jkeown

You've been struck with a hit. You parry. You fumble. This table can convert that normal hit to a special or critical hit. That's the key. Look at the other results. Dropped weapon, Lose a round. Fall down? 76-85 is the best result on the table. Hope that this is the result you get. All the others suck much harder.

Holy Crap. I didn't run across that yet! Thanks for the direction! Dude... you're my favorite BRP player now! ADD is a rough disorder to cope with at times. Builds character, sure, but one often feels clueless and frequently makes one appear foolish. Bony Jaws DEX corrected in my ms. Thanks!

Here I've taken the Crab, Giant from the MRQSRD and altered it to fit a beast that my players fought on the way out of the Sea Caves area of Deep Aura. Deep Aura is a holy grail to my players, they hope to one day delve it and survive the experience. Meanwhile things from Down There keep coming Up Here and scaring the willies out of them. The process was a simple one, I looked up things about crabs to provide a slightly humourous twist to the discription. Turns out a group of crabs is called a cast. You can probably see the obvious pun. Blue Crusty The giant crab, also called the Blue Crusty, is a beast altered by exposure to the Dream Energy of Deep Aura, the megadungeon beneath Chalasa. It is supposed that some route into that sunken city allows the energy to escape into the White Sea. Many very odd animals result from this venting of Dream Energy. They resemble natural crabs, but often display corruptions from exposure to Chaos. They eat meat, but occasionally crave mineral wealth. These minerals collect on their carapace, just tempting adventures to try and pry them off for sale in the city. Rangoon, the so-called Culinary Sage, suggests attacking with fire-based spells, and having onions, cream cheese and crepes ready for when the beast falls. Characteristic Roll Average STR 3D6+24 35 CON 3D6+6 17 SIZ 3D6+24 35 INT 2 2 POW 3D6 11 DEX 2D6 7 APP 2 2 Move: 5 (land) 6 (water) Hit Points: 26 Damage Bonus: +2D6 Armor: Thick Carapace (AP 8) Attacks: Claw 50%, 1D10+2D6 Skills: Sense 40%, Stealth 55%, Track 20% Powers: Exposure to Deep Aura’s ambient Dream Energy has mutated the White Sea Crab into a beast out of legend. Tactical Spellcasters Each Blue Crusty can cast 1D3 spells of the GMs choosing. When attacking in groups, a cast of Blue Crusties have been known to support each other, some staying back and casting Heal spells, while others stay at range and fire Blast. Some eschew spell casting and stay up front with the PCs and attack with their claws. It’s really quite disturbing. They do not possess the intelligence for such tactics. It’s assumed that the Dream Energy contains “instructions” for such behavior. Touched Older Blue Crusties have up to 1D6 Chaotic Features. The more they accumulate, the older the creature is assumed to be, though this may not be the case. Gem-encrusted Shells: Blue Crusties with one or more Chaotic Features will display 1d3 gems of random value on their carapace.

I figure those Archeloon are about 75 feet across. At least, the one that came ashore in front of my PCs was. It wandered inland, looked around, didn't see anything it like and went back out to sea. Scared them to death. As far as accuracy goes... it would be nice to see an expanded SIZ chart. Having the relative values is good, but relating them to "real-world" equivalents would be even better. Was such a chart ever published? Here's another beastie, created using Examining... I put him in that thread a while ago, but there were no replies, here he is again, a little closer to a proper BRP write up. Bony Jaws The Bony Jaws rules the White Sea region as the top predator. Able to kill the vast Hairy Whales in mere seconds, humans and similar creatures steer well clear of the beast with two exceptions. The first is in the case of those caught unaware by the monstrous fish. They are large, fast and terrifying, most who are caught in small craft, downed sky castles or shipwrecks encounter one fatally. The second case is that of enchanters and those in their employ. The fist-sized jewel in the upper skull of the creature is used to create the wildly popular Unseen Amulets, an item that grants the wearer invisibility. Characteristic Roll Average STR 8D6+10 42 CON 6D6+10 32 SIZ 10D6+12 55 INT 1D6 4 POW 1D6+6 10 DEX 2D6+12 12 APP 1 1 Move: 12 Hit Points: 43 Damage Bonus: +5D6 Armor: Bony Plates (Head Only AP6) Thick Skin (Body & Tail AP 3) Attacks: Bite 50%, 9D6 Spiky Bits 50%, 2D6 (Only When Touched or Grappled) Skills: Sense 95% Swimming 100%, Stealth 90% Powers: As a magically altered creature, its engineers gave it strange powers of invisibility and senses. There is Not a Giant Spiky Fish Here The Bony Jaws attacks by using a variant of the invisibility spell employed by the more disreputable mages and talented rogues. They cannot be observed with normal senses, nor can they be skryed for, they are literally “Not Here” until they attack. They always attack from ambush. Defenders may be allowed a chance to notice the on rushing swell and displacement in the water, unless the beast is attacking from below, which is the usual, most unfortunate, case. Observation has revealed it is very similar to the Ysnar Variant taught by the Wyzadri Max College in Chalasa proper. The spell uses a Skrye Shield component favored by that breed of Formulaic Wizards. This suggests a strong connection between the two, and the possible creation of the Bony Jaws from a prior, unknown species within the last 2000 years. Ytrann-Laced Lateral Line The Bony Jaws seeks out prey by a kind of lateral line-sense. Unless this sense is specified in the Spell or Power description, the creature cannot be blinded. Oh, But There is a Giant Spiky Fish Here anyone attempting to touch or grapple the Bony Jaws will find them very spiky indeed, as they thrash about sending dozens of spines, protrusions and Sharp Body Parts into their flesh every round. The unfortunate grappler takes 2D6 damage every round of contact.

Any resemblance to Monsters Living, Dead or Fictional is entirely on purpose. Archeloon do not fly... nor do they befriend little Japanese boys. They step on stuff... but otherwise, you're right. More stuff from the Caleon Bestiary soon. I did a spreadsheet relating STR, CON and SIZ, to see the progression of the stats to each other as they rise among critters in BRP and RQ. I can make fairly accurate big critters, methinks... we'll see, some of the stuff in my bestiary is pretty huge. More plot device than opponent. Do we like such beasties?

Archeloon The mysterious Archeloon are vast Essence-infused tortoises. Magically grown to great size, they support tropical island life on their great shells. Sailors and those that live near the sea venerate them as good omens. Treasure hunters often pursue them, for ships that have met their end against the Archeloon’s armored body some times leave bits of cargo or valuables lying around on the beast. They have never been observed while feeding, it is thought that they subsist solely on magic, in a manner similar to Caleon Giants. As with other manavores, they tend toward non-aggressive behavior. There are a few notable exceptions, and in those rare cases the beast has been found to be an unstoppable force of pure magic and destructiveness. Three attack modes have been observed. Biting and Stomping, common to every report, and two reports of ranged attacks. One by means of an Essence Blast from gem-like protrusions on the creature’s enormous head, and another by means of hidden Essence Bomb launchers concealed in thick jungle overgrowth until needed. They have only ever been encountered singly. There is one sighting no one in the sage community takes seriously, a bale of thirteen, supposedly sighted off the coast near Carzey some years ago. Characteristic Roll Average STR 10D6+75 105 CON 15D6+50 95 SIZ 10D6+100 135 INT 1d6+1 5 POW 12D6 37 DEX 4D6 14 APP 2D6 7 Move: 20 Hit Points: 120 Damage Bonus: +13D6 Armor: 20 Attacks: Bite 50%, 16D6 Stomp 50%, 16D6 Essence Blast 60%, 10D6 Essence Bomb 45%, 10D6/5 meter Skills: Drain Mana 75%, Swimming 100% Powers: As manavores, Archeloons can control the ambient magic level around them. Drain Mana As truly enormous creatures, they can do this over an area of many miles. When attacked by magical force, the creatures can draw all local magic into themselves, simultaneously healing themselves of up to 6D6, and preventing Flowtapping (or other overcharging) by nearby mages. Mana Source A mage touching an Archeloon can draw off up to 1D6 Magic Points per round. The creature will be aware that this is happening, and may retaliate. All melee hits to an Archeloon strike the nearest area, do not roll for location.

That's not very revealing though. I think there needs to be more detail. I do have a mechanic for it. My game world, Caleon, has cracks in reality here and there. Magic flows from the Thaumic Barrier across the world. Mages can tap into the flow a draw Power Points. I think that Overcharging in this fashion keeps pace with what I've written before in GURPS and especially HERO versions of this world, and my players will like it. Thanks for the clarification... I was sure I was missing something!

I've searched the PDF and the Forum hereabouts and I cannot find a definition of "Overcharge." there are 3 references to it in the BRP PDF, but no hard and fast rules covering it... Unless page 30's discussion of extra power points is the reference I'm looking for. (In addition to Extra Energy back in Super Powers) Am I right, or is my ADD getting the better of me? If I'm wrong, please direct me to the rule after an appropriate level of excoriation of my personal and professional being.

My minions will be around to collect you later for processing. Put your affairs in order. You can rest in the knowledge that I and my Dark Masters will put your material self to good use. Seriously... thanks! More later!

This is a magic item generation system based on that used in Diablo and World of Warcraft. It's not random like those systems, however, and the lists provided should be used to give the GM of a DnD-style or other High Magic game inspiration for his own loot. Also included are unique items from Caleon, my Fantasy HERO world I'm translating to BRP. Enjoy! Feel free to post additions or comments. Remember: These are jumping off points, and some of them are very powerful! Use with caution! tMMISoDBRP.pdf

My use of "publish" was a bit hasty... I'm not sure if I intend to get into the PDF business. By "publish" I mean handy, free copies of the articles on this forum or a 'zine of some kind.

I have created rulesets for HERO Magic Items and Magical Afflictions that would work for High or Dark Fantasy that I think would plug into BRP just fine. The rulebook is great... no mistake, but I've created material that really anchors the characters to the world. Additions like these should be embraced. Heck... anything from the various generic systems should be looted like mad. (And by that I mean re-written to be consistant with the rules as written) That's just the stimulationist in me typing, though. Here's what I've got: Magic Item Creation Magical Afflictions Mounts and the Creation of Custom Breeds Arcanomechanical (Created) Beings Arcanomechanical Grafts Necromechanical Matters Magic Sinks, Calderas, and Springs Mana Flows and Flowtapping Contacts and Allies (From this thread, even) Nemesis Characters Undead Creation Soulwind Channelling and Formulaic Magic My intent is to publish all of it as BRP PDFs. All of these have a common trade off during Character creation but I'm not sure of the exact mechanics just yet. I want to make sure that it's consistant with BRP. Reactions?

Chalasyan All along the White Sea, rock-strewn coastline blends into rolling hills and scrub. Varied terrain is abundant, as the boundary is dotted with a tropical forests or swamps on occasion. It is particularly jumbled in Chalasyan, where the Farkin river drains into the sea, low-lying areas are wetlands, and higher elevations are dense forests providing great variety. This has led to an extreme biodiversity, with several subspecies of almost every animal. The Food Chain The local food chain is dominated by Humans, Ogres and a few Trolls and Howlers. Where these intelligent races do not intrude, however, the dominate species are the Brown Wazzan, the Predator Voop and the Southern Imperial Wyvern. Direct competition occurs between the Predator Voop and the Brown Wazzan, with the Wyverns only venturing inland to scavenge. They are apex predators only in the coastal region and the sea shallows, where they compete (somewhat unsuccessfully) with the placoderm-like Bony Jaws. It is thought the Predator Voop is not a natural occurrence. While they retain the bone structure of the Common Voop, their digestive tract and natural weapons show no similarity at all to any herbivore. How long ago they were altered is not known, but signs of magical tampering are plainly obvious to Keliphian Druids and Animal Mages. Both the Brown Wazzan and the Predator Voop share similar ranges, scrublands and tropical forests. Both prey on just about anything that moves. In most cases, the wazzan's speed and agility is countered by the sheer power the Voop can bring to bear on a given target. As a result, most animals in Chalasyan are very fast, or very tough, or both. Smaller flying predators and Mage Rats occupy the next lower level of the food chain, the former best represented by the Red Kestral and the Tor Hawn. Tor Hawn are an invasive species, having been brought in by human settlers during the Scattering thousands of years ago. They are native to Thundai and have adapted to roosting in the rock spires off the coast, frequently falling prey to Wyverns. Wooly Herders and Common Voop make up the top herbivores, with the Voop making large migratory movements throughout the year. Herds of up to a hundred individuals can strip a forest clean in a matter of days. They stay clear of Chaos-haunted B'nye's Stand, however, contenting themselves with grazing in Koosfall Glades and the southern eaves of the Trollwood. Wooly Herders graze in the Sarkeen Foothills region and in limited numbers in the Wetlands near Thumpington. Herders are also the most common domesticated livestock in the region. Waterways are home to the Magefish (several "pre-marinaded" species exist, with lemon and balsamic being the most common), who eat various insects and the Blue-Lobed Vine. Blue Lobed Vine These are prized by mages for the POW boost they provide. While most wizards cultivate their own with Alchemy skill, it can be found growing wild on the edges of the rivers and streams that drain the Farkin Mountains. The average wild growth of the stuff is equivalent to four doses. Each dose provides 1D3 POW for CON Minutes. Wooly Herder The Wooly Herder runs when it is approached, and simply dies if seriously threatened. In Chalasyan, an all-too-common insult is to shout at an offending neighbor's livestock in the hope that one or two keel over. Butcher Shops are noisy places, and frequently employ Ogres. They mostly resemble smallish yaks, with more than the usual glancing around nervously. STR 2D6+6 (13) CON 3D6 (11) DEX 3D6+6 (17) SIZ 2D6+4 (11) INT 4 (4) POW 2D6 (7) CHA 4 (4) Move: 6 Hit Points: 11 Damage Bonus: None Armor: Thick Fur AP 1 Attacks: Head Butt 35%, 1D6 Skills: Sense 95% Stealth 45% Brown Wazzan Not only a fine riding beast; the Brown Wazzan is a feared predator across the Empire and beyond. While those found at local Bird Wrangler farms and seedy inner-city hatcheries are often suspect, this wild specimen is sure to give hunters pause. They attack until a target is incapacitated and then dine on the victim’s flesh before it dies. These birds are really quite nasty, in fact. Many domesticated varieties exist, and I’m sure I have notes on those around here somewhere. STR 4D6+18 (32) CON 2D6+6 (13) DEX 3D6+6 (17) SIZ 4D6+12 (26) INT 3 (3) POW 3D6 (11) CHA 3 (3) Move: 6 Hit Points: 20 Damage Bonus: +1D12 Armor: Bushy Feathers AP 3 Attacks: Bite 45%, 1D8+1D12 Kick 45%, 1D6+1D12 Skills: Sense 60% Stealth 60%, Tracking 55% Red Kestrel Native to the coastlines of the southern Imperial seas, they are increasingly threatened by invasive Tor Hawns seeking better nesting grounds away from the wars of the North. They favored by nobles, who enjoy the black and red plumage that so resembles the Imperial Heraldry. STR 1D3 (2) CON 2D3 (4) DEX 3D6+18 (27) SIZ 1D2 (2) INT 4 (4) POW 2D6 (7) CHA 4 (4) Move: 2, 8 Flying Hit Points: 9 Damage Bonus: -1D8 Armor: None Attacks: Claw 50%, 1D6–1D8 Bite 35%, 1D4–1D8 Skills: Dodge 75%, Perception 100%, Stealth 60% Bony Jaws The Bony Jaws rules the White Sea region as the top predator. Able to kill the vast Hairy Whales in mere seconds, humans and similar creatures steer well clear of the beast with two exceptions. The first is in the case of those caught unaware by the monstrous fish. They are large, fast and terrifying, most who are caught in small craft, downed sky castles or shipwrecks encounter one fatally. The second case is that of enchanters and those in their employ. The fist-sized jewel in the upper skull of the creature is used to create the wildly popular Unseen Amulets, an item that grants the wearer invisibility. STR 8D6+10 (42) CON 6D6+10 (32) DEX 2D6+6 (12) SIZ 10D6+12 (55) INT 1D6 (4) POW 1D6+6 (10) CHA 1 (1) Move: 12 Hit Points: 43 Damage Bonus: +5D6 Armor: Bony Plates (Head Only AP 6) Thick Skin (Body & Tail AP 3) Attacks: Bite 50%, 9D6 Spiky Bits 50%, 4D6 (Only When Grappled) Skills: Sense 95% Swimming 100%, Stealth 90% There is Not a Giant Spiky Fish Here The Bony Jaws attacks by using a variant of the invisibility spell employed by the more disreputable mages and talented rogues. They cannot be observed with normal senses, nor can they be skryed for, they are literally “Not Here” until they attack. They always attack from ambush. Defenders may be allowed a chance to notice the on rushing swell and displacement in the water, unless the beast is attacking from below, which is the usual, most unfortunate, case. Observation has revealed it is very similar to the Ysnar Variant taught by the Wyzadri Max College in Chalasa proper. The spell uses a Skrye Shield component favored by that breed of Formulaic Wizards. This suggests a strong connection between the two, and the possible creation of the Bony Jaws from a prior, unknown species within the last 2000 years. Ytrann-Laced Lateral Line The Bony Jaws seeks out prey by a kind of lateral line-sense. Unless this sense is specified in the Spell or Power description, the creature cannot be blinded.

Oh... I like this. "Looted!" as we say over on The Waaagh. I've also been looking into this. Do you think an Ally or Contact would be built equivalent to a Character, and the PC in question spends experience checks based on events in the game to increase that ally's Percentile? Initially, say: Nyehoon Findley (Enchanter) 15% The percentage is the chance of a favorable action on the part of the NPC. Will he loan you a sword, help tame a Southern Imperial Wyvern or distract the gaurd? Roll and get his reaction. After a few games, things have gone well between you and the good-natured, if greedy, wizard and increase him to 25%. A bad experience occurs (he almost gets eaten by a Bony Jaws while on a mission with you) and you lose 1D6%. Now he's down to 21% and you try to think of ways to make him happy again. You target him with a heat-seeking redhead and hope for the best... This needs some rules written around it. Perhaps the Generic NPCs in the back of BRP provide some guidelines on who and what can become an Ally? Less work for me, let me tell ya.

Did you get this morning's v35 update? I expanded it slightly.

...and this is why I asked... I was making notes the other day, thinking aloud at the girlfriend and generally annoying her. (She's a strict Narrativist and does not care for these "rule" thingies I enjoy so much...) I came to the same conclusion that "Skill Adds" feats mean nothing in BRP. They must relate the character to the World, not the Rules. (that's very profound, considering the mood I'm in...)

Any interest in these? The conversion bug "hangs on me like a new wife about her husband, hardly to be shook off..." Shakespeare aside, I think I'll do this anyway, and hope for a positive response

I converted this from its original Fantasy HERO format, in which I originally wrote it, in less than an hour. I have noticed several "artifacts" from that incomplete translation. Cdesign proponentists, anyone? First off, sorry about that! Secondly, I am now raging at myself for missing those references. There might be a smaller revision today before the big one that includes all the cool stuff I thought of after finishing it. By the way, if any one has any thoughts on new critter abilities, post them here, and I'll include it in v3.5 or 4E. Maybe the Fourth Edition will require miniatures?

I've already thought of ways to expand it. I'll post a revision to my revision in a few days. Maybe with pictures? I'm glad folks like it. Thanks for the kind words!

Examining the Beasts of Fantasy. 3rd Revised Edition Various Sources, GURPS, HERO, Wikipedia, my own twisted imagination. Enjoy! Edit: corrected spelling, added MRQSRD Critter abilties, removed HERO artifacts. Added a few new ideas of my own (Bradymetabolics, Predator/Prey Ratios) EBF-BRPv35.pdf

Sure! I've done a large number of sketches, note-taking and other such nonsense. Perhaps after converting and posting them, I'll get to work on the rest of the Caleon Bestiary. It's probably 50+ critters long, mostly using "realistic" critters (I use strict Evolution + Magical Accidents type thinking, with Wizardly Experimentation mixed in). They might prove more useful to the community than my actual setting.

Beholders in our game are called Tyrants. They come in many different flavors... mostly elemental in nature. I have an idea for a handy conversion process that I will post this evening. Ideally, it will help generate/convert anything that DnD thows out. It will be based on 3.5, as I have no 4E resources. I'll revise and expand my HERO Critter rules, moving them over to BRP. I've written two creature articles, one examining fantasy ecology and the other to customize mounts (titanis-like birds, riding lizards and horses). Both of these will get posted this evening after I get home. Indianapolis is kinda snow-bound, so the trip might be a bit slow, but these are two articles I really need to convert anyway.

What I'm trying to model is Caleon's divergent spellcasters. They are of two flavors: Formulaic Wizards whose spells involve much chanting, gesticulation, and focuses (staffs, wands, orbs, amulets, etc) to manipulate ambient magic fields. The magic is already here, they are simply reforging it. They are most like DnD Wizards, really. In HERO, I'd just layer on Limitations. It seems as though BRP's "default" Magic system most resembles this style of spellcaster. Channellers can draw upon the power of gods (the Ilzar), from well-springs of magic that occur naturally, or the deep magic of raw Chaos and Void channels. Their spells are direct, energetic and unsubtle. Channels are more damaging or effective than Formulaic spells, but the latter is more versatile. Additionally, you often can't tell a channeller is at work except for the look on his or her face. Failure at channelling results in personal injury, the spell's energy loosed upon one's person in a moment of pain, a bloody nose or torn ligament. In HERO, I added healthy amounts of Concentration, Side Effects and Requires a Skill Roll limitations. If there is a DnD paradigm for Channellers, I'd have to go with Clerics, whose spells stem from an external source. Would a common Fumble-Failure-Success-Special-Critical (Skill Result) layout be acceptable? Formulaic casters simply getting the spell wrong and losing PP, while Channellers loose PP and suffer for their blown rolls? Spells of either flavor would be bought as Skills. Socially, they tend not to mingle, Formulaic Wizards have their own schools, colleges and guild rank structure, while Channellers form loose organizations around a common Source (those being the natural springs or self-aware beings like Chaos Lords and Ilzar). The exception being the Zaratyn Church of Volshann, whose priesthood is as often Formulaic as Channeller, or very often not even a spellcaster, but a scholar or warrior dedicating his life and works to the cult. Would you as a player be drawn to one or the other? I see benefits in both, but players might not like to have their hands blown off by a bad spell roll or see a healing formula sicken a patient (for example...) Thanks in advance for any opinions this post warrants!

Caleon's priests are mostly college-educated mages. Divine magic is the realm of the god-touched, the Ilzaru or Iltharch. They can hear their deity's dreams in their head, and translate it as something like Sorcery.

By way of introduction, I'm Jeffery. I'm a gamemaster, author and huge BRP fan, though I almost never play it. I've done HERO, GURPS, Dark Heresy and even various flavors of DnD... but never played Basic for any great stretch. For a long time, as far back as the first Stormbringer book back in the 80's, I've experimented with using BRP for my homebrew game. I thought I'd post the "What has gone before" bits and occasionally update this thread with new material as I translate it to BRP from its current HERO incarnation. I distinctly remember typing it up on my Commodore 64, printing out test copies on an 80-column 9-pin dot matrix printer. The first rumblings of Basic Roleplaying Caleon were awful and I always got distracted, never finishing it. At least 4 other times I've started this project. This time... I finish it. A good deal of Caleon exists because a player said "Wouldn't it be cool if..." as a result, some very obvious homages and outright rip-offs are to be found below. Notable among them is a black sword with a demon in it. I'd like to think that it's a slight nod to Michael Moorcock, but let's face it, I was young, I stole the idea, and now it's too late, the Black Blade, the Sword of Doom, Clarion Call to the Army of Fell Intent is a very important thing in my stories. Serial numbers or no... In fact, I've changed so much of it, that really, the only resemblance is the black metal of the blade and the demon... the rest of it is all mine. The current game is set in an age that technologically resembles the Age of Sail, with big clanking steam-powered mecha ruling the battlefields. The setting is high magic, steampunk tech, pirates-style shipboard action with swashbuckling, necromancers, demon-binding, nation-building and dungeon-delving. I make it up as I go along and take many notes. We have played this world for 27 years, on and off, and at all stages of its timeline. What follows is the history of the world right up to about 600 years before the current game time. A Speculative Caleon History Much has gone before, and a little understanding goes a long way. This, then, is what we present here, little understanding much speculation and outright fabrication. These tales do not reveal history in its full glory, for there is much that remains hidden. These events, or those that caused them, have ample need of hiding, for full disclosure is ill-advised under the best of circumstances. If Men knew what strings were taut about them, or indeed the hands that pull them so tight, History itself might seem a lie. If there is a pattern to the ways of history, it is that Men build empires and other Men tear them down. It is the fate of every nation to die and join the bones of its predecessor in the mists of time. So it is with Caleon. Claws of ice had held the land in a grip of death for long ages, and as it retreated, the land was reborn, new sources of food appeared, and magical wellsprings burst forth, changing the creatures of that age faster then nature may have intended. Life multiplied and took forms startling in aspect. Into this world, came the Elves. An Elven World At the beginning of all things, it would seem, are the Elzar. Fair, dangerous and magical, they were not always the tragic shadows we know today. In those days lost in the mists of history, their glittering cities lay scattered across the cool, silent forests of the world and the spirits of earth and water bowed at their passing. They commanded the elements, and even tempestuous spirits fire and proud spirits of air did their merest bidding. Elves manipulated essence as easy as a man might rise from his bed and pull on his pants. They hadn’t the merest thoughts on the matter, it was their nature. It was this command of magic that proved their undoing. In those days, Caleon’s elves shone out like a beacon in the dead background of the galaxy. It was here that the Dharzooni Stellar Empire deposited their worst: rebels and madmen, dragon-blooded horrors out of legend, the Mogs. The Coming of the Dharzoon Slowly at first, with increasing intensity, the Empire commended its unwanted mages to Caleon. They arrived naked and bleeding, thrown from star-spanning gates to gulp cold air and find themselves alone, desperate and cut off from their former lives. Anger seethed within each, their one-way trip set a burning in their already black hearts and they vowed a return to their former glory. We can only guess at this great distance in time what they truly thought, but surely, revenge was foremost in their minds. Others were cast into the world, creatures to punish them, or slaves sent by some twisted sympathic dark soul. With return impossible, their sympathizers provided what comfort they could to their masters. Castles rose up across the thawing ground, armies were raised from enslaved families and dreams of empires played across the troubled brows of the Dharzooni. All the while the elves were patient, hoping this new race, and their attendant servitors would confine their warmaking to the small holds and slowly-growing cities. This was a delusion, eventually, the Dharzooni warlords tired of fighting among themselves and began forming alliances and cabals. In time, the smallish nations turned jealous, alien eyes on the forests of the elves and the Time of Burning began. Of those days little is known save that any Elf that resisted found their cities burned, their children enslaved and their own bodies used as weapons. It is in these days that the first Trolls appeared. New weapons forged of Elzar flesh and angry spirits of vengence assaulted the Dharzooni strongholds and brought them down. As slaves, trolls, angry elves and even their own children turned on them, the long slow years of their exile were paid for in their own tainted blood. The Scattered City States Without allies the Dharzooni faded from the world and were forgotten. Elves and slaves moved away from the old, cursed centers of Dharzoon power. They grouped by race, or by need and scattered out across the world for thousands of years. The world warmed, and the forests once again rolled out across a now-quiet continent. All across the world, the Dead Gods’ thoughts began to seep into the minds of Men, for the Ilzar had made themselves known to Caleon. Those most devout to the Ilzar became the Ilzaru, in turn the most powerful Ilzaru were the Iltharchs, who had power as the gods themselves. Settlements were founded in their names, and civilization crept forward,driven by the thoughts of dead gods. In time, towns and cities began to appear clustered about rivers and harbors, or beneath the great Mana Flows. As is the way with men and other creatures, Empires stretched out tendrils of power and influence, military might projecting the will of petty tyrants for an age until Mighty Kyloth arose in the North. Built on the site of a great battle between the Elves and the Dharzoon, upon the breast of the Lord of Snows, the highest mountain of the North, was great Kyloth. Its empire survives to this day a smoldering fragment of its former glory, but in those mist-shrouded days, Kyloth nearly ruled all. Imperial Kyloth From its metropol in the North, to the ever-expanding rainforests no corner of the continent was spared the march of Kyloth’s armies. Some resisted, holding fast to tradition and cultural identity, or in some cases a matter of race kept Kyloth at bay, for they were an empire, then as now, of Men. Elves stayed secure in their tree-realms, or it is said, upon the great moon. The savage races kept to their mountains and canyons, but one nation of Men pushed back the armies of Imperial Kyloth again and again over the ages. The Ambitions of the South The Rulanni were a proud lot. They were dark haired mystics who spent their time commanding demons and stout soldiers who it was said could take an arrow yet take no notice of it. Kyloth’s heavy blades and trifling magic was of no consquence to them. They ruled a shining city near the elven nation of Pel Koryad. Kyloth gazed in jealous rage at the walls of Serrule, and for hundreds of years plotted her takeover. The reverse is often said to have been true. Serrule and the Jealous North This rivalry sparked major wars, skirmishes and centuries of intrigue, but Kyloth was not the only envious eye turned south in those days. At times it must have seemed to the Serruli that the entire world coveted their long growing season and warm seas. They lived in an age of eternal summer and one man’s ambition out shone every other jealous heart on the planet. He was Arkoon, and even in defeat, he would be Serrule’s undoing The Rise and Fall of Lord Arkoon Steelfire Gorge After bursting through from Chaos, magic courses around the planet, largely confining itself to the atmosphere. Occasionally the magic flows dive deep into the crust to erupt from the ground. In some of these mystical calderas, the flow brings liquified enchanted metal and glass to the surface. A thousand miles from the warm sun and inviting seas of Serrule lay the mighty caldera of Steelfire Gorge. It was claimed in those days by a clan of elven smiths led by the Forgemaster Hylothian. Arkoon sought him out, and commisioned a blade to make him lord of all. Hylothian labored on the weapon for a long age, binding a demon to the metal, gathering necromancers and dark mages from across the world to aid him in the creation of the Black Blade. Before it was finished, Arkoon took possession of the blade and marched south at the head of the Army of Fell Intent. Near the Iron River, upon a spire of black rock he began his tower, a monument to hateful ambition and spiteful Chaos. After years of murder with mundane weapons, he and his most vile lieutenants journeyed to Steelfire Gorge to clain the weapon from Hylothian. As his fist closed around the hilt, his fate was sealed, he saw his Dominion, all of Caleon, at his feet, and behind him he saw all the people he had killed and would have to kill to make his vision a reality. Hylothian perhaps had hoped that the terrible vision would stay his hand, but Arkoon simply smiled, thanked the smith in a too-gentle voice and returned to his tower. His armies spread out across the South, seiging any city that might come to bright Serrule’s aid. While Arkoon busied himself at the walls of Chalasa, a band of heroes, twelve in number, were visited by emissaries of Hylothian’s smith-clan. Each was given a blade fashioned by the Forgemaster. Each in turn challenged Arkoon only to find their new weapons were no match for the Black Blade. Some barely escaped, though some had help in escaping Arkoon’s wrath. Only when they combined their strengths, learning to use each weapon’s enchantment in concert with the others, did they finally bring Arkoon down. He was consumed by magical fires, and none of those days guessed his fate. His armies, so fierce only moments before, were torn assunder, screaming as they were drawn into Chaos. Of his lieutenants, only the fair-seeming Saakan survived the battle. Standing before the Twelve, he vowed to keep the Blade out of the hands of those who would use it for conquest. Ever did the Blade whisper foul, chaos-borne lies to him, but ever did he resist. While he never took up the Blade itself, he did embark on military conquests from Arkoon’s tower and found himself, as his master before him, envious of Serrule. The bright city tempted many a conqueror, and Saakan’s force of dark beings, trolls, orcs and creatures too horrible to describe marched on the city. Serrule Brought Low What treachery opened the gates on that terrible day, none can guess, but Serrule fell, her brightness dimmed and darkness ruled in its place. A girl was born on the day that Saakan crowned himself King of the South, and her father vowed that she would dethrone him. The Hidden Queen The girl Yethaa grew in Saakan’s shadow, she was schooled at weapons, magic and the silent arts of dealing with spirits and demons. Her father whispered hateful tales of Saakan and of the unknown traitor to the city. She watched as Saakan’s soldiers, human and otherwise, kept the streets in a deathly palor of utter order. He may have been a pawn of Chaos, but the city’s borders expanded, Men and Orcs dealt with one another with words more often than with the sword. Saakan thought himself secure behind layers of stone and metal, scores of bodygaurds and magical wards. He was wrong. An assasination attempt left the fair Saakan scarred and broken, though no less powerful. The would-be murderer was sentenced quickly and executed with terrible swiftness. Yethaa, now a woman, realized that someone had gotten through his defense, someone had reached him and nearly finished him. She gathered to herself others that had been prepared to retake the city. They made a pact and a plan, acting as dancers moving to their parent’s spiteful notes. As for Saakan, he took to wearing his armor, his dark plastron and fell-seeming helm. He was never without it. There are those that joked he slept in his metal prison, or that the magical armor was the only thing that kept him alive. Yethaa and her companions braved his once-bright citadel, brought down his gaurds, slipped over his walls and shattered his wards. Their victory was costly, and soon she found herself standing alone over the dying King of the South. As his last breaths sputtered from his ruined chest, the sun rose over the city and she looked out over it. So peaceful was the sight she was overcome. There was only one path she could take. Saakan returned to the throne, imposing new and more restrictive laws, it was made a terrible crime for members of one race to attack another in any fashion, equal treatment of Men and Orc and Elf was made the absolute law of the land and all would suffer the fate of any of them. A terrible stillness gripped the city for long years. As the cycle of years turned round again, the babes of one age are the men of another, and a rebellion was once again sparked, Saakan’s defenses seiged again and again the King of the South was defeated. Before the King was to be executed, his helm and armor were taken from him… only to reveal that Saakan had been dead this silent age, and Yethaa, now an old woman, confessed that she had ended him years before, but only her deception kept the city safe and peaceful, to defeat a tyrant, she had to become one. Before the rebellion’s leaders could decide her fate, the Hidden Queen took her own life. Saakan’s Blade, Arkoon’s before him, was hidden away. Of the smith Hylothian, our tale does not tell his end, perhaps none do. Zaratyn Triumphant Serrule lost its purpose, the rebels were not statesmen; they were potters, sculptors and bakers. A new power was rising, and it overtook Serrule, Chalasa and all the South with wings of ambition and dreams of an empire greater than any before it. Bells in the Desert From the magical sinks out in the Great Zaratyn Desert, an Empire grew, drawing on magical power from hundreds of miles away, the wizard-lords of Zaratyn carved from Kyloth, Serrule and all of the South a new nation. Born in fire and steel, it set its eyes to the future, a future it seemed to have in mind all along. As the great Bells rung, cities were brought down, they rung and demons were banished, they rung and seas swallowed mighty fleets. Magical power of this magnitude had never been unleashed and the entire continent shook in fear. Once tamed, the so-called Shadow Emperor penned a set of laws that would govern his empire after he was gone. These laws are the basis for every government still active. There are those that suspected the Shadow Emperor was a Dharzooni, so long was his reign. When after a thousand years he departed or died (the tales are ever unclear on this matter), his generals began to fight (for that is what generals do). They divided the empire into personal fiefs and ruled them under the laws the Emperor had left for them. Each interpreted his laws differently and soon gulfs of understanding yawned between nations. A Blade was found, and the world would once again turn on its point. The army of Fell Intent gathered again under Uzeroth’s banner and he marched, conquering one nation after another until the Elven nation of Pel Koryad lay before him. The Doom that came to Pel Koryad The elves, and their human allies were rightfully terrified of any warrior that wielded Arkoon’s sword. The cities of the South were an annoyance to Uzeroth, and he ground them under his heel on his way to the elven lands. One ancient wizard, who had in the distant past wielded a blade in opposition to Arkoon himself, sought a solution. The other blades were lost, rusting or destroyed, there was no time to find or restore them. Taking his sword, the legendary Xathos, he slew the gaurdians of the Dragon’s Eye, the most potent orb ever crafted. At the orb’s center is a pin-prick gate into Chaos itself. Entullian willed the orb to unleash its power on Uzeroth’s army. The army died. The power destroyed every atom of their being, sent Uzeroth’s body into the Void, shattered cities thousands of miles away, buckled mountians, brought low empires and sank his beloved Pel Koryad beneath a boiling white sea. Only a few scattered peaks remained; desperate elves and men clinging to the rocks as the age was ended by one old fool with an orb. His body was laid to rest in a hidden place, and the orb consigned to the deep of the new sea he’d created with his stupidity. This was not all history would hear of Pel Koryad, but it was the last for a long while. The Board Reset, the Game Begins Anew No cataclyism had ever befallen Caleon of so great a magnitude. Nothing was left. It was as if a great hand has reached out and cleared the continent like an angry player might clear a chessboard. Men and the other races dusted themselves off, began new towns, started new empires, and in a few generations, the ways of the old Zaratyn Empire were forgotten, save the Laws. The Laws kept back the darkness of anarchy, held at bey the wolves of disorder, gave those with power a reason to keep it. New nobility rose up and declared various rights under the Laws, and the people, being simple folk, shrugged and got back to doing all the work and dying that make the nobility so required an institution. Sadi States The area immediately north of the Circular Sea organized themselves around local heroes, builders of great cities and doers of great deeds. Of the greatest of these old Sadi States was the Ashureen Empire. It was yet another in a long line of empires begun by mages and alchemists, an empire of learning and random explosions in high tower suites and basement workshops. Ashureen Empire The Ashureen, as the ruling class called themselves after a wizard of a previous age who had left very good record of himself, were consumate alchemists and enchanters. The common folk were awed by their rulers’ abilities and the land was always fertile, the yearly rains were never late. Long ages of the world passed by and the Ashureen gaurded their secrets, took to sealing themselves off and finally vanishing all together. They had held themselves to be a breed apart, and didn’t allow the common folk to mix with their own magical blood. They faded away, the last of them quite senile and alone, his empire having faded away with his sanity. Eastern Thunder, Western Magic Aemtyliak and the Imprisoned God Far to the West, the Imprisoned God was discovered and his priesthood grew mighty in the eyes of his people. Here and there across the west, far beyond the rusting bells of Zaratyn, lay the cities of the Aemtyliak. In those cities, men and women slumbered as ever, but some beheld terrible visions in their sleep, they soon knew the visions to be the dreams of the god Sarthec. After a time, the Dreamers began to see them in their waking hours. They walked, rode or dragged themselves to the site of their god’s prison. Many followed them, eager to understand the visions for themselves. They dug, with shovel, spade or bloodied bare hands and soon they had uncovered the gate to their deity’s prison. More flocked to his prison, and soon a town sprang up doing the brisk business that is religion. Sarthec had a priesthood, adherants and laborers, now he would have a city. The city sprang fully-formed to the minds of the Dreamers of Sarthec, they could close their eyes and walk its streets, they could stand quiet and hear the wind whistle past her towers. Aided by dream-sendings, each brick was laid out, every column and lintle found its place, and soon Sarthaan lay sprawling by a wide, deep river. It became the capital of the Aemtyliak, the old nobles losing the favor of the people and their mansions becoming temples. Sathec himself never stirred, never waking, his chains taut about his ancient form. There were those that did not heed the dreamers; they died by the hands of their now-fanatical followers. They ruled in his stead by interpreting his dream sendings. Some even learned to shape his dreams into reality, giving terrible forms to the nightmares of a god. Some of these monsters they controlled, others were beyond the will of men to master, and they escaped into the wild, where they breed true to this day. The LandSea was home to the simple shaman Askwe, who had his own vision of the Ilzar moon-spirit Valshoon. This dream sending was powerful, and foretold the day that Valshoon would be worshipped alone among the Ilzar. His name would fade from the tongues of the living, and Men would raise armies in his name. Valshoon’s priests soon made it punishable to speak his name, it was not to be written and anything bearing it was to be destroyed. They raided the temples of other Ilzaru and slew their followers in bloody wars across the world. Soon, worship of any deity was outlawed and the Zaratyn Church held sway within two generations. The Machines of Dys While the West concerned itself with mighty empires of statecraft and magic, the magically poor regions of the world slowly awakened to progress. Steam powered gears and the flash of powder became the primary engine of empire building and great clanking machines roared their master’s will across the battlefields of the East. It would be hundreds of years yet before the great engines would ever be imagined in the West, for a new nation was on the rise, shaking off the dust that covered Serrule and Zaratyn. The Wars of the Constitution The Rulani Empire will never end. It started over a game of darts in the shadow of the ruins of Arkoon’s tower and does not ever fall. If this considered is a spoiler, so be it. There are those that have seen the future, and they can say that while Emperors and Empresses come and go, wars are fought and Men and Elves died in their millions, the Rulani Empire will reach its hand across the stars themselves and claim all of the galaxy for its own. But how does this happen? More to come...