Iron Notes & Rules

Metal notes

bv = buying power value, not bronze value
was mv (money value) but this overlaps with magical value so it was changed.

Bronze expensive (used in coins) so a 100 gp weight  weapon will be worth 10 pounds of metal. If 100 bronze coins equal even one silver piece and 1 pound =100 coins, then 10 pounds will equal 10 silver (or 10 bv just in metal) and of course it can be more - then times that so they are equal to 100 bv!

Iron levels:

Cold - high carbon, brittle.
Cold (ritual) - iron that is made with blessings to hit demons. Matches standard cold iron
Iron (steel) -best form of iron.

Goblin Iron - copper nickel combination, common in some regions, very            common in the Pomarji. High content of iron, poor weapon.  Cheap.

Goblin Steel -copper nickel with a high nickel content.  About as  good as an iron weapon, lighter.


Old Steel - Steel from before the Suloise war. All metal after the war  has been cursed with ancient magic.  Old steel, forged before the curse, lacks this taint of the Rain of Colourless Fire. 

Rule Skill points

Rule Skill points

Default Bon8s to skills because of Stats, (bonus can not be more than 1 if the skill is at base or less) & one less bonus point if less than base skills (usually 4 or more on a d20) : Exception: if your intelligence is high enough you can get your full bonus early, and in the case of intelligence skills, the character wisdom score is high enough.  So a character with 18  intelligence and wisdom gets up to a +4 bonus as soon as they gain a least 1 of 20 in a skill. 

     Additionally 18.5+ gains a 2 in a skill they have at least 50% of the skill points necessary to have a 1 in the skill.

1 -20

2 -15

3 -10

4 -5

5 -3

6 -2

7-8 -1

11- 13 +1 (0)

13-15 +2  (1, etc, one less if less than base ie. usually 4 or less)

16-17 +3

18 +4, 18.5 +5

19 +6; 19.5 +7

20 +8

21 +10

22 +12

23 +14

24 +15

25 +20 (or more, in some cases)

QUOTES: L'impératif catégorique

Quotes

L'impératif catégorique (en allemand: kategorischer Imperativ ) est le concept philosophique central dans la philosophie morale déontologique de Kant . Introduit en 1785 à la terre de Kant pour la métaphysique des mœurs , elle peut être définie comme un moyen d'évaluer les motivations de l'action .

Rumuours Dungeon roll 1d4 if human and high charisma (16+), roll 3 dice wise that's average add up to your Charisma.
Print and be ready to cut out. Hand lowest charisma first.

1- The inhuman city was made by elves, but the elves of old, one ones that other elves do not talk about. 
2-My grandfather says dragons sleep in the inhuman city, perhaps the old city was for dragons
3- One of most powerful magic items in the world exist - a device connected to the sun time, and weapons of vast destruction. Or so the Alchememist (puppet says.)
4. Sammin says their are 4 liches on the first level. (F)
4B) F: Bammin the murderer killed four "skeltons" single handed in Clearance's mistress's Dungeon.
5. A snake women who turns to stone controls the lower level.
6. Bammin the smith says that he lied, and their are no monsters in the place and he just goes down to play unholy game's on the dead. 
7) The dragon Lord is hiring men to capture a powerful dragon, and to feed his dragon. Many want the dragon lord dead, but then what happens to his pet dragon?
8) The Thor-ma-tist has a new love, and love has made him dangerously irrational, having give away one of his dragons to a Medium.
8B)The Thaumaturgist is hiring men to defend him from Bammin and Alastrum. He has a new ally, the Mistress of Dragons who Acastrum must kill to gain his title over the monastaries of the north. 
9) Shoggoths can change into dragon form. A red dragon has cast a shrink spell on itself and lives in the city. It plans to eat everyone in the end and turn them into Shogoths. However the goblins are too scared to attack the city because of the red wyvern (red drago-lich.)
10) The Grand master of dragons must fight to maintain his title,with his bare hands,  they are not saying its related but the Thor-ma-tists title is in jeopardy; Alcastus the Dragon Lord
has come to challenge it. 
11) Slime can change form to human shape, they are not saying it is related but Alcastra is not a witch at all, but a man; Alcastrum. Alcastrum commands dragons and lives in the city preparing to merge bodies with the Thor-ma-tist.
12) Dwarves are dying by accident in numbers; I am not saying tis related, but when two powerful magic users come together, they merge bodies into one beast. This makes the two headed giant. However, this merging can not be done unless they find the, I don't remember the Ill-agon, Gob-adron, no its the Goblinagon - probably goblin skin with cow bla.. no dragon blood runes.
13) Undead have been spoted in the city at night, they say it is unrelated but three mediums are battling over the spirts. The Thaurmatist, Alcastrum of Celene and a new Evoker "Clerance." want to control the undead medusa.
14) The Magician's are frauds; they are are just Theurgists or Evokers. While they can put men into the sky they can not even pull a rabbit out of a hat, or make a gold coin appear from you ear! 
15) Shogoths live in the sewers. The "baby" dragon the Evoker has is just a lizard painted red, with puppet wings attached to it. I heard it at the puppet show.
16) There is talk of building a proper sewer. When Iuz tried to build one he ran away from fear because he found Shogoths underneath the city.
17) Where there are Shogoths, their are lizard men, deep devils, flying mushrooms and magical horrors that will make you plane touched.
18) Many factions, including bandits, use the dungeon as a hiding place for their loot.
19) The gangs are not happy with Sammin breaking into their lair. They vow to kill every dwarf in th city as revenge, which is why so many dwarves have died "accidental"  deaths of late.
20) The sardine god claims their is a fish called the Sardine. Everyone knows that their is no such thing as sardines! The God works making ships, preparing for the flood that will kill all the baby dragons. Some say she is not a god at all, but just an insane beggar lady, made mad by the magic of Zenopus.
21-25) There was a magic dagger lost in the dungeons in a great battle with a spider demon a few years ago. Sometimes, treasure hunters sneak into the lair of Zenopus to gain it back, but so far only the dead and mad return.
26) A ghost dagger fights by itself. Run if you fight it.
27) A party sent by Alcastra in search of a powerful mask tried a few weeks ago. It was very secret. The undead tunnels leads to the land of dreams and death.
28) Former living people are now statues, something is happening. What could cause such a thing?
29) Ancient and powerful wands are in the old city. There is much treasure for a warrior and magic user, but nothing of interest to anyone else in the old city.
30-33) Leomunda has disappeared in the dungeon. A rich award of a war horse, barding and personal chain mail armour await the rescuers from her rich father, as well as a 10 barrels of Salted Why fish. An honourable warrior could even gain the right to serve him!
33-35) There are more than one two levels in the dungeon. There are two or more sections, Zenopus excavation, and the older city underneath that. Some magic unleashed by the Old Ones causes the dead to rise. Holy water, magic, or divine aid is necessary in many parts of the dungeon
36+) The dungeon itself is a living thing, protected by Shogoths in the form of living cubes of slime. Shogoths have at least one weakness, weight. If they eat too much metal they must slow down, allowing one to escape. Casting a magic bless spell on its heart and feeding it blood will wake it up, which is both good and bad. 

  Explanation of rumours:
1) The elevens that other speak of are drow. While not true it hints at truth, as the inhuman city did exist during the Aberration wars.
3) A reference to the mask. Not true because the Alchemist never said it. 
4) False; refers to Sammin encounter with the skeletons
6) False, from the new rumours.
7-15) From the battle between the mediums, some propaganda
16) Iuz's forces, and some what true. The failed to complete the sewer because of the Shogoths-kin.
17) Somewhat true. Reference to the inhuman city, gathered by spells in the past and now passed into rumour and speculation.
18&19) Basically true.

Draft,Edit, to be deleted

         Draft,Edit, to be deleted   

1st Draft

The Call To Adventure - Rule example 16-03-20

     

          The call for adventure is why your character risks their life every day and spends most of their money on gear (spells, Armour and weapons) when the same money would allow them to live comfortably otherwise. In modern terms, why are you spending 100,000 plus to get a high end university education when you already have a good job? Or spending a fortune on trainers to try to enter and win the Olympics?
       What is your driving force that makes wanting to succeed so important. It is not just wanting to be rich, the first few adventures will give wealth. To live like a king however takes constant money in as money goes out . .  .
Maybe your character is gambler and just wants enough to pay for his habit, or maybe he/she is a humanitarian who wants to cure and end leprosy, the character is driven by some special goal other than just get buy.


Typical Call To Adventure

Pick major reason to adventure, over all reason for adventuring. After this is done most characters will retire or at least not be concerned with level advance.

You can  1d6-2 +(2 per masterfully completed call to adventure, exceeding the goal, that is completing with one level of being taken up) mini call to adventure towards your goal every level (minimum one) and one more call to adventure any time after earning 500 xp for that level based on current circumstances.

Example One :  A complete call to adventure

         This character has a passion for the heroes of legend, and more importantly the heroes of the modern jousting circuit. He wants to be one of the names the bards talk about in the kings court and in the market place. 

 He has made a plan to achieve.

 After completeing his training (1st level) he will
strive to  become nationally famous. In game terms this means:


Goal = achieve 10,000 glory and 13 fame (with fame lasting for a least a year or more). 
Achieved = 10,000 xp.



 At first level showing he lead:

1) Taking part in an organize battlefield regiment = 100 xp

Showing that he is courage and unwilling to back down from a fight of honour:

Note, later after 500 xp he finds that he has no respect and thus can not gain men, so he decides to hire a competent henchmen. (100 xp value if lead in battle, and the henchmen is kept for one year, ie. does not die or desert.)

2) Winning a duel or joust against a man of arms = 500 xp

Level three: Entering the local joust and betting an experience and famous opponent:

3) Winning a duel or joust against a master of arms =5,000 xp
 
  Forth, after gaining fame in the jousting gaining fame as a slayer of dragons:

4) Defeating a monster of legend =3,000 xp
 
At fifth level: showing that he can led a large force, and that his glory is impressive

5) Commanding an army of 100 or more men to victory = 1500 xp

At Sixth level, return to the jousts as a champion against armies and beasts, and prove his mental in the kings joust:
 6)  Winning a tournament of arms = 2,000 xp (small to 
medium)

        At seventh level continue on his success at the jousting competiton and win at the highest level

7) Win at the kings tournment = 5,000 xp (large and famous tourment)
 
       At eighth level having used the fame at the jousts demand a command from the king worthy of his skills to again prove his valor:

8) Commanding an army of 10,000 or more men to victory = 10,000 xp

 At level 9, ideally have achieved the life long goal, if not

9) Gain 80 plus honour (8,000 xp)
10) gain 5,000 more glory ( 5,000 xp)
11) gain 5 more fame (from current total) (5,000 xp)

      At any level the call for adventure might change to a bigger goal. One might change from being a glory hound to desire to be King of England for example. Your previous call to adventure might just become a stepping stone towards the larger goal.  Or in this case instead of being famous just nationally, famous in all countries who are allies and foes of your current nation.
        Goal = Fame:14, Glory 14, 000, xp =20,000.





 Example two:


A magic user character reads about the  Hand of Vecna and dreams about become as powerful as Lord Vecana and ruling the world:

So Major call to adventure: Rule the world  =10,000 xp

Steps towards goal:


-Joining a specific organization related to your class - joining  a cult or guild

also devoted to learning about Vecna  = 1000 xp

-Creating a spell that will raise my power in said organization  -2,000 xp

-Creating a divination spell that will allow me to control the cult = 4,000 xp

-Become head of that organization =5,000 xp
-Finding the location of the hand of Verna and its powers - 6,000 xp

-Recovering a magical artifact - the hand of Vecna = 9,000 xp

-Destroy nations opposing =10,000 xp per nation.

-Rule the world  =10,000 xp (not this goal is under valued, but any goal picked at fist level tops out at 10,000 xp)


GENERAL CALL TO ADVENTURE STEPS:

Taking part in a dangerous expedition that returns without casualties
Being the sole survivor of a disastrous expedition - (Romantic insane)
Recovering a magical artifact - Life time
Dying and being brought back to life - Spiritual quest (Learn  about the after life)

Being gaining a title and lands
Joining a specific organization related to your class
Being promoted or rising in the hierarchy of that organization
Become head of that organization
Establishing an organization related to your class


CLERIC EXPERIENCE AWARDS (crusader)

Recovering a relic of your chosen religion
Leading a pilgrimage to the holy land
Taking part in a crusade
Leading a holy crusade
Converting a follower
Converting a village
Converting a town (depending on the city his could be a life time goal, an orc city for example, or a city of Athena to a city of Ares, or it could be quite easy, converting the town that has no current gods at all)
Converting a city
Converting a kingdom


FIGHTER EXPERIENCE AWARDS (becoming a famous warrior)

Taking part in an organize battlefield regiment = 100 xp
Commanding an army of 10 or more men to victory = 600 xp
Commanding an army of 100 or more men to victory = 1500 xp
Commanding an army of 1,000 or more men to victory = 3,000 xp
Commanding an army of 10,000 or more men to victory = 10,000 xp
Winning a duel or joust against a ordinary man =100 xp
Winning a duel or joust against a man of arms = 500 xp
Winning a duel or joust against a master of arms =5,000 xp
Winning a tournament of arms = 2,000 xp (small to medium)
Defeating a monster of legend =3,000 xp


Goal = achieve 10,000 glory and 13 fame.


Final GOAL = 10,000 glory and 10 fame for one year or longer =10,000 xp

MAGE EXPERIENCE AWARDS (becoming an inventor of magic)

Creating a spell of 1st or 2nd level     = 1, 000 xp (bonus)
Creating a spell of 3rd or 4th level = 3,000 xp (bonus)
Creating a spell of 5th o 6th level = 5,000 xp (bonus)
Brewing a potion = 9,000 xp
Creating a magic artifact= 10,000 xp




THIEF EXPERIENCE AWARDS (becoming a legend among thieves, commuting a legendary heist)

Thieving a single item worth at least 10 bv (25 xp)
Thieving a single item worth at least 100 bv (300 xp)
Thieving a single item worth at least 1,000 bv (3,500 xp)
Taking part in a heist
Leading a team of 3 or more thieves in a successful heist
Leading a team of 5 or more thieves in a successful heist
Leading a team of 10 or more thieves in a successful heist = 9,000 xp
Completing a "legendary heist" = 10,000 xp

History Notes = The Heat Ray

See link below for source:


Early Lasers

Going by the work of the 2nd century AD author Lucia, Archimedes destroyed enemy ships with fire during the Siege of Syracuse. Centuries later, this weapon was mentioned as “Burning glasses”, by Anthemius of Tralles. This device is also known as “Archimedes heat ray”. Sunlight was focused on the approaching ships with the help of this device and the ships caught fire.

The credibility of this device has, however, always been a matter of debate since the Renaissance. It has been rejected as false by René Descartes whereas modern researchers emphasize that the effect could be recreated. It is suggested that large array of highly polished bronze or copper shields might have been used and they would have acted as mirrors to focus sunlight onto a ship.

Read more at http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/archimedes-422.php#ooBzqg4v2rLjK3JI.99

The Devil in Rita Dove

   The Devil in Rita Dove

   Why does Rita Doves Poem about the pains of being a Mother and Wife use the Allison of Venus and the devil as it's title? Coincidence is not likely if one does a look at  the themes of the poem. 

        The name Daystar, which can refer to the symbols of Venus, that of of love and passion, and Satan, as the force that enslaves the indivdiuals is a perfect fit for this poem.

       Rita Doves women in the past, has fallen into love with a man, a man that that she has started a family with. Both should be about love and happiness, instead the poem is about being oppressed because of passion.
        Sex, to the character in the poem is not a joy, not a symbol of love, but an oppresive act

" quote"

    Similarly, a mother and children usually symbolize love and affection. Here the charater of the poem just wants piece and quite, a moment to be by herself.
"  QUOTE" Rita Dove has made the chcartes normal life filled with love becom an over lasting torment, a kind of living hell that only the Daystar could devise.

     This unhappiness with the condition of love, this oppressive existance is made all the worse by societies Jutapostion of what is supposed to be and what actually is. A mother, her moral oblication in society has been often extressed to love her children and raise them. At this time to reject ones children, to feel even indifference for them was by many seen as a sin . . .

Lex Codex Edmundtus Scholztus

Lex Codex Edmundtus Scholztus

Commands I.

1. If anyone summons a man before the magistrate, he must go. If the man summoned does not go, let the one summoning him call the bystanders to witness and then take him by force.

2. If he shirks or runs away, let the summoner lay hands on him.

6-9. When the litigants settle their case by compromise, let the magistrate announce it. If they do not compromise, let them state each his own side of the case, in the comitium of the forum before noon. Afterwards let them talk it out together, while both are present. After noon, in case either party has failed to appear, let the magistrate pronounce judgment in favor of the one who is present. If both are present the trial may last until sunset but no later.

10. If a magic wielder casts a spell on the day of the trail, let the judgement favor the other.

12. Any crime is a crime against the publicus. The publicus anger before the deus must be feed.

 22. vetus quædam depositio pecuniæ, cujus non extat memoria, ut jam dominum
       ..nonhabeat"    (an    ancient deposit of money, of which no memory exists, so that it has no present
     owner).^[12]

Commands II.

2. He whose witness has failed to appear may summon him by loud calls before his house every third day.

3. Spells may not be cast within the halls of government by any who is not of higher office or a virgin. 

14. Spells may not be cast one week before a vote, nor one day after the vote. On a first insult of the people, 900 coins. On a second, the removal of two fingers, on the third, the removal of the tongue. On the forth or more all 3 punishments if still possible. If not possible banishment from the city. 

25. Anyone healed by magic, on that day, must give 100 coins to the public for each greater glyph in the incantation. If he can not pay, he must serve the city in an errand of not great hardship. 

Commands III.

1. One who has confessed a debt, or against whom judgment has been pronounced, shall have thirty days to pay it in. After that forcible seizure of his person is allowed. The creditor shall bring him before the magistrate. Unless he pays the amount of the judgment or some one in the presence of the magistrate interferes in his behalf as protector the creditor so shall take him home and fasten him in stocks or fetters. He shall fasten him with not less than fifteen pounds of weight or, if he choose, with more. If the prisoner choose, he may furnish his own food. If he does not, the creditor must give him a pound of meal daily; if he choose he may give him more.

3. Against a foreigner the right in property shall be valid forever.



Commands IV.

1. A dreadfully deformed child shall be quickly killed.
2. If a father sell his son three times, the son shall be free from his father.
5. A child born after ten months since the father's death will not be admitted into a legal inheritance.
16. The walking dead may not have legal inheritance.
17. If a father turn into the walking dead he still has the right to kill his family.
18. A father is cursed so he may not talk, may be declared dead after 3 years, but shall he be blessed then he gains all his rights and life before the law, unless he be cursed for longer than 50 years. 

Commands V.

1. Females should remain in guardianship even when they have attained their majority.

25. On the 3rd day of the 3rd month of the 3rd years (sic) a Female of the holy name of Candlia shall be allowed to enter the 10 forbidden places without penalty, and if returning from all ten be given the right of virgins ever more, and if not a citizen be made a citizen.

27. If a female shall charm another without their permission, the guardian will be fined 200 coins. On the 4th offense the female shall be sold unto slavery



Commands VI.

1. When one makes a bond and a conveyance of property, as he has made formal declaration so let it be binding.


Commands VII.

1. Let them keep the road in order. If they have not paved it, a man may drive his team where he likes.
9. Should a tree on a neighbor's farm be bent crooked by the wind and lean over your farm, you may take legal action for removal of that tree.

10. A man might gather up fruit that was falling down onto another man's farm.

Commands VIII.

2. If one has maimed a limb and does not compromise with the injured person, let there be retaliation. If one has broken a bone of a freeman with his hand or with a cudgel, let him pay a penalty of three hundred coins. If he has broken the bone of a slave, let him have one hundred and fifty coins. If one is guilty of insult, the penalty shall be twenty-five coins.

3. If one is slain while committing theft by night, he is rightly slain.

4. If a patron shall have devised any deceit against his client, let him be accursed.

15. .If a spell wielder shall have devised any deceit against his client, let him be accursed.

16, If one is slain while casting a spell by night, he is rightly slain.

27. Any person killing a priest within a temple shall be given to the temple as a sacrifice, and the family of the person shall be made slaves of the temple for 666 years.

10. Any person who destroys by burning any building or heap of corn deposited alongside a house shall be bound, scourged, and put to death by burning at the stake provided that he has committed the said misdeed with malice aforethought; but if he shall have committed it by accident, that is, by negligence, it is ordained that he repair the damage or, if he be too poor to be competent for such punishment, he shall receive a lighter punishment.

13. Any person who casts a spell of fire within the city shall be bound, scourged, and put to death by burning at the stake provided that he has committed the said misdeed with malice aforethought; but if he shall have committed it by accident, that is, by negligence, it is ordained that he repair the damage or, if he be too poor to be competent for such punishment, he shall receive a lighter punishment.

22 Any person form device or spell summons a water elemental within the city shall be chained and thrown into the ocean for a period of 30 days.

23. A person who had been found guilty of giving false witness shall be hurled down from White Plume Mountain or feed to (the law is unclear here)

26. No person shall hold meetings by night in the city.



Commands IX.

4. The penalty shall be capital for a judge or arbiter legally appointed who has been found guilty of receiving a bribe for giving a decision.

5. Treason: he who shall have roused up a public enemy or handed over a citizen to a public enemy must suffer capital punishment.

6. Putting to death of any man, whosoever he might be unconvicted is forbidden.

Commands X.

1. None is to bury or burn a corpse in the city.

2. Undead shall not rise up within the city walls. 
 
3. The women shall not tear their faces nor wail on account of the funeral.

8. One may destroy but not burn the walking dead within the city walls.

Commands XI.

1. Marriages should not take place between plebeians and patricians.

2. The rights of patricians can only be given up by the consent of the patrician, never removed by law.

3. A patrician that refuses to suffer a just punishment because he is a patrician shall be sent from the city walls for 10 years, and shall he return he will be cursed and killed, and cursed again. 

Commands XII.

5. Whatever the people had last ordained should be held as binding by law.

To edit see red roses

Blue-beads – (1 ep/sack) – tiny, semi-hard, candy slingshot pellets made from the Usk fruit, local herbs, and a top secret ingredient. Served in tiny burlap sacks and tied with a gold and red ribbon, these vibrant blue sweets pack a tangy punch.

Braütenklowber – (1 cp/bag) – Braided taffy nibs derived from dwarven stout beer. Given in glassine bags.

Bubblechoo – (1 cp/bag) – robin’s egg-sized orbs of red and yellow spotted, sweet enjoyment derived from the Kara fruit that you can chew for hours and is completely digestible. Comes in glassine bags.

Dryad Fingers – (1 cp/bag) – small brown sticks flavored with cinnamon, cardamon, and spices from the far west. Given in glassine bags.

Galda Fruit Tarts – (2 ep each)- glazed galda fruit and a layer of orange marmalade sit atop a whipped custard in a crisp, flaky tart crust lined made of crushed Galda seeds and local wheat. Taken away in stamped, cardboard boxes.

Gems of the Flanaess – (1 cp/bag) – sweet, long-lasting, multicolored, hard “gemstones” flavored with fruit extracts. Given in glassine bags.

Idani Kisses – (2 gp/box of 12) – small, dollops of toasted sweet, purple idani meringue. A super-rare delicacy that comes maybe once a year! Sold for a price. Taken away in ornately painted wooden boxes that are velvet lined. The edition boxes have become collector’s items as each painting is different every year.

Licorice – (1 cp/bag) – The confection that put Spelloyal’s on the map… 8 inch, hand rolled twists of flavored, gummy sweetness derived from the licorice root. Solid in packs of 12 in glassine bags.

Magic Wands – (1 cp each) – wooden drumsticks with the ends dipped 1000 times in differing fruit candy flavors which slowly reveal each new color and flavor as you taste it.

Phostwood Ghosts – (1 sp each) – oblong bars of mallow mixed with extract of phostwood, so they glow in the dark. A crunchy cookie underlay and a stripe of seasonal berry jam. Sold individually.

Spelloyal Surprises – (1 sp each) – globes of a near magical substance rolled in thrice-honeyed apple bits. The Spelloyal’s keep the ingredients a family secret. Kids love to pull these in half and share with friends, sometimes stretching them to great lengths, which generates multi-colored sparks (completely harmless). The elastic stuff inside has a tart flavor that bubbles mildly over the tongue. Given individually in glassine bags due to how sticky.

Wizard’s Purse – (2 ep/ 4) – small and edible, thick and sweetened paper shells filled with a semi-sweet yarpick nut butter and minced candied fruit mixture, then dipped in a tart, fruity and dazzling crystalline powder. Taken away in small, stamped, cardboard boxes.

English Weapons & Warfare, 449-1660

To read

[1] English Wayfaring Life in the XIVth Century, J. J. Jusserand, trans Lucy

Smith, Putnam's Sons, New York,1931 (Orig. 1889).

[2] London in the Age of Chaucer, A. R. Myers, University of Oklahoma Press,

Norman, 1972

[3] Standards of Living in the Later Middle Ages, Christopher Dyer, Cambridge

University Press, 1989

[4] English Weapons & Warfare, 449-1660, A. V. B. Norman and Don Pottinger,

Barnes & Noble, 1992 (orig. 1966)

[5] The Armourer and his Craft from the XIth to the XVIth Century, Charles

ffoulkes, Dover, 1988 (orig. 1912)

[6] "The Cost of Castle Building: The Case of the Tower at Langeais," Bernard

Bachrach, in The Medieval Castle: Romance and Reality, ed. Kathryn Reyerson

and Faye Powe, Kendall/Hunt, Dubuque, Iowa, 1984

[7] The Knight in History, Frances Gies, Harper & Row, New York, 1984

[8] Methods and Practice of Elizabethan Swordplay, Craig Turner and Tony

Soper, Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, 1990

[9] Life in a Medieval City, Joseph and Frances Gies, Harper & Row, New York,

1969

Home Brew Rule: New Inventions Draft Rule 16-03-21

Home Brew Rule: New Inventions Draft Rule 16-03-21

 All rights reserved 2016

By Edmund Scholz


          The 1st edition rules, when they treat invention at all treat it much the same as copying existing magic. The basic principle when inventing a new technique (be it technology like medicine or spells) a character can spend one luck point to have a chance of new discovery. This represent some happy accident - perhaps a spider from the abyss happens by and falls into the potion container, or a fluke lightning blast hits the magic user as he finishes a magic item, or some chemical gets mixed in the fire wood to allow a forge to super heat allowing the invention of cast iron. 
In all cases this only gives a chance of success. What ever the base chance (sometimes a low as 1%, or even 0% if something impossible is trying to be invented - ie. make a first level wish spell) more luck spend can mulpuly the chance by that much luck. So if 11 luck where spend total - 1 for any chance at all, the other then would multiple the chances for success by 10%. Usually both luck wold only apply to one event, in the case of spell creation, the weekly roll for succss. 
     Generally, the success is not duplicatable. The character was lucky, they do not know how their invention works, only it does work. They may have some ablilty to exploit or copy the invention by maybe not. A spell invented for example may only work for the caster, the formula written for it being complete. The caster, if they tried to teach it, lacking knowledge of the lucky event would fail. They could however make scroll fragments which would allow casting of the spell, and perhaps further research by others on reproducing it. 
        Magic users who spend their life working on these problems and have extra skill points and class skills will effectively have a few lucky discovers every few years, and some of those will be (Spelling) duplicatable. Generally, this is outside of the players preview, and even outside the majority of NPCs. Luck and other factors like it (genius points for example.) provide a factor to allow for rare discoveries. 
     However, once discovered, a major link has been known and further lucky discoveries may make the spell reproducible, as in the case of "key" spell from the unearthed and similar sources which are "easy" to discover. In this case, a second batch (potential as many levels of the spell extra batch, ie up to 10 times total) of research with the formula will prodide the full spell, usable by all. 
     Thus mage B takes Mage's A spell, can not use it but can use the formula to re-invent (reverse enginer) the spell and has now his formula is one step closer to a universal formula (and if the spell was first level, this magic user "cracks" the code) that magic user of the right level can understand. If he spell was 9th level this step would have to be done 8 more times; assuming the new modified formula is used. If using the first draft the spell wold have to re-engineered 9 times from scratch. However, a mage willing to spend double the spell slots can reverse enginener it once for their own use (though they must either have 18 or great intelligence or 3 points of intelligence more than nomrally need to use the spell, so a minimum of 12 intelligence for 1st level spells.)

Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire? しかし、歩く,無価値と見なすこと Mu kachi to minasu koto Shikashi, aruku, floccinaucinihilipilification見なすこと

Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire?


しかし、歩く,無価値と見なすこと

Mu kachi to minasu koto
 Shikashi, aruku, floccinaucinihilipilification見なすこと

protection from white mice

Level 1, Duration 1 hour  White mice can not by their own violait get within 10 feet of the caster. If they do by force or accident they make all attacks within the 10 field at -4 to hit and damge and any spells they cast have an addional 50% of failure.

    Additional the caster is protected by a personal shield that will absorb 10 hit points of damage from white mice attacks before being destroyed. While this shield is active the caster has 90% magic Resistance from attack from white mice.

        Mice that are only partially white (even if painted) are immune to the personal shield but otherwise are effected as white mice except that they have a -2 vs a -4. Those creatures that are not part white mice are immune to the effects of the spell.

       Material components: holy water from a cat god.


    Made by a magic user fighting the white mice god.

protection from white mice

Level 1, Duration 1 hour  White mice can not by their own violait get within 10 feet of the caster. If they do by force or accident they make all attacks within the 10 field at -4 to hit and damge and any spells they cast have an addional 50% of failure. 
    Additional the caster is protected by a personal shield that will absorb 10 hit points of damage from white mice attacks before being destroyed. While this shield is active the caster has 90% magic Resistance from attack from white mice. 
        Mice that are only partially white (even if painted) are immune to the personal shield but otherwise are effected as white mice except that they have a -2 vs a -4. Those creatures that are not part white mice are immune to the effects of the spell. 
       Material components: holy water from a cat god. 

    Made by a magic user fighting the white mice god.

The Stone to Flesh Question:

I’m going to be the contrarian this time, LOL.

I brought up the detect magic to make a point. There is simply no BTB ruling as to whether a petrified target is "magical" stone or "regular" stone, either is compatible with the ability/spell as described, but neither is entailed by it. However, IF the petrified target is “magical” stone, then a dispel magic seems appropriate. 

Abjuration magic is powerful, dispel magic can break polymorphs and ensorcellments. It only suppresses magic from items, but magic items were made with spells like wish and permanency, so I get that. Petrification is more like polymorphing to my mind, it’s a transformation of form, though a significant one as it changes the base material of that form, e.g. from organic flesh to inorganic stone. So it’s a big transformation, but it’s still just a transformation.

Petrification can be reversed and a character so transformed is not dead upon transformation back, the spell description for stone to flesh very clearly states that someone so transformed can be restored to life.

Think of it this way, stone to flesh cast on a regular statue doesn't animate it, but cast on a petrified victim it restores life. That suggests to me that it’s not just stone, and at the very least its somehow magical. The question Xab asked about the statue spell pointed to the possibility that a petrified target might detect as magic, that just got me thinking.

I'm not grokking the idea that basilisk and medusa and gorgon petrification is 'natural', not magical. Turning flesh to stone strikes me as magical. I know that’s TOTALLY ARBITRARY, but I can see a black dragon spewing its stomach acid as “natural”, or even a red dragon that has a gas producing organ and teeth that spark the stream as “natural”, but the GAZE of a monster, I’m just not feeling the “natural” on that.

All of this suggests to me that a petrified target is not just "regular stone", and thus that dispel magic should have the potential to work.

The other thing is that dispel magic adjusts with level. A 5th level MU casting dispel magic on a target petrified by the flesh to stone spell would have a 36% chance of success, and a system shock would still be required. And they have to "know" the spell and have it in their repertoire. What you would need to do however is specify comparison level for a basilisk, a medusa,etc. One suggestion is HD, but if you want to make it tough then say double HD, so for a basilisk the dispel magic would be against a 12th level of power, or triple it if you want to make it harder. Since dispel magic calibrates by counter spell level, and there are no listed spell levels for monsters, you can make it as hard or as easy as you want for this to work, so its possible to make it as “fair” as you want.

As for the “repeated instances” problem, Nagora’s solution would work, you could require a system shock even if the dispel fails to add some risk, you could just give one shot with dispel magic. Or you could petrify a character and have a minion smash off an arm with a maul or something, then they can cast their dispel magic. Or you could be really mean and say it works but only for a round (like it does with magic items), LOL.

Thing is, I’m not worried about “nerfing” petrification, I have often heard around here that things like petrification and level drain should be kept as strong as “players need to be afraid of something”. Well, if players are only afraid of petrification and level drain, they aren’t being challenged or they’re unduly confident. We have had 7 character fatalities in our campaign, they have come from raw melee damage, surprise, paralysis (twice), brain removal, electrocution and disintegration. There’s lot’s to be afraid of, giving your PC’s the ability to reverse something like this without a high level spell, as long as it isn’t a slam dunk, is perfectly fine IMHO.

There’s no right and wrong on this, whatever works for your game. 

Cheers,

Ulan Dhor

Greetings all, 

Need some interpretations on the following: 

I know that the mage spell Flesh to Stone can be Dispelled (if a successful roll is made) since it is a magical effect. Obviously, the reverse of the same spell undoes the magick. However, there are various creatures that can employ unique attack forms in which the victim is rendered lithified, too, namely the following: 

1) Beholder: Since this seems to be a spell-like effect, I assume that it can be nullified with a successful Dispel Magic. 

2) Basilisk: Since it is a natural effect, is it possible to neutralize with a successful Dispel or not, thus requiring the wizard spell, Stone to Flesh? 

3) Cockatrice: I would treat this as the aforementioned reptilian horror as a 'natural' attack mode 

4) Medusa: same as both the Basilisk and Cockatrice. 

Any others I missed? Probably quite a few. Would a successful Dispel Magic undo the effect on those creatures, too.

-Lanthorn the Curious

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 7:52 pm    Post subject:
I am reluctant to say that Dispel Magic would work since the petrifications described are instantaneous in occurrance (save immediately on occurring) where there is a casting time for the Dispel magic even if cast during the same round. Further, if cast after the effect, there is no "magic" to dispel as the person petrified is stone, wears like normal stone, etc... for purposes a rock.. no radiating magic.  2e Dispel magic would be able to do the work of 6th level Stone to Flesh? humm seems no reason to learn the StF if I can do it with dispel magic?  It could be ruled that the Dispel Magic could temporarily render the innate ability of the creature disrupted, but I don't think it can "undo" the effect if it has already occurred. Although it might temporarily leave the spell effect non-operational since that is a DM call (akin to casting on a bag of holding or ring) if cast specifically on one person that had been petrified. Though even with such a ruling, I would also say that the dispel in such cases wears off leaving the victim stone once again.

Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:47 am    Post subject:
My understanding of Dispel Magic is that it can be used to remove permanent magical effects. My main curiosity is if this spell can only be used on the FtS effects that are inherently described as magical in nature (like the Beholder and mage spell) ONLY...or it it could also negate the FtS 'natural' abilities of the cockatrice, medusa, and the like... -Lanthorn

 I think the pertinent question is, why does the 5th level stone to flesh spell even exist if petrification could be negated by a 3rd level dispel magic spell? 

I think therein lies the answer, meaning that petrification effects cannot be dispelled. Petrification is just a more powerful effect, requiring a more powerful "cure". Seeing as the effect is the same, whether its origin is a spell or creature, the "cure" should be the same. This is a permanent transformation, and those are usually very powerful. Take polymorth other for instance. Sure, one can dispel it, but if one doesn't do so in a timely manner the mind of the victim will be gone (requiring a 9th level wish spell to restore!), and polymorph other is only a piddling 4th level spell mind you. 

Keep your magic powerful, and keep the PCs fearful of those things they should be fearful of. 
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- Moderator/Admin/Member



Hey Lanthorn, 

Glad to see your rule question have not gone away. I would rule that Dispel Magic can dispel recently cast or active spell effects, unless other wise determined by the spell. Unfortunately Flesh to Stone does not elaborate on these specifics. 

So you have one of several options. 

A. Dispel Magic is an opposed roll versus not only the caster level of the spell cast, but also the difference in power level of the spell. Example: Fagen is turned to stone by the flesh to stone spell. The DM rules the effective caster level is 14 and since fleash to stone is 3 levelss higher then the dispel magic spell is grants a - 3 penalty to the dispelling effect. Hence the modified caster level is 17. This makes lower level spells more likely to be dispelled and higher level spells lesss likely to be dispelled. 

One can also rule that in some cases the effective caster level may be beyond the ability of the mage, looking to dispel the effect. This would be an exception to the rule that one always has a chance to dispel or hit something. 

B. If the ability clearly states a spell-like effect allow the dispel magic to take effect as listed in the 2e rule set or as example A above or by using the reverse of the spell. If the effect is natural one may rule that the blood of the creature that caused the effect must be used to cast the reversal spell or it will have no effect. Making for a more difficult reversal and interesting rescue mission. 

C. Dispel magic will temporarily change the creature back for 1d4 rounds when the duration expires this makes the creature roll two system shock rolls one for being turned back to flesh and another for being turned back to stone. The reversal spell works as listed by 2e rules or as example A above. 

D. Dispel magic does not work against natural and spell like effects which exceed 3rd level nor does the reverse of the spell work on natural abilities of certain creature though it does cancel spell-like powers aka beholder eye ray. However, natural affects are permanent and cannot be dispelled or reversed short of a wish. 

Each of these are options you can use. Depending on your style of play, though I'm a bigger fan of reversal spells then a straight dispel magic. 

I hope this helps.

Argon! Yes, my friend, I continue to post my rules and gaming mechanics queries for which I am so (in)famous! Please continue to browse, as I no doubt will resurface with others.  I am somewhat caught in the middle between your stance and that taken by Cebrion. On one hand I completely understand how allowing a Stone to Flesh to be Dispelled may undermine the potency of the magical effect, as Cebrion has noted. This would mean that only wizards, who have the reversed spell in their repertoire, could have any chance of assisting an effected victim. There is no chance for clerics to be of aid, even those with Elemental Earth sphere, as I see no listing in any of my many tomes where priests can turn someone to stone or vice versa (though, gruesomely, I guess they could turn a stoned victim into a pile of oozing mud...).   On the other hand, I think that spell-like effects, as noted clearly by the Beholder description, should be under the domain of a successful Dispel Magic though it would be difficult given a Beholder's 'level.' Perhaps "innate" petrification effects, as those noted for a Medusa, Basilisk, and Cockatrice, fall outside this domain, however. As such, I could see where a Dispel Magic would be utterly useless, and a mage's Stone to Flesh spell is the only 'cure.'  As an interesting sidenote, I am under the impression that a victim's spiritual essence must somehow be in limbo, or tied/anchored to the affected "stoned" individual. Otherwise, upon reversing the effect, all you'd get is a corpse!  I appreciate everyone's input, and welcome any more.

Agreed, and funny had this exact question come about last week, I ruled it similar to "magic jar" the soul is trapped and unaware of the passage of time. It can, however, strike out at passers by just as in the spell. (I set the range as 10'/lvl) The fundamental difference being the garden statuary is the container instead of a gem. It certainly gives interesting possibilities for future "trap applications".  
IMOC a ranger was petrified by some cockatrice. later (much later) to be found by an NPC that reversed the spell via StF and to warn him on her departure that she wont always be available to help him from his blunders. The ranger is now faced with the quandary of how much time has really past.. wont know till he gets to a town or other point of reference.