Subject: RQ Discussions 33 First Distribution: March 19, 1992 More stuff to come, if I have time. ====================================================================== From: mcwalla@algol.cs.umbc.edu (Mark C Wallace) Subject: Sample Malkioni Clerical Orders The disorganized notes at the top are from the heroquest rules, the text which follows is my fleshing out of those notes. You'll be able to infer quickly that I plan to use Pendragon Personality Traits to encourage role playing. General Civilized Virtues: Nobility: Brave, loyal, Proud, (P)Hospitable Clergy: Loyal, Just Peasantry: Indulgent, Lustful, Generous Arkat: Dormal: Generous Saint Hrestol: RUNES: MAGIC,Mastery Saint Malkion: RUNES: LAW, Mastery Saint Waertag: RUNES: OCEAN, MAN Saint Gerlant Flamesword: Just, Loyal RUNE:Truth Saint Talor: Brave RUNES: LIGHT,DEATH Saint Xemela: mercy RUNE: Life [NOTE: Gerlant = Gabrielite/Dominican Talor = Michaeline/Templar Urielist = /Jesuit Gerlantists Hate Urielists] Gerlantines The Gerlantines wear purple robes with gold girdles; colors which are ordinarily the perogative only of royalty. They have both a fighting order and a cloistered order. The fighting order is charged with fighting the foes of justice. The fighting order is also known as the Kings Knights. The Gerlantines almost always fight on the side of the king of the region, unless that king's cause is unjust. Oftimes, if the Gerlantine order informs the king that they cannot support him, he will resign his cause, realizing that the absense of the Gerlantine forces will attract others to the opposition. When political controversies are quiet, the Gerlantine Knights ride out into the world to find, and conquer injustice. In lands dominated by the Gerlantine knights, knights errant will find little work. Gerlantines do not ride for glory (although they enjoy it) and will not pursue strange beasts, nor will they fight for love of combat. Knights are encouraged however to act as champions in trials by combat for any cause they feel is just. Each Knight bears a shield gules, in chief a cheqy gules and or. The cloistered order is charged with prayer and works of scholarship to encourage justice. Although the order is charged with the obligation of justice for all, they generally support the king. However, history records several monasteries which have acted forcefully to secure the rights of the common man, to protect the peasantry from unjust Tallage, and to secure justice for the accused. Within each Abbey, the Archivist is charged with maintaining records of all matters which might be relevant to future findings of justice. For this reason, they compile extensive geneologies, and have copies of each royal proclamation. The abbot of each abbey is required to hold court each week, and accept any plea for justice which might reach his ears. Usually the finding of a Gerlantine abbot is persuasive in a shire moot, or even a high court. Priests and Brothers of the Order of Saint Gerlant are taught the spells of Sense Truth, and the unique Oathbond. The Order of Saint Talor, the Illuminator Taloran knights wear black robes with silver and red cinctures, and bear the arms Sable, in chief a sun rayonny argent in base a pile gules. The primary arm of the cult is the fighting order, and the clerical order exists primarily to support the Knights of Saint Talor (the illuminator). The Knights of Saint Talor are charged to go forth in the world and supress the foes of religion. Their primary purpose is to destroy chaotic temples, and other horrors which encroach on the world with darkness, but they have historically been equally happy combatting other foes, including heretical cults, theists, etc. They are unwilling to sully their weapons with bandits, or other ignoble foes. Taloran knights are always armed and armoured with the best the order can provide, and they would prefer to field fewer knights than to field a knight who was not properly armed. Members of the fighting orders who are not equipped may serve as squires, at the discretion of the Knight Commander. Among the other duties of a squire of a Taloran knight is the dweomering of his knights armour. On the battlefield Taloran knights are fearsome for several reasons. First, their arms and equipment, second their magical preparation, third their considerable combat skills, and fourth, and most important, their tactical organisation. Taloran knights train as part of a unit, and are rarely separated from that unit. Due to familiarity and training, the unit commander has an exceptionally high battle skill, and will inspire his followers. Nearly all Taloran knights are mounted lancers with a secondary weapon of bastard sword; they discourage any other weapons. The clerical order exists solely to provide magical support, training, and research for the fighting order. Entire abbey's of Taloran clerics cooperate to enchant arms and equipment for a Knight. Taloran Clerics also train squires in the spells of damage boosting, damage resist, spirit resist, and spell resist, and the skills of intensify and multispell. They are reluctant to share this training with individuals who are not members of the order. Within each abbey of the Taloran knights, it is the responsibility of the Archivist and his assistants to search out, through magic, and research, threats to the faith. The Chiurgeon has the responsibility of training squires in first aid and minor healing magics. (Taloran knights rarely return from the field wounded). The order of Saint Xemela the Merciful Xemelan Sisters wear white robes with red cinctures, and bear the arms Argent goutty. The order is primarily clerical, but a small mendicant order exists. The entire order is ascetic and charitable. Xemelan Abbeys are dominated by the Chiurgeons, who ranks alongside the subprior. Each member of the order must serve in the chiurgery each day, according to the Rule. Second in importance is the Novitian, who is responsible for training aspirants. The order of Xemela will provide training only to aspirants of the order, but requires no binding commitments from aspirants, so many nobles choose to park their younger daughters in an abbey where they will learn something useful. The order requests, and usually receives, a small endowment for each aspirant. The majority of aspirants are taught only first aid and herbalism; those few who are gifted for magic are given advanced instruction and actively encouraged to join the order. The assistant Chiurgeon serves as the Porter for the order, and the second assistant is the hospitaler. The smaller mendicant order is charged with healing in the world. Often a sister will request assignment to the order as penance for some infraction of the Rule of the order. These sisters wander through the world with an obligation to heal anyone they encounter, unless that healing will directly contribute to further violence (consequently, they will not enter a battlefield until after the battle has been declared a victory for one side). They are also expected to gather rare herbs and other supplies and return them to the abbeys, and to solicit endowments from their patients. Oddly enough, they have little or no skill at midwifery, although they are capable assistants to a midwife; their teachings advocate self sacrifice, of which death in pregnancy is the epitome. The sisters request that anyone brought back from mortal danger take the oath of Saint Xemela, which forbids ever taking up a weapon again. Sisters of Saint Xemela are taught the spells of Diminish Pain, Treat Wounds, and Regenerate. They are widely rumoured to have a secret body of advanced teaching, but no details are available. There is a resurgent heresy within the order, which holds that knighthood is the flower of self sacrifice. This heresy has been condemmed by the Grand Abbess of the order several times in history, but it persists in secret. Adherents of this heresy will join the mendicant order, and offer their services to knights prior to, and during battle. Persistent rumour indicates that they can, through magic and drugs, double a Knights hit points, at the nearly certain cost of his life. -- Mark C. Wallace breah Sullivan: noonaut Copyright 1992 Mark C. Wallace. This version is freely redistributable as long as this copyright message is included. Commercial rights for derivative works are retained by the author. ====================================================================== From: mcwalla@algol.cs.umbc.edu (Mark C Wallace) Subject: Glory/Fame/Will Rules for RQ What is will? Will is a measure of the character's innate confidence, self assuredness, and indominatbility. Each character gains will for the following: Statistsics (Attributes, Skills, etc.) Virtues Deeds Runic Power Statistics: Attributes: Each Statistic over 15 gains 1 point of will. E.g. STR 18 = 3 points. Each POINT of POW is 1 will (noncumulative; 16 POW = 16 WILL). Count POW of allied spirits, familiars, and other creatures subject to the adventurer, but not of bound spirits, etc. Skills: Each skill @ 100% or more gives 1 point for each 20%. 99 = 0 will, 101% = 5 will Magic: Each point of spirit magic, reuseable divine magic, or sorcery known = 1 WILL. Total the WILL for statistics, and record it. Virtues Each virtue over 15 = 1 WILL for each point of that virtue. 14 = 0 WILL, 16 = 16 WILL. Virtues are not printed on many character sheets, but are paired; Brave/Cautious Chaste/Lustful Energetic/Lazy Forgiving/Vengeful Generous/Selfish Honest/ Guileful Honorable/Pragmatic Just/Arbitrary Loyal/Independent Merciful/Cruel Modest/Proud Pious/Worldly Prudent/Reckless Temparate/Indulgent Trusting/Suspicous * need non perjorative adjective. Check Pendragon or change to passion?? Each virtue is paired with its opposite (vice), but each culture determines which is the virtue and which is the vice independently. For example, the Orlanthi consider Lustful to be a minor virtue, and chastity to be a minor vice; the Yelmists hold the opposite, that Chastitity is a virtue, and Lustfulness a vice. Each culture should have a different cultural template. General Civilized Virtues: Nobility: Brave, loyal, Proud, (P)Hospitable Clergy: Loyal, Just Peasantry: Indulgent, Lustful, Generous Orrist Virtues: Brave, Generous, Energetic Pharr Virtues: Cautious, Independent, Suspicous Arkat: Dormal: Generous Saint Gerlant Flamesword: Just, Loyal RUNE:Truth Saint Hrestol: RUNES: MAGIC,Mastery Saint Malkion: RUNES: LAW, Mastery Orlanth: Brave, Generous, Honorable, Proud Saint Talor: Brave RUNES: LIGHT,DEATH Saint Waertag: RUNES: OCEAN, MAN Saint Xemela: mercy RUNE: Life [NOTE: Gerlant = Gabrielite/Dominican Talor = Michaeline/Templar Urielist = /Jesuit Gerlantists Hate Urielists] The sum of the virtue and vice must always be 20. For Example, Harquin has a deceitful score of 16, so his honesty must be 4. Each increase in a virtue results in a decrease of the associated vice. Virtues may be increased by virtue checks. Virtue checks are gained by choosing to act virtuously in a situation which places the character, his or her party, or the character's other passions or virtues at risk. When a character chooses one virtue over another, or chooses virtue in the face of death, s/he gains a virtue check. During the experience phase, a d20 is rolled; if it is equal to or greater than the current virtue score, the virtue is increased by 1. If it is less than the current virtue score, there is no effect. Virtues can also receive negative experience; when a character chooses to ignore the virtuous course of action, that virtue is marked with a negative experience check. During experience phase, if the d20 is equal to or higher than the virtue, no change takes place. If the d20 is lower than the virtue, the virtue decreases by 1D4-1. Example 1: Percippus the Priest has a Chastity of 15. He, and the party, are staying at the castle of the Damosel of the Emerald Shroud. After dinner, the Damosel reveals that in order to leave the castle, the party must leave behind one member, who will act as her husband for a year and a day; she has chosen Percippus. His Chastity would ordinarily forbid this, but acting virtously would place the party, and its mission in danger. Percippus must choose between Chastity and the mission. If he chooses to assist the party, his Chastity is dropped by 1D3; if he chooses to remain chaste, he gains a chastity check. A virtue check is rolled like an experience check; roll equal to or above the number, and the virtue will increase by one (decreasing the corresponding vice). Example 2: Terquin the Forgiving must sit in judgement over a woman who poached in order to feed her family. Justice demands that she be condemmed to death for high treason. Mercy and forgiveness demand that she be set free, since her crime was committed for understandible ends. Terquin has a 17 in forgiveness, a 14 in justice, and a 12 in Mercy. Terquin must choose which virtue he will uphold; that virtue will receive a virtue check. Terquin must choose which of the other two virtues will receive the negative experience check. When adding virtues to an already generated character, assign each virtue 10 In addition, Each Passion over 15 is worth its magnitude in WILL. Passions are player defined commitments to a given course of action. Examples of Passions are Piety, (?Honor?), Amour, Love, Fear(subject), Hate(subject), Loyalty([family, lord, etc]) etc. Passions are increased and decreased in the same way as virtues; through conflict with a character's life or other virtue/passion. Passions also receive negative experience checks. Will gained through virtues and passions represent the sacrifices, dedication and willpower which has been excercised to reach the high score. Record WIll from virtues separately on the character sheet. Deeds Adventurers can gain will through famous deeds; this form of will is also known as Glory, Fame or Repuation. There are two forms of Glory; Glory gained by completing famous tasks, and glory gained through duel. The GM will announce when a famous task merits glory, and award glory at the completion of that task, which will be divided among the individuals who participated. Duels are a common way to gain Glory. Whenever two strongwilled individuals pit themselves against one another, the winner of the contest gains glory for defeating the loser. This contest can be a traditional duel, or a contest of skill, if it is sufficiently intense and meaningful. Whenever 1) anyone expends will to change the results of a contest, or 2) either contestant has a will of over 100, or 3) the troupe recognizes the contest as significant for the development of the characters involved, the victor will gain honor from the loser. FAME is almost always gained through contests between two individuals, not from melee. The amount of Fame which is at risk is equal to the WILL derived from all the skills involved in the contest,(? plus the number of points of WILL expended?). In addition to the FAME at risk, each participant gains 1 point of FAME for each critical scored during the contest. This fame is gained independently of the FAME at risk; the loser of the contest still gains fame for critical successes, even if s/he loses FAME in the contest overall. Example 1: During the siege of the Orlanthi temple in the rubble, Gluk StormKhan encounters (is drawn by chaos sense to...) the Lunar General. Since both are heroes (will over 100), and since the troupe recognizes that this is a major battle, a hero contest will take place. Gluk derives 7 points of WILL from his sword skill, 5 from his parry, and 15 from his passion of HATE(CHAOS). The Lunar General derives 10 from his weapon skill, 10 from his dodge. If the general were reknown for bravery (15+) that would also be at stake. If Gluk wins, he will gain 20 Glory from the Lunar General. If the General wins, he will gain 27 from Gluk. In this particular case, the loser will not need to worry about reducing his or her honor. If the loser survives, the honor lost comes from the WILL points recorded for deeds. This may result in a negative WILL score for deeds; if so, it decreases total WILL by the same amount. For example, if the Lunar General decided to save Gluk, and exhibit him on a tour of the Empire as a tame Stormbull, Gluk would lose the 27 points of Fame (Deeds based WILL). If Gluk had only 20 points of FAME (Deriving the remainder of his WILL from skills and virtues), his FAME (Deeds based WILL) would be -7, and his total WILL would be reduced by the full 27 points. The sum of WILL from statistics, WILL from virtues, WILL from deeds, and WILL from runic power would equal total WILL, but WILL from deeds (FAME) would be negative. Example 2: Vincenzo is challenged to a poetry contest before the High King of the Elves; each contestant must compose a poem and recite it before the court. Because this contest is visible, and because it is important to the development of the character, the troupe decides to award FAME to the victor. Only one skill is involved; Compose Poetry. Vincenzo has a skill of 95%, so derives no fame. The High King's Bard has a skill of 150% and derives 7 FAME from the skill. If Vincenzo wins, he gains 7 FAME. If he loses, the High King's Bard gains nothing. Such are the risks of heroes engaging normal folks in contests. If both Vincenzo and the High King's Bard critical their skill roll, both gain 1 point of FAME, and the contest must continue for another round of poetry Runic Power Some characters will derive will from their association with various runes. This source of WILL is only available to Heroes on the hero plane. WILLPOWER: USE Will should be recorded from each of the four categories, then totalled for a total will score, which will be used in play. WIll can be used in the following ways. Ensure success: Before performing any skill, the character can expend one point of will to ensure that the skill will be successful. The die should still be rolled to see if a critical or special results. Fumbles and botches should be ignored. Cancel Negative: After rolling the die and receiving a Botch or Fumble, 1D6 will may be expended to shift the die result one category towards the positive. (E.g. Fumble -> Botch -> Failure -> Success = 3d6 will) (E.g. Success -> Critical = 1D6 WILL). Any expediture of will places FAME at risk. If the character finds the contest sufficiently interesting to expend will to ensure success, the character's FAME is at stake. The amount of FAME is equal to the amount of WILL derived from the skill, unless other reasons make it greater. Example: Shang has an 18 STR, which is worth 18 WILL. While travelling through Sartar, he stops for a drink in a bar one night. The local Blacksmith notices his muscles and challenges him to an armwrestling contest. The tables are cleared, the contest begins, and to his chagrin, Shang discovers he is losing. He expends one point of WILL to ensure that the next resistance roll will go in his favour. The roll is a critical, meaning the WILL was wasted, and Shang wins; the Smith nonetheless gains FAME = Shang's STR. Since Shang won, he loses no FAME. Had Shang lost after expending the WILL, the FAME would have been deducted from his FAME score and added to the SMITHS. -- Mark C. Wallace breah Sullivan: noonaut Copyright 1992 Mark C. Wallace. This version is freely redistributable as long as this copyright message is included. 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