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The Rules Book in .doc format can be downloaded
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Combat
Safety
Some things to remember
Character Creation
Advantages
Skill Trees
-- Medicine
-- Knowledge
-- Combat
-- Subtlety
-- Magic
Challenges
Combat
Standard characters begin with five hit points. Roleplaying combat
and your wounds effectively is integral to the system.
The system is simple; Any solid strike with a melee weapon deals
one hit point of damage to the victim. Certain skills or buffs
may increase the damage or add other effects to your strike, in
which case you should clearly state them when making your attack
on someone.
Other moves such as impaling someone or slitting the throat should
also be roleplayed effectively, though someone without expertise
in combat or assassination manoeuvres such as the above may take
a penalty and not be entirely successful in their attempt. If
the victim of a successful melee attack feels you have not roleplayed
the attack well-- for example, you are wielding a two-handed weapon
like a rapier, or you repeatedly tap the same place-- they are
entitled to contest the strike with a GM, to lessen its affect
or even entirely negate it.
If you are reduced to 0 hit points, lie down on the ground either
unconscious or mortally wounded (situation permitting; use your
judgement). At this point you can be finished off by an obvious
finishing blow. At this point your character is dead; put your
hands on your head and report to a GM, unless otherwise noted.
Safety
Do not aim any blows to the head or groin area. Any hits to these
areas automatically do no damage. If you have been hit in the
head, please do not break play unless you are injured. Inform
your opponent by calling "Headshot". Make every effort
to avoid headshots. Please try not to be offended if you receive
a headshot, in the chaos of combat, they do happen by accident.
If an injury occurs, call Time Out loudly and repeatedly until
all action halts. Please only use the Time Out call in the case
of actual injury or emergency. If you hear the time out call,
stop moving immediately and inform those around you of the time
out. Time Out is an out of character safety measure and please
respect it as such.
Some things to remember
If someone has their hands on their head, it means they are invisible
to you, or not actually there in the context of the game world,
i.e. an OOC NPC. Ignore them.
If someone calls "Strike-Down" before hitting you,
you must fall dramatically away and off of your feet. If someone
calls "Knock-Back" you must be knocked back some distance,
but not necessarily off your feet. Certain things may be able
to do this without hitting you. If someone calls "Run in
Fear" you must run away from them in fear until you are out
of their sight. If someone calls "Cower" you must cower
away from them into the nearest corner or against the nearest
wall.
Character Creation
Begin with a concept; name your character and come up with their
history. Wrap both of these things around the following statistics:
-Skills
-Challenges
-Advantage
New characters begins with five hit points, up to four skills
(or three skills and one advantage), and at least one Challenge.
Descriptions of each of these things are in their respective sections.
Character histories should be around 500 words or less. Include
relevant information for the GMs necessary to integrate them into
the game properly. If your history is especially lengthy it helps
if you summarize the most important points for quick reference.
Note: In order to have a weapon with you at the start of the
game, you must have the Weapon Expertise skill from the Combat
tree.
Advantages
Advantages are special facets to your character that do not necessarily
represent their personal skills or education. These are more talents
or special powers or boons than skills. Despite this, an advantage
costs one skill slot. Starting characters may only choose one;
you do not have to take an advantage.
PERCEPTIVE
Your character has a keen eye for detail and is prone to noticing
unusual things that may escape others. A GM may point out something
to you in a situation that other characters may not pick up on,
or you can call a GM and make a conscious effort to look for such
details. Can be used against players in some cases. You are also
capable of detecting players or entities using stealth-based abilities
such as Hide with greater awareness-- those using Hide must obscure
more of their body from you, those using Sneak and Lurk are visible
to you from a greater distance, etc.
RESOURCES
Your character has access to some form or wealth of a particular
resource while at the manor; money, books, specialist equipment
or materials for a particular profession, demon bodyguards from
the nether plane, etc. Be creative. Keep in mind this only applies
to something to which you will have reasonably immediate access
during the scenario. Your character can have a stagecoach full
of old tomes or lab equipment waiting near the manor while his
vast fortune is safe at home or in a bank.
IRON WILL
Your character is immune to fear and most mind-control effects.
If such an effect is used against you, state "Iron Will"
to the user; this represents to them a sort of steel wall blocking
them from entering your mind. If a particular user's mind control
power is too much for even your sensibilities, they will respond
"Overcome".
BLESSED/LUCK
(In order to take this advantage, you must have at least two challenges.)
Your character is prone to streaks of good fortune. These can
tip the outcomes of certain circumstances in your character's
favour; however, keep in mind this is a passive advantage, so
it's up to the GMs when it does and doesn't work. (It is a good
bet to occasionally remind them that you have it when you find
yourself in dire circumstances, however.)
JINXED
Your character is bad luck to others. The good news is, enemies
in your presence are prone to critical failures of judgement or
freak accidents; the bad news is, so are your friends.
CHARMING
Your character is especially charismatic, perhaps particularly
friendly. Individuals who are otherwise unswayable or adverse
to conversation or negotiation may feel inclined to talk rationally
with you or close a deal which inconveniences them in some way;
or they may just give you a few seconds to explain yourself before
they destroy you. Either way, it's a handy trait to have.
Skill Trees
These are the following skills available to you for this game.
Starting characters begin with four skill slots. Every skill
on the following list takes up one skill slot.
MEDICINE
-- FIRST AID. Heal ten hit points
a day per rank of the skill, and stabilize some major wounds (GM
discretion) provided the appropriate tools are at hand
-- BASIC SURGERY. Perform basic operations
such as stitches, casting of broken bones, removal of bullets
and foreign objects, and amputations* provided the appropriate
tools are at hand. Requires FIRST AID
-- ADVANCED SURGERY. Perform difficult
operations such as amputations*, transplants, and other such operations
which would require you to open someone up. Requires BASIC SURGERY,
KNOWLEDGE: BIOLOGY
-- DIAGNOSE: You can examine the
symptoms of a target to determine what kind of injury or illness
they are suffering from. User can also identify any poisons they
may be suffering from.
-- CONCOCT MEDICINE: Using the appropriate
ingredients and tools, the user can mix up a compound to achieve
a certain effect. Different things will take different amounts
of time, but generally the process takes about a half hour. When
combined with KNOWLEDGE: CHEMISTRY this skill functions as BASIC
ALCHEMY.
*GM NOTE: Amputations are tricky procedures which a person with
BASIC SURGERY may not be able to perform competently. Summon a
GM if you intend to perform an amputation without ADVANCED SURGERY.
KNOWLEDGE
While the Knowledge tree may sound like it does not offer any
practical abilities, it is important to note that the point of
the Knowledge skill tree is to empower the player to make up their
own skills and expertise. You are in no way limited to fields
of knowledge included in this rulebook, and having knowledge of
a field entitles you to make up new skills based on it-- for example,
someone with Chemistry may wish to brew poisons, or someone with
both Chemistry and Biology may wish to make a chemical that can
raise the dead. The important thing is to use your imagination.
-- SCIENCE. You have knowledge of
a scientific field, allowing you to acquire or dispense information
. Choose from one of the three basic sciences and/or feel free
to make up your own. At GM discretion some player-made sciences
may require ranks in the pre-made ones. For example, Entomology
could be taken without any other requirements (though biology
would be a good skill to pair it with), but Basic Alchemy requires
the character to take Chemistry. From there, something such as
Advanced Alchemy could be taken to expand on the number of things
they are able to make.
BIOLOGY
CHEMISTRY
PHYSICS
-- LITERATURE. Literature applies
to both fiction and non-fiction. You are well-read and capable
of asking the GM relevant questions regarding your chosen field.
Some examples of Literature fields include HISTORY, CLASSICS,
OCCULT, LANGUAGES etc.
Some examples of further specializations include:
-HISTORY + LANGUAGES: ANCIENT SCRIPTURES
-HISTORY: ANCIENT CULTURES
-OCCULT + LANGUAGES: OCCULT SCRIPTURES
COMBAT
-- WEAPON: Allows you to begin the
game while carrying a chosen weapon. If you do not take Weapon
you can still wield anything you find, but you run the risk of
not finding a weapon you are skilled with, or indeed finding one
at all. This skill can be bought multiple times.
-- SUCKER PUNCH: Three times a day,
knock a person out for three minutes by way of a well-placed slug
to the face. Unless the character is especially hardy, your hand
will hurt afterwards
-- TOUGHNESS: One extra HP. Can be
bought multiple times.
-- FORTITUDE: Reduce the movement-impeding
and otherwise crippling effects of a grievous wound such as impalement
of the leg. Can be bought multiple times. Requires one rank of
Toughness each time.
-- STEADFAST: Ignore Knock-Back.
Requires FORTITUDE.
-- SURE FOOTING: Ignore Strike-Down.
Requires STEADFAST.
SUBTLETY
-- HAMSTRING: Slash the ankle of
a victim, crippling their leg until treated.
-- SAP: Use a blackjack (soft rod,
or sock inside of another sock) to hit a target in the head and
knock them out for a minute. Ideally should be done from the side
or behind.
-- POISONS: Taking Poisons will give
your character a handful (6) of poison pellets (or vials or powders,
your preference) at the beginning of the game, and three antidotes.
The poison and corresponding antidote types basic Poisons will
allow you to choose from are:
KNOCKOUT DROPS: When ingested, knocks out the drinker for a period
of time.
EUPHORIA: Makes the drinker disoriented and less able to perform
feats of dexterity or intelligence.
NAUSEA: Makes the drinker liable to vomit, as well as all the
discomfort that comes along with this. People with Fortitude can
withstand the discomfort, but not totally ignore it. Once the
character has vomited they will be uncomfortable for a time but
recover, the poison being out of their system.
SLOW DEATH: Inflicts a slow, dull pain across the entire body
and slowly ticks away health points, eventually incapacitating
and then killing the victim if not treated. The effects of Slow
Death can be countered by an antidote or a period of rest, but
the sleep will be fitful and physically uncomfortable. Victim
will become clammy and start to cough up blood if they exert themselves.
-- ADVANCED POISONS: Allows you access
to the following poisons and corresponding antidotes:
HARD KNOCKOUT DROPS: Knocks out the drinker for a longer period
of time than basic knockout drops.
PAIN: Inflicts with an incredible pain across the whole body,
rendering the drinker useless to most physical tasks and clouding
the thinking.
DEATH: If not treated within a few minutes, the drinker becomes
groggy and unable to think-- this is the warning period during
which time an antidote must be administered or the victim will
die. Skin will become pale and clammy and the victim may cough
up blood. (Only up to two of these may be carried from the start
of the game)
CURE-ALL: An antidote which will counter-act the effects of any
poison from the subtlety tree.
MAGIC
Player characters in Ravenholme can draw power from three schools
of magic*; VOODOO (Voudoun), DIABOLIC (demonic), and ARCANE (nether).
Characters must choose one of these three schools to draw their
power from. Any spell, (except for the three that are each specific
to one school) can be taken by any practitioner of magic, regardless
of their power source. The power source chosen by the character
determines who and what will be affected by a given spell. For
example, the Blast spell is a missile that deals damage; someone
with the Voodoo school can use it to harm undead, whereas someone
with Arcane can use it to harm humans.
*There is a fourth school of magic, the Divine school, which
also exists; however, this school is not yet accessible to standard
player characters, so its spells are not listed here. If you wish
to play a character with the Divine school of magic, ask the GMs
for more information
There are two types of spells: Instant and Woven. Instant spells
can be cast simply by stating the name or intent of the spell
and then performing the actions required; woven spells require
a ritual that takes a certain amount of time.
If you have an idea for a magic spell that is not listed in here
that you feel you would like to have for your character, take
it up with the GM in charge of magic within the game world; do
not feel entitled to have your spell approved. If you want to
perform a magical feat in-game that is not listed here, such as
opening a gate to another realm, consult the GM in charge of magic;
your character may not be capable of performing this feat, but
it doesn't hurt to ask.
Keep in mind, also, that a character does not exactly have to
follow a particular form of magic in order to use those spells--
someone with a spell that damages the undead does not have to
be a voodoo priest, or necessarily even follow voodoo, but they
still can only have one school of magic and must adhere to the
rules of that school.
NOTE: Any character who chooses a skill from the MAGIC tree begins
with four mana points. Mana points can be restored by rest, plot
events, or items granted by the GMs. Mana points regenerate naturally
at a rate of one per 20 minutes.
-- INTELLECT: Grants two extra MP.
Can be bought multiple times.
-- BLAST (Instant*): Deals two damage
to the target. Costs 1 MP. To cast, state to the target what is
happening; for example, "Tendrils of darkness surround my
hand, and you feel the life being sucked out of you. You lose
two hit points"
VOODOO: Damages shadow beings, undead, ghosts.
DIABOLIC: Damages demons and humans.
ARCANE: Damages any corporeal target, but the target type must
be specified in the casting and thus has a chance to be incorrect.
*The Arcane blast spell takes an extra four seconds of in-play
casting time to cast and the target type must be specified.
-- SIGHT (Instant): See persons
and objects cloaked by enchantment or energy surrounding persons
or objects. Costs 1 MP. To cast, tell a GM that you are activating
the power so they can inform you of what you see. Effect lasts
for a few minutes.
VOODOO: See spirits, hidden shadow beings, or dark energy surrounding
persons or objects.
DIABOLIC: See through the disguises of demons hidden in human
form, or demonic energy surrounding an individual or person.
ARCANE: See magical fields and residue.
-- SUMMON (Woven): Summons a being
from another plain or forms a connection that allows you to speak
with that being. Requires reagents and summoning or s?ance ritual.
Costs 4 MP. To cast, perform the ritual specified.
VOODOO: Raise a zombie to do your bidding. Certain situations
may allow a voodoo practitioner to speak with the spirit of someone
who has passed; speak with a GM if you wish to attempt this. Requires
a rattle be shaken, and an incantation of your invention.
DIABOLIC: Summon a minor demon to perform a task or answer a question.
To cast, draw a pentacle on the ground and offer fresh blood to
the centre of the pentacle, then state your intent to the demonic
plain by way of the circle.
ARCANE: Summon a voidwalker to do your bidding, or a person from
another location. If the person does not want to be summoned,
the spell will require extra reagents to increase its potency.
To cast, draw a triangle on the ground, and state your intent
to the triangle by way of an incantation or verse of your invention.
-- PROTECTION (Instant): Creates
a magical barrier around the target, adding two extra points of
protection on top of a character's HP. It is effective against
physical blows or spells of that particular college. Recite an
appropriate incantation and inform the target of its effect.
VOODOO: Prevents possession by shadow beings or ghosts for a short
time.
DIABOLIC: Prevents possession by demons for a short while or until
the demon figures out how to work around it.
ARCANE: Provides protection from curses.
-- HEAL (Woven): Magically closes
wounds and restores health. Each college of magic has a different
method and effect, so please read carefully. To cast, recite an
incantation and perform the proper ritual. Heal costs no mana
except in the case of Arcane.
VOODOO: Transfers health directly from one target to another.
Requires ten seconds of chanting. Inform both the donor and the
target how much health is being transferred, and to whom, when
the incantation is finished. Two health can be drawn from a target
on 0 hit points, but the spell will kill them.
DIABOLIC: Requires blood to be spilled from a fresh volunteer
(or victim) and directly onto the target. Restores to full health
over the course of a half hour; blood donor loses one hit point
in the process.
ARCANE: Heals one hit point for each mana point spent.
-- EXORCISE (Woven): Removes the
effects of a single magical affliction from a target, provided
the caster is powerful enough to combat that particular thing.
Costs three mana points. Recite an appropriate incantation stating
your intent.
VOODOO: Removes NUMB SENSE and lesser shadow beings or ghosts
from the target, among other Voodoo-based ailments.
DIABOLIC: Removes NUMB SENSE and lesser demons from the target,
among other demonic influences.
ARCANE: Removes NUMB SENSE, minor illnesses and minor curses from
the target.
-- GREATER EXORCISE (Woven): A more
powerful version of the Exorcise spell. In addition to removing
more powerful afflictions from the target than the standard Exorcise
spell, it can banish a given target from the plane for a short
period of time (or longer if the target does not have a particular
desire to come back) or make it more difficult for those creatures
to cross over into the corporeal plane. Costs three mana points.
Requires EXORCISE. If this spell is used in conjunction with the
SNARE spell, it may be used to trap a particular being in an appropriate
object.
VOODOO: Effective against shadow beings and ghosts.
DIABOLIC: Effective against demons.
ARCANE: Effective against arcane beings such as Voidwalkers.
-- SNARE (Instant): Hold a target
in place by way of a magical circle which appears around their
feet. Must be sustained. 3 MP. To cast, recite an incantation
and inform the target of its effect.
VOODOO: Shadow beings, undead, ghosts.
DIABOLIC: Demons.
ARCANE: Humanoids, shadow beings.
-- NUMB SENSE (Instant): Robs a
sense from the target. Costs 3 MP. Effect lasts for ten minutes.
VOODOO: Target cannot speak.
DIABOLIC: Target is blind.
ARCANE: Target is deaf.
-- GREATER NUMB SENSE: Same effect
as NUMB SENSE, but effect lasts for half an hour. Requires NUMB
SENSE. Costs 3 mana points.
-- ROB SENSE: Same effect as GREATER
NUMB SENSE, but effect lasts overnight or until dispelled. Costs
four mana points. Requires GREATER NUMB SENSE.
-- WARD (Woven): Makes a shape or
wall through which particular creatures CANNOT pass. Players which
take this spell must bring along three objects which act as the
anchors for the spell. Creatures affected by the spell cannot
enter the shape formed by the objects. Certain plot events or
conduits may increase the power of the spell, giving the caster
more objects to form a shape of greater than three sides. Costs
3 MP. To cast, describe the appearance of the spell to any present
and place the objects.
VOODOO: Shadow beings, undead, ghosts.
DIABOLIC: Demons.
ARCANE: Beings of magic such as shadow beings and voidwalkers;
humans.
-- COTERMINOUS (Woven): Weakens
the fabric between two plains in a given space such as a room,
making it more likely/easier for beings from those plains to pass
through into the mortal realm. Makes a room more "conducive"
if you will. In addition, casting Coterminous halves the mana
regeneration time for users of that magical school. Costs 3MP.
To cast, state to the GM that you are casting this spell and then
perform the ritual asked.
VOODOO: Weakens the fabric between our world and the world of
the dead, making it more likely for ghosts and spirits that may
be present or nearby to appear. To cast, shake a rattle and recite
an incantation of your invention.
DIABOLIC: Makes the room into a thoroughfare between the demon
and human realms, making it more likely for demons to pass through
and appear. To perform, draw a pentacle on the ground or wall,
with candles at each point of the pentacle, and state your intent
to make the place safe for the entry of demons. Optionally, an
object may be placed in the centre of the pentacle to attract
a particular individual or type of demon.
ARCANE: Beings of magic, such as shades or voidwalkers, find the
room to be a source of power and are attracted to it. Keep in
mind this may draw beings of magic from around the house, not
just the nether plain. To perform, draw an arcane triangle on
the wall or ground and perform an incantation of your choosing,
opening a gate between the two plains and making the room a reservoir
of arcane power.
-- ENTICE GIFT (Instant): Forces
an individual to give you an item. Afterwards they are aware of
the action, but they must obey. Requires Intellect and any other
magic spell. Costs 3MP.
VOODOO: Shadow beings, undead, ghosts, humanoids.
DIABOLIC: Demons, humanoids.
ARCANE: Shadow beings, humanoids.
-- SCHOOL-SPECIFIC SPELLS: The following
spells are specific to their listed school of magic and can only
be bought if you have three other spells from that school in your
skills. These are representations of great magical power; you
should only take one of these skills if your character has devoted
a significant amount of time to the study of their magical college.
VOODOO: VOODOO DOLL
-Creates a voodoo doll of an individual. Anything done to the
doll is inflicted on the individual. Requires a personal item
of the individual to be in possession of the caster.
DIABOLIC: ABYSSAL MIGHT
-Target (can be the user) takes on the attributes of a warrior
demon, gaining an extra 10HP, increased strength and a granted
demonic weapon. Requires a demon heart to be destroyed in the
casting. Effect lasts for approximately half an hour, until the
caster or target's health reaches 0, or until the target is exorcised.
ARCANE: FABRICATE/GREATER SUMMON
-Call any item or being to your presence, from any plain. Requires
a voidwalker to be sent to fetch the item for you; the voidwalker
may fail in its mission if the item or person is heavily protected
and unwilling to comply.
Challenges
A Challenge is a flaw in your character's personality which must
be effectively roleplayed throughout your stay in Ravenholme.
Some of the higher impact challenges will give you extra skill
slots, as marked; others will not. You may take as many challenges
as you like, but your character must have at least one. Some of
these challenges are big enough to drive a truck through; use
your imagination when coming up with interesting obstacles for
your character.
-- Looking unusual or non-human. Obvious birth defect or freakish
appearance.
-- Can range anywhere from a strange eye colour to skin that appears
to be made of stone, or beyond. Must be effectively phys-repped.
-- Minor disability
-- Near sighted, hard of hearing, one eye, missing fingers, etc.
-- Special vulnerability (may award extra skill slot at GM discretion)
-- Losing a sense (awards an extra skill slot)
-- Being restricted in movement
-- Wheelchair, bad/one leg, one arm, etc.
-- Psychological per symptom
-- Temper, fear, angst, etc.
-- Won't or can't go certain places (May award an extra skill
slot at GM discretion)
-- Heights, closets, dark places, churches, whether for psychological
reasons or otherwise
-- Won't break the law (Awards an extra skill slot)
-- Dangerous to self in some way
-- Major psychological restriction (awards and extra skill slot)
-- Insanity, uncontrollable activities, nigh-unbreakable habit,
etc.
-- Chronic disease or condition
-- Character needs attachment (regular medication, pendant with
arcane qualities, another person, etc.) to stay alive or perform
certain activities (May award an extra skill slot at GM discretion)
-- Haunted past (may award an extra skill slot at GM discretion)
-- Deadly enemies
-- Conflicting interests (e.g. torn between duties to two factions
or ideals, be they to the self or exterior entities)
-- Amnesia - there are large or important (or both) chunks of
your past missing from your memory. If you take this disadvantage,
be prepared for the GMs to take liberties with the missing parts
of your backstory.
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