Credits

Concept: Aaron de Orive

Writing and Design: Aaron de Orive and Scott Jones
BOOK ONE

Chapter Fiction: Austen Andrews

Additional Design and Contributions: Chris Archer, Tom Dunne, Owen Hopson, Joseph
Kentspeth, Robie Kentspeth, Josh Logan, Zoltan Meszaros, Ezra Smith, Raymond Stewart, Sean
Summers, David R. Watson, Eric Willman

Editing: Aaron de Orive and Joel Kinstle

Graphic Design and Art Direction: Scott Jones

Cover Art: Jim Daly and Scott Jones

Interior Art: Joe Fontenot, Jay French, Laura Jennings, Scott Jones, Joseph Kentspeth, Darrin LeBlanc,
Denis Loubet, Eric Willman

SHARD System: Aaron de Orive and Scott Jones

Playtesters: Elizabeth Andrews, Kris Andrews, Mark Bennett, Andrew Bowman, Matt Burton, Ryan
Busby, Craig Cormier, Jodie Denniston, Lori Diederich, Matt Diederich, Keegan Douberly, Kyle
Douberly, Edmund Dupont, Jefferey A. Edwards, Joe Fontenot Jr., Richard Fox, Jesse Griffin, Cale
Hawkins, Owen Hopson, Faith Johnson, Kristen Johnson, Chase Kelly, Joseph Kentspeth, Matt Kuffler,
Cindy Lackey, Dee-Ann LeBlanc, Josh Logan, Caleb Loose, Denis Loubet, Michael McManus, Zoltan
Meszaros, Mike Neel, Steve Pecha, Bob Quinlan, Rox Quinlan, Melissa Rangel, Stephanie Reid, Luray
Richmond, Andrew Schultz, Hawk Silverthorn, Ezra Smith, Fred Stanton, Raymond Stewart, Sean
Summers, Kendra Swope, Jade Tinnerman, Michelle Watson, Kiai Weidemann, Eric Willman

Special Thanks: Blythe de Orive, Jay French, Joseph Kentspeth, Robie Kentspeth, Zoltan Meszaros, Jim
Searcy, and David Wheeler

2008 Shard Studios LLC. SHARD RPG Basic Compendium, Drdnah: World of the False
Dawn and related logos, characters, names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Shard
Studios LLC. All rights reserved.
Contains original material 1992 by Aaron de Orive.

The reproduction of material from within this book for the purposes of personal or corporate profit,
by photographic, electronic, or other methods of storage and retrieval, is prohibited.

ISBN: 978-0-9802426-0-7
Shard Studios VIN: SSD10100. Published in December 2008.

Visit us and join our Community Forum at www shardrpg.com

2
 Foreword
This has been one of the longest and toughest, yet most creatively enriching roads I have ever traveled
over the last fifteen years. Through all the trials and tribulations there have been two things that have helped
drive this amazing project to completion: my ever-burning passion for one of the most unique and inspiring
game-worlds I have ever had the pleasure to become a part of; and the amazing devotion and support of my
friends and family. It is due to these precious things that you now hold this book in your hands.
My fascination with role-playing games began in 1982, when I saw in those rulebooks, character sheets,
and strangely shaped dice the wonderful opportunity to bring to life and participate in an interactive version
of those ageless faerie-tales I loved as a child. From my dad I may have gained my stubborn determination
and die-hard mentality, but it was Mom who opened my eyes to fantasy and stoked my creative fires. And
of course it was that amazing community of gamers I eventually fell in with and befriended that still inspire
me to this day! Id be lost without them.
Those early gaming years were filled with the voracious consumption of all manner of paper RPGs,
with every type of rules system and genre you can imagine. And if I didnt have the time to play something
myself, you can bet one of my other gaming friends did. These were great years, and if I ever thought that Id
grow out of gaming, I was obviously deluded, because role-playing games are more a part of my life now
than they ever were then! It was in 1992, shortly after meeting Aaron, my friend and business partner, that
the concept of officially bringing his idea of Drdnah to life as a paper RPG came into being, a concept
that I wholeheartedly fell in love with, just as I had embraced the world of Drdnah itself while playing in
his games. Unable to initially pursue the task himself at the time, Aaron gave me the rights to do it on my
own, so I doggedly kept plugging away at the SHARD rules in my spare time.
Fifteen years later, and here we are! In your hands you hold everything you need to introduce yourself
to our world: historical fiction, character creation, combat, ritual magic, a list of beasts, and a glossary. It is
our most ardent wish that you have as much fun in this world as we have, and that you will continue with
us on our journey as we open many more doors into this fantastic realm of Drdnah, World of the False
Dawn.
-Scott Jones, March, 2008

And to think it all started with a desire to make a fantasy setting that was just a little different from
the rest. When I started playing these games in high school, European medieval fantasy was the name of
the game. Come to think of it, it pretty much still is. The profound effect that J.R.R. Tolkien has had on
the industry, indeed on fantasy fiction in general, is in evidence all around us in many different forms of
media. I have the greatest admiration and respect for the works of Professor Tolkien. He is ultimately the
one responsible for this book. Without his imagination, mine might not have been stirred so profoundly.
It is said that an artist is the product of his influences, and I couldnt agree more. The influence of such
artists as Hayao Miyazaki, Frank Herbert, Jim Henson, Alexandre Dumas, Walt Disney, and J.R.R. Tolkien
is quite evident in SHARD. It would not exist if not for the imaginations of these incredible creators. If
theres one thing Ive learned from these master storytellers, its that setting is so vitally important. An
imaginary world must be a place that we dream about, obsess over, and long to visit time and again. If you
feel that way about your fantasy world, chances are others might too, and if youre lucky, some of them
might be amazing creators in their own right.
Thankfully for me, Scott Jones was one of those people. Soon after we were introduced, he joined our
gaming group and began playing in the world of Drdnah. Scott, whose childhood influences were similar
to my own, fell in love with the setting. He became one of my most enthusiastic players, eventually adapting
the setting for a game of his own. He and his group of players continued to adventure in Drdnah long
after I had abandoned it to pursue other professional interests. Scott continued to develop the setting,
adding amazing amounts of content. When he asked me if he could pursue trying to publish the setting as
an RPG, I gave him my blessing. I knew that Drdnah could not have a better champion.
What you hold in your hands is the fruits of that decision. One of the best Ive ever made, as a matter
of fact. We hope you enjoy exploring SHARD. Weve certainly had a hell of a good time getting it to you.
-Aaron de Orive, March, 2008

Basic Compendium
3

Table of Contents
Credits ................................................. 2
Foreword ........................................... 3
What is Drdnah? .................... 7
BOOK ONE
I. Introduction to
Drdnah ...................................... 8
The Journey Chant ................... 11
The History of the Jnah .... 12
The Wandering ........................ 12
The Age of Splendor ............... 13
The Thousand Years
of Darkness .......................... 13
The Time of Enlightenment ... 14
The Heroic Age ......................... 14
The Twilight Wars ................. 15
The Age of the Jnah ......... 24
The Present ........................... 26
Drdnah at a Glance ............ 26
The Jnah .................................. 28
Social Hierarchy ....................... 29
House Structure ..................... 29
II. The Basics ............................. 30
Attributes .................................... 31
Animal Abilities ....................... 31
Characteristics ......................... 31
Talents ....................................... 31
Skills ......................................... 31
Advantages ............................... 31
Drawbacks ................................ 31
The Dice ....................................... 32
Action Dice ............................... 32
Dice Rolls .................................. 32
Opposed Rolls ....................... 32
Rolling Sixes (Optional Rule) ... 33
Failing Actions ....................... 33
Fumble (Optional Rule) ......... 33
Successive Attempts ................ 33
Modifiers .................................. 34
Difficulty Modifiers ............... 34
Bonus Modifiers .................... 34
Levels of Success ........................ 35
Special Rolls .............................. 36
0 Default Roll ......................... 36
Unskilled Roll ....................... 36
Crippled Penalty Roll ............ 37
Characteristic Roll ................. 37
Time Measurement ................. 38
Skill Performance Time .......... 38
Multiple Actions .................... 38
4
Extra Time ............................. 39
Rushing an Action .................. 39
Other Modifiers ....................... 39
Assistance ............................. 39
Role-Playing Bonuses ............. 40
Travel ............................................. 41
Campaign Types ........................ 41
Serving a Lord ........................... 41
Free Traders and Corsairs ...... 41
Secret Societies ......................... 41
War Has Come .......................... 42
Thieves and Assassins ............... 42
Peasants to Heroes .................... 42
Explorers of the Past ............... 42
Outcast Travelers ..................... 42
Survivors of Destruction ......... 42
Being a Gamemaster ................ 43
III. Character Creation ........ 44
Overview ..................................... 45
Power Level ................................. 45
Low Power Level ....................... 46
Talented Power Level ............... 46
Heroic Power Level .................. 46
Legendary Power Level ............ 46
Mixed Power Level ................... 46
Maximum Attribute
Ranking .............................. 46
Base Character Points ............ 46
Maximum Drawback Points ... 47
Step 1: Character Concept ..... 47
Step 2: Pick Your
Animal Template ............... 47
Step 3: Rank Your
Characteristics and
Animal Abilities ................. 48
Step 4: Choose Your Talents,
Profession, and Skills ........ 48
Step 5: Determine Your
Advantages and
Drawbacks ............................ 48
Step 6: Create Your
Backstory .............................. 48
Story Points ................................ 49
Animal Templates .................... 49
Paksin ....................................... 52
 Sarpah ...................................... 65
Vajrah ....................................... 78
Characteristics .......................... 99
Strength ................................... 99
Vigor ....................................... 100
Agility ..................................... 100
Dexterity ................................ 100
Essence ................................... 100
Perception .............................. 100
Wit .......................................... 100
Will ......................................... 100
Presence ................................. 100
Animal Abilities ..................... 101
Raising Animal Abilities ...... 103
Animal Ability
Descriptions ..................... 103
Talents ........................................ 111
Talent Descriptions ............... 112
Professions ................................ 116
Caste ........................................ 116
Profession Templates ............ 117
Outcaste Professions ............. 118
Low Caste Professions ........... 120
Trade Caste Professions ........ 124
High Caste Professions .......... 134
Holy Caste Professions .......... 142
Skills ............................................ 147
General Skills &
Specialization ................... 147
Raising Skills In-Game .......... 147
Learning New Skills
In-Game ............................ 148
Basic Starting Skills ............... 148
Creating New Skills ............... 150
Referencing the Skill List ..... 150
Skill Descriptions .................. 150
Advantages ............................... 184
Adding or Losing
Advantages ....................... 184
Advantage Descriptions ....... 185
Drawbacks ................................ 191
How Drawbacks Work ......... 191
What Qualifies as a
Drawback? ........................ 192
Adjusting or Losing
Drawbacks ........................ 193
Drawback Descriptions ........ 193
Creating Your Backstory ... 205
Filling Out the
Character Sheet ................. 207
Basic Compendium
IV. Combat .................................... 210
What Makes SHARD
Combat Different? ........... 211
Some Basic Terms ................... 211
The Combat Round ............... 212
Step 1: Determine Individual
Initiative ........................... 212
Step 2: Determine Number
of Combat Actions ........... 212
Step 3: Play the Combat
Round ............................... 213
Combat Basics ......................... 214
Fumbles During Combat
(Optional Rule) ................ 215
Rolling Sixes (Optional
Rule) .................................. 215
The Maneuver Location
Table (Martial Arts) .......... 217
Maneuver Location Effects ... 217
The Three Types of
Combat in SHARD .......... 218
Skills in Combat ...................... 220
Enhancement Skills .............. 220
Miscellaneous Skill Use ......... 221
Movement ................................ 221
General Movement ............... 221
Movement Abilities .............. 222
Other Combat Factors .......... 222
Surprise Attacks .................... 222
Blind Fighting ....................... 223
The Effect of Talents .............. 223
Range Modifiers .................... 223
Defense ...................................... 224
Evade Skill .............................. 224
Primary Combat Ability ...... 224
Taking Damage ....................... 224
Determining Combat
Damage ............................. 224
Deadly Combat Damage
(Optional Rule)................ 225
Simplified Combat Damage
(Optional Rule) ................ 225
Armor Benefits ...................... 225
Generic Damage Types ........ 226
As Stamina Begins to Drop ... 227
Stamina Loss at Zero
or Below ............................ 227
Damage Summary ................. 227
5
 Armor Types ............................ 228
Weapons of Drdnah .......... 230
Weapon Types ........................ 230
Weapon Ratings ..................... 230
Weapon Descriptions ............ 231
Other Types of Damage ........ 238
BOOK ONE
Falling Damage ...................... 238
Burn Damage (fire,
heat, or acid) ...................... 239
Lightning Damage ................. 239
Poison Damage ...................... 240
Deprivation Damage ............. 240
Explosive Damage .................. 242
Exposure Damage .................. 243
Illness Damage (Physical
and Mental) ....................... 244
Recovering Lost Stamina
and Characteristics ........... 244
Simplified and Mass
Combat ................................. 245
Ship-to-Ship Combat
(Skyships and Water
Vessels) .................................. 245
Types of Ships .......................... 246
Engaging the Enemy .............. 247
V. Ritual Magic ............................ 252
Being a Sirhibas ...................... 253
The Basics of Magic ................ 253
Magic Rituals .......................... 253
Roleplaying Magic ................. 253
Performing a Ritual ............... 254
Step 1: Preparing the Ritual ... 254
Step 2: Initiating the Ritual ... 254
Step 3: Controlling
the Magic ........................... 254
Step 4: Concluding
the Ritual ........................... 257
Imagination Is Key ................. 258
Magical Combat ..................... 258
An Example of Combat
Within the Dream ............ 262
6
Sirhibasi in Society ................ 264
Basic Mystic Concepts ........... 264
The Duhma .......................... 265
Prna ....................................... 265
The Dream .............................. 265
The Web of Life ....................... 266
The Great Cycle ...................... 267
Demons, Spirits, and
Elementals ........................ 267
Affecting the Real World .... 269
The Four Types of
Ritual Magic ........................ 269
Healing ................................... 269
Dreamwalking ....................... 273
Endowment ............................ 277
Summoning ........................... 281
VI. Bestiary ................................... 290
VII. Drdnah Glossary ....... 310
VIII. Appendices ...................... 320
A Drdni Pronunciation
Guide ...................................... 321
Jenu-based Dialects ................ 321
A Quick Combat
Summary Sheet ................... 322
Using the NPC Combat
Tracking Sheet ..................... 325
Special Abilities for
Characters ............................. 325
Creating New Animal
Templates .............................. 326
Map of Drdnah .................... 331
Index ................................................. 332
Blank Item List ....................................... 346
Blank Character Sheet .............................. 347
 What is Drdnah?
The SHARD RPG introduces the world of Drdnah
(pronounced DAHR-doo-nah), an exciting new realm
of heroic fantasy and adventure. You wont find the
standard fantasy fare in these pages; there are no elves,
trolls, dwarves, knights, or even dragons. The world is
rather different from typical European fantasy settings.
Drdnahs time period is not strictly medieval, and the is powerful yet subtle, and always cinematic and moody.
setting draws its flavor from Eastern rather than Western
cultures. Further, it is not set on an alternate version of
Earth. In fact, there are no humans on Drdnah.
The tone of the setting can best be described as Asian
heroic fantasy with a strong cloak-and-dagger influence,
all set on an alien world. Using films and novels as a
reference, if you mixed the adventure and romance
elements of The Three Musketeers, the Byzantine political
intrigue of Dune, the martial arts combat of Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the sets and costumes of any version
of Tales of the Arabian Nights, and the world visuals of The
Dark Crystal, you would get a pretty good idea of what
its all about.
The Shard RPG features anthropomorphic animals
(which we have chosen to call Zoics) as the character
races. Human-like animals have always been popular
in myth and legend. We seem drawn to them, and for
good reason. They are visually striking, culturally iconic,
and incredibly diverse. Further, they offer a wonderful
opportunity for role-playing. Many Asian and Middle-
Basic Compendium
Eastern stories feature anthropomorphic animals, so
naturally they became the obvious choice to inhabit a
fantasy world inspired by such stories. Add to this an
alien, other-dimensional planet, complete with its own
unique flora and fauna, and itll become apparent soon
after your first visit that youre definitely not in Kansas
anymore.
Of course, there is also magic. On Drdnah, magic
Rather than imagining pyrotechnic wand-wagging wizards
who memorize the contents of spell books, visualize
instead the somber atmosphere of elaborate rituals
performed in darkened crystal chambers. Chanting,
drumming, rhythmic music, tattooing, and graceful
dancing are all elements of Drdni magic. Sorcerers
work their craft on a mystical dream plane, where they
are the absolute masters of their environment. Magic
and religion play a very important role in the cultures of
Drdnah and touch all aspects of life in some way.
It is our hope that you enjoy adventuring in the
world of the SHARD RPG. You will brave glowing clouds
aboard magnificent skyships threatened by destructive
storms and the ruthless Crystal Corsairs. You will defend
your lineage and honor against spies and slavers. You will
face deadly assassins and duel with honor guards in the
Spiral Arena. You will Dreamwalk with eerie sorcerers
and battle alien demons. And all the while, the Devah,
the ancient Drdni gods, will look down from the Edge
of Heaven and judge your actions, so make them count!
7
I. Introduction to Drdnah

Dwarfed by a yellowing planet, the zoological ship Naga Sena was a bone-white speck in high orbit. Like
a spider on a strand it moved patiently, not heavy enough to be swift, too bulbous for a rapid course change.
The research vessel was built from a standard inter-orbital freighter, unremarkable but for one external engine
that looked bulky and outlandish. The engine had never been fired.
Out of the planets burnt clouds rose a pattern of flickers: cutter ships, perhaps a dozen, punching through
the upper atmosphere. Each was smaller than the scientific vessel, but infinitely faster and fitted for combat.
On the Naga Senas bridge, Krishna Marati watched them on the central hologram. He clicked open the
intercom. Theyve launched. We have to decide.

Inside the freighters enormous research pod, a membrane of transparent polymer separated Kramah from
the beast. They stood close, their faces less than a foot apart. If the membrane could be torn, thought Kramah,
one quick bite would shear flesh from skull. But the polymer was impenetrable. The animal enclosure was
secure. They could touch at no point, except one: Their eyes met.
He felt a challenge from the creature. They were kindred, two apex predators. Yet he sensed more, had
sensed it as soon as the treatments began. The beast had thoughts, complex and probing, that danced behind
its eyes like wind behind a tree. It was a female, this one. Furtive, inquisitive. And why did she seem so
nervous?
Kramah flicked his tail anxiously. Human was the name he had given these bony creatures who kept him
here. He could feed on them, if he were outside the membrane. Yet he would not. They might, instead, strike

8
a common language. He would seek answers.
After a pause, he asked what troubled her. His
warm breath gathered on the membrane.
Chun Yin flinched at the growls from the lion.
The deep, inhuman sounds repulsed her at a primal
level, and yet they were unmistakably words. She
blinked with wonder. Maratis genetic treatments
had been a success. Humanlike language and
sapience conferred to nonhuman species. An entirely
new metaphysic.
Its name was Kramah, this massive creature
behind the polymer window. She could not know its
thunderous language, but its eyes touched hers, lit by
thoughtful curiosity. Through a nearby membrane
watched a rust-colored fox that Marati had named
Krilrah. Yin recognized a similar awareness in
the vixens gaze. These two were the first animals
to be treated, Maratis favorites, but the research
pod comprised thousands of such enclosures, each a
customized environment for dozens of species. Each
the birthplace of new thoughts, new intelligence.
Perhaps uplifted souls?
Corporate Security ships are coming, Yin,
Marati repeated over the intercom. Do we fire the
engine?
She nodded at the lion in the enclosure. The
being tilted its great head, trying to understand.
Start it, said Yin to her husband.
She met him on the bridge, standing by the
tactical hologram. Cutters, she murmured. They
have a viral lock on us.
We can still surrender. The Corporate
Judiciary wont execute us.
Kramah spoke to me. She took his arm. We
cant let them die. We need to escape.
Thank you. A red signal flashed on the
tactical readout. A hundred pinpoint lights began
to circle the ship. Marati clenched a fist. Nuclear
drones. We started too late. The initiation sequence
wont finish.
Yin brought up a holographic interface and
streaked through its displays. Outside the ship, the
experimental engine gleamed and shuddered and
struck to life. The bridge roared and quaked. Now
it will.
Corporate Security to research orbiter Naga
Sena, clamored a voice from the lead warship.
You are accused of misappropriation of company
9
resources. Surrender your vessel. We are authorized
to use warheads if risk of decontainment is
imminent.
They wont take a kill shot until we redline
their energy scanners. Theyll hide behind protocol.
Theyre afraid. They knew as well as she that a
Chapter I: Introduction
direct nuclear hit on an experimental FTL engine
might generate a radioactive belt that could rain on
the planet for decades. Yins new hyperdrive posed
no such threat, but she did not intend to show them
to Drdnah
the math. She hoped the bluff held.
One of the drones broke formation and drew
within miles of the Naga Sena. The display cascaded
with warnings an instant before the missile exploded.
The shockwave hammered the ship. Marati called
out, EMP shield intact. How many near-hits can
it take?
Just one more will give us enough time! said
Yin, praying she was right.
Kramah knelt, to brace against the shaking
ground. A terrible groan erupted from the walls and
the air. Now he understood why the human was
nervous -- she foresaw this rising cataclysm. Did she
have any power against it? Did she have the courage
to fight it? His mighty claws raked the ground. He
called out with his loudest roar, beseeching her to
act.
The bridge erupted with light when the
hyperdrive engaged. Chun Yin and Krishna Marati
clasped hands and held them close. They could do
little more as the engine threw open the veil between
universes, and the ship flung into a crystalline void
like a streak of light entering a prism piercing the
dark; plucked apart; made pure. Their last sound
was a wordless gasp, before their bodies lost focus
and meaning.
The enclosure shattered around Kramah, or
perhaps it was Kramah who shattered. He spread
his legs to steady himself but the air was different
now, distorted, and his limbs looked like images on a
rippled pond. There was nowhere to stand, nothing
to cling to. He curled upon himself and breathed,
simply breathed, while the world became a cascade
of hard crystals; he was tumbled, reflected, cast from
facet to facet and shone through arcane strata, until
like a beam of sunlight he fell upon the ground.
He panted. Dust leapt from the dry earth,
stinging his eyes. Through tears he saw a landscape
 Chapter I: Introduction to Drdnah
unlike anything his enclosure had simulated. Here were
trees of impossible height, aglitter with insects like jewels;
waves of grass with blades of a thousand colors; giant
spears of crystal thrust from the rolling earth; twin suns
setting high clouds ablaze. The warm wind tasted raw
and exotic.
Movement nearby caught his predators eyes. A
BOOK ONE
creature stirred in the grass. It was the being from the
adjacent cage, the russet-coated fox with a watchful
face. But it was different now, larger; and as it stood he
recognized its new shape as that of the human female.
She swayed upon two long legs, clung to herself with thin
arms, lustrous fur nudged by the breeze. Her large eyes
met his. No polymer membranes separated them, yet
10
she showed no fear of him. Instead she looked mystified.
Helpless.
Other animals woke in the distance and stood for
the first time on two legs.
Kramah looked at his own body and saw the figure
of a human male, but larger and stronger, clawed and
furred. He had his own tail and his own head and mane.
And his own thoughts. There was no sign of the two
humans now; the animals must care for themselves.
But he would not hunt his fellows. He would strike a
common language. He would seek answers.
Gently he reached his new hand toward the fox
and spoke.
 The Journey Chant
Darkness begins and Darkness ends,
Light is the Purifier, the Great Flowing Sea,
The Breath of the Gods.
Shine Forth.
Drdnah, the World, is without gods,
It is without children, tears or song.
No one weeps for its dust.
Silence.
Mahitytah, the Great Father, comes,
Mahimbah, the Great Mother, comes,
Riding their fiery chariot, rejoice.
Sing Aloud.
The Edge of Heaven splits open,
The Providers and Protectors come,
They bring Their children.
Rejoice Aloud.
Darkness They escape, rejoice,
The Great Devourer They elude,
It consumes the Universe.
Mourn.
The Devourer is the End,
The End for all things,
It consumes Light, Love, Song.
Silence.
Mahimbah, Great Mother, sings,
The Path of Dreams She takes,
She gives Drdnah love and children.
Weep.
Mahitytah, Great Father, dances,
He shapes Light and Warmth,
He sets the twin crystals in Heaven.
Look and Rejoice.
The greater crystal is Lokyn,
It shines bright and warm upon children,
Lokyn is the second light of Drdnah.
See and Sing.
The lesser crystal is Ed,
It shines softly upon children,
Ed is the first light of Drdnah.
See and Sing.
Light purifies and prepares the way,
For the children of Great Father,
For the children of Great Mother.
Look.
Basic Compendium
Upon Drdnah They place Their children,
Drdnah is hid from the Devourer,
Now it has gods, song and children.
Weep and Rejoice.
**********
Great Father and Mother dance in Heaven,
Chapter I: Introduction
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
The children touch Drdnah,
It gives them stance.
Feel and Rejoice.
to Drdnah
Great Father and Mothers forms are many,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
Great Mother pours the Water of Heaven,
The children have many forms.
Look and Rejoice.
The Water of Heaven is without form,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
Great Father has many forms,
The children have many forms.
See and Sing.
Water of Heaven flows from the Sea Saln,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
The children receive the Water,
The children are the Jnah, shaped by Saln.
Rejoice.
The Jnah touch Drdnah, it is far,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
They see Great Father and Mother,
They have no song, no words.
Silence.
They cannot dance, cannot sing,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
They cannot give Song to the Gods,
Tears are their only song, only love.
Weep.
Mahimbah weeps, Drdnah is silent,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
She sings the Jnah to sleep,
No love, no song, no words.
Silence.
She rides the Dreams, Drdnah is silent,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
She takes the Flute from Heaven,
She takes the Music of Heaven.
Weep.
Mahitytah, is angered, Heaven is silent,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
The Flute of Heaven is gone,
The Music of Heaven is gone.
Listen.
11
 Chapter I: Introduction to Drdnah
Great Mother hides the Flute,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
In the bodies of the Jnah, awake,
Music is theirs, they have song.
Listen and Rejoice.
She teaches them the Song of Heaven,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
BOOK ONE
The music of Life, Drdnah sings,
Jnah sing to Heaven, listen.
Sing and Rejoice.
Great Father hears the music,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
Drdnah sings to Heaven, listen,
Great Father dances to the Music.
Sing and Rejoice.
Drdnah awakens, it sings,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
The Voice of Drdnah is the Jnah,
The Jnah are Drdnahs song, listen.
Sing.
Great Father weeps Fire on Drdnah,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
He dances to the Music,
He gives the Jnah Fire.
Look and Rejoice.
Great Father shapes the crystals,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
He teaches the Jnah Craft,
He gives them Fire and Craft.
See and Rejoice.
The Jnah craft, they create as the gods,
Heaven is Light, Drdnah is far,
To Great Father and Great Mother they sing,
They have words, song, fire, craft, love.
Sing and Amen.
12
The History of the Jnah
I am Buvrah, Master Historian at the Academy
of Nilm in Hanlu. At the request of my esteemed
colleague Atj of the Line of Sthyaram, and for
the glory of our isvar, His August Majesty Pntama
the Sixteenth, I have endeavored to write a treatise
concerning the history of our people, the jnah. So it
is on this twenty-fifth day of Nandthu, at the height
of the Kramahn Games, in the one thousandth and
seventh cycle after the Wars of Twilight, that I put pen
to parchment to record these words.
I find this a most worthy endeavor, for history
provides us with a tapestry of wisdom. Woven in
its threads, we find both victories and failures. By
studying these events, we gain insights that allow us to
weave a brighter future. It is my most fervent wish that
other disciples of the Scholars Way can unravel this
tapestry and find the deeper understanding that will
strengthen and empower many future generations.
So, with great humility, I present to you now the Six
Great Ages of the Jnah.
The Wandering
Much of our early history must be gleaned from
the pages of the Partakm, the holiest text of the
Mahist faith. There are some scholars who claim that
most of what is contained therein falls into the realm
of myth. I happen to be of the opinion that history is
simply myth that scholars have all agreed to believe.
There is a great deal of wisdom in the revered pages of
the Partakm, and I urge all serious students of history
to carefully study its pages, for reason and faith are
brothers, not foes.
The Partakms Journey Chant tells of the flight
of the Great Father and Mother from the Devourer,
known as the Darkness Without End. It tells of
Their escape along the Path of Dreams in Their fiery
chariot, and reveals how They tore asunder the Veils
of Heaven in search of a sanctuary for Their children,
the firstborn and ageless Devah, and the mortal jnah.
Arriving beyond the Edge of Heaven, the Great Father
set the twin crystal suns in the sky, revealing the world
of Drdnah, the Dust No One Weeps For. Upon its
 face They placed Their children.
The Great Father and Mother performed many
miracles for Their children. They gave Their children
many forms to hide them from the Devourer, and
to give them mastery over the various regions of
Drdnah: to the furred Vajrah, mastery of the
earth; to the winged Paksin, mastery of the air;
and to the scaled Sarpah, mastery over the waters.
They also gave them tears, laughter, voice, song, fire,
and craft. And when finally They were done, They
rejoiced for Their children and returned to the Edge
of Heaven to sleep.
During this time, the Devah and the jnah
wandered upon their new world like children,
filling themselves with the understanding of their
new home. They learned to thrive upon the bounty
that Drdnah offered. For many countless years
they wandered thus, the ageless Devah guiding the
jnah across innumerable lands of endless variety.
Many generations of jnah lived and died beneath
the light of the two suns, under the beauty of the
three moons.
The Age of Splendor
The Partakm goes on to say that finally rested
from Their tasks, the Great Father and Mother awoke
and spoke once again to Their beloved children. The
holy text tells of the rise of cities as the will of the
Great Father and Mother began to be felt again. It
describes the earliest civilization, the great city of
Jangaram, the City of the People, where the Devah
were said to rule.
According to the Partakm, the Great Father
and Mother knew that Their children would need
guidance. Thus, They appointed Their Firstborn
Children, the Devah, as protectors and guides for the
rest of the jnah. The Devah became the benevolent
rulers of the jnah and taught them many things,
including farming, crystal craft, mathematics, an
alphabet, architecture, and many other wonders. This
Age of Splendor was said to last for a thousand years.
In those days, the Devah, like the Great Father
and Mother, could take many forms. But as their time
on Drdnah stretched into centuries, they settled on
jenu they found most pleasing: Kramah, the lord of
war, a mighty lion; Krilrah, goddess of prophecy, a
lovely fox; Sianthe, goddess of rivers, a sleek water
snake; Kirh, master of the sky, a noble falcon;
Hrpa, god of the seas, a stout walrus; Muhjbh, god
of luck, an agile monkey; and Amasrah, goddess of
the night, a deadly cobra.
A variety of popular folktales originate from this
period. Tales of Kramahs jealousy over Krilrahs
many amorous adventures are common in the east,
whereas the west fancies the fables portraying Kramah
as a dimwitted brute, easily duped by the clever god
Basic Compendium
Kirh. Stories of Hrpas insatiable hunger, and
Muhjbhs amusing pranks are favorites in the coastal
and central regions. Kramahs clumsy attempts to bed
the sensuous Sianthe are incredibly popular in the
north. There are dozens of such tales and every region
of Drdnah has its own unique and often amusing
variations.
Chapter I: Introduction
The Thousand Years of
Darkness
It came to pass that in the midst of this splendor,
to Drdnah
Amasrah eventually grew jealous of the other
Devahs power and influence. She used her cunning
to unlock the mysteries of the dark void of Narkah,
the Swirling Hells. This foul realm was the home of
demons, hideous shape-changing monsters whose
existence was dedicated to chaos and destruction.
Amasrah found ways to bind these demons
and used their essence to grant herself vast powers.
She gathered together Sarpah followers who she
had seduced with her lies, and taught them how to
use this fell craft. They became the first summoner
sirhibasi. Armed with her disciples and her demons,
Amasrah waged a terrible war against the other
Devah for control of Drdnah. Thus began the
Thousand Years of Darkness.
Krilrah knew that Amasrah had used the power
of Narkah to increase her strength, so she beseeched
the Great Mother for aid, who took Krilrah into the
Path of Dreams. This dreamworld granted Krilrah
amazing gifts of prophecy and warding that allowed
her to successfully combat Amasrahs demons.
Krilrah passed this knowledge on to her own pupils,
thus giving birth to the dreamwalking sirhibasi.
The great War of the Devah continued for a
millennium, and all the wonders that had come
before were undone in the terrible tumult. Neither
side seemed capable of defeating the other. Shining
Jangaram crumbled into dust. Many generations
passed under the dark cloud of war, and terrible rifts
were formed between the various races of the jnah.
The Sarpah who allied with Amasrah retreated
into the steamy northern lands beyond tall and angry
mountains. The Paksin remained in the jungles and
deserts of the southwest. And the Vajrah withdrew
into the temperate southeastern regions. The Devah
had also grown to distrust one another, as each felt
they should decide the fate of the world.
The Great Father and Mother, seeing Their
children so divided, understood that the jnah could
never find lasting peace as long as they were the pawns
of the precocious and undying Devah. And so the Great
Father and Mother commanded the Devah to return to
the Edge of Heaven where they would remain forever,
to watch over and guide the jnah out of the darkness
into which their terrible war had plunged them.
13
 Chapter I: Introduction to Drdnah
Of Amasrah and her followers little else is told,
for the Great Father and Mother, in anger over the
abominations she had unleashed upon the world,
hurled Amasrah and her servants into the Swirling
Hells of Narkah. There in the void, Amasrah and
her disciples became demons themselves. The issue of
her sinister arts, the terrors she had summoned from
the abyss, fled into the shadowy places of the world.
BOOK ONE
Sorcerer Princes of Visedhrah. But as the might of
these various nations grew, so too did their ambition.
Conflicts began to erupt as the desire for territorial
expansion prompted the mighty Sarpah amns of the
north to begin sweeping southeastward toward the
smaller Vajrah nations. In time, the sorcerer princes
of Visedhrah began to envision themselves as the
rightful rulers of Drdnah.

They are said to dwell there still, awaiting the return of

their terrible mistress. The Heroic Age
On the matter of divine wars, I can speak with No other period has been written about as
no authority. That the Devah no longer walk amongst extensively and as fancifully as the Age of Heroes.
us is clear, and the fact that sirhibasi can call forth Indeed, I consulted many great works of respected
demons from Narkah can also not be questioned. It scholars, such as the venerable Visedi sage Selnth
seems reasonable to assume that long ago some terrible the Elder, the noted Amnoli scholar Habidha the
event took place that introduced these horrors into the Wise, and of course the works of our own Atj of
world, and until I am presented with evidence to the Nilm. This turbulent and glorious period in our
contrary, I am inclined to believe that the Partakm history should serve as a lesson to all the jnah of the
reveals as close to the truth as will ever be found. terrible price of unbridled ambition, and the great
value of self-sacrifice and hope. All people, Vajrah,
The Time of Enlightenment Paksin, and Sarpah alike, carry within their hearts the
So it was with the War of the Devah ended, and seeds of either great or fell deeds. Wisdom must be
the healing of the world well under way, the Great our guide, and that is the goal of this narrative.
Wisdom gained by the Devah served to bring about It is known that for many ages, the northern
a shining Time of Enlightenment. Although the Sarpah of Visedhrah had been honing their skills as
Devah no longer walked among the people, their renowned sirhibasi. They had formed the Loregather,
spirits communicated with them through the Path a council of mystics dedicated to the study of the arts
of Dreams. The sirhibasi now played an even more of ritual magic. During the Time of Enlightenment,
important role, as they served as a conduit to the it was said that these arts had been freely shared, but
Devahs will. It was with this guidance that the jnah as tensions arose between the great realms, the leaders
began to rebuild their shattered cities and to reunite of the Loregather withdrew into their own council.
their broken people. From their midst rose those who craved power over
This was a new age of discoveries and marvelous wisdom. These sorcerer princes became the driving
innovations. With the help of the Devah, many new force behind a misguided vision of Visedhran world
disciplines were developed. The arts of architecture
and mathematics flourished once again. Glorious
temples were erected in honor of the Devah. Sky
crystals were discovered that could raise ships aloft
into the upper airs. The revolutionary invention
of combustible black powder led to the miracles
of fireworks, guns, and cannons. And finally, the
wonders of the healing and medicinal arts came
into full bloom.
An age of peace lay across Drdnah as the
people of the world prospered and multiplied.
Mighty nations grew from the ashes of the ancient
conflict, and the fruits of the jnahs labors were
plentiful and wondrous. Great centers of learning
were built, and countless generations shared in the
knowledge of many cultures. The new methods of
air travel spread the wealth of nations across the
width and breadth of the known world.
It was during these years that many great
dynasties rose to prominence: the noble Gajah
of Hthiyar, the proud Rkbarani Aminars, the
Merchant Isvars of Tishnia, the Mahndak
Dynasty of Ktta, the Jausr of Amnol, and the

14
 domination. Among these, the most infamous and
terrible of all was Adhitmuss, a Sarpah known as the
Isvar of Suffering, the legendary sorcerer said to have
mastered the foul art of demonology.
At this time, Visedhrah was already a powerful
nation, ruling over a large section of the northeast. Led
by the sorcerer princes, the vast Visedi armies began
to push southward through the jungles of Ullsh. The
Aminar of the Jade Throne, Kahlsu XIII, who would
come to be known as Kahlsu the Mad, respected the
strength of the Paksin amns of Rkbar and Amnol,
but had little regard for the Vajrah people of the
southeast, whose domains were smaller and divided.
And so it was, hidden from the sight of the Amnoli
and Rkbarani alike, that the Visedhran forces swept
over the Gajah realm of Hthiyar, led by Adhitmuss
himself, Kahlsus chief general. This act would mark
the beginning of the Wars of Twilight.
The Twilight Wars
The rulers of Hthiyar, the tusked Gajah Dynasty,
were then as they are today, a proud people of mighty
stature and great strength. But nothing could have
prepared them for the power of the sorcerer princes.
A host of unspeakable horrors descended upon their
lands and citizens, and in their wake came vast armies.
Cities large and small fell to the invaders, and many
survivors were forced southward to seek refuge in
Ktta. In the span of a single decade, all of Hthiyar
had been conquered, and the Gajah had been utterly
defeated and enslaved.
Word of the conquest of Hthiyar spread across
the seas. Those lucky few who had escaped into Ktta
sought to warn other southern nations of the terrible
threat from the north. But long before word ever
reached the far away nations of Amnol and Rkbar,
the foundations of mighty and impenetrable fortresses
were being laid by the Gajah slaves under the direction
of the sorcerer princes. These fortresses were designed
to house and train thousands of soldiers who could
strike far into the coveted realms of the south. They
were erected with the aid of sorcery and said to be
protected by demons. Foremost among these demon
fortresses, ruled over by Adhitmuss himself, was a
vile construct that came to be called Jirangarrm,
the Rotting City.
It was from this cursed place, many decades later,
that the doom of Amnol came. The ancient city of
Hadrah, once the seat of power in old Amnol, fell
swiftly to the armies of Adhitmuss. The shattered
Amnoli forces retreated across the sea to the deserts
of the south. No city could resist the Isvar of Suffering
and his demon ships from terrible Jirangarrm.
Within the span of a few years, all of northern Amnol
and Rkbar had been conquered by Adhitmuss.
Only then, with so much already lost, did the
Paksin rulers come to realize that their only hope of
Basic Compendium
stemming the deadly invasion was an alliance with the
Vajrah of the southeast. At first the possibility of an
alliance seemed remote, as old prejudices against the
Vajrah were firmly rooted in the minds of the Paksin
nobility. The wingless Vajrah had never formed a
powerful amn, nor had they ever raised vast armies,
or built mighty fleets of skyships. They squabbled
Chapter I: Introduction
amongst themselves in petty disputes over the borders
of their relatively small isvarates. The Paksin viewed
them as backward and simple. That was until an offer
of help came from a little known Vajrah people who
to Drdnah
had once lived on the eastern coast of Hthiyar in a
city called Klin.
The Scattering of the Klin
Long ago, the old and magnificent city of Klin
nestled within the forests of the eastern tropical coast.
The city was a marvel to behold, for the people of
Klin, unlike all other Vajrah, possessed leather wings
and could fly like the Paksin. Their great city reflected
this unique trait and was built both beneath the
earth and suspended above the towering trees. It was
considered the most beautiful in all of Drdnah.
The people of Klin were renowned architects who
wove the magic of the Dream into their works. Tales
from the Time of Enlightenment tell how Krilrah
had gifted their leaders with many arcane secrets. In
their writings, these blessings became the legacy of the
people of Klin, and many of the marvelous eastern
temples and palaces of the ancient world are credited
to their efforts and craft.
When the armies of Visedhrah fell upon
Hthiyar, the people of Klin, who were the furthest
east of all Vajrah nations, had time to prepare their
escape. Many had fled by the time the Visedi troops
surrounded their city. The Sarpah soldiers discovered
they could not enter the enchanted realm. When
the Klin who remained refused to surrender, the
Visedi bombarded their beautiful spires, but to their
dismay discovered that the delicate structures held
firm against their cannons. The Visedi called for aid
from their lord and general, Adhitmuss. The Klin
elders knew that their beloved city was lost, and so
their sirhibasi made one last effort to hold back the
terrible demon ships that would soon come bearing
death.
A great storm blew in from the east across the
ocean of Dharshn, tearing at the encampments of
the invaders and delaying the passage of the demon
ships just long enough for the rest of the Klin to
escape. Only those few Klin who stayed to maintain
the unnatural storm were lost, for when the dread
ships of Adhitmuss arrived, they set flame to the
great forest and burnt the city of Klin to the ground.
It would be nearly two hundred years before anything
would grow upon that once fertile delta, which came
to be known as Nanduri, the Place of Ashes.
15
BOOK ONE Chapter I: Introduction to Drdnah
The Klin refugees that fled southward into Ktta
warned the Mahndak Dynasty of the threat that had
risen in the north. The flood of Gajah refugees into
their capital city convinced the Mahndak lords that
it was time to act. They chose to transplant the seat of
their power to the newly fortified city of Sravatmr
further north. There the Mahndaik gathered their
armies, and with the aid of Klin architects prepared a
defense against the coming dark tide.
Meanwhile, the Klin sought to unite the remaining
Vajrah realms against the common foe. Many settled
among the jnah of the mighty forests of southern
Ktta, and chose to share their arts with their allies.
Other Klin traveled southwest beyond the Kantara
Mountains into the island nation of Dar-Purm,
which like all of the southern isvarates was ruled by
furred Vajrah lords. But unlike most of these lands,
Dar-Purm had long ago attracted a large number of
winged Paksin settlers. When the Klin arrived, they
discovered that the Paksin and Vajrah lived together
as equals. The Dar-Purmi were already aware of the
trouble that stirred in the far northwest, but were not
concerned. What use could far-away Visedhrah have
for a small island nation such as theirs?
The lords of Dar-Purm believed that the Visedi
sought only the lands and slaves of Hthiyar, to build
what armies they needed to conquer the Paksin amns.
After all, the Sarpah had ceased pushing southward
once Hthiyar had fallen. The Dar-Purmi lords felt
it would be unwise to anger the Visedhrans. Better
to let the northern realms work out their own affairs,
as they had always done. The Klin were vexed by Dar-
Purms response, and were insulted further still by
the demand of their isvar that they leave his land. The
Klin were given passage across the gulf to the lands
of Ishpria, where they hoped they might find wiser
leaders.
16
Ishpria had long been a nation of civil unrest.
Warlords fought for dominion over the shadowed
mountain valleys, and bloodshed was commonplace.
No isvar remained on the throne of Ratnm for very
long. In such an atmosphere, the Klin had little
hope of rallying together support for their cause.
The warlords ignored their warnings, even when
Tishnian refugees began to cross the borders of
Ishpria, fleeing the invading Visedi armies. The
isvar, himself once a warlord, was far more interested
in securing the Klins help against his many rivals.
For their part, the Klin had little desire to make their
new home in a land of such unrest, but they feared
moving northward, closer to the Visedi invaders. So
it was that they decided to settle for a while and wait
for a sign from the Devah.
Udtis Heart
Among the Tishnian refugees who had fled
into Ishpria was a weary traveler who sought out
the Klin elders. His name was Udti, and from his
arms hung tattered, useless leather wings. The Klin
elders were stunned to recognize one of their own.
Udti was one of the Klin sirhibasi who had remained
in their doomed city to call forth the great storm.
Udti described how he and his comrades had been
enslaved by Adhitmuss. They were each sent away
to far shores to lend their formidable talents as mystic
architects to the building of the demon fortresses that
now threatened the freedom of the world.
Udti described how his wings were shredded
to prevent his escape, and how he was shackled and
taken by skyship to oversee the laying of the first
stones of horrid Jirangarrm. It was due in part to
his arts, and the skills of the other Klin captives, that
these demon fortresses were near impregnable. It was
only when Adhitmuss attention had been drawn
 away toward his greater goal of conquest that Udti
found a chance to escape.
Within the hidden passages of the fortress he
had helped design, Udti had carefully planned his
own path to freedom. During the many years of his
enslavement, he had also managed to witness the
terrible rites that Adhitmuss had used to gain power.
Udti learned the magics used to grant Adhitmuss
near immortality, and discovered that the Sarpah
sorcerer had anchored his undying soul to the world
by removing a portion of it and hiding it away in the
depths of his lair. It had been Adhitmuss himself who
had orchestrated the plan for Visedhran expansion
over a century earlier. For hundreds of years he had
lived, and for countless more he planned to impose
his will upon the world.
Udti showed the Klin a crimson tablet of stone
upon which he had transcribed the secret rites of the
Isvar of Suffering. When the Klin elders asked him to
share this knowledge, Udti refused. He explained that
Krilrah had spoken to him in a dream, warning him
that the world would be greatly harmed by the misuse
of such fell knowledge, but that in time the tablet
would bring about the destruction of Adhitmuss.
Udti begged the Klin to await the Devahs holy
guidance. But the Klin elders were not interested in
Udtis visions. They demanded he share the secrets
of the crimson tablet, for they craved the knowledge
of those powerful magics. Udti requested and was
granted a night of meditation before revealing the
secrets.
In the morning, Udti and the tablet were gone,
never to be seen again by his own people. There are
those who say that he took a small boat out to sea and
hurled himself and the crimson tablet into the depths
so that its power would never be misused. Other tales
say that he called forth a monstrous creature called
Cnavar from the emerald waters, which took the
tablet away to guard until the day that Udti or one of
his blood returned to fulfill Krilrahs prophecy. The
tablet would come to be known as Udtis Heart.
The Rallying of the Paksin
The elders of the Klin were left in dismay, but at
least now understood the true nature of their enemy
and the source of the power used to create the demon
fortresses. They decided that they should waste no
more time with the isvarates of the south, and should
instead deal directly with the amns of Rkbar and
Amnol, who were even then being overrun by Visedi
armies.
The Klin chose to cross the southern reaches of
Tishnia, observing as they did the desperate attempt
of the Tishnians to push back the Visedi invaders
from their northern shores. Finally, the Klin entered
Amnol from the east near Ekapa, which had not yet
fallen, and crossed the Sea of Vigra to Grdahassi,
Basic Compendium
which was preparing for a siege. It was here their elders
met with the aminar Daksikhr, an aged peacock
whose Line had ruled Amnol for centuries. The Klin
also traveled into Rkbar, across the tropical forests
to the city of Varalu, where the Rkbarani aminar
Gurdrah and the royal family had taken refuge.
To these great aminars they explained how
Chapter I: Introduction
the Visedi had built their demon fortresses with
magics stolen from Klin adepts. They also spoke of
the corruption of Adhitmuss, and of his pact with
the terrible powers of Narkah. On the matter of
to Drdnah
Adhitmuss immortality and the prophecy of Udti,
however, they spoke not at all, for they feared that the
rulers of Rkbar and Amnol would become angered
by the Klins failure to secure Udtis tablet.
It was known by the Klin that during the Age
of Enlightenment the Visedi Loregather had shared
their arcane knowledge with the Paksin. The Klin
requested sanctuary within the lands of the Paksin,
and asked to be taught these ancient rituals so that
they could use those magics against their common
foe. Together, the Klin reasoned, they might be able
to unlock the secrets that would bring down the walls
of the vile demon fortresses. Although the leather-
winged Klin seemed strange to the Paksin, their
knowledge and magical skill could not be denied.
The Paksin aminars did not wish to share the same
fate as the Gajah, and so granted the Klins request.
In the years that followed, a terrible war of
attrition was waged across the northern lands of what
remained of Rkbar and Amnol. The Rkbarani
seemed to fare well compared to Amnol, who lost
Grdahassi and the town of Nask within a year
of their alliance with the Klin. Beautiful Ekapa was
lost as well, though the Visedi armies paused there,
apparently deciding whether to push further south
toward Magambi. The Rkbarani had already lost
their capital city of Diyk and neighboring Yanti
before the Klin came, but had been successful in
keeping the invading armies occupied in the dense
jungles west of the Sea of Suvr, away from their port
city of Predvah.
The Rkbarani scored a great victory, however,
when a fleet of their skyships from Varalu flew
northward over the Sea of Suvr and attacked one
of the demon fortresses built near the northwestern
Rkbarani border. In addition to the winged Paksin
soldiers, the ships carried Klin elders armed with a
potent combination of their own magics and the
ancient sorceries of the Loregather.
For the first time since their creation, the grim
defenses of the fortress weakened as emerald lightning
fell from the dark clouds that gathered overhead. The
Rkbarani ships did not fall victim to the demons that
guarded the fortress, and eventually the outer walls
crumbled. Even the cannons of the Visedi seemed to
do little to the hulls of the Rkbarani vessels as they
17
 Chapter I: Introduction to Drdnah
circled above the now-exposed fortress, disgorging
their troops to fall upon the stunned Visedhran
soldiers within.
For many days the siege continued, the Visedhran
forces suffering terrible losses, while in the clouds
above, dark shapes wrestled in supernatural contest.
In the end, the fortress great tower was shattered,
and the sorcerer prince who ruled there was slain. For
BOOK ONE
For some time now, Daksikhr had been devising
a plan for a direct attack upon the Rotting City. The
Klin warned the aminar that the power of Adhitmuss
should not to be underestimated, for the full extent of
his pact with the powers of Narkah was not known.
They recommended the aminar concentrate his efforts
on defending Distya instead. Infuriated by what he
perceived to be cowardice, Daksikhr commanded

days afterward, on the return journey, the Klin slept, the Klin to prepare their magics. The aminar felt the
but for the Rkbarani there was cause for celebration. time for a siege was at hand, for Adhitmuss would
This victory emboldened the beleaguered troops, who be absent, attending his coronation in the far north.
until then had seen only defeat. There would be no better time to strike. Reluctantly,
the Klin elders agreed.
For a time, the northern Paksin amns,
strengthened by the magical might of the Klin, Little is known of what truly happened that
seemed capable of stemming the tide of invasion. terrible day at the siege of Jirangarrm. That it
Encouraged by the success at what became known as was a crushing defeat for the Amnoli there can be no
the Battle of the Yn Jungles, the Rkbarani nobles doubt. It is said that the Amnoli skyships were torn
pushed to regain their lost lands. Amnol also seemed apart by vast, translucent tentacles which descended
to fare better with the help of the Klin. Their armies in great number from holes torn in the sky. It was,
held a fleet of invading Visedhran vessels at bay some survivors claimed, as if the hells of Narkah had
near Distya. The Amnoli even laid plans for a siege opened before them allowing its terrible denizens to
on Jirangarrm itself, and began to slowly push consume their fleet. The aminar managed to survive
northward with the hopes of reclaiming the city of the initial attack, and attempted to rally his warriors
Ekapa. on the ground.
The survivors told further tales of the terrors
A Dark Alliance witnessed in this final battle between the soldiers of
Then, in the midst of this great conflict, word Amnol and the forces of Adhitmuss: sorcerous winds
came from the far north that the aminar Kahlsu the that stripped flesh from bone with the chilling sound
Mad, the ruler of all of Visedhrah, had died. There of laughter; chitinous horrors that leapt over the
was a brief glimmer of hope that the engines of war impregnable walls to begin cutting down the Paksin;
would grind to a halt as a result, but then terrible and most terrible of all, dead Amnoli rising up like
news followed: the sorcerer prince Adhitmuss had twisted puppets to begin slaughtering their comrades
declared himself the new aminar of Visedhrah. Shock upon the battlefield. Some claimed to have seen
and dismay shook the world, for it seemed
there was nothing now to stop Adhitmuss
ambitions of conquest.
Then another terrible tragedy was
reported from across the world: Ktta had
fallen and the Mahndak Dynasty had
been utterly destroyed. It was said that
unspeakable magics brought a horrific end
to the fortified city of Sravatmr, despite
the wards of the Klin. Those few that fled to
the city of Gajanh spoke of the anguished
screams that arose from within the city as
it died. No Visedi forces ever entered it,
for the hollow spire of rock upon which
Sravatmrs temple sat began to belch forth
poisonous vapors which shrouded the city
in a deadly mist.
Within that same year, word came
to Aminar Daksikhr that the armies of
Visedhrah had begun to march southward
once again, toward the great city of Distya.
The aminar feared that if they did not move
soon against far away Jirangarrm, their
ancestral city would be lost.

18
 Daksikhr himself dragged away by his own dead
honor guard into the bowels of the Rotting City.
Many believed these tales to be true, for similar
stories had come from others whose lands had fallen
to the armies of Visedhrah. And so it was that
Amnol grieved for its slain ruler. But then, only a few
days after the siege, a royal skybarque from conquered
Hadrah, bearing the banner of the Amnoli aminar,
descended from the clouds to land before the palace
gates. At first none dared hope it could be true, but
soon Daksikhr himself emerged from the vessel. An
alliance, the aminar proclaimed, had been formed
between Amnol and Visedhrah.
The Amnoli nobles were stunned. Daksikhr
went on to explain that although Distya would be
ceded to the Visedi and rebuilt to suit their needs, the
Amnoli people were welcome to return to it and dwell
within its walls, alongside their new allies. Adhitmuss
had personally vowed that no more land would be
taken from Amnol south of Distya, which was to be
renamed Suathari, the Southern Jewel. The cities of
Jausrimun, Hal-Hammar, Jnradh, and all the lands
to the south were to remain under the sovereignty
of Amnol. In return, the Amnoli would allow the
armies of Visedhrah to pass unhindered across their
land into the nation of Magr. The Amnoli nobles
were outraged by the terms, for the lands to the south
were mostly arid desert, but Daksikhr silenced all
debate. So it was that the alliance between Amnol
and Visedhrah was forged, and the doom of Magr
was sealed.
In the months that followed, Magr fell swiftly
to the horrors unleashed by Adhitmuss. It was said
that demons now mingled freely with the armies of
Visedhrah, feasting on the flesh of hapless conquered
citizens. After a bloody attack on the settlement
of Suri, and with terrible rumors spreading south
through all of Magr, few Magri cities resisted the
Visedi armies. Even at the capital of Matra, no sword
was drawn or cannon fired. The city gates were thrown
wide, but despite this, the entire Magri royal family
was butchered before the eyes of their subjects.
An edict was issued by the invaders that all the
Vajrah of Magr were to be enslaved and become the
property of their new Sarpah masters. Visedi settlers
who traveled a few days behind the army flooded into
the conquered cities. Visedhran ministers replaced
the Magri nobles who had been in power. Garrisons
were established to insure a smooth transition of
power, and to quell any possible Magri uprisings.
The bulk of the Visedi army continued south toward
the tiny nation of Bakri.
Never before, however, had the ordinary Sarpah
citizens of Visedhrah actually witnessed the brutal
tactics of their new aminar. The stories they had
heard had been dismissed as tales designed to strike
fear into the hearts of their enemies. But now, having
Basic Compendium
witnessed these atrocities first hand, they were filled
with loathing. Even Adhitmuss own troops began to
feel shame over the terrible acts they had committed
in their aminars name. It is said that many of the
Sarpah settlers took pity upon the Magri citizens,
and sought to protect them from the demons in their
midst.
Chapter I: Introduction
Back in Amnol, the Aminar Daksikhr
began to manifest a new and disturbing nature.
Oppressive laws were enacted, and many nobles
who had expressed discontent over the terms of
to Drdnah
the alliance with Visedhrah were publicly tortured
and executed. The aminar crushed any hint of
disobedience or dissent without mercy. Worse still,
Vajrah slaves flooded into Amnol, and the aminar
used them in cruel blood sports for the amusement
of his court. The aminars depravities began to tear
apart the once lawful land, and violence between
lord and citizen, and master and slave became
frighteningly common.
The Blessed Twins
Legends say that in the midst of this terrible
conflict a blessed event took place in far away Bakri.
On a night marked by the alignment of the three
moons, a pregnant Vajrah, a gazelle with pearl-white
fur, washed ashore during a terrible storm. She
claimed to have no name and no past, and it was said
that she could perform miracles. She was taken in by
the kind isvar Jhirrd, who had seen firsthand the
many wonders within her power. Enchanted by her
beauty and gentleness, Jhirrd named her Devayani,
the Devahs Grace.
When the time of the birthing was at hand,
Devayani told Jhirrd that although terror had come
to strike at the people, they should not despair. The
Devah had heard their prayers and had chosen to
leave in his care precious gifts that would one day
bring true peace to all of Drdnah. Devayani died
while giving birth to her children, beautiful twins,
pearl-white like their mother, one a male lion, the
other a female fox. It is said that their eyes shone with
a divine light, as if the spirits of Kramah and Krilrah
themselves rested within their breasts.
Kramahs Talons
At that same time, a terrible battle raged between
the soldiers of Bakri and the advancing armies of
Visedhrah. Demons moved through the ranks of
the Sarpah, and the soldiers of Bakri quailed before
them. When all hope seemed lost, there appeared on
the battlefield two great heroes, like a blessing out of
the east. A golden eagle, wielding the light of the suns
like twin blades, and a tiger, whose roar was like the
destructive winds of a Dshasd storm, cut through
the ranks of the demons and rallied the Bakri to
victory.
19
 Chapter I: Introduction to Drdnah
These two were the first of five legendary heroes
who would come to be known as the Talons of Kramah;
warriors who had been granted mystic martial powers
by the Devah so that they could bring an end to the
threat of Adhitmuss. The eagle was named Jvalah,
master of the sacred stance of Kramahs Sword, and
the tiger was called Kahraman, master of Kramahs
Roar. Jvalah spoke of their other three comrades: the
BOOK ONE
mongoose Nipna, master of Kramahs Spear; the
jackal Pundrikam, master of Kramahs Shield; and
Bhadrah the cheetah, master of Kramahs Leap. Even
now, these three heroes were rallying the isvarates of
the east against the common foe. Jvalah and Kahraman
had sailed from the eastern coasts of the Gulf of Bhtai
to stop the Visedi armies, and secure the safety of the
Blessed Twins, for the Talons knew that they would
one day help bring an end to the Twilight Wars.
Jvalah and Kahraman intended to continue
northward into Magr, in the hopes of destroying the
demonic presence there, and liberating the Magri
people. They bade the Bakri generals to send word
of their victory to their isvar, and to advise him of the
great responsibility he had been given as the protector
of the Blessed Twins. The Talons then requested that
the Bakri army march northward with them to help
bring an end to the cruelty of Adhitmuss.
Through the efforts of the Talons and the armies
of Bakri, the nation of Magr was finally liberated after
many years of struggle. This effort was aided by the fact
that many of the Visedi settlers chose to forsake their
loyalties to Visedhrah in favor of fighting alongside
the Vajrah and Paksin against the terrible demons of
Adhitmuss.
But in the midst of these victories, word came
from Amnol that Aminar Daksikhr had descended
into madness. Many of his own people had fled his
cruel tyranny. Visedhran terror troops amassed in
the southern remnants of Amnol in response to the
loss of Magr, and their oppressive presence taxed the
subjugated people. But it was the Vajrah slaves who
suffered the most at the hands of the Visedi occupiers.
Many liberated Magri slaves had chosen to join the
Talons in their efforts to reclaim conquered territories,
and rumors of their victories both angered the Visedi
and stirred the hearts of the slave population in the
conquered territories of old Amnol. The stage was
set for a bloody slave rebellion that would eventually
topple the Jausr Dynasty forever.
In the Isvarate of Tishnia, the Talon Bhadrah,
whose blind eyes could see only in the realm of Dream,
and through which she could walk unhindered, had
rallied the armies of Dar-Purm and Gilrhi. They
came to the aid of the beleaguered Tishnian forces,
and drove the Visedhran invaders from the shores
of Tishnia. Then the combined armies destroyed
the demon fortress at the base of the sursammah
Mountains.
20
Of all the eastern Vajrah nations, only troubled
Ishpria failed to heed the call to arms of the Talon
Bhadrah. Its isvar had recently fallen to a mighty
warlord known as Sistahrdh the Raver, who now
governed all of Ishpria from his mountain keep of
Yuaj in the Dgubar Pass. Like Daksikhr, Sistahrdh
had made a pact with Adhitmuss, who had placed
him on the throne to subjugate the southeastern realms
of Drdnah. Toward the end of the Twilight Wars,
a mighty Ishpri hero named Nendruh overthrew
the sadistic warlord, and had him publicly beheaded.
It was said that tyrants severed head continued to
scream in rage for days afterwards. Nendruh was
proclaimed the new isvar by the grateful Ishprians
and ruled for many decades.
In the far east, the scattered forces of Hthiyar
and Ktta rallied around the Talon Nipna, the
mongoose who possessed the stance of Kramahs
Spear. This mystic art gave her the power to call down
the very fires of heaven. Nipna and the eastern
armies eventually retook the conquered lands of
the Mahndak and the Gajah. The eastern demon
fortress which had helped bring about Hthiyars ruin
was destroyed by lightning called down by Nipna,
and its sorcerer prince slain. In the decades that would
follow, the nation of Hthiyar would be completely
cleansed of the Visedi presence.
The Liberation of Amnol
In Amnol, a Vajrah slave named Sejurna, a
black panther who was said to have descended from
Tishnian nobility, had risen through the ranks of the
gladiators to become the most renown and deadliest
arena champion in all of Jausrimun. He was much
prized by the Anmoli court, who had profited from
his victories in the arena, but was despised by his
fellow slaves, who saw in Sejurna an obedient servant
of the Visedi occupiers who curried favor at the cost
of Vajrah blood. After a failed slave uprising in Hal-
Hammar, which had been spurred on by the news of
Magrs liberation, Daksikhr had arranged a bloody
gladiatorial display where a thousand rebellious
slaves would be slaughtered for the amusement of
Daksikhrs court. Sejurna was to be the instrument
of the slave leaders demise.
It is said that several nights before the blood sport,
Sejurna was visited by Kramah in a dream, who told
him that it would be by Sejurnas own hand that the
demonic power that held the Vajrah slaves in thrall
would be overthrown and destroyed. In this vision,
Sejurna saw a mighty crystal spear, engraved with
devotions to the Devah, and Kramah proclaimed that
when Sejurna wielded the spear and heard the roar
of the mighty Devah of War, the time of liberation
would be at hand. On the day of the arena match,
Sejurnas master, the chief magistrate of Jausrimun,
presented the gladiator with a gift: the beautiful
crystal spear of Sejurnas vision. It was an heirloom
 of the magistrates Line, and deemed a
fitting weapon to display in the arena for
the aminar.
Seated upon a dais overlooking the
arena, surrounded by his court and his Visedi
allies, the aminar Daksikhr awaited the
commencement of the days entertainment.

Chapter I: Introduction
The thousand rebellious slaves and their
leaders were brought forth, as was Sejurna
and the gladiators who would fight for the
honor of the aminar. It was the custom that

to Drdnah
the winners of the contest would be granted
their freedom, but since Daksikhr had just
received word that Hal-Hammar had fallen
to the Talons and their Vajrah armies, the
aminar proclaimed that all the Vajrah slaves
were to be slain in the arena as punishment
for the actions of their people.
In that instant, a roar like thunder
from heaven shook the very walls of the
arena. Landing in the midst of the slaves,
the Talon Kahraman blasted the Visedi
guards surrounding Daksikhr. Seeing his
vision come to pass, Sejurna leapt forward
and smote Daksikhr with the haft of his
mighty spear, hurling him into the arena
below. To the horror of all the Amnoli, a
monstrous change came over their fallen
lord. The mortal guise of Daksikhr fell
away, revealing a hideous demonic figure. tradition, but was instead buried in an unmarked
The monster vomited black bile, and from it rose crypt deep within the Shadya-Kav Mountains. It is
many twisted creatures. said that a great sandstorm blew in from the west
Before the eyes of thousands of horrified citizens, and covered the entire city, as if erasing it from the
an epic battle was joined, Vajrah slave against Visedi memory of the jnah. Thus it was that the Jausr
soldier, and demon against hero. On that day, Sejurna Dynasty ended, and the foul taint of Adhitmuss was
slew the tyrant Daksikhr, aided by the Talon cleansed from Amnol.
Kahraman. In the years to come, these two would
form a close kinship that would lead to the founding The Klins Banishment
of the mighty Vajrah nation of Sustrm. In northern Tishnia, after the fall of the far
In the midst of the chaos that resulted from the eastern demon fortress, Samdra became the
death of Daksikhr, the armies of the Talons arrived launching point for the Vajrahs campaign to retake
to crush the Visedi forces occupying Jausrimun. Ekapa. Joining the ranks of the Vajrah armies were
All throughout the city, Vajrah slaves rose up against the freed Gajah slaves, now armored and terrible
their masters, but many were joined by Amnoli in their vengeance. Before this mighty force, the
nobles and citizens who had long despised the rule terrified Visedi fled the city of Ekapa with barely
of their cruel aminar. After Jausrimun had been a drop of blood shed. The mighty Gajah warriors
retaken, the liberating armies continued northward tore down the palaces and monuments built in
to reclaim Distya, and from there traveled across the honor of the Visedi conquerors. By this time the
Sea of Vigra to continue the struggle against the Visedhran forces had begun to falter, as the fall
Visedhran menace. of each of their demon fortresses diminished the
power of the sorcerer princes. The remaining Visedi
Jausrimun, however, was eventually armies fled before the liberators to seek shelter
abandoned. It was discovered that the oldest of its within the seemingly impenetrable walls of foul
temples had been defiled by ghastly rituals. The thing Jirangarrm.
that had been Daksikhr had feasted on the blood
of hundreds of slaves in the dark catacombs beneath In western Rkbar, however, the defense
the temple. This so appalled the Amnoli people, that of Predvah could not hold. The Visedi fleet
the body of Daksikhr was not cremated as was the overwhelmed the port city, calling forth unnatural

Basic Compendium
21
 Chapter I: Introduction to Drdnah
fire from the heavens to rain down upon
their enemies. The desperate Rkbarani
generals appealed to the Klin elders to
work their magics in defense of the city.
The Klin explained that the Visedi had
called forth a demon to lurk within the
boiling clouds, and insisted that the only
thing that could defeat it would be an even
BOOK ONE

greater demon. Given that their Vajrah

reinforcements had not yet arrived, the
generals reluctantly agreed that there was
no other choice but to call forth the fell
creature.
As the suns set over the glittering
bay, the Klin began their summoning. A
glowing presence stirred deep within the
waters, then something immense and
terrible rose from the bottom of the bay.
In form it was like a glowing column of
water, taller than the highest tower of
Predvah. This great sea beast smashed the
Visedi skyships, then surged upward into
the storm itself, and dragged a shrieking
horror shrouded in lightning down into
the watery depths below. The ocean seethed with the
titanic battle that raged beneath its surface, and then
eventually grew calm. The Rkbaranis spirits were
raised by what they perceived to be a great victory.
But all joy fled as a vast and shadowy form rose
again from the waters and moved toward the shore.
The creature consumed all living things in its path,
making no distinction between Sarpah, Vajrah, or
Paskin. Its hunger drove it inland toward the Klin
elders who had summoned it. As its monstrous form
emerged fully from the water on huge, barnacle-
encrusted limbs, a thousand smaller abominations
fell away from its body and scuttled across the
sundered docks to feast upon anything they could
catch. All jnah fled in terror before this nightmare,
and many were slain and devoured.
It was the Talon Pundrikam, master of Kramahs
Shield, who alone rushed forward without fear. He
had arrived moments before, leading the Vajrah
reinforcements from the city of Varalu. Calling
forth his divine power, he brought into being a
towering shield of golden light to hold the terrors
at bay. Pundrikam summoned all his strength,
and drove the ravenous leviathan back into the bay.
The giant demon and its brood sank back into the
murky depths, leaving the exhausted Pundrikam to
collapse in the surf.
A council was held that night to decide the fate
of the Klin, who were blamed for the horror that
had befallen the citizens of Predvah. Though the
Klin claimed to have done their best to control
their demon, it was the decision of the aminar
Gurdrah, illustrious sovereign of Rkbar, that the
Klin be banished from his realm forever. The aminar
believed that in the presence of the blessings of the
Devah, the Rkbarani people had no more need of
fell sorcery, which served only to expose his faithful
subjects to the foul taint of Narkah.
It is believed that this was the cause of the
rift that exists today between the Klin and the
rest of the jnah. Having had enough of demons
and sorcery, the other Vajrah and Paksin nations
followed Gurdrahs example and gave no welcome
to the Klin. The Klin called together the remnants
of their people, and on ships powered by demons
summoned from the Swirling Hells, they departed
to a land they had seen in visions, the farthest east
of any known realm of Drdnah. This great island
they named Klinrh, the Lament of the Klin. In the
centuries that they have dwelled there, few outsiders
have ever been allowed to see the shadowed halls,
glittering spires, and subterranean wonders of the
city, for the Klin have never forgotten the deep hurt
done to them by the world.
The Siege of Jirangarrm
Toward the final years of the Twilight Wars, the
Rkbarani discovered a barbaric nation of Vajrah
nomads in the northern steppes of the Mountains of
Kthah. No one is sure of their origin, although some
have surmised that they are the descendants of the
ancient Vajrah warriors who fought for Kramah in
the great War of the Devah thousands of years before.
They called themselves the Hardazi, the people of
the god Dar, a primitive and brutal deity that was
unknown to the jnah. As the power of the Visedi
sorcerer princes waned, tales of the Hardazis raids

22
 into Sarpah territory began to spread. The Hardazi
took no prisoners, and were rumored to prize grisly
war trophies. The generals of Rkbar sought to
parley with these strange barbarians, but the Hardazi
violently rejected all attempts at communication.
In the south, the mighty allied armies of Paksin
and Vajrah gathered near Hadrah after having
reclaimed the southern territories west of the Sea of
Vigra, preparing for a final march northward toward
terrible Jirangarrm. They would be met by great Jirangarrm in the eastern range of Kthah. The
Vajrah fleets sailing out from Ekapa. The Talons
gathered at the gates of Hadrah, and a joyous cry
arose when an entourage of Bakri warriors escorted
two riders into the city. The riders faces were of
purest white - one a male lion with eyes of amber,
the other a female fox with eyes like sapphires. The
Divine Twins had come as prophesied, drawn like
the Talons by a vision and for a single purpose.
It had been twenty years since the birth of the
Twins. Told of their importance by the Talons who
had saved Bakri, the aminar Jhirrd had personally
escorted the twin children to the far deserts near
Ajibadh, and had left them in the care of the revered
monks of a secluded Mahist temple near the edges
of the Crimson Waste. There they had been tutored
until the age of adulthood, when they chose to walk
into the vast desert with a mysterious hermit, who
had sworn to help the Twins master the amazing
abilities they had begun to manifest as children.
Legends of the fighting prowess of Aythti the lion,
and the sirhibas skills of Ambhnu the fox had
spread throughout the south.
In council, the Talons, the Twins, and the
leaders of the allied nations discussed the siege of
Jirangarrm. The generals argued that they would resided there were drawing forth veils of shadow
be forced to march into Benng itself to end the
threat of Adhitmuss, but the Talons assured them
that the sorcerer aminar would be in the Rotting
City, for he had invested great power there and
would not willingly choose to abandon it. It was from
Jirangarrm and not Benng that Adhitmuss as Pundrikam used Kramahs Shield to keep the
intended to rule the world. It was known that
even his own people now feared Adhitmuss, and
would gladly welcome an end to his terrible reign.
The Talons believed that the ordinary Visedhran
wanted nothing more to do with the conquest of
Drdnah, and that only Adhitmuss fanatically Adhitmuss swarmed into foul Jirangarrm.
loyal Sarpah terror troops still served the Isvar of
Suffering.
It was also known that this last battle would
be the greatest challenge of the war, for all of
Adhitmuss remaining might had been amassed at
Jirangarrm. Victory was by no means assured. who had served Amasrah long ago in the age of
The Twins expressed regret at the loss of their Klin
allies, for their formidable powers would have been
a great aid. As for the Isvar of Suffering himself,
the Twins claimed that they alone could defeat the
Basic Compendium
demonic sorcerer. Aythti, with his unmatched skills
as a warrior, would battle the demon lord physically,
while his sister Ambhnu would attempt to defeat
the Sarpah aminar in Dream. If they achieved their
ultimate goal, his mortal body would be slain, and
his spirit could be hurled across the timeless veils
into the Swirling Hells of Narkah.
Chapter I: Introduction
And so it was that the allied armies of the Vajrah
and Paksin began their march northward toward
skyship fleets of the west kept pace with the armies
to Drdnah
below. Near the river Sumdhi, they met part of
Adhitmuss strength. Thousands of Sarpah terror
troops, a great fleet of Visedi skyships, and a host of
demons clashed in a mighty battle with the forces
of the Vajrah and Paksin. The Talons, now united,
created a formidable force that even the demons
could not withstand. The Gajah tore apart the
Visedi engines of war, and drove a wedge deep into
the ranks of the enemy. While above, the sound of
cannons roared like thunder, and skyships crashed
to the ground in great numbers. Once the battle was
over, there were very few Visedi left to flee back to
their master, and the allied armies continued toward
the fortress of the sorcerer aminar.
The stench that rose from the Rotting City
was near unbearable. The corpses of many failed
sieges filled the plains surrounding Adhitmuss
stronghold. The allied armies knew that the dead
would be used to attack their own soldiers if
they drew near, so an alternate plan of attack was
devised.
On separate skyships, the Talons sped toward
the dark outer towers. Already the demons that
from which their terrible curses would fall. Using
their divine strength, the Talons brought the towers
down one by one, destroying the spawn of Narkah
housed within. The skyships of the southeast rained
flaming oil upon the ranks of the forgotten dead
burning revenants at bay. When the corpses had
been reduced to ash, the armies marched to the
immense gates of the fortress, where the Talon
Kahraman shattered the enormous stone doors.
For the first time since its creation, the enemies of
Tales speak of the terrible final battle of the
Twilight Wars. Thousands of jnah would meet
their deaths on that day. Abominations bred within
the depths of the citadel clashed with the Talons of
Kramah and the Blessed Twins. Ancient demons
darkness were unleashed upon the divine heroes,
slaying Pundrikam, Jvalah, and Nipna, but their
sacrifice allowed the Twins to reach the sorcerer
aminar. Outside the walls, the remaining Visedi
23
 Chapter I: Introduction to Drdnah
BOOK ONE
terror troops were reinforced by Sarpah legions from
the north, and they threatened to overwhelm the
allied armies. The Sarpah, however, were ultimately
crushed by the sudden appearance of a massive
horde of mounted Hardazi warriors, who fought
side-by-side with the Vajrah and Paksin.
Within Jirangarrms walls, hideous shrieks
and thunderous roars rang out as the Twins fought
with the demon lord both in the physical world
and in the realm of Dream. In the clouds above,
the terrible battle manifested in the form of two
vast shapes wrestling in the heavens, one a baleful
shadow, the other an opalescent light. Finally, after
hours of toil, the grievously wounded Twins emerged
from the cracked gates of the city, escorted by the two
remaining Talons, Kahraman and Bhadrah. Aythti
carried in his hand the severed head of Adhitmuss.
The Isvar of Sufferings reign was finally over, and
the terrible Wars of Twilight had come to an end.
The remnants of the Visedi forces fled
northward, back to their homeland. On the bloody
fields, the Hardazi announced to the Paksin and
Vajrah rulers that the lands to the north, all the way
from their holy mountain of Kthah to the west as
far as the coasts of the Sea of Suvr, belonged to the
Hardazi alone. They had no interest in the infidel
ways of the Mahist faith, and warned that they would
crush any invader without mercy, such was the will
of their god Dar. Without further word, the Hardazi
left the plains to return to their lands.
As for cursed Jirangarrm, none ever dared
enter its dark halls again. As the armies left the
gloomy plains, mists gathered and hid the terrible
24
fortress from sight of the world. It was
hoped that the jungles would eventually
claim the demon fortresses. But it
would remain a blight on the face of the
world forever, filled with the shadows of
Adhitmuss malice.
The Blessed Twins called upon the
allied leaders to seek peace amongst
themselves. The people begged the Twins
and the Talons to return with them to
their own realms to help heal the land.
The Twins declared that they must follow
the will of the Devah across the sea.
Bhadrah said that she would accompany
the Twins as their protector. But Sejurna,
who had fought with the allied armies as a
great hero, entreated Kahraman to remain
and bring peace to the newly liberated
provinces of old Amnol. Because of their
great friendship, Kahraman remained.
And so, on the shores of the glittering
Sea of Vigra, the armies watched as the
Blessed Twins and the Talon Bhadrah
sailed away to the south, and vanished
from the eyes of the jnah.
The Age of the Jnah
The Wars of Twilight had many lasting effects
upon the world. The nations that had been
devastated by the conflict would spend many years
rebuilding their cities and reincorporating their
liberated provinces. During this time, these realms
existed relatively peacefully, and their unified effort
resulted in a standardized calendar, taking as its
first year the new cycle that dawned after the battle
at Jirangarrm. Additionally, they accepted the
universal tenets of the Mahist Faith, acknowledging
the Great Father and Great Mother as their supreme
deities, although popular Devah cults would continue
to thrive as they had before.
In the far north, the defeated nation of
Visedhrah fractured into smaller realms ruled by
various princes, each of whom tried to claim the Jade
Throne. The mighty Visedhran Amn ceased to be,
as the individual principalities rose to power and
seized territories of the former power as their own.
Clan Bulang, the most powerful and influential of
the Visedhran royal clans, claimed the Principality
of Kelapan, whose capital was Benng, seat of the
Jade Throne itself. In the centuries that followed,
no prince has yet risen again to claim the title of
aminar.
During these years, the territories of Andhi and
Pkharaj declared themselves individual sovereign
isvarates. Sickened by the tyranny of the sorcerer
princes, these Sarpah realms believed that distancing
themselves from the actions of the Jade Throne
 would benefit their people. Having no more unified
military, the Visedhrans princes had no choice but
to accept this event. All of the Sarpah nations would
work over next several hundred years to re-establish
relations with the various nations of the south.
In the conquered provinces of old Amnol,
Kahraman and Sejurna, who became known as the
Voice of Kahraman, unified the formerly subjugated
peoples and the new Vajrah liberators into a new
nation they named Sustrm, the Blade of the Earth.
Kahraman became the first aminar of Sustrm and
ruled for over seventy years. Over the next several
hundred years, Sustrm would become a powerful
amn, surpassing the former might of ancient Amnol
and Rkbar. All the Paksin who had supported
Daksikhr were exiled, although many were killed
by former slaves. The old towers and palaces of the
Amnoli Paksin were torn down and rebuilt in honor
of Kramah and the new Vajrah aristocracy.
Amnol had to content itself with the arid
regions of the southwest. After the fall of the Jausr
Dynasty, the rival Royal Line of Hal-Amekh claimed
the throne of Amnol and sought to consolidate
its power in the west. The new aminar Slemi
IV quickly forged an alliance with the new and
formidable power of Sustrm, hoping that such a
bond would keep their borders with Rkbar secure.
It was said that a great friendship developed between
Kahraman and Slemi, and that the Paksin monarch
often visited the Sustrmi aminar in Distya. It was
primarily due to this friendship that the persecution
of the Paksin finally ceased in Sustrm, and many
old Amnoli families were allowed to return and live
peacefully in their ancestral lands under the banner
of the Vajrah amn.
Foolishly, Sustrm pushed northward to the
lands claimed by the barbarous Hardazi, provoking
the fierce nomads to attack several Sustrmi
settlements near the Vkra River. All adult Sustrmi
Basic Compendium
males were slain, and the women and children were
taken as captives. The brutal massacre enraged the
Sustrmi, and a small fleet of skyships was sent
to strike back at the Hardazi savages. But as the
Sustrmi ships approached the steppes, they were
bombarded by cannons hidden in trenches on the
plains below. Most of the fleet was destroyed, and
Chapter I: Introduction
only a few badly damaged vessels managed to escape.
Word soon reached the Sustrmi aminar that a great
chieftain, a khan, had united the Hardazi clans and
would tolerate no intrusion into his realm. Sustrm
to Drdnah
decided, for the moment, to leave the Khanate of
the Hardazi alone.
In Rkbar, the relative peace directly following
the Twilight Wars lasted barely half a century before
racial tensions between themselves and Sustrm
began to grow. The Rkbarani aminar Radyk VII,
grandson of Gurdrah, angered by the haughty
Sustrmi and their seizure of former Paksin territory,
declared the lands all the way to the Western Waste of
Janathi as part of the Rkbarani Amin. In response
to this aggression from their Rkbarani neighbors,
the Sustrmi created their infamous and formidable
Whispering Fleet. It was hoped this would deter
any further expansion into territory the Sustrmi
had claimed as theirs. To this day, the Whispering
Fleet is considered one of the greatest and deadliest
armadas in all of Drdnah.
Hthiyar saw the return of the Gajah Dynasty.
Muodrah was rebuilt and the former glory of the
Gajah was reestablished. The province of Nilm,
however, resisted the return of the Hathi government.
The city of Hanlu had long been a gathering place
of scholars and learned jnah, and the people of
Nilm had no desire to be governed once again
by the warlike Gajah. In a surprising move, the
proud Gajah accepted Nilms independence, and
even promised friendship to the new Nilmi isvar.
Throughout the centuries, Nilm has managed to
25
 Chapter I: Introduction to Drdnah
maintain its neutrality, and the Nilmi people have
refused to involve themselves in the conflicts of their
neighbors. As a result, the Academy of Nilm in
Hanlu has become renown throughout the world as
a center of learning open to jnah of all nationalities
or creeds.
In Ktta, the Sardha dynasty replaced the
vanished Mahndak. Since their armies had helped
BOOK ONE
liberate the southern lands of the Gajah, the Sardha
saw it as their right to claim these territories as
their own. During the reformation of the Hathi
government, demands were made for the return of
these lands. When the Sardha refused, the Gajah
marched their army southward. This open act of
aggression so soon after the Twilight Wars, however,
dishonored the Gajah in the eyes of the world. The
Gajah refused to give up its rightful lands, but in
order to preserve peace, chose to buy back its lands
from the Sardha. Satisfied, Ktta withdrew its claim
and its soldiers. But an ill fate befell the treasure fleet
from Ktta on its return journey to Gajanah. Several
of the skyships disappeared without a trace. Each
blamed the other for the tragedy, and the entire event
strained the relations between the two countries for
centuries.
The Isvarate of Ullsh was also formed after
the Twilight Wars. Situated north of Nilm and
Tishnia, it was a nation established by displaced
merchant families from both nations, as well as
warrior clans that followed in the wake of the
liberating Talons. Ullsh quickly established itself as
a powerful trading nation, its location giving it access
to profitable trade with Andhi, Pkharaj, Nilm, and
Tishnia. Additionally, the Ullshi government took
advantage of its many coasts and access to various
bodies of water, and created a merchant fleet second
only to Tishnia in size and quality.
In southern Drdnah, along the coasts of the
Gulf of Bhtai, the isvarates continued to thrive
with Tishnia remaining the greatest center of world
trade. Further south, the nation of Dar-Purm,
untouched by the war, continued to consolidate
its power and wealth. Its leaders have their eyes on
one day becoming the most powerful nation of the
southeast. Gilrhi continued to have fair relations
with Tishnia for many hundreds of years, but recent
territorial disputes have threatened that peace.
After the death of Sistahrdh the Raver, the isvar
Nendruh ruled Ishpria for many decades, but his
lack of an heir caused the troubled nation to once
again descend into a state of turmoil upon his death.
To this day, Ishpri isvars fail to keep the warlords
in check, or to control the activities of the notorious
Crystal Corsairs who use her coasts as havens.
The nations of Tishnia and Magr found
relative peace after the Twilight Wars, and over the
last several centuries have succeeded in earning a
26
great deal of respect from the other nations of the
world. Tishnia has become a melting pot of many
cultures and peoples, and its capital city of Sadahm
is a thriving port of call for travelers the world over.
Magr caters to the needs of both its neighboring
isvarates, as well as its mightier western amn allies
who depend on its merchants for goods brought
from the east. Like Ullsh, it also began to trade with
the new Visedhran Principalities and the isvarates
of Andhi and Pkharaj, allowing the wealth and
goods from those Sarpah nations to flow into the
west.
The Present
It is the unfortunate nature of the jnah to
forget the lessons of the past. Indeed, this is why I
have embarked upon this endeavor. In my lifetime
alone, I have seen war erupt between the powers
of Rkbar and Sustrm. In fact, it is my fear that
Sustrm and its aminars may be following the path
of the ancient Visedi. More and more the Sustrmi
fancy themselves wiser and more deserving of power
than the rest of the world. The tensions between
Hthiyar and Ktta have also escalated to the point
of violence. Border disputes are common, and the
two great powers amass their armies close to their
borders. Dar-Purm has grown tired of the raids by
the Crystal Corsairs and the instability that Ishprias
warlords have created in the region. Rumors of
conquest have circulated in that part of the world
for decades. And in Visedhrah, it is said that the
sorcerer princes have once again risen to power, and
speak of unifying the Sarpah as in the days of old.
And so it is, with over one thousand cycles of
Ed having passed since the end of the Wars of
Twilight, that we find ourselves at this, the present
day. I pray that the hands of the Devah guide our
fortunes moving forward, and that the eyes of the
Great Father and Mother watch over our spirits as
the future unfolds before us eternally.
Drdnah at a Glance
Drdnah is a sundered world existing in a distant
dimension. In this place, the laws of physics are different
from those of Earth. Though many basic concepts
such as gravity would seem to be the same, existing
within Drdnahs continuum is like living within the
dreaming mind of some omnipotent intelligence. All
life that exists within this dream both shapes and
is shaped by the power of this great mind. Those on
Drdnah sense this to some extent, and thus fill their
legends with reflections of this dream-world and the
magic it contains. They see the world as a mere shard
of the great crystal of this dream. Little do they realize
that this is almost literally the case.
If the changing Zoics aboard the descending
starship had gazed out upon the world of Drdnah
 as they approached, they would
have seen a shattered emerald
sphere surrounded by glittering
nebulae of vibrant color. Even
the inky void separating the many
worlds of this dimension is not
truly empty, containing instead

Chapter I: Introduction
wisps and trails of chromatic gasses
that float throughout the cosmos.
To say that the world is
sundered requires further

explanation. Drdnah is a stable
(if somewhat imperfect) spherical
world that floats within the ethers
of space around two burning
crystal suns. Long ago, some
incredible force caused the world
to crack to its very core. The planet
and everything on it would have
been utterly destroyed had not
inexplicable forces intervened to
contain the shards and preserve the
atmosphere which surrounds the
broken sphere.
Separating each of these fractured segments are
seemingly bottomless chasms over a thousand miles
wide. Their depths are filled with glowing mists and
vapor, and conceal at their heart the living crystal
core of the planet. The oceans of Drdnah near the
edges of these rifts become tempestuous and deadly
as they transmute from liquid into vapor, forming
great columns of clouds that reach into the glowing
skies. Constant violent storms cover these areas,
which no water vessel or skyship could ever hope to
endure. Very few inhabitants of Drdnah are even
aware of these wonders, and none have ever dared to
pass beyond the edge of a shard.
The known regions of Drdnah rest in the
southern hemisphere of the world, just beneath the
equator. In the north, youll find steamy tropical
jungles and alien rainforests. The further south one
travels, the more temperate it becomes. It is rarely
cold enough to snow even in the southernmost
climes, although the tallest mountains are covered
in ice and snow. The seasons on Drdnah center
on the yearly cycles of rainfall, so they are roughly
divided into dry and wet seasons. The changes primordial and alien, and the lands and waters
of seasons are usually marked by festivals of various
kinds.
Since the interior of Drdnah is composed of
living crystal, the worlds jagged mountain ranges
are crystalline as well. At their base, where rock,
soil, and flora litter the slopes, they share much in
common with the mountains of our own world,
but the suns shine through their multifaceted
peaks. Glass volcanoes occasionally erupt in various
mountains, powered by the pressure resulting from
to Drdnah
the movement of the planets enormous shards deep
within. The crystals themselves possess many unique
traits: some crystals repel the pull of gravity; others
glow with light and heat; while a rare few possess
incredible magical power and are used in mystic
rituals. Many types of crystals can be fashioned into
blades and other weapons that are as resilient as
any metal of Earth. The crystals of Drdnah are
considered sacred to the jnah, and are referred to
often in myth and legend. May your crystal never
shatter is a common blessing.
Metal is essentially non-existent on Drdnah.
Everyday items are fabricated from the various
materials commonly found: crystals, gems, stone,
and clay from the earth; chitin, leather, pelts, and
silk from the native fauna; specially treated Amber
made from the sap of a certain type of tree; and
of course the various woods, fibers, and materials
derived from Drdni flora. Armor is made mostly
of chitin, whereas weapons are crafted from wood,
crystal, Amber, and chitin.
The native flora and fauna of the world is
beyond the civilized regions are filled with danger.
The wilderness of Drdnah is teeming with life of
all kinds. The suthra (native animals) of the world
come in many sizes and shapes, but are primarily
insectoid or arthropodal in nature. Some of these
creatures have been domesticated and act as beasts of
burden, sources of food, and even pets for the jnah.
The plant life is similar to the prehistoric jungles of
Earth. Giant ferns, banyan trees, and strange glowing
fungi are common. Some Drdni plants have the
ability to move of their own volition, and can be as

Basic Compendium
27
 Chapter I: Introduction to Drdnah
dangerous as any predator. Many varieties of trees
can grow to gargantuan size, capable of supporting
vast structures and dwellings within their branches.
And finally, one of the most distinctive features
of Drdnah is the vibrant sky. Depending on the
season or the time of day, beautiful auroras and
nebulous mists in hues of various color swirl slowly
in the upper atmosphere like distant veils, giving rise
BOOK ONE
to the various tales of the realms of Dream and the
Edge of Heaven where the immortal Devah dance.
Sometimes, a glowing spiral shape can be glimpsed
beyond the clouds. According to legend, this is the
point where the fiery chariot of the Great Father and
Mother entered the realm of Drdnah. Only once
or so a year, during new moons and eclipses, does
the sky become dark enough for the starry eyes of
demons to look down upon the world, and few dare
to venture outdoors during those fell nights.
The Jnah
In shape and form, the jnah are fairly human.
They all have five fingers and toes, stand upright,
have secondary sex characteristics, and basic human
shape, but they retain their prominent animal
features: trunks, horns, tails, spines, wings, etc. The
size and weight of jnah can vary wildly, depending
upon the jenu, or specific animal type, from which
they evolved. This encompasses everything from
twelve-foot tall elephants to three-foot tall mice.
There are three major classifications of jenu:
the Sarpah (reptiles and amphibians), the Paksin
(avians), and the Vajrah (mammals). All three of
these major racial types are able to interbreed within
their own type. Different racial types, however, seem
unable to interbreed. As such, mammals are capable
of interbreeding with all other mammals, birds with
other avians, and reptiles and amphibians with any
of their kind. Children born of these unions will
either be the animal type of the father, the mother,
or on rare occasions another animal from either
parents ancestry.
The jnah are very religious, and all aspects
of their lives are touched by religion in some form
or another. Morning and evening prayers, ritual
bathing, chants, observance of holy days, and
other forms of worship are practiced by everyone.
Rituals dominate every persons life. There are rites
of passage into adulthood, marriage and birthing
rituals, a host of war rituals, purifications, oaths to
households and lineages, investiture rituals - the list
goes on and on. The backbone of jnah society is
the faith in their gods, the Devah. And though they
may never actually be seen descending on luminous
clouds to bless or punish their worshippers, their
existence would never be doubted.
The everyday interactions within society tend to
be quite polite. Formal greetings are common, and
28
consist of bowing and the use of the appropriate
honorific. Most countries of Drdnah have
some form of caste system, so social interaction
follows certain forms. One would treat equals with
courtesy, superiors with respect, and those beneath
with patient tolerance. Rudeness, even towards
those beneath you, is considered very bad form,
and could cause one to lose face, which can be
devastating in Drdni culture.
Religion plays a very important role in Drdni
culture. Temples and shrines are common both in
cities as well as deep in the country. Further, every
home has its own shrine, dedicated to the Devah
most favored by that household. The observance of
holy days, religious festivals, and public displays of
veneration are everyday affairs. Priests and holy men
are treated with great respect. Drdnah is steeped
in ritual and tradition, and one must know the
proper forms to observe for any given situation.
The jnah enjoy performances of all kinds,
and art is highly appreciated throughout the
world. Poets, singers, dancers, musicians, theater
performers, puppeteers, and acrobats can all find
an easy living in most cities, as jnah love to be
entertained and possess a deep appreciation for
artistic skill.
Theater is common, as are dance performances,
music recitals, and demonstrations of martial skill.
In fact, grand martial arts competitions are held in
many parts of the world and are quite prestigious,
similar to our Olympic games.
Gambling and parlour games are also common,
and jnah enjoy their fair share of spirits, and general
carousing. Skill in games of strategy is especially
prized. Despite any excesses, brawling is uncommon
since most disputes are settled in ritualized duels in a
public fighting forum called the Spiral Arena.
Fashion tends toward bright colors and flowing
garments. Mix the most beautiful elements of far-
eastern court clothing with Arabic style dress and
Hindu ceremonial wear, and you get a good idea of
what Drdni clothing is like. Even peasants wear
bright colors, often in creative combinations.
Loose fitting, Persian-style pants are quite
common, as are robes, skirts (for both males and
females), and elaborate coats and gowns. There is no
real distinction between sexes as far as fashion goes
- most clothes tend to be unisex. Sandals and soft,
Turkish-style boots are common, often decorated
with tassels and crystals.
Accessories tend to come in the form of bracelets,
rings, earrings, necklaces, ankle bracelets, all made
of Amber, iridescent chitin, crystal, and gemstones.
Wide flowing scarves and veils are also common.
Common headgear consists of turbans, caps, and
wraparounds.
 Social Hierarchy
There are a variety of different political
structures in Drdni society. An amn is equivalent
to an empire on our world, and its ruled over by
an aminar. Amns are broken up into provinces
that are usually ruled over by members of the
aminars family or other noble families allied with
the aminar. Political dynasties are common and
can last for hundreds of years. A dynastic change
is a period of terrible unrest and civil war as rival
noble families vie for the position of aminar. In the
Sarpah amns of the north, these noble families are
usually referred to as clans. In the Paksin amns of
the west, these family groups are called tribes.
The other common political structure is called
an isvarate and is ruled over by an isvar. An isvarate
is the equivalent of an ancient Earth kingdom, and
it is more feudal in nature than an amn. The isvar
rules either by consent of the other noble families
or because his family is powerful enough to keep
everyone else in check. Dynasties are much less
common in isvarates as few royal families tend to
hold power for more than a few generations. The
changing of an isvar, however, is nowhere near as
chaotic as that of an aminar, as the other noble
families usually keep the peace while their royal
counterparts battle for supremacy. The noble
families in an isvarate are known as Lines.
A Line is ruled over by a great aryah, who
is almost always a descendant of the original
founder of the Line. The Line is further divided
into Houses, each ruled over by an aryah, who is
usually related by blood or marriage to the great
aryah of the Line. Houses are comprised of the
aryahs immediate and extended family, and all
their retainers, servants, and various dependants.
There can be as little of a couple of Houses within
a Line, or there could be dozens depending on the
age and influence of the Line.
Lines do split for a variety of reasons, a process
which can be violent or relatively peaceful. The
new Line usually takes its name from the aryah
who initiated the split. Though all Lines ultimately
serve the isvar and the Royal Line (at least publicly),
they often engage in feuds with one another. These
feuds, however, must be conducted discreetly as
open violence between Houses and Lines is not
tolerated by the isvar and the other Lines.
House Structure
Each House has a variety of important vassals
and retainers that serve the aryah and his or her
family. These vassals include the following:
The chamberlain is the great steward, in charge
of the Houses overall affairs. The chamberlain
organizes and officiates over all important
Basic Compendium
ceremonies and works closely with all other
dignitaries of the House to insure the House runs
smoothly.
The master of the honor guards is in charge
of security. He also serves as the aryahs personal
bodyguard. When a House is engaged in a feud with
a rival, the master of the honor guards conducts
Chapter I: Introduction
the war, organizing strikes, espionage missions,
and assassination attempts against the enemy.
The arena master is the Houses martial arts
instructor who is skilled in many styles, both armed
to Drdnah
and unarmed. All honor guards get their combat
training from the arena master.
The weapons master maintains the armory and
oversees weapons training. He is also usually a gifted
artisan skilled in the crafting of both gunpowder
and melee weapons. The common warriors serving
the House get most of their combat training from
the weapons master.
The House sirhibas is a sorcerer who uses his
magical talents of divination, healing, or warding
to counsel and protect his lord. Sometimes the
chamberlain also serves as the House sirhibas.
The master of the watch supervises the sentries
that patrol the aryahs castle or manor. When the
master of the honor guards is away, it is the master
of the watch who usually assumes his role.
The doctor is the aryahs personal physician,
but often also doubles as the Houses interrogator.
Some Houses have become infamous for their
twisted doctors who are expert at extracting
information from enemy spies.
The dance master trains the Houses various
performers and organizes all the festivities of the
House. He works closely with the chamberlain
to organize all religious holiday celebrations and
important rituals.
The crystal master is the Houses chief artisan
and is in charge of maintaining the precious and
specialized crystals. He also serves as the noble
familys fashion advisor, making sure his charges
wear the latest fashions.
The suthra master breeds and trains all of the
Houses various beasts, including draft and guard
animals. He also usually doubles as the huntmaster
for the House, organizing and leading hunting
expeditions for his lord and his family.
The master librarian keeps the Houses records
and also serves as tutor to the aryahs children.
He also works closely with the chamberlain to
properly record and archive all important events
that transpire in the House.
29
II. The Basics

Satlan crouched before the high, thin tree. Above him, hung on a lower branch, a circular blade
rocked in the breeze. He laid back his feline ears, flipped his tail once, then leapt. His arm reached
up, his claws extended and fell short of the weapon.
His landing was graceful. For a moment his expression turned sour. Then he checked his frustration
and stood upright, ears flat and humbled. The wind rose, ruffling his spotted fur and silks.
A reedy figure stepped beside him. A slender tail rippled and rolled along the ground. Loose scales
revealed the Sarpahs great age. Is the grass made of knives? said the old master with a flash of
forked tongue. You jump as if youre afraid of the ground. The earth is our greatest ally, cub. Every
action makes use of it. He coiled his tail beneath him and sprang. With negligible effort he lit upon
the tree branch. The hanging blade scarcely wavered. Before you jump, Satlan, learn to stand.
And what, Master Ashgra, said an unexpected voice, of we who travel the sky? A broad
shape flashed across the sun. The daunting wingspan of a large Paksin some race of eagle or hawk
threw a shadow over the young Satlan. The jnah landed a few feet away. A craggy scar striped his
bare chest. The old mummys mind has withered, he whispered to Satlan. His age has past, Your
Lordship. I can teach you how modern warriors fight, as Ill demonstrate presently. His calloused
hand plucked a curved crystal dagger from its sheath. He pointed this in challenge at the Sarpah in
the tree.
The old jnah nodded. Indeed, the Padhi mercenaries employ a style of combat unique to
themselves. Idiomatic one might say. He flicked his forked tongue. Perhaps, Satlan, you can
demonstrate the simple things I teach.
The young leopard bowed to his master, swallowed nervously, and turned to the feathered
warrior.

30
Attributes
In order to play an RPG, you
will need to create a character,
an inhabitant of the world who
will participate in the adventures
created by the Gamemaster (GM).
Every character in SHARD

Chapter II: The Basics

will be described by a series of
Attributes (detailed later in this
book). These Attributes are game
descriptors that will tell you what
your character is capable of doing.
Attributes consist of Animal
Abilities, Characteristics, Talents,
Skills, Advantages, and Drawbacks.

Animal Abilities
Animal Abilities are such
things as wings, claws, venom,
or any other physical animal trait
that your chosen Zoic may possess.
This RPG will include Animal
Templates that will make the
construction of a Zoic character
very easy.

Characteristics
Characteristics are the
physical, mental, and social traits
of your character. These include such things
as your characters strength, agility, his mental
faculties, and his overall presence.
Talents
Talents are unusual or unique inherent
traits that your character may possess. A few
Talents may be learned but most will require
that your character be born with them.
Talents can include such things as being a
light sleeper, having magic potential, or being
immune to certain poisons.
Skills
Skills consist of the training and education
your character has received throughout his
life. They can include artistic or professional
training, various scholarly disciplines, or even
hobbies. Each Skill will be linked to one or
more of your Characteristics and this will
affect how you select them. Profession Templates
will be provided to help you quickly and easily
build the type of character you want.
Advantages
Advantages are social perks that your
character may possess. Such things as wealth,
noble titles, or a high caste would fit into this
category, as would having important social
contacts or patrons.
Drawbacks
Drawbacks are physical, mental, or social
disadvantages that may afflict your character.
Even though Drawbacks allow you to initially
build a slightly more powerful character, they
also outline definite weaknesses that the GM
will bring into play. Be very careful when
choosing Drawbacks. Phobias, crippled limbs, a
magical curse, or an enemy determined to hunt
you down are all examples of Drawbacks.

31
 Chapter II: The Basics

The Dice
The game of SHARD uses a multi-d6 system. In
other words, you will need several six-sided dice in
order to play. Ten to twelve dice per player should
be sufficient. These dice can be purchased in most
hobby and game stores, or can be found in many
common board games.
BOOK ONE
deducted from the total number of dice you may
roll when attempting the action (see Modifiers).
Determining whether you failed or succeeded
at an action will depend on the number of
successes you managed to roll on the dice. A roll
of a 4, 5, or 6 on a d6 is considered a success.
A roll of 1, 2, or 3 is considered a failure. A roll
that results in only one success (one die landed

on a 4, 5, or 6, but the rest were all 3 or less)

Action Dice is considered a Partial Success, whereas a roll of
Many of your Attributes will be assigned a two successes means you have achieved a normal
Ranking, a number ranging from 1 to over 10. This or Adequate Success. A full explanation of what
number will let you know how many dice you will it means to roll one or more successes is given
get to roll when you use a particular Attribute. under Levels of Success.
Thus, if a Skill had a ranking of 4, you would get
to use four six-sided dice when making a roll. These Opposed Rolls
dice are called Action Dice, and you may have several In many contested situations, the number of
groups of Action Dice that you can use at once. successes you roll when performing an action may
Additionally, you may be given modifiers that could be reduced or negated by one or more Opposed Rolls.
increase or decrease your total number of Action An Opposed Roll is a dice roll whose purpose is to
Dice. cancel out anothers successes. As an example, lets
say your character decided to try and sneak past
Dice Rolls a guard. You would be asked to roll Action Dice
Whenever your character performs an action to attempt the task. The guard would roll Action
where the outcome is uncertain, you get to roll Dice to try and detect you. Lets say you rolled four
Action Dice. Some actions such as walking across successes, while the guard rolled three successes,
a room or picking something up are considered you would be declared the winner. However, you
to be automatically successful (unless, of course, would only have achieved one success rather than
someone is trying to prevent you from doing it). four.
Any action that requires a roll
is called a Contested Action, and
any action whose outcome will
automatically end in success is
called a Free Action.
Climbing a high wall with few
hand-holds would be considered
a Contested Action, and thus
require a roll. Climbing over a
fence a few feet high would be
considered a Free Action, and
therefore require no roll. The
GM would simply declare that the
action was successful, unless there
were some other circumstances
that made it a Contested Action,
such as being fired upon or
attempting to move stealthily.
In order to perform an action,
you simply need to declare what
you wish to do, describing in as
much detail what you wish to
accomplish. The GM will then tell
you which Attributes Ranking you
need to base your Action Dice on.
If the action is deemed especially
difficult, the GM may then assign
a modifier, a number that will be

32
 Ties usually go to the defender, but it also
might depend on the situation. If you had tied
in the above case, your character would have
remained undetected, but the guard might start
to get suspicious and become more alert. In other
cases where you and an opponent are trying to
achieve the same goal, the GM could declare a
stalemate and require more rolls to break the

Chapter II: The Basics

tie. An example of this would be two opponents
engaged in an arm-wrestling match. If they both
rolled an equal number of successes, neither
of them would be declared the winner and
would require additional rolls to determine the
outcome.
Rolling Sixes (Optional Rule)
Whenever you roll two or more 6s on your
Action Dice, not only do they count normally
as successes, you also get to roll the second and
subsequent 6s over again, thereby increasing your
chance of scoring additional successes. As long as
you continue to score 6s on the dice, you continue
to roll. If you score any number other than a 6,
you stop rolling. This rule makes it possible for
someone with only a few Action Dice to score
more successes than would normally be possible.
Example: A player rolls her four Action Dice
and scores a 3, 4, 6, and 6. So far, she has three
successes (4, 6, and 6). However, since she rolled
two 6s, she gets to roll the second 6 again. She as well as the number of 1s rolled. Thus,
scores another 6! She now has four successes (4,
6, 6, 6), and continues rolling the die that rolled Fumbles can range anywhere from being mildly
yet another 6. She scores a 5 (another success). At annoying and embarrassing to being downright
this point, she stops rolling her die as she did not disastrous.
score another 6. Her final tally is an impressive The important thing to keep in mind if
five successes (4, 6, 6, 6, 5), which she scored with using this optional rule is that a Fumble should
only four dice. enhance the drama and increase the value of the
Failing Actions cinematic moment. Imaginative Fumbles are the
sorts of things that inspire great stories. The goal
If you fail to score any successes (i.e. do not is to give the players the opportunity to use their
roll at least one 4, 5, or 6 on your action dice), wits and creativity to overcome the Fumble,
you are considered to have failed at your task. In not to punish the players for failing. Fun is the
certain circumstances, you may attempt the same name of the game and should always guide the
task again, but there might be some penalties (see decision of the GM.
Successive Attempts).
Successive Attempts
Fumble (Optional Rule)
If you have Fumbled an action, you may not try
A Fumble occurs when you fail to score the same action again (but you may try something
any successes, plus you roll one or more 1s on your else). If you have simply failed an action, then you
Action Dice. The more 1s you roll, the worse may try again on your next turn. However, the
the effects of the Fumble may be - its dependant next attempt will be made at a penalty of 1 die
entirely on the judgement of the GM. A Fumble per successive attempt. Thus, a 1 on the second
basically means that something catastrophic has attempt, a 2 on the third, and so on, up to a
occurred during your attempted action. It could maximum of 10. In certain situations, the GM
mean that a firearm explodes in your hands, or may wish to disallow any further attempts after
that a perfect piece of crystal has been ruined by the action has failed. This will depend on the task
your efforts, or a neutral audience has turned being performed, the circumstances surrounding
hostile. The exact effects of a Fumble are left up it, and the character performing it.
to the GM and depend greatly on the situation,

Basic Compendium
33
 Chapter II: The Basics
DIFFICULTY MODIFIER TABLE
Difficulty Ranking Modifier Example
Average work conditions (decent tools/materials); no
Standard 0
sense of urgency; performs the task on a regular basis

Inferior tools/materials; sense of urgency; has

BOOK ONE

Challenging -1 Dice
performed the task multiple times before
No proper tools/materials; performing under stress
Difficult -2 Dice or combat conditions; has performed the task only
a few times
Performing under great stress or while under direct
Very Difficult -3 Dice
fire; has rarely performed the task

Performing under extreme stress or while actively

Extremely Difficult -4 Dice
being attacked; has never performed the task before

Performing under crippling stress; has little hope of

Almost Impossible -5 Dice or higher
performing the task even under optimal conditions

Modifiers Difficulty Modifier Table above gives the Difficulty

As noted under Action Dice, there are various
modifiers that a GM may require you to factor in
when rolling your dice. These modifiers will either
be Difficulty Modifiers, requiring you to lose a
certain number of Action Dice, or Bonus Modifiers,
allowing you to add a certain number of dice to
your Action Dice.
Difficulty Modifiers
A Difficulty Modifier is assigned by the GM
whenever he determines that your character is
attempting a particularly difficult action. This
type of modifier subtracts a certain number of
dice from your Action Dice before you make a roll
to determine success or failure at a given task. The
Ranking and the corresponding modifier that a
GM may assign.
Bonus Modifiers
A Bonus Modifier is assigned by the GM
whenever he determines that your character is
attempting a particularly easy action. This type of
modifier adds a certain number of dice to your
Action Dice before you make a roll to determine
success or failure at a given task. The GM always
has the option of declaring any Easy action a
Free Action, which will automatically end in an
Adequate Success. The Bonus Modifier Table below
gives the Difficulty Ranking and the corresponding
modifier that a GM may assign.

BONUS MODIFIER TABLE

Difficulty Ranking Modifier Example
Average work conditions (decent tools or materials);
Standard 0
practitioner performs the task on a regular basis

Good work conditions (above average tools or

Easy +1 to 2 Dice materials); some extra time to perform the task;
requires little effort
Superior work conditions (excellent tools or
Very Easy +3 to 4 Dice materials); plenty of time to perform the task;
requires almost no effort
Ideal work conditions (perfect tools or materials); the
Childs Play +5 Dice or more task could be performed blindfolded; there is no time
limit; a novice practitioner would consider the task easy

34
 It is possible to receive both Difficulty and
Bonus Modifiers for the same task. Add all Bonus
Modifiers first, then subtract any Difficulty
Modifiers from the total. After all modifiers have
been applied, if you have no dice available, then
you would use the 0 Default Roll explained later
in this section.
Levels of Success
Rolling multiple dice could result in multiple
successes. Scoring only one success while attacking
may mean the character inflicted only a minor
wound. Scoring only one success while trying to
pick a lock may mean that it may have taken twice
as long as it normally should have. The exact in-
game result of a Success Level is left up to the
GM to determine, but some guidelines are found
below.
Successes Success Level
1 success Partial
2 or 3 successes Adequate
4 or 5 successes Good
6 or 7 successes Excellent
8 or 9 successes Astounding
10 or 11 successes Incredible
12+ successes Legendary
Note that the following examples assume
that the optional rule of Rolling Sixes is in effect.
Without the use of this optional rule, Success
Levels higher than Excellent will rarely be achieved
by players. GMs should read the section entitled
Power Level in the Character Creation chapter
before deciding whether to use that optional rule.
Partial Success
Achieving this level means that you have
scored the bare minimum required in order for
your action to have been declared successful. The
Partial Success, however, should not be everything
you wanted it to be. While the gist of what you
wanted to achieve may have happened to some
extent, the end result may be something you did
not anticipate. In combat, a Partial Success strike
will have its damage halved (then rounded up
to the nearest whole number) before any armor
adjustments have been applied (see Combat for the
full affects of Successes during melee).
Example: Ishi, having been discovered
breaking into a house by a guard, decides she
wants to kick the guard in the stomach, hoping to
knock him over and allowing her to escape. Ishis
player rolls her dice and scores only one success.
Basic Compendium
The GM rules that Ishi has delivered the guard a
glancing blow on his belt, and so Ishis damage
for the strike will be halved. The guard (having
taken only minimal damage) merely grunts, and
grabs at Ishi before she can zip away.
Adequate Success
This level indicates that you have succeeded
Chapter II: The Basics
at your action fairly much as you had intended.
However, nothing special should result from such
a Success Level.
Example: Tazi wants to shoot at an enemy up
on a wall, trying to get him to topple off of it. The
GM rules that even though the guard is unaware
of Tazi, he nevertheless has partial cover (the
wall), and the shot will be at long range. The GM
declares the action is Challenging and assigns a
dice penalty of 1 (one die taken off the total that
Tazi may roll for the action). Tazis player rolls
his dice and scores 3 successes. Because the guard
is totally unaware of Tazi, he gets no defense roll.
The GM rules that the shot will do full damage
and that the guard topples off the wall.
Good Success
Scoring this level means that a little something
extra has occurred, something beneficial above
and beyond what you expected. This level should
be rewarded with an additional tidbit, something
which makes the success slightly better.
Example: Istvan the seer attempts to magically
peer into the past to see if he can discern the
properties of an ancient amulet he has discovered.
Istvans player scores 4 successes on his Action
Dice. The GM declares that Istvan knows the
properties of the amulet, and further knows who
crafted the amulet and a little about its history.
Excellent Success
At this level, you have achieved much more
than you thought you would. This level should
be rewarded with a variety of extra bonuses which
make the success much better.
Example: Akari tries to find a suitable spot
inside a busy tea house to eavesdrop on bits of
conversation between two enemies of her lord.
The GM rules that because her targets are being
very cautious, and due to the noise surrounding
the pair, the action is Very Difficult and he
assigns a penalty of 3 dice. Akaris player scores
6 successes. The GM decides that Akari finds the
perfect spot, and manages to hear every word of
the conversation clearly (and then proceeds to
give her lots of juicy information regarding an
assassination plot against her lord).
Astounding Success
This level indicates that truly great things have
been achieved, and that others would marvel at
this success. The GM should generously reward
35
 Chapter II: The Basics
you should you ever score such a Success Level,
taking you in delightful roleplaying directions.
Example: Vaitin the dancer is given the
rare honor to perform before the court of the
isvar. Vaitin decides that he wants to put on
one of the most impressive shows the nobles of
the court have ever seen. Lady Luck smiles on
Vaitins player that day and he scores 9 successes!
BOOK ONE
The GM declares that the audience was awed by
the grace and beauty of Vaitins dance, and that
many were moved to tears. Vaitin has brought
down the house, and is offered the position of
Court Dance Master by the isvar (not to mention
many smaller rewards in the form of prestige and
expensive gifts).
Incredible Success
At this level, the seemingly incredible has been
achieved. This success will be talked about for years
to come. Rewards should be heaped upon you if you
score such a level, and truly amazing turns in your
characters life should come about because of it.
Example: Sanjiv the physician attempts to
treat his lord, whose arm was seriously damaged
during an assassination attempt. The limb is badly
mangled, so the GM decides that this action will
be Extremely Difficult and assigns a penalty of
4 dice. Dr. Sanjivs player beats the odds and
scores an amazing 10 successes! The GM rules
that Sanjiv not only manages to save the arm, but
that furthermore his lord will retain full use of it
and suffer no permanent effects. Sanjivs lord will
heal almost as good as new. The GM declares that
Dr. Sanjiv will be asked to visit the Academy of
Nilm as an honored speaker, and will no doubt
be offered a very prestigious position in the court
of his choice. Dr. Sanjiv has become the doctor of
the decade!
Legendary Success
This level signifies that the seemingly impossible
has been achieved, and that the results seem almost
magical. Successes of this kind are what legends are
made of, so they should be rewarded generously.
Should you score such a success, you should be given
rewards which you did not even dream possible.
Example: Vashamsah the artisan decides that
she wants to carve a statue of the goddess Krilrah
out of a single giant sapphire (this assumes, of
course, that she has such materials). The GM
decides that such a feat will require months of
work and rules it a Very Difficult action, assigning
a 3 dice penalty. Vashamsahs player scores an
unbelievable 12 successes! The GM rules that the
statue becomes the envy of artists throughout
the world. It is highly sought after by powerful
lords for their own collections. Its eventually
enshrined in a specially built temple and ascribed
divine powers. Vashamsah has defined beauty in
her generation, and her place in art history is
assured!
36
It is important to note that the Success
Levels given in the above examples were scored
for challenging actions. If these high Success
Levels are scored for simple tasks, they will not
be anywhere near as impressive (no one applauds
a pianist for playing Chopsticks). GMs should
use their judgment, and remember that ultimately
the result should be to make players feel especially
grand about scoring impressive Success Levels for
challenging tasks.
Special Rolls
As a general rule, your Action Dice will always
be based on one of your characters Attribute
Rankings, whether it be a Characteristic, Skill,
or Animal Ability. In a few special cases, your
Action Dice may be reduced to 0 due to negative
modifiers. You may also find yourself attempting
to perform a task for which you do not possess the
appropriate Skill, or one that requires a simple use
of a primary Characteristic. The rules below cover
these situations.
0 Default Roll
This rule applies in cases where, as a result of
Difficulty Modifiers, your Action Dice required to
perform the task have been reduced to 0. In these cases,
and at the GMs discretion, you can use the 0 Default
Roll. This die roll allows you to use a single d6 as your
Action Die. However, because the task is so difficult,
you must roll a 6 on that single die in order to achieve a
Partial Success. If you fail the roll, Successive Attempts
are not allowed. There may be some situations where
the GM simply declares the action to be impossible, in
which case no roll is allowed.
Example: Ishi has just seen the young
daughter of her friend fall into a raging river
during a terrible storm, and realizes that without
help the child will surely drown. Ishi is a fairly
good swimmer, having a Ranking of 4 in that
Skill, and decides to leap into the water to attempt
to save the girls life. The GM rules swimming
under these circumstances is Almost Impossible,
thus imposing a 5 penalty! Ishis player, having
no Action Dice left after the imposed penalty, is
allowed to roll a single d6 to make the harrowing
swim. As luck would have it, her player rolls a 6,
and against impossible odds she is barely able to
drag the frightened child back to shore safely.
Unskilled Roll
Some Skills, at the discretion of the GM, may
be considered general enough to be performed by
someone who does not possess it. The Unskilled
Roll is what you use in these cases. All Unskilled
Rolls use one half (1/2) of the linked (or most
appropriate) Characteristic (rounded up) as the
Action Dice you may use to perform that Skill.
Tasks performed using the Unskilled Roll, however,
 should be relatively simple, and have no Difficulty
Modifiers assigned to them. Tasks that are deemed
Challenging or higher would not be able to
be performed using the Unskilled Roll, unless
permitted by the GM.
Example: Mushka attempts to juggle three
balls in an effort to entertain his young ward.
Mushka has no Ranking in Performing or any
other appropriate Skill, but he only desires to
attempt an incredibly simple act of juggling. The
GM allows him to use an Unskilled Roll. Since
juggling would normally be linked to Dexterity,
and Mushka has a Ranking of 5 in Dexterity, he
will get 3d6 (5 2 = 2.5 which rounds to 3) with
which to attempt this very simple task. If Mushka
had tried any fancy tricks that wouldve been
deemed Challenging by the GM, he would not
have been able to perform the task at all.
A few Skills, such as Surgery or Crystalsmithing,
are considered so specialized that they will not give
you an Unskilled Roll. If you do not possess these
Skills, you will not be able to perform any tasks
that require them.
Crippled Penalty Roll
This rule is really more of a modifier on your
Action Dice. If one of your Characteristics are
ever lowered due to injury or illness, and you
attempt to use a Skill that is linked to the crippled
Characteristic, you receive a Crippled Penalty
modifier. When this occurs, you must reduce the
number of Action Dice in your Skill by the same
amount that your linked Characteristic is currently
reduced. The resulting number will be considered
your final Ranking. If the resulting number is 0,
you would use the 0 Default Roll.
Example: Akari is recovering from
being poisoned, and as a result her Dexterity
Characteristic has been temporarily reduced
by 2, bringing her original Dexterity Ranking
down from 4 to 2. Akari decides that she wants
to carve a small statuette for her friend Mushka
(despite her condition) in appreciation of his
having saved her life. Akaris Dexterity Penalty of
2 is applied to her Artistry Skill Ranking of 6
(because her Artistry Skill of sculpting is linked to
her Dexterity). Thus, she will have 4 Action Dice
(6 2 = 4) with which to perform that task.
Characteristic Roll
In situations that do not require the use of any
particular Skill or Ability, the GM may ask you to
make a roll based on one of your Characteristics.
In these cases, you would get to roll as many Action
Dice as the appropriate Characteristics Ranking.
This usually occurs when a Characteristic needs to
be used in a very general way. For example, a Wit
Roll could be used when attempting to remember
an obscure piece of information, or a Dexterity
Basic Compendium
Roll may be called for when trying to catch a falling
object. In the case of Opposed Rolls, you would
simply use your appropriate Characteristic as your
Action Dice, and your opponent would use theirs.
Example: Having been discovered in a tall
tower by guards, the assassin Sahidrah and his
accomplices attempt to escape. As a guard rushes
the room they are in, Sahidrah tries to hold the
Chapter II: The Basics
door closed while his partners lower a rope ladder
to the courtyard. The GM rules that Sahidrahs
player must make a Characteristic Roll based on
Strength, matching his Ranking of 5 dice against
that of the guard pushing against the other side.
The guard will need to roll more successes than
Sahidrah in order to push through the door.
Perception Roll
Zoics may possess a variety of special animal
senses, but they also have the five standard
perceptual senses as well. Of all the types of
Characteristic Rolls that you will be asked to make,
Perception Rolls will be among the most common.
Perception Rolls are made whenever your character
needs to sense or detect something that is not
immediately obvious. A Perception Roll can be
used to spot ambushes, to take in the fine details
of a room, to notice a small or partially obscured
object, to detect unusual sounds, etc. Many combats
will usually begin, in fact, with the GM requiring
a Perception Roll to determine if your character is
able to react effectively.
The Perception Modifier Table lists some
bonuses and penalties that could be applied
to your Perception Action Dice under various
circumstances. GMs should feel free to extrapolate
additional Modifiers based on the table below.
PERCEPTION MODIFIERS
Night 2 Dice Sight
Thick Fog 4 Dice Sight
Pitch Black 6 Dice Sight
Moving Target +2 Dice Sight
Shout +1 Dice Hearing
Whisper 2 Dice Hearing
Noisy Room 4 Dice Hearing
Firearm Combat 6 Dice Hearing
Zoic Musk +4 Dice Scent
Strong Breeze 2 Dice Scent
Powerful Spice 2 Dice Taste
Bland Food +2 Dice Taste
37
 Chapter II: The Basics

Time
Measurement
In the SHARD RPG, there
are two different types of time
measurement: Narrative Time
and Action Time.
BOOK ONE

Narrative Time is not

precise and flows to fit the
scene that the GM is setting
up. Two minutes or two
days are interchangeable in
Narrative Time, the only thing
that matters is how the story
progresses. For example, if
your character were traveling
on a ship toward a distant
land, the GM would not give
you a second-by-second play
of the voyage. Instead, he
would use Narrative Time,
and say something like: After
several weeks of grueling
sea travel, you arrive at your
destination. He may choose
to highlight certain days
of the voyage for dramatic
reasons, but there would be
no need to detail the entire
journey.
Action Time, by contrast,
is very precise and is used
when describing action scenes such as combat Multiple Actions
or chases. The base unit of time measurement in It is possible to perform more than one action
Action Time is the Combat Round. This unit of in a Combat Round. As explained in the Combat
measure is approximately six seconds long. There section of the rules, there are some limitations
are as many Combat Rounds in an action scene as imposed upon the number of actions you can take.
are needed to conclude that scene. After the action Modifiers may also be applied to your Action Dice.
scene is concluded, the time would revert back to Multiple actions are taken either one at a time as
Narrative Time. individual dice rolls, or in certain cases are bundled
together as a single dice roll. Remember that a
Skill Performance Time Combat Round lasts only six seconds of in-game
Each action that you attempt will take a time, so the type of actions the player chooses to
different amount of time depending on the action take must reasonably fit into that time frame.
you described and the Skill being used. Picking a If any of your Action Dice are ever lowered
lock will take far less time than crafting a sword, below a single d6 due to various modifiers, you
for example. The Skills in the Skill List may have would use the 0 Default Roll. If you fail an action
a general performance time indicated along with while performing multiple actions, the GM may
their descriptions. These are guidelines for the GM still allow you to attempt the rest, but this would
to help decide how much time an action involving depend on the situation. If you Fumble an action
that Skill would take to perform. It is important while performing multiple actions bundled together,
to remember, however, that highly motivated all actions used as a part of that bundled set are
characters can sometimes do amazing things within considered lost. Additionally, you would only be
a very short time frame. able to perform defensive maneuvers for the rest of
the Combat Round in which you Fumbled.

38
 Extra Time
You may take extra time to perform an action
if you wish. Doing so will increase your number of
Action Dice and potentially improve your chances
of success. As stated earlier, each Skill requires a
different minimum amount of time to perform, so
GMs must use common sense when assigning an
extra time bonus. Consult the Skill List and judge
what the general performance time is for that Skill.
This will give you a range of time in which a Skill
could be performed without resorting to Rushing
(see below).
For actions whose performance time normally
falls within about 6 seconds (the length of a
Combat Round), use the Time Bonus Table to assign
a bonus.
TIME BONUS TABLE
Time Taken Bonus Assigned
1 Combat Round +1 Dice
6 Combat Rounds +2 Dice
3 Minutes +3 Dice
18 Minutes +4 Dice
2 Hours +5 Dice
12 Hours +6 Dice
3 Days +7 Dice
18 Days +8 Dice
For Skills that require more than one Combat
Round to perform, multiply what the GM considers
the minimum amount of time needed to perform
that task by six in order to get the additional
amount of time necessary to gain a +1 dice bonus.
Continue to multiply that new number by six
in order to come up with each successive time
increment required for an additional +1 bonus to
your Action Dice.
Example: Upgin the Weapons Master wants
to fashion a simple crystal dagger for his student.
The GM rules that doing so will require at least
one hours worth of hard work. Upgins player
decides he wants to take extra time on this task,
telling the GM that he wants to strive for a +3
bonus to his Action Dice. The GM multiplies
the hour Upgin needed to perform his task by
six three different times (1 x 6 x 6 x 6 = 9 days)
in order to get the amount of time needed to
acquire the +3 bonus to his roll.
Note that it is possible for you to get both a
penalty for successive attempts (after an initial failure)
and a bonus for taking extra time. In this case, simply
subtract the penalty from the bonus and apply the
result to your Action Dice to get your final number.
Basic Compendium
Rushing an Action
There will be occasions where you will not be able
to spend the minimum time required (as assigned
by the GM) for the performance of a Skill. When
this happens, you may choose to rush your action.
Rushing your action means that you are not taking
as much care as you normally would with a particular
Chapter II: The Basics
task. You can halve the amount of time needed to
perform a task but you acquire a 1 penalty to your
Action Dice for every halving you do.
Example: Akaris player has been told by
the GM that making a crystal necklace for her
mistress will take her one hour. Akaris Crystal
Craft Skill has a Ranking of 5, which means she
would normally roll five Action Dice to craft
the necklace. Akaris player decides that she
does not have an hour to spare (the gift is a last
minute decision), and declares that she wants
to craft the necklace in fifteen minutes. Since
this is one quarter (1/4) the total amount of
time (1 hour 2 2 = 15 minutes) required by
the GM, Akaris player will take a 2 penalty to
her Action Dice for Crystal Craft, thus giving
her 3 dice.
Once your Action Dice for any given task have
been reduced to 1, you may no longer continue to
halve the time required to perform that particular
task. Few Skills (except for certain Combat Skills)
should ever be able to be performed in one second,
whether they have taken a rushing penalty or not.
This is another one of those instances where GMs
will simply have to use their best judgement.
Other Modifiers
There are a few other optional modifiers that
a GM may wish to introduce into the game. These
optional rules may make the performance of Skills
more realistic, but they will also slow down play. In
cases where expediency is called for, GMs should
dispense with these rules and simply do whatever
would be most dramatic or fun.
Assistance
You can get other characters to help you in the
performance of certain Skills, thereby increasing
your chance of success. Many craftspeople will
often have assistants or apprentices to help them
carry out complicated tasks. There are two different
rules that apply to assistance.
Collaboration
This form of assistance requires that your
helper(s) have an equal or greater Ranking than
yourself with the Skill being used. Every 2 successes
(rounded down) that a collaborator scores on his
Action Dice adds 1 success to your total Success
Level (any applicable penalties are still assigned
normally by the GM). Additionally, the time
39
 Chapter II: The Basics
required to perform the action is halved for every
collaborator who works on the project with you.
Thus, eight days would be reduced to four days for
the 1st collaborator, two days for the 2nd, one day
for the 3rd, etc.
The danger of Collaboration is that should one
of your collaborators Fumble (assuming the GM
is using that optional rule), your entire project is
BOOK ONE
considered ruined, and will need to be started all
over again. If the collaborators simply fail, then no
bonus is gained and no time is saved.
Example: Akari is trying to craft a crown for
her lord. Since Akari feels that this item is very
important, she wants someone to collaborate
on the project with her. Akari asks Vashamsah
(whose Ranking is greater than her own) if she
will assist her in the construction of the crown,
and Vashamsah agrees. The GM has declared
that this task will be Difficult and assigns a
penalty of 2 dice, further declaring that it
would take two weeks to complete. Akaris
player rolls her dice and scores 4 successes (a
Good Success). However, Vashamsah scores
4 successes of her own, which raises Akaris
total success level by 2 (4 2 = 2). Akari, with
Vashamsahs help, has now scored an Excellent
Success, and has brought the time required
to craft the crown down to one week. Had
Vashamsah Fumbled, then the crown would
have been ruined.
Support
The second form of assistance requires a
supporting helper whose Skill Ranking cannot
be less than half of yours. For every supporting
assistant you have, you get a bonus of +1 to your
Action Dice up to a maximum of a +6 (more than
six assistants working on the same project at the
same time can just as easily become a nightmare).
Further, every two supporters decreases the time
needed to perform the action by one quarter (1/4)
its total time (i.e. eight days becomes six days, six
becomes four and a half days, etc.). Unlike with
collaboration, supporters do not completely ruin
your project with a Fumble, but they can possibly
have an adverse effect on it.
The GM (or supporting players) rolls Action
Dice for each of the supporters helping on the
project. If any of them fail, then that supporter is
disqualified for purposes of giving you a bonus,
either to your Action Dice or to the time saved. If,
on the other hand, a supporter Fumbles, they give
you a penalty of 1 to your Action Dice. Supporter
Fumbles, however, do not add to the time required
to perform the task. Subtract any penalties from
the bonuses in order to get your final modifier.
Example: Toryu is trying to fashion a special
prayer bowl to use for his magical rituals. He
gathers four supporters to help him, each of
40
whom has at least half of Toryus total Ranking
in their crafting skill. The GM declares this task
to be Challenging and assigns penalty of 1 die,
and further decides that it would normally take
Toryu four days to finish the bowl. The GM rolls
Toryus supporters Action Dice, which result in
two of the supporters Fumbling and two of them
succeeding. Due to the successes, Toryu receives
a +2 bonus to his Action Dice and his time is
reduced to three days. However, the two Fumbles
give Toryu a penalty of 2 dice, canceling out the
bonus. The time required, however, is unaffected
by the Fumbles, so it remains three days. Toryu
decides to have a serious talk with some of his
lazy assistants.
Complementary Skills
Some Skills (such as Knowledge Skills) and
Characteristics may be considered complementary
to others and may potentially boost your Success
Level with those Skills or Characteristic Rolls.
Complementary Skills may only be used if you
score a Partial Success Level or higher with the
related Skill or Characteristic. The modifiers are
similar to Collaboration: every 2 successes (rounded
down) that you score on your Action Dice with a
Complementary Skill adds 1 success to your total
Success Level with the related basic Skill (any
applicable penalties are still assigned normally by
the GM).
Usually, only one Complementary Skill may
be used for any given roll, but the GM may wish
to make an exception in certain cases. Further,
as with Collaboration, if you happen to Fumble
(assuming the GM is using that optional rule) your
Complementary Skill Roll, you automatically fail at
the related Skill. A simple failed Complementary
Skill Roll would have no effect.
Example: Dr. Sanjiv is attempting to treat
his ailing lord, who has been poisoned by an
assassin. Due to the strength and rarity of the
poison, the GM declares the task to be Difficult
and assigns a penalty of 2 dice to Sanjivs
medical skill Action Dice. He rolls his medical
skill Action Dice and scores only 1 success. Sanjiv
decides to try and use a Complementary Skill, his
knowledge of poisons and venoms, to boost his
Success Level. He rolls his knowledge skill Action
Dice and scores 6 successes. That will add +3 to
his final Success Level, bringing it from Partial
to Good. Sanjiv is able to save his lords life. Had
Sanjiv Fumbled his Complementary Skill Roll,
however, his lord would have succumbed to
the poison and perished, despite Sanjiv having
scored a Partial Success with his medical skill.
Role-Playing Bonuses
The GM can assign role-playing bonuses to your
Action Dice if you dramatize the performance of
a skill particularly well, acting it out or describing
 it in colorful terms. Whether it is to describe the
crafting of a fine crystal blade, or to describe a
particularly flashy attack, this sort of play adds
immensely to the atmosphere of the game. The same
is true when you are acting out the performance of
a skill, whether it is to convince someone you are
innocent, or to perform a poetic piece to a crowd.
Roleplaying bonuses can range anywhere
from a +1d6 to a +3d6 (or more) depending on
what the GM felt the description or portrayal was
worth. This sort of effort should be rewarded and
encouraged, as it makes the game more fun for
everyone involved. While not every player will be
a natural ham, or have the acting and voice talents
of a Hollywood star, each should have some way of
contributing to the overall role-playing atmosphere
of the game. Even the most timid of players can
give a detailed description.
Travel
Drdnah is a large and expansive world,
one which you will likely wish to explore. The
map included in this book features a scale in the
lower left corner. It indicates the number of days it
would take to travel by skyship across the distance
displayed within the scale. Traveling by skyship is
the fastest form of travel across Drdnah, and is
the comparison for all other modes of travel.
A journey that takes about one day by skyship
would take about two days by wing or by water
vessel, about four days by mounted land beast, and
about seven days on foot. It is important to note that
the flow of the story, at the GMs discretion, may
increase (or decrease) the general amount of travel
time for dramatic effect.
Skills and Abilities that relate to travel are
covered later in the rules under Character Creation.
Though sometimes the GM may simply decide to
assume travel occurs without a hitch, a roll (or several
rolls) of some movement-based Skill or Ability may
sometimes be required to determine how successfully
a journey is made. Unforeseen trouble may be
indicated by poor dice rolls, whereas an exceptional
roll might mean a much faster journey.
Campaign Types
In the SHARD RPG, there are many different
types of settings and stories that you can experience.
As GMs begin considering the types of adventures they
wish to run for their players, they will want to create
the backstory for a specific type of campaign, as well as
the overall storyline that will tie together all the various
plots and subplots into a cohesive overall saga.
Inspiration for campaign storylines can come
from a variety of places, including your favorite novels,
Basic Compendium
movies, or comics. SHARDs unique setting lends
itself to many different types of adventures, but a few
suggestions of some campaign types are listed below,
along with some references to movies, TV shows, or
novels that feature those types of adventures.
In the supplemental book, the World Guide, you
will find more information on Drdnah, including
Chapter II: The Basics
descriptions of its various countries, cultures, creatures,
and many other elements related to the setting. Before
creating your own campaign, it would be advisable to
read through this information to familiarize yourself
with this unique world.
Serving a Lord
This type of campaign focuses on the complex
relationships and intrigues of Houses and Lines,
the principle social units of Drdni culture. This
campaign type generally features scenarios in which
the players are the vassals and functionaries of an
aryah, the leader of a noble house, or a great aryah,
the leader of a powerful clan, or perhaps members
of the noble family itself. Characters in this type of
campaign would carry out special missions assigned
to them by their lord or lady, missions they would
be honor-bound to carry out. These assignments
could include protecting important members of
their House from their enemies, conducting spying
and assassination missions, acting as envoys to
other factions, or engaging in intrigues to advance
their own position or the position of their House.
Examples include Dune, The Tudors, Excalibur, and
Shogun.
Free Traders and Corsairs
This campaign features characters that are
members of a ships crew, adventuring across
Drdnahs many oceans and seas, or sailing
upon the fateful winds of the upper airs. Such
characters might consider themselves free traders,
engaging primarily in honest business that often
gives way to more shady dealings and action-filled
complications. Or perhaps they are bloodthirsty
Crystal Corsairs who prey on merchant ships and
clash with military vessels sent to destroy them.
In campaigns of this type, adventure and intrigue
can be found in almost any port of call, and could
feature smuggling, heroic rescues, battles with
pirates, and of course the acquisition of treasure
and booty. Examples include Pirates of the Caribbean,
Captain Blood, The Sea Hawk, and Firefly.
Secret Societies
In a world steeped in political intrigue, where
religion governs the lives of the populace and the
status quo is zealously guarded, there are always
secret societies that form whose agendas can
41
 Chapter II: The Basics
range anywhere from bringing about a new age of
enlightenment or societal reform, to the toppling
of a corrupt regime or ruler. Members of such
secret societies must always be willing to act in the
societys best interests. These characters will be
called upon to perform services that continually
test their loyalty and resolve in regards to the goals
of their organization. Such adventures may include
BOOK ONE
acts of espionage, quests for important artifacts,
attempts to infiltrate enemy strongholds for
purposes of information gathering or to liberate a
political or religious prisoner. And all this must be
accomplished, of course, while maintaining ones
cover and keeping the existence of the secret society
a secret. Examples include Torchwood, Murder By
Decree, The Da Vinci Code, and Men in Black.
War Has Come
In this campaign, the threat of imminent war
looms over the nation in which the characters
live, whether due to civil unrest, imperialistic
expansion into another country, or the approach
of conquering armies from an opposing realm.
Characters in such a campaign might be common
soldiers, or the officers who lead them, or perhaps
even simple civilians caught between the opposing
forces and struggling to stay alive in a war-torn land.
Typical adventures might consist of carrying out
military campaigns, espionage or reconnaissance
missions into enemy territory, the conscription of
additional troops, the sacking of enemy cities, or
the pacification of conquered villages and towns.
Examples include Sharpes Rifles, Band of Brothers,
Platoon, and Rome.
Thieves and Assassins
This type of campaign focuses on the seedy
underbelly of society, and features the secretive
lives and questionable pursuits of those who live
outside the law. Characters could range from
the lowliest cutpurse to a master thief or world-
renowned assassin. Campaigns might focus on the
adventures of a Thieves Guild, or the clashes of
rival underworld gangs, or on the sinister activities
of a group of deadly assassins. The rewards are the
treasures of hapless victims, or the grim honor of
being the harbinger of death. Examples include
Oliver Twist, Thieves World, The Wire, and The
Professional.
Peasants to Heroes
Simple farmers who rise to become great heroes
that change the world are the stuff of legends. This
is the classic Heros Journey, and is a feature
of many memorable tales. This campaign could
center on individuals who have been born into
a lower caste or a situation of diminished status,
42
but who are thrust by fate onto a path that leads
them to glory and respect. The backdrop of such
a campaign is usually some great calamity or event
that galvanizes the characters into action, and forces
them to abandon their simple lives and save the
day. Examples would include Star Wars, The Hobbit,
Willow, and Stardust.
Explorers of the Past
There will always be those who quest for
knowledge and who seek the mysteries of the
unknown. Such adventurers embark upon journeys
of discovery that are rife with danger, ancient
treasures, and forbidden secrets. Drdnahs
past is full of such secrets. Hidden away in the
furthest jungles and highest mountain peaks are
the crumbling remains of lost civilizations and
evidence of terrible truths thought long forgotten.
For those intrepid souls who would brave the wild
reaches and savage dangers of remote locations,
there is much more than old bones to unearth in
the forbidden places where the Devah first walked
upon the world. Examples include Raiders of the
Lost Ark, King Solomons Mines, Atlantis, and Journey
to the Center of the Earth.
Outcast Travelers
This type of campaign features societal outcasts
and gypsies who band together to make their
lives on the road, traveling from place to place in
caravans of brightly colored wagons or upon river-
barges. Characters are skilled entertainers, dancers,
musicians, and fortune-tellers, but are often blamed
for misfortunes and crimes that occur when they
are near. The proud Drdni gypsies claim to be
descended from ancient warriors who ruled long
before the Wars of Twilight, though few believe
these tales. Gypsy clans could be nothing more
than a gang of opportunistic thieves, or they could
be dedicated demon-hunters whose mission it is to
eliminate supernatural threats wherever they are
found. Regardless, they are usually not wanted in
most communities, and are always persecuted by
local authorities and priests who consider their
strange beliefs to be heretical. Examples include
King of the Gypsies, The Hunchback of Notre Dame,
Carnivle, and The Riches.
Survivors of Destruction
This campaign assumes that the normal setting
of Drdnah has experienced a violent upheaval
or some sort of calamity. The devastation could be
local or world-wide. Characters are forced to fight
for their very survival in an environment that has
apparently gone mad. In such a world, laws and
traditions are often forsaken, and life becomes a
series of life-threatening encounters. It could be the
 result of a devastating plague that sweeps across
the lands, or a meteor that brings about drastic
climatological change, or perhaps a dimensional
rift that opens to the swirling Hells of Narkah.
Whatever the cause, it is up to the characters to
discover a way to reverse the damage that has been
done, or to pave the way to a brighter and safer
future. Examples include Dawn of the Dead, The
Day After Tomorrow, The Road Warrior, and War of
the Worlds.
Being a Gamemaster
An important distinction between role-playing
games like SHARD and other types of games is the
inclusion of a Gamemaster (GM), a person who
acts as a host, storyteller, and referee for the game.
Unlike traditional tabletop games such as CLUE
or MONOPOLY, which feature a rigid set of rules
and fixed events, role-playing is free-form and uses
the rules as a framework to help the GM and the
players create an entertaining, interactive story.
In many ways, a role-playing game is similar to
a TV show. The GM serves as the show-runner (the
writer/director), and the players assume the roles
of the central characters of the show. The main
difference is that the show is mostly improvisational.
Even though the GM creates the setting and central
conflict that the players will experience as well as
the numerous subplots and supporting characters
that will help establish and define the principal
characters and their relationships, it is the players
who are the stars of the show, and their actions
are unscripted and incredibly unpredictable. But
thats part of what makes it so enjoyable.
Deciding to be a GM is a big responsibility,
but its also a great deal of fun. As a GM, youll be
the one that creates the setting that the players will
return to time and again. They will experience your
Basic Compendium
stories, interact with your characters, solve your
puzzles, face your challenges, and overcome your
obstacles. Without the GM, there is no game. But
being a good GM is a definite skill, and it takes hard
work and practice. Good game mastering requires
swift thinking, a flair for the dramatic, an eye for
the cinematic, a good sense of timing, a talent for
establishing mood, a great sense of fair play, and an
Chapter II: The Basics
overwhelming desire for entertainment.
The GM is not the players opponent; quite
the contrary, the GM is on the same team as the
players. The GM and the players are co-creators of
a shared drama; without cooperation and trust,
the experience is likely to be unsatisfactory. Unlike
traditional games, there are no winners and losers
in SHARD. Everyones goal should be to have a great
time, and the result should be many memorable
adventures (and the desire for more). A good GM
listens to the players feedback, and incorporates it
in future scenarios. During play, the GM monitors
the pacing of the game, responding to the needs
and interests of the players and seeing to it that
the action moves along at a pace that the players
are comfortable with. If the players want more
romance, adventure, mystery, or suspense, its up
to the GM to find ways to work those elements
into the game.
Finally, dont let the action, creativity, and
drama of the game get bogged down by the rules.
The rules presented in SHARD are simple guidelines
designed to help make creating interactive stories
easier. If theyre getting in the way, change them
to suit your needs, or ignore them altogether. Even
though the task of running a game may be hard
work, it shouldnt feel at all like hard work. Above
all else, running a game of SHARD should be a
great deal of fun, and if you find that it is, then
youre clearly doing it right.
43
III. Character Creation

Savanth perched in the temple rafters, fifteen feet above the mosaic floor. His tail clung fast around a
painted beam. A ring of sentries gathered below, their muskets converging on him. He sighed. From experience
he knew even a tamarin like him couldnt scamper to a window before they stuffed him full of shot. And the
ceiling was plaster over lumber, with stone shingles on the outside. Hed have to be a Gajah to knock an exit
through that. Maybe it was time to negotiate.
You have this all wrong, Savanth, said the abbess as she stepped inside the temple doors. The lank old
jnah was a painted wolf, her dark snout and tall, round ears thrusting from her hood like an accusation.
Were not the enemy of House Varsham. We dont want to dishonor you.
Youre giving me a second chance? How kind, for a priestess.
After what you did in the reliquary? The Great Mother would strike me dead if I tolerated such
desecration. But Im a reasonable person. You neednt take a grudge to your grave. She smiled. Her fangs were
the color of tea.
Savanth imagined musket shots punching through his body. Escape it is, then. No means presented itself,
but he sensed something out of place. There: a shallow recess in the plaster of the ceiling. He crept forward on
the rafter. Whoever carved this knew it couldnt be seen from the ground. And a symbol was painted inside.
Savanth felt a chill: I know this glyph. Its the code of the Pashmat Assassins. It means safe passage. Theres
an exit here, if I can find it.
He chuckled. For once the Pashmats might save him instead of targeting him. After a few seconds he
spotted a collection of loose nails in the ceiling. If he pulled them free, the weight of the shingles above would
collapse the wooden planks. He could make it out to the roof. Hed be far from safe, but it was a start. My
dear abbess, he said aloud, I quite enjoy my grudge. I think Ill take it with me.

44
Overview
Now that youre familiar with the basics of
the SHARD RPG system, its time to talk about
creating a character. There are many decisions that
need to be made, so you should spend some time
thinking about the kind of character youd like
to play. Imagine you were going to create a major
character for a TV show, and you needed to sell
this character to a producer. How would you pitch
the character? What sorts of things would you talk
about and emphasize? What would the highlights
be?
Character creation should be imaginative and
a great deal of fun. Heck, its a game in and of
itself. We will guide you through it step-by-step in
order to make the process simple and enjoyable.
Everything you will need to create your character
will be found in this chapter. Before you begin, it
might be helpful to photocopy the Character Sheet
thats been included in this book.
The SHARD RPG is a point-based system,
meaning that you are given a certain number of
Character Points that you will use to purchase all
your characters Attributes, each of which has
a point cost associated with it. There is math
involved, but it is simple addition and subtraction.
If you consider yourself to be math challenged
then a calculator might also come in handy.
The first step in character creation is to come
up with the character concept. Depending on the
type of campaign the GM has chosen to run, youll
need to find a character that fits into that setting.
Are you an honor guard assigned to protect the
lord of a great house? Or are you an assassin used
to eliminate your lords enemies? Perhaps youre
a performer traveling with a troupe that wanders
from city to city?
The second step is to determine what sort
of Zoic youd like to play. What kind of animal
interests you? Are you drawn to a particular
animals appearance? Or is there some other
quality that you admire or find intriguing? Animal
Templates are available that will help you select the
appropriate animal abilities and traits.
The third step is to assign Rankings to your
Characteristics and Animal Abilities. These are
inherent traits that define your characters physical
and mental ability. These will be dictated, to some
extent, by the animal youve chosen to play. For
example, elephants will be strong and tough,
whereas gazelles will be agile and fast.
The fourth step is to select your characters
Talents, Profession, and Skills. Talents are special
innate abilities such as a natural immunity to
poison or a inborn aptitude for magic. Based on
the character youve decided to play, youll also
45
need to choose an appropriate Profession, which
in turn will inform you what Skills your character
will need in order to occupy that role in society.
Over 220 Profession Templates are available for you
to choose from.
Chapter III: Character Creation
The fifth step is to select your characters
Advantages and Drawbacks. Advantages are
social perks such as wealth, a patron, and your
caste. Drawbacks are physical, mental, or social
disadvantages that might afflict your character. It
is important to note that Drawbacks are optional
and whereas they provide you with more points to
spend on your other Attributes they also give the
GM weaknesses that will be exploited during the
course of the game.
The sixth and final step is to wrap it all together.
Come up with a backstory for your character. How
did he come to be in his present situation? Is he
related to any of the other players characters? How
does your character like to dress and speak? Is he
outgoing or shy? Does he like to spend his time
in quiet meditation or does he spend his evenings
in gambling dens? These are important choices as
theyll help you role-play your character, which will
in turn increase everyones enjoyment.
Power Level
Before you create your character, the GM will
need to determine the Power Level of his campaign
and assign the corresponding Character Points that
you will use to buy your Attributes. There are four
different Power Levels that a GM may choose. Each
of these levels represents a slightly different style of
play. If the GM wanted to feature characters who
were capable of superheroic deeds, then a higher
Power Level would be appropriate. If, on the other
hand, the GM wanted to feature characters who
were just beginning their adventuring careers, then
a lower Power Level would work best. Consult the
Point System Table to see what each Power Level
offers in terms of points and limits.
Its important to note that due to certain
inherent animal traits, a few Zoics may exceed some
of the limits imposed by a particular Power Level.
An elephant, for example, may have a Strength
Ranking in the Talented range even though he
was beginning as a Low Power Level character.
His other Attributes, however, should still meet
the limits set by the Power Level. The GM should
carefully review every character and determine if
they are appropriate to the Power Level he wishes
to run. Every Zoic may not be appropriate for every
Power Level.
Another important point is that the Attribute
limits set by Power Level apply only during character
creation. Once the campaign begins, players are
 Chapter III: Character Creation
allowed to spend points on their Attributes and raise
them above the limits of the Power Level (with the
GMs permission). Low Power Level characters, after all,
wont always remain at that Power Level. As characters
adventure and gain experience, they will become better
at what they do. Low Power Level characters may
eventually become Heroic or even Legendary Power
Level characters if they adventure long enough.
BOOK ONE
Low Power Level
This level assumes that the characters are a little
weaker than the average hero. They might be young or
simply inexperienced, but in either case they are usually
just starting out on their adventuring careers. Examples
of characters at this level would be Bilbo Baggins and
Harry Potter.
Talented Power Level
This level is for standard heroes who possess a
variety of different skills and are considered competent
adventurers. Even though talented heroes are not
capable of superhuman feats, they still deal with
plenty of extraordinary situations. Examples of such
characters would be Captain Jack Sparrow and the
Three Musketeers.
Heroic Power Level
At this level, characters boast skills and abilities that
few others possess. These are highly experienced heroes
who are often called upon in times of great need. They
are generally viewed by the rest of society as amazing
individuals. Many popular fantasy adventure heroes
would fall into this category. Examples would include
Conan the Barbarian and Robin Hood.
Legendary Power Level
This level features superhuman characters capable
of unbelievable feats who are renown throughout the
world. Some might be considered divine messengers
or perhaps even gods themselves. Examples of such
characters would be Elric of Melnibon and Paul-
MuadDib Atreides.
Mixed Power Level
It is possible for a GM to assign a level that combines
POINT SYSTEM TABLE
Power Level Maximum Attribute
Ranking
Low 4 100
Talented 6 150
Heroic 8 200
Legendary 12
46
one or more Power Levels. A Mixed Power Level could
have one or two characters start out at Low Power Level,
a few others as Talented or Heroic, and some perhaps
even in the Legendary category. This combination is
common in many works of popular fantasy such as The
Lord of the Rings. In that tale, the hobbits were Low Power
characters, Gimli was Talented, Aragorn was Heroic,
and Gandalf the White was a Legendary character.
This level requires mature players, as not all of the
characters will start out equally as powerful. Players can
occasionally be competitive, so if a GM has too many
of these types of players then the Mixed Power Level
may not work. If a GM uses the Mixed Power Level, it is
important to make sure that all of the players get equal
air time and that the higher point characters do not
overshadow their less experienced comrades. Everyone
should have a significant impact on the course of the
campaign. After all, in The Lord of the Rings it was the
Low Power Level characters that actually destroyed the
Ring and saved Middle-Earth. Similarly, you dont have
to be ultra-powerful to be a hero and save the day on
Drdnah.
Maximum Attribute Ranking
Each Power Level has a suggested cap on a
characters Attribute Rankings. This limits the
number of Action Dice a player can initially use and
generally keeps the Success Levels in synch with the
appropriate Power Level. Remember, the more dice a
player has, the more Successes theyre likely to score. It
makes sense that Legendary characters be able to score
very high Success Levels, whereas Talented characters
should score more moderate Success Levels.
Base Character Points
Character Points are what you spend to buy
all of your characters Attributes: Characteristics,
Animal Abilities, Skill, Talents, and Advantages. The
Power Level determines the number of Character
Points you initially receive. These numbers are merely
suggestions, however. If the numbers are insufficient to
create characters that fit a GMs particular campaign,
they should be tweaked either up or down until the
appropriate number of Base Character Points has been
reached. We encourage you to play around with them.
Base Character Points Maximum Drawback
Points
15
30
45
250 60
 Maximum Drawback Points
It is possible for you to get additional Character
Points to create your character by taking one or
more Drawbacks. You should be careful, however,
players are all on the same team. This holds true for
a group of thieves all working together, or a troupe of
travelling performers, or the crew of a skyship, or a
band of refugees fleeing a war-torn country.

Chapter III: Character Creation

not to cripple your character with too many of these
disadvantages. Each Power Level has a recommended Step 2: Pick Your
cap on the number of Character Points you can get
from Drawbacks. You are not obligated to take any Animal Template
Drawbacks; they are purely optional. The fantasy world of the SHARD RPG is populated
solely by anthropomorphic animals called Zoics. You
Step 1: Character can choose to be any mammal, bird, amphibian or
reptile you wish. Cetaceans (whales, dolphins), fish, or
Concept any prehistoric animals (dinosaurs, saber tooth cats) are
not allowed as they do not currently exist in the setting.
Once the GM decides on the Power Level and the The people of Drdnah refer to themselves as jnah,
type of campaign he wishes to run, you should decide which means people. Their animal species is referred
what sort of character you wish to play. Think about to as their jenu, which means form. A jnah would
your favorite characters from fantasy novels, movies, never refer to themselves as an animal. In fact, that is
or TV shows. Does fighting ability and flashing generally viewed as an insult. The word suthra, which
swordplay appeal to you? Or do you prefer characters means animal, is used by all jnah to refer to the
who rely more on their wits and stealth to defeat native fauna of Drdnah.
their enemies? Or does the idea of summoning and
controlling alien demons from another dimension Since youve already thought about the type of Zoic
seem more your speed? youd like to play, you should locate that specific animal
type in the Animal Templates. These templates are
The GM should provide you with a list of designed to help you build your Zoic quickly and easily.
the types of characters that will be available in his Every trait that your chosen animal should possess is
campaign. Consult with him and your fellow players listed in its Animal Template, which includes minimum
to decide who will take what roles. Whereas an entire Characteristics, Animal Abilities, and any Talents or
party of fighters or spellcasters could work, its often Drawbacks that might apply. Mammals are grouped into
a better idea to make sure your group is diverse and a racial category called Vajrah, birds are known as Paksin,
able to deal with a variety of different situations. This and reptiles and amphibians are known as Sarpah. See
will also give you more of an opportunity to shine the section entitled Animal Templates beginning on page
when your unique skills are required to save the day. 49 for a detailed description of the templates.
You should also be thinking about the type of
animal that would best fit into the role you wish to
play. Here you have an opportunity to play to or against
type. Its clear to see why someone would want to play
a tiger warrior, a weasel thief, or a bat sorcerer; those
animal types seem to suit those roles. But what about
a lion healer, or a mouse warrior, or a gorilla thief?
Playing those sorts of characters can be a refreshing
change and a lot of fun. Its important, however, to
make sure the animal type youre choosing fits the
GMs campaign. As always, he has the final say on
what sorts of characters will be allowed in his game.
Another important consideration is to decide
what your relationship to the other players will be. Its
fine for the group to be strangers. In fact, this is often
the default choice for many campaigns, especially
since its fun to learn about your fellow players in the
game as you get to know their characters. However,
its not a bad idea to have some sort of pre-existing
relationships with your fellow players. Are all of you
members of the same house serving the same great
lord? These sorts of campaigns can be a great deal
of fun as it immediately establishes a strong bond
between the players. After all, you and the other

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 Chapter III: Character Creation
After youve purchased your Animal Template and
have written the information contained in the template
down on your character sheet, youre ready for the next
step.
Step 3: Rank Your
Characteristics and
BOOK ONE
Animal Abilities
Once youve purchased an Animal Template, youll
be given a Ranking in all of your Zoics Characteristics.
You have the option of leaving those Rankings where
they are, or you can raise the Rankings to better suit
your character concept. Remember that each of your
characters Attributes will be linked to one (or more)
of your Characteristics (meaning it will take its base
Ranking from those Characteristics), so pay close
attention to how you spend your points on them.
Once the game has begun, it becomes difficult (and
expensive) to buy up your Characteristics. Make sure you
assign the Ranking you want (or as close as you can get)
given your available points and Power Level restrictions.
See the section entitled Characteristics beginning on page
99 for a detailed description of each Characteristic.
The Animal Template will also give you several
Animal Abilities. These are the inherent traits of your
chosen animal type such as wings, claws, tough hide,
or night vision. These traits will usually also be linked
to one of your Characteristics and can similarly have
their Ranking raised beyond their initial score. See the
section entitled Animal Abilities beginning on page 101
for a detailed description of each Animal Ability.
Step 4: Choose Your
Talents, Profession, and
Skills
Talents are unusual innate attributes that further
define your character. Being ambidextrous, immune
to certain poisons, or possessing magical ability are all
examples of Talents. Most Talents add a number of
Action Dice to an appropriate Skill or Animal Ability.
The Animal Templates include Talents that your Zoic
would possess. See the section entitled Talents on page
111 for a detailed description of each Talent
Skills represent any sort of learned ability or special
training your character might have received during
his career. The ability to use weapons, craft items,
pick locks, move silently, and speak languages are all
examples of Skills. Like Animal Abilities, Skills are also
linked to one of your Characteristics and can similarly
be raised above that Characteristic. Numerous Profession
Templates have been provided that will help you select
the Skills appropriate to your chosen profession.
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Once youve purchased your Profession, you can
still buy additional Skills. There are no limits on the
purchase of Skills. You can have as many of them as
you can afford to buy, as long as they fit your character
concept. See the section entitled Professions on page 116
and Skills on page 147 for a detailed description of each
Profession Template and Skill.
Step 5: Determine
Your Advantages and
Drawbacks
Advantages are social perks that your character
has acquired through various means throughout his
life. Having access to wealth or valuable contacts, or
possessing a wise master who can aid you in times of
need are examples of Advantages. Your caste, a very
important aspect of your character in SHARD, is also
purchased as an Advantage, so make sure you buy the
appropriate caste for your chosen profession. See the
section entitled Advantages beginning on page 184 for
a detailed description of each Advantage.
Drawbacks are physical, mental, or social
disadvantages that might afflict your character. After
all, the most interesting characters in movies and
literature are defined as much by their weaknesses as
by their strengths. Being hunted by a vengeful enemy,
or afflicted with an addiction, or being the victim
of a terrible curse are all examples of Drawbacks.
Drawbacks give you more Character Points to spend,
which can allow you to build a slightly more powerful
character.
But buyer beware: Drawbacks define weaknesses
that the GM will exploit during the campaign. For this
reason, Drawbacks are purely optional. That said, they
can also be a great deal of fun as they will give the GM
ideas for scenarios and adventures. If youre uncertain
how a Drawback might affect you in the game, simply
consult with the GM and get his take on it. See the
section entitled Drawbacks beginning on page 191 for
a detailed description of every available Drawback.
Step 6: Create Your
Backstory
Now that all of your characters game Attributes
have been purchased and your points spent, all that
is left is to tie it all together. Come up with a detailed
backstory that explains how you got where you are.
What is your characters relationship to the non-player
characters (NPCs) in the campaign? What is your
characters relationship to the other player characters
(PCs)? What was your childhood like? Were you an
orphan? Have you been exiled from another realm? Are
you on the run? Or are you looking for love? What about
 your personality? Are you friendly? Secretive? Do you
have some personal goal youre working toward? Are
you a practical joker? Are you devout? Superstitious?
Answers to all of these questions will make role-playing
your character much more enjoyable.
Its important when creating your character and
his backstory to keep in mind the type of game the GM
wants to run. Make sure your choices complement the
campaign and the other PCs. Remember, fun is the
name of the game, but that includes everyone. Whereas
adversarial character relationships can provide a lot of
drama, you have to be careful not to let them become
personal. After all, its only a game. Discuss your ideas
with the GM and the other players, that way youll be
more likely to be on the same page.
Story Points
After youve created your character and the
campaign has begun, youll still be able to increase
your characters Attributes and even add new ones.
This reflects your characters ability to learn, develop,
and grow, and its made possible with the use of Story
Points. Generally, the GM awards Story Points to each
character after every session of play, although some
may choose to award them at the end of a story arc,
which could consist of several play sessions.
A typical Story Point award ranges between 1-3
points per session, depending on how challenging
the GM deemed the adventure. Bonuses of +1-2
Story Points can be awarded to players for excellent
roleplaying, particularly creative problem-solving, or
other contributions that greatly increased the enjoyment
of the game for everyone. Additionally, GMs might
wish to award a Story Completion Bonus of +1-3 Story
Points after the conclusion of a major story arc.
Story Points can be used in a few ways. First and
foremost, they function exactly like Character Points
and are used to increase or purchase Attributes
(Characteristics, Animal Abilities, Talents, Skills, and
Advantages). These points are often called Experience
Points in other systems. Unlike ordinary Experience
Points, however, Story Points can allow you to alter
events in the campaign, thus their name. They can be
spent to save your character from imminent death, or
allow a crucial roll of Action Dice to result in automatic
success, or even allow minor story changes at certain
pivotal moments that would propel the story forward
in a heroic, humorous, or otherwise cinematic way.
Story Points should not be used to gain successes
on Action Dice on a point-per-point basis. If you are
using the optional Fumble Rule, Story Points could be
used to negate a single Fumbled dice roll, turning it
into a simple failed action. But GMs should be careful
not to allow Story Points to become magic reset or easy
buttons. That is not their purpose. Players should, in
general, succeed or fail based on their own merits and
Basic Compendium
dice rolls. Story Points should mainly be used to alter
the story in subtle ways that add to the enjoyment of
the game for everyone.
Animal Templates
Chapter III: Character Creation
Building a Zoic is as easy as locating the appropriate
Animal Template. Many of the Animal Templates
cover a general type of animal (great cats, canines, birds
of prey, etc.) and will list specific animal types (tigers,
wolves, hawks, cobras, etc.) under the template heading.
If you desire to play an animal that is not specifically
listed in the Animal Templates, simply find a template
that closely resembles the animal you wish to play, and
check with the GM to make sure this template can be
used for your specific animal. Each template has a cost
in Character Points. That cost is what you will have to
subtract from your total number of Character Points.
Once you have paid the cost, you will get all the Animal
Abilities, minimum Characteristics, and Talents that are
listed in the template.
In certain cases, the GM might allow you to select a
template but subtract the cost of either an Animal Ability
or Characteristic points. For example, if you wanted to
play a hawk Zoic who was born lame and unable to fly,
or an elephant Zoic who was sickly and weak, you would
deduct the cost of Flight or a few points of Strength and
Vigor from the total point cost of the template.
Adding chimerical Animal Abilities to a template,
such as Flight to a lion Zoics template, should generally
be avoided. Such additions should only be allowed under
very special circumstances and only with the express
permission of the GM. Such mutations are possible but
they are extremely rare. Further, such chimeras would be
considered abominations and ostracized from ordinary
society.
Every Animal Template also lists the Maximum
Characteristic Ranking that Zoic can achieve as well as
a range of Characteristic Rankings for an average adult
Zoic of that type. Even though most of the templates
cover a very wide range, a few will possess remarkable
natural ability. Because of this, GMs should carefully
review all characters to see if that Zoic will fit with the
campaign they have in mind. Below is an explanation of
the various Animal Template fields.
Point Cost
This is the total cost in Character Points of the
Animal Template. Simply subtract this cost from your
base number of Character Points, and then fill in
the base Characteristic minimums, Animal Abilities,
Talents, and Drawbacks (if any) in the appropriate
spaces on your character sheet.
Description
This briefly describes the Zoic, including general
attitude, demeanor, and disposition. Keep in mind
49
BOOK ONE Chapter III: Character Creation
that this describes the typical Zoic of this type. You
are of course free to role-play your Zoic however you
wish. This description will simply give you some idea
of how the rest of Drdni society generally views this
particular Zoic.
Animals that preferred a certain type of habitat
will generally be drawn to professions that place their
Zoic counterparts in those habitats. For example,
marine animals such as seals, manatees, otters, seagulls,
pelicans, sea turtles, and crocodiles are more likely to be
sailors, fishermen, pearl divers, or river boatmen than
other types of Zoics.
This also holds true for animals that exhibited a
certain type of behavior. Thus, predatory species such
as tigers, wolves, hawks, and komodo dragons are more
likely to be soldiers than non-predatory Zoics. In general,
if an animal is known for a specific behavioral trait
(stubbornness, aggressiveness, skittishness, etc.) chances
are its Zoic will similarly be known for that trait. There
are always exceptions to the rule, of course, but dont be
surprised if everyone expects your wolverine Zoic to be
short-tempered and quarrelsome.
Characteristics
These are the base Rankings of your Zoics
Characteristics. If you wish, you can raise your
Characteristics above the base numbers by simply paying
more Character Points. Characteristics have different
costs depending on whether they are considered Combat
or Non-Combat (see Characteristics beginning on page 99
for the proper costs).
Using those same values for Characteristic costs,
you may also lower a Characteristic below the base
number and use those Character Points for other
Attributes. Make sure youre getting the correct number
of Character Points back if you lower one of your
Characteristics. There are average ranges listed on the
50
template next to the Characteristic so you can compare
your character to a typical Zoic of that type. Zoics may
not exceed the Maximum Characteristic Ranking given
in their template.
Lifespan
Zoics have either short, average, or long lifespans.
Short lifespans are 40 years, average lifespans 80 years, and
long lifespans 160 years. All Zoics are typically considered
to have reached maturity by the age of thirteen. Zoics
younger than this are viewed as children and could be
eligible to take a Social Drawback (juvenile).
It is also possible for very young or incredibly
aged Zoics to take Physical Drawbacks to reflect either
underdeveloped traits or infirmities. As a result of healthy
living or through magical means some Zoics can live longer
than their average lifespan but this is rare. In general, a
Zoic in the final twenty five percent of its lifespan would be
considered an elder in Drdni society.
Height Range
This shows the Zoics adult height range. If your
Zoic is a juvenile (see above), it is possible to go below
this range. Going above the range, however, should
only happen with special permission from the GM.
Weight Range
This lists your Zoics adult weight range. Choosing
a weight below or above this range would indicate either
a very skinny or very fat Zoic. In such cases, it might be
appropriate to take a Physical Drawback to reflect that
condition.
Animal Abilities
This field lists the Animal Abilities that a Zoic of this
type will typically possess, as well as the Characteristic
(if any) to which it is linked. These links, written in
 parentheses, will help you determine the number of
Action Dice youll roll whenever you use the ability.
Additionally, some templates will list Animal
Abilities in parentheses along with the name of a
specific type of Zoic. These are abilities that a Zoic of
that particular type would normally possess, but whose
costs have not been included in the template. Players
who wish to create the type of Zoic mentioned in
parentheses should add the costs of those additional
Animal Abilities to their template.
Example: Eric decides he wants to build a polar
bear Zoic. He consults the Animal Template for
a large bear. That particular template lists a polar
bear entry in parentheses, and includes the Animal
Abilities Hold Breath and Swimming. Eric must
add the costs of both of those Animal Abilities to the
total cost of the bear template in order for his polar
bear Zoic to possess those abilities.
Racial Talents
This lists the Talents (if any) that the Zoic will
typically possess. The subsection titled Suggested Talents
will sometimes list optional Talents that a GM might
wish to include, but whose costs have not been factored
into the cost of the template. GMs should feel free to add
these or any additional Talents they feel are appropriate
for the Zoic by simply adding the cost of those new
Talents to the total cost of the Animal Template.
Racial Drawbacks
This field lists the Drawbacks, as well as their
values, that the Zoic should normally take. The GM
can allow you to drop a particular Drawback with
proper justification. The number of Character Points
youd normally receive for the Drawback has already
been reflected in the cost of the Animal Template. If
you drop a Drawback, the cost of the template would
go up by the corresponding number of points.
As with Talents, there is a subsection titled Suggested
Drawbacks that will sometimes list optional Drawbacks
that might be appropriate for the Zoic, but whose costs
were not factored into the total cost of the template.
If players wish to take any or all of the Drawbacks
listed in this subsection, they simply need to deduct
the Character Point value of the Drawback from the
overall cost of the template (see the Drawback Severity
Table on page 192 for the proper general values).
Creating Templates
Even though they cover a wide variety, not every
animal is represented in the Animal Templates. GMs
may therefore wish to create additional templates. The
important thing to shoot for is for every template to be
balanced in terms of Character Points.
All Animal Templates assign Characteristic
Maxima for each of the Zoics nine Characteristics.
Every template has a total of 132 Character Points in
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Maximum Characteristic Rankings. This is not a cost
the player must pay, it is simply a guideline to building
balanced templates. A Zoics Maximum Characteristic
Ranking should not exceed 12. GMs should keep in
mind that there is a different cost associated with Combat
Chapter III: Character Creation
and Non-Combat Characteristics (see Characteristics on
page 99 for a full explanation of their cost).
Minimum Rankings for each of the nine
Characteristics would also need to be assigned. Every
Animal Template has a cost of 36 Character Points
assigned to its Minimum Characteristic Rankings,
which are assigned by the GM. These points are factored
into the total cost of the template. Racial Characteristic
averages should be approximated by comparing the
new template to similar Animal Templates. Average
Characteristic Ranges should cover no more than a 3
point spread.
The same procedure would then be done
with Animal Abilities and Talents. The GM would
add whatever Animal Ability or Talent he deemed
appropriate for that Zoic and add the cost of those
Attributes to the cost of the template. Finally, if the
GM felt that some Racial Drawbacks were required,
hed include them in the template as well and then
subtract those points from the total cost of the template.
The final cost is what the player would pay in order to
buy that template.
Example: A GM decides to build a wolf Zoic
Animal Template. He starts by assigning 36 Character
Points to the Minimum Characteristic Rankings
for the wolf. He assigns the following Minimum
Characteristics: Strength 4, Vigor 3, Agility 3, Dexterity
2, Essence 1, Perception 3, Wit 2, Will 2, Presence 3.
This cost of 36 points is added to the cost of the Animal
Template. Next he assigns 132 Character Points to
the Maximum Characteristic Rankings for the wolf.
He assigns the following Maximum Characteristics:
Strength 9, Vigor 10, Agility 9, Dexterity 9, Essence
10, Perception 10, Wit 10, Will 8, Presence 10. This
cost of 132 points, however, is NOT added to the
cost of the Animal Template, its simply a way to
keep templates balanced. After this, the GM adds the
following Animal Abilities: Body Armor, Distance
Running, Keen Hearing, Natural Weaponry (claws
and teeth), Night Vision, and Tracking Scent all at
base level for a total of 22 Character Points. This total
is added to the cost of the Animal Template. The
GM then decides to add one level each of the Talents
Empathy and Heightened Awareness for a cost of
10 points. This total is also added to the cost of the
Animal Template. Finally, the GM decides to include
the Physical Drawback: Night-Time Colorblindness,
which deducts 3 Character Points from the total cost
of the Animal Template. The wolf Zoic template
is now complete. Any player who wishes to play a
wolf Zoic must pay 65 Character Points in order to
purchase that particular Animal Template.
For even more details and suggestions concerning
this process, including a blank Animal Template for you
to use, please see pages 326-329 in the Appendices.
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 Chapter III: Character Creation

Paksin

The Paksin are a noble and proud people. Although their numbers are concentrated
in the realms of Rkbar and Amnol, they can be found living in every nation of
Drdnah. The Paksin nobility of the western amns have a reputation for arrogance,
believing themselves better than other jnah because of their ability to fly. Paksin
living in other parts of the world have learned to temper this arrogance in an effort
to achieve amiable relations with non-Paksin. Dar-Purm has a large population
of seabirds, many of which pursue military careers. Preferring lofty perches and high
places, many Paksin communities can be found in the upper reaches of great trees or
rocky aeries, such as the great Fortress of Mar-Jaheen built into the northern spires of
the Khunamani Mountains.

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 Sarpah

Sarpah live primarily in the warmer northern climes of Drdnah, their cultures
having flourished in the lush, verdant jungles. Their peoples, however, can be found
as far south as Magr where some Sarpah enjoy the dryer, cooler climate. The rest of
the world distrusts many of the northern Sarpah nations. Despite the fact that over
a thousand years have passed since the Twilight Wars, non-Sarpah nations have
not forgotten the horrors that swept down from the north during that terrible age.
Neither do they forgive the Sarpahs worship of Nagamssa, who is known by non-
Sarpah as Amasrah, the Mother of Demons.

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Vajrah

The most prolific of the three races, Vajrah dominate over half of the realms
of the world. From the great Gajah of Hthiyar, who strive to abolish slavery for
all of jnahkind, to the reclusive bats of Klinrh, who keep their sorceries locked
away from prying eyes, the Vajrah of Drdnah are numerous and varied. While
being heavily populated, it has only been in the last several hundred years that the
central and eastern Vajrah nations have risen to prominence. The Amn of Sustrm,
whose ruling class of feline jnah conquered the former Paksin-ruled provinces
during the Twilight Wars, is most extreme example of Vajrah military expansion
and ambition.

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 Characteristics
All characters have nine Characteristics:
Strength, Vigor, Agility, Dexterity, Essence,
Perception, Wit, Will, and Presence. These traits
For a further understanding of what the
different Characteristics represent, here is a
description of each:
Strength

Chapter III: Character Creation

define your Zoics inherent physical and mental
abilities. Characteristics have a Ranking that The characters overall muscle power. It is used
ranges from 1 to 12, with 1 representing minimal to determine how much damage your character
natural ability and 12 being the maximum a Zoic can inflict in melee combat, and how much he can
can achieve. During character creation, the cost lift and throw. Warriors and wrestlers would likely
of raising a Characteristics Ranking by 1 is 2 have a high Strength.
Character Points for a Combat Characteristic, and The Strength Table shows the amount of weight
1 Character Point for a Non-Combat Characteristic. a character can deadlift and carry for a few steps. In
Combat Characteristics are Strength, Vigor, order to determine how far a character can throw
Agility, Dexterity, and Essence. Non-Combat an object, simply subtract the Strength required
Characteristics are Perception, Wit, Will, and to lift the object from the characters Strength
Presence. Characteristic and multiply whatever is left by 3
Characteristics must not exceed the Zoics yards. This assumes a standing throw. The distance
Maximum Characteristic Ranking given in the should be doubled for a running throw.
Animal Template, nor should they exceed the Example: A muskox Zoic with a 10 Strength
Maximum Attribute Ranking allowed by the Power wants to throw a wooden cart. According to the
Level except with the GMs permission. The only Strength Table, it takes a 6 Strength just to lift the
cart. That leaves 4 Strength left over, which when
exception is if the Animal Template allows a higher multiplied by 3 yards gives a total of 12 yards.
Minimum Ranking for the Characteristic than the Thats the distance that the muskox Zoic could
Power Level would normally allow. Examples of
this would be an elephants Strength or a rabbits
Agility. The GM, however, has the final say in all STRENGTH TABLE
cases.
Lift
Once the campaign has begun, you may Ranking Capacity Example
increase your Characteristics by spending Story
(lbs)
Points. After character creation, you may only
raise a Characteristic one point at a time, and the 0 20 Cask
cost in Story Points is equal to the current value
of that Characteristic. So if you had a Strength 1 50 Chest
Ranking of 6 and wished to raise it to 7, youd have
to pay 6 Story Points in order to do that. Raising Barrel
Characteristics during the campaign should only 2 70 (Empty)
be allowed with a good role-playing justification,
such as continuous study in order to increase Wit, 3 100 Hay Bale
or rigorous physical training to increase Strength or
Vigor. You may never raise a Characteristic beyond 4 150 Rickshaw
the Maximum Characteristic Ranking indicated
on your Animal Template. 5 200 Table
Raising a Characteristic once the campaign
has begun has a significant effect on your other 6 300 Cart
Attributes. Raising a Characteristic by one point also
raises the maximum possible value of any Talent or 7 400 Barrel (Full)
Advantage linked to that Characteristic. The actual
Ranking of the Talent or Advantage, however, does 8 600 Rowboat
not increase automatically. If you want to raise the
Ranking of the Talent or Advantage by an equal 9 800 Sm. Wagon
number, then youd have to spend additional Story
Points. This is not the case with Animal Abilities 10 1200 Sailboat
and Skills. Raising a Characteristic by one point
actually raises the Ranking of the linked Animal 11 1600 Lg. Wagon
Ability or Skill by an equal number. Please note that
at no time may any Skill, Animal Ability, Talent, or 12 2400 Carriage
Advantage have a value greater than 12.

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 Chapter III: Character Creation
throw the cart. If the Zoic performed a running
throw, he could hurl the cart an impressive 24
yards.
These throwing distances are for objects that
were not meant to be thrown. Distances for thrown
weapons, such as knives, javelins, spears, etc., are
listed with those weapons in the Combat chapter.
BOOK ONE
Strength Cost: 2 Character Points for every 1
point of Strength at character creation; afterwards,
the cost in Story Points to raise Strength by 1 point
is the current Strength Ranking.
Vigor
The characters health, endurance, and
toughness. It helps determines how easily your
character is damaged in combat, how resistant he is
to disease, or how long he can exert himself. Long
distance runners and swimmers would have a high
Vigor.
Vigor Cost: 2 Character Points for every 1
point of Vigor at character creation; afterwards, the
cost in Story Points to raise Vigor by 1 point is the
current Vigor Ranking.
Agility
The characters speed, nimbleness, and reaction
time. It is used to determine your characters Action
Dice in melee combat, or with any tasks which
require litheness, bodily grace, or reaction time.
Acrobats, dancers, and contortionists would have
a high Agility.
Agility Cost: 2 Character Points for every 1
point of Agility at character creation; afterwards,
the cost in Story Points to raise Agility by 1 point is
the current Agility Ranking.
Dexterity
The characters hand-eye coordination and fine
motor skills. It is used to determine your characters
Action Dice in any sort of ranged combat, or with
any tasks that require fine manipulation ability.
Doctors, artisans, and musicians should have a
high Dexterity.
Dexterity Cost: 2 Character Points for every 1
point of Dexterity at character creation; afterwards,
the cost in Story Points to raise Dexterity by 1 point
is the current Dexterity Ranking.
Essence
This attribute represents a characters spiritual and
magical strength, his ability to affect the Dream Realm,
and to resist mystical attacks. It is used to determine
your characters Action Dice with magical rituals and
his effectiveness at manipulating arcane energies.
Sirhibasi and mngai should have a high Essence.
100
Essence Cost: 2 Character Points for every 1 point
of Essence at character creation; afterwards, the cost in
Story Points to raise Essence by 1 point is the current
Essence Ranking.
Perception
The degree to which the character is aware of
his immediate surroundings and how quickly he
can process that sensory information. Its used to
determine your characters Action Dice for any
task that requires the use of his senses or to detect
ambushes and surprise attacks. Hunters and honor
guards should have excellent Perception.
Perception Cost: 1 Character Point for every 1
point of Perception at character creation; afterwards,
the cost in Story Points to raise Perception by 1
point is the current Perception Ranking.
Wit
This measures a characters capacity for
knowledge, his ability to recollect facts, and his
overall mental acuity. It represents a combination
of common sense as well as education. Its used to
determine your characters Action Dice for any tasks
that requires a use of intelligence and reasoning
ability. Teachers and philosophers should have a
high Wit.
Wit Cost: 1 Character Point for every 1 point
of Wit at character creation; afterwards, the cost in
Story Points to raise Wit by 1 point is the current
Wit Ranking.
Will
This represents a characters willpower and
sense of self. It is used to determine your characters
Action Dice for any task that tests his nerve,
determination, or his ability to resist any type of
suffering or hardship. Military leaders and spies
would possess strong Wills.
Will Cost: 1 Character Point for every 1 point
of Will at character creation; afterwards, the cost in
Story Points to raise Will by 1 point is the current
Will Ranking.
Presence
A combination of physical beauty, charm,
personality, and bearing. It is used to determine
your characters Action Dice for any tasks that
require him to impress, intimidate, or otherwise
emotionally affect others around him. Actors and
ambassadors would likely have a high Presence.
Presence Cost: 1 Character Point for every 1
point of Presence at character creation; afterwards,
the cost in Story Points to raise Presence by 1 point
is the current Presence Ranking.
 Animal Abilities
The best thing about being a Zoic is getting
all those cool abilities: claws, wings, spines, special
senses, venom. Thats half the fun of playing

Chapter III: Character Creation

an anthropomorphic animal character. Animal
Abilities are a Zoics innate animal traits. The
Ranking assigned to your Animal Ability represents
the number of Action Dice you will use when
attempting to use that ability. This section allows
you to familiarize yourself with the Animal Abilities
included in your template. You can adjust your
abilitys Ranking if you wish, purchase additional
abilities if your GM deems it appropriate, or possibly
even buy off an ability if allowed.
The Animal Abilities Table on the following
page lists all the abilities, their type, their cost in
Character Points (initial cost/cost to raise the
Ranking by 1 point), and the Characteristic to
which the ability is linked. Remember, the number
of Action Dice you get to use for your Animal
Abilities is initially equal to the Ranking of the
linked Characteristic. Therefore, if your Zoic had
Natural Weaponry, which is linked to Agility, and
your Agility score was 6, youd get 6 Action Dice
whenever you used your Natural Weaponry.
You can choose to either keep your Animal
Abilities at their base value or buy them up using
additional Character Points. With the exception of
Aquatic, Body Armor, Protective Lids, and Venom,
the cost of raising an Animal Ability is 2 Character
Points per 1 level of increase. Neither Aquatic nor
Protective Lids has a value to raise, and the value of
Body Armor and Venom is raised at a higher cost
(detailed in the abilities descriptions).
If you feel that the Animal Abilities included
in your Animal Template do not adequately reflect
the Zoic you wish to play, you should discuss that
with the GM who may allow you to purchase
additional abilities. Likewise, if you wanted to buy
off or reduce some of the abilities in your template
to better fit your backstory, perhaps because of
an injury or birth defect, or simply because you
never developed an ability to the level listed on the
Animal Template, you could also discuss that with
your GM. If an Animal Ability is bought off or
reduced to a lower level, you would simply deduct
the cost of the ability from your Animal Template
and would add those points to your remaining
Character Points to use as you see fit.
As mentioned earlier, adding chimerical
abilities to a Zoic (such as flight to a lion) should
almost never be done. These chimeras do exist
in Drdnah but they are extremely rare and are
considered blasphemous abominations. These
characters would never be tolerated in ordinary
society, and would likely be killed.

Basic Compendium
101
 Chapter III: Character Creation

ANIMAL ABILITIES TABLE

Animal Ability Type Cost Characteristic Link
Aquatic Adaptive 3/0 N/A
Blinding Attack Offensive 3/2 Dexterity
BOOK ONE

Body Armor Defensive 5/5 N/A

Body Pouch Other 2/2 N/A
Bounding Movement 3/2 Agility
Change Color Defensive 3/2 Will
Clinging Movement 3/2 Strength
Digging Movement 3/2 Strength
Discriminatory Taste Sensory 3/2 Perception
Distance Running Movement 3/2 Vigor
Dual Focal Point Sensory 3/2 Perception
Echo Location Sensory 3/2 Perception
Extensile Tongue Other 3/2 Dexterity
Far Sight Sensory 3/2 Perception
Flight Movement 5/2 Agility
Gliding Movement 3/2 Agility
Gnawing Teeth Other 3/2 Strength
Great Leap Movement 3/2 Strength
Hibernation Adaptive 2/2 Vigor
Hold Breath Adaptive 2/2 Vigor
Hovering Movement 2/2 Vigor
Keen Hearing Sensory 3/2 Perception
Musk Spray Defensive 5/2 Dexterity
Natural Weaponry Offensive 5/2 Agility
Night Vision Sensory 3/2 Perception
Prehensile Limb Other 3/2 Dexterity
Protective Lids Adaptive 3/0 N/A
Silent Flight Movement 2/2 Agility
Spines Defensive 5/2 Agility
Sprint Movement 3/2 Vigor
Swimming Movement 3/2 Agility
Thermal Regulation Adaptive 2/2 Vigor
Thermal Sensing Sensory 3/2 Perception
Tracking Scent Sensory 3/2 Perception
Venom Offensive 5/8/10 N/A
Water Storage Adaptive 2/2 Vigor
Wide Peripheral Sensory 3/2 Perception

102
 Raising Animal Abilities
Once the game begins, you may increase
your Animal Abilities by expending Story Points.
Generally, the cost of raising an Animal Ability is
2 Story Points per 1 level of increase, but there are
a few exceptions. Please consult the Animal Abilities
Table for the exact cost. Animal Abilities may not
have a value greater than 12.
Animal Ability Descriptions
Aquatic (n/a)
This Animal Ability requires the Zoic to
have already purchased Hold Breath. Aquatic is
a modifier to Hold Breath rather than an actual
adaptive power in and of itself. Aquatic Zoics can
triple the amount of time they are able to hold their
breaths using the Hold Breath Animal Ability (see
Hold Breath for details). Unless allowed by the GM,
only truly aquatic animals (those that can hold their
breath for 15 minutes or more) should be allowed to
purchase this ability. This includes such animals as
sea turtles, frogs, salamanders, sea snakes, penguins,
cormorants, seals, and walruses. This Animal Ability
has neither a value to be raised nor dice associated
with its use.
Aquatic Cost: 3 Character Points.
Blinding Attack (Dexterity)
A Zoic with this ability can briefly blind an
opponent. This ability covers a wide variety of different
animal attacks, such as the blood squirting ability of
horned toads, or the spitting ability of camels, or the
ability of spitting cobras (who would also have the
Venom Animal Ability). However, it could also be
used to simulate a quick whip attack with a tail, or
perhaps a flurry of wing feathers to the face.
An opponents eyes must be specifically targeted
at a 2 penalty to the Blinding Attack Action Dice.
If the attack is successful, the target is blinded for a
number of actions equal to the number of successes
rolled on the Action Dice, unless the target has some
form of eye or facial defense such as Protective Lids
or a face plate (for the effects of blindness see Blind
Fighting, page 223).
Blinding Attack Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial ability; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Blinding Attack. This movement ability allows a Zoic to travel by
Body Armor (n/a) ability allows the Zoic to travel 20 feet per Round.
Zoics with Body Armor have a tough hide, thick
fur, or a shell that naturally helps protect them from
physical attacks. For every Armor Point of Body Armor,
characters deduct one level from any damage taken. It
is possible for natural Body Armor to soak up enough
damage so that no levels of damage are suffered at all.
Basic Compendium
The cost for each Armor Point of Body Armor is
5 Character Points. The value of natural Body Armor
can be raised within the limits established in the Armor
Point table. The cost of raising Body Armor 1 point
is always 5 Character Points. This ability has no dice
Chapter III: Character Creation
associated with its use.
The table below shows the Armor Point range
recommended for various animals, though the animal
template you have chosen should provide specifics.
Under no circumstances should a Zoic ever be allowed
to exceed the Armor Point limitations established in
this table. GMs should carefully monitor the purchase
of Body Armor as it can result in very tough combat
characters.
Animal Type Armor Points
Alligator/Crocodile 2-4
Bear 1-3
Cape Buffalo 2-3
Elephant 2-4
Pangolin/Armadillo 2-4
Rhino 3-5
Tiger/Lion 1-2
Turtle 3-6
Walrus/Seal 1-2
Body Armor Cost: 5 Character Points for
every 1 point of Body Armor.
Body Pouch (n/a)
A Zoic with this Animal Ability has a natural
pouch of some kind somewhere on its body. These
could include cheek, belly, or throat pouches (to
name some common ones). The character may store
objects in the pouch such as food, crystals, weapons,
or other such items.
Every level in this ability allows a characters
pouch to store up to 4 cubic inches or up to 5 pounds
of weight. Body pouches should not be able to store
much more than 2 cubic feet of space or much more
than 30 pounds, whichever is smaller.
Body Pouch Cost: 2 Character Points for every
level of Body Pouch.
Bounding (Agility)
performing a series of long leaps. Every level in this
Furthermore, every level allows the Zoic to leap 1 foot
of height or 3 feet of length without effort. Thus, a Zoic
with 5 levels of Bounding is capable of traveling 100
feet per Round and would be able to clear any obstacles
less than 5 feet in height or 15 feet in length. Bounding
follows the same rules as standard Running as far as
103
 Chapter III: Character Creation
Vigor limitations for time are concerned (see General
Movement in the Combat chapter, pages 221-222).
Bounding Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
ability; 2 Character Points for ever additional level of
Bounding.
Change Color (Will) unearthed something potentially dangerous, caused a
BOOK ONE
This is the classic chameleon power, the ability for a
Zoic to change its skin color to match its surroundings.
This ability allows Zoics to change both the color and the
simple pattern of their skin. If someone is attempting to
see a Zoic that is using the Change Color ability, they
must make an Opposed Roll using whatever Perception
ability is appropriate against the targets Change Color
ability. If the searcher scores more successes, then the
target is detected, otherwise the target remains unseen.
Depending on the surroundings the Zoic is
attempting blend into, the GM may assign penalties
or bonuses to the Change Color Action Dice. The
Zoic must use the Change Color ability prior to being
seen because once someone knows the Zoic is there
the ability has no effect (you cannot vanish into the
woodwork with this ability), though the skins color still
changes. normal penalties assigned to taste Perception Rolls (see
Change Color Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial ability; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Change Color.
Clinging (Strength) for the initial ability; 2 Character Points for every
A Zoic with this ability can cling to the surface
of walls, ceilings, trees, etc., for extended periods of
time. Adjustments for surface type (vine-covered tree
trunks as opposed to slime-coated smooth walls, for
example) or atmospheric conditions (gusts of wind,
torrential downpours, etc.) should be factored in when
determining if a Zoic can successfully use this ability.
GMs may wish to add a bonus or a penalty ranging
from 1-3 Action Dice depending on the situation.
While clinging to a surface, a character may move
at the normal rate per Round. A Partial Success
means that the Zoic cannot find enough handholds
or footholds to move at all, but remains clinging to the
surface. No successes indicate the Zoic is incapable of
holding on to the desired surface, which could result
in a damaging fall.
Clinging Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
ability; 2 Character Points for every additional level of
Clinging.
Digging (Strength) Dual Focal Point (Perception)
Zoics with Digging can move large quantities of
earth in a relatively short amount of time with their
hands, feet, or teeth. For each success scored on their
Action Dice, a Zoic may move enough earth to allow
its body (fitting length-wise in the tunnel) to move one
foot forward in the desired direction each minute. A
104
Zoic may continuously dig for as many minutes as
their Vigor Ranking, after which the Zoic must rest
for an equal number of minutes.
A Partial Success means the Digging rate is halved,
whereas a failure means the Zoic has hit an impassable
substance. A Fumble could mean the Zoic has
cave-in, or otherwise failed beyond expectation.
Digging Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
ability; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Digging.
Discriminatory Taste (Perception)
A Zoic with this ability possesses an incredibly acute
sense of taste, and is able to detect and differentiate
among many various substances in or on food, drink,
or clothing (as well as a variety of other surfaces).
In addition, the character can taste the air for the
presence of various forms of jnah, suthra, or flora that
may give off smells too subtle for a nose to detect.
This ability is very useful when employed in
conjunction with some of the various Knowledge
Skills. Zoics with Discriminatory Taste do not take the
Perception Roll, page 37) for strong or overpowering flavors
and would even gain bonuses when trying to detect weak
or faint flavors.
Discriminatory Taste Cost: 3 Character Points
additional level of Discriminatory Taste.
Distance Running (Vigor)
A Zoic with this ability can run for a prolonged
period of time at the Running rate for standard
movement distance (see General Movement in the
Combat chapter, page 221-222). A distance runner can
maintain this standard running pace for an hour for
ever level in Distance Running. Thus, a Zoic with a
Distance Running Ranking of 6 would be able to run
for 6 hours without resting. Once this time has elapsed,
characters must rest for an equal number of hours
before they can continue using Distance Running. A
Zoic with this ability can cover long distances on foot in
half the time it would normally take a walking traveler
to cover the same distance.
Distance Running Cost: 3 Character Points
for the initial ability; 2 Character Points for every
additional level of Discriminatory Taste.
Zoics with this Animal Ability can move their eyes
around independent of one another in order to look
in two directions at once. These Zoics have the ability
to process two separate images at the same time using
each eye individually. The classic example of this, of
course, is the chameleon.

With this ability, the Zoic has a much wider field
of vision (up to 360 degrees in some cases) and may
use its Action Dice in Dual Focal Point as a Perception
Roll to counter surprise attempts or to keep an eye
down a corridor while simultaneously observing the
actions occurring in an adjacent room.
Dual Focal Point Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial ability; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Dual Focal Point.
Echo Location (Perception) to the Action Dice as deemed appropriate by the
A Zoic with Echo Location emits a high-pitched
sound that bounces off surrounding objects and
returns to the Zoic. This allows the Zoic to pinpoint
the locations and identify the shapes of objects and
obstacles in total darkness or when blinded (for the
effects of blindness see Blind Fighting, page 223).
Whereas this allows the Zoic to navigate and even
fight under such conditions, it does not allow the
Zoic to perceive any fine details such as color or
texture. The classic example of echo locators are
bats.
Zoics with Echo Location (or Keen Hearing)
are able to make a Perception Roll using their
Echo Location (or Keen Hearing) Action Dice to
detect the high-pitched sounds emitted by other
echo locators. This can only be done if the target
echo locator is using the Echo Location ability, of
course.
Echo Location Cost: 3 Character Points for
the initial ability; 2 Character Points for every
additional level of Echo Location.
Basic Compendium
Extensile Tongue (Dexterity)
Zoics with Extensile Tongue have the ability
to flick their tongues from their mouths and use
the sticky tip to grab small objects. The grabbing
range is equal to the Zoics height plus a number
Chapter III: Character Creation
of feet equal to the number of successes rolled
(rounded in the characters favor) on the Zoics
Action Dice.
A Zoic may attempt to lash out at the eyes
of an opponent in order to momentarily blind
them a number of actions equal to the number
of successes rolled on the Action Dice, unless the
target has some form of eye or facial defense such
as Protective Lids or a face plate (for the effects of
blindness see Blind Fighting, page 223). The Zoics
tongue, however, is highly susceptible to damage
and could be disabled or even severed during these
types of attacks (see the Maneuver Location Table for
penalties on attacks aimed at the head).
Extensile Tongue Cost: 3 Character Points
for the initial ability; 2 Character Points for every
additional level of Extensile Tongue.
Far Sight (Perception)
This ability allows a Zoic to see objects in great
detail from long distances. A Zoic may make a
Perception Roll using their Far Sight Action Dice
to clearly see any object up to a mile away with no
penalties to their Perception Rolls (see Perception Roll,
page 37). Moving objects are especially easy to spot
at such distances with this ability, even exceptionally
small ones. Inclement weather conditions as well as
distances greater than a mile should call for penalties
GM.
Far Sight Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
ability; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Far Sight.
Flight (Agility)
Zoics with Flight possess wings of some sort
and have the ability to fly. Every level in this ability
allows the Zoic to travel 30 feet per Round. Flight
only requires a Flight Skill Roll if it is a Contested
Action (made under adverse conditions such as
through thick fog or during a storm, or while being
attacked). Difficulty modifiers could also apply in
such conditions. Strong winds could incur a penalty
of 1 or 2 to a characters Action Dice, whereas
flying through a severe storm could result in a penalty
of 4 or 5.
Flying Zoics are capable of hovering in place for
a very brief period of time. For every success scored
on their Flight Action Dice, flying Zoics can hover
for an equal number of Combat Rounds before they
need to make a full move or risk having to land. Zoics
105
 Chapter III: Character Creation
who wish to hover for longer periods of time should
purchase the Animal Ability Hovering. Flight follows
the same rules for Running as far as Vigor limitations
are concerned. Flying Zoics, however, may rest without
needing to land by using thermals and updrafts to
glide and remain aloft.
When comparing the skills of one flyer against
BOOK ONE
another, such as in a race or flying chases, merely
compare the successes of the Flight Rolls against one
another. If racing is the issue, the flier with the most
successes wins. In cases of pursuit, the flight continues
until the GM decides, given the successes of each flier
over the number of Rounds the chase lasts, that the
target has either gotten away from his pursuer or the
pursuer has caught up to his target.
Flight Cost: 5 Character Points for the initial
ability; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Flight.
Gliding (Agility) applied to the Action Dice for every additional ten
These Zoics have the ability to glide through use of
flaps of skin that stretch from their arms to their legs.
By leaping off a location that is high off the ground, a
character may cover a good distance through gliding.
Every level in this ability allows the Zoic to travel 10
feet per Round. However, the glider must also drop 5
feet of altitude every Round unless there is some sort
of updraft to keep the Zoic aloft. A gliding Zoic can
only gain altitude through the use of such updrafts
and wind currents.
Rolling higher than two successes means that
the character was lucky enough to catch an updraft
(assuming there is one to catch) and may achieve an
altitude just as high or higher than the starting point.
A Partial Success indicates that the character loses the
required altitude that Round. A Fumble indicates the
character has fallen to the ground incurring half the
standard falling damage. The GM should take into
account prevailing atmospheric and wind conditions
(storms, thermals, downdrafts, etc.) to determine any
bonuses or penalties that may apply to the Gliding
Action Dice.
Gliding Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
ability; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Gliding.
Gnawing Teeth (Strength) remain in this state for a number of weeks equal
Large, strong incisors allow the Zoic to chew
through things like rope, bamboo, wood, some chitin,
hardened earth such as bricks, soft stones such as basalt
or limestone, and even body parts. Gnawing Teeth
does not provide a Zoic the means to attack using a
bite; the Zoic would have to buy Natural Weaponry
in order to do that. However, once a foe is bitten or
if a target is incapacitated or bound, Gnawing Teeth
can cause damage equal to the successes rolled on
the Gnawing Teeth Action Dice. It is assumed that
106
this damage occurs over an extended period of time,
making it less applicable to combat situations.
Assuming that the GM rules a substance is capable
of being gnawed, the character may gnaw through
1 cubic inch of the substance per success rolled per
Round. Please note that a Zoic may not gnaw their
way out of situations that should instead require
digging or tunneling, in which case a Zoic could use
Digging if he possessed that Animal Ability.
Gnawing Teeth Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial ability; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Gnawing Teeth.
Great Leap (Strength)
Zoics with this ability have legs and bodies suited
to incredibly powerful single jumps from either a
standing position or from a full run or sprint. A
Great Leap Roll is only required when the distance
being leaped is more than 10 feet. A 1 penalty is
feet after that. So for a 20 foot leap the Zoic would
suffer a 1 penalty, 2 for a 30 feet leap, 3 for a
40 foot leap, etc. Taking a running or sprinting start
allows the character to actually add of their Agility
to their Action Dice and may offset any penalties
that might have been incurred, providing that there
is actually room to run. A Zoic making a vertical leap
would halve the distances indicated above.
Great Leap Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial ability; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Great Leap.
Hibernation (Vigor)
Zoics with this Animal Ability are able to
hibernate if they need to. Most Zoics with this
ability will usually not have to rely upon it to
survive (in other words, most are able to live in a
nice, warm place for the duration of a prolonged
winter). It is never necessary to hibernate unless
food is in such short supply that it becomes
necessary to conserve resources.
Having this ability means that the Zoic may
choose to enter a deep state of torpor in which the
heart-rate, breathing, metabolism, and other bodily
functions slow down to such an extent that the
character will seem dead at first glance. A Zoic can
to three times the number of successes rolled on
their Hibernation Action Dice, as long as they are
in a somewhat sheltered location (a burrow, cave,
lean-to, tent, etc.) that keeps the elements at bay.
Zoics who are hibernating must awaken every
14 days in order to eat a little and perform other
necessary bodily functions, but will otherwise use
up no meaningful resources (except a small amount
of air) and may re-enter hibernation without any
further rolls. Such Zoics can survive long periods
 of freezing cold or drought, famine, etc., that
would otherwise kill non-hibernating Zoics.
Hibernation Cost: 2 Character Points for
the initial ability; 2 Character Points for every
additional level of Hibernation.
Hold Breath (Vigor) distant sound (assuming theyve heard the sound
Zoics with this ability may hold their breath
for a number of minutes equal to their Hold
Breath Ranking plus any successes rolled on their
Action Dice when the ability is used. Only after
these minutes have elapsed do characters begin
to suffer the effects of damage from drowning or
asphyxiation if they are unable to reach breathable
air. Until then, characters holding their breath
may perform any underwater action allowed by
the GM without worrying about catching a breath,
including swimming, combat, labor, etc. This
ability is naturally quite useful underwater but can
also be used in instances where characters desire
to hold their breaths to escape poisonous fumes or
gases or to avoid breathing in scorching air.
Hold Breath Cost: 2 Character Points for
the initial ability; 2 Character Points for every
additional level of Hold Breath.
Hovering (Vigor) odorous musk that can be used to fend off assailants
This is one of two Animal Abilities that require
the Zoic to have already purchased Flight. Hovering is
a modifier to Flight rather than an actual travel power
in and of itself. All Zoics with Flight have the ability
to hover for several seconds (see Flight for details).
Hovering allows the flying Zoic to perform this skill
for several minutes at a time. Unless allowed by the
GM, only Hummingbird Zoics should be allowed to
purchase this ability.
Zoics with this ability may choose to hover by
rolling their Hovering Action Dice, counting their
total successes and adding that number to their
Hovering Ranking. The final total is the number of
minutes the Zoic may hover in place before it must
rest for a full minute. Hovering of this sort is achieved
through the flapping of the Zoics wings and not
by the use of wind currents and updrafts. The GM
should take into account prevailing atmospheric
and wind conditions to determine any bonuses or
penalties that may apply either to the Action Dice or
to the amount of time the Zoic can hover.
Hovering Cost: 2 Character Points for the initial
ability; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Hovering.
Keen Hearing (Perception)
A Zoic with this ability can hear distant, faint,
low or high-pitched sounds, and can pick out distinct
sounds from noisy environments. These Zoics do
not take the normal penalties assigned to hearing
Basic Compendium
Perception Rolls (see Perception Roll, page 37) for such
situations. This ability is especially useful when trying
to eavesdrop on private conversations in a noisy or
distant location. It even allows Zoics to detect sounds
through walls or barriers less than a foot thick. They
Chapter III: Character Creation
are also able to detect and identify the source of a
before) that others without this ability could not
even hope to hear. Additionally, Zoics with Keen
Hearing can hear the high-pitched sounds made by
echo locators and can pin-point their location with a
successful use of this ability.
As a general rule of thumb, if the targets are close
enough that their mouths could be seen moving then
the Zoic with this ability has the potential to hear the
sound as well. Distances longer than this could apply
penalties to the Action Dice. Other modifiers might
be favorable gusts of wind that help carry sound to
the Zoic, or particularly good acoustics (such as in a
cave or a large domed structure).
Keen Hearing Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial ability; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Keen Hearing.
Musk Spray (Dexterity)
A Zoic with this ability can spray a strong,
or to mark objects or places. The spray has a range in
yards equal to the Zoics Ranking in the Musk Spray
ability. The spray can be used in succession a number
of times equal to the Zoics Vigor before the reserves
of musk must be replenished at the rate of one use
per hour. It is possible to affect multiple targets with
the spray as long as the targets are grouped fairly close
together. As a rule of thumb, the maximum number
of targets that can be affected should be equal to the
number of successes rolled on the Action Dice. Musk
Spray is not a selective attack, so if allies are in close
combat with targeted foes, they will be affected by the
Musk Spray as well.
The musk will effectively Stun a target, which
means the target will lose a number of actions equal to
the successes rolled on the Musk Spray Action Dice.
Some of the targets senses will also be impaired for an
equal number of actions. Targets suffer a penalty to all
regular sight and scent-based Perception Rolls equal to
the number of successes rolled on the Action Dice. Note
that certain senses, such as Echo Location and Thermal
Sensing, will not be affected by Musk Spray. A successful
Vigor Roll will decrease the number of actions affected
by half (rounding in the targets favor). All targets of
the musk will stink for a number of days equal to the
Ranking of Musk Spray unless bathed thoroughly in
some mixture that might neutralize the smell.
There is a social stigma attached to the use
of Musk Spray. Almost all Zoics find the musk
incredibly offensive, not to mention that the means
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
of administering the musk is considered quite rude in
many cultures. A Zoic with Musk Spray will soon find
itself exiled to the wilds if they use this Animal Ability
without constraint. Because of the debilitating effects
of Musk Spray, however, many Zoics who possess this
ability find themselves recruited as elite guards who
specialize in crowd control or as assassins.
BOOK ONE
temporarily blinded by sudden bright lights.
Night Vision Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial ability; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Night Vision.
Prehensile Limb (Dexterity)
These Zoics have the ability to use their trunks or

Musk Spray Cost: 5 Character Points for the tails as manipulative limbs specifically adapted for seizing,
initial ability; 2 Character Points for every additional grasping, or holding. A successful use of this Animal
level of Musk Spray. Ability assumes that the Zoic is able to manipulate objects
as if they were using their own hand.
Natural Weaponry (Agility)
The higher the Ranking in the ability, the more
Zoics with Natural Weaponry have horns, claws, finesse and control the Zoic is assumed to have. A low
teeth, tusks, fangs, or tails that they can use to inflict Ranking would allow the Zoic to perform very basic
additional damage when involved in unarmed melee feats of manipulation, such as clutching a stick. A high
combat. When this ability is purchased, the Zoic must Ranking would allow the Zoic much finer manipulation,
define the type of natural weapon (or weapons) it such as wielding a calligraphy brush or a lock-pick, or even
possesses. The Animal Templates will give the specific firing a weapon. Attacks made using Prehensile Limb
Natural Weapons applicable to that type of Zoic. incur a dice penalty of 2 unless the attacker has the
This ability is used in the same way as any Ambidexterity Talent. As with any ability, the number of
Combat Skill. Action Dice are rolled and the number successes rolled on the Action Dice are the best indicators
of successes dictates the level of damage suffered by of the degree of accuracy when using Prehensile Limb.
the target. See the Standard Weapon Ratings Table for Prehensile Limb Cost: 3 Character Points for the
the Natural Weaponry damage, which is based on the initial ability; 2 Character Points for every additional
strength of the Zoic. Natural Weaponry attacks may level of Prehensile Limb.
be used with attacks of other kinds within a Combat
Round as desired, providing the use of such attacks is Protective Lids (n/a)
appropriate.
Zoics with this ability have some sort of protective
Natural Weaponry Cost: 5 Character Points covering for their eyes. These are either inner lids
for the initial ability; 2 Character Points for every (called nictitating membranes) common among
additional level of Natural Weaponry. amphibians, raptors, dromedaries, or marine animals,
or they could also represent the hard, clear covering
Night Vision (Perception)
A Zoic with Night Vision can see at night
or in very dim lighting as though it was an
overcast day. These Zoics do not take the normal
penalties assigned to sight Perception Rolls (see
Perception Roll, page 37) for night or darkness. This
assumes, however, that there is some residual
light available. A Zoic with Night Vision cannot
see in the absolute absence of light, such as in a
cave beyond the suns reflective or direct reach
(for the effects of blindness see Blind Fighting, page
223). The GM may choose to impose penalties,
however, on attempts at tasks such as reading or
other detail oriented visual perception feats using
Night Vision.
Zoics that may posses this ability include
nocturnal animals such as: fruit bats, flying
squirrels, bush babies, tarsiers, geckos, owls,
felines, crocodiles and alligators, opossums,
various shore-birds such as cranes and herons,
canines to some extent, frogs and toads.
Generally, any animal with exceptionally large
eyes, vertical-slit pupils, or specialized pupils that
can be dilated at will, has some degree of Night
Vision. Zoics with this Animal Ability may be

108
 that protects the eyes of snakes. Protective Lids shield
the Zoics eyes from environmental conditions such
as water, strong winds, sand, or any other condition
that would normally irritate the eyes and cause
temporary blindness (for the effects of blindness see
Blind Fighting, page 223). These Zoics take no penalties
to their Perception Rolls in such conditions. This
does not mean, however, that they can see through
obstructions such as clouds, dust storms, or thick fog.
Zoics with Protective Lids are immune to any blinding
attacks whose effects are negated by the lids.
Not all animals that would normally have
nictitating membranes need to purchase this ability.
Zoics who do not purchase Protective Lids never really
developed the ability, thus forcing them to endure
having to close or continuously blink their eyes when
exposed to visual irritants. A roll of Action Dice is not
required to enact this Animal Ability; it is considered
to be an automatic response. This ability has no value
to be raised.
Protective Lids Cost: 3 Character Points.
Silent Flight (Agility)
This is second of two Animal Abilities that
require the Zoic to have already purchased Flight
(although this ability can also be used with
Gliding). Like Hovering, Silent Flight is a modifier
to a movement ability rather than an actual travel
power in and of itself. Zoics with this ability can fly
or glide silently through the air.
Zoics can use this ability to sneak up on
opponents or fly by undetected. If someone is
attempting to hear a silent flyer, they must make an
Opposed Roll using whatever hearing Perception
ability is appropriate against the flyers Silent Flight
ability. If the listener scores more successes, then the
flyer is detected, otherwise the listener is unaware
of the flyers presence (assuming the listener could
not detect the flyer with another sense).
Silent Flight Cost: 2 Character Points for
the initial ability; 2 Character Points for every
additional level of Silent Flight.
Spines (Agility)
These Zoics possess sharp quills or scales that
they can use to ward away would-be assailants.
Though these spines cannot be hurled, they will
pull easily away from the body of the Zoic if thrust
into the flesh of a victim or penetrable object,
remaining in the target and causing an amount
of Fatal damage equal to the successes rolled on
the Spines Action Dice, minus the targets armor,
if any. The number of successes also indicates the
number of spines imbedded in the target.
Zoics can use this ability to either attack or
defend. If used offensively, the Zoic simply uses
the Action Dice in Spines as he would any other
Basic Compendium
attack ability. If the Zoic is attacked, however, he
may defend using his Spines ability to attempt to
impale his attacker. The attacker must make an
Opposed Roll using whatever Action Dice he used
to attack. If the attacker rolls more successes, then
Chapter III: Character Creation
he manages to avoid the Spines. If the defending
spiny Zoic rolls more successes, then the attacker
has been impaled. The amount of damage and the
number of spines suffered by the attacker is equal
to the successes the defending Zoic scored above
the attackers. Zoics using Spines as a defense must
have Actions available in order to use them in this
manner.
Spines and quills are usually barbed and so
designed to hamper attempts at removing them.
Doing so will cause an additional point of Subdue
Damage for each spine removed. Spines left in the
skin will cause inflammation and may eventually
cause serious infection.
Spines Cost: 5 Character Points for the initial
ability; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Spines.
Sprint (Vigor)
A Zoic with Sprint is able to run faster than
normal Vigor would allow for short periods of time.
A Sprinting Zoic can run at a revised standard rate
of 30 feet plus their Ranking in their Sprint ability
multiplied by 6, for a number of Combat Rounds
(6 seconds) equal to their Vigor. After that limit
is reached, the Zoic will need to rest for a number
of Combat Rounds equal to their Vigor before
performing another Sprint. If the Zoic sprints for
fewer Rounds, then they only need to rest an equal
number of Combat Rounds before Sprinting again.
Sprinters, however, cannot Sprint indefinitely. As a
standard rule, a Zoic can only Sprint and rest a total
number of times equal to their Vigor before they
must rest for a few hours.
When two Zoics with Sprint are racing, the
racer with the most successes in Sprint wins. The
GM, however, might wish to have the racers make
several rolls of their Action Dice and total the results
to reflect a longer race. If a Zoic with Sprint races
another without the Sprint ability, the distance
covered by the sprinting Zoic will still be 3 times
greater than the Zoics without Sprint despite the
number of successes rolled by either Zoic.
Sprint Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
ability; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Sprint.
Swimming (Agility)
Zoics with this ability were born with a natural
affinity for the water and are able to swim with
ease. Every level in this ability allows the Zoic to
travel 10 feet per Round. The Zoic can swim for
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
a number of Combat Rounds equal to their Vigor
before needing to rest an equal number of Rounds.
A Swimming Roll will generally be required
when performing potentially risky or dangerous
maneuvers while swimming or when swimming in
contest against another Zoic.
Swimming Cost: 3 Character Points for the
BOOK ONE
initial ability; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Swimming.
Thermal Regulation (Vigor)
These Zoics have the ability to regulate their body
temperature in order to protect themselves from the
adverse effects of extreme climates. Steamy jungles,
blistering deserts, or freezing mountain winds have
less of an effect on Zoics with Thermal Regulation.
Examples of such adaptations would be the ears of an
elephant, or the specially adapted layer of insulating
fat found in some bears, seals, and walruses. Zoics
should roll this ability to determine if they are able to
counteract any penalties they would normally suffer
due to adverse temperatures. Every success rolled will
negate a 1 penalty to any of the Zoics Action Dice
due to the extreme climate.
Thermal Regulation Cost: 2 Character Points
for the initial ability; 2 Character Points for every
additional level of Thermal Regulation.
Thermal Sensing (Perception)
A Zoic with Thermal Sensing can detect the heat
from warm-blooded creatures. Zoics with this ability
are able to target warm-blooded opponents even if
they are blinded or in complete darkness (for the
effects of blindness see Blind Fighting, page 223). If a
Zoic only scores a Partial Success, he can use half of
his Action Dice to attack the sensed target. Two or
more successes means that the Zoic can use all his
Action Dice to attack. GMs may assign penalties or
bonuses to the Thermal Sensing dice for various
environmental conditions. It might be easier to
sense an opponents heat while in a colder climate,
whereas it would be more difficult to do so in a
blistering desert.
Thermal Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
ability; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Thermal Sensing.
Tracking Scent (Perception) they make a successful Skill Roll using whatever Skill
A Zoic with this ability can detect and identify the
scent of an individual, creature, or object (assuming
the object gives off some sort of scent), and can track
that target with a successful Perception Roll using his
Tracking Scent Action Dice. This ability also allows
the character to scent the air for the presence of jnah,
suthra, or flora that may give off smells too subtle for
untrained noses to pick up. This ability is very useful
when employed in conjunction with tracking and
110
hunting skills, and can give the Zoic information such
as the time someone or something was in a certain
area, if the individual was wounded, etc. Since this
ability relies so much on scent, the GM should assign
bonuses for very powerful scents or penalties for
factors such as time elapsed, strong winds, or the target
crossing bodies of water.
Tracking Scent Cost: 3 Character Points for
the initial ability; 2 Character Points for every
additional level of Tracking Scent.
Venom (n/a)
A Zoic with Venom has the ability to generate
a deadly biological toxin. This toxic agent must be
delivered to the target in some way, either insinuated
through the use of Natural Weaponry or a hand-
held weapon, or through skin-to-skin contact, or by
having the target ingest the toxin, which could occur
if the venomous Zoic is bitten. The types of Venom
available are: Psychoactive, Paralytic, Necrotic, or
Systemic. Further, the first, second, and third levels
of Venom are classified as Mild, the fourth and fifth
levels are classified as Strong, and the sixth level is
classified as Potent. These various toxins will cause the
effects listed in the Poison Effects Table listed on pages
241-242. A Zoics particular Venom and its delivery
method is specified in its Animal Template.
The Zoics Ranking in Venom represents the
strength of the particular toxin. A Zoic with 3 levels
in Venom (which would cost a total of 15 points)
can cause 3 points of Fatal damage per Round for
a total of 3 Rounds. A Zoic that wanted to have a
level 6 Venom would need to spend a total of 41
Character Points. No Zoic may purchase more than
6 levels of Venom. The number of effects from the
Poison Effects Table are based on the classification
of the Zoics Venom (Mild, Strong, Potent). A
Partial Success on the attack to deliver the toxin
indicates that the venom does no damage and has
no additional effects.
Zoics with this ability may also choose to extract
their own toxin so that it may be used later in
various ways, such as to coat weapons for themselves
or others. However, venom drawn from Zoics (or any
other living creature or plant) will remain effective for
only a few days. Characters with specific knowledge
of poisons and venoms can preserve those toxins if
is appropriate.
Venom Cost: 5 Character Points per level for
the first three levels of Venom (1-3); 8 Character
Points per level for the next two levels (4-5); 10
Character Points for the final level (6).
Water Storage (Vigor)
This ability allows the Zoic to go for long periods
of time with little or no water without feeling the
 effects of dehydration. When water is available, a
Zoic with Water Storage need only drink enough
to replace what is missing from the body due to the
efficiency with which water is stored internally. The
Zoic also has the ability to quench its thirst with
Peripheral Vision Action Dice to make any Perception
Rolls using this ability. Further, these Zoics will tend
to notice unusual or interesting details before other
Zoics who do not possess this ability.
Wide Peripheral Vision Cost: 3 Character

Chapter III: Character Creation

salty or brackish water. In water-scarce climates or
seasons, plants alone may provide the water a Zoic
with this ability requires. The Zoic is able to resist the
effects of dehydration for a number of days equal to
the Ranking in Water Storage. No roll is required to
use this ability but its value may be increased, thus
allowing a stronger resistance to dehydration.
Water Storage Cost: 2 Character Points for
the initial ability; 2 Character Points for every
additional level of Water Storage.
Wide Peripheral Vision (Perception)
This ability is possessed by Zoics whose eyes
are set wide enough on the head to allow them to
have up to a 270 degree field of view. This makes
the Zoic much more difficult to sneak up on and
surprise. GMs should assign bonuses between 1-3
Action Dice to Zoics with Wide Peripheral Vision
when attempting to detect ambushes and surprise
attacks, or when attempting to notice an enemy using
any form of stealth. The Zoic would use its Wide
Points for the initial ability; 2 Character Points for
every additional level of Wide Peripheral Vision.
Talents
Talents are considered a natural part of your
character, a gift or knack the character was born with
that has been fostered and developed throughout
the characters life. A Talent acts as a Bonus to other
existing Attributes. Purchasing a Talent allows you to
add a number of dice to your regular Action Dice in
certain circumstances. Some Talents give social bonuses,
others add to certain Skills, while a few are very useful
in combat.
A few Animal Templates include Talents as part of
their cost. You may, if you wish, buy up their initial value
or purchase other Talents. The Talent List table shows the
Characteristic Link for each Talent (if any) as well as its
Character Point cost per level. A detailed description of
each Talent is included in this section.

TALENT LIST
Talent Link (maximum number of levels) Cost
Ambidexterity n/a 5
Combat Instinct n/a 10
Direction Sense (Perception) 5
Eidetic Memory (Wit) 5
Empathy (Essence) 5
Fast Reflexes (Agility) 5
Fearless (Will) 5
Heightened Awareness (Perception) 5
Immunity 3/Immunity 5
Keen Focus (Will) 5
Light Sleeper (Perception) 5
Mystic (Essence) 5
Natural Leader (Presence) 5
Natural Mimic (Perception) 5
Pain Resistance (Will) 5
Perfect Balance (Agility) 5
Serenity (Will) 5
Speed Reading n/a 5
Toughness n/a 10
Virtuoso (Wit) 5

Basic Compendium
111
 Chapter III: Character Creation
All Talents included in Animal Templates start
off with a Ranking of 1. You may choose to buy up the
Ranking of these Talents with Character Points if you
wish. You could also, with the GMs permission, buy
off the Talent if you felt it was not appropriate for your
character. Simply deduct the cost of the Talent from
the total cost of the Animal Template. Costs for buying
up Talents in-game, or purchasing new Talents, can be
BOOK ONE
found at the end of each Talent decription.
Some Talents cannot be bought up beyond their basic
level. These Talents are: Ambidexterity, Speed Reading,
and Toughness. Once you pay for these Talents, they give
you their bonuses and do not offer any additional dice
to your Action Dice. The Ranking of a Talent may never
be higher than its linked Characteristic, thus a character
with a Will Ranking of 4 may never purchase more than
4 levels of Keen Focus.
It is important to note that if you wish your character
to be a spell-caster with access to Ritual Magic, you must
purchase the Mystic Talent. Take the time to familiarize
yourself with the uses and limitation of your chosen
Talents as they can greatly benefit your character in a
variety of situations.
Talent Descriptions
Ambidexterity (n/a) This Talent helps a character precisely recall
Characters with Ambidexterity were born with the
ability to use all their limbs equally as effectively. Normally,
when a character chooses to attack with an off hand (or
with a prehensile limb), they do so at a penalty and must
deduct 2 dice from their Action Dice used for the attack.
Characters with Ambidexterity take no penalty.
This Talent has no levels. Once the base cost has been
paid the character gets the full benefit of Ambidexterity.
Warriors of any kind would find this Talent incredibly
useful, especially since it is possible for a characters
primary hand (limb) to be crippled in combat (see the
Maneuver Location Effects section, pages 217-218).
Ambidexterity Cost: 5 Character Points for
Ambidexterity.
Combat Instinct (n/a) level of Eidetic Memory.
Characters with this Talent possess a high level of
either natural or trained fighting ability. In combat, every
character has a base number of 2 Combat Actions that
add to the total number of actions a character may take
in any given Combat Round (for a full explanation of
Combat Actions, see the Combat chapter). Characters
can increase their base number of Combat Actions by 1
for every level of Combat Instinct they purchase.
Although this Talent has no Characteristic Link to
limit its levels, GMs should carefully review characters
who take one or more levels of Combat Instinct. As
a general rule, Combat Instinct should be limited by
the campaigns Power Level. Low should be limited
112
to 1 level, Talented to 2 levels, Heroic to 3 levels, and
Legendary to 4 levels of Combat Instinct. GMs should
feel free to play with these limits but should be aware
that a character with many levels of this Talent will be
incredibly formidable in combat.
Combat Instinct Cost: 10 Character Points for
every level of Combat Instinct.
Direction Sense (Perception)
A character with this Talent has an innate and
uncanny sense of direction. Such a character rarely
finds himself lost and can always tell where the cardinal
points lie. He is also able to tell if he is above or below
ground level.
In situations where orientation is a factor, a player
can add his Direction Sense dice to any Action Dice
used for general navigation. This could help a character
find his way through maze-like passages, or travel
successfully at night without the aid of the stars or
familiar landmarks. Scouts, hunters, guides, trackers,
or miners would all benefit from Direction Sense.
Direction Sense Cost: 5 Character Points for every
level of Direction Sense.
Eidetic Memory (Wit)
information or an event and all the details pertaining to
it. Eidetic Memory dice can be used to aid Knowledge
Skills or boost other Wit-based Characteristic or Skill
Rolls that depend on the accurate recollection of
specific facts or events.
This is especially useful for spies who are often
called upon to acquire sensitive information. A spy
with Eidetic Memory would have no need to steal secret
documents; he would simply need to read them and
hed be able to recall the details perfectly. This would
also apply to maps, charts, schematics, conversations, the
arrangement of a room, or any other bit of information
that the character with Eidetic Memory was capable of
studying and understanding.
Eidetic Memory Cost: 5 Character Points for every
Empathy (Essence)
Characters with this Talent have an innate ability
to sense the feelings and emotional states of other
sentient beings, even if those beings may be trying to
hide those feelings. Empathy does not make the specific
reasons behind the emotions apparent, however, thus a
character with this Talent would sense that the stranger
sitting near them was extremely nervous, scared, or
elated, but they would have no idea why.
A player could add his levels of Empathy to any
Action Dice that would be boosted by knowing the
emotional state of the target (Bribery, Conversation,
Diplomacy, Interrogation, Persuasion, etc.). Depending
 on how close a performer was to his audience,
Empathy could also potentially be used to
boost an artistic performance.
Empathy Cost: 5 Character Points for
every level of Empathy.

Chapter III: Character Creation

Fast Reflexes (Agility)
This Talent represents the characters
ability to spring into action at a moments
notice. A player is able to add his levels of Fast
Reflexes to any non-combat use of Agility-
based Action Dice, providing the action would
benefit from the character reacting the fastest.
In combat, Fast Reflexes levels are always
added to the final Initiative total generated
by the player at the beginning of any Combat
Round.
Fast Reflexes Cost: 5 Character Points
for every level of Fast Reflexes.
Fearless (Will)
A character with this Talent can get
a boost to his Action Dice when facing
overwhelming odds, superior foes, or certain
death. The character is, simply put, fearless.
Examples where this might apply would be page 223). Some professions that would find this
attempting an impossible leap across a bottomless Talent incredibly useful would be spies, guards of all
chasm to rescue a comrade dangling from the other kinds, and assassins.
side. Or dashing into a burning building on the brink
of collapse to answer a cry for help. Or charging an Heightened Awareness Cost: 5 Character Points
army of elite guards in order to give your comrades a for every level of Heightened Awareness.
chance to escape.
Immunity (n/a)
The use of Fearless dice in any situation is totally at
the discretion of the GM, but it should be infrequent. Possessing this Talent means a character has
In every case, however, the odds of success should be been born with or has developed an immunity or
very slim or the feat being attempted should seem tolerance against some specific toxin, condition (such
positively suicidal in order for Fearless to apply. as environmental extremes), or disease. The particular
immunity must be specified when this Talent is
Fearless Cost: 5 Character Points for every level purchased, naming the poison type, disease, or toxic
of Fearless. substance to which the character is immune. Multiple
Immunities could be purchased if allowed by the GM.
Heightened Awareness (Perception)
Immunity has three levels, each one costs 5
Characters with this Talent are incredibly alert Character Points. For 5 points, the character is
and aware of the world around them. Heightened completely immune to any Mild toxin of a single
Awareness gives the character a better chance to notice type: Psychoactive, Paralytic, Necrotic, Systemic.
unusual events and react to them more swiftly. Levels Further, toxins of the same type that are classified as
of this Talent could add to Observation and Perception Strong or Potent are reduced in effect by one level.
Rolls (including Animal Ability special senses) required Thus, a Strong venom becomes Mild, and a Potent
by the GM to detect ambushes, surprise attacks, and venom becomes Strong. For 10 points, the character
enemies using stealth, or to help a character notice is immune to all Mild and Strong toxins of any single
something unusual or out of the ordinary, such as an type. Further, Potent venoms are reduced to Mild for
odd sound or smell, or a subtle change to a familiar purposes of effect. And finally for 15 points, a character
environment. is completely immune to any toxin of any single type.
In combat, GMs might allow a character to use In addition, a character may add 1 die for every level of
Heightened Awareness to help offset some of the Immunity to his Action Dice to resist any of the side
penalties associated with fighting in the dark or while effects of a more potent variety of the toxin to which he
blinded (for the effects of blindness see Blind Fighting, is immune. All damage caused by the toxin is reduced

Basic Compendium
113
 Chapter III: Character Creation
by 1 for every level of the characters Immunity value.
As far as diseases and conditions go, 5 points will
make the character completely immune to any single
disease or condition. 10 points will grant the character
immunity to the most common diseases. And finally,
15 points will make the character completely immune
to all diseases. Other substances characters might
BOOK ONE
develop immunities to could include: alcohol (15
points would mean the character could never become
intoxicated), bacterial infections, viruses, fungal growths,
or poisonous fumes.
Immunity Cost: 5 Character Points for every level
of Immunity up to a maximum of 3 levels. Immunity
can be purchased multiple times.
Keen Focus (Will) are able to learn. Sorcerers may know 1 Magic Ritual
This Talent allows a character to acutely focus his
concentration on a specific task in order to improve his
chances at success. Keen Focus has a number of uses.
It could boost a characters Action Dice involved in
any form of research or magical study. This is especially
useful for spell-casters, who will often have a variety
of magic rituals at their disposal. Artisans, artists, and
performers could also use Keen Focus to boost their
creative and performance Skills.
In combat, Keen Focus is most useful when dealing
with ranged weapons. Any attacks that require a steady
aim could potentially be boosted by levels of this Talent.
When combined with the bonuses from the Time Bonus
Table (see Extra Time, page 39), Keen Focus can be a very
effective aid to most forms of ranged combat.
Keen Focus Cost: 5 Character Points for every
level of Keen Focus.
Light Sleeper (Perception)
This Talent grants a character the proverbial ability
to sleep with one eye open. A character with Light
Sleeper is rarely surprised when asleep and can instantly
awaken and react to any situation as if hed never been
asleep at all. Characters with this Talent can add their
Light Sleeper dice to any Perception-based Action Dice
when attempting to detect a foe entering the room
where they are sleeping, even if the foe is using stealth.
Further, if the character wishes, he may pretend to
remain asleep in order to gain bonuses in combat for
a surprise attack against the intruders. Guards would
find this Talent very useful.
Light Sleeper Cost: 5 Character Points for every
level of Light Sleeper.
Mystic (Essence) would be Acting, Artistry, Disguise, Forgery, Oratory,
This Talent is required if the character is to possess
any Skills in the arts of magic, whether as fully trained
sirhibasi or mngai, or simply as someone with magic
potential who has yet to discover their gift. Players who
purchase this Talent will need to also purchase the Magic
114
Ritual Skill for their characters. However, a beginning
player at Low Power Level could choose to buy this
Talent and make it a hidden one, purchasing Magic
Rituals later in the game as the character developed.
Unlike other Talents, levels of Mystic may only be
used as a bonus to Opposed Rolls, not as a boost to
ordinary Magic Ritual Skill Rolls. This bonus, however,
applies to any use of magical Action Dice whenever
they are being used to resist an opponents attack,
overcome his defenses, or control a summoned entity.
Whereas two sorcerers might possess an equal Ranking
in their Magic Ritual Skill, it would be the sorcerer
with more levels of Mystic Talent who would have
the definite advantage. Additionally, it is your Mystic
Talent that determines how many Magic Rituals you
for every 2 levels of Mystic Talent they possess (for a full
explanation of magic and Magic Rituals see the Ritual
Magic chapter).
Mystic Cost: 5 Character Points for every level of
Mystic.
Natural Leader (Presence)
Characters with this Talent are natural born leaders,
able to inspire confidence and earn the loyalty of those
who follow them. Levels of this Talent may be added to
any Skills that are used to inspire or rally followers, or
to give orders and commands, particularly in combat or
other stressful situations. Skills such as Conversation,
Intimidation, Oratory, Persuasion, and Tactics could all
potentially benefit from this Talent.
If using the special Mass Combat or Ship To Ship
Combat rules, GMs could allow a player to use his levels
of Natural Leader to boost Combat Action Dice that
would be affected by the player giving orders to a crew
or a group of soldiers (see Simplified & Mass Combat and
Ship To Ship Combat in the Combat chapter for a full
explanation of those rules).
Natural Leader: 5 Character Points for every level
of Natural Leader.
Natural Mimic (Perception)
Characters with this Talent have the innate ability
to observe and duplicate the personality, mannerisms,
speech patterns, and accents of other beings. Natural
Mimics are also able to duplicate the sounds of non-living
things such as chimes, bells, or musical instruments.
Natural Mimics would even have an advantage in any
Skill that required a perfect duplication of a pattern or
script. Skills that could possibly be boosted by this Talent
Performance, and Streetwise, but only in instances
where mimicking another individual, instrument,
or document is the goal or would clearly increase the
chances of success.
Natural Mimic: 5 Character Points for every level
of Natural Mimic.
 Pain Resistance (Will)
Characters with this Talent are able to endure
excruciating amounts of pain and severe discomfort
either as a result of years of training and conditioning
or simply as a result of an incredibly tough constitution.
A character can add his levels of Pain Resistance to
any Action Dice used to resist the effects of torture or
interrogation.
In combat, Pain Resistance boosts a characters ability
to overcome the effects of a disabled or broken limb.
With enough levels, a character can completely negate
the dice penalty normally assigned to a characters Vigor
Roll when attempting to resist the effects of a disabled or
broken limb. Pain Resistance can also reduce the effects
of Stun, lowering the number of Actions lost due to
pain by 1 for ever level of Pain Resistance (see Maneuver
Location Effects, pages 217-218). Spies, honor guards, and
assassins would all benefit from this Talent.
Pain Resistance Cost: 5 Character Points for every
level of Pain Resistance.
Perfect Balance (Agility)
This Talent gives the character an amazing sense
of balance. A character is able to add his levels of
Perfect Balance to any Skill or combat ability when his
sense of balance is a crucial factor. Examples would
include boosting a characters combat Action Dice
when fighting along a thin ledge or while perched
precariously atop a ladder.
Perfect Balance would also add to any Agility-based
Skills or Characteristic Rolls when the character was
engaged in an activity that similarly required balance,
such as racing across a tightrope, or attempting acrobatic
maneuvers in the rigging of a ship. GMs could even
allow the character to perform simple acts of perfect
balance, such as walking leisurely across a tightrope
unhindered, without requiring a roll of Action Dice.
Perfect Balance Cost: 5 Character Points for every
level of Perfect Balance.
Serenity (Will)
This Talent represents a characters ability
to maintain a zen-like state of calm even in the
face of incredibly stressful or emotionally volatile
circumstances. A character may add his levels of
Serenity to any Skill that would be boosted by a
calming, soothing presence. Skills such as Bargain,
Conversation, Diplomacy, Oratory, and Persuasion
could all benefit from Serenity, but only in situations
where the character was attempting to calm an
antagonistic individual, diffuse an emotionally tense
situation, or reassure a panicked crowd. Leaders,
clergymen, and diplomats would all benefit from
Serenity.
Serenity Cost: 5 Character Points for every level
of Serenity.
Basic Compendium
Speed Reading (n/a)
This Talent allows a character to read and process
information at an amazing rate. A character with
Speed Reading can read and absorb information at
10 times the normal rate. Therefore a document that
Chapter III: Character Creation
would normally require someone 10 minutes to read
and fully absorb could be read and understood by a
character with Speed Reading in a single minute. This
Talent has no levels and may only be purchased once.
It is important to note that Speed Reading combined
with Eidetic Memory would be an especially effective
tool for spies. Scholars and sorcerers would also find
this Talent incredibly useful.
Speed Reading Cost: 5 Character Points for Speed
Reading.
Toughness (n/a)
Characters with this Talent are able to withstand
greater amounts of damage and punishment in
combat. Toughness is really only appropriate for battle-
hardened warriors or incredibly resilient characters. As
a result, a player may only purchase this Talent if the
sum total of his characters Strength, Vigor, and Will is
equal to or greater than 12. Further, GMs might wish
to limit Toughness to campaigns whose Power Level is
Talented or higher.
Toughness increases a characters Stamina.
Normally, a characters Stamina score is derived from
the following formula: 2 x (Vigor + Will). Characters
with Toughness, however, use the following modified
formula: 3 x (Vigor + Will). This Talent has no levels
and may only be purchased once.
As noted above, this Talent is really only appropriate
for battle-hardened, incredibly tough characters. It
should not simply be a way of increasing a characters
Stamina. Untrained warriors, such as artists, sorcerers,
scholars, and priests would normally never possess
Toughness. The only exception would be if Toughness
were included as part of a Zoics Animal Template.
Toughness Cost: 10 Character Points for
Toughness.
Virtuoso (Wit)
A character with this Talent is considered a
consummate artist, born with a natural artistic gift, be
it with imagery, music, dancing, words, etc. Levels of
Virtuoso may be used to augment Artistry, Performance,
and possibly even a few Profession Skills (at the GMs
discretion) in any instance where the characters unique
understanding of the artistic endeavor could possibly
raise it to the level of the sublime. Master artists are
likely to notice a performance or piece of art produced
by a character with Virtuoso as having been the work
of an artist with truly amazing potential.
Virtuoso Cost: 5 Character Points for every level
of Virtuoso.
115
BOOK ONE Chapter III: Character Creation
Professions
Every character in SHARD has a role to play. Who
you are is partially defined by what you do. Honor
guards protect their charges. Assassins eliminate their
lords enemies. Seers see the past or future and serve
as advisors. Think about the sorts of things youd
enjoy doing in the game. Would you like to engage
in a lot of combat? Or would you prefer using stealth
and your wits? Would you like to use healing magic?
Or would you prefer to summon and bind demons
from other dimensions? Answering these questions
will determine your characters profession.
The profession you choose will be dictated, at
least in part, by your caste. Most societies in the world
of Drdnah observe some form of caste system
(explained below). The GM should inform you what
type of campaign he intends to run and if there are any
limitations concerning caste or professions. A typical
campaign that takes place within the social structure
of a noble house will have a wide variety of choices,
whereas a campaign that focuses on a ring of thieves
or a group of sorcerers might have fewer professions
to choose from.
Caste
The Drdnah caste system places everyone in
society into fairly rigid social classes. It also defines
116
how those classes should interact with each other.
These are the four different official castes: Holy
Caste, High Caste, Trade Caste, Low Caste. There
are also Outcastes, members of society who have
been deemed unworthy of membership in any of
the other castes. If you choose to be either Holy,
High, or Trade Caste, you must pay points for that
caste as an Advantage (see Advantages, begining on
page 184). Choosing to be from the Low Caste costs
no points. Should you wish to be an Outcaste, you
would take that as a Social Drawback (see Drawbacks,
begining on page 191) due to the societal restrictions
such an individual would have to observe.
A caste is something your character is born into
and it usually never changes. Normally your caste
would be the same as your parents. Your children,
in turn, would be born into your caste. There is,
however, some mobility between castes. A powerful
lord or ruler can grant someone the status of High
Caste for heroic deeds or exemplary service to a
noble Line or House. Likewise, a high-ranking
priest or religious council can bestow the status of
Holy Caste on individuals deemed worthy of such
an honor. It is even possible to buy your way into
the Trade Caste by making sufficient donations
to an influential trade or merchants guild. And
a member of any caste can be made an Outcaste
through acts of treachery and betrayal.
 A further description of each caste is given
below:
Holy Caste (3 point Advantage): This is the
highest caste, which is comprised of the most
learned and wise members of society. Its ranks are
filled with priests, monks, nuns, and gurus, as well
as various legal and scholarly professions, such as
judges, lawyers, scholars, architects, and teachers.
Holy Caste members also occupy the positions of
chefs due to the fact that Holy and High Caste
members prefer to eat food prepared by someone
of equal or higher caste. A Holy Caste member is
addressed as Enlightened One or Revered One than another. Each plays a crucial role in society
due to the great respect this individual is accorded
in society.
High Caste (2 point Advantage): This is the
second highest caste and is comprised of nobles,
warriors, sorcerers, and the highly skilled artisans
who specialize in crafting firearms and training
suthra weapons and armor. The privileged members
of this caste may wield firearms, explosives, and
suthra weapons and armor, something that even
Holy Caste members need special dispensation
in order to do. Members of this caste are called
Sunborn because they are believed to be blessed
at birth by the light of both suns.
Trade Caste (1 point Advantage): This is the
third highest caste and is comprised of merchants,
artisans, and skilled craftsmen. Trade Caste
members may not wield firearms nor use suthra
weapons and armor, but are usually wealthy enough
to hire warriors to protect their interests. Members
of this caste are the mercantile backbone of society,
and as such are some of the wealthiest individuals
around. They often act as moneylenders to High
Caste nobles, an arrangement that can insure
the protection of a powerful warrior lord and
therefore benefit a merchants interests. Low Caste
individuals address Trade Caste members as sir
or madam.
Low Caste (No Cost): This is the lowest
official caste, which is comprised of farmers
and all unskilled laborers - the majority of most
populations. Although limited to simple weaponry,
Low Caste members are often drafted by nobles to
serve as peasant levies that are usually armed with
spears and axes. Low Caste members, however, are
forbidden by law to use firearms or suthra weapons
and armor, and can pay with their lives for breaking
such laws.
Outcaste (See Drawbacks): Not really an
official caste as such, Outcastes are the lowest
members of society: escaped slaves, beggars,
dishonored members of other castes, criminals, etc.
Given their unfortunate social status, Outcastes
often perform jobs that nobody else wants such
as the handling of waste and refuse. Despite
Basic Compendium
their status, however, charity toward Outcastes is
considered good karma, so the other castes make
efforts to help them whenever they can. That said,
members of other castes generally do not mingle
with Outcastes, as it is considered distasteful
Chapter III: Character Creation
and inappropriate. While there is no law against
it, a higher caste individual who mingled freely
with Outcastes would be considered bizarre and
perhaps a bit touched in the head.
The politics of the caste system can be rather
complicated. Even though there is a ranking to the
castes, no one caste is considered more important
and are equally important in maintaining social
order and harmony. The higher castes are given
the responsibility of caring for the castes below
them. Holy Caste members see it as their god-
given charge to give every caste the benefit of
their wisdom and learning. Likewise, High Caste
warriors see it as their duty to protect and defend
those who cannot defend themselves. These sacred
responsibilities, after all, were given to the jnah by
the Great Mother and Father. Every caste member
understands that without their cooperation and
support, society would fall into chaos and ruin,
and that would be an affront to the Devah.
Caste members who abuse or mistreat lower
caste individuals are considered offensive and
a dishonor to the Devah. It is not unusual for
a Holy or High Caste member to take it upon
themselves to correct any individual they find
engaging in such dishonorable behavior. The
important thing to remember is that the caste
system is not about superiority, it is a way that the
denizens of Drdnah have chosen to maintain
order and harmony in their society. It is believed
that a higher caste individual who mistreats the
less fortunate will end up spending their next
lifetime as an Outcaste. After all, the Devah are
nothing if not just.
Profession Templates
As with the Animal Templates, Profession
Templates are designed to make creating a character
much easier. Select the template that best fits the
type of character you want to play, pay the cost of
the template, and you get all of the Skills listed in
the template. If one of the Skills doesnt fit your
character conception, then simply remove that
Skill and deduct its cost (listed beside it) from the
template.
Players should feel free to purchase additional
Skills to fully round out their characters, but the
Profession Template is a great way to get you started.
Using a combination of the Animal Templates and
the Profession Templates, you can create a SHARD
character in a very short period of time.
117
 Chapter III: Character Creation
Profession Templates are organized by caste.
Based on the type of game the GM intends to run,
you should make a selection from the corresponding
caste category. Some professions may not be
appropriate for the GMs campaign. Members of
different castes mingle freely so characters from all
castes could potentially be members of the same
adventuring party. The only exception to this would
BOOK ONE
Outcaste Professions
In general, these professions represent a broad
range of pastimes, both legal and illegal, and though
most are occupied by those who have been born
into this role as an Outcaste, it should be noted that
any of these professions may represent the current
occupation of a Dishonored former member of

be Outcastes, who would need a good justification to any caste, from Low Caste to Holy Caste. Such
mingle with the other four castes. Certainly if the GM individuals, depending on the dishonorable acts
were running a campaign that featured underworld or terrible crimes they may have committed that
figures, then everyone would have a reason to play caused them to be cast out of their former station,
Outcastes. As usual, the GM will tell you what is and might be treated as entirely untouchable and
is not appropriate for his game. cursed by the Devah, and may even be killed on
sight if recognized by those who might have cause
When reading through the various templates, to despise them for what they have done.
youll notice that similar professions exist under
different castes. This reflects the fact that some Beggar A base individual who is no longer
trades are found at all levels of society. Though many willing or capable of performing services for
professions are suited to a particular caste, a Profession rewards; beggars instead merely sit upon street
Template is really nothing more than a collection of corners displaying either their laziness or their
infirmities in the hopes of handouts from the
Skills. If you feel that a particular skill set (or even generous.
a profession title) should be assigned to a higher or Social Standing: Low Range
lower caste, simply select that Profession Template Initial Skills: Persuasion: 3, Profession: 2
and buy whatever Caste Advantage you desire. For (beggar), Streetwise: 3
example, even though the captain of a ship may be Character Point Cost: 8
listed under High Caste, a player could choose to
be the captain of a simple merchants vessel instead, Clothes Washer A person who handles and
and so would purchase the Trade Caste Advantage. touches clothing soiled by wear, cleans them
Likewise, a player wanting to be the crystal master of a by hand, and then throws them into a rinsing
prominent House (normally a Trade Caste profession) basin to be rinsed and removed for drying by
someone of a higher caste (usually a peasant
may choose to purchase the High Caste Advantage if servant). Clothes Washers are paid either with
they wanted to play a noble character that happened food or in a small currency of daln.
to have a passion for that profession. Social Standing: Mid Range
If you want to play a profession that is not listed Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (fabrics), 2
in the Profession Templates, then its a simple matter (mending), Profession: 2 (washer)
of creating your own. Go through the list of Skills Character Point Cost: 6
on page 149 and select whatever Skills
you think are appropriate for your new
Profession Template. Add the costs of all
those Skills together to get the final cost
of the template. Thats all there is to it.
Any new templates should always get the
approval of the GM.
GMs are also encouraged to create new
Profession Templates that are tailored to
their own campaigns. A military-oriented
campaign, for example, might call for all
sorts of specialized military Profession
Templates. A campaign focusing on the
adventures of a caravan might likewise
need some specialized templates. Use
the templates listed below as guidelines.
Just remember that taking a Profession
Template should not be mandatory.
An experienced player should be free
to create exactly the sort of character he
wants as long as it fits the GMs campaign
requirements.

118
 Corpse Handler Any individual tasked with
physically touching corpses of any kind (with
the exception of gutting and cleaning prey
suthra for food). Corpse Handlers are often
seen attending funerals and working alongside
the officiating priests. They often assist in
tending the funerary pyres and cleaning up
afterwards, and are paid either with food or in
a small currency of daln.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (fire craft), 2
(funeral customs), Profession: 2 (corpse
handler)
Character Point Cost: 6
Criminal The criminal element can be found
anywhere from the largest city to most remote
of wastelands, preying upon the unsuspecting
and the weak. Individuals in this profession
represent the seedy underbelly of society, and
are considered Outcaste by the laws of most
lands, regardless of what they may have once
been before entering into a life of crime.
Bandit A brigand, highway robber, forest or
desert raider, etc.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Intimidation: 3, Knowledge:
2 (chosen region), Melee Combat: 5,
Profession: 2 (bandit), Streetwise: 3,
Survival: 3
Character Point Cost: 18
Black-Marketeer A criminal who sells illegal
substances of any kind (drugs, poisons, etc.).
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Concealment: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (illicit goods), Profession: 2
(black-marketeer), Streetwise: 3
Character Point Cost: 13
Burglar A criminal who stealthily breaks into
homes and palaces to steal valuables.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Climbing: 3, Concealment:
3, Knowledge: 2 (wealthy jnah), Lock
Picking: 3, Profession: 2 (burglar),
Stealth: 3, Streetwise: 3
Character Point Cost: 19
Crystal Corsair A skyship pirate who sails the
upper airs in search of wealthy prey.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Artillery Combat: 5,
Climbing: 3, Driving: 3 (aerial vessels),
Knowledge: 2 (skyships), 2 (weather lore),
Melee Combat: 5, Profession: 2 (crystal
corsair), Streetwise: 3
Character Point Cost: 25
Fence A criminal who specializes in selling
stolen goods, sometimes using a front
operation that appears legal.
Basic Compendium
119
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Concealment:
3, Knowledge: 2 (popular goods),
Profession: 2 (fence), 2 (front
operation), Streetwise: 3
Chapter III: Character Creation
Character Point Cost: 15
Pirate A Sea-going bandit who preys upon
hapless ships and coastal towns.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Artillery Combat: 5,
Climbing: 3, Driving: 3 (nautical vessels),
Knowledge: 2 (water vessels), 2 (weather
lore), Melee Combat: 5, Profession: 2
(pirate), Streetwise: 3
Character Point Cost: 25
Smuggler A traveller who specializes in
smuggling stolen or illegal goods.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Concealment: 3, Bargain: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (trade routes), Language:
2 (choose additional), Profession: 2
(smuggler), Streetwise: 3
Character Point Cost: 15
Swindler A con-artist, shill, or other
professional liar, who seeks to rob their victims
through use of witty banter, confusion, and
fabricated stories of deception used to build
misplaced trust that will, sooner or later, lead
to loss for the victim, and ill-gotten gains for
the swindler.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Acting: 3, Conversation: 3,
Profession: 2 (swindler), Persuasion: 3,
Streetwise: 3
Character Point Cost: 14
Thief A cutpurse or pickpocket using stealth,
misdirection, and guile to rob their victims.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Concealment: 3, Knowledge:
2 (garments), Profession: 2 (thief), Sleight
of Hand: 3, Stealth: 3, Streetwise: 3
Character Point Cost: 16
Thug A cutthroat, murderer, or hired goon.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Intimidation: 3, Melee
Combat: 5, Profession: 2 (thug),
Shadowing: 3, Streetwise: 3
Character Point Cost: 16
Escaped Slave Someone fleeing their owner
or master, having been a slave most of their
lives (as opposed to those captured in raids).
Recently captured slaves can often regain their
status if they return to the country of their
birth, while life-long slaves have no caste status,
and are viewed merely as property.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Knowledge:
2 (slave hierarchy), 2 (house keeping),
 Chapter III: Character Creation
Profession: 2 (slave
occupation)
Character Point Cost: 9
Forager (of garbage or in the wilderness)
An Outcaste who attempts to
survive by foraging through the
trash of others either in the streets
BOOK ONE
or in city dumps, or one who has
chosen to forsake the city to live off
the land like an unkempt hermit in
the wilds. Either way, those of caste
consider the Foragers way of life
unclean.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Concealment: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (foraging sites),
Profession: 2 (forager)
Character Point Cost: 7
Leech (Outcaste Herbalist, Midwife, Healer, Mage,
Seer, or Summoner Sirhibas) An Outcaste who
has developed a talent for herbalism, healing,
and perhaps magic. Such an individual might
be known as a wise-person or midwife, and
would be sought after by other Outcaste
for their skills. Outcaste workers of magic,
however, usually hide their skills out of fear of
persecution, since many believe Outcaste magic
to be of an impure or unholy nature.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Dress Wound: 3, Knowledge:
2 (surgery), 2 (cooking), 2 (divination), 2
(herbal lore), 2 (horticulture), 2 (legends),
2 (local custom), 2 (medicine lore),
Profession: 2 (leech)
Character Point Cost: 21
Mucker A vulgar laborer whose chief task is to
clean up the bodily wastes of people or suthra.
Servants who must handle things such as
chamber pots and other such waste receptacles
take great pains not to touch them. Not so for
the muckers, who work ankle-deep in chinti
stalls and clean out the sewers and waste
ditches of larger cities by hand. The scent of
their unclean trade surrounds them. They are
paid either with food or in a small currency of
daln.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (laborers),
Profession: 2 (mucker)
Character Point Cost: 4
Renderer Those who are tasked with the
processing of intestines and other unclean
waste by-products of slain suthra (thus leaving
the edible meat behind), and to derive from
them the raw substances that may be used later
for different products such as tallow for wax,
gut strings and cords, and chitin for crafting.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (butcher), 2
(suthra lore), 2 (suthra preparation),
120
Profession: 2 (renderer)
Character Point Cost: 8
Street Sweeper Within ones house the
environment is pure and clean but outside
the door, where all common people walk the
streets, it is unclean and full of dirt and filth. It
is the task of the Street Sweepers to remove the
trash, refuse, and grime of a thousand feet that
litter outdoor paths. They are blessed with food
or money for their services.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (home city
area), Profession: 2 (street sweeper),
Streetwise: 3
Character Point Cost: 7
Low Caste Professions
Crafter A peasant who has made a trade of
working with a particular resource to craft
goods that are traded within their community.
Particularly skilled individuals might be lucky
enough to catch the eye of a merchant or lord,
but they generally ply their trade amongst the
people of their own area or village for crystal
coin or barter.
Amber Worker A peasant crafter who works
primarily with the thick saps siphoned from
the Ambertrees of Drdnah. The Amber saps
harden as they touch the air, and are shaped
and molded into various decorative and
utilitarian objects.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (Amber), 2 (wax-
working), Profession: 2 (Amber worker)
Character Point Cost: 6
Basket Weaver A peasant crafter who works
with various reeds and grasses to create baskets,
woven mats, and any number of rattan-like
crafts. The materials are picked from nearby
sources and dried till perfect for working.
 Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (rope work), 2
(plant lore), Profession: 2 (basket weaver)
Character Point Cost: 6
Brick Maker A peasant who makes bricks
using several different methods (some are
sun-dried, while others are fired in a kiln and
colored or glazed in various ways). As part of his
profession a brick maker would have a general
knowledge of the mineral properties and
qualities of mud and clay (which determines
color, temperature qualities, toughness, etc.),
as well as a basic understanding of the various
grasses sometimes used in the mixtures.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (fire craft),
Profession: 2 (brick maker)
Character Point Cost: 4
Charcoal Maker Sometimes called a charcoal
burner. A peasant who makes charcoal bricks
and wafers by slowly and painstakingly burning
down a variety of different woods using special
techniques involving meticulous stacking, fire-
craft, and burying the logs to burn over time
under tall domes of hollow earth. So important
is it to remain awake during this process, lest
the product turn completely to ash, that many
charcoal makers sit upon one-legged stools to
insure they will fall over if they succumb to
sleep.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (wood), 2 (fire
craft), Profession: 2 (charcoal maker)
Character Point Cost: 6
Chitin Worker A peasant crafter who
works primarily with the chitin (hard shell)
harvested from various suthra. The chitin
insect shell is cut, carved and sculpted for
use as decoration, jewelry, tools, weapons,
utensils, etc.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (chitin craft), 2
(suthra lore), Profession: 2 (chitin worker)
Character Point Cost: 6
Cloth Maker A peasant crafter responsible
for the weaving and making of the fine threads
and cloth used for rugs, tapestries, and clothing
of all kinds. Such works are usually rustic and
somewhat crude, befitting their caste, though
rare talents can be found.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (tailor), 2
(weaving), Profession: 2 (cloth maker)
Character Point Cost: 6
Crystal Carver A peasant crafter who works
primarily with the various Drdni crystals.
Such crystals are dug from the earth, picked
from sides of mountains, or plucked from the
upper airs.
Basic Compendium
121
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (crystal lore),
2 (glasswork), 2 (jewelry), Profession: 2
(crystal carver)
Character Point Cost: 8
Chapter III: Character Creation
Dye Maker A peasant crafter whose specialty
is the making and using of colorful dyes and
inks. These are used to give vibrancy and
beauty to plain cloth, suthra leather, woven
reeds, etc.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (dye making), 2
(herbal lore), Profession: 2 (dye maker)
Character Point Cost: 6
Leather Worker A peasant crafter whose
skills revolve around the crafting of goods from
suthra leather. Such leather is harvested from
the various softer tissues of the bodies of the
insects of Drdnah.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (suthra leather),
2 (suthra lore), Profession: 2 (leather
worker)
Character Point Cost: 6
Pottery Worker A peasant crafter who
commonly works with various clays and muds
to fabricate pottery and other sculptures both
decorative and utilitarian.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (pottery), 2
(mineral lore), Profession: 2 (pottery
worker)
Character Point Cost: 6
Seamstress A peasant who sews simple
garments or does the basic mending of more
elaborate garments.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (fashion),
2 (tailor), 2 (weaving), Profession: 2
(seamstress)
Character Point Cost: 8
Stone Cutter A peasant crafter whose main
materials are the numerous types and qualities
of local stone. Stone Cutter works will range
from simple statuary and carvings, to fitted
stones for building. They are often employed
by the Trade Caste masons for work on city
buildings, palaces, and temples.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (stone craft), 2
(architecture), Profession: 2 (stone cutter)
Character Point Cost: 6
Wood Worker A peasant crafter who uses
woods of various sorts and colors to create
their works, from carvings to carts to the beams
and boards for cottages. Such items are often
both functional as well as beautiful, and the
wood worker handpicks the woods harvested
 Chapter III: Character Creation
BOOK ONE
for their creation.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (carpentry), 2
(wheelwright), 2 (wood lore), Profession:
2 (wood worker)
Character Point Cost: 8
Crystal Hunter A peasant who specializes
in finding deposits of valuable minerals and
crystals in the wilderness and either selling
that information to crystal traders or gathering
the crystals and selling those directly (like the
blood diamond scavengers of Africa).
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Concealment: 2, Knowledge:
2 (crystal lore), Navigation: 3 (land),
Profession: 2 (crystal hunter), Survival: 3
Character Point Cost: 13
Elder A peasant community leader or hetjnah.
The person to whom others in the community
will come for rulings and decisions concerning
community issues and dealing with higher-caste
outsiders.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Oratory: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (cultural traditions), 2
(local politics), 2 (religion), Profession: 2
(elder)
Character Point Cost: 14
Farmer A peasant who plows, plants, and
tills so as to create crops for the good of the
community. Such goods are primarily for the
feeding of family as well as for barter within the
community, though excess is sometimes sold or
traded to merchants at market.
122
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (herbal lore),
2 (horticulture), 2 (weather lore),
Profession: 2 (farmer)
Character Point Cost: 8
Fisher A peasant who makes a living by catching
the various fishes and smaller creatures that
dwell in the seas, lakes, rivers, and streams near
them, sometimes from a boat but often from
the shore. Such jnah trade and sell their catch
to locals and nearby merchants.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (local waters),
2 (weather lore), Profession: 2 (fisher),
Survival: 3, Swimming: 3
Character Point Cost: 12
Guide A peasant who has learned the lay of
the land and serves as a guide to other jnah
travellers.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (region - players
choice), 2 (local customs), Navigation: 3
(land), Profession: 2 (guide)
Character Point Cost: 9
Herbalist A peasant who collects (or even
grows) rare herbs and plants, and sells those
ingredients to apothecaries and alchemists.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (herbal lore),
2 (horticulture), 2 (medical lore),
Profession: 2 (herbalist), Survival: 3
Character Point Cost: 11
Hunter A peasant that makes a living by hunting
wild suthra in the surrounding area of land.
These peasants carefully avoid touching with
their hands the unclean parts of the animal
when dressing their kill, and often leave such
remnants in the wild before returning with
their catch.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Concealment: 3, Knowledge:
2 (local hunting area), 2 (suthra lore),
2 (weather lore), Profession: 2 (hunter),
Stealth: 3, Tracking: 3
Character Point Cost: 17
Laborer A peasant who, having never been
trained in any particular skill, seeks work as a
general, unskilled laborer following the whims
and needs of others. Laborers are looked down
upon to some extent, yet often toil heavily
under the suns for rich merchants and lords.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Profession: 2 (laborer)
Character Point Cost: 2
Miner A peasant who labors in a mine, excavating
and toiling beneath the heavy burdens that
must be exhumed and removed for processing.
These mines can either be of the strip-mine
 variety like vast quarry pits, or the deeper
tunnels and chambers of crystal mountain
mines.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (mineral lore),
2 (underground structure), Profession:
2 (miner)
Character Point Cost: 6
Mourner A peasant who works as a professional
mourner at funerals, adept at the showmanship
and histrionics of wailing, lamentation, and
forced tears. Professional mourners have been
known to sew their own clothes to be easily
torn and ripped apart during displays of grief.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (funeral
customs), Performance: 2 (dramatizing),
Profession: 2 (mourner)
Character Point Cost: 6
Palanquin Bearer A peasant who carries
palanquins throughout a city. Such
individuals often work for Trade Caste
merchants who build the palanquins and
gather the clientele.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Athletics: 3, Knowledge:
2 (local working area), Profession: 2
(palanquin bearer)
Character Point Cost: 7
Pearl Diver A peasant who dives for pearls
and other precious undersea stones, including
valuable corals, easy-to-harvest underwater
crystal formations, and even treasures from
sunken wrecks and ruins.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Concealment: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (local waters), 2 (suthra
lore), Profession: 2 (pearl diver),
Swimming: 3
Character Point Cost: 12
Rickshaw Driver A peasant who pulls a
one or two-man wheeled cart (rickshaw) for
patrons in a village or city. Such individuals
often work for themselves.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Conversation: 3, Driving:
3 (land vehicles), Knowledge: 2 (local
working area), Profession: 2 (rickshaw
driver), Streetwise: 3
Character Point Cost: 13
Servant A peasant chosen to work for someone
of higher caste, usually within the home or
place of business. Servants are usually trained
for specific tasks and often undergo oaths of
loyalty for the master they serve, especially
those serving a House. While living within a
House they must abide by their rules and may
live or die at the whim of the aryah. The laws of
the magistrate will not intercede. Despite this,
Basic Compendium
123
many peasants enjoy sheltered lives as servants,
though they are sometimes looked down upon
by others of their caste.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2
Chapter III: Character Creation
(place of employment), Profession: 2
(servant)
Character Point Cost: 7
Street Vendor A peasant who sells, from
various hand-carts, display poles, hastily-placed
rugs, temporary covered tables, backpacks, and
even small canal-boats, the various foods, small
toys, jewelry, trinkets, candies, tobaccos, and
other treats made by Trade Caste merchants,
or even simple items that they themselves
make. Most of them are employed by Trade
Caste merchants.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(popular goods), Profession: 2 (street
vendor)
Character Point Cost: 7
Suthra Herder A peasant handler of tamed
suthra, the native insects of Drdnah, either
in herds or individually, for the various uses
associated with domesticated livestock. Herders
may tend these suthra for themselves or others
for livelihood and profit.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (suthra lore),
2 (breed suthra), Profession: 2 (suthra
herder), Survival: 3, Tracking: 3
Character Point Cost: 12
Trapper A peasant hunter who specializes in
using traps and capturing live prey.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Concealment: 3, Knowledge:
2 (local hunting area), 2 (suthra lore),
Profession: 2 (trapper), Tracking: 3,
Trapping
Character Point Cost: 15
Vermin Catcher A peasant who catches
vermin insects upon city streets, in homes,
and sometimes in sewers, either with traps or
with the use of trained suthra that have been
taught to hunt and kill vermin suthra for their
owners.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Concealment: 3, Knowledge:
2 (local area), 2 (suthra lore), Profession:
2 (vermin hunter), Suthra Use: 5,
Tracking: 3, Trapping: 3
Character Point Cost: 20
Wise One (Low Caste Doctor, Midwife, Healer,
Mage, Seer, or Summoner Sirhibas) A peasant
who has learned the arts of herbalism, holistic
medicine, and possibly a smattering of magic.
Many upper-caste individuals are suspicious
of peasant magic, so peasants with such skills
 Chapter III: Character Creation
tend to be secretive concerning their abilities.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Alchemy: 3 (medicine), Dress
Wound: 3, Knowledge: 2 (fasting), 2
(brewing), 2 (world cultures), 2 (incense
maker), 2 (medicine craft), 2 (divination),
2 (herbal lore), 2 (legends), 2 (surgery),
2 (cultural traditions), 2 (weather lore),
BOOK ONE
Profession: 2 (wise one)
Character Point Cost: 30
Trade Caste Professions
Apothecary A member of the Trade Caste
skilled in the ways of holistic medicine and
herbalism, capable of crafting simple medicines,
performing basic surgical procedures, and
creating all manner of poultices, unguents, and
salves with various (supposed) properties.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Alchemy: 3 (medicine), Dress
Wound: 3, Knowledge: 2 (medical lore),
2 (herbal lore), 2 (jenu lore), 2 (cultural
traditions), Surgery: 3, Profession: 2
(apothecary)
Character Point Cost: 19
Artisan Any individual within the Trade Caste,
known specifically for one main craft, who both
creates and sells objects made of a particular
resource or material. Such individuals are
sought after for their particular skills by
merchants within their own caste, as well as
Sunborn and Mngai.
Amber Artisan An artisan who works
primarily with the thick saps siphoned from
the Ambertrees of Drdnah. The Amber saps
harden as they touch the air, and are shaped and
molded into various decorative and utilitarian
objects. Artisans of Amber are often entrusted
to fabricate the workings of sky crystal sheaths
and other intricate workings on skyships, as
well as the Amber jewelry that often adorns the
persons of nobles and priests.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(Amber lore), 2 (jewelry), 2 (wax-working),
Profession: 2 (Amber artisan)
Character Point Cost: 11
Armourer Trade artisans whose chief task is
the creation of various types of armor made from
various materials. Trade Caste artisans are not
allowed, however, to work with or use living suthra
armor, according to the laws of the caste system.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Armourer: 3, Bargain: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (armor lore), 2 (Amber
lore), 2 (chitin lore), 2 (crystal lore), 2
(jenu lore), Melee Combat: 5, Profession:
2 (armourer)
Character Point Cost: 23
124
Bowyer A Trade Caste maker of bows and
crossbows of all or specific varieties and the
crystal-, chitin-, and Amber-tipped arrows
and bolts used by them. Bows made by such
an individual might be used by peasants,
merchants, and lords alike, each being hand-
made to suit a new potential owner.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(wood lore), 2 (chitin lore), 2 (crystal
lore), 2 (archery weapon lore), 2 (suthra
lore), Missile Combat: 5, Weaponsmith:
3 (missile)
Character Point Cost: 21
Carpenter A skilled artisan who makes,
finishes, and repairs wooden objects, structures,
and even vehicles. Such an individual, for
larger projects might employ Low Caste
crafters of wood, stone, etc., to complement
the endeavor.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge:
2 (wood lore), 2 (architecture), 2
(carpentry), Profession: 2 (carpenter)
Character Point Cost: 11
Cartographer An artisan skilled in the art or
technique of making maps and charts. Such
individuals would be called upon to chart
caravan routes, prevailing trade winds, political
borders, terrain, etc.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Artistry: 2 (illustration),
Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2 (cartography),
2 (geography), 2 (politics), Research: 3,
Profession: 2 (cartographer)
Character Point Cost: 16
Chandler A skilled artisan who makes candles
of various kinds, soaps, and other wax-related
products, and whose works can range from the
utilitarian to the beautifully artistic.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2 (wax-
working), 2 (suthra lore), 2 (herbal lore),
Profession: 2 (chandler)
Character Point Cost: 11
Chitin Artisan An artisan who works
primarily with the chitin (hard shell) harvested
from various suthra. The chitin insect shell is
cut, carved and sculpted for use as decoration,
jewelry, tools, weapons, utensils, etc. Especially
skilled individuals might receive commissions
from Sunborn or Mngai, or may personally
serve within a House (under the Crystal
Master).
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(chitin lore), 2 (suthra lore), Profession: 2
(chitin artisan)
Character Point Cost: 9
 Cobbler A skilled artisan who makes and
repairs sandals, shoes, and boots.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(leather craft), 2 (jenu lore), Profession: 2
(cobbler)
Character Point Cost: 9
Cooper A skilled artisan who makes casks and
barrels of all shapes and sizes.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(carpentry), 2 (wood lore), Profession: 2
(cooper)
Character Point Cost: 9
Crystal Artisan An artisan who works
primarily with the various Drdni crystals.
Peasant laborers working in mines (or other
dangerous locations) would harvest the
crystals, from which the Crystal Artisans
take their pick, choosing only the best for
their workings of fine sculpture, jewelry,
architectural ornaments, mosaics, and even
the intricate mechanical workings of skyships
and other archaic machines. Especially skilled
individuals might receive commissions from
Sunborn or Mngai, or may personally serve
within a House (under the Crystal Master).
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(glasswork), 2 (jeweler), 2 (wax-working),
2 (crystal lore), Profession: 2 (crystal
artisan)
Character Point Cost: 13
Dyer An artisan whose specialty is the making
and using of colorful dyes and inks. These are
used to give vibrancy and beauty to plain cloth,
suthra leather, woven reeds, and the more
expensive cloths and silks used and worn by
those of higher caste.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(fashion), 2 (herbal lore), 2 (mineral lore),
Profession: 2 (dyer)
Character Point Cost: 11
Fletcher A skilled artisan who makes arrows in a
wide variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate
many different uses. There are war arrows,
fishing arrows, rope-cutting arrows, flaming
arrows, hunting arrows, large bolts for ballista,
and many other styles.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(chitin lore), 2 (crystal lore), 2 (Amber
lore), 2 (archery weapon lore), Missile
Combat: 5, Profession: 2 (fletcher),
Weaponsmith: 3 (missile)
Character Point Cost: 21
Florist A skilled artisan who specializes in
floral arrangements for festivals and funerals.
Basic Compendium
125
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(herbal lore), 2 (horticulture), 2 (cultural
traditions), Profession: 2 (florist)
Character Point Cost: 11
Chapter III: Character Creation
Furrier A skilled artisan who makes, sells,
and repairs furs and furred garments made
from the furry leathers harvested from the soft
tissues of a variety of giant Drdni moths and
caterpillars.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(fashion), 2 (suthra lore), 2 (leather
working), Profession: 2 (furrier)
Character Point Cost: 11
Glassblower Trade artisans having the various
skills necessary to artfully create, sculpt, and blow
glass into various colors, shapes, and functional
objects used daily on Drdnah. Everything
from ornaments, glassware, and windowpanes
are formed by their skillful hands, and their
works are often highly prized depending on the
artistry invested into each piece.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(glasswork), 2 (jeweler), 2 (art), 2 (mineral
lore), Profession: 2 (glassblower)
Character Point Cost: 13
Incense Maker An artisan skilled in the
making of the various basic and rare incenses
commonly used on Drdnah. Incense being
such a standard item from the simplest of
households to the mightiest of temples, Incense
Makers skills are always in high demand, and
the recipes for their aromas often treasured
family secrets.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(herbal lore), 2 (mineral lore), 2 (ritual
lore), 2 (cultural traditions), Profession: 2
(incense maker)
Character Point Cost: 13
Jeweler An artisan who uses a variety of different
materials, including crystal, Amber, stone, glass,
even wood and ceramics, to create jewelry and
jewel-encrusted decorations and objects of art for
those of wealth and high caste. Though Jewelers
may have specific knowledge of the crafting of
certain materials, their main ability is their artful
way of combining individual worked elements
into a delicate and beautiful whole.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge:
2 (jewelry), 2 (art), 2 (crystal lore), 2
(fashion), Profession: 2 (jeweler)
Character Point Cost: 13
Leather Artisan An artisan whose skills
revolve around the crafting of goods from
suthra leather. Such leather is harvested from
 Chapter III: Character Creation
the various softer tissues of the native insects of
Drdnah. Such individuals often intricately
work saddles for the riding chinti of lords,
belts, pouches, and even articles of clothing.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(suthra leather), 2 (art), 2 (fashion),
Profession: 2 (leather crafter)
Character Point Cost: 11
BOOK ONE
Lens Maker An artisan who makes lenses of
crystal or glass for spyglasses and spectacles,
grinding them down to exact specifications
depending on their use.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(glasswork), 2 (mineral lore), 2
(mathematics), Profession: 2 (lens maker)
Character Point Cost: 11
Locksmith A skilled artisan who makes
and repairs locks and keys out of a variety of
materials, and can be called upon to open locks
without damaging them.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Concealment: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (Amber lore), 2 (crystal
lore), Lock Picking: 3, Profession: 2
(locksmith)
Character Point Cost: 15
Mason An artisan who works with the
numerous types, qualities, and colors of local
and even foreign stone. Their works range from
simple statuary and carvings, to fitted stones
for building, including the elaborate bas-reliefs
on many edifices. They are often employed by
contractors, nobles, and mngai for work on
city buildings, palaces, and temples.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(stone lore), 2 (architecture), 2 (art),
2 (mineral lore), 2 (mathematics),
Profession: 2 (mason)
Character Point Cost: 15
Milliner A skilled artisan who designs, makes,
and sells hats of all shapes and sizes necessary
to fit the head of any jnah.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge:
2 (fashion), 2 (jenu lore), 2 (cultural
traditions), Profession: 2 (milliner)
Character Point Cost: 11
Paper Maker An artisan who makes and sells
paper made from wood pulp, rags, straw, or
other fibrous material.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(wood lore), 2 (herbal lore), Profession: 2
(paper maker)
Character Point Cost: 9
126
Perfumer A skilled artisan who makes and
sells perfumes and scented oils of various
kinds. Perfumers tend to be knowledgeable
concerning the delicate noses, strong musks,
and keen senses of a wide variety of jnah.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(herbal lore), 2 (jenu lore), 2 (suthra lore),
Profession: 2 (perfumer)
Character Point Cost: 11
Potter An artisan who creates a variety of
pottery ware, such as vases, pots, bowls, or
plates, shaped from moist clay, hardened by
heat, and often adorned with colorful glazes
and patterns. A particularly skilled potter
might even be able to create purely sculptural
elements, though it becomes even more
difficult to assure an elaborate pieces survival
while being fired in the kiln.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2 (art),
2 (fire craft), 2 (mineral lore), Profession:
2 (potter)
Character Point Cost: 11
Rope/Net Maker An artisan skilled at the
making of all types, sizes, and strengths of ropes,
cords, and nets. Rope Makers products can be
seen in construction sites, ships, warehouses,
homes, and even palaces, and can be made
from the cheapest materials (such as hemp), to
the most extravagant (such as silk), depending
on the required mixture of beauty, texture, and
strength.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(rope work), 2 (weaving), Profession: 2
(rope/net maker)
Character Point Cost: 9
Shipwright An artisan who has the correct
knowledge of materials, techniques, and skills
to build ships, whether for sailing the seas
or the skies. Shipwrights construct, fit out,
commission, and repair all types of vessels
from small utilitarian skiffs and pleasure craft
through a range of competitive, commercial,
and war vessels. A shipwright will often
specialize in certain types of ships, and would
develop skills accordingly.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(Amber lore), 2 (rope work), 2 (skyships),
2 (water vessels), 2 (wood lore),
Profession: 2 (shipwright).
Character Point Cost: 15
Silk Maker A skilled artisan who breeds
various suthra who produce the finest silks
and then prepares the silk to be sold to other
merchants.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
 (suthra lore), 2 (fashion), Profession: 2
(silk maker), Suthra Training: 3 (aides &
companions)
Character Point Cost: 12
Tailor Trade artisans who have achieved
exceptional skill in the art of designing and
creating clothing of various styles and varieties
to fit the form, function, and taste of their
clients. A tailor would know how to work with
a variety of cloth types, from cheap, rougher
weaves to expensive silks, and has a good
understanding of the best ways to fit them to a
wide range of body sizes and shapes.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Etiquette: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (fashion), 2 (jenu lore), 2
(cultural traditions), Profession: 2 (tailor)
Character Point Cost: 14
Tobacconist A skilled artisan who prepares
and sells tobaccos of various kinds. These
merchants often employ Low Caste members
to sell their wares in the streets, carrying
portable hookahs and a variety of tobaccos
from which to choose.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(herbal lore), Profession: 2 (tobacconist)
Character Point Cost: 7
Tool Maker A skilled artisan who can make
tools of various kinds, and for all manner of
vocations. Their skill is concentrated not only
in the function of the tool, but in its long-
lasting quality.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(Amber lore), 2 (chitin lore), 2 (wood
lore), Profession: 2 (tool maker)
Character Point Cost: 11
Wainwright An artisan who builds wagons
and coaches of all kinds to suit a wide range of
sizes, shapes, and functions, from beast drawn
carts and hand-wagons, to elaborate carriages.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Driving: 3 (land
vehicles), Knowledge: 2 (carpentry), 2
(land vehicles), 2 (wood lore), Profession:
2 (wainwright)
Character Point Cost: 14
Weapon Artisan An artisan whose livelihood
involves the creation of all the various weapons of
Drdnah (with the exception of Vaylah firearms,
and living suthra weapons, for which there are
individual traditions, and missile weapons, which
are made by bowyers and fletchers). Such artisans
may have specific skills depending on the type of
weapons they specialize in (either blades or blunt
weapon, or perhaps, only swords), or the particular
materials with which they choose to work, such as
crystal, stone, chitin, suthra leather, or Amber.
Basic Compendium
127
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(customs), 2 (weapons), 2 (crystal lore),
2 (Amber lore), 2 (chitin lore), 2 (wood
lore), 2 (wax-working), Melee Combat:
Chapter III: Character Creation
5, Profession: 2 (weapon artisan),
Weaponsmith: 3 (bladed weapons), 3
(blunt weapons)
Character Point Cost: 30
Weaver An artisan skilled in the creation of
woven goods of silk and other fibers, such as
thread, fabrics, rugs, tapestries, curtains, veils, sails,
flags, etc. Raw, non-dyed thread and fabrics are
usually their products, but they will often create
and work with dyed thread and yarn to create
colorful tapestries, rugs, and other finished works.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(fashion), 2 (weaving), 2 (art), Profession:
2 (weaver)
Character Point Cost: 11
Wheelwright An artisan skilled in the
creation and repair of wheels for carts, wagons,
and carriages.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Driving: 3 (land
vehicle), Knowledge: 2 (carpentry), 2
(land vehicles), 2 (wood lore), Profession:
2 (wheelwright)
Character Point Cost: 14
Wood Artisan An artisan who uses woods
of various sorts and colors to create works
ranging from artistic carvings and palanquins
to the beams and boards for homes and palaces.
Such items are often both functional as well as
beautiful, and the artisan handpicks the woods
harvested for their creation.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(art), 2 (architecture), 2 (carpentry), 2
(wood lore), Profession: 2 (woodworker)
Character Point Cost: 13
Artist An individual within the Trade Caste,
known specifically for one main artistic craft,
who both creates and sells artistic products
of one kind or another. Such individuals are
sometimes sought after by merchants within
their own caste, as well as Sunborn and
Mngai, for their particular skills.
Calligrapher An artist skilled in the art of
calligraphic writing and ornamental scripts
created for the sake of beauty.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Artistry: 2
(illustration), 2 (calligraphy), Knowledge:
2 (mineral lore), 2 (cultural traditions),
Profession: 2 (calligrapher)
Character Point Cost: 13
 Chapter III: Character Creation
Dramatist A trained writer-composer of the
various forms of stage plays popular in Drdnah
(think Kabuki and Noh type theater). Such an
individual is also often a skilled choreographer,
as well as a composer of the songs and music
needed for the performances.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Etiquette: 3,
BOOK ONE
Artistry: 2 (playwriting), Knowledge:
2 (world cultures), 2 (current history),
2 (literature), 2 (cultural traditions),
Performance: 2 (dramatizing), Profession:
2 (dramatist)
Character Point Cost: 20
Painter An artist skilled in mixing various
pigments and minerals, suthra egg and
powdered chitin, oils, water, and other
substances to create paints, inks, and charcoals
of various qualities and colors, and additionally
using these different media to make works of art
and color-related design choices for buildings
and objects. Painters create works on canvases,
walls, ships, ceilings, signs, and various other
locations from low society to high.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Artistry: 2 (illustration),
Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2 (art), 2 (mineral
lore), 2 (cultural traditions), Profession: 2
(painter)
Character Point Cost: 13
Poet A highly skilled performer trained in the
composition of poetry and epic verse.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Conversation:
3, Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2
(literature), 2 (cultural traditions),
Performance: 2 (dramatizing), Profession:
2 (poet)
Character Point Cost: 16
Sculptor An artist who shapes, molds, or
fashions various materials, such as stone, clay,
glass, crystal, Amber, etc., to create sculptural
works of art and design. Many sculptors often
specialize in one material or another, and thus
have specific knowledge skills as a result.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Artistry: 2 (sculpting),
Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2 (art), 2 (Amber
lore), 2 (stone lore), 2 (crystal lore),
2 (jenu lore), 2 (cultural traditions),
Profession: 2 (sculptor)
Character Point Cost: 19
Tattooist An artist most gifted in the skills
required to create the many amazing and
variable types of more permanent Drdni body
art, including tattoos, brandings, piercings, and
the implantation of crystals, jewels, and beads
directly into, and onto scales, feathers, and
flesh. They even use a special type of tattoo dye
that causes fur, feathers or scales to grow out
128
in the colors used on that area of skin. As such
markings are common, both as art as well as
identity, such an artisan is always in demand.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Artistry: 2 (illustration), 2
(tattooing), Bargain: 3, Dress Wound: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (art), 2 (cultural traditions),
2 (fashion), 2 (jenu lore), 2 (lineages), 2
(mineral lore), Profession: 2 (tattooist)
Character Point Cost: 24
Baker A member of the Trade Caste who
specializes in the making of baked goods,
pastries, pies, cakes, and breads of all kinds.
A baker has intimate knowledge of the herbs,
grains, oats, and flours used to make all his
wares, as well as a carefully maintained set of
recipes for many different festivals and religious
occasions.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(cooking), 2 (herbal lore), Profession: 2
(baker)
Character Point Cost: 9
Brewer (or Vintner, Distiller) A Trade Caste
merchant skilled in the creation of alcoholic
beverages of all kinds, such as fine vintages of
wine from various fruits, beers brewed from
different grains, and meads made from the
honeys of suthra (as well as the cultivation of all
these necessary ingredients). Such an artisans
wares can be found in nearly any community,
and make for lively trade across all nations.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(brewing), 2 (distillation), 2 (herbal lore),
2 (horticulture), Profession: 2 (brewer)
Character Point Cost: 13
Butcher A Trade Caste merchant who dresses
and sells the flesh of various suthra.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(suthra lore), 2 (cooking), Profession: 2
(butcher)
Character Point Cost: 9
Confectioner A Trade Caste merchant that
specializes in the making of candies and other
sweet and savory confections.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(herbal lore), 2 (cooking), Profession: 2
(confectioner)
Character Point Cost: 9
Contractor (also Foreman or Overseer) A member
of the Trade Caste who agrees to furnish
materials, perform services, and potentially
oversee common laborers at a specified price,
especially for construction work but potentially
for other types of labor as well. Such individuals
are usually hired by others to handle all the
smaller details of a larger project and to report
 progress to those who hire them.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge:
2 (architecture), 2 (world cultures),
2 (cultural traditions), Profession: 2
(contractor)
Character Point Cost: 11
Cook A member of the Trade Caste skilled in
the arts of food preparation. Such an individual
would be able to prepare food for any of the
castes except members of the Holy Caste,
who wish to have their food prepared only by
a Chef of their own caste. Cooks might own
restaurants of their own or provide their services
to establishments, the houses of merchants and
lords, or even serve the military.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(cooking), 2 (herbal lore), 2 (suthra lore),
2 (cultural traditions), Profession: 2
(cook)
Character Point Cost: 13
Courtesan A Trade Caste entertainer who
specializes in providing physical pleasure and
paid companionship to others (similar to a
Geisha). There are rich traditions of etiquette
and behavior for such individuals, and they are
rarely viewed as common harlots.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Etiquette: 3,
Conversation: 3, Knowledge: 2 (art),
2 (fashion), 2 (cultural traditions),
2 (current history), Profession: 2
(courtesan), Seduction: 3
Character Point Cost: 22
Crystal Master - The Crystal Master is the
chief artisan of a House who trains the other
House artisans, is in charge of the dcor of
the House and its surroundings, and is quite
often the lord and ladys personal fashion
consultant. In addition, they are responsible
for any of the crystals used in the house with
specific functional purposes, such as would be
used for light, heating, gear-works, etc., and
the purchasing of rare crystals for the use of
skyships owned by the House. The Crystal
Master would oversee the work of any shipboard
Crystal Masters employed by a House.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Etiquette: 3,
Oratory: 3, Knowledge: 2 (crystal lore), 2
(architecture), 2 (art), 2 (world cultures),
2 (fashion), 2 (heraldry), 2 (lineages), 2
(cultural traditions), Profession: 2 (crystal
master)
Character Point Cost: 27
Dance Master - An individual within a House
and Line who has been named by the head
of the House to be in charge of any and all
cultural happenings. This individual trains
Basic Compendium
129
the performers of a House, arranges for and
organizes any entertainments or entertainers
from outside the House, and serves as master
of ceremonies at any special functions.
Social Standing: High Range
Chapter III: Character Creation
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Etiquette: 3,
Oration: 3, Intrigue: 3, Performance: 2
(singing), 2 (dancing), 2 (dramatizing),
Knowledge: 2 (art), 2 (current history),
2 (world cultures), 2 (famous jnah),
2 (fashion), 2 (heraldry), 2 (literature),
2 (music), 2 (cultural traditions),
Profession: 2 (dance master)
Character Point Cost: 38
Engineer An artisan skilled in the creation of
machines of all kinds, from simple mechanical
devices such as the devices that run mills, to
more complicated mechanical systems found
aboard skyships or used in siege engines.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(mathematics), 2 (architecture), 2 (land
vehicles), 2 (water vessels), 2 (skyships),
Profession: 2 (engineer), Research: 3
Character Point Cost: 18
Entertainer Members of the Trade Caste who
make their living by the pleasant diversion and
entertainment of others through the use of
their skills. Such individuals are often in high
demand for occasions at nearly every level of
society. Spontaneous street performances are
not uncommon.
Acrobat A Trade Caste entertainer who
specializes in tumbling, contortion, tightrope-
walking and other gymnastic feats.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Acrobatics: 5, Bargain: 3,
Contortion: 3, Evade: 5, Performance: 2
(tumbling), Profession: 2 (acrobat)
Character Point Cost: 20
Dancer A Trade Caste performer who
specializes in dances of all kinds, such as
common folk dances, flamboyant dances of
the noble courts, and even the intricate and
ritualistic dances of religious festivals.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Athletics: 3, Bargain: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (jenu lore), 2 (music), 2
(cultural traditions), Performance: 2
(dancing), Profession: 2 (dancer)
Character Point Cost: 16
Fortune-Teller A Trade Caste entertainer
who specializes in telling fortunes through the
use of various means (tea leaves, entrails, cards,
dice, bones, etc.).
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Conversation: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2 (current
history), 2 (divination), 2 (jenu lore),
 Chapter III: Character Creation
2 (cultural traditions), Persuasion: 3,
Profession: 2 (fortune-teller)
Character Point Cost: 21

Illusionist A street magician and entertainer

who specializes in acts of prestidigitation to
baffle and amuse. This individual is NOT
believed to have actual magical powers.
Social Standing: Mid Range
BOOK ONE

Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Concealment: 3,

Fast Draw: 5, Knowledge: 2 (garments),
Sleight of Hand: 3, Performance:
2 (prestidigitation), Profession: 2
(illusionist)
Character Point Cost: 20

Juggler An entertainer who specializes in

amusing, and sometimes even dangerous,
feats of juggling and uncanny balance with all
manner of handheld objects.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Fast Draw: 5,
Performance: 2 (juggling), Profession: 2
(juggler), Throw: 5
Character Point Cost: 17

Mummer A trained actor who specializes in the

various types of theater popular in Drdnah.
These individuals employ elaborate masks and
costumes to perform and can also be skilled
dancers, as dancing is common in Drdni plays.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Athletics: 3, Bargain: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (jenu lore), Performance: 2
(dancing), 2 (dramatizing), Profession: 2
(mummer)
Character Point Cost: 18
Musician An entertainer who plays any sort of
musical instrument, usually based on ancient
traditions, styles, and compositions. Percussion,
strings, drums, and wind instruments combine
to make the vast array of Drdni music.
Musicians may compose their own music, and
are sometimes hired to compose music for
others.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge:
2 (music), 2 (cultural traditions),
Performance: 2 (music), Profession: 2
(musician)
Character Point Cost: 11
Puppeteer A skilled performer who specializes
in entertaining through the use of various
puppets (marionettes, shadow puppets, hand
puppets, etc.).
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Performance: 2
(puppetry), Knowledge: 2 (world cultures),
2 (cultural traditions), Profession: 2
(puppeteer)
Character Point Cost: 11
Singer A performer who uses their voice to
entertain through the singing of songs of all
kinds. There are a variety of singing traditions
in the world, each related to one of many
different cultural and religious concepts;
songs of the field laborers, songs of warriors
preparing for battle, songs of the pious, songs
of travellers, songs for lovers, etc. Singers often
compose their own songs, and are sometimes
hired to compose songs for others.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(music), 2 (world cultures), 2 (cultural
traditions), Performance: 2 (singing),
Profession: 2 (singer)
Character Point Cost: 13
Storyteller A skilled performer who specializes
in telling dramatic or amusing tales, such
as stories of ancient legend and lore, tales of
glorious battle, humorous and amazing stories
of the antics of the various Devah, etc.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(ancient history), 2 (current history), 2
(legends), 2 (world cultures), 2 (cultural
traditions), Performance: 2 (story-telling),
Profession: 2 (storyteller)
Character Point Cost: 17
Explorer A Trade Caste merchant who devotes
his efforts and wealth to the exploration of new
lands and forgotten ruins. Such an individual
might be a collector of tales and oddities from
around the world.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Climbing: 3,

130
 Concealment: 3, Observation: 3,
Research: 3, Knowledge: 2 (current
history), 2 (ancient history), 2 (world
cultures), 2 (heraldry), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (cartography), 2 (region
- players choice), 2 (geography), 2
(legends), Language: 2 (second language -
players choice), Profession: 2 (explorer)
Character Point Cost: 37
Fakir (Trade Caste Healer, Mage, Seer, or Summoner
Sirhibas as well as potentially an utter charlatan)
A Trade Caste ascetic or religious mendicant,
especially one who performs feats of magic or
endurance. They seldom allow themselves to
be known as true sirhibasi because society
tends to distrust and frown upon sirhibasi
outside of the Sunborn. They often earn
their keep seeking donations from those who
observe their public performances but will
sometimes work privately with individuals.
Though some Fakirs may indeed have true
powers, there are many who are also charlatans
and tricksters.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Oratory: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2
(divination), 2 (herbal lore), 2 (legends),
2 (ritual lore), 2 (cultural traditions), 2
(weather lore), Profession: 2 (fakir)
Character Point Cost: 22
Gardener A member of the Trade Caste
who earns a living through the creation and
maintenance of all types of gardens and other
living floral displays. Such an individual might
be responsible for public parks, the flowering
courtyards of businesses, or the private gardens
of lords and ladies. Gardeners are responsible
for creating health, harmony, balance, and the
flow of beauty within the gardens they create and
tend.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(art), 2 (herbal lore), 2 (horticulture),
Profession: 2 (gardener)
Character Point Cost: 11
Groomer A Trade Caste member who specializes
in the grooming and beauty needs of the various
types of jnah. Such individuals are also often
called upon to act as dentists, manicurists, and
pedicurists who treat problems with bad teeth
or claws. Specialized small grooming suthra,
used to help clean teeth and trim away dead
flesh from skin conditions and nail growth, are
often released to crawl across customers during
a grooming session. Groomers are also skilled at
non-permanent body art such as the painting and
dyeing of claws, fur, scales, skin, and feathers.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Artistry: 2 (illustration),
Bargain: 3, Conversation: 3, Etiquette:
3, Knowledge: 2 (fashion), 2 (jenu
Basic Compendium
131
lore), Suthra Training: 3 (aides &
companions), Suthra Use: 5
Character Point Cost: 23
Head of Servants This Trade Caste member
Chapter III: Character Creation
oversees the details of organizing the servants of
the house from the scullery maid to the lords
valet, working closely with the Chamberlain to
make sure the House runs as efficiently and
smoothly as possible.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Etiquette: 3,
Diplomacy: 3, Intrigue: 3, Knowledge: 2
(current history), 2 (cultural traditions), 2
(heraldry), 2 (lineages), 2 (region - players
choice), Profession: 2 (head of servants)
Character Point Cost: 24
Hunter A member of the Trade Caste that
specializes in hunting various suthra. They
carefully avoid touching the unclean parts of
the animal with their hands when dressing their
kill, and either leave such remnants in the wild
before returning with their catch, or eventually
pass their prey on to a Renderer for processing.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Concealment:
3, Knowledge: 2 (local hunting area), 2
(suthra lore), 2 (weather lore), Profession:
2 (hunter), Stealth: 3, Tracking: 3
Character Point Cost: 20
Masseur A member of the Trade Caste adept
at bringing comfort and therapy to others
using various forms of muscular massage. This
generally refers to the rubbing or kneading of
parts of the body to aid circulation, relax the
muscles, or provide sensual stimulation. This
ability requires use of the Masseurs basic
manual dexterity, specific medical knowledge,
and understanding of various jenu body
structures.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(cultural traditions), 2 (jenu lore), 2
(medical lore), Profession: 2 (masseur)
Character Point Cost: 11
Mechanic A member of the Trade Caste
that specializes in fixing and maintaining
mechanical devices of all kinds, including
clockwork mechanisms, the machinery of mills,
the crystal gear-works used to operate certain
moving skyship parts, and other such large and
small mechanical devices.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(architecture), 2 (land vehicles), 2 (water
vessels), 2 (skyships), Profession: 2
(mechanic)
Character Point Cost: 13
Merchant (Trader) A member of the Trade
Caste whose occupation is the wholesale
 Chapter III: Character Creation
purchase and retail sale of goods for profit.
Such individuals would often be business
owners or shopkeepers, either established in
a set location or capable of traveling near and
far to sell their wares. Merchants might deal in
some specific type of goods or may be a general
vendor of a variety of items. Their skills are not
necessarily in the making of these things but in
BOOK ONE
the profitable economics of buying and selling
them.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Etiquette: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (current history), 2 (world
cultures), 2 (economics), 2 (politics),
Persuasion: 3, Profession: 2 (merchant)
Character Point Cost: 19
Messenger - A member of the Trade Caste who
makes a living by hand-delivering messages or
performing errands such as carrying telegrams,
letters, or parcels. This person might even act as
an official courier or envoy to a person, group,
or government and will often be the bearer of
news for such entities.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Athletics: 3, Bargain: 3,
Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2 (region -
players choice), Streetwise: 3, Profession:
2 (messenger)
Character Point Cost: 16
Miller A member of the Trade Caste who owns
and operates a mill. Such mills, powered
by either wind or water, are equipped with
machinery used to grind oats or grain into
flour, meal, and various cereals.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(herbal lore), Profession: 2 (miller)
Character Point Cost: 7
Proprietor Members of the Trade Caste who
own and run various dining, lodging, and
entertainment establishments, either rural or
urban.
Bathhouse Proprietor Runs and operates
a public bathhouse (think Spirited Away), and
sometimes provides food and entertainment
for their guests.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge:
2 (cultural traditions), Profession: 2
(bathhouse proprietor).
Character Point Cost: 7
Brothel Proprietor Runs and operates
a brothel. These can vary in quality and
reputation. The higher class ones are like those
in Brotherhood of the Wolf or Vidocq.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Conversation:
3, Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (jenu lore), Profession: 2
132
(brothel proprietor)
Character Point Cost: 15
Gambling Den Proprietor Runs and
operates a gambling den. These can vary in
quality and reputation, but generally allow for
all manner of gaming and simple sport (such as
suthra-fighting matches). There are known to
be gambling dens of an entirely illegal nature
where hapless captured jnah are sometimes
pitted, against their will, to fight other jnah or
horribly monstrous predatory suthra (such as
makri) to the death.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Gaming: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), Streetwise:
3, Profession: 2 (gambling den proprietor)
Character Point Cost: 13
Innkeeper Runs and operates an inn,
providing lodging, food and drink, and other
such services for locals and travelers.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Conversation:
3, Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (local working area),
Profession: 2 (innkeeper)
Character Point Cost: 15
Opium Den Proprietor Runs and operates
an opium den. These establishments are also
commonly used for all sorts of clandestine
activity.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Concealment: 3,
Conversation: 3, Knowledge: 2 (herbal
lore), 2 (local working area), 2 (jenu lore),
Streetwise: 3, Profession: 2 (opium den
proprietor)
Character Point Cost: 20
Teahouse Proprietor Owns and operates a
teahouse. Teahouses are the restaurants and
bars of Drdnah. They do not generally
provide places for people to stay (those are
inns).
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Conversation: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (herbal lore), 2 (cultural
traditions), Profession: 2 (teahouse
proprietor)
Character Point Cost: 12
Theater Proprietor Runs and operates a
theater where plays, musical performances, and
other forms of entertainment are featured.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Conversation:
3, Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2
(music), 2 (literature), 2 (fashion), 2
(cultural traditions), Profession: 2 (theater
proprietor)
Character Point Cost: 18
 Sailor Any number of individuals within the
Trade Caste who have chosen to work aboard
either a water vessel or a skyship as their chosen
profession.
Deckhand A trade-caste sailor who, as a
member of a ships crew, is called upon to
perform various tasks of manual labor such as
swabbing the deck, operating basic equipment
used for moving cargo, rowing, carrying supplies,
and generally lending a hand where needed and
performing most of the grunt work.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge:
2 (skyships or water vessels), Melee
Combat: 5, Profession: 2 (deckhand)
Character Point Cost: 12
Harpooner A trade-caste sailor who specializes
in harpooning large suthra. They are more
common on the style of vessels used to hunt large
prey than on ordinary ships, but are often used
on ships of any kind as a defense when attacked
by larger predatory suthra at sea or in the air.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Melee Combat:
5, Missile Combat: 5, Knowledge: 2
(skyships or water vessels), Profession: 2
(harpooner)
Character Point Cost: 17
Larder Master (Cook) A trade-caste sailor who
is in charge of making sure the crew is supplied
with food and drink and is responsible for the
ordering, stocking, and preparation of such
goods.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(skyships or water vessels), 2 (cooking), 2
(herbal lore), Profession: 2 (larder master)
Character Point Cost: 11
Rigger A trade-caste sailor who is in charge
of the arrangement of the masts, spars, ropes,
and sails on a sailing ship. Riggers are aware
of all the technicalities of fitting the sails,
shrouds, and ropes to the variously sized masts
and yards of any particular ships design, and
are often responsible for climbing through the
rigging, making changes to these actively while
the vessel is in transit.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Athletics: 3, Bargain: 3,
Climbing: 3, Driving: 3 (aerial or nautical
vessels), Melee Combat: 5, Knowledge: 2
(rope work), 2 (skyships or water vessels),
Profession: 2 (rigger)
Character Point Cost: 23
Sail Maker A trade-caste sailor who is adept
with the working of silk, canvas, and other
sailcloth used in the sewing, repair, and fitting
of the various sails and shrouds used in the
rigging if a sailing ship. Though Sail Makers are
Basic Compendium
133
not personally responsible for the rigging itself,
they may share some of the same knowledge as
riggers and additionally be aware of the various
facts concerning the nature of sailcloth (its
uses, strengths, weaknesses, limits, etc.).
Chapter III: Character Creation
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(skyships or water vessels), 2 (rope work),
2 (tailor), 2 (weaving), Profession: 2 (sail
maker)
Character Point Cost: 13
Ships Carpenter A trade-caste sailor who is
a competent craftsman, capable of building
a ships boat or a new mast. In charge of all
repairs, Carpenters inform the captain of the
state of the ships hull, masts, yards, and decks.
They sound the ships well and regularly check
for leakage and ensure the pumps are clean and
in good working order. In battle, they plug shot
holes and make whatever repairs possible.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Melee Combat: 5,
Knowledge: 2 (carpentry), 2 (skyships or
water vessels), 2 (wood lore), Profession:
2 (ships carpenter)
Character Point Cost: 16
Ships Crystal Master The Crystal Master is
the ships chief artisan, in charge of any useful
crystals that are used aboard ship, making sure
that they function accordingly and ordering
repairs where they may be needed. Such
responsibilities include the maintenance of sky
crystals if it is a skyship, the complex gears of the
crystal-works used to control the rudders, the
crystal anchor and, of course, the overseeing of
any other artisans and carpenters in the ships
employ. In addition, they are also responsible for
the decorative and functional ornamentation
traditionally found throughout the vessel.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Knowledge: 2 (crystal lore), 2
(carpentry), 2 (mathematics), 2 (skyships
or water vessels), 2 (cultural traditions),
Profession: 2 (ships crystal master)
Character Point Cost: 12
Scrivener A trade artisan who is mainly tasked
as a professional copyist of manuscripts and
documents, but can be a writer, journalist,
public clerk, secretary, or even a notary.
Though they primarily work on parchment,
Scriveners sometimes inscribe wood, stone,
plaster and other substances with various
writings and are familiar with the legalities
involving documentation and the written
word in general.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Artistry: 2 (illumination),
Bargain: 3, Etiquette: 3, Knowledge:
2 (world cultures), 2 (mineral lore), 2
(current history), 2 (literature), 2 (cultural
traditions), Profession: 2 (scrivener),
 Chapter III: Character Creation
Research: 3
Character Point Cost: 23
Suthra Breeder/Handler (Groom) A member
of the Trade Caste who is employed as a breeder
and caregiver for suthra to be raised as aids,
food, pets, transport, or guardians. The Suthra
Handler insures that the charges are well-kept,
BOOK ONE
in good health, and are as appealing to the eye
as the suthra need to be to please their true
owners and those who may buy them.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge: 2
(suthra breeding), 2 (suthra lore), Suthra
Use: 5, Suthra Training: 3 (aides &
companions), 3 (mounts), Profession: 2
(suthra breeder/handler)
Character Point Cost: 20
Valet A member of the Trade Caste who serves
as a body servant to either a rich merchant or a
noble. Such individuals are also often trained
in combat to act as bodyguards.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Etiquette: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (current history), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (politics), 2 (fashion), 2
(lineages), Melee Combat: 5, Profession:
2 (valet)
Character Point Cost: 23
Veterinarian A member of the Trade Caste who
specializes in treating sick and injured suthra.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Knowledge:
2 (suthra lore), 2 (medical lore), 2
(herbal lore), Suthra Use: 5, Surgery: 3,
Profession: 2 (veterinarian)
Character Point Cost: 19
High Caste Professions
Assassin This member of the Sunborn is a killer
of other jnah and is always a member of either
a House or guild. Assassins generally work from
the shadows and on the orders of their leaders,
whether for money, politics, or ideology. They
tend to keep to their own kind but are looked
upon with a sense of grim respect by most
everyone who meets them.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Alchemy: 3 (chemistry/
poisons), Acrobatics: 5, Climbing: 3,
Concealment: 3, Disguise: 3, Evade:
5, Lock Picking: 3, Missile Combat:
5, Martial Arts: 8, Throw: 5, Firearm
Combat: 5, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (cultural traditions), 2 (jenu
lore), 2 (poisons), Intrigue: 3, Language:
2 (sign language), Observation: 3,
Suthra Use: 5, Stealth: 3, Streetwise: 3,
Shadowing: 3, Profession: 2 (assassin)
Character Point Cost: 80
134
Cannonsmith This member of the Sunborn
is an artisan who builds cannons and artillery
guns for both ground warfare and ship
combat.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Alchemy: 3 (gunpowder),
Artillery Combat: 5, Evade: 5, Firearm
Combat: 5, Gunsmith: 3 (artillery guns),
Knowledge: 2 (firearms), 2 (skyships), 2
(water vessels), 2 (mathematics), 2 (Amber
lore), 2 (crystal lore), 2 (wax-working),
Profession: 2 (cannonsmith)
Character Point Cost: 37
Concubine This member of the Sunborn is
trained as a companion to other nobles. A
very high-class category of courtesan, some
concubines are made official consorts by lords
who fall in love with them.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Conversation: 3, Diplomacy:
3, Etiquette: 3, Intrigue: 3, Knowledge:
2 (art), 2 (fashion), 2 (world cultures), 2
(famous jnah), 2 (lineages), 2 (politics),
Seduction: 3, Profession: 2 (concubine)
Character Point Cost: 29
Demon Hunter A Sunborn warrior that
specializes in hunting down and destroying
demons and other supernatural creatures.
Demon Hunters are highly valued for their
skills, but often deemed tainted by the fell
beasts they destroy. They tend to be loners and
often fall victim to madness.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Acrobatics: 5, Climbing:
3, Fast Draw: 5, Firearm Combat: 5,
Knowledge: 2 (ancient history), 2 (current
history), 2 (demon lore), 2 (geography),
2 (legends), 2 (ritual lore), 2 (weapons),
2 (magic theory), Martial Arts: 8, Missile
Combat: 5, Observation: 3, Survival:
3, Stealth: 3, Throw: 5, Trapping: 3,
Profession: 2 (demon hunter)
Character Point Cost: 66
Gunsmith (Vaylah Artisan) highly skilled Sunborn
artisan who, from a very early age, was trained
in the time-honored tradition of hand-crafting
the various kinds of gunpowder weapons used
on Drdnah (known as Vaylah weapons)
such as pistols, rifles, and blunderbusses. Only
Sunborn are allowed by law to learn the craft
and practice the traditions necessary to create
such weapons, each piece being a work of art
unto itself.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Alchemy: 3 (gunpowder),
Knowledge: 2 (firearms), 2 (Amber lore),
2 (crystal lore), Gunsmith: 3 (firearms),
Firearm Combat: 5, Profession: 2
(gunsmith)
Character Point Cost: 19
 House Dignitary These members of the
Sunborn caste have achieved a level of talent
in their chosen profession such that the
aryah of the House to which they belong
appoints to them the position of Master of

Chapter III: Character Creation

that specialty within the House.

Arena Master - This warrior within a House

and Line has most honorably worked up
through the ranks of household warriors
to become that Houses supervisor over the
specific traditions and customs involved in
the Spiral Arena and the training of the
warriors of the household in favored forms
of hand-to-hand and weapons combat. This
individual is responsible for the support,
maintenance, function, and integrity of the
Houses own Spiral Arena and is the arbiter
of conflicts resolved within.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Dress Wound: 3, Duel
Dancing: 5, Etiquette: 3, Evade:
5, Intimidation: 3, Martial Arts:
8, Missile Combat: 5, Oratory: 3,
Suthra Use: 5, Tactics: 3, Throw:
5, Knowledge: 2 (current history),
2 (world cultures), 2 (heraldry), 2
(martial arts), 2 (lineage), 2 (medical
lore), 2 (politics), 2 (ritual lore -
spiral arena related), 2 (tradition), 2
(weapons), Profession: 2 (arena master) 5, Martial Arts: 8, Missile Combat: 5,
Character Point Cost: 70 Observation: 3, Oratory: 3, Suthra Use:
5, Tactics: 3, Throw: 5, Knowledge: 2
Huntmaster This Sunborn organizes the lords (current history), 2 (world cultures), 2
various hunting expeditions. He works closely (heraldry), 2 (martial arts), 2 (lineage),
with the Suthra Master to train kellndu and 2 (medical lore), 2 (politics), 2 (cultural
krtellah used for the hunt. traditions), 2 (weapons), Profession: 2
Social Standing: Mid Range (master of the honor guards)
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Melee Combat: Character Point Cost: 85
5, Missile Combat: 5, Navigation: 3
(land), Riding: 3 (land mounts), Suthra Master of the Watch A warrior within a
Use: 5, Tracking: 3, Knowledge: 2 (breed House and Line who has the task of leading the
suthra), 2 (world cultures), 2 (suthra Watch or Militia, house soldiers who are not
lore), Suthra Training: 3 (mounts), 3 considered Honor Guards themselves, merely
(aides & companions), Survival: 3, warriors and general security. The Master
Profession: 2 (huntmaster) of the Watch usually defers to the Master of
Character Point Cost: 44 the Honor Guards and is responsible for the
assigning of patrols to places and areas for the
Master of the Honor Guard A prominent security and peace of mind of the residents of
warrior within a House who is the head of the the House, and even of those who might serve
Honor Guard, thus, the head of security for the aryah outside of the walls of the House.
that House; also, usually the master of assassins Social Standing: Mid Range
and expert on poisons. This individual often Initial Skills: Concealment: 3, Dress
serves as the personal Honor Guard of the Wound: 3, Etiquette: 3, Evade: 5,
Houses aryah. This individual is usually Intimidation: 3, Martial Arts: 8, Missile
responsible for the assigning of honor guards Combat or Throw: 5 (players choice),
to individuals and places, as well as helping Observation: 3, Tracking: 3, Knowledge:
to choose the representative of important 2 (current history), 2 (world cultures),
individuals for combat in the Spiral Arena. 2 (heraldry), 2 (politics), Profession: 2
Social Standing: Mid Range (master of the watch)
Initial Skills: Concealment: 3, Dress Character Point Cost: 46
Wound: 3, Duel Dancing: 5, Etiquette:
3, Evade: 5, Intimidation: 3, Intrigue: Master Sorcerer (Prominent Healer, Mage, Seer,
3, Interrogation: 3, Firearm Combat: or Summoner Sirhibas) Prominent members
of a House or Line, these sirhibasi generally

Basic Compendium
135
 Chapter III: Character Creation
work as the main sorcerer and medium to the
Dream and realms beyond. Sometimes called
Great Seers, Great Mages, etc., they spend most
of their time doing research and performing
various rituals with the aid of more than a few
lesser sirhibasi, with the occasional audience
with the aryah or aminar. It is they who often
train the lesser sirhibasi within their House or
BOOK ONE
even Line.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, 2 Magic
Rituals: 10 (players choice), Research:
3, Knowledge: 2 (ancient history), 2
(customs), 2 (divination), 2 (herbal
lore), 2 (legends), 2 (lineage), 2 (magic
theory), 2 (mathematics), 2 (ritual lore),
Profession: 2 (master sorcerer)
Character Point Cost: 36
Master Torturer The Houses chief
interrogator who specializes in breaking
some of the toughest enemy agents (spies,
assassins, etc.) This Sunborn is a twisted
form of physician who can keep victims alive
for prolonged periods of time. They are also
masters of psychological torture.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Dress Wound: 3, Etiquette:
3, Alchemy: 3 (chemicals/poisons),
3 (medicine), Interrogation: 3,
Intimidation: 3, Persuasion: 3, Research:
3, Surgery: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (herbal lore), 2 (medical
lore), 2 (poisons), Profession: 2 (master
torturer)
Character Point Cost: 37
Suthra Master This sunborn is the principle
trainer and suthra handler for a House or Line.
Suthra Masters also oversee all of the suthra
handlers and grooms within the household.
A Suthra Master works closely with the
Huntmaster to train hunting suthra, but also
trains all other pets, mounts, and beasts of
burden used by the House.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Riding: 3 (land),
3 (flying or aquatic), Suthra Use: 5,
Tracking: 3, Suthra Training: 3 (mounts),
3 (aides & companions), 3 (weapons &
armor), Knowledge: 2 (world cultures),
2 (suthra lore), 2 (breed suthra), 2
(kratellassi - suthra falconry), 2 (medical
lore), Profession: 2 (suthra master)
Character Point Cost: 38
Weapons Master Sunborn warriors within a
House and Line who have become chief among
their peers in all things pertaining to weapons
and their crafting. They are also the master
marksmen and archers of the Houses who trains
warriors in the use of ranged weapons of all
kinds (Vaylah, bows, crossbows, thrown blades,
etc.). This individual is also usually a highly
136
trained hand-to-hand combatant who backs up
the Arena Master in the training of the warriors
of the House for general purposes. Other duties
would include the overseeing of the armory and
arsenal of the House for the sake of training and
defense.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Dress Wound: 3, Duel
Dancing: 5, Etiquette: 3, Evade: 5,
Fastdraw: 5, Martial Arts: 8, Melee
Combat: 5, Missile Combat: 5, Throw:
5, Oratory: 3, Tactics: 3, Gunsmith:
3 (firearms), Weaponsmith: 3 (bladed
weapons), 3 (blunt weapons), 3 (missile
weapons), Knowledge: 2 (current history),
2 (world cultures), 2 (heraldry), 2
(martial arts), 2 (military lore), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (weapons), Profession: 2
(weapons master)
Character Point Cost: 78
Naval/Skyship Officer
Admiral Also called a Jalavar (jah-lah-
VAR) on Drdnah, this sunborn officer is
in command of a fleet of ships. Admirals are
aware of all the strengths and weaknesses of
each and every vessel within their fleets, as well
as the jnah who captain them. Many fleets
include both sky ships and water vessels. Great
admirals know how to work with both to their
advantage.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Duel Dancing: 5, Driving:
3 (aerial vessels), 3 (nautical vessels),
Etiquette: 3, Evade: 5, Intimidation:
3, Martial Arts: 8, Oratory: 3, Tactics:
3, Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2
(cartography), 2 (geography), 2 (heraldry),
2 (politics), 2 (skyships), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (water vessels), 2 (weather
lore), Profession: 2 (admiral)
Character Point Cost: 56
Boatswain Also called a Dhosin (DOE-sin)
on Drdnah, the boatswain is a sunborn
officer in charge of those who work the ships
rigging, anchors, cables, and the deck crew in
general.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Climbing: 3, Driving: 3 (aerial
or nautical), Etiquette: 3, Intimidation:
3, Melee Combat: 5, Missile Combat: 5,
Firearm Combat: 5, Knowledge: 2 (rope
work), 2 (world cultures), 2 (weather
lore), 2 (either skyships or water vessels),
2 (cultural traditions), Profession: 2
(boatswain)
Character Point Cost: 39
Captain Also called a Yadhish (yah-DEESH)
on Drdnah, this sunborn officer is the one
in command of the ship, and to whom all on
board, either crew or common passengers,
must answer.
 Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Artillery Combat: 5,
Etiquette: 3, Evade: 5, Driving: 3 (either
aerial or nautical), Intimidation: 3,
Martial Arts: 8, Tactics: 3, Knowledge:
2 (cartography), 2 (geography), 2 (world
cultures), 2 (weather lore), 2 (either
skyships or water vessels), 2 (cultural
traditions), Profession: 2 (captain)
Character Point Cost: 44
Coxswain Also called a Dhaksin (dok-
SEEN) on Drdnah, the coxswain is the
sunborn officer in charge of a ships smaller
boats and their crew. This individual would
also command any landing parties that would
be sent in the absence of the captain.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Driving: 3 (either aerial
or nautical), Intimidation: 3, Martial
Arts: 8, Missile Combat: 5, Firearm
Combat: 5, Tactics: 3, Navigation: 3
(either aerial or nautical), Knowledge:
2 (world cultures), 2 (either skyships or
water vessels), 2 (cultural traditions),
Profession: 2 (coxswain)
Character Point Cost: 38
First Mate Also called a Pala-Mantri (pah-
lah-MON-tree) on Drdnah, this sunborn
officer is second in command on board a ship,
ranking immediately beneath the captain. The
first mate delegates responsibilities throughout
the crew as well as takes command of the ship
when the captain is absent.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Driving: 3
(either aerial or nautical), Firearm
Combat: 5, Intimidation: 3, Martial Arts:
8, Tactics: 3, Knowledge: 2 (cartography),
2 (geography), 2 (world cultures), 2
(weather lore), 2 (either skyships or
water vessels), 2 (cultural traditions),
Profession: 2 (first mate)
Character Point Cost: 39
Gunner Also called a Karna-Vaylah (kar-nah-
VAY-lah) on Drdnah, the sunborn gunner
is one of potentially many on board charged
with the loading and firing of the ships Vaylah
cannons during combat or special occasions, as
Basic Compendium
137
well as the cleaning and upkeep of the cannons
during moments of peace. Gunners will also
generally be skilled in the firing of standard
firearms.
Social Standing: Low Range
Chapter III: Character Creation
Initial Skills: Evade: 5, Firearm Combat:
5, Artillery Combat: 5, Knowledge:
2 (either skyships or water vessels), 2
(firearms), Profession: 2 (gunner)
Character Point Cost: 21
Master Gunner Also called a Hathim-Vaylah
(ha-theem-VAY-lah) on Drdnah, this member
of the sunborn commands the cannonading and
gunnery aboard a ship. It is the master gunners
who interpret their captains orders to fire or
gives the command themselves, calling down
into the gunnery deck to give the commands,
adding their skill to the ships combat potential.
All gunners answer to the master gunner.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Evade: 5, Firearm Combat:
5, Artillery Combat: 5, Intimidation: 3,
Tactics: 3, Knowledge: 2 (either skyships
or water vessels), 2 (firearms), Profession:
2 (master gunner)
Character Point Cost: 27
Navigator Also called a Farish (fah-REESH)
on Drdnah, the Navigator is the sunborn
officer in charge of navigation on board ship,
using the charts maintained and stored by the
second mate. Navigators plot out a course for
the captain and give the order to the pilot as to
which route the ship is to travel.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Navigation: 3 (either aerial
or nautical), Knowledge: 2 (cartography),
(geography), 2 (weather lore), 2
(either skyships or water vessels), 2
(mathematics), 2 (cultural traditions),
Profession: 2 (navigator)
Character Point Cost: 17
Pilot Also called a Naya (NAH-ya) on Drdnah,
the pilot is the sunborn who physically steers the
vessel. Pilots follow the general course as plotted
by the navigator and manipulate the various
steering devices that are aboard, depending on
what kind of ship theyre sailing. They may make
sudden decisions to change direction or heading
 Chapter III: Character Creation
based on fair and foul weather or other immediate
prevailing circumstances.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Driving: 3 (Either
Aerial or Nautical), Tactics: 3, Knowledge:
2 (geography), 2 (world cultures), 2
(weather lore), 2 (either skyships or water
vessels), 2 (cultural traditions), Profession:
BOOK ONE
2 (pilot)
Character Point Cost: 21
Purser Also called a Karidana (kah-ree-DAH-
nah) on Drdnah, this sunborn is the officer
in charge of money matters on board a ship.
The purser accounts for sailors wages as well
as keeping the books for any trade or transport
done throughout the ships journeys.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Conversation:
3, Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (economics), 2 (mathematics),
2 (cultural traditions), Profession: 2
(purser)
Character Point Cost: 19
Quartermaster Also called a Maru-Hathim
(mah-roo-hah-THEEM) on Drdnah, this
sunborn is the officer responsible for the food,
clothing, equipment, and lodgings of sailors,
troops, and any passengers aboard ship.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2
(world cultures), 2 (economics), 2 (either
skyships or water vessels), 2 (cultural
traditions), Profession: 2 (quartermaster)
Character Point Cost: 13
Second Mate Also called a Dusara-Mantri (du-
sah-rah-MON-tree) on Drdnah, this sunborn
is the officer who assists in the operation of an
ocean- or sky-going vessel, with responsibility
in the areas of ships maintenance, operational
safety, cleanliness, and the maintenance and
storage of any navigation charts kept for the
current navigator. Helps the first mate in
carrying the captains commands to the lower
decks during pressing situations.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Driving: 3 (either aerial or
nautical), Intimidation: 3, Martial Arts:
8, Tactics: 3, Knowledge: 2 (cartography),
2 (geography), 2 (weather lore), 2 (either
skyships or water vessels), 2 (cultural
traditions), Profession: 2 (second mate)
Character Point Cost: 29
Ships Assistant These sunborn are assigned
to each of a ships officers to act as an aide for
the various duties the officer must undertake.
Additional skills they possess generally reflect
the duties of the officer whom they assist.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Melee Combat: 5, Knowledge:
2 (weather lore), 2 (either skyships or
138
water vessels), Profession: 2 (ships
assistant)
Character Point Cost: 11
Ships Physician This sunborn officer cares for
the crew, aiding and healing any sick, injured,
or dying crew members. Surgical methods of
ships physicians are often regarded as crude
compared to the doctors on land, but they work
in difficult situations, like a combat surgeon or
field medic, to save lives otherwise lost under
arduous or remote circumstances. They abide
by the standards and ancient traditions of
medicine and healing on Drdnah.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Dress Wound: 3, Etiquette:
3, Surgery: 3, Knowledge: 2 (jenu lore),
2 (herbal lore), 2 (medical lore), 2 (world
cultures), Profession: 2 (ships physician)
Character Point Cost: 19
Ships Weapons Master A sunborn sailor
who has become chief on the ship pertaining to
all weapons kept in the armory, overseeing all
activity concerning the arsenal. This individual
is in charge of the distribution of stock weapons
to the crew in the event of any violence, offensive
or defensive. The Weapons Master is also
responsible for the training of the ships warriors
in both melee and missile weapons, including
Vaylah, and insures that all weapons are kept in
good repair, replacing them as needed.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Melee Combat: 5, Missile
Combat: 5, Firearm Combat: 5, Tactics:
3, Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2
(military lore), 2 (either skyships or
water vessels), 2 (cultural traditions), 2
(weapons), Profession: 2 (ships weapons
master)
Character Point Cost: 30
Vice-Admiral Also called a Laghu-Jalavar
(lah-goo-jah-lah-VAR) on Drdnah, the Vice-
Admiral is a sunborn officer who is second in
the chain of command within a fleet. They are
aware of all the strengths and weaknesses of
each and every vessel within their fleet, as well
as the jnah who captain them. In larger fleets
containing watercraft and sky craft, a Vice-
Admiral tends to command one group or the
other under the orders of the Admiral.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Duel Dancing: 5, Driving:
3 (aerial vessels), 3 (nautical vessels),
Etiquette: 3, Evade: 3, Intimidation:
3, Martial Arts: 8, Oratory: 3, Tactics:
3, Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2
(cartography), 2 (geography), 2 (heraldry),
2 (politics), 2 (skyships), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (water vessel), 2 (weather
lore), Profession: 2 (vice-admiral)
Character Point Cost: 56
 Noble A ruling noble member of the High Caste
often in charge of some political region, Line, or
House. There are many different titles, any of
which might also be addressed as a lord or lady. It
is, however, highly unlikely that these individuals
would be allowed as player characters, except
in rare cases, as it is very difficult to adventure
while trying to rule a country. Below, after the
general statistics, are the descriptions for each
classification, since most nobles would usually
have a similar set of basic skills.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Oratory: 3, Etiquette: 3,
Melee Combat: 5, Riding: 3 (land
mount), Tactics: 3, Firearm Combat:
5, Intrigue: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (current history), 2
(economics), 2 (heraldry), 2 (lineages),
2 (politics), 2 (cultural traditions),
Profession: 2 (noble)
Character Point Cost: 41
Aminar (AH-mi-nar) The ruler of a large
country called an amn, similar in scope to an
empire.
Governor The ruler of a large land region known
as a province within the borders of an amn.
Grand Imr (ee-MEER) A sunborn lord
appointed by an aminar to oversee and
coordinate the operations and jurisdictions
of all the other imrs within the nation. The
grand imrs also have final command of the
local militia and the defense of the cities or
towns they occupy.
Imr (ih-MEER) The ruling head of a city
within an Amn, dispensing law and justice at
the behest of the grand imr in the name of
the provincial governor, and thus, the aminar.
This title is similar to a mayor and high judge
in authority. It is the imrs who command the
city guards and regional militia, who have the
authority to pass judgment in the imrs name
as they see fit and within reason, according to
the laws of the aminar.
High Prince The most currently powerful
prince among the set of subdivided regions
known as principalities, usually gaining
prominence militarily or politically.
Regardless of the gender of the individual,
the title is always high prince. The high prince
has usually gained control of the Jade Throne
of Benng.
Prince The ruler of a land region, once a
part of a unified country that has become
politically subdivided, called a principality,
which is similar in scope to a petty kingdom.
Regardless of the gender of the individual, the
title is always prince.
Basic Compendium
139
Hukm (huh-KOOM) The chief military
officer of the royal armies of a prince, and
the chief enforcer of laws across the entire
principality ruled by that prince.
Chapter III: Character Creation
Syah (see-ah) The ruling head of a city within
a principality, who oversees the will of the
prince on a local level.
Khan The ruler of the Hardazi people; not
truly part of the Caste System, since the
Hardazi see themselves as separate from the
rest of the cultures, but mentioned because of
his ranking among his people.
Chieftain Head of one of the wandering
Hardazi clan, also called clan elder; not truly
part of the Caste System, since the Hardazi
see themselves as separate from the rest of
the cultures, but mentioned because of their
ranking among their people.
Isvar (IZ-var) The ruler of a small country called
an isvarate, similar in scope to a kingdom.
High Magistrate A sunborn lord appointed
by an isvar to oversee and coordinate the
operations and jurisdictions of all the other
magistrates within the nation. The high
magistrate also has final command of the local
militia and the defense of the city or town they
occupy.
Magistrate The ruling civil officer overseeing
a city within an isvarate, holding the power to
administer and enforce the law of the isvar.
Like an imr, a magistrate is similar to a mayor
and high judge in authority. Magistrates have
command of the city guards and regional
militia, who in turn have the authority to pass
judgment in the magistrates name as they see
fit and within reason, according to the laws of
the isvar.
Great Aryah (AR-yah) The ruling head of a
Line who oversees the aryahs of the Houses of
the Line spread throughout various cities and
who ostensibly serves the will of the countrys
ruler.
Aryah (AR-yah) The ruling head and lord of
a House representing a Lineage within a city,
generally answering only to the great aryah and
thus to the ruler of the nation as well.
Heir The current male or female relative or
appointed personage who will inherit a lordly
title in the foreseeable future. Heirs of either
an aminar or an isvar are called royal heirs.
Consort The chosen primary spouse, lover,
or mate of a ruling lord or lady. Consorts are
given the honor of sharing a lordly title in
deference to their social position. They will
 Chapter III: Character Creation
sometimes be called upon to make decisions
and act in the stead of their significant others
when necessary.
Physician A military or naval doctor, or even
a private noble practitioner of basic medical
arts; not as learned as a Holy Caste doctor, but
rather more like a field medic in their range of
BOOK ONE
abilities. These jnah, though they can perform
many general surgeries and dress most wounds,
are commonly kept at hand to dispense
medicines, poultices, and other remedies, and
to oversee the general health and wellness of
their patients. They tend to defer to the wisdom
of Holy Caste doctors when dealing with more
serious health affairs or difficult operations.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Dress Wound: 3, Etiquette:
3, Research: 3, Surgery: 3, Alchemy:
3 (medicine), Knowledge: 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (herbal lore), 2 (jenu lore), 2
(medical lore), Profession: 2 (physician)
Character Point Cost: 25
Shikari (shih-KAH-ree) (Big Game Hunter)
A Sunborn who specializes in the hunting
of large, dangerous prey. This individual can
either act as a guide to nobles who wish to go
on a safari-like hunt for sport, or they can be
employed to rid areas of dangerous predatory
marauders.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Alchemy: 3 (Chemistry/
Poison), Etiquette: 3, Evade: 5,
Concealment: 3, Dress Wound: 3,
Missile Combat: 5, Firearm Combat: 5,
Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2 (suthra
lore), 2 (weather lore), 2 (weapons),
Observation: 3, Survival: 3, Stealth: 3,
Tracking: 3, Profession: 2 (shikari)
Character Point Cost: 49
Sorcerer (Healer, Mage, Seer, and Summoner
Sirhibas) Also called sirhibasi (SEER-hih-
bah-see), the plural of sirhibas, these Sunborn
possess the ability to perform the ritual magics
of Drdnah. With these magical gifts of the
Devah, the sirhibasi are able to accomplish
things that others may find miraculous, and
sunborn with such skill are often called upon to
serve the higher castes with acts of divination,
sorcery, and ceremonial enchantments.
Sorcerers are often attached to Houses and
Lines, serving the lords within.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Magic Ritual: 5
(players choice), Research: 3, Knowledge:
2 (ancient history), 2 (world cultures),
2 (divination), 2 (herbal lore), 2
(legends), 2 (lineage), 2 (magic theory), 2
(mathematics), 2 (ritual lore), Profession:
2 (sorcerer)
Character Point Cost: 31
140
Suthra Weapon Trainer This Sunborn
specializes in the breeding and training of
the various suthra weapons (as well as living
armor) available on Drdnah. When hired
by a House, this Sunborn becomes known as
a Suthra Master.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Suthra Use: 5,
Tracking: 3, Suthra Training: 3 (weapons
& armor), Knowledge: 2 (suthra lore),
2 (breed suthra), 2 (medical lore),
Profession: 2 (suthra weapon trainer)
Character Point Cost: 22
Spy These Sunborn are trained to infiltrate
enemy strongholds, or to travel to distant lands,
and conduct various acts of espionage and
sabotage. They are often masters at blending
into local cultures and environments, and have
been known to train extensively to insure that
can slip past most barriers or gain the trust of
those whose secrets they would steal.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Acting: 3, Climbing: 3,
Concealment: 3, Conversation: 3,
Cryptography: 3, Diplomacy: 3, Etiquette:
3, Intrigue: 3, Knowledge: 2 (current
history), 2 (world cultures), 2 (politics), 2
(cultural traditions), Language: 2 (another
language - players choice), Lock Picking:
3, Observation: 3, Shadowing: 3, Stealth:
3, Profession: 2 (spy)
Character Point Cost: 48
Treasure Hunter Sunborn who have dedicated
themselves to searching for and acquiring rare
and expensive ancient artifacts and forgotten
riches, consisting mainly of the wealth of
lost civilizations or sunken treasures. They
often collect tomes and scrolls containing the
legends and lore that give clues to the location
of such places, and are willing to venture into
dangerous locales to retrieve their prize.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Climbing: 3,
Concealment: 3, Research: 3, Melee
Combat: 5, Firearm Combat: 5,
Navigation: 3 (one of aerial, land, or
nautical), Observation: 3, Survival:
3, Knowledge: 2 (current history), 2
(ancient history), 2 (world cultures), 2
(heraldry), 2 (tradition), 2 (cartography),
2 (region - players choice), 2 (geography),
2 (literature), 2 (legends), Language:
2 (another language - players choice),
Profession: 2 (treasure hunter)
Character Point Cost: 55
Warrior
Aerial Trooper These Sunborn soldiers, also
called Ashvayu (ash-VAH-yu), are trained to
ride makdi and fight as aerial cavalry.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Melee Combat:
 5, Missile Combat: 5, Firearm Combat:
5, Riding: 3 (flying mount), Throw: 5,
Knowledge: 2 (suthra lore), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (military lore), Profession: 2
(aerial trooper)
Master Cannoneer This Sunborn officer
generally commands several units of artillery,
and oversees their movements and determines
their placement for best effect in the field. It
is they who often are in charge of giving the

Chapter III: Character Creation

Character Point Cost: 34
Cannoneer This Sunborn soldier is trained in
the use of cannons and artillery guns, used by
the military on the field of battle, in defense
of city walls, and within fortified Houses and
strongholds.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Evade: 5, Firearm Combat:
5, Artillery Combat: 5, Knowledge: 2
(firearms), 2 (military lore), Profession: 2
(cannoneer)
Character Point Cost: 21
Guard Also called a Karna (KAR-nah) on
Drdnah, this sunborn is a simple warrior
who is usually assigned to watch over a
prisoner, a place of general importance (such
as the corridor outside of the room of a guest,
an entrance to the House, or some valuable
property outside of the House), an item of
value, or any situation in need of standard
security. These individuals are usually a part of
a House or Line to whom they owe their duty
and allegiance. Within a House they are usually
considered part of the Watch (general House
security). When not on duty they sometimes
seek glory and practice beyond the walls of
their Houses in the public Spiral Arenas.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Melee Combat: 5, Missile
Combat: 5, Firearm Combat: 5,
Knowledge: 2 (military lore), Profession:
2 (guard)
Character Point Cost: 19
general orders to fire.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Evade: 5, Melee
Combat: 5, Tactics: 3, Firearm Combat:
5, Artillery Combat: 5, Knowledge: 2
(cultural traditions), 2 (military lore),
2 (firearms), Profession: 2 (master
cannoneer)
Character Point Cost: 34
Mercenary (Masterless Warrior) Also called
Dhul-Sipahi (dool-sih-PAH-hee) meaning
Dust-Warrior or simply Sipahi on Drdnah,
this sunborn warrior has decided, for whatever
reason, to fight for respect and money
rather than a cause of honor. Similar to the
wandering ronin of ancient Japan, mercenaries
are generally loyal to the one who hires them at
the highest rate of pay, as opposed to serving
any kind of lord, House, or Line. They are
truly swords for hire, selling their skills to
various merchants, traders, or even individuals
of more unscrupulous natures. Mercenaries
might move from city to city, making their
living from one employer to another, and can
sometimes be found doing combat in contests
held within the various cities Spiral Arenas.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Bargain: 3, Melee Combat:
5, Missile Combat: 5, Firearm Combat:

Honor Guard A sunborn warrior within a

House and Line who is assigned an important
person to be protected, served, and represented
in the Spiral Arena. Honor Guards will generally
remain with or near that person most of the time
while on duty unless otherwise ordered by their
lord or other superiors. An Honor Guard may
also be relieved of guarding a specific individual in
order to directly serve the needs and commands
of the Master of the Honor Guard or the lord
for the purposes of special missions and other
House directives, secret or otherwise.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Concealment: 3, Etiquette:
3, Dress Wound: 3, Duel Dancing:
5, Evade: 5, Firearm Combat: 5,
Intimidation: 3, Martial Arts: 8, Missile
Combat: 5, Observation: 3, Throw:
5, Knowledge: 2 (current history), 2
(cultural traditions), 2 (heraldry), 2
(martial arts), Profession: 2 (honor guard)
Character Point Cost: 58

Basic Compendium
141
 Chapter III: Character Creation
5, Throw: 5, Streetwise: 3, Knowledge:
2 (world cultures), 2 (additional area
-players choice), Profession: 2 (mercenary)
Character Point Cost: 32
Mounted Trooper The cavalry of Drdnah,
also called Ashvari (ash-VAR-ee) or the singular
Ashvar, these Sunborn soldiers are trained
BOOK ONE
to fight from chintiback and specialize in
maneuvers suited to cavalry.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Melee Combat:
5, Missile Combat: 5, Firearm Combat:
5, Riding: 3 (land mount), Knowledge:
2 (suthra lore), 2 (world cultures), 2
(military lore), Profession: 2 (mounted
trooper)
Character Point Cost: 29
Officer (Captain, Commander, General, Sergeant)
These Sunborn soldiers hold an officers rank
in the military. Generals, also called Varsen
(var-SEN) on Drdnah, are master strategists.
They know the strengths and weaknesses of
each of their units and how best to implement
them for a given campaign. Generals usually
command a legion (around 5,000 soldiers).
Commanders, also called Agyasen (ahg-yah-
SEN) on Drdnah, report directly to generals
and typically command a single regiment
(around 1,000 soldiers). Captains, also called
Kaptana (cop-TAH-nah) on Drdnah, report
to Commanders and command a single
battalion (around 100 soldiers). Sergeants, also
called Sarjanta (sar-JAHN-tah) on Drdnah,
report to Captains and command a single
troop (around 10 soldiers).
Social Standing: High - Mid Range
Initial Skills: Evade: 5, Etiquette: 3,
Oratory: 3, Intimidation: 3, Persuasion:
3, Martial Arts: 8, Melee Combat: 5,
Missile Combat: 5, Firearm Combat: 5,
Tactics: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world cultures),
2 (military lore), 2 (politics), 2 (cultural
traditions), Profession: 2 (officer)
Character Point Cost: 53
Sapper A sunborn soldier employed in the
construction of fortifications, trenches, or
tunnels that approach or undermine enemy
positions.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Melee Combat: 5, Missile
Combat: 5, Firearm Combat: 5, Throw:
5, Knowledge: 2 (architecture), 2
(underground structures), 2 (military
lore), Profession: 2 (sapper)
Character Point Cost: 28
Siege Engineer A Sunborn engineer who
specializes in the construction and use of
siege engines and other large-scale battlefield
constructs and mechanisms.
Social Standing: Mid Range
142
Initial Skills: Artillery Combat: 5, Evade:
5, Firearm Combat: 5, Melee Combat: 5,
Missile Combat: 5, Throw: 5, Knowledge:
2 (architecture), 2 (carpentry), 2 (land
vehicles), 2 (mathematics), 2 (military
lore), Profession: 2 (siege engineer)
Character Point Cost: 42
Soldier This sunborn is one of many within
the ranks of any given army. From a small
skirmish to a massive ground battle, the soldier
is the rank and file that does the fighting, spills
the blood, and dies for the greater cause of the
House, Line, or country. Though often a nation
has its own standing army, it is not uncommon
for rulers to demand conscripts taken from the
guards of the lords of the Houses and Lines
within their lands during times of war. For this
reason, common soldiers are also often referred
to as Karna.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Melee Combat: 5, Missile
Combat: 5, Firearm Combat: 5,
Knowledge: 2 (military lore), Profession:
2 (soldier)
Character Point Cost: 19
Vaylah Trooper A Sunborn soldier, also called
a Vaylah-Karna (vay-lah-KAR-nah), trained
in the use of various firearms and explosives.
The equivalent of Drdnahs musketeers or
janissaries.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Evade: 5, Melee Combat:
5, Firearm Combat: 5, Throw: 5,
Knowledge: 2 (firearms), 2 (military lore),
Profession: 2 (Vaylah trooper)
Character Point Cost: 26
Holy Caste Professions
Advisor A member of the Holy Caste whose life
path has brought them to the ear of an aryah,
aminar, prince, imr, or isvar. The advisor may
have been a priest, a chamberlain, or just a trusted
childhood friend. In any case, Advisors tend to
be looked upon as voices of wisdom and good
judgment by the individuals whom they advise.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Diplomacy:
3, Intrigue: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (current history), 2
(economics), 2 (politics), 2 (cultural
traditions), Profession: 2 (advisor)
Character Point Cost: 21
Antiquarian A member of the Holy Caste
who has dedicated his life to exploring ancient
ruins and collecting historical artifacts. An
Antiquarian is the Drdni equivalent of an
archeologist.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Concealment: 3, Etiquette: 3,
 Observation: 3, Research: 3, Navigation: 3
(one of aerial, land, or nautical), Survival:
3, Knowledge: 2 (current history), 2
(ancient history), 2 (world cultures),
2 (heraldry), 2 (cultural traditions), 2
(cartography), 2 (region - players choice),
2 (geography), 2 (literature), 2 (legends),
Language: 2 (additional - players choice),
Profession: 2 (antiquarian)
Character Point Cost: 42
Architect Members of the Holy Caste that have
devoted their lives to the building of structures
for various uses. Master Architects, with great
love and patience, bring their personal vision
of the Devah to the buildings they design and
oversee construction on, whether building a
palace or tomb, temple or well.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Artistry: 2
(sculpting) Research: 3, Knowledge: 2
(architecture), 2 (art), 2 (world cultures),
2 (fashion), 2 (mathematics), 2 (religion
- specific to their particular caste
profession), 2 (ritual lore), 2 (cultural
traditions), Profession: 2 (architect)
Character Point Cost: 26
Chamberlain This Holy Caste member
manages the household of a member of
the High Caste. Chamberlains tend to the
day-to-day functioning of the household,
making sure that the various servants, cooks,
groundskeepers, and guards all function as
a well-oiled machine and are provided for as
befits their rank and station.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Conversation:
3, Persuasion: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (economics), 2 (heraldry),
2 (lineages), 2 (politics), 2 (cultural
traditions), Profession: 2 (chamberlain)
Character Point Cost: 23
Chef Members of the Holy Caste who have
devoted their lives to the creation of flavorful
delicacies especially for Holy Caste Mngai
(priests), who must eat no unclean food and
who trust only those of their own caste to
prepare such. Chefs of this caste are highly
sought after for employment at many levels of
society because the operator of a restaurant,
teahouse owner, or discerning lord of a House
can be assured of the comfort (and favor) of
any visiting mngai, and, of course, the lack of
any offense to the Devah.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2
(cooking), 2 (world cultures), 2 (herbal
lore), 2 (jenu lore), 2 (religion - specific to
their particular caste profession), 2 (ritual
lore), 2 (tradition), Profession: 2 (chef)
Character Point Cost: 19
Basic Compendium
143
Dru Priests (DAH-roo) Mentioned here,
not because they are truly members of the Holy
Caste in the eyes of the rest of the world, but
because of the positions they hold among the
Hardazi Clans, these are the holy priests of the
Chapter III: Character Creation
Worshippers of Dar, the god of the Hardazi.
They are also practitioners of the ritual magic
among the Hardazi (called Blood Magic,
because it often entails the use of blood sacrifice
from oneself or others), which can cover a wide
variety of disciplines similar to many of the
various rituals known to the rest of the world.
All initial skills below refer specifically to the
insular culture of their people.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Conversation: 3, Etiquette:
3, Diplomacy: 3, Oratory: 3, Magic
Ritual: 5 (players choice), Martial Arts:
8, Persuasion: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (current history), 2 (ancient
history), 2 (heraldry), 2 (politics), 2
(cultural traditions), 2 (ritual lore), 2
(religion), Profession: 2 (Dru priest)
Character Point Cost: 46
High Dru Father The most powerful of all
priests that make up the Lawspeakers of Dar.
Second only to the Khan in power, his word is
law across all of the Khanate of the Hardazi.
Clan Lawspeaker of Dar The religious and
spiritual leaders within a Hardazi Clan, who
give wise council to the Chieftains (Clan
Elders).
Diplomat (Ambassador) This member of the
Holy Caste opens lines of communication
between nations, Lines, Houses, guilds, etc.
Diplomats sometimes travel at the behest
of a nation or house to make arrangements
with other nations, houses, or guilds for the
purposes of treaties, trade agreements, and
even espionage.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Conversation: 3, Etiquette:
3, Diplomacy: 3, Oratory: 3, Intrigue:
3, Persuasion: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (current history), 2 (famous
jnah), 2 (economics), 2 (politics),
2 (cultural traditions), 2 (lineages),
Language: 2 (second - players choice),
Profession: 2 (diplomat)
Character Point Cost: 36
Doctor This member of the Holy Caste has
devoted an entire career to the aiding and
healing of the sick, injured, and dying.
Doctors follow all the standards and ancient
traditions of medicine and healing on
Drdnah. Nearly all Houses have their own
doctor who personally sees to the needs of the
aryah and the household. Formally trained in
the Academies or by other skilled doctors, they
quickly make their way into such Houses, great
 Chapter III: Character Creation
and small, under oaths contracts of loyalty and
private employ.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Dress Wound: 3, Etiquette:
3, Research: 3, Surgery: 3, Alchemy:
3 (medicine), Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (herbal lore), 2 (jenu lore), 2
(medical lore), 2 (ritual lore), Profession:
BOOK ONE
2 (doctor)
Character Point Cost: 27
Law Speaker These Holy Caste individuals
are the bridge between the holy orders and
the affairs of state. Charged with the task of
interpreting the will of the Devah and the Great
Mother and Father, Law Speakers transcribe
these laws into written form for the use of the
lands rulers, magistrates, and their underlings.
They may also function as advocates for either
side in the case of trials, public or private.
Arbiter A Holy Caste member whos been
specially trained to mediate disputes and settle
arguments, especially between powerful Houses
and Lines. These individuals are basically peace-
keepers who try and prevent warfare between
Lines.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Conversation: 3, Etiquette:
3, Diplomacy: 3, Oratory: 3, Intrigue:
3, Persuasion: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (current history), 2 (ancient
history), 2 (geography), 2 (lineages), 2
(economics), 2 (politics), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (religion - specific to their
particular caste profession), Profession
(arbiter)
Character Point Cost: 38
Lawyer (Advocate, Prosecutor) The legal counsel
of Drdnah, lawyers both defend and prosecute
cases of all kinds brought before the courts and
magistrates.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Conversation: 3, Etiquette:
3, Diplomacy: 3, Oratory: 3, Intrigue:
3, Intimidation: 3, Persuasion: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2
(current history), 2 (ancient history), 2
(geography), 2 (lineages), 2 (economics),
2 (politics), 2 (cultural traditions), 2
(religion - specific to their particular caste
profession), Profession: 2 (lawyer)
Character Point Cost: 41
Judge Holy Caste members who are incredibly
learned in the laws of the land, both sacred
and secular. Judges pass the final judgement on
cases but they do not enforce the laws through
punishment; that is up to the High Caste
magistrates to do.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Conversation: 3, Etiquette:
3, Diplomacy: 3, Oratory: 3, Intrigue:
144
3, Intimidation: 3, Persuasion: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2
(current history), 2 (ancient history), 2
(geography), 2 (lineages), 2 (economics),
2 (politics), 2 (cultural traditions), 2
(ritual lore), 2 (religion - specific to their
particular caste profession), Profession: 2
(judge)
Character Point Cost: 43
Librarian A specialized scholar trained in the
caring of books and scrolls. Drdni librarians
do have a fairly uniform filing system, which
is alphabetical by the title of the work, or in
the case of untitled works, by the name of the
author. They also classify books by the dates
they were written, but thats mostly for their
own purposes. A Houses librarian is knows
as a Master Librarian and is the head of tutors
for the House, the chief scholar and instructor
and, usually, the keeper of the Houses records,
history, tomes and scrolls.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Artistry: 2 (illumination),
Etiquette: 3, Research: 3, Knowledge:
2 (world cultures), 2 (current history),
2 (cartography), 2 (ancient history), 2
(geography), 2 (lineages), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (mineral lore), 2
(mathematics), 2 (religion - specific
to their particular caste profession),
Language: 2 (second - players choice),
Profession: 2 (librarian)
Character Point Cost: 32
Mngai (Priests of all ranks, Holy Person)
Great Satyan Addressed as Illustrious
Mngai. The Head of the Order or spiritual
leader of a particular country. There may be
such an individual for every country that has
adherents to the Mahist faith, though they may
not necessarily be in favor with one another,
since each countrys politics plays an important
role.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Conversation: 3, Etiquette:
3, Diplomacy: 3, Oratory: 3, Intrigue:
3, Persuasion: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (current history), 2 (ancient
history), 2 (legends), 2 (geography), 2
(lineages), 2 (heraldry), 2 (politics), 2
(cultural traditions), 2 (ritual lore), 2
(religion), Profession: 2 (great satyan)
Character Point Cost: 42
High Satyan Addressed as Revered Mngai.
The leader of the greatest temple in most
large cities (or regions). There will be such
an individual in larger cities to which lesser
mngai in the surrounding smaller temples of
that province answer.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Conversation: 3, Etiquette:
3, Diplomacy: 3, Oratory: 3, Intrigue:
 3, Persuasion: 3, Knowledge: 2 (world
cultures), 2 (current history), 2 (ancient
history), 2 (legends), 2 (geography), 2
(lineages), 2 (heraldry), 2 (politics), 2
(cultural traditions), 2 (ritual lore), 2
(religion), Profession: 2 (high satyan)
Character Point Cost: 42
High Priest Addressed as Elder Mngai.
The chosen leader of a smaller temple under
the jurisdiction of a particular High Satyan.
They are chosen by the High Satyan of the
region from among the most honored monks
known to them, though usually from the
monks of that particular temple needing a new
High Priest.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Conversation: 3, Etiquette: 3,
Diplomacy: 3, Oratory: 3, Persuasion: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2 (current
history), 2 (ancient history), 2 (heraldry),
2 (politics), 2 (cultural traditions), 2
(ritual lore), 2 (religion), Profession: 2
(elder mngai)
Character Point Cost: 33
Healer Mngai Addressed as Blessed Healer.
These members of the Holy Caste have devoted
their lives to the aiding and healing of the sick
and injured through the works of standard
medicine as well as the blessed magic of healing
rituals. Highly sought after in temples, Houses,
and palaces alike, one can be sure the Devah
watch over those under the ministrations of a
holy Healer.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Dress Wound:
3, Magic Ritual: 5 (healing), Research: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2 (medical
lore), 2 (herbal lore), 2 (ritual lore), 2
(religion), Profession: 2 (healer mngai)
Character Point Cost: 26
Monk (Mendicant, Missionary, Nun) Often
addressed as Master. A religious teacher,
spiritual and/or martial advisor to those seeking
the path to greater faith. Monks are given the
honor of training Disciples in preparation
for becoming part of the Priest Caste. They
have the ability to bestow a change in Caste as
well as the title of Monk (though this usually
requires their student priest to best them in
some form of contest of skills). Another form
of such a level within the faith is Mendicant,
a Monk who has chosen to leave the temple,
taken a vow of poverty, and travels throughout
the lands spreading his teachings to others
while depending on charity for his daily bread.
A Mendicant may also take on Disciples, and
eventually bestow upon them the caste-braid
of Priest. Monks, as well as mngai of higher
ranks, have the ability to sanction and bless the
granting of higher caste to a jnah, providing
the mngai discovers through meditation that
Basic Compendium
145
the Devah find such a jnah worthy.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Oratory: 3,
Knowledge: 2 (world cultures), 2 (current
history), 2 (ancient history), 2 (legends),
Chapter III: Character Creation
2 (cultural traditions), 2 (ritual lore), 2
(religion), Profession: 2 (monk)
Character Point Cost: 22
Priest (Simple Priest, Holy Person or Acolyte) A
common priest of the Mahist Faith, and the
title showing that one has been accepted
into the Priest Caste. They have no honorary
powers of their own and must support and
perform service to their Masters and higher
priests for many years before becoming Monks
themselves.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2
(world cultures), 2 (current history), 2
(ancient history), 2 (legends), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (ritual lore), 2 (religion),
Profession: 2 (priest)
Character Point Cost: 19
Disciple (Student or Pupil) A young person of
any caste or sex, taken under the teachings of
a Monk within the Mahist Faith. Disciples
must perform mundane and often laborious
tasks under the strict eye of their Master and
the Masters priests, before finally being judged
worthy of becoming a mngai and therefore a
member of the priest caste. Until then, they
must prove their piety and diligence while
remaining under the constrictions of the caste
into which they were born.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2
(world cultures), 2 (current history), 2
(ancient history), 2 (legends), 2 (cultural
traditions), Profession: 2 (disciple)
Character Point Cost: 15
Sadhu (SAH-doo) (Holy Seer, Mage, Summoner
Mngai) These Holy Caste members have
been granted, directly by the Devah, the gift
of heavenly visions and mystical protection.
The magic they perform, therefore, tends to be
of a more miraculous nature, rather than the
somewhat formulaic rituals of the standard
sirhibasi (who are referred to as sorcerers
by members of the Holy Caste). Prayers and
invocations of the Devah are a common part of
such magic and the devotional nature of these
practices is key. Since many religions revile
summoning as unholy, there are very few Sadhu
who openly summon demons or spirits except
among the worshippers of Nagamssa and
among the bats of Klinrh.
Social Standing: High Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Magic Ritual:
5 (Dreamwalking, Endowment, or
Summoning), Research: 3, Knowledge:
2 (world cultures), 2 (ancient history), 2
 Chapter III: Character Creation
(divination), 2 (legends), 2 (magic theory),
2 (cultural traditions), 2 (ritual lore), 2
(religion), Profession: 2 (sadhu)
Character Point Cost: 29
Sacred Artist A Holy Caste individual selected
and trained for their amazing artistic skills
which they use to create all forms of art for the
BOOK ONE
Holy Caste and the Devah.
Dramatist A writer of sacred plays and
performances, often inspired directly from
the pages of the holiest of Mahist texts, the
Partakm. Such an individual is also often a
skilled choreographer, as well as a composer
of the songs and music needed for the
performances.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Artistry: 2 (playwriting),
Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2 (art), 2
(world cultures), 2 (current history), 2
(ancient history), 2 (literature), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (ritual lore), 2 (religion),
Performance: 2 (dramatizing), Profession:
2 (sacred dramatist)
Character Point Cost: 25
Painter A painter of sacred images, either on
temple walls or as portraitures of the Devah
and holy personages.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Artistry: 2 (illustration),
Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2 (art), 2
(world cultures), 2 (current history), 2
(ancient history), 2 (literature), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (ritual lore), 2 (religion),
Profession: 2 (sacred painter)
Character Point Cost: 23
Poet Holy Caste artist trained in the
composition of poetry and epic verse (think of
the writers of the Ramayana or the Bhagavad
Gita). These writings often honor acts of jnah
or the Devah in the name of the Great Mother
and Father, or teach poetic lessons concerning
the failings of mortals who disobey holy law.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Artistry: 2 (composition),
Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2 (art), 2
(world cultures), 2 (current history), 2
(ancient history), 2 (literature), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (ritual lore), 2 (religion),
Profession: 2 (sacred poet)
Character Point Cost: 23
Sculptor A Holy Caste member who shapes,
molds, or fashions various materials, such
as stone, clay, glass, crystal, Amber, etc., with
artistry and/or precision to create sacred
sculptural works. Many sculptors often
specialize in one material or another, and
thus have specific craft or knowledge skills as
a result. These individuals are the ones who
carve the various statues of the Devah and
146
other religious icons found in temples.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Artistry: 2 (sculpting),
Etiquette: 3, Knowledge: 2 (art), 2 (world
cultures), 2 (current history), 2 (ancient
history), 2 (mineral lore), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (ritual lore), 2 (religion),
Profession: 2 (sacred sculptor)
Character Point Cost: 23
Sacred Performer A Holy Caste individual
selected and trained for their amazing
performance skills which they use in religious
rituals and festivals at the behest of priests,
nobles, and jnah of all levels of society.
Dancer A Holy Caste member trained in
the various sacred dances of Drdnah. In
addition, they also serve as dramatic stage actors
in holy plays and other performances written
by Dramatists. They often portray the Devah
in festivals and religious rituals where the gods
descend and dance among the jnah.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Acrobatics: 5, Etiquette: 3,
Performance: 2 (dancing), Knowledge:
2 (art), 2 (world cultures), 2 (current
history), 2 (ancient history), 2 (cultural
traditions), 2 (ritual lore), 2 (religion),
Profession: 2 (sacred dancer)
Character Point Cost: 26
Musician A Holy Caste member trained as
a musician, often as master of many different
instruments, who performs at the various
religious festivals and rituals (our Drdni
version of Ravi Shankar). Holy Musicians
primarily draw their works from ancient
religious traditions, but can also compose new
instrumental works when necessary.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Performance:
2 (music), Knowledge: 2 (art), 2 (world
cultures), 2 (current history), 2 (ancient
history), 2 (music), 2 (cultural traditions),
2 (ritual lore), 2 (religion), Profession: 2
(sacred musician)
Character Point Cost: 23
Singer A Holy Caste performer trained to
sing all the devotions to the Devah at religious
rituals and festivals. Such an individual might
be a master of one or many different vocal
traditions (our Drdni version of Nusrat
Fateh Ali Khan). Holy Singers primarily draw
their songs from traditional religious chants
and hymns, but can also compose new songs
as needed.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Performance: 2
(singing), Knowledge: 2 (art), 2 (world
cultures), 2 (current history), 2 (ancient
history), 2 (music), 2 (cultural traditions),
2 (ritual lore), 2 (religion), Profession: 2
 (sacred singer)
Character Point Cost: 23
Scholar (Philosopher, Teacher) This member of
the Holy Caste is devoted to the pursuit of
knowledge and understanding as well as the
edification of the unlearned. Many teach in the
larger classrooms within the great academies,
some teach amongst the Satyan priests, while
still others are retained by the great Houses
and Lines as personal tutors for their favored
residents.
Social Standing: Mid Range
Initial Skills: Conversation: 3, Etiquette:
3, Oratory: 3, Research: 3, Knowledge:
2 (current history), 2 (ancient history), 2
(world cultures), 2 (cultural traditions), 2
(literature), 2 (ritual lore ), 2 (religion), 2
(legends), Language: 2 (second language -
players choice), Profession: 2 (scholar)
Character Point Cost: 32
Scribe (Calligrapher) This member of the Holy
Caste is the keeper of historical and ancient lore
as well as the chronicler of current happenings.
Some spend their days cataloging the great
libraries, while others document important
events; certain scribes are even hired to keep
the accounts for many of the great Lines or
Houses.
Social Standing: Low Range
Initial Skills: Etiquette: 3, Artistry: 2
(illumination), Research: 3, Knowledge:
2 (ancient history), 2 (current history),
2 (world cultures), 2 (legends), 2 (ritual
lore), 2 (cultural traditions), Profession:
2 (scribe)
Character Point Cost: 22
Skills
Skills are proficiencies that your character
acquires or develops through training or experience.
The ability to hide in shadows, use martial arts,
sculpt a statue, or speak different languages are all
examples of Skills. As with Animal Abilities, Skills
are performed by rolling Action Dice, which are
linked to a Characteristic (or a combination of
Characteristics) from which they derive their original
value. Talents and Advantages can sometimes grant
a bonus to a Skills Action Dice.
A complete list of the available Skills is found on
page 149. The table lists each Skill, its Characteristic
link, and its cost. A Skills cost depends on its
classification. The three classifications of Skills are:
Combat, Standard, and Background.
Combat Skills cost 5 points and (as the name
implies) are incredibly useful in combat situations.
The skill to fight with melee weapons or use firearms,
draw a weapon instantly, or dodge attacks are all
examples of Combat Skills. Martial Arts is a special
Basic Compendium
Combat Skill that costs 8 points due to the fact
that it can be used both armed and unarmed, gives
characters a defense against certain ranged attacks,
and allows players to use the special combat effects
of the Maneuver Location Table at the base modifiers
Chapter III: Character Creation
given in the table (see the Combat chapter for further
details).
Standard Skills cost 3 points and cover a
wide variety of different disciplines. Skills such as
shadowing an enemy, picking a lock, setting traps,
or crafting weapons are all examples of Standard
Skills. Several Standard Skills will be included in
the Profession Templates, but you are free to add as
many as you can afford as long as they meet with the
GMs approval.
Background Skills cost 2 points each because
they are generally not as useful as Combat or
Standard Skills, but are still an important aspect of
your character. Such things as knowledge of various
subjects, the ability to speak different languages,
or your characters hobbies and profession are all
examples of Background Skills. Choosing the right
Background Skills can really help set your character
apart from all the other members of your chosen
profession. An assassin that also happens to craft
beautiful stained glass windows and is a virtuoso
with the flute makes for a unique and interesting
character.
General Skills & Specialization
Some Skills will list various categories in their
descriptions. These Skills are considered General
Skills, and when you purchase them you must specify
one of the categories as your characters Specialization.
If you wish to have multiple Specializations, you must
purchase the Skill again for each new category. These
Skills must all be improved independently of each
other, although all of their values are raised if you
raise the Characteristic to which they are linked.
Example: A player decides to purchase the
Performance Skill, which allows him to specialize
in one of several forms of artistic performance. He
decides he wants to be a shadow puppeteer and so
chooses Puppetry as his Specialization. If the player
decided he also wanted to be a juggler, he would
have to purchase Performance Skill again and this
time pick Juggling as his Specialization. If the player
wishes to improve his skill with either Puppetry
or Juggling, he must raise each Performance Skill
separately. The player would not have to buy
Performance Skill again, however, if he simply
wanted to learn a new form of puppetry.
Raising Skills In-Game
Once the game has begun, players will be able
to use Story Points to buy up their Skills. The cost to
raise a Skills Ranking depends on the classification
of the Skill. Raising the Ranking of Martial Arts by
147
 Chapter III: Character Creation
1 costs 5 Story Points. Raising the Ranking of other
Combat Skills by 1 costs 3 Story Points. Raising the
Ranking of Standard Skills by 1 costs 2 Story Points.
And finally, raising the Ranking of Background Skills
by 1 costs 1 Story Point. Players should keep in mind
that all Skills have a maximum Ranking of 12, unless
otherwise noted by the GM.
BOOK ONE
Learning New Skills In-Game
Once the game has begun, players can continue to
buy new Skills but should always justify the acquiring
of those new Skills in the campaigns story. To what
extent this is done depends entirely on the GM. There
are two ways to handle the learning of new Skills in-
game.
The first method is for a GM to allow players to
pay the full cost of new Skills and instantly receive
the benefits of those Skills. Any roleplaying aspects
associated with learning new Skills would be assumed
to have happened offscreen. A player would still
need a good justification for learning new Skills, of
course, but it wouldnt need to take up any actual
game time. This is the easiest method to use.
Some GMs, however, may wish the player to
roleplay the acquiring of new Skills. In these cases, the
player can buy Skills in stages. Using this method, a
player would pay for a new Skill one point at a time.
The first point would give the character a Ranking in
the Skill equal to half of the Skills linked Characteristic
rounded up. The Skill would then be bought up
over the course of several play sessions, with the GM
choosing to roleplay moments of training here and
there. As the player paid more points, he would get
better at the Skill. Every additional point invested
would give the player an additional Action Die until
the full price of the Skill had been paid. Its important
to note, however, that the player would not get the full
value of the Skills Characteristic Link until the Skills
full cost had been paid.
Example: After the game has begun, a player
decides he wants to buy the Firearm Combat Skill
for his character. The GM requires the player to pay
for the Skill in stages. Firearm Combat is linked to
Dexterity, so the player pays 1 point and gets half of
his Dexterity (7 divided by 2, rounded up, which
equals 4) as his Ranking in that Skill. As the player
pays additional points, his Ranking in Firearm
Combat will continue to increase. Several game
sessions later, the player pays two more points and
gets two additional Action Dice in Firearm Combat,
which brings his Ranking to 6. His Ranking would
remain 6, however, until the player paid the full 5
point cost of the Skill, at which point his Ranking
would equal his Dexterity of 7.
The GM decides how much in-game time must
pass before the player can pay additional points
toward a new Skill. In the case of Background Skills,
which only cost 2 points, the GM should pick some
148
reasonable amount of time before the player could
pay the additional point and gain the full Skill. The
main thing to keep in mind about using this method
is it will slow the progress of characters, which could
be frustrating for some players.
Basic Starting Skills
Every character begins with a set of Basic Starting
Skills. These abilities reflect general aptitudes that
a character should have gained simply by living in a
society. These would include the ability to speak a
native tongue and possess regional knowledge of their
home. Other Basic Starting Skills are abilities that are
so fundamental that all characters would have some
chance of performing them, even if they had a low
chance of success.
Basic Starting Skills cost no points to purchase.
Their Ranking is equal to half the Skills linked
Characteristic rounded up (with a minimum Ranking
of 1), or a Ranking of 3, whichever is lower. If the
player decides to purchase the Skill by paying the
Skills full cost, then they would get a Ranking in the
Skill equal to its Characteristic link.
Example: Richards warrior character has the
Climbing Skill as a Basic Starting Skill. Climbing is
linked to Agility, and the warriors Agility Ranking
is 8, so his Ranking in Climbing would therefore be
3 (since 3 is lower than 4). Those 3 Action Dice of
Climbing cost Richard no points. Should Richard
later choose to buy the full Climbing Skill, his
warriors Ranking would immediately be raised
to 8, unless the GM wanted the player to pay for
Climbing in stages (see Learning Skills In-Game).
The following list contains the Basic Starting
Skills that every character possesses:
Brawling
Climbing
Concealment
Evade
Knowledge (Home City)
Language (Native Tongue)
Persuasion
Shadowing
Stealth
Throw
GMs should adjust Basic Starting Skills to better
reflect different regions or cultures of the world. A
character from a coastal fishing village might have
Swimming or Navigation included in his Basic
Starting Skills, whereas a nomad from the plains
might have Riding. A GM should also feel free to
remove one or more Skills from the list above that
he felt were not appropriate for his campaign.
 SKILL LIST SKILL LIST (continued)
Skill Link Cost Skill Link Cost

Chapter III: Character Creation

Acrobatics Agility 5/3 Knowledge * Wit 2/1
Acting Presence 3/2 Language * Wit 2/1
Alchemy Wit 3/2 Lock Picking Dexterity 3/2
Armourer Dexterity 3/2 Magic Ritual Essence 5/3
Artillery Combat Perception 5/3 Martial Arts Agility 8/5
Artistry Variable 2/1 Melee Combat Agility 5/3
Athletics Agility 3/2 Missile Combat Dexterity 5/3
Bargain Presence 3/2 Navigation Wit 3/2
Brawling * Agility 5/3 Observation Perception 3/2
Bribery Presence 3/2 Oratory Presence 3/2
Climbing * Agility 3/2 Performance Variable 2/1
Concealment * Perception 3/2 Persuasion * Wit 3/2
Conversation Presence 3/2 Profession Variable 2/1
Contortion Agility 3/2 Research Wit 3/2
Cryptography Wit 3/2 Riding Agility 3/2
Diplomacy Wit 3/2 Seduction Presence 3/2
Disguise Wit 3/2 Shadowing * Wit 3/2
Dress Wound Wit 3/2 Sleight of Hand Dexterity 3/2
Driving Dexterity 3/2 Stealth * Agility 3/2
Duel Dancing Presence 5/3 Streetwise Presence 3/2
Etiquette Presence 3/2 Surgery Dexterity 3/2
Evade * Agility 5/3 Survival Wit 3/2
Fast Draw Dexterity 5/3 Suthra Training Wit 3/2
Firearm Combat Dexterity 5/3 Suthra Use Will 5/3
Forgery Dexterity 3/2 Swimming Agility 3/2
Gaming Wit 3/2 Tactics Wit 3/2
Gunsmith Dexterity 3/2 Throw * Dexterity 5/3
Interrogation Presence 3/2 Tracking Perception 3/2
Intimidation Presence 3/2 Trapping Wit 3/2
Intrigue Wit 3/2 Weaponsmith Dexterity 3/2

* = Free Basic Starting Skills * = Free Basic Starting Skills

Basic Compendium
149
 Chapter III: Character Creation
Creating New Skills
Although the Skill List contains a wide variety
of Skills, it is by no means exhaustive. If a GM
doesnt find any Skill that fits an ability he wishes
to portray in his campaign, he should feel free to
create a new Skill. The process is relatively simple.
First, a GM would have to decide what
BOOK ONE
classification the new Skill would fall under:
Combat, Standard, or Background. This would
establish all the costs of the Skill accordingly. Then
the GM would decide to which Characteristic the
Skill would be linked. Hed also need to decide
if the Skill was a General Skill that required
Specializations, and if so hed have to specify
those. Finally, the GM would have to write up a
description of the new Skill detailing what the Skill
allowed the player to do.
Referencing the Skill List
Skills are listed in alphabetical order and include
a Characteristic Link column and a cost column.
The number to the left of the forward slash in the
cost column is the Skills base cost. This is what a
player pays in order to get a Ranking in the Skill
equal to the Skills Characteristic link. That Ranking
determines the number of Action Dice the player
gets to use every time he uses that Skill. The number
to the right of the forward slash in the cost column
is the number of points it takes to raise the Skills
Ranking by one.
Some Skills will list Variable in the Characteristic
link column rather than a single Characteristic.
These are Skills that could be linked to any one of
the various Characteristics, or even use two different
Characteristics to derive a Skills Ranking. The
formula to use two different Characteristics is always
the same:
Characteristic A + Characteristic B 2
(rounded up) = Skills Ranking
This formula is almost exclusively used for
Profession Skills, which sometimes rely on a
combination of specialized knowledge and hands-
on ability. GMs should feel free, however, to apply
this formula to any Skills they feel would benefit
from it. In an effort to keep Characteristic links
simple, though, weve tried to stick to a single
Characteristic wherever possible.
Skill Descriptions
Acrobatics (Agility)
A character with this Skill can perform the
gymnastic maneuvers of a trained acrobat: backflips,
cartwheels, handstands, jumps, rolls, somersaults,
tumbles, etc. This Skill also covers feats of agility
and balance, such as tightrope walking, balancing
150
on a beam, dancing on a ball, or high flying trapeze
stunts. Flying and Swimming Zoics can also use
Acrobatics to perform amazing acrobatic feats while
in the air or underwater.
A character can use Acrobatics as a
Complementary Skill to other Skills such as
Duel Dancing, Martial Arts, or Profession Skills
since Acrobatics can be used to either impress an
audience or make oneself a more difficult target. It
can also be used in conjunction with a characters
movement ability, allowing a character to ignore
obstacles in his way.
Land-based characters can use Acrobatics to
flip up onto ledges, swing gracefully through the
branches of a tree, or bounce off sheer walls to
reach high rooftops. Flying characters can use it
to swoop through incredibly tight spaces, turn on
a dime, or maneuver through zigzag courses filled
with barriers (such as dense forests or the rigging of
a ship). Swimming Zoics can use the Skill to slice
through the water with little effort, instantly turn
and swim in any direction without losing speed, or
wind their way through kelp beds and coral reefs
with ease.
In combat, characters may use Acrobatics to
augment their defense. Every Combat Round that
a character is able to use Acrobatics, he may roll his
Acrobatics Action Dice. Every success is considered
part of a pool of successes that can be used to help
negate any Attack Roll successes scored against his
character that Round (see the Combat chapter for
further details). Finally, a character can instantly get
to his feet from a prone position without having to
use a Combat Action with a successful Acrobatics
Roll.
Failing an Acrobatics Roll doesnt necessarily
mean that an acrobat ends up on his rump. It could
simply mean that an acrobat overshot his target or
that perhaps the maneuver was not as graceful as
he might have hoped. Naturally, a failed roll would
grant no bonuses of any kind. A Fumbled Acrobatics
Roll, on the other hand, leaves the acrobat in a
vulnerable position. This could give the acrobats
enemies Bonus Modifiers to their Attack Rolls to
hit the acrobat.
Acrobatics Cost: 5 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 3 Character Points for every additional
level of Acrobatics.
Acting (Presence)
Acting allows a character to believably adopt the
mannerisms, personality, and vocal characteristics
of a false identity. This Skill has no entertainment
value on Drdnah; it is exclusively used to fool
others into believing a character is someone other
than who they truly are. It is an ability prized by
spies, courtesans, diplomats, and assassins.
 Acting can be used in combination with
Disguise and Natural Mimic to impersonate a
known individual. Bonus Modifiers can be applied
to the Acting Roll if the impersonator was able to
study the target for a prolonged period of time,
while Difficulty Modifiers would be applied if the
impersonator knew little about the target. Acting
could also be used to convince someone that a
character was from a specific region, belonged
to a specific caste/profession or to a specific
House. Knowledge Skills that supported the
characters false identity, including customs and
practices, area knowledge, history, etc., would
all be Complementary Skills to Acting in these
situations.
Several Acting Rolls might be required if a
character tries to maintain a false identity for a
long period of time. This is especially true if the
character is trying to fool someone who either
knows the target being impersonated or is from
the region or House that the impersonator claims
to originate from. A failed Acting Roll may not
necessarily result in someone instantly identifying
the impersonator as a fraud, but would certainly
raise suspicions. Too many failed Acting Rolls,
however, and the jig would definitely be up.
Note: A character wishing to be a stage actor
would need to buy the appropriate Performance
Skill. Stage acting is incredibly stylized on
Drdnah and consists of dance-like movements,
elaborate costuming, and a rhythmic delivery of
dialogue. Drdnah stage actors have more in
common with Japanese kabuki actors or Chinese
Peking Opera performers than with modern stage
and film actors.
Acting Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Acting.
Basic Compendium
Alchemy (Dexterity)
This General Skill gives the character knowledge
of different ingredients and elements and the ability
to mix them into a variety of useful compounds.
This is essentially Drdnahs version of chemistry
Chapter III: Character Creation
and has nothing to do with the transmutation of
base metals (which only exist in trace amounts) into
gold. There are three Specializations for Alchemy:
Gunpowder, Medical, and Poison.
Gunpowder Alchemy: This Specialization
allows the alchemist to create the explosive powders
used in fireworks, bombs, and Vaylah weapons. A
gunpowder alchemist is able to make a variety of
different powders that can burn at different rates
and intensities, in various colors, and with variable
amounts of smoke. These sorts of alchemists not
only make basic gunpowder for artillery guns
and firearms, but can also make flash and smoke
powders.
Only High Caste members are allowed to
learn this craft. Though they may employ lower
caste assistants, the actual gunpowder formulas
are zealously guarded by High Caste alchemists
and their apprentices. Anyone discovered making
gunpowder who was not High Caste would be
subject to immediate arrest and imprisonment.
Failing a Gunpowder Alchemy Roll could
result in a variety of different consequences,
from creating a weak or bad batch of gunpowder
to possible damage to the alchemist. Fumbling a
Gunpowder Alchemy Roll would almost certainly
result in an explosion and loss of an alchemists
fingers or limbs, or perhaps even the alchemists
death depending on the severity of the Fumble.
Medical Alchemy: This Specialization allows
the alchemist to create medicines of all kinds.
The best medical alchemists are almost always
151
 Chapter III: Character Creation
learned doctors as well, and they are usually very
knowledgeable on the subject of herbs and other
ingredients used to treat various medical conditions
and diseases.
Medical knowledge on Drdnah is fairly
advanced and roughly equivalent to late 18th
Century Europe, with all the flavor of the Graeco-
BOOK ONE
Arabic traditions. The most sophisticated Drdni
doctors, for example, are familiar with the concept
of vaccination, and know surgical techniques that
can remove tumors and treat internal injuries. The
benefits of these advances, however, are usually
reserved for the aristocracy and the wealthy. The rest
of society has to make do with much older medical
techniques that have been around for hundreds of
years.
Although only Holy Caste members are allowed
to be doctors, various forms of Medical Alchemy are
practiced by almost all of the castes, though in simpler
forms. Leeches, herbalists, midwives, apothecaries,
and physicians all practice Medical Alchemy. In fact,
when it comes to treating common ailments, many
of the older tried-and-true remedies are often best.
Failing a Medical Alchemy Roll results in a
weak or ineffective medicine. Fumbling a Medical
Alchemy Roll could result in a misdiagnosis and lead
to a worsening of the patients condition or possibly
even his death. This would of course depend on the
severity of the Fumble and how particularly vicious
the GM was feeling that day.
Poison Alchemy: This Specialization allows
a character to create poisons and paralytic agents
(along with their antidotes), as well as acids of various
kinds. A poison alchemist, often called a Poisoner, is
usually employed by assassin guilds but is also often
hired by a Houses Master of the Honor Guards to
produce all manner of deadly substances to be used
by the Houses elite guards. Many of Drdnahs of armor for quality and durability. They can
assassins tend to be venomous Zoics, so Poisoners
are hired to help a Houses Honor Guards even the
odds when facing these deadly killers.
A character does not normally advertise the fact
that he is a Poisoner. These specialized alchemists
are often trained by secretive guilds who carefully
guard the identity of their members. If a House has a
Poisoner among its dignitaries, then that individual
usually finds an apprentice to whom he can pass on
all of his secrets. Its important to note that official
House Poisoners are usually High Caste physicians,
although on rare occasions a Holy Caste doctor
can occupy this role. These twisted doctors are
generally shunned, however, by the rest of the Holy
Caste medical profession.
The Skill of Poison Alchemy encompasses
the identification and collection of ingredients,
the ability to concoct the poisons and antidotes
themselves, as well as a basic knowledge of the various
152
delivery systems for such substances. In addition, it
allows the Poisoner to identify the various symptoms
of different poisons for purposes of administering
the proper antidotes. Knowledge Skills of poisons,
venoms, antidotes, toxic plants, etc., would all be
excellent Complementary Skills to Poison Alchemy.
The process of creating a poison or acid requires a
number of hours equal to the points of damage the
specific poison or acid causes per Round.
Failing a Poison Alchemy Roll would mean the
poison was too weak to be effective, or suffered some
other problem that rendered it useless. Fumbling a
Poison Alchemy Roll could result in the alchemist
poisoning himself, which in the case of common,
slow-acting poisons may not be disastrous if an
antidote can be administered in time. If the poison
is instant, however, well, theres always the Poisoners
apprentice to continue the work.
Alchemy Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level of
Alchemy.
Armourer (Dexterity)
This Skill allows a character to make, maintain,
and repair armor of all kinds (except for suthra
armor). Although this is not considered a General
Skill and so therefore does not have any official
Specializations, it is possible for an armourer to
specialize on his own by including appropriate
Knowledge Skills such as leatherworking, chitin
crafting, crystalsmithing, etc. If no specialization
is selected, then the armourer is assumed to be
able to work on any kind of armor, although
he might not be able to craft as fine a piece of
armor as someone who did have Complementary
Knowledge Skills in specific armor types.
Armourers are also able to appraise pieces
spot if a piece of armor has been made with
inferior materials or if it contains any structural
weaknesses. It is said that only a fool goes
shopping for armor without the guidance of an
experienced armourer.
A failed Armourer Roll usually means a
piece of armor has failed to meet the armourers
standards of quality, which could be ignored if
the armourer is unscrupulous. In cases such as
this, the armor would have only half of its listed
Armor Value and would degrade twice as fast as
it normally would. A Fumbled Armourer Roll
means that the piece of armor is totally ruined,
which would be obvious even to the untrained
eye.
Armourer Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Armourer.
 Artillery Combat (Perception)
This Skill allows a character to use both
large gunpowder weapons (bombards, cannons,
mortars, etc.) and mechanical siege weapons
(ballista, catapults, trebuchets, etc.) in combat.
These weapons are most commonly found on
ships or in fortified strongholds, but they are also
important military units. A character would use his
Action Dice in Artillery Combat just as he would
any Combat Skill to determine attack successes
and the level of damage inflicted by the weapon
(see the Combat chapter for a detailed description
of combat). Artillery Combat, however, can only
be used to attack; it provides no defense against
attacks.
This Skill also grants a fundamental
knowledge of the most common artillery pieces
and siege weapons, including how to maintain
them and even make minor repairs. If a weapon
was to ever break, however, it would take someone
with either the Gunsmith or Weaponsmith Skill
and the appropriate Specialization to repair it.
Complementary Skills in the various types of
artillery guns or siege weapons would make any
artillerist much more useful and prized.
Cannons come in a variety of sizes (from
three feet to thirty feet) and can be loaded with
solid cannonballs (useful against both structures
and living targets), chain shot (useful against
rigging and masts), grape shot or cannister shot
(useful against living targets), or explosive shells
(useful against fragile structures and living targets).
Mortars are short-barreled cannons able to lob
explosive shells over walls, and so therefore are
used mainly in siege warfare. Bombards are huge
cannons that are used to batter down the walls of
cities and fortifications.
A typical cannon crew consists of six gunners,
each with a specific function. The first gunner
cleans the bore of the cannon with a damp sponge
to extinguish any remaining embers from the last
shot. The second gunner loads the cannon with
a fresh cartridge of powder. The third gunner
loads the projectile. The fourth gunner rams the
projectile and powder cartridge down into the
cannon. The fifth gunner (the captain) aims the
cannon, pierces the powder cartridge through the
cannons vent hole, and fills the vent with powder.
The sixth gunner fires the cannon with a slow
burning match.
Artillery Combat allows a character to perform
any gunners function, although a roll of Artillery
Combat Action Dice is only required for the gun
captain, who actually aims the cannon. It typically
takes 20 Combat Rounds to reload an average-sized
cannon. Smaller crews on smaller cannons can
accomplish the task in half that time. Bombards
Basic Compendium
can take several hours to reload and may only
manage around ten shots a day.
Non-gunpowder siege weapons are rare,
although they still see some use in a few regions.
Most modern Drdni armies, however, have
Chapter III: Character Creation
completely replaced these ancient siege engines
with more powerful gunpowder artillery pieces.
Ballista, catapults, and trebuchets are the most
common types of mechanical siege engines. As with
artillery guns, only the siege engineer who actually
aims the siege weapon needs to roll his Artillery
Combat Action Dice.
Most Artillery Combat Rolls will be made
against inanimate targets, such as ships, forts,
enemy artillery units, etc. Inanimate objects do not
possess a defensive skill like living targets. In the
cases of inanimate objects, it will be the Difficulty
Modifiers for range, visibility, and the size of the
target that will determine if an Artillery Combat
Roll results in a successful hit.
Living targets can only use the Evade Skill
to defend against artillery and siege weapon fire.
Difficulty Modifiers could be applied to account
for large explosions or projectiles, shrapnel, etc. A
successful Evade Roll would be interpreted as the
target having found cover, dived out of the way, or hit
the ground in time to avoid damage from an artillery
blast. It should be noted that Artillery Combat is
much more suited to destroying fortifications and
ships rather than taking out living targets (thats
what guns and melee weapons are for).
A Fumbled Artillery Combat Roll means that
some mechanism of a siege weapon has broken, or
an artillery piece has misfired and jammed, which
will require it to be cleared (a very dangerous job).
A particularly severe Fumble could mean that the
siege weapon has been completely destroyed, or
that the artillery gun has exploded, which could
result in serious damage to the artillery crew.
Artillery Combat Cost: 5 Character Points
for the initial Skill; 3 Character Points for every
additional level of Artillery Combat.
Artistry (Varies)
This General Skill allows a character to
Specialize in one of many different forms of artistic
expression. This Skill could reflect either an
incredibly talented hobbyist or a professional artist
who makes his living through his art (and who
would therefore require an appropriate Profession
Skill). Artistry imparts the general knowledge of
the chosen art form, including artistic techniques,
tools of the trade, etc., as well as the ability to create
works of art. Knowledge Skills such as famous
artists, artistic movements, or cultural knowledge
would all be useful Complementary Skills to
Artistry.
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
Failing an Artistry Skill Roll means that the
character has produced an unsatisfactory piece of
art. Its not catastrophic or a total loss and could
potentially be fixed (with appropriate Difficulty
Modifiers applied to the subsequent efforts). A
Fumbled Artistry Roll, however, usually means
a complete loss or ruined piece of art that cannot
be salvaged. Depending on the art form and the
BOOK ONE
circumstances, this could lead to other problems
such as loss of resources, clients, or prestige, or could
even result in bodily harm to the artist (a warrior
would be furious to discover that his enemys crest
had been mistakenly tattooed on his chest instead of
his own, for example).
The Specializations available for Artistry are as
follows: Calligraphy, Composition, Illumination,
Illustration, Playwriting, Sculpting, and Tattooing.
GMs should feel free to add whatever Specializations
they wish if the ones detailed below are insufficient.
Calligraphy (Dexterity): The art of decorative
handwriting and penmanship. Usually working
with brushes and special colored inks, Drdni
calligraphers are as revered as their Chinese
or Japanese counterparts. Beautiful works of
calligraphy are as prized as lovely paintings and
often displayed as decorative pieces. Knowledge
Skills of ancient scripts as well as Language Skills
would be appropriate Complementary Skills for a
calligrapher.
Composition (Wit): The art of writing stories,
whether they be in the common rhyming verse
usually employed by Drdni poets, or in a more
prose-like style. The inhabitants of Drdnah love
a good story, so poets and writers are highly prized
by nobles, especially by those who wish the exploits
of their own Houses to be committed to verse.
Knowledge Skills of famous poets, epic poems, or
myths & legends would be most helpful to writers
and poets.
Illumination (Dexterity): The art of decoration
of a manuscript or book with painted designs
in beautiful colors that often feature decorative
semi-precious stones and crystals. These artists are
often employed by lords to create special historical
tomes of their Houses and Lines. They also prepare
beautiful editions of sacred texts that are often
used as gifts. Knowledge Skills of sacred books, the
Devah, or holy iconography would greatly benefit
illuminators.
Illustration (Dexterity): This covers any form
of two dimensional art produced with a variety of
different materials (oil paints, charcoal, colored
chalk or sand, ink, watercolors, etc.) on a variety
of different media (canvas, paper, leather hides,
grains of rice, walls, courtyards, etc.). This category
also encompasses the skills of a groomer, who
specializes in using dyes, paints, beads, crystals,
154
and gemstones to decorate the bodies of clients.
Appropriate Knowledge Skills will determine the
materials and medium of choice for a particular
artist.
Playwriting (Wit): The art of writing dramatic
plays, which usually incorporate elaborate forms of
ritual dance. A Drdni playwright is equal parts
poet and dance choreographer, and is usually quite
knowledgeable on the topic of folktales and myths,
which are rich sources of inspiration for Drdni
dramatists. Knowledge Skills about folklore and
legends would be of great benefit to playwrights.
Sculpting (Dexterity): The art of carving,
shaping, modeling, or otherwise fashioning a
work of art in three dimensions using a variety of
different materials such as stone, crystal, chitin,
wood, etc. This includes works of bas-relief, intaglio,
or other forms of decorative sculpture used to adorn
temples and palaces. The creation of mosaics, which
use colored pieces of inlaid stone, crystal, or glass
(as in stained glass windows) is another form of
sculpture. As with other Artistry Skills, a characters
Knowledge Skills will determine an artists favored
materials and medium.
Tattooing (Dexterity): The art of marking
the skin with patterns, illustrations, poems, etc.
Drdni tattoo artists, however, do far more than
just tattooing. These individuals are also adept
at ritual scarification, body piercing, and body
beading. Body beading consists of inserting small,
smooth objects like pearls under the skin and
allowing the skin to heal over the object. Any form
of permanent body modification imaginable can be
done by tattoo artists. Knowledge Skills of myths,
popular heroes, or even native wildlife could all be
sources of inspiration for tattooists.
Given the importance of tattooing in ritual
magic (see the Ritual Magic chapter for more
details), many sorcerers are also highly skilled tattoo
artists. This form of tattooing is not for purposes of
adornment, although sorcerer tattooists are capable
of creating beautiful tattoos. There is great magic
invested in sorcerous tattoos so it is important
that the tattooing be precise and adhere strictly to
ancient magical traditions. If a sorcerer character
intends to be able to teach others to perform magic
rituals, he should take Artistry and Specialize in
Magical Tattooing. Knowledge Skills of magical
tattoos, mystic rituals & traditions, or arcane glyphs
would be helpful Complementary Skills.
Artistry Cost: 2 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 1 Character Point for every additional level
of Artistry.
Athletics (Agility)
This Skill measures a characters ability to
perform a variety of feats that require physical skill
 and stamina, such as running, jumping, hurdling,
swinging, etc. Sometimes called the non-acrobats
acrobatics, Athletics is used whenever a character
tries to perform any physical feat for which there
isnt already a specific Skill (such as Acrobatics,
Climbing, Swimming, etc.).
As with Acrobatics, Athletics allows a character
to quickly maneuver around obstacles by using
their physical prowess to hurdle over tables and
bars, swing from chandeliers, leap onto balconies,
or dive through windows. Athletics does not give
a character any defense bonuses in combat, but it
does add to all of a characters movement abilities.
Characters may add their Athletics Ranking to any
movement power they possesses. Thus, a character
with Athletics will be able to fly, leap, run, or swim
faster than someone without Athletics.
When in doubt as to when to use Athletics as
opposed to another specific Skill, ask the GM to
make the determination. Its important to note,
however, that a character with Acrobatics would
not really need Athletics unless he also wanted
the movement boost. Although Athletics can
be a Complementary Skill to Acrobatics, it can
never add to the defensive bonuses granted by
Acrobatics.
Athletics Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Athletics.
Bargain (Presence)
This Skill grants a character the ability to
shrewdly negotiate business transactions in
order to score a better deal. Its the classic gift
of haggling. Effective use of this Skill can save
or earn a character a good deal of money, and
make him very popular with other characters
who do not possess this particular talent. This
Skill is essential for any character wishing to be a
successful merchant.
The more successes a character scores with
his Bargain Skill Roll, the better the bargain hell
make. The exact savings or profit is up to the GM,
although it should be possible for characters to
make a significant amount of money with this
Skill. Targets can use their own Bargain Skill as
a Defense Roll to decrease or negate a characters
Success Level. Bargain does not force a target
to make a deal, however, it simply insures that
if a deal is struck, the character who scored the
highest Success Level will get the better end of
that deal.
A failed Bargain Skill Roll can either lead
to a prolonged period of haggling or end the
transaction due to a targets refusal to buy or sell
at the quoted price. A Fumbled Bargain Skill Roll
could either result in an unintentional (or perhaps
Basic Compendium
intentional) insult to the target, or in the belief
that a character got a great bargain when in reality
he did not. Persuasion and Knowledge Skills of
the various goods and services a character will
be dealing with would be useful Complementary
Chapter III: Character Creation
Skills.
Bargain Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Bargain.
Brawling (Agility)
Brawling is the skill of untrained, opportunistic,
and often dirty hand-to-hand combat. It represents
the basic fighting instinct that every Zoic possesses.
For this reason, Brawling is a Basic Starting Skill;
everyone has it at half their Agility Ranking or at
a Ranking of 3 (whichever is lower) at no cost. If
a character wished to be a more seasoned brawler
and get his full Agility link worth of Action Dice,
he would have to buy Brawling with Character
Points.
Brawling demonstrates that a character can be
a tough hand-to-hand fighter without any sort of
formal training. Experienced brawlers are certainly
more than capable of holding their own in a fight,
even against trained opponents. Characters wishing
to use more formal, disciplined fighting techniques
should purchase Martial Arts. Brawling is meant
to represent the dirty street fighting or barroom
brawling often employed by thugs, laborers, and
other street toughs.
Brawling allows a character to make Defense
Rolls against hand-to-hand and melee attacks only.
Characters would have to use the Evade Skill in
order to be able to defend against ranged attacks.
It is possible for characters with Brawling to use the
special attacks found in the Maneuver Location Table
on page 216, but they would suffer an additional 2
Difficulty Modifier to any maneuver they attempted
(see the Combat chapter for a detailed description
of combat). Depending on the circumstances,
Athletics or Intimidation could potentially be
Complementary Skills to Brawling.
Brawling Cost: 5 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 3 Character Points for every additional
level of Brawling.
Bribery (Presence)
Characters with this Skill are adept at offering
money, goods, or services in exchange for illicit
favors. What a particular target will consider a
tempting bribe depends entirely on the target and
the situation. Some targets will prize money, while
others may prize rare items, or illegal substances,
or possibly even sexual favors. Having appropriate
Knowledge Skills of the targets culture, profession,
or customs would greatly aid bribery attempts.
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
Failing a Bribery Skill Roll could lead to the
target either demanding more money, or to the
target refusing the bribe and becoming angered.
Subsequent bribery attempts on such an individual
would be performed at severe Difficulty Modifiers.
Fumbling a Bribery Skill Roll could lead to a threat
of exposure, an ugly confrontation, or possibly even
arrest or imprisonment (if the target is in a position
BOOK ONE
past an obstruction and attempting to climb at a
different point). Fumbling a Climbing Skill Roll
usually means a fall. Characters should always be
given a chance to catch some handhold and save
themselves from plummeting to certain doom, but
this would depend on the circumstances and the
orneriness of the GM.

Climbing Cost: 3 Character Points for the

to mete out such punishment). initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
In a world where honor is highly valued, level of Climbing.
offering bribes may be deemed greatly insulting, so
its important for a character to get a good feel for Concealment (Perception)
a target with Skills like Conversation or Talents like Characters with Concealment are able to
Empathy before making a bribe attempt. A failed skillfully hide themselves or other objects, and
Bribery attempt can certainly make situations go are similarly adept at discovering hidden things.
from bad to worse. Streetwise, Conversation, and This Skill can also be used to find secret doors or
Persuasion could all be Complementary Skills to passages, and to locate concealed traps (although
Bribery. it does not give a character the expertise to disarm
Bribery Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial such traps; characters would need the Trapping Skill
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level in order to create and disarm traps). Concealment
of Bribery. is an incredibly useful Skill for thieves, spies, or
assassins. It is also a Basic Starting Skill, which
Climbing (Agility) means everyone has it at half their Perception
Characters with this Skill are able to climb Ranking or a Ranking of 3 (whichever is lower) at
various surfaces with either their bare hands (if no cost.
enough natural handholds exist) or with the use Modifiers could be applied to the Concealment
of appropriate climbing tools (if the surface is too Skill Roll based on a number of factors: size and
sheer). Climbing is a Basic Starting Skill, which shape of the object, the amount of cover and hiding
means everyone has it at half their Agility Ranking places available, the amount of time available to
or at a Ranking of 3 (whichever is lower) at no cost. hide or find the object, knowledge of the area,
Certain objects, such as ladders, scaffolds, etc., are etc. The Observation Skill or appropriate area
designed to be climbed and would be considered a Knowledge Skills would be good Complementary
Free Action unless the climber was being impeded Skills to Concealment.
in some way.
Its up to the GM to determine how
many Climbing Skill Rolls a character will
have to make to scale a particular surface.
Its usually a good idea, however, to only
ask for Climbing Rolls at dramatically
appropriate moments. Examples might
include a climber coming under attack, or
hitting an unforeseen obstacle, or perhaps
rushing to complete a climb before an enemy
can cut the climbers rope. Further, unless
a characters hands are free due to the use
of special climbing equipment, any combat
related maneuvers (such as using a ranged
weapon, dodging, etc.) would require a
Climbing Skill Roll in order for the climber
to maintain his hold. A character may move
at his normal rate per Round while
climbing.
Failing a Climbing Roll could mean
that the character cant continue to
ascend (for whatever reason) and would
need to find some other way to scale that
particular surface (possibly by swinging

156
 Failing a Concealment Roll usually results in a
shoddy job at hiding the object in question. Bonus
Modifiers should be awarded to any attempts
to locate an object that was hidden by a failed
Concealment Roll. If using Concealment to find
a hidden object, then failure simply means the
object was not located. Fumbling a Concealment
Roll usually means a character was unable to hide
the object at all. If a Concealment Roll to locate
a hidden trap is Fumbled, the character might be
absolutely convinced that no trap exists (much to
the chagrin of the poor sap who triggers it).
Concealment Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Concealment.
Contortion (Agility)
Contortion allows a character to bend and twist
his body in extraordinary and unusual ways. This
ability is extremely useful in escaping from confining
bonds and martial holds. Difficulty Modifiers should
be applied depending on the complexity of the bonds.
Simple ropes should be fairly easy to escape from,
while wrist and ankle shackles or other sophisticated
restraining devices should prove more challenging.
Contortion does not grant the character the ability to
pick locks, however. If a restraining device employed
locks, the contortionist would need the Lock Picking
Skill in order to escape the device.
The higher the Success Level scored, the faster
the contortionist is able to escape his bonds. A Partial
Success could mean it takes the contortionist a
couple of minutes (or longer) to escape, while a high
Success Level could see the contortionist slipping his
bonds in a few seconds. In combat, characters may
use Contortion as a Complementary Skill to Escape
Rolls (see the Maneuver Location Table, page 216).
Contortion can also serve as a Complementary
Skill to Concealment as the contortionist would be
able to squeeze into spaces an ordinary individual
could never hope to. This would allow a character
to escape imprisonment by wriggling through tiny
windows, crawling through small drainage tunnels,
or possibly even squeezing between the bars of a cell.
Contortion can also be used as a Complementary
Skill to appropriate Profession Skills.
Failing a Contortion Skill Roll means that the
character is incapable of contorting his body to the
extent necessary to achieve the desired effect. A
Fumbled Contortion Roll could mean damage to the
contortionist as a result of a severely pulled muscle
or improperly dislocated joint. As usual, it would
depend on the situation and the whim of the GM.
Contortion Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Contortion.
Basic Compendium
Conversation (Presence)
This Skill grants a character the ability to subtly
interrogate someone through the use of witty banter
and charming conversation. This gift of gab is
incredibly useful for any character who needs to
Chapter III: Character Creation
extract sensitive or personal information from
targets without them realizing that theyre giving up
the goods. Bartenders and groomers tend to have
this Skill due to targets letting their guards down
around them.
Conversation is a great Skill to use if a character
is trying to determine a targets true loyalties,
fears, or ambitions. Combined with the Talent
Empathy, Conversation can be a powerful tool,
allowing characters to find the weak link among
a group of loyal servants, soldiers, or guards.
These individuals can reveal the locations of secret
entrances or hidden caches of treasure, or divulge
crucial details of confidential political or military
schemes. Spies, assassins, or saboteurs would all
benefit from this Skill. Complementary Skills would
include Persuasion, Seduction, and Etiquette.
A failed Conversation Skill Roll could mean that
the target is just not forthcoming with the proper
information (for whatever reason). A Fumbled
Conversation Roll usually means the target realizes
hes being pumped for information and may clam
up completely, or become antagonistic and create
problems for his would-be interrogator.
Conversation Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Conversation.
Cryptography (Wit)
Cryptography gives a character the ability to
communicate using secret languages and codes
and to decipher same. Drdnah is a world full
of political intrigue, where powerful factions
constantly vie with one another for greater wealth,
prestige, and control. This is a setting rife with spies,
assassins, and saboteurs, a society where secret cants
and battle codes are more numerous than ordinary
languages. Combined with the fact that these cants
change on a regular basis, cryptographers are often
kept quite busy.
Deciphering secret codes can be a time
consuming process. Difficulty Modifiers should
be applied if the cryptographer has no clues
concerning the cipher being used, or if its a
particularly complex code. Bonus Modifiers can
be awarded if the code is similar to something the
cryptographer has seen before, or a variation of a
familiar cipher. Once a particular code is broken,
its simply a matter of translating the message.
Cryptographers would likewise be able to create
ciphers and encode their own secret messages.
Recipients of such messages would naturally have
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
to be familiar with the cipher or code being used in
order to translate the messages.
A cryptographer can also recognize patterns
in ancient scripts or in groups of pictures or
symbols. This would make a cryptographer able to
translate dead or obscure languages and ancient
hieroglyphics (a useful skill for an explorer or
BOOK ONE
antiquarian). Complementary Skills would be
related Language Skills or appropriate Knowledge
Skills of the ancient culture in question.
Failing a Cryptography Roll means that the
cryptographer is having a tough time cracking
the code. If writing an encoded message, it could
mean that the message was improperly coded and
therefore unintelligible. Fumbling a Cryptography
Skill Roll could result in an incorrect translation
of a coded message (which could have disastrous
results). If sending an encoded message, a Fumbled
Cryptography Roll could result in a code thats
incredibly easy to break and could give clues to
other codes created by the cryptographer.
Cryptography Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Cryptography.
Diplomacy (Wit) that is radically different in size and appearance
A character with this Skill is particularly adept
at managing negotiations between antagonistic
factions so that tension and ill will is minimized
and mutually beneficial solutions are found. A
skilled diplomat is especially good at brokering
alliances, treaties, and non-aggression pacts. Given
the constant feuds and vendettas between rival
Houses and Lines, this Skill could come in quite
handy. Although Diplomacy provides a character a
very basic knowledge of court politics, alliances, and
relationships, additional Skills such as Etiquette
and appropriate Knowledge Skills would certainly
make a diplomat far more effective.
Diplomacy can also be used to diffuse tensions
between individuals in order to avoid conflict or
violence. Talented diplomats have a knack for
negotiating their way out of sticky situations. A
trusted diplomat commands a great deal of respect
and is treated as a valuable dignitary by all sides of a
given conflict. Complementary Skills could include
Conversation, Oratory, and Persuasion. The Talent
Empathy would certainly give a diplomat an edge
in negotiations since he could read and react to the
emotional states of the parties involved.
Failing a Diplomacy Roll could mean that a
diplomat was having a hard time getting the factions
to agree to anything. It might lead to prolonged
negotiations or the need for further concessions on
somebodys part. A Fumbled Diplomacy Roll could
either mean a sudden halt to the negotiations, a
worsening of the political crisis, or possibly even a
158
war depending on the severity of the Fumble.
Diplomacy Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Diplomacy.
Disguise (Wit)
Disguise grants a character the ability to alter
his appearance in order to either be unrecognizable
or look like someone else. This is usually done
through the use of makeup, prosthetics, and
costumes. Disguise, however, only changes a
characters appearance. If a character also wished
to change his voice, mannerisms, and body
language, he would need to buy the Acting Skill.
A combination of these two Skills would allow a
character to believably create a false identity and
maintain it for long stretches at a time. The Talent
Natural Mimic would help a disguise artist to
impersonate a known individual. Characters with
Disguise are able to use their ability on others. This
Skill can also be used to recognize when another
individual is disguised.
In a world where many different Zoic types
exist, some disguises can prove quite a challenge. A
character attempting to disguise himself as a Zoic
would incur severe Difficulty Modifiers. In some
cases, the GM might rule the task impossible (such
as a four foot bat Zoic attempting to disguise herself
as a ten foot tall elephant Zoic). Disguise artists
might have to undergo some significant physical
alterations in order to pull off some disguises (such
as shaving off all of a Zoics fur, or cutting off
horns or tusks, or plucking all of a Zoics feathers).
Bonus Modifiers should be awarded if a character
attempts to disguise himself as a similar Zoic type
(a cat trying to be another cat, a snake another
snake, etc.)
Failing a Disguise Roll could mean that the
disguise is not terribly convincing or that the
disguise artist didnt have the right materials to pull
it off. Fumbling a Disguise Roll could mean that
either the disguise has been completely botched, or
perhaps that the disguise artist thinks the disguise
works when in reality it doesnt. This could lead to
some humorous situations if individuals who saw
through the disguise decided to play along with the
deluded disguise artist. Moments of hilarity would
likely ensue.
Disguise Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Disguise.
Dress Wound (Wit)
This Skill gives a character the ability to
render emergency medical care to an injured or
sick individual. This type of treatment is meant
 to stabilize a patient until professional medical
care can be administered. This Skill covers such
things as patching up cuts and gashes in order to
stop bleeding, treating sprains, temporarily setting
broken bones, etc. Dress Wound is not meant to
be a long term treatment. Any injuries patched
with Dress Wound that are not eventually treated
with either the Surgery Skill or magical healing
run the risk of becoming infected or of healing
improperly. Knowledge Skills of anatomy, field
injuries, or first aid techniques would be considered
Complementary Skills.
Dress Wound heals Subdue Damage first
followed by Fatal Damage. Every success scored on
Dress Wound Action Dice heals 4 levels of Subdue
Damage or 1 level of Fatal Damage, but only after
all the Subdue Damage of that particular wound
has been healed. If a patient is bleeding, a medic
must roll enough successes to heal at least 1 level
of Fatal Damage in order to stop the bleeding,
otherwise the patient will continue to bleed and
may eventually die from loss of blood (see the
Recovery Table, page 244).
Once Dress Wound has been successfully used
on a particular injury, it may not be used again on
that same injury by the same medic (although the
Skill could be used on other or new wounds). A
different medic could try to use Dress Wound on
the same injury but only if he had a higher Ranking
in Dress Wound than the original medic. Even
then, the new medic would only be able to heal
additional damage if he scored more successes than
the original medic.
Example: Akari attempts to use Dress Wound
on Mushka, who took a particularly vicious
injury to the stomach that caused him 12 levels of
Subdue Damage and 12 levels of Fatal Damage.
Akari has 6 Action Dice in Dress Wound and
scores 2 successes. She manages to heal 8 levels of
Subdue Damage on Mushka, but since she healed
no Fatal Damage, Mushka is still bleeding. Akari
cannot use her Dress Wound Skill again on that
same wound. Ishi, however, has 8 Action Dice in
Dress Wound. She looks at Akaris dressing to see
if there is anything else she can do. She rolls her
Dress Wound Action Dice and scores 6 successes.
Since Akari had already scored 2 successes, Ishi
only manages to heal another 4 Subdue Damage
Levels (healing Mushkas Subdue Damage
completely) and 3 Fatal Damage Levels. Mushkas
bleeding has been stopped and his wound is
considerably better. Only a character with 9 or
more Action Dice in Dress Wound could attempt
to heal his stomach injury further.
Failing a Dress Wound Skill Roll means the
character is having a hard time properly treating that
specific injury (due perhaps to excessive bleeding,
inferior materials, or just plain nervousness or
fatigue). Fumbling a Dress Wound Roll could result
Basic Compendium
in additional injury to the patient depending on
the severity of the Fumble.
Dress Wound Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Dress Wound.
Chapter III: Character Creation
Driving (Dexterity)
This General Skill allows a character to handle
a vehicle in challenging or combat situations.
Examples of this would include driving a chariot in a
race, piloting a skyship through a storm, or helming
a frigate while fighting pirates on the open sea.
Difficulty modifiers should be applied to Driving
Action Dice depending on the complexity of the
maneuver being attempted by the driver or pilot, or
on the severity of the adverse conditions.
If a character simply wanted the ability to handle
a vehicle under ordinary circumstances, he would
only need to pay 1 Character Point for Driving
in order to get half of his Dexterity Characteristic
(rounded up) as his Ranking. This level of Driving
would be sufficient for most day-to-day activities,
such as rowing a boat into a lake, or driving a cart
into town (activities that would not be deemed
Contested Actions and would therefore not require
a roll of Action Dice).
There are three Specializations for Driving:
Aerial Vessels, Land Vehicles, and Nautical Vessels.
Each Specialization also grants a character a
rudimentary knowledge of the most common forms
of vehicles in that category, including the various
parts of the vehicle, as well as what would be needed
for its upkeep. A character would not be able to
repair broken vehicles, however; that would require
an appropriate Profession Skill such as carpenter,
shipwright, wainwright, etc. Characters wishing
more detailed information about vessels in their
Specialization (the exact number of guns and crew
complement on various warships, strengths and
weaknesses of a particular vessel, etc.) would require
additional Knowledge Skills.
Failing a Driving Skill Roll means that a
character could not get the craft to execute the
maneuver he was attempting. It doesnt necessarily
result in a catastrophe, simply in a momentary loss
of control. Fumbling a Driving Roll, however, does
usually result in some catastrophic event (a crash,
exposure to a full broadside, etc.).
Aerial Vessels: This category includes skyships
of all kinds, from massive dreadnoughts to smaller
barges and skiffs. More properly known as Piloting,
handling a skyship is a combination of sky crystal use,
sail rudder steerage, sail placement, and the casting
of floating anchors to catch directional winds.
Land Vehicles: This category encompasses all
land vehicles, including carts, chariots, coaches,
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
sand skiffs, sleds, wagons, etc. For the most part,
these vehicles are pulled by draft or riding beasts
of some kind, although some vehicles (like sand
skiffs and some sleds) can use sails and wind power.
Generally, if a vehicle travels on the land in two
dimensions, its included in this category.
Nautical Vessels: This category covers simple
BOOK ONE
fishing boats and junks to military warships and
everything in-between, regardless of whether the
craft is powered by oars, wind, or paddle wheels.
This type of Driving is also commonly referred to as
Piloting and gives a character the ability to steer or
handle any sort of vessel that travels on the water.
Driving Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Driving.
Duel Dancing (Presence)
Duel Dancing is a ritualized form of combat
practiced by virtually every martial artist. Its essentially
a kata that incorporates the martial maneuvers of a
given style, and is designed to show an opponent the
level of a martial artists skill. Depending on the style
of the combatant, a duel dance can be graceful and
flowing, fast and precise, or slow and powerful. Duel
Dancing is considered a refined art among warriors
and the best practitioners of this form of combat are
accorded a great deal of respect.
Before two combatants fight in the Spiral Arena
(or in any sort of formal duel), it is customary for each
warrior to perform a duel dance. They can either
perform it one after the other or simultaneously.
The purpose of the duel dance is to impress your
opponent in order to gain an advantage in the
coming duel. In certain cases, especially if a character
scores many more successes than his opponent, a
duel dance may be enough to settle the score, thus
forgoing the need for bloodshed. The humbled
opponent may choose to acknowledge the characters
superior skill and simply admit defeat. There is no
dishonor whatsoever in this act.
A character may normally only use his Duel
Dancing Skill before combat begins, and against
another Duel Dancing opponent. Both combatants
roll their Duel Dancing Action Dice and compare
successes. Every 2 successes a character scores over
his opponents adds 1 die to his Martial Arts Action
Dice for the remainder of that duel only. New duels
with the same opponent would require a new Duel
Dancing Skill Roll.
Example: Ishi and Shadis decide to meet in the
Spiral Arena to settle a matter of honor. Ishi decides
to begin the duel with a duel dance. She has Ranking
of 8 in Duel Dancing and scores 6 successes on her
Action Dice. Shadis has a Ranking of 6 in Duel
Dancing and only manages to score 2 successes. Ishi
will get a bonus of 2 dice to her Martial Arts Action
160
Dice for the remainder of the duel. Should Shadis
survive the duel and wish to challenge Ishi again at
a later time, they would both have to roll their Duel
Dancing Action Dice again to determine any Martial
Arts bonuses for the new duel.
Although Duel Dancing should normally only
be used for formal duels, a GM might decide to
allow characters to use this Skill in regular combat
in certain situations, such as a Complementary Skill
to Intimidation (if a character were trying to impress
common thugs or soldiers). However, Duel Dancing
should not grant its regular bonus to a characters
Martial Arts Action Dice in these circumstances
(although it might grant a bonus for a single attack
as per normal Complementary Skill usage, at the
discretion of the GM). Acrobatics, Athletics, or
Intimidation could potentially be Complementary
Skills to Duel Dancing.
Duel Dancing Cost: 5 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 3 Character Points for every additional level
of Duel Dancing.
Etiquette (Presence)
This Skill gives a character the knowledge
of proper social behavior and grants him the
ability to interact effectively in formal situations.
Etiquette is essential for any courtier who wishes
to make a good impression on the nobility and
the royalty. This Skill also grants an individual a
general knowledge of protocol for most cultures.
Knowledge Skills of specific cultures would be
considered Complementary, and would allow a
character to know obscure but important details
concerning the customs and regulations of a given
court. Other Complementary Skills would include
Conversation, Intrigue, and Seduction.
An Etiquette Skill Roll is required whenever a
character is trying to impress the members of court
or a specific dignitary. Simply interacting in a court
situation should be considered a Free Action for
someone with Etiquette. A successful Etiquette Skill
Roll would allow a character to know the correct
course of action in any given circumstance. The higher
the Success Level, the greater the level of admiration
and respect a character would receive. Effective use of
Etiquette, Conversation, and Seduction could make
a character a favorite at court; an individual whose
wit, charm, and sex appeal would insure invitations
to the most lavish and exclusive social events.
A failed Etiquette Roll could either mean that
a character is uncertain how to proceed or has
committed a minor gaffe. A character could recover
from such a faux pas with some quick thinking and
careful social maneuvering. A Fumbled Etiquette
Roll usually means a major social blunder that could
result in loss of favor at court or a diminishment
of a characters social status. Depending on the
 severity of the Fumble, this might even lead to
arrest, banishment, or worse.
Etiquette Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Etiquette.
Evade (Agility)
This Combat Skill gives a character the ability
to dodge or block any form of physical attack
he is able to perceive, whether hand-to-hand,
melee, or ranged. Evade also allows a character
to avoid damage from environmental dangers
such as rockslides, explosions, or lightning strikes
(interpreted as a characters ability to leap clear of
danger or dive for cover). Evade is basically an
all-encompassing Defense Roll that applies both in
and out of combat and under any circumstance.
Modifiers for combat should be applied normally
to a characters Evade Skill Action Dice (see the
Combat chapter for more details).
Given that ranged Combat Skills provide
no defense whatsoever, and that hand-to-hand
Combat Skills (with the exception of Martial Arts)
only provide a defense against other hand-to-hand
attacks, combatants would need to purchase Evade
in order to have a universal Defense Roll. This
Skill is incredibly useful for non-combat oriented
characters as well (scholars, healers, sorcerers, etc.)
since it can help them survive combat intensive
campaigns. Evade is a Basic Starting Skill so all
characters get it at half their Agility Ranking or
at a Ranking of 3 (whichever is lower) at no cost.
Acrobatics or Athletics could be Complementary
Skills to Evade.
Evade provides no damage reduction or
absorption of any kind; it is simply a way to avoid
being hit. Thus, it does not protect against poisons,
acids, or drugs once they have been introduced
into a characters body. Similarly, damage from
environmental factors that cannot be dodged
(such as poisonous gasses, freezing cold, suffocating
heat, etc.) is not affected by this Skill. Depending
on the nature of a magical attack (and how it targets
a character), some magical effects would likewise
be unaffected by Evade.
Evade Cost: 5 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 3 Character Points for every additional level
of Evade.
Fast Draw (Dexterity)
This Skill allows a character to instantly draw
and ready a weapon without having to use a Combat
Action (see the Combat chapter for more details).
This Skill can be used with any melee or missile
weapon at the discretion of the GM. Some large
or incredibly bulky weapons, such as pole arms or
heavy firearms, may be deemed inappropriate for
Basic Compendium
use with Fast Draw. This, however, would depend
on the size and strength of the Zoic wielding it. An
elephant Zoic, for example, might be able to use
Fast Draw with a Hthiyaran blunderbuss whereas
a cheetah Zoic might not. Combined with the
Chapter III: Character Creation
Fast Reflexes Talent, this Skill can duplicate the
lightning quick reactions of a master gunfighter,
archer, or swordsman.
A further benefit of Fast Draw is its ability to
shorten reload times on firearms. Since all Drdni
firearms are muzzleloaders, reloading a rifle or a
pistol can take a significant amount of time (see
the Firearm Combat Skill for more details). A
successful Fast Draw Skill Roll, however, allows a
character to reload a firearm in a single Combat
Round. Sleight of Hand could be considered a
Complementary Skill to Fast Draw.
Failing a Fast Draw Skill Roll means that the
character will have to use a Combat Action in
order to draw and ready the weapon. In the case
of reloading, it means that the character does not
save any time on the reload. A Fumbled Fast Draw
Roll could result in a dropped weapon, or possibly
even damage to the weapon depending on the
severity of the Fumble. In the case of reloading,
a Fumble could tack on additional Rounds to the
usual reload times.
Fast Draw Cost: 5 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 3 Character Points for every additional
level of Fast Draw.
Firearm Combat (Dexterity)
This Skill allows a character to use small
gunpowder weapons such as pistols, muskets,
rifles, blunderbusses, etc., in combat. Firearms are
called Vaylah weapons on Drdnah (named after
the legendary alchemist who discovered gunpowder
centuries ago). Most Vaylah weapons use a firing
mechanism similar to a flintlock, although there
are older mechanisms resembling wheel-locks
and matchlocks that are still used in various parts
of the world. Vaylah weapons are smoothbore
muzzleloaders, meaning they have no rifling on the
inside of their barrels and are loaded through the
forward, open end of the guns barrel.
A character uses his Action Dice in Firearm
Combat just as he would any Combat Skill to
determine successes and the level of damage
inflicted by the weapon (see the Combat chapter for
a detailed description of combat). Similar to other
ranged Combat Skills, Firearm Combat does not
give the character any Defense Rolls; it is strictly a
Skill designed to attack. Only the Evade Skill can
be used to defend against Firearm Combat attacks.
Normally, it takes a character with Firearm
Combat 3 full Rounds to reload a Vaylah weapon.
This amount of time doubles if a character does
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
not possess this Skill. Characters who possess Fast
Draw are able to reload a Vaylah weapon in a single
Combat Round with a successful Skill Roll. Once an
enemy is in melee range, however, most combatants
abandon their firearms and rely on melee and hand-
to-hand Combat Skills.
This Skill also provides a character with a working
BOOK ONE
knowledge of most Vaylah weapons, including how
to clean and maintain them. If a firearm were
to ever break, however, only a Gunsmith with a
Specialization in Firearms would be able to repair
it. Complementary Knowledge Skills in various
types of Vaylah weapons would allow a combatant
to specialize in using and maintaining those classes
of firearms (such as a sniper specializing in long
range rifles, or a pistoleer specializing in short
range pistols, etc.).
A failed Firearm Combat Roll simply means
that the character has missed his target and no
damage was done. Depending on its severity, a
Fumbled Firearm Combat Roll could either mean
a ricochet (which might accidentally hit an ally), or
it could mean the Vaylah weapon has jammed or
even exploded resulting in damage to the wielder
or those nearby.
Firearm Combat Cost: 5 Character Points
for the initial Skill; 3 Character Points for every
additional level of Firearm Combat.
Forgery (Dexterity)
Forgery allows a character to duplicate
documents, mimic signatures, make copies of
official seals and signets, or create counterfeit
money. It also allows a character to create imitations
of famous works of art. Difficulty Modifiers should
be applied to the Forgery Action Dice depending
on the complexity of the item being forged and
the amount of time available to do the forgery.
Documents, for example, would take less time and
be easier to forge than coins or works of art. Extra
Time Bonus Modifiers could also apply in many of
these circumstances.
Although Forgery is not a General Skill, a
forger should have supporting Knowledge Skills
that determine what sorts of things he is best at
duplicating (e.g. a document forger should have
Knowledge of court decrees and proclamations, an
art forger of famous artists and their works, a money
counterfeiter of various currencies, etc.). These
Knowledge Skills act as Complementary Skills to
Forgery. If a forger had no supporting Knowledge
Skills, then he would have to get his hands on an
original work in order to duplicate it effectively
or else suffer Difficulty Modifiers to his Forgery
Action Dice. Having an original work would give
a forger with supporting Knowledge Skills Bonus
Modifiers to his Forgery Roll.
162
Detecting a forgery is something that can usually
only be done by someone who is knowledgeable
in the forged item. This also requires appropriate
Knowledge Skills, which become Complementary
Skills to an Observation or a Perception Roll. The
inspector, however, must score more successes than
the forger did when he created the forgery (ties go
to the defender, which in this case is the victim of
the scam). If people have no reason to suspect that
an item is a forgery, a GM might decide that they
get no roll to detect it. In some cases, a forgery may
go undetected for years. Knowledgeable individuals
who are suspicious of a forged item can get Bonus
Modifiers to their Observation or Perception Rolls
(after all, they know what to look for).
Failing a Forgery Skill Roll does not necessarily
mean that the result is clearly a forgery. It might still
be sufficient to fool the untrained eye. An expert,
however, could tell with a simple inspection that
something was not right. Fumbling a Forgery Roll,
however, usually results in a clearly inferior product
(and in wasted materials). If a GM was feeling
particularly cheeky, he could decide that a Fumble
resulted in a product that the forger deemed good
enough for government work. Problems would
naturally arise when the forger tried to pass off the
shoddy counterfeit item as genuine.
Forgery Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Forgery.
Gaming (Wit)
This Skill grants a character the ability to play
strategy and gambling games. There are as many
different games on Drdnah as there are on Earth.
Two of the most popular are a chess-like game
called Ji and a card game called Devahs Doctrine.
Gambling games typically use cards, dice, or lots
of some sort. GMs are encouraged to adapt their
favorite historical game to their own campaigns. In
regards to games, however, one thing is certain: the
only thing the inhabitants of Drdnah love more
than playing games is wagering on them.
Whenever a character is involved in a strategy
or gambling game, he rolls his Gaming Action Dice
after making a wager (assuming hes playing for
money rather than just for fun). If a character scores
more successes than his opponents, he wins the
game and any money that was wagered. Difficulty
Modifiers could be applied if a characters never
played the game before. Similarly, Bonus Modifiers
could be applied if the character is an old pro at
the game. In some cases, GMs might wish to allow
players to make a simple Gaming Roll to see if their
characters made a little extra money during an
evening of carousing. The higher the Success Level,
the greater the winnings of the character.
 A character, of course, can always attempt to
cheat. Cheating requires a character to either have
the Sleight of Hand Skill (to palm cards, switch out
ordinary dice for loaded dice, etc.) or to have made
some preparations in order to make the cheating
possible (such as bribing a dealer, making sure a
marked deck is used, etc.). In the case of special
preparations, a GM can assign a cheater a Bonus
Modifier to his Gaming Action Dice depending on
the extent of the preparations. If Sleight of Hand is
being used, then every success scored on the Sleight
of Hand Action Dice gives a cheater another success
to boost his Gaming Success Level. This is better
than a Complementary Skill Roll because of the
consequences of being caught.
Someone attempting to detect a cheater may
use either a Gaming, Observation, or Perception
Roll to try to do it. This individual, however, must
roll more successes than the cheater rolled on either
his Sleight of Hand or his Gaming Roll (depending
on which he used to cheat). Ties go to the defender,
which in this case is the character being cheated.
Penalties for cheating vary from region to region,
but can range from having the cheater instantly
expelled from a game (and forced to give back all
winnings) to possibly having the cheater challenged
to a duel. There are no laws against cheating, per
se, but a reputation as a cheater can mean a loss
of honor and status, and permanent banishment
from gambling dens (a fate worse than death for
most gamblers).
Failing a Gaming Roll means a character loses
the game and his wager. In most instances, losing
money can make a character very popular with
fellow gamblers. After all, who doesnt like to win
other peoples money? Failing while cheating means
someone has noticed the cheating (but may decide
not to turn the cheater in, possibly for blackmail
purposes later on). Fumbling a Gaming Roll results
in a particularly bad loss, which could make a
character seem like an amateur or could cause him
to lose a considerable amount of money. Fumbling
while cheating exposes the characters attempt to
everyone involved in the game, which could end up
with the cheater running for his life.
Gaming Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Gaming.
Gunsmith (Dexterity)
This General Skill gives a character the ability to
make, maintain, and repair gunpowder weapons of
various kinds. Gunsmith has three Specializations:
Artillery Guns, Explosives, and Firearms. Each
Specialization grants a character working knowledge
of the various weapons in that particular category.
Additional Knowledge Skills of rare gunpowder
Basic Compendium
weapons, special gun-making materials, or famous
gunsmiths would be considered Complementary
Skills and could allow a gunsmith to make unique
and unusual weapons. Artillery Combat and Firearm
Combat could also be used as Complementary Skills
Chapter III: Character Creation
if a gunsmith has those particular Specializations.
Gunsmith not only allows a character to make
gunpowder weapons, it also allows him to appraise
the quality and durability of other weapons in his
Specialization. A successful roll would allow a
gunsmith to identify the techniques used to craft a
particular piece, its area of origin, the fundamentals
of its operation, and any strengths or weaknesses the
weapon might possess.
There are three basic materials that are used
to create gunpowder weapons. Firearms are most
commonly made of suthra chitin, specially treated in
chemical baths to harden it and make it more heat-
resistant. Chitin is also commonly used to make
grenades and bombs. More expensive firearms and
most cannons are made of a special tree sap called
Amber, which can be heated and poured into molds.
Amber hardens to the strength and resilience of a
superhard Pyrex. The most expensive firearms and the
finest cannons are made of unique Drdni crystals
that have the heat-absorption capability and strength
of modern Earth ceramics (which are stronger than
steel). These weapons have to be grown, however, and
can cost a small fortune in materials, which is why
they are usually only made as special commissions
from incredibly wealthy nobles.
A failed Gunsmith Roll usually means
a weapon has failed to meet the gunsmiths
standards of quality. Such a weapon would be
far more likely to jam or explode (even a minor
Fumble while using it would result in disaster).
If using Gunsmith to appraise another weapon,
failure could simply mean that the design is
unfamiliar to the gunsmith. A Fumbled Gunsmith
Roll means that the weapon is totally ruined,
which given the materials and time needed to
create some guns could result in a substantial
financial loss for the gunsmith (and an incredibly
upset patron). In the case of bombs, a Fumble
always means an explosion, which given the size
and power of the bomb could result in severe
injury or death.
Artillery Guns: This category includes
bombards, cannons, mortars, hand cannons, etc.
Cannonsmiths are usually employed by incredibly
wealthy and powerful patrons as the process of
making large artillery pieces is time-consuming
and very expensive. The most highly skilled
cannonsmiths, however, are treasured by any lord
with ambitions of conquest, which translates
into incredible wealth and prestige for the lucky
cannonsmiths.
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
Explosives: This category encompasses bombs,
grenades, mines, or any explosive device of any
kind. Bomb makers usually have short careers
(for obvious reasons); the oldest ones tend to go
through quite a lot of assistants, and even so will
normally be missing one or more limbs. Given the
supremacy of skyships on the battlefield, however,
bombs are commonly used in warfare, so bomb
BOOK ONE
makers are always kept busy and are usually quite
wealthy.
Firearms: This category covers blunderbusses,
muskets, pistols, rifles, etc. Gunsmiths are far
more common than either cannonsmiths or bomb
makers. Some specialize in mass producing firearms
for powerful lords, while others consider themselves
masters who prefer to craft beautiful crystal guns
valued as stunning works of art by the patrons who
commission them.
Gunsmith Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Gunsmith.
Interrogation (Presence)
This Skill allows a character to forcibly extract
information from a subject, either through mental
manipulation or physical torture. On the low end of
the scale, interrogators are simply disciplined thugs
skilled at inflicting pain. On the upper end of the
scale, interrogators are known as torturers. These
individuals are often High Caste physicians trained
in medical techniques designed to keep victims
alive. But it is the twisted Holy Caste doctors that
are truly prized for their superior surgical training
and advanced knowledge of medicine.
The most common interrogation techniques
involve acts of physical torture usually aided by
various nasty and cruel devices. Complementary
Skills for this type of interrogation would include
Intimidation and Surgery, as well as Knowledge
Skills of pressure points, pain centers, torture
implements, and general Zoic biology. The more
advanced techniques use various psychological
tricks, combined with mind-altering drugs, designed
to confuse victims into divulging their precious
secrets. Complementary Skills for these techniques
would include Medical Alchemy, Conversation,
and Persuasion.
When a character attempts to use Interrogation
against a target, he rolls his Interrogation Action
Dice and compares successes against the victims
Will Roll (who gets to add the Pain Resistance
Talent if theres physical torture involved). If the
interrogator scores a higher Success Level (ties go to
the victim) its assumed the torturer has successfully
broken the victim. Its up to the GM to decide target attacking the character or otherwise opposing
how much the victim will divulge when this occurs,
or how often an interrogator gets to roll to try and
164
break his victim. It should be noted that Successive
Attempts penalty modifiers should not be applied
to Interrogation, since this Skill is all about wearing
down victims in order to break their will.
A failed Interrogation Roll means that the
interrogator has not yet managed to break a victims
will, and must continue the physical or psychological
torture. A Fumbled Interrogation Roll usually
results in the death of the victim, although it could
be interpreted as the victims will simply being too
strong to break under interrogation (depending
on the situation and the victim).
Interrogation Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Interrogation.
Intimidation (Presence)
A character with this Skill is able to awe or cow
others through threats (implied or overt), a show of
force, or sheer strength of personality. Intimidation
works best against weak-willed, cowardly, or inferior
opponents (such as common criminals, prissy
courtiers, or snooty merchants) but it can also be
effective against more formidable foes. A GM can
decide, however, that there are individuals who
simply cannot be intimidated. Complementary
Skills could include Acrobatics, Acting, Athletics,
Duel Dancing, Oratory, or Streetwise. Using a
Combat Skill as a display of force could also be
deemed a Complementary Skill.
Whenever a character tries to use Intimidation,
he rolls his Action Dice and compares his successes
to his targets Will or Presence Roll (whichever
Characteristic has the higher Ranking). If the
character scores more successes than his target (ties
go to the defender), then his target is effectively
intimidated and will generally do whatever the
character was demanding.
Modifiers can be applied to the Intimidation
Action Dice depending on what the character is
asking the target to do. Forcing a target to back
down from a fight is a fairly common use of this
Skill. Once involved in combat, Intimidation can be
used to force an opponent to surrender, although
this would be more difficult (unless the target was
losing). An Intimidation effort that was designed
to humiliate or dishonor an opponent, or to force
a target to hand over valuable property, would be
even more challenging.
Failing an Intimidation Roll simply means
that the particular attempt to cow a target was
unsuccessful, which could result in the target
becoming more obstinate or antagonistic. A
Fumbled Intimidation Roll usually results in the
him in the strongest way possible, which could
include arrest and imprisonment if such a thing is
 within the targets power.
Intimidation Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Intimidation.
Intrigue (Wit)
Intrigue allows a character to manipulate
individuals or factions through crafty plotting
and underhanded machinations in order to gain
a political advantage for himself or others. This
Skill is useful if a character wants to harm political
or social rivals, or even bring about their ruin.
Intrigue could well be called the Iago Skill after
Shakespeares conniving court advisor in Othello.
Intrigue is primarily used to gather sensitive
information on individuals or factions; intrigue
artists know exactly who to go to in order to get the
juiciest gossip. This Skill is especially useful to reveal
exploitable weaknesses, such as fragile alliances,
secret feuds, embarrassing vices, or dangerous
political ploys. It also allows a character to spread
vicious rumors in order to sway the opinions of
others to his own ends. A skilled intrigue artist can
eventually find himself in the thick of dangerous
embroilments. So take heed! Playing these sorts of
political games can be incredibly dangerous, as it
creates as many powerful enemies as it does allies.
Before using Intrigue, a character tells the
GM what sort of information hes after. Difficulty
Modifiers should be applied depending on
how sensitive or damaging the GM deems that
information. The higher the Success Level scored
by the character, the more information the GM
reveals. A character would also make an Intrigue
Roll when he wanted to circulate rumors. Again,
Difficulty Modifiers should be applied depending
on what the rumor was designed to do (weaken
an alliance, discredit someone, start a feud,
etc.). Finally, characters can use Intrigue to try
and discover or reveal the intrigues of others.
Complementary Skills would include Bribery,
Conversation, Etiquette, Seduction, or various
Knowledge Skills of politics, factions, or power
brokers.
It should be noted that using Intrigue properly
takes time. Rumors must be carefully planted, trust
must be gained, bribes offered, favors exchanged,
etc. For the most part, Intrigue gives the character
the information he needs to formulate political
schemes, and gives him the ability to plant rumors
and manipulate personalities in order to set
those schemes into motion. Whether a faction is
ultimately destroyed or not depends entirely on
what the character does to further his schemes
in the game (such as assassinating an important
leader, stealing secret documents, sabotaging an
alliance, framing a rival for a crime, etc.).
Basic Compendium
Failing an Intrigue Roll means that the
character was unable to discover the information he
was seeking or couldnt figure out a rivals scheme.
In the case of planting rumors, it could mean that
the rumor simply didnt take hold. Fumbling an
Chapter III: Character Creation
Intrigue Roll usually exposes the scheme to those
involved. This may lead to all sorts of trouble
for the schemer if his rivals are able to trace the
scheme back to him. A character may have to call
in all sorts of favors in order to survive Fumbling
an Intrigue Roll. Skipping town and disappearing
is always an option.
Intrigue Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Intrigue.
Knowledge (Wit)
Characters with this General Skill are able
to define a subject on which they are considered
knowledgeable. The subject of a Knowledge Skill
can be virtually anything, and it can be as general
or as specific as a character wishes. The more
general a Knowledge Skill topic, the more general
the information the character is able to recall;
the more specific the topic, the more specific the
details. For example, a character with a Knowledge
Skill of ancient history would know the major beats
of history: the different historical ages, famous
battles, famous historical figures, important
general dates, etc. A character with a Knowledge
Skill of the Twilight Wars would know specifics of
that particular era, including the major battles of
that conflict, the names of the Talons of Kramah
and their powers, the names of the sorcerer princes
of Visedhrah, the details concerning the last siege of
Jirangarrm, etc.
Every Knowledge Skill is considered a
Specialization. In other words, every time a
character wants knowledge of a particular subject,
he must purchase a new Knowledge Skill. Modifiers
could be applied to Knowledge Skill Action
Dice depending on how common or obscure the
information a character was seeking was deemed
to be by the GM. Buying both general and specific
Knowledge Skills is a way to represent a specialist
in a field. For example, if a doctor bought a
Knowledge Skill of general medicine, and another
Knowledge of plagues, and a final Knowledge of the
Gray Rot Plague, that doctor would be considered
one of the worlds leading specialists on plagues,
specifically the Gray Rot Plague. If he didnt have
the Knowledge Skill of medicine, he would not be
as knowledgeable about common Zoic ailments or
their treatments.
Knowledge Skills are commonly used as
Complementary Skills to other Skills. A character
with Gunsmith Skill would benefit from having
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
Knowledge Skill of Vaylah weapons as
they would help him craft better firearms.
A character with Streetwise would be far
more effective in dealing with thieves
if he also had a Knowledge Skill of
thieves guilds. Research is considered a
Complementary Skill to any Knowledge
Skill. Also, in certain cases, a Knowledge
BOOK ONE

Skill could be considered Complementary

to another Knowledge Skill, such as a
Knowledge of the Twilight Wars being
Complementary to a Knowledge Skill of
demonology (since that foul art was used
extensively in the Twilight Wars). As
always, GMs have the final say on what
Skills can be used as Complementary to
another.
Failing a Knowledge Skill Roll means
that the character was unable to recall
the necessary information. Fumbling
a Knowledge Roll could mean that a
character recalls incorrect information
and jumps to a faulty conclusion based
on those facts. Below are some examples
of some Knowledge Skills that a character
might possess.
Ancient or Current History - knowledge of
the various ages of Drdnah, including important
events, figures, dates, etc., or of current events,
rulers, recent wars, etc.
Architecture - knowledge of the art of
architecture, its history, important architectural
buildings, schools of thought, etc.
Art - knowledge of the various forms of art
on Drdnah, famous artists, significant artistic
movements, etc.
Cartography - knowledge of maps, their
construction, the history of mapmaking, famous
cartographers, etc.
Crystal Lore - knowledge of the various
crystals on Drdnah, their physical properties
and characteristics, myths surrounding them, etc.
Cultural Traditions - knowledge of a characters
specific culture, including that cultures traditions,
laws, practices, taboos, etc.
Divination - knowledge of the art of fortune-
telling using various methods (cards, bones, entrails,
crystal gazing, etc.).
Economics - knowledge of the production,
distribution, and consumption of goods and
services, including economic systems, currencies,
exchange rates, etc.
Famous Jnah - knowledge of heroes, beloved
rulers, infamous conquerors, master craftsmen,
renowned explorers, etc.
Fashion - knowledge of popular styles in fashion,
including fashion trends of various countries,
famous dressmakers, fashionable materials, etc.
Firearms - knowledge of Vaylah weapons,
including the various types, famous gunsmiths,
gunmaking techniques, etc.
Geography - knowledge of the various lands
and their topographical features, including the
names of nations, provinces, regions, as well as
bodies of water, deserts, forests, etc.
Heraldry - knowledge of the various crests
and sigils used to identify different Houses, Lines,
political factions, guilds, clans, etc.
Herbal Lore - knowledge of the properties of
the various plants, herbs, and fungi of Drdnah,
as well as their effect on the body.
Horticulture - knowledge of the art of
cultivating and harvesting grains, fruits, vegetables,
flowers, or ornamental plants, including knowledge
of the seasons, harvests, storage techniques, etc.
Jenu Lore - knowledge of the various Zoics of
Drdnah, including unique abilities, dispositions,
habits, strengths, weaknesses, etc.
Legends - knowledge of mythic individuals
and events, including religious epics, the Devah,
demons and Narkah, local folklore, etc.
Lineages - knowledge of the various political
Lines and Houses of any given region, including
legendary great aryahs and aryahs, Line feuds,
alliances, etc.
Literature - knowledge of the worlds literary

166
 works, including religious texts and poetry, fables
and myths, famous authors and poets, etc.
Magic Theory - knowledge of the workings
of magic and how it relates to the forces of nature
and the supernatural, including rituals, the
Dreamworld, and the other essentials of sorcery.
Martial Arts Lore - knowledge of the various
martial styles of Drdnah, including unique
fighting techniques, the history of martial arts,
their impact on society, etc.
Mathematics - knowledge of the laws believed
to define the universe, including the concepts
of basic and advanced math, principle theories,
famous mathematicians, etc.
Medical Lore - knowledge of the body and its
functions, including the essential elements, fluids,
and humors, as well as knowledge of different
medicines, their functions, and how best to use
them in treating ailments of the body and mind,
etc.
Mineral Lore - knowledge of different
minerals and their various uses, including where
the minerals can be found, rare minerals, folklore
concerning minerals, etc.
Music - knowledge of the popular trends and
styles of music, as well as musical history, famous
musicians, popular songs, etc.
Poisons - knowledge of the worlds various
toxic substances, including their effects, antidotes,
sources, methods of delivering the poisons, etc.
Politics - knowledge of the worlds most
influential nations, Lines, Houses, and their
associations and interactions with each other.
Region Lore - knowledge of a specified area,
its geography, flora, fauna, weather, politics, etc.
This is a Basic Starting Skill, so a character gets
this Knowledge at half his Wit or a Ranking of 3
(whichever is lower) at no cost. The character must
specify the region (usually the characters home city)
covered by this free Knowledge.
Religion - knowledge of the various practices,
rituals, and beliefs of the two major religions of the
world (the Mahist and Dru faith) and any of the
sub-cults within each.
Ritual Lore - knowledge of the types of rituals
practiced in magic or religion, including their
histories, variations, significance, etc.
Suthra Lore - knowledge of the worlds fauna,
including physiology, habitats, diet, behavioral
traits, etc.
Weapons - knowledge of the various weapon
types of Drdnah, including usage, history,
variations, etc.
Weather Lore - knowledge of weather patterns,
Basic Compendium
the seasons, storm prediction, etc.
World Cultures - knowledge of the various
cultures of Drdnah, including the overall societal
differences between the different nations, common
laws governing a region, popular religions of the
Chapter III: Character Creation
area, fashion trends, customs, etc.
Knowledge Cost: 2 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 1 Character Point for every additional
level of Knowledge.
Language (Wit)
This General Skill gives a character the
ability to speak one of the various languages of
Drdnah. Each individual language is considered
a Specialization for this Skill. Speaking a language
doesnt normally require a roll of Action Dice.
Normal language usage is considered a Free
Action. The only time a Language Skill Roll would
be required (i.e. the action would be deemed a
Contested Action) would be in instances where a
character was trying to either speak or understand
a dialect of a language with which he was fluent, or
if he was trying to seem particularly eloquent and
well-spoken.
In general, the higher a Language Skills
Ranking, the more fluent and eloquent a character
is deemed to be in that language. Language Skills
can serve as Complementary Skills to Acting (if
a character is pretending to be from a specific
country or region where the language is spoken),
Conversation, Diplomacy, Etiquette, Oratory,
or even Performance (if a good grasp of language
is required for the specific performance). Every
characters gets their native tongue at half of their
Wit or a Ranking of 3 (whichever is lower) as a
Basic Starting Skill. If a character wished to be
more eloquent with his native tongue, hed have to
buy the full Language Skill.
Whether a character has literacy in a language is
completely up to the player and the GM. If it makes
sense that a character would be literate, then hes
assumed to be able to read and write the languages
he knows. If not, then the character is illiterate.
If a character starts out the game being illiterate
and then later, after the game has begun, wants to
learn to read and write, the GM should decide on
a reasonable time frame for that to happen and
have the character slowly learn to read and write. It
doesnt cost any Character Points since its mainly a
roleplaying thing anyway. But for general reference,
most Holy, High, and Trade Caste individuals will
know how to read and write. Low Caste members
and Outcastes (except for certain Dishonored) will
usually be illiterate.
Another form of Language Skill frequently
used on Drdnah is the Cant or Whisper Tongue.
These special forms of communication are a series
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
of body movements, hand gestures, coded words,
and even sounds (such as clicks, whistles, growls,
hisses) used by various Lines, Houses, guilds, or
other organizations whose membership wishes
to communicate secretly even in the presence of
others. Depending on the circumstances of their
usage, GMs could decide that special languages
required a Language Skill Roll (after all, the goal is
BOOK ONE
not to let others know youre using a Cant).
Failing a Language Skill Roll means that a
character was unable to reproduce or understand
a dialect, or did not come across as eloquent as
he might have hoped. Fumbling a Language Roll
could mean that a characters attempt at a dialect
was misinterpreted in some negative way, or that
a character himself misinterpreted something
someone else said. In the case of Cants, a Fumble
could means a clumsy use of the secret language
that alerts enemies to its usage and could possibly
even allow them to decipher it.
The following major languages are some of the
Specializations available with this Skill (each major
language usually has dozens of regional dialects):
Amnolic - A musical Paksin language spoken
in the southwestern amn of Amol. Although not
considered as beautiful as Rkbarani, it is still a
popular language among musicians and singers.
Amnolic and Rkbarani share a common alphabet
and have similar vocabularies.
Andhi - A sibilant Sarpah language spoken in
the northeastern isvarate of Andhi. This language
and Pkharaji are very similar. It uses the same
logographic script used by all Sarpah languages
except Magri.
Bakri - A rhythmic Vajrah language spoken in
the southern isvarate of Bakri. It uses the common
Vajrah alphabet and segmental writing system.
Cant (Whisper Tongue) - A secret language
spoken by members of Lines, Houses, guilds, or other
organizations consisting of subtle body movements,
hand signals, coded words, and sounds.
Dar-Purmi - A staccato Vajrah language spoken
in the southern island isvarate of Dar-Purm. It uses
the common Vajrah alphabet and segmental writing
system.
Gilrhian - A lilting Vajrah language spoken
in the central Drdni isvarate of Gilrhi. This
language and Tishnian are distant cousins. It uses
the common Vajrah alphabet and segmental writing
system.
Hardaz - An extremely guttural Vajrah language
spoken in the northern khanate of the Hardazi.
Although its alphabet and segmental writing system
share a few characteristics with the common Vajrah
alphabet and script, it would be difficult to read by
a non-Hardaz speaker.
168
Hthiyaran - A rumbling Vajrah language spoken
in the eastern isvarate of Hthiyar. It uses a very
stylized version of the common Vajrah alphabet and
segmental writing system borrowed from the Nilmi,
although the more common form of alphabet and
script are still used in parts of the country.
Ishpri - A heavily aspirated Vajrah language
spoken in the central Drdni isvarate of Ishpria.
It uses the common Vajrah alphabet and segmental
writing system.
Klin - A high-pitched Vajrah language spoken
on the eastern island of Klinrh. This language
relies on sounds that can only be produced or
heard by bat Zoics, thus it is said that only a Klin
is truly capable of speaking this language. For this
reason, there are two different dialects: Formal Klin
and Common (sometimes called Gutter) Klin.
Common Klin does not utilize the high frequency
sounds of Formal Klin. Its complex logographic
script is unique to the island of Klinrh, and (some
claim) undecipherable by anyone except Klin and
those touched by madness.
Kttish - A barking, discordant Vajrah language
spoken in the southeastern isvarate of Ktta. It
uses the common Vajrah alphabet and segmental
writing system.
Lorh - A melodious Vajrah language spoken
by various gypsy tribes that roam the southeastern
mountain ranges of Drdnah. Its script has more
in common with the Sarpah logographic script,
however, than with the common Vajrah alphabet
and writing system.
Magri - A throaty Sarpah language spoken
in the southern isvarate of Magr. This Sarpah
language is unique, however, in that it uses the
common Vajrah alphabet and segmental writing
system.
Nilmi - A highly inflected and precise Vajrah
language spoken in the eastern isvarate of Nilm.
It uses an incredibly stylized version of the common
Vajrah alphabet and segmental writing system. It is
considered the language of scholars.
Pkharaji - Sharing a few characteristics with
Andhi, this Sarpah language is spoken in the
northeastern isvarate of Pkharaj. It uses the same
logographic script of other Sarpah languages.
Rkbarani - Considered one of the most beautiful
languages on Drdnah, this incredibly melodious
Paksin tongue is spoken in the western amn of
Rkbar. Known as the Bards Tongue, Drdnahs
greatest musicians and singers are always fluent in
Rkbarani. It uses the same alphabet as Amnolic.
Sustrmi - A purring Vajrah language spoken
in the central amn of Sustrm. It uses the common
Vajrah alphabet and segmental writing system.
 Tishnian - This melodious Vajrah language
is considered the trade language of the world,
making it the most commonly spoken language
on Drdnah. Its the predominant language of
the central isvarate of Tishnia and is similar to
Gilrhian. It uses the common Vajrah alphabet and
segmental writing system.
Ullshi - A hybrid Vajrah and Sarpah language
spoken in the northeastern isvarate of Ullsh.
Speakers of Ullshi are capable of understanding
an Andhi or Pkharaji speaker if they speak slowly
enough. It uses the common Vajrah alphabet and
segmental writing system.
Visedi - One of the oldest languages on
Drdnah, this complex Sarpah language is spoken
in the northern Visedhran Principalities. There are
three main dialects: High Visedi, Common Visedi,
and Low Visedi (used by the Holy/High, Trade, and
Low Castes respectively). Speakers of Visedi can
recognize a good deal of the Andhi and Pkharaji
vocabulary. It uses a very formal (and some say
beautiful) version of the Sarpah logographic script.
Language Cost: 2 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 1 Character Point for every additional
level of Language.
Lock Picking (Dexterity)
This Skill gives a character knowledge of
locking mechanisms and the ability to open them
with the proper tools. Locks on Drdnah are
made primarily of crystal (the same variety used to
make Vaylah weapons), although chitin, Amber,
and even certain hard woods are also used. Lock
Picking does not allow a character to detect or
disarm traps that might be worked into the design
of a lock; that requires the Skills Concealment and
Trapping respectively.
GMs should apply modifiers depending on
the complexity of the lock and how much time a
character can spend trying to pick it. It is possible,
however, for an especially talented lock picker
to open a lock in a very short period of time. In
general, the higher the Success Level, the quicker
a character is able to defeat a lock. If a character
scores a particularly high Success Level (Excellent
or higher) with Lock Picking, he can decide to
break a lock if he wishes so that it cannot lock
again. Some locks, however, might be deemed
unbreakable by a GM. Complementary Skill
could include Concealment, Observation, and
Knowledge Skills on various locking mechanisms.
Failing a Lock Picking Skill Roll means
the character was unable to defeat a particular
lock. Successive attempts can be made with the
appropriate penalties. Fumbling a Lock Picking
Roll could either mean broken lock picks or a
jammed lock that would make Successive Attempts
Basic Compendium
to pick it impossible. In certain cases, it could even
mean that the character has triggered an undetected
trap.
Lock Picking Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
Chapter III: Character Creation
level of Lock Picking
Magic Ritual (Essence)
This General Skill allows a character to use
the arts of sorcery and manipulate the arcane
energies of the Dream Realm. Whether a learned
sirhibas, holy mngai, mysterious witch, or tribal
shaman, magicians on Drdnah all acknowledge
the Five Eternal Truths of Magic. These Truths
were decreed by the goddess of prophecy herself,
the Devah Krilrah, and they can never be undone.
Magic rituals would simply not function if one of
the Truths were to be ignored. Although there are
regional differences regarding the specifics of magic
and the beliefs surrounding them, the Truths
themselves are universal throughout Drdnah.
The First Truth states that the mysterious
and powerful Dream Realm is the source of all
Drdni magic, and all magicians must tap its
essence in order to perform magic of any kind. The
Second Truth states that all magicians must use
incantations (usually in the form of chants) to call
forth the essence of the Dream Realm. The Third
Truth states that all magicians must use mystic sigils
to focus and shape the magic they call forth. These
sigils can be inscribed either upon a magicians
own body (in the form of tattoos), or upon foci
employed by magicians (such as prayer bowls, beads,
meditation rugs), or upon the ritual chamber floor
itself. The Fourth Truth states that using magic is
never safe; all magicians must guard against the
possible intrusion of alien and sinister entities that
inhabit the Dream Realm or the Swirling Void of
Narkah. The Fifth Truth states that magic always
comes with a price; the more powerful the magic,
the greater the price. Regardless of how the magic
is used, the price must always be paid.
The Magic Ritual Skill has four Specializations:
Dreamwalking, Endowment, Healing, and
Summoning. Sorcerers who specialize in
Dreamwalking are called seers. Those who
specialize in Endowment are known as mages.
Sorcerer specialists in either Healing or Summoning
are called healers or summoners respectively.
Priests who specialize in Healing are called blessed
mngai. Those who specialize in Dreamwalking,
Endowment, or Summoning are called sadhu.
A character may have multiple Specializations,
in which case he can choose whatever title he
prefers.
All magicians must have purchased the Mystic
Talent in order to buy the Magic Ritual Skill. As
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
stated in the Mystic Talent description on page 114,
magicians can buy one Magic Ritual Specialization
for every 2 levels of Mystic Talent they possess. Since
Mystic Talent levels can never exceed a magicians
Essence Ranking, it would take a magician with
8 levels of Mystic Talent and an 8 Essence to be
able to buy all four Magic Ritual Specializations.
Its important to note, however, that rarely will a
BOOK ONE
sorcerer be adept with more than 2 Specializations.
Complementary Skills could include Knowledge
Skills of magic rituals, demons, the Dream Realm,
or even medicine depending on the Specialization.
A full explanation of magic and magic rituals is
found in the Ritual Magic chapter.
Failing a Magic Ritual Roll means that a
magician was either unable to enter into ritual and
summon the magic necessary, or encountered some
problem that hurled him out of ritual prematurely
and interrupted his intended use of magic. A
Fumbled Magic Ritual Roll means that something
has gone terribly wrong. Most often it will have to
do with the Fourth Truth of Magic and will mean
that some sinister entity has either been released or
has become attached to the magician in some way.
This may not be immediately apparent, however,
which would give the entity time to engage in
mischief. If not properly dealt with, that mischief
could ultimately become deadly.
Ritual of Dreamwalking: This ritual allows a
seer to go into a trance and enter the Dream Realm
so that visions of the past, present, and future can be
170
glimpsed. Dreamwalking is enigmatic and sometimes
even dangerous depending on what the seer has to deal
with in the Dream.
Ritual of Endowment: This ritual allows a mage
to endow objects in the physical world with a variety of
magical traits. This type of magic can sometimes have
unexpected results, even when performed successfully.
Ritual of Healing: This ritual allows a healer to
restore the mind, body, or spirit. It is the least dangerous
of the magical arts but can be rather taxing for both the
healer and the patient.
Ritual of Summoning: This ritual allows a
summoner to call forth various creatures and entities
from either the physical world, the Dream Realm, or
from other dimensions. This is the most dangerous type
of magic, since summoned beings must be constantly
controlled. If a summoned creature manages to break
free, the results can be disastrous.
Magic Ritual Cost: 5 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 3 Character Points for every additional
level of Magic Ritual.
Martial Arts (Agility)
A character with this Combat Skill has been
trained to fight in a particular style of armed and
unarmed combat. Drdnah is a world steeped
in the martial arts. There are dozens of different
styles that originate from all around the world.
Like martial arts styles on Earth, Drdni styles
have colorful names inspired by native creatures,
geography, weather phenomena, or the
founder of the style. The Martial Arts Skill
is designed to be free-form, therefore it
allows a player to create whatever style of
martial art he fancies for his character.
In general, Drdni martial styles
have developed to take advantage of the
natural traits of a particular Zoic, as well
as to compensate for the Zoics potential
weaknesses. Large, powerful Zoics
(elephants, rhinos, hippos, musk oxen,
etc.) would use martial styles that relied on
strength and endurance. Lithe, fast Zoics
(cheetahs, rabbits, gazelles, etc.) would use
martial styles that emphasized speed and
agility. Winged Zoics would employ styles
that took advantage of their flight and kept
foes at a distance. Venomous Zoics would
rely on styles that emphasized defense and
focused on strikes at unarmored parts of a
foes body.
When a player decides to purchase
the Martial Arts Skill for a character, he
must describe to the GM (in general terms)
what the martial style will look like. Is it a
wrestling and grappling style, or does it keep
 foes at arms length? Does it emphasize defense over
offense, or is it an equal mix of both? Does it rely
mainly on kicks and knee strikes, or punches and
elbow strikes? The specifics of a particular style are
purely for color and roleplaying purposes, and to
define how the style differs from others. The player
should come up with a colorful name for the style
(or ask the GM for styles he might have created for
his campaign), and is encouraged to name some
specific maneuvers. Once thats done, the martial
style is ready for action.
Characters with Martial Arts can use any of the
maneuvers listed on the Maneuver Location Table on
page 216. Those maneuvers show the game effects
of a particular move (stunning a foe, grappling a
foe, breaking a foes bone, blinding a foe, etc.). The
character decides which of the maneuver effects
hes attempting to achieve and then describes the
specific strike (or combination of strikes) thats
designed to produce that effect. The character
applies the Difficulty Modifiers listed in the table
to his Martial Arts Action Dice before rolling to
determine his Success Level (success are figured
normally as described in the Combat chapter). If the
character scores an Adequate Success (2 successes)
or higher, then the combat effects described in the
maneuver are applied to his target.
Martial Arts has several additional advantages
as well. A character with this Skill is able to fight
using his Martial Arts Action Dice whether he is
armed or unarmed; there is no need to purchase
the Melee Combat Skill. However, a martial artist
would still need to purchase a ranged Combat
Skill (such as Firearm Combat, Missile Combat,
or Throw) if he wanted to use ranged weapons.
Furthermore, unlike other hand-to-hand Combat
Skills, Martial Arts does allow a character to use his
Martial Arts Action Dice to defend against Missile
Combat or Throw attacks, although a martial artist
would still need to purchase the Evade Skill in order
to defend against Artillery or Firearms. Depending
on the circumstances, Complementary Skills could
include Athletics, Duel Dancing, Intimidation, or
even Knowledge Skills of a rivals martial style.
Martial Arts is not a General Skill so a character
does not have to purchase it multiple times in
order to know multiple styles. Since the specifics
of a style are purely for color and roleplaying, if a
player wanted to know several styles, hed simply
ask the GM if that were possible. If a player wanted
to incorporate elements of another style once the
campaign had begun, hes need to inform the GM
of his intention. It would be up to a GM to decide
how long that process would take, what styles could
be learned or combined, or even how many styles
a character could know. It is important to note,
however, that in the basic SHARD System there is no
supreme martial style. All styles are created equal.
Basic Compendium
It is the skill of the individual martial artist (and
luck) that will ultimately make the difference.
Although this Skill will mostly be purchased
by Holy and High Caste characters, there are no
laws in Drdni society that forbid or restrict the
Chapter III: Character Creation
teaching of martial arts to any of the castes. In fact,
it is not unheard of for Low Caste members to rise
to the status of Sunborn through their exploits
and deeds as skilled martial artists. High Caste
warriors, after all, prize talent and ability above all
else. If a martial artist is able to defeat the greatest
High Caste warriors, then that individual deserves
to be counted among the Sunborn regardless of
the circumstances of his birth.
Martial Arts Cost: 8 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 5 Character Points for every additional
level of Martial Arts.
Melee Combat (Agility)
This Skill gives a character the ability to use
any hand-to-hand weapon in combat. Most melee
combatants have had some sort of formal training,
although there could be instances where a character
could be considered self-taught. This Skill is
common among fighters who are not high ranking
professional soldiers, such as lowborn High Caste
warriors, peasant levies, and conscripts. Melee
Combat reflects the basic training these soldiers
receive before being sent into battle. Characters
with the Martial Arts Skill would not need to
purchase Melee Combat unless they intended to
train other warriors in the use of this Skill.
A character uses his Action Dice in Melee
Combat just as he would any Combat Skill to
determine successes and the level of damage
inflicted by the weapon (see the Combat chapter for
a detailed description of combat). Like other hand-
to-hand Combat Skills, Melee Combat only allows
characters to make Defense Rolls against hand-to-
hand and melee attacks. A melee combatant would
need the Evade Skill in order to be able to defend
against ranged attacks.
Melee combatants can use the special attacks
found in the Maneuver Location Table on page 216,
but they suffer an additional 2 Difficulty Modifier
to any maneuver they attempt. Normally it takes a
character a Combat Action to draw and ready a
melee weapon unless he makes a successful Fast
Draw Skill roll (see Fast Draw, page 171). Depending
on the situation, Athletics or Intimidation could
potentially be Complementary Skills to Melee
Combat.
A Fumbled Melee Combat Skill Roll can mean
that a character has either dropped or possibly
even broken his melee weapon. The specifics of
the Fumble should naturally be appropriate to
the weapon being used and to the severity of the
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
Fumble.
Melee Combat Cost: 5 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 3 Character Points for every additional
level of Melee Combat.
Missile Combat (Dexterity)
Missile Combat allows a character to use small
BOOK ONE
characters to their destinations quicker, safer, and
more efficiently. Common navigation tools include
devices similar to backstaves, reflecting quadrants,
and sextants. The three Specializations for this
Skill are: Aerial Navigation, Land Navigations, and
Nautical Navigation.
A character generally makes a Navigation Skill

non-gunpowder missile weapons that require Roll at the beginning of a journey to plot his initial
devices to launch their projectiles. Examples of course. GMs can apply modifiers to the characters
these sorts of missile weapons would be bows, Navigation Action Dice based on the instruments or
crossbow, slings, atlatls, and blowguns. Due to the maps available (or lack thereof), weather conditions
reload times required by Vaylah weapons, bows are (clear as opposed to cloudy), landmarks (familiar as
still commonly used on the battlefield. A trained opposed to unfamiliar), etc. The character would
archer can often shoot ten or more arrows in the not normally need to make another Navigation
time it takes a trained rifleman to reload his Vaylah Roll unless there was some sort of problem along
weapon and fire once. With such disparate rates of the way (such as encountering a storm, wandering
fire, it becomes clear that bows are in no danger of through mines, crossing an unforeseen marsh,
being replaced by firearms any time soon. etc.). A character that had both Navigation and the
Direction Sense Talent could never truly be lost.
A character uses his Action Dice in Missile
Combat just as he would any Combat Skill to It is important to note that Navigation only
determine successes and the level of damage allows characters to plot and chart courses; it does
inflicted by the weapon (see the Combat chapter for not allow them to actually steer any vessels, drive
a detailed description of combat). Similar to other vehicles, or ride any beasts. A character would
ranged Combat Skills, Missile Combat does not require the Driving and Riding Skills to perform
give the character any Defense Rolls; it is strictly those feats. Complementary Skills to Navigation
a Skill designed to attack. Only the Evade and would include Survival and Knowledge Skills of
Martial Arts Skills can be used to defend against geography, maps, or region lore.
Missile Combat attacks. Failing a Navigation Skill Roll means that
Normally it takes a character a Combat Action the character is having problems pinpointing his
to draw and ready, or reload a missile weapon unless location or charting a course (for whatever reason).
he makes a successful Fast Draw Skill Roll, in Fumbling a Navigation Roll could mean that either
which case it is considered a Free Action.
With the Fast Draw Skill, it is possible for
an archer to fire as many arrows in a Combat
Round as he has Combat Actions. Needless
to say, this can make for some very deadly
archers.
A Fumbled Missile Combat Skill Roll
could mean a snapped bowstring or a wild
shot that potentially hits an unintended
target. The specifics of the Fumble should
naturally be appropriate to the weapon being
used and to the severity of the Fumble.
Missile Combat Cost: 5 Character
Points for the initial Skill; 3 Character
Points for every additional level of Missile
Combat.
Navigation (Wit)
This General Skill allows a character to
both ascertain his current location at any
given time, and to plot a course between
two points using celestial phenomena,
landmarks, maps, or various navigational
tools. This Skill is vital for caravan
masters, pilots, helmsmen, scouts, hunters,
explorers, and guides. Navigation will get

172
 the character has become lost or has potentially
plotted an incorrect course, which could be quite
a surprise for everyone involved when they finally
reach the wrong destination.
Aerial Navigation: This Specialization is
used to plot courses for skyships and aerial vessels
of all kinds. It can also used by winged Zoics or
characters on flying mounts to navigate their way
across terrain from the air.
Land Navigation: This Specialization allows
a character to navigate his way across any expanse
of land whether traveling in a vehicle, on a riding
beast, or on foot.
Nautical Navigation: This Specialization
allows a character to chart a course for any water
vessel, whether travelling down a river, across a
lake, or out in the oceans and seas.
Navigation Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Navigation.
Observation (Perception)
Observation grants the character the abilities of
keen observation and detection. A character with
this Skill is particularly adept at noticing strange or
unusual elements of a scene or environment that
would otherwise seem, to the untrained eye, absolutely
ordinary. This Skill can be used in any situation where
the GM requires a Perception Roll, and includes such
scenarios as: looking for a hidden item or person,
trying to spot a camouflaged or stealthing character,
attempting to detect a tiny detail about an object,
scanning a distant horizon for movement, noticing
something unusual or out of place, picking up on
suspicious behavior, etc.
This Skill is better than an ordinary Perception
Roll and should give a character more details than
ordinary Perception normally would. So whereas an
ordinary Perception Roll might reveal an assassin
sneaking across a dark courtyard, a successful
Observation Skill Roll would allow a character to
identify the assassins Zoic type, how the assassin was
armed, and if the assassin had noticed that he had
been detected. Some Complementary Skills might
include Concealment, Shadowing, and Tracking, as
well as any special animal senses the character might
possess. A character with both Observation and the
Heightened Awareness Talent would make a very
formidable guard indeed.
Failing an Observation Roll simply means that the
character did not notice or detect anything unusual.
Fumbling an Observation Roll could mean that the
character focused on the wrong detail or interpreted
what he saw incorrectly, which could have disastrous
results.
Observation Cost: 3 Character Points for the
Basic Compendium
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Observation.
Oratory (Presence)
Characters with this Skill are adept at public
Chapter III: Character Creation
speaking. Regardless of whether its a prepared speech
or a spontaneous delivery of rhetoric, or whether the
audience is composed of a single person or thousands,
a character uses Oratory to keep his audience listening
intently and to sway them to his point of view.
Military officers and governmental officials tend to
be effective orators, and indeed this Skill is crucial for
any character with aspirations of leadership. Oratory,
however, can also be used to instruct and entertain,
so scholars and teachers would also benefit from this
Skill.
GMs can apply modifiers to a characters Oratory
Action Dice depending on an audiences interest and
hostility level. This Skill is useful for both whipping a
crowd into a frenzy or for calming a riotous mob. An
orator must be able to communicate effectively with
an audience, of course. Difficulty Modifiers should
be applied if a character was not completely fluent in
an audiences native tongue. Complementary Skills
would include Acting, Diplomacy, Persuasion, as well
as appropriate Language Skills.
A failed Oratory Skill Roll means that a character
is unable to sway a crowd, one way or another, with
his words. A Fumbled Oratory Roll could mean that
an audience suddenly turns hostile and either boos
the orator off the stage (throwing rotten vegetables as
available) or perhaps becomes an angry mob whose
anger is directed at the orator.
Oratory Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level of
Oratory.
Performance (Varies)
This General Skill allows a character to pick
a Specialization in a performance art. Drdnah
is full of marvelous musicians, singers, dancers,
and puppeteers; its a world that takes its
entertainment very seriously. Whether a character
was just an incredibly talented amateur or an actual
professional who made his living through his art
(and who would therefore require an appropriate
Profession Skill), this Skill would give him the
ability to perform before an audience.
A character would roll his Performance Skill
Action Dice whenever he wanted to entertain
anyone. Modifiers could be applied depending on
a performers preparations (setting up the stage,
having elaborate costumes and props, etc.), or on the
venue he was playing (great versus bad acoustics, a
friendly versus a hostile audience, etc.). Knowledge
Skills of the appropriate performance art, including
styles and techniques, famous performers, etc.,
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
would be Complementary Skills to
Performance. The Specializations
available are: Dancing, Dramatizing,
Fire Breathing, Fortune-Telling,
Juggling, Music, Puppetry, Singing,
Storytelling, and Sword Swallowing.
GMs should feel free to add whatever
Specializations they wish.
BOOK ONE

The Performance Skill only applies

to performance arts that dont already
have a Skill suited to their use. A circus
acrobat, for example, would require
the Acrobatics Skill to perform his
art instead of the Performance Skill.
However, he would still require a
Profession Skill if he intended to make
a living as a professional acrobat. Here
are some examples of entertainers
that would use Skills other than
Performance to practice their art:
acrobats and tumblers (Acrobatics);
contortionists (Contortion); trick
riders (Riding); suthra charmers and
beast tamers (Suthra Training); knife
throwers (Throw); prestidigitators or
stage magicians (Sleight of Hand).
Failing a Performance Skill Roll
means that the character has delivered
an unsatisfactory performance. It may Crowd favorites at festivals, fire breathers perform a
not be enough to ruin a performers career or even variety of different tricks involving fire, including fire
have a long lasting effect; after all, every performer eating, fire breathing, and fire dancing. Knowledge
has his off days. A Fumbled Performance Roll, Skills of fire craft, different fuel combinations (to
however, can have a significant negative impact on a produce different colored flames), and legends
performers career. Depending on the performance featuring fire would be good Complementary
and the circumstances surrounding it, this could Skills.
result in a decline in popularity, a loss of prestige
among fellow performers, or a significant hit to a Fortune-Telling (Presence): The ancient art
performers ability to earn money. of predicting the future through the use of cards,
dice, bones, tea leaves, or entrails. In a world where
Dancing (Agility): Dancing is not only magical seers are a recognized reality, fortune-tellers
an incredibly common and popular form of sell themselves as the seers of the common folk.
entertainment on Drdnah, it is also an important Some fortune-tellers may even possess actual magical
part of many religious rituals, so professional dancers talent, but for the most part they practice their art
can always find plenty of work. There are dozens of purely for entertainment purposes, even if their
different dance styles in the world so Knowledge clients believe the tales they spin. A variation of this
Skills of these various styles would be appropriate performance art would be mentalism (mind readers).
Complementary Skills. Mentalists are entertainers who perform tricks
Dramatizing (Presence): The highly stylized art involving clairvoyance, precognition, and telepathy.
of Drdni stage acting is a popular attraction. Stage Knowledge Skills of fortune-telling techniques, signs
actors call upon a vast repertoire of formal gestures, and omens, or even dream interpretation would be
steps, poses, and voice inflections, many of which considered Complementary Skills. Eidetic Memory
identify the type of character or role being played and Empathy would be useful Talents.
to the audience. Knowledge Skills of famous plays, Juggling (Dexterity): Juggling is a popular and
stage performance techniques, or popular myths & common form of entertainment, and Drdni
legends would be useful Complementary Skills. jugglers have taken this performance art to new
Fire Breathing (Agility): Performers of this heights. Juggling a dozen or more objects is not
popular art entertain audiences by spraying huge unusual for the finest practitioners, who also
gouts of multi-colored flame from their mouths. combine dancing, singing, and storytelling to their

174
 acts. Knowledge Skills of juggling techniques,
folktales, popular songs, and dancing are common
Complementary Skills. Ambidexterity would be a
useful Talent.
Music (Dexterity): Residents of Drdnah love
and revere music; it is a gift from the Devah, after all.
Musicians, therefore, are an integral part of society.
There are Drdni versions of every imaginable
musical instrument found on Earth, but instruments
such as sitars, rebabs, sarangi, tablas, and dumbeks
are especially popular. Knowledge Skills of musical
instruments, musical traditions, famous musicians,
or popular songs would be helpful Complementary
Skills. Virtuoso would be an incredibly useful
Talent.
Puppetry (Dexterity): Puppeteers specialize in
the creation and use of puppets of various kinds
to entertain their audiences. A popular form of
this art is shadow puppetry, as is a form similar to
Japanese bunraku puppetry, but dozens of varieties
are known. Knowledge Skills of myths and legends,
popular heroes, puppetry styles, or puppet-making
techniques would be helpful Complementary
Skills.
Singing (Presence): As popular and common
as dancing, singing likewise is an important part
of Drdni religion and ritual. The holiest texts
even speak of song as a blessed gift from the Great
Mother herself. There are as many singing traditions
on Drdnah as there are musical ones, and indeed
every form of music has its accompanying style of
singing. Knowledge Skills of singing traditions,
great singers, and well-known songs would be good
Complementary Skills. The Virtuoso Talent would
also be of great benefit to a singer.
Storytelling (Presence): Storytelling is the oldest
forms of entertainment in the world. Storytellers vary
in their methods and techniques, some simply use the
hypnotic power of their voices and body language,
while others may use musical accompaniment, props,
or costumes. Knowledge Skills of folklore, myths and
legends, heroes, and the Devah would be excellent
Complementary Skills.
Sword Swallowing (Will): This performance art
actually encompasses a few different feats of physical
endurance and mind-over-matter tricks. Although
sword swallowing is one of the most common, this
Specialization could also include endurance tricks
such as walking on hot coals, piercing body parts with
sharp instruments, or lying naked on sharp shards
of glass. Knowledge Skills of anatomy, medicine, and
meditation would be Complementary Skills. The
Pain Resistance Talent would be of immense value
to entertainers of this sort.
Performance Cost: 2 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 1 Character Point for every additional
level of Performance.
Basic Compendium
Persuasion (Wit)
This Skill enables a character to sway the
opinions of others and convince them of the
validity of a certain point of view or course of
action. Persuasion relies on a variety of techniques,
Chapter III: Character Creation
including logic and reason (although sometimes
spurious or twisted), emotional manipulation, and
flattery. Court officials, diplomats, and clergy tend
to be effective persuaders. Persuasion is also a Basic
Starting Skill, which means everyone has it at half
their Wit Ranking or a Ranking of 3 (whichever is
lower) at no cost.
GMs should apply modifiers to a characters
Persuasion Action Dice based on the state and
disposition of those being convinced (a group of
allies would be far easier to persuade than a hostile
band, for example). Severe Difficulty Modifiers
should be applied if a character was trying to
persuade a target to do something that clashed with
one of the targets Drawbacks (trying to convince
a warrior with a strict code of honor to dishonor
himself should be next to impossible).
The higher the Success Level scored by a
persuader, the greater the level of cooperation hes
likely to get. A Partial Success would mean that
the target was not entirely convinced, but would
be willing to continue to listen to the persuaders
arguments. Complementary Skills could include
Acting, Conversation, Diplomacy, or Seduction.
A failed Persuasion Skill Roll indicates that
the target is not convinced and no longer wishes to
listen to the persuader. Subsequent Persuasion Roll
attempts on such targets would incur significant
Difficulty Modifiers. A Fumbled Persuasion Roll
could result in an angry or potentially violent
target depending on what the persuader had been
attempting to convince the target to do.
Persuasion Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Persuasion.
Profession (Varies)
This General Skill allows a character to practice
a trade for a living. For the most part, the name of
the Specialization will be the same as the Profession
Template (see Profession Templates, begining on
page 117) chosen by the player. In other words, if a
player selected the Baker Template, he would need
a corresponding Profession Skill (Baker) in order to
make a living as a baker; an honor guard would need
a Profession Skill (Honor Guard), etc.
GMs should decide what Characteristic Link to
give a characters Profession Skill Ranking. Wherever
possible, GMs should choose a single Characteristic
(Agility, Dexterity, Wit, etc.). However, in certain
cases, a combination of Characteristics might be
175
 Chapter III: Character Creation
more appropriate. In these cases, a GM should use
the following formula to determine a characters
Profession Ranking:
Characteristic A + Characteristic B 2 (rounded
up) = Skills Ranking
The Profession Skill covers both the business side
of a characters trade, as well as providing the ability
BOOK ONE
to create goods or provide services if the character
does not possess another Skill that allowed him to do
so. Thus, since there is no Baking Skill, a Profession
Skill (Baker) would give a character Action Dice he
could roll to see how well he had baked. The character
would also roll his Profession Action Dice if he wanted
to see how well he was doing as a baker. This might
determine how much cash a character had available,
or what sorts of issues he might have to deal with. It
could also inspire some fun and interesting story ideas.
Knowledge Skills of the appropriate trade would be
Complementary Skills to Profession.
Some Skills, such as Alchemy, Armourer, Artistry,
Forgery, Gunsmith, Performance, and Weaponsmith
allow a character to create goods or provide services. In
these cases, the character would use that Skill instead
of Profession to determine the quality of a product
or a performance. However, a Profession Skill would
still be required if the character wanted to make a
living as an alchemist, armourer, artist, what have you.
Profession Skills in these cases would still be used to
handle the business side of the characters trade. These
Skills would also serve as Complementary Skills to a
Profession Skill Roll.
Failing a Profession Skill Roll could mean a
setback of some sort in a characters career. Its not
catastrophic, just possibly a bad week at work.
In the cases where Profession is used to produce
goods or provide services, it most likely means an
unsatisfactory product or service and could result in
a loss of a customer or money. A Fumbled Profession
Roll could mean a serious setback and could result
in a significant loss of business, a bad reputation, or
possibly forced retirement unless the character could
somehow reassure his patrons and the paying public
with gifts, bribes, etc. (which itself could result in a
serious hit to a characters standard of living). If all else
failed, a character could always move to another city
or adopt a new identity.
Profession Cost: 2 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 1 Character Point for every additional level of
Profession.
Research (Wit)
Research allows a character to investigate a
given subject or situation through a combination of
archival study, experimentation, and clue gathering.
This Skill would be useful to scholars, alchemists,
and sorcerers involved in historical, scientific, or
magical research. It could also be used, however,
176
by law enforcement officials that specialized in
criminal investigations. While not as refined as those
used by modern day detectives, Drdni criminal
investigation techniques are far more sophisticated
than in typical medieval settings.
Characters roll their Research Action Dice
whenever they want to gather information on a
topic, arrive at an educated conclusion, or attempt
to make a discovery. Some examples of Research
Skill use would include: tracing the origin of an
ancient language; discovering a cure for a mysterious
illness; or solving a murder mystery. GMs should
apply modifiers based on the difficulty of the
problem being solved, the obscurity or availability
of the information, or the opposition to the
information becoming known. Knowledge Skills on
the appropriate topics would be Complementary
Skills to Research. Depending on the nature of the
investigation, other Skills such as Conversation,
Cryptography, Etiquette, Intrigue, or Persuasion
might also be considered Complementary.
Failing a Research Roll would mean that a
character could not locate a piece of information,
or that an experiment failed to produce results, or
that a lead proved worthless. A Fumbled Research
Roll could mean a gathering of false information
sending the character on a wild gle chase or a
lab explosion injuring everybody in the room and
destroying the lab itself.
Research Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Research.
Riding (Agility)
This General Skill allows a character to ride and
control a riding beast in challenging situations, and
to fight enemies while mounted. Riding also allows
a character to perform trick riding maneuvers,
such as turning around, standing in the saddle, or
jumping off and on the riding beast while running
at a gallop. Difficulty modifiers should be applied
to Riding Action Dice depending on the complexity
of the maneuver being attempted by the rider, or
on the condition of the riding beast (a wounded
animal will be harder to control, for example).
If a character simply wanted the ability to ride a
beast under ordinary circumstances, he would only
need to pay 1 Character Point for Riding in order
to get half of his Agility Characteristic (rounded
up) as his Ranking. This level of Riding would be
sufficient for most day-to-day activities (i.e. those
that would not be deemed Contested Actions and
would therefore not require a roll of Action Dice).
There are three Specializations for Riding:
Aquatic Mounts, Flying Mounts, and Land
Mounts. Each Specialization also grants a character
a rudimentary knowledge of the common riding
 beasts in that category, including how to care
for them. A character, however, would not be
able to heal a wounded or sick beast. Treating
such a creature would require a Profession Skill
(veterinarian) and appropriate Knowledge Skills
(suthra physiology, diseases, etc.).
A character who wished to train his own riding
beast (especially if he wanted the beast to perform
tricks) would require the appropriate Specialization
of the Suthra Training Skill. Characters wishing to
be more knowledgeable about the riding beasts
in their Specialization (different breeds, strengths
and weaknesses, etc.) would require additional
Knowledge Skills. Suthra Use would be required
only if a character wanted to command a riding
beast upon which he was not currently mounted.
Riding would also be used as a Complementary
Skill to certain Profession Skills (trick rider, cavalry,
etc.).
Failing a Riding Skill Roll means that a character
could not get the riding beast to execute the
maneuver he was attempting. It doesnt necessarily
result in a catastrophe, simply in a momentary loss
of control. Fumbling a Riding Roll, however, does
usually result in some catastrophic event (falling
off the riding beast, injury to the riding beasts leg,
etc.).
Aquatic Mounts: This category includes any
riding beast that travels in the water. A few varieties
of aquatic suthra resembling horseshoe crabs
(called vasdhah) and manta rays (called khajlah)
are used by river and coastal folk for both transport
and as fishing aids.
Flying Mounts: This category includes any
flying beast used as a mount. A suthra resembling
a huge wasp (called a makdi) is the most common
type of flying mount. There are dozens of varieties
of makdi throughout the world. Many armies use
makdi as aerial cavalry.
Land Mounts: This category covers any
terrestrial riding beast. The most common riding
beasts are suthra resembling insectile horses (called
chinti), and the most common draft beasts are huge
suthra that resemble pill bugs (called bthn).
Riding Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Riding.
Seduction (Presence)
This Skill grants a character the ability to attract
and beguile others, generally of the opposite sex,
through the use of physical presence, flirtation,
gifts, and promises of companionship or even
sexual gratification. Seduction usually involves an
element of physical or sexual attraction, although
it could be interpreted as a platonic attraction
Basic Compendium
based on raw physical presence, bearing, and
personality. If a character simply wanted to be
charming and persuasive, however, he should buy
the Skill Persuasion. Seduction is a much deeper
and emotional form of beguilement. This Skill is
Chapter III: Character Creation
most commonly practiced by courtesans, rakes, and
spies.
Characters can use Seduction to gain favors
from others, be it political appointments, money,
titles, property, or even requests to eliminate
enemies. GMs should apply modifiers to the
Seduction Action Dice depending on how big of
a favor the character was requesting. Requests that
were easy for the target to grant would get Bonus
Modifiers, whereas requests that placed the target
in danger or risked his position would get Difficulty
Modifiers. Acting, Conversation, Etiquette, or
Persuasion would be considered Complementary
Skills to Seduction.
Seduction can be a long term process, and if a
character wants to continue to receive the benefits
of it from a particular target it must be maintained.
Targets of Seduction should always feel as if they
are getting something from the seducer in return
for their favors. A character should get Difficulty
Modifiers to Seduction if he had neglected his
target or if the character refused to continue to
provide companionship or sexual gratification (you
rarely get something for nothing).
A failed Seduction Skill Roll usually means the
target is not terribly interested in the advances of the
seducer, or refuses to grant the seducers request. A
Fumbled Seduction Roll usually results in a target
that has been insulted by a perceived indecent
proposal, or in a seduced target who suddenly
realizes hes being used by the seducer. Depending
on the severity of the Fumble, the target could react
with scorn or violence, or could seek to punish the
seducer for their blatant manipulations.
Seduction Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Seduction.
Shadowing (Wit)
Shadowing gives a character the ability to follow
and observe someone without that individual being
aware of it. Modifiers should be applied depending
on a variety of circumstances: the amount of cover
or the size of crowds available to help the shadower
hide; the level of visibility (darkness or fog help
conceal both the target and the shadower); the
alertness level of the target; etc. Shadowing works
in any sort of terrain, from the busy streets of a
major city, to a lonely mountain pass. Shadowing
is a Basic Starting Skill, which means everyone
has it at half their Wit Ranking or a Ranking of 3
(whichever is lower) at no cost.
177
 Chapter III: Character Creation
A character must make a Shadowing Skill Roll
to begin shadowing his target. After that, a character
only needs to make additional Shadowing Rolls if
he loses sight of the target (for whatever reason) and
needs to locate him again. A target should be given
bonuses to any Perception-based dice rolls if the
shadower attempts to get too close or if the same
shadower has been following him for a prolonged
BOOK ONE
period of time. If a target has no reason to suspect
hes being followed, the GM could rule that he
only gets a chance to detect hes being followed if
he had the Talent Heightened Awareness or the
Observation Skill. Stealth, Streetwise, Tracking,
and Knowledge Skills of the appropriate terrain,
city, or area would be Complementary Skills.
A failed Shadowing Skill Roll usually indicates
that a target has been lost, but it could also mean
that the target has become suspicious or is aware
that hes being followed. A Fumbled Shadowing
Roll means that the target has definitely spotted
the shadower, although the shadower may not be
aware of it. The target could then prepare a nasty
surprise for his shadower at a convenient location
(like a dark, secluded alley).
Shadowing Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Shadowing.
Sleight of Hand (Dexterity)
This Skill allows a character to perform feats
that require quick and clever movements of
the hands, either for purposes of deception or
entertainment. Abilities such as picking someones
pocket, palming items (loaded dice, cards, coins,
etc.), or performing stage illusion tricks would all be
covered under Sleight of Hand. As a general rule, if
a character wants to do something that requires his
hand being quicker than the eye then this is the
Skill he uses to pull it off.
Modifiers should be applied to the Sleight
of Hand Action Dice based on the number and
sizes of the objects being palmed, the number and
alertness of observers, and what distractions the
Sleight of Hand artist is able to create while using
the Skill. Concealment, Conversation, Contortion,
or Knowledge Skills of stage magic and legerdemain
would be Complementary Skills. Sleight of Hand
can also be used as a Complementary Skill to
appropriate Profession Skills.
Failing a Sleight of Hand Skill Roll means that
the character was unable to successfully palm an
object, pick a pocket, perform a trick, etc. It doesnt
mean that the effort was necessarily noticed or that
the trick was totally botched, however. A clever
character might be able to salvage the situation. A
Fumbled Sleight of Hand Roll, on the other hand,
means that the effort was definitely noticed, and
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depending on the circumstance could result in a
great deal of trouble for the character. In the case
of a performance, a Fumble indicates that the trick
was an absolute failure and could give the performer
a bad reputation.
Sleight of Hand Cost: 3 Character Points
for the initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every
additional level of Sleight of Hand.
Stealth (Agility)
Stealth allows a character to move around
silently and undetected. This Skill is meant to
conceal active movement. If a character wanted to
be able to find a hiding place and remain there for
a period of time, he should use the Concealment
Skill. Stealth is of vital importance to thieves,
assassins, and spies, whose particular tasks usually
require invisibility. Stealth is a Basic Starting Skill,
which means everyone has it at half their Agility
Ranking or a Ranking of 3 (whichever is lower) at
no cost.
Modifiers should be applied depending on how
much cover or darkness is available. Distractions
should give a character Bonus Modifiers, whereas
dead silence should give Difficulty Modifiers. Watch
beasts such as kellndu, who are particularly sensitive
to vibration and scent, are often kept by households to
guard against intruders. Depending on the situation,
Acrobatics, Climbing, or Concealment could be
considered Complementary Skills. The Animal Ability
Change Color would also greatly benefit a character,
as would an enhanced animal sense that allowed the
character to see in the darkness.
Failing a Stealth Skill Roll usually means that a
character has made some sort of noise or has alerted
someone in some way. It doesnt necessarily mean
that the character has been located. In fact, with a
bit of cleverness (and better dice rolls) a character
can remain unseen. Fumbling a Stealth Roll,
however, means that the character has been spotted
and the alarm will definitely be raised (unless the
character can stop it).
Stealth Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Stealth.
Streetwise (Presence)
This Skill grants a character a thorough
understanding of the underworld: its organizations,
rules of conduct, power players, etc. A character with
Streetwise knows what criminal factions control
what sections of a given area, who to talk with to
get information, how to deal with these various
criminal figures (when to use bribes as opposed
to threats, for example), how to locate criminal
freelancers (fences, counterfeiters, assassins), and,
most importantly, how to do it in such a way that
 doesnt draw undue attention to the underworld
(which they dont particularly like).
GMs should apply modifiers to the Streetwise
Action Dice depending on a variety of factors,
such as the characters current standing with the
underworld and its leaders, the difficulty in locating
a particular criminal figure (a deadly assassin would
be harder to contact, for example, than a common
fence), the characters level of renown or influence
in the underworld, etc. Skills such as Bribery,
Conversation, Intimidation, Intrigue, Persuasion,
Seduction, or appropriate Knowledge Skills of
the city or area the criminals operate in would be
considered Complementary Skills.
Locating a particular underworld figure with
Streetwise does not guarantee his cooperation.
The character would still need to use other Skills
(mentioned above) to convince or coerce a criminal
to cooperate. The underworld is a dangerous
place filled with dangerous individuals, so using
Streetwise is always a bit of a risk. Criminals have
long memories and are not the most forgiving people
around. A favor forced from a vicious criminal can
often come back to haunt a character.
Failing a Streetwise Skill Roll means the
character is unable to locate the person he needs or
get the information required. Fumbling a Streetwise
Roll means that the character has asked too many
questions or upset the wrong people, which will
likely result in the character being attacked by
thugs in a dark alley or otherwise harmed by angry
underworld figures.
Streetwise Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Streetwise.
Surgery (Dexterity)
Surgery is the art of treating injuries, diseases, or
deformities through the use of various medical and
surgical techniques. This Skill is practiced exclusively
by medical professionals such as physicians and
doctors. This Skill covers such things as: properly
setting broken bones; surgically removing tumors,
diseased organs, or foreign objects (bullets, shrapnel,
parasites, etc.) from a patients body; suturing deep
cuts or wounds to stop internal bleeding or repair
damaged organs, etc. Wounded patients treated
by surgical techniques administered by a trained
doctor have a high probability of making a full
recovery (assuming the patient follows the recovery
advice of the doctor). Knowledge Skills of anatomy,
surgical techniques, or appropriate types of injuries
would be considered Complementary Skills.
Surgery heals Fatal Damage first followed by
Subdue Damage. Every success scored on Surgery
Action Dice heals 4 levels of Fatal Damage or 1
level of Subdue Damage, but only after all the Fatal
Basic Compendium
Damage of that particular wound has been healed.
Surgery, however, is an invasive procedure and
very taxing on a patients body. Every non-success
scored by the doctor on his Surgery Action Dice
while treating a wound reduces a patients Vigor
Chapter III: Character Creation
score by 1. This Vigor can only be regained through
magical healing or over time with proper rest (see
the Recovery Table on page 244 for further details).
Once Surgery has been successfully used on a
particular injury, it may not be used again on that
same injury by the same doctor (although Surgery
could be used on other or new injuries). A different
doctor could try to use Surgery on the same injury
but only if he had a higher Ranking in Surgery
than the original doctor. Even then, the new doctor
would only be able to heal additional damage if he
scored more successes than the original doctor (see
Dress Wound on pages 158-159 for an example of
multiple physicians working on the same wound).
Patients, however, would continue to lose Vigor
from the new doctors attempts. Every non-successes
scored on the new doctors Surgery Action Dice
would continue to reduce the patients Vigor by 1.
Failing a Surgery Skill Roll means the doctor is
having a hard time repairing the injury or treating
the medical problem (due perhaps to unforeseen
complications). Fumbling a Surgery Roll could
result in additional injury or disfigurement to the
patient, or possibly even in the patients death
depending on the severity of the Fumble.
Surgery Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Surgery.
Survival (Wit)
This Skill allows a character to survive in the
wilderness. Characters with Survival can hunt
and fish, construct shelters, find edible plants and
drinkable water, avoid dangerous creatures and
hazards (predator dens, quicksand, poisonous or
carnivorous flora), etc. This Skill applies to all of
the wilderness areas of Drdnah, be they desert,
forest, plains, or mountains. Having the Survival
Skill when traveling the wilds of the world can
mean the difference between a successful journey
and a doomed expedition. Tracking, Trapping, or
Knowledge Skills of the appropriate region (deserts,
mountains, jungles, etc.), flora or fauna, or weather
lore would be considered Complementary Skills to
Survival.
Modifiers should be applied to Survival Action
Dice depending on the availability of food and
shelter, proper tools, the weather conditions, and
the harshness of the climate (a barren desert might be
more difficult to survive in than a temperate forest,
for example). A Survival Skill Roll should only be
required if a character is caught unprepared for the
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
wilderness (i.e. has not brought supplies or tools
used for outdoor survival), runs out of supplies, or
faces extreme environmental conditions (a blizzard,
drought, flood, etc.). Alternately, a character could
make a Survival Roll if he wanted to conserve food
stores or provide fresh game for himself or his
traveling companions. Characters unable to find
proper food or shelter in the wilderness would
BOOK ONE
begin to suffer damage (see Deprivation Damage,
page 240, and Exposure Damage, page 243).
Failing a Survival Skill Roll means that the
character has been unable to locate proper food,
water, or shelter, which could result in the character
having to go hungry that day or spend the night in
the open, exposed to the elements or to dangerous
predators. Fumbling a Survival Roll could mean
that the character has misidentified or is unfamiliar
with a poisonous plant or a deadly hazard and falls
victim to it.
Survival Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level
of Survival.
Suthra Training (Wit)
This General Skill allows a character to train
beasts to perform various tasks and follow commands.
The denizens of Drdnah rely on a variety of
domesticated beasts used for riding, farming, hunting,
entertainment, or as weapons and armor. This Skill
is used exclusively to train such beasts. Characters
wishing the ability to use mounts or trained creatures
of any kind should purchase either the Riding or
Suthra Use Skills.
Suthra Training, however, does not allow a
character to heal a wounded or sick beast. Treating
such a creature would require a Profession Skill
(veterinarian) and related Knowledge Skills (suthra
physiology, diseases, etc.). Knowledge Skills of the
appropriate type of suthra (breeds, habits, etc.) would
be considered Complementary Skills to Suthra
Training. The three Specializations for this General
Skill are as follows: Aides & Companions, Mounts,
and Weapons & Armor.
A Suthra Training Skill Roll is required whenever
a character desires to train a beast to perform a
particular function (as a riding beast, hunting beast,
guard beast, weapon, etc.). The higher the Success
Level, the better the beast will be at performing the
tasks required by its function. Training times can vary
from several days to several weeks (or longer). This is
the simple way to handle this Skill and results in fairly
average trained beasts, which are usually sufficient for
day-to-day activities.
If a character wanted an exceptional creature,
one capable of feats beyond the average trained beast,
a GM could allow him to teach a beast two or three
unique commands for every success the character
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rolled on his Suthra Training Action Dice. This would
allow for greater flexibility and variety in trained beasts
(and could be more fun for the suthra trainer). Some
basic suthra commands could include: attack, heel,
fetch, come here, stay, track, guard, find, sit, speak, go
inside, scout ahead, hunt, or perform a trick (dance,
sing, do a somersault, etc.). GMs and players should
feel free to come up with additional commands as
needed, especially in the case of special performing
beasts used for entertainment.
As a general rule, the commands or tricks taught
to a beast should be within the natural ability of the
beast. Modifiers should be applied to the Suthra
Training Action Dice depending on a variety of factors:
how much time the trainer spends with the beast, the
beasts natural level of intelligence or aggressiveness,
whether the beast is wild or domesticated, whether
training techniques use encouragement and rewards
or intimidation and punishment, etc. When in doubt,
the GM has the final say on what a particular beast
can or cant do.
Failing a Suthra Training Skill Roll means that the
trainer is having problems breaking a particular beast,
or cant get the beast to learn a particular command.
This usually results in more time and effort having to
be spent on that particular beast. A Fumbled Suthra
Training Roll means that a beast simply cannot be
broken or trained for whatever reason and that a new
beast must be found. Depending on the severity of
the Fumble, it could even result in a badly trained
beast that would end up being a hazard to its owner
or handler.
Aides & Companions: This Specialization
covers any beast used for hunting, guarding, medical
purposes, domestic purposes, or entertainment.
Suthra in this category would include: asivam, bandar,
billsa, dromi, gle, jugnu worms, kellndu, krtellah,
and marmrdi crabs.
Mounts: This Specialization covers any creature
used as a mount or draft beast. Suthra in this category
would include: bthn, chinti, dudha, khajlah,
makdi, and vasdhah.
Weapons & Armor: This Specialization covers
any suthra used as living armor or weapons. Suthra
in this category would include: balahsuthi (blowguns),
chattabalu (hive grenades), dankanicha (sling suthra),
kabjamukha (jnah-catchers), katarsuthi (punch
daggers), kodasuthi (whips), and suthra armor
(breastplates, greaves, and vambraces).
Suthra Training Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Suthra Training.
Suthra Use (Will)
This Skill grants a character the ability to use
the indigenous creatures of the world that have been
 domesticated and trained to perform various tasks.
Suthra are used as hunters, herders, guards, guides,
armor, weapons, pets, even as medical and grooming
tools. Any time a character desired to use one of these
specially trained beasts, he would need to make a
Suthra Use Skill Roll. Commands to suthra can take
the form of vocalizations, whistles, finger snaps, hand
claps, even subtle gestures.
Characters with Suthra Use also possess the
knowledge necessary for the basic care and feeding
of the suthra. A wounded or sick beast, however,
would require a Profession Skill (veterinarian) and
appropriate Knowledge Skills (suthra physiology,
diseases, etc.) to treat properly. This Skill does not
allow a character to train a suthra. Characters wishing
to train their own suthra would need to buy the
Suthra Training Skill.
GMs should apply modifiers to a characters
Suthra Use Action Dice depending on the difficulty
or complexity of the command given to the beast
(come here is easier than fetch that scroll tube),
the suthras current condition (a healthy beast would
be easier to control than a wounded one), and the
activity going on around the creature (it would be
harder to get a suthra to obey a command in the
confusion of combat, for example). Depending on
the situation, some common commands (such as
stay or come here) would not even require a dice of warfare and military maneuvers, including the
roll if the GM deemed it a Free Action.
Trained mounts are a special case when it comes
to Suthra Use. Characters wishing to control riding
beasts while mounted would need to use the Riding
Skill. A Suthra Use Skill Roll, however, would still be
necessary to get the mount to obey commands issued
by a rider if he was not mounted. These commands
could include such things as: come here, get to a hit-and-run strike. Tactics can also be used as a
safety, fetch, etc. Using Suthra Use in this way Complementary Skill to Gaming, but only when
could reflect an incredibly well-trained and clever
mount.
Failing a Suthra Use Skill Roll means that the
suthra has failed to obey the characters command,
either because it didnt understand the command or
was distracted in some way. Fumbling a Suthra Use
Roll could result in the beast abandoning or possibly
even attacking its master depending on the severity of
the Fumble.
Suthra Use Cost: 5 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 3 Character Points for every additional
level of Suthra Use.
Swimming (Agility) character with Tactics to use it as a Complementary
Similar to the Animal Ability of the same
name, this Skill allows a character to swim under
or on the surface of water (or any liquid, for that
matter). Not all characters are assumed to know
how to swim, and if a character does not possess
the Animal Ability or the Skill, he would begin
Basic Compendium
to drown if he was ever submerged in water. A
character without any swimming ability would be
able to stay afloat for a number of Combat Rounds
equal to his Vigor before beginning to drown.
Since the Swimming Skill is not an innate
Chapter III: Character Creation
talent like the Animal Ability, its not as effective.
Every level in this Skill allows a character to travel 5
feet per Round. Characters can swim for a number
of Combat Rounds equal to their Vigor before
needing to rest an equal number of Rounds. A
Swimming Skill Roll will generally be required
when performing potentially risky or dangerous
maneuvers while swimming or when swimming in
contest against another character.
Failing a Swimming Skill Roll means that the
character is having trouble moving through the
water or staying afloat. Fumbling a Swimming Roll
usually means that a character has begun to sink
and will begin to take damage due to drowning (see
Deprivation Damage, Air Deprivation, page 240).
Swimming Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Swimming.
Tactics (Wit)
Tactics grants a character a keen understanding
strengths and weaknesses of individual military
units and how to effectively use them in battle.
This Skill covers both overall strategies and large
scale military operations as well as small unit and
even individual tactics. Tactics can be used by
characters to make plans of attack, whether the
goal be infiltrating an enemy stronghold, setting
up an ambush, repelling an invasion, or executing
games of strategy are involved.
A Tactics Skill Roll is made whenever a
character wants to plan any sort of military
operation. A successful roll should result in a GM
giving the character tips and advice on to how to
best go about executing that plan. The higher the
Success Level scored by the character, the more
detailed the information the character should
receive. Especially high Success Levels might even
result in the character correctly guessing exactly
what the enemys strategy will be (and therefore
being able to counter it).
In individual combat, a GM might allow a
Skill to another Combat Skill for one or more
attacks, thereby giving the character a brief edge
over his opponent. In cases where the enemy
also has Tactics, the character would engage in
a Skill-versus-Skill Roll with the highest Success
Level getting the success bonus for the attack. Its
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
important to note that Tactics should not be used has been hit by the missile instead. The specifics
in this way for every single attack a character might of the Fumble should naturally be appropriate to
choose to make, but rather should be used to define the situation, the weapon being used, and to the
a single special attack that exploited an enemys severity of the Fumble.
weakness. Throw Cost: 5 Character Points for the initial
Failing a Tactics Skill Roll means that the Skill; 3 Character Points for every additional level
character could not figure out a successful strategy of Throw.
BOOK ONE

or perhaps that the situation is hopeless and

that the most effective strategy is a hasty retreat. Tracking (Perception)
Fumbling a Tactics Roll would most likely result in This Skill allows a character to find the trail
a faulty strategy that ended up giving the characters of any person or creature that has passed through
opponent the advantage. an area (by studying actual prints, disturbed
Tactics Cost: 3 Character Points for the initial underbrush, finding scraps of cloth, spoor, or even
Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional level following scents). A tracker is able to deduce a
of Tactics. good deal of information from tracks, such as the
number of individuals that have passed through an
Throw (Dexterity) area, their weights, if they were carrying anything,
This Combat Skill allows a character to use if they were wounded or hurrying, where they had
thrown missile weapons such as spears, javelins, rested, what they had eaten, or if there had been any
bolas, shuriken, darts, hurling discs, throwing sort of struggle or conflict. In general, the higher
knives, throwing axes, etc. Throw, however, is also the Success Level scored by a character, the more
used when a character needs to throw any object information he should get from studying tracks.
with accuracy, whether its a rock, grenade, potion A character would need to make a Tracking
flask, or even another character. Throw is a Basic Skill Roll in order to pick up the trail of a target.
Starting Skill, which means everyone has it at Once he had the trail, he would only need to make
half their Dexterity Ranking or a Ranking of 3 additional rolls if the trail suddenly became difficult
(whichever is lower) at no cost. to follow (it crossed a river, a large patch of bare
A character uses his Action Dice in Throw rock, etc.). GMs should apply modifiers depending
just as he would any Combat Skill to determine on the type of terrain, the weather conditions, the
successes and the level of damage inflicted by the age of the tracks, etc. Concealment and Knowledge
weapon (see the Combat chapter for a detailed Skills of geography or the appropriate region would
description of combat). Similar to other ranged
Combat Skills, Throw does not give the character
any Defense Rolls; it is strictly a Skill designed to
attack. Only the Evade and Martial Arts Skills can
be used to defend against Throw attacks.
Normally it takes a character a Combat Action
to draw and ready a thrown missile weapon unless
he makes a successful Fast Draw Skill Roll, in which
case it is considered a Free Action. With the Fast
Draw Skill, it is possible for a character to hurl as
many missiles in a Combat Round as he has Combat
Actions. Alternately, a character can prepare several
missiles before combat begins and thus be able to
throw them without spending Combat Actions to
ready them. As a general rule, a character should
be able to ready two medium or large throwing
weapons such as javelins, spears, or throwing axes
(one in each hand), or five small throwing weapons
such as shuriken, throwing knives, or hurling discs
(four held between the fingers of one hand and the
fifth in the throwing hand). Zoics with prehensile
limbs would be able to ready additional weapons in
those limbs.
A Fumbled Throw Skill Roll not only means
that a character has missed his intended target, it
could potentially mean that an ally or bystander

182
 be Complementary Skills to Tracking. Certain
Animal Abilities, such as Tracking Scent or
enhances senses, would also be Complementary.
Tracking can also be used to hide trails or
tracks. A character wishing to use Tracking in this
manner would roll his Tracking Skill Action Dice
and inform the GM of his Success Level. Another
tracker would have to score more successes than
the character in order to be able to pick up the
characters trail. Used in this way, a character can
even create a false trail in an effort to lead enemy
trackers in the wrong direction (and possibly
toward a hazard of some sort).
A failed Tracking Skill Roll means that either a
character cannot pick up a trail or has lost the trail
(due to the age of the tracks, weather, a possible
false trail, etc.). Fumbling a Tracking Roll could
likely mean that a character has picked up on the
wrong trail and may be led far away from his goal.
Tracking Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Tracking.
Trapping (Wit)
This Skill allows a character to create various
kinds of devices designed to catch, harm, or kill
creatures or individuals. These devices can include
such things as: deadfall traps, foothold traps, cage
traps, spike traps, needle traps, explosive traps,
snares, pits, and nets. Based on the characters
goals, its up to the GM to decide exactly how much
damage a particular trap does or how difficult it
is to escape it. Modifiers should be applied to a
characters Trapping Action Dice based on how
complicated the trap is, what its designed to do,
how much time the character has to set it up, and
what materials he has available.
Traps can be as simple as a rope snare or a
pit covered by leaves, or it can be a sophisticated
mechanical trap with multiple moving parts (like
the kinds found in ancient tombs or in enemy
strongholds). The complexity of the trap will
determine how much time it would take to create
it. The Concealment Skill is incredibly useful if
the character wishes to make hidden traps (such
as a poisoned spring-needle in a lock, or a pressure
sensitive stone slab that releases a flurry of arrows
from the wall). Concealment and Observation
could both be used to try and detect the presence
of a trap. Depending on the type of trap being
created, Lock Picking or Knowledge Skills of
architecture, engineering, or poisons would be
considered Complementary Skills.
Trapping can also be used to attempt to avoid
or disarm a trap. Modifiers would be applied to a
characters Action Dice depending on the location,
complexity, and construction of the trap. Some
Basic Compendium
traps might have to be disarmed by safely triggering
them (i.e. while being out of the line of fire),
while others could possibly be avoided without
disturbing the trap (and therefore leaving it for
unlucky pursuers). Some traps might even be able
Chapter III: Character Creation
to be reset by the character.
Failing a Trapping Skill Roll means that a
characters attempt to either set or disarm a trap
has failed. In the case of disarming, it does not
necessarily mean that the trap has been triggered,
simply that a character could not find a way to
safely trigger it or bypass it. Fumbling a Trapping
Roll means that the trap a character was setting has
been triggered by the character himself, who would
suffer its effects normally. Likewise, in the case of
disarming a trap, a Fumble indicates that the trap
has been triggered and will take effect normally on
the character.
Trapping Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Trapping.
Weaponsmith (Dexterity)
This General Skill gives a character the ability
to make, maintain, and repair melee and missile
weapons of various kinds. Weaponsmith has three
Specializations: Bladed Weapons, Blunt Weapons,
and Missile Weapons. Each Specialization grants
a character working knowledge of the various
weapons in that particular category. Additional
Knowledge Skills of cultural weapons, special
weapon-making materials, or famous weaponsmiths
would be considered Complementary Skills and
could allow a weaponsmith to make unique and
unusual weapons. Melee Combat, Missile Combat,
and Throw could also be used as Complementary
Skills to the appropriate Specializations.
The Weaponsmith Skill not only allows a
character to make weapons, it also allows him to
appraise the quality and durability of other weapons
in his Specialization. A successful roll would allow
a weaponsmith to identify the techniques used
to craft a particular weapon, its area of origin, the
fundamentals of its operation, and any strengths or
weaknesses the weapon might possess.
Weapons are made from a variety of materials.
Suthra chitin is particularly common. The chitin
is usually hardened through techniques involving
chemical baths and baking. Another common
material is a special tree sap called Amber, which can
be thinned and poured into molds. Amber hardens to
the strength and resilience of a super hard Pyrex. The
finest weapons are made of unique Drdni crystals
that possess the strength of modern Earth ceramics,
which are stronger than steel. These precious crystal
weapons have to be grown, however, so the process
is both time-consuming and expensive.
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
Given that Drdnah is a world that venerates
martial skill, gifted and experienced weaponsmiths
can gain great status in society. Master sword makers
are as important in myth and legend as the heroes
for whom they crafted rare and powerful demon-
vanquishing weapons. Although not an actual
organized guild, weaponsmiths take great pride
in their trade and would certainly band together
BOOK ONE
to expose and punish an unscrupulous weapon
maker.
A failed Weaponsmith Skill Roll usually means
a weapon has failed to meet the weaponsmiths
standards of quality. Such a weapon would be
far more likely to break (even a minor Fumble
would result in a ruined weapon). A Fumbled
Weaponsmith Roll means that the weapon is totally
ruined, which given the materials and time needed
to create some weapons could result in a substantial
financial loss for the weaponsmith.
Bladed Weapons: This category includes axes,
daggers/knives, polearms, spears, swords, or any
edged hand-to-hand weapon. Chitin weapons are
relatively cheap, while the finest crystal weapons
can be quite expensive. The shafts of pole weapons
and spears tend to be made of hard woods or chitin
in order to keep them relatively light.
Blunt Weapons: This category covers clubs,
flails, hammers, maces, staves, or any blunt hand-
to-hand weapon. In addition to the usual materials,
blunt weapons are also commonly made of various
types of super hard stone. The chains of flails tend
to be made of either chitin or Amber. The shafts
of blunt weapons are usually made of the same
material as the head of the weapon. Sometimes,
however, the shafts are made of crystal, even when
the heads are stone. This makes the weapon more
durable and increases its striking power.
Missile Weapons: This category covers
blowguns, bows, darts, crossbows, hurling discs,
javelins, shuriken, slings, throwing axes, or
any non-gunpowder missile weapon. Bows are
commonly made of various hard woods, although
some composite bows are made of sinew and horn.
Shuriken and hurling discs are made of the usual
materials, although chitin shuriken are the most
ADVANTAGE LIST
Advantage Cost
Assets
Contacts
Followers
Influence
Status
184
common and the cheapest. Blowguns can be made
of chitin or wood, while slings are made of suthra
leather. Throwing knives, axes, and javelins tend
to be made of the same materials as their melee
equivalents, although the preference is to make
these weapons lighter.
Weaponsmith Cost: 3 Character Points for the
initial Skill; 2 Character Points for every additional
level of Weaponsmith.
Advantages
Advantages are social perks that your character
may possess, such as titles, political influence,
wealth, or access to valuable contacts that can aid
you in times of need. Your characters caste, which
helps define his station and status in society, is
also purchased as an Advantage. Some professions
(especially those that deal with gunpowder weapons)
are dependent upon a particular caste, so make
sure to buy the appropriate caste for your chosen
profession.
Its up to the GM to set the limits on the number
and types of Advantages your character may possess.
Some Advantages would clearly not be appropriate
for certain Power Levels or campaigns (a roving band
of gypsy musicians would likely not have access to
great wealth or political influence, for example). The
Advantage List table below shows the Character Point
cost for every Advantage. A detailed description of
each Advantage is included in this section.
Adding or Losing Advantages
Once the campaign begins, you may improve
your existing Advantages or purchase additional
ones with Story Points. A GM can even decide
to hand out Story Point rewards in the form of
Advantages. Characters have a knack for saving
rich and influential NPCs, and those NPCs tend to
reward their saviors with titles, items, or property.
These rewards can take the form of Advantages. As
an alternative, a GM could decide that Advantages
gained under these circumstances were simply
story bonuses, in which case they could be given
in addition to regular Story Point rewards.
2-16
1-8/+2 per level
1 per 5 points in Follower
5/level
1-10
 Not only is it possible to acquire Advantages,
it is also possible to get rid of them. This can be
handled in a couple of ways. If you decide you no
longer want an Advantage (for whatever reason),
or it no longer makes sense in the story for your
character to have a certain Advantage (e.g. you lost
a title, a contact was killed, property was seized,
etc.), a GM can allow you to cash it in for its
equivalent Story Point value. You could then spend
those points on other Attributes (including other
Advantages). However, this should only apply to
Advantages that were bought with Character or
Story Points, or given as a Story Point reward by the
GM. Advantages that were given as story bonuses
would simply be lost. Such are the fortunes of war.
Another possible alternative would be for the
GM to replace the Advantage with an equivalent
one (e.g. another title may be granted, a new contact
found, another follower secured, etc.) GMs are
encouraged to make these Advantage replacements
the focus of an adventure or story arc. Not only
does this make more sense for the continuity of the
campaigns narrative, its also much more fun. As
a general rule, however, Character or Story Points
spent on Advantages should rarely be lost, regardless
of what happens in the campaign (unless, that is, a
GM just wanted to be particularly mean).
Advantage Descriptions
Assets
Assets are resources that are available to a
character. They can include such things as a special
weapon, a skyship, or access to money. The cost
of a resource depends on how often the character
can access it and how valuable it is in terms of the
campaign. Characters must purchase this Advantage
for every specific Asset they wish to have (e.g. a
character who wanted a special weapon, a skyship,
and wealth would have to purchase the Asset
Advantage three times). The Assets Value table lists
the value of Assets along with their corresponding
Character Point cost.
How often an Asset is useful is quantified as
a percentage. The GM decides what percentage is
appropriate for any given resource. This will depend
greatly on the Power Level and type of campaign
the GM is running. A special weapon, for example,
would be far more useful in a combat-intensive
campaign than in a campaign that featured mystery
and intrigue, whereas a skyship would benefit a
group of explorers far more than a group of honor
guards tasked with defending a lords manor.
The GM also determines the value of an Asset,
which is again dependent on the GMs campaign.
Even though it was only being used some of the
time, a skyship would normally be far more valuable
Basic Compendium
Assets Value
Cost Description
Chapter III: Character Creation
1 Useful some of the time (25%)
3 Useful half of the time (50%)
5 Useful most of the time (75%)
8 Useful all of the time (100%)
+1 Resource has moderate value
+3 Resource has significant value
+5 Resource has great value
+8 Resource has amazing value
than a well-trained riding beast or even a special
sword. However, if the sword was a demon-killing
weapon and the campaign featured adventures
where heroes fought demons all the time, then
the weapon would be far more valuable than the
skyship.
Several examples of common Assets are given
in the Sample Assets table on the following page.
These samples assume an average Heroic Power
Level campaign with an equal mixture of combat
and non-combat encounters and occasional travel.
GMs should use this table as a guideline for
assigning point costs for other Assets. The best
gauge for the appropriate cost of Assets, however,
will be the players themselves. As a general rule, if a
player feels hes not getting his points worth from
a particular Asset, then the GM may wish to review
the cost of the Advantage (or how often it comes
into play). The important thing is for players to
feel that theyve invested their points wisely. Some
general categories of Assets are given below.
Items: This Asset can include a wide variety
of things: special weapons or armor, trained
pets or mounts, magical artifacts, a skyship (or
seagoing vessel), etc. Items can be an inheritance,
an heirloom, a gift from a mentor or patron, or it
could simply be something the character found in
a previous adventure.
In the case of special weapons and magical
artifacts (which are normally very rare), the GM
should give the item a cost based on what the item
is intended to do. It is not recommended that
characters be allowed to have artifacts that can
instantly kill an opponent, although weapons
that do more damage, or bypass armor, or poison
185
 Chapter III: Character Creation
Sample Assets
Cost Description

6 Suthra/Special Weapon or Armor (useful 50% of the time, significant value)

8 Magic Weapon or Armor (useful 50% of the time, great value)

BOOK ONE

9 Magical Artifact (useful 25% of the time, amazing value)

4 Trained Suthra Pet (useful 50% of the time, moderate value)

4 Trained Land Mount (useful 25% of the time, significant value)

6 Trained Flying Mount (useful 25% of the time, great value)

6 Seagoing Vessel (useful 25% of the time, great value)

9 Skyship (useful 25% of the time, amazing value)

9 Fortified Stronghold (useful 25% of the time, amazing value)

an opponent are certainly acceptable. As usual,
the GM has the final say on what items will be
allowed in his campaign.
Its important to keep in mind that even
though an item bought as an Asset can be lost
or destroyed, the Character Points spent on that
Asset are not lost. The player could either choose
to use those points on other Attributes for his
character, or could ask the GM to come up with
a replacement Asset for the item (a new artifact,
another skyship, etc.)
Property: This Asset covers any sort of
physical property that a character can own: a
manor or fortress, a farm, merchants shop, mine,
etc. As with Items, these Assets can be defined as
an inheritance, or a fiefdom granted by a powerful
lord, a purchase, or even a theft. If the property
brings in a certain mount of money (such as a
diamond mine, for example) then the character
should also purchase an appropriate wealth level
(see below).
If a character ever decides to sell a property
and wants to make money off it, he should use the
Character Points previously spent on the property
on an appropriate amount of wealth. As with
all Assets, if a property is ever seized or lost due
to some other event in the campaign, the player
should choose to either spend the points on other
Attributes for his character or ask the GM for a
replacement property.
Wealth: This Asset measures a characters
access to money. The Wealth Level table lists some
levels of wealth and their Character Point costs.
The units of wealth are given in U.S. dollars for
purposes of easy comparison (most players have a
general idea of how much a dollar is worth). On
Drdnah, the chief unit of currency is the daln,
which is worth roughly $5.00. GMs are free to
tweak the wealth totals, of course, but the buying
power of the wealth level should stay roughly
the same. Further, any character desiring a high
level of wealth should justify it by purchasing a
corresponding title (see Status, page 189). Only
powerful lords and rulers should ever be allowed
to purchase income levels higher than 10 points.
Goods bought with wealth do not carry
the same protection as other Assets bought as
Advantages. For example, if a character with
wealth bought a skyship, and that skyship were to
Wealth Level
Cost Description
1 $125,000/year income
3 $250,000/year income
5 $500,000/year income
8 $1 million/year income
10 $10 million/year income
15 $40 million/year income

186
 be destroyed by pirates, then the skyship would
be gone. If the character wanted another skyship,
hed have to spend more money in order to get
one. In this instance, its not the skyship thats the
Asset, its access to the wealth. If a character with
a low level of wealth had spent most of his wealth
on that skyship, hed have to wait the appropriate
amount of time before making another large
purchase (or could perhaps get loans since his
income would be guaranteed).
Assets Cost: 2-16 Character Points depending
on the value of the Asset.
Contacts
A Contact is an individual, group, or
organization that a character can call on for
assistance. Contacts can be allies, connections,
mentors, patrons, even a rival over whom the
character has some sort of leverage. The cost of
a Contact is based on the relative value of the
Contact (i.e. the Contacts status, wealth level,
political influence, military might, magical power,
etc.), as well as how likely the Contact is to help
the character. Characters must purchase this
Advantage for every Contact they wish to have (e.g.
a character who wanted a city guard, an alchemist,
and a wealthy merchant as Contacts would have to
purchase the Contact Advantage three times). The
Contact Value table lists the value of Contacts along
with their corresponding Character Point cost.
The value of a Contact will depend entirely
upon the Power Level and type of campaign a GM
chooses to run. In general, the isvar of a mighty
nation or a legendary sorcerer would be far more
valuable than a city guard or an herbalist. However,
some Contacts might not be suited to certain
Power Levels (a group of Outcastes, for example,
should not normally have access to the isvar of a
country). Furthermore, Contacts that are limited
to a specific locale or whose spheres of influence
are very small should be cheaper than Contacts
that moved around a lot or wielded influence over
vast areas.
Every Contact starts with a Ranking of 3. That
means that a character rolls 3 Action Dice in order
to determine if a Contact is willing and able to
help him. At least 1 success (a Partial Success Level)
is necessary in order for the Contact to offer any
form of assistance. The higher the Success Level,
the more aid the Contact is willing or able to give.
Characters may buy additional levels to a particular
Contacts Ranking for 2 Character Points per
additional die.
GMs should apply modifiers to the Contact
Action Dice depending on what favor the character
is asking of the Contact. Requests that are easy to
grant should get bonuses while those that endanger
Basic Compendium
Contact Value
Cost Description
Moderate Value (possesses Skills the PC
Chapter III: Character Creation
1 lacks, access to a specific resource, low
magical or martial ability, etc.)
Significant Value (access to a handful
3 of resources, minor political influence,
talented magical or martial ability, etc.)
Great Value (access to a large number
5 of resources, major political influence,
heroic magical or martial ability, etc.)
Amazing Value (access to vast resources,
8 incredible political influence, legendary
magical or martial ability, etc.)
a Contacts safety or put a significant dent in the
Contacts resources should get penalties. A player
should keep in mind that Contacts are not Followers
and do not have to grant his characters requests. In
certain cases, GMs could allow a character to use
Skills (such as Bribery, Intimidation, or Persuasion)
as Complementary Skills to Contact Action Dice.
Contacts can offer almost any form of
assistance. Some Contacts could provide access to
special locations, such as a royal palace, a prison,
or a secret guildhall. Others might lend a character
money or provide a resource of some kind, such as
passage on a skyship, a special weapon, or a flying
mount. A Contact can know a secret martial arts
technique or a forbidden ritual crucial to defeating
a terrible foe. Contacts can even provide simple
things like shelter, food, and comfort. The only
limits are the players imaginations and the GMs
judgement.
Scoring no successes on the Contacts Action
Dice means the Contact is unwilling or unable to
help. Whereas Fumbling a roll to secure a Contacts
assistance will not result in the loss of that Contact,
it can mean additional penalties the next time the
character asks that Contact for a favor. If a character
ever did anything to permanently jeopardize a
relationship with a Contact (or if a Contact died),
the player could either choose to use those points
on other Attributes for his character, or could ask
the GM to provide a replacement Contact.
Players should create backstories for each of
their Contacts so the GM has a good handle on the
relationships and how the Contacts would likely
react to requests. Alternately, players who wanted
to be surprised could allow the GM to come up
with the Contacts backstory. There should be
a good deal of roleplaying involved with the use
of Contacts. Thats half the fun of having them.
187
BOOK ONE Chapter III: Character Creation
Contacts can be family, childhood friends, former
mates or lovers, comrades-in-arms, fellow members
of a characters House or Line, an old mentor or
master, a rich patron, or even just some guy you
know who owes you a favor. The more colorful the
Contact, the more fun it will be for everyone.
Contacts Cost: 1-8 Character Points depending
on the value of the Contact (to start with a Ranking
of 3). Additional Contact Action Dice cost 2
Character Points per die/level.
Followers
This Advantage allows a character to have some
sort of loyal NPC retainer or companion. A Follower
can be just about anything. He can be a faithful
servant, a personal bodyguard, a wizened mentor,
a devoted disciple, or possibly a vanquished enemy
who has been bound to the character in some way.
A Follower doesnt even have to be a Zoic; it can
be a summoned creature, such as a bound demon
or an elemental, or even a benevolent spirit or
ghost. The specifics of the Followers backstory are
completely up to the player, although all Followers
must get the approval of the GM.
Followers are built with points just like any
other NPC. Every Character Point a player pays for
a Follower gives him 5 Character Points worth of
Follower. Thus, if a player wanted his character to
have a 100 point Follower, hed pay 20 Character
Points to get him. Like all NPCs, Followers can
have their own Drawbacks, which would give them
additional points to spend (or make them cheaper
for players to buy). Followers should be limited to
whatever Drawback maximums have been set by the
campaigns Power Level. Further, Followers should
never be built on more points than the characters
they serve.
188
Players will usually want Followers to be
completely devoted and loyal, and for the most part
they should be. Followers will obey their masters
commands to the best of their ability, and most
would not hesitate to give their lives for those they
serve. This is not to say that Followers cant have
disagreements with their masters. In fact, unless
the player wanted some sort of bizarre automaton,
Followers should always have distinct personalities
and should be roleplayed by the GM. This makes
Followers more fun for everyone.
Not all Followers have to be completely
trustworthy. Some players may want the challenge
of a questionable Follower. This is not to say that
a Follower should ever turn into a traitor or work
actively against his master (unless a character was
tiring of a Follower and wanted to get rid of him).
Questionable Followers are more like lovable
rogues; they lie, cheat, and steal whenever they can,
and are constantly looking for ways to improve their
status. Such scoundrels can be quite entertaining
as Followers; they definitely keep their masters on
their toes.
As with any other Advantage, Character Points
sunk into a Follower should never go away, even if
a Follower is killed. If either the player or the GM
ever decides that a Follower should no longer be
a Follower (for whatever reason), then the player
should be given the choice of using the Character
Points on other Attributes, or the GM could
provide the character with another Follower. The
former Follower (if hes still alive) would become an
NPC at that point, possibly even becoming a foe or
rival for his former master.
Followers Cost: 1 Character Points for every 5
points in the Follower (not including Drawbacks).
 Influence
This Advantage grants a character a certain
amount of political or social influence either as a
result of his relationship to powerful individuals
or organizations, or his personal achievements
and reputation. Influence can go by many
names: clout, sway, pull, weight, or leverage. A
character can use it to gain a more favorable
or cooperative response from NPCs, especially
from those that are easily impressed by prestige
or renown. Influence would be appropriate for a
war hero, a member of a royal family, a powerful
sorcerer, a famous musician, or even a notorious
criminal. The justification behind the Influence
is completely up to the player, although as usual
it would need the GMs approval.
Influence works just like Talents. Every
5 Character Points gives a character 1 Action
Die/Level of Influence. The character can
use those Influence Action Dice to boost any
appropriate Attribute (although Influence will
be applicable mostly to Skills) in any situation
where the Influence should logically come
into play. Skills that could potentially be
boosted by Influence include: Bargain, Bribery,
Conversation, Diplomacy, Etiquette, Gaming,
Interrogation, Intimidation, Intrigue, Oratory,
Performance, Persuasion, Profession, Seduction,
and Streetwise. Depending on the situation,
Influence could also be used to boost Contact
Action Dice.
Influence is not quite the same thing as
having a title, although the two can be related.
A title grants a character certain rights and
privileges within society (for a list of titles, see
Status). Influence, by contrast, does not grant
a character any rights or privileges, but rather
makes it more likely that NPCs will give the
character preferential treatment. In the cases
of characters with notorious reputations, the
preferential treatment would be given out of fear
rather than any attempt to curry favor.
By the nature of how renown or prestige
works, Influence can have geographical
limitations. If a character with Influence travels
to an area where his reputation is not known or
where his relationships to powerful individuals
carry no weight, then naturally he would not be
able to use Influence to boost his Attributes. As
an option, GMs might allow a character to buy
levels of Influence that were limited to smaller
areas for 3 Character Points per Action Die/
Level. This should only be done, however, if the
area would not be featured prominently in the
campaign.
Influence Cost: 5 Character Points for every
Action Die/Level of Influence.
Basic Compendium
Status
Status is a measure of a characters position
in society. This Advantage allows characters to
buy their caste ranking as well as titles that grant
them political or legal powers and certain perks.
Chapter III: Character Creation
Status can also help justify the purchase of other
Advantages, such as Assets, Followers, or Influence
(after all, a monarch would likely have access to
great wealth, many resources, and many retainers).
A list of some sample titles and their costs are
listed in the Status Table below.
Its important to explain the relationship
between Status and other Advantages that a
character with Status might also possess. Although
a character with a title (such as an isvar) might
have access to vast resources and great wealth,
those resources are primarily used for the benefit
of the nation he rules and its people. The wealth
and resources are not at the isvars disposal for his
own personal use.
This applies to virtually all of the monarchs
on Drdnah. They must each answer to ruling
councils comprised of aristocrats and military
leaders. Uses of a nations resources are well
monitored, and excesses can cost a monarch his
throne. The Queen of England, after all, could not
decide to sell a British aircraft carrier and pocket
the money, nor could she send the Royal Navy to
invade Denmark simply because she wanted a nice
vacation home in Copenhagen.
Status Table
Cost Caste/Title
1 Trade Caste
2 High Caste
3 Holy Caste
3
House Dignitary (chamberlain, master of
the honor guards/watch, great seer, etc.)
Government Official (guard captain,
3
harbormaster, judge, etc.)
Religious Official (abbot, high priest, clan
3
lawspeaker, etc.)
5
Lesser Noble (aryah, magistrate, imir, clan
chieftain, etc.)
Greater Noble (great aryah, governor,
8
high magistrate, grand imir, etc.)
8
Religious Leader (Great Satyan, High
Daru Father, chief priest, etc.)
10
Monarch (isvar, aminar, high prince, khan,
etc.)
189
 Chapter III: Character Creation
Resources purchased by a monarch in the form
of other Advantages, however, could be used in any
way the monarch wished (although they would still
need to be careful about abuses of power). This
would be the difference between a character who
chose to only purchase Status and one who chose
to buy a title along with several other Advantages
to represent his personal wealth and influence.
BOOK ONE
After all, not all monarchs are created equal; some
are incredibly wealthy and influential, while others
might be weak puppets or simple figureheads with
very little personal worth.
Furthermore, due to the powers granted a
character with a high level of Status, all such titles
would need the permission of the GM. Characters
playing monarchs would probably need to be one
of the key features of a particular campaign. After
all, most monarchs spend their time ruling not
gallivanting around the world exploring ancient
ruins and rescuing damsels in distress (unless of
course the campaign was specifically about an
adventurer prince doing just that).
Caste: There is some form of a caste system
in almost every culture on Drdnah. The castes
for the most part are the same, although they
might be known by different names in different
regions. Certain professions require a character to
be of a certain caste, so players should make sure
to purchase the correct one for the profession of
their choice. The three castes that characters must
pay for as an Advantage are the Holy Caste, High
Caste, and Trade Caste.
The Holy Caste is comprised of the most
learned and respected members of society: priests,
doctors, judges, lawyers, scholars, architects, and
teachers. Holy Caste members are also often chefs
due to the fact that Holy and High Caste members
prefer to eat food prepared by someone of equal or
higher caste. Addressed as Enlightened One or
Revered One, Holy Caste members can always
be sure of a warm welcome and good treatment in
any establishment or home. Unwarranted violence
against a member of this caste can carry severe
penalties, including imprisonment or death.
The High Caste is comprised of nobles, warriors,
sorcerers, and the highly skilled artisans who
specialize in crafting firearms or training suthra
weapons and armor. The privileged members of
this caste may wield firearms, explosives, and suthra
weapons and armor, something for which even
Holy Caste members need special dispensation.
Members of this caste are called Sunborn because
they are believed to be blessed at birth by the light
of both suns. High Caste members are considered
the aristocracy of society.
The Trade Caste is comprised of merchants,
artisans, and skilled craftsmen. Trade Caste
190
members may not wield firearms nor use suthra
weapons and armor, but are usually wealthy
enough to hire warriors to protect their interests.
Although not aristocrats, members of this caste
are considered well-bred and are the gentry
and mercantile backbone of society. Low Caste
individuals address Trade Caste members as sir
or madam.
Titles: Titles grant characters certain political
or legal powers and carry a variety of perks. As with
other Advantages, the GM should decide exactly
how much a given title is worth. If the perks of a
particular title are being called upon regularly, that
title should probably cost more Character Points
than if the perks were only occasionally useful to
the character. An explanation of the various title
levels is given below.
House Dignitaries get a variety of perks within
their own House. Outside of that domain, however,
they have relatively little power. The Master of the
Honor Guards can have House members arrested
or promote guards to the status of honor guards.
The House Chamberlain is able to perform
various ceremonies, such as weddings, coming-
of-age celebrations (often called caste braid
investitures), and funerals. House Dignitaries are
shown the greatest respect by all other members of
their House.
Government Officials can have a wide variety of
political or legal powers. The captain of the city
guards would be able to prevent an individual
from being arrested for a crime, or reassign guards
to various parts of the city (for purposes of either
facilitating or preventing a crime). He would also
be able to gain access to prisons and prisoners or
to military installations. A harbormaster could
allow ships to come into port with no inspections,
or could alter ship manifests (to hide illegal goods,
for example), or even forge ownership papers for a
ship. A judge could dismiss criminal charges, rule
in a certain individuals favor, or order prisoners to
be released without question.
Religious Officials can conduct a wide variety
of rituals and ceremonies, including weddings,
naming ceremonies, caste investitures, and funerals.
They would also be able to invoke the blessings of
the Devah, and as servants of the gods, their word
would carry great weight with the devout. Most
priests can count on a decent meal and a warm
bed anywhere they choose to travel, and would
benefit from the laws protecting members of the
priesthood from violence.
Lesser Nobles can rule a House, a clan, or even
a small city. A Lesser Noble title would allow
a character to appoint individuals to various
minor governmental positions (captain of the city
guards, master of the honor guards, chamberlain,
 harbormaster, judge, etc.) A Lesser Noble could also
dismiss minor criminal charges (theft, smuggling,
assault, etc.), have access to certain restricted areas,
or pass judgement on individuals for lesser crimes.
Lesser Nobles would also be shown a great deal of
respect by most of society.
Greater Nobles can rule a Line, a province, or
a large city. A Greater Noble title would allow a
character to appoint individuals to important
governmental positions (aryah, magistrate, imir,
chief judge, etc.) A Greater Noble could also dismiss
major criminal charges (murder, kidnapping, rape,
etc.), have access to areas like the royal palace, or
pass judgement on individuals for greater crimes.
Greater Nobles would be shown the highest level
of respect by most of society.
Religious Leaders head large religious
organizations (like the pope or the Dalai Lama).
This title would allow a character to appoint
various religious officials (abbot, high priest, clan
lawspeaker, etc.) A Religious Leader could also
elevate a member of any caste to the Holy Caste,
could either charge an individual with heresy
(an offense punishable by death) or dismiss such
a charge, could change canonical laws, or pass
judgement on heretics and blasphemers. Religious
Leaders are seen as the closest thing to an actual
Devah that walks upon the earth.
Monarchs are the heads of state that rule the
various nations of Drdnah. This title would
allow a character to appoint individuals to the
highest levels of government (great aryah, governor,
high magistrate, grand imir, etc.) A Monarch
could also elevate a member of any caste to the
High Caste, could dismiss any criminal charge
(including high treason), could change secular
laws, have unlimited access to anywhere within his
domain, could pass judgement on individuals for
any crime, and would be assured of the very finest
treatment anywhere he chose to travel within his
domain. Its good to be the king.
Drawbacks
No characters are ever perfect, at least not the
truly interesting ones. In fact, the most memorable
characters in movies and literature are defined as
DRAWBACK LIST
Drawback Affected Attributes
Mental
Mystic
Physical
Social
Basic Compendium
much by their weaknesses as by their strengths.
Drawbacks represent those weaknesses; physical
defects, mental disorders, or social disadvantages
that can afflict your character. Being crippled, or
terrified of heights, or being the victim of a terrible
Chapter III: Character Creation
curse are all examples of Drawbacks. Whereas
Drawbacks will give you more Character Points to
spend, which can allow you to build a slightly more
powerful character, they will also be exploited by
the GM during the game.
If you dont like the idea of your character
having flaws, then worry not: Drawbacks are purely
optional. That said, they can also be a great deal of
fun as they will give the GM ideas for scenarios and
adventures (after all, exploiting Drawbacks means
bringing them into the spotlight and you along
with them). If youre not certain how a Drawback
might affect you in the game, consult with the GM
and get his take on it. The general categories of
Drawbacks and the Attributes they can affect are
given in the Drawback List table below. This section
will give a detailed description of every category
and list several examples of Drawbacks for each
category.
How Drawbacks Work
The value of a Drawback is based on two factors:
its severity and how often it affects you. Drawbacks
that seldom come into play would naturally give
you less points than those that affect you all the
time. Likewise, a Drawback thats easy to overcome
or only affects your character in a minor way is not
worth as much as one thats impossible to overcome
and could potentially cripple your character. As
usual, the GM has the final say on how much a
particular Drawback is worth. Campaigns will have
different sets of criteria for determining both the
severity and frequency of certain Drawbacks based
on their Power Levels and themes.
A Drawbacks Severity Level is measured in
terms of penalty modifiers. The Drawback Severity
table on the following page lists the various levels of
a Drawbacks severity along with its corresponding
Character Point value and its penalty modifier. As
the table shows, every 3 Character Points that you
get for a specific Drawback imposes a 1 Action
Die penalty modifier to appropriate Attribute
Wit, Will, Presence
Varies
Strength, Vigor, Agility, Dexterity, Perception
Will, Presence
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
Drawback Severity
Points Level
3 Mild (1 Action Dice)
6 Low (2 Action Dice)
BOOK ONE
9 Moderate (3 Action Dice)
12 Major (4 Action Dice)
15 Extreme (5 Action Dice)
18 Crippling (6 Action Dice)
Rolls associated with that Drawback. This penalty is
applied to your dice rolls whenever the GM decides
that the Drawback should come into play. Each
category of Drawback will discuss which Attribute
Rolls are associated with it and how the penalty
modifiers will affect your dice rolls in the game.
Its important to keep in mind that Drawback
penalties can result in more failures for your
character. This is the reason Drawbacks should
not be taken lightly. They will (and should) limit
the effectiveness of your character. In certain
cases, a Drawback may even render your character
completely helpless. After all, if a Drawback does
not limit you in some way, its not really a Drawback
and shouldnt give you any extra Character Points
to spend. If youre interested in a more colorful
character without actually giving him weaknesses,
then simply have the GM include those aspects
of your character as backstory and roleplaying
elements rather than Drawbacks.
How often a Drawback comes into play is the
second factor in determining a Drawbacks value.
The Drawback Occurrence table lists the various
levels of frequency for a Drawback along with
its corresponding Character Point adjustment.
The GM should approve the appropriate level
of frequency for all Drawbacks. Low frequency
Drawback Occurrence
Adjustment Frequency
3 Rarely (25%)
+0 Often (50%)
+3 Very Frequently (75%)
+6 Always (100%)
192
levels actually deduct Character Points from the
Drawbacks overall value. In order for a Drawback
to give the full amount listed on the Drawback
Severity table, it must affect a character at least 50%
of the time. Drawbacks that affect a character more
often are worth more points.
Whenever a situation in the game arises where
a Drawback should affect a character, the GM
can impose part or all of the Action Dice penalty
modifier to the characters appropriate Attribute
Roll. Sometimes the adjusted dice roll will determine
if a character can overcome the Drawback, as in the
case of certain Mental Drawbacks. Other times the
penalty modifier will be applied to an Attribute
Roll as a way to reflect that the characters ability is
being hindered by the Drawback, as in the case of
Physical Drawbacks. In a few instances, there may
be no dice roll involved at all; the Drawback will
simply limit the character in some definable way.
Some categories of Drawback will give special rules
for how to handle that particular Drawback in the
game.
The Power Level of the campaign sets a limit
on the number of Character Points a character can
get from Drawbacks. In the case of Drawbacks that
would normally give more points than the limit
allows, the GM should allow the player to take the
Drawback (assuming he really wants it) but simply
limit the number of points the character will get to
the Power Level Drawback limit. Further, characters
dont have to take the full limit of Drawbacks given
in the Power Level table.
What Qualifies as a Drawback?
Drawbacks, as defined in the SHARD RPG,
are weaknesses that inhibit the performance of
your character in some significant way. Players are
encouraged to develop their characters backstory
and personality and to roleplay their characters
to the best of their ability. That said, there is a
distinction between a colorful bit of personality or
a peculiar character trait and an actual Drawback.
In general, if a GM thinks a Drawback seems
silly or ridiculous, it shouldnt be a Drawback.
Thats not to say that the character shouldnt
engage in that behavior anyway. Personality quirks
are colorful and make the game more enjoyable for
everyone. The question a GM must ask himself when
considering a Drawback is whether the weakness
limits the characters effectiveness enough to merit
points. If the answer is no, then the weakness needs
to be adjusted to fit the definition of a Drawback,
or simply be considered a colorful character trait
thats not worth any points.
As an example, lets say a character started
eating compulsively whenever he smelled jasmine.
Thats certainly a colorful character trait, and the
 player should feel free to have his character engage
in that behavior, but he shouldnt get any points
for it. But (and theres always a but), what if the
character continued eating until he either passed
out or had to be knocked unconscious to get him
to stop? Now that sounds like a Drawback! The
golden rule of Drawbacks is simple: if a Drawback
does not hinder a character in some significant
way, it should not be a Drawback.
Adjusting or Losing
Drawbacks
Once the campaign begins, you may buy off
your existing Drawbacks or even switch one that
no longer applies out for another Drawback. In the
course of a campaign, characters have a tendency
to kill off their rivals, find ways to remove curses,
or even discover methods of healing old wounds.
They also have a habit of making more enemies,
get new curses placed upon them, and suffer
additional crippling wounds.
GMs can allow characters to either pay
the Character Point cost of a Drawback with
Story Points (thereby eliminating the Drawback
altogether), or they can let characters choose one
or more Drawbacks worth the same amount of
points as the original. Some players may even
want to let the GM pick whatever new Drawbacks
he deems appropriate given the events of the
campaign. These mystery Drawbacks can be
quite a bit of fun as you never know what the GM
will inflict upon you.
What GMs are not encouraged to do,
however, is to allow characters to take additional
Drawback points for plot-related calamities.
Unless a character is willing to trade out an old
Drawback for others, new enemies, wounds,
or other misfortunes acquired in the line of
duty are simply part of the game; those are the
risks a character takes for adventuring in the
world. Remember, characters are already getting
Character Points for those misfortunes (theyre
called Story Points) and they can choose to spend
them however they wish. Allowing them to take
additional Drawback points can unbalance the
characters in relation to one another. GMs should
be cautious about doing this.
Drawback Descriptions
Mental
Mental Drawbacks can represent a variety of
mental disorders, such as strict codes of behavior,
phobias, personality disorders, even insanity.
Every time a player takes a Mental Drawback for
his character, he must define it clearly for the GM.
Defining the Drawback includes describing what
Basic Compendium
behaviors are governed by it (in the case of codes) or
what conditions trigger it (in the case of personality
disorders), and what sorts of reactions the character
has when it is triggered. The conditions will help the
GM determine the appropriate occurrence level (and
Chapter III: Character Creation
point adjustment), whereas the reactions will help the
GM decide if its an appropriately limiting Drawback.
The conditions that trigger a Mental Drawback
should not be silly, and they need to occur fairly often
in the campaign. Likewise, a characters reaction
to having a Mental Drawback triggered should be
fairly extreme. Acceptable reactions could include:
attacking the source of the trigger, collapsing into a
senseless heap, running away, or becoming completely
disoriented and confused. Mild reactions, such as
becoming angry, refusing to speak to the source of the
trigger (or giving them the cold shoulder), or walking
away in disgust should either not be allowed by the
GM, or should deduct between 3 and 9 (or more)
Character Points from the value of the Drawback. After
all, getting pissy and refusing to speak to someone is
not an extreme reaction.
It is possible to overcome Mental Drawbacks, but
it depends on the severity of the Drawback and the
situation. If a character wishes to overcome a Mental
Drawback, he must make a successful Will Roll. His
Will Characteristic Action Dice, however, would be
adjusted by the Drawbacks penalty modifier. Thus, a
character with a Mental Drawback that had a Major
Severity Level (worth 12 Character Points) would
suffer a 4 Action Dice penalty modifier to his Will
Characteristic Rolls. Its clear to see that incredibly
severe Drawbacks can be extremely difficult to
overcome. Other Attributes that might be affected by
Mental Drawbacks include Wit and Presence or any
Skills Linked to those Characteristics.
If a character fails his Will Roll to overcome a
Mental Drawback, he must take whatever actions he
defined when he set up the Drawback, regardless of the
effects of those actions. The character will continue to
act in that manner until the condition that triggered
the Drawback is changed or the character is removed
from that situation.
Under certain circumstances, GMs could decide
to give characters multiple opportunities to overcome
a Drawback (applying the penalty modifier in each
case, of course). These circumstances could include
such conditions as a characters companions trying to
snap him out of it, or a character doing something
truly shocking (for that character). Sometimes, it may
be necessary for a character who is suffering the effects
of a Mental Drawback to be restrained or knocked
senseless in order to get him under control.
The GM can also decide that certain Mental
Drawbacks can never be overcome. This would
naturally depend on the circumstances and the
specific Drawback. For example, if a character took
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
a Code of Conduct that declared the character
would rather die than be dishonored, then the
GM could rule that the character would never
accept dishonor regardless of the circumstances
(no Will Roll would be necessary). This is one of
the reasons why its crucial for players to carefully
discuss their Drawbacks with their GM. When
it comes to these sorts of weaknesses, everyone
BOOK ONE

should be on the same page.

Code of Conduct: This type of Mental
Drawback defines a set of beliefs that guide
how a character will behave in certain
situations. As usual, all Codes of Conduct
must be approved by the GM. Some examples
of these codes include:
Code of Honor - Common among the
High Caste, such codes might forbid a noble
warrior from ever attacking an unarmed
opponent, or ever harming innocents. They
might be required to protect the weak, and
always keep their word.
Warrior Code - Common among
professional soldiers, this code might require
characters to always accept a challenge and never
submit to insults. This code might also compel a
warrior to always avenge a comrades death.
Religious Code - Common among the Holy Caste,
mngai often take vows of poverty or chastity, and
dedicate their lives to helping those in need. Priests
also feel it is their duty to spread the faith to the
unenlightened.
Physician Code - Many doctors of the Holy Caste
take this code to do no harm and always heal the
sick and injured, regardless of their loyalties and
affiliations.
Hatred: This category of Mental Drawback
represents irrational prejudices and hatreds. A
characters reaction to the object of a Hatred must be
extreme in order to qualify as a Drawback. Extreme
reactions can include immediately attacking the
hated object, doing everything possible to harm or
ruin the source of the Hatred, gravely insulting and
humiliating the source of the Hatred, or refusing
any association with those who deal with the source
of the Hatred. A Hatred can be directed at just
about anything, although GMs should reject silly
or ridiculous Hatreds.
Insanity: This category of Mental Drawback
represents severe psychoses. These sorts of Mental
Drawbacks are among the most extreme and GMs
should review characters who take them very
carefully. These types of disorders can rarely be
overcome by Will Rolls, due both to the nature of
the disorders and to the severe penalty modifiers
usually associated with them. Some examples of
Insanity would include:
Multiple Personality Disorder - The classic Jekyll
and Hyde syndrome, extreme cases can feature many
distinct personalities. This Drawback could potentially
be quite interesting and entertaining.
Megalomania - What famous bad guy doesnt have
this Mental Drawback? A desire to rule the world is
almost a requirement for certain villains.
Sadomasochism - This is the extremely violent
variety that usually results in grievous injury or death.
This is another good Drawback for villains.
Paranoid Schizophrenia - Characters with this
Drawback are afflicted with hallucinations and are
prone to violence. This is a good one for characters
who might be dealing with traditional insanity.
Memory & Learning Problem: These sorts of
Mental Drawbacks normally cant be overcome by a
Will Roll. Instead, the Drawbacks modifier should
be applied to a characters Wit Roll whenever the
character was trying to perform any task that relied on
their memory or intelligence. This category could also
be used to simulate characters who had some form of
mental or learning disability. Some examples include:
Absent-Minded - A good one for elderly characters
or scholars whose minds are always drifting away to
other subjects.
No Short-Term Memory - The character only
remembers events that occurred years ago. He cant
remember new faces, names, or events. Players
and GMs could have some fun with these types of
characters.
Total Amnesia - A character has no memory of
his past. This might not affect combat situations or
even most encounters a character might have, but
could play heavily into the campaigns story.

194
 Slow-Witted - The character is not the sharpest
tool in the shed and could be taken advantage of
by unscrupulous individuals.
Personality Disorder: This type of Mental
Drawback can represent a large variety of aberrant
behavior. Some examples of Personality Disorders
include:
Overconfidence - This is a common one for
many adventurers. Characters with this Drawback
always leap into dangerous situations and take
on impossible odds. It would be extremely rare
for someone with overconfidence to not accept a
challenge, regardless of who issues it.
Cowardly - Less common for adventurers unless
theyre thieves or scholars or some other form of
non-combat character. A coward will always run
from danger and will never take unnecessary risks.
Vengeful - This type of character will always
get even, regardless of the cost. Further, he will
never forgive an insult or an injury. Many popular
characters in literature and films are motived by
revenge.
Short-Tempered - This character is easily offended
and has the proverbial chip on his shoulder.
Further, he usually reacts violently when provoked.
Some Zoics will have this Mental Drawback as a
racial Attribute.
Obsessive Behavior - This could be any type of
mania or obsessive compulsion. Some characters
might always frees slaves, or always challenge honor
guards to duels, or stop and pray for an hour at
every shrine they pass. This could also represent an
obsessive gambler, a compulsive liar, and a variety
of manias (kleptomania, pyromania, etc.).
Phobia: This variety of Mental Drawback
represents an irrational fear of some sort. Characters
confronted with the object of their Phobia should
have a severe reaction (run away, become panicked
or confused, etc.). GMs could apply the Severity
Level penalty modifier of the Phobia to any Attribute
Rolls the characters were asked to make while under
the effects of their Phobia. The effects would cease
when either the object of the Phobia or the phobic
character was removed from the situation. Some
common examples of Phobias include:
Claustrophobia - The fear of tight, enclosed
spaces. This Phobia might be appropriate for
certain Paksin.
Agoraphobia - The fear of leaving ones home or
of large crowds. Needless to say, this Phobia can be
quite crippling for an adventurer.
Aquaphobia - The fear of water, especially of
large bodies of water or being immersed in water.
This Phobia might be appropriate for certain desert
dwelling Zoics.
Basic Compendium
Suthraphobia - The fear of the worlds indigenous
creatures, usually of a particular variety.
Acrophobia - The fear of heights or elevated
areas. Might be appropriate for certain burrowing
Zoics.
Chapter III: Character Creation
Nyctophobia - The fear of the dark or night. Not
a good Phobia for assassins or thieves (although a
character like that might be quite amusing).
Xenophobia - The fear of strangers or strange
environments.
Mystic
Mystic Drawbacks represent afflictions that
are supernatural in nature. If you wanted your
character to be suffering under a curse, or plagued
by demons, or even haunted by spirits, a Mystic
Drawback would be the way to represent that.
As with other Drawbacks, the points a Mystic
Drawback awards are based on how badly the
Drawback affects the character (its severity) and
how often it comes into play (its frequency).
When a Mystic Drawback is chosen, the
player selects which Attributes (usually a set of
Characteristics and their Linked Skills) are affected
by the Drawbacks penalty modifier. The Mystic
Drawback table lists the various combinations of
Attributes a Mystic Drawback can affect, along with
its corresponding Character Point adjustment.
GMs should feel free to mix and match
the affected Attributes to fit a particular Mystic
Drawback. As a general rule, +0 Character Points
are added for any combination of either 2 Combat
Characteristics and their Linked Skills, or 1 Combat
and 2 Non-Combat Characteristics and their
Linked Skills, or 4 Non-Combat Characteristics
and their Linked Skills. +3 Character Points are
added for all the Combat Characteristics and their
Linked Skills, and +6 Character Points are added
to the value of the Drawback if all Characteristics
Mystic Drawback
Adjustment Affected Attributes
Will, Wit, Perception, Presence &
+0
Linked Skills
+0 Strength, Vigor & Linked Skills
+0 Agility, Dexterity & Linked Skills
+0 Essence, Will, Wit & Linked Skills
Strength, Vigor, Agility, Dexterity,
+3
Essence & Linked Skills
+6 All Characteristics & Linked Skills
195
 Chapter III: Character Creation
and their Linked Skills are affected by the
Drawbacks penalty modifier.
The player, with the GMs help, defines
exactly how the Drawback manifests in
the game. The categories below discuss
the specifics of some varieties of Mystic
Drawbacks. Players should be careful
BOOK ONE

about both the severity and the frequency

of a Mystic Drawback, especially if theyve
chosen many Attributes that are affected by
the Drawbacks penalty modifier. A high
point Mystic Drawback can be crippling for
a character. As usual, GMs must approve of
all Mystic Drawbacks.
If a player ever decides to buy off a
Mystic Drawback, the GM should arrange
an adventure or series of scenarios that
center around that attempt. Removing a
curse or getting rid of a demon, after all,
is not an easy feat. The character might
have to quest for a legendary artifact, or
seek the aid of a powerful sorcerer or priest,
or perhaps even help a restless spirit find
peace. The specifics are of course dependent on
the type of Drawback and up to GMs brilliantly
twisted imagination.
Curse: Characters who languish under a Curse
of some sort are fairly common in fantasy literature.
Curses can take a variety of forms. Some of them
affect a characters state of mind, tormenting him
with recurring nightmares or ghastly visions of death
and despair that leave a character confused and
vulnerable. Other Curses affect a characters body,
weakening and sickening him in certain situations.
Curses can also manifest as streaks of bad luck,
striking at the most inopportune moments and
causing the character grief and heartache.
The specifics of the Curse and how it manifests
are up to the player and the GM. The Curses
penalty modifier should be applied to whatever
Attributes the player has chosen (or to the ones
most appropriate to a given situation). The
penalties, however, could also be applied to NPCs
associated with the Cursed character (if the Curse
involves them). GMs are encouraged to play around
with Curses and interpret them however he sees fit.
The severity, frequency, and Attributes affected by
the Curse all serve as guidelines for the GM to play
out the effects of the Curse in the game.
Some Curses will require the GM to roleplay
their effects in the game. Strokes of bad luck, after
all, should have multiple effects not covered by
these rules. GMs are encouraged to find ways to
bring the Curse into the story, building encounters
or entire scenarios around them. Curses are
generally designed to cause injury to a character,
whether it be actual bodily harm or manifested as a
loss of some sort: money, respect, influence, family,
etc. Some Curses may get pretty esoteric. GMs
should get an understanding of what the player is
after with a particular Curse and use these rules to
help simulate that. Its in roleplaying these sorts of
Drawbacks where the player can have a lot of fun.
Lets look at an example of a Curse. Suppose a
player wanted a character that was Cursed to never
find love. The GM could apply the Drawbacks
penalty modifier to any situation or Attribute
Roll where a character interacts with a potential
romantic interest. The Action Dice penalty would
be used to ruin interactions with the romantic
interest (Conversation, Etiquette, Persuasion, or
Seduction Skill Rolls would be diminished), and
all attempts by the Cursed character to impress
a romantic interest would be hampered. In a
roleplaying context, the Cursed character would
always say the wrong things, appear oafish, commit
more social gaffes, and would consistently lose out
to romantic rivals (either in combat or non-combat
situations).
Heres another example of a Curse. Lets say
a characters Curse specified that the characters
loved ones would always suffer. The GM could apply
the Drawbacks modifiers not only to the Cursed
character but to NPCs who developed a fondness
or even a relationship with the Cursed character.
These individuals would fail at business, suffer
due to illness, have less opportunities presented to
them, and lose more of their resources during the
course of the game. All of this as a result of the
Drawbacks penalty modifier decreasing the NPCs
chances of success and diminishing their overall
performance in many aspects of their lives.

196
 A Curse that does not affect the character
directly, however, would be worth fewer points.
Further, GMs should be very careful about allowing
a character to take a Curse that affects other player
characters. Its okay for PCs to have to rescue or
go to the aid of a fellow Cursed PC; its less okay
for other PCs to suffer the direct effects of Cursed
characters Drawback. Not only would a character
like that be incredibly unpopular with his friends,
he probably wouldnt be a comrade for very long
(at least until he got his Curse removed).
Speaking of removing Curses, should a
character ever decide to buy off a Curse, the player
and the GM should discuss how the Curse should
be removed in the game. GMs are encouraged
to come up with an adventure or an entire story
arc dedicated to accomplishing this goal. Players
should weigh in with their preferences, of course,
but its a great deal of fun if the player allows the
GM to indulge his creativity. Not only does this
produce a nice mystery for the player to explore
and solve, it gives the GM more story fodder for
adventures, and thats never a bad thing.
Demon Plagued: This category of Mystic
Drawback represents a character who is tormented
by a demon in some way. As with Curses, a
demonic tormentor can manifest in many ways.
Most demons manifest in a characters dreams,
although they may also take physical form from time
to time. The player should decide what basic form
the demon takes when it manifests (although many
are shape-shifters) and under what conditions it
does so. Some demons, for example, may manifest
only when one of the three moons are full, or
perhaps when a character has performed some act
(taken a life, visited a temple, prayed at a shrine,
indulged a vice, etc.). One thing, however, should
be consistent: demons should surface at the worst
possible times.
A character can be Demon Plagued for a variety
of reasons. If the character is a sirhibas, perhaps
the demon attached itself to him during the
performance of a magic ritual. Perhaps the demon
was released (wittingly or unwittingly) from an
ancient prison by the character. The demon could
have been inherited by the character, an unwanted
legacy from a corrupt ancestor. The specifics are up
to the player and the GM.
The demons presence will usually be made
known as a debilitating force affecting whatever
set of Attributes the player chose when he created
the Drawback. The penalty modifier will remain
in effect for as long as the demon exerts its foul
influence. Sometimes the demon goes away by
itself, and sometimes it must be driven away. Most
demons can be banished, at least temporarily, by a
visit to a temple or shrine, or by the blessing of a
Basic Compendium
priest. Its up to the player whether others are aware
of a demonic presence when his character is under
the demons influence, although most holy men
will be able to sense a demons foul taint.
Demons delight in the suffering of others, a vice
Chapter III: Character Creation
that can manifest in a variety of ways. A demon may
be content to plague a character with nightmares
and twisted visions of his loved ones deaths, in
which case the penalty modifier could be applied
to a characters Attributes as a result of sleepless
nights and mental and physical exhaustion. Other
demons may urge characters to engage in despicable
acts, whispering in their ears like secret seducers,
creating confusion and despair. GMs should have
fun with it; after all, if they cant have fun with a
good old-fashioned demon, who can?
For the most part, demons prefer to remain
unseen. They reserve their most hideous
apparitions and phantasmagorias for the ones they
torment. Occasionally, however, they can and do
manifest. These physical manifestations can take a
variety of forms: a pillar of smoke, a cold mist, an
undulating shadow, embers in a dying fire, or even
as a friendly face. Some demons can fully manifest
in physical form and even attack the character they
are tormenting or his allies. The Entity Manifestation
table on page 198 gives the Character Point
adjustment to the value of the Drawback based on
the abilities of the demon.
If the player decides that his characters demon
tormentor can take physical form and attack, the GM
should construct it individually based on the general
entry for Demon Beasts in the Bestiary chapter on
page 293, and should follow the constraints that
describe demons in the Summoning section of the
Ritual Magic chapter. A demon that is less powerful
than the character should have a Power Pool that
is somewhat lower than the characters commonly
used Attribute Rankings. A demon that is equally
as powerful should have a Power Pool equivalent to
the characters primary Attributes. A demon that
is more powerful than the PC should have a Power
Pool significantly higher than the primary Attributes
of the character they torment. Further, the demons
Power Pool should remain fixed in relation to the
character. This means that regardless of how many
Story Points a character earns adventuring in the
campaign, if his demon was initially more powerful
than him, it will remain consistently more powerful
than him as he progresses, unless the player chooses
to buy down the Drawback.
It is possible to fight and even defeat a physical
demon. Doing so, however, only destroys the
demons corporeal form, it does not get rid of
the demon permanently. That feat can only be
accomplished by buying off the Drawback. As
with removing any Mystic Drawback, this should
197
 Chapter III: Character Creation
be accomplished in the game through a series of
adventures. Exorcising demons has been the focus
of many films, so most players have a good idea of
what to expect. Utterly destroying a demon should
be an epic undertaking that calls for sacrifices on
the part of the plagued character. These adventures
often involve ancient temples, venerable holy men,
powerful sorcerers, and titanic battles. GMs should
BOOK ONE
milk these scenarios for all theyre worth. Not only
are they cinematic as hell, they also give players great
war stories to share with their friends.
Haunted: Similar to being plagued by a demon,
a character who is Haunted is instead tormented by a
restless spirit or a ghost. Spirits of the dead can haunt
a character for a variety of reasons. A ghost may be a
relative once loved by the character who died prematurely
and under tragic circumstances. A ghost could be a
revenant of a slain enemy, determined to get revenge
on its slayer even from beyond the grave. A haunt could
be an ancient restless spirit that has attached itself to
the character in hopes of gaining his help in order to
find peace. Or a haunt could be a terrible specter, the
damned soul of some wicked sorcerer, called back from
the netherworld to torment the living.
Players can either write up the histories of their
ghosts or allow the GM to come up with them.
The player also decides how often and under what
circumstances the ghost manifests. Like demons, ghosts
can manifest in many different ways. Some haunt a
characters dreams, or visit waking characters with
hallucinations and disturbing visions. Some spirits may
manifest as the character begins to fall asleep, or when
he witnesses something that relates to the spirits former
life. For example, if the ghost had been a dancer in life,
it might manifest whenever the character witnessed a
dancer performing.
The presence of a ghost is usually accompanied
by a sudden drop in temperature and by a feeling of
unease and dread. This is felt by all characters in the
area of the ghosts influence, not just by the Haunted
character. A spirit can also manifest as a whisper in the
dark, a fell voice in the wilderness, or a terrible shadow
that lurks at the edges of a characters vision. Ghosts
can also weaken a character, diminishing whatever
set of Attributes the player chose when he created the
Drawback. This continues for as long as the ghosts
presence lingers.
Fortunately, ghosts tend to be less bold than
demons and can often be driven away by sheer force of
will. A successful Will Roll (adjusted by the Drawbacks
penalty modifier) would be required in order for the
Haunted character to force a ghost to disappear. Unlike
demons, however, ghosts have no problems manifesting
in a temple or a shrine. Indeed, ghosts can even haunt
such holy places.
Ghosts tend to haunt characters for a specific
reason. Some may want revenge, others may want
198
Entity Manifestation
Adjustment Ability
+0 Cannot Take Physical Form
+3 Can Take Limited Physical Form
+6 Can Take Full Physical Form
+0 Entity is Less Powerful Than PC
+3 Entity is As Powerful as PC
+6 Entity is More Powerful Than PC
help settling their unfinished business that keeps
them bound to the world of the living, while a few may
simply delight in tormenting the living out of jealousy
or sheer malice. But the main thing to keep in mind
about ghosts is that they excel at making things spooky
and creepy. In that regard, they have no equal.
Although rare, some ghosts can manifest as
physical beings, if only for brief periods of time.
These easiest way for a ghost to achieve this is to
temporarily possess the body of another being. This
can be either a suthra of some sort, an NPC, or a
corpse of either. By doing this, ghosts can interact
with and even attack the character they are haunting.
Ghosts can also animate inanimate objects such
as empty suits of armor, weapons, clothes, even
materials like sand or mud. Consult the Entity
Manifestation table above for the abilities of the
ghost as far as taking physical form, its Power Level
in relation to the character, and the corresponding
Drawback Character Point adjustment.
The guidelines for building a ghosts physical
form are the same as for demons. See the entry for
Khaujva (hungry ghosts) in the Bestiary chapter on
page 300 for general statistics, and the description
of ghosts in the Summoning section of the Ritual
Magic chapter. A ghost that is less powerful than
the character should have a somewhat lower Power
Pool compared to the characters commonly used
Attribute Rankings. A ghost that is equally as
powerful should have a Power Pool equivalent to the
characters primary Attributes. A ghost that is more
powerful should have a Power Pool significantly
higher than the PCs primary Attributes. A ghosts
Power Pool likewise remains fixed in relation to the
character.
Since ghosts can possess the bodies of living
NPCs, including a Haunted characters friends and
loved ones, the character would need to be careful
not to physically injure his possessed friends. NPCs
can try to end a possession, but they would need
 to make a successful Will Roll (adjusted by the
Drawbacks penalty modifier) in order to force the
possessing spirits out of their bodies. If the NPC is
physically subdued, the possessing ghost will almost
always abandon the NPCs body.
The only way to permanently get rid of a
haunting spirit is for the character to buy off the
Drawback. As with removing any Mystic Drawback,
this should be accomplished in the game through
a series of adventures. Banishing a ghost usually
entails helping it conclude its unfinished business.
The ghosts murderer may be brought to justice, or
the ghost may make peace with how it was killed.
Regardless of the specifics, normally some wrong
is made right. These adventures often involve re-
enacting some part of the ghosts life or even the
moment of its death, where some revelation is made
that ends the haunting forever. Malicious ghosts
may have to exorcised by priests, or themselves
confronted with other spirits that claim the specter
and return it to the Eternal Cycle. GMs should have
fun with these scenarios. After all, who doesnt love
a good ghost story?
Physical
This type of Drawback can represent a variety
of physical problems, such as disfigurements,
illnesses, or physical impairments. The player
not only defines a Physical Drawback, he also
decides which set of Attributes the Drawback
affects. In many cases, how the Drawback affects
the character will be fairly self-explanatory, such as
with blindness or lacking arms or legs. As usual, the
Physical Drawbacks severity (the penalty modifier)
and how often it comes into play will help the GM
decide its Character Point value.
Physical Drawbacks that remove a crucial
sense or render limbs completely useless would
be considered a Crippling Severity Level and have
a high Occurrence Level, so a Drawback like this
would normally be worth a lot of Character Points.
However, it would depend on how the sense or limbs
absence would affect the characters performance
in the game. Thats the most important factor to
consider and should be what determines the final
value of the Drawback.
Heres an example: Lets say a character was
blind. This Physical Drawback would normally
be considered Crippling (18 points) and would
Always affect the character (+6 points), for a
total worth of 24 Character Points. But what if the
character was a bat Zoic that had Echo Location?
This would allow him to navigate like a sighted
character, and would only restrict his ranged
Combat Skills. Further, the character could attack
in total darkness. In this case, the blindness should
be reduced a Low Severity Level (6 points), since
Basic Compendium
Physical Drawback Effect
Drawback Occurrence
# of Skills Affected
Level
Chapter III: Character Creation
25% of Related Skills Rarely
50% of Related Skills Often
75% of Related Skills Very Frequently
All Related Skills Always
it would still impair the character (he couldnt
make out any details, would have trouble picking
out ranged targets, couldnt see anything in the
distance, etc.), but it would only affect him half the
time (+0 points). Blindness under these conditions
would only be worth 6 Character Points.
Given the scenario above, it becomes clear that
Physical Drawbacks must be considered on a case-
by-base basis, and all Physical Drawbacks would
need to be approved by the GM. The tone of the
campaign, the type of scenarios the GM intends
to run, the Power Level of the campaign, all of
these factors should be considered when assigning
a Character Point value to a Physical Drawback. A
character with no legs who needed crutches to walk
would be a huge liability to a group of assassins
or honor guards, but he might not hinder a group
of scholars or courtiers whose adventures revolved
around investigation or the intrigues surrounding
a royal court.
A Physical Drawbacks penalty modifier
should be applied to whatever Attributes the GM
deems appropriate for the Drawback. For example,
if a character had a withered arm, the Drawbacks
penalty modifier would be applied to any Attribute
Roll that would be affected by the lack of an arm.
This could possibly affect several Skills, such as
Acrobatics, Climbing, Driving, Firearm Combat,
Melee Combat, Missile Combat, Sleight of Hand,
Surgery, or Swimming.
The number of Skills affected would also
depend on the Occurrence Level of the Drawback.
The lower the Occurrence Level, the fewer the
Skills affected. A player could interpret this as his
character having adapted to only having one arm.
In some of these cases, however, the GM might
also want to lower the Severity Level. After all, a
Physical Drawback that doesnt affect a character
very much should be worth less points.
As a general rule, the number of Skills affected
by a Physical Drawbacks penalty modifier should
be equal to the Drawbacks Occurrence Level
percentage. The Physical Drawback Effect table
shows this correlation. Related Skills, in this case,
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BOOK ONE Chapter III: Character Creation
are any Skills whose successful performance would
normally be affected by the physical impairment
in question. Commonly used Skills, such as
Combat Skills or Stealth, should be worth a higher
percentage than Skills that are rarely used. In all
cases, the GM is the final arbiter of what Skills are
affected by a Physical Drawback.
Should a player ever decide to buy off a Physical
Drawback, the GM should come up with a good
story reason to explain it. More than likely, it would
be some form of magical healing, but itd have to
be some fairly powerful magic in order to reverse
a birth defect or completely heal a grievous injury.
Magical healing is good at healing wounds suffered
by characters, but once those wounds heal on their
own, there is not much more magical healing can
do for them. There are always miracles, of course,
some sort of divine intervention that can restore a
characters body. These sorts of things, however, are
rare and worthy of a story arc.
Many Physical Drawbacks will require both
the player and the GM to roleplay their effects in
the game. Being afflicted with a lingering disease
will color every encounter a character has with his
fellows or NPCs. Being mute would mean that
the character could never speak and would have
to rely on other forms of communication. Players
200
are encouraged to incorporate their Drawback into
the portrayal of their characters, regardless of how
these rules are applied. After all, if you got the
points for the Drawback, you might as well play
it up.
Disfigurement: This represents some sort of
physical deformity, be it a severely humped back,
dwarfism, or even hideous facial features. Given
the wide variety of appearance among Zoics, the
deformity would have to be unusual for the specific
type of Zoic in question. An elephant Zoic with
dwarfism or a severely hunchbacked cheetah Zoic
would clearly be disfigured. The player and the GM
should decide what Attributes the Disfigurement
affects. Some examples of Disfigurements include:
Dwarfism - Large Zoics would find this more of
a Drawback than smaller ones and should probably
get more points for it. Being a pygmy elephant or
rhino has more of a social stigma, while being a
pygmy mouse does not. This could affect physical
Characteristics and Linked Skills and some social
Skills.
Gigantism - This disorder means a Zoic is huge
compared to the average member of its type. This
is both freakish and unhealthy (such Zoics tend
to have all sorts of physical problems, including
mobility and coordination problems). Obviously,
 smaller or medium-sized Zoics would appear even
more freakish than would a larger Zoic, although
larger Zoics with gigantism would still suffer all
of the physical problems associated with this
syndrome. This Drawback would affect physical
Characteristics and Linked Skills and possibly
some social Skills.
Hideous - Covers any sort of facial or physical
deformity that would cause a Zoic to appear
hideous, especially to members of its own Zoic
type. This could affect social and interaction Skills
as well as Presence.
Misshapen - This Drawback could affect physical
Characteristics and Linked Skills or Presence
and social Skills depending on the specifics of
the deformity. A misshapen character could be a
hunchback, have a severely curved spine, or possibly
possess one limb that is longer than the other.
Illness: This category of Physical Drawback
covers diseases and disorders of all kinds (except
mental diseases or disorders). Some examples
would include:
Allergic Reaction - This should be a fairly severe
allergic reaction that causes a character to break
out in painful hives and have trouble breathing.
Just getting the sniffles and sneezing is color, not a
Drawback. This could affect physical Characteristics
and Linked Skills.
Disease - This covers things like leprosy,
epilepsy, consumption, or any other disease that
could potentially affect physical Characteristics
and Linked Skills or social and interaction Skills
depending on the specifics of the disease.
Eating Disorder - Things like anorexia, bulimia,
or morbid obesity would fall into this category.
These could affect physical Characteristics and
Linked Skills.
Sleeping Disorder - This category includes things
like narcolepsy, apnea, insomnia, or sleepwalking.
These could affect both physical and mental
Characteristics and Linked Skills.
Substance Addiction - Addictions are mostly to
illegal drugs but they can also include alcoholism.
These Drawbacks could affect both physical and
mental Characteristics and Linked Skills.
Mobility Impairment: This category of
Physical Drawback covers any sort of physical
disability that impairs a characters movement
or the use of his limbs. GMs could reduce a
characters appropriate movement abilities by one
level for every die in the penalty modifier (4 dice
would reduce a characters movement power by
4 levels). Once a Mobility Impairment Drawback
reaches Crippling (6 dice), the limbs afflicted are
considered completely useless. Some examples of a
Mobility Impairment would include:
Basic Compendium
Cant Walk - A character has lost the use of his
legs. These characters must either use crutches to
get around or be carried everywhere. A character
with functional wings would not get as many
points for this Drawback. Being crippled would
Chapter III: Character Creation
affect physical Characteristics and Linked Skills as
well as appropriate Movement abilities.
Crippled Limb - This indicates that one or
more of a characters limbs are malformed or even
missing. On some Zoics, this includes prehensile
tails or trunks. The Severity Level of the Drawback
will determine whether the limb still has some
function. Players who wished to create Paksin who
had either useless or no wings would sell back the
Flight Animal Ability and use the points elsewhere,
but would not take this Drawback unless their arms
were also withered. This Drawback would affect
physical Characteristics and Linked Skills.
Perception Impairment: These Drawbacks
include any disability that affects the five senses.
The Severity Level and Occurrence should depend
on the sense affected. Most Zoics rely on sight,
although a few rely more on hearing or their
sense of smell. Perception Impairments could
affect a variety of different Skills. Examples would
include:
Blindness - Characters can either be partially
or totally blind depending on the Severity Level
chosen. A lower Severity Level would represent
someone who had Poor Eyesight (nearsighted,
farsighted, etc.). Unless the character had other
special senses to compensate, total blindness would
be considered a crippling Drawback.
Colorblind - A character may see only in gray-
scale or may have difficulty distinguishing between
shades of green and red. Some Zoics may have a
limited version of colorblindness that only affects
them during the day or the night.
Deafness - Characters can either partially or
totally deaf depending on the Severity Level chosen.
A lower Severity Level would represent someone
who was Hard of Hearing. A deaf character might
also have some sort of Speech Disorder.
Light Sensitive Eyes - A character with light
sensitive eyes has some level of blindness but
only when exposed to bright light. This is a good
Drawback for many nocturnal Zoics.
One-Eyed - The character has no depth
perception and no peripheral vision on one side.
The character would apply the Drawbacks penalty
modifier to ranged Combat Skills and to Perception
Rolls that relied on the missing peripheral vision.
Speech Disorder: This type of Physical
Drawback affects a characters ability to
communicate verbally. Some examples include:
Mute - Characters who are mute cannot speak
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
at all, although most can make noises
such as moans, grunts, and groans. A
mute character would need some alternate
form of communication, such as a sign
language, in order to avoid doing charades
every time he wanted to communicate
something.
BOOK ONE

Stutterer - A character who stutters

takes much longer to communicate a
point. Depending on the Severity Level,
a stutterer can just be mildly annoying (a
minor Drawback) or can lose his ability to
communicate effectively. Stuttering would
affect many social Skills.
Zoic Disadvantage: These Drawbacks
cover some Zoic-specific limitations
usually linked to the animal type that the
Zoic evolved from. Some examples would
include:
Climate Requirement - It is possible for a
Zoic to be dependent on a climate similar
to the one their animal type had adapted to
on Earth (penguins to cold environments,
snakes to warm environments, etc.). It is
never necessary for players to take this
Drawback for their Zoics, even if their
template suggests it. Zoics who do not take how badly a character is affected if his skin starts
a climate requirement have simply acclimated to all to dry out. This Drawback would affect physical
environments. As with all Drawbacks, the Severity Characteristics and Linked Skills.
Level would determine how badly an environment
opposite to the one the Zoic was adapted to (a desert Nocturnal - Even though most Zoics have
for a penguin, snow-capped mountains for a snake) adapted to a diurnal (daytime) schedule, some
would affect a character. This would likely affect are still predominantly nocturnal, meaning they are
physical Characteristics and Linked Skills. mostly active during the evening and nighttime hours.
Nocturnal characters would be lethargic and sluggish
Dietary Requirement - Although rare, there are during the daytime (how much would depend on the
some Zoics who have kept the dietary habits possessed Severity Level) and would suffer the Drawbacks penalty
by the animal they evolved from (vampire bats drink modifier to appropriate Characteristics and Linked
blood, carnivores eat only meat, herbivores are strict Skills, which would be mainly those that required the
vegetarians, etc.). If a Zoic with a dietary restriction character to be alert and have quick reaction time.
was to eat something other than their requirement,
it would get little nutritional value from it. If denied Social
the dietary requirement for too long, the Zoic would Social Drawbacks are disadvantages that affect a
eventually starve to death. As it weakened, the Zoics characters status in society and his ability to interact
physical Characteristics and Linked Skills would be effectively in social circles, either due to a troubled
affected. The Severity Level and Occurrence of this past or some other form of social stigma. These
Drawback would depend on how quickly the Zoic Drawbacks can represent an implacable enemy
succumbed to the effects of starvation and on the determined to ruin your character, or a dependent
availability of the dietary requirement. that relied on your characters protection, or even
Moist Skin - This Drawback is found almost the stigma of being an Outcaste. As with other
exclusively among certain Sarpah, such as tree Drawbacks, the points a Social Drawback awards
frogs, sea turtles, salamanders, etc. These Zoics are are based on how badly the Drawback affects the
often amphibians and normally spend quite a bit character (its Severity Level) and how often it
of time in and around water. A character with this comes into play (its Occurrence).
Drawback must use large amounts of body oils to A Social Drawbacks penalty modifier is
keep their skin moisturized throughout the day, usually applied to social and interaction Skills. As
and should, whenever possible, immerse their a general rule, the number of Skills affected by a
bodies in water. The Severity Level will determine

202
 Social Drawback Effect
Drawback Occurrence
# of Skills Affected
Level
25% of Social Skills Rarely
50% of Social Skills Often
75% of Social Skills Very Frequently
All Social Skills Always
Social Drawback should be equal to the Drawbacks
Occurrence percentage. The Social Drawback Effect
table shows this correlation. Social Skills would
include all Skills Linked to a characters Presence
as well as Wit-based Skills that relied heavily on
social interaction. Commonly used social Skills,
such as Bargain, Conversation, or Persuasion,
should be worth a higher percentage than Skills
that are rarely used. In all cases, the GM has the
final say on what Skills are affected by a Social
Drawback.
Some Social Drawbacks, such as Dependent and
Enemy, will award points based on the vulnerability
of an NPC and how often that NPC intrudes on the
characters life. Special rules for those Drawbacks are
addressed in the description of the Drawback itself.
Should a player ever decide to buy off a Social
Drawback, the GM should arrange an adventure or
series of scenarios that center around that attempt.
Perhaps the character finally makes peace with a
lifelong foe, or finds a new caretaker for a dependent,
or is forgiven for a past misdeed, or promoted in rank
and caste. The specifics are of course dependent on
the type of Drawback and up to GMs devious mind.
Dependent: This category of Social Drawback
gives a character an NPC that is dependent on him in
some way. The NPC could be related to the character
(a sibling, elderly parent, young child), or simply a
friend, or even a ward of some sort (like an honor
guards charge). Regardless of the specifics of the
Dependent Vulnerability
Points Dependents Character Point Total
15 25 Points in Drawbacks Only
10 20 Points + 30 Drawback Points
5 40 Points + 35 Drawback Points
0 60 Points + 40 Drawback Points
Basic Compendium
Dependent Occurrence
Adjustment Frequency
Chapter III: Character Creation
3 Rarely (25%)
+0 Often (50%)
+3 Very Frequently (75%)
+6 Always (100%)
NPC, all Dependents have one thing in common:
they tend to have a knack for getting in trouble and
often need to be protected or even rescued.
The value of a Dependent is derived from two
factors: the vulnerability of the Dependent (how
many points they are built on), and how often they
make life difficult for the character. The Dependent
Vulnerability table gives the number of Character
Points a Dependent can be built on as well as its
corresponding Drawback point value. The Dependent
Occurrence table gives the Drawback point adjustment
based on how often the dependent comes into play
in the campaign.
As the Dependent Vulnerability table shows,
the weaker the Dependent, the more Drawback
points they are worth. A powerless young child or a
sickly elder would obviously be far more vulnerable
than an NPC who was hale and hearty. To create a
Dependent it will most likely be necessary to strip
down a basic Animal Template to its minimum
Rankings for most Attributes (even removing some
abilities entirely), thus making it cost much less
than it normally would to purchase. NPCs built
on more than 100 points should not be allowed as
Dependents. If a character wanted a talented young
pupil or a competent servant of some sort, the
character should purchase the Follower Advantage.
Dependents are a Drawback and are there specifically
to cause problems for the character. Although
Dependents can have Skills of their own, the use of
their Skills should create trouble for the character
more often than not.
A Dependent with a very high Occurrence rating
should probably be a featured NPC of the GMs
campaign. A character playing an honor guard who
had been charged with protecting the young son of a
noble lord could easily qualify for a high Occurrence
rating. GMs should review all dependents carefully
to make sure they will fit well with his campaign.
Dependents may not be appropriate for all types of
campaigns.
Losing a Dependent will not get rid of this
Social Drawback; the GM would simply introduce a
new Dependent to replace the dead one (there can
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 Chapter III: Character Creation
always be more orphaned relatives). Alternately, the
GM might allow a character to take an appropriate
Mental Drawback (some sort of Hatred or Personality
Disorder as a result of losing a loved one) or possibly
a Mystic Drawback (perhaps the murdered ward
decides to haunt the character) of equal value to
replace the Dependent Social Drawback.
BOOK ONE
Enemy: This category of Social Drawback gives
a character an implacable foe or rival, either an
individual or a group. An Enemy can be pursuing
the character to exact some sort of revenge for a
past misdeed, or because they are carrying out the
orders of some spiteful patron, perhaps someone
the character once served. An Enemy can also be a
political or romantic rival of some sort; an individual
dedicated to ruining or humiliating a character.
The value of an Enemy is derived from two factors:
the Power Level of the Enemy (i.e. how many points
the Enemy is built on and what kind of resources the
Enemy has access to), and how often they show up to
make life difficult for the character. The Enemy Power
Level table gives the number of Character Points an
Enemy is built on as well as the resources the Enemy
has access to, along with the corresponding Drawback
value or adjustment.
An Enemy that is less powerful than the character
should be built on about 50 Character Points less than
the character. An Enemy that is equally as powerful is
built on the same number of points as the character.
An Enemy that is more powerful should be built on
about 100 Character Points more than the character he
or she is sworn to oppose. Further, an Enemys point
totals should remain fixed in relation to the character.
This means that regardless of how many Story Points
a character earns adventuring in the campaign, his
Enemys point total will remain at whatever level the
character selected when he purchased the Drawback.
The Enemy Interference Level table gives the Drawback
point adjustment based on how often the Enemy
comes into play in the campaign. Enemies with a very
high Interference Level should be a prominent part of
Enemy Power Level
Points Ability
5 Enemy is Less Powerful Than PC
10 Enemy is As Powerful As PC
15 Enemy is More Powerful Than PC
Enemy Has Some Resource (Wealth, or
+3
Followers, or Influence, etc.)
Enemy Has Many Resources (Wealth,
+6
Followers, Influence, etc.)
204
Enemy Interference Level
Adjustment Enemy Appears
3 Rarely (25%)
+0 Often (50%)
+3 Very Frequently (75%)
+6 Always (100%)
the GMs campaign. If the GM is running a campaign
based around a noble House, where the players take
on the roles of the various House dignitaries, then
the Houses rival Line makes a great choice for a high
Interference Enemy. Similarly, a campaign featuring
Crystal Corsairs could take an Enemy Drawback in the
form of a persistent admiral of a royal navy who has
sworn to bring the pirates to justice.
Enemies come in many varieties. Some might be
lone hunters determined to confront their nemeses
face-to-face. Others might be masterminds who rely
mostly on hired assassins and minions to harass
and punish their foes. Some Enemies might wish to
capture and imprison or enslave a character, others
might simply wish to kill him. An Enemy rival might
be determined to ruin a characters career or tarnish
his reputation, or might be pursuing the same love
interest or professional goal. An Enemys exact
motivations are up to the player and subject to the
approval of the GM.
Killing an Enemy will not get rid of this Social
Drawback; the GM would simply introduce a new
Enemy to replace the vanquished one. Enemies,
after all, can always have vengeful family members or
allies; or perhaps the steps necessary to defeat an old
Enemy creates some new ones. Adventurers have a
way of angering powerful and dangerous individuals
(although GMs should not allow characters to take
new Enemy Drawbacks for foes or rivals made during
the course of the campaign). Alternately, the GM
might allow a character to take a Mystic Drawback
to represent a dying Enemys Curse or perhaps an
Enemys revenant intent on Haunting the character.
As with all other Drawbacks, the only way to
permanently get rid of an Enemy is for the player to
buy off the Drawback.
Social Stigma: This category of Social Drawback
covers any sort of social disgrace or infamy that
might negatively affect a characters ability to
interact in normal society. As per the rules for Social
Drawbacks, the penalty modifiers are applied to
any social Skills the GM deems appropriate, which
is dependent on the Drawbacks Severity Level and
Occurrence rating. Examples would include:
 Illiterate - This Drawback only affects members
who have purchased either the Merchant, High,
or Holy Caste as an Advantage. Members of these
castes are taught to read and write, so illiteracy would
be seen as a social disadvantage. Illiterate characters
might be not be given promotions they are due, or
considered backwards, or even ridiculed because
of this deficiency. Due to the fact that a character
does not need to pay any points to be literate (its
a roleplaying thing), this Drawback should be fairly
minor and easy to buy off.
Juvenile - A character with this Drawback has
not yet undergone the Coming-of-Age ritual and
been granted the status of an adult in society. Such
characters may be quite young and so therefore
possess Physical Drawbacks to reflect that. A
juveniles voice will not carry much weight in
any circles. Juveniles may not serve in any official
capacity, regardless of caste. Further, juvenile High
Caste members are not allowed to openly carry
suthra or Vaylah weapons. Juveniles are expected
to obey their elders and may be punished if they
are deemed belligerent. This Drawback should
naturally be bought off when the character comes
of age in the campaign.
Notoriety - A character with notoriety has a
bad reputation of some sort. Depending on the
specifics of the reputation, the GM should apply
the Drawbacks penalty modifier to specific social
Skills. A notorious gambler, for example, would
have a hard time dealing with moneylenders
or would not be trusted to safeguard money. A
notorious criminal would be avoided by most
people or treated badly by members of the High
and Holy Caste. Extreme reputations can make
living in normal society a challenge, and would
definitely also justify an Enemy Drawback or two
(those who enforce the law).
Notoriety could also be used to represent a
potentially ruinous scandal of some sort in the
characters past. The juicier the scandal, the higher
the Severity Level. The Occurrence would determine
how many people knew about the scandal and
therefore how often it affected a character. Some
examples of scandals could include: a High Caste
character used to be an Outcaste who had been
promoted; a Holy Caste character had some sort
of debaucherous addiction; a noble warriors father
had been executed for treason; a merchant had spent
years in prison for embezzling money from investors;
a sorcerer had made a pact with unholy demons in
exchange for greater power and knowledge, etc.
Outcaste - A character with this Drawback is
a member of the lowest strata of Drdni society.
Not really an official caste as such, Outcastes are
comprised of escaped slaves, beggars, dishonored
members of other castes, and criminals. The
Basic Compendium
worth of this Drawback is dependent on the
GMs campaign. If a campaign featured criminals
and their interactions in the underworld, then
a character might not get many points for this
Drawback. However, if an Outcaste character ran
Chapter III: Character Creation
around with High Caste members a good deal of
the time (something that should be very rare), he
might get 18 points (or more) for this Drawback:
an Extreme reaction (5 Action Dice penalty)
applicable to all of a characters social Skills 75%
of the time.
In ordinary society, Outcastes will only be able
to perform the lowliest of tasks, such as the handling
of waste and refuse. Outcastes are never allowed to
touch a High Caste members weapons and armor
or any food that higher caste members intend to
consume. In fact, members of other castes generally
do not mingle with Outcastes, as it is considered
distasteful and inappropriate. While there is no law
against it, a higher caste individual who mingled
freely with Outcastes would be considered bizarre
and perhaps a bit touched in the head (and might
qualify for a Social Drawback of his own).
Social Misfit - This Drawback indicates that the
character was raised in some radically different way
from the societal norm and is therefore foreign to
the culture. A social misfit interacts in ways that
are considered off-putting by regular members
of society. Such characters could be considered
country bumpkins, or savages, or possibly even
deviants depending on their beliefs and behaviors.
The more severe the behavior (and the higher the
penalty modifier), the more points the character
will get for the Drawback.
Creating Your Backstory
After all your Attributes have been purchased
and assigned, youre ready for the final touches on
character creation. This will consist of writing up
your characters backstory. Your backstory should be
heavily influenced by the type of game the GM plans
to run. He should provide you with background
material on his campaign; information that you
can use to flesh out your characters backstory. You
should feel free to make your characters backstory
as detailed as you wish. Some players may be content
with a short summary, while others may write entire
volumes dedicated to their characters. Regardless of
your preference, here are some things to think about
when creating your backstory.
Appearance: Aside from the physical
characteristics of your Zoic, you should think
about other distinguishing marks your character
might have. The various Drdni cultures all have
distinctive modes of dress. Further, Zoics love to
adorn themselves with piercings, braids, ritual
scarification, colorful jewelry, etc. Think about
205
 Chapter III: Character Creation
some distinctive markings, such as multiple earrings
that tinkle like bells, or a certain style of bandana
your character always wears, or even a favorite color
scheme. These touches will help make your character
more memorable to the GM and the other players.
Name: As youve no doubt noticed, Drdni individuals that might come back to complicate
names can be quite a mouthful. Come up with a
BOOK ONE
colorful name for your character using the names
in this book as a guide. If youre really stuck for a
name, download the name generator on the official
SHARD RPG web site and generate dozens of names
and simply pick one you like. Jnah usually identify
themselves by their given birth name and the name
of their House and Line. So if a characters birth
name was Vnayah, he would introduce himself as
Vnayah of the House of Arhidsah of the Line of
Invkah, but thats mostly in formal situations.
Your comrades will no doubt have a plethora of
names they enjoy calling you. Check the Appendices
for a Drdni pronunciation guide, which should
be helpful in tackling the exotic names.
History: What happened to your character
prior to beginning the campaign may be important,
206
especially when it comes to dealing with Drawbacks.
Be sure to provide this history to the GM so he can
have it handy when planning adventures and story
arcs. This is where you would list enemies, former
lovers, old mentors, or other important events or
your characters life. As with all aspects of your
character, the GM should approve your backstory
before play begins.
Starting Equipment: The GM will tell you what
equipment your character starts out with and what
resources he may have access to. But for the most
part, your character will possess the equipment
necessary to allow him to practice his given
profession. This would include whatever tools would
be needed, as well as some basic raw materials, and
even a small space in which to practice the trade.
When in doubt, the GM should have you make a
Profession Skill Roll for your character to see if he
has a particular piece of equipment. Keep in mind,
however, that the GM may require you to purchase
unique items, significant wealth, or valued property
as an Advantage if you want something special.
 Filling Out the Character Sheet
Character Portrait - Use this space to
1 place any art youd like to represent your
character.
Player and Character Name - Fill in
2 your own name as well as the unique Drdni
name you have chosen for your character.
Statistics - Here you can record some
3 backstory elements of your character based
on the campaign setting, as well as some
general data taken from your Animal Template and
Profession Template. This is also the place to briefly
describe your physical appearance, your mannerisms,
and your preferred mode of dress.
Characteristics - Fill in the Cost, Initial
4 Ranking, and Maximum Ranking of each of
your Characteristics as noted in your Animal
Template. You may alter these base numbers (staying
Basic Compendium
within the Maximum Attribute
Ranking for the Power level) as you
Chapter III: Character Creation
wish by paying or subtracting the
appropriate cost.
Animal Abilities -
5 Fill in the Cost, Name,
and Characteristic Link
of the Animal Abilities that came
with your Animal Template. After
assigning the final Ranking to your
Characteristics, you may apply the
appropriate Linked Ranking to
your Animal Abilities as described
in the Animal Abilities section.
Talents - Fill in the Cost,
6 Name, and Ranking of
any Talents that came with
your Animal Template. You may
then adjust their Rankings, or buy
additional Talents as described in
the Talents section.
Advantages - Fill
7 in the Cost, Type,
and Description of
any Advantages you may have
decided to purchase for your
character. Take note of any
values or Action Dice bonuses
in the Description for handy
reference during the game.
Drawbacks - Fill in the
8 Cost, Type & Frequency,
Description, and Action
Dice penalty of any Drawbacks that
came with your chosen Animal
Template. You may take additional Drawbacks up
to the starting Maximum Drawback Points allowed
for your Power Level as described in the Drawbacks
section.
Background - Fill in any history that
9 may enhance your ability to roleplay
your character during the game. This
information will help to tie your character to
the campaign setting. The GM can assist you in
creating your backstory.
Spirituality - Here you can list certain
10 social and religious aspects of your
character, specifically Caste, Religion, and
Patron Devah. Most characters (except the Hardazi)
will be of the Mahist Faith, but there are various
orders and sects of Mahists that could be listed as
your Religion. See the Glossary for details.
207
 Chapter III: Character Creation
BOOK ONE
Skills - Fill in the Cost, Specialty
11 (if any), and Ranking of any Skills
that came with your Profession
Template. The Cost of each Skill is noted
next to the Skill or Specialty in the
grouping of Initial Skills found in the
template. The starting Rank of any Skill
included with your Profession Template is
the same as its Characteristic Link, seen in
parenthesis to the right of the listed Skill
on the Character Sheet.
As mentioned earlier, you can choose
to change the Skills offered in the
Profession Template, either swapping out
Skills of equal value, or simply deducting
the Character Points to be used elsewhere.
You can even ignore the templates entirely
and simply pick your own set of Skills,
purchasing them with your Character
Points. In the example sheet to the left,
you may note that though this character
208
is a guard, the player chose
to remove militar y lore as
a Knowledge Skill (a 2 point
Skill), and instead spent
an extra point to purchase
Obser vation (a 3 point
Skill).
Next fill in any Specialties
and the Ranking of your Basic
Starting Skills. Remember
that Basic Starting Skills have
no Cost, but their Ranking is
equal to half the Skills linked
Characteristic rounded down
(with a minimum Ranking
of 1), or a Ranking of 3,
whichever is lower. You only
get a Skill Ranking equal to
its Characteristic link if you
decide to purchase the Skill
by paying the Skills full
cost.
You may use Character
Points to adjust the Rankings
of any of your Skills (within
the starting Maximum
Attribute Ranking limit
imposed by your games Power
Level), or to buy additional
Skills if you can afford to do
so.
Notable Acquaintances
12 - This is where you
can keep track of your
fellow players and important
NPCs that your character
may encounter during his
adventures. Under the section called
Player Characters you can fill in the names
of your fellow players, their characters
Drdni names, what types of Zoics they
have chosen to play, or any special notes
you wish to make that would be handy to
keep in mind whenever you are roleplaying
your character. Its easy to forget, after all,
that the slender person sitting next to you
might be playing a massive rhino warrior.
You should use the spaces beneath
Contacts/Enemies to fill in the names and
details pertaining to any NPCs that are
important to your character, especially
those that have to do with any Advantages
or Drawbacks you may possess. Important
contacts, allies, patrons, as well as rivals
who may be hunting you, or whom you have
sworn to defeat should be listed here.

Combat - Your characters Stamina is either
13 2 x (Vigor+Will) for characters without the
Toughness Talent, or 3 x (Vigor+Will) for
those that have purchased Toughness. Fill in the
multiplier for your character, then use the calculation
to determine your characters full Stamina. Since
penalties to all Action Dice are determined by
decreases in your characters Current Stamina (a 1
dice penalty when reaching 2/3rds Stamina, and a
2 dice penalty for dropping to 1/3rd Stamina or
lower), its good to note those numbers in the spaces
provided as a quick reference. In almost all cases,
round totals in the characters favor. For example, a
character with 20 Stamina would suffer a 1 penalty
when reaching 13 Stamina, and would suffer a 2
penalty to all Actions when reaching 6 Stamina or
lower. The Current Stamina field is where you can
record your characters Stamina as it rises and falls
throughout a typical adventure.
The Armor field is where you record the defensive
value of any natural Body Armor, as well as any
Basic Compendium
additional armor your character
chooses to wear. Remember that
the benefits from total armor (both
worn and Body Armor) cannot
exceed a Characters Strength
Chapter III: Character Creation
Ranking. Additionally, worn armor
with a value greater than half your
Characters Strength (rounded up)
will incur a 1 Action Dice penalty
to all Agility-based actions for each
point of armor above that total.
Simply add the defensive values of
all armor you possess to determine
your Current Armor value.
Note the Rankings of all your
combat-related Skills at the bottom
of this section. Use the Other field to
list any special attack you may have
(for instance, Natural Weaponry,
as seen abbreviated in the example
to the left). Remember to upgrade
these Rankings if you buy up the
Skills later.
Weapons - List the
14 weapons your character
generally possesses and
uses, as well as the ranges of those
weapons and the damage each
causes. Please see the Standard
Weapon Ratings Table for these
statistics.
At the bottom of this area,
list any special attacks you may
possess, or use this space to
keep track of any adjustments
to combat that may currently be
affecting you. You may also list injuries or wounds
you may have suffered.
Mystic Disciplines - If you are playing a
15 sorcerer, you should list your basic rituals here,
as well as any notes that may aid you when
using magic in the game. This is a good place to note
some of the various disciplines you can use with your
ritutals and any modifiers that applied to your Action
Dice as a result.
Notes - This area can be used to write down
16 important details of a specific adventure, such
as people or places of interest, or clues to
solving a possible mystery.
Story Points - Once you have spent the
17 Character Points you wish to spend in building
your character, add up the costs of all your
Attributes to insure you have calculated everything
correctly, and note any remaining points here as Story
Points.
209
IV. Combat

The Vajrah teenagers were the first to fall. Uthyan bounced his staff against their skulls with an elementary
kata, not even breaking step. The vine-cloaked swamp echoed the blows. Rzman and Shadyti closed with the
lone intruder next, spears keen for battle; but the burly taipan wouldnt stop until he reached his target me.
I waved off my rugged companions with a flick of my scimitar. They looked relieved. Then I bowed my
head and laid back my neck frills. My boots were crossed on a little column of rock.
Come back and face the magistrate, Chihjmi, said Uthyan with undisguised anxiety. I promise you
safe escort to the city.
Meet me in the Spiral Arena, I told him, and Ill go with you.
Through parted lips I saw his thorn-like fangs, amber with venom. Acknowledge you in a formal duel?
Im not so eager to dishonor myself.
My frills twitched. I didnt deserve that. And so soon after he had asked me to be his bride.
So much for courtesy. This could only go one direction anyway. I rolled to the side and threw a sword stroke
at his silken braided belt. He obliged with a parry. Then I leapt above him Im a precocious leaper and
splayed my neck frills for impact. My scimitar flew at the crystal ring that pierced a scale on his cheek. It used
to twinkle like magic in the candlelight, that ring.
He blocked my sword and thumped his staff into my belly. My breath vanished. I rolled to a defensive
stance and bit down the pain. Stupid, distracted girl. Rzman and Shadyti leapt in to help, gallant oafs.
Uthyan struck their knees, crack-crack, dropping them to the marshy ground.
I rushed him. I knew hed counter with a thrust, and I pushed my weight against the haft of his weapon.
His shoulder was exposed for one clean hit. It had to count.
Thats when I saw his fangs sparkle, from the venom I suppose, as his mouth threw open wide. His eyes
were in such a frenzy. I hadnt thought he would bite. Not me.
Stupid girl.

210
What Makes SHARD
Combat Different?
Combat in the SHARD RPG should evoke
the feeling of a great martial arts or action film,
complete with amazing fight choreography
and thrilling stunts. The flavor of this type of
action is best achieved through imaginative
descriptions of derring-do. Creativity and a
good story should always come first, rules and
game mechanics second. Remember, the goal
for any aspect of the game, including combat,
should be to create a situation that makes you
say, Wow, that would have been a cool scene
in a movie!
Combat functions on an action-reaction
principle. This is really what distinguishes SHARD
combat from other game systems. Although
characters act in a certain order during combat,
every character may make a single reaction to
each action. In this respect, SHARD combat is
free-form, fluid, and very dynamic.
Here are a few of the essential elements of
the combat system:
Your character has a variable number of
Combat Actions each Combat Round based
on the roll of your Action Dice.
The number of Combat Actions you
have each Round is based on your Agility and
Dexterity.
Once you have used all your Combat
Actions in each Combat Round, you will no
longer be able to act or react to any situation.
If attacked, you may immediately react
to the attacker, regardless of Attribute scores or
Initiative (the order in which everyone acts in
combat) as long as you have Combat Actions
remaining in the Combat Round. This is true
whether one or multiple opponents attack you.
Your opponents may also react to your
attacks regardless of Initiative assuming they
have Combat Actions remaining.
Some Basic Terms
Before we fully introduce combat, its
helpful to know a few basic terms.
Combat Round (Round): This is the basic
time frame for combat in the SHARD RPG. The
typical Combat Round is six seconds long.
Initiative: The order in which everyone acts in
any given Combat Round is determined by rolling
dice as described below in Determine Individual
Initiative. Highest Initiative goes first. This is also
sometimes referred to as Initiative Order.
211
Turn: Whenever you choose to take
your Combat Actions normally in order of
Initiative, it becomes your characters Turn.
You are then known as the Active Combatant.
All other characters can only react during the
Active Combatants Turn until it becomes
their Turn.
Combat Actions: In any given Combat
Round, you will be able to perform a certain
Chapter IV: Combat
number of Combat Actions. These feats can be
attacks, defensive maneuvers, Skill uses, or any
other single action youd be able to perform in
the time allowed in a Combat Round. When
you are out of Combat Actions, you are no
longer able to act in a Combat Round.
Action Pool: The total number of Combat
Actions a character has available in a given
Round.
Reactions: These are Combat Actions
that are used out of Initiative Order in response
to another characters normal use of Combat
Actions.
Bundling Actions: The ability to combine
several related Combat Actions into a single
Action Dice roll rather than having to roll
individually for each one.
Drawing Weapons: Pulling out and
readying weapons to use for an attack (drawing a
sword, nocking an arrow, pulling a loaded gun,
grabbing several throwing shards, producing
a knife in each hand, etc.) Drawing weapons
normally uses a single Combat Action.
Attack Roll: Rolling Action Dice to attack
an opponent.
Defense Roll: Rolling Action Dice to
negate successes rolled by an Attack Roll
against you.
Delay: The ability to allow a lower
Initiative character to act before you do. If you
have Delayed, you will be able to interrupt a
lower Initiative character at any point during
their Turn.
Half Move: The standard distance a
character can move in any given Combat
Round without using a Combat Action. This
distance is usually 15 feet, plus half of your
Agility score, plus half of any Athletics Skill.
Full Move: This requires a character to
spend a Combat Action but allows him to
cover the full distance allowed by whatever
movement ability the character is using.
Stamina: The amount of damage
your character is capable of taking before
succumbing to unconsciousness or death.
 Chapter IV: Combat
The Combat Round
The Combat Round is divided into three basic
steps:
Step 1: Determine Individual Initiative
Step 2: Determine Number of Combat if the higher Initiative character has to perform
Actions
BOOK ONE
Step 3: Play the Combat Round
A Quick Combat Summary Sheet that summarizes
the steps of a Combat Round is located in the
Appendix chapter. This can be a valuable thing to
copy and have handy while combat is occurring,
especially when you are initially learning the
system.
Step 1: Determine Individual
Initiative fact that his opponent is more than a Half Move
Every player rolls 1d6, to which they add their
Agility score. They may also add any levels of Fast
Reflexes they possess. Subtract any penalties (if
appropriate) from earlier combat damage. This
is the players Initiative score. Players can record
this total in the Initiative slot on the Player
Combat Tracking Sheet (located at the back of this
book) in the upper left hand corner beneath the
appropriate Rnd #. Players act in order of Initiative,
from highest to lowest.
Delaying Initiative
Players with higher Initiative scores may
decide to Delay and allow others with lower
Initiative to act before they do. A player who has
Delayed may interrupt someone with a lower
Initiative at any time by simply announcing that
they are interrupting. At that point, the delaying
player may immediately take his Turn and leap
into the fray. After the higher Initiative player has
performed all of the actions he wishes, the player
who was interrupted continues his Turn.
Unlike Reactions (described later), Delaying
Initiative does allow a player to potentially prevent
an action from occurring, assuming the player can
correctly predict the actions intention. Thus,
lets say a Delayed Initiative player saw an assassin
aiming a rifle at the players faithful companion,
the player could take a Combat Action to try
and prevent the assassin from firing by either
immediately attacking the assassin (assuming he
could reach him) or by taking some other action
that distracts the assassin from his target. The
player would then take his Turn normally and
the assassin would only resume his Turn after the
Delayed Initiative player announced that his Turn
was over. The assassin, however, could still React
to the Delayed Initiative players actions.
212
Ranged Weapon Initiative
Characters with ranged weapons at the
ready (drawn and ready to fire) will be able to fire
those weapons before a character with a higher
Initiative score can close to hand-to-hand combat
more than a Half Move to close the distance.
The higher Initiative character could, however,
decide to use ranged weapons to attack the lower
Initiative character first, even though the lower
Initiative character had a readied ranged weapon.
This is true whether the character is acting in his
Turn normally or has decided to Delay Initiative.
Example: Joel and his opponent roll
Initiative. Joel scores a 12, and his opponent
scores a 9. Joel decides to close the distance
between himself and his opponent, who has two
crystal knives ready to throw at him. Due to the
away, Joel knows that his enemy will be able to
hurl his knives before he can close the distance,
regardless of Joel having the higher Initiative.
Not possessing a ranged weapon, Joel decides
to risk it and charges his enemy, bobbing and
weaving as best he can.
Step 2: Determine Number of
Combat Actions
Next, the players roll Action Dice derived from
the following formula, subtracting any penalties due
to earlier combat damage from the total number of
Action Dice rolled (see the section As Stamina Begins
to Drop on page 227 for further details about these
penalties):
(Agility + Dexterity) / 2 (rounded up), minus
penalties due to earlier combat damage
Players add any successes rolled on these dice
to 2, which is the base number of Combat Actions
a character will have in any given Combat Round.
Players also add the number of extra Combat Actions
derived from the Talent Combat Instinct, if any. The
total is the number of Combat Actions a player has
for the Combat Round. This can be noted in the box
to the right of Action # on the Combat Tracking Sheet.
Combat Actions can be attacks, defenses, or the use
of any appropriate Skills or Animal Abilities.
Example: Joel rolled 3 successes on his Action
Dice. After adding the 2 base Combat Actions that
all characters get, and the 1 Extra Action from his
Combat Instinct Talent, he has a grand total of 6
Combat Actions for this Round. He now begins
considering what his character wants to do when
it becomes his Turn. He has to keep in mind that
he has a finite number of Combat Actions he
may take during the Round. If he uses up all his
Combat Actions as Reactions before his Turn even
begins, he may have nothing left when his Turn
arrives, and no way to defend himself.
 Step 3: Play the Combat
Round
Once all the players have determined their
Initiative and number of Combat Actions for the
Round (and the GM has done the same thing for
all the NPCs), the Combat Round begins. The
character with the highest Initiative score takes his
Turn first and becomes the Active Combatant. If
Half Move and 1 for the attack). His attack only
wounds this new opponent. Joel decides to end his
Turn and save his remaining 2 Combat Actions to
defend against any attacks that might be directed at
him after his Turn or to use as possible Reactions.
Bundling Combat Actions
You may, if you wish, decide to Bundle several
Combat Actions together into a single roll of Action

Chapter IV: Combat

this is a player, he tells the GM what his character is Dice. This is usually done with similar Contested
doing and rolls Action Dice as appropriate. Actions, such as multiple attacks, but you may Bundle
any actions you wish, up to the maximum number of
Using Combat Actions Combat Actions you have for that Round (and with
Actions in a Combat Round can be any action the approval of the GM). Bundling is usually done
that could conceivably take place during a typical to speed up combat (less dice rolls), but there is also
Combat Round, including offensive and defensive a strategic reason to do so. Normally, an opponent
maneuvers, the use of Animal Abilities, Talents, or can react to every single action you decide to take
Skills, or movement. Your only limits are the number individually, giving them a chance to defend and
of Combat Actions you have for that Round and counterattack. However, when you Bundle Actions,
the six-second time frame you have to perform those your opponent may only react after all of the Bundled
actions. Each individual attack, parry, use of a Skill, Actions have taken effect, which includes multiple
etc., costs a single Combat Action. When you are out attacks.
of Combat Actions, you may no longer act in a given Bundling, however, has some restrictions. When
Combat Round. You must wait for the next Round Bundling Actions, you must use the Action Dice of
where you will determine a new number of Combat your lowest bundled Skill to determine your Success
Actions. Level with all of your Bundled Actions. So if you
Action Dice are rolled for every Contested decide to Bundle a Skill or Animal Ability that only
Action you decide to take in order to determine your gives you 4 Action Dice with a combat ability that
Success Level. All Contested Actions cost a Combat normally gives you 8 Action Dice, you would roll 4
Action in order to perform. Free Actions require no Action Dice to perform the Bundled attacks. Further,
roll of Action Dice but still cost if you are Bundling special combat maneuvers, you
a Combat Action. Everyone
gets one free Half Move every
Combat Round you may
perform it without spending a
Combat Action. If you wish to
make additional Half Moves or
a Full Move, it will cost you a
Combat Action to do so.
Example: Having won
the Initiative for the Combat
Round, Joel decides to take his
Turn and become the Active
Combatant. He has a total of 6
Combat Actions for the Round
(he rolled 3 successes on his
Action Dice and added them to
the base of 2 and the 1 from his
Combat Instinct Talent). He
decides to make a Half Move
to his nearest opponent and
attack him twice. This costs Joel
2 Combat Actions (since he gets
a single Half Move for free). His
attacks take out his opponent,
so Joel decides to make another
Half Move to the next closest
enemy and attack a single time.
This costs Joel 2 more Combat
Actions (1 for the additional

Basic Compendium
213
 Chapter IV: Combat
must apply the worst Combat Modifier to the Action
Dice youll use for the Bundled Action. For this
reason, it is usually best to Bundle similar attacks or
equally ranked groups of Skills or Animal Abilities.
Bundling Actions does not give you additional
Combat Actions. You can Bundle as many actions as
you wish (and the GM allows) into a single roll, but you
must still have the Combat Actions available to make
BOOK ONE
those actions possible. Thus, if you had six Combat
Actions for a particular Combat Round, you could
only Bundle a maximum of six different actions.
Reactions
In the SHARD RPG combat system, you do
not have to wait for your Turn to act in combat.
Anyone involved in combat may use a single
Combat Action to react to the Active Combatants
actions, assuming they have a way to perceive what
the Active Combatant is doing. This is known as
a Reaction, and like regular combat it proceeds in
order of Initiative, from highest to lowest, until all
the characters that wish to take a Reaction have done
so. This process of Action/Reaction continues until
the Active Combatant declares his Turn to be over.
The next highest Initiative character then begins
his Turn and becomes the Active Combatant, and
the process continues until the Round is over.
Players should be careful about using all of their
Combat Actions as Reactions. Not only can you find
yourself without any remaining Combat Actions
when your Turn comes around, you may also find
yourself unable to defend against incoming attacks.
Remember, any action you wish to take in combat
requires you to have a Combat Action. When you
run out of Combat Actions, you can no longer take
any action, which includes defensive actions.
There are a few restrictions to Reactions.
Players may only use a single Combat Action as a
Reaction. You may not take multiple Reactions to
the same action, nor may you Bundle Actions in a
Reaction. Further, Reactions cannot stop an action
from being taken; they can only react to the result.
Thus, if an enemy fired a rifle at your companion,
you could not stop the rifleman from firing, but
you could potentially leap into the path of the
bullet, try to tackle your companion out of the
bullets way, or even attack the rifleman (assuming
you had a ranged weapon or he was within a Half
Move of your character) after the shot had been
fired. Finally, it is possible to react to a Reaction,
but the same restrictions apply.
Example: Aarons character Koya and his
rival, an NPC, are dueling. Their friends (both
players and NPCs) are observing the duel. Koyas
rival (who won Initiative and is currently the
Active Combatant) decides to attack Koya. After
Koya successfully parries the attack, one of the
rivals companions decides to take a Reaction. He
214
wants to even the odds for his friend, so he decides
to shoot Koya in the leg with a pistol. Fortunately
for Koya, the dishonorable scoundrel misses.
One of Koyas friends (another player) decides he
wants to take a Reaction to the shooters Reaction
and punch the blackguard in the face as a warning
not to interfere. The player (acting in order of
Initiative) takes his free Half Move to get to the
shooter (which costs him no Combat Actions).
He can now attempt to punch the NPCs lights
out. Had the player been further away than a
Half Move, he could only have moved up to the
shooter (1 Combat Action) as his Reaction, and
would have to have waited until the next series of
Reactions to try and punch the NPC. Similarly,
since the shooter has already reacted, he also has
to wait for the next series of Reactions to react to
the player moving up to punch him.
Players are encouraged to use the Player Combat
Tracking Sheet to keep track of used and unused
Combat Actions, as well as damage and other
modifiers and information pertaining to that
Combat Round.
Combat Basics
Every time you attack or defend, you roll Action
Dice based on the Ranking of the Attribute you are
using in combat. This is known as an Attack Roll or a
Defense Roll. If you score successes, then your attack
or defense is considered successful. If you score no
successes, then your attack or defense is considered a
failure. Some Skills, such as Martial Arts and Melee
Combat, can be used both to attack and defend,
while other Skills, such as Evade or Firearm Combat
cannot.
Every success scored on a Defense Roll made by
a defender cancels a success scored on an Attack Roll
made by their opponent. If the defense successes
negate all the attack successes, then the attack has
no effect it was successfully parried or dodged. If
the defense successes do not negate all the attack
successes, then the attack was successful in striking
its target. Every attack and defense costs one Combat
Action to perform. It is important to note, however,
that unlike Reactions, a player may make as many
Defense Rolls in a row as they have Combat Actions.
They are not limited to one.
An attack that strikes its target will do damage,
known as Damage Levels, which are subtracted from
a characters current Stamina, and are recorded as
wounds on the Combat Tracking Sheet. Generally,
base damage is determined by a characters Strength
(limited by the size of the weapon being used).
Additionally, the successes that were not negated by
Defense Rolls are added to this base damage. Finally,
the Damage Levels are given a multiplier based on
the Success Level the attack managed to achieve as
shown in the following table.

Successes Success Level
1 success Partial (x0.5)
2 or 3 successes Adequate (x1)
4 or 5 successes Good (x2)
6 or 7 successes Excellent (x3)
8 or 9 successes Astounding (x4)
10 or 11 successes Incredible (x5)
12+ successes Legendary (x6)
Example: In combat, Aaron attacks his
opponent with his sword. He rolls 6 successes
with his Attack Roll. His opponent only rolls
2 successes on his Defense Roll, negating 2 of
Aarons successes. Aarons attack is considered
successful at 4 successes. Since Aarons character,
Koya, has a Strength Ranking of 8, the base
damage would normally be 8 Damage Levels.
However, since he is using a Medium Weapon
(sword), which can do a maximum of 6 Damage
Levels, his base damage is 6 Damage Levels.
Further, his opponent did not negate 4 of his
successes, so Aaron adds those successes to his
base damage for a total of 10 Damage Levels.
Finally, his 4 successes qualifies him for a Good
Success Level, giving him a multiplier of 2. Thus,
Aarons final damage total is 20 Damage Levels
an incredibly impressive strike indeed!
A defender may subtract any applicable armor
from the damage done by each successful attack (and
remember that the value of the armor, both worn
and natural, counts against each individual strike
within a bundled attack), before deducting the rest
from his Stamina score. Stamina is derived from the
following formula:
2 x (Vigor + Will) = Stamina
The Stamina multiplier is increased to 3 if you
possess the Toughness Talent.
Damage is classified into two different types:
Subdue Damage and Fatal Damage (both described in
greater detail later). These damage types affect you
in different ways. Subdue Damage can render you
unconscious without killing you and is easier to heal.
Lethal Damage can kill you or leave you bleeding to
death and is much more difficult to heal. Damage
can be tracked in the Damage Taken area of the
Combat Tracking Sheet. General Damage taken from
any basic attack is an equal mixture of both Subdue
and Fatal damage (favoring Subdue in cases of odd
numbers). Though it is possible to choose to do
only Subdue damage to your opponent, choosing
to do only Fatal Damage to your opponent requires
the use of the special Maneuver Location Table (see
following section).
Basic Compendium
When your Stamina reaches zero (0) you are
either defeated and unable to continue fighting
(but still conscious), or you are unconscious and
bleeding to death depending on whether it was
primarily Subdue or Fatal Damage that put you in
that state. When your Stamina reaches negative ten
(10), you are either completely unconscious or dead
depending on whether it was primarily Subdue or
Fatal Damage that got you there.
Chapter IV: Combat
Being damaged in combat has other negative
effects as well. If more than one third (1/3) of your
total Stamina is lost, a penalty of 1 is applied to all
of your Action Dice until you heal above the one-
third mark. If more than two-thirds (2/3) of your
total Stamina is lost, then a penalty of 2 is applied
to all of your Action Dice until you heal above that
mark.
Fumbles During Combat
(Optional Rule)
Rolling a Fumble (one or more 1s and no successes)
while fighting an opponent indicates that you have
utterly failed your attempted action. Depending on the
severity of the Fumble, the GM should decide on an
appropriate mishap. This could range anywhere from
having a weapon break or shatter or having a firearm
explode in your grasp to losing Combat Actions as you
attempt to recover from the Fumble. Some Fumbles
might even harm your companions: perhaps a wild shot
ricochets and strikes one of them, or you crash into a
group of them, ruining their attacks or preparations.
GMs should be careful, however, about pulling too many
players into another players Fumble as that might make
the Fumbling player incredibly unpopular.
The only exception to the standard Fumble rule is
in regards to Defense Rolls. GMs should ignore Fumbles
when a player is making Defense Rolls. Its bad enough
to fail a Defense Roll and get hit by an opponents attack,
especially given that no Attack Roll successes negated
will often result in a devastating blow. Combat can be
very deadly in the SHARD RPG and failed Defense Rolls
often mean defeat or death. It is our opinion that a GM
should not add insult to injury in these cases.
Rolling Sixes (Optional Rule)
When you roll two or more 6s on your Action
Dice, not only do they count normally as successes, you
also get to roll the second and subsequent 6s over again,
thereby increasing your chance of scoring additional
successes. As long as you continue to score 6s on the
dice, you continue to roll those specific dice. If you
score any number other than a 6, you stop rolling that
particular die. This rule makes it possible for someone
with only a few Action Dice to score more successes
than would normally be possible.
215
 Chapter IV: Combat
MANEUVER LOCATION TABLE
DAMAGE TYPE
HIT Subdue | Subdue / Fatal | Fatal
LOCALE ADJ MANEUVER ADJ MANEUVER ADJ MANEUVER
# EFFECT # EFFECT # EFFECT
Cover
HEAD -1 Bind / Grab -2 Hold / Lock -3 Stun
BOOK ONE

Cover
NECK -1 Bind / Grab -2 Hold / Lock -3 Stun
Cover
SPINE -1 Bind / Grab -2 Hold / Lock -3 Stun

SHOULDER 0 Escape 0 Escape -1 Disarm

Disarm Disable Disable and Stun
ELBOW -1 Bind / Grab -2 Hold / Lock -3 Broken (joint)
Throw Lame (wing)
ARM 0 Escape 0 Escape -1 Bind / Grab
HAND 0 Escape -1 Disarm -2 Disable
TORSO 0 Escape 0 Escape -1 Broken (rib)
Nausea
ABDOMEN 0 Escape -1 Nausea -2 Cover
Nausea Nausea
GROIN -1 Nausea -2 Cover -3 Stun
HIP 0 Escape 0 Escape -1 Lame (hip)
Lame (knee) Disable Stun
KNEE -1 Bind / Grab -2 Hold / Lock -3 Broken (joint)
Throw / Sweep
LEG 0 Escape 0 Escape -1 Lame (leg)
Lame (foot) Disable
FOOT 0 Escape -1 Bind / Grab -2 Hold / Lock
Throw / Sweep
HEAD Disable and Stun
-3 Broken (feature) -4 Full Knockout -5 Lost Feature
VITALS
TORSO Stun, Broken (rib), and
-3 Stun and Broken (rib) -4 Nausea -5 Internal Damage
VITALS
Disable and Stun Disable and Stun Severed
ARM VITALS -3 Broken (joint) -4 Broken (bone) -5 Arm / Hand
Disable and Stun Disable and Stun Severed
LEG VITALS -3 Broken (joint) -4 Broken (bone) -5 Leg / Foot

Escape - Targeted area struck for only 1 Damage Level to bring an end to Bind / Grab or Hold / Lock effects, or a Cover (once you have won Initiative).
Bind / Grab - No damage caused. Targeted area (and/or weapon) immobile and controlled till Escape or release. Hold / Lock may then be attempted to same
target area at an ADJ # of 0.
Throw / Sweep - Full damage. Target falls (potential attackers Martial Skill Ranking # of feet away). Target must use a Combat Action to rise, unless they
have made a successful Acrobatics Roll that Round. If thrown far enough, they must use a Combat Action or their free Half Move to close.
Disarm - Half damage caused, plus weapon is forced or knocked from targets grasp. Must use a Combat Action to retrieve or draw new one.
Nausea - Full damage. Target acts at a negative # on dice rolls for a certain # of Rounds, both equal to ADJ # for attack.
Lame - Full damage. Target gets no more free Half Moves for that entire combat, target must use an extra Combat Action to move affected area till healed.
Cover - No damage caused. Target held at point of weapon. Potential instant damage (weapon damage plus Cover successes with standard multipliers
applying) till target wins Initiative and performs a successful Escape.
Disable - Full damage. If limb targeted, loss of limb use (half Movement only if limb is used for locomotion). Target must make a Vigor Roll at minus 2.
Failure allows only half Action Dice, success means only a minus 2. Physical actions outside combat suffer a minus 1 till healed.
Hold / Lock - Full damage. Targeted area immobile plus attackers Strength in damage caused per Round till Escape or release.
Stun - Full damage. Any successes that get through targets defenses negates equal number of Combat Actions. This can carry through to following Rounds.
Broken - Full damage. A joint or bone has been broken in the target area. Target suffers loss of limb use (half Movement if limb used for locomotion). Target
must make Vigor Roll at minus 4; success allows half Action Dice: failure allows no offensive actions, only half Action Dice, and causes 1D6 Stun.
Physical actions outside of combat suffer a minus 3 to rolls till successful medical treatment.
Full Knockout - Full damage. Target unconscious for 1-6 minutes.
Lost Feature - Full damage. A targeted feature of the head, neck, or face is permanently harmed in some way.
Internal Damage - Full damage. Target begins bleeding internally at the rate per Round equal to the number of successes that penetrated the targets defense,
till healed or dead.
Severed - Full damage. Targeted limb or section of limb violently separated from body. Target begins bleeding externally at the rate per Round equal to the
number of successes that penetrated the Targets defense, till healed or dead.

216
 The Maneuver Location
Table (Martial Arts)
If your character possesses Martial Arts, you are
able to freely use the Maneuver Location Table to target
specific areas of your opponents body to achieve certain
special combat effects, such as momentarily stunning your
opponent or disabling the use of a limb. The three decisions
you must make when deciding to use this special table are
the part of your opponents body you will target (shown
in the Hit Locale column), the type of damage you wish to
inflict (shown in the Damage Type row), and the specific
combat effect you wish to achieve (shown in the Maneuver
Effect column). You must apply any maneuver modifiers
indicated in the ADJ # column of the table to your Martial
Arts Action Dice.
Once youve successfully made an attack on your
opponent using one of these special maneuvers, the effects
are immediately applied to your opponent. If you only
score a Partial Success Level, however, the special maneuver
effects do not take effect although you still do the Damage
Levels you normally would have for that Success Level.
Even characters without the Martial Arts Skill may
attempt maneuvers found in the Maneuver Location Table
by adding an additional penalty of 2 to the ADJ # shown
in the table. Thus, if a non-martial artist wanted to be able
to attempt a Stun maneuver by targeting an opponents
head (an attack that normally has a 3 penalty), hed have to
apply a penalty of 5 to his Action Dice. These maneuvers
could apply to either melee or ranged attacks.
When deciding upon a special combat maneuver,
consider the cinematic effect of that maneuver. What
would it look like in a movie? Although declaring that
you intend to Stun your enemy with a 3 head shot gives
enough information for the purposes of the rules, its rather
pedestrian. Instead, try something like, I spring into the air
with a roar and deliver a whirling spin-kick to the side of the
assassins head, attempting to stun the villain! The GM,
in turn, should also endeavor to create a more cinematic
experience, and should feel free to give players small bonuses
from time to time to reward excellent descriptions.
Maneuver Location Effects
Various powerful combat effects can be attempted
and achieved using the Maneuver Location Table. The
more difficult and powerful effects require the sacrifice
of more Action Dice to accomplish, but the end result
can be devastating. You must choose the individual
effect (or effect series) desired from those listed in the
appropriate Maneuver Effect box. An effect series is
denoted by the use of an and to conjoin them (such
as Disable and Stun, Stun and Broken, etc.)
Escape: Getting free of a Grab, Bind, Hold or
Lock by applying leverage or striking the grappling
foe. The target area is struck for only 1 Damage
Level. Escape may also be used to try to elude a
Basic Compendium
Cover maneuver, causing no damage, if you have won
Initiative.
Bind/Grab: Grappling with an opponent to
immobilize and control the targeted area or weapon.
No damage is done. If successful, you may attempt
a Hold/Lock maneuver at no Maneuver Location
Table adjustment penalty, if you have Action Dice
remaining.
Chapter IV: Combat
Throw/Sweep: Knocking or levering an
opponent off their feet and onto the ground. It does
normal damage. Characters with Martial Arts may
throw their opponent up to their Martial Arts Skill
Ranking in feet in any direction. A fallen foe must use
a Combat Action to get to their feet unless they have
successfully used Acrobatics that Round.
Disarm: Knocking or forcing a foes weapon
from his grasp. Successful use causes half normal
damage. It takes a Combat Action to retrieve the
weapon, if possible, or to draw another.
Nausea: Striking susceptible areas to create
momentary distress. This inflicts a penalty on a
foes Action Dice equal to the Adjustment number
from the Maneuver Location Table. This lasts for an
equal number of Rounds. This maneuver causes full
damage.
Lame: Striking an ambulatory limb (such as a
winged arm or a leg) that restricts its movement due to
bruising and trauma. The foe gets no more free Half
Moves with that movement type for the entire combat
and must use an extra Combat Action to move using
the affected limb until healed. This maneuver causes
full damage.
Disable: Hitting a targeted area with such force
that it becomes temporarily unusable. The target
must make a Vigor Roll at minus 2 at the beginning
of each Round to offset the painful effects of the
Disable. Success results in a negative 2 to the targets
Action Dice while failure allows the use of only half
of the targets Action Dice. If an ambulatory limb was
hit, the target is restricted to half movement. Once
outside of the combat where it was inflicted, anyone
hit by a Disabling blow suffers a negative 1 penalty to
any Action Dice used for physical actions, until they
receive successful medical attention. This maneuver
causes full damage.
Cover: With a success at this maneuver, you
hold your foe at the point of your weapon, causing
no initial damage. Thereafter you can instantly strike
for full effect (weapon damage plus cover successes
multiplied by the standard multipliers for the Success
Level). Your foe must win Initiative against you and
succeed in an Escape maneuver to nullify the Cover.
Hold/Lock: Grappling that immobilizes the
targeted area. Initial use of this maneuver causes full
damage, after which it deals the attackers Strength in
damage per Round until release or successful escape.
217
BOOK ONE Chapter IV: Combat
Stun: Striking with a debilitating effect, causing
temporary loss of function. Any successes that get
through the foes defenses negate an equal number of
Combat Actions. This can carry through to following
Rounds. This maneuver causes full damage.
Broken: Breaking or otherwise crippling a joint
or bone. The target must make a Vigor Roll at a minus
4 at the beginning of each Round to offset the painful
effects of this maneuver. Success allows the character
to use only half their Action Dice. Failure means no
offensive actions may be attempted, all others actions
are at half Action Dice, and the character suffers 1d6
Stun. If an ambulatory limb was hit, the foe is restricted
to half movement. Once outside of the combat where
it was inflicted, anyone hit by a Breaking blow suffers a
negative 3 penalty to any Action Dice used for physical
actions, until they receive successful medical attention.
This maneuver causes full damage.
Full Knockout: A blow so strong or effective
that the foe is knocked unconscious for 1 - 6 minutes.
This maneuver causes full damage.
Internal Damage: Damaging internal organs
and systems, leading to internal bleeding. The bleeding
damage rate is equal to the number of successes that
penetrated the foes defense, each Round, till they
receive successful medical attention or die. This
maneuver causes full damage.
Lost Feature: Striking a feature of the head,
neck, or face and permanently damaging it in some
way. This maneuver causes full damage.
Severed: Violently separating a limb or section
of a limb from the body. The foe begins bleeding
218
externally at the rate per Round equal to the number
of the success that penetrated the foes defense, till
they receive successful medical attention or die. This
maneuver causes full damage.
The Three Types of
Combat in SHARD
The SHARD RPG Combat System can be
categorized into three types.
1. Combat using the Brawling, Melee Combat,
Missile Combat, and Throw Skills, as well as Natural
Weaponry
2. Combat using the Martial Arts, Firearm Combat,
and Suthra Use Skills
3. Combat using Artillery and Siege Weapons
Here is how the three differ from one another:
Combat using Brawling,
Melee, Ranged Skills, and
Natural Weaponry
The simplest Combat Skills are Brawling, Melee
Combat, Throw, and Missile Combat, as well as the
Natural Weaponry Animal Abilities of various kinds.
Brawling is used for unarmed punching and kicking, while
Melee is used when attacking with handheld weapons
of any kind. Throw is used with thrown weapons and
Missile when using a sling, atlatl, crossbow, or bow (or
any non-Vaylah weapons). These are considered ranged
weapons, and you should consult the rules concerning
 range to understand their benefits and limitations. And
finally, the Animal Ability Natural Weaponry includes
the variety of teeth, claws, horns, etc. used in combat.
Characters can be of any caste and use these abilities, as
they require no special martial training.*
One disadvantage with Melee Combat, Brawling,
Missile Combat, Throw, or Natural Weaponry is that
you cannot utilize the Maneuver Location Table on the
back of the character sheet without an extra 2 Action
Dice penalty applied in addition to the modifiers already
indicated on the table. Unless indicated by the GM, any
damage caused without using this table is considered
general ( Subdue and Fatal, weighted toward
Subdue) damage to the targets Stamina.
Melee Combat, Brawling, and Natural Weaponry
can be rolled to defend against each other as well as
against Martial Arts and Suthra Use, but cannot be
used to defend against Missile Combat, Throw, Firearm
Combat, or Artillery. Missile Combat and Throw cannot
be used to defend against any attacks.
* Only the Brawling and Throw skills are Basic Starting
Skills (meaning you start with an automatic ranking up to 3,
no greater than half your starting Agility or Dexterity, without
having to spend points to purchase it). You must purchase
Missile and Melee Combat as Skills, and Natural Weaponry
may have come as part of your Animal Template or with the
purchase of other Animal Abilities.
Combat Using Martial Arts,
Firearm Combat, and Suthra
Use
Characters with these Skills have had specialized
training. When characters, either PCs and NPCs, choose
to use Martial Arts, Firearm Combat, and Suthra Use,
they are allowed, at no additional penalty, to use the
Maneuver Location Table on the back of the character
sheet to determine the particular targets they wish to
strike, the adjustment to the roll such strikes require,
and the additional combat effects a successful strike
might cause. Any combat can be dramatically affected by
choosing to use this table.
The Martial Arts Skill includes both open-handed
and weapon-based combat and can take the place of
the Brawling and Melee Skill (though you can have
and use them all individually). Having purchased
Martial Arts, you may use the Maneuver Location Table
without additional minuses for Throw, Missile, and any
Natural Weaponry attacks. Though there are no caste
restrictions concerning the use of Martial Arts, they are
more common among members of the higher castes.
The Firearm Combat Skill allows the character to
use gunpowder rifles, muskets, and pistols (collectively
called Vaylah weapons). Like Missile and Thrown
weapons, these are considered ranged weapons. Vaylah
weapons take three rounds to reload if you have the
Firearm Combat Skill, and six Rounds for an unskilled
Basic Compendium
loader. A successful Fast Draw roll allows a character
with Firearm Combat to reload his weapon in just one
Round.
According to most nations laws and traditions, only
characters of the High Caste (Sunborn) may use Vaylah
weapons. Very rare exceptions are sometimes made in
the case of a powerful merchant, an influential lords
follower, or even a member of the Holy Caste (such
exceptions require the carrying of a Writ of Vaylah
Chapter IV: Combat
signed by a either a magistrate or higher authority).
In most nations, the penalty for disobeying this law is
imprisonment or death for Trade Caste or lower and
demotion to High Caste for the Holy Caste.
Suthra Use allows a character to wield the insectile
living weapons of Drdnah to inflict damage during
combat. Unlike normal melee weapons, living suthra
weapons often move on their own or at the special
command of their wielder. They can cause many
different effects in addition to damagedepending on
the weapon typesuch as binding or inflicting poisons
(see Weapons). Only Characters of High Caste (the
Sunborn) generally use living Suthra weapons or living
armor, though there are no restrictions on their use
among the Holy Caste. Most nations laws forbid the
use of suthra as living armor or weapons by Trade Caste
or lower. In such nations, the penalty for disobeying this
law is death.
Martial Arts and Suthra Use can be used to defend
against any attack except Firearm Combat or Artillery.
Firearm Combat cannot be used to defend against any
attack.
Combat using Artillery and
Siege Weapons
Artillery and Siege Weapons are powerful but slow-
firing weaponry. They are used most often in breaking
down the defenses of walled cities (or countering such
sieges) and in the combat of field armies. A good crew
could reload and fire a standard cannon in roughly
two minutes (20 Combat Rounds). Smaller cannons
(swivel guns, hand cannons, etc) can be reloaded in one
minute (10 Combat Rounds). Most Siege Weapons
(large ballistae, catapults, trebuchet, etc.) can be fired and
reloaded in four minutes (40 Combat Rounds), though
the rate could differ widely depending on the size of
the weapon and its projectiles. Artillery Weapons (the
various forms of cannon) and Siege Weapons are both
fired using the Artillery Combat Skill. This Skill cannot
use the Maneuver Location Table when targeting.
For individual defense against an attack from one of
these weapons, only Evade and successes generated by
Acrobatics may be used. The Artillery Skill cannot be
used to defend against any attack.
The Ship-to-Ship Combat section has rules for these
weapons in skyship and naval combat.
219
BOOK ONE Chapter IV: Combat
Skills in Combat
There can be several different types of abilities
used in a Combat Round. Some of these require a
Combat Action to be used from your Action Pool
while some do not. Below are descriptions of various
combat-related Skills often employed within a Combat
Round. There may be exceptions to these standards,
but the GM should rule on these exceptions on a
case-by-case basis.
Enhancement Skills
There are three different Skills that can boost the
effects of attacks, defense, and weapon use actions.
These are called Enhancement Skills, and not only
relate to game mechanics, but also add a certain
cinematic flair to combat as a whole.
1. Duel Dancing
2. Acrobatics
3. Fast Draw
Full descriptions of these Skills are in the Character
Creation chapter. Here is the essential information
on how they may be used in combat. Because these
Skills dont directly cause damage (merely enhancing
220
the effects of certain aspects of a particular Combat
Round), they dont get Bundled with other Combat
Actions but instead must be rolled separately since
they determine the effectiveness of actions that follow
them.
Duel Dancing
Characters can potentially improve their Martial Arts
Skill Rolls (for attacks and defense) during formal duels
by performing impressive displays of the techniques and
maneuvers of their martial art through the use of Duel
Dancing prior to actual combat. It is usually performed
in contest against another opponent using the same Skill
to determine who is the superior combatant.
In cases where two opponents have the Skill, both
combatants roll their Duel Dancing Action Dice and
compare successes. Every 2 successes a character scores
over his opponents add 1 die to his Martial Arts Action
Dice for the remainder of that duel only. New duels with
the same opponent would require a new Duel Dancing
Skill Roll.
The GM may allow Duel Dancing to be used in
various situations to complement other Skills (such
as Intimidation, Acrobatics, or Athletics). However,
Duel Dancing should not grant its regular bonus
 to a characters Martial Arts Action Dice in these
circumstances (although it might grant a bonus for a
single attack as per normal Complementary Skill usage,
at the discretion of the GM).
This Skill is not considered a Movement Skill and
must be used in conjunction with actual movement
in order to cover any distance. The true value of Duel
Dancing is cinematic flair and the advantage of possible
additions to your Martial Arts Action Dice throughout
the duel. Only a character with Martial Arts may use
Duel Dancing.
Acrobatics
When engaged in combat, characters can use their
Acrobatics Skill not only to add amazing visual flair to
their movements and maneuvers, but also to improve
the success of their defense.
Characters with this Skill may roll it at any time
during a Combat Round, providing they have a
Combat Action available. If they are successful, the
total number of successes should be noted. Every
success rolled is considered to be a part of a pool of
successes usable for defense purposes only.
These can be used, individually or all at once,
whenever the player desires (either being added to the
successes rolled when making a defensive roll, or used
as if they were the results of a defense roll themselves).
They are used to negate, one for one, any opponents
attack successes for the duration of the Round in
which the Skill is performed due to the evasive twisting,
turnings, and flips used to confuse and misdirect an
opponent. Such Acrobatics successes could also be
used to help an Evade roll or Movement Skill rolls used
to avoid a dangerous event or situation.
This Skill is not considered a Movement Skill and
must be used in conjunction with a true movement in
order to achieve distance coverage. The true value of
Acrobatics is cinematic flair and defense. Characters
who use this Skill during a Combat Round should
describe the acrobatic flavor of their maneuvers
throughout the Round accordingly.
Fast Draw
Drawing or preparing any weapon (unsheathing
a sword, placing an arrow in a bow or crossbow,
drawing a loaded gun, producing a handful of hurling
disks, brandishing twin daggers, etc.) for individual
or Bundled attacks during a Combat Round always
requires the expenditure of one Combat Action. This
cost can be avoided with a successful Fast Draw Skill
Roll. If the character with this Skill succeeds, then the
weapon is available instantly at no cost. The weapon
may then be used normally as long as the character
has Combat Actions remaining.* Failure when rolling
the Fast Draw Skill indicates that the character cannot
draw their chosen weapon instantly and must spend a
Combat Action to do so. A successful Fast Draw Skill
Basic Compendium
Roll also allows a character to reload a Vaylah weapon
in just one Combat Round instead of the usual three.
* In the case of Vaylah (gunpowder) weapons, this
assumes that the gun is loaded and ready to fire. If so,
it can be fired immediately after successful use of Fast
Draw.
Miscellaneous Skill Use
Chapter IV: Combat
Any of the other various Skill Rolls attempted
during a Combat Round must be declared as actions
during the players Turn, and will use Combat
Actions from that Rounds Action Pool. Both player
and GM should use common sense when deciding
whether any particular Skill is appropriate for the
combat. Whereas a character would not be able to
weave a basket while engaged in battle, there will be
less obvious situations that crop up that will require
the GM to make a ruling.
Movement
Movement within the game is defined as any
ability that allows coverage of distance. Though
this may seem to be a very simple definition, it is
important to understand which abilities are and are
not considered movement. The Acrobatics Skill,
for example, is not considered a Movement Skill
because its function is not to carry the character
from one location to another but to alter the way
in which movement takes place for various effects.
Great Leap, on the other hand, is a Movement Skill
as it defines distance that can be traversed when
using it.
There are two different kinds of movement
in the game: General Movement and Movement
Abilities. Both types of movement take time to cover
the distance. The differences between them are
how much time is involved, how far the character
can travel, what Action Dice need to be rolled (if
any), and how many Combat Actions they cost to
perform. Either type of movement may be used to
initiate Travel, which is prolonged movement over
long distances and over a greater period of time
described in the Travel section of the Basics chapter.
General Movement
General Movement is a category of movement
shared by all fully capable Zoics. It represents a
basic distance that all characters may travel when
normally walking or running. Since all Zoics share
the same basic bipedal form, it is simpler to assume
the differences even themselves out (larger creatures
have a longer stride but are heavier, bulkier, and
often slower; smaller creatures may be swifter
and more agile, but have shorter legs and smaller
strides).
221
 Chapter IV: Combat
Walking
All Zoics (unless otherwise
disabled) move at a standard
rate of 30 feet plus their Agility
plus their Athletics Skill
Ranking (if any) per Round
(6 seconds) while walking at a
BOOK ONE

normal pace. Walking can be

sustained for a long period of
time (throughout an entire day
under normal circumstances),
requiring minimal rest. Taking
a Full Move while walking
costs 1 Combat Action.
They may choose to
move only half the distance
in a Round, known as a Half
Move, and sacrifice none of
their Combat Actions to do so
(though it is assumed that the
time needed to make any such
movements within the Round
is expended).
A Half Move is often
used to close distance at the
beginning of the Combat
Round, though it may be used Animal Abilities, such as Bounding and Great Leap,
once anytime during the Round as the player sees fit. will allow a Zoic to leap considerably farther (see
Making a Half Move is not included in the number Animal Abilities). Leaping costs 1 Combat Action to
of Combat Actions a character may make for that perform.
Round and does not need to be rolled in order to
be performed. It is considered a Free Action. Once
this Half Move is used, a character must use at least Movement Abilities
1 Combat Action for any further movement made Movement Abilities allow the character to
that Combat Round. traverse a specific distance in a special way or defy
gravity. Many of these Movement Abilities are listed
Running in the Animal Abilities section. Movement Abilities
All Zoics can move 3x their standard walking use a Combat Action from the Action Pool for each
rate while running. While characters can only run attempted use in a Combat Round. If the desired
for a number of minutes equal to their Vigor, they distance falls within the range of the ability and there
only need to rest for 3 minutes before they can are no other forces hindering the movement, the GM
continue running. Alternately, a character can slow may decide it is unnecessary to roll any Action Dice,
to a walk and catch his breath while on the move simply stating the move was a success. If, however,
but must do so for twice the amount of time that the attempt is a Contested Action then it will be
it would normally take to rest. Taking a Full Move necessary to roll for successes, perhaps at a penalty
while running costs 2 Combat Actions. if appropriate.

Jumping Other Combat Factors

All Zoics can also jump a height of 3 feet or
cover a distance of 6 feet (assuming a standing
jump). With a running start, that height is increased
to 6 feet and the distance to 12 feet. A GM should
feel free to adjust those figures for Zoics who are
either very small or very large, but should keep in
mind that huge Zoics will weigh considerably more
than small Zoics so the differences (as with running)
would likely balance themselves out. Certain
Surprise Attacks
A Surprise Attack is possible if a target is not
prepared for an attack and fails to make some kind
of Perception Roll (including Tracking Scent, Keen
Hearing, Night Vision, Observation, etc.). A character
attempting to surprise attack an opponent may make
a Contested Stealth Roll versus the opponents most
appropriate Perception Roll. If the opponent fails to

222
 match all successes, they are assumed to be unaware
and surprised.
A character that successfully attacks an unaware
opponent from behind may do so with automatic
Initiative and with no penalties to any of the rear-
facing locations of the targets body (as per the
Maneuver Location Table). Surprised opponents get to
roll only half their Evade or primary Combat Skill
as defense. If still able to function once the Surprise
Attack is done, the opponent will roll Initiative along
with the attacker to begin combat in the normal way.
A character that successfully attacks an unaware
opponent from below, above, the sides, or the front, may do
so with automatic Initiative but will incur all standard
penalties to any locations of the targets body (as per
the Maneuver Location Table). The opponent gets
to roll half their Evade or primary Combat Skill as
defense. If still able to function, the opponent will
then roll Initiative along with the attacker to begin
combat in the normal way.
An opponent that senses the approach of an
attacker in some way or is already engaged in combat
is not considered unaware and enters combat with the
attacker normally using a standard Initiative Roll.
Blind Fighting
Situations will arise where characters will be
forced to fight while blind. This can be as a result of
fighting in absolute darkness or because a character
has been blinded in some way. In such situations,
those who are able to sense (and therefore target) an
opponents specific location will be able to attack that
opponent at an advantage. Characters that can sense
their opponents (with whatever appropriate Perception
ability they possess) may roll their normal Action Dice
to attack and defend, while those who cannot sense
their opponents may only roll half their Action Dice. If
a blinded character is able to successfully grapple with an
opponent, however, then he will only suffer a 2 penalty
to his Action Dice, but only for purposes of attacking
and defending against the grappled opponent.
Assassins often take advantage of total darkness or
employ blinding attacks during ambushes in order to
gain a great advantage over their targets. GMs should
keep in mind that Zoics have a wide variety of special
senses, some of which would allow them to sense
and target their opponents in total darkness or while
blinded (see Animal Abilities for details).
The Effect of Talents
Talents can affect combat as they do other
circumstances. They may modify the number of
Action Dice you roll in certain circumstances. They
may modify the Attributes of the character in ways
that have an effect during combat. There are several
Talents that can come in handy during a combat
Basic Compendium
situation: Ambidexterity, Combat Instinct, Fast
Reflexes, and Toughness, to name a few. You will
want to look over all the Talents you have chosen and
consider the ways they might benefit your character
in battle.
Range Modifiers
Firing or hurling ranged weapons can suffer
penalty modifiers to the roll unless they are fired at
Chapter IV: Combat
short range (100 feet or less). These are the general
rules regarding range for use of the Throw Skill, Missile
Combat, Firearm Combat, or Artillery Combat:
Short Range: 0 to 100 feet at no penalty. For
targets attempting to close, it requires two Combat
Actions (standard movement) to cover from 50 to 100
feet at a run. Ranged weapons classed as Short, Middle,
Long, and Extreme Range can be used at this range.
Middle Range: 100 to 300 feet at a 1 penalty.
For targets attempting to close, it requires six Combat
Actions (standard movement) to cover that distance at
a run. Ranged weapons classed as Middle, Long, and
Extreme Range can be used at this range.
Long Range: 300 to 900 feet at 3 penalty. For
targets attempting to close, it requires 18 Combat
Actions (standard movement) to cover that distance
at a run. Only ranged weapons classed as Long and
Extreme Range can be used at this range.
Extreme Range: 900 feet to a mile at 4 penalty.
For targets attempting to close, it requires 60 Combat
Actions (standard movement) to cover that distance at
a run. Only ranged weapons classed as Extreme Range
can be used at this range.
As with all ranged weapons, only targets that can
be perceived can effectively be attacked, even if they are
within the range of the weapon. Please see the Standard
Weapon Ratings Table to determine the ranges of various
weapons.
When using the Artillery Combat Skill, a character
is often attempting to fire weapons at Long or Extreme
Range, thus taking the penalty modifiers mentioned
above for attempting to hit a specific target at that
range. However, for Artillery Combat, these penalties
can be offset by bonus modifiers that apply specifically
to artillery usage, such as cannons being fired at fortress
walls or during ship-to-ship combat. Successive attempts
to hit the same stationary target or moving targets give
increasing bonuses due to being able to gauge accurate
adjustments based on a previous shots outcome
(capped at three or more shots). Though successive
attempts are not cumulative (meaning that a third
attempts bonus is not added to the second attempts
bonus), the bonuses of being both a stationary target as
well as a target of a certain size are cumulative (meaning
that the secondary attempt to hit a target that was both
stationary and huge would apply the total of both
bonuses to the Artillery Combat Skill Roll).
223
 Chapter IV: Combat
ARTILLERY MODIFIERS
Stationary Target (1st attempt) +2 Dice
Stationary Target (2nd attempt) +3 Dice
Stationary Target (3rd + attempts) +4 Dice
Small Target; up to 25 (1st attempt) 0 Dice
BOOK ONE
Small Target; up to 25 (2nd attempt) +1 Dice
Small Target; up to 25 (3rd + attempts) +2 Dice
Large Target; 25 to 50 (1st attempt) +1 Dice
Large Target; 25 to 50 (2nd attempt) +2 Dice
Large Target; 25 to 50 (3rd + attempts) +3 Dice
Huge Target; 50 or larger (1st attempt) +2 Dice
Huge Target; 50 or larger (2nd attempt) +3 Dice
Huge Target; 50 or larger (3rd + attempts) +4 Dice
Defense
In the SHARD RPG, regardless of whether you
are being attacked with fists, claws, melee weapons,
ranged weapons, guns, or even living suthra weapons,
you roll a certain number of dice to generate defense
successes that counteract, on a one-to-one basis, the
successes rolled by your opponent during the attack.
Making such a Defense Roll requires the use of one
or more Combat Actions. An attack against you
requires one or more Combat Actions to perform;
any defense you use requires the expenditure of an
equal number of Combat Actions to try and counter
the attack. Defense Action Dice are derived from
either your Evade Skill or from the primary combat
ability most appropriate for countering the attack.*
* Note: There may be modifiers to Defense Rolls as a
result of Stamina loss or environmental factors.
Evade Skill
You may always use your Evade Skill to prevent
yourself from being struck as long as you have enough
Combat Actions to do so. In order to accomplish
this, simply roll as many Action Dice as your Evade
Skill Ranking to generate the successes you need.
Primary Combat Ability
Most players spend their time developing their
combat abilities. These rules assume that many
Combat Skills include methods of defense in their
teachings. Players will use one of these abilities for
their defense in combat. When using a Combat
Skill or Animal Ability to defend, you roll a number
of Action Dice for defense equal to the Ranking of
that Combat Skill or Animal Ability. Thus, if you
were using your Melee Combat Skill, which had a
224
Ranking of 8, to defend against an attack, you would
roll 8 Action Dice to defend. Not all Combat Skills
or Animal Abilities, however, can defend against all
attacks, as noted below:
Evade: Can be used to defend against any
attack (it is the universal defense).
Martial Arts: Can be used to defend against
any attack except firearms and artillery.
Brawling, Melee, Natural Weaponry, and Spines:
Can be used to defend against hand-to-hand attacks
only (any attacks except thrown weapons, missiles,
firearms, and artillery).
Artillery Combat, Firearm Combat, Missile
Combat, Throw, Blinding Attack, Gnawing Teeth, Musk
Spray, and Venom: Cannot be used to defend against
any attacks.
Its important to remember that in order to
attempt to fully defend against an attack, it requires
the expenditure of an equal number of Combat
Actions as was used in the attack; this includes
attacks that are Bundled. Thus, if you were hit with
a Bundled attack that consisted of four Combat
Actions but you had only three Combat Actions to
defend, you could not defend against the fourth and
final attack. If the Bundled attack was successful,
you would be affected by the final attack. Without
Combat Actions to defend, an opponent must simply
be successful with an attack (i.e. score a minimum
Success Level) in order to affect you.
Taking Damage
The effect of any attack in SHARD is based on
how many attack successes are left after removing
defense successes rolled against the attack. Any attack
successes remaining after defense rolls are applied
are considered to have been damaging successes,
which means that you or your armor has taken some
damage from the blow. The numerical amount of
damage taken is referred to as Damage Levels.
Damage Levels taken (i.e. those points that were
not absorbed by the players armor value) should be
subtracted from the number in the Current Stamina
field on the Combat Tracking Sheet during combat,
and eventually updated on the Character Sheet once
the combat is over. Each successful attack that
causes damage to your character should be noted as
a wound on the Combat Tracking Sheet, along with
the damage amount, type of damage, and any lasting
effects. This data will be referenced later during the
healing process, since wounds can be healed on an
individual basis.
Determining Combat Damage
As with any roll of Action Dice, an attack roll can
achieve various Success Levels. An Adequate Success
 (defined as two or three of your opponents attack
successes getting past your defense roll) inflicts the
full Damage Levels for the weapon used (modified
by your Strength) plus extra Damage Levels for the
remaining attack successes. A Good Success (four or
five successes) causes the weapon damage plus the
remaining attack successes, all doubled. An Excellent
Success (six or seven successes) causes three times
the normal Damage Levels, etc. This continues on
as seen in the table showing Success Levels on page
215. A Partial Success (only one of your opponents
Attack Successes penetrates your Defense) causes
half of that weapons damage total plus the single
success.
Weapon Damage Levels: The Damage Levels
caused by any given weapon are noted on the
Standard Weapon Ratings Table. Please read the
section pertaining to this table to fully understand
how damage relates to the type of weapon being
used as well as the attackers Strength.
This is how damage is determined in general,
but one exception to this is damage caused by
special Martial Maneuvers. The effects of certain
Martial Maneuvers, as described on the basic
Maneuver Location Table, sometimes have special
effects that actually change the type and amount
of damage caused by a full success. Make sure to
read the maneuvers carefully as you use them to be
certain you are taking full advantage of the amount
and type of damage and effects they can cause. If
an attempted Martial Maneuver achieves only a
Partial Success against an opponent, then none
of its special effects occur (including any special
damage bonuses). As usual, the attack only causes
half normal damage.
Deadly Combat Damage
(Optional Rule)
For campaigns where GMs and players prefer
extra deadly combat, simply double the base level of
damage for weapons and other combat circumstances.
Small Weapons would do 1-6 Damage Levels, Medium
Weapons would do 7-12, Large Weapons would do 13-
18, Great Weapons would do 19-24. Similarly, Open
Handed damage would scale up, and Missile Weapons
and Firearms would also start at double their present
value.
If players like the idea of dealing more damage but
do not wish to be potentially defeated with one or two
strikes, then the GM can calculate Stamina using a x3
multiplier instead of the usual x2, and can increase the
multiplier for the Talent Toughness to x4.
Campaigns using these optional rules will be fast
and full of mayhem. Even base successes will lead
to large damage amounts and mortally wounded
characters and NPCs.
Basic Compendium
Simplified Combat Damage
(Optional Rule)
For campaigns where GMs and players dont
desire to keep track of every individual wound, and
would rather deal with damage taken throughout
the combat as a whole, a more simplified system
is suggested. Whenever a character is hit by a
damaging strike, the player would note how many
Chapter IV: Combat
Damage Levels he took (either Subdue or Fatal),
but instead of noting it as an individual wound, he
would add those Damage Levels to a total amount
of damage taken until the combat is over. The player
would still note any special lasting effects caused by
specific strikes (such as internal bleeding, a broken
arm, etc.), but each specific wound would not be
noted individually, just the total damage taken for
that combat.
Though certainly simpler for the purposes of
recording Stamina loss during combat, it should
be noted that when healing such damage, you will
no longer be able to heal each wound individually
(as mentioned later under Recovering Lost Stamina
and Characteristics), but will instead apply the typical
benefits and limitations of the various types of
healing abilities to the amount of damage taken
during that combat as a whole.
Armor Benefits
Once damage has been calculated for each
attack (which includes each individual strike made
in a bundled attack or using a special Maneuver),
then any benefits gained by armor worn by the
target of the attack may be applied to decrease
the number of Damage Levels taken. Here are the
important things to remember about armor, both
Body Armor (Animal Ability) and outfitted (worn)
armor:
The point value of both armor worn on the
person as well as Body Armor (the Animal Ability)
are added together, then deducted from the total
damage of each individual attack. For Bundled
maneuvers, count only those Combat Actions that
cause damage as an attack.
If the total armor value absorbs all damage
from an attack, the attack is considered nullified,
and no special effects occur from attacks made
using various Combat Maneuvers.
The maximum number of armor points a
character may benefit from at any one time (from
armor worn in addition to natural Body Armor) is
equivalent to the characters Strength.
The maximum number of armor points a
character may wear without penalty to Agility-
based Skills is equal to half the characters Strength
rounded up. For every point of armor worn above
225
 Chapter IV: Combat
BOOK ONE
that total, a character must deduct one Action Die
from every attempted Agility-based Skill Roll.
After each full combat encounter (regardless
of the number of Rounds fought) in which the
armor absorbs damage, worn armor becomes
stressed and loses its effectiveness by one point
of cumulative armor value until it is repaired by a
character with the appropriate Skill. This does not
apply to natural Body Armor.
Example: A lion and a weasel, having
squared-off against one another in a small alley,
have begun combat. The weasel, using crystal
throwing disks, scored two successful hits against
the lion; the first a Partial Success (causing half
damage), and the second doing full damage, plus
bonuses because of combat multipliers (x2 in
this case, because 5 of the weasels successes got
through the lions defense).
GM: The crystal disks are a small class
of weapon and they do 3 Damage Levels, plus
successes that penetrated defense. The first disk
was a partial success. So 4/2 = 2 Damage Levels
for the 1st disk only. For the other disk, you take
the full (3 + 5) x 2 = 16 Damage Levels. Lion, do
you have armor?
Lion: Yeah! I have Amber armor on, 4
points of it.
GM: Youre in luck then, the first disk sinks
into your armor, but does not penetrate. However,
the last disk penetrates the Amber armor and
strikes your body. Do you have any Body Armor?
226
Lion: Yes, 1 point.
GM: Then the Body Armor stacks with
worn armor, so the disk that did 16 Damage
Levels has 5 points of that damage absorbed and
you take only 11 Damage Levels.
Lion: Ouch! That one hurt!
GM: Lion, youll need to record that
damage on your Combat Tracking Sheet. Since
Weasel didnt use the Maneuver Location Table
when he attacked you, General Damage is all
you received. Please mark down that you took 11
Levels of Subdue/Fatal damage to your chest.
Generic Damage Types
Note that when receiving damage, there are
different Damage Types (see the Maneuver Location
Table). This damage determines both when the
character is considered defeated (when 0 Stamina
is reached) and how the character is defeated (for
instance, was the character merely beaten down, or
has he fallen to multiple sword-cuts).
As mentioned earlier in this chapter, there are two
essential types of damage: Subdue and Fatal. Attacks
will cause Subdue, Fatal, or an equal combination of
both. Each time a players character is wounded, the
player notes the type of damage received, where it was
received, and any other effects taking that damage
may have caused (including whether there has been
enough damage to cause a temporary Action Dice
penalty to future rolls). Once a combat is over, it is
important to determine whether the combatants
have taken more of one or the other type of damage
to judge the physical effects of the defeat. These
effects can be anything from continuing blood-loss
to the many other lasting effects caused by certain
Combat Maneuvers. Any such effects should be
tracked as the game progresses.
Subdue Damage: Damage caused with the
intent of subduing an enemy rather than killing
them. This damage generally takes the form of
bruising, swelling, sprains, dislocations, and minor
cuts and scrapes. This damage generally heals faster
than the normal rate (see Recovering Lost Stamina and
Characteristics for details).
During combat, once Stamina reaches 0, if half
or more of characters Stamina lost during battle
was Subdue Damage, they are considered defeated
and subdued and unable to continue fighting.
When your Stamina reaches negative ten (10) from
mostly Subdue Damage, you have been beaten into
unconsciousness.
Fatal Damage: Damage caused with the intent
of killing an enemy rather than simply besting them.
This damage often takes the form of penetrating
or internally damaging strikes, heavy bleeding,
fractured or broken bones, severed limbs, and major
cuts and gashes. This damage heals at the normal
 rate (see Recovering Lost Stamina and Characteristics for
details).
Once the combat is done, if more than half
the characters Stamina lost during battle is due to
Fatal Damage, the character begins losing one level
of Stamina per minute due to heavy bleeding. All
damage lost in this manner is Fatal Damage. Once
Stamina reaches 0, either in or out of combat,
characters who have sustained more than half of
their damage as Fatal Damage will fall unconscious
and will continue losing Stamina (1 level per
minute) until they are treated (at least one level of
Fatal Damage is healed) or they reach negative ten
(10), at which point they are not only merely dead,
they are really, most sincerely dead. Remember, you
may have won the combat, but your character could
be bleeding to death.
Subdue/Fatal Damage: Some attacks will cause
an equal amount of both types of damage to a target.
If, for example, the character received 10 levels of
Subdue/Fatal damage from a blow, 5 levels of it
would be considered Subdue Damage, while the
other 5 would be Fatal. If the total number is uneven,
the larger amount is Subdue Damage. This is also
known as General Damage, since it also applies to
the damage taken from any general attack that does
not utilize the basic Maneuver Location Table.
As Stamina Begins to Drop
As damage is taken in combat and a characters
Stamina begins to decrease, it can affect the
characters Attributes:
Characters having lost more than 1/3 of
their total Stamina must make all dice rolls at a
1 penalty to their Action Dice, lasting until the
characters are healed above that number.
Characters having lost more than 2/3 of
their total Stamina must make all dice rolls at a 2
penalty, lasting until the characters are healed up
above that number.
If, as a result of any single attack (made with
one dice roll, regardless of the number of Combat
Actions used), characters lose more than 2/3 of
their remaining Stamina all at once, they must
succeed at a Vigor Roll to stay conscious. This Vigor
Roll is made after damage, and includes all current
modifiers, but before any effects from Combat
Maneuvers. Characters knocked unconscious but
with some Stamina remaining may make their
Vigor Roll each Combat Round to regain their
senses.
Stamina Loss at Zero or Below
It is important to note a character whose
Stamina falls to 0 (or below) is considered
defeated (whether unconscious or not) and
Basic Compendium
cannot fight again until he attains a Stamina rating
of 1 or higher. In addition, Stamina continuing to
drop below 0 can have other effects:
1. If half or more of the damage taken during that
battle was Subdue: These characters are conscious,
but can no longer fight, are utterly subdued, and
are at their foes mercy. A subdued combatant
may speak and interact but can take no further
action against the foe, is utterly defenseless, and
Chapter IV: Combat
can do nothing about being dragged away in chains
or disposed of as the victor sees fit. Any further
damage past 0 is counted at negatives (1, 2, 3,
etc.).
As long as such damage is considered
predominantly non-fatal, there is no limit to the
negative number a characters Stamina may drop to
(as with prolonged torture), but the character will
fall unconscious if he reaches 10. The character
will remain in either state until his Stamina reaches
1 (or higher) through healing. Both subdued and
unconscious characters can be killed or harmed
without needing to roll any dice with merely the
expenditure of a single Combat Action.
2. If more than half damage taken during that
battle was Fatal: These characters immediately
fall unconscious and begin bleeding to death
(internally or externally) at the rate of 1 Stamina
of Fatal Damage per minute. Any further damage
past 0 is also counted at negatives (1, 2, 3, etc.).
However, unlike Subdue Damage, if the characters
Stamina falls to 10 with predominantly Fatal
Damage, the character immediately dies of the
inflicted injuries.
Damage Summary
To summarize, when an attack succeeds follow
these steps:
1. Determine if it was a Full or Partial Success. If
only 1 of the attack successes remain after applying
the Defense Roll, then the attack was a Partial
Success. If two or more of the successes remain,
then it was a Full Success.
2. Determine how many Damage Levels were
caused. If a Full Success, then full damage is caused:
Full Damage = (Weapon Damage Level + remaining
Attack successes; x Success Multiplier). If the attack
was only a Partial Success, then half damage is caused
(half the full damage rounded up).
3. Determine whether the armor, if any, absorbed
damage. Worn and Body Armor, if any, is added
together and that same number of Damage Levels
is negated from each successful strike (i.e. subtract
the armor total from the damage taken from each
successful attack). Attacks that required multiple
Combat Actions to perform (such as Bundled
attacks) still allow the defender to apply their total
227
 Chapter IV: Combat
Armor Value to each individual attack.
4. Determine the damage type of the
Damage Levels that penetrated defenses and
armor. They will be Subdue Damage, Fatal
Damage, or Subdue/Fatal (a general mixture
of both in which damage is divided equally,
rounded in favor of Subdue).
BOOK ONE

5. If the attack was made with a Full

Success, apply any special effects caused by a
Martial Maneuver (unless armor absorbed all
the damage). If the attack was only a Partial
Success, then no special effects occur.
6. Any damage taken by players should
be recorded on their Combat Tracking Sheets,
detailing where they were hit, how much
damage was taken, what type of damage it
was, and what effects they may be suffering
from. This will be referred to later in combat
to determine whether they may be suffering
from dice penalties due to damage incurred,
if they lose that combat to determine how
they were defeated (subdued, knocked
unconscious, dying, or possibly dead),
directly after combat to see if the character is still
bleeding or merely banged up and bruised, and later
still as they recover from their wounds and damage
gets healed.
7. If characters have lost more than 2/3 of their
Stamina from a single attack then they must succeed
at a Vigor Roll to remain conscious. If characters reach
0 Stamina or lower, then they are considered defeated
and combat ends for them. They are either subdued
(in the case of predominantly Subdue Damage) or
unconscious (in the case of predominantly Fatal
Damage). If a character drops to 10 Stamina or
below having taken more than half Subdue Damage
that combat, the character falls unconscious; if they
are at 10 Stamina or below having taken more than
half Fatal Damage that combat, the character dies.
Armor Types
On Drdnah, metals are so incredibly rare that
an artisan would never consider using them for the
creation of defensive gear. A characters armor is
therefore fashioned from a wide variety of common
and exotic materials. For the purposes of game-play,
characters may wear anything they wish as long
as the GM agrees that a particular type of armor
material is available and that the characters have the
Strength it takes to bear the weight of that armor
without penalty. Characters wearing armor that is
heavier than what their Strength would normally
allow (anything with a point value greater than half
their Strength rounded up) will incur a penalty of
1 Action Dice per point of armor beyond that
allowable amount. This penalty applies to all Agility-
based actions attempted while wearing the armor.
Natural Body Armor (see Animal Abilities) does not
count against this limitation. The benefits from total
armor (both worn and Body Armor) cannot exceed
a Characters Strength Ranking.
A sample of materials available for the creation
of armor would be leather (made from the softer
skin of certain suthra), chitin (large insect carapace
or seashell), Amber (or Amber-lacquered wood or
bamboo), crystal (often sewn or otherwise attached
to cloth, leather, or other materials), and living suthra
(the most expensive, specialized living insect armor,
rare and specifically bred to fit the wearer).
Below is a general list of these armor types, the
range (Armor Value) of protection they offer, and the
Skill required to care for them. Having armor that
is a mixture of these materials is not uncommon,
with the most expensive and protective qualities
determining the price and effectiveness of the entire
suit. In the end, though, it is simply the Strength
of the characters that determines what amount of
protection they may wear and benefit from.
Leather (Armor Value 1-3)
The leather used to make such armor is harvested
from the softer, flesh-like hides of various common
suthra (such as giant moths and caterpillars). Lightly
boiled to different degrees of hardness, this armor is
slightly more form fitting than other types of armor,
often tailor-made to fit an individual, and fairly
light and flexible. It can be created by first using an
applicable Profession Skill (dealing with suthra or
armor-making in some way) or Knowledge (of suthra
leather or lore) to harvest the appropriate leather

228
 (assuming there is a supply around, otherwise a hunt
may be in order), then using a successful Armourer
Skill to piece together the armor itself. Assuming
the proper required materials, an Armourer Skill
Roll is the only roll necessary to repair damage to
this armor.
Chitin (Armor Value 2-4)
The materials used to make this armor are
harvested from the hard outer carapaces of various
common suthra. Often carved and laced together
in ornate fashions, this armor is somewhat loose
fitting, has fairly rigid plates, can be worn piecemeal,
and is slightly cumbersome. It can be created by
first using a Profession Skill (dealing with suthra or
armor-making in some way) or Knowledge (of suthra
chitin or lore) to harvest the appropriate pieces
(again assuming a supply), then using a successful
Armourer Skill to piece together the plates of the
armor itself. Assuming the proper required materials,
an Armourer Skill Roll is the only roll necessary to
repair damage to this armor.
Amber (Armor Value 3-5)
The Amber sap used to make this armor is
harvested from the trunks of the large, willowy Amber
trees that grow near bodies of fresh and brackish water.
Poured into specially made molds or on oiled shaping
tables, the Amber sap is worked and formed before it
hardens to a strong plastic consistency with exposure
to the air. Kidachla suthra ichor can thin extracted
Amber sap and slow its hardening process. Amber
may also be used as a thick lacquer to add strength
and durability to wooden or bamboo platelets woven
together as the armors base. Dusts, powders and
other pigments are often used to create unique looks
and designs in the hardening Amber. Amber armor
tends to be heavier than chitin. It can be created by
first using a successful Profession Skill (dealing with
Amber or armor-making in some way) or Knowledge
(Amber lore) to harvest the appropriate amount of sap
(assuming there are such trees around), then using a
successful Armourer Skill to form and piece together
the armor itself. Assuming the proper materials are
on hand, an Armourer Skill Roll is the only roll
necessary to repair damage to this armor.
Crystal (Armor Value 4-6)
The crystal used for armor is dug from the sides
of mountains or mines deep beneath the earth.
These special crystals, like those used for weapons,
are chosen because they are especially resistant to
blows that would shatter most crystals. They can
be crafted into armor by attaching them to other
worn materials, cutting larger pieces into platelets
to be riveted or sewn together, or melted in mighty
furnaces to be poured into special stone or plaster
Basic Compendium
molds. Crystal armor tends to be heavier and more
cumbersome than Amber. It can be created by first
using a successful Knowledge Skill Roll of crystal
lore to choose and harvest the appropriate crystal
(assuming there is a supply around; otherwise,
finding naturally growing crystals or purchasing them
in a market may be necessary), then using a successful
Profession Skill (dealing with crystal working or armor-
making in some way) to work the individual pieces
Chapter IV: Combat
of crystal into functional shapes, and finally using a
successful Armourer Skill to piece together the armor
itself. Assuming the proper materials are on hand, an
Armourer Skill Roll is the only roll necessary to repair
damage to this armor.
Living Suthra (Armor Value
2-6, plus heals the wearer once
per Round)
Living suthra armor is bred using special
techniques from the lore and learning of generations
of Suthra Masters and their apprentices. Taking
many months to create an individual piece, each
one a living, breathing insect, these suits of armor
are specially tailored to individual body parts, often
specific to the particular owner (by using a body-cast).
They fit snugly, due to the fact that the living armor
actually grips the clothing or skin of the wearer with
tiny legs, and can actually harm the wearer or the
armor if removed improperly. The Suthra Master
trains these specialized insects to attach themselves
to a particular area, providing protection that goes
beyond their hard shells, since the varieties of this
armor are created from insects that secrete ichors
that actually help to heal themselves and their wearer
when damaged (equal to their Armor Value in
Subdue damage only, once per Round). A Combat
Action is required to utilize the Suthra Use Skill
while in combat to activate the healing properties
of the armor.
Armor of this kind is as cumbersome as the
number of pieces one chooses to wear the more
pieces worn, the more cumbersome the armor. It
can be created by first using a successful Knowledge
Skill (suthra lore) to determine which suthra would
be appropriate to the specific needs, then using a
successful Profession Skill (dealing with weapons
and armor-based suthra training), followed by a
Suthra Training Skill (specifically weapons and
armor) to adapt the suthra to the tasks required,
then finally the successful use of an Armourer Skill
to assure that each suthra fits together as a whole
armor piece. A successful Knowledge (suthra lore)
and Dress Wound Skill Roll must be used to repair
damage to this armor after battle, and any Fatal
Vitals shot successfully landed on an area with living
armor will cause that particular piece of armor to be
killed.
229
 Chapter IV: Combat
Weapons of Drdnah
On the world of Drdnah there are many
varieties of weapons used by the cultures of the
numerous countries. Since combat is, to a large
extent, a ritualized art form, the weapons used
while practicing such disciplines are artfully crafted
using unique materials found on Drdnah. The
BOOK ONE
inspiration for the forms and decorative elements
of these weapons are drawn from the shapes of the
native insectile life and from the eastern ornamental
styles imbedded in the psyche of the Zoics from
ancient times. Looking at examples of the weapons
of ancient India, Persia, Southeast Asia, and China
would provide an excellent resource for the basic
shape and function of Drdni weapons in all their
variety.
The main difference between Drdni weapons
and their Earth equivalents are the exotic materials
from which they are made. Metal is extremely rare
on Drdnah, found only in the smallest trace
amounts; it is never used to create weapons of any
kind. It would be like us making common cooking
utensils from diamonds and rubies. Some of the
materials available for weapons include lacquered/
polished wood (found in many varieties and degrees
of hardness), stone (usually attached to wooden or
Amber handles), chitin (large insect carapaces or
seashells carved into blades, throwing disks, and
other implements), Amber (molded into a variety
of forms), crystal (fashioned into swords, knives,
clubs, etc.), and living suthra (the most expensive,
often specialized living insect weapons, rare and
specifically bred to take many forms such as whips,
grenade-like nests, and stinging projectiles).
There are several considerations when choosing
weapons for your character. What type of weapon
do you want to wield? What size would you like it to
be? What substance, shape, and decorative look do
you want? How heavy a weapon can your character
handle based on his Strength?
See Weapon Types and Weapon Ratings below to
understand how these things relate to one another.
This information will tell you what you need to
know to use these weapons for combat. Essentially,
for most handheld weapons, stronger characters
can use bigger weapons that do more damage.
For Natural Weaponry (see Animal Abilities), your
Characters Strength determines the same thing.
For gunpowder weapons, the size of the weapon
determines the damage.
Weapon Types
Regardless of the wide variety of forms and
substances with which weapons are made, they fall
into five categories, described here with the Skills
needed to use them:
230
Open Handed or Natural Weaponry: Ones own
body used as a weapon, such as hands and fists, feet,
claws and fangs, etc. Use Brawling, Martial Arts, or
Natural Weaponry to fight in this way.
Melee Weapons: Any non-ranged, basic, hand-
held (non-missile) weapons of any kind, used with
either Melee Combat or Martial Arts.
Missile and Thrown Weapons: Any basic ranged
weapon. These include thrown weapons (like
daggers, hurling discs, darts, etc.), used with Throw
or Martial Arts, and hand-fired weapons (like slings,
bows, and crossbows), used with Missile Combat or
Martial Arts.
Firearms and Artillery (Vaylah Weapons): Any
ranged, gunpowder weapons of any kind (pistols,
rifles, cannons, etc.) or siege weapons (such as
catapults, ballistae, and trebuchet). Vaylah weapons
are named after the jnah who created the explosive
gunpowder used to fire them centuries ago. Pistols
and rifles are used with Firearm Combat, while
cannons and siege weapons of any variety are used
with Artillery Combat.
Suthra Weapons: Any ranged or non-ranged
weapons of any kind composed of living suthra (the
native insect wildlife of Drdnah). There are a large
variety of different forms and uses that these suthra
have, which will be listed later in this chapter under
Weapon Descriptions, along with specifics concerning
damage and other effects. Suthra weapons require
the Suthra Use Skill.
Weapon Ratings
Each weapon type has a rating that determines
the number of Damage Levels they cause (which will
be added to the full number of attack successes rolled
to achieve total damage taken). In the case of Melee
and Ranged Weapons, they also indicate the size of
the weapon and the Strength required to wield it. For
Ranged and Vaylah weapons, the rating also indicates
range. The Standard Weapon Ratings Table should be
referenced to determine the various ratings of the
weapons any character may use.
For Open Handed or Natural Weaponry, the
characters Strength determines the damage caused by
the attack.
A characters Strength determines what
size Melee, Missile, and Thrown Weapons (except
Siege Weapons) a character can easily wield. When
using these weapons, the characters Strength is the
maximum damage the weapon can cause in addition
to any additional levels or multiplier from successes.
Characters take a penalty of 1 Action Dice for each
size category their weapons rates above their Strength.
Missile and Thrown Weapons, Firearms, and
Artillery have various sizes, types, and ranges (see
Range Modifiers for details and restrictions). Firearms,
 Artillery, and Siege Weapons have no Strength
requirements for operation, causing specific damage
per successful shot as listed.
Example: Imbara has a 5 Strength and has
decided to wield an impressive curved crystal sword
in combat. To determine the damage and size of
the largest sword he can effectively use in combat,
his player references the Standard Weapon Ratings
Table. Swords are considered Melee Weapons, and
his characters Strength is 5. He will only be able
to wield a weapon that can cause 5 Damage Levels
or less. The table indicates medium melee weapons
cause 4 to 6 Damage Levels, indicating Imbara can
wield a medium-sized curved crystal sword that
causes 5 Damage Levels to an enemys Stamina (plus
whatever additional levels or multiplier result from
the successes his player rolled) during a successful
strike. He can also use anything smaller than this
weapon rating, such as medium-sized maces, small
knives, or crystal throwing shards, each of which
causes different amounts of damage regardless of
his Strength. His Strength represents the largest
and most damaging weapon he is able to use. Even
if he tries using a bigger weapon, he will still only
STANDARD WEAPON RATINGS TABLE
WEAPON TYPE / SIZE
OPEN HANDED or NATURAL WEAPONRY
Slight Jnah (Str 1-3)
Solid Jnah (Str 4-6)
Strong Jnah (Str 7-9)
Mighty Jnah (Str 10-12)
MELEE WEAPONS
Small
Medium
Large
Great
MISSILE and THROWN WEAPONS
Small (Short Range)
Medium (Middle Range)
Large (Long Range)
Seige Weapons (Long Range)
FIREARMS and ARTILLERY
Pistols (Short Range)
Rifles (Middle Range)
Cannon (Long and Extreme Range)
Basic Compendium
cause a maximum of his Strength in base Damage
Levels with it (although additional successes and
Success Level multipliers can add to this total).
Weapon Descriptions
Now that you know how weapons function within
the rules, you can see that choosing a style of weapon
for its aesthetics and beauty is completely separate from
a weapons capacity for damage. This allows a player
Chapter IV: Combat
to choose from a variety of unique and exciting forms
and materials that can apply to a favorite weapon type
without worrying about a specific weapons damage
potential. On Drdnah, the styles and designs of
weapons vary from culture to culture and are too
numerous to name here. Any of those styles can be
crafted from the broad range of materials listed earlier,
so you have a huge spectrum of possible weapons.
The inspiration for weapons comes from the
exotic regions of our own world: the Near, Middle,
and Far East. In general, in the northern (primarily
Sarpah) nations, the weapons tend to have designs that
imitate the styles of Bali, Indonesia, China, Malaysia,
DAMAGE LEVELS
1 to 3 levels
4 to 6 levels
7 to 9 levels
10 to 12 levels
1 to 3 levels
4 to 6 levels
7 to 9 levels
10 to 12 levels
1 to 4 levels
5 to 8 levels
9 to 12 levels
5 through 30 levels
5 levels
10 levels
20 levels
231
BOOK ONE Chapter IV: Combat
Tibet, and the Philippines. In the west and southwest
regions (primarily the Paksin nations, but also including
countries such as Sustrm and Bakri), weapons tend to
take on the look and feel of the styles of Persia, Arabia,
Morocco, Egypt, and other regions of the Middle East.
In the central and southeastern nations of the world,
weapon design mimics that of India, Thailand, Burma,
232
and Mongolia. The isolated nation of Klinrh, though
rarely visited, tends to have styles that hearken to those
of Japanese and Korean culture. All of the nations
surrounding the Gulf of Bhtai, though generally
falling in the central and southeastern classification,
are a mix of many cultures and reflect a wide range of
weapons.
 The generic styles of weapons are listed below,
along with a brief description of that styles definition
as it applies to Drdnah. The included illustrations
provide a better understanding of what the unique
materials look like in weapon form. Hopefully,
this inspires you to come up with other creative
interpretations of weapons from around the world. All
weapons are shown at average size in comparison to one
another and do not reflect the vast scale differences that
are possible due to the impressive height and weight
disparity between the largest and smallest Zoics.
Blades
A good blade is the mainstay of any adventurous
tale of fantasy, but its the very heart of the warrior
archetype of Drdnah. And though the common
phrase May your crystal never shatter is thought
to refer to a crystal blade, the edged weapons of the
world are made of chitin, Amber, obsidian, and
even lacquered wood as well. The blades category
covers everything from the largest two-handed sword
Basic Compendium
to the smallest dagger or knife, with examples found
in every country of the world.
Maces, Clubs, Staves, and Flails
The varieties of these are many, with size,
ornamental details, and function being basic
differences. This category covers maces (which use an
attached, weighted head to deliver crushing damage),
clubs (a single object of carved or cast material), staves
Chapter IV: Combat
of all kinds (such as a bo staff, a multi-section staff, or
a quarterstaff, made from woods or other materials),
and several types of flails (whose force comes from
free-swinging headpieces that whip around to deliver
terrible blows).
Axes and War Hammers
Wielded both on foot and by riders of chinti,
battle-axes and war hammers have found a place in
the hands of warriors for thousands of years. This
category covers the large, almost ceremonial double
bladed axes and mighty hammers of the Gajah to the
233
BOOK ONE Chapter IV: Combat
lighter hatchets and pick-hammers of the riders and
foot soldiers of the western plains. Drdni axes, like
blades, are often made of crystal and stone, though
lighter versions are sometimes crafted from chitin and
Amber. War hammers tend to be crafted primarily
from crystal and stone, though some cast Amber
versions are made especially for slimmer riders.
234
Hurling Weapons
These weapons give the advantage of striking from
a safe distance. Unlike other missile weapons, such as
bows and Vaylah guns that require special instruments
to use and maintain, hurling weapons are generally
smaller and fairly self-contained. Not only can they
be hidden more easily on the body, but they can also
 be swiftly drawn and used, depending only on the
wielders own strength and manual dexterity to score a
hit. A few of these weapons (such as Pkharaji throwing
sticks and certain Visedi hurling disks) can return like
boomerangs, while others (such as Andhian cord
weapons or Rkbarani net weapons) lash out upon
silken ropes or thin chains of chitin or Amber that can
be used to ensnare opponent and their weapons.
Vaylah Weapons
These are the various kinds of gunpowder
weapons used on Drdnah, such as pistols, rifles, and
cannons. There is a great deal of ancient tradition and
honor that comes with both the crafting and the use
of such weapons. The artisanship required to make
them insures that each one is handcrafted and heavily
ornamented, with no two ever being exactly alike.
These weapons are named after the jnah who first
discovered the explosive properties of gunpowder and
developed the first crude firearms. Currently there are
dozens of varieties of Vaylah weapons, many of which
Basic Compendium
are distinguished by their craftsmanship and country
of origin, such as the formidable Visedi field cannon,
the Sustrmi musket, the Rkbarani ship cannon,
the Ishprian pistaula, the rotating, multi-barreled
Tishnian flintlock, and of course the infamous, hefty
Hthiyaran blunderbuss. Recent experiments with
grooved barrels have created very expensive, long-
range rifles, which are almost exclusively used by elite
sniper troops or assassins.
Chapter IV: Combat
Bows and Crossbows
Bows are some of the most sophisticated of
the hand-powered projectile weapons, having been
used since ancient times for sport, for hunting, and
for battle. Longbows and short bows are equally
popular, with shorter bows being preferred by
mounted warriors. These bows are almost mostly
made of different types of wood, although composite
bows do exist. The crossbow was developed in the
north of Drdnah, and that design has spread
and been improved upon across the world. Hand
235
BOOK ONE Chapter IV: Combat
crossbows, along with repeating crossbows, are known
in the world, as is a unique crossbow known as the
pellet bow, which fires small round rocks or orbs of
crystal with deadly accuracy.
Polearms, Spears, and Javelins
Polearms are long hafted weapons designed for two-
handed use. Polearms were introduced to give the foot
solider a weapon capable of dealing with most heavily
armored warriors, with some being specially developed
for combating mounted soldiers and those with
shields. Though they were adapted from agricultural
implements long ago, they quickly became incorporated
into a weapon style all their own and have found their
way into almost every aspect of military combat.
Suthra Weapons
These are the living weapons of Drdnah,
beasts used as knives, whips, missiles, and more.
As with suthra armor, it takes special training to
use these weapons since a sort of empathic bond is
236
nurtured between the living suthra weapon and its
user, and lack of precise control may mean having
the weapon turn on its user (usually during Fumbled
attempts at control). Commands to these living
weapons through Suthra Use generally come in
the form of clicks, whistles, and even hand gestures
or body movements that the creature is trained to
recognize. Since these suthra are generally venomous
and quite expensive, these weapons are more
commonly seen among assassins or high-ranking
and respected warriors and Sunborn. They will only
very rarely be found for sale (usually illegally) in the
common marketplace. It should also be noted that
in all nations (with the exception of barbaric areas
where caste is mostly disregarded) it is against the
law for anyone who is not a member of either the
High or Holy Caste to use living weapons or living
armor. The penalty for breaking these laws is often
of death. Usually only Suthra Masters or a warrior
at the specific command of his lord or leader would
carry and use these weapons.

You can determine the type of poison any given
weapon might have by randomly generating it using
the Poison Effects Table found in the Poison Damage
section of this book (page 241). Some suthra weapons
have a higher level of animal intelligence and can
be trained to recognize and attack certain prey
exclusively, and to respond to the owners desires and
commands. Utilizing such living weapons, whether
directly striking with them or compelling them to
take other actions, requires a successful Suthra Use
Skill Roll. The specific descriptions that follow give
some examples of the individual applications of these
highly specialized weapons.
Living Punch Dagger: Like living suthra armor,
the chitinous living punch dagger (katarsuthi) is
trained to tightly grasp its wielders forearm with its
head pointed toward the warriors elbow and its sharp
tail pointed straight forward from the wearers fist.
Striking an opponent with it would do normal melee
weapon damage based on the characters Strength.
Unlike suthra armor, it adds no numbing or healing
properties, but its tail does inject venom. In addition
to the various poisons that the different breeds of
these automatically deliver, they can also be called to
their owners and will scuttle across most surfaces to
reach them. They can be given orders to sting with
their poisonous tails or even to bite.
Suthra Whip: These living whips (kodasuthi),
often worn coiled around the waist like a belt, can
be quickly unwound and held by either end (though
usually by the head) and used to lash out at opponents.
Using it to physically strike an opponent as one would
Basic Compendium
Chapter IV: Combat
with any standard weapon, normal melee weapon
damage applies. The different breeds have varying
types of poison that can be delivered either through a
bite at one end or a pair of stingers on the other.
You can achieve a variety of combat effects with
this type of living weapon at a distance just outside of
hand-to-hand and melee striking range (requiring an
opponent to use a Half Move to close the distance),
such as covers, binds, grabs, throws, sweeps, and
holds. These maneuvers can be attempted without
causing poison to be injected, after which victims may
be threatened with an immediate dose of poison if
they fail to do as you wish. Additionally, kodasuthi
can be controlled by the suthra handler to either
hide, return to their owner, or move toward a target
and attack. These creatures can also be trained over
time to attack only a specific target, which they will
track down if released in the victims general area.
Hive Grenade: Hive grenades are small, spherical,
ceramic containers made to hold chattabalu, or
sand hives, taken specifically from the red deserts
of Amnol, along with the mineral-laden crimson
sand in which they lay dormant in the most extreme
summer months or during terrible sandstorms.
Discovered long ago by the wandering desert tribes,
these creatures can be carefully harvested and placed,
sand and all, into small vessels and sealed with a cork
stopper and wax. Within, the insects remain dormant
for nearly six months or more without food until they
are exposed to the air by the breaking of the vessel,
at which point they emerge to sting those unlucky
enough to be nearby.
237
 Chapter IV: Combat
This type of suthra weapon causes various
necrotic effects (see the Generic Poison Generation
Table), though the emerging swarm may cause
variable damage (based on rolled successes, plus
poison) depending on how long it chooses to follow
and continue stinging its prey (1-3 Rounds). They
are not really smart enough to be trained in any
fashion, though there have been a few very adept
BOOK ONE
suthra handlers that seem to exhibit some small
degree of control over their general movements. It is
possible to flee from the attacking swarm and seek
cover (such as immersion in water), thus stopping
any further damage if such cover can be found.
Jnah-Catching Suthra: Used to trap and
control the movements of opponents during
combat, the jnah catcher (kabjamukha, meaning
hinge-mouth) has a stick-insect body that is grasped
like a polearm, and has a set of vicious, sizeable jaws
that can snap around the waists of most medium-
sized Zoics. Smaller and even larger sizes of these
are bred by various nations. In addition to the
standard melee weapon damage caused by the
thorny pinching action of the mandibles, they are
equipped with a wide range of venom depending
on their breed. They can inject these toxins with
a successful separate Suthra Use Skill Roll (after
a successful Bind/Grab or Hold/Lock maneuver)
through a bite delivered by tiny jaws that extend
from the base of the large mandibles. Additionally,
those that are well trained can be controlled to
some extent remotely to either come back to their
owners or to move toward a target and attack.
Sling Suthra: Hurled either by sling or by hand,
or even merely tossed down someones tunic, these
small, stinging suthra (dankanicha) cause no initial
damage when successfully striking an opponent.
They then attempt to skitter down into the folds
of clothing, beneath fur, feathers, protective scales,
and armor in order to bite and sting the soft tissues
of any target they land upon. This causes stinging
and biting damage (1-3 Damage Levels, ignoring all
armor) as well as poison damage (of one generic
kind) during that same Round. They are similar to
the suthra of a hive grenade in that they are generally
kept in dusty sand that keeps them dormant until
they are needed, at which point they are taken from
their sand-filled pouch and launched before they
have time to sting their users.
Unlike the hive grenade suthra, most sling
suthra are found in the yellow deserts of southern
Sustrm, western Magr, Amnol, and northern
Bakri. There are many different breeds of these,
each with their own type of poison. Unlike the
hive grenade suthra, sling suthra have no wings,
usually sport long tails tipped with a stinger, and
are generally flung only one at a time at the enemy.
Though the smaller ones that are hurled generally
are not trained in any way, there are larger and
238
smarter versions that can actually be taught, over
time, to seek a specific target or type of target, which
they (like certain breeds of the suthra whip) will
track down if released within the victims general
area.
Blowgun Suthra: These suthra (balahsuthi) will
gladly rest placidly within the dark safety of a small
pouch. If removed and held with their legs down and
not touching anything, they will defensively extend
their poison-filled needle-like proboscis directly
in front of their bodies, thus forming the perfect
shape of a dart. Not heavy enough to be effectively
thrown, these creatures may be immediately loaded
into a blowgun and fired at a target. This agitation
will cause the creature to both fly forward and
partially propel itself with its own wings in that
same direction while issuing forth a dissonant
keening wail. The wail acts like a form of sonar
that helps them both seek a landing place upon the
target and avoid armored areas. As a result, their
damage ignores the effects of armor. They cause
standard missile weapon damage plus the damage
and effects of their poison. These creatures can be
trained to return to the user in cases they miss their
mark, or even to disengage and return after striking
their prey.
Other Types of Damage
Other types of damage that may befall the
characters include fire, lightning, explosions, poisons,
falling, deprivation, exposure, sickness, and disease. All
of these can cause damage and death. Damage caused
by such events can manifest in one of two ways: loss
of Stamina (Damage Levels), which is detailed below,
and points deducted temporarily from Characteristics.
Since most Animal Abilities and Skills are associated
with a particular Characteristic, points deducted directly
from those Characteristics (even temporarily) will have
an immediate and dramatic effect on the characters
abilities. When a character receives damage that lowers
any particular Characteristic, the available Action Dice
of any Attributes derived from it are reduced by an
equal number of dice. This means that until healing
or a cure is found to bring the Characteristic back to
normal, all rolls made with the associated Attributes will
be made using that lesser number of dice. In addition,
the GM may add further effects that seem appropriate
considering the nature of the specific Characteristic that
is being affected (thus, characters suffering a dramatic
and sudden loss of Perception may discover that they
have become temporarily blind).
Falling Damage
For every 10 feet of distance fallen, a character
takes 1d6 levels of Subdue/Fatal damage, representing
internal and external injuries.
 Burn Damage (fire, heat,
or acid)
Fire, extreme heat, or acid damage can be
grouped into four different severities: Small,
Medium, Large, and Great. Armor does help
diminish burn damage as long as it covers
appropriate areas of the body.
Small Fire, Heat, or Acid: A small burn

Chapter IV: Combat

(candle flames, hot crystals, a cup of boiling
water, flaming oil, or corrosive acid, a scalding
pan handle, etc.) causes 1 Damage Level per
Round of contact. If it is a fire, it will upgrade to a
Medium Fire in 1-6 Rounds unless extinguished
or contained and can be extinguished with 1
success of a Dexterity Roll in a single Round if
the appropriate resources are available. Damage
caused to living things by this category will heal at
twice the normal rate (2 levels per week without
special care naturally, 2 levels per success of any
Dress Wound Skill, 8 levels per success for the
Surgery Skill, and 16 levels per success of any
magical healing abilities) with no scarring and no
chance of infection (see Recovering Lost Stamina
and Characteristics below).
Medium Fire, Heat, or Acid: A medium burn
(torches, burning braziers, a flagon of boiling
water, flaming oil, or corrosive acid, a small campfire,
running through a burning room or forest fire, clothing
or hair on fire, etc.) causes 5 Damage Levels per Round
of contact. If it is a fire, it will upgrade to a Large Fire
in 1-6 Rounds unless it is successfully extinguished or
contained and can be downgraded to a Small Fire with
5 successes due to Dexterity Rolls within 1-2 Rounds if
the appropriate resources are available. Damage caused
to living things by this category will heal at the normal
rate, with some scarring if a 1 is rolled on a d6, and
Illness Damage from infection if a 1 is rolled on a d6
(see the Illness Damage and Recovering Lost Stamina and
Characteristics sections below).
Large Fire, Heat, or Acid: A large burn (trapped in a
burning building or forest fire, a barrels worth of boiling
water, flaming oil, or corrosive acid, bound in a large
bonfire or fire pit, etc.) causes 25 Damage Levels per
Round of contact. If it is a fire, it will upgrade to a Great
Fire in 1-6 Rounds unless it is successfully extinguished
or contained and can be downgraded to a Medium Fire
with 25 successes of combined Dexterity Rolls within
1-6 Rounds if the appropriate resources are available.
Damage caused to living things by this category will
heal at half the normal rate (1 level per 2 weeks without
special care naturally, 1 level per 2 successes of Dress
Wound Skill, 2 levels per success of the Surgery Skill,
and 4 levels per success of any magical healing abilities)
with significant scarring if a 1 or 2 is rolled on a d6, and
Illness Damage from infection if a 1 or 2 is rolled on a
d6 (see the Illness Damage and Recovering Lost Stamina and
Characteristics sections below).
Great Fire, Heat, or Acid: A great burn (caught in
a lava flow, covered in molten glass or crystal, totally
immersed in boiling water, flaming oil, or corrosive
acid, a burning building collapses on top of you, etc.)
causes 100 Damage Levels per Round of contact. If
it is a fire, it can be downgraded to a Large Fire with
100 successes of combined Dexterity Rolls within
4-24 Rounds if the appropriate resources are available.
Damage caused to living things by this category will
heal at one quarter the normal rate (1 level per 4 weeks
without special care naturally, 1 level per 4 successes
of any Dress Wound Skill, 1 level per 2 successes of
any Surgery Skill, or 2 levels per success for magical
healing abilities) with horrible scarring if a 1, 2, 3 or
4 is rolled on a d6, and Illness Damage from infection
if a 1, 2, 3 or 4 is rolled on a d6 (see the Illness Damage
and Recovering Lost Stamina and Characteristics sections
below).
Lightning Damage
Lightning damage produces random effects
depending on how close the strike came to the
character, and what area of the body was most affected.
Roll a d6 and check the table on the next page for the
result. Partial Strikes have effects on or near the non-
vital extremities, meaning the bolt may have struck
within several feet of the character, actually touched the
character, or partially grounded through the character.
Full Strikes are centered fully on the body, causing
unconsciousness, significant damage, and sometimes
disfigurement. A Devastating Strike causes severe

Basic Compendium
239
 Chapter IV: Combat
LIGHTNING DAMAGE TABLE
1d6 Roll Type of Strike Damage
1 Partial Strike 10 levels Subdue
10 levels Subdue/
2 Partial Strike
Fatal
BOOK ONE
3 Partial Strike 10 levels Fatal
20 levels Subdue/
4 Full Strike
Fatal
5 Full Strike 20 levels Fatal
6 Devastating Strike 40 levels Fatal
damage to the vitals, resulting in external bleeding and
often the death of the victim. These effects are used only
in cases where some other attempts at gaining cover or
otherwise avoiding the bolt (such as Evade) have failed.
Armor does nothing to prevent damaged received from
lightning.
Poison Damage
Poisons are not uncommon on Drdnah. Not
only are several types of Zoics capable of producing
their own venom, there are several native creatures
(including most forms of living suthra weapons)
that also employ toxins of various kinds. At some
point players will either use or become the victims
of poisons. Fortunately, it is easy to generate several
types of poisons through the use of the Poison
Effects Table on the following page. This table is
also referenced in the Character Creation chapter for
purposes of creating venomous Zoics.
Many situations will likely arise where the
GM will want to randomly generate poisons for
different situations, including chance encounters
with native flora and fauna in the wild, as well
as specific situations where living suthra weapons
are used. The GM can either choose to use a few
dice rolls or make a couple of quick choices. These
poisons can usually be treated with two successful
Skill Rolls, the first being an appropriate Profession
or Knowledge Skill Roll (poisons, suthra lore, or a
medical knowledge of some kind) and the second
either a Dress Wound or Surgery Skill Roll. Success
at these rolls stops damage from continuing and
240
Additional Effects
Stunned for 10 Combat Actions
Stunned for 10 Combat Actions; thrown prone 10 feet in a
random direction
Stunned for 10 Combat Actions; thrown prone 10 feet in a
random direction; a limb (GMs choice) is Disabled with half
movement if the limb is used for locomotion; make a Vigor Roll
at 2 (if failed, half Action Dice for all physical actions until
healed while success provides only a 2 Action Dice penalty)
Thrown prone 20 feet in a random direction; unconscious for
1d6 minutes; lower Agility and Dexterity by 1 each for 2d6 days
Thrown prone 20 feet in a random direction; unconscious for
2d6 minutes; lower Agility and Dexterity by 2 each for 3d6 days;
receive a Disfigurement Drawback (at GMs option); receive
a Lost Feature or a Severed Limb with one Damage Level of
external bleeding per Round until healed or dead (GMs choice)
Thrown prone 30 feet in a random direction; unconscious
for 1d6 hours; lower Agility and Dexterity by 4 each for 6d6
days; receive a Lost Feature or a Severed Limb with two
Damage Levels of external bleeding per Round until healed
or dead (GMs choice)
begins to ease the specific effects at the GMs
option. Poison damage is almost always Fatal.
Use the left-hand column of the Poison Effects
Table to determine the type of poison and then
reference the top row to determine the strength of
the poison (and the Damage Levels it inflicts). The
table also gives basic statistics for that poisons other
effects. These effects also apply to Zoic venoms,
and their number and severity are assigned when a
player buys levels of the Venom Animal Ability.
Deprivation Damage
Being deprived of the basic essentials of life can
cause physical harm to a character over periods of time.
Deprivation always causes Fatal Damage. Here are the
basic types of Deprivation Damage and their effects.
Air Deprivation: Literally suffocating or drowning.
In such a situation, a character begins losing Stamina
at the rate of 1 per Round until unconsciousness and,
finally, death is the result. The only exception is in cases
where the character has certain Animal Abilities (such as
Hold Breath) that may help the situation.
Heat Deprivation: (See Extreme Cold under Exposure
Damage page 243.)
Water Deprivation: No water intake for extended
periods. For each day without water or fluids, a character
loses 2d6 Stamina until unconsciousness, and, finally,
death is the result. The only exception is in cases where
the character has certain Animal Abilities (such as Water
Storage or Hibernation) that may help the situation.
 POISON EFFECTS TABLE
EXTRA DAMAGE LEVELS
POISON Mild - 1d6 levels/Round for
TYPE 1 Round
(1, 2, or 3)
Pain: Make a successful Will
Roll at 1 or suffer 1 Action
Necrotic (1 or 2) Dice to all actions taken for
1 Round due to painful tissue
damage and swelling.
Paralysis: Make a successful
Vigor Roll at 1 or lose 1
Paralytic (3) Combat Action each Round
for the next Round due to
paralysis.
Grogginess: Make a successful
Vigor Roll at 1 or suffer Full
Knockout for 1d6 Rounds. If
Sleep (4)
still standing, victim loses
1d6 Combat Actions for 1
Round due to disorientation.
...TABLE CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE...
Basic Compendium
Strong - 1d6 levels/Round for
2 Rounds
(4 or 5)
Pain: Make a successful Will
Roll at 2 or suffer 2 Nausea: Make a successful
Action Dice to all actions
taken for 2 Rounds due to
painful tissue damage and
swelling.
Nausea: Make a successful
Vigor Roll at 2 or lose
2 Combat Actions each
Round for the next 2
Rounds due to nausea and/
or vomiting.
Paralysis: Make a successful
Vigor Roll at 2 or lose
2 Combat Actions each
Round for the next 2
Rounds due to paralysis.
Numbness: Make a successful
Will Roll at 2 or suffer
2 Action Dice to all
actions taken for the next 2
Rounds.
Grogginess: Make a successful
Vigor Roll at 2 or suffer
Full Knockout for 1d6
Rounds. If still standing,
victim loses 2d6 Combat
Actions for 1 Round due to
disorientation.
241
Potent - 1d6 levels/Round for
3 Rounds
(6)
Pain: Make a successful Will
Roll at 3 or suffer 3 Action
Dice to all actions taken for 3
Chapter IV: Combat
Rounds due to painful tissue
damage and swelling.
Vigor Roll at 3 or lose 3
Combat Actions each Round
for the next 3 Rounds due to
nausea and/or vomiting.
Characteristic Loss:
Victim loses 3 points total,
per Round, from Vigor,
Agility, or Strength (or a
combination thereof, GMs
choice) for the next 3 Rounds
due to pain and swelling. If
any Characteristic reaches
zero make a successful Vigor
Roll to avoid death.
Paralysis: Make a successful
Vigor Roll at 3 or lose 3
Combat Actions each Round
for the next 3 Rounds due to
paralysis.
Numbness: Make a successful
Will Roll at 3 or suffer 3
Action Dice to all actions
taken for the next 3 Rounds.
Characteristic Loss: Victim loses
3 points total, per Round, from
either Agility or Dexterity (or
a combination thereof, GMs
choice) for the next 3 Rounds.
If any Characteristic reaches
zero make a successful Vigor
Roll to avoid death.
Grogginess: Make a successful
Vigor Roll at 3 or suffer Full
Knockout for 1d6 Rounds.
If still standing, victim loses
3d6 Combat Actions for 1
Round due to disorientation.
 Chapter IV: Combat
POISON EFFECTS TABLE
Characteristic Loss: Victim
Characteristic Loss: Victim loses
loses 3 points total,
2 points total, per Round,
per Round, from either
from Perception or Will (or
Perception or Will (or a
a combination thereof, GMs
combination thereof, GMs
Characteristic Loss: Victim loses choice) for the next 2 Rounds
choice) for the next 3 Rounds
1 point of Perception during due to disorientation. If any
BOOK ONE

due to disorientation. If any

that Round, which creates
minor disturbing visual and
Psychoactive (5)
distance distortions. All rolls
utilizing vision and movement
are made at a 1 for that
Round.
Nausea: Make a successful
Pain: Make a successful Will
Pain: Make a successful Will
Characteristic Loss: Victim
Roll at 1 or suffer 1 Action
Systemic (6) Dice to all actions taken for
1 Round due to painful tissue
damage and swelling.
Characteristic reaches zero
make a successful Vigor Roll
to avoid death due to cardiac
arrest. All rolls utilizing
vision and movement are
made at a 2 for that Round.
Vigor Roll at 2 or lose 2
Combat Actions that Round
due to vomiting.
Roll at 2 or suffer 2
Action Dice to all actions
taken for 2 Rounds due to
painful tissue damage and
swelling.
loses 2 points total, per
Round, from Strength,
Vigor, Dexterity, or
Agility (or a combination
thereof, GMs choice) for
the next 2 Rounds. If any
Characteristic reaches zero
make a successful Vigor
Roll to avoid death.
Characteristic reaches zero
make a successful Vigor Roll
to avoid death due to cardiac
arrest. All rolls utilizing
vision and movement are
made at a 3 for that Round.
Nausea: Make a successful
Vigor Roll at 3 or lose 3
Combat Actions that Round
due to vomiting.
Pain: Make a successful Will
Roll at 3 or suffer 3 Action
Dice to all actions taken for 3
Rounds due to painful tissue
damage and swelling.
Characteristic Loss: Victim
loses 3 points total, per
Round, from Strength, Vigor,
Dexterity, or Agility (or a
combination thereof, GMs
choice) for the next 3 Rounds
due to painful internal tissue
damage and swelling. If any
Characteristic reaches zero
make a successful Vigor
Roll to avoid death.
Knockout: Make a successful
Vigor Roll at 3 or suffer Full
Knockout for 1d6 Rounds
due to extreme internal pain.
If still standing, victim loses
3d6 Combat Actions for
one Round due to painful
disorientation.

Food Deprivation: No food intake for extended
periods. For each day without food (or some other
comestible substance), a character will lose 1 Stamina
until unconsciousness, and, finally, death is the result.
The only exception is in cases where the character
has certain Skills or Animal Abilities (like Fasting or
Hibernation) that may help the situation.
Sleep Deprivation: The lack of productive sleep
cycles (such as due to torture, for instance). For each
full day without sleep, the character temporarily loses
1 point of Vigor, 1 point of Agility, and 1 point of
Perception. All associated Skills and Abilities are
affected by these Characteristic losses. Reaching 0 in any
of these Characteristics represents total exhaustion: the
character falls unconscious immediately and remains
asleep for a number of hours equal to the total number
of Characteristic points lost (in all three Attributes).
A character getting a full nights sleep (8 hours) will
recover 3 points in each Characteristic lost to Sleep
Deprivation per night.
Explosive Damage
An explosion causes damage depending on the
Size of the concussion and the Range of any target
from the center of the explosion. A character may
use a Combat Action to make a Full Move out of
the Range category they are currently in and into
the next. Moving beyond Far Range indicates the

242
 explosion does not affect the character. Using any
Movement Animal Ability successfully (Flight,
Sprint, Great Leap, etc.) allows the character to
move entirely beyond the farthest range of effect,
as does Running (costing 2 Combat Actions). See
the Explosives Table below for the various effects of
explosions on characters.
Exposure Damage
lost) to avoid permanent tissue disfigurement due to
painful scalding. If characters reach 0 Stamina under
these conditions they will automatically suffer a 1d6
temporary point loss to their Wit Characteristic due
to heat fever of the brain and fall unconscious due
to heat prostration, eventually baking to death when
their Stamina reaches 10. In addition, a character
that begins taking Extreme Heat Exposure Damage
must make a successful Wit Roll (at a penalty equal to

Chapter IV: Combat

Being exposed without appropriate protection to
extremes of ambient heat and cold over a period of
time can cause physical damage to characters, as well
as other effects.
Extreme Heat: Exposure to extreme (non-burning)
heat will cause 1 level of Fatal Damage per hour of
unprotected exposure. For each point of damage lost,
the character must make a successful Vigor Roll (at a
penalty equal to the number of Stamina points already
the number of Stamina points already lost) once per
hour or begin suffering delusions of various kinds. The
Animal Ability Thermal Regulation can, with a success
rolled each hour, hold this effect at bay.
Extreme Cold: Exposure to extreme (near-freezing
or freezing) cold will cause 1d6 levels of Fatal Damage
per hour of unprotected exposure. For every hour of
exposure, the character must make a successful Vigor
Roll (at a penalty equal to the number of Stamina points

EXPLOSIVES TABLE
CLOSE
SIZE (within 30 / one full (within 60 / two full
move) moves)
Damage = 12 levels
(Subdue/Fatal), Thrown
(see below) prone 10ft
SMALL away from center of blast.
(grenade / small jar)
Deafness for 1d6 Rounds.
Stunned (see below) for
1d6 Combat Actions.
Damage = 24 levels (Subdue/
Fatal), Thrown (see below)
MEDIUM prone 20ft away from center
(satchel / small of blast. Deafness for 2d6
keg, or 4 combined Rounds. Disabled (see
below) in random limb.
SMALL charges) Stunned (see below) for 2d6
Combat Actions.
Damage = 48 levels
(Subdue/Fatal), Thrown
LARGE (see below) prone 30ft
away from center of blast.
(crate / large keg, Deafness for 1d6 days. Lost
or 4 combined Feature or Severed Limb
MEDIUM charges) (50/50 chance of either,
see below), Stunned (see
below) for 1d6 Rounds.
RANGE
MID FAR
(within 90 / three
full moves)
Damage = 6 levels
(Subdue/Fatal), Thrown
(see below) prone 1ft
Damage = 3 levels
(Subdue/Fatal)
away from center of blast.
Deafness for 1-3 Rounds.
Damage = 12 levels
(Subdue/Fatal), Thrown Damage = 6 levels
(see below) prone 10ft (Subdue/Fatal), Thrown
away from center of blast. (see below) prone 1ft
Deafness for 1d6 Rounds. away from center of blast.
Stunned (see below) for Deafness for 1-3 Rounds.
1d6 Combat Actions.
Damage = 24 levels
(Subdue/Fatal), Thrown Damage = 12 levels
(see below) prone 20ft (Subdue/Fatal), Thrown
away from center of blast. (see below) prone 10ft
Deafness for 2d6 Rounds. away from center of blast.
Disabled (see below) in Deafness for 1d6 Rounds.
random limb. Stunned (see Stunned (see below) for
below) for 2d6 Combat 1d6 Combat Actions.
Actions.

Throw / Sweep - Target falls. Target must use Combat Action to rise.
Stunned - Targets number of Combat Actions decreased as indicated.
Disable - Loss of randomly chosen limb use (half Movement only if limb used for locomotion and 2 or half Action Dice used for any
applicable Skills). Target must succeed in a Vigor Roll before attempting any action (except Defense) till healed, success means
2 Action Dice for that Round and failure indicating only half the Action Dice, due to pain.
Lost Feature - Randomly chosen feature of the head, neck, or face is irrevocably harmed in some way.
Severed - Randomly chosen limb or section of limb violently separated from body. Target begins bleeding externally at the rate of 1
level per Round till healed or dead.

Basic Compendium
243
 Chapter IV: Combat
BOOK ONE
already lost) to avoid suffering a Lost Feature or Limb,
which has died due to frostbite and will need to be
amputated later if the character survives the experience.
If characters reach 0 Stamina under these conditions
they will fall unconscious and automatically suffer a
Lost Feature or Limb (frostbite). In addition, characters
that begin taking Extreme Cold Exposure Damage
must make a successful Will Roll (at a penalty equal to
the number of Stamina points already lost) once per
hour or fall into a sleep from which they cannot awaken
on their own and in which they will eventually freeze
to death once their Stamina reaches 10. The Animal
Ability Thermal Regulation can, with a success rolled
each hour, hold these effects at bay.
Illness Damage (Physical
and Mental)
There are a number of different types of illnesses
on Drdnah, and GMs should feel free to draw
inspirations from Earth illnesses while creating their
own for their campaigns. Regardless of the specific
nature of the illness or its cause, all illnesses harm a
character by affecting one or more Characteristics over a
period of time. Most illnesses will run their course over
a period of 2d6 days causing the full extent of the illness
effects if not cured or overcome. As a general rule, each
affected Characteristic will temporarily drop 1d6 points
within the first 24 hours of contracting a serious illness.
Thereafter, each day (if appropriate to the specific disease)
that Characteristic will drop another point unless a
RECOVERY TABLE
HEALING RATE BY TYPE
DAMAGE TYPE NATURAL (TIME) DRESS WOUND
SUBDUE 4 levels / week
FATAL 1 level / week
CHARACTERISTIC 1 point / week
244
successful Vigor Roll is made at an Action
Dice penalty equal to the number of points
lost so far. There may be medical techniques
for treatments that give a bonus to the Vigor
Roll. The GM should decide what medicinal
methods might help and allow those with
the appropriate Skills to assist the diseased
characters roll with a complementary one of
their own. A Partial Success on a Vigor Roll
means that no Characteristic points are lost,
but the illness still ravages the body.
Only multiple successes of a Vigor Roll
made by the patient can turn the tide and
allow the healing process to actually begin.
Three fully successful Vigor rolls over three
consecutive days (or three successful magical
or medical healing Skill Rolls made anytime
within the same three day period) means
the afflicted character has finally overcome the serious
illness and will then begin to recover lost Characteristic
points from that point forward at the rate of one point
per week of natural healing, 1 point per success of Dress
Wound or Surgery, and 2 points per success of magical
healing (unless otherwise determined by the GM) until
fully healed.
Recovering Lost Stamina
and Characteristics
Generally, letting injuries heal on their own over
time, repairing them medically with either the Dress
Wound or Surgery Skills, or healing them using various
magic rituals is the way to bring about recovery and
restore lost Stamina. Specific details of how damage may
be healed (and at what rate) were mentioned within the
various descriptions above for unusual damage, but the
Recovery Table below lists the healing rates for the four
standard ways.
It is important to recognize that the Dress Wound
Skill and the Surgery Skill both function in very different
ways. Please note these differences by familiarizing yourself
with the descriptions of each of these skills in the Skills
section of the Character Creation chapter. For instance,
Dress Wound heals Subdue Damage first, followed by
Fatal Damage after all Subdue Damage is healed for that
wound, while Surgery does exactly the opposite and can
additionally cause potential Vigor loss.
SURGERY MAGICAL
4 levels / success 1 levels / success 8 levels / success
1 levels / success 4 levels / success 8 levels / success
1 point / success 1 point / success 2 points / success
 Simplified and Mass
Combat
There will be times during game play that
combat will need to be simplified, either to allow
characters to achieve a cinematic moment that
focuses more on battling the main villains instead
of all their minions, guards, and underlings or to
help create the feeling and flow of a mass combat
situation such as a large military engagement
in which the characters are involved. There are
two ways of dealing with this, both of which
are intended to create the image of dozens of
opponents being dealt with and dispatched in
short order as the main enemy is approached or
a major battle is waged.
The first method assumes the characters
are directly involved, wading into the heat of
battle. The GM should have a general idea of the
number of foes that each character will be facing
before either the individual combat begins or
the mass combat battle is over. Each Round such
lesser foes are being engaged, players will roll
their Action Dice once for that Round (whatever
they would normally be attacking with in that
situation). The dice from the Fearless Talent may
be added to these Action Dice. For every success,
one of the greater throng they are fighting is
considered fully defeated (which can mean
either dead, routed, or totally out of commission
for the remainder of that battle). Every failure
they roll is considered an undefeated enemy they
either moved past (if that was their intent) or
may continue fighting on the next Round. Any
1s rolled indicate an undefeated foe that actually
succeeds in causing 1 Damage Level of either
Subdue or Fatal Damage (GMs choice) to the
player. This damage is subtracted directly from
the players Stamina.
After each Round, the GM should briefly
describe the action and current circumstances
the players are in before moving on to the next
Round. The battle may then continue in this
way, Round after Round until all the opponents
have been defeated (or passed by), the players
retreat or are defeated themselves, or some other
defined goal has been achieved.
The second method assumes that the players
may not be directly involved but are instead
commanding numbers of other individuals as
part of a large engagement. In this situation,
the enemy is engaged by non-player characters
whose success or failure is largely based on the
leadership and wise commands of the players.
The GM should have a tally of the number
of NPCs under each players command as well
Basic Compendium
as the number of enemies each will be engaging.
Like the first method, the player will make
a single roll of Action Dice once each Round
to determine success. The Action Dice may
consist of a combination of any two of these
five different relevant Skills added together and
rolled at once: Tactics, Oratory, Intimidation,
or a Profession or Knowledge Skill appropriate
to the situation. To this you may add dice from
Chapter IV: Combat
one of either the Talent Natural Leader or the
Advantage Influence. For every success rolled,
one (or multiples of ten for larger conflicts)
of the greater throng the characters warriors
are fighting is considered fully defeated (which
can mean either dead, routed, or totally out of
commission for the remainder of that battle).
Every failure is considered an undefeated enemy
that their warriors have either moved past (if that
was their intent) or may continue fighting on
the next Round. And any 1s rolled indicate an
undefeated foe that actually succeeds in defeating
one (or multiples of ten) of the warriors under
that players command.
After each Round, the GM should briefly
describe the action and current circumstances
before moving on to the next Round, with an
emphasis on the player characters effect on the
troops. The battle may then continue in this way,
Round after Round until all the opponents have
been defeated (or passed by), the players troops
retreat or are defeated themselves, or some other
defined goal has been achieved.
Ship-to-Ship Combat
(Skyships and Water
Vessels)
In a world where ships of all shapes and sizes
glide across sparkling emerald waters and through
the cloud-filled amber skies, battles are constant.
Here we present the basics of ship-to-ship combat.
With the arrival of cannons on the scene, ship
battles became terrifying and messy affairs. With
this escalation in weaponry, boarding an enemy ship
became a complicated affair, as even a short exchange
of cannon fire could result in massive damage to a
valuable vessel and her crew.
On the following page begins a list of the common
types of ships found on Drdnah; though there are
many other kinds, the basics for their functionality
can be generally derived from these. No two ships are
exactly the same, and some may be outfitted to be
faster, better armored, and even more maneuverable,
depending on the work that has been done to it. In
general, however, each ship will have these Attributes
that will be important during any combat:
245
 Chapter IV: Combat
Maneuver: This number rates
the maneuverability of a vessel and is
added to the number of Action Dice
rolled in any situation where piloting or
steering the ship is a factor, including
all general maneuvering, attacking, and
defending.
Speed: This number rates how
BOOK ONE

fast a vessel can travel and is added to

the number of Action Dice rolled when
directly pursuing a foe or fleeing one.
# of Cannons: This number
represents the total number of cannons
on the ship. Each success scored by a
ships Attack Roll represents a successful
hit by a single cannon. However, due to
the fact that only half of a ships cannons
can be brought to bear in a broadside, a
ships Attack Roll is limited to half the
# of Cannons for purposes of counting
successes (thus, a ship with 20 cannons
could only score a maximum of 10
successes with any single Attack Roll).
Any successes scored in excess of this
number are simply ignored. In addition,
for each multiple of 20 cannons, a ship
gains 1 extra attack Action Dice in ship-
to-ship combat.
Integrity Points: This number
represents the total number of Damage
Levels that may be collectively taken by Integrity Point Distribution
a ship from cannon strikes or other such large-scale Armorable:
damage (such as fire or storm) before it is considered General Prow - 10
completely destroyed. General Mid Hull - 20
Integrity Point Distribution: The general General Aft - 10
target areas of the ship (armorable and non- Masts - 10
armorable) that have divided among them the Non- Armorable:
Integrity Points. Each of these potential targets is Sail Cloth - 10
destroyed individually if their distributed number Rigging - 10
of allotted points reaches zero. It is possible to have Crystal Banks or Below Waterline - 30
armor in place on a ship, which will reduce the
amount of damage on each strike to specifically Private Barge (pleasure craft/house boat)
armorable regions. Such armor comes at the cost Maneuver: 4 Speed: 3
of maneuverability, however, and represents the # of Cannons: 0-2 Integrity Points: 350
number of dice that must be removed from the Integrity Point Distribution
total Action Dice of any rolls where the addition Armorable:
of Maneuver Action Dice is a factor. Every point General Prow, Cabins - 50
of armor the ship possesses absorbs 1 Damage General Mid Hull - 50
Level from any damage taken by the individual General Aft and Command Quarters - 50
armorable targets. Non-armorable target areas do Crystal Works or Rudder Works - 50
not benefit from this. Powder Stores - 25
Masts - 25
Types of Ships Non- Armorable:
Sail Cloth - 25
Skiff (landing party /escape vessels) Rigging - 25
Maneuver: 5 Speed: 6 Crystal Banks or Below Waterline - 50
# of Cannons: 0 Integrity Points: 100

246
 Privateer Ship (smaller combination of
merchant and warship)
Maneuver: 3 Speed: 4
# of Cannons: 0-25 Integrity Points: 500
Integrity Point Distribution
Armorable:
General Prow, Cabins, and Infirmary - 50
General Mid Hull - 50
General Aft and Command Quarters - 50
Crystal Works or Rudder Works - 75
Powder Stores - 75
Masts - 60
Non- Armorable:
Sail Cloth - 25
Rigging - 25
Crystal Banks or Below Waterline - 90
Warship Light (swift battleship/gunship)
Maneuver: 2 Speed: 3
# of Cannons: 20-60 Integrity Points: 550
Integrity Point Distribution
Armorable:
General Prow, Cabins, and Infirmary - 60
General Mid Hull - 60
General Aft and Command Quarters - 60
Crystal Works or Rudder Works - 80
Powder Stores - 80
Masts - 60
Non- Armorable:
Sail Cloth - 30
Rigging - 30
Crystal Banks or Below Waterline - 90
Merchants Carrack Light (small commerce
vessel)
Maneuver: 2 Speed: 3
# of Cannons: 0-20 Integrity Points: 450
Integrity Point Distribution
Armorable:
General Prow, Cabins, and Infirmary - 40
General Mid Hull - 40
General Aft and Command Quarters - 50
Crystal Works or Rudder Works - 65
Powder Stores - 65
Masts - 60
Non- Armorable:
Sail Cloth - 25
Rigging - 25
Crystal Banks or Below Waterline - 80
Warship Heavy (slower, heavily armored,
dreadnaught)
Maneuver: 1 Speed: 2
# of Cannons: 50-100 Integrity Points: 600
Integrity Point Distribution
Armorable:
General Prow, Cabins, and Infirmary - 70
General Mid Hull - 60
Basic Compendium
General Aft and Command Quarters - 70
Crystal Works or Rudder Works - 90
Powder Stores - 90
Masts - 60
Non- Armorable:
Sail Cloth - 30
Rigging - 30
Crystal Banks or Below Waterline - 100
Chapter IV: Combat
Merchants Carrack Heavy (larger, bulkier
commerce vessel)
Maneuver: 1 Speed: 1
# of Cannons: 0-40 Integrity Points: 500
Integrity Point Distribution
Armorable:
General Prow, Cabins, and Infirmary - 40
General Mid Hull - 60
General Aft and Command Quarters - 60
Crystal Works or Rudder Works - 70
Powder Stores - 70
Masts - 60
Non- Armorable:
Sail Cloth - 25
Rigging - 25
Crystal Banks or Below Waterline - 90
Engaging the Enemy
When one ship engages another there are two
distinct phases that occur. The first is the Chase
Phase, which takes place if the two ships are more
than a mile distant from one another. The second
is the Combat Phase, which occurs once the
enemies are within a mile of one another and in
cannon range.
Chase Phase:
The Chase Phase consists of each ship
alternating between attempting to skillfully
maneuver (either across the water or through the
sky) so as to gain advantage and then engaging
each ships capacity for speed. All of this is done
in an attempt to gain distance, either in an effort
to escape from or to pursue an enemy. Steps 1 and
2 of this phase are repeated until one or the other
gives up, the pursuer loses sight of the target ship,
or the distance between them becomes one mile or
less, at which point the Combat Phase may begin.
If the target ship makes no attempt to flee, the
Chase Phase becomes unnecessary.
The chasing ship must maintain visual contact
with the target ship during the Chase Phase.
Whenever the fleeing ship gains distance, the
chasing ship must make a single visual Perception
Roll with all appropriate range and environment
modifiers to keep track of it. Usually this is done
by the Ships Lookout (the crew member with the
best visual acuity).
247
 Chapter IV: Combat
1. Maneuvering for Advantage: Each vessel makes a
single Driving (Nautical or Aerial) Skill Roll (preferably
the pilots or captains) + the Maneuver Action Dice
of the ship, to which the Natural Leader Action Dice
of one of these characters may be added. Once each
vessel has rolled, compare successes. The difference
becomes added as Action Dice to the winners Swift
Sailing to Gain Distance Roll (next step).
BOOK ONE
2. Swift Sailing to Gain Distance: Each vessel makes a
single Driving (Nautical or Aerial) Skill Roll (preferably
the pilots or captains) + the Speed Action Dice of
the ship, to which the Natural Leader Action Dice of
one of these characters may be added. Whichever of
the two ships generates the most successes with this
second roll gains a miles distance, with a tie meaning
neither ship gains any distance compared to the other.
When ship-to-ship distance becomes one mile or less,
the Combat Phase may begin.
Combat Sequence:
Each Combat Phase lasts for roughly one minute
and consists of 4 steps (detailed below). This series
of steps continues until the combat ends as a result
of surrender, an effective retreat, or either ship being
crippled or destroyed. After closing distance in the
Chase Phase, ships are considered to be at Extreme
Range and subject to the appropriate modifiers.
1. Maneuvering for Advantage: Each vessel makes
a single Driving (Nautical or Aerial) Skill Roll
(preferably the pilots or captains) + the Maneuver
Action Dice of the ship, to which the Natural
Leader Action Dice of one of these characters may
be added. Once each vessel has rolled, compare
successes. The difference becomes added as Action
Dice to the winners Artillery Combat Roll (for their
cannon attack) or their Defense Roll. In addition,
whoever rolled the most successes wins Initiative
that Round, which means their single attack for
that Round is rolled and resolved first.
Alternately, a ship may use this roll to try to
close range or to flee outside of Combat Range
(essentially restarting the Chase Phase). Using your
success in this roll to close will sacrifice the use of
the successes as a bonus to the Attack or Defense
Roll, though range penalty modifiers will decrease.
Successful closing will move the ship from Extreme
to Long Range, Long to Medium Range, and so on.
If both ships are trying to close, they will move from
ATTACK FACING TABLE (for ships)
Above, Side, Below 1 = Sails
Rear of Ship 1-2 = Sails
Front of Ship 1-2 = Sails
Sails of Ship 1-2 = Hull
248
Extreme to Medium Range in one Combat Phase
and to Close Range from any other distance. Moving
to Close Range will allow boarding tactics and allow
a change from Ship-to-Ship Combat to individual
combat. Successfully fleeing from Extreme Range
will initiate the Chase Phase again. However, even
with success in fleeing, the other ship will get to
fire a parting salvo before the return to the Chase
Phase.
2. Engagement Rolls: In order of Initiative, each
vessel may make their single Attack Roll (cannoneers,
captains, or master gunners Artillery Combat Skill
for cannons + ships Maneuver + any bonus Action
Dice generated while Maneuvering for Advantage).
Add an Action Die for each multiple of 20 cannons
on the attacking ship. Meanwhile, whatever ship
they are attacking makes its Defense Roll (pilots
or captains Driving Skill Action Dice + Maneuver
+ bonus dice), which is intended to counter the
opponents attack successes. If any attack successes
get through, then Location Rolls must be made to
see what areas of the defending ship are damaged.
3. Location Rolls: If any attack successes penetrate
a ships Defense Roll (remember to only use half
the total number of the attacking ships cannons
to determine maximum number of successes), the
GM must roll 1d6 twice for each success that gets
through while referencing the Attack Facing Table
below, and then the Specific Hit Location Table on
the next page. Depending on the part of the ship the
attack was facing, the first 1d6 roll will determine
one of the four possible general areas struck. The
second 1d6 roll is used to determine what specific
part of that general area was actually damaged by the
strike. Damage Levels should be deducted (usually
20 levels for a cannon hit, minus any armor the ship
may have, if any) from this specific area and any
other effects are taken into account. Ignore any rolls
that do not apply to the ships design or current
situation.
4. Small Arms Fire: After each Combat Phase
where the ships are at medium distance or closer,
all deck crew may take a turn of firing missiles or
Vaylah weapons at the opposing ship. The GM may
use the simplified combat rules or allow individual
targeting. At close range, boarding actions may take
place, transitioning the combat to the standard
individual combat rules if desired.
2-3 = Prow 4-5 = Aft 6 = Hull
3 = Hull 4-6 = Aft
3 = Hull 4-6 = Prow
3-6 = Sails
 SPECIFIC HIT LOCATION TABLE (for ships)
6 = Cabins and
5 = Forward Infirmary (damage
1-4 = General Skiffs (damage to one to the area of the
Prow Prow (general of the forward-deck crews or guests
damage to the prow of skiffs, which should be cabins or the infirmary,
the ship) tallied later on its own with a 1-in-6 chance of
sheet) striking an NPC within

Chapter IV: Combat

for the same amount)
6 = Powder Stores
(damage to the Vaylah
5 = Command powder storage area
used for the cannons.
Quarters (damage If this areas Integrity
to the area of the Points reach zero it can
4 = Aft Skiffs captains cabin, the cause a 200 Integrity
1-3 = General Aft (damage to one of the command crews Point explosion that
Aft (general damage to the rear-deck skiffs, which quarters, with a 1 in will affect first the
aft of the ship) should be tallied later 6 chance of either General Aft and
on its own sheet) striking an NPC within Command Quarters,
for the same amount, then the General Mid
or damaging some Hull, and finally the
other valuable item) Crystal Works, and will
immediately kill 1d6
NPCs)
4-5 = Rigging 6 = Masts (one of
(damage to some the ships masts have
1-3 = Sail Cloth area of the ships been badly damaged,
(damage to some area
rope rigging, with a with a 2-in-6 chance
of the sail cloth itself.
1-in-6 chance of an of hitting an NPC for
If this areas Integrity
Sails Points reach zero, the
NPC falling from the the same amount. If
rigging. If this areas this areas Integrity
ship loses 1 Maneuver
Integrity Points reach Points reach zero, the
ranking and 1 Speed
zero, the ship loses 1 ship loses 1 Maneuver
ranking)
Maneuver ranking and ranking and 1 Speed
1 Speed ranking) ranking)
5 = Crystal 6 = Powder Stores
(damage to the Vaylah
Works or Rudder powder storage area
1-3 = General 4 = Below Works (damage to used for the cannons.
Mid Hull (general Waterline or the either the complex If this areas Integrity
damage to the middle Crystal Banks crystal gear-works that Points reach zero it can
hull of the ship (damage to the area operate the sky crystal cause a 200 Integrity
including the gunnery of the ship that keeps dampening sheaths Point explosion that
Hull deck, with a 2-in-6 it afloat. If this areas or the rudder works will affect first the
chance of striking an Integrity Points reach themselves, either of General Aft and
NPC within for the zero, the ship begins which affects the ships Command Quarters,
same amount, and to rapidly sink or fall, maneuverability. If then the General Mid
a 1-in-6 chance of either way generally this areas Integrity Hull, and finally the
damaging the cargo) ending in disaster. Points reach zero, the Crystal Works, and will
ship loses 1 Maneuver immediately kill 1d6
ranking) NPCs)

Basic Compendium
249
 Chapter IV: Combat
Ship to Ship Combat Tracking Sheet

Ship: Captain:
Driving: Artillery: Maneuver: Speed: Cannons:
Armorable: (Armor = ) Non- Armorable:
General Prow, Cabins, and Infirmary - Sails -
BOOK ONE

General Mid Hull - Rigging -

General Aft and Command Quarters - Crystal Banks or Below Waterline -
Crystal Works or Rudder Works -
Powder Store (if applicable) -
Masts -
Integrity:
Notes:

Ship: Captain:
Driving: Artillery: Maneuver: Speed: Cannons:
Armorable: (Armor = ) Non- Armorable:
General Prow, Cabins, and Infirmary - Sails -
General Mid Hull - Rigging -
General Aft and Command Quarters - Crystal Banks or Below Waterline -
Crystal Works or Rudder Works -
Powder Store (if applicable) -
Masts -
Integrity:
Notes:

Ship: Captain:
Driving: Artillery: Maneuver: Speed: Cannons:
Armorable: (Armor = ) Non- Armorable:
General Prow, Cabins, and Infirmary - Sails -
General Mid Hull - Rigging -
General Aft and Command Quarters - Crystal Banks or Below Waterline -
Crystal Works or Rudder Works -
Powder Store (if applicable) -
Masts -
Integrity:
Notes:

250
 Chapter IV: Combat

Basic Compendium
251
V. Ritual Magic

Ljwe emptied the silken pouch into a deliriously green fire. Tishnian herbs flashed to cinders; dried seeds
cracked like fireworks. Smoke welled from the engraved Amber bowl, drenching the study with a dappled spice
perfume. It was the last preparation Ljwe could make. His time had run out.
He knelt in the center of a labyrinth rug and draped his rams horns with ceremonial silk. His eyes closed. The
discipline of trance unfurled. Chants came to his lips like familiar, foot-worn paths, each word a wingbeat flicker in
the crystals that surrounded him. His mind forgot the weight of flesh. He stepped into the Dream Realm.
Here the spice perfume became a braid of ribbons that traversed an iridescent sky. He walked this path
through sleeping clouds toward a distant rise in the landscape. It was a steep-sided crystal plateau, and as it neared,
threads of red foliage twined around him. These were no entrapments. They were painted illumination. He had
walked into a dream of ornate Tishnian manuscripts a tranquil place for a learned sirhibas to undertake her
most challenging ritual.
She was there on the plateau, a pale grey spot framed by knotwork illumination. Rasklseh was a turtledove
of elegant bearing. Ljwe had seen her once when he was younger, and because of her reputation had hoped never
to do so again. But now she gathered strength to call up a demon. The threat to the province was terrible. Ljwe
could not hesitate.
Without announcing himself, he recalled the ancient tragedy of the Yura Temple and the fire that once
devoured so many priceless scrolls; and the remembrance took form, igniting the plateau in an instant. Ljwe
became a titan column of smoke that rose above it. He glared as below him the manuscript dream blackened to
embers and ash.
But he had not taken Rasklseh by surprise, nor expected to. She lifted two slender wings above the flames.
Her feathers wove into a paper lantern, a frail, weightless thing that lifted on the hot air. Transformed, she danced
without effort above the churning fire, floated past his great, smoky face. There was an inscription on the paper
lantern. It read Sanctuary is Peace in dream-letters. One of the oldest sirhibas chants.
This isnt going to be simple, thought Ljwe. But if she believed him to be as clumsy as this, she might turn
careless. It was a splinter of a chance. He cast away his inferno shape in a vast ring of smoke, and replaced it with
the jagged form of something long and winged and spiny. Like a streamer he darted around the paper lantern,
slowly closing in for the kill.

252
Being a Sirhibas
Drdnah is a magical world, steeped in
mysticism and ritual. The very laws of physics are
governed by magical principles. Individuals with
the talent to manipulate these magical energies
are held in high regard. They are known as
sirhibasi (SEER-hih-boss-ee), meaning wise ones
(singular sirhibas), and they are the sorcerers of
the world.
Individuals who possess magic talent are
often identified at an early age so they can be
instructed in the ways of the sirhibasi. Most
sorcerers are easily recognized by the elaborate
tattoos and markings with which they decorate
their bodies and store their arcane power.
Considered rare and precious, sirhibasi are able
to wield tremendous power and travel in ethereal
realms filled with demons and elementals.
The Basics of Magic
The SHARD RPGs rules for magic focus on
creating an incredibly cinematic, visual experience.
Roleplaying is a crucial element of SHARD magic.
Since most magical confrontations take place in
the Dream Realm, an ethereal dimension of raw,
unformed magic, players must rely on imaginative
descriptions to create their magical effects.
The basics of the magic system are:
A player decides to have a character be
able to perform magic.
The player purchases the appropriate
magical Talents and Skills for his character.
The player chooses what type of magic he
wishes to focus on. This will determine the types
of Magic Rituals the character will be able to use.
Each Magic Ritual is assigned its own
Action Dice. These are the dice the player rolls in
order to perform the ritual successfully.
Magic Ritual Action Dice are rolled at the
beginning of the ritual as well as at various times
during the ritual to determine the outcome of
various events.
Magic Rituals
There are four general Magic Rituals your
character may possess:
1. The Ritual of Healing
Performed by healers, this ritual is used to
restore the mind, body, or spirit. It is the least
dangerous of the magical arts but can be rather
taxing for both the healer and the patient.
2. The Ritual of Dreamwalking
Performed by seers, this ritual allows the
sirhibas to go into a trance and enter the Dream
Realm so that visions of the past, present,
and future can be glimpsed. Dreamwalking
is enigmatic and sometimes even dangerous
depending on what the seer has to deal with in
the Dream.
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
3. The Ritual of Endowment
Performed by mages, this ritual allows the
sirhibas to endow objects in the physical world
with a variety of magical traits. This type of magic
can sometimes have unexpected results, even
when performed successfully.
4. The Ritual of Summoning
Performed by summoners, this ritual allows
the sirhibas to call forth various creatures and
entities from either the physical world, the Dream
Realm, or from other dimensions. This is the
most dangerous type of magic, since summoned
beings must be constantly controlled. If a
summoned creature manages to break free, the
results can be disastrous.
Roleplaying Magic
Its important to keep a few points in mind
when playing a sirhibas or when GMing magic in
the world of Drdnah:
Magic should never be commonplace. It
should always be treated as miraculous and awe-
inspiring, even by the sirhibasi.
Performing magic rituals takes a lot
of time. This time is used to gather all the
necessary materials: incense, crystals, prayer
bowls, meditation beads, etc. The sorcerer must
also draw the correct mystic sigils on the ground.
Prayers and incantations must be chanted until the
sorcerer enters a meditative trance. Magic is never
performed on the fly or in the midst of combat.
Certain magic rituals require or allow the
sorcerer to send his spirit, or duhma (doo-HA-
mah), into the mysterious and ethereal Dream
Realm. There the sorcerer can direct and control
the powerful flow of magic needed to achieve
miraculous effects. Similar in concept to the astral
plane, nothing in the Dream Realm is physical
or fixed. Dream reality itself can be constantly
shaped and reshaped to suit a sorcerers whim; it is
literally the stuff dreams are made of.
Magical rituals are not always dependable.
Magic forces and magical entities are capricious
and unpredictable. Every time a magic ritual is
used, the experience should be different. Its up
to the GM to insure that the use of magic never
becomes humdrum or ordinary. Every time a
sirhibas uses magic, there should be an element
of risk involved.
253
 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
Failure during a magic ritual can have potentially
frightening results. Fumbling can result in a disaster
that could have far-reaching implications and possibly
even a long-term impact on the campaign. Every time
a player decides to use magic, he should be just a tad
bit nervous about it. Even the most powerful and
confident sirhibas has a deep respect for the forces
of magic.
BOOK ONE
Performing a Ritual
Regardless of the type of magic, there are several
essential steps that occur every time a magic ritual is
performed:
Step 1: Preparing the Ritual
Step 2: Initiating the Ritual
Step 3: Controlling the Magic
Step 4: Concluding the Ritual
Step 1: Preparing the Ritual
Before beginning any ritual, you should inform
the GM what ritual you intend to perform and what
you wish to accomplish. You also need to select an
appropriate time and setting for the ritual to take place.
The GM will encourage you to describe any special
preparations, helping you set the scene for the coming
ritual. The GM should feel free to assign roleplaying
bonuses for particularly creative and vivid descriptions
of these preparations.
Step 2: Initiating the Ritual
The GM will have you roll Action Dice to
determine if you can successfully begin the ritual.
All players make this roll when beginning any ritual.
The Action Dice for this roll are based on the Magic
Ritual Skill you are attempting to use. Thus, if you
254
were attempting to use the Ritual of Healing to help a
wounded comrade, you would use your Magic Ritual
(healing) Ranking as your Action Dice.
The GM can assign modifiers to this initial
roll, either bonuses or penalties depending on the
preparations youve taken, how difficult an effect
youre trying to achieve, or environmental conditions
that might make it difficult to enter the trance-like
state necessary to perform the ritual. This initial roll
both determines if you are able to successfully begin
the ritual and sets the stage for the mystical experience
that will follow. A low Success Level could indicate
a difficult or challenging ritual ahead, while a high
Success Level could indicate a larger measure of
control on your part.
Step 3: Controlling the Magic
Once you have successfully initiated the ritual and
entered your mystical trance, the GM will describe
your journey into the Dream Realm and the effects
of the powerful magics you are unleashing. This is a
delicate time. Your control of those powerful magics is
about to be tested.
As you listen to the GMs description, feel free to
let him know that you wish to use your ritual Action
Dice to further affect or change the outcome of
whatever scene the GM may be describing. Remember
that you are the controlling factor in that situation.
You choose to shape the magic however you wish. The
GM, in turn, will ask you to roll your Magic Ritual
Action Dice or make certain Characteristic Rolls he
feels are necessary to achieve your goals.
Magic Disciplines
Every time you attempt to take an action while
using a Magic Ritual, you are considered to be using
a Discipline. This requires a roll of your appropriate
 Magic Ritual Action Dice. As with basic dice rolls,
Discipline rolls may either be Contested or Opposed.
A Contested Roll is used when you are trying to enter
into the ritual itself or wish to use a Discipline but
do not have to worry about any outside interference.
An Opposed Roll, on the other hand, is made when
you are in conflict with another sorcerer or mystical
being.
Contested Rolls are made using your Magic
Ritual Action Dice. Opposed Rolls allow you (and
your opponent) to add your Mystic Talent to your
Magic Ritual Action Dice. The precise number of
Action Dice you use is:
Contested Action Dice = (Characters
Appropriate Magic Ritual Skill + modifiers, if any)
Opposed Action Dice = (Characters
Appropriate Magic Ritual Skill + Mystic Talent
Levels + modifiers, if any)
Using Disciplines
Your use of Disciplines during Magic Rituals is
limited by the need to rest. The number of Disciplines
you may use is equal to your Essence plus the levels
you possess in the Mystic Talent. Thus, if your Essence
was 7 and you had 4 levels of the Mystic Talent, youd
be able to perform up to 11 Disciplines during your
Rituals before rest became necessary.
Every different type of action you attempt to
perform during a Magic Ritual is considered a use of
a unique Discipline and counts toward the maximum
number youre allowed. Performing the same type
of action (even later in the ritual) does not require
the use of another Discipline and would not count
toward your maximum.
Exactly what constitutes the use of a unique
Discipline is for the GM to decide, but here are
some examples of actions that would require the use
of a Discipline:
Entering a ritual trance and coming into the
Dream Realm.
Attempting to have a vision of the past, the
present, or the future.
Attacking one or more opponents.
Defending against magical attacks.
Creating a magical ward or illusion.
Defeating a magical ward or illusion.
Healing wounds.
Summoning one or more creatures.
Controlling summoned creatures.
Banishing summoned creatures
Attempting to dominate an opponent.
The rule of thumb when deciding what
constitutes a completely unique Discipline is to
Basic Compendium
determine if the effect the sorcerer is trying to
achieve is very different from something hes done
before. If this is the case, then generally the sorcerer
must use another unique Discipline in order to
accomplish it.
Example: Having already used the Disciplines
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
that allowed a sorcerer to attack and defend against
an enemy in the Dream Realm, further battles with
other hostile entities during the same Dreamwalking
Ritual would not require the sorcerer to use any
further Disciplines. If, however, the sorcerer
suddenly decided to have a vision of the past, or
create a magical ward, or summon a magical entity,
then he would need to make use of additional unique
Disciplines for each of those actions.
Using all of your Disciplines during a Magic
Ritual can be hazardous. Should you choose to do
this (or be forced into it as a result of unforeseen
circumstances), then when you emerge from the
ritual youll immediately fall unconscious and
remain in that state for 2d6 hours. Attempts to
rouse you during this time will fail, and you will have
to be carried if you need to be transported. In this
state you are considered completely helpless. When
you finally regain consciousness, you will be groggy
and could potentially suffer penalties to your Action
Dice until youve had a chance to take nourishment
and recover from the incident.
Recovering Disciplines
After you have used Disciplines in a ritual,
your maximum number of unique Disciplines will
be reduced until you have had the opportunity to
rest. Every use of a unique Discipline reduces your
maximum number by 1, and requires 1 full hour of
rest outside of the ritual, per unique Discipline used,
before the maximum number is restored by 1. In
this particular case, rest is defined as uninterrupted
sleep or meditation.
Example: During a Dreamwalking Ritual, a seer
uses 6 unique Disciplines before ending the ritual.
His maximum number of Disciplines is 8. If he
immediately used another Magic Ritual, he would
be limited to the use of 2 Disciplines during that
ritual. He would need to rest for 6 hours before he
could once again use his maximum of 8 Disciplines.
If he only managed to rest for 4 hours, he would be
limited to a maximum of 6 Disciplines.
Although there is no official limit to how many
times you can use a Magic Ritual, the periods of
rest required before you can effectively use unique
Disciplines again create a natural limitation. Unless
you wanted to be restricted to a limited number of
Disciplines while in a ritual (which could be very
dangerous if you were attacked), then you will likely
not perform more than two or three Magic Rituals
in any 24 hour period due to needing to rest several
hours between each ritual.
255
 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
MAGIC DIFFICULTY MODIFIER TABLE
Difficulty Ranking Modifier Example Discipline
Seer: Initiating a ritual by entering the Dream Realm.
Standard 0 Healer: Initiating a ritual by gathering healing energies.
Summoner: Initiating a ritual by going into a calling trance.
Mage: Initiating a ritual by going into a focusing trance.
BOOK ONE

Seer: Defending in the Dream Realm; using Illusions and

changing the Dream environment; seeing the past, present,
and future; seeing through Illusions.
Challenging -1 Dice Healer: Entering the Dream Realm; Healing lesser wounds
(less than 1/3rd Stamina); protection from supernatural foes.
Summoner: Entering the Dream Realm.
Mage: Entering the Dream Realm; penetrating or unraveling
wards.
Seer: Damaging, Binding, or using Illusions to attack a foe;
seeking and communicating with others in the Dream;
dispelling magical manifestations (wards and magical traps).
Healer: Defending in the Dream Realm; Healing large wounds
(less than 2/3rd Stamina); healing supernatural wounds.
Difficult -2 Dice Summoner: Defending in the Dream Realm; commanding a
summoned entity; seeing through a summoned entitys eyes;
dismissing a suthra.
Mage: Defending in the Dream Realm; dispelling magical
manifestations (wards and magical traps); creating limited
Illusions in the physical world; dismissing weather effects;
warding against mystical sight or spirits.
Seer: Bringing others into the Dream Realm; allowing others
to see visions; entering and changing anothers dreams.
Healer: Attacking in the Dream Realm; Healing terrible
wounds (more than 2/3rd Stamina); mending bones; curing
poison effects or madness.
Very Difficult -3 Dice Summoner: Attacking in the Dream Realm; Summoning
a demon, spirit, or elemental; summoning a suthra to bear
burdens or to act as a scout, spy, or tracker.
Mage: Attacking in the Dream Realm; Endowing inanimate
things with special qualities; calling up a wind; warding
against demons and elementals.
Seer: Attempting to use Domination on a foe.
Healer: Restoring severed limbs; breaking curses.
Summoner: Subjugating a demon, spirit, or elemental;
Extremely Difficult -4 Dice banishing a demon, spirit, or elemental; summoning a suthra
to attack or defend.
Mage: Temporarily diminishing anothers Attributes with a
curse; calling up fog or mist; warding against Endowment
Ritual effects.
Seer: Capturing another persons spirit (which causes the
body to eventually die); using the Dream Realm to physically
transport your body.
Healer: Restoring lost Characteristics; healing old injuries or
birth defects; severing supernatural Domination or control;
banishing supernatural foes.
Summoner: Making a more permanent slave or servant of a
Almost Impossible -5 Dice or higher demon, spirit, or elemental; summoning a suthra to sacrifice
itself for you (to eat, to harvest some part of it, etc.); summon
a suthra to be your permanent companion.
Mage: Temporarily adding to anothers Attributes with a
charm; making magical effects last longer (endowments,
wards, curses, or charms); creating a storm; causing Stamina
loss using any magically-created weather effects; warding
against physical harm.

256

Action Dice Modifiers
At several points in this chapter, the concept of
modifiers has been mentioned. As per the rules for
Modifiers in the Basics Chapter of this book, GMs should
apply Bonus or Difficulty Modifiers as they deem
appropriate based on the actions being attempted by
the players.
The important thing to keep in mind concerning
modifiers is that the more penalties a GM decides
to give his players, the less likely they are to attempt
incredibly heroic feats. It all depends on what sort of
tone the GM wants to set for his campaign. If amazing,
over-the-top action is what you want, then go easy on the
Difficulty Modifiers and be generous with the Bonus
Modifiers. If, on the other hand, you wish to create a
more down-to-earth tone, then pile on the Difficulty
Modifiers and be spare with the Bonus Modifiers.
The table on the previous page gives some
examples of some typical Modifiers when dealing with
magic and the situations in which they apply.
Characteristic Rolls
Another type of dice roll you may be asked to make
during the course of a ritual is a Characteristic Roll. Such
rolls are sometimes used during a ritual to help determine
the effects of the powerful magic on either the sorcerer
or others who may be similarly affected. A Characteristic
Rolls Action Dice are:
Characteristic Roll Action Dice = Current
Characteristic Ranking
Basic Compendium
When using Magic Rituals, the two
most likely Characteristics rolls the GM may
require are Essence and Will.
Essence Roll- This Characteristic Roll
may be required by the GM when your
raw ability to interact with magical events is
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
needed. A GM may allow a sorcerer to make
an Essence Roll when near the source of
powerful magics in order to gain some insight
into those magics. It is important to remember
that any Essence lost due to illness or injury
will affect the value of all Skills based on that
Characteristic until the loss can be regained,
including all Magic Ritual Action Dice as well
as your maximum number of Disciplines.
Will Roll- This Characteristic Roll may
be required by the GM to determine the
outcome of magics that attempt to control
another entity. Will Rolls are an important
part of any summoning ritual. The GM
may require a sorcerer to make a Will Roll if
something is attempting to break or dominate
his will. Likewise, the sorcerer would need to
make a Will Roll if he were attempting to
dominate another using magical commands.
Any loss of Will due to exhaustion, torture, or
brain-washing will affect the value of all Skills
based on that Characteristic until the loss can
be regained.
Adding Keen Focus Talent Dice
High levels of intense concentration are essential
while performing magic rituals. If an interruption
occurs during a ritual, a sorcerer will need to roll
his Magic Ritual Action Dice in order to determine
whether the ritual trance is successfully maintained.
If the sorcerer possesses any levels of the Keen
Focus Talent, he may add them to his Magic Ritual
Action Dice. Its up to the GM to decide what sorts
of interruptions would require such a roll. Being
attacked in the physical world while you were still in
ritual trance would certainly call for such a roll. If a
sorcerer fails this roll, his trance is broken and the
ritual immediately ends.
Step 4: Concluding the Ritual
Eventually you will come to the end of your ritual,
whether you accomplished what you set out to or
didnt. Concluding a Magic Ritual can happen for a
few different reasons:
You decide to end the ritual. This is the most
common and elegant way to conclude a ritual. Avoid
the temptation of meandering through the Dream
Realm. Its dangerous, it can attract the attention of
sinister entities, and leaves non-magic characters with
nothing to do. GMs should be careful to inter-cut
between the events in the Dream Realm and the real
257
 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
world to make sure that everyone has something to do.
When you initiate a ritual, choose a limited number of
things you want to accomplish, set about trying to do
it, then bring the ritual to a dignified end.
You come close to reaching your maximum
number of unique Disciplines for that day. During
an eventful encounter in the Dream Realm, you may
come dangerously close to expending all your unique
BOOK ONE
Disciplines. At this point, you may have to end the
Magic Ritual to avoid emerging from the ritual trance
only to immediately fall unconscious. If you have
important information to impart to your allies in the
physical world, youll be unable to do so until you
regain consciousness. Be careful about ending rituals
as a result of expending all your Disciplines.
You are hurled from the Dream Realm by
a hostile force. If all of your Spiritual Stamina is
depleted, your ritual trance will be instantly broken
and your Magic Ritual will abruptly come to an end.
It is important to remember that the loss of Spiritual
Stamina does not mean youve actually lost any real
Stamina. There may be some special exceptions to
this rule, however, and it is up the GM to decide if
there are any rare moments when damage taken in
the Dream Realm carries over to the real world.
The GM decides that your ritual comes to an
end. The GM can decide, for whatever story reason
he wishes, to conclude your ritual. You may find
yourself gently dismissed by someone with whom
you were speaking in the Dream Realm. Perhaps
some shocking revelation could end a vision with an
awakening scream. Or maybe after several attempts at
some objective, your dice rolls simply fail to give you
the desired effect.
Once your ritual is over, if you dont fully
understand some aspect of what transpired, ask the
GM. Just remember that the GM may not want to
reveal everything to you. You may be allowed to make
some Knowledge Skill rolls (such as Magic Theory or
Ritual Lore) to discover more information or come to
some conclusion based on your characters knowledge,
or the GM may clarify some symbolism that wasnt as
obvious as hed expected.
Imagination Is Key
True to the spirit of the SHARD RPG, the most
important rule when using magic on Drdnah is to
let your imagination take center stage. Rules are not
as important as having fun. The very fabric of the
Dream Realm demands a creative mind to successfully
manipulate it. If you can imagine it, then you can do it.
Thats the guiding principle for confrontations in the
Dream Realm.
GMs should consider playing mood music
during magical sessions. This will greatly enhance the
experience. Imagine it as you would a scene in a great
258
fantasy movie, complete with dazzling special effects and
an unlimited budget. GMs should also remember that
the players are the stars of their movie. Treat them well
and youll have a box office smash on your hands. We
guarantee it!
Magical Combat
All users of Magic Rituals have the power to touch
and enter the Dream Realms while performing their
magic. Being within the Dream, or even at its edge while
in a state of trance, puts a character in a unique position
of vulnerability. Spirits, Demons, Elementals, and of
course other sirhibasi wander the Dream Realms, and
can sometimes see, interact with, and perhaps attack
another character they may encounter. There are some
similarities between combat in the physical realm and
magical combat in the Dream. In both cases, combat
progresses in Rounds. You attack and defend by rolling
appropriate Action Dice. And finally, your goal is to
cause enough damage to your opponent to defeat him.
Where physical and magical combat differ most is in
your amazing ability to use the essence of the Dream
Realm to create any imaginable effect. The very fabric
of reality is yours to command! You can form weapons
out of thin air, shape shift into any creature you can
imagine, call down bolts of lightning or columns of
flame, imprison your enemy inside a massive crystal; the
only limit is what your imagination can conjure up.
Initiative
When combat begins, everyone involved in the
battle determines Initiative by rolling 1d6 and adding
their Essence plus their Mystic Talent levels to the result.
This is your Initiative score for that particular Round
of magical combat. You roll Initiative every Round of
combat until the battle ends.
Everyone acts in order of Initiative, from highest to
lowest. In the case of ties, actions are considered to be
simultaneous. So even if your opponent causes enough
damage in a tied Round to defeat you, you still get to
counterattack before you are hurled out of the Dream
Realm.
Taking Actions in Magical Combat
The big difference between magical and physical
combat is that there are no Combat Actions in
magical combat. You may attack as many opponents
as you wish in any given Round. However, you may
only attack each opponent once before that opponent
has a chance to counterattack. You may never attack
an opponent multiple times in the same Round. It is
possible, however, to be attacked by several opponents
in the same Round, although you would get to defend
against every attack.
Attacking multiple opponents in the same
Round is automatically deemed a Bundled Action as
it is considered a singular manifestation of your will.
 Whether you attack one or twenty foes, you make a
single roll of your Action Dice. Each opponent would
get to defend against your attack and then have the
opportunity to counterattack, assuming they havent
already taken their action for the Round.
GMs should assign additional penalties to your
Action Dice for attacking multiple targets. Depending
on how much (or little) a GM wishes to encourage
attacking multiple targets in magical combat, this
penalty could either be severe (a 1 die for every target
after the first), or it could be more moderate (1 die
for a small group, 2 for a medium-sized group, 3 for
a large group, etc.). This is all a matter of preference. If
the GM prefers larger than life encounters in the Dream
Realm, then a less severe penalty is recommended.
Attacking & Defending
Ultimately, the goal of most magical battles is to
attempt to hurl your opponent out of the Dream Realm
and break his trance, thus effectively ending his ritual.
You use your Magic Ritual Action Dice to both attack
and defend. Since all such conflicts happen within the
Dream (or at its edge within ritual trance), those using
the Ritual of Dreamwalking find it easier to perform any
Dream-related Disciplines. As a result, sirhibasi using
this ritual make all magical combat Defense Rolls at a 1
difficulty modifier, and all Attack Rolls at a 2 difficulty
modifier. Sirhibasi entering the Dream using any other
ritual (Healing, Summoning, or Endowment) make all
magical combat Defense Rolls at a 2 difficulty modifier,
and all Attack Rolls at a 3 difficulty modifier, making
them somewhat weaker when it comes to battles in the
Dream Realm.
As with ordinary combat, your magical Attack Rolls
are opposed by your opponents Defense Rolls. Every
success an opponent scores on his defense negates one
of your attack successes. If all of your attack successes
are negated, then your magical attack was successfully
countered. If you score more attack successes, then you
inflict damage (or cause other effects) to your opponent.
Every un-negated success inflicts 1 Damage Level
to your opponent. This damage is deducted from your
opponents total Spiritual Stamina, which is derived from
the following formula:
Spiritual Stamina = (Essence + Will) x 2
As with physical combat, being damaged in magical
combat has additional negative effects. If more than
one third (1/3) of your total Spiritual Stamina is lost, a
penalty of 1 is applied to all of your Action Dice until
you heal above the one third mark. If more than two
thirds (2/3) of your total Spiritual Stamina is lost, then
a penalty of 2 is applied to all of your Action Dice until
you heal above that mark.
When your Spiritual Stamina reaches 0, you are
considered defeated and are forced to end your ritual
and leave the Dream Realm. If you were attempting to
Basic Compendium
defeat a magical barrier (using the appropriate modifier
to represent that Discipline), you would have to negate
the reserve of successes such a barrier is granted when
it is created by a sorcerer. This is effectively the barriers
Spiritual Stamina. When you have successfully depleted
all of a magical barriers successes, the barrier is
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
dispelled.
Special Attacks
As previously stated, nothing in the Dream Realm
is physical or set; its all raw magical essence that you
shape however you wish. Every attack you perform
in the Dream Realm, therefore, is considered to be
a manifestation of your magical ability and will. In
the Dream Realm, your will can harm an opponent,
bind him, confuse him with illusions, or possibly even
control him. Here are a few guidelines for using such
effects.
Binding
Instead of damaging your opponent, you have the
option of binding him. Binding an opponent can take
whatever visual form you decide. It could be something
as simple as ropes or vines entangling your foe, or more
elaborate bonds such as imprisonment inside a crystal
or a sphere of water, fire, or ice. If you choose to bind
your opponent, you must announce you are doing
so and then make an Attack Roll at the appropriate
Difficulty Modifier. If your opponents Defense Roll
does not completely negate your attack (you must score
at least a Partial Success after your opponents defense
successes have been subtracted), then your opponent
has been successfully bound.
Your bound opponent gets to roll his Defense Roll
every Round he is under the effects of a binding until he
either breaks free or is defeated. You roll an opposing
Attack Roll (at the same penalty as the original attack)
in order to keep him bound. If your opponent rolls
more successes than you, then the binding is broken
and your opponent is free to take action that Round.
If your opponent does not break the binding, then
he cannot take any action that Round. All a bound
sorcerer can do (besides standard defense) is continue
to try and break free of his binding.
You can continue to attack your bound opponent
in following Rounds, but theres a catch. Since such an
attack is a constant struggle of wills, you may only attack
your bound opponent. The moment you attack another
target, any bindings you currently have in effect dissolve
and your bound opponents are instantly freed and may
take their actions normally for the Round.
It is possible for you to try and bind multiple
opponents at once. The attack is considered a Bundled
Action and you make a single roll of Action Dice
to attack all your opponents. Penalty modifiers for
attacking multiple targets should be applied. Every
target gets a Defense Roll to avoid being bound. If you
259
 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
manage to bind several opponents, then they must each
try to break out of the binding before they can continue
to take actions. You still get to make Defense Rolls
against other attacks, but would not be able to attack
any non-bound foes without releasing all your bound
opponents.
Powerful bindings can be quite effective in keeping
a magical foe contained while your comrades either
BOOK ONE
make an escape or gang up on the bound opponent. It
is important to note that multiple sorcerers can attempt
to bind the same target. In this case, the bound entitys
Defense Roll is considered a Bundled Action and would
count against every single binding. It is possible in a case
like this to avoid or break free of some of the bindings
but not all of them. The bound entity, however, cannot
attack anyone until all the bindings are broken. Each
sorcerer may only have one active binding on any
individual at any given time.
Illusions
Another form of attack you may direct at an
opponent in the Dream Realm is the use of illusions.
Illusions are mostly designed to confuse and misdirect.
They can take any form you wish, from a simple illusion
of invisibility, to an entire illusory landscape filled with
familiar faces and images. As with Bindings, the victim
of the illusion must dispel the illusion before he is able to
continue to attack targets in the Dream Realm.
If you decide to cast an illusion at an opponent, you
would describe the illusion and what it was intended
to do (confuse, misdirect, waylay, etc.), then make an
Attack Roll at the appropriate Difficulty Modifier. Your
opponent would make his Defense Roll. If you score
more successes than your opponent, then your illusion
manifests as described. Your opponent must now dispel
the illusion before he is able to continue taking actions.
Your opponent gets to roll his Defense Roll every
Round in order to try and dispel your illusion. You roll
an opposing Attack Roll in order to keep the illusion
active. If your opponent scores more successes, then he
sees through your illusion and is free to act normally
that Round. If you score more successes, then the
illusion remains effective. As with Binding, you can
only attack opponents under the influence of your
illusion. The moment you attack another target, your
illusion melts away. You still get to make Defense Rolls
to defend against magical attacks even while maintaining
an illusion. Your opponent may also still defend himself
against magical attacks despite being under the influence
of your illusion.
If you want to change your illusion, then youll
need to make a new Attack Roll. Your opponent would
immediately get a new Defense Roll. If your opponent
wins, then your new illusion is considered ineffective.
Furthermore, your old illusion melts away, leaving your
opponent free to act in the Round. If your opponent
fails to defend, then the new illusion manifests and your
260
opponent must now deal with its effects. Changing
illusions is risky, as it allows your opponent to realize hes
being tricked with illusions. Every time you decide to
change your illusion on the same target, your opponent
gets a +1 die bonus to his Defense Roll to see through
the illusion.
Illusions cannot be stacked. Only a single illusion
can be cast on any individual in any given Round.
Another sorcerer can, however, try to create a new
illusion on a target currently under the effects of one of
your illusions. If you do not wish to drop your illusion,
then you and the new illusion-caster would both have to
make Attack Rolls and compare successes. The winners
illusion would then take effect. The target of the new
illusion would get a normal Defense Roll (at a +1 die
bonus). If he successfully defended, then both illusions
would melt away, leaving the target free to act in the
Round. If the target failed, then hed suffer the effects
of the new illusion and would have to try and dispel it
normally.
It is possible to cast the same illusion on multiple
opponents. This is handled as a Bundled Action. Again,
penalty modifiers for attacking multiple targets should
be applied. All opponents under the influence of a mass
illusion would have to dispel the illusion normally. After
they did, however, they could try and convince others
still caught in the effects of the mass illusion that they
were experiencing an illusion. GMs should give bonuses
to the Defense Rolls of targets still in the grips of an
illusion in these cases.
Domination
Rather than simply defeating an opponent and
hurling him from the Dream Realm, you can instead
attempt to seize control of a defeated foe. This is known
as Domination. At any point during combat, you can
state that you no longer wish to cause your opponent
Spiritual Damage, but desire instead to cause Domination
Damage. When your opponents Spiritual Stamina
reaches 0 as a result of taking Domination Damage, he
is considered to have been successfully dominated.
In order to dominate a foe, you must make an Attack
Roll (at a 4 Difficulty Modifier for Dreamwalkers, or
at a 5 modifier for all other ritual users) using Action
Dice based on your Will Characteristic. Because
this is still considered a magical attack, you may add
your Mystic Talent levels to your Action Dice. Your
opponent makes an opposing Defense Roll, also based
on his Will Characteristic, at the appropriate Difficulty
Modifier plus his Mystic Talent levels. As with ordinary
magical attacks, every un-negated attack success counts
as 1 level of Domination Damage. If you cause enough
Domination Damage to bring your opponent to 0
Spiritual Stamina, then your opponent is forced to
remain in the Dream Realm under your control.
Your dominated opponent retains the amount of
Spiritual Stamina he had at the time the Domination
 attacks began. Thus, if your dominated opponent had
12 levels of Spiritual Stamina before he began taking
Domination Damage, when he reached 0 Spiritual
Stamina as a result of the Domination Damage, he
would still be considered to have 12 levels of Spiritual
Stamina. Your dominated opponent can still be

Chapter V: Ritual Magic

attacked and damaged normally. If your dominated
opponent takes enough regular Damage Levels to his
Spiritual Stamina to bring him to 0 (or below), then
he is hurled from the Dream Realm and freed from
your control.
Dominated opponents under your control must
obey your commands to the best of their ability until
they are either able to break free of your control and
retreat from the Dream Realm, or are hurled from
the Dream Realm as a result of losing all of their
Spiritual Stamina. Commands should be simple
instructions: Attack your comrade!, Imprison that
sorcerer!, Convince your friend I am your ally!,
etc. If you happen to be the dominated individual,
this is a good opportunity for roleplaying. You should
carry out the instructions of your master to the best
of your ability and continue to role-play in the scene.
Dominated individuals get to try and break free
every Round they are under the control of another
entity. A dominated opponent makes a Defense Roll
based on his Will Characteristic. This is opposed
by the controlling entitys Attack Roll, which is also
based on Will. If the dominated opponent fails,
then he remains under the commanding entitys the domination and instantly leaves the Dream Realm.
control and must use his action that Round to obey If the defender loses, they fall under the domination
his masters command. If the dominated opponents of the new sorcerer and must continue trying to break
Defense Roll beats the commanding entitys Attack free every Round.
Roll, then the dominated opponent breaks free and A note to GMs: Some players do not like to have
must immediately exit the Dream Realm and come out their characters controlled. You should be careful about
of his ritual trance. using this particular power on them. However, if a
It is possible for allies to help you break free of player is particularly fond of taking control of enemies
an enemys domination. An ally can choose to take in the Dream Realm, then it is our opinion that hes
their action in any given Round and declare that fair game for similar treatment. Furthermore, the use
they are helping you break free of another sorcerers of this ability can create some incredibly interesting
control. This process works similar to Collaboration. game moments that can add great drama and tension
Every 2 successes (rounded down) that an ally scores to the scene. Use it wisely!
on his Defense Roll (based on Will) adds 1 success
to your Success Level for purposes of breaking free of Healing Spiritual Stamina
the Domination. The reverse, however, is also true. It is not possible to heal Spiritual Stamina while
Additional enemies can help the dominating sorcerer inside the Dream Realm. You must exit the Dream
maintain his control over you. The process is identical Realm and cease the use of magic rituals in order to
except that the attacking sorcerers make Attack Rolls heal. Spiritual Stamina heals over time, with proper
rather than Defense Rolls. rest or meditation. You may heal your Essence
It is also possible for one or more sorcerers to Rankings worth of Spiritual Stamina for every hour
try and wrest control of a dominated opponent away of rest and meditation you get. Thus, if your Essence
from you. In this case, you and all the rival dominating was 8, you could heal up to 24 Spiritual Stamina if you
sorcerers would make Attack Rolls and compare them rested and meditated for 3 hours. A magical healer
to each other. The sorcerer with the highest number can also restore your Spiritual Stamina with his Ritual
of successes is considered the victor. The opponent of Healing, but this can only be done when you are
gets to instantly make a Defense Roll against this new not in the midst of a ritual.
domination. If the defender wins, then he breaks free of

Basic Compendium
261
 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
An Example of Combat Within
the Dream
In the House of Sulym, a raven sirhibas named
Mayastri prepares a ritual that will allow her to confront her
rival, a jackal called Vatyanu. Though there exists a tentative
truce between them, and he assures her that he bears no malice
toward her lord, several recent tragic occurrences have convinced
BOOK ONE
the raven that the villainous jackal has somehow pierced the
magical wards of her house, and gained access to sensitive
information that has compromised her lords safety.
Having already attempted and failed to tear aside similar
wards that protect the jackals House, the raven realizes that
the only hope she may have of defeating him is to confront
him in the Dream Realm. To this end, she has issued a formal
challenge to Vatyanu. As the large purple moon Kamdi begins
to rise, she initiates the Ritual of Dreamwalking, prepared to
seek him out in the Dream, far from his protective wards. If she
finds him, she intends to make him pay for his treachery.
Her servants scurry about, lighting the fires and scattering
the incense that will help Mayastri enter into a ritual trance.
She sits upon an intricately woven prayer rug covered in arcane
sigils and fringed by greenish stones - a gift from her former
master. Her crystal prayer bowl cradled in her lap, she begins
her sonorous chanting as her servants fall back into the shadowy
corners of her private chambers...
The preparations complete, GM has the ravens
player begin the ritual by rolling her Magic Ritual
Action Dice for the Ritual of Dreamwalking. This
will invoke the first unique Discipline that will allow
her to sink into a deep meditative trance as her spirit
leaves her body behind so that it may enter the Dream
Realm. Assuming she is successful, the GM would
then describe (guided by the players Success Level) the
ravens entrance into the Dream.
GM: The room vanishes around you, dissolving
into mist. Ethereal, scintillating veils part like the
petals of a vast, cosmic flower. Your duhma is drawn
through this portal into the mysterious Dream Realm.
This is the use of your first unique Discipline.
Raven Player: Gotcha! I proceed to seek out my
opponent, careful to keep my form veiled within the
vaporous essence of the Dream itself. In other words,
Im trying to go invisible.
GM: Very well, roll your Dreamwalking Ritual
Action Dice to achieve this illusory state. Thats the
use of another unique Discipline, by the way. Unlike
entering the Dream itself, this type of spiritual cloak
is not as easy to achieve, so make your roll at a 1
Difficulty Modifier.
Raven Player: Okay, I get 4 successes!
GM: You see the glittering essence of the Dream
Realm shroud you like a misty veil. Your spiritual
form vanishes from sight! Finding your foe in the
Dream Realm may be a little harder. Roll your ritual
Action Dice again, this time at a 2 modifier.
Raven Player: No problem, this time I get 3
successes.
262
GM: Youve now used 3 unique Disciplines. One
to enter the Dream Realm, one to create the illusion
of invisibility, and one to search out your opponent.
Raven Player: Im keeping track, dont worry.
GM: Okay, as you cast your awareness out
through the Dream, you feel yourself drawn through
the strange glittering vapors and shadows toward a
distant crystal peak that floats across your vision like
a ghost ship. A strange glowing nimbus pulses at its
top where the pinnacle has been flattened. Upon this
broad plateau, at the center of a luminescent symbol
of a Spiral Arena, stands your foe, Vatyanu. The
jackals dressed in shimmering robes that seem to be
made of shifting mystic symbols. He stares off into the
mists with a strange, calm serenity.
Raven Player: Ill land upon the plateau,
maintaining my invisibility while causing the skies
above us to darken and churn. Oh, and I also laugh
creepily! The sound of my phantom laughter echoes
all around my opponent.
GM: Nice! Okay, roll your Action Dice at a
1 modifier to create this effect and maintain your
illusion. This time, however, add your Mystic Talent
levels since this will be an Opposed Roll. Since youve
already created illusions during this ritual, you wont
need to spend another unique Discipline.
Raven Player: Good! Okay, I roll 4 successes, two
of which are 6s, so Ill roll one of those over again. I
get another success! Thats 5 total successes!
The GM now makes a Defense Roll for the NPC
Vatyanu to determine if he is able to see through the
ravens illusory invisibility. He adds the jackals Mystic
Talent levels to his Action Dice and applies a 1 Difficulty
Modifier. The GM rolls only 4 successes, not enough to
allow the jackal to see through the magical trickery.
GM: The jackals eyes widen as he hears your
ghostly laughter echo across the dreamscape. He casts
about, confused, apparently unable to locate you.
Show yourself coward! Are you so craven that you
would hide from me! Is it not you who challenged me
and bid me come here and face you? Reveal yourself
or flee in shame!
Raven Player: My voice continues to assail the
jackal from all sides. I am no fool, Vatyanu! Your
treacheries and tricks are well known. But you will
find that I have a few tricks of my own! With that,
I cause crimson lightning to flash down from the
roiling sky, lashing him like a thousand whips!
GM: Okay, were officially entering combat.
Roll your Initiative to see which of you acts first. Your
words have angered him. As you gather your power
for your strike, he attempts to dispel your invisibility.
Both the GM and the player roll for Initiative,
adding their Mystic Talent levels to their scores. The
GM scores a higher Initiative than the player. The
GM immediately rolls a Defense Roll for the jackal in
order determine if he is able to see through the players
invisibility. He once again adds the jackals Mystic Talent
levels and applies a 1 modifier. He asks the player to
 make an opposing Attack Roll. The GM scores more
successes than the player, indicating that the NPC has
spotted the players character.
GM: As you prepare to unleash the lightning
at the jackal, he suddenly turns and looks directly
at you! He flashes you a wicked smile as your cloak
of invisibility is rent asunder to reveal you! In that
instant, the force of his power blasts you like a violent
storm! He attacks you with 5 successes! Please make
your Defense Roll, adding your Mystic Talent levels.
You are defending against magical attacks, so this is
yet another unique Discipline for you!
Raven Player: I roll 7 successes, so I take
no damage! I hold out my hand and divert his
tempestuous power harmlessly around me!
GM: That was his action. Now you may take
yours. Still intend to blast him with lightning?
Raven Player: You bet!
GM: Okay, make your Attack Roll at a 2
Difficulty Modifier and add your Mystic Talent
levels. Youre using magical attacks so this counts as
another unique Discipline.
Raven Player: How many is that?
GM: Five so far.
Raven Player: Hmm, I gotta keep my eye on
those. Okay, I get 8 successes on my Action Dice!
I laugh again as the crimson arcs of energy tear at
him!
GM: He rolls only 4 successes to defend, so he
suffers 4 Damage Levels. Okay, that was the end of
that Round. Please roll Initiative again to see who
acts first this next Round.
Raven Player: I roll 7 successes!
GM: And he rolls only 6. You win! What do you
want to do?
Raven Player: I want to continue blasting him
with lightning in an attempt to drive him from the
Dream Realm.
The player makes her Attack Roll again, this time
scoring a whopping 9 successes! The jackal scores only
3 successes on his Defense Roll. He takes another 6
Damage Levels! All his Action Dice will now suffer a 1
penalty since hes lost more than a third of his Spiritual
Stamina. If he suffers 9 more levels of damage, hell be
defeated and hurled from the Dream Realm!
Now its the jackals turn. The GM decides the
jackal will attempt to bind the raven with thorny vines.
The GM rolls the jackals Attack Roll at 3 penalty
(1 for the jackals wounded state, plus a 2 Difficulty
Modifier for the Binding). Despite the penalty, the GM
scores 8 successes!
GM: The jackal shrieks as your eldritch lightning
tears at his duhma! He thrusts his arms into the
air, clasping his hands together as a wave of his own
arcane power lashes out at you! Please make your
Defense Roll.
Raven Player: I roll 6 successes!
Basic Compendium
GM: Pulsing, leathery vines erupt from the
ground and lash around you, entwining you in their
thorny grasp!
Raven Player: Crap!
GM: The vines slither around you like snakes,
holding you tight and ending your magical assault on
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
the jackal!
Raven Player: Do these vines damage me?!
GM: Not yet. Right now they merely imprison
you and keep you from attacking until you can break
free with a Defense Roll. Dont worry, youll still
get your Defense Rolls if the jackal decides to hurl
more attacks at you. Its the next Round. Please roll
Initiative to see who goes first.
Both the player and the GM roll Initiative. This
time the player wins. She immediately gets her Defense
Roll to attempt to break the jackals binding. The
GM assigns the player a 1 Difficulty Modifier. The
player only scores 3 successes. The GM makes the
jackals opposing Attack Roll at 3 (due to his various
modifiers). Despite the jackals penalties, the GM scores
4 successes. The jackal succeeds (just barely) in keeping
the raven bound.
The GM then decides that the jackal will now
attack the player with the vines thorns. The GM
makes the jackals Attack Roll and scores 7 successes.
Despite being bound, the raven still gets her Defense
Roll against this attack. The player scores 4 successes.
The player takes 3 levels of damage!
GM: Still bound by the vines, you struggle
helplessly. The jackal licks his lips and squeezes his
fist. So much for your tricks! The razor-sharp
crystal thorns slash and gouge your spiritual flesh
as the vines squeeze tighter, causing you to writhe in
pain!
Raven Player: I so want to pound this jackal!
GM: You have to break out of the vines first!
Raven Player: Im working on it!
GM: Okay, time for Initiative again!
Once again Initiative is rolled, and once again the
player wins. This time, however, her attempt to escape
her binding succeeds. She decides that her character
burns the vines away with green flames that erupt
around her like a halo! She then forms the flames into
a whirling vortex and hurls it at her foe. She scores 4
successes with her Attack Roll. The jackal counters
the attack with 5 successes on his Defense Roll, so he
dissipates the flames before they can reach him.
Now its the jackals turn. He counterattacks,
launching a savage barrage of glittering crystal shards at
the raven. The GM rolls 6 attack successes. The raven
rolls only 1 success to defend, taking 5 more levels of
damage!
Initiative is rolled again, and this time the jackal
wins. They are both at a 1 now due to damage
penalties, but the raven is incredibly nervous since her
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 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
player realizes she has only 2 more unique Disciplines
she can use before she will have exhausted herself utterly
upon awakening.
Raven Player: Okay, this battle has not gone well!
I want to escape! Can I flee from the Dream Realm?
GM: Unfortunately the jackal gets to act first! As
you try to gather yourself after his vicious attack, you
see him rise up above the arena, transforming into a
BOOK ONE
massive, smoky demon. His blue eyes blaze like twin
crystal volcanoes! You feel his power rush toward you
as azure flames erupt from his eyes! Please make a
Defense Roll!
Once again the sorcerers clash, and once again the
ravens defenses fail. This time, however, her defense is
truly abysmal, while the jackals attack is amazing 10
successes to her 0!
GM: You feel excruciating agony as the flames
completely engulf your form! The Dream Realm
breaks apart around you like so many glittering
fragments of a shattered mirror. You feel yourself
sinking into an endless void. The jackals chilling
whisper floats out of the darkness. A pity I did not
ensnare your soul and make you my puppet. But
there will always be another time. Hahaha! You
violently awaken in your ritual chambers, thrashing
wildly about. In your blind panic, you strike your
Amber brazier, scattering the smoldering coals about
the room. Servants rush to your aid, calling your
name. They desperately attempt to calm you. But you
do not hear them. All you can hear are the echoes of
your enemys mocking laughter...
Sirhibasi in Society
On Drdnah, ritual is of great importance, and
since sirhibasi have the talent to create magic from
rituals, they are generally treated with a mix of respect
and fear. Often at an early age, these individuals
display a talent for manifesting some supernatural
ability or power; perhaps prophetic dreams or
waking visions, the ability to heal others by the mere
laying-on of their hands, a strange affinity for native
animal life, or even the inexplicable way in which
their simple desires became reality with very little
apparent effort of their own.
Regardless of the caste one may be born into,
those who are found to possess this natural talent are
often taken aside to be tutored by those who have the
knowledge to do so. Jnah not born into the Warrior
or Holy Caste who are recognized as having such
abilities are sometimes taken into the houses of lords
or into folds of the temples to be trained formally
in these mystic arts. It is not unknown for a peasant
or merchant to possess such talents and be sought
after by fellow Caste members or even other, more
insidious agents. Because society regards Outcastes
as existing without the same blessings of the Devah
conferred to those of true Caste, any Outcaste seen
to display such talents are often assumed to have
264
acquired them from conspiring with demons from
Narkah, and will most likely be feared by peasants
and merchants and slain out-of-hand by warriors
and priests. Such individuals, if discovered in time
by their fellow Outcastes, will often be secreted away,
spared so that they might offer spiritual guidance
to the countless masses who would never set foot
within resplendent temples to seek the wisdom of
the Holy Caste.
With the exception of those born as Outcastes,
most sirhibasi are easily recognized by the elaborate
tattoos, markings, or adornments with which
they decorate their bodies and in which, it is said,
they store their power. These body-art symbols are
usually interwoven with markings showing their
loyalties to their House and Line (if any), essentially
advertising whom they serve, since eventually most
sirhibasi settle down in the service of some group
or individual.
Though most people are aware of the existence
of sirhibasi, there are perhaps a small handful of
truly skilled ones (plus their students) in any large
city, and usually only one or none at all in small
towns and rural settings. Since some sirhibasi have
the status of local celebrities, seeking out a sirhibas
would be done with an understanding that their
services generally are reserved only for those with
whom they are allied or who are willing to offer a
good price or special favor. Seeing several sirhibasi
together in one public place often means that
interesting or troublesome things may be afoot and
will no doubt be cause for rumors and other strange
tidings among the populace.
Though it is possible to have many abilities and
talents beyond merely mystical skills (after all, ones
Caste certainly indicates a broad range of possible
professions), most sirhibasi tend to focus upon
their specific magical calling throughout their lives.
It is rare for a sirhibas to also be, say, a Weapons
Master or a professional acrobat, but there could
always be exceptions. In addition, most sirhibasi
are well versed in many different legends and lore
dealing with magical rituals, the theories behind the
ways in which magic works, and the essential mystic
concepts embraced by the inhabitants of Drdnah.
Understanding these concepts is important for
anyone hoping to play a sirhibas.
Basic Mystic Concepts
Before playing a sirhibas in the SHARD system,
its good to understand the basic ideas and theories
surrounding the common conceptions about magic
and mysticism in the world of Drdnah.
The worlds inhabitants, the jnah, believe that
Drdnah is a haven for them. They were placed
there by the Great Father and the Great Mother long
 ago during the age when the Devourer, a terrible
demonic force of destruction and entropy, chased
the Divine Couple across the cosmos in an attempt
to consume their beloved Children, the Devah.
Afraid for them, the Great Mother and Father
found Drdnah, which in the ancient texts means
literally Dust No One Weeps For, that lies in the
realm of the Devahs Dreams. Some have described
this Dream realm as a vast sea, sometimes called
Saln, which is often depicted as the universe
which holds all the bodies in the heavens. The Divine
Couple, in an attempt to hide Drdnah from the
baleful eyes of the Great Devourer and its terrible
hosts of Demons, took from the substance of Saln
the colorful Veils of Dream and, in their infinite
wisdom, wove it around the entire world. This is the
colorful nebulae of the sky that protects the world
both night and day, till the very end of time. Beyond
these Veils lays the Dream itself and, beyond that,
the shining Edge of Heaven, from whence came
the Great Mother and Father. The Swirling Hells
of Narkah, where the Great Devourer supposedly
lays waiting with his hordes of wicked servants, lies
at the very edge of existence.
But upon the face of the world, the Divine
Couple placed their children, the Devah, and used
Their power to clothe their children in many forms
(all the many varieties of Zoics). They poured Their
divine power into the world itself, manifesting it into
the many tools that would help the Devah and their
children the jnah survive. This power has taken
many forms: the essence infused into all crystals;
the holy power of spirit found in the duhma (the
soul); the spiritual energy found in laughter, tears,
and song, holy mathematics; and, of course, ritual
magic. Lets take a closer look at some of these basic
mystic concepts.
The Duhma
The duhma is the Drdni name for the spirit
or soul. Its the thing that sets the jnah apart from
all other living creatures of the world as children of
the Devah. The duhma is believed to be able to
leave the body of a sirhibas while in ritual trance
and pass into other realms as the ritual takes place.
When the body dies, according to most of the
ancient holy texts, the duhma escapes, passing
beyond the Veils of Dream, to dance for a time with
the Devah on the Edge of Heaven. Eventually it may
one day be reincarnated back into the Great Cycle
of Life and Death.
The duhma is considered to be a gift from the
Devah, offspring of the Great Mother and the Great
Father, who breathed life and soul into them so long
ago. As a gift, it must be carefully guarded by prayers
and meditation, the only sure way to protect it from
the hungry eyes of the demons that look down
Basic Compendium
from the skies on darkened nights. The people of
Drdnah believe that the duhma is something
that could be trapped or controlled by a being with
enough power and so are careful to always show
devotion to the Devah, whom they pray will protect
them from such a terrible fate.
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
Prna
Flowing through the duhma as blood flows
through our veins, emanating from the spiritual
heart of the Elements, passing through all things
both in the waking world and within the Dream,
there is a mystical energy called prna. Sirhibasi
of all kinds know this energy, the fountain of the
life force itself, calling upon it in ritual as well as
inscribing tattoos on their bodies designed to help
them focus and manipulate it.
When visible, it is often seen as liquid golden
light emerging from the body or even from thin air
near the sirhibas engaged in acts of ritual magic.
During many healing rituals, prna can even be seen
to flow from the fingers of the healer as it travels
across the body of the patient, filling wounds and
healing them with its miraculous light. It is said
to come from the living essence of the sirhibasi
themselves. Its very existence is considered testimony
to the power of the Devah. Prna may not always
appear in this way, and may seem different if coming
from a strange or malignant source.
Some similar energy must also flow through
demons, though of a very different origin, giving
them much of their awesome and terrible power.
The Dream
Somewhere between the Real World, the Edge
of Heaven, and the void of Narkah, lay the mystic
Veils of Dream. It is a place of shifting colors within
an opalescent sea of scintillating grey mists. Many
ancient holy texts speak of this place as being the
living dreams of the Devah themselves, while others
refer to it as a part of the Great Sea Saln, from
which all existence flows and across which the Great
Mother and Father fled to escape the Devourer.
The Dream can be experienced as a region
of swirling light and shadows and can only be
reached through portals opened during sleep and
ritual trance. Here, the thoughts and desires of all
intelligent beings take form as they play out their
fears, hopes, desires, and fantasies during slumber
or the deepest of trances. Because of this, many
sirhibasi seek their visions here, looking beyond
the boundaries of the Real World, searching for
answers that may evade them. All magic rituals seem
to tap into, contact, or even cause the sirhibas to
enter into the Dream in some way (the most notable
being the Ritual of Dreamwalking, detailed later).
It is thought to be the source of all magical power.
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 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
BOOK ONE
When entering the Dream, the sirhibasi part the
supernatural veils of its substance while sinking deep
into trance. As the Dream enfolds them, the waking
world begins to fade and they may see fleeting images,
vortices of color and light, or sinister dark shapes, all
depending on their mental state as they begin their
journeys. These indistinct forms begin to take on a
more recognizable appearance as the substance of
the Dream coalesces and the will and power of the
sirhibas begins to affect it in various ways.
Somewhere in Dream, it is said, there are secret
pathways to the shining Edge of Heaven as well as the
swirling void of Narkahs Hells. The Dream itself
appears boundless, however, as it is formed entirely
from the stuff of spirit and imagination. The thoughts
of the Devah and their children are the substance of
all things experienced within the Dream, and they can
be manipulated by sirhibasi with significant power.
They can make it look and sound however they wish,
providing they have the skills necessary to achieve
their desired results.
Rival sirhibasi sometimes meet within the Dream
to challenge one another to magical combat. When
this happens, they pit their Ritual skills against one
another while using their power to shape the stuff
266
of the Dream into many various weapons,
strange effects, supernatural attacks, and
all manner of amazing manifestations that
would never be possible in the Real World.
Remember, this is a battle of minds and
spirits, so the only powers that have an effect
against another in the Dream are those that
match against another casters Ritual Magic
Skill, Will, or Essence. Likewise, sirhibasi
may shape the Dream around them in other,
more benign ways, creating wondrous and
beautiful environments in which to seek
personal solace or to interact with those they
consider friends. Additionally, movement
can seem instantaneous since sirhibasi
can travel with the speed of thought in the
Dream.
Only supernatural entities occupy the
Dream. And, generally, all powers used in
the Dream only affect a sirhibas willpower,
mind, and ability to remain in trance, not
the physical body, though there are rare
exceptions (see Affecting the Real World).
This does not mean that the Dream cannot
be a potentially dangerous place. Powerful
beings traverse these mystic paths, some
more a part of the Dream than true reality,
and use it as a means of viewing all manner of
events and people of interest on Drdnah.
They could be demons, gods, or servants
of either; any of these could be potentially
harmful. Benevolent and neutral entities
travel here as well (such as other sirhibasi,
and even spirits of the dead) but it is difficult to tell in
the swirling mists who is friend and who is foe.
Just because physical harm seldom occurs while
in Dream doesnt mean the mind or soul could not
be controlled, trapped, or even shattered by a being
with enough power and malicious intent. In general,
however, the journey the sirhibasi take while their
duhmas travel in the Dream reflects the needs that
drew them there, the situations surrounding them,
their own mental states, and perhaps the mind of any
other jnah with whom they communicate or observe.
This place touches not just the dreams of the sirhibas
themselves, but also the dreams of others, making it
a very valuable tool for those who would view such
things or even attempt to manipulate them.
Remember always, however, that parting the Veils
of Dream is like opening the curtains to a window;
you may use it to look out just as others may be using
it to look in.
The Web of Life
Practitioners of ritual magic eventually come to
the understanding that such magic works because
all things in existence are interconnected in various
 ways, allowing ones thoughts, voice, song, and even
dreams to have a subtle affect on the physical and
spiritual aspects of the world around us. One of the
most profound ways to illustrate this concept is by
imagining that every aspect of existence is suspended
upon a vast cosmic web. This is the great Web of
Life. Every strand of the web is a path to all the
other strands. Upon every strand rests the countless
aspects of all things living and dead, natural and
supernatural, everything that must be dealt with and
interacted with, throughout our lives.
Nothing is exempt; nothing is special. Nothing
lives on a strand by itself, unconnected to the rest.
Nothing is wasted. Nothing is overlooked by the
Devah. The Devah, in their divine wisdom, have
made it possible for us to pass along and through
this web by our thoughts and dreams, making the
connections that allow us to touch and change these
things in our rituals. These objects upon the web,
moments in time, enemies and friends, dreams, and
nightmares, all hang like drops of morning dew,
illuminated by the wisdom of the sirhibas as if by
the light of the holy suns.
The strength of the web is the endless spiral
that connects all the strands that move outward
and away from the omnipotent consciousness of
Mahimbah and Mahitytah, the Great Mother and
Father. And upon this Great Spiral of wisdom, we
all move through existence, experiencing, as we go,
the intersecting brief flashes of the greater wisdom
streaming from its center, where reside the Mother
and Father of us all.
This inter-connectivity can be very important
symbolism to include as part of any rituals that deal
with summoning and controlling suthra, since the
Web of Life touches these creatures, linking them
not only as prey and predator but giving credence
to the part they play in the grand scheme of things.
Each living things purpose is mapped out upon the
delicate strands of the Web in some way, and a wise
sirhibas always attempts to understand the patterns
found in its intricate traceries. Likewise the paths
and moments of the individual lives of the jnah
can be found there, each birth a suspended jewel,
each death a broken strand. Many seers conjure
such symbolism when seeking answers that even the
Dream might obscure. And of course, in Healing as
well as in Sorcery, the actual manipulation of the
strands of the Web of Life can be used to connect
aspects of the various spiritual powers that bind
our minds and spirits to our bodies and to effect
powerful changes that are at the heart of these
practitioners various disciplines.
The Great Cycle
All jnah eventually perish, rendering up their
duhmas to the will of the Devah and the Great
Basic Compendium
Cycle of life, death, and rebirth. When a soul leaves
this mortal coil to dance at the Edge of Heaven
with the Devah, it waits upon the judgment of
the Great Mother and Father. If they deem that
the jnah was worthy in their eyes, the duhma
is eventually allowed to travel back through the
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
Dream, learning lessons from the dreams of the
Devah so that it may be reborn into the world and,
perhaps, blessed by being born to a higher Caste.
This circular pattern of Life, Death, and Rebirth is
known as the Great Cycle.
Those wretched souls who are found truly
wicked, unworthy, and irredeemable by the Great
Mother and Father are cast forever into the
swirling abysses of Narkah to be torn asunder
by the demons and foul spirits that dwell there. It
is believed that some powerful souls may actually
survive the hells of Narkah yet remain trapped
there, waiting for the day they might find a way
to escape their imprisonment and exist outside the
Great Cycle to bring terror to the children of those
who consigned them to torment. For this reason,
few dare challenge the sacred laws governing life
and death.
Some say that in legend there have been those
who sought to bring the dead back to life. These
magics are no doubt possible, but such a break in
the Great Cycle would surely attract the attention
of baleful things beyond the dark edges of Dream,
clinging to the cusp of the Swirling Hells. Fools
who attempt such tasks are, perhaps unwittingly,
giving such foul beings the chance they need to
break free from their bonds, to draw wicked breath
in the world again.
Demons, Spirits, and
Elementals
Within the ranks of the sirhibasi, there
is much debate concerning the nature of the
various supernatural powers that exist both upon
Drdnah and in the Dream. Some claim that all
such entities come from the same source and are
part of a Universal Duhma, nether good nor evil,
from which even the Devah derive their power.
Others claim that there are three distinct types
of supernatural beings other than the Devah who
dwell both in and out of Dream, and who come
from very different sources. Though the truth,
perhaps, is somewhere in between, for the sake of
understanding it is necessary to illuminate each of
these perceived kinds of supernatural entities and
its behavior.
Demons are spiritual entities that, according
to most arcane texts, emerge or are summoned
from the abysses of Narkah, the Swirling Hells.
Narkah is a place that exists beyond this world
and outside the edges of the Dream, and can be
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 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
reached through ancient portals accessed
by only the most skilled (or most foolish)
of sirhibasi. Once breached, it may be
possible to reach into Narkah to draw
forth beings that dwell within it. Most
consider such magics to be foul, however,
for Narkah is a place of corruption and
evil, a punishment to those consigned
BOOK ONE

there. Even spirits of the dead that have

been imprisoned in the Swirling Hells are
considered demonic, doubtless damned
for their impious acts. Such a spirit, called
forth from Narkah, is still considered a
demon by most sirhibasi, regardless of the
pleasing form it may take.
Other denizens of the black abysses
are nothing like the spirits of jnah, having
monstrous, insectoid aspects and tastes
that are utterly alien and often horrific
in the extreme. Entities appearing from
Narkah will sometimes clothe themselves
in physical form, taking shapes that allow
them to interact with the world in ways that
provide them amusement, appease their
terrible hungers, or fulfill the needs of their
summoners. Whether emerging into the
Dream or into our reality, demons often
possess horrible powers and deadly natural
weapons suited to their infernal purposes, seem to manifest within the primal forces of nature
and wise sirhibasi do well to avoid dealing with may be the most mysterious. These are referred to
them. as Elementals by most sirhibasi and seem to be
The spirits of the dead are rarely called upon, for beyond the religious concepts of good and evil. The
to do so is either to tear them away from their joyous forms they take can seem demonic at times, while at
dance at the Edge of Heaven, which might cause them other moments they might manifest as a fire with no
anger or distress, or to draw them forth from their fuel, or as an impossible shape formed by water that
imprisonment in dreaded Narkah, which will surely seems to move of its own accord. Their whisperings
lead to some terrible mischief. However, there are can sometimes be heard in the wind, speaking no
many stories of spirits that have been trapped upon tongue learned by any jnah. Their movements can
our world or within Dream, whether by evil events, be felt throughout the earth and seen in the power
confusion, fear, or some higher calling. Sometimes it of crystals.
is possible to interact with such spirits, whether for Some sages argue Elementals are the servants
good or ill, and other times one may only be able to of the Devah and that they exist in all things upon
observe their actions, pantomimes of what they did Drdnah that are not the jnah, placed there by the
during life. Such spirits can take many forms, from Great Mother and Father to help prepare the world
mist or shadow shapes that pass through walls to for the coming of Their children. Others, however,
animated heaps of root-riddled earth and decaying believe Elementals have existed here long before the
flesh and bones. Such spirits might have benevolent Great Mother and Father ever came and that the
natures, such as the shades of ancestors seeking rituals which call and bind them are performed at
to right some ancient wrong, or they may contain terrible risk, for such beings are beyond the power
some terrible malevolence, such as the khaujva, the of the Devah to control. It is well known that, in
hungry ones, ghosts who sustain themselves on the the area of their influence, they emanate powerful
essence of the living. It may be possible to free such emotions and feelings that seem to cut through all
spirits from that which entraps them in our world or else around them, springing up as if through the
within the Dream, though caution should always be hearts of all living things near to where they roam.
used so that one does not become a victim of the sad Regardless of the theories surrounding their strange
misfortunes of their fate. existence, the mysteries of their true nature have yet
Of all the supernatural forces native to to be unraveled.
Drdnah and the Dream, the spiritual entities that

268
 Affecting the Real World
Many magics in Drdnah affect the real world,
although rarely in a way that is either instantaneous or
lacking subtlety. Outside of the Dream, one rarely sees
dramatically instant effects unless you are dealing with
already-summoned entities or powers or manifesting
the visual glowing essence of prna. This is chiefly
due to the fact that such magics in Drdnah derive
their force from the act of ritual, which is an elongated
process that rarely lends itself to heat-of-combat flashy
special effects or instant gratification.
There are some Rituals however, such as the
sorceries of Endowment, which serve to enchant
objects and weave illusions that can have tangible or
visible effects on the material world, effects that can
sometimes be striking, memorable, and obviously
magical. Summoning, too, can have terrifying effects
visible to anyone unfortunate enough to be the target
of such magics. Spirits, Elementals, Demons, and even
dangerous suthra, when commanded by a powerful
enough summoner, can leave a wake of such terror and
destruction that the stories of such things can last long
beyond the life of the sirhibas responsible. As far as the
Dream is concerned, it is possible, although very rare,
for a sirhibas to be able to have an effect on real-world
objects from within the Dream or to attack someones
physical body through the Dream.
These types of magic and ritual are very powerful,
however, and are mostly reserved for ancient
sirhibasi or demon-spirits of incredible malignance.
Such arts often represent more of the darker side of
Dreamwalking magic, and are mistrusted and feared by
most sane jnah.
The Four Types of
Ritual Magic
Most sirhibasi concentrate their studies within a
single range of specialties associated with one of the
various types of ritual magic known in the world.
Understanding these magical categories is important
for anyone wanting to play a sorcerer in Drdnah. For
the purpose of these basic rules, there are four different
types of magic that are practiced throughout the world,
corresponding to the four rituals mentioned at the
beginning of this chapter: Healing, Dreamwalking,
Endowment, and Summoning. In general, the works
of most sirhibasi fall into one of these categories.
As mentioned during Character Creation, it will be
important to pick at least one of these categories upon
which to base the skills of any sirhibas character you
may wish to play.
The following descriptions of magic in the SHARD
system cover most things a sirhibasi character will want
to do, and having read through the previous section
presenting all the basic mechanics for performing a
Basic Compendium
ritual, you should now have a general knowledge of
what the flow of the rules is like. But what about the
nature of the role-playing itself? What does it feel
like to role-play a Magic Ritual during a game? Thats
an important question to address! After each of the
Ritual Magic descriptions we have included a narrative
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
example of these rituals as they would play out in game,
used to illustrate most instances of Skill use that would
apply to that ritual.
Healing
Lets start with the least dangerous type of magic,
the mystic arts of a healer sirhibas. Ritual Healing
refers to the arts of mending the mind, body, and even
the spirit, purely with the power of magic. The healer
sirhibasi (usually referred to simply as healers) are
often, though not always, of the Holy Caste. They
seem to draw from their very own vitality in order to
restore the health of their patients, as can usually be
seen by the degree of exhaustion after any particularly
demanding ritual. Such acts of magic often include
meditative chanting, the laying-on of hands, the use
of crystals to focus their power, and sometimes even
deep trance. During these rituals it is not uncommon
to see glowing, golden prna, the radiant essence of the
sirhibas life force, flow forth from the hands or eyes
of the healer, bathing the wounds of the patient in its
healing warmth.
The ritual commonly performed by healer sirhibasi
is simply known as the Ritual of Healing. Though it is
essentially less risky than many other types of magical
rituals, there is always a chance that perils may arise. As
noted earlier in the Magic Difficulty Modifier Table,
a healer can achieve numerous effects by performing
various Disciplines within this ritual, namely:
Gathering up the golden, glowing energy of prna,
usually used to begin the ritual. Though this heals no
damage itself, the mystic properties of this visible power,
flowing from the hands or mouth of the healer, can stop
continued bleeding and can even restore consciousness
in some cases. Being an easy Discipline used to initialize
the ritual, it is generally performed with no Difficulty
Modifier.
Entering the Dream (usually just the edges of the
Dream Realm), for the purposes of conducting the more
spiritual aspects of healing. Most healers, when deep in
ritual meditation, may see their patient as if standing
within the misty edges of the Dream Realm, but may
use their Magic Ritual Skill roll to go fully into Dream if
they feel it might aid them in the healing attempt. This
is more difficult for them to perform than a seer, at a
difficulty of 1. Being in the Dream (or even at its edge)
puts any sirhibas at risk of coming into conflict with
other beings there. This may require healers to either
defend themselves (at a 2 difficulty modifier), or attack
in return (at a 3 difficulty modifier), neither of which
they will achieve as easily as a seer.
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 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
Healing wounds of all varieties (both physical as
well as potentially mental), all of which magically return
Stamina at the rate of 8 levels per Magic Ritual success
whether the wound is primarily subdue or fatal damage,
and can also be used to heal Characteristics at the rate of
2 points per success. Healing lesser wounds (that caused
below 1/3rd the patients full Stamina) is performed
at a 1 difficulty. Healing large wounds (that caused
BOOK ONE
below 2/3rd the patients full Stamina), or supernatural
wounds, is performed at a 2 difficulty. Healing terrible
wounds (that caused 2/3rd the patients full Stamina
or more), mending bones, and curing poison effects or
madness, is performed at a 3 difficulty. Restoring severed
limbs is possible at a 4 difficulty modifier. Restoring
lost Characteristics and healing old injuries and birth
defects can be done at a 5 modifier (or higher).
Additional Disciplines. These can be as
divergent as casting blessings and protections from
supernatural forces, breaking curses, severing the tethers
of supernatural domination or control, and even
banishing supernatural foes. The modifiers for these
are also found in the Magic Difficulty Modifier Table,
and their various effects and limits (freely interpreted
by the GM) should be dependant on the number of
successes rolled, as well as the Essence and/or Will of
those involved.
An Example of Healing
Following a dramatic fight between a group of comrades
and a mad hermit monk who lived in an abandoned temple
high in the mountains, a brave warrior lays gravely injured.
Having traveled there with a mystic healer priest, the goals
had been to confront the strange monk (rumored to have had
a hand in the disappearances of local villagers), discover what
villainy may have actually occurred, and help cleanse the
temple using holy ceremonies. The group had made a grisly
discovery, since it seemed that the hermit monk had been
committing terrible sacrificial murders. The chambers below
the temple ruins had become a slaughterhouse filled with the
bodies of villagers and unwary travelers!
From the sinister shadows the crazed monk (a black
adder) emerged, wielding an ancient-looking, chipped crystal
dagger that seemed to glow with an unholy inner fire. Terrified,
the party did battle with the Sarpah monk, who seemed to
have supernatural strength and a horribly twisted visage. In
the end he was defeated, but one of the group (a female fox
Honor Guard) was terribly wounded by the monks glowing
crimson knife. She now lies unconscious and bleeding!
Since my baboon character is the only magical
healer in the group and the GM has said that our
attempts to bind the foxs wounds seem unable to stop
the flow of blood, I let the GM know I want to make
a Knowledge (magic theory) roll to see if my character
knows whether the copious bleeding might be due to
some terrible enchantment placed on the dead monks
evil-looking crystal blade. With a successful roll, the
GM informs me that it is very possible that some dark
270
magic has caused this. Without a Ritual of Healing,
she may not have long to live!
I quickly tell the other players (in character) that
I want them to help me clear the area so that I may
begin preparations for a magical ritual that might save
the foxs life. The crystal dagger, I tell them, carried a
terrible curse that thwarts our efforts to staunch the
flow of blood nothing less than the holy power of the
Devah can help her now.
As the rest of the party begin to clear out space on
the rubble-strewn temple chamber floor according to my
characters directions, I tell the GM that Im preparing
to cast a Ritual of Healing. I describe how I take a
stubby piece of yellow chalk from my pack and begin
inscribing a mystic circle around the female fox, filling
it with symbols of blessing and healing, and another
glyph that surrounds me (this time a large triangle, for
varietys sake) in which I draw symbols of power and
protection. I then tell the GM that I light little cones
of incense around the perimeter of these symbols and
take out my crystal singing bowl which vibrates with
a beautiful tone when I move a special sounding stick
around its outer rim. All these items are proper tools
of my trade, something a mystic priest like me would
ritually use.
The GM agrees, liking how Ive set up the scene,
then describes that we all hear the distant rumble of
thunder, as if a storm is approaching. This completes
the first part of the ritual, where I declare the ritual I
want to do and describe my preparations, so now its
time to move onto the performance of the ritual itself.
GM: Alright baboon, now that you have settled
into the center of your chalk symbol, you begin to
sound your meditation bowl, filling the ancient
chamber with its soft tones and the humming
vibrations of your chanting as you begin to intone
the mystic words.
The GM looks around at the rest of the players,
getting their attention as he includes them in the
description of the scene.
GM: As the sirhibas begins to murmur, the
rest of you notice that there seems to be a strange
chill you can feel in the air, perhaps it is that the
clouds have begun to gather in the skies above since
you entered the temple ruins and the warm rays of
the two suns that had been streaming through the
holes in the ceiling above have all but vanished. The
rumbling sound of thunder is heard again, this time
a little closer.
GM: Fox, you need to take another level of
damage as you continue to bleed.
Fox: Oh NO!
GM: Yep, please mark it off of your Stamina.
Baboon: Id like to make my initial roll to begin
the ritual. My goal is to gather up the healing energy
of prna from around my hands and use it to try to
stop her from bleeding to death.
 GM: OK, make your first roll using your
Healing Ritual Action Dice.
Baboon: This sudden change in the weather is
freaking me out! Are there any modifiers I need to
know about?
GM: Nope, not yet...go ahead and roll.
As mentioned earlier, here is the formula I need to
use to make my first roll for the ritual:
Initial Ritual Roll = (Characters Appropriate
Magic Ritual Skill + modifiers, if any)
My baboon healer has a Magic Ritual (Ritual of
Healing) skill of 8 (derived from my Essence of 7, but
bought up to an 8 with Story Points a few games back).
I am uninjured from the combat and there are no
adverse or advantageous circumstances, so there are no
modifiers to my attempt at this time. I roll my 8d6 and
get 4 successes for my initial roll to begin the Ritual.
GM: As you all observe, the baboon healer
raises up his free hand away from the vibrating bowl
sitting before him and slowly begins moving it toward
the unconscious form of the fox. As he continues to
intone the holy chant, the very air before him starts
to shimmer as a golden aura forms around his hand.
The baboons eyes slowly close as he falls deeper into
his meditative trance; the golden light spreads out
from his outstretched fingers and begins to cascade
down upon the gaping wound in the foxs side. As
you watch, the foxs breathing becomes faster, and
you can see the blood on her fur seems to actually
burn away as the cleansing light of the holy fire pools
down into the terrible wound and the pulsing flow
of blood is halted. Outside you all can hear a slight
moaning noise as the wind seems to be picking up.
Fox: Whew! Have I stopped bleeding to
death?
GM: Yes, you have, but youve still taken a
lot of damage from the wound itself. Youre now at
-3 Stamina from that last point you lost a moment
ago, which means you are still unconscious as well.
For you to awaken, the healer will need to roll well
enough at some point to actually close the wound
and get your Stamina above 0. Baboon, what do you
want to do next?
Baboon: Just like you said, I want to heal the
knife wound itself, to try to seal it up. What do I
need to roll?
At this point, the ritual has moved into Step 3
where the main effects of the Ritual of Healing begin
to manifest as required dice rolls are made by the player
(and the GM when necessary).
GM: OK, having gotten into the ritual and
initiated the first steps of Healing by manifesting
golden prna, you will now need to roll your Magic
Ritual skill again but this time there will be some
modifiers applied to the roll. You have sunk into
deep trance; as a result of that trance, though your
actual eyes have closed, within your mind a type of
spiritual sight makes it seem as if the room around
you has become vague and misty. Most of the
Basic Compendium
surrounding details have vanished, leaving only you,
the body of the fox, and the symbols you drew upon
the floor, all of which seem to float strangely within a
sea of colorful glowing veils and sparkling vapor. You
feel like the room you are in has begun to touch the
Dream. The golden light of the prna that continues
to emanate from you flows across the wound as you
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
attempt to heal it. Before you make your healing roll,
please make an Essence roll first.
Baboon: Wait, how do I do that again?
GM: Just roll the same number of dice as your
current Essence Ranking.
My healer character has an Essence of 7, as I
mentioned before. So I roll 7 dice and get 2 successes.
Baboon: I made a full success!
GM: Very well, you notice as you gaze at the
wound there is a distinctive scarlet darkness about
it that threatens to diminish the glowing brilliance
of the prna. Your magical sight tells you that the
wound is both physical and supernatural, making it
even more difficult to heal. Your gaze passes through
her body as if it has become translucent, and there
appears to be some strange glittering object burning
like a tiny crimson star in the heart of the wound. Go
ahead and roll your Healing Ritual skill dice now but
at a modifier of 2 dice to the roll.
Baboon: What? Hold on a second! Whats that
shining thing inside her wound?
GM: Well, make a decent roll on this attempt
at healing her and maybe Ill explain. Remember,
youre at a 2 for this dice roll...
The GM smiles secretly as I make my roll; my
Healing Ritual Skill of 8 2 = 6 dice. I make the roll
and get a 5, 4, 2, 4, 6, and 6. I get to roll the second six
again and only roll a 1. Oh well still really good!
Baboon: OK, great! I got 5 successes!
GM: Very good! Through your spiritual sight
you watch as the glowing prna flows deep into
the wound, slowly knitting her flesh together as it
passes, reaching far inside as it finally touches the
tiny scarlet glow at its heart. Fox, since the Recovery
Table indicates that magical healing lets you recover
lost Stamina at the rate of 8 levels per success rolled,
and since the healer baboon just rolled 5 successes,
you get back 40 levels of Stamina.
Fox: Thats GREAT! Im back up to full
Stamina then, does that mean I wake up now?
GM: Heh... Well, mark it down on your
Character Sheet, but nope, you dont wake up. This
isnt over just yet... I need you to make a Will roll!
The foxs Will is a 6, which means she gets to roll
6d6. The GM has decided that the foe she is secretly
facing (a hellish thing imprisoned in the crystal dagger
that wounded her) has 7 dice at its disposal, meaning
it gets to make a Will roll of 7. The GM secretly rolls 7
dice, getting 3 successes, and the fox rolls her 6 dice...a
2,3,3,2,2,2: failure.
Fox: Uh oh...
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 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
Baboon: Yeah, my thought exactly.
GM: As the rest of you watch from well
outside the area of the ritual, the foxs small body
begins to shake as if struck by a seizure! The strange
golden glow coming from the outstretched hand of
the straining baboon seems to be twisted into dark
crimson streaks as it enters the writhing wound in
her side. Lightning flashes across the sky above,
BOOK ONE
thunder roars through the darkened clouds, and
the wind begins to shriek through the crumbling
walls of the temple ruins.
GM: Baboon, through your mystic gaze into
the Dream, the moment the healing prna begins
to tug at the crimson ember within her you are
given the briefest wisp of a vision! Through the
swirling colorful veils of mist a dark form can be
seen clutching a ghostly image of the dead monks
red crystal dagger as it cries out in arcane words
that are painful to hear. In front of this figure a
terrible, hulking demonic form manifests, raising
up its many chitinous appendages in great anger,
only to wail in agony and rage as, in a rush of
energy, it is drawn within the dagger itself. The
ruby-like blade rises into the air above the body of
the fox and, though the vision vanishes, the ghostly
dagger, now huge, remains. From the glowing
dagger crimson strands of magical force lash out,
drawing the Dream-form of the fox up onto her feet
like some ghastly marionette. Upon her face there
is the same terrible expression that you recall seeing
on the mad monk as he attacked you earlier, but
here, in the Dream, her eyes glow an otherworldly
red as she shambles toward you, arms reaching out
with clawed hands grasping...
Fox: Aaghh! Is my real body doing that?
GM: No, the rest of you see her body continue
to convulse upon the ground as the haunting wind
howls through the ancient once-sacred chamber.
The sound of it echoes down the hollow halls and
deep down the passages to where the corpses of the
poor villagers still lie, almost making it sound as if
they are crying out from far below.
Baboon: Its got control of her somehow! I
want to use my magic to break those strings if I can,
and to push that thing out of her!
At this point the GM decides that if the baboon
healer succeeds in doing this, it should resolve the
situation and bring conclusion to the entire issue
pertaining to the injured fox, thus freeing her from
the demon spirits control. However, such a feat will
not be easy at all.
GM: Very well, you must make a final
Healing Ritual skill roll, but this time youll be
doing it at 5 to your Action Dice.
Baboon: Minus 5! That only leaves me with
3 dice to roll!
GM: Yes, but in this circumstance, since
you are trying to defeat another being, this is
considered an Opposed roll, which means you
get to add your Mystic Talent Dice to your Action
Dice. What is your Mystic Talent?
272
Baboon: A 3! That means I get to roll 6 dice
against it.
The baboon healer rolls his 6 dice, getting
4 successes, and the GM rolls his 7 dice for the
demon-spirit but achieves only 3 successes. Lucky for
them all, the baboons successes completely cancel
out the demons successes, thus severing the bonds
formed between it and the fox, breaking its control
completely! The GM decides that its now time to
describe the rituals conclusion.
GM: As the ghostly form of the fox shambles
toward you, ready to strike, you attempt to
spiritually lash out at the evil shimmering strings
that seem to guide her movements; as you do so, the
glowing triangular symbol you drew surrounding
your character earlier seems to spin now, its sharp
edges extending and rising into the air as they slash
away from you, severing the controlling cords in
a flash of white light which seems to engulf the
horrible form of the possessed fox, consuming
the scarlet energy lodged within her as a terrible
demonic roar echoes across the expanse of the
Dream.
GM: The rest of you watch in wonder as the
bright golden glow surrounding the shuddering
body of the fox upon the ground seems to intensify
near the area of the wound, utterly overbearing the
darker crimson color that had briefly appeared.
Suddenly, from out of the still-closing wound itself
a pulsing, glowing red object appears, a scarlet
crystal chip that had no doubt flaked away from
the dagger when it stabbed her. As the small crystal
shard rises above the foxs body, held aloft by the
glowing prna, the chalk symbols on the ground
seem to glow brightly in a sudden immense flash of
lightning directly overhead, the baboon cries out
as if in triumph, the small piece of glowing scarlet
crystal shatters into a thousand tiny pieces, and a
mighty blast of thunder shakes the ruins around
you all. As the last echoes rumble away into the
distance, the first huge drops of rain begin to
fall, leaking through the holes in the ceiling and
beginning to obscure the chalky symbols upon the
ground.
Shaken by the ordeal, the baboon almost
slumps over the fox as the rest of you see that her
terrible wound is nearly healed; a slim pink line of
slightly-scarred flesh the only clue to what it had
been. The fox begins to moan and her eyes flutter
as she slowly regains consciousness.
GM: Baboon, in the dim light of the
chamber, your tired eyes catch a brief glimpse of
the dead monks crimson dagger, a reddish glow
still barely visible within its depths, laying nearby
on the carved stones of the temple floor.
Baboon: That thing, the dagger that stabbed
her, there is a demon trapped within it. It was using
that tiny piece of itself to try to gain control over
her the way it did with the monk. It is a blasphemy
against the Devah! We must find a way to destroy
it...
 Dreamwalking
Ritual Dreamwalking refers to using magical arts to
gaze into the past, present and future, to search for things
believed long lost or craftily hidden, and even peer into
the minds and dreams of others. Those who practice
these ancient skills are called seer sirhibasi (or simply
seers for short). Working their magic often plunges
them into deep meditative trances that can last for hours,
causing them to seclude themselves in private chambers
filled with burning incense and the sounds of humming
crystals. Here seers invoke dreams through which they
catch glimpses of the answers they seek. Sometimes the
dreams that carry their visions come unbidden, troubling
their sleep with half-formed wisps of prophetic imagery.
Often such images are clouded with symbolism that
must be deciphered, though a very skillful seer might be
able to call up lucid visions of startling clarity.
The ritual commonly performed by seer sirhibasi
is simply known as the Ritual of Dreamwalking.
Dreamwalking represents the sirhibas spiritually viewing
or entering the other dimension known as The Dream.
This type of magic is both the most common type of
magical ritual on Drdnah and the most mysterious
and enigmatic.
It can be anything from a simple ritual allowing the
sirhibas to cast bones and little crystals on the floor to
read an omen while in trance to a complete out-of-body
experience where the spirit of the sirhibas passes beyond
this world into a dream realm of strange vistas and alien
beings! As noted earlier in the Magic Difficulty Modifier
Table, a seer can achieve numerous effects by performing
various Disciplines within this ritual, namely:
Entering the Dream Realm. This Discipline
initiates the Ritual of Dreamwalking (unless they are
seeing visions using some scrying device, such as a
crystal, a pool of water, the smoke from a fire, etc., while
awake), and is generally performed using no Difficulty
Modifier by the seer. As stated earlier, being in the
Dream (or even at its edge) puts any sirhibas at risk of
coming into conflict with other beings there as well,
which may require seers to either defend themselves (at
a 1 difficulty modifier), or attack in return in various
ways (at a 2 difficulty modifier), which they can achieve
more easily than other types of sirhibasi.
Seeing the past, present, or future. The stock and
trade of a seer, successful use of their Magic Ritual Skill
(at a 1 difficulty modifier in most cases), allows the seer
to get glimpses of events long past, scenes near or far, or
even things that have yet to transpire.
Though often done from inside the Dream
Realm, it is possible to perform such a feat while awake
using an enchanted object or some other means of
wakeful divination (e.g., a pool of reflective water, the
heart of a magic crystal, the flames or smoke of a fire,
casting stones, bones, cards, etc.). Such visions could be
clearly defined, almost as if the seer were there himself,
Basic Compendium
or could be represented in vague, symbolic, or iconic
scenes. How GMs portray such visions is entirely up to
them and should depend on the nature of the ritual and
the successes rolled by the player.
Various Dream Disciplines. From simple
Disciplines to those that are incredibly difficult, by
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
rolling the Magical Ritual (dreamwalking) skill a seer can
also attempt to see through illusions (at a 1 modifier),
seek and communicate with others who may be in
Dream or are merely sleeping or in meditative trance (at
a 2 modifier), dispel manifestations such as wards and
magical traps (also at a 2 modifier), bring the spirits of
others into the Dream Realm, allow others to see the
visions you see, and even affect others dreams (all at a
3 modifier), attempt to Dominate their Dream-foe (at
a 4 modifier), capture another persons spirit, which
can cause their body to eventually die without it (at a 5)
modifier, or even physically move through the Dream
Realm from one place to another, which is an incredibly
rare and dangerous thing indeed (also at a 5 modifier or
higher). The GM should feel free to interpret the various
effects and limitations of these Disciplines as desired.
Additional Disciplines, such as creating wards
and other protection for a house (that specifically relate
to Dreamwalking and Dream-related issues), might be
possible at various levels of difficulty and have effects
that are utterly at the discretion of the GM.
An Example of Dreamwalking
This scene takes place in a private meditation chamber of
the seer of the House of Satyr (an old sirhibas owl character).
The Aryah of her house had called upon her earlier in the day
to go into Ritual to seek information that might lead to the
discovery of an assassin that his informants have heard may
be about to make an attempt on the Aryahs life. There has
always been bad blood between our House of Satyr and the
House of Rjyat, another House from a rival Line of the city
in which all involved dwell. If anyone close were to send an
assassin, it would be someone from the House of Rjyat. But
the real questions are who, why, and more importantly
when. The lord Satyr believes that the aged and respected owl
seer may be able to find these answers in Dream. The only way
to do that is to secretly break through the magical wards that
no doubt surround the palace of the lord Rjyat.
The other player characters (those who may be
involved in foiling this assassination attempt) will be
gathering together with me in the chamber in the
hopes of somehow taking advantage of what Im about
to do. If Im lucky enough with my rolls, I can include
them in the vision, and they may find clues that could
save our lords life.
As a seer of our House and Line and a member
of the Sunborn (noble High Caste) myself, I happen
to enjoy the honor of having some servants at my
beck and call. I ask the GM if there are such servants
currently in attendance to my needs and Im told that
the Aryah has assigned several to me this night to
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insure that things go smoothly with the attempt of this
ritual. Its now time to get this thing started.
Owl: OK, assuming these servants have helped
in the preparations for my rituals before, I tell them
that I need to have them arrange the room to account
for the other guests that have come to participate;
meanwhile, I will make some soothing herbal tea for
them using some special herbs. Would you let me use
BOOK ONE
a tea that will help calm everybody and make it easier
for them to be a part of this ritual? I havent really
tried bringing others into the Dream so that they can
see what I see. Im hoping this may help.
GM: Alright, that sounds reasonable, and a
great way to start a Ritual involving others, kind of
like a Japanese tea ceremony! OK, when the time
comes, remind me and Ill let you add +1 die when
you attempt to bring them in. However, bringing
other people who arent sirhibasi into the Dream
like this wont be easy as it is, so you may find that
this additional die merely serves to offset a Difficulty
Factor that Ill be setting.
Owl: Really? WellI guess its good that Im
doing it then! OK, as some of the servants are bringing
in comfortable pillows for everyone to sit on, Ill have
another help me arrange the ritual area with the
proper incense and candles and such, with me sitting
in the direct center of the room. Once everyone has
settled with their tea, I want to begin tracing chalk
outlines around me representing Dream symbology.
Once finished Ill begin the humming chant that lets
me start the Ritual itself.
GM: Excellent! You all watch as the servants
scurry around the room doing the seers bidding.
She stretches out her snowy-white wings, fanning
the smoke of the incense as it swirls around the dim
chamber. One by one the servants draw the little
silken shades around the glowing jugnu-worm cages
hanging at the edges of the room as candles are lit
before you, casting long shadows across the intricate
tapestries upon the walls. The rich smells of incense
and hot herbal tea fills the air around you as you are
each handed a steaming cup and asked to sit on the
cushions that are offered to you. The owl seer takes
her place at the center of the room, inscribes a great
spiral around her, interlaced with strange symbols
and figures, and begins to softly hum as she closes her
eyes and slowly slips into ritual trance.
Step 1 having been completed, Step 2 of the ritual
now begins. This ritual, like any other, will require the
sirhibas to make an Initial Roll at this time, followed
by the GMs description of the ritual as it begins to
manifest (which can be in any subtle, creative way the
GM can imagine, as long as it creates an air of suspense
and mystery for everyone participating). Making it a
little bit different every time makes each ritual somewhat
unique, keeps players on their toes, and keeps things
interesting.
GM: Alright owl, it is now time to make your
Initial Roll to see how the Ritual of Dreamwalking
begins for you. Please roll your Magic Ritual Skill roll
for Dreamwalking.
274
Owl: OK, I have a Magical Ritual Dreamwalking
skill of 6 dice. There arent any modifiers for this,
right?
GM: Correct. Just make your basic skill roll.
Owl: Got it! I rolled a 2, 1, 2, 4, 4, and 5. Three
successes!
GM: Very well owl, please note that this is your
first Unique Discipline you have performed today,
since you have performed no other rituals earlier.
After several minutes you begin to sink deeper into
meditation, your eyes closed, the darkness begins to
give way to wisps and streamers of light and color
that drift and sway to the melody of your chant. Veils
of swirling mist seem to draw close around you and
you see a glimmer of brighter colors whirl slowly in
a vast spiraling circle, like some immense glittering
flower whose petals are about to unfold. As for the
rest of you, you slowly begin to drift into a calm and
soothing state as the humming sounds of the owls
chants lull you into a meditative daze. One by one
your eyes slowly close.
Owl, you recognize this vast spiraling form
as the colorful Veils of Dream, the shining, ever-
changing portal into the Dreamworld itself and, as
you approach, you move your great wings before you,
parting the glimmering, misty veils with the tips of
your feathers, which begin to delicately glow with
their first touch of the Other World. As the swirling
vapors open before you, you feel yourself being gently
pulled in, leaving your body behind as your duhma
passes into the Dream. You no longer feel the floor
beneath you, nor do you smell the incense or hear
the sound of your own chanting voice. Instead of
the room, there surrounds you a silver-grey field of
endless glittering mists, as if a million tiny gems float
scattered in the air. And through this mist strange
colorful shapes flit as if alive. Apparently far away,
even though distance seems meaningless here, there
are darker forms, reminiscent of far-off mountains or
clouds, yet they drift like ships on a silent sea, far too
indistinct to guess what they may be.
Owl: Well...I take all this in for a moment,
then look down at myself. Do I have any kind of body
here, a form of some kind?
GM: Yes, it seems as if, this time, you appear
much as you do in the waking-world, clothing and all,
but more translucent and phantom-like.
Owl: Hmm. Now I need to bring in the rest, I
guess, if I can.
At this point the ritual moves on to Step 3,
where the required rolls are made for the continuing
manifestation of the rituals effects.
GM: Alright, to do this, like most anything else
during ritual, you will need to make a Magic Ritual
skill roll using your Dreamwalking, of course. This is
not an Opposed roll, since Im assuming that none of
the rest of you are attempting to resist being drawn
within the Dream. However, bringing others in, like
I mentioned earlier, isnt easy at all, so Im assigning
a difficulty modifier of 3 dice to each roll to bring
them in, which Ill allow you to offset by the use of
 the tea you said you made for them all, making it
only a 2. Youll need to roll once for each person.
All of these rolls together will count as the use of
another single Unique Discipline.
Owl: Minus 2 dice for each roll?!? What if I
dont make it? What happens to them?
GM: They will remain in a state of pseudo-
trance for the rest of the ritual but will not experience
any of the sights and sounds enjoyed by those whom
you succeed in bringing in. Go ahead and roll for
each of the other characters individually.
There are five other characters in this case, and so
I roll 5 times, once for each of them. The first three
are complete successes (meaning I rolled two or more
successful dice for each roll), however the last two
didnt do so well.
Owl: Uh oh...
GM: What happened?
Owl: The first of you three came through just
fine, but for you (pointing to the fifth) I failed my
roll, which means that you will remain in that blind
trance right?
GM: Right, but what about the other one?
Owl: Well, on him (the fourth one, an otter
Honor Guard), I Fumbled; no successes and one 1.
GM: Oooohh... OK otter, as you seemed to
slip deeper and deeper into a trance-like state the
room became darker around you, and full of what
now appears to be menacing shadows. You have a
Drawback pertaining to spirits, dont you?
Otter: Uhhh, yeah... My character sometimes
sees, or has visions of, his father, who the family
thinks is dead because he disappeared years ago on a
journey through the eastern Uttara Mountains.
GM: Very well then, otter. You see the silken
robes of the owl sirhibas stir in the whispering
shadows and just as you expect her to reach out
and guide you into the vision with the rest, a frost-
blackened, withered hand emerges from the folds of
her sleeve whose tips are coated in glistening blood.
The cowl that had covered the features of her face
slides back to reveal the face of your lost father, his
eyes hollow and vacant, his muzzle drawn back to
reveal his many teeth set loose within receding, dead
gums! A terrible voice rasps from his throat as you
hear the words Dooo nottt joinnn mmeeeee...!
And you are suddenly shocked into wakefulness,
scrambling back away from the circle of your chanting
comrades. Though they are luckily not awakened by
your sudden, strangled cry, you can only sit back and
observe their chanting as their ritual commences
without you.
Owl: Sorry guys, I tried.
GM: As for the three you succeeded with,
they will gain the benefit of being able to see what
transpires within the Dream. You will see them
appear near you in the Dream, though you see
them merely as glowing spheres of golden light and
dancing flame hovering near you among the colorful
Basic Compendium
shimmering veils. To you three, the owl sirhibas
appears as a phantom image of herself, vague and
translucent.
Owl: Now that most of us are here, this is what
I want to do. We all feel that these rumors about an
attempted assassination of our lord no doubt refer
to some plans made within our enemys House, so I
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
want to attempt to peer into the House of Rjyat at
whatever time such a subject may have been discussed
most recently to observe these plans.
GM: Youll need to successfully roll your Magic
Ritual skill roll then, though please modify the roll
by 1 die, since this is slightly difficult to do.
Owl: OK, I got 4 successes!
GM: Good! Remember that, then, but before
I describe what you may see there, we need to deal
with something else first. Those of you who have
been brought into the Dream, floating there as you
observe the strange environment around you, see
the owl spread her wings widely around her and the
misty, shimmering veils seem to change and shift,
moving past you as if carried by a high wind, though
you feel none. Its as if you are sailing through the
Dream without moving and being carried to a
distant location. As the whirling mists change,
they also seem to take on strange features that soon
become recognizable. Sights, sounds, and even hints
of smells seem to enfold you as the Veils of Dream
form what appears to be the very city in which you
live, seen as if from high within the air as you all
pass over it in vision. And below you now, closer
and closer, the spectral image of the House of your
enemy becomes apparent. But suddenly you see the
owl stiffen and the Dream takes on a strange violet
hue as tiny purple filaments of light appear to bar
your way, their intricate patterns intertwining as if to
form a living barrier.
Owl, you have encountered a mystic Ward that
has been placed here to safeguard the privacy of the
House. You will need to carefully unravel this Ward
so that you may see beyond it. This will be considered
an Opposed roll, since you will be attempting to affect
the magic of another, and it is somewhat difficult.
Please roll your Magic Ritual skill roll with the
addition of your Mystic Talent Dice, but I need you
to modify that total by 2 dice due to the difficulty
modifier in this case.
While my owl rolls her dice, achieving 7 successes,
the GM announces that the Ward has 6 successes
invested in it (which the GM rolled using the skills
ranking of the rival sirhibas who created it). This means
the owl has been only partially successful attempting to
unravel the Ward.
Owl: Uh oh, what does that mean in this
case?
GM: While you are able to loosen it enough
to see beyond its protection, you are unable to fully
dismiss or unravel it, and it wont remain open for
long. This attempt may have even alerted the one
who made this Ward to your presence in the Dream!
The rest of you watch as the owl begins the difficult
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task of unweaving just enough of the Wards intricate
glowing sigils to look beyond it.
Owl: OK, we have to be quick about this. With
my 4 earlier successes, what am I able to see?
GM: Beyond the shifting, glowing frame
opened through the Ward, a sparsely-decorated
chamber appears and in it stands Bntahk, the lynx
Weapons Master of the House of Rjyat. Before him
BOOK ONE
kneels a thin, black greyhound whom none of you
recognize. All of you hear their faint voices as they
echo strangely across the Dream.
The lynx Bntahk says in an almost purring
voice your chance will come when the House of
Satyr and the House of Brathah compete in the
Spiral Arena. There will be fewer guards to deal
with, and the Aryahs distraction will make him an
easy target for you. I take it you have chosen your
position? The greyhound bows his head, replying
Yes, honored Master, none will look for one such as I
within the shadows of Kramahs beloved statue. The
lynx then brings forth a single arrow whose crystal
tip appears dipped in the greenest of inks. Very well,
this shall be your message to our unfortunate friend.
Many jnah had to die so that even this small amount
of kyarku-beetle poison could fall into our hands...
The greyhound gingerly takes the arrow from him.
Worry not gracious Master, I never miss.
Owl: The competition! Thats in merely three
days!
GM: Suddenly, all around you in the Dream a
terrible shrieking begins, drowning out the voices in
the vision. Please make a roll of your Magic Ritual
skill, added to your Mystic Talent dice, at a 1 die
penalty. You are now attempting to defend yourself
and those with you from some strange attack within
the Dream!
At this point the GM has determined that my
attempts to peer through our enemys Wards have
been discovered and that some other sirhibas has
arrived in an attempt to stop us. I notice that though
I have taken one from my total Action Dice, the GM
has actually taken two from his own. Apparently he
considers attacking in the Dream to be more difficult
than defending. I roll 5 successes and he rolls 3. I win
this roll! I mark down that this is the fourth Unique
Discipline that I have attempted today, which means
I have only three more I can attempt before I need to
get away. My Essence plus my Mystic Talent is 8, which
means that if I use 8 Unique Disciplines during this
Ritual, Ill fall unconscious for awhile once the ritual
ends. I need to be careful.
GM: If there can truly be said to be a ground
here in the Dream, strange, thin crystal-like shards
rise up from it and begin surrounding you like
the bars of some mystic prison, their razor-sharp
edges drawing close around you. You succeeded in
defending against this attack, however, so what would
you like to happen?
Owl: I want to shatter those crystal bars into
hundreds of sharp, glowing shards that float and swirl
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around me. Do I see where this attack came from?
GM: Well, the bars shatter by your mystic will
and begin whirling around you in a tight vortex, but
through them you cannot seem to find any specific
spot where the attack may have come from. It seems
as if the attackers location may be hidden by their
own magic. If you wish, you may make your Magic
Ritual skill roll plus your Mystic Talent, at a 1, to use
your mystic sight to see beyond their obscuring veils.
This is your fifth Unique Discipline, I believe, leaving
you 3 more, correct?
Owl: If I do this, only 2 if I want to remain
conscious afterwards. OK, I try to see him, whoever
he is.
I roll my dice (at 1) against my attacker, getting 6
successes and the GM only rolls 4 successes. Hopefully
this will give me a target to attack!
GM: Beyond the whirling mists a shadowy
figure begins to emerge, slowly resolving itself into the
phantom-form of a large white rat with glowing pink
eyes. As his robes whirl around him you recognize
him as Ayajnah, the old and crafty seer of your enemy
House!
Owl: Oh no! I dont have what it takes right
now to deal with him! OK, I just want to hurl these
swirling shards right at him, then escape from the
Dream with everyone else intact...
GM: Youll need to make two more rolls then
successfully. First, you are choosing to actually attack
him, which means youll need to make another
Opposed Roll of your Magic Ritual skill plus Mystic
Talent dice but this time at a 2. Lets see how that
goes before making the second roll. This is another
Unique Discipline!
Owl: This is getting a little too close for comfort
guys! OK, I rolled 7 successes! Whatd he get?
GM: He has rolled only 4! Very well done owl!
The mystic shards fly toward him and apparently
lacerate and tear at his ghostly shape as he cries out in
pain and anger! You havent defeated him enough yet
to drive him from the Dream, but you have certainly
struck an excellent blow.
Owl: It doesnt matter, though, were leaving!
Can I make my roll to escape the Dream and end
the Ritual?
GM: Yes, merely roll your Magic Ritual Skill
roll as you repeat the Discipline you used to enter
into the Dream initially, when you parted its veils.
Owl: OK, whew! I got 3 successes!
GM: The rest of you feel the tug of the waking
world as your spirits fly from the Dream, and its
mysterious veils and mists are left behind. Each of you
slowly open your eyes as the owls strained chanting
comes to an end; you see her slump slightly sideways in
exhaustion, as she eyes you all with great concern.
Owl: Alright, for those who were unable to join
us within Dream, I relate what we have seen. Now we
know what this assassin looks like, and who, it seems,
will be sending him, but we dont know why.
 Otter: More importantly than that, we know
when.
Owl: Yes, but unfortunately we were detected
as well, though they have no idea what we may have
seen. That wicked rat will surely tell his Master. We
must be prepared for their plans to change, and we
must immediately warn our lord the Aryah.

Chapter V: Ritual Magic

Endowment
Ritual mages attempts to affect the apparent
attributes of the world around us, changing, increasing, or
diminishing aspects of reality in some way. This practice is
called Endowment, so named because the sorcerers seek
to endow their target with various properties, whether for
good or ill. Though forms of meditation and chanting
play a major role in the creation of such magics, it is highly
common to find mage sirhibasi (or simply, mages) using
small carvings, sculptures, or other such representations of
the subject they wish to alter or affect. During ritual, within
the minds eye, the mage conjures images of that which is
to be affected and uses various fabricated components to
coax reality toward that desired state.
Permanent changes can be made in some cases, and
elaborate illusions woven in others. Often, depending
on the strength or desire of the individual sirhibas, the
changes wrought upon something or someone will
eventually vanish, revealing the truth beneath. There are
tales, however, of such alterations lasting for years on end,
even surpassing the life of the very mage who cast them; a
blessing or curse upon that which has been affected.
The ritual commonly performed by mage sirhibasi
is often simply known as the Ritual of Endowment. The
magic of Endowment seeks to manipulate and change
the things around them, essentially endowing these things
with properties real or illusory, positive or negative. Items
might be made to carry various strange properties or
subtle powers; places may be protected by various types of
Wards; people and creatures may be blessed or cursed with
gifts and apparent defects of all kinds; the surrounding
environments, even the weather itself, could be affected.
The examples of such magics are too numerous to give
a full description here, but well attempt to lay out some
basic Disciplines that might illustrate several different uses
for these endowments, namely:
Drawing energy from the basic elements, or
from ones own spirit, to prepare a focus object, being,
or place to receive the Endowment. The meditative
trance required to do this is the necessary first step in the
Ritual of Endowment, and allows the mage to become
spiritually attuned to whatever she wishes to place an
enchantment upon. Each of the four elements has its own
unique properties, which will then be associated with the
Endowment about to be performed. Rolling well during
this stage should inspire the GM to provide bonuses during
later stages of the ritual. Being the simplest Discipline used
to enact the ritual itself, no Difficulty Modifier is usually
applied.
Entering the Dream (usually just the edges of the
Dream Realm), for the purposes of conducting the various
supernatural energies required by the Endowment. Most
mages, when deep in ritual meditation, may see the focus
of their Endowment as if they are standing merely within
the misty edges of the Dream Realm, but may use their
Magic Ritual Skill roll to go fully into Dream if they feel
it might aid them in their ritual. This is more difficult for
them to perform than a seer, at a difficulty of 1. As stated
earlier, being in the Dream (or even at its edge) puts any
sirhibas at risk of coming into conflict with other beings
there as well, which may require mages to either defend
themselves (at a 2 difficulty modifier), or attack in return
(at a 3 difficulty modifier), neither of which they will
achieve as easily as a seer.
Endowments of all varieties; such as creating limited
illusions in the real world (at a 2 modifier), endowing
inanimate things with special qualities (at a 3 modifier),
diminishing the attributes of another with a curse (at a
4 modifier), and even adding to anothers attributes with
a charm (at a 5 modifier). Most of such magics are never
long lasting, as a general rule.
When calculating the longevity of such sorcerous
effects, the GM should roll 1d6 twice: in the first instance
to generate a single number as an amount of time (to
which the GM may choose to add the mages Mystic
Talent ranking, if the mage is very experienced in this
particular Endowment) and in the second instance to
determine if that amount of time is in minutes (1 or 2),
hours (3 or 4), or days (5 or 6). GMs shouldnt tell players
exactly how long their magic will last but should instead
tell them that they feel their magic will last many hours
or but a few minutes, or some such. If this amount of

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time is not satisfactory, the mage may attempt to add to
that time by making another Magic Ritual skill roll (this at
a 5 modifier). Such an attempt counts as another unique
Discipline and will allow the mage to increase the duration
of the effect by an amount using the same rolls as described
above (1d6 twice). Players may continue or return to Ritual
to continue boosting the duration of the enchantment, but
only so long as they do not work any other Endowment
BOOK ONE
Ritual.
Under very special circumstances, or only after a
character is considered Heroic in level, the GM may
sometimes even let the mage spend a Story Point to make
such enchantments last even longer. In those cases, the
second die instead represents weeks, months, and years.
A great deal of care must be taken by the GM not to
allow such things to get out of control, or to imbalance the
game. As with any ritual magic for SHARD, the idea is still
to keep things mysterious and unexpected and to never
allow players to feel like they have the ability to easily make
magic items left and right or that they may simply hurl
magical gifts or curses with impunity.
Warding. This type of endowment magic is used to
create protective wards that can be woven like an intricate
net of arcane energy around an object, an area, a person,
a building, a ship, etc., and can be attached to objects and
worn for protection. The magic of a ward is invisible to the
waking eye, and can usually only be seen by those in the
Dream who have the skills to do so.
Wards can be made to protect against the intrusion
of mystical sight or spirits, including the spirits of sirhibasi
traveling in the Dream (at a 2 modifier), against the powers
of demons and elementals (at a 3 modifier), against the
effects caused by a Ritual of Endowment (at a 4 modifier),
and even against taking the physical harm of Stamina loss
(at a 5 modifier).
Since wards are always in opposed with some other
power attempting to breach them, the mage may add
the dice she possesses in the Mystic Talent to her Magic
Ritual skill when creating the ward. Successes should be
recorded for any ward, since they will be compared later to
any force attempting to penetrate, unravel, or dispel them.
Wards made to protect from physical harm (Stamina loss
and damage) use their stored success levels, which can be
added to over multiple rituals, as a pool that is depleted
as damage gets past armor (if any). Though minor scuffs
and abrasions may be seen to occur, these success levels are
consumed at a 1-for-1 rate for every damage level taken,
without any actual damage levels going through, until the
wards total stored successes are depleted, at which point
damage occurs naturally.
Wards, as with most Endowments, can be added
to (strengthened) over multiple rituals, by the continued
addition of successes to their strength or boosting the
duration of the enchantment. Again, this can continue
as long as that specific Endowment is the only one
being worked, and no different Endowment Rituals are
undertaken. This continued enchanting is subject to
278
increasing difficulty for repeated attempts, generally 1 for
each repeated try, unless the GM chooses otherwise.
Mages can attempt to carefully penetrate or temporarily
unravel a ward (at a modifier of 1), which does not alert
the wards maker though it will require a repeated roll to
pass through it again, or a mage can choose to dispel a
ward or magical trap entirely (at a 2 penalty), which will
alert the sirhibas who made it, though the method is more
expedient. Failing either attempt might also alert its creator
to the intrusion. Wards last only a limited amount of time,
which is determined using that same 2d6 series of rolls as is
used for other Endowments, listed above.
Weather magic. This type of endowment magic
allows the mage to call up a wind (at a 3 modifier), call
up a fog or mist (at a 4 modifier), create a storm (at
a 5 modifier), or attempt to dispel any such weather
manifestation, natural or conjured (at a 2 modifier). In
addition, with another Magic Ritual roll (at a 5 modifier),
the mage can endow any of these weather manifestations
with traits that can cause physical harm (Stamina loss) or
some other detrimental effect to those caught in them;
a storm could produce lightning or falling hail, fog and
mist could treacherously mislead travelers or conceal other
dangers, wind could tear at a ships sails, etc. Such effects
will last only as long as such natural weather usually lasts,
and will dissipate at the discretion of the GM.
An Example of Endowment
We begin at the secured edges of a vast battlefield, in an
encampment of many tents whose silk pennants glitter as they
flutter under the glow of the two largest moons. There have long
been hostilities at the borders between Tishnia and Gilrhi, and
recently a push across the Natha River to expunge Tishni settlers
there has led to a series of violent conflicts with heavy casualties
on either side. General Hlkar, a powerful tiger and commander
of the Eastern Legions of Tishnia, had been severely wounded
in a recent battle.
In barbarous regions such as these along the border, there are
no priestly mystic healers at our disposal but at least the Sunborn
doctors and surgeons assigned to the Generals command know
their trade well, as do I, the fox Marz, a mage sirhibas from the
noble Line of Thhadhima. This is why, once the grim surgeons
have done their deeds and the last of the stitches have been pulled
tight across the wound in our Generals striped hide, I am called
into his tent for a private council.
General Hlkars injuries, though they no longer threaten
his life, have left him terribly weak and unable to endure standing
tomorrow, much less riding his war chariot to lead our army into
battle. He knows what I am capable of doing for him, though
I have no healing hands. And despite the temporary nature of
what I will attempt, and the risks of failure, the morale of the
soldiers is of utmost importance. Not only must our beloved
General be able to stand as a symbol of honor and bravery, but
the superstitious Gilrhi invaders must cower in fear and misery
so that our troops will prevail in tomorrows coming battle at the
Ford of Ingr. The General has faith that I can accomplish this.
Its going to be a very long night...
 Fox: Alright, I bow deeply, and depart from
the Generals presence, calling out to my assistants to
prepare our private tent for my ritual. In the meantime
I want to go visit the doctors who have been treating
General Hlkar so that I may borrow bits and pieces
of the herbs and other such medicines they have been
using to help remedy his pain and damage. I will also
consult some of the Generals personal guards, asking
for a sample of his favorite wine, the kind he most
enjoys before the heat of battle. One of the things I
want to try to do is create an elixir, something that I
can Endow with the ability to temporarily restore the
Generals Vigor which Im sure he must have lost as
the results of the surgery performed, of course, with
the goal being that he is able to ride tomorrow to
inspire his men in battle.
GM: Very well, are you preparing to do other
things also?
Fox: Yeah, I want to send one of the camps
runners down to the banks of the river to fetch me
a small flask of the waters of the Natha and some of
the dirt from its muddy banks. I have plans for these
things this evening. And lastly I dip into my own
supply of my darkest inks, both black and red, which I
set aside in tiny crystal bowls to be used soon.
GM: This sounds interesting! Are you planning
to do all of this tonight?
Fox: Most of this is for tonight, but some of
this is for tomorrow if all goes well, when the battle
begins.
Having finished gathering my supplies, my character
retreats to the privacy of his tent and sets up his usual
paraphernalia: the burning incense, his crystal chime,
and the low table full of supplies. These will act as the
focus for the magic of this ritual. The first step of the
ritual being complete, I move on to the second and
make my Initial Roll.
Fox: I begin chanting over the herbs and
medicines I got from the doctors, slowly placing them
in a small crystal bottle, half filled with the wine his
guards gave me, as I enter into trance.
GM: OK, you will need to make your Magic
Ritual Skill roll to begin your Ritual of Endowment.
This will let you sink into the deep meditative state
that will allow you to weave your magics into the
concoction you are making. There are no modifiers
yet.
My fox is an old hand at such things, and has a Magic
Ritual score of 10. Rolling all ten dice I get 5 successes,
easily slipping deeper into trance as the magic begins.
GM: Through the haze of incense smoke you
carefully combine the ingredients you have chosen,
and you observe the wispy vapors seem to slowly circle
above your small table, guided, perhaps, by the gentle
movements of your hands. Since youre attempting
to invest this with enough energy to contain the
Endowments you wish to bestow, your spirit spreads
across the room, touching with your humming voice
the earth below your body, with your bright amber
eyes the glow of the incense charcoal, with your breath
Basic Compendium
the pungent air, and with your touch the nearby
waters of the river captured in your ceramic bowl.
Finishing your initial chants, you feel the vibrations of
all of these energies as they infuse the tiny flask before
you, and you detect the faintest reddish glimmer
within it.
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
We are now ready to begin the third step of this
ritual as I work to manifest the various qualities I want
the philter to have. In this same ritual, I also intend to
work other magics, but first let us see how this one goes.
Fox: Alright, if I can, I want to begin manifesting
the Endowment into the fluid itself. What do I need
to roll?
GM: Before you roll anything Id like you to
state clearly, as if in character, exactly what you want
this potion to do for your commander. The phrase
you speak, combined with your base Ritual Skill roll
at a 3 difficulty for the Endowment Ritual, will help
me determine how the magic manifests.
I have to be careful as I speak these words out loud
because the GM will judge them based on a variety of
factors, such as how seriously I take it, the creativity
of the statement, and whether I include everything I
really need to have happen. Ive got to keep it simple
and elegant, otherwise things could get out of hand. I
cant be too greedy but I also cant be too vague. Such
statements should always be made from the reference
point of the character in-game and should not refer to
specific game rules or statistics; the words of my ritual
endowment should inspire the GM while still being
interpretable by the GM.
Fox: May the robust energies of the Elements fill
this potion with the power to invigorate the one who
drinks it, bestowing upon him, though his wounds be
dire, an endurance and stamina so that he may rise up
as if renewed, to face his duties and honors, and to be
strong and vigorous in the sight of his comrades as well
as his enemies.
GM: Well said! Very well, now roll your base
Ritual of Endowment roll at 3 dice due to the
difficulty I have assigned.
Fox: OK, I rolled 4 successes!
GM: The swirling smoke from the incense
seems suddenly drawn toward the dim glow within
the little crystal flask, which flares up briefly, instantly
consuming the vapors, and sending an almost
shocking sensation through your entire body, causing
your fur to stand on end, and your white-tipped tail to
bristle behind you. You close your eyes for the briefest
moments as you gain a sense of the time that this
enchantment may last. What is your Mystic Talent
score?
Fox: I have 3 points in that Talent
Here the GM rolls 1d6 to determine a numeric
amount of time. The GM decided that my Talent as a
sirhibas has some relevance so that number is added to
the number secretly rolled. He now rolls another 1d6 to
determine whether that amount is in minutes (1 or 2),
hours (3 or 4), or days (5 or 6).
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GM: As you feel the effects of that Discipline
fade, you unfortunately recognize that the strength of
the magic will allow your desired effects to last but a
few minutes.
Fox: What?!? Oh no! Thats not long enough!
I need to try to strengthen it somehow, to make the
effects more enduring!
GM: You may, if you wish, attempt to do so, but
BOOK ONE
it will be even more difficult than the last roll; twice as
difficult, in fact, but Ill allow you to add your Mystic
Talent dice to the roll, since only experienced sorcerers
like yourself could even try it. Youll roll your 10 skill
plus your Talent dice (for a total of 13 dice) 6 dice
for the difficulty. This will be your third Unique
Discipline today, so far
Fox: Oh man! Whew! I made it with two
successes.
GM: Well, thats a basic success. Let me roll again
to see how much time this will have added.
The GM rolls 1d6 twice. This time, the amount
is added to the previously-generated amount; the GM
keeps a note of the new total.
GM: Ah! Well, now you feel that you have been
able to extend the time of this effect to many days!
Surely now the General will find that, once he drinks
this philter, he can rise up despite his slowly-healing
wounds, and lead his soldiers into battle!
Fox: What will happen to him as the magic
begins to fade?
GM: Well, the General will begin to weaken as
his vigor returns back to what it is now. It could be
swiftly, or it could slowly happen over many hours.
But you will begin to feel the magic fade long before
his stamina fails him, and youll be able to warn him, if
you can, that its end draws near. If youre worried, you
could spend a Story Point, if youd like it to last longer.
If you do, Ill allow the time to be weeks, months,
or years instead, though there may be interesting
repercussions...
Fox: Hmm, I dont like the sound of that, or the
cost. Nah, Ill just let him know that this apparently
renewed vigor is only temporary, and that he has only
a few days time before he should withdraw from the
field of battle to truly allow his wounds to heal.
GM: OK, then. You said there were other things
you wanted to accomplish in this ritual as well?
Fox: Yeah. I set aside the little bottle full of
the enchanted liquid, and now I want to spread the
muddy earth and dirt across the table before me. I
also take the bowl of river water and set that beside
me too. As I continue to chant again, I bow my head
and breathe in the incense smoke, closing my eyes and
imagining that Im far, far above the encampment, and
sailing through the clouds on the far side of the river,
in enemy territory. I know the General plans to wage
tomorrows battle across the shallow ford, and I want
our superstitious enemy to feel as if the Devah have
abandoned them, allowing foul weather to turn their
area of approach and even their current encampment,
into a muddy quagmire.
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GM: Oooh, I see. You want to change the weather
and call up a rainstorm. This is not an easy task, but
certainly within your power. Youll need to make your
base Ritual of Endowment roll at a 5 difficulty.
Fox: OK... Awww! I only rolled one success.
Thats still a partial success, though, right?
GM: Correct, which means that, as you begin to
attempt to change the very nature of the night skies
above, you feel the difficulty of the task weigh heavily
upon you, and too few darkened clouds appear in the
sky for any real downpour, though no-doubt some
rain will soon begin to fall. If you were hoping to cause
your enemies problems with this, you may try again
in the hopes of actually making this slight rain create
dangerous circumstances for them. This is even more
difficult, 6 in fact, but Ill let you add your Mystic
Talent to the attempt, since this is once again the type
of thing that only an experienced mage could even
try. It is also another unique Discipline. As for the
rest of you (addressing the other players), to the east
some darker clouds from the mountains have begun
to gather since the fox began his rituals. Far away, the
twinkling of the enemys campfires seems to grow
hazy as a slight mist creeps up from the distant rivers
edge. A subdued rumbling of thunder is heard, rolling
almost lazily across the sparsely-forested plains.
Fox: Good, I rolled better this time, and got 4
successes. As I sway in the trance, I draw up water in my
hands from the bowl and dribble it across the dirt on
the table, making parts of it muddy and sticky. I place
my fingers in it as I imagine the legs of our enemys
chinti mounts getting stuck in it, their soldiers tripping
and falling. I take some of the black ink and drop it
into the water-bowl as well, imagining that their sight
becomes more difficult in the mists that rise from the
river tomorrow, and I sprinkle black ink onto the dirt as
well, imagining it to be holes into which their cannons
wheels will get stuck, and their carts flounder.
GM: Heh, nice description! Ill take that into
account as the Gilrhi soldiers begin to approach. Far
off, across the river, the first hints of light rain begin
to fall through the cloud-dark skies, like silvery veils
caught in the colorful light of the moons that still glow
brightly above your own armys location
Fox: Well, theres nothing left for me to do at
this point, so Im going to end the current ritual.
GM: Really? What about the red ink you
brought as well?
Fox: Thats for something later, when the battle
is about to begin. But this all went fairly well, and I
need to give the General this enchanted philter, and let
him know my plans.
I emerge from my ritual, since I have decided that
this was its conclusion. It is now several hours after I had
begun, according to the GM. Ive grown used to the fact
that, in game-time, it usually takes about a half-hour to get
into ritual in the first place, and usually another fifteen
minutes to a half-hour to perform each Discipline.
The GM then allows me to seek out the General
once again, provide him with the philter that will
 invigorate him for tomorrows battle, and tell him of
the rains I have brought to the enemy that will, by
the grace of the Devah, hamper their efforts to face
us in the morning. The GM then role-plays with me
for a moment as the General, since the GM wants
to allow me to tell my final ritual plans for the battle
itself. Having made a cultural Knowledge roll earlier
in the game pertaining to the people of Gilrhi, I fully
understand the somewhat primitive and superstitious
ways of their people, especially those sent to fight at
their borders. They fully believe that every feature of
nature contains a spirit of some kind and they treat
such spirits with fearful respect. Armed with this
knowledge, I have made my plan.
General: I desire to drink this draught you have
made for me now. There are important matters I wish
to discuss with the lesser commanders before tomorrow,
and if this will work as you say, then I will have many
days before my body becomes weak again.
Fox: As you wish, my lord, but please take your
ease this evening and give your body more time to heal.
My magic will do nothing to strengthen the stitches
that the surgeons placed within you.
General: These are wise words as always, my
friend, and I will be cautious, but my mind will be
more at ease if I feel the power of your magic sooner
than later.
GM: The haggard tiger sits up painfully from
his cot and takes the flask from you, holding up its
ruby-red contents to the dim light before drinking it
all in one shot. For a brief moment nothing seems
to happen. The General breathes deeply then, and
a shudder passes over his hugely muscled form as his
deep breath seems to catch in his lungs, and his bright
yellow eyes snap open in surprise. At that moment
he softly cries out as he stretches out his arm before
him, claws extended, dropping the crystal bottle to
the carpeted ground below. There is an echoing sound
like the hiss of slow-burning Vaylah-powder and across
the black stripes of his fur a visible sheen, like golden
lightning, passes before your very eyes.
General (gasping): By the Devah! Never have
I felt such a thing. They will all regret having failed
to kill me. An enemy shall die by my hand for every
stitch I have had to endure this night!
Fox: Yes, my lord, no doubt the Devah will grace
us with victory, but I beg you to remember their blessings
that I have delivered to you will last for only days,
perhaps even a weeks time, but do not test its limits. I
shall feel when its power begins to wane, and I will come
to you, if I can, to warn you when this occurs. You must
be away then, no matter what the state of battle. You
must be away, for when the magic has gone, you will be
as weak and lacking in vigor as you were mere minutes
ago. You must then give your body time to heal, or seek
a mystic healer safely within our borders.
General: Yes, yes, but tell me, what more have
you planned for the battle tomorrow? Surely you have
devised a plan to drive fear into the foul hearts of these
Gilrhi scum!
Basic Compendium
Fox: I have, my lord General. With the coming
of False Dawn, as the prayers of the camps young
priests echo across the fields, I will begin my rituals
once again. And while you and your soldiers march to
the Ford of Ingr, I will remain behind. But through
my arts I will open a window into the Dream, and
from there I will look down upon the treacherous,
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
muddy fields across which our enemy must travel, and
I will also look upon the dry and solid shores upon
which you will stride boldly, and I will deliver unto
you two more gifts, if the Devah are kind.
The first will be a mighty voice, like Kramah
himself, that will reach across the shallow waters of the
river and prove to our foes the grave error they have
made in challenging you. With this voice you must tell
them of the terrible disfavor of the Devah that they
have incurred for daring to lay claim to any reaches
of land beyond the holy river Natha. Tell them to
behold that the spirits of the skies themselves lament
their foolish choice. Let your words ring out that the
Devah are pleased with our people, as can be seen
by the fairness of our skies, and that they desire our
enemy to pay for their transgressions. Say to them that
you have asked the Spirit of the River-God to tell you
what terrible price the Gilrhi, who would dare stand
against us, must pay. Then take your great spear, and
hurl it into the shallow waters at the bank on the far
side, telling them that This is his answer!
It is then that I will give you my second gift General,
for I will weave a vast tapestry of illusion that will sweep
across the width and breadth of the river, as far as their
eyes can see, painting it the color of blood. Their black
hearts will be filled with the most terrible dread and
fear. And across this blood, their blood, I will watch you
ride to victory in the name of glorious Tishnia...
Summoning
Ritual Summoning refers to any magics used
to send ones spiritual will out in an attempt to
call forth suthra and various supernatural entities
from wherever they may reside, commanding them
to appear before the sirhibas, and even giving the
summoner some level of control over that which was
called. Those who can do this are called summoner
sirhibasi (simply called summoners), and their art is
ancient and often feared. These sirhibasi can call up
swarms of deadly suthra or shades of the dead, spirits
of the elements, or even chitinous demons from the
depths of Narkah. However, perfect control is not
always achieved.
The ritual commonly performed by summoner
sirhibasi is appropriately known as the Ritual of
Summoning. Of all the magical rituals attempted
across the face of Drdnah, none are as rare or as
dangerous as those of the summoner. By calling out
across the Dream, through the Web of Life, or into the
very heart of the worlds essence itself, spirits, demons,
suthra of all kinds, and even elemental powers can be
summoned forth and potentially controlled to do the
bidding of the sirhibas.
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The danger, of course, lies in the attempt and having
the skill and power to actually keep the destructive and
wild forces of such summoned things in check. There
are many, many tales of summonings gone terribly
wrong. When this happens, many jnah can pay the
price, beyond merely the summoner. As noted earlier
in the Magic Difficulty Modifier Table, a summoner
can achieve numerous effects by performing various
BOOK ONE
Disciplines within this ritual, namely:
Entering into a trance that allows the summoner
to call forth the various iconic and spiritual tools they
will need to summon, control, and bind the being they
want to manifest. These tools could manifest as spectral
horns or chimes used to capture the beings attention,
spiritual tethers to maintain control, magical shackles to
prevent escape, etc. Rolling well during this stage should
inspire the GM to provide bonuses during later stages
of the ritual. This easy Discipline, used to initialize the
ritual, is generally rolled using no Difficulty Modifier.
Entering the Dream (usually just the edges of the
Dream Realm), for the purposes of glimpsing the intricate
connections of the Web of Life, or across the vast reaches
of the Dream to the Edge of Heaven or the Swirling
Hells of Narkah. Most summoners, when deep in ritual
meditation, might see the phantom images of these places,
but may use their Magic Ritual Skill roll to go fully into
Dream if they feel it might aid them in their summoning
attempt. This is more difficult for them to perform than
a seer, at a difficulty of 1. As stated earlier, being in the
Dream (or even at its edge) puts any sirhibas at risk of
coming into conflict with other beings there as well, which
may require summoners to either defend themselves (at a
2 difficulty modifier), or attack in return (at a 3 difficulty
modifier), neither of which they will achieve as easily as a
seer.
Sharing a summoned entitys senses. Summoners
have a powerful connection to whatever entity or creature
they summon, and can use that connection to peer
through a controlled beings eyes or to hear what it hears
at almost any distance. Performing such a Discipline (at
a 2 modifier) could allow a summoner to bypass wards
meant to stop the spirits of seers, and could enable the
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sirhibas to spy from locations that a jnah could never
reach. Controlling such an entitys movements at a great
distance would require the summoner to be at least
within trance at the edge of the Dream.
Summoning Spirits and Demons. Spirits and
Demons seem to come from within or beyond the
Dream. Once the initial steps of the ritual have occurred,
a spirit or demon can be summoned at a 3 modifier.
It is not always necessary to fully enter the Dream
to summon them unless they are meant to manifest at a
distant location. During the summoning itself, the player
must be specific as to why the thing is being summoned,
spoken in character as part of the ritual incantations. If
successful, the being will take on a form that seems to
represent the will and desires of the summoner (and the
reasons it was summoned, such as to fight, to dig, to carry
something, to be a guardian, etc.)
Summoned Demons and Spirits have Power Pools
(the amount of dice used when attempting any action
with them, generally no greater than 14) equal to the
number of successes rolled when attempting to summon
them. They cause damage when they attack equal to
twice that amount, and they generally have a Stamina
equal to eight times their Power Pools. They may have
additional special attacks or supernatural powers as well
that should be determined by the GM (based often on
the reason for their summoning). See the entries for
both Demon Beasts and Khaujva (hungry spirits) in the
Bestiary chapter for more details on statistics.
Once summoned, they must be subjugated or
constrained magically in some way with an Opposed Roll
(at a 4 modifier, but adding Mystic Talent dice), otherwise
they will usually attempt to harm the summoner and those
around them. Once they are under control, more Opposed
Rolls (unique Disciplines of command) can be used to give
them orders (at a 2 modifier, with the summoner using
his Will roll, and adding his Mystic Talent dice). Demons
and Spirits, being quite willful, attempt to break their
magical subjugations whenever a roll to command them
fails. This requires the summoner to successfully make the
subjugation roll again. A failure to do so (or a Fumble in
 any case), sets the being free to rampage.
A Demon or Spirit might even be bound to some
location, sealed inside of an object, or even enslaved in
some fashion for longer periods of time, though this is
quite difficult to accomplish (a 5 difficulty modifier, but
adding Mystic Talent dice). Bound in this way, it could
be released at the sorcerers leisure (such as shattering
a crystal sphere containing a trapped demon) or when
certain situations, predetermined by the summoner or
GM, allow it to escape.
Once their tasks are complete, it is always wise to
dismiss/banish them, since their anger at their captivity
will grow, and they remain potentially dangerous as
long as they are being kept. Banishing a spirit or demon
currently subjugated and under ones own control merely
requires a successful ritual Skill roll (at a modifier of 4).
When attempting to banish an unsubjugated entity (or
one controlled by another summoner) an Opposed
Roll against the summoned entitys Power Pool must be
made (at the same modifier, but adding Mystic Talent
dice), generating banishment successes to overcome the
entitys successes. This can be used against any demons
or spirits whether you summoned them or not.
It is possible to save such banishment successes
in advance of any encounter so that they may be used
inside or outside the constraints of the summoning
ritual in dire need. Having such saved successes may
mean the difference between life and death for you and
those around you. For further details concerning saved
successes used for this purpose, see the section Release
Using Saved Successes on page 284.
Summoning Suthra. The native insectoid fauna
of the world are contacted in Ritual by guiding ones will
and desire through the unending strands of the mystic
Web of Life (which occurs at no modifier to enact the
first part of the ritual). In doing so summoners match
their needs to the natural tendencies of some nearby
suthra. It is not always necessary to fully enter the Dream
to summon them unless they are meant to manifest at a
distant location. During the summoning itself, the player
must be specific as to why the thing (or things, since entire
swarms may be called) is being summoned, spoken in
character as part of the ritual incantations. The needs for
such a summoning can take many forms; summoning a
suthra to bear burdens or to act as a scout, spy, or tracker
(at a 3 modifier), summoning a suthra to attack or
defend (at a 4 modifier), and summoning a suthra to
sacrifice itself for you (for food, to harvest some part of
it, etc.) or even to be your permanent companion (either
Discipline performed at a 5 modifier or higher).
Summoned Suthra have Power Pools (the amount
of dice used when attempting any action with them) and
other statistics, equal to the amounts indicated in their
descriptions within the Bestiary of this book. The specific
type of the summoned suthra that will heed the call is
completely up to the GM (though the GM may feel free to
take cues from the players), will appear from some nearby
Basic Compendium
habitat appropriate to them (though this may take some
time), and will generally represent the will and desires of
the summoner (and the reasons it was summoned).
Once summoned, they will be generally compliant
to the will of the summoner, within reason. Once they
arrive, the summoners may command them in various
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
ways (using their Will roll at a 2 modifier), as long as
these commands relate to the reason why the creature
was summoned. These rolls are not Opposed (meaning
the summoned suthra doesnt roll against them), so
summoners only have to roll a success using their
base Will roll (though the GM may consider awarding
bonuses based on the initial roll used to begin the ritual).
Unless more Discipline rolls are made to inspire them to
stay after they have completed the tasks they were initially
called to do, most summoned suthra will eventually
return to their former state (wild or tamed) and will seek
to return to where they came from.
Once their tasks are complete, it is always wise to
magically release them (at a 2 modifier) since their
wild natures will eventually overtake the control of
the summoning; they remain potentially dangerous
as long as they are being kept (unless they are already
domesticated). You may attempt to dismiss suthra
summoned by others using an Opposed Roll against
them at the same modifier.
It is possible to save dismissal successes in advance
of any encounter so that they may be used outside the
constraints of the summoning ritual in times of need.
Since summoning and controlling natural suthra is
somewhat easier than dealing with supernatural beings,
reserved dismissal successes are especially effective
against suthra you have summoned for yourself. The use
of only 2 reserved successes is required to easily dismiss
suthra already under your control. For further details
concerning saved successes used for this purpose, see the
section Release Using Saved Successes on page 284.
Summoning Elementals. Elementals seem to
come from a mysterious power that surrounds and
infuses the physical reality of the world, the energy
that courses through the various crystals and the
different forces of nature. There are four elemental
manifestations that can be called through this ritual:
Vayu, the Element of Air; Bhumi, the Element of
Earth; Jala, the Element of Water; and Agni, the
Element of Fire. In addition to the raw physical (and
metaphysical) powers they possess according to their
element, they also seem to emanate and manifest
power through emotional states that mirror their
nature to some extent, and these emotional states
can be felt by anyone near them. Those who are not
summoners may actually flee the presence of such
things unless the Elemental has been tamed and
controlled by the summoner.
Vayu (Air) generates a wildly powerful and joyous
sense of freedom, and will overwhelm those around it
with its desire to remain untamed, tearing at anything
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 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
it can with strong gusts and violent winds. Bhumi
(Earth) radiates a sense of gloom and moody darkness,
and will seek to oppress and harm those around it
with a strong force of impending doom and crushing
fear and trepidation, culminating in its use of its own
element to forever smother its victims, unless properly
controlled. Jala (Water) projects a sense of cold and
chilling contempt and calculating will, and eventually
BOOK ONE
seeks to saturate all near with its deadly embrace as
the air becomes thick and too heavy to breathe and
muscles become filled with a clammy frailty. Agni (Fire)
is the ever-hungry one, an all-consuming force that fills
its vicinity with its fearful and rapacious need to turn
anything that can burn into fuel for itself. It emanates
violent passion and rage when uncontrolled and
desires little more than to turn its surroundings into
an inferno.
Once the initial steps of the ritual have happened,
an Elemental can be summoned (at a 3 modifier).
It is not always necessary to fully enter the Dream
to summon Elementals, unless you are choosing to
cause them to manifest at a distant location. During
the summoning itself, the player must be specific as to
which Elemental is being summoned and why, spoken
clearly in character as part of the ritual incantations.
Summoned Elementals have Power Pools (the
amount of dice used when attempting any action with
them, generally no greater than 14) equal to the number
of successes rolled when attempting to summon them.
They cause damage when they attack equal to twice that
amount, and they have a Stamina based on eight times
their Power Pool. An Elemental will take on a form that
seems to represent the will and desires of the summoner
(and the reasons it was summoned) and will always be
formed from aspects appropriate to their element. See
the entries for Elemental Spirit in the Bestiary chapter
for more details on statistics.
They are beings of chaotic entropy and, once
summoned, they must be subjugated by being given
order and form using an Opposed Magic Ritual skill
roll (at a 4 modifier, but adding Mystic Talent dice),
otherwise they will violently spin out of control,
potentially harming everything around them before
dissipating back into nature again. Once they are under
control, more Opposed commands can be used to order
them about in various ways (with the summoners Will
roll at a 2 modifier, but adding Mystic Talent dice).
Elementals are quite willful, attempting to break their
magical subjugations whenever a roll to command
them fails. This requires the summoner to successfully
make the subjugation roll again. A failure to do so (or
a Fumble in any case) sets the being free, allowing it
to violently disperse, harming all around it before
vanishing.
An Elemental might be bound to some location,
sealed inside of an object, or even enslaved in some
fashion for longer periods of time, though this is quite
284
difficult to accomplish (a 5 difficulty modifier, but
adding Mystic Talent dice). Bound in this way, it could
be released at the sorcerers leisure or even be set to
guard an area from intrusion.
Once their tasks are complete, it is always wise
to disperse them (at a modifier of 4, but not as an
Opposed Roll against the Elemental), since their anger
at their captivity will grow, and they remain potentially
dangerous as long as they are being kept. You may
attempt to dismiss Elementals summoned by others using
an Opposed Roll against them at the same modifier,
though Mystic Talent dice are added to the roll.
It is possible to save dispersal successes in advance of
any encounter so that they may be used inside or outside
the constraints of the summoning ritual in dire need.
As with demons and spirits, having such saved dispersal
successes may mean the difference between life and
death if an Elemental attempts to do you harm or begins
to wildly disperse if it escapes control. For further details
concerning saved successes used for this purpose, see the
section Release Using Saved Successes below.
Release Using Saved Successes
The return of summoned entities or creatures
back to their place of origin is a major concern for
summoners. As mentioned earlier when describing the
summoning of the various types of beings, it is possible
to release, banish, dismiss, or otherwise send them away
by either performing a unique Discipline during the
ritual that summoned them, or by utilizing successes
saved earlier for that purpose. Summoners may prepare
the stored energy required for safely sending away
summoned beings by successfully entering into ritual
and performing the Discipline of release in advance;
thus building up a reservoir of the prna (saved
successes) for later use.
The terminology for releasing and sending such
entities away using magic varies depending on the
creature; spirits and demons are generally banished,
summoned suthra are dismissed (or driven away),
elementals are simply dispersed. Regardless of what
it may be called, initially saving and then later using
saved successes for this purpose, inside or outside of a
summoning ritual, follows a few basic guidelines:
To generate saved successes a summoner must
perform the Ritual of Summoning (taking the time
to go through all four steps), and must use at least two
unique Disciplines; the first to initiate and enter into
the ritual successfully, and the second to generate the
successes to be saved.
The Discipline that generates the saved successes
is cast at a 4 Difficulty Modifier. Each success rolled
represents an hour spent in ritual. Successes rolled are
saved for later use. The total number of successes that
can be kept in reserve are equal to the summoners Will,
plus his Mystic Talent, combined with his Summoning
Magic Ritual Ranking.
 Saved successes can be later used to release
and safely send away entities summoned either by
themselves or by others. Summoners attempting to
release and send away summoned entities outside
of a Summoning Ritual (even if they are performing
another type of ritual) must always use saved successes.
Summoners attempting to release and send away
entities while performing a Summoning Ritual may
use saved successes to augment a unique Discipline in
an attempt to do so, or may use them on their own for
the same purpose.
Saved successes used within the summoning
ritual to augment a Discipline used to release an entity
are simply added to the results of the summoners
Opposed Roll if the initial result werent enough
to beat the entitys successes (rolled using its Power
Pool).
Saved successes used on their own (either in or
out of ritual) to release and send away a summoned
being are treated as if they are the results of an Opposed
Roll, and the number expended must be chosen in
advance of the entitys Opposed Roll. The summoners
chosen total successes are compared against those rolled
for the entity to be released. When using saved successes
in this fashion (without augmenting a Discipline) the
summoner may not add further saved successes in the
event their chosen expended number was not enough
to overcome the entitys roll. If the summoners chosen
total is greater than the entitys total, then the entity
is safely released and sent away. If the entitys total
successes ties the summoners or exceeds it, then the
entity breaks free from the summoners control and
reacts accordingly, not generally a good thing for the
summoner and those around him.
Regardless of the outcome, saved successes used
by the summoner are expended, whether effective or
not, and are subtracted from the total number held in
reserve.
An Example of Summoning
This scene begins within the fortified walls of the House
of Stasang, of the Royal Line of stsah, as our beautiful city
of Ysuyah in western Visedhrah is besieged by rival Lines
from the east. Our beloved Prince of this region was labeled
a traitor to the Jade Throne of Benng, and now the High
Prince wishes to cleanse this city of the traitor and all Lines
and Houses that support him. I am Yarazmn, a lithe female
cobra and a summoner sirhibas in noble service to the Aryah
Stasang, and even now I sit in ritual atop the tallest tower of
my lords resplendent palace.
For days we watched as the armies of the east battered
against our city walls, hoping that our forces could withstand
the attacks of the High Princes armies. Unfortunately, the
forces of the Jade Throne are vast and well-supplied, and
eventually the city walls crumbled before their might; the
battle raged inward toward the walled Nobles Circle and the
palaces of the individual lords themselves. In the air above,
Basic Compendium
retreating skyships come under attack as some Houses attempt
to flee, and the dull booms of cannon fire can be heard night
and day. Some Houses lucky enough to have the services of a
sirhibas have found other ways of defending their walls but
most have taken the opportunity of using such mystic talents
to hide their retreat into the skies and to cover their path with
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
clouds and mist. As such, the clouds seem to have descended
into the city itself, just as smoke from the burning city rises up
to greet them. My orders are simple: use my magics to hold our
enemies at bay long enough for the skyships of my aryah and
his family to escape. Secure my own escape then, if I can, upon
the last skyskiff that is leaving and join the rest of my House, if
the Devah are willing. And lastly, insure that nothing is left of
our lords holdings that the enemy may claim in victory...
I am surrounded atop the tower by braziers full of smoking
incense and fluttering strips of parchment covered in holy
arcane glyphs that adorn silk cords suspended from brightly
painted poles nearby. This is not the first time that I have
used this tall tower to perform my rituals, but I am certain
that it will be my last. Already I have successfully passed deep
into trance (having made my Initial Roll for the ritual), have
felt the vibrations of the Web of Life as I sought some form
of defense against the multitudes of soldiers below. My call
was answered by a terrible biting swarm of Silk Locusts from
the southern jungles that not only began to attack the milling
warriors below (who had been attempting to break through
our great gate) but had also flown high into the skies, bearing
down on the enemy ships that had been flocking to this area of
the city. As the voracious swarm began to destroy their silken
sails and rigging, the skyships of our own House, protected by
Wards against such harm, were busily starting to beat a hasty
retreat into the safety of the obscuring clouds above. To give
them more time to do this, I now begin to focus my attentions
on the siege engines and cannons of the advancing enemy
troops.
Cobra: Drawing some of my attention away
from the Silk Locust Swarm, I now wish to look out
at the devastation surrounding the palace walls. Do I
see any nearby buildings on fire?
GM: Yes, in fact the granaries of a nearby House
are burning hideously across the Grand Avenue of
the Pious, which leads further into the center of the
city, past the temples of the Holy Circle.
Cobra: Alright, it is there I wish to fling my
thoughts, into the heart of that inferno. I am going
to attempt to summon up a manifestation of Agni,
the Element of Fire. I have better things than grain
that Id like it to eat!
GM: Alright, as you focus your mind upon
the burning granary, you begin to sense within it
what seems to be a strange, vast dancing form, as if
enormous limbs of writhing flame flail deep in the
heart of the roaring blaze. It is now time to reach
into the very center of the fire with your mind, and
attune your mystic awareness with its living, spiritual
essence. Please roll your Summoning Magic Ritual
skill. This first roll will be at no penalty.
My summoner has 9 dice in her Ritual of
Summoning skill, and will be rolling them all in an
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 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
attempt to attune herself to the spirit of Agni. Once this
is accomplished I will attempt to call it forth from the
burning grain-tower, and hopefully gain control over it.
My roll goes really well, with 6 successes!
Cobra: Great! I want to try to make it begin to
manifest as a true elemental now and to make it move
toward our palace and the soldiers attacking it!
BOOK ONE
GM: OK, but first things first. You must make
it actually begin creating a form for itself outside of the
grain silo. Youll need to make your Summoning roll
once again, but this time at a 3 difficulty adjustment
to your Action Dice. However, you may add your
Mystic Talent score to the Action Dice if you wish.
But remember, whatever successes you roll here when
actually calling it forth determine the Power Pool of
the Elemental, both for its rolls against your enemies,
as well as against you if something goes wrong...
Cobra: Yep, Im gonna go for it! Eight dice total
to roll! I rolled 6 successes again!
GM: At the top of the tower, amidst the
fluttering silk ribbons and sacred parchments your
body begins to move and sway in the ancient rhythms
of the Ritual, a primal dance meant to entice the spirit
of the flames. A fierce sensation of unquenchable
thirst and ravenous hunger sweeps through your
duhma as rage grows within you, surrounding you,
enveloping you. Across the Grand Avenue the roaring
flames leap and crackle, and whirling streamers of
flame delicately twirl and flare out and away from the
blaze, licking down and into the sculptured bushes
and trees of the roadside. Sparks whirl through the
air there as well, illuminating the area and creating
hints of half-formed immense shapes lashing out in
all directions.
Here the GM makes several rolls to determine
whether the soldiers below, feeling the growing power
of the manifesting Elemental, begin to flee in fear from
its location near the burning granary. The GM should
decide what the general Will of these soldiers might be
(certainly no more than 6 or 7 for general troops), and
roll that, including any appropriate difficulty modifiers.
Failure to roll a full success means that a large number
of them will begin to sense the overwhelming emotional
emanations of the Elemental and will choose to run for
their lives. The GM should roll several times, perhaps
once for every 100 troops or so.
GM: Ah! Obviously the Elemental is beginning
to fully manifest, since you can see that far below,
soldiers begin to turn, point, and stare at the strange
pyrotechnics forming near the walls of the other
House with the burning granary. Many begin to
flee in random directions as the terrible spiritual
emotions flow through them, the supernatural
hunger menacing them as the force of the Elemental
becomes more and more maddening. It is now time
to try to control it by giving it some form that you
wish it to have. You must bring order to its growing
chaos before it begins to destroy things around it
at random. Already the trees on both sides of the
Avenue have burst into flame, and a vast pillar of
fire and sparks seems to bake the very earth of the
286
road itself! Very well, to gain control, please roll your
Summoning Ritual skill once again, adding your
Mystic Talent because this will be Opposed against
the Elementals Power Pool, but this time the roll is
at a 4 difficulty modifier. This means your 9 dice,
plus your Talent of 2, minus 4 dice equals 7 dice
against the Elementals 6!
Cobra: Whoa! Minus 4!?!? OK, I make 5
successes...
GM: Youre in luck! The Fire Elemental rolled
only 2 successes, meaning that you may now declare
its form as you gain control of it.
Had the Elemental matched her roll or gotten
better, then it would have spiraled out of control
totally, caused some random destruction all around it
(including to the summoner and her location), then
dissipated back into the natural environment. Had the
summoner succeeded by only 1 success better than the
Elemental, then the attempt at control wouldnt have
been a total failure but the Elemental would still have
begun randomly destroying things around it (though
it wouldnt vanish afterward) and the summoner
would have to attempt control once again and be fully
successful before any Disciplines of command could be
attempted.
Cobra: I want it to take the shape of a vast
quadruped, like a terrible beast made of flames,
taller than an elephant and horribly fast! It is my
intention that its form will allow it to rampage easily
through the enemy troops below, burning them as
well as their ballista and siege towers. I want to see it
ignite their cannon-powder, and turn their mounts
to ash!
GM: Though the supernatural will of this
thing is very strong, your magic seems stronger still,
as the form you desire for it begins to manifest. The
roar of the inferno seems to come from its own fiery
throat as a terrible head, outfitted with hundreds
of writhing tentacles of flame, raises high into the
sky. All around it the very air shimmers with the
heat rolling off of the thing in waves, and the clothes
of those unfortunates nearby begin to burst into
flames. Otherworldly rage blazes from its terrible
glowing eyes as the flaming behemoth turns to face
you. Its now time to roll once again as you give it
the first of your commands. Youll be rolling against
it to will it to do as you desire, so add your Will roll
dice to your Mystic Talent score but this time only
subtract 2 dice as a modifier, since Elementals are
easier to control than they are to summon or give
form to their chaos. Your will is 10, so, thats your 9
dice against its 6.
Cobra: Thats awesome! And I got 5 successes.
Oh wait, two of those were 6s, I get to roll one again.
Another success! I got 6 successes total!
GM: And the Elemental rolled only 3. OK,
what is your first command?
Cobra: Im going to will it to rampage through
the attackers midst, igniting everything in its path
as it attacks the siege towers that the enemy is using
 to try to get over our walls! How many of our ships
are left on the parade-grounds and in the sky-docks
below?
GM: A few that you can see. You must
continue to give them more time! They arent in
the clear yet and if the enemy gets over the walls or
through the barricades at the front gates, then the
ships still on the ground will be at their mercy.
The GM rolls the Fire Elementals Power Pool of
6 dice to determine how successful it is at causing the
destruction it has been ordered to begin. There will be
nothing the troops below can really do to try to stop it,
so this technically isnt an Opposed Roll on its part.
The Elemental scores 3 successes.
GM: Now, as you have commanded, the
hulking fiery monstrosity begins raging through
the heart of the soldiers below, plunging into their
tall wooden siege towers and scattering burning
corpses everywhere! You hear several explosions as
some of the powder-kegs for the cannons begin to
ignite, and the screams of the dying drift skyward
like blessings to your ears. Below you, however,
you also hear the battering rams of your enemy
assailing the main gates!
Cobra: I want to give it another command,
then, and I cry out Mighty Agni, devour those
who attack our main gates! [Rolls the same dice
as last time] Oh no! I only got 1 success out of all
those dice!
GM: Ah! And the Elemental rolls 3 successes!
It fails to heed your command, and continues
to destroy everything around it. It will also now
attempt to break free of the form and control
you have forced upon it. Youll need to make that
roll again; the Opposed roll at a 4, to maintain
control!
Cobra: OK, I rolled 4 successes...
GM: And unfortunately, so did I. You
lose control of the destructive forces of Agni, a
terrible roaring fills the air, and a searing heat
begins rising up from the battlefield below. There
is more screaming, and you are forced to back
away from the parapet as burning ash and sparks
whirl around you. A veritable vortex of glowing
ash and fire continues to tear through the hapless
army below. For a brief moment, you too are
surrounded by roaring heat and flames but since
you have some cover from the crenellated stone
parapet Ill say you only take half of the damage
this Elemental can cause. You will lose 6 Stamina
due to fire damage. Please mark that down. You
fall back to the stone roof of the tower, patting
the flames out upon your robes. Far below you
hear the continued banging of the battering ram
against the gates.
The GM now makes a roll to determine if the
doors hold or not. He has decided that the main gate
has a Strength of 4 dice, and the battering ram has a
Strength of 3 dice. He rolls 3 successes for the gate, and
2 for the battering ram. The doors hold for now.
Basic Compendium
Cobra: I crawl to the edge of the parapets to
look down on the battle. Is there any way I can gain
control of it again?
GM: Unfortunately no, now that it has escaped
its imposed form, entropy reclaims it, its order is
shattered, and you peek across the burning carnage
below to see the final vestiges of the fiery cyclone
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
spin out and begin to fade into the smoke-filled air,
scattering sparks and embers as it dies away. It does
seem to have caused a great deal of damage in its final
display of supernatural hunger and rage, however,
and many lay below, dead and dying.
Cobra: What about the ships, have they all
taken off?
GM: Only two remain now, from what you
can tell. (He rolls his dice again to determine how
well the gate is holding up) Suddenly a great crash
is heard, and from your vantage you watch as the
first of your enemys army pours into the courtyard
through the broken remnants of the main gate! The
last two skyships, one a barge, and the other, the
skiff that was to carry you to safety, is overrun by
the swarming soldiers. You hear cries of agony and
dismay far below, and more terrible cries of victory
as the last defenses of the palace fail.
Cobra: Not all of the defenses...
GM: What do you mean?
Cobra: The Amethyst Idol...
GM: Ohhhhh yesssss that!
Cobra: But first, theres something I must do if
Im hoping to get out of here alivesince you never
said that I was forced out of the ritual.
GM: Well, actually, you were damaged by the
Elemental, so its necessary to roll to see if that broke
your concentration enough to end the ritual.
In any such case where concentration could be lost
in the midst of a Ritual, players must roll their base
Ritual Skill roll (for whatever ritual they were doing).
To this they may add their Keen Focus Talent dice if
they have any. All they need to do is succeed, and they
may continue with their ritual unaffected.
Cobra: Whew! Great, I rolled 4 successes. I
now hurl my duhma out across the Web of Life
again, seeking a mount of some kind, something that
can carry me away from this place through the skies!
Theres got to be something in the city, in some rich
lords abandoned stables or something...
GM: Very well, roll your base Summoning
Ritual score again to see if you locate something like
that.
Cobra: 4 successes. Is it nearby?
GM: Its difficult to tell... You do find what
you think you are seeking, but the Web of Life is in
great turmoil now as many glowing gems of life that
flicker at the intersections of the strands are blinking
away now as that life is snuffed out. Entire strands
seem to melt away in your minds eye as lives are lost
by the score all around you. Nonetheless you believe
you have touched the life that you need, and now
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 Chapter V: Ritual Magic
you need to make another roll to call it to you, this
time at a 3 difficulty modifier to the roll.
Cobra: Whew! Oh man this is getting tense 2
successesjust enough!
GM: Its gonna be close then! You feel it hear
your call, and begin its journey toward you, but now
your attention is drawn away as you hear the doors
to the palace itself cast aside, and the hordes of the
BOOK ONE
enemy begin sweeping into the interiors of your
House!
Cobra: Its time for the Amethyst Idol...
Many months ago, as tensions arose between
our Principality and the Jade Throne, word brought
back from our lord while in council with the prince
confirmed what many of us feared. Eventually the
high prince of the Jade Throne would act against us,
seeking to depose our own prince, and with him all of
the Houses and Lines that supported him, including
our own.
Our aryah, being both proud and patriotic, decided
that if our House should fall, he wanted no sweet
rewards for the invaders. Let them rule from a pile of
rubble! And so, my character was given the dire task of
creating a deadly trap for those who dared break down
the doors of our House. During many long and grueling
hours of ritual, a terrible thing was called forth from
the blackest reaches of the Swirling Hells of Narkah.
A chitinous demon of great strength that even I would
be hard-pressed to control, though control was the last
thing that my aryah wanted over this abomination. It
was assumed, of course, that by the time such a thing
would be unleashed, the lord and his family would be
safely away and the walls of our blessed home would be
filled with our enemy.
A great deal of time was spent in preparation of this
ritual, and with the aid of several other summoners, we
ended up with more dice than I usually roll (because
of the bonuses given by all the advance preparation).
I succeeded in calling up a hellish juggernaut which I
was barely able to command! In case of failure, I had
saved quite a few banishment successes to use, but I
had not needed them. Narrowly keeping its vast anger
in check, I had then successfully imprisoned it inside
an exquisite statue of the purest violet amethyst, carved
into the shape of a wrathful Nagamssa, our beloved
patron Devah. It waited, even now, in a niche above the
aryahs empty throne in the Great Hall.
Below I could hear the sound of our beautiful twin
doors being shattered by the cruel blows of the enemy
troops, no doubt anticipating their rewards for finally
breaching our defenses. There will be only one reward
for them. It is time to release the demon.
Cobra: I call upon thee, Demon Spirit of the
Amethyst Idol! Be free of your crystal prison and
destroy our enemies!
GM: Far below, in the depths of your lords
palace, the shattering of a thousand windows is
288
heard, and an otherworldly shrieking roar rises
above all other sounds of the embattled city around
you. A wave of supernatural fury washes over you,
nearly filling your mind with maddening fear! With
you being so very close to it, you know that it would
seek to destroy you first, if not for the fact that it still
remains under your momentary control from when
you had imprisoned it. Now full of unholy rage,
it begins to lash out at the invaders below and you
feel the entire palace shake and shudder as it vents
its anger upon those around it. The enemy soldiers
outside the palace continue to advance unwittingly
to their bloody fate.
This particular demon has a Power Pool of 12 dice,
because I rolled 12 successes when I first summoned
it! This means that for any actions it performs it rolls
12 dice (including its attempts to defy my will), it has
an armor value of 12, it causes 24 Stamina Levels of
damage every time it successfully strikes, and itself has
a Stamina of 48. Very deadly indeed! It currently is still
under the control of my character and will remain so
until it is able to break free, which it will attempt to do
each time I try to give it new commands.
Cobra: I look into the skies around me. Is there
any sign of the suthra I summoned to bear me away
from all of this?
GM: Please make a Perception roll at 3 dice
due to the extremely poor visibility in the sky...
Cobra: Oh no! I rolled no successes and a 1! I
Fumbled!
GM: Unfortunately, then, not only do you see
nothing in the skies that hints at your summoned
creature being near, but a cascade of burning ash
and soot from the fires below drifts across you,
momentarily blinding you for (rolls a d6) about half
a minute. The palace rumbles dangerously below you
as the demon continues its rampage inside, causing
you to sway dangerously near the edge of the tower.
Cobra: Agh! I rub my eyes painfully, stepping
away from the parapets.
GM: As you continue to wipe away the stinging
ash, you hear the screams of the troops far below as
they apparently begin to flee the palace, away from
the destructive forces of the demon.
Cobra: No! They must not escape! I command
the demon to ravage the heart of their forces; to
savagely destroy their fleeing ranks!
GM: Please roll your Will plus your Mystic
Talent dice against the Power Pool of the Demon.
Cobra: Alright. I rolled 7 successes.
GM: Unfortunately, the Demon rolled 8. This
means that not only does it fail to obey your orders but
you must now attempt to maintain your subjugation
of it! Roll your Summoning Magic Ritual skill plus
Mystic Talent!
Cobra: I rolled 7 successes again!
GM: And so does the demon, meaning that its
roll has cancelled out your successes. Your attempt to
maintain control has failed, and now you feel the focus
 of the demons anger and hatred shift completely
towards you! There is an awful and triumphant roar
that echoes from far below within the palace, and
you hear the immense crystal dome of the Great
hall shatter as the mighty demon bursts through the
ceiling and lands upon the outside walls of the very
tower upon which you stand. Its powerful multi-
segmented limbs wrap nearly all the way around the
towers circumference. It roars once again as it begins
to climb towards you.
Cobra: No, no! Not yet! Still no sign of the
summoned mount?
GM: None that you can tell. Remember, you
are still somewhat blinded by the floating embers.
Cobra: OK, I have got to attempt to subjugate
the demon again, then!
GM: You can try, but why not just dismiss it
and send it back to Narkah?
Cobra: Because it has one last task that I swore
to my lord I would complete!
GM: Ah yes, thats right. Very well, roll your
Ritual Skill roll at 4, including your Talent dice,
and Ill roll the Demons Power Pool again.
Cobra: Man! I rolled 7 successes again! Whats
with the sevens all of the sudden?
GM: Youre in luck it only rolled 5! The
demon has been subjugated once again. Just as it
reaches the top of the tower, it roars in utter rage
and madness, sending a terrible thorny fist smashing
down on the carved stones near you as your control
over it closes like a slaves manacle.
Cobra: Thank the Devah! OK, even if my
character dies in the process, I cant risk losing
control again before I give my final command. I yell
out these words, I bid you now, retreat to the heart of
this palace, and tear it to the ground! Leave nothing
for my enemy, and no stone of this place standing
upon another!
The GM considers the words of this command for
a moment, then has me roll my dice again. I make an
amazing 9 successes, and the demon merely makes 6. It
must obey me but as it turns its head to do so, its terrible
visage twists into an almost jnah-like expression of
ugly humor; in my characters mind, the GM says that
a simple and yet menacing phrase is spoken by it, It
shall be as you wish, my mortal master... It is then that
I know I may soon dance at the Edge of Heaven...
Now is the time for the dramatic conclusion to this
ritual as the demon launches itself from atop this tower
to land half-way down an adjacent one. Through my
half-blind gaze I barely discern as, amidst a cascade of
stone and rubble it careens down the side of that tower,
its many-limbed form leaping again to vanish into the
ragged hole of the Great Halls shattered dome.
GM: More screaming can be heard from below
as any in its path perish, and many even outside the
House are crushed beneath falling masonry. Now
impossibly powerful sounds, like thunder, can be
Basic Compendium
heard from deep within the palace itself, and suddenly
everything begins to shake. Nearby, the tower already
damaged by the demons descent begins to crumble
and fall, a sickening site from where you stand, as
your vision finally fully clears. You are watching your
own death approach.
Cobra: I whisper silent prayers to Nagamssa,
Chapter V: Ritual Magic
begging her to preserve the sanctity of my immortal
duhma, even if my body must now perish.
GM: To your left, you see another tower fall,
smashing down into the darkness of the Great Hall,
utterly destroying the remnants of its once-glorious
crystal dome. The stone beneath you shudders and
begins to buckle and you are tipped suddenly near
the edge of the fractured tower! The screams of
the dying below now pierce your eardrums with a
sudden strange clarity.
Cobra: Beloved Nagamssa! Save your
servant!
GM: Unbearably weary, you desperately clutch
at the shaking stones of the crenellations at the towers
edge. Suddenly, just as you feel the roof beneath you
heave and begin to fall away, a keening, chittering
noise cuts through the rumbling of the falling tower.
Rigid limbs grasp you around your midriff as you
feel yourself plucked from disaster and hauled up
and into the sky. The buzzing of large wings and the
sight of the bright red mandibles above you are all
you need to see to recognize that it is a makdi that
even now clasps you to its chitinous torso. Far below
you, you see the last of the towers of your lords once-
mighty palace fall, and then nothing as you pass into
the thick clouds. Only the sounds of distant demonic
roars of rage follow you for a moment.
Cobra: Ohhhh yes!! Thank you, thank you!
Just in time. With the last of my strength I want
to reach up and touch its underbelly, giving it a
command to carry me up into the clouds and to the
ship of my lord.
GM: Simply roll your base Ritual Skill roll for
Summoning, at a 2 modifier.
Cobra: Five successes!
GM: Very well, the whipping winds catch you
both for a brief second as the makdi begins to change
course, guided, it seems, by the mental image of your
lords vessel, and thoughts of your family. You were
right when you said the last of your strength, by the
way...
Cobra: What do you mean?
GM: You may not have been counting,
but I was... You have used 11 Unique Disciplines
throughout these many summonings, exactly as
many as will cause you to fall unconscious when you
emerge from this ritual. And now that this ritual is
coming to a close, you feel an unbearable weariness
overtake you, and you fall into the depths of silent,
exhausted slumber just as the clouds begin to clear,
and your drooping eyes catch momentary sight of
skyships sailing high overhead. You then slip into
darkness.
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VI. Bestiary

Drdnah is a world teeming with indigenous life of many different varieties, as well as demons
and other supernatural entities that originate from the Realm of Dreams. These creatures are in
evidence all around, both in the wild and as domesticated beasts called suthra. As for the supernatural
beings, such as demons, spirits, and elemental entities, they act as guardians, servants, and soldiers
to the sorcerers who summon them from their mystic dimension, or as terrible foes hiding in the
dark places of the world for the unwary to stumble upon. Below is a collection of the most common
creatures that might be encountered in the world, listed along with a brief description and the game
statistics necessary to deal with them.
After each creatures name and description, there are several different pieces of information,
each of which should give the GM a basic understanding for using these creatures in the game, either
as specific encounters to challenge the players or as a colorful backdrop for the world itself. The GM
should feel free to adjust the statistics as needed in order to decrease or increase the challenge for the
players, or to add variety by creating new creatures. Here is a brief explanation of each statistic:
STAMINA - The number of damage levels that can be done to a creature before it is considered
defeated (which can either mean death or merely being subdued, depending on the type of damage
inflicted).
ARMOR - The number of damage levels subtracted from each successful hit scored against a creature
during combat. This can either represent physical armor the creature possesses (such as tough hide or a
chitin shell), or some sort of supernatural defense innate to them.
NORMAL ACTION DICE - The Action Dice a creature gets to roll when performing any standard
action, everything from their basic movement to standard attacks and defense. In addition, this number
also represents the average number of Damage Levels the creature inflicts upon its target with an attack.
SPECIAL ACTIONS - These are the Action Dice the creature rolls for any Special Actions it might
possess, and usually refers to things such as unique attacks, defenses, movements, etc. Like the normal
Action Dice, this number also represents the average number of Damage Levels the creature inflicts with
any of its special attacks.

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Asivam (AH-see-vahm) - Almost entirely domesticated, the bloated, grub-like asivam makes
its home throughout most of southeastern Drdnah. Only on rare occasions can small
nests of them be found in the wild. They feed on local plant life and are especially fond
of bush lichen, with the
average asivam eating about
twice its weight every day.
Prized around the world as
a delicacy for its flavorful,

Chapter VI: Bestiary

soft meat, each asivam also
produces a sugary, semi-
alcoholic syrup inside their
translucent bellies that is
squeezed out of their end
and used to make a variety
of sweet meads and drinks.
STAMINA: 1-6 levels
ARMOR: 0 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Bite,
Clinging, Climbing, Standard
Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Excrete semi-alcoholic syrup : 6

Bandar (BAN-dahr) - About shoulder high to a mouse Zoic, this playful suthra lives in many of the
forested areas of northern Drdnah. Arboreal by nature, they generally live in small groups
(from five to twenty) and forage for
native fruits and occasional dromi.
Prized for their colorful bodies
and fearlessly inquisitive natures,
they are sometimes trained and
raised as pets. They are considered
uncommonly intelligent for suthra
and have gained a certain amount
of popularity amongst the southern
nobles.
STAMINA: 3-9 levels
ARMOR: 2 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Great
Leap, Bite, Night Vision,
Clinging, Climbing, Standard
Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
None

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 Chapter VI: Bestiary
Billsa (beh-LAW-saw) - A small (lap-sized) colorful creature, often tamed as a house pet, sometimes
called a honey-sap. They tolerate the presence of jnah, even in the wild, and at times untamed ones
will approach non-threatening jnah if there is the promise of a sweet treat. Though they cannot fly,
they possess vestigial wings that unfurl to aid
them in long leaps and jumps, allowing them
to reach high branches, the sides of walls,
and even ceilings, to which they can cling.
They make an assortment of small, pleasantly
BOOK ONE

melodic noises when happy and calm, as well

as loud wailing screeches when alarmed. For
this reason they are sometimes kept in houses
as deterrents to intruders.
STAMINA: 1-6 levels
ARMOR: 2 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Great Leap, Bite,
Gliding, Night Vision, Clinging, Climbing,
Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Using its sharp and syringe-like proboscis
to puncture through tree bark, chitin, or
flesh, and drain fluids : 5
Can emit a keening wail that can be heard
at great distances, and can awaken sleeping
jnah within several hundred feet : 6

Bthn (boo-THAWN) - Ranging in size from eight feet to well over seventy feet in length, the lumbering,
segmented bthn is the main means of transportation for many of the merchant caravans plying
the trade routes throughout the world. Because of its fairly tractable nature (despite its tendency to
bite anything near its mouth), the great bthn was one of the first creatures domesticated, being
considered a gift directly from the
Devah. Bthn tend to travel in small
herds of around 6 adults, 2 male and
4 female, and their young. A female
will give birth to up to 2 young every
5 years. When one dies, the carapace
is scavenged for use in the fabrication
of various items; pieces of armor and
architectural ornamentations being
popular favorites. The huge eyes of the
bthn are highly prized as a source for
lenses of various kinds.
STAMINA: 24-60 levels
ARMOR: 10 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Thermal Regulation,
Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 4
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Trample : 5
Shearing Bite : 6

292
 Chinti (CHIN-tee) - The most common riding and draft beasts of Drdnah, chinti come in many
sizes and varieties. From the lighter, swifter beasts of Amnol to the larger, sturdier steeds bred in
Dar-Purm, chinti all tend to be sociable creatures and sometimes form close bonds with their
owners. Chinti mate for life and
will reproduce every three years. Its
history with the jnah stretching
back into the mists of time, the
chinti has served as beast of burden,

Chapter VI: Bestiary

companion, friend, and sometimes
even savior to many a legendary
hero.
STAMINA: 10-20 levels
ARMOR: 3 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Bite, Standard
Sensory Rolls, etc. : 5
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Rearing kick : 7
Gore attack (horns) : 6

Demon Beasts - In the ancient days of the Thousand Years of Darkness, the demonic Devah, Amasrah,
Mother of Nightmares, released her hideous children upon the face of Drdnah to aid in her battles
against the other Devah. In the end, though she was consigned to the Swirling Hells of Narkah, her
demonic spawn fled into the dark recesses of the world, shaping for themselves forms of chitin, mist, flesh,
and vile ichors. Many of these monsters and their progeny still wander the forgotten places deep in the
mountains, among ancient ruins, or hidden
away in the uncharted wilderness. They wear
a thousand different forms, usually resembling
suthra-like (or even Zoic-like) abominations,
and wield a variety of different weapons, both
natural and supernatural. All of them house a
terrible hunger that must be appeased. Wounds
made by demons resist normal healing and
must often be healed with special rituals.
STAMINA: 8-112 levels
ARMOR: 2-14 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Various Movement Types, Generic
Attacks *, Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 2 to 14
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Unique Attack * : 2 to 14

* Demons generally cause damage equal to twice

their Action Dice (based on the Power Pool for
summoned entities. See Summoning in the Ritual
Magic chapter).

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 Chapter VI: Bestiary
Dromi (DRO-mee) - A common pet animal found throughout much of Drdnah. There are as many
breeds and variations as there are regions of the world, with many areas supporting multiple breeds,
from the brightly colored creatures flitting about the trees and underbrush of the Visedi jungles, to
the more subdued looking species found in
the arid regions of northern Bakri. Dromi
are commonly kept as house pets because
of their colorful beauty and their melodic
singing. Some breeds are highly intelligent
BOOK ONE

and can be trained to do tricks or mimic

sounds. Some can even be trained to deliver
messages of various kinds.
STAMINA: 1-3 levels
ARMOR: 1 point
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Bite, Hovering,
Echo Location, Clinging, Flight, Standard
Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Mimic sounds and movements: 5

Dudha (DOOD-hah) - Herds of large, barrel-bodied, thin-legged suthra known as dudha can be found
grazing in the fields surrounding most villages. This domesticated suthra has become a staple for
many jnah and is raised for milk and meat in many parts of the world. The hide of the dudha tends to
be soft and supple, especially the soft
skin of the underbelly, making it easy
to incorporate into the manufacture
of clothing. Males can be dangerous
during the breeding season and will
sometimes attempt to gore those who
intrude upon their space. There are
many breeds of wild dudha that still
roam the vast plains and mountains
of the world, and these can vary in
both size and shape.
STAMINA: 5-15 levels
ARMOR: 1 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Bite, Standard
Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Gore attack (horns) : 5

294
 Elemental Spirit - These are spiritual and physical manifestations of the elements of Air (Vayu), Earth (Bhumi),
Fire (Agni), and Water (Jala). Of all the supernatural forces native to Drdnah and the Dream, the spiritual
entities that manifest within the primal forces of nature are perhaps the most mysterious. These are referred
to as Elementals by most sirhibasi, and seem to be beyond the religious concepts of good or evil. The forms
they take can seem demonic at times, while at other moments they might manifest as a fire with no fuel, or as
an impossible shape formed by water that seems to move of its own accord, or other element-inspired forms.
Their whisperings can sometimes be heard in the wind, and their movements can be felt throughout the
earth, and seen in the power of crystals. It is well known that in the areas of their influence they are capable

Chapter VI: Bestiary

of affecting the beings around them, welling up as powerful emotions and premonitions. Rarely are these
entities encountered when not summoned by
magic, or entrapped in some specific form for
some particular purpose by ancient sorceries.
(See the Ritual Magic chapter and the Ritual
of Summoning for specific descriptions of
each of the elemental powers.)
STAMINA: 8-112 levels
ARMOR: 2-14 points (supernatural defense based
on elemental composition)
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Various Movement Types, Generic Attacks *,
Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 2 to 14
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Overwhelming Emotional Affect (different for
each Elemental) : 2 to 14
Unique Elemental Attack : 2 to 14 *
Unique Elemental Movement : 2 to 14 *

* Elementals generally cause damage equal to twice their

Action Dice (based on the Power Pool for summoned
entities. See Summoning in the Ritual Magic chapter).

Gle (GOO-leh) - Many varieties of gle are scattered around the world, much like their distant cousins
the dromi, but what they all have in common is the fact that they are a dietary staple for most
jnah. Whether bred for the harvesting of eggs
or simply just the meat, gle can be seen in
every market square, farm, village, and slum.
Seemingly content with domestication, the
small gle is easily startled and can be a great
source of amusement for many children, who
enjoy chasing the squawking suthra around.
STAMINA: 1-3 levels
ARMOR: 0 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Gliding, Standard
Sensory Rolls, Claws, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
None

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Haryal (har-YAWL) - These suthra are the primary source of silk for the jnah. All along the forests of
Rkbar, these small to medium sized multi-legged suthra spin their nests in the shadowy underbrush.
When their young hatch, they spend the next three weeks eating, then spinning themselves
into thick cocoons. When the last larvae
have finished spinning, half of the pods are
collected to be used in the making of clothing-
grade silk, which unfortunately kills the larvae
(though they are considered a delicacy). The
BOOK ONE

other half are allowed to hatch and mature to

adulthood. The adults continue to spin silk
and this immensely strong fiber is used to make
ropes, netting, weapon cords, and many other
items requiring tensile strength. These fibers,
properly treated, can be strong enough to lift a
fully-grown bthn.
STAMINA: 1-6 levels
ARMOR: 0 (young) / 2 (adult) points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Great Leap, Bite
(adult), Clinging, Climbing, Standard Sensory
Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
None

Ithani (ee-THAW-nee) - The brightly colored carapace of the Ithani is the primary source of weapon
and armor chitin for much of the middle countries of Drdnah. They resemble elaborately
spiked and adorned beetles,
ranging in size from a large
melon to a medium sized
Zoic. Many varieties are
also eaten, their flesh being
considered especially tender
and flavorful.
STAMINA: 2-15 levels
ARMOR: 3 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Bite,
Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Gore Attack (horns) : 5

296
 Jabda (jah-BAH-dah) - Also known as the Jaw Plant, these large carnivorous plants resemble a Venus
flytrap. Like other types of carnivorous plant life, they produce either a sweet or a slightly rotting
aroma used to attract their normal prey, which are suthra of various sizes. Some varieties have
adapted different ways to catch their
prey, such as dangling tendrils that
coil around its target, or growing large
stalks to attract flying prey, or even
resting its lower jaw on the ground

Chapter VI: Bestiary

for prey to step into. Once prey has
been captured, the leaf-jaws seal shut
and the stem then releases acids into
the mouth cavity to digest the victim.
Much like the Kahamra and Kargara,
unless the Jabdas victims can be freed
and the digestive fluids washed away,
they will slowly and painfully dissolve
over the course of an hour.
STAMINA: 5-15 levels
ARMOR: 0 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Attract Prey, Capture Prey, etc. : 6
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Dissolve Prey : 3

Jugnu Worm (joo-GAH-noo) - Grub-like, bioluminescent creatures that are kept in decorative wicker
cages and used as light sources throughout the world. When kept well fed, they give off a gentle glow
that varies wildly in color depending upon the species. These creatures glow brightest when they are
occasionally petted and stroked, emitting a
soft purring sound when given such treatment.
Tended to in this manner, they can glow
brightly for hours until they eventually begin
to dim and go dark as they fall asleep. Their
cages can be covered to hide their glow when
desired. If harmed, they will emit a shrill,
keening wail that will not subside until they
are either soothed or slain.
STAMINA: 1-9 levels
ARMOR: 0 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Standard Sensory
Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
When harmed, emits a keening wail
that can be heard at great distances, and
can awaken sleeping jnah within several
hundred feet. : 6

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 Chapter VI: Bestiary
Kahamra (kaw-ha-MAR-uh) - Also known as Amber Deaths, these small to huge-sized carnivorous plants
resemble various configurations of amber-colored leaves covered with reddish, stalk-like glands, each
of which secrete at their tip a large drop of gooey, glistening dew. They tend to grow in thick, dark
forests where they are easy to stumble into,
or high upon promontories, where they tend
to attract flying suthra with the sweet smell
they produce. If anything touches one of the
extremely sticky drops, it causes a reaction
BOOK ONE

in the plant that compels the rest of the

leaves to bend forward, engulfing the victim
and covering them in more of the mucilage,
which is, in fact, the plants digestive fluid.
Unless the victim can be freed and the sticky
goo washed away, the unfortunate will slowly
be digested alive.
STAMINA: 5-15 levels
ARMOR: 0 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Attract Prey, Envelope Prey, etc. : 6
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Dissolve Prey : 3

Kargara (kuh-RAH-gah-rah) Pod - Also called the Prison Plant, these huge green carnivorous vine-
like plants grow in deep forests and jungles, but there are also aquatic varieties that grow in the
oceans, often in large, spreading masses. Along the vines sprout large, oval, tough-skinned pods
that have the sole purpose of bringing
nutrients to the plant by trapping prey.
Each pod is equipped with a large
trapdoor that is triggered by prey
passing nearby and causing vibrations
to tiny filaments that extend from the
openings edges. Within the pod, the
plant has created a strange negative
pressure that instantly sucks in prey
(along with surrounding air, water,
debris, etc.) up to twenty feet away,
depending on the plants size. Such
trapped prey find the chamber quickly
filling with digestive fluids, that will
rapidly drown and dissolve the prey
in less than an hour unless they are
released and cleaned of the fluid.
STAMINA: 10-20 levels
ARMOR: 3 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Capture Prey, etc. : 8
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Dissolve Prey : 3

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 Karcha (CAR-chah) - Nesting in caverns deep beneath the earth, or in elaborate burrows that they dig, the
cunning karcha are considered dangerous predators by explorers and miners alike. Though they have a
sharp protrusion at the end of their abdomen, which they will use to stab overwhelmed prey, these seven
foot tall monsters are not venomous, merely incredibly strong and swift. They work together in close-knit
groups, building subterranean labyrinths
and demonstrating a high level of
cooperation in combat (such as dragging
wounded fellows out of harms way). Many

Chapter VI: Bestiary

jnah consider them to be demons, for the
karcha have been known to lie silently in
wait, attacking unsuspecting crystal miners
and drawing them away from entrances to
their actual lairs. Their tendencies to nest
near choice veins of valuable crystal lead
many to believe that they protect these
crystals for some reason.
STAMINA: 2-20 levels
ARMOR: 3 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Great Leap, Night
Vision, Clinging, Climbing, Standard Sensory
Rolls, etc. : 5
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Using its sharp abdominal stinger to impale
its prey : 7

Kekra (KECK-rah) - A small lobster-like suthra that lives in both the salty oceans as well as the fresh
waters across all of Drdnah. Though they are often harvested for their meat, it is somewhat of
an acquired taste, as their flesh (cooked or raw) has an oily, cloying quality. Kekra dishes are often
heavily sauced and spiced so that its natural flavor can be overcome, but the meat itself is hearty
and filling, and there are those who claim kekra meat is an exceptionally healthy choice, keeping
one trim and fit. As such, it is often served in
the houses of the elderly, much to the chagrin
of visiting younger relatives. Kekra are known
for their unique method of self-defense,
for when they feel threatened, especially in
shallower waters, they will attempt to shoot
to the surface, popping above the waves and
using their powerful tails to slap themselves
noisily across the surface of the water in hopes
of fleeing their attacker. When this is done by
dozens or even hundreds of kekra, this can be
quite shocking and effective.
STAMINA: 1-3 levels
ARMOR: 1 point
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Swimming,
Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Flapping Escape : 5

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Kellndu (kehl-EN-doo) - Considered the guard and pet creature of choice on Drdnah, the kellndu
has many breeds ranging from tiny, scrappy creatures you can hold in your hands to large beasts that
can grasp a small Zoics torso in its pincers. Highly intelligent, generally personable, and easily trained,
they have been the constant companions of the jnah for
thousands of years. Though most species of kellndu have
been domesticated, their wild cousins who live in the deep
forests, rolling plains, and crystal mountains of the world
can be quite fearsome. These wild kellndu often hunt in
BOOK ONE

vicious, hungry packs.

STAMINA: 3-12 levels
ARMOR: 2 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Bite, Standard Sensory Rolls,
etc. : 4
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Keen Hearing, Tracking Scent, Sprint : 5
Piercing attack from the scythe-like forearms : 3 to 8
(depending on size of breed)

Khaujva (cow-JEE-vah) - Tortured or evil spirits known also as the Hungry Ones; these are ghosts who, trapped
in this world by the trauma of their hideous deaths, sustain themselves on the essence of the living. Such
spirits can take many forms, from mist or shadow shapes that pass through walls, to animated heaps of root-
riddled earth and decaying flesh and bones. They can sense and seek out unfortunate jnah who wander
into the area of their accursed haunting, either attacking them directly or insidiously enthralling them by
forcing the unfortunate victim to see terrifying visions, or to apparently relive the events surrounding the
spirits final torturous moments as if they had been a part of it themselves. While thus enthralled, victims
will be slowly, spiritually drained of their life essence until they die, becoming forever trapped in the personal
hell of the tortured soul who feasted upon their duhma. It may be possible to free such spirits of the curse
that entraps them in our world or within the Dream, though one attempting this could easily become
a victim of the ghost and share their fate. Khaujva can exist in groups if all their deaths were linked to
the same hideous event. There are many
legends concerning demon beasts that are
surrounded by such wraiths, the tortured
souls of all their past victims who can only
be freed by the death of the demon itself.
STAMINA: 8-112 levels
ARMOR: 2-14 points (supernatural protection)
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Night Vision, Standard
Sensory Rolls, Standard Attacks *, etc. : 2-14
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Sense Living Presence : 2-14
Supernatural Attack (consume anothers life
force; Stamina or Characteristic loss) : 2-14 *
Enthrall Victim with Torturous or Haunting
Visions : 2-14

* Spirits generally cause damage equal to twice

their Action Dice (based on the Power Pool for
summoned entities. See Summoning in the Ritual
Magic chapter).

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 Kidachla (kee-dah-CHAH-lah) - A small to medium sized grub-like suthra with tiny, spindly legs that
defends itself by spraying a toxic cloud from its posterior. Different breeds release slightly different
sprays. Most common are the sleep variety and the slightly acidic, reeking variety. Some domesticated
kidachla are milked of their various
excretions, which are then combined
and then used in the manufacture of
Amber-crafted objects as a thinning
agent, as well as certain dyes and other

Chapter VI: Bestiary

resins, and even amazingly enough,
perfumes.
STAMINA: 2-8 levels
ARMOR: 0 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Bite, Standard
Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Musk Spray : 5

Kotha (KOH-thuh) - A hulking, predatory brute, these large suthra (standing between seven and nine
feet tall) normally inhabit the mountains, lower slopes, and foothills of Drdnah, although they
occasionally do wander into the jungles during the cooler seasons. They have amazingly tough
chitin plates that protect their body and six thick limbs. They are immensely strong and highly
territorial, with a single male protecting
a troop of females. They are naturally
inquisitive creatures, and normally travel on
four squat legs, leaving their front limbs free
to manipulate items of interest in their thick
jointed fingers. When ready to attack, they
rise up on their two rear legs so as to bring
four of their terrible limbs to bear. They
have been known to grab prey with these
limbs and smash them against a rock or
the ground, and their terrible hinged triple
mandibles are capable of quickly crushing an
average-sized jnahs skull.
STAMINA: 10-25 levels
ARMOR: 4 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Great Leap,
General Attacks, Clinging, Climbing,
Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 5
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Crushing bite : 6
Grabbing Smash attack : 7

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 Chapter VI: Bestiary
Krtellah (KRAH-tell-ah) - Used for the fine sport of kratellassi, these hunting flying suthra are
launched from the arm of a jnah to track down and fetch small game suthra. They come in many
varieties and can grow to have a wingspan
of six feet. Different breeds have a wide
variety of colorations, markings, and crests.
Aside from being used and trained as pets
for sport by the gentry, their wild cousins
are natural predators with good vision and
BOOK ONE

strong claws. The largest of them could

potentially present a danger to other small
domesticated animals or even smaller jnah
and children.
STAMINA: 2-12 levels
ARMOR: 1 point
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Flight, Bite, Standard
Sensory Rolls, etc. : 4
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Aerial Strike : 6

Kyarku (kee-YAR-coo) Beetle - An incredibly rare, iridescent blue-black beetle that spends most of its
time scurrying about the deadfalls of the deep jungles foraging for carrion. They are sometimes
hunted and captured to make use of their deadly carapaces. Its carapace is processed to make
one of the most lethal poisons
known on Drdnah. Illegal
in most countries, its use is
strictly forbidden. The beetle
is dried and its carapace
powdered to produce the base
for the toxin. This poison sells
for a very high price and is
much sought after despite the
terrible punishments resulting
if one is caught in possession
of it.
STAMINA: 1-3 levels
ARMOR: 1 point
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Bite,
Gliding, Standard Sensory Rolls,
etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
None

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 Makdi (MAHK-dee) - It is said during the Thousand Years of Darkness, in the early days, demons from
the swirling hells were rampaging across much of Drdnah, filling the skies with their hideous
shrieks. The Devah told the jnah they
must take back the skies and found
for them the noble makdi. Since then,
they have been an honored means of
transportation for many lucky jnah.
Ranging in size from a small cart to a

Chapter VI: Bestiary

river barge, they are capable of lifting
great weights and traveling for many
hours. Domesticated as flying mounts,
makdi are a treasured and valuable
possession to own.
STAMINA: 10-25 levels
ARMOR: 2 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Flight, Night Vision,
General Attacks, Clinging, Standard Sensory
Rolls, etc. : 6
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
None

Makri (MAHK-ree) - Makri are somewhat common, albeit often monstrous, predatory beasts. There are
a wide variety of them ranging in size from a small dog to a large elephant. While they are built
low to the ground with many legs and thick chitin along their backs, they are most known for
their terrible twin segmented tails
equipped with hideous stingers.
Their poison is quite painful, causing
significant tissue damage as it eats
away at the flesh. Poison potency
can vary among the makri. See the
Poison Effects Table for information
on the various effects. Makri tend to
consume their prey live, though they
have been observed ripping prey into
sections to feed their young.
STAMINA: 8-30 levels
ARMOR: 4 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Great
Leap, Bite, Night Vision, Clinging,
Climbing, Standard Sensory Rolls,
etc. : 5
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Poison twin stinger attack : 4 to
8 (depending on size), Necrotic/
Insinuated (Strength varies), see
Poison Effects Table

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Marmrdi (mar-MOOR-dee) Crabs - A popular pet from Sustrm, the marmrdi crab has become
more prevalent in other areas as well. This small suthra has a dark, incredibly thick, beautiful
shell that becomes lighter the deeper one carves into
it. Owners of such crabs will hire artisans to carve
beautiful scenes into the shells, thus turning the
creatures into living works of art. The carved shells
will sometimes be sold or displayed when the pet
dies.
BOOK ONE

STAMINA: 1-5 levels

ARMOR: 3 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Pincer attack : 5

Nakli (nuh-KAH-lee) - Also called a Plant Mimic, the nakli is a slow-moving predatory suthra that makes its
home in the temperate forests or jungles of Drdnah. It is a three to eight foot long parasitic crustacean
that huddles close to the ground, camouflaging itself with earth and vegetable matter, preferring to use
plants that will take root in the mound of soil that it piles atop its shell. Numerous eye-stalks cleverly
hidden amongst the collected debris observe its surroundings in search of potential prey, which it will
stealthily follow, waiting for its prey to settle down to sleep. Once its victim slumbers, the creature sends
out numerous (ten to twenty) root-like feeding tentacles at great distances (sometimes up to a hundred
feet or more) that seek out any prey in the vicinity and attach themselves using a nerve-deadening saliva.
They then begin to drain the victims vital fluids as they sleep, eventually leaving a bloodless husk if the
victim fails to awaken. Such tendrils can be easily cut or pulled off the victim, and once the main body of
the nakli is discovered, it can be fairly
easily dispatched. When attacked, the
creatures tentacles are swiftly drawn up
around its body to flail at its foe, causing
painful lacerations unless the tentacles
are severed. Additionally, the nakli has
four pincers, evenly placed around the
circular shells edge, that can be used to
attack anything that comes near.
STAMINA: 5-20 levels (though each tentacle
can be fully severed with a successful hit, but
doing no damage to the creature itself)
ARMOR: 4 points (body), 0 points (tentacles)
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Standard Sensory
Rolls, Claw Pincers, etc. : 4
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Blood Drain Unnoticed by Victim : 5
(uncontested)
Slicing Tentacle Flail : 7

304
 Phnka (FEN-kah) Plant - This dangerous plant grows to be between three and nine feet tall. It thrives
in most areas of deep wilderness, from desert to jungle. Known also as the giant Missile Tuber, it has
broad, leafy green and orange foliage surrounding its base, from which rises a fleshy barrel-shaped
growth divided into multiple lengthwise segments (equal to the plants height). Each segment is
lined with a number of pits (also equal to the plants height) that contain a spine-like seed. From
beneath the foliage at the base extend long roots that stretch radially away from the plant along the
ground, directly in line with each vertical row of seeds. Anything weighing more than a few pounds
that steps upon one of these roots triggers that particular segment to fire off its row of seeds. These

Chapter VI: Bestiary

missiles are shot with enough force to puncture all but the toughest chitin. Lucky individuals may
be able to evade such a strike, especially
if they are able to recognize the telltale
sound the plant makes before it fires
the seeds. Those unlucky enough to be
hit may be either killed immediately or
the seeds will lodge deeply within their
bodies, causing daily pain and damage
unless they are surgically removed,
or until the seed finishes growing to
maturity by feeding from the nutrients
of its host.
STAMINA: 3-9 levels
ARMOR: 0 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Lie in wait undetected : 6
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Fire Seeds : 3 to 9 (rolled as a bundled
Action, and requires an evade roll for each
spine to defend)
Feed on host (developing seed only) : 5
(calculated once per day, uncontested)

Sbaj (SAH-bodge) Spinners - Small to medium-sized multi-legged suthra that dwell in wilderness
areas all across Drdnah, sbaj spinners lay out blankets of webbing that are sticky on only one
side to capture unwary prey. Small or medium-sized creatures wandering onto these webs become
easily stuck, attracting the attention of the spinner who then swiftly rolls them up in the sticky
side and bring their trapped prey back to the nest for consumption. Jnah often carefully harvest
patches of this webbing, which are wrapped in parcels of waxed parchment (which does not stick to
the silk). These parcels are kept handy for many utilitarian uses, such as quickly patching tears in
clothing, tents, sails, etc. Though they can be dangerous when
directly provoked, even the largest sbaj spinners seem to
avoid jnah. Oddly enough, they have shown evidence in the
past of possessing a curious intelligence, with stories of some
jnah accidentally trapped in their webs being snipped free by
the cautious spinners, who then quickly retreat, making no
attempt to feed. Whether this is because jnah are not seen
as their prey or due to some other strange compulsion, most
scholars find this behavior very curious indeed.
STAMINA: 1-15 levels
ARMOR: 1 point
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Climbing, Bite, Clinging, Standard
Sensory Rolls, etc. : 4
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Using its silk to ensnare prey : 7

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 Chapter VI: Bestiary
Sand Vatha (VAH-thah) - The deadly sand vatha, sometimes reaching ten to twenty feet in total length,
is a desert predator greatly feared throughout most of southwestern Drdnah. Though as large
as most chinti, they craftily camouflage themselves by burying their plated bodies just beneath
the hot sands, especially near desert scrub and
cacti, with only the tip of their tails protruding
from the sands, which blend in with the spiky
foliage around them. Delicate, feathery feelers
at the fronts of their bodies are used to sense
BOOK ONE

the approach of prey, and to determine when

they are within prime striking range. With
a sudden lashing of its whip-like tail, the
poisonous spine will imbed itself deeply within
the vathas victim, and it will simultaneously
lurch forth from beneath to secure their prey
with shearing teeth and spiky appendages. See
the Poison Effects Table for information on the
various effects of poisons.
STAMINA: 3-18 levels
ARMOR: 2 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Digging, Standard
Sensory Rolls, etc. : 4
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Using its sharp tail to impale and poison
prey. Paralytic/Insinnuated (varies) (see Poison
Effects Table) : 6

Sildrah (sih-LAH-drah) - A clear, glass-like parasite that can be found in the densest jungles of Drdnah.
These creatures are fairly small (the size of a coin), and live nearly invisibly in certain still streams and
small ponds. They are extremely difficult to find and breed rarely. They sense the warm bodies of larger
creatures that enter the water or go the water to drink, and seek an orifice through which they can enter
the body to lay their fertilized eggs. The sildrah then dies and is passed normally. The eggs, however,
hatch within an hour of being deposited,
releasing an embryonic poison which kills
the host, allowing the sildrah larvae to
feed on the corpses fluids. Afterwards,
the larvae crawl free of the corpse and
attempt to make it to the nearest water
source before they dry out in an attempt
to continue their life cycle. These creatures
have been known to be used by assassins,
who deposit them in the drinking vessels
or baths of their targets.
STAMINA: 1-3 levels
ARMOR: 0 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Swimming, Clinging,
Climbing, Thermal Regulation, Standard
Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Camouflage Self : 5
Embryonic Poison (GMs Choice), (see
Poison Effects Table)

306
 Silk Locust - A pestilent flying suthra about the
size of a fist. Silk locusts generally live in arid
environments, especially near the mountains,
and have been known to descend upon skyships
in swarms, attacking rigging and sails alike.
Although they do not consume flesh, their
powerful mandibles can cause serious wounds.

Chapter VI: Bestiary

STAMINA: 1-4 levels
ARMOR: 1 point
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Flight, Bite, Clinging,
Climbing, Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Swarm Attack : 6

Trombrtu (trom-BAR-too) Beetle - This uncommon

jungle beetle is about a foot or two in length,
possessing large, horn-like protrusions on its head
like a rhino. Their horns, when baked and crushed
into a powder, creates a sleeping toxin that can put
targets into a coma. If the victim is left untreated, he
will usually succumb to a slow death.
STAMINA: 1-6 levels
ARMOR: 2 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Gore Attack (horn) : 5

Udisa (oo-DEE-sah) - A small, hive suthra that lives in

huge, mud mounds on the plains of Hthiyar and
southern Nilm. Most are non-poisonous, but the
soldiers excrete a highly painful toxin when they
bite. They are a favored delicacy in many areas and
so are actively hunted. Sometimes these creatures
will swarm across the ground if seeking a new
nesting site, at which times they may be attracted
to areas of habitation, often leading to unfortunate
confrontations with others.
STAMINA: 1-3 levels
ARMOR: 1 point
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Digging, Bite, Clinging, Climb,
Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Painful Venomous Soldier Bite (GMs choice), (See
Poison Effects Table): 5

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 Chapter VI: Bestiary
Vishala (veesh-ah-EE-lah) - Found swimming in large schools along the archipelagoes of the Visedi Sea,
these creatures make annual migrations westward into the Tumulan Ocean where it is believed they
spawn. They are considered good eating, so many vessels can be found plying the waters they inhabit
for a bountiful catch during these times. A medium to
large invertebrate, this jelly-like fish trails long tendrils
while it swims. Each tendril is capable of delivering
a paralytic sting, which the vishala uses to capture
prey. These tendrils, for obvious reasons, are quickly
BOOK ONE

snipped when the vishala are being harvested.

STAMINA: 1-10 levels
ARMOR: 0 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Clinging, Swimming,
Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 3
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Using its poison tendrils to ensnare prey, Contact/
Paralytic (varies), (see Poison Effects Table): 5

Vratha (VRAH-thuh) Spiders - These dangerous, eight-legged suthra are known to inhabit the dense
jungles of Andhi, Pkharaj, and Ullsh. They are large silk spinners that can reach sizes of ten
feet long. They trap smaller suthra with webs strung
between trees. Vratha cocoon their prey and let
them hang for a day before draining them of their
bodily fluids, after which they drop the husk to the
jungle floor. The cocoons silks are imbued with
a potent muscle relaxant that helps subdue their
prey. This analgesic effect makes the silk incredibly
valuable for medicinal purposes.
STAMINA: 1-20 levels
ARMOR: 2 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Climb, Bite, Clinging, Standard
Sensory Rolls, etc. : 4
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Using its silk to ensnare prey : 6

Vrtach (VOOR-tok) - A giant, legless flying centipede with multiple sets of dragonfly-like wings, huge
rear stingers, and immense crushing mandibles. These creatures are essentially the dragons of
Drdnah, and are often several times the length of average skyships. Each of their hollowed body
segments has an organ that produces a buoyant gas that provides their huge bodies with lift. They
dwell primarily in the upper airs, attacking wild makdi as well as the occasional skyship, and make
their lairs in the highest crags of crystal mountains. They never fly higher than the eighth cloud layer
since beyond that, the gasses in their body begins to expand dangerously, threatening to rupture
them internally. When attacking, they often dive straight down out of the sky like a roaring freight
train. Their strange shrieks, sounding like the thunderous tearing of metal, can often be heard long

308
 before they are actually seen. Although they are seldom hunted, except in defense of a ship, those
that seek to kill the mighty vrtach attempt to strike them down with cannon fire as the creatures
maneuver to attack, or pursue them
aboard flying skiffs armed with many
harpoons. These harpoons, attached
by lines to temporarily dampened
sky crystals, are hurled or fired into
the monsters tough hide. Once

Chapter VI: Bestiary

embedded in the beasts body, the
sky crystals are activated, providing
more lift. The goal is to harpoon
the vrtach enough times so that its
forced into the upper airs where its
body will expand and erupt, killing
the monster

STAMINA: 35-150 levels

ARMOR: 10-15 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Flight, Bite, Glide,
Night Vision, Clinging, Standard Sensory
Rolls, etc. : 7
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Tail Lash : 6 to 12

Yatah (YAH-tuh) Spiders - Related to the dangerous vratha spiders of Andhi and Pkharaj, the yatah
inhabit the more arid plains of the central northwest, especially northern Sustrm and the steppes of
the Hardazi. They are also large silk spinners ranging in size between four and nine feet long who build
trap-door nests. Some clans of the Hardazi are Yatah Keepers who travel from region to region tending
the yatah of the area by approaching their nests wearing strings of abrht shrub gum beads, which the
Hardazi have taught the yatah to recognize as a source of food for their newly hatched young. Anyone
approaching the trap-door of a yatah pit without this offering will find themselves quickly entrapped
and dragged below to be consumed. However, a Hardazi bearing these beads will be scented and allowed
to enter the pit unmolested by the yatah. The Hardazi must then allow the freshly emerging young
to feed upon the offerings dangling from various
strings on their bodies. Although the Hardazi do
not necessarily come away from this unscathed
(the mandibles of the young are razor sharp and
accidents do occur), the adult yatah allow the
Hardazi to take the shed silk egg sacs. This is the
source of the fine Hardazi silks. Abandoned yatah
pits are also used by the Hardazi as ways to hide and
secretly strike outlander groups who would dare to
invade the Hardazi territory on foot, or to conceal
their deadly cannons to blow aerial invaders from
the sky.
STAMINA: 1-25 levels
ARMOR: 2 points
NORMAL ACTION DICE:
Standard Movement, Climb, Bite, Clinging,
Standard Sensory Rolls, etc. : 6
SPECIAL ACTIONS:
Camouflage self in hidden pit : 6
Spring from pit to ensnare prey : 8

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309
VII. Drdnah Glossary
Dancing on the Edge of Heaven - The
euphemism for death, it is considered the polite way to
refer to someone passing on. To say someone simply
dies is to imply that they have no soul (see duhma),
which is a grave insult.
May the Devah Smile Upon/Watch Over
You - A common blessing, the equivalent of God
Bless or Go With God.
May Your Crystal Never Shatter - Another
common blessing, the equivalent of Best of Luck.
May Your Children/Line Be Blessed By
Your Tears - A double blessing aimed at both your
descendants and yourself. The implication is that your
own honorable deeds serve, in turn, to honor your
family and Line.
Academy of Nilm - The greatest center of learning in
the world. Originally a Nagmahn temple, it became an
academy in Hanlu known for its political neutrality
and intellectual freedom. Many a countrys leaders are
products of the superb education found there.
Amber-kettle A wax-sealed, glazed ceramic jar that
holds a supply of liquid Drdni Amber, the sap taken
from an Ambertree that quickly dries to a slightly
flexible yet tough hardness when exposed to the air,
but can be thinned using various substances so as to
remain malleable long enough to be shaped into many
useful objects. Amber-kettle pots are kept handy in
various situations, but are commonly found aboard
ships for the purposes of patching up defects in wood,
cracks in masts and planking, etc.
Amn (ah-MEEN) - A vast political area comprising a
number of territories, known as provinces, locally ruled
by governors and imrs in the name of the supreme
aminar. Most amns are multi-cultural, containing
samples of many different societies, maintained under
this single rule by the military power of the central
government. An amn maintains its political control at
least partly by coercion, maintaining military garrisons
in all of its provinces.
Aminar (AH-mee-nahr) - The ruler of an amn.
Aminars tend to be dynastic and are usually chosen
based on lineage. An aminars rule is unquestioned
and absolute, and strengthened by impressive military
might. There are three great amns in Drdnah, all
in the west: Rkbar, Amnol, and Sustrm. Though
Visedhrah itself was once an amn, it was fractured
into separate Principalities at the end of the Twilight
Wars.
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Amnol (AHM-nohl) - An amn rich in minerals and
crystals peopled by desert-dwelling creatures, primarily
birds and reptiles. The ruling class is composed of
Paksin, primarily birds of prey. The nomadic peoples in
the north of Amnol (with their well-maintained cavalry
of fine chinti and other riding beasts) regularly encroach
into Rkbar, claiming these verdant lands as their
ancestral right and causing understandably bad relations
with that country. Nar-Harix, the capital, with its ancient
pyramids, beautiful monuments, temples, and palace is
crowned by the dazzling rose quartz minarets of the great
temple of Kirh.
Andhi (AHN-dee) - A mercantile and agricultural
isvarate composed primarily of Sarpah although visitors
of every Zoic type are not uncommon. The ruling class is
primarily lizards with some snakes. They are renowned
for their swift, graceful chinti and the opulent, well-
stocked bazaars of the capital, Ullhita. They have
excellent relations with their neighbor, Pkharaj, and
economic ties with the eastern Visedhran Principality
of Mandalam, with whom they share their western
borders.
Arena Master - The Spiral Arena (see below) trainer
of a House, considered a master of both armed and
unarmed combat.
Aryah (AHR-yah) - The honorific used for the ruler of
a House; equivalent of My Lord/Lady (see House).
Asivam (AH-see-vahm) - Nectar-giving suthra used for
food and drink. They resemble bloated termites, and
are about the size of a large house cat. Their translucent
bellies are filled with sugary, semi-alcoholic syrup used to
make a variety of sweet meads and drinks.
Bahnf (bah-NEEF) Mineral Dust - The powdered
natural minerals, out of which sky crystals actually
grow, that dampen their anti-gravity effect. Skyships are
outfitted with either roll-down sheaths or tarps covered
in Amber pieces that are infused with this substance,
allowing the crew to control the ships gain or loss of
altitude.
Bakri (bah-KAH-ree) - A peaceful isvarate, populated
mainly by herd Zoics with a few felines and other Vajrah,
and very few Paksin and Sarpah. The ruling class is
composed entirely of herd Zoics. Its primary exports are
spices (used both for food and incense) and wine. There
are few settlements north of Vitna, the capital, due to the
incursions of desert raiders known as the Scourge, who
sometimes strike unprotected caravans and settlements.
Yearly, people from all over the south of the world make
pilgrimages to Nesued to take part in the Feast of the
Seas. There, chants and prayers are sung to the Devah
Hrpa, Lord of All Waters, and to Sianthe his mate,
Lady of the Deep.
Brhmandan (BRAHM-ahn-dahn)
Treasure Ships An ancient, fabled fleet of ships that
was lost over 800 years ago as they traveled southward
toward the nation of Ktta. They contained many rare
treasures meant as a gift of tribute from Hthiyar to
311
Ktta to help quell the growing discontent as Hthiyar
reclaimed its southern borders after the Twilight Wars.
They never arrived, and both nations blamed the other
for the loss. The enmity between the two nations has
grown since then for that and many other reasons,
though there has never yet been the blatant threat of war
Chapter VII: Drdnah Glossary
since the reestablishment of the Gajah Dynasty and the
restoration of Hthiyar.
Bthn (boo-THAHN) - Huge caravan and draft
beasts used for transport. They come in many varieties
and sizes (ranging from 8 to over 70 feet long), and
resemble giant armored millipedes or pill-bugs.
Castes - There is some form of a caste system in almost
every culture on Drdnah. The castes for the most part
are the same, although they might be known by different
names in different regions. Certain professions require
a character be of a certain caste so players should make
sure to purchase the correct one for the profession of
their choice. The three castes that characters must pay
for as an Advantage are the Holy Caste, High Caste, and
Trade Caste.
The Holy Caste is comprised of the most learned and
respected members of society: priests, doctors, judges,
lawyers, scholars, architects, and teachers. Holy Caste
members are also often chefs due to the fact that Holy
and High Caste members prefer to eat food prepared
by someone of equal or higher caste. Addressed as
Enlightened One or Revered One, Holy Caste
members can always be sure of a warm welcome and good
treatment in any establishment or home. Unwarranted
violence against a member of this caste can carry severe
penalties, including imprisonment or death.
The High Caste is comprised of nobles, warriors, sorcerers,
and the highly skilled artisans who specialize in crafting
firearms or training suthra weapons and armor. The
privileged members of this caste may wield firearms,
explosives, and suthra weapons and armor, something
for which even Holy Caste members need special
dispensation. Members of this caste are called Sunborn
because they are believed to be blessed at birth by the
light of both suns. High Caste members are considered
the aristocracy of society.
The Trade Caste is comprised of merchants, artisans, and
skilled craftsmen. Trade Caste members may not wield
firearms nor use suthra weapons and armor, but are
usually wealthy enough to hire warriors to protect their
interests. Although not aristocrats, members of this
caste are considered well-bred and are the gentry and
mercantile backbone of society. Low Caste individuals
address Trade Caste members as sir or madam.
The Low Caste is the lowest official caste, which is comprised
of farmers and all unskilled laborers - the majority of
most populations. Although limited to simple weaponry,
Low Caste members are often drafted by nobles to serve
as peasant levies that are usually armed with spears and
axes. Low Caste members, however, are forbidden by
law to use firearms or suthra weapons and armor, and
can pay with their lives for breaking such laws.
 Chapter VII: Drdnah Glossary
Outcastes are not really an official caste as such, they are
the lowest members of society: escaped slaves, beggars,
dishonored members of other castes, criminals, etc. Given
their unfortunate social status, Outcastes often perform jobs
that nobody else wants such as the handling of waste and
refuse. Despite their status, however, charity toward Outcastes
is considered good karma, so the other castes make efforts
to help them whenever they can. That said, members of
BOOK ONE
other castes generally do not mingle with Outcastes, as it is
considered distasteful and inappropriate. While there is no
law against it, a higher caste individual who mingled freely
with Outcastes would be considered bizarre and perhaps a bit
touched in the head.
Caste Braids - The outward symbol of ones caste. A corded
piece of silk and colored threads worn over the left shoulder,
which drapes across the torso and attaches at the right hip.
Holy Caste members wear saffron colored robes or a braid of
saffron. Sunborn wear red (in all its shades) colored braids.
Trade Caste members wear blue (in all its shades) colored
braids. Low Caste members usually do not wear braids,
though for formal occasions they may wear a green braid.
Outcastes have no official designation, though at times they
are required to cover their heads and faces with brown rags.
Chamberlain - The overseer of a House, rather like a steward.
This is the next most prestigious position in a House after
the aryah.
Chinti (CHIN-tee) - The riding and draft beasts of Drdnah,
which come in as many sizes and varieties as Earth equines.
Essentially it looks like a combination of an antelope, a horse,
and a grasshopper.
Crystals - Drdni crystals are found and mined throughout
the world, and come in an enormous variety of shapes, colors,
and special properties, many of which are used as a part of
everyday life. More common crystals are those used in the
construction of translucent architecture, weapons, money,
and even eating utensils. More rare are crystals that possess
special powers, such as glowing stones of Rabshu, floating sky
crystals, and magic-enhancing Sittm stones.
Crystal Corsairs - The pirates of the Drdni skies, known
for their ferocity and skill as skyship captains and sailors.
Crystal Master - The person most learned about the
properties and the crafting of Drdni crystals (and there are
lots of them). Both Houses and skyships have crystal masters
in their service.
Daln (dah-LAWN) - The common unit of currency. It is a
small, hexagonal sapphire-like crystal whose Earth equivalent
would be about $5. They are often carved with various
symbols and representations of royalty from their nation of
origin and are generally accepted as legal tender in any nation.
The color of a crystal coin also indicates where it came from,
as sapphires are formed in a variety of hues. Most nations
create their coins from a specific variety of crystal.
Dar-Purm (dahr poo-RAHM) - A large and militaristic
isvarate situated on both the mainland and a large island,
Dar-Purm is peopled primarily by coastal Zoics of all kinds,
especially seabirds, and by rodents and a mixture of forest
312
Zoics. The ruling classes are comprised mainly of rodents and
seabirds, the aristocrats being primarily rodents while many
seabirds hold rank in the military. All young adult males
are required to complete at least one year of military service;
females are welcomed as equals but are not required to serve.
The other Gulf nations are becoming increasingly uneasy as
the countrys sky fleet and other branches of its armed forces
grow more powerful from year to year and as its wealth and
power begin to rival that of the amns. Sakrsa, the capital,
located on the island, is graced with a college second only to
the famed Academy of Nilm. Perhaps the most wondrous
and justly famous feature of Dar-Purm, however, is the multi-
level floating city of Nivant, kept aloft by the giant sky crystals
mined nearby which brought the city its wealth.
Dru (DAH-roo) Religion - A heretical religious cult
founded by the monk Mark in the northern Hardazi lands
over 7500 years ago. The myth says that the monk had grown
tired of the corruption and petty bickering that took place
among the Devah cults and went off into the wilderness to seek
enlightenment. After passing beyond the lands of the ancient
Hardazi nomads and wandering in the northern Singing
Mountains (the Mountains of Kthah) for weeks without food
or water, he received a vision of a powerful entity calling itself
Dar that told him to seek his word in a cave. There, Mark
found some ancient scrolls that only he could decipher (with
Dars divine guidance), which he translated into the Dru
Scrolls. The scrolls tell of how Dar created the world and
battled his demon sister, Hazarvahn, for control of it. In the
end, he destroyed her and became the one and only true god
as described by the Dru Priests. The religion admits monks
into its service but they must undergo a brutal blood-ritual to
become acolytes, and this only after they survive the torturous
wandering that must occur deep in the Mountains of Kthah
as a part of their spiritual awakening. It is mainly the barbaric
Hardazi who become acolytes to this faith, which is seen as
blasphemous in the eyes of the Mahist Faith (worshipers of the
Devah and the Great Mother and Father).
Descent Belt A safety belt created for non-flying Zoics who
serve aboard skyships. They fit around the waist, but have
a bandolier-like construction so as to hold rows of small
sky crystal shards in place. The purpose of a descent belt is
provide a slow descent to the ground should a Zoic ever be
unlucky enough to fall (or be hurled) overboard a skyship.
Most descent belts are privately owned as they tend to be
rather expensive. Few common sailors can afford such items.
Devah, The (DAY-vah) - The gods, also called the First
Children of the Great Father and Mother. Even though
the Devah are usually associated with a certain animal
or a category of animals, regional differences can be vast.
Therefore, the individual Devah are more often recognized
by a particular pose or by artifacts that they possess. Some of
the most popular Devah are:
Kramah - God of victory and skill in battle who
usually appears as a lion but will always be shown dancing
with a spear and an axe.
Krilrah - Goddess of the moons, magic, prophecy,
and love who usually appears as a fox but will always be shown
veiled and carrying an orb.

Kirh - God of the sky, storms, and fortune who
usually appears as a falcon but is always a winged animal
who is shown with his wing tips touching above his head.
Yatnarti - God of wise endeavors, economy, and
learning who usually appears as either an old tortoise or
an elderly ibis but will always be shown in scholars robes
holding a rolled parchment.
Amasrah - Mother of demons, goddess of the
darkness and the void who is usually depicted as a twisted
cobra, and is almost always a Sarpah. However, in the
northern Sarpah nations this figure is not acknowledged
and there it is Kramah who is the violent lord of death and
war (see Nagamssa).
Mrtyu - Goddess of change, Judge of the Cycle,
guardian of dead souls who usually appears as a raven
though other animals associated with death are common
- jackal, hyena, vulture, crow, wolf, etc. She is always shown
seated and holding a scale.
Hrpa - God of the seas, oaths, and spiritual
cleansing who usually appears as an otter, sea lion, or walrus
though other aquatic animals are common. He is always
shown rising out of a stormy sea as a torqued column of
water.
Sianthe - Goddess of the seas, aquatic life, and
fishermen who usually appears as a silvery scaled snake and
will always be shown as a Sarpah. She is Hrpas mate and
is shown rising out of calm water as a torqued column, or
curled on her side in a clear pool of water.
Muhjbh - God of luck, the Messenger of the Gods,
the Trickster, the Laughing God who usually appears as a
monkey or a rodent and will always be shown dancing on
his left foot and holding his tail in his right hand.
Prthivnia (also called Prthya in older tongues)
- Goddess of the earth, agriculture, and nature who usually
appears as a weasel or other burrowing animal and will always
be reclining in a bed of trees surrounded by suthra. Her older
forms were often seen as chiefly the goddess of suthra.
Nagamssa - The patron Devah of Visedhrah, she
is the Mother of Wisdom, goddess of healing, fortune, the
sky, nature, family, and magic who usually appears as a snake
Basic Compendium
Chapter VII: Drdnah Glossary
but will always be a Sarpah female seated in a lotus position
with a distended belly (as if pregnant), holding a harp and an
abacus.
Asha Considered to be an ancient sister to
Prthya, when Prthya was mainly associated with suthra,
she is the patron Devah of that which grows from a seed in
the wild, though only related to cultivation and agriculture
much later in her worship, then finally supplanted by the
worship of Prthivnia altogether. Rarely worshipped these
days except by some rural populations, she is usually seen as
a horned herd Zoic, often portly and large breasted, suckling
a lion cub and a fox cub at her bosom.
There are many other minor Devah. Everything from
the Devah of the morning light to the Devah of particular
musical instruments can be found and are worshipped in
parts of the world.
Disciples of Kirh - This order of the Mahist Faith began
in the amns of Rkbar and Amnol and has spread to Bakri
and Dar-Purm. Although anyone may be a member of this
order, only Paksin with the power of flight may become
Mngai. Kirh is the Devah of good fortune, and no endeavor
of his worshippers, such as opening a shop or starting a long
journey or launching a ship, would begin without a blessing
from one of these priests. Temples of Kirh are often built as
high towers, with their entrances accessible to winged Zoics
or by a long trudge up great lengths of winding stairways.
Dromi (DRO-mee) - A common pet animal which looks
like a seahorse with shimmering wings and insect limbs.
There are as many breeds and variations as Earth dogs.
Dromi, however, do not get any bigger than a large house
cat.
Duel Dancing - The performance of katas or a
demonstration of martial skill that is often done before a
Spiral Arena match. Its purpose is to illustrate the strength
of the combatant. Sometimes battles can be settled after the
culmination of a Duel Dance, before any blood is shed, if
one fighters dance was of surpassing grace and skill.
Duhma (Doo-HA-mah) - A common term for a living
persons soul or spirit. A jnahs duhma is believed to be a
part of the Universal Soul known as the Atman.
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Durohm-Ghar - An annual wrestling festival held in
Muodrah, the capital of Hthiyar, which decides the citys
Champion.
Ed (EH-doo) - The smaller of Drdnahs twin suns, it is
pale blue in color and is the first sun to rise and set. On
Drdnah, the suns rise in the west and set in the east.
Eternal Cycle, The - The Drdni belief in reincarnation. If
BOOK ONE
of Drdnah, the Hardazi do not recognize a caste system,
and they practice the Dru Faith rather than the Mahist
Faith that the rest of Drdnah embraces.
Haryal (har-YAHL) - Silk-producing suthra, the primary
source of silk for the jnah. They resemble dog-sized beetles
or spiders and their young larvae, which resemble worms,
spin cocoons from which silk is taken. The adults continue

you led your life according to the teachings of the holy books,
you would be assured of being reincarnated as a higher
caste. Likewise, if you were wicked and impious, you would
be assured of being reincarnated as a lower caste (perhaps
even an Outcaste, if you were bad enough). Eventually, after
countless cycles of noble reincarnation, you may be able to
permanently join the Great Father and Mother in Heaven.
False Dawn, The - The period marking the rising of Ed.
This period is a holy time and is marked by prayers and
worship of the Devah, lasting until True Dawn (see below),
which occurs about an hour later.
Gilrhi (gih-LAH-ree) - A rustic, animistic isvarate populated
by Paksin, Sarpah, and Vajrah equally, with most being
moderate-climate woodland animals (foxes, porcupines,
badgers, etc.) The ruling class is primarily mustelids and
vulpines. The Gilrhi are extremely religious and every
aspect of daily life revolves around the rituals of worship.
Scholars have noted thousands of temples of all sizes exalting
the hundreds of deities inhabiting every mountain, river,
and forest. Agvati, the capital, is the Holy City of Gilrhi and
people make pilgrimages merely to see the amazing numbers
of temples and shrines there. Gilrhis main exports are its
grains and crystals. Many of these lucrative crystals are mined
near the reclusive and dangerously superstitious Lorh,
whose aggressive protection of the mountains makes miners
tread cautiously while near the Lorhs sacred valleys.
Great Aryah - The honorific title given to the head of a
Line.
Great Father and Mother - The primogenitor gods of the
jnah. They escaped the Great Devourer in a fiery chariot
and came to Drdnah riding the Path of Dreams. They live
at the Edge of Heaven and are pictured as robed figures, one
male and one female, seated on elaborate thrones with halos
of fire instead of faces or heads. They are called Mahitytah
(Great Father) and Mahimbah (Great Mother) by the
jnah.
Gle (GOO-leh) - Small meat suthra whose eggs are also
eaten. They come in many varieties (like Earth fowl) and
resemble an insectoid chicken/seahorse. Dromi are distant
cousins.
Hardazi (har-DAH-zee) Khanate - The realm of the
barbaric Hardazi clans, who are nomadic and composed
exclusively of furred Vajrah, primarily wolverines, bears, and
badgers. Paksin and Sarpah are generally kept as slaves and
treated as property. The Hardazis only city is called Dar-
Unaz, the City of Dar, which is ruled by the Great Khan,
their strongest and most ruthless warrior. There are three
significant differences between the Hardazi and every other
Drdni culture: the Khanate is the only landlocked nation
to spin silk and this immensely strong fiber is used to make
netting, ropes, weapon cords, and many other items that
need tensile strength. These fibers, properly treated, can be
stronger than steel cable.
Hthiyar (HAHTH-ee-ahr) - An ancient isvarate with
a rich history. The populace is primarily African-savannah
animals and hardwood-forest dwellers. The Gajah Dynasty,
composed primarily of elephants with a mix of rhinos and
hippos, has ruled Hthiyar steadily for more than four
thousand years except during the terrible Twilight Wars.
Because of Hthiyars experiences during that time, it is
the only country that has completely outlawed slavery of
any kind within its borders. Hthiyar trades in grains and
products from a wide variety of rare and exotic suthra, all of
which can be found on the Plains of Mordrahm. Muodrah,
the capital, is built in an ancient, verdant crater at the split of
the great Rabsan River.
Honor Bound - An oath of fealty sworn to the head of a
House or Line. One of the most binding promises that can
be given on Drdnah.
Honor Guard - The personal bodyguard and proxy
combatant for the Spiral Arena of important personages. It is
considered perfectly honorable to have an honor guard fight
challenges which important jnah have issued. However, any
loss suffered by the honor guard is treated as the personal
loss of the master and not of the guard.
Honoring - The standard form of salutation or thanks. Both
hands are pressed together, as if praying, and are touched
to the forehead while bowing. Important jnah get deeper
bows.
House - The basic social organization of many nations. Most
jnah of middle or higher caste are members of a House,
which is headed by an aryah (lord or lady) and carries the
aryahs name. The House is administered by a full staff of
servants and is subject to the rule of the aryah. The House
provides for the basic needs of all of its members, as well
as providing honor and prestige. Further, all Houses are
members of a Line (see below). House loyalties run deep,
and Houses can war with each other, sometimes maintaining
rivalries that date back centuries. A House will possess at least
one estate (manor, sub-palace) with corresponding lands and
peasants who tend that land. The more powerful a House,
the more land, wealth, and prestige it will carry.
Ishpria (ihsh-POO-ree-uh) - One of the older isvarates,
populated primarily by bears, wolves, and foxes, with otters
and other sea animals living along the coast. With Ishprias
constant state of political turmoil, there has never been an
isvar on the throne for any length of time. The warlords of
Ishpria wield a tremendous amount of power, some gaining
so much power as to rise to become isvar, only to lose their

314
 place to more powerful foes. In the north are the reclusive
and dangerously superstitious Lorh, whose protection of
the mountain passes makes travel there problematic. In the
central coastal area, the Crystal Corsairs, an infamous and
large band of skyship pirates, prowl the airs and coasts of
the Gulf of Bhtai. They are tolerated by the isvar in the
capital of Ratnm as long as they attack only foreign targets.
This uneasy yet apparently profitable truce between these
infamous pirates and the current government of Ishpria
has been cause for a great deal of bad blood between it and
many of the other coastal nations.
Isvar (IHZ-vahr) - The ruler of an isvarate. The position of
isvar is not granted by divine right but is rather held due
to power, prestige, and savvy political manipulation. The
isvar of the nation will almost always belong to one of the
most powerful Lines and Houses. Once a Line has had one
of its members on the throne, they are accorded the status
of Royal Line, which makes any future claim to the throne
legitimate. Thus, other Lines will seek to marry someone
from a Royal Line, which then imparts that legitimacy on
them. Isvars, however, rule only so long as they have the
power and influence to exert their will, either by being
military dictators or by having the support of the other great
Lines of that nation.
Isvarate (IZ-vuhr-eht) - Isvarates are nations that came
into being after the rise of the larger amns, and are the
result of early tribes (who became known as Lines) banding
together under a single great chieftain thousands of years
ago. The social and economic structure is feudal, with a
class of wealthy aristocrats and warriors ruling over a large
population of common folk. Isvarates tend to rely less on
military force and more on the social structure of the Caste
System to maintain peaceful stability. There is a great deal
of political intrigue surrounding the dynamics of Lines and
Houses, which constantly vie for influence and power. Lines
are composed of many Houses that are spread throughout
the land in almost every city. This insures the Lines
influence and prominence; the desires of the strongest Lines
are usually heeded by the isvars themselves.
Ithani (ee-THAW-nee) - Chitin and meat suthra, the
primary source of weapon and armor chitin. They resemble
elaborately spiked and adorned beetles, ranging in size from
a small dog to a pony. Many varieties are also eaten, their
flesh being considered especially tender and flavorful.
Jnah (ZHA-nah) - The generic name of the Zoics. It is the
equivalent of people/person or humanity. It is both
singular and plural.
Jenu (JEH-noo) - The word that means race when applied
to the jnah. It is used to describe race in the larger sense
(Sarpah, Paksin, Vajrah) and also in the more narrow sense
(i.e. cobra, mockingbird, wolverine).
Ji (JEE) - A popular tabletop game resembling one of the
earliest forms of chess, which uses wooden dice, a ji board,
glass or crystal tokens, specially-shaped playing pieces, and
rules that allow up to four players. The game of ji seeks to
replicate the simple moves of several iconic armies engaged
against one another.
Basic Compendium
Karmur (KAR-moor) A central port city in Hthiyar
along the winding southern coasts within about a days
travel by road to the Rabsan River. Though smaller than
the capital Muodrah, it possesses a good harbour, and is
more of a trade city, making it a common port for many
Chapter VII: Drdnah Glossary
merchants traveling along coastal Hthiyar.
Kellndu (kel-EN-doo) - The guard and pet suthra of
Drdnah. They resemble praying mantises and come in
as many varieties and sizes as Earth canines and are just as
specialized (pets, hunting, guard, war, etc.).
Khajlah (kah-JAH-lah) - The general name of a variety
of aquatic suthra (resembling huge stingrays or manta rays)
that have, for countless generations, been used by river and
coastal Zoics as water-mounts. These creatures are swift
swimmers, but are not capable of emerging from the water
onto dry land.
Klinrh (klihn-RAH) - An oligarchy ruled by a sorcerous
council headed by the Kumdi (KOW-moo-die), the wisest
Klin sirhibas. It is peopled almost entirely by bats with other
Zoics existing primarily as servants and slaves. A thousand
years ago, just before the end of the Twilight Wars, the
betrayed Klin sirhibasi fled the mainland and made a home
for themselves and their powerful magics on this distant and
secluded island. The lords and sorcerers of Klinrh have
continued to perfect their ancient arts of ritual lore since
that time. The betrayal that caused them to flee continues to
inform their feelings toward the outside world, making them
mistrustful, secretive, and reclusive. Exotic slaves are treated
as prized possessions by the Klin; they are never sold, and
only rarely traded within a Clan. As is true with the rest of
the country, the beautiful and nocturnal capital of Punyai is
kept inaccessible to foreigners. A multi-day wait at Klinrhs
gateway island, Dvara, is required of all visitors while the
Kumdi decides if they should be allowed entrance to the
strange and mysterious interior of the island.
Krtellah (KRAH-tell-ah) - Hunting flying suthra used
for the fine sport of kratellassi hunting, which is similar to
falconry. They resemble hornets and come in many varieties,
ranging in size from small birds to enormous falcons.
Ktta (KOO-tuh) - An isvarate with a cooler climate peopled
by a large number of canines and deciduous forest animals.
It is ruled by canines. Ktta contains the conifer Vishla
Forest, home to some of Drdnahs largest indigenous
creatures. The majestic trees live for thousands of years and
can be over a thousand feet tall and sixty feet wide. Ktta
is renowned for trade and artisanship, particularly for well-
made seagoing vessels. While Ktta has strained relations
with Hthiyar and Dar-Purm, there is still active trade
among these nations. Following Hthiyars lead, selling
slaves has been outlawed, and even the ownership of slaves
is frowned upon by most of the populace. In Gajanh, the
capital, can be found most of the products and trade-crafts
for which Ktta is famous, including finely crafted wooden
goods and fine lumbers, as seen in its justly famous superior
seagoing vessels. They also deal in high quality suthra and
suthra products, including riding beasts, gorgeous pelts, and
decorative items.
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 Chapter VII: Drdnah Glossary
Kyarku (kee-YAR-coo) Beetle - An incredibly rare
blue-black beetle used to make one of the most deadly
poisons known on Drdnah. Illegal in most countries,
its use is strictly forbidden. It is dried and its shell husk
powdered to produce the base for the toxin. This poison
sells for a very high price and is much sought after despite
the terrible punishments resulting if one is caught in
possession of it.
BOOK ONE
Line - The oldest social organization of many nations. A Line
is composed of several Houses that all swear fealty to the
same great aryah, who is usually a direct descendant of the
founder of the Line. Houses do not have to be related to the
great aryahs House by blood or marriage, but that is often
the case. Wartime alliances or any event that cause aryahs
to become Honor Bound to a great aryah are sufficient to
make that House a member of a Line. Houses are considered
members of a Line until the great aryah expels them (usually
for a dishonorable act on the part of the aryah), or until the
aryah chooses to swear fealty to another great aryah (usually
because of a dishonorable act on the part of the great aryah).
Houses with no Line are extremely vulnerable and open to
attack by other Houses (who need not fear the retaliation of
a powerful Line).
Lokyn (loh-KAY-noo) -The larger of Drdnahs twin Essentially a cross between a giant dragonfly and a wasp,
suns, it is burning amber in color and rises and sets after its
smaller sibling, Ed. On Drdnah, the suns rise in the west
and set in the east.
Lorh, the (LOHR-oo) - The gypsy-like inhabitants of the
Mountains of the Lorh (a spur of the Dgubar Mountains)
in Ishpria and Gilrhi. They see it as their sacred duty to
zealously guard the mountain valleys and passes, rich in
minerals and crystals, in order to protect the legendary and
powerful Sittm stones which the Lorh regard as holy.
Magr (mah-GAHR) - A prosperous isvarate populated
by Vajrah of all kinds, a small population of Paksin, and
a surprising number of Sarpah for such a cooler, southern
nation. The oldest ruling dynasties in Magr are Sarpah,
although there is a mix of royal Vajrah lines as well. Due
to its history, there are few racial tensions in Magr. Blessed
with trade winds, Magr is a nation of active commerce,
including slaves brought into market by the Crystal Corsairs.
Much trade flows through Matra, the capital, overland to
cities as far away as Nesued in Bakri and Hal-Hammar in
Sustrm. The western desert raiders, known as the Scourge,
sometimes strike unprotected caravans without warning,
often leaving nothing behind. Magr maintains generally
good relations with its neighbors; the only recent political
issues concern the growing power of Dar-Purm and their
increasing interests in the economy of Magr as it relates to
the Crystal Corsairs, whom the Dar-Purmi government
has sworn to eliminate.
Mahist (MAH-heest) Faith - Known formally as the
Mahist Faith of the Devabhnu (children of the Devah);
the primary religion of Drdnah except in the heretic
Hardazi lands. Its major holy text is the Partakm. Some
of the Mngai of this faith are accomplished martial artists.
There are many sects and orders in the Mahist Faith; the
316
four most prevalent are the Satyan Order, the Nagmahn
Order, the Mihnan Order of Muhjbh, and the Disciples
of Kirh.
Mahndak (MAHN-dah-eek) Dynasty - A ruling
dynasty, composed mainly of hippos, that ruled northern
Ktta before the Twilight Wars more than a thousand years
ago. It is said that they came from a place called Shiarvmbe
(First Valley) and abandoned it when led from there by
Rasmus, a crocodile sirhibas from Hyavndhia (now called
Andhi). He appeared after the Mahndak had discovered a
great ruby demon statue while digging deep into their valley
home. Rasmus explained that this was actually the shell of the
sleeping demon Meesar-Namu, and must not be awakened
lest the world be destroyed. He told them that they must seal
this statue away and leave the valley to find a greener land
beyond the Eastern Mountains. A mass exodus occurred,
bringing their people into what is now Ktta, where they
prospered for many generations. The ruins of their once-
great city lies somewhere within the depths of the jungle of
Madijikmor (the Veils of Green) in northeastern Ktta.
Legend has it that the Isvar of Suffering personally saw to its
destruction before enslaving the Gajah Dynasty.
Makdi (MAHK-dee) - The flying mounts of Drdnah.
though there are variations that resemble large butterflies.
They range in size from ponies to small elephants.
Makri (MAHK-ree) - Common predatory beasts. There are
a wide variety of them ranging in size from a wolf to a large
elephant. Their appearance is essentially a cross between a
spider, a scorpion, and a crab. Most of them have two tails.
Mngai (MAHN-guy) - The title given to priests or monks
of any order, the equivalent of Father or Reverence.
Master of the Honor Guards - The head of security for
a House, also usually the master of assassins and expert on
poisons. This individual serves as the personal honor guard
of the Houses aryah.
Meesar-Namu (ME-sar-NAW-moo) - He That
Descends. An ancient legend predating the Twilight Wars
by more than eight thousand years. It is told that the Ruby
Fiend, one of the demonic first-born of Amasrah (also
known as Nagamssa to the Sarpah), was enraged that his
mother forsook him for the jnah, whom she seemed to love
more than he. He swore vengeance but was imprisoned in
the earth by the Devah. It was foretold that one day he would
be released and rise to the Edge of Heaven to confront his
mother, only to be rebuked once again. He would then fall
back to Drdnah, a red star full of wrath, to punish the
world for his suffering.
Mihnan Order of Muhjbh - One of the orders of the
Mahist Faith, this sect is found everywhere except in the
heretic Hardazi lands. Although the sect is small, its jovial
worshippers are often held in high esteem by most jnah.
Devotees of this order venerate Muhjbh, the trickster god of
luck who is often called the Laughing God and who serves
as the Devahs messenger. Mngai of this order take a vow to
always tell the truth, hence they are often used as trustworthy
ambassadors and mediators.
 Moons - Drdnah has three moons that travel an elliptical
path around it. Crystalline green Mynatah is the largest
moon and lies furthest away from the world. Crystalline
purple Kamdi is the second largest and lies between the
first and last moon. Finally, there is iridescent aqua Rrsi,
the smallest moon and the closest to Drdnah. The moons
each have cycles in which they wax and wane. Mynatahs
cycle is thirty and two days, Kamdis cycle is twenty days,
and Rrsis cycle is forty and four days. The Drdni cycle
of the year is broken up into months that follow the cycle of
Mynatah, or 32 days. There are precisely sixteen months in
a full Drdni cycle.
Mordrahm (mohr-DRAHM) (the Plains of) A
large expanse of grasslands that stretches much of the way
from Muodrah, the capital city of Hthiyar, westward to the
Dgubar pass, mountain entrance to the Yuaj regions in
northeastern Ishpria, and northward into central Nilm.
Nagmahn (NAHG-mahn) Order One of the sects
of the Mahist Faith. They are priests and worshippers of
Nagamssa who is, to them, the principle Devah. According
to the Nagmahn Order, Krilrah is Nagamissas lesser
sister while Kramah is the violent lord of death and battle,
replacing Amasrah. The Nagmahn Order is found mainly
in Sarpah lands and is the primary sect in those regions.
Temples to Nagamssa are typically crafted from polished
green stone and have crystal domes, to let the light of the
sacred suns into these holy places.
Narkah (nah-RAH-kah) - Drdnahs hell, the place
where demons come from and where tortured souls are
sent to be devoured and removed from the Cycle. It lies at
the Outer Void beyond the Edge of Heaven and the Dream,
therefore Drdnahs hell is up not down. It is believed to
be an ever-shifting, chaotic, and dreadful place filled with
swirling, freezing mists (the place has no definite shape or
form).
Nilm (nih-LAHM) - The cosmopolitan isvarate of Nilm
is home to a variety of different Zoics. Its neutral standing
in the politics of the world attracts Vajrah, Paksin, and
Sarpah alike. The rulers of this nation come from the most
influential Lines with the closest ties to the Academy. Nilm
is known throughout the world as the home of Drdnahs
greatest center of learning, the Academy of Nilm in
Hanlu, the capital city. The one great strife that exists in
Hanlu is between the zealously devout Satyan Order and
the sometimes agnostic methods of the Academy scholars.
Every few years or so, an uproar occurs over some teacher or
subject taught at the Academy that the Satyan Order believes
is blasphemous given the teachings of the Partakm. This
has lead to riots and violence that is usually quickly quashed
by the ruling isvar, whose government seems to guard against
theocratic rule, favoring meritocracy to religious zealotry.
Paksin (PACK-sin) - One of the three major racial types on
Drdnah, it consists of all avians/birds.
Partakm (pahr-tah-KAHM) - The holiest of texts, it
contains the hymns and chants detailing the journey of the
Great Father and Mother as well as all the stories of the
Devah. Herein can be found the rules for leading a pious life.
Basic Compendium
Pkharaj (POOK-hah-razh) A trading isvarate
peopled mainly by Sarpah with a small mixture of Vajrah,
especially those suited to life in the rainforests. The ruling
class is exclusively Sarpah, largely amphibians and snakes.
Pkharaji citizens pride themselves on their individualistic
Chapter VII: Drdnah Glossary
spirit and tenacious national identity. Pkharajs exports
consist mainly of their legendary rare crystals, but also
their excellent silks, dyes, and tropical lumbers. They have
become known for their skilled skyshipwrights and artisans.
The rulers in the capital of Jadhavah pride themselves on a
country that is a thriving, independent political power that
is careful to separate itself from the political agendas of the
north.
Rabsan (RAH-boo-sahn) River - The great river
that runs east through Hthiyar before branching to the
southeast, eventually flowing into Ktta, and into the
northeast, where it empties into the Dharshn ocean.
Rkbar (RAHK-bahr) - A trading amn bordered by
Visedhrah, the amns of Amnol and Sustrm, and the
Hardazi Khanate. The population is mainly birds and
reptiles, but in general jungle-dwelling creatures of all kinds
with a smattering of low caste Vajrah, often horned Zoics
such as goats, bovines, oxen, and other strong, thick-bodied
workers. The ruling class is made up of tropical birds. The
upper castes are composed entirely of Paksin (who have their
own internal caste system) with everyone else at the bottom.
Even affluent visitors of other Zoic types sometimes find
themselves looked down upon by Rkbarani aristocracy.
Diyk, the capital, is filled with tall palaces and temple
spires that only the winged ruling class may access. Rkbar
deals in fine sweet wines, honey-meads, silks, woods, and
slaves. Some of the finest musicians in Drdnah travel
from Rkbar to amaze the world with the beauty of their
performances.
Sbaj (SAH-bazh) Web Patches - Patches of webbing
that are sticky on only one side and are wrapped in parcels
of waxed parchment (which does not stick to the webbing).
These parcels are kept handy for many utilitarian uses,
such as quickly patching tears in clothing, tents, sails, etc.
These patches are harvested from the traps created by small
to medium sized spider-like suthra called Sbaj Spinners
that dwell in forests, caves, plains, and deserts all across
Drdnah, and which lay out blankets of such silk to capture
unwary prey.
Sarpah (SAHR-pah) - One of the three major racial types,
it consists of all reptiles and amphibians.
Satyan Order (SAHT-yahn) - An influential sect of the
Mahist Faith that adheres to a very strict interpretation of
the Partakm and wields great political power. Its name
means the Singing Ones in an ancient tongue. The
mngai of this order occasionally conduct inquisitions to
purge nations of the influence of radical beliefs and their
heretical disciples. They also, however, spearhead many
beneficial social reforms and act as protectors to the poor
and disenfranchised. The leader of the order in each
country is called the Great Satyan and will usually act as an
advisor to the isvar or aminar.
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BOOK ONE
Scourge, the - Murderous bandit raiders composed of
desperate thieves, outlaws, and Outcastes who prey on
caravans, rarely leaving any survivors. Operating in the western
desert wastes, they welcome the criminal scum of all societies.
There are rumors of a great tent city used by the Scourge
near the Bahina River, which flows from the mountains in
the wilds less than a days travel by skyship north of where
Sustrmi borders Bakri. This tent city often moves, it is said,
to avoid the occasional patrolling vessels of the Whispering
Fleet, and sometimes finds its way into Bakri lands, where
the Whispering Fleet ships will not pass.
Shard Storm (or Shardfall) - The name given to the
weather phenomenon that can happen, especially near
crystal mountains, when the winds of Drdnah whip up
blade-sharp shards and fragments of glittering crystals to
rain down on unsuspecting lands or ships. The effect can be
most devastating, as forests and crops are pulped, buildings
are gouged, silk sails and awnings are shredded, and living
things horribly slashed. Shelter is always a wise choice when
shardfall begins.
Sirhibas (SEER-heh-boss) - The sorcerers and wizards
of Drdnah. These magicians are the seers, astrologers,
healers, summoners, and alchemists of the world. They can
be recognized by the elaborate tattoos with which they adorn
their bodies and in which they store the incantations of their
spells and power. Other elements of Drdni magic that are
universal are chanting, singing, dancing, pattern creation (via
colored sands, stones, paint, thread, etc.), and music, which
318
includes rhythmic drumming. Furthermore, the vibrations
of crystals are crucial to the performance of any magical
ritual. The plural is sirhibasi.
Sittm (sih-TAHM) stones - Crystals that are a powerful
aid to ritual magic. They are quite rare and cannot be simply
purchased in the bazaar. They are generally found in the
mountains of the Lorh and carry a great price, both in
money and in toil.
Sky Crystals - The crystals that provide the lift to skyships.
They grow in remote mountain peaks and sometimes break
off and float high in the sky, carried along by the powerful
winds of the upper atmosphere.
Skyships - Impressive air vessels given lift by sky crystals and
powered by sails or propellers. They are designed to ride the
various strata of Drdnahs skies. As with sea vessels, there
are many varieties: some built for speed, others for warfare,
and still others for commerce. Owning a skyship imparts
prestige and is usually a sign of great affluence.
Spiral Arena - The official vehicle for settling many
disputes on Drdnah. Every city will have a version of
this arena, as will most Houses. Terms for the battle are
agreed upon by all combatants and arbitrated by the Arena
Masters. Conditions for victory can be first blood, or till
one combatant yields, or to the death. Once a matter is
settled in the Spiral Arena, it is considered very bad
form (and irreverent) to question the results or to push a
dispute further on that point (though you can come up
with something else to fight about). All arenas are believed
to hold Kramahs Justice (and as such are holy places), so
victory goes to the combatant with karma on his side. It
gains its name from the spiral pattern laid out in crimson
sand on the floor of the arena itself, which is believed to
be the shape of the Spiral of the Eternal Cycle (all forces
blending into the universal whole which is Truth).
Sunborn - Another name for and honorific used to identify
a member of the High Caste. They are believed to be blessed
by the full light of both of Drdnahs suns.
Sustrm (SOO-stroom) - A powerful amn ruled by
felines, with a caste system of cats at the top (with their own
internal caste system) and a population of other Vajrah
(with a smattering of Paksin and Sarpah) at the bottom.
They command one of the most powerful skyship armadas
in Drdnah known as the Whispering Fleet. Distya, the
capital city, hosts a dazzling spectacle of athletic trials and
martial skill every year called the Kramahn Games during
the Festival of Kramah. The Games draw spectators and
contestants from all over the world. Sustrm deals in many
types of valuables including slaves.
Sutas (SOO-tuhs) Blood A small branch of the
mighty Rabsan River which flows away from its parent
eastward near the coast of Ktta, just above the jungle of
Madijikmor. This smaller river empties into the Dharshn
Ocean after it passes through the fishing village of Suta, for
which it is named.
Suthra (SOOTH-rah) - The name given to the native fauna
or wild animals of Drdnah.
 Suthra Armor - Beasts that have been specially bred to act as
living pieces of armor (breastplates, vambraces, shin guards,
etc.) This requires special training, as a type of empathic
bond must form between armor and user. The armor is self-
repairing, if the beast if not killed, and has a numbing and
healing effect on the wounds of its wearer. Suthra armor is
expensive and difficult to maintain.
Suthra Weapons - Beasts that are used as knives, whips,
missiles, etc. As with suthra armor, it takes special training
to use these weapons, and lack of precise control may mean
having the weapon turn on its user. Since most of these
suthra are venomous, these weapons are also favored by
assassins.
Tamystra (taw-MAY-straw) - The unluckiest night on
Drdnah, one when none of the three moons are visible in
the sky and some of the stars can actually be seen. These stars
are held to be the baleful eyes of demons, eager to possess
victims. Ordinary nights tend not to be dark, as the light of
at least one of the three moons is amplified by the crystal
dust in the upper atmosphere (as on foggy nights when the
moon is full here on Earth). Being born on one of these
nights is considered very bad luck.
Tishnia (tih-SHEE-nee-uh) - A trading isvarate called
the Jewel of Drdnah, it is home to Zoics of all types.
Tishnians are known for their hospitality and generosity;
most jnah view them with goodwill and kindness. Tishnia
is home to many festivals, including a pilgrimage to one of
the wonders of Drdnah, the Tower of the False Dawn in
Samdra. Blessed with favorable trade winds and access to
both the Sea of Vigra and the Gulf of Bhtai, Tishnia and
the glorious and sprawling capital city of Sadahm is a center
of world trade. The Tishni tongue is a trade language for
many different countries and one of the most commonly
known across all of Drdnah. There is intrigue as well as
economic and political competition among many of the
Houses and Lines of this nation. In general, however, there
is peace and prosperity for Tishnia, which has grown rich
due to its importance to commerce.
True Dawn - The period marking the rising of the second
sun, orange-yellow Lokyn (loh-KAY-noo), the larger of
Drdnahs twin suns. This signals the end of prayers and
the beginning of the workday, which lasts until the setting of
Ed. During this dusk, evening prayers are begun, ceasing
only when Lokyn finally sinks below the horizon.
Ullsh (oo-LESH) - A politically neutral isvarate, which
practices a policy of appeasement towards its powerful
neighbors, that is peopled with simians and primates of all
types, as well as a mixture of other Vajrah. The ruling class is
primarily great apes. Ullsh is known for trade, for elaborate
courtesy, and for its beautiful arboreal cities built into the
bhavana trees. In the capital of Dushpa, multi-level tree-
houses are common for both rich and poor.
Vajrah (VAHJ-rah) - One of the three major racial types, it
consists of all mammals.
Vasdhah (vah-SOO-dah) - The general name of another
variety of aquatic suthra (resembling huge horseshoe crabs)
which have, for many hundreds of years, been used as ocean
Basic Compendium
and river-going mounts by the jnah. These creatures can
slowly crawl on land when necessary, but are not used for
any significant land-based travel.
Vaylah Weapons (VAY-lah) - Gunpowder weapons,
including pistols and rifles. Even though cannons and
Chapter VII: Drdnah Glossary
grenades are included in this category, they are usually not
called Vaylah weapons, since most people often use the term
to refer specifically to the various styles of handguns used
by warriors, named after the jnah who first discovered the
explosive properties of gunpowder. Many claim that Vaylah
should also be credited for the designs of the early guns
themselves though some scholars debate this.
Visedhrah (vih-zehd-HAH-rah) Visedhrah is the
northern motherland of Sarpah culture where Nagamssa,
the beloved Devah of the Visedi people, is worshipped.
Once a mighty amn, Visedhrah is now a collection of
principalities composed primarily of Sarpah, especially
those from rain forests and the tropics. The ruling class
is primarily comprised of serpents. A thousand years ago,
Adhitmuss (ahd-hee-TOO-moos), Visedhrahs demonic
sorcerer-lord, waged a hideous war of expansion that came
to be known as the Twilight Wars. This conflict lasted for
hundreds of years and nearly consumed the world. After his
defeat, the amn broke into four separate principalities, each
ruled by its own prince (male or female, the title is the same).
There is no capital city as such, however, Benng (the one-
time capitol of Visedhrah and home to the Jade Throne),
is the seat of the most powerful High Prince. Across the
Visedi Sea, bordering Andhi, is the eastern principality of
Mandalam whose largest city is Shupahn. In the far west is
the principality of Kiribarat, bordering Rkbar, whose main
city is Ysuhyah. The central principality is Pust, whose main
city is Ramai. And the principality of Kelapan, with its great
city Benng, rests against the western shores of the Visedi
Sea, north of the mountains that separate it from Sustrm.
Vrtach (VOOR-tok) A giant, legless flying centipede
with multiple sets of dragonfly-like wings, huge rear stingers,
and immense crushing mandibles. These creatures are
essentially the dragons of Drdnah, and are often several
times the length of average skyships. Each of their hollowed
body segments has an organ that produces a buoyant gas that
provides their huge bodies with lift. They dwell primarily in
the upper airs, attacking wild makdi as well as the occasional
skyship, and make their lairs in the highest crags of crystal
mountains. They never fly higher than the eighth cloud layer
since beyond that, the gasses in their body begins to expand
dangerously, threatening to rupture them internally. When
attacking, they often dive straight down out of the sky like a
roaring freight train. Their strange shrieks, sounding like the
thunderous tearing of metal, can often be heard long before
they are actually seen.
Weapons Master - The master marksman and archer of a
House who trains the warriors in the use of ranged weapons
of all kinds (Vaylah, bows, crossbows, thrown blades, etc.)
This individual is also usually a highly trained hand-to-hand
combatant and weaponsmith who aids the Arena Master in
the training of a Houses guards.
319
VIII. Appendices

Keep five paces from a palanquin, ten paces

from a chinti, and twenty paces from a bthn;
but the distance one should remain from a
wicked jnah cannot be measured.

320
A Drdni
Pronunciation Guide
Drdni names can seem quite a
mouthful at first glance. They are largely based
on Sanskrit and other languages of ancient
India, with additional inspiration taken from
Balinese, Indonesian, Persian, Turkish, and
even Chinese. The best way to pronounce
these words is to break them into syllables. In
order to make things easier, each vowel (with
Some words will not have accents, in
which case you may put the emphasis on
whatever syllable seems most appropriate for
the word. Needless to say, this does result in
regional differences in how certain words are
pronounced. Here are a few more examples of
Drdni names:
Anavri = (ah-nah-VAH-ree)
Hardazi = (har-DAH-zee)
Tumulan = (TOO-moo-lahn)
Ullsh = (oo-LESH)

the exception of i) has a single sound. Those
sounds are as follows:
a = ah as in father.
e = eh as in bed.
i = ih as in bidding, or occasionally ee
as in multi (especially at the ends of
words).
o = oh as in old.
u = oo as in dune or food.
Vowels can also be combined to create
different sounds as well:
ai = eye pronounced like the i in bite.
au = ow pronounced like the ou in
found.
ia = eeyah pronounced like the ia in
mania.
Some consonants and combinations
of consonants might also have alternate
pronunciations. For instance:
j = zh pronounced like a combination of
z and sh like the ge in garage; also
sometimes like the j in John.
r = the rolled r of the Spanish language.
ss = a prolonged hissing sound, often
associated with the Sarpah tongues of
Drdnah.
Additionally, many words have accent
marks over vowels. These indicate emphasis
placed on that particular syllable. Additionally,
an umlaut symbol over the indicates
another emphasis on that syllable. Examples
include:
Drdnah = (DAR-DOON-ah)
Sustrm = (soos-TROOM)
Hthiyar = (HAH-thih-yar)
Ktta = (KOO-tah)
Visedhrah = (vih-zed-HA-rah)
The Appendix
Klinrh = (klin-RAH)
Muodrah = (moo-OH-drah)
Vigra = (vih-GAH-rah)
Atpahn = (ah-TOO-pahn)
Tishnia = (tih-SHEEN-eeyah)
Ishpria = (ish-POOR-eeyah)
Jenu-based Dialects
All languages on Drdnah are based on
a single ancient root language called Janahvac,
or the Speech of the People, which supposedly
came from the Great Mother and Father.
In prehistoric days, due to racial tensions,
separations, and varied physiology, this
language split into three different dialects; one
each for Vajrah, Sarpah, and Paksin.
As separate nations eventually arose,
the mingling of peoples and cultures led
to the formation of individual languages
for each nation. Though no longer in use,
those three different venerable dialects had a
great influence on the sound of the current
languages of Drdnah, of course. Anyone
with a keen ear can easily determine whether
they are hearing a language from a primarily
Sarpah, Vajrah, or Paksin nation.
Vajrah Languages - The languages of most
Vajrah nations have several sounds in
common with one another, notably;
throaty rumbles, rolled rs that become
almost growl-like, occasional whines, yips,
lowing moans, and even barks.
Paksin Languages - The primarily Paksin
tongues employ a great many clicks and
whistles, highly trilling rs, chirps, and
a general sing-song cadence, considered
quite beautiful throughout the world.
Sarpah Languages - Languages of the generally
Sarpah nations tend to employ a variety of
very soft and sibilant sounds, explosively
breathy aspirations, and a number of long
and short hisses and lisps.

321
 The Appendix

A Quick Combat Summary Sheet

Step 1: Determine Individual Initiative (for that Round)
o Roll 1d6, add your Agility and Fast Reflexes (if applicable). Subtract any penalties
from earlier combat damage (if any).
o Record total in Initiative slot on Combat Tracking Sheet.
BOOK ONE

o Determine and record your Initiative Order (highest to lowest).

Step 2: Roll Your Number of Combat Actions (for that Round)
o Everyone starts with 2 Combat Actions plus any levels of Combat Instinct Talent.
In order of Initiative, roll Action Dice equal to your Agility plus Dexterity divided
by 2 (rounding up) to determine additional Combat Actions. Subtract any penalties
from earlier combat damage (if any).
o Record the final total of Combat Actions in Action # box on Combat Tracking
Sheet.
Step 3: Play the Combat Round
o Wait for your Turn (all characters act in order of their Initiative).
Use Combat Actions to defend if necessary, or as Reactions to the Active Combatants Actions,
marking off your Combat Actions each time you do so.
You may react using only one Combat Action at a time, with one exception:
o If you do not have a readied weapon and you possess the Fast Draw Skill, you will only need to
use one Combat Action to draw and use the weapon. If you fail your Fast Draw roll, then you
must use that Combat Action just to draw your weapon, and you must wait for the next series
of Reactions (or your Turn) in order to attack with it.
o When its your Turn, begin taking your actions by rolling the appropriate Action
Dice, up to the maximum number of Combat Actions you have for that Round.
You may choose to Bundle Actions if you wish.
A Bundled Action use the lowest Attribute Score to determine your Action Dice for that action,
and takes the greatest penalty modifier of the various Combat Actions in the Bundle.
Dont forget to factor in any adjustment to your Action Dice due to previous bonuses or
penalties (if any).
Remember any injuries you may have that might limit your Combat Action choices.
o Successful attacks cause Damage Levels which are subtracted from your Stamina.
Damage Levels are determined by your Strength score (limited by your weapon
size) plus any successes that have not been negated by Defense Roll successes, then
multiplied by the Success Level multiplier.
Damage Levels are decreased by armor, both worn and natural.
o After your Turn is done (you have used as many Combat Actions as you wished),
the rest of the Combat Round continues. You may continue to take Reactions if
you wish assuming you still have unused Combat Actions left.
PLEASE NOTE: When all the Rounds of an entire combat session have come to an end, it is important
to note any damage done to worn armor (it loses 1 level of effectiveness after each battle in which it was
utilized and must be repaired using the appropriate Skills to bring it back to full effectiveness). Also note
any continuing or far-reaching damage done to the bodies of the characters involved (such as continued
bleeding, debilitating limb damage, etc.), which is determined by tallying up the different types of damages
done (Subdue or Fatal) and dealing with the results.

322
 The Appendix

THE ADDENDUM
323
BOOK ONE The Appendix

324

Using the NPC Combat
Tracking Sheet
The NPC Combat Tracking Sheet (previous
page), is a useful tool for GMs running combat
with multiple NPCs of various types, capabilities,
and statistics. This is not intended to help a GM
playing a complex NPC integral to a broader
storyline (such as a main hero or villain), but is
meant to track numerous incidental throw-away
NPCs (such as the henchman of the main villain,
a gang of cutthroats and thugs, random students
from a rival martial arts school, or a pack of
attacking suthra).
The tracking sheet serves two purposes.
Primarily, it helps the GM track the information
for NPC combatants, such as what jenu they are,
their names (if appropriate), their Action Dice
(what they use to roll for most normal actions
being attempted), what weapons they are using,
any specialty attacks, their Initiative and number
of Combat Actions for the Round, and of course
their Stamina. Secondarily, keeping the sheet
after the combat (the GM stores it) provides
reference in case those NPCs (or some like them)
are ever encountered again. A place for notes at
the bottom of the sheet helps the GM remember
anything of importance, either to the PCs or the
NPCs, from that particular combat.
Its wise to plan ahead enough to have the
sheet partially filled out in advance. Here are the
areas you want to pay attention to early:
NAME- With all the wild names used in SHARD,
youll do yourself a favor choosing them in
advance for any NPC that may be referred to by
name during a combat scenario. In some cases, if
the creature or jnahs name isnt important, you the characters were invested with exceptional powers
may find it useful to use this space to designate a
specific type of adversary (guard, servant, etc.) or
which PC is dealing with that foe.
JENU- This space is used to designate the race (animal
type or suthra type) of the opponent. During the
heat of battle, simply knowing that one player
is dealing with the bear now and his friend is
dealing with the bears pet attack kellndu is Twilight Wars who had returned from the Swirling
really important.
WEAPON- Heres the place to note what the
opponents main weapon is for that combat.
Whether listing the hand-held weapons of
most jnah or the bite and claws of suthra, this
information helps keep foes separate.
ACTION DICE- As mentioned earlier, heres where
you list the Action Dice used to roll for most
normal actions being attempted by the NPC,
including standard attacks.
SPECIAL ACTIONS- Special attacks and abilities get
written here (animal ability attacks, poison, etc.),
along with their Action Dice noted in the small
oval.
STAMINA- Determine an NPCs Stamina by doubling
its Action Dice (or adding Vigor plus Will if that
has been determined), then multiplying that
THE ADDENDUM
total by 2 (or by 3 if the NPC has Toughness).
This number should be written in pencil so you
can track damage as it is taken. Note the total
Stamina separately if you wish to refer to it later
on.
ARMOR- Within the Stamina column, beneath the
current Stamina, note the opponents Armor
Rating as a reminder to subtract armor from
damage as it occurs. Having armor soak up
damage on each attack is easily forgotten during
combat.
As combat begins youll be rolling for Initiative
as well as the number of Combat Actions for the
The Appendix
NPC each Round. Youll be filling out this area as
combat commences:
INITIATIVE and # of ACTIONS- Write this data in
pencil, since youll be erasing it during combat.
The number in the top box represents what
Round it is, with the top box also designating the
rolled Initiative for that NPC (above the slash)
and the actual Order of their initiative (below
the slash). The bottom box should contain the
NPCs number of Combat Actions rolled for
that particular Round (which will be depleted as
the Round plays out).
Special Abilities for
Characters
This is a note to address special super-powered
or mythical abilities a GM or a player may be tempted
to introduce. This sometimes crops up in cinematic
games that reach Heroic or Legendary levels of
power and usually manifests in direct response to
some powerful and dangerous villain.
In our campaigns, we had circumstances where
beyond the normal scope of the rules. In the case of
our storyline, these powers mirrored the legendary
Talons of Kramah (see the History Chapter). These
powers manifested in modern Drdni times to
help the players defeat the resurrected spirit of
an ancient sorcerer warlord from the time of the
Hells of Narkah in an attempt to rule the world. In
our game fiction, there were those who had secretly
maintained those ancient and powerful holy stances
to pass those powers on to another when the time
arose. The players were ecstatic to receive such
powers despite the terrible risk they had to take, not
to mention the awful price they had to pay merely to
attempt to learn one of the disciplines.
This example illustrates the type of situation
that should exist to introduce such powers into the
game setting. Take care to link the abilities firmly to
the fiction and to the current storyline of the game.
Insure the need for such a power warrants the risk
of introducing it, which can certainly throw off the
game-play balance if not approached with caution.
325
 The Appendix
Creating New Animal
Templates
These are the essential steps in creating your
own original Animal Template. If you dont find an
animal youre looking for in this book, feel free to
create your own! Follow these steps, taking note of
BOOK ONE
the basic choices and simple equations necessary to
come up with the hard numbers. Youll find a blank
Animal Template at the end of this section for you to
copy and fill out as described.
Step 1: Name and Description
Choose a name for the template that describes
either the specific animal you wish to create (Snow
Leopard would be an example of this), or the
category into which that animal might fit (such as
Cat, Great for example, which actually exists as a
category already). If you feel that several different
animals might fit under the same category or as part
of this same Animal Template you are creating, feel
free to include those animals in parentheses beside it.
The short description of the Zoic should focus
on the social and behavioral aspects of the creature
rather than the Zoics physical traits. Describe the
Zoic as you would imagine it to act if it were more
human in its nature but still possessed the integral
traits that most people identify that animal. Its best
to do a bit of research on the animal the new Zoic
is based on. This helps inspire the description and
inform you of the animals other traits and abilities
for later steps. How would they act in social situations
with others? Are they abrasive and opinionated?
Are they especially gregarious and outgoing? Are
they known for any particular personality traits or
characteristics that set them apart from other Zoics?
Listing these things can also provide great roleplaying
tips to anyone using that Animal Template.
Step 2: Characteristics
Since a Zoics Characteristics are the basic
Attributes that help define nearly every aspect of
a Characters Skills and Abilities, its important to
choose them carefully to best represent the animal its
based upon. Each of the nine Characteristics listed
needs to have a starting value, a maximum value,
and a general average range. Choose these numbers
based on as much data concerning the animal as
possible, but dont forget to consider any legends,
folktales, and other such whimsical references that
might add unique spice and flavor to your template.
Minimum Rankings
The starting value of any particular Characteristic
is called its Minimum Ranking. To keep these
rankings balanced and fair for all Animal Templates
326
it is necessary to invest exactly 36 total Character
Points into these nine Minimum Rankings, which
should be listed immediately to the right of the
Characteristic name. It is important to remember that
the first five Characteristics (Strength, Vigor, Agility,
Dexterity, and Essence) cost 2 Character Points for
every point of Ranking you give them while the last
four (Perception, Wit, Will, and Presence) only cost
1 Character Point for each Ranking point assigned.
When assigning a Minimum Ranking its
important to consider what the Zoics strengths and
weaknesses should be what the animal is most
known for. Its best to compare the type of Zoic youd
like to make with similar Animal Templates that have
already been created to give you a good idea of how
the chosen Characteristics for the Animal Template
you are creating match up. You may have noticed
that we chose a starting value between 1 and 6 for
each Characteristic, with higher numbers used only
in the obvious cases of extremes (such as a Mouse
starting with 6 Agility and an Elephant starting with
6 Strength).
At the end of the Animal Template creation
process, the 36 Character Points invested in these
Minimum Rankings is added to the final Point Cost
of the template.
Maximum Rankings
The Maximum Characteristic Rankings are
likewise assigned in a balanced manner by limiting
the total invested Character Points to 132. As with
the starting values, the Maximum Characteristic
Rankings are assigned to the Template at the cost of
2 Character Points for each point of Ranking for the
first five Characteristics and 1 Character Point for
each point of Ranking for the last four Characteristic
Maxima.
As explained in Character Creation, this assigned
value represents the highest ranking that can be
achieved by that Zoic for that particular Characteristic
through any means, but particularly through the
expenditure of Character Points or Story Points.
Again, take cues from existing Animal Templates
and refer to various references that might help you
get a feel for that animals natural strengths and
weaknesses. The Maximum Characteristic Ranking
should always be higher than the Minimum Ranking
(usually at least two points higher) and should never
exceed 12.
Though the same method is used to assign these
numbers by limiting them to 132, this total cost is
not added as part of the Point Cost for the template
and is merely a means of achieving game balance.
Average Ranges
Assigning the average ranges for all nine
Characteristics is easy. As mentioned in the Character
Creation Chapter, Average Characteristic Ranges
should cover no more than a 3-point spread. Simply
look at the Minimum Ranking you have assigned to
a particular Characteristic, and make that number
the middle of its 3 point Average Characteristic
Range. For example; if you have assigned that Zoic
an Agility of 4 as its Minimum Ranking (starting
value for player characters, unless they choose to
have less), then its Average Characteristic Range
would be 3-5. The only exception to this is the range
for a Minimum Ranking of 1, which would be 1-3.
Average ranges are useful references with which GMs
can build quick NPCs, since these ranges represent
the common person of that Zoics race.
There is no cost associated with these ranges
that needs to be included in the Point Cost for the
template.
Step 3: Animal Abilities,
Talents, and Drawbacks
Adding either Animal Abilities or appropriate
Talents to your new Zoic is a simple matter of
choosing the right ones from the Character Creation
Chapter and adding their cost to the total Point
Cost of the Animal Template. Care should be taken
to insure you dont add unnecessary cost to the
template by going overboard. The cost of an Animal
Template can be offset to some extent by adding
Drawbacks, which subtract their ranking from the
total Point Cost of the template.
Animal Abilities
A quick look at the most common information
available concerning the animal your new Zoic is based
on should give you a general understanding of the
type of Animal Abilities it may possess. Look through
the Animal Abilities section to determine which ones
seem to match this information the closest. Choose
these abilities based on what you think makes the
Zoic special and avoid Animal Abilities that detract
from the key abilities of other Zoics. For instance,
your animal might be a fast runner, but avoid giving it
Sprint unless you feel that it is a reasonable match for
a cheetah. Your animal may be capable of swimming,
but are they as good as an otter?
Most Animal Abilities should be added to your
new template at their base cost. The cost included for
the template is the Base Cost listed on the Animal
Abilities table, and the Ranking gained by any
character with the template will be based on its linked
Characteristic. Several other Animal Abilities (such as
Natural Armor or Venom) could be added at higher
values if appropriate. These should be represented
in the Point Cost of the template and should be
listed under Animal Abilities as seen in the existing
examples.
THE ADDENDUM
If you are representing a range of creatures in
your new Animal Template, you may find that a few
of them possess abilities that the rest dont. If this is
the case, feel free to write those Animal Abilities in
parentheses at the bottom of the box (see Bear, Large
for an example). This indicates that the Animal Ability
should be purchased for that particular Zoic, but is
not included as part of the templates Point Cost.
When you are finished choosing the Animal
Abilities for your new template, tally up the totals for
their entire cost so that they may be added to the total
Point Cost once the template is complete.
The Appendix
Talents
Some various natural-born traits of an animal
can be represented in your Zoic by assigning various
Talents to its Animal Template. Like Animal Abilities
in general, you should simply choose the appropriate
Talents at their base cost and add that to the final
Point Cost of your template. As in the various Animal
Templates already created, starting Talents actually
have their base Ranking listed to the right of the
Talent. Anything beyond the base Ranking (except in
special cases as allowed by the GM) will need to be
purchased by the player during Character Creation.
Choose Talents carefully. Ask yourself whether
all members of that race would possess that particular
Talent before adding them to your new template.
For instance, you may have seen footage of a gerbil
defending its territory courageously, but does that
mean that all gerbils should have Fearless as part of
their Animal Template? Is this type of animal known
for being Fearless throughout its species? If you are
unsure as to whether your chosen Talent truly should
apply to every single member of that Zoic race, then
simply list it as a Suggested Talent as seen in several
existing templates. The cost of Suggested Talents
should not be added to the templates final Point
Cost.
The base cost for all chosen Talents should be
totaled up and added to the templates Point Cost
during the final step.
Drawbacks
Choosing Drawbacks to add to your new Animal
Template can offset the cost of other Abilities and
Talents you may have chosen to include, but should
be assigned with the same care and consideration as
Talents. Ask yourself whether any chosen Drawback
should apply to the Zoic species as a whole. Should
anyone who plays that Zoic as a character and all
NPCs of that Zoic type always suffer from that
Drawback, or should it be a Suggested Drawback
without affecting the templates Point Cost?
The total value of all chosen Drawbacks should
be tallied and then subtracted from the final Point
Cost of your new Animal Template.
327
 The Appendix
Step 4: Lifespan, Height
Range, and Weight Range
This additional data for your new Animal
Template is not linked to the final Point Cost, nor
does it require any particular balancing. For the most
part this information wont be crucial to game-play
but enhances the concept of the Zoic in general by
BOOK ONE
affecting the way they are perceived from a roleplaying
standpoint.
Lifespan
The average Lifespan for your Zoic can simply be
chosen from the three different possibilities (40 years,
80 years, or 160 years) or can be assigned as we did by
doing a little research to discover the oldest known age
(in years) for that animal in captivity. We figured that
an animal that is well cared for in captivity is similar
to a Zoic living a fairly civilized life. We add to that the
equalizing factor of an average human life in years to get
our final Zoics Lifespan using the following guide:
If the animals oldest known age = 10 or less, then
the Zoics Lifespan = 40 years.
If the animals oldest known age = 11 to 80, then
the Zoics Lifespan = 80 years.
If the animals oldest known age = 81 or higher,
then the Zoics Lifespan = 160 years.
Height Range
All normal adult Zoics fall within the range
of three feet at their smallest to twelve feet at their
tallest. Each race of Zoics (represented essentially
by each template) has a sub-range of height that fits
somewhere within that larger range and is meant
to offer the same proportionate full range as can be
found among average humans, scaled up or down in
the cases of larger or smaller Zoic races. A three-foot
jnah would still seem very small to an average-sized
jnah (average being around six feet tall or so), just
as a twelve-foot jnah would appear enormous to
most. Either of these are merely the normal extremes
among Zoics of their kind.
When picking the right Height Range for your
new Zoic, you should compare the animal it is
based on to other similar animals for which Animal
Templates have already been made. By doing this
you can more easily pick a maximum normal size for
your Zoic, which can then be used to calculate its
smallest normal size, which then gives you the full
range. Calculate the smallest normal size using this
guide:
Tallest Chosen Height x 0.7 then rounded down
to the nearest whole foot or half-foot increment.
Example: You have decided that your new
Zoic has a maximum normal size of 8 feet tall. To
calculate that same Zoics smallest size, multiply
8 x 0.7 which equals 5.6 (rounded down to 5.5).
328
Thus, the total Adult Height Range for your Zoic
would be 5.5 - 8 feet.
Weight Range
Once your Zoics Height Range has been
established, it is possible to calculate its adult Weight
Range, which also takes the Zoics Minimum and
Maximum Ranking of Strength and Agility into
account. Additionally all Zoics fall into two basic
categories when determining their weight: those that
are hollow-boned or long-necked and those that
are not. All the feathered Paksin actually capable of
flight are considered hollow-boned. Zoics such as
giraffes, certain birds, and snakes of all kinds that have
exceptionally lengthy necks and often very lithe body
structures regardless of their size are considered long-
necked.
The current weight of an average Zoic PC or NPC
(not including worn or carried items) can be calculated
by multiplying their exact height x height x height +
current Strength + current Agility, and the current
weight of a long-necked and/or hollow-boned Zoic
can be calculated by multiplying their (height x .087)
x (height x .087) x (height x .087) + current Strength +
current Agility. The similar formulas below will allow
you to determine the lower and upper weights in the
adult Weight Ranges for either category of Zoic.
For Average Zoics:
Minimum Weight in Weight Range = (Min.
Height x Min. Height x Min. Height) + (Min.
Strength) + (Min. Agility), then round to nearest
whole number
Maximum Weight in Weight Range = (Max.
Height x Max. Height x Max. Height) + (Max.
Strength) + (Max. Agility), then round to nearest
whole number
For Long-necked and Hollow-boned Zoics:
Minimum Weight in Weight Range = (Min.
Height x 0.87) x (Min. Height x 0.87) x (Min.
Height x 0.87) + (Min. Strength) + (Min. Agility),
then round to nearest whole number
Maximum Weight in Weight Range = (Max.
Height x 0.87) x (Max. Height x 0.87) x (Max.
Height x 0.87) + (Max. Strength) + (Max. Agility),
then round to nearest whole number
Step 5: Tallying Point Cost
Once you have completed all the steps above
you are ready to tally the final total of Character
Points necessary to purchase your new Animal
Template! This final figure should consist of these
things:
The total point cost for all the Characteristics
you have assigned. This sum should always be 36,
and should be added to the Point Cost total.

The total point cost for all assigned Animal
Abilities (not including the optional Animal
Abilities listed in parenthesis at the bottom of
that field). This sum should be added to the Point
Cost total.
The total point cost for all assigned Talents
(not including the optional Suggested Talents listed
in parenthesis at the bottom of that field). This
sum should be added to the Point Cost total.
THE ADDENDUM
The Appendix
The total point cost for all assigned
Drawbacks (not including the optional Suggested
Drawbacks listed in parenthesis at the bottom of
that field). This sum should be subtracted from the
Point Cost total.
Once calculated, the final figure should be
written in the Point Cost field of your brand new
Animal Template.
329
 The Appendix
EQUATORIAL TROPICAL RAINFOREST

THORNBRUSH and TROPICAL SCRUB

TROPICAL FOREST
Tumulan
TEMPERATE FOREST
Ocean
YSUYAH
Visedhrah
Principalities
BOOK ONE

SCLEROPHYLL FOREST
RAMAI
TROPICAL SAVANNA TS

M
.o
SHRUB DESERT CHIMYAN
fK
T Visedi
BENANG Sea

H
AH
PRAIRIE DAR-UNAZ
STEPPE

Sea of Hardazi
PREDAVAH
Suvr Khanate
YANTI
DIYK
Rkbar
Amin VARALU Sustrm Sea of
KAIMUR
Amin VigraBARJA
HADRAH
MAR-JAHEEN

GURDAHASSI EKAPA

K
VASTU NASUK
H

Amnol
UN

AJIBADH S.
MAGAMBI
AMA

V MT
Amin ODA
NI

JODUN BARUD D Y A - KA
TS
M

.
NAR-HARIX TELATAH
A
DISTYA
L

HA

JNRADH
AS

S
VA

DIJUMA Gulf of
Gulf of
DAH MT

HAL-HAMMAR
ZANU Atpahn
Bhtai
SURI
Magr
S.

VATHNU MATRA
UT
TA

A KUTHINARI
R

MT
S.
Bakri
VITNA SAVAH

DRDNAH PYAL-KATUR
NESUED

330
 Map of Drdnah
CARBUSH RED DESERT

VUSHESAHN DRY DESERT

ULLHITA MANTRAJA
CRYSTAL MOUNTAINS

Visedhrah Andhi GLASS VOLCANO

A
MTS.
Principalities

SU
SA UR RIVER

R
M H
M
A NK JADHAVAH
A POLITICAL BORDER
SHUPAHN
Visedi

JI
H
MT
TOWN
BENANG Sea

The Appendix
Pkharaj

S.
CITY
CAPITAL
NIARMU

Ullsh Klinrh
DUSHAPA
PUNYAI

ASDULEHK Kanyi
Sea of Sea
VigraBARJA SAMDRA Dharshn
Ocean
Tishnia Nilm
EKAPA
PRA

TIARI HANALU
SH

ZARUM
SADAHM NANDURI
A

Lake
Gilrhi
MT

S. Arasi MUODRAH
S.

MAGAMBI
V MT

AYTYA AGVATI SUARA

DA
DYA-KA

GU
TELATAH Hthiyar
B

Ishpria KARMUR
AR

DISTYA
HA

MT

S UPARI
S.

RATNAM
SAKRSA
Gulf of
SUTA
Magr Bhtai GARSAGH

Dar-Purm
KANT

VATHNU MATRA Ktta UBARSU

AR

METIS NIVANT
A

KUTHINARI GAJANAH
M T S.

LAGASI
KANASIR

NOSIHR
SAVAH SUDACHIR

Svandahn
NESUED
Ocean

THE ADDENDUM
331
 Index
A the Jnah: Age of Splendor
Aardvark template 78
Absent-Minded 194
Academy of Nilm 310, 312, 317
BOOK ONE
Acolyte 145
Acrobat 129
Acrobatics
in Combat 221
Skill 150
Acrophobia 195
Acting 150
Actions. SeeCombat: Combat Actions;
See alsoCombat: Movement
Contested Action 32, 213
failed Actions 33
Free Action 32
Multiple actions during a combat round
38
Rushing an action 39
Successive Attempts 33
Action Dice 32. See alsoDice
Pool; See alsoDice Rolls;
See alsoAssistance; See
alsoModifiers
0 Default Roll 36, 38
Attack Roll. SeeCombat: Attack Roll
Attributes and Action Dice 32
Bundling Actions 213
Characteristic Roll 37
Combat 213, 214
Crippled Penalty Roll 37
decreased Action Dice because of
Rushing 39
Defense Roll. SeeCombat: Defense
Roll
Drawbacks 191192
increased Action Dice because of Time
Bonus 39
Magic 255
number of dice determined by Attribute
Ranking 32
penalties due to Spiritual Stamina loss
259
penalties due to Stamina loss 215
Perception Roll 37
Unskilled Roll 3637, 37
when the player has no Action Dice.
SeeAction Dice: 0 Default Roll
Action Pool. SeeCombat: Combat
Actions: Action Pool
Action Time. SeeTime: Action Time
Active Combatant. SeeCombat: Active
Combatant
Adder template 68
Addiction. SeeSubstance Addiction
Adequate Success. SeeSuccesses:
Adequate Success
Adhitmuss, Isvar of Suffering 15, 17,
18, 19
Admiral 136
Advantages. SeeAttributes: Advantages
Advantage List Table. SeeTables:
Advantage List
Advisor 142
Advocate (Lawyer) 144
Aerial Navigation. SeeGeneral Skills:
Navigation: Aerial Navigation
Aerial Trooper 140
Knowledge: Architecture
Arena Master 29, 135, 311, 318
Aerial Vessels. SeeGeneral Skills: Armadillos
Driving: Aerial Vessels body armor table 103
Age of Splendor. SeeSix Great Ages of template 80
Armor 290. See alsoBody Armor
Age of the Jnah. SeeSix Great Ages of Amber 229
the Jnah: Age of the Jnah Armor Types 228229
Agility. SeeAttributes: Characteristics: Benefits 225226, 226
Agility Chitin 229
Agoraphobia 195 Crystal 229
Aides & Companions (suthra). damage to armor 226, 322
SeeGeneral Skills: Suthra Leather 228229
Training: Aides & Companions repair 229. SeeArmor Craft
Aids to magic 27 Suthra 229, 319
Alchemy. SeeGeneral Skills: Alchemy Armory 29
Alcohol 291 Armourer (Profession) 124
Allergic Reaction 201 Armourer (Skill) 152
Alligators Art 28. See alsoGeneral Skills:
body armor table 103 Knowledge: Art
template 68 Artillery. See alsoTables: Artillery
Amasrah. SeeDevah, the: Amasrah, Modifiers Table; See
Goddess of the night and Mother alsoWeapons: Ranged Weapons
of Demons Artillery Combat (Skill) 153
Ambassador 143 Artisan 124
Amber 27 Artist 127
Amber-kettle 310 Artistry. SeeGeneral Skills: Artistry
Ambertrees 120, 124, 310 Aryah 29, 139, 311, 314
Amber armor. SeeArmor: Amber gameplay involving, 41
Amber Artisan 124 Asha. SeeDevah, the: Asha
Amber Deaths. SeeKahamra Asivam 291, 311
Amber Worker 120 Asp Template 68
Ambidexterity 112 Assassin 134
Amn 29, 310 gameplay involving assassins 42
amn 139 Assets. SeeAttributes: Advantages:
Aminar 29, 139, 310 Assets
Amnesia. SeeTotal Amnesia Assets Value Table. SeeTables: Assets
Amnol 14, 15, 17, 1819, 2021, 25, Value Table
310, 311, 313, 317 Assistance 3940
Amnolic. SeeGeneral Skills: Language: Collaboration 3940, 40
Amnolic Support 40
Amphibians. SeeSarpah Astounding Success. SeeSuccesses:
Anaconda template 67 Astounding Success
Andhi 24, 26, 311, 316. SeeGeneral sursammah Mountains 20
Skills: Language: Andhi Athletics 154155
Animals. SeeSuthra Atman 313
Animal Abilities. SeeAttributes: Animal Attributes 31, 32. See alsoCharacter
Abilities Points; See alsoCosts
Animal Templates Advantages 31, 184191
creating new animal templates 51, adding or losing Advantages during
326329 gameplay 184
explanation of fields in the Template Assets 185187
4951 Assets Value Table 185
number of Character Points 51 Sample Assets Table 186
Paksin templates 5264 Wealth Level Table 186
Sarpah templates 6577 choosing during Character Creation
Vajrah templates 7898 48
Anole Template 65 Contacts 187188
Anteater template 79 Contact Value Table 187
Antiquarian 142143 descriptions of, 185191
Ape templates Followers 188
Large ape template 79 Influence 189
Medium ape template 80 List (Table) 184
Apothecary 124 Status 189191
Appearance 205206 Caste 190
Aquaphobia 195 Status Table 189
Aquatic 103 Titles 190191
Aquatic Mounts. SeeGeneral Skills: Status Table. See alsoTables: Status
Riding: Aquatic Mounts Table
Arbiter 144 Animal Abilities 31, 5051, 101111
Architect 143 Animal Abilities Table. SeeTables:
Architecture. SeeGeneral Skills: Animal Abilities Table
332
 descriptions of, 103111
effect of raising Characteristics on,
99
raising Animal Abilities during
gameplay 99, 103
ranking during Character Creation
48
Action Dice 32
Characteristics 31, 99101. See
alsoCharacteristic Link; See
alsoCharacteristic Ranking
Agility 100
Combat Characteristics 99
damage causing loss of
Characteristics points 241242
descriptions of, 99100
Dexterity 100
Essence 100
healing Characteristics using Magic
270
impact on Action Dice when a
Charcteristic is lowered.
SeeAction Dice: Crippled
Penalty Roll
Non-Combat Characteristics 99
Perception 100
Presence 100
raising Characteristics during
gameplay 99
ranking during Character Creation
48
recovering lost Characteristics 244
Strength 99100
Vigor 100
Will 100
Wit 100
Drawbacks 31, 191205
adding or losing Drawbacks 193
choosing during Character Creation
48
descriptions of, 193205
Drawback List 191. See alsoTables:
Drawback List Table
Drawback Occurrence Table 192.
See alsoTables: Drawback
Occurrence Table
Drawback Severity Table 192. See
alsoTables: Drawback Severity
Table
List (Table) 191. See alsoTables:
Drawback List Table
Maximum Drawback Points 47. See
alsoTables: Point System Table
Mental 193195
Code of Conduct 194
Hatred 194
Insanity 194
Memory & Learning Problems
194195
Personality Disorder 195
Phobias 195
Mystic 195199
Curse 196197
Demon Plagued 197198
Entity Manifestation Table
198. See alsoTables: Entity
Manifestation Table
Haunted 198199
Mystic Drawback Table 195. See
alsoTables: Mystic Drawback
Table
Physical 199, 199202
Basic Compendium
Disfigurement 200201
Illness 201
Mobility Impairment 201
Perception Impairment 201
Physical Drawback Effect Table
199. See alsoTables: Physical
Drawback Effect Table
Speech Disorder 201202
Zoic Disadvantage 202
Racial Drawbacks 51
Social 202205
Dependent 203204
Dependent Occurrence Table 203.
See alsoTables: Dependent
Occurrence Table
Dependent Vulnerability Table
203. See alsoTables: Dependent
Vulnerability Table
Enemy 204
Enemy Interference Level Table
204. See alsoTables: Enemy
Interference Level Table
Enemy Power Level Table 204.
See alsoTables: Enemy Power
Level Table
Social Drawback Effect Table
203. See alsoTables: Social
Drawback Effect Table
Social Stigma 204205
Ranking 32
during Character Creation 48
Maximum Attribute Ranking 46
raising Ranking during gameplay 99
Skills 31, 147184. See alsoTime:
Skill Performance: extra time
to increase odds of success; See
alsoTime: Rushing
assistance 3940
Background Skills 147
Basic Starting Skills 148
Bundling Actions 213
choosing during Character Creation
48
Classification of Skills 147
Combat
Combat Skills 147, 224
Enhancement Skills 220221
Complementary Skills 40
descriptions of, 150184
Dice Rolls when the character does
not possess a specific Skill.
SeeAction Dice: Unskilled Roll
effect of raising Characteristics on,
99
General Skills 147
impact on Action Dice when a
Skill is linked to a lowered
Characteristic. SeeAction Dice:
Crippled Penalty Roll
List (Table) 149
Magic Rituals. SeeMagic Rituals
Martial Arts. SeeMartial Arts
new Skills
creating 150
learning 148
raising Skills during gameplay
147148
Ranking 150
Skill Performance Time. SeeTime:
Skill Performance
Specialization 147
Standard Skills 147
333
Starting Skills 148
time required 38
reducing time required 3940
Talents 31, 111115. See alsoTables:
Talent List
choosing during Character Creation
48
descriptions of, 112115
effects of Talents on combat 223
increasing or purchasing Talents
111112
Racial Talents 51
B
Baboon template 91
Backstory 4849
Badger template 81
Bahnf Mineral Dust 311
Bakri 1920, 311, 313. SeeGeneral
Skills: Language: Bakri
Baker 128
Bandar 291
Bandit 119
Bargain (Skill) 155
Barge, private 246
Basic Starting Skill. SeeAttributes: Skills:
Basic Starting Skills
Basilisk template 66
Basket Weaver 120
Bathhouse Proprietor 132
Bats. See alsoKlin, the
hibernation 106
templates
Large bat template 81
Small bat template 82
Beaded Lizard template 74
Bearded dragon template 72
Bears
body armor table 103
templates
Large bear template 82
Medium bear template 83
Beggar 118
Bhadrah, Talon (Kramahs Leap).
SeeTalons of Kramah: Bhadrah,
Krahmahs Leap
Billsa 292
Bind/Grab 217
Birds. SeePaksin
Bison template 83
Black-Marketeer 119
Blackbird template 62
Black bear template 82
Black powder. SeeVaylah, Vaylah
Weapons
Bladed Weapons. SeeGeneral Skills:
Weaponsmith: Bladed Weapons
Blades. SeeWeapons: Blades
Blank Animal Template 329
Blessed Twins 19, 20, 23, 24
Blinding Attack 103
Blindness 201
Blind Fighting 223
Blunt Weapons. SeeGeneral Skills:
Weaponsmith: Blunt Weapons
Boar template 89
Boatswain 136
Boa constrictor template 67
Body Armor 103, 225. See alsoArmor
Body Pouch 103
Bonobo template 80
 Bonus Modifiers. SeeModifiers: Bonus Hanlu, capital of Nilm 25, 310, 317 Chieftain 139
Modifiers Jadhavah, capital of Pkharaj 317 Chimp template 80
Bonus Modifier Table. SeeTables: Bonus Matra, capital of Magr 19, 316 Chinti 293, 311, 312
Modifier Table Muodrah, capital of Hthiyar 25, 314 Chitin armor. SeeArmor: Chitin
Boomslang template 77 Nar-Harix, capital of Amnol 311 Chitin Artisan 124
Bounding 103104 Punyai, capital of Klinrh 315 Chitin Worker 121
Bowyer 124 Ratnm, capital of Ishpria 16, 315 Chough template 54
Box turtle template 76 Sadahm, capital of Tishnia 26, 319 Chun Yin 810
Brhmandan Treasure Ships 311 Sakrsa, capital of Dar-Purm 312 Cities. See alsoCapital cities; See
Brawling 155. See alsoCombat: Brawling Ullhita, capital of Andhi 311 alsoJirangarrm, the Rotting
BOOK ONE

Brewer 128 Vitna, capital of Bakri 311 City

Bribery 155156 Captain 136137 Ekapa 18, 21, 23
Brick Maker 121 Officer 142 Hadrah 15, 23
Broken 218 Cardinal template 52 Jangaram 13
healing Broken body parts using Magic Caribou template 85 Jausrimun 19, 20, 21
270 Carpenter 124 Karmur 315
Brothel Proprietor 132 Carrack, Light 247 Klin 1516
Brown bat template 82 Cartographer 124 Nivant 312
Brown bear template 82 Cartography. SeeGeneral Skills: Predvah 17, 2122
Brown snake template 75 Knowledge: Cartography Sravatmr 16, 18
Buffalos Cassowary template 53 Varalu 17, 22
body armor table, Cape Buffalo 103 Caste system 28, 311312. See Yanti 17
template 83 alsoWeapons: Caste restrictions Clans 29
Bull template 83 on Weapons use Clan elder. SeeChieftain
Bundling Actions. SeeCombat: Combat and Professions 116117 Clan Lawspeaker of Dar 143
Actions: Bundling Actions Caste as Advantage 190 Claustrophobia 195
Burglar 119 caste braid 145, 190, 312 Clergy. SeeCaste system: Holy Caste,
Burns. SeeDamage: Burn Damage High Caste, Sunborn 117, 311, 318 Mngai
Bushmaster template 77 professions of, 134142 Climate Requirement 202
Butcher 128 Holy Caste, Mngai 114, 117, 311, 316 Climbing 156
Bthn 292, 311 Mngai professions 144146 Clinging 104
professions of, 142147 Clothes Washer 118
C Low Caste, Peasant Caste 117, 311 Clothing 28
professions of, 120124 Cloth Maker 121
Caiman template 68 Merchant Caste, Trade Caste 117, 311 Cobbler 125
Calendar professions of, 124134 Cobra template 68
months Outcastes 42, 117, 312 Code of Conduct. SeeAttributes:
Nandthu 12 gameplay involving outcastes 42 Drawbacks: Mental: Code of
Calico cat template 85 professions of, 118120 Conduct
Calligrapher 127 Cats 318 Code of Honor 194
Scribe 147 templates Collaboration. SeeAssistance: Collaboration
Calligraphy. SeeGeneral Skills: Artistry: Great cats 84 College of Sakrsa 312
Calligraphy Medium cats 84 Colorblind 201
Camouflage. SeeConcealment Small cats 85 Color change. SeeChange Color
Campaign Types 4143 Cavalry. SeeMounted Trooper Combat. See alsoTime: Action Time;
Explorers of the Past 42 Cerval template 84 See alsoMartial Arts; See
Free Traders and Corsairs 41 Chamberlain 29, 143, 312 alsoDamage; See alsoWeapons
Outcaste Travelers 42 Chameleon template 66 Actions. SeeCombat: Combat Actions
Peasants to Heroes 42 Chandler 124 Active Combatant 214
Secret Societies 4142 Change Color 104 Artillery 219, 224. See
Serving a Lord 41 Characteristics. SeeAttributes: alsoWeapons:Ranged Weapons:
Survivors of Destruction 4243 Characteristics Artillery
Thieves and Assassins 42 Characteristic Link 111 Attack Roll 211, 214
War Has Come 42 and Basic Starting Skills 148 Blind Fighting 223
Cant Walk 201 and learning new Skills in-game 148 Brawling 218219
Canines 315 and Skills Ranking 150 Combat Actions 211, 213, 214, 322.
Cannoneer 141 Characteristic Rolls in Magic 257 See alsoCombat: Reactions
Cannons. SeeWeapons: Cannons Characteristic Ranking 48, 49, 99. See Action Pool 211, 220
Cannonsmith 134 alsoAttributes: Characteristics Bundling Actions 211, 213214
Cant (Whisper Tongue). SeeGeneral Maximum Characteristic Ranking 49 Contested Action 213
Skills: Language: Cant (Whisper Character creation Defense 224
Tongue) Overview 45 determining number 212
Capital cities. See alsoCities Character Points 45, 46. See alsoCosts Combat Round 38, 211, 212214
Agvati, capital of Gilrhi 314 and Animal Templates 49 Combat Skills. SeeAttributes: Skills:
Benng, seat of the High Prince in and the Point System Table 46 Combat: Combat Skills
Visedhrah 319 Character Sheet Combat Summary Sheet 322
Dar-Unaz, capital of the Hardazi blank. Seeend of Index Combat Tracking Sheets
Khanate 314 guide to filling out 207209 NPC 324
Distya, capital of Sustrm 18, 21, 318 Charcoal Maker 121 using the sheet 325
Diyk, capital of Rkbar 17, 317 Cheetah template 84 Player 323
Dushpa, capital of Ullsh 319 Chef 143. See alsoCook; See alsoCooking Ship to Ship 250
Gajanh, capital of Ktta 18, 315 Chicken Template 55 Declaration and Performance 322

334
 Defense 214215, 224-225. See Action Crystal Corsair 119
alsoAcrobatics Contortion 157 Crystal Corsairs 26, 41, 312, 315, 316
and Fumbles 215 Contractor 128129 Crystal Hunter 122
Defense Roll 211, 214 Conversation (Skill) 157 Crystal Master 29, 129, 312. See
Delay. SeeCombat: Initiative: Delay Cook 129. See alsoChef alsoShips Crystal Master
Enhancement Skills 220221 Larder Master 133 Cultural Traditions. SeeGeneral Skills:
film references 7 Cooking. See alsoChef; See alsoCook Knowledge: Cultural Traditions
Firearms 219. See alsoFirearm Cooper 125 Curse. SeeAttributes: Drawbacks:
Combat (Skill); See alsoVaylah, Copperhead snake template 77 Mystic: Curse
Vaylah Weapons Coral snake template 68
Fumble (Optional Rule) 215 Corn snake template 75 D
Initiative 211, 212 Corpse Handler 119
Delay 211, 212 Corsairs, gameplay involving corsairs 41 Dgubar Mountains. SeeMountains:
Ranged Weapon 212 Costs. See alsoCharacter Points; See Dgubar Mountains
Surprise Attack 222223 alsoStory Points Daksikhr, Aminar of Sustrm during the
Magical. SeeMagic Rituals: Magical during Character Creation Twilight Wars 17, 19, 20, 21
Combat Advantages 184 Daln 312
Maneuver Location Table. SeeTables: Animal Abilities 101 Damage 224228. See alsoDress
Maneuver Location Table Animal Templates 49 Wound; See alsoWeapons:
Mass Combat 245 Animal Template when creating a Ratings
Melee 218219 new template 51 Armor protection 225226
Missiles. SeeCombat: Ranged Weapons Characteristics, Combat 99 Burn Damage (fire, heat, or acid) 239
Movement Characteristics, Non-Combat 99 Damage Levels 214215, 215, 322
Full Move 211 Drawbacks 47. See alsoTables: Damage Types 215, 226
Half Move 211, 213 Point System Table Deadly Combat Damage, Optional
Multiple Actions 38 Skills, Basic Starting 148 Rule 225
Natural Weaponry 218219 Skills, creating new 150 Deprivation Damage 240241
Quick Combat Summary Sheet 322 Skills, increasing and purchasing determining Combat Damage 224225
Ranged Weapons 218219 150 explosion on ship 249
Range Modifiers 223 Skill List 149 Explosive Damage 242243
Range Modifiers. SeeCombat: Ranged Talents, increasing and purchasing Explosives Damage Table.
Weapons: Range Modifiers 111 SeeTables: Explosives Table
Reactions 211, 214. See alsoCombat: during gameplay Exposure Damage 243244
Combat Actions; See Advantages, increasing or purchasing Falling Damage 238
alsoCombat: Defense 184 Fatal Damage 215, 226227
ship-to-ship 245250 Animal Abilities, increasing 103 Illness Damage 244
Siege 219. See alsoArtillery: Artillery Characteristics, increasing 99 Lightning Damage 239
Combat (Skill); See alsoSiege Drawbacks, adjusting or losing 193 Lightning Damage Table. SeeTables:
Engineer Skills, creating new 150 Lightning Damage Table
Simplified 245 Skills, increasing or purchasing 150 losing Stamina during combat 227228
Stamina. SeeStamina Talents, increasing or purchasing Magical Attack 259
Surprise Attacks 222223 112113 Martial Maneuvers 225
Suthra 219. See alsoSuthra: Suthra Courtesan 129 Poison Damage 240
Use (Skill); See alsoWeapons: Cover 217 Poison Effects Table. SeeTables:
Suthra Cowardly 195 Poison Effects Table
Talents, effect of Talents in combat 223 Cow template 83 Recovery
Turn 211, 214 Coxswain 137 healing Characteristics with Magic
types of combat 218219 Coyote template 86 270
Weapons. SeeWeapons Crafter 120 healing Stamina with Magic 270
Combat Instinct 112, 212 Cranes Recovering Lost Stamina and
Commander (Officer) 142 template 63 Characteristics 244
Common bird, small, template 53 Criminal 119 Recovery Table. SeeTables:
Complementary Skills. SeeAttributes: Criminals. See alsoScourge, the Recovery Table
Skills: Complementary Skills gameplay involving criminals 4243 Simplified Combat Damage, Optional
Composition. SeeGeneral Skills: Artistry: Crippled Limb 201 Rule 225
Composition Crippled Penalty Roll. SeeAction Dice: Subdue/Fatal Damage 227
Concealment 156157 Crippled Penalty Roll Subdue Damage 226
Concubine 134 Crocodiles Summary 227228
Condor template 54 body armor table 103 Dance 11
Confectioner 128 Crocodile template 68 Dancer
Conscious Crow template 54 Holy Caste 146
becoming unconscious during combat. Cryptography 157158 Trade Caste 129
See alsoStamina: Stamina loss Crystals 29, 312, 314, 316, 317, 318 Dance Master 129
below zero aids to Magic 27 Dance master 29
Consort 139140 armor. SeeArmor: Crystal Dancing. See alsoGeneral Skills:
Constrictor, large and medium, templates Crystal Lore. SeeGeneral Skills: Performance: Dancing; See
67 Knowledge: Crystal Lore alsoDuel Dancing
Contacts. SeeAttributes: Advantages: Crystal Works 249 Dancing on the Edge of Heaven 310
Contacts sky crystals 14, 312, 318. See Dar 22, 24, 312. See alsoDru Religion
Contact Value Table. SeeTables: Contact alsoBahnf Mineral Dust Dar-Purm 16, 20, 26, 312, 313, 315,
Value Table Crystal Artisan 125 316
Contested Action. SeeActions: Contested Crystal Carver 121122 Dar-Purmi. SeeGeneral Skills:

Basic Compendium
335
 Language: Dar-Purmi
Drdnah
meaning of name 12
physical description of, 2628
Dru Priests 143
Dru Religion 312, 314
Deadly Combat Damage. SeeDamage:
Deadly Combat Damage,
Optional Rule
Deadly snake template 68
BOOK ONE
Deafness 201
Death. SeeStamina: Stamina loss at or
below zero
Deckhand 133
Declaration, Performance, and Resolution
322
Deer large template 85
Defense. SeeCombat: Defense
Demons 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20,
21, 22, 23, 28, 267268,
282283, 293, 317, 319. See
alsoAttributes: Drawbacks:
Mystic: Demon Plagued; See
alsoMagic Rituals: Ritual of
Summoning (used by Summoner
Sirhibasi); See alsoPower Pool
(Demons, Elementals, Spirits,
Suthra): Demons and Spirits; See
alsoMeesar-Namu
Demon Hunter 134
Dependent. SeeAttributes: Drawbacks:
Social: Dependent
Dependent Occurrence Table. SeeTables:
Dependent Occurrence Table
Dependent Vulnerability Table.
SeeTables: Dependent
Vulnerability Table
Descent Belt 312
Devah, the 1214, 28, 312313
Amasrah, Goddess of the night and
Mother of Demons 1314, 313.
See alsoDevah, the: Nagamssa,
Goddess of the Sarpah, Mother
of Wisdom
Asha 313
creation of 810
Hrpa, Lord of all waters 13, 311, 313
Kirh, Devah of the wind and skies 13
Kramah, God of strength and war
810, 13, 19, 2021, 312. See
alsoTalons of Kramah
Krilrah, Goddess of motherhood,
magic, and passion 13, 15, 17,
19, 312
Muhjbh, God of luck 13, 313
Mrtyu, Goddess of change, death 313
Nagamssa, Goddess of the Sarpah,
Mother of Wisdom 313. See
alsoDevah, the: Amasrah,
Goddess of the night and Mother
of Demons
Prthya 313. See alsoDevah, the:
Prthivnia, Goddess of the earth
Prthivnia, Goddess of the earth 313
Sianthe, Lady of the deep 13, 311,
313
Yatnarti, God of wise endeavors 313
Dexterity. SeeAttributes: Characteristics:
Dexterity
Dice 32
rolling. See alsoDice Rolls
Dice Pool. See alsoDice Rolls;
See alsoAction Dice; See Dreamwalking 13. See alsoGeneral
alsoModifiers Skills: Magic Ritual: Ritual of
Dice Rolls 32. See alsoDice Pool; See Dreamwalking; See alsoMagic
alsoAction Dice Rituals: Ritual of Dreamwalking
additional rolls. See alsoDice Rolls: (used by Seer Sirhibasi)
rolling sixes Dress Wound 158159, 159
how many dice. SeeAction Dice: Driving. SeeGeneral Skills: Driving
number of dice determined Dromi 291, 294, 313
by Attribute Ranking; See Dual Focal Point 104105
alsoAttributes: Ranking Duck Template 64
Opposed Rolls 3233 Dudha 294
rolling and mulitple actions 38 Duel Dancing 220, 313
Rolling Sixes 33, 215 Skill 160
Special Rolls 3637 Duhma 253, 265, 313
successes. SeeSuccesses Durohm-Ghar 314
Successive Attempts 33 Dwarfism 200
Ties 33 Dyer 125
Dietary Requirement 202 Dye Maker 121
Difficulty Modifiers. SeeModifiers:
Difficulty Modifiers E
Difficulty Modifier Table. SeeTables:
Difficulty Modifier Table Eagle template 61
Digging 104 Eating Disorder 201
Dingo template 86 Echo Location 105
Diplomacy 158 Economics. SeeGeneral Skills:
Diplomat 143 Knowledge: Economics
Direction Sense 112 Edge of Heaven 12, 13, 28, 314. See
Disable 217 alsoDancing on the Edge of
healing Disabling wounds using Magic Heaven
270 Ed 11, 310, 314
Disarm 217 Egret template 63
Disciple 145 Eidetic Memory 112
Disciples of Kirh 313, 316 Elder 122
Discriminatory Taste 104 Elementals 268, 295. See alsoElements;
Disease 201 See alsoPower Pool (Demons,
Disfigurement. SeeAttributes: Elementals, Spirits, Suthra):
Drawbacks: Physical: Elementals
Disfigurement Summoning 285287
Disguise 158 Elements 283
Dishonored 118 Agni, the Element of Fire 284, 295
Distance Running 104 Bhumi, the Element of Earth 284, 295
Distiller 128 Jala, the Element of Water 284, 295
Distya, capital city of Sustrm. Vayu, the Element of Air 283284, 295
SeeCapital cities: Distya, capital Elephants 314
of Sustrm body armor table 103
Divination. SeeGeneral Skills: template 86
Knowledge: Divination Elk template 85
Divine Twins. SeeBlessed Twins Empathy 112113
Diyk, capital city of Rkbar. SeeCapital Endowment. SeeGeneral Skills: Magic
cities: Diyk, capital of Rkbar Ritual: Ritual of Endowment;
Doctor 29, 143144 See alsoMagic Rituals: Ritual
Dogs. See alsoCanines of Endowment (used by Mage
template 86 Sirhibasi)
Domestic cat template 85 Enemy. SeeAttributes: Drawbacks:
Domestic dog template 86 Social: Enemy
Donkey template 90 Enemy Interference Level Table.
Dove Template 60 SeeTables: Enemy Interference
Dramatist Level Table
Holy Caste 146 Enemy Power Level Table. SeeTables:
Trade Caste 128 Enemy Power Level Table
Dramatizing. SeeGeneral Skills: Engineer 129
Performance: Dramatizing Enslavement 15, 19. See also Slavery,
Drawbacks. SeeAttributes: Drawbacks See also Slaves
Drawback descriptions 193205 Entertainer 129
Drawback List Table. SeeTables: Entity Manifestation Table. SeeTables:
Drawback List Table Entity Manifestation Table
Drawback Occurrence Table. SeeTables: Equipment, Starting 206
Drawback Occurrence Table Ermine template 97
Drawback Severity Table. SeeTables: Escape 217
Drawback Severity Table Escaped Slave 119120
Dream, the 13, 15, 20, 23, 26, 28, Essence. SeeAttributes: Characteristics:
265266, 273 Essence
336
 Eternal Cycle, the 314 jungles 13, 15, 17, 24 Herbal Lore 166
Etiquette 28, 160161 Yn jungles 18 History (ancient or current) 166
Evade 161, 224 Forgery (Skill) 162 Horticulture 166
Excellent Success. SeeSuccesses: Fortune-Teller 129130 Jenu Lore 166
Excellent Success Fortune-Telling. SeeGeneral Skills: Legends 166
Explorer 130131 Performance: Fortune-Telling Lineages 166
Explosives. SeeGeneral Skills: Gunsmith: Fowl template 55 Literature 166167
Explosives Fox template 87 Magic Theory 167
Explosives Table. SeeTables: Explosives Free Action. SeeActions: Free Action Martial Arts Lore 167
Table Frilled lizard template 73 Mathematics 167
Extensile Tongue 105 Frogs Medical Lore 167
Extreme Range. SeeCombat: Ranged templates Mineral Lore 167
Weapons: Range Modifiers common frog 69 Music 167
poison dart or poison arrow 69 Poisons 167
F Fruit bat template 81 Politics 167
Full Knockout. SeeKnockout, Full Region Lore 167
Fabric 27. See alsoClothing Fumble (Optional Rule) 33, 215, Religion 167
Failed actions. SeeActions: failed actions 282283 Ritual Lore 167
Fakir 131 Furrier 125 Suthra Lore 167
Falcon template 61 Weapons 167
Falling. SeeDamage: Falling Damage G Weather Lore 167
Fallow deer template 85 World Cultures 167
False Dawn 314 Gajah 16, 21, 23, 26 Language 167169
Famous Jnah. SeeGeneral Skills: Gajah Dynasty 14, 15, 25, 311, 314 Amnolic 168
Knowledge: Famous Jnah Gajanh. SeeCities: Gajanh Andhi 168
Farmer 122 Gambling 28 Bakri 168
Far Sight 105 Gambling Den Proprietor 132 Cant (Whisper Tongue) 168
Fashion. SeeGeneral Skills: Knowledge: Gamemaster 43 Dar-Purmi 168
Fashion Games 28 Gilrhian 168
Fast Draw 221 Gaming (Skill) 162163 Hardaz 168
Skill description 161 Gardener 131 Hthiyaran 168
Fast Reflexes 113 Gavial template 68 Ishpri 168
Fatal Damage. SeeDamage: Fatal Gazelle template 88 Klin 168
Damage Gecko template 70 Kttish 168
Fatal Injuries. See alsoDamage: Damage Gems 27, 28 Lorh 168
Types: Fatal; See alsoStamina: Gender and clothing 28 Magri 168
Stamina loss below zero General (Officer) 142 Nilmi 168
Fearless 113 General Movement. SeeMovement Pkharaji 168
Feast of the Seas 311 General Skills 147 Rkbarani 168
Felines. SeeCats Alchemy 151152 Sustrmi 168
Fence 119 Gunpowder Alchemy 151 Tishnian 169
Fennec fox template 87 Medical Alchemy 151152 Ullshi 169
Ferret template 97 Poison Alchemy 152 Visedi 169
Festival of Kramah 318 Artistry 153154 Magic Ritual 169170
Firearms. See alsoGeneral Skills: Calligraphy 154 Ritual of Dreamwalking 170
Gunsmith: Firearms; See Composition 154 Ritual of Endowment 170
alsoGeneral Skills: Knowledge: Illumination 154 Ritual of Healing 170
Firearms; See alsoVaylah, Illustration 154 Ritual of Summoning 170
Vaylah Weapons Playwriting 154 Navigation 172173
Firearm Combat (Skill) 161162 Sculpting 154 Aerial Navigation 173
Fire Breathing. SeeGeneral Skills: Tattooing 154 Land Navigation 173
Performance: Fire Breathing Driving 159160 Nautical Navigation 173
First Mate 137 Aerial Vessels 159 Performance 173175
Fisher 122 Land Vehicles 159160 Dancing 174
Fletcher 125 Nautical Vessels 160 Dramatizing 174
Flight 105106. See alsoGliding; See Gunsmith 163164 Fire Breathing 174
alsoHovering; See alsoSilent Artillery Guns 163164 Fortune-Telling 174
Flight Explosives 164 Juggling 174175
Florist 125 Firearms 164 Music 175
Flying. SeeFlight Knowledge 165167 Puppetry 175
Flying Fox template 81 Architecture 166 Singing 175
Flying Mounts. SeeGeneral Skills: Art 166 Storytelling 175
Riding: Flying Mounts Cartography 166 Sword Swallowing 175
Flying Squirrels Crystal Lore 166 Profession 175176
template 87 Cultural Traditions 166 Riding 176177
Followers. SeeAttributes: Advantages: Divination 166 Aquatic Mounts 177
Followers Economics 166 Flying Mounts 177
Forager 120 Famous Jnah 166 Land Mounts 177
Foreman 128 Fashion 166 Suthra Training 180
Forests, rain forests, and jungles. See Firearms 166 Aides & Companions 180
alsoMap of Drdnah Geography 166 Mounts 180
forests 15, 17 Heraldry 166 Weapons & Armor 180

Basic Compendium
337
 Weaponsmith 183184 Gajah: Gajah Dynasty Master of, 29, 135
Bladed Weapons 184 Hthiyaran. SeeGeneral Skills: Profession listing 141
Blunt Weapons 184 Language: Hthiyaran Hornbill template 55
Missile Weapons 184 Hatred. SeeAttributes: Drawbacks: Horses
Geography. SeeGeneral Skills: Mental: Hatred template 90
Knowledge: Geography Haunted. SeeAttributes: Drawbacks: Horse template 90
Gibbon template 80 Mystic: Haunted Horticulture. SeeGeneral Skills:
Gigantism 200201 Hawk template 61 Knowledge: Horticulture
Gilrhi 314, 316 Head of Servants 131 Hound template 86
Gilrhian. SeeGeneral Skills: Language: Healer Mngai 145 Houses and Lines 319. See
BOOK ONE

Gilrhian Healer Sirhibas. See alsoSirhibas, alsoCampaign Types: Serving

Gila Monster template 74 Sirhibasi: Healers; See a Lord; See alsoGeneral Skills:
Giraffe template 88 alsoMagic Rituals: Ritual Knowledge: Lineages
Glassblower 125 of Healing (used by Healer Houses 29, 314, 319
Glass volcanoes 27 Sirhibasi) House Structure 29
Gliding 106 Healing. See alsoGeneral Skills: Magic Lines 29, 316
Gnawing Teeth 106 Ritual: Ritual of Healing; See House Dignitary 135
Goat template 88 alsoMagic Rituals: Ritual Hovering 107
Good Success. SeeSuccesses: Good Success of Healing (used by Healer Hrpa. SeeDevah, the: Hrpa, Lord of
Goose Template 64 Sirhibasi) all waters
Gorilla template 79 Hearing. See alsoEcho Location; See Hukm 139
Governor 139 alsoDeafness; See alsoKeen Hummingbird template 56
Grand Imr 139 Hearing Hungry Ones. SeeKhaujva
Gray bat template 82 Heightened Awareness 113 Hunter
Great Aryah 139, 314, 316 Height Range 50 (Low Caste) 122
gameplay involving, 41 Heir 139 (Trade Caste) 131
Great Cycle 267 Hell. SeeNarkah Shikari (Big Game Hunter, High Caste)
Great Cycle of Life and Death 267. See Heraldry. SeeGeneral Skills: Knowledge: 140
alsoEternal Cycle, the Heraldry Huntmaster 135
Great Devourer 12 Herbalist 122, 152 Hyena template 90
Great Father 314. See alsoJourney Leech (Outcaste) 120
Chant, the Herbal Lore. SeeGeneral Skills: I
Great Father, Mahitytah 12. See Knowledge: Herbal Lore
alsoKrishna Marati Heredity 28 Ifrita Template 60
Great Leap 106 Heresy, Heretics Iguana template 70
Great Mother, Mahimbah 13, 314. See Hardazi 24. See alsoDru Religion Illiterate 205
alsoChun Yin; See alsoJourney Hermit 120 Illumination. SeeGeneral Skills: Artistry:
Chant, the Heron template 63 Illumination
Great Mother and Father 12, 13, 14, Hetjnah. SeeElder Illusionist 130
24, 26, 28, 312, 314, 317. See Hibernation 106107 Illustration. SeeGeneral Skills: Artistry:
alsoChun Yin; See alsoKrishna Hideous 201 Illustration
Marati High Caste. SeeCaste system: High Imr 139
Great Satyan 144 Caste, Sunborn Immunity 113114
Grogginess 241 High Caste Professions 134142 Incense Maker 125
Groom 134 High Dru Father 143 Incredible Success. SeeSuccesses:
Groomer 131 High Magistrate 139 Incredible Success
Ground snake template 75 High Priest 145 Influence 189. SeeAttributes:
Ground Squirrels. SeeSquirrels High Prince 139 Advantages: Influence
Guard 141 High Satyan 144145 Initiative. SeeCombat: Initiative
Guide 122 Hippopotamus template 89 Combat Summary Sheet 322
Guinea fowl template 55 Historians, gameplay involving historians Innkeeper 132
Gle 295, 314 42 Insanity. SeeAttributes: Drawbacks:
Gunner 137 History, characters History during Mental: Insanity
Gunpowder Alchemy. SeeGeneral Skills: character creation 206 Interbreeding 28
Alchemy: Gunpowder Alchemy History (ancient or current). SeeGeneral Internal Damage 218
Guns 14 Skills: Knowledge: History Interrogation (Skill) 164
Gunsmith. SeeGeneral Skills: Gunsmith (ancient or current) Interrogator 29
Profession listing 134 Hognose snake template 75 Intimidation (Skill) 164165
Gun powder. SeeVaylah, Vaylah Weapons Hog template 89 Intrigue (Skill) 165
Hold/Lock 217 Ishpri. SeeGeneral Skills: Language:
H Hold Breath 107 Ishpri
Holidays 28 Ishpria 16, 20, 26, 314315, 316
Hadrah. SeeCities: Hadrah Holy Caste. SeeCaste system: Holy Isvar 29, 139, 315
Hardaz. SeeGeneral Skills: Language: Caste, Mngai Isvarate 29, 139, 315
Hardaz Holy Person 144, 145. See alsoCaste Items (Assets). SeeAttributes:
Hardazi, the 2223, 24, 25, 139 system: Holy Caste, Mngai Advantages: Assets
Hardazi Khanate 24, 25, 312, 314, 317 Holy texts. SeeDru Religion; Ithani 296, 315
Hare template 93 SeePartakm
Harpooner 133 Honey-sap. SeeBillsa
J
Haryal 296, 314 Honoring 314
Hthiyar 1516, 20, 25, 26, 311, 314, Jabda 297
Honor Bound 314 Jackal template 86
315, 317. See alsoGajah and Honor Guard 29, 314 Jaguar template 84

338
 Jangaram. SeeCities: Jangaram Kramahs Justice 318 large 72
Jnah 28, 315. See alsoJenu Kramahn Games 12, 318 medium 72
definition of, 47 Krtellah 302, 315 small 73
Janissary. SeeVaylah, Vaylah Weapons: Kratellassi 136, 302 frilled lizard 73
Vaylah Trooper Krilrah 810. SeeDevah, the: Krilrah, monitor lizard 74
Jausr 14, 20 Goddess of motherhood, magic, venomous lizard 74
Jausrimun. SeeCities: Jausrimun and passion Locksmith 126
Jaw Plants. SeeJabda Krishna Marati 810 Lock Picking 169
Jenu 13, 28, 315. See alsoJnah; See Ktta 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 26, 311, 315, Lokyn 11, 310, 316, 319
alsoPaksin; See alsoSarpah; See 316, 317 Long Range. SeeCombat: Ranged
alsoVajrah Kttish. SeeGeneral Skills: Language: Weapons: Range Modifiers
definition of, 47 Kttish Loregather 14, 17
Jenu Lore. SeeGeneral Skills: Kyarku Beetle 302, 316 Lorh. SeeGeneral Skills: Language:
Knowledge: Jenu Lore Lorh
Jeweler 125 L Lorh, the 314, 316
Jewelry 28 Lost Feature 218
Ji 315 Laborer 122 Low Caste. SeeCaste system: Low Caste,
Jirangarrm, the Rotting City 15, 16, Lame 217 Peasant Caste
18, 2224 healing Lameness using Magic 270 Lynx template 84
Journey Chant, the 1112 Land Mounts. SeeGeneral Skills: Riding:
Judge 144 Land Mounts M
Jugnu Worm 297 Land Navigation. SeeGeneral Skills:
Juggler 130 Navigation: Land Navigation Macaque template 91
Juggling. SeeGeneral Skills: Land Vehicles. SeeGeneral Skills: Magr 19, 20, 26, 168, 316
Performance: Juggling Driving: Land Vehicles Magri. SeeGeneral Skills: Language:
Jumping 222. See alsoGreat Leap Language. SeeGeneral Skills: Language Magri
Jungles. SeeForests, rain forests, and Larder Master 133 Mage Sirhibas. See alsoEndowment;
jungles Lawyer 144 See alsoSirhibas, Sirhibasi:
Juvenile 205 Law Speaker 144 Mages; See alsoMagic Rituals:
Jvalah, Talon (Kramahs Sword). Law Speakers. SeeCaste system: Holy Ritual of Endowment (used by
SeeTalons of Kramah: Jvalah, Caste, Mngai Mage Sirhibasi)
Kramahs Sword Leaping. SeeGreat Leap Magic 7, 114, 253, 315. See alsoMagic
Leather. SeeSuthra Leather Rituals; See alsoMystic Talent
K Leather armor. SeeArmor: Leather crystals as aids to Magic 27
Leather Artisan 125126 Four Types of Ritual Magic 269270
Kahamra 297, 298 Leather Worker 121 the basics 253254
Kahraman, Talon (Kramahs Roar). Leech 120 Magical Combat. SeeMagic Rituals:
SeeTalons of Kramah: Legendary Success. SeeSuccesses: Magical Combat
Kahraman, Kramahs Roar Legendary Success Magic Difficulty Modifier Table.
Kamdi 310, 317 Legends. SeeGeneral Skills: Knowledge: SeeTables: Magic Difficulty
Kangaroo template 91 Legends Modifier Table
Kantara Mountains 16 Lens Maker 126 Magic Rituals 253258. See alsoDream,
Kargara Pod 297, 298 Leopard template 84 the; See alsoGeneral Skills:
Karcha 299 Lethal serpent template 71 Knowledge: Magic Theory;
Kumdi, the; Head of the Ruling Levels of Success. SeeSuccesses: Levels See alsoGeneral Skills: Magic
Council of the Klin 15, 315 of Success Ritual; See alsoMystic Talent;
Keen Focus Talent 114, usage 257 Librarian 29, 144 See alsoPrna; See alsoTime:
Keen Hearing 107 Lifespan 50 Magic; See alsoWeb of Life
Kekra 299 Lightning. SeeDamage: Lightning Disciplines 254255
Kellndu 178, 300, 315 Damage Combat example 262264
Kestrel template 61 Lightning Damage Table. SeeTables: Endowing 277278, 280
Khajlah 315 Lightning Damage Table Healing 269270
Khan 139 Light Sensitive Eyes 201 Seeing 273, 274276
Khaujva 300 Light Sleeper 114 Summoning 282286
Kidachla 301 Line. SeeHouses and Lines Magical Combat 258261, 262264.
King snake template 75 Lineage. SeeHouses and Lines See alsoModifiers: Magic
Kirh 313. See alsoDisciples of Kirh Lineages. SeeGeneral Skills: Knowledge: Rituals
Kite template 61 Lineages Actions 258259
Klin. SeeCities: Klin; See alsoGeneral Lions Attacking & Defending 259
Skills: Language: Klin body armor table 103 Binding 259261
Klin, the 1518, 315 template 84 Domination 260261
Udti 1617 Listening. See Hearing Illusions 260
Klinrh 168, 315. See alsoCities: Klinrh Literature. SeeGeneral Skills: Initiative 258
Knockout, Full 218 Knowledge: Literature multiple opponents 258259
Knowledge. SeeGeneral Skills: Knowledge Living Armor. SeeArmor: Suthra Special Attacks 259261
Knowledge Skills. See alsoAttributes: Living Weapons. SeeWeapons: Suthra Magic Difficulty Modifier Table.
Skills: Knowledge Skills Lizards SeeTables: Magic Difficulty
Komodo dragon template 71 templates Modifier Table
Kotha 301 common lizards Ritual of Dreamwalking (used by Seer
Krait template 71 Sirhibasi) 253, 273, 273277.
Kramah SeeDevah, the: Kramah, God of See alsoGeneral Skills: Magic
strength and war Ritual: Ritual of Dreamwalking

Basic Compendium
339
 Ritual of Endowment (used by Mage
Sirhibasi) 253, 277278,
278281. See alsoGeneral
Skills: Magic Ritual: Ritual of
Endowment
Ritual of Healing (used by Healer
Sirhibasi) 253, 269270,
270272. See alsoGeneral
Skills: Magic Ritual: Ritual of
Healing
BOOK ONE
Medical Lore. SeeGeneral Skills: Monsters
Knowledge: Medical Lore Cnavar 17
Medicine. See alsoGeneral Skills: Moons 317, 319
Knowledge: Medical Lore Mordrahm, the Plains of 317
Meesar-Namu 316 Mountains 27
Megalomania 194 sursammah Mountains
Melee. SeeCombat: Melee Ullsh 20
Skill description 171172 Dgubar Mountains 316
Memory. See alsoAttributes: Drawbacks: Kantara Mountains
Memory & Learning Problems; Dar-Purm 16

Ritual of Summoning (used by See alsoEidetic Memory; See Ktta 16

Summoner Sirhibasi) 253, 281 alsoNo Short-Term Memory; Mountains of Kthah 22, 23, 312
285, 285289. See alsoGeneral See alsoTotal Amnesia Hardazi Khanate 22
Skills: Magic Ritual: Ritual of Mendicant 145 Shadya-Kav Mountains
Summoning; See alsoWeb of Mental Problems. SeeAttributes: Amnol 21
Life Drawbacks: Mental Mountains of Kthah. SeeMountains:
Saved Successes used to dismiss Mercenary 141142 Mountains of Kthah
entities 284285 Merchant 131132 Mountains of the Lorh. SeeMountains:
Magic Theory. SeeGeneral Skills: Merchants Carrack Dgubar Mountains
Knowledge: Magic Theory Heavy 247 Mounted Trooper 142
Magistrate 139. See alsoHigh Magistrate Light 247 Mounts. SeeGeneral Skills: Suthra
Magpie Template 54 Merchant Caste. SeeCaste system: Training: Mounts
Mahimbah. SeeGreat Mother, Mahimbah Merchant Caste, Trade Caste Mourner 123
Mahist Faith 24, 145, 314, 316. See Messenger 132 Mourning Dove template 60
alsoSix Great Ages of the Jnah: Metal 27 Mouse. SeeMice
Wandering, the and Age of Mice template 92 Movement 221222. See alsoBounding;
Splendor; See alsoDisciples of Middle Range. SeeCombat: Ranged See alsoDigging; See alsoGreat
Kirh; See alsoMihnan Order Weapons: Range Modifiers Leap; See alsoRunning; See
of Muhjbh; See alsoNagmahn Midwife alsoSprint; See alsoSwimming;
Order; See alsoSatyan Order Leech (Outcaste) 120 See alsoCombat: Movement;
Mahitytah. SeeGreat Father, Mahitytah Wise One (Low Caste) 123124 See alsoTravel
Mahndak Dynasty 14, 16, 26, 316 Mihnan Order of Muhjbh 316 Mucker 120
Makdi 303, 316 Milksnake template 75 Muhjbh. SeeDevah, the: Muhjbh, God
Makri 303, 316 Miller 132 of luck; See alsoMihnan Order
Mamba template 71 Milliner 126 of Muhjbh
Mammals. SeeVajrah Minah template 56 Multiple Personality Disorder 194
Maneuver Location Table. SeeTables: Miner 122123 Mummer 130
Maneuver Location Table Mineral Lore. SeeGeneral Skills: Murderer. SeeAssassin
Mngai 144. See alsoCaste system: Holy Knowledge: Mineral Lore Mrtyu. SeeDevah, the: Mrtyu, Goddess
Caste, Mngai Mink template 97 of change, death
Map of Drdnah 330331 Misshapen 201 Music 1112, 28. SeeGeneral Skills:
Marmrdi Crabs 304 Missiles. SeeWeapons: Missile Knowledge: Music; SeeGeneral
Martial Arts 217218, in combat 219. Missile Combat (Skill) 172 Skills: Performance: Music
See alsoDuel Dancing; See Missile Tuber. SeePhnka Plant Musician
alsoTables: Maneuver Location Missionary 145 Holy Caste 146
Table Mockingbird template 57 Trade Caste 130
Damage 225 Modifiers 32, 3435. See alsoAssistance; Musketeer. SeeVaylah, Vaylah Weapons:
Maneuver Location Effects 217218 See alsoAttributes: Skills: Vaylah Trooper
Martial Arts Lore. SeeGeneral Skills: Complementary Skills Musk Spray 107
Knowledge: Martial Arts Lore Bonus Modifiers 3435 Mutants, Mutations 49
Skill description 170171 bonuses for excellent role-playing Mute 201202
Mason 126 4041, 254 Mystic Drawbacks. SeeAttributes:
Masseur 131 Bonus Modifier Table. SeeTables: Drawbacks: Mystic
Master, Suthra. SeeSuthra Master Bonus Modifier Table Mystic Drawback Table. SeeTables:
Master, Weapons. SeeWeapons Master Difficulty Modifiers 34 Mystic Drawback Table
Masterless Warrior (Mercenary) 141142 Difficulty Modifier Table. SeeTables: Mystic Talent 112, 114, 272, 278,
Master Cannoneer 141 Difficulty Modifier Table 279280, 282, 283
Master Gunner 137 in magic rituals Action Dice 255
Master librarian 29 attacking multiple opponents 259
Master of the Honor Guard 29, 316 Magic Difficulty Modifier Table. N
Profession listing 135 SeeTables: Magic Difficulty
Master of the Watch 29, 135 Modifier Table Nagamssa. SeeDevah, the: Nagamssa,
Master Sorcerer. SeeSirhibas, Sirhibasi: penalty to Action Dice due to Goddess of the Sarpah, Mother
Sorcerer: Master Sorcerer Spiritual Stamina loss 259 of Wisdom; See alsoNagmahn
Master Torturer 136 penalty to Action Dice due to Order
Masts 249 Stamina loss 215 Nagmahn Order 310, 316, 317
Mathematics. SeeGeneral Skills: Magic Rituals 254, 257 Nakli 304
Knowledge: Mathematics Moist Skin 202 Name 206
Mynatah 310, 317 Money. SeeDaln Nandthu. SeeCalendar: months:
Mechanic 131 Monitor lizard template 74 Nandthu
Medical Alchemy. SeeGeneral Skills: Monk 145 Nanduri 15
Alchemy: Medical Alchemy Monkey template 91 Narkah 13, 14, 17, 18, 23, 43, 317

340
 Narrative Time. SeeTime: Narrative Time P Player Combat Tracking Sheet 323
Natural Leader 114 Playwriting. SeeGeneral Skills: Artistry:
Natural Mimic 114 Pain 241 Playwriting
Natural Weaponry 218219. See Painted turtle template 76 Poet
alsoWeapons: Natural Weaponry Painter Holy Caste 146
Animal Ability description 108 Holy Caste 146 Trade Caste 128
Nausea 217, 241 Trade Caste 128 Points. See alsoCosts
Nautical Navigation. SeeGeneral Skills: Pain Resistance 115 Character Points. SeeCharacter Points
Navigation: Nautical Navigation Paksin 13, 15, 16, 1718, 20, 22, 25, 28, Story Points. SeeStory Points
Nautical Vessels. SeeShips: seagoing or 29, 311, 313, 317 Point System Table. SeeTables: Point
water vessels Paksin and the Twilight Wars 16 System Table
Naval/Skyship Officers 136138 Paksin templates 5264 Poisonous bird template 60
Navigation. SeeGeneral Skills: tribes 29 Poisonous mammal 95
Navigation Palanquin Bearer 123 Poisons, poisonous suthra 302, 303,
Navigator 137 Panda template 83 306, 307, 308. See alsoGeneral
Nightingale template 62 Pangolins Skills: Alchemy: Poison
Night Vision 108 body armor table 103 Alchemy; See alsoGeneral
Nilm 317 Paper Maker 126 Skills: Knowledge: Poisons; See
Nilmi. SeeGeneral Skills: Language: Paralysis 241 alsoTables: Poison Effects Table
Nilmi Paranoid Schizophrenia 194 Damage. SeeDamage: Poison Damage
Nipna, Talon (Kramahs Spear). Parrot template 58 healing Poison using Magic 270
SeeTalons of Kramah: Nipna, Partakm 1214, 316, 317 Poison Alchemy. SeeGeneral Skills:
Kramahs Spear Partial Success. SeeSuccesses: Partial Alchemy: Poison Alchemy
Nobility. SeeHouses and Lines Success Poison dart or poison arrow frog template
Noble 139140 Path of Dreams 12, 13 69
Noble Caste. SeeCaste system: High Peacock Template 59 Poison Effects Table. SeeTables: Poison
Caste, Sunborn Peafowl template 59 Effects Table
Nocturnal 202 Pearl Diver 123 Polar bears
Non-player characters. SeeNPCs Peasant Caste. SeeCaste system: Low template 82
Notoriety 205 Caste, Peasant Caste Politics. SeeGeneral Skills: Knowledge:
No Short-Term Memory 194 Peccary template 89 Politics
NPCs (Non-Player Characters) 188, 245, Penguin template 59 Poor Eyesight 201
286. See alsoCombat Tracking Perception. SeeAttributes: Porcupine template 93
Sheets: NPC Combat Tracking Characteristics: Perception Potter 126
Sheet: using the sheet Perception Modifier Table. SeeTables: Pottery Worker 121
NPC Combat Tracking Sheet 324 Perception Modifier Table Power Level 4546
using the sheet 325 Perception Roll. SeeAction Dice: Heroic level 46
Nun 145 Perception Roll Legendary level 46
Nuns. SeeCaste system: Holy Caste, Perfect Balance 115 Low Level 46
Mngai Performance. SeeGeneral Skills: Mixed Power Levels 46
Nyctophobia 195 Performance Talented Level 46
Performances 28. SeeDance master Power Pool (Demons, Elementals, Spirits,
O Performance Skills. SeeAttributes: Skills: Suthra)
Performance Skills Demons and Spirits 282
Observation (Skill) 173 Elementals 284, 286
Perfumer 126
Obsessive Behavior 195 Suthra 283
Persuasion (Skill) 175
Officer 142 Prna 265, 269, 270272, 284
Phnka Plant 305
One-Eyed 201 Prehensile Limb 108
Philosopher 147
Opium Den Proprietor 132 Presence. SeeAttributes: Characteristics:
Phobias. SeeAttributes: Drawbacks:
Opposed Rolls. SeeDice Rolls: Opposed Presence
Mental: Phobias
Rolls Price. SeeCosts
Photographic Memory. SeeEidetic
Optional Rules Priests 145
Memory
Deadly Combat Damage. SeeDamage: Mngai 144
Physical Drawback Effect Table.
Deadly Combat Damage, Primates 319
SeeTables: Physical Drawback
Optional Rule Prince 139
Effect Table
Fumble. SeeFumble (Optional Rule) Principalities of Visedhrah 24, 319. See
Physician 29, 140. See alsoShips
Rolling Sixes. SeeDice Rolls: Rolling alsoVisedhrah
Physician
Sixes Principality 139
Physician Code 194
Simplified Combat Damage. Prison Plants. SeeKargara Pod
Pigeon Template 60
SeeDamage: Simplified Combat Prthya. SeeDevah, the: Prthya
Pig template 89
Damage, Optional Rule Privateer Ship 247
Pika template 93
Orangutan template 79 Professions 116117. See alsoGeneral
Pilot 137138
Oratory (Skill) 173 Skills: Profession
Pirate 119
Oriole template 62 choosing during Character Creation 48
Pirates. SeeCrystal Corsairs
Ostrich template 57 descriptions of, 118147
gameplay involving pirates 41
Otter template 92 Profession Templates 117118
Pitohui template 60
Outcastes. SeeCaste system: Outcastes Pronunciation Guide 321
Plains of Mordrahm. SeeMordrahm, the
Outcaste (Drawback) 205 Property. SeeAttributes: Advantages:
Plains of
Overconfidence 195 Assets
Plant-mimic. SeeNakli
Overseer 128 Proprietor 132
Plants 2728
Owl template 58 Prosecutor (Lawyer) 144
Plastic. SeeAmber
Ox template 83 Protective Lids 108109
Plated lizard template 72

Basic Compendium
341
 Province 139 Sumdhi River, Sustrm 23 Seer Sirhibasi. See alsoDreamwalking;
Prthivnia. SeeDevah, the: Prthivnia, Vkra River See alsoMagic Rituals: Ritual
Goddess of the earth Hardazi Khanate 25 of Dreamwalking (used by Seer
Pkharaj 24, 26, 317 Rock Agama template 72 Sirhibasi); See alsoSirhibas,
Pkharaji. SeeGeneral Skills: Language: Role-playing, bonus modifiers for, Sirhibasi: Seers
Pkharaji SeeModifiers: Bonus Modifiers: Senses. SeeDiscriminatory Taste
Pundrikam, Talon (Kramahs Shield). bonuses for excellent role-playing Serenity 115
SeeTalons of Kramah: Rolling Sixes. SeeDice Rolls: rolling Sergeant (Officer) 142
Pundrikam, Kramahs Shield sixes Serpent, lethal, template 71
Pupil (Disciple) 145 Rook template 54 Servant 123
BOOK ONE

Puppeteer 130 Rope/Net Maker 126 Severed 218

Puppetry. SeeGeneral Skills: Round. See alsoTime: Action Time; healing Severed body part using Magic
Performance: Puppetry SeeCombat: Combat Round 270
Purser 138 Rrsi 310, 317 Shadowing (Skill) 177178
Python template 67 Running 222. See alsoDistance Running; Shadya-Kav Mountains 21
See alsoSprint Shardfall. SeeShard Storm
Q Shard Storm 318
S Sheep template 88
Quartermaster 138 Shikari (Big Game Hunter) 140
Quick Combat Summary Sheet 322 Sbaj Spinners 305 Ships Assistant 138
Sbaj Web Patches 317 Ships Carpenter 133
R Sacred Artist 146 Ships Crystal Master 133
Sacred Performer 146147 Ships Physician 138
Rabbit template 93 Sadahm, capital city of Tishnia.
Rabsan River 317 Ships Weapons Master 138
SeeCapital cities: Sadahm, Ships. See alsoTables: Specific Hit
Raccoon template 94 capital of Tishnia
Racial Drawbacks. SeeAttributes: Location Table (for ships)
Sadhu 145146 Attack Facing Table 249
Drawbacks: Racial Drawbacks Sadomasochism 194
Racial Talents. SeeAttributes: Talents: Combat Tracking Sheet, Ship-to-Ship
Sailor 133 250
Racial Talents Sail Maker 133
Rain forests. SeeForests, rain forests, and gameplay involving, 41
Saln Sea. SeeSea of Saln seagoing or water vessels 315.
jungles Sample Assets Table. SeeTables: Sample
Rkbar 14, 15, 17, 2122, 25, 26, 310, See alsoGeneral Skills:
Assets Table Driving: Nautical Vessels; See
311, 313, 317 Sand Vatha 306
Rkbarani. SeeGeneral Skills: Language: alsoGeneral Skills: Navigation:
Sapper 142 Nautical Navigation
Rkbarani Sarpah 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 23, 24, 25,
Ranged Weapons. SeeWeapons: Ranged Rudder Works 249
26, 28, 311, 313, 314, 317 time required to travel by, 41
Weapons clans 29
Ranking. SeeAttributes: Ranking; See Ship-to-Ship Combat 245250
patron Devah of. SeeDevah, the: Ship-to-Ship Combat Tracking Sheet
alsoAttributes: Skills: raising Nagamssa, Goddess of the
Skills during gameplay 250
Sarpah, Mother of Wisdom skyships 14, 317, 318. See
Raptor template 61 Sarpah Templates 6577
Ratings. SeeWeapons: Ratings alsoWhispering Fleet; See
Satyan Order 316, 317 alsoGeneral Skills: Driving:
Ratnm, capital city of Ishpria. Scholar 147
SeeCapital cities: Ratnm, Aerial Vessels; See alsoGeneral
Scholars Skills: Navigation: Aerial
capital of Ishpria gameplay involving scholars 42
Rattlesnake template 77 Navigation
Scientists responsible for Drdnah. Crystal Works 249
Raven template 54 SeeChun Yin; SeeKrishna
Red deer template 85 descent belt 312
Marati time required to travel by, 41
Region Lore. SeeGeneral Skills: Scourge, the 311, 316, 318
Knowledge: Region Lore Specific Hit Location Table 249
Scribe 147 Types 246247
Reincarnation. SeeGreat Cycle of Life Scrivener 133134
and Death types of ships 246
Sculpting. SeeGeneral Skills: Artistry: Shipwright 126
Religion 7, 28. SeeGeneral Skills: Sculpting
Knowledge: Religion Short-Tempered 195
Sculptor Short Range. SeeCombat: Ranged
gameplay involving religion 41 Holy Caste 146
Religious Code 194 Weapons: Range Modifiers
Trade Caste 128 Shrew template 95
Renderer 120 Seagull template 61
Reptiles. SeeSarpah Siamese cat template 85
Seals Sianthe. SeeDevah, the: Sianthe, Lady
Research (Skill) 176 body armor table 103
Rhinocerous of the deep
template 96 Siege Engineer 142
body armor table 103 Seamstress 121
template 94 Sight. See alsoBlindness; See
Sea lion template 96 alsoColorblind; See alsoDual
Rickshaw Driver 123 Sea of Saln 11
Riding. SeeGeneral Skills: Riding Focal Point; See alsoFar Sight;
Sea snake template 68 See alsoLight Sensitive Eyes;
Rigger 133 Sea turtle template 75
Rigging 249 See alsoNight Vision; See
Second Mate 138 alsoOne-Eyed; See alsoPoor
Ringtail template 94 Secretary bird template 62
Rites of passage 28 Eyesight
Secret Societies Sildrah 306
Rituals, Magic. SeeMagic Rituals gameplay involving secret societies 41
Ritual Lore. SeeGeneral Skills: Silent Flight 109
Seduction (Skill) 177 Silk 296, 305, 308, 309, 314, 317
Knowledge: Ritual Lore Seeing (in the Dreamwalking ritual) 273
Rivers Silk Locust 307

342
 Silk Maker 126127
simians 319
Simple Priest 145
Simplified Combat Damage. SeeDamage:
Simplified Combat Damage,
Optional Rule
Singer
Holy Caste 146147
Trade Caste 130
Singing. SeeGeneral Skills: Performance:
Singing
Singing Mountains. SeeMountains:
Mountains of Kthah
Sirhibas, Sirhibasi 14, 29, 112, 253,
318. See alsoGeneral Skills:
Knowledge: Magic Theory;
See alsoMystic Talent; See
alsoMagic Rituals
Healers. See alsoMagic Rituals: Ritual
of Healing (used by Healer
Sirhibasi)
Fakir (Trade Caste) 131
Healer Mngai (Holy Caste) 145
Leech (Outcaste) 120
Master Sorcerer (High Caste) 135
Sorcerer (High Caste) 140
Wise One (Low Caste) 123124
Mages. See alsoMagic Rituals: Ritual
of Endowment (used by Mage
Sirhibasi)
Fakir (Trade Caste) 131
Leech (Outcaste) 120
Master Sorcerer (High Caste)
135136
Sadhu (Holy Caste) 145
Sorcerer (High Caste) 140
Wise One (Low Caste) 123124
origins of summoner and dreamwalker
sirhibas 13
Seers. See alsoMagic Rituals: Ritual
of Dreamwalking (used by Seer
Sirhibasi)
Fakir (Trade Caste) 131
Leech (Outcaste) 120
Master Sorcerer (High Caste)
135136
Sadhu (Holy Caste) 145
Sorcerer (High Caste) 140
Wise One (Low Caste) 123124
Sirhibasi, Klin 1518, 22, 315. See
alsoKumdi, the; Head of the
Ruling Council of the Klin
Udti 1617
Sorcerer 140
Master Sorcerer 135136
Summoners. See alsoMagic Rituals:
Ritual of Summoning (used by
Summoner Sirhibasi)
Fakir (Trade Caste) 131
Leech (Outcaste) 120
Master Sorcerer (High Caste)
135136
Sadhu (Holy Caste) 145
Sorcerer (High Caste) 140
Wise One (Low Caste) 123124
Sistahrdh, the Raver 20
Sittam stones 27
Sittm stones 312, 316, 318
Sixes. SeeDice Rolls: rolling sixes
Six Great Ages of the Jnah 1226
Age of Splendor 13
Age of the Jnah 2426
Basic Compendium
Heroic Age 1424 recovering lost Stamina 244
Thousand Years of Darkness 1314 Spiritual 259
Time of Enlightenment 14 Healing Spiritual Stamina 261
Wandering, the 1213 Stamina loss at or below zero 227
Skiff 246 Standard Weapons Rating Table.
Skills. SeeAttributes: Skills SeeTables: Standard Weapon
Starting 148 Ratings Table
Skill List. SeeTables: Skill List Starting Equipment. SeeEquipment,
Skunk template 95 Starting
Sky 28 Status. SeeAttributes: Advantages: Status
Sky crystals. SeeCrystals: sky crystals Status Table. SeeTables: Status Table
Sky Ships. SeeShips: skyships Stealth 178
Slavery 314 Stilted bird template 63
Slaves 318. See alsoEnslavement Stoat template 97
slave revolts 2021 Stones of Rabshu 27, 312
Sleep. SeeHibernation Stone Cutter 121
Sleeping Disorder 201 Storyteller 130
Sleight of Hand 178 Storytelling. SeeGeneral Skills:
Sloth bear template 83 Performance: Storytelling
Slow-Witted 195 Story Bonuses. SeeStory Points:
Smell. SeeTracking Scent Advantages, adding or losing
Smuggler 119 during gameplay
Snakes 109. See alsoSarpah; See Story Points 49
alsoVipers Advantages, adding or losing during
templates gameplay 184
constrictors, large and medium 67 Animal Abilities, raising during
deadly snake 68 gameplay 103
ground snake 75 Characteristics, increasing during
lethal serpent 71 gameplay 99
Snapping turtle template 77 Skills, raising during gameplay 147
Social Drawbacks. SeeAttributes: Streetwise 178179
Drawbacks: Social Street Sweeper 120
Social Drawback Effect Table. SeeTables: Street Vendor 123
Social Drawback Effect Table Strength. SeeAttributes: Characteristics:
Social Misfit 205 Strength
Soldier 142 Strength Table. SeeTables: Strength Table
Solenodon template (poisonous mammal) Student (Disciple) 145
95 Stun 218
Songbird, medium, template 62 healing Stun using Magic 270
Sorcerer. SeeSirhibas, Sirhibasi: Stutterer 202
Sorcerer Subdue Damage. SeeDamage: Subdue
Sorcerer lords of Benng 15, 18, 20. Damage
See also Adhitmuss, Isvar of Substance Addiction 201
Suffering Successes 214, 215
Soul. SeeDuhma adding extra time to increase odds of
Specific Hit Location Table (for ships). success 39
See Tables: Specific Hit Location Adequate Success 32, 35
Table (for ships) Astounding Success 3536, 36
Spectacled bear template 83 determining Successes 32
Speed Reading 115 Excellent Success 35
Spider monkey template 91 failed actions. SeeActions: failed
Spines 109 actions
Spiral Arena 7, 28, 314, 318. See Good Success 35
alsoArena Master; See increasing successes using assistance.
alsoMercenary SeeAssistance
Spirits 267268, 282283. See Incredible Success 36
alsoKhaujva Legendary Success 36
Power Pool. SeePower Pool (Demons, Levels of Success 3536
Elementals, Spirits, Suthra): Partial Success 32, 35
Demons and Spirits special maneuver effects 217
Spiritual Stamina. SeeStamina: Spiritual Success Levels Table. SeeTables:
Sprint 109 Success Levels Table
Spy 140 Successive Attempts. SeeDice Rolls:
Squirrels. See alsoFlying Squirrels Successive Attempts
template 96 Success Levels Table. SeeTables: Success
Stamina 209, 211, 290. See alsoDamage: Levels Table
Damage Levels Sugar glider template 87
and Toughness 115 Sumdhi River 23
calculating 215 Summoner Sirhibas. See alsoSirhibas,
healing Stamina using Magic 270 Sirhibasi: Summoners; See
losing Stamina in combat 215, alsoMagic Rituals: Ritual of
227228 Summoning (used by Summoner
343
 Sirhibasi)
Summoning. See alsoGeneral Skills:
Magic Ritual: Ritual of
Summoning; See alsoMagic
Rituals: Ritual of Summoning
(used by Summoner Sirhibasi)
Sunborn. SeeCaste system: High Caste,
Sunborn
Suns. See Ed; See also Lokyn
Sun bear template 83
BOOK ONE
Mystic Drawback Table 195
Perception Modifier Table 37
Physical Drawback Effect Table 199
Point System Table 46
Poison Effects Table 241242
Range Modifiers 223
Recovery Table 244
Sample Assets Table 186
Skill List 149
Social Drawback Effect Table 203
rushing 39
Skill Performance 38
extra time to increase odds of success 39
travel time 41
using assistance to decrease time
requirement. SeeAssistance
Time Bonus Table. SeeTables: Time
Bonus Table
Time of Enlightenment. SeeSix Great
Ages of the Jnah: Time of

Support. SeeAssistance; SeeAssistance: Specific Hit Location Table (for ships) Enlightenment
Support 249 Tishnia 14, 17, 20, 21, 26, 319
Surgery 37 Standard Weapon Ratings Table 231 Tishnian (language). SeeGeneral Skills:
Surgery (Skill) 179 Status Table 189 Language: Tishnian
Surprise Attacks 222 Strength Table 99 Toads
Survival (Skill) 179180 Success Levels Table 35 template 76
Sustrm 21, 25, 26, 310, 317, 318 Success Level Table, Combat 215 Tobacconist 127
Sustrmi. SeeGeneral Skills: Language: Talent List 111 Tool Maker 127
Sustrmi Time Bonus Table 39 Torturer. SeeMaster Torturer
Sutas Blood 318 Types of Ships 246 Total Amnesia 194
Suthra 27, 315, 318. See alsoPower Pool Wealth Level Table 186 Toucan template 63
(Demons, Elementals, Spirits, Tactics (Skill) 181182 Toughness 115
Suthra): Suthra Tailor 127 Tracking 182
Armor. SeeArmor: Suthra Taipan template 72 Tracking Scent 110
definition of, 47 Talents. SeeAttributes: Talents Trader (Merchant) 131
Summoning 285 Talent List. SeeTables: Talent List Trade Caste. SeeCaste system: Merchant
Suthra Breeder/Handler 134 Talons of Kramah 1921 Caste, Trade Caste
Suthra Herder 123 Bhadrah, Krahmahs Leap 20, 24 Trapper 123
Suthra Lore. SeeGeneral Skills: Jvalah, Kramahs Sword 1920, 23 Trapping 183
Knowledge: Suthra Lore Kahraman, Kramahs Roar 1920, 21, Travel 41. See alsoShips; See alsoTime:
Suthra Master 29, 136 23, 24, 25 Narrative Time
Suthra Training. SeeGeneral Skills: Nipna, Kramahs Spear 20 Treasure Hunter 140
Suthra Training Pundrikam, Kramahs Shield 20, Tribes 29
Suthra Use (Skill) 180181 22, 23 Trombrtu Beetle 307
Suthra Weapon Trainer 140 Tamystra 319 True Dawn 319
weapons. SeeWeapons: suthra Taste. SeeDiscriminatory Taste Turn. SeeCombat: Turn
Suthraphobia 195 Tattooing. SeeGeneral Skills: Artistry: Turtles
Swallow template 53 Tattooing body armor template 103
Swan Template 64 Tattooist 128 templates
Swift template 53 Teacher. See alsoMonk Common turtle 76
Swimming Scholar 147 Sea turtle 75
Animal Ability 109110 Teahouse Proprietor 132 Snapping turtle 77
Skill 181 Teeth. SeeGnawing Teeth; See Twilight Wars. SeeWars of Twilight
Swindler 119 alsoNatural Weaponry
Sword Swallowing. SeeGeneral Skills: Templates. SeeAnimal Templates U
Performance: Sword Swallowing Temples, shrines, holy sites 28
Syah 139 Mahist Temple, Blessed Twins 23 Udisa 307
Tern template 61 Udti 1617
T Terrapin template 76 Ullsh 15, 26, 319
Theater. SeePerformances Ullshi (language). SeeGeneral Skills:
Tabby cat template 85 Theater Proprietor 132 Language: Ullshi
Tables. See alsoCombat Tracking Sheets Thermal Regulation 110 Unconscious. SeeStamina: Stamina loss
Advantage List 184 Thermal Sensing 110 below zero
Animal Abilities Table 102 Thief 119 Unskilled Roll. SeeAction Dice:
Artillery Modifiers Table 224 Thieves, gameplay involving thieves Unskilled Roll
Assets Value Table 185 4243
Basic Starting Skills list 148 Thousand Years of Darkness. SeeSix
V
Bonus Modifier Table 34 Great Ages of the Jnah:
Contact Value Table 187 Vajrah 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25,
Thousand Years of Darkness 28, 314, 316, 319
Dependent Occurrence Table 203 Throw/Sweep 217
Dependent Vulnerability Table 203 Hardazi 2223
Throw (Skill) 182 Vajrah templates 7898
Difficulty Modifier Table 34 Thrush template 53
Drawback List Table 191 Vkra River 25
Thug 119 Valet 134
Drawback Occurrence Table 192 Ties, tied dice rolls. SeeDice Rolls: Ties
Drawback Severity Table 192 Vampire bat template 82
Tigers Vaylah, Vaylah Weapons 230, 235,
Enemy Interference Level Table 204 body armor table 103
Enemy Power Level Table 204 319. See alsoCombat: Firearm
template 84 Combat (Skill); See alsoGeneral
Entity Manifestation Table 198 Tiger snake template 71
Explosives Table 243 Skills: Knowledge: Firearms;
Time 3839 See alsoWeapons: Caste
Lightning Damage Table 240 Action Time 38
Magic Difficulty Modifier Table 256 restrictions on Weapons use; See
Magic 280 alsoArtillery
Maneuver Location Table 216 Narrative Time 38 powder stores 249

344
 Range Guard 141 Weaver 127
Range Modifiers 223 Master of, 135 Web of Life 266267, 285
restrictions for use to High Caste only Waterbird Template 64 Weight Range 50
117 Water moccasin template 77 Western Fence lizard template 73
vaylah-craft. See alsoGeneral Skills: Water snake template 75 Wheelwright 127
Gunsmith Water Storage 110111 Whip snake template 75
vaylah powder 14. See alsoGeneral Water Vessel. See alsoShips: seagoing or Whispering Fleet 25, 318
Skills: Alchemy: Gunpowder water vessels Wide Peripheral Vision 111
Alchemy Waxwing template 52 Wild cat template 85
Vaylah Artisan Wealth. SeeAttributes: Advantages: Wild dog template 86
Gunsmith 134 Assets Will. SeeAttributes: Characteristics: Will
Vaylah Trooper 142 Wealth Level Table. SeeTables: Wealth Wise One 123124
Vehicles. SeeLand Vehicles; See Skiff; Level Table Wit. SeeAttributes: Characteristics: Wit
SeeShips Weapons 230238. SeeGeneral Skills: Wolf template 97
Veils of Heaven 12 Knowledge: Weapons; See Wolverine template 98
Vengeful 195 alsoNatural Weaponry; See Wood Artisan 127
Venom 110 alsoVaylah, Vaylah Weapons; Wood Worker 121122
Venomous lizard template 74 See alsoTables: Artillery World Cultures. SeeGeneral Skills:
Vermin Catcher 123 Modifiers Table; See alsoTables: Knowledge: World Cultures
Veterinarian 134 Standard Weapon Ratings Table Wren template 53
Vice-Admiral 138 Artillery. SeeArtillery
Vigor. SeeAttributes: Characteristics: Axes and War Hammers 233234 X
Vigor Blades 233
Vintner (Brewer) 128 Bows and Crossbows 235236 Xenophobia 195
Vipers. See alsoSnakes Cannons 153 Y
template 77 in history 14, 15, 17, 23, 25
Virtuoso 115 Caste restrictions on Weapons use 117, Yatah Spiders 309
Visedhrah 1424, 310, 313, 317, 190, 311-312 Yatnarti. SeeDevah, the: Yatnarti, God
319. See alsoPrincipalities of descriptions of, 231238 of wise endeavors
Visedhrah Drawing Weapons 211 Year 317
Visedi. SeeGeneral Skills: Language: Hurling Weapons 234235 Yuaj 20
Visedi Maces, Clubs, Staves, and Flails 233
Vishala 308 Melee 230 Z
Vision. SeeSight Missile 230. See alsoGeneral Skills:
Volcanoes 27 Weaponsmith: Missile Weapons; Zebra template 90
Vratha Spiders 308 See alsoMissile Combat (Skill); Zero (0) Default Roll. SeeAction Dice: 0
Vulture Template 64 See alsoThrow (Skill) Default Roll
Vrtach 308309, 319 Range Modifiers 223 Zoic 7
Natural Weaponry 230. See
W alsoNatural Weaponry
Polearms, Spears, and Javelins 236
Wagon builder. SeeWainwright Ranged Weapons
Wainwright 127 Artillery 219
Walking 222 Combat using Ranged Skills
Wallaby template 91 218219
Walruses Range Modifiers 223
body armor table 103 Ratings 230231
template 96 Siege. See alsoArtillery Combat
Wandering, the. SeeSix Great Ages of the (Skill); See alsoSiege Engineer
Jnah: Wandering, the Combat 219
War, gameplay involving,. SeeCampaign Siege Weapons (Artillery Combat)
Types: War Has Come 153
Warbler template 62 Suthra 230, 236238, 319. See
Wards. SeeMagic Rituals: Ritual of alsoGeneral Skills: Knowledge:
Endowment (used by Mage Suthra Lore; See alsoGeneral
Sirhibasi) Skills: Suthra Training: Weapons
Warlords 16, 20, 26. See alsoIshpria; & Armor
See alsoSistahrdh, the Raver Suthra Weapon Trainer 140
Warlords of Ishpria 314 Thrown 230
Warrior 140142 types 230
Warrior Caste. SeeCaste system: High using crystal in making, 27
Caste, Sunborn Weaponsmith. SeeGeneral Skills:
Warrior Code 194 Weaponsmith
Warship Weapons & Armor (suthra). SeeGeneral
Heavy 247 Skills: Suthra Training: Weapons
Light 247 & Armor
Wars of Twilight 12, 1524 Weapons Master 29, 136, 319. See
Warthog template 89 alsoShips Weapons Master
War of the Devah 1314. See alsoSix Weapon Artisan 127
Great Ages of the Jnah: Weasel template 97
Thousand Years of Darkness Weather Lore. SeeGeneral Skills:
Watch, the Knowledge: Weather Lore

Basic Compendium
345