commit 6979a10fc2174ef62aca4f56e33582c52084c70b Author: Andrew Kesterson Date: Mon May 18 12:26:59 2026 -0400 Add in the old New World setting, circa 2010-2014 diff --git a/Items/Misc Magic Items.odt b/Items/Misc Magic Items.odt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..a79955c Binary files /dev/null and b/Items/Misc Magic Items.odt differ diff --git a/Items/New Weapons.ods b/Items/New Weapons.ods new file mode 100755 index 0000000..1fead5a Binary files /dev/null and b/Items/New Weapons.ods differ diff --git a/Items/New Weapons.txt b/Items/New Weapons.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..9e5a0bd --- /dev/null +++ b/Items/New Weapons.txt @@ -0,0 +1,451 @@ + === GNOMISH WEAPONS === + + The first thing to realise is that, outside of weapons produced for the military, +most gnomish devices are highly individual, and are made per-piece by individual +gnomish craftsmen. You may find devices that are outside the scope of this description, +or which function slightly differently, or differ cosmetically. + + +Gnomish Handgun +--------------- + A device consisting of a short handle protruding below a rotating cylinder. +The rotating cylinder is mounted inside of a vertical frame (on the same axis as the +handle), and holds 6 gnomish brass powder/ball cartridges. The cylinder rotates behind +a long tube, usually around 8 inches long, which is mounted into the frame also. A +small spurred metal protrusion (the "hammer") is pulled back for each shot, which +rotates the cylinder, ensuring that the cylinder and tube are lined up. Once this is +done, a small metal protrusion falls from the bottom of the frame, against the user's +finger. The weapon is ready to fire at this point. TO fire it, the user simply depresses +the metal protrusion (the "trigger"). Once this is done, the hammer will fall, firing +the brass cartridge behind the tube. At the next operation of the hammer, a fresh +brass cartridge is rotated in front of the hammer and behind the tube for firing. Most +people can only fire a handgun once per round; but the gun can discharge its full +cylinder in succession within the space of one round if the user is fast enough. +Reloading the cylinder with fresh brass cartridges takes a full round for most people, +though special devices exist which speed up the process. + +Gnomish Handcannon +------------------ + A device consisting of a long stick (the "stock") with one end carved into +a handle. A hammer and trigger are fitted to the stock, similar to the handgun, +as well as a barrel tube. A latch behind the hammer allows the barrel to pivot +forward, exposing the breech end. A single gnomish brass cartridge is loaded into +the breech, and then it is closed again. Once the hammer is pulled, the weapon is +ready to fire, and works similarly to the handgun. Handcannons fire a much more powerful +round, but can only be fired once per round, due to how slow they reload. Hand cannons +generally have longer barrels, around 12 inches long. Reloading the device is part of +the attack action that fires it, making it ready for the next round. + +Gnomish Machine Pistol +---------------------- + A device that resembles a handgun slightly, with some exceptions. It has a +wooden stock like the handcannon, but the grip protrudes down conspicuously like in +a handgun. The barrel is mounted further forward at the end of a long metal tube, +that extends forward from the grip (the "receiver"). Extending through a hole in the +bottom of the stock, is a long metal stick (the "magazine") that holds numerous +gnomish brass cartridges (usually 30). Out of the receiver, a small handle protrudes. +The stock may or may not extend behind the grip so that the device can be mounted against +the shoulder (like a crossbow), or it may be omitted to save space. The barrel can be +any length, but they are usually handgun length (8 inches). To operate the weapon, +a magazine is inserted through the bottom of the stock until it clicks against a catch. +Then the handle on the side of the receiver (the "operating handle") is pulled fully +to the rear, and allowed to travel back forward under the weight of a spring behind it. +The operating handle is attached to the "bolt", a moving breech face inside of the +receiver tube. The forward motion of the bolt strips a brass cartridge from the top +of the magazine and moves it into the chamber. The weapon is then ready to fire. Once +the trigger is depressed, the cartridge fires, blowing the breech back. The spent +brass cartridge is ejected out the side of the receiver, before the process repeats itself. +The weapon will continue firing as long as the trigger is held down, or until the +weapon runs out of ammunition in the magazine. The weapon has a cyclic rate of fire of +approximately 600 rounds per minute. Changing out a spent magazine takes between 2 and 6 +segments, depending on the skill of the operator; and except in extreme circumstances, +the operator carries at least a small supply of spare pre-loaded magazines for such an +occasion. + +Gnomish Light Rifle +------------------- + A device that resembles a cross between a handcannon and a machine pistol. +The weapon has a long stock which is fired from the shoulder, and a very long +barrel like the hand cannon; usually between 20 and 36 inches. It has a receiver tube +like a machine pistol, and a magazine. Unlike the machine pistol, however, the magazine +is built into the stock and cannot be removed without special tools. The receiver tube is +slightly different in that the operating handle and bolt are not on a spring; rather, +they are much heavier and thicker, and operating in a camming action. The operating +handle, by default, rests in a cutout of the stock just above the trigger mechanism. +To open the breech, the operating handle is rotated up, unlocking the bolt from the +breech face. The bolt/operating handle are then pulled straight back; the bolt comes +to rest behind the magazine. The bolt is pushed back forward, which strips a round from +the magazine, and pushes it into the barrel. The operating rod handle is rotated +back down, locking the bolt to the breech. The gnomish light rifle fires a highly +accurate round with a far greater range than the machine pistol, handgun or hand cannon. +Its drawback is its increased size and slower reload times; operating the action +to fire, eject, and chamber a new cartridge is done in the same round as the firing. +Re-charging the empty internal magazine is a full round action, though special devices +exist that speed up this process. + +Gnomish Long Range Rifle +------------------------ + This device is identical to the Gnomish Light Rifle, with the exception that +the weapon - overall - is heavier and has a much "beefier" feel. It also has an integral +set of adjustable-length steel legs attached to the stock at the fore-end by a swivel +base (the "bipod"). The stock may also, on higher end models, have adjustable pieces on +it to provide for a better fit with the individual rifleman. The main operating difference +however, is that this weapon fires a much larger cartridge at much greater ranges. It +is not unusual for rifles of this type to be employed at ranges of a half a mile, +and hits have been reported on man-sized targets at ranges up to a full mile! To assist +in this greater range, a Gnomish Telescopic Sight of extremely high quality is generally +mounted to the rifle, and used in favor of its built in metallic sights, in combination +with the bipod. The barrels on these weapons are also generally excessively long; +it is not uncommon to find a 48 inch barrel on a gnomish long range rifle, making it +quite cumbersome to pack around. + +Gnomish Assault Rifle +--------------------- + This weapon resembles a cross between the Gnomish Light Rifle and the Gnomish +Machine Pistol. The weapon is long like a light rifle, but has an action almost identical +to the gnomish machine pistol. The round it fires (and thus the magazine) is much bigger +than the machine pistol; in fact it fires a round somewhere between the light rifle +and the long range rifle in power. It is identical in operation to the machine pistol. +The assault rifle, however, has numerous points for attaching different varieties of +accessories (such as different grips, sighting systems, or even additional add-on +weapons to supplement the rifle's own ability). The stock, unlike that on the light +rifle, is made of a high strength metal tubing folded into shape. By pressing down on +a detent on the top of the stock, the stock may be rotated to the side, to lay flat +against the side of the stock body, thereby shortening the overall length of the rifle +and allowing it to be more comfortably shot from the hip. The Gnomish Assault Rifle +also features a quick-change barrel that may be rapidly changed out (a trained rifleman +can do this, presuming he has a separate barrel, within only one turn) in case of +extreme use which results in excessive heat. The barrels are interchangable and come +in many different sizes for different applications; the barrel on a gnomish assault rifle +may range anywhere from 30 inches (for weapons that have been forced into service as a +long range rifle) down to 12-14 inches (for weapons that have to be used in extremely +tight quarters). The barrels on gnomish assault rifles feature a special device on the +end that, when attached properly, reduces the felt recoil of the weapon as well as +helping to eliminate the flash produced by the firing brass cartridge (this is the +"flash hider / muzzle brake" device). Just behind the flash hider / muzzle brake, +a nub protrudes from the barrel, to which a specialized gnomish knife (the "bayonet") +can be affixed, turning the weapon (effectively) into a fighting short spear, and even +allowing it to still be fired in this configuration! The Gnomish Assault Rifle was +developed by the clan technicians to provide their field reconnaisance troops with a +weapon that could provide a high volume of accurate fire on heavy enemy troop +concentrations, with numerous tactical options for its employment. Changing the +magazine on a gnomish assault rifle takes from 2-6 segments depending on the skill of +the operator, and except in extreme circumstances, the operator carries at least a small +supply of spare pre-loaded magazines for such an occasion. + +Gnomish Fragmentation Grenade +----------------------------- + This device consists of a small cast iron ball with notches formed into its +circumference, from the top of which protrudes an arming device. The ball is filled +with a compound that explodes violently; the result is that metal shrapnel is thrown +in all directions, seriously wounding or killing nearby personnel. The device is +employed in boobytraps or against troop formations, or built up positions against which +rifle fire has proven ineffective. The arming device can take many forms; a simple +fuse that is lit before throwing is quite common, while some are more elaborate. (Some, +for example, consist of a complex system involving a metal lever and a retaining pin; +pull the pin while holding down the lever, and when the device is thrown, the lever +is allowed to swing free. This starts an internal fuse burning that will continue - +even underwater - until the device explodes.) These devices generally have a delay time +of 3-5 seconds, though this can be (and often is) reduced for various purposes by troops +in the field. The device deals the full damage out to 10 meters, 1/2 at 20 meters, 1/4 +at 30 meters, and no damage beyond that. + +Gnomish Incendiary Grenade +-------------------------- + This device is identical in form to the gnomish fragmentation grenade, with the +exception that it has a flat bottom, so that it may be rested on top of something, +rather than thrown. ANd instead of being filled with an explosive, it is filled with +an incendiary compound that burns with an intense white heat. Metal slag is produced in +high quantity, and is almost guaranteed to ignite flammable materials in the range. +One of these device is sufficient to burn through 2 inches of mild structural steel +(depending on the rule system you're using, and the proper placement of the device). The +device does full damage at 0 meters, half damage at 1 meter, and 1/4 damage at 5 meters. + +Gnomish Chain-drive Sword +------------------------- + This device resembles a basket hilt broadsword, but only slightly. The blade itself +is short and blunt - only around 16 inches long, with a rounded tip. Around the axis +of the blade, in a small channel where the edge should be, rests a very small chain +from which protrude numerous small blades. Where the basket would be on a normal sword +hilt, this sword has a small gnomish internal combustion engine. Starting the engine +rotates the chain at extremely high velocity, spinning the small blades along with it, +along the axis of the sword blade. The effect is similar to a small, wieldable Blade Barrier +along only one axis, and is devastating against all organic matter (and some matter that +isn't organic!). The weapon ignores armor bonuses granted by any armor that is +not metallic in nature (plate, chain, banded, etc). Further, after 2 or 3 successful +attacks against such armor will generally destroy the armor. Magical armor is not +subject to such treatment. The chain-drive sword carries enough fuel in its internal +tank to operate for 5 turns consecutively. If the sword's engine is out of fuel, the +weapon will only do 1d3 damage, and is 75% likely to somehow deform or break on each +strike that the engine is not running. If this happens, the operator may or may not +know it; attempts to start the weapon after that without repair have a 50% chance to +make the device explode, inflicting 3d6 points of damage to the operator. Even if the +device does not detonate, it does not operate. Due to the nature of the sword, and +the odd balance it keeps, it is not possible to effectively use this device untrained, +and any person doing so is 50% likely every round it is used running, to inflict 1d6 +points of damage upon themselves through ignorance of its functioning. + +Gnomish Cannon +-------------- + This device is essentially nothing more than a gigantic rifle barrel (~4 feet +long) mounted on an elevation and windage carriage, with a hole to drop in a fuse. +A minimum crew of no less than 3 trained personnel is required to fire this weapon +with effective speed. The cannon is made ready to fire by drawing it (by horse) +into position to point at the target. The crew leader then uses the weapon's +elevation and windage indicators to ensure that it is pointing in the right +direction and at the right elevation. Once this has been done, the powder man +retrieves one of the numerous casks of gunpowder from the rear of the gun carriage, +and pours a predetermined amount down the barrel. The rodman then comes to the front +of the cannon and uses a long rod with a fuzzy tip at one end to push all the powder +down into the end of the cannon, and loosely pack it. The gunner and powderman then +retrieve a ball from the ammunition box at the end of the carriage, and put it into +the bore. The rodman then uses the other end of his rod, which has a hard metal +disc on it, to force the ball to seat down against the powder at the end of the +barrel. Once this is done, the gunner checks the sights again, and makes any final +adjustments necessary. Then he uses a pick to ensure that the flash hole on the +cannon is clear, before inserting a fuse. The gunner calls for the rest +of the crew to stand clear before lighting the fuse and stepping back. The weapon fires. +The rodman comes forward and uses his brush/mop to clear out any remaining burning +gunpowder embers from the barrel, and the entire process repeats again. The gun +must go silent every ten rounds, in order for the rodman to swab out the barrel with a +wet rod, and then dry it, to ensure it does not get too hot and that it does not +begin building up residue that could cause a misfire. The weapon has a maximum rate of +fire of once every turn. For this reason they are usually employed in batteries of ten, +so that at least one cannon will fire every round. + When the weapon is fired, all members of the crew make a wisdom check to ensure +that they did not forget or mess up a step of the process. IF any crew member fails their +check, roll % on the following table to see the result: + + roll Effect + ----------------------- + 01-40 Misfire. The round failed to fire; 5 full turns must now be spent + removing the powder charge and ball from the barrel, swabbing out + the barrel, and making it ready to fire again. + 40-70 Short round. The powder charge was insufficient to go to the + desired range, and will instead fall at a random point between the + origin and the destination. + 70-90 Cook off. The barrel was so hot that the powder ignited prematurely. + Anyone in front of the barrel will take the full damage of the + impact, and the ball will continue on in a random trajectory. Anyone + behind the carriage will take 2d6 points of damage and will most + likely suffer broken legs. + 90-00 Ruptured barrel. The powder charge was too great, or the cannon was + damaged previously, causing the barrel to rupture. All personnel within + 20 meters will take 5d6 points of damage. There is a further 50% chance + that the powder casks will detonate, doing an additional 10d6 of damage + to all within 20 meters. There is a further 50% chance that the + ammunition magazine will detonate, causing a further 2d100 points of + damage to all those within 20 meters. A ruptured barrel is a huge, + huge, huge disaster. + + + The Gnomish Cannon fires at terrain, not objects. The gunner makes an attack roll +(modified by his wisdom) against armor class 10, modified as follows: + + Condition Effect + -------------------------------------------------------------- + For every 100 yards beyond 1000m -2 + Low visibility -2 + Cannot see target (e.g. firing over a hill) -2 + Missing elevation and windage indicators -5 + Not trained in the usage of this model of cannon -4 + + If the round misses, use standard deviation to determine where the round goes. +Further, the round has a 50% chance of rolling on impact, and skimming over the ground in +its original direction of travel, rather than exploding on impact (in which case +the ball will roll for an additional 3d100 yards before coming to rest, doing 3d6 damage +and decapitating/removing limbs as a sword of sharpness to all in its path). + A cannonball that explodes does 10d6 within a 20 foot radius. The cannonball's +explosion is a magical function, and therefore can be negated by an antimagic field. + An untrained crew can attempt to use a cannon, but all their wisdom checks to +handle the weapon are at a -5, as well as the noted -4 to attack for being untrained. + +Gnomish Artillery Gun +--------------------- + This device is similar to the Gnomish Artillery Cannon, except that it has +an even longer barrel (about 8 to 10 feet) and is loaded from the rear with gigantic +gnomish brass cartridges. This allows the gun to be reduced to 2 crew members +(eliminating the powder man) and allowing for a wider variety of ammunition to be fired +from the gun at longer ranges, and at much greater rapidity. The process of operation +is almost identical to the gnomish cannon except that the gunner sights the gun and +opens the breech plate at the back of the gun before the second crew member helps the +gunner load the large brass round into the gun. THe breech is closed, the crew is told +to stand clear, and the round is fired. The aiming process is different from a cannon; +oftentimes, the target is so far away that the gun crew could not possibly see it. +Therefore the modifiers To Hit are different than the gnomish cannon, as follows: + + Condition Effect + -------------------------------------------------------------- + For every 100 yards beyond 3000m -2 + Target within visual but low visibility -2 + Cannot see target (e.g. firing to map coords) -2 + " " and do not have map or map compass -5 + Missing elevation and windage indicators -5 + Not trained in the usage of this model of cannon -4 + + +There are numerous types of ammunition available for this weapon, listed below: + + Ammo Type Effect + -------------------------------------- + High Explosive 10d6 damage in a 20 foot radius, 3d6 damage beyond + that out to a 50 foot radius + Anti-Armor This round will penetrate up to 3 feet of wet packed + earth, 2 feet of wood, 1 foot of stone, or 6 inches of + mild steel before detonating. When it does explode, + it does 6d6 damage in a 20 foot radius, and 2d6 + beyond that out to a 50 foot radius. The reduced damage + is a result of extra mass built into the projectile. + Smoke Upon hitting the ground, these rounds will fill a 9000 + cubic meter area with thick colored smoke within 3 + rounds. No damage is dealt unless the round actually + impacts someone, in which case the damage is 4d6. + Illumination This round doesn't actually impact the ground; + at a height of 25 meters above the ground, it bursts open + into a phosphorescent, brightly burning ball. It will + drift slowly to the ground over the next turn, effecting + the 60' radius around the round as if by a Daylight spell. + Blank This round is used in training. It contains no + lethal explosive; it contains a small bursting charge and + a large chamber full of flour, which bursts into a white + puff on impact. As with smoke rounds, damage is only + done if someone is impacted by the round, which does + 4d6 by itself. + + There are further two varieties of all the listed ammo types (with the exception +of blank rounds): magical, and non-magical. Non-magic rounds are used when firing into +an area under an Antimagic Field, while magical rounds are used otherwise. The magical +rounds are cheaper for the gnomes to manufacture. None of the rounds fired by the +gnomish artillery gun will "skate" across the ground as a gnomish cannon ball will. + The gnomish artillery gun is far safer than the gnomish cannon. To address +the issue of a "cook off", the gnomes added a magical cooling system to the device; +a cook off is now impossible outside of magical means. Further, the device has a +Wall of Force between the operators, the ammunition storage and the weapon, that the +gunner brings up when he fires the gun, in case the barrel ruptures. Gun crews will +also use this in the event that their fire base is in danger of being over-run; it +provides perfect cover for the gnomes to fire at oncoming enemy. The following are +the results of a failed wisdom check of the operators: + + % roll Effect + ----------------------- + 01-90 Dud round. 5 rounds must be used to wait on the round to hang- + fire, before clearing it from the breech, so that + loading can begin again (thus making it one full turn before + another round can be fired). + 91-95 Hot round. The round was loaded with too much gunpowder + at the factory, and the barrel ruptures. The gunner remembered + to bring up the force shield. + 95-00 Hot round. As above, but the gunner forgot to raise the force + shield, exposing the crew to the effects of the gun's rupture. + (Treat this as a gnomish cannon barrel rupture, with all damage + dice doubled.) + + +Gnomish Mortar +-------------- + The gnomish mortar was designed to strike at near targets with indirect fire. +The gnomish cannon and artillery gun can only strike by direct trajectory. Using a +mortar, a crew can "lob" a round up and over an enemy's defenses from a medium range. +The weapon has a short barrel, usually 3 feet, attached to a thick baseplate and a bipod. +The firing sequence is similar to the gnomish cannon, except that the gunner uses a +special variety of self-propelling gnomish brass cartridge dropped in from the muzzle. +The sighting system is also vastly different (relying on maps and aiming sticks, since +the target is rarely ever visible). The weapon can be crewed by only a single person +if necessary, but the weapon is usually served by a crew of 2 (a single person fires at +a rate of 1/3, whereas a full crew of 2 fires at 1/2). The to hit modifiers for this +weapon are: + + Condition Effect + -------------------------------------------------------------- + For every 100 yards beyond 3000m -2 + Target within visual but low visibility -2 + Cannot see target (e.g. firing to map coords) -2 + " " and do not have map or map compass -5 + Missing elevation and windage indicators -5 + Not trained in the usage of this model of cannon -4 + + This weapon fires the same variety of rounds as the gnomish artillery gun, +with the following differences: + + Ammo Type Effect + -------------------------------------- + High Explosive 5d6 damage in a 20 foot radius, 2d6 damage beyond + that out to a 50 foot radius + Anti-Armor This round will penetrate up to 2 feet of wet packed + earth, 1 feet of wood, 6 inches of stone, or 1 inch of + mild steel before detonating. When it does explode, + it does 3d6 damage in a 20 foot radius, and 1d6 + beyond that out to a 50 foot radius. The reduced damage + is a result of extra mass built into the projectile. + Smoke Upon hitting the ground, these rounds will fill a 3000 + cubic meter area with thick colored smoke within 3 + rounds. No damage is dealt unless the round actually + impacts someone, in which case the damage is 2d6. + Illumination This round doesn't actually impact the ground; + at a height of 25 meters above the ground, it bursts open + into a phosphorescent, brightly burning ball. It will + drift slowly to the ground over the next turn, effecting + the 30' radius around the round as if by a Daylight spell. + Blank This round is used in training. It contains no + lethal explosive; it contains a small bursting charge and + a large chamber full of flour, which bursts into a white + puff on impact. As with smoke rounds, damage is only + done if someone is impacted by the round, which does + 2d6 by itself. + + Gnomish mortars may or may not have a magical cooling system like the gnomish +artillery gun (50%; many mortars were made before that advance was discovered). +If the crew fails their wisdom checks at any point in the firing process, the +following effects are possible: + + % roll Effect + ----------------------- + 01-90 Dud round. 5 rounds must be used to wait on the round to hang- + fire, before clearing it from the breech, so that + loading can begin again (thus making it one full turn before + another round can be fired). + 90-95 Cook off. The round fires before the gunner is entirely clear of + the barrel (and there is a further 10% chance that the round + detonates prematurely as in a Hot Round, below). If the mortar + is equipped with a cooling system, ignore this result and re-roll. + 95-00 Hot round. The round detonates before it leaves the area, or + when it is dropped into the barrel. Treat this as a gnomish + cannon barrel rupture of half damage dice. + +Gnomish Antipersonnel Mine +-------------------------- + The gnomish antipersonnel mine is the result of gnomish recon operatives +asking for a perimeter defense and command-detonated ambush weapon capable of taking +out large groups of troops, much like a fragmentation grenade, but more effective and +with a more certain detonation method. The result is the gnomish antipersonnel mine. +The device consists of a layer of scrap iron over a layer of explosive, sandwiched +between two specially carved concave layers of stained wood, on top of two small +sets of sharp legs that fold back against the body. There are two versions of +the device; the magical and non-magical versions, as with many other gnomish devices. +The magical version is far less expensive and thus more common. The weapon is set up +to cover the path of advancing troops from the flank, at a distance of 6-10 meters +away from the expected location of troop movement. When the device is detonated, +the explosive propels the scrap iron like a fragmentation grenade, forward into the +troops. The detonation occurs in an acute plane 90 degrees wide, from the point of +detonation, out to about 20 meters before losing lethality (in other words, +affecting a cone 8"Wx5"H at the base to ~10 meters wide x 1 meter high at the end of +the range). + The non-magical and magical versions of the device vary in functioning. The +magical version can be set to trigger automatically when a given condition is met. +The condition must be simple and pertain directly to the device's function and the enemy. +For example, "Detonate when a column of enemy soldiers passes in front of you" is ok; +"Detonate when the first soldier of an enemy column in front of you is approximately +20 feet to your right" is too complex. Magical versions of the device can distinguish +between gnomish personnel and enemy personnel (all non-gnomish personnel are +hostile to the device unless the gnomes provide a special version of the device!). The +magical version of the device can also be detonated remotely at a range of up to 40 +meters by means of speaking a command word (usually "detonate" or "boom"). + The non-magical version of the device can be activated by a tripwire, or +command-detonated remotely by the use of a small lever attached to a gnomish battery, +which is in turn connected to the mine by means of a long length of thin steel wire. + The device is clearly marked, in gnomish, on the front side. + + MINE + ANTI-PERSONNEL + THIS SIDE TOWARDS ENEMY + ( MAGICAL or MECHANICAL) diff --git a/Items/The Heart of the Everquenched Thirst.pdf b/Items/The Heart of the Everquenched Thirst.pdf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..010264f Binary files /dev/null and b/Items/The Heart of the Everquenched Thirst.pdf differ diff --git a/Items/The Heart of the Everquenched Thirst.sxw b/Items/The Heart of the Everquenched Thirst.sxw new file mode 100755 index 0000000..37a1f63 Binary files /dev/null and b/Items/The Heart of the Everquenched Thirst.sxw differ diff --git a/Locations/Eastern Frontier/Overview.txt b/Locations/Eastern Frontier/Overview.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..674fc0a --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Eastern Frontier/Overview.txt @@ -0,0 +1,20 @@ + The eastern frontier is where King Braddock is currently pushing +everyone to go; he hopes that by pushing out past the eastern +mountains, and through the Free Frontier, he can create a buffer from +the always wild monstrous bands (which are rumored to be rekindling the +Great Alliance), while providing him more territory (e.g. taxes). It +would also help ease the problems of overpopulation which people are +citing in the Western Kingdom; the Western Kingdom has a population +density of about 1 person every 3 square miles, which by the standards +of most people in this time and area, is quite dense. They want more +open land, for farming, for hunting, and for the occasional black +wizard's tower with strange experiments and all. + Adventuring bands and the Royal Merchant Company, the private +concern of Lord Earl Dunnigan (King Braddock's cousin), constantly lead +expeditions into the frontier. The Church also continues to send +expeditions into the wild country. Some of them do it for King and +Country, some for God, some for Glory and some simply for Money. Either +way, the demihumans are starting to pour out of the eastern mountains +in droves, and the monstrous races aren't about to take it lying down. + + diff --git a/Locations/Elven Protectorate/Overview.txt b/Locations/Elven Protectorate/Overview.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..5e35613 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Elven Protectorate/Overview.txt @@ -0,0 +1,31 @@ + The Elven Protectorate encompasses the entirety of the Civil +Wood, and most of the Dragonspine Mountains. While not officially +claiming to be a sovereign nation – as the Gnomes have done – the elves +who occupy this region consider themselves, for the most part, separate +from Braddock's corrupt kingdom and its Church. Representatives from +the Protectorate often travel to throne to protest its latest +proceedings in their area of influence. The elves also, unlike the +Gnomes, are quite picky about who they allow into the Civil Wood, +though elves are quite commonly found outside the Civil Wood amongst +the rest of the world. To date, a demihuman army has yet to march +through the Civil Wood towards the Dragonspine, and this is a source of +some consternation between the elves and the king. However, thus far +the elves have been quite capable of taking care of the territory that +they are holding on to. + + The people of the Elven Protectorate are, naturally, almost +entirely elven. A few gnomes and the occasional human exist in the +protectorate, but they are by far the exception. Of the elves in +the Protectorate, only about 5% are high elves; the remainder are +Sylvan or Kagonesti wild elves. + + The Elven Protectorate as a whole is an ancient forest and +mountain range, and it is said that the Gods wove powerful magics +into them when the Elves took up residence, to give the Elves time +to replenish their fading race. Anyone entering the Protectorate +- and this does mean ANYBODY - who is not at least half elven will +be presented with an ever-changing forest and a set of illusions +that will serve to guide them quickly back out the way they came. +Only unarmed messengers and those specifically invited by the +Elven Council can enter unhindered and proceed to the various +elven Cities and Tribal Lands. diff --git a/Locations/Elven Protectorate/Wellhollow.txt b/Locations/Elven Protectorate/Wellhollow.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..1da7e14 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Elven Protectorate/Wellhollow.txt @@ -0,0 +1,112 @@ +1. Overview +----------- + + Wellhollow is the city of the Elves deep within the Civil +Wood in the Elven Protectorate. It is nestled in a hollow at the +feet of the Dragonspine mountains, where it is the most safe from +all intruders. + The city is built in the most ancient portion of one of +the oldest forests in the world, the Civil Wood. The forest is +just as full of Treants and Fey creatures as it is of elves and +normal plants, making it the perfect place for the Elves to +rebuild their line. + The city is built as a series of platforms and treehouses +built in and amongst the trees. Whenever possible, natural +formation are used to create the desired effect, as the elves +are loathe to cut down the trees. So far this has worked out well. + +2. People +--------- + + The people of the city are comprised of mostly high elves, +but some of the higher ranking members of the tribal elves make +homes here as well, in order to represent their people on the council. +The total population of the city, however, represents the shocking +devastation that the elvish race endured during the time of the +Alliance; the total population of the city is only 500, more than half +of which are newborn or otherwise too young to fight, and of which +fifty are in their extreme elderly stages and are too old to fight. +In the city of Wellhollow, there are only 150 people of age and +physical condition to fight - both men and women. + When the city was settled just 275 years ago, there were +only two of the ancient High Elven houses left intact enough +(e.g. enough of them left alive) to create any sort of government. +Now, there are three, and a fourth is on the rise once more. However +the application of the terms "great house" and "noble line" are +fairly superfluous; most of the houses are barely 50 or 100 +strong at the absolute most. The distinction of "Tribe" has become +far more important in these times. + +3. Notable Persons +------------------ + +4. Notable Locations +-------------------- + + 4.1 The Well of the World + ------------------------- + + The Well of the World is here in Wellhollow (one of + the reasons it got its name.) The Well is actually a pool + of water inside of a pool of stones, which holds various + magical properties - among them the ability to prolong + natural life, cure many diseases, and even act as a + sort of gate between time and worlds. It is the duty + of the Elves to protect it and keep it safe; they consider + it a gift from their gods, to assist in their rebirth after + their exit from slavery. + + 4.2 The Grandfather Tree + ------------------------ + + The Grandfather tree is the single oldest tree in + the Western Kingdom. Standing at the center of Wellhollow, + the Grandfather Tree measures a full 700 feet in circumf- + erence, measuring 30 feet across at its base. The tree is + of an unknown species, but is estimated to be a variety of + Redwood. All educated estimates place the tree at over + five thousand years old, since before the time of the + alliance. The Grandfather tree, it is said, speaks to those + of pure heart, purpose, and blood; that it is a living + historical record that can be asked questions. That its roots + run deep and wide, touching every corner of the earth. + +5. Government and Politics +-------------------------- + + The Council at Wellhollow is both the government of the city +and of the Elven Protectorate as a whole. The council consists of +one member from each of the Noble Houses and one from each of the +Wild Tribes; it was this model from which the Gnomes took their system +of government in Breech. + The government is, at its core, both communist and socialist. +The community of elves in the Elven Protectorate is so small that it +cannot afford the beurocracies enjoyed by the massive Human kingdom, +or the quickly reproducing Gnomish nation. So the government - +consisting of the head of each small family and tribe in the +protectorate - decides the best course of action for the species to +take as a whole. Goods are produced on a communal basis and distributed +according to the need of the individual tribes and families. The +very concept of property ownership as most human and gnomish cultures +know it is simply foreign, if not downright taboo, in elven society. + +6. Economy +---------- + + Being a communist and socialist society, there is no +real economy to speak of inside of the Elven Protectorate. When dealing +with the outside world, however, the elves generally prefer to operate +in a barter system, trading in fine wood products, medicines, art, +literature, histories, and other such rare items. The elves also +pan gold from the rivers that flow through the Civil Wood and the +Dragonspine, and use this to trade for various raw materials, +but they do not use it as a currency inside of the country. + The basic idea in the Elven Protectorate is that money and +vanity are the root of all evils; while the elves are still +struggling with their vanity, they are doing very well about +the money, having refused to adopt - or honor - any system inside +the Protectorate based on the idea of money. + +7. Notable Non-Government Bodies +-------------------------------- + diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/Hillsburrough area map gray.jpg b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/Hillsburrough area map gray.jpg new file mode 100755 index 0000000..37cbd17 Binary files /dev/null and b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/Hillsburrough area map gray.jpg differ diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/Hillsburrough area map.jpg b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/Hillsburrough area map.jpg new file mode 100755 index 0000000..6df53de Binary files /dev/null and b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/Hillsburrough area map.jpg differ diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/Hillsburrough.txt b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/Hillsburrough.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..a70d1e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/Hillsburrough.txt @@ -0,0 +1,780 @@ +1. The Village of Hillsburrough +------------------------------- + + Nestled into the foothills of the eastern ranges, Hillsburrough +looks out on the plains and hills of the frontier – the last spot +for civilization before plunging deep into the wild eastern frontier. +Originally planned as a military outpost, it was soon abandoned because +it was “of no tactical value”, and the few people remaining +petitioned the King for autonomy, and it was granted. He really wanted +to have nothing to do with the outpost anyway. + All that changed about 40 years ago, when an earthquake in the +mountains opened up a new pass – that led directly to Hillsburrough, +and closed all of the other passes. Now Hillsburrough is of critical +tactical importance, literally being on the vanguard of the frontier +border. The King and the Mayor of Hillsburrough have been locked into +a discussion about bringing Hillsburrough back into the kingdom, but +thus far the Mayor will have no part of it. And the King, while he wants +the town back in his control, isn't dumb enough to go and try pushing +around a bunch of people that have carved out a living on the frontier +for 100 years. So Hillsburrough remains a sovereign city-state, even +though it is simply a village. It has become a haven for adventurers +coming through to the frontier, or going home to civilization. And +despite the simple appearance of the village and its denizens, there is +a lot of money flowing through this city, due to its special location. + Hillsburrough is a small village of approximately 800 people. Most +of the inhabitants make their living by farming the land, but there are +a few notable establishments such as bars, inns, weaponsmiths, etc. The +main features of the town are the old Church on the north side of town, +and the Clocktower in the center of town. Both are visible immediately +upon your entrance into town – the road from the mountain pass winds +out of the hills and crosses the eastern river on an old stone bridge, +placing you directly in front of the church. In the distance, maybe a +quarter mile, the clocktower rises nearly a hundred feet, towering above +the surrounding homes and shops. The road leads you past a sign that +says “Welcome to Hillsburrough – the road stops here!”, and +this is indeed the case. The road leads you into town, past the various +shops and inns, and the road dead ends at the town hall, at the foot of +the clocktower. And suddenly you realise, you have truly come to the +edge of civilization. If you were to have a map of the world, it would +surely say “Here be dragons”. + +2. Locations +------------ + +2.1 The Ambushed Chicken +------------------------- + +Accommodations: Occupied by owner and employees +Example Menu: +- Breakfast: Fried perch, Chicken eggs, Sharp cheese, Peach, + Oatmeal (cost 1cp). +- Lunch: Lamb stew, Soft cheese, Broad beans, Blackberries (cost + 2cp). +- Supper: Pork liver, Potato, Corn, Millet, Pecan pie (cost 2cp). +- Snack: Chicken eggs, Pear, Rice (cost 1cp) + + The main entrance to The Amushed Chicken is to the right; you can +tie your horses on the right side of the building. There are 2 tables in +the front room. The tap room is to the left. The tap room has 10 tables +where patrons eat and drink and warm themselves by the fireplace. Stairs +lead to rooms on the second floor. There is another entrance through the +kitchen porch in the back. The proprietor of the establishment, Edward +Longfingers, is edging into his fifties and is rumored to be preparing to +turn the business over to his two daughters, Arnora and Tiffany, both in +their early twenties. However, despite his plans for retirement, he doesn't +show any signs of slowing down – he is a capable and strong man. In +fact, he has won the local strongman competitions for as long as they have +existed, and once lifted a fallen portion of a sawmill off a young laborer. +He's not much for endurance, though, and is often coming down with some +kind of mild sickness. His youngest daughter, Arnora, follows after him +in the Alebrewing profession – though she is not as strong as her sister, +Tosti, who follows her father's business mainly because he is her father. +She has studied the Longsword with the town guard, and is rumored to have +some secret business on “adventures”. The tavern got its name for +the first chicken that was cooked in this establishment – it was a wily +beast that actually had to be ambushed in the kitchen for it to be caught +and cooked. + +Edward Longfingers, male human Com9: CR 8; Size M (5 ft., 5 in. tall); +HD 9d4-9; hp 18; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; +AC 13 (+3 Dex); Attack +8 melee, or +7 ranged; SV Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +6; +AL NG; Str 19, Dex 16, Con 8, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 12. +Languages Spoken: Common, Halfling +Skill points: Com 72 +Skills and feats: Climb +16, Craft (Armorsmithing) +11, Craft +(Blacksmithing) +14, Craft (Sculpting) +11, Craft (Shipmaking) +13, +Craft (Woodworking) +5, Hide +3, Listen +17, Move Silently +3, Ride +14, +Spot +5; Alertness, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Point +Blank Shot, Skill Focus (Craft (Sculpting)). +Possessions: Edward keeps three gems in a locked box under a loose board +underneath his bed. chrysoprase (bright green) (27 gp) crazy lace agate +(11.3 gp) lynx eye (9.5 gp) + +Arnora, female human Com3: CR 2; Size M (5 ft., 7 in. tall); HD 3d4; +hp 13; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 (+1 Dex); Attack +3 melee, +or +2 ranged; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +2; AL N; Str 14, Dex 13, +Con 11, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 9. +Languages Spoken: Common. +Skill points: Com 18 +Skills and feats: Craft (Sculpting) +6, Craft (Alebrewing) +4, Hide +1, +Listen +4, Move Silently +1, Open Lock +4, Spot +1; Power Attack, +Skill Focus (Craft (Alebrewing)), Toughness. +Possessions: A brooch with a diamond in it given to her by her father +(2 gp value) + +Tosti female human Com3: CR 2; Size M (5 ft., 11 in. tall); HD 3d4-6; hp 4; +Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+2 Dex) Attack +5 melee, or +3 +ranged; SV Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +2; AL LE; Str 18, Dex 15, Con 7, +Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 7. +Languages Spoken: Common. +Skill points: Com 12 +Skills and feats: Craft (Painting) +5, Craft (Alebrewing) +1, Hide +2, +Listen +1, Move Silently +2, Ride +8, Spot +1; Great Fortitude, Martial +Weapon Proficiency (longsword), Skill Focus (Ride). +Possessions: A longsword + +2.2 The Giant Baby +------------------ + +Accommodations: Good (a small private room with one bed, some amenities +and a covered chamber pot) for 1 sp/day – currently unavailable + +Example Menu: +- Breakfast: Meatballs, Curds, Dragon turtle omelet, Peach, Mush + (cost 6cp). +- Lunch: Sausage, Soft cheese, Spinach, Apple (cost 3cp). +- Supper: Pork liver, Broad beans, Leeks, Flatbread, Custard (cost + 1sp). +- Snack: Gnomes yogurt, Raspberries, Flatbread (cost 4cp) + + The front porch of The Giant Baby offers shelter from the weather +and sun. The main entrance to The Giant Baby is to the right; you can +tie your horses on the left. The bar has a comfortable lobby where you +can wait for friends to join you before leaving or as you arrive. The +tap room is to the left and the barkeepers' desk is straight ahead on +your left. The tap room has 7 tables where patrons eat and drink and +warm themselves by the fireplace. Stairs lead to rooms on the second +floor, which are occupied by Svein and his son-in-law Isleif.. There is +another entrance through the kitchen in the back. + Svein, the proprietor, is the only person who has been in town long +enough to remember when the large Clocktower in the center of town +actually still worked. He is pushing his 65th birthday this year, and is +planning to work his bar until he dies. He has his son-in-law, Isleif, +help him around the tavern. Isleif is the obvious heir-apparent to Svein's +sizable inheritance (sizable for a tavern owner, anyhow). Isleif's wife, +Svein's daughter, died of a rare disease two years ago. She is buried in +the cemetery east of town, on one of the many sunny hilltops. + Svein actually has a history as somewhat of an adventurer, but he +doesn't have any adventurer levels. He was a sailor in the Royal Navy for +many years before settling down and becoming a woodworker, then later a +barkeeper. He is not an alebrewer like his competitor Edward Longfingers, +just a barkeeper. However likable Svein may be, he's not the brightest of +men, leading him to be entirely too trusting at times. This is another +area in which Isleif can help his father-in-law; he helps keep his fortune +intact. + Nobody remembers how the inn got its name. Something to do with a huge +ostrich creature. + +Svein, male human Com20: CR 19; Size M (5 ft., 9 in. tall); HD 20d4-20; +hp 33; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +13/+8 melee, or +10/+5 ranged; +SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +10; AL NG; Str 16, Dex 10, Con 9, Int 8, Wis 14, +Cha 12. +Languages Spoken: Common. +Skill points: Com 46 +Skills and feats: Craft (Shipmaking) +17, Craft (Woodworking) +7, Hide +0, +Listen +25, Move Silently +0, Spot +2; Great Fortitude, Iron Will, +Leadership, Skill Focus (Listen), Skill Focus (Craft (Shipmaking)), +Skill Focus (Craft (Woodworking)), Toughness. +Possessions: A +2 longsword, and 1000 gp in gems. The sword hangs above the +door frame of his bedroom, and the gems are hidden in beer kegs in the cellar. + +Isleif, male human Com3: CR 2; Size M (5 ft., 2 in. tall); HD 3d4+6; hp 15; +Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 (+1 Dex); Attack +4 melee, or +2 ranged; +SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +2; AL CG; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 13, +Cha 13. +Languages Spoken: Auran, Common, Elven, Terran. +Skill points: Com 36 +Skills and feats: Craft (Alchemy) +8, Craft (Weaponsmithing) +9, Disable +Device +5, Handle Animal +7, Hide +1, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +4, +Listen +6, Move Silently +1, Perform (Oratory) +2, Spot +1, Swim +9; Combat +Expertise, Run, Simple Weapon Proficiency (dagger, punching). + +2.3 The Sneezing Cane +--------------------- + +Accommodations: None + +Example Menus: +- Breakfast: + - Beef steak, Sharp cheese, Goose eggs, Blueberries, Corn + pone (cost 1cp). + - Monkey brain, Goose eggs, Curds, Blackberries, Corn pone + (cost 1cp) + - Ham, Soft cheese, Curds, Melon, Rice (cost 1cp). +- Lunch: + - Owlbear chop, Sharp cheese, Broad beans, Dates (cost 1cp). + - Pork chop, Soft cheese, Chick peas, Dates (cost 1cp). + - Pork chop, Goose eggs, Lentils, Blueberries (cost 1cp). +- Supper: + - Cat cutlet, Corn, Leeks, Goblin bannock, Applesauce (cost + 2cp). + - Pork liver, Spinach, Yams, Centaur rye, Rice pudding (cost + 2cp). + - Broiled catfish, Collard greens, Taro, Corn pone, + Applesauce (cost 2cp). +- Snack: + - Quail eggs, Blueberries, Rice (cost 1cp) + - Duck eggs, Pear, Coarse rye bread (cost 1cp) + - Soft cheese, Pear, Millet (cost 1cp) + + The main entrance to The Sneezing Cane is to the right; you can tie +your horses on the right side of the building. The tavern has a comfortable +lobby where you can wait for friends to join you before leaving or as you +arrive. The tap room is to the left. The tap room has 10 tables where +patrons eat and drink and warm themselves by the fireplace. The long bar +promises quick delivery of all kinds of drinks. The taverns's kitchen has +2 ovens and provides a large menu every day. There is another entrance +through the kitchen in the back. + Erika's tavern is the most recent addition to the city, having been +here for less than a year. However, it is quickly becoming a success with +its wide variety of foods (thanks to its two ovens), and its quick-witted +and beautiful owner. She is a bit frail – which makes her even more +attractive to many men – but quite amply endowed in all of the areas +that matter. She is young, unmarried, and quickly becoming wealthy. She +lives in a small house on the south side of town, choosing not to live in +her establishment, like so many business owners. She was able to do this +because she comes from a semi-wealthy family in a large city, and brought +enough money with her to build a home and a business. It was almost entirely +exhausted while doing so, so she is no less energetic about the +profitability of her business. For that reason, her establishment is the +only one in Hillsburrough that serves all 3 meals of the day. The ovens +get stoked at 5 am, and don't stop until midnight. + The tavern got its name from the rare flowers that skirt the front of +the tavern, which grow on long canes and end in beautiful red flowers with +huge petals, that caused Erika to sneeze constantly until she got used to +the climate. + +Erika, female human Com10: CR 9; Size M (5 ft., 4 in. tall); HD 10d4-20; +hp 14; Init -1 (-1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 9 (-1 Dex); Attack +8 melee, or +4 +ranged; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +6; AL LN; Str 16, Dex 10, Con 9, Int 13, +Wis 13, Cha 16. +Languages Spoken: Common. +Skill points: Com 26 +Skills and feats: Climb +16, Handle Animal +8, Hide -1, Knowledge +(Geography) +4, Knowledge (Local) +1, Listen +3, Move Silently -1, Spot +3; +Alertness, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Climb), Skill Focus (Knowledge (Local)), +Skill Focus (Handle Animal). +Possessions: +apache tears(small droplets of black, smokey black, reddish, greenish black, +or purplish black obsidian) (11.4 gp) +potion of spider climb (50 gp) + dun-colored + sweet odor/taste + watery, translucent appearance +She keeps both in a locked metal box hidden next to the right oven in the +kitchen, in the bottom of the coal bucket. + + +2.4 The Annex +------------- + + The Annex is a weapon/armory smithy run by Bella and Ynvar, her husband +of fifteen years. Both are in their early thirties, and they're the best +smiths in this region. Bella does all the armor work, and Ynvar performs all +of the weapon work. They share the blacksmith work. All their goods sell for +the prices listed in the Player's Handbook, but they sell to the town guard +for a 10% discount (because they buy in bulk). They will do masterwork +weapons, with an 8 month delay for the crafting of the weapon. The couple has +lived here their whole lives, and have had two children, Otkel and Eyvind. +Both are lieutenants in the Town Guard. + Bella is well mannered, polite, and still good looking despite her +profession and advancing years. She wears simple blacksmith clothing at work, +but in her off hours she tends to dress as elaborately as is practical, +especially when going to any sort of social function. She doesn't gossip +like a true Belle, though, which suits her and her husband just fine. Ynvar +is fascinated by magic, and has always wanted to be able to do it himself; +but not necessarily like a regular wizard, he has just wanted to be able to +imbue his weapons with magical ability. However, he never had the requisite +intelligence or wisdom to master any sort of spellcasting abilities. He is +also getting to be hard of hearing, which would make spells with verbal +components difficult to follow. + +Bella, female human Com6: CR 5; Size M (5 ft., 7 in. tall); HD 6d4; hp 15; +Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +4 melee, or +3 ranged; SV Fort +4, +Ref +2, Will +2; AL N; Str 12, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11. +Languages Spoken: Common. +Skill points: Com 27 +Skills and feats: Craft (Armorsmithing) +7, Craft (Blacksmithing) +8, Craft +(Stonemasonry) +7, Hide +0, Listen +2, Move Silently +0, Profession (Miner) +7, +Spot +2; Alertness, Great Fortitude, Martial Weapon Proficiency (falchion), +Skill Focus (Craft (Blacksmithing)). +Possessions: A lynx eye (9 gp) and a green malachite (19 gp). She also has a ++4 large steel shield that she won in a bet from Milo, after he came back +from one of his raiding trips. + +Ynvar, male human Com12: CR 11; Size M (5 ft., 2 in. tall); HD 12d4; hp 29; +Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +8/+3 melee, or +6/+1 ranged; SV Fort +6, +Ref +4, Will +4; AL CN; Str 14, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10. +Languages Spoken: Common. +Skill points: Com 45 +Skills and feats: Climb +18, Craft (Blacksmithing) +13, Craft (Weaponsmithing) ++8, Hide +0, Listen +2, Move Silently +0, Spot +14; Alertness, Great Fortitude, + Quick Draw, Skill Focus (Craft (Weaponsmithing)), Skill Focus (Climb), Skill +Focus (Craft (Blacksmithing)). +Possessions: Chrysocolla (8 gp) and peach sunstone (9 gp) gemstones. Also a +set of +2 studded leather armor. + +Otkel, male human War2: CR 1; Size M (6 ft., 3 in. tall); HD 2d8; hp 14; +Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +2 melee, or +2 ranged; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, +Will +0; AL N; Str 10, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 11. +Languages Spoken: Aquan, Common, Halfling. +Skill points: War 15 +Skills and feats: Decipher Script +0.5, Handle Animal +2, Hide +0, Knowledge +(Weapons and Armor) +0.5, Listen +0, Move Silently +0, Ride +4, Speak +Language +2, Spot +1.5; Blind-Fight, Weapon Focus (battleaxe). +Possessions: Chain shirt (+4 AC), Longsword, 50 silver pieces + +Eyvind, male human War2: CR 1; Size M (5 ft., 10 in. tall); HD 2d8; hp 9; +Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +2 melee, or +2 ranged; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, +Will +0; AL N; Str 11, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10. +Languages Spoken: Common. +Skill points: War 15 +Skills and feats: Climb +5, Hide +0, Intimidate +5, Listen +0, Move +Silently +0, Spot +0, Survival +2.5; Exotic Weapon Proficiency (crossbow, +hand), Point Blank Shot. +Possessions: Breastplate (+5 AC), Masterwork Trident, Masterwork hand crossbow +and 10 bolts, Longsword, 2 Smoke sticks, 50 silver pieces + +2.5 Master Gerbo's House of Contraptions and Contrivances +--------------------------------------------------------- + + This is the local Tinker, owned and operated by Master Gerbo, an 11th +level expert (and also secretly a 5th level gnomish artificer that I haven't +yet fleshed out). For a small fee, he will fix most manners of device – +wagon wheels, tongues, faucets, cranks, etc. For a reasonable fee, he will +create new machines. For a much larger fee, he will operate his unadvertised +services as an Artificer, creating entirely new pseudo-magical devices. + The shop from which he operates is a stone building, fifty by fifty feet +on the outside. The lobby where he receives customers, however, is just +barely fifty by twenty. He keeps ready stock in the back room, and does his +actual work below ground, which he enters and leaves through a trapdoor +behind his desk, only when he is alone. The shop is windowless, being lit +by oil lamps on the inside; the only indication to its purpose is the large +glyphs carved into the stone above the door. When the shop is closed, a +large locking mechanism drives 4 3” diameter steel pins through the door +and wall, making it essentially impossible to open (Strength check DC 30). +Even if you were to break in, the total value of things in the back might +total 100 gold; the truly valuable items are below ground, underneath the +well-hidden trap door located underneath Gerbo's desk, which will sprout +wheels and roll to the side, exposing the door, when a button is pressed. +Until the button is pressed, a mechanism similar to the door keeps the desk +secured to the floor. + Gerbo is somewhat lazy unless a particular project REALLY grabs his +attention. Most simple jobs will take the normal amount of time; mundane +creations will take 150% the normal time to complete. However, when working +in the task of artificer creating magical (or unique non-magical) devices, +he will finish them in ? the estimated time. Gerbo is easygoing, but quick +to take vengeance – he keeps a shotgun of his own design underneath his +desk, and will not hesitate to use it. + +Gerbo, male gnome Wiz10/Artificer 5: CR 10; Size S (3 ft., 6 in. tall); +HD 10d4+50; hp 78; Init +4 (+4 Dex); Spd 20 ft.; AC 16 (+4 Dex, +1 Size, +1 +Ring); Attack +6 melee, or +10 ranged; SV Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +9; AL CN; +Str 10, Dex 18, Con 21, Int 19, Wis 13, Cha 14. +Languages Spoken: Common, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Orc. +Skill points: Wiz 78 +Skills and feats: Craft (Alchemy) +6, Craft (Weaponsmithing) +15, Hide +8, +Knowledge (Arcana) +17, Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) +17, +Knowledge (Geography) +15, Knowledge (Nature) +17, Knowledge (The Planes) +10, +Listen +3, Move Silently +4, Spellcraft +15, Spot +1; Craft Rod, Empower +Spell, Extend Spell, Point Blank Shot, [Scribe Scroll], Still Spell, Widen +Spell, Exemplary Artificer +Possessions: Goggles of Minute Seeing, Ring of Protection +1, Ring of Force +Shield, ~200 gold pieces in a chest underneath the shop +Artificer Powers : Gerbo is unique amongst Artificers, in that he can use any +of his wizard spells known when making a device. This is unique to him, +because he has the feat Exemplary Artificer, which has requirements so +rediculous I won't go into it here. +Wizard Spells Known (4/5/5/4/4/2): 0th -- Acid Splash, Arcane Mark, Dancing +Lights, Daze, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Disrupt Undead, Flare, Ghost Sound, +Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Open/Close, Prestidigitation, Ray of +Frost, Read Magic, Resistance, Touch of Fatigue. 1st -- Identify, Magic Aura, +Magic Missile, Shocking Grasp, Silent Image, Sleep. 2nd -- Acid Arrow, +Blur, Darkness, Fox's Cunning, Invisibility, Knock, Resist Energy, Spider +Climb. 3rd -- Dispel Magic, Fireball, Flame Arrow, Haste, Hold Person, +Lightning Bolt, Magic Circle against Chaos, Magic Circle against Law, +Protection from Energy, Wind Wall. 4th -- Charm Monster, Fire Trap, +Polymorph, Stoneskin. 5th -- Baleful Polymorph, Hold Monster, Persistent +Image, Secret Chest. +Gerbo's Scattergun: 2D10, +5 to hit, 16-20/x3 (threat range decreases by +1 for every 20 feet away from the muzzle – beyond 100 feet, this weapon +has no effect other than to frighten and make lots of noise), holds 2 rounds +in a break-open design. Hidden underneath his cloak. He carries 10 spare +rounds. Both barrels may be fired in a single round even if the character +has only one attack, if all other actions that round are forfeited. +Reloading this weapon is a full-round action. + +2.6 The Scrying Stick +--------------------- + + The Scrying Stick is a recent addition to the village, having only come +in the past year. It was a welcome addition, however, as the slight +population boom of the Orc Bounty has caused the very small amount of room +space in the local taverns to be exhausted by the influx of adventurers on +their way to the frontier. So The Scrying Stick is doing good business, +although they think they may have built it too big – the second and third +floors are almost entirely unoccupied, unless someone specifically requests +an elevated room. Although, Anaphia has been able to compensate for the loss +of occupants by using those rooms to run her own bordello in the Scrying +Stick. The girls are all pretty, running the gamut from slim and boyish, to +curvy and busty, to slightly pudgy and average. The cost for a girl is 1 +gold piece per visit (one “visit” being defined as you getting off, +or one hour), a full 5cp of which goes to the girl. The girls that work here +work here because the money is good, not because they're slaves, and Anaphia +heatedly defends herself against those who say otherwise (as do the girls). + The Scrying Stick is an elaborate affair compared to the rest of the +village. It is a three story affair, with ten rooms per floor, excepting +the ground floor which has only 9. The main entrance is in the center of the +building's face, and opens to the registration desk, manned by Anaphia, the +innkeeper. Her desk is on the left, and on the right there is a small table +with complimentary juice and pastries for the occupants, as well as a few +chairs when waiting for the rest of your party to arrive. The hallway +straight ahead will take you to the first floor of rooms (1A, 1B, etc), +opposing each other all the way down the hallway. At the end of the hall +is an elevator (with the words “Grebo's Raise-O-Matic Five Thousand” +elegantly written above the control mechanism), manned by a nondescript +bellhop named “Finnigan”. It is large enough for ten people, or four +people wearing full adventuring gear. + As for the rooms themselves, they are nice, but nothing to write home +about. They all have a window that looks out on the surrounding village +(the windows open to allow fresh air), covered by plain purple curtains. +There is a wash basin, and a bathtub into which you may have a bath drawn +(though it takes almost an hour to prepare). A simple mirror stands above +a basic three-drawer dresser, one of which contains a copy of the local map, +and a map of the local outlying area. For 5sp, the inn will take your armor +and weapons to the local smiths for cleaning, and return them to your room, +adding the smith's bill to your tab – so you won't have to worry yourself +with leaving the inn if you just want to kick back and relax. Check-out time +is 11 am sharp every day, and if you miss check in you will be charged +another day, no exceptions. A one-night stay at The Scrying Stick is 7sp – +clearly targeted at adventuring types with more money than bills. You can +get a discount stay at the Inn by the week, however, for only 4 gp. The one +week stay includes one complimentary visit from your choice of girl. + As for Anaphia herself, the Inn's slightly pudgy innkeeper, she is a +truthful and to-the-point person, while still polite and womanly. She is + most definitely showing her elven heritage, in her dress and mannerisms +– such as her insistance on wearing the best perfumes she can buy at all +times. Most of them smell like Violets, or Roses. She also has the odd talen +of sculpting, which she uses to make small clay figurines that are elegantly +painted, and sold at the counter like a gift shop. They are figurines of +trolls, goblins, heroes, etc. Most of them sell for about 5cp. Gerbo is known +to, at random times, purchase one or more figurines, imbue them with some +minor magic, and replace them in the case. + The Scrying Stick got its name from the method with which its site was +selected – Anaphia took a pair of dowsing rods along the road, and +purchased the lot at the point where they crossed. (There are also jokes +around about how her girls will “Scry your Stick”, but those aren't +the basis of the name.) + +Anaphia, female half-elf Com4: CR 3; Size M (5 ft., 7 in. tall); HD 4d4; +hp 13; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +3 melee, or +2 ranged; SV Fort +1, +Ref +1, Will +1; AL N; Str 12, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 11. +Languages Spoken: Common, Elven. +Skill points: Com 14 +Skills and feats: Craft (Sculpting) +6, Diplomacy +2, Gather Information +2, +Hide +0, Jump +2, Listen +1, Move Silently +0, Search +1, Spellcraft +3, +Spot +1, Swim +2, Use Magic Device +1; Combat Reflexes, Skill Focus (Craft +(Sculpting)). +Possessions: Mundane items, and a lockbox full of gold pieces (16). + +2.7 Hoskuld's Stablehouse +------------------------- + + The stables used to be located on the north end of town, but they have +since been relocated directly across from the Scrying Stick, to make better +business. Hoskuld, the orcish owner of this establishment, settled here right +before the start of the push to the frontier; he had adventured for many years, +and simply got tired of it. He found that the rewards didn't match the risks +on the open frontier – especially not with the new cults popping up out +there, worshipping Dragons and all. Too much danger for this Orc. Besides, +he already had more money than he ever wanted or knew what to do with, and +had counted coo on countless enemies. It was a good life for a barbarian to +have led. So he settled down and started a hostler, where he is making a +happy living, occasionally lending his services to the town guard to assist +in training their militia, and helping to quell disturbances that occasionally +flux into town from the Frontier. The hostler is setup to handle as many as +ten horses in the “guest” stables, as well as an additional ten horses +that he keeps for buying/selling (and, it is rumored, eating). He also has +room enough in his stables for two full sized carriages, and keeps a wagon +for use or for loaning on a by-the-day basis. + As for Hoskuld himself, he is covered almost entirely by strange warrior +tattoos, and goes about wearing only britches and boots – never a shirt, +no matter how cold it is. His hair is tied back into one long ponytail, and +his body is entirely shaved otherwise. He is an extremely overbeating +individual, and for this reason (as if there needs to be a reason) Grebo +has officially declared him an “unwashed heathen”. This is not entirely +true – Hoskuld makes it a point to bathe at least once a year, during one +of the many occasions when he takes his horses down to the river; though it +usually consists of him diving in after some bit of live meat or an escaping +horse and becoming drenched in the process. Soap is almost never involved. +Hoskuld generally regards Grebo as little more than a large mouse which he +would gleefully crush, if it weren't for the town guard's tank of a leader, +Alexei. So they keep quiet, but it is widely known that they constantly play +pranks on one another. + +Hoskuld, male orc Bbn13: CR 13; Size M (5 ft., 9 in. tall); HD 13d12; hp 90; +Init +0; Spd 40 ft.; AC 10; Attack +16/+11/+6 melee, or +13/+8/+3 ranged; SV +Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +6; AL N; Str 16, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 10. +Languages Spoken: Common, Orc. +Skill points: Bbn 48 +Skills and feats: Climb +17, Handle Animal +15, Hide +0, Intimidate +11, +Listen +0, Move Silently +0, Search +3.5, Spot +0; Combat Reflexes, Endurance, +Iron Will, Self Sufficient. +Possessions: +1 Orcish Double Axe of throwing, Heward's handy haversack + +2.8 Milo's Warez +---------------- + + Milo is another remnant of the early push to the frontier – he went +dungeoneering for a few years, and collected a few items, and generally had +a good time. But he quickly learned he could make more money if he stayed +here in the village, selling and buying (and occasionally pilfering) from +the other shopkeepers and passing merchants. So he setup shop here in an old +house, where he sells various goods to adventurers and commoners; equipment, +mostly, but some household items to the local residents. It is your standard +variety goods store. There is a sign above the counter that says “Iron +rations – It's what's for dinner”. + Milo himself is, besides being a generally roguish character, a passionate +lover of all forms of art. He collects (and compulsively steals) good artworks +whenever he finds them, and will pay exorbitant prices to add them to his +collection. Similarly, when he has art for sale in his store, he prices it +rediculously, generally so he can keep it for himself. He is also a jokester +and a prankster, often being recruited by Hoskuld to play pranks on Gerbo +for him (Hoskuld isn't terribly bright, and he knows it – nor is he +terribly stealthy). He genuinely enjoys his pranks, and has yet to be caught +for them – which is a point of pride for Milo. + +Milo, male halfling Rog5: CR 5; Size S (3 ft., 3 in. tall); HD 5d6+5; hp 24; +Init +4 (+4 Dex); Spd 20 ft.; AC 15 (+4 Dex, +1 Size); Attack +4 melee, or +8 +ranged; SV Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +6; AL CN; Str 10, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 18, +Wis 18, Cha 12. +Languages Spoken: Common, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Orc. +Skill points: Rog 96 +Skills and feats: Bluff +9, Climb +2, Decipher Script +12, Disable Device +12, +Escape Artist +10, Gather Information +8, Hide +15, Jump +2, Listen +8, Move +Silently +11, Open Lock +12, Search +12, Sleight of Hand +12, Spot +14, +Tumble +12, Use Magic Device +8; Alertness, [Evasion], Weapon Finesse. +Possessions: 3 smokesticks, 3 vials holy water, Masterwork shortsword, 2 +bottles alchemist fire, ~20 gp in a locked box hidden in his shops + +2.9 Temple of the Glorious Morning +---------------------------------- + + The Temple of the Glorious Morning was built when the village was first +founded – when it was barely a trading post in the early days. It used to +double as the church and the guardhouse, and the old dungeons still remain +underneath the church. Outside the church, a large pool filled with holy +water is surrounded by 9 statues of heroes kneeling to drink, and standing +guard while their friends do. The statue on the west side of the pool is +knelt in prayer. The balcony over the front double doors is held up by large +pillars carved with more heroes. The double doors are waterproof, and are +nearly impossible to break down. Inside, the door is flanked by locked spiral +staircases up to the balcony, and the right side of the church has the +priest's quarters. The left side has storage space. The rooms flanking the +cathedral are old guard rooms / altar boy rooms, which still have the old +bunks and weapons racks (though the racks are now mainly empty, the weapons +moved to the new guardhouse beneath the clocktower in the center of town). +The central cathedral is large enough, with its vaulted ceilings and large +pews, to house most of the population of the village, but only about ? of +them regularly attend nowadays. The cathedral contains tapestries depicting +glorious scenes, as does the large curtain behind the altar. The secret door +to the old dungeon is behind this curtain (DC 20), though only a few citizens +still remember it, besides the priest. It is currently locked and covered +with various temple trappings. The rooms in the back of the temple are +currently undefined, probably remnants of the older, more violent traditions +at the temple. + The priest of this temple is Constantine (hm Clr Protection/War), an +older style Priest of Heironeous, who thinks there are not many situations +that cannot be resolved by destroying the evil. But he is wise, not just +some brute, and the people love him. He often allows poor families to live +in the church, same for drifters and other people down on their luck. At the +same time, he often funds expeditions into the frontier, chasing down +evil-doers and routing out nests of the horde. + Constantine will always be 5 levels above the players. + +2.9.1 Old Church Dungeons +------------------------- + + The old dungeons beneath the church were only built to house a small +number of people, and they weren't terribly strong. It consists of one +single room roughly dug out of the earth, supported by old, large oak wooden +framing. The ceiling is covered in a network of cables and rigging, which +all lead eventually to a series of levers on the wall. The levers are used +to raise and lower 10x10x8 ft cages into/out of holes in the floor. It +takes two men (Str DC 20) to raise a cage. The cages are where the prisoners +would be kept. There are two extra temporary cages out of the floor, in the +open space on the far right side of the room. The cages are made of wrought +iron and had strong locks on them a hundred years or so ago, but the locks +are rusted shut or eaten away by rust at this point. The stone table on the +left side of the room by the steps was originally used for extracting +information from enemy combatants, but Constantine doesn't know about this, +and if he does he won't admit it. The table slopes to the center, where +there is a small drain, for obvious purposes. +Gerbo has wanted to replace the wooden framing for a long time with stonework, +because he's afraid the church will sink in on top of the old prison – +but so far Constantine hasn't taken him up on it. The old prison will most +likely become an issue at some point, however, as it presents an obvious and +easy entry point for denizens of the underdark if they were to inadvertently +(or intentionally) burrow into it. + + +3. Government +------------- + + The government of Hillsburrough is conventional and of a neutral nature, +which is pretty good for just about everyone. The town has an elected Mayor, +and a village council. The mayor is elected and serves for no more than two +years before the next election, but the same mayor has been in power for more +than 8 years because nobody has cared to run against him. The village council +is made up of 10 members, chosen from the various portions of the city – +there are merchants, farmers, adventuring guild representatives, and many +types of other people on the council (as well as the current head of the +town guard). Council members are selected by the mayor, unless the citizenry +objects to his selection, and serve for a period of one year as well. Here +again, the same council members have generally served and will continue to +serve, because nobody really has a problem with how they're working out. + The laws in the area are typical of midevil fantasy settings – don't +kill, steal, or rape. Most small offenses will land you in the clink for a +small time, but executions can and have been performed for serious crimes. +And given that Hillsburrough is an independent city on the Frontier, there +is no higher court to appeal to. The legal process is somewhat similar to +here in america – two lawyers jew at each other in front of a jury of 12 +people, and they come back with a verdict. There are no trials without a +jury, by order of the town charter – even something as small as stealing +bread, if it goes to trial, goes to trial before a jury. + The current village council consists of the mayor, Master Gerbo, Svein, +Edward Longfingers, Gilbert and Marigold (halfling sheepherders from the +outskirts of the village), Godfred (a shipmaker that lives on the river above +town), Camelia (a halfling rabbit farmer), Balnal (a dwarven hunter who +hunts in the foothills), and Camelia and Boddyknock, human dairy farmers. +Alexei sometimes sits on the council as a representative of the City Watch, +but has no official position, and is usually only a guiding voice – +though when he speaks, it is fairly authoritative. + + +Mayor Hafgrim, male human Nob9: CR 8; Size M (6 ft., 2 in. tall); HD 9d8-18; +hp 28; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 (+1 Dex); Attack +6/+1 melee, +or +7/+2 ranged; SV Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +8; AL LG; Str 11, Dex 13, Con 6, +Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12. +Languages Spoken: Common. +Skill points: Nob 60 +Skills and feats: Diplomacy +12, Gather Information +11, Handle Animal +12, +Hide +1, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +13, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +11, +Listen +2, Move Silently +1, Perform (Oratory) +3, Sleight of Hand +3, +Spot +2; Leadership, Point Blank Shot, Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Skill Focus +(Knowledge (Dungeoneering)), Weapon Focus (rapier). +Possessions: 12,000 gp in gear. + +Gilbert, male halfling Com5: CR 4; Size S (2 ft., 10 in. tall); HD 5d4; +hp 12; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 20 ft.; AC 13 (+2 Dex, +1 Size); Attack +5 +melee, or +5 ranged; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +3; AL NG; Str 14, Dex 15, +Con 11, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 8. +Languages Spoken: Common, Halfling. +Skill points: Com 8 +Skills and feats: Climb +4, Craft (Leatherworking) +3, Hide +6, Jump +4, +Listen +10, Move Silently +4, Spot +1; Skill Focus (Listen), Skill Focus +(Craft (Leatherworking)). +Possessions: 21 gp in gear. + +Marigold, female halfling Com1: CR 1; Size S (3 ft., 0 in. tall); HD 1d4-3; +hp 1; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 11 (+1 Size); Attack -1 melee, or +1 ranged; +SV Fort -2, Ref +1, Will -1; AL NE; Str 7, Dex 11, Con 5, Int 7, Wis 7, Cha 9. +Languages Spoken: Common, Halfling. +Skill points: Com 4 +Skills and feats: Climb +0, Hide +4, Jump +0, Knowledge (The Planes) +0, +Listen +0, Move Silently +2, Spot -2; Track. +Possessions: 4 gp in gear. + +Godfred, male human Com2: CR 1; Size M (5 ft., 6 in. tall); HD 2d4-2; hp 5; +Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Attack +3 melee, or +3 ranged; +SV Fort -1, Ref +2, Will +3; AL NG; Str 15, Dex 15, Con 9, Int 10, Wis 13, +Cha 8. +Languages Spoken: Common. +Skill points: Com 15 +Skills and feats: Climb +7, Craft (Carpentry) +3, Craft (Painting) +2, Craft +(Shipmaking) +5, Hide +2, Listen +1, Move Silently +2, Spot +1; Combat +Reflexes, Iron Will. +Possessions: 10 gp in gear. + +Balnal, female dwarf Com5: CR 4; Size M (3 ft., 11 in. tall); HD 5d4; hp 11; +Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 10; Attack +3 melee, or +2 ranged; SV Fort +1, +Ref +1, Will +1; AL N; Str 12, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8. +Languages Spoken: Common, Dwarven. +Skill points: Com 16 +Skills and feats: Craft (Armorsmithing) +2, Craft (Blacksmithing) +2, Craft +(Stonemasonry) +2, Craft (Trapmaking) +2, Craft (Weaponsmithing) +2, Craft +(Woodworking) +7, Hide +0, Listen +0, Move Silently +0, Open Lock +1.5, +Profession (Hunter) +8, Spot +0; Skill Focus (Profession (Hunter)), Skill +Focus (Craft (Woodworking)). +Possessions: 21 gp in gear. + +Camelia, female halfling Com1: CR 1; Size S (2 ft., 9 in. tall); HD 1d4-1; +hp 3; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 20 ft.; AC 13 (+2 Dex, +1 Size); Attack +1 melee, +or +3 ranged; SV Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +2; AL N; Str 11, Dex 15, Con 8, +Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 9. +Languages Spoken: Common, Gnome, Halfling. +Skill points: Com 12 +Skills and feats: Climb +6, Profession (Dairy farming) +4, Craft +(Trapmaking) +5, Hide +6, Jump +2, Listen +3, Move Silently +4, Spot +1, +Swim +2; Armor Proficiency (Light). +Possessions: 4 gp in gear. + +Boddynock, male gnome Com5: CR 4; Size S (3 ft., 4 in. tall); HD 5d4-10; +hp 7; Init -2 (-2 Dex); Spd 20 ft.; AC 9 (-2 Dex, +1 Size); Attack +3 melee, +or +1 ranged; SV Fort -1, Ref -1, Will +2; AL NG; Str 10, Dex 6, Con 7, +Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 9. +Languages Spoken: Common, Gnome. +Skill points: Com 8 +Skills and feats: Craft (Alchemy) +0, Profession (Dairy farming) +7, Hide +2, +Listen +3, Move Silently -2, Spot +1; Skill Focus (Profession(Dairy farming)). +Possessions: 21 gp in gear. + +3.1 City Guard +-------------- + + The town guard consists of maybe 30 people, only about 5 of which are on +duty at any given time, who are all under the direct command of Alexei “ +The Tank”, the Commander of the Guard. He is an extremely strong but +intelligent and wise leader, loved by the Mayor, his Men, and the townsfolk +alike. He has amicable relations with everyone in town, which often is the +reason for Hoskuld and Grebo not getting into an all-out war over their +pranks. The rest of the guardsmen can be considered 1st level fighters. + +Alexei, male human Ftr20: CR 20; Size M (5 ft., 7 in. tall); HD 20d10+80; +hp 198; Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 19 (+3 Dex, +3 armor); Attack ++26/+21/+16/+11 melee, or +23/+18/+13/+8 ranged; SV Fort +16, Ref +9, Will ++7; AL LG; Str 22, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 12. +Languages Spoken: Common, Elven, Gnome, Halfling. +Skill points: Ftr 138 +Skills and feats: Climb +29, Concentration +6.5, Craft (Stonemasonry) +14, +Gather Information +2, Handle Animal +23, Hide +3, Intimidate +22, Jump +27, +Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Ride +12, Spot +3, Swim +26, Tumble +6; +Alertness, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Far Shot, Great +Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sunder, Leadership, Point Blank Shot, +Power Attack, Quick Draw, Rapid Shot, Track, Weapon Focus (longsword), +Weapon Specialization (longsword). +Possessions: +2 Longsword of Thundering (+29/+24/+19/+15 1d8+5), +3 full plate, ++1 studded leather of sonic resistance (worn most frequently), Ring of Freedom +of Movement, Warhorse with platemail barding + + Aside from the Town Guard, Hillsburrough subscribes to a Militia +system – one day a week, all able bodied men are required to gather in +town and train to fight off roving monster bands, and groups of bandits, +etc. They also train in flood response, putting out fires, etc. These events +are something the whole town get into (even Grebo and Hoskuld act peacably +during these events), and it's a big way that the town stays cohesive and +tight-knit. Strong friendships are built in the training, and as a result +the entire citizenry is able bodied and determined. This is one of the reasons +for their independence – Alexei, Grebo and Hoskuld aside, you would have +a hard time occupying Hillsburrough. + +3.2 Outlying farms +------------------ + + The farms that lie on the north end of the village, next to the river, +grow a variety of crops – beans, leafy vegetables, nuts, some fruits, and +there are farms that raise beef, pork, poultry, and dairy. Some families run +cloth weaving, apothecary, or other oddball shops just outside of town in the +foothills or in the plains. The people of the village are, by and large, +agricultural – the majority of people don't live in the village proper, +but in the outlying farms. Hillsburrough claims the area that is in a 10 mile +radius from the center of town (the town hall with the clocktower), so a +lot of outlying farmers fall under Hillsburrough's jurisdiction. + Most of the farm houses are simple one-story homes with basic amenities +– outhouse, kitchen, fireplace, etc. A few of the outlying homes, +however – such as Mayor Hafgrim's manor home – are quite elaborate +for the simple village, two or three stories and containing a basement. +Despite the appearance of the simple folk in Hillsburrough, there is a lot +of money coming through – this is, after all, the last stop before the +frontier. diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/The Ambushed Chicken.jpg b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/The Ambushed Chicken.jpg new file mode 100755 index 0000000..b1d5bc6 Binary files /dev/null and b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/The Ambushed Chicken.jpg differ diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/The Giant Baby.jpg b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/The Giant Baby.jpg new file mode 100755 index 0000000..7a7e215 Binary files /dev/null and b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/The Giant Baby.jpg differ diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/The Scrying Stick.gif b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/The Scrying Stick.gif new file mode 100755 index 0000000..e69de29 diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/The Sneezing Cane.jpg b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/The Sneezing Cane.jpg new file mode 100755 index 0000000..fe5878a Binary files /dev/null and b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/The Sneezing Cane.jpg differ diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/guardhouse.jpg b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/guardhouse.jpg new file mode 100755 index 0000000..c29b282 Binary files /dev/null and b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/guardhouse.jpg differ diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/hillsburrough.jpg b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/hillsburrough.jpg new file mode 100755 index 0000000..c305ef7 Binary files /dev/null and b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/hillsburrough.jpg differ diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/hillsburrough.pdf b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/hillsburrough.pdf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..3a6515f Binary files /dev/null and b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/hillsburrough.pdf differ diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/olddungeon.gif b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/olddungeon.gif new file mode 100755 index 0000000..bcade2e Binary files /dev/null and b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/olddungeon.gif differ diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/temple.jpg b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/temple.jpg new file mode 100755 index 0000000..d6a6e6d Binary files /dev/null and b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/temple.jpg differ diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/townhall.gif b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/townhall.gif new file mode 100755 index 0000000..cf9f38f Binary files /dev/null and b/Locations/Free Frontier/Hillsburrough/townhall.gif differ diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/Overview.txt b/Locations/Free Frontier/Overview.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..92db97b --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Free Frontier/Overview.txt @@ -0,0 +1 @@ + The Free Frontier is the frontier which falls just outside of the Kingdom's boundaries, whether it is North, South or East of the kingdom. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Locations/Free Frontier/The Wailing Wall.txt b/Locations/Free Frontier/The Wailing Wall.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..02f0452 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Free Frontier/The Wailing Wall.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5 @@ + Named for the sound the wind makes when it howls through these low +mountains, the Wailing Wall is home to such rare creatures as griffins, +banshees, and even (it is rumored) pegasi. A prominent wizard is currently +doing excavation west of the village of Banshee's Ford, in preparation for +the installation of add-ons to his (already large) tower. diff --git a/Locations/General Frontier Overview.txt b/Locations/General Frontier Overview.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..6c5c9bd --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/General Frontier Overview.txt @@ -0,0 +1,38 @@ +The Frontier + “The Frontier” is a blanket term for all monstrous kingdoms that lie north, south, and east of the Western Kingdom of men. When the term is used by members of the monstrous races, it is a term used to refer to the gap between the westernmost of the monstrous kingdoms, and the city of Hillsburrough – the frontier which separates the men from the monstrous. (Or, as they are known in the monstrous kingdoms, “the slaves and the masters.”) + + +Men of the Frontier + + There are two types of demihumans that dwell on the frontier: soldiers fighting for the Western Kingdom, and pioneers. Pioneers are those who are attempting to follow behind King Braddock's army and settle the frontier, expanding the kingdoms of man and further opposing the monstrous kingdoms. This is an extremely dangerous lifestyle, and those who lead it are fittingly tough, both in body and spirit. + +Average Pioneer +c1 (races will vary – but most often human) +HP 6 +AC 10 +ST 12, DE 10, CO 14, IN 10, WI 12, CH 10 +Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +1 +Init +0 +BAB +1, +0 ranged +Languages: Common; 30% will know one of the following: orcish, goblinoid, elvish, dwarven, gnomish, or the language of a local pervasive monster type +Possessions: long knife, farming or other trade implements (80% of every pioneer will possess a melee or ranged weapon and ammunition), 1 sp and 1d20 cp (with an additional 1d10 sp in a hidden location in their home). + + The pioneers on the frontier come from all walks of life (though many are former soldiers), and attend various things – some set up shops, some start farms, others start a smithy. But all must be acquainted with the facts of life on the frontier: disease, unnaturally bad weather conditions, and frequent monster attacks – when their nearest garrison might be 30 or more miles away. + The average pioneer's home is simple, being made of local materials. On the grasslands of the frontier, sod houses are popular (dirt is free!). In the mountains, natural shelter – caves and other such surroundings – are used when found, but otherwise, trees are felled and used to build shelter. Some nomadic tribes pitch simple leather teepees on the grass itself, so they might be moved easily when following a herd. Regardless of construction, the average pioneer's home is a one or two room structure, with just enough room to eat, and sleep in. “Living” quarters are simple; beds are straw and rope when there are beds at all. Piles of furs and other such accommodations are also common. All homes, except in extremely hot climates, have a large fireplace or common fire pit; even the ones in very hot climes usually setup a dedicated fire area outside the home. If the family owns any weapons, they will be prominently displayed in a place of pride; a common place is over the hearth, surrounding a copy of the Old Code, given down by the council of nine. + In areas where more than 3 or 4 pioneer families have assembled, they take a page from Hillsburrough's history and form small militia units for the defense of their farms. When fighting as a group in defense of their homes, such pioneers gain a +1 to all attack and damage rolls. All pioneers are strong willed, and will fight virtually until dispelled or destroyed. + + +Monsters of the Frontier + + The Monsters of the Frontier are numerous, and of various alignments and opinions. It is not unheard of, though rare, for a group of pioneers to form a temporary alliance with a local neutral monster band (e.g. One that did not have a stake in the outcome of the Great Alliance and its war against the demihumans). This occurs when the two have a common enemy, or they are able to establish a routine for trade and profit amongst one another. + The majority of monsters roaming the frontier, however, are interested in no such pact. Those who are not directly attached to the remnants of the Great Alliance – now reforming in the East – are satellite agents for their interests, or are simply vicious beasts looking for loot or a quick meal. + In the plains between Hillsburrough and the Great Wall, Goblinoid armies roam the plains in a semi-organized fashion. They tend to avoid the armies of King Braddock, choosing instead to raid settlements and other lightly protected areas. These armies usually only number in the high double digits – sometimes a few hundred. They are generally led by an Orc or Hobgoblin of 1st to 3rd level, and consisting of about 10-100 additional monstrous humanoids, orcs, goblins, giants, ogres, etc. These armies are generally held together only by the force of their leader and his loyal soldiers; all members of these armies are constantly plotting and scheming against the leader, waiting for their chance to put themselves in power. The armies of King Braddock actively ferret out, engage, and pursue these armies – just as they would pursue an actual army of the Great Alliance. + +Average Unaffiliated Monstrous Band +Leader – OrcB5, average stats, carries minor magical weapon and armor, 1 random medium magic item +Lieutenants – OrcB2, average stats, carries one random minor magical item; 1 lieutenant will be present for every 25 soldiers +Soldiers – 10d6+10 monstrous humanoids; a random mix of goblins, orcs, giants, trolls, etc. They are equipped with the standard variety of arms and armor; short and long spears, axes, and simple armors. There is a 1% chance that any given member of the army will have a random minor magical item. + + The old remnants of the Great Alliance are currently rebuilding their strength far in the east, but that doesn't mean they never make an entrance or push towards the western kingdoms. Once every year or so, there will be a large army that will proceed forth from the outer edges of the monstrous kingdoms, numbering anywhere from a few hundred to a couple thousand monstrous humanoids. These armies are disciplined, strong, and vicious. The armies of King Braddock and the various demi-human nation states have thus far been able to repel these invading hordes. + Despite all this, the outlook in the western kingdoms is continually good. “As long as we keep seeing these armies”, they say, “the Great Alliance can't rebuild effectively. When they get quiet... then we might have a reason to worry.” + For statistics on armies of the Great Alliance, see the following section on the Great Alliance. diff --git a/Locations/Gnomish Holdings/Breech.txt b/Locations/Gnomish Holdings/Breech.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..190136a --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Gnomish Holdings/Breech.txt @@ -0,0 +1,942 @@ +1. Overview +-------- + + Built into a large crater in the side of one of the Eastern +Mountains. The crater is the bowl of an ancient dormant volcano, +which the Gnomes use as an infinite source of Geothermal power, and +as a natural heating source. They also use it as a resource, +occasionally tapping into a magma flow for this reason or the other. +The Engineer's Guild is tasked with the sometimes interesting task +of ensuring that the volcano stays dormant - and that if it doesn't, +then that the city has no less than one week's advance notice to +evacuate or help out. + +2. People +------ + + The population of Breech is, for the most part - quite obviously - +Gnomes. Every Gnome here, with few exceptions, is part of one of the +ruling Clans that founded the city 75 years ago. Many gnomes that live +here are old enough to remember escaping from the Alliance; 30% of any +gnomes encountered will be more than 300 years old, and will remember +escape from the Alliance. 15% will have been of adult age at the time, +and will remember actively fighting the alliance during their escape. +(Most of these people are currently working for the Gnomish Military, +but a few are in the Engineer's Guild or the Arcanists Guild). For this +reason the people of Breech take the idea of "Country", "People", etc, +far more seriously than the human kingdom to the west. Most of the gnomes +in the city view humans as (for the most part) well intentioned, but +having excessively short life and memory spans, often leading them to make +horrible choices - possibly even repeating the past. Gnomes will generally +hold their tongues around humans, however, preferring to simply ignore them +and hope that they go away (and "don't touch anything"). + The few humans who have taken up residence in Breech are generally +either political refugees from the Western Kingdom, farmers who were driven +out of their holdings in the Free Frontier by advancing Alliance armies, or +intelligent humans coming to study with the various guilds in Breech. Few +humano-centric adventuring guilds exist here, and human thieves are generally +viewed as "western barbarians" by the more sophisticated Gnomish thieves in +Breech. Still, humans are welcome; gnomes aren't as aloof as the elves. Most +humans coming here have brains, as there isn't much use for brawn here. So +humans coming into breech will have little trouble. + Elves coming into Breech are viewed with some amount of suspicion. The +Gnomes have never agreed with the elitist view that the Elves take of +themselves, or the elitism related to their elven arcane arts. The few elves +in Breech are generally members of the Arcanist Guild, and are serving at +the Academy of the Arcane Arts. Elves, however, generally don't stay long in +Breech; it's simply not their kind of place. + Breech has a strict ban on any residence by any monstrous humanoids; +this includes Goblins, Kobolds, Orcs and Half Orcs. While the gnomish clan +leaders despise the elitist attitudes of the Elves, they also distrust the +collectivist immigration policy of the Western Kingdom, where anybody who +"accepts the Lord" can immigrate from the frontier. If a monstrous humanoid +approaches a Gnomish Holding Border outpost, as long as he's peaceful, +there'll be no trouble; but he'll certainly be turned away, with instructions +to head south, and look for the nearest church, at which he may seek some sort +of western kingdom citizenship. If he is hostile, monstrous humanoids in and +around breech are dealt with decisively. "We were enslaved for millennia; we +won't have it any more. And if that means I have to blow your brains, out, +well..." + While certainly not common, Dwarves do live in Breech. The activities and +technology of the gnomes are of great interest to the dwarves of Stonehold, +and unbeknownst to those not reading over my shoulder, there are tunnels +connecting the two cities. The tunnels have existed as long as Stonehold, +and are old Underdark passageways. Dwarves patrol them along with Gnomish +Recon agents, and Dwarves will often settle in Breech as a result. Many of +the dwarves in Breech are representatives of Stonehold, or prominent Dwarvish +merchants purchasing materials and technology from the Gnomes. (It is also +not uncommon - again, unbeknownst to those not reading over my shoulder - +for gnomes to settle in Stonehold, under a strict gag order about that fact.) + For the most part, the people of Breech are, by and large, quite happy +and peaceful. But as with any gathering of peoples, there are bad elements, +criminal elements. Those residents of Breech fill the ranks on both sides, +as well as those caught in the middle. But all said and done, the people +of Breech are far more united and peaceful than those of the rest of the +Western Kingdom (except for the elves, who nobody knows what the *!@#& +they're doing). + +3. Notable Persons +------------------ + +4. Notable Locations +-------------------- + + 4.1 [Gnomish] Academy of the Arcane Arts [at Breech] + ---------------------------------------------------- + + A great octagonal tower complex rising out of the center of + Breech, soaring to a height of almost 900 feet at its apex. The + single publically advertised and attendable arcane school in the + entirety of the Western Kingdoms (if the elves have such + academies, they - in their elitism - are not advertising). + It is also the headquarters of the Arcanist's Guild, and the + school is currently ran by the heads of that Guild. + + 4.1.1 Admission + --------------- + + Admission is allowed twice per year, during the + Spring and Fall equinoxes. The admission is done by test; + specifically, anyone with an intelligence of less than 12 + is denied entry, period. They will be tested out on a + standardized test. After that, candidates are put through a + battery of physical tests to see if their bodies will + endure the rigors and dangers of magical training; the + specifics of this test are up to the DM, but they + generally follow the same pattern - subjecting the + candidate to severe elemental stresses, endurance tests, + etc. (Nobody can complete a 24 hour chant if they can't + stand on watch for 8 hours and function normally the next + day.) After that, they are subjected to a series of mental + tests; a series of illusions and terrors meant to test + their resolve. Any failed test will instantly disqualify a + candidate, and not even the hand of an Arcanist Senior + member can save his candidacy. Once the candidate has + passed entry exams, they are allowed entry into the + academy. Academy students, for their first four years, are + required to live on the Academy grounds with their + Arcanist mentor. They are nearly severed from contact with + the outside world, steeped in study and practice, + meditation and reflection. If they successfuly maintain + their studies for the first four years, then they will have + attained 1st level magic user, and will have placed 3d3 1st + level spells into their spellbook. After the four years + have passed, they are allowed limited contact with the + outside world, but still must live on-site with their + Arcanist mentor. In another 8 years, they will achieve 2nd + level of mastery, and may begin going on expeditions with + their Arcanist mentor or other Arcanists. Once they have + achieved their 3rd level of mastery, they are free - if + they wish - to acquire their own quarters and move out of + their Mentor's quarters. They will, however, maintain + the same mentor, regardless of their location. At the 3rd + level, the student will be assigned a student of their own + to mentor - whether they still live with their mentor or + not (naturally, the student's mentor at this time will + either inform his student that he needs to get his own + quarters, or the mentor will leave on field studies). + Admission to the academy and continued study there is + dependent upon a fee paid yearly, adjusted for the level of + study of the student. The fee is equal to 25 sp to the Nth + power, per year, where N is the level of mastery that the + student is studying. So, for 1st level, the fee is 62 gp; + but 4th level will cost 39,062 gp. That fee is *per year*. + Further, the student must maintain an active membership in + the Arcanist's Guild, which carries its own costs on top of + that. If the student is unable to pay the fees, then the + student may request that their mentor - or another Guild + member - sponsor them. When this happens, the sponsor will + agree to take on the student's debt, in exchange for the + services of the student, and forfeiture of any pay for said + services, outside of that to satisfy basic needs, until + such debt is repaid. If the student cannot attain + sponsorship from any of his peers or guild members, he may + make an appeal to the school board, consisting of the 8 + school heads; if they agree with his hardship, they can + form an agreement similar to that formed between mentor and + student - but with the school as the benefactor. The + various banks in Breech also offer loan programs for the + students of the Academy, but given the nature of a bank- + being more interested in finance than the furtherance of + the science -the student's Mentor must submit the + application to the school council, and it must be approved + by the council, and the student's mentor, rather than the + student itself. The bank's terms are often even worse than + those of a mentor or the school, making this option the + least interesting of all. + + 4.1.2 Levels and Advancement + ---------------------------- + + If a student relies only on book study, then it will + take 4 years (per level) to attain first level, 8 for 2nd, + 16 for 3rd, 32 for 4th, 64 for 5th, 128 for 6th, 256 for + 7th, 512 for 8th, and 1024 for 9th. So, to attain the 9th + level of mastery through nothing but book study, the + student would have to study for 4 + 8 + 16 + 32 + 64 + 128 + + 256 + 512 + 1024 = 2048 YEARS. This means that nobody + will ever attain the true understanding of magic necessary + to use 9th level spells just from books and study at the + Academy. Generally, once someone reaches the 4th level of + mastery, if they aren't going on expeditions already, they + will. The question of "how much XP is a year at the academy + worth?" will often come up. Specifically, here is the + chart: + + Level of Years XP Per Year Magic-User + Mastery Sought To Mastery of Study Level + ---------------------------------------------------------- + 1st 4 625 2 + 2nd 8 937 4 + 3rd 16 1875 6 + 4th 32 1562 8 + 5th 64 2500 10 + 6th 128 6835 13 + 7th 256 4394 16 + 8th 512 1464 18 + 9th 1024 732 20 + + For every year spent at the academy, in pursuance + of a given level of mastery, the student will be taught + - in theory and practice - a number of spells of a given + level which they can scribe into their spellbook, as shown + in the table below: + Spells Per Year + Level of By Level + Mastery 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + --------------------------------------------- + 1 5 - - - - - - - - + 2 1 3 - - - - - - - + 3 - 1 1.5 - - - - - - + 4 - - - .75 - - - - - + 5 - - - - .33 - - - - + 6 - - - - - .20 - - - + 7 - - - - - - .05 - - + 8 - - - - - - - .03 - + 9 - - - - - - - - .01 + + Fractional spells per year represent that + it will take more than one year to learn a given spell of + that school just by book learning; for example, when + pursuing the 5th level of mastery, each spell takes + (1/.33 = 3.3r) 3 years to master. At the 9th level + of mastery, it takes 100 years to master the magical + energies required to cast the Wish spell, for example. + This is another reason why most people disembark for + field studies once they reach the 3rd level of mastery, + because they can acquire spells far more quickly. + HOWEVER, note that in order to gain the spells for a given + year of study, the student must be present *for the entire + year of study*. So the student does not get automatic + spells from the academy while out on field studies. + + + 4.2 Breech Master Pentagonal Library + ------------------------------------ + + The single most complete library in the Kingdom. Gnomes + are known for their love of writing down whatever comes to mind, + and the Breech Master Pentagonal Library is the single largest + showcase of that. The library is built - if viewed from above - + to resemble a sort of pentagram, with five "spokes" coming out + from a central "hub". Each of the spokes houses a wing, which + will cover a specific topic (or group of related topics). The + wings are (at current - they may be rearranged, but have not + been yet): + + North Wing: Agricultural and Economic texts + East Wing: Engineering, General Mathematics + Southeast Wing: Arcana, Arcane Mathematics + Southwest Wing: History and Public Records + West Wing: Fiction, Art, etc + + Any texts which do not fall under those topics can be + found in the central "hub" of the library. The building itself + is a full 9 stories tall, standing almost 100 feet. Gnomish + elevators and simple staircases allow for travel between floors. + Most of the books can not be checked out due to their rare + nature, but there are few restrictions on what can be viewed and + copied. + + 4.3 Council Home + ---------------- + + The Council Home is the location of the Gnomish Clan + Council, and is where they hold court. The Gnomish Clan Council + holds court once per month, lasting 14 days, with each session + per day lasting 9 hours (sometimes more if circumstances permit). + The council then takes two weeks off to "be amongst the people, + and understand their affairs far better than we possibly could, + cloistered in the lavishly decorated comfort of the Council + Home." (It is, in fact, a requirement that the Gnomish Clan + Council members - each one the head of a prominent Gnomish Clan - + hold some sort of employment outside of their council duties.) + The building is made of white marble, and is in the + Athenian style - an open building surrounded by columns, + onto which the original Clan Law, to include the Knight's Old + Code handed down by the Council of Nine, is magically carved so + that it may never be eroded and forgotten. At night it glows + with a faint white light, and those who cannot see need but + touch one of the pillars, and they will hear the law spoken + in their mind. Law and lawlessness are central issues to the + Gnomish people, as they believe that only by strict adherence to + the law - with the occasional slip by a well meaning engineer's + device - can the society remain free of corruption and tyrrany. + The Council Home is carved with various Gnomish art and sayings, + but the most prominent is carved above the main entrance. With + a sword and a scales flanking the phrase, carved in the stone + (again magically to prevent erosion), it says: + + "AS ABOVE - SO BELOW" + + ... A reference to how the law must apply equally to + all people in Breech, whether they are a Clan leader or a + beggar in the street. Walking through the main doors + of the Council Home, you are instantly placed in the + Auditorium. Stairs lead down into an open pit in the floor, + built as an Amphiteatre, where speakers present their cases + to the court. The Council sits behind the amphitheater floor, + in a semi-closed box, facing the pit and the rest of the + seats on the other side. + The people of Breech, by and large, detest the idea of + secrets - secret societies, secret meetings, secret + organizations. For that reason, all meetings of the Council + are held open to the scrutiny of the public eye and the Breech + press. In fact, one of the reasons why the clan leaders + declared their independence from the Braddock line 75 years ago + was the increasing talk of secret meetings and societies in the + ranks. + + 4.4 Advanced Agricultural Growth Advancement Domes + -------------------------------------------------- + + In the AAGDA (pronounced simply "Ag-da" by those who + speak of them frequently), the Agriculturalist's Guild + attempts to develop methods by which: + - crops that grow well only in the foothills may + be made to grow in the mountains for additional + security of the crops + - any crop can be made to grow faster, and produce + more yield per square acre of planting + The domes stretch over an area of about 20 acres at + current, with 10 separate aquaducts feeding only this site. + At any given time there will be from 10 to 100 different + experiments taking place here, with an unknown probability of + success. Most players won't go here often. + + 4.5 Breech Aquifer and Aquaducts + -------------------------------- + + The Breech Aquifer itself is located deep under the + mountain, above Breech proper, somewhere beneath the peak + of the mountain. The various stations that make up the + Gnomish Aquafier System are lined up and down the side of + the mountain, sometimes above, and sometimes below, Breech + proper - sometimes even outside of the walls. + + 4.5.1 Boiling Station + --------------------- + + Water collects here from the aquifer, and is brought + to a boil by a combination of copper heating elements and + magical heating effects. The Boiling Station is large + enough to hold approximately 5,000 gallons of water, + and will not release to the pumping station unless the + water has reached boiling temperatures. This is both a + general sanitation concern, as well as a security concern- + Slaadi hate hot water, and they're renown for their love of + underground, cool fresh waters, like the Aquifer below + breech. The Gnomish Defense Force and Engineer's Guild + would rather not deal with the consequences if a Slaad + somehow found its way out into the Aquaduct. + Grills above the boiling station open into a network + of massive iron pipes, which open out into natural steam + vents from the underground volcanic flows. While the + steam pipes are theoretically large enough for a full sized + Orc - or even a Troll - to fit inside of and infiltrate + the Boiling Station, the intense heat of the Boiling + Station's own steam, combined with the constant - and + occasionally violent - steam release of the underground + magma flows, it is doubtful that any creature would be + able to survive the trip. + + 4.5.2 Pumping Station + --------------------- + + Water is pumped here from the boiling station, into + the aquaducts, out into the city and out to the outlying + foothills. It consists of no less than ten (and they are + often constructing more) huge pumps the size of the average + human house (each pump is approximately 60,000 cubic feet + in size, or about 100 x 50 x 10 feet tall). The pumps + are capable of moving up to 10,000 gallons of water + per hour, though they are hardly ever used to capacity. + The extra capacity was built into the pumps so that, + if Breech ever experienced flooding, the polarity on the + pumps could be reversed, and the city's excess water level + emptied out into surrounding ravines. Here, much like the + Boiling Station, there are massive iron pipes leading out + to the city and the aquaducts. It is an extremely dangerous + place, access is highly restricted, even amongst the + Engineer's Guild members who operate the location. (For + example, just because you work for the Engineer's Guild + at the Aquifer, if you work at the Boiling Station, + or the Recovery Station, you won't be granted access to + the Pumping Station). + + 4.5.3 Recovery Station + ---------------------- + + Water is collected here from both rainwater sources, + street runoff, sewer return, and aquaduct return flows. The + recovery station measures the volume of water coming in - + of each variety - and ensures that contaminated ground + water (e.g. street run off and sewage) do not mix with + fresh rain water and aquaduct return flows. Contaminated + water is sent out to the Sewage Treatment Station, + and the fresh (or mostly fresh) water is sent to the + Boiling Station. The Recovery Station is also a magical + detection point; water is taken in from the various sources + and held for five minutes in large 500 gallon storage + tanks, where Detect Magic spells are cast upon it. Any + water showing traces of magical tampering is sent to the + Sewage Treatment Station instead of the Boiling Station, + regardless of its type. + + 4.5.4 Sewage Treatment Station + ------------------------------ + + Contaminated water is sent here after being separated + out from fresh water at the Recovery Station. Here it goes + through a number of cleansing and preparation steps, to + include mechanical separation of waste matter, sediment + removal, chemical antibacterial and antiviral treatments, + etc. The final step of the sewage treatment station is to + undergo a final separation; non-magical water elements get + delivered directly back into the boiling station, but + any water showing magical enchantments is separated off + into a separate holding tank where the nature of the + dweomer is determined, and Dispel Magic spells used upon it + if necessary. Any water showing magical enchantments that + cannot be dispelled, is immediately dumped into one of the + various underground magma flows under the treatment + station, thus ending any threat it may pose. + + 4.5.5 Secondary Pumping Station + ------------------------------- + + Located in the foothills at the base of the mountain, + it is the job of the Secondary Pumping Station to ensure + that any and all water coming in from the aquaducts in the + foothills, and any captured mountain rainwater, is pumped + positively back up the mountain, back to the Recovery + Station. This station is almost identical to the + Pumping Station, except that its pumps are smaller and it + has less of them. Each pump here is capable of moving only + about 2,000 gallons per hour, but with more force, to + propel the water back up the mountain. There are currently + five pumps at the facility, each measuring about 30x30x10 + feet. + + 4.6 Gnomish Military Headquarters and Command Center + ---------------------------------------------------- + + Built in the same area of the city as the Academy of the + Arcane Arts, the compound is walled and rises approximately 120 + feet above the streets (the single tallest structure in the city + next to the Academy itself). It consists of two main structures, + one for the Headquarters and another for the Command Center. + Headquarters houses the administrative and financial branches of + the Gnomish Military and Gnomish Defense Force. Its 10 story + building is full, for the most part, of offices, and the type of + people who spend their day in an office. + The second building in the pair is the Command Center, + which also houses the Gnomish Defense Force Command Center. Few + know what goes on in this 12 story building - or in its 5 level + basement. + + 4.6.1 Jail + ---------- + + Also on this site is the Gnomish Clan Holdings Center + for Administrative and Military Judicial Punishment and + Executions, or "the jail" for short. The jail here is more + technological, and much more comfortable, than the one in + Throne, which is the only known jail to which it may be + readily compared. The building itself is a 4 story + building with concertina wire surrounding it, + in addition to the stone wall already surrounding the HQ/ + Command Center site. Guards patrol the wire, and are + stationed on the roof, all equipped with Gnomish Light + Rifles and short swords. Escape is difficult if not + impossible. The entire site is built on top of the + mountain's own stone floor, making tunneling - again - + difficult if not impossible. + The cells are generally 10x10, have a + commode which may be flushed (rather than the simple + watered channel the ones in Throne are equipped with), + a mattress on a stone slab, a foot locker for the + holding of personal effects, a writing desk - "so that + one might study and better one's self whilst in prison, + to be a useful member of society upon one's release, + rather than yet another criminal awaiting re-entry into + a criminal world" - and, in the cases where the prisoner + is lucky enough, a reinforced glass window looking out + over various portions of the prison/city (which may or may + not be green). The rooms are also equipped with "less-than- + lethal prisoner compliance systems", which amount to a hole + in the wall through which water can be blasted at high + pressure, targeted at a troublesome prisoner, "inducing + compliance rapidly". + Those criminals unlucky enough to be assigned to a + "high risk" cell will find their stay far less enjoyable. + These prisoners are generally kept under chemical sedation + while in prison, inside their 8x8 cells with simple + stone beds - to which they may be electronically shackled. + The flushing commode has been replaced in these cells + by the simpler watered channel, "to reduce the amount of + frangible material available to a prisoner, which may be + reduced to weapon-like shards to be used against + themselves, other prisoners, or their guards". Closed- + circuit electronic/magical hybrid cameras monitor the + cells 24/7, giving the prisoners not one minute of privacy. + And if that wasn't enough, the room is equipped with not + one, but two, means of automatically doing away with a + troublesome prisoner. Inside of an armored hemisphere in + one corner of the roof rests a gnomish machine pistol on + an automated turret with a 1,000 round magical magazine + which may be controlled from the same room as the + cameras. This should be scary enough. The rooms also + have the same "less-than-lethel prisoner compliance + systems" of the simpler cells, with a rather nasty twist; + not only can they direct water into the room, but they can + also fill the room with knockout or poison gas. + Gnomish prison is not a place that anyone wants + to find themselves. The only thing that is worse than + being in a Gnomish jail, is being in Throne, with the + Church being out for your blood. + + 4.7 Power Generating and Recyling Station + ----------------------------------------- + + The PGRS is the station at which all the electrical + power is generated in Breech. The power is generated through + a collection of geothermal and biological generation methods, + to include the standard geothermal generation from magma flows, + to the production of electricity using Methane gas from + decomposing garbage as it sits in the Recycling Station, + awaiting incineration. (Sitting atop a dormant volcano, with + access to its magma flows, Breech has no problem disposing of + its garbage.) The site is a sprawling location, covering almost + 150 acres of property, much of which is bare for the purpose of + separating the station from the rest of the city in case of + some sort of disaster. The power generation site is located + on the southern edge of the city just behind the walls (in case + a disaster does ever happen and a magma flow erupts from the + site, it will flow down the mountain, and not out into the + rest of the city). The plant is currently operating near + capacity, and plans are being made to expand it further, outside + the city walls, with a second site closer down towards the + foothills. The plant provides power to the entire city, + as well as the pumping station down in the foothills, and + select outposts along the mountains. Much expense is spent + policing the miles of electrical power lines stretching out into + the mountains and the foothills, against monstrous interference. + As for the location itself, it is, as has been said, ~150 + acres square. The entire site is fenced off with a stone wall + and concertina wire, much as the Jail. Entry is allowed through + only one narrow gate on the eastern edge of the facility, which + is under armed guard at all times. (Guards generally carry + Short Swords and Gnomish Light Rifles with 20 rounds of + ammunition). + + 4.7.1 Power Generating Station + ------------------------------ + The facility itself is located in the center of the + 150 acres, with the ground level building being only a few + thousand square feet, consisting mainly of administrative + offices. All engineering levels are below ground, closer to + the magma. The facility holds 20 geothermal power + generators, each capable of generating 120,000 killowatts + of electricity continuously. Each generator sits directly + atop a shaft that goes between 200 and 500 feet straight + down into a magma flow. There is one generator per level, + given their massive size (each generator shaft is + approximately 40 feet wide, and the generators themselves + are about 200x200x30 feet, *massive* machines). The area + around the generators is excessively hot, and excessively + tangled with a maze and mess of thick electrical wires, + carrying current out to distribution sites across the + mountains, and ultimately into gnomish holding buildings. + The entire area is plastered, quite obviously, with + signs simply illustrated. The illustration is generally of + a stick figure touching something, and exploding, or + vaporizing, or melting, or having some other similar + horrific fate visited upon them. Warnings in common, + gnomish, elven, and even in Goblin and Orcish, read: + + "DANGER! EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS! INSTANT DEATH GUARANTEED! + (or your money back)" + + The only other location of note on the surface here + is the Recycling Station and the Methane Power Generation + Station, located adjacent to it. + + 4.7.1 Recycling Station + ----------------------- + + A smaller facility added on to the side of the + generating facility at a later date, this facility is + located just by the gate on the inside of the walls. + It houses various holding tanks/rooms for garbage and + various substances. Once the room or tank is filled, + it is sealed, and a large rubber tube - measuring about + 3 feet in diameter - is attached to the room, and to + an outlet in the wall next to it. The tube leads to + a great iron pipe that leads back to the Methane + power generation site. + The garbage substances are allowed to generate + the gas for some time before being released to the + recycling center proper. Some materials are reclaimed + and used again; such as precious metals (copper, aluminum, + etc). Some are milled up and used to produce other + materials (such as paper). Some are unusable and, + once they stop generating methane, are taken to + the "Dump Chute" - a 100 foot wide chute, leading straight + down into a series of magma flows. + + 4.7.2 Methane Power Generation Station + -------------------------------------- + + This is where the methane gas produced by + trash waiting recycling in the Recycling Station is + pumped to generate additional electricity. The + Methane Power Generation Station is responsible for + only about 8% of the power generated and used in the + kingdom, but it is an essential part of the equation + nonetheless. It consists of 2 large generators that + burn the gas to spin large motors which generate + electricity, which is fed back into the master + grid at the Power Generating Station (proper), to which + the MPGS is adjacently located. + +5. Government and Politics +----------------------- + + 5.1 Ruling Body - Gnomish Clan Council + -------------------------------------- + + The Gnomish Clan Council consists of the family head of + each large gnomish clan. The "large" gnomish clans are the ones + that : + - Originally escaped Alliance enslavement + - Have ammassed considerable wealth, and therefore are + in a position to help (or hurt) the gnomish + holdings with their actions + - Have ammassed a large extended family size (500+) but + are not extremely wealthy + + In this way, almost every segment of the population of + Breech is represented - with the notable exception of those + *who are not gnomish*. Non-gnomes can *not* sit on the + council, by its very design. This issue has only been briefly + discussed by councilmen, outside the Council Home, before. + It cannot currently be concieved why a non-gnome would want + to sit on the council; outside of influence from the Western + Kingdom's Royal Trading Company, that is. And the fairly simple + tactic of refusing non-gnomes on the council makes that easy (as + the Royal Trading Company's distrust of gnomes is well known). + Currently, there are 7 clan leaders sitting on the + Council. Presence on the Council is not voluntary; if a clan + falls within the designations above, their leaders are required + by law to be present at all council hearings to speak for their + people. It is also Gnomish law that presence on the council will + provide the person with no special powers or priveleges beyond + their normal status as clan leaders; by law, no single member of + the council has legal power. Rather, the council - acting in + majority - have the power to create, repeal, modify laws, and + manage the finances of the Gnomish Holdings at large. This policy + was created to help curb additional abuses of power seen in the + Western Kingdom at the time of the Clan Leaders' separation. + + 5.2 Police and Military + ----------------------- + + The Gnomish Military is designed around the essential + feudal system with some differences. Each Clan maintains its + own fighting force, much the way British lords did in the + olden days. Each clan is required to outfit its army on its + own, but they can petition the Council for additional funding + from the nation's coffers if necessary. When operating, + each clan's unit is under the specific command of that clan. + Therefore, unity of purpose in the Gnomish Holdings is of + ultimate importance; if they saw fit, a clan could take its army + and go home, since they do not take orders from some detached + government entity, but rather from senior clan members to whom + they are directly related. + + 5.2.1 Gnomish Defense Force + --------------------------- + + The Gnomish Defense Force is the domestic branch of + the Gnomish Military, tasked with defending Breech and the + outlying foothills. The GDF does not - in general - have + the advanced weaponry, training, and support networks that + the Gnomish Military proper does. The GDF generally + operates in pairs of 2, patrolling the streets. GDF agents + are, in general, armed with short sword and billy club, + short spear and billy club, or light crossbow and billy + club. It is not common to see GDF members operating in + teams of more than 4, and that is only in high crime + areas. The GDF does, however, have a few big guns - + specifically, they have the Machiners. (See new monster, + "The Machiner".) The GDF has a force of 10 Machiners + in reserve. They rarely operate at all, and when they + do, it's generally a terrifying thing to watch. + The Gnomihs Defense Force is the only branch of the + Gnomish Military that breaks free from the clan system; + the Council agreed early on that, in order to provide for + efficient security at home, the safety of the city at large + must take precedence over individual clan interests. + Therefore, a separate command was created - the GDF - and + troops are donated to the GDF in equal number by all clans + (to prevent one clan having an excess of troops in the GDF, + and attempting to stage a coup). The troops in the GDF + are commanded by GDF leaders, and from the council - in + majority - above them. + + 5.2.2 Gnomish Military Proper + ----------------------------- + + Generally speaking, the gnomish military is too busy + on the frontier - and other places - to be bothered with + policing Breech itself, and prefer to leave that to the + Gnomish Defense Force. That, however, shouldn't be taken to + believe that the gnomish military never operates + domestically - just that it's extremely rare. + The Gnomish Military headquarters, however, is here + in Breech, as well as the Gnomish Command Center. (Head- + quarters is the administrative branch of command, while the + GCC is the active branch that actually controls troops in + the field). For this reason, there is - in reserve and + on standby - one company of Gnomish Reconnaisance + operatives in Breech (about 200 men), under the direct + command of the GCC. They are only given out to the GDF in + *extremely* dire circumstances; they generally are kept to + protect the Military HQ and the GCC itself in case of + attack. The only activity that the gnomish recon here + in Breech actively engage in on a routine basis is the + patrol and policing of the magma flows (yes, magma flows) + beneath the city to ensure that they are not somehow + being magically penetrated by denizens of the underdark. + The same applies to the various caverns underneath + and around Breech. Naturally, "GCC Duty" for gnomish + recon is not sneezed at - not just anybody has the big + iron balls to go patrolling a magma flow. + +6. Economy +---------- + + Breech has an economy that could be labeled as "sufficient". +There are a few wealthy people in Breech, but for the most part, +everyone is "comfortable". There are various programs ran by the Clan +Council to provide low cost health care, copyright and trademark +protection of valuable assets and products, and all the economic +trappings expected of a high technology / high magic society; yes, +including crooked banks. + + 6.1 Agriculture in Breech + ------------------------- + + Little Agricultural activities are performed in Breech + proper outside of the Domes. The city has no soil to speak of, + making agriculture mostly impossible. What little agriculture is + done in breech revolves around research and the herding of + mountain goats/sheep for food stuffs, wool, horn, etc. + + 6.2 Imports and Exports + ----------------------- + + The single biggest export of Breech is gnomish weaponry + and engineering devices to Stonehold. They trade with Stonehold + far more than they do with any other nation, and are the only + nation with which Stonehold will trade. Medicines and various + technology are exported to wealthy people and governments in the + Western Kingdom, mostly King Braddock in Throne, and those in + Mast. Beyond that, information and personnel are the largest + export from Breech. Many troops leave from here to join up, + under Clan leadership, with various Western Kingdom armies on + the Frontier. Gnomish Engineers often leave and hire out in the + larger cities of the Western Kingdom, and sometimes work pro-bono + in smaller villages throughout the Kingdom. Gnomish Arcanists + will sometimes - though rarely - be invited to come and visit + with the Elven Archmages in the Elven Protectorate. + The other lesser known exports of Breech are the precious + stones and metals turned up by Dwarves using Gnomish mining + techniques. The dwarves are able to mine so quickly using gnomish + engineering, that the Gnomes worked out an agreement; the Dwarves + purchase gnomish mining equipment at a reduced price in return + for a small cut of whatever is produced from the mines. (This + allows dwarven miners who are down on their luck to purchase + equipment, get back on their feet, and provide additional + continuing revenue to Breech all at the same time. It's a win-win + situation.) Most of the results of this agreement are used here + by the various Guilds, but many of them are exported down towards + Mast and Throne for a hefty profit. + + 6.3 Domestic Markets in Breech + ------------------------------ + + Breech doesn't have markets like most people think of them; + gone is the Bazaar of Mast. Most needs are filled by a few large + "shopping centers" where a single merchant guild member will + contract the service of various artisans to work and stock the + various "departments" of their stores with the goods they need. + Food is bought in bulk from the farmers in the foothills, and + some in the free frontier, and presented in the "grocery" + department of these stores. Some food is even magically preserved + and smuggled through customs in the Western Kingdom to provide + fresh seafood in Breech, to those willing to pay for it. Many + of these "shopping centers" are open 24 hours per day, seven + days per week, providing a continuously operating economy. + + 6.4 Currency and Banking in Breech + ---------------------------------- + + The standard currency of Breech, and the entire Gnomish + Holdings, is the standard Gold Piece. On one side, it is graven + with the seal of the Western Kingdom; on the other, the seal of + the Clan Council. "Thus shall it always be recognised, by all + who do business with us, that we are eternally connected to, and + hold respect for, our brethren in the West; while also displaying + obviously and proudly that the Gnomish Holdings are a free and + sovereign entity." The currency of the Western Kingdom proper is + also accepted, but the use of Breech currency is encouraged by + those who intend to reside here long. + The Banking system in breech is above and beyond anything + in the Western Kingdom, and would make the bankers in Throne and + Mast wet their pants. There are 2 or 3 large banks in Breech, + each having large gnomish safes inside. All the banks in the city + are electronically connected, and many of the "shopping centers" + are electronically connected to the banks (which often own the + centers...) in turn. Often money changes hands in Breech without + any coin or chits being present; many locations have small + plates on which a customer can reference their bank account + and transfer money into the account of the shopping center, thus + reducing the amount of cash actually carried on a person. Most + residents of Breech - specifically the more wealthy ones - have + welcomed this system, while many others - Dwarves and low income + gnomish clans specifically - have rejected the system and + refuse to work within it, instead opening traditional banks and + spending money in traditional ways. Even in Breech, and even in + the financial sector, there is still often a divide drawn - when + everyone begins to ponder just how much technology is too much. + +7. Notable Non-Government Bodies +-------------------------------- + + 7.1 Thieve's Guilds + ------------------- + + 7.1.1 Gnomish Guild + ----------------- + + The Gnomish Guild in Breech is part thieves guild, + part separatist organization. They maintain a firm stance + that non-gnomish thieves should not be allowed to operate + inside of Breech, and that when caught they should be dealt + with swiftly - before the law has a chance to swoop in and + save their sorry hides. Non-gnomish thieves don't have the + finesse of a gnomish thief, they don't understand the + technology, and they don't understand the risks inherent + in the city's operations. They just wind up using the same + tactics that work back home where torches and swords are + your biggest problems, and most locks can be defeated with + simple picks, or a prybar. All they do is bring down the + heat on the Gnomish thieves when their idiocy gets them + caught. When the Gnomish Guild catches a non-gnomish thief + operating in the city, they send a simple warning - a + rat skewered on a long knife, delivered in a black box. + "Get out" is the meaning of the warning. If they don't + clear out within a week, the Guild will generally eliminate + them by whatever means are expedient. + Aside from their separatist leanings, the Gnomish + Guild is extremely efficient and is highly wanted by the + Gnomish Defense Force. They live amongst and apart from the + people, using the shadows of the city, the technology and + the magic, to make off with the most choice valuables. + Purses of coin and a rare vase are above the Gnomish Guild + thief; magic items, engineering plans, equipment, all these + are their aims. They will use their catch for their own + ends, or sell it to the highest bidder on open markets. + But even the Gnomish Guild, consisting of some very old + Gnomish Thieves, understands the nature of the situation + at large; anyone caught dealing with monstrous races + is dealt with decisively. Stealing from your neighbors + is one thing, but giving your neighbor's enemy a weapon + against them, is entirely another. The Gnomish Guild has + a strict honor code to which they adhere, despite their + roguish appearance outside. In fact, many Gnomish Thieve's + Guild members are ex-gnomish Recon operatives who decided + this life was much more exciting than going straight. + Much to the surprise of most players, the alignment of the + average thief in the Gnomish Guild is Lawful Neutral. + + 7.1.2 Other Guilds + ------------------ + + Other guilds will pop up from time to time, + consisting mostly of non-gnomish thieves, due to the + Gnomish guild's separatist leanings. Occasionally there + will be a gnome amongst them; sometimes they are genuinely + interested in working with the others, often times they are + a plant sent there by the Gnomish Guild to bring this new + upstart "mongreloid" guild down from the inside. Non- + gnomish guilds don't generally last more than a year, + and even then they generally aren't all that successful. + + 7.2 Arcanist Guild + ------------------ + + Not much is known about the Arcanist Guild, other than + that they run the Academy of the Arcane Arts. They're not a + secret society per-se, but most people simply don't have an + interest in what they do. And besides, most of what they do + pertains to arcane research, which is - by necessity - secret. + For the most part, the hierarchy and operations of the Arcanist + Guild is the hierarchy and operations of the Academy. + + 7.3 Engineering Guild + --------------------- + + The Engineering Guild serves an obvious purpose; it + provides support to engineering workers in Breech, as well as + providing uniform testing and certification criteria for various + occupations. It also provides legal support to any engineer whose + trademark gnomish careless zeal has resulted in some form of + accident or other legal liability. The Engineering Guild is a + perfectly respectable organization, whose headquarters are + located just outside the Aquifer Pumping Station. + + 7.4 Merchant's Guild + -------------------- + + The Merchant's Guild is actually populated, mostly, by + bankers. It is not so much a guild, as a lobbying entity; those + in it have money, and firmly believe that the council should be + doing more for them, to ensure that they get more money. + + 7.5 Argicultural Guild + ------------------------- + + The Agricultural Guild is composed entirely of + agriculturalists from the surrounding foothills and countryside, + and is both a lobbying entity and a guild. The agricultural guild + runs its own bank, the First Farmer's Bank of Breech, with + offices scattered across the countryside to assist village + farmers who are having difficulties. It also works to ensure + that those members of the Council who are not actively engaged + in agriculture, are certain of how important agriculture is, + and that they do not rule against agriculture in their court + proceedings. The Agricultural Guild also runs experiments at + the Domes with the cooperation of the Engineers Guild. diff --git a/Locations/Gnomish Holdings/Overview.txt b/Locations/Gnomish Holdings/Overview.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..273ea9f --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Gnomish Holdings/Overview.txt @@ -0,0 +1,19 @@ + About 75 years ago, the gnomish clan heads set out to take strategic + positions in the northeastern foothills and rocky outcroppings of the +Eastern Mountains and the Dragonspine. Once there, they quickly - and +unsurprisingly, to most who followed politics - announced a sovereign +Gnomish nation, while recognising its eternal and unseverable ties with +the Church and the rest of the Western Kingdom. There was little resistance +to the idea, as the two nations have - for as long as they've existed - +freely traded troops, technology, and information. Gnomish recon troops +and cannon crews, for example, regularly go into battle alingside Royal +Cavalary units. Gnomish engineers are routinely found working in Throne, +passing on gnomish tech to humans (who sometimes refine it, but usually +just abuse it). The clan leaders of the gnomish holdings also claim to +have opened communications with the dwarves of stonehold, and trade with +them on a limited basis. Attempts to communicate with Stonehold through +the clan leaders, however, have failed. Their capitol city, Breech, is +the largest of only a few gnomish cities in the holdings. It lies on top +of an ancient inactive volcano, and entrances to the underdark. Citizens +of the western kingdom are allowed to come and go as they please, but +half-orcs and elvish types are held in some suspicion. diff --git a/Locations/Northern Frontier/Overview.txt b/Locations/Northern Frontier/Overview.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..ee1a523 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Northern Frontier/Overview.txt @@ -0,0 +1 @@ + The northern frontier is largely and wildly unknown and unmapped, even moreso than the eastern frontier. The prevalence of strange creatures, wild magic areas, and strange indigineous religions have made exploration and relations difficult to impossible. Good maps simply don't exist. Pure indian country. diff --git a/Locations/Southern Barbaric Desert/Overview.txt b/Locations/Southern Barbaric Desert/Overview.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..770cff8 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Southern Barbaric Desert/Overview.txt @@ -0,0 +1 @@ + The southern desert was given the name of the Southern Barbaric Desert by its northern neighbors, the demi-human Kingdom. However, to its residents, it is no more barbaric than the Kingdom. Populated mainly by a mix of monstrous races such as Giants and Ogres, Djinni and Efreeti are also known to roam the sands, as well as many other variety of creatures. Some demi-humans have taken up residence in the desert over the years, which have given rise to the Cloaked Bands, deadly humanoid raiders who attack southern settlements from the sands, and then fade back into the desert from which they came. The Long Watch, emplaced some 50 years ago, has severely reduced their ability to strike into the heartland. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Arc River.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Arc River.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..829da3e --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Arc River.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6 @@ + Arc River + + This river flows out of the crater lake on the eastern mountains, +flowing east and west. It carries ships between the coast and the +mountains, and it carries vital fresh water to settlements on the +frontier. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Civil Wood.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Civil Wood.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..31d9617 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Civil Wood.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8 @@ + Northern Forests - Civil Wood + + Home to elves and forest gnomes, a thick wood that humans +generally don't enter. Powerful magics and strange construction confuse +non-gnomes and non-elves, who promptly leave in most cases. For the +creatures who live here, however, it is peaceful, quiet, and utterly +civil. For more information on this area, see the area on the “Elven +Protectorate” political area. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Coral City.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Coral City.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..9197db7 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Coral City.txt @@ -0,0 +1,62 @@ + Coral City + + Coral City sits at the southern end of the Arc River's western +delta, directly on the ocean on the whale coast. Coral City is the +largest city in the kingdom next to Throne (though Mast is definitely +the much more recognised city). Coral City is home not only to the +Royal Navy Headquarters, but also to a booming manufacturing sector. +Coral City is also known for its extensive civilian waterborne +industries, to include whaling, saltwater fishing, and others. The +Coral City Shipyards, alone, between the royal navy and the civilian +shipmakers, employ almost 15,000 personnel at their sprawling facility +just south of the Docks. The Royal Navy itself maintains an armada of +20 war ships, and 40 transport ships, here in the bay south of Coral +City, as well as the docks proper. Coral City is, also, largely +unaffected by the Royal Trading Company's corruption. The city, being +the only city on the coast to the south of Throne and north of the +southern border, is under military law. Therefore, the commanding +officer of the Royal Navy is also the commanding officer of the local +garrisons. And on top of that, the Royal Navy just happens to be +commanded by Crown Prince Archibald Braddock - the King's younger +brother, and a decided enemy of government corruption and the Royal +Trading Company itself. The Prince's loyalty to his brother, and his +country, are unfailing - but he is in constant disputes with his +brother over his involvement with the Trading Company. + Coral City's industrial sector consists, mostly, of shipbuilders, +textile manufacturers, and horse ranches. Much of the Royal Cavalry's +horses are born and trained in facilities locate inside, or just +outside of, Coral City. Much of the cloth that is sold in the kingdom +is spun or loomed in Coral City (the only supplier bigger than Coral +City is Mast, because it's closer to the foothills where wool is +shorn). The ships built in Coral City are made from woods harvested to +the south, around the gnollwood (a dangerous but profitable business - +the Gnollwood is home to some very prize varieties of wood), or floated +south down the Arc Delta from just south of the Elven Protectorate. And +then, of course, there is the useful and lucrative Whaling industry in +Coral City; Coral City is the nation's single largest provider of +animal fats and oils, whether for cooking, lighting, or lubrication. + Coral City also does not have the large and diverse bazaar that +Mast hosts, not being as central a point. However Coral City is the +launching point for all expeditions into parts unknown. Many +Adventurers come to Coral City clutching some ancient map, charter a +ship, and head off - some are never seen again, some return with booty +from some ancient island, others return empty handed and destitute. But +regardless, Coral City is every bit as much a hub for adventurers as +Mast, and therefore its marketplace - while smaller than Mast - is no +less diverse. + Coral City does, however, have a booming agricultural industry, +and is the breadbasket of much of the Kingdom. Not counting the seafood +brought in by its commercial fishermen, farmers around Coral City +produce a full 35% of the foodstuffs sold in the kingdom, as well as +those sent to the Army. The Arc River Delta provides many miles for +rice farmers to place down paddies, and the verdant fields along the +coast to the south provide mediterranean growing conditions for a +variety of fruits. The plains that are inland, just before the land +turns to scrub, are quite healthy. + Coral City is also the embarkation/disembarkation point for +troops heading to and from the Long Watch and South Tower, if they are +coming from Throne or Northgate (as transfers often do). The Arc +River's western delta makes movements of troop columns through it +almost impossible, so they are often moved by ships by the Royal Navy, +making - again - Coral City a very important hub for military movements +inside the kingdom. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Crater Lake.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Crater Lake.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..39c650f --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Crater Lake.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5 @@ + Crater Lake + + A large, ~220 square mile lake formed in the giant crater in the +eastern mountains. It feeds the Arc River, and the highest point, where +the Arc flows down the other side of the mountain. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Dragonspine Mountains.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Dragonspine Mountains.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..60e51db --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Dragonspine Mountains.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8 @@ + Dragonspine Mountains + + The Dragonspine mountains are named because when viewed from +North Gate, it looks like the back of a dragon viewed while it sleeps. +And the name is also given because these mountains were a hotbed of +dragon activity before many years before the Council of Nine routed all +of the evil draconic activity. Now, dragons are rumored to be returning +(from where, who knows), and it is unknown if they are good or evil. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Eastern Mountains.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Eastern Mountains.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..8e32a66 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Eastern Mountains.txt @@ -0,0 +1,22 @@ + Eastern Mountains + + Known as the "Waterwall Mountains" by the non-demihumans, these +form the boundary between the Western Kingdom and the Frontier. The +foothills below the mountains, particularly the area east of +Hillsburrough between the North and South forks of the Eastern Arc +River, have already seen many large battles between expanding +demihumans and monstrous bands - even a few armies claiming that they +were sent by the Great Alliance (thought broken up 300 years ago by the +Council of Nine). + The Eastern mountains still really aren't safe, despite all the +traffic they see. In addition to the bandits that haunt the lonelier +corridors of the Frontier Road, there are all manner of known and +unknown monsters that lurk in the higher portions of the Eastern +Mountains. White Worms, Frost giants, and Drow all haunt the mountains. +Rumors of dungeons and evil castles popping up across the mountains are +increasingly common, and the nature of the mountains - with their high +peaks, steep slopes, and few navigable passes - make these rumors +difficult to investigate, let alone confirm or squash. + Regardless of any of this, the Eastern Mountains are definitely +proving to be the passport to the future of the Kingdom, for better or +worse. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Frontier Road.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Frontier Road.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..48b8bfb --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Frontier Road.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ + Frontier road + + The road leading across the mountains and into the frontier. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Gnollwood.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Gnollwood.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..0fad787 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Gnollwood.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ + Southern Forests - Gnollwood + + Home of the only remaining monstrous band in the interior of the +western kingdom. Despite repeated attempts to route them, the band of +rogue gnolls, orcs, and ogres continues to evade all capture. Midland +is constantly dealing with raids as a result. It is expected that there +are hidden caves leading to the Underdark, in which the rebels are +hiding. There are currently rumors of the Gnomish Holdings contributing +a few squads of gnomish recon operatives to help route them. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Hellsmouth Keep.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Hellsmouth Keep.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..df10f97 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Hellsmouth Keep.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7 @@ + Hellsmouth keep + + Guarding the valley through which the north fork of the Wayward +River flows, stationed directly behind the waterfall at the fall line, +Hellsmouth Keep is a mighty fortress that has expelled every assault in +its 150 years. Hellsmouth Keep garrisons some 1,000 men in the keep +proper and in outposts across the valley and lower mountains. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Kingsford.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Kingsford.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..83f1472 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Kingsford.txt @@ -0,0 +1,56 @@ + The village of Kingsford sits on the spot where the Council of Nine, + leading the slaves to freedom, came out of the mountains and crossed the + Wayward River. The spot was later settled as a village (only 20 or 30 years + ago), because of the great amount of Salmon that come up-stream to spawn. + The village is a loose confederation of 6 families, all working together to + eek out a good life here, relatively safe from the dangerous frontier, and + the prying eyes of the King. + +1. The MacGregor house. The MacGregors are fishermen and boatmen. They earn + their keep by catching and selling salmon to the other families, as well as + various oils, tinctures, etc made from other aquatic creatures and + substances.Thomas is the oldest at 60, with his wife Alia; their son, + Marcus and his wife Deborah run the business, with the help of their four + sons; Joseph, Ryan, James and Thomas II (the eldest). + +2. The Owen place. The Owens are a pack of 3 brothers who settled here with + their wives and children. Jeffrey and his wife Christine run a blacksmith + shop, making various useful and decorative items. Though Jeffrey + desperately wants children, Christine is (sadly) barren. Rouan and his wife + Trista herd sheep and goats above the village, with their daughter Melissa. + David and Rebbecca run a cobbler/tailor shop, making various fabric and + leather items. Their son Randall just turned four. + +3.Throughgood Church. The home of Graham and his father Samuel Through good, + along with Graham's two younger siblings Diana and Athena. His older + brother Robert is in the army, serving over the mountains past + Hillsburrough. Samuel is the town's resident priest and doctor, holding + sermons on the front lawn of his home. His wife and the mother of the + children, Gwendolyn, passed away some years ago of a consumption. + +4. The Morgan farm. The Morgans are a family of farmers.On their land they + raise grain, beans, fruit, vegetables, etc. They also help Samuel + Throughgood maintain his herb garden. Thadius, the father, is ailing and in + his 70s. His wife Adria is not much better. Their daughter Brianna and her + husband Shamas work the farm with their three children; Billy, Connor, and + Pamela. + +5. Strongheart keep. The house of the Strongheart family is named such + because it also serves as the jail - since the Stronghearts are the + village's protectors. The father, Alan, is the oldest at 55. His three + sons, Alex, Jordan, and Herbert work under his command as the town guard. + His two daughters, Eileen and Elena, serve as jail guards mostly (and + since there is hardly ever anything more than a drunkard in the jail, they + have a pretty easy job). + +6. Magistrate's house and court. Sent here by King Braddock, Judge + Rothschild sees his assignment as a punishment (and it is). He and his wife + constantly petition the king for a reassignment to a new location, + somewhere far away from this backwater berg. They are always turned down, + however, since Judge Rothschild had an affair with the Royal Trading + Company manager's mistress, and the manager of said company pushes the king + as hard as possible to make the Judge suffer. So he, his wife Suzanna (who + is such a blatant harlot and drunk that she is his wife only in name), with + their 4 children Ralph, Jimbo (the slow one), Lisa and Nelson. They also + own the village's only horse, "Horse". That's what they get for letting + Jimbo name the horse. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Mast.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Mast.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..7ea023e --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Mast.txt @@ -0,0 +1,55 @@ + Mast + + Mast is the hub of the kingdom, even though it is not the +capitol. It sits centrally between all important cities and +strongholds, and it is placed centrally on the river, so that it can +catch ships incoming from the whale coast and outgoing to the eastern +mountains. Mast is the largest city in the kingdom, due to the economic +influence, but it is not the grandest (mainly because Throne won't let +that happen). + The Royal Trading Company's headquarters is here in Mast, though +most of the high-ranking officials inside the Company reside – and +operate out of – Throne, where they can more easily influence the +corrupt and greedy King Braddock. Regardless, here in Mast, the Royal +Trading Company flexes a lot of muscle. They exert control over the +Navy that is quartered here, as well as the local thieves guilds. The +only thing that keeps the Royal Trading Company even remotely in check +in Mast is the fact that the commander of the local garrison, Lord +Reinhardt, an old soldier and cavalry man, is firmly set against the +control of the Company in the area, and he is openly opposing their +activities – both in, and outside, of his official duties with the +Garrison and the Courts. + Mast is also a major location on the tournament circuit in the +Western Kingdom; every spring, they host a joust and tournament in +front of the fortress gates. The prizes range from a set of custom +sword and armor, to a piece of land in the outlying areas, etc. + Being a center for commerce and travel, Mast is a huge hotbed of +thief activity. There are no less than ten local thieves guilds, some +of them having a mafia-like central authority derived from their +bloodline or point of origin; others are cutthroat bands, some are +religiously oriented or focused on a given sub-race (much akin to the +Aryan Nation). But none are to be trifled with; they are all extremely +dangerous – even if only when provoked, most are easily provoked. +Alliances between them are frequent, but fragile, and generally short- +lasting. The only constant among them, generally, is their ties to the +Royal Trading Company. The Trading company will use the local crime +groups to enforce their will without dirtying their hands officially; +everything from the looting of navy ships, to the assassination of +troublesome local officials, are handled by crime groups who are +unaware of their puppeteer status underneath the Royal Trading Company. + As for the people of Mast itself, Mast is one of the most +racially diverse cities in the kingdom, if not the most. People from +all locations and walks of life are drawn here; and half the time, +those who come here looking for money and a better life, stay here. +Despite the large number of crime groups, and the corrupt nature of the +Trading Company who controls most of the town, the people of Mast have +a generally peaceful existence. Lord Reinhardt and his men do a good +job of keeping everything under control, while the Trading Company +ensures that most Mast residents' biggest worry is the amount of tax +they pay on a loaf of bread at the baker's shop. + Mast is host to the biggest open bazaar in the kingdom, situated +almost directly next to the docs. The saying in Mast is, “If you can't +buy it at the bazaar, a god-fearing man doesn't need it.” And, for the +most part, that's the truth. Seafood peddlers pull their boats directly +into the wharf, and some sell straight off the boat. It is similar for +all merchants. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Midland.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Midland.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..5acbf91 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Midland.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7 @@ + Midland + + Midland was originally a trading post between Coral City and Old +Irongate, and the Gnollwood threatens to keep it from growing any +larger if these raids don't stop. The garrison at South Tower has sent +a detachment of some 200 men to the town to help keep order; so far +it's working. So far. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/North Gate.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/North Gate.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..1a1e5b9 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/North Gate.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10 @@ + North Gate + + North Gate Castle is the keep that separates the Northern +Frontier from the rest of the kingdom. Some 50 miles of wall – butting +against the sea on one side and the dragonspine on the other - and the +large castle itself, keeps that border sealed. So far, none have dared +assail the tall walls and large 3,000 man garrison - but nobody's +letting their guards down. Especially not with stories of dragons +taking up residence in the Dragon's Spine, as it was in years long +past. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Old Irongate.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Old Irongate.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..ab46d57 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Old Irongate.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ + Old Irongate + + This is an old keep that used to guard the main pass to the +frontier - it still has the old road that, now, leads to nothing but a +few very ruined and run down villages, and the old crossing on the +south fork of the eastern Arc. When earthquakes closed the pass, the +residents either left Irongate and went home, or stayed to guard the +keep, and starved. It is now standing in ruin, and rumored to be +populated with all manner of demon, devil, and monster. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Overview.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Overview.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..40f1e6f --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Overview.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13 @@ + Originally settled by humans and demihumans fleeing the Great +Alliance. The eastern mountains keep them safe from the eastern +frontier and its denizens. Known as the "False Kingdom of Slaves" by +the monstrous races, the kingdom is still very young, as evidenced by +its rather haphazard road system, and the fact that King Braddock is +attempting to expand east while still fighting elusive rebels in his +own Southern Forests. But regardless, this upstart kingdom (the first +unified demihuman kingdom ever to exist in known history) is proving +formidable, which means it is the declared enemy of 99% of the +established world (which used to keep the demihumans quite unhappily +enslaved). + + diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/South Tower.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/South Tower.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..ec708bb --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/South Tower.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7 @@ + South Tower + + Home to a garrison of some 2,000 men, this is the foremost +defensive position on the southern border, next to Hellsmouth keep. The +actual tower is the smallest part of the structure, which is made up of +no less than two or three full sized forts for all the men and their +equipment (as well as refugees from the surrounding countryside). diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Stonehold.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Stonehold.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..939345a --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Stonehold.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15 @@ + Stonehold + + An old Dwarven city, Stonehold was here before even the Alliance. +They have existed without interference from the outside world for +centuries, and have made a strong alliance with the Kingdom if for no +other reason than it suddenly found itself within the Kingdom's borders +one day, and they don't show any signs of leaving. However, for the +most part, Stonehold is left alone and traded with as a sovereign +entity - when they open their doors. But since the founding of the +Western Kingdom (officially at Throne), the doors have come open only +once, and that was for an envoy from the Church to enter and speak to +the dwarvish king. Since then, the only nation who claims to have +regular contact with those inside of stonehold are the gnomes in +Breech. For more information, see the section on the “Dwarvish Clans” +political area. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/The Long Watch.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/The Long Watch.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..2c7d7f1 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/The Long Watch.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8 @@ + The long watch + + A series of guard posts across the southern border. Covering +about 150 miles, the posts are one mile apart, and each have two men in +a small camouflaged guard shack. Equipped with spyglasses and sounding +horns, they can signal the approach of incoming Alliance armies almost +a full 2 days before they arrive, given that they look out on about 100 +miles of scrub plains and desert before losing visibility. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Throne.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Throne.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..b3e7e91 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Throne.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10 @@ + Throne + + The crown jewel of the Kingdom, Throne is the city that is the +biggest accomplishment of the demi-human kingdom in its short 250 year +lifespan. Its paved and lit streets, its plumbing and sewer system, its +mass transit and its rampantly out of control caste system set the +stage for what King Braddock wants the Kingdom to become. Rich, +Technologically adept, and horribly corrupt. And if it weren't for the +Church (which is headquartered in Throne), and the system left in place +by the Council of Nine, he would've already had his way by now. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Western Swamps.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Western Swamps.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..8b0c38f --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Western Swamps.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5 @@ + Western Swamps + + At the mouth of the delta to the Arc River, these swamps are home +to all manner of beasts and odd races. Aquatic elves often surface +here, having come up the freshwater river. diff --git a/Locations/Western Kingdom/Whale Coast.txt b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Whale Coast.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..e54b662 --- /dev/null +++ b/Locations/Western Kingdom/Whale Coast.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ + Whale Coast + + This coast is known for its large population of whales, and the +large amount of income that comes into Coral City from whaling. diff --git a/Monsters/Death Knight.pdf b/Monsters/Death Knight.pdf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..5632914 Binary files /dev/null and b/Monsters/Death Knight.pdf differ diff --git a/Monsters/death knight.odt b/Monsters/death knight.odt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..46c3f93 Binary files /dev/null and b/Monsters/death knight.odt differ diff --git a/Political Entities/Great Alliance/Overview.txt b/Political Entities/Great Alliance/Overview.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..20c69b0 --- /dev/null +++ b/Political Entities/Great Alliance/Overview.txt @@ -0,0 +1,41 @@ + The Great Alliance is the name still applied to what used to be a +massive alliance of monstrous tribes and horde lands. + +Past History + + The Great Alliance originally began as a loose alliance of Drowish +nations in the Underdark, specifically between powerful spellcasters in +neighboring Drowish cities. Looking to extend their reach beyond their +own caverns, they looked to devilish alliances. Pulling in dark forces +as allies, they were able to unite with neighboring cities – dominating +them, and destroying whoever they could not. After a few hundred years of +their underground empire building, their dark allies began to secretly +create routes out into the overworld; and when the preparations were +complete, the underground hordes piled out onto their unsuspecting ground- +dwelling neighbors. They had no warning. No defense. And quickly, no hope. + At this time, the alliance was mainly drow and drow-led forces, named +the Daughters of the Queen, for the five drowish families who led and +formed the center of the horde. Upon reaching the surface, they contacted +other existing monstrous populations that had begun to similarly emerge, +and the Great Alliance soon came to be. The Daughters of the Queen were +still at the center, but now there were other warlords who gathered around +their standard – and, in time, hundreds of warlords came. The Great +Alliance was thus formed. And under their heel, they placed the necks of +all good men across the world. + +Present Day + + Now, the situation is quite different. During the slave rebellions, +much of the alliance fell to in-fighting, resulting in a loss of any central +power structure. In one encounter, the Daughters of the Queen were forced to +return to their underground caverns, at least temporarily. Many of the +nations, upon seeing the alliance failing, neither took part in the offense +or the in-fighting, deciding instead to simply return to their former +existence. + There is no longer any central power structure, as there used to be with +the Daughters of the Queen. Now disputes between warlords are settled +amongst themselves – usually with tragically bloody consequences. The +last few remnants of the original Great Alliance are desperately trying to +find a way to reunite everyone, to rebuild their massive armies, thus to +march on Braddock and his rebellious slaves. But unfortunately, that +glorious day is far away. diff --git a/Political Entities/Western Kingdom/Overview.txt b/Political Entities/Western Kingdom/Overview.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..10d3d50 --- /dev/null +++ b/Political Entities/Western Kingdom/Overview.txt @@ -0,0 +1,20 @@ +History + The New World is called such by the demihuman inhabitants of the Western Kingdom, because it is a very significant change from the way things used to work 300 years ago. + Five thousand years ago, at least – by most reckoning, since all historical records from the period were destroyed – humans, elves, gnomes, and many other demihuman races had dominated most of the world in their own separate kingdoms. The world was, by and large, peaceful, aside from the occasional skirmish between kingdoms. And then everything changed. + For the thousand years (or more, nobody's sure) before the total rise of their kingdoms, the demihuman races had worked hard to extinguish the monstrous races from the face of the world. Up until now, everyone thought it was successful – there wasn't so much as an Orc sighting in over 100 years. The world was, as far as they could tell, 100% dominmated by demihumans. However, they had made a great miscalculation – they did not realise that the catacombs and tombs into which some elements had fled, did not simply become their eternal resting places. These dungeons had acceses in them to the Underdark, into which the monstrous races of the world fled to hide and bide their time. + One day, the doors to the underdark were flung open. In a great tumult, the monstrous races that everyone thought had been extinguished, flared up on the world. At the head of an army of hundreds of thousands of monsters, undead, demons and devils, the leaders of the Great Alliance brought war, death, and suffering back to the world in larger scale than had ever been seen before. The good kingdoms of the world toppled in short order, the once-pristine cities razed, and their populations enslaved. With the demonic, devilish, and otherworldly alliances that had been made, the demihumans stood no chance against the Great Alliance. + The few demihuman priests of the Old Religion who were able to sneak in a sermon before caught (and killed) by their taskmasters, were quick to lay the blame squarely on the shoulders of the very people who had driven the monstrous races from the earth. “We were vicious, and we were cruel,” they would say; “And so the Lord has delivered us into the hands of our enemies...” + For thousands of years, demihuman races stayed enslaved to the monstrous races of the world. They were abused, tortured, defiled, and murdered as their taskmasters saw fit. The monstrous races exacted a horrible toll for their hundreds of years of persecution and exile. The cries of the people went out to the sky to save them from their torment, but their prayers were unanswered, until just 300 years ago. + There was a slave uprising in the mines of an Orcish king, somewhere northeast of the current frontier. A man emerged from the lowest portions of the mines early one morning brandishing a crude stone, carved into the shape of a lightning bolt – and a fine two-handed bastard sword, whose origin nobody could decipher. There were no weapons allowed in the slave camps, and the orcs did not carry such weapons. Regardless, after a short oratory and a thundering of his voice from the mine, the people were roused to turn their picks and shovels upon the Orcish enslavers. Despite being starved, tired, and exhausted, they managed to seize control of the camp. + News of this uprising spread fast, both among the slaves and the overlords. The people were claiming the man as a Saint, and the overlords were quick to squash this whenever it was heard. However, it was hard to deny he was a Saint – especially when he took over camp after camp, his numbers growing, and his power soon becoming undeniable. Not to mention the rumors that he could heal the sick, feed the hungry, and even raise the dead and dying. + The slave uprising continued for ten years, with the enslavers unable to stop the rumbling in their lands. Soon the uprising was a formidable army, which had inspired similar uprisings across the lower monstrous territories. Specifically, nine of these uprisings occurred in total, forming together into a great slave army under the command of nine great generals, with the first of them at their head. The remnants of the Great Alliance was beginning to crumble, and there was nothing they could do about it. The messages returned to the Alliance were simple, one line of text, carved into granite tablets and delivered with the heads of the monstrous messengers - “Let my people go.” + The Enslavers refused, and it culminated in a great battle, hundreds of miles northeast of where Hillsburrough is now located. The slave army – tired, sick and hungry when it left, now healthy, strong, and with full numbers and armaments – met the armies of the few remaining Great Allies. Demons, Devils, Dragons, Monsters, Giants, everything you can imagine was involved in the fight. The only aid to the slaves, of any kind, was the nine almost supernatural men (most people claimed them as Angels) who lead them to victory that day. The armies of the Great Allies took a crushing defeat there, and retreated back to the safety of their own lands. + The cry of victory went up all over the enslaved lands, and the slaves – now free men – were lead to the Waterwall Mountains (now the Eastern Mountains), where they prayed for safe passage across. The Gods of the Demihumans are said to have delayed that winter, dried the mountain snows, and made verdant the mountain passes for their crossing. They crossed safely, totally unmolested, leaving the enslavers behind them. The mountains froze over again immediately after their passing, and the passes quickly became unnavigable. + Though the Great Alliance was never actually destroyed, its power was undeniably broken. The slaves of the Great Kingdoms would no longer tolerate their masters, and they would forever be dealing with similar uprisings. Though the deepest Kingdoms have managed to keep their slaves in check, the outer Kingdoms have fallen to in-fighting, power plays, and ultimately, ruin. + The Council of Nine, as the leaders of the rebellion came to be called, said that the fight was not over. The Great Alliance was allowed to take them into their evil because they had gone astray; but even though they must not fall into their old evil, the peoples of the world must not forget their brethren still in captivity. But the responsibility fell into the hands of each and every individual good creature in the world to liberate the others, and to follow the path of righteousness. After giving this speech, and being blessed at a religious ceremony, the Council of Nine left the kingdom, going to a secluded church in the Dragon's Spine mountains – which has still never been found, save by a few very high level clerics of Heironeous. + So they say this is a New World. One where all men will be equal, where the balance will be kept at all costs; where men can live free without fear of persecution, so long as they are good men – whatever race they may be. Will it work? Will the Great Alliance re-form, and come back to re-take their captives? + ... Only the strength and steel of the adventurer has the answer to those questions. + +Western Kingdom + + Originally settled by humans and demihumans fleeing the Great Alliance. The eastern mountains keep them safe from the eastern frontier and its denizens. Known as the "False Kingdom of Slaves" by the monstrous races, the kingdom is still very young, as evidenced by its rather haphazard road system, and the fact that King Braddock is attempting to expand east while still fighting elusive rebels in his own Southern Forests. But regardless, this upstart kingdom (the first unified demihuman kingdom ever to exist in known history) is proving formidable, which means it is the declared enemy of 99% of the established world (which used to keep the demihumans quite unhappily enslaved). diff --git a/Races/Elves.txt b/Races/Elves.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..a2a2585 --- /dev/null +++ b/Races/Elves.txt @@ -0,0 +1,307 @@ + + The elves of the Elven Protectorate are quite different +from those you might find in other fantasy settings such as the +Forgotten Realms. Millenia of slavery has decimated both their +numbers and their bloodlines, and their behaviours are quite +different from the standard fantasy elf. Their history is long +and complex, but I will try to explain it all here. + + It could be said that the history of The New World +is the history of the Elves, and more specifically, the history +of the tragic Drow Elf race. Indeed, the most important events +in the New World's timeline occur centered around the various +elven races. But this is only a small part of the story of the +history of the world; much more remains to be told of the +other races as well. No world rises or falls on the merits - +or flaws - of one race alone. + +1. The Golden Era and the Civil War +----------------------------------- + + Before the time of the Alliance and their Slave Camps, +the Elves were a master race. Perfect in physical appearance, +long in life, masters of the bow, the sword and the wand, they +could not be matched by any others in the world. They ruled +their kingdoms fairly and gracefully in their tree cities in the +most ancient forests of the world, using the trees and plants +themselves as a sort of historical record, tracing their noble +bloodlines back through tens of thousands of years. But the +elves, despite all their perfection, had a dark secret - the +secret that their drive to perfection had caused them to eliminate +and exterminate some of their own kind, driving them deep underground, +rather than accepting them as part of their kin. + + The Drow elves were not always dark skinned and pale eyed +as they are now. At one time, the Drow were High Elves, just like +the others. But the Drow were darker, more sinister than their +brethren. They were clannish, and craved arcane power more than +almost anything. Their quest for arcane knowledge and power would +put them at odds with their other brothers more than once. But +despite this, they never attempted to usurp the throne of the +Elven Kings, and they never waged battle with their kin. But the +relations were always strained and uneasy. + + The High Elves were, at the heart of it all, extremely +vain. Their vanity was so great that, at one point, a meeting +was called by the Elven King in secret; fearing the power of the +arcanist elves, and fearing that they might one day become greater +than the others, he issued an extermination order. The ensuing +chaos saw a civil war between elves the likes of which had never +been seen, and would not be seen again for thousands of years. +Brother slaughtered brother, fathers fell at the hands of their +dutiful sons, and mothers set against daughters and sister against +sister. The females were made an especially gruesome example; +their reproductive organs were sent to the four corners of the +Elven Empire, along with their heads, to warn all elves what would +happen to themselves and their families, should they decide to +begin producing such people again. + Not all of the arcanist elves were slaughtered in this +procession. Many had the foresight to prepare underground labyrinths +into which they could flee to safety; and so they did, by the +hundreds. An exiled people, they were labeled "Drow", which in +the Elven tongue, means "Demon". The Drow accepted the monicker, +and, eventually, would live up to its name. + Some of the Elves did not agree with the civil war and refused +to participate, insisting that the problem was not the Drowish +quest for power, but that the race as a whole was so vain and +insecure as to allow such a thing to happen. Some, despite all the +reasons for and against the war, were so disgusted that they fled +the Elven homelands and lived as humans, unable to bear the pain +of their race any longer. And this is where the various elven +varieties come from; the great rift in the elven community began +with the extermination of the Drow. + +2. Pre-Slavery +---------- + + The Drow never forgot the treatment they received at the +hands of their own kin. And they vowed vengeance on those above. +Hidden deep in their underdark caverns, the drow waited for thousands +of years, building their strength, reproducing, and mastering their +darkest arcane arts. They formed a religion based around their arcane +ways, and gathered unto themselves a dark Goddess. Remembering the +treatment of their wonderful, lovely arcanist women, their society +became feminist, with the females on top of the food chain and +the males on the bottom. They began to create bizarre rituals and +mating habits formed out of their now-twisted minds formed in the +war with their brothers, combined with their new guiding spider +Goddess. And so the Drow grew in power, and grew away from their +now distant brethren on the surface. Their skin darkened, and their +hair and pupils turned white. They began to hate the sun. And +everything - EVERYTHING - that lived under its light. They +hated it, but they remembered it. And they hated everyone for +driving them away from it. + + Meanwhile, on the surface, the High Elves were doing their +best to pretend that the Drow had never happened - a stain that had +been cleaned quite thoroughly from the Elves' perfect histories. +Some elven families felt it was a tragedy more than a triumph, +and others refused to speak of it at all. But over a few generations, +the Drow were made into a myth, a fairy tale told to children to +frighten them at night so they would obey their parents. The +High Elven families continued to prosper, while watching over the +fledgling Human race that had just recently become civilized; they +saw great promise in them, and began assisting the humans. They +taught them armor and weaponcraft, farming, the ways of the woodlands. +The elves did not understand the humans' bizarre religious affliction, +but nonetheless, the race seemed to be a great promise of good to the +world. What nobody wanted to admit was that everyone in the Elven +nation was dreadfully ashamed of what they had done to their +Drowish kin, and were helping lead the humans out of the Dark Ages +as a sort of silent penance for it, hoping that it would somehow +balance the cosmic scale that they had so nearly destroyed. But +nobody dare admit such a thing aloud; it would have done irreparable +damage to their reputation. + + But the Drow saw their fostering of the human race. They saw +the Dwarves and the Gnomes participating in this fiasco as well. +The outrage was uncontainable; the other races of the world would +aid THIS FLEDGLING RACE of INFERIOR and IMMATURE demihumans, but +none of them could have been bothered to LIFT A FINGER to help +prevent what had happened to the Drow only a thousand years prior?! +The simmering anger of the Drowish people could almost be felt in +a heat underneath the ground. This, they would not stand for. + +3. Rise of the Alliance +----------------------- + + While the Elves were up on the surface nursing their +helpless fledgling Human race, the Drow were making ready for +war. They had mastered their own abilities and perfected their +cruelty to an art; they had bred an elite warrior class and +had produced arcanists that would be sufficient to bring down +the world of the sun lovers above. But this was not enough +for the Drow. Over the thousands of years, they had grown +disgusted with the Elven fostering of humanity; so they decided +to return the favor. The Drow would foster races of their own, +and make them ready to colonize the world of the Elves +once the Drow were finished turning it to cinders. They would +breed races with the cruelty and the hatred for the sun lovers, +such that perhaps the elves could see their folly once they were +all in chains. + The Drow did one better; with the help of their magics +and their burning hate, they were able to bring many races +out of the stone age. With the help of the Drowish Wizards, +Orc Shamans turned their loose-knit families of bone gnawing +neanderthals into bloodthirsty warriors, who were finally +able to understand the words of their Orcish God and understand +what had been done to them when the world was divided amongst +men. They martialed the Goblin, Hobgoblin and Kobold races. +They turned entire races into bloodthirsty warriors grateful +to only one group - the Daughters of the Queen, the Drowish +ruling class. + Those races that were too old or too smart to be +controlled in such a manner were brought into the fold with +promises of wealth and power on the surface once the demihumans +had been exterminated. + When their croft was full, the Drow exploded onto +the surface in a great wave of pain, suffering, and destruction. +Nobody was ready for it. + +4. Slavery +---------- + + The races of the world fell quickly to the onslaught +of the Great Alliance. Nobody had ever considered that, +in such peaceful times, such a great threat was amassing +right underneath their feet. The few battles fought were +more massacres than battles, and all good men fell under the +boot of the Alliance and its dark Gods. + The High Elves suffered the greatest in the times +of chains and slavery. The Drow took great pleasure in the +torture and humiliation of the High Elves. Crucifixion was +a favorite amongst the Drowish tormentors. The High Elves +were turned into little more than cattle, and managed as +such. Females and males were separated into different +cages in the slave camps, and were bred like cows when +it was time to produce new elves for the camps. Any time +that a baby was born that was not authorized from a +specific sire and mare, the entire camp would be chained to +the ground and forced to watch as the baby was submitted +to various and horrible tortures; all while Drowish +clerics ensured its cries and howls for its parents were +heard long and loud. The torture would go on for days +before the lifeless carcass of the child was given back +to the parents - who, along with the rest of the camp, +had been chained without food or water for days, +watching the ordeal - who were given strict orders to +"care for their new bundle of joy as any new parent would; +any attempts at burying your child will result in swift +punishment". And so the parents would be forced to deal with +the carcass until, thank heavens, some loose dog or something +would make off with it. + The tortures the Elves endured were unspeakable and +continuous. A volume could be written on such matters all by +itself. But perhaps one of the worst was the Drowish practice +of "bloodline clarification", whereby the High Elves had +their genetic properties changed over a series of thousands +of years. The elves had many of their best features bred +out of them. They lost their ability to cast magic entirely. +Their elven grace was replaced by clumsy human features, as +human DNA was introduced into the High Elven bloodlines. +Their starlight vision was bred out of them. Only a few +of the High Elves managed to maintain their original traits, +and they were kept locked in anti-magic cages where their +torture was continuous, unending, and unspeakable, until +their eventual and inevitable deaths. + +5. Rebellion +------------ + + The Elves had endured thousands of years of slavery +- 3,000 by most reckoning - and generations of humiliation, +torture, theft, rape and murder, at the hands of the Drowish +brethren that they drove away by their own hands. The cries +of the Elves in the camps went high and loud to the heavens; +the shame of the High Elves was unbearable and they prayed +for release one day, for extermination the other. But the +Drowish torture was unending. + The Elves eventually began to understand that if +history was to be righted, it would have to begin with an +escape from the slave camps. They would have to go somewhere +that they could start anew. But they had to get out of this +hell in order to do it. But with their trademark Elven +grace mostly bred out of them, and having lost the ability +to perform feats of magic and their abilities to see in the +dark, their traditional martial tactics now proved useless. +A bow, when an elf managed to get his hands on one, now proved +little more than a clunky plank of wood in the hands of a pauper. + The Elves began to research different methods for +combatting their captors. Not able to rely on their unnatural +Elven grace anymore, they had to train their bodies as they +had trained their Human proteges; rigorous physical and +mental training allowed them to regain some of their abilities +to move quickly, and react sharply. Through hundreds of years +of secret meetings, they developed a martial art whose core +techniques were cleverly disguised as a variety of sorrowful +dance routines. They trained themselves to use their eyes again, +and not so much their elven senses. But their skill was +never what it once was. But when the time came for rebellion, +they were ready. And they fought with the same visceral +dedication and iron will that had made them fierce warriors +to begin with; of all the things the Drow had done to them, +they had never been able to break their Elven spirits. + +6. Now +------ + + The High Elves will never forget what happened to them +in the slave camps of the Great Alliance. The experiences +were so horrible that, often, a toddler's first words will +be descriptions of a nightmare involving alliance horrors +that they have never even seen. The history of their punishment +is now in their genetic code; a scar they will carry with them +until the end of their days. + But the High Elves that now inhabit the Elven Protectorate +are determined to make a better world this time, and to not make the +same horrible, tragic mistakes that their ancestors made. The +Elven Protectorate's motto, below its coat of arms, on all official +communications, reads simply : "Never Again." And this refers to +far more than their time in slavery; the High Elves of today +realize that the decision to drive the Drow from the surface was +a fatal one that led directly to their enslavement. However, the +elves are wise enough to know that things may not have been +different if they had been done differently, and that there +is no point in lamenting the past; the fact is that the Drow +are the sworn enemies of all Elves, and that will be the fact of it +until the end of time. + The Elves, at first, settled in the Western Kingdom with the +Humans. However after the Council of Nine went into the Dragonspine +Mountains, the elves found themselves unable to properly face the +race they had helped foster, blaming themselves for the Humans' +role in the enslavement. They also feared for themselves, as their +numbers were strikingly small - at the time of the escape from the +Alliance, only 500 or 1000 elves made it across the Western Mountains +and into the Kingdom proper. So they decided to sequester themselves +away in the Civil Wood, making the protection of this ancient forest, +and the Dragonspine Mountains to which it connects, their solemn +responsibility. + The Elves in the Protectorate are a mix. The genetic +experimentation that went on in the Alliance slave camps has left +a great many of them in a state of barbarism; the Kagonesti and Sylvan +tribes wandering the Civil Wood are the result of such experimentation. +However, these people are the only ones who have not had the magic bred +entirely out of their blood; it is not uncommon to see the +Sylvan or Kagonesti tribes produce Shamans, Clerics, and occasionally +a Sorceror. The High Elven families, however, have not produced a +spellcaster in almost 750 years, since before they left the slave camps. +For every elf born, there is only a 5% chance that the magic-blocking +genes will be recessive, and that he will be able to do any sort +of spellcasting. The chance improves by 2.5% for every spellcasting elven +parent; if one of the parents is a spellcasting gnome or human, the chance +improves by 5% instead of 2.5%. + But even when the Elves do overcome the genetic problems they +acquired in the Slave camps, they are more susceptible to disease and +deformation; the experimentation done to them by the Drow results +in a base 25% chance for a deformity, and a base 30% chance to be born +with a life-threatening disease that will likely kill the infant before +his first birthday. + + The Drow, for their part, are surprisingly quiet. They are currently +licking their wounds deep in their underdark cities, wondering where +exactly they went wrong to allow this slave kingdom to rebel and form +itself - and what they continue to do wrong that keeps them out of reach. +Unlike the high elves, however, the years of slavery, and the rebellion, +have not changed the Drow. They are as cold, calculating, brutal, and +vengeful as ever. And they are watching. And waiting. + diff --git a/The Knight's Old Code.txt b/The Knight's Old Code.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..271e205 --- /dev/null +++ b/The Knight's Old Code.txt @@ -0,0 +1,60 @@ +A knight's values: + + Prowess + Justice + Loyalty + Defense + Courage + Faith + Humility + Largesse + Nobility + + + +Prowess: To seek excellence in all endeavors expected of a knight, martial +and otherwise, seeking strength to be used in the service of justice, rather +than in personal aggrandizement. + +Justice: Seek always the path of 'right', unencumbered by bias or personal +interest. Recognize that the sword of justice can be a terrible thing, so +it must be tempered by humanity and mercy. If the 'right' you see rings +agrees with others, and you seek it out without bending to the temptation +for expediency, then you will earn renown beyond measure. + +Loyalty: Be known for unwavering commitment to the people and ideals you +choose to live by. There are many places where compromise is expected; +loyalty is not amongst them. + +Defense: The ideal knight was sworn by oath to defend his liege lord and +those who depended upon him. Seek always to defend your nation, your +family, and those to whom you believe worthy of loyalty. + +Courage: Being a knight often means choosing the more difficult path, +the personally expensive one. Be prepared to make personal sacrifices in +service of the precepts and people you value. At the same time, a knight +should seek wisdom to see that stupidity and courage are cousins. +Courage also means taking the side of truth in all matters, rather than +seeking the expedient lie. Seek the truth whenever possible, but remember +to temper justice with mercy, or the pure truth can bring grief. + +Faith: A knight must have faith in his beliefs, for faith roots him and +gives hope against the despair that human failings create. + +Humility: Value first the contributions of others; do not boast of your +own accomplishments, let others do this for you. Tell the deeds of +others before your own, according them the renown rightfully earned +through virtuous deeds. In this way the office of knighthood is well +done and glorified, helping not only the gentle spoken of but also all +who call themselves knights. + +Largesse: Be generous in so far as your resources allow; largesse used in +this way counters gluttony. It also makes the path of mercy easier to +discern when a difficult decision of justice is required. + +Nobility: Seek great stature of character by holding to the virtues and +duties of a knight, realizing that though the ideals cannot be reached, +the quality of striving towards them ennobles the spirit, growing the +character from dust towards the heavens. Nobility also has the tendency +to influence others, offering a compelling example of what can be done +in the service of rightness. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/The New World Map.jpeg b/The New World Map.jpeg new file mode 100755 index 0000000..2a886a3 Binary files /dev/null and b/The New World Map.jpeg differ diff --git a/The New World Map.xcf b/The New World Map.xcf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..a2c802d Binary files /dev/null and b/The New World Map.xcf differ diff --git a/The New World.odt b/The New World.odt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..fb6dd72 Binary files /dev/null and b/The New World.odt differ diff --git a/classes/Gnomish Recon Agent - 1E.txt b/classes/Gnomish Recon Agent - 1E.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..321e0c7 --- /dev/null +++ b/classes/Gnomish Recon Agent - 1E.txt @@ -0,0 +1,203 @@ +THE GNOMISH RECON AGENT ("RECON") + + The gnomish recon agent is the jack-of-all-trades of the +gnomish military; their elite shock troops and infiltrators. Gnomish +recon often is left to survive for weeks or months behind enemy +lines, gathering intelligence and charting unknown areas. Their +missions may also include the assassination of enemy leaders; the +ambush and elimination of large or small enemy units in their own +back yard; demolition of structural targets of military value; +disrupting lines of communication and supply behind enemy lines; etc. +The gnomish high command selects only the most fit, the most bright, +and the most technically skilled soldiers for entrance into the +recon program. Gnomish recon agents are easily recognised in any +military camp by their distinctive camouflage uniforms, high tech +weaponry and armor, small unit sizes, general disdain for authority +and conventional infantry troops, and - most of all - the coveted +"RECON" patch on their shoulder. To some, they are "a scruffy crew +of cocky scofflaws"; to others, they are the ideal of military +prowess, the most deadly hunter/killer teams in the known world. + + The principal attribute of a gnomish recon agent is intelligence. +To become a gnomish recon agent, the character must first - obviously - +be gnomish. Secondly, the character must possess the following minimum +abilities: dexterity 14, strength 12, wisdom 15, intelligence 15, con- +stitution 14. The candidate must also already have at least 1 level of +Fighter or Thief, and one level of magic user, illusionist or druid. +The candidate must also be actively enlisted in the gnomish military, +and be selected by gnomish high command, for the program. Note that +it is not unusual for gnomish high command to send otherwise qualified +soldiers to their Arcana or Infantry schools to pick up a level of the +requisite classes before sending them to Recon training. + + Recon agents have six sided dice for hit point determination. +Recon agents are not as strong as other fighters, but they fight +with their brains and their wits as much as they do with their bodies. +If the recon agent has entered a situation where his hit points +will not suffice, then a horrible mistake has probably been made. +In fact, the measure of a recon agent is not how much damage he +can soak, but how much information he can soak up without the enemy +ever knowing he was there to get a shot at him in the first place. + + Recon training is a full year long, and any character that +begins taking levels in this class *must* be removed from play +for that period of game time (unless the player wants to role play it +for whatever reason). Further, any time the recon agent achieves the +necessary experience point total for his next level, he must return +to his unit in order to claim his new rank. He will get only the +additional hit points of his new level until he does. When he returns +and claims his new rank/level there is a short amount of re-training +for the new rank that must be done, which takes 1d8 days, during which +the recon agent is non-deployable. After that, however, he will +achieve all the benefits of his new level, and be ready to go to +the field again. + + Benefits of the Gnomish Recon Agent class: + + 1. Gnomish recon agents can use the following thief skills +as a thief of 2 levels lower than the gnomish recon agent's class +level: Find/Remove Traps, Open Locks, Move Silently, Hide in Shadows, +Climb Walls, Hear Noise. The recon agent also backstabs as a thief of +2 levels lower. + 2. Gnomish recon agents get automatic proficiency at first level +with gnomish explosive devices, gnomish weapons, gnomish vehicles +and gnomish communications equipment. Many gnomish magic items are +specific to the gnomish recon class. + 3. Gnomish recon agents can track as a Ranger. Further, they +surprise enemies 50% of the time, and are themselves only surprised +25% of the time. + 4. Recon agents can survive off the land as a Barbarian. They +know how to collect plant foods, hunt, fish and trap; build shelters +from native materials; build a fire from nothing; and how to +care for wounds. (See Unearthed Arcana for more info on the +Barbarian's survival ability; the gnomish recon agent is identical, +except that they will have often cross-trained for survival in multiple +environments.) They are also trained in the construction and usage of +foxholes, observation positions, and sniper hides. + 4. Recon agents are trained in the use of camouflage techniques. +In natural surroundings, the gnomish recon can use native materials, +and pigmented body paints, to help his body and equipment blend into +the native environment. The activity requires at least five turns to +properly camouflage their person, and a further half hour to properly +camouflage their equipment. But once this has been done to person +and equipment (both, not just one!), it gives the agent a 20% +bonus to Hide in Shadows checks, as well as all surprise checks. This +also gives the recon agent a significant chance of being perfectly +hidden in plain sight. + 5. Gnomish recon agents also have limited spell ability. +THe gnomish recon agent gains bonus spells as clerics do, but for +a high intelligence, instead of a high wisdom (treat their intelligence +score as a wisdom score for determination). They can cast spells from +the following list of druidic and arcane spells: + I. Change Self (I1), Charm Person (MU1), Comprehend +Languages (MU1), Dancing Lights (MU1), Detect Magic (MU1), Pass +Without Trace (D1), Predict Weather (MU1), Sleep (MU1), Spider +Climb (MU1), Tenser's Floating Disc (MU1), Wall of Fog (I1) + II. Audible Glamer (MU2), Fog Cloud (I2), Hypnotic +Pattern (I2), Identify (MU2), Invisibility (MU2), Misdirection (I2), +Knock (MU2), Locate Object (MU2), Pyrotechnics (MU2) + 6. At 2nd level, the gnomish recon agent is automatically silent +in natural surroundings, regardless of their nature, so long as he is +wearing light armor and unencumbered, and moving at no more than 1/4 of +his base movement speed. If any of these conditions are broken, normal +Move Silently checks apply. + 7. At 3rd level the gnomish recon agent gains an additional +attack per round. + 8. At 5th level, the recon agent gains the ability to secure an +automatic hit against an enemy, regardless of the enemy's armor class. +The recon agent must prepare for the attack for a full turn. During +this turn: + - the target must not leave the recon agent's sight + - he must not be aware of the agent, or be aware + that he is in immediate danger (e.g. enemies already + involved in combat are immune to the ability) + - the target must be within the maximum range increment of + the weapon the gnome is using + - the agent must be able to locate some sort of steady rest + on which to place his weapon in order to take the shot, + or be allowed to lay prone with his weapon + - the agent must remain totally focused on the target for the + duration, forsaking all other actions + - the agent must take no damage or engage in any combat or + distraction outside of the target + If all these requirements are met, then on the tenth round, +the agent can take a shot and be guaranteed a hit, regardless of armor +class. (Note that magical protections, e.g. monsters only hit by magical +weapons, still apply.) The agent only gets one attack this round and can +take no other actions. The agent can still roll to check for a critical +hit or maximum damage. Taking the full turn to prepare also negates the +possibility of a botch (simply ignore a 1 if it turns up when checking +for a critical). This ability does NOT negate the effectiveness of +100% cover or concealment; the recon agent MUST be able to clearly +see the vital areas of the enemy, for the full turn, in order to +use this ability. + 9. At 6th level, the recon agent gains pass without trace +at will; but this is not a magical ability, and thus will not leave the +telltale magical trail behind them. The restrictions on this ability +are the same as the silent movement ability at 3rd level. + 10. At 8th level, the gnomish recon agent's abilities to leave +no trace and to move silently will function even if the agent is +encumbered OR if he is moving at up to full movement rate, but not +both. + 11. At 10th level, the recon agent's ability to guarantee a hit +if he focuses no longer takes a full turn, but only five rounds. If he +focuses for the full turn, however, he can not only guarantee a hit, +but he is also automatically granted maximum damage for the shot. The +agent must still roll for a critical hit. + +GNOMISH RECON AGENT TABLE 1.: THE GNOMISH RECON AGENT + + 6-sided + Dice for +Experience Experience Accumulated Level +Points Level* Hit Points** Title +------------------------------------------------------------------- +0 - 2,000 1 1 Private +2,001 - 4,500 2 2 Private First Class +4,501 - 9,000 3 3 Corporal +9,001 - 18,000 4 4 Specialist +18,001 - 36,000 5 5 Sergeant +36,001 - 72,000 6 6 Sergeant First Class +72,001 - 144,000 7 6+2 Sergeant Major +144,001 - 288,000 8 6+4 First Lieutenant +288,001 - 576,000 9 6+6 Second Lieutenant +576,001 - 1,152,001 10 6+8 Captain + +*Progression past 10th level is not usually possible in this class. +When it is, each additional level is 300,000 XP. +**Gnomish recon agents gain 2 hit points per level after the 6th. + +GNOMISH RECON AGENT TABLE 2.: THAC0 AND SAVING THROWS + +Level THAC0 PPD PP RSW BW S +-------------------------------------------------- +1 20 13 12 14 16 15 +2 19 13 12 14 16 15 +3 18 13 12 14 16 15 +4 17 13 12 14 16 15 +5 17 12 11 12 15 13 +6 16 12 11 12 15 13 +7 15 12 11 12 15 13 +8 14 12 11 12 15 13 +9 14 11 10 10 14 11 +10 13 11 10 10 14 11 + + +GNOMISH RECON AGENT TABLE 3.: SPELLS PER DAY + + Spells Per + Level Per Day* +Level 1 2 +------------------------- +1 0 - +2 0 - +3 0 - +4 1 0 +5 1 0 +6 1 0 +7 2 1 +8 2 1 +9 2 1 +10 3 2 +* A 0 in this column indicates that the agent may cast spells of this +level if he is granted bonus spells for a high wisdom. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/classes/the Druid.sxw b/classes/the Druid.sxw new file mode 100755 index 0000000..9887d4e Binary files /dev/null and b/classes/the Druid.sxw differ diff --git a/classes/the Druid.txt b/classes/the Druid.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..a84b3a6 --- /dev/null +++ b/classes/the Druid.txt @@ -0,0 +1,462 @@ +Shamans are spellcasters which use magic differently from Clerics or Magic +Users. Where the Magic User views magic as a science, or as an art form, +something to be practiced, honed and mastered; and where the Cleric sees +magic as a gift from their Deity for good deeds; the Druid sees magic as +the lifeblood of the universe, and the will of the Grandfather Spirit, and +they are but a conduit for it. They do not control magic, or request +magic - to the Druid, they *are* magic, for they are one with the universe, +with the Grandfather Spirit. To them, opening the portals in the soul to +allow the energies to flow forth is as natural as breathing. Druids are +(usually) neutral, viewing good and evil, law and chaos, as balancing forces +of nature which are necessary for the continuation of all things. They +must have a minimum wisdom of 12, a strength of 12, and a constitution of +13. Both of these major attributes must exceed 15 if a Shaman is to gain a +10% bonus to earned experience. + +It will be noted that the spells usable by Shamans are more attuned to +nature and the elements than are the spells of other clerics or magic-users. +However, unlike the traditional Druid, the Shaman's spell selection and +style of magic is not reliant on a certain localised breed of trees, a +strict set of naturalistic circumstances, and a strict adherence to +neutrality. Rather, the Shamanic view of natural magic is to take what +already is, and create other things that may be, as felt by the needs and +imperative of the Grandfather Spirit to keep the balance. This is at a +much lower, more elemental level; whether it is to be found in the trees +and waters of the wild, or in the wooden planks, cobblestones and bricks +of the city. All things, at a base enough level, come from the elements; +and the elements are the Druid's magical turf. Further, shamans do not +engage in "nature worship" as the traditional druid does; rather, shamans +view the natural world, and everything in it, as being related. To them, +the trees, the rocks, the wind and the water of the river are their +brothers, father, mother and sisters just as much as the others in their +tribe. To call their religion nature worship is anadequate at best. They +do not worship nature so much as they hold it in high reverence, as they +would a trusted and proven grandparent; something to be learned from, and +loved while you have time together. They refer to their path of study as +"traveling the Spirit Road". + +Shamans serve to strengthen, protect, and revitalize as the usual cleric +does. Shamans are also capable of dealing lots of damage all on their own +with their spells, and with their combat abilities, if necessary. They +must speak or read spells aloud, usually accompanied by singing, chanting +and/or dancing, except where noted. Due to their involvement with the +natural cycle of life and death, and not dedication to any particular +Deity, Shamans have no power to turn or control undead, demons, or devils. + +Shamans are the leaders and elders, often, of nomadic hunter-gatherer +tribes. Any people that settles down long enough to build permanent +structures is not one that will find itself welcome by a Shaman, and +therefore will find none amongst them. Neither will any society that +makes extensive over-use of natural resources, or makes a habit of doing +things that fly in the face of the natural order of things. For this +reason it is exceptionally rare to find Shamans in all but the most +reclusive societies; at current, the only shamans known - or reputed - +to exist are amongst the few Sylvan Elven tribes of the Elven +Protectorate, who are the most secretive and reclusive of all the elven +tribes. + +Shamans are often not only the spiritual leaders of a tribe, but also +the warrior chiefs as well, when the tribe's population is small - or +when the shaman is particularly strong. Thus Shamans attack on the +Cleric "to hit" chart matrix. Most shamans do not progress past 5th +or 6th level in practice; but there can be - and have been - shamans +capable of casting 9th level spells of unbelievable power, even in the +eyes of Arcanists. + +If a shaman observes any creature destroying their charges, or upsetting +the balance of the natural order, the Shaman is unlikely to risk his +life to prevent the destruction if the odds are clearly not in his favor. +Rather, it is probable that the Shaman will seek retribution and revenge +at a later date as opportunity presents itself. + +In connection with their relationship with nature, Shamans have certain +innate powers which are gained at higher level. At 1st level, a Shaman +gains the following obilities: + +1. ldentification of plant type +2. Identification of animal type +3. Identification of pure water +4. Totem Spirit. This is similar in nature to both a magic user's + familiar, and a Cleric's deity. The totem spirit is a moral guide + to the shaman, a foreteller of imminent events, a messenger to + and from the grandfather spirit, and a guide to the spirit worlds + beyond. The shaman is given a totem spirit once he begins + following the spirit road, usually by the shaman that shows him + the path to begin with, or for shamans starting out alone in the + wilderness, by the grandfather spirit himself (it is said). + +At 2nd level, the druid gains the ability to identify animals by only +their tracks, droppings, or other leavings (antler scrapes, feathers, etc). + +At 3rd level, the shaman gains the power to pass through overgrown areas +(undergrowth of tangled thorns, briar patches, etc.) without leaving a +discernible trail and at normal movement rate (q.v.) + +At 7th level, the following additional powers are gained: + +1. Immunity from charm spells cast by any creature basically associated + with the woodlands, i.e. dryads, nixies, sylphs, etc. +2. Ability to change form up to three times per day, actually becoming, + in all respects save the mind, a reptile, bird or mammal. + A. Each type of creature form can be assumed but once per day. + B. The size of creature form assumed con vary from as small as a + bullfrog, bluejay or bat to as large as a large snake, an + eagle, or a black bear (about double the weight of the + Shaman). + C. Each assumption of a new form removes from 10% to 60% (d6, + multiply by 10) of the hit points of damage, if any, the + Shaman has sustained prior to changing form. + + In melee combat, Shamans fight as clerics. They likewise make saving +throws (9.v.) as clerics, but against fire and lightning (electrical) +attacks they get a bonus of +2 on their dice rolls. + +Shamans TABLE I + 8-Sided + Dice for + Accumulated +XP Level Hit Points Level Title +----------------------------------------------------------------------- +0 - 2,000 1 1 +2,001 - 4,000 2 2 +4,001 - 7,500 3 3 +7,501 - 12,500 4 4 +12,501 - 20,000 5 5 +20,001 - 35,000 6 6 +35,001 - 60,000 7 7 +60,001 - 90,000 8 8 +90,001 - 125,000 9 9 +125,001 - 200,000 10 10 +200,001 - 300,000 11 11 +300,001 - 750,000 12 12 +750,001 - 1,500,000 13 13 +1,500,001 - 2,250,000 14 14 +2,250,001 - 3,000,000 15 14+1 +3,000,001 - 3,750,000 16 14+2 +3,750,001 - 4,500,000 17 14+3 +4,500,001 - 5,250,000 18 14+4 + +* Each level is 750,000 XP past the 18th + +SPELLS USABLE BY CLASS AND LEVEL - ShamanS + +Shamanic Spell Level +Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 +1 2 - - - - - - - - +2 2 1 - - - - - - - +3 3 2 1 - - - - - - +4 4 2 2 - - - - - - +5 4 3 2 - - - - - - +6 4 3 2 1 - - - - - +7 4 4 3 1 - - - - - +8 4 4 3 2 - - - - - +9 4 4 3 2 1 - - - - +10 5 4 3 3 2 - - - - +11 5 5 3 3 2 1 - - - +12 5 5 4 4 3 2 1 - - +13 6 5 5 5 4 3 2 - - +14 6 6 6 6 5 4 3 1 - +15 6 6 6 6 5 4 3 2 - +16 6 6 6 6 6 5 4 2 - +17 6 6 6 6 6 5 4 3 1 +18 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 3 2 +19 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 4 3 +20 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 3 + + Shamans select their spells from both the Shaman (below) and +Druid spell list freely. + +SHAMAN SPELL LIST + + 1st level +Spell Name Taken From +--------------------------------------------------------------------- +create water cleric 1 +cure light wounds cleric 1 +detect magic cleric 1 +light cleric 1 +purify food & drink cleric 1 +resist cold cleric 1 +detect snares & pits druid 1 +entangle druid 1 +faerie fire druid 1 +invisibility to animals druid 1 +locate animals druid 1 +pass without trace druid 1 +predict weather druid 1 +purify water druid 1 +shillelagh druid 1 +speak with animals druid 1 +vision quest** - +affect normal fires magic user 1 +burning hands magic user 1 +charm person magic user 1 +comprehend languages magic user 1 +enlarge magic user 1 +erase magic user 1 +feather fall magic user 1 +friends magic user 1 +hold portal* magic user 1 +jump magic user 1 +mending magic user 1 +read magic magic user 1 +shocking grasp magic user 1 +sleep magic user 1 +spider climb magic user 1 +change self illusionist 1 +detect illusion illusionist 1 +detect invisibility illusionist 1 +wall of fog illusionist 1 + + + 2nd level +Spell Name Taken From +--------------------------------------------------------------------- +detect charm cleric 2 +find traps* cleric 2 +know alignment cleric 2 +slow poison cleric 2 +speak with animals cleric 2 +barkskin druid 2 +charm person or mammal druid 2 +feign death druid 2 +fire trap druid 2 +heat metal druid 2 +locate plants druid 2 +obscurement druid 2 +produce flame druid 2 +trip druid 2 +warp wood druid 2 +continual light magic user 2 +darkness 15' radius magic user 2 +fool's gold magic user 2 +forget magic user 2 +locate object* magic user 2 +ray of enfeeblement magic user 2 +shatter magic user 2 +stinking cloud magic user 2 +strength magic user 2 +web magic user 2 +blindness illusionist 2 +deafness illusionist 2 +fog cloud illusionist 2 + + + 3rd level +Spell Name Taken From +--------------------------------------------------------------------- +continual light cleric 3 +create food & water cleric 3 +cure blindness cleric 3 +cure disease cleric 3 +feign death cleric 3 +hold person cleric 2 +remove curse cleric 3 +speak with dead cleric 3 +call lightning druid 3 +hold animal druid 3 +hold plant druid 4 +neutralize poison druid 3 +plant growth druid 3 +protection from fire druid 3 +protection from cold** - +protection from lightning druid 4 +pyrotechnics druid 3 +snare druid 3 +stone shape druid 3 +summon insects druid 3 +tree druid 3 +water breathing druid 3 +dispel magic magic user 3 +explosive runes magic user 3 +fireball magic user 3 +flame arrow magic user 3 +gust of wind magic user 3 +infravision magic user 3 +lightning bolt magic user 3 +monster summoning I magic user 3 +tongues magic user 3 +dispel illusion illusionist 3 + + 4th level +Spell Name Taken From +-------------------------------------------------------------------- +cure serious wounds cleric 4 +divination cleric 4 +lower water cleric 4 +animal summoning I druid 4 +call woodland beings druid 4 +control temperature druid 4 +hallucinatory terrain druid 4 +plant door druid 4 +produce fire druid 4 +repel insects druid 4 +speak with plants druid 4 +charm monster magic user 4 +dig magic user 4 +fire charm magic user 4 +fire shield magic user 4 +fire trap magic user 4 +ice storm magic user 4 +monster summoning II magic user 4 +polymorph self* magic user 4 +wall of fire magic user 4 +wall of ice magic user 4 +emotion illusionist 4 +minor creation illusionist 4 + + 5th level +Spell Name Taken From +--------------------------------------------------------------------- +conjure animals cleric 6 +flame strike cleric 5 +animal growth druid 5 +animal summoning II druid 5 +anti-plant shell druid 5 +commune with nature druid 5 +control winds druid 5 +insect plague druid 5 +pass plant druid 5 +pass stone** - +sticks to snakes druid 5 +transmute rock to mud druid 5 +wall of thorns druid 6 +airy water magic user 5 +animal growth magic user 5 +cloudkill magic user 5 +conjure elemental magic ussr 5 +cone of cold magic user 5 +hold monster magic user 5 +monster summoning III magic user 5 +passwall magic user 5 +stone shape magic user 5 +wall of iron magic user 5 +wall of stone magic user 5 +major creation illusionist 5 + + 6th level +Spell Name Taken From +--------------------------------------------------------------------- +animate object cleric 6 +find the path cleric 6 +heal cleric 6 +part water cleric 6 +speak with monsters cleric 6 +stone tell cleric 6 +animal summoning III druid 6 +anti-animal shell druid 6 +cure critical wounds druid 6 +feeblemind druid 6 +fire seeds druid 6 +transport via plants druid 6 +turn wood druid 6 +elemental turning** - +weather summoning druid 6 +anti-magic shell magic user 6 +control weather magic user 6 +death spell magic user 6 +disintegrate magic user 6 +monster summoning IV magic user 6 +move earth magic user 6 +otiluke's freezing sphere magic user 6 +reincarnation magic user 6 +stone to flesh magic user 6 + + 7th level +Spell Name Taken From +--------------------------------------------------------------------- +earthquake cleric 7 +regenerate cleric 7 +restoration cleric 7 +wind walk cleric 7 +animate element** - +chariot of sustarre druid 7 +confusion druid 7 +creeping doom druid 7 +finger of death druid 7 +fire storm druid 7 +transmute elements** - + + 8th level +Spell Name Taken From +--------------------------------------------------------------------- +incendiary cloud magic user 8 +mass charm magic user 8 +druid's maze** - +mind blank magic user 8 + + 9th level +Spell Name Taken From +--------------------------------------------------------------------- +Meteor Swarm magic user 9 +Terraform** - +Unity** - + +* : Same as listed spell except where noted +** : New spell + +Un-leveled spells: + + Totemic Manifestation + pass element + +Brief spell descriptions: + hold portal : Portal must be of a naturally occuring + substance or a reasonable combination of natural + substances without serious refinery (e.g., while wood, + metal, and stone doors can be held, polymer and glass + portals can not). Anything constructed from + living fiber is considered natural (e.g., bones, + skin, etc.) + find traps : Traps must be constructed from a natural material, + or placed in a natural setting - only one part of the + trap needs be natural for it to be located. See + "hold portal" for what is and is not natural. + locate object : Object must be located in or on a natural + substance. See "hold person" for what is and is not + natural. + polymorph self : The druid can take the shape of any form + he knows, with the exception of aberrations and + anything that is not native to the prime materal, + negative material, or elemental planes. A druid + could not, for example, take the form of + Cthulhu; it could, however, take the form of a + Mind Flayer, titan, etc. + + + vision quest : Similar to "find familiar", this spell locates + the druid's specific Totem Spirit. + protection from cold : As protection from fire, but from cold. + elemental turning : Can be used to command elementals to turn + away from the caster in the same way as Clerics turn + Undead. + animate element : Allows the druid to place the essence of + an elemental or para-elemental plane into a given + quantity of an inanimate element, thus animating it + and giving it life (though not necessarily under the + druid's control) + transmute elements : Allows the druid to exchange an equal + quantity of one element for another + druid's maze : Causes a construct similar to a hedge maze + to spring up from any natural material in the area + of effect, having the same effect as a Magic User + "Maze" spell, but with a physical maze made of + pseudo-natural materials. + terraform : Allows the druid to change the form and flow + of terrain + unity : Merges the druid's consciousness with that of the + natural universe, allowing him to effect changes through + the natural elements of the universe for a given + period of time + + Totemic Manifestation: Allows the druid to take on one or + more aspects of their totem spirit at low levels; + at higher levels, it allows the druid to give his + body over to the totem spirit, effectively becoming + an avatar of his totem. + + pass element: Allows the druid to enter one type of element + as if it were a door, and exit out of the same + element type at a given distance away, as "pass plant", + but with no limits on the type of element used. +