Subject: RQ Undigestables, Volume 1, Number 8
This issue:
Armor, Fatigue, etc. (Mark Abbott)
Re: RQ Sorcery (Steve Maurer (via Elliot Wilen))
[Editor's note: I will be on vaction until late July, at which point I will
send a message to you all announcing my return. I will attempt to send out
anything I receive before midnight (my time) Wednesday, June 15th, 1988.
After that date, anything I get will not be sent out until late July,
although you will be able to send mail to me. I suggest those with net access
post as well as sending me articles.]
From: abbott%dean.Berkeley.EDU@berkeley.edu (+Mark Abbott)
Subject: Armor, Fatigue, etc
Re armor and helmets: I've been playing around with the Harnmaster armor
system lately and I think I may use it for RQ. It uses a hit location
system with a much more detailed breakdown for humanoids. Each location
is rated as a %of the total body area. Armor weight is figured by
multiplying the weight of the armor type (chainmail, leather, etc) by
the % of the body covered. This makes it easy to construct pretty
spotty or idiosyncratic armor or stick with whole suits. What I've done
is take their armor weight values and convert them to kg. I've got
a formula which takes RQ Size, a weight value by armor type, and % of
body covered, and you get out the weight of that piece of armor. Encumbrance
values are closely comparable to current RQIII for the different armor
types but the RQIII size break points are gotten rid of.
When it gets to helmets, the head in the Harnmaster system is broken
into skull, face, and neck allowing quite a bit of detail in helmet
construction. They have an optional table to break up locations on
the face. What I'm doing is using their locations and mapping them
to the RQ locations for HP. So, I've got a location table using the
Harnmaster hit locations. If I roll an 'elbow' location that maps
to the RQ PC's arm, groin maps to abdomen, etc. It allows you to set
up a much more detailed suit of armor for a PC but doesn't force it.
And you can still use unmodified RQ hit points.
You can still use full suits of one armor sort and you can switch back
and forth between the more detailed hit location table and the normal
RQ table pretty much at will.
If anybody is interested in this I'll get it typed up and send it in.
[I am!]
Care to elaborate on the GURPS distinctions between crushing, edged, and
pointed weapons? I don't know much about GURPS.
[Nor do I. Elliot?]
As to flails, around here we halve parry when defending against a chain
weapon and take 3/4 of the parry versus flexible weapons. The catch
is that chains get their fumble chance tripled and flexible weapons
have a double fumble chance.
On skills specialization, I limit PCs to 10 experience rolls per
adventure. This means that I can give them tons of chances to
use skills and they'll still pick a set which they work hardest on.
I also encourage roleplaying PCs such that we don't have much of the
"Everybody try to pick this lock and somebody will succeed" problem.
[I prefer to give higher fumble chances to untrained people, so they break
something in the lock (or whatever, depending upon the skill) and make it
impossible to pick. The 10 rolls per adventure also makes all adventures
equally valuable experience-wise, which may not be desirable; a suggestion
using this approach is for the GM to evaluate the adventure and give a
specific number of rolls (as opposed to the straight 10.)]
On the fatigue stuff, sorry, I should have elaborated a bit more. Effects
of negative FP are exactly the same as per RQIII, -1 FP = -1% in all skills,
unconsciousness at minus double (or whatever, haven't ever had to apply
that rule so I'm not certain what the cutoff is). Even though I called
it Maximum Encumbrance, I don't really use that as a hard limit on what
can be carried. The same rules for fatigue expenditure and movement
can be used for carrying loads over "Maximum ENC". For example, your
soldier with 13 STR and CON would have a Max ENC of 78 and 26 FP. If
he carries 78 ENC that's 11 FP expended per round and his movement is
reduced to 1. This means that he'll have 3 rounds of normal skills and
then he'll be fighting at minuses. He'll quickly hit his limit and have
to stop exerting himself so strenuously. If he carries 91 ENC, 110% his
max, he'll use 12 FP per round and move at 1.
As for what causes you to use up fatigue, any combat or maneuvering in
combat causes you to expend FP at the rate determined by your encumbrance.
I allow characters to sprint (move at double the normal rate) but it
uses one of their actions for that round and it adds 1 to their
FP expenditure rate. Under normal RQIII fatigue rules, sprinting had
the same effect, spend +1 FP per round. Standing back from a fight
but staying very alert and combat ready you spend no fatigue but can
make various perception rolls, see who needs help, etc. Leaning on
your sword allows you to recover fatigue (at d4-2/round, I think, whatever
it is in the book) but you aren't as alert. You'll still notice that troll
charging you but you might not notice that your buddy, 20 yards away
and partly behind a bush, is in need of your help. You definitely won't
notice the elf hidden in the bushes who is about to turn you into a
pincushion.
Simple jogging, outside of a fight, uses fatigue each minute, ie you
use 1 (or more depending on ENC) FP per minute as opposed to the normal
1 per round.
As for short vs long term endurance, I just use fatigue for short term and
CON for long term. If a character hasn't had enough sleep, I take off from
his CON. This effectively lowers his fatigue, resistance to poisons and
disease, etc. CON lost this way is recovered by remedying the situation,
ie taking a nap.
[Your CON versus FP dichotomy is a lot like my adrenal versus basic fatigue
idea.]
Hm, this is getting awfully long. I think I'd better send this off
before it gets completely absurd.
Mark Abbott
abbott@dean.berkeley.edu
{ihnp4, sun, decwrl, sun, hplabs}!ucbvax!dean!abbott
[Editor's note: If you wish to include individual copyrights like the one
below, I have no objection providing you make all materials freely copiable
in the manner of this next article.]
From: Steven Maurer
Subject: Re: RQ Sorcery
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Copyright (C) 1988 Steven Maurer, all rights reserved
All or part of this article may be freely copied for non-commercial
use, provided that this notice in included in said copies and/or
derivations (fixes/changes), and that proper attribution is made.
Any other use, without written permission from the author, is prohibited.
Sorcery Definition:
Sorcery is the skill of magic. Unlike divine (godly) and soul
(samanistic) magic, it is based on the complex practice of directly
invoking the power of the runes, without any intermediaries. While
this "cutting out the middleman" enables a generally greater return
for magical input, it is also very hazardous.
Sorcerers do not have Divine Intervention, cannot attune iron, have
no increased POW gain roll, or any other supernatural or heroic aid
unless they get it directly from Heroquest. They have a DEX x 5
limitation on all non-sorcerous/non-knowledge skill rolls, if they
want to progress beyond 100% as a Runelord in Sorcery skills (due to
intensive study). Some Sorcerers may dabble in cults up to being
Initiates, and some priests dabble in Sorcery (chiefly worshippers
of the man-god { Pharoah }), however doing both is impossible simply
from a practical time-oriented standpoint, much less the fact that
most traditional gods disapprove of Sorcery.
There are other advantages and limitations, such as Sorcery generally
being more slow. Most of these you will find out during play.
Sorcery, unlike Rune/Battle magic, is not "preprogrammed". With
sufficient practice, the Sorcerer has complete control over the effects
of the spell he is attempting to invoke. To a large extent then,
Sorcerers are tinkerers. Many new Sorcery spells are simply unique
combinations of older spells. Such "tinkerings" are called "variations".
There are standard spell variations which will be described below.
Warning: Sorcerery is not an easy magic to learn, so playing a Sorcerer
is not a technically easy job. Though the system is not complex, you
must keep track of the every Sorcerous skill you know, and familiarize
yourself with the rules. I do not suggest beginners play sorcerers.
Sorcery Rules
1] Every Sorcery spell has a percentage.
2] Spell skill base has INT as major modifier, and POW and
DEX as minor modifiers. Some spells may base off of 1/3 or
1/2 of another, related, spell. Of two conflicting start
values, choose the HIGHER percentage.
3] Mastery Level = Skill Percent / 5 (rounding down) The use
of this is explained later. It is abbreviated: ' ML '
3a] Shortcut Table: This describes the rules found below.
-% %thresh Extra Mana
Intensity X X
Area X X
Speed X
Range X X
Ease X
Duration X
Enchantment X *
High-Enc X
Iron X X
Concordances +/- +/-
4] Sorcery costs 1 Mana (Temp-POW) to use. Many Variations
require extra Mana to produce the additional effects. Most
require extra Mana in addition to other requirements.
5] Some Variations may only be produced after the Sorcerer has
attained a certain proficiency ( ML ) with the spell; these
are called Threshold Variations (or %thresh).
5a] Speed - A Sorcery takes (24 + Dex SR - %thesh ML) seconds
to cast; never below Dex SR. Example: Casting a 50%
(ML 10) spell takes (24 + Dex SR - 10) seconds to complete.
5b] Range - A spells range is: 10 * 2 ^^ (%thresh / 4) meters,
round down. At a %thresh of 0, Range is touch.
Ex: At %thresh 8, the range is (10 * 2 ^^ 2 =) 40m.
For every 80m, extra range costs +1 Mana.
5c] Ease to cast / Ease to hold "Active" spells -
%thresh Effect
0 Trance. Sorcerer completely helpless while
casting/holding the spell.
1 - 2 Total concentration; attackers +60% + free
aimed shot. Any disturbance stops spell cast.
3 - 4 Heavy concentration; attackers +40% + free
+2 Hit Loc Mod. Damage stops cast/hold, and
Disturbance forces reroll at -10.
5 - 6 Concentration; attackers +20% Damage forces
reroll at -3 per pt taken, or cast/hold fails,
disturbance forces reroll at -5.
7 - 8 Light Concentration; attackers +10%. Damage
forces reroll at -2 per pt taken, disturbance
forces reroll at -2.
9 -10 Little concentration; attackers +0%. Damage
forces reroll at -1 per pt taken, disturbance
forces reroll.
11 -12 Routine; as above. Can combine with a non-
attack/non-spell action in same phase, can
ignore any "normal" disturbance.
13 -14 Practiced; as above, but Damage merely
forces reroll with no minuses.
15 -16 Easy; Can combine with any non-spell action
in same phase.
17 -18 Very Easy; Damage will not stop spell cast
unless it FIs the caster.
19 -20 Extremely Easy; Can combine with any actions
Sorcerer has SRs for in same phase. Instant
spells may be maintained as if Active.
21 Automatic; may cast even when Functionally
Incapacitated. Active spells may be held
while asleep.
6] Some Variations are extremely difficult to produce, even for
the best adepts; these are called Skill-Subtraction Variations,
and have the symbol ' -% '.
6a] Intensity is the "power" of the spell. All spells start at
a Intensity 0. For each Level of increased intensity, decrease
effective ML by 1 ( EML = ML - Intensity ). The effects of
Intensity are explained with the spell. Each Level also
costs 1 extra Mana. Some spells are so complex, that
they don't work until a high intensity is reached.
6b] Multiple Target - Spells usually only affect only 1 target,
but this can be changed for a varying cost. Target Multiplier
( TM ) is a cost multiple for each spell, with a default of 1.
EML = ML - ( TM * Additional Targets). Extra Mana costs:
2 * TM * (Additional Targets).
6c] Increased Area - Some spells affect an area. As Multiple
Targets, but each DOUBLING of area costs: TM * (# of Doubles)
Extra Mana costs: 4 * TM * (# of double). All creatures in
the area are effected by the spell, including the Sorcerer.
6d] Penetration - Spells may be tuned to penetrate the defenses
of a particular target. For each -1 EML, the Sorcerer may
have an effective +1 POW in any POW vs POW skill roll. This
may only be used against 1 target, though people in Mind Link
are be considered 1 target vs Mind affecting Sorceries.
6e] Combinations - Many Sorceries may be combined to produce new
and interesting effects. These are only partially under the
control of the Sorcerer. Even if the Sorcerer wants to apply
an effect he has practiced, this subtracts from the EML. This
is entirely GM controlled (by me).
7] Thresholds are partially cumulative with Subtractions. For
each -2 ML, subtract -1 from %thresh ML. Example: A Mage at
ML 18 (90%) attempts to Invoke Fire at Intensity 10. His EML
is thus (18 - 10 =) 8, and for purposes of calculating how fast
he can get it off, he is effectively (18 - 10/2 =) 13 %thresh.
Thus, he throws it in 24 + 2 - 13 = 13 SRs (1 full round + 1).
8] A Sorcerer may use ML Subtractions to make up for %thresh losses
(but NOT to get extra %thresh). Thus in the above example,
to Invoke at Intensity 10 with no extra delay (%thresh of 18), the
EML would be: (8 - (18 - 13) =) 3 . This must be stated before
the spell is cast. See me if you have trouble understanding
this rule.
8a] A Sorcerer may also use %thresh in one area, to make up for
lost %thresh in another: Every -2 %thresh, restores 1. In
the above example, to cast with a Speed at %thresh 18, the
Sorcerer would have to make up +5 %thresh. By concentrating,
he might reduce his Ease %thresh to 13 - ( 5 * 2) = 3, allowing
to cast as if Speed %thresh 18.
9] "Passive" Sorcery spells (with Ease %thresh 11 or better), may be
maintained by simply continuing to spend Mana every 2 minutes.
10] A Sorcerer may use ML Subtractions in place of Mana use, down to
1 Mana pt cost. Each -% ML from there doubles the time before
"maintenance" Mana must be put in the spell. This is called
a spell's "Maintained Duration". There are other limits: the
spell ends when the Sorcerer does not pay the Mana, is killed, or
ends up 10 kilometers away (in addition to dead spots). For
"Active" spells, the caster must still concentrate, and this
can be disrupted. For "passive" Sorcery, no concentration
is needed. Adepts typically have several passive defensive
spells up all the time.
11] A Sorcerer may place Mana in an object from which a Spell draws
power, rather than himself. This is exactly like "Maintained
Duration", except that the spell is "attached" to the object,
not the sorcerer.
12] Passive spells may be made "permanent" by Enchanting an object
or area. Each point of Mana required for the spell per day,
is replaced by a point of Permanent POW. The spell will
continue to function forever, unless the object is destroyed,
or a "Destroy Magic" is cast. Bringing the object into a Dead
spot will cause the spell to cease until brought back out again.
The Maximum POW which may be put into an object is %thresh / 4.
12a] Active spells may also be made "permanent", except that
they need something to guide them. This is either a
trigger (e.g. "Harmonize anyone who touches that lock"), or
a directed weapon (e.g. Disruption wand). The attack is
made with the POW of the original caster.
12b] Sorcery Matrices may also be generated using this method.
They are easier to create, but use the Mana and POW of the
person using them. The POW cost to build matricies is 1/4
normal.
13] Sorcery requires easy use of hands and tounge to shape the
glyphs which controls the runes. Thus, ENC penalties for
carrying too many "things" starts at 1/2 normal for all
Sorcery skills. This -% requires no extra Mana.
13a] Some Concordances (q.v.) require strange modes of dress.
Nudity, for example, is useful in casting almost all
Fertility Rune magic.
14] Iron disrupts magic. For each ENC point on the caster,
subtract 1 ML, and add 1 Mana point for every spell cast.
15] A "Concordance" is an an effect in the environment which makes
invoking a particular rune easier. Concordances may increase
effective Mana and even Mastery Level! For instance, there
is a +5ML when attempting to summon a Salamander out of an
Inferno (50' x 50' burning area). Concordances may decrease,
or make impossible some castings (it is impossible to summon a
Salamander underwater). Spell components are concordances.
15a] Certain concordances are permanent, and can be applied to
any spell. Widely known ones include: Dead Spots (remove
all magic), "mage water" (adds Mana), and powered crystals.
Other universal concordances exist, but are not public
knowledge. (You must find this out for yourself.)
16] For every -1 ML taken on a spell, the Sorcerer may subtract
-1% from the die roll, when checking for experience.
17] Incorrectly invoking the runes is a common enough occurance
for Sorcerers, and can be dangerous. Failure/Fumble percentages
are based on skill resulting from the effective ML -- before
Concordances are taken into account.
17a] The majority of failures are perfectly safe. A simple
miss means that the Mana is expended, and wasted in burst
of power on the spirit plane. Unless you are trying to
be invisible to spirits, this has no effect. Free Spirits
often hang around journeymen just waiting for the free Mana.
17b] Fumbles can be quite dangerous, as they are incorrect
invocations of the runes. These can be deadly, damaging,
humourous, completely unintended, interesting, and/or
overwhelmingly useful, depending upon the exact invocation,
and other many factors present at the time. Note that
magic in no wise tries to "get" the Sorcerer, it simply
follows a path of least resistance. In fact, Failure Study
(as it is called) is one of the better known methods of
spell research. A sufficiently skilled Sorcerer can
even intuit the mistakes an Apprentice is likely to make,
and caution against them. In general, the more Mana
cast, the wider the effect of the fumble.
17c] The most well researched spells have lists of common
mis-invocations, and their expected effects. The mistake
made most often is "overinvocation", in which the novice
overestimates the power necessary to invoke the rune,
and ends up applying the spell over a larger magical
field than was intended. Note: "magical field" does not
mean physical area, but rather an over expanded spell
effect. A typical Fumble of Glamour (q.v.) is to
send all animals in the close vicinity into a mating
rut, many seeking to nuzzle the caster in ways dependant
upon their species. The second most common mistake is
"underinvocation". In our example above, this will make
the target suddenly adore only one aspect of the caster,
such as their nose, hands, or possessions.
17d] It is common knowledge among sourcerous circles, that
fumbles of skilled sorcerers are of a different essential
character than those of novices. Further, fumbles from
new research are quite a bit more dangerous than those
of a more established character (dangerous invocations
are simply discarded). Can you say different table?
Knew you could -- but you don't get to see it.
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Example Spells
Warm (Passive/TM 1/4)
Invokes the Fire rune to warm a target/area. Does not
bring true Fire onto mundane place, so heat generation is
limited to 100 degrees. Extra levels of Intensity merely
combat Cold related damage. Under heavy exertion, check
for Heat exhaustion after 4 minutes.
Concordances:
Firegem +2 - +6 ML, Fire +2-+8 mana, Magical Fire +2 - +8 ML,
At Night -2 ML, Magical Darkness -2 - -8 ML, Fire Season +4 ML,
Earth Season +2 ML, Dark Season -4 ML, Storm Season -2 ML, each
10 degrees below 0F -2 ML.
Burn (Instant/TM 2)
Invokes the Fire Rune to burn a target, armor protects.
Each successive attack on same target subtracts 1 from the
armor protection value down to 1/2. May be opposed by
Cool/Extinguish. In general, flammible objects will ignite
after taking 1 point of damage. Semi-flammible objects (such
as people) will ignite after taking 12 points. Bronze melts
after taking 20; Stone after 30; Iron 40.
Begins: Base, or Warm / 2
INTENSITY EFFECT
0 1 point damage, as ignite spell
1+ (Intensity) d3 damage
Concordances:
As Warm divided by 2, Target Burning +1 - +10 ML, -1 Intesity
for each point of Cool/Extinguish.
Glamour (Passive/Active)
Invokes the Fertility rune to make the caster more
attractive to other members of it's race, opposite sex.
Intensity of the spell is limited to caster's base CHA.
Each point of Intensity adds: +1 CHA, and +5% to all
Communication-Persuasion based skills: Fast Talk, Barganing,
Seduction, etc. Casting motions are erotic: only Sorcerers
knowledgable of the spell will be likely to recognize it
for what it is. May also be used as Active "attack" against
a target POW vs POW, then Intensity vs INT, to entice the
target into any nonfatal action appropriate to seduction.
As with all mind-affecting spells, once POW vs POW is made,
the target is unaware of the spell's existance.
Concordances:
A +1 ML for each "appreciative" viewer of the caster (usually
requires caster has a base CHA > 12), caster nude/nearly so +3 ML,
caster in heat +2ML - +6ML, target in heat +4ML - +8ML, caster
infertile -3 ML, caster male -1 ML, caster female +1 ML, +/-
Intensity for appropriateness of situation (in combat -5 Intensity).
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