Paladins

Mythos and History

It is hard to know when the first paladin came into being. When did the first warrior dedicate himself to a cause or a god? What is known is that they have been present at most of the points in history where evil has been resisted.

Nature

Through a select, worthy few shines the power of the divine. Called paladins, these noble souls dedicate their swords and lives to the battle against evil. Knights, crusaders, and law-bringers, paladins seek not just to spread divine justice but to embody the teachings of the virtuous deities they serve. In pursuit of their lofty goals, they adhere to ironclad laws of morality and discipline. As reward for their righteousness, these holy champions are blessed with boons to aid them in their quests: powers to banish evil, heal the innocent, and inspire the faithful. Although their convictions might lead them into conflict with the very souls they would save, paladins weather endless challenges of faith and dark temptations, risking their lives to do right and fighting to bring about a brighter future.

Organization

The paladins are almost to the last associated with some deity and religious order. They don’t necessarily take orders directly from the clergy, but paladins certainly weigh their opinions heavily. In return, the clergy often view paladins as their long arm into dangerous areas, and paladins are often the first religious figure isolated communities meet.

Lay members are exclusively those seeking to become paladins and are not seen outside of their training monasteries, as they are not deemed deep enough in their devotion and skill to adequately handle the challenges they routinely face.

Membership

Standard, though at each level, they must have Influence and their Oath at the same levels as the other skills.

Restrictions

The paladin takes an Oath to show their devotion to their cause. This oath includes swearing to

• Honesty. Don't lie or cheat. Let your word be your promise.
• Courage. Never fear to act, though caution is wise.
• Compassion. Aid others, protect the weak, and punish those who threaten them. Show mercy to your foes, but temper it with wisdom.
• Honor. Treat others with fairness, and let your honorable deeds be an example to them. Do as much good as possible while causing the least amount of harm.
• Duty. Be responsible for your actions and their consequences, protect those entrusted to your care, and obey those who have just authority over you.

Skills

Athletics, Devotion, Exhort, First Aid, Influence, Insight, Lore (Religion); Combat Style (Choose a total of 5 weapons or combat style traits)

Magic

Initiates of this order learn abilities that are similar to Folk Magic spells, but are based on the Devotion skill. Any place that calls for the Folk Magic skill, replace it with the paladin’s Devotion skill. These abilities include Cleanse, Fanaticism, Heal, Polish, Vigor, and Witchsight. Cleanse and Polish are restricted to the paladin’s armor and weapons, and their Witchsight allows the paladin to learn the passions (though not the percentage) of those within his sight, opposed by the Willpower of those seen.

Acolytes in the order are taught how to exhort and gain a Devotional Pool similar to a theist. Acolytes also learn the Theist spells Cure Malady, Steadfast, and True (Weapon)

Overseer level (called Paladins) learn the Theist spells Dismiss Magic and Exorcism.

Gifts

Initiates in the order receive a suit of mail covering all locations and two weapons or shields appropriate to their order.

Acolytes gain the ability to use their Fanaticism over an area, affecting all allies within POW meters of the acolyte. This use acts exactly like a casting of the Fanaticism spell otherwise.

Paladin-rank individuals emit an Aura of Fanaticism at will and free of cost.

Leader rank (called Paladin Lords) members can shine with an aura of holy light, making all attacks against the Paladin Lord one rank harder.

The Illusionary Path

Mythos and History

Driven by the desire to have their stories become more and more lifelike, a small group of storytellers started dabbling in magic to make these scenes come to life. These, in turn, became in high demand by bored nobles looking for new experiences without risk, and were willing to pay for them.

Nature

Students at the school of Illusion are often artists in other fields but look to become the perfect artists of reality, bringing their magical creations verisimilitude through inclusion of more and more spells combined with them.

Organization

The school of illusion is often found in guilds in larger cities, being able to find art loving patrons among the wealthy and take on young artists who have the skill to create in the most flexible medium - magic. As such, advancing in the guild often requires demonstration of artistic capabilities, and exhibitions fantastical and esoteric, impossible in other arts, illuminate the skill and creativity of the illusionist.

Membership

Standard

Young artists are often taken in and taught Phantasm early to assess their ability to create in intangible media.

Restrictions

The Shaping skill taught by this school is linked closely to Art (Illusion) - Shaping skill is limited by the lower of these two, making it a requirement for creating larger illusions that affect more people.

Skills

Art (Illusion), Deceit, Insight, Invocation (Illusion), Shaping, Willpower

Magic

Apprentices are taught the Folk Magic spells Glamour, Incognito, Mimic, Perfume, Phantasm, Repugnance, and Ventriloquism while learning the basics of Invocation (Illusion) and Shaping. Once they become skilled enough in Sorcery, they can become apprentices and are taught apprentice spells.

Illusionists are unique in that they only learn one sorcery spell - Phantom (Sense) - but learn to apply it to additional senses. Treat each sense as a new spell, with the standard cost of 5xp and a month of tutelage. The available senses are sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste, heat, pain, vibration, hunger/thirst, balance/proprioception, with additional senses being added as needed for the campaign.

The school teaches the basic five senses first as those are easily understood by most students. Apprentices learn Phantom (sight) and Phantom (hearing) and Adepts learn Phantom (Touch), Phantom (Taste), and Phantom (Smell). Mages and Archmagi are unrestricted from which ones they may learn from there, but Mages must know at least 3 non-traditional senses to be able to become an Archmagi.

Gifts

Adepts of this school gain access to the Focus alternative spell component when casting spells from this school, and it is most often used to counteract the steep penalties for casting complex multisensory illusions. Any Combine with other schools will not be allowed to use the Focus component

Mages can learn to Expand illusions to massive size, changing the illusion as follows

• Sight - 100m per intensity, any dimension
• Smell - 100m radius per intensity
• Sound – 3db (loudness doubled) per intensity
• Others - adjudicate as necessary, following these guidelines

Archmagi can create a Magnum Opus, making one illusion casting permanent, without affecting their maximum magic points or magic point regeneration.

Expand and Magnum Opus each cost 10xp to acquire. Each is only good for a single casting of illusion and cannot be combined. They can be purchased multiple times, however.

 

 

Shardbearer

 

Mythos and History

In the darkest abyssal plane, a demon devised a plan to harvest the souls of mortals without ever setting foot in the material world. Through dark ceremonies, he splintered off a shard of his being and shaped it into a weapon a mortal would desire, tempting them with personal power. Then, the demon released it into the world, reaping the benefits from the slayings committed.

Nature

While not a true religion, those who wield the blade are as tied to it as any priest.

Organization

There is no real organization to speak of - the possessor of the sword and the demon form a symbiotic relationship. Though some may seek such an unholy entanglement, the demon determines who he distributes swords to.

Membership

Standard. In addition, to advance to the Acolyte level, they must have a Desire (harvest souls for the sword) at 50%. Priests must have this passion at 75%, and High Priests must have and maintain this at 100%. There are no Common members of this cult.

Restrictions

The blade whispers promises of power and of its hunger for more souls. This manifests as a special Passion of Desire (harvest souls for the sword), which starts at 20%. Every time the character succumbs to this passion (either by failing a willpower roll to resist or by not resisting), it gains 1d4+1%, as if the character had spent experience in it. Conversely, if the character resists this passion, they reduce this passion by 1d4+1%. The character can spend 1 XP to either increase or reduce this passion.

Skills

Combat Style (Demon Blade), Devotion, Exhortation, Folk Magic, Influence, Lore (choose one appropriate to the demon)

Magic

Initiates learn the Folk Magic spells Bladesharp, Demoralize, Darkness, Pierce, Shock, Shove, Tire, and Witchsight. Acolytes learn the Theist spell Perseverance, Priests learn Dismiss Magic and True (Sword), High Priests learn Berserk and Steadfast. All these spells must be cast while holding the sword, which replaces the need to gesture.

The sword itself acts as a portable shrine, The act of donating magic points to the donation pool takes an hour and provokes a roll against the Desire to harvest souls once complete.

Gifts

Demon Blade - Initiates able to manifest a special greatsword into their hand or, while holding, dismiss at will as a free action. This weapon behaves in all ways as a normal greatsword, save that it is indestructible and counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming defenses. If it is more than 2m from the initiate for a minute, it disappears as if they had dismissed it.

While using this sword, if the initiate wins a standard offensive special effect, they may cast a folk magic spell they know as a free action instead of a special effect. The attack roll must be below their folk magic skill and still costs magic points as appropriate. This may only be done once per attack. The spell is applied with the attack after the defense is rolled but before the damage is rolled and may affect the damage and, if resistance is called for, is rolled against the attack roll.

In addition, shardbearers gain physical benefits from the weapon as their tie to it increases. At each rank above Initiate, they gain a gift from the list below.

• Unholy Strength - The bearer’s Damage Modifier is recalculated, based on the sum of STR, SIZ and POW.
• Unholy Eye - The bearer gains the Dark Vision creature ability.
• Unholy Health - the bearer’s healing rate is doubled.
• Unholy Speed - The bearer gains an additional action point.

 

 

Doomscribe

Mythos and History

When this god was born, she was not blessed with omniscience like many gods of knowledge. Though the other deities scoffed at the purview she claimed, they soon learned that she was more than capable. 

Far from the cloistered celestial one might expect from a god of scribes, she seeks to be at the historic events affecting the Heavens and record the facts as they happen. Because of this, she is also the goddess of wayfarers and travelers.

Nature

Part scribe and part skald, Doomscribes record the deeds of those who die. The belief is that those who die with their deeds recorded are announced by the goddess herself in the afterlife and are afforded more revered positions. 

Doomscribes are often exceptionally well informed, having record of where many died before, including the locations of many valuable artifacts and treasures. Thus, are highly sought after, even by adventuring parties. 

They also are bitterly opposed to the creation of undead and view it as an attempt to distort your achievements, to circumvent the judgment of your worth, and so on. Sometimes, though, they can make a record of the life of a wraith and put it to rest, giving it its rightful place in the afterlife.

Organization

Doomscribes have a standard cult structure, with junior members being assigned to “safe” events, while more senior ones take on more dangerous tasks. Priests and High Priests often do not go and seek out events themselves, but carefully ensure the accuracy of what junior members record, and then distribute it so that it is known to all.

It is not uncommon for Doomscribes from one area to go to other areas, making the cult rather loose in its observance of the hierarchy in place. Respect for the priests and high priests remains, however, as they frequently have the best access to paper and inks. They are also known to have excellent networks of couriers to distribute stories.

Membership

Standard. Regardless of which skills are used in advancement, one of them must be Lore (History).

Restrictions

All Doomscribes take an Oath to the organization, upholding its values of integrity in recording what truthfully happened. 

Skills

Art (Writing), Craft (Paper), Devotion, Exhort, Insight, Language (any, but tend to be archaic), Lore (History), Oratory, Perception, Teach

Magic

Initiates learn the spells Behold, Dismiss Magic, Lay to Rest, and Mindlink. Acolytes learn Consecrate. Priests learn Excommunicate, Extension, and Obliterate.

The cult teaches the folk magic spell Copy to Initiates.

Copy

Instant, Touch

Copy will duplicate the contents of one page or scroll to a blank one of appropriate size. Enough ink must be provided, which is used during the process. 

Gifts

All members gain the benefit of a teacher in Art (Writing), Craft (Paper), any Language, Lore (History), and Oratory. This is free of charge but is limited by the capabilities of the theists present, but Major temples will have all of these, as well as several languages, available with skills (including Teach) over 100%.

High priests gain the Insightful gift.

 

Thieves Guildsman

 

Daniel Comerci – danielcomerci.com

Mythos and History

It is said that the first of the Thieves’ guilds was an informal affair - cooperating thieves working together on jobs on a regular basis in the largest cities in the realm. Leadership and structure only came after some thieves broke the trust of others, risking everyone. Clever, cunning, and sometimes flat-out brutal leaders arose from this, imposing the notion that there is honor among thieves, molding them into what they are today.

Nature

Quite simply, the Thieves’ guild is a business where the business involves the illegal acquisition of wealth. Often, there are legal fronts and occupations to help with this, but the core of the business is illegal. Variants of this exist for burglary, extortion, fencing, pickpocketing, and dozens of other crimes. A smart guildmaster will diversify into many.

Thieves’ guilds are often confused with assassin’s guilds. While they do often have similar skills, thieves do not generally kill for direct profit. They would prefer to have their marks keep generating wealth for them.

Organization

Normally a strong hierarchy, with a Guildmaster at the top, under whom are several Masters. These are normally a master of one form of theft - Master of Pickpockets, Master of Cons, and so on. Under them are various Journeymen overseeing Apprentices and managing relationships with Associates - those outside the guild but willing to cooperate.

Membership

Standard

Restrictions

All thieves must take an Oath to the guild, at 30% + POW +INT. This is periodically tested, and always when a thief is gaining a rank. Theft from within the cult is taboo. The first offense finds the thief losing a finger. The second offense removes a hand. A third is normally fatal.

Thieves operating under guild auspices must tithe 80% of their haul to the guild. In return they gain a wage.

Skills

Conceal, Deceit, Evade, Gambling, Lockpicking, Mechanisms, Seduction, Sleight, Stealth, Streetwise, Thief Combat Style (Club, Dagger/Knife, Hatchet, Mace, any Crossbow; Knockout Blow)

Gifts

While Associates can get training from the guild in skills, all members in good standing of Apprentice rank or higher gain access to training in any guild skill at a discount. A small number of combat style traits are also taught, costing 1 month of tutelage and 3 experience points each.

Wages are provided for those who are actively taking jobs in the area. Wages are contingent upon successful operations and flow of money, as well as enough thieves to perform them. 

Rank	Training Discount	Traits	Daily Wage (SP)	Law Enforcement Protection Frequency
Associate	0%	None	0	None
Apprentice	25%	Cautious Fighter	2	Once per Year
Journeyman	50%	Daredevil	10	Once per Month
Master	75%	Hidden Weapon	50	Once per Week
Grand Master	100%	Blind Fighting	250	Always

Those who join the Thieves’ guild are also entitled to room and board for themselves at a facility that houses the guild. Companion rates are available for Journeymen with an Oath sworn for their good behavior during their stay, while Masters and Grand Masters can make room for their friends as needed.

This facility, for those in good standing, acts as a Sanctuary if a Master or Grand Master is present on the grounds or within an hour of travel time.

Those of Apprentice rank and higher may expect protection from law enforcement (bailing out, sheltering, etc.) in cities where the guild is established. This normally takes the form of shelter from searching police forces, bail when required, and distractions during heists. The frequency of these services depends on the rank of the thief and the importance of the task. For tasks of normal importance, the frequency is listed in the chart above.

Journeymen, Masters, and Grand Masters all gain the Weapon gift upon reaching each of those ranks. This need not be explicitly a weapon, but could be an exceptionally fine piece of art, suit of armor, or other high value object. Grand Masters benefit from first pick of virtually all goods stolen, thus gaining the highest value items for themselves.