TM

THE SOURCEBOOK OF MAGICAL REALITY

Aysle

1

The Near Now …Later today, early tomorrow, sometime next week,

the world began to end.

The United Kingdom, Ireland and the Scandinavian nations have beeninvaded by raiders from another cosm — another reality. These PossibilityRaiders have come to steal Earth’s living energy … to consume its possi-bilities. They have brought with them their own reality, and now portionsof Europe have become someplace else.

The magical reality of Aysle has come to Earth, but not in the manneroriginally planned. Now two powerful beings vie for control of thispatchwork realm — Lady Pella Ardinay of the Light, and Lord AngarUthorion of the Dark. Creatures of myth and legend roam the streets ofLondon and Stockholm, and sorcery has become commonplace in Dublinand Oslo.

Now the things of fantasy mix with 20th-century technology, elementaldragons rule the skies, and Northern Europe is locked in a strugglebetween good and evil. At stake is Earth’s reality.

This is the realm of …

2

Roleplaying the Possibility Wars TM

TM

AysleThe Sourcebook of Magical Reality

Introduction 4

Chapter One: The High Lords 5Chapter Two: The Cosm 8Chapter Three: The Realm 29Chapter Four: World Laws 43Chapter Five: The Theory of Magic 50Chapter Six: Pixaud’s Practical Grimoire 78Chapter Seven: Miracles of Faith 89Chapter Eight: Folk 96Chapter Nine: Creatures 102Chapter Ten: Equipment 114Chapter Eleven: Character Creation 123Templates 125

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

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AysleGreg Farshtey, Greg Gorden, Paul Murphy, Bill Slavicsek

Design

Jonatha Ariadne Caspian, Michael NystulContributing Design

Greg Farshtey, Greg Gorden, Bill SlavicsekDevelopment and Editing

Stephen Crane, Cathleen HunterGraphics

Daniel HorneCover Illustration

Valerie ValusekInterior Illustrations

Dr. Michael R. Fortner, Louis J. ProsperiMagic Theory Assistance

Nikola VrtisPDF Creation

Paul Balsamo, Dr. Michael R. Fortner, Louis J. Prosperi,Christopher Hawley, Lawrence Trainer, Mike Shannon, MarkTerilli, Gregory Rushton, Eric Aldrich, Jeff Brown, BrettColacurcio, Gary Corbin, Mike Landsdaal, Letha Owens

Playtesting and Advice

Note to Our Readers

This PDF version of the Aysle Sourcebook was created from the original electronic files. Images were left out or modifiedand the page layout was modified to reduce file size and production time (the images do not have electronic counterparts).Typographical errors were not fixed, nor was any attempt made to update the sourcebook to reflect current technologicalprogress or any developments in the Possibility Wars since this book was first printed. This electronic document is providedas an relatively inexpensive means for people to get the original Aysel information from a popular book now long out ofprint.

If you received a copy of this file from a friend and would like to support the publishing efforts of West End Games, pleasesend US$9.00 via PayPal (https://www.paypal.com/) to d6lweg@yahoo.com.

For more information about Torg and other West End Games products, please visit our Web site, www.westendgames.com.This PDF requires the Torg basic set (WEG #20501) to play. You or your favorite local or Internet retailer can order the

Torg basic set and other printed Torg supplements through West End Games. You can find more information about orderingdirectly from West End Games in the Catalog section of our Web site.

Angar Uthorion, Aysle, Baruk Kaah, Core Earth, Cosm, Cosmverse, Cyberpapacy, Darkness Device, Dr. Mobius, the Gaunt Man, Gospog, Heart of Coyote, High Lord,Infiniverse, Kanawa, the Living Land, Maelstrom, Maelstrom Bridge, Nile Empire, Orrorsh, Pella Ardinay, Possibility Raiders, Possibility Storm, Possibility Wars, Ravagon,Stormers, Storm Knights, Torg, the Torg logo, West End Games, and WEG are trademarks of Humanoids, Inc. ®, ™ and © 2003 Humanoids, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Published by

Honesdale, PA 18431www.westendgames.com

First Printing: November 1990PDF Published: August 2003

4

Introductionerry still couldn’t getover how things hadchanged in England.Here he was, sitting in ameadow in Nottingham

beside a dwarf named Groto, hidingbehind the remains of a stone wall.He heard the twang of long bows,and arrows rained down aroundthem, fired by skeletal knights in-tent on helping them join the ranksof the dead. He shivered.

“You normal humans are badenough,” Groto spat in his gruff man-ner, “but dead humans are intolerable.”He reached into his pack — it had aNike logo emblazoned across itsfront — and pulled out a hand gre-nade. Of course, Groto referred to it asan egg. “We’re going to give them anegg to remember us by, boy,” Grotosaid, hefting the grenade in one of hispowerful hands.

The skeletal knights approached,dropping their bows and pullingswords from rotting scabbards. Grotoexamined the grenade for a moment,then plucked the metal ring from itstop and tossed it into the group ofundead warriors.

“Groto,” Jerry said carefully, re-membering the dwarf’s temper.“You’re supposed to throw thegrenade.”

“Oh. Right.” Groto threw the gre-nade after the ring. It exploded half asecond later, blasting the undeadknights into oblivion. “Those eggs arewonderful inventions, boy,” Grotosaid, a smile almost showing beneathhis thick beard. “Now let’s go get apint of bitter.”

The PossibilityWars

Earth has been invaded. High Lordsfrom different cosms — different re-alities — have come to our planet to

plunder the power of the Earth itself.That is the situation in the Near Nowof Torg: Roleplaying the Possibility Wars.Each High Lord has carved himself apiece of Earth and shaped the veryfabric of reality across that area tomatch his desires.

Great Britain and Scandinavia havebeen overlaid by the magical reality ofAysle. Aysle is a fantasy realm. It is aplace of dreams and nightmares, offolk both magical and mundane, ofcreatures of light … and darkness. It isa realm thrown into confusion, a realmsplit along the lines of two powerfulbeings who can both claim to be HighLord — Lady Pella Ardinay of theLight, and Lord Angar Uthorion of theDark.

Aysle is a realm where reality worksas it does in fantasy novels. Sorcerydetermines the standard of living, tech-nology is at the level of RenaissanceEurope, and mythical beasts and mon-sters are commonplace. There are alsoareas where Earth’s reality exerts someinfluence or is even dominant. In theseareas, the mundane mixes with themagical to produce some of the strang-est combinations ever seen on eitherworld.

All of this aside, Aysle is a realm atwar. Once unified under the evil LordUthorion, the Ayslish forces now battleamong themselves as two divergentpowers struggle for dominance.Uthorion, now inhabiting the body ofa Viking warlord, leads Vikings andgiants from his Norway strongholdsto recapture the realm. To the south,Lady Pella Ardinay and her knightsand wizards try to establish a stablegovernment from their base in En-gland. They seek to stop Uthorion’splans of conquest and help the peopleof Earth cope with the magical reality.

From Ireland to Denmark, the faerieof Earth’s past have returned with therising magic axioms, once again ableto live in the hollow hills and greenmeadows. In England, barbarian war-

riors and chivalrous knights patrol thecountryside, while London remains aplace of our world’s magic — ahardpoint of modern technology. InNorway and Sweden, Vikinglongships once again ply the coldfjords, raiding where they will. In Fin-land, dragons rule the skies and half-folk run wild.

Important!This sourcebook is a companion

volume to Torg: Roleplaying the Possi-bility Wars. While you may be able touse this fantasy setting with any role-playing game, many of the conceptsand rules presented here are explainedin greater detail in the Torg rules set.Read the game books first, then comeback to this book for details on thepatchwork realm of Aysle.

The SourcebookThis sourcebook provides all the

information and advice needed to de-sign exciting campaigns and adven-tures set within Aysle and the Torguniverse. It describes the cultures, re-ligions, and world of magical reality.It provides new character templatesfor players to use, new world rules, aspell creation system, and more.

Discover the story of Uthorion andArdinay, then explore the cosm ofAysle. From the dwarven account ofcreation, to the geography of the disk-shaped world, experience the uniquefeel of magical reality. Then move onto the realm, look over the new rules,and choose the character templatesyou like best.

Magic fills the countryside withfaerie light, and a quest is in the offing.Grab your sword, pack your spell book,and don your armor. The adventure isabout to begin …

5

Chapter One The High Lordsady Pella Ardinay stoodupon the highest rampartof her tower, watching asthe streaming armies ofundead shambled ever

closer. The invaders came across abridge of some sort, constructed fromtwisted souls. It spiraled down fromthe sky, crashing to the ground be-yond the Inland Sea, behind the KelorMountains. With its arrival, the land… changed. Where these monsterspassed, the land became dark, poi-soned by their foul touch. Trees black-ened and withered. Water turnedmurky. The ground cracked like driedskin. And now the monsters were al-most upon the defenders of Aysle,bringing their decaying touch withthem.

This was the place they would maketheir stand, Ardinay had decided.Here, in the Valley of the Sword whereDunad had made his own stand solong ago. Here, in the castle where thespeakers for each House met with thespeaker for the people to decide lawsand policies. This place stood for ev-erything Ardinay had fought for, ev-erything the people of Aysle believedin. It was the home of the DelegateLegacy, and she would die before shesaw it defiled by these invaders.

Below ranged the forces of theHouses, armies led by the Knight Pro-tectors. These generals and advisorsto Ardinay were the sons and daugh-ters of the House Dukes, the best war-riors the continent had to offer. Theywere her friends. Much blood wouldspill this day — she hoped she wouldnot have to bury too many of herfriends.

The column of abominationsmoved relentlessly forward, drawingcloser as the sun began to set. Theywould attack at dusk, Ardinay sud-denly realized. They would attack atthe Entity’s Hour. At the head of thecolumn she could see a huge dragon,somehow related to those of Ayslebut made different by its wickedness.Upon its back was a man in dark robes

— a necromancer. He was the leaderof this terrible army. He was Uthorion.He was death.

The sun hit the rim of its paththrough the world, and vibrant colorsexploded across the sky. Once thebright reds and oranges faded, themonsters would attack. Until then,they waited behind the dragon and itsmaster, neither eager or sullen. Theysimply waited. Meanwhile, the blaz-ing colors went through their coolingprocess, and darkness began to spreadacross the world disk with casualstrides. Ardinay looked down andcaught the eye of Tolwyn of HouseTancred, the unofficial leader of theKnight Protectors. She hoped the planshe had formulated never had to beimplemented, but it was there just incase. “The land,” she had said toTolwyn earlier, “remember the land.”Then she cast her spell. She hopedTolwyn would forgive her. These wereher thoughts as dusk took the coun-tryside and the dragon attacked.

As the dragon cut through the ranksof the defenders and the Knight Pro-tectors began to pray, Ardinay pre-pared to face the necromancer. Sheheard Tolwyn’s strong voice call out,“I will see you dead, Uthorion!” Therewere more shouts, but Ardinayblocked it out as she gathered hermagic about her. She would need ev-ery bit of strength to battle the darkone. And even then, she knew thatvictory was uncertain.

“I am here,” Lord Angar Uthorionof the Dark announced as he enteredthe castle.

“As am I,” Lady Pella Ardinay ofthe Light answered. Necromancer andmage drew their powers into defen-sive cloaks, and the air crackled withenergy.

“It is the Hour of the Entity,”Uthorion said. “It is the hour of myvictory.” Then the battle was joined,but it was a short war. As powerful amage as Ardinay was, she could notstand against Uthorion and the pow-ers he drew from his Darkness De-

vice. Before the Hour of the Entitypassed, he sundered Ardinay’s spiritand placed his own within her body.“Now this reality shall be mine,” hesaid in triumph through Ardinay’sred lips.

For 500 years Uthorion, who was inthe body of Ardinay, ruled Aysle. Withhis Darkness Device, the ObsidianCrown named Drakacanus, he cor-rupted the world laws to his desiresand reveled in the higher magical axi-oms. This was his reality now, notOrrorsh. He was no longer under theGaunt Man’s tutelage — no longer thestudent, but the master. Somethinghaunted him, however. The promisethat Tolwyn of House Tancred madebefore the claws of the Carredonbrought her down. Uthorion becameobsessed with the notion of his owndeath at the hand of the paladin whothe legends now called TolwynNeverdeath. When the prophecy cameto pass and she did return from thedead, Uthorion was actually relievedthat the long wait was over.

The High LordsNow

It was Tolwyn and her fellow StormKnights, protecting the planet calledEarth, who achieved victory overUthorion. Tolwyn separated Uthorionfrom Ardinay’s body, sundering himas he had sundered the Lady of Light.With the sundering, Ardinay was ableto reclaim her form (see The PossibilityWars novel trilogy). Uthorion, how-ever, had to find another body to in-habit. It wasn’t really that much of aproblem — he had done it countlesstimes before over the centuries. Thistime he chose a strong, physically im-pressive Viking warlord namedThorfinn Bjanni. He quickly unitedthe Viking tribes in Aysle realm andcosm under Thorfinn’s control, estab-lishing a force with which to continuehis part in the Possibility Wars.

6

But Uthorion no longer has accessto his Darkness Device and the extrapower it grants him. Without thatpower, he cannot expand his borders.He cannot continue the conquest. In-stead, he must battle Ardinay and re-take her form — a form that is attunedto the Obsidian Crown.

Ardinay, meanwhile, waits pa-tiently for all of her memories to re-turn. Until then, she has begun toreestablish the Delegate Legacy, hastaken a hand in destroying the crea-tures of darkness that seem rampant,and is doing what she can to ease theEarthers’ acceptance of Aysle reality.After all, magic is much better thanthe fickle technology they used to de-pend on. Magic is more … natural.

In the meantime, Uthorion watchesthrough Thorfinn’s blue eyes and is-sues orders through Thorfinn’s thinlips. He craves to hear the Obsidian

Crown sing its song of destructionand power to him again, and he hassworn to look into its shining black-ness through Ardinay’s eyes oncemore. Ardinay, who is attuned to theDarkness Device, fights with all herstrength to ignore its seductive song.It promises her the power she needs toend the Possibility Wars and restorepeace to the Earthers. But its price forsuch power is high. If only it wouldstop singing and let her think …

Uthorion, Ardinay,and the Other High

LordsUthorion has little trust for any of the

High Lords, and he is finding it increas-ingly difficult to deal with them as equals

while his power is denied him. Ardinay,on the other hand, believes all of theHigh Lords are her enemies and wantsnothing to do with them.

Uthorion had provided Baruk Kaahhelp in the form of advice and theWild Hunt. He was planning on split-ting the Living Land with theAntipope once Baruk Kaah had spreadhimself too thin. Now they have littlecontact.

Uthorion wants nothing to do withthe technological wizards of NipponTech. But Kanawa has agents in Aysle,and that makes both Uthorion andArdinay nervous.

Once Mobius and Uthorion hadsome minor dealings, but now theHigh Lord of the Nile sees the mixedrealm as a blessing. Aysle keeps theCyberpope occupied, and that meansless worry for Mobius. Someday, how-ever, the two realms must come to

Chapter One

7

war — especially if Ardinay emergestriumphant.

Uthorion, once a vassal of Orrorsh,was on good terms with the GauntMan. But the Gaunt Man has disap-peared, and Thratchen is ruling in hisstead. That makes Uthorion uneasy.Ardinay, however, is particularly op-posed to Orrorsh and what it repre-sents.

The Cyberpope Jean Malraux wasonce Uthorion’s staunchest ally. NowUthorion distrusts him because of hissudden gaining of high-tech axioms.Malraux, on the other hand, sees it ashis duty to topple Lady Ardinay andplace Uthorion once again in firm con-trol of Aysle.

Lady Pella Ardinayof the Light

DEXTERITY 10Beast riding 15, dodge 16, maneu-

ver 14, melee weapons 17, missileweapons 15, prestidigitation 22, un-armed combat 14

STRENGTH 9Climbing 12, lifting 11TOUGHNESS 9PERCEPTION 14Alteration magic 29, divination

magic 31, evidence analysis 24, find25, first aid 28, language 26, scholar(Aysle lore) 23, trick 23

MIND 14Apportation magic 30, artist 19, con-

juration magic 28, medicine 16, sur-vival 18, test of will 27, willpower 27

CHARISMA 13Charm 26, persuasion 24, taunt 17SPIRIT 13Faith (Dunad) 21, honor 23, intimi-

dation 24, reality 25Possibilities: 36Arcane Knowledges: life 2, true

knowledge 2, light 6, living forces 2,inanimate forces 1, air 2, earth 2, fire 3,

metal 2, plant 1, water 1, earthly 1,elemental 3, enchanted 2, folk 3

Equipment: elfmail enchanted ar-mor (+8/armor value 17), Light Bladeenchanted broadsword (+9/damagevalue 18/damage max 23), long bow(+6/damage value 15), quiver of en-chanted arrows (+3 to damage value),quiver of normal arrows, grimoire

Lord Angar Uthorionof the Dark

(in the body of Thorfinn Bjanni)DEXTERITY 14Acrobatics 17, beast riding 18,

dodge 21, lock picking 21, long jump-ing 19, maneuver 18, melee weapons25, missile weapons 21, prestidigita-tion 21, running 18, stealth 24, swim-ming 19, unarmed combat 23

STRENGTH 15Climbing 20, lifting 20TOUGHNESS 15PERCEPTION 14Alteration magic 34, divination

magic 31, evidence analysis 21, find22, language 24, scholar (Aysle lore)18, scholar (Orrorsh lore) 21, trick 31,water vehicles 16

MIND 14Apportation magic 30, conjuration

magic 35, medicine 22, survival 27,test of will 31, willpower 32

CHARISMA 8Charm 21, persuasion 23, taunt 24SPIRIT 9Corruption 24, faith (Corba’al) 22,

intimidation 30, reality 32Possibilities: 96Arcane Knowledges: death 5, time

2, darkness 7, living forces 1, inanimateforces 3, air 1, earth 2, fire 2, metal 1,plant 2, water 2, aquatic 2, elemental 4,enchanted 2, folk 2, entity 4

Equipment: chainmail (+4/armorvalue 19), Mjoni enchanted two-handed sword (+11/damage value

The High Lords

26/damage max 26), long bow (+6/damage value 20), quiver of enchantedarrows (+2 to damage value), quiverof normal arrows, grimoire

Drakacanus, theObsidian Crown

While serving as a lieutenant to theGaunt Man, Uthorion was sent to scoutout a cosm for possible invasion. Theworld was extremely poor in possibil-ity energy, but Uthorion found some-thing of value on the bleak world. Hefound his own Darkness Device,which called itself Drakacanus, and ittook the form of an obsidian crown.The Gaunt Man granted aid toUthorion as he sought a reality to takecontrol of, and even provided thetroops necessary to place Uthorion inpower. Why the Gaunt Man assistedhim, Uthorion never understood, buthe gladly used the help to take overAysle.

DEXTERITY 0STRENGTH 0TOUGHNESS 205PERCEPTION 24Alteration Magic 40, divination

magic 41, find 28, language 31, trick 36MIND 43Apportation magic 42, conjuration

magic 43, test of will 43, willpower 43CHARISMA 27Charm 31, persuasion 32, taunt 28SPIRIT 42Faith 52, focus 43, intimidation 44,

reality 52Powers: All powers listed on page

88 of the Torg Rulebook. In addition, ithas the power to cause a patchworkcheck in any portion of the realm onceper week (see Chapter Four, WorldRules, page 54). Use of the DarknessDevice results in an automatic cor-ruption point.

8

he disk-shaped world ofAysle is one at war withitself. With Uthorion, inthe body of a Viking chief-tain, occupied with di-

recting the invasion of Earth, andArdinay herself looking after affairs inthe realm, a power vacuum has devel-oped in the cosm. Nature abhors avacuum, and so do ambitious folk,who have turned upon each otherthroughout Upper Aysle and battlefor the domination of their world.Houses battle Houses, kingdoms warwith kingdoms, and political intrigueis the order of the day.

During the time he possessedArdinay, Uthorion ruled the cosm withfear and intimidation as his crown andscepter. The continent of Aysle was com-pletely under his control, and after fivecenturies he had managed to create aloose confederation of states, with theVikings, the Corsairs, the Freetradersand, after some “persuasion,” the Bar-barians allying with him. He also signeda treaty with the giants of Lower Aysle,ensuring that they would support histroops in war. Only the elves resistedhis entreaties, and the invasions of othercosms took precedence over his plansto discipline that race.

One of the many changes he wroughtin Aysle was a twisting of the Law ofCorruption, which states that the wickedwill reveal their evil, and makes it im-possible for one to hide dark intentions.To prevent the body of Ardinay frombeing so affected, and thus betrayingthe presence of his spirit, Uthorion usedsorcery to alter the law and redirect thecorruption into the land. All of Ayslebecame dark and gloomy. What fewcrops grew were stunted and poison-ous, gentle winds off the Trade Seawere replaced by violent gusts thatseemed to howl with Nature’s rage.And yet, the people were beautiful, pro-tected from the physical and spiritualmanifestations of their evil byUthorion’s magic.

Then came the fateful day whenUthorion traveled down the mael-strom bridge to lead his invasion forces.

Ambushed by Storm Knights, his spiritwas driven from Ardinay’s body, andhers restored. When this happened,Dunad gave all of Aysle a choice: re-turn to the old world laws, or acceptthose created by Uthorion’s dark ritu-als. The places where evil predomi-nated remained dark, those with goodin their hearts returned their land to astate of beauty and abundance, andthose lands where the people weredivided are in a state of flux, changingfrom light to dark and back again.

Much of this is concentrated on thecontinent of Aysle, where the AyslishHouses control the land. Half of theruling families have reverted to theold ways, and their light struggles withthe darkness of the other three Houses.Of the lands under the influence of theHouses, the island of Vareth has re-mained dark and resisted the flux, andthe island of Liandar has done thesame for the light. The major landmass is constantly shifting from oneextreme to the other, and is expectedto do so until either Uthorion orArdinay is finally destroyed.

Of the other kingdoms in UpperAysle, the Viking and Corsair do-mains remain dark, while the elvencontinent, the islands of theFreetraders, and the lands of the Bar-barians and Ice Nomads are divided.

The Land Between is leaning to-ward the light, while Lower Aysle isstill under Uthorion’s sway, save onlyfor the isles of Arland and Ugorland,where the state of the land alters everyfew weeks.

The Creation ofAysle

Excerpt from The Dwarven Book ofTales:

In the beginning, there was Noth-ing. Timeless, unchanging, eternal,Nothing had always been there and, itseemed, would always be there.

Then the Creators came, ridingmighty beasts and scattering starsabout as they traveled. Once they hadbeen great builders, constructing vastworlds with a wave of their hands,and long and hard and well did theylabor for others. But then their mastersturned upon them, and spat at themand called them foul names, and sothey fled.

They journeyed far, enduring muchhardship and misery and pursued bythe creatures of their vengeful mas-ters. But they persevered, searchingfor a place where they could be free tocreate for themselves and not for oth-ers.

Finally, they arrived at this place.They knew their masters would neverthink to look for them in the midst ofso much Nothing, and here, they feltsure, they could build something alltheir own.

Building Something when Nothingis all there is means much hard work,even for Creators. But were they dis-mayed? No, indeed, for they were thegreatest craftsmen of all. Stopping onlyfor a quick bite of lunch and a puff ontheir pipes, they rolled up their sleevesand began.

Fordex the Elder looked about him.“This Nothingness offends me!” hecried. Reaching into his sack, hebrought out a single grain of dust. Heblew it into the Nothingness beforehim and shouted, “I banish you!”

Now that it contained Something— yea, though naught but a grain ofdust — the Nothingness was no more.For the Book of Laws says, “If a thing beone thing, it cannot also be another.”Since a thing cannot be both Nothingand Something, the Nothingness wasbanished forever.

Exhausted by his labor, Fordexrested.

Errog the Mighty spoke next. “Yes,this is Something, but it stretches untoForever! Even we cannot work ourwill on Forever! I shall create a Limit!”Reaching into his sack, he pulled outa handful of sand. Placing it in hispipe, he puffed mightily, heating the

Chapter Two The Cosm

9

sand until it melted and became glass.He shaped the glass into a ball andplaced it around the grain of dust,saying, “This shall be the Limit andExtent of our Creation!”

Exhausted by his labor, Errogrested.

Terrin the Bold stepped forward,reaching into his sack and producing around, flat grindstone. Using his small-est finger, he carefully poked a hole inthe center of the stone. He placed thestone within the glass ball, surround-ing the mote of dust. “Is that not fine?”he asked his fellow Creators.

Exhausted by his labor, Terrinrested.

Movin and Weeble, the Sculptors,worked next. They drew hammers andchisels from their sacks and carved thestone, sculpting deep pits, high moun-tains, ocean bottoms and riverbeds.

Then they, too, rested.Ghanthor the Pure brought forth a

flask of water and poured the liquidon to the stone. Charon the Gardenertook a twig from his bag and planted itby the water. Mhyrron the Gathererbrought forth an egg and set it next tothe twig. Plantir the Hunter drew hisknife, cut off the tip of his finger and,after carving it into the likeness of theCreators, placed it next to the egg andthe twig.

They rested.Then it was the turn of Harp, the

last Creator, the Bringer of Life. Helooked into his sack, but it was empty!“Alas! I have nothing to give to ourCreation,” he cried, sadly. Then hebrightened. “Ah, I know! I shall givelife!”

Speaking thus, he breathed uponthe twig, and lo! it grew into a mightyoak!

He breathed upon the egg, and lo! ithatched forth a beautiful bird!

He breathed upon the image of theCreators, and lo! it became a dwarf.

Giving Life, Harp died.When the other Creators awoke,

they were dismayed. “Alas! Poor Harpis dead! He died so our Creation couldknow life.

“But look! The oak withers; the birdhuddles upon its branches; the dwarfis sore afraid. Our Creation is flawed!”

Fordex the Elder spoke. “Fools! Liv-ing creatures cannot be in the Dark!We need to give our Creation Light!”

So saying, he reached out andpicked up the single mote of dust inthe center of the Creation. He placed itin his pipe, and puffed mightily. Itbegan to glow in the hot embers of hisfire.

When it was all aflame, he placed itback into the Creation. He tapped itwith his finger, causing it to movewithin the globe, giving the CreationDay and Night.

The oak thrived in the Light, givingbirth to all manner of trees, grass andflowers.

The bird thrived in the Light, giv-ing birth to all manner of birds, beastsand fish.

The dwarf thrived in the Light, giv-ing birth to many strong sons anddaughters.

Well content with their Creation,the Creators rested.

Soon, however, they became dis-satisfied once again. “It’s fine,” saidErrog the Mighty. “But I’m not reallyhappy with the Limit. Perhaps some-thing could be done with infinity …”

“You know, I don’t quite like theflatness,” said Terrin the Bold. “Maybea round world …”

Movin and Weeble, the Sculptors,began excitedly discussing the possi-bilities of continental drift. “Let us tryagain!” they demanded.

The others agreed. Their Creationwas very nice and all, but they weresure they could do better next time.Shouldering their packs, they cheer-fully set off to try again elsewhere.

Aysle’s Cosm andGeography

The universe that the dwarven godscreated is a fascinating and wondrousplace. When Mighty Errog set the Limitaround the world, he defined the ex-tent of the Aysle cosm. If anythingexists beyond the Limit, no one knowswhat it is. Ages later, when Dunadsmashed his enchanted sword andreleased the arcane knowledges ofmagic into the world, thoseknowledges floated up into the Limitand settled into place as stars. TheEssences rose to the highest portion ofthe Limit, followed by the Principles,the Mixed Forces, and finally the Kin-

dred and Elements, which formed starsalong the Limit on the same level asthe world itself. They are sometimescalled the rim stars. The way the ar-cane knowledges settled is shown bythe seven tiers within the Limit. Thesun bounces against the unseen bound-ary that separates the Kindred andElements from the Mixed Forces, de-fining the extent of its rise and fallthrough Aysle.

The Limit itself oscillates once perday, causing the stars to travel fromthe horizon to their positions in thesky, and back down again. This oscil-lation follows a pattern that sees thestars move up from the horizon for sixhours, back down for six hours, andthen repeats the process on the otherside of the world. The Limit also hasan axis of oscillation that rotates onceper year. While these unseen forcescannot be observed, their affects onthe Kindred and Element stars can. Asthe Limit oscillates, the Kindred andElement stars rise and fall in the sky.During Arthuk for example (the firstmonth of the Ayslish year), the waterstar is the highest of the rim stars in thenight sky. The star of ascendency atthe time of an Ayslish folk’s birth de-termines the Kindred or Element ar-cane knowledge the folk is born with.The day of the month determines themagic skill. See “Magic in Aysle”, page23, for more information.

Neither Aysle nor the Limit revolvein any way. The Limit does oscillate(the dwarves call it wobbling), caus-ing the stars to rise and set, but theyremain within a fixed position relativeto the land that allows them to be usedfor navigation and travel, and to de-termine other directions besidesrimward and sunward.

Aysle is a flat disk-shaped world9,000 kilometers in radius. It is thick-est in the center, approximately 100kilometers from top to bottom, butthins out toward the rim. The plane ofgravity cuts through the center of thedisk, which looks like two pie platesconnected at the gravity plane.“Down” is toward the center of theplanet, no matter which side you hap-pen to be standing on.

The accompanying cut-away viewdiagram (page 14) shows that Aysle ismore than just a flat disk, however. Itis composed of Upper Aysle, Lower

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Upper Aysle

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The Cosm

Lower Aysle

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Aysle, and the Land Between. A brightyellow sun constantly rises and fallsthrough an opening in the middle ofthe disk, called the Sun’s Path.

Upper Aysle is home to the humanand elf races, but humans are clearly thedominant folk. From the World’s Rimsunward (toward the center of the disk)is a variety of climates marked as circu-lar bands radiating out from the sun.The Frozen Land is a massive area of iceand snow that completely covers therim of the disk. Temperatures here areconstantly far below freezing due to thedistance from the sun. Next is the Fro-zen Sea, which is not actually frozen butis extremely cold all year round. Largemountains of ice float in this arctic re-gion, and temperatures rarely climbmuch above freezing. While there arehardy folk living within this zone, mostof the people of Upper Aysle find theregion harsh and inhospitable. The tem-perate zone, called the Living Sea, iswhere most of the population lives. Tem-peratures in this area never fall belowfreezing or rise much above that of awarm spring day on Earth. The TradeSea is that area which is tropical innature. Most islands in this region arecovered in thick jungle or rain forest.Finally, the Boiling Sea surrounds theSun’s Path. While brief excursions intothis extremely hot region can be toler-ated, no folk live here. The great fallsthat spill into the Sun’s Path are a mix-ture of bubbling water and hot steamthat sends clouds of vapor into the air.

It should be said that temperaturesare not constant within a zone, but theyare gradational. Basically, the closer oneis to the sun, the warmer it gets. Thereare no seasons on Aysle — tempera-tures within a given circular band varylittle throughout the year. Wind andwater naturally move sunward. So, bydefinition, any wind or water movingrimward or in some other direction isunnatural and must be the result ofmagic or elemental forces.

The largest land mass on UpperAysle is the Aysle continent, whichtouches all of the habitable regions.The second largest land mass is Elveim,the forbidden continent. This is themysterious home of the elves. Com-pared to these two areas, everythingelse is little more than an island. Dueto the sun’s never-changing pattern ofmovement, areas located behind large

hills or mountains are wrapped inperpetual darkness.

Lower Aysle is home to the giants,who live primarily on the four maincontinents, Chamkatt, Polja, Rakholm,and Arland. Another notable area isthe Broken Land island range, whichsupposedly shattered as the result ofsome long-forgotten cataclysm. Beingmuch more literal, the giants havenamed their zones the Ice Sea, theWarm Sea, and the Hot Sea. The Fro-zen Land and the Boiling Sea arenamed the same on both sides of Aysle.

The Land Between is a reflection ofthe lands above, complete with seas,continents, and islands. But instead oflooking up to see the stars spread acrossthe Limit, the dwarves and lesser folkthat live below can only see the top ofthe great cavern they live within. Whenthe sun passes through the Land Be-tween, its light is diffused through thesteam, waterfalls, and cavern wallsthat line the Sun’s Path.

The History ofAysle

Excerpt from The Dwarven Book ofTruths:

Hearken to these writings, for theyare the Truths of Aysle:

Many years ago, more years thananyone can count, the Creators leftAysle, seeking new Nothing in whichto build Something. The sons anddaughters of the first dwarf spreadthroughout the land, had many moresons and daughters, and soon theybuilt great cities on the surface.

All the dwarves lived in harmonyand peace, until one day when the sunbegan to grow angry. It spat streams offire in all directions, grew so bright thatnothing but it could be seen, and thenfaded to almost nothing. The dwarveswere much afraid at this, and they lefttheir cities seeking a place they wouldbe safe from the sun’s rage.

Soon the dwarves discovered theLand Between, and finding the tun-nels and caves to be to their liking,they decided to live down there. Abovethem the sun grew angrier still, butthey were protected by the stuff oftheir world.

The dwarves lived well in the LandBetween, but as the years passed, somelonged to return to the Land Above.And so the bravest warriors were cho-sen to venture through the tunnels tosee if the sun had calmed, and thedwarves could return to the surface insafety.

When they reached the end of thetunnel, the warriors were shocked.Moving in and out of the cities wereugly creatures who did not know theright way to use their tools, and whobabbled and chattered and made greatnoise everywhere they went. Thedwarves thought of attacking theseintruders, but there were too many ofthem and too few warriors, so theywisely decided to return to the LandBetween.

On the way there, they discoveredanother tunnel, and this one led to theLand Below, now known as LowerAysle. There they found very ugly crea-tures who towered above the rocksand the trees, and carried big stickswith which they smacked each other.The dwarves were ready to attack thesemonsters, but then thought better of it,and once again turned for home.

When they told their tale, some be-lieved, and others did not. Thus theyoffered to take the leaders of the tribeto the Land Above to prove the truthof what they said. They showed themthe ugly, noisy creatures and also sawsomething new; rather handsome andindustrious beings were building acity apart from all the others.

Although the origins of all thesenew creatures was a mystery to thedwarves, they decided to attack andconquer them and rebuild their citiesabove. But when the dwarves attackedthe Land Above, many were hurt andmany killed; when they attacked theLand Below, many more were hurtand many more killed. Then thedwarves realized that the Land Be-tween was really better than the LandAbove or the Land Below, and theydecided to stay there.

About that time, the powerful crea-tures from the Land Below (who thehumans in the Land Above named“giants,” at the suggestion of thedwarves) discovered the tunnels.Eventually, they reached the LandAbove and a great war began.

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The War of the GiantsThe War of the Giants lasted for

thousands of sunrises and sunsets. Thedwarves decided they liked the hu-mans better than the giants, and sofought by their side (also, the dwarvesfelt that the war was partly their fault,since they did accidentally show thegiants the way to Upper Aysle). Thebattles were long and horrible, withsword and ax crashing together untilthe din threatened to drown out allelse. The humans fought with skilland daring, and of course, the dwarveswere the bravest of all, but the war didnot go well. The dwarves asked thehandsome creatures, who called them-selves “elves,” to join in the struggle,but they refused, preferring to just sitand watch.

When all the noise was over, thegiants had won, and the humans hadto do what they said, while the dwarveswent back underground. That was theway it stayed for 500 years, with thegiants very happy, the humans anddwarves very unhappy, and the elvesminding their own business.

Then, when it seemed as if nothingwould ever change, there came a veryspecial human, a human even thedwarves felt was unique. This humandid not talk and talk. He took action.His name was Dunad, and soon hewould be hailed by human and dwarfalike as a great hero.

Dunad stood apart from the otherhumans, in that he would not bow

down to his oppressors. He wentwhere he willed, and even the giantswere loathe to oppose him, for he car-ried the magic sword Aurel. With thismysterious and powerful weapon inhis hand, he was invincible — yet evenhis great strength and the mystic mightof his blade were not enough to freehis people from their chains.

After much thought, Dunad knewthe answer to all his questions. Hewalked alone to the place now knownas the Valley of the Sword, and there hedrew Aurel and shattered it across hisknee. Instantly, the arcane knowledgesthat had been in the blade flew to theheavens and became one with the stars.Then the knowledges rained down onthe world, and all the folk grew strongwith it. And so, the keys to the magicthat always existed in Aysle were madeavailable. The humans learned to usethis power, and the dwarves and elvestoo, but the giants had difficulty withthis new thing and could not master it.The humans and the dwarves rose upand used Dunad’s gift to slay manygiants and force the rest back to theLand Below.

Dunad himself was never seenagain, but the humans say he went tothe stars through the magic of Aurel,and remains there to this day. Theornate hilt of his sword was found inthe valley, and serves as the holy sym-bol of Dunad. Although many haveclaimed to have the blade of Aurel, asfar as is known it vanished along withits owner.

The religion of Dunad dominateson Upper Aysle, and many a dwarfhas joined with the worshippers of thegreat hero. Although dwarves as arule frown on such things, the miraclesassociated with Dunad are truths thatcannot be denied.

Freed of the oppression of the gi-ants, the humans set about reclaimingthe Land Above. Instead of one vastkingdom, the humans divided the con-tinent of Aysle into a number of littlekingdoms, each ruled by a differentfamily. In one of the wisest decisionsin their history, the humans gave alittle kingdom on the surface to thedwarves, which is now ruled by theVareth clan. Other families that weregiven kingdoms of their own, called“Houses,” included the Tancreds, theArdinays, the Dalerons, the Gerriks,the Liandars, and the Bendes.

But now that they had no commonenemy to fight, the humans began tofight among themselves, and then thedwarves joined in. Each House wantedto rule the other Houses, and the feudthat resulted was known as the War ofthe Crowns.

Like many a war, there was no win-ner. The fighting ended when LadyPella of House Ardinay called for atruce and met with the heads of theremaining six Houses. She proposedthe creation of a system called the“Delegate Legacy,” wherein onlyproperty could be owned by theHouses, never people. She dissolvedHouse Ardinay, gave her lands to the

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Tancreds, and declared herself theSpeaker of the People, who wouldnow have a voice in how things wererun. Each House would send a repre-sentative to Castle Ardinay on thebanks of the Inland Sea, and there theywould meet to discuss grievances inpeace, rather than with swords drawnand bows pulled back.

So it was, for many a year. Then theDreaded One, Uthorion, arrived.Across a bloody bridge he came, lead-ing an army of horrid monsters anddetermined to conquer Aysle or re-duce it to ashes. All of the Housesunited under Lady Pella, and eachsent their bravest knight to serve un-der Tolwyn Tancred as a Knight Pro-tector. Many of these were the chil-dren of the Dukes of the Houses, andthey served as generals to the troopsand advisors to Pella Ardinay throughthe battles to come.

The Houses NowThe six Houses that were in exist-

ence when Uthorion attacked stillmaintain their holdings on the conti-nent of Aysle and the adjoining is-lands. Some have grown weaker in the500 years the Dark High Lord pos-sessed Pella Ardinay; others havethrived under the twisted world lawsand iron rule of the usurper. But nowthe involvement of Uthorion in theinvasion of Earth’s cosm and the re-fusal by Ardinay to return to Aysleuntil Earth is safe have combined toleave the seat of power empty. Thishas allowed differences between theHouses to erupt into full-scale con-flicts and leave the cosm on the brinkof a conflagration, the like of whichhas not been seen in Aysle since theWar of the Crowns.

The following is a brief descriptionof the Houses as they stand today, andtheir alignment in the struggle betweenDark and Light in Aysle.

House TancredSymbol: Crossed swordsColors: Brown and goldAysle tradition calls for the eldest

son or daughter to inherit upon thedeath of the reigning duke in a House.

A middle child will be given a highrank and the management of some ofthe family’s business affairs, while theyoungest is commonly sent into thepriesthood, as he has little chance ofattaining power in the House.

In the case of House Tancred, at thetime of the invasion of Aysle it wasruled by Duke Bordal, and his eldestchild, daughter Tolwyn, was expectedto assume those responsibilities whenhe passed away. The second in line,Alistair, looked after the family’sgamelands, and the youngest, Gareth,had come of age and was about to besent to a seminary to become a priestof Dunad.

But Gareth’s soul was foul withcorruption. He coveted the wealth ofhis father, and longed to lead men intobattle in the manner of his sister,Tolwyn. When Uthorion attacked, hesaw his opportunity and seized it — asthe Knight Protectors battled the DarkForces at Castle Ardinay, Gareth re-vealed his treacherous nature and slewBordal and Alistair. If Uthorion lost,he planned to say the two were felledwhile fighting to protect the cosm fromthe invaders, weep some false tears,and then conceive a plot to dispose ofTolwyn as well.

To Gareth’s delight, Tolwyn diedin battle (or so it seemed) — but whenthe monsters retreated back across themaelstrom bridge, he knew he wouldhave to feign mourning so Lady Pellawould not suspect his role in his kin’sdeaths. When Lady Ardinay grantedhim an audience, he discovered to hisshock that not only did she know ofhis bloody deeds, she approved! Shestruck a bargain with him: he couldhave control of House Tancred, andvirtual immortality through her sor-cerous might, in return for his unques-tioning obedience.

Gareth never suspected that theArdinay he dealt with was possessedby Uthorion, but did realize that therehad to be some connection betweenthe invasion and Ardinay’s radicalchange of attitude. He kept to his wordfor 500 years, crushing any sign ofrebellion and lending troops toArdinay’s invasions of other cosms.But he was haunted by the prophecythat Tolwyn would return one day,and since learning that she is leadingthe forces of an altered Ardinay on

Earth, he has devoted his energies toplanning the true and final death ofthe rightful ruler of House Tancred.

House Tancred has grown wealthyand powerful under Uthorion’s rule,and controls much of the sunwardportion of the continent, beneath theFolk and Earth stars, including thetrade center of Leshope and the portcities of Orraine and Eufemiast. ToGareth’s anguish, the flux has causedhis features to change without warn-ing from youthful and handsome torotten with age and corruption. Hissanity has been rendered fragile bythis, and he has locked himself insideone of the towers of Castle Tancred,allowing only his most trusted ad-viser, Mokai, to see him. Even his mostrecent bride, Marlena of HouseDaleron, has not been allowed at hisside since the flux began.

House Tancred is linked with HouseDaleron through Gareth and Marlena’smarriage, and enjoys uneasy allianceswith House Daleron and HouseVareth.

House LiandarSymbol: Oak treeColors: Blue and green

Prior to Uthorion’s invasion ofAysle, House Liandar controlled therimward and sunward section of thecontinent, beneath the Plant star’s light,as well as the island of Liandar and theNaenia island chain. But after the war,Lady Ardinay supported efforts byHouse Daleron to steal Liandar land,and with the House weakened by theravages of the Orrorshan monsters, itwas unable to mount any effectiveresistance.

Today, the House controls only theisland of Liandar, much of which islocated in the Frozen Sea. Only a smallamount of the land is suitable for farm-ing, but Liandar’s holdings have be-come a stronghold of the Light, andthus have regained fertility sinceUthorion’s spirit was sundered. Al-though the House has not attemptedto regain its lost territories in the past,Liandar eyes are turning toward aHouse Daleron weakened by the ab-sence of many of its troops and itspatriarch, Manfred.

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William Liandar, ruler of the House,inherited along with the mantle ofpower the family belief that Ardinaywas tainted with madness centuriesago, and has only now recovered. Be-ing an extremely religious family, theLiandars believe too many have turnedaway from Dunad, and the Valley ofthe Sword is now cursed with evil.Once free of its confines, Ardinay wasable to return to her benevolent waysonce more.

William has been negotiating withrepresentatives of House Gerrik,whose lands adjoin those of theDalerons, attempting to forge an alli-ance. Progress has been slow, for manysupporters of the Liandars rememberhow the Gerriks did nothing to pre-vent their House being driven fromthe continent. There remains an un-dercurrent of animosity between thetwo, but William hopes it can be putaside for their mutual benefit.

Liandar Island has also becomeknown as a haven for the Ice Nomadswho wander the Frozen Land. Often,the wounded or the sick are brought toLiandar, where the family shares itsmeager supplies. Should war breakout with the Dalerons, the Liandarscan rely on support from the Nomads.

House DaleronSymbol: Swooping hawkColors: Black and red

This most martial of Houses has anusual and bloody history. Ardinay hadrelied heavily on their military mightto ensure the safety of the cosm, andDuke Roderick Daleron did send hiseldest son, Kwev, to join the KnightProtectors, along with a token force.

But it was all a feint. Roderick hadlittle regard for Kwev, whose mercifulnature was not in keeping with thephilosophy of conquest that hadshaped the Dalerons. As soon as Kwevand his troops were on their way to theValley of the Sword, Daleron orderedall his other troops into battle — at theside of Uthorion.

The House’s troops crushed theflank being manned by the Liandars,and that was the start of their outrighttheft of territory on the continent. Theynow control the rimward and sunwardportions of Aysle beneath the Folk star

and the Naenia islands, and haveserved as Uthorion’s strong right armagainst rebellious Houses. Althoughpublicly submissive to House Tancred,the Dalerons have long coveted theTancred holdings, and with CastleArdinay now abandoned, they con-sider that land ripe for conquest. Theyare waiting for a report from theirspies on the condition of GarethTancred before launching a strike.

Of all the Houses, only the Daleronshave come close to suspecting the truthabout Ardinay’s “change of heart” af-ter the war, and so they were dis-turbed, but not shocked, at reports ofher altered nature once in the cosm ofEarth. The current duke, ManfredDaleron, who had personally led histroops down the maelstrom bridgeduring the initial invasion, has chosento remain on Earth to attempt an over-throw of Ardinay that would allowhis House to rule in the cosm.

Manfred’s only son, Frederick, iscurrently leading the House in the cosm.Its outlying lands have been hard hit bythe changes in the Law of Corruption,but the cities of Harak, Creant, andXandel remain largely dark.

House GerrikSymbol: Three starsColors: Blue and silver

The Gerriks are a rugged family,well suited to the rough terrain thatmakes up their holdings in rimwardAysle, under the Folk star. Includedwithin their lands are the Sashni snowfields and the treacherous Kelor Moun-tains, which tower up to 280 metersabove the Valley of Skulls.

The Gerriks have a history of ableseamanship and exploration. It was aGerrik who first mapped much ofUpper Aysle, and named many of theislands in the Trade Sea and the LivingSea. Their House is also the strongestmilitarily of those that are presentlybacking Ardinay on Earth.

Uthorion’s bridge landed in an iso-lated portion of Gerrik lands duringthe initial invasion five centuries ago,and since the Dark High Lord’s plandid not involve a great deal of destruc-tion in the cosm, his forces were able tomake it to the Valley of the Swordwithout attracting a great deal of at-

tention. Gerrik troops made a nobleeffort to outflank them, but were butch-ered by ghouls and a flight of DraconisTeutonica who took Uthorion’s part.Many of Uthorion’s creatures still liveamong the Kelors, thriving in the shad-ows cast by the peaks.

The Gerriks had ranked as one ofAysle’s most influential families, alongwith the Tancreds, until the invasion.After that, the possessed Ardinay raisedthe statuses of House Daleron andHouse Vareth, eclipsing the Gerriks.Ardinay allowed Daleron to annex alarge portion of the Gerrik lands, all ofwhich drove the noble family into a self-imposed isolation. Protected from at-tacks by other Houses by natural bound-aries, the Gerriks managed what wasleft of their domain and did very littleelse while Ardinay’s forces pillaged andsacked other cosms.

The family was initially suspiciousof Ardinay’s “conversion” upon reach-ing Earth. But the House’s leader, DukeAugustus Gerrik, was willing togamble that the change of heart wasgenuine, and he dispatched extratroops under the command of sonDuncan to aid her fight.

In recent days, the Gerriks havecome out of their isolation with a ven-geance, making guerilla-style raidsagainst the Dalerons and the Tancreds.The Gerriks have already formed afirm alliance with the Bendes clan, andbelieve they can at least keep the otherHouses off-balance and prevent themfrom sending more troops to Earth.Their long-range goal is to take CastleArdinay and thus control the bridge(there are forces within House Gerrikwho believe Aysle would be better offif the mercurial Ardinay were not al-lowed to return).

House BendesSymbol: Lion on a field of whiteColors: Red and white

The last 15 generations of the Bendesfamily have played a dangerous game,indeed — while pledging their loyaltyto Pella Ardinay loudly and often, theyhave subsidized rebellious forces inother Houses, ferried supplies to theLiandars, and made their lands avail-able as a refuge for runaway dwarvesfrom the slave pens of House Vareth.

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Through it all, their wealth has beentheir shield. Watchdogs of HouseTancred who have come too close tothe truth have been bought off, orsilenced in other ways. The Bendeshave done their best to stay on thegood side of Ardinay, the Vareths andthe Dalerons, while all the time work-ing against them in hopes of a generalrebellion at some point in the future.

That point seemed to arrive whenArdinay called for an end to the war inthe cosm of Earth. If she was truly with-drawing her support from the morebrutal Houses, this was the time to strikeand eliminate them. The Bendes havebeen helping both the Gerriks and, to alesser degree, the Liandars rebuild theirarmies. They have begun mobilizingthemselves as well, with an army madeup of humans, half-folk and dwarfmercenaries.

All of this activity has caught theattention of the Tancreds, but thus farthey have not acted, Gareth appar-ently being occupied with other mat-ters. The Bendes are trying to convincetheir allies to crush House Vareth first,thus opening up sunward ports underthe Earth star for use by the Corsairs,who might be willing to join in thefight for the right amount of money.

Duke Mordecai Bendes oversees theactivities of the House in the cosm,while his son, Earl Thomas Bendes,leads their forces in the realm. Despiteholding a relatively small area of landin the rimward section of the conti-nent beneath the Earth star, the Bendeshave some of the most fertile acreageand a good portion of their domain isin the temperate zone. Although somecrops have suffered from the worldflux, much had already been harvestedand can be sold to other Houses whosefood supplies are less certain.

House VarethSymbol: Hatchet and spadeColors: Orange and gray

The ancestors of the Vareth clanwere good, hard-working dwarveswho were rewarded for their servicesin the war against the giants with theirown lands and their own House torule them.

Unfortunately, this newfoundwealth and the resulting soft lifestyle

has corrupted the Vareths over theyears, until the thought of doing ac-tual labor is repugnant to them. In oneof the most heinous acts in Aysle his-tory, the Vareths began kidnappingdwarves from the Land Between andenslaving them to work the fields.Other dwarves and half-folk were soldto other Houses, and soon the nameVareth was considered a curse in theLand Between.

The Vareths long for wealth andpower, it is true, but more than any-thing they desire to be considered theequals of humans, specifically theTancreds and the Dalerons. Ardinaypledged this to them after the invasionof Aysle, but the other Houses stillconsider them, at best, nouveau riche,and at worst, deride them as “slavers.”

Thus when the opportunity aroseto invade a rich cosm on Ardinay’sbehalf, Duke Dwyvan Vareth leapt atthe chance, sending his son Taleronand thousands of hand-picked troopsdown the bridge to Earth. Here at lastwould be the opportunity to prove toArdinay and the rest of the humansthat the dwarves were as good, if notbetter, at the art of war than they.

Then, to hear Dwyvan tell it, theywere betrayed by Ardinay. As theVareth troops were about to win agreat victory, Ardinay called for thefighting to cease. Some dwarves laiddown their arms, others fought on,and still others became extremely con-fused and were not sure what to do.This incident reinforced Dwyvan’sinstinctive distrust of humans, and hasmade him reluctant to heed the calls ofthe Tancreds and the Dalerons for aidagainst the other Houses.

Even if Dwyvan knew the truthabout Uthorion and Ardinay, it wouldnot matter a great deal to him. As faras he is concerned, one human is muchlike another, and he marks as his alliesthose who will help him turn a profit.The Vareths remain in the war onEarth simply because, since Ardinaynow opposes slavery of any kind, itseems wise to fight alongside thosewho oppose her.

Dwyvan has, of course, heard therumors about a dwarven rebellion inthe cosm of Earth, but thus far theeffects of it have not been felt in Aysle.He has reason to suspect that theBendes have something to do with the

situation, but without a central au-thority to bring a grievance to, his onlyoption is all-out war, a step he is notwilling to take with so many of histroops committed to Earth.

The Vareths currently hold therimward and sunward portion of thecontinent under the Earth star, alongwith the island of Vareth in the FrozenSea. The island has remained dark de-spite the flux, and is the site of the city ofTuonetar, home of the Vareth clan.

The People’s HouseThe People’s House was the name

given by Lady Pella to House Ardinayafter its lands were donated to theTancreds. Encompassing CastleArdinay, the Valley of the Sword andthe banks of the River Thamar and theInland Sea, the People’s House wasthe meeting place of representativesof the other six Houses during the eraof the “Delegate Legacy.” This smallarea in central Aysle borders the landsof House Gerrik, House Bendes, HouseVareth and House Tancred.

The People’s House, as such, nolonger exists in the cosm of Aysle. Itwas dissolved during the period thatUthorion possessed the body ofArdinay, along with the “DelegateLegacy,” and the Dark High Lord usedthe area as a base of operations duringhis reign. The main maelstrom bridgebetween Aysle and Earth is located inthe courtyard of the castle.

The castle was abandoned byUthorion when he traveled down thebridge to Earth’s cosm. It is presentlyguarded by a tribe of Vikings from theisle of Skani, who intend to stay attheir post until their chieftain returnswith the head of Ardinay. GarethTancred had originally intended tomove into the castle during Ardinay’sabsence, but the sudden shifts in theworld laws (and his own appearance)forced him to change his plans.

The Kingdoms ofAysle

Along with the Houses, which gov-ern the continent of Aysle, there are anumber of kingdoms, both large and

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small, throughout the cosm. Some ofthese formed strong alliances withUthorion during his reign, others iso-lated themselves from the Dark HighLord’s doings and pursued their owninterests.

The following is a summary of thekingdoms of Aysle, the lands they con-trol, and their role in the increasinglyviolent power struggle in the cosm.

The ElvesVery little is known about the elves

of Aysle or their domain. Ayslish his-tories relate that they appeared onUpper Aysle shortly after humans andgiants were first seen, and they estab-lished themselves on the land massnow known as Elveim (also referred toas “the Forbidden Continent”) and theoutlying islands.

Their only contact with the rest ofthe cosm has been through dealingswith the Freetraders, who are allowedto dock at the isle of Elvenport. Therethey exchange human and dwarvengoods for the valuable elven silk usedto fashion clothes for members of thegreat Houses, and the light but strongelfmail armor. But not even theFreetraders know very much aboutthem, as the elves refuse to discusstheir origins or history.

All other lands besides Elvenport inthe kingdom are forbidden to outsid-ers, and this restriction has generallybeen respected by the various races inthe cosm. There are reports that a Vi-king longship once docked at Elveim,its crew planning to plunder the wealthof the elves. But none of the Vikingsever emerged, and the wreckage of theship washed up on the Mage Islands.That account is centuries old, but theVikings deny that there is any truth in it.

The elves remained neutral duringall the cosm’s wars, and have avoidedany involvement in the troubles be-tween the Houses in recent months.Elves have been spotted in the realm,usually aiding the forces of Ardinay,but they will not reveal their reasonsfor doing so. Some have exhibited theincredible ability to ride the fierce drag-ons that roam throughout the cosm.

With the current upheavals in thecosm drawing attention away fromthe elves, it appears their secrets will

remain their own for the foreseeablefuture.

The VikingsThe fierce warrior race of Aysle oc-

cupies a string of islands in the TradeSea, the Living Sea and the Frozen Sea.All of the waters around the islands ofHolm, Skani, Scania and the Nolfgarchain are considered the domain of theVikings, and to enter them is to invitethe pillaging and burning of one’s ves-sel and the slaughter of the crew.

The Vikings first appeared as suchin Aysle roughly 650 years ago. Specu-lation is that they are the descendantsof humans who escaped the domina-tion of the giants and fled to inhospi-table Holm. The difficult living condi-tions on that snow-covered islandtoughened their stock through the gen-erations, until they were taller, moremuscular, and better able to withstandextremes of temperature than the av-erage human.

The Vikings’ great strength hasmade up for their relative lack of magi-cal knowledge. They rely often ongreat wooden oars to move their ships,even in the face of winds that blowperpetually toward the hole in thecenter of the disk.

The Vikings made themselvesknown through raids on shipping inthe Trade Sea. Goods were stolen,women were carried back to Holm asmates. Eventually, the Vikings ex-panded their empire to the other is-lands in the area, and the various tribesunited under one chieftain, GrettirBjanni. This brought an end to thecivil strife among the Vikings, andenabled them to increase the profit-ability of their raids.

The Vikings embraced the alterationmade by Uthorion in the Law of Cor-ruption. Since they did not work theland, they did not care that it had gonedark, and as long as Freetraders con-tinued to ply the seas, they wouldhave supplies. Prior to the invasion,Ayslish soldiers had begun to travelon the traders’ ships, making it moredifficult to sack them. After the warwith Uthorion, Ardinay proposed analliance with the Vikings, a conditionof which was that Aysle would nolonger extend protection to shipping.

The Vikings participated in a num-ber of the invasions of other cosms,and found great glory in it. But whenArdinay declared a truce in the cosmof Earth, the Vikings were reluctant toaccept it. Then their chieftain, a de-scendant of Grettir named ThorfinnBjanni, seemed to find new strength,and declared that Ardinay was weakand cowardly, and he would lead theVikings to victory. Unaware that thespirit of Thorfinn had been driven fromhis body and replaced with that ofUthorion, the Vikings gladly followedhim into battle.

The Vikings in the cosm are led byRolf Bjanni, the elderly father ofThorfinn and the former chieftain (thattitle is passed down from father to sonin Viking society). They now commu-nicate most often with a representa-tive of Gareth Tancred, and have thesingular honor of guarding CastleArdinay and the bridge within.

The CorsairsThe rogues and scoundrels known

collectively as the Corsairs travel un-der no banner in Aysle, and relish thefreedom this brings. Their vessels sailthe Trade Seas, plundering merchantships at will before vanishing into thesafety of Pelk Cove and the infamousisle of Haven.

The Corsairs are a relatively recentbranch of the Ayslish family, havingcome into existence after the War of theCrowns. Soldiers and seamen whofound a life of peace not to their likingsettled on three large islands betweenAysle and Elveim, and used these as abase from which to raid their rich neigh-bors. Unlike the Vikings, it is rare for theCorsairs to sack an entire town, nothaving the manpower for that sort of anoperation and unwilling to provoke awar with any race. The Corsairs muchprefer plundering without violence, asrepairing ships and replacing crew ishighly expensive.

The Corsairs’ usual method of at-tack is to converge on a Freetradership with three vessels, in the hopethat such steep odds will discouragetheir quarry from fighting back. TheCorsairs’ fiercest opponents are theVikings, who regard the pirates as com-petition and have long eyed their is-

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lands as sites of possible expansion.Attempts by the Vikings to mount full-scale attacks on the Corsairs have beenfrustrated in the past by the superiorspeed and maneuverability of the pi-rate vessels and their knowledge ofthe waters.

Along with the Freetraders, whoalso rely on the sea for their livelihood,the Corsairs often hire mages to sailwith them and communicate with airelementals. These elementals can re-direct the winds away from the Boil-ing Sea and allow sailing ships to reachtheir destinations with ease.

The Corsairs probably come theclosest to a democratic form of gov-ernment of any of the races on Aysle.Captains are elected by popular vote,their platform usually consisting ofhow much booty they’ve accumulated.There are normally eight captains, withthe best strategist among them actingas the overall leader (at present, thathonor falls to Logan Portman, a formersergeant in the army of House Gerrik).On issues of great importance to all (aproposed plan to burn the Viking fleetdocked at Scania, for example), everycrew member is allowed one vote, andeach captain has two.

This system has worked well, ingeneral, but has been no help in decid-ing which faction to back in the cosm.Some of the Corsairs enjoyed the ruleof Ardinay/Uthorion and are willingto aid the Dark Forces. Others balk atthe idea of siding with Vikings for anyreason. One captain, BenjaminWestbrook, went so far as to gather hiscrew and travel down the maelstrombridge to Ireland, and he was soonfollowed by others. This has left theCorsairs in the cosm at roughly half-strength, and thus they are treadingwarily whenever in Viking seas.

The BarbariansThe people known as “barbarians”

in Aysle are actually members of atribe called Uygdir who reside on theisland of Bar’aan in the Living Sea.They have the reputation of beingunfeeling savages, and have beenbranded as everything from giant-lov-ers to cannibals.

In truth, the Uygdir are none of thosethings. They are warlike and brutal, but

no more so than the Vikings, and theyhave been dismissed as little better thanbeasts primarily because they have nosystem of government as the term isunderstood on Aysle. Although techni-cally under the leadership of self-styledwarrior king Yon Taal, the Uygdir be-lieve in each individual looking afterhimself and pursuing his own destiny.Anyone who wishes to obey Taal is freeto do so; anyone who feels he knowsbetter than the king can assemble agroup of followers and do as hepleases. Taal has made a few half-hearted attempts to bring the variouscliques into line, but even those he hassuccessfully won over to his side donot remain there long.

Under these circumstances, it isimpossible to say if the barbarians arefor or against Ardinay. Some are fight-ing furiously for the Dark Forces, oth-ers just as strongly for the Light.Bar’aan itself reflects this split, as partsof it are blasted with corruption, whileother regions are green and lush.

The barbarians were initially reluc-tant to invade other cosms (preferringto choose their own wars), but theVikings destroyed several coastal vil-lages and Ardinay told them moredeaths would result if they persistedin their cowardice. The positive aspectof joining in the invasions was that itafforded some the opportunity to getaway from Bar’aan and see other lands,and there are now Uygdir on the con-tinent of Aysle, the islands near Elveim,and even a few working in Tradeport.

The primary source of income forthe barbarians is mining, chiefly foriron, which they then exchange forfood with the Freetraders. Bar’aan isrich in other minerals as well, such asgold, but the Uygdir have no idea oftheir value, and refuse to let otherraces come in and work their mines.That has made them a number of en-emies, including the Vikings and thedwarves of House Vareth, all of whomwould like to see the barbarians drivenoff Bar’aan and into the Frozen Land.

The FreetradersThe Freetraders are a mixture of

Aysle folk, united by their love of com-merce. It was love of conjs and lemays(Ayslish money) that led them to cross

the treacherous Trade Sea and darethe wrath of the elves by approachingwhat is now Elvenport. It is they whokeep the various continents abreast ofthe news of the cosm, provide marketsfor goods and sell food to areas wherenone can be grown because of thecorruption of the land.

Unfortunately, it is also theFreetraders (or some of them, anyway)who ferry enslaved dwarves from themarkets on Vareth to their new masters.These slave ships are the favorite tar-gets of Corsairs, who massacre the trad-ers, keep whatever gold they find, andeither add the freed dwarves to theircrews or return them to the Land Be-tween for a substantial reward.

Save for the slavers, most of theFreetraders consider themselves to beon the side of Light. Being the first tolearn anything of import in the cosm,they heard the whispers that perhapsArdinay wasn’t really Ardinay at all.Then all military protection for theirships was withdrawn by the Aysle gov-ernment, leaving them perfect victimsfor the pirates and the Vikings. Thus theFreetraders feel they have a vested in-terest in the return of a benevolent Pellato the throne, if only to get House pro-tection back for their vessels and savingthemselves the high cost of hiring mer-cenaries to guard their goods.

A number of Freetraders traveled toEarth during the invasion, seeing thepotential for great profit there. Theyhave since discovered that ferrying refu-gees can be a very lucrative businessindeed, although they avoid the Scan-dinavian waters, preferring to stay asfar away from the Vikings as possible.

The Ice NomadsThese wanderers of the Frozen Land

have been in Aysle for as long as anyhumans can remember. Where theycame from — whether they were origi-nally cast out of Ayslish society or leftof their own accord to seek a betterplace — no one knows. But from thatday to this, they have trekked throughthe harshest terrain of the Land Aboveand braved biting winds and killingtemperatures that no one else woulddare challenge.

Despite their lack of comforts, theIce Nomads have survived. In part,

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this is because no one particularlywants to conquer a barren, snow-cov-ered wasteland, but it is also becausethe Nomads seem to have developedskills denied those in the more com-fortable areas. The barbarians speak ofthem with something akin to awe, say-ing that they have seen Ice Nomadsbring down a Draconis Teutonica andthen feast on its carcass.

Cut off as they are from modernsociety, nothing is known about theirsocial structure or their loyalties.Whether they are able to comprehendthe concept of a People’s House, or theroots of the Ardinay-Uthorion con-flict, is unknown. They have, how-ever, evidenced a great deal of loyaltyto the Liandar family, and they havespoken to William Liandar of a tradi-tion among their people, that of sacri-ficing one’s life for a friend and therewards in the afterlife for such an act.

The Half-FolkThe bizarre creatures called half-

folk have, in a sense, every kingdomand none at all to call their own. Thereare half-folk virtually everywhere inAysle, save perhaps for Elveim. Theyhave been found everywhere from theislands bordering the Boiling Sea tothe farthest reaches of the Frozen Land,and nowhere are they welcomed. Thehumans consider these half human/half creature mixtures dangerous mon-strosities, the Vikings regard them asfit only to be beasts of burden, and thebarbarians and Ice Nomads considerthem befouled by dark magic and thusunclean.

When Uthorion first invaded theAysle cosm, the reality storms trans-formed the folk into beings that werebizarre hybrids of man and monster,who eventually became known as half-folk. First-generation half-folk arenever possibility rated, but each suc-ceeding generation produces morepossibility-rated beings.

The overwhelming rejection theyhave experienced has had severalnegative effects on the half-folk. Some,particularly the minotaurs, have re-acted by lashing out at every otherrace, and as a result there are areas ofAysle where the man-bulls are killedon sight. The harpies tend to hide them-

selves away from everyone, staying indark caves and grottos — often thecombination of their isolation and thesight of their horrid appearance in apool will cause them to go insane. Ofall the half-folk, it is the satyrs whoseem to adjust most quickly to theirnew state — they flock to the hillsidesof the Aysle continent, grazing on veg-etation and not particularly caringwhat anyone thinks of them.

Bitter and frustrated, the half-folkwere easily recruited by Uthorion, inthe guise of Ardinay, for his army. Atlast, they felt as if they were accepted— in truth, Uthorion had need of ex-pendable fodder to soften up enemiesbefore the Vikings went in for the kill.

The half-folk live under the lawsand political system of whatever king-dom they happen to be occupying, buthave no legal rights under any systemcurrently operating in the cosm.

The GiantsThe giant race controls virtually all

of Lower Aysle, occupying most of themajor land masses there, although theyhave only a few settlements in theBroken Land, which is a haven forlesser folk, half-folk, and creatures ofall descriptions. The giants have hadminimal contact with Upper Ayslesince the War of the Giants hundredsof years ago, except for meetings withArdinay/Uthorion that resulted inmany of them joining the Dark HighLord’s invasion force.

Contrary to the belief of many inUpper Aysle, the giants are not oneunited bloc of oversized bullies. Thereare fierce rivalries between differentgroups, the bloodiest thus far betweenthe giants of Chamkatt and those ofPolja. The feud started 300 years agoover a stolen cow, and now many jokethat it is easier to conquer an entirecosm than to get a Chamkatt and aPolja to agree on anything.

The giant tribes, major and minor,live under a system in which the stron-gest warrior rules, and can be replacedat any time, providing the claimant tothe title bests him in battle. For thisreason, there are few elderly giant lead-ers, nor are there very many wise ones.The giants rely on brute strength toaccomplish their ends, eschewing

strategy and tactics and often meetingdefeat as a result.

The giants have a particular hatredfor humans, especially those who wor-ship Dunad. Giant histories make nomention of Dunad or his deeds, butrefer instead to a traitorous giantnamed Lafetor who betrayed his raceto the humans. Those giants who havetaken the side of the Light tend to befollowers of Ugorl or those who haveventured into Upper Aysle and beenawed by the riches and the differentraces found there. A giant in UpperAysle can find work fairly easily(there’s always demand for someonewho can lift boulders and considerstwo wolacs a fair day’s wage). Othergiants who oppose the ravages of theDark Forces have formed a commu-nity on the isle of Ugorland in LowerAysle.

The giants have varying degrees ofdislike for all the other races in Aysle,but reserve a special enmity for thedwarves of the Land Between. No gi-ant has forgotten that the dwarvesfought against them in the war forUpper Aysle, and the uneasiest alli-ance in all of Uthorion’s vast army isthat between the giants and thedwarves. In fact, the giants have takento blaming the dwarves for Ardinay’schange of heart and any setback theDark Forces meet (there is an old say-ing among the dwarves, “In the eyesof a giant, the dwarves were showingDunad how to take a sword apart oneday, and things just got out of hand”).

The DwarvesThe dwarves actually occupy two

distinct “kingdoms” in the cosm ofAysle, the Land Between and the terri-tories controlled by House Vareth. Asthe Vareths have been dealt with else-where in this chapter, we will focushere on the dwarves who occupy the“middle ground” between UpperAysle and Lower Aysle.

Along with humans and giants, thedwarves are one of the dominant racesof Aysle. Although they do not have areputation as great warriors, they arefierce and tenacious, and make up incunning what they lack in brawn. Thedwarves realized how easily their landcould be conquered, or turned into a

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pathway for the invasions of others,and took steps to prevent this fromhappening. Using their engineeringskills, they booby-trapped many ofthe tunnels which connect Upper Aysleto Lower Aysle, and this has lessenedthe number of disturbances by giantsin their kingdom in recent years.

In fact, the greatest threat to thedwarves over the last five centurieshas come not from the noisy creaturesabove or below, but from their ownkind. Raiding parties from HouseVareth appear once every few weeks,and carry off the healthiest and stron-gest dwarves to be sold in the slavemarkets. Attempts by the Land Be-tween dwarves to stop this have beenlargely unsuccessful, and every dwarffamily has lost at least one member tothe slavers.

This situation has engendered agreat deal of resentment towardArdinay in some quarters, and overtime some of these dwarves have or-ganized into small resistance bands.They have proven very effective sabo-teurs, and many of the groups mingledwith the Vareth troops and traveleddown the bridge, hoping to do their bitto aid the cosm under attack.

When Ardinay announced a truce,the dwarves were divided. Some tookthis to mean she had not been herselfover the last 500 years, and was notresponsible for all that had happenedin Aysle; others claim she simply sawthe battle was going against her, anddecided to try the “Did I do that? Ican’t remember!” trick that many adwarf has pulled after a long night oflager. Regardless of their opinion, thesebands continue the fight against theDark Forces in the realm.

Other dwarves from the Land Be-tween have less noble natures. Somecame to the conclusion that the onlyway to avoid becoming a slave was tobecome a slaver, and went to work forthe Vareths. These dwarves dismantlealarm systems in the tunnels to allowthe raiders to come down safely, andin return are well paid and promisedthat their families will not be harmed.Of course, if one of these spies dis-pleases the House, the Vareths willnot hesitate to leak his name to thedwarf families who have been victim-ized, ensuring that the offender willbe dispatched in an exceedingly pain-

ful manner by his outraged neighbors.Unlike many other Ayslish races, the

dwarves do not choose their leadersbased on strength or material wealth.Although an especially militant dwarfcan always gather a small group offollowers, generally the eldest and thewisest in a community are the de factoleaders. The primary responsibility ofthe Council of Elders is to provide forthe safety of the kingdom and closelymonitor the supplies of food.

The latter is a constant problem forthe dwarves. Living underground,they have never had the most fertilesoil to work with, their primary cropsbeing mushrooms and some forms ofmoss. With the world flux, even thoseoften will not grow. Thus they mustforage or trade for what they need,usually in Upper Aysle. Trading withhumans is fairly easy, as the dwarveshave an abundant supply of gold, sil-ver and other precious metals andminerals to offer. Foraging has beenless successful, since so many parts ofUpper Aysle have been ravaged bythe changes in the Law of Corruptionand food is in short supply.

Along with mining, the dwarves relyon their skills as craftsmen for theirlivelihood. Their most lucrative pursuitis ship repair, particularly with theFreetraders taking such a poundingfrom the Vikings and Corsairs. A teamof dwarves can patch a hull in a matterof minutes, and a number of Freetradershave taken dwarves on as crew mem-bers to effect emergency repairs.

Dwarf mages are also in high de-mand in Aysle, primarily because theycannot demand the same high prices ahuman sorcerer can, and Ayslish en-joy getting the same magical effect forless money. (Of course, dwarf magesdo have a reputation for casting spellsthat don’t do quite what the customerexpected — like the person who pur-chased a floater spell at a cut rate andthen painfully discovered the dura-tion was not quite as long as he hadbeen promised.)

The dwarves make up the majorityof the population in the Land Between,sharing that area with a number ofhalf-folk and lesser folk. These groupsare avoided by the dwarves, who fearthe lesser folk and have no use for thehalf-folk, dwarves preferring to dotheir own manual labor.

The dwarves have recently heardrumors of Gutterby’s revolt in the realm,and have been heartened by them. Plansare going forward for an insurrectionagainst House Vareth, which has com-mitted a large number of troops to thebattle for the cosm of Earth.

The Lesser FolkThe lowest class in Aysle, the lesser

folk — the gnomes, trolls, kobolds, andogres — have no true social structureto speak of, beyond the occasionalloosely-knit group seen wanderingthrough the mountains of Upper Aysle.In general, the lesser folk lead inde-pendent existences, taking care ofthemselves and caring little for any-one else. They favor caves, tunnels,and other dark places, particularly inthe Land Between, and shun gather-ings of humans, dwarves or giants.

A lone Ayslish is another matterentirely. Cosm residents roaming toonear the homes of lesser folk havebeen killed for no more reason thanthat the resident troll was in a particu-larly foul mood that day.

Lesser folk are normally of low in-telligence, although they can recog-nize a profit-making venture whenthey see one. That is why so many ofthem have gravitated to the DarkForces, a troop that allows them topillage and burn and pays them wellfor it. There are few lesser folk amongthe soldiers now following Ardinay,and since neither humans nor dwarvescare to associate with them, that isprobably just as well.

The lesser folk are also the onlygroup which doesn’t care that cropscannot be grown in huge areas of bothUpper and Lower Aysle. This is be-cause lesser folk tend to be meat-eat-ers, and will feast on anyone or any-thing they can get their hands on. Forthat reason, they make for dangerousallies — if an ogre gets too hungry, theideas of “friendship” and “coopera-tion” will swiftly be replaced by lesslofty ideals, and a traveling compan-ion may find himself the main courseon the dinner menu.

Like all folk, the trolls, ogres andsuch have some magical skill andknowledge, depending on theirbirthdate. But fewer of their number

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have become adept at the use of thesorcerous arts, due to the refusal of theacademies on the Mage Islands to ad-mit them and the unwillingness of thelesser folk to trust each other with anyknowledge they do gain.

Magic In AysleSince Dunad broke his enchanted

sword and released the arcaneknowledges into the cosm of Aysle,magic has been a part of everyday life.Because of Dunad’s blessing, all folkare born with a magic skill and a knowl-edge, and simple magic is as common-place as electricity in Core Earth. Therim stars — those celestial embodi-ments of the Kindred and Elementknowledges — determine whichknowledge a person is born with. Theskill is determined by the time of themonth. The “Determining Magic byBirth” table provides an easy way tofigure out a character’s magic skill andknowledge by birth. It lists the monthsof the Ayslish year, which stars(knowledges) are in ascendency dur-ing particular months, and which skillis associated with the date of the monthin question.

Example: Bord Feral is born on the26th day of Celay. This means he isborn with the apportation magic skilland the metal arcane knowledge at oneadd each.

The EntityKnowledge

When the arcane knowledges werereleased from the blade of Dunad’ssword, each found a home in the Limitas a star. One of the knowledges didnot take physical form, however. Itremained incorporeal, haunting thevery edges of reality with its presence.But it retained the ability to manifestitself twice every day, at dawn and atdusk. These parts of the day becameknown as the Entity Hours, the timewhen the world is closest to the placesof spirits, demons, and other thingsnot of the folk.

A person born during the EntityHour is marked as someone who com-munes with unclean things. For this

reason, many midwives and mages doeverything in their power to delay orrush labor as the Entity Hour ap-proaches. But the entities cannot al-ways be denied. If a person is bornduring this time, it is usually keptsecret. A folk born at 6:21 pm on thefirst day of Arthuk receives the divina-tion/entity skill and knowledge, butpublicly declares he is a divination/water person to avoid the negativesassociated with entity folk.

Born ContraryAfter you have rolled to determine

the knowledge under which a charac-ter was born, you must then roll to seeif the character was born during theday or night. Most midwives and court

mages use spells to ensure an eveningbirth, under the light of the knowl-edge star. Those born during the day,however, are born contrary to theknowledge. These rare individualsmust increase the backlash of any spellsusing their arcane knowledge of birthby +3.

To determine contrariness, roll adie. On a roll of 1 to 5, the character iscontrary. If the character is of nobleblood and had court mages assistingin the birth, then contrariness is deter-mined only on a roll of 1.

Example: Bord Feral is born un-der the water star, but is born dur-ing the day. Because of this, anyspell requiring the water knowledgethat Bord casts is subject to its nor-mal backlash +3.

etermining Magic by BirthDMonth Arcane Divin.* Apportat.* Alterat.* Conjur.*

Knowledge Day Day Day Day 1-18 19-27 28-30** 30***

Arthuk Water 1 1-2 1-2 1-2Asten Aquatic 2 3-4 3-4 3-4Harang Avian 3 5-6 5-6 5-6Darsot Air 4 7-8 7-8 7-8Shali Enchanted 5 9 9 9Celay Metal 6 10 10 10Endrak Fire 7 11 11 11-12Minthod Elemental 8 12 12 13-14Mesus Earthly 9 13 13 15-16Borl Earth 10 14 14 17Dunad Folk 11 15 15 18Rak Plant 12 16 16 19

— Entity**** 13 17 17 20Move to nextcolumn and 14-20 18-20 18-20roll again

* Represents abbreviations for Divination, Apportation, Alterationand Conjuration.

** Alteration skill in folk born from Day 28 to 5:59 am on Day 30.*** Conjuration skill in folk born on Day 30, from 6:00 am to 12:00 am,

except for the Entity Hours.**** Those born under Entity are born from 6:00 am to 7:00 am or from

6:00 pm to 7:00 pm (the Entity Hours, dawn and dusk). On an Entity roll,a folk is born with the skill listed and the Entity knowledge. Roll againon the knowlede column to determine which month and public knowl-edge they receive.

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The Mage Isles andthe Arcane Academies

The great schools of magic can befound in the Trade Sea of Upper Aysle.Here, on the Mage Isles, apt pupilsstudy the arcane knowledges to be-come competent spellcasters and worktheir way up to master wizards. Thefour charted islands are Being, State,Bridge, and Pure Isle. The rumoredfifth isle, Pinnacle, has never appearedon a navigation chart. Each of the fourcharted isles has a port which is opento friendly vessels, and ships comehere with passengers and to trade.The islands are administered by thearchmages, the four ancient wizardswho have each specialized in a par-ticular body of arcane knowledgesand oversee the four arcane acad-emies. Legends speak of a fiftharchmage who deals in the Essences,but neither he nor his island have everbeen confirmed.

The Isle of Being contains the SevenTowers of Kindred Knowledge, and isrun by the archmage L’lana of theSeven Towers. This mage allows allmanner of kindred to wander theshores of her domain, but none savethe serious mage-born can pass thetests that allow them entry into thetowers of arcane knowledge. Nor-mally, only six of the towers can beseen rising over the trees from the porttown. But every day at dawn and duska seventh tower appears beside theothers — the hauntingly different En-tity Tower. To look upon the tower isto invite the notice of an otherworldlybeing, or so the legend goes.

The Isle of State is home to the SixTowers of Element Knowledge, andthe arcane academy administered bythe dwarven mage Dalen of the SixTowers. Each tower is set within apark dedicated to one particular ele-ment, and those visitors lucky enoughto travel beyond the port town areamazed by the rivers of metal and thetower that floats in the air.

The Bridge Isle, or the Island ofTwo Towers, contains the arcane acad-emy of Mixed Forces. The elvenarchmage Thelim of the Two Towersoversees the academy.

The Pure Isle houses the Three Tow-ers of Principle Knowledge, and the

arcane academy dedicated to the pureforces. Magellan of the Three Towerswears the high robes of PrincipleKnowledge and splits his time be-tween the towers of darkness, light,and magic.

Beyond these four isles, legendsspeak of Pinnacle and the Four Tow-ers of Essence Knowledge. If thisfabled isle does exist, only those of thehighest order of magic can passthrough its veil of secrecy. And if thearchmage Kalilor of the Four Towersis a real person, then he must be trulypowerful indeed.

Improving MagicSkills and

KnowledgesThe folk of Aysle are born with a

magic skill and knowledge, but only afew go beyond the most rudimentarytraining. People tend to specialize,going into fields where their birthknowledge will give them an advan-tage. So, those born under the waterstar tend to become sailors, fisher-men, and shipwrights. Those with adesire to increase their station canteach themselves magic, but this isexpensive. The better way is to find ateacher, either at the arcane academiesor a rogue wizard, which greatly re-duces the time or the number of Pos-sibilities it costs to learn. It costs 10Possibilities to teach yourself a skillthat cannot be used unskilled, or thevalue of 10 in months (100) for an Ord.It only costs five Possibilities, or thevalue of five in months (10) for anOrd, if you have a teacher. Note, thisis true of learning all skills, not justmagic skills.

Those who opt to take the arcaneacademy route must make their wayto the Mage Isles and offer themselvesto a particular academy. While theycan learn from the other academies(and are encouraged to do so) theymust pledge themselves to one par-ticular body of knowledge. Then theyundergo a test. If a would-be magecomes through the test whole andunharmed, then he or she may join theacademy. When an apprentice joinsan academy, he gives up his familyname. So, Belder of House Gerrik be-

comes simply Belder for the remain-der of his apprenticeship. Once he hasachieved 12 adds in arcane knowledges(at least two of which must be from hispledged body of knowledge), thenBelder can call himself Belder theMage. Belder’s next goal is to achieve20 adds in magic skills, 10 adds in anytwo knowledges of his academy, andat least one add in every other knowl-edge of his academy. Once he doesthat, then Belder can claim the title ofhis pledged body of knowledge. Forexample, Belder of the Three Towers,which makes him a master mage spe-cializing in the Principles.

Those who don’t want to gothrough these sometimes grueling anddangerous tests can simply buy en-chanted items that contain arcaneknowledges that they must providethe magic skill for. Traders can pur-chase a water compass, for example,that constantly points toward thewater star. All the trader must pro-vide is the divination skill — and themoney to purchase the item. Less com-mon (and more expensive) are thoseitems that also contain the magic skill.

Religion in AysleReligion plays an important part in

Aysle society, and in many ways reli-gion is simply an extension of the natu-ral magic that permeates the disk world.But in other ways, religion is of a sepa-rate, more spiritual nature. Like magic,religion requires a leap of faith as itdeals with matters beyond the normalperceptions of the populace. In a worldwhere observation is everything, this isimportant to remember.

The major faiths are built aroundstrong gods and legendary heroes. Ingeneral, the three major faiths are thoseof Honor, Corruption, and Balance.But in practice, the folk follow a par-ticular god and his or her agents in theworld. The followers of Honor tend toconsider themselves good. The majortenets of belief center around faithful-ness, loyalty, respect, and being trueto yourself. The followers of Corrup-tion see themselves as opposed to thefollowers of Honor. Their actionscould be considered evil, and theytake the form of both overt and subtleactivities. Their tenets incorporate de-

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structive and disruptive tendencies.The followers of Balance try to walkthe middle path, leaning neither to-ward Honor nor Corruption but in-corporating both into their tenets. Theybelieve in balance, and strive to main-tain a balance in everything.

The gods, while real entities whoseinfluence in the world can be observed,are nevertheless apart from daily lifein Aysle. Legends persist of actualappearances by the gods in physicalform, but these occurrences are rareand only happen to the most holymembers of the faith.

The Gods of Honor

Dunad

Major God of HonorArcane Spheres of Influence: time,

life, magic, living forces, fire, folkSymbol: Dunad Cross

Dunad was a human male who re-leased his people from the bonds ofgiant slavery and brought the arcaneknowledges of magic to Aysle. He trav-eled beyond the Limit to seek out a wayto help his people, and returned with apowerful enchanted sword namedAurel. The sword contained all of themagic skills and knowledges, and madeDunad almost invincible. But he couldnot defeat the giants on his own. In theend, he traveled to the Valley of theSword and shattered the blade of hissword, thus releasing the skills andknowledges into the air. While he meant

for these skills and knowledges to beused only by humans, magic saw nodifference between one type of folk andanother. So, all folk were blessed withDunad’s gift.

Dunad’s priests get a +3 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence. Theirweapon of choice is a sword, and theytend to be warriors as well as clerics.

Shali

Major God of HonorArcane Spheres of Influence: life,

true knowledge, light, inanimateforces, air, enchanted

Symbol: The Eye in the Sun

Shali was the first true mage ofAysle, a female human who sought tolearn everything she could when theknowledges first became available.She was also Dunad’s love, and thoughshe remained on Aysle for many yearsafter Dunad gave the gift of magic anddisappeared, she eventually went insearch of her lover. Together, theybecame the first true gods of Aysle(not counting the dwarven creators).Legends state that Shali created thearcane academies after the giants re-treated to Lower Aysle.

Shali’s priests get a +3 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence. Her follow-ers tend to be mages, and most whofollow her look for peaceful solutionsinstead of the ways of war.

Argon

Minor God of HonorArcane Spheres of Influence: light,

earth, avianSymbol: The Hawk in the Sun

Argon is a male human said to wan-der the world in the company of an

earth elemental and a hunting hawk,seeking to find and destroy the hatedHarang and her followers. This legend-ary battle is carried on by the followersof Argon, who seek to destroy the cor-rupted avians which have fallen out ofthe light and now reside in the darknessbeneath Harang’s outstretched wings.

Argon’s priests get a +2 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence. Theirweapon of choice is the long bow.

Mesus

Minor God of HonorArcane Spheres of Influence: liv-

ing forces, plant, earthlySymbol: Crys Flower

Mesus takes the form of a femalecentaur, and she is revered by the half-folk of Upper Aysle. Her symbol, thecrys flower, has only recently returnedto the world in great number. UnderUthorion, the beautiful blue-red flowerwas allowed to be trampled to nearextinction. It, like Mesus’ followers,remained hidden in solitary, out-of-the-way places. Now, with the returnof Ardinay, the god and her followersare trying to regain a place in Ayslishsociety. Nature and the land are Mesus’chief concerns, and her followers tendto be rangers, woodsmen, farmers, andthe like — all folk, although the major-ity are half-folk.

Mesus’ priests get a +2 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence.

Elmiir

Major God of HonorArcane Spheres of Influence: true

knowledge, magic, water, elementalSymbol: Two Stars over Water

The most influential of the elvengods, the male Elmiir is an enigmaticand mysterious figure. His symbol

eligions in a GameRThis sourcebook describes fic-

tional religions as they exist andoperate in the fictional Torg set-ting. It is in no way intended toportray real religions operatingin the real world.

Chapter Two

25

represents the arcane stars of magicand elemental knowledge rising overa body of water, and some believe itactually stands for the elven home-land, Elveim. Legends say that Elmiirbrought his people to Aysle from some-where beyond the Limit, and he tookhis place beside the other gods to makesure the elves would always have anadvocate within the spheres of power.It is because of the tenets of Elmiir’steachings that the elves remain apartfrom the other folk.

Elmiir’s priests get a +3 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence.

Asten

Minor God of HonorArcane Spheres of Influence: in-

animate forces, metal, aquatic.Symbol: The Star Gem.

Asten is said to be a beautiful elvenmaiden, the mate of Elmiir. Her sym-bol is the holy star gem, a rare gem-stone found only on Elveim. This ob-sidian stone shines with an inner light,as if a star was captured within themineral. Unlike her mate, Astenteaches that the other folk are not to befeared or looked down upon. But herfollowers have little influence. Theymust be content with their posts onElvenport as the only place of contactbetween the elves and other races. Still,they maintain the vow of secrecy asprescribed by Elmiir long ago, andrefuse to speak of their past or theforbidden continent to outsiders.

Asten’s priests get a +2 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence.

The Gods ofCorruption

Arthuk

Major God of CorruptionArcane Spheres of Influence:

death, true knowledge, darkness, in-animate forces, water, enchanted

Symbol: Dark Skull

Arthuk, a male giant, was the leaderof the giants enslaving Upper Aysleduring the time of Dunad. Dunadkilled him with his enchanted swordafter a terrible battle, but Arthuk over-came death and became the major forceof corruption in the world. His sym-bol, the dark skull, brings fear to thefollowers of honor the world over. Hisfollowers still attempt to exert theirinfluence on the smaller folk, and theyrevel in war and violence.

Arthuk’s priests get a +2 bonuswhen using any of the arcaneknowledges under the god’s influence.Their weapon of choice is the war club.

Borl

Major God of CorruptionArcane Spheres of Influence: time,

life, magic, living forces, earth, folkSymbol: Gnarled Tree

Borl, the giantess mate of Arthuk,has influence over life and living forces,and uses this influence to corrupt them.She is considered a fierce warrior andthe greatest of the giant mages ever towalk the disk world. Like most of thegods of corruption, Borl is more fearedthan worshipped. Her symbol is agnarled and withered tree. While Borlhas more of an innate connection withall folk, she still looks upon her giantsas the true folk — all others are lesserfolk fit only to serve the giants.

Borl’s priests get a +3 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence.

Harang

Minor God of CorruptionArcane Spheres of Influence: liv-

ing forces, air, avianSymbol: Black, Poisoned Feather

The harpy half-folk Harang is a godof pain and torture. Her followers claimthat they use pain to teach others of thesuffering of the half-folk, but their glee-ful inflictions go beyond mere lessons.They wage an unending war on thefollowers of Argon. Harang appearsas a female harpy with black feathersthat drip poison. Her priests carry rep-lica feathers as holy symbols.

Harang’s priests get a +1 bonuswhen using any of the arcaneknowledges under the god’s influence.

Estar

Minor God of CorruptionArcane Spheres of Influence:

magic, plant, aquaticSymbol: Two Stars under Water

Estar, the corrupted son of Elmiirand Asten, has gained a followingamong certain elf, half-folk, and lesserfolk communities. It is said that Estarhelped Arthuk in his domination ofUpper Aysle, and even taught Borlhow to use the magic that was withinher after Dunad gave his gift to thefolk. She quickly became more power-ful than the corrupt elf, and she con-vinced him to betray his people andjoin the Corrupt Pantheon. Like hismother, Estar believes that all of thefolk should be viewed equally — butto him this means they should all beused to further his own causes. Toshow his opposition to Elmiir, Estar’ssymbol is the stars of magic and aquaticknowledges beneath water.

Estar’s priests get a +1 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence.

Endrak

Minor God of CorruptionArcane Spheres of Influence: dark-

ness, fire, elementalSymbol: The Dark Sun

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Endrak, the human male god of fireand darkness, teaches that the night fireshall someday claim the disk world andwipe it clean of honor and balance. In itswake it will leave only corruption, andthat is what Endrak’s followers lookforward to. The night fire will comewith the darkening of the sun, just as thelast great change on Aysle occurredwhen the sun flared brighter. Until thatday comes, Endrak’s followers willwreak what corruption they can in theirgod’s name.

Endrak’s priests get a +2 bonuswhen using any of the arcaneknowledges under the god’s influence.

Kalim

Minor God of CorruptionArcane Spheres of Influence: in-

animate forces, metal, earthlySymbol: The Obsidian Hammer

Kalim, the corrupt god of the lesserfolk, appears as a mighty troll wield-ing an obsidian hammer. He is a wargod who delights in battle and chaos.The corruption that such activitypropagates is just an added bonus.Kalim and his followers detest thehigher folk (humans, elves, dwarves,and giants) and have only a passingtolerance for half-folk.

Kalim’s priests get a +1 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence. Theirweapon of choice is a war hammer.

Corba’al

Major God of CorruptionArcane Spheres of Influence:

death, true knowledge, time, darkness,living forces, air, water, folk, entity

Symbol: Crossed Bones

Corba’al, the entity god, is a godapart. Even though he is part of thecorrupt pantheon, he is also the onlygod who regularly communes withthe things that are not of the folk. Thedead, decay, and corruption are histenets, and Corba’al’s followers aregranted the ability to see the flow oftime and decay in every living thing.Few follow the ways of the entity god,and those who do specialize in entitymagic and necromancy. Uthorion isCorba’al’s high priest in Aysle.

Corba’al’s priests get a +3 bonuswhen using any of the arcaneknowledges under the god’s influence.

The Gods Between

Minthod

Major God of BalanceArcane Spheres of Influence: time,

magic, inanimate forces, earth, elementalSymbol: World Disk

Minthod takes the form of a hugeminotaur, and is the patron deity ofadventurous half-folk. His symbol isthe world disk of Aysle, complete witha hole in its center, and shaded halflight and half dark to represent thetwo sides. It is said that Minthod wan-ders the world disk, traveling acrossUpper and Lower Aysle when he isnot at home in his hidden temple inthe Land Between. The followers ofMinthod believe in absolute patience,in magic as the factor that makes allfolk equal, and in a true balance be-tween honor and corruption.Minthod’s followers rarely take sidesunless it is to help restore balance. Ascorruption has gained a distinct ad-vantage under Uthorion’s reign,Minthod’s faithful have currentlytaken up the cause of honor until thescales are again level.

Minthod’s priests get a +3 bonuswhen using any of the arcaneknowledges under the god’s influence.

Celay

Major God of BalanceArcane Spheres of Influence: life,

magic, living forces, metal, folkSymbol: Star Mushroom

Celay, a female gnome, is the mostpowerful of the lesser folk gods. She isalso the least followed, as most lesserfolk prefer Kalim’s corrupt ways.Nonetheless, Celay’s faithful seek tocorrect the deeds of Kalim’s followersand restore balance to the lesser folk.For this reason, Kalim’s followers killCelay’s whenever they are able. Thisreligious war has lasted since the giftof magic and the coming of the gods.The tenets which Celay’s faithful fol-low celebrate life, living forces, andthe magic that balances the world. Thisis symbolized by the star mushroom, aplant that thrives even in the darkestregions of the Land Between. Theylove all folk and seek to bridge the gapthat exists between the major racesand the lesser folk.

Celay’s priests get a +3 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence.

Darsot

Minor God of BalanceArcane Spheres of Influence: light,

air, aquaticSymbol: Winged Fish

Darsot is one of two human gods inthe Between Pantheon. He embracedthe ways of balance and his followersare usually diplomats and peacemak-ers, striving to bring balance to theworld. But their job is hard, all the moreso because of their reluctance to strikeback at their attackers. This would notlead to balance, they believe, but wouldinstead aid either honor or corruption.

Darsot’s priests get a +2 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence.

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Areel

Minor God of BalanceArcane Spheres of Influence: dark-

ness, water, enchantedSymbol: Dark World Disk

Areel, the other human god in theBetween Pantheon, is the god of night.All things of darkness are hers, forthey balance the things of light andday. Unlike her mate Darsot’s follow-ers, the followers of Areel make war.They do this to balance Darsot’s influ-ence in the world, and they never battlefor victory — only to maintain thestatus quo. They are fierce warriorsnevertheless, and many losing sideshave given hefty donations for theirservices. Once the two sides are againat even power, the Areels abandon thefight and go in search of another battleto balance.

Areel’s priests get a +2 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence. Theirweapon of choice is the mace, but theyare usually skilled at a number ofweapons.

Ugorl

Minor God of BalanceArcane Spheres of Influence: in-

animate forces, fire, avianSymbol: Fire Bird

The giant Ugorl teaches moderationin all things, including the basics ofgiant life such as violence, primal urges,and corruption. Because of this, she isnot a popular god in Lower Aysle. Butto those giants who seek adventure andto live with the folk of Upper Aysle, sheis an alternative to the teachings ofArthuk and Borl. Ugorl’s followers donot go against the teachings of the cor-rupt gods, they simply control theirurges and direct them toward a balancethat allows them to mingle with the folkof Upper Aysle.

Ugorl’s priests get a +1 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence.

Rak

Minor God of BalanceArcane Spheres of Influence: liv-

ing forces, plant, earthlySymbol: Lush Tree

Unlike Ugorl, Rak is a popular godamong the giants of Lower Aysle andthe Vikings of Upper Aysle. He is thegod of living forces, teaching that na-ture has its own ways of balancinghonor and corruption. The strong sur-vive, the weak perish, and balance ismaintained. That is the basic tenetthat Rak’s followers hold to. Every-thing that exists in nature strives tomaintain the world’s balance. Allurges must be indulged, for that isnature’s way of showing the folk howto keep the balance.

Rak’s priests get a +1 bonus whenusing any of the arcane knowledgesunder the god’s influence.

Secular DwarvenismAfter creating the world and giving

the dwarves dominion, the dwarvengods left Aysle. Since then, due to flawsinherent in the world’s creation, othersentient races have come into being tocontest the dwarves’ dominion. Natu-rally, this has given the dwarves a some-what jaded view of the competence ofgods in general, and the ones who cre-ated them in particular.

In short, the dwarves don’t like godsand want nothing to do with them.They hold in pitying contempt all thosewho look to higher agencies to solvetheir problems for them.

If dwarven religion has to be classi-fied, it should be thought of as seculardwarvenism — they know there aresupernatural agencies out there some-where, but they’d rather like to be leftalone, thank you very much.

Still, many dwarves look upon thegods of the other folk as either heroes or

villains, and some have even adoptedtheir religions in absence of one of theirown. Dunad is a particular favorite, asis Minthod. Arthuk, Kalim, and Rak areseen as enemies, as their followers tendto delight in killing dwarves.

Some dwarves actively seek to cur-tail any religion, no matter who or whatpractices it; these might more properlybe called secret societies than sects. Thereare a few small communities whichworship the Creators, attempting tobring them back to “right the wrongs oftheir creation;” however these are toosmall in number to have any real reli-gious or political clout.

There is no formal religious com-munity in dwarven society. Manydwarves are taught the faith skill (in the“religion” of secular dwarvenism) atone add. There are no strictures fordwarven belief — if a dwarf is foolishenough to believe in a religion, as longas he does it in the privacy of his ownhome, that’s his business. There are nopriests of secular dwarvenism. Somedwarves are more virulently anti-reli-gion than others; these might be titled“Philosophers,” “Pragmatists” or“Dwarvenists,” and have the faith skillat from two to four adds. Except forbeing respected in the community, thesedwarves gain no other special benefit.

The dwarves can use their faith toattempt to cause a miracle to fail (see“Atheism,” page 125 of the Torg Rule-book).

The Elven Path ofTrue Knowledge

The most prominent elven sect isthe monks of true knowledge, a smallgroup of followers of Elmiir who be-lieve that the path to true knowledgemay be found by studying it: that is, bytaking a look at the cosmverse andeverything in it. There are about 50followers of the sect; at any given time,half or more are journeying acrossAysle, attempting to gather as muchinformation as possible and returningwith it to their temple, which is ru-mored to have the single finest libraryon the planet — though no one outsidethe temple has ever seen it. The monksare fascinated by new experiences, andhave embraced Uthorion’s methods

The Cosm

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only in the fact that new worlds havebeen opened to them, with plenty ofuntapped knowledge to explore.

The monks are expected to returnto the temple once every decade toreport on what they have seen sincethey last left. If they learn news ofgreat importance, they are expected toreturn as quickly as is possible.

The monks are forbidden to ingestliquor, drugs, or any mind-alteringsubstance; it is felt that such thingsdamage one’s ability to see and under-stand the Path. The monks are forbid-den to reveal the temple’s location toanyone, unless that person evinces astrong desire to join the Path. Oncesomeone has learned the temple’s lo-cation, he must join the Path or die.

Typically, monks spend up to 30years at the temple before venturingout into the world, studying, meditat-ing, and learning the skills necessary tosurvive. The monks are trained to relyon their own abilities; they will use onlyweapons which are powered by theirskill and strength — i.e., missile or me-lee weapons — they disdain weaponrywhich relies on chemical, electrical, ormagical power of any sort — it disruptstheir connection with the Path.

In addition, they refuse to wear ar-mor which hinders movement (in gameterms, that which gives a fatigue pen-alty). They feel that the added protec-tion is not worth the loss of mobility.

The monks are forbidden to acquirewealth, except as necessary to helpfurther their quest for knowledge. Amonk rarely owns more than he cancomfortably carry on his back. Andmonks can be either male or female.

Elven DisciplinesDisciplines are special abilities the

monks who follow the Path of TrueKnowledge gain from years spent learn-ing to control their bodies, minds andsouls. When generated, a monk has onelevel of mastery (one add) in a disci-pline per faith add; the monk gains alevel of mastery or a new discipline forno additional cost every time his faithincreases. (For example, a monk with afaith add of three could have threelevels of mastery in one discipline orone level of mastery in three disciplines,or any combination thereof.) If a monk

ever loses his faith, he loses his disci-plines until his faith returns.

Because the monks of Elmiir con-centrate on the spiritual, they cannotincrease their magic skills or learn newones other than the skill they are bornwith. As they seek true knowledge,however, they can improve their ar-cane knowledges.

Clear Thought

The clear thought discipline makes amonk resistant to mind-disruptive in-fluences — mind-altering drugs, illu-sions, mind control devices, and soforth. For each level of mastery in thisdiscipline, add two to the monk’s Mindattribute when resisting such influ-ences. The monk also gains this ben-efit when resisting the effects of charmand persuasion.

Clear Senses

Because of his knowledge of andconnection to the Path, a monk is muchmore aware of the world around him.For each level of mastery, add one tothe monk’s Perception and Perception-based skills.

Fade

The monk learns to fade into hissurroundings. For each level of mas-tery, add two to the monk’s stealthvalue.

Focus Power

The monk learns to focus his spiri-tual energy into his body. Add two tohis damage value in unarmed or meleecombat for each level of mastery.

Grant Knowledge

Acting like an enchanted item, amonk with this discipline can grant hisarcane knowledge to a person with amagic skill. For each add in this disci-pline, a monk can provide two adds ofa particular arcane knowledge to a mage.The monk must be in physical contactwith the mage, and the granting ofknowledge only lasts during that con-tact. Any backlash is shared equally bymage and monk. A monk can only pro-

Chapter Two

vide knowledge that he has, and only asmany adds as he has in it.

Ignore Fatigue

The monk may perform feats ofstrength and endurance without ex-haustion. If the monk possesses thisdiscipline, he reduces the fatigue re-sults on the Push and Speed Tables bytwo for each add he possesses.

Ignore Pain

The monk may take shock damagein excess of his Toughness without col-lapsing. For each add in this discipline,he can withstand two additional shockpoints beyond his Toughness value.

Reaction

The monk can sense when an enemyis going to attempt to damage him. Themonk’s dodge increases by two for eachadd he has attained in this discipline.

Adventuringin the Cosm

Given the unique situation in theAysle realm — a large number of mael-strom bridges, at least one of which iscontrolled by an ally of the StormKnights — adventuring in the cosmitself is far easier here than in the NileEmpire. Providing Ardinay’s permis-sion is secured, a Knight can climb theOxford maelstrom bridge and emergeat Castle Ardinay in the Valley of theSword.

In addition, characters from otherfantasy roleplaying games mightsomehow find themselves on the disk-shaped world and have to handle thecomplex and dangerous intrigues thathave become an integral part of life inAysle. Perhaps Uthorion mounted anattack on that fantasy realm in an ef-fort to drain its possibility energy.

The aspect of the Aysle cosm that ismost important for Storm Knights tokeep in mind when adventuring is thatthe situation between the Houses is atense one, just waiting for a spark to setit off. A wrong move by a Knight couldset off a bloody civil war and furtherdestabilize the situation in the realm.

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Chapter Three The Realmhe forces of Aysle launchedtheir attack upon Earthwith the dropping of sevenmaelstrom bridges in theUnited Kingdom and

Scandinavia. Creatures, the like of whichno Englishman had ever seen outside ofa book of fables, poured into the streets,cutting a swath of destruction throughcities that had resisted conquest sincethe days of Caesar.

The initial battles were over withinhours, the bizarre armies that had comefrom the sky triumphant. The defend-ers fought valiantly, but were ham-pered by sudden malfunctions of theirweapons and the sheer numbers of theinvading force. Soldiers used their so-phisticated rifles as clubs and drewblood with their bayonets, but in theend were no match for the dragons,giants and Vikings they faced.

Tolwyn’s RevengeIt seemed as if the Aysle legions

were unstoppable, but then deliver-ance came from a most unexpectedsource. High Lord Angar Uthorion,whose spirit possessed the body ofPella Ardinay, Lady of the Houses ofAysle, was lured down the maelstrombridge into a trap. Informed that hisnemesis, Tolwyn of House Tancred,was dead, Uthorion started down thebridge. But he found the bridge a pathinto the Dream Time, where he wasconfronted by Tolwyn and a group ofStorm Knights.

More than five centuries before,Uthorion had been responsible for theconquest of Aysle and the death ofTolwyn and her fellow Knight Protec-tors. But before they perished,Tolwyn’s comrades had sent her spiritto someplace else, so that it could re-turn one day and take revenge. Whenthe invasion of Earth began, Tolwynwas reincarnated in the body of ayoung woman named Wendy Miller.

When she finally faced her ancientenemy, she joined forces with her bravecompanions, and together, they cast

Uthorion’s spirit out of Ardinay’s bodyand returned the soul of that noblewoman to its rightful place.

Tolwyn of House TancredDEXTERITY 12Beast riding 18, dodge 18, maneu-

ver 14, melee weapons 20, missileweapons 19, stealth 18, unarmed com-bat 18

STRENGTH 13Lifting 16TOUGHNESS 13/20PERCEPTION 10Find 14, first aid 14, tracking 16,

trick 17MIND 9Apportation magic 10, survival 12,

test of will 16, willpower 17CHARISMA 10Charm 16, persuasion 16, taunt 13SPIRIT 11Honor 19, intimidation 16, reality

18, faith (Dunad) 14Possibilities: 23Arcane Knowledges: metal 1Equipment: Battlestar, enchanted

two-handed sword, damage valueSTR+9/23; dagger, damage valueSTR+3/16; long bow, damage valueSTR+6/19, 3-10/100/250; full platemail, enchanted, armor value TOU+7/20 (add +2 when defending againstmagical attacks); enchanted helm, ar-mor value TOU+2/15, (add +2 whendefending against magical attacks)

The Return ofArdinay

Ardinay crossed the bridge to Ox-ford and immediately ordered all fight-ing to cease. Those folk who had be-lieved they were under the rule ofArdinay all along obediently broke offthe attack. But others, those who hadknown of Uthorion’s existence andfollowed him willingly, and those wholived for the spilling of blood and thetaking of plunder, fought on.

Faced with a cosm in disarray,Ardinay decided to remain on Earth

and attempt to repair the damage doneby Uthorion. She has become a valu-able ally of the Storm Knights.

The greatest danger to her plans isUthorion himself, whose spirit foundrefuge in the body of a Viking chief-tain in Norway. Cut off from the powerof his Darkness Device, he continuesto plot ways to retake control of Aysleon Earth.

The PatchworkRealm

Uthorion’s defeat and the restora-tion of Ardinay’s spirit wrought manyof the same changes in the Aysle realmas occurred in the cosm. Dunad of-fered the Ayslish on Earth the samechoice he had given the residents ofthe cosm: live under the world laws asperverted by Uthorion, or return tothe natural tenets that had existed longbefore the High Lord arrived.

When the choices were made, realitytwisted in the realm. Areas that hadbeen barren and blighted suddenlybecame lush and green once again, whilein other regions, fields withered andcrops died. Evil creatures that had ap-peared angelic saw their features meltand change, becoming hideous reflec-tions of the wickedness in their hearts.

But with neither the Light nor theDark being dominant in the realm, por-tions of the land remain bleak and fore-boding, yet populated by beautiful, al-luring creatures who hide monstrouscorruption in their souls. Other regionsare fruitful and teeming with life, yetwhen the sun disappears, foul thingsemerge from caves to stalk the night.

This instability has caused severeproblems in the realm. The strugglebetween the old laws and the residualpower of Uthorion causes areas tochange between Dark and Light fromone day to the next. Farmers who lookforward to a fine harvest awaken todiscover their land devastated as if bysome great natural disaster. Foodshortages are rampant throughout the

30

realm because of this, and a number ofriots have broken out in major cities,all of which is making it more difficultfor Ardinay to maintain control. Shehas done her best to supplement foodsupplies through the use of magic,and Spain, Italy and southern Irelandhave managed to send supplies to thebeleaguered country, but only thesouthern portions of the island havebenefitted from this.

The sudden shifts in world lawsfrom place to place have also resultedin some unpleasant surprises for vari-ous folk. A band of dwarves travelingthrough Essex with a pair of lovelyflying creatures as guides wereshocked to see them transform with-out warning into harpies and attack.An evil giant was using his pleasantappearance as a means of luring twoStorm Knights to their dooms, but hisintentions were betrayed by a resur-gence of the old laws and he was be-headed by the heroes.

All of this has upset the mentalequilibrium of some Ayslish folk. Afew particularly weak-minded trollshave been virtually paralyzed by theconstant shifts, while small bands ofghouls have reportedly been migrat-ing from dark area to dark area in afrantic effort to avoid an influx of lightthat would be disturbing to them.

EnglandThe island nation of England suf-

fered terribly during the initial days ofthe invasion. Ayslish warriors, giants,ogres, and barbarians spread rapidlythroughout the country, sacking andburning villages and terrorizing thepopulace. Entire towns were trans-formed by the axiom wash into half-folk, and minotaurs, centaurs, and sa-tyrs became common sights, particu-larly on the Devonshire moors.

The failure of technology, particu-larly communications networks, hasserved to reemphasize the geographicisolation of England. With the EastCoast of the United States under thedomination of Baruk Kaah, and Francenow a Cyberpapal state, those whoattempted to flee by boat in the earlydays of the invasion could find no safehaven and were forced to return. Manypower plants and most mass transitsystems have shut down all over, andthe owners of racing stables in placessuch as Tunbridge Wells have made ahandsome profit selling their horsesto travelers desperate for the means toreach London.

Oxford, specifically Christ ChurchCollege where the bridge dropped,has become the headquarters of PellaArdinay’s government. Many of theacademics who were there during theinitial invasion have remained to serveas advisers to the court, and refugeesfrom Gloucester, Warwick and Berkshave streamed into the city, seekingthe relative security it affords.

The traditional civil defense mea-sures have been a failure thus far. Whilein previous wars it was practical tosend people from the cities into thecountryside, the heaths and moors areoften far more dangerous than the al-leyways of the large cities. Thus theroads are clogged with refugees going

to and from the cities — these somberprocessions have served as excellenthunting grounds for trolls, ghouls, anddragons seeking a taste of human flesh.

The English Channel, which servedin ancient times as a vast moat protect-ing the fortress that was Britain, isnow ravaged with reality storms. CoreEarth, Aysle, and Cyberpapacy real-ity all collide at this strip of water,making it highly dangerous to attempta crossing. The fishing and merchantfleets that once sailed the Channel arelargely confined to their docks now,their captains too fearful to ventureinto the storms.

Among the hardpoints identifiedin England are the cities of Londonand York, and Stonehenge on SalisburyPlain in Wilts.

A bridge dropped in New Quay,Wales shortly before Ardinay ap-peared to order an end to hostilities.For this reason, the Welsh did notexperience the terror and bloodshedEngland did, and the adjustment toAysle axioms has been less fraughtwith anxiety. The primary dangers inthis region arise from Ayslish high-waymen who lurk throughout thecountryside and rob travelers. Thereare many who believe, however, thatthe caves and coal seams of the Welshvalleys are now inhabited by fearsometrolls, and there have been reports thata nest of Draconis Terra was disturbedby miners, who were subsequentlyslaughtered to a man.

Ardinay has focused much of herattention on the situation in Englandin Wales, largely abandoningScandinavia to its fate for the present.She dispatches her Home Guard totrouble spots whenever possible, andhas come to rely a great deal on StormKnights to serve at times when herforces are stretched thin.

London

England’s capital is the country’slargest hardpoint, where modern tech-nology continues to function. Becauseof this, refugees have crowded intothe city, more than doubling the popu-lation. Twenty-one million souls, over24,000 people per square mile, havecreated a major overcrowding prob-lem in the city.

he MaelstromBridgesT

Unlike the other realms, themaelstrom bridges of Aysle ap-pear in a variety of forms. Themajority are constructed ofblocks of stone, giving them amedieval flavor and an impos-ing appearance. Bridges such asthis fell into England, Wales,Scotland, Ireland and Norway.The primary bridge leads fromthe courtyard of Castle Ardinayto Oxford.

In Sweden, Uthorion addedan extra element of surprise tohis assault by having the Dark-ness Device form the bridge outof water, which spouted fromthe Riddafjarden. This bridgeemerges from the Living Sea offthe coast of Skani.

In Finland the bridge wasmade of ice blackened by cor-ruption, and this pathway leadsto the Frozen Land near the isleof Vareth.

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Power for London comes from thecoal/oil burning W. Thurrcock andcoal-fired Tilbury plants, located inthe East End. Shortages of coal and oilhave forced the English to prioritizethe use of power, with governmentoffices and the military receiving ser-vice and the private sector largely inthe dark. Small generators or batterieshave become precious commodities,and a lucrative black market in theseand other goods has sprung up. Infact, a number of Ayslish dwarves havefound gainful employment in Londonrepairing generators and rigging de-vices so they can be run from car bat-teries (which they call “sparkers”).

Phone and sewer service is sporadicat best, with no water pressure abovethe third floor of any building. YorkRoad between Westminster Bridge andWaterloo Bridge is completely without

water because a band of dwarves hasblocked off the pipes and turned theminto living quarters for themselves.

The traditional seats of British gov-ernment, Parliament and Whitehall,continue to function, and are in contactwith representatives of Ardinay, at-tempting to coordinate efforts againstthe Dark Forces. But many members ofParliament have returned to their homedistricts to be with their families, andthe Prime Minister has taken on emer-gency powers allowing her to enactlegislation without the representativebody’s approval. The municipal gov-ernment has begun printing rationbooks for meat, petrol, and sugar. Alsostill functioning is the London StockExchange, which has seen a number ofdwarven merchants make fortunes re-cently (much to the consternation ofproper English traders).

he Home Guardand Ardinay’s Army ofLight

T

Lady Ardinay first establishedthe Home Guard when she ar-rived on Earth. These were herprotectors and police force atOxford, as well as special opera-tives to undertake importantquests.

Now that she is a little moreestablished, she has begun rais-ing an actual militia — her self-styled Army of Light. While notyet large, the Army of Light al-ready boasts some of the bestfighters in the Aysle realm.

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Perhaps the most dangerous place inLondon is the Underground, which nolonger functions due to a lack of power,but has provided sanctuary for trolls,lesser folk and the occasional dragon.Trolls, which tend to be nocturnal andhave a strong dislike for bright light,spend the day in the tunnels and roamthe streets at night looking for food.Goblins trail along behind the trollseating whatever scraps the larger crea-tures leave behind. During the day, thegoblins act as guards to protect for thetrolls while they slumber. Additionalpolice have been deployed in the areasthe trolls frequent to protect grocersfrom their attacks. Several of the trollshave found work as “leg-breakers” forLondon mobsters, who have greatlystepped up their protection rackets sincethe invasion.

Dragons favor the tunnels for a dif-ferent reason. They find them an idealplace to hide their treasure, which in-cludes not only gold and jewels plun-dered from various parts of the realmbut items one would not normally as-sociate with the giant serpents. OneStorm Knight who went down into the

tunnels and survived reported that hehad spotted a dragon’s horde that in-cluded Bank of England savings bondsand a Kawasaki motorcycle.

Ayslish waters flow through theThames, but once the river reachesLondon’s environs, it picks up sedi-ment infused with Core Earth axiomsfrom the hardpoint, London. FromBattlesea Bridge in Chelsea to themouth of the Thames, and on into theNorth Sea, the current roils and twistsunpredictably, depositing pockets ofCore Earth soil in the riverbed, andcreating exceedingly small mixedzones in places along the waterway.These shifting pockets pose uniquenavigational hazards to agents of othercosms, and protects London from easyinvasion by sea.

The weather at the city’s borders isviolent and unstable, because of theclash of Core Earth and Aysle realities.Ardinay has wizards working to sta-bilize a corridor through which diplo-matic messengers and merchants cantravel to reach Oxford.

By and large, the staid Londonershave borne up well under the harshconditions imposed by the invasion.“Patience and fortitude” are the watch-words of the day, and for many, thepresence of dwarves and trolls seemsinfinitely preferable to the Germanbombs of the last war. The most vio-lent reaction among the city’s citizenshas been reserved for reports that someEnglishmen in the countryside havebegun referring to Ardinay as“Queen.” Though that is a title shenever sought, it is the English termthat most closely describes her posi-tion in Ayslish society, and one shehas tolerated to make the transitioneasier for her new subjects. Many Lon-doners have blasted the “damn cheekof the woman” for allowing herself tobe called that.

The legitimate English royal familyis currently at their Buckingham Pal-ace residence, being guarded by mem-bers of the British military. It is fearedthat agents of the invasion force mayattempt to kidnap or kill him.

Oxford

The famed “City of the DreamingSpires” has become the headquarters

of Ardinay’s provisional governmentin the cosm of Earth. Here, representa-tives of the other lands encompassedby the Aysle realm meet to discusspossible strategies in the war againstthe Dark Forces and discuss economicand social problems arising out of thestruggle.

The maelstrom bridge landed inChrist Church Meadow in southernOxford. Giants and trolls made up themain strike force, but the Oxford po-lice had prepared a defense againstthem. Fires were set in the meadow,Merton Field, the Botanic Gardens,and Magdalen Grove, with MagdalenCollege being regrettably sacrificed forthe sake of the fire line. The flames,heat and smoke drove the majority ofthe invaders toward the RiverCherwell and the southeastern, lesspopulated section of the city. Fromthere, the giants moved toward Iffey,Reading, Cowley, Headlington andLondon, allowing Oxford to escapeserious damage.

When Ardinay reached the city andcalled for a truce in the war, she tookup residence in the towers of ChristChurch College. Soon her court be-came a magnet for the powerful inEngland, Ireland and Scotland, andwith the arrival of emissaries fromSweden and Denmark, Ardinay wasable to gather accurate information onconditions in Scandinavia.

With many of the colleges in thecity of medieval origin, the buildingsthemselves have not transformed radi-cally under the axiom wash. Most nolonger serve their original purpose,however — some are used to housethe members of Ardinay’s HomeGuard, others as shelters for the thou-sands of refugees that have pouredinto the city since the invasion. Tolwynof Tancred occupies quarters in CarfaxTower when she is in Oxford.

Despite the presence of so many ofArdinay’s supporters, the city remainsa very tempting target for the DarkForces. The Ashmolean Museum andthe Bodleian Library contain manyvaluable artifacts, and Nippon agentshave struck at the British TelecomMuseum. A troop of trolls recentlysacked St. Catherine’s College, butwere prevented from entering the cityby bowmen posted at the City Wall.

oblinsGThe goblins currently plagu-

ing parts of the Aysle realm arenot natives of the cosm. WhenAysle’s reality washed over CoreEarth, some people transformedinto the malevolent lesser folk.Goblins have large, oversizedheads and slender, twisted bod-ies. They are, as a rule, maliciousbeings, and refuse to have any-thing to do with machinery.

Some folk claim that goblinscan command lower orders oflife, like insects, but there is noproof of this. It is just as likelythat bugs congregate aroundgoblins because of the foul odorthey give off.

In an ironic twist, goblins havebegun to emigrate to the cosm,and their depraved and antiso-cial natures are causing a varietyof problems, particularly on thecontinent of Aysle.

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IrelandThe Irish enjoy the advantage of

still having a large chunk of their coun-try operating under Core Earth axi-oms. West of the line from KnockadoonHead to Inishshark Island, includingCounty Kerry, most of Cork, and partsof Limerick and Clare, is a Core Earthpure zone, providing refuge to thosefleeing the monsters who came downthe bridge into Belfast.

Giants and dwarves made up thebulk of the invasion force in Ireland,and they promptly wrecked large por-tions of the country. Faced with a dev-astating threat from outside, the rem-nants of the Irish Republican Armywere forced to work side by side withthe Ulster Defense League and Britishtroops to try to stem the tide of theinvasion.

Unfortunately, the axiom wash ren-dered the weaponry of the soldiersand the homemade bombs of both radi-cal groups useless, and they wereforced to retreat south toCastelbellingham. There they re-grouped and set up a nautical supplychain running from Dundalk Baythrough the Irish Sea and St. George’sChannel to the city of Cobh in CorkHarbour. Now they are fighting a guer-rilla war against the Dark Forces, try-ing to cover the exodus of Irish to thesafety of the south.

Many of those who fear the longjourney to Cork or are daunted by theprospect of crossing the line of realitystorms that separate the Core Earthdominant and mixed zones, havesettled in Dublin. The government hasabandoned the city, settling in Traleeand attempting to coordinate defenseefforts from there.

Tent cities have sprung up through-out southern Ireland, and ports arebusy providing transport for refugeesto South America. The Irish merchantfleet is still operational, and has beeninstrumental in providing some sup-plies to the English and Welsh.

Anyone who chooses to stay in Ire-land is given a small amount of mili-tary training and drafted into the HomeDefense, serving as firemen, medics,and in other support functions so thearmy can concentrate on battling theenemy to the north.

With the Irish having their owncivil defense squadrons, Ardinay hasbeen reluctant to send members of herHome Guard there, preferring to letthe Storm Knights handle mattersthere.

Hard points in Ireland include theBooks of Kells in the Trinity CollegeLibrary in Dublin, and St. Patrick’sTomb in Downpatrick.

Belfast

The capital city of Northern Irelandhas a long and bloody history of strifebetween Irishman and Englishmen,Protestant and Catholic. When mon-sters descended from the sky on agreat stone bridge, the city’s residentslearned of a new kind of violence.

The segment of Uthorion’s armysent to take Belfast was a particularlybrutal one, led by giants who haveborne a hatred for all humans sincetheir overthrow on Aysle centuriesago. The giants butchered the popu-lace, their bloodlust disgusting eventhe dwarves who accompanied them.The creatures’ rampage resulted inentire blocks being leveled and firessweeping through much of the city.Worse than the wanton destruction inthe dwarves’ eyes was the fact thatmuch of the potential plunder wasruined, and not having any great lovefor the giants to begin with, they be-gan to turn on their Brobdinagian al-lies. When Ardinay made what seemedto be a miraculous change back to theways of peace, the two groups real-ized they would have to look aftertheir own interests, and skirmishesbroke out in the city.

Thus Belfast is once again a warzone, as giants and dwarves settle oldgrudges with fire and spear. In be-tween these pitched battles, thedwarves search for treasure, their mostsignificant find so far the jewels car-ried by the Spanish Armada whichwere housed in the Ulster Museum.

Another new denizen of Belfast isthe Draconis Metallica, which soarsabove the city, armor-like scales gleam-ing in the sun. A few enterprising (orfoolhardy) giants have tried to bringone down to serve as a meal, but foundits hide too tough to be penetrated bytheir spears.

Very few humans are left in Belfast,and those remaining tend to be lootersand scavengers. A few have alliedthemselves with the warring factions,serving as scouts, and others keepwatch on the general situation andreport back to the resistance fightersin Castelbellingham.

Dublin

Refugees who have made it as far asCork report that things are chaotic inDublin. Homeless shelters have beenerected on St. Stephen’s Green and inPhoenix and Croke Parks, but theyhave been little help for the problem ofcrowding in the city. Much of the elec-tric power is down, and kerosene andoil are being conserved for use by thetwo major hospitals, St. Brendan’s andSt. Lawrence, who treat the woundedfrom the war being fought to the north.

The municipal government hastaken up residence in Trinity College,and is struggling to maintain somesemblance of order in the midst offood shortages, water shortages, andviolent reality storms that sweep acrossthe land. The presence of the Book ofKells, one of the oldest and most beau-tiful of illuminated manuscripts, hasturned portions of the college into ahardpoint where technology still op-erates. Thus the college has become acommand center for police, fire andmedical services. With the majority ofcreatures stalking the city not possi-bility-rated, the college has been rela-tively safe from attack.

A large section of the city, betweenNarrowbone Lane and James Street,has remained dark despite the returnof Ardinay. For Dublin’s ghoul andgoblin population, this is the “prom-ised land,” but attempts by the policeto confine them to that neighborhoodhave been failures. City officials madeovertures to some of the dwarves inthe area in search of help, and the littlefolk readily agreed. Unfortunately,they discovered the abandonedGuinness Brewery at the same time,and have since been seen but rarely,staggering and hiccupping up anddown Stevens Lane.

Dubliners have had better luck deal-ing with the faeries that now reside allover the city. Irish folktales contain many

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references to the faerie and how to ap-pease them, and this mythos has servedthe people well. Many is the householdwith a basket of clover on the doorstepat night, a gift to the faeries in exchangefor their protection.

A frequent target of the Ayslishcreatures in the city is St. Michan’sChurch, whose vaults contain a num-ber of bodies reputed to be perfectlypreserved after hundreds of years. It isbelieved the invaders may want to tryto use these corpses in a gospog fieldas an experiment.

ScotlandA large portion of Scotland is an

Ayslish pure zone, making the effectsof the invasion there far more devas-tating than in the other British Isles.More than 60 percent of the people inthe zone have transformed into half-folk or lesser folk, all technology hasbroken down, and centralized author-ity no longer exists.

The entire social structure of Scot-land has changed. Reverting back to

the traditions of their past, many Scotshave gone back to the clan system,with groups of families who can claima common ancestor working togetherto survive. In some cases whole townsare now in the possession of a singleclan, and those who live south of theGrampian Mountains are no longerwelcome north of those peaks.

Elves, dwarves, gospog and bar-barians made up the bulk of the battal-ions that surged down the maelstrombridge into Glasgow. Also reachingScotland in the early days of the inva-sion were a horde of DraconisTeutonica, who took up residence inthe mountains, thriving in the purezone.

The area completely overlaid byAyslish axioms has been cut off fromthe rest of the realm. Exceedingly vio-lent reality storms rage along the bor-ders, particularly just north of Aber-deen where the pure axioms collidewith a mixed zone. Few outsidersmake the attempt to cross the high-lands, and the amount of suppliesreceived from other countries is virtu-ally nil.

The Scottish have therefore beenleft to take care of themselves, a choremade more difficult by the constantshifting of the land between dark andlight. Clans who find their land gonedark and unable to produce food willoften raid neighboring light areas, anda number of ancient feuds have beenreignited among the clans of late.

One of the few positive aspects ofthe axiom wash has been that “secondsight,” a form of divination magic pos-sessed by some Scots for centuries, hasincreased in power since Aysle estab-lished itself on Earth. One with the giftis highly valued in a clan, often pre-dicting the outcome of a battle or hunt.

The Scottish have also had a highnumber of their people reach heropotential, and proportionally the coun-try can boast a great number of StormKnights. One known meeting placefor the Scottish Knights is Dingwall,just north of the pure zone, and fromthere they launch strikes against theanimated skeletons and ogres whohave overrun Inverness.

A Scottish hardpoint is the country’scrown jewels, located in EdinburghCastle in Edinburgh.

he Return of the Faerie: Far Darria’s TaleTListen well, little ones, for I’ll

tell my tale but once, and thetruth of it ye must decide. For Iam the trickster, and I carry thetrue and the false within mewhere’er I roam.

Long, long ago, when theworld was very new and magicwas in all things, there lived folkcalled faeries, or sprites, or ahundred other names ye couldnot speak, for they are in a tonguefar older than your own. Theywere both fair and foul, someusing their powers to help thosewho cried out for it, others prey-ing on the weak and sick anddoing great evil. Of all the manylands there were, the faeriesloved England, Ireland and Scot-land best, and it was there theysettled in great kingdoms be-neath the earth.

The days passed, as days arewont to do, and the years passed,as years are wont to do, and soonthe faeries discovered that theirpowers were waning. Theirwings would not let them soar,their faerie rings would flickerand die after only a few momentsof life, and none knew why. Theevil faeries blamed men for theirplight, and called for a waragainst them, but none paid themany heed. In truth, men were toblame — they had come so farthat they had left their belief inthe faeries behind, and the en-

ergy needed for faerie magicfaded away.

And so it came to pass thatone day there were manyfaeries, another day a few less,and so on until there was narya faerie remaining. The last ofthe race, one Aricia by name,cast an enchantment upon theplaces of the faeries, sealingthem against trespass by anyother folk.

Thus it remained for a thou-sand summers, a thousand win-ters, a thousand falls, until theday the Great War began.Strange creatures droppedfrom the sky, the land changed,and folk much like the faeriesflew again. Once more, magicwas everywhere, and the faeriesof this world appeared, as ifthey had not been gone, butsleeping.

The troubles of the worldabove have grown to encom-pass the faeries, with the lightfolk protecting men, and thedark joining those who wouldbring chaos and death. All is asit was before, but oh, so differ-ent just the same.

And that is my tale, believeit or no. Take it and do what yewill, but remember that the eyesof the folk are upon ye always,and they will think poorly ofyou if you speak ill of good FarDarria, the trickster.

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Glasgow

Glasgow, once the industrial cen-ter of Scotland, has undergone a star-tling transformation since the mael-strom bridge dropped. The skyline,which once consisted of huge officebuildings and smoke-belching facto-ries, now boasts the contours of castles,guild halls, and barbarian’s tents. Thefactory assembly lines have gone dead,their power gone, and the buildingsare now used by dwarves to craft ar-mor and weapons to be sold to otherfolk.

The majority of the population hastransformed into half-folk, and cen-taurs can often be seen carrying pas-sengers on their backs from place toplace in return for food. Harpies will,if adequately recompensed, carry mes-sages from one end of the city to theother, but many have discovered thatif the harpy spots a possible meal onthe way, she will forget her mission.

Journeying down the average streetin Glasgow is now an adventure. Mod-ern buildings are not only transform-ing into Ayslish counterparts, but anumber have collapsed before theycould transform due to the suddenlowering of Tech axioms. Girders cre-ated of the latest alloys grow brittleand snap, their molecular structureno longer able to enjoy cohesion in thepure zone. Glasgow is also home to anumber of Corsairs, who sail downthe Clyde Estuary and out into theAtlantic, often raiding coastal villagesin Northern England. The Corsairsthen return and sell whatever goodsthey have accumulated to theFreetraders, who can turn a hand-some profit reselling them in thecountryside.

The Freetraders, who also sail thewaters around Scotland, have becomeessential to its day-to-day life sincethe start of the war. Besides carryingtrade goods and news, they will pro-vide passage for a hefty fee to anyonewilling to risk the reality storms. Manynortherners who wish to travel south,yet fear the dragons in the Grampians,will ride with the Freetraders throughthe Caledonian Canal and into theNorth Channel, bypassing the dan-gerous mountains.

NorwayThe war continues unabated in

Norway, and sadly, the Norwegiansseem to be losing. The maelstrombridge crashed into Oslo’s merchantmarine academy, the Sjømannsskolen,discharging thousands of Vikings andtrolls into the northernmost countryof Scandinavia. As the axiom washpassed over the area, the Norwegiansdiscovered that their navy and mer-chant fleet were now inoperable, thesophisticated navigational instru-ments no longer operable under thelow Tech level of Aysle.

The Vikings saw a region ripe forplunder, and set out to conquer it.Longboats became a familiar, if stillfearsome, sight in the fjords as raiderspillaged and burned coastal villages.Bodø, Tromsø, Afjord and Rørvik be-came blackened smears under the Vi-king thumb, and the people weredriven up into the mountains. At-tempts by Pella Ardinay to send sup-plies by sea to the besieged Norwe-gians met with failure, as the Vikingsintercepted and sank the convoys asthey sailed through the North Sea.

Interestingly, reports have come outof the city of Stavanger of a large num-ber of Japanese businessmen in thearea, apparently engaged in heatednegotiations with the Vikings. It isbelieved they may be agents of NipponTech, attempting to secure the rightsto make use of the abandoned oil rigsthat dot the North Sea. The argumentshave focused on just how much of acut the Vikings will receive for notburning the rigs.

To the south, where the majority ofNorwegians live, the defenders dug intheir heels and tried to fight off theViking horde. They were aidedimmeasureably by the Swedish, whosent ski troopers and shipments of cross-bows and bolts to help the resistance.The resistance is currently spread thinalong a line between Oslo and Bergen,hoping if nothing else to buy time forNorwegian non-combatants to make itto the relative safety of southern Den-mark. The Vikings, led by their warriorchieftain Thorfinn Bjanni (whose body,unknown to the Vikings, is possessedby the spirit of Uthorion) are deter-mined not to let this escape occur, and

longboats scour the Skagerrak Channelsearching for and sinking vessels filledwith refugees.

Oslo

The Vikings struck hard and quicklyin Oslo, sweeping through the westernand northern sections of the city withthe intention of driving its defendersinto the fjords where they would drownor be captured and enslaved. It lookedas if this tactic would prove a successfulone, as the Norwegians were drivenfrom the Royal Palace and forced tomake a stand at the ancient fortress ofAkershus. There the Swedish weaponscame into play, and the Vikings foundthemselves unable to successfully scalethe walls, while their longboats inPipervika were the targets of shaftscoated with pitch and set afire.

The trolls, meanwhile, had discov-ered the entrance to the Undergroundon Karl Johans Gate and ventured intoits pleasing darkness, feeling (quiterightly) that the Vikings would be toobusy to worry about their where-abouts. Long after the Battle ofAkershus had ended and the Vikingshad withdrawn to the area around theRoyal Palace, the trolls stayed in thetunnels examining the now powerlesstrains. After some weeks, the trollsdiscovered they could get around thecity without going aboveground if halfof them piled into a train, and theother half pulled it. The question ofwho would ride and who would pullon any given day has led to a numberof bloody arguments. Norwegianshave learned to leave an area quicklyif they hear the rumble of subwaytrain beneath their feet.

Some of the more ambitious trollsgathered their goblin followers andwent in search of plunder, only todiscover human youth gangs withmuch the same idea. Awed by the sizeand power of the trolls, three of themajor gangs consolidated under theirleadership and now follow the trolls.This has provoked a great deal of jeal-ousy among the goblins, and is viewedby the Vikings as a waste of time, butthe trolls feel that even if the gangmembers stop providing informationon the best places to sack, they will atleast make for a good meal.

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Fighting in Oslo is still going on,block to block, house to house, withthe Vikings holding an edge both innumbers and in experience. But theNorwegians have proven more tena-cious than was expected, and an in-creasing number of Storm Knightshave been appearing, scoring victo-ries against the Viking squadrons.Uthorion is growing impatient withthe prolonged war, and is throwingmore and more warriors into the frayto crush the city once and for all.

DenmarkThe situation in Denmark is essen-

tially a stalemate. Vikings sailed fromNorway and easily conquered thenorthern third of the country in theearly days of the invasion. But thesundering of Uthorion’s spirit fromArdinay’s body, and the delay causedby his adjustment to a new body andhis efforts to recontact the DarknessDevice, caused the attack to stall. TheVikings are now encamped behindthe storm line that stretches fromRanders to Lemvig, waiting for or-ders. There is a strong possibility thatUthorion may pull troops out of Den-mark to aid in the battle for Norway.

Central and southern Denmark stilloperate under Core Earth axioms, andhave received vast amounts of mili-tary aid from Germany. Feeling thatthey are secure against any threat fromthe Vikings on their land, Denmarkhas concentrated on sending troopsand supplies to Sweden and Finland.It has also become the haven for refu-gees from the other Scandinaviancountries, a situation which is strain-ing the nation’s social services to thelimit.

The Danes are aware that there is aconstant threat of espionage from theDark Forces, and guards are posted atall hours around crucial sites. In thecapital city of Copenhagen these in-clude the Radhus (the Town Hall), theRosenborg Palace (where the crownjewels are kept), and the Tøjhusmuseet,or “Arsenal Museum,” which featuresone of the world’s largest collectionsof ancient weapons, armor and uni-forms. A good deal of the museum’sartifacts have been appropriated bythe military for forays into the Ayslish

dominant zone, but enough still re-mains to make it a tempting target forthieves and saboteurs.

SwedenThe Swedes had an opportunity not

afforded to the rest of the Scandina-vian lands. A slight delay in droppingthe water bridge into Stockholm al-lowed Sweden the chance to preparefor the invaders. Seeing that their Nor-wegian neighbors were failing in theirattempts to use modern technologyagainst the Viking hordes, Swedenrefitted its weapons factories so theycould produce swords, spears, andaxes for the armed forces.

Vast warehouses have been emp-tied and converted into workshopsfor weaponsmiths, who have begunmass producing crossbows and bolts.These have proven to be a very effec-tive weapon against the Vikings, andwhile not able to do quite as muchdamage as a longbow, they are easierto master and have a longer range.This has allowed the Swedes to keepgreater distance between themselvesand their attackers, which works tothe disadvantage of the Vikings, dueto their reliance on short-range meleeweapons.

When it arrived, the Ayslish bridgeerupted like a geyser out of theRiddafjarden opposite Stockholm’sTown Hall, the Stadhuset. Vikinglongboats rose to the surface of thewaters and the attack on the city be-gan. Although the Swedes had onlybegun to produce ancient weapons,artifacts from the Livrustkammaren(the Royal Armory) and theHistorika Museet (Museum of His-toric Antiquities) were used to com-bat the invaders.

While one contingent of Vikingsbattled in the capital, others sailednorth and struck at Skelleftea,Harnosand and Sundsvall, meetingonly token resistance in the predomi-nantly rural areas. The Vikings easilycaptured the northern half of the coun-try, and Norwegians fleeing acrosstheir border ran right into the spears ofthese Norsemen.

The majority of the population innorthern Sweden transformed underthe new axioms, and roughly 32,000 in

Stockholm alone flipped over. Facedwith a crisis, the Swedish governmentmade the decision to sacrifice areanorth of the Kopparberg region, andthe military began to drive trans-formed Swedes into that area. Whilemany still remain in the south, therehas been enough of a shift thatStockholm and much of central Swe-den are now mixed areas, while thenorth is Aysle-dominant, and thesouthern tip still pure Core Earth.

The Swedish strategy is to create asmany mixed areas as possible, givingthem the opportunity to make use oftheir more high-tech weaponry againstthe invaders. Viking raids have beenpersistent and bloody, but have beenconcentrated mainly on coastal vil-lages, allowing Swedish supply de-pots further inland to continue to op-erate. Along with Denmark, Swedenis now one of the primary suppliers ofweapons and goods to resistance fight-ers in Finland and Norway.

Stockholm

Viking raiders have a firm footholdin the Djurgarden section of the city,but have been unable to progress intothe main city due to fierce resistanceby the Swedes. A particular thorn inthe Vikings’ side has been theRiddarholmen, or “Isle of Knights,”which has become a base for attacksby Storm Knights. The Swedes haveturned the Royal Palace and Armoryand Karkas Tower into fortresses, andViking attempts to take them havebeen met with crossbow shafts andcauldrons filled with boiling oil.

Perhaps the greatest difference be-tween Stockholm and other major cit-ies in Aysle is the hatred and distrustof the transformed. With thegovernment’s policy of reclaimingdominant areas, the transformed, eventhose who oppose Uthorion, are seenas aiding and abetting the enemy. Strictrules are in force regarding the num-ber of Ayslish allowed in certain areas,and police have the authority to driveviolators out of the city or, if theyrefuse to leave, execute them.

Stockholm was one of the first capi-tals to send an emissary to Ardinay’scourt at Oxford, and the governmenthas made it clear they are willing tocooperate while the Viking raiders

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present a greater threat. But privately,the Swedes doubt Ardinay’s claimsthat she is staying on Earth solely toundo damage done by the initial inva-sion, and are making plans to invadeEngland after the Vikings are defeated.

Most Swedes now live in the rect-angular area formed by the Dalagatan,the Banergatan, the Hamngatan, andthe Humlegarden, in the northern sec-tion of the city. Coastal areas ofStockholm are inhabited almost ex-clusively by the military and thosetransformed able to hide from policesearches.

FinlandThe Finns faced a very different

type of invasion then did Sweden,Denmark and Norway. While therewere still Vikings coming down thebridge into Oulu, there were manymore trolls, giants and dwarves thanin other areas of Scandinavia. Takenby surprise, the Finns were forced tofall back to the south, which remainedpure Core Earth, and some Lapp forceshave been reported in a mixed zonenear Kelloselka.

Once the Finns recovered from theinitial shock of the invasion, they be-gan to mount a more effective resis-tance. With weapons supplied by Den-mark and Sweden, the Finns put to usetactics they perfected against the Sovi-ets in World War II. They reactivatedtheir ski trooper units, crack soldierswho wear white uniforms and blendinto the snow-covered mountains asthey ski down the slopes. These unitshave been used to mount rapid as-saults on columns of giants and trolls,often decimating them and then van-ishing into the woods before the en-emy can effectively counterattack.

The Finns have been fired by a deepand abiding hatred of conquerors, withtheir land having been dominated inthe past by both the Swedes and theSoviets. The capital city, Helsinki,broadcasts constant exhortations to thepeople to take up arms and fight theinvaders, although whether these areheard outside of the Core Earth zone isunknown. A large number of refugeeshave staggered into the southern por-tion of the country, but far fewer thanwould have been expected. Many

Finns simply took to the hills, moun-tains and forests and have begun gue-rilla-style warfare against the DarkForces. Massive pits are dug, filledwith sharp stakes, and covered overwith snow and brush for unwary trolls,trees are set on fire and felled on giantencampments. Viking food suppliesare stolen or contaminated, and primi-tive bombs made with black powderare lobbed out of the woods at theenemy.

The Finns are optimistic that theymay be able to extend the mixed zoneto the north with the arrival of Soviettroops in that area. A solid supply linehas been set up between Leningradand Helsinki, and the Soviets, freedfrom the threat of a Tharkold inva-sion, have thrown their massive re-sources into the defense of Finland.

Life in Aysle Realm The invasion of Earth and the es-

tablishment of an Aysle realm hasmeant a vast amount of “culture shock”for both the conquerors and the con-quered. Differing economic standards,views on society and technology, andbasic class structures have made ad-justment difficult for many, and theexistence of mixed areas has been anobstacle to one social system or an-other becoming universally accepted.The greatest amount of progress hasbeen made in Great Britain and Ire-land, where interaction and commerceis taking place between Ayslish folkand Core Earth people, as opposed toScandinavia, which is primarily a sceneof battle.

Money and EconomyLike many things in the Aysle cosm,

the Ayslish economy is based on magic.Specifically, it is based on the conjura-tion magic skill and the principle knowl-edge of magic combined with a setduration. Thus, the monetary standardof Aysle is a conjuration/magic spellwith a duration of one hour.

Since all money must have sometangible basis for its value, Ayslisheconomists spent many months deter-mining just how much such a spellwould be worth in precious metals.

For instance, the standard conjuration/magic spell is worth .5 ounces of plati-num, one ounce of gold, and 1.85ounces of silver.

A standard spell is worth, in Ayslishcurrency, 70 conjs, 300 lemays, 600trades, and 1200 wolacs. In U.S. cur-rency, it is equal in value to $300, or206 British pounds.

Although the Ayslish governmentin the realm does keep a stock of pre-cious metals on hand, the true worthof the currency is determined by thenumber of sorcerers capable of per-forming conjuration/magic rituals. Sincesuch individuals are relatively rare(when compared, say, to those whoare able to do divination/water spells)the value of Ayslish money remainsfairly stable. If some disaster were totake the lives of a group of such wiz-ards, the money would become vastlymore valuable, as there would be ashortage of people able to use conjura-tion/magic. If, on the other hand, alarge segment of people were to learnthe necessary spells (as may happenwithin the realm at some point), thecurrency’s worth would plummet andinflation would result.

The conj is the only paper currencyin the realm, with the rest being coins.Most moneylenders and bankerswithin the realm are possessed of thedivination/metal skill to enable them todetect forgeries. It is also possible topay for goods and services with rawmetals, something favored by thedwarves, who are adept at mining.

The primary business in the Ayslecosm, and among many in the realm,is magic. A powerful sorcerer can be-come a wealthy man at a relativelyyoung age, particularly if he has skillsand knowledges that are uncommon.A magician can sell his services to alarge market, both to people who haveno talent for magic but who want aspell cast, and those with arcane abili-ties who wish to learn a new spell. Anobject with a focused spell within itsells for as much as twice what agrimoire spell will, since the purchaserof the focused spell does not actuallyhave to learn and cast it.

Naturally, this situation haswrought havoc with the London StockExchange. Although magic is not con-sidered a fitting basis for a monetarysystem, a wizard who can cast a mage

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light spell in a blacked-out area canstill command a high fee. Since themetals are considered to have somevalue, the Ayslish are, reluctantly,willing to accept pounds for their ser-vices, which they then exchange forconjs somewhere else (in Aysle domi-nant zones, the pound is not accepted,and shoppers must either pay inAyslish currency or trade goods).

New stocks have appeared on theLondon Exchange, including dwarvenmining and magic futures. Naturally,the Ayslish (particularly the dwarves)have opportunities to gather insideinformation on these subjects, and thushave done extremely well for them-selves. Core Earth traders have pro-tested that the dwarves are using un-fair practices, but the directors of theExchange feel they have limited au-thority under the circumstances.

How long the Ayslish economy willthrive in the realm is unclear. With thelarge number of Storm Knights seek-ing to learn the most powerful types ofmagic available, the value of the magicmay take a plunge as a result. There isalso the possibility that an ambitiousconjurer may try to “corner the mar-ket” and increase the price of his ser-vices by murdering other practitio-ners of the art.

The Sexes in AysleEquality of the sexes has been a fact

of life in the Aysle cosm for a thousandyears, and the folk carried that con-cept with them to Earth. With PellaArdinay as its leader, and the legendsof Tolwyn Tancred so ingrained in theAyslish consciousness, it would besurprising if they did not view womenas the equal of men, and just as capableof being leaders.

Although Uthorion probably doesnot share this view of women, he couldnot allow it to be undercut during histime in Pella’s body, lest his authorityover the cosm be undermined. How-ever, during his 500-year reign, theHouses gradually went back to a pa-triarchal system, although womenwarriors are still a common sight inAyslish battalions.

How the sexes are viewed by non-human folk is another matter entirely.While dwarves regard their women as

equals, giants do not. They gained agrudging respect for Ardinay duringthe time Uthorion possessed her, butlost it again when she called for atruce. Lesser folk, such as ogres, do nothave observable sexual differences,and so there is little evidence of anydiscrimination on that basis. No oneknows how elves feel on the subject,although many of their leaders aresaid to be women.

The Class SystemAs in many societies, there is a class

system in place in Aysle. The founda-tions of this structure is the ability tomake use of one’s sorcerous abilitiesfor profit, although the species of folkto which one belongs is also a factor.

At the top of the scale are humansorcerers. With the majority of the folkin Aysle being human, a human sor-cerer is more likely to be trusted witha complicated magical task, and thusmore likely to attain great wealth.Much of the Ayslish nobility is madeup of magicians, and with the excep-tion of great warriors (such as TolwynTancred), the rulers of Houses are al-most always skilled at wizardry.

The second rung on the class ladderis human priests, followed by war-riors. Despite their brutish behavior,Vikings are respected in Aysle for theirmartial skills, and save for those groupsthat practice blatant piracy, are af-forded the same honors given Ayslishwarriors.

Freetraders occupy the next level.Despite their importance to the soci-ety, merchants and moneylenders havetraditionally been looked down uponas interested only in the pursuit of theconj. While some are disturbed by this,most Freetraders feel they get theirrevenge by getting the highest pricefor goods that they can.

The lowest place on the scale isoccupied by the ice nomads, barbar-ians and Corsairs. The nomads andbarbarians are considered to be, re-spectively, simple peasants and sav-ages, with little to contribute to societyas a whole, and little money with whichto purchase goods and services. Theyare largely ignored by the rest of thehuman population, although Vikingshave been known to associate with

barbarians and hunt ice nomads foramusement. The Corsairs are thievesand outlaws, and thus are not re-spected.

This basic structure holds true forthe other races on Aysle as well, withmages being the dominant class andthe poor, the brutal and the criminallumped together at the bottom. InAysle as a whole, the dwarves areconsidered to be the closest species tothe human, though rarely spoken of asequals. The status they have achievedis largely because of their pacts withhumans against the giants, but theyhave been stigmatized by their con-nection with the merchant class. Thedwarves mightily resent this state ofaffairs, and consider most humans tobe dullards who are unable to accom-plish anything without making a greatfuss and bother about it.

Elves are considered to be roughlythe same as dwarves, although theirplace in the social hierarchy is nebu-lous, primarily because they have lim-ited contact with other races. Thereare some, both humans and dwarves,who believe that the elves think theyare better than everyone else andcriticize them as being snobs, butmost folk don’t spend much timeworrying about the elves. Until andunless they become a threat, theyare left to themselves.

Where the giants stand is an inter-esting question. By their own account,of course, they are the best of Aysle,but humans detest them and regardthem as lower than the lesser folk.Taking the average of these two opin-ions, giants can be placed somewherebetween elves and dwarves and half-folk.

Half-folk are the slave class in Aysle.Humans want nothing to do withthem, and the other folk refuse to wel-come them either. Many are deniedany way to make a living, and mustprey on others to survive. Those thatdo find work are forced to do the mostmenial of labor, and often are paidslave wages. In Lower Aysle, as wellas in the realm, half-folk are enslavedby the giants, who despise them evenmore than normal humans.

Finally, the lesser folk are on so lowa level they are, for all intents andpurposes, off the ladder. Gnomes, gob-lins, ogres and trolls tend to be vicious,

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slow-witted, and violent, and are notwelcome in Ayslish society. Even half-folk fear and hate them, and manyhumans will kill lesser folk on sight.

Justice in AysleIn addition to the world laws, there

are some civil statutes in effect in theAysle realm. Most of these were put inplace in the Aysle cosm by Ardinay, butoverturned during the period Uthorionpossessed her body. She has recodifiedthem in the realm, but they are enforcedonly in those areas of the realm con-trolled by Houses loyal to her.

The Aysle Book of Laws containsstatutes condemning murder (a capi-tal crime), theft, and assault. There isno law against the bearing of arms, butthe carrying of concealed weapons isstrictly forbidden. This regulationgrew out of the Law of Honor, for tohide a weapon is tantamount to mask-ing one’s true intentions, and false-hoods are frowned upon in Aysle. Onlythose capable of circumventing the

Law of Corruption can hide a weaponon his person for any length of time.

Among humans, Ardinay’s HomeGuard bears the responsibility for en-forcing the law, although it is not un-usual for villages to form vigilantegroups to hang murderers and thieves,or drive out half-folk. Other folk, suchas dwarves, are expected to policethemselves, and generally have rea-son to do so — a race that gains areputation for lawlessness will findthe Freetraders reluctant to do busi-ness with them.

FashionThe Ayslish favor a style of dress that

would be considered “medieval,” inCore Earth. As their tech level does notallow for the production of syntheticfabrics, natural fibers, particularly wool,dominate. For the upper classes, elvensilk is very popular, both in ladies’gowns and men’s formal wear.

Most humans wear layers of woolclothing in the colder areas of the cosm,

which has stood them in good stead inthe damp climate of the Aysle realm.Vikings, barbarians, and ice nomadswear the hides of animals, Corsairsfavor breeches and bright silk shirts,and dwarves wear wool and/or furand favor woolen caps on their heads.

Elves wear green and brown out-fits, made of a material unknown inthe rest of Aysle. Members of the HomeGuard wear full armor with chain-mail underneath. Giants, ogres, trolls,and half-folk generally wear rags.

The establishment of Aysle on Earth,however, changed this. Many mem-bers of the nobility have discoveredSimpson’s in Piccadilly and beganwearing more modern fashions, muchto the distress of Aysle purists. Giantsand trolls, particularly those workingin London (usually in unsavory posi-tions), have begun raiding Big andTall Men’s Shops for suits (few havemastered the art of the tie, though).Elves and dwarves, for the most part,stubbornly refuse to change their modeof dress in this new place.

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Magic and Tech The Ayslish views of magic and

technology are essentially the reverseof those in Core Earth. Magic amongthe folk is commonplace, with a wiz-ard performing a water scry spell tofind out a comrade’s condition withno more thought than a Core Earthperson making a telephone call to getthe same information. Using a con-jured fireball to defend one’s self isconsidered no less honorable than us-ing a sword or spear, and such mysti-cal weapons are not covered by Ayslishstatutes regarding the concealment ofdeath-dealing devices.

Sorcerers are encouraged to regis-ter with the government, providinginformation on their area of magicalexpertise. This is done so that an accu-rate count be kept of those with theconjuration/magic skill-knowledgecombination, a statistic which affectsthe Ayslish economy. How many wiz-ards actually do this is unknown, andwhether or not the program will beextended to include Core Earth na-tives who develop magic under thenew axioms is unknown.

Surprisingly, sorcerers are respected,but not envied by the Ayslish. Since allthe folk have some magical skill andknowledge, the feeling among them isthat anyone could be a powerful wiz-ard, given the right set of circumstances.Those who have a knowledge and skillthat cannot be used together consider itan accident of birth, and some races(such as the Vikings) have little use formagic and do not make much effort todevelop their latent talents.

For those who do have useful skillsand knowledges, magic academiesexist on the Mage Islands in the cosmand in Cambridge in the realm. Usu-ally run by aged wizards, these schoolshelp the student develop some controlover her powers, and teach major andminor magic from the Ayslishgrimoire. The schools are required toreport the existence of any graduateswith the conjuration/magic combina-tion, and most will refuse to admitanyone possessing conjuration/entity.Anyone getting a look at an academyreport prior to its public release by thegovernment could make a fortune in-vesting in magical futures on the Lon-don Stock Exchange.

Technology, on the other hand, isregarded with great trepidation bymany residents of the realm. The ideathat the people of Core Earth mighthave access to sorcery beyond the un-derstanding of the wisest Ayslish ma-gicians is a frightening one, and manywizards are quick to point out that“Earth magic” doesn’t seem to workvery well, since few of the devices arecurrently operating.

The limited Ayslish concept of ma-chinery often leads to misunderstand-ings, occasionally fatal ones. Shortlyafter the invasion, a band of Freetradersencountered a Stormer serving in theDark Forces. The Stormer shot onetrader with a pistol, wounding him inthe stomach. The merchants were fa-miliar with primitive firearms, but nothaving seen the Stormer go throughthe complicated process of loading thegun they were used to, did not makethe connection. Thus, believing thegun a magical weapon and the woundcaused by the great noise it made, theydid not discover and remove the bul-let, and their companion bled to death.

The Ayslish often describe high techitems using terms that they are famil-iar with, attempting to describe theirapparent function. Thus, an airplaneis an “iron bat” or “flying wagon,” atelephone is derided as a “Dvergamalbox,” and a train is a “smoke dragon.”

The folk most likely to approachand attempt to understand a techno-logical device are the dwarves, whohave a fascination with all things me-chanical. Dwarven engineers pridethemselves on their ability to take any-thing apart — putting it back togetheragain, of course, is another matter.Dwarves will delve into anything, anda number have suffered serious injurywhile trying to solve the mystery ofobjects such as automatic rifles, gre-nades, and chainsaws.

The pragmatic dwarves are the onlyrace to conceive the idea that machinesin the realm are not examples of greatsorcery, anymore than a battle-ax or aknight’s armor is necessarily of magicalorigin. The dwarves collect bits andpieces of different devices for use intheir own creations, and do a brisk busi-ness selling spare parts to Storm Knightstrying to get machines working again.The dwarves have also developed anaffinity for the digital watch, a device

they do not entirely comprehend yet,but which captivates them.

MonstersMany a mother, in Aysle and in

Core Earth, has warned their childrenthat they had best behave, or the “bo-gey man” would get them. One of themajor changes caused by the estab-lishment of Aysle on Earth is that inthe fantasy realm, the “bogey man” isvery real, and will eat adults as well aschildren, no matter how they behave.

Core Earth natives have learned veryquickly that legends regarding mon-sters pale to nothingness next to the realthings. The appearance of dragons,undead ghouls, trolls and harpies havecaused hysteria to spread through manyparts of the realm, and made it thatmuch easier for remnants of the DarkForces to overrun territory. Stories ofStorm Knights slaying monsters havebuoyed spirits, but there are areas towhich such tales have not penetrated asyet, and there the people remain lockedin their worst nightmares.

For their part, the Ayslish havegrown used to the presence of mon-sters, it being commonplace in the cosm(much as residents of jungle areas onEarth have grown used to lions andtigers, though they still fear them).Even the ghouls, which caused suchterror when they crossed into Ayslewith Uthorion 500 years ago, havebecome an accepted hazard, the feel-ing being if you are so foolish as towander into one of the dark places,you deserve to get devoured.

The creature that strikes the mostterror into the Ayslish is the DraconisTeutonica, because of its size, power,and unrelenting evil. Many Aysle na-tives simply refuse to believe the talesthat Storm Knights have slain the greatbeasts, and the whisper that aTeutonica might be in the area isenough to paralyze some with fear.

The Houses in theRealm

All of the Houses of Aysle now haverepresentatives and holdings in therealm. In some cases, as with House

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Tancred, their lands were granted tothem by Ardinay, while other Housesclaimed their territory by right of con-quest, and hold them in defiance ofArdinay. All of the Houses are estab-lished in England and Wales, and theconflicts that now divide them in thecosm have spilled over into the realm.For all intents and purposes, Aysle, cosmand realm, is caught up in a civil war.

House TancredWith the reincarnation of Tolwyn

Tancred, rule of the House in the realmpassed over to her, much to the con-sternation of some. House Tancred onEarth is a mix of those fiercely loyal toTolwyn, those who still owe their alle-giance to her traitorous brother,Gareth, and those torn between theirdesire to follow the path of Light andtheir doubt about whether the body ofWendy Miller houses the true spirit ofthe woman warrior.

House Tancred’s lands encompassthe southeastern section of England,including the counties of Hampshire,Wilts, Berks, Buckingham, Bedford,Hertford, Warwick, Northampton,Middlesex, Essex, Surrey, Sussex, andKent, and the cities of London, Read-ing and Portsmouth.

Tolwyn has pledged the House tothe service of Ardinay, but GarethTancred is determined to take controlof the family’s territory on Earth.

House LiandarThe denizens of House Liandar are

maintaining a tenuous grip on theirland in the north, despite pressurefrom Uthorion’s forces in Scotland andHouse Vareth to the south. (The recentdwarven rebellion has distractedVareth from pursuing its vendettaagainst Liandar, giving that Houseneeded time to rearm.)

Despite being decimated by Uthorionin the cosm, House Liandar was able tomuster a large enough force to movedown the bridge and aid Ardinay. TheHouse on Earth is led by Cedric Liandar,brother of William, who has convincedhis followers that Ardinay was the vic-tim of sorcery that brought on someform of madness, and now that she is

restored to her former self, the Housemust follow her again.

House Liandar controls the small-est area of any of the seven, the coun-ties of Northumberland, Cumberland,Westmorland and Durham, and thecity of Newcastle.

House DaleronThe first of the great Houses to ally

with the Dark Forces in centuries pastis still firmly in Uthorion’s camp, andposes a terrible threat to Ardinay andHouse Tancred.

The House in the realm is run byManfred, the Daleron patriarch, whocame to Earth and personally led histroops into battle. With swift, decisivestrokes, Daleron conquered a largechunk of eastern England, and onlythe lands of Tancred stand betweenhim and Oxford, site of Ardinay’scourt.

As in the cosm, House Daleron isone of the strongest of the lot militar-ily, and has embraced the changes inthe world laws caused by Uthorion.Daleron will strike any deal with anyHouse in the realm that will advancehis own interests, and just as quicklybetray his partner. Currently, HouseDaleron is working with GarethTancred on a plan to crush Tolwynand her forces on Earth and takeArdinay prisoner.

House Daleron holds the countiesof Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridge, Lin-coln, Leicester, Nottingham, andRutland, and the cities of Cambridgeand Norwich.

House GerrikHouse Gerrik is crucial to Tolwyn’s

plans to defend Oxford from assault.Besides being renowned for its ablesoldiers and seamen, this House suf-fered the loss of much of its land andpower in the cosm under Uthorion,and longs for revenge against thosefamilies (like the Dalerons) that madeit possible.

House Gerrik received its lands inthe realm from Ardinay who, on theadvice of Tolwyn, granted them muchof southwestern England. Thus, Gerrik’stroops can protect the western flank of

Oxford and join with Tancred in guard-ing the southern coast.

Gerrik’s territories include the coun-ties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset,Somerset, Gloucester, Monmouth, andGlamorgan, including the cities ofExeter and Plymouth.

House Gerrik is controlled byDuncan Gerrik, eldest son of DukeAugustus Gerrik. As a youth, Duncandiscovered in the cellars of HouseTancred one of the few unburnt por-traits of Tolwyn, and promptly fell inlove with the legendary warrior. Nowthat the legend of “TolwynNeverdeath” has apparently cometrue, Duncan dreams of marrying herand uniting their two Houses.

House BendesThe Bendes family is one of the

wealthiest in the Aysle cosm, with thetalent of spotting a profitable invest-ment long before anyone else. Despitetheir love of the Old Ways, HouseBendes played along with Uthorion,secretly providing aid to rebel forces.

When Ardinay’s spirit was returnedto her body, she offered House Bendesits choice of lands in the realm. Thefamily chose a large section of Wales,the area least devastated by the initialinvasion. They have taken advantageof the relative calm of the area to de-velop it economically, improving farm-ing methods and overseeing the con-struction of weapons that can be usedagainst the Dark Forces.

House Bendes is under the controlof Earl Thomas Bendes, and he has puthis lands and fortune at the disposal ofArdinay. Part of his territory is cur-rently serving as a base for thedwarves, led by Gutterby, who arerebelling against House Vareth.

House Bendes’ lands include thecounties of Pembroke, Carmarthen,Cardigan, Brecknock, Hereford,Worcester, Shropshire, Radnor, Mont-gomery, Merioneth, Caernarvon,Denbigh, Flin and Anglesey.

House VarethThe infamous House of Dwarves

has continued its dark practices in therealm, supplying enslaved dwarves

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to the forces of Uthorion, as well asany half-folk it is able to capture. Varethstrike-forces are feared throughoutAysle, for their engineering skill hasenabled them to send minotaurs withmachine-guns into the field. But thebetrayal of the Land Between dwarveshas tainted the House, and even theDark Forces look down upon it.

Taleron Vareth runs the House onEarth in the stead of his father,Dwyvan. Much like his sire, he be-lieves in the use of violence and tor-ture to achieve his ends, and has founda number of new technologies on Earthcapable of inflicting pain (his engi-neers’ work with batteries, for instance,resulted in a breakthrough in the useof interrogation through electric shock,for instance).

House Vareth’s lands include thecounties of York, Stafford, Derby,Cheshire, and Lancashire.

Unfortunately for the House, theirbrutal rule has given birth to a rebel-lion. Led by Gutterby, a band ofdwarves have been striking at Vareth’sslave centers throughout the realm,the most spectacular incident beingwhen three rebel dwarves crashed adouble-decker bus through the gatesof the Walsall prison and freed over300 of their fellows. The rebellion hasthe full support of Ardinay, and shehas sent what supplies and troops shecan spare to aid the cause. HouseVareth is determined to crush the in-surrection, but thus far the rebels havebeen safe in Shropshire, since Taleronis reluctant to anger House Bendes bymarching into its domain.

Gutterby the DwarfDEXTERITY 9Melee weapons 11, missile weap-

ons 11, stealth 10, unarmed combat 11STRENGTH 9Lifting 10TOUGHNESS 9PERCEPTION 11Divination magic 12, find 13, lan-

guage 12, scholar (dwarven lore) 14,trick 12

MIND 10Artist (storyteller) 13, science (engi-

neering) 12, test 11, willpower 11CHARISMA 10Charm 11, persuasion 12, taunt 12SPIRIT 8Faith (dwarven) 9, honor 11, intimi-

dation 10, reality 6Possibilities: 16Arcane Knowledge: air 1Equipment: short sword, Tech 8,

damage value STR+4/13; dwarven gre-nade (2), explosive burst radius 0-2/6/13, damage value 18; dwarfmail en-chanted armor, armor value TOU+6/15, +2 to relevant attribute when de-fending against magical attack.

Description: Gutterby is an ageddwarf, roughly 600 years old, and arenowned storyteller. Rememberinghow things once were for the dwarves,he burns with the desire to set thingsright in the realm and the cosm and freethe dwarves enslaved by House Vareth,and so leads an armed rebellion.

He has a craggy face and a shortwhite beard, and tends to be very curtwith those around him.

Quote: “Who’s tellin’ this story, youor me?”

Adventuringin the Realm

Adventures in the Aysle realm in-volve a unique mix of fantasy and20th-century reality. In Aysle, that tribeof dwarves coming your way mayhave axes and clubs, or they may haveM-16s and a bazooka. The dragon fly-ing above you is intelligent and hasbeen around a great deal longer thanyou have, and eats Storm Knights forbreakfast. The boats sailing out of thesunrise are full of bloodthirsty Vikings,and somewhere among them may bethe Dark High Lord himself.

Aysle is a place of magic, mysteryand monsters, and thrills can be foundfrom the snowy mountain peaks ofFinland to the green glens of Ireland.This realm was the site of one of theStorm Knights’ first great victories,but could also be the scene of crushingdefeat, if they are not watchful andbrave.

Darkness and light are at war here,as are magic and technology to a lesserextent. As good and evil clash, as twovery different realities come head tohead, the possibilities for stories arealmost unlimited. From the big pic-ture of Uthorian versus Ardinay, tothe smaller focus of a lost English boytrying to survive in a dark region onthe moors, Storm Knights can find allsorts of adventures to keep them busyin Aysle realm.

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Chapter Four World Lawsysle has a magical realitythat makes many thingsthat are impossible onEarth an everyday occur-rence on Aysle. This real-

ity has been brought to Earth and over-laid across Northern Europe, allow-ing the Aysle realm to exist here.

Invisible barriers separate the real-ity of Aysle realm from the reality ofEarth. These barriers are formed by aseries of artifacts known as stelae,placed by Uthorion’s forces under hisstrict commands. Aysle stelae aretrades, the common coin of the realm.They are prepared through a complexritual involving Uthorion’s DarknessDevice that leaves the trades markedwith the symbol of Corba’al (thecrossed bones). However, this symbolcan only be seen on the coins if activelylooked for during the Entity Hours(either at dawn or dusk). Further, asimple ritual must be performed at thesite where the stelae is to be placed,and the coin must be dropped to theground. Then, of its own volition, thecoin burrows into the ground and be-gins to work. The coin combines thehonor of Ardinay with the corruptionof Uthorion to contain the reality ofAysle. Aysle stelae have a Toughness of8, the same as a normal trade.

The Four AxiomsThe basic rules that govern reality

in each of the cosms and realms arecalled axioms. As soon as a person (orcreature or thing) crosses the stelaeboundary into Aysle realm, he imme-diately becomes subject to Aysle’s axi-oms, just as he becomes subject to theCore Earth axioms as soon as he leaves.The prime example of this is that ac-tual spellcasting is possible in Aysle,while the flashlight brought in fromCore Earth may not function. Themoment a person tried to use the flash-light a contradiction could occur, asthe flashlight is now subject to Aysle’stechnical axiom (see Torg Rulebook,page 99).

Every cosm has four basic axiomsthat govern the interaction between theliving and non-living things within thecosm. These axioms are Magical, Social,Spiritual, and Technological. In Torg,each of these axioms is rated on a scaleof zero to 33 (zero representing particu-larly low development, 33 representingextremely high development). Items,individuals, or organizations that aremore highly developed than Aysle inany of these areas will not functionproperly within the realm or cosm.

Below, each of Aysle’s axioms isdescribed in detail. In addition, see“Everlaws and Axioms,” Torg Rule-book pages 91 to 102.

Magical Axiom: 18Magic defines much of what Aysle

is. Everyone believes in it, uses it (tovarying degrees), and understands itas a part of everyday life. Spells andspell effects handle many of the tasksCore Earth uses technology for. Aysleis a static world, and advancementonly comes through the use of magic,which makes the impossible real for atemporary period. At this axiom level,even the least skilled can use magic tosome degree, but training confers hugeadvantages to those who undergo itsrigors. Because of this, magic evenbranches into economy as it is the stan-dard by which prices are set and themarket fluctuates.

Under the axiom, spells andspellcasting are possible. Enchanteditems exist and can be created, andeven kindred that depend on magic tosurvive thrive in the cosm and realm.Spells allow mages and others to takethe unobservable force of magic andmake it observable. The reality is en-chanted and full of magical power justwaiting to be put to use. (See chapterfive for more information.)

Social Axiom: 18On a social level, Aysle resembles

the medieval world with a few no-

table differences. Life is not as hard ortaxing for the Ayslish as it was fortheir feudal Core Earth counterparts.Magic has seen to that, providing con-veniences and a better standard ofliving which our world did not seeuntil after the Industrial Revolution.Aysle is a vastly independent place,made up of vastly independentpeoples. These separate groups wereunited for a time under loose treatiesdevised by Uthorion and enforced byhis power. With Uthorion’s mainpower base out of the picture, thecultural, racial and geographical dif-ferences are again working to breakapart the alliances. Throughout all ofthis, magic remains the equalizingfactor that places all of the folk on thesame level. Women, who in Earth’smedieval times enjoyed few freedoms,are seen as capable of the same jobs astheir male counterparts.

The Delegate Legacy remains thehighest ideal in the land, a system ofgovernment where the people and thenobility meet to decide laws. It is onlynow coming back into fashion withthe return of Ardinay.

The thing to remember is that whileAysle has a relatively high socialaxiom, it is just coming out of a longperiod of darkness into a period ofwar. No single authority remains,though Uthorion and Ardinay are themost powerful leaders in the realm. Inthe cosm, everyone with any claim topower is seeking to benefit from thevacuum left by Ardinay’s absence (sherefuses to leave the realm until Aysleon Earth is able to function withouther and the threat of Uthorion is endedforever).

Spiritual Axiom: 16Both the cosm and the realm of

Aysle have a high spiritual axiom,granting those with the ability to tap itanother type of power beyond magic.The gods of Aysle can be contacted togain this spiritual energy which folkcan convert to miracles of faith.

44

While the gods of Aysle do not regu-larly appear in town squares or withinsanctified temples, their influence canbe routinely observed. They bestowmiracles on the faithful, they aid follow-ers with additional magical abilities,and they dictate the opinions and ac-tions of whole nations. Magic may domi-nate life in Aysle, but religion comesvery close and is intertwined with themagic of the land. Of all the races ofkindred and folk living on Aysle, onlythe dwarves (for the most part) refuse toutilize this avenue of power.

Technology Axiom: 15Technology in Aysle resembles that

of the late medieval to early Renais-sance periods of Earth’s history. Sailsmove ships across the seas, the moreadvanced dwarven culture uses steampower, and crude firearms (such as the

wheel lock) are coming into more com-mon use. Still, melee weapons and vari-ous bows are more reliable. Even thedwarf with crossed wheel lock pistolholsters carries a battle-ax for when theguns fail or run out of ammunition.

Magic, of course, makes up for a lotof what technology cannot yet do, andin some ways it has even hamperedtechnological growth. Better sail andship development has been postponedbecause water and air mages can keepvessels moving in even the most severestorm or on the calmest sea. Talk ofimproved firearms fails in the face offireball and lightning bolt spellcasters.Currently, there is nothing that technol-ogy can do better, faster, or more conve-niently than magic can.

The World RulesIn addition to the four axioms, each

realm and its associated cosm has anumber of specialized axioms or worldrules which further set it apart fromother realities. The basic axioms func-tion as reality limits within the realmwhile the world rules define how therealm works within those limits. Aswith the basic axioms, anyone whocrosses into Aysle immediately be-comes subject to the world rules un-less he is surrounded by a “realitybubble” (see Torg Rulebook, page 101).Conversely, an Ayslish character whogoes to another reality still must abideby his own world rules for that is thereality he takes with him.

The Law ofObservation

Reality is defined in Aysle by whatone can observe through the senses.Everything is the result of a previousevent (even though the event may notyet be reasoned out). If something can-not be sensed, it holds no reality. Theexception to this law is magic, whichhas its own governing law.

Observations give rise to theories,unlike in Core Earth where theoriesrequire testing by observation. So inAysle, that which is observed is true.The sun rises and falls through a holein the center of the world. The Ayslish

observe this every day, and thereforeknow it to be true.

Under Aysle’s Law of Observation,everything that is perceived is real,and everything that is real has beenpreviously perceived.

The Law of MagicSince they were brought to Aysle

by Dunad, the magic skills and arcaneknowledges have been an integral partof the world, unlocking the naturalmagic of Aysle reality. The Law ofMagic states that magic is real. While itcannot be observed by the usual senses,it can be perceived by those who aresensitive to its power and thus mademanifest through spells. Further,magic is available to all folk due toDunad’s gift, though not all take fulladvantage of this. No matter, becausethrough this world law all Ayslishfolk are born with one magic skill (atone add) and one arcane knowledge(at one add). See chapters two andeleven for more information.

Additionally, because of magic theland and its people have been imbuedwith higher attribute maximums.However, if an Ayslish character everdisconnects from his reality, he is sub-ject to the attribute maximums of thereality he finds himself in. Reduce allattributes to the new maximums untilthe character re-links. Certain folk cango beyond these maximums due totheir inherently magical natures (seechapters eight and eleven). However,those kindred who rely on magic fortheir very existence suffer when thatmagic is not available.

The Law of HonorThe Law of Honor permeates the

land, declaring that honor cannot behidden — the good that folk do isreflected in their spirit and is discern-ible to those who can sense such things.Further, the more honorable a folk is,the more that honor is reflected out-wardly as appearance and bearing.

Those traits (and their associatedactions) considered honorable includefaithfulness, loyalty, being true toyourself and your word, respect, andvalor. Honor, truth and justice demand

thorian’s StelaeUWhen Uthorion came to Aysle,

he decided to embrace its realityand re-attune his Darkness De-vice to it (through Pella Ardinay’sbody). But he also wanted tochange the reality slightly, spe-cifically the world laws so thatcorruption and darkness wouldhave an easier time of it. To ac-complish this, Uthorion made apact with an Aysle god — theEntity God Corba’al. In exchangefor Uthorion’s devotion, Corba’alagreed to help him create hisstelae with the subtly altered re-ality. An added bonus was thatbecause of the god’s help,Uthorion’s stelae could be ener-gized at double the rate of otherHigh Lords’ stelae. So, whereanother High Lord can energizethree ritually prepared stelae,Uthorion can energize six. ButCorba’al’s aid was not without aprice. The crossed bones symbolappears on each stelae (whichnormally look like coins of therealm) during the Entity Hoursas tribute to the Entity God.

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to be recognized in Aysle, and those ofnoble heart gain advantages from theLaw of Honor. The law is primarilyinterested in defending the rights ofthe folk and maintaining the statusquo of goodness throughout the land.The law states that when there is dan-ger or trouble, when injustice showsitself, then a hero of honor will appearto right the wrongs and save the day.Under Uthorion’s reign, this law wasmasked by the rise of the Law of Cor-ruption, and even those who heardthe call of honor tended to ignore it inthe face of Uthorion’s legions of evil.

The law further states that a newSpirit skill exists in Aysle — the honorskill. Those who take this skill (or earnit by doing honorable deeds; see below)must follow a code of honor. In general,the code of honor must include faithful-ness to a god, loyalty to a country andruler, respect for those less fortunateand in need of aid, staying true to your-self and your word, performing glori-ous deeds of valor and goodness, andcourageousness in all things.

Note that honor is not just a provinceof Upper Aysle. The giants of LowerAysle, and even the other Upper Aysleraces that the humans consider evil,

operate under the strictures of the Lawof Honor and can be honorable. Theycan be faithful to their gods, loyal totheir rulers, friends and families, true totheir natures, respectful of others (butthat means different things to differentcultures), and valiant in combat. Thetruly corrupt and evil go against eventhese basics of honor to the detriment ofthemselves and others.

The Law ofCorruption

The Law of Corruption fills the land,declaring that corruption cannot behidden — the evil that folk do is re-flected in their spirit and is discernibleto those who can sense such things.Further, the more corrupt and evil afolk is, the more that corruption isreflected outwardly as appearance andbearing.

Those acts considered corrupt in-clude spiritual weakness and immoralcharacter, disloyalty, lying, cheating,stealing, deception, cowardice, pre-meditated crimes, and other acts ofevil. Evil and corruption demand to be

recognized in Aysle, and those of evilintent find it hard to keep their inten-tions secret. The law is interested inrevealing evil in all its forms throughthe corruption of spirit, mind and body.The law states that when evil is done,it will be known by those of honor.

Uthorion perverted this law, subtlychanging it throughout those parts ofAysle under his control. By modifyingthe world law, Uthorion was able todefer his past evils to the land insteadof building up the detectable corrup-tion within himself. In that way, noone was able to detect that Lady

ysle AttributeMaximumsA

DEXTERITY 14STRENGTH 15TOUGHNESS 15PERCEPTION 14MIND 14CHARISMA 13SPIRIT 13

World Laws

46

Ardinay had become corrupt, andUthorion’s deception held. To this day,those portions of the land under thedominion of darkness still have thelook of corruption. The soil becomeshard and brittle, trees and plantswhither and gnarl, and the sky dark-ens, throwing the corrupt lands intoperpetual shadow.

The law further states that a newSpirit skill exists in Aysle — the corrup-tion skill. Those who take this skill (orare cursed with it by doing foul andevil deeds; see below) must follow adark path and a god of corruption,becoming more and more evil as theygrow in skill and perform foul deeds.While this grants terrible power, italso draws the attention of the Law ofHonor and its advocates. Aysle can-not abide corruption, except whereUthorion’s will still holds sway.

Honor andCorruption Skills

Honor and corruption are two sidesof the natural balance of the world.Honor seeks to build up and protect,corruption seeks to destroy. When anAysle character is first created, youmay choose to have the character sidewith either honor or corruption (wedo not suggest allowing player char-acters to choose the corruption skill,however, unless a very good storyreason can be decided upon and thecharacter is working to cleanse hissoul of the corruption). In any case, acharacter is not forced to take eitherskill.

If the character does take either skill,it can only be at one add. All otheradds must be gained as defined below(see “Gaining Honor and Corruption”below). These skills have benefits anddisadvantages built into them thatmake them different from other skills.Honor and corruption cannot be usedunskilled.

There are four levels of honor andcorruption, each tied to the arcaneknowledges. The first level of each,either “honorable” or “corrupt,” is tiedto the kindred and element knowledges.The second, “noble” or “wicked” isconnected to living forces. The thirdlevel of honor and corruption, “pure”

Honor Advantages

Number Effectsof Adds

Honorable

1 +1to faith value2 +1 to charm value; +1 to melee weapons value; +1 to

first aid valueNoble

3 Provide Inspiration to one other character once peract; +2 to melee weapons value

4 +1 bonus to melee damage; +1 to dodge value; +1 topersuasion value

5 Gain healing miracle; +2 to faith value6 +2 to dodge value; +2 to unarmed combat value; +1 to

test of will valuePure

7 Gain ability to hit and damage non-corporeal be-ings; +3 to melee weapons value; +1 to willpowervalue

8 Gain ability to detect corruption and level ofcorruption; difficulty based on target’s level:corrupt 30, wicked 25, foul 20, evil 15

9 Provide Inspiration to all characters once per act; +3tododge value

10 +3 bonus to ward enemy miracle; +4 to melee weaponsvalue

11 Gain the ability to perform a personal flurry onceper scene; +3 to faith value

Good

12 Gain the ability to cause opponents to break once peract; +5 to melee weapons value

13 Gain the ability to cause companions to be up onceper act; +3 to willpower value

14 Gain the ability to count any one drama deck cardas a glory card once per adventure; success trig-gers a patchwork check (see “Patchwork RealmRules” page 53); +3 to test of will value

15 Gain the ability to give life to the dead once per ad-venture; can only be attempted on those whohave recently died (within an act), can only beattempted once in an adventure (whether suc-cessful or not); difficulty based on target’s level:good 15, pure 20, noble 25, honorable 30, corrupt35, wicked 40, foul 45, evil 50

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and “foul,” is tied to the knowledgesof light and darkness. The final level,“good” and “evil,” is connected to theknowledges of life and death.

Honor Skill

A character with the honor skill isstriving to be noble and heroic, a sym-bol for all that is right and true in Aysle.As such, he has high ideals that he mustmaintain at all times. Failure to do socan allow corruption to stain his spiritand lead to his eventual doom. All honoradvantages are cumulative, except thosewhich replace a previously earned bo-nus. For example, at two adds a charac-ter receives a +1 to his melee weaponsvalue. At three adds, that value is re-placed by a +2 melee weapons.

If a character does not possess askill he receives an advantage for, thenhe adds the advantage to his unskilledvalue. For example, if the characterhas a Mind 9 but no test skill, he addsthe advantage to his attribute for theuse of test only.

Corruption Skill

A character with the corruption skillis out for himself, seeking the quickand easy road to power no matterwhat the cost. As such, he promotesdestruction, evil and death. Failure todo so can allow honor to cleanse hisspirit and save him from eventualdoom. All corruption advantages arecumulative, except those which replacea previously earned bonus. For ex-ample, at one add a character receivesa +1 to his trick value. At three adds,that value is replaced by a +2 trick.

If a character does not possess askill he receives an advantage for, thenhe adds the advantage to his unskilledvalue. For example, if the characterhas a Mind 9 but no test skill, he addsthe advantage to his attribute for theuse of test only.

Gaining Honor andCorruption

Even if a character doesn’t have thehonor or corruption skill, he is still af-fected by these universal forces. Certainacts are, by their very nature, eitherhonorable or corrupt, and performingthese acts can stain or cleanse the soul.

Corruption Advantages

Number Effectsof Adds

Corrupt1 +1 to trick value2 +1 to test of will value; +1 to taunt value; +1 to intim-

idation value

Wicked3 Cause one opponent to become fatigued (as per the

drama deck conflict line disadvantage) onceper act; +2 to trick value; +1 to maneuver value

4 +1 to stealth value; +1 to dodge value; +1 to persuasionvalue; gain the ability to defer your owncorruption into the land (difficulty 10 in dark por-tions of Aysle, 25 in the light; check must be madeonce per month; if successful, subtract the number ofresult points from your corruption adds to deter-mine what other characters sense you as —example, a four add corrupt character gets threeresult points and appears as a one corrupt addcharacter throughout the month in question)

5 Gain harm miracle6 +2 to dodge value; +2 to intimidation value; +1 to lock-

picking value; +2 to maneuver value

Foul7 Gain ability to hit and damage non-corporeal beings; +2

to persuasion value; +1 to willpower value;+2 to taunt value

8 Gain ability to detect honor and level of honor; diffi-culty based on target’s level: honorable 30,noble 25, pure 20, good 15

9 Cause all opponents to become fatigued once per act; +3to dodge value; +3 to maneuver value

10 +3 bonus to ward enemy miracle; +3 to trick value11 All attacks are now made as blindside attacks; +3 to taunt

value

Evil12 Gain the ability to cause opponents to become confused

once per act; +3 to test of will value13 Gain the ability to cause opponents to break once per act;

+3 to intimidation value14 Gain the ability to trigger a patchwork check (see

“Patchwork Realm Rules” page 53) once peradventure, success gives character three Possibili-ties; +4 to trick value

15 Gain the ability to slay opponent once per adventure bytouching him; can only be attempted once in anadventure (whether successful or not); successinflicts six wounds upon the opponent; difficultybased on target’s level: good 50, pure 45, noble 40,honorable 35, corrupt 30, wicked 25, foul 20, evil 15

World Laws

48

The difficulty number to gain honoror corruption is 20, and a charactermust use Spirit or one of the two skillsto generate a total after performing anhonorable or corrupt act. If the gener-ated total is equal to or greater than thedifficulty number, then the charactergains one add in the appropriate skill.A character cannot spend Possibilitieson these rolls. When generating thistotal, use the honor and corruptionbonus modifiers.

Honor and corruption tend to canceleach other out, so most folk have little ifany of either skill. But the heroes andvillains of the land usually have some ofthe appropriate skill. A character can-not have both skills. If a character hashonor adds and then gains adds in cor-ruption, these corruption adds are sub-tracted from the honor adds (thus low-ering his honor skill). Once all of acharacter’s honor is subtracted, then hecan begin to gain corruption adds. If helater gains new adds in honor, these aresubtracted from his corruption adds inthe same fashion.

Example: The paladin Corun hassix adds in honor for a value of 16. Heperforms a corrupt act that the game-master assigns a +5 bonus modifier tofor purposes of gaining corruption.Does the act darken Corun’s soul? Herolls to find out, rolling a 19, which isa bonus of 6. 6+5 equals a bonus of 11.16 (Corun’s honor value) + 11 (the bo-nus number) generates a total of 27,which is greater than the difficultynumber (20). Corun receives one cor-ruption add, which is subtracted fromhis honor adds. Corun now has fiveadds in honor.

Honor and corruption can only betaken as skills when you create a char-acter. They cannot be learned later byspending Possibilities. Additionally,the skills can only be purchased once;if a character loses the skill he cannotlearn it again. He can, however, earn itby performing honorable or corruptdeeds (see above). A character canonly increase these skills up to 11 addsby spending Possibilities. To reach 12adds and above, the character mustsuccessfully perform a deed or questas specified by a god of the corre-sponding pantheon (either honor orcorruption).

onor Bonus ModifiersH+0 Honorable acts that are basic to the tenets of honor and

not beyond the bounds of normal activity: not cheating, keeping one’s word, never killingor attacking anuarmed foe, never harming innocents, alwayshelpingothers, respecting authority, helping afriend, etc. Such acts do not gain honor, so no rollis required.

+1 to +5 Honorable acts for the greater good which place acharacter at more than normal risk to life and limb.

+6 to +10 Honorable acts of self-sacrifice which further the causeof good and honor.

+11 to +15 Honorable acts which inspire others and result in thesuccessful play of a glory card.

+16 to +20 Honorable acts which further the will of the gods ofhonor against ultimate evils, regardless of the dangerto life and limb.

orruption Bonus ModifiersC+0 Corrupt acts which are basic to the tenets of corruption

and not beyond the bounds of normal activity: lie andcheat anyone, attacking an unarmed foe, using aninnocent,betraying friends, etc. Such acts do not gaincorruption unless performed by a character with honor (inwhich case the modifier will be +1 to +5).

+1 to +5 Corrupt acts which help a character attain his goals throughforce, power and intimidation while following a twistedset of ethics (defining his own terms and living by them,whether they are honorable or corrupt).

+6 to +10 Corrupt acts which are self-serving and unscrupulous,which help a character attain power, glory, wealth andposition regardless of who gets hurt or worse; communingwith lesser evils in the hopes of gaining a good result.

+11 to +15 Corrupt acts which are violent and despicable, which arecruel and brutal just for the pleasure of it; communing withlesser evils for personal gain.

+16 to +20 Corrupt acts which are heinous crimes against the gods orthe tenets of goodness itself: murder of the just, the inno-cent, the pious; betrayal of one’s people or family thatleads to mass death; acts of wanton destruction for thesheer pleasure of it; communing with true evil for pleasureand personal gain.

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World Laws

At three adds, the gods of the oppos-ing pantheon will no longer answer theprayers of the character. So, a followerof a god of honor who has corruption atthree adds is cut off from his god untilhe performs the proper penance andreduces his level of corruption.

At four adds, a god from the corre-sponding pantheon will select the char-acter as a follower, if the character isnot currently worshipping a deity. Forexample, Corun cannot choose to bewithout faith once he achieves fourhonor adds. He automatically recievesone faith add (if he doesn’t have any)from a god of honor.

At seven adds, characters begin toshow physical signs of honor or cor-ruption. By 12 adds, a character isrecognizably good or evil (unless hehas deferred his corruption to the land).

Certain advantages list difficultynumbers based on levels of honor andcorruption in the target character. Ifthe target character has no honor orcorruption, or is from a reality thatdoes not measure such things, thenthe difficulty is based on balance and

is 25. Target characters from the NileEmpire are either good or evil, as pertheir world laws.

Patchwork RealmRules

Due to the perversion of the Law ofCorruption by Uthorion and his godCorba’al, characters with a highenough corruption skill can deflect thecorrupting effects away from theirbodies and spirits and into the landitself. But with the return of LadyArdinay of the Light, the Law of Honorreasserted itself. This has caused acheckerboard effect throughout thereality, creating places where the landis dark and twisted according toUthorion’s will, and areas that are fullof light which banishes the shadowswhere corruption normally hides.

To reflect this in the realm, refer tothe “Light and Darkness” map. Areaswithin a stelae triangle can be eitherlight (“L”) or dark (“D”), and they

have a difficulty number as well. Whenmaking a patchwork check, roll a die.If the final roll (rolling again on 10sand 20s) is equal to or greater than thedifficulty number, then the area flips.

Example: An area is listed as D18.On a roll of 18 or better, the area be-comes L18 and is now under the worldlaws of Ardinay.

For simplicity, areas will alwaysretain the same difficulty number, eventhough the letter designation (L or D)may change any number of times.

Make a patchwork check for anarea whenever any of these condi-tions are met:

• Once every month of game time.• Once per week if the Darkness

Device is used specifically to cause acheck (but only on one area per week).

• A glory card is successfully playedin a dark area.

• A character with 14 corruption addsspecifically calls for a check (which hemay do once per adventure).

50

Chapter Five The Theory of Magiche brass hinges on thedoor squeaked loudly,announcing Mathea’s en-trance into the classroom.The murmur of conversa-

tion died the instant she crossed thethreshold, her appearance as effectiveas any silence spell ever cast. Shemoved quietly to the podium, settingdown her notes and her hindsightbowl. She unstoppered her flask, emp-tied water into the bowl, and uttered aspell. She faced the class, looked side-ways at the bowl, and an image of awhiteboard appeared behind her.Another spell, and a colored markerbegan to write for all to see:

Mistress Magister Mathea of the TwoTowers, First Arcanum, First Division.

She turned over the first page of hernotes as she absently pushed backstrands of gray-streaked hair to a com-fortable resting place above her spec-tacles. The notes were familiar; thestudents before her were not.

For one thing, they were all hu-man. Not a dwarf, elf or giant amongthem. For another, they were clothedstrangely; many wore tight-fittingstraight pants, shirts with peculiarangular collars, or more comfortablelooking woolen overshirts called“sweaters.” The women wore similaroutfits, or skirts which would be com-pletely useless in the field, having nopouches or pockets sewn into them.

What was truly strange was nottheir appearance, but their attitudes,their patterns of knowing, their viewof reality. These students had beenselected by Core Earth officials andapproved by Pella Ardinay. They hadan aptitude for magic. But they had noconception of how magic worked, noexperience with its day-to-day uses.One of Mathea’s favorite examples oftheorem application and restrictions,the breakfast brownie, would be mean-ingless to these students. They hadprobably never seen a brownie — atbreakfast or any other meal.

Mathea cleared her throat. “Good

evening. This is First Arcanum. I amMathea, Mistress Magister from theArcane Academy of the Two Towers.I am here through the graces of LadyArdinay to further her efforts in help-ing the people of your land adjust tothe reality it now holds. In Aysle, magicis pervasive; trying to adapt to Ayslewithout an understanding of magic isfutile … ah, yes?” questioned Mathea,indicating a frantically waving youthgarbed in black leather. His hair wasthin, vertical and tricolored. He low-ered his hand when Mathea acknowl-edged him.

“When I’m done with this, can Imake the bullets in my Uzi explode ontarget?” he asked. There was a titterfrom one of the other students. Therest waited quietly for an answer.

Mathea took a deep breath. “Com-bining magical principles from Ayslewith the technical artifacts from yourBritain is a subject considerably moreadvanced than what we must coverhere. Should you fail to learn — andlearn completely — what I have toteach, magic will be of little use to you.Once you have mastered the knowl-edge I present to you, then perhapsyou can experiment with the possibil-ity of exploding bullets.”

Mathea waited a heartbeat for herwords to sink in, then plunged ahead.“I have a question for you. What ismagic?”

An uncomfortable silence was fi-nally broken by the vertical-hairedyouth volunteering, “Fireballs andlightning bolts!” Other answers in-cluded, “The power to mold nature”,“The supernatural”, “A second set ofscientific laws which may be used inplace of physics and chemistry”, and,“A way of drawing mystic power fromthe universe to cast spells.”

At most of these Mathea noddedvaguely, more enthusiastically at oneor two. When the class seemed to runout of ideas, Mathea made a smallgesture. The marker wrote:

Magic is the art of creating and castingspells. To create spells, a mage must per-

ceive that which is unperceivable — thesupernatural. To cast spells, a mage mustmanipulate a supernatural pattern to causea desired effect. The spell process bringsthis pattern out of the supernatural andinto the natural world.

The Pattern ofMagic

“The Law of Observation states thatwhat is perceptible is real, and thateverything which is real is percep-tible,” explained Mathea. “The worldperceived through ordinary senses isthe natural world. The Law of Obser-vation is the foundation of much of thescience and magic in Aysle.

“Magic is based on the act of ob-serving the supernatural, which bydefinition is the world beyond ordi-nary perception. Because of the Lawof Magic, which states that magic isreal, then magic must also be observ-able — if one knows how to look for it.This observation begins with the mageusing his magic skills and arcaneknowledges to open a window intothe supernatural. The supernatural isthe archives of all possible things, thedepository for the true forms of exist-ence — the once were, the are, and themight be. By applying his magic skillsto look through this window, the magesees these forms as constantly shiftingdesigns. He can now select one formfrom the infinite number passingthrough his line of sight, causing it tobecome a set pattern.”

Mathea stopped briefly to see if theclass had lost her. Most of the stu-dents at least wore a game face. Per-haps some actually understood. Shecontinued.

“This observation sets a supernatu-ral form into a pattern. By applyingthe processes and theorems of magicalskill and knowledge to this pattern,the mage shapes the pattern into aspell, giving it a result perceptiblethrough ordinary means. By goingthrough the spell process, the mage

51

has taken the pattern he originallyobserved in the supernatural andbrought it into the natural world. Thespell process affirms and clarifies theobserved pattern, allowing the Law ofObservation to take effect, and thusthe two laws work together.

“Once shaped, the spell can be used,taught and, to some extent, manipu-lated by other mages. But the core actin all of magic is the perception of thesupernatural pattern, applying theLaw of Observation to the Law ofMagic.

“A spell contains the original pat-tern observed by the mage that cre-ated it. When you learn a spell, you arelearning to see that pattern in the sameway as that mage. This is why spellscreated by those with great skill re-quire great skill to learn. You must seeas the spell’s creator saw in order toduplicate the pattern. The spell is thenthe delivery system for the supernatu-ral form, the path it follows to arrive inthe natural world.”

The middle-aged mage pausedagain. A cloth, seemingly moving ofits own accord, wiped the earlier notesaway, then the marker franticallyscribbled:

Magic SkillsConjurationAlterationApportationDivination

Arcane KnowledgesEssences

DeathLifeTimeTrue Knowledge

PrinciplesDarknessLightMagic

Mixed ForcesInanimate ForcesLiving Forces

Seven KindredAquaticAvianEarthlyElementalEnchantedEntityFolk

ElementsAirEarthFireMetalPlantWater

“The skills are listed in order, fromthe most difficult to the simplest,”Mathea said as the words appeared.“The knowledges are listed in the sameway, although the mixed forces do notquite follow the scheme.”

“A detect magic spell is built fromthe pattern observed by the divinationskill and the magic knowledge. Analtered fireball is built from the pat-tern of alteration and fire. Strength isbuilt from the pattern of alteration andfolk, as is the common haste spell.”

A sloppy man with an ill-kemptbeard, perhaps 10 years older than theother students, raised a finger, keep-ing his elbow firmly planted to thearm of his chair. He asked, “Are theskills exclusive of one another? Canyou produce two spells which havelargely the same effect with two differ-ent skills?”

Mathea nodded. “Divination is usedto produce a knowledge pattern. Ap-portation is used to produce a move-ment pattern. Alteration produces apattern of change, while conjurationcan be used to create or destroy apattern. Within these definitions, it iscertainly possible to duplicate effects.One skill usually proves itself supe-rior for a certain effect.”

Mathea saw that the woman withthe close-cropped red hair had a quiz-zical expression, but no question asyet. From experience, Mathea knew itwould come soon enough.

“The knowledges are arranged in ahierarchy. Centuries of observation andexperimentation have proven that all ofthe other knowledges flow from theessences, directly or indirectly.” Matheauttered a curt phrase, and whirled topoint at the whiteboard. A waveringwall of green flame rolled from herfinger and crashed into it. Fire drippedto the bottom edge, and then subli-mated away with a hiss. The classgasped in a most satisfactory manner.

“The names of the essences haveremained since their properties werefirst observed millennia ago. Unfortu-

nately, their names do not describetheir properties fully. Death is the es-sence of destruction and decay, of non-existence as well as dying. Life is thecreative essence, the essence of grow-ing as well as living. Most arcane phi-losophers believe moral and spiritualqualities derive from the essences oflife and death,” Mathea explained.

“True knowledge is perhaps the mostdeceptive, for it refers to the trueknowledge of physical substances,their makeup and properties, as wellas the knowledge of location, distance,or other properties of space. Time isthe essence of change, as well as theessence of the passage of time.

“The principles are the result of theinteraction of the essences. Darkness isderived from death and true knowl-edge, light comes from the interplay oflife and true knowledge, while magicresults from a mix of life and time.

“The mixed forces, while of a lowerorder than the principles, are no sim-pler. They are the result of mixture ofthe principles, which includes influencefrom the essences, and two of the es-sences themselves. Living forces are theresult of death, darkness, light and life.Inanimate forces are the result of trueknowledge, light, magic and time.”

Mathea paused as several studentsscribbled furiously in their notebooks.Vertical hair and the red-hairedwoman were notable exceptions.

“The seven kindred spring from liv-ing forces, or more accurately, theyaccess all of the knowledges necessaryfor existence through the living forces.The elements are related to the inani-mate forces in the same way.

“So, between these four skills and22 knowledges are the bases of everyobservation, and hence every spell, inmagic.”

The red-haired woman’s questioncoalesced with Mathea’s last remark.

“Professor Mathea,” she asked, “ifevery spell begins with a pattern, andthis pattern is created from the super-natural, why aren’t all spells conjura-tion spells? Don’t you have to conjurethe pattern in the first place?”

Mathea smiled. “Yes, you do haveto conjure the pattern, as well as di-vine it, alter it, and apport it. So, theprocess of creating spells requires allfour skills. But the spell that is createdcan simply be a divination spell, for

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the other skills are only used to ini-tially open up the window and bring itfrom the supernatural into the naturalworld.”

The Spell ProcessOn the whiteboard behind Mathea,

the marker scratched out:

Primary Rule of Magic: A spell willhave no positive effect without being willedby the caster; negative or non-effects aregenerally a result of insufficient controland will.

“The Primary Rule is a reminderthat while observing a pattern is nec-essary for the performance of magic,the pattern alone is not enough. Thespell process shapes and refines theobservation, making it useful to themage.”

A. Open window into supernaturalarchive using the four magic skills.

B. Observe the forms and set a patternwith one skill and one knowledge.

C. Use the spell process to move thepattern into the natural world in the formof a spell.

“Including the observation of thepattern, there are six steps to the spellprocess: pattern, state, control, apport-ation of effect, duration, and cast time.”

Pattern and EffectMathea looked earnestly at the red-

haired woman and said, “The patternof the observation defines the basic prop-erties of a spell effect. The fact that afireball explodes out to a fill a volume,that strength makes you strongerrather than faster, or that weaknessdoes make you weaker — all of theseare established when the pattern isfirst observed. The mage must knowthe basic effect he desires when hestarts his observation. He uses hismagical skills and the chosen knowl-edge to make the observation. Howwell he does on this initial observationsets a limit to how effective the spellcan be. A mage may want to build a lotinto a pattern, but the pattern can onlyhold so much. How much is deter-

mined during this step in the creationprocess. The pattern is the foundationfor the spell; overbuild on the founda-tion and the entire spell collapses.”

“When you observe the pattern, youuse one magic skill and one arcaneknowledge,” she added.

Conjuration and State“A pattern is the basis for a spell,

and much of its effect is defined by thepattern,” Mathea continued. “But thepattern’s effect is brought into the natu-ral world along a certain path calledthe state path, often shortened to sim-ply state. The state of a spell deter-mines how a spell’s effect comes intobeing. As the state consists of bringingthe pattern into being, it uses the con-juration skill and the knowledge usedin observing the pattern.”

Here the mage paused, reading hernotes once again. The next part wasnot easy to those who were broughtup with magic and the Ayslish way ofthought. Core Earthers, brought upunder a different reality, would find iteven harder to understand. Sighing,Mathea plunged straight into her nexttopic. The marker leapt to thewhiteboard, squeaking out:

PatternMechanismResultCasting

“A state path has four points, eachbuilt from an arcane knowledge. Thefirst is the pattern, where all magicbegins. The pattern is the raw materialfrom which a spell is made,” Matheastated.

“The mechanism is the knowledgeused to manipulate the pattern to ob-tain an effect,” she continued. “In gen-eral, the mechanism knowledge mustbe higher in the hierarchy than thepattern knowledge. The three mostcommon mechanisms are living forces,inanimate forces, and magic.

“Living forces affect all kindred, andit has been shown that they can beused to apport the elements as well.Inanimate forces affect all elements, andcan apport kindred,” Mathea said. Shepaused until the note scratching be-came less frantic.

“Magic knowledge is often themechanism of a spell. Magic is the onlyknowledge which, when used as themechanism, contributes its full effectto the spell. All other knowledgesdampen the full effect somewhat.”

A man with a thin tie and dark jacketraised his hand. Mathea pointed to him.“Do all spells use magic knowledge astheir mechanism? If not, why do com-petent mages bother with any otherknowledge as a mechanism?” he asked.

Mathea smiled ruefully at the ques-tion. “Part of the answer is in the na-ture of the knowledges. Magic cannotcreate all results. For example, trans-mutation of one element to another,say lead to gold, or even fire to earth,requires true knowledge as the mecha-nism or pattern. Similarly, turning afrog into a man, or vice versa, requireslife knowledge,” she said.

“Also, it is often not cost effective touse magic knowledge. If a smaller ef-fect will do, it is often cheaper to use alesser mechanism. The knowledges arerelated in the way I showed you on thewhiteboard; the cost of using theknowledges is related to how far apartknowledges lie on the chart, and wherethey lie in the hierarchy. Magic is un-fortunately not close to every knowl-edge a mage might want to use as apattern.”

Vertical hair began waving his handfrantically. Mathea was about to go onwhen he shouted, “Oy! I have my handup!” Mathea raised her eyebrows inhis direction.

“Magic is pretty close to elements,and right next to inanimate forces. Soyou get more flash for your cash whenusing magic as a mechanism for thoseeffects. Is this why lightning bolts andfireballs are so good at blowing thesnots out of everything?” he asked.

“Yes, that is essentially correct, mis-ter …?”

“Slash. Call me Slash.”“Yes. Of course. Slash, the proxim-

ity of the magic knowledge to inani-mate forces and the elements does ex-plain the effectiveness of those sorts ofspells. In those cases, the mage finds itworth his while to use magic as amechanism,” Mathea replied. “The im-portant thing to remember about themechanism is it is the knowledge bywhich the result is achieved.”

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“The result knowledge is the knowl-edge of a spell’s final effect, which canbe the same as the pattern” Matheacontinued. “For instance, a fireball has apattern and a result of fire knowledge.The bullet spell has a pattern and resultof metal. However, a transform man tofrog spell has a pattern of folk but aresult of aquatic, as a frog is an aquaticanimal. The result is the knowledgeinto which the spell effect goes.

“For example, if you wished to com-pletely obliterate a target, the resultwould be death, as you are turning thetarget into nothing.”

She paused, scanned her audience,then continued. “The casting reflectshow a spell is cast; whether it is castdirectly, focused on an object or per-son, impressed in a person, or put intoa ward.

“A spell cast directly is the easi-est. It is linked to the caster throughthe pattern of the spell. Should thecaster be killed, the spell loses effectimmediately.”

Mathea noted with satisfaction thata few seemed nervous at the mentionof killing mages. Magic was a seriousdiscipline with serious consequences;the sooner her students learned thatthe greater the chance they had for along life.

“Focused is a bit more difficult. Thepattern is linked to an object or an-other person. If the object is destroyed,or the person slain, the spell effectdisappears,” she said.

“Impressed spells are harder still.They hold the spell process in abey-ance until commanded by the caster,or the user of an enchanted object. Ifthe object is destroyed, the enchant-ment is lost. The same holds for de-stroyed folk.

“It is important to note that spellscan only be impressed into beings, orobjects which contain living forces. Ifthe mage wishes to impress a spellinto an object, he must first connect itto the living force within him. This canbe quite hard, and so is usually at-tempted only by mages who have agood degree of skill.

“Wards are spells which have beenfocused and impressed into an object,but which have a preset condition forrelease, based on the divination skilland a knowledge. This means wardsrequire additional divination knowl-

edge in the control step of the process,which I shall explain shortly.”

Mathea paused to collect herthoughts, idly splashing three fingersin the hindsight bowl as she thought.“Many of you have seen Pixaud’s Prac-tical Grimoire. The following examplesall come from that volume.

“An altered fireball spell has fire asits pattern, magic as its mechanism,and fire as its result. Its effect, and anypositive results of the spell, are trans-lated directly to fire as magic is themechanism.

“Linfir’s little frog spell has a pat-tern of folk, a mechanism of life, and aresult of aquatic. For the duration ofthe spell, a folk’s life essence is re-shaped into that of a frog.

“Detect magic has magic as the pat-tern, inanimate forces as the mecha-nism, and magic as the result.”

State Path

“The state path is the path you wouldfollow on the knowledge chart, startingwith the pattern, then going to themechanism, and then to the result. Thefinal step, the casting, is actually a modi-

fier to the result; it is not necessary totrace the state path any further oncereaching the result knowledge. Throughcenturies of experience, mages havediscovered how each move increasesthe complexity of a spell. In Throrvald’sexcellent treatise on spell design youwill read how this is done.

“For now I can give you qualitativeexamples. For the altered fireball, thepattern is fire. From there you trace apath through inanimate forces tomagic for the mechanism. Finally, youpass back through inanimate forcesto fire for the result,” said Mathea.

The man with the narrow tie raisedhis hand again. “Um, I’m Garrald,Professor Mathea. What if the mecha-nism was inanimate forces rather thanmagic?”

“The damage from the fireballwould have been greatly reduced, bymore than tenfold,” said the mage.

“Good enough for me,” said Slash.“My exploding bullet spell is going tohave magic as its bleeding mechanism.”

Mathea sighed. “Back to the ex-amples. Linfir’s little frog spell hasfolk as it pattern, then it goes throughliving forces and light to its mecha-

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nism of life. It then goes directly backthrough living forces to aquatic. Thepath through light was not necessary,but Linfir chose to do so for the spar-kling effect of the spell. Wizards oftenenjoy adding small touches to theirspells, but such fancy effects are be-yond the scope of our discussion.

“Once the state path has been cho-sen, the mage then sets the control ofthe spell.”

Divination andControl

“Divination magic is the magic ofknowing. Knowing how to control thepattern and the mystic energies flow-ing along the state path is crucial for asuccessful spell, or at least one whichhas a better chance of working thanturning your brain to paste.”

Nervous laughter met her last com-ment. Perhaps a few of them had expe-rienced enough backlash to be uncom-fortable at the thought of an uncon-trolled spell. Good.

“So, divination magic is the skill forcontrol, while the pattern knowledgeis the knowledge used.

“The magical skill upon which thespell is based first sets the difficulty ofcontrolling the spell. Divination spellsare easiest, then apportation, then al-teration. Conjuration are the most dif-ficult,” Mathea said.

“The control can be made more dif-ficult by a number of other factors.Illusions can be made more ‘realistic’,or at least harder to disbelieve, byincreasing the control over the spell.

“Combat spells can be made moreaccurate by increasing the control ofthe spell. Versions of the bullet spellhave been improved in this manner.

“Wards require additional divina-tion skill, plus the knowledge of whatis to be detected. This increases thedifficulty of controlling the spell pro-cess as manifested in the ward. If thewizard wants the ward to be activatedby dwarves who come in contact withit, then the spell requires divination/folk. If the ward is to be used to auto-matically extinguish a fire, divination/fire is needed.”

The marker smoothly wrote out thefollowing list:

Change TargetEffectForm (elements, mixed forces,principles only)ApportationDuration

“The ability to change the target ofthe spell effect requires additional con-trol. Simple telekinesis spells can changetargets. Without this ability, a simplecleaning spell would have to be recastfor each object the apprentice wished topick up. This could be quite tiring to anapprentice,” said Mathea, beginning topick up the pace of her lecture.

“Effect can be lessened through con-trol, but not increased through con-trol. The main reason to control effectis on long term or permanent magiceffects — the effect may be switchedoff and on at the mage’s whim.

“The mage can choose to controlthe form of a spell patterned on theknowledge of elements, mixed forces,or the principles. The mage needs tocontrol the form if the desired form isnot natural for the knowledge in ques-tion. Metal or earth can be shaped intoa wall with little problem; both ele-ments are by their natures stable. Awall of fire, light, water or darknesswould need to have its form controlled,as the confining shape of a wall is notnatural for any of these knowledges.

“Control over the apportation al-lows the spell to follow any path de-sired by the mage, rather than a straightpath from mage to intended person orobject of effect. Control over apporta-tion also allows control of the speed ofthe spell effect, but the speed cannotbe increased beyond the natural speedof the spell. Away sight makes use ofthis property; the mage can stop tolook along the way.

“Duration may be controlled, whichis desirable when a caster wishes tocancel the spell. If duration is not con-trolled, the spell may not be voluntar-ily halted by the casting mage.

The woman with the red hair raisedher hand again. Mathea called on her.

“I was wondering — by the way,I’m Diedre — I was wondering whyduration needs to be controlled in acast spell?” she asked. “Isn’t the magiclinked to the will of the caster? Can’tthe caster will the pattern out of exist-ence instead of controlling duration?”

Mathea vigorously shook her head.“No. Once initiated, the pattern existsfor its full duration. By controlling theduration, a mage may hasten thepattern’s return to the supernatural.”

Mathea’s smile was broad now.Good questions. Perhaps Core Earthcould produce a solid mage or twoafter all.

Apportation, Rangeand Speed

“The remaining points of the spellprocess are not nearly so complicated,”said Mathea. The class released theirtension with an audible sigh.

“The range of a spell’s effect is thegreatest range at which the mage’swill is sufficient to maintain the pat-tern and its effect. Even a hair’s widthbeyond that range and the pattern willhave no practical effect. An effect maybe perceived by those outside the rangeof the spell, but sometimes even theperceptions may be muted.

“A magical conflagration whichburned with purely magical fire, onewhich had not set blaze to objects inthe natural world, would be visibleoutside its range. The fire might pro-duce sound or an odor associated withburning, but centuries of practice haveshown these effects to be less pro-nounced than similar effects of a natu-ral conflagration. A person standingan eyelash away from such a magicalfire would feel considerable warmth,but would never burn.

“Therefore, any practical effect themage wants must occur within therange of the spell,” said Mathea.

“The speed of the spell is the how fastthe spell effect may be moved, out to itsmaximum range. If the speed is too low,the spell effect may not reach its fullrange before the duration expires.”

“You say the spell effect is moved,”interrupted Slash. “Which meansrange and speed come from the ap-portation skill, and the bleeding pat-tern knowledge?”

“Yes,” said Mathea. “As I was say-ing, the speed may be kept low forspells with sufficient duration. Spellsused in combat will tend to have speedsequal to or greater than the range ofthe spell to deliver the effect quickly.

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“Speed and range together are usu-ally called the apportation of the spelleffect, as they are summed into a wholeduring the design of a spell,” Matheasaid.

Alteration andDuration

“The duration of the spell is alsochosen by the mage. In order to com-pensate for a highly complex spell,mages often choose a duration whichis considerably less than what theiralteration skill and pattern knowledgemight suggest. You will see how this isdone in tonight’s assignment.”

Cast Time“Cast time is also chosen by the

mage. Minimum cast time for a spell isthought to be one heartbeat, althoughthis has not been properly confirmed.The greater the cast time, the easier thespell becomes for the mage. Cast timesover an hour are not uncommon, par-ticularly if the spell is to be impressed.”

Theorems andTheir Application“When a mage finishes the spell

process, he is usually left with a spellwhich has an unacceptably high back-lash, difficulty, or both. In virtually allcases, the spell could be made easierthough conscientious applications oftheorems.

“There are two basic types of theo-rems. Pattern theorems are observedmagical truths which are applied tothe basic pattern or the effect of thespell. Process theorems are observedtruths which apply to the spellprocess.”

The marker made two side-by-sidelists:

Pattern TheoremsConcentrationContagion

Specific ContagionExclusion

UniquenessSimilarity

TouchSelf

Voice

Process TheoremsCast TimeControlDurationRangeSpeedState

“Theorems may be applied to anyspell a mage is designing. They fur-ther define a spell, lowering the com-plexity of the spell, but restricting it atthe same time. Any restrictions builtinto a spell by a theorem must befollowed in order to cast that spell.”

Pattern Theorems“Pattern theorems are the heritage of

every Ayslish mage who has learnedthe rudiments of even a single magicalskill. They are derived from proper-ties of the supernatural pattern itself,or from properties of the observer.

“The theorem of concentration statesthat as the spell is cast, the mind of themage mirrors the pattern. If the magecontinues to concentrate on the pat-tern after the spell is cast, the pattern iseasier to maintain in the natural world.If the mage is concentrating on a spell,he may take no other action until thespell’s effect is over.

“The theorem of contagion states apart is always linked with its whole.This theorem makes it easier to bringthe pattern into the natural world byhaving a physical object which repre-sents either the pattern knowledge orthe result knowledge,” said Mathea.

“Does this mean I can use a humanhair as contagion on a spell which I amcurrently using on a dwarf?” askedGarrald.

“Yes,” said Mathea. “Such a spellmight be slightly less effective, butfolk are folk.”

“Specific contagion may be appliedwhen the piece of an object, or objectitself, comes from the actual target ofthe spell. If I apply the theorem ofspecific contagion to a spell which isgoing to effect folk, I would need some-thing from the individual or objectwho is the target of the spell.

“When specific contagion is applied,contagion may be applied as well.

“If either contagion theorem is ap-plied to a spell, that spell cannot becast without the contagion,” concludedMathea.

“Hey, is this true of the other theo-rems as well? I mean the part aboutapplying more than one of them? So ifI am using uniqueness I can applyexclusion, and if I am using self I canalso apply touch?” asked Slash.

“Yes,” answered Mathea.“Brill. So what do those theorems

do?” insisted Slash.“I am getting to them,” replied

Mathea curtly.“The theorem of exclusion states that

the less of a knowledge which isneccessary for the pattern or result,the easier the spell. A folk spell whichonly affects dwarves would be easierto cast once the theorem of exclusionwere applied, as dwarf is less than thewhole that folk encompasses.”

The ill-kempt man raised his finger,asking, “Can the theorem of exclusionbe applied only once? What if I want todesign a spell which only affects left-handed, overweight dwarves with badbreath? Or more likely a spell whichonly affects knife blades, a subset ofblades, which is a subset of metal?”

“No,” answered Mathea. “The theo-rem of exclusion may only be appliedonce to the pattern. However, it maybe applied to limit the pattern or resultin any way the mage desires. But onceapplied, the exclusion on the spell can-not be changed. Another spell wouldhave to be designed in order to get adifferent exclusion.

“You may also apply the theoremof exclusion to the result knowledge,but again you may only apply it to theresult knowledge once.”

“So I could build a fireball whichonly burned dwarves using the law ofexclusion?” asked Slash.

“No, Slash, you cannot. A fireballhas the pattern and result of fire, ofwhich mages over the millennia haveonly observed one kind, the kind whichattempts to burn everything.”

“Can I design a spell which onlyincreases the strength of my friends?”asked Garrald.

“No. The emotional state of folkseems to be beyond the bounds of thetheorem of exclusion,” Mathea said.

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“The theorem of uniqueness is themost effective form of exclusion,” shecontinued when the questions dieddown. “It may be applied when thespell affects only one specific indi-vidual, or one particular object. Whenuniqueness is applied, exclusion mayalso be applied.

“The theorem of similarity states thatcause resembles effect. Whenever themage mimics the process or resultwhile casting the spell, this theoremmay be applied. For example, in thealtered fireball the mage mimics theflight and impact of the fireball withthe piece of pitch which he holds. Byputting this action into the spell pro-cess, the mage who designed the spellcan apply the theorem of similarity,”said Mathea.

“The theorem of touch states that di-rect contact between the caster of aspell and the target of a spell makesthe transfer of the result easier. Thetheorem may be applied wheneverthe spell requires the caster to touchthe recipient of the spell.

“The theorem of self states that as theobserver of the pattern, the mage isclosest to, and most susceptible to, thepattern of the spell. If a spell only affectsthe caster, then the theorem of self maybe applied. As a mage whose spirit stillinhabits his body is always in contactwith his physical self, he may apply thetheorem of touch as well.

“The theorem of voice states that thepath of thought to voice is akin to thepath of pattern to natural world. Speak-ing the spell process aloud for theentire time the spell is cast allows thetheorem of voice to be applied,”Mathea said.

Process Theorems“Process theorems affect the process of

the spell, rather than the pattern di-rectly. Each theorem must be learned, askill similar to the other magic skills.They only have application in spell de-sign, and placing restrictions upon spellmanipulation. For all of their theoreti-cal nature, any mage intent on design-ing spells will eventually learn at leastone or two of these theorems. Theirbenefit is often essential.

“The only restriction to applyingprocess theorems is that these same

theorems are required to manipulatethe spell, as manipulation is tamperingwith the spell process. If a mage has aprocess theorem, he will apply it to anyspell he designs unless there is a com-pelling reason not to do so,” said Mathea.

“What might be a compelling rea-son?” asked the ill-kempt man.

Mathea found herself annoyed thathe had not yet introduced himself, butanswered, “Some spells are designedwith manipulation in mind. If a spell isintended for use by a beginning mage,the fewer theorems necessary to effec-tively manipulate the spell, the better.”

Mathea looked around for otherquestions. There were none, probablydue to mental exhaustion. She straight-ened herself and clapped her handsloudly.

“That’s it for today then. Read thesection on spell design in the book Iam giving you before next class. Thenwe will start having you work minormagics in laboratory sessions, as wellas attending these theory lectures.Enjoy the assignment.”

Spell DesignThe following is condensed from

Magister Throrvald’s Foundations ofEffective Magic, but they are presentedin a manner which is directly appli-cable to the Torg game, leaving outmany of the metaphysical asides whichhave confused students in the past.

Here is an overview of spell design:

1. The mage decides the effect shewants the spell to have, and thenchooses the knowledges for the pat-tern, mechanism and result. The mageneeds all four magic skills to designa spell, but the pattern skill is theonly skill necessary to cast the spell.

Next the mage chooses whether thespell should be cast directly, focused,impressed or placed in a ward. It is atthis stage that the axiom level of thespell is decided upon, and the bonusnumber of the spell is assigned to in-crease one of its attributes.

2. The mage assigns values to thepattern, state, control, apportation, andduration portions of the spell process.

3. The mage uses her magic skilland the pattern knowledge to gener-ate totals. The pattern total is gener-

ated from the magic skill used to ob-serve the pattern, with the mage’s addsin pattern knowledge added to theskill value. The conjuration, divina-tion, apportation and alteration totalsare generated using the respectiveskills, which have each been increasedby the adds of the pattern knowledge.The pattern knowledge adds are addedto the magical skills only for spelldesign, never for casting the spell.

4. The skill totals are subtractedfrom the pattern and process values.

If a skill total exceeds the pattern orprocess value by more than five, a -5 isrecorded. The only exception is whenthe alteration total exceeds the dura-tion by more than five; the full differ-ence is recorded. This is the reasonmany spells have a short duration.These are then added together into thespell sum. If the spell sum is less thanzero, it is raised to zero.

5. The basic complexity is calcu-lated. The basic complexity is in-creased by the type of magic skill usedin the pattern, the maximum value ofthe pattern or spell process, the spellsum, and reduced by the cast time ofthe spell.

6. Theorems are applied, restrictingthe effects of the spell, or requiringadditional steps in the casting process.Each theorem takes at least a week toapply; taking additional weeks tendsto increase the effectiveness of the theo-rem. The totals of all applied theoremsare added to form the theorem sum.

7. The final complexity of the spellis equal to the basic complexity minusthe theorem sum. There are minimumcomplexities depending on the type ofmagic used to cast the spell.

8. The spell is recorded. It is given aname. The final complexity is splitinto backlash and difficulty at the dis-cretion of the mage. The other valuesof the spell are recorded.

ChoosingKnowledgesfor a Spell

Many spell effects are only possiblewith one combination of knowledgesfor the pattern, mechanism and resultof the spell. It is essential for a mage to

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understand how the knowledges workwithin the pattern and process of a spell.

EssencesThe essences are the hardest

knowledges to use for the pattern of aspell. They often accompany the mostspectacular effects possible in magic.True transformation, turning one thingor being into another, requires essencesas either the result or the mechanism.

Conjuring something which is notillusory requires an essence as the pat-tern or as its mechanism, or both. Atransformation or conjuration will stillfade at the end of the duration of thespell, but it cannot be broken by disbe-lief (as mentioned on page 114 of theTorg Rulebook). A transformation us-ing an essence as its mechanism orpattern is real for its duration.

Essences are immutable. They maynot be changed to another essence, norto any other knowledge. If an essenceis used as a pattern, the essence isdrawn from within other knowledgesof the spell, and perhaps manipulated.If used as a result, that essence withinthe pattern knowledge is enhanced.Essences may be used as mechanismsfor patterns of an essence, as long asthe result knowledge is not an essence;essences may be combined to producelower-order knowledges, but not anessence.

Mages have yet to find a patternwhich uses an essence and apporta-tion magic. Such a gap in their theorypuzzles them.

DeathDeath is the essence of corruption,

non-existence, the consuming hungerof the Void, as well as death. Death isa powerful essence because of Linfir’sMaxim, “Nature concedes the destruc-tion of anything, the construction ofnothing.”

PatternAs a pattern, death is used to ma-

nipulate the death knowledge withina being or object (through divinationor alteration), or to bring a pattern ofdestruction into existence (throughconjuration).

Examples: Death may be used withdivination to search for corruption, ora source of destruction.

Alteration/death is the pattern forreanimating the dead, allowingthought as well as simple movement.

Conjuration/death may be a patternwhich creates death to be inflictedupon another knowledge.

MechanismAs a mechanism, death allows a

pattern to be altered or divinedthrough death. As a mechanism, deathcan corrupt, diminish, or kill its target.

Death used a mechanism for conju-ration/darkness or living forces canmake the spell results real for the du-ration of the spell. However, death can

eality: What a Concept!RThe class had broken up for

the day, and several students andMathea were in the cafeteria,drinking coffee. Mathea hadn’tliked the stuff at first, but shefound herself rapidly becomingaddicted.

The unkempt man stared hardat Mathea. “Okay. Let’s see ifI’ve got this straight. The super-natural is the archive of all pos-sible things, right?”

Mathea pushed her spectaclesback on her nose and took a sipof her coffee. “Simplistically put,but an adequate description forthis stage of your training, yes.”

“Fine. It’s a really big roomfilled with lots of file cabinets.So, famous mage that I am, Iamble into the file room, use myskill and knowledge to find thefile that contains the pattern I’mlooking for. And the greater myskill and knowledge, the better Ican sort through the files.”

Mathea didn’t know exactlywhat a file cabinet was, but shecould see that the man had theright idea, sort of. She nodded.

“So after I’ve got this file, I cancause whatever it contains tobecome real in this universe?”

“More or less,” Mathea re-plied. “The universe tends to re-sist change. The more improb-able the effect you are attempt-ing to cause, the harder the spell.You not only use your skills andknowledges to find the properpattern, you also pit them againstthe natural tendencies of the uni-verse to cause them to become

reality. That’s why most spellshave limited durations — after awhile, the universe overcomesyour imposed reality and returnsthings to the way they used tobe.”

The student looked uncon-vinced. “But where does the en-ergy come from? I mean, you say,‘abracadabra,’ and I fly back-wards into the wall at 50 milesper hour?” The student pattedhis fair-sized paunch. “That’s afair amount of kinetic energy.Do you supply it? Does it comefrom your mind, somehow?”

“Only tangentally. To get youto fly back into the wall at 50miles per hour, I have to have thepattern for movement. The su-pernatural, the ‘file room’ as youcall it, contains the patterns foreverything — thought, commu-nication, emotion, matter, andmovement.

“The only energy I supply isthat involved in imposing thepattern I have chosen on the uni-verse. That’s where spell back-lash comes from — my mindversus the inertia of reality.”Mathea stood up.

“That’s enough theorizing fortoday,” she announced firmly.“Right now, the only reality I’minterested in is that my coffeecup is empty.”

She headed up to the urn, thenpaused and turned around. “Bythe way, I’ve never heard theexpression ‘abracadabra’ before.Is that a word of power in yourlanguage?”

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only be used as a mechanism for re-sults which are consistent with it. Deathcannot be used as the mechanism for ahealing spell.

Examples: As a divination mecha-nism, death may be used for a speakwith dead spell.

As an alteration mechanism, it canbring out the corruption in a being.

Result A death result allows the complete

destruction of the pattern knowledge.It can also be used when the magewants the target to die. As a result,death makes corruption or destruc-tion continual, beyond the capacity ofnatural healing or natural processes ofrepair for the duration of the spell.Magical processes are needed to undothe effects of the spell.

Examples: A spell which consignsan object to non-existence needs deathas the result.

An alteration/earth spell which shat-tered stone could be used to destroy awall; if death were the result, the wallwould resist repair, continuing tocrumble for the duration of the spell.

LifeLife is the essence of creation, re-

newal, life, and honor. Life is the es-sence of change, the change of growth,the change of spirit, and the change ofnew ideas.

PatternAs a pattern, life may be used to

find life or the honorable (throughdivination), or enhance life, honor orthe creative aspect of a being (throughalteration). Conjuration/life allows themage to create truly living beings fromthe raw supernatural pattern.

Examples: A divination/life spellcould be used to detect life or honorwithin a being. It could also be used todetect a particular one of the sevenkindred.

Alteration/life could be used to ac-celerate healing, growth, or other lifeprocess.

Note: Theoretical mages have cor-related the gestation period of a kin-dred with the duration necessary tomake a conjured lifeform viable. Until

this time has passed, the lifeform needsthe pattern provided by the spell.

Example: A conjuration/folk whichyielded a human would need a dura-tion of nine months before the con-jured person could live without thesupport of the conjured/folk spell.

MechanismAs a mechanism, life imbues the

result knowledge with life, honor, orother life aspect. As a mechanism, lifecan be used to transform one kindredto another, through their commonnature as living beings.

Life may also be used as a mecha-nism for magic and light, and livingforces, making conjurations involvingthose knowledges real for the dura-tion of the spell. Such use must beconsistent with the essence of life. Aconjure corrupt being spell could nothave life as its mechanism.

Examples: Bringing someone backto life requires life as the mechanism,but a mage must be careful. In accor-dance with Linfir’s Maxim, should thespell wear off before the body has hada chance to heal itself, rid itself ofpoison, disease, or negate whateverkilled it, the unfortunate victim willdrop over dead again.

Linfir’s little frog spell would havelife as the mechanism, folk as the pat-tern and aquatic creatures as the resultknowledge.

ResultAs a result, life makes any renewal,

creation or other life attribute con-tinual for the duration of the spell.Magical processes are needed to undothe effects of the spell.

Life can be used to tell the nature ofa kindred, penetrating any disguise,also analyzing his health or other lifefactors. Life can also be used to tell thenature of any enchantments on a kin-dred. The limiting factor is the infor-mation may be gained about one otherknowledge: kindred, living forces,light, or magic.

Examples: A healing spell whichhad life as the result would continu-ally heal the kindred for the durationof the spell, healing any additionaldamage taken.

aveat MagiiCAny spell design system is

going to have to be overseen bythe gamemaster. This one is noexception. We have put a num-ber of “spell brakes” into the sys-tem. This prevents spells frombeing too easy, while still beingversatile and quite powerful inthe hands of skilled magicians.However, any time you get cun-ning players and dice together,amazing things can happen. Youcan always disallow the spell,frankly telling the player thatsuch a spell could unravel yourcampaign. However, you mightbe able to handle powerful spellsdesigned by Storm Knightswithin the game. If the spell is

one-in-a-thousand, anothermage might be interested. If thespell is one-in-a-billion, you canbet that a good number of wiz-ards are going to be interested inthe spell.

Also remember that counterspells are possible. A flame spellcould be developed by a magewith its only visible effect beinga pinprick of flame on the castershand. Since a character can onlybe affected by one spell of oneknowledge at a time, the flamehand spell could be proof againstthe most vicious fireball imagin-able if cast by a wizard moreskilled than the caster of the fire-ball.

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A detect folk enchantment couldhave folk as the pattern, living forcesas the mechanism, and life as the re-sult. If successful the spell would givethe caster knowledge on the type andextent of any magics which are fo-cused on the target folk.

TimeTime is the essence of soulless

change, as well as the knowledge oftime. Change caused by time is achange in being, in the nature of anobject, not simple changes such as achange in location. Unlike life, thechange of time does not require asteady progression; radical changes,even random changes, are possiblewith time.

Time can change the very nature ofa being or object, and so is seen to beopposed to true knowledge, whichseeks to define what is invariable in abeing or thing.

PatternIf time is the pattern, the nature of

change and time itself may be manipu-lated, although such manipulations arelimited to the duration of the spell.

Examples: Divination/time may bethe pattern to determine when an eventoccurred.

Alteration/time may be the patternto accelerate or decelerate time.

Conjuration/time would bring an el-ement of time or change where therehad been none before.

MechanismTime as a mechanism may be used

to transform an inanimate force intoany other inanimate force. Such a trans-formation is real for the duration ofthe spell.

Time may also be used as a mecha-nism for magic and inanimate forces,making conjurations involving thoseknowledges real for the duration of thespell. Such use must be consistent withthe essence of time. A conjure magicmissile spell is highly accurate, whichinvolves its location in space, not time.

Example: Time could be used as themechanism which transformed theinanimate force of gravity to the inani-mate force of heat.

ResultA result of time can be used to “fix”

a process in time, to halt time for theduration of the spell.

Also, a result of time may be used togain information about the nature ofinanimate forces or magic on an ele-ment. A spell can only be designed togain information on one knowledge.

Example: A fireball could have al-teration/fire as the pattern, magic as themechanism, and time as the result.The fireball would travel as normaluntil the mage triggered it. It wouldstay suspended in time for the dura-tion the spell.

A mage could build the detect en-chanted weapon spell with divination/metal as the pattern, magic as themechanism and time as the result.

True KnowledgeTrue Knowledge is the true knowl-

edge of physical substances and theirproperties. True knowledge is consid-ered to be the “pure form” of a being orobject, the pattern to which the matterof the object conforms. If one had trueknowledge of a dwarf, everything es-sential to the physical being of a dwarfis contained in that true knowledge.The spiritual dwarf is still the prov-ince of life and death.

As a consequence, true knowledgeis also the knowledge of location, dis-tance, or other properties of space aswell as weight and mass; any of theusual ways in which you measure aphysical object. To conjure any of theelements requires true knowledge.

True knowledge deals with the trueform of a being, one which resists themany changes of the day-to-day world.In this way, true knowledge is at oddswith time, which is often associatedwith change for change’s sake.

PatternConjuration of a real element re-

quires true knowledge as the pattern.Creating an opening to another di-mension requires conjuration/trueknowledge.

Alteration true knowledge is usedto change the physical makeup of anelement, giving it physical properties

it usually would not have. It can alsobe used to open a gate between twopoints in the same dimension.

Examples: Extradimensional gatehas conjuration/true knowledge as itspattern. Conjuration is necessary be-cause a dimension is a place which ispart of a cosm, yet physically discon-nected from at least one other regionof the cosm. There is no physical pathbetween two dimensions, so conjura-tion magic is necessary to create one.

Alteration/true knowledge is the pat-tern for a teleport or gate spell withina cosm.

MechanismTrue knowledge as a mechanism

allows one element to be transformedinto another.

True knowledge may also be usedas a mechanism for light, darkness,and inanimate forces, making conju-rations involving those knowledgesreal for the duration of the spell. Suchuse must be consistent with the es-sence of true knowledge. A loathingspell involves spiritual darkness, andcould not have true knowledge as itsmechanism.

Example: A turn lead into gold spellwould require true knowledge as themechanism to produce true gold. Illu-sory gold would be easier to produce.

ResultTrue knowledge as a result allows

the spell to give information about thetrue nature of an element (or objectmade from an element). The limitingfactor is information may be gainedabout one other knowledge: element,light, darkness, or inanimate forces.

Examples: A know metal spell hasdivination/metal as its pattern, inani-mate forces as its mechanism, and trueknowledge as its result. If successful,the caster knows the true nature of thetarget metal, its type, whether or notthe object is made of more than onemetal, or is not metal at all.

Alternately, a mage may choose tocreate a detect enchanted weapon spellwhich has a pattern of metal, a mecha-nism of magic, and a result of trueknowledge.

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PrinciplesThe principles are pure forces of a

high order. Magic is the most criticalof the principles, because of its effec-tiveness when used as a mechanism.Light and darkness each have theiruses in the hands of skilled mages, asthey represent moral and intellectuallight and darkness, being more thanthe physical presence or absence oflight.

Darkness, light and magic mayeach be used as a mechanism unlessthe above section states an essencemust be used.

As with all knowledges lower inthe hierarchy than the essences, anyconjuration from the principles is illu-sory, unless an essence is used as themechanism.

The principles are susceptible toapportation, which distinguishesthem from the essences. Ayslish mageshave shown that darkness, light andmagic may be moved, although thereare restrictions.

Principles are the most effectiveknowledges on which to build illu-sions, as they are the knowledges clos-est to the essences. An illusion withdarkness, light or magic as its patternrequires a Mind total of at least 15 todisbelieve.

DarknessDarkness is the knowledge encom-

passing physical darkness, the prop-erty it derives from true knowledge.In Aysle even physical darkness ismore than the absence of light. Dark-ness is a quality in its own right, onewhich competes with light in the cosmof Aysle. You cannot have light anddarkness together; darkness consumeslight, and light banishes darkness.

Darkness also refers to spiritualdarkness, corruption and evil. It en-compasses intellectual darkness, suchas confusion and doubt. Negativeemotions, like fear, greed and hatred,are part of darkness. These are theproperties infused by death.

PatternConjuration/darkness is the pattern

for creating darkness — physical,spiritual, or emotional. Conjuration/

darkness may be the pattern for illu-sions of kindred or living forces, butthey must all contain an element ofcorruption or evil.

Alteration/darkness is the pattern forincreasing or decreasing any presentdarkness, as well as converting dark-ness to another knowledge entirely.

Divination/darkness is the patternfor spells of detection, or fathomingnegative moods, or sensing hostileintentions.

Apportation/darkness is the mecha-nism for moving darkness. A darkmood may be moved from one beingto another. In Aysle, the emotions (orhumors) are attributes which may beseparated from a being.

Examples: Create anger has thepattern of conjuration/darkness.

Drive away darkness would haveapportation/darkness as its pattern. Sucha spell would not illuminate its sur-roundings, but would allow any avail-able light, even a match, to light theentire region from which darknesshad been removed.

MechanismDarkness can be the mechanism for

detecting darkness in living beings.Darkness can cause negative emo-

tions, or manipulate living energies tohave a negative outcome for the tar-get. Not as destructive or absolute asdeath, darkness can produce subtlereffects.

Example: An spell which broughton bad luck could have alteration/folkas the pattern, darkness as the mecha-nism, and living forces as the result.For the duration of the spell, thingswould just tend to go wrong for thetarget folk.

ResultDarkness as a result can create

physical darkness, emotional turmoil,or confusion.

Example: A confusion spell whichbefuddled an opponent could have apattern of folk, a living forces mecha-nism, and a result of darkness.

LightIn Aysle, light is derived from life

and true knowledge. From true knowl-

edge it gains its properties as physicallight. From life it gains its spiritualand intellectual properties. Positiveemotions such as love, loyalty andbravery are derived from the spiritualproperties of light. Insight into a prob-lem is an intellectual aspect of light.

PatternConjuration/light is the pattern for

creating light — physical, spiritual, oremotional. Conjuration/light can bethe pattern for illusions of kindred orliving forces, but they must also con-tain an element of good or honor.Conjuration/light can also be the pat-tern for illusions of elements or inani-mate forces; as these are derivedmostly from the true knowledge com-ponent of light, these illusion have nomoral content.

Alteration/light is the pattern for in-creasing, or decreasing any presentlight, as well as converting light toanother knowledge entirely.

Divination/light is the pattern forspells of detection, or fathoming posi-tive moods, or sensing genuine goodwill.

Apportation/light is the mechanismfor moving light. In addition to physi-cal light, a mood may be moved fromone being to another. In Aysle, theemotions (or humors) are attributeswhich may be separated from a being.Light may also be apported out of anarea all together.

Examples: A create joy spell hasthe pattern of conjuration/light.

Drive away light would have ap-portation/light as its pattern. Such aspell would not automatically darkenits surroundings, but would allow anyavailable darkness, such as a shadow,to spread and fill an entire regionfrom which light had been removed.

MechanismAs a mechanism, light causes posi-

tive emotions or manipulates livingenergies to have a beneficial outcomefor the target.

Light can be the mechanism fordetecting the qualities associated withlight, honor and loyalty, or a generalaura of good about the person.

Example: A spell which broughton good luck could have alteration/folkas the pattern, light as the mechanism,

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and living forces as the result. For theduration of the spell, the target folkwould receive more breaks than usual.

ResultLight as a result can create physical

light or emotional harmony.

Examples: A peace spell which al-lowed the user to project an aura ofpeace and calm onto a target could havea pattern of alteration/folk, a living forcesmechanism, and a result of light.

A protective shield of light couldhave a pattern of alteration/living forces,a mechanism of light, and a result oflight.

MagicAs befits a mixture of the life es-

sence and the essence of time, magic isthe knowledge of change, both livingand unliving. Magic is the energy andmutability which pervades the super-natural. While all patterns are derivedfrom the supernatural, only some keepthe full efficacy of the supernaturalwhen they are observed by a mageand placed in the real world. When amage uses the knowledge of the su-pernatural to its full effect in a pattern,mechanism or result, then she is usingthe magic knowledge.

PatternA conjuration/magic pattern can be

used to create illusions of inanimateforces or elements.

Divination/magic is the pattern fordetecting magic in an element, kin-dred, living or inanimate force.

Apportation/magic can be used todrive magic away from an area.

Examples: Detect magic has thepattern of divination/magic, the mecha-nism of inanimate force, and a resultof plant (assuming the pages of thegrimoire are made of plant material).

An anti-magic bubble has the pat-tern of apportation/magic, the mecha-nism of magic, and the result of magic.

MechanismMagic is the most effective mecha-

nism for any spell. It is the only knowl-edge where the result points of a spellare translated directly into game ef-fects. All other mechanisms have theirresult points read through the Power

Push Table to find their effect. Seethe Extended Power Push Table at theend of this section.

Magic can be used for the mecha-nism of any spell. The only problem isthe cost of magic in the state path ofmany spells (see below). When basedupon a pattern of elements or inani-mate forces, magic is almost alwaysthe best mechanism.

Examples: The strength spell has amechanism of living forces, and souses a power push to increase thestrength of its target. If the mechanismwas magic, the result points would bedirectly added to the targets strength.

The altered fireball has magic as itsmechanism, so result points of dam-age are read directly on the combatchart, i.e. nine result points of damagegives an Ord a “Wound K/O 9”. If themechanism were inanimate forces, thenine result points would have to beput through the Power Push Table toyield a +4; the Ord would take fourresult points in wounds, an “O 3” fromthat fireball. Magic is clearly the supe-rior mechanism.

ResultMagic as a result is used when a

mage wishes to control magic in abeing, object or area.

Examples: The anti-magic bubblegiven above.

Also, a hide enchanted weapon spellcould have a pattern of metal, and amechanism and result of magic. Whenscanned with a detect magic, the spellwould give a false reading.

Mixed ForcesEach mixed force is a combination,

directly or indirectly, of all four es-sences. While less effective than theprinciples, they are as difficult to con-trol. Most theoretical magicians be-lieve this is because the mixed forcescontain opposed essences within them;living forces are under the direct influ-ences of life and death, while inani-mate forces are under the direct influ-ences of time and true knowledge.

Mixed forces form a vital link be-tween the essences and principles above,and the kindred and elements below.

Illusions formed from a pattern of

mixed forces require a Mind total of atleast 12 to disbelieve.

Inanimate ForcesInanimate forces are the link to the

elements. Inanimate forces can affectkindred. Inanimate forces cannot beused to transform or change kindred,even if the changes are illusory.

Inanimate forces are the forceswhich affect elements, and are associ-ated with elements: heat, electricity,magnetism, forces which bind ele-ments together, forces which makethem appear as they do. Only thoseforces which are specifically coveredby another knowledge, such as lightor living forces, are excluded from therange of inanimate forces.

PatternInanimate forces are used in a pat-

tern when a mage wants to convertone inanimate force to another.

Example: Alteration/inanimate forcesis the pattern of a “convert gravity toheat” spell, magic is the mechanism,and inanimate forces are the result.

MechanismInanimate forces are used as the

mechanism for a variety of less costlyspells using the elements. Inanimateforces can apport any physical object,including kindred.

Inanimate forces can be used as themechanism for results of light or magic,mixed forces, or elements.

For elements, they may be used asthe mechanism for divination, alter-ation, or illusory conjuration.

Example: The fool’s gold spell has apattern of alteration/metal, a mecha-nism of inanimate forces, and a resultof metal. The resulting metal may lookand feel enough like gold to fool themagically unprepared, but Ayslishmerchants have long since boughtenchanted coin scales from the mageguild to remedy this problem.

ResultIf you want a lightning bolt, you

need inanimate forces as the result ofyour spell; same with magnetism,gravity, or other force which is not anembodiment of an element, livingforces or light.

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Examples: The lightning bolt spellhas a pattern of alteration/inanimateforces, a mechanism of magic, and aresult of inanimate forces.

The general purpose telekinesisspell has a pattern of apportation/air, amechanism of magic, and a result ofinanimate forces.

Living ForcesLiving forces are the link between

the kindred knowledges and the prin-ciples and essences. Living forces en-ergize the attributes of living things,

Dexterity, Strength, Perception, and therest of the attributes are powered byliving forces. Living forces are respon-sible for the health and vitality of akindred.

The only affect living forces mayhave on elements is apportation.

PatternLiving forces are used in a pattern

when a mage wants a generalized spellwhich will work equally well on anykindred.

Example: A haste spell which wasbuilt with a pattern of alteration/livingforces, a mechanism of living forces,

and a result of living forces would, inaddition to being very difficult, be ableto affect all kindred.

MechanismLiving forces are used as the mecha-

nism for a host of basic spells, includingstrength, haste and increase charisma.

Living forces can be used as themechanisms for results of mixed forces,kindred and elements, as well as re-sults of light or darkness.

ResultA result of living forces is needed

when the result is to apply equally toall kindred.

cope of the KnowledgesSearthly. Folk are not consideredto be earthly creatures becausetheir natures have transcendedthe elemental urges of the earthlycreatures. After bitter debate,chimpanzees and gorillas havebeen included in the earthly cat-egory, and since their inclusionthat is the knowledge which hasworked upon them.

Elemental. These are beingsconstituted directly of elements.Earthly, avian and aquatic existin the elements, but elementalsare living elements. Each of theelements — air, earth, fire, metal,plant and water — haveelementals. Normal trees andshrubs are not plant elementals,for elementals have an intelli-gence and spirit (perhaps small)which normal plants seem to lackentirely.

Enchanted. All creatures whosubsist on or weave magic intothe core of their being; they can-not exist long without magic tosustain them. Part of their beingis a pattern which is constantlydrawing power from the super-natural. Dragons, manticores,unicorns, and faeries are all ex-amples of enchanted creatures.Many enchanted creatures havean affinity for one of the ele-

The Seven Kindred

The Ayslish have classified allliving beings as belonging to oneof the seven kindred. As CoreEarth classification systems dif-fer, we thought a little clarifica-tion might be helpful.

Aquatic. Includes all marinelife, fish, dolphins, whales, seasnakes, crabs, lobsters, octopi —everything which lives in theocean. It also includes frogs andother amphibians. Aquatics alsocovers bacteria, but as of yet bac-teria have not been observed inAysle.

Avian. Includes all flyingcreatures, including insects.Birds, flying reptiles (but not fly-ing fish, which are more alignedwith water, and hence aquatic),and bats are all avians. Dragonsare the most notable exceptions;they have been identified withthe elements, but are enchantedcreatures. Ayslish natural phi-losophers are annoyed that drag-ons overlap classifications intheir clean scheme, but pragmaticones are perfectly willing to leavedragons and their peculiaritiesalone.

Earthly. All creatures whichlive on, or in, the ground are

ments, perhaps because the ele-ments are so easily manipulatedby magic.

Some scholars argue that gi-ants and elves should be classi-fied as enchanted creaturesrather than as folk. The argu-ment has more basis in prejudicethan fact. The fact is elves andgiants do rely heavily on magic.They get the wasting diseasewhen disconnected from magic,but there is still a core of elf orgiant underneath. And folkknowledge works just fine onelves and giants, a fact whichannoys some of the snobbierelves.

Entity. The world of folk isthe natural world, a world intowhich the supernatural regularlyintervenes. Enchanted beingseven have magic at the very cen-ter of their being. But they do notviolate the natural world. Enti-ties do. Demons, ghosts, undead,golems, all have been observedto have one thing in common;their existence is somehow atodds with nature. Entities arenot meant to exist in the naturalworld. They may be meant toexist elsewhere … but not here.

Folk. Folk are intelligent be-ings whose defining relationship

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Example: A detect good spell mighthave a pattern of divination/light, amechanism of light, and a result ofliving forces. Such a spell could detectthe good in any kindred.

Seven KindredThe seven kindred knowledges

cover all living things. Easy to config-ure into a spell, they are importantknowledges for any earnest mage.

PatternKindred knowledges can be used

in any spell in which the result knowl-

edge is a kindred knowledge, livingforces, darkness or light.

Example: A create light spell couldhave a pattern of conjuration/folk, amechanism of living forces, and a re-sult of light. However, such lightwould be illusory, and would be moreeasily dispelled than the same spellwith conjuration/light as its pattern.

MechanismKindred knowledges cannot be

used as mechanisms.

ResultOther result knowledges can affect

kindred, but if to alter or transform a

kindred, use kindred as the resultknowledge.

Examples: The increase charismaspell has a pattern of alteration/folk,living forces as the mechanism, andfolk as the result.

Linfir’s little frog spell has alter-ation/folk as the pattern, life as themechanism, and aquatic as the resultknowledge.

ElementsThe element knowledges cover all

unliving things, and a few of the sim-

primarily from earthen compo-nents. Earth is considered to betemperature neutral, absorbingthe temperature quality of theelement with which it comes incontact, cooling in contact withair or water, warming in fire.

When earth has aspects of in-telligence it is considered to beslow, patient, and considerablythick headed.

Fire. Fire includes any form ofcombustion. A nuclear reactionwould not be considered a fireelement, but an example of in-animate forces unleashed.

When fire has aspects of intel-ligence it is considered to be de-structive, hungry, with a willfuldesire to consume everything itpossibly can. Fire resents beingcontained in any shape for long,and will always try to free itself.

Metal. Metals are substancesfound in the earth which, unlikeearth, are pliable when flame isapplied. Some substances whichCore Earh science considers met-als (such as arsenic) are consid-ered earths by Ayslish science.Mercury is considered to be ametal, albeit a peculiar one witha strong proclivity toward water(i.e., a low melting point).

When metal has aspects of

The Elements

The Ayslish have classifiedeverything which they considerunliving or spiritless as belong-ing to one of the six elements.Not all of their classifications areobvious to Core Earth observers.

Air. Includes all substanceswhich are gases at room tem-perature (except water vapor,which is still considered to be“water influenced into air”). Airmay be liquefied or turned solidwith the right sort of spell. Air isconsidered a cold element, andis often used for cooling or incold spells.

When air has aspects of intel-ligence it is considered to be quicktempered, fickle, with little pa-tience.

Earth. Includes glass, ceram-ics, and other materials made

intelligence it is consideredto be strong willed, loyal iftreated well, treacherous iftreated poorly.

Plant. Aysle defines theplant element to be “thatwhich grows on earth, sunand water alone, or which isderived from such elements.”This means plant covers veg-etable oil as well as oak trees.Ayslish mages have recentlyfinished classifying petro-leum and its products (suchas plastic) as being plant ele-ments with a strong procliv-ity toward earth.

When plant has aspects ofintelligence it is consideredto be patient, often pleasureseeking, sometimes wise.

Water. The water elementis water. All other liquids areconsidered to be mixtures orother elements with water,or else elements with a strongproclivity toward water.

When water has aspects ofintelligence it is consideredto be playful and gentle un-less enraged, in which caseits vindictive destructivenessis unmatched by any otherelement.

is with others of their kind, ratherthan with any of the elements orthe supernatural. They are anintegral part of the natural world.Dwarves, elves, giants and hu-mans are all folk. Prejudice maystill refer to harpies, minotaursand others as “half-folk”, or totrolls and goblins as “lesser folk”,but magically they are all folk.

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pler living ones, such as ordinaryplants. The Ayslish consider the spiri-tual to be an important defining as-pect of a living being, and so thingswhich are living according to the stan-dards of Core Earth science do notcount as living beings in the Ayslishaccounting of the natural world. Plantsand viruses (should viruses ever beobserved in Aysle) are two examples.

Elements are the easiest knowledgesto configure into a spell.

PatternElement knowledges can be used in

any spell in which the result knowl-edge is an element knowledge, inani-mate forces, magic or light.

Example: A create light spell couldhave a pattern of conjuration/metal, amechanism of inanimate forces, and aresult of light. However, such lightwould be illusory, and would be moreeasily dispelled than the same spellwith conjuration/inanimate forces orconjuration/light as its pattern.

MechanismElement knowledges may not be

used as mechanisms.

ResultOther result knowledges can affect

elements, but transforming or alteringan element requires an element as theresult knowledge.

Examples: The fool’s gold spell has apattern of alteration/metal, inanimateforces as the mechanism, and metal asthe result. This spell is used to appar-ently transform a common metal to gold.

Earth shield has apportation/earth asits pattern, magic as its mechanism,and earth as its result.

Defining the Patternand the Process

The mage selects a pattern by choos-ing the appropriate magical skill andpattern knowledge.The knowledgesare discussed above; below is a briefdescription of the four magical skills.

Divination is the easiest of the magi-cal skills to use and learn. Divination isused to produce a pattern of knowledgewhich, when brought into the naturalworld, gives the mage information. Divi-nation is used for spells of detection,

clairvoyance, telepathy; many spellswhich sense or communicate have divi-nation magic as part of their pattern.

Apportation is used to produce amovement pattern which, whenbrought into the natural world, allowsthe mage to move something. Spellsinvolving the attraction or repulsionof the target are also apportation spells.This includes the obvious uses, suchas lifting, moving or hurling objects.There are less obvious uses such asattracting light or darkness to an area,or apportation as a form of banish-ment spell to prevent the affectedknowledge from entering an area.

Alteration produces a pattern ofchange which, when brought into thenatural world, allows the mage to in-crease, decrease, or even change thenature of something. Alteration hasbeen described as “the mage’s ham-mer; extremely useful but occasion-ally misused to pound a spell intoshape.” Alteration is used to increase acreatures charisma, shrink a chair, con-vert lead into gold, or increase a tinyflame to a raging conflagration. Thelimitation on alteration is the patternmust begin its work on something real,something which already exists in thenatural world. An alteration waterspell needs water to alter; it will notwork without it.

Conjuration can be used to createor destroy a pattern. Using nothingmore than the supernatural pattern, amage can bring an object, being, orcondition into the world. She can alsoreduce a part of the natural world to itssupernatural pattern, then undo thepattern, utterly destroying it. Conju-ration is part of the pattern of illusions,conjuring objects, beings or conditionswhich are “semi-real.”

Casting

Once the pattern knowledge and skillhave been chosen, the mage decideshow he wants the spell to be cast. Asmentioned in Mathea’s lecture, the magehas four choices: the spell may be castdirectly, focused on another being orobject, impressed, or put into a ward.

Assigning the Bonus Number

The bonus number must be as-signed to one of the following por-

tions of the spell process: effect, rangeor duration. The mage is free to assignthe bonus number to whichever hechooses.

Axiom Level

Using existing spells and the axiombenchmarks on page 93 of the TorgRulebook, the player and gamemastershould decide on the axiom level ofthe spell. The gamemaster has the fi-nal decision.

PatternDesigning the pattern of the spell

requires the mage to decide on theeffect and the area or volume of effect.

Effect

In Torg terms, the effect of the spellis the value which is used to determineany game effects other than the spell’srange or duration.

Example: The conjured fireball hasan effect value of 18, which is theamount of damage it does.

A spell’s effect value may have morethan one game effect. These valuessummed together are the spell’s effectvalue.

Example: Floater can lift a mass of100 kilos (value 10) at a speed value ofthree. The effect value is 13.

If a spell is transforming one objector being into another, the result points

he Spell LaboratorySheetT

The spell lab sheet is used torecord the steps in designing aspell. Being able to look at thespell lab sheet while reading thefollowing sections would behelpful. So go photocopy thespell lab sheet on page 75, ormake a copy by hand so youdon’t have to flip back and forth.

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of the spell must be enough to accountfor the greatest attribute differencebetween the original and the trans-form. The effect value of the spell iscompared with the the original’s at-tribute which created the difference.

Example: A giant with a Dexterity 8,Strength 17 and Toughness 19 is beingturned into a frog with DEX 4, STR 0and TOU 1. The greatest attribute dif-ference is between the giant’s TOUand the frog’s TOU, a difference of 18.A spell which would turn the giantinto a frog would require 18 resultpoints, against the giant’s TOU of 19,which would require an effect total of37 if magic is the mechanism (makingthe effect illusory), 69 if any otherknowledge is the mechanism, as itwould have to be filtered through thePower Push Table.

Result Point Modifiers

As the above example shows, build-ing transformation spells which canproduce great changes can be ex-tremely difficult if magic is not themechanism. Fortunately, a magenamed Colvinax discovered an im-portant principle. Spells which havea mechanism other than magic maybuy a Power Push result for the spell,and put this result point modifierinto the spell. This result point bonusis added to any earned through thecasting of the spell, although the spellmust earn at least one result pointbefore the modifier is added.

Example: A strength spell has aneffect value of 14. A mage could buildan enhanced strength spell with an ef-fect value of 14, but with a result pointmodifier of +5. When using the spell, amage rolls 15 for a bonus of +2, for aneffect total of 16. Against a person withStrength nine, the result points are eight(three from the Power Push, and fivefrom the result point modifier). Thetarget’s Strength is increased to 17.

However, note that if the target hadalready had a Strength of 17, the effecttotal 16 would have generated no re-sult points, so the modifier would notbe applied.

The maximum number of resultmodifiers which may be put into a spellis equal to the effect value of the spell

factored through the Power Push Table.

Example: A spell with an effectvalue of 30 could have at most 11 as aresult modifier. The mage could chooseany result modifier she wished, fromone to 11.

Area and Volume

A spell effect usually only effectsone target. A spell may affect an areaor a volume, in which case it affectsevery eligible target as it comes incontact with that area or volume.

Ayslish geometers long ago notedthat space has three dimensions. Therange of a spell is one dimension ofspace (the length) over which the spellcan take effect. An area affect spell hastwo dimensions over which the spellmay take effect, affecting everythingwithin a radius of effect; the result is acircle of effect. A spell with volumetakes effect within a sphere. If the spellhas a range, then the spell effect al-ready has one dimension. All the magemust do is build the second dimensionof effect into his spell. The smaller ofthe two dimensions determines thearea of effect.

Example: A spell has a range valueof eight. If the mage builds in a seconddimension of value five, the spell willhave an area of effect which has aradius value of five. The circle wouldhave a radius of 10 meters, a diameterof 20 meters. This circle of effect couldbe placed anywhere within the spell’s40 meter range.

Example: A spell with a range valueof eight has a second dimension ofnine added to it. The circle of effect isthe full range of eight. The extra pointwould be lost, as it lies beyond therange of the spell.

Volume adds a third dimension.Now the spell effect is a sphere withradius or volume equal to the smallestdimension of effect.

Example: An altered fireball has arange of eight, an area dimension ofthree, and a volume dimension ofthree. The fireball fills a sphere with aradius value of three (four meters). Ifthe volume dimension had been two,the sphere would only have a radiusvalue of two (2.5 meters).

The only time a spell can have anarea or volume of effect greater thanits range is when the range is “touch.”In this case the mage has purchasedthe range and recorded it on the spelllaboratory sheet, but it only providesthe necessary dimension for the areaor volume of effect.

Example: Weather control has arange of “touch”, but on the apporta-tion line of its spell laboratory sheethas the range value 19. It also has thearea dimension value of 19, and a vol-ume dimension value of 19, in order tocontrol the weather within a six kilo-meter radius.

On the pattern line of the spell labo-ratory sheet record the following: theresult modifier in the “Rmod” space,the volume dimension value in the“Vol” space, the area dimension valuein the “Area” space, and the effectvalue of the spell in the “Eff” space.

The sum of these four values is thepattern value of the spell, and is re-corded in the pattern space.

StateThe pattern, mechanism and result

knowledges have already been cho-sen for the spell. All that remains is tochoose the state path. Write the pat-tern, mechanism and resultknowledges on the spell laboratorysheet. Then start with the patternknowledge on the diagram. The num-ber printed next to the knowledgename is the cost for using that knowl-edge as a pattern knowledge; write itdown on the spell lab sheet.

Move from the pattern knowledgeto the mechanism knowledge alongthe state path diagram. There are tworules for figuring the cost of each stepalong the way.

1. If moving along the path in thedirection of the arrow (moving up theconnection), the cost of the move iswritten in the circle near the arrow.

Moving from a knowledge to itselfalways costs the amount listed in thecircle, on the self-connecting path.Going from a pattern of inanimateforces to a mechanism of inanimateforces has a cost of five; you cannotavoid the cost by claiming to be goingin the direction opposite the arrow.

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LIGHT15

3

INANIMATE FORCES15

55

LIVING FORCES15

TRUEKNOWLEDGE

25

10

LIFE25

10

DEATH25

10 10

TIME25

MAGIC15

DARKNESS15

777

77

7

FOLK

ENTI

TY

ENCH

ANTE

D

7

AQUA

TIC

AVIA

N

EART

HLY

ELEM

ENTA

L

2

7

7

77

7

7

AIR

EART

H

2

FIRE

WAT

ER

PLAN

T

MET

AL

7

7

88

8

7

7

8

3 3

3 3

33

KINDRED ELEMENTS

Aysle DiagramMagic State Paths

7 7

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wooden wand requires that the statepath go from fire to living forces (apath cost of seven), then from livingforces to folk (a path cost of two), thenback to plant (another nine) for anadditional 18 added on to the castingcost of impression (three), for a totalcasting cost of 21.

Objects may be prepared in advanceto hold spells of a certain result knowl-edge, which can be more cost efficientthen designing a spell which can becast into an object, particularly if morethan one type of spell is to be cast. See“Permanent Magic” below.

Once impressed into an object, thespell remains in an object until cast.

ControlControl is based primarily on the

difficulty controlling the magic skillused in the pattern: divination eight,apportation 10, alteration 13, conjura-tion 16. This is the skill control cost,and is recorded in the space labelled“Skl” on the control line.

If the spell is an illusion, the magemay make it more difficult to disbe-lieve the illusions. For each point thedisbelief difficulty is increased, the con-trol value for the spell is increased.

Example: An illusion with a pat-tern of conjuration/folk is disbelievedon a Mind total of eight. A mage wantsto increase the disbelief difficulty to15, an increase of seven. These sevenpoints are the disbelief modifier. Theseven is recorded in the space next to“Disb” on the control line.

Controlling Aspects

A mage can control aspects of thespell. For some spells, control of as-pects is vital. In others it is just aconvenience.

The cost of controlling aspects is theOne-on-Many difficulty modifier forthe number of aspects controlled.

Change Target

Unless the mage controls this as-pect, the first target of the spell is theonly target of the spell. This may befine for a fireball or a heal spell, butcould be annoying for a telekinesis

spell, which without this aspect couldonly latch onto one target.

Effect

If a magic is made permanent (see“Permanent Magic” below), then theeffect can be turned on and off bycontrolling the effect aspect of the spell.The effect may also be lessened bycontrolling the effect aspect, but it can-not be made greater through control.

Form(elements, mixed forces,

principles only)

Sometimes a mage might want tocontrol the form of a spell, the actualshape of the effect. If the form is notcontrolled, the spell effect takes its

When a ward is set to detect acondition, the difficulty numberfor detecting that condition iseight. A character may try toavoid detection by generating adivination magic total. This is akinto an active dodge, and so theminimum bonus is always +1.This total becomes the difficultyfor detecting the character or con-dition. If the character is tryingto disguise more than one objector person, the ward gets the ap-propriate Many-on-One bonusfor the number of characters orobjects disguised.

Example: A ward is set to de-tect metal weapons. A wizardtries to cover for his whole group.They are carrying 15 metal weap-ons. The ward gets a +6 bonusmodifier to detect at least oneweapon.

A character may generate atotal against a ward even if hedoes not know what the ward isset to discover, although in thiscase the ward gets an additional+3 bonus modifier to detect thecondition.

riggering WardsT

2. If moving down a connection thecost is two.

Example: A spell has a pattern ofalteration/folk, and a mechanism ofmagic. Going from folk to living forcesis a cost of two, from living forces tolight is three, from light to inanimateforces is two, then from light to magicis three. The total cost of the state pathto the mechanism of magic is 10. Thisnumber is recorded on the spell labo-ratory sheet.

The same rules are followed to gofrom the mechanism knowledge tothe result knowledge.

Example: For the spell in the aboveexample, going from a mechanism ofmagic to a result of folk has a path costof nine: two from magic to inanimateforces, three to light, two to livingforces, and two to folk. The path costis written on the spell laboratory sheetnext to the result knowledge.

CastingA spell can be cast in one of four

ways. Casting directly has a path costof zero. A focused spell has a path costof two.

An impressed spell has a path costof three if impressed into the caster. Ifthe mage wishes to create a version ofthe spell which could be impressedinto another living being (who doesnot have the necessary magic skill tocast the spell, as it is already “pre-cast”), he must allow the state path toinclude another being. This is done byextending the state path from the pat-tern knowledge back down to folk. Ifthe pattern knowledge is folk, then thestate path goes up to living forces andback down to folk, a path cost of four.

To build a spell which can be placedin an object is even more difficult. Thestate path must be extended from thepattern knowledge to living forces (tobe impressed), then to folk (to connectthe state path to the character castingthe spell), then to the element knowl-edge which best describes the mate-rial of the object (to be stored in theobject.)

Example: To build a fireball spellwhich could be impressed into a

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most natural shape. Light, darkness,magic, living forces, inanimate forces,air and fire will all try to expand to fillthe available space. Metal, plant andearth all retain whatever shape theyfirst appear in. Water tends to seek itsown level. To create a rolling ball ofwater, or to be able to alter the form ofa metal wall after the mage has con-jured it, requires the form of the spellto be controlled.

Apportation

If the mage does not control theapportation of the spell, it travels in astraight line from the mage to the tar-get. If apportation is controlled, themage can have the spell travel anypath he wishes (up to the range of thespell); this is often crucial for wizard’seye type spells.

Duration

If the duration of a spell is not con-trolled, the mage cannot turn it off.

Accuracy

If the mage wishes a ranged spell tohave extra accuracy when finding itstarget, extra accuracy may be pur-chased through control. A bullet spellwhich has a +5 bonus to hit requiresfive extra points of control.

Wards

Wards require another divinationcomponent, which increases the con-trol cost by eight. Also, the adds of theknowledge which is to be detectedthrough the divination are added tothe control cost.

Example: A ward is supposed to betriggered by humans. The mage hasdivination magic at 15 and folk at +5.For the divination component she payseight; for her five adds she pays an-other five. This gives her a total con-trol increase of 13. As a result, theward has divination/folk 20, which isused to detect humans who comewithin range of the ward.

Multi-Attribute Effect

If a spell is going to affect more thanon attribute of a target, such as a spell

which transforms a man into a frog,then the control must be increased.The cost of affecting attributes is theOne-on-Many difficulty modifier forthe number of attributes controlled.

Example: A mage wishes to create aprowess spell which increases Dexter-ity and Strength. For affecting two at-tributes, the multi-attribute modifieris four; if the mage had also wanted toaffect Toughness, the multi-attributemodifier would be six.

The control value of the spell is thesum of the multi-attribute modifier,aspects value, the disbelief modifier,and the skill control cost.

ApportationThe range of a spell is the maximum

distance over which the spell can havean effect. The speed of a spell is thespeed with which the effect travels toits target, given in meters per round.In most spells the mage finds it advan-tageous to have the speed equal to therange; when they are equal, the spelleffect arrives in one round. If the speedis too low, the effect will not travel outto the maximum range of the spell.The minimum speed to reach maxi-mum range is given by the formula:

Range - Duration +5 = Speed

Example: Tracker has a range of 13and a duration of 20. The minimumspeed is 13-20+5=-2. The actual speed is5 (10 meters a round), plenty fast. Butthe bonus is added to range, and at arange of 21, the spell would end beforethe tracker reached maximum range.

The apportation value of a spell isthe sum of the range and speed valuesof the spell, and is recorded in theapportation space on the spell labora-tory sheet.

DurationThe duration value of a spell is cho-

sen by the mage, and recorded in theduration space of the spell laboratorysheet.

Mages are usually careful to choosethe minimum duration they consider

necessary for the job. There are tworeasons for this:

1. The principle of definition statesthat a character or object cannot be sub-ject to two active spells at the same timeif both spells have the same patternknowledge. This can be bothersome if amage has a selection of beneficial ordefensive spells. The mage must eitherbe very precise with his duration, orelse control this aspect of the spell.

2. To build effective spells, some-thing has to give, and mages tend tokeep durations low to help offset highstate path costs and high effect values.

GeneratingKnowledge Totals

The mage must generate five totals:the pattern skill total, the conjurationtotal, the divination total, the apporta-tion total and the alteration total. Eachtotal is generated using the appropri-ate skill value plus the adds in thepattern knowledge.

Example: Krugar the Melancholy isdesigning a healing light spell. Thepattern is alteration/light. Krugar hasfour adds in light, alteration magic 15,conjuration magic 16, apportationmagic 12, and divination magic 12.His pattern skill and alteration valueare 19, conjuration value 20, apporta-tion and divination value 16.

The totals are generated and re-corded in the appropriate spaces onthe spell laboratory sheet. When gen-erating the totals a character may spendpossibilities on the rolls, but no cardsmay be played.

The Spell SumA spell is derived from the observa-

tion of a pattern, which is modified bythe state path, aspects controlled bythe mage, and finally the apportationand duration of the effect. But the en-tire process is woven into the patternwhich it modifies, and each part of theprocess has an affect on the other. If aportion of the pattern or the process isbeyond the capabilities of the mage (asrepresented by the total she gener-ated), that portion can be offset by

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other parts of the spell. If a mage can-not muster enough control for the spell,excess ability in the apportation andduration aspects can make up for thelack of control. This balance is repre-sented by the spell sum.

As indicated by the spell laboratorysheet, the skill/knowledge totals are sub-tracted from the pattern and processvalues, and recorded in the column tothe right of the skill/knowledge totals.These are then added together to be-come the spell sum. If the sum is posi-tive, the mage cannot quite balance allportions of the pattern and the pro-cess. Write the sum in the appropriatespace. If the sum is zero or negative,write zero as the spell sum. A magecan never do better than having allparts of a spell balance, which is indi-cated by a spell sum of zero.

Basic ComplexityA spell’s complexity is a measure of

how difficult it is to bring the spell intothe natural world. Complexity is in-creased by three variables: the type ofmagic skill used, the maximum pat-tern or process value of the spell, andthe amount by which the spell is out ofbalance, represented by the spell sum.The complexity of a spell contributesdirectly to the backlash and difficultyof a spell.

The magic skill used adds to thecomplexity. The easiest is divination,which adds 17; apportation 19, alter-ation 22, and conjuration increases thecomplexity by 25.

The greatest process or patternvalue increases the complexity of thespell. The effect upon the complexityof process or pattern values other thanthe maximum value is negligible, andcan be ignored.

If the spell sum is positive, thelack of balance increases the spell’scomplexity.

The more time a mage spends cast-ing the spell, the more careful she canbe. This care reduces the effects of thecomplexity upon the caster, which isreflected in the game by reducing thebasic complexity of the spell.

The magic type, process or patternmaximum, spell sum, and cast time areall recorded in the appropriate spaces

of the spell lab sheet, then the basiccomplexity is calculated and recorded.

Applying TheoremsTheorems are applied to a spell to

make the spell easier to cast. Observ-ing the pattern of a spell is relativelyeasy, the art of applying one’s ownvision and will to the supernatural.Theorems are the observations of hun-dreds and thousands of magicians,codified so they be applied to spells.But this application requires a mage tofigure out how to best apply the obser-vations of all those magicians to hisspell. Applying theorems is the mosttime consuming part of spell design,requiring at least one game week toapply a theorem. The mage is assumedto be working eight hours a day, sevendays a week during this time. Duringthis time, he is applying the theoremto parts of the pattern or process andjudging the results, finally decidingupon one way to apply the theorem tothe whole spell. A mage may apply asmany or as few theorems as he wishes.The mage applies the theorems one ata time, and may decide not to applyany further theorems, completing thespell at that point.

The value for applying a theorem isthe value of the number of weeks spentapplying the theorem. Process theo-rems each have a theory knowledgewhich grants the mage a bonus whengenerating the theorem total; the casttime theory knowledge gives a bonusto the theorem of cast time total. Thebonus is equal to the adds of the theoryknowledge.

Example: Krugar the Melancholyspends seven weeks (value five) ap-plying the theorem of duration. Hehas three adds in the duration theoryknowledge. He rolls a 14; the bonus ofone is increased to four. The theoremtotal is nine.

When rolling the theorem total, allcharacters roll again on a 10 or 20.However, no Possibilities or cardsmay be spent on the roll.

While the mage contributes his ef-fort (reflected in the value of the weeksspent) and his theory knowledge, theinteraction of theorem and supernatu-

ral pattern is beyond the control of themagician. What happens happens, andthe observed result is then a real partof the spell.

Theorems build upon one another.Once observed, the theorem resultsare part of the spell, and all theoremsapplied are linked to any theoremsapplied previously.

If a mage dislikes the result of atheorem, he must throw out all ap-plied theorems in order to reapply theone theorem, starting again with theraw process and pattern.

Once all the theorem totals havebeen generated and recorded on thespell laboratory sheet, they are addedtogether to form the theorem sum, andrecorded in the proper space.

If a mage does not wish to applyany theorems, it still takes a week to“polish the pattern”, to settle it downto the point where it becomes agrimoire spell.

Final ComplexityThe final complexity of the spell is

equal to the basic complexity minusthe theorem sum. Through the years,Ayslish magicians found that there isminimum final complexity possiblewhich is based on the magic skill usedin the pattern.

Of course, most magicians load theirspells up with enough range, effectand other useful tidbits that the mini-mums rarely come into play. A magewho bumps up against the minimumsis usually a very lucky mage.

Recording the SpellThe backlash and difficulty of a

spell, when added together, equal a

inal ComplexityMinimumsF

Divination 14Apportation 16Alteration 19Conjuration 22

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spell’s final complexity. The playerdivides the final complexity into back-lash and difficulty in any way he seesfit. The player also records the effectvalue, the bonus number to, range,duration, and cast time on the spelllaboratory sheet.

Under “Manipulation” the playerlists any process theorems applied tothe spell. The player must also pro-vide a written description of the spell,its effects, and how any applied pat-tern theorems are used.

Recording the spell on the spell labo-ratory sheet symbolizes placing thespell in a grimoire. Any magician whohas designed a spell, having appliedany theorems he will ever apply to thespell, is considered to have designed agrimoire spell.

Example of SpellDesign

Note: When going through this ex-ample, have a copy of the spell labora-

tory sheet handy. Fill it out as youfollow the example.

Linfir is an accomplished mage,played by Dave. Linfir has alterationmagic 17, divination magic 17, apporta-tion magic 16, and conjuration magic 17.He has folk +5, cast time +5, state +4,range +4, all of which may be appli-cable to the spell. Adding in his folkknowledge to each of the skills, he hasthe following values for spell design:

pattern skill 22conjuration 22divination 22apportation 21alteration 22

With these in mind, he sets out todesign his spell. The spell will have apattern of folk. Dave wants the trans-formation to be real, so it has a mecha-nism of life. The result knowledge forfrogs is aquatic. After looking at someof the values involved, Dave decidesto have the spell be an impressed spell,so he can have a decent cast time tomake the spell easier and still use thespell in combat. He decides to add thebonus to duration. The magic axiomlevel of turning living things into dif-ferent living things is 11; but this spellis going to be impressed, so a 17 is putin brackets by the spell.

Pattern Value: he wants to turnlarge men (DEX, STR or TOU 14) intofrogs. He decides the frog will have aDEX 1, STR 1, and a TOU 1. He will letthe victim keep his own mental andspiritual stats. He chooses an effectvalue of 24, and then buys a resultpoint modifier of 9. Comparing 24against 14, he gets 10 points on thePower Push Table (yields +4). Addinghis result point modifier to the +4 gives13 result points; just enough to con-vert a man with an attribute of 14. Itwill work on most people. The patternvalue is 33.

State Value: Starting with folk isworth seven. Dave decides to take thestate path through light in order tocreate a nice sparkling effect, the bet-ter to impress the natives; the mecha-nism path costs 12. Then it’s back downto aquatic, a cost of four. Impressing aspell costs three. The state value is 26.

Control: the spell is affecting threeattributes, a cost of six. Dave wantsLinfir to be able to control the dura-

tion; controlling one aspect costs two.The alteration skill costs 13; the con-trol value is 21.

Apportation: Dave chooses a rangeof 8 and a speed of 8. He figures heneeds to help his spell sum a little. Theapportation value is 16.

Duration: Dave wants the spell tolast a long time; he can always turn itoff as long as the frog is in range. Hechooses a duration of one week (value29). The duration value is 29.

Next he generates his knowledgetotals: pattern skill 22, conjuration 20,divination 25 and alteration 26, spend-ing a Possibility on the alteration total.Dave decided to spend the Possibilityrather than wait a week and try theobservation again.

Dave calculates the differences be-tween the spell values and the knowl-edge totals, arriving at a spell sum of 11.

The basic complexity is 22 for alter-ation, plus 33 for the maximum pro-cess or pattern value, plus the spellsum of nine, minus the cast time. Davedecides on a cast time of 18. The basiccomplexity is 48.

Dave decides he could apply fourpattern theorems: contagion, similar-ity, exclusion, and voice; see the spelldescription below to see how these theo-rems affected the casting of the spell.

He first spends one week applyingcontagion, rolling an 18 for a total offive. Good start! But the next week herolls a two when applying similarity,which is a total of -10. So Dave scrapsall the applied theorems, and the twoweeks work, and begins again. It takes12 weeks to arrive at the followingpattern totals: contagion three, simi-larity five, exclusion two, and voiceone. He decides to push his luck byapplying the cast time process theory;the base value is five (his cast timetheory adds plus zero for one weekspent), his roll is 15 for a total of seven.Dave decides not to push any further.If he got a negative total for anothertheorem, he would either have to scrapall the theorems and try again, or elsehave a less effective spell. The theo-rem sum is 18.

The final complexity is the basiccomplexity minus the theorem sum:48 - 18 = 30. Dave decides on a back-lash of 21 and a difficulty of 9. Hewrites up the following spell.

esigning SimpleSpellsD

A mage may wish to design aspell which does not use his fullskill, in order to design a spellwhich can be learned by magesof lesser skill. The following re-strictions apply:

1. He may reduce the numberof knowledge adds used to gen-erate the pattern skill value. If hedoes so, he must also use thisreduced number for the conjura-tion, divination, apportation andalteration values.

2. He may reduce the numberof skill adds used to generate thepattern skill value. All other skillsused must be reduced by thesame amount.

The one advantage to design-ing simple spells is that the theoryknowledges are applied at full.This allows highly skilled magesto design better simple spells thantheir lower leveled compatriots.

Chapter Five

71

Linfir’s Little Frog Spell

Axiom Level: 13 (17)Skill: Alteration/folk 22Backlash: 21Difficulty: 9Effect Value: 24Bonus Number to: durationRange: 8Duration: 29 (one week)Cast Time: 18 (one hour)Manipulation: cast time

This is an impressed spell. The magi-cian is required to make a frog doll andcover it with patches of folk skin (hisown will do). While impressing thisspell, the mage begins by talking aboutanything he wishes, but as the spellcontinues his posture slumps and hisvoice becomes hoarse, until he is on allfours, mimicking a croaking frog.

To release the spell, the magicianpoints the frog at the target, who isbathed in shimmering green sparks asthe spell takes effect. If the target’slargest physical attribute is 14 or less,then he is turned into a frog.

The frog has the mental and spiri-tual attributes of the original charac-ter. The frog has DEX 1, STR 1, andTOU 1.

Time Required forSpell Design

The initial observation of a spellusually takes an hour. However, if themage dislikes the results of his firstobservation, he must wait at least aweek before trying again to allow thepattern to thoroughly fade from hismind.

The observation may be reduced tobelow an hour, but the pattern value isincreased by one for every point less ofobservation time.

Example: A mage attempts to ob-serve a pattern in one minute (timevalue nine). An hour has a time valueof 18. The pattern value of the spell isincreased by nine (18 - 9 = 9).

When designing a spell there israrely a time constraint. Reducing thetime is a factor when casting a spell onthe fly.

Casting on the Fly“The War of Crowns was an example of

senseless slaughter of wizards inflicted bythe nobility. Casting spells on the fly is anexample of senseless slaughter of wizardsupon themselves.”

—Krugar the Melancholy after los-ing his ninth apprentice

Casting on the fly is a term whichcovers the casting of spells which themage has not learned for himself.

The greatest drawback to castingon the fly is that the spell skill total is

always used to determine backlash.This distinguishes it from a grimoirespell, where the Mind of the caster isused to resist backlash if the spell totalis less than the Mind (Torg Rulebookpage 113). A low roll can prove devas-tating when casting a spell on the fly.

The simpler case is where the spellis a grimoire spell, but the mage hasnot yet learned the spell. When alearned grimoire spell is cast, the threemagic skills other than the pattern skillare already woven into the pattern.When an unlearned grimoire spell iscast, the mage must provide all four

The Theory of Magic

72

skills to fill out the pattern, as the spelldoes not do it for him.

The mage has to quickly replicatethe pattern and the process, meaninghe must generate a pattern, plus thestate, control, apportation and dura-tion of the process. Fortunately for themagician, a grimoire spell has all ofthe process linked to the pattern, sothe necessary skills are used subcon-sciously. The mage casts the spell as anormal grimoire spell, except the back-lash and difficulty of the spell areeach increased by four. The increase isderived from the One-on-Many diffi-culty modifier for five, for the fiveparts of the spell (pattern, state, con-trol, apportation, duration) replicatedby the mage. This increase is eight,and it is split evenly between diffi-culty and backlash, despite what themage may wish.

If the mage wishes to cast a spellfrom a pattern he has just observed,the situation is worse. Now the skillscan no longer be used subconsciously,and each value (pattern, state, control,apportation and duration) must begenerated by the magician. Also, thepattern must be observed. If the mageneeds to cast the spell on the fly, thisusually means he cannot spend thefull hour observing the pattern, and sothe pattern value will be increased.

Observing the pattern and then cast-ing the spell is essentially rapid-firespell design. The mage must assign thepattern and process values, then gener-ate each of the five skill totals, arrive atthe spell sum, and calculate the basiccomplexity. As no theorem may be ap-plied in less then a week, the basiccomplexity is the final complexity. Themage divides the complexity into thedifficulty and backlash of the spell. Hemust then either cast the spell the nextround, or lose the pattern.

Casting a spell on the fly may not beinterrupted for any other action, in-cluding simple actions, or the patternis lost.

Invitation to MadnessSo named by Muadabi, a mage who

chronicled its extensive use in theGreen Island Cult, the invitation tomadness is actually a dangerous use

has a speed component, and so eachpoint of range gained or lost is a trans-fer of two points. If range is decreased,speed is automatically decreased thesame amount; if range is increased, sois speed. Note that this is not true forwhen the bonus number is added torange, which does not increase thespeed. Theoretical mages hypothesizethat their common link to apportationmagic is the cause, but no proof has yetbeen given.

Example: A mage wishes to givehis fireball more bang. He shortens therange to 15 meters (from a value ofeight to six), increasing the effect byfour points. If he wanted to increasethe range to a value of nine, he wouldhave to decrease the effect by two.

3. A mage may increase the casttime, adding these points one-for-oneto duration or effect, or two points ofcast time to buy one point of range.

He may decrease the cast time, de-creasing either the effect or durationone-for-one, or else decreasing therange one point for each two pointsthe cast time is decreased. Each suchmanipulation takes one round.

Example: A mage needs to cast aslow spell upon a guard who is 40meters away. The first round he in-creases the cast time from three to five,increasing the range to eight (40meters); the next round he spends cast-ing the spell.

4. A mage may increase the back-lash of a spell to increase its effect,range or duration. The mage may alsoincrease backlash to decrease the casttime. The backlash increase is read onthe power-push table, to find out whatthe value is increased by. This increasemay be done as the spell is being cast,but before the die is rolled.

Example: A skilled mage needs tocast a tracker spell quickly, to track abeing before they are out of range. Thefirst round he decreases the cast timefrom 18 to five, decreasing the durationto seven (25 seconds). The second roundhe re-allocates the final complexity,making the backlash 10 and the diffi-culty 18. Third round, during the cast-ing of the spell, he increases the back-lash by 12 to 22, adding +5 to the dura-tion, raising it to 12 (4 minutes).

of the Law of Observation, mergingthe observed pattern with the mage.As the mage is obviously part of thereal world, so should the supernaturalpattern. The only problem is that un-der extreme conditions the opposite isequally true; as the supernatural pat-tern is not part of the natural world,perhaps the mage is not either.

When using the invitation to mad-ness, the observing mage gets a +3bonus to all totals generated when hecasts a spell on the fly by creating apattern, rather than by casting an un-learned grimoire spell. This bonusapplies to all six totals generated; pat-tern, state, control, apportation, dura-tion, and the spell skill total. The draw-back is that the spell must be cast,regardless of the basic complexity,and the backlash must be greater thanor equal to the difficulty of the spell.It is a relatively easy matter for magi-cian using the invitation to madness toinjure himself, drive himself crazy, killhimself, or according to Muadabi, sim-ply cease to exist.

ManipulatingSpells

A mage must know all the theoryknowledges listed on the manipula-tion line in order to manipulate a spell.A mage may do one of four thingswhen manipulating a spell.

1. He may re-allocate the final com-plexity, shifting it between backlashand difficulty, as long as the total staysthe same. It takes one round to ma-nipulate the final complexity.

Example: A mage has been hurt, butneeds to attempt a fly spell (backlash 19,difficulty 12). He would rather risk spellfailure than take more damage. Hespends a round to manipulate the diffi-culty to 18 and the backlash to 13.

2. The mage may re-allocate pointsfrom effect to either range or duration,points from range to either effect orduration, or points from duration toeither effect or range. Each such ma-nipulation takes a round.

Effect and duration points are trans-ferred on a one-for-one basis. Range

Chapter Five

73

Permanent MagicCreating a permanent conjuration

is first possible at magic axiom level13. At axiom level 33 all conjurationsare permanent, as the act of conjura-tion is enough to forge a lasting linkbetween the natural world and thesupernatural pattern. The energy ofthe supernatural sustains the spell ef-fect in the natural world. Below 33,there is a negative bonus modifier tothe conjuration spell equal to 33 minusthe magic axiom level of the cosm. InAysle’s case, the modifier is -15.

When creating permanent magicall backlash is compared to the spellskill total, never the Mind of the caster.Each creation of permanent magic isin some way unique, enough so that itis not possible to refine the process asone can a grimoire spell.

A magician must state that he isattempting a permanent conjuration,and then the spell is cast with a -15bonus modifier. If successful, the spellis real when conjured and will not fadeafter the duration expires. A lastinglink has been created.

Types of magic other than conjura-tion may be also made permanent;they to have a -15 bonus modifier.Regardless of the type of magic em-ployed, the link between the naturalworld and the pattern must be cre-ated, i.e. conjured, for the effect to bepermanent. As with conjuration, themage must state he is making the spellpermanent before he casts the spell.

When making permanent magic, amage has a basic choice. He can eithermake the pattern or the process perma-nent. If he makes the process perma-nent, the spell effect is permanent, atleast until dispelled by a stronger magic.A fireball would burn forever, a manwould stay a frog, a disguise self wouldlast until dispelled (see page 112 of theTorg Rulebook). The casting mage haswhatever control over the spell is builtinto the spell, and no more.

Example: A permanent altered fire-ball may only be controlled by thecasting magician while he is in rangeof the spell. An altered fireball madepermanent could not be turned off, ascontrol over the effect is not part of thealtered fireball spell.

If the pattern is made permanent, thepotential to cast the spell permanentlyexists. The caster must still provide theappropriate magic skill to cast the spell.The primary advantage of making apattern permanent is that the patternneed not be observed by the caster, as itis already there. The second advantageis that as permanent pattern is not yetpart of the natural world, is cannot bedispelled by a spell effect of the sameknowledge. Any effects of the spell maybe dispelled, but the pattern itself couldnot be dispelled. Any theorem restric-tions still apply to the spell; an alteredfireball wand with a permanent patternstill requires the component of pitchand coal.

An impressed spell is a partiallycast spell, one which is suspended inthe process. An impressed spell doesnot require a magic skill to cast onceimpressed (but see “Casting” above).An impressed spell which could becast over and over again requires per-manent pattern and process, makingthe process part of the pattern. Thespell must be cast twice, making itpermanent each time. If either casting

amemaster NoteGFirst, let your players know

that this casting on the fly stuff isdangerous, meant for highlyskilled or desperate magicians,or times when spells of limitedeffect are useful. If your magecharacters try to cast the samesort of spells they are used tocasting from their grimoires, youwill have crispy casters on yourhands in no time.

Casting a spell on the fly di-rectly from a pattern is rapid-firespell design. The problem is spelldesign is a process during whicha mage is apt to be careful, mak-ing sure that he is not designinga spell which is uncastable. Amagician who is casting a spellon the fly is likely to want to takeexcessive amounts of time at thetable, while other players wait

for their turn. What do you do?You let the magician take all

the time he wants. You just skipover him until he is ready to castthe spell. Don’t answer any ques-tions, don’t spend any time onhim until he is ready to generatethe spell. A magician who is cast-ing on the fly had best know thespell design system backwardand forward before trying to casta spell from scratch.

Each round when he gener-ates one of his totals, check theplayer’s spell lab sheet to makesure he has calculated that por-tion correctly. If he has, great. Ifnot, correct it and slap on a +3penalty to the complexity whenit is all over, to represent hismarred perception of the patternor the process.

fails, then the spell is not permanentlyimpressed; there is no effect.

If successful, the spell recasts itselfover the cast time of the spell, then sitssuspended until triggered by the userof the item. As process is built into thepattern, a permanently impressedspell is not destroyed if dispelled, al-though the effect of that casting of thespell is gone.

As wards are impressed spells, it ispossible to make permanent wardswhich periodically recharge.

Enchanting ItemsEnchanting an item generally in-

volves the use of permanent magic.The easiest sort of magic item is a spellwith a permanent effect which is fo-cused upon an item.

Example: A flame sword could beconstructed with permanent effect ofa burning blade, in which the effectwere controlled by a word, such as thesword’s name. The user could turn theeffect on and off by speaking the nameof the sword. Manipulating the effect

The Theory of Magic

74

would require the user to have themagic skill used to cast the spell.

Wands, amulets, or whatever maybe constructed which have a perma-

hrorvald’sObservationT

An odd effect of enchantingitems was first observed by thefamous theoretical mageThrorvald. The act of making apattern permanent, somehowmaking the pattern “real”, low-ered the natural world’s resis-tance to the pattern. Enchantingitems is therefore possible at amagic axiom of 13, which is notcoincidentally the lowest level atwhich permanent conjuration ispossible. This is despite the factthat impressing spells into a ma-gician requires an axiom level of17. Throrvald theorized thathigher magic level is neccessarybecause the observer becomespart of the pattern when impress-ing a spell in himself, and re-mains outside it when placing itinto an object.

nent pattern within them. These re-quire the user to provide the magicskill. The spell may be cast by anyonewith that skill, regardless of skill value.

Example: A light wand could beconstructed which had a permanentpattern of mage light. Any characterwith alteration magic could cast thespell, although they would still need amirror.

Constructing items which requireno skill to use are difficult, as the spellsmust be impressed. The first step tobuilding such an item is creating apermanent effect that allows spellswith the result knowledge of fire to beimpressed into an object. Assume weare building a staff of fire magic. Thepattern is plant, the material of thestaff. The mechanism is life, to imbuethe staff with real living forces, allow-ing spells to be impressed. The resultknowledge is fire, the pattern knowl-edge of any fire spell stored in theobject. However, as discussed above(see “Casting” ), the state path is prettyconvoluted: plant to inanimate forcesto magic to life to living forces to folk(to allow folk to cast the spell) to livingforces to light to inanimate forces tofire. The spell is cast directly. Onepossible spell looks like this:

Enchant Fire Staff

Axiom Level: 13Skill: Conjuration/plant 23

Backlash: 10Difficulty: 12Effect Value: 18Bonus Number to: duration

Range: TouchDuration: 29 (one week)Cast Time: 18 (one hour)Manipulation: state, control

This spell works only on staves.The magician must hold the staff whilecasting the spell, blackening the staffin the smoke from a fire which is burn-ing the same sort of wood as of whichthe staff is made. The mage concen-trates on images of the staff absorbingthe flames, not being burned by them.

This spell allows up to 14 spells tobe impressed into one object at onetime. This number is derived fromresult points of the effect value againstthe value of the living forces already inthe staff (usually 0) read on the powerpush table, plus a result point modi-fier of seven purchased for the spell.

If this spell is cast to make a perma-nent enchanted item, there is a -15bonus modifier to the cast.

Chapter Five

Pattern

Mechanism

Result

Casting

Spell Laboratory Sheet Skill andpattern total

Rmod Vol Area Eff

+ + + = - =(Pattern) (Pattern Skill)

Magic Type Process Max Spell Sum Cast Time

+ + – = Basic Complexity

–

Total = - =(State) (Conjuration)

Attr Aspc Disb Skl

+ + + = - =(Control) (Divination)

Spd Rng

+ = - =(Apportation) (Apportation)

- =(Duration) (Alteration)

FinalComplexity

Theorem Sum

Spell:

Axiom level:

Skill:

Backlash:

Difficulty:

Effect Value:

Bonus Num. to:

Range:

Duration:

Cast Time:

Manipulation:

WeeksTheorem (value)

Theorem Sum

(>=0)

Permission is granted to photocopy this page for personal use.

123456781234567812345678123456781234567812345678123456781234567812345678123456781234567812345678123456781234567812345678123456781234567812345678123456781234567812345678123456781234567812345678

76

S pell Design Tables

Control

Divination 8Apportation 10Alteration 13Conjuration 16

+ Illusion disbelief modifier+ One-on-Many DN modifier for each factor

controlled

Change TargetEffectFormApportationDuration

+ Accuracy modifier

+ One-on-Many DN modifier (distinct fromabove)

For each attribute of result (if more than one)

Wards+ Divination (8)+ Adds for knowledge used in ward divination

Final ComplexityMinimums

Divination 14Apportation 16Alteration 19Conjuration 22

As Pattern for As a Mechanism fora Result of... a Result of...

KnowledgeEssence any knowledge except an essence any knowledge except an essenceDarkness living forces, kindred, death, darkness living forces, kindred, darknessLight living forces, inanimate forces, living forces, kindred, elements,

kindred, elements, life, light, inanimate forces, lightMagic time, life, inanimate forces, elements, any knowledge

magicInanimate Forces inanimate forces, light, magic, elements inanimate forces, light, magic,

elementsLiving Forces living forces, light, darkness, kindred living forces, light, darkness, kindredKindred kindred, living forces, darkness, light not usable as mechanismElements elements, inanimate forces, magic, light not usable as mechanism

Knowledge Interaction Chart

Chapter Five

77

Extended Power Push Table

Result Result ResultPoints Power Points Power Points Power

S(0) +1 18 +7 36 +131 +1 19 +7 37 +132 +1 20 +7 38 +133 +2 21 +8 39 +144 +2 22 +8 40 +145 +2 23 +8 41 +146 +3 24 +9 42 +157 +3 25 +9 43 +158 +3 26 +9 44 +159 +4 27 +10 45 +1610 +4 28 +10 46 +1611 +4 29 +10 47 +1612 +5 30 +11 48 +1713 +5 31 +11 49 +1714 +5 32 +11 50 +1715 +6 33 +12 Every three points16 +6 34 +12 above 48 yields17 +6 35 +12 an additional +1

State

Casting is... CostCast direct 0Focused 2Impressed 3Ward 5

If Spell is to be Impressed into Another Folk...+ path cost to folk knowledge from pattern knowledge

If Spell is to be Impressed into an Object...+ path cost to folk knowledge from pattern knowledge+ path cost from folk knowledge to element knowledge which

best describes the material of the object

Spell Complexity

Magic TypeDivination 17Apportation 19Alteration 22Conjuration 25

Theorems

PROCESS THEOREMSCast TimeControlDurationRangeSpeedState

PATTERN THEOREMSConcentrationContagion

Specific ContagionExclusion

UniquenessSimilarityTouch

SelfVoice

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78

Chapter Six Pixaud’s PracticalGrimoire

It is with tremendous pleasure that weof the Academy of Four Towers presentthe following excerpts of Pixaud’s Practi-cal Grimoire, perhaps the finest grimoireknown to the kindred. While legends ofPixaud vary considerably with the houseand class of the teller, most versions agreethat Pixaud was the second dean of theAcademy of the Four Towers, and a con-temporary of Throrvald. He began thegrimoire while an adjunct conjuror withthe academy. After his disappearance, suchillustrious names as Throrvald, Voiny,Westermass, Eloini’nar and Coltershivwatched over subsequent editions of thegrimoire. My compatriot Kenipat and Iare honored to have been chosen to compileand annotate the current edition of theGrimoire, and it is our fervent hope thatthis edition shall not tarnish the deserv-edly sterling reputation of these volumes.

—Zelephest of the Four Towers

he mages of the ArcaneAcademy of the FourTowers have long had aninterest in the theory ofmagic, and the construc-

tion of spells. They keep what are prob-ably the finest grimoires in Aysle, con-taining meticulously designed spells.

Altered Fireball

Axiom Level: 10Skill: alteration/ fire 14

Backlash: 18Difficulty: 10Effect Value: 14Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 8 (40 meters)Duration: 5 (10 seconds)Cast Time: 3 (four seconds)Manipulation: speed, control

Altered fireball requires a largeflammable ball as a contagion. Thetraditional ball is pitch and coal, weigh-ing a third of a pound. The magicianlights the ball from a source of flame,grabbing a piece before the sphere is

completely engulfed. As the spell iscast the rest of the ball leaps toward itstarget. The magician controls its move-ment by mimicking its flight with thepiece he retained. He controls the ef-fect, triggering the full effect by slam-ming the piece into his hand when theball arrives at its target, exploding theball to its full volume, a sphere with aradius of four meters.

Altered Fireball (improved)

Axiom Level: 10Skill: alteration/ fire 18

Backlash: 17Difficulty: 11Effect Value: 18Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 13Duration: 9Cast Time: 3Manipulation: speed, control

Cast as the altered fireball above,with enhancements. The burningsphere has a radius of ten meters. Themagician controls the movement andthe duration of the spell. For the dura-tion, he may move the ball, either be-fore or after it explodes to its full vol-ume. The sphere travels at 400 metersper round (100 miles per hour). Onceexploded, the fireball does damageeach round.

Fireballs were the obsessive specialty ofVascher Flametongue. He developed thetwo above, as well as his infamousVascher’s Colossal Fireball. It took weeksto cast, and he launched it in the GorundenHills, where it impacted at what is nowcalled the Black Glass Crater, a hole betterthan 8,000 meters across.

—Zelephest

Arm of Air

Axiom Level: 5Skill: apportation/ air 10

Backlash: 10Difficulty: 6

Effect Value: 5Bonus Number to: duration

Range: 6 (15 meters)Duration: 9 (one minute)Cast Time: 5 ( 10 seconds)Manipulation: duration, range

The caster blows air underneath hishand, moving each finger as he blowsair upon it. Out loud he then com-mands arm of air to perform a task.The arm has a Strength equal to theeffect value of the spell. Only simplephysical tasks may be performed bythe arm; if the task would normallyrequire a character to generate a Dex-terity total to perform the action, it isbeyond the capacity of the arm of air.

The mage must concentrate uponthis spell for the full duration of thespell; the spell effect ends as soon asthe mage performs an action otherthan directing the spell.

This spell is a common spell amongapprentices. It has been designed to havethe minimum complexity for an apporta-tion spell, giving the magisters a perfectlygood excuse to have the apprentices do allthe housework.

—Zelephest

Brittle Walls

Axiom Level: 9Skill: alteration/earth 18

Backlash: 19Difficulty: 13Effect Value: 25Bonus Number to: duration

Range: 4 (five meters)Duration: 14 (10 minutes)Cast Time: 4 (five minutes)Manipulation: control, state

To cast this spell, the sorcerer placesa piece of stone on the ground andsmashes a piece of glass upon it. Hethen lifts the rock and crushes anyremaining glass fragments with it.

After reciting the appropriate in-cantation, the caster touches the stone

79

he wishes to transmute. All of the stoneof that type within a four meter radiusof the point of contact becomes ex-tremely brittle, its Toughness reducedto by the result points of the spell.

The spell has a divination compo-nent which allows it to separate eachcomponent piece of rock in the wall, sothe effect is applied to each piece of thewall rather than the wall as a whole. Abrick has a Toughness of 4, a brick sizedpiece of granite has a Toughness of 9,while a one meter by one meter by halfa meter granite slab would have aToughness of 24.

Kenipat — This spell was perfectedsome years ago by a group of dwarvesbeing held in a House Vareth slave pen —needless to say, they were not prisoners forlong after mastering this bit of arcana.

Bullet

Axiom Level: 7Skill: apportation/ metal 13

Backlash: 16Difficulty: 10Effect Value: 17Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 8 (40 meters)Duration: 5 (10 seconds)Cast Time: 3 (four seconds)Manipulation: control

The bullet spell can sling a metalmass about the size of a small slingbullet, or a quarter. The magician pan-tomimes the whirling of a sling withthe hand holding the metal, then re-leases it toward his opponent. Theapportation magic total of the cast mustequal or exceed the Dexterity or dodgeof the target character in order to hithim.

Cast Lasher

Axiom Level: 12(17)Skill: alteration/ magic 20

Backlash: 22Difficulty: 8Effect Value: 25Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 9 (60 meters)Duration: 18 (one hour)Cast Time: 18 (one hour)Manipulation: range

This spell increases the backlash ofan opponent’s spell castings. To cast thespell the mage mimics the casting ofanother spell, one from which he usu-ally takes backlash. As he pantomimesthe effect of the backlash, the magiciancasts the spell. To be effective the magi-cian must take some backlash whenactually casting the spell, as this is thespell’s contagion. The caster controlsthe effect of the spell; if the casting totalis high enough that he would take nobacklash, the mage may reduce the cast-ing total, and the effect, to a level wherehe takes backlash. The spell is impresseduntil released by the caster.

When released the caster generatesan alteration magic total which mustexceed the target character’s Dexterityor dodge to hit him. As the effect valuehas already been set, any bonus num-ber from the targeting roll is not addedto the effect value. The effect value iscompared to the target’s highest magicskill value. The result points are fac-tored through the Power Push table;any spell cast by the target characterhas its backlash increased by this

amount. If the target does not have amagic skill, then the target’s Perceptionis used (although the spell’s effect isprobably a moot point).

The magician controls the durationof cast lasher.

Change to Falcon

Axiom Level: 13Skill: alteration/folk 22

Backlash: 14Difficulty: 5Effect Value: 24Bonus Number to: durationRange: touchDuration: 25 (one day)Cast Time: 9 (one minute)Manipulation: control, state, casttime

A relatively simple spell, and one ofgreat help when hopelessly lost in theforests of Aysle. The caster takes a lockof human hair (it does not need to bethat of the target) and mixes it withfalcon feathers. He then touches thetarget, who will physically transform

he Grimoire and the GameTPixaud’s practical grimoire is

a compilation of spells currentlyin the custody of the ArcaneAcademy of the Four Towers.Only students of the academy,or other accredited magicians,are allowed to learn spells fromthe grimoire. In game terms, tobe accredited a character musthave learned 14 or more arcaneknowledges, at least two of whichmust be essence knowledges.While acquiring the knowledgesis difficult, perhaps the trickierpart is actually finding the Ar-cane Academy of the Four Tow-ers. If anyone knows where theacademy is, they are not telling.

This does not mean that theknowledge in the grimoire iscompletely off limits to yourplayers. The grimoire has beenaround for centuries, and manyof the spells inscribed therein are

now in circulation in other pri-vate grimoires. A mage might bewilling let another characterstudy from the grimoire in ex-change for similar knowledge, atrade in service, or a valuableitem otherwise unobtainable tothe mage.

No starting mage would knowthe spells in this grimoire, otherthan those meant to be taught toan apprentice, such as Arm of Air— although he might know amage or two who have access toa few of the spells.

If a magician character wantsa spell in this grimoire, he is go-ing to have to obtain it throughadventure or interaction withgamemaster characters, ratherthan through simple expenditureof Possibilities.

Pixaud’s Practical Grimoire

80

into a falcon, but retain his Perception,Mind, Charisma and Spirit attributes.

FalconDEXTERITY 10Dodge 11, flight 13, maneuver 11,stealth 11, unarmed combat 12STRENGTH 5TOUGHNESS 6Natural Tools: wings, speed value10; beak, damage value STR+2/7;claws, damage value STR+3/8Kenipat — Beware of imitations of this

spell, published in cheap commercialgrimoires. I have seen Ayslish humanssporting feathers, I have seen two-metertall falcons standing on cliffs franticallyflapping their arms before falling to theirdeaths. Are such horrible results reallyworth the few trades you save with suchvolumes?

Communicate with Animals

Axiom Level: 7Skill: divination/earthly 16

Backlash: 14Difficulty: 10Effect Value: 26Bonus Number to: effect

Range: touchDuration: 13 (five minutes)Cast Time: 4 (five seconds)Manipulation: control, duration

To successfully complete this spell,the caster must have something fromthe specific species of animal with whichhe wants to communicate (a lock fromthe mane of a horse, the claw of amanticore). He places this on the groundbefore him, and draws a line in theground leading from the object to him-self, and then a second line in the oppo-site direction. When he touches the ani-mal, it will become capable of speakingand understanding the caster’s languagefor a brief period.

Kenipat — Whether or not the animalwill wish to answer the caster’s questions,and its honesty if it does so, depends en-tirely on its temperament. In addition, acompletely mindless animal probably willnot have very much to say.

Corgain’s Gill Spell

Axiom Level: 9Skill: alteration/ water 15

Backlash: 15Difficulty: 11Effect Value: 5Bonus Number to: duration

Range: 5 (10 meters)Duration: 18 (one hour)Cast Time: 5 (10 seconds)Manipulation: duration

This spell requires the gills from afish. The mage splashes water onto thegills and then breathes through them,casting the spell on his third breath bypointing at the target character.

The effect value is the maximumnumber of liters of water (10 kilos)which are converted to air when therecipient of the spell breathes under-water. This represents about eight fullbreaths, more than enough for a nor-mal round. A panicked or strenu-ously active character may breathemore often than this, and water willbubble through to be inhaled, causingdamage. The gamemaster rolls a bo-nus number, interpreting the bonus asresult points of damage.

A character on land suffers no illeffect from this spell; water is not re-quired to breathe, but a character maybreathe water. The spell is focusedupon the recipient, who then controlsthe duration and effect of the spell.

Create Fear

Axiom Level: 11Skill: conjuration/darkness 16

Backlash: 16Difficulty: 15Effect Value: 20Bonus Number to: duration

Range: 8 (40 meters)Duration: 15 (15 minutes)Cast Time: 5 (10 seconds)Manipulation: control, durationstate

Create fear is a powerful spell thatcannot be cast indiscriminately. It in-volves specific contagion, meaning youmust have an item belonging to yourtarget for the spell to be effective. Thenit’s simply a question of mutteringwords of power and pointing at yourfoe — his mind will be filled with in-tense fear, an emotion which can virtu-ally paralyze him if he allows it to.

Create fear is, of course, an illusoryspell. Once the duration of the spellexpires, the effect will wear off swiftly,and the target is apt to be extremelyangry. But the memory of the soul-numbing fear he felt may make himhesitant about attacking you. To dis-believe the spell, the target must gen-erate a successful Mind or willpowertotal of 19. Even if the target freeshimself from the illusion , he will stillhave a lingering memory of the fear itproduced.

Kenipat — I have found that this is avery good spell with which to introducestudents to the power of magic. Althoughthe effect only lasts five minutes, thememory of it can last years, and its usehelps prevent excessive talking in class aswell as doodling in the grimoires.

Detect Folk Evil

Axiom Level: 8Skill: divination/ darkness

Backlash: 13Difficulty: 7Effect Value: 19Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 8Duration: 14Cast Time: 6Manipulation: control

The magician thinks dark thoughtsabout himself or others about whomhe cares, and then casts the spell witha quick scowl in the direction of thetarget character. The mage must con-centrate for the duration of the spell;the spell effect ends as soon as themage performs an action other thandirecting the spell. He may change thetarget of the spell.

The effect value of the spell is com-pared to the target’s Spirit or faith value.Minimal or average success lets thecaster know if the target character har-bors evil intentions which he plans toput into effect immediately (withinthe duration of the spell). Good successallows the caster to know if the targetharbors any evil intentions toward thecaster (or the character about whomthe magician thought dark thoughtswhen casting the spell). Superior suc-cess lets the caster know if the targetcharacter harbors evil intentions to-ward anyone and the degree of harm

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planned; spectacular success lets thecaster know who the target is plan-ning to get, if not the caster or thecharacter about whom the magicianthought dark thoughts.

Dispel Magic

Axiom Level: 13Skill: alteration/ magic 20

Backlash: 14Difficulty: 8Effect Value: 29Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 9 (60 meters)Duration: 5 (10 seconds)Cast Time: 3 (four seconds)Manipulation: state, duration

The magician must concentratewhen casting this spell, envisioningthe pattern which he plans to disruptwith this spell. If he does not know thepattern skill and knowledge of thetarget spell effect, the caster suffers a -10 bonus modifier when casting thisspell. He must gesture to draw thepattern he envisions, and then out loudhe commands the pattern to break.

Dispel magic works through the prin-ciple of definition. The casting mage iscopying the pattern of the spell effectclosely enough so that the principle ofdefinition is invoked, allowing only onepattern to exist. The gamemaster gener-ates a magic skill total, using the skillvalue of the magician whose spell isbeing dispelled. If the effect value ofdispel magic is greater than the defensivetotal, then the spell is dispelled. If not,the spell remains in effect.

Dust to Water

Axiom Level: 9Skill: alteration/earth 18

Backlash: 14Difficulty: 10Effect Value: 13Bonus Number to: duration

Range: touchDuration: 29 (one week)Cast Time: 9 (one minute)Manipulation: control, duration,stateTo cast this spell, the sorcerer needs

two one-liter jugs, one empty and onefilled with earth. While repeating the

incantation, he pours the earth into theempty jug, allowing it to run throughhis fingers as he does so. When itemerges from his hand, it will havetransformed to water.

On a minimal or average success, thewater will be dirty; on a good success orabove, it will look and taste clean.

Enchant Armor

Axiom Level: 10Skill: alteration/inanimate forces 17

Backlash: 14Difficulty: 9Effect Value: 25Bonus Number to: effect

Range: touchDuration: 32 (one month)Cast Time: 25 (one day)Manipulation: control, duration,cast time

The caster takes each piece of armorto be enchanted and holds it beforehim. With his other hand he takesarrows, daggers and other weaponsand touches them to the metal, thenshatters them, to simulate the effectthe magically toughened armor willhave for the duration of the spell.

The result points of the spell areadded to the maximum value of thetargeted armor. The result points arethen checked against the Power PushTable to determine the increase to thearmor’s adds prompted by the spell.

Kenipat — A poor sorcerer using acheap version of this rite can find himselfwith a suit of armor that cannot stand upto a stiff breeze off the Trade Sea. I onceheard a Draconis Teutonica laugh heartilywhen faced with a paladin wearing armorwith a flawed enchanted armor spell fo-cused into it. That is a sound I do not wishto hear again, and the best reason I canproduce for why I am teaching and writ-ing texts rather than on the continent ofAysle, making twice the trades I do here.

Enchant Bow

Axiom Level: 10Skill: alteration/inanimate forces 17

Backlash: 19Difficulty: 10Effect Value: 22Bonus Number to: effect

Range: touchDuration: 32 (one month)Cast Time: 25 (one day)Manipulation: control, duration,cast time

The enchant bow spell is based onthe same pattern of magic as enchantarmor, and the effectiveness of the spellis determined in the same manner,increasing the maximum damagevalue and the damage adds of theweapon.

To cast this spell, the mage shouldtake a piece of armor and heat it untilit begins to grow soft. He then puts anarrow into the bow and fires it at thearmor, which it will easily pierce. Hemust repeat this action several times,while reciting the proper incantation.When he is done, the bow will firestraight and true and cause great dam-age to the enemy.

Kenipat — Again, wizards should be-ware of copies of this spell. If the stave ofthe bow absorbs the enchantment, but thestring does not, it may snap at a crucialmoment. In addition, some versions of thisspell increase the strength wonderfullywell, but destroy the weapon’s accuracy tothe point where even the best archer can-not hit the broad side of a Fomorian.

Fighting Whirlwind

Axiom Level: 8Skill: apportation/ air 16

Backlash: 14Difficulty: 9Effect Value: 21Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 9 (60 meters)Duration: 9 (one minute)Cast Time: 3 (four seconds)Manipulation: speed, range, con-trol

The magician spins himself aroundonce while exhaling to make an everlouder whooshing noise. The spellcauses a whirlwind to form, 2.5 meterstall and 2.5 meters wide at the top. Themagician controls the movement ofthe whirlwind, which travels up to 60meters each round. The magician alsocontrols the duration and the form ofthe spell. To target a character themagician generates an apportationmagic total; if the total equals or ex-

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ceeds the target character’s Dexterityor dodge, the whirlwind hits. Anyonecaught within 2.5 meters of the targetcharacter is also hit by the full force ofthe whirlwind.

Flickering Fire Shield

Axiom Level: 11Skill:alteration/ fire 18

Backlash: 12Difficulty: 15Effect Value: 25Bonus Number to: effect

Range: touchDuration: 25 (one day)Cast Time: 9 (one minute)Manipulation: state, control

The caster passes his hand througha flame while casting the spell, touch-ing the hand of the recipient to focusthe spell into that character. That handnow has a barely visible flicker offlame which outlines the shape of ashield. The spell resists the effects ofall fire spells with a casting total lessthan the effect value of the flickeringshield. The spell’s duration is con-trolled by the recipient.

Flowers of Frustration

Axiom Level: 13(17)Skill: conjuration/ time 28

Backlash: 21Difficulty: 17Effect Value: 27Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 9 (60 meters)Duration: 18 (one hour)Cast Time: 18 (one hour)Manipulation: state, range, speed

To cast the spell the magician re-quires at least a dozen flowers. Driedflowers will do, but live flowers give a+3 bonus modifier. The mage sits withthe flowers in his lap, envisioning thepattern of the spell, then imaginingthe pattern into a shape similar to theflowers in his lap. Out loud, he quietlyand firmly describes the pattern offlowers, finishing the casting as hefinishes the description. Once cast,the spell is impressed.

To release the spell, the caster mustgenerate a conjuration magic total

greater than or equal the defender’sDexterity or dodge. The spell is focusedon the target, but its duration andeffect continue to be controlled by thecaster. Whenever the target casts aspell, the effect value of flowers of frus-tration is compared to the casting totalof the target spell. If the effect value isgreater, the effect value of is comparedto the casting value on the Power Pushtable. To this result, 10 is added. Thefinal number is the amount by whichthe effect value of the target spell isreduced. The energy which has beendrawn off from the target spell is con-verted into flowers which showerdown from the spell.

Example: Flowers of frustration is castwith an effect value of 31. Subse-quently, the caster successfully tar-gets a mage. The target character thenattempts to cast an altered fireball spell,generating an alteration magic total of19. 31-19 = 12. 12 on the Power Pushtable is +5. The result modifier of 10brings to total to 15. The fireball’s ef-fect value is reduced by 15. The casterwould cast the fireball, and watch itapproach its target streaming flowers,to “pfft” ineffectually upon impact.

If a spell does not have an effectvalue, the reduction affects the volumeand area of the spell. Each two fullpoints of reduction equals one point ofreduced volume. If the spell only hasarea, each point reduces the area by onepoint. If the above spell had been a magelight spell, which has a volume of 10meters (value five), the volume wouldhave been reduced by seven.

Folk Repelspell

Axiom Level: 25Skill: alteration/ folk 18

Backlash: 18Difficulty: 12Effect Value: 25Bonus Number to: effect

Range: touchDuration: 25 (one day)Cast Time: 18 (one hour)Manipulation: state, duration

The caster mimics the casting ofanother folk spell (which he mustknow) over and over again while cast-

ing the spell. At the end of the hour hetouches the head of the recipient tofocus the spell into that character. Thecharacter’s eyes look a little dull, flat-ter, while protected by this spell. Thespell resists the effects of all folk spellswith a casting total less than the effectvalue of the folk repelspell. The spell’sduration is controlled by the recipient.

Fool’s Gold

Axiom Level: 10 (17)Skill: alteration/ metal 13

Backlash: 14Difficulty: 12Effect Value: 12Bonus Number to: duration

Range: touchDuration: 23 (10 hours)Cast Time: 17 (40 minutes)Manipulation: duration

The caster must have a sample ofthe precious metal he wishes to fake.He rubs a little of the metal onto themetal he intends to “transform”, thenperforms the spell. The spell is im-pressed. The spell converts one kilo-gram of metal or coins into an illusionof the precious metal used during thespell casting. The effect value, includ-ing the bonus number, must be at leastfive to convert the metal. The spell isreleased by tapping the metal with thesample, and generating an alterationmagic total of zero or greater. The“gold” may be disbelieved on Mindtotal of 13 or better.

It is interesting to note that this spell isan impressive effort by a young student,Jovalio Consen, who was studying underMagister Ulgul of the Six Towers. Hischoice of effect was inspired, optimizinghis chances of successfully overcoming thetoughness of gold, it greatest attribute, forthe illusory tranformation. His use of thetheorem of exclusion to have the effectwork solely on a kilogram of the targetmetal was equally perceptive; not only didit increase the likelihood that the spellcould be cast, but it limited the amount ofillusory metal which could flood the mar-ket at any one time, reducing the probabil-ity of discovery. And all this in nine shortweeks. Quite impressive. As we shall see,most authorities consider the work to betoo impressive.

—Zelephest

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Freeze Time

Axiom Level: 17Skill: alteration/time 22

Backlash: 17Difficulty: 12Effect Value: 9Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 8 (40 meters)Duration: 18 (one hour)Cast Time: 18 (one hour)Manipulation: control, duration,state

Freeze time is an impressed spell.To cast it, the mage must spend anhour sitting perfectly still — any vol-untary movement will shatter the spell,and the caster must begin again.

Once it is impressed, it can be put touse in countless situations. When cast,it forms a sphere within which time isfrozen. All of those inside of it, savethe caster, will be trapped in betweenmoments, and the caster can take ad-vantage of their paralysis to escapefrom a situation, or search the victimsfor trades or information.

Anyone entering the sphere mayalso fall victim to the time-lock, but nomore than 10 people can be affected bythe spell at once. If more than 10 peopleare within range when the spell is cast,or an 11th person should enter thesphere, the spell will collapse and timewill return to its normal flow.

Kenipat — A rite that tampers with theflow of time itself, freeze time is not to beused lightly. Although nothing has everbeen proven, there have always been mem-bers of the sorcerous community who op-pose all essence spells, and particularlythis one, claiming that damage may bedone to one of the prime forces of the cosmby repeated use.

Hide from Magic

Axiom Level: 12Skill: conjuration/magic 19

Backlash: 14Difficulty: 11Effect Value: 20Bonus Number to: duration

Range: touchDuration: 25 (one day)Cast Time: 9 (one minute)Manipulation: control, duration

Most mages, even minor ones, haveaccess to a tracker or pathfinder spell,which they will use to hunt down andfinish off a foe. Hide from magic allowsthe caster to create a bubble of mysticenergy around himself which will con-ceal his presence from divinationspells. An important point to remem-ber, however, is that the caster willstill be visible to the naked eye, andwill still be vulnerable to conjuration,alteration, and apportation-basedspells.

To bring the sphere into being, themage must close his eyes and mimicthe sculpting of the field around him,as if it were being made from clay.When he is finished, divination spellswill have been rendered blind to hisexistence.

The effect value is the ability of thesphere to counteract divination spellswhich have casting totals that are lessthan the effect value of hide from magic.

Houndscent

Axiom Level: 9Skill: alteration/ folk 15

Backlash: 15Difficulty: 12Effect Value: 15Bonus Number to: duration

Range: touchDuration: 21 (four hours)Cast Time: 9 (one minute)Manipulation: state

The mage must sniff the ground inan imitation of a hound, ending thespell by touching the recipients nosewith his own. The spell effect is fo-cused into the recipient, who then hascontrol of the duration and effect ofthe spell. The effect value of the spellis compared to the recipient’s Percep-tion on the Power Push table. To thisresult, six is added. The total is theincrease in the recipient’s Perceptionwhen using his sense of smell.

Imprisonment

Axiom Level: 12Skill: conjuration/magic 19

Backlash: 20Difficulty: 10

Effect Value: 20Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 7 (25 meters)Duration: 18 (one hour)Cast Time: 9 (one minute)Manipulation: control, duration

The rite of imprisonment traps a foewithin bars made of mystic energy. Tocast this, a mage must beckon with hishands as if exhorting something to risefrom the ground, and then mimic thestruggle to escape from a narrow cell.He then points at his target, and if thecasting total of the spell is greater thanthe target’s Dexterity or dodge, it effec-tively traps its quarry.

The effect value of the spell is theStrength of the bars, which can be shat-tered by a spell or enchanted weaponscapable of inflicting damage greaterthan that value (physical strength willavail you naught against these magi-cal constructs). In addition, the targetcan free himself by generating a suc-cessful Mind or willpower total againsta difficulty number of the spell’s effectvalue.

The rite confines the target to a 2.5meter area, and cannot be used oncreatures larger than that figure.

Increase Weight

Axiom Level: 9Skill: alteration/inanimate forces 19

Backlash: 13Difficulty: 6Effect Value: 24Bonus Number to: duration

Range: 10 (100 meters)Duration: 14 (10 minutes)Cast Time: 18 (one hour)Manipulation: control, duration,state, cast time

By manipulating the inanimateforces knowledge, this spell makes itpossible for a sorcerer to apparentlyincrease the weight of an opponent,sending him crashing to the ground.

The effect value of this spell is equalto the force which is pulling the targetto the ground. To move, a creaturemust generate a Strength total greaterthan the effect value of the spell. Aflying creature which fails its Strengthaction will plummet to the ground,

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taking a damage value equal to theeffect value plus the value of the dis-tance fallen.

It is an impressed spell, and is castby holding a pebble in the palm ofyour hand and then letting it drop tothe ground, as if it had grown tooheavy to support. In battle, the spellrequires only a gesture in the directionof the target to be released. If the cast-ing total is greater than the Dexterity ordodge value of the target, the spell willbe effective.

Note that this spell is of limited useagainst dragons, whose great Strengthand high Toughness render the spell anuisance. In addition, their connec-tions with elemental magic may haveunforeseen effects upon the spell.

Kenipat — Flying creatures have longbeen a problem for travelers in Aysle.Dragons, griffins, harpies and variousother beasts have an annoying habit ofswooping down, wounding, and then soar-ing out of reach of a melee weapons, anddoing so too quickly to accurately aim amissile weapon. (Naturally, this rite canbe used against non-flying foes with equaleffect, but doubling the weight of a griffinand then admiring the crater it makesleaves one with a true sense of accomplish-ment.)

This spell suffers from an undeservedlypoor reputation, owing to the appearanceof a flawed version in the popular“Rothenlynn’s Grimoire for Beginners.”That increase weight spell had a tendencyto backfire, causing the caster’s arm togrow heavier while the rest of his bodyremained the same, usually with unpleas-ant consequences for the limb in question.

Invisibility

Axiom Level: 12 (17)Skill: alteration/ true knowledge 23

Backlash: 17Difficulty: 12Effect Value: 24Bonus Number to: effect

Range: touchDuration: 25 (ten hours)Cast Time: 18 (one hour)Manipulation: control, duration,state

The mage must have a small figu-rine of glass to perform this spell. Hebegins with the figurine dirty. He

cleans the figurine throughout the cast-ing of the spell, checking its transpar-ency several times during the casting.The spell is impressed upon casting.The spell is released by touching therecipient or object with the figurine.

The effect value is compared to therecipient’s Toughness on the PowerPush table. To this result nine is added.If the final result equals or exceeds thetarget’s Toughness, then he is ren-dered completely transparent to light.An character trying to spot an invis-ible character must generate a Percep-tion total equal to the effect value ofthe spell in order to see him. Note thathearing, or otherwise sensing the char-acter, might be easier than seeing him.Even after he is perceived, an invis-ible character still has his defense in-creased by +5 against all visually tar-geted attacks.

Keen Blade

Axiom Level: 10Skill: alteration/ metal 15

Backlash: 15Difficulty: 11Effect Value: 25Bonus Number to: effect

Range: touchDuration: 18 (one hour)Cast Time: 9 (one minute)Manipulation: duration, state

The magician must have a bladedweapon which he keeps extremelysharp. He quickly hones this bladewith a whetstone while casting thespell, and the touches the ritual bladeto the blade which receives the spell.

The effect value of the spell is com-pared to the maximum damage valueon the Power Push table, and the maxi-mum damage value and the damagebonus are each increased by the result.

Light Writing

Axiom Level: 12Skill: apportation/ light 15

Backlash: 10Difficulty: 9Effect Value: 0Bonus Number to: duration

Range: 5 (10 meters)Duration: 20 (2.5 hours)

Cast Time: 3 (four seconds)Manipulation: control, range

The magician casts the spell byquickly reciting the first word sheintends to write while spelling it outwith movements of her hand. The spelleffects a 2.5 meter circle within therange of the spell. The caster controlsthe target aspect, effect, duration andform of the spell.

As the mage thinks the words in hermind, the light within the area of effectgathers to form the letters. The rest ofthe area darkens as the light leaves it,making the letters more legible.

Multiple Images

Axiom Level: 12 (17)Skill: conjuration/light 19

Backlash: 15Difficulty: 11Effect Value: 0Bonus Number to: duration

Range: 12 (250 meters)Duration: 18 (one hour)Cast Time: 18 (one hour)Manipulation: control, duration,cast time

This is a useful spell, particularly ifall the rest of your impressed magichas failed you and you need time tocast something directly. Multiple im-ages allows you to create unlivingsimulacrums of yourself within a ra-dius of 250 meters of the spot in whichyou are standing when you cast thespell. These can confuse and distractyour foe while you have time to plan.

The first part of the casting of thisspell involves reciting the incantationin a room filled with mirrors. Once thespell is impressed, it can be used inbattle by the caster standing in eachspot he wishes a double to appear inwhile mentally repeating the incanta-tion. No elaborate hand gestures areneeded that might warn an opponentof your plan.

Kenipat — Keep in mind that yourdoubles will have no physical mass, and beprepared to cast your next spell in a hurry.Most mages, when faced with a score ofidentical foes, will blast all of them in anexceedingly nasty manner, feeling that isthe surest way to slay the true sorcerer. Ifyou are enough of a fool to let that happen,

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you have wasted the time I spent writingthis volume and the trades you spent pur-chasing it.

Mystic Shield

Axiom Level: 12Skill: conjuration/magic 19

Backlash: 19Difficulty: 11Effect Value: 25Bonus Number to: effect

Range: touchDuration: 25 (one day)Cast Time: 9 (one minute)Manipulation: control, duration

To cast this spell, the mage standswith his hands held out before him,and acts as if an invisible barrier standsbefore him. He pushes against the bar-rier with his hands, discovering as hedoes so that the barrier completelysurrounds him. As he finishes this ac-tion, he mouths the words of the rite,and a cone of magical force formsaround him.

The effect value of the spell is thestrength of the shield, and for as longas it is in place, it will absorb the en-ergy of spells directed against thecaster, providing their effect valuesare less than or equal to that of theshield. A spell which is stronger thanthe shield will cause it to shatter, andthe now vulnerable mage will take thefull damage of the spell. The shieldspell will then have to be recast thenext round.

Kenipat — This rite is the original andone of the most effective means of magicaldefense, and has been copied (poorly) byhundreds of Ayslish magicians and soldunder such names as “Colnar’s Cone” and“Daleron’s Defense.”

Like any powerful spell, the mysticshield has its drawbacks. For example,when encased in the magic-absorbing bar-rier, a mage cannot cast a spell against anenemy. Going on the attack means drop-ping the shield, and a wise wizard willwatch carefully to see when his opponentdrops his guard, and will usually lash outwith an impressed spell or two. In addi-tion, the shield cannot be used to protectan entire group of folk, but a sorcerer cancast it around other individuals. This cancause the backlash to increase at a fright-ening rate, as protecting, say, two others

as well as one’s self necessitates castingthe spell three times.

As I said above, there are cheap andsloppy versions of this incantation avail-able, but they are not to be relied upon.During my youth in the Land Between, Ionce saw a mage toss up a hasty shield inbattle, only to see it collapse when hisopponent cast a detect magic spell againsthim.

Open Lock

Axiom Level: 6Skill: apportation/metal 14

Backlash: 11Difficulty: 5Effect Value: 16Bonus Number to: effect

Range: touchDuration: 15 (15 minutes)Cast Time: 6 (15 seconds)Manipulation: control, duration

To cast this simple spell, the magetouches the lock with one hand andtakes a key in the other, miming theopening of the lock. After reciting theincantation, he takes the key, places itas near to the lock as possible, andturns it. If the effect value of the spellexceeds the difficulty of the lock, itwill open.

Pathfinder

Axiom Level: 7Skill: divination/earth 14

Backlash: 12Difficulty: 5Effect Value: 16Bonus Number to: range

Range: 13 (400 meters)Duration: 18 (one meter)Cast Time: 9 (one minute)Manipulation: control, duration,speed

To cast this spell the sorcerer drawsa simple design in the earth over andover again, making it deeper each time.At the same time, he pictures the placeor object he seeks in his mind.

When the spell is completed, thedesign will move through the earthtoward the place or object specified inas direct a manner as possible, at aspeed of 10 meters per round. If the

object being sought is within rangeand connected to earth or stone, thespell will find it. However, if the rangeof the spell is greater than 18, its dura-tion will expire before it arrives at itsdestination.

Persuasion

Axiom Level: 11Skill: conjuration/ living forces 16

Backlash: 19Difficulty: 12Effect Value: 20Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 7 (25 meters)Duration: 14 (one minute)Cast Time: 5 (ten seconds)Manipulation: control, duration,state

The mage casts the spell by nod-ding in agreement with the proposi-tion he intends to offer, and then hespeaks the proposition to finish thespell. It is necessary to speak the entireproposition out loud within the casttime of the spell, so complicated sug-gestions are usually out of the ques-tion.

The effect value of the spell is sub-stituted for the caster’s persuasion skill.Persuasion only works on beings whocan understand the proposition beingoffered. The spell is illusory, and evenafter the proposition is accepted, aMind total of 12 or more negates theeffect of the spell. After the durationexpires the character is no longer per-suaded, although unless the characterhas a pressing reason to re-examinethe his acceptance of the offer, or hasan attitude of hostile or enemy towardthe caster, he will continue with theterms of the agreement.

Plant Shackles

Axiom Level: 8Skill: alteration/plant 15

Backlash: 15Difficulty: 11Effect Value: 18Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 8 (40 meters)Duration: 18 (one hour)Cast Time: 9 (one minute)Manipulation: control

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To put this incantation to use, thecaster takes five blades of grass (orwhatever plants are nearby) anddrapes one across both wrists, bothankles, and his neck. When he muttersthe correct words and specifies thetarget with a hand gesture, the plantswithin range will begin to writhe andwrap themselves about the opponent.They will hold the target in their leafyembrace for up to one hour, with astrength equal to the effect value of thespell.

Kenipat — This spell was discoveredby dwarf magicians in Upper Aysle, shortlyafter the establishment of House Vareth. Ithas proved to be of limited use to LandBetween dwarves, as the plant life in thatarea consists largely of mushrooms andmosses, which are not effective in the con-text of this spell.

Possession

Axiom Level: 17Skill: alteration/folk 21

Backlash: 12Difficulty: 8Effect Value: 21Bonus Number to: duration

Range: touchDuration: 38 (one year)Cast Time: 18 (one hour)Manipulation: control

A companion spell to sunder spirit,the latter must be used before posses-sion can be effective. An object belong-ing to the target form is required, overwhich the incantation is recited. Whenthe target is touched, the caster’s spiritwill move to occupy that body.

This spell is relatively simple, prima-rily because a body to be possessed willalready be empty of spirit. If occupyinga form other than his own, the magemust recast the rite every year. If thisspell is used by a disembodied spirit toenter a form, it will need a corporeal allyto obtain the item needed as part of thespecific contagion theorem.

Precious Metal Plate

Axiom Level: 6Skill: divination/ metal 18

Backlash: 16Difficulty: 11

Effect Value: 32Bonus Number to: effect

Range: touchDuration: 32 (one month)Cast Time: 14 (ten minutes)Manipulation: duration, range,speed

The mage enchants a plate by plac-ing dozens of pieces of iron pyrite orillusory gold (or other illusory pre-cious metal) onto a plate along withone small real piece of each preciousmetal the plate is to detect. He re-moves the false metals one at a time,until only the true precious metals areleft. He then casts the spell. To test theplate, he drops the pieces of metal,one at a time onto the plate. If the spellwas successful, each produces a dis-tinct pitch when the metal touches theplate.

The user activates the plate by plac-ing the metal onto it. The effect value,of the plate, plus a bonus, is comparedto the disbelief value of the metalsampled ( if the metal is illusory), orthe casting total used to create anytruly transformed metal. Preciousmetals to which the plate has not beenattuned will still sometimes registerwith a funny, hollow sound.

As mentioned earlier, it seemed oddthat a young student, Jovalio Consen,would develop a spell as effective as fool’sgold. Things become clearer, or at leastmore plausible, once it is known the Mag-ister Ulgul, Jovalio’s instructor, devel-oped the precious metal plate spell —before Jovalio’s version of fool’s gold ap-peared. Now, what demand is there for aremedy where there is no malady? Voila!Less than three months after Ulgul fin-ished his spell, false gold first hit Aysle insignificant quantities.

—Zelephest

Ritual of PerceptionPreparation

Axiom Level: 9Skill: alteration/folk 15

Backlash: 16Difficulty: 7Effect Value: 18Bonus Number to: effect

Range: selfDuration: 25 (one day)

Cast Time: 18 (one hour)Manipulation: control, duration

The method of casting is simple.The sorcerer draws three concentriccircles, the smallest large enough forhim to sit in, the others about a handspan farther out. He then seats himselfand examines each circle in turn, seek-ing imperfections. He touches eachcircle in the spot where it is furthestfrom a true circle.

The effect value of the spell is com-pared to the target’s Perception on thePower Push Table. The resulting valuemodifier is added to the target’s Percep-tion for the duration of the spell. Theshock effects of the push are ignored.

Kenipat — As I grow older — althoughmake no mistake, I am not old, simply verywise — I find that I grow forgetful. Itbecomes more difficult to find things I amseeking, carry out my studies, or performsome simple magics. The ritual of percep-tion preparation has helped me solve thisproblem, as well as giving me somethingto cast during Mage Island faculty teas.

Sense Undead

Axiom Level: 6Skill: divination/ entity 16

Backlash: 13Difficulty: 11Effect Value: 24Bonus Number to: range

Range: 10 (100 meters)Duration: 9 (one minute)Cast Time: 5 (ten seconds)Manipulation: range, speed

To cast this spell requires an itemworn, used or part of an undead en-tity. The item is kept wrapped in adark cloth. As the spell is cast, themagician stares intently at the cloth,unwrapping the item and revealing itto his sight. The magician must con-centrate on the spell to keep it active.

The effect value of the spell is com-pared to the lowest Spirit of any entityin range (using the one-on-many tableif there is more than one undead inrange) on the Power Push table. Thesepoints are then read on the GeneralResults table. On a minimal or averagesuccess, the caster knows there areindeed undead in the area. On a goodsuccess the caster knows how far away

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and in what direction(s) the undead is(are). On a superior success the castercan know how active the undead is —whether is is moving, at rest, “asleep”.On a spectacular success the caster getsa gauge of the creatures spiritualstrength; its Spirit value becomesknown to the caster.

Silence

Axiom Level: 9Skill: alteration/folk 15

Backlash: 13Difficulty: 9Effect Value: 20Bonus Number to: duration

Range: 7 (25 meters)Duration: 18 (one hour)Cast Time: 5 (10 seconds)Manipulation: control, duration

To cast silence, the mage speaks thefirst half of the incantation aloud, thenpasses a hand over his mouth. At thatpoint, he stops speaking and finishesthe incantation in his mind.

If successful, the target of the spellwill be unable to utter a sound for anhour. Since this spell does not restruc-ture the target physically, but ratheraffects the ability of his mind to com-mand his voice, it can be resisted witha successful Mind or willpower totalagainst a difficulty number of thespell’s effect value.

Kenipat — A spell I have been known touse on classes of unruly students, which notonly allows me to proceed with my lecturesuninterrupted, but leaves them with a won-derful look of panic in their eyes.

Skeletal Shield

Axiom Level: 12 (17)Skill: alteration/death 23

Backlash: 16Difficulty: 11Effect Value: 26Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 2 (2.5 meters)Duration: 25 (one day)Cast Time: 13 (five minutes)Manipulation: control

To cast this spell you must have abone, preferably a human bone. Youhold the bone out in front of you, to the

right side, to the left side, and thenbehind you. You then cast the boneupon the ground before you, repeat-ing the words of the incantation. If youhave done it correctly, the bone willmultiply into many, and they will riseup and begin to whirl about you atdizzying speed. The effect value of thespell is the strength of this shield, andthe damage an attacker will take if heunsuccessfully attempts to penetrateit. The shield will move as the castermoves, allowing him to leave the sceneof battle if he so chooses.

Kenipat — If I leave you with nothingelse at the end of this text, let me give youKenipat’s Three Laws of Aysle Survival:1) never surrender the freedom magicalskill affords you to sit on a dreary islandand edit musty textbooks; 2) beware ofgiants bearing gifts; 3) if you are trulyinterested in learning the skeletal shieldspell, give some thought to the fine linebetween honor and corruption.

This rite, you see, is one favored bynecromancers (generally unpleasant folk,in my experience), and requires a fairamount of death knowledge. It is certainlyeffective, but can be the first step on a longroad that ends in utter darkness.

Snail Wit

Axiom Level: 9Skill: alteration/folk 16

Backlash: 14Difficulty: 10Effect Value: 15Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 7 (25 meters)Duration: 15 (15 minutes)Cast Time: 3 (four seconds)Manipulation: durationThe mage casts the spell by saying

“two plus two is, um, uhhh...”, or itsequivalent, while pointing towards thetarget. The effect value is comparedagainst the Perception of the target onthe Power Push table. To this result,three is added. The total is the de-crease in the recipient’s Perception forthe duration of the spell.

Spell Snatcher

Axiom Level: 13Skill: apportation/ magic 19

Backlash: 19Difficulty: 14

Effect Value: 30Bonus Number to: effect

Range: 10 (100 meters)Duration: 9 (one minute)Cast Time: 3 (four seconds)Manipulation: control, range,speedThe magician makes a sweeping

gesture from the target character to hishead, while encanting the openingwords to the theory of state. This spelltargets the mind of the victim in orderto steal an impressed spell away fromhim. The spell is immediatelyreimpressed in the mind of the caster,but must be cast before the end of theduration of spell snatcher or the im-pressed spell fades away.

The effect value is compared withthe target’s conjuration magic value (hisMind if he does not have conjurationmagic). The result points are read onthe General Results table. On a mini-mal, average, or good success the victimchooses which impressed spell he loses(assuming he has more than one im-pressed). On a superior success thegamemaster randomly determineswhich spell is to be gained, and aspectacular success allows the caster tochoose the spell he gains.

Stealth Walk

Axiom Level: 9Skill: alteration/folk 17

Backlash: 16Difficulty: 9Effect Value: 21Bonus Number to: effect

Range: touchDuration: 20 (2.5 hours)Cast Time: 5 (10 seconds)Manipulation: control, duration

To successfully bring this patterninto being, the mage must stand threepaces from his target and hold hishand out, palm up. As he chants thespell, the target takes three steps to-ward the mage and places a personalpossession in the upturned hand. Themage must hold the item for the dura-tion of the spell, or its effects will van-ish. Note that this spell cannot be usedon beings larger than man-sized (asafeguard introduced to prevent thecreation of stealthy werin).

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Stealth walk increase the target’sstealth value. The effect value of thespell is compared to the target’s Dex-terity on the Power Push Table. Theresulting modifier is added to thetarget’s stealth (giving him the skill ifhe does not have it) for the duration ofthe spell. The shock effects of the pushare ignored.

Kenipat — A vastly easier version ofthe spell first published in “Spell-CastingMade Simple,” which was written in amonth by two drunken wizards employedby House Daleron. Granted, this cast willrequire a bit more skill, but it leaves youwith stealth much like that of an elf, whereasthe original version made one sound like agiant shod in very large boots.

Sunder Spirit

Axiom Level: 12 (17)Skill: alteration/folk 29

Backlash: 22Difficulty: 24Effect Value: 50Bonus Number to: effect

Range: touchDuration: 52 (500 years)Cast Time: 29 (five days)Manipulation: control

The casting itself does not requirethe sort of complicated actions somespells do. It is imperative, however,that the mage have an object belong-ing to the target — this was built intothe spell to prevent the indiscriminatesundering of spirits. The sorcererspeaks words of power over that ob-ject for five days, remaining in seclu-sion and fasting all that time.

With the spell thus impressed, thesorcerer need only touch his targetwhile carrying the possession on hisperson. The effect value of the spell isthen compared to the target’s Spirit onthe Power Push Table, and the resultpoints then read on the Combat table.If the spirit is “killed” or “mortallywounded,” the spell has torn it freefrom its body, leaving an empty shellbehind. Some sorcerers will then pos-sess that form, and destroy their own,others will simply slay the body oftheir foe.

The spirit will be barred from itsown body for the duration of the spell,and though still possessed of magic,will be unable to cast those spells thatrequire complex physical rituals. Itsonly hope of returning to a physicalshell will be to sunder another’s spiritand take their body, something abhor-rent to most followers of the Light.

Telepathy

Axiom Level: 5Skill: divination/ folk 17

Backlash: 13Difficulty: 6Effect Value: 0Bonus Number to: range

Range: 15 (one kilometer)Duration: 18 (one hour)Cast Time: 5 (10 seconds)Manipulation: range, speed

The magician must have a lock ofhair, or an item used for at least a year,given to him by the character withwhom he wishes to send thoughts. Forthe character to send thoughts to the

mage he must have a lock of hair oritem which has been used by the casterfor a year. The mage must concentratewhile the spell is in effect, and per-forming any other actions breaks theconcentration and ends the spell. Themage starts the spell by imagining heis speaking to the target while holdingthe target’s item.

At ranges of less than 60 meterstelepathy is almost like talking to thetarget character ( the message trans-mits at a speed of 1,000 meters a round,a value of 15). Beyond that range thelag time begins to be noticeable. At akilometer it takes a full round (10 sec-onds) for the message to be received,and at a range of six kilometers it takesa full minute to receive a message.

The mage controls the duration andeffect of the spell.

Accomplished divination mages haveadjusted to the lag time, and have devel-oped a private code to make the sending ofmessages more convenient and efficient. Iam afraid I cannot count myself amongtheir ranks, and the last time I used thisspell over a significant distance, I man-aged to “overthink” portions of the mes-sage, to the point where I became confusedas to which thoughts originated with me,and which I had received. My confusion, ofcourse was reflected in my thoughts, whichwere sent to my comrade. This self-rein-forcing loop of confusion forced us to aban-don the spell not long after we had gottenpast the mandatory pleasantries.

—Zelephest

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Chapter Seven Miracles of Faithlong with magic, religionplays an extremely impor-tant part in the day-to-dayaffairs of Aysle. With threedistinct pantheons of gods

being worshipped by the various folkof the cosm, a vast number of miraclescan be invoked by clerics. Some ofthese can be used by the priests andpriestesses of any Aysle religion, oth-ers are restricted to the followers of aparticular pantheon (honor, corrup-tion, or balance).

Animal Speech

Spiritual Rating: 14Community Rating: 9Difficulty: 12Range: voiceDuration: 18 (one hour)Effect: allows cleric to speak andunderstand the language of animals

With this miracle in effect, the clericcan understand the language of allanimals within range, and speak tothem if he chooses to do so. There is,however, no guarantee that the ani-mals will wish to speak with him, andefforts at persuasion may be necessaryto get a conversation started.

Mindless animals are not affectedby this miracle.

Armor of Dunad

Spiritual Rating: 16Community Rating: 12Difficulty: 13Range: selfDuration: 24 (12 hours)Effect: increases Toughness ofcleric’s garments

Calling upon Dunad, the priesttouches his vestments. If the miracle issuccessful, the garments provideTOU+4 protection for the duration ofthe miracle. The cleric suffers no fa-tigue penalty as a result, nor is hisDexterity affected.

This ritual can be used only by thosewho worship the gods of honor.

Banish

Spiritual Rating: 11Community Rating: 9Difficulty: faith value of enemyRange: 7 (20 meters)Duration: 18 (one hour)Effect: forces enemy to flee

This miracle can only be usedagainst opponents of a different reli-gion. If successfully cast, comparecleric’s faith value to target’s faith value.Being with the lower faith feels com-pelled to flee.

Beauty

Spiritual Rating: 10Community Rating: 8Difficulty: 11Range: touchDuration: 18 (one hour)Effect: increase target’s Charisma

This miracle temporarily providesa +3 increase to the target’s Charismawhen interacting with members of theopposite sex of his race. At the sametime, the base attitudes of members ofthe same sex of his race is automati-cally lowered by one level for the du-ration of the miracle — i.e., from friendlyto neutral, from neutral to hostile, etc.

Bless Weapon

Spiritual Rating: 9Community Rating: 8Difficulty: 9Range: touchDuration: 25 (one day)Effect: strengthens any weapon

The bless weapon miracle can be usedon any weapon to increase its damagevalue. The cleric must lay his handsupon the weapon and call upon eitherAsten, Kalim or Minthod (dependingon his belief system) and pray that thearmament will be as strong as thewarrior’s heart is brave. Success willresult in a +1 to the weapon’s damagevalue.

Cloud Minds

Spiritual Rating: 14Community Rating: 12Difficulty: target’s willpower orMindRange: sightDuration: 15 (15 minutes)Effect: causes target character tobelieve that caster has turned invis-ible

Invoking this miracle, the cleric isable to make an enemy believe he hasvanished. On a minimal or average suc-cess, the cleric will appear unsolid, butwill still be largely visible. On a goodsuccess, the cleric will be invisible, butif he moves, the target will be able todetect a rippling effect. On a superioror spectacular success, the cleric will becompletely invisible.

Curse of Arthuk

Spiritual Rating: 15Community Rating: 12Difficulty: 15Range: sightDuration: 39 (year and a day) oruntil dispelledEffect: brings ill luck

The target of a successful curse ofArthuk suffers tremendous ill fortune inall things. The curse imposes a -2 pen-alty on all Dexterity and Strength-basedskills, and -1 on all Perception, Mind,Charisma and Spirit-based skills. Theattributes themselves are not affected.

The curse lasts a year and a day,unless the cleric who cast it is killed orthe target can find a priest to dispel it.For purposes of dispelling, a cleric mustbeat the faith total generated by thecleric when casting the curse. Only cler-ics of corruption can invoke this miracle.

Death-Sleep

Spiritual Rating: 14Community Rating: 11Difficulty: 15Range: Touch

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Duration: 18 (one hour)Effect: allows target character tosimulate death

The beneficiary of this miracle mustbe a willing target. If successfully cast,he will fall into a death-like sleep inwhich all metabolic processes will slowto the point where they are virtuallyundetectable, save by wizards whohave undergone the ritual of perceptionpreparation and priests with the detectmiracle rite. The target will be able tosee and hear, but will be unable tomove, as well as being insensitive topain. This can be an extremely danger-ous miracle — more than one clerichas awakened after an hour to findhimself in a box deep underground.

Detect Miracle

Spiritual Rating: 14Community Rating: 9Difficulty: 9Range: 10 (100 meters)Duration: 9 (one minute)Effect: allows cleric to determine ifa miracle has been invoked withinthe radius of effect in the past day

The cleric recites a prayer, and thenturns to face the north, south, east andwest (in the realm), or their rimwardand sunward equivalents in the cosm.

If a miracle has been called downwithin the last 24 hours anywhere in a100 meter radius of the spot uponwhich the cleric is standing, the site ofthe invocation will begin to glowbrightly.

Dispel Curse

Spiritual Rating: 15Community Rating: 12Difficulty: if cleric is of same faithas afflicted, 12; if not, faith total usedto cast curse (see below)Range: touchDuration: permanentEffect: removes curse

When a curse is cast, the faith totalof the cleric should be noted. If this hasnot been done, assume the cleric hadfaith of 12 and generate a bonus num-ber — any bonus less than zero isconsidered to be zero.

Elmiir’s Ring

Spiritual Rating: 12Community Rating: 9Difficulty: 11Range: 5 (10 meter radius)Duration: 18 (one hour)Effect: creates wall of mystic icearound cleric, protecting him fromsupernatural entities

When this miracle is cast, the clericcalls upon Elmiir to protect him fromthe ravages of demons, undead, andsupernatural entities. A ring of ice,visible only to those with supernatu-ral abilities, with a Strength equal tothe priest’s faith total, is created. When-ever a supernatural entity crosses thering or at the beginning of any roundin which it is within the ring, it suffersan automatic intimidation attack at thering’s potency.

The ring has no affect on non-su-pernatural beings. This miracle can beinvoked only by clerics of honor.

Endurance

Spiritual Rating: 11Community Rating: 9Difficulty: 10Range: touchDuration: 18 (one hour)Effect: increases target’s resistanceto heat and cold

By the laying on of hands and therecitation of prayer, the cleric can in-crease the ability of the target characterto endure extremes of heat and cold. Aminimal or average success boosts thetarget’s Toughness by +1, good or superiorby +2, and spectacular by +3.

Fertility

Spiritual Rating: 11Community Rating: 10Difficulty: 11Range: 15 (one kilometer)Duration: permanent

Effect: to make the soil grow rich,allowing plants to grow

To perform this miracle, the clericpicks up a handful of soil and allows itto run through his hands while recit-ing a prayer to the gods of earth andliving forces. When the miracle takes

effect, all soil within a kilometer ra-dius becomes fertile and crops are ableto grow. On a superior or spectacularsuccess, this miracle can enable thesoil to resist the damaging effects ofthe world flux. On a good result orbelow, the land will turn dark andbarren along with the flux.

Harm

Spiritual Rating: 10Community Rating: 11Difficulty: 15Range: touchDuration: naEffect: inflicts damage and woundsby number of success levels

Essentially the opposite of the heal-ing miracle, a cleric casts this by touch-ing his target and, if successful, inflictsdamage upon him. On a minimal suc-cess, the target takes one shock point;on an average success, the target takesthree shock points; on a good result, thetarget takes five shock points; on asuperior result, the target is wounded,and on a spectacular result, the target isheavily wounded.

Healing

Spiritual Rating: 10Community Rating: 11Difficulty: 15Range: touchDuration: naEffect: reduces damage and woundsby number of success levels

Much like the Core Earth miracle, aminimal success will remove all KO-conditions and shock. Each successlevel thereafter reduces the target’swound level by one.

Hearth Blessing

Spiritual Rating: 14Community Rating: 12Difficulty: 10Range: 9 (50 meters)Duration: 25 (one day)Effect: enhances ability of charac-ters to defend a particular dwellingplace

When invoked successfully, a homecomes under the protection of the gods

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of the cleric’s faith. The “home” can bea cave, rude shelter, or building — anydwelling with dimensions smaller than50 meters in any direction.

All of those defending the buildingagainst assault gain the favor of thegods, manifested as a +1 to their Tough-ness for the duration of the miracle.The invocation will have no effect on acharacter who leaves the building, buthe can regain its benefits if he goeswithin once more.

Heroes’ Feast

Spiritual Rating: 9Community Rating: 9Difficulty: 13Range: 5 (10 meters)Duration: permanentEffect: creates food

Using this miracle, the cleric cantransform any inanimate object intofood. The faithful stack the goods to betransformed in front of the priest, whorecites a prayer and turns it all intofood. The amount of food created isequal to the measure of the value ofthe difference between the faith totalused to generate the miracle and thedifficulty number. For example, a to-tal of 15 would result in a difference oftwo. The value of two on the TorgValue Table is 2.5, so the miracle wouldhave resulted in the creation of foodsufficient for 2.5 meals.

Illusory Dragon

Spiritual Rating: 10Community Rating: 10Difficulty: 11Range: selfDuration: performanceEffect: creates illusion of dragonaround cleric

To cast this miracle, the priest musthave the image of a dragon in his mind.By concentrating upon it, he can createthe illusion that he is a fierce dragon. Toanyone without the divination magic skillor knowledge of the detect miracle rite, itwill appear that the dragon is real andsubstantial, and the cleric will be un-seen. The “dragon” will mirror thecleric’s actions: when he moves, thedragon will move; when he lashes out,the dragon lashes out, etc. Being only an

illusion, the dragon will be unable toinflict damage, but the illusion has anintimidation value equal to that of thecleric plus the result points generatedby a successful invocation.

Inferno

Spiritual Rating: 13Community Rating: 11Difficulty: 12Range: sightDuration: 9 (one minute)Effect: causes elemental flame toconsume enemy

With inferno, the cleric calls uponelemental fire to erupt from the groundand incinerate an enemy. This miraclecan only be used upon a single oppo-nent at a time, upon whom it acts witha damage value of 23.

Although this miracle can be usedby those of any faith in Aysle, priestsof the gods of corruption subtract onefrom the difficulty number when per-forming it.

Language

Spiritual Rating: 10Community Rating: 8Difficulty: 10Range: selfDuration: 18 (one hour)Effect: grants the cleric knowledgeof a foreign languageWhile this miracle is in effect, the

cleric can understand and speak anyone language he is physically capableof hearing and speaking. When invok-ing the miracle, the cleric does nothave to know the proper name of thelanguage he wishes to understand.

Compare the cleric’s faith totalagainst a difficulty number of 10. Mini-mal success means only a pidgin ver-sion of the language is understoodand spoken; average success gives arudimentary grasp of the language;good or superior success gives completeunderstanding, and spectacular successallows fluency — the cleric speaks thetongue like a native,

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Mental Link

Spiritual Rating: 15Community Rating: 12Difficulty: 12Range: 25 (100 kilometers)Duration: performanceEffect: enables cleric to make men-tal contact with another being

To cast this miracle, the cleric musthave a specific target in mind, thoughhe does not need to know that being’slocation. In addition, the target mustbe able to understand and speak thelanguage of the cleric, or the miraclewill not achieve the desired results.

When mentally linked, the clericand target can communicate telepathi-cally, and both will be able to seethrough the other’s eyes. However,they cannot achieve control of eachother’s mind or body through the useof this miracle.

Mists of Areel

Spiritual Rating: 15Community Rating: 10Difficulty: 11Range: sightDuration: 14 (10 minutes)Effect: causes a black fog to risearound target character

Used exclusively by followers ofAreel to outmaneuver their opponents,this miracle results in an inky blackfog which surrounds the target char-acter, cutting off his vision and oftencausing disorientation. This fog can-not be dissipated by rain or wind forthe duration of the miracle. It extendsfor five meters in every direction fromthe target character, and will movewith him as he moves.

Passing Shadows

Spiritual Rating: 15Community Rating: 10Difficulty: 9Range: 5 (10 meters)Duration: 13 (five minutes)Effect: shows the cleric images ofthe past

Successfully casting this miracleenables the cleric to see phantom im-ages that reveal the past history of a

particular site. The priest will be un-able to communicate with the figures,nor will they take notice of him.

For example, a cleric wants to deter-mine if a murder took place on Water-loo Bridge in London. By invoking thepassing shadows miracle, with the spe-cific event in mind, he will see ghostlyfigures of the murderer and the victim,as the former goes about his gruesomebusiness. As these images are but im-pressions on the aura of the place, theactual people involved in the incidentdo not need to be nearby for the miracleto work. The figures the cleric sees arereflections of the past, not the ghosts ofthe people involved.

On a minimal or average result, thecleric can see one day into the past; ona good result, three days; on a superiorresult, five days; and on a spectacularresult, a full week.

Penance

Spiritual Rating: 10Community Rating: 12Difficulty: 13Range: naDuration: instantaneousEffect: allows cleric to speak withhis gods and learn how he mustatone for actions

This miracle allows the cleric tocommunicate with the gods of his faith,and is commonly invoked when thepriest has taken an action his deitiesdisapprove of and gained either anhonor or corruption point. The clericmust ask how he can redeem himself,and the gods will assign a task he mustdo to achieve this. If he fails at the task,he gains another negative point. Thiswill continue until he is able to rees-tablish contact with them and success-fully complete a task of atonement.

Petrify

Spiritual Rating: 11Community Rating: 11Difficulty: target’s willpower orMindRange: sightDuration: 18 (one hour)Effect: paralyzes enemy

When the cleric invokes this miracle,compare his faith to the Mind or will-

power of the target. On a minimal, aver-age or good result, the target suffers a -2 to all Dexterity-based skills; on asuperior success, -4; on a spectacularsuccess, target is paralyzed for theduration of the miracle.

Plague

Spiritual Rating: 9Community Rating: 15Difficulty: 14Range: touchDuration: permanent (unless dis-pelled)Effect: causes target character to beafflicted with deadly disease

This miracle causes the target char-acter to suffer from a severe case ofbubonic plague. This illness will dodamage value 12 each round until thecharacter dies or the miracle is dis-pelled. The caster of the miracle willbe immune to the contagion, but othercharacters who are in close proximityto the target must generate Toughnesstotals every two rounds against a dif-ficulty number of 8 or come downwith the disease.

This curse can be counteracted inone of three ways: the use of a dispelcurse miracle; the use of the cure diseasemiracle, with a difficulty number of12; or the generation of a faith total onthe part of the target which is higherthan that used to cast the miracle. Inaddition, the healing miracle can beused, but only to delay death, not todispel the effects of the plague.

This miracle can be invoked onlyby followers of the gods of corruption.

Plant Protection

Spiritual Rating: 11Community Rating: 10Difficulty: 9Range: voiceDuration: 16 (30 minutes)Effect: animates plant life to pro-tect target character

When this miracle is in effect, allplant life within range will act to pro-tect the target character specified inthe ritual. Roots will erupt from theground and wrap themselves aboutthe legs of enemies (Strength of 11),tree branches will strike out at them

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(damage value 12), flowers and grasseswill act as shackles for their feet(Strength of 8).

Read Aura

Spiritual Rating: 10Community Rating: 8Difficulty: 8Range: 7 (25 meters)Duration: 18 (one hour)Effect: cleric is able to determinethe attitude of those he meets

While a read aura is in effect, a clericcan see a visible glow about the headand shoulders of those he meets. Theillumination can be black, gray, blue,yellow or white in color, representingthe attitudes of enemy, hostile, neutral,friendly and loyal, respectively.

Reanimate Dead

Spiritual Rating: 15Community Rating: 11Difficulty: 13Range: touchDuration: permanentEffect: restores a semblance of lifeto a corpse

To work this miracle, the cleric mustlay his hands upon the forehead of acorpse, dead for no longer than oneweek. After reciting the proper prayer,the corpse will return to somethingakin to life. Its Strength will increase by+1, it will be incapable of feeling pain,and only by destroying it (inflictingseven wounds) can it be stopped.

However, unlike the Orroshanzuvembie, the Perception and Mind lev-els remain the same as they were inlife. The undead will, however, hold aloyal attitude toward the necroman-cer, and will react to his attempts atpersuasion accordingly.

This miracle can be performed byworshippers of Corba’al, the entitygod, or by other corrupt priests (at +3difficulty).

Sanctum

Spiritual Rating: 10Community Rating: 9Difficulty: 10Range: 7 (20 meters)Duration: 25 (one day)

Effect: sanctifies ground aroundtarget character, providing protec-tion against attack

When this miracle is invoked, allthe terrain for 20 meters around thetarget becomes ground sacred to thecleric’s religion. Anyone of the samefaith who attempts to attack the targetcharacter within that area will find alldifficulty numbers increased by theirfaith adds. If the target character leavesthe sanctified area, he is no longer

protected by the miracle, but can re-gain its beneficial effects by steppingback into the radius of effect.

Storm

Spiritual Rating: 13Community Rating: 9Difficulty: 9Range: 15 (one kilometer)Duration: performanceEffect: cleric can call down a stormon an enemy

earning Miracles from Other CosmsLIt is possible for characters

with the focus skill to acquiremiracles from other cosms. Threeconditions must be met before itis even possible to acquire amiracle.

1. The religious beliefs of thefaith from which the miracleoriginates must be compatiblewith the beliefs of the religion ofthe character acquiring themiracle.

Example: The faith of the Cy-berpope explicitly denies the va-lidity of other religions. A char-acter with Cyberpapist faith andfocus could not learn the miraclesfrom any other cosm.

2. The character acquiring themiracle must be able to explainthe miracle as a function of hisown religion. If the player can-not explain to the gamemasterhow the miracle could be a mani-festation of his character’s faith,the character cannot acquire themiracle.

3. The character must havewitnessed the miracle.

To acquire the miracle, thecharacter must invoke his deity(page 127 of the Torg Rulebook)using the spiritual axiom of thecosm to which the miracle be-longs. Gaining Living Landmiracles is done using the spiri-tual axiom of the Living Land.When making the invocation theCondition Modifier chart on page

127 of the Torg Rulebook is in ef-fect.

If this invocation is success-ful, the miracle is granted. Thecharacter may now pray for thismiracle as he would any othermiracle with which he is famil-iar. If the invocation is unsuc-cessful, the character is deniedthat miracle, now and forever.When attempting to acquire amiracle, a player may play cardsfor his character, but may nottrade or receive cards from anyother player. Acquiring a miracleis a private affair between a char-acter of faith and his deity.

The particulars of the miracleremain the same, except for itsspiritual rating, which is raisedto the spiritual axiom level of itscosm if it is lower than the levelof the cosm. The axiom level ofthe cosm was integral in acquir-ing the miracle, and the invoca-tion makes that axiom level theminimum for the miracle. If thespiritual rating is already higherthan the cosm level, it remainsunchanged.

Miracles from the Living Landare easier to acquire than thosefrom Core Earth, but are likely tocause four-case contradictionsanywhere but the Living Land.Core Earth miracles are moredifficult to obtain, but causefewer contradictions.

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The cleric raises his hands into the airand implores the god or goddess of hispantheon with control of inanimate forcesto hurl the fury of the storm down uponhis enemy. This miracle is commonlyinvoked during battles at sea.

On a minimal success, the wind growsmore gusty, possibly blowing the en-emy vessel off course; on an average orgood success, it begins to rain heavily,reducing the target vessel’s speed valueby -2; on a superior success, the rainbecomes a raging thunderstorm, withjagged bolts of lightning, doing dam-age of 15 to the target vessel; on a spec-tacular success, it begins to sleet, doingdamage of 20 to the target vessel.

Sword of Dunad

Spiritual Rating: 10Community Rating: 10Difficulty: 10Range: touchDuration: 18 (one hour)Effect: increases strength of sword

Sword of Dunad is a form of blessingthat is effective only on swords. Thebearer of the sword must cut his lefthand with it and allow the blood todrip on to the blade, thus representingthe blood the sword will draw fromhis enemies. The cleric then lays ahand upon the blade and beseechesDunad to make the sword strong andproof against all opponents.

A minimal or average success in-creases the damage value of the swordby one; a good or superior result by two;and a spectacular result by three.

This miracle can be invoked onlyby priests of Dunad.

Transmute Staff

Spiritual Rating: 10Community Rating: 11Difficulty: 10Range: touchDuration: performanceEffect: transforms staff into serpent

The cleric places a hand upon hisstaff and calls for it to become as theserpent in the dust. If successfully cast,the wooden stick will transform into acobra. When the cleric ceases to con-centrate on the miracle, the snake willbecome a staff again.

Cobra (from staff)DEXTERITY 11Maneuver 12, stealth 13, unarmedcombat 13STRENGTH 3TOUGHNESS 2PERCEPTION 1Trick (10)MIND 1Test (10)CHARISMA 1Taunt (8)SPIRIT 3Intimidation 12Possibilities: 3Natural Tools: fangs, damage valueSTR+8; venom, damage value 11Once introduced into the blood-

stream, the venom will do damageeach round unless it is neutralized. Tocounteract the venom, the target mustgenerate a faith total higher than thatused to invoke the miracle.

Trap

Spiritual Rating: 12Community Rating: 13Difficulty: 12Range: touchDuration: permanent until trig-geredEffect: forms an undetectable trap

To use this miracle, the cleric mustfirst prepare some kind of concealedsnare (a covered pit, a looped ropeattached to a tree, etc). After he hascompleted the construction of the trap,he invokes the miracle, making thetrap completely undetectable to any-one without magical ability or knowl-edge of the detect miracle rite.

Walk on Air

Spiritual Rating: 13Community Rating: 12Difficulty: 14Range: touchDuration: 18 (one hour)Effect: target can walk on air as if itwere dry land

The beneficiary of this miracle willbe able to walk on a cushion of air.However, he will still suffer from oxy-gen deprivation at high altitudes, andthus there are limits to how far he can

ascend. The air will normally seemlike a level plane under his feet, butwind currents can make it possible forthe target to ascend or descend, as if hewere on a staircase.

Ward Arcana

Spiritual Rating: 12Community Rating: 7Difficulty: 13Range: voiceDuration: performanceEffect: increases difficulty of usingmagic to harm target character

Ward arcana allows the cleric to drawon the spiritual energy of the faithfuland use it to form a mystic barrierthrough which magic cannot pass. Aslong as the ward is in place, spells fromoutside the barrier cannot penetrate tothose under its protection, nor can spellsleave the barrier from within.

The ward has no effect on physicalattacks. The difficulty number of us-ing magic to harm a character pro-tected by this rite is increased by +4 foreach success level of the miracle.

Ward Being

Spiritual Rating: 12Community Rating: 13Difficulty: 13Range: 5 (10 meters)Duration: performanceEffect: prevents specific being fromapproaching target character

To enact this miracle, the cleric musthave a specific being or creature inmind. If he successfully casts the ward,that particular being will be unable tomount any sort of attack on the targetcharacter for the duration of the spell.For instance, a priest could set up award against the dreaded ogre, Olant,and it would prevent him from caus-ing damage. It would not, however,prevent his brother or any other ogrefrom attacking.

Warrior Madness

Spiritual Rating: 11Community Rating: 9Difficulty: target’s willpower orMind

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Range: touchDuration: variable; see belowEffect: turns warriors into frenziedkillers

The cleric may cast this miracle upona willing or unwilling subject. If thepriest’s faith total is greater than thetarget’s willpower or Mind, the target isoverwhelmed by warrior madness —his Strength and Toughness attributesreceive a +3 boost, as do his melee andunarmed skills. This miracle does notactually cause muscles to grow larger,but simply allows the target characterto operate at peak ability. It is possiblefor a character’s attributes to exceedthe cosm limit while under the influ-ence of this miracle. The target charac-ter will keep fighting until he is un-conscious, dead, or runs out of oppo-nents. A being afflicted with warriormadness cannot maneuver, trick, taunt,intimidate, or test — his actions are lim-ited to melee and unarmed attacks. Tosnap out of his madness, the targetcharacter must generate a successfulwillpower or Mind total against a diffi-culty number of 12.

Once someone has been so“blessed,” there is a risk of him suc-cumbing to the madness any time hegoes into battle. In combat, he mustgenerate a successful willpower or Mindtotal against a difficulty number of 8 toavoid going mad (+1 modifier for eachprevious incident of warrior madnessexperienced by the target). The targetcharacter can, if he wishes, voluntarilycall upon the miracle in battle.

Although Vikings have been knownto make use of this miracle, it is not thesame as the “berserker fury” outlinedin Chapter Eight.

Wisdom

Spiritual Rating: 12Community Rating: 7Difficulty: 13Range: touchDuration: 18 (one hour)Effect: increases subject’s wisdom

When successfully cast, the target’sMind value and related skills are in-creased by +3. This miracle does allowa character to exceed cosm limits.

Wrath of the Gods

Spiritual Rating: 15Community Rating: 13Difficulty: 12Range: sightDuration: 8 (10 seconds)Effect: calls down the fury of thecleric’s pantheon upon the target

To invoke this miracle, the cleric pointhis finger at the target and calls for thegods to smite him. If the cleric’s faithtotal fails to beat the difficulty number,the gods have deemed him unworthyand will vent their anger on him, in-stead — cleric should roll for damage.But if he is successful, his opponent isstruck by a bolt of lightning, takingdamage equal to the cleric’s faith value(not total) plus the roll of a die, rollingagain on 10s and 20s.

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Chapter Eight The Folkhe folk of Aysle are a mix-ture of the familiar and thefantastic: humans whoseem very much like thepeople of Core Earth, mon-

strous giants, clever and industriousdwarves, mysterious elves, and thefrightening, often tragic figures of thehalf-folk and the lesser folk. All of thesehave migrated from the cosm to therealm, and taken their place with theforces of Light or those of Darkness.

The following are descriptions andstandard statistics for the Aysle folk.

AyslishThe largest group to travel down

the maelstrom bridges, Ayslish hu-mans make up the troops for five ofthe six Houses. Having the greatestpopulation of any of the races in thecosm, they naturally comprise themajority of the wizards, warriors,priests and thieves currently operat-ing in the Aysle realm.

Humanity evolved in much thesame way in Aysle as it did in ourcosm, and so Ayslish physically re-semble their Core Earth counterparts.They average roughly one and a halfto two meters in height, and speak alanguage with slight similarities toCeltic, also called “Ayslish.” Thosewho have learned the languages of therealm tend to speak them in a stiltedmanner, and will converse amongthemselves in Ayslish (but it is consid-ered impolite to do so when CoreEarthers are present).

The average Ayslish will tend to beslightly stronger than a resident ofEarth’s cosm of similar age, primarilydue to the magical nature of the cosm,which allows humans to attain greaterphysical abilities. Thus, where a CoreEarth human can attain a maximumattribute value of 13 in Dexterity andStrength, an Ayslish in peak conditioncan post a 14 and 15, respectively.

Ayslish society resembles that of feu-dal Europe in Core Earth’s past, buttheir economy and class structure is

based largely on magic. It is difficult forthe Ayslish to understand how humansin the realm have managed to surviveso long without any sorcerous skills,and many of them have expressed pityor scorn for the non-magical masses.Some agree with Ardinay’s unspokenopinion that the Ayslish are doing CoreEarth a favor by imposing their realityupon the chaotic mess that existed be-fore the bridges dropped.

Like virtually any race, there aregood and bad among the Ayslish.There are some who continue to em-brace the ways of Uthorion, and oth-ers who have welcomed Ardinay’sconversion and the ways of Light.

Standard Ayslish WarriorDEXTERITY 9Beast riding 10, maneuver 10, me-lee weapons 11, missile weapons12, unarmed combat 10STRENGTH 9TOUGHNESS 9PERCEPTION 7Find 8, tracking 8, trick 8MIND 7Survival 8, test 8CHARISMA 7SPIRIT 8Additional Skills: three at +1 adds,including one magical skill (seeChapter 10, Character Creation )Possibility Potential: some (55)

CorsairsThe piratical brotherhood of Aysle

consists of Ayslish men and womenhappily pursuing profit on the highseas. Active Corsairs tend to be fairlyyoung, and favor bright, distinctiveclothing to set them apart from themore staid Freetraders. There are Cor-sairs serving Uthorion and Ardinay,but first and foremost, they serve them-selves. Corsairs are willing to provideaid or passage, for a price, but beware:if you make your sympathies in thecivil war known, and they do not coin-cide with the pirate crew you areamong, you may find yourself swim-ming among the Draconis Aquatica.

Standard CorsairDEXTERITY 9Melee weapons 12, unarmed com-bat 10STRENGTH 8TOUGHNESS 8PERCEPTION 9Find 10, scholar (navigation) 10,trick 10, water vehicles 11MIND 8Test 9CHARISMA 7SPIRIT 7Intimidation 9Additional Skills: three at +1 adds,including one magical skillPossibility Potential: some (55)

FreetradersThe group known as “Freetraders”

runs the gamut from salty ex-Corsairslooking to make an honest living tobusinessmen hoping to turn a profitwithout having to turn a percentage ofit over to a House. They are alwayslooking for a deal, but tend to be sus-picious of outsiders, since both theVikings and the Corsairs threaten theiroperations. The Freetraders have re-fused to take sides in the conflict be-tween Uthorion and Ardinay, but havethus far found aiding the forces ofLight to be more profitable.

Standard FreetraderDEXTERITY 8Melee weapons 9, unarmed combat9STRENGTH 8TOUGHNESS 7PERCEPTION 9Evidence analysis 10, scholar (navi-gation) 11, water vehicles 11MIND 8Test 9CHARISMA 9Charm 11, persuasion 12SPIRIT 7Additional Skills: three at +1 adds,including one magical skillPossibility Potential: some (55)

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BarbariansThe barbarians of Aysle, much like

the Vikings, have been toughened bythe harsh conditions in which theylive. For them, the realm seems almostlike paradise — abundant food (if onlyby cosm standards), relatively gentleweather, and the opportunity to ex-plore a new land. Barbarians tend tobe larger and stronger than standardAyslish, with greater endurance andresistance to extreme climates. Theyclothe themselves in animal hides,preferring the fur of the griffin or themanticore. Many of those who serveUthorion have done so because of Vi-king threats to their homeland, andmore are defecting to Ardinay nowthat she has returned to the path ofhonor.

Standard BarbarianDEXTERITY 10Maneuver 11, melee weapons 13stealth 11 unarmed combat 12STRENGTH 9Climbing 10TOUGHNESS 9PERCEPTION 7Tracking 9MIND 7Survival 8, test 8CHARISMA 7SPIRIT 7Intimidation 8Additional Skills: three at +1 adds,including one magical skillPossibility Potential: some (60)

Ice NomadsThe Ice Nomads of Aysle are known

for their ability to survive the brutalweather of the Frozen Land, and theyare rumored to be tenacious fighters.Having been dismissed as economi-cally powerless by most other races,however, few have bothered trying togauge the capabilities of the tribes.Great feats have been ascribed to them,but how much of this is wild specula-tion and how much truth is unknown.

The Ice Nomads are, physically,very similar to the barbarians, andthey tend to dress in layers of fur. Theyare the most primitive of any of theAysle races, relying on simple toolsand weapons to accomplish their ends.

Standard Ice NomadDEXTERITY 8Maneuver 9, missile weapons 10,unarmed combat 10STRENGTH 9TOUGHNESS 9PERCEPTION 8Tracking 10, trick 9MIND 9Survival 12, test 10CHARISMA 6SPIRIT 7Intimidation 8Additional Skills: three at +1 adds,including one magical skillPossibility Potential: some (55)

VikingsThough technically a branch of the

Ayslish human family, the Vikingshave lived apart for so long that theyare, for all practical purposes, consid-ered a separate race. Next to the gi-ants, the Vikings are the most militantof all the cosm residents, taking plea-sure violence and brutality. They arethe group that has evinced the mostloyalty to Uthorion, now in the guiseof a Viking chieftain, and that havebecome his elite fighting force.

Vikings tend to be tall, burly men,with long beards and clothing madefrom hides. They usually wear ironhelmets, occasionally with minotaurhorns affixed to the sides. They areexpert seamen and well-versed in theuse of melee weapons, but have only arudimentary knowledge of strategyand tactics.

Vikings have been known to lapseinto “berserker furies” during battle.In this state, they will continue to fightuntil unconscious or dead, and thoughthey suffer shock damage, do not feelpain. Once they receive shock dam-age equal to their Toughness or takefour wounds, they collapse. They can-not be affected by “fatigue“ results onthe drama cards. A berserker fury hasa duration of 12 rounds, at which pointthe Viking automatically becomesfatigued.

Standard Viking WarriorDEXTERITY 10Dodge 11, maneuver 11, meleeweapons 13, missile weapons 11,swimming 12, unarmed combat 11

STRENGTH 10TOUGHNESS 10PERCEPTION 6Scholar (navigation) 7, trick 7, wa-ter vehicles 7MIND 6CHARISMA 7SPIRIT 7Intimidation 8Additional Skills: three at +1 adds,including one magical skillPossibility Potential: some (65)

ElvesThe most mysterious race in Aysle,

the elves keep their silence about theirorigins at all times, and if pressed onthe subject, will abruptly depart with-out providing any information. Theyare known in Aysle for the fine mailthey forge and the elven silk they spin,the likes of which cannot be foundanywhere else in the cosm.

The elves are the only race to havesuccessfully resisted Uthorion’s offersof alliance, and his subsequent threats.For unknown reasons, they have cho-sen to become involved in the battlefor the cosm of Earth, some on the sideof Ardinay, others on the side of theDark High Lord. Their skills in com-bat, both physical and magical, havemade a vast difference in the outcomeof certain early battles.

The elves average two meters inheight, with pointed ears and skin of adark hue. They move with catlike graceand almost complete silence, evenwhen in full elfmail. Most are skilledat the use of both melee and missileweapons, as well as being adept atunarmed combat. When not in battle,they wear clothing made of a durablematerial, a fabric they refuse to sell totraders. Their native tongue, Elverise,bears no relationship linguistically toany spoken in the cosm, leading tospeculation among some that they arenot natives of Aysle.

The elves are also renowned fortheir astounding ability to ride drag-ons, and most begin adventuring atthe age of 100. They can live to be asold as 600.

Of the Ayslish, only the Freetradershave had any contact with the elves,and most other groups regard thestrange beings as cold and unfriendly.

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Dwarves, in particular, have shown areluctance to work with the elves, al-though that may be the result of re-sentment of a race whose talents inengineering and magic rival their own.

One thing that is known about theelves is that, along with the giants,they suffer from a wasting diseaseknown as “the silent death.” It strikessuddenly and without warning, and itis believed to be connected to the magicaxiom. In realms with little magic, dis-connecting causes the illness to takehold, and it slowly weakens the af-flicted. Giants have long been knownto carry this ailment, but it has onlyrecently been discovered that elvesshare the problem. Whether this meansthere is some other connection betweenthe elves and the giants is not known.

Diplomatic efforts are underwaybetween Ardinay’s court at Oxfordand the apparent leaders of the elvesto ensure their future cooperation.Ardinay feels that the elves’ aid iscrucial to the outcome of the war, andif they will not be allies, they must beconvinced to remain neutral. A masselven shift to the side of Uthorion couldmean disaster.

Standard Elf Dragon RiderDEXTERITY 12 (9)Beast riding 15, maneuver 13, me-lee weapons 13 missile weapons 13,stealth 13STRENGTH 8TOUGHNESS 8PERCEPTION 9Find 10, tracking 10, trick 10MIND 11 (8)Test 12CHARISMA 7Taunt 9SPIRIT 7Intimidation 8Additional Skills: three at +1 adds,including one magical skillPossibility Potential: some (45)

DwarvesA race rich in history and tradition,

the dwarves of Aysle are in the midstof a tremendous upheaval. With theHouse Vareth dwarves enslaving theirbrothers in the cosm and the realm,and Gutterby leading a desperate re-bellion against this brutal oppression,

it is a difficult time to be a dwarf, andvirtually impossible to remain neutralin the Uthorion/Ardinay war.

The dwarves tend to be extremelycynical about both government andreligion. While they were pleasedwhen Ardinay first became Speaker ofthe People, they remember all too wellthe changes she instituted followingUthorion’s invasion, and her assent toHouse Vareth’s plan to turn the LandBetween dwarves into a slave laborforce. Many Land Between dwarveshave taken on the dangerous occupa-tion of “tunnel fighter” to resist theseincursions into their home. Unawareof Uthorion’s usurpation of her body,some dwarves are resolved never toforgive Ardinay for the changes in thecosm over the last 500 years.

The dwarven attitude toward reli-gion is nothing new, however, sincetheir theology claims that the Creatorsof Aysle abandoned the world to seekother places to build. The dwarves pride

themselves on their self-sufficiency andtheir history of getting along withoutany help, mortal or divine. Over thecenturies, some have turned to the wor-ship of Dunad, particularly among theslaves, but that is not yet widespread.

Dwarves are skilled metallurgists,engineers, and miners, and since thecoming of Dunad, have enjoyed greatmagical gifts as well. They have foundrelatively easy acceptance in the realm,many taking up their former occupa-tions in this new land. Dwarven engi-neers and mechanics are particularly indemand to work on the various gadgetscurrently malfunctioning in the realm.Dwarven merchants have gone into thebusiness of buying and selling magicalitems and other things of use to CoreEarth natives under the Aysle axioms.Dwarven wizards are making a goodliving performing their standard magi-cal services, and are petitioningArdinay’s court to elevate them to equalstatus with human mages.

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The dwarven troops of HouseVareth are still nominally under therule of Uthorion, now in the guise ofThorfinn Bjanni. But some units havesplit off and begun to plunder on theirown, usually sending captureddwarves and half-folk back up thebridges to the slave camps on Vareth.Gutterby’s raiders spend much of theirtime harassing the guards supervis-ing these forced marches.

Dwarves are generally about 1.5meters high, stockily built, with pow-erful upper bodies from years of work-ing in the earth. They favor long beardsand dark, coarse clothing, and gener-ally travel in small groups for addedprotection against their enemies.Dwarves start adventuring at the ageof 75, and can live well past 500.

Standard Dwarf Tunnel FighterDEXTERITY 8Maneuver 9, melee weapons 9, mis-sile weapons 10, stealth 9, unarmedcombat 11STRENGTH 9TOUGHNESS 9

PERCEPTION 8Find 9, trick 9MIND 8Test 9CHARISMA 7Taunt 8SPIRIT 7Intimidation 8Additional Skills: three at +1 adds,one a magical skillPossibility Potential: some (45)

GiantsAysle’s giant population is renowned

for one thing and one thing only: theability to begin fighting over virtuallyany subject, eventually forgetting thereason for the battle but continuing thecarnage just the same. They are prob-ably the most widely disliked race inthe cosm, detested by the dwarves andthe humans, and dismissed as “stupidbrawlers” by the Vikings. They, in turn,have little regard for anyone else, in-cluding each other.

Giants live throughout LowerAysle, usually in caves or on bleakmountaintops, since they do not re-quire shelter against the elements.Their social structure revolves aroundloosely-knit tribes, separated by natu-ral boundaries (mountain ranges andthe like). There is no single governingbody in giant society — each tribe takescare of itself, and wars between orwithin groups are not uncommon.Their credo is a simple one, statingthat anyone who wants to tell a giantwhat to do had best be prepared toknock him down first.

The vast majority of the giants joinedwith Uthorion’s forces in the invasionof Earth’s cosm. Those few tribes thatwished to remain at home werebranded cowards and threatened withextermination at the hands of theirneighbors if they continued to abstain.There are some giants who are work-ing with Ardinay’s troops, or simplylooking after their own interests in therealm, but most see a greater chancefor bloodshed and plunder in the ranksof the Dark Forces.

Those giants who are operating in-dependently have drifted into violentpursuits. Many have become enforc-ers for local mobs, bodyguards forcontroversial figures, and a few haveeven taken on jobs as goalkeepers inEnglish football matches. Without ex-ception, they grumble that this newworld is too small for them, since theyare unable to fit their bulk comfort-ably through most doorways.

Giants, depending on the innatemagic of Aysle to maintain their exist-ence, are subject to the wasting diseasecalled the silent death if they ever be-come disconnected. See the entry onelves and chapter eleven for more in-formation.

Few giants can claim to be geniuses,but those who have attained at least anaverage human’s level of intelligenceput it to good use. Though the stron-gest rule in giant society, the moreintelligent often manipulate those inpower. Lately, the giant “intellectu-als” have been coming more to theforefront as their tribes struggle toadjust to this strange new cosm.

Giants reach a maximum height ofslightly over three meters, althoughFomorians have been known to grow

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larger. Their appearances range fromfairly handsome to freakish, and theirclothing is usually made from animalhides. Those giants who have had par-ticularly good fortune in finding workin the realm have taken to hiring tai-lors to design suits for them.

Giants can be expected to be a fixturein the realm for the duration of thePossibility Wars, and the ability ofArdinay’s forces to recruit them or de-vise effective countermeasures will havean impact on the conflict’s outcome.

Standard GiantDEXTERITY 8Melee weapons 9, unarmed combat10STRENGTH 14 (10)Lifting 16TOUGHNESS 15 (10)PERCEPTION 7Find 8, language 8, trick 8MIND 7Test 8, willpower 8CHARISMA 7Charm 8, persuasion 8, taunt 8SPIRIT 7Faith 8, intimidation 12Additional Skills: two at +1 adds,one a magic skillPossibility Potential: some (60)

Half-FolkHalf-folk are hybrids of human and

creature created as a result of an axiomwash. When Uthorion led his troopsfrom Orrorsh to Aysle centuries ago,that wash created the first half-folk.When Aysle attacked Earth’s cosm,half-folk were again created, and theymingled with those who came downthe maelstrom bridge. First genera-tion half-folk cannot be possibilityrated, so those created when the axiomwash covered Earth do not have pos-sibilities, but those who came from theAysle cosm do.

The term “half-folk” encompasses agreat many creatures, includingminotaurs, centaurs, satyrs, and har-pies. The half-folk are the second-classcitizens of Aysle society, denied anyrights and treated as slave labor andworse. Some, like the centaurs and sa-tyrs, have learned to adapt; others, likethe minotaurs, have responded to thistreatment with unreasoning savagery.

There are half-folk on both sides ofthe Ardinay-Uthorion war, but nei-ther side is actively recruiting them atthe moment (they are considered to beuntrustworthy). In general, most half-folk try to avoid conflicts with otherraces, while striving for acceptancedespite their condition.

Standard MinotaurDEXTERITY 8Melee weapons 10, unarmed com-bat 11STRENGTH 12TOUGHNESS 7PERCEPTION 7Find 8, tracking 9, trick 8MIND 8Test 9CHARISMA 7Taunt 8SPIRIT 7Intimidation 9Natural Tools: teeth, damage valueSTR+3/15; horns, damage valueSTR+4/16; hide, armor valueTOU+7/14

Standard HarpyDEXTERITY 10Flight 13, melee weapons 12, stealth11, unarmed combat 11STRENGTH 8TOUGHNESS 9PERCEPTION 8Find 9, tracking 9, trick 10MIND 7Test 8CHARISMA 7Taunt 9SPIRIT 7Intimidation 8Possibility Potential: some (60)

Natural Tools: hide, TOU+2/11;wings, speed value 16; claws, dam-age value STR+3/11; fangs, dam-age value STR+3/11

Standard CentaurDEXTERITY 10Dodge 11, long jumping 11 maneu-ver 11, missile weapons 11, run-ning 13STRENGTH 8Climbing 9TOUGHNESS 8

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PERCEPTION 8Find 9, language 9, tracking 9, trick9MIND 7Test 8CHARISMA 8Charm 10, persuasion 9, taunt 9SPIRIT 7Intimidation 8Possibility Potential: some (60)Natural Tools: hooves, damagevalue STR+2/10Equipment: short bow, damagevalue STR+5/13, range 3-10/40/100

Lesser FolkThe lesser folk fall somewhere be-

tween the half-folk and the creaturesof Aysle. These are the most mon-strous of the cosm’s races, the trolls,gnomes, ogres, and kobolds. The in-vasion of Earth’s cosm resulted in thecreation of another species of lesserfolk, the goblin, transformed humanswith oversized heads, slender bodies,and a penchant for evil.

Lesser folk are, without exception,dangerous to the unarmed and unpro-tected, as they consider the weak to benothing more than victims. Some lesserfolk, like the goblins, will be content torob an unwary traveler, while ogresand trolls will take his gold and thendevour him.

Trolls make up the majority of thelesser folk, and along with goblins,are the most likely to band together ofany of the various monsters. Ogres,orcs, and kobolds tend to be solitarybeings, carving out their own littleterritories in the hills of the realm —and woe be unto anyone who ven-tures into the area.

Trolls are large creatures, roughly2.5 meters high, covered with a coarseorange fur. They prefer caves, andtheir unpleasant smell and brutal na-tures make them difficult companions.

Ogres are a bit smaller, at twometers, with red eyes, sharp teeth andclaws. Avowed man-eaters, they havebeen known to consume whole fami-lies of Ayslish at one sitting.

Kobolds, roughly half a meter inheight, look as if they should be be-nevolent folk, with cherubic faces andbright red hair and beards. In truth,

they are malicious, hiding under thefloorboards and in the walls of housesand coming out only to demand food.If they are refused, they will set thehouse ablaze.

Gnomes exhibit similar behavior,often breaking pottery or stealing ob-jects from houses. Although only aboutone meter tall, they can be fierce fight-ers when pressed.

Virtually all of the lesser folk arerepresented to some extent in the DarkForces, and as yet none have appearedin any number among Ardinay’stroops.

Standard TrollDEXTERITY 8Dodge 10, melee weapons 11, un-armed combat 10STRENGTH 11TOUGHNESS 11PERCEPTION 7Trick 8MIND 7Test 8, willpower 8CHARISMA 7Taunt 8SPIRIT 5Intimidation 7Possibility Potential: some (85)Natural Tools: claws, damage valueSTR+3/14

Additional Skills: two at +1adds, including one magical skill

Standard GoblinDEXTERITY 11

Dodge 12, lockpicking 12, ma-neuver 12, melee weapons 14,stealth 12STRENGTH 6TOUGHNESS 7PERCEPTION 8Find 9, trick 9MIND 8Test 9CHARISMA 8Taunt 9SPIRIT 8Intimidation 9Additional Skills: three at +1 addsPossibility Potential: none

Standard GnomeDEXTERITY 10Dodge 11, melee weapons 11, pres-tidigitation 12, stealth 13STRENGTH 7TOUGHNESS 8PERCEPTION 8Find 9, trick 9MIND 8Test 9CHARISMA 8Taunt 9SPIRIT 7Intimidate 9Additional Skills: three at +1 addsPossibility Potential: some (60)

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Chapter Nine Creatureshe creatures of Ayslerange from mighty drag-ons to fearsome ghosts,from benevolent faeries tocorrupt and evil giants.

Many of these have crossed the bridgefrom cosm to realm and now stalk thelands of Great Britain and Scandinavia.

Draconis TeutonicaThe evil ”air”dragons from the fro-

zen seas of Aysle are vicious anddeadly beasts, their name synonymouswith terror. Many of these participatedin Uthorion’s initial conquest of Aysle,and they have wrought terrible devas-tation during the invasion of Earth aswell. In the realm, they seem to preferto nest on mountain peaks.

The Draconis Teutonica are long,serpentlike monsters with two power-ful clawed appendages and two greatwings. Armor covers their coils, andthey are among the largest of the Aysledragons at roughly 40 meters in length.A teutonic dragon continues to growuntil it dies, and ancient specimenshave been known to reach a length of55 meters.

The Draconis Teutonica has an af-finity with elemental air, using an arc-tic blast as a breath weapon capable offreezing an enemy in his tracks. Thedragon stores arctic air within threeinternal sacs, and thus can fire threeblasts in quick succession (one perround of combat). The sacs refill at arate of one every three rounds. Thebreath weapon is magical in nature,and can be defended against usingelemental air magic.

The teutonic dragons are intelligent,egotistical, and possessed of impres-sive magical skills. They have beenknown to battle beside Vikings, andthere are rumors that elves have beenseen using them as mounts, but thesehave not been confirmed.

Draconis TeutonicaDEXTERITY 9Flight 12, unarmed combat 11

STRENGTH 27TOUGHNESS 23/35PERCEPTION 19Alteration magic 22, divinationmagic 22, evidence analysis 21, find23, trick 22MIND 15Test 21, willpower 18CHARISMA 7Charm 9, persuasion 11, taunt 11SPIRIT 7Intimidation (15), reality 9Additional Skills: three at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allArcane Knowledges: air 6, dark-ness 4Natural Tools: armor TOU+12/35;wings, speed value 11; claws, dam-age value STR+3/30; arctic airbreath, damage value 36, range 3-50/51-250/251-600

Draconis AysleThese benevolent dragons of Aysle

are lizardlike, with four clawed ap-pendages and large wings. They thrivein the tropical zone of the cosm and aremost often found in the Trade Sea.

The Draconis Aysle have an affin-ity for elemental fire, known for usingtheir fiery breath weapon to reduceopponents to ash. They can store firein three internal sacs, and can expendthree blasts in quick succession (oneper combat round). The sacs refill atthe rate of one every three rounds. Thebreath weapon is magical in nature,and can be defended against usingelemental fire magic.

The Aysle dragon grows to an aver-age length of 15 meters. Although notas huge or strong as their teutoniccousins, they are faster and better ableto maneuver in battle, traits whichhave often provided a life-saving edge.

They hated wearing the yoke ofArdinay during the time Uthorionpossessed her, and are pleased thatArdinay’s “change of heart” is allow-ing them to do good and honorabledeeds again.

Draconis AysleDEXTERITY 14Flight 15, unarmed combat 17STRENGTH 21TOUGHNESS 19/27PERCEPTION 15Evidence analysis 19, find 19, trick24MIND 19Apportation magic 22, conjurationmagic 22, test 21, willpower 21CHARISMA 9Charm 12, persuasion 10, taunt (12)SPIRIT 8Intimidation (12), reality 10,Additional Skills: three at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allArcane Knowledges: light 3, fire 5Natural Tools: armor TOU+8/27;wings, speed 15; claws, damagevalue STR+3/24; fire breath, dam-age value 28, range 3-30/31-100/101-250

Draconis AquaticaThe water dragon is one of the few

beasts capable of surviving in the Boil-ing Sea of the Aysle cosm. Like theDraconis Teutonica, the Aquatica isevil in nature, and relishes the de-struction it has been allowed to causeunder Uthorion’s rule. In the realm,the Aquatica have taken to the lochs,rivers and channels and pose a con-stant threat to mariners.

The Draconis Aquatica resembles along snake with a massive tail that ituses as a natural rudder when swim-ming and as a weapon in battle. Awater dragon can grow to a maximumof 25 meters in length.

The Aquatica has an affinity forelemental water. It uses steam as abreath weapon, and stores it in a singleinternal sac. After it fires a blast, ittakes two combat rounds for the sac torefill. Being magical in nature, it ispossible to defend against the steamattack using elemental water magic.

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Draconis AquaticaDEXTERITY 12Swimming 14, unarmed combat 14STRENGTH 24TOUGHNESS 21PERCEPTION 14Find 15, trick 16MIND 19Conjuration magic 22, test 20, will-power 21CHARISMA 8Charm 9, persuasion 11, taunt (10)SPIRIT 8Intimidation (13), reality 9Additional Skills: three at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allArcane Knowledges: water 5, liv-ing forces 2Natural Tools: armor, TOU+10/31;tail, swimming speed value 11, dam-age value STR+3/27; steam breath,damage value 26, range 50/100/250

Draconis MetallicaThe “metallic dragon” is so called

because of its grayish scales, whichresemble armor and are extremelytough. They live underground, pre-ferring tunnels and mineshafts, andshare the Land Between with thedwarves. Their nests are often close togold and silver deposits. Everydwarven mining crew has a membercharged with luring the dragon awaylong enough for the others to gathersome of the valuable ore.

The size of the Draconis Metallicavaries, with the largest recorded at 20meters in length, and the smallest ateight meters. They have four clawedappendages, walking on their power-ful rear legs and using their weakerforelegs to dig in the earth for the metalsthey feed upon. They are born withvestigial wings, but these wither andfall off by the time they reach maturity.

Either by nature or choice, the Metallicaare land-bound dragons.

The Metallica are creatures with anaffinity for elemental metal, and theyuse apportation/magic to gather metalto them. When facing an armored foe,they will often use their magic to drawtheir opponent close enough to bedevoured.

The Metallica are neither good norevil in nature, but are quick to attack iftheir nests are disturbed. They do notfeed on humans per se, but will treatanyone clad in armor as a potentialmeal.

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Dragon Key

1. Draconis Aysle (fire) 2. DraconisTeutonica (air) 3. DraconisMetallica (metal) 4. DraconisTerra (earth) 5. DraconisCrotalaria (plant) 6. DraconisAquatica (water)

Draconis MetallicaDEXTERITY 9Flight 10, unarmed combat 11STRENGTH 25TOUGHNESS 25/40PERCEPTION 14Divination magic 16, find 15, track-ing 15, trick 16MIND 13Apportation magic 16, test 14, will-power 15CHARISMA 8Charm 11, persuasion 9, taunt (12)SPIRIT 7Intimidation (12), reality 9,

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Additional Skills: three at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allArcane Knowledges: metal 6Natural Tools: armor, TOU+15/40;wings, speed value 10; claws, dam-age value 18

Draconis TerraDubbed the “earth dragon,” the

Draconis Terra make up the majorityof the great serpent population in thecosm. They can be found all over Up-per Aysle, and in slightly smaller num-bers on Lower Aysle. They have alsoprospered in the realm, as they areessentially peaceful in nature, but morethan capable of defending themselvesagainst attack.

The Draconis Terra are bound totheir namesake, being unable to fly orswim. They grow to an average of 15meters in length, and walk on fourclawed appendages.

Due to their unique abilities, theDraconis Terra are also known as the“Uiulisa Siutlk,” or “UnapproachableOnes,” by the Ayslish. When threat-ened, the dragon can cause the eartharound it to shake violently, often trig-gering avalanches or causing crevicesto appear. How well developed thispower is depends on the age of thedragon: a young beast can cause onlyminor tremors, while an ancient Terracan create an earthquake strong enoughto flatten a small city. Its claws are usedless as offensive weapons than as ameans to anchor the dragon to theground during shocks and aftershocks.

The Draconis Terra constitute theclosest thing to a natural enemy pos-sessed by the Draconis Teutonica. Theteutonic dragon’s love for rocky peaksmakes it vulnerable to the attack of theTerra, which has been known to bringhalf a mountainside down on aTeutonica that waited too long to taketo the air. Once in the sky, however,the Teutonica can attack with impu-nity, unable to be harmed by the earthdragon’s power.

The following stats are those of amature Draconis Terra.

Draconis TerraDEXTERITY 10Maneuver 11, running 13, unarmedcombat 11

STRENGTH 22Climbing 23TOUGHNESS 18/23PERCEPTION 17Find 18, tracking 19, trick 19MIND 20Apportation magic 23, survival 21,test 21CHARISMA 8Charm 10, persuasion 12, taunt (13)SPIRIT 8Intimidation (15), reality 9Additional Skills: three at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allArcane Knowledges: earth 5, in-animate forces 2Natural Tools: armor, TOU+5/23;claws, damage value STR+2/24;earth control, damage value 28,range 75/150/300

Draconis Crotalaria In a cosm and realm where food is

scarce, the Draconis Crotalaria are trea-sures beyond price. Their affinity withelemental plant life allows them tospur vegetation to growth, and theycommonly live surrounded by lushgrasses and trees. Even in the darkestareas of Aysle there are patches ofverdant greenery, and they invariablysignal the presence of a Crotalaria.

The Crotalaria is the smallest of thesix Aysle dragons, averaging between10 and 15 meters in length. But do notbe fooled by his size —many a hungryAyslish has found himself in dire dan-ger when caught foraging through theCrotalaria’s dragonhaunt without per-mission. While the dragon will occa-sionally give food away, more oftenhe will demand a boon in return for hisbounty.

Plant dragons have no fierce breathweapon, but their ability to influenceall growing things has proven an ef-fective defense against attack. Hunt-ing parties seeking the dragon musthack their way through vines andcreepers that attempt to entangle them,avoid slashing thorns and the on-slaughts of tree limbs. By the time theyreach the nest, the Crotalaria has van-ished in favor of another, more securehaven.

The Crotalaria has four clawed ap-pendages, a snake-like tail and feath-

ered, rather than membraneous, wings.Its scales are a deep jade in color.

Draconis CrotalariaDEXTERITY 13Flight 14, unarmed combat 14STRENGTH 20TOUGHNESS 20/26PERCEPTION 15Alteration magic 16, divinationmagic 16, find 16, scholar (plantlore) 17, trick 17MIND 20Apportation magic 21, conjurationmagic 21, test 22, willpower 21CHARISMA 9Charm 11, persuasion 11, taunt (14)SPIRIT 7Intimidation (12), reality 9Additional Skills: three at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allArcane Knowledges: plant 6, liv-ing forces 4Natural Tools: armor, TOU+6/26;wings, speed value 13; claws, dam-age value STR+3/23

FaeriesThe faeries of Aysle realm existed

on Earth centuries ago, but graduallydisappeared as the Tech axiom grewand the Magic axiom declined. Whenthe bridge dropped from the Ayslecosm and hordes of magical beingspoured into this world, the accompa-nying axiom wash brought the faeriesback to life.

Six different types of faerie currentlyexist in the realm, each one affiliatedwith a different element (fire, air, earth,water, metal, and plant). All look basi-cally the same: small humanoid crea-tures, roughly 30 centimeters in height,with membraneous wings on theirbacks. They are far more luminous,and have less physical mass, than theirAysle cosm counterparts, the fey. Eachfaerie possesses the power to performcertain spells connected to his or herparticular element, although it is pos-sible for particularly long-lived faerieto learn others. These powers can makethem dangerous to others, but alsoextremely useful: cypriums are oftenasked to provide the power to startmachinery, and cinlums can be foundon sailing ships helping to fill the can-

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vas with wind. Very few faeries arecapable of casting a spell of any greatstrength on their own, but their powerincreases exponentially when joinedwith their fellows. For example, if 10faeries cooperate on a spell, +10 can beadded to the bonus number.

Faeries of different elements oftendo not get along, and wars have beenknown to start between two or moretroops. Despite their small size, faeriewars can cause tremendous damage: abattle between air faeries and fire faeriesin 1666 resulted in a huge firestorm thatincinerated the city of London.

The following are brief descriptionsof the faeries of the realm

Cinlums Faeries with an affinity for elemen-

tal air, the cinlums live in trees wherethey can hear the wind blow. Mali-cious in nature, they have been knownto use their magic to blast crops, causedroughts and floods, and create vio-lent windstorms. The friendship of thecinlums is cultivated by sailors, whoask their help in stormy weather. Thecinlums detest faeries of fire and earth,and will attack either instantly.

CinlumDEXTERITY 13Dodge 16, flight 15, maneuver 15,melee weapons 14, missile weap-ons 15, stealth 15STRENGTH 4TOUGHNESS 5PERCEPTION 12Alteration magic 15, find 13, trick13, scholar (sailing) 14MIND 11Test 13, willpower 12CHARISMA 9Charm 10, persuasion 10, taunt 12SPIRIT 7Faith 9, intimidation 9, reality 8Additional Skills: one at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allSpells: weather control, floaterArcane Knowledges: air 9Natural Tools: wings, speed value 12Equipment: cloud armor, TOU+2/7; cinlum sword, enchanted, dam-age value STR+6/10; cinlum bow,enchanted, damage value STR+8/12, range 3-10/40/100

InfernasThe infernas are the fire faeries, who

are responsible for providing light andheat to travelers when night falls.Infernas are invaluable to have nearbywhen on an expedition, for they willkeep torches lit in dark places andtheir fireballs will keep most enemiesat bay. They prefer to live under-ground, far away from the wind andthe water. Entrances to their tunnelscan usually be found hidden underthe ashes of a cook fire or behind thebricks of a fireplace. Although theydislike the cinlum, their worst enemiesare the aqueates, the water faeries —due to the nature of their respectivepowers, a decisive battle between thetwo has never been fought.

InfernasDEXTERITY 12Dodge 15, flight 13, maneuver 14,melee weapons 13, missile weap-ons 13, prestidigitation 13, stealth14STRENGTH 4TOUGHNESS 6PERCEPTION 10Language 11, trick 11MIND 12Conjuration magic 15, test 14, will-power 13CHARISMA 7Charm 8, persuasion 8, taunt 8SPIRIT 6Faith 8, intimidation 7, reality 7Additional Skills: one at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allSpells: conjured fireballArcane Knowledges: fire 9Natural Tools: wings, speed value 10Equipment: fire armor, TOU+2/8;infernas sword, enchanted, dam-age value STR+6/10; infernas bow,enchanted, damage value STR+8/12, range 3-10/40/100

AqueatesAlong with the cinlums, the

aqueates are the faeries most feared bymariners, for it is they who call upblankets of fog or cause great waves tocrash against the bows. Sailors who donot show these sprites the proper re-spect often find themselves lost in the

fog on storm-tossed seas. Aqueates dohave their positive uses, though —they can easily be persuaded to putout a fire, since they will do this purelyfor the pleasure of angering theinfernas. Aqueates live at the bottomof ponds and lakes, and can be sum-moned by dropping pebbles into thewater (they will eventually come tothe surface to investigate the distur-bance). If the request made of them isnot politely phrased, or simply doesnot interest them, their visitor willleave drenched.

Sailors who wish a swift trip canask the help of both the aqueates andthe cinlums, who do not mind work-ing together, but the price for theircooperation will be high.

AqueatesDEXTERITY 13Dodge 16, fish riding 14, flight 14,melee weapons 14, missile weap-ons 14, swimming 15STRENGTH 4TOUGHNESS 4PERCEPTION 11Alteration magic 14, first aid 12,trick 12, scholar (sailing) 12MIND 11Apportation magic 13, test 12, will-power 12CHARISMA 8Charm 9, persuasion 9, taunt 9SPIRIT 8Faith 9, intimidation 9, reality 9Additional Skills: one at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allSpells: fog, water sprayArcane Knowledges: water 9Natural Tools: wings, speed value 10Equipment: water armor, TOU+2/6; aqueate sword, enchanted, dam-age value STR+6/10; aqueate spear,enchanted, damage value STR+5/10, range 3-5/25/40

SoliumsThe soliums are the most common

faeries, both in the realm and in Earthlegend. The last to disappear when theaxioms shifted centuries ago, theirbarrows still exist throughout GreatBritain and Scandinavia, and they re-claimed them upon their return.Soliums are benevolent faeries, al-

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though they are not above a prank ortwo (occasionally, one will throw asmall earth shield up in the path of awanderer and laugh heartily when hetrips over it). At one time, soliums andaqueates were allies, with the infernasthe common enemy. This lasted untilthe soliums realized that the aqueateswere washing their domain away, littleby little, and a great war ensued. Nowthe soliums consider only the plantfaeries their friends, although they willcooperate with humans if asked nicely.With their vast network of tunnels,they are able to carry messages rap-idly from one place to another, as wellas report on the conversations andmovements of enemies. With theirmagic to aid them, they are highlyefficient trackers. When attacked, theywill form earthen forts and hurl stonesat their opponents.

SoliumsDEXTERITY 11Beast riding 12, dodge 14, flight 12,maneuver 12, melee weapons 12,missile weapons 13, stealth 12STRENGTH 6TOUGHNESS 6PERCEPTION 11Divination magic 12, find 12, track-ing 12, trick 12MIND 11Apportation magic 14, survival 12,test 12CHARISMA 7Charm 8, persuasion 8, taunt 8SPIRIT 7Faith 8, intimidation 8, reality 8Additional Skills: one at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allSpells: earth shield, trackerArcane Knowledges: earth 9Natural Tools: wings, speed value10Equipment: earth armor, TOU+2/8; solium sword, enchanted, dam-age value STR+6/12; solium sling,enchanted, damage value STR+7/13, range 3-10/40/100

CypriumsThe metal faeries are considered

pests by many households, becauseno lock can keep them out and theywill steal metal objects, especially thosethey feel are neglected by their own-

ers. Often they will take up residencein teapots or jewelry boxes, and ven-ture out at night to polish the silver-ware. The boldest cypriums will makehomes in the treasure troves ofDraconis Metallica, but they are indire peril if the dragon catches them.Attempting to steal from a cyprium isunwise, as their magic allows them toelectrify their horde. Cypriums havefound a niche in the realm, often beingasked to send a jolt of energy into abattery or engine to get it started.Cypriums and aqueates do not getalong, as water rusts metal and elec-tricity is easily carried through water.

CypriumDEXTERITY 11Dodge 14, flight 12, lock-picking12, maneuver 12, melee weapons12, missile weapons 12, stealth 12STRENGTH 6TOUGHNESS 6PERCEPTION 11Alteration magic 13, find 12, trick12MIND 11Apportation magic 14, artist (met-alwork) 12, test 12, willpower 12CHARISMA 7Charm 8, persuasion 8, taunt 9SPIRIT 7Faith 8, intimidation 8, reality 8Additional Skills: one at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allSpells: bullet, lightning, open lockArcane Knowledges: inanimateforces 5, metal 4Natural Tools: wings, speed value10Equipment: metal armor, TOU+2/8, cyprium sword, enchanted, dam-age value STR+6/12; cyprium bow,enchanted, damage value STR+8/14, range 3-10/40/100

CelosiaThe celosia, or plant faeries, are the

gentlest and most peaceful of all therealm sprites. They live within flowerblossoms, and their primary role is tocharm the soliums into letting all thegrowing things emerge from the soiland into the sunlight. The celosia havebeen very frustrated since their returnby the number of dark places in therealm where nothing will bloom, and

for that reason, they have shown somewillingness to forego their traditionalneutrality and aid the Storm Knights.The celosia are beautiful creatures, andcan enchant others into revealing use-ful information or providing aid. Theyare, however, relatively fragile beings,and must be protected in combat.

CelosiaDEXTERITY 11Dodge 12, flight 13, stealth 12STRENGTH 3TOUGHNESS 4PERCEPTION 10Find 11, first aid 11, trick 11MIND 11Artist (flower arrangement) 12, con-juration magic 13, test 12, willpower12CHARISMA 11Charm 14, persuasion 13, taunt 12SPIRIT 9Faith 10, reality 10Additional Skills: one at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allSpells: charm personArcane Knowledges: living forces 9Natural Tools: wings, speed value 13Equipment: plant armor, TOU+2/6; celosia sling, enchanted, damagevalue STR+4/7, range 3-10/40/100

FeyThe fey are the Aysle cosm counter-

parts of the Earth faeries. Unlike thesprites who have only recently re-turned to the realm, the fey havethrived in the cosm for hundreds ofyears without interruption. The strongMagic axiom in the cosm has allowedthem to attain greater physical massthan the faeries, although evolutionhas deprived them of their wings, nordo they have the luminosity of theirEarth cousins.

Like the faeries, the fey are tied tothe elements. The brownies are affili-ated with elemental fire, the boggartswith earth, the boggles with metal, thepixies with air, the pookas with plantsand the nixies with water. They, too,rely heavily on magic, although theyare slightly more adept at the use ofweapons than are the faerie.

Only a small number of fey havemigrated down the bridges to Earth,primarily because they favor the same

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habitats as do the faerie, and fiercebattles have erupted between the twogroups. Whether the fey cross thebridges in force in the future remainsto be seen.

BrownieDEXTERITY 10Dodge 11, maneuver 11, meleeweapons 11, missile weapons 14STRENGTH 8Climbing 9TOUGHNESS 8PERCEPTION 10Language 11, trick 11MIND 12Conjuration magic 15, test 14, will-power 13CHARISMA 7Charm 8, persuasion 9, taunt 8SPIRIT 6Faith 7, intimidation 9, reality 7Additional Skills: one at +2 addsPossibility Potential: allSpells: conjured fireballArcane Knowledges: fire 10Equipment: brownie armor, en-chanted, TOU+2/10; browniesword, damage value STR+6/14;brownie bow, damage valueSTR+8/16, range 3-10/40/100

FomoriansThe Fomorians are a race of giants

who live on an island near Ugorlandin Lower Aysle. Shunned by even theother giants, the Fomorians have beencorrupted by centuries of Arthuk-wor-ship and interbreeding. The giants ofRakholm claim that the Fomorianspractice cannibalism and other darkrites, and refuse to have any dealingswith them. So hated are they that theconsensus of opinion in Lower Aysleis that the giant who betrayed his raceto the humans so long ago must havebeen a Fomorian.

The Fomorians are slightly larger,at about five meters, and less intelli-gent, than the average giant. Due totheir inability to follow orders andwork with other races, they werejudged by Uthorion to be unfit forparticipation in the invasion force. TheFomorians came anyway, and wereone of the instigators of the brawl be-tween dwarves and giants now takingplace in Belfast. Unlike some other

giants, the Fomorians have made noeffort to adapt to this new realm, rely-ing on their old ways — brutality andbloodshed — to carry them through.

FomorianDEXTERITY 16Melee weapons 19, unarmed com-bat 18STRENGTH 18Lifting 20TOUGHNESS 18PERCEPTION 6Trick 7MIND 6Survival 7, test 8, willpower (7)CHARISMA 5Charm (7), persuasion (9), taunt 7SPIRIT 7Faith (Arthuk) 9, intimidation 13Additional Skills: one at +2 addsPossibility Potential: some (65)Equipment: spiked club, damagevalue STR+4/22

GhoulsHorrid creatures of the night, ghouls

traveled across the maelstrom bridgefrom Orrorsh during Uthorion’s inva-sion of Aysle. Ghouls feed on corpses,and have no compunctions about cre-ating a few to make a meal.

Ghouls have gray, jelly-like fleshand fangs with which to rend theirprey. They are strong enough to tearapart a tomb in search of food, and arenoted for the complete silence in whichthey move. Ghouls normally attack ina group, and will then fight amongthemselves over the kill.

GhoulDEXTERITY 7Dodge 9, lock-picking 8, stealth 9,unarmed combat 10STRENGTH 12Lifting 14TOUGHNESS 12PERCEPTION 7Find 9, tracking 8, trick (9)MIND 6Test 9, willpower 20CHARISMA 6Charm (8) persuasion (11), taunt (9)SPIRIT 7Intimidation 9, reality 8Possibility Potential: some (60)

Natural Tools: fangs, damage valueSTR+2/14Note: Immune to KO conditions. IfHero Setback card comes up, charac-ters flee in fear if intimidated

GorgonThe gorgons are creatures with the

ability to turn their victims to stonemerely by looking into their eyes. Thegorgons commonly travel in threes,and much of the statuary that adornsportions of Lower Aysle are actuallydwarves and humans who fell victimto these foul beings.

The telltale characteristics of agorgon are red eyes, a greenish tingeto the skin, and a nest of writhingsnakes in place of hair. Though theyare physically powerful, they are notadept at physical combat, relying ontheir gaze to destroy their enemies.

Gorgons congregate in dark places,and prefer to stay away from bodies ofwater (should they see their own re-flection, they suffer the same fate astheir victims). Some have found workof a sort since crossing over into therealm — a Scottish “sculptor” wasrecently exposed as a fiend who hiredgorgons to stare at his enemies andturn them into stone, which he thensold as works of art.

GorgonDEXTERITY 8Dodge 9, stealth 9, unarmed com-bat 9STRENGTH 12TOUGHNESS 11PERCEPTION 12Languages 13, trick 15MIND 11Test 14, willpower 13CHARISMA 7Charm 11, persuasion (12), taunt(9)SPIRIT 5Intimidation 12Possibility Potential: noneNatural Tools: the gorgon’s attack

uses his or her willpower as the effectvalue, with a difficulty number of thetarget character’s Perception. If the tar-get is actively avoiding the gorgon’sgaze, he or she must get a “setback” ora “player’s call” result on a trick to makethe attack. The attack is consider a “one-

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on-many,” adding +2 to the difficultyof the trick attempt and +4 to the diffi-culty of the actual attack. (See the Multi-Action Chart on page 45 of the TorgRulebook.) Each wound level causes thevictim’s body to solidify further, andreduces all Dexterity-related skills bytwo. After three wounds have beentaken, the victim is completely turnedto stone, and can be returned to fleshonly if the gorgon is slain. This can bedone by severing the head of the crea-ture, or reflecting their gaze back atthem. If less than three wounds, thevictim’s DEX returns in 24 hours

GospogUthorion has gotten tremendous

use out of his gospog, using them totrack down pockets of resistancethroughout Norway and Finland, andas an instrument of pure terror in theother countries that make up the realmof Aysle. The sight of these nightmar-ish creatures often breaks the spirits ofopponents long before a drop of bloodhas been spilled.

Second, third and fourth plantinggospog are plentiful, but there are veryfew fifth plantings, Uthorion havinglost a number of the precious seedswhen Ardinay’s forces took control ofmuch of southern England.

Gospog of the first planting areidentical in every realm, and their sta-tistics can be found in the Torg Rule-book, page 90.

Gospog of theSecond Planting

Aysle gospog of the second plantingresemble huge wolves, with viciousfangs and heavy fur which enables themto function in the cold northern reachesof the realm without difficulty. Parts oftheir hide are composed of plant mat-ter, and as a result, sharp thorns linetheir fur. They are gifted with an un-canny ability to track, and have beenknown to accurately trace fleeing vil-lagers across snowfields and throughicy rivers. When they find their quarry,the gospog waste no time in tearing itapart. They generally operate in a pack,much like genuine wolves.

Second planting gospog are par-ticularly fond of half-folk meat, and soa team of Vikings or humans are com-monly sent to keep the pack movingtoward its goal. The average gospog isfour meters in length.

Many of the moors England andScotland have been used as gospogfields, and the baying of the“wolves” upon them these days is asinister sound, indeed.

Gospog of the Second PlantingDEXTERITY 13Dodge 14, maneuver 15, running15, stealth 14, unarmed combat 15STRENGTH 11TOUGHNESS 11PERCEPTION 9Find 12, tracking 12, trick (11)MIND 7Test (11), willpower 9CHARISMA 4Taunt (8)SPIRIT 4Intimidation (9)Possibility Potential: noneNatural Tools: claws, damage valueSTR+2/13; teeth, damage value

STR+3/14; thorns, damage valueSTR+3/14

Gospog of theThird Planting

Third planting gospogs are slightlylarger versions of their predecessors,with an average length of six meters.In addition to the skills of the secondplanting gospogs, this version hasmore pronounced claws, larger andsharper teeth, and its hide is a mixtureof fur and scales. Less plantlike, itsthorns are gone, replaced by two ten-tacles emerging from its backs. Whiletheir tracking abilities remain un-changed between generations, thesegospog are far tougher and able to domore damage in battle.

Gospog of the Third PlantingDEXTERITY 14Dodge 15, maneuver 16, running16, stealth 15, unarmed combat 16STRENGTH 13Climbing 15TOUGHNESS 12/17

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PERCEPTION 9Find 12, tracking 12, trick (11)MIND 7Test (11), willpower 9CHARISMA 4Taunt (10)SPIRIT 4Intimidation (10)Possibility Potential: noneNatural Tools: armor, TOU+5/17;claws, damage value STR+3/16;teeth, damage value STR+4, 17; ten-tacles, damage value STR+2/15Note: When using tentacles, gospogcan make two attacks per round

Gospog of theFourth Planting

In the fourth planting, the gospogbegin to take on more dragon-like char-acteristics, the most obvious being thetransformation of their tentacles intomembraneous wings. Their size andstrength also increase, although theymake less use of their tracking abili-ties, since they are now able to spottheir quarry from the air. Fourth plant-ing gospog average eight meters inlength.

From the fourth generation on, thegospog tend to spend less time in apack, often hunting independently.There is also no longer a need forViking herders, as their intelligencehas increased to the point that they arenot easily distracted from their goal.

Gospog of the Fourth PlantingDEXTERITY 10Dodge 14, maneuver 13, flight 12,unarmed combat 16STRENGTH 20TOUGHNESS 14/19PERCEPTION 10Find 12, tracking 12, trick 11MIND 9Test 11, willpower 11CHARISMA 4Taunt (12)SPIRIT 4Intimidation 15Possibility Potential: noneNatural Tools: armor, TOU+5/19;wings, speed value 12; claws, dam-age value STR+3/19; teeth, dam-age value STR+4, 20

Gospog of theFifth Planting

With the final planting, the trans-formation into a hybrid wolf-dragonis complete with the addition of abreath weapon capable of causingmetallic objects to crumble. The acidicelements which make this possible arestored in two internal sacs, and thegospog can fire two blasts in succes-sion (one per round), but each sactakes two rounds to refill.

The breath weapon will not affectany element other than metal, but iteats away at this with astonishing ra-pidity. Armor and metallic weaponsquickly become useless when em-ployed against a fifth planting gospog.

In its fifth incarnation, the gospogreaches its maximum size of 10 meters.

Gospog of the Fifth PlantingDEXTERITY 12Dodge 15, maneuver 14, light 14,unarmed combat 17STRENGTH 22TOUGHNESS 20/25PERCEPTION 11Find 14, tracking 14, trick 13MIND 9Test 12, willpower 13CHARISMA 4Taunt (14)SPIRIT 4Intimidation 17Possibility Potential: NoneNatural Tools: armor, TOU+5/25;claws, damage value STR+3/25;teeth, damage value STR+4/26;wings, speed value 12; acidic breath,damage value 25 (applied againstToughness of object)

The Green MenThe Green Men are malign creatures

who live in the forests of England, hav-ing migrated across the bridge fromAysle. Not strictly “men” at all, they area hybrid of human being and tree,their bodies made of wood with barkfor skin and thorny branches for fin-gers. Their features resemble that of aman’s carved into a tree trunk, andthey have leaves for hair.

A Green Man will stay hidden in aforest glade until it spots a lone trav-

eler. It will then slash at the victimwith its fingers and then crush him todeath in its arms. It is believed theGreen Man feeds on the blood of hisvictims, and it is this which keeps himanimated.

Green ManDEXTERITY 9Stealth 20, unarmed combat 12STRENGTH 15Lifting 16TOUGHNESS 12PERCEPTION 10Find 11, tracking 12MIND 8Test (9)CHARISMA 5Taunt (10)SPIRIT 6Reality 7Additional Skills: one at +1 addPossibility Potential: some (50)Natural Tools: thorny branches,damage value STR+2/17

GriffinA bizarre hybrid of the eagle and

the lion, the griffin has the body of thegreat cat and the head, wings andclaws of the airborne hunter. Griffinsgrow to an average length of eightmeters, with wing spans of nine meters.Griffins prefer to live on high moun-tain peaks, but will gravitate to anylofty spot, church spires and castletowers being particular favorites.

In the cosm, griffins commonly fedon other animals, with unicorn meatand the entrails of small dragons con-sidered delicacies. On Earth, the grif-fin has developed a taste for humanflesh, a great roar and the beating ofwings being the last sounds heard bya number of unwary travelers.

The griffin’s preferred method ofhunting is to swoop down and rake itsprey with its claws, then use its bulk toforce the victim to the ground. Once ithas its target pinned, the griffin willuse its powerful beak to tear off piecesand fly with them back to its nest.

Although griffins rarely associatewith other species, the strangeness ofthe realm has led many to team withsorcerers for mutual benefit. The grif-fin is capable of understanding simplecommands, but cannot converse.

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GriffinDEXTERITY 14Dodge 15, flight 16, stealth 15, un-armed combat 17STRENGTH 18TOUGHNESS 16PERCEPTION 9Tracking 11, trick 10MIND 8Test 10CHARISMA 5Taunt (8)SPIRIT 5Intimidation 10Additional Skills: two at +1 addsPossibility Potential: some (60)Natural Tools: wings, speed value12; claws, damage value STR+2/20; beak, damage value STR+3/21

KrakenThe monstrous giant octopus known

as the kraken haunts northern waters,particularly the shipping lanes aroundNorway, feeding off unfortunate sail-ors it plucks from vessels with its mightytentacles. Lately, with Viking longshipssailing about the area, the kraken havebeen eating well, and the warriors ofAysle have learned to watch for thefrothing waters that signal the approachof one of the great beasts.

Kraken do not exist in Aysle cosm,but are native to Earth. The advent ofmotorized ships with greater speedhad forced the kraken to find preyamong the fish on the sea bottom, butthe dropping of Tech axioms with theAysle invasion has brought slow sail-ing ships back into vogue, and thekraken has responded.

A kraken has a large head with twoeyes and a beak-like mouth. It has adozen tentacles, each about 70 meterslong, and its total length is roughly 100meters. It has been known to snatch asailor out of the crow’s nest of a shipand gulp it down, then squeeze a shipin its tentacles until it splinters, atwhich point it feeds on any crewmenwho were belowdecks.

The most vulnerable point on akraken is its eyes. If blinded, it willbreak off an attack and submerge, andeventually be slain by one of its ownkind.

KrakenDEXTERITY 12Swimming 13, unarmed combat 15STRENGTH 21Lifting 23TOUGHNESS 20PERCEPTION 9Tracking 10MIND 5Test (10)CHARISMA 3Taunt (25)SPIRIT 3Intimidation (15)Possibility Potential: some (60)Natural Tools: tentacles, damagevalue STR+1/22Note: The kraken can make threeattacks per combat round

Legend ApparitionA legend apparition closely re-

sembles a ghost, both in appearanceand behavior. But unlike the classicrestless spirit, the legend apparition isnot an independent entity, but ratheran illusion formed from the energy ofthe beliefs and superstitions and oth-ers.

An apparition will usually form inan area where a particularly hated andmalevolent individual has recentlydied. The fears of local residents thatthe deceased will return as a ghostcause a legend apparition to take shape.It will possess the memories and char-acteristics of the person it resembles,which are impressed upon it by theminds of the people who caused it toappear, and will genuinely believe it isthe ghost of a dead individual. Unableto attack physically, the legend appa-rition operates by frightening thosearound it using its intimidation as theeffect value against a difficulty num-ber of the target’s Mind.

Since it is not, destroying the bodyor the building it is haunting will proveineffective in dispelling it. However, ifproof of such an action can be shownto the apparition and the people it istormenting, their belief that the “ghost”has been destroyed will cause the ap-parition to vanish.

Legend ApparitionDEXTERITY 3Stealth 22

STRENGTH 1TOUGHNESS 11PERCEPTION 11Find 19, tracking 14, trick 12MIND 11CHARISMA 15Persuasion 17, taunt 15SPIRIT 15Intimidation 24

ManesSubterranean tunnel-dwellers who

share the Land Between with thedwarves, no one is quite sure if themanes are merely creatures, or mightqualify as lesser folk. Certainly theyseem to have some rudimentary intel-ligence, and are capable of workingwith simple tools. But they are seem-ingly incapable of communication withother species, or even each other, andhow they manage to coordinate theirefforts toward a common goal remainsa mystery.

Manes are small, humanoid crea-tures, usually about one meter inheight, with pale reddish skin and nohair on their bodies. They are adept atworking with their hands, and showremarkable balance when climbingthrough the tunnels. Their eyesight isextremely limited because of the lowlight levels in their domain, but theirhearing is very acute. They prefer toleave other species alone, but will at-tack in a mob if someone encroacheson areas they claim as their own.

ManesDEXTERITY 11Dodge 13, melee weapons 12, stealth14, unarmed combat 12STRENGTH 6Climbing 13TOUGHNESS 7PERCEPTION 8Trick (9)MIND 7Survival 10, test (9)CHARISMA 8Charm (11), persuasion (11), taunt(11)SPIRIT 5Intimidation (7)Possibility Potential: noneEquipment: club, damage valueSTR+3/9

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ManticoreThe manticore is a strange creature

that stalks the mountains of Bar’annand the ice fields of Holm and Skani inthe cosm, exciting dread in the heartsof even the bravest of barbarians andVikings. The manticore has the bodyof a lion, the tail of a scorpion, andfeatures identical to a man’s, save forthe rows of razor-sharp teeth in itsmouth.

According to legend, the manticorewas originally a plant-eater, subsistingon the leafy vegetation that grew alongthe mountainsides. Then a Viking hunt-ing party took to the hills, slaughteringmany manticore and forcing others toflee. Cornered, one of the creatureslashed out at its pursuers, and so tastedflesh for the first time. Since that day,manticore have been man-killers, pre-ferring to stalk at night and resisting allefforts to exterminate them.

Manticore have traveled to everycosm Aysle has invaded, and a greatnumber of them came down thebridges into Oulu and Oslo. Unlikemany of the creatures in the realm, themanticore are not affiliated with theDark or the Light. With their fiercenature and voracious appetites, themanticore pose as great a threat toUthorion’s forces as they do to StormKnights.

Manticore prefer to hunt alonerather than in packs. Their usualmethod of attack is to fire a poisonedstinger from its tail into its victim, andthen feast on the corpse. Themanticore’s teeth and claws do, how-ever, make it a formidable foe in close-range combat.

ManticoreDEXTERITY 10Maneuver 12, missile weapons (tailstingers) 14, running 11, unarmedcombat 13STRENGTH 15Climbing 16TOUGHNESS 14PERCEPTION 9Tracking 11, trick 10MIND 7Test 9CHARISMA 4Taunt (9)SPIRIT 6Intimidation 10

Possibility Potential: noneNatural Tools: stingers, damagevalue 23, range 3-10/100/300;claws, damage value STR+2/17;teeth, damage value STR+3/18

MimisThe mimis are small creatures who

live in the cracks between rocks, emerg-ing only to hunt for food. Mimis arehumanoid in appearance, but their skinis translucent, light blue in color, andhorribly shrivelled. These beings areallies by necessity with the cinlums,since in bad weather an entire tribe ofmimis could be blown away ordrowned.

Mimis have claws and teeth, butgenerally they are content to subsiston plants. If a human ventures tooclose to their lair, they will attack andattempt to devour him. Singly, mimisare no match for a large creature, butthey attack in packs of up to 100,swarming over their prey before hehas time to react.

Mimis have settled in the SlieveBloom Mountains in Ireland and otherrocky areas throughout the realm.

MimisDEXTERITY 12Dodge 13, stealth 15, unarmed com-bat 13

STRENGTH 4Climbing 8TOUGHNESS 4PERCEPTION 8Find 10, trick 9MIND 8Test 9CHARISMA 7Taunt (9)SPIRIT 6Intimidation (9)Possibility Potential: noneNatural Tools: claws, damage valueSTR+2/6; teeth, damage valueSTR+3/7

RevenantsRestless spirits of the dead,

revenants have come back in forcesince the Aysle axioms washed overthe realm. Revenants tend to be theghosts of murderers who haunt thescenes of their crimes, unable to findfinal peace. Many of these creatureshate the living, and so can be verydangerous even in their ghostly form.Revenants have been known to ap-pear in the middle of a roadway, fright-ening a driver into thinking he is aboutto hit someone. The driver will try toavoid the obstacle and often crash as aresult, at which point the revenantwill disappear.

hostly CombatGBattling non-corporeal entities

is one of the hazards of operat-ing in Aysle. Revenants, ghostsand other “beings of thespirit” have no physical mass tospeak of, and thus cannot beharmed by melee, missile or un-armed attacks. They cannot ini-tiate any such attacks, either, butcan harass and terrify, and oftenthose activities are the raison d’etreof their existence.

However, like any other crea-ture, these beings have their vul-nerabilities. In magical terms,

ghosts are considered to be en-tities. Thus magic which arisesfrom the knowledges of light,darkness, life, death, or entity cando damage to them. In addi-tion, enchanted weapons whichhave been imbued with thoseknowledges are also effective.

Finally, those Ayslish whohave attained the third level un-der the Laws of Honor and Cor-ruption are capable of makingstandard melee, missile andunarmed attacks again non-cor-poreal foes.

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Revenants commonly appear in aglowing form that resembles theirphysical incarnation. Often, they willcarry a ghostly version of the weaponwith which they killed in life.Revenants can pass through solid ob-jects, and cannot initiate or suffer froma physical attack — they are, however,vulnerable to magic and enchantedweapons which are connected to thearcane knowledges of light, darkness,death and life (see sidebar). Their sud-den appearances and disappearancescan be very unnerving, and they existto strike terror into others as revengefor their suffering after death.

RevenantsDEXTERITY 3Stealth 18STRENGTH 1TOUGHNESS 12PERCEPTION 10Tracking 12, trick 12MIND 9CHARISMA 16Persuasion 17, taunt 18SPIRIT 16Intimidation 24Possibility Potential: none

SkeletonsAmong the most common creatures

of Aysle, animated skeletons havebeen used by Uthorion as shock troopsin a number of places in the realm.Their inability to feel pain and theirmindless obedience of orders makesthem ideal for frontal assaults, whilemore intelligent soldiers take advan-tage the diversion to pursue their ownobjectives.

Skeletons can be raised by sorcer-ers, through a ritual that involves slic-ing open the chest of a corpse andpulling the bones free of the body.Once animated, the skeleton retainsno memory of its former identity,and Uthorion has often used thebones of fallen enemies for his darkpurposes.

Skeletons are normally armored,and can use a variety of weapons.

SkeletonDEXTERITY 8Dodge 9, melee weapons 11, un-armed combat 10

STRENGTH 10TOUGHNESS 10PERCEPTION 6MIND 4CHARISMA 4Taunt (8)SPIRIT 3Intimidation (7)Possibility Potential: NoneEquipment: armor, TOU+2/12;sword, damage value STR+4/14Note: Immune to shock and KOconditions

The SpectralKnights

The Spectral Knights are the corpsesof Ardinay’s Knight Protectors, theirbodies possessed by demons underUthorion’s control. There are five ofthese dreadful creatures, their origi-nal spirits trapped within their shellsand forced to watch the evil their bod-ies commit. Often in such cases, thespirit itself becomes corrupted by theproximity of the dark being that hasreanimated the body.

Originally, the form of Tolwyn ofHouse Tancred led the SpectralKnights, although the spirit of Tolwynwas in another body. The livingTolwyn slew the walking corpse andreclaimed her armor and sword.

The five remaining Spectral Knightswere, in life, the bravest warriors ofHouses Gerrik, Liandar, Daleron,Vareth, and Bendes. Having all beenbrought back in the same manner, theyall have basically the same attributesand skills. The Spectral Knights are par-ticularly adept users of magic, and theirarmor has been transformed so as to begreater proof against magical attack.

Spectral KnightDEXTERITY 13Maneuver 14, melee weapons 15,unarmed combat 15STRENGTH 14TOUGHNESS 12PERCEPTION 15Divination magic 17, find 16, trick16MIND 14Conjuration magic 17, test 15CHARISMA 10Persuasion 13, taunt 12

SPIRIT 7Corruption 8, intimidation 11, real-ity 9Possibilities: 5Spells: conjured fireball, detect magic,mage darkArcane Knowledges: fire 4, magic 4,dark 4Equipment: plate-mail, TOU+5, anadditional +2 when defendingagainst magical attacks; two-handed sword (enchanted), dam-age value STR+9/23

WendigoThe beasts known as wendigos live

in caverns throughout Lower Aysle.They range from three to four metershigh, and are covered in white fur,with sharp teeth and claws. Giant leg-end says that they are Ayslish whoangered the gods by feasting on theflesh of their comrades, and were pun-ished by being transformed into mon-sters. Whether there is any truth to thetale is unknown, but wendigos arehighly dangerous, and confirmedmeat-eaters. They seem to have nopreference when it comes to prey, eat-ing humans and dwarves from theLands Above and Between, and theoccasional giant. Numerous attemptshave been made to exterminate thebeasts, but they know the land toowell and go into hiding while huntingparties are searching for them.

Something resembling a wendigowas recently sighted in Norway, butthe accounts have been dismissed bythe Vikings as the ravings of a mad-man. If wendigos has come down themaelstrom bridge, it means additionalproblems for both sides of the war.

WendigoDEXTERITY 14Dodge 15, long jumping 15, stealth15, unarmed combat 17STRENGTH 17Climbing 18TOUGHNESS 15/16PERCEPTION 9Find 10, tracking 10, trick 11MIND 7Test 9CHARISMA 8Charm (10), taunt (11)

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SPIRIT 5Intimidation 10Possibility Potential: some (65)Natural Tools: claws, damage valueSTR+2/19; teeth, damage value STR+3/20; hide, armor value TOU+1/16

WyvernWyvern are huge, segmented

worm-like creatures, said to reachlengths of up to 10 meters. Their skin istranlucent, and their meat is consid-ered a delicacy by the dwarves of theLand Between. Wyvern reside in thetunnels of the cosm, sleeping for muchof the time and only rousing to feedonce every two months. They are meateaters, and will roll over and crushprey before swallowing it whole. Thisis infinitely preferable to being eatenalive by the wyvern, since it is said ittakes years to be fully digested.

WyvernDEXTERITY 8Unarmed combat 11STRENGTH 20TOUGHNESS 14PERCEPTION 8Tracking 10, trick (13)MIND 4Test (13)CHARISMA 4Taunt (14)SPIRIT 4Intimidation (25)Possibility Potential: none

Wotan andthe Wild Hunt

The dreaded Horn Master and hisWild Hunt has been one of Uthorion’smost potent weapons, even beingloaned to Living Land High LordBaruk Kaah at one point. The Hunt isfirst seen as a huge storm on the hori-zon, and then a blast of Wotan’s horncauses the black clouds to split apartand change to the shapes of ravens,hounds, horses, stags, hunters andsquires. These demonic creatures then

swoop down from out of the sky, lay-ing waste to towns and villages, thesquires collecting the souls of slainmortals for later incorporation intothe Hunt.

Wotan himself is a massive crea-ture that wears the shape of a man,with an antlered helmet and a naked,muscular chest. The lightning of thestorm forms a mantle about his shoul-ders, but the bolts reveal his true form:a rotting skeleton, riding atop a blackand misshapen demon. He carries anenchanted horn and sword, and main-tains absolute control of the creaturesthat make up the Hunt.

Wotan lives for blood and death,and gladly served Uthorion for as longas the Dark High Lord provided himwith barbaric tasks to perform.Uthorion’s defeat at the hands of theStorm Knights and subsequent pos-session of a Viking chieftain has forcedhim to lose touch with Wotan, and theHorn Master is now operating inde-pendently, attacking those areas con-trolled by Ardinay’s forces when notresiding in Ardinay Castle.

Despite the variety of appearancesthey assume, the members of the Huntare all the same type of demon. Theyexist by binding their essence to that ofa disembodied soul, and using thepolymorphism spell to assume the shapeof raven, hound, etc. Wotan strictlymonitors what forms they take, newmembers of the Hunt confined to theshape of a raven, until they prove them-selves in battle and can ascend throughthe ranks to hunter.

Wotan the Horn MasterDEXTERITY 18Beast riding 19, dodge 20, flight 19(speed value 18), melee weapons20, unarmed combat 20STRENGTH 21TOUGHNESS 25PERCEPTION 16Alteration magic 19, divinationmagic 17, find 17, language 17, track-ing 18, trick 18MIND 12Survival 14, test 14, willpower 14CHARISMA 9Charm 10, persuasion 12, taunt 11

SPIRIT 9Intimidation 15, reality 12Possibilities: 20Spells: lightning, polymorphism (seeThe Forever City).Arcane Knowledges: folk 8, inani-mate forces 5Equipment: horn, Toughness 35,range 3-100/400/1k; two-handedsword (enchanted), damage valueSTR+10/31; helmet (enchanted)TOU+3/28, with an additional +2against magical attacks; armor valueTOU+6/31, with an additional +2when defending against magical at-tacks

The Wild HuntDEXTERITY 15Beast riding 16, dodge 16, flight 16(speed value 18), maneuver 16,melee weapons 17, unarmed com-bat 18STRENGTH 13TOUGHNESS 16PERCEPTION 12Alteration magic 14, find 14, track-ing 13, trick 13MIND 8Test 10, willpower 11CHARISMA 8Charm (10), persuasion (11), Taunt14SPIRIT 7Intimidation 11, reality 8Note: When in the form of horses,ravens, hounds, or stags add +2 tomaneuver skillPossibility Potential: allSpells: polymorphismArcane Knowledges: folk 6Natural Tools: as raven, beak, dam-age value STR+2/15; as hound,teeth, STR+3/16; as horse, hooves,STR+2/15; as stag, antlers, STR+3/16Equipment: as squire, short sword(enchanted), damage value STR+6/19; as hunter, broadsword (en-chanted), damage value STR+8/21;chain-mail (enchanted), armorvalue TOU+5/21, an additional +2when defending against magicalattacks

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Chapter Ten Equipmentesidents of both the Ayslecosm and realm areequipped with a varietyof melee and missileweapons, along with very

primitive firearms. In general, themelee arms — swords, maces, axes,and the like — are the most commonand least expensive of the weaponsavailable. Missile weapons often re-quire more practice before they can beused effectively. The Wheel lock Dagpistol has slowly come into favor, par-ticularly among the Corsairs, but isnot yet in widespread use.

The other two major types of Aysleequipment are armor, which enjoysgreat popularity, and enchanted items,which are often quite expensive butcan be extremely useful in battle aswell as daily life.

Due to the fact that they were con-structed under Aysle axioms, many ofthe weapons brought from the cosmor now being produced in the realmare slightly stronger than their CoreEarth counterparts. This allows themto be used by the Ayslish, who areoften more powerful than Earth hu-mans, and inflict more damage uponopponents.

Melee WeaponsThe hand-held weapon has a long

history in both the Aysle and CoreEarth cosms. From the primitive stoneclub to the morning star and pole-arm,from the hiss of a rapier to the sicken-ing sound of a broadsword strikinghome, there are few combatants inAysle willing to go without one. Eventhose who favor missile weapons willkeep a dagger or sword handy in theevent it is needed.

Here are some of the more popularmelee weapons.

Dagger: A small knife, no more thana third of a meter in length, which canbe easily concealed on the person anddrawn no matter how close of astruggle one is engaged in. Daggers

are also widely used as eating utensilsthroughout Aysle, and virtually ev-eryone carries one.

Short Sword: The weapon mostfavored by shield-bearing Ayslish isthe short or one-handed sword. Usedby most knights and some Vikings,the most effective is the double-bladesword with a small hand-grip. Theshort sword can be more difficult tohandle than the rapier, and will notcause as much damage per attack asthat weapon, but is more durable.

Rapier: A one-handed sword witha long, thin blade, the rapier is lightand allows for faster maneuvers. Whileit cannot cause as much damage as abroadsword or two-handed sword, itis easier to penetrate an opponent’sdefenses with the quick stroke of therapier. Favored by Corsairs andFreetraders, the major drawback ofthe rapier is that it is fragile, and willtend to break in battle, especially ifmatched against a heavier blade.

Broadsword: The ancestor of thetwo-handed sword, the broadswordfeatures a wide, heavy blade. It is com-monly used by those who wish toforego the use of a shield, and can dogreat damage, although its weight less-ens maneuverability. Broadswords areused by Ayslish paladins and someVikings.

Two-handed Sword: The preferredweapons of the Vikings, two-handedswords are essentially broadswordswith greater heft. They are capable ofthe most damage (a maximum valueof 22) of any unenchanted meleeweapon in the realm, but their suc-cessful use requires that the attack bean intense and ferocious one. It is dif-ficult to parry strokes with the weightysword, and a shield cannot be usedalong with it.

Dwarf Spike: A small, pointed pieceof metal bearing some resemblance toa chisel, the dwarf spike can be used asa weapon or as a tool for digging in themines. It is used almost exclusively bydwarves.

Sword-breaker: A dagger designedfor parrying and shattering an

opponent’s sword, the sword-breakeris commonly held in the left hand. Itsblade has a heavily serrated edge, al-lowing it to catch an attacker’s weapon.The defender can then twist theweapon and snap the opposing bladefree from its hilt.

Club: The first and simplestweapon, the club is nothing more thana weighted stick, which increases themomentum and thus the force of ablow. Clubs are commonly made ofwood, although Ice Nomads have beenknown to use dragon bones for thesame purpose. Clubs are also seen inthe hands of barbarians.

Staff: A wooden stick, thinner thanthe average club, a staff is usuallyabout two meters in length. Extremelyinexpensive, staffs are carried by peas-ant farmers throughout the cosm aswell as some Dunadian priests. In thehands of a trained user, the staff can bea very effective weapon, both on of-fense and defense.

Giant War-Club: A huge woodenclub with iron spikes driven through itand a band of metal wrapped aroundthe head to give it added weight. Thisis the favored weapon of the priests ofArthuk, and requires a minimun ofSTR 14 to use.

Battle-Ax: Another implement ofdestruction that can be either melee ormissile weapon, the battle-ax has beenmade famous by the dwarves, barbar-ians, Vikings and trolls. A sharp metalhead attached to a wooden shaft, thebattle-ax can be either single-edged ordouble-edged. Currently, the latter ismore popular.

War-Hammer: A wooden handlewith a metal hammerhead attached,with a dagger emerging from the head,the war-hammer was invented by thedwarves during the War of theCrowns, and remains in use today.The hammerhead is used to stun anopponent, and the dagger used topierce his armor.

Mace: The mace is a club made ofmetal, with spikes or sharp ridges onthe head. Maces range in length froma third of a meter to a meter, and are

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intended as one-handed weapons, al-though they can be swung with bothhands. Maces are extremely effectiveat unseating mounted attackers.

Morning Star: A variation of themace, the handle and head of a morn-ing star are connected by joints orchains which increase the force of theblow. Morning stars are favored bythe dwarves, who have discovered thatjust spinning one is often enough tokeep a larger opponent at bay.

Ball and Chain: A more powerfulversion of the morning star, the balland chain is precisely that: a length ofchain with a round iron ball at the end.It usually functions as a melee weapon,but can also be thrown at an approach-ing opponent. The ball and chain is afavorite of the giants.

Pole-Arms: Long wooden shafts,often in excess of three meters, toppedwith sharp points, ax-heads, claws,and so on. Pole-arms are most fre-quently used by foot soldiers to unseatcavalry, or for grappling betweenships. These have been used by theVikings as a means of pulling elves offof their dragon steeds.

Missile WeaponsMissile weapons have had a great

deal to do with the survival of theAyslish humans and the dwarvesagainst such threats as the giants, thetrolls and the Vikings. Usually over-powered and outnumbered, theAyslish learned quickly to take ad-vantage of their edge in physical coor-dination and fight with missile weap-ons from long range. Although suchweapons as the crossbow cannot dothe damage that a melee weapon can,they do not require that an attackerclose with an opponent who may haveheight, reach and strength advantage.In addition, coating arrows with pitchand setting them ablaze has proven avery effective method of taking fortsor driving off naval attacks.

The following are the most fre-quently-used missile weapons.

Throwing Dagger: A specializedknife balanced so it can be thrownwith accuracy at a target (a standarddagger cannot be relied upon to buryits blade in an opponent when tossed).

Easy to conceal, the throwing daggerhas become synonymous with treach-ery, as they are usually found emerg-ing from someone’s back.

Sling: A piece of rope with a pouchin the middle. A stone or lead pellet isplaced in the pouch; both ends of therope are grasped in one hand. Therope is twirled rapidly around thehead, and then, at the proper moment,one end of the rope is released, send-ing the stone flying rapidly toward itstarget. A very inexpensive weapon,slings can be disguised as belts or neck-laces. Their accuracy and silence makethem the weapon of choice for thievesand assassins, and they are often usedby House Vareth dwarves on theirforays into the Land Between.

Spear: A long wooden stick with apointed metal head on the end, thespear can be used as a missile weaponor a melee weapon. It is at its mosteffective during sieges, when it can bethrown from the walls at attackerssurrounding a city or fortress. Spearsthrown en masse are extremely diffi-cult to evade. Spears are most fre-quently used by barbarians, althoughAyslish troops, Vikings and dwarveshave also been known to put them touse.

Dwarven Bomb: Designed for usein dwarven tunnel fighting, thesebombs consist of an iron ball filledwith black powder. A fuse protrudesfrom the ball, and when it is lit, the ballexplodes, usually bringing down alarge section of the tunnel on one’sattackers. These explosives barelyqualify as a missile weapon — beingtoo heavy to lift, they must be rolledinto the midst of the enemy, hopefullywithout extinguishing the fuse in theprocess.

Short Bow: A simple wooden bow,less than 1.5 meters in length. It fireswooden shafts with metallic heads,and requires the least amount of skillto use of any bow-and-arrow incarna-tion. The string of the short bow isdrawn back to the breast, and thusdoes not require the strength of itsdescendant, the long bow. The shortbow is used by dwarves, centaurs, andelves.

Long Bow: A wooden bow, greaterthan 1.5 meters in length, which de-mands both strength and skill to beused. The string of the long bow is

drawn back as far as the ear, and has agreater range and can shoot arrows ata greater velocity than the short bow.Since it requires a certain amount oftraining to become proficient at theuse of the longbow, it is most oftenfound in the hands of Ayslish troopsrepresenting one of the Houses.

Composite Bow: A more powerfulversion of the long bow, the stave ofthe composite bow is made up of threedifferent materials, combined so as toenhance the elastic properties of each.Thus the composite bow, while closerto the size of the short bow, can firearrows at greater velocity and dogreater damage than a long bow. Com-posite bows are the most expensiveavailable, and only expert archers willspend the money to purchase one.

Light Crossbow: A crossbow con-sists of a bow attached to a woodenstock, which allows the weapon to bekept cocked without effort by the firer.Many crossbows are mechanically bent(or “spanned”), allowing for muchstronger pulls and thus much greaterpower. The main advantage of a cross-bow over a long bow is that they can beused effectively by less powerful ar-chers. However, they lack the rangeand ability to inflict damage that thelong bow possesses. The light cross-bow must be braced against some-thing for the archer to successfullycock it. Crossbows are carried byAyslish troops and some elves, andare available from Freetraders at rea-sonable rates.

Heavy Crossbow: The heavy cross-bow is able to inflict more damage at agreater range than the light crossbow,and is also considerably more durable.To cock it, the archer must place a footin the stirrup at the end of the bow anduse a small winch on the stock.

Shields and ArmorIn a place full of monsters, warring

Houses, and various and sundry otherthreats to life and limb, the differencebetween living another day and fall-ing before an enemy is often no morethan the strength of one’s shield andarmor.

For that reason, such things areamong a warriors most prized posses-sions, for the purchase of which no

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expense is spared. A talented armorercan command a high fee in Aysle, andeven a mediocre one can be assured ofeating regularly.

Use of a shield increases the diffi-culty number to hit, providing theshielded character is actively defend-ing and his opponent is making a fron-tal attack. The difficulty modifier foreach type of shield is noted in theindividual entries below.

Optional Rule: The sum of theshield’s difficulty modifier and thevalue of the skill used to defend (mostlikely melee weapons) is the shield value.If the result of an opponent’s attackfalls between the defensive skill valueand the shield value, the blow is consid-ered to have hit the shield. Use theshield’s Toughness to determine theeffect of the strike — when the shieldtakes four wounds, it has shattered.

Here are the shields and armor mostcommonly found in cosm and realm.

Buckler: A small round shield,roughly the size of a dinner plate, thatcan be worn on the left wrist. Theadvantage of a buckler is that it allowsthe left hand to be used without theshield having to be dropped. The dis-advantage is that, being so small insize, it does not provide a great deal ofprotection. Use of a buckler adds +2 tothe defensive skill value.

Shield: The standard shield is adisc of metal held in one hand orstrapped on to an arm. There are threecommon sizes:

The small shield is no more than onemeter in length, easy to carry, andpreferred by dwarves, Corsairs, andothers who prefer to travel light. Thesmall shield adds +4 to the defensiveskill value.

The medium shield is about 1.5 metersin length, and is the kind most oftenused by Ayslish knights. It adds +5 tothe defensive skill value, and is not soheavy it cannot be handled with rela-tive ease.

The large shield is two meters inlength and adds +6 to the defensive skillvalue, but it is awkward and difficultto carry and results in one additionalshock point when taking a fatigue pen-alty. It tends to be used more in cer-emonial jousts than actual battles.

Hides and Furs: The oldest form ofarmor, hides and furs are used by the

Ice Nomads and some giants in Aysle.The hides are cured, but not tanned,and overall, provide very little pro-tection to the wearer. They can, how-ever, provide warmth in cold cli-mates, which makes them ideal forthe nomads.

Bone and Hide: A great deal moresophisticated than simple hides andfurs, bone and hide armor is used bybarbarians and the best Ice Nomadwarriors. Pieces of bone (from adragon, if available) are sewn into thehide. This type of armor must be cus-tom-made, for if the bone layer doesnot conform to the shape of the user, itwill break easily in combat. If used byanyone other than the person it wascreated for, it breaks on a wound result,reducing its add to +1.

Leather: Cured and tanned hides,leather armor is relatively light, andslightly stronger than hides and furs.The primary appeal of leather armor isits flexibility, which allows a fighterwith a melee weapon to maneuverwith ease.

Bronze: For the protection it gives,bronze mail is not worth the weightthe warrior must carry when wearingit. A relatively soft alloy, bronze willnot deflect the attacks that steel armorwill. When wearing bronze armor, acharacter takes four shock points fromfatigue rather than three. His dodge skillis also reduced by one.

Cuir Bouilli: Boiled, treated leatherwhich is stronger, but less flexible,than standard leather armor. Anyonewearing cuir bouilli has their Dexter-ity-based skills reduced by one.

Chain Mail: Made of linked chainsof worked metal, chain mail is usuallyworn under some other form of pad-ding. It is moderately heavy, reducingthe dodge skill by one and increasingshock points from fatigue to three.

Ring Mail: Metal rings are sewn onto leather backing to form this armor,but which is lighter than chain mail,but also less effective.

Silk Lining: One of the first ex-amples of composite armor, silk liningincreases any other armor’s effective-ness by giving with blows, but nottearing. It is proof against all missileand melee weapons, but of no useagainst firearms at Tech 19 or better.

Plate Mail: This is the best, andmost expensive, non-enchanted armor

available in Aysle, but it is heavy andhot. It reduces the dodge skill by one,and unless worked by a top armorer,will result in four shock points fromfatigue for a character wearing it ontorso, head and limbs, and three foranyone wearing any plate at all. Amaster armorer can work out thesedefects, meaning the fatigue penaltycan be treated normally (three shockpoints for an armored character).

Giant Armor: Special protectivegear used exclusively by giant war-riors, giant armor is fashioned by black-smiths on Rakholm. Supporting itsweight requires a Strength of at least12, which makes it dangerous to thewearer when in another realm. Giantshave been known to disconnect andbeen unable to rise due to the heavi-ness of the armor.

FirearmsAysle firearm technology has not

progressed very far, with only onepersonal weapon currently available.The Ayslish have steered away fromthe musket, which is too cumbersomefor the sort of close-in fighting com-mon in the cosm, preferring to focuson pistols. There are some artillerypieces available for use in the cosm,but owing to the rough terrain on thecontinent of Aysle, they are usedmainly for defensive purposes.

Wheel Lock Pistol: The only fire-arm in use in Aysle, the wheel lockinvolves iron pyrites scraping againsta wheel which turns when the triggeris pulled, igniting a spark which setsoff the primer. Wheel lock pistols arecommonly carried in a brace of two,alongside the sword, and are of greatuse against armored foes. Pistols arecarried primarily by dwarves, al-though they are favored by AyslishFreetraders and Corsairs as well.

Enchanted ItemsWith magic so much a part of daily

life in both the Aysle cosm and realm,it stands to reason that enchanted itemswould be a fixture as well. This desig-nation encompasses both arms andarmor, including that of the faeries

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and fey, as well as more commonplaceitems.

Here is a sample of the magicalarticles available in Aysle.

Enchanted Armor and Shields:Virtually any kind of armor, from hidesand furs to plate mail, and any sizeshield can receive the benefits of magic.A spell can increase the Toughness ofarmor against physical attacks (add+1 to standard armor value), as well asprovide protection against magicalattacks. There are a few armorers ca-pable of focusing spells into armorafter it is forged, but it is more com-mon for a suit of armor to be taken toa mage after the smith is finished withit. For enchanted armor, add +2 to thearmor value when defending againstmagical attacks. Normal fatigue penal-ties associated with that armor willstay in effect.

The cost of getting magic addedto one’s armor varies, depending onthe skill level of the wizard and theduration of the spell. Higher levelsof protection are possible, but wiz-ards with the talent to provide themare relatively rare, and the service isexpensive.

Enchanted Weapons: The spellsused to enhance the power of weap-ons are very close to those used onshields and armor. A magical weaponwill be able to strike with more force ina melee or missile attack against a non-magical opponent (add +1 to the stan-dard damage value of the weapon). Inaddition, the weapon will be able todamage magical creatures, and affectenchanted shields and armor. Thedamage value remains the samewhether attacking a magical or non-magical opponent. It is possible tostrengthen weapons beyond the +1add, but as with armor, it is difficult tofind someone to do it and expensivewhen it is done.

Faerie Weapons and Armor: Whenconsidering the properties of faerieobjects, it must be remembered that itis very rarely anyone other than thefaeries is allowed to possess such anitem. A hefty amount of persuasion,and some bribery, is usually requiredto convince the elemental beings toforge a weapon, shield, or breastplatelarge enough to be of any use. They areusually reluctant to do so, and to pos-

sess a faerie sword is a mark of greatprestige in Aysle.

Another important thing to keep inmind when purchasing faerie armor isthat when the enchantment used tocreate it wears off, the armor will van-ish. If this happens in the middle of abattle, it can easily prove fatal.

Cinlum Sword: The blade of theelemental air faeries, the cinlum swordis noted for being lightweight yet du-rable, and capable of extremely quickstrokes. The cinlum sword makes therapier look cumbersome and bulky,and often it has a weather control spellfocused into it, allowing the bearer tocall up a windstorm to buffet his op-ponent during the fray.

Infernas Sword: Wreathed in fire,the infernas sword makes for a fright-ening sight. Striking an object withsufficient force can cause it to burstinto flame, and conjured fireballs canbe shot from the tip of the blade. Themajor disadvantage to the infernas isthat its enchanted flames reveal one’sposition during night battles.

Aqueate Sword: Aqueate faeriesbearing their blades and marchingto war are very difficult to spot, fortheir swords can be used to create ablanket of fog around them. Aqueateswords tend to be very light and theblades quite thin, to lessen the natu-ral resistance when swinging themunderwater.

Solium Sword: A wide, heavy blade,almost the equivalent of a faerie broad-sword, the weapon of the earth faeriescan not only slay opponents, but leadone to them as well. With the trackerspell focused into it, the sword can leadits bearer to the hiding place of an en-emy (providing the conditions of thespell, which include possession of anobject used by the quarry, are met).

Cyprium Sword: The metal faeries’sword is the most durable of all, asthey are extremely proficient at metal-work. It is also among the most valu-able, because it can be used to firelightning bolts into stubborn machinesto get them started.

Cinlum Bow: Resembling a cross-bow, the cinlum bow can fire tiny shaftsat great velocity. These arrows canride the air currents, hover, swoopdown and turn around in mid-flight,thanks to the floater spell focused intothem. The speed of the arrows is de-

pendent upon the effect value of thespell cast into them (if the cinlums dothe rite, the speed value is commonly13; it can vary with other wizards).

Infernas Bow: On the order of ashort bow, the infernas bow fires burn-ing shafts. Much like the infernassword, the arrows can damage en-chanted armor and creatures.

Aqueate Spears: These are rarelyused as weapons of war. Constructedof reeds known only to the faerie, theaqueates use them to pierce fish andother small creatures that mightthreaten their domain. In battle, theaqueates prefer to use their swords.

Solium Sling: This is the earthfaeries’ siege weapon. Made from rootsthat are tied together, the soliums hurlstones from behind their earth shieldwalls at intruders. While it would bepossible to enchant such a weapon toallow it to hurl the rocks at greatervelocity and cause greater damage,the faeries have been content up tonow to use it without benefit of magi-cal enhancement.

Cyprium Bow: A metallic long bow,the cypriums use this to fire electri-cally-charged iron arrows. This wasthe main weapon in their war with theaqueates, and resulted in a resound-ing victory for the metal faeries, as thewater sprites’ weapons conducted theelectricity and the faeries absorbed apowerful jolt.

Celosia Sling: Being essentiallypeaceful creatures, the celosia havenever put a great deal of energy intothe design of weapons. Their majorconcession to the threat of faerie warhas been the celosia sling, Made fromplant stems with their buds hollowedout, the celosia use the slings to hurlsmall pebbles, rose thorns, and burrs.While they are effective weapons upto a point, they are relatively fragileand break after only a few uses.

Cinlum Cloud Armor: This protec-tive covering resembles a dense whitecloud wrapped around the faeries’bodies. While at first glance it seems tohave no real substance, in fact it is asstrong as any faerie armor. Enchanted,it is proof against physical and magi-cal attacks, weakest against the shaftsand swords of the infernas.

Infernas Fire Armor: The armor ofthe fire faeries looks like metal that isglowing red hot, and tongues of flame

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emerge from the shoulders and otherjoints. The oldest known protectivegear in the faerie world, fire armorresists attacks by all but the aqueates.If converted into a suit for a non-infernas, the wearer absorbs five shockpoints for fatigue due to the extremeheat generated by the armor.

Aqueate Water Armor: Literally abattle-suit made of solidified water,aqueate armor is constructed usingboth the water faeries’ water spray spelland the cinlum weather control spell.The aqueates provide the liquid, andthe cinlum’s manipulate the air pres-sure and temperature so as to containit around the wearer’s body. Each suitmust be built around a specificwarrior’s body, and can only be usedonce, falling back to the ground aswater once it is removed. While worn,the water circulates, actively deflect-ing any melee or missile weapon it isattacked with. It is, however, vulner-able to attack by cyprium weapons,which contain electric charges. Theother drawback is that the suit is heavyand causes the wearer to move moreslowly, so reduce all Dexterity-relatedskills by one when wearing it. Therehas also been one recorded incident ofa Draconis Teutonica using its arcticair weapon to freeze the armor solid.

It is extremely expensive to pur-chase a suit of aqueate armor, becauseit is difficult to get the two races tocooperate on its construction.

Solium Earth Armor: The earthfaeries rely on layers of dirt and rockto serve as their armor, with mixedsuccess. While it works well againstmany conventional and enchantedweapons, it has proven less than per-fect against the powers of the aqueateand cinlum faeries, whose control ofwater can cause the armor to washaway.

Cyprium Metal Armor: A suit thatclosely resembles the armor of humanknights, the metal gear of the cypriumsis extremely effective at repelling mis-sile and melee weapons. It is leasteffective infernas and aqueate weap-ons, which can melt and rust it, respec-tively. Cyprium armor is, however,lightweight, surprisingly so consider-ing its strength.

Celosia Plant Armor: Despite theirdisdain for martial pursuits, the celosiahave taken a unique and effective ap-

proach to the armorer’s art. Celosiaarmor is made up of plants, grasses,roots, and vines, entangled togetherso as to form an almost impenetrablegarment. Not only it is difficult topierce, but melee weapons have beenknown to become trapped in the webof plant life, while their wielders trydesperately to free them.

Like most faerie armor, this suit hasa weakness, namely its extreme vul-nerability to infernas fire shafts, whichhave been known to roast celosia alive,and explains in part why the plantfaeries try so hard to stay on the goodside of the fire faeries.

Fey Weapons and Armor: The en-chanted objects of war used by the feyof Aysle are virtually identical to thoseused by the faeries. However, due totheir long experience with humans,and well aware of the bellicose na-tures of most other races, the fey oftenkeep their caches of weapons and ar-mor hidden. They are notoriouslyreluctant to part with anything theyhave made, and it takes far longer tocultivate a relationship of trust withthe fey than it does with the faerie.

Elfmail: A thin yet sturdy varietyof plate mail developed by the elves ofAysle, elfmail imparts TOU+6 protec-tion, with an additional +2 when de-fending against magic attacks. It re-ceived an endorsement of sorts whenArdinay, while still possessed byUthorion, began to wear it regularly.Light enough that it does not result ina fatigue penalty, elfmail is availableonly from the smiths of Elveim, whooccasionally sell a suit to theFreetraders. They are often prohibi-tively expensive, however.

Dwarfmail: More bulky thanelfmail, dwarfmail is used by tunnelfighters in the cosm and by dwarvesand Ayslish in the realm. It provides aTOU+4 protection against physicalattack, and an additional +2 againstmagical attack. It does cause a fatiguepenalty, but is also cheaper and morereadily available than elfmail. It mustbe bought directly from the dwarves,though, preferably residents of theLand Between, as the workmanship ofHouse Vareth mail is often sloppy.

Water Compass: The water com-pass is an item originally created onthe Mage Isles using a divination/waterspell, and now in general use by ex-

plorers, trackers and trading parties.The needle of the enchanted objectpoints in the direction of the waterstar, which helps travelers avoid be-coming lost. Although the water starwill always exert the more powerfulpull, if used on or near a large body ofwater, the compass’ readings may notbe accurate.

Earth Compass: A variation of thewater compass, this device uses a divi-nation/earth spell and points towardthe earth star. It is often used byFreetraders, Corsairs, and others whowork the seas to find not only the star,but the direction of the nearest landmass. Again, if used on a large body ofland, the compass will be of less use.

Strength Potion: The strength po-tion is essentially a chemical versionof the strength spell. Favored particu-larly by giants, successful use of thepotion will result in at least a +1 bonusto Strength. The effect value of thepotion is 18, and this should be com-pared to the character’s Strength onthe Power Push Table. The resultingvalue modifier is added to thecharacter’s Strength for the duration ofthe potion’s effects, which is 24 hours.Strength potions are usually sold bywizards, but the price for them is high.

Climate Cloak: For Ayslish vaga-bonds who must wander from the icyreaches of the Frozen Land to the tropi-cal temperatures of the Living Sea, theclimate cloak is an essential garment.Imbued with an alteration/folk spell,the black cloak can provide TOU+6protection from extremes of heat andcold to the wearer. It is the only knownway to safely penetrate the waters ofthe Boiling Sea. A standard cloak canbe used for up to two months, at whichpoint the spell will fade. For trips thatwill last longer than the spell’s dura-tion, it is wise to have a mage on handto recast the spell.

Tancred Torch: Created by wiz-ards in the service of Gareth Tancred,the Tancred Torch is made usingbrownie fire and bottled boggles light-ning. Its flame is capable of dispellingthe blackness brought on by a magedark spell. It has been used as a weaponagainst creatures and lesser folk whothrive on the darkness.

Eye of Shali: An extremely valu-able artifact, this amulet has both thedetect magic and the possibility shadows

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spells focused into it. It was broughtacross the maelstrom bridge intoGlasgow, but was reportedly lostsometime after that, and is presumedto be somewhere in Scotland.

Scathala Scroll: Penned by anOrrorshan demon shortly afterUthorion’s invasion of Aysle, theScathala Scroll contains the text of apowerful extradimensional gate spellthat opens the way to the demon realm.The spell is activated by being read,and once the portal is opened, thedemons draw the caster within. Hewill then have to persuade or bribe thedemons to give him the spell that willallow him to leave, or be trapped thereforever.

Enchanted Knowledge Objects:There are many Ayslish folk who areborn with a magic skill and knowl-edge which do not work well together.Enchanted knowledge objects comewith the arcane knowledge focusedinto them, and act as storage batteriesof a sort. For example, a person withthe alteration magic skill can use theknowledge contained within a fire-stone to cast an altered fireball spell.Each enchanted knowledge object isable to be used a limited number oftimes, and then the knowledge mustbe refocused into the object. Theirprices vary from the cheapest (the waterknowledge) to the most expensive (theessence, death).

TransportationThe primary mode of transporta-

tion in the cosm of Aysle is beast-drawn wagon or carriage. With somuch modern technology inoperativein the realm, this means of gettingaround has taken hold there as well,although with considerably more dif-ficulty. Many areas simply do not havethe support services for that industry,

and although wheelwrights, cart-wrights and blacksmith shops havesprung up, they are few and far be-tween on the less traveled roads.

Most beast-riding in the cosm andrealm involves horses, although elveshave shown the ability to ride the greatdragons, but how they do this is notknown.

Here are some of the most commonforms of transportation in Aysle.

Horse: Before the advent of steampower, and in some cases even wellbeyond, horses were the predominantform of land transportation in CoreEarth. With the lower tech axiomsimposed by Aysle, this is once morethe case.

DEXTERITY 10Long jumping 11, maneuver 11,running 13, unarmed combat 11STRENGTH 12Climbing 13TOUGHNESS 10PERCEPTION 4MIND 4Test (8), willpower (8)CHARISMA 5Charm (8), persuasion (9), taunt (10)SPIRIT 5Intimidation (7)Possibility Potential: noneNatural Tools: hooves, damagevalue STR+2/14; speed value 12

Carriages and Wagons: Carriagesand wagons serve much the same func-tion — transporting people and goods— but with some differences. Car-riages are designed for use on fairlygood roads, and are virtually uselesson long, cross-country trips. Carriagesrange in size from the one-person sulkyto the six- or eight- person coach. Car-riages larger than this are rarely made,because they require too many horsesto pull, making them slow, difficult tocontrol and not cost-effective.

Wagons are essentially boxes withwheels, most often used to carry goods,although passengers can ride in them(though not very comfortably).

When pulling a wagon or carriage,subtract one from the horse’s speedvalue to determine the speed of horseand vehicle combined.

Dwarf Mine Cart: This was an in-vention of the Land Between dwarveswho make their living in the mines.The cart, essentially a small metal box,is attached by chains to an infantDraconis Metallica. The Metallica’sinstinctive knowledge of where valu-able ores are buried allows it to guidethe miners to potentially profitableareas. A mature Metallica will refuseto do this, so the dwarves must cap-ture and domesticate newborns, arisky business at best. Eventually, eventhe small dragons will begin to covetthe ores for themselves, and thedwarves will have to abandon crea-ture and cart.

Due to the cramped conditions inthe tunnels, the average speed value ofa mine cart is 7.

Viking Longships: Virtual dupli-cates of ships which dominated thenorthern and eastern coastlines ofEurope for centuries, longships arenot particularly well-suited to deep-sea travel. They average 30 meters inlength, and are driven by a combina-tion of human and wind power.Crewed by 30 men, longships have amaximum speed value of 7. They areoften equipped with a ram, with adamage value of 24.

Merchant Ships: These vessels tendto be of the galleon class. Big, bulky,and not very maneuverable, galleonsare noted for their ability to take agreat deal of damage (Toughness of 25)before sinking.

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quipmentEAll prices are in Ayslish trades.

NORMAL MELEE WEAPONS

Plus to Maximum Tech Damage Value Damage Price

Value (Value)

Dagger 7 +3 18 100 (9)Short Sword 8 +4 19 300 (11)Rapier 15 +5 20 600 (13)Dwarf Spike 8 +4 19 700 (13)Broadsword 9 +6 21 800 (13)Two-Handed Sword 10 +7 22 1500 (15)Sword-breaker 14 +6 21 1800 (15)Baseball Bat/Club 6 +3 18 40 (7)Staff 7 +2 17 50 (7)Giant War-Club 8 +4 28 60 (8)Battle-Ax 8 +5 20 150 (10)Mace 8 +4 19 200 (10)War-Hammer 8 +5 20 250 (11)Morning Star 11 +6 21 400 (12)Ball and Chain 10 +6 30 800 (13)Pole-Arms 8 +4 19 120 (9)

ENCHANTED MELEE WEAPONS

Plus to Maximum PriceTech Damage Value Damage Value (Value)

Elf Longsword 11 +8 23 5000 (17)Infernas Sword 10 +6 21 6000 (18)Solium Sword 10 +6 21 7000 (18)Cyprium Sword 10 +6 21 7750 (18)Aqueate Sword 10 +6 21 8500 (19)Cinlum Sword 10 +6 21 10,000 (19)Brownie Sword 10 +6 21 15,000 (20)

NORMAL MISSILE WEAPONS

Damage/ Range (meters)Tech Max.Value Short Medium Long Price

(Value)

Throwing Dagger 7 +3/18 3-5 10 15 200 (10)Spear 5 +4/19 3-5 25 40 50 (7)Sling 7 +4/19 3-10 40 100 60 (8)Short Bow 8 +5/20 3-10 40 100 140 (10)Long Bow 12 +6/21 3-10 100 250 600 (13)Composite Bow 13 +7/22 3-10 60 250 800 (13)Lt. Crossbow 10 21 3-10 100 200 300 (11)Hvy. Crossbow 11 22 3-10 100 300 500 (12)Dwarven Bomb 14 19 0-3 8 15 200 (10)Wheel Lock Dag 15 13 3-5 10 25 3000 (16)

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ENCHANTED MISSILE WEAPONS

Damage/ Range (meters) PriceTech Max. Value Short Medium Long (Value)

Aqueate Spears 8 +5/20 3-5 25 40 500 (12)Celosia Sling 8 +4/19 3-10 40 100 750 (13)Solium Sling 8 +7/22 3-10 40 100 1000 (14)Infernas Bow 10 +8/23 3-10 40 100 1500 (15)Cyprium Bow 10 +8/23 3-10 40 100 2000 (15)Cinlum Bow 10 +8/23 3-10 40 100 3000 (16)Brownie Bow 10 +8/23 3-10 40 100 5500 (18)

NORMAL SHIELDS

Tech Value/Tough.* Fatigue? Price (Value)

Buckler 8 +2/16 no 900 (14)Small Shield 12 +4/18 no 1000 (14)Medium Shield 12 +5/19 no 1500 (15)Large Shield 12 +6/20 yes* 2000 (15)

NORMAL ARMOR

Tech Value/Max. Fatigue? Price (Value)

Hides and Furs 3 +1/20 no 400 (12)Bone and Hide 3 +3*/20 no 6000 (18)Leather 5 +2/20 no 800 (13)Bronze 8 +4/25 yes* 7000 (18)Cuir Bouilli 8 +3/20 no* 900 (14)Chain Mail 12 +4/25 yes 15,000 (20)Ring Mail 12 +3/20 no 12,000 (19)Silk Lining 12 +2*/21 no 1000 (14)Plate Mail 13 +5/25 yes* 16,000 (20)Giant Armor 12 +4/28 yes* 10,000 (19)

ENCHANTED ARMOR

Tech Value/Max. Fatigue? Price (Value)

Dwarfmail 12 +4/19 yes 18,000 (20)Elfmail 13 +6/21 no 20,000 (20)Celosia Armor 12 +2/17 no 15,000 (20)Cyprium Armor 12 +2/17 no 18,000 (20)Solium Armor 12 +2/17 no 20,000 (20)Cinlum Armor 12 +2/17 no 20,000 (20)Infernas Armor 12 +2/17 yes* 23,000 (21)Aqueate Armor 12 +2/17 yes* 30,000 (21)

*See special note in text

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quipment (continued)E

GENERAL GEAR CHART

Tech Price (Value)

Hemp Rope (100’) 8 30 (6)Silken Cord (100’) 12 300 (13)Torch 5 10 (4)Oil Lamp 7 50 (7)Candles 10 10 (4)Sundial 9 10 (4)Glass mirror 10 20 (5)Canoe 3 1200 (14)Coach 12 20,000 (20)Wagon 8 10,000 (19)Dwarf Mine Cart 8 5000* (17)Longship 9 40,000 (22)Galleon 10 100,000 (24)Iron Spikes 10 10 (4)Belt Pouch 12 20 (5)Sleeping Mat 9 50 (7)Map Case 12 60 (8)Water Compass 12 400 (12)Earth Compass 12 400 (12)Climate Cloak 10 600 (13)Tancred Torch 7 900 (14)Strength Potion 8 6000 (18)Cloak, cloth 7 100 (9)Cloak, fur 7 500 (12)Sword scabbard 8 1000 (14)

Knowledge StonesKindred 5 1000 (14)Elements 5 1500 (15)Mixed Forces 5 2000 (15)Principles 5 3000 (16)Essences 5 10,000 (19)

*Dragon not included

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123

Chapter Eleven Character Creationust as the Aysle realm isquite different from theothers currently overlay-ing Earth, so designing anAyslish character is a

unique experience. In the back of thisbook you will find a number of tem-plates you can use, but with the rulesthat follow, you can try your hand atbuilding your own.

Some templates list the character’shome cosm as “Aysle,” others as“Aysle transformed.” A characterwhose home cosm is Aysle is from thedisk-world, and crossed to Earth’scosm over the maelstrom bridges. Acharacter listed as ”Aysle trans-formed” is someone with high heropotential who was present when theAysle axiom wash occurred. The washrealized the character’s potential, andthen transformed him, which causedhim to become a hero. Unlike ords,transformed Storm Knights can regainpossibility energy, and retain skillsand memories from their time as CoreEarth citizens. Their reality is that ofthe Aysle realm.

Attributes andSkills

• A character has 66 attribute pointsto assign, and the total of a character’sattributes cannot exceed 66. In addi-tion no attribute can exceed thecharacter’s home cosm limits.

Aysle Cosm LimitsDEXTERITY 14STRENGTH 15TOUGHNESS 15PERCEPTION 14MIND 14CHARISMA 13SPIRIT 13

The only exceptions to the aboverules are elf and giant characters, andthese will be explained in detail below.

• You begin with 16 skill points toadd to the template. These should beassigned to those skills on the tem-

plate which you deem appropriate foryour character or which you believeyour character might have had accessto. At least one skill must be assignedthree points (the tag skill), and no skillmay receive more than three. Everycharacter must have at least one add inthe reality skill, and some characters(such as the Human Knight and GiantBruiser in the predesigned templates)are required to assign one point to thehonor or corruption skills. (See “WorldLaws,” Chapter Four.)

• If your character is a native of theAysle cosm, not a Core Earther trans-formed by the Aysle axioms, roll onthe “Determining Magic by Birth“chart in Chapter Two to learn yourcharacter’s innate magic skill and ar-cane knowledge. The character re-ceives one skill point in each, whichare not deducted from his starting poolof 16, as possessing some form of magicis a natural part of life in Aysle. Thesepoints can be added to those alreadyassigned on the template.

Example: Your character has threepoints assigned to apportation magicfor a total skill value of 13. Rolling onthe “Determining Magic by Birth“chart results in the character receivingan additional point in apportation magic,which must be used to raise the totalvalue to 14.

• Each character starts with 10 Pos-sibilities.

• Running, swimming and otherlimit values are listed in GamemasterChapter Two of the Torg Rulebook. Todetermine the character’s movementrates, compare his Dexterity andStrength as modified by the CharacterLimit Chart to the Torg Value Chart(Rulebook, pages 42-43). If the Dexterityor Strength attribute exceeds the limit,use the limit value instead.

MagiciansIn addition to the skill points listed

above, those characters which take amagic tag skill receive 12 additional

points with which to buy spells andarcane knowledges. Each spell costsone of these points, and arcaneknowledges are purchased in thesame manner as are skill adds. Thecharacter may also spend any or allof his starting Possibilities in orderto purchase spells (each spell costsone Possibility).

Giants and ElvesGiants and elves are, by nature,

more magical than other creatures, andthus are capable of attaining higherattribute levels. Giant and elf charac-ters must purchase additional attributepoints, called enhancement points at thestart, but must pay an adventure costfor this ability.

Enchancement points are availablein packages of three. Both giant and elfcharacters must purchase at least onepackage, with elves allowed a maxi-mum of two packages (for six addi-tional points) and giants three (for nineadditional points). Giants may addthese points to their Strength and/orToughness attributes only, while elvescan add them to any attribute exceptToughness.

Purchasing Enhancements

There are two ways to purchasethese enhancement points. Onemethod is to pay an adventure cost ofone Possibility per package at the endof each adventure, an action whichcan obviously be taken only by Possi-bility-rated characters. The secondmethod is to place a limit on one of thecharacter’s attributes per packagebought, and this can be done by bothPossibility-rated characters and ords.

Example: An elven character pur-chases two packages and adds the sixadditional points to his Dexterity andMind attributes. Reluctant to part withtwo Possibilities at the end of eachadventure, the character instead ac-cepts limitations on his Toughness andSpirit attributes.

124

Elves who choose to limit attributesmust accept values of seven. Giantswho use this option will have a valueof seven for the first attribute limited,and sixes for any others after that.Limited attributes cannot be increased.

Possibility-rated characters canchoose to “mix-and-match,” purchas-ing one package with a Possibility andaccepting an attribute limitation toobtain the second package.

Losing Enhancements

There are two ways to lose the ben-efits provided by these enhancementpoints, disconnecting or failing to paythe adventure cost at the end of theadventure. In both cases, thecharacter’s attributes will immediatelydrop to what they were prior to theaddition of the extra points (these arethe numbers in parentheses on thetemplates).

To reconnect, giants and elves mustmake separate rolls for each packageas well as themselves. Thus, a giantwith three packages must successfullyreconnect all three and himself beforehis attribute levels can be again en-hanced. A character who fails to re-connect all his packages is still consid-ered disconnected, and his attributeswill remain at their original levels.

A character who is disconnectedfor more than a day, or who fails to paythe adventure cost, will fall prey to thedreaded wasting disease, called thesilent death. The character will imme-diately take one shock point whichcannot be eliminated by the expendi-ture of a Possibility. The character takesan additional such shock point eachweek until his Toughness is exceededand he becomes comatose, or he re-gains his packages and is healed of thedisease. If he takes shock damage equal

to twice his Toughness, he dies.To be healed, an ord must return to

Elveim or Lower Aysle (dependingon his race) and find a cleric to curehim. A Possibility-rated character cando the same, or can attempt to earnenough Possibilities over the courseof the next adventure to pay the ad-venture cost and thus dispel the dis-ease and the shock damage and re-gain his enhancements.

Payment must be of the cumulativeadventure cost. In other words, if anelven character with two packages hasbeen without their benefits for twoadventures, he must pay four Possi-bilities to regain them rather than sim-ply two.

Losing enhancement points is par-ticularly devastating for giant charac-ters. Due to their size and weight, gi-ants require a certain level of Strengthto move. If a giant’s Strength shouldfall below 10, he will need to roll suc-cessfully against the Power Push Tablesimply to walk. It is for this reason thatgiants journeying to other realms of-ten carry “strength potions” (see Chap-ter Ten, Equipment).

BackgroundOnce you have determined your

character’s attribute and skill levels, itis time to create a background for her.The first question to be answered is, isthe character native to Aysle, or is shea transformed Core Earther? If the lat-ter, she did not receive any magicalknowledge at birth — how does thataffect her perceptions of the strangenew world around her?

If the character is an Ayslish hu-man, what is her profession? Is she aFreetrader or Corsair, a barbarian orViking? If she is from the continent of

Aysle, which House is she a part of, ifany? How does she feel about the otherHouses and other races of Aysle?

Another important aspect of de-signing an Ayslish character is an-swering the question, why did shecome down the maelstrom bridge?Was she part of the invading army, ordid she have another reason, a goalshe wanted to pursue on Earth or apersonal stake in the defeat of the DarkForces?

Another point to be considered iswhether your character is a worshiperof an Ayslish god. Does she follow theteachings of the gods of order, corrup-tion, or balance? An Aysle transformedcharacter would be less likely to be-long to an Ayslish sect, but it is stillpossible.

Next, consider possible connectionsyour character could have with theother characters. Perhaps they crossedpaths in Aysle, or both are acquaintedwith someone in need of rescue in therealm.

Turn to Chapter Ten and begin toequip your character. Assume she hasenough equipment to have survivedthis long, which means weapons andpossibly armor, either normal or en-chanted. In general, equipment whichcannot be easily carried is impracticalfor a character, and there are someareas of the Aysle realm where littlemodern technology is available.

If the player wishes to give the char-acter equipment not listed on theequipment chart, he must provide thegamemaster with information aboutthe item. This allows the gamemasterto make up his mind about whetherthe piece of equipment in questionwill upset the balance of the adven-ture or simply be unlikely for thatcharacter to have.

Chapter Eleven

Cos

m: A

ysle

Bac

kgr

oun

d:

You

wer

e bu

t a

lad

whe

n th

e sl

aver

s fr

om H

ouse

Var

eth

cam

e an

d to

ok y

ou fr

om y

our h

ome

inth

e L

and

Bet

wee

n. Y

ou w

ere

jud

ged

toha

ve a

n ap

titu

de

for

engi

neer

ing,

and

wer

e pu

t to

wor

k re

pair

ing

the

sim

ple

farm

mac

hine

ry u

sed

on

the

cont

inen

tof

Ays

le.

You

r lif

e w

as a

har

d o

ne,

for

the

Var

eth

dw

arve

s w

ere

hars

h m

aste

rs.

But

soo

n af

ter

the

inva

sion

of

Ear

th,

you

bega

n to

hea

r ru

mor

s of

a r

ebel

-li

on

ag

ain

st t

he

slav

ers,

led

by

Gut

terb

y, a

n el

der

of

your

cla

n. Y

oulo

nged

to

join

in t

his

nobl

e fi

ght,

but

coul

d t

hink

of

no w

ay. T

hen

one

day

you

saw

a w

agon

fille

d w

ith

supp

lies

star

ting

its

jour

ney

to th

e V

alle

y of

the

Swor

d, a

nd y

ou k

new

wha

t you

had

todo

. You

stow

ed a

way

upo

n it

and

mad

eit

to

the

mae

lstr

om b

rid

ge a

t C

astl

eA

rdin

ay,

min

glin

g w

ith

the

Var

eth

troo

ps a

s th

ey w

ent d

ownb

rid

ge.

Thi

s ne

w c

osm

has

bro

ught

man

ysu

rpri

ses.

You

are

not

sur

e w

heth

er to

bel

iev

e in

Ard

inay

’s m

irac

ulo

us

chan

ge o

f hea

rt, b

ut a

re w

illin

g to

ac-

cept

the

sit

uati

on f

or n

ow.

You

are

det

erm

ined

to

cont

act

Gut

terb

y an

dd

o w

hate

ver

you

can

to

aid

you

rd

war

ven

brot

hers

in

the

cosm

, bu

tm

eanw

hile

you

are

mak

ing

a fe

w e

xtra

trad

es t

akin

g ap

art

and

put

ting

to-

geth

er a

ll th

is fa

scin

atin

g m

achi

nery

.P

erso

nal

ity:

You

r ca

pti

vity

has

mad

e yo

u a

bit c

ynic

al, a

nd y

ou tr

ust

mac

hine

s fa

r m

ore

than

you

do

othe

rfo

lk a

s a re

sult

. But

the

dw

arf r

ebel

lion

has

give

n yo

u a

purp

ose

in l

ife,

and

you

will

fig

ht V

aret

h’s

troo

ps,

and

anyo

ne w

ho a

ids

them

, to

fre

e th

ed

war

ves

of A

ysle

.E

qu

ipm

ent:

ove

rall

s, h

ard

hat

,sa

fety

gog

gles

, to

ol b

ox w

ith

tool

s,d

igit

al w

atch

, .4

4 S&

W M

agnu

m(d

amag

e va

lue

17).

Qu

ote:

“W

on’t

expl

ode?

Pro

babl

yju

st n

eed

s a

bit

of a

dju

stm

ent

…th

ere!

”S

kil

l Not

es: S

ee th

e “D

eter

min

ing

Mag

ic b

y B

irth

” ch

art o

n pa

ge 2

3 fo

rre

cord

ing

your

inn

ate

mag

ical

ski

llan

d k

now

led

ge. Y

our

tag

skill

is s

ci-

ence

.

Dw

arf

En

gin

eer

Play

er N

ame:

TM

Sh

ock

Dam

age

Hom

eC

osm

Mag

icS

ocia

l

Sp

irit

ual

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h

Pos

sib

ilit

ies

Age

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ght

Wei

ght

Ch

arac

ter

Nam

e

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nd

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elW

ound

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ndM

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ead

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art

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ill

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ghne

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ind

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rmed

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DE

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aunt

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1818

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ysle

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eC

osm

Mag

icS

ocia

l

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irit

ual

Tec

h

Pos

sib

ilit

ies

Age

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ght

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ght

Ch

arac

ter

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e

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nd

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elW

ound

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ndM

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ead

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us

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ill

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teV

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rSt

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ghne

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ysle

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Cos

m: A

ysle

Bac

kgr

oun

d: Y

our

clan

has

a lo

ngan

d p

roud

mar

tial

his

tory

. Y

our

an-

cest

ors f

ough

t in

the

War

of t

he G

iant

san

d th

e W

ar o

f the

Cro

wns

, and

took

the

lead

in

dev

isin

g d

efen

sive

mea

-su

res t

o pr

otec

t the

Lan

d B

etw

een

from

inva

sion

. Unf

ortu

nate

ly, t

hey

did

not

thin

k to

gua

rd a

gain

st b

etra

yal

from

wit

hin,

and

thus

Hou

se V

aret

h tr

oops

wer

e ab

le to

carr

y of

f the

stro

nges

t and

heal

thie

st o

f th

e yo

ung

dw

arve

s fo

rth

eir

slav

e pe

ns.

You

man

aged

to

stay

out

of

thei

rcl

utch

es t

hrou

gh c

unni

ng,

skill

, an

dkn

owle

dge

of

the

tunn

els.

You

the

nor

gani

zed

a g

roup

of

tunn

el f

ight

ers,

war

rior

s w

ho w

ould

fig

ht t

o d

efen

dth

eir

hom

es a

nd f

amili

es f

rom

tho

sew

ho w

ould

har

m th

em. Y

ou w

on so

me

smal

l vic

tori

es a

nd su

ffer

ed y

our s

hare

of d

efea

ts, a

nd th

en y

ou b

egan

to h

ear

stor

ies

of a

reb

ellio

n br

ewin

g ag

ains

tth

e V

aret

hs in

the

real

m o

n E

arth

. You

dec

ided

to jo

in in

this

figh

t, an

d l

ed a

raid

on

the

mae

lstr

om b

rid

ge.

You

alon

e, o

f all

your

com

rad

es, s

urvi

ved

the

batt

le a

nd m

ade

it sa

fely

to O

xfor

d.

Now

, wit

h th

e ne

w a

llies

and

wea

p-on

s yo

u ha

ve g

athe

red

in

the

real

m,

you

cont

inue

the

stru

ggle

aga

inst

the

blac

k-he

arte

d d

war

ves

who

hav

e en

-sl

aved

the

ir o

wn

peop

le. Y

ou d

o no

tth

orou

ghly

bel

ieve

tha

t A

rdin

ay h

asgo

ne b

ack

to th

e O

ld W

ays,

but

you

see

that

the

Var

eths

opp

ose

her,

and

so

you

are

will

ing

to fi

ght o

n he

r si

de.

Per

son

alit

y: Y

ou a

re a

n ex

pert

at

guer

rilla

war

fare

, and

do

not

belie

vein

sho

win

g m

ercy

to y

our

enem

ies.

Eq

uip

men

t: l

eath

er j

acke

t, h

ob-

naile

d b

oots

, kev

lar v

est (

arm

or v

alue

TO

U+

5/15

), h

elm

et (

arm

or v

alu

eT

OU

+3/1

3), b

attl

e-ax

(dam

age v

alue

STR

+5/

15),

bras

s kn

uckl

es (d

amag

eva

lue S

TR

+2/

12),

Uzi

(dam

age v

alue

17),

can

of m

ace

(dam

age

valu

e 11

),d

igit

al w

atch

, bin

ocul

ars.

Qu

ote:

“H

ouse

Var

eth

has

put

apr

ice

on m

y he

ad, b

ut t

he c

ost

shal

lbe

pai

d b

y th

ose

who

try

to co

llect

it.”

Sk

ill N

otes

: See

the

“Det

erm

inin

gM

agic

by

Bir

th”

char

t on

page

23

for

reco

rdin

g yo

ur i

nnat

e m

agic

al s

kill

and

kno

wle

dge

. You

r ta

g sk

ill is

fire

com

bat.

Dw

arf

Tun

nel

Fig

hte

rPl

ayer

Nam

e:

TM

Elf

Mag

e

plos

ion

look

s m

uch

bett

er u

sing

my

met

hod

.”S

kil

l Not

es: S

ee th

e “D

eter

min

ing

Mag

ic b

y B

irth

” ch

art o

n pa

ge 2

3 fo

rre

cord

ing

your

inn

ate

mag

ical

ski

llan

d k

now

led

ge. Y

our t

ag s

kill

is co

n-ju

rati

on m

agic

. You

hav

e si

x en

hanc

e-m

ent p

oint

s w

hich

hav

e be

en a

dd

edto

you

r D

exte

rity

and

Min

d, w

ith

anad

vent

ure

cost

of t

wo.

Arc

ane

Kn

owle

dge

s:

Sp

ells

:

Cos

m: A

ysle

Bac

kgr

oun

d: Y

ou sp

ent t

he la

st fe

wd

ecad

es i

n yo

ur

tow

er o

n E

lvei

m,

stud

ying

elv

en o

ccul

t lor

e an

d b

ecom

-in

g ac

quai

nted

wit

h th

e ar

cane

bel

iefs

of o

ther

fol

k, a

s w

ell.

It is

you

r be

lief

that

one

can

not b

e a

com

plet

e so

rcer

erw

itho

ut f

irst

lea

rnin

g al

l th

ere

is t

okn

ow a

bout

the m

ystic

art

s, a

nd sh

ortly

befo

re A

ysle

inva

ded

Ear

th, y

ou h

add

ecid

ed th

at th

e d

isk-

wor

ld h

ad n

oth-

ing

mor

e to

teac

h yo

u.T

hus

you

slip

ped

aw

ay f

rom

the

“For

bid

den

Con

tine

nt”

and

tra

vele

dto

the

Val

ley

of th

e Sw

ord

, mak

ing

use

of th

e m

aels

trom

bri

dge

and

find

ing

are

alm

ric

h in

sup

erst

itio

n an

d o

nly

now

red

isco

veri

ng m

agic

und

er A

ysle

axio

ms.

It se

emed

as i

f thi

s cos

m w

ould

be a

n en

dle

ss fo

unt o

f inf

orm

atio

n fo

ryo

u, if

onl

y yo

ur fe

llow

Ays

lish

wou

ldst

op k

illin

g th

e na

tive

s bef

ore

you

had

a ch

ance

to ta

lk to

them

.N

atur

ally

, you

wou

ld n

ot b

e m

uch

a m

age

if y

ou c

ould

not

kee

p se

cret

s,an

d th

e on

e yo

u gu

ard

mos

t jea

lous

lyis

whe

re a

nd h

ow th

e el

ves

exis

ted

Per

son

alit

y: Y

ou a

re h

ighl

y in

quis

i-ti

ve, a

nd a

lway

s w

illin

g to

ent

er in

to a

conv

ersa

tion

with

ano

ther

pra

ctic

ione

rof

mag

ic. H

owev

er, y

ou t

ry t

o av

oid

div

ulgi

ng a

ny s

ecre

ts y

ours

elf,

so th

ed

iscu

ssio

ns te

nd to

be

a bi

t one

-sid

ed.

Eq

uip

men

t: el

ven

mag

e ro

be, s

taff

(dam

age

val

ue

STR

+2/

11),

elv

enlo

ngsw

ord

, enc

hant

ed, (

dam

age v

alue

STR

+8/

17),

grim

oire

.Q

uot

e: “

No,

no!

You

poi

nt y

our

fing

ers t

his w

ay a

nd …

yes

, I k

now

it’s

basi

cally

the

sam

e re

sult

, but

the

ex-

Play

er N

ame:

TM

Di e

35

79

1113

Rol

l1

24

68

1012

1415

1617

1819

20

Bon

us #

-12

-10

-8-5

-2-1

01

23

45

67

Sh

ock

Dam

age

Hom

eC

osm

Mag

icS

ocia

l

Sp

irit

ual

Tec

h

Pos

sib

ilit

ies

Age

Hei

ght

Wei

ght

Ch

arac

ter

Nam

e

Wou

nd

Lev

elW

ound

Hvy

Wou

ndM

orta

lD

ead

KO

Bon

us

Ch

art

Sk

ill

Ad

dA

ttri

bu

teV

alu

e

Mov

emen

t Rat

esL

imit

Val

ues

Ap

pro

ved

Act

ion

sA

ttri

bu

tes

Dex

teri

ty12

(9)

Man

euve

rSt

reng

th9

Tou

ghne

ss9

Perc

epti

on11

Tri

ckM

ind

12 (9

)T

est

Cha

rism

a10

Tau

ntSp

irit

9In

tim

idat

e

Run

ning

Swim

min

gJu

mpi

ngC

limbi

ngL

ifti

ng

Rea

lity

SPI

Man

euve

rD

EX

Mel

ee W

eapo

nsD

EX

Mis

sile

Wea

pons

DE

XPr

esti

dig

itat

ion

DE

XSt

ealt

hD

EX

Una

rmed

Com

bat

DE

XD

ivin

atio

n M

agic

PER

Find

PER

Lan

guag

ePE

RSc

hola

rPE

RC

onju

rati

on M

agic

3M

IN15

(12)

Will

pow

erM

INC

harm

CH

APe

rsua

sion

CH

AIn

tim

idat

ion

SPI

1818

1615Pl

ayer

Nam

e:E

lfM

age

Axi

omR

ange

Eq

uip

men

tV

alu

eL

evel

SM

L

Arm

or

Wea

pon

sSt

aff +

211

6L

ong

Swor

d +

817

11

10A

ysle

TM

2126

3136

4146

2530

3540

4550

+5

89

1011

1213

+1

Sh

ock

Dam

age

Hom

eC

osm

Mag

icS

ocia

l

Sp

irit

ual

Tec

h

Pos

sib

ilit

ies

Age

Hei

ght

Wei

ght

Ch

arac

ter

Nam

e

Wou

nd

Lev

elW

ound

Hvy

Wou

ndM

orta

lD

ead

KO

Bon

us

Ch

art

Sk

ill

Ad

dA

ttri

bu

teV

alu

e

Mov

emen

t Rat

esL

imit

Val

ues

Ap

pro

ved

Act

ion

sA

ttri

bu

tes

Dex

teri

ty14

(11)

Man

euve

rSt

reng

th8

Tou

ghne

ss8

Perc

epti

on11

Tri

ckM

ind

9T

est

Cha

rism

a9

Tau

ntSp

irit

13 (1

0)In

tim

idat

e

Run

ning

Swim

min

gJu

mpi

ngC

limbi

ngL

ifti

ng

Rea

lity

SPI

Dod

geD

EX

Man

euve

rD

EX

Mel

ee W

eapo

nsD

EX

Mis

sile

Wea

pons

DE

XSt

ealt

hD

EX

Una

rmed

Com

bat

DE

XFi

ndPE

RL

angu

age

PER

Scho

lar

PER

Med

icin

eM

INT

est

MIN

Will

pow

erM

INC

harm

CH

APe

rsua

sion

CH

AFa

ith

3SP

I17

(14)

Focu

sSP

I

1818

1615Pl

ayer

Nam

e:E

lfM

onk

Axi

omR

ange

Eq

uip

men

tV

alu

eL

evel

SM

L

Arm

or

Wea

pon

sSt

aff +

212

5Sl

ing

+4

147

3-10

4010

0

10A

ysle

TM

Di e

35

79

1113

Rol

l1

24

68

1012

1415

1617

1819

20

Bon

us #

-12

-10

-8-5

-2-1

01

23

45

67

2126

3136

4146

2530

3540

4550

+5

89

1011

1213

+1

Cos

m: A

ysle

Bac

kgr

oun

d: Y

ou h

old

the

dis

tinc

-ti

on o

f bei

ng o

ne o

f the

firs

t mon

ks o

fEl

miir

to p

ropo

se tr

avel

ing

to th

e rea

lmto

take

par

t in

the

batt

le b

etw

een

Lig

htan

d D

ark.

In tr

uth,

you

wer

e re

luct

ant,

for e

lves

hav

e al

way

s pri

zed

thei

r neu

-tr

al s

tatu

s in

the

cos

m. B

ut w

hen

the

prie

sts o

f Est

ar b

egan

to m

igra

te d

own

the

brid

ge t

o us

e th

eir

pow

ers

on b

e-ha

lf o

f th

e in

vad

ers

of E

arth

, the

aco

-ly

tes

of E

lmiir

rea

lized

they

had

a r

e-sp

onsi

bilit

y to

sto

p th

eir

brot

hers

be-

fore

they

did

gre

at h

arm

.Y

ou a

nd a

par

ty o

f Elm

iiria

ns tr

av-

eled

to

the

real

m a

nd s

catt

ered

upo

nar

rivi

ng t

here

, to

see

k ou

t E

star

ians

and

sto

p th

eir

ram

page

s, b

y fo

rce

ifne

cess

ary,

and

abov

e, al

l to

reve

al n

oth-

ing

of y

our

orig

ins.

Tha

t is

a st

rict

ure

you

still

ad

here

to,

but

dur

ing

your

tim

e on

Ear

th,

you

have

see

n gr

eat

nobi

lity

of sp

irit

in th

is co

sm’s

def

end

-er

s. Y

ou fi

nally

cam

e to

the

conc

lusi

onth

at t

he e

lves

com

mit

ted

a g

riev

ous

erro

r by

doi

ng n

othi

ng a

ll th

ese

cent

u-ri

es w

hile

evi

l too

k ho

ld in

Ays

le, a

ndyo

u ar

e d

eter

min

ed t

o se

ize

this

op-

port

unit

y to

rig

ht th

at w

rong

.P

erso

nal

ity:

You

are

tall,

and

mor

eat

hlet

ic t

han

one

wou

ld t

hink

. Y

oule

arne

d lo

ng a

go th

at m

any

a re

ligio

usar

gum

ent

can

be s

ettl

ed w

ith

a w

ell-

plac

ed b

low

from

a s

taff

.E

qu

ipm

ent:

Elm

iiria

n st

ars,

mon

k’s

robe

s, st

aff (

dam

age

valu

e ST

R+

2/12

),sl

ing

(dam

age

valu

e ST

R+

4/14

), be

ltpo

uch

wit

h fo

cus

ston

e.Q

uot

e: “

The

re ca

n be

no

peac

e w

ith

Est

aria

ns. T

hey

have

bla

cken

ed t

heir

nam

es w

ith

vile

dee

ds

beyo

nd y

our

com

preh

ensi

on.”

Sk

ill

Not

es::

See

the

“Det

erm

in-

ing

Mag

ic b

y B

irth

” ch

art o

n pa

ge 2

3fo

r re

cord

ing

your

inn

ate

mag

ical

skill

and

kno

wle

dge

. You

r tag

skill

isfa

ith.

You

rec

eive

a +

3 bo

nus

whe

nus

ing

arca

ne k

now

led

ges i

nflu

ence

dby

Elm

iir. Y

ou h

ave

six

enha

ncem

ent

poin

ts,

whi

ch h

ave

been

ad

ded

to

your

Dex

teri

ty a

nd S

piri

t, w

ith

an a

d-

vent

ure

cost

of t

wo.

Dis

cip

lin

es:

Elf

Mon

kPl

ayer

Nam

e:

TM

Cos

m: A

ysle

Bac

kgr

oun

d:

You

wer

e am

ong

atr

ibe

of C

ham

katt

gia

nts

cont

acte

d b

yL

ady

Ard

inay

just

pri

or t

o th

e in

va-

sion

of

Ear

th.

The

tho

ught

of

a ne

wco

sm ri

pe fo

r con

ques

t app

eale

d to

all,

and

sho

rtly

aft

er t

hat

mee

ting

, yo

uan

d y

our c

omra

des

trav

eled

dow

n th

em

aels

trom

bri

dge

to G

lasg

ow.

Dur

ing

the

init

ial

batt

le y

ou g

otse

para

ted

fro

m t

he r

est

of t

he g

iant

s,an

d w

ere

befr

iend

ed b

y a

Cor

e E

arth

hum

an n

amed

McD

erm

ott.

He o

ffer

edyo

u fo

od a

nd a

pla

ce to

sle

ep in

retu

rnfo

r you

r bea

ting

up

vari

ous

peop

le h

epo

inte

d o

ut. Y

ou s

pent

man

y ha

ppy

day

s w

ith

him

, br

eaki

ng a

rms,

and

feas

ting

on

valu

able

foo

d (

it w

as e

n-ca

sed

in li

ttle

sui

ts o

f arm

or).

The

n on

e d

ay a

gro

up o

f gi

ants

(you

’re

conv

ince

d t

hey

wer

e fr

omPo

lja) b

roke

in, b

eat y

ou s

ever

ely,

and

kille

d M

cDer

mot

t. W

hen

they

left

, you

follo

wed

, and

dis

cove

red

they

wer

e a

part

of t

he in

vasi

on fo

rce

from

Ays

le.

Rig

ht t

hen,

you

dec

ided

you

did

n’t

like

the

idea

of a

ttac

king

oth

er c

osm

s,an

d y

ou e

spec

ially

did

n’t

like

thos

egi

ants

and

any

one

who

took

thei

r sid

e.Y

ou to

ok th

e cl

ub y

ou h

ad m

ade

and

the

spec

ial g

un M

cDer

mot

t had

giv

enyo

u as

a p

rese

nt a

nd s

et o

ut t

o te

ach

the

Dar

k Fo

rces

the

mea

ning

of p

ain.

Per

son

alit

y: Y

ou a

re i

ll-te

mpe

red

and

vio

lent

, but

fier

cely

loya

l to

thos

ew

ho b

efri

end

you

. You

hav

e gre

at co

n-fi

den

ce in

you

r ab

ility

to b

est a

nyon

eor

any

thin

g in

com

bat.

Eq

uip

men

t: M

-16

auto

(d

amag

eva

lue

20),

bat (

dam

age

valu

e ST

R+

3/21

), ra

cing

form

, dou

ble-

brea

sted

suit

.

Gia

nt

Bru

iser

Qu

ote:

“Y

ou’r

e go

ing

to t

ell

me

wha

t I w

ant t

o kn

ow, o

r I’m

goi

ng to

brea

k yo

u in

to li

ttle

pie

ces,

and

eve

na

dw

arf w

on’t

be a

ble

to fi

x yo

u.”

Sk

ill

Not

es:

See

the

“Det

erm

ing

Mag

ic b

y B

irth

” ch

art o

n pa

ge 2

3 fo

rre

cord

ing

your

inn

ate

mag

ical

ski

llan

d k

now

led

ge. Y

our

tag

skill

is u

n-ar

med

com

bat.

You

hav

e nin

e enh

ance

-m

ent p

oint

s w

hich

hav

e be

en a

dd

edto

you

r Str

engt

h an

d T

ough

ness

, wit

han

ad

vent

ure

cost

of t

hree

.You

mus

tta

ke o

ne a

dd

in c

orru

ptio

n .

Play

er N

ame:

TM

Di e

35

79

1113

Rol

l1

24

68

1012

1415

1617

1819

20

Bon

us #

-12

-10

-8-5

-2-1

01

23

45

67

Sh

ock

Dam

age

Hom

eC

osm

Mag

icS

ocia

l

Sp

irit

ual

Tec

h

Pos

sib

ilit

ies

Age

Hei

ght

Wei

ght

Ch

arac

ter

Nam

e

Wou

nd

Lev

elW

ound

Hvy

Wou

ndM

orta

lD

ead

KO

Bon

us

Ch

art

Sk

ill

Ad

dA

ttri

bu

teV

alu

e

Mov

emen

t Rat

esL

imit

Val

ues

Ap

pro

ved

Act

ion

sA

ttri

bu

tes

Dex

teri

ty9

Man

euve

rSt

reng

th18

(13)

Tou

ghne

ss15

(11)

Perc

epti

on9

Tri

ckM

ind

8T

est

Cha

rism

a8

Tau

ntSp

irit

8In

tim

idat

e

Run

ning

Swim

min

gJu

mpi

ngC

limbi

ngL

ifti

ng

Rea

lity

SPI

Fire

Com

bat

DE

XM

elee

Wea

pons

DE

XU

narm

ed C

omba

t3

DE

X12

Lif

ting

STR

Find

PER

Tra

ckin

gPE

RT

rick

PER

Tes

tM

INW

illpo

wer

MIN

Cha

rmC

HA

Pers

uasi

onC

HA

Tau

ntC

HA

Cor

rupt

ion

1SP

I9

Inti

mid

atio

nSP

I

1818

1615Pl

ayer

Nam

e:G

ian

tB

ruis

er

Axi

omR

ange

Eq

uip

men

tV

alu

eL

evel

SM

L

Arm

or

Wea

pon

sM

-16

(aut

o.)

2022

3-40

250

400

Bat

+3

216

10A

ysle

TM

2126

3136

4146

2530

3540

4550

+5

89

1011

1213

+1

Sh

ock

Dam

age

Hom

eC

osm

Mag

icS

ocia

l

Sp

irit

ual

Tec

h

Pos

sib

ilit

ies

Age

Hei

ght

Wei

ght

Ch

arac

ter

Nam

e

Wou

nd

Lev

elW

ound

Hvy

Wou

ndM

orta

lD

ead

KO

Di e

35

79

1113

Rol

l1

24

68

1012

1415

1617

1819

20

Bon

us #

-12

-10

-8-5

-2-1

01

23

45

67

Bon

us

Ch

art

Sk

ill

Ad

dA

ttri

bu

teV

alu

e

Mov

emen

t Rat

esL

imit

Val

ues

Ap

pro

ved

Act

ion

sA

ttri

bu

tes

Dex

teri

ty7

Man

euve

rSt

reng

th15

(10)

Tou

ghne

ss15

(11)

Perc

epti

on9

Tri

ckM

ind

9T

est

Cha

rism

a9

Tau

ntSp

irit

11In

tim

idat

e

Run

ning

Swim

min

gJu

mpi

ngC

limbi

ngL

ifti

ng

Rea

lity

SPI

Man

euve

rD

EX

Mel

ee W

eapo

nsD

EX

Mis

sile

Wea

pons

DE

XU

narm

ed C

omba

tD

EX

Find

PER

Scho

lar

PER

Tri

ckPE

RT

est

MIN

Will

pow

erM

INC

harm

CH

APe

rsua

sion

CH

AFa

ith

SPI

Focu

s3

SPI

14In

tim

idat

ion

SPI

1818

1615Pl

ayer

Nam

e:G

ian

tP

ries

tess

Axi

omR

ange

Eq

uip

men

tV

alu

eL

evel

SM

L

Arm

orC

hain

mai

l +4

1912

Wea

pon

sM

ace

+4

198

10A

ysle

TM

2126

3136

4146

2530

3540

4550

+5

89

1011

1213

+1

Cos

m: A

ysle

Bac

kgr

oun

d:

All

you

r li

fe,

you

hear

d s

tori

es a

bout

Upp

er A

ysle

and

the

stra

nge

crea

ture

s w

ho li

ved

ther

e.B

ut w

hen

you

trie

d t

o vi

sit

the

othe

rsi

de

of th

e d

isk,

you

wer

e at

tack

ed a

ndd

rive

n of

f. Y

ou s

oon

lear

ned

tha

t th

evi

olen

t na

ture

s of

gia

nts

frig

hten

edot

hers

, and

you

r onl

y ho

pe o

f mee

ting

and

talk

ing

wit

h fo

lk sm

alle

r tha

n yo

uw

as t

o le

arn

to c

ontr

ol y

our

des

truc

-ti

ve u

rges

. T

hus

you

embr

aced

the

way

s of

Ugo

rl, o

ne o

f the

god

s of

bal

-an

ce, a

nd e

vent

ually

bec

ame

a cl

eric

.T

houg

h th

ere

wer

e no

w p

lace

s in

Low

er A

ysle

whe

re y

ou w

ere

not w

el-

com

e, y

ou f

ound

man

y in

tere

stin

gpl

aces

up

abov

e. W

hen

the

inva

sion

of

Ear

th’s

cos

m b

egan

, you

saw

it a

s an

opp

ortu

nity

to

mee

t ne

w f

olk

and

spre

ad t

he w

ord

of

bles

sed

bal

ance

.B

ut w

hen

you

reac

hed

the

end

of

the

mae

lstr

om b

rid

ge, y

ou fo

und

to y

our

dis

gust

that

the

arm

ies

of A

ysle

wer

esu

rren

der

ing

com

ple

tely

to

thei

rd

arke

r na

ture

s, b

urni

ng a

nd k

illin

g.Y

ou c

onsi

der

ed re

turn

ing

to th

e co

sm,

but

real

ized

tha

t le

ttin

g su

ch u

ncon

-tr

olle

d v

iole

nce

go o

n w

ould

be

a be

-tr

ayal

of U

gorl

and

her

teac

hing

s. Y

ouar

med

you

rsel

f, an

d a

re d

eter

min

ed to

teac

h th

e so

ldie

rs o

f the

Dar

k th

e va

lue

of m

oder

atio

n if

you

hav

e to

cra

ck a

llth

eir

skul

ls o

pen

and

per

sona

lly p

utth

e kn

owle

dge

into

thei

r br

ains

.P

erso

nal

ity:

You

are

fas

cina

ted

by

the

new

and

the

unus

ual,

and

can

not

abid

e th

e w

anto

n d

estr

ucti

on o

f po

-te

ntia

l sou

rces

of k

now

led

ge.

Eq

uip

men

t: U

gorl

ian

fir

e-bi

rd,

chai

nmai

l (a

rmor

val

ue T

OU

+4/

19),

Gia

nt

Pri

este

ss

mac

e (d

amag

e va

lue

STR

+4/

19).

Qu

ote

: “W

hen

you

wak

e u

pm

aybe

you

’ll re

mem

ber t

o ke

ep y

our

swor

d s

heat

hed

in th

e pr

esen

ce o

f apr

iest

ess

of U

gorl

.”S

kil

l Not

es: S

ee th

e “D

eter

min

ing

Mag

ic b

y B

irth

” ch

art o

n pa

ge 2

3 fo

rre

cord

ing

your

inn

ate

mag

ical

ski

llan

d k

now

led

ge. Y

our

tag

skill

is fo

-cu

s. Y

ou r

ecei

ve a

+1

bonu

s w

hen

usin

g ar

cane

kno

wle

dge

s inf

luen

ced

by U

gorl

. You

rec

eive

nin

e en

hanc

e-m

ent p

oint

s w

hich

hav

e be

en a

dd

edto

you

r Str

engt

h an

d T

ough

ness

, wit

han

ad

vent

ure

cost

of t

hree

.

Play

er N

ame:

TM

Cos

m: A

ysle

Bac

kgr

oun

d:

You

are

a k

nigh

t of

Hou

se T

ancr

ed, l

ike

six

gene

rati

ons o

fyo

ur f

amily

bef

ore

you.

One

of

your

ance

stor

s was

slai

n ba

ttlin

g th

e in

vad

-er

s w

ho a

ttac

ked

Ays

le 5

00 y

ears

ago

,an

d y

our

nam

e ha

s al

way

s be

en o

nelo

oked

upo

n w

ith

resp

ect b

y yo

ur fe

l-lo

w k

nig

hts

. A

las,

th

e H

ouse

has

chan

ged

muc

h ov

er t

he y

ears

, and

it

ofte

n d

iffi

cult

to a

dhe

re to

the

way

s of

hono

r and

sti

ll su

stai

n on

e’s

loya

lty

toG

aret

h T

ancr

ed. Y

ou h

ave

don

e yo

urbe

st to

wal

k th

at li

ne, d

oing

you

r dut

yan

d n

o m

ore

and

wat

chin

g w

ith

dis

-ta

ste

as o

ther

kni

ghts

em

brac

ed w

ith

relis

h th

e w

ays

of c

orru

ptio

n.Y

ou jo

ined

in th

e in

vasi

on o

f Ear

thbe

caus

e you

wer

e ord

ered

to d

o so

, but

whe

n yo

u re

ache

d th

e re

alm

, you

dis

-co

vere

d to

you

r del

ight

that

the p

roph

-ec

y of

Tol

wyn

Nev

erd

eath

had

com

etr

ue. I

t was

to h

er th

at y

ou o

wed

you

rlo

yalt

y, a

nd y

ou p

led

ged

you

r lif

e an

dfo

rtun

e to

her

. Pri

vate

ly, y

ou v

owed

tocu

t th

e th

roat

of

the

usur

per

Gar

eth

wit

h yo

ur o

wn

blad

e.P

erso

nal

ity:

Hon

or is

not

mer

ely

anid

eal

for

you,

but

a w

ay o

f lif

e. Y

oube

lieve

the

pote

ntia

l for

nob

ility

live

sin

eve

ry h

uman

bre

ast,

and

hav

e no

hesi

tati

on i

n vi

siti

ng j

ust

veng

eanc

eup

on t

hose

who

hav

e tu

rned

aw

ayfr

om th

e L

ight

and

wou

ld h

arm

inno

-ce

nts.

Eq

uip

men

t: pl

ate m

ail (

arm

or v

alue

TO

U+

5/14

), b

road

swor

d (

dam

age

valu

e +

6/15

), lo

ngbo

w (d

amag

e va

lue

STR

+6/

15),

whe

el lo

ck p

isto

ls (d

am-

age

valu

e 13

).Q

uot

e: “

Tru

ly,

that

is

a m

onst

erw

orth

kill

ing!

Let

us

see

if it

enj

oys

the

bitt

er ta

ste

of m

y st

eel.”

Sk

ill N

otes

: See

the

“Det

erm

inin

gM

agic

by

Bir

th”

char

t on

page

23

for

reco

rdin

g yo

ur i

nnat

e m

agic

al s

kill

and

kno

wle

dge

. You

r ta

g sk

ill is

me-

lee w

eapo

ns. Y

ou m

ust t

ake

one

add

inho

nor.

Kn

igh

tPl

ayer

Nam

e:

TM

Di e

35

79

1113

Rol

l1

24

68

1012

1415

1617

1819

20

Bon

us #

-12

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-8-5

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01

23

45

67

Sh

ock

Dam

age

Hom

eC

osm

Mag

icS

ocia

l

Sp

irit

ual

Tec

h

Pos

sib

ilit

ies

Age

Hei

ght

Wei

ght

Ch

arac

ter

Nam

e

Wou

nd

Lev

elW

ound

Hvy

Wou

ndM

orta

lD

ead

KO

Bon

us

Ch

art

Sk

ill

Ad

dA

ttri

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teV

alu

e

Mov

emen

t Rat

esL

imit

Val

ues

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pro

ved

Act

ion

sA

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teri

ty9

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on10

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ind

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est

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rism

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ntSp

irit

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tim

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e

Run

ning

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min

gJu

mpi

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Rea

lity

SPI

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EX

Fire

Com

bat

DE

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ver

DE

XM

elee

Wea

pons

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12M

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EX

Una

rmed

Com

bat

DE

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vid

ence

Ana

lysi

sPE

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rst a

idPE

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rick

PER

Surv

ival

MIN

Tes

tM

INC

harm

CH

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rsua

sion

CH

AT

aunt

CH

AFa

ith

SPI

Hon

or1

SPI

11In

tim

idat

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SPI

1818

1615Pl

ayer

Nam

e:H

um

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nig

ht

Axi

omR

ange

Eq

uip

men

tV

alu

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SM

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orPl

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l +5

1413

Wea

pon

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road

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615

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heel

Loc

k Pi

stol

s13

153-

510

25L

ongb

ow +

615

123-

1010

025

0

10A

ysle

TM

2126

3136

4146

2530

3540

4550

+5

89

1011

1213

+1

Sh

ock

Dam

age

Hom

eC

osm

Mag

icS

ocia

l

Sp

irit

ual

Tec

h

Pos

sib

ilit

ies

Age

Hei

ght

Wei

ght

Ch

arac

ter

Nam

e

Wou

nd

Lev

elW

ound

Hvy

Wou

ndM

orta

lD

ead

KO

Bon

us

Ch

art

Sk

ill

Ad

dA

ttri

bu

teV

alu

e

Mov

emen

t Rat

esL

imit

Val

ues

Ap

pro

ved

Act

ion

sA

ttri

bu

tes

Dex

teri

ty9

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euve

rSt

reng

th9

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ghne

ss9

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epti

on10

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ckM

ind

9T

est

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rism

a9

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ntSp

irit

11In

tim

idat

e

Run

ning

Swim

min

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mpi

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ng

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lity

SPI

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EX

Fire

Com

bat

DE

XM

aneu

ver

DE

XM

elee

Wea

pons

DE

XU

narm

ed C

omba

tD

EX

Evi

den

ce A

naly

sis

PER

Find

PER

Scho

lar

PER

Tes

tM

INW

illpo

wer

MIN

Cha

rmC

HA

Pers

uasi

onC

HA

Fait

hSP

IFo

cus

3SP

I14

Inti

mid

atio

nSP

I

1818

1615Pl

ayer

Nam

e:P

ries

tof

Du

nad

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omR

ange

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uip

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SM

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hain

mai

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1312

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pon

sW

heel

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stol

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1025

Bro

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ord

+6

159

10A

ysle

TM

Di e

35

79

1113

Rol

l1

24

68

1012

1415

1617

1819

20

Bon

us #

-12

-10

-8-5

-2-1

01

23

45

67

2126

3136

4146

2530

3540

4550

+5

89

1011

1213

+1

Cos

m: A

ysle

Bac

kg

rou

nd

: A

s a

dev

otee

of

Dun

ad, y

ou h

ave

wat

ched

wit

h gr

eat

sorr

ow a

s th

e la

ws

of th

e A

yslis

h sa

v-io

r ha

ve b

een

twis

ted

, pe

rver

ted

, or

sim

ply

dis

card

ed b

y L

ady

Ard

inay

.Y

ou h

ave

seen

evi

l ove

rtak

e th

e la

ndan

d t

he p

eopl

e, a

nd m

ore

and

mor

eha

ve tu

rned

from

the

path

of h

onor

tofo

llow

that

of c

orru

ptio

n. U

p to

now

,th

ere

has b

een

littl

e yo

u or

you

r fel

low

cler

ics

coul

d d

o sa

ve s

tay

in h

idin

gan

d p

ray

for

del

iver

ance

, as

the

pow

-er

ful h

ouse

s in

the

cosm

hav

e lit

tle

use

for

Dun

ad o

r hi

s te

achi

ngs.

Thr

ough

it

all,

you

reta

ined

you

rbe

lief

that

the

her

o of

Ays

le w

ould

send

a s

ign

to t

he f

aith

ful

to s

igni

fyth

at th

e d

ark

day

s wer

e ov

er. T

hat s

ign

cam

e, y

ou fe

el, w

hen

Ard

inay

set

foot

in t

he r

ealm

and

ann

ounc

ed t

hat

all

figh

ting

mus

t ce

ase,

and

the

evi

l tha

tha

s ru

led

Ays

le f

or s

o lo

ng w

ould

be

und

one.

Ove

rjoy

ed,

the

pri

ests

of

Dun

ad e

mer

ged

to

ushe

r in

thi

s ne

wor

der

, onl

y to

find

that

the

Hou

ses

inth

e co

sm w

ere

lock

ed i

n th

eir

own

priv

ate

stru

ggle

s an

d d

id n

ot r

ealiz

eth

e fu

ll ra

mif

icat

ions

of r

ecen

t eve

nts.

The

true

bat

tle

for A

ysle

, you

real

ized

,w

as i

n th

e re

alm

, an

d p

raye

r w

ould

not

be e

noug

h to

win

it

—it

wou

ldta

ke th

e st

reng

th o

f you

r bo

dy

as w

ell

as y

our s

oul,

and

you

kne

w th

at D

unad

wou

ld g

uid

e yo

ur w

eapo

ns in

his

hol

yca

use.

Per

son

alit

y: Y

ou t

end

to

be q

uiet

and

con

tem

plat

ive,

and

bel

ieve

in u

s-in

g vi

olen

ce o

nly

whe

n ne

cess

ary.

Eq

uip

men

t:

Du

nad

cr

oss

,ch

ainm

ail (

arm

or v

alue

TO

U+

4/13

),br

oad

swor

d (d

amag

e va

lue

STR

+6/

15),

whe

el lo

ck p

isto

l (d

amag

e va

lue

13). Q

uot

e: “

In A

ysle

’s n

ame,

I st

rike

.In

Dun

ad’s

nam

e, I

will

pre

vail.

”S

kil

l N

otes

: Se

e th

e “D

eter

min

gM

agic

by

Bir

th”

char

t on

page

23

for

reco

rdin

g yo

ur i

nnat

e m

agic

al s

kill

and

kno

wle

dge

. You

r ta

g sk

ill is

fo-

cus.

You

rec

eive

a +

3 bo

nus

whe

nus

ing

arca

ne k

now

led

ges i

nflu

ence

dby

Dun

ad.

Pri

est

of D

un

adPl

ayer

Nam

e:

TM

Str

eet

Th

ief

Cos

m: A

ysle

(tra

nsfo

rmed

)B

ack

grou

nd

: Pri

or t

o th

e in

vasi

onof

Ear

th, y

ou le

d a

ver

y pr

ofit

able

life

as a

thi

ef i

n va

riou

s E

nglis

h ci

ties

,m

ovin

g fr

om o

ne t

o th

e ot

her

whe

nth

ings

got

hot

. Sud

denl

y, th

ings

turn

edup

sid

e d

own

— s

tran

ge l

ittl

e cr

ea-

ture

s pic

ked

lock

s by

wav

ing

thei

r fin

-ge

rs a

nd c

hant

ing,

oth

ers

show

ed n

ofi

ness

e an

d ju

st sm

ashe

d d

oors

in, a

ndm

oney

was

bas

ed o

n m

agic

, of

all

thin

gs. I

t was

a w

hole

new

wor

ld, w

ith

a gr

eat

dea

l m

ore

com

peti

tion

and

vast

ly d

iffe

rent

goo

ds

to b

e st

olen

.Y

ou s

taye

d a

s an

ind

epen

den

t for

aw

hile

, lea

rnin

g to

use

a s

wor

d to

pro

-te

ct y

ours

elf.

The

n yo

u he

ard

abo

utPe

lla A

rdin

ay, a

nd h

ow sh

e w

ante

d to

dri

ve a

ll th

ese

wei

rd cr

eatu

res o

ut a

ndge

t th

ings

bac

k to

nor

mal

. You

’re

all

for

that

, an

d s

kills

lik

e yo

urs

are

ind

eman

d t

hese

day

s. Y

ou m

ay n

ot b

eliv

ing

as h

igh

as y

ou o

nce

did

, bu

tyo

u’re

cer

tain

tha

t w

hen

all

this

is

over

, yo

u’ll

be b

ack

on t

op.

And

if

Ard

inay

dra

gs h

er f

eet

abou

t le

avin

gw

hen

the

war

is o

ver,

wel

l … y

ou c

anha

ndle

her

.P

erso

nal

ity:

You

spen

t a g

ood

par

tof

you

r ear

ly li

fe o

n th

e st

reet

s of

Lon

-d

on, a

nd y

ou’ll

do

anyt

hing

to

avoi

dbe

ing

poor

aga

in. B

urgl

ary

is a

n ex

cit-

ing

chal

leng

e to

you

, a g

ame

betw

een

you,

the

lock

smit

h, a

nd th

e po

lice.

The

soon

er th

e w

ar is

ove

r and

you

can

get

back

to y

our

prof

essi

on w

itho

ut w

or-

ryin

g ab

out

blok

es p

inch

ing

thin

gsw

ith

mag

ic, t

he h

appi

er y

ou’ll

be.

Eq

uip

men

t: bl

ack

turt

lene

ck, d

ark

jean

s, le

athe

r ja

cket

, fla

shlig

ht, s

houl

-d

er b

ag f

ull

of t

hiev

es’

tool

s, s

hort

swor

d (d

amag

e va

lue

STR

+4/

14).

Qu

ote:

“C

or! I

t’s a

Loc

krite

! Did

n’t

thin

k no

one

use

d t

hose

any

mor

e.G

ive

me

room

, I’ll

hav

e it

ope

n in

ati

ck.” Sk

ill

Not

es:

A n

ativ

e of

Cor

eE

arth

, you

do

not h

ave

any

inhe

rent

mag

ical

abi

lity

, bu

t li

ving

und

erA

ysle

axi

oms,

you

are

abl

e to

lea

rnm

agic

if y

ou c

hoos

e. Y

our t

ag s

kill

isst

ealt

h. Y

ou m

ust

take

one

ad

d i

nco

rrup

tion

.

Play

er N

ame:

TM

Di e

35

79

1113

Rol

l1

24

68

1012

1415

1617

1819

20

Bon

us #

-12

-10

-8-5

-2-1

01

23

45

67

2126

3136

4146

2530

3540

4550

+5

89

1011

1213

+1

Sh

ock

Dam

age

Hom

eC

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Mag

icS

ocia

l

Sp

irit

ual

Tec

h

Pos

sib

ilit

ies

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Hei

ght

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ght

Ch

arac

ter

Nam

e

Wou

nd

Lev

elW

ound

Hvy

Wou

ndM

orta

lD

ead

KO

Bon

us

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art

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ill

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dA

ttri

bu

teV

alu

e

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emen

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imit

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pro

ved

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pon

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wor

d +

414

8

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rmed

)

TM

Sh

ock

Dam

age

Hom

eC

osm

Mag

icS

ocia

l

Sp

irit

ual

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h

Pos

sib

ilit

ies

Age

Hei

ght

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ght

Ch

arac

ter

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e

Wou

nd

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elW

ound

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ndM

orta

lD

ead

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Di e

35

79

1113

Rol

l1

24

68

1012

1415

1617

1819

20

Bon

us #

-12

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-8-5

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01

23

45

67

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us

Ch

art

Sk

ill

Ad

dA

ttri

bu

teV

alu

e

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ues

Ap

pro

ved

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ion

sA

ttri

bu

tes

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teri

ty10

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euve

rSt

reng

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ghne

ss10

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epti

on9

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tim

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min

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lity

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euve

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sile

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pons

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imm

ing

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narm

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ting

STR

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PER

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lar

PER

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ckPE

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ater

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icle

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rviv

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est

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pow

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tim

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113

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+2

128

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+5

158

2126

3136

4146

2530

3540

4550

+5

89

1011

1213

+1

Cos

m: A

ysle

Bac

kgr

oun

d: Y

ou h

ad n

o he

sita

tion

abou

t joi

ning

in th

e in

vasi

on o

f Ear

th’s

cosm

, esp

ecia

lly a

s you

wou

ld b

e se

rv-

ing

as l

ieut

enan

t to

you

r cl

ose

com

-ra

de,

Tho

rfin

n B

jann

i. H

e pr

omis

edpl

und

er f

or a

ll, a

nd y

ou h

ad n

ever

know

n hi

m to

mis

lead

the

Vik

ing

na-

tion

on

so im

port

ant a

mat

ter.

Bu

t w

hen

you

rea

ched

Nor

way

,th

ings

beg

an to

cha

nge.

Fir

st c

ame

the

repo

rt t

hat

Pella

Ard

inay

had

cal

led

off

the

war

, whi

ch le

ft m

any

Vik

ings

torn

, re

luct

ant

to g

ive

up

on w

hat

look

ed to

be

an e

asy

conq

uest

and

yet

loya

l to

Ard

inay

. Sud

den

ly, T

horf

inn

had

stoo

d a

nd b

rand

ed A

rdin

ay a

trai

-to

r an

d c

owar

d, a

nd c

alle

d o

n th

e V

i-ki

ngs

and

all

othe

r A

ysle

folk

to u

nite

und

er h

is b

anne

r to

take

this

cos

m.

Mos

t of

the

Vik

ings

gre

eted

thi

sw

ith

grea

t che

erin

g, b

ut y

ou w

ere

dis

-tu

rbed

. Thi

s w

as n

ot th

e T

horf

inn

you

had

kno

wn

— y

ou h

ad h

eard

eno

ugh

tale

s of

sor

cery

to

won

der

if,

som

e-ho

w, y

our

frie

nd h

ad b

een

the

vict

imof

a d

ark

ench

antm

ent,

and

if p

erha

psth

is h

ad so

me c

onne

ctio

n to

the c

hang

ein

Ard

inay

’s a

ttit

udes

. You

kne

w y

ouco

uld

not

app

roac

h T

horf

inn

dir

ectl

y,th

ere

wer

e to

o m

any

who

sto

od w

ith

him

, so

that

nig

ht y

ou st

ole

away

from

cam

p an

d s

et o

ut t

o fi

nd a

llies

who

coul

d h

elp

you

get

your

old

fri

end

back

.P

erso

nal

ity:

You

are

a tr

ue V

ikin

g,se

eing

a g

rand

bat

tle

as th

e so

luti

on to

mos

t pr

oble

ms.

But

the

fat

e of

you

rfr

iend

pre

ys u

pon

your

min

d a

lway

s,an

d m

akes

you

mor

e w

illin

g to

go

alon

g w

ith

othe

rs’ p

lans

if it

will

lead

to th

e re

turn

of t

he r

eal T

horf

inn.

Eq

uip

men

t: H

ides

and

fur

s (a

r-m

or v

alue

TO

U+

1/11

), he

lmet

(ar

-m

or v

alu

e T

OU

+2/

12),

bat

tle-

ax(d

amag

e va

lue

STR

+5/

15).

Qu

ote:

“O

ur fo

es fl

ee b

efor

e us

…or

may

hap

they

wis

h us

to fo

llow

, for

som

e d

ark

purp

ose.

”S

kil

l Not

es: S

ee th

e “D

eter

min

ing

Mag

ic b

y B

irth

” ch

art o

n pa

ge 2

3 fo

rre

cord

ing

your

inn

ate

mag

ical

ski

llan

d k

now

led

ge. Y

our

tag

skill

is m

e-le

e w

eapo

ns.

Vik

ing

Play

er N

ame:

TM