So Td First Chapter

8/10/2019 So Td First Chapter

1/16


2/16

SPEARSOFTHEDAWN

BYKEVINCRAWFORD

ILLUSTRATIONSBYNICOLECARDIFF

LUIGICASTELLANI

EARLGEIER

ANDREWKRAHNKE

IANMACLEAN

ISBN 978-1-936673-34-6 2012, SINENOMINEPUBLISHING

ITISATIMEOFSUFFERINGTe Tree Lands groan under the weight of the past.Te scourge of the Eternal and their undying malicewas driven back into the east in the time of yourgrandfathers, but in the forty years since that timethe Five Kingdoms have only squabbled, fought, andshunned each other. Some men and women dream of abetter day, of a land of peace and abundance as in thedays of the Old Kings, but there are many who wouldrather buy an age of bitterness if it brings them presentpower. People flee the troubled places in search of safer

lands, and the lawless wilderness grows wider each year.

Te Eternal were broken forty years ago, but theirremnants still hide in the gloom beneath the earthand brood patiently in their tomb-houses of slave-carved stone. Tey wait and they hunger for the fleshof living men, emerging to strike at wretched villagesand beleaguered towns in search of blood and freshconverts to their hideous existence. Some men andwomen worship them, either in hopes of being sparedtheir wrath or in the mad lust for the immortality theirundying state offers. Even the greatest heroes can beseized with fear when faced with their final journey tothe spirit world, and the Eternal are quick to promiseevery pleasure of life to those who w ould share in their

frozen eternity.

Yet the half-dead are not the only scourge upon theliving. Te kings of the Five Kingdoms trust each otherbut little, and constant border quarrels and deniableincidents flicker like sparks of wars red flames alongthe edges of their lands. Te obas of border towns andthe chieftains of remote villages no longer heed themessages from the capital and begin to set themselvesup as lords in their own right, answering only to steel.Some do so in desperation as they seek to protectpeople their kings cannot save. Others do so because itis a pleasant thing to make slaves or corpses of all whodare oppose them.

Caught between the living and the half-dead, the

people of the Tree Lands must also endure thescourges of the wilderness and the terrible spirits andmonstrous beasts that lair within the bush. Bat-wingedsasabonsams swoop to reap a shrieking harvest fromthe villages, and cruel elokos demand a red and terribleprice from all who dare trespass upon their lands. Andbeneath it all coil the emerald scales of the umthali, the

snakemen who ruled at the dawn of thecold-blooded malice seethes towards thousurp their rule and cast down their anstone and strange artifice. Some say that tto be found than in their ruined cities, awhisper green words into the ears of hum

Yet even in this time of darkness, the Tree Lands are proud. Te sun still gblades of the Kirsi lancers and the iron

of their steeds. Te great cities of Nyala lost empire amid their palaces of sculptmarkets of Sokone are heavy with goodcorner of the Tree Lands. Lokossas brookings still rule a land of mighty magic,amazons still stand fast against the bestiaof the uttermost south. And in the eaMeru cherish their Sun Faith and the dancestors hurled into the teeth of the EterFive Kingdoms totter, but they have not

Tere are still those who fight for someWandering griots sing of the heroes of tand the grudges they set aside to standmarabouts of both the Sun Faith and thwarn their followers that bloody quarbring ruin to the living. Masked ngangdistant villages to drive out evil spirits apower of dark sorcerers before vanishininto the bush. And everywhere, brave wtheir bodies between their people and bandits and corrupt officials. Some of thesouls band together as Spears of the Dthe last emperors charge to seek out anevil remnants of the Long War. Tey figplaces and often die unmourned, but theburning brand against the darkening skie

Yet still, the hour is growing late, and viuncertain. Tere are so many who profit bdecay, so many too bitter or selfish or bli

danger before the Five Kingdoms. And thwho are worse than blind. Tere are thoscontent to let the Sixth Kingdom die wand who delve in dark places for lorehave gone down to damnation long agostand against these beasts both men and courage of the Spears of the Dawn?

BETALOW-ARTSAMPLE


3/16

4

WHATISTHISGAME?Spears of the Dawn is a game that provides classic old-schoolfantasy adventure in an African-flavored setting. Just as manyearly role-playing games created compound worlds of mixedmedieval European elements, so Spears of the Dawn creates anAfrican pastiche built for accessible fun at the table. Tis is nota game about historical Africa any more than early fantasy RPGswere games about historical Europe. Instead, like its predecessors,it tries to use elements of history and legend to build a fun andworkable setting for flavorful adventure.

Africa is one of the classically undersampled sources of fantasyadventure in our hobby. With the hobbys traditional emphasison European sources- with the occasional detour into Asia- it too

easily overlooks Africas fantastic variety of cultures, empires, andlegends. Tere is a wealth of potential fun to be had in exploringthese possibilities, and Spears of the Dawnis meant to provide asmall sampling of the opportunities available to a group.

At a deeper level, this game is meant to be an illustration of pos-sibilities for those with similar interests. Tis game was written in

roughly two months. Its layout was done in ways that could bemimicked with the free Scribus software package, and it was pro-vided to the market through OneBookshelf, a gaming front endthat provides storefront space for both PDF and print-on-demandversions of games. Te raw mechanics of this game are based onthe Stars Without Number RPG, but you could just as easily lift ba-sic old-school gaming mechanics through the free Open GamingLicense. Tere is nothing in this book that could not be equaled orexcelled by someone with sufficient interest and dedication.

Tere are innumerable settings, historical periods, and culturesthat have gone largely ignored by our hobby. Tere is enormouspotential out there for those with the interest required to go out,

mine these veins of inspiration, and come back with somethingusable for the rest of us. If you like Spears of the Dawn, go out andfind your own untapped sources of fun. If you dont like Spears ofthe Dawn, go out and make something better. We now have thetools we need for all of us to participate in creating fresh, inven-tive, usable material for our hobby. If you want more from ourpastime, you have what you need to make it.

WHATDOYOUDOINTHISGAME?Te player characters are ambitious young adventurers in adeclining age. In the wake of a generations-long war, the TreeLands have been exhausted of their courage and depleted in bothpopulation and wealth. Te unholy Sixth Kingdoms invasionwas broken forty years ago and its Eternal King maimed and leftfor dead in the eastern mountains, but there remain countlesspockets of cultists and Eternal throughout the western lands. In

many places these cruel immortals ruled for generations, and theirtomb-houses have yet to be cleared of their remnants.

Supernatural evils are not the only scourges that plague the FiveKingdoms. In this age of exhaustion and weariness, there are manyamong the people who find much profit in trouble- ambitious no-bles, scheming merchants, ruthless mercenary commanders, andthieving bandit chieftains. A season of war feeds the vultures well,and these men and women gladly pick at their peoples wounds.Tey require no occult prompting to do their evil- the shine of

gold and the pleasures of power are ample reason for their deeds.Someone must stop them if the Five Kingdoms are to be savedfrom ruin.

Player characters often take the role of the Spears of the Dawn,those men and women specially charged with combating thelast remnants of the Sixth Kingdom. Spears may go where oth-ers might not be so welcome, and can count upon the supportand gratitude of a weary populace. Tis respect comes at a price;whenever an evil is too great or too unnatural to be answered bythe locals, the Spears are expected to lend their aid. Te mortalityamong these heroes is spectacular, but there is always another rest-less young man or rebellious woman ready to take up the burden.

Characters need not be Spears, of course, if the GM has a differentflavor of game in mind. Most campaigns will at least start withthat role in mind, however, the better to make an easy introduc-tion to the realms of the Tree Lands.

CONTENTS

CREATINGACHARACTER.......................................

SYSTEMSANDRULES............................................

MAGIC ..........................................................

THETHREELANDS ..............................................

RUNNINGACAMPAIGN........................................

CREATINGADVENTURES........................................

A BESTIARYOFTHETHREELANDS............................

TREASURESANDTHEIRUSES...................................

GAMEMASTERRESOURCES......................................

THREELANDSPRONUNCIATIONMany of the names and titles in this book might look a littledifficult to pronounce at first glance. In truth, the pronunciationrules for words of the Tree Lands are very simple.

A is pronounced as in sawE is pronounced as in heyI is pronounced as in machineO is pronounce as in hoeU is pronounced as in trueTe consonants are pronounced as most American Englishspeakers would expect. Where two consonants appear together ina way that seems difficult to vocalize, such as nganga, the firstconsonant is often left silent- GAHN-gah, and sometimes vo-calized as in nn-KEE-see. Guides will indicate the correct form.

WORDSOFTHEFIVEKINGDOMSTe following is a quick guide to the pronunciation of the FiveKingdoms and the less-than-obvious character class names.

Kirsi KEER-see

Lokossa low-KOH-sah

Meru MAY-roo

Nyala nn-YAH-lah

Sokone so-KOH-nay

Nganga GAHN-gah

Marabout MAHR-ah-boo

Griot GREE-oh


4/16

CREATINGACHARACTBefore venturing into the fearsome wilds of the Tree Lands, twothings need to be done- the players need to create characters, andthe game master, or GM, needs to create an adventure. Tedetails of building a sandbox campaign and assembling a goodadventure are dealt with later in this book, but everyone needs toknow how to fashion a suitable hero. Even the GM should takesome time to read through this chapter in order to understandwhat manner of heroes they will be seeing in their adventures.

You shouldnt feel intimidated by t he details of this chapter, asthe process is quite simple. You roll up your characters innate

attributes, pick a background from the list provided, choose thecharacter class that best represents their heroic talents, and buyequipment with their initial funds. Experienced players can getit done in five minutes or less, and even your first time throughshouldnt take more than fifteen or twenty minutes once youveread the options. Many players find it worthwhile to create two orthree characters at once, the better to have a backup handy in casetheir first choice should happen to make some fatal error in thepresence of enemy spears.

Spears of the Dawnis built to support a style of known as sandbox gaming. In such games, itand their goals that will determine the ultimate drather than relying on the GM to build plots anplayers to experience. If your characters have no gticular motivations, youre either going to have aor youre going to force the GM to constantly toward adventure. As such, its very important thhave some sort of ambition or purpose, even if thaordinary as Become filthy rich. Every character ngo out and interact with the world.

Still, just because your character has a goal doesshe is actually going to succeed at it. Sandbox gamrespond reasonably and coherently to player charaPC behaves foolishly or recklessly he can expect ting but very brief life. Tere is no plot armor thahim and no deus ex machina that will reach dohim from the consequences of his gambles. Youhave spent the past five years struggling to overthwho massacred his family, but if he bulls in blindltyrant before he is ready for the clash, hes probaTe players make the stor y in a sandbox campaignthat story is a sad one.

Still, if you show ordinary good sense and prudeand have no more than common degrees of luck, long and exciting adventuring career. Careful scouweighing of risk and reward, and the keen sense o

caution to the wind will bring your heroes the gland the victory they desire. And even if the spiriagainst them and bitter misfortune drag them dowheroes can often escape an enemys jaws that thlater in vengeance and righteous flame.

WORKINGTOGETHERIf possible, you should roll up your characters toGM and the other players in the campaign. Taeasier to tie your PCs backgrounds together and explanation for trusting each other. Such group ltant in Spears of the Dawn, as rogue lions and lonprey for the perils of the Tree Lands. eamwork is to survive the dangers that they will face, and Ptrust each other are setting the group up for an ig

In the course of play, its not uncommon for cthemselves with conflicting motivations- the ngato plumb the ruins of a prehuman umthali city pent-magic while the warrior might want to crusoba who drove the party out of his city several mono easy agreement is to be had, it can be best to leturns in directing the groups goals. As in any mattdispute, the PCs should take care not to let their qthe good of the whole. Squabbling in a tavern is targuing in a tomb-house can be a fatal distraction

SPEARSOFTHEDAWNIn the wake of t he Long War, countless pockets of Eternal andtheir devotees were left behind by the collapse of the SixthKingdoms army. Even deep into the west, there remainedburied tomb-houses and uncleared ruins teeming with foesthat could neither be starved out or waited out. One of thelast mutual acts of the Five Kingdoms alliance was to assign

certain elite military units with the responsibility for clearingthese pockets of festering night. Tese grim heroes were knownas the Spears of the Dawn.

In the forty years since, these poorly-supported units haveunraveled into a loose mesh of allied groups, freelancers, andself-declared members. Anyone can call himself or herself aSpear, but such men and women are expected to fight evil andpurge pockets of long-forgotten peril. So long as they carryout their old mandate, they are an accepted and respectedelement of society, if viewed with a certain apprehension fortheir unpredictability. Tey stand outside the usual bounds ofcustom and tradition, and minor crimes and broken taboos areoften overlooked by a populace that needs their sacrifices.

Tose who fail to live up to their title are forced to move onquickly. Te line between Spear and bandit vagabond can bevanishingly thin, and few communities care to risk the dangerof a useless, dangerous outsider lurking within their walls.

By default, adventurers are assumed to have declared themselvesSpears of the Dawn or been appointed to it by an older mentor.It provides an easy explanation for why they might search outadventure, and gives a good excuse as to why a group of wildly-varying young freebooters might work together. Your GM mayhave a different campaign framing device in mind, however, soyou should check with them before assuming too much.


5/16

8

ROLLINGATTRIBUTESTe first step in creating your character is to determine thecharacters six attributes. Attributes describe the charactersaptitude in certain aspects- how strong, clever, perceptive, quick,hardy, or charming they might be. Attributes in a human rangeare measured by scores ranging from 3 to 18, with 3 reflecting acharacter barely capable of functioning as an adventurer, and 18indicating remarkable natural gifts.

o generate your characters attributes, roll 3d6 six t imes and assignthe rolls to the attributes in the order listed on the table below.Average humans have attributes in the 8 to 13 range; as such, youmay choose to remove points from any attribute above 13 to raise

any attribute up to 8. For example, if youve rolled a Dexterityscore of 15 and an Intelligence score of 7, you might choose totake one point from Dexterity and raise your Intelligence scoreup to 8. No attribute so altered can be lowered below 13 or raisedabove 8. Attributes need not be evened out this way if you preferto play the attributes as rolled.

Once you have determined your scores, you should write downthe attribute modifier for each. Te attribute modifier is a bonusor penalty that is applied to rolls related to that attribute. Atmany points in this book youll be instructed to add a particularattributes modifier to a roll. You should take care to add just themodifier to the roll, and not the entire attribute score. In the caseof a particularly lackluster attribute score, the modifier might evenbe negative, in which case you should subtract it from the roll as apenalty. If your attributes change during the course of play, makesure to adjust your modifiers as needed.

Some characters dont look to be terribly promising material for

adventure. At the GMs discretion, a character whose total finalattribute modifiers sum to less than zero can be discarded andtheir attributes rerolled. Not all GMs prefer to allow this option,however. High attribute scores are nice, but they are by no meansmandatory to make an interesting or playable character. Survivingthe perils of the Tree Lands depends far more on good choicesthan good attributes.

CHOOSINGATTRIBUTESSome players just dont care for random generation of attri-butes, particularly when the dice produce a character whollyunlike what they wanted to play. Even with the chance to swapin a score of 14 into a prime ability of their class, its just no funfor them to randomly roll their adventurers attributes. Tis isby no means an unreasonable taste, but such players are encour-aged to give it an honest try. Part of the pleasure of the game is

surprise- surprise at the details of your character, surprise at thekind of challenges youll face, and surprise at the possibilitiesthat arise from your characters limits and ambitions.

Still, if you feel strongly about it and the GM doesnt object,you can simply put a score of 7, 11, or 14 in any given attribute,so long as you dont have more scores of 14 than you have 7s.If you take this option, you dont get the free 14 you wouldotherwise be given in one of your chosen class prime attributes.

ATTRIBUTEMODIFIERSATTRIBUTESCORE MODIFIER

18 +2

14-17 +1

8-13 No Modifier

4-7 -1

3 -2

THESIXATTRIBUTES

STRENGTH

Physical might and ability to carry heavy loads. Characters withhigh Strength are fearsome in hand-to-hand combat, smashingthrough enemy defenses with brute force.

INTELLIGENCE

Memory, logic, and the capacity to think quickly. Characterswith high Intelligence are well-suited t o coping with complexintellectual skills and handling the enigmatic mysteries of theoccult.

WISDOM

Perception, strength of will, and judgment. A high Wisdom

shows that the character is keenly aware of his or hersurroundings, has a strong willpower, and a healthy fund ofcommon sense.

DEXTERITY

Hand-eye coordination, agility, and reaction speed. HighDexterity is the sign of a nimble, quick-handed character witha lot of natural aptitude for archery and stealth.

CONSTITUTION

Hardihood, stamina, and the ability to withstand pain, sickness,and injury. High Constitution indicates a character that cantake a lot of abuse before keeling over, whether or not they havean impressive musculature.

CHARISMA

Charm, persuasiveness, and capacity for leadership. Not everyhigh-Charisma character is handsome or beautiful, but all ofthem have a way of making others take them seriously.

CHOOSINGANORIGINWith your general concept chosen, you need to decide on yourcharacters origins. Te great majority of PCs will come from oneof the Five Kingdoms, hailing either from one of the great citiesof the west or one of the countless scattered villages that lie in thewilderness of the Tree Lands. A few heroes might come from aminor tribe or lesser statelet left behind in the chaos of the Long

War, but even these places often share many of the same customsand traits as their neighboring nations.

Each origin page includes a brief description of the culture,common details of appearance, and some likely ways in whicha character from that background might become an adventurer.Te descriptions are brief by necessity, and if you want moreinformation you should check the Tree Lands setting chapter toget a more detailed description. As in all things, the informationgiven in the briefings should be taken to describe only the usualor most common facets of the culture. Individuals can vary widelyeven within the most rigid and t radition-bound societies.

Every origin also offers a selection of backgrounds. You shouldpick the one that best describes the PCs past before they acquiredthe special skills of an adventurer. Backgrounds reflect where yourcharacter has come from- they do not limit the class you mightlater choose for them. Just because a Lokossan was raised as angangas apprentice doesnt mean he cant later become a mightyswordsman.

Each background package gives a list of skills. You should writethese down on your character sheet as being level-0, implyinga basic, workmanlike familiarity with the skill. Youll later gainadditional skills when you pick a class. Where the two lists overlap,the skills will rise to level-1, indicating a long professionalexpertise.

Once you have an origin culture, you should thinfor the PC. By convention, most names in the Tof a personal name followed by a surname or clan ndominated entirely by one clan, descriptive terWise, the Smith, One-Leg or other such areto the personal name. Some souls driven to

former lives take entirely new names descriptive ocharacteristic or mighty deed, such as the famed Len Skulls or the Meruan Spear-hero known as thTe Resources chapter in this book contains exam

Family and tribe are both very important in the Tits likely that your PCs will soon travel far beyotheir kinsmen. If you are playing a more geograpcampaign, however, take care to be aware of youas a member of the family. Tose men and wocome to the aid of their kinsmen often suffer mshame for their neglect.

CUSTOMORIGINSIf you see an origin that looks interesting in one cuprefer to play a character from a different kingdomjust change the details of the background to suiculture. Some of the backgrounds are specificpeople, but even in those cases your GM shouldyou the equivalent of what you want to play.

In the same fashion, if youre comfortable withwant to make your own background you can simskills from the Skills section and tie them togetheexplanation. Provided it sounds plausible to the Gperfectly well.

CHOOSINGACONCEPTOnce youve rolled your attributes, youre ready to pick a conceptfor your character. Your concept is a brief, general description ofwhat your aspiring hero is about: Hes a Lokossan warrior wholeft his village to find adventure. Shes an olabons apprenticefrom Meru who seeks Sun Faith relics. Hes a simple Kirsi maizefarmer run off his land by a grasping lord. Shes a runawayNyalan noblewoman who refuses to be married off for her familysadvancement.

If youre uncertain as to which concepts might suit the game, youcan consult the origin pages that follow to get an idea of some ofthe more common adventurous roles that exist in the Tree Lands.

In most new Spears of the Dawn campaigns, its assumed that yourcharacter has somehow ended up as a Spear, whatever his or herformer life, and youll want to keep this in mind unless your GMhas specified a rather different kind of game.

Part of choosing a concept is also choosing a motivation. Somethingmade your character abandon their former existence and take upthe potentially lethal role of a Spear or roaming adventurer. Doeshe lust for gold and the pleasures of a rich mans life? Does she

crave ancient secrets and the lore of long-dead nhe seeks justice for the downtrodden and oppresto do a little creative oppressing himself once hcontrol of his natal city.

In the same vein, not every freebooter plannelike this and many of them find themselves fothe roads when their old life comes crashing doTese disasters can provide powerful motivationsto avenge whatever injustice forced them out existence.

Its not necessary that your motivation be granset, but you need to pick at least one. In a sanSpears of the Dawnyour character needs to have soambitions if they dont mean to be left at a loss bythey encounter. Your character needs to have a rand accomplish something, and if your motivatiothat can give you quick and easy direction you mayyour choice.


6/16

10

KIRSITe people of Kirsi (KEER-see) are warriors, the sons anddaughters of the hard border lords that rule what was once theeastern frontier of the Nyalan Empire. Teir armored lancers arefamous throughout the Tree Lands, and their iron-shod cavalrythundered through seas of Eternal soldiers in the days of the LongWar. Even the least Kirsine peasant knows something of how tohold a weapon, and even the lords of Kirsi do not dare attempt totake the swords from the hands of the common people.

Since the Long War ended forty years ago the Kirsi have beenembroiled in an endless succession of civil wars, internecinesquabbles, and usurpations. Te nominal king, the Dia, rules only

the land beneath his horsemens hooves, and the common peoplesuffer bitterly from the feuding of their lords. Many peasants havebeen driven from their villages by the fighting, and noble familieshave been left impoverished or scattered among the hills.

Te Kirsi dwell in the north-central part of the Yellow Land, in thedry hills and scrubland that abut the Mountains of the Sun. Teircities are of adobe and scrub-oak, simple and square and sun-baked. Te fortresses of the nobles are built of quarried stone, andsome date back for centuries, back when Kirsi was still the easternfrontier of empire and its lords still had the wealth to afford Nya-lan architects and artists. Ancient estates and ruined monumentsstill litter the hills.

Te Kirsi are very dark-skinned, as dark as the Lokossans to the farsouthwest. Teir features are straight and sharp, and their straightblack hair is worn long by both men and women. Te men braidit to better cushion their helmets or wear it up in colorful clothturbans, while the women decorate theirs with bright ornaments

and veils of dyed cotton. White robes split for riding are commonto all, often worn over tunics and trousers for both sexes. Te rich-ness and color of the underdress is a sign of the wearers wealthand importance.

Te Kirsi are proud, contumacious, and fierce. Tey recognizeonly their chosen lord, and that only so long as he continues toadvance his warriors interests. Unlike some other lands, any peas-ant with the will and ferocity to stake out his own glorious namein the dry hills may come to be counted as noble as any otherlord, if only he can hold his fame against those who would takeit from him.

Most Kirsine adventurers are warriors in the tradition of theirpeople. Many such soldiers are knocked loose from their landsafter ending up on the wrong end of a war or from the suddencollapse of their patron noble house. Marabouts and griots arenot unknown either, with the Sun Faith strong in the Yellow Land

and every noble clan needing at least one griot to pronounce theirvirtues and mighty deeds. Ngangas from Kirsi are even rarer thanusual, as few with the gift for manipulating asheever have the op-portunity to learn the necessary skills to wield it. Tose who doare often deep in the bush, far away from warriors who understandonly steel. Some find it best to depart their home before they arecondemned by some paranoid noble or mobbed by witch-fearinglocal peasants.

KIRSINEBANDIT

Whether an actual marauder or simply a soldier obliged to gofreelance in unorthodox ways, the fast-riding bandits of Kirsiare a scourge on their neighbors. Tey strike swiftly on theirsturdy hill-country horses and sweep away before the locals canmuster a defense. Some bandits repent of their thieving waysand seek a more noble life, and others simply find the typicalactivities of a the Spears to be more or less the same as theirusual job.

Skills:Combat/Any, Culture/Kirsi, Perception, Ride, Stealth,Survival

KIRSINENOBLE

You were of a noble clan once... you still are, really, if you wantto be precise. But they lost a fight they couldnt afford to lose,or you did something they couldnt ever forgive, and now yourecast upon your own resources in the world. Its up to you toavenge their fall, redeem your name, or just forget what youonce were.

Skills:Combat/Any, Culture/Kirsi, Leadership, Perception,Persuade, Ride

KIRSINEPEASANT

Warriors must eat, and the retinues of the nobles are too proudto till the earth, even if they werent constantly fighting. Tepeasants of Kirsi are tough, cynical, and often veteran warriorsfrom their days as conscripts in a local lords army. Many tire of

the endless struggle, and some decide to act on their weariness.

Skills:Any One Skill, Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/Kirsi,Survival, rade/Farmer

KIRSINESCHOLAR

Kirsi is not famous for its scholars, but some historians havethe patience and personal courage to track the constant shift ofnoble clans and borderlines within the kingdom. Others salvagethe histories that would otherwise be lost to indifference, andremember the songs and chants that praise heroes long sincegone down to the dust.

Skills:Combat/Any, Culture/Kirsi, Language, Medicine,Scholar, Occult

KIRSINESCOUT

A sword must be directed to be of use, and the armored fist of

the lancers is useless when a target is not to be found. Teselight-clad scouts cross the hills with speed and silence, capableof surviving unaided for long periods in the hills as they searchfor enemy troops. Tey are not expected to engage the foe di-rectly, but only to find him and get away in time to alert theirallies.

Skills:Combat/Any, Culture/Kirsi, Navigation, Ride, Stealth,Survival

KIRSINESOHANKIT

Te sohankitare the home-grown spirit healers, sorcerers and

charm-makers of the Kirsi, most often found in remote villagesand in the darker corners of the adobe cities. Teir actions caneasily be construed as harming others through witchcraft, andso most find it necessary to avoid the official notice of nobility,even if they fashion charms for them under the cover of night.Most have no actual magical abilities, though they often havesome measure of occult learning.

Skills:Combat/Any, Culture/Kirsi, Medicine, Perception,Stealth, Occult

KIRSINESOLDIER

Some commoners are fortunate enough to find a place in thepermanent retinue of a Kirsine lord. Tese men- and a few steel-hard women- trade a lifetime of border skirmishes and suddenambushes for the bread and beer of a soldier. Sometimes theloss of a lord or some unendurable mistreatment sends themlooking for a different life. Teir services are prized in other

lands, though the climate and horse-sickening parasites of thesouthern kingdoms make it difficult to muster large bodies ofcavalry beyond the northern lands.

Skills:Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/Kirsi, Leadership,Ride, actics

KIRSINESUNRIDER

Paladins of the Sun Faith, the Sunriders are ster

riors for justice. Many of them are former soldsickened of the endless fighting and seek to defenpeople from noble depredations. Others are raisto join the order, trained by older Sunriders whin their villages or towns. A few are even cast out

Skills:Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/KirsRide, Priestcraft

KIRSINESUNTEACHER

Te great majority of Kirsine are faithful devotFaith, revering the Sun as the supreme deity andFour Corners of the Mountain laid down by theevery Sun eacher is gifted with the talents of a the people require teaching, prayer, and guidanc

Skills:Combat/Any, Culture/Kirsi, LeadershScholar, Priestcraft

KIRSINEURBANITE

Te cities of Kirsi are not so vast as the sprawlinNyala or the teeming market-towns of Sokone, bies all the same. Te people who dwell there mususeful trade to call their own if they are to earn t

Skills:Any One Skill, Business, Combat/Any,Ride, rade/Any

Slot: CGKirsiIconic

7.2 in. wide by 4.8 in. tall

A band of Kirsi lancers charging down a dry, stony, shallow-sloped hill directly toward the viewer. Te center horsemlowered to charge, with its tip as the focus of the composition, while one of the flanking men has his lance raised inReference photos for the lancers are under the rades and Professions folder.


7/16

12

LOKOSSATe grim Lokossans (low-KOH-sah) dwell in the t hick southernjungles of the Green Land, standing fast against the constantincursions of the bestial Night Men from across the Akpara River.Teir warriors are armed for battle by their mighty ngangas, andthe greatest of these sages is enthroned as the Ahonsu, the sorcerer-king of Lokossa. No other land is so wound about with witchcraftas is Lokossa, and even the greatest of t he Nyalan emperors couldnot overcome the sorcery of its mysterious lords.

Te Lokossans live bleakly regimented lives. Commoners farmpatches of cleared land within the jungle or harvest its fruits,game, and fish. Every village is the property of a noble clan, and

its inhabitants are little better than slaves to the will of their lords.Some are literally so- slavery is more common in Lokossa thanin any other land, not least because of the grim yearly rites ofhuman sacrifice required by many of the most powerful ngangas.Te raditions, as they are called, are said to provide the ngangaswith the strength they need to hold back the Night Men fromoverrunning the country. Te people dread being chosen for suchan offering, but most accept it as a sad necessity for their commonsurvival.

Te Ahonsu rules with a hard hand over his people, expressing hiswill through the numerous noble clans, each of which is markedby a magically potent bloodline. Commoners who show the talentfor manipulating asheare married into a noble clan and elevatedto a higher rank, while the great majority of the clan that lacksmystical aptitude are set to officering in the army or serving asclerks and officials in the villages. A noble may have unquestionedcommand over his people, but even he is but a slave to the serviceof the Ahonsu, and none dare defy the witch-kings commands.

Only in wandering is freedom. Tose who flee their villages ornoble palaces can live long lives free of anothers will, but theymust keep moving. oo long a residence in one place will markthem as the property of whichever lord owns that land. Te needfor freedom has driven many Lokossans into pilgrimage far fromtheir homes- and many more to leave their bones beneath thejungles eternal green.

Te Lokossans are a very dark-skinned people, with dark eyes andtightly-curled hair that is often cropped short or kept in elaboratebraids. Teir features are more lush and rounded than those of theother Five Kingdoms, and many among them incise delicate linesof ritual scarification on their bodies as part of initiation rites ormagical practices. Some among the nobles endure the excruciatinguse of certain rare plant dyes to give their scars brilliant, jewel-bright hues, both to announce their rank and to demonstrate theirindifference to suffering. In the humid heat of the southern jungles,

clothing ranges from minimal to near-nonexistent depending onthe work that is to be done, though men and women not engagedin war or labor favor chiffon-light wraps of woven leaf fibers dyedin beautiful patterns and rich colors.

LOKOSSANAPPRENTICE

Some are born with the gift to channel ashe, the magical forcethat fuels the ngangas arts. Tis gift may come from a strongbloodline, from a supernatural mark at birth, from a life-changing event, or from the touch of a great spirit, but whateverits source it is prized in Lokossa. Every noble house is eagerto gather as many potential ngangas to them as they are able,the better to enhance their sorcerous might. Not all apprenticesprove suitable for mastering the ngangas red arts, however, andsome students decide to take a different path to glory- whetheror not their master approves.

Skills: Culture/Lokossa, Language, Leadership, Medicine,Occult, Scholar

LOKOSSANHUNTER

What cannot be grown from the unwilling earth or drawn fromthe rivers must be hunted beneath the jungles boughs. Lokossarelies more upon game and jungle provender than do the otherkingdoms of the Tree Lands, and most Lokossans who are notpeasants are hunters. Tese practiced souls are skilled at stealthand the downing of big game, but many find employment inthe regiments of the Lokossan army to scout out the movementsof Night Men warbands. Few such military scouts live longenough to retire to their richly-deserved honors.

Skills:Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/Lokossa, Perception,Stealth, Survival

LOKOSSANLAGREDI

In the Tree Lands, those who defy the boundaries of customor nature touch upon a dangerous power. Te lagredis are thosemen who have partaken of certain potions and rituals, assumingthe social and sometimes physical role of women. Te processis believed to grant them unusual magical potency, and it isnot uncommon for male nobility to seek them for wives. TeAhonsu himself is expected to have several such spouses, com-monly entrusted with the subtle oversight and monitoring ofimportant matters.

Skills:Business, Culture/Lokossa, Occult, Perception, Per-suade, Stealth

LOKOSSANNOBLE

Not every noble is in perfect harmony with their clan. Someprove... problematic, for one reason or another. Sometimesthey incur the sorcerous anger of a more powerful kinsman, or

fail in some great duty, or are simply an obstacle in the ascentof a more ambitious relative. Tese nobles retain their prideand their learning, but have little else when cast forth uponthe world. Some families prefer not to have such disgraces sullytheir clans name with continued life, and hunt them still.

Skills:Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/Lokossa, Leadership,Occult, actics

LOKOSSANPEASANT

Tere are those with worse lots in the Tree Lands than thepeasants of Lokossa, but there are not many of them. Tesepeasants labor as virtual slaves under their masters rule, theironly route to glory running through military service againstthe Night Men or talent as a ngangas apprentice. Some seekto make a different way for themselves in a more distant land.

Skills:Any One Skill, Athletics, Culture/Lokossa, Stealth,Survival, rade/Farmer

LOKOSSANPRIESTTe great majority of Lokossans are followers of the Spirit Way,giving particular reverence to the shades of dead Ahonsus intheir palace-tombs. Others are servants of the spirits of thejungles, the rivers, or the sky, enlisting such aid as they canagainst the enemies of their people. Few have any true magicalpower, but their encouragement and their understanding ofcurses and magical afflictions make them useful to their people.

Skills:Culture/Lokossa, Leadership, Medicine, Occult, Per-suade, Priestcraft

LOKOSSANREAPER

Just as the lagredi is thought to gain mystical power bytransgressing the boundary between male and female, theReaper is said to obtain great martial ferocity by abandoningher femininity for the masculine role of warrior. Among these

amazons number restless farm girls, dissatisfied wives, convictedcriminals, and ambitious young noblewomen, and togetherthey are some of the most feared warriors in all Lokossa. Teyhave all the rights of men and an honored place in Lokossansociety, but they buy it with fearsome bloodshed and their skillwith the two-handed great razor.

Skills:Any One Skill, Athletics, Combat/Blade, Culture/Lo-kossa, Survival, actics

LOKOSSANSOLDIER

While the armies of Lokossa are officered by ncommon folk who make up the rank and file omen. Te short-bladed idasword is the weapon othem, the better to clear away brush and deliveand thrusts in the close quarters of the jungle. Mvillage conscripts raised by noble levies, but eveto the work recognize the importance of their dthe armies of Lokossa to hold them back, the besof the south would be burning Nyalan temples w

Skills: Any One Skill, Athletics, Combat/Ankossa, actics, rade/Any

LOKOSSANRUNAWAY

Slavery is disturbingly common in Lokossa. Cripoverished, war prisoners, and even disgraced degradation to slavery, and from their number athe sacrifices to be made at the yearly raditionremain obedient out of hopelessness, fear, or famsome have the will to flee their oppressors.

Skills:Athletics, Culture/Lokossa, NavigatioStealth, Survival

LOKOSSANURBANITE

Lokossa is not abundant in cities, but it has itsfashioned of hard jungle woods and laboriously-

Most such places exist as commercial and craftwthe country, taking in the noble-gathered tributryside and transforming it into the host of goosupplies necessary to sustain society. Private comlimited, but every citizen must be skilled at someescape the displeasure of the citys lord.

Skills:Any One Skill, Business, Culture/LokoPerception, rade/Any

Slot: CGLokossaIconic

7.2 in wide by 3.46 high

Te scene is an evening inspection ground, with a wall of thick jungle in the background. On the left side of the illoLokossan amazons are drawn up in rigid military order, spears in hand. On the right side their female officer is scowlininspects the line, pacing downstage toward the viewer. All of the amazons are dressed as depicted in the LokossanReathe rades and Professions reference folders, save that they have spears instead of swords/rifles and only the officer hasdress. A clear lane of view runs up the center of t he image between the officer and the soldiers, leading the eye to the junand the glowing eyes in the shadows there.


8/16

14

MERUIn the golden seas of grass that cover the southern Yellow Land theMeru (MAY-roo) are the masters of the land. Teir great herdsof cattle tread paths laid down by their forefathers in generationspast, pausing only until the pasture is depleted. Teir villages aretemporary affairs of thatch, sticks, and piled thornbush walls, butthese people maintain many secrets long since lost to others.

Te Meru did not exist as a people until the start of the LongWar, when their Sun Faith ancestors fled the kingdom of Deshurafter the martyrdom of their prophet. Tey refused to bow to theGods Below and preferred escape to the savannahs to the forcedworship that was demanded of them. Once on the plains, the in-

digenous tribes recognized their need for allies in the war to come,and taught the Merus ancestors how to herd and live in their newhome. Intermarriage and assimilation of the far-fewer indigeneswas swift, and now their culture exists only in a few isolated fami-lies and a small strain of Spirit Way faith among the otherwiseuniformly Sun Faithful Meruans.

Te Eternal King sent legion after legion into the savannah to killthe rebels, but the nomadic lifestyle and ceaseless wandering of theMeru kept them constantly ahead of the Deshrites. Tey learnedthe use of special weapons suited to crushing the bones of the im-mortals, and their siarethrowing-clubs and great runkuwar stavesare still symbols of defiance against the Sixth Kingdom. Tey areproud of their freedom, and the wandering families of the Meruare only loosely ruled by an elected Elaigwen, a city-chief cho-sen from among the patriarchs of the greatest Meru clans.

Te Meru are a nomadic people. Teir history has led them toshun lasting settlements, and many clans meet only at appointed

times and places to trade, find wives, and renew old pacts. A fewmakeshift market towns and farming settlements of thatch andthornbush dot the savannah, but these settlements last only solong as the water and pasturage endure. In the days of the OldKings the Nyalan Empire laid claim to the Yellow Land, but theirlegions often failed to even find the indigenous dwellers in thegrass sea, let alone exact tribute from them.

Te Meru resemble their Sixth Kingdom ancestors, with cop-pery, golden-brown skin and features less severe than their Kirsineneighbors. Tose families with strong native influence tend to bemuch darker-skinned, though they usually retain the straighterblack hair of other Meru. As with the other people of the FiveKingdoms, eye colors are varying shades of dark or hazel hues.Tose with different hues are usually considered marked by thespirits in some way.

Meruan adventurers are most often young men and women who

wish to make a name for themselves before starting a family. Tegold they gather can buy them a bride-price or a herd of their own,or earn a girl the glory she requires to chart her own life. Teirwarriors are famed for their hardiness and courage in t he face ofEternal foes, and their olabons preserve many secrets that theirDeshrite ancestors brought out of the Sixth Kingdom. Te SunFaith also gives rise to many young marabouts who feel the needto spread the faith beyond the boundaries of the yellow grass sea.

MERUANARTISAN

Te vast majority of Merus adult men are herders, and muchof the craftwork and other necessary professions are carried onby women and those men without the strength to run withthe herds. Tese artisans provide almost all of the leatherwork,bone-carving, woodwork, weaving, and other skills vital to anyclan. Even these sedentary Meru are often marked by superbconditioning and hardy strength from their long journeys.

Skills:Any One Skill, Athletics, Business, Combat/Any, Cul-ture/Meru, rade/Any

MERUANHEALER

Te Meru retain many of the secrets of Deshrite medicine andknow sophisticated techniques for dealing with the woundsand contagions inflicted by the Eternal legions. Teir healershave cause to use their arts, not least on the precious cattle thatare the great support of the wandering clans. Many healers arewomen, as Meruan custom credits them with a greater powerto purify tainted spirit and flesh. Even when clans are feudingat their hottest, only the most degenerate will dare to harm ahealer.

Skills:Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/Meru, Medicine, Oc-cult, rade/Herder

MERUANHERDER

Where the common folk of ot her lands are peasant farmers,the people of Meru are herdsmen. Teir lives are bound up

with their cattle- they drink their blood, eat their flesh raw inmemory of their ancestors who had no t ime to kindle fires whenthey escaped the Sixth Kingdom, and make their clothing andtools from leather and bone. Tey eat no plant food they cannotgather while herding or take from the small gardens planted intheir temporary villages and market-towns. Herding is tradi-tionally a male role, but there are times when loss of men in waror simple necessity require a sturdy young girl to go out andprotect the herds from l ions and thieving strangers.

Skills:Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/Meru, Navigation,Survival, rade/Herder

MERUANOLABON

Despite their lack of great cities or sophisticated physical tech-nology, the Meru guard much ancient lore passed down fromtheir Sixth Kingdom ancestors. Much of what they know haslong since been lost beneath the black sands of the east, and

they protect this knowledge carefully as a token of their ances-tors and their right to be counted the true and faithful heirsof Deshur. Olabons often deal with supernatural conundrumswhether or not they have the power of a full-fledged nganga.

Skills:Athletics, Culture/Meru, Language, Occult, Percep-tion, Scholar

MERUANOUTCAST

Within the roving families of the Meru, the patriarchs word islaw. Execution is almost unknown as a punishment, but exile ismore common. Tese outcasts have done something unforgiv-able or incurred the anger of a tyrannical elder, and are nowcondemned to walk the savannah alone. Other clans might be

persuaded to accept them only after they have proven that theircondemnation was no true measure of their worth.

Skills:Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/Meru, Navigation,Stealth, Survival

MERUANSCOUT

Te clans must know what awaits their herds, and whether thegrass is good or the water has dried beneath the Yellow Landssun. Meruan scouts can run for hours without flagging andknow every pace of the golden grass sea. Teir skills are prizedby those generals fortunate enough to have them in service.

Skills:Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/Meru, Navigation,Stealth, Survival

MERUANSPIRITPRIEST

Te Meru are overwhelmingly followers of the Sun Faith andfiercely proud of their piety. Te remnant are often those de-

scended from the original inhabitants of the savannah, thosewho consider themselves Meru but who refuse to abandon thecustoms of their ancestors. Tese spirit priests serve the godsof grass and cattle and rain, appealing to the unseen powers tobring abundance and help for their people.

Skills:Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/Meru, Leadership,Occult, Priestcraft

MERUANSUNSTAFF

Meru does not raise armies as the other kingdclans herdsmen are expected to be able to defpeople and their cattle as the need arises. Sommore skilled than others at war, however. Tese the great two-handed runkuas their symbol, a

wielded by their ancestors to crush the bones ofSkills:

Athletics, Combat/Club, Culture/MeOccult, actics

MERUANSUNTEACHER

Te priests of the Sun Faith have few fixed rites cintricate rituals of the Spirit Faith. Te long waMeru have discouraged them from requiring temedifices of worship. Instead, they provide prayerguidance to their fellow religionists, and are trsuperior understanding of the Sun Faiths holy sdo not lead the clans, but every patriarch is expeleast one as a trusted advisor.

Skills:Athletics, Culture/Meru, Medicine, Psuade, Priestcraft

MERUANTRADER

Te Meru are not a mercantile people, especialtheir Sokone neighbors, but they have need of gwider world all the same. Teir blacksmiths muwork, their herbalists must have distant extracevery clan seeks word from its neighbors in betweuled meetings to trade brides, cattle, and news.

Skills:Athletics, Business, Combat/Any, Cultuigation, Persuade


9/16

16

NYALATe northwestern corner of the Tree Lands is a rich and fertiledomain of rolling hills, broad-leafed forests and well-wateredmeadows. Te griots tell of many ages long past in which menfought over this good land, but in the age before the Long War itwas the home of the Nyala (nn-YAH-lah) and the throne of theirmighty empire. It was their inexorable advance that finally drovethe Deshrites into the eastern mountains and goaded their kinginto pacting with the powers he found there. Teir neighbors re-member this, and the Nyalan Empire is not praised in their songs.

When the Eternal marched out of the black deserts of the east, theNyalans were cast into confusion. For generations, they struggledmore to hold their querulous provinces to obedience than to driveback the Eternal, and it was only in the reign of the final EmperorKaday that their efforts to regain Kirsi and Sokone were aban-doned and diplomacy was tried instead. Te last emperor boundtogether an alliance that broke the Eternal at last, but he died inits doing, and since then the Nyalans have only dreamed of whattheir ancestors once ruled.

Te cities of Nyala are famed for their massive walls and exquisitestonework, and the Nyalans are proud of their heritage of art andbeautiful craftsmanship. Much was learned from the giants of theMountains of the Sun, but since these titans turned in anger to-wards humankind the Nyalans have elaborated upon their owntastes and fashioned marvelous works of masonry and wroughtmetal.

Nyalans are often a haughty people. Teir nobles cherish grand ti-tles to domains that were lost a hundred years ago, and every peas-ant farmer in the realm can claim relation to some long-vanished

prince. Te griots of Nyala are renowned for the depth of theirmemories and grace of their art, though of late they have had littleto praise. Te king of Nyala is called the Mai now, and the Mai isa tired old man who knows he is not his fathers equal.

Te Nyalans are slim-featured, tall, and straight-haired, with skinthe color of polished mahogany. At times their line throws sportsof coloring in hair or eyes, most often among the nobles- whitemanes, jewel-toned gazes, or strange patterns upon the skin likebrightly-colored tattoos. radition says that such marks show gi-antish blood from the ancient days in which Nyala learned thesecrets held by the titans of the Mountains of the Sun. In clothingthey make concessions to work by wearing dyed trousers and tu-nics, but prefer to be seen in intricate layered robes of rich brocadeand delicate dyework, with sleeves flaring wide above the wrist.Te wealthiest wear robes of native silk, a cloth that can be manu-factured nowhere else in the Tree Lands.

Nyalan adventurers are often forced into it by necessity. Te Nya-lans are proud, but their pride does not always match their purse-many families slump into ruin over the generations as they losethe lands they once depended upon. Te commoners who remainare weighted with heavier and heavier taxes and find themselvesdriven by need to seek life elsewhere. And there are always thosewho can no longer tolerate the slow, sad decay of their homelandand seek to spark it into new life with their courageous deeds.

NYALANARTISAN

Te crafters of many lands have grace and beauty in their work,but the artisans of Nyala are too proud to let even the humblestof their workings go unadorned with well-worked art. Whetherexpressed in elegant, simple lines or intricate engravings, theNyalans insist on finding beauty all around them, and honorthose who bring it forth with artistry and power. Bitter rivalriesare quick to develop in such a climate, however, and belongingto the wrong artistic school of influence can be a potentiallyfatal error in the overheated confines of Nyalan politics. Somesuch artists find it wiser to seek inspiration abroad until matterscool at home.

Skills:Any One Skill, Art ist, Business, Culture/Nyala, Per-suade, rade/Any

NYALANCLERIC

While the Sun Faith is present in Nyala, the majority of itspeople are followers of the Spirit Way and revere the old godsof empire and their ancient fanes. Te clerics of Nyala are allindividually devoted to particular gods and spirits, but are ex-pected to be able to perform other rites when necessity demandsit. Few have the special friendship with the divine that marks atrue marabout, but all of them have a solid grounding in theduties of a priest and the administration of a temple.

Skills:Business, Culture/Nyala, Leadership, Medicine, Per-suade, Priestcraft

NYALANCOURTIER

Te court of the Mai orbits a weary old man with little person-al influence beyond the capital city, but the deals struck thereamong the great magnates can echo to the very borders of thekingdom. Even common-born men and women can aspire toprofit by becoming useful ornaments to court or officials in theservice of some great clan. Unfortunately for such climbers, thenobility is much more inclined to expend them than suffer theconsequences of a failed scheme, and so many courtiers find itnecessary to make sudden and drastic changes in their careers.

Skills:Any One Skill, Artist, Culture/Nyala, Perception, Per-suade, Stealth

NYALANHISTORIAN

Te griots of every land sing the great deeds of past heroes andvanished kings, but the historians of Nyala make a less aestheticeffort at remembering. Tey once charted the surging advance

of the Old Kings, and now they record the slow dwindling ofNyalas glory. In the former times every noble house was expect-ed to have its dry historian as well as its inspiring griot, but inthese days compromises are made in supporting such luxuries.Some scholars are compromised right into a life on the road.

Skills:Any One Skill, Artist, Culture/Nyala, Language, Per-suade, Scholar

NYALANHOLLOWPRINCE

Nyala teems with noble houses that have nothing but a glori-ous past. For some, their land claims were abandoned by Em-peror Kaday in buying the alliance that ended the Long War.For others, the collapse of trade and rise of banditry turnedtheir farms and fields into wastelands. Some lost their titles tothe grasping of greater nobles, and some simply drifted into adreaming solitude that refused to acknowledge the truth untilthe last trade ingot was spent. Many of these hollow princesmust grub their living beside their former peasants.

Skills:

Any One Skill, Combat/Any, Culture/Nyala, Leader-

ship, Survival, Stealth

NYALANNOBLE

When Emperor Kaday abandoned Nyalas claims on the break-away provinces of Kirsi and Sokone, entire swaths of nobilitywere ruined overnight. Tey could no longer support them-selves on subsidies to help them reclaim their land or claim theglory of domains that would never again be theirs. Tose noblesthat remained were left to fight over a suddenly-straitened do-main, and beneath their Nyalan elegance is raw red savagery.

Skills:Business, Combat/Any, Culture/Nyala, Language, Per-suade, Leadership

NYALANPEASANT

In every land there must be someone to support the elite, andthe peasants of Nyala are the base upon which rests the whole

tottering edifice of the nation. Te rich valleys and rivers ofthe northern Green Land fed an empire in the time of the OldKings, and the peasants of Nyala are richer and more profit-minded than most. In these days, it only means that there ismore to be peeled from them by rapacious nobles.

Skills:Any One Skill, Athletics, Business, Culture/Nyala,Survival, rade/Farmer

NYALANPLOTTER

No land is so thick with schemes as is Nyala, whten generations coil and turn on themselves. Tfor schemers, secret agents, members of hiddensince forgotten by most of their own membersof causes that were hopeless in their grandfathercauses are noble and just, such as the extirpatiothe advance of their nation. Others have purposvate benefit, and are willing to do whatever theylong-forgotten vows.

Skills:

Combat/Any, Culture/Nyala, Percept

Security, Stealth

NYALANSAGE

Te learned of Nyala are wide-ranging in theimany delve into the subtleties of the spirit world paths of the occult. Tese sages often vaunt of mbut the number among them with the genuine aga are few. Even those who understand the truthgift necessary to manipulate ashe. Still, their limremains useful to the desperate.

Skills:Culture/Nyala, Language, Medicine, Otion, Scholar

NYALANSOLDIER

Te legions of Nyala are not what they once weredays they were a serried sea of armored spearm

Kirsi and the gold of Sokone allied with Nyalan espine of empire. Tose that remain in this lessethe mere playthings of some wealthy noble. Notto live such a life, and some quit their former legwork.

Skills:Athletics, Combat/Nyala, Culture/NyaSurvival, actics


10/16

18

SOKONEBetween Nyala in the green northern hills and Lokossa in the hotsouthern jungles dwell the merchants and tradesmen of Sokone,(so-KOH-nay) thick along the banks of the mighty Iteru River.Te Sokone are the richest of all the Five Kingdoms, and their dar-ing pursuit of gold and precious trade has made them exemplars toevery merchant in the land. Tose who have no hope in their ownland come to Sokone to find riches. Some even succeed.

Sokones cities teem with artisans and traders, chaffering beneathdyed canopies in the shadow of domed buildings painted in redsand blues and golden yellow hues. Pungent spices from the hillplantations are heaped high on woven mats, and the cattle of Meruare sold next to exotic birds from the deepest Lokossan jungle. Allthings can be found in the cities of Sokone for those who have adiscerning eye and a bulging purse.

Sokone was one of the first provinces of the Nyalan Empire tobreak away from the old rulers when the Eternal armies marcheddown the banks of the Iteru. Something about the free-flowingwater was hateful to them, and the reed barges of Deshur wereabandoned in favor of dry-shod legions. Te Sokone were ravagedby their attack, but the Nyalan emperor was more concerned withsuccoring the border marches of Kirsi than defending their south-ern tributaries. In fury, the Sokone abandoned their fealty anddetermined to fight the Eternal without Nyalas aid.

Teir battle was long and bitter. Te former capital was overrunand transformed into the Silent City that still squats by the Iteruswaters, filled with remnant Eternal that no kingdom has yet daredto root out. Te merchant-princes of Sokone duel each other withwords and gold and sometimes knives in the dark, and some are

beginning to find profit in the trade of human lives. Cults of ahundred fantastic varieties hawk their spirits in the markets, andsome promise things that ought not to be promised from gods that

should never be named. All things can be found in Sokone, butsome of them would prefer not to be discovered by the righteous.

Te people of Sokone share traits of all the Five Kingdoms. Tejewel-colored eyes of Nyalan noble clans can be seen on men withthe ebony skin of Lokossa, and every other mix of nations has itspresence in the markets. Clans form about businesses and tradesrather than strict matters of lineage, and the Sokone think noth-ing of marrying outsiders if the strangers are capable and strong.Without the rigid decorum of Nyala, the grim oppression of Lo-kossa, or the clannishness of the Kirsi or Meru, the people of So-kone are by far the most cosmopolitan and individualistic of theFive Kingdoms.

But by the same token, those of Sokone are also least likely to aidtheir kinsmen and associates. Men and women are expected tostand upon their own feet, and if they cannot, it is a pity ratherthan a problem for their relations to solve. Many adventurers goforth for no more exalted reason than to make a living in a waymore fascinating than spice-selling or a peddlers pack. Some ofthem even live to glory in the wealth their bold choice brings tothem.

SOKONEARBITER

With so many traders, there must be law, and the arbiter is oneexpected to support such a need. He or she is versed in the com-plex body of Sokone mercantile law, and is hired by merchantsto advise them and to arbitrate in matters of disagreement. Oncean arbiter is mutually chosen, their decision is final, and thereis often much pressure on them to choose wisely for the more

powerful party. Some arbiters find it necessary to decamp in theface of potentially fatal disappointment from such a merchant.

Skills:Business, Culture/Sokone, Language, Perception, Per-suade, Scholar

SOKONEARTISAN

Te craftsmen of Sokone make many things. Perhaps they donot make them so beautifully as the Nyalans, or with such ex-pertise in armory as the Kirsi, or with so many secret sorceriesas the Lokossans, but they make up in abundance what otherkingdoms claim in excellence. Sokone artisans often work to-gether in large workshops, each taking part of a task to speedthe completion of the whole. It is profitable work, but tedious,and not all can bear the thought of such a life.

Skills:Any One Skill, Artist, Business, Culture/Sokone, Per-suade, rade/Any

SOKONEENTERTAINER

Where there is free-flowing wealth, there are those ready tohelp in its spending. Entertainers can be found singing in themarketplace, dancing for rich merchants, performing feats ofjugglery or clever storytelling, or conducting more carnal com-merce beneath the shadowed eaves of painted buildings. Tegreatest are acclaimed as peerless artists or universally-desiredcourtesans; the rest make do on what their wit or body brings.For some, necessity leads them to seek the more illicit pursuitsthat clever hands and daring make possible.

Skills:Artist, Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/Sokone, Per-suade, Stealth

SOKONEPEASANT

All must eat, and the Iterus waters cannot bring so many bargesof rice and mealies as to feed an entire kingdom unaided. So-kones peasants are often cruelly shorn by their merchant-princepatrons, but they also have access to goods and specialized

equipment unknown in other lands. Teir valleys and river-banks are not quite so fertile as Nyala, but they get by- at least,those who do not decide to hurl down their hoes and find workless redolent of manure.

Skills:Any One Skill, Athletics, Business, Culture/Sokone,Survival, rade/Farmer

SOKONEPRIEST

Te marabouts of Sokone are notorious for their... versatility inspiritual matters. Just as the land is filled with every descriptionof people, so it also t eems with every variety of faith, and a priestwho wishes to have a patron must often demonstrate a certainecumenism in their beliefs. Sterner-minded Sun Faith partisansand Spirit Way devotees disapprove of this syncretism, but theSokone give it little mind. So long as the gods are appeased, itdoes not especially matter what they are called. Sometimes apriest promises more than his god can deliver, however, or is

called to bring a new spirits glory to those ignorant of its sacredpower. Such a life promises adventure, if not longevity.

Skills:Business, Culture/Sokone, Language, Medicine, Per-suade, Priestcraft

SOKONERIDER

One of the most precious commodities to a mformation- knowledge of distant prices, of far tions, and of new opportunities to be discoveredlearns of them. Many rich merchants employ regular journeys throughout the land, monitoriand watching for new possibilities. It is a more exsome, but some of these riders find their talents adventurous ends. Others betray their patrons ana rivals servants in a form of treachery that can able, if unhealthy for a rider who is discovered in

Skills:Business, Combat/Any, Culture/Sokraveller, Navigation, Ride

SOKONERIVERFOLK

Te mighty Iteru river is the spine of Sokones many men and women make their living on trade villages that rely upon it. Others dwell in thof the coastal delta until need or ambition drives

Skills:Any One Skill, Combat/Any, Culture/Stion, Stealth, Survival

SOKONESOLDIER

Te Sokone do not have a famous martial traKirsi or the Lokossa. Instead, they have moneymoney. Even their common foot soldiers are bthan the veterans of some other nations, and ifwealth is expended in useless ostentation, enougpractical ends to make them a dangerous enemy

Skills:Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/SokonSurvival, actics

SOKONETHIEF

Where there are merchants, there are thieves, anSokone are notorious for their insolent daring. vigilant guards and most ingenious traps do nfrom their ends, whether pilfering the merchant-or snatching a mango from a peddlers stall. Whidaring make good stories in the marketplace, thment for thieves in Sokone can drive many to sethey are not so well known.

Skills:Athletics, Combat/Any, Culture/SokonSecurity, Stealth

SOKONETRADER

Te merchants of Sokone are famous for their

go anywhere and deal with anyone in pursuitsuccess. Te most cautious ones work mundansettled lands, brokering a bit of this for a bit of ambitious plunge into far lands to discover such be theirs.

Skills:Business, Combat/Any, Culture/Sokraveller, Persuade, Survival


11/16

20

CHOOSINGACLASSPlayer characters are exceptional. Tey have yet to become trueheroes or figures of renown, but they have the potential to be morethan their peers can dream of becoming. From simple warriors,half-trained apprentices, tentative teachers, and beardless griotsthey may yet become the legends of a later age... assuming theysurvive their education.

Player characters each have a class, unlike most other people. Mostmen and women simply are what they are- soldiers, peasants,herdsmen, or others in the great mass of society. Not every soldierhas the gifts of the warrior class, and not every village teacher hasthe divine friendship that empowers a marabout. Even at theirmost rudimentary level, those with classes have something specialabout their training or potential.

Tere are four classes- griot, marabout, nganga, and warrior. Youmust choose one of these to represent the unique abilities pos-sessed by your PC, the special edge that sets him or her apart fromordinary souls. Each class has certain special abilities unique to it,and while anyone may learn swordplay or occult secrets or delicatemusicianship regardless of their class, the unique martial gifts ofthe warrior or incantations of the nganga cannot be acquired bythose who have turned their dedication to different ends.

Some origins naturally lend themselves to certain classes, but itis not necessary that they complement each other. A scholar maytake up the spear in bitter fury after his school is destroyed by raid-ers, or a ngangas apprentice might turn from his studies to seekthe friendship of the Sun instead of the mysterious powers of ashe.You may choose any class for any origin, though you will likelywish to think of a reason why your characters gifts have expressed

themselves in such a novel direction.

Griots are the praise-singers, counselors and historians of theTree Lands. While they have ample artistry to entertain and de-light, their greater purpose is to guard the societies they serve.Tey remember the customs and the laws, judging the deeds ofthe small and great alike by their praise-songs or castigations. Ifyour concept has to do with defending ideals or a surpassing skillat music and speech, the griot class is a good choice.

Maraboutsare the friends of the spirits, those souls touched witha special relationship with the divine world. Whether the soberteachers of the Sun Faith or the fervent devotees of the Spirit Way,these believers can call down favors from the gods they serve andact as channels of enlightenment to their people. If you wish towield magic related to the spirit world, you should pick this class.

Ngangasare sorcerers, wielders of that subtle force known as ashe.Asheis the potential within all things, the quality that makes itenact its substance upon the world. Asheis the heat of fire, thewetness of water, the way through confusion to make a desire real.Ngangas wield dark and dangerous rituals and incantations to callup asheand direct it to their will. If you desire to be a sorcerer reli-ant only upon your own powers, you should pick this class.

Warriorsare the heroes of their people, the valiant swordsmen,canny rogues and brash adventurers who use their physical mightto defend their chosen cause. Warriors are the toughest, hardiestclass, capable of enduring the most hardship and suffering beforethey fall. As they grow in expertise, they do not acquire magicalabilities, but instead learn idahuns, replies that are special mar-tial techniques. If your character concept has nothing to do withmagic or a griots eloquence, you should pick this class.

CLASSSKILLSANDPRIMEATTRIBUTESOnce youve chosen your class, add its listed bonus skills to yourcharacter sheet at level-0 proficiency. If youve already acquired theskill as part of your background, increase the skill from level-0 tolevel-1. You can use your Any Skill picks to choose a skill thatalready exists on your list, raising it to level-1, but a novice adven-turers skills cannot be raised higher than that.

You may also substitute a score of 14 for a single one of your primeattributes. Tus, if you choose to become a griot, you may replaceeither your Intelligence or Charisma score with 14. If you havebeen so fortunate as to roll higher than 14 on both of your primeattributes already, you need not use this option.

GRIOT

Every society needs its guardians- not only those who bear swordand spear, but also those who maintain the traditions and memoryof the people. In the Tree Lands, the griots are these guardians,those men and women who stand responsible for judging thegood and the shameful. Trough their praise-songs and castiga-tions, they elevate the righteous and scourge the wicked, confirm-ing the timeless truth of the virtues their people hold dear.

Most griots (pronounced GREE-ohs) are employed by noblehouses or sheltered by their chosen village. Tey earn their keepby their memories, their praise, and t heir counsel. Tey rememberall that has gone before and all that was once decided, and a chiefor nobleman without a griot to advise him is sure to stumble. InKirsi and Nyala, a noble family dares not show itself in ceremoniesof state without a troupe of griots to sing their virtues, and a kingwithout a griot vizier is no king at all.

Many griots are content to be fed and to say what their patronswish them to say. Tese are small and careless men, quick to re-member but slow to speak what they should. Others are less eas-ily managed. Tey insist on naming the wicked and praising thegood, whether or not it suits the great lords. Nobles fear suchtruth-tellers, for the words of a master griot can whip a city into afrenzy or raise a rebellion in the bush. Te greatest of their numbercan strike a man dead with the blazing fury of their castigation.

GRIOTSONGSAs griots increase their skill and fame, their wordsupernatural power to inspire and compel those Tese songs may take the form of actual chants oformed as spoken oratory. Whatever the form, liognize that something remarkable is being uttergriots words are more than mere entertainment o

Griots begin play with the knowledge of any twlisted in the Magic chapter. Every time they gailevel, they may add one song of a type they can ustheir own creativity. Other songs must be learnedots or from suitable ancient lore, and a griot cannois yet unable to use. At first level, griots may learnfourth level they may learn great songs, and at semay utter the mighty verses of the ancient songs o

Griots can learn songs they are skilled enough tthem from other griots or from rare, exhaustive togriots will only teach good friends and proven alnew song requires one week for a minor song, ogreat song, and three months for an ancient songadventure normally while perfecting his or her m

Griots may sing or speak any song they know, right words for them is difficult. Expressions musmust be suitable for the occasion, and wit must beaimed. A griot has a pool of Inspiration points they level. Each song costs a certain number of In1 point for a minor song, 3 points for a great son

for an ancient song. When the pool is exhausted,longer find the right artistry to invoke their supgood nights rest will restore all Inspiration.

Te greatest of praise-singers are perfectly inspireutter their most familiar songs without hesitati10th level, the griot may choose any two minor them. Tey may use these songs at no cost in Inspas they desire. Once chosen, these songs cannot b

GRIOTCLASSDETAILS

LEVELHITDICE

XPNEEDED

CLASSPOWERSINSPIRATION

POOLATTACKBONUS

PHYSICALEFFECT

MENTALEFFECT

EVASION M

1 1d6 0 Learn Minor Songs 2 +1 14 12 13

2 2d6 2,000 3 +2 13 11 12

3 3d6 4,000 4 +2 13 11 12

4 4d6 8,000 Learn Great Songs 10 +4 12 10 11

5 5d6 16,000 12 +4 12 10 11

6 6d6 32,000 14 +5 11 9 10

7 7d6 64,000 Learn Ancient Songs 22 +5 11 9 10

8 8d6 128,000 26 +7 10 8 9

9 9d6 256,000 30 +7 10 8 9

10 10d6 512,000 Song Mastery 34 +8 8 6 7

PRIMEATTRIBUTES

Intelligence and Charisma

GRIOTCLASSSKILLS

Artist, Business, Combat/Any, Culture/Any, Language, Navigation, Perception,Persuade, Ride, Security, Scholar, rade

BONUSSKILLSFORNEWCHARACTERS

Artist, Scholar, Any One Class Skill, Any One Skill


12/16

22

MARABOUT

Every village has its elders and holy men, its people versed in theservice of the spirits. Whole communities often partake in theserituals, as the maintenance of good relations with the gods is con-sidered to be the duty of an entire village rather than the sole bur-den of a few specialists. Still, there are times when specific knowl-edge is necessary to guide the correct rituals and propitiations, andfor these things a priest of some kind is needed.

Marabouts (pronounced MAHR-ah-boos) are more than simplepriests. Tey are the friends of the spirits, those men and womengifted with a special relationship with the divine. Some labor theirwhole lives to attain this unity only to fail; others are born with itand do not even recognize the source of their own miracles. Mar-abouts can draw upon this bond to invoke wonders and marvels,and their powers are greatly esteemed by the people.

Most marabouts make their living as religious specialists, consult-ed by the common folk for advice and magical assistance. Few ofthem ever rise to any great power, but even their simplest invoca-tions are wondrous to the common people, and useful in manycircumstances. Tose who attain a deep bond with their patronscan perform marvels to astound even heroes.

Some marabouts prefer a more active life, and go out into theworld to do the work of their patrons. Te marabouts of the SunFaith honor the ideal of missionary work, and the Spirit Way

commends those brave souls who go from place to place aidingthe needy and demonstrating the might of the spirits. Other mar-abouts simply want to see the world, and find their powers anexcellent passport to a new and more exciting life.

Marabout powers are based upon their friendships, the powerswith whom they have allied themselves. Different powers have dif-ferent portfolios, and as a marabout grows more potent, they can

PRIMEATTRIBUTES

Wisdom and Charisma

MARABOUTCLASSSKILLS

Artist, Combat/Any, Culture/Own, Leadership,Medicine, Persuade, Priestcraft, Scholar, rade


Persuade, Priestcraft, Any One Class Skill, Any One Skill

MARABOUTCLASSDETAILS

LEVEL HITDICE XP NEEDED CLASSPOWERSATTACKBONUS

PHYSICALEFFECT

MENTALEFFECT

EVASION MAGIC LUCK

1 1d6 0 Pick two Spheres +1 15 14 16 13 12

2 2d6 2,000 +2 14 13 15 12 11

3 3d6 4,000 Pick additional Sphere +2 14 13 15 12 11

4 4d6 8,000 +3 13 12 14 11 10

5 5d6 16,000 +4 13 12 14 11 10


7 7d6 64,000 +5 12 11 13 10 9

8 8d6 128,000 +6 11 10 12 9 8


10 10d6 512,000 Signature Miracle +7 9 8 10 7 6

befriend more powers. Marabouts of the Sun Faith always firstbefriend the Sun, but may later learn to channel different aspectsof his celestial power much as do those of the Spirit Way.

Very few marabouts outside of the Sun Faith have an exclusiverelationship with a single spiritual power. Tey may be primarilydevotees of a particular god or spirit, but to neglect other powersof importance would be considered folly rather than fidelity. Tespirits and gods require particular prayers and rituals. So long asthey receive them, they are unconcerned about other offerings themarabout might make.

SPHERESOFSPIRITUALPOWERTe gifts of the spirits are divided into several spheres of spiri-tual power. Each marabout may choose two spheres of power atfirst level. Tese spheres will determine which miracles they areallowed to work, and usually relate to the dominant characteristicsof their favored gods or spirits. Variance in this is not unknown,however- the spirits are deep and sometimes self-contradictory,and the gods may grant what marvels they choose to grant. Asthe character grows in power, they will gain access to additionalspheres, one at 3rd, 6th, and 9th level. Marabouts of the Sun Faithmust choose Sun as one of their first two spheres.

Each marabout then chooses one of their two spheres as a favoredsphere, one characteristic of their most important spiritual rela-tionship. Tis close bond grants an additional special ability basedon that sphere. Relationships change and grow with time, andSpirit Way marabouts may change their favored sphere whenever

they rise in experience level. Sun Faith Marabomaintain Sun as their favored sphere.

When invoking a miracle, the marabout may chsphere known to them, without any special prepabeforehand. Each marabout has a limit to the numof any given level they can invoke each day, but freely among their known spheres. Te focus andSun Faith allows their marabouts to use their powthey may invoke an additional daily miracle of evable to cast. Spiritual energy refreshes after a nigmorning prayer.

Te greatest marabouts attain such closeness witallies that they may call upon their most familiar 10th level, the marabout may choose one first levethem as a signature miracle. Tis spell cannot be permanent effect, such as a healing spell, but it mever the marabout desires without requiring anyspell slots.

Marabouts are gifted in their powers of maintfriendships, and the gods are far from this world.not imperil their spiritual powers by bad behaviogians say that powers of darkness sustain the marfrom the right paths and give him the strength friends no longer grant.

CHOOSINGSPHERESANDPATe table below provides a list of the most comspirit magic and a brief description of the spell by each. More detailed descriptions are availabchapter. For convenience, you should make note

somewhere on your character sheet to as to spare yneed to look it up in the middle of play.

Some players might also wish to choose a specifica patron for the marabout. For the Sun Faithfulgiven, but Spirit Way practitioners often have thdeities and patron spirits to follow. A descriptionand the gods of the Tree Lands is given in the se

Choosing a patron is not mandatory for those Spirit Way, however. Tere are always those maimpartial in their friendships and who are willingpower able to aid them in a time of need.

MARABOUTSPELLSPERDAYLEVEL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH

1 1 - - - -

2 2 - - - -

3 2 1 - - -

4 3 2 - - -

5 3 2 1 - -

6 4 2 2 - -

7 4 3 2 1 -

8 4 3 2 2 -

9 5 4 3 2 1

10 5 4 3 3 2

MARABOUTSPHERESOFMAGICSPHERE FIRST-LEVELSPELL GIFT

Curing Hands of Succor Vigorous health, and immunity to all diseases both magical and mundane.

Death Find Mortality Te ability to stay death in himself or his companions.

Herding Speak to the Herd A bonus of +1 to either the marabouts Strength or Constitution modifier.

Passion Kindle the Heart Grace at inciting passion in others and an increase of their Charisma modifier

Spirits Spirit Ward Te gift of sensing unseen presences and communicating with the spirits

Sun Shard of the Sun Vision even in perfect blackness and the ability to glow brightly at will

War Warriors Blessing Skill in a specific type of weapon, such as the runku or the long sword; +1 to h

Water Call Spring Te grace of breathing, moving, and seeing beneath water as easily as above it


13/16

24

NGANGA

Ngangas (pronounced GAHN-gahs) are masters of the unseen,adepts in the conjuring and channeling of the intrinsic forceknown as ashe. Te heat of a fire, the cure within a root, the fearthat bubbles within a brave mans heart- they know how to call upthese forces and rain them down upon those who displease them.All admit the power of the ngangas arts, but they are often fearedand shunned for the secrets that they know.

Ngangas emerge in different ways depending upon the culture thatbirths them. All require an innate supernatural spark, as the gift ofwielding ashecannot be taught. Some are educated in the use oftheir arts in long, grueling apprenticeships that sift the gifted fromthe artless, like the olabons of the Meruan nomads. Others havetheir powers marked early by signs and portents at their birth, likethe born-witches of the Kirsi. Some ngangas do not even realizewhat they really are, and channel forces to enact desires that are

secret even to their waking minds.

Most societies tolerate the existence of ngangas as a necessary evil.So long as some of them are willing to use their powers to curse,afflict, and control other people, other ngangas will be needed toprotect the community from such wicked sorcery. Unlike mar-abouts, the powers the ngangas wield are essentially amoral andindifferent to human life- they deal in potencies, in ashe, ratherthan in spiritual friendships and alliances. Tey may tap the darker

forces of the cosmos, but these beings respond blindly to the ritu-als that bind them, and form no affectionate ties with humankind.

Ngangas can rise to positions of great power and influence, butonly indirectly in most lands. Common people neither trust norunderstand the secrets that they hold, and even the least-skilledamong them is viewed with a kind of salutary dread. Te ngangacan strike at a man in ways that no sword or shield can forfend,

PRIMEATTRIBUTES

Intelligence and Constitution

NGANGACLASSSKILLS

Culture/Own, Language, Medicine, Occult,Perception, Priestcraft, Scholar, Survival, rade


Medicine, Occult, Any One Class Skill, Any One Skill

NGANGACLASSDETAILS

LEVEL HITDICE XP NEEDEDATTACKBONUS

PHYSICALEFFECT

MENTALEFFECT

EVASION MAGIC LUCK

1 1d4 0 +1 16 13 15 12 14

2 2d4 2,000 +2 15 12 14 11 13

3 3d4 4,000 +2 15 12 14 11 13

4 4d4 8,000 +3 14 11 13 10 12

5 5d4 16,000 +3 14 11 13 10 12

6 6d4 32,000 +4 13 10 12 9 11

7 7d4 64,000 +4 13 10 12 9 11

8 8d4 128,000 +5 12 9 11 8 10

9 9d4 256,000 +5 12 9 11 8 10

10 10d4 512,000 +6 10 7 9 6 8

and such power brings with it a wide stroke of well-reasoned fear.Tey remain tolerated for the good they can do if properly propi-tiated, and for defense against other, less moral ngangas. Only inLokossa are ngangas part of the formal structures of power, andthere the mightiest of them rules as the Ahonsu, the witch-kingof all Lokossa.

Te arts of a nganga require the wearing of specific charms, masks,pieces of clothing, robes, and other elements of mystically-signif-icant couture. Te precise nature of these items varies with thengangas traditions, but they preclude the wearing of armor if thenganga intends to use any magic. Unwitting nganga require nosuch tokens and may wear what they will, but they cannot controltheir magic without learning their proper dress and its meaning.

NGANGASORCERYNgangas wield two types of magic: ritual sorceries, and nkisi, (nn-KEE-see). Ritual sorceries are lengthy, complex rites t hat requirecareful preparation and execution. Nkisi magic also takes t ime toprepare its effects, but the results are stored within a nkisi, or fetish,which may then be used to release the spell at an opportune time.A nganga may use any of the ritual sorceries he knows as often ashe has the time and materials to perform them, but the numberand strength of nkisi that a nganga can maintain is limited by hisexpertise.

If too many nkisi are empowered at once, the nganga runs thedistinct risk of losing control of the asheand causing a catastrophiceruption of magical force. Instinctive or unknowing nganga donot perform ritual sorceries, but their careless thoughts or willscan imbue even the ordinary objects they use every day with thepower of a nkisi- and then release the energies when their secretselves desire it.

Nganga magic takes time to learn, and requires either a tutor fa-miliar with the details of the spell or specially-fashioned icons andtomes designed to teach of its power. Ngangas are jealous of theirknowledge, and few will teach it without the inducement of sub-stantial favors or a heavy payment in treasure

Documents

So Td First Chapter