Carmania: New Spells

From: Loren Miller <loren_at_wharton.upenn.edu>
Date: Fri, 9 Jan 1998 10:10:56 -0500


New Hero Cult: Sironder

Sironder (aka Syranthir, Surandar) who was also known as Forefront because he would always personally lead the final charge that shattered the enemy gave his people the Carmanians a potent magic which guaranteed victory over their enemies. Heavy cavalry under the protection of this spell could shatter an equal number of heavy infantry, which normally requires odds in the neighborhood of 10:1.

    Charge of the Cataphract
    2 Points, Reusable

    Cast at the beginning of a charge on a rider and his/her mount, this     spell lasts for the duration of one charge, or for the standard     duration, whichever is less. Use of this spell en masse by cavalry     practically guarantees that *any* opposing unit will break and rout,     even pike hedgehogs and close-order shieldwalls. In the old days, this     spell was often used by front-line Carmanian knights to break Dara     Happan pike squares.

    Under this spell, the rider and mount will continue to charge in an even     and close line with other members of the charge, crashing into and     through the front line of the enemy, even if rider or mount or both are     killed before they arrive. A resolute, dead warrior upon his resolute,     dead charger will attack with lance at his usual attack percentage. The     spell will animate a dead knight and charger as they crash through one     rank, and then they will stumble or bolt or fall sideways or whatever a     hard riding body usually does upon becoming one of the deceased.

Note: Traditional Carmanian "Cataphracts" were brass armored lancers riding brass armored horses. The lancer's armor consisted of a ankle-length hooded cloak of brass scales, split in the back, over a knee length apron of brass scales, with brass greaves, braces, and brass-reinforced gloves and boots. The horse was likewise armored with a skirt of brass scales. The cataphracts would carry no shield, but depending on the mystery which they followed would carry a mace, axe, flail, or curved shortsword in their off hand.

New Spells for the EthTelsen, the Hundred Good Gods

Carmanian Temples are beautifully worked, enamelled, bejewelled works of artistry, and they must be defended against those who would profane them. They have one trick that most temples in other places do not have, and this is the mobile, protective statuary of the temple.

Create Temple Defender of <deity>
1 Pt, Ritual Enchant, Stackable, 1Use

    Requires a well crafted (special success on craft roll) brass, bronze,     or stone statue of <deity> of at least the height of a nine-year old     child. It should be encrusted in gems and beautifully enamelled. The     height of the statue determines the characteristics of the Temple     Guardian. The Temple Defender will be armed as the statue is armed, and     gets one attack per round for each two limbs. Thus a humanoid Temple     Defender would get two attacks per round, one with each arm. A Temple     Defender with two legs and six arms would have four attacks per round.     Etc.

    1 meter = STR 20, SIZ 10, DEX 10, AP 10
    2 meter = STR 30, SIZ 20, DEX 10, AP 15
    3 meter = STR 40, SIZ 30, DEX 10, AP 20
    4 meter = STR 50, SIZ 40, DEX 10, AP 25

    Temple Defender HP are calculated from SIZ and split up per location as     usual.

Animate Temple Defender of <deity>
1 pt, Ranged, Duration Special, Stackable, Reusable

    One point of this spell must be stacked for each point which was used     to Create the Temple Defender. The Temple Defender will animate and     take action under the direction of the spellcaster to defend the temple     against intruders who are not initiates in good standing. The Temple     Defender will not leave the Consecrated area of the temple, and if for     some reason it is not in a properly Consecrated area when the spell is     cast it will not animate at all. This spell expires at Dawn or Dusk,     whichever comes first.

Cheers,
Loren

P.S. I think Nick Brooke has some more information to add about Cataphracts.

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