. You will remember your visit to Fate, except the parts that would tell you how you died. So if Fate asks you how you died, you tell him “Bob lured me out in the woods and stabbed me in the back,” and Fate says “Hmmm, you and the last seventeen people who have visited me, you foolish mortals never learn,” you will not remember either of these two comments. But you will remember being in Fate and whatever else transpires there. (If Fate tells you that you will remember how you died, you can remember everything.) Some people will choose to role-play remembering less, and that is fine if it is what they prefer. Even if Fate restores your memory, you will not remember anything that happened while you were unconscious, dying, or dead. Fate will also not restore any memories that were erased by a Forget spell. Fate will remove most negative effects from you. When you return, you will not be maimed, poisoned, etc. However, Curses and Permanent effects are never removed by Fate. Some spells, magic items, potions, or other effects may also indicate that they are not removed by Fate. And if you have something that says you must turn it in at the end of game, dying does not relieve you of that obligation. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance C o m bat Fate will not interfere with beneficial spells cast upon you. So if you had a spell shield, armor spell, etc. on you when you died, it is still there when and if you return from Fate. Suicide If you deliberately take your own life, of your own free will, Fate will not allow you to return to the realm of the living. Allowing another to kill you is also considered suicide. Fate may make exceptions for use of the Self-Sacrifice skill or extraordinary circumstances, but think carefully before taking the chance. The Dead Don't Sneeze! Being dead is a very important part of your time at Mythical Journeys. There is a good chance you will spend quite a bit of time on the ground Dead or Dying. Here are some basic rules you need to follow when your mortality (or lack thereof) hangs in the balance. The Dead Don't Speak - When you’re either Unconscious or Dead, you cannot speak, grunt, cough, sneeze, rustle leaves, break twigs, narrate your situation to others, or make any other kinds of noises that are designed to give your location away to your friends or anyone else. It is up to your companions to realize you are missing and try to find out your location. The one exception is if you are about to get stepped on, where you may state, “Caution.” “I check for a pulse.” - When you are lying on the ground, chances are many people will come up to you, place a finger on or near your neck and ask you if they feel a pulse. You must reply with a Yes or No answer without elaborating any further. Characters who are alive have a pulse. Characters who have died (for example due to bleeding out, Quickdeath, dying 5 minutes after being Poisoned, being affected by a Death spell, or being Assassinated) do not have a pulse. D ea th an d D yin g “GAME ON!” was called by one of the Journey Masters, and the game officially began. The Soldiers of the Shadow would finally have their chance. “Where to, my friends. Shall we stay in the tavern for a bit or move off to the woods?” asked Rasaan. Before they could decide a hulking man wearing a Militia tunic approached them. “Newcomers, right?” he growled more as a statement than a question. “And who wants to know?” Grog shot back in a fairly good imitation of the hulks growl. “Laddie, you don’t want to be using that tone with a Sergeant of the Militia,” the hulk said locking eyes with Grog. “I’m what you call your official welcoming committee.” “Oh pay him no mind. He’s been hit in the head a few too many times, Sergeant uh, what did you say your name was again?” Melkar said smoothly with a little lopsided grin. “Sergeant Balthar’s the name, and that’s a bit more like it. Proper respect for the Militia will go a long way to making your life better here in Eldyrwood. Now in case you didn’t know it, all newcomers to Eldyrwood are required to perform a service for the Town before they earn the right to be citizens. I’m here to show you yours.” The companions exchanged skeptical glances as the Sergeant pulled up a chair and sat down. “Phoebe! A round of drinks over here for me and my new found friends,” the Sergeant roared. When the drinks arrived, the Sergeant tossed a handful of small copper coins on the tray and leaned back in his chair taking a pull from his mug. “Ah, sergeant. What type of service are we supposed to perform?” Rasaan asked with more than a touch of skepticism. “Nothing such as you’re thinkin’ my suspicious fellow. One of our caravan traders stumbled across a cave that seems to be the hiding spot of some thieves. Normally, what happens in the woods stays in the woods around these parts, but this be a bit too close to the caravan route for our Lord’s liking. We, or should I say, you, are going to clear out the vermin. I’m going to go along just to make sure that you do your service properly.” The Sergeant bought the companions a second round of drinks and answered a few basic questions the companions had about Eldyrwood. Suddenly three men burst into the tavern covered in blood and collapsed on the floor. As they were being attended to they gasped out that a hideous monster had destroyed their entire Village. The creature hadn’t been injured by any of their weapons and it was headed toward Eldyrwood. After the men were healed, Gabriel tried to offer them the solace of Radiance, but as soon as they were able, they ran from the town in terror, shouting for the townsfolk to leave while they could. The sergeant grunted, “Never a dull moment around here.” Phoebe finally tapped the sergeant on the shoulder and told him to be about his rounds. She didn’t need him lollygagging about her tavern all night. With a nod and a beckoning finger the sergeant led the companions through the darkness to a cave entrance “I’ll follow you into the cave in about fifteen minutes. Anyone or any-thing you find in there has been declared Mythical Journeys Renaissance 77 Death and Dying an enemy of the town so you can kill them without fear. Probably just an empty cave but you be careful now.” The sergeant’s rueful chuckle still echoed in their ears as the companions entered the cave in single file. The cave was dark but Gabriel was prepared. “Through Radiance, I create a source of Magical Light.” The cave lit to reveal an entryway with a curving corridor. Their hearts pounding, Gabriel lead the team forward, warning any who lurked in the darkness that they would be burned with the cleansing glare of radiance. Something flew over Rasaan’s shoulder and landed in front of him. It was a dagger. “Enemies,” he shouted, and turned to face his foe. Two dog-like creatures stepped out from the shadows and threw more blades. Two of them ricocheted off Rasaan’s heavy armor, but one made it through and hit Dunnam in the arm. He fell to one knee, understanding for the first time, how tentative his hold on life would be if he remained a target for the dog-like creatures. The rest of the team rushed forward nervously to assist, but the cave was thrown into darkness as Gabriel fell forward onto his light spell. A little creature stood behind him brandishing a small weapon. He had been “Waylayed” by one of the little dog creatures. Angered by his team’s early failure, Grog charged the creatures who had initiated the combat, yelling dwarven battle hymns and cursing their lineage. They threw more daggers at Grog, but those were easily repelled by his light armor and Rasaan quickly joined him in the assault. Dunnam chased away the creature who had begun to “pilfer” Gabriel and recovered the light spell for the team. Grog and Rasaan made short work of the creatures and rushed to assist Gabriel. When nothing they did would wake him, they returned to the dog-like creatures in time to see Melkar finishing a thorough “search” of the bodies. Melkar was assuring them for the third time that he was just trying to be helpful, when Gabriel woke with a start, carefully feeling around a tender spot on his head. P art 2 - Playing the Game mace at the chest of one of the last creatures left but not making much headway until Kimba incanted, “Through Fire, Bolt Damage 1.” The blast flew true and the dog-like creature fell to the ground. The last creature standing was fighting Rasaan, and as if sensing that they were anxious to be done, he switched grips on his sword and cried out, “Slay” as he stabbed the blade into the heart of the vicious monster. “Are you sure that was a good idea?”, asked Dunnam. “That was the only time this weekend you’ll be able to do that and you might need it later.” Rasaan was flush with pride though, as he searched the creature’s boots and found a bit of food, a few coins, and some glass for crafting. “We did great guys, we all lived and we’re not banged up too bad out here. Let’s go tell the Sergeant about these abominations that lived here in case they have friends. A few minutes later they emerged excited to find the Sergeant waiting as promised. The sergeant handed out a couple of healing potions as Dunnam and Grog had been injured during the fight. “Well my fine little crew, you have fulfilled your obligation. Follow the laws and keep your noses out of things that don’t concern you and maybe you’ll live for a bit. At least ye can fight. Fare-thee-well, fer now.” With a last stern look the sergeant strode off into the town. Flushed with confidence, the Soldiers of the Shadow conferred briefly before they decided to head for the woods to see what they could find in the way of adventure. They headed off again, Rasaan in the lead with his super resistant heavy armor and Grog at the back with his armor which could deflect the thrown weapons these vicious monsters seemed to prefer. Around the next bend, they found a room with four of the beasts lying in wait. Rasaan’s fantastic armor foiled a crossbow bolt which had been fired straight at his chest and the fight was on. Dunnam had watched the fight closely the last time and knew that these creatures were not strong, but tricky. He resolved to disable them if he could, to keep them from escaping. “Maim” he called as he swung and connected with the creature’s leg. The leg crumbled underneath the monster and Rasaan moved to block any of the other creatures from running away. Melkar, realizing the effectiveness of the thrown weapons, put away his sword and picked up their thrown weapons. He had trained in these but had not brought any of his own. He quickly managed to take down the crossbow-wielding monster with the thrown weapons. Grog was happily swinging his 78 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Chapter 8 Sounds of Battle Kimba suggested that they check out the tavern again for a bit. The companions readily agreed. They were greeted warmly by Phoebe who just shrugged when they failed to order any drinks. “Would you be looking fer a way to earn a few coppers seeing as you canna afford the coin to buy ye own drinks?” Phoebe asked with a knowing smile. Melkar smiled his lopsided grin and agreed that they could use a job. “Ya see that well dressed man in the corner there. That be a merchant fella whot wants ta hire a few guards to escort him to the high road towards Purk.” Melkar winked and handed Phoebe a copper coin as he headed toward the merchant’s table. Melkar rejoined the companions a few minutes later and after a whispered conversation nodded to the merchant. He had a deal. The merchant finished his drink and sauntered to the companions table. “My name is Giovanni. Meet me in half an hour at the large oak near the temple. Tell no one. If Cudzar finds out, I’ll never beat that thieving Elf to Purk and my spices will be worth only half the price.” Giovanni continued out the door and into the night almost being bumped by a bearded man dressed in a not-too-clean, fuzzy wool jerkin. He wore a huge two handed sword slung on his back. “A barbarian,” whispered Kimba. “DRINK!” the man roared as he slammed the tavern door behind him. “MANY DRINKS! BIG DRINKS! GOOD DRINKS!” “Let’s see some money first Shagbark,” Phoebe replied, “And keep the yelling down. I runs a respectable tavern here I do.” The barbarian dumped a handful of glittering stones on the bar. “This nuff?” he asked in a somewhat quieter shout. “Yes, this be enough, Shagbark,” Phoebe said as she scraped the gems into a lockbox and placed a dark mug in front of the barbarian. “There’s drinks in that pouch,” Melkar whispered to himself as he started toward the bar grinning at his luck. Kimba and Gabriel, seeing the grin and Melkar’s distracted gaze caught up to him before he reached the bar. Gabriel held on to him while Kimba whispered in his ear. Melkar looked shocked at Kimba, but sat down, shaking his head. With a remorseful last look, Melkar joined the companions conversation about the job at hand. The companions decided to try a new plan with the escort of the merchant. This time they decided to have Melkar out front to detect any ambushes, with Rassaan and Grog next, followed by Giovanni, Gabriel, Kimba and lastly Dunnam. The forest was quiet, and so dark that the companions had trouble even keeping to the trail. Things began to go bad as they rounded a corner and spotted the body of Melkar, crumpled in the path. They had little time to consider this however, for the woods erupted with black clad bodies stepping from the shadows menacingly. The leader of the black-clad men demanded that they surrender the goods and leave the forest. He held a knife to the throat of the unconscious Melkar and threatened to kill him if the party did not agree. Looking around, the group could see archers in the woods and what looked like a mage standing behind a few of the bandits. Dunnam began to negotiate with the thieves. Gabriel chimed in telling how this type of life was wrong and it was not too late for the thieves to come into the light, Kimba searched her mind madly for a suitable spell but was unsure of what to do. In the end it was Grog who decided the fate of them all. He was not about to sit here and let mere Human thieves keep them from their mission. He let out a battle roar and rushed the leader who was holding Melkar. Grog was stopped dead in his tracks by a spell, cast by one of the rogues which snared his feet firmly in place. The leader of the thieves laughed and calmly slit the throat of Melkar, “Quickdeathing” him. This cold blooded killing enraged the rest of the party and they sprang to the attack. Kimba neutralized the enemy mage by borrowing a chapter from her own hard won experience. She could feel the excitement of the moment as she screamed, “Through Wind, I silence you for 5 Minutes,” and cast her magical energies directly at the rogue mage. She hardly knew where the words came from as she followed this with “Through Earth, I snare your feet to the ground for 1 minute,” and directed the energy of that spell at the leader of the thieves. Her blind concentration was repaid by a rogue who “Waylayed” her, rendering her unconscious. Gabriel, rushing in to avenge the clubbing of Kimba, was too distracted to see Dunnam fall in a crumpled heap victim to the same arrows that were bouncing off of Rasaan’s fine armor. Gabriel’s anger at the violation of his friend Kimba, manifested itself in a violent fit against the rogue 79 Special Attacks responsible for her attack. He used his most prized combat technique and his trusty hammer to execute a “Knockdown” to the chest of his opponent, forcing the thief to the ground where Gabriel continued to demonstrate the powers of radiance over evil, long after his opponent had gone unconscious. His distraction cost him though, as an archer in the woods picked him out as an easy target. His light armor would have deflected a thrown dagger, but the arrow hitting his leg was another story entirely. He fell, knocked to the ground in shock. Rassaan was fighting one-on-one with the rooted leader of the thieves and holding his own. “Maim”, cried his opponent, confident that the fight would be ended once Rasaan’s weapon arm was disabled. Once again though, his fine armor paid off, “Armor”, replied Rasaan and the rogue leader’s eyes got wide. The thieves who had teamed up to slay Dunnam, now drew swords began to circle behind Rasaan. Grog was furious at being snared to the ground and being too far out of position to do anything. He had just sat on the ground to wait things out when the two thugs, thinking him unconscious, passed by him to get to the back of the embattled Rasaan. Grog’s eyes lit with glee as he raised his mace and tore into the surprised thieves. He could not move his feet, but the rogues were within range of the raging Dwarf and he quickly hit each of them in the leg with his most prized fighting skill Maim, disabling one of their legs and keeping them in range. Grog had found his happy place and he killed them both with quick blows of his mace. He too felt the sting of an arrow to his arm, courtesy of the archer in the woods and realized with dismay that he was too large a target and could expect to join his companions on the ground soon. Just then Gabriel rose back to his feet, having finished bandaging his injured leg, and began charging towards the hidden archer. Grog admired the cleric’s determination as the archer shifted aim to Gabriel. Realizing his feet were no longer bound by the magic of the spell, Grog joined the cleric in the fight and they chased off the archer before remembering they had left Rasaan behind on his own. Rasaan eventually killed the band’s leader and the remaining thieves were nowhere to be found. The now shorthanded party let them go and Gabriel began to tend to the wounded. In the end, Dunnam and Melkar lay dead, their spirits quickly dissipating as Gabriel and the rest of the Soldiers stood by helplessly. They “searched” the thieves for money or valuables, and finished escorting Giovanni to the border. The merchant paid the companions and gave them a small bonus as well, but in the final measure, they had gained nothing that would make the loss of Melkar and Dunnam less painful. Perhaps “Fate” would be kind to them on their first visit to his realm. The Soldiers of the Shadow wandered back into town that night hoping for the return of their friends. 80 P art 2 - Playing the Game Special Attacks “It's not how fast you run. It only matters if you can maim, snare, sweep, knockdown, or thusly incapacitate one of your friends so the monster eats them instead of you.” ~ Ashatogi Nothing makes combat more exciting and satisfying than overcoming adversaries whose special abilities make them difficult to defeat. Mythical Journeys has put a lot of thought into making each event’s monsters and villains both unique and fair to new and veteran players alike. It is our hope that some of these skills will put terror into your heart and make your tales of adventuring glory that much more exciting. These special attacks can be used in several ways. Melee Weapon Special Attacks Skills and abilities used with a melee weapon: The skill must hit a legal target area on your body to be effective. y If the weapon hits an illegal target area (head, hands, feet, groin), the skill does not take effect. y Blows hitting your weapon do not take effect, except for Disarm. y Only Knockdown and Push are effective if they hit your shield. All other weapon skills and abilities hitting your shield are blocked. y Parry can be used to defend against any special attack or skill used with a weapon, except Assassinate, Backstab, and Waylay. y None of these abilities and skills can be resisted with defenses against magic (e.g. Spell Shield). y If a skill or ability is called, the effect replaces the normal damage from the hit. Weapon enchantments (with calls of Magic, Void, Earth, Fire, Ice, Wind, Holy, or Darkness) still do 1 point of damage. y You can combine one Weapon enchantment with one other effect. No other skills or effects can be combined. For example, you could have a “Wind Slay,” but not a “Knockdown Slay“ or “Backstab Weakness Venom.” Against normal characters (who have no special vulnerability to the enchantment), the attack delivers only the stated effect. For example, if you are hit by 'Wind Slay', you take 5 points of damage. If you are hit by 'Wind Knockdown', you are knocked down but take no damage. y Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance S o u nd s o f Bat t le If the effect or enchantment is resisted (e.g. due to Parry, Dodge, Armor, or a Shield), the entire call is negated. For example, you can Parry a “Fire Slay”, though not a “Fire Backstab”, because the Backstab effect cannot be Parried. Similarly, heavy limb armor will stop a “Fire Maim”, because it resists all Maim calls, and heavy torso armor will stop a “Fire Slay” (even delivered by a missile weapon) because it resists all Slay calls. Resisting the enchantment also negates the call. E.g. if you can resist fire, you can resist the Fire enchantment of “Fire Slay”, negating the Slay as well. If an enchantment is called but not an effect (e.g. “Fire”), it cannot be Parried. As with other calls, the weapon enchantment is not used up unless it hits or is resisted. See also Calling Skills on page 73. y You may not fight under the effects of Bind, Pain, Weakness, or during the first 10 seconds of being affected by Poison. Thrown and Missile Weapon Special Attacks Skills and abilities used with a thrown or missile weapon work exactly the same way as melee attacks, except that these cannot be Parried. (But note that the only Fighting or Stealth skills that can be used with thrown or missile weapons without special training are Pierce and Venom.) Thrown weapons include thrown daggers, axes, and javelins; missile weapons include arrows and bolts fired by bows, blow guns, and crossbows. Catch Thrown Weapon can be used against thrown weapons (but not missiles), and if the thrown weapon is successfully swatted away with the hands, or caught, the special attack is negated. y Dodge can be used to resist any thrown or missile weapon attack. y Subdue Packets Skills and abilities used with a Subdue packet: Subdue packet attacks will always have a call that specifies their effect. If there is no call, it has no effect and does no damage. y When used with a call of “Subdue”, the packet must hit your torso (front or back) to be effective. If it connects with your torso (front or back), you are rendered senseless for a quick ten-count. For other calls, such as Knockdown, it may hit any legal target area. y If the subdue packet hits an illegal target area (head, hands, feet, groin) or a weapon, the skill does not take effect. You may use your weapon, shield, and hands to try to block the subdue packet. S pecial Attacks Only Knockdown and Push are effective if they hit your shield. All other subdue packet attacks hitting your shield are blocked. y Attacks used with Subdue packets may not be blocked with Parry (only works against melee weapons), Dodge (only works against thrown and missiles weapons), or Spell Shields (only works against spell packets). y Magical Attacks Skills and abilities used with a packet are considered magical and may only be blocked with appropriate protection against spells (e.g., Spell Shield). (Exception: Dispel can not be blocked by protection against spells.) Usually the incantation for a packet ability includes the name of the ability as part of a phrase (e.g. “I Charm you to obey me, 5 minutes”, “I Poison your body”). Packets can hit anywhere on your body, clothing, weapons, or shield to be effective, even for effects such as Disarm or Maim— in these cases the incantation will specify which limb or weapon is affected. If you are under the effect of a spell for a duration, the time count is suspended if you leave game. For example, if you are the victim of a betrayal spell which lasts for one hour, time spent in the bathroom or off-site does not count against the spell duration. If you are struck by the spell a half-hour before gameoff, you are still under the spell when game resumes at nine A.M. However, these effects do not last between events. You may not cast spells while under the effects of Bind, Feeblemind, Pain, Silence, or the first 10 seconds of being affected by Poison. Spells may be thrown no farther than five feet while suffering Weakness. Occasionally you will see a spell cast as an Explosion. The caster will speak an incantation and then throw a handful of packets. If you are hit by any packets, you take the effect. You do not suffer worse effects if you are hit by multiple packets. Like other effects delivered by spell packets, this is a magical attack and can be resisted using Spell Shield or other defenses against magic. Also, like other magical attacks, it is not blocked by a weapon or shield, but if the effect is damage it can be blocked by heavy torso armor. y Mythical Journeys Renaissance Area Effects Some effects are large enough to fill an area. When you hear a call that begins “All within...” it means everyone in the specified area is affected. For example, “all within this room, I cause you pain” means that everyone inside the room suffers Pain. These calls will always specify a specific area with clear boundaries, such as a room or a ritual circle, and not simply everyone within hearing range. Anyone with one of these abilities will know the limits that apply to the size of the area. You may use a Spell Shield to resist these effects, or any defense specific to the attack. 81 Special Defenses Backlash Some foes may be shrouded in fire or other magic that sends you reeling or fills you with confusion when you get too close. Backlash effects occur in response to a melee hit. When you damage or otherwise affect the creature with a melee attack, it will state “Backlash” and the name of the effect. No spell packet is thrown, the effect hits you automatically when you strike the creature. For example, a creature surrounded by an aura of fire might call “Backlash, Fire Pain!” Anyone who struck the creature with a melee attack will suffer Pain. The creature still takes the effect of your melee attack. If it can resist the effect in any way, it cannot cause Backlash. Backlash effects may not be parried, cannot be prevented by armor, and a Spell Shield or Reflection Shield will not stop them. Backlash can only be used for a limited number of effects: Feeblemind, Knockdown, Pain, Pacify, Push, Repel, Silence, or Snare. Special Defenses Many defenses have been developed over the ages. Here are some important ones: Light Armor - Light armor protects against any uncalled thrown weapon attacks. If a skill is called, the armor does not protect you. Armor only protects you if the attack hits an area (torso, right arm, left arm, right leg, or left leg) where you are wearing armor. See also Light Armor on page 56. Medium Armor - Medium armor protects against uncalled thrown and missile weapon attacks. Armor only protects you if the attack hits an area (torso, right arm, left arm, right leg, or left leg) where you are wearing armor. In addition, if you have medium armor on your torso, you are immune to bolt spells (any spell that does 1 point of damage). See also Medium Armor on page 56. Heavy Armor - Heavy armor protects against uncalled thrown and missile weapon attacks. In addition, any limb with heavy armor is immune to the Maim skill. (It does not protect from the Maim effect because you are down to your “Torso Shot.” See Torso Shot and the Stun Rule on page 74.) If you have heavy armor on your torso, you are immune to Slay and to all damage spells (but not damage effects delivered by other means, such as melee attacks or potions). Armor only protects you if the attack hits an area (torso, right arm, left arm, right leg, or left leg) where you are wearing armor. See also Heavy Armor on page 56. Dodge - This skill allows you to evade any thrown or missile weapon attack, whether a special skill is called or not. You must state “Dodge” when using this skill. See also Dodge on page 41. 82 Part 2 - Playing the Game Parry - This skill allows you to turn aside an attack made with a melee weapon. You must have a weapon— unsheathed and in your hand—to use this skill. It will protect you against any special attack or skill used with a melee weapon, except stealth attacks (Backstab, Waylay, and Assassinate). You must state “Parry” when using this skill. See also Parry on page 47. Spell Shield - This spell (“I grant you a spell shield”) can be cast upon you, allowing you to resist any one magical attack delivered by spell packet or area effect, except Dispel. You can decide when to use it; it doesn’t have to be the first spell that hits you. You must state “Resist” when using your Spell Shield. A Spell Shield cannot be used to resist a weapon attack, Potion or Oil, or any other attack besides spell packets and area effects. Other Shield spells - A variety of spells may grant you a Shield against a particular effect. This type of Shield allows you to resist the effect once. For example, Pain Shield allows you to resist Pain, once. You must state “Resist” when using your Shield. You are not required to use your Shield against the first effect, you can decide when to use it. You may never have more than one Shield at any time; Shields may not be combined even if they are of different types. Reflect - This spell (“I grant myself a reflection shield”) protects you from spells as a Spell Shield would, but allows you to reflect the spell back at the caster. To use it, you must state “Resist” and the full incantation for the spell to be reflected, then throw a packet at the caster. This spell (“I grant myself a reflection shield”) may only be cast upon yourself. Barrier spells - Other spells may grant you a Barrier against a particular effect. You may never have more than one Barrier at one time. Barriers always have a limited duration (usually 5 minutes). You have unlimited resistance to the effect until your Barrier expires. For example, a Pain Barrier that lasts 5 minutes gives you resistance to every Pain effect until the Barrier expires. You must state “Barrier” when using your Barrier. Shells - A few types of creatures have limited protection against non-magical attacks, and will state “Barrier” if struck with a non-enchanted weapon. Any weapon attack with any enchantment will damage the creature. In addition, some types of attacks will break the shell, leaving the creature vulnerable to all attacks. In some cases, any magical damage will break the shell, while for more powerful creatures only specific types will do so (though others will still inflict damage even though they do not remove the shell). All shells can be broken in multiple ways. Some creatures will recover their shell if they have not been defeated for several minutes. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Sounds of Battle Other Details Durations Some effects have an instant effect, such as Death or Damage, or last until you complete the required action, such as Subdue, Knockdown, Push, and Pain. Everything else defaults to 1 minute unless stated otherwise in the incant/call. The one exception to this 1 minute rule is Poison, which lasts 5 minutes. Occasionally you will encounter effects that will not wear off on their own. The calls for these will specify “until cured.” Disease and Wither are two examples of effects that often are used this way. While I Sing Some spells conveyed by music last as long as you can hear the singer. These spells must first affect you (e.g. by spell packet) but once they have begun, the duration lasts until the singer stops or you have moved far enough away that you are unable to hear them. Covering your ears will not stop the spell, you must move far enough away that you would be unable to hear them with your ears uncovered. Some less melodious creatures will state “while I screech” instead. ...Until Death If the call ends with “until death”, you take the specified effect for the normal duration (1 minute if not specified) but then die when the duration ends. Anything that removes the specified effect will prevent the death. For example, “slumber until death” puts you to sleep for 1 minute, after which you will die, but if an Awaken spell or potion is used before the minute is up, you will be fine. “Petrify 5 minutes until death” turns you to stone for 5 minutes, after which you will die, but if a Stone To Flesh spell is used before you die you will be ok. If you have the ability to resist a Death effect, you suffer the main effect for the stated duration (e.g. you are turned to stone for 5 minutes) but at the conclusion can resist the Death effect and be back to normal. ...To... If a call specifies that it is “to” a specific target, it is only effective when striking targets of that type. For example, “damage 5 to undead” does five points of damage to undead, but has no effect on targets who are not undead. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Other Details Attack Calls All of the attack calls you may hear during the game are listed below. Many spells will use one of these terms, although spells where the effect is clearly explained in the incant are not described below. “Acid” - Caustic, burning acid is used in traps and by some of the vilest of swamp creatures. If you’ve been struck by any form of squirting water (from a squirt gun, a trap, etc.), you suffer one point of acid damage. Even if your companion is directly struck by the acid, but some of it spatters onto you, you both take the damage. This form of attack may be blocked by a shield, but if any acid strikes you (or your armor) you will take the damage and should role-play the effects. See also Traps on page 89. “Amnesia” - For the duration of this effect, you cannot remember anything about yourself. You remember general things about the world (you still know what trees and orcs and magic are), but not your name, your friends or associates, or life purpose. You do not know what your skills are. However, any physical skills (all fighting and stealth skills) can be used by reflex, and you will recognize a weapon as usable if you have it in hand and have the skill to use it. You can use your spells only if someone explains to you how they are supposed to work, and prompts you with the incantation. This condition should be roleplayed as involving great confusion. If attacked you will certainly defend yourself (or flee), but in any conflict you will be uncertain which side to join unless you are persuaded or attacked by one side. When the duration ends, your memory come flooding back, and you will also remember everything that happened while you were under the effects of Amnesia. “Assassinate” - The Assassin can kill with a quick strike to your vulnerable back. Assassinate must strike the back and the blow must originate from behind the victim to be effective. If you have been Assassinated, you are Dead, so healing cannot help you. The attack does not need to surprise you. If it hits your back it is effective. See also Assassinate on page 37. “Backstab” - Brigands and vagabonds prefer to strike from the shadows for maximum effect. Backstab must strike the back and the blow must originate from behind the victim to be effective. It causes 3 points of damage. The attack does not need to surprise you. If it hits your back it is effective. See also Backstab on page 38. 83 Attack Calls “Betrayal” - Corrupting your mind and heart, dark magic can cause you to turn against your friends, allies, and loved ones. While under the effects of Betrayal, your highest priority is causing harm to these people in the most effective possible way. You are not controlled by the caster, and do not need to follow any commands given by the caster, but any former interest you might have had in harming the caster has been replaced by your desire to harm your friends. You may choose direct or indirect means, and even delay if it will allow you to attack them more effectively, but you must take action within the duration of the effect; you cannot continue delay until it wears off. If at all possible, you should attempt to kill your victims, but if it is not possible, you can attempt to harm them, implicate them in crimes, undermine their friendships, destroy their reputation, etc. You are not required to reveal any secret information about them, nor must any accusations about them be accurate, although they may be. “Bind” - With foul magics, hostile mages may restrain you and make you unable to fight. Your wrists are magically bound to your waist. You may not fight (including defending yourself) or cast spells while under the effects of Bind. “Bloodrend” - With jagged claws, some creatures cause wounds so grievous you may continue to bleed until you collapse. This attack does no damage immediately, but after one minute you will lose all of your vitality, fall to the ground and begin bleeding to death. “Charm” - Overpowering persuasion is the weapon of some as they force their will upon the unsuspecting. If subjected to this power, you must treat the user as your closest friend, and try to fulfill any order or request they make. In no instance will you do anything to harm yourself or your friends while charmed. If you are Charmed by more than one person, treat them all as your closest friends. If they are both present and make conflicting demands, you can roleplay confusion or try to convince them to resolve their differences. Charm cannot be used to force a person to speak the truth or reveal secrets. See the last two paragraphs under “Enslave” on page 85. P art 2 - Playing the Game “Damage” - Damage represents any attack that takes away your Vitality. As a magical (packet-based) attack, this will usually be part of a full incant, but may be as short as “Fire, damage two.” When delivered by packet, Damage is blocked by heavy torso armor and by defenses that work against spells. Damage delivered by packet is always considered to hit your torso, regardless of where the packet actually hits. When delivered by a weapon, the call will usually just be the call of damage followed by the number of Vitality, e.g. “Damage three” will take away 3 Vitality. A damage call delivered by a weapon does its damage to the location struck. If it hits your arm, and does enough damage to take away all your vitality, your arm is stunned but you do not fall - you still have your torso shot. If it hits your torso and does enough damage to take away all your vitality, you drop and start bleeding to death. In this respect it's just like being hit multiple times in the location it hit. Heavy torso armor does not stop Damage delivered by a weapon. It only stops Damage spells. ”Damage” as a weapon call works like other weapon calls: If delivered by a melee weapon, it can be Parried. If delivered by a thrown or missile weapon, it can be Dodged. It is effective if it hits any legal target area (arms, legs, torso, but not hands, feet, head, groin), but not effective if you block it with the weapon or shield that you are using, preventing it from hitting a legal target. If something else on your person prevents it from hitting a legal target area (e.g. a pouch, a backpack, something other than a weapon that you are holding) you take the effect. “Disarm” - Whether by a graceful twist or brutal strike, this attack will remove your weapon from your hand. If delivered by a weapon, it must strike your weapon to be effective. If delivered by a spell, the packet can hit anywhere and the caster must specify what item is disarmed. Twohanded weapons, when held in both hands, are immune to Disarm. Shields and bucklers are also immune to Disarm. A Disarmed weapon must be dropped (not thrown) and not picked up for at least 5 seconds. See also Disarm on page 41. “Death” - Rare and feared are those who kill with a single spell, or use venoms that cause instant death. Death is instantaneous, leaving you Dead, with no pulse, and unable to be healed. “Disease” - Rotting flesh and a diet of foodstuffs most foul make the touch and even the very breath of some beings rife with plague and disease. While Diseased, you cannot be healed by any means, including Bandaging and Laying On Hands. Dying and going to Fate is the most common cure, although a Cure Disease spell is a more pleasant solution. 84 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Sounds of Battle “Dispel Enchantment” - This spell (“I dispel all magic items upon you, 5 minutes”) interferes with magical items. You may not use any ability or spell stored in any magic item, nor may you use any potion or scroll. However, you may use your own spells normally, and this spell does not affect any spell that has been previously cast upon you, even if it was cast by a magic item. When cast as a spell (including area effects), Dispel effects cannot be resisted. However, if called with a weapon strike, they can be Parried (if melee) or Dodged (if thrown or missile). “Dispel Magic” - With a powerful incantation (“I dispel all active magics upon you”) this spell sweeps away any spell or spell-like effect that is active upon you. It gets rid of active beneficial magic: any shield, barrier, magical armor, or any ability bestowed by any spell, rune (including rune of holding), potion, or scroll. It also gets rid of not-so beneficial magic: all types of binding; on-going pain; if you are petrified it turns you back to normal. Dispel Magic does not remove Curses, or permanent alchemical effects. Dispel Magic does not affect damage you have taken. Dispel Magic does not remove Poison, Venom, or Disease, even if these came from a spell as they are not magical. It does not restore Drained vitality, or Withered limbs. Dispel Magic does not affect any magic items or unused potions or scrolls in any way. If you have already used the item to cast a spell on yourself, that spell is lost, and that spell has already been used from the item, but if the item has the ability to cast additional spells on you or others, you can still use it to do so. Dispel Magic does not prevent you from using magic after it has hit you, or from being affected by magic after it has hit you. It also does not affect your Mana. When cast as a spell (including area effects), Dispel effects cannot be resisted. However, if called with a weapon strike, they can be Parried (if melee) or Dodged (if thrown or missile). “Drain Vitality” - Some vile creatures can drain the life force from a body and consume it, preventing its restoration by the healing arts; recovery from such tainted wounds can take weeks. Drained Vitality is lost and cannot be restored by any form of healing. If hit by this ability, the victim loses the specified amount of Vitality, which cannot be healed unless you die and go to Fate. You can always be healed your last point of Vitality, even if it was drained—if this happens, you fall and begin Dying, but can be restored to 1 point of Vitality by healing or bandaging. The spell “I drain you of one vitality” is a Drain Vitality effect. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Attack Calls “Enslave” - With hearts as cold as ice, some villains can completely overpower the minds of their victims through the sheer power of their will, leaving them no better than puppets to their master’s whims. This spell completely enslaves the mind of the target so that they will do anything they are told to by the caster, up to and including killing themselves. Fate will not consider such a death as suicide. (This spell will not allow any commands which violate real-world standards of decency). You will remember everything that took place while you were enslaved. You will remain enslaved for the entire duration even if the caster is absent, Unconscious, or deceased. Furthermore, you will remain enslaved even if you are rendered Unconscious and then healed before the spell has expired. While under the effects of Enslave, you must follow any orders or instructions to the best of your ability. If the instructions are vague, you can be intelligent about how you carry them out, but you will try to honor their intent and achieve them within the duration of the spell. For example, if ordered to kill your friends, you could attack them outright, or you could approach them while acting normally and then stab them in the back. You can’t warn them, or keep delaying the attack until the spell wears off. If you are Enslaved by more than one person and receive conflicting orders, always obey the most recent orders. Enslave can not be used to compel a person to tell the truth or reveal a secret, however. If someone attempts to use it to force the truth out of you, you are welcome to deal with it in whatever way you want. Some acceptable answers to the order “Tell me the location of the rebel base” might be: “No,” “I can’t,” “Far, far away,” “It’s difficult to describe,” “Over the river and through the woods,” “In the catacombs under the old temple,” or “The location of the rebel base.” Actions cannot be used to circumvent the “no truth” rule. Examples of illegal commands would be: “Lead me to your secret buried treasure,” “Point out your accomplice in the crowd,” “Write down the names of all the members of your secret organization.” And any such variations on the theme. These types of commands should promptly be ignored as beyond the parameters of the spell. Good general guidance (read as “spirit of the rule”) is that charm and enslave are not information gathering spells. 85 Attack Calls “Explosion” - Some creatures are so volatile that a single attack upon them will force them to explode. These creatures will yell “Explosion,” an amount of damage, and throw a horde of spell packets. Anyone struck by one or more packets takes the damage. The damage is not multiplied by the number of packets that hit you; you take the same damage whether one packets hits you or fifty. You can resist an explosion with a Spell Shield. “Feeblemind” - With a blast of jumbled thought, some foes can prevent you from remembering your training. You are unable to cast any spell by any means (including from scrolls, magic items, and alchemical powders) or use any called expendable skill (including those granted by magic items, potions, etc) except those whose call is “Resist.” You can still use unlimited-use skills, such as Literacy and the ability to wield a weapon. You also retain use of your Vitality. “Final Death” - With power from the very heart of darkness, some beings can so damage one’s spirit that it may never return again. If hit by this attack your character is permanently dead. You can not be brought back to life even by Ressurection, by Self-Sacrifice, or Twist of Fate card. Final Death cannot be Reflected. Any defense that protects you against Death will also protect you from Final Death. For example, Death Barrier will protect against both Death and Final Death. “Flat” - Anyone may call “Flat” before striking to indicate they are hitting with the flat side of the weapon, pulling their blow, or otherwise hitting without causing damage. Any blow struck with a call of “Flat” does no damage. You may not combine a call of Flat with any other call, so if another call is used, take that effect as normal. If you fail to call “Flat”, the blow does normal damage. The exception is sparring in the designated pit fighting arena. In the pit, a call of “Flat” is required only on your first hit against a given opponent and all additional hits are assumed to be Flat unless you call “Real.” P art 2 - Playing the Game “Freeze Limb” - Wielding cold magic, ice elementals and Elementalists may encase their foes in ice. Freeze Limb incapacitates a limb, like the Maim skill, but is not cured by Healing. The Release spell will remove the effect before its normal duration is over. “Knockdown” - With a blow from a heavy weapon or subdue packet, you can be knocked right off your feet. When struck with this skill, you must safely fall to the ground and then lie flat on your back or front before you can stand again. If you are able to defend yourself while falling, you may do so. Knockdown is even effective if it hits your shield. See also Knockdown on page 44. “Magnetize” - Some mages and clerics can pull your body or shields towards objects. If your body is magnetized, for example “I magnetize you to the nearest tree,” you should move to the closest tree as quickly as possible and remain attached to it for the duration. You cannot attack or defend while magnetized to a tree. If you are struck by “I magnetize your shield to the ground,” you must place your shield on the ground, after which you may let go of the shield. “Maim” - This ability represents the brute force of an Ogre’s club or the cutting edge of a Dark Elf ’s blade to render your limb useless. Once struck on a limb, you will be unable to use it again until you receive any Healing or Bandaging. This ability is only effective on limbs; if a Maim hits the torso it will have no effect. If Maimed in the leg, you should fall (safely) to the ground. You may not hop on one foot. Maim is painful, and you should role-play appropriately. The spell, “I magically break your right arm” (or other limb) is the same as the Maim skill, but does not need to hit your limb. See also Maim on page 46. “Forget” - This attack destroys your short term memory. You permanently Forget everything that happened within the last 5 minutes. If something prompts you to think about it, you will realize that you have forgotten a period of time, but not what happened during that time. Otherwise, you will not be aware that your memory was erased. Even if you die and go to Fate, who allows you to remember how you died, this will not restore memories erased with this spell. Dispel Magic also will not restore the memories; the memories have been permanently destroyed. 86 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Sounds of Battle “Mimic” - Some who wield dark magics are not satisfied with merely killing you. They raise your corpse and make it their servant, sending you to kill and terrorize those you meant to defend. This is a spell, and its incant is “I raise this corpse as an undead mimic under my control, with your remaining skills, full vitality and intelligence, for 10 minutes.” Once raised, you have your full vitality, but no pulse, and you may act intelligently, although under the control of the caster (as if Enslaved, see “Enslave” on page 85). You may speak, if it is consistent with the instructions your master gives you. Any skills you have remaining may be used, and once you return from Fate you will still have these skills available even if you used them as a mimic. For this spell to affect you, you must be Dead. Mimics are undead, and affected by all spells that affect undead, but are not affected by Holy Water and do not gain any special resistances or abilities. This spell lasts only 10 minutes. Once the 10 minute duration ends, you fall, and then go directly and immediately to Fate (do not lie dead for an additional 5 minutes). You will not remember anything you did as a Mimic unless Fate allows you to remember the circumstances of your death. The skill Resurrection will bring a Mimic back to life as if the person had not died (in which case you may remember everything). While under the effects of Mimic, you must follow any orders or instructions to the best of your ability. If the instructions are vague, you can be intelligent about how you carry them out, but you will try to honor their intent and achieve them within the duration of the spell. For example, if ordered to kill your friends, you could attack them outright, or you could approach them while acting normally and then stab them in the back. You can’t warn them, or keep delaying the attack until the spell wears off. ”Pacify” - The impulse to conflict can be extinguished with a spell. Although you do not necessarily feel any trust or friendship with the caster, you are unable or unwilling (your choice) to take aggressive action against them. This effect is instantly broken if they attack you, whether with a weapon or with spells. This effect does not prevent you from attacking anyone other than the caster. This effect can be removed by Free Will (the caster must specify what effect is to be removed). “Pain” - With a precise strike to a nerve or an overwhelming crushing blow, some foes will incapacitate you with agony. When hit with this ability you must immediately fall to the ground and role-play severe pain (scream in agony). The pain continues until you touch both knees and a hand to the ground (unless there is a duration in the incantation). During this time, you cannot cast spells, fight, or defend yourself. The victim should role-play the pain they are suffering to the utmost. See also Pain on page 46. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Attack Calls “Paralyze” - The very touch of some beings is so spinechilling that they can paralyze their victims with dread. When struck with a Paralyze attack, your entire body will become rigid and immobile for five minutes. If you are killed while paralyzed and standing, you may choose to remain standing or collapse at your discretion. ”Petrify” - Your entire body and all your possessions are turned to stone. You cannot move. However, you are immune to all non-magical attacks, and you cannot be searched or disarmed. If you are bleeding to death, this pauses until the Petrification ends. Petrification can be removed by a Stone To Flesh effect but not by Release (you aren't bound, you actually become stone). At the end of the duration you turn back to normal—unless the call ended with “until death” in which case you die. “Pierce” - A skilled archer can aim for the chinks in your armor, bypassing any protection it would otherwise give. This skill is used to allow missile weapons to harm targets in medium or heavy armor. See also Pierce on page 47. “Poison” - A variety of toxic substances can mean death to the unwary. The “Poison” effect may be delivered as Contact or Ingestive Poison (see Poison on page 89) or as Poison Venom (see “Venom” on page 88) or as a spell (“I poison your body”). Once struck by this ability you have ten seconds before you fall into unconsciousness and five minutes before your character dies. During the initial 10 seconds, you may not fight, cast spells, or defend yourself in any way. The same effect is also caused by ingestive and contact poisons. For other types of Blade Venoms, see “Venom” on page 88 for more details. ”Push” - With a carefully placed blow, you may be sent reeling. When struck with this effect, you are pushed back 10 feet. You should back up safely, not blindly run backwards. Like Knockdown, when called with a weapon strike this is effective if it hits a shield or your body, but not if it hits a weapon. “Repel” - Many foes prefer to keep you at a distance. Some use gusts of magical wind to force you back, others creates impenetrable fear in your own mind. Whatever the cause, you must continue moving away from your opponent for the entire duration. However, you do not need to move quickly; you can back away slowly. 87 Attack Calls “Silence” - Silence is golden, especially when your opponent is a spellcaster. When silenced, you may not speak, sing, mumble, or vocalize in any way. You may not cast spells, or use scrolls, alchemical powders, or magic items that require an incantation. However, you may call skills that do not have an incant (for example, any Fighting skill). The call for these skills is considered out-of-game. Silence can be removed by a Communicate spell, restoring your ability to communicate. You are unable to cast Communicate (or any spell) on yourself while Silenced. “Slay” - This powerful attack must hit the torso to be effective. It inflicts 5 points of damage. If the blow misses, the Slay skill is not expended. See also Slay on page 51. “Slay” (Bow) - Some beings are so adept at the use of the bow that a single arrow can hit the correct spot to do the maximum amount of damage to their targets. Like the normal Slay combat skill, the user must call out “Slay” before shooting an arrow at the victim. The Slay With Bow skill will do five points of damage with one arrow if the target is struck in the torso area. If the arrow misses, the Slay skill is not expended. See also Slay With Bow on page 51. “Slumber” - The soporific aura of some beings can so numb their victims that they fall into Unconsciousness for 5 minutes. Only the Awaken spell will wake them up before the duration runs out. ”Snare” - With magic of earth or things that dwell within it, you may be snared to the ground. You may not move your feet. If your feet are not in contact with the ground (e.g. you are in mid-air) they will be snared when you land. “Subdue” - This skill represents a “sucker punch” or a disabling martial arts attack. Your opponent must be approximately one-and-one-half arms’ lengths away from you and throw a small fist-sized bean bag at your chest. If it connects with the front of your torso, you are rendered senseless for a quick ten-count. During this count you will be unable to do anything but fall to the ground anything but fall to the ground; you may not defend yourself in any way. If you catch or block the beanbag in any way, successfully preventing your chest from being struck, the attack is negated. This skill inflicts no damage. Subdue can be resisted using the Hardiness skill, or a rigid helm. Subdue is not delivered by a weapon, so Parry and Dodge can not block it. On occasion this skill will be combined with an additional skill or damage, but may be still blocked as specified above. Subdue does not last long enough for the victim to be Quickdeathed. See also Subdue on page 52. 88 P art 2 - Playing the Game “Venom” - The myriad forms of unhealthy toxins are almost too many to count. Venom attacks cause some sort of effect on their victims. Phrases such as “Death Venom,” “Slumber Venom,” “Damage 5 Venom,” etc. are a few of the examples of how the word “Venom” is applied. You suffer only the stated effect. For example, if struck with “Slumber Venom”, you suffer the Slumber effect. If struck with “Poison Venom”, you suffer the effects of Poison (see Venom on page 89). Venom can be resisted if you are able to resist the effect or if you have the ability to resist Venom. If the effect is ongoing, the effect can be cured in the usual fashion or by Cleansing the Venom. For example, “Slumber Venom” can be cured with an Awaken spell or a Cleanse spell. If the effect is instant (e.g. Damage, Death, Forget), you cannot be Cleansed. Venom applied to a melee weapon remains on the weapon until it strikes a person, but it is not removed by striking a weapon or shield. Venom on a thrown or missile weapon is removed as soon as the weapon strikes anything, including a shield, weapon, or even the ground. Blade venom may not be applied to blunt weapons. “Waylay” - With a quick, hard strike to the back of your head, a thief can render you quickly Unconscious. The attack must strike your back. You must fall to the ground for five minutes, Unconscious. The attack does not need to surprise you, if it hits your back it is effective. A rigid helmet or the skill Hardiness will prevent the effects of this skill. See also Waylay on page 54. “Weakness” - Draining strength from their victims, some creatures can incapacitate their targets so that it is impossible for them to flee. The victim may only walk at a normal pace and can not run (speed walking is not allowed). No heavy objects or other characters can be carried. Most importantly, the victim may not wield a weapon in combat, or throw spell packets further than five feet, while suffering this effect. Great weakness should be role-played. Weakness can be resisted or cured by expending a Strength spell or skill or the black warg skill Stones Throw. “Wither” - The evil touch, or gaze, of some beings is enough to destroy the flesh of those they grasp. The opponent will call “Wither” and strike you in a limb. This means you will be unable to use the limb for the remainder of the event. “Cure Disease” or dying and going to Fate will cure this. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Sounds of Battle Poison Poison has been used for centuries as a dark and secretive way of assassination. It is by far one of the cruelest and most vile ways to finish someone off. We’re sure that knowing this will increase its popularity. In the Mythical Journeys world there are a two basic groups of poisons: poison and venom. Venoms are applied to bladed weapons, using the Apply Poison skill, and are used like other called skills. When affected by Poison (contact, ingestive, or poison venom), you fall Unconscious in ten seconds and die in five minutes if the poison is not neutralized. During the first ten seconds you are unable to fight, cast spells, or defend yourself. If you can drink a Cleanse potion in the first ten seconds, it will save you, but you cannot cast a Cleanse spell on yourself. Bandaging will not return you to consciousness until the poison is gone from your system, nor will any Healing wake you. At the end of the five minutes, you are Dead. Any time before you die, the poison can be neutralized with a Cleanse spell or effect. Poison can be delivered in several ways: Contact Poison - This poison is the type that comes in contact with your exposed skin. Mythical Journeys uses petroleum jelly to represent contact poison. Gloves will protect you from the effects of Contact Poison if they prevent it from reaching your bare skin. Once you have applied contact poison, it cannot be moved. Likewise, if you touch a poisoned door handle with gloves on and then shake the hand of your party member, they are in no danger of dying as the poison has been diluted. Ingestive Poison - Poisons of this type are ones that must be taken internally. This is done by slipping a Swedish Fish into someone’s food or drink. (Swedish Fish are a form of gummy candy.) If you examine your food or drink for poison without the spell “Detect Poison” then the poison immediately effects you. You do not need to actually eat the Swedish Fish to be poisoned; you are poisoned as soon as you discover it. Venom - Blade venoms take many forms. One form is “Poison Venom.” This form has the same effect as contact poison and ingestive poison. Other venoms may have various other effects; see “Venom” on page 88 for more details. Venom applied to a melee weapon remains on the weapon until it strikes a person, but it is not removed by striking a weapon or shield. Venom on a thrown or missile weapon is removed as soon as the weapon strikes anything, including a shield, weapon, or even the ground. If the venom is on a melee weapon, you can Parry it. If the venom is on a thrown weapon, you can Dodge it. Blade venoms cannot be combined with any other skills. For example, you cannot call “Backstab Weakness Venom.” Blade venom may not be applied to blunt weapons. You cannot see Venom on a weapon, but the spell Detect Poison will detect it. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Poison Traps “But seriously... if this is a trap, we're going to kill you.” ~ the High Town Defense Brigade When crawling through a dungeon, traps are the adventurer’s worst nightmare. One misplaced step, and hours of crawling through tiny holes and carefully avoiding monsters could be wasted. Traps come in many forms, ranging from small traps that are just a nuisance to lethal traps which can kill your whole party. Characters who devote effort to their study can learn to build and set traps themselves. Once a trap is set it cannot be moved. All traps are considered to be red-stickered (that is, they cannot be moved or stolen). If you accidentally set off your own trap while setting it up you will be affected by it and the trap will be broken. However, anyone may attempt to disarm a trap. You may use a tool to move poppers out of the way, but not touch them with your hands (even if wearing gloves) or take them with you. If the trap goes off while you are trying to disarm it, you take the damage. Armor does not protect against any type of trap. You can use the Avoid Trap skill to avoid any one trap you set off. The following are the basic types of traps in the game and their effects: Popper Traps - These are the simplest traps in the game, representing caltrops and small explosives. They make a sharp popping or snapping noise when they are set off. They Maim the limb of the person that set them off in the limb closest to the trap. For example, if you step on a popper trap, one of your legs will be maimed. Armor will not prevent this effect. Mechanical Traps - These traps involve some sort of weapon strike to the victim, such as a blade swinging out of the wall or a spring-released dagger, or other mechanical traps such as falling rocks. This type of trap must hit the victim in order to inflict damage. If a limb is hit, it is Maimed. If the torso is hit, you are affected as if hit by the Slay skill (5 points of damage). Armor will not prevent these effects. Buzzer Traps - This is a magical trap. When this type of trap is set off a loud buzzing noise will be heard. The person setting off the trap is Paralyzed for 5 minutes. A spell shield will not prevent the magic from taking place. Acid Traps - When this type of trap is set off, corrosive acid (represented by water) pours or splashes onto the victim. If a victim is hit on any part of their body they will take 1 point of damage. If the acid hits another person or object and then splashes onto you then you still take the damage. If you are using a shield and the acid only hits your shield, you are not damaged. Flash Traps - These traps emit a bright flash when triggered. All characters caught in the flash (everyone in the illuminated area and within 20 feet) will suffer Pain. This effect cannot be blocked with a shield, armor, or a Spell Shield. 89 Traps Melkar and Dunnam did indeed return to the companions but they were very quiet about their meeting with Fate. The friends retired to their cabin and evaluated their performance that day. They decided they would have to forget their plans to be the best in the game and develop a strategy for just keeping each other alive. The next day they began to implement the new plan. Gabriel agreed that as he was the group’s healer, he needed to be able to see people fall if he was to heal them. Kimba studied her spells and their effects so she would always have at least a couple appropriate spells handy. Grog grudgingly agreed to give the group at least one minute to solve problems before he took matters into his own hands, and Dunnam and Rasaan resolved to practice watching each others backs. Melkar agreed to scout the group’s flank to protect them from surprise attacks. They hoped today would be a safer day. Saturday went much better, the group was able to make many treks into the forest, and began to learn how to stay alive and even make a profit. When a large group of orcs attacked them in the woods, they learned the most important lesson of all. “He who learns to run away lives to fight another day.” The companions managed to win a few battles and no one else died. They also helped in a few quests with other groups. Rassaan so impressed the Militia members that he was offered a position among them. Kimba had petitioned for a position in the mages guild and Gabriel had joined the local Radiance Temple where he was well thought of for his boisterous enthusiasm. Word came that the “creature” was heading toward their town. It would be here on Sunday. The companions looked at each other with distress as they remembered the bloody men in the Tavern on Friday night. The town was organizing to stop the creature. The mages of the guild flocked to the Library and determined that the only way to stop it was through massed spell attacks and the blade of a hero. The companions remembered hearing a rumor about the crypt of the fallen hero the night before in the tavern and attempted to learn more about it. They sent Melkar to the tavern to practice his gift for getting information from people. Meanwhile they made discreet (in Grog’s case not so discreet), inquiries into any tales or legends of old heroes in the area. In the end, it was Melkar who came through. He had gained the affection of a local clanswoman who had seen a crypt in the deep woods when she had been chased by orcs. Although Melkar nearly lost his head attempting to pilfer her purse, she agreed to show the party the way to the crypt, for a steep price. The party agreed to meet her that evening with the money. To prepare for the journey, they bought bandages and healing potions. Grog spent the next hour repairing the party’s armor. The Soldiers of the Shadow rippled with 90 P art 2 - Playing the Game excitement. This would be their biggest challenge ever. Rassaan managed to borrow a spare set of armor from the watch for Dunnam, and Dunnam, who had finally met with a group of rangers, came back to the cabin with an old piece of parchment. He had gotten it from an ancient Druid and he gave it to Kimba. “It’s a battle scroll, Kimba,” he told her, “Hold it for me till I ask you to read it. It’s supposed to make flames cover my sword.” Dunnam rubbed his hands in anticipation. It was time to meet their guide. The Soldiers of the Shadow stood at the entrance to the crypt. This was said to be the final resting place of the Hero of Fells Peak who had been corrupted just before death. His spirit now guarded the sword he once carried with honor. Grog pushed to the front when the door opened, and boldly stepped inside. The others held a collective breath and followed quickly. Kimba lit magical light as they stepped inside and breathed the thick crypt air. The tomb was thick with creeping mists, and they could sense danger all about them. The crypt guardians struck first out of the fog, and combat ensued. Grog, Rassaan, and Dunnam rushed to the front while Gabriel watched the back and Kimba tried desperately to remember the weakness of the spirit guardians. Melkar had disappeared into the fog looking for a back to plunge his dagger into. “Fire, that was it!” Kimba yelled, “give me room!” Kimba raised her fire spell to memory and hoped she wasn’t wrong. “Through Fire, Bolt Damage 1” she cried and a ball of flame grew in her hand and arced through the room at the nearest spirit guardian. A staggering and moaning shadow indicated that she had scored a hit. Grog objected loudly that she had killed his guardian, but as she tried to repeat the experience she found she was too weak to continue to cast. She had exhausted her supply of Mana. Suddenly she felt the cold grip of death talons maim her legs and strike her chest. She fell to the floor senseless. When she awoke, Gabriel was forcing some foul liquid down her throat and Dunnam was bandaging a gash in her leg. “Fire and holy water also, Kimba,” Gabriel said with a chuckle and kicked the motionless form beside him. The foul liquid appeared to be gradually replenishing some of her magical energy and she deduced that Gabriel had given her the potion the mage’s guild had allowed her to borrow for this mission. The next minion they met trapped them in a strange circle and demanded that they solve a puzzle. The correct answer would free them and allow their passage. Each incorrect answer would mean the death of one of the companions. Luckily, the puzzle reminded Melkar of a game he played as a youth and the companions were soon on their way. Dunnam, Rasaan, and Grog made short work of the next guardians who attempted to end their quest for the sword, their blades working Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Sounds of Battle so well together that they even surprised themselves. Finally they were starting to get the hang of this. The final room in the crypt contained the spirit of the lost hero and his minions of death. The battle was furious and many times the companions were convinced that the mission was impossible. Gabriel was a blur, running to and fro healing his friends and fending off the minions who would hinder him. His booming voice could be heard invoking the tenets of Radiance constantly, and only occasionally could the quiet voice of Kimba be heard casting spells which were carefully aimed and spoken with precision. She made each spell count, choosing just one spell to repeat as often as she had the strength. “Through Fire, Bolt Damage 1”. When the fighting ended, and Gabriel was once again busy getting the companions back on their feet, Melkar appeared with a curiously glowing sword in his hand. “I found this under the chest, do you suppose it’s important?” he said with a lopsided grin, as he fell to the floor. When Gabriel rushed to his side he saw three darts with a black ooze sticking from his chest. The building began to shake violently so they carried Melkar out through the crumbling door as the crypt began to sink deeper into the ground. Gabriel cleansed Melkar’s tainted blood, though at the cost of the last of his clerical energy. In their hurry to leave the crypt, they had only managed to grab a few coins and a piece of parchment which Kimba seemed to treasure. The companions had hoped for a more profitable adventure, but at least they had rescued the sword. As they headed for the tavern, Melkar patted his curiously bulging pouches and grinned. Drinks would be on him tonight. The Soldiers of the Shadow marched triumphantly into the tavern holding the hard won sword. “’Tis the Sword of Law,” the Mage Guildmaster said in awe. “With this sword, Rasaan, you will be able to penetrate the skin of the beast. You must wield the sword against the beast tomorrow. With the spellcasters of the town, and a strong fighter to wield this magical weapon, we now have a chance to defeat this foul creature.” The friends were overjoyed, they would stand beside him while he did battle with the creature and pray that their quest was not in vain. As the companions sat in the tavern, Melkar grinned and told the story of the fight in the crypt for the third time to a new audience of adventurers that had stopped in to view the Sword of Law for themselves. Tonight the drinks were bought for the companions by admirers. Tomorrow would bring the full reckoning. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Traps The beast came the next day and the mages lined up to hurl spells at it while Rasaan faced it with the Sword of Law. The companions and other townsfolk shielded the mages from the fury of the beast as Rasaan stood before the beast and brandished the sword. The beast swung its two swords in deadly blows against Rasaan’s armor, “Slay, Slay”, but the fantastic armor withstood the blows as well as the claw attacks that attempted to “Maim” his arms. When the beast gathered his fists and hammered Rasaan’s chest though, he was driven to his knees by the “knockdown.” The beast gave up his furious attacks and began to slash at Rasaan’s armor, exploiting areas of weakness for lesser but still very damaging attacks. Rasaan dropped to his knees, his strength just about spent and his right leg mangled beyond use. Seeing Rasaan in trouble, Dunnam grabbed Kimba and shouted for her to read the scroll he had given her. She read it, and when she touched his sword the blade was enveloped with magical flames. Dunnam circled to the back of the beast and cut ruthlessly at its torso. The beast turned on Dunnam with a flurry of blows. Dunnam ducked, stepped to the side, and rolled beneath the swings of the beast. As the beast turned to finish him off, it met the two swords of Dunnam and Rasaan. The companion’s swords blocked and weaved in unison while they tried to stay out of the beast’s range and strike through its thick hide. The mages’ spells did exceptional damage to the beast as well and Dunnam moved in for the kill only to run into a blast of energy that was mis-thrown by a young mage. The spell knocked him to the ground, dazed and seriously hurt. The beast sensing an opportunity, raised his two swords to strike the unarmored Ranger. Rassaan threw a last attack at the creatures back as it turned to strike Dunnam and his magical sword penetrated the beasts torso for the final time. At the same time a number of spells smashed into the torso of the beast. The swords of the beast, already in motion, buried deep into Dunnam’s torso. The beast then fell over and shuddered his last breath. It had taken its toll even as it died. The head cleric of the light said a lengthy prayer over Rasaan and Dunnam and their bodies were covered with a soft glow. In minutes, the pair were conscious and walking stiffly. The townspeople put the two heroes on their shoulders and carried them through town. Rasaan was allowed to keep the sword he wielded so bravely and was named as one of the Militia Sergeants. Dunnam was approached by an elven Ranger and asked to join their Brotherhood. The Soldiers of the Shadow were well on their way to making their mark on the town. 91 Traps 92 P art 2 - Playing the Game Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Chapter 9 The Stuff Adventures Are Made Of Adventure without treasure? Unthinkable! And if that treasure happens to be magical, all the better. But not so fast... there are a few things you need to know before you pick up that shiny trinket. Immovable vs. Irresistible Mythical Journeys uses stickers and tags, as well as locks, to indicate what you can and can’t take. Red Stickers Items with red stickers may not be moved or taken. If the red sticker does not have a number (or if it has an X), it cannot be moved, no matter how strong you are. It may be magically immovable, or simply be a glass or other breakable item that should not be moved for safety reasons. Glass items, lit candles, open flame, and other dangerous or breakable items are always considered as red stickered even though they may not be. You may request red stickers during check-in to mark any props in your cabin, for example a nice lantern. If the item has both a red and yellow sticker (usually overlapping), it can be handled but not removed from the area. Heavy Objects If the red sticker has a number on it, it is too heavy for one person to move. The number indicates how many people are needed to move the object. For example, if the red sticker has a “4” on it, it can only be moved if four people work together to move it. Each person assisting must have both hands under the item. Some spells and other effects will make you stronger. For example, if a spell grants you the strength of 10 people, you could lift an item that requires 10 people. If the item requires more than 10 people, you’ll still need additional help. Strength-enhancing magic may only be used for items marked with a numbered red sticker. You may not break or force doors, bars, walls, locks, or other items unless they have a numbered red sticker. Yellow Stickers Items with yellow stickers can be taken, but must be turned in during checkout at the end of the event. These can include magic items, special props, etc. If the item has both a red and yellow sticker (usually overlapping), it can be handled but not removed from the area. Locks Some of the most common obstacles you will encounter at Mythical Journeys are locks; they might be on the door of the building you want to enter or on a box you need opened. Without the Lockpicking skill, all such locks are impassable; you must have the Lockpicking skill to even attempt to pick a lock. All in-game locks have the Mythical Journeys unicorn symbol emblazoned upon them; please do not attempt to pick any lock without this symbol as such locks are out of game. Locks can not be broken, nor can the eyelet screws or other hardware to which they may be attached be removed. The only ways to bypass a lock is to unlock it with its key or combination or to pick it. In-game locks come in a range of complexities, but all can be picked with a well-placed paper clip prepared with the proper curves. Professional lockpicking tools may not be used (see Lockpicking on page 45). Some game locks are combination locks; you will still need the Lockpicking skill to attempt to open these locks unless you know the combination. Red stickers with numbers may be used for other items. For example, a red sticker with a number on a door indicates that the door can be “broken open” by that many people working together. The door may not actually be broken, but you should role-play working to break it down before opening it in a normal, safe manner. Similarly, you may find bars (such as in a prison) marked with a red sticker and number. Enough people, or a person with sufficient magical strength, may bend the bars and allow people to get through. 93 Magical Gates P art 2 - Playing the Game Locks may represent padlocks or they may represent built-in locks on doors or chests. If a lock has a red sticker then you may not remove the lock from its location. All locks without a red sticker are considered to have yellow stickers; these may be stolen but must be returned to Mythical Journeys at the end of the event. Locks can be purchased in-game, and skilled Tinkers may learn how to create them. Note that if you place a lock on a chest, pouch, or other prop, that prop can be stolen. Magical Locks: Secure The Secure spell creates a magical lock which are designed to be opened by the original caster. Secured items are labeled with a paper tag that says Secure and a number. The paper must cover the item’s opening, so it is easy to notice. No magic is perfect, however. A Secure spell can be broken by a Pry spell, if the Pry is powerful enough. The number on the Secure tag is the amount of Mana that was used to cast it. The same amount of Mana must be used to Pry it open. You must be able to use all the Mana at once, in a single casting of the Pry spell by a single caster. You can’t weaken it bit by bit, or use multiple casters to work together to open it. If you are not the caster of the Secure spell and can’t (or don’t) cast a powerful enough Pry spell, you may not open the Secured item. Secure spells last from event to event. Once the item is opened, either by the original caster or with a Pry spell, the Secure is removed; you must take the tag off. Magical Gates A Magical Gate is a portal that connects two distant points, allowing instant movement from one to the other. A Gate may be a temporary magical effect or a permanently enchanted space. In either case, a Gate is represented by a string of lights around a doorway, passage, or other opening. While the lights are turned off, no one may pass through the Gate, nor may any attacks or spells pass through the Gate. When the lights are on, or flashing, you may move through the Gate freely. The magic of Gates is disruptive both to the world and those passing through. Normally, you will feel no untoward effects from a single trip through a Gate, but multiple trips within a few days of each other may have unpleasant side effects. A magical Secure spell is only effective to the direction it is facing and is broken if the item is opened from the inside (e.g. a door). Items to be Secured must have a component that opens and closes. This could be a chest, box, pouch, or other item. However, you could not Secure a dagger or hat to yourself. If you place a Secure on a chest, pouch, or other prop, that prop can be stolen. 94 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance The Stuff Adventures Are Made Of Loot “So, Guardsman, your honor is not for sale. Can I rent it for long enough for me to escape?” Coins and Money Easy to transport, easy to spend, many adventurers are happiest to reap their rewards in cold, hard coins. Their value is relatively predictable and few questions are asked about where you got them. Normal coins in Pendaan come in three denominations: copper farthings, silver crowns, and golden sovereigns. Copper farthings show the Chalice of Fortune and Sun of Radiance. Silver crowns show the heraldry of the local kingdoms (the lion of Harradon, the dragon of Felnar, the ship's wheel of Arkenstone, and the grapes of Sarden). Gold sovereigns are the same as the silver crowns except for the image of a crown in the center. 10 copper farthings are worth 1 silver crown y 10 silver crowns are worth 1 golden sovereign y Gems and Jewelry Gems have always held a special allure and value. Gems may be found in various types. They may be found in a natural, uncut state or in a cut and polished state after a lapidary has worked with them. Loot Common types of gems are amber (yellow), amethyst (purple), diamond (clear), emerald (green), onyx (black), ruby (red), sapphire (blue), and topaz (orange). Gems may also be set into jewelry. Most in-game jewelry is marked with a “Appraisal Code” that allows characters with the Appraisal skill to determine its value. The codes may be one or several letters in any order (“A”, “JQZA”, etc.). These codes may only be read by characters with the skill; others should ignore them. Materials A variety of ordinary but useful materials may be found ingame and used by characters with the Crafting skills. These include wood, glass, furs, leather, and ores. For example, a Glassblower can use three pieces of glass and a piece of wood to make ten new, clean vials suitable to hold potions or holy water. Components A wide variety of plastic flowers, fungi, animals, etc. can be found scattered throughout the game area. (Please do not gather any real plants or animals; they have no alchemical effects). They can be collected by anyone, although they are most useful to alchemists and herbalists. If not used, all animal and plant components become unusable at the end of the event during which they are gathered; please turn in all unused components at the end of the event. In addition, claws, teeth, and other components may be harvested from some monsters. Enchanted Items Magic takes many forms, some of which can even be stored. You can use alchemy, herbalism, scrollcraft, and other forms of magic to hold magic to use later. Potions and Oils Potions are alchemical or herbal creations that must be ingested to be used. Their effects vary greatly. Some can heal the injured, cure the sick, cleanse the poisoned, or renew the exhausted; others have quite the opposite results. Oils are alchemical or herbal creations that must be applied to a surface to be used. Some uses include magical armor, spell shields, and healing salves. Oils also include some forms of poisons (such as blade poison and contact poison). Mythical Journeys Renaissance 95 Enchant ed Items Potions and Oils are considered to be consumed once they have been opened. If you open the potion or oil and read the tag inside, you are considered to have used it on yourself and must take the effect. You may pour the potion out on the ground instead of drinking it, but in this case you may not read the tag (nor may anyone else). You can also use a potion or oil on a helpless, Unconscious, or cooperating person; in this case, do not read the tag, but give it to them to read. Once the potion has been used, tear the tag in half. The tag must be read, even if you think you already know what it says. You may be mistaken. If it is too dark to read the potion tag, then the potion cannot be used, and is wasted if opened; assume you fumbled it in the dark. Potions and Oils may not be resisted using defenses against spells. For example, Spell Shield will not protect you from a potion. Other more specific defenses will help. For example, if the potion causes 1 point of Fire damage, you could resist it using a Fire Shield. Potions and Oils with beneficial effects are subject to the same stacking limitations as spells. See Chapter 10 Magic and Spells for details. P art 2 - Playing the Game This example would allow you to state the incant, “Through fire, bolt damage 1,” and then throw the powder packet. It would also burn you for 1 point of acid damage. The acid damage would occur immediately, as soon as you read the tag, even if you choose not to throw the packet. Charms Magical charms are simple magic items that store a single use of a spell. Anyone can use them by tearing off the tag and reading it. The item will be worthless once its power has been expended. Scrolls Magical scrolls come in several types including both Battle Scrolls and Knowledge Scrolls. Battle Scrolls contain a single, stored magical spell, recorded using Divine or Magical Scrollcraft skill. Battle scrolls may be used only by characters with the Read Divine or Read Magic skill, even if the scroll has already been translated. Before use, the scroll must be completely translated using the appropriate Read Divine or Read Magic decoder, with the translation written on the scroll. To cast the spell, the scroll must be held in one hand with a spell packet (if required) or nothing in the other hand. Read the full incantation aloud, and then throw the packet if required. Battle scrolls may be cast while wearing armor. Knowledge scrolls may be used to learn a spell if the correct school of magic is known. The knowledge scroll will contain instructions that must be followed in full. Powders A powder is an alchemical creation which can be thrown as a spell. The vial contains a tag, as with a potion, as well as a powder packet. To use a powder, take out the tag and read it completely. It may have effects on you as well as those that you can throw. After reading the tag, you can hold the powder for up to 5 minutes before throwing it. If you haven’t thrown it after that time, the powder is wasted. To throw the spell, speak the full incantation as written on the tag, then throw the packet. The powder is considered a spell for all purposes; it can be resisted in the same way that spells can, and you may not walk or run while speaking the incant or throwing it. An example powder tag might read: “You have 5 minutes to use this powder or it is wasted. To use this powder, state the incant 'Through Fire, Bolt Damage 1' and throw the packet. You are burned for 1 point of acid damage.” 96 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance The Stuff Adventures Are Made Of Magic Items Some items contain more magical power than simple potions and scrolls. These magical items can take many forms, from pieces of jewelry to wands to weapons and more. They will be marked with an Aura code that is a series of numbers, sometimes beginning with one letter. Characters with the Detect/Attune Magic skill will be able to interpret the aura and gain clues about the item's nature. Other characters may note that there is something special about the item, if they notice a numeric code on the item, but cannot gather any other information. However, to unleash the full potential of the item, it must be Attuned. Even if you know the full properties of the item, it must still be Attuned before you may use it. Most magical items contain limited amounts of power. The amount may range from a single use to many. The magic stored within will last indefinitely, until the item has been attuned. Once the item has been attuned to anyone, its magic is opened and may begin to flow out of the item. Most items will last no longer than one year from this point. A few rare and powerful artifacts will last longer than this amount of time. If so, the details will become apparent as soon as they have been attuned. At any time, you may be attuned to no more than four magic items. When you attune to your fifth item, you must specify which item you wish to become unattuned to. You also will become automatically unattuned to any item which is destroyed or which loses its magical properties. Stealing On the other hand, items that have been brought to the game by other players and which have no in-game value may not be stolen. These include: Clothes y Food y Costuming y Bedding y Weapons (unless yellow-stickered) y Other personal items y Anything placed under a bed In addition, any item with a Red Sticker may not be taken, unless it is a Heavy Item with a number and you have enough people or in-game strength to move it. y Stealing “You don't want your name on the list!” Jason the Trader/Traitor. You’ve stealthily crept into your neighbor’s cabin, ready to help yourself to their loot... what can you take? It is important to make the distinction between items that have game value, which may be stolen, and items which have no value and which should never be stolen. Any item with in-game value may be taken: y In-game Coins y Gems y Minerals y Craftsman materials y Potions y Scrolls y Any item with an Appraisal or Magic Item code In addition, any item with a Yellow Sticker may be taken, but must be turned in at the end of game. Props that are merely decorative, such as lanterns and wall hangings, should not be stolen, unless they have a yellow sticker, appraisal code, or magic item code. However, boxes and containers that have been locked or Secured may be stolen. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 97 Stealing Part 2 - Playing the Game Items that are not stealable (except Red Stickered items) may be stored under your bed. This area is considered outof-game, and other players may not look or search in this area. No stealable item may be placed under your bed under any circumstances. Even in-game items that have been used or destroyed (such as pieces of metal or leather used to repair armor) may not be stored here; they must be turned in at the first opportunity. Likewise, in-game items may not be stored in any other out-of-game area, including the bathrooms, your car, etc. We do ask everyone to remember that, while in-game characters may be your enemies, the players who play them are your friends. Please use courtesy when searching cabins, and don’t leave items on the floor where they will be stepped on, damage people’s food, or trash their cabins. When you join us at Mythical Journeys, we consider you a friend and part of our family. Though we do our best to maintain this atmosphere, sadly it is possible for a realworld thief, who couldn’t care less about friends, to exist in our midst. Please leave real valuables at home, or lock them in your car. Real world thieves will be caught and tried to the fullest extent of the law. We will not hesitate to prosecute. 98 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Chapter 10 Magic and Spells “The first of the Great Mages appeared when the world was still very young. Their power was immense and their manipulation of the elements was nearly complete and without flaw. Back in that age, those that did not understand their ways and their art feared them. Even now, that fear persists . . .” -Eridnas Jastou, Assistant Librarian, The Arcanum, Dumar. Magic and magical powers are an integral part of any fantasy game system. The ability to affect the world around us with supernatural powers has intrigued us since the dawn of time and has frequently been written into folklore and legend. Now this power can be yours to command. Schools of Magic Magic can be used in myriad ways. However, most magic is organized into schools. Four schools are commonly known, and two others are less common but familiar. All Mana and Scrollcraft must be of one of these types. Initiates and other classes with the Magical Skills as a Favored category may learn multiple schools; other characters may learn only one school of magic. Elementalism: Raw elemental power is potent in battle. Most who wield Elementalism use spells of all four elements (earth, fire, ice, and wind), although some prefer to specialize in a single element. Mentalism: The power of thought can enhance the senses, fortify the body, and assault or even control the minds of others. Rune Magic: Symbols like runes are very effective at holding power. Rune Magic is well suited for placing enchantments on items and even people. It provides many forms of aid and defense, although it is poorly suited for the attack. Wizardry: Controlling and reshaping pure magical energy, the magic of Wizardry is potent defense against other magics, and provides many means to combat enemy mages and magical creatures, although few against more mundane creatures. Nethermancy: The dark art of controlling, empowering, and creating undead, Nethermancy is a shunned magic. You may not begin with Nethermancy, although you may learn it in-game. Nethermancy is forbidden by law and punishable by death in most regions of Pendaan. Sorcery: The magic of discord and chaos, Sorcery is potent at causing suffering and injury in one’s foes. It is said that its power comes from fiends, and that those who practice it are little better than their fiendish masters. Most characters may not begin with Sorcery, although you may learn it in-game. (Enselari and Fiend Elves are the exceptions.) Those practicing sorcery should expect to be shunned, reviled, outlawed, persecuted, hunted, or exiled, depending on local law and who they are dealing with. Your First Spells Any character with Mana receives two free spells in every school they have learned: Light and Cancel Spell. In addition, new characters may select a total of four spells from any school of Mana (or Faith) that they know. The spells must be selected from those listed in Beginning Spells on page 102. Existing characters who purchase mana begin with only the Light and Cancel spell. You do not need to be taught common (Elemental, Mental, Rune, and Wizardry) magics to purchase the mana. Remember that only characters with Sight can purchase more than one type of Mana. The spells you know will be listed on your character sheet. If you are a new character and have not selected your spells before the event, you will receive these spells at check-in. 99 Rules of Magic Rules of Magic A “spell” is the effect of channeling magical energy (Mana or Faith) through your body at a target. Spell casting is actually a very simple task provided you have a good short term memory and can toss a beanbag with a bit of accuracy. By properly reciting the spell incantation for a spell you possess, and deducting your Mana (or Faith as the case may be), you have successfully cast a spell and used the Mana for it. Now that you have completed speaking the entire incantation, you must throw your spell packet (which represents the magical energy of a lightning bolt, fireball, snare spell, etc., being projected). If the spell packet hits your target, they must take the effect of the spell, unless they have some spell or ability that allows them to resist it. These rules of magic apply to everyone casting spells, whether they are using their Mana, using Faith, casting from a battle scroll, using an alchemical powder, or using a magic item that allows them to cast a spell. Incantations must be spoken slowly, clearly and loud enough so the target of the spell can hear everything that is being said. y You cannot cast a spell that requires Mana while wearing armor, even if the armor has been “destroyed.” Armor spells do not count as armor for this purpose. Spells cast from Faith, scrolls, powders, or magic items may be cast while wearing armor. y You must have both of your hands and arms free to cast spells. A bound mage can not cast spells. The only thing you may have in your hands is one spell packet and, if you wish, a spellbook, unless the spell description specifies otherwise. If you are casting from a battle scroll or an alchemical powder, you may also have scrolls or a vial in your hands. Some magic items (e.g. wands) must also be held in your hand while casting. Even a staff tucked under your arm will interfere with casting. More advanced characters may learn to cast spells with more spell packets or other items in their hands. y If you have one arm Maimed, you can still cast using your functioning arm. y A spellcaster must keep both feet stationary while speaking the incantation for a spell. Once the incantation is completed, the caster may take a single “pitching step” while throwing the packet. If the caster moves during the incantation, or takes more than a single step while throwing the packet, the spell is lost and has no effect. You do not lose the Mana for a spell lost in this way. y Nearly every offensive spell requires a spell packet to be thrown at a target by the caster. These packets should be thrown with restraint and not “pitched.” If the target is struck anywhere on their person (clothing, backpack, sword, shield, armor, etc.) then the spell takes effect. This includes y 100 P art 2 - Playing the Game areas that are not legal targets for weapons (hands, feet, head), although you should not aim at these areas. If the target dodges out of the way of the packet, the spell is lost and does not affect them. y If you are hit by a spell which has not been cast correctly, due to an incorrect incantation, the caster walking or running while casting, or the caster throwing the spell packet before completing the incantation, you may call “Botch.” In this case, the spell has no effect, but no Mana has been expended. y The duration of all spells is always specified in the incantation, and is usually one or five minutes. y If you are hit by a spell and you do not understand what the caster has said or the effect of the spell, simply state “Clarify” to the spell’s caster and you are both placed in a personal “Hold” until the effects can be properly explained. y Unused Mana does not carry over from event to event. (However, at the beginning of each event, all your Mana and skills are restored.) y Spell packets are visible at all times. You can see them as energy crackling around the fingertips of a mage, or magical residue left on the battlefield. Spell packets may not be stolen or Disarmed. Spell packets are necessary for the successful use of many spells. To ensure safety, not only for yourself but also for others, properly follow the Spell Packet Construction directions in Appendix B Spell Packet Construction. Beneficial Spells and Stacking Spells can help or harm. Helpful spells cast upon you or your allies are beneficial spells. If the incantation does not have a duration, they last until the end of the event. The most common beneficial spells are Shields, Barriers, Armor, and Bestow spells. “Stacking” refers to combining the benefits of multiple spells. You may not stack more than one spell of each of these four types. For these purposes, it doesn’t matter where the spell comes from. Whether it was a spell you cast on yourself, a spell someone else casts on you, a spell-like effect from a potion or oil you used, or a spell cast from a battle scroll, a rune cast upon you, or a rune upon any item you are carrying or wearing, it may not be combined with another same-type spell from any source. If you have one of these spells upon yourself and another is cast, it is your choice which one (the original spell or the new spell) will remain. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Magic and Spells One shield spell - any spell/effect that lets you resist one thing. These will all have the word shield in their incant. Example: Spell Shield protects you from one spell. y One barrier spell - any spell/effect that lets you resist all attacks of a certain type for a certain amount of time. These will all have the word barrier in their incant. Example: Pain Barrier protects you from all Pain for 5 minutes. y One armor spell - any spell/effect that has the effects of armor. The word armor will be in the incant. y One bestow spell - any spell/effect that grants use of an ability/skill. The word bestow will be in the name and incant. y Spellbooks Although it is not required, some mages choose to create spellbooks. An ordinary spellbook is a book that contains the names, incantations, and other information about your spells, and it can be a convenient reference. An ordinary spellbook that contains only spell information and no other materials (e.g. no battle scrolls hidden between its pages) can not be stolen. Anyway who searches you may look through it while they are in your presence, but cannot take it without your permission. An ordinary spellbook may be held while casting. Learning New Spells No mage is satisfied with the knowledge he or she has accumulated. New spells are always calling, just waiting to be learned. Spells may be learned in three ways: teaching, knowledge scrolls, and self-instruction. Regardless of the method, you may never learn more than one spell per event. Furthermore, no spell may be learned by any method unless you meet the following requirements: y Your total purchased Mana (of the appropriate type) is at least equal to the cost of the spell times itself. For example, to learn a spell with a casting cost of 3 Mana, you must have 3 x 3 = 9 Mana of the appropriate school. For this purpose, you may count half of your Scrollcraft in the same school. For example, if you have 5 Elemental Mana and 10 Elemental Scrollcraft, you would be able to learn a spell costing 3 Mana to cast. You may not meet the Mana requirement by buying additional Mana after the event in which you were taught the spell. Temporary Mana also does not count. L earning N ew Spells You must have at least as many 1 Mana spells as 2 Mana spells, as many 2 Mana spells as 3 Mana spells, and as many 3 Mana spells as spells of 4 or more Mana. y Some spells have specific prerequisites which must be learned first. Prerequisite spells must be known in the same school of magic. Also note that spells costing 4 or more Mana will always be learned with the limitation that they cannot be cast unless you have a specific component in hand while casting. A second lesson at a subsequent event is required to remove this limitation. The component is not needed during the first lesson (and won't give any benefit if present), but is required at the second. Both the first and second lesson count as your spell learned for the event. Partially learned spells cannot be taught or written as scrolls, and do not satisfy prerequisites to learn other spells. y Spells that have been partially learned, whether due to selfinstruction (see below) or 4+ Mana spells for which you still require a component, may not be taught, cannot be made into scrolls, cannot be used as prerequisites to learn other spells, and cannot be Bestowed on yourself or anyone else (e.g. in a Rune of Holding). Depending how well you have learned the spell, it may also be unusable for making Charms and other magic items, or may produce unpredictable results. Once you complete learning the spell, all these limitations are removed. Teaching You may be taught a spell by a mage with the Instruction skill. The spell must be in a school of magic you know, but as long as the incantation is exactly the same, your teacher does not have to know it in the same school. If the spell is in more than one school of magic that you know, you must pick which school you are learning it in. By working with you, the mage can impart the crucial words, gestures, and principles that make the spell possible. As part of the lesson, you and your teacher must work together to cast the spell once per point of Mana required to cast the spell, to a maximum of three times. For example, a spell costing 2 Mana to cast must be cast twice during the lesson. The Mana to cast the spell may be expended by either the teacher or the student, or a combination of both of them as they see fit. Spells costing more than 3 Mana to cast may also require the use of magical components to learn. It is assumed that the student continues to practice the technique over the next few weeks; they are not able to cast the spell without assistance until the next event. To finish learning the spell, you must record the name of the spell in the appropriate section of your PEL, along with the name of your teacher. At the next event, the spell will appear on your character sheet and you will be able to use it normally. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 101 Begi nning Spells Knowledge Scrolls You may discover Knowledge Scrolls in-game. These scrolls lay out a series of exercises or procedures which will allow you to learn the spell. The scrolls are magical, and are consumed during use. Most require additional components, which are also consumed, and the exercise will also require the expenditure of Mana. Even after the exercise is completed, additional practice is required before the spell is fully learned. To finish learning the spell, you must record it in your PEL. Self Instruction If you are not taught a spell and do not use a knowledge scroll, you can attempt to learn the spell through research or observation and experimentation. You must record the spell you are trying to learn, including its entire correct incantation, in your PEL. The next event after attempting unassisted research, you will find out the results. Generally you will start the next event with some of your Mana already used. You may learn the spell properly. You may simply fail to learn the spell, especially if it is too advanced for you. You may also learn the spell partially, and find yourself able to cast the spell, but with side effects or with a higher-than-normal Mana cost. If you learn the spell partially, additional research at subsequent events may allow you to perfect its use. You also may discover that you need a particular material component (e.g. a ruby, a frog) to finish your research. In this case, you can cast the spell only while holding the component. If you turn the component in at check-out, it is expended but you will be able to cast the spell normally, without the component, from then on. Beginning Spells This section lists the introductory magic spells for each school of magic. This is not the complete list of magic spells, as there are many more spells to learn as you advance in your studies. However, this list gives you an idea what powers each school can learn to help you design your character. Light Cost: 0 Incant: “I create a source of magical light.” Description: This common but useful spell is known by anyone with any Mana in any school of magic (and also Faith). Through the use of a magical component (a chemical glowstick) the caster creates an enchanted light on a stick that will usually glow between six to eight hours (players must provide their own components). This spell requires no Mana to cast and may be cast as many times as you have components for. You may bestow a cast stick of light on anyone you wish after the spell has been cast. You may also use a battery-powered light in place of a chemical glowstick as long as it produces a diffuse glow not much brighter than a glowstick and does not have any type of 102 Part 2 - Playing the Game beam. Very bright lights and anything that shines a beam (e.g. a normal flashlight, anything with an exposed LED) are not allowed. Ultra-high intensity chemical glowsticks are also not permitted. Cancel Spell Cost: 0 Incant: “I cancel my _______ spell.” Description: Anyone with any Mana in any school of magic (and also Faith) can cancel spells they have cast that has a duration in its incant, even if they used a battle scroll or magic item to cast it. For example, the spell Snare has the incant, “Through earth, I snare your feet to the ground, 1 minute.” Its duration (1 minute) is in its incantation, so it may be canceled. The spell to be cancelled must be named. For example, “I cancel my snare spell.” Just like other spells, the caster must hit the target with a spell packet, or touch them with it if they are willing. Elementalism Elementalism follows the study of magics based on the four major elements, Earth, Air, Ice, and Fire. You can choose to study a combination of all the elements, or focus on a single element. Awaken Cost: 1 Incant: “Through fire, I awaken you from your slumber.” Description: If the target is Unconscious from Slumber, Waylay, or another effect, this spell awakens them. This spell has no effect if they are Dying. Earth Bolt Cost: 1 Incant: “Through earth, bolt, damage one.” Description: Bolt spells are the most basic form of Elemental attack. Entangle Cost: 1 Incant: “Through wind, I entangle your feet together, 1 minute.” Description: The target’s feet are entangled together. The target can still hop as long as both feet are kept together at all times. Fire Bolt Cost: 1 Incant: “Through fire, bolt, damage 1.” Description: Bolt spells are the most basic form of Elemental attack. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Magic and Spells Giant’s Grip Beginning Spells Release Cost: 1 Incant: “Through earth, I seal your [right/left] hand to this [item], five minutes.” Description: The target may not let go of the item in the specified hand. The item also may not be Disarmed by any means. State, “Resist” if someone attempts to Disarm you. Cost: 1 Incant: “Through wind, I release [my/your] magical bonds.” Description: This spell removes the effects of Bind, Entangle, Freeze Limb, Giant's Grip, Magnetize, Pin hand (Icicle), Snare, and Paralysis. It will not remove Petrification. Heat Weapon Silence Cost: 1 Incant: “Through fire, I make your <specify weapon> searing hot, 10 seconds.” Description: The target’s weapon becomes so hot that it must immediately be dropped, and not picked up for at least 10 seconds. Heat Weapon cannot be used on a buckler, shield, or tower shield. Cost: 1 Incant: “Through wind, I silence you, 5 minutes.” Description: The target may not speak or cast spells for the duration. Skill calls other than magical incantations may still be used. Slow Poison Cost: 1 Incant: “Through ice, bolt, damage 1.” Description: Bolt spells are the most basic form of Elemental attack. Cost: 1 Incant: “Through ice, I delay this poison an extra 5 minutes, remain unconscious.” Description: If the target is under the effects of poison, this spell delays their death for an extra 5 minutes. After this time, the poison affects them normally. Ice Greaves Snare Ice Bolt Cost: 1 Incant: “Through ice, I armor your bones, resist next maim.” Description: The target may resist the next Maim effect. This spell does not protect against any other type of attack. Icicle Cost: 2 Incant: “Through ice, I pin your (right/left) (hand/foot) to the ground, 1 minute.” Description: The target’s hand or foot is pinned to the ground. The target must immediately place the hand or foot on the ground, and may not move it until the spell ends. Pain Cost: 1 Incant: “Through fire, I cause you pain.” Description: When hit with this spell, the target must immediately fall to the ground and role-play severe pain (scream in agony). The pain continues until the target touches both knees and a hand to the ground. During this time, the target cannot cast spells, fight, or defend themselves. The victim should role-play the pain they are suffering to the utmost. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Cost: 1 Incant: “Through earth, I snare your feet to the ground, 1 minute.” Description: The target’s feet may not be moved. Stone Greaves Cost: 1 Incant: “Through earth, I armor your bones, resist next maim.” Description: The target may resist the next Maim effect. This spell does not protect against any other type of attack. Wind Bolt Cost: 1 Incant: “Through wind, bolt, damage 1.” Description: Bolt spells are the most basic form of Elemental attack. 103 Begi nning Spells Mentalism The power of the mind is controlled through the use of Mentalism. Awaken Cost: 1 Incant: “I awaken you from your slumber.” Description: If the target is Unconscious from Slumber, Waylay, or another effect, this spell awakens them. This spell has no effect if they are Dying. Communicate Cost: 1 Incant: “I grant you the ability to communicate, five minutes.” Description: The target is granted the ability to communicate in and understand the common tongue. The target is not required to speak, and unintelligent targets may have nothing useful to say. This will also restore the ability to speak to a target who has been Silenced or compelled to speak Gibberish. Divert Cost: 1 Incant: “By will, I divert your gaze from me, ten seconds.” Description: The target is forced to look away from the spell caster for the duration of 10 seconds. The target may not look back at the caster until the spell expires. If the target is struck at any time during the effect of the spell, the spell will be broken. Entice Cost: 1 Incant: “By will, I compel you to approach, ten seconds.” Description: The target is forced to moved towards the caster for the full duration. This spell does not affect the target’s disposition towards the caster. Free Will Cost: 1 Incant: “I free you from this [charm/enslave/betrayal/ pacify]” Description: If the target is under the specified effect, they are freed. If the caster specified a different effect (e.g. the target is Enslaved but the caster specified Charm), the effect is not removed. You may not cast this spell upon yourself. 104 Part 2 - Playing the Game Heal Limb Cost: 1 Incant: “I heal MY maimed [arm/leg].” Description: This spell does not restore any Vitality, but it will restore use of a Maimed limb. It takes one minute to cast. This spell works only on yourself. Pain Cost: 1 Incant: “By will, I cause you pain.” Description: When hit with this spell, the target must immediately fall to the ground and role-play severe pain (scream in agony). The pain continues until the target touches both knees and a hand to the ground. During this time, the target cannot cast spells, fight, or defend yourself. The victim should role-play the pain they are suffering to the utmost. Release Cost: 1 Incant: “I release your magical bonds.” Description: This spell removes the effects of Bind, Entangle, Freeze Limb, Giant's Grip, Magnetize, Pin hand (Icicle), Snare, and Paralysis. It will not remove Petrification. Silence Cost: 1 Incant: “By will, I silence you, five minutes.” Description: The target may not speak or cast spells for the duration. Skill calls other than magical incantations may still be used. Terror Cost: 1 Incant: “Through Terror, Repel one minute.” Description: The target must move away from the caster for the full duration. They may move at a normal walking pace; running or fleeing is not required. Terror Shield Cost: 1 Incant: “I grant you a shield against terror.” Description: The target may resist one spell with the word “Terror” in its incant. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Magic and Spells Beginning Spells Bestow Push Cost: 1 Incant: “I bestow the skill Push upon this weapon.” Description: The target may use the Push skill once, allowing them to drive back a foe. Bolt Shield Cost: 1 Incant: “I grant you a bolt shield.” Description: This rune must be placed upon a person. They may resist one spell with the word “Bolt” in its incantation. Lesser Elemental Aegis Rune Magic Rune Magic’s power comes through written symbols, and almost all of its spells require a runic symbol to be written on an appropriate surface in black or brown ink. You may use a makeup pencil, eyeliner, grease pencil, or other methods to draw the rune, as long as it leaves a clearly visible mark and it can be erased. No in-game ink is needed to draw normal runes. Each rune grants a power which is used once and then expended. Once the rune has been used, it must be removed immediately. The rune must take the form shown on your character sheet. Runes cannot be removed except when used or with Dispel Magic or a spell for removing runes. (A Secure rune cannot even be removed by Dispel Magic, only by a Pry spell of sufficient strength.) If your rune is smudged or accidentally erased before it has been expended in these ways, you can redraw it. Each item may hold only one rune at any time. A spell or rune stored in a Rune of Holding is not considered active, and therefore does not count as a second rune. Runes are considered spells active upon the character, so normal stacking limits apply. You may not have, for example, a Shield rune as well as a Shield spell cast upon you. If you have more, one is cancelled (your choice)—if the rune is cancelled, it must be immediately be removed. Runes on your armor, clothing, and weapons count as runes upon you for these purposes. Armor’s Bane Cost: 1 Incant: “I bestow the skill Pierce upon this [bow/ crossbow].” Description: This rune must be placed on a bow or crossbow (it may not be placed on an arrow, bolt, javelin, thrown weapon, or any other item). The bearer of the item may use the Pierce skill once. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Cost: 1 Incant: “I shield this [item] against the elements.” Description: This rune must be placed on an item (e.g. a shield or weapon). The bearer of the item may resist one Elemental spell (any spell starting with the words “Through earth,” “Through fire,” “Through ice,” or “Through wind”) if it hits the item. Loyal Weapon Cost: 1 Incant: “I shield you against the next Disarm.” Description: This rune must be placed upon a weapon. The bearer of the weapon may resist one Disarm skill or spell. State, “Resist” if someone attempts to Disarm you. Pain Shield Cost: 1 Incant: “I grant you a shield against pain.” Description: The target may resist one Pain effect. Rework Cost: 1 Incant: “I magically repair this armor.” Description: This rune instantly repairs normal armor at the moment it is drawn. The caster must use the same materials a blacksmith or leatherworker would use to repair the armor, and these are expended when the rune is drawn. The rune may be traced with a fingertip by the caster, rather than leaving an actual mark (if one is drawn, it must be immediately erased because the rune is expended). This rune will not repair an armor spell or armor rune. 105 Begi nning Spells Rune Of Holding Cost: 1 Incant: “I bestow this spell for you to use once.” Description: This rune must be placed upon a person, and it allows them to store a spell or rune for their own use at a later time. The spell to be stored must be cast immediately into the Rune of Holding by the Rune Mage or by another person. The person the rune is placed on may then cast the spell at any time by breaking the rune and speaking the spell’s full incantation. If the stored spell is a rune, it must be drawn inside the Rune of Holding, and to use the stored rune the recipient must erase the Rune of Holding while speaking the full incantation of the stored rune. If the spell requires casting time (e.g. Healing), the time must be spent both while writing the rune and again while using it. The recipient of the Rune of Holding may cast the stored spell while wearing armor, since any Mana was expended at the time the Rune of Holding was created. All normal requirements for spellcasting apply when casting to stored spell (e.g. nothing in hand, both feet stationary, etc). The stored spell can be a rune that is normally placed on a weapon, armor, or other item. However, it must be a spell that is possible to cast on someone else, unless the recipient of the Rune of Holding is the one who is storing it. The stored spell is not considered an active spell and does not count for stacking purposes (although the Rune of Holding itself is considered an active Bestow spell). Secure Cost: Special Incant: “I magically secure this [item].” Description: This spell magically locks an item (chests, doors, etc.) by placing a card or strip of paper labeled with “Secure”, the rune, and the amount of Mana expended, over (or around) the item in the fashion of a band-aid. This magical “lock” is only effective to the direction it is facing and is broken if the item is opened from the inside (i.e., a door). The caster may open their own Secure spells at any time, but this will end the spell. Others may only open the Secure by using the Pry spell and expending the same amount of Mana as the caster of the Secure spell; this also ends the Secure. See Magical Locks: Secure on page 94 for more details. Additional castings of Secure add additional Secure tags. They do not make the original Secure more powerful. Venom Shield Cost: 1 Incant: “I grant you a shield against poison and venom.” Description: The target may resist one Poison or Venom effect. 106 Part 2 - Playing the Game Wizardry Some choose to try and break magic apart into components and manipulate each component. Those who study Wizardry study the control of raw magic in its pure form. Awaken Cost: 1 Incant: “I awaken you from your slumber.” Description: If the target is Unconscious from Slumber, Waylay, or another effect, this spell awakens them. This spell has no effect if they are Dying. Bolt Shield Cost: 1 Incant: “I grant you a bolt shield.” Description: The recipient may resist one spell with the word “Bolt” in its incantation. Communicate Cost: 1 Incant: “I grant you the ability to communicate, five minutes.” Description: The target is granted the ability to communicate in and understand the common tongue. The target is not required to speak, and unintelligent targets may have nothing useful to say. This will also restore the ability to speak to a target who has been Silenced or compelled to speak Gibberish. Mana Bolt Cost: 2 Incant: “With mana, Bolt, damage 1.” Description: A bolt of pure magical energy damages the target. Pry Cost: Special Incant: “I pry open this secured bond.” Description: The caster may open a Secure spell. The Mana cost is the same amount used to cast the Secure spell and will be labeled on the Secure tag. See Magical Locks: Secure on page 94 for more information. Release Cost: 1 Incant: “I release [my/your] magical bonds.” Description: This spell removes the effects of Bind, Entangle, Freeze Limb, Giant's Grip, Magnetize, Pin hand (Icicle), Snare, and Paralysis. It will not remove Petrification. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Magic and Spells Repel Elemental Cost: 1 Incant: “With mana, repel elemental, one minute.” Description: If used on an elemental, the elemental must move away from the caster for the full duration. There is no effect if cast on any other type of creature. Repel Fiend Cost: 1 Incant: “With mana, repel fiend, one minute.” Description: If used on a fiend, the fiend must move away from the caster for the full duration. There is no effect if cast on any other type of creature. Repel Undead Cost: 1 Incant: “With mana, repel undead, one minute.” Description: If used on an undead, the undead must move away from the caster for the full duration. There is no effect if cast on any other type of creature. Beginning Spells Secure Cost: Special Incant: “I magically secure this [item].” Description: This spell magically locks an item (chests, doors, etc.) by placing a card or strip of paper labeled with “Secure” and the amount of Mana used to cast the spell, over (or around) the item in the fashion of a band-aid. This magical “lock” is only effective to the direction it is facing and is broken if the item is opened from the inside (i.e., a door). The caster may open their own Secure spells at any time. Others may only open the Secure by using the Pry spell and expending the same amount of Mana as the caster of the Secure spell. See Magical Locks: Secure on page 94 for more details. Additional castings of Secure add additional Secure tags. They do not make the original Secure more powerful. Silence Cost: 1 Incant: “I silence you, five minutes.” Description: The target may not speak or cast spells for the duration. Skill calls other than magical incantations may still be used. Void Cost: 1 Incant: “With Void, damage two to magical creatures.” Description: The caster creates a tiny amount of antimagic and throws it at the target. Certain types of magical creatures will be damaged, but normal creatures and characters (including mages) are not affected. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 107 Begi nning Spells 108 Part 2 - Playing the Game Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Chapter 11 Faith and Religion Faith represents a person’s connection to the spiritual realm, and their ability to focus that connection to affect the world through the spells of Faith magic. When this connection is first developed, it is very general in nature, and a person may even develop Faith before they have chosen to join a specific religion. Any person with Faith who has not yet dedicated that Faith is referred to as a Pilgrim. A few Pilgrims are content with the lesser blessings of Faith and never choose a particular path. Others are driven to learn about all paths before making their choice, seeking guidance from priests of every religion. Still others know which religion calls to them long before their Faith develops. Whichever the case, most Pilgrims eventually decide to become followers of a particular religion. When a Pilgrim is prepared to devote their Faith, they undergo a rite of dedication. The nature of this rite varies. It may involve holy offerings or tests or actions that demonstrate that the Pilgrim is sincere in their devotion. Often these rites are timed to coincide with holy days or festivals. These rites are widely available for all faiths either at temples or libraries, both of which generally allow the free copying of this information. Faithful who have Dedicated may receive special blessings of the faith, including learning the specialized spells of their religion. However, should they discover their hearts follow a different path and they wish to change their Dedication, it is possible, but they will be sorely tested and require a great sacrifice. Faith, Pilgrims, and Dedication Some who wish to work magic do so by controlling and shaping magical energy—these are the mages. Others prefer to tap their own faith and to channel the power of the divine. These are the clerics and the healers. The power they wield—that of Faith magic—is both similar to and distinct from the power of Mana. Faith magic is especially well known for its power to heal and help, although it is not limited to these aspects. Dedication is an important first step in the life of the faithful, but it is not the only step. Radiants and the Fortunate also perform a rite of Induction into a specific Order or School for those who have chosen one of these paths. For Shamans, this bond must be made directly with a spirit. In all three faiths, the Dedication may be performed at any time, by anyone with Faith, but the Induction or Spirit Bond can only be made by a character who has progressed into an Advanced Class (see Chapter 14 Advancing Your Character). The Devout: New players whose characters start with at least 4 Faith or continuing players who are beginning second (or later) characters with at least 1 Faith may choose to begin the game already Dedicated. 109 Casting Faith Spells Casting Faith Spells Casting Faith magic is much like casting Mana-based spells, and players with Faith should read and apply all of the rules for Manabased spells (see Rules of Magic on page 100). Instead of using Mana, Faith magic draws upon Faith. As with Mana-based spells, you must have both hands free (one may be holding a Holy Symbol) and speak the spell’s entire incantation aloud. If appropriate for the spell, you then throw a spell packet at the target. You may take only a single pitching step while throwing the spell packet, and you may not cast any type of spell while running or walking. In addition, faithful who have Dedicated must be carrying a Holy Symbol of their faith. A Holy Symbol may be something that is held or worn, but it may not be a weapon or shield. The most common form is a pendant or amulet worn around the neck. A holy symbol should be clearly visible, and a minimum of 1.5” in size. If you are dedicated to a religion, no Faith spells may be cast unless you are wearing or holding a holy symbol. Unlike Mana-based magic, Faith magic may be cast while wearing armor. Prayer Spells Many of the religions teach a special type of protective spell called a Prayer. To use a prayer, you must be holding your holy symbol in both hands and nothing else. If you have a holy weapon that can be held while you are casting, it can be held but not wielded (even defensively) during the prayer, and you must still have both hands on the holy symbol. If one arm is broken, you can use the other hand to hold it on your holy symbol, but if both arms are broken all spellcasting is impossible. State the incantation to activate the protection, and then continue to recite it as long as you wish. The protection continues until you stop repeating the incantation. Some prayers offer limited protection (e.g. just against missile weapons) while others protect against everything. If your prayer protects against melee attacks, it also protects against being touched for any other reason (including being searched). Some prayers require you to remain stationary. These include the words “where I stand” at the conclusion of the prayer. You are not required to be standing (you can be seated, lying down, etc), but you may not move from your location without ending the prayer. If you are struck by an attack that is stopped by the prayer, you do not have to say “Resist” or “Barrier.” Instead, just continue to repeat the prayer. Part 2 - Playing the Game Learning Faith Spells New characters who purchase Faith begin the game with the spells Light, Healing, and Cancel Spell. In addition, new characters may select a total of four spells of Faith (or of any school of Mana that they know). The spells must be selected from those listed in Pilgrim Spells on page 115. Existing characters who learn Faith begin with only Cancel Spell, Light, and Healing. During the game, you can learn additional spells from a teacher, from a knowledge scroll, or through your own experimentation. Regardless of the method, you may never learn more than one spell per event. Furthermore, no spell may be learned by any method unless you meet the following requirements: Your total purchased Faith is at least equal to the cost of the spell times itself. For example, to learn a spell with a casting cost of 3 Faith, you must have 3 x 3 = 9 Faith. For this purpose, you may also count half of your Divine Scrollcraft. For example, if you have 5 Faith and 10 Divine Scrollcraft, you would be able to learn a spell costing 3 Faith to cast. You may not meet the Faith requirement by buying additional Faith after the event in which you were taught the spell. Temporary Faith also does not count. y You must have at least as many 1 Faith spells as 2 Faith spells, as many 2 Faith spells as 3 Faith spells, and as many 3 Faith spells as spells of 4 or more Faith. y Some spells have specific prerequisites which must be learned first. Also note that spells costing 4 or more Faith will always be learned with the limitation that they cannot be cast unless you have a specific component in hand while casting. A second lesson at a subsequent event is required to remove this limitation. The component is not needed during the first lesson (and won't give any benefit if present). y Finally, Pilgrims are only able to learn spells from the list Pilgrim Spells on page 115, while those who are Dedicated may learn the more advanced spells of their faith. A prayer can be made into a battle scroll, just like any other Faith spell, but the person using the scroll must have a holy symbol of the appropriate type and hold it in both hands, as described above. A prayer is an active spell and can be cancelled by Dispel Magic or Dispel Prayer. Otherwise, the prayer only ends if you stop speaking the incantation, let go of your holy symbol, or otherwise stop the spell. 110 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Faith and Religion Teaching You may be taught a spell by a cleric or other character with the Instruction skill. The spell must be available for your religion (and school or order if relevant), but as long as the incantation is exactly the same, your teacher does not need to be of the same religion, school, or order. By working with you, your teacher can impart the crucial words, gestures, and principles that make the spell possible. As part of the lesson, you and your teacher must work together to cast the spell once per point of Faith required to cast the spell, to a maximum of three times. For example, a spell costing 2 Faith to cast must be cast twice during the lesson. The Faith to cast the spell may be expended by either the teacher or the student, or a combination of both of them as they see fit. Some spells will also require the use of magical components to learn. It is assumed that the student continues to practice the technique over the next few weeks; they are not able to cast the spell without assistance until the next event. To finish learning the spell, you must record the name of the spell in the appropriate section of your PEL, along with the name of your teacher. At the next event, the spell will appear on your character sheet and you will be able to use it normally. Knowledge Scrolls You may discover Knowledge Scrolls in-game. These scrolls lay out a series of exercises or procedures which will allow you to learn the spell. The scrolls are magical, and are consumed during use. Most require additional components, which are also consumed, and the exercise will also require the expenditure of Faith. Even after the exercise is completed, additional practice is required before the spell is fully learned. To finish learning the spell, you must record it in your PEL. Self Instruction If you are not taught a spell and do not use a knowledge scroll, you can attempt to learn the spell through prayer, meditation, observation, and experimentation. You must record the spell you are trying to learn, including its entire correct incantation, in your PEL. The next event after attempting unassisted research, you will find out the results. Generally you will start the next event with some of your Faith already used. You may learn the spell properly. You may simply fail to learn the spell, especially if it is too advanced for you. You may also learn the spell partially, and find yourself able to cast the spell, but with side effects or with a higher-than-normal Faith cost. If you learn the spell partially, additional research at subsequent events may allow you to perfect its use. You also may discover that you need a particular material component (e.g. a ruby, holy water) to give as an offering to complete your understanding of the spell. In this case, you can cast the spell only while holding the component. If you turn the component in at check-out, it is expended but you will be able to cast the spell normally, without the component, from then on. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Religions Religions Religion plays an important role in driving the world’s events, shaping history and motivating the faithful. Many are the lives that have been changed by religion. The characters in the world take religion very seriously. However, these religions are for role-playing purposes only and are not modeled after any real world religions. Discussion of real world religion or the open wearing of real religious symbols is forbidden in fairness to everyone. The following sections give brief descriptions of the major religions. More information is available about each of the religions on our web site, including in-game holy texts. We encourage you to read more about the religion you select. Fortune The Devotions of Fortune are generally believed to have developed in the early years of the Age of Light. Several temples devoted to different aspects of Fortune are said to have joined together, although the details are not well recorded. Unlike the moralistic Radiants (see Radiance on page 113), the Fortunate are primarily concerned with improving their relationship with the divine for the sake of improving their own lot in life. Their observances are concerned with giving thanks for divine favors received and asking for future favor to be given. These favors can be as simple as continued help or they might relate to success in future trade or romance. The Fortunate also make much of consecrating and blessing special occasions, be they births, weddings, the launching of ships, planting of crops, or the beginnings of other ventures. The Devotions of Fortune are loosely organized in most areas. In a small town, a single priest may handle all matters, performing ceremonies and advising the devout on how to improve their relationship with Fortune. In a larger city, a single high priest will coordinate others who focus on specific matters, whether they consist of attending to a particular congregation or seeing to a particular need (blessing the crops or blessing the markets). Many will act as Fortune counselors, advising the devout on what actions they can take to improve their lot, and some use divination to determine what lies in store and how it can be improved. Followers of the Devotions respect the advice of the priests, and also show their devotion with offerings at certain times of the year, such as giving a small portion of their crops after the harvest or a tithe of part of their profits from successful business. 111 Religions P art 2 - Playing the Game Devotees of Fortune often speak of the twins, Luck and Destiny. Lord Destiny is considered to plan out the lives of mortals, while Lady Luck disrupts those plans with the random and unexpected. Those who wish greatness often appeal to Destiny, while those who wish to escape their fate appeal to Luck. But both must be respected, for Destiny hates to be ignored and Luck is fickle. The twins are never seen by mortals, although lesser avatars, such as the Handmaidens of Luck, do appear in various guises on rare occasions. Devotees of Fortune follow a variety of teachings and philosophies about how Fortune should be honored and pursued, which are generally grouped into “schools”. (Although many of the Fortunate consider themselves to be independent thinkers and not part of any school.) These schools are usually named for their founders, and have come and gone with time. A set of teachings is generally considered a school if its founder is made a High Priest and if it has enough followers. Founders of less popular ideas often find their advancement to the position of High Priest blocked for just this reason. At present, the most prominent schools are: Avannarites: The Avannarites consider wealth and magical power to be signs of Fortune’s highest favor. They make the most extensive use of rituals to grant and improve good fortune, and their rituals often include magic alongside faith. Their symbol is a richly made goblet, glowing. Benevolents: Concerned first and foremost with the physical well-being of the faithful, Fortune’s Benevolent Hands are healers of great skill. They consider material wealth unimportant and distribute what they can to the needy. Their symbol is a simple cup, of wood or iron (the latter especially among those from Ironwatch). Calaphites: All priests of Fortune do what they can to improve the fortunes of their faithful, but the Calaphites go to the greatest extremes. They actively keep track of what is happening in their communities, and may distribute food or money to those who have been faithful but have not been as well blessed. They consider such gifts to be the most righteous when the recipient does not know where they have come from, although this is not the rule. Their symbol (the cup or goblet of fortune) is not portrayed in any single, consistent way. Malcolmites: Believing that solemn duty requires experiencing all the joys that Fortune has put before them, Malcolmites are devoted to enjoying life to the fullest. Their blessings are especially desirable for the grapevines, and their advice is often sought on the throwing of festivals. Malcolmites use a richly made goblet, full of wine, as their symbol. Savonians: Focusing on determining the future fortunes of their followers, Savonians are especially concerned with divination. They are often consulted on the best location for a business or the best dates for an occasion. When the future is unpleasant, they advise their faithful what changes to make and they may perform rituals to drive out bad fortune or unfriendly spirits. Their symbol is a cup containing dice or a card with a depiction of a cup. The Ancestors: Especially common in the Dragon Dynasty, the school of The Ancestors teaches that Fortune is best reached through prayers to one’s own ancestors to ask their intercession in various matters. Priests are employed to determine what is needed to ensure fortunate results. Their symbol is a white skull shaped into a chalice. The Black Heresy: Not actually a school, the Black Heresy has sprung up from time to time and has generally been crushed by the priesthood. Black Heretics have appeared in every school at various times. The Black Heresy refers specifically to the idea that Fortune in the world is balanced: for each incident of good fortune, an equal incident of bad fortune will occur. Improving the fortune of others then carries the risk that you will suffer the equivalent misfortune, whereas causing misfortune may bring you good luck. Black Heretics may simply cause as much misfortune as possible, or they may focus their efforts on one or a few scapegoats who they see as “chosen” to carry the weight of misfortune for the world. Some cause misfortune for its own sake, while others simply use the doctrine as an excuse to harm others for their own gain. Chalice Knights: The Knights of the Chalice take their name from a legendary artifact said to have once held the essence of the god of Joy. They form an order of holy knights dedicated to the glory of Fortune. In addition to protecting the weak and doing good works, they strive to challenge themselves with tasks some might consider reckless. Each success demonstrates the power of Fortune and its favor upon its champions. The Chalice itself has long been lost, and many have spent their lives questing for it. 112 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Faith and Religion Religions Radiance According to its doctrines, the Way of Holy Radiance arose in the early years of the Age of Light. After the fall of the Dark Queen, the Temple of the Sun’s Dawn (devoted to upholding truth and vanquishing evil) and the Temple of Arcane Truth (devoted to the search for knowledge) jointly founded a school and library dedicated to researching threats to civilization, developing methods for combating darkness, and training those who would carry out those methods. The school, located in Dumar, was well supported by the nobility as well as by the temples, and rapidly grew in size. It became common for nobles to attend the school, not only those of Dumar but also those of Myra and other cities. Eventually the school became a temple, encompassing the temples that founded it as well as incorporating several other orders. The Temple of Holy Radiance began to establish temples and schools across Pendaan, and what became known generally as Radiance became one of the dominant religions. Today, the Way of Holy Radiance is well-established and Radiants, as followers are often called, can be found almost anywhere in Pendaan. Everyone is welcomed to join the Way, but those who choose to devote their lives to it eventually join one of the four Orders: the Shining Sword, the Holy Book, the Open Hand, or the Scales. Those with natural spiritual talent are especially encouraged to advance this far. In each city, the Way is directed by a single Luminary who is technically not part of any order but who rose to his or her position through one. The Archluminary, who sits at the original Temple of Holy Radiance in Dumar, directs the Luminaries. Luminaries and the Archluminary use a shining sun as their symbol, not the symbols of their former orders (which would suggest a bias in their views). Order of the Holy Book: A scholarly order devoted to researching holy rituals, methods of destroying Darkness and its minions, history of the Way, and the nature of their evil foes. Some members of the order prefer to teach what they have learned, while others prefer to carry out the rituals themselves. Members of the order sometimes research the nature of dark magics but they are forbidden from using them; more than one has been excommunicated (and sometimes killed) for violating this doctrine. The order’s symbol is an open book superimposed on a sun. Order of the Open Hand: This order is devoted to education, outreach, and reformation. Members may be teachers, especially in distant communities, and the order is also known for its mastery of the healing arts. They strive to be pillars of their communities, examples of the Holy Radiance to all they encounter. Their symbol is an outstretched hand with a sun resting in its palm. Order of the Scale: This order has the task of determining justice. They act as judges and as investigators as needed. In smaller communities a single member of the order may carry out both roles; in larger cities some will be judges while others investigate and report their findings. Members of this order are also responsible for ensuring corruption does not enter the Way; they are tasked with identifying those who have been tempted by the dark arts, for example. Their symbol is a scale superimposed on a sun. Order of the Shining Sword: A knightly order devoted to destroying evil. Members of the order are extensively trained in combat as well as in the use of Faith to destroy undead and other creatures of Darkness. While all Radiants are expected to act honorably, the requirement is strongest for this order. Holy warriors of this order are known as Templars, and those whose service is exemplary may receive knighthood through the religion. The symbol of the order is a sword superimposed on a sun. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 113 Religions P art 2 - Playing the Game Shamanism Among the northern barbarians and other “uncivilized” peoples, relationships with the gods do not take the form of hierarchical, neatly organized religions. Tribal shamans and druids deal with the myriad spirits, ranging from the elements (fire, ice, wind, and earth), to the celestial bodies (sun, moon, and stars), to animal and plant spirits, and even to the muses. Shamans have some familiarity with all the spirits, but some focus more on some aspects than others. Druids (the title is not chosen but earned) tend to focus on nature spirits and the elements. Rangers usually are most familiar with animal and plant spirits. Eremites typically focus on nature and the celestial bodies, and usually are hermits. Some astrologers also seem to share shaman-like traits. Bards form close bonds with one or several of the muses, and learn to direct their magic through song. And many shaman fit none of these categories. The nature of their observances vary from place to place, but most hold some type of ceremony at noon or midnight (or both) at least once a moon in a shrine or other sacred place. Shamans and druids are most common in the wilderness but can also be found in rural areas, where they sometimes have followings among the peasantry. A poorly marked shrine can often be found outside the smaller towns if you take time to look. Followers will often keep their worship secret from others, or at least refrain from mentioning it in the presence of outsiders. In civilized areas, most people (especially Radiants and Devotees of Fortune) look upon Shamanism with distrust; who can say what the motives of the spirits are? The exceptions to this rule are the bards. As devotees of the Muses, bards are seen as holy people by both shamanists and the Fortunate, and even Radiants often accept their ways. Shamanism makes little distinction between their Faith and the Elemental magics, and many will also develop Elemental magic and spells. For this reason, some think of them as “hedge wizards” or simply as superstitious and poorly trained mages. Nevertheless, they have some capabilities mages lack. Conversely, some shamans and their believers think of mages as narrowminded fools who are missing the real point of magic. It’s a point not likely to ever be resolved. Holy symbols of shamans always involve a tree. The form of the tree may reflect something of the shaman's views on the world; for example, it may be a whole tree, a branch or a leaf, a single acorn, or a winter tree with no leaves. The tree symbolizes the interconnectedness of spirits and the natural cycle. The symbol may incorporate other elements depending on what spirits the shaman feels particularly close to. For example, an elemental shaman might have a burning tree on their symbol, an eremite might have a tree under a full moon or starry sky, a bard's symbol might show a harp of live wood with leaves and roots, and so forth. Animals are also common elements in shamanic symbols, such as an owl sitting in the tree. 114 Nature: The most common form of shamanism is dedication to spirits of nature. There are innumerably many nature spirits, though not every type can be found in every region. Nature spirits dwell in the spirit world and normally cross over only when called or around Eventide. Generally they are concerned with the well-being of the environment. Spirits of predatory animals (e.g. wolves) tend to be more martial while spirits of herbivores and plants (e.g. the oak tree) are more focused on growth and protection. Some animal spirits are more closely tied to other realms. For example, many spirits of birds dwell in the elemental realm of air, while some nocturnal animals, such as some owls and bats, are more closely tied to Dream. Elements: Shamans refer to these entities as Elemental spirits, while mages just call them Elementals. Some take on forms of creatures closely tied to their element, like birds, fish, or trees, while others simply appear as living entities composed entirely of the element. Most elemental shamans dedicate themselves to a single element to which they have an especially close tie (e.g. a blacksmith who follows a fire spirit) although some go farther and find ways to honor all four elements. Celestial: The spirits of the night sky are closely tied to the realm of Dream, and in fact dream shaman teach that the stars are visible features of this close-by realm. Those who look to their dreams for guidance follow dream spirits, while those who try to make out the larger patterns and predictions of the sky look to stars. The spirits of the moon are guardians of this realm and their shaman are defenders of their faithful in our own realm. Muses: Unlike the other spirits, the Muses are accepted as benevolent even by those who do not care for shamanism, and their followers are welcome almost everywhere. Some take pains to avoid associating with common shamans. Muses serve to inspire art and music, and their followers devote themselves to the cause. In order to channel the power of the Muses, they sing their spells. The most advanced are known as Bards. Other Spirits: Not every spirit fits these categories. For example, the Detlene Varn follow their own spirit wardens. The less common spirits sometimes suffer distrust even from other shamans. An unknown entity has unknown desires, which could be malevolent. It's also easier for other entities, such as powerful fiends and undead, to pretend to be unique or new types of spirits than for them to impersonate spirits of nature, the elements, dream, or the Muses—although none of these are impossible. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Faith and Religion The Fiend Goddess Legend claims that the Fiend Goddess was once a deity, but was cast out of the divine realms for overstepping herself, interceding directly in the mortal realm during the Age of Darkness. She is considered Queen among the fiends, and the great fiend lords known as Baarteyu are her nobles. Her name is rarely spoken or written, due to the widespread belief that the naming of fiends grants them increased access to the mortal realm. (Her followers, of course, are more willing to speak it.) The Radiants to this day confiscate and destroy texts naming her (and sometimes other Baarteyu) whenever possible. Blackhold bears the mark of her touch and fiend-spawn creatures roam its lands. Her followers are said to use dark magics, especially those relating to the power of fiends. And like fiends, her followers are devoted to spreading misery and suffering as far as possible. Not surprisingly, they are unwelcome outside Blackhold and forbidden by the laws of many lands. The Fiend Goddess’s symbol is three red claw marks, typically on a black background. Some devote themselves to other fiends and these may have their own symbols. The Undead Lords Many who choose to serve darkness do so by pledging themselves to one of the undead lords, receiving power over the dead and undead in exchange. Such dark magic is said to be inherently corrupting, leading inevitably to a murderous disposition, and while the subject is sometimes debated there are few, if any, counterexamples. Some believe the undead lords are themselves organized into a hierarchy of power, all serving a single dark god of undeath and murder (Radiants, in particular, hold this belief as doctrine). Others consider the power a type of magic like any other, uncontrolled by any greater being. Since the dark magics are banned in most cities and service to the undead lords is even more shunned, it is difficult to determine the truth of the matter. Some of the undead lords have personal symbols, while others do not. Most followers show a preference for the color black. Pilgrim Spells Pilgrim Spells This section lists the introductory faith spells for Pilgrims. This is not the complete list of Faith spells, as there are many more spells to learn as you advance in your studies. Awaken Cost: 1 Incant: “I awaken you from your slumber.” Description: If the target is Unconscious from Slumber, Waylay, or another effect, this spell awakens them. This spell has no effect if they are Dying. Cancel Spell Cost: 0 Incant: “I cancel my _______ spell.” Description: Anyone with Faith (or Mana of any type) can cancel a spell they have cast that has a duration in its incant, even if they used a battle scroll or magic item to cast it. For example, the spell Communicate has the incant, “I grant you the ability to communicate, five minutes.” Its duration (5 minutes) is in its incantation, so it may be canceled. The spell to be cancelled must be named. For example, “I cancel my communicate spell.” Just like other spells, the caster must hit the target with a spell packet, or touch them with it if they are willing. Cleanse Cost: 2 Incant: I cleanse your body of all poisons.” Description : If the subject of this spell is currently under the effects of any poison or venom, the effect is removed. Communicate Cost: 1 Incant: “I grant you the ability to communicate, five minutes.” Description: The target is granted the ability to communicate in and understand the common tongue. The target is not required to speak, and unintelligent targets may have nothing useful to say. This will also restore the ability to speak to a target who has been Silenced or compelled to speak Gibberish. Detect Poison Cost: 1 Incant: “I detect all poisons before me, one minute.” Description: For one minute, the caster can check all items for poison. The caster must actually look for ingestive or contact poison during this time. The caster is not affected by the poison even if he accidentally touches contact poison during this time. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 115 Pi lg r i m S pe ll s Free Will Cost: 1 Incant: “I free you from this [charm/enslave/betrayal/ pacify].” Description: If the target is under the specified effect, they are freed. If the caster specified a different effect (e.g. the target is Enslaved but the caster specified Charm), the effect is not removed. You may not cast this spell upon yourself. Healing Cost: 1 Incant: With Faith, I heal you one vitality.” Description: This spell requires one full minute to cast, during which the caster must be touching the subject with a spell packet (or with their hand if the subject agrees). The caster should say “With Faith” when beginning the spell, role-play prayer or meditation during the minute, and speak the entire incantation at the end. Once completed, the spell restores one Vitality to the subject of the spell, and also repairs all of their limbs which have been Maimed or Stunned. If the target is Dying due to damage, their death count is suspended while this spell is being cast, and when it is finished they are restored to Consciousness. Healing has no effect on those who are Unconscious due to Waylay, Slumber, or other effects. P a r t 2 - Pl a y i n g t h e G a m e Purify Cost: 1 Incant: “I purify this [object] of all poisons.” Description: The caster may remove any poison from the specified object. Contact and ingestive poison must actually be removed, although the caster is not effected even if he accidentally touches contact poison while doing so. Release Cost: 1 Incant: “I release your magical bonds.” Description: This spell removes the effects of Bind, Entangle, Pin hand (Icicle), Giant’s Grip, Snare, Web, and Paralysis, but not Petrification. Repel Undead Cost: 1 Incant: With Faith, repel undead, one minute.” Description: If used on an undead, the undead must move away from the caster for the full duration. There is no effect if cast on any other type of creature. Light Cost: 0 Incant: “I create a source of magical light.” Description: This common but useful spell is known by anyone with Faith (or any type of Mana). Through the use of a magical component (a chemical glowstick) the caster creates an enchanted light on a stick that will usually glow between six to eight hours (players must provide their own components). This spell requires no Faith to cast and may be cast as many times as you have components for. You may bestow a cast stick of light on anyone you wish after the spell has been cast. You may also use a batterypowered light in place of a chemical glowstick as long as it produces a diffuse glow not much brighter than a glowstick and does not have any type of beam. Very bright lights and anything that shines a beam (e.g. a normal flashlight, anything with an exposed LED) are not allowed. Ultra-high intensity chemical glowsticks are also not permitted. 116 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Chapter 12 Alchemy and Herbalism “What's that? Oh that... here, just hold it so I can pour this in it... Oh that can't be good” ~ Toolrah Willowsong Magic pervades the world. Just as spellcasters can gather and shape the flow of Mana so as to wreak their will, so does the earth itself accumulate and disperse magical energies according to principles beyond mortal understanding. It is well understood, however, that these energies can affect the animals and plants that dwell nearby, and sometimes even transform the earth itself. Understanding and tapping the energies contained within these unwitting vessels is the task of alchemy and herbalism. Most alchemists belong to the powerful and secretive Alchemical Guild, an institution created to oversee the proper teaching and control of alchemical knowledge. Alchemy is widely regarded as a highly secretive art—in part due to the desire of most alchemists to keep the demand for crucial components low, but also in no small part due to the strictly enforced orders of the Guild. One result is that most alchemical writings are in a magical code decipherable only by other alchemists. Collecting Magical Components A wide variety of plastic flowers, fungi, animals, etc. can be found scattered throughout the game area. (Please do not gather any real plants or animals; they have no alchemical effects). They can be collected by anyone, although they are most useful to alchemists and herbalists. If not used, all animal and plant components become unusable at the end of the event during which they are gathered. Please turn in all unused components at the end of the event. In addition, claws, teeth, and other components may be harvested from some monsters. Claws and teeth do not spoil. Some very large animal components yield twice as much material as normal. These are treated as if they were two components. Very small animal components (1/2”) may only be used in quantity. To get a useful product, ten of these are required. Components must be intact in order to be used. A flower with no stem, or a stem that has lost its flower, are both equally useless. Alchemy vs. Herbalism “Give me 10 people and with a handful of gems... I can kill 6 of 'em and make the other 4 kill themselves.” ~ Grim Skandran Alchemy is a magical skill that primarily uses magical animal, insect, and mineral components. The basic skills can be learned by anyone with the basic class Sight. More advanced techniques are only possible for characters of the Alchemist class. Herbalism is a craft skill that primarily uses plant and fungus components. Every Herbalist starts with one Herbal process. Any processes beyond your first Herbal process must be learned in-game and purchased as a skill. It is possible to learn both Alchemy and Herbalism, and a few processes (Calcination and Grinding) are shared by both. These only need to be learned through one or the other. 117 Potions, Oils, and Powd ers Potions, Oils, and Powders Each potion bottle has a picture on it, representing its physical appearance. It may be clear or opaque, it may have materials suspended in it, and it may be a potion, powder, or oil. In addition, its color will be written next to the picture. Anyone can take note of these traits and try to use them to recognize potions they’ve taken before. Pa rt 2 - Playing the Game The tag must be read, even if you think you already know what it says. You may be mistaken. If it is too dark to read the potion tag, then the potion cannot be used, and is wasted if opened; assume you fumbled it in the dark. Potions and Oils may not be resisted using defenses against spells. For example, Spell Shield will not protect you from a potion. Other more specific defenses will help. For example, if the potion causes 1 point of Fire damage, you could resist it using a Fire Shield. Potions and Oils with beneficial effects are subject to the same stacking limitations as spells. See Beneficial Spells and Stacking on page 100 for details. Potions and Oils Potions are alchemical or herbal creations that must be ingested to be used. Their effects vary greatly. Some can heal the injured, cure the sick, cleanse the poisoned, or renew the exhausted; others have quite the opposite results. Oils are alchemical or herbal creations that must be applied to a surface to be used. Some uses include magical armor, spell shields, and healing salves. Oils also include some forms of poisons (such as blade poison and contact poison), although these must be created with the Poisoncraft skills. Powders A powder is an alchemical creation which can be thrown as a spell. The vial contains a tag, as with a potion, as well as a powder packet. To use a powder, take out the tag and read it completely. It may have effects on you as well as those that you can throw. After reading the tag, you can hold the powder for up to 5 minutes before throwing it. If you haven’t thrown it after that time, the powder is wasted. To throw the spell, speak the full incantation as written on the tag, then throw the packet. The powder is considered a spell for all purposes; it can be resisted in the same way that spells can, and you may not walk or run while speaking the incant or throwing it. An example powder tag might read: “You have 5 minutes to use this powder or it is wasted. To use this powder, state the incant 'Through Fire, Bolt Damage 1' and throw the packet. You are burned for 1 point of acid damage.” Potions and Oils are considered to be consumed once they have been opened. If you open the potion or oil and read the tag inside, you are considered to have used it on yourself and must take the effect. You may pour the potion out on the ground instead of drinking it, but in this case you may not read the tag (nor may anyone else). You can also use a potion or oil on a helpless, Unconscious, or cooperating person; in this case, do not read the tag, but give it to them to read. 118 This example would allow you to state the incant, “Through fire, bolt damage 1,” and then throw the powder packet. It would also burn you for 1 point of acid damage. The acid damage would occur immediately, as soon as you read the tag. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Alchemy and Herbalism Learning Alchemy Learning Alchemy Each time the Alchemy skill is purchased, you learn one basic alchemical process. The following processes may be learned and used by any character: Blood Putrefaction Extracting an animal’s blood and then allowing it to putrefy until it reaches the correct degree of darkness, before fermentation begins. Calcination Burning bones or teeth in a closed crucible until the component is reduced to a dry ash. (This process is also used in Herbalism.) Corrosion - Using simple acids or bases to dissolve a corruptible metal. (Simple acids and bases can be prepared from common, valueless materials. It is assumed that they are prepared by the alchemist as needed, and that they are not useful for other purposes.) Learning Herbalism When Herbalism is first purchased, you learn one basic herbal process: Calcination - Burning bones or teeth in a closed crucible until the component is reduced to a dry ash. (This process is also used in Alchemy.) DecoctionBoiling suitable roots or seeds to produce an herbal potion. GrindingReducing a mineral component to powder by crushing it. (This process is also used in Alchemy.) Oil InfusionBruising suitable leaves and letting them soak in oil for 6-8 days, then removing any large pieces, to prepare an herbal oil. Tea InfusionAllowing suitable flowers to steep in hot but not boiling water for a brief period to prepare an herbal potion. ExpressionPressing suitable berries to extract a useful liquid. TinctureDissolving the component in alcohol. This is used on mushrooms (they are first dried) and resins. Because Herbalism is a craft, each basic process is a separate skill, which must be learned in-game and purchased as with other skills. More advanced processes are also available to skilled Herbalists, including baking and brewing. Decrepitation - Shattering lesser gemstones by means of successive heating/cooling cycles. Digestion - The component (a whole animal) is smashed in a liquid, and then kept at low heat for a long period of time, to produce a potion. Exaltation - Releasing the energy of an Elementally-tuned gemstone. Foliation - Causing a component formed of thin layers (e.g. crab shell, insect wings) to separate, using heat and a small amount of liquid. Grinding - Reducing a mineral component to powder by crushing it. (This process is also used in Herbalism.) Projection - Using Aqua Regia to transform a noble metal. Aqua Regia must be obtained in-game. Additional moderate and advanced processes are available to characters of the Alchemist class. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 119 Starting Recipes P art 2 - Playing the Game Starting Recipes Existing characters who learn the Alchemy or Herbalism skill gain the appropriate process, but no other information. They must learn the results through experimentation in-game. New characters who start with the Alchemy or Herbalism skill may request a specific recipe at check-in, and have the appropriate process assigned. In this case, they will be shown the one component needed to produce one product using the process they learn. They will also receive one example of the potion. They may also use the process with other appropriate components, which will create different potions, whose effects must be learned in-game. Alchemical Starting Recipes Dispel Charm: Removes the effect of Charm. y Healing: Heals 1 vitality, but takes 1 minute to take effect. y Ice Greaves: Allows one Maim effect to be resisted. y Release: Removes magical binding effects. y Herbalism Starting Recipes Awaken: Awakens the Unconscious. y Cleanse: Removes the effect of poison or venom. y Healing: Heals 1 vitality, but takes 1 minute to take effect. y Resist Terror: Allows one Terror effect to be resisted. y Using Your Processes Each process can be used on a particular class of components. For example, Decoction can be used on components whose roots or seeds contain their magic, and Blood Putrefaction is used on animals whose magic is in their blood. In addition to the components, you also need one new glass vial for each potion, oil, or powder you wish to create. New, unused glass vials are marked with the Mythical Journeys logo; used vials do not have the logo. During the game, glass vials and components you have gathered can be brought to the alchemy/herbal shop during the hours that it is open and turned in. Record your name, the processes you are using, and the names of your components (paper and pen will be provided at the shop). At the next event, you will receive the products of your work. “Oops” ~ Toolrah Willowsong 120 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Chapter 13 After Game “When evening comes... ...sorrow overwhelms my mind. I see his phantom that speaks the words he used to say.” ~ Hermia Vesta Sim'yak Leaving the Game Congratulations! You’ve just survived in some way, shape, or form another Mythical Journeys event. You’ve finished all your adventures for the event, but there’s still stuff to do at Mythical Journeys. Check Out Depending on your skills or your actions during the event, you may need to check out. If you have any yellow-stickered items, you must turn them in at check out. Some are in-game props that have special effects that need to be monitored; some are personal props that people would like returned. y Any items you want to detect/attune must be turned in at this time. y Please turn in any alchemical or herbal components that you will not use. Check out runs for an hour after game end. y Sunday Breakdown After event close on Sunday we begin the fast-paced project of transforming our medieval fantasy town back to the rustic camp it once was. To receive your full number of CP for the weekend, please help us with breakdown! We award ten UP or more to players and cast who assist with breakdown. Make sure you sign in (and out when you are done) with the breakdown coordinator. If you are helping us, please try to keep socializing to a minimum. Once we have fully completed breakdown there’s plenty of time to talk, laugh, and share adventure stories. Even if you can’t help break down, be sure to clean up your cabin. Please throw out all your trash and sweep out your cabin. After the Game Once you’ve returned home from an event, the story isn’t over yet. There’s still more you can do to keep the world of Pendaan alive and stay in touch with Mythical Journeys. Feedback Letters and Updating We ask that all Players and Cast write us a Feedback Letter (or Post Event Letter often referred to as a PEL) after each event. This letter tells us what you thought of the event, what you liked, and what you thought could be improved. We always welcome constructive criticism—if you think something could be done better, please tell us how you would do it. Your feedback helps us to determine what you enjoy about playing Mythical Journeys and what areas we may need to focus in more. Not only do you get to help shape the game in this manner, but we also reward you with 10 additional CP! Your Feedback Letter must be received no later than two weeks after the event in order to receive a CP reward. Feedback Letters should include: Player name, date of event attended, what your future goals are, what goals you have achieved, what you thought of the event (highlights), and what you would have done (differently) to improve the event. You get 10 CP for an Adventure Weekend plus 10 additional points for submitting your Feedback Letter on time. An online Post Event Letter form is available on our web site. Your points will be automatically added when you use it. Feedback letters are also an excellent place to suggest new ideas, monsters, skills, improvement ideas, or address issues. Your thoughts are important to us so please fill us in! 121 After the Game The PEL in Detail One of the most important parts of advancing your character is writing your Post Event Letter (PEL). Not only do you get CP to increase the skill level of your character, you also get to tell Mythical Journeys all your activities, thoughts, plans, and ideas for the future. The PEL is more than a survey to see whether or not you enjoyed the event. This is your chance to explain to cast what it is you want to do in the future. Although the Cast of Mythical Journeys is incredibly talented, they are not mind readers. If you have plans to assassinate the great evil wizard, or want to learn how to use new fighting skills, or take over the world, Mythical Journeys needs to be prepared to help (or hinder) you. Yes, your character needs to take actions in-game, such as talking to the wizard’s nemesis, finding out where fighting masters are, etc. However, since each Cast member plays several different characters, it is possible for them to forget one conversation. Also, the Cast member may have a different impression of the conversation than you did. It’s one thing to tell us, “I spoke with Master Melor,” but far better to let us know, “I discussed my future training with Master Melor and he agreed to teach me the binding spell I was hoping to learn.” Likewise, you could just note, “I bought some healing potions from the merchant,” but you might get further if you explained, “I’m planning on using them on some of the local goblins when they get attacked, in the hopes that they’ll become useful allies in the future.” We’d like to hear about each of the following every event: Did you enjoy the event? Why so, or why not? y What did you get involved in during the event? Who did you associate with? y Have you joined any groups, or begun any projects with others? y Were there things that need to be followed up on? y What did you do to achieve each of your goals? y What are you planning on doing to achieve your goals, or just generally planning on doing? y What did you learn about what is going on? y What stood out as particularly enjoyable? y Is there something you’d like to see more of/less of? y What did you think of the various plots? What did your character think of them? y Are there any plot types you’d like to see that aren’t being done? y 122 Part 2 - Playing the Game How you write your PEL is up to you. You can: Provide a chronological list of your activities. y Describe your activities by related events, such as everything relating to dealing with the Lich, then everything relating to your goal of becoming a Fatespinner, etc. y Write in-game letters and journals. y Ramble semi-coherently about your activities in any order you’d like, as long as you tell Mythical Journeys what you want to do. You are also welcome to send additional PELs, e-mails, ingame letters, etc. to Mythical Journeys Cast to further your goals as you plot and scheme between events. Remember, however, that cast members are forbidden from responding to in-game messages between events. y Sample PEL Questions that require answers: What is your favorite color? Date of event: 04-01-2012 - 04-03-2012 Event Weekend Favorite player: Smith, Gerry, He's just too cool. Favorite cast: About the event: Had a great time, you all rock! Bummed I couldn't use the weapons I brought, but I understand the whole safety stuff. See you in a few weeks. Skills/spells learned: None, yet. This PEL isn't much to look at, but we do receive many like it. It's nice to hear you enjoyed the event, but there's nothing for our plot team to work with, no hint of what the writer did, no sign of what they liked most or least. A PEL like this doesn't help us improve the game at all. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance A ft e r G a m e A ft e r t h e G a m e Another Sample PEL Questions that require answers: Saturday Who do I let know that I helped with set-up? Exploring the woods, we found it to be mostly peaceful and a beautiful day. One encounter proved too much for us as we came across an Ork hunting parting. We weren't sure what they were hunting and decided not to be entertained as the main meal in that evenings campfire. We ran . . . fast . . . for a long time. Kimba kept up with us and only one Ork was even close. If we had waited for them to organize, we may have been in trouble. I did find a small uncut gem while we were exploring the woods. I'm excited to find someone who can evaluate its worth. We have some extra time to make spell packets for donation. Is it all right to use rubber bands in their construction? Date of event: 04-01-2012 - 04-03-2012 Event Weekend Favorite player: Favorite cast: About the event: We had a blast and can't wait for the next event. Nice job. The modules were spooky at night, it was a bit hard to see but it only added to the experience. The briefing at the beginning of the game is a good idea for refreshing rules and safety. Not only was it great to play with my friends, but we got an opportunity to meet some pretty cool people as well. I can tell that the fellow playing Balthar is going to be fun to play with as Melkar gets more comfortable with his capabilities in town. Melkar's Journal Friday Night Drinks in the tavern were served by Phoebe, Eldyrwood's local bar wench. The Soldiers of Shadow had arrived and we were deep in conversation with a Sergeant of the local militia named Balthar. He explained to us that there was a cave dangerously close to the caravan route . . . we were responsible for eliminating this potential threat. Canine threats were lurking in the darkness of the cave. We overcame them and won the skeptical praise of the Sergeant. We returned to the warmth of the tavern and there I secured us our next employment. Giovanni, an Elvin spice merchant, needed some daring adventurers to insure that his shipment made it quickly and discreetly to Purk. I was on point, scouting in the darkness of the trail, the next thing I know, I am face to face with Fate. That's never a good sign. I respectfully approached Fate and chose my path. Fortune was with me and I was whole again. I found my companions in the tavern and discovered that despite the loss of Dunnam and myself, the mission was successful. Exhausted we retired for the night. Mythical Journeys Renaissance The “creature” will come on Sunday, at least that what was surmised by the general consensus of the townsfolk. Quite frankly, I was too distracted by the open bowl of copper where Phoebe kept her tips to pay too much attention to whatever mess was coming to the town. The night before had provided us a clue to the doom that was to arrive. Attempting to nap in the middle of the day is not one of the better ideas for an adventurer. I tried to lay down, but the noises outside had me very nervous something was going to burst into the cabin at anytime. The mages had surmised that we needed a hero's sword and lots of spells to destroy the impending enemy. The walls of the crypt were cold to the touch; the room was filled with the cold mist of moisture laden air. The spirit that guarded the sword was felled by my comrades after taking care of a minion or two. I had time to look around as the others fought valiantly. Coin like you would not believe. The sword of the hero was in my hand as I felt the sting of several darts in my back. The fire in my blood made it clear that I had been poisoned as my body hit the ground. Even though our cleric is annoyingly righteous, they are an asset that I'm going to have to learn to appreciate. Sunday The creature arrived in a flurry of death and destruction. Rasaan faced off with the beast as the mages cast spells from their safer distances. Rasaan and Dunnam took on the monster and managed to wound it enough that the town could finally drop it to the ground. With healing and much praise, we were thanked for our part in this epic conflict, one of many more to come, no doubt. This is only the beginning for the Soldiers of Shadow. We have many more adventures to come. Skills/spells learned: 123 After the Game Part 2 - Playing the Game Message Board Our message board was developed for our Players and Cast to meet, converse, exchange e-mail addresses, share information, and role-play between events. It is for the enjoyment of our members. These rules will be posted periodically on the message board so new and potential members are familiarized with our policies. Our message board is a reflection of us all (Cast, Players and Staff) as a whole and unprofessional or childish behavior will not be tolerated. Please be courteous. Our message board is moderated by rabid trolls three days of the week (you guess which three). Please do not use the Mythical Journeys Message board as a means to solicit other games, web sites, or products without permission from Mythical Journeys. Messages of this nature posted without permission will be deleted immediately by Board Moderators. Mythical Journeys policy refrains from the posting of other game systems or links to such on our Message Board. y If your reply to a message deviates significantly from the subject of the original message, please start a new message. This will enable people to become involved in the new topic which they may have missed as merely a reply to another. y Swearing or other conduct that could be deemed as inappropriate is forbidden. Please do your best to keep this site (at least) PG-13. y Do not use the message board for negative feedback, complaints, flames, etc. You can submit this feedback using the Feedback feature on the site or a Help request. y Messages of an inappropriate nature will be deleted by Board Moderators. y Do feel free to post positive comments, suggestions, ideas, etc. You may also submit these using the Feedback feature on the site or a Help request where they will receive the proper attention they deserve. y The In-Game (IG) message board is for in-game posts by Mythical Journeys characters. You must have a character with the literacy skill to read or post on the IG board. We recommend that new characters do not post on the IG board until they have played at least one event. Out-Of-Game (OOG) posts should be posted on the OOG message board, and will be deleted if they appear on the IG board. y Good PELs come in many forms. A journal entry like this one, covering important happenings and interactions from the event, is useful to us and also fun to read. Many players find that having such records is also helpful for them, when they try to figure out what past events mean, or even just as a reminder before their next game. This PEL mention a few major characters the writer interacted with, as well as his companions. It gives our plot team a sense of what the writer liked best and what he considered important and memorable. We could use more hints about the character's plans for the future but overall it is a useful PEL. Updating Your Character You toughed it out and survived the Mythical Journeys Adventure Weekend; slain fearsome beasts, foiled the bad guys plans, role-played your head off, and visited Fate a few times more than you wanted to. And when all was said and done, you rushed home, wrote up your feedback letter and submitted it on our website right away! As mentioned previously, you receive 10 CP for attending an event plus an additional 10 CP for writing a feedback letter, and 10 UP for helping with break-down after the game, for a total of 30 points. You can update your character—purchase more skills as you did when you created your character—online any time at least five days prior to the event. If you have questions or problems updating, use the online HELP feature, or contact [email protected]. You do not have to spend all of your CP at one time, and can bank them for future use. For more info see Chapter 14 Advancing Your Character. 124 GbgX5 Cast are not to communicate any in-game information to players via e-mail (or through any other means). In-character posts on the message board are acceptable, but cast characters should not be sending any in-game e-mail to players. Player characters may contact cast characters between games by e-mail, but will not receive any response until the next game. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance A ft e r G a m e Donations We are always happy to accept donations of props, masks, costumes, etc., that help enhance the appearance of the game. We also often have need for spell and subdue packets, weapons, and other specific items for the game. Your donations make the game a better place for everyone involved. To show you how happy we are to accept donations, we reward donations with UP! You should always check the Donations page on the Mythical Journeys web site for information on specifics of what we are currently looking for. All donated items become the property of Mythical Journeys. We cannot accept loaned items. Universal Point Rewards If you help us set up or break down an event, donate props, or perform some other service that we need, you will be rewarded with additional Universal Points (UP). These points are our way of saying, “Thanks for helping us out! We really appreciate it.” Make sure you sign in and out with area coordinators when helping us with setup or breakdown in order to receive your UP reward. Universal Points are distinguished from Character Points in several ways. Character Points essentially belong to your character. You can spend them to purchase skills for your character but you cannot transfer them to other characters (except that unspent Character Points can be transferred to a new character if your old character dies or is retired). Universal Points belong to you, the player, and you can transfer them between characters or even give them to other players. Your Universal Points can be converted to Character Points to purchase skills within certain limits. No character may have more than 150 points plus 50 points per event played spent on their skills and classes. (Races do not count against this limit.) For example, after you’ve played four events, you can spend a total of 350 points. If you make a new character after retiring your old character or after your old character dies, your new character's starting limit is 50 for every three events you attended as the old character, with a minimum of 150. Character Points beyond these limits can be saved for future use. A ft e r t h e G a m e Universal Points can also be spent on a variety of other items. The following is a sample list of what else you can spend your UP on: 1 UP = 4 copper farthings y 5 UP = 2 silver crowns y 2 UP = 1 leather, steel, or wood piece y 4 UP = 1 fine cloth y 8 UP = 10 clean vials y 8 UP = vial of ink y 8 UP = paper for scrollcrafting y 10 UP = Fate’s Kiss y 30 UP = Twist of Fate y Temporary Skill: see below. y Special Items: From time to time we hold UP auctions for other items and benefits. None of these items, even Temporary Skills, count against your spending limit. y A Temporary Skill is a single use of any skill you could purchase. The cost is one fifth of what the skill would cost your character to purchase. The skill must be one that you would normally be able to purchase. If you buy multiple Temporary uses of an increasing cost skill, the cost does increase with each purchase. Temporary Skills work exactly like regular skills, for the event at which you have them. For example, if you buy additional Vitality as a Temporary Skill, you can be healed to restore it. You cannot buy Appraisal as a Temporary Skill, and if you buy Detect/ Attune Magic, it does not come with the aura-reading part of the skill. If you buy Chosen Foe as a Temporary Skill, your choice of Chosen Foe is permanent — you will not be able to buy Chosen Foe for a different foe, either permanently or temporarily. And Temporary Skills do not count to fulfill prerequisites to learn other skills, spells, or classes. However, Temporary Skills can be very handy when you are expecting trouble or when you want to try dabbling in a new area. This list changes from time to time. See the web site for the most current list. This limit is called the spending cap. For characters with a spending cap below 1000 points, once per event attended, you may “upgrade” the cap received for that specific event by 25 points (from the standard 50 point cap increase per event, to a 75 point cap increase for that event). You can upgrade any event attended in August 2012 or later. The upgrade costs 25 UP. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 125 Miscellaneous Informat ion Part 2 - Playing the Game Miscellaneous Information You can do more for Mythical Journeys than just play. You can help us behind the scenes, or by providing items to help make our world more real. Merchanting Policy Merchants that sell game-related merchandise only enhance the atmosphere we are trying to create. Merchants may use a space designated by Mythical Journeys to sell their wares (if indoor space is available) or may be asked to provide their own location outside. Merchants who participate in Mythical Journeys events sell at no fee. Merchants who do not wish to participate in Mythical Journeys may sell before the event starts at no fee. Merchants who wish to sell their wares during the game must contact Mythical Journeys for permission and to make the necessary arrangements. Volunteers Needed We are always looking for self-motivated individuals with a commitment to excellence to help us with our ever-growing game. If you are passionate about live role-playing and want to be part of our successful team, contact us. Volunteering can include many things, including: making props, making costuming, working at our Renaissance Faire, and Casting. Cast Members Mythical Journeys wouldn’t be fun without the invaluable assistance of our Cast. They are the supporting backbone of the game who play the monsters and everyday people you might encounter on your adventures. Being Cast at Mythical Journeys is a lot of rewarding work. It requires an individual who is intelligent, versatile, self-motivated, creative, and capable of following instructions. Cast receive the same point reward as Players and may also submit a feedback letter for additional points. The best part about being Cast isn’t all the cool roles you’ll get to play, all the battles you get to fight, or all the roleplaying you get to do... The best part about being a Cast Member at Mythical Journeys is the fact it is completely free! If you are coming to the game as cast, you will need to bring sleeping gear, shower gear and whatever costumes and weapons you may want to use during the event. Basic black active wear is great to have as it goes underneath any costume you throw on during the event. We also ask that you bring some kind of appropriate shoes (boots or hiking shoes are ideal; avoid obviously modern sneakers). Mythical Journeys does provide a large assortment of costumes and weapons so even if you have nothing, you are all set at Mythical Journeys. Donjor de Magique, Sarden 126 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Chapter 14 Advancing Your Character Things had certainly changed for the Soldiers of the Shadow since they first entered the town. Rasaan, who had been so cocky and wild, was now a Captain in the Militia. He patrolled the town with his men at night and the townsfolk all knew and trusted him. His early successes in fighting convinced him to become a “Weapons Master”, that he might devote his life to the use of all weapons and teach others to defend themselves. He took to wearing a Red Cap he had won in a fight against a bandit early in his career. It was whispered that the cap gave him magical protections, but he wore it just as a warning to bandits that he was accompanying patrols on the caravan trails. Dunnam now spent most of his time in the forest learning from the old druid and the rangers of the north. He often patrolled with Rasaan’s men in the woods. His life became devoted to studying and protecting the forests from those who would do evil there. He passed the rigorous test to be accepted amongst the Rangers, then turned his attention to archery, eventually becoming one of the rare “Mystic Archers.” Grog the Dwarven Barbarian had scorned the Militia after being falsely accused of a crime and turned his talents towards the business of repairing the armor of the town. He became so enamored with the craft that he focused his studies almost entirely on blacksmithing, although he did become a “Champion” as well. With the help of an ancient manuscript he and his friends had won, his skills had become so advanced that he was able to enhance weapon and armor beyond even the skills of the owner. He had patched up with the Militia now that Rasaan was a Captain and he now offered a discount on armor repair to the Militia in return for their service to the town. Kimba the fiery practitioner of the Elemental Magics had expanded her skills by learning about “alchemy.” She was now a council member in the local mages guild. She had saved the town by creating a magical brew which dispelled a creature that had terrorized the town and in return she was allowed to keep the necklace the beast wore. It is rumored that the necklace enhanced her magical abilities. Her actions and her necklace had made her well respected by the town and feared by mages who would threaten the members of her guild or her friends in the area. The cleric of the light, Gabriel had done well for himself as well, he had just finished his final quest for his Radiance name and had been appointed the rank of Templar. He was the protector to a very important high cleric in the guild, his generosity with the gifts of the light was as well known as his fury when undead sought to bring evil to his home. His work was far from done however, the town still was inhabited with those who would give opportunity to evil and chaos, he would one day see his small corner of the world free of evil influence. He had been arrested many times, punished a few, and most knew him as Melkar the Shadowalker. He was known as an amicable sort of rogue who usually knew not to go to far. He used his skills to benefit the town in times of trouble eagerly, and only got into trouble when times got too easy and he felt the need to practice. His calling card was most often a note telling how the victim could best guard against rogues like himself. He had a love hate relationship with Phoebe, at the tavern, who kept trying to find more and more elaborate ways to protect her goods against him. His greatest renown however was with those who would attack his friends. To them he was feared for his uncanny ability to be behind them at the most inconvenient times and the unrelenting determination with which he pursued those who did harm to those he cared for. 127 Part 2 - Playing the Game As described previously, you can receive up to 20 CP for playing and submitting a PEL at every event you play at Mythical Journeys, plus 10 or more UP for setup, cleanup, and other assistance. Now, what to do with those points? Chapter 3 Skills describes the majority of skills available for purchase by your character. You can purchase anything you like to improve your character. However, there are some paths that lead to new doors. You can choose to define your character by an Advanced Class, or even eventually a Prestige Class. Advanced and Prestige Classes have special skills available only to those classes. The advanced classes represent specific types of training. These classes have specific prerequisites and also require a Rite of Passage to enter. The point cost for an advanced class is the same as for a basic class. For example, a warrior with Finesse and Might might choose to become a Champion. If he had taken Finesse as his free class, and paid 20 points for Might as his second class, Champion would be his third class, so it would cost 30 points. Prerequisites Each Advanced Class can only be learned if you have learned its prerequisite skills. Where the requirement is a certain number of points spent in a basic class, this does not include points spent on the basic class itself, or any arms and armor skills. Skills purchased from the basic classes count toward prerequisites. Advanced class skills are also counted; see the skill description to check which basic class the skill is counted towards for prerequisite purposes. You can take multiple Advanced Classes if you meet the requirements for them. However, the prerequisites are added together, they do not overlap. For example, to qualify for Duellist and Hunter, you would need 300 CP in Finesse skills (for Duellist) plus an additional 3 Chosen Foe (for Hunter). The 3 Chosen Foe could not also be counted as Finesse skills to qualify for Duellist. To qualify for Champion and Monk, you would need a total of 600 CP in Might skills (300 for Champion, plus an additional 300 for Monk). Rites of Passage Unlike the Basic Classes, you must complete a Rite of Passage to show your readiness for an Advanced Class. This is a task or tasks that demonstrate your talent or dedication to the nature of the class. A rite of passage is listed for each class below. If you prefer, you may create your own idea for a rite of passage, but it must be at least as difficult as the listed one, and it must be approved by Mythical Journeys. 128 Skills Each Advanced Class grants access to additional skills. You also retain access to any skills in your other classes as well. Your basic classes remain fundamental to your character. Focus Many skills have increasing costs: the first purchase is cheap but the cost grows greater as you purchase them multiple times. Each Advanced Class gains the benefit of Focus skills. These skills always cost you the original base listed cost, regardless of how many times you have purchased them. For example, Maim costs 20/30/+ for characters with Might. Champions have Maim as a Focus skill, so the cost of each purchase of Maim is always 20, the base cost. Reserves Advanced Class characters no longer have their reserves determined by points expended in their basic classes. Instead, their reserves are determined by their advanced class. In some cases, they may be able to choose between two. If you have multiple advanced classes, choose which one you gain your reserves from. Choices Some classes give a choice of a few skills from a larger list. For example, Warrior Mage must choose two skills from the list of Empower Weapon, Extend Shield, and Transcend Armor. These selections may be changed for 20 UP as long as no prerequisites depended on them. You will lose the old benefit but be able to make a new choice. Focus skills cannot be changed. Mystic and Holy Weapons Normally, casting spells requires both hands to be free. However, some advanced classes have the ability to cast of spells while holding a mystic weapon or holy weapon. These weapons must be crafted for a specific individual, and provide no benefit to anyone else. Characters with this ability and a suitable weapon may cast spells while holding the weapon. You may cast spells of any type of Mana or Faith, not just the ones associated with the class that gave you this benefit. The spells are cast normally, by throwing a spell packet, not called as weapon strikes. The weapon does not provide any other benefit (for example, you do not call “holy” when swinging it normally) unless you have specific skills that use it (e.g. Empower Weapon). Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Advancing Your Character Advanced Classes The following sections describe the Advanced Classes, including their prerequisites and rites of passage. Alchemist The Alchemist is adept at the use of natural and magical plants, animals, and minerals to produce potions and elixirs for various purposes. The Alchemist has some knowledge of how magic can be used directly, but prefers to concentrate and bottle it. Prerequisites: 5 basic Alchemy processes, or 3 basic Alchemy processes plus 3 Poisoncraft Rite of Passage: Drink at least 10 different potions, whose effects you do not know. Record what they do, so you’ll be able to identify them in the future. Skills: Alchemy Moderate Processes (60/~), Alchemy Advanced Processes (90/~), Alchemical Analysis (50), Alchemical Extraction (100), Ready Powder (10/15/+), Ritual (Magic) (30) Focus: Alchemy Reserves: Magical Archer The Archer is a warrior who prefers to attack from afar, using bows, crossbows, and javelins. Prerequisite: Archery or Thrown Weapon, and 5 Pierce Rite of Passage: Defeat three foes using only your bow. The foes cannot be struck by anyone else. Skills: Fortitude (30), Maim With Bow (20/~), Pain With Bow (30/~), Slay With Bow (40/~) Focus: Pierce, Maim With Bow, Pain With Bow, Slay With Bow. Reserves: Physical Assassin The Assassin is a killer, pure and simple. Prerequisites: 300 CP in Precision skills Rite of Passage: Kill someone purely for the sake of business, without any personal enmity towards the target and not out of any desire to do a favor for the person hiring you. Kill your target and collect your payment. Skills: Assassinate (50/~), Composite Poisoncraft (50) Focus: Assassinate, Backstab, Hamstring, Poisoncraft, Quickdeath, Resist Poison Reserves: Physical Mythical Journeys Renaissance Burglar The Burglar is a thief who uses stealth and deception. Prerequisites: 300 CP in Subtlety/Precision skills, at least half of them in Subtlety Rite of Passage: Steal something from at least three homes/cabins, and then sell your stolen goods. Skills: Disguise (20/30/+), Forgery (30), Silence (20/ ~) Focus: Appraisal, Avoid Trap, Dodge, Escape Artist, Silence, Waylay Reserves: Physical Champion The Champion is a fighter who strikes with brutal power. Prerequisites: 300 points in Might skills Rite of Passage: Fight at least 8 different types of monsters during a single event. You do not need to personally defeat them all, but you must exchange blows with each one. Skills: Cleave (50), Fortitude (30), Pain (30/~), Strength (30/45/+) Focus: Slay, Knockdown, Maim, Pain, Push Reserves: Physical Cleric The Cleric is an Acolyte whose faith and devotion have grown strong, and who has become part of a specific religion. Prerequisites: 300 CP in Sanctity/Devotion skills, dedication to a specific religion. Rite of Passage: Teach at least three people something they did not know about your religion. Skills: Charms (50), Lay On Hands (30), Ritual (Divine) (30) Focus: Create Holy Water and Last Rites (if you have Devotion), Faith and Divine Scrollcraft (if you have Sanctity) Reserves: Divine Other: Clerics may cast spells while holding multiple spell packets or a holy staff. 129 Part 2 - Playing the Game Duelist The Duellist is a fighter who is quick and precise with every maneuver. Prerequisites: 300 points in Finesse skills Rite of Passage: Duel at least three opponents, one-on one, fighting to the best of your ability. You must beat at least one, and at least one must be skilled enough that they beat you. Skills: Cloak Fighting (10/15/+), Dodge (20/30/+), Fortitude (30), Riposte (40/60/+), Focus: Disarm, Parry, Pain Reserves: Physical Elementalist The Elementalist is a mage who is fully devoted to using the Elemental arts. An Elementalist may become more skilled in the use of Elemental magic than other mages, but has limited ability to learn other magics. Prerequisites: 300 CP in Elemental Mana/Scrollcraft Rite of Passage: Be the subject of at least 10 different Elemental spells. Skills: Counterspell (50), Ritual (Magic) (30) Focus: Elemental Mana and Scrollcraft Reserves: Magical Other: Elementalists may cast spells while holding multiple spell packets or a mystic staff. Fatespinner The Fatespinner is a hidden hand that guides the world according to his faith. Most Fatespinners are disciples of Fortune, distributing good and bad luck as they deem fit, although Shamanistic Fatespinners are also known. Prerequisites: 200 CP in Sanctity skills, 200 CP in Subtlety/Precision skills Rite of Passage: Pick two people you don’t know. Without them discovering it was you, cause good fortune for one and bad fortune for the other. Randomly determine which gets which. Skills: Forgery (30) Focus: Faith, choice of three basic skills from Precision or Subtlety (must have the applicable class for each) Reserves: choice of Divine or Physical Other: Fatespinners may cast spells while holding a holy weapon. 130 Holy Warrior A Holy Warrior is the defender of a faith, trained for battle but also blessed with holy abilities. Holy Warriors of Fortune and Radiance are usually called Templars, while those of Shamanism are known as Rangers. Prerequisites: 200 CP in Might/Finesse skills, 200 CP in Sanctity/Devotion skills, dedication to a specific faith Rite of Passage: Complete tasks assigned by your intended Order, School, or Spirit. Skills: choice of two from this list: ability to use a holy shield (no cost), Lay On Hands (30), Healing Poultice (30), Chosen Foe: Additional Foe (20), Chosen Foe: Unabated Wrath (20), Slay Foe (30/45/+) Focus: Faith (if you have Sanctity), one basic Might or Finesse skill (must have the applicable class) Reserves: choice of Divine or Physical Other: Holy Warriors may cast spells while holding a holy weapon, or a holy shield if that option was selected, but not both. Hunter A Hunter is devoted to the destruction of a particular type of foe, and trains extensively to find and exploits that foe's weaknesses. Many Hunters also pursue other types of advanced training. Prerequisites: 3 Chosen Foe Rite of Passage: Defeat three of your chosen foes. You do not have to be the only one who fights them, but you must deal the final blow that fells them. Skills: Chosen Foe: Additional Foe (20), Chosen Foe: Unabated Wrath (20) Focus: Chosen Foe, Slay Foe (30/~) Reserves: Physical Mentalist The Mentalist is a mage fully devoted to the use of Mentalism Magic, and has superior mastery of his own mind and that of others, but limited ability to learn other magics. Prerequisites: 300 CP in Mentalism Mana/Scrollcraft Rite of Passage: Persuade at least 5 people to do something they would not have otherwise done, without using your magical powers. Skills: Iron Will (50), Ritual (Magic) (30) Focus: Mentalism Mana and Scrollcraft Reserves: Magical Other: Mentalists may cast spells while holding multiple spell packets or a mystic staff. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Advancing Your Character Monk Self-discipline is the Monk’s greatest weapon. Monks fight with simple weapons such as the staff, or can be equally dangerous when unarmed. Prerequisites: 300 CP total in Hardiness, Karma, and any Might skills Rite of Passage: Defeat at least three foes in one-on-one combat. The foes cannot be struck by anyone else, and you must Subdue each of them at least once. Skills: Dodge (20/~), Fortitude (30), Knockdown Punch (20), Palm Thrust (20), Parry (20/~), Taming The Cobra (10/15/+) Focus: Dodge, Knockdown, Parry, Push, Subdue Reserves: Physical Other: Dodge, Knockdown Punch, Palm Thrust, Taming The Cobra, and Parry may not be used in armor. Monks (but not other classes) may use the Knockdown skill with a Staff or Short Staff, as well as with other blunt weapons. Nethermancer The Nethermancer is a mage who is focused on the dark art of Nethermancy, using the magic of death and undeath. No magic is more shunned, nor is any magic said to be as harmful for its wielder. Prerequisites: 300 CP in Nether Mana/Scrollcraft Rite of Passage: Observe an undead (or several) strike down and kill people in at least three different ways. Skills: Counterspell (50), Ritual (Magic) (30), Quickdeath (5) Focus: Nether Mana and Scrollcraft, Quickdeath Reserves: Magical Other: Nethermancers may cast spells while holding multiple spell packets or a mystic staff. Mystic The Mystic uses magic and faith in conjunction. A Mystic may be an Avannarite, who believes magical power is a sign of great Fortune; a member of the Radiant Order of the Holy Book, who uses magic to defeat enemies of the faith; or a Shaman who uses primeval faith alongside raw Elemental magic. Other combinations are possible as well. Prerequisites: 200 CP in Sanctity/Devotion skills, 200 CP in Power/Sight skills, dedication to a specific religion Rite of Passage: Teach at least two people something they did not know about your religion, and fulfill the rite of passage for Elementalist, Mentalist, Rune Mage, or Wizard (as appropriate for your selected type of Mana). Skills: Ritual (Divine) (30), Ritual (Magical) (30) Focus: Faith and Divine Scrollcraft (if you have Sanctity), one type of Mana and the corresponding Scrollcraft (if you have Power) Reserves: both Divine and Magical Other: Mystics may cast spells while holding multiple spell packets or a holy/mystic staff. Mystics who learn a spell that exists for both their Faith and their focus school of magic learn that spell in each. The incant must be identical, except that corresponding Elementalism and Elemental Shamanism spells of the same element are considered the same for this purpose. Partially learned spells are learned only in one school, and the corresponding spell in the other is only gained once the spell has been perfected. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 131 Part 2 - Playing the Game Ninja The Ninja uses stealth and deception to spy and murder. A successful ninja will be unseen or overlooked, but when things get rough the ninja is prepared with weapons, poisons, and even bare hands. Prerequisites: 200 CP in Precision skills and 200 CP in Might skills Rite of Passage: Successfully perform a mission for your house or master, without being caught or identified. Skills: Assassinate (50/75/+), Feign Death (20/30/+), Knockdown Punch (20), Palm Thrust (20) Focus: Backstab, Poisoncraft, Quickdeath, Subdue, Knockdown, Push Reserves: Physical Rogue The Rogue is a thief who prefers a fairly direct approach. When stealth fails, he is prepared to use force instead. Prerequisites: 200 CP in Might/Finesse skills, 200 CP in Subtlety/Precision skills Rite of Passage: Steal something from the bodies of at least 5 people (must be of player races, not monsters). Skills: Assassinate (50 once), Disguise (20/30/+), Fortitude (30) Focus: one basic Might or Finesse skill (but not Parry or Slay, requires applicable class), one basic Subtlety skill (if you have Subtlety), one basic Precision skill (if you have Precision) Reserves: Physical Rune Mage The Rune Mage is a mage fully devoted to the use of Rune Magic. The Rune Mage is adept at Rune Magic, but has limited ability to learn other magics. Prerequisites: 300 CP in Rune Mana/Scrollcraft Rite of Passage: Translate battle scrolls for at least 10 different spells. Make a list of what they are. Skills: Charms (50), Ritual (Magic) (30) Focus: Rune Mana and Scrollcraft, Detect/Attune and Scroll Mastery (if you have Sight) Reserves: Magical Other: Rune Mages may cast spells while holding multiple spell packets or a mystic staff. A Rune Mage may use Rune Scrollcraft to make scrolls of one selected additional school of magical Scrollcraft. Spells may be learned from this school even if the Rune Mage has no Mana or Scrollcraft of the appropriate type. Rune Mana may also be expended in place of that school's mana when using Scroll Mastery. 132 Scourge The faiths are defended by their Templars and Rangers, but there are those whose desire to strike at the enemies of their faith is not matched by physical might. Striking from the shadows, the Scourge quietly eliminates threats for a faith that may not always appreciate his or her methods. Prerequisites: 200 CP in Precision skills, 200 CP in Sanctity skills Rite of Passage: Identify an individual who is a threat to your faith or to those who follow your faith, and kill that individual. Skills: Chosen Foe (30/45/+), Slay Foe (30/45/+) Focus: Backstab, Faith, Hamstring, Poisoncraft, Quickdeath Reserves: choice of Divine or Physical Other: Scourges may cast spells while holding a holy weapon. Shadow The Shadow is a thief who uses magic to distract, to penetrate magical protections, and to get out of trouble. Prerequisites: 200 CP in Power skills, 200 CP in Precision/Subtlety skills Rite of Passage: Steal at least three magical objects (such as potions, scrolls, magic items, etc.) from at least two different people, and sell your stolen goods. Skills: Forgery (30) Focus: one type of Mana and its corresponding Scrollcraft, choice of three basic skills in Precision or Subtlety (must have the applicable class for each) Reserves: choice of Physical or Magical Other: Shadows may cast spells while holding a mystic weapon. Sorcerer The Sorcerer is a mage who is focused on the black art of Sorcery, using the magic of fiends. Sorcerers are seen by most as little better than fiends themselves, and are often shunned—or worse. Prerequisites: 300 CP in Sorcery Mana/Scrollcraft Rite of Passage: Observe a fiend (or several) use at least 6 different spells and/or skills. Skills: Counterspell (50), Ritual (Magic) (30) Focus: Sorcery Mana and Scrollcraft Reserves: Magical Other: Sorcerers may cast spells while holding multiple spell packets or a mystic staff. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Advancing Your Chara c t e r Prestige Classes Warrior Mage Wizard Prerequisites: 200 CP in Power skills, 200 CP in Finesse/ Might skills Rite of Passage: Defeat two foes using only your weapons, and another two foes using only magic. Skills: choice of two from this list: Extend Shield (20/30/ +), Empower Weapon (20), Transcend Armor (30) Focus: one basic Might or Finesse skill (must have the applicable class), one type of Mana and its corresponding Scrollcraft Reserves: choice of Physical or Magical Other: Warrior Mages may cast spells while holding a mystic weapon. Prerequisites: 300 CP in Wizardry Mana/Scrollcraft Rite of Passage: Witness the casting of at least 10 spells in every common school of magic (Elemental, Mental, Rune, and Wizardy). Make a list of what the 40 spells are. Skills: Charms (50), Spellbreaking (50), Ritual (Magic) (30) Focus: Wizardry Mana and Scrollcraft Reserves: Magical Other: Wizards may cast spells while holding multiple spell packets or a mystic staff. The Warrior Mage is skilled in the use of both magic and arms in battle. The Wizard is a mage fully devoted to the use of Wizardry. The Wizard understands nuances of Wizardry that are unclear to other mages, but has limited ability to learn other magics. Prestige Classes A level of mastery exists beyond the Advanced Classes. These masters may have learned to combine disparate fields of knowledge (such as the Arcanist), to delve into arcane and hidden knowledge (such as the Lifebringer or Magehunter), to narrow their focus like a razor edge (such as the Purist), or perhaps they have made pacts with dark forces for additional power (such as the Shadowblade or Death Knight). Whatever their path, these rare individuals represent the pinnacle of knowledge and skill. One would be hard pressed to find more than two dozen members of any particular prestige class in all of Pendaan. Rites of Passage are required for Prestige Classes, just as for Advanced Classes, but are individualized for each student. You must work with a teacher or guide to determine what training and Rite will be required for you. As with the Advanced Classes, add the prerequisites for all of your Advanced and Prestige Classes to the prerequisites for the class you wish to enter. The total is what you will require to qualify for the class. For convenience, the total prerequisites are also listed, based on a character with only the one prerequisite Advanced Class. Also note that skills available only through Prestige classes, and not to any Basic or Advanced class, cannot be used to fulfill the prerequisites for any class. Prestige class characters’ Reserves are determined solely by their prestige class(es), never by their advanced class(es). Temporary Prestige Skills As with other skills, prestige skills in your class may be purchased as temporary skills for UP. However, it takes time to develop these skills. For each event, you may make a temporary purchase of only prestige skill you have not previously purchased this way. For Mastery skills, each level is considered a new skill for this purpose. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 133 Prestige Classes Adept-Priest The Adept-Priest has mastered a school of magic and simultaneously reached the level of Priest within a faith. Prerequisites: Mystic with 300 additional CP in Sanctity/ Devotion skills (total of 500 CP) and 300 additional CP in Power/Sight skills (total of 500 CP). In addition the Mystic must have joined a School or Order or found a Spirit Patron. Skills: Charms (50), Mana-Faith Pool (50), Miracle (50). Depending on the type of Mana chosen as Focus when becoming a Mystic, the Adept-Priest may also learn the skill Counterspell (Elemental/Sorcery), Iron Will (Mentalism), or Spellbreaking (Wizardry) Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: both Divine and Magical Other: The Adept-Priest may earn abilities and possibly traits according to their path/spirit/patron. Adept-Priests whose magical school is Rune may learn an additional school for scrollcraft purposes only (the same as the Rune Mage benefit) and gain Scroll Mastery as a Focus skill (if they have Sight). Arcanist The Arcanist is a mage who has overcome the limitations of each individual type of magic. Prerequisites: Elementalist, Mentalist, Rune Mage, Wizard, Nethermancer, or Sorcerer with at least 300 additional CP in three different types of Mana/Scrollcraft (total of 600 in one school and 300 in each of the others). Skills: Charms (50), Mana Pool (50), Spellcrafting (50) Focus: all types of Mana and magical (not divine) Scrollcraft, Detect/Attune Reserves: Magical Arch-Mentalist The Arch-Mentalist has mastered the art of Mentalism and can reshape his or her mind at will. Prerequisites: Mentalist with at least 500 additional CP in Mentalism Mana/Scrollcraft and non-alchemical Sight skills (total of 800 CP). Skills: Charms (50), Spellcrafting (50), Compartmentation (100), Absorb Charm (40) Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: Magical Arch-Wizard The Arch-Wizard has mastered the art of Wizardry. Prerequisites: Wizard with at least 500 additional CP in Wizardry Mana/Scrollcraft and non-alchemical Sight skills (total of 800 CP). Skills: Spellcrafting (50), Circle of Power (20/30/+), Ritual Enhancement (50) Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: Magical 134 Part 2 - Playing the Game Elemental Warrior The Elemental Warrior has bound to an elemental, much like the Purist. Giving up all spells of different elements brings the Elemental Warrior closer to pure elemental energy. Warrior Mages who use Sorcery may also become Elemental Warriors; Sorcery is considered their “element.” Prerequisites: Warrior Mage with 300 additional CP in Power/Sight skills (total of 500 CP) and 300 additional CP in Finesse/Might skills (total of 500 CP). The Warrior Mage’s preferred school of magic must be Elemental, focused on a single element. Skills: Fortitude (30), Ritual (Magic) (30) Focus: one additional basic Finesse or Might skill (must have the applicable class) Reserves: choice of Magical or Physical Other: Only elemental spells of the selected element may be learned or used. The Elemental Warrior may develop elemental abilities and traits. They may obtain a second Mystic Weapon and use two at once. Foe-Hunter The Foe-Hunter is dedicated to stopping or destroying a broad category of foes. Prerequisites: Hunter with 150 points in Hunter skills and 300 points in Finesse, Might, and/or Precision. Skills: Fortitude (30), Chosen Foe II (50), Riposte (40/ 60/+), Slay Mastery (40/60/+) Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: Physical Other: The Foe-Hunter may use Slay Mastery and Riposte only against their chosen foe(s). Grandmaster Alchemist The Grandmaster Alchemist has mastered the art of Alchemy and is able to create elixirs beyond the scope of what most Alchemists believe possible. Prerequisites: Alchemist with at least 600 additional CP in Sight skills. Skills: Combination (100), Transference (100), Ritual Alchemy (50) Focus: one type of Mana and its corresponding Scrollcraft (if you have Power), Ready Powder Reserves: Magical Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Advancing Your Chara c t e r Grandmaster Monk The Grandmaster Monk has developed self-discipline to levels unimaginable by most, shaping body and mind into potent weapons. Prerequisites: Monk with 500 additional points in Dodge, Parry, and Might skills (total of 800 CP). Skills: Greater Fortitude (30), Feign Death (20/30/+), Healing Trance (30), Knockdown Mastery (20/30/+), Push Mastery (10/15/+), Subdue Mastery (20/30/+) Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: Physical Other: A Grandmaster Monk does not need a weapon to use the Retributive Knockdown ability (part of Knockdown Mastery). Knockdown Mastery, Push Mastery, and Subdue Mastery may not be used by a Grandmaster Monk in armor. Grandmaster Ninja The Grandmaster Ninja has mastered stealth and the martial arts. Some are Ninjas who have honed their skills, others are Monks who turned their back on discipline in favor of ruthless efficiency. Prerequisites: Ninja or Monk with 300 additional points in Dodge, Parry, and Might skills, and 300 additional points in Precision or Subtlety skills. Skills: Fortitude (30), Assassinate (50~), Disguise (20/ 30/+), Feign Death (20/30/+), any two of Backstab Mastery (30/45/+), Quickdeath Mastery (30), or Subdue Mastery (20/30/+) Focus: Assassinate, Dodge (if you have Subtlety or Monk), Backstab, Poisoncraft, and Quickdeath (these three skills only if you have Precision) Reserves: Physical Other: A Grandmaster Ninja may use a Subdue packet as if it was a weapon for purposes of delivering Backstab, Waylay, or Assassinate. The Subdue packet must be used to touch the appropriate target area as if it was a weapon (it is not thrown at the target). The effect is the same as if a weapon was used, and the skill can be resisted in the same ways it could be if it was used with a weapon. Prestige Classes Reserves: Physical Other: Choose either the Mastery skill for one of your Might or Finesse focus skills, or gain Slay or Parry as a focus skill. In addition, choose either the Mastery skills for one of your Precision focus skills and one of your Subtlety focus skills, or gain Assassinate as a focus skill. Holy Assassin Rarest of the prestige classes, the Holy Assassin is a highly trained Scourge who has received the blessing and patronage of a spirit or avatar, though not necessarily that of their own religious community. Prerequisites: Scourge with 300 additional points in Devotion or Sanctity (total of 500 CP) and 300 additional points in Precision (total of 500 CP). Skills: Ritual (Divine) (30), Assassinate (50/75/+), Disguise (20/30/+), Fortitude (30), choice of one stealth Mastery skill Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: choice of Divine or Physical Other: The Holy Assassin may earn abilities and possibly traits according to their path, spirit, or patron. They may have an additional holy weapon made and use two at once. Highwayman The Highwayman is a Rogue who has become confident in combat prowess and who normally steals by force, although the Highwayman retains a few tricks of stealth when they are needed. Prerequisites: Rogue with 300 additional points in Might and Finesse (total of 500 CP) and 300 additional points in Precision or Subtlety skills (total of 500 CP). Skills: Greater Fortitude (30), Assassinate (50/75/+) Focus: one basic Might or Finesse skill (but not Parry or Slay), one basic Subtlety skill, one basic Precision skill (must have the applicable class for each) Mythical Journeys Renaissance 135 Prestige Classes Lifebringer The Lifebringer is a Cleric who has raised healing to a high art, and can restore the health even of those otherwise lost to the world. Prerequisites: Cleric with 600 additional CP in Sanctity/ Devotion skills (total of 900 CP in these classes), which must include Diagnose and Self-Sacrifice. In addition, the Cleric must have joined the Benevolent school of Fortune or the Order of the Open Hand or follow a suitable spirit (generally a Nature spirit of plants/herbivores, or Dream). Skills: Aura of Peace (50), Lay On Hands (30 points, may be purchased multiple times), Resurrection (50/~), Sacred Hand (20), Ritual (Divine) (30), Divine Enhancement (30/45/+) Focus: Lay On Hands Reserves: Divine Magehunter The Magehunter uses cold steel against those who abuse magic, or perhaps is simply a hired killer who specializes in magic-wielding targets. Pure of all magic, the Magehunter is uniquely well-suited to neutralize such foes. Prerequisites: Rogue, Champion, or Duelist with 500 additional points in Finesse, Might, and Precision skills. The aspiring Magehunter must have no Power, Sanctity, Devotion, or Sight skills (including Read Magic/Divine). Skills: Fortitude (30), Void (20/~), Void Mastery (20/ 30/+), Null Mastery (20/30/+). Focus: choice of any two basic skills from Finesse, Might, or Precision (must have the applicable class for each) Reserves: Physical Other: The Magehunter may not learn Power, Sanctity, Devotion, Sight, Read Magic, or Read Divine. Master Archer The Master Archer strikes with unmatched precision and power. Prerequisites: Archer with 500 points in Archer skills. Skills: Greater Fortitude (30), Knockdown With Bow (20/30/+), Strength (30), Maim With Bow Mastery (20/30/+), Pain With Bow Mastery (30/ 45/+), Slay With Bow Mastery (40/ 60/+) Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: Physical 136 Part 2 - Playing the Game Master Assassin The Master Assassin has mastered the art of granting quick and quiet death. Prerequisites: Assassin with 500 additional points in Precision skills (total of 800 CP in these classes). Skills: Fortitude (30), Disguise (20/30/+), Apply Poison Mastery (25), Backstab Mastery (30/45/+), Quickdeath Mastery (30), Resist Poison Mastery (30/45/+), choice of one Subtlety Mastery skill Focus: Dodge and Escape Artist (if you have Subtlety) Reserves: Physical Master of Chance The Master of Chance is a Fatespinner whose actions on behalf of a faith have been noticed, and who has been blessed by an avatar or spirit. Prerequisites: Fatespinner with 300 additional CP in Sanctity/Devotion skills (total of 500 CP) and 300 additional CP in Precision/Subtlety skills (total of 500 CP). Must be chosen by an avatar or spirit. Skills: Ritual (Divine) (30), Disguise (20/30/ +) Focus: all basic Precision and Subtlety skills (must have the applicable class for these) Reserves: choice of Divine or Physical Other: The Master of Chance may earn abilities and possibly traits according to their path, spirit, or patron. Master Thief The Master Thief has learned all forms of subterfuge with equal talent. Few obstacles can stop the master at work. Prerequisites: Burglar with 500 additional points in Precision and Subtlety skills (total of 800 CP in these classes). Skills: Fortitude (30), Dodge Mastery (50), Escape Artist Mastery (30), Lockpicking Mastery (20/30/+), Waylay Mastery (40), choice of one Precision Mastery skill. Focus: All basic Precision and Subtlety skills (must have the applicable class for these), Appraisal, Disguise Reserves: Physical Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Advancing Your Chara c t e r Myrmidon The Myrmidon is a fighter who has focused all his training on the use of a single weapon, and perfected its use. Prerequisites: Duellist with 500 additional points in Finesse and Duellist skills (total of 800 CP in these classes). Skills: Greater Fortitude (30), Attune Weapon (20), Study Foe (40/60/+), Disarm Mastery (20/30/+), Pain Mastery (30/45/+), Parry Mastery (20/30/+), Slay Mastery (40/60/+) Focus: Cloak Fighting, Riposte, Knockdown, Maim, Push, Slay (must have the applicable class for each) Reserves: Physical Other: The Myrmidon may only use his fighting skills and Attune Weapon with his single chosen weapon type. It may be two-handed, or two such weapons can be used together (with Two-weapon II or III), but it may not be paired with a different weapon or with a shield. Mystic Archer The Mystic Archer has transcended archery and made the bow a channel for magic or faith. Prerequisites: Archer with 300 CP in any “With Bow” skills and 300 CP in Power or Sanctity. Skills: Mystic Arrow (30/45/+), Spell Arrow (30/45/+) Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: choice of Divine (if you have 300+ CP in Sanctity), Magical (if you have 300+ CP in Power), or Physical Other: A Mystic Archer can have a Mystic Bow made, which can be held while casting. Oracle The Oracle receives the guidance of spirits or avatars, and has learned to see signs of the past, present, and future. Some Oracles are priests of Fortune who have learned to interpret the weave of Fate, others are Shaman who hear the spirits, and a few have made pacts with Fiends for their answers. Of course, even an Oracle can misinterpret the signs if they aren’t careful. Prerequisites: Cleric with 600 additional CP in Sanctity/ Devotion skills (total of 900 CP in these classes), including a minimum of 4 Last Rites. Must have joined a School or Order or found a Spirit Patron. Skills: Avoid Trap (20/30/+), Augury (30/45/+), Commune (50), Insight (50/75/+), Read Mystical Aura (30), Divine Enhancement (30/45/+), Miracle (50). Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: Divine Mythical Journeys Renaissance Prestige Classes Paladin The Paladin is a champion of a faith: Fortune, Radiance, or Shamanism. Chosen by an avatar or spirit for exemplary service and character, the Paladin is blessed with holy abilities. Paladins of Shamanism are usually known as Mistwalkers. Prerequisites: Holy Warrior with 300 additional CP in Sanctity/Devotion skills (total of 500 CP) and 300 additional CP in Finesse/Might skills (total of 500 CP). Must be chosen by an avatar or spirit. Skills: Ritual (Divine) (30), Fortitude (30) Focus: one additional basic Finesse or Might skill (must have the applicable class) or Slay Foe (if the Paladin has access to this skill) Reserves: choice of Divine or Physical Other: The Paladin may earn abilities and possibly traits according to their path, spirit, or patron. They may have a holy weapon made if they have a holy shield, or a second holy weapon if they do not, and can use both items at once. Priest The Priest is a Cleric who has joined a specific school or order, or formed a Shamanic alliance, and is now among the most advanced within a faith. Only Priests wield the most powerful blessings of faith in most schools and orders. Prerequisites: Cleric with 600 additional CP in Sanctity/ Devotion skills (total of 900 CP in these classes). Must have joined a School or Order or found a Spirit Patron. Skills: Divine Enhancement (30/45/+), Miracle (50) Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: Divine Other: The priest may earn abilities and possibly traits according to their path, spirit, or patron. Purist The Purist is an Elementalist, Nethermancer, or Sorcerer who has forged a permanent bond to a single element or to Nether or Sorcery, giving up all spells of other elements or schools. The Purist gradually takes on more and more traits of their chosen power. Prerequisites: Elementalist, Nethermancer, or Sorcerer with at least 500 additional CP in their chosen Mana/ Scrollcraft and non-alchemical Sight skills (total of 800 CP). Skills: Charms (50), Spellcrafting (50). Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: Magical Other: Only elemental spells of the selected element may be learned or used. The Purist may develop elemental abilities and traits. (Nethermancers gain undead abilities, Sorcerers gain fiendish ones.) 137 Prestige Classes Rune Knight The Rune Knight wields rune-marked weapons in a potent web of enchanted steel. Prerequisites: Warrior Mage with 300 additional CP in Power/Sight skills (total of 500 CP) and 300 additional CP in Finesse/Might skills (total of 500 CP). The Warrior Mage’s preferred school of magic must be Rune. Skills: Fortitude (30), Ritual (Magic) (30), Runesword (10/15/+) Focus: one additional Finesse or Might skill (must have the applicable class) Reserves: choice of Magical or Physical Other: Rune Knights who learned the Transcend Armor skill as one of their Warrior Mage skills can use the skill to cast while wearing heavy armor (requiring 30 seconds preparation and the incant), and do not need any preparation time while casting in light and medium armor. Rune Knights who chose Extend Shield and Empower Weapon may learn Transcend Armor but do not gain this additional benefit. Rune Knights may obtain a second mystic weapon and use both at once, or may obtain a mystic shield to use with their weapon. Rune Master The Rune Master has mastered the art of Rune Magic. Prerequisites: Rune Mage with at least 500 additional CP in Rune Mana/Scrollcraft and non-alchemical Sight skills (total of 800 CP). Skills: Spellcrafting (50), Runic Tattoo (10/15/+), Rune Item (50) Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: Magical Other: The Rune Master gains another scrollcraft bonus school. Shadow Arcane The Shadow Arcane is master of the Shadow’s art, using magic to complement stealth. Prerequisites: Shadow with 300 additional points in Power or Sight (total of 500 CP) and 300 additional points in Precision or Subtlety skills (total of 500 CP). Skills: Arcane Opening (50), Ritual (Magic) (30), Dodge Mastery (50), Escape Artist Mastery (30), choice of one other stealth Mastery skill Focus: one additional basic Precision or Subtlety skill (must have the applicable class) Reserves: choice of Magical or Physical Storm Mage The Storm Mage has mastered the Elemental arts, and is able to create new spells, including spells that combine multiple elements. This makes the Storm Mage’s spells very difficult to Counter. 138 Part 2 - Playing the Game Prerequisites: Elementalist with at least 500 additional CP in Elemental Mana/Scrollcraft and non-alchemical Sight skills (total of 800 CP). Skills: Charms (50), Elemental Channel (20/30/+), Elemental Resistance (20/30/+), Spellcrafting (50). Focus: (no additional Focus skills) Reserves: Magical Warlock The Warlock has intertwined magic with his weapon, creating a deadly combination. Prerequisites: Warrior Mage with 300 additional CP in Power/Sight skills (total of 500 CP) and 300 additional CP in Finesse/Might skills (total of 500 CP). Skills: Fortitude (30), Ritual (Magic) (30), Warlock's Blade (20/30/+) Focus: one additional basic Finesse or Might skill (must have the applicable class) Reserves: choice of Magical or Physical Other: Warlocks may obtain a second Mystic Weapon and use both at once. Warlord The Warlord is a master of the battlefield. Able to withstand damage that would kill most men, few enemies can stand before him. Prerequisites: Champion with 500 additional points in Pain and Might skills (total of 800 CP in these classes). Skills: Greater Fortitude (30), Battle Cry (30/45/+), Knockdown Mastery (20/30/+), Maim Mastery (20/30/ +), Slay Mastery (40/60/+), Pain Mastery (30/45/+), Push Mastery (10/15/+) Focus: Strength, Subdue Reserves: Physical Weapons Master The Weapons-Master is a fighter who has mastered the many arts of combat. Prerequisites: Duellist or Champion with 600 additional points in Finesse and Might skills (total of 900 CP in these classes). Arms and armor skills do count in this total (unlike most classes). Skills: Greater Fortitude (30), Cleave (50), Strength (30), Attune Weapon (20), choice of three fighting Mastery skills. Focus: Disarm, Parry, Knockdown, Maim, Push, Slay (must have the applicable class for each) Reserves: Physical Other: Once the Weapons-Master has learned at least 4 melee, missile, or thrown weapon skills, he may learn all remaining melee, missile, and thrown weapons for a single expenditure of 25 points. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Part 3 Setting Chapter 15 - Regions of the World .......................127 Chapter 16 - The World of Pendaan ......................135 Places of Note .......................................................................127 Accents ....................................................................................134 The Age of Darkness ........................................................... 135 The Great Rebellion ............................................................ 136 The Age of Light .................................................................. 136 The Turning of An Age ....................................................... 137 Recent Events ....................................................................... 138 Turn of Time ........................................................................ 142 Chapter 15 Regions of the World Places of Note Dragon Dynasty The information listed below represents common knowledge any character could know. Additional detail is available in region packets (found on our web site) for characters who hail from these regions. Arkenstone A thriving if somewhat perilous port city, the Free City of Arkenstone is the center of trade on the western coast of Pendaan. It is a place where anything can be had for a price. Its ruling triumvirate maintains a position of strict neutrality, intervening in external politics only enough to keep the balance of power. Most notably, it has intervened on several occasions to keep Harradon, Ironwatch, and Sarden from annexing the crossroads region of Felnar. Some accuse them of secret trade with Blackhold; certainly they have gone to no great lengths to prevent smugglers from working in their region. Arkenstone trades far and wide by sea, and overland with Harradon and Felnar. Additional trade passes through Felnar bound for Ironwatch and Sarden. Arkenstone also controls a number of cities to the north, including Lacarta (known for its horses) and Cragsmoor (at the far north on the edge of the Midnight Moor). This island empire, known by its inhabitants as Ryuujin Chisei, is located at the eastern ends of the Shattered Lands. The Dynasty is ruled by eight powerful houses according to a complex set of laws, said to have been placed upon them by the gods. Numerous minor houses are granted lands by the great houses they give allegiance to. At any time, one of the Shoguns of the eight houses rules the entire Dynasty as Emperor. The Dragon Dynasty trades extensively with Pendaan, but the former Emperor had set strict limits on the ability of foreigners to own lands and bring elements of their own cultures to the Dynasty. Until recently, the Emperor was the Shogun of House Banoko, the House of the Jade Mountain. Emperor Banoko Nibori had ruled for 38 years. However, he lost much respect when fiends assaulted his nation in 509, and their attacks were only stopped when a force from Eldyrwood destroyed their Master Gate in fall 510. In order to repay this debt, in summer 511 he decreed that he would give up the throne in favor of whichever house provided the most aid to besieged Felnar. By the end of the year, significant forces of houses Chiba, Hikage, Loong, and Tenjou were battling fiends near Arkenstone, with naval support from house Yamada. In 512, after Arkenstone was freed from fiendish control, Emperor Banoko abdicated the throne in favor of the shogun of House Tenjou. Shortly after the retreat of crusaders from Zelfir at the beginning of 509 A.L., fiends followed and began an assault on Arkenstone, which fell within a few months. The other cities in the region quickly came under fiendish control as well. Fighting on several fronts, the fiends used the Arkenstone army to besiege neighboring Felnar while fighting off forces of Harradon, Dumar, and Sarden. In spring of 511, raiders from the Frozen North also began their own attacks up and down the coast. In spring of 512, the fiendish gates were sealed and the city freed, but reconstruction and removal of fiendish influences will take time, and outside troops remain in the city as of fall of 512. 141 Places of Note Part 3 - Sett ing Dumar The Holy Dumarian Empire is one of the larger nations of Pendaan, near its center. The city of Dumar itself is the Emperor’s seat, though the Empire contains numerous small towns and villages. The Emperor claims continuous lineage from Duma, the legendary founder of Dumar, although the evidence is shaky; three centuries without nobility during the Age of Darkness led to the loss of much documentation. In addition, crowned by the Archluminary of Radiance, he also holds religious authority. Dumar has historically placed great value on art, literature, magic, and engineering. It has not always been the greatest in these areas, but its competitive spirit has driven its neighbors to strive for greatness as well, to the benefit of the entire region. For several centuries, relatively high tariffs somewhat reduced the flow of trade and ideas in and out of the kingdom, and Dumar was often considered a kingdom in decline. However, during the Fiend War the nation took a more active stance in the service of Radiance, and with the crowning of King Garrard as Emperor by the Archluminary, the kingdom was re-established as the Holy Dumarian Empire in 511 A.L. The new Emperor dramatically reduced trade tariffs in an attempt to reverse this trend. Dumar is home of several universities. One is the Dillaytheon, an ancient institution of learning in Dumar itself. It is a university attended by young nobles, the children of wealthy merchants, and favorite aspirants within a variety of religious and other orders. The Dillaytheon is especially respected for its study of prophecies. A second is the Seven Meadows Collegium in the small eastern city of Fenbrook, primarily known for the breadth of its studies. Dumar sometimes claims the Arcanum as well, and the Arcanum was in fact founded just outside the walls of the city. However, for the last two centuries, the entire Arcanum—buildings and all—has been magically travelling throughout Pendaan and currently considers itself above such considerations as political borders. In addition to these institutions, Dumar is also home to the Temple of Holy Radiance, the seat of the Archluminary of the Way of Holy Radiance. The temple includes a renowned school and library holding extensive works on history, magic, and ritual, as well as the works concerned with battling darkness that are its main theme. The library is sponsored in part by the crown and in part by the Dillaytheon, and cooperates closely with these institutions, although there are occasional points of contention. Ties with the Arcanum were once equally close, but research by Arcanum mages into darker magics raised hackles within the Temple, though conducted under tight controls, and contributed to the Arcanum’s decision to leave Dumar. 142 Felnar On the northern border of the Forgotten Forest, south of the Midnight Moor, lies the small city of Felnar and its lands. A crossroads between the port city of Arkenstone, the Ra’Kash city of Harradon, the northern city of Sarden, and the Imperial city of Ironwatch, Felnar survives despite its perilous location. Some say it also is spared some of the brunt of evil’s attacks because it harbors smugglers who trade in and out of Blackhold. Certainly, both Sarden and Ironwatch have tried to conquer it under this pretense, but the intervention of other states has so far kept it independent. It attracts a curious mix of traders, magical researchers, treasure hunters, those tempted by the promises of darkness, and those dedicated to wiping out darkness’s last vestiges. A place of struggle, strife, heroism, and above all… adventure. The town of Eldyrwood, in particular, has been a focus of key events in the Fiend War and is home to an unusual number of heroes for a town of its size. The city of Felnar was besieged by fiends and the army of Arkenstone starting in 510 A.L. Forces from Dumar and Sarden came to the city’s aid and supplies were sent by Gate. Early snows in fall of 511 also bought time, delaying the arrival of supplies for the attacking forces. Although the city walls were breached in several locations, the fiends were defeated in spring 512 before Felnar was completely overrun. Forgotten Forest First of the great woods to be corrupted during the Age of Darkness, and close to the haunts of the Midnight Moor, the Forgotten Forest to this day has a reputation for harboring foul creatures. It is known to be home to tribes of wargs and fanatic sects of shaman such as the Vilderkin and the Hunters of the Dark Wood, as well as untold beasts and fell creatures. Many have not returned from explorations of the wood, bodies never to be found. Ra’Kash from the city of Harradon hunt within the woods, but even they do not go too far in. The Turma Grue act as defenders of the wood, keeping people out and foul beasts in. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Regions of the World Myra Colonna Lucitan Places of Note Perugia Free Cities The Free Cities comprise eight independent city-states, unified only by a trading pact. For the most part these are merchant cities. While they are ruled by councils of nobles, nobility is handed down according to each nobles’ wishes, which, in practice, means that noble titles are for sale. Consequently, most of the powerful merchants and the heads of the prominent guilds hold noble titles and seats on the council. As a merchant’s fortunes fall, there is more and more pressure to sell the title to someone more “deserving.” In order of size, the Free Cities include Myra (the largest), Colonna, Lucitan, Perugia, Ostia, Trento, Fano, and Foggia (smallest). This area also includes the Ghost City of Brugge. According to legend, most of the city’s population was killed during the plagues of the Godless Time, and now their restless spirits haunt the city. The ruler of the city, Count Ettore, was said to be among the victims, and it is said he continues to rule even today in a grotesque parody of the living. Some number him among the great Lich Kings. The Free Cities suffered few attacks during the Fiend War due to their location, but starting in 510 A.L. a wide variety of undead, many of unrecognized types, have been roaming the northern part of the region, especially near Brugge. Freelands This land of rolling hills and grassy plains falls under no government, and its residents prefer it that way. Descended from ancient nomadic tribes and refugees from both the War of the Queen’s Ascension and the Great Rebellion, they live in wandering tribes or small villages. Some tribes war against each other in an attempt to gain superiority over the others. Ostia Trento Fano Foggia Brugge Frozen North Across the Northern Sea lies the continent of the Frozen North. A virtual wasteland of snow and ice to those who don’t normally live there, the Frozen North is home to many tribes of nomads and barbarians who follow the wandering herds in order to survive. Some of the most renowned barbarian tribes are the White Stag, the Eagle Claw, the Ice Bear, the Wolf, and the Snowhawk. Snow falls often enough in the Frozen North to leave a thick blanket of frost upon the evergreen trees almost year-round. Along the seacoast dwell many fisherman, notably in the villages of Kar Nor. The largest city in the Frozen North is Lindernoff, and most trade passes through its port. The snow and ice extend far to the north where even the burliest of barbarians dare not tread. Rumors speak of wild yeti packs that suffer no survivors, ice dragons, and ancient wizards that wish to be left alone. Lindernoff is surrounded by a large wooden wall, which helps to keep the bitter winds at bay. Around the turn of the century, a powerful Frost Elf mentalist began enslaving the tribes, erasing their minds to make them his thralls, and using them alongside bestial fiends to capture more of their kin. As his domain expanded, the remaining tribes were forced to the coast and many began to subsist by raiding northern Pendaan. When the Fiend War began in 509 A.L., the assaults increased in severity. In the Frost Moon of that year, however, the first of the great Master Gates was shattered, and the control over of the tribes was broken. Since that time, Frozen North raiders have only struck cities and towns under fiendish control. Now that the fiends have been defeated, it remains to be seen whether raids will become a problem again. Beings of all races and cultures can be found here, including large numbers of trolls, goblins, and orcs. For the most part, the soil and climate is not suited for agriculture, and none of the adjacent nations (primarily Purk and Sarden) have an interest in expanding in this direction, although both have had to deal with barbarians raids from time to time. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 143 Places of Note Part 3 - Sett ing Harradon In the midst of old Human cities, this city of Ra’Kash is an anomaly. Lord Harr, for whom the city is named, was a Ra’Kash noble on the southern continent until he formed an alliance with the leaders of the Great Rebellion, leading an army of Ra’Kash against the Dark Queen. His price was the garrison-city of Varradon and the surrounding lands. Although Lord Harr died during the Great Rebellion, his descendents renamed the city for him. Although the Ra’Kash of the southern continent are ruled by matriarchs, Lord Harr and his line were lions, among whom the patriarchs lead. At various times Harradon has been ruled by each. The present custom is that the successor to the throne is the victor of a Great Hunt, and both male and female Ra’Kash are permitted to compete. Harradon’s port, Temmek, was taken by fiend-controlled Arkenstone in early 510 A.L. and then partially recovered in summer of 511. Fighting continued in the streets for months but it was fully recaptured in 512. Some allied foreign forces, including Dumarian troops, remain in the city. Imperium When the Elves joined the war against the Dark Queen, those who would fight established fortresscities scattered across Pendaan. During her reign, the Dark Queen forbid them from unifying, but after her fall the Imperial Elves corrected this. Some cities were reunified by force. Today, the Imperials rule a substantial area of southwestern Pendaan, as well as a few more isolated cities, including Ironwatch (just beyond the Midnight Moor) and Tyrell (along the Fireforge Mountains, near Cauldron’s Notch). Their society is strictly hierarchical, with a ruling class of Highborn reigning over their Vassals and Citizens. They maintain a reputation for militancy, although their tone varies from city to city, depending on which of their Houses is predominant. The city of Ironwatch, located alongside the Midnight Moor and the lands of Felnar, was built to watch over the Valley of No Return and ensure Blackhold would never be rebuilt. They still hold great resentment for those who failed to eradicate every last trace of evil at the end of the Great Rebellion. 144 In 510 A.L., one of the great fiendish Master Gates appeared in the Imperial city of Safi, where the fiends made alliance with extremist members of the Sect of Armus, including a builder of automatons. Their combined force held the relatively isolated city of Safi despite a concerted Imperial effort to regain the city in early spring 511, after which the fiendish force extended its dominion to the nearby city of Harbor’s Nest. A second assault, again costing many lives, was successful at destroying the Master Gate two moons later. Since that time, the Imperium has been plagued by magical storms accompanied by elementals and other types of magical creatures. The Imperial army remains on high alert and dealing with these unpredictable magical disasters is requiring their full attention. Many rumors are told, but few official statements have been made about the situation. Midnight Moor Gateway to the Valley of No Return, these fog-covered bogs and swamps are largely uninhabited by the civilized races. They are not inhospitable at all for the unliving beings who haunt them. Legend records that these lands were once fertile, and some claim that they hold ancient and rich ruins, but few adventurers have returned from the moor, and fewer still with artifacts from the ruins. The moors also hold all manner of fiend-spawn creatures released from the Valley of No Return. New Arcadia and Nova Korhadien Arcadia and Korhadien were twin cities of Famori and legendary fortresses of knowledge. Both were destroyed in the Earthrending that cemented the Dark Queen’s Rule. Arcadia was entombed in the earth, while Korhadien was swallowed up by the Korhadien Sea. Eventually, centuries later, the town of Freehold was built on Arcadia’s ruins. Here the Great Rebellion was declared, and here it ended almost six years later with the death of the Dark Queen. After the Great Rebellion, Freehold was renamed New Arcadia, and a series of monuments were built honoring heroes and major events of the Rebellion. Not content, the Famori nobility of the city also established the city of Nova Korhadien on the largest island of the Korhadien Sea. Many Famori immigrated to one of the two cities, and Nova Korhadien especially benefitted from those trying to escape the Kai conquests and plagues of the decades that followed the Great Rebellion’s end. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Regions of the World Today, the two cities are major centers of learning and study. New Arcadia occupies an important crossroads location, and much trade passes through the area, bringing with it people and ideas. There is a significant Famori population, but even today they are not a majority. Nova Korhadien is a smaller city with a higher proportion of Famori, but also has significant numbers of other races. The Clawed Stone Academy of Runic Arts, a school for mages dedicated to the study of Rune magic, is located here as well. There is extensive travel between the two cities, and they maintain close ties. The Famori cities were largely spared the ravages of the fiend war. Early attempts to evacuate non-combatants to the Imperium proved ill-advised when Imperial cities came under direct attack. Towards the end of the war a series of minor magical storms occurred which appeared related to the more serious ones going on in the Imperium, but these tapered off before the end of the Fiend War. Oakholme The great woods of Oakholme (known as Eldonshire to its inhabitants) are home to numerous Grue Elven towns. Although there is no single city of note, the Elves work closely together when external matters require it. Many a town of Oakholme has never been seen by outsiders, and many of its inhabitants have never been outside the wood. Dumarians, to the south, think the Grue to be uncivilized hicks. The Grue have a closer relationship with the city of Sarden, to the west, and to the tribes of the Freelands to the north and east. Although raiders from the Frozen North struck areas in the Freelands during the early stages of the Fiend War, Oakholme saw relatively few fiends. This was due both to the skill of its defenders and the difficulty for invaders in locating small villages hidden in the great wood. Purk The Kingdom of Purk, like Dumar, dates back well before the rise of the Dark Queen, but Purk fared much worse in the wars, and for centuries was little more than a citystate. After its neighbor, Draven, was cast into Shadow during the Great Rebellion, Purk claimed Draven’s lands including the lesser cities of Kirn, Giessen, and Stolberg, and began its return to prominence. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Places of Note Purk has close ties to the Dwarves who live within the Fireforge Mountains. Its northern cities sometimes trade with tribes from the Freelands, and sometimes war with them. The area that was once the city of Draven is now a dark and blighted place, utterly without life. Strange creatures are sometimes seen at its edges, but few have dared explore its depths. Fewer have returned from such ventures. Even to pass near the site is to feel overwhelming despair, so most travelers and caravans give it wide berth. Purk was little-touched by the fiend war and sent only a small token force to the recovery of Arkenstone (as they had to the Zelfir Crusade), but since 510 A.L. southern Purk has been plagued by a wide variety of undead, many of no recognized type. Sandridden Plains The great desert kingdom of El’Idur is said to be the oldest of the Human kingdoms. It is surrounded by the vast and harsh desert known as the Sandridden Plain. El’Idur is ruled by Grand Sultan Salah Bin Khalaf Al’Anka, a fair but sometimes harsh ruler. The city of El’Idur is vast and topped by many golden spires. Its streets are busy around the clock, trading exotic spices, crafts, and magic. Radiance is the state religion, and El’Idur claims the holiest of Radiance’s historical sites can be found here. In mid-509 A.L., the great fiendish Master Gate which had opened in Zibberawn shifted to El’Idur. In addition to hordes primarily of sulfur fiends, the Kai raiders also formed alliances with the fiends. The gate was not destroyed until late 510, by which time most of the capital had been overrun and many of its inhabitants had fled or been killed. Some feel the balance of power has shifted in favor of Pasha Al’Siddiq ibn Hasan Al’Rabi, ruler of the nearby city of Sais. 145 Places of Note Part 3 - Sett ing Sarden Sarden, and the nearby city of Bandir, which it rules, was once held tight within the Dark Queen’s grasp. After the war, it was “conquered” by the Grue of Oakhome. This conquest was entirely bloodless, and many say the city elders were tripping over themselves to surrender to the Grue before the Imperials arrived. True or not, the city was reorganized along less militaristic lines, and today is fairly peaceful. It still maintains good relations with the Grue. The region is known for its fine art, delicious cuisine, and splendid wines, as well as the insufferably superior opinion many of the locals have about these three things. For many years, Bandir and nearby villages suffered attacks by raiders from the Frozen North, coming down through the Ebon Sea. With the beginning of the Fiend War in 509 A.L., these were recognized as only the precursor of what was to come. Sarden had, however, mobilized its forces to join the Radiant crusade in 508, and was better prepared than might have otherwise been expected. The damage caused by fiendish forces was much less than suffered in other regions under direct attack, especially since the nearby Master Gate in the Frozen North was first to be destroyed, in late 509. Sarden had cultivated ties with the Enselari people before the war, even building an Enselari embassy in the capital. Since the crusade, a very large proportion of Enselari who escaped the island of Zelfir have taken up residence in Sarden, including Queen Bedessi. Many fight alongside Sardenese forces against the fiends, primarily in Felnar. Kaerramos Mage Tower, Arkenstone 146 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Regions of the World Shattered Lands Once the home of the great southern kingdoms, the Shattered Lands are exactly that—shattered. After the Dark Queen’s cataclysmic Earthrending, little remained of the old kingdoms. Aside from the Dragon Dynasty (see page 141), the Shattered Lands are presently home to the much reduced Dwarven Iron Throne Empire and the nomadic Kai, reviled for attacking the Free Cities and Dumar in the weakness that followed the end of the Great Rebellion and the Godless Time. The Kai’s participation in the fiend war on the side of the sulfur fiends did nothing to improve their reputation. Shimmering Coast This coast is isolated from the rest of Pendaan by the craggy Fireforge Mountain Range. The people here abide by their own sets of laws and the local villages and towns usually govern themselves. Piracy is one of the major occupations in this region, and many buccaneers take advantage of the lack of centralized government to operate out of local coves and sea towns. Three major settlements can be found in this area. Best known is the port city of Cavenport. Its main source of trade is sailing ships, which are the best in all of Pendaan. Cavenport is a haven for criminals, thugs, ruffians, and the like, but crime in Cavenport itself is kept to a minimum as the penalties are extremely harsh. The city is ruled by Lady Rheallan Astani, a Radiant, whose obsession with stamping out heresy has led to harsh restrictions on her own faith. Fortune is less restricted and more common than Radiance in the city. The city was safely out of the path of the fiendish hordes, and business continued here as normal. Located on a small island south of Cavenport is the small, independent city-state of Zibberawn. Zibberawn was and is built upon trade. It has strong mercantile ties with other port cities, and a welcoming policy of trade without tax, tariff, or fees, as in fact there are no local laws, only protection enforcers working for the different houses and companies. It is infamous as a place where you can buy anything (poison, knowledge scrolls, slaves, small islands, etc.) as long as you can pay the exorbitant fees that the merchants who do business here charge. Zibberawn is also famous for its merchant companies which are grouped loosely into categories. Many of these merchant organizations have cornered the market in their areas of expertise. When the opening of the fiendish gate was heralded by a volcanic eruption in 509 A.L., many residents chose to make deals and pacts with the fiends for their own survival. Now that the gate is closed, they are doing their best to rebuild and continue. It is not the first time large portions of the city have been burned, and probably will not be the last. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Places of Note Far to the north is Firestar Peak. Once a mountain, it is now merely a hill. Hundreds of years before the Earthrending, a huge meteorite smashed it down, annihilating the dwarven community living here. It is now a source of great intrigue, with many alchemical and magical communities springing up around it. It is rumored that, somehow, the meteorite “charged” the hill with magical properties. On the darkest nights it is said that the hill glows, illuminating the woods covering it in a soft red hue. Southern Continent The southern continent is home to the cat people known as the Ra’Kash. The entire southern continent is encompassed in thick jungle, nearly impassable to those not trained to venture through such areas. Ra’Kash is, for the most part, largely unexplored; legends speak of other Ra’Kash civilizations further to the south. The best known Ra’Kash city is Pride’s Deep. Home to many Ra’Kash, it is one of the most wondrous spectacles of the world. The city itself is made up of several large, ziggurat step-pyramids topped with highly polished gold. It is not uncommon to see other races in this city, but it is not recommended for non-Ra’Kash to walk alone. The southern continent briefly suffered an outbreak of serpent fiends and acid fiends at the beginning of 509 A.L., centered near the Plateau of Dreams, but the fiendish gate shifted the following year to the Imperium. Valley of No Return At first glance, this desolate wasteland would appear as any other desert, filled with dry rock, sand, and harsh winds. However, to the surprise of those who trek it, the piercing stones tossed up by the winds bring a slow death to the unsuspecting. Hidden within the midst of this sinister valley lies the ruins of the Dark Queen’s obsidian keep, the Twilight Citadel, within the ghost town of Blackhold. It is whispered that creatures of darkness still inhabit Blackhold and the ruins of the Twilight Citadel, and that some trade with them for forgotten wealth and secrets of dark magics. Such trade is forbidden by law in Arkenstone, Felnar, Ironwatch, and Sarden. 147 Accents Zelfir The mist-shrouded Isle of Zelfir was unknown to Pendaan until a ship landed on the coast north of Arkenstone in 498 A.L. The island is located several hundred miles to the west of Arkenstone, and is the home of the silver-marked Enselari and their city, Enselar, as well as a number of smaller towns and villages. Visitors were permitted, though rare, but priests and missionaries of both Fortune and Radiance were forbidden from the isle. However, in 508 A.L. the Archluminary of Radiance declared a holy crusade against fiends which were expected to assault the island. The crusaders were welcomed by Queen Bedessi of the Enselari, but opposed by the Enselari Elders. When the fiendish assault began in early 509 A.L., the Elders led many Enselari in battle alongside the fiends and against the crusaders. The scale of fiendish invasion was much greater than those which had formerly struck the island, and riven by civil war the crusaders and their Enselari allies were forced to retreat. Thousands of Enselari escaped to the mainland with the crusaders before the island was hidden behind an impenetrable mist. A large population of Enselari now resides in Sarden, including Queen Bedessi. They have pledged to give up their practice of sorcery as soon as the war ends. Another group of Enselari is based in the city of Cragsmoor, north of Arkenstone, where they are led by Princess Dallena and fight alongside the fiends. It is rumored the later group is still able to reach Zelfir, but others have been unable to reach the island by ship or gate. It is also unclear what has happened to this force since the closing of the last fiendish Gate in Arkenstone. Accents The use of an accent can spice up your role-playing and make an impression on everyone you meet. Or, an accent can be difficult to maintain for an entire event, and sound silly. No one is required to use an accent. No matter where you come from, you may have learned to speak without one. But if you want to use an accent, here is a list of accents found in different regions. If your character has an accent, it should be one from the place he was born or raised in, or perhaps the accent of his parents if they moved from one region to another before his birth. P art 3 - Sett ing occasionally spoken and have left their mark as names and accents. [Equivalent accents are noted in brackets.] Arkenstone - Vardun [English] is the primary language here, though almost any accent can be heard due to Arkenstone’s extensive trade. A Cainntaonach accent [Scottish] is common, as it is the accent of the cities Arkenstone rules to its north. Sardenese [French] is also common, especially in the Sardenese Quarter. Dragon Dynasty - Kyuutengo, the heavens” [Japanese or Chinese]. “language of the Dumar - Dumarian [English] is spoken here, and is nearly indistinguishable from Vardun. Free Cities - The old language of Perucce [Italian] is rarely spoken, though the accent is not uncommon. Frozen North - Lindernmál is still spoken by some of the tribes [any Scandinavian accent] though Vardun is the norm in the cities. Purk - Dravensh, sometimes known simply as Purkish [German] is rarely spoken, but still used for names of places and, occasionally, organizations. Sandridden Plains - The old language of Saidur [Arabic] is rarely spoken, but often encountered in the form of inscriptions. Sarden - The people of Sarden have great pride in Sardenese [French] and many mix Sardenese terms even into conversations in Vardun. Shattered Lands, Iron Throne Empire - The Iron Throne Empire has little contact with the outside world and less use for its languages, preferring Zhelezruna [Russian]. Shattered Lands, the Kai - The Kai place little value on history, except to explain their distaste for other cultures. Their traditional language [Mongolian] has nearly vanished. Shimmering Coast - Cavelaño [Spanish] is rarely heard in Cavenport or Zibberawn, where business practicalities favor Vardun, but it can be more often heard in the countryside. These accents can also be used as guidelines for names. For example, names in Purk tend to have a Germanic sound, while Spanish names are more common along the Shimmering Coast. The common tongue of Pendaan is known as Dumarian or Vardun. It is the native language of Dumar and Varradon, the city that was conquered by Ra’kash and become Harradon. During the centuries of the Dark Queen’s rule, she required it to be used for many legal and business purposes, causing it to become ubiquitous across the continent. In many regions, however, older languages are 148 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Chapter 16 The World of Pendaan The Age of Darkness Over a thousand years ago, the great kingdoms of Pendaan were still young. Many had been founded after the Fiend Wars, and while there were occasional minor conflicts as they filled out their own borders, none wished the hardship of another major war. Only one man foresaw the end that was approaching: Soern the prophet. Exiled from Draven and driven into the wilds of the Freelands, few would listen to his “ravings.” In a high mountain valley, far to the north yet known for its rich and productive lands, the corruption began. Plagues swept across the Golden Vale. Those not killed by the plagues met equally terrifying fates as the plants and animals withered and died, streams dried up, and fertile earth grew dark and treacherous. To this day, the land that came to be known as the Valley of No Return is said to claw at those who walk upon it, assailing them with stones whipped up by chill winds, and clutching at them with ground that breaks and gives way without warning. When plagues and darkness had run their course, thousands if not tens of thousands of corpses lay waiting in the Valley of No Return. Then the Dark Queen performed rituals of the darkest magics, calling them forth to be her army. They swept west and south, an army of undead devastating towns and cities and absorbing them into its unholy mass. The churned and bloodied earth absorbed something of their taint, and rich lands became the putrefying and uninhabitable Midnight Moor. Then, with her army behind her, her might clearly demonstrated, the Dark Queen appeared before the remaining cities of the north and offered them the choice she would offer to so many cities in the years to come: surrender to her rule, or be destroyed. Some refused, and were annihilated. Others looked upon the devastation and the unholy army and surrendered. First among these were Arkenstone, Felnar, and Bandir. And so the Dark Queen began to establish her dominion. As the kingdoms of the south began to gather their forces, always too slowly, the Dark Queen herself gathered more and more allies. Orcs, Goblins, and Trolls swelled her ranks, while dark-hearted Humans, Dwarves, and Elves became her generals and mages. When the Elves renounced the Faery Ring and their own immortality in order to fight alongside the Humans, the Dark Queen countered by creating a warrior race of Wargs, by summoning fiends, and by forging her implacable Doomguard and Bloodguard. Through the monstrous power of her forces and the intrigues of her spies, kingdoms fell in quick succession. Only the Dwarven fortresses of Kilnjen and the Iron Throne Empire, the Famori Fortresses of Knowledge at Arcadia and Korhadien, the Elven woodland of Oakholme, and the Human kingdoms of El’dur, Hallenz and the Dragon Dynasty held against the onslaught. The great Temples and Orders of knighthood defending these strongholds became the hardened walls that wave after wave of foul creatures broke against. The Rangers became the thorns in the sides of the ghastly armies that sought to drain the land of life. Many thought that the Dark Queen’s eventual victory was in doubt. It was then that the Queen played her trump card. Traitorous Dwarves carried artifacts of ruinous power, fashioned by the Dark Queen, deep into the bowels of the earth. It was by luck alone that the Elves discovered a band of these traitors heading below Oakholme, saving their lands from destruction. And so it came to pass, on the day called Earthrending, that the Dark Queen summoned the power of her goddess into these artifacts and the world shook with the ghastly caress of Zoedain’s might. The land vomited forth rivers of molten rock, creating vast fissures and spawning catastrophic earthquakes. The Fortress of Kilnjen was thrown down and filled with molten rock. The lands of El’dur, Hallenz, the Iron Throne and the Dragon Dynasty were torn asunder into the islands now known as the Shattered Lands. The Famori Fortress of Knowledge at Korhadien sank beneath the sea in the same instant that the city of Arcadia was swallowed whole by the earth. Amongst all this, only the Elven wood of Oakholme stood virtually unscathed. Within days, the surrender was complete. So began the Age of Darkness, almost eight centuries ago. For over two and a half centuries the Queen ruled the continent of Pendaan with an iron fist. Nobles who had opposed her were thrown down or executed, while those who accepted her rule and agreed to carry out her wishes were allowed to keep their titles. She allowed nations to run themselves, as long as they obeyed her laws, paid their tribute, and supplied conscripts for her armies. She would permit no dissent, and where rebellion simmered, whole towns were slaughtered, the spirits of rebel and innocent alike were shattered, and rebel leaders cast into the Void. 149 The Great Rebellion The Great Rebellion But after centuries, the Dark Queen made her first great mistake. Long content to control the continent of Pendaan, with only a small foothold in the Frozen North serving as a disposal ground for dissidents, criminals, and malcontents, the Dark Queen now turned her eyes to the lush jungles of the Southern Continent. She launched her ships and landed her armies on the distant coast, and struck against the cities of the Ra’Kash. Alongside her armies of soldiers and beasts, her mages raised their undead, called their fiends, and even unleashed plague-bearing kobolds against the Ra’Kash. Yet, the jungle was not hospitable to the enemies of the Ra’Kash, and the jungle fighters could appear and disappear into the brush almost at will. For four years, war raged, until at last she was forced to bring her armies home. Now the long-suppressed rebellion seized its opportunity. The Queen would never again be so weakened and they could not afford to let the chance slip by. In the town of Freehold, the declaration of war was signed on the back of her slain Archbishop and attacks began against her soldiers. The nations of the Myran Commonwealth banded together and barred the southern ports against her ships, so her returning armies could not land, and many of her troops were lost at sea. For six years, rebellion raged. Initially, the rebels won a series of victories, even slaying many of her most powerful mages, but in time the implacable forces of the Queen came to bear more and more heavily against them. Meanwhile, another disaster befell the land. The half-forgotten Destroyer of a nearly-forgotten era walked the face of Pendaan, hunting the very gods themselves over the span of a year and a half. Of thirteen gods, four fell beneath his dread axe and a fifth was gravely wounded before he, in turn, was rendered asunder by the forces of all the faiths and all the magics. Some believe the Dark Queen lost favor with her own goddess by failing to come to her aid, though in the end the Goddess of Misery and Suffering came through unscathed. Disfavored or not, the war quickly reached a climax. The Dark Queen herself took to the field of battle, and the situation began to look grim for her foes. For their part, the rebels placed all their faith into the words of Soern’s 150 P art 3 - Setting last prophecy, preserved by the tribesmen of the Freelands, and gathered artifacts of epic power with which to fight their final battle. According to legend, they summoned her to a battlefield of their choosing, rather than waiting for her to pick the time and place, and she manifested in seven forms: Chaos, Corruption, Pain, Dominance, Undeath, and Cruelty, before finally appearing in her own regal Majesty. One by one, the rebels slew each form, each time unraveling one aspect of her power, while one by one their own numbers dwindled. No victory would be without its price. Finally, on the eve of the 6th day of the Frost Moon, the Dark Queen herself fell to a stroke of the Doom Sword. So began the Age of Light, over five centuries ago. The Age of Light It would take time for the world to restructure itself in the Queen’s absence. Many nations, such as Dumar, focused on rebuilding their cities and their armies. Others seized an opportunity for expansion: the Imperial Elves consolidated their Imperium and conquered the weakened Amarians in retaliation for failure to stop traitors in their midst; Purk claimed the cities once ruled by Draven, itself utterly destroyed; and Ra’Kash who fought alongside the rebels took the city of Varradon as their prize, renaming it for their fallen leader, Lord Harr. Those that had not rebelled against the Queen before were now quick to either declare their independence, like Arkenstone, or surrender, like Sarden. Few eyes remained focused on Blackhold, the former seat of the Queen’s power. Most of the exceptions were Imperial, especially those of the destroyed city of Ironwood. Not quite so quick to believe their life’s purpose was fulfilled, and with no home to return to, they built a fortress on the edge of the Midnight Moor from which they intended to launch the final attacks against the Queen’s seat. In time, unable to gather the forces necessary to root out what most others considered mere vestiges of a defeated foe, their fortress became the city of Ironwatch, devoted to standing sentinel against whatever future evil might rise from the Valley of No Return. Perhaps there would have been more enthusiasm for the task had not new troubles quickly arisen. The first was the final withdrawal of the remaining gods, in but the second year of the Age of Light. Some believe it was for the benefit or protection of the mortal races, while others say Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance The World of Pendaan their divine tasks were simply completed; whichever the case, the gods vanished from the world. All but the simplest divine magics suddenly became impossible. Their departure triggered a crisis of faith, with some holding faithful to their departed deities, while others flocked to flourishing new cults and sects, and others simply turned away from religion altogether. Plagues and undead, both formerly kept in check, now swept large regions. The war-ravaged lands of the Myran Commonwealth, now convulsed as well by a crisis of faith, desperately needed time to recover. In the midst of this Godless Time, no one was prepared when the hordes of the Kai swept out of the Shattered Lands into El’Idur, conquering the cities of the Sandridden Plains. With ease they pressed on through the high passes of the Fireforge Mountains, pouring out into the war-weakened cities of the Myran Commonwealth. Deepening the chaos, their armies and the refugees they drove before them carried plague and further weakened the nations of Pendaan. At their peak, just six years after the fall of the Dark Queen, the Kai controlled the Free Cities, Freehold, and the cities of Dumar and Purk. Yet plague worked its toll on the Kai as well, and they could not hold their position for long. Within two more years they had lost all their lands in the Myran Commonwealth—itself now dissolved—and within two more El’Idur was free as well. Some towns and cities never recovered from the war and plagues. To this day, the Ghost City of Brugge remains a haunted and uninhabitable ruin. In time, though, ingenuity and faith overcame all. Two religious groups independently developed a miraculous cure for disease. This miracle touched off a transformation in each case from local sect to continent-wide religion. One doctrine was the Way of Holy Radiance, originally based in Dumar, while the other was the Devotions of Fortune, centered in the Free Cities. (Debate continues to this day regarding which city is Fortune’s true home.) Both religions incorporated many ideals of the older faiths, and many of those once faithful to the gods decided they could take part in these religions while remaining true to those ideals. Meanwhile, in wilder areas, shamans were learning to forge closer bonds to spirits that let them perform similar miracles. And so, both the plagues and the Godless Time came to a close. Mythical Journeys Renaissance T he Turni ng of An Age Since those events, centuries have passed. The age has been marked by border disputes between many of the great powers: Purk against Dumar and against the tribes of the Freelands, Harradon against Dumar for control of the port city of Temmek, Sarden and Arkenstone against Felnar. On the whole, though, it has been a peaceful age. Art and magic flourish, with new techniques arising in both. Elementalists have learned to overcome the limits that once separated the elements, while others have learned to work with “pure mana” in the new magic of Wizardry, to wield the once-difficult forces of Rune magic with ease, or even to use the magic of the mind, once thought all but impossible for the mortal races. In civilized areas, education has become commonplace, at least among a rising middle class of merchants and tradesmen. More of the world has been explored, and an exchange of ideas has caused scholarship to flower. The Turning of An Age Five hundred years after the beginning of the Age of Light, stirrings of trouble began to be visible to those who watched for such omens. From rebellion in El'Idur to raiders from the north along the coasts of Sarden and Arkenstone, to continuing border tensions between Harradon and Dumar, and even the eruption of Zibberawn's Mount Vrarag and the bloody purging of heretics in Cavenport, shadows could be found within the Age of Light. Some considered the newly appeared Enselari to be a foul omen of their own, sorcerers that they are. But the Age of Light was one of optimism, and few believed it could be nearing its end. A small town named Eldyrwood, on the edge of the Forgotten Forest, was about to find itself a nexus of change. Here, where a river connects the roads from Felnar, Sarden, and Harradon to the Imperial city of Ironwatch and to the Ebon Sea beyond, bold adventurers were drawn from all corners of the world for a destiny yet to be glimpsed. 151 Recent Events Recent Events 507 Felnar A triad of Serpent Fiends known collectively as the Hydra begins to torment towns throughout Felnar. They are driven out of the town of Redhill by templars from the small local Temple of the Guiding Flame. Ra'kash bandits from Harradon attack the Eldyrwood area, hoping to claim land for themselves (a tale familiar to all of Harradon's neighbors). They are defeated by the local residents in a series of battles throughout the spring, concluding when the Harradon nobility steps in to put an end to the strife. A comet falls out of the sky and lands in an old quarry outside Eldyrwood, where conflict erupts over who should possess its presumed power. Several opposing groups of mages and even a tribe of goblins are involved. Evil spirits of disease known as the Plague Weavers appear in the Forgotten Forest area and begin spreading their sickness. Mages from the Storm Ward Vanguard, a magic guild in Felnar, accuse the competing Crystal Chalice guild of acquiring many of its artifacts through subterfuge and larceny. Storm Ward mages claim these artifacts closely resemble those previously reported missing from some of the city's wealthier families. Arkenstone Raiders attack the Crag's Watch tower near Cragsmoor, but are repelled by guardsmen. Later in the season, however, the city of Cragsmoor suffers a major attack by orcs of the Iron Helm tribe, and many residents are taken prisoner before the orcs withdraw. Locals say too many of the city's guard had been moved to the coast to defend against the raiders from the north, leaving the city open to attacks from the hills to the east. After rumors of the sighting of sulfur fiends in Arkenstone, several temples of Radiance are assaulted by members of the city's guard working in conjunction with templars and others sent from the Temple of Holy Radiance in Dumar. High Commander Serthia Kartua Maevamam issues a statement noting that these temples had been corrupted by the darkest heresies, and that the Archluminary had personally requested the action. Forces of the guard are said to have encountered Sulfur Fiends working with the heretics. The leader of the heretical group, Father Brellwart, as well as his lieutenants Brother Merricks and Sister Catriona Trask, are reported to have escaped. Bounties are placed on each of the three. 152 Part 3 - Setting Sarden Raiders from the Frozen North extend their incursions, now hitting towns in Sarden west of the port city of Bandir, and up the Sarden River into the Vinograd. One group even reaches Lake Ambrian in an apparent attempt to attack the villas lining its eastern shore, but is reportedly destroyed by a contingent of mages from the Donjor de Magique before doing any harm. Dumar In Dumar, Selwyn Kederat, leader of the Azharite movement, uses announcements of the heresy exposed in Arkenstone to argue for a more proactive stance by the church to prevent heresy from arising elsewhere. Selwyn is reported to be agitating for more direct action by the Temple against known evils, such as Diekon Doria, Enselar, Brugge, and the City of Pyramids. The town of Sherburne, on the Dumar-Harradon border, is overrun by Ra'kash bandits. Dumarian troops are sent from Belonshire to deal with the attackers, who are said to be occupying the village and surrounding area. 508 Dumar and Harradon According to sources in Harradon, soldiers are dispatched to the disputed town of Sherburne to protect Ra'kash residents of the area from anti-Ra'kash violence sponsored by the Kingdom of Dumar. The incidents are portrayed differently by Dumarian sources, who report that their soldiers are fighting to regain the town, overrun last year by Ra'kash "bandits" who are now squatting on occupied land. Felnar The Vilderkin, a group of violent shamanists in the Forgotten Forest, are formally outlawed by Felnar. With assistance of templars of Redhill, the adventurers of Eldyrwood banish the Hydra. Sarden Raiders from the Frozen North establish a settlement in the Freelands, just north of the border with Sarden, but the Sardenese army burns it to the ground. They have enough trouble with raiders already, without them moving in next door. However, over the course of this year more becomes known about the reasons for the increasing raids. The raiders are being driven out of their own lands by fiends and by others of their own people whose minds have been erased of anything except the impulse to fight. The cause is not revealed for a few more years. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance The World of Pendaan King Phillipe of Sarden begins a series of inspections of his military forces, including a series of parades in Sarden and Bandir timed to begin during the Droit de Cité festivals and continuing through a Dawn's Day festival in honor of their Grue allies. Some question the timing, suggesting it may be a cover for military preparations in response to recent border flare-ups between Harradon and Dumar. Others criticize the diversion of troops away from the coastal areas where northern raiders are still active. The Enselari ambassador to Sarden is, unusually, not seen in court for several moons. Goblins Goblins across Pendaan are agitated and on the move. Many tribes seem to be moving towards the Forgotten Forest region. Others are moving as fast as possible in the opposite direction. Near Felnar, Goblin missionaries become frequent in High Crossing and Glenoak. Purk A severe drought hits Stolberg, Giessen and Kirn. A dry spring follows a winter with low snowfall in the nearby mountains, and the Esingill River is at its lowest level in fifty years. Farmers are worried that the season's crops may be lost. 509 After years of urging by Selwyn Kederat and his followers, the Archluminary of Radiance declares a holy crusade to save Zelfir from a soon-expected assault by fiends. These assaults have occurred several times in the past and the Archluminary predicts the next will occur this year. Forces depart from ports in Bandir (primarily Sardenese troops as well as the Radiant Defenders of the Bridge), Zagora (Imperial), and Arkenstone (assorted troops from across Pendaan) and converge on the island. They are in place just long enough for relations with the locals to become awkward before magical Gates begin opening and fiends spew out. The magnitude of the fiendish assault is unprecedented and the objective of the crusade quickly changes from victory over the fiends to rescuing as many of the Enselari people as possible during a semi-orderly retreat. This is complicated by an internal conflict-only some of the Enselari are loyal to their Queen, who has welcomed the crusaders. Others are loyal to the Elders, who claim the fiends' purpose is to drive off the invasion of crusaders and who join the battle against the crusaders. As the crusaders retreat, the island is covered by a magical fog. It is possible to enter the fog-covered areas, but no one emerges. It is believed that escape from the fog is impossible. In additional to many Enselari, many of the crusaders are also trapped this way. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Recent Events It also becomes apparent that the Zelfir attack is just one part of a greater fiendish assault. Huge master gates also open in the Frozen North, Zibberawn, Ra'kash, and later Arkenstone, and the continent is assaulted from all four cardinal directions. These gates are known as "Master Gates" because they are capable of spawning huge numbers of secondary gates, allowing unprecedented numbers of fiends to pass into our realm. Arkenstone Soon after the crusader ships return to Arkenstone, massive fiend gates appear around the city and the crusaders begin fighting to save it. Their presence delays the fiend onslaught while armies are marshaled elsewhere, but ultimately the city falls to fiends, as do the northern cities traditionally under Arkenstone's rule. Under fiendish command, a harsh rule is established and the Arkenstone army becomes a tool of fiendish conquest. Felnar The fiend war extends to Felnar. Count Delos Drakomyr is permanently slain in battle, and rulership of Felnar passes to his wife, Countess Maura Drakomyr. Harradon Fiends and Arkenstone forces attack Harradon at the port city of Temmek. Fighting is heavy and seems to be aided by fiend sympathizers within the city. The city holds out for another year before falling under fiendish control. Sarden Bandir and other areas of Sarden's northern coast are under attack by fiends and mind-wiped barbarians. Bandir is under siege and in danger of falling. The majority of the Enselari evacuated from Zelfir, including their Queen Bedessi, retreat to Sarden. Many return to the front to fight against the fiends, especially on Sarden's northern coast. Zibberawn, Dragon Dynasty, and El’Idur The volcano at the center of the island city of Zibberawn, Mt. Vrarag, erupts, discharging a horde of sulfur fiends. The fiends overwhelm the city, which puts up little resistance. The fiends then turn their attention to nearby El'Idur and the Dragon Dynasty, spawning secondary gates in those nations. Ra’Kash Fiends also appear in great numbers on the Southern Continent, primarily near the cities of Ohaca'nar and Rhow'ugh. These are primarily serpent fiends. 153 Recent Events Frozen North Late in the fall, a large force from the town of Eldyrwood attacks the Master Gate in the Frozen North and manages to destroy it, something that had previously been believed impossible. This creates a glimmer of hope; if all the Master Gates are destroyed, the Fiend War could actually be won. The Frost Elf controlling the mind-wiped barbarians is slain, breaking his control. 510 Felnar The attacks of fiends and the Arkenstone army against the city of Felnar intensify into a siege. Arkenstone's forces are limited, however, as their supply lines are repeatedly raided, especially by Orcs allied with Felnar. They are forced to move all supplies under heavy guard, limiting the forces that can be sent to the siege. In the woods near Eldyrwood, the Vilderkin spirit Kala Ma is defeated once and for all, his spirit entombed in the earth. Many towns closer to the Rothruadh Mountains are attacked and destroyed, their inhabitants missing and presumed dead. Surviving witnesses report some kind of reptilian humanoid attackers. Similar creatures are driven off during attacks on Eldyrwood. In one case rumors even say they are accompanied by a thirty foot long dragon. Arkenstone Residents of the city are given a choice of making pacts with the fiends or being branded. Some people are permitted to leave the city on business (primarily merchants) but never more than one person per family. The fiendish command discovers that Count Bardowal Astaur of Lacarta, who has supposedly been in their service, has been channeling information about military activities and planning to Felnar and its orc allies. He is rescued by a force from Eldyrwood just before he is scheduled to be shipped off to an uncertain fate. Harradon The port city of Temmek falls to the fiends. Dumar Although not under attack, Dumarian troops can be seen on most fronts of the fiend war. The war has reignited a long-lost sense of national pride and purpose, and many soldiers and nobles clamor for a chance to prove themselves on the battlefields. 154 Part 3 - Setting Imperium The fiendish gate is unexpectedly and abruptly moved from the Southern Continent to the Imperial city of Safi and the Imperium scrambles to get troops in place to contain the fiends there. Over the course of the year, the fiends do not extend their holdings much, but the Imperials are unable to retake the city. The fiends are aided by an extremist group, the Sect of Armus, which commands a small army of magical constructs. A small army led by Ra'kash attacks towns near the Imperial city of Tiaret. They appear to have crossed over from Harradon. While border skirmishes with Harradon are historically common, the timing of this attack in the midst of the Fiend War raises the ire of the entire Imperium. Over the next few moons, rumor spreads that the Ra'kash are being paid quite well for the attacks, which is unusual. Normally border issues with Harradon are motivated by Ra'kash looking to gain lands for themselves. By the end of the year, negotiations between the Imperials and Southern Ra'kash lead to the capture and execution of the leaders of the incursions. Free Cities There has been greatly increased undead activity near Ostia and Fano, including many types that can not be identified. Many towns and villages in the area have been attacked, and some residents are missing or killed. This continues over the winter and into the following years, and gradually spreads into southern Purk. Frozen North With the Master Gate closed, fiend attacks dwindle off and many of the mind-wiped barbarians begin to remember themselves. However, losses were heavy and the total population of the north was never great to begin with. It is still a struggle to survive even with the fiends gone. Dragon Dynasty and El'idur The capital of Tetsu Shiro is heavily besieged by fiends and Kai raiders, who roam with impunity throughout the lands of House Banoko. The other houses are slow to aid, despite the orders of the Emperor, as they are preoccupied with their own defenses, and attacks have been made upon other regions of the island as well, especially in the lands of adjacent House Chiba. El'Idur has similarly been largely overrun by fiends and Kai raiders who are working with them. The portions of the city dominated by tents and other temporary structures have been dispersed, and many have fled or been killed. Others have taken refuge in the smaller more fortified sections of the city, such as the grounds of the palace and the school of Runecraft, Al'Hazzim Akbarra. It is reputed that even these would have fallen were it not for the efforts of the Naffatun, whose armor protects them from the fire of the sulfur fiends. Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance The World of Pendaan The Master Gate in the area is assaulted three times. The first assault, in Zibberawn, is unsuccessful. The Gate is then moved near El'Idur where it is assaulted unsuccessfully by a force from Eldyrwood. A third assault, at the same location in mid-fall, is finally able to destroy the Gate. It will take much time to rebuild and recover in both nations. Zibberawn itself is still held by a smaller number of fiends who remain for several years. None of the inhabitants are willing to stick their necks out and do anything about it. 511 Felnar The siege of Felnar continues. Orc raids against the Arkenstone supply lines have been less effective over the end of winter, largely due to the loss of intelligence from Count Bardowal Astaur. Some caravans are slipping through unharrassed, while several orc assault groups have been surprised by wagons full of fiends. Orc enthusiasm for the task has been waning. Overall, the attacks are intensifying and losses have become greater and greater. The defenders of Felnar include the Felnar army and militia, Dumarian soldiers, Enselari (mostly from Sarden), and also some very noteworthy assistance from the bardic academy. However, bandit activity is up throughout the area. The new governor installed to manage Lacarta puts little effort into protecting the local farmers from raids, and supplies are short. The new governor is more concerned with making quotas for army conscription and sacrifices. Many have fled over the winter, although due to harsh snows not all of these have survived to make it to safer lands. Arkenstone, Part 1 Arkenstone remains under the control of fiends. Rumors say that some type of powerful magical defense wards have been established around the city, at least intermittently. By the fall, it's clear these wards prevent the opening of magical Gates into the city. Cragsmoor has become the base of operations for the Enselari who fight on the side of the fiends. Their numbers there are growing rapidly. There are rumors that some are coming from Zelfir, although from other reports the isle is still warded by the fiendish mists. Recent Events Imperium The port city of Zagora is under heavy attack from forces in Temmek. The defenders are able to prevent its conquest, but remain hard-pressed. A coordinated assault on the Master Gate at Safi is unsuccessful, with heavy losses. Aside from the previously known forces, there are rumors of a small group of Dark Elves at the Gate itself. Emboldened by their success, the fiendish forces and their allies push into the city of Harbor's Nest. A second major assault is able to defeat them there. After the Master Gate is destroyed, a series of powerful magical storms and elemental manifestations buffet the Imperium. These appear to be centered on Harbor's Nest but extend from the Bear Crag Mountains to Nyr and Tiaret, and occasionally even beyond. Rifts and spontaneously occurring Gates disgorge elementals and other creatures, some recognizable and some unfamiliar. Due in part to the intensity of the attacks, and in part due to their unpredictability, the Imperial army has its hands full dealing with these events. Dragon Dynasty Having lost face due to his inability to prevent the fiendish incursions, the Emperor issues a proclamation: he will abdicate the throne to the House that provides the most significant aid in the war against the fiends. Forces from Houses Tenjou, Kage, Chiba, and Loong, ferried by House Yamada ships, land on the coast between Balymare and Arpairk, aided by a diversionary attack from Eldyrwood forces. Later in the year, the construct formerly fighting alongside the fiends and Sect of Armus in the Imperium reappear, now fighting under the banner of House Tenjou. Arkenstone, Part 2 At the end of fall, a force from Eldyrwood arrives near Arkenstone to attack the magical wards that protect the city, in preparation for a final assault. The strike against the wards is successful, but sudden and intense snows delay the final assault until the following spring. Some suspect the elemental storms being experienced in the Imperium are to blame. Over the summer, raiders from the Frozen North begin attacks on the coast from Cragsmoor to Balymare. They do not, however, attack Sarden or any lands outside of fiendish control. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 155 Tur n o f T im e 512 Arkenstone Spring thaw is followed quickly by an all-out assault against the fiendish forces in Arkenstone. Harradon, Dumarian, and Imperial forces fast-march north from the Temmek front, while Dragon Dynasty and even DiekonDoria forces attack the city itself. Mages from the Arcanum relocate Eldyrwood to a location within the Arkenstone city walls, using magic they say is somehow different from conventional Gate magic. The battle is also joined by several undead forces, some fighting alongside the fiends and other against them, and it is said that even one of the Radiant avatars is seen on the field. During the day of the battle, the Felnar city walls are breached by Bestial Giants but the city holds until the Master Gate is sealed the same night. Late in the night, the Queen of Gaunts is severely injured by a weapon known as the Hammer of Light, and her General Pyzaam is driven off the field but not destroyed. By the next day, fiend numbers have begun to rapidly dwindle while Arkenstone soldiers with minor pacts report they are no longer under the control of the Queen of Gaunts, and they surrender as quickly as possible. Others with stronger pacts continue to fight, flee, or are struck down by their own troops. The Master Gate is altered but not destroyed, and is releasing all manner of creature other than fiends, including elementals, nightmares, and even creatures from the Void. No fiends emerge from it, however. Eldyrwood graciously agrees to take the Gate back with them, for future study, so that it will no longer trouble the city of Arkenstone. According to popular rumor, small forces hunt down the Queen of Gaunts and General Pyzaam, finding and destroying both of them in the fall. Turn of Time Keeping time is often an important part of a fantasy game. How else could you foil the bad guy’s plan if you didn’t know what time to foil them at? Table 2 is a listing of the real world “mundane” calendar in relation to the Mythical Journeys calendar. The Mythical Journeys calendar is fully based on the phases of the moon. Each lunar month is divided exactly like the mundane calendar (the first cycle of the Ice Moon would have 31 days like January.) Table 1 lists the names of the days of the week. Years in Mythical Journeys are referred to as “Harvests” (or “Cycles”) which are the most important time of the year to many commoners. This season of the year is often a time of celebration as the common folk reap their harvest from a long working year. 156 Pa rt 3 - Set tin g To calculate the current game year all you need do is subtract 1500 from the current (real world) year. Thus, in the year 2013, our game year will be 513. The hours of the day correspond to mundane hours, but are usually described with reference to midday (also referred to as “high sun”) or midnight. Thus, 4:00 p.m. is referred to as “four hours past high sun,” or “four bells past high sun” while 10:00 p.m. is referred to as “two hours (or bells) before midnight.” Minutes are often referred to as ‘ticks.’ Many describe the effects of a snare as being held for ‘five ticks.’ Table 1 In-Game Days Mundane Day In-Game Day Monday Moonday Tuesday Treesday Wednesday Windsday Thursday Thornsday Friday Friarsday Saturday Satyrday Sunday Sunsday Table 2 In-Game Calendar Mundane Month In-Game Month January Ice Moon February Storm Moon March Planters' Moon April Rain Moon May Lovers' Moon June Rose Moon July Silent Moon August Lightning Moon September Harvest Moon October Blood Moon November Frost Moon December Dark Moon Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Part 4 Appendices Appendix A - Weapon Construction........................139 Appendix B - Packet Construction...........................147 Creating A Safe Sword .........................................................139 What You’ll Need .................................................................139 Sword Construction .............................................................140 Weapon Guidelines ...............................................................144 Bow and Crossbow Guidelines ...........................................145 Spell Packet Construction .................................................. 147 Appendix A Weapon Construction “...a weapon fit for a king, with an edge to cut through stone itself...” - Tribute To The Ironforge Brothers Creating A Safe Sword Creating a safe game weapon is essential at Mythical Journeys. An unsafe “boffer” weapon could result in injury to yourself and others. Please follow these instructions carefully. We are always willing to help you create safe game weapons if you need it. All you need to do is purchase the What You’ll Need y Duct Tape: Often available in colors so you can customize your weapons. We prefer sword blades to be gray or silver. Electrical tape may be used for decoration but not for the entire blade. Kite tape may be acceptable if it seems secure. proper supplies and arrive at the game extra early. Creating a good, safe sword takes about a half hour. There are also many links and additional information available on our web site. Post any questions you have on our message board as there are many cast and players willing to help you create your weapons. y Open Cell Foam: (often referred to as mattress foam) Available at fabric or craft stores. You’ll need at least 6 2”x2”x2” cubes. 159 Sword Construct ion y Pa rt 4 - Appendicies Pipe insulation with at least 5/8” wall thickness: Available at plumbing stores (and occasionally electrical supply places). The most common reason weapons fail inspection is because of the use of thinner 3/8” wall thickness pipe foam. 3/4” diameter CPVC pipe: Available at plumbing stores (and occasionally electrical supply places). Smaller CPVC is not acceptable. Kite rod is also acceptable, with a minimum diameter of .505” for one-handed weapons or .610” for two-handed weapons. Kite rod must have end caps (available from most suppliers of kite rods) or be capped with leather strips. y Hack saw or Pipe Cutter: Pipe cutters work best for CPVC, while a hack saw will be needed when using kite rod. y File: To dull sharp or rough edges on piping. y Utility Knife: To cut tape and foam. Sharp scissors will be useful too. y Marker: To mark the pipe. A pencil may work as well. y Sword Construction 1. Using either your hacksaw or pipe-cutter cut a piece of CPVC pipe 4 to 5” shorter than the total length of the sword you desire to create. File down any sharp edges on the pipe (created by cutting it) using your file. 2. Take your gray colored duct tape and wrap it in a twirling manner (to make it like two-sided sticky tape with a bulging texture) along the top three feet of the pipe. This tape will help keep the foam safely attached to the core, and is required. Suitable glue may also be used, as long as the blade foam is securely attached to the core. 160 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Weapon Construct ion Sword Const ruction 3. Now take four pieces of equally sized duct tape and cover each end of the pipe with an ‘X’. Do not tape pennies, coins, or other hard objects to cap the ends. If you must cap the end with something other than tape, use thin leather strips. If you are using kite rod, use leather strips or plastic end caps (preferred) instead; duct tape is not adequate for kite rod. 4. With the pipe ends covered, it is now time to slip your pipe insulation down over the top of your sword. This often involves twisting the piping in a clockwise or counter-clockwise manner as the two-sided tape sticks to the inside of the foam insulation. Be sure to let the foam extend an inch past the end of the pipe. (Later we will fill this space with foam.) 5. After your struggle with getting the pipe insulation past all that tape, the fun begins. you will begin by taking strips of duct tape and adhering them from the pipe insulation to the sword grip area. Continue this process until you have gone all the way around the sword in this area. 6. Once you have finished fastening the pipe insulation to the pipe, take one last strip of tape and place it at the base of the sword “blade”. From here pull it tightly around the sword to bind all the tape together from the previous step. 7. Remember when we mentioned to leave a one inch space at the top of the sword? Take one of your 2” foam cubes and stuff it into this area completely so it does not stick out of the tip. Tape the foam in crossways as you had done with the pipe itself earlier in Step 3. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 161 Sword Construct ion Pa rt 4 - Appendicies 8. Place one of your 2” foam cubes at the top of the sword blade. Tape it down cross-ways without applying pressure to the foam block that would force it to crumple or squish. Pressure should be equally applied on all sides. When applied properly, the two strips of tape should be all you require to hold your tip safely in place, and the tip should collapse directly toward the blade when pressed from its top. This piece of foam provides the thrusting tip of the weapon. Do not make it thinner (not enough padding) or thicker (the tip will fold over and not provide any protection) than 2”. 9. Cut your second length of pipe insulation down to about ten to twelve inches. This will be your crossguard. At the center of the crossguard, create a small hole (slightly smaller than your CPVC pipe) that completely penetrates the crossguard. This will allow us to slide it onto the CPVC pipe. The crossguard is optional, but it makes the weapon look better as well as making it easier to sheath, and we recommend it. You can also design your own style of crossguard as long as it has no rigid materials. 162 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Weapon Construct ion Sword Const ruction 10.Take your third piece of 2” foam and cut it up to equally distribute and stuff within the crossguard. Note: crossguards stuffed with hard objects will always fail safety inspections. Once filled, cross tape the ends of the crossguard and apply tape to decorate it. Place the pipe of your sword into your crossguard and slide the crossguard up to the blade. The crossguard can be taped to the blade and the handle of the sword (to prevent it from moving), but for purposes of this example, we will leave it free standing. 11.Begin to adhere long lengths of tape (they should be as long as it takes to go from the base of the sword tip to the crossguard.) to the blade. Tape should be applied from tip to crossguard and not wrapped around the sword blade. Improperly taped blades will not pass safety inspection. 12.Your sword is nearly complete. Cut a 2 1/2 inch piece of pipe insulation away from your crossguard scraps. As with your sword tip, insert the foam onto the pipe leaving a one inch space at the end of the pipe insulation. Fill this one inch space with scrap foam and cross tape as you had done previously with your sword tip. Mythical Journeys Renaissance 13.Tape the pommel of the sword as you did the tip in Step 8. The object is not to force it on too tightly or it will force the pipe through the bottom. As with Step 6. secure the tape that holds the pommel on around the handle. 163 Weapon Guidelines P art 4 - Appendicies 14.Using a pin or similar object, poke numerous holes in the thrusting tip of the sword to allow air to be exhausted upon impact. This makes the tip softer, and also allows it to spring back to full size after a thrust. If you followed all the steps shown you should now have a completed sword. Feel free to add colored tape to decorate it and make it uniquely yours. Be sure to wrap your handle with soft leather, dark tennis racket grip, or some form of rope or twine so you retain a firm grip on the handle during those long melees. There are many advanced techniques to creating a good sword that we will happily show you on your many Mythical Journeys with us before or between events. GbgX5 Sword Tethers—Tethers used to prevent the ‘Disarm skill are not allowed at Mythical Journeys. Weapon Guidelines The following table lists the official weapon lengths of Mythical Journeys. Table 1 Weapon Lengths Weapon Type Length Small Weapon up to 18” Short Blade/Blunt 19” to 30” Long Blade/Blunt 31” to 48” Two Handed Weapon 49” to 66” Short Staff 19” to 48” Staff or Polearm 49” to 72” Thrown Weapon 8” Thrown Javelin 24” to 36” GbgX5 Overall maximum lengths include thrusting tip and pommel. Weapons that exceed their maximum length will need to be reduced in order to use them. y Weapon Grips on one-handed weapons may be no longer than 10”. Staves and Short Staves must be padded on their entire length, as the entire weapon is a 164 striking surface, while pole-arms must be padded over at least the upper half of the weapon as well as on the pommel. Other two-handed weapons may have grips up to 20” in length, while the unpadded handle area on polearms must be no longer than one-half the length of the core and the pommel must be padded, as for other weapons. y Pommels for all weapons must not have any rigid or sharp edges exposed. They do not need the same amount of padding as the thrusting tip of your weapon, but do need some padding to cover these edges. y Two-handed weapons may have CPVC (3/4”) or kite rod core, although using kite rod makes a much better weapon and we recommend it. If using kite rod, it must be at least .600” OD. The ends must be capped. Check our website for links to sources of kite rod. Kite rod can be carbon fiberglass or graphite. Carbon fiberglass is the usual choice, graphite is lighter but much more expensive. No other core material is approved for use in one- or two-handed weapons. y One-handed weapons may be made from CPVC (3/ 4”) or .505” kite rod (you can also use the larger .600” if you prefer). Again, the ends must be capped. Kite rod is more likely to cut through the foam than CPVC, so the caps are very important. y Thrown weapons may not have any core, only duct tape and foam. They should not be so thin or pointed that they could stick in someone's eye. They shouldn't be so dense that they hurt (e.g. wrapped too tightly with tape, too many layers of tape especially when it gets old). You can also melee with these weapons if you have the Small Weapons skill. Thrown Weapons cannot be round “rocks”. y Black Wargs with the Stones Throw skill can make throwing rocks for use with that skill, but they need to be larger than your head, and red-stickered with a 2, 3, 4, or 5. They should be irregular in shape, like a rock, not perfectly round like a ball. y Javelins are used with the Thrown Weapon skill, and are made from an uncut golf tube (normally used to separate golf clubs, and available at many stores which sell golf supplies). Tape over the non-rolled end of the golf tube with 2 strips of duck tape. Secure a 1 inch thick disk of closed cell pipe foam on this with duct tape. Attach a standard 2 inch thrusting tip (just like you would use on a sword) over this with duct tape. Then secure the tape ends to the golf tube with one layer of duck tape wrapped around the golf tube. y Shield edges must be covered with pipe insulation. Bucklers may be up to 18” diameter, with a hand grip; other shields must be larger than 18” diameter and have a hand grip and arm strap. Shields may be up to 30” diameter if round, or 24”x30” for other shapes. Tower Shields may be up to 21”x38”. There must not Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Weapon Construct ion be any sharp edges or points on the front or sides. If you have bolts going through the shield to attach the grip or other parts, pad and tape the exposed parts. y Blunt weapons and axes should be constructed like swords (including the thrusting tip), with a head made of open cell foam covered and taped on with duct tape. Double-sided carpet tape can also be useful for attaching the foam pieces. In general for any kind of weapon with a big head on it (axes, polearms, hammers, etc), avoid making the head extremely heavy (it shouldn't have so much momentum when you swing it that you can knock people over for real), and avoid using so many layers of duct tape that it gets hard (duct tape especially hardens with age). Poking pinholes in the head will let air escape so it doesn't feel as hard. It should spring quickly back to its normal shape after being squished; if it doesn't, you may have too much tape. There is no minimum or maximum size for blades and heads on weapons, but we will assess it for safety at check-in. y Flails - We have occasionally approved flail-type weapons when the connecting cord was very short and the striking part very lightweight. In general they are really ineffective weapons but the look is fun. y Custom weapon designs will be considered on a caseby-case basis. Please note that we will not pass punching type weapons (e.g. tonfa, katar) for safety reasons. y Duct tape comes in many colors and is indispensable. Normal weapons are usually gray, black, or brown, but you can decorate them however you like. Metal tape (as opposed to metallic-colored duct tape) is not acceptable (it has sharp edges). Cloth kite tape is ok. It's also acceptable to use a cloth “sleeve” instead of tape, this is a little more work but holds up better. For current information about vendors of approved weapons, please see our web site. Mythical Journeys Renaissance Bow and Cr oss b ow Gu ideline s Bow and Crossbow Guidelines Three types of bows and crossbows are permitted: real bows firing safety arrows, Nerf-type bows, and finger arrows. No bow or crossbow of any type may be used to block any attack. If your bow or crossbow prevents an attack from hitting you, you must take the damage. Real Bows. Real bows must not exceed 25 pound draw. Arrows to be used with real bows must be constructed according to the design specifications found on our web site. Before any of your arrows will be approved, you must complete one under the supervision of our safety coordinator, so bring the materials to make at least one arrow at the event. In addition, before using a real bow in-game, you must be approved by the safety coordinator. Real bows may not be used at night. y Nerf-Type Bows and Crossbows. Bows and crossbows designed to fire all-foam arrows or bolts may be used. Like all weapons, they must be approved at check-in each event. Acceptable weapons must look like a bow or crossbow, and all bright plastic colors must be covered or painted. These types of bows and crossbows may be used at all times, night and day. y Finger Arrows. A finger arrow is a foam arrow which is fired by means of a rubber loop or rubber band attached to the tip. Only finger arrows that use ordinary rubber bands are acceptable. Finger arrows of other types may not be used (typically these have a rubber loop at the end of a rubber cord). Finger arrows may only be used in conjunction with a bow used as a prop. The bow must be held in hand as if it is being used, holding the loop of the finger arrow with the bow hand. Finger arrows may be used at all times, night and day, as long as they are of the correct type and are used properly with a bow prop. y 165 Bow and Crossbow Guidelines 166 Part 4 - Appendicies Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Appendix B Packet Construction Spell Packet Construction As you have learned, spell packets are necessary for the successful use of many spells. To ensure safety, not only for yourself but also for others, properly follow the spell packet construction directions below. Instructions 1. Cut your fabric into a square approximately 5” by 5” and lay the square out flat. 2. Put about three tablespoons of seed into the center of the square. Construction Needs Fabric - any color of your choosing except white (reserved for holy water). (The photos show white fabric for picture contrast.) y Scissors - to cut the fabric. y Grass seed or bird seed without Sunflower seeds. No substitutes are allowed. y String or rubber bands - to tie the spell packets shut. y 3. Pick up each corner, creating a “spell packet ghost”. A small cup or shot glass to measure your grass or bird seed is also helpful. 167 Spell Packet Construction 4. Gather the fabric and tightly tie off with the string. P art 4 - Appendicies There is an alternative method to make ‘bean bag’ like spell packets, which requires a sewing machine. 1. Cut a strip of material 5” wide for large and 3” for small. 2. Sew the strips of material into a tube the long way, making roughly a 2” (large) or 1 1/4” (small) tube. 3. Sew across the tube at intervals, 3 1/4” for large and 2” for small. These seams are the bottom of the packets. 4. Cut the pockets just after the seam. You now have a bunch of little sacks. 5. Fill each sack with about 3/4 oz. for large and 1/4 oz. for small. A shot glass with ounce measuring marks can make this easier. You will need to judge how much seed to put in. 6. Pin the bag closed, leaving enough of a tail to sew across the top. 7. Sew the top of the sack closed, remove pin and you are ready to throw! A subdue packet can also be made with this ‘bean-bag’ method. Remember a subdue packet needs to be about the size of your fist, or 4” x 4”. 5. If necessary, trim extreme excess fabric from the tail of the packet All material used to create the spell packet should be lightweight and the spell packet itself should be loosely packed. You want to avoid compacting the seed too tightly in the packet to prevent it from becoming hard. If you can count the seeds through the fabric, you’ve tied it too tight. 168 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Index A acid call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 additional foe, chosen foe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 adept-priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 advanced bandaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 advanced class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 about . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 alchemist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 archer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 assassin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 burglar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 champion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 cleric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 duelist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 elementalist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 fatespinner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 holy warrior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 mentalist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 monk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 mystic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 nethermancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 ninja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 reserves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 rite of passage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 rogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 rune mage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 scourge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 shadow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 sorcerer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 warrior mage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 advanced process, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 alchemical analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 alchemical extraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 alchemist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 alchemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 advanced process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 analyze powder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 blood putrefaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 calcination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 character creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 cleanse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 corrosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 decrepitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 digestion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 dispel charm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 exaltation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 extraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 foliation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 grinding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 ice greaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 moderate process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 projection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 starting recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 using . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 alcohol policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 all within . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv amnesia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 analyze alchemical powder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 ancestors, the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 apply poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 appraisal code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 arcanist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 archer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 archery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 arch-mentalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 arch-wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 area effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Arkenstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 169 armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 about . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 casting mana spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 chainmail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 faith spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 flash trap and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 heavy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56, 82 helmets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 lamellar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56, 82 magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 magic, summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii mechanical trap and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 medium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56, 82 missile weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 popper trap and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 repairing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 stacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 thrown weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 transcend, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 traps and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 weapon enchantments and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 armor’s bane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 assassin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129 assassinate call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 parry and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 attack calls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 attune check out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 magic items and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 avannarites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 avoid trap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 awaken elementalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 herbalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 mentalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 pilgrim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 wizardry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106 B backlash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 parry and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 spell shield and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xiv 170 backstab call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 parry and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 bandage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 bards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 barrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii barrier spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 baseball bat swinging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 basic races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii battle scroll casting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 translating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 bedding, stealing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 beginning spells elementalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 faith, pilgrim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 mentalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 rune magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 wizardry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 bells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 beneficial magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 fate and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 benevolents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 bestow push . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 bestow spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 bestow, summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii betrayal, call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 bind, call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 black heresy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 blacksmith repair armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 repair plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Blood Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 blood putrefaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 bloodrend, call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 blowgun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 blunt weapons, venom and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 bolt shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105, 106 bolt spells and armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56, 82 botch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 breakdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 buckler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 burglar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 buzzer traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance C cabins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64, 67 calaphites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 calcination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 calling skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 calls, damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 cancel spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102, 115 cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 cap increase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 car access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 carpenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 carrying others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 cast (NPCs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 casting battle scrolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 faith magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 catch thrown weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii celestial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 chainmail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 chalice knights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 champion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 character advancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 character creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 alchemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 character history hints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 class overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 herbalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 history overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 mana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 poison craft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 race overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 scrollcraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 skill overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 character death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 character history hints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 sample . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 character points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 PEL and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 character updating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 charm, call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Mythical Journeys Renaissance charms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 cheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 check in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 check out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 check your swings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 chosen foe additional foe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 unabated wrath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 clarify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii classes devotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 divine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 fighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 finesse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 magical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 might . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 precision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 sanctity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 sight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 stealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 subtlety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 cleanse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115, 120 cleave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 cleric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 cloak fighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 coins crown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 farthing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 sovereign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 stealing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv combat blocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 legal target areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii communicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104, 106, 115 components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95, 117 check out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 conscious . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 contact poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 contacting Mythical Journeys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 corrosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 costs, skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 36 costuming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 cast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 stealing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 what not to wear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57, 58 171 counterspell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72, 98 CPVC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 craft skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 blacksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 carpenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 farmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 glassblower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 herbalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 inkmaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 lapidary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 leatherworker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 miner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 papermaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 scavenging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 tanner/trapper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 tinker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 weaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 crafting materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 crafts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 create holy water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 creating your character see character creation crown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 D damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74, 84 skills and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 spells and heavy armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 weapon enchantments and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 damage spells and armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Dark Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 dark-elves, half . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 darkness, call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 dead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii decoction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 decrepitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 dedication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 destroy undead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 detect magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 detect poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 detect/attune magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 check out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 detlene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 devotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 devout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 dharter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 diagnose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 digestion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 172 disarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 disciplinary action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 disease, call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 disguise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 dispel charm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 dispel enchantment, call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 dispel magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81, 85 divert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 divine classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 divine reserves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 dodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81, 82 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 donations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Dragon Dynasty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 drain vitality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 drug policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 drum rolling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 duelist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Dumar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 durations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 out of game and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xiv until cured . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xiv until death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xiv, 83 while I sing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 dwarves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 dying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 E earth bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 earth, call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 ejection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 elemental warrior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 elementalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 awaken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 beginning spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 earth bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 entangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 fire bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 giant’s grip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 heat weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 ice bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 ice greaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 icicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 pain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 slow poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 snare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 stone greaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 wind bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance elementalist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 fiend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 25 frost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 frost, overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 grue, overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 half-dark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 23 imperial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 imperial, overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 empathic healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 empower weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 enchantment, weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 enselari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 enslave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 entangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 entice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 escape artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 event suspension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 exaltation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 explosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81, 86 expression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 expulsion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 extend shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 extended suspension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 extraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 F faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 beginning spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 casting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 dedicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 dedication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 devout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii famori . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 farmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 farthing, copper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 fate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 beneficial magic and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 fate’s disfavor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 fate’s kiss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 fatespinner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 feeblemind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 feign death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Felnar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 fiend elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Mythical Journeys Renaissance fiend goddess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 fighting legal target areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 fighting classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 final death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 finesse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 fire call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 combat and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 fire bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 flash traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 foam thickness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 foe-hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 FOIG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 foliation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 food, stealing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 forgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 forget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Forgotten Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 fortitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 fortune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 avannarites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 benevolents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 black heresy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 calaphites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 chalice knights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 malcolmites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 savonians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 the ancenstors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Free Cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 free will . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104, 116 Freelands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 freeze limb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Friarsday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 frost elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Frost Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Frozen North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 G gate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv gems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 stealing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv general skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 giant’s grip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 glass vial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 173 glassblower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 goblins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 grandmaster alchemist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 grandmaster monk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135 grandmaster ninja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135 grinding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 grue elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 H half-dark elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 half-dwarves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 half-elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 hamstring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 hardiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Harradon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144 Harvest Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 harvests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 head shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 heal limb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 empathic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 herbalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 pilgrim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116 stunned limbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii healing poultice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 heat weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 heavy armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56, 82 damage spells and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 maim and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 missile weapons and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 slay and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 thrown weapons and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 helmets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 herbalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 awaken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 calcination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 character creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 decoction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 expression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 grinding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 oil infusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 resist terror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 starting recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 tea infusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 tincture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 using . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 174 high sun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 highwayman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 history character creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 character points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Pendaan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 recent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 sample character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 world . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii holy assassin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 holy symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 holy warrior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 holy water, create . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 holy weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 holy, call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 human . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 I ice bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 ice greaves alchemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 elementalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Ice Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 ice, call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 icicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 illegal target melee weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 subdue packets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 imperial elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Imperium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 ingestive poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 inkmaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 instruction skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101, 111 iron will . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 J jastaqui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 jhanarum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 K karma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 kite rod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance knockdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 punch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 shields and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 knowledge scrolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96, 102, 111 kuyignum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 L lamellar armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 language, obscene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 last rites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45, 76 lay on hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 learning alchemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 faith spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 leather armor light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 medium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 leatherworker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 repair armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 legal hits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 legal target melee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 spell packets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 lesser elemental aegis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 life states . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 lifebringer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 light magical spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 pilgrim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 light armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56, 82 Lightning Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 literacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 lockpicking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45, 93 locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 picking, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv long blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 long blunt weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 lost and found . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Lovers' Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 loyal weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 M machine gunning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 magehunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 casting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Mythical Journeys Renaissance magic items, about . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 magical classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 magical reserves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 magnetize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 maim call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 heavy armor and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 mechanical trap and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 popper trap and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 with bow, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 making spell packets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 subdue packet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 malcolmites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 mana character creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 choosing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii mana bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 master archer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 master assassin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 master of chance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 master thief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 mechanical traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 medium armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56, 82 bolt spells and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 missile weapons and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 thrown weapons and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 mentalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 awaken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 beginning spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 communicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 divert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 entice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 free will . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 heal limb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 pain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 terror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 terror shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 mentalist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 merchanting policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 message board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 metagaming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Midnight Moor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 might . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 mimic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 miner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 175 minerals, stealing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 missile weapons armor and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 heavy armor and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 medium armor and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 special attacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 mistborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 mizhak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 moderate process, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 monk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 Moonday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 muses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 myrmidon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 mystic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 mystic archer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 mystic weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 N nature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 nethermancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 nethermancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 New Arcadia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144 new player meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 ninja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 no effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 no-combat areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 noncombatant player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Nova Korhadien . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144 NPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126 O Oakholme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 oil infusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 oils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95, 118 online character creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 online updating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 opening meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 oracle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 orcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 order of the holy book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 order of the open hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 order of the scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 order of the shining sword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 ores, summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xiv out of game areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 durations and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 176 P pacify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 pain call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 flash trap and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 spell, elementalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 spell, mentalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 with bow, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 pain shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 paladin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 palm thrust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 papermaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 paralyze buzzer trap and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 parental consent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 parking lot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 parry assassinate and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 backlash and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 backstab and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 magical enchantments and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 special defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 waylay and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 partially learned spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102, 111 participant agreement form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 pay at the door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 PEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 personal possessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 petrify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 petroleum jelly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 physical attacks spell shield and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 physical contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 carrying others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 physical reserves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 pierce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 pilgrim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 pilgrim spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 awaken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 cancel spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 cleanse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 communicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 detect poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 free will . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 purify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 repel undead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance Planters' Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 plate armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 play on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 point cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 apply skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 craft skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 death and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 ingestive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 petroleum jelly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 resist, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 poison craft character creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 composite, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 poison venom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 pole-arm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 popper traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 post event letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 potions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 stealing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv using . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95, 118 poultice, healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 powders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96, 118 analyze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 prayer spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 precision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 prerequisites advanced class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 prestige classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 prestige classes about . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 adept-priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 arcanist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 arch-mentalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 arch-wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 elemental warrior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 foe-hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 grandmaster alchemist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 grandmaster monk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 grandmaster ninja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 highwayman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 holy assassin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 lifebringer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 magehunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 master archer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 master assassin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 master of chance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Mythical Journeys Renaissance master thief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 myrmidon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 mystic archer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 oracle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 paladin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 purist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 rite of passage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 rune knight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 rune master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 shadow arcane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 storm mage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 warlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 warlord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 weapons master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 privacy policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 projection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 prop call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv pry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94, 106 pulse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 punch, knockdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 purify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 purist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Purk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 push . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 shields and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Q quickdeath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 R ra’kash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 races basic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 dwarves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 enselari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 famori . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 fiend elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 frost elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 goblin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 half-dark elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 human . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 mistborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 orcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 ra’kash, race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 177 skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 special . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16, 23 unique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 varns dos sedrin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 wargs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 radiance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 order of the holy book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 order of the open hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 order of the scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 order of the shining sword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 Rain Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 read aura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 read divine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 read magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 ready powder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 recent events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152 recharge item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 red stickers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 stealing and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 reflect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 refund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 release alchemical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 elementalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 mentalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 pilgrim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116 wizardry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106 religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 avannarites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 benevolents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 black heresy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 calaphites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 chalice knights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 fiend goddess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 fortune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 malcolmites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 order of the holy book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 order of the open hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 order of the scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 order of the shining sword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 radiance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 savonians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 shamanism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 the ancestors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 undead lords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 repair armor blacksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 leatherworker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 repel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 178 repel elemental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 repel fiend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 repel undead pilgrim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 wizardry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 reserves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 divine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 magical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 resist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 subdue packets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii weapon enchantments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 resist charm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 resist earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 resist fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 resist ice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 resist magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 resist paralysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 resist poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 resist slumber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 resist spirits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 resist tamper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 resist terror herbalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 racial skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 resist wind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 rework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 riposte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 rite of passage advanced class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 prestige class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 ritual divine, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 magical, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 rogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Rose Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 rule summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii rules of magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 rune knight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 rune mage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 rune magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99, 105 armor’s bane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 bestow push . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 bolt shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 lesser elemental aegis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 loyal weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 pain shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 rework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 rune of holding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 secure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 venom shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance rune magic, beginning spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 rune master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 rune of holding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 running, at night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 S safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 calls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 calls, summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 sanctity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Sandridden Plains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Sarden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Satyrday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 savonians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 scale armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 scavenging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 schools of magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 scourge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 scroll mastery skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 scrollcraft character creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 choosing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 divine, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 magical, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 mastery, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 read divine skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 read magic skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 scrolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96, 97 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv searching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 cabins, summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv describe your search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 prop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv secure about . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 rune magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv wizardry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 self teaching divine spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 magical spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 self-sacrifice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 sexual harassment policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 shadow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 shadow arcane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 shamanism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 celestial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Mythical Journeys Renaissance muses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 nature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 spirits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Shattered Lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 shells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 shield bashing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 shield spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82, 101 shields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 acid trap and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 attacks hitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 extend, magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 flash trap and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 holy symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 in combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 magic, summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii magical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 magical enchantments and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 subdue packets and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Shimmering Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 short blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 short blunt weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 short staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 sight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 silence call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 elementalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 mentalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 wizardry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Silent Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 skills advanced class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 calling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 36 craft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 crafts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 damage and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 general . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101, 111 learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 racial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 venom and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 slay call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 heavy armor and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 mechanical trap and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 with bow, skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 slay foe skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 slay with bow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 sleeping arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 179 slow poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 slumber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 small weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 snare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 103 sorcerer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 sorcery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 sounds of battle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii Southern Continent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147 sovereign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 special attacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 catch thrown weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 dodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 magical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 melee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 missile weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 thrown weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 special races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 enselari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 fiend elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 spell casting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 spell packet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167 description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 holding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 legal target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 magical attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 throwing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 spell shield all within and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 backlash and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 buzzer trap and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 dispel magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 explosions and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 flash trap and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 physical attacks and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 special defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 spellbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 spellbreaking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 armor’s bane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 awaken, elementalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 awaken, mentalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 awaken, pilgrim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 awaken, wizardry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106 barrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 beneficial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 bestow push . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 bolt and armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 bolt shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105, 106 cancel spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99, 115 choosing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 cleanse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 180 communicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104, 106, 115 damage and armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 detect poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 divert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 earth bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 elementalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 entangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 entice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 fire bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 first . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 free will . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104, 116 giant’s grip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 heal limb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 heat weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 ice bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 ice greaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 icicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 learning magical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 lesser elemental aegis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99, 102, 116 loyal weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 mana bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 pain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103, 104 pain shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 prayers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 pry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 purify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103, 104, 106, 116 repel elemental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 repel fiend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 repel undead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107, 116 rework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 rune of holding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 secure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106, 107 self instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102, 111 silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103, 104, 107 snare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 specific target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 stacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 stone greaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 teaching divine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 teaching magical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 terror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 terror shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 venom shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 void . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 wind bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 spending cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11, 125 upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 spirits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance stacking spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 standby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 starting recipes alchemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 herbalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 starting spells cancel spell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 stealing courtesy and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 in game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 real world . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 stealth classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 stone greaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 stones throw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 storm mage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Storm Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 stun rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 subdue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 helmets and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 subdue packet making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 subdue packets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 illegal target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 resisting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 shields and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 subtlety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 suicide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii Sunsday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Swedish Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 sword construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 T taming the cobra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 tanner/trapper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 target area, illegal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 tea infusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 temporary skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 prestige skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 terror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 terror shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 The Age of Darkness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 The Age of Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Mythical Journeys Renaissance The Great Rebellion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 The Turning of An Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Thornsday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 thrown weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 armor and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 batting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 catching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 heavy armor and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 light armor and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 medium armor and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 special attacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 tincture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 tinker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 torso shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 tower shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 transcend armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 acid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 armor and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 buzzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 mechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 popper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv Treesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 turtling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 twist of fate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 two-handed weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 two-weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 U unabated wrath, chosen foe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 unconscious . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 undead lords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 unique races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 universal points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11, 125 breakdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 temporary skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 until cured summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv until death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv updating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 updating your character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 upgrade your spending cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 user profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 181 V Valley of No Return . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147 varns dos sedrin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 detlene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 dharter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 jastaqui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 jhanarum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 kuyignum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 mizhak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 venom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 blunt weapons and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 skills and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 venom shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106 vitality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 void . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 void, call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126 vulgarity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 W wargs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 warlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138 warlord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138 warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 warrior mage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 waylay call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 helmets and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 parry and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 weakness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 weapon enchantments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73, 80 armor and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 resisting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 weapons about . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 attacks hitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159 empower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 enchantments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 enchantments, stacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 holy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 182 holy symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 large stone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 lengths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 mystic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 real . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 standard materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 stealing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 weapons master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 weaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 user profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 while I sing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 wind bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 wind, call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Windsday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 wither . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 wizardry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 awaken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 beginning spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 bolt shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 communicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 mana bolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 pry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 repel elemental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 repel fiend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 repel undead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 secure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 void . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Y years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 yellow armband . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 yellow stickers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 check out and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 stealing and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Z Zelfir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Zibberawn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Myt hi cal Journeys Renai ssance
