THE DARKHOLD GRIMOIRE

creating a character

Guidelines

check the various combinations that race/age/sandbagging could bring. While the "Racial Benefits/Disadvantages" & "Ability Effects by Race" tables are rather necessary for deciding the race, the age is considerably easier: choose "Mature", unless you have chosen a spellcasting class, in which case you might want to choose "MiddleAge" - see the "Accumulated Age Ability Effects" table. Note that the original charisma and comeliness are saved for encounters with other characters of the same race.

WHAT SHOULD A CHARACTER BE LIKE?

As is noted in the various game books, the typical adventurer should be several cuts above the typical peasant. After all, the character is destined to be the subject of folk songs and tall tales. However, a character with all 18's probably would have died in childhood as a result of jealousy. The system detailed below will typically yield at least one 18 and one or two other scores in the 15 and over range without making everyone a SuperDuperMan.

rolling up ability scores

1. Roll 4d6 eight times.

2. Drop the lowest score from each set.

3. Drop the worst set.

4. Roll 1d6 seven times, indicating each time which particular die score you are trying to replace.

5. Assign the seven values to the desired attributes. You will want to consider very strongly at this point the race and class (or classes) you would like to play.

6. Roll percentile for strength and dexterity that are 18.

7. Now check the various combinations that race/age/sandbagging could bring. While the "Racial Benefits/Disadvantages" & "Ability Effects by Race" tables are rather necessary for deciding the race, the age is considerably easier: choose "Mature", unless you have chosen a spellcasting class, in which case you might want to choose "MiddleAge" - see the "Accumulated Age Ability Effects" table. Note that the original charisma and comeliness are saved for encounters with other characters of the same race.

8. Adjust for race - add the values from the chosen category from the "Ability Effects by Race" table. When rising above 18, the rate is 1 line on the strength/dexterity table per point added.

9. Adjust for age - add the values from the chosen category from the "Accumulated Age Ability Effects" table. When rising above 18, the rate is as described for race adjustments.

10. "Sandbag" at the rate of two points for one. No more than four points may be taken off any one characteristic (or else every Fighter would be ugly and graceless). When rising above 18, the rate is .10 per point bought - e.g., if you have an 18/18 strength and trade 4 charisma points for 2 strength, your strength jumps to 18/38 - which means you do not move at all on the strength table and you are uglier to boot. If you sandbag charisma or comeliness, the saved values drop correspondingly. Also, sandbagging can not push a score past 18/51.

11. Calculate whether the character has a special ability: the chance is equal to 1%, plus (the number of points above 16 in all attributes) / 2 percent. Round all fractions up. If the roll is made, assign a small, non-balance threatening, special ability. Examples would be infra- or ultra- vision in a character that would not normally have them, a free weapons proficiency, or something else that is nice to have but definitely minor-league.

an example

(STEP 1)

"Roll 4d6 eight times." Mike started out ok but plummeted quickly.

6 6 2 2

5 5 3 1

5 1 1 1

4 3 3 3

5 3 3 2

6 3 2 1

3 3 2 1

(STEP 2)

"Drop the lowest score from each set."

6 6 2 = 14

5 5 3 = 13

5 1 1 = 7

4 3 3 = 10

5 3 3 = 11

6 3 2 = 11

3 3 2 = 7

(STEP 3)

"Drop the worst set." Note that Mike cleverly dropped set #8 as opposed to set #3, for although they are apparently similar (both add up to seven), having two "1"s in a single set offset by a high value for the third member (the "5") offers much more room for improvement in the next step.

6 6 2 = 14

5 5 3 = 13

5 1 1 = 7

4 3 3 = 10

5 3 3 = 11

6 3 2 = 11

3 3 2 = 7

(STEP 4)

"Roll 1d6 seven times." Mike got very good rolls here, changing the "2" in set #1 to a "5", the "3" in set #6 to a "4", the "2" in set #6 to a "6", the "2" in set #7 to a 3, and all three scores in set #3 to sixes, the lucky guy.

6 6 5 = 17

5 5 3 = 13

6 6 6 = 18

4 3 3 = 10

5 3 3 = 11

6 4 6 = 16

3 3 3 = 9

(STEP 5)

"Assign the values to the desired attributes." You will want to consider very strongly at this point the race and class you would like to play. Mike had a fighter (no particular race) in mind, so he chose:

strength 18

dexterity 17

constitution 16

wisdom 13

intelligence 11

charisma 10

comeliness 9

(STEP 6)

"Roll percentile for strength and dexterity that are 18." Mike made 23 for his strength roll.

strength 18 /23

dexterity 17

constitution 16

wisdom 13

intelligence 11

charisma 10

comeliness 9

(STEP 7 AND 8)

"Check the race/age/sandbagging combinations." "Adjust for race." After careful deliberation (a 50 cent piece), Mike chose dwarf as his character's race. Racial adjustments for dwarves are +1 constitution and -1 charisma and comeliness. Note that the original charisma and comeliness are saved for encounters with other dwarves.

strength 18 /23

dexterity 17

constitution 17

wisdom 13

intelligence 11

charisma 9 (10)

comeliness 8 (9)

(STEP 9)

"Adjust for age." Mike decided that his character, now named Flint, would be 123 years old, which is "mature" for a dwarf, resulting in age adjustments of

YOUNG ADULT: +1 constitution -1 wisdom

MATURE: +1 strength +1 wisdom

for an actual total of

flint: +1 constitution +1 strength

Note that the +1 for strength bumped him to the very bottom of the next line on the Strength table (not just 10%).

strength 18 /51

dexterity 17

constitution 18

wisdom 13

intelligence 11

charisma 9 (10)

comeliness 8 (9)

(STEP 10)

"Sandbag as desired within the four points per characteristic limit." For the next-to-last step, Mike decided to sandbag one point each from Flint's charisma and intelligence to obtain another point for dexterity. Mike made a 13 on his d20 roll to get the 18/51 dexterity, so he rolled percentile to determine the actual score and got 39. Note that the saved charisma is dropped as well. Note that Mike wisely decided not to drop his comeliness to sandbag another score - you never know when having a pretty face will save you.

strength 18 /51

dexterity 18 /39

constitution 18

wisdom 13

intelligence 10

charisma 9 (10)

comeliness 8 (9)

(STEP 11)

Mike then calculated Flint's chance of having a special ability. In his case it was equal to 1% + (2% + 2% + 2%) /2 = 4%. Mike rolled a 50 on percentile dice and so did not get a special ability. Had Mike made the roll, the DM might have decided that an appropriate ability for Flint would have been double range infravision (120' instead of 60').

Mike had now finished creating Flint's ability scores, and he needs to flesh out the character.

Filling out the character

STRENGTH

ToHit bonus

Damage bonus

Weight Allowance

Open Doors

Bend Bars/Lift Gates

DEXTERITY

AC adjustment

ToHit bonus

Saving Throw bonus

CONSTITUTION

Hit Points

Resistance to Various Things

System Shock Survival

Resurrection Survival

WISDOM

Wisdom Bonus against mind affecting spells

Number of Extra Spells (clerical)

INTELLIGENCE

Language Bonus

Percentile Chance of Knowing Spells (magic-user)

Easier to learn Skills

CHARISMA

Reaction Adjustment

Loyalty Adjustment

Adjustment to Comeliness score

COMELINESS

Initial Reaction Adjustment

Influence

psionics

travelling name

true name

age

languages known

Common

Alignment

possible Class (Thieves Cant or Druidic)

national (Greek, Norse, Egyptian, etc.)

racial (Elvish, Dwarvish, etc.)

attribute modifications

attribute modifications due to age

ABILITY Young Adult Mature Middle Aged Old Venerable

(straight)

      Strength                                           +1                 -1               -2            -1
      Dexterity                                                                                 -2            -1
      Constitution                +1                                      -1               -1            -1
      Wisdom                      -1                 +1                +1             +1          +1
      Intelligence                                                           +1                            +1
      Charisma
      Comeliness

(accumulated)

      Strength                       0                  +1                  0               -2            -3
      Dexterity                      0                   0                   0               -2            -3
      Constitution                +1                +1                  0               -1            -2
      Wisdom                      -1                  0                  +1             +2          +3
      Intelligence                   0                   0                  +1             +1          +2
      Charisma                      0                   0                   0                0             0
      Comeliness                  0                   0                   0                0             0

RACE

age categories by race

race Young Adult Mature Middle Aged Old Venerable

     Dwarf
         Grey                    35 -    50        51 - 150        151 - 250      251 - 350         351 -    450
         Hill                      35 -    50        51 - 150        151 - 250      251 - 350         351 -    450
         Mountain            40 -    60        61 - 175        176 - 275      276 - 400         401 -    525

     Elf
         Grey                  150 - 250      251 - 650        651 - 1000    1001 - 1500      1501 - 2001
         High                  100 - 175      176 - 550        551 - 875      876 - 1200      1201 - 1600
         Valley                100 - 175      176 - 550        551 - 875      876 - 1200      1201 - 1600
         Wild                  100 - 175      176 - 550        551 - 875      876 - 1200      1201 - 1600
         Wood                  75 - 150      151 - 500        501 - 800      801 - 1100      1101 - 1350
         Drow
               Male              50 - 100      101 - 400        401 - 600      601 - 800         801 - 1000
               Female          50 - 100      101 - 400        401 - 600      601 - 800         801 - 1000

Gnome 50 - 90 91 - 300 301 - 450 451 - 600 601 - 750

HalfElf 24 - 40 41 - 100 101 - 175 176 - 250 251 - 325

Halfling 22 - 33 34 - 68 69 - 101 102 - 144 145 - 199

HalfOgre 13 - 16 17 - 35 36 - 50 51 - 70 71 - 90

HalfOrc 12 - 15 16 - 30 31 - 45 46 - 60 61 - 80

Human 14 - 20 21 - 40 41 - 60 61 - 90 91 - 120

attribute modifications due to race

race Strength Dex Con Wisdom Intelligence Charisma Comeliness

     Dwarf
         Grey                                               +1                                                    -1                  -1
         Hill                                                 +1                                                    -1                  -1
         Mountain                                       +1                                                    -1                  -1

     Elf
         Grey                                   +1        -1                               +1                                     +2
         High                                   +1        -1                               +1                                     +2
         Valley                                 +1        -1                                                                         +1
         Wild                                   +1        -1                                                                         +1
         Wood                                 +1        -1                                                                         +1
         Drow
               Male                             +1        -1                                                                         +1
               Female                         +1        -1                                                                         +1

Gnome -1 +1 +1 -1 -1

HalfElf +1

Halfling -1 +1

HalfOgre +2 +2 -1 -3 -3

HalfOrc +1 +1 -2 -3

Human

miscellaneous benefits due to race

                                             ConBonus                       Resist      +1 ToHit    secret dr     mining
                                 Infra-    vs. Magic     Inherent     Charm     with bow      detect/     detect
   race                   vision   and Poison Languages & Sleep   and sword   Surprise     abilities

     Dwarf
         Grey                  60'           yes           dgkmo        no              no          normal       yes
         Hill                    60'           yes           dgkmo        no              no          normal       yes
         Mountain           60'           yes           dgkmo        no              no          normal       yes

     Elf
         Grey                  60'            no         beghmno     90%            yes           33/66         no
         High                  60'            no         beghmno     90%            yes           33/66         no
         Valley                60'            no         beghmno     90%            yes           33/66         no
         Wild                  60'            no         beghmno     90%            yes           33/66         no
         Wood                60'            no         beghmno     90%            yes           33/66         no
         Drow
               Male            60'            no         beghmno     90%            yes           33/66         no
               Female         60'            no         beghmno     90%            yes           33/66         no

Gnome 60' yes dghkm +1 no normal yes

HalfElf 60' no none 30% no 33/norm no

Halfling 30',60' yes deghmo no no norm/66 yes

HalfOgre 60' no or no no normal no

HalfOrc 60' no or no no normal no

Human • • • • • • •

Inherent Language Codes:

(B) HobGoblin

(D) Dwarvish

(E) Elvish

(G) Goblin

(H) Halfling

(K) Kobold

(M) Gnome

(N) Gnoll

(O) Orcish

(R) Ogre

Dwarf

60' infravision

+X on saving throw vs. rws/spell/poison due to constitution

detection:

grade/slope in passage (up or down) = 75%

new construction of passage/tunnel = 75%

sliding/shifting walls/rooms = 66.6%

traps (involving stonework) = 50%

approximate depth while underground = 50%

languages:

Dwarvish Gnome Goblin Kobold Orcish

+1 ToHit vs. Goblin HobGoblin Orc HalfOrc

-4 ToHit by Giant Ogre OgreMagi Titan Troll

Elf

60' infravision

90% resistance to sleep/charm

+1 ToHit with shortbow/longbow/shortsword/longsword

languages:

Elvish Gnoll Gnome Goblin Halfling HobGoblin Orcish

Gnome

60' infravision

+X on saving throw vs. rws/spell/poison due to constitution

detection:

grade/slope in passage (up or down) = 80%

unsafe walls/ceilings/floors = 70%

direction of travel while underground = 60%

approximate depth while underground = 50%

languages:

Dwarvish Gnome Halfling Goblin Kobold (burrow animals)

+1 ToHit vs. Goblin Kobold

-4 ToHit by Bugbear Giant Gnoll Ogre OgreMagi Titan Troll

HalfElf

60' infravision

30% resistance to sleep/charm

HalfOrc

60' infravision

languages:

Orcish, Ogre

HalfOgre

60' infravision

languages:

Orcish, Ogre

Halfling

30' or 60' infravision

+X on saving throw vs. rws/spell/poison due to constitution

languages:

Dwarvish Elvish Gnome Goblin Halfling Orcish

Human

norm

height

weight

eyes

hair

ambidextrous

social standing

percentile roll

alignment

level

class

allowed alignments by class

(the 95% rule applies)

Lawful Neutral Chaotic
CLASS Good Neutral Evil Good Neutral Evil Good Neutral Evil

Acrobat • • • • • •

Assassin • • • • •

Barbarian • • • • • •

Bard •

Bounty Hunter •

Cavalier • • • • • • • • •

Cleric • • • • • • • • •

Druid • • •

Fighter • • • • • • • • •

Houri • • • • • •

Illusionist • • • • • • • • •

Magic-User • • • • • • • • •

Monk • • •

Paladin • • • • • • • • •

Ranger • • • • • • • • •

Thief • • • • • •

Witch • • • • • • • • •

maximum level through normal ep rate by race by class

(assumes an 18 in the primary attribute)

race Ac As B Bd BH Cv C D F H I MU Mk P R T W

Dwarf
      Grey                 —     9      9     6             6    11     8      9     1      1     1      5     6      6   —      1
      Hill                          —      9     9      6             6   11      8     9      1     1      1     5      6     6    —      1
      Mountain         —     9      9     6             6    11     8      9     1      1     1      5     6      6   —      1

Elf
      Grey                 —   10      8   11             8    10   —      6           11   11      1     8      7   —      9
      High                 —   10      8   11             8    10   —      6             8   10      1     8      7   —      9
      Valley               —   10      8   11             8    10   —      6           11   11      1     8      7   —      9
      Wild                 —   10    11   11             8    10   —      8             8     5      1     8      7   —      9
      Wood               —   10      8   11             8    10   —      7             8     9      1     8      7   —      9
      Drow
            Male           —   10      8   11             8      7     8    10           12   12      1     8      7   —      9
            Female       —   10      8   11             8    —     8    12             6     5      1     8      7   —      9

Gnome — 8 11 8 8 10 8 6 11 5 5 8 8 — 5

HalfElf — 11 8 9 11 8 — 7 8 8 8 8 8 — 8

Halfling — 8 6 11 5 7 11 6 5 5 5 5 5 — 8

HalfOgre 11 11 9 1 1 5 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1

HalfOrc 9 — 9 5 7 7 5 11 3 1 1 5 1 1 11 1

Human — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

experience Point Factor by race by class

race Ac As B Bd BH Cv C D F H I MU Mk P R T W

Dwarf
      Grey                1.0   2.0 1.5   2.5          2.5 2.5   3.0 1.5          4.0   4.0 3.5   2.5 2.5   1.0 4.0
      Hill                  1.0   2.0 1.5   2.5          2.5 2.5   3.0 1.5          4.0   4.0 3.5   2.5 2.5   1.0 4.0
      Mountain         1.0   2.0 1.5   2.5          2.5 2.5   3.0 1.5          4.0   4.0 3.5   2.5 2.5   1.0 4.0

Elf
      Grey                1.0   2.0 3.0   2.0          3.0 2.5   1.0 3.0          3.5   3.0 4.0   3.5 3.5   1.0 2.5
      High                1.0   2.0 3.0   2.0          3.0 2.5   1.0 3.0          3.5   3.0 4.0   3.5 3.5   1.0 2.5
      Valley              1.0   2.0 3.0   2.0          3.0 2.5   1.0 3.0          3.5   3.0 4.0   3.5 3.5   1.0 2.5
      Wild                1.0   2.0 2.0   2.0          3.0 2.5   1.0 3.0          3.5   3.0 4.0   3.5 3.5   1.0 2.5
      Wood              1.0   2.0 3.0   2.0          3.0 2.5   1.0 3.0          3.5   3.0 4.0   3.5 3.5   1.0 2.5
      Drow
            Male          1.0   2.0 3.0   2.0          3.0 3.0   3.0 2.5          3.0   2.5 4.0   3.5 3.5   1.0 2.5
            Female       1.0   2.0 3.0   2.0          3.0 1.0   3.0 2.5          4.0   3.5 4.0   3.5 3.5   1.0 2.5

Gnome 1.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 2.5 3.0 2.0 2.0 3.5 3.5 3.0 3.0 1.0 3.5

HalfElf 1.0 2.0 3.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 1.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 2.5

Halfling 1.0 3.0 2.5 2.0 3.5 3.0 2.0 2.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 1.0 3.0

HalfOgre 2.0 2.0 1.5 4.0 4.0 3.5 4.0 1.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.0 4.5 2.0 4.5

HalfOrc 1.5 1.0 1.5 3.5 3.0 3.0 3.5 1.5 4.0 4.0 3.5 4.0 4.0 1.5 4.0

Human 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0

For example, Gunsight (a Grey Elf Magic-User with an 18 Intelligence) can advance to 11th level at the normal rate. However, to reach twelfth level he would need to earn three times the number of experience points as called for: 1,125,000 ep (3 x 375,000).

Other cases can be even worse, not only due to higher multipliers but to the fact that they are applied earlier in the career. Grumpy, the Dwarven Magic-User with an 18 Intelligence, never even sees the normal rate table for M-Us - it will take him 20,000 ep (4 x 5,000) just to get to second level! Hence these characters are a rarity, and those of such type that are high-level are, besides being probably pretty old, highly respected and feared for their heroic masochism.

There has never been, in the history of the multiverse, a high level HalfOgre Monk. HalfOgre Houris above first level exist only in drug-assisted nightmares.

Characteristics the player should calculate for his character:

Acrobat

Open Locks

Find/Remove Traps

Move Silently

Hide in Shadows

Hear Noise

Climb Walls

Tightrope Walking

Pole Vaulting

High Jumping

Broad Jumping (standing)

Broad Jumping (running)

Falling/Evasion

Assassin

Assassination percentage as a function of level

Open Locks

Find/Remove Traps

Move Silently

Hide in Shadows

Hear Noise

Climb Walls

Barbarian

Bard

Open Locks

Find/Remove Traps

Move Silently

Hide in Shadows

Hear Noise

Climb Walls

Bounty Hunter

Cavalier

Cleric

additional spells

Druid

additional spells

Number and Type of Animal, Plant, and Sylvan Languages

Fighter

Houri

Illusionist

familiar

Magic-user

familiar

Monk

Open Locks

Find/Remove Traps

Move Silently

Hide in Shadows

Hear Noise

Climb Walls

Surprise Percentage

Paladin

Ranger

Tracking Percentage (Indoors and Outdoors)

Bonus Versus Giant Class Creatures

Number and Type of Animal and Plant Languages

Thief

Open Locks

Find/Remove Traps

Move Silently

Hide in Shadows

Hear Noise

Climb Walls

Witch

additional spells

familiar

PANTHEON and DIETY:

How devout is the character? What is his position within his <church's> ranks? What are his powers and/or responsibilities?

HOMELAND

DATE OF BIRTH

PROFICIENCIES

MOVEMENT

with armor

without armor

HIT POINTS

first level hit points are always maximum. Rangers and Monks, who get two hit dice at first level, get maximum points on both dice automatically.

hit dice by class

DIE

CLASS 4 6 8 10 12

Acrobat 0

Assassin 1

Barbarian 1

Bard 1

Bounty Hunter 1

Cavalier 1

Cleric 1

Druid 1

Fighter 1

Houri 1

Illusionist 1

Magic-User 1

Monk 2

Paladin 1

Ranger 2

Thief 1

Witch 1

experience points

armor class

beginning gold

magic items

(assumes a start at 5th level; if starting at a different level, add one minor magic item for every two levels. NOTE: starting magic items should be "minor" such as a +1 sword with no special abilities, a potion of extra-healing, etc. Under no circumstances should Holy Avengers, artifacts, or other such magic be given out to players.) For example:

Fighter Types Spell-Casting Type

one Offensive +1/+1 longsword +1/+1 dagger

one Defensive +1 Plate Armor +1/+1 Ring of Protection

one Miscellaneous potion of flying potion of extra healing

HORSE or WAR-HORSE

Type: light, medium, or heavy

Damage

Movement

Hit Points

Armor Class

Hit dice

SKILLS

the Inherent Skills by Race table

RACE INHERENT SKILLS

Dwarf:

Grey Mining

Hill Mining

Mountain Mining, Mountaineering

Elf:

Grey Fletching/Boyery, Silent Movement

High Fletching/Boyery, Silent Movement

Valley Fletching/Boyery, Silent Movement

Wild Fletching/Boyery, Silent Movement

Wood Fletching/Boyery, Silent Movement, Carpentry/Woodcraft

Dark:

Male Fletching/Boyery, Silent Movement

Female Fletching/Boyery, Silent Movement

Gnome

HalfElf

HalfOrc

HalfOgre

Halfling

Human keep rolling percentile using the Secondary Skills table on page 12 of DMG
until an acceptable skill appears

character Classes

general information

1. Characters get a hit die for every level they advance.

2. Certain classes may now benefit from a high constitution by adding up to +3 per hit die, instead of only +2 as stated at the bottom left corner of page 12 of PH. These classes are Cleric, Druid, and Monk.

3. All characters will belong to one or more of the 17 classes, which fall into four different categories:

I. mind
Cleric
Druid
Monk (religious) (has some Thief characteristics)
Witch (has some Magic-User characteristics)

II. missile
Acrobat
Assassin
Thief

III. magic
Bard (has some Druid, Thief and Fighter characteristics)
Houri
Illusionist
Magic-user

IV. melee
Barbarian
Bounty Hunter
Cavalier
Fighter
Paladin (has some Clerical characteristics)
Ranger (has some Druid and Magic-User characteristics)

"dual class" characters

1. Characters get a hit die for every level they advance.

3. Players who wish to take a "second class" will suffer an additional .5 added to their ep factor. Thus, when Ironfist (a human Monk) becomes a Witch, he will require 1.5 times the normal ep to advance instead of the normal 1.0 — this penalty reflects the amount of day-to-day time the character must spend to retain the skills of this original class, and indeed needs to be included to maintain game balance. Since only humans can take second classes, and the ep factor for a human for any class is always 1.0, the factor will always be 1.5.

The amount is additive, i.e., if Ironfist switched again to became a Ranger, he would advance at an ep factor of (1.0 + 0.5 + 0.5) = 2.0, where the 1.0 is time necessary to learn Ranger craft, the first 0.5 is spent retaining monkish skills, and the second 0.5 is time used practising witchcraft and remembering spells. If Ironfist switched again (this is getting ridiculous), the factor would be 2.5.

At his discretion, the DM may adjust the factor due to intangibles, but is strongly advised to enforce a minimum ep factor of at least 1.5 otherwise everybody and his brother would play human characters and switch classes every six levels. Do you want to wander around the world, tripping over Druid/Thief/Illusionist/Paladins and Cleric/Ranger/Assassin/Magic-Users?
How about Druid/Thief/Illusionist/Paladin/Monk/Cleric/Ranger/Magic-Users?

If the character waives all future claims to his original class, this penalty does not take effect, since he will have no reason to practice skills or remember spells from that class.

the acrobat

1. The Evasion ability as per UA (pg 24) is not allowed per se. However, if the Acrobat wishes to disengage from a melee situation, there is a chance he can tumble/dodge free so that he will not be liable for "fleeing" back attacks. This chance of evading parting melee attacks is equal to 3% times the level of the character plus 1% for each point of dexterity past 14.

Level Evasion

6 18%

7 21%

8 24%

9 27%

10 30%

etc.

2. Thieving abilities continue to improve at the rate of 1%/L except for "Read Languages" which improves as per the table on page 28 PH.

3. "Read Magic", as per the current Thief ability, is gained at tenth level.

4. Instead of UA's "Falling" system, damage taken by the acrobat is calculated as follows:

Damage = (amount rolled) - (2 * L)

If the Damage amount is less than zero, the result is zero. (If you think that you're going to gain back hit points by falling down . . .)

5. Acrobats have the ability to juggle, using the Thief's chance of climbing walls (including dexterity bonus). As a base, assume three small (orange sized) objects are juggled. This chance is adjusted by the following modifiers:

One object +20%

Two objects +10%

Three objects +0%

Four objects -5%

Each object over four -10% (each)

Each medium size object (e.g., typewriter ) -10% (each)

Each large size object (e.g., chair) -10% (each)

The D.M. should make adjustments according to the situation (unbalanced objects, live objects, sharp objects, etc.)

the assassin

There are currently no modifications for the Assassin class.

the barbarian

There are currently no modifications for the Barbarian class.

the bard

The following table lists the Bard's capabilities.

murphy, here is a note: I want bards to advance on the MU table from the PH.

Druid Illusionist Percentages

Level Experience Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 charm lore read

1 0 - 2,000 1 10 0 0

2 2,001 - 4,000 1 2 15 1 5

3 4,001 - 8,000 2 3 20 2 15

4 8,001 - 16,000 3 3 1 24 5 20

5 16,001 - 33,000 3 1 3 2 28 8 25

6 33,001 - 67,000 3 1 3 2 1 32 11 30

7 67,001 - 135,000 3 2 3 3 1 36 14 35

8 135,001 - 27,0000 3 2 1 3 3 1 40 18 40

9 270,001 - 5,00000 3 3 1 3 3 2 44 22 45

10 500,001 - 75,0000 3 3 2 3 3 2 48 26 50

11 750,001 - 1,000,000 3 3 2 3 3 2 1 52 31 55

12 1,000,001 - 1,300,000 3 3 2 1 3 3 3 1 56 36 60

13 1,300,001 - 1,600,000 3 3 3 1 3 3 3 2 60 41 65

14 1,600,001 - 1,900,000 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 1 64 46 70

15 1,900,001 - 2,250,000 3 3 3 2 1 3 3 3 2 1 68 51 75

16 2,250,001 - 2,600,000 3 3 3 2 1 3 3 3 3 1 72 57 80

17 2,600,001 - and up: 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 3 3 1 76 63 85

18 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 3 3 2 80 69 90

19 (310,000 e.p./level) 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 84 75 92

20 3 3 3 3 2 1 3 4 3 3 2 87 81 94

21 4 3 3 3 2 1 3 4 4 3 2 90 87 96

22 4 4 3 3 2 2 3 4 4 3 2 93 93 98

23 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 3 5 4 3 2 98 99 100

Notes for the Bard's Capabilities table:

(A) Bards can employ all Illusionist cantrips, including the standard "four cantrips for one first-level spell" substitution.

(B) Bards use the Fighters attack table.

(C) Bards use the Cleric saving throw tables except for Paralyzation, Poison, & Death Magic, for which they save as Magic-Users.

(D) Bards do not gain a Wisdom bonus for the number of Druidic spells known. They must still observe the Wisdom minimums for the level of spells that are able to be thrown.

(E) Bards can not employ the following Druidic spells:

Level 1:

a- Ceremony

b- Contraception/Fertility

Level 2:

a- Barkskin

b- Combine

c- Fire Trap

Level 3:

a- Dust Devil

b- Leafskin

c- Meld Into Stone

d- Spike Growth

e- Stone Shape

Level 4:

a- Bridge

b- Control Temperature

c- Plant Door

d- Produce Fire

e- Wailing Wheel of Fire

f- Web of Fire

Level 5:

a- Conjure Water Elemental

b- Insect Plague

c- Marlyn's Mystic Mouse Spell

d- Pass Plant

e- Spike Stones

f- Sticks to Snakes

g- Weeping Stone

Level 6:

a- Conjure Air Elemental

b- Conjure Fire Elemental

c- Huorn

d- Liveoak

e- Roaring Web

f- Transport via Plants

g- Wall of Thorns

h- Wonderful Wind Horse

Level 7:

a- Changestaff

b- Chariot of Sustarre

c- Conjure Earth Elemental

d- Creeping Doom

e- Finger of Death

f- Fire Storm

g- Sunray

(F) Bards can not employ the following Illusionist spells:

Level 1:

a- Chromatic Orb

b- Darkness

c- Hypnotism

d- Olfactory Deprivation

e- Phantom Armor

Level 2:

a- Blindness

b- Hypnotic Pattern

c- Misdirection

d- Spark Shower

e- Tactile Deprivation

Level 3:

a- Continual Darkness

b- Delude

c- Rope Trick

d- Wraithform

Level 4:

a- Gaseous Form

b- Minor Creation

c- Rainbow Pattern

d- Sensory Deprivation

e- Shadow Monsters

the bounty hunter

There are currently no modifications for the Bounty Hunter class.

the cavalier

Ignore the following from Unearthed Arcana regarding Cavaliers:

1. They are not a separate class, nor are Paladins under them! They are a subclass of Fighter.

2. They do not get the whole list of weapons benefits.

3. They do not automatically get all the mount benefits. They do get the Horsemanship skill.

Make the following changes from Unearthed Arcana:

1. Cavaliers may circumvent the nobility restrictions from Unearthed Arcana by serving their religion (possibly becoming a Paladin rather than a Cavalier) or a noble. In any case, they must serve a cause. They must still take and keep Solemn Vows.

2. Cavaliers may be of any alignment from the very start.

3. Cavaliers receive 10 (that's TEN) sided hit dice. This is an official correction from TSR, overriding the 12 sider specified in Unearthed Arcana, first edition.

4. One of the three proficiencies that Cavaliers begin with must be Lance, which receives an automatic +1 ToHit (treat as a double proficiency). No missile weapons may be taken as proficiencies at the beginning.

5. At sixth level, the Cavalier receives an extra proficiency to be used on a currently proficient weapon. This occurs every six levels (12th, 18th, etc.). This may not be used on missile weapons.

6. Cavaliers have a personal immunity to Fear - they receive the saving throw benefits from the book versus mind affecting and illusionary magics in addition to any other benefits that apply, such as wisdom bonuses.

7. Advancement chart beyond seventh level:

8th = 140,001 - 280,000

9th = 280,001 - 600,000

10th = 600,001 - 920,000

11th = 920,001 - 1,220,000

12th = 1,220,001 - 1,540,000 (320,000 ep per level after 11th)

13th = 1,540,001 - 1,860,000

14th = 1,860,001 - 2,180,000

15th = 2,180,001 - 2,500,000

16th = 2,500,001 - 3,140,000

17th = 3,140,001 - 3,460,000

18th = 3,460,001 - 3,780,000

19th = 3,780,001 - 4,100,000

20th = 4,100,001 - 4,420,000

21st = 4,420,001 - 4,840,000

Add the following items:

1. Once a week, a Cavalier may Cure Wounds (1d6 recovered). This is based on a Sunday to Saturday week, not every seven days: he could cure twice within one round if it was midnight between Saturday and Sunday, but he must not have done it for the last seven days, and it would then be a full seven days before he could do it again. This is not a spell. This is due to the Cavalier's devotion to his duty. It cannot be reversed to Cause Wounds. It takes one segment to effect.

2. Any spells which have special effects on Fighters (such as Chaos) have the same special effects on Cavaliers.

the cleric

1. Clerics can use those edged weapons associated with their deity. As an adjunct to this, all clerics may choose dagger to be one of their weapons of proficiency.

2. Clerics are now encouraged to use the weapon of their deity or patron. For example, it is expected that clerics of Sif will learn longsword as their first proficiency. Likewise, clerics of Zeus will be expected to use the javelin.

3. As Clerics progress in level, certain of their spells become easier (read faster) to throw. This effect is called "Divine Inspiration". Spells of a level two levels lower than the highest level spell that the cleric can throw can be cast in half the time (round up). Spells of a level four levels lower can be cast in one quarter of the time (round up). For example, Guido is a ninth level cleric. This means that his fourth and fifth level spells go at the printed times. However, his second and third level spells can be cast in one half the normal time and his first level spells can be cast in one quarter the normal time (round up, minimum of one segment).

4. Players are encouraged to develop "specialty" spells for their Cleric characters. For example, a Cleric of Zeus would be able to cast Call Lightning. For some other examples, see the Norse clerical spells in the Darkhold Spell Addendum.

5. Clerical cures now rise in effectiveness as the Cleric gains levels - the amount of hit points regained will be rolled as normal, except that the minimum possible, "X", for each die will be equal to the level of spells that the Cleric can cast. For example, if Guido (a ninth level cleric) throws a Cure Light Wounds (a 1d8 effect) it will restore at least 5 hit points, since he can employ fifth level spells. If he throws a Cure Serious Wounds (a 2d8+1 effect) it will restore at least 11 (10+1) hit points. This rule also holds true for the reverse of the curative spells.

6. Clerics may cast cures on animals with the die roll being adjusted by a -1 penalty per die. Clerics may also cast cures on plants with a -2 modifier per die. It is possible to do zero points of curing on a creature but treat all results of less than zero as being zero.

7. Clerical spells can be reversed at will; that is, the reverse form does not have to be separately memorized. Also note that while the casting time of the reversed version of the spell is by default the same as the normal version, it is sometimes specified to take longer. For example, Raise Dead takes one round to cast. Its reverse, Finger of Death, takes but one segment (in fact it takes as long to cast as to point at the victim and say the word "DIE!"). The moral of this is that it is easier to destroy than to create.

8. Starting at ninth level, the deity may express his satisfaction with the Cleric's worthiness by endowing him with a familiar, if such is within the nature of the deity. The familiar will always be of a type associated with the deity … this can obviously lead to rather peculiar familiars! The base probability for this happening is (L-8) * 10%, modified by the Cleric's behavior. (Clerics in good standing who always contribute a large share of treasure might receive bonuses to the roll. Clerics who are marginal in their behavior may have no chance at all of getting a familiar no matter if they are very high level.) The Cleric is permitted to refuse the offer of a familiar without any loss of honor or standing.

9. At eleventh level, a Cleric may make his weapon flame or frost (or some other action, if appropriate) once per day as per the particular sword in the DM Guide. This effect will last up to L rounds. This is a sign of "Divine Favor" and can be taken away for less than proper actions on the part of the Cleric.

The druid

1. Druids can use those edged weapons associated with their deity. As an adjunct to this, all druids may choose dagger to be one of their weapons of proficiency.

2. Druids are now encouraged to use the weapon of their deity or patron. For example, it is expected that druids of Skerrit will learn bow or spear as their first proficiency.

3. Players are encouraged to develop "specialty" spells for their Druid characters. For example, a Druid of Lugh would be able to cast Immunity to Petrification (see Deities and Demigods). For some other examples, see the Norse clerical spells in the Darkhold Spell Addendum.

4. Druidical cures now rise in effectiveness as the Druid gains levels - the amount of hit points regained will be rolled as normal, except that the minimum possible, "X", for each die will be equal to the level of spells that the Druid can cast. For example, if Guido's brother, Guano, (a ninth level druid) throws a Cure Light Wounds (a 1d8 effect) it will restore at least 5 hit points, since he can employ fifth level spells. If he throws a Cure Serious Wounds (a 2d8+1 effect) it will restore at least 11 (10+1) hit points. This rule also holds true for the reverse of the curative spells.

5. Druidical spells can be reversed at will; that is, the reverse form does not have to be separately memorized. Also note that while the casting time of the reversed version of the spell is by default the same as the normal version, it is sometimes specified to take longer or shorter (DM's discretion).

6. Starting at ninth level, the deity may express his satisfaction with the Druid's worthiness by endowing him with a familiar, if such is within the nature of the deity. The familiar will always be of a type associated with the deity … this can obviously lead to rather peculiar familiars! The base probability for this happening is (L-8) * 10%, modified by the Druid's behavior. (Druids in good standing who always contribute a large share of treasure might receive bonuses to the roll. Druids who are marginal in their behavior may have no chance at all of getting a familiar no matter if they are very high level.) The Druid is permitted to refuse the offer of a familiar without any loss of honor or standing.

7. Druids may cast any of their curative spells for full effect on plants and animals, unlike Clerics.

8. The majority of Druids are True Neutral in alignment. However, there are known to be exceptions to this rule who are either Neutral Good or Neutral Evil. Player characters may play these alignments at the DM's discretion.

9. Druids now get plant and animal languages as a matter of course. The rate at which these are gained are listed in the following table as well as the number of Sylvan languages (see below) gained per level. These are not spells; they are abilities special to Druids and therefore will not prevent creatures or plants from attacking.

# of # of # of

Animal Plant Sylvan

Level Languages Languages Languages

1 2 1 0

2 4 2 0

3 6 3 1

4 8 4 2

5 all 5 3

6 6 4

7 7 5

8 8 6

9 9 7

10 all 8

11 9

12 10

13 1 / level

Sylvan Languages: Atomie, Brownie, Buckawn, Centaur, Dryad, Elvish (various dialects), Faerie Dragon, Faun, Gnome, Grippli, Harpy, Hybsil, Korred, Leprechaun, Manticore, Merman, Minotaur, Moon Dog, Nereid, Nixie, Nymph, Ogre, Peryton, Pseudo-Dragon, Pixie, Quickling, Sirines, Spriggan, Sprite, Satyr, Sylph, Treantish, Troll, Unicorn, Wemic.

10. Druids now advance on the same table as Clerics.

THE FIGHTER

1. Fighters get a specialization point (similar to the Cavalier modification) every five levels (fifth, tenth, fifteenth, etc.).

2. Fighters now progress in level on the Cleric Advancement table.

the houri

There are currently no modifications for the Houri class.

the illusionist

Illusionists now advance on the MU table from the Player's Handbook.

the magic-user

1. Never play an M-U in Bobby's game.

2. Bobby apologizes. Some of his best friends are M-U's.

the monk

1. Monks gain an additional (L+2)" to the movement rate obtained by using the algorithm used in the MOVEMENT section (q.v.).

2. Save vs. PetPoly to dodge - a save results in no damage taken, a miss means double damage. This must be decided before the ToHit is rolled.

3. Monks now progress in level as a Warrior, save as a Priest, and Attack as a Rogue.

The following table lists the Monk's capabilities:

Surprise/ special abilities

Level AC Open Hand Attack Seq Damage Mind Mask Automatic Chosen

1 10 1 5 9 3 7 1d4 33 A

2 9 1 4 8 2 6 1d4 32 B

3 8 1 4 8 1d4 30 C

4 7 1 4 8 1d5 28 D

5 7 1 4 6 8 1 4 8 1d5 26 E,F

6 6 1 4 6 8 1d5 24 G,H

7 5 1 4 6 8 1d6 22 I (one II)

8 4 1 3 5 7 9 1 4 6 8 1d6 20 (one III)

9 3 1 3 5 7 9 1d6 18 (one III)

10 3 1 2 3 5 7 9 1d7 16 (one III)

11 2 1 2 3 5 7 8 9 1d7 14 (one III)

12 1 1 2 3 5 7 8 9 10 1d7 12 (one IV)

13 0 1 2 3 5 7 8 9 10 1d8 10 (one IV)

14 -1 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 1d8 8 (one IV)

15 -1 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 1d9 6 (one IV)

16 -2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1d10 4 J (one IV)

17 -2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2d6 2 (one V)

18 -3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2d6 1 (one V)

19 -3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2d8 1 (one V)

20 -4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2d8 1 (one V)

21 -5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2d10 0 all special abilities

A special ability of a lower group may be substituted if desired. Once an ability is chosen, it may not be changed unless a Limited Wish, Wish, or Quest is cast/performed.

Notes for the Monk's Capabilities table:

Group I:

(A) Feign Death.

(B) Immune to Slow spells.

(D) Immune to Diseases.

(E) Self Healing, 1d4+L-4 hit points, once per day.

(F) Body Equilibrium, lasts 1 round/L, once per day.

(G) Mind Over Body, lasts 1 day/L, must recover for an equivalent time to use again.

(H) Open Hand Attack is considered +1 for purposes of CanHit.

(I) Resistant to Energy Drain attacks if blocked with hand or leg: if a hit is scored, the monk is allowed a save versus PetPoly to determine if the hit was on the extremities or against the body; success indicates that the hit was blocked with an arm or leg resulting in no loss of life level but does cause the normal amount damage plus 1d6.

(J) Quivering Palm (as per Player's Handbook page 32).

Group II:

(1) Add two new languages of choice. This ability may be taken more than once.

(2) Open Hand Attack is considered +2 for purposes of CanHit.

(3) MonkSense: cannot be surprised, Direction Sense, Time Sense. unlike MonkSight, all facets of this ability are in continuous operation at the same time. lasts L turns, once/day.

(4) Resist Poison: save at +2 for normal poisons, +1 for magic poisons such as green dragon breath.

Group III:

1. Charm Immunity: the monk has an innate MR against spells marked "M" in the Wisdom Immunities table (page 61) — the probability of avoiding these spells is 50% when the character gains the ability, and increases by 5% for every level gained afterwards.

2. Intellect Fortress, lasts 1 round/L, once per day. This ability may be taken more than once.

3. Invisibility: as per the psionic ability. lasts L turns, once/day.

4. MonkSight: infravision, ultravision, x-ray vision, eagle vision, minute seeing, and sidevision (300 degree span), can switch but not combine, lasts L turns, once/day.

5. Abide Environment: comfortable from -50 degrees to +150. +1 on all saving throws against magical cold/fire. Is permanently in effect, even when asleep or unconscious.

6. Retarded Aging/Resistant to aging-withering attacks: +3 on saving throws, if no save is normally allowed, a save at parity is allowed.

7. Can catch and return missiles if Save versus PetPoly is made. A normal ToHit must be made to return the missile. Certain restrictions may apply.

Group IV:

1. The equivalent of a 36 combined intelligence/wisdom when under a Psionic Blast attack.

2. Object Reading, once per day. This ability may be taken more than once.

3. Immune to Geas.

4. Immune to Quests (Secular Monks only).

5. Resistant to all poisons: +3 on poison saving throws, save means quarter damage, miss means half damage. Missing a save against a death dealing poison loses half of the character's current hit points.

6. Tower of Iron Will, lasts 1 round/L, once per day. This ability may be taken more than once.

7. Detect Lie on one question per day. This ability may be taken more than once.

Group V:

1. Astral Projection, once per week.

2. Dimension Walk, once per day.

3. Immune to Energy Drain attacks without exceptions. Physical damage plus 1d6 is still scored.

4. Mind Bar, 100% success, lasts L hours, once per week.

5. Plane Shift, twice per day.

6. Premonition of serious harm, 1d4 turns before actual event, 90% success.

7. Walk Through Walls, once per day.

MARTIAL ARTS ABILITIES

proficiency ToHit Damage Stun % Kill % SF AC

Cestus +1 +1

Leap / Kick x2 +10 +5 5

IronFist (a) +L +10 +5 7

IronFist (b) max+L +10 +5 10

Concentration +x +x +2x 2+x -(1+x)

"Concentration" works in the following manner:

a) each plus requires an additional segment beyond the minimum of 2 shown

b) AC is lowered by one for each plus in addition to the minimum of 1 shown

(i.e. it is hurt by at least 1)

c) the exact maneuver must be declared in full in the beginning segment

d) the "kill" percentage rises by 2 for each plus

"Concentration" has the following restrictions:

a) the "stun" percentage never rises

b) the "surprise" chance doubles for the duration of the maneuver (minimum of 1% in any case)

c) cannot push ToHit over 19

d) the sum of the ToHit bonus and the Damage bonus cannot exceed (L/2) + 1

The following table lists the Monk's titles.

Level Title

1 Novice

2 Initiate of the Rudiments

3 Initiate of the Principles

4 Brother

5 Disciple

6 Disciple of Secrets

7 Disciple of Mysteries

8 Illuminated

9 Master

At this point the titles break off and branch into three different categories, one for each morality. Most titles begin with "Master of (the) ", resulting in, for example, a 18th level Lawful Neutral monk being known as "Master of Summer".

Master of

Level Lawful Good Lawful Neutral Lawful Evil

10 Light the Dark Punishment

11 Patience the Light Destruction

12 Water First Circle

13 Air Second Circle

14 Earth Third Circle

15 Fire Fourth Circle

16 Winter Fifth Circle

17 Truth Autumn Sixth Circle

18 High Truth Summer Seventh Circle

19 Master Supreme Spring Eighth Circle

20 High Master Supreme Ages Ninth Circle

21 Master of Heaven Master of Law Master of the Pit

the paladin

The idea behind the Paladin character class is for the character to be a Holy (or Unholy, or Completely-LukeWarm-About-the-Whole-Morals-Question) Warrior. Since most religions will have feverent adherents, it makes sense for most religions, regardless of Morals or Ethics, to have their own warrior cadres. Therefore, all alignments can have Paladins. (If you don't like the word Paladin associated with a Chaotic Evil character, call it a Sentinel or whatever else you want.)

The following rules affect all Paladins:

1. Paladins are immune to the effects of Witch (see Dragon #43) specialty spells as long as they retain favor with their patron diety. Paladins who lose their Paladinhood lose this benefit as well.

2. Paladins may use their daily cures piecemeal, i.e. they may split their cures across time and among different recipients. Evil and Neutral Paladins may use their cures as "cause wounds" in the same manner as above; however, they may only cause wounds in a given day, or cure wounds in a given day (not both). Good Paladins cannot "cause wounds".

3. Paladins receive a personal Immunity to Fear.

4. The Paladin's Protection from Evil is personal, as opposed to item #6 on page 22 of the Player's Handbook, which states that it is an area effect. Also note that the paladin's exact protection is going to differ, depending on his alignment:

alignment of paladin is Protected from

Lawful Good Evil

Neutral Good Evil

Chaotic Good Evil

Lawful Neutral Chaos[1]

True Neutral Non-Neutrality[2]

Chaotic Neutral Law[3]

Lawful Evil Good

Neutral Evil Good

Chaotic Evil Good

the ranger

The following table lists the Ranger's capabilities.

# of Animal # of Plant Damage bonus Tracking %

Level Languages Languages vs. Giantkind Underground Outdoors

1 1 0 +1 20 30

2 1 0 +1 23 33

3 2 1 +2 26 36

4 2 1 +2 30 40

5 3 2 +3 34 44

6 4 2 +3 38 48

7 5 3 +4 42 52

8 6 3 +4 47 57

9 all 4 +5 52 62

10 5 +5 58 68

11 6 +5 65 75

12 all +6 73 83

13 +6 82 92

14 +6 90 100

15 +6 99 105

16 +7 (max) 108 +5/L

17 +5/L

Notes for the Ranger's Capabilities table:

(A) Rangers get full "Speak with Animals" ability at Ninth level. This does not grant immunity to attack by the subjects of the ability.

(B) Rangers get full "Speak with Plants" ability at Twelfth level. This does not grant immunity to attack by the subjects of the ability.

1. -05% for each door that the target moves through

2. -05% for each set of stairs that the target moves through

3. -10% for each trap door

4. -15% for each concealed door or chimney

5. -20% for each secret door

6. +01% for each point of wisdom above 14

7. +01% for each point of intelligence above 14

(D) Modify "Tracking Outdoors" as follows:

1. -10% for each 24 hour period between the making of the track and the tracking

2. -15% for each body of water moved through

3. -25% for each hour of precipitation

4. +01% for each point of wisdom above 14

5. +01% for each point of intelligence above 14

Rangers with spell ability (Druidical and/or Magic User) throw their spells at an effective level equal to the Ranger level minus four. Thus a 10th level Ranger throws 3 Magic Missiles per MM spell and will do a minimum of four points per Cure Light Wounds spell (as per the modification to Druid spells on page xxx).

the thief

(A) Traps may be set with the same chance of success as removing them, minus 5% - there are modifications for complexity. A bad miss on this roll (25% or more over what is needed) will result in the trap firing on the Thief.

(B) At sixth level, the thief gains all acrobatic abilities as per a sixth level Acrobat (c.f.). These abilities improve at the rate of 1% per level, beginning with the seventh.

the witch

The prime requisite for Witches is Wisdom, although they fight, save, and advance as per a Magic-User. High Secret Order spells can only be gained if the character has a Wisdom of 16 or greater and an Intelligence of 15 or greater. They gain bonus spells based on Wisdom as follows:

cumulative bonus

wisdom specific bonus 1 2 3 4

12 or lower none 0 0 0 0

13 1 first-level spell 1 0 0 0

14 1 first-level spell 2 0 0 0

15 1 first-level spell 3 0 0 0

16 1 second-level spell 3 1 0 0

17 1 third-level spell 3 1 1 0

18 1 fourth-level spell 3 1 1 1

To account for expansions in AD&D, both official and unofficial, the list of creatures immune to witch specialty spells is expanded. Clerics and Paladins are immune to the insidious witch-majiks, as are all Djinnikind — including Efreeti, Daos, Djinns, Genies, Marids, and other closely related creatures.

The following table lists the Witch's capabilities.

Available Spells

Level Experience Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 H Title Special

1 0 - 2,500 1 Medium

2 2,501 - 5,000 2 Soothsayer

3 5,001 - 10,000 2 1 Sibyl A

4 10,001 - 20,000 3 2 Mystic

5 20,001 - 35,000 4 2 1 Oracle B

6 35,001 - 50,000 4 3 2 Siren C

7 50,001 - 90,000 5 3 2 1 Enchantress D

8 90,001 - 135,000 5 4 3 2 Sorceress E,F,G,H

9 135,001 - 250,000 5 5 3 2 1 Witch I

10 250,001 - 375,000 5 5 4 3 1 1 Crystal Witch J

11 375,001 - 750,000 6 5 4 3 2 2 Amethyst Witch K

12 750,001 - 1,125,000 6 6 5 3 2 1 3 Topaz Witch

13 375000 ep/L 6 6 6 4 3 1 4 Sapphire Witch

14 6 6 6 5 3 2 1 5 Ruby Witch L

15 6 6 6 6 4 3 1 6 Emerald Witch

16 6 6 6 6 5 3 2 1 7 Diamond Witch

17 6 6 6 6 5 4 3 2 8 Witch Mother M

18 6 6 6 6 6 4 3 3 9 Priestess

19 6 6 6 6 6 5 4 4 10 High Priestess

20 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 11 Eternal Priestess

21 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 12 Princess of Witches N

22 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 13 Queen of Witches O

(A) Brew narcotics

(B) Brew truth drug

(D) Brew poison

(E) Read any Druid scroll, with no chance of failure.

(F) Read any Magic-User scroll, with a 10% chance of failure.

(G) Read any Illusionist scroll, with a 10% chance of failure.

(H) Read Clerical scrolls with no chance of failure. This ability is limited to spells that the Witch can normally employ, i.e., she cannot read a "Raise Dead" scroll at all.

(I) Candle Magic

(J) Acquire Familiar

(K) Brew Flying Ointment

(L) Manufacture Control Doll

(M) Fascinate

(N) Limited Wish (once per month)

(O) Shape Change (once per month)

Modifications:

1. Witches now advance on the MU table.

2. Cures rise in effectiveness as the Witch rises in levels. The Witch will restore/destroy at least as many hit points per die as the level of the highest spell she can throw up to a maximum of six points per die.

3. Witch cures work to full effect on plants and animals.

4. Restrictions in the Good vs. Evil use of spells such as Cure Wounds, Fireball, Darkness, etc., are removed.

5. At Fifth level, the Witch may identify pure water and edible plants as part of her training in the ways of nature.

6. Allowable Witch weapons include bo stick, jo stick, caltrop, dagger, dart, knife, sling, staff, club, garrot, lasso, sap, staff sling, whip, scythe, and boomerang.

Skills

General Discussion

A Skill is an inate ability that can be used as often as desired. It does seem somewhat unreasonable that a person with some intelligence, cunning, and/or percerverence could not learn new skills such as swimming, blacksmithery, or the like. Skills have to be learned, of course - the length of time required varies with each skill. Generally, the length of time required is the skill cost points * 4 weeks. For each point of intelligence over that required for the Skill, deduct one day. For each point of intelligence under that required for the Skill, add one to the skill cost points, and then calculate the time required to learn.

The initial aquisition of a skill does not imply mastery or even expert level knowledge of a subject but a usable skill in this area, i.e., you're not great at it, but you are much better than a novice. Many skills can be taken more than one time. As more points are put into a skill, the mastery becomes greater. Some Skills have prerequisites such as a related Skill or an specified attribute (e.g., dexterity) of a certain level - these prerequisites must be enforced!

A character is allowed to trade weapon proficiencies for skill points at a 1 to 2 ratio (i.e. one proficiency may be traded in for two skill points) - skill points cannot be traded for proficiencies!

If the character is multi-class, he receives the skill points of only the most favorable class. If the character is dual-class, he receives skill points in the normal manner.

EXPERIMENTAL RULE: If the person playing the character has a real, recognizable proficiency at one of the skills listed, the DM (at his option) may award a "free" skill point in that particular skill. We are not talking about letting empty boasts earn a free skill; there must be some real talent in the particular area. Completion of high school should be sufficient for the Literacy/Cyphering skill; a college degree in Mechanical Engineering would be sufficient for the Mechanics skill; having a First Aid merit badge would fulfill the requirements for that particular skill. If this optional rule is used, standards must be maintained or else everyone will have every skill (thus rendering the whole idea useless). The DM may wish to put a limit on the number of skills that can be carried over from "Real Life" - say one or two skills - even if the person is a World Expert On Every Subject Known To Man. (The idea behind this use of the skill is to allow people to put a little bit of themselves into their characters.)

skills by class

                                              Initial          Points
     CLASS                            Points          Gained            Inherent Skills (prerequisites apply)

Acrobat n/a 1 Acrobatics Acute Hearing Climbing
Silent Movement

Assassin 2 1 Disguise Spying

Barbarian 2 1 Fishing Naturalist Hunting
Running

Bard 1 1 Art (Music) Literacy/Cyphering

Bounty Hunter 1 1 Acute Hearing Alertness Silent Movement

Cavalier 2 1 Courtly Graces Heraldry Horsemanship

Cleric * 1 First Aid Literacy/Cyphering Religious Knowledge

Druid * 1 First Aid Naturalist Religious Knowledge
Weather Recognition

Fighter 4 2 <none>

Houri 1 1 Courtly Graces Sex Appeal

Illusionist 0 1 Literacy/Cyphering

Magic-User 0 1 Literacy/Cyphering

Monk * 1 Acrobatics Acute Hearing Alertness
Running Silent Movement

Paladin * 1 Courtly Graces Literacy/Cyphering Religious Knowledge

Ranger 1 1 Alertness Naturalist

Thief 1 1 Acrobatics Acute HearingClimbing
Silent Movement

Witch * 1 Literacy/Cyphering

* 1 or 2 points, to be used for a skill related to their deity - the DM must approve. In these cases, the intelligence requirement may be waived at the DM's discretion.

required skill multiple
Skill Intelligence points points? Prerequisites and Comments

Basketry 6 1

Diving 6 1 Swimming

Fire Building 6 1 once

Fishing 6 1

Portering 6 1

Riding 6 1

Running 6 1

Swimming 6 1

Acute Hearing 7 1 intact ears

Animal Noise 7 1

Climbing 7 1

Expert Horsemanship 7 1 Riding, Horsemanship

Horsemanship 7 1 Riding

Horticulture 7 1 once

Husbandry 7 1

Netting 7 1

Pottery 7 1

Rope Use 7 1

Seamanship 7 1

Sex Appeal 7 1 Charisma > 8, Comeliness > 8

Teamster 7 1

Alertness 8 2

Barbery 8 1

Blacksmithery 8 2

Brewery 8 1

Carpentry/Woodcrafting 8 2

Cooking 8 1

Coopery 8 1

Dyeing 8 1

Fletching/Boyery 8 1

Hunting 8 1

Literacy/Cyphering 8 1 takes six months per language to learn

Recognize Value 8 2

Service 8 1

Tailoring 8 1

Weaving 8 1

Acrobatics 9 2 Dexterity > 12

Armory 9 2 once

Art 9 1

Boating 9 1

Calligraphy 9 1 Literacy/Cyphering, Dexterity > 6

Farming 9 2

First Aid 9 1

Flying 9 1

Glassblowing 9 1

Leatherworking 9 1

Map Reading 9 1

Mining 9 2

Mountaineering 9 1

Naturalist 9 1

Perfumery 9 1

Silent Movement 9 1 Alertness

Tanning 9 1

Torture 9 1

Boatwright 10 2 Boating Skill

Business Sense 10 2 Recognize Value

Courtly Graces 10 1 Charisma > 6

Falconry 10 1

Gaming/Gambling 10 1

Public Speaking 10 1 Charisma > 7

Sleight of Hand 10 1 Dexterity > 11

Tracking 10 1

Two Weapons 10 3 once Dexterity > 9

Weather Recognition 10 1

Bookkeeping 11 1 Literacy/Cyphering

Gold/Silversmithing 11 2 Blacksmithery or Jewellery/Gemcutting —
the cost is 1 if both skills are known

Heraldry 11 1

Jewellery/Gemcutting 11 2

Locksmithing 11 3

Navigation 11 1

Taxidermy 11 1

Disguise 12 2

Foreign Language 12 1

Forgery 12 2 Literacy/Cyphering

Magistry 12 2

Master Armory 12 3 once Armory

Religious Knowledge 12 1

Ventriloquism 12 2

Weaponsmith 12 2

Piloting 13 1 Navigation

Cartography 13 2 Calligraphy, Map Reading, Navigation

Engineering 13 3 Literacy/Cyphering; takes 8 months to learn -
the cost is only 2 if Mechanics is known

Linguistics 13 2 Literacy/Cyphering

Mechanics 13 3 Literacy/Cyphering, -
the cost is only 2 if Engineering is known

Spell Recognition 13 1

Spying 13 1 once Silent Movement, Alertness, Forgery, Disguise

once again, but alphabetically:

required skill multiple
Skill Intelligence points points? Prerequisites and Comments

Acrobatics 9 2 Dexterity > 12

Acute Hearing 7 1 intact ears

Alertness 8 2

Animal Noise 7 1

Armory 9 2 once

Art 9 1

Barbery 8 1

Basketry 6 1

Blacksmithery 8 2

Boating 9 1

Boatwright 10 2 Boating Skill

Bookkeeping 11 1 Literacy/Cyphering

Brewery 8 1

Business Sense 10 2 Recognize Value

Calligraphy 9 1 Literacy/Cyphering, Dexterity > 6

Carpentry/Woodcrafting 8 2

Cartography 13 2 Calligraphy, Map Reading, Navigation

Climbing 7 1

Cooking 8 1

Coopery 8 1

Courtly Graces 10 1 Charisma > 6

Disguise 12 2

Diving 6 1 Swimming

Dyeing 8 1

Engineering 13 3 Literacy/Cyphering; takes 8 months to learn -
the cost is only 2 if Mechanics is known

Expert Horsemanship 7 1 Riding, Horsemanship

Falconry 10 1

Farming 9 2

Fire Building 6 1 once

First Aid 9 1

Fishing 6 1

Fletching/Boyery 8 1

Flying 9 1

Foreign Language 12 1

Forgery 12 2 Literacy/Cyphering

Gaming/Gambling 10 1

Glassblowing 9 1

Gold/Silversmithing 11 2 Blacksmithery or Jewellery/Gemcutting —
the cost is 1 if both skills are known

Heraldry 11 1

Horsemanship 7 1 Riding

Horticulture 7 1 once

Hunting 8 1

Husbandry 7 1

Jewellery/Gemcutting 11 2

Leatherworking 9 1

Linguistics 13 2 Literacy/Cyphering

Literacy/Cyphering 8 1 takes six months per language to learn

Locksmithing 11 3

Magistry 12 2

Map Reading 9 1

Master Armory 12 3 once Armory

Mechanics 13 3 Literacy/Cyphering -
the cost is only 2 if Engineering is known

Mining 9 2

Mountaineering 9 1

Naturalist 9 1

Navigation 11 1

Netting 7 1

Perfumery 9 1

Piloting 13 1 Navigation

Portering 6 1

Pottery 7 1

Public Speaking 10 1 Charisma > 7

Recognize Value 8 2

Religious Knowledge 12 1

Riding 6 1

Rope Use 7 1

Running 6 1

Seamanship 7 1

Service 8 1

Sex Appeal 7 1 Charisma > 8, Comeliness > 8

Silent Movement 9 1 Alertness

Sleight of Hand 10 1 Dexterity > 11

Spell Recognition 13 1

Spying 13 1 once Silent Movement, Alertness, Forgery, Disguise

Swimming 6 1

Tailoring 8 1

Tanning 9 1

Taxidermy 11 1

Teamster 7 1

Torture 9 1

Tracking 10 1

Two Weapons 10 3 once Dexterity > 9

Ventriloquism 12 2

Weaponsmith 12 2

Weather Recognition 10 1

Weaving 8 1

skill descriptions

acrobatics (intelligence 9 required — 2 points/skill)

This skill allows some abilities (explained below), including controlling a fall so as to avoid damage, pole vaulting, and tightrope walking.

FALLING

Reduce the amount of damage taken (in terms of hit points) by double the number of points taken in this skill; results of less than zero are treated as zero. Example: Frito the Fighter decides to take the Acrobatics skill. Good thing too, since immediately after the graduation ceremony he trips and falls off the 20' stage. The damage rolled is four points; therefore he takes zero points of damage ((4) - (2 x 2) = 0). If the damage roll had been two points, the damage taken would have been zero; if the damage roll had been five points, Frito would have sustained only one point of damage.

VAULTING

A novice may attempt to vault a barrier of 8' or less by using a springboard, pole, etc., by making their Pet/Poly save with a -6 modifier. A person with the Acrobatics skill may vault a barrier of 9' or less by making their Pet/Poly save. For every 1/2' below the height rating, add 1 to the saving throw; for every 1/2' above the height rating, subtract 2 from the saving throw. Each additional point put into the skill past the two required to buy it will add 1/2' to the base height that can be vaulted.

base height
# of skill points that can be vaulted saving throw

             1                                  8 feet                        save vs. PetPoly at -6
             2                                  9 feet                        save vs. PetPoly at -4
             3                               9.5 feet                        save vs. PetPoly at -2
             4                                10 feet                        save vs. PetPoly at parity

Each point of dexterity over 14 adds one to the saving throw. Each point of dexterity below 9 subtracts one from the saving throw.

TIGHTROPE WALKING

This assumes a tightrope 60' long and at no more than 45 degrees slant (a little more slant is allowed if you are going down). For each additional 60' segment a new saving throw must be made. Success depends on making the Pet/Poly save. Failure means falling. Novices save at -6; people with the skill save at parity. Each point over the two required to buy the skill will add one to the saving throw. Each point of dexterity over 14 adds one to the save; each point below 9 subtracts one from the saving throw. Other bonuses (such as use of a really good balancing pole) or penalties (such as trying to do the walk in a hurricane) may be added on at the DM's discretion.

acute hearing (intelligence 7 required — 1 point/skill)

This is somewhat related to the Alertness skill. However, instead of quick reactions, the heightened sensory ability manifests itself as the person being better able to hear things. For example, a normal human has a 5% chance of hearing noises behind closed doors. Beings with this skill have roughly twice the chance of hearing noise -- a 10% chance of hearing noise behind a closed door. (Racial Modifiers are applicable.) This ability to hear faint noises can be applicable to other situations. For example, this skill allows the character to add 1 to his rolls to see if he wakes up due to noise. Additional points may be put into this skill. Each additional point aids the "hearing noise" percentage by 2 percent and adds +1 to "wake up" rolls.

alertness (intelligence 8 required — 2 points/skill)

A person with the Alertness skill gives himself, and possibly his party, an "edge". The character will be surprised only 25% of the time (instead of the normal 33%). This skill also aids in the detection of invisible people. Characters with this skill suffer a -3 ToHit penalty when attacking invisible beings, instead of the normal -4. The character is also allowed to add 5% to his resistance against all pickpocket attempts directed at him, and to add 1 to his rolls to see if he wakes up due to noise. Each additional point will lower the surprise percentage by 3% (to a minimum of 1%), add 3% to pickpocket resistance, and add one to his rolls to wake up. Every two additional points helps the ToHit against invisible beings by one, to a maximum of parity at eight points put into this skill – the benefits are cumulative.

animal noise (intelligence 7 required — 1 points/skill)

This skill allows the imitation and identification of certain animal noises and calls. The success roll is made by adding the better of the character's Intelligence or Wisdom score together with the number of points put into this skill. This number or lower must be rolled on a d20. If the roll is missed, the character has just made some nonsensical (and possibly embarrasing) noise. If this roll is made, the animal still gets a save (on a d20) versus its Wisdom (if the Wisdom score is unknown, assume it is the same as the creature's Intelligence). If the animal's save is missed, it will believe the character's noises to be legitimate and may act accordingly. If the animal makes its save, it will either ignore the noises entirely or may act in an entirely different manner than what was intended (it could be bad news to have accidentally made a rhino's mating call while in the savanna). Identification of a naturally made learned call/noise is automatic. Faked noises can be identified as such if the character makes his save versus his Wisdom (just as if he were the animal trying to be faked out). Each point put into this skill allows the imitation and identification of ten animal calls and/or noises. (Keep track of which calls/noises are learned with the expenditure of each point.) Additional points in this skill also add to the chances of success with calls learned previously (+1 to the calls/noises in a particular block, this is cumulative). Anyone who does not have this skill (or who has it, but doesn't have the particular creature call) may make an attempt to fake a call by subtracting two from the first roll and adding eight to the creature's saving throw.

armory (intelligence 9 required — 2 point/skill)

This skill allows field repairs and the fashioning of most types of armour. The types of armour that can be fashioned are from padded up to banded mail; the manufacture of plate or better requires the Master Armory skill. Ten working days per AC class are required to build armour. Armour up to (and including) plate mail can be repaired by use of the skill. This generally takes a day for minor repairs, three days for resizing armour or making a moderate repair, and seven or more days to make major repairs to armour.

art (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

The Arts include a wide variety of pursuits such as Acting, Architecture, Dancing, Limning, Music, Painting, Sculpting, etc. A point is spent to buy a skill in one particular Art. Such skill provides enough ability to make a (very) small living doing whatever Art one has trained for. Multiple points can be put into a particular Art to improve one's skill or can be used to buy an ability in another Art. If you are interested in becoming the "equivalent" of Duncan in Dancing, Picasso in Painting or Mozart in Music, consider spending at least two dozen points in your particular field. Becoming an Art Critic requires no points.

barbery (intelligence 8 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill allows the character to cut hair, trim beards, perform pedicures and manicures and other such things. In addition, the barber can concoct special creams and potions to do such things as dye hair (95% chance of success), remove hair and make it stop growing for a month at a time (85% chance of success), restore hair growth where it is absent (25% chance of success). Barbers also know the proper way to apply leeches so as to remove the visible signs of bruises (50% chance of success) and to possibly remove insinuative poisons (5% chance of success, must be attempted within one turn of poisoning; if it is successful half the hit points lost due to the poison are regained - note that if a person died from the poison, they stay dead). Each extra point spent on this skill adds five percentage points to all success rolls.

basketry (intelligence 6 required — 1 point/skill)

The Basketry skill allows characters to fashion serviceable baskets, mats, etc. from materials at hand (if any). These baskets can hold ~10GP of weight for every 10 minutes(/# of skill points in this area) spent making the basket. Multiple points in this area will make the resultant baskets more esthetic and easier to build

blacksmithery (intelligence 8 required — 2 points/skill)

This skill allows the fashioning of metal implements such as horseshoes, shovels, hoes, etc., out of easy to work hard metals such as bronze, brass, iron, etc. Extra points will allow more intricate items to be made such as pump heads, etc. Also allowed for more points will be the ability to work harder metals such as mithril and adamantium. Note that this skill is not a substitute for the Weaponsmith skill.

boating (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

This gives the character the ability to "captain" small boats such as rowboats, canoes, rafts, and small sailboats - craft that require only three or fewer people (not counting passengers) to properly sail (contrast this with the Piloting skill). These may only be used on inland waters and very near the shore of seas or oceans. A prime boat type (a "major") must be chosen which will have a skill rating of one, but some ability in all small craft is gained (equivalent to a skill rating of 0). With such a person at the helm, the craft will move at a rate of 10% faster than the normal (printed) speed and will be 2% less likely to capsize if it is a boat in which the character has a major. If the person has the Boating skill and is piloting a craft that is not one of his majors, the speed and chance to capsize are normal. If a party is trying to use a boat without anyone having the Boating skill, the speed of the craft will be reduced by 10% and the chance to capsize will increase by 2%. Multiple points spent in this area can be used to add more majors or to increase the ability with respect to a previously known major; each additional point in a major will increase the boat speed by another 10% and lessen the chance to capsize by 2%. For example: Guido the Cleric likes small sailboats so much that he decides to spend two skill points on learning how to pilot them. When he is at the helm of such a boat, it will move 20% faster than normal and will be 4% less likely to capsize. He can also use other small craft such as canoes at the normal speed and chance to capsize.

boatwright (intelligence 10 required — 2 points/skill)

One point in this skill gives the ability to build canoes, kayaks, and other small boats of average quality. Additional points buy the skill to make other types of bigger and/or more elaborate boats and to make higher quality smaller boats. The prerequisite is knowledge (i.e. the particular skill) of how to use the particular boat/ship to be built.

                               Boat Type I        Boat Type II          Boat Type III            Boat Type IV

                                  Canoe,           River Barge,            Corvette,
                                  Kayak,          Small Sloop,        Sloop, Frigate,           Man 'O War,
# of skill points     Small Sailboat    Large Sailboat    Small Merchantman Large Merchantman

            1                     cannot               cannot                  cannot                     cannot
            2                        5                   cannot                  cannot                     cannot
            3                        6                   cannot                  cannot                     cannot
            4                        7                      5                      cannot                     cannot
            5                        8                      6                      cannot                     cannot
            6                        9                      7                         5                         cannot
            7                       10                     8                         6                         cannot
            8                       11                     9                         7                            5
            9                       12                     10                        8                            6

The success roll is made by subtracting the Quality Number from 12. Rolling this baseline number or more on 2d6 means you have successfully fashioned an average boat (a 5 on a 1 to 10 scale). For every three points over the baseline number (round down), the quality of the boat is raised by one point. For every two points rolled below the baseline number (round down), the boat quality drops by one. A boat of Quality two is barely seaworthy and may sink. A boat of Quality one will sink within 2d6 days of first being launched.

Example: Guido the Cleric likes boats, knows how to sail all types of boats and ships, and decides to learn to build them. He enthusiasticly puts four skill points into the effort. He builds a Kayak and needs only a 4 (Quality rating of 8 on Type 1 boats - 12-8=4) or better on 2d6 to build at least an average kayak. He rolls a 12! Thus the quality of this Kayak is 2 points better than normal (12 - 4 = 8; there are 2 threes in 8; therefore Quality = 7). This kayak will move faster, more easily, and take more damage before sinking than an average quality one. If Guido had rolled a two, he would have wound up with a Quality 4 kayak - a slower, lumbering, hulk of a kayak. Guido would have had a chance of turning out a TYPE 2 boat (such as a river barge) provided he knew how to sail the type of boat he was trying to build. He would have had to expend more skill points to be able to try to build a Frigate or a Man 'o War.

bookkeeping (intelligence 11 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill gives advanced knowledge, accuracy, and speed in arithmetic. It also gives a basic knowledge of laws and procedures for taxation and tariffs for various areas. A character with this skill who is running a business should be able to make 1d6 * # of skill points more money per year (due to more efficient record keeping, better knowledge of tax loopholes, etc.). Finally, this skill is essential to have a good chance of successfully manipulating the books "creatively".

brewery (intelligence 8 required — 1 point/skill)

By means of this skill, a character may brew simple, potable alcoholic beverages such as beer, ale, and wine. A single point will give the ability to make mediocre beverages as well as the ability to put together simple brewing equipment. Additional points will buy the ability to make finer beers, ales, and wine; these tasting better and being worth more money. Other beverages such as whiskey, brandy, schnapps, etc. will be gained as more points are invested in this skill. One skill point gives an 85% chance (success on a 4 or higher on a d20) of making potable beer, ale, or wine. Each additional point adds 5% to the base chance of success as well as adding an additional category of drink that can be brewed, with a base chance of success of 85%. Some categories are whiskey, brandy, schnapps, vodka, malt liquor, scotch, etc. Keep track of the chance of success for each category. A roll of one on a success roll indicates failure (possibly catastrophic in nature) no matter what adjustments may be applicable. An adjusted roll of over 20 indicates a truly fine batch of liquor. For example, a person with five skill points in this ability might have:

Beverage Type Chance of Success Chance of Fine Vintage

Beer, Ale, or Wine 105% 5%

Whiskey 100% no chance

Vodka 95% no chance

Brandy 90% no chance

Absinthe 85% no chance

In all categories, a roll of one will indicate utter failure no matter what the adjustments.

business sense (intelligence 10 required — 2 points/skill)

This gives the person a better chance at driving bargains and making shrewd financial decisions. This is accomplished by gaining skill in bargaining techniques and practices (everything from knowing how to give out free samples of roast yak to giving out free samples of gold). It provides skill in elementary business law and bookkeeping. (However, it is not a substitute for either the Magistry or Bookkeeping skills). As a general rule, a character with the Business Sense skill will be able to get a five to ten percent better price for most items (buying or selling). Additional points will provide better knowledge of local trade laws and customs, more discounts, etc.

calligraphy (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill allows the production of fine manuscripts, posters, notices, etc. with the number of different scripts available being equal to the Calligrapher's intelligence score. This skill also lowers the chance of failure of penning a scroll by 3% (to a minimum of a 1% chance of failure). Each additional point added to this skill will improve the overall performance somewhat (add 5% if you use a die roll to judge the artfulness of the manuscript) and lower the chance of failure of penning a scroll by 1% (once again subject to a minimum of 1% chance of failure). Additional points also add additional scripts -- an additional script per point.

The skill also allows the calligrapher to make usable ink out of a variety of normal materials - black ink from lampblack and lindseed oil, for example.

carpentry/woodcrafting (intelligence 8 required — 2 points/skill)

This allows the making of wooden items from cabinets to houses (the building thereof, not the design). The initial investment in the skill will allow the character to build plain but serviceable furniture, cabinets, and structures of wood. The volume that may be worked is 75 cubic feet per day. The character may provide directions to up to four other people, each of whom will produce (on the average) 75 cubic feet per day. (This means that up to 375 cubic feet of "structure" may be constructed by such a carpenter and his crew.) Each additional point in this skill will increase the complexity of tasks that may be attempted, increase the craftsman's volume by 10 cubic feet per day, add one to the number of helpers that may be directed, and increase the helpers' output by 5 cubic feet per helper per day.

cartography (intelligence 13 required — 2 points/skill)

This allows the making of highly accurate maps from various sources of information. It provides a limited knowledge of art and calligraphy skills that would be essential for the drawing of maps. Perhaps more importantly, a character with the Cartography skill can draw dungeon maps much more quickly and accurately in game terms. (The DM may allow the skilled character to occasionally get an accuraccy check of a particular map - this does not mean that the DM allows the character to take his map.) This would be complimentary with the Navigation skill.

climbing (intelligence 7 required — 1 point/skill)

As opposed to the skill of Mountaineering, Climbing is the skill of scaling man-made and less ambitious natural objects. The base chance of success for this skill is 75% plus whatever modifiers are applicable (such as race, dexterity, armour, etc). This chance must be rolled every 1" of the climb (minimum of at least one roll); if the roll is failed, the character falls and takes appropriate damage.

   base percentage                            racial adjustment
         1st Level Thief           85%                Gnome                   - 15%
         Novice                      40%                Halfling                  - 15%
         Climbing Skill           75%                Dwarf                     - 10%
                                                               Elf                             0%
                                                               Human                        0%
                                                               Half Elf                       0%
                                                               Half-Orc                 +   5%
                                                               Half-Ogre                + 10%

   dexterity adjustment                   armor adjustment
         3 or less                 - 35%                Plate (or similar)      - 100%
         4 or 5                     - 30%                Chain                     - 15%
         6                           - 25%                Splint                    - 15%
         7                           - 20%                Scale                      - 15%
         8 or 9                     - 15%                Banded                    - 15%
         10                         - 10%                Studded Leather        -    5%
         11                         -    5%                Leather                        0%
         12 to 14                      0%                Cloth                     +   5%
         15 or 16                 +   5%                none                      + 10%
         17                         + 10%
         18                         + 15%
         19                         + 20%

Regardless of adjustments, a roll of 01% will always succeed (there is always a chance you will luck out) while a roll of 100% will always fail.

Each additional skill point beyond the first will increase the climbing chance by 1%.

cooking (intelligence 8 required — 1 point/skill)

Most characters can prepare edible meals. This skill will give a character the ability to make good, appetizing meals plus knowledge of proper preparation of the table (somewhat like a limited Courtly Graces ability in setting the table). Additionally, the character with the Cooking skill might know how to properly prepare and dry herbs and preserve foods (if possible). Another benefit of the skill is the recognition of tainted food. Normally characters may detect whether food or drink is tainted by rolling their Wisdom or lower on a d20. Characters with the cooking skill may subtract four from this detection roll. Spoiled food is automatically detected by all but the most stupid creatures (bear in mind that one creature's garbage pile is another's gourmet dinner). Each additional point will add more to the character's ability and subtract 1 from tainted food detection rolls.

coopery (intelligence 8 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill allows the making of barrels, kegs, casks, etc. One point in this skill allows the construction of the equivalent of a 30 gallon drum/keg or smaller with a base chance of success (i.e. it does not leak when liquids are poured in) of 90%. Construction of such a container takes one hour per five gallons of capacity. Doubling the time spent constructing the container will increase the chance of success by 5%, tripling the time will increase the chance of success by 10% and so on. Each additional point added to the skill will allow the construction of larger containers in less time according to the table below.

Largest container Time to construct container
# of skill points that can be constructed (per unit volume)

             1                              30 gallons                               1hour/5 gallons
             2                              40 gallons                       50 minutes/5 gallons
             3                              50 gallons                       40 minutes/5 gallons
             4                              60 gallons                       30 minutes/5 gallons

The minimum time to construct a container per unit volume is 10 minutes per 5 gallons.

courtly graces (intelligence 10 required — 1 point/skill)

The correct form of address and proper social manners are learned through this skill. The first point earned will aid the character in becoming couth and preventing awkwardness when appearing in any court. Further points can be applied to a particular court (e.g., Aeserd, Katana, etc.) that will actually make the character smooth and graceful, almost always saying the correct thing, making the proper motions, using the proper etiquette for each level of person addressed, and so on. This "familiarization" point is most helpful, in fact just short of necessary, for any kind of finesse dealing with court intrigue. Of course, it might be difficult to find someone willing to teach you the ins and outs of the desired realm.

disguise (intelligence 12 required — 2 points/skill)

The Disguise skill allows the character to look like someone (or something) else. There is a base chance of 85% that the disguise assumed will work - this assumes that the proper attire and assessories are used. Contrast this with the base 25% chance that a normal character without this skill has. A character with this skill can change their apparent height by up to ±4 inches, change their apparent weight by up to -20%/+200% of their actual weight, change their apparent sex, and change their apparent profession. Trying to look like a different sex, race or character class may entail some penalties; these are detailed below.

Trying to look like a different sex

-2% for either direction (male to female, female to male)

Trying to look like a different race

                                                   character tries to disguise himself as
   character
           is               Dwarf (all)   Elf (all)    Gnome    HalfElf   Halfling    HalfOgre    HalfOrc                               Human

Dwarf (all) — 10 2 8 6 8 8 4

Elf (all) 10 — 8 2 6 15 15 4

Gnome 2 10 — 8 4 10 10 4

HalfElf 8 2 6 — 4 8 8 2

Halfling 6 8 6 4 — 15 10 2

HalfOgre 10 15 10 15 10 — 4 6

HalfOrc 6 15 6 10 8 2 — 2

Human 6 4 6 2 4 8 2 —

For example, if Gimme the Dwarf and Rock the HalfOgre try to disguise themselves as each other, the "race penalty" would be 10% for Rock, but only 8% for Gimme. Please note that all numbers in this table are percentages, and are all penalties … the table reads as it does for legibility.

Trying to look like a different class

                                                  character tries to disguise himself as

                             Acrobat/                                                                 Illusionist/
   character     Assassin/                Cavalier/                         Bard/   Magic-User/
           is                 Thief     Barbarian Paladin   Cleric   Druid   Fighter      Witch Monk                              Ranger

Acro/Ass/Thief — 6 10 6 4 2 4 4 4

Barbarian 6 — 10 4 2 2 20 15 2

Cav/Pal 20 15 — 5 10 4 15 10 4

Cleric 4 8 2 — 2 2 6 4 2

Druid 4 2 10 2 — 4 6 10 2

Bard/Fighter 2 2 4 4 4 — 10 6 2

Ill/MU/Witch 4 15 10 6 4 8 — 6 6

Monk 2 10 4 6 4 4 4 — 4

Ranger 6 2 4 4 2 2 4 4 —

For example, if Ironfist the Monk and Guido the Cleric try to disguise themselves as each other, the "class penalty" would be 6% for Ironfist, but only 4% for Guido. Please note that, as before, all numbers in this table are percentages, and are all penalties … the table reads as it does for legibility.

All penalties are cumulative. The DM may apply extra penalties or bonuses according to the situation; for example:

Character knows skills related to the disguise[4]: + 4% each.

Character spends time studying his target: + 2% for each day (up to +20%).

Character is improvising on the spur of the moment: -15%.

There is always at least a one percent chance of discovery.

Each additional point spent on the skill increases the chance of success by 2%.

diving (intelligence 6 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill allows the character to dive gracefully and safely into water or any other liquid (although diving into a vat of acid, while winning StylePoints, might cause the DM to require another kind of roll). The impact with the water will be softened so that the damage taken (if any) will be at (-1 for each point acquired in this skill - minimum of zero) on each die. Results of zero or less are treated as zero for the die. If a success roll is required, it will be against Pet/Poly with full dexterity bonuses plus one for each point taken in the skill. For example, GunSight the Mage has taken two points in this skill. He happens to fall off of Flash Bazbo the Psychedelic Dragon at 150 feet over a lake. GunSight executes a triple gainer with a half twist; the DM executes rolling a double handful of dice with the following results:

1 + 2 + 4 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 4 + 2 + 5 + 3 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 5 + 5 for a total of 53 points of damage.

The DM rules that this is a routine dive (GunSight is not trying to jump into a 55 gallon drum or something equally as difficult - if he had, he would have been saving versus Pet/Poly with a bonus of +3 {plus one from a 15 dexterity plus two from the number of points put in the skill}) and therefore waives a success roll. The damage roll then becomes:

0 + 0 + 2 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 0 + 3 + 1 + 0 + 2 + 0 + 3 + 3 for a total of 25 points of damage.

The prerequisite for this skill is Swimming.

dyeing (intelligence 8 required — 1 point/skill)

The Dyeing skill allows the character.to manufacture dyes from natural substances and to use these to color cloth and thread of various sorts. The dyes manufactured will be permanent and the result of dyeing will be even. Additional points will allow the character to make dyes that will work on things such as leather.

engineering (intelligence 13 required — 3 points/skill)

This skill is essential for the proper design of large buildings, bridges, and other large structures that must be able to support structural loading. The designs that are developed will be sturdy but plain unless the services of an Architect are employed to add aesthetics to the design. Additional points added beyond those initially required will enable the Engineer to build stronger structures than normal or build normal strength structures with fewer materials.

expert horsemanship (intelligence 7 required — 1 points/skill)

This skill imparts the following abilities:

1. The character will never lose control of his horse due to natural causes.

2. The character can attempt to vault into the saddle from a running start and begin riding in a single segment. 3d6 are rolled (or more than 3, if the DM determines that the particular attempt is even more difficult, such as from a second-story window) and if the total exceeds (the character's Dexterity + 2), he has missed and possibly taken damage from falling to the ground.

3. The character can urge his mount to unusually great leaps and jumps.

4. The character can urge his mount to greater speeds - an increase of 6" (excluding all other modifiers, magical or otherwise) for up to three turns, after which he must dismount and walk the horse for one turn to cool it down.

5. The character can guide his horse with his knees, allowing both arms free for other maneuvers.

6. The character can hang along the side of his horse to protect himself from attack or conceal himself from viewers, lowering his AC by four. Note that if the character is a worshiper of certain deities who revere horses (Frey, for example) and this maneuver leaves the horse open to damage, the deity might take offense.

7. The character can make a spectacular flying dismount, leaping from the saddle (even at full gallop) to either attack someone or land on his feet, ready for further maneuvers. This saving throw vs. PetPoly is at -4 due to the difficulty, but all normal bonuses such as dexterity are allowed. Blowing the save indicates a clean miss and damage appropriate to the speed at which the character attempted the leap. Three guesses what a critical fumble would do in this situation - while a critical success would not only impress everyone witnessing the event, but might even add to the character's ToHit (either directly or through a reduction in the opponent's AC due to stunned amazement)!

8. The character is granted basic Horsemanship skills when riding mounts other than the chosen type of mount for Expert Horsemanship.

9. The character may add 1" to the base movement of his mount at all times.

10. The mount gains the same Saving Throw as its rider or a +1 on its normal save, whichever is better according to the situation.

falconry (intelligence 10 required — 1 point/skill)

Falconry has always been considered a noble sport, something to be enjoyed by those of the court. Characters with this skill know how to hunt with these birds of prey, while additional points earned will either (at their option) increase their chances of success while hunting or give them the skill to train and handle young falcons. See page 55 of Oriental Adventures for further details on Falconry.

farming (intelligence 9 required — 2 points/skill)

This skill allows the character to maintain large areas of land for raising plants and/or livestock. The amount of land that can be cultivated will vary somewhat according to the crop but will average about 10 acres. In addition, for each farmhand that he has, increase the cultivated acreage by one. For each farmhand that has the Horticulture skill, increase the cultivated acreage by two. The maximum number of farmhands that can be directed is equal to ten times the number of skill points invested in the Farming skill. Each additional skill point invested will increase the amount of land that the farmer can cultivate personally by three acres, increase the number of farmhands that can be supervised by ten, and increase the productivity of each farmhand by 10%.

fire building (intelligence 6 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill allows the character to start fires with great ease from available flammable materials. It is so useful that there is even a good chance to succeed using nothing but wet wood. The amount of time necessary to start a fire ranges from ~10 segments for good materials and conditions to 3d12 rounds for poor materials and rotten conditions. The only time that a success roll is needed is if the conditions are absolutely atrocious (such as trying to start a fire during a cloudburst with wet wood). In this case, roll a d20; a roll of one indicates utter failure. This failure takes 3 turns to accomplish. Another attempt cannot be made for another hour.

first aid (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill teaches how to apply emergency aid or treatment, ranging from a simple attempt to halt bleeding to properly dressing a serious wound. An important result of this skill is knowing not only how to give aid, but what to do - for instance, if someone has broken certain bones, a character with this skill would know that the person should absolutely not be moved. Without any equipment at all, someone with this skill could probably stop a person from losing any additional hit points. In addition, it allows the proper use of natural medicines, plants, etc. that may help ease pain, neutralize poison, and so on: 5% chance of knowing what the cure is for a disease or poison (if there is one) per skill point taken, with a modification of 1% per point of Wisdom and/or Intelligence above 14. Thus, a first level cleric would have a 5% chance plus Wisdom and/or Intelligence bonuses. Note that knowing what is the cure is not the same as having the materials handy and being able to administer them.

fishing (intelligence 6 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill gives the character the knowledge to fashion poles, line, hooks, etc. from natural materials. It also gives knowledge of the best ways to catch fish with such equipment. Such a skill will enable the character to catch 3d6 times the number of skill points spent in this area (with modifiers at the DM's option). Contrast this with the 1d6-2 fish that a person without this skill can catch, provided they have adequate, premade equipment.

fletching/boyery (intelligence 8 required — 1 point/skill)

This enables the fashioning of normal bows, arrows, bolts, etc. Additional points are required to build more complicated weapons such as a crossbow.

flYING (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill enables the character to make greater use of spells or devices that enable a character to fly. For example, non-proficient characters who try to attack while flying are at -1 to hit and -1 on damage with hand and missile weapons. Their manueverability class is also hurt by one place. Each proficiency point adds one to the "to hit" and every second point adds one to the damage inflicted. The manueverability class is normal with one proficiencey. Additionally, this will aid the character if he polymorphs into a flying form. (Just because you look like a hawk doesn't mean you can fly as well as one - unless you have sufficient proficiencies in the Flying skill.) Non-proficient characters must subtract 10% of the base flying speed of the form that has been taken through a polymorph.

Note that taking this skill does not give the character the ability to fly per se, it just improves their ability when they do it.

foreign language (intelligence 12 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill enables a character, at a cost of one skill point per language, to learn more languages than his intelligence allows. However, only human/humanoid/demi-human languages can be learned through this Skill. This skill is related to the Linguistics skill.

forgery (intelligence 12 required — 2 points/skill)

By means of this skill the character can fake various documents, writings, and signatures. The chance of success varies according to the difficulty of the feat — faking a simple signature would be far easier than faking an official pass that includes wax seals, emblems, etc. The Calligraphy skill would possibly aid in performing certain types of forgeries. Additionally, the Forgery skill will make the detection of a forgery easier (but not automatic).

gaming/gambling (intelligence 10 required — 1 point/skill)

With this skill, the character will possess detailed knowledge concerning how to play all common games, including those of chance. In addition, he will be able to cheat, although not very successfully, and also spot others cheating. Further points earned in this skill will allow him to either learn other games that are too esoteric to be learned at first, or specialize in one game (greatly increasing both the "cheat" and the "spot cheater" chances).

glassblowing (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

Allows the manufacture of flasks, beakers, tubing, etc. and appropriate marking and coloration of the same. This skill would be of particular use to someone who deals a lot with liquids and such - like a mage or alchemist. Additionally, panes of glass may be made.

gold/silversmithing (intelligence 11 required — 2 points/skill)

By means of this skill the character can cast and forge various items made of gold, silver, and other soft precious and semi-precious metals. This also allows the assaying and alloying of such metals.

heraldry (intelligence 11 required — 1 point/skill)

The Heraldry skill allows the character to recognize and fashion coats of arms, shield devices, and other heraldric emblems. This can aid in the identification of the person(s) or authorities behind the device.

horsemanship (intelligence 7 required — 1 point/skill)

The Horsemanship skill allows the character to properly care for a chosen type of common mount (horse, elephant, camel, etc.) including attaching a saddle (and minor maintenance of the same), shoeing, etc. This also helps the character's chances of executing difficult maneuvers with his chosen mount. In addition, the rider may add 1" to the base movement of his mount when the character is upon it. A character with the Horsemanship skill can also control a panicked mount (such as a non-warhorse in a pitched battle 80% of the time (16 or lower on a d20). This skill also gives the mount a +1 on all saves while being ridden by the character. Some bit of ability is gained with other common types of mounts (treat as if the character had the Riding skill with these other common mounts). Finally, this improves the character's mounted combat ability (see Mounted Combat section). Additional points in this skill may only buy additional majors; a vast improvement in ability will come only through the Expert Horsemanship skill.

horticulture (intelligence 7 required — 1 point/skill)

By means of this skill, the character may raise a small patch of crops (one acre or less) and/or assist on a farm (where he would be twice as productive as an unskilled farmhand). The exact chances of success vary quite a bit, but the character's intelligence or wisdom (whichever is higher) will come into play. Additional points in this skill will either allow for a higher chance of success or will buy the Farming skill.

hunting (intelligence 8 required — 1 point/skill)

The Hunting skill gives the character a better chance of setting traps and finding various game in the wild. This skill gives the character the knowledge to fashion hunting aids from natural materials. It also gives knowledge of the best ways to catch game with such equipment. Such a skill will enable the character to catch 2d6 animals of various sorts times the number of skill points spent in this area (with modifiers at the DM's option). Contrast this with the 1d4-2 animals that a person without this skill can catch, provided they have adequate, premade equipment.

husbandry (intelligence 7 required — 1 point/skill)

By means of this skill, the character may raise a small herd of animals (up to ten) and/or assist on a farm (where he would be twice as productive as an unskilled farmhand). The exact chances of success vary quite a bit, but the character's intelligence or wisdom (whichever is higher) will come into play. Additional points in this skill will either allow for a higher chance of success or will buy the Farming skill.

jewellery/gemcutting (intelligence 11 required — 2 points/skill)

This skill allows the character to make various items of jewellery such as chains, rings, etc. In addition, this enables the character to identify, cut, and polish gemstones of various types.

leatherworking (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

The Leatherworking skill allows the character to work various types of hides into useful items such as saddles, shoes, and so forth.. Each point invested in this skill allows the character to either make more items or higher quality items. This skill is complementary with the Tanning skill.

linguistics (intelligence 13 required — 2 points/skill)

While not enabling a character to learn a particular language merely through acquiring this skill, Linguistics will, in most cases, decrease the amount of time it takes the character to become fluent in a language, including non-humanoid languages. Once this skill is learned, each point spent on the Foreign Language skill will give the character three languages instead of one (this applies retroactively to any points already spent on the Foreign Language skill). The amount of time depends upon what language the character is trying to learn and what languages the character already knows; for example, knowing Spanish makes learning Portuguese almost simple, while knowing German counts for very little when trying to learn Mandarin Chinese. The other use of this skill is to recognize, and perhaps even translate successfully, an unknown tongue - whether written or spoken. As before, the languages known are a crucial factor.

By expending an extra point on the skill, non-humanoid languages can be learned at a cost of one skill point per language (the three for one "discount" does not count in this case). Note that only non-humanoid languages of monsters with a "Low" or greater intelligence can be learned through this use. (This skill cannot be used to learn animal or plant languages.)

literacy/cyphering (intelligence 8 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill allows reading/writing at the following levels:

Primary Language ~10th grade

Secondary Language ~7th grade

Tertiary Language ~4th grade

All other Languages known ~1st grade

It also allows basic mathematical skills such as addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, and possibly a little geometry and algebra (depending on the character's intelligence). Additional points add to the number of literate languages and proficiency at them at a rate of two grades per extra point. More points also add to the mathematical ability.

locksmithing (intelligence 11 required — 3 points/skill)

This will allow the fashioning and disarming of locks of various types.

Locks fashioned by a proficient character will have the following characteristics based of a d20 roll:

d20 ROLL LOCK QUALITY

1 Lock is easier to open by 25%

2-3 Lock is easier to open by 10%

4-18 Lock has the normal chance of being opened

19 Lock is harder to open by 5%

20 Lock is harder to open by 15%

Each additional proficiency over the initial three required will add a 5% benefit to the results. Example: if a character has four proficiency points invested in Locksmithing, a roll of 1 results in the lock being easier to open by 20% (vice 25%) and a roll of 20 gives a lock that is 20% harder than normal to pick (vice 15%).

Normal locks can be picked with a base chance equal to 3% times the number of proficiencies (plus all the various modifiers).

magistry (intelligence 12 required — 2 points/skill)

This skill gives the character a working knowledge of the laws of most lands, thereby possibly avoiding legal trouble or lessening the chance of a bad verdict in court. (If the DM uses a die roll to adjudicate a case, add one for every point taken in this skill to the die roll.) This skill is also a prerequisite for joining the Magistrate's Guild in most areas (sometimes known as the real Thieves' Guild).

map reading (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

This grants the ability to accurately read all kinds of maps (the DM will provide assistance if necessary). This also allows simple maps (houses, dungeons, etc.) to be created, and existing ones to be checked for accuracy. Cartography is needed to be assured of accuracy in large scale mapping.

master armory (intelligence 12 required — 3 points/skill)

The Master Armory skill is a major upgrading from the Armory skill. This enables the fashioning of all types of armor and is essential to building armor that is to be magically enchanted.

mechanics (intelligence 13 required — 3 points/skill)

The mechanics skill is essential in order to be able to build seige engines, plumbing, and the like.

mining (intelligence 9 required — 2 points/skill)

By means of this skill, the character can safely dig tunnels and mines. In addition, this gives some knowledge of how to recognize geological formations that could hold minerals and metals of interest.

mountaineering (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill is somewhat related to the Climbing skill. However, this involves scaling large geological formations by using various aids. In addition, it provides for recognizing (and possibly avoiding) avalanche conditions, fissures, and other hazards of climbing around mountains, glaciers, and the like.

NATURALIST (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill enables the character to identify different plant and animal types and to identify potable water and foods in the wild. For example, identifying something as a tree is generally no problem for anyone. Most people even recognize a pine tree as such. The "Forester" Naturalist skill would allow the character to distinguish between different types of pine trees (each of which would have its own characteristics as far as resin, edibility, etc. are concerned). Different variations of woodland creatures would also be recognizable. This skill must be bought for each general type of terrain such as desert, ocean, forest, etc.

The chance of identifying tainted water or food is normally 65% (+ 1% for each point of intelligence and/or wisdom above 12 - note that seeing dead maggots in a rotted corpse ought to add to the identification roll as to whether the body constitutes tainted food). For the naturalist, the chance rises to 85% plus bonuses. Each additional point in the skill (no matter what the "major") will add 5% to the detection roll. This portion of the skill works no matter the terrain.

navigation (intelligence 11 required — 1 point/skill)

This allows the character to use the stars, sun, etc. to chart a course from one place to another with a lower than normal chance to get lost. Lower the chance of getting lost by 10% for each point in this skill. This skill is highly complimentary to the map reading skill; if a map is available, the chance of getting lost is lowered by 10% for each point invested in both Map Reading and Navigation.

netting (intelligence 7 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill allows the character to learn how to construct and maintain nets for either fishing, trapping, or whatever (a major does have to be chosen). In the case of net fishing, the character may catch 2d6 (X number of skill points; other modifiers may be applicable) fish per cast of the net. If military net is chosen for a weapon proficiency, the Netting skill will allow construction of such weapons. Multiple points in this skill will either allow for the choice of another major or add to the skill in a current major. If military net is known, then three skill points in Netting will give the effect of a second proficiency in military net.

perfumery (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

Perfumery allows the character to use spices, oils, and other sources to make perfumes, scented oils, colognes, soaps, deoderants, and other items dealing with creating (or suppressing).scents. These perfumes, soaps, etc. can be sold for varying amounts of money. More points allow a greater variety (and/or quality) of perfumes to be manufactured.

piloting (intelligence 13 required — 1 point/skill)

The Piloting skill allows the character to pilot a ship under all sorts of circumstances. While almost anyone can guide a ship through the open ocean in calm weather, a pilot can safely guide a ship through treacherous waters in a storm. When a pilot is at the helm of a ship, lower the chances of capsizing or sinking by 5% for each point invested in the skill (i.e., 5% for the initial one skill point required, 15% if there are three skill points invested, and so forth).

pORTERING (intelligence 6 required — 1 point/skill)

Portering is a skill that allows heavier loads to be carried more easily. This is accomplished by very careful packing and distributing of loads. Each point expended on the Portering skill allows the character to increase the amount of material that he can carry without encumberence by 10%. Further, the character can increase the loads of other people and animals by 5% for each proficiency point expended. For example, Gimme the Dwarf decides it would be worthwhile to pick up the Portering skill so he can haul more loot. Gimme's strength is 13, so he can haul 45 pounds without being encumbered. With the Portering skill, he can now haul 50 pounds (45 + 10% * 45 gives 50 - round up to the nearest pound). He can improve the carrying capacity of the others in his party such as Frito the Fighter. Frito's strength is 18/00 and normally he can carry 335 pounds of gear. With Gimme's help (which takes about five minutes), Frito can now carry 352 pounds of gear without being encumbered.

The other categories of encumberence (i.e., light encumberence, maximum carried weight, etc.) are likewise increased by similar amounts.

pottery (intelligence 7 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill allows the character to make pots, dishes, urns, etc. that will hold various substances. The type of pottery that can be made is dependent upon the raw materials available, whether the character has access to a wheel and kiln,.and other factors. In general, the character can work up one large pot or two medium pots or four small pots per day per skill point put into Pottery. (These will need up to a week to air dry or a day in a kiln in order to be usable.)

public speaking (intelligence 10 required — 1 point/skill)

This will effectively raise the character's charisma by two points per skill point invested when allowed to speak without major interruption, such as during a debate, sermon, or in a court room. The maximum allowable adjusted score is 18, as per the Sex Appeal skill.

recognize value (intelligence 8 required — 2 points/skill)

This skill allows the character to compare values and relative worths of various goods. The character must spend at least two hours wandering about the area, interacting with natives and observing transactions, in order to get a feel for what the market is like. After this is done, the character will be able to get a very good idea of what certain goods will bring in this area.

religious knowledge (intelligence 12 required — 1 point/skill)

For each point earned in this skill, the character increases his knowledge of the tenets and teachings of the desired religion/pantheon. This implies that certain rituals may be known, and possibly performed successfully. As in the Courtly Graces skill, the Character will be able to handle himself well, both in ceremonies and in conversation concerning facets of the religion. Also, some artifacts, scriptures, relics, etc. that are unique to the religion may become known, and recognized if seen. Further points will provide more detailed information about a particular religion.

RIDING (intelligence 6 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill gives common, low level knowledge of a particular type of mount (horse, elephant, camel, etc.). This information includes general care and feeding of a mount. It also includes how to saddle or ride the mount under normal conditions (normal includes riding at a fast pace to get to or away from a battle - but not mounted combat). A character with the Riding skill can also control a panicked mount (such as a non-warhorse in a pitched battle 65% of the time (13 or lower on a d20). This skill also improves the character's mounted combat ability (see Mounted Combat section).

rope use (intelligence 7 required — 1 point/skill)

The Rope Use skill allows the character to tie various sorts of knots for securing an item, be it a ship's rigging or an unfortunate captive. In any case, lower the chance of something bad happening (the rigging giving way or the captive escaping his bonds) by 5% for each point put in the skill. Also, for each point invested in this skill, the character has a 5% better chance of escaping rope based bonds (not metal shackles) than normal.

running (intelligence 6 required — 1 point/skill)

By means of this skill, the character may add 1" to their base movement because of the knowledge of how to run. This skill will also aid in running long distances since the runner will experience less fatigue. Also, if rolls must be made to hurdle low obstacles or avoid small potholes, a bonus is allowed due to the Running skill. Multiple points may be put into this skill with the following benefits:

# OF POINTS SPEED GAIN TOTAL

1 1.0"

2 1.5"

3 2.0"

4 2.5"

5 3.0"

Each additional point in the skill adds 0.5" to the base movement. Any specific rolls made for endurance or dodging gopher holes will be against constitution and/or dexterity with the Running skill acting as a bonus (+1 for each point in the skill).

seamanship (intelligence 7 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill gives the character basic knowledge of acting as an Able Bodied Sailor to help sail a sailing ship, trireme, or other craft. As in the case of Boating, a "major" must be chosen which will have a skill level of 1 (other craft will be treated as having a rating of 0). Other skill points spent in this area will either add majors or add to the rating of a ship type. Any specific rolls made will be against either dexterity, strength and/or intelligence and the skill level.

service (intelligence 8 required — 1 point/skill)

The Service skill allows the character to act as a butler, valet, footman, maid, etc. with perfect grace. A character skilled in Service might be highly prized by a nobleman with a large mansion (and reputation) to maintain.

sex appeal (intelligence 7 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill teaches the character how to best persuade the opposite sex to do as the character wishes. This will effectively add two points to the character's charisma with respect to the opposite sex and one point to the character's personal appearance with respect to everyone. For every two points added past the first, this will increase the charisma and comeliness an additional point. In no case can either of these scores be modified past sixteen. Such points added in this fashion cannot count toward the charisma requirements to become a paladin, druid, or other such class.

silent movement (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

This allows the character to attempt to move as per a first-level thief. All bonuses and penalties (dexterity, armor) will apply. Each additional point in this skill improves the chance of moving silently by 5%.

sleight of hand (intelligence 10 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill allows the character to seemingly make small objects appear or dissappear from his hand. (They are simply palmed, not magically "dissappeared".) For each point invested in the skill, one small object (up to palm sized) can be prestidigitated per segment.

spell recognition (intelligence 13 required — 1 point/skill)

The cost of the skill is one skill point per five spells to be recognized, but all five spells must be of similar nature (the learning of which can be spread out over the course of time). The first method is to suffer this spell repeatedly until it you have suffered so often that you can't forget it, the other is to have someone who is skilled in that spell demonstrate it to you until recognition comes easily. The demonstration must be done willingly and repeatedly. Note that some spells cannot be recognized - this could be because there are neither somatic nor material components, or because of the nature of the spell (e.g., Witch High Order spells will be almost impossible due to the scarcity of those that know them and their extreme reluctance to part with secrets of their clan). The advantage of this skill is that knowing what spell is about to be tossed may aid in countering its effects (i.e., it may add one to the saving throw).

spying (intelligence 13 required — 1 point/skill)

This allows the manufacture and reading of secret inks. It also gives a 10% chance of being able to pass a Detect Lie question (±1% for each level above/below the spell caster). This chance of passing a Detect Lie is increased by 5% for each additional skill point invested.

swimming (intelligence 6 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill gives the character the ability to swim at 1/4th their normal (land) base movement in water, provided they are unencumbered. Unencumbered characters have virtually no chance of sinking since they can float for as long as there endurance holds out. Encumberment will slow the character and will give a base 5% chance per five rounds of sinking (the exact penalties will depend on circumstances). Each extra point in this skill will add .25" to base water movement and lower the chances of sinking by 1%, to a minimum of 1%.

tailoring (intelligence 8 required — 1 point/skill)

A character with this skill can make everyday good clothes. Extra points allow greater skill of design and with it, a higher price that can be charged. Additionally, a character with two or more points in Tailoring can make padded armor.

tanning (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

The Tanning skill allows the character to tan various types of hides so that they can be made into lasting items. This also allows the character to make the chemicals and solutions needed from natural sources. Each point invested in this skill allows the character to tan a hide(s) equivalent in area to one cow each day. This skill is complementary with the Leatherworking skill.

TAXIDERMY (intelligence 11 required — 1 point/skill)

By means of the Taxidermy skill, a character can preserve and mount bodies so as to help prevent decay. The amount of time to fully prepare a carcass is one week. This time is reduced by one day for each point past the first taken in the skill (the absolute minimum time is two days). The base chance of success is 75%. This is increased by 5% for each additional skill point taken in Taxidermy. The time and success are adjustable by the type of carcass, chemicals available, etc. For example, mounting a medium sized fish might take only six days and have a 90% chance of success even though the taxidermist has only one skill point. The same taxidermist trying to preserve a character's mother-in-law might take two weeks and have only a 60% chance of success (...tough luck!). Failure means the carcass could rot and/or not look natural.

Full mummification takes a long time and many skill points.

Note that the taxidermy skill allows one to preserve meat by knowing the proper way to smoke and/or salt the meat. The chance of success is 95% with one skill point, plus 5% for each extra skill point.

teamster (intelligence 7 required — 1 point/skill)

The Teamster skill allows the character to properly handle an animal team and a type of "vehicle" associated with that type of animal. Some skill with just about any other configuration is gained but the best ability is in the chosen major (such as oxcart, horse drawn carriage, chariot, twenty mule team, etc.). Any rolls made will be against this skill and either the character's intelligence, dexterity, or strength and this skill. Multiple points can either buy another major or add to the ability of a previous major.

tORTURE (intelligence 9 required — 1 point/skill)

The Torture skill gives the character the ability to use various impliments to inflict pain without necessarily leaving marks. It also allows the character to gauge the endurance of the victim so that there is a much reduced chance of accidentally causing death or unconsciousness (important if you are trying to extract information).

It is a rare Good aligned character that will learn the Torture skill.

tRACKING (intelligence 10 required — 1 point/skill)

By means of this skill, a character can track in a manner similar to that of a Ranger. At one proficiency, the character gains tracking abilities similar to that of a first level Ranger - 20% chance of following tracks indoors/underground and 30% outdoors. Each proficiency adds 3% to both categories. The following modifications apply:

Modify "Tracking Underground" as follows:

1. -05% for each door that the target moves through

2. -05% for each set of stairs that the target moves through

3. -10% for each trap door

4. -15% for each concealed door or chimney

5. -20% for each secret door

6. +01% for each point of wisdom above 14

7. +01% for each point of intelligence above 14

Modify "Tracking Outdoors" as follows:

1. -10% for each 24 hour period between the making of the track and the tracking

2. -15% for each body of water moved through

3. -25% for each hour of precipitation

4. +01% for each point of wisdom above 14

5. +01% for each point of intelligence above 14

two weapons (intelligence 10 required — 3 points/skill)

Mastery of this skill lessens the character's ToHit penalties by one level on the "Dexterity Effects - Use of Two Weapons" table. For each additional point put into this skill, the ToHit penalties are lessened by an additional one level (to a minimum allowed penalty of -0/-1). The character must be proficient in both weapons used for this skill to have any effect! Example: Ironfist has an 18/95 dexterity, so if he attacks with a longsword and a short sword he will be at -0/-2. If he then takes the Two Weapons skill he will be at -0/-1.

ventriloquism (intelligence 12 required — 2 points/skill)

This skill allows the character to seemingly "throw" his voice. The success roll is made by adding the better of the character's Intelligence or Wisdom score together with the number of points put into this skill. This number or lower must be rolled on a d20. If the roll is missed, the character has possibly given away his position. If this roll is made, the victim still gets a save (on a d20) versus its Wisdom (if the Wisdom score is unknown, assume it is the same as the creature's Intelligence). If the victim's save is missed, it will believe the character's noises to be coming from where the character wishes (up to two meters per point invested in the skill) and may act accordingly. If the victim makes its save, it will either ignore the noises entirely or may act in an entirely different manner than what was intended (such as pounding the character into jam).

weaponsmith (intelligence 12 required — 2 points/skill)

The Weaponsmith skill allows the character to repair and manufacture weapons of various sorts. The Blacksmithing skill is required as a prerequisite to this skill. Arrowheads are easy to make and two per point in this skill can be made per day. Daggers can be made at the rate of one every two days for each point in this skill. Longswords require two weeks; two handed swords require up to four weeks. Repairs take roughly one fourth the time of making a new weapon (the exact time depend on the severity of the damage). Additional points put in this skill allow weapons to be made (or repaired) either faster or better.

weather recognition (intelligence 10 required — 1 point/skill)

This skill gives a character a base 70% of correctly predicting the weather in the local area for the next twelve hours following the prediction. The observation time required for a prediction is one hour. For every two hours that the character has been able to witness weather patterns in the area, his chance of success rises 2% and the time covered by the prediction is increased by one hour. Each additional point put into this skill will increase the chance of success by 5% and increase the time covered by the prediction by two hours. Only one prediction attempt by the character is allowed per period to be covered; this does not disallow multiple people with the skill from making multiple predictions and then arguing over the multiple forecasts.

weaving (intelligence 8 required — 1 points/skill)

The Weaving skill allows the manufacture of cloth, tapestries, thread, and the like from natural fibers. For each point put in the skill, a square meter of cloth may be made each day (triple this if the character has access to a loom). Additional points boost the output of the character and/or the quality of the cloth.

combat

the segmental system

Under standard rules, combat takes place based on the round (ten segments or one minute). The "Round" system allows a small dagger and a two handed greatsword to have the same number of attacks per round (excluding extra attacks due to level) - i.e. one attack. The segmental system adds some more complexity to combat but gives more "realism" by making real differences in the speed of attacks with different weapons. Light weapons will have more attacks but will do less damage than heavier, slower weapons. This system works best with six or fewer characters and is very difficult (but not impossible) to manage with over ten players.

hand weapons

All weapon combat is by segment. Weapon attacks are allowed once every so many segments, as given by the speed factor for the particular weapon (see the Weapons Capabilities table). This number assumes that the weapon is drawn and ready - to draw and ready a non-missile weapon takes one segment. The time required to normally replace a weapon is the same as that required to draw it; however, weapons may be "dropped" which is considered to expend no time.

Thus a fighter with a longsword (speed factor 5) takes a swing during the melee portion of segment five under normal circumstances and another every five segments throughout the melee. If the character must draw his longsword, the first attack would occur in segment six and one attack every five segments thereafter. Extra attacks occur as noted below.

missile weapons

Missile weapons with launchers (e.g., longbow and arrows) have composite speed factors: the speed factor given with the launcher is the time to ready the weapon for use, while the speed factor given for the missile is the time between shots. For example, a longbow (speed factor 2) and a normal arrow (speed factor 3) are used - it takes two segments to ready the bow for use and three more to pick an arrow, nock it and aim to fire, resulting in the first arrow being fired in segment 5 and another every 3 segments after that (8, 11, 14, etc.). (Of course, a bow can be made ready before opening a door and such actions, but all the time the bow is in use or at the ready, the Armor Class adjustment is in force.) Fully readied missiles under normal circumstances can go in segment 1 and every "speed factor" segments afterwards. The time required to normally replace a weapon is the same as that required to draw it; however, weapons may be "dropped" which is considered to expend no time. Once again, extra attacks occur as noted below.

surprise

Surprise rolls are made on percentile dice (d100). A roll of 33% or less indicates that the side rolling the dice is surprised for at least two segments. For every 5% under the percentage needed to surprise, add one segment to the time spent being surprised. Note that using percentile dice allows one roll to be made for the entire party with possibly different effects for different people. For example, out of a party of six characters, there are four characters with the normal surprise percentage of 33%, a ranger who has a surprise percentage of only 17%, and an eleventh level monk with a surprise percentage of 14%. On a surprise roll of 25%, the four "normal" characters are surprised for three segments (33% - 25% = 8%, more than five percentage points over the roll needed to surprise so one extra segment is added). Note that the monk and ranger are not surprised at all and can react normally. If the roll had been 16%, the "normal" members of the party would have been surprised for five segments (33% - 16% = 17%, so there are three extra surprise segments in addition to the mandatory two), the ranger would have been surprised for two segments (17% - 16% = 1%, not enough for penalty segments), and the monk would not have been surprised at all.

If surprise or some such event is indicated, extend the time until the first attack the appropriate number of segments - if a character with a longsword is surprised for a duration of four segments, his first attack would occur in segment 9 rather than 5, and every five segments thereafter (this usually means one or two "free" attacks for the surpriser).

Monsters' attacks have various speed factors depending on the monster type and the attack mode used. A good guide is that claw attacks take 3 to 4 segments each, bites are speed factor 5 to 7, and so on.

As for magic, the spell's conjuring time acts as the spell's speed factor. Non-offensive spells may be thrown consecutively, but as soon as an offensive spell is cast, the spell caster must pause ten segments before undertaking any other activity except for physically attacking, defending, retreating, or using the spell's effects (such as in the case of a Spiritual Hammer or Bigby's Crushing Hand). (You can experiment with shorter waiting times - these will tend to favor the spell using classes over fighter types. You can even use different waiting times for different classes in order to raise the effectiveness of one type of spell caster versus another - my favorite is to use only five segments waiting time for Clerics and Druids and ten segments waiting time for all other spell casters.) Spell using types may launch offensive "swings" after waiting for the appropriate number of Speed Factor segments.

The following table lists ToHit bonuses and reductions for each possible dexterity, superceding the chart on page 11 of the "Player's Handbook".

ToHit

chancefor One Weapon Two Weapons AC
dexterity ambidexterity Hand Missile Primary Secondary adjustment

3 1% -3 -3 not allowed -4

4 1% -2 -2 not allowed -3

5 1% -1 -3 not allowed -3

6,7 1% 0 -1 not allowed -2

8,9 2% 0 0 not allowed -1

10 through 15 3% 0 0 -6 -8 0

16 4% 0 +1 -5 -7 +1

17 5% +1 +2 -4 -6 +2

18/01-18/50 6% +1 +3 -3 -5 +3

18/51-18/75 7% +2 +3 -2 -4 +3

18/76-18/90 10% +2 +3 -1 -3 +4

18/91-18/99 100% +2 +3 0 -2 +4

18/00 100% +3 +3 0 -1 +4

19 100% +3 +3 0 -1 +4

20 100% +3 +4 0 0 +4

21 100% +4 +4 0 0 +5

22 100% +4 +4 0 0 +5

23 100% +4 +5 0 0 +5

24 100% +5 +5 0 0 +6

25 100% +5 +6 0 0 +6

Notes for the Dexterity Effects table

1. The "Two Weapons" skill allows the character to shift to the next dexterity effects category of the TWO WEAPONS column. Thus a character with a 10 dexterity would normally be -6 to hit with the primary weapon and -8 to hit with the secondary weapon. Desiring to use two weapons in a somewhat more proficient manner, he takes the "Two Weapons" skill. Now the character is at -5 with the primary weapon and -7 with the secondary one.

2. All non-profient penalties are cumulative. If you are a fighter with a ten dexterity and you are using two weapons with which you are non-proficient, your adjustments are -8 with the primary weapon and -10 with the secondary.

3. Using two weapons at a time hurts your AC by one place. This is in addition to any inherent AC drawbacks that the weapon may have.

Example: Frito the Fighter (18/00 strength, 17 dexterity, 5 intelligence, 4 wisdom) finds a +3 mace and, upon being assured that it is a weapon (he has never seen one before), decides to swing it as well as his trusty +2 longsword (with which he is singly proficient), figuring he can't lose, what with all those bonuses. Maybe and maybe not:

frito the fighter

Primary Weapon:        Longsword           Mace                    Longsword           Mace
Secondary Weapon:    <none> <none>        Mace                Longsword

adjustment                 sword   mace        sword mace        sword   mace        sword mace
Strength                              +3      n/a             n/a      +3             +3      +3             +3      +3
Dexterity                             +1      n/a             n/a      +1               -4       -6               -4       -6
Proficiency                            0      n/a             n/a       -2                0       -2               -2        0
Weapon Magic                   +2      n/a             n/a      +3             +2      +3             +2      +3
Total                                   +6      n/a             n/a      +5             +1       -2               -1        0

Obviously, Frito better have a friend along to advise him to bag the mace and sword tricks for later. Now if Rocky the Ranger picks it up, he will be able to use both weapons effectively, since he is ambidextrous (dexterity of 18/95) and proficient with both longsword and mace, as well as equaling Frito's strength of 18/00. Let's see how he matches up:

Rocky the Ranger

Primary Weapon:        Longsword           Mace                    Longsword           Mace
Secondary Weapon:    <none> <none>        Mace                Longsword

adjustment                 sword   mace        sword mace        sword   mace        sword mace
Strength                              +3      n/a             n/a      +3             +3      +3             +3      +3
Dexterity                             +2      n/a             n/a      +2                0       -2               -2        0
Proficiency                            0      n/a             n/a        0                0         0                0        0                                          Weapon Magic                +2      n/a             n/a      +3             +2                                    +3             +2      +3

Total                                   +7      n/a             n/a      +8             +5      +4             +3      +6

SO! Rocky can fight with just one weapon, which would make him either

+7 ToHit with just his longsword

+8 ToHit with just the newly-found mace,

or he can fight with two weapons, a choice of either

+5 ToHit with his longsword as primary & +4 with the mace as secondary

+6 ToHit with the mace as primary & +3 with his longsword as secondary

Rocky (18 wisdom, 18 intelligence, the apple of his deity's eye) will quickly and expertly sum up the situation, balancing the need for frequent hitting, amount of damage per weapon, appropriate armor class benefits, speed factors adjustments, the approximate ToHit needed against a particular opponent, all kinds of things.

multiple attacks

Any subclass of the Fighter (see Subclasses) uses a percentile system to determine multiple attacks, as opposed to the method in the "Player's Handbook". There is a 5% chance per level (with an additional 5% for true Fighters) of an extra attack in a round, and the player must roll for it at the beginning of the round or he forfeits his chance. If an extra attack is indicated, the player rolls a d10 to determine the segment in which it will occur — it is possible to have the extra attack go in the same segment as a regularly scheduled one.

The segmental system requires a modification for the open hand attack that a monk uses. The frequency of attack is greater, but the damage per hit is less, than in the Player's Handbook. See the Monk's Capabilities table in the Monk section of the CHARACTER chapter.

A slowed character (as in the spell) would have his weapon's speed effectively doubled; a speed factor of 3 becomes 6 for the duration of the effect. Conversely, a hasted character would have his weapon's speed effectively halved (rounded up); a speed factor of 5 becomes 3.

parrying

Parrying lowers the armor class by an amount equal to the number of proficiencies the character has in the weapon plus any ToHit bonuses the weapon may have. Note that you cannot parry with one weapon and attack with another (the exception is parrying weapons used with an attacking weapon, such as main gauche & rapier). However, the character has the speed factor of their next attack increased by 2 (i.e., he delays his next attack and may only defend during that segment) — this delay applies to the use of spells as well since the spellcaster is so busy defending against being splattered that he cannot reach for spell components, make hand passes, etc. Consecutive parries are possible with the delaying time being cumulative to a maximum of 10 segments, and the total delay will actually occur after the last parry. The parry may be used to defend against only one attacker — his armor class is normal against any other attacks (see the Weapons Capabilities table).

Example: Frito the Fighter is in a real pinch. He doesn't have many hit points left and he's facing a Minotaur that can do up to 16 points of damage on a single (normal) hit. Since Frito has a current AC of 0 (zero, and that's including all bonuses), he would feel better if he could improve his AC, so he forgoes attacking the monster (he wasn't accomplishing much anyway) and decides to parry. He has two proficiencies in longsword, and his is a +1/+1 weapon, therefore his new AC is -3: it drops two for the proficiencies and one for the magic ToHit bonus … no adjustment is made for the Damage bonus. The new speed factor is 7 (5 + 2) and is applied after the first parry. If he attacked in segment 2 and parried in segment three, he could not attack again until segment 10, as opposed to segment 7. If he makes a second parry in segment eight, he cannot attack until segment 7 of the next round (SF = 5 + (2*2 segment parry penalty)). If he does not parry again, instead waiting until segment 7 and attacking, his speed factor is back to normal. If he made five consecutive parries, his effective speed factor to attack would be 15 (5 + 5*2); a sixth or seventh parry would also make the speed factor 15.

If there is more than one minotaur, Frito might be guacamole.

disarming

Hits may be directed to disarm . If a character is holding/using a weapon capable of disarming (see the Weapons Capabilities table), and the opponent is holding/using a weapon appropriate to that method of disarming, a "Hit to Disarm" may be declared. The character must first make a hit on AC 0 (dexterity bonus and weapon plusses applies). If this is accomplished, the opponent is allowed a saving throw against petrification (strength, dexterity, and the better of the weapon ToHit or Damage bonuses apply), failure indicating disarmament.

entangling

Certain weapons (as indicated on the Weapons Capabilities table) may be used to entangle. Such weapons, if they hit, will entangle an appropriate portion of the opponent's body unless a saving throw against petrification is made (dexterity bonus applies).

critical hits and fumbles

If the character rolls a natural 20 on its ToHit, there is the chance of a particularly telling blow. This is applicable with either weapon attacks or with spell that simulate weapons and require a ToHit roll (such as a Spiritual Hammer). Roll the d20 again; if it is equal to or less than the average of the character's dexterity and level (in the case of multi-classed characters, use the higher of the levels), it is a critical hit. (In the case of a monster, use the average of its hit dice and dexterity. If the dexterity is not explicitly given, you can assume an average of 11.) If the roll is not critical, figure damage normally.

In the case of a critical hit, roll another d20 and consult the table below.

3rd Roll Damage

1-11 Maximum normal damage

12-15 Double maximum normal damage

16-17 Triple maximum normal damage

18 Quadruple maximum normal damage

19 Quintuple maximum normal damage

20 Use your imagination! (Or consult one of the fine critical tables found in various other games publications.)

Use of the parry option will lower the third roll by three (to a minimum of one). Thus a character who foregoes attacking in favor of the parry option will never suffer a critical hit worse than triple maximum damage (20 - 3 = 17 — triple maximum damage). All parrys must be declared before the ToHit roll is made.

NOTE that additional damage does not apply to multiplying the effects of energy or strength drains or the like. For example, a vampire scores a critical on a character and rolls a 17 on the 3rd roll. The character takes 30 points of damage (triple maximum damage) but loses only two levels, not six.

The idea behind the Critical Hit is to give anyone a chance to do in anyone else if they are lucky enough. Thus, even a Kobold might be able to take out a 20th level Ranger on a good day.

proficiencies

Characters are allowed to develop proficiencies in the use of various weapons. To obtain a proficiency, a character or NPC must be available to teach the person electing to become proficient. This process takes one game month at a cost to be determined by the DM. Otherwise, a character may learn a proficiency by himself over a period of three game months.

A character is allowed to trade proficiencies for skill points at a 1 to 2 ratio — skill points cannot be traded for proficiencies!

The following table lists - by class - the initial number of proficiencies, the rate at which new proficiencies are gained, and the ToHit penalty a character receives for using a weapon with which he is not proficient.

initial number levels necessary to gain non-proficiency
class of proficiencies another proficiency penalty

Acrobat n/a 4 -4

Assassin 3 3 -3

Barbarian 3 2 -2

Bard 2 5 -4

BountyHunter 3 3 -2

Cavalier 3 3 -3

Cleric 2 4 -3

Druid 2 4 -3

Fighter 4 2 -2

Houri 1 5 -5

Illusionist 1 5 -5

Magic-User 1 5 -5

Monk 2 3 -2

Paladin 3 3 -3

Ranger 3 3 -3

Thief 2 4 -4

Witch 1 5 -5

Note that Fighters get more proficiencies to begin with and gain new ones faster than anyone else, including Rangers, Paladins, and Barbarians. This reflects the fact that Fighters have more combat training time than their specialized counterparts who must study tracking techniques, receive religious training, watch Conan flicks, etc.

If you invent a new type of weapon, you are automatically proficient with it. This does not decrement your allowance, i.e., you get a "free" proficiency. The weapon must truly be a new weapon - a mace with a 4' shaft as opposed to a 3' shaft is not a new weapon!

Certain types of attacks are not considered to be "proficienable" - characters cannot gain a proficiency for weapons in this category, but neither is a non-proficiency penalty assessed. However, dexterity and strength bonuses apply as normal. These types are:

1. Grenade

Often used in battle for attacks, such as throwing bottles of oil to crash and burn or vials of holy water. This action is not held to be a "proficiency" due to normal childhood behavior - throwing rocks at squirrels, skimming stones across ponds, etc. Apply dexterity bonuses/penalties for "missile" weapon.

2. Touch (see the SPELLS chapter)

Go figure. Apply dexterity bonuses/penalties for "hand" weapon.

Multiple proficiencies may be expended on a single weapon, so as to gain favorable advantages when using that weapon. The following table lists ToHit bonuses, Armor Class adjustments, and Speed Factor adjustments.

Number of Months Armor Class Bonus Speed Factor
Proficiencies to learn ToHit Bonus by weapon, if any Adjustment

0 — depends on class none none

1 1 none allowed none

2 1 +1 allowed none

3 2 +1 allowed -1

4 2 +2 allowed -1

5 3 +2 -1 -1

6 3 +2 -1 -2

7 3 +2 -2 -2

8 4 +3 -2 -2

9 4 +3 -2 -3

10 4 +3 -3 -3

11 4 +4 -3 -3

12 4 +4 -3 -4

1. A non-proficiency (zero) will have no beneficial adjustments as to Armor Class and Speed Factor, and will actually reduce the ToHit (and possibly the AC as well) - see the Proficiency Class Allowance table above.

2. Speed Factors will never fall below 3 for hand weapons and 2 for missile weapons, no matter how proficient a character becomes. If the speed factor would fall below this limit, then the adjustment is added to the amount of damage done.

3. Some weapons will not always be able to apply the Armor Class adjustment due to their nature - the DM will rule for each weapon. This also applies to damage.

4. Some weapons will not always be able to apply the Speed Factor adjustment due to their nature - the DM will rule for each weapon.

5. If a character is using two weapons proficiently, he may gain both weapons' advantages and/or disadvantages - this must be cleared with the DM.

weapons

The following table lists various statistics about most weapons commonly used in A D & D.

Weapons Statistics Table

Size Weight AC Speed Throwing
WEAPON (feet) (gp) adj factor Damage Range Special

Aklys 2 35 5 1d6 -

Arrow, fowl. 2 2 3 1d2

Arrow, normal 2 2 3 1d6

Atlatl 3 15 - +1 (V)

Axe, battle 4 75 7 1d12

Axe, hand 1.5 50 4 1d6 1/2/3

BaghNank 0.5 20 3 1d4 (B, H)

Blowgun ~5.5 15 5 1 .5/1/2

Bo stick 3 15 -1 3 1d3

Bolos 2 25 4 1d4 2/4/8 (R)

Bow, comp, long 4 70 +2 3 +1 5/10/18

Bow, comp, short 3 55 +1 3 +1 5/8/15

Bow, normal, long 4 50 +2 2 - 6/12/18

Bow, normal, short 3 40 +1 2 - 5/8/12

Bullwhip 1 25 3 (A, S, U)

Caltrop 0.5 3 - 1d2

Cat o' nine 1.5 25 5 1d6 (A, S)

Cestus -25 3 - 1d4 (C,H)

Club 3 30 4 1d4+1 1/2/3

Crossbow, light 2.5 50 +1 10 - 5/10/16

Crossbow, heavy 3 70 +1 12 +1 6/14/20

Dagger 1 10 3 1d4 1/2/3

Dart 0.5 5 3 1d3 2/3/4

Dirk 1.5 15 4 1d4+1 (N)

Fist/hand - - - 2 ?

Flail, foot 4 150 +1 6 1d8+1

Flail, horse 2 35 5 1d6+1

Fork, military 7 75 +1 8 1d8

Garotte 1 10 * 1d6+* (W)

Halberd 5 175 +1 9 1d12 0/1/2 (O)

Hammer, lucern 5 150 +1 8 1d10

Hammer, war 1.5 50 4 1d4+1 1/2/3

Harpoon 6 125 +1 6 1d6+1 1/2/3

Javelin 4 20 5 1d6 2/4/6

Jo stick 3 40 -2 4 1d4

Lance, light 10 100 +3 10 2d8 (D)

Lance, medium 12 150 +3 12 3d8 (D)

Lance, heavy 14 200 +3 14 4d8 (D)

Lasso 1 15 5 - (R)

Mace, foot 3 100 5 2d4

Mace, horse 2 50 4 1d6

Weapons Statistics Table (continued)

Size Weight AC Speed Throwing
WEAPON (feet) (gp) adj factor Damage Range Special

Morningstar 3 125 6 3d3

Net, military 2 80 10 - (G)

Nunchucku 1.5 25 -2 3 1d4 (L)

Pike, foot 4 60 7 1d6+1 (J)

Pike, horse 2 40 6 1d6

Quarrel, light 2 2 - 1d6

Quarrel, heavy 2 3 - 1d8

Ranseur 8 50 +1 7 1d6

Rapier 3 40 -2 4 1d6 (E)

Sabre 4 50 -1 4 1d7

Sai 1 20 3 1d3

Scimitar 3.5 50 -1 5 1d7

Sling, bullet 3 5 4 1d4+1 6/12/18

Sling, stone 3 5 4 1d5 5/10/15

Spear 5 50-1 6 1d8 1/2/3 (I)

Staff 6 50-1 -1 4 1d4+1

Stars, throwing 0.5 4 3 1d4 2/3/5

Stiletto 1 10 4 1d5 (N)

Sword, short 2 35 4 1d6

Sword, broad 3 75 5 2d4

Sword, long 4 60 -1 5 1d8

Sword, bastard 4.5 100 +1 8 2d6+2 1-handed

" " " 7 3d3 2-handed

Sword, two-handed 6 250 +1 9 2d6 1-handed

" " " 3d6 2-handed

Trident 4 50 6 1d6+1

Voulge 8+ 125 +1 9 2d6

Notes for the Weapons Capabilities table:

(A) Can disarm; a failed attempt to disarm does 1d3 damage. (See section on disarming.)

(B) Add 4% to climb percentage for each used.

(D) Assumes user is charging. Double damage if opponent is also charging. Use d3 instead of d8 if using as spear.

(E) Breaks if receives a fumble, magical items being allowed a save.

(F) Breaks on a natural 1, magical items being allowed a save.

(H) Cannot be unintentionally dropped.

(I) Double damage if charging.

(J) Double damage if set against a charge.

(K) Double speed factor if charging.

(L) Fumble occurs on a (4 - character's dexterity adjustment)

(M) May be thrown as a dagger.

(N) May be thrown as a dagger at -3.

(O) May be thrown as a spear at -3.

(P) May be used as a spear with +2 damage.

(Q) Speed factor is to nock and fire in a readied weapon.

(R) Entangles for (d4 - opponent's dexterity adjustment) rounds. If result is less than 1, duration will be 5 segments. (See section on Entangling.)

(S) If disarm is made against an edged weapon, opponent may sever character's weapon on better than a (12 - opponent's dexterity adjustment) regardless of the success of the disarm.

(T) Strength bonus rule: Strength can only add ToHit and damage points up to half the maximum damage of the weapon (bonuses, of any sort, do not apply).

(U) Damage is (1d8 + target's AC - 10). Treat results below zero as zero.

(V) Adds 1 to all ranges for spear, javelin, etc., for each proficiency taken.

(W) Can critical, but does not actually damage in itself.

movement

Instead of the Player's Handbook system, where all characters move at 12" with adjustments for encumbrance, a new movement system is substituted. The new system uses a formula based on a character's physical attributes. Thus, each person will have their own movement ability just as they have their own unique attributes. The formula is as follows:

Movement in " = (Strength + Strength + Constitution + Dexterity) / 4

As will be noted, this will indeed be equal to 12" in the case of the normal individual who engages in regular, moderate exercise. Any fraction of an ability is dropped, even at its highest (check Frito's strength in the example below). This base speed represents a fast walk. A slow walk (stroll) will be half of the base, while a dead sprint (charge) is four times faster.

However, races differ. The result of the above formula should be multiplied by the appropriate factor below, and that number will be the one to use.

Doublemark Multiplication

RACE 5 10 15 Factor

Dwarf ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 9" .750

Elf ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 12" 1.000

Gnome ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 9" .750

HalfElf ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 12" 1.000

HalfOrc ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 13" 1.083

HalfOgre ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 14" 1.167

Halfling ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 9" .750

Human ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 12" 1.000

All speeds listed in the various monster manuals are average base speeds. Some individual creatures will be faster or slower depending upon their individual statistics.

Base speeds are also modified according to the type of armor worn. The adjustment for various types of armor is listed below, arranged alphabetically by armor type and then repeated by amount of modification, for easier referencing:

type modifier type modifier

Banded -2.5" Leather no change

Chain -1.5" Padded no change

Chain (Elven) -1.0" Leather (Studded) -0.5"

Leather no change Ring -0.5"

Leather (Studded) -0.5" Chain (Elven) -1.0"

Padded no change Scale -1.0"

Plate -3.5" Chain -1.5"

Plate (Bronze) -3.5" Plate (Field) -1.5"

Plate (Field) -1.5" Plate (Full) -1.5"

Plate (Full) -1.5" Banded -2.5"

Ring -0.5" Splint -2.5"

Scale -1.0" Plate -3.5"

Splint -2.5" Plate (Bronze) -3.5"

Armor modifiers are adjusted upward by 1" for each magical plus of the armor until zero penalty is reached.

Example: Frito has a strength of 18/00, his dexterity is 10, and his constitution is 14. This gives Frito a base movement of (18 + 18 + 10 + 14) / 4 = 15". If he puts on Leather armor, there is no penalty to his base movement. If he decides to use Chain mail, his base movement drops to 13.5". Magic +1 Chain would make his movement 14.5" and +2 Chain would make his movement 15" (as per normal - not 15.5"!). These modifiers to base movement are taken before any modifications for charging, etc., are made. Using the conversion rates of

1" = 0.60 km/hr = 0.37 mi/hr

When he is unarmored, Frito's various speeds are:

Slow Walk (stroll) = 15.0" x 0.5 = 7.50" (4.50 km/hr, 2.75 mi/hr)

Base = 15.0" x 1.0 = 15.00" (9.00 km/hr, 5.55 mi/hr)

Forced March (trot) = 15.0" x 1.5 = 22.50" (13.50 km/hr, 8.30 mi/hr)

Charge = 15.0" x 4.0 = 60.00" (36.00 km/hr, 22.20 mi/hr)

and when he is wearing normal Chain, they are:

Slow Walk (stroll) = 13.5" x 0.5 = 6.75" (4.05 km/hr, 2.50 mi/hr)

Base = 13.5" x 1.0 = 13.50" (8.10 km/hr, 5.00 mi/hr)

Forced March (trot) = 13.5" x 1.5 = 20.25" (12.15 km/hr, 7.50 mi/hr)

Charge = 13.5" x 4.0 = 54.00" (32.40 km/hr, 19.98 mi/hr)

Flight speeds are also modified. The speeds listed in the books are "slow" speeds. Stall speeds are half of base, normal speed is twice, "attack" speed is six, and a power dive is greater by a factor of twelve. Example: Flash Bazbo the Psychedelic Dragon has a book speed of 36". Therefore his speeds are:

Stall = 36.0" x 0.5 = 18.0" (10.80 km/hr, 6.71 mi/hr)

Base (book) = 36.0" x 1.0 = 36.0" (21.60 km/hr, 13.42 mi/hr)

Normal = 36.0" x 2.0 = 72.0" (43.20 km/hr, 26.84 mi/hr)

Attack = 36.0" x 6.0 = 216.0" (129.60 km/hr, 79.06 mi/hr)

Power Dive = 36.0" x 12.0 = 432.0" (259.20 km/hr, 158.11 mi/hr)

Darkhold: the People

countries

and other political entities

explanation of the "country" information

"Ruler" the name of the current leader and his/her full title

"Location" the hex coordinates for the map in this manual

"Military" strength ratings for both land and sea forces … see below

"Major Cities" the names of the cities with over 10,000 inhabitants, along with their hex coordinates — capital cities are so marked

"Population" the total indigenous population, rounded off with percentage of total being demi-human and/or humanoid

"Resources" economically vital products and services for which the area is known

"Major Religions" pantheons that can be legally worshipped, and the typical attitude displayed towards others

"History & Description" a very brief synopsis of major events and noteworthy characteristics

military forces

Each point for "Land Force Size" represents 5000 actual troops (regulars) and reserves) — most countries can raise an additional 50 to 100% in militia, rabble, draftees, etc. Each point for "Sea Force Size" represents 10 ships of the line — again, most countries can convert merchantmen to military service at a lower ship and crew quality rating. "(R)" refers to the quantity of river/lake vessels, at the same scale.

Quality Ratings:

1 = hopeless, a leaderless rabble or barely seaworthy

3 = poor or green

5 = average

7 = good

9 = crack

10 = elite

THE GRAND JARLDOM OF AESERD

Location K27

Ruler His Vikingness, Fandralsen, the Grand Jarl of Aeserd and Terror of the Northern Wastelands.

Military Army is rated excellent: 56 (Size 8, Quality 7)

Navy is rated supreme: 80 (Size 9, (2), Quality 8)

Major Cities Aeserd (pop. 40,000) (capital)

Thialfi (pop. 21,000)

Population 600,000 (75% human, 10% dwarven, 10% elven, 5% other)

Resources Gems, precious metals, furs, wood, shipbuilding supplies.

Major Religions Nordic Norse, Teutonic Norse, some Celtic. Somewhat tolerant of other religions.

History & The Jarldom of Aeserd is one of the oldest political entities of Darkhold. It

Description has existed in one form or another for several centuries. Aeserd was formed out of a confederation of 27 major jarls in order to provide common defense from frost giants and other assorted humanoids. Thorrsen I, a courageous jarl of many famed combats, was chosen to lead them all into battle. After the threat was over, Thorrsen played one faction off another and established himself as the ruler of the land. Some of the old leaders still exerted some influence over the throne, however, and in the year 20 P.E. (Present Era - post Drow War Two), five Teutonic jarls in the interior mountains led a rebellion against the Nordic Grand Jarl and succeeded in winning their area's independence; this land became known as Midgard. Relations between the two countries have improved with time and are now friendly.

Currently, Aeserd has a large naval force and an extensive merchant fleet that can be converted to military purposes. Its land forces are considered to be very good — especially feared are the berserkers, fighters who wear only light armor (if any at all) but who are very nimble and swift. Berserkers fight to the death and do not normally take prisoners. They have been known to catch arrows, spears, and other projectiles in mid-air and return them accurately at the enemy.

THE AUGUSTINIAN EMPIRE

Location LL16

Ruler His Imperial Majesty, Augustus X, Ruler of Centurions, Favored of the Gods.

Military Army is rated good: 42 (Size 7, Quality 6)

Navy is rated average: 8 (Size 1, (2), Quality 5)

Major Cities Augustine (pop. 55,000) (capital)

Hero's Return (pop. 12,000)

Population 750,000 (80% human, 5% dwarven, 5% halfling, 5% gnomish, 5% other)

Resources Agriculture, gems, metals, cloth.

Major Religions Greco-Roman, Christianity, Judaism, Celtic, some demi-human pantheons. Very tolerant of other religions.

History & The Augustinian Empire is a political entity that arose after the Second Drow

Description          War. With the end of that war and the disbanding of the Mortal Heroes, Augustus the Heartless, as he was then known, left Hero's Return and built a citadel in the readily defensible foothills southeast of the Dwarven Kingdom of the Iron Hills. The area at that time was in a state of political chaos, with no seat of power, and with several bandit lords vying for control.   With the help of the Mage Lawrence Dreamstalker, Augustus gathered and trained an army from among the populace of the region, and defeated many of the bandit lords and drove the remainder from the region. The grateful populace of the area, relieved to be able to lead their lives in relative safety, asked Augustus to become their king.   Augustus agreed, and Lawrence Dreamstalker became the chief advisor to the Court. Augustus became even more popular with the people of the area when he chose from among the common people a girl named Athenia to become his queen. He ruled wisely and well, and his old name was changed so that he became known as Augustus the Just, and thereafter the rulers of the country had the name of Augustus Justinius. For twenty years he ruled, aging so little during that time that it was rumored among the people of the country that it seemed the intent of the Gods that Augustus should rule them for hundreds of years. After twenty years, however, Augustus and Lawrence disappeared from the court of Augustine. The people of the country were shocked and upset, but gradually the feeling became prevalent that Augustus and Lawrence had been called away by the Gods for some greater purpose, and Queen Athenia became regent for her young son. She ruled very well as Regent, giving the throne to her son when he turned eighteen. She never remarried, hoping that Augustus would some day return to her. Augustus has not yet returned, but the legend surrounding him says that he will return to aid Augustine in its hour of greatest need.

        Augustine's most important political alliance, that with Keeli, was founded some one hundred years after the end of the Drow Wars. At that time, Augustine was making use of the port facilities in Keeli as its access to the Azure Sea. A few conniving ministers managed to convince Augustus the Fifth that Augustine was powerful enough to annex the city state of Keeli. Augustus the Fifth sent messengers to the Ecclesiastical Council of Keeli with an ultimatum — Keeli would become a part of Augustine, peacefully or not. The head of the Ecclesiastical Council, a Jewish Rabbi named Saul, sent back a messenger with expressions of shock and outrage at Augustine's audacity. Saul conceded that it was possible that Augustine could conquer Keeli through sheer force, but that the people of Keeli would see to it that what the Augustinians obtained through conquest would not be worth having. Saul also hinted that Keeli would bring the Citadel of Stormgate into the matter. Augustus the Fifth decided to test Keeli's strength and determination by sending a flotilla of boats down the Grosser River with a regiment of his best soldiers. Keeli, however, seemed prepared for such a test, because they intercepted the flotilla two days north of Keeli when the flotilla beached for the night. The Augustinian Regiment was captured by Keeli with slight losses on both sides, and was taken back to Keeli. Saul decided that rather than punishment, the soldiers would be set free in Keeli. Saul appealed to the soldiers on the basis of their alignments (all were either good or neutral), to leave the innocent people of the city in peace. There was some dissension among the more militant of the troops, but the regimental commander was a wise man, and he returned to Augustine to confront the emperor. Much to the commander's surprise, Augustus the Fifth was completely in agreement that Augustine should not only leave Keeli to itself, but that Augustine should cement strong ties with Keeli. It turned out that Augustus the Fifth had had a dream on the night that the regiment was captured. In this dream, Augustus the First conveyed his displeasure with his great-great grandson's actions, and hinted that further military overtures would cause him (Augustus the First) to be very, very disappointed in Augustus the Fifth. The outcome of the situations was that an agreement was reached between Augustine and Keeli that would be of great benefit to both. Augustine was granted privileged use of Keeli's port and Keeli would defend the Augustinian ships, while Augustine would provide military support to Keeli in times of danger. This agreement has worked out exceptionally well for both countries, who remain strongly allied to this day.

        Among its other geographical neighbors Augustine has not fared so well. Augustine and the Iron Hills have always maintained and neutral and somewhat distrustful opinion of each other. While neither Augustine nor the Iron Hills wants the territory that the other occupies, and while both countries are good aligned, the racial disparity of the two areas has caused suspicion and mistrust over the years.

        Augustine and Deerhart, on the other hand, have always maintained a state of cold war. Deerhart is an expansionistic country, and is always casting covetous eyes at Augustine and the unclaimed territories to its south. Augustine does not want Deerhart to move any closer than that country already is, and Augustinian and Deerhart troops will often clash in neutral territories. While no formal declaration of war has been signed, there is little doubt that sufficient provocation will lead to war. In the current state of political crisis on Darkhold, Augustine is suspected to be formulating plans of all out attack against Deerhart should the opportunity arise.

THE KINGDOM OF BLACKMOOR

Location J42

Ruler His Extreme and Exalted Majesty, Toreeno II

Military Army is rated average: 25 (Size 5, Quality 5)

Navy is rated excellent: 22 (Size 4, (1), Quality 5)

Major Cities Blackmoor (pop. 24,000) (capital)

Darkhand (pop. 10,000)

Population 350,000 (70% human, 20% orcish, 10% humanoid).

Resources Agriculture, fishing, gems, shipbuilding materials.

Major Religions Melnibonean, Nehwon, Orcish Pantheon, certain other evil and/or chaotic religions. Very intolerant of other religions.

History &

Description

THE PRINCEDOM OF CAPRICE

Location J36

Ruler Her Serene Majesty, Trinian Moonglow, Flower of the Morning Star

Military Army is rated average: 15 (Size 3, Quality 5)

Navy is rated poor: 2 (Size 0, (1), Quality 4)

Major Cities Caprice (pop. 15,000) (capital)

Population 170,000 (70% elvish, 20% human, 5% halfling, 5% other)

Resources Foodstuffs, high quality leather, spices, rare wood

Major Religions Elvish pantheon, Celtic (Welsh), Halfling pantheon. Very tolerant of other religions.

History & Caprice is an old, but not ancient, land locked principality located in the

Description          savannah region north of the mountainous kingdom of Nestle. Its population consists mainly of "Elvish" elves who wished to live as close to such forest as there is in the area but as far from the Mountains of Doom and the Gnoll Wood as they could. The population also has a high concentration of humans and half-elves.

        Caprice has changed little in its history, being mostly a peaceful land of people content to live their lives quietly. It has, however, been known to have skirmishes with Martine along its northern border, which caused both countries to lose territory and resources, neither being a nation possessing incredibly skilled warriors. At the present time, however, a possible liaison is being negotiated by marriage of the young Princess of Caprice to the Duke of Martine, thereby consolidating the countries so that each might complement the strengths of the other. Caprice is rather anxious to obtain use of the port facilities that Martine possesses, while Martine would like to have at its disposal the highly skilled elvish archers of Caprice.

        Caprice is located not far from Caer Prevdin, an area known for its wild magical properties. Caprice keeps a strong watch on the area, which has been known to spew forth monsters to wreak havoc. It is the threat of Caer Prevdin that has kept Caprice from extending its borders to the west into the unclaimed but fertile savannah north of Mark's Town.

        The country is also known to contain most of the population of an unusual humanoid race that, while human in appearance, are rumored to turn into giant black leopards when angered. This race of people are incredibly dexterous, practiced in the use of weapons and the martial arts, and tend to keep very much to themselves to hide the secret of who they are to avoid persecution. It is also rumored that these people kill any of their lovers that are not of their own race. The traveller is cautioned to be wary of with whom he sleeps when visiting Caprice.

THE KINGDOM OF DEERHART

Location AA25

Ruler His Most Exalted Majesty, Boraslav II, Defender of the Reaches and Supreme Judge of the People.

Military Army is rated supreme: 120 (Size 20, Quality 6)

Navy is rated excellent: 24 (Size 5, (2), Quality 4)

Major Cities Deerhart City (pop. 75,000) (capital)

Dare (pop. 20,000)

Raven's Port (pop. 12,000)

Also see entry for Duchy of En.

Population 1,250,000 (80% human, 10% elvish, 5% halfling, 5% other).

Resources Agriculture, cloth, wood, fishing, minerals.

Major Religions Slavic, Norse, Celtic, Elvish pantheon, Christianity, Judaism. Tolerant of other religions.

History &

Description

DULAND

Location A33

Ruler Unknown, although legends indicate that those of Duland are always led by a female.

Military Army is rated unknown: ? (Size ?, Quality ?)

Navy is rated unknown: ? (Size ?, (?), Quality ?)

Major Cities Unknown

Population Unknown; legend indicates either human or elven (?).

Resources (reputed) Rare woods, gems, minerals, metals.

Major Religions Reputed to be a form of animism. Since the Du are very hostile toward any and all outsiders, it is assumed that they are also intolerant of other religions.

History &

Description

THE FREE CITY OF EAGLE'S NEST

Location O27

Ruler His Excellency, Veronic Skorre, Chief of the Elder Council.

Military Army is rated poor: 7 (Size 1, Quality 7)

Navy is rated good: 16 (Size 2, (0), Quality 8)

Major Cities City of Eagle's Nest (pop. 25,000) (capital)

Population 70,000 (90% human, 10% demi-human).

Resources Fishing, agriculture, shipbuilding materials

Major Religions Finnish, Norse (Nordic). Tolerant of other religions.

History & Eagle's nest is a Free City made up of many merchants and free traders. It

Description is the base of operation for many ships that sail the Sea of Llyr, who fly the Eagle's Nest flag as a flag of convenience. It is a very defensible location, having held out against "expansionism" from Aeserd.

Politically Eagle's Nest remains as neutral as possible, preferring to look out for its own interests rather than to take sides. It is, however, a good aligned City State, as is shown in the fact that the City afforded shelter and haven to the "Council in Exile" of what was formerly En's Town when that area was taken over by Deerhart. (See entry for En.) A wide variety of employment is available in the area, from farming and sailing to hiring as a mercenary or guard on one of the many ships that sail to and from Eagle's Nest every day. The port facilities are both large and excellent.

THE KINGDOM OF ELFHIEM

Location N33

Ruler His Most Excellent Draig, Eglouis III, Son of the Blood.

Military Army is rated average: 14 (Size 2, Quality 7)

Navy is rated average: 5 (Size 1, (1), Quality 5)

Major Cities Elfhiem (pop. 26,000) (capital)

Lana (pop. 12,000)

Population 180,000 (85% elvish, 5% halfling, 5% human, 5% sylvan).

Resources Agriculture, cloth, fishing.

Major Religions Elvish pantheon, Celtic (Welsh), Halfling pantheon. Somewhat tolerant of other religions.

History &

Description

DUCHY OF EN

Location T26

Ruler His Eminence and Honor, Sanderval Furdag, Duke of En.

Military Army is rated poor: 3 (Size 1, Quality 3)

Navy is rated poor: 3 (Size 1, (0), Quality 3)

Major Cities En (pop. 27,000) (capital)

Population 60,000 (85% human, 10% elvish, 5% other).

Resources Fishing, agriculture, minerals.

Major Religions Nordic, Finnish, Slavic, Celtic. Tolerant of other religions.

History & The Duchy of En is the newest acquisition of the Kingdom of Deerhart.

Description          En's Town, as the Duchy used to be known, had existed at its current location on the Northern Sea (also known as the Cold Sea) since before the Second Drow War. The area was a city-state, and was one of the richest of the fishing and trading towns on the southern side of the Sea, due to the fact that it was a natural geologic port. The government consisted of a Mayor who was elected by the people, and a Council of twelve members, most of whom were powerful merchants, respected fisherman, or religious leaders. In the year 358, Deerhart, in one of Boraslov's fits of expansionism, decided that the Kingdom desperately needed a port on the Nothern Sea. Boraslov offered the Council of En an almost irresistible deal - Deerhart would pay every citizen of En's town one year's wages, and would make the mayor the Duke of En, and the council members would all become barons of Deerhart. However, Boraslov's conditions were that the Town would become part of Deerhart peacefully, and that Deerhart would have complete and final word about which countries would be granted the use of En's port.

        Ten of the twelve Council members, and the Mayor, were avidly opposed to accepting the offer. They did, however, realise that there was absolutely no chance that En could beat Deerhart in a war, and that none of En's allies would be willing to confront mighty Deerhart and risk attacks upon themselves. The Mayor, Kelvin Oortson, came up with a plan whereby the city would capitulate to Deerhart, but Kelvin and the ten councilors who sided with him would escape with as many of their trusted friends and as much of the city treasury as they could take. Of the two councilors who were not part of the plan, Sanderval Furdag was the most powerful and dangerous, and Kelvin and the other councilors had to meet secretly and operate quietly in order not to arouse Furdag's suspicions.

        Finally, on the night before the Deerhart troops were to occupy En in earnest, Kelvin and the others made their daring escape. Kelvin had managed to convince the naval and marine commanders that his plan was the best way to deal with Deerhart, and it was the troop of elite marines who stormed their way to the city treasury and took as much gold and magic as they could. The councilors and their families and friends took all the art objects and other valuables that they could find, and then fled to the harbor where the naval commander had all of the ships of the En navy ready to sail. There was some resistance put up by the regular city militia, and by other townspeople who stood to gain a great deal in the Deerhart takeover, but in all over twenty percent of the city population managed to escape by land or sea. There were two Deerhart Naval ships in the En harbor, but one ship was lightning bolted up through it's hull, and the other sustained heavy archery and magical fire from the shore. In all, nine ships left the port of En and began the voyage towards the Free City of Eagle's Nest. As the ships left the harbor, an earthquake struck the port, damaging it severely and wrecking most of the other vessels still anchored there. No one knows who it was who cast the earthquake, or the lightning bolt who destroyed the first Deerhart ship.

        The ships were very crowded, but only one sustained irrepairable damage; her crew and cargo were transferred to the other ships, and it was these eight ships that made it to Eagle's Nest.

        The ships were met by the Eagle's Nest navy with a great deal of suspicion. Kelvin, however, managed to convince the Eagle's Nest Council that they would gain a great deal by accepting the escapees into their city. Kelvin arranged a deal whereby his people would be granted citizenship in Eagle's Nest, and Eagle's nest would gain the use of the eight warships that they came in, and the naval and marine contingents. In addition, all the treasure brought from En would be divided evenly among the people of En, to give them means to live without inundating the Eagle's Nest economy. Kelvin became leader of the En's Town Council-in-Exile. It is the dearest wish of this Council that some day they will gain the strength necessary to drive the Deerhart forces from En and restore it as a democracy.

THE GNOLLWOOD

Location N22

Ruler His Extreme and Tyrannical Sire, Rowgosrow II.

Military Army is rated average: 25 (Size 5, Quality 5)

Navy is rated none: 0 (Size 0, (0), Quality )

Major Cities Gnollgran (pop. 20,000) (capital)

Nogul's Flail (pop. 10,000)

Gnoll Gate (pop. 10,000)

Population 200,000 (85% gnoll, 5% orcish, 5% humanoid, 5% other).

Resources Wood, furs, minerals, agriculture.

Major Religions Roofdrak, gnollish pantheon, animism, demon worship. Very intolerant of other religions (especially elvish).

History &

Description

GODS' CUP

Location OO32

Ruler Praxis Abanthor, Archcleric of Zeus. Leadership changes often among the heads of the temples.

Military Army is rated poor: 4 (Size 1, Quality 4)

Navy is rated average: 6 (Size 1, (1), Quality 4)

Major Cities Gods' Cup (pop. 35,000) (capital)

Population 75,000 (70% human, 10% elvish, 10% dwarvish, 10% other). Note that there is a fairly large transient population as well.

Resources Metals, minerals, gems, fishing, agriculture, cloth.

Major Religions Almost all religions are represented here. The high tolerance does not prevent intrigues, however.

History &

Description

THE REPUBLIC OF GREYHAWK

Location J35

Ruler His Excellency, Markus Steelhart, Chancellor of the Republic.

Military Army is rated poor: 10 (Size 2, Quality 5)

Navy is rated average: 5 (Size 1, (0), Quality 5)

Major Cities Greyhawk City (pop. 45,000) (capital)

Population 120,000 (65% human, 15% elvish, 15% halfling, 5% other).

Resources Agriculture, fishing, cloth.

Major Religions Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Greco-Roman, Norse, Elvish and Halfling pantheons, Celtic. Very tolerant of other religions.

History &

Description

THE KINGDOM OF THE IRON HILLS

Location KK12

Ruler His Worthiness, Clangadar Feldspar II, King of the Iron Hills.

Military Army is rated excellent: 56 (Size 8, Quality 7)

Navy is rated poor: 2 (Size 0, (1), Quality 3)

Major Cities StoneHaven (pop. 32,000) (capital)

Cairn (pop. 15,000)

Population 450,000 (75% dwarven, 15% gnomish, 5% halfling, 5% other)

Resources Metals, gems, minerals, agriculture, furs.

Major Religions Dwarven, Gnomish, and Halfling pantheons, Norse. Tolerant of other religions.

History &

Description

JOE'S PLACE

Location FF26

Ruler Clayton Bakerson, Mayor of Joe's Place

Military Army is rated poor: 4 (Size 1, Quality 4)

Navy is rated none: 0 (Size 0, (0), Quality )

Major Cities Joe's Place (pop. 7,000) (capital)

Population 40,000 (75% human, 10% elven, 10% halfling, 5% other).

Resources Agriculture, cloth, wood.

Major Religions Celtic (Welsh), Egyptian pantheon. Very tolerant of other religions.

History & This small city arose around the Trading Post owned by Joe Demigod.

Description          This Trading Post had been there, and run by Joe, since before even the oldest elves in the area can remember. The people of the area consist mostly of farmers, sheep herders, and wood crafters. Joe's Trading Post is a major stop for adventurers travelling between Keeli and Augustine. It is rumored that Joe Demigod will sell anything (excepting wishes) for a price. There are always people willing to go on quests for Joe in order to gain some powerful magic item or lots of treasure.

        While Joe's Place is not formally allied with any other political entity, relations are closest with Keeli and Augustine; however, it remains an independent political entity. Not surprisingly, Joe's reputation (not to mention his last name), has discouraged even Deerhart from attempting any forays into the city's lands. It is suspected, although not definitely known, that Joe would defend the city in the event of an invasion. Supporting this view is the fact that the Second Drow War is the only time that Joe has ever been seen in armor or carrying a weapon: his Trading Post had been destroyed by the Drow, and since then, no Drow have ever been spotted near Joe's Place. The reader is invited to use cause and effect.

        The people of the area are mostly Celtic and Egyptian, and the majority of spell-casters in the region are either druids or witches. A very large and powerful clan of Egyptian witches make their home a few hours ride west of the town itself, and are known to render aid to the town when needed. In all, the area tends to be very peaceful, the major excitement coming when large bands of adventurers come through town.

KATANA

Location UU26

Ruler The Emperor, Yamamoto Yashida, The Eleventh of the House of Yoshi.

Military Army is rated excellent: 81 (Size 9, Quality 9)

Navy is rated good: 18 (Size 2, (2), Quality 6)

Major Cities T'shang Tse (pop. 75,000) (capital)

Kirubati (pop. 45,000)

Population 600,000 (80% human, 15% "sylvan", 5% dwarvish).

Resources Metals, agriculture, gems, rare woods, cloth.

Major Religions Chinese, Japanese, Veddic. Intolerant of other religions.

History &

Description

THE PROTECTORATE OF KEELI

Location HH28

Ruler Theodosius Cardinal Justinius, Arch-Cardinal of the Church and Head of the Ecumenical Council.

Military Army is rated good: 28 (Size 4, Quality 7)

Navy is rated excellent: 28 (Size 3, (1), Quality 8)

Major Cities Keeli (pop. 65,000) (capital)

Population 450,000 (85% human, 5% halfling, 10% demi-human).

Resources Fishing, agriculture, ship-building materials, minerals.

Major Religions Christianity, Judaism, Islam. Tolerant of other "good" religions.

History & This city-state grew around the natural port where the Grosser River met the

Description          Azure Sea.The geography of the area plus its abundant natural resources have meant that the area has been continuously inhabited for centuries. These factors have insured Keeli's place as the major trading port on the Azure Sea.

        For at least the past five centuries, Keeli has been the center of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam on Darkhold. There has been some debate among scholars as to why this has happened. There is some evidence that a number of people were transplanted from a place called "Earth" approximately five centuries ago. These people prospered and spread the affor-mentioned religions not only locally, but across Darkhold. Strangely enough, all three religions still see the true center of their belief as being on "Earth". At least one of the drafters of the Concordium of Keeli, Clint Priestwood, was a recent transplant from Earth.

        The three major religions have not always co-existed and cooperated in peace. In fact, just before the Second Drow War, the three groups came close to war not only in Keeli but across Darkhold. When things seemed hopeless, a number of major leaders of the three religions met in Keeli and drafted the Concordium of Keeli. This document declared that while the three religions had their differences, they all worshiped the same God. Further, the differences were declared "trivial" compared to their differences with the "pagan" religions. They pledged to rule Keeli as an enlightened theocracy made up of the major clerics of the three religions. This agreement has held to this day, making not only Keeli itself prosperous, but also aiding followers of these religions worldwide.

        Keeli has grown from a small port to a city-state on the verge of becoming a major country. Keeli's diplomatic reach has also grown, combining elements of religion and secular diplomacy. Keeli is closely allied with the Augustinian Empire (see entry on the Augustinian Empire). However, Keeli continues to diplomatically turn down occasional offers to join the Empire.

KOSALA

Location H48

Ruler The Terror

Military Army is rated excellent: 50 (Size 10, Quality 5)

Navy is rated good: 18 (Size 3, (3), Quality 4)

Major Cities Kasala (pop. ~60,000) (capital)

Population 1,500,000 (est.) (75% human, 25% other).

Resources Mostly unknown, although rare woods, drugs, and other exotic items sometimes are traded.

Major Religions Different forms of demon worship and animism. Very intolerant of other religions.

History & Little is known of Kosala except that mysterious and terrible things are said to

Description occur in the jungles of the region. The ruler is said to be a natural polymorph who may even be a demon. There are ample tales of human (and other) sacrifice and horrible rituals.

However, there are treasures that come only from Kosala. These treasures include rare woods, drugs that can cure (or cause) various ills, and the world's finest chocolates (which are rumored to keep one healthy and happy). These entice various adventurers to attempt to find their fortunes in the jungles of Kosala.

COUNTY OF LEENSPORT

Location N42

Ruler DeJarling Dubonnik, Count of Leensport

Military Army is rated average: 15 (Size 3, Quality 5)

Navy is rated excellent: 27 (Size 4, (1), Quality 6)

Major Cities Leensport (pop. 70,000) (capital)

Population 250,000 (80% human, 10% demi-human, 10% humanoid).

Resources Agriculture, fishing, rare woods.

Major Religions Nehwon, Veddic, Melnibonean. Tolerant of other religions.

History &

Description

COUNTY AND CITY OF MARK'S TOWN

Location G41

Ruler Her Royal Presence, Evangeline II, Princess of the People.

Military Army is rated average: 25 (Size 5, Quality 5)

Navy is rated good: 13 (Size 2, (1), Quality 5)

Major Cities Mark's Town (pop. 45,000) (capital)

Chainmail (pop. 20,000)

Population 800,000 (75% human, 10% halfling, 10% elvish, 5% gnomish).

Resources Agriculture, fishing, wood, ship-building materials, cloth.

Major Religions Christianity, Judaism, Celtic, Islam. Very tolerant of other religions.

History &

Description

THE DUCHY OF MARTINE

Location L35

Ruler The Defender of the People, Augustavius Marti III, Duke of Martine.

Military Army is rated average: 15 (Size 3, Quality 5)

Navy is rated average: 5 (Size 1, (1), Quality 5)

Major Cities Martine City (pop. 25,000) (capital)

Population 400,000 (60% human, 30% elvish, 5% halfling, 5% other).

Resources Agriculture, cloth, fishing.

Major Religions Celtic (Welsh), Elvish pantheon, Christianity, Halfling pantheon.

History &

Description

THE jarldom OF MIDGARD

Location X23

Ruler Lord Sigmund, Grand Jarl of Midgard

Military Army is rated average: 21 (Size 3, Quality 7)

Navy is rated average: 80 (Size 0, (2), Quality 7)

Major Cities Midgard City (pop. 25,000) (capital)

Population 150,000 (90% human, 5% dwarven, 5% other)

Resources Agriculture, mining, fishing.

Major Religions Tuetonic Norse, Celtic (Welsh), Dwarven pantheon.

History &

Description

THE KINGDOM OF NESTLE

Location J38

Ruler His Illustrious Kingship, Benbo Winterbeard.

Military Army is rated good: 30 (Size 5, Quality 6)

Navy is rated poor: 2 (Size 0, (1), Quality 4)

Major Cities Nestle (pop. 26,000) (capital)

Population 350,000 (75% gnomish, 15% dwarven, 5% halfling, 5% other).

Resources Metals, gems, minerals, agriculture, fishing, rare woods.

Major Religions Gnomish pantheon, Dwarven pantheon, Halfling pantheon, Celtic, Norse (Nordic). Tolerant of other religions.

History &

Description

THE THEOCRACY OF RA

Location NN36

Ruler His Glory, Narlohotep I, High Priest of Amen-Ra and Pharaoh of The Celestial Barge.

Military Army is rated excellent: 49 (Size 7, Quality 7)

Navy is rated average: 6 (Size 1, (1), Quality 4)

Major Cities Heliopolis (pop. 35,000) (capital)

Population 500,000 (80% human, 15% dwarvish, 5% other).

Resources Agriculture, minerals, cloth.

Major Religions Egyptian. Very intolerant of other religions.

History & Ra is one of the most recent countries on Darkhold. While the Egyptians

Description          had always existed as a people, they had never possessed enough power to confront the Moslems and Greeks ruling the desert reaches that contained the great pyramids built, the Egyptians believed, by Ra himself. A cleric of Ra, Narlohotep, was the one who finally organized an army of religious warriors to perform raids on the Greeks in the area south of God's Cup. In the interest of keeping peace in the region, the Council of God's Cup intervened and granted to Narlohotep the rights to settle the area to the south. Narlohotep called for all Egyptians to come and colonize and region in the year 340. Through hard work the area, which was fertile, was turned into a large agricultural producer. Narlohotep thought that the best interest of the Egyptian people would be served by disallowing any other religions in the area.

        The great city of Heliopolis was completed in the year 350. This city houses the principle temples of the major Egyptian dieties in the world of Darkhold. The city is built along an east-west axis so that, on the sunrise of a particular day each year, the sun pours through the great gate of Ra and strikes the Road of the God, up to the main temple of Ra in the center of the city. The city is the cultural center for the nation, and pilgrims come from the far reaches of the world to worship there. Adventurers, too, come, but to seek the rumored riches hidden within the sacred pyramids in the desert. Narlohotep does not deem it necessary to guard the pyramids from intruders, for he believes that Ra will send Anubis to deal with any perpetrators of such blasphemy.

        The country is very much lawful good in outlook. While there are temples to the evil Egyptian dieties within the country, none lie within the walls of the capital city. Note, however, that a worshipper of an evil Egyptian diety is far more tolerated than a worshipper of a good diety of any other pantheon. The intolerance, however, extends only towards the building of temples, the buying of property, and the breaking of religious taboos. Tourists are tolerated and encouraged to spend extravagantly.

THE SALADIN

Location Z47 (does not appear on map)

Ruler His Eminence, Caliph Akbar ben Daoud, Wielder of the Saladirrhim.

Military Army is rated average: 18 (Size 2, Quality 9)

Navy is rated none: 0 (Size 0, (0), Quality )

Major Cities Saladin (pop. 20,000) (capital)

Population 80,000 (95% human, 5% other).

Resources Water, minerals, metals.

Major Religions Islam, Christianity, Judaism. Intolerant of other religions.

History &

Description

THE CITY-STATE OF SEAHAWK

Location O30

Ruler His Majestic Wealth, Ulrick Ariane, Tyrant of Seahawk and Leader of the Collected Reaches.

Military Army is rated average: 18 (Size 3, Quality 6)

Navy is rated good: 14 (Size 2, (0), Quality 7)

Major Cities Seahawk City (pop. 130,000) (capital)

Population 250,000 (75% human, 15% demi-human, 10% humanoid). Note that there is a large transient population.

Resources Fishing, minerals.

Major Religions Greco-Roman, Nordic, Egyptian, Sumerian, Celtic. Very tolerant of other religions.

History & Seahawk is the largest trading port along the Northern Sea. Its trade,

Description however, is not limited to strictly legal and mundane types of items. Indeed, it is rumored that in Seahawk one may obtain anything for a price. It is even rumored that in some of Seahawk's many casinos and gambling dens that one can wager levels, and perhaps one's very soul. With this type of reputation, tourism has become Seahawk's second largest industry. Adventurers from all over Darkhold, and some from places that no one is quite sure of, can be found in the city. Drug sellers, slavers, fencers of stolen goods, and killers for hire can be found in the city's market place next to wool merchants and wine sellers. Seahawk contains something for every taste from the aesthetic to the most bizarre.

Seahawk is ruled by a monarchy that is in fact little more than a figurehead for the real powers in the city - the men who rule the drug and slaving empires. They do, however, make sure that plenty of legitimate commerce takes place in the city in order to maintain some sort of respectability.

CITADEL OF STORMGATE

Location TT10 (estimated)

Ruler Garret Cardinal Reposte, Dean of Stormgate Cathedral.

Military Army is rated poor: 5 (Size .6, Quality 9)

Navy is rated unknown: ? (Size ?, (?), Quality ?)

Major Cities Stormgate (pop. ~10,000) (capital)

Population 15,000 (90% human, 10% demi-human).

Resources Metals, gems, minerals, wood, agriculture.

Major Religions Christianity, Judaism, Islam. Somewhat tolerant of other "good" religions.

History &

Description

THE SHINING KINGDOM OF VANIR

Location QQ23

Ruler The Shining Helm of The People, Beogurd Stormson, Chief Jarl of the Vanir.

Military Army is rated good: 35 (Size 7, Quality 5)

Navy is rated average: 5 (Size 0, (2), Quality 5)

Major Cities Vanir (pop. 55,000) (capital)

Balderheim (pop. 22,000)

Population 900,000 (85% elves, 5% halflings, 5% gnomes, 5% other).

Resources Wood (including exotic types), furs, agriculture, fishing, minerals.

Major Religions Norse (Nordic, Teutonic), Celtic, Elvish pantheon. Somewhat tolerant of other religions.

History &

Description

THE TRUE PROVINCE OF WHITE DRAGON

Location Q52 (south of hand map)

Ruler Lord Agristedes, the Scourge of the Desert

Military Army is rated poor: 5 (Size 1, Quality 5)

Navy is rated none: 0 (Size 0, (0), Quality )

Major Cities White Dragon (pop. 25,000) (capital)

Population 50,000 (90% human, 5% elvish, 5% other).

Resources Water, gems, agriculture.

Major Religions Greco-Roman, Egyptian, Judaism, Islam. Very tolerant of other religions.

History & This was a small trading oasis before Lord George Dragonslayer found the

Description wielder of the artifact known as the Saladin and took it from him. Lord George's charisma combined with Benthos Arborean's cunning convinced the people of the oasis (now known as White Dragon in honor of the helm Lord George wore) to follow Lord George. The new lord of the desert encouraged people to follow the Greco-Roman pantheon, and particularly Lord George's patron, Zeus. The area prospered as Lord George's seat of power.

This city-state used to be part of a greater desert kingdom that included the city-state of Saladin. But when one of Lord George's ancestors lost the artifact known as the Saladin, the people to the west no longer felt compelled to follow the rule of the eastern capitol. Now relations between the cities are uneasy.

THE WILD COUNTRY

Location far east

Ruler No one ruler; various petty "noble", chieftans, bandit kings

Military Army is rated NONE: 0 (Size 0, Quality )

Navy is rated none: 0 (Size 0, (0), Quality )

Major Cities None

Population Unknown, but at least 500,000 people of all sorts

Resources Agriculture, gems, trees, metals, "wide open spaces".

Major Religions All sorts including various tribal religions, evils of various sorts, etc.

History & The Wild Country is the eastern part of the continent that is controlled by no

Description country. There are numerous claims to the area (including a large number of indigenous ones). The Augustinian Empire, Deerhart, and Katana even have outposts and patrols in the area. But no one person has yet been able to exert control over the various tribes, bands, bandit nobles, and other assorted non-conformists that inhabit the vast areas in the east.

land forces sea forces

country Size Quality Rating Size (R) Quality Rating

Aeserd, the Grand Jarldom of            8        7       56   LG                 9   (2)         8      80                                                supreme
Augustinian Empire, the                     7        6       42   CG                1   (2)         5        8                                                  average
Blackmoor, the Kingdom of               5        5       25   CE                 4   (1)         5      22                                                excellent
Caprice, the Princedom of                  3        5       15   CG                0   (1)         4        2                                                      poor
Deerhart, the Kingdom of                20        6     120   LE/LN           5   (2)         4      24                                                excellent
Duland                                               ?         ?         ?   N                   ?   (?)         ?         ?                                               unknown
Eagle's Nest, the Free City of             1        7         7   NG                2   (0)         8      16                                                      good
Elfheim, the Kingdom of                    2        7       14   CG                1   (1)         5        5                                                  average
En, Duchy of                                      1        3         3   ???                 1   (0)         3        3                                                      poor
Gnollwood, the                                   5        5       25   NE                   none                   0                                                      none
Gods' Cup                                          1        4         4   N                   1   (1)         4        6                                                  average
Greyhawk, the Republic of                 2        5       10   LG                 1   (0)         5        5                                                  average
Iron Hills, the Kingdom of the           8        7       56   LG                 0   (1)         3        2                                                      poor
Joe's Place                                          1        4         4   NG                  none                   0                                                      none
Katana                                                9        9       81   LN                 2   (2)         6      18                                                      good
Keeli, the Protectorate of                    4        7       28   LG                 3   (1)         8      28                                                excellent
Kosala                                              10        5       50   CE                 3   (3)         4      18                                                      good
Leensport                                           3        5       15   CN                4   (1)         6      27                                                excellent
Mark's Town                                      5        5       25   NG                2   (1)         5      13                                                      good
Martine, the Duchy of                        3        5       15   CG                1   (1)         5        5                                                  average
Midgard, the Jarldom of                     3        7       21   CG                0   (2)         7        7                                                  average
Nestle, the Kingdom of                      5        6       30   NG                0   (1)         4        2                                                      poor
Ra, the Theocracy of                          7        7       49   LG*              1   (1)         4        6                                                  average
Saladin, the                                         2        9       18   LG                   none                   0                                                      none
Seahawk, the CityState of                   3        6       18   CN                2   (0)         7      14                                                      good
Stormgate, Citadel of                          0 .6     9         5   LG                 ?   (?)         ?         ?                                               unknown
Vanir, the Shining Kingdom of          7        5       35   CG                0   (2)         5        5                                                  average
White Dragon                                    1        5         5   CG                  none                   0                                                      none
Wild Country                                     0        0         0   N                     none                   0                                                      none

military strengths, alphabetically by country

land forces sea forces

country Size Quality Rating Size (R) Quality Rating

Aeserd, the Grand Jarldom of            8        7       56   excellent        9   (2)         8      80                                                supreme
Augustinian Empire, the                     7        6       42   good              1   (2)         5        8                                                  average
Blackmoor, the Kingdom of               5        5       25   average          4   (1)         5      22                                                excellent
Caprice, the Princedom of                  3        5       15   average          0   (1)         4        2                                                      poor
Deerhart, the Kingdom of                20        6     120   supreme         5   (2)         4      24                                                excellent
Duland                                               ?         ?         ?   unknown        ?   (?)         ?         ?                                               unknown
Eagle's Nest, the Free City of             1        7         7   poor               2   (0)         8      16                                                      good
Elfheim, the Kingdom of                    2        7       14   average          1   (1)         5        5                                                  average
En, Duchy of                                      1        3         3   poor               1   (0)         3        3                                                      poor
Gnollwood, the                                   5        5       25   average            none                   0                                                      none
Gods' Cup                                          1        4         4   poor               1   (1)         4        6                                                  average
Greyhawk, the Republic of                 2        5       10   poor               1   (0)         5        5                                                  average
Iron Hills, the Kingdom of the           8        7       56   excellent        0   (1)         3        2                                                      poor
Joe's Place                                          1        4         4   poor                 none                   0                                                      none
Katana                                                9        9       81   excellent        2   (2)         6      18                                                      good
Keeli, the Protectorate of                    4        7       28   good              3   (1)         8      28                                                excellent
Kosala                                              10        5       50   excellent        3   (3)         4      18                                                      good
Leensport                                           3        5       15   average          4   (1)         6      27                                                excellent
Mark's Town                                      5        5       25   average          2   (1)         5      13                                                      good
Martine, the Duchy of                        3        5       15   average          1   (1)         5        5                                                  average
Midgard, the Jarldom of                     3        7       21   average          0   (2)         7        7                                                  average
Nestle, the Kingdom of                      5        6       30   good              0   (1)         4        2                                                      poor
Ra, the Theocracy of                          7        7       49   excellent        1   (1)         4        6                                                  average
Saladin, the                                         2        9       18   average            none                   0                                                      none
Seahawk, the CityState of                   3        6       18   average          2   (0)         7      14                                                      good
Stormgate, Citadel of                          0 .6     9         5   poor               ?   (?)         ?         ?                                               unknown
Vanir, the Shining Kingdom of          7        5       35   good              0   (2)         5        5                                                  average
White Dragon                                    1        5         5   poor                 none                   0                                                      none
Wild Country                                     0        0         0   none                none                   0                                                      none

military strengths, by land power

land forces sea forces

country Size Quality Rating Size (R) Quality Rating

Duland                                               ?         ?         ?   unknown        ?   (?)         ?         ?                                               unknown
Wild Country                                     0        0         0   none                none                   0                                                      none
En, Duchy of                                      1        3         3   poor               1   (0)         3        3                                                      poor
Joe's Place                                          1        4         4   poor                 none                   0                                                      none
Gods' Cup                                          1        4         4   poor               1   (1)         4        6                                                  average
White Dragon                                    1        5         5   poor                 none                   0                                                      none
Stormgate, Citadel of                          0 .6     9         5   poor               ?   (?)         ?         ?                                               unknown
Eagle's Nest, the Free City of             1        7         7   poor               2   (0)         8      16                                                      good
Greyhawk, the Republic of                 2        5       10   poor               1   (0)         5        5                                                  average
Elfheim, the Kingdom of                    2        7       14   average          1   (1)         5        5                                                  average
Caprice, the Princedom of                  3        5       15   average          0   (1)         4        2                                                      poor
Martine, the Duchy of                        3        5       15   average          1   (1)         5        5                                                  average
Leensport                                           3        5       15   average          4   (1)         6      27                                                excellent
Seahawk, the CityState of                   3        6       18   average          2   (0)         7      14                                                      good
Saladin, the                                         2        9       18   average            none                   0                                                      none
Midgard, the Jarldom of                     3        7       21   average          0   (2)         7        7                                                  average
Gnollwood, the                                   5        5       25   average            none                   0                                                      none
Mark's Town                                      5        5       25   average          2   (1)         5      13                                                      good
Blackmoor, the Kingdom of               5        5       25   average          4   (1)         5      22                                                excellent
Keeli, the Protectorate of                    4        7       28   good              3   (1)         8      28                                                excellent
Nestle, the Kingdom of                      5        6       30   good              0   (1)         4        2                                                      poor
Vanir, the Shining Kingdom of          7        5       35   good              0   (2)         5        5                                                  average
Augustinian Empire, the                     7        6       42   good              1   (2)         5        8                                                  average
Ra, the Theocracy of                          7        7       49   excellent        1   (1)         4        6                                                  average
Kosala                                              10        5       50   excellent        3   (3)         4      18                                                      good
Iron Hills, the Kingdom of the           8        7       56   excellent        0   (1)         3        2                                                      poor
Aeserd, the Grand Jarldom of            8        7       56   excellent        9   (2)         8      80                                                supreme
Katana                                                9        9       81   excellent        2   (2)         6      18                                                      good
Deerhart, the Kingdom of                20        6     120   supreme         5   (2)         4      24                                                excellent

military strengths, by sea power

land forces sea forces

country Size Quality Rating Size (R) Quality Rating

Stormgate, Citadel of                          0 .6     9         5   poor               ?   (?)         ?         ?                                               unknown
Duland                                               ?         ?         ?   unknown        ?   (?)         ?         ?                                               unknown
Wild Country                                     0        0         0   none                none                   0                                                      none
Saladin, the                                         2        9       18   average            none                   0                                                      none
Gnollwood, the                                   5        5       25   average            none                   0                                                      none
Joe's Place                                          1        4         4   poor                 none                   0                                                      none
White Dragon                                    1        5         5   poor                 none                   0                                                      none
Iron Hills, the Kingdom of the           8        7       56   excellent        0   (1)         3        2                                                      poor
Caprice, the Princedom of                  3        5       15   average          0   (1)         4        2                                                      poor
Nestle, the Kingdom of                      5        6       30   good              0   (1)         4        2                                                      poor
En, Duchy of                                      1        3         3   poor               1   (0)         3        3                                                      poor
Vanir, the Shining Kingdom of          7        5       35   good              0   (2)         5        5                                                  average
Elfheim, the Kingdom of                    2        7       14   average          1   (1)         5        5                                                  average
Martine, the Duchy of                        3        5       15   average          1   (1)         5        5                                                  average
Greyhawk, the Republic of                 2        5       10   poor               1   (0)         5        5                                                  average
Gods' Cup                                          1        4         4   poor               1   (1)         4        6                                                  average
Ra, the Theocracy of                          7        7       49   excellent        1   (1)         4        6                                                  average
Midgard, the Jarldom of                     3        7       21   average          0   (2)         7        7                                                  average
Augustinian Empire, the                     7        6       42   good              1   (2)         5        8                                                  average
Mark's Town                                      5        5       25   average          2   (1)         5      13                                                      good
Seahawk, the CityState of                   3        6       18   average          2   (0)         7      14                                                      good
Eagle's Nest, the Free City of             1        7         7   poor               2   (0)         8      16                                                      good
Kosala                                              10        5       50   excellent        3   (3)         4      18                                                      good
Katana                                                9        9       81   excellent        2   (2)         6      18                                                      good
Blackmoor, the Kingdom of               5        5       25   average          4   (1)         5      22                                                excellent
Deerhart, the Kingdom of                20        6     120   supreme         5   (2)         4      24                                                excellent
Leensport                                           3        5       15   average          4   (1)         6      27                                                excellent
Keeli, the Protectorate of                    4        7       28   good              3   (1)         8      28                                                excellent
Aeserd, the Grand Jarldom of            8        7       56   excellent        9   (2)         8      80                                                supreme

[1] this is just like "Protection from Evil" except that it is in regard to Chaotic alignments rather than Evil.

[2] as noted above, except that the paladin is protected from the "extreme" alignments: LG, CG, CE and LE.

[3] this is just like "Protection from Evil" except that it is in regard to Lawful alignments rather than Evil.

[4] i.e., the character knows something related to the character class that he wants to simulate such as someone trying to disguise themselves as a Thief and knowing the Locksmith and Climbing skills.