MW in LANKHMAR

[parejf63]

After getting the Savage Worlds Lankhmar Map, I was AWE STRUCK, best thing I have ever purchased.   I have all the RQ books on Lankhmar, as well as those of TSR.

I love the MW rules, which is easier than even OPENQUEST, which I also like.   But MW seems to fit the setting better.

I do have to pose a few questions though:

1 How would you draw up stats for the Ghouls?   I have my own ideas but wanted other insights.

2 How did you use sorcery in the game, and the Three Allegiances?

I am in the process of converting the Black Magic Rules from MRQII Lankhmar.   I will post them when done.

 

My players like a low but powerful magic campaign, and this is the perfect setting for it..

 

 

 

 

 

[Questbird]

Hurrah! Another who recognises the wonderful nexus between Lankhmar and Magic World! (Well, in my case, Elric! MW's progenitor but the idea is the same.)

I've been running a Nehwon campaign using these rules for more than 20 years. They are perfect for a 'low-but-powerful' (I like your phrasing there) magic, swords and sorcery campaign. My latest campaign notes are on Obsidian Portal if you are interested: https://nehwon.obsidianportal.com/

I've not yet run ghouls as either PCs or NPCs in my campaign, which has mostly taken place around the southern Lankhmar Continent and the Inner Sea, so I can't give any insights there.

As for sorcery, I've always thought that Nehwon allowed for many magical traditions, but my game has boiled down to three:

1. basic 'battle magic' spells as written in Magic World

2. a freeform magic system based on the Maelstrom magick system, which I've talked about elsewhere on this forum and am always happy to go on about 

 

3. an adaptation of RoleMaster's Spell Law, where players acquire aptitudes for spell 'lists', one per skill. This allows for very different magicians who nevertheless have a number of spells at their disposal. 

 

As for Allegiance, I use it as is with Law, Chaos and the Balance, albeit with less direct interference from those forces. However rather than awarding Chaos points for every use of magic, I do so only for particularly Chaotic reasons. However the accumulation of Chaos points is like the corruption gained from using black magic. This is sword and sorcery after all. I have had two characters in my campaigns achieve apotheosis: one for Chaos and one for Law. The Chaos one has basically become an NPC evil sorcerer villain. The Law one has reclaimed a kingdom from the Quarmall Barrens in the south.  

Edited October 18, 2017 by Questbird
added link to Maelstrom magic and Spell Law

[parejf63]

Thank you, Questbird.

Given the nature of Lankhmar, and me not wanting to be too rulesy with it, I have devised this simple corruption system

Magic is powerful in the world, but it is also feared by its people.   Using magic must be done carefully, mostly in secret, where no one can see you practicing it, unless you are foolhardy to do it openly.   I have added three Magical Skills to the Game:    Dark Magic (used to cast Dark or SHADOW Magic) INT + POW at the start, Hedge Magic (Balance and Light Spells) INT + POW, and Enchantments (INT).   These skills cannot be raised in character creation.  This reflects less powerful mages at the start.   Each time you increase your Dark Magic skill by 10% you receive either a chaotic feature, or in my game a corruption feature.   When you reach 100% in Dark Magic casting, you are 100% corrupt, and an abomination to look upon.   Of course, your physical appearance can be masked.

A Dark magician can only cast Shadow Spells.  A Hedge Wizard can only cast Balance and Light Spells (which are all taken from the spell compilation from this site.

Hedge Magic is non-corruptive.   But still needs to be done in secrecy.   I look at Hedge Magic as "White Magic", they can cast Both Light and Balance spells.  

PS one of the reasons I like Magic World is its spells.   I wanted to devise a system that utilizes all of them.  Not restricting any of them from the game.

You still need a POW of 16 or higher to become a sorcerer, regardless of which magic you choose to cast.

I will also use Demons and summonings in this game, which is only available to Dark Mages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[parejf63]

This is my ghoul interpretation from the 2nd Edition Lankhmar setting.

 

GHOULS Although called Ghouls, they are not undead or even related to them. Some ancient curse made their skin transparent, and they do have an appetite for human flesh (this can controlled, however). The are purely carnivorous, and their food is never cooked.

Special Abilities: -6 APP Ghouls have normal stats after this restriction. +20% to disguise skill. When a Ghouls is attacked, they get a +10% to parry. In complete or magical darkness, ghouls are almost invisible --- Invisibility rules apply.

Restrictions: Ghouls cannot wear but they can use shields. Ghouls are generally not welcome in most civilized areas, and they rely on outfits that cover they faces or the disguise skill.

Note: To play a ghoul, it is wise to adjust their skills for their lack of armor.

[parejf63]

I have added some more rules for corruption, these are all just ideas at this point.  Keep that in mind.

 

At 50% corruption (50% above your original score in Dark Magic), you must make a test vs a d20 roll and your current MP's on the resistance table, if you fail, you must cast a spell that day on a living target, and it must be a damaging spell of your choice. At 100% corruption, you no longer gain or use Magic Points, you rely on those of others through blood sacrifice. (rules Pending)

Also, for each 10% corruption you have, you receive a chaotic feature will can be many things, some even helpful.

NOTE  These added rules reflect how addicting Dark Magic is.   You cannot rely on players to role-play this out.

 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2017 by parejf63

[Nick J.]

You might also want to check out Lankhmar Unleashed from Mongoose. It was written for Mongoose RuneQuest, but it has some bits that would be easily adaptable to Magic World. I started my own MW adaptation for Lankhmar and I found its corruption rules helpful. You can't get the PDF any more, but I found a pretty cheap physical copy for about $12 on Ebay about a year ago. (Amazon currently has a copy for $11.50 FWIW). Might be worth it just to mine for ideas?

[Questbird]

2 hours ago, Nick J. said:

You might also want to check out Lankhmar Unleashed from Mongoose. It was written for Mongoose RuneQuest, but it has some bits that would be easily adaptable to Magic World. I started my own MW adaptation for Lankhmar and I found its corruption rules helpful. You can't get the PDF any more, but I found a pretty cheap physical copy for about $12 on Ebay about a year ago. (Amazon currently has a copy for $11.50 FWIW). Might be worth it just to mine for ideas?

Yes it's not too bad. There is also an upcoming Lankhmar release from Goodman Games, who have recently crowdfunded a huge Lankhmar thing. Their system is 'Dungeon Crawl Classics' but I like to collect any Lankhmar-related RPG material.