Precepts of the Eclipse; Tinkering with Magic Items

Have you ever considered rules for tinkering with magic items? They are technology of a sort and yet tinkering does not appear anywhere in the core rules of any edition I have read. Upgrading, yes, but minor improvements and changes, no.

-Derek

The idea is straightforward enough; you have a gun. You can add a laser sight, a custom grip, rechamber it to use more powerful ammunition, load it with special types of ammunition, add an extended clip, put in a biometric safety, and so on, It certainly seems like it would be reasonable to be able to do the same basic thing with that Wand of Fireballs – adding charges, raising the Save DC, extending the range or area, increasing the damage, changing the color, and adding special effects – but it would take a near-complete rewrite of the magic item system to make it happen directly; the basic d20 magic system is just too crude to support it.

There are a few existing rules that might apply:

• According to the SRD the cost of upgrading an item is (New Cost – Current Cost) and how long it takes is apparently based on the net cost – which technically means you can “upgrade” a scroll containing Nondetection and Phantom Steed into a first level Wand of Sleep at no cost except for the minimum time requirement of one day. I generally recommend against allowing this sort of thing – but people who want to “upgrade” a Lesser Orb Of Fire wand into a Lesser Orb Of Lightning wand do have a better case.
• The Practical Enchanter includes the “Flourishes” rule (on page 107) – allowing magical items to be given minor magical tweaks when they’re created – but that isn’t quite what you mean. Lightrods (under Glowstone Alchemy items on this site) let the user change the energy type that they project by swapping out their alchemically-prepared focusing gems at minor expense, which suggests some possibilities.

Unfortunately, the real problem with adding minor functions is that d20 generally doesn’t actually address minor functions; everything is rated in terms of game-mechanical quantum steps. A masterwork embroidery needle gives you +2 on Craft (Embroidery) for 50 GP. Things like “this needle is always easy to thread, never snags, and never pricks your finger” are simply too minor for the game system to represent. If they come up at all they’re presumed to be a part of the bonus – just like magic armor that fits anyone who puts it on. Just as importantly, there’s really no place in the game system for an improvement between “+1″ and “+2″ on an item that adds to your armor class; sure, you could start giving bonuses against particular types of attacks – but that takes us well into “bookkeeping nightmare” territory.

So lets look at the possibilities:

• You can squeeze in fractional improvements in a few places. A weapon could conceivably go from +1 to “+1 to attacks and +2 damage” OR to “+2 to attacks and +1 damage” en route from “+1″ to “+2″, and it might be possible to go from “not flaming” to “+1d6 Flame” in incremental steps – perhaps a d2 and a d4. If the game master feels like putting up with this, each step costs (New Full Value Price – Original Price) / number of steps GP – and you’ll wind up with things like a “Cloak of Protection +2, +3 Reflex”. Sadly, the extra bookkeeping will – once again – be nightmarish and you’ll wind up with you players wanting to know if a sword +5 to attacks +1 to damage is priced as a +3 sword or is it 4x(Price of a +5 Sword – Price of a +1 Sword)/8? And what does it count as when you’re stacking special functions?

I don’t recommend this approach. D20 has enough formulas and calculations already. Unfortunately, that pretty much eliminates the “gradual, minor, improvements” approach.

• You might get a secret compartment or something built in, but there are distinct limits to how many little mechanical gizmos you’re going to have any real use for – and quite a lot of people will find it more than a little absurd to go to the local smith to install a secret compartment in the hilt of their legendary sword or to have the hilt rebound with sharkskin to help prevent disarming.

Sure, in some cases this is possible – but it’s not magical and it lacks style.

• You can take the “King of Bling” approach. That’s already been pioneered for you in the Magic Item Compendium with Armor and Shield Crystals. Just rule that each of your magic items can mount a gem or crystal with some minor auxiliary function.

Of course that leaves you inventing lists of trivial items, trying to balance them, and at least doubling up on the item bookkeeping. Not ideal.

• You can take the “Fixed price add-on functions” approach – the standard “it costs this much to add this feature” – but this is going to leave you (once again) compiling a price list for trivia. If you want to take this route, it’s probably best to simply set a fixed price; perhaps 25 GP to add a specific, prestidigitation, effect, 100 GP for a second, and 500 GP for a third (the maximum). Perhaps your magical gloves change color to go with any outfit or your Headband of +2 Intelligence also always keeps your hair clean and neatly combed.

That’s workable, but still adds substantially to the bookkeeping.

• If you just want items that will grow with the character, you can use Relics (perhaps the Houngan Conjurer package), or you could use Occult Skill: Legendarium.

Ideally, what we want is something that the PLAYERS can keep track of, that can be accounted for quickly, that won’t be a part of the treasure values to throw things off or be annoying for the GM to generate, that lets each player give a personal flourish to his or her character, and which will have an occasional, but rare, game effects.

Ergo, lets create Precepts.

Precepts: In a world of magic every peasant knows a bit of it. Adventurers often ignore such lore, but they don’t have to; if they care to bother each character can focus a bit of the magical power that surrounds them into manifestation. They may give three mundane items, and any permanent magic items that they possess, an additional minor function each. They may attempt to convince the game master to allow them to claim a +2 circumstance bonus for relevant noncombat checks, but he is not required to allow it.

For example, your boots might always keep your feet dry and warm, allow you to perform fancy hacky sack tricks, conceal a dagger in the sole, make your tracks look like those of some other creature, or help you tap dance. If you want your Eternal Wand of Burning Hands to instantly heat your teakettle, or to leave glowing lines in the air for a few minutes when you wave it, or to act like a cigarette lighter, or to smoke like a smoldering stick of incense, that will work too.

There are, of course, Greater Precepts. A character who takes Craft (Precepts) may devote ranks from his or her effective skill rating to tinkering with his or her magic items in a more substantial fashion, leaving those skill ranks committed to the item to keep his or her changes active. No more than three ranks may be reassigned in a day of work.

What can you do this way? That is, of course, up to the game master – but for an example, if you REALLY want to improve that Wand of Fireballs… go ahead. Add +2d6 Damage (2), +2 to the Save DC (3), make it more efficient (every fourth charge use does not count, 1), and make the fireball look like a giant floating skull filled with green fire (1), and let it perform cantrip-level tricks with fire at no cost (2), and there you go. In three days of work you’ve thoroughly pimped out your wand – presuming that you had at least nine unassigned ranks in Craft (Precepts) to devote to it. Of course if you had +12… you would only have committed nine of them to the wand and you could take another day and upgrade something else with the remaining three ranks.

That way the players get to propose things, and all you have to do is glance down their list and assign costs. Since each magic item and character is different, and such tinkering is intensely personal, it doesn’t matter if you’re not entirely consistent about it…

And you can give your villains some niftily-upgraded gear without having to worry about the player characters snatching it.

Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from SCIENCE!

-Agatha Heterodyne, Girl Genius

Eclipse Pathfinder – An Arcane Rogue

I’m playing a rogue/sorcerer going the arcane trickster rogue in pathfinder. I’ve agreed with the GM to keep his rogue abilities hidden. Which is problematic if I use only the pathfinder stuff as sooner or later people will start wondering why I am lacking in magical abilities. So I’ve been thinking how to get more oomph into the build. My character is level 3, so to see what I have to work with, I created a naive rogue 3/sorcerer 3 build. This showed that there isn’t much overlap between both classes, so I can’t add much stuff to a full sorcerer. Even if I sacrifice BAB and saves in the beginning to buy abilities which save me CPs in the long run (like the suggestions you pointed out in the sorcerer eclipse build). I’ve been thinking of splitting up slots and caster level to free up some points, but I’ve been wondering if I’m too conservative. Do you have some suggestions regarding a rogue who can fool others (including players) into being nothing more than a run-of-the-mill sorcerer?

-Verequus

Well, emulating the abilities of a low-level Sorcerer isn’t all that hard; spell progressions are (quite intentionally) overpriced at low levels and underpriced at high levels for what they do. Unfortunately, the players will know that something’s up as soon as you do an unreasonable amount of damage via sneak attack or pull off some other non-sorcerous trick. It’s going to be pretty hard to avoid that (I’d suggest an agreed-on list with the GM, which may let you use Sneak Attack and a few other abilities for some time without it becoming obvious around the table). You also haven’t specified a race, bloodline or attribute generation, so I’ll go with Arcane Bloodline (most of that should be easy enough to emulate) and leave attributes out of things for the moment. .

So for a possible build…

Pathfinder Package Deal (Free)

Available Character Points: 96 (L3 Base) +10 (Disadvantages) +6 (Duties) +6 (Pathfinder Bonus Traits) +12 (L1 and L3 Bonus Feats) = 130 CP.

Basic Purchases (41 CP):

• Warcraft (BAB): +1 BAB (6 CP), +1 Specialized and Corrupted in a particular weapon (2 CP) (to allow for a martial art later on).
• Hit Points / Dice: 3d8 HD (12 CP)
• Proficient with: Rogue Weapons (6 CP).
• Save Bonuses: (Yes, these are low; he or she will have to rely on Luck for the moment)
  • Fortitude: +1 (3 CP)
  • Reflex: +1 (3 CP)
  • Will: +1 (3 CP)
• Skill Points: 12 (Purchased, 6 CP after Fast Learner). (Remember that as an Eclipse build you get (Int Mod x 4) free skill points at level one, for a current total of (Int Mod x 6). A high intelligence will be much to this character’s advantage).

For the “Sorcery” take…

• Three Wizard Spellcasting Levels purchased with no Components Restriction (allowing the use of armor and negating the need for minor material components), Intelligence Based, Spontaneous Caster Variant, Specialized/does not provide spell slots; only access to bonus slots and spell formula. (24 CP)
• +2d6 Mana taken as Generic Spell Levels (10), Corrupted/only for use with Wizard Spellcasting Levels (8 CP)
• Shaping, Specialized for Increased Effect (only works for the characters limited list of level zero Wizard spells), Corrupted/must be free to gesture and speak (4 CP).

This spellcasting build has several advantages over a standard Sorcerer; it offers access to more spells (helping to emulate the Arcane bloodline) one level earlier – and the flexibility of spell points rather than spell slots. It will also reduce this builds multiple attribute dependency. On the other hand, a Sorcerer will outpower it at high levels by simply having more spell levels to throw around. There’s always a price.

Personally, I’d recommend a few cantrips in particular: Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Least Skill Mastery (provides a +1 Competence Bonus on a skill check made within the next minute), and The Mystic Touch (cast as a part of a skill check this makes the check appear magical and lets it be done at a range of one foot).

Other Abilities (51 CP):

• Fast Learner, Specialized in Skills for +2 SP/Level (6 CP).
• Adept x2 (12 CP). Between Fast Learner and a decent Intelligence this will let you keep eight skills maxed out even before buying skill points. I’d recommend that a Martial Art be one of them.
• Luck with +2 Bonus Uses/Specialized in Saving Throws (4 CP)
• Luck with +2 Bonus Uses/Specialized in Skill and Attribute Checks (4 CP).
• Innate Enchantment: (6 CP/5000 GP effective value. All current spells Spell Level One x Caster Level One x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use-Activated x.7 (If personal-only applies).
  • Dexterous Fingers: Reduces the time required to use a skill by three rounds. If this reduces it to zero time or “less”, it becomes a free action, although only one such action is permitted per round. If Dexterous Fingers is used on a continuous basis, it can reduce the time required for the long-term use of a skill by 75%. (Personal-Only, 1400 GP)
  • Tricksters Hand: The user may make a Disable Device or Sleight of Hand skill check at a range of 30 feet – although the DC is increased by five (2000 GP)
  • Force Shield: +4 Armor Bonus to AC, immune to Magic Missiles (Personal-Only, 1400 GP).
• Companion (Woodpecker Familiar). Grants +2d6 Sneak Attack (6 CP). (This is also the last major low-level component of faking an Arcane Bloodline).
• Professional (+ Level/2, rounded up to Perception and Disable Device), Specialized/only versus Traps (6 CP)
• Fortune (Evasion) (6 CP).  (Takes no damage on a successful reflex save)
• Awareness/Danger Sense +1 (1 CP). +1 versus traps.

That actually leaves 2 CP left over. Personally, I’d put it towards another 1d4 generic spell levels.

For equipment… I’d advise getting a Healing Belt (Magic Item Compendium, 750 GP). They’re just so handy at low levels.

This still leaves the character with no spare points to spend on the bonus feats and such that a Sorcerer would be expected to have – but it should cover all the basics for awhile.

Eclipse – Talismanic Mystics

This time it’s the answer to another question – and a fairly complex one.

A player for an Eclipse game wanted to have a shapeshifter character, but wanted to go about doing so in an unlimited manner rather than the per day mechanic of Shapeshift. They wanted to build a version that was based off of Path of the Dragon instead. The initial draft was the following

Shaping: Specialized (increased effect):Only for personal effects that can be described as “shapeshifting” most often based around a subset of the Transmutation school based effects, but may include such an effect as could be described as such, for example a version of “Mage Armor” that represents a touch physical carapace and looses the Force descriptor, still counting as a type ‘Armor’ bonus for play balance.

Corrupted (increased effect): These shapeshifting effects are limited by the user’s overall health and general well being which is modeled based on their wealth level. Only a certain number of effects are available at any one time which correlate with what Charms and Talismans the character at that wealth level could use, the character may change ConMod slots per an hour, may “lock” slots to speed up how fast the remaining slots can be changed, each slot so locked reduces the time required by 1 step [talismans count as 2 steps] hour, ten minutes, minute, full round, standard, move, swift, immediate, free (max Con Mod per turn) . Specific effects must be learned and practiced which takes time and could involved finding a model to imprint from, some extended training time, or incur costs with getting a set of components to enable the transformation. Effects are based off of spell equivalents, currently the user has up to 7 1st level effects, with up to 3 weak 2nd level effects.

Thoughts for this type of a control system and framework? The player may use the Mana:Spell Enhancement options to increase their level, or have some actual Charms and Talismans that temporarily allow higher level effects. The entire thing could also be expanded on with more Path of the Dragon abilities as well of course. Likewise is the initial specialization and the framework in the corruption enough to make this usable for other types of effects, such as a a limited Illusionist etc?

-WestB3

Unlimited-use Shapeshifting can be done in a number of ways. The first ways that come to mind include Innate Enchantment (as in this power package), through some of the later abilities in the Path of the Dragon, through converting a high-level spell slot to a permanent polymorph effect, through simply taking enough bonus uses on Shapeshifting so that it doesn’t matter, or (if the game master will allow it) taking an Immunity to the uses-per-day limitation on Shapeshifting.

Charms and Talismans can do a few things along those lines, but they really are very limited. Charms that emulate more powerful effects include Blessed Blades (which will be destroyed with a serious backlash against the wielder, if used against a target with more than six hit dice), Blessed Symbols (act like holy water three times per day), and Glittering Disks (cast a non-combat version of Hypnotism three times per day).

Most Charms have constant effects at the level of Cantrips or below. Charms can achieve results similar to a first level spell – but all of those that do are either very limited use or have serious drawbacks (See Arcanum Minimus in The Practical Enchanter) which serve to lower the effective level of the effect produced.

The most powerful Talismans include Blazetongues which give a weapon the Flaming property – but each minute of use does a point of constitution damage to the user, a Dao Sigil which can cause lost limbs and organs to regenerate – given months or years to work in, Helms of War, which can provide an instant of Heavy Fortification – but only hold 2d4 charges and regain only one per week, Shifter’s Cloaks, which let you shapeshift into a particular animal at the cost of one charge, 1d2 points of intelligence damage, and potentially being trapped as an animal since they only have 3d4 charges and it takes one to change back, Shimmermail (which emulates Mage Armor), and Martyr’s Blades which can only occur naturally when a hero sacrifices himself or herself in battle against the powers of darkness and which can take on “+2″ properties for about ten minutes – but only a few times a day and, each time, at the cost of 2d4 hit points from the user.

Yes, Rays of Hope are exceptional – but they’re more or less a promise-token from the celestial planes; the basic Talisman simply provides a small morale bonus for good creatures in the area – but occasionally, at the game master’s option, a higher power will provide some additional aid when one is invoked. They’re generally naturally-occurring only and only work 2d4 times before they vanish permanently.

Talismans can typically emulate first level effects persistently, or produce second level effects with severe drawbacks.

Basic Charms and Talismans really won’t support this kind of concept; they’re just too limited.

Fortunately, there is a way to step them up; you simply need an ongoing source of magical power to feed your Charms and Talismans. You can get that by going further up the Path of the Dragon – or by taking an appropriate innate enchantment.

Innate Enchantment (9 CP): Enhance Thematic Charms and Talismans – a level two effect which, if given the Unlimited Use and Use-Activated properties will increase the effects of the user’s in- theme Charms to continuous, personal, level one effects or to 7 or 12 (GMO) uses of externally-directed first level spell effects. The effects of the user’s in-theme Talismans are enhanced to continuous, personal, level two effects or to 7 or 12 (GMO) uses of externally-directed second level spell effects. As usual for Charms and Talismans, Arcanum Minimus (Q.V. The Practical Enchanter) modifiers may be applied to permit access to effects which would normally be one level beyond those limits – at a price. The Caster Level of enhanced Charms and Talismans is the level of the user or the casting level of the Enhance Charms and Talismans effect, whichever is less. Handily, the effects of enhanced personal Charms and Talismans can be turned off by simply turning off the extra power to them – or turned on again similarly.

The user will still need the ability to use Charms and Talismans in the first place – which will cost the usual 6 CP if they’re not normally used in the setting – but will have considerable versatility otherwise.

You’ll still have to make your Charms and Talismans normally (and may have some trouble since they’ll all be unique to you), and it will all cease to work if someone takes your little gizmos away – but within those constraints this can be a fairly effective package. Sadly, most methods of providing spell-level and caster-level boosts (Mana, Berserker, etc) won’t work since you’re using external tools to produce your effects – so this kind of package will never be able to compete with the abilities available to a high-level character – but it will work for building a village healer, partial shapeshifter, minor illusionist, or similar character. Such individuals simply have a natural knack that they can enhance with specialized Charms and Talismans.

Eclipse – d20 Modern Class Breakdowns

I noticed that you have done the Level-by-Level Base Class Breakdowns for fantasy classes. I’m wondering if you’ve done the same for some of the d20 modern/future classes? Thanks.

-Michael Fuller

 Well, that’s simple enough, at least to start with.

The first thing to note with the basic Modern Classes is to recognize that – in Eclipse – Talents and Feats are entirely interchangeable (even if a lot of the official Talents are a bit lame compared to the kind of Feats that fantasy d20 games allow. After all, d20 Modern tries to stay on the “action hero” end of the spectrum, as opposed to the “high fantasy superhero” end). That means that the only real variances in the per-level cost are the extras they get at first level and their BAB/Saves/Defense improvements – so we can construct a quick table of those costs at various levels and, with that, quickly construct a cost table for each of the basic Modern Classes.

		BAB				Saves				Defense
Level		Gd	Int	Pr		1xGd	2xGd	3xGd		Pr	Int	Gd
1		6	0	0		3	6	9		0	6	18
2		6	6	6		3	6	9		6	6	6
3		6	6	0		6	3	0		0	0	0
4		6	6	6		0	0	0		0	6	6
5		6	0	0		3	6	9		0	0	0
6		6	6	6		6	3	0		0	0	6
7		6	6	0		3	6	9		0	6	0
8		6	6	6		0	0	0		6	0	6
9		6	0	0		6	3	0		0	0	0
10		6	6	6		3	6	9		0	0	0

For our cost tables I’ll give the cost of each level and then the total – with negative numbers meaning overspending and positive numbers indicating unspent character points. Of course, an Eclipse character will usually have a few Disadvantages, Adept to cut the cost of their favorite skills, and Fast Learner specialized in something or other.

The Charismatic Hero: (BAB: Pr, Saves; 2Gd, Def; Pr)

• Each Level: d6 HD (2 CP), 6 SP (6 CP), +1 Feat/Talent (6 CP) = 14 CP
• Level One: Proficient with All Simple Weapons (3 CP), Action Hero/Heroism with +3 Bonus AP/Level (12 CP), +18 SP (18 CP).

Level	L1	L2	L3	L4	L5	L6	L7	L8	L9	L10
Cost	53	32	17	20	20	23	20	26	17	26
Balance	-5	-13	-6	-2	+2	+3	+7	+5	+12	+10

Like most of the Modern Base Classes, the Charismatic Hero starts off front-loaded – although not by very much – and starts falling behind later on, where fantasy characters would be gaining increasingly potent special abilities. Talent Chains and Bonus Feats are handy – but when they’re restricted to non-magical effects they’re a lot less potent.

The Dedicated Hero: (BAB: Int, Saves; 2Gd, Def; Int)

• Each Level: d6 HD (2 CP), 4 SP (4 CP), +1 Feat/Talent (6 CP) = 12 CP
• Level One: Proficient with All Simple Weapons (3 CP), Action Hero/Heroism with +3 Bonus AP/Level (12 CP), +12 SP (12 CP).

Level	L1	L2	L3	L4	L5	L6	L7	L8	L9	L10
Cost	51	30	21	24	18	21	30	18	15	24
Balance	-3	-9	-6	-6	0	+3	-3	+3	+12	+12

The Charismatic Hero is a reasonably solid build – but in the absence of really robust social mechanics I think I’d rather invest in being a bardic type – or at least in Mystic Artist/Oratory or something.

The Smart Hero: (BAB: Pr, Saves; 1Gd, Def; Pr)

• Each Level: d6 HD (2 CP), 8 SP (8 CP), +1 Feat/Talent (6 CP) = 16 CP
• Level One: Proficient with All Simple Weapons (3 CP), Action Hero/Heroism with +3 Bonus AP/Level (12 CP), Fast Learner Specialized in Skills (6 CP), +24 SP (24 CP).

Level	L1	L2	L3	L4	L5	L6	L7	L8	L9	L10
Cost	64	31	22	22	19	28	19	28	22	25
Balance	-14	-19	-15	-11	-4	-6	+1	-1	+3	+4

The Smart Hero’s 32 SP at level one tips this class into “overspending” territory at lower levels – but if I wanted to make a similar Eclipse character I’d be looking at a couple of purchases of Adept, to improve my skill point economy. Of course, given my fondness for mages, I’d probably wind up investing a fair chunk of those bonus feats in picking up some abilities from the Truenamer rewrite or something similar.

Tough Hero (BAB; Int, Saves; 1Gd, Def: Int)

• Each Level: d10 HD (6 CP), 2 SP (2 CP), +1 Feat/Talent (6 CP) = 14 CP
• Level One: Proficient with All Simple Weapons (3 CP), +6 SP (6 CP), Action Hero/Heroism with +3 Bonus AP/Level (12 CP)

Level	L1	L2	L3	L4	L5	L6	L7	L8	L9	L10
Cost	44	29	26	26	17	26	29	20	20	23
Balance	04	-1	-3	-5	+2	0	-5	-1	+3	+4

The Tough Hero is a light-duty tank. Unfortunately, in d20 Modern, with relatively high-power weapons around, being a tank is usually less than wise. When it comes to a gun battle, getting out of the way is usually more important than being tough.

Fast Hero: (BAB; Int, Saves; 1Gd, Def: Gd)

• Each Level: d8 HD (4 CP), 4 SP (4 CP), +1 Feat/Talent (6 CP) = 14 CP
• Level One: Proficient with All Simple Weapons (3 CP), +12 SP (12 CP), Action Hero/Heroism with +3 Bonus AP/Level (12 CP), Fast Learner Specialized in Defense (6 CP)

Level	L1	L2	L3	L4	L5	L6	L7	L8	L9	L10
Cost	66	29	26	26	17	22	23	26	20	23
Balance	-16	-19	-19	-19	-10	-6	-5	-5	+1	+4

The Fast Hero wouldn’t be nearly so overspent if it didn’t splurge on a triple dose of Defense at level one. Personally, I’d be more inclined to spend a few points on cheap, indirect, bonuses to my armor class (Augmented Bonus is a good choice) and wait a bit on dipping into Defense.

Strong Hero: (BAB; Gd, Saves; 1Gd, Def: Gd)

• Each Level: d8 HD (4 CP), 2 SP (2 CP), +1 Feat/Talent (6 CP) = 12 CP
• Level One: Proficient with all Simple Weapons (3 CP), +6 SP (6 CP), Action Hero/Heroism with +3 Bonus AP/Level (12 CP).

Level	L1	L2	L3	L4	L5	L6	L7	L8	L9	L10
Cost	48	27	24	24	21	24	27	18	24	21
Balance	0	-3	-3	-3	0	0	-3	+3	+3	+6

The Strong Hero is basically a fighter with a few proficiencies and hit points pulled off and a big pile of bonus feats and Action Hero tacked on. In a lot of roles and builds a Strong Hero is pretty clearly superior to a basic fighter – if only because the class actually spends almost all it’s points.

Now all of these are pretty much the simplest and most direct builds. Thanks to the fact that all D20 Modern characters start out in one of the basic classes, and the fact that new talents for those classes have been relatively scarce, d20 Modern has evaded quite a bit of the power creep that the fantasy systems have undergone. That means that straightforward builds are perfectly viable in d20 Modern games.

One thing to note is that quite a few d20 Modern Talents – the defenses in particular – really do suck by generic fantasy standards. Thus, in the basic d20 Modern rules, a Tough Hero can spend three (four if you count the prerequisite) Talent selections – in total considered to be worth 18 (or 24) character points – getting DR 3/-. In Eclipse you can buy DR 3/- for 6 character points. Similarly, the Energy Resistance Talent Tree, or the Increased Speed Talent Tree, can be purchased much more cheaply in Eclipse, where superhuman abilities are more or less the norm.

Eclipse and Spirits II – Spirit Summons

For today it’s the rest of an answer to an old question – how to adapt a first edition metaspell (a spell that can be cast at various levels to produce a variety of effects) to current d20 games. The “Eclipse and Spirits” article was part one, and now it’s time to cover the specific effects.

Spirit Summons calls a deceased spirit to the prime material plane. The spirit is anchored there through a link with the casters personal life force, and so must return to it’s own realm shortly after the caster dies or releases it from its bond. Occasional exceptions do occur – but usually involve a spirit bonding with some other person. Otherwise, spirits may remain as long as they please. The spirits which can be called vary with the level the spell is cast at, as given below. Unlike most spells, this one can be cast at any desired level with various effects – but only by necromantic specialists; the user must integrate the basic spell formula with the study of his specialty to use the advanced forms.

Adapting Spirit Summons to current versions of d20 presents a dilemma. First Edition AD&D – with its completely arbitrary spell lists for various classes and specialists, and emphasis on the rarity of spells, and various other occult restrictions, had no problem with spells that offered permanent benefits – just as it had no problem with a fighter drinking from a magical pool and having their strength increase by two equally permanently. Current d20 games generally have far less room for this sort of thing; the stress has shifted from the party to individual characters – and thus “character balance” has become important. To maintain that balance any special character upgrade other than level advancement must come with a commensurate cost.

Since Spirit Summons is pretty obviously a Metaspell it has a known, fixed, cost – one feat or six character points. To figure out whether or not this works, lets look at what it does…

L1: Guardian. Guardian spirits are usually those of ancestors and friends. Already possessing a close tie with the caster and wanting to come, these spirits are easy to summon. Guardian spirits are quite immaterial, command minor psychic powers – and are only visible to their summoner. The character may have up to (Chr / 3) guardian spirits. On the other hand, they can be very annoying, since they WILL harass you, make small requests, and offer unwanted advice.

Guardian Spirits are simply Spirits with an existing interest in you and your well-being. That connection with you makes them easy to reach, to link with, and to anchor to the material world. They usually use the Spirit Template straight, although they (like any spirit) may have invested a few more points in Witchcraft. In other words… this gets you a small squad of (exotic) NPC Aides.

L2: Mentor. Mentors are spirits with similar interests and skills, who want to continue their studies and/or pass on their lore. On the other hand, they have been known to pose bizarre tests, and often have obscure goals of their own. Still, a “mentor” can be excellent teacher and trainer. You only get one mentor.

Mentor Spirits use the basic spirit template (although they very often know a little more witchcraft since they’re usually higher level), but happen to be extremely interested in same topics that you are and are already quite knowledgeable and willing to act as a teacher. That (very literal) sympathetic link lets you contact them – but you only get one because trying to follow that kind of again will just lead you back to the most suitable candidate; the mentor you already have.

In current edition terms, this kind of Mentor is simply an NPC aide.

L3: Lesser Spirit. These are minor spirits which can possess small animals, act as scouts, or animate a dead body. While they have very little power, they can make good servants. A necromancer can keep up to Chr/2 lesser spirits hanging around. Lesser spirits are just those who don’t want to lose touch with the world.

“Lesser” spirits are generally spirits of simple, brute, urges – fading remnants of more sophisticated spirits, or the residuum shed by spirits moving on. They can be drawn in by sympathy with the caster’s own base, material, urges since physicality is one of the things that they value most. Lesser spirits can control animals of up to “small” size, animate corpses of up to medium size, and bring back simple reports about the area nearby.

In current edition terms… “lesser spirits” are spirits with very simple urges and a couple of specialized witchcraft talents to indulge them with – Possession (small animals only, but cheaper to use) and Hand of Shadows (Only to “animate bodies”, but cheap).

L4: Mediumism: This allows the caster to hold a classic seance – calling up a specific spirit who hasn’t any interest in him. This usually requires expending some PSP, especially if the spirit actively doesn’t want to come or wants to refuse to talk or answer. A personal relic or possession helps, acting as a PSP focus.

Mediumism is pretty classic; you use an indirect link – a personal possession or an individual with a link to a spirit – to contact it. Of course the spirit you reach may or may not be cooperative.

So… in current edition terms you can get in touch with an NPC, and even demand their attention – although they’re quite free to resist, be rude, lie, or even ignore or attack you. If you happen to have the proper psychic powers you can try to force them to answer you. The only exotic element here is opening a link to them because they happen to be dead.

L5: General Spirits. While these are given a more “solid” form then lesser spirits, these are basically just people – servants, men-at-arms, and so forth. While they can’t really be slain, they can be disrupted, and will take several days to recover from that. A single necromancer can maintain up to (Chr/3) such “servants” in his employ. General spirits must be called as known individuals, using some relic of their physical lives.

At this point your arcane power is sufficient to embody spirits who don’t need bodies with much of any power-handling capacity, shaping shells for them out of raw ectoplasm. Thus if you liked cake, and had Bob the Baker’s old cap, you could summon up Bob the Baker to make cakes for you. Theoretically you could summon a powerful mage if you had a relic of them – but if they tried to use any of their powerful magic, they’d just blast themselves back to the outer planes – so there’s no point. If all you want to do is talk, and you have a link handy, you can just use Mediumism.

In current edition – or at least Eclipse – terms… you have some ordinary followers who happen to have Returning (they come back as long as you’re around to call them), and so can be hauled along on adventures readily. If your cook gets “killed”… well, he, she, or it will be back to make those tasty meals again in a couple of days.

L6: Spirit Sage. Spirit Sages are simply experts in a field chosen by the caster. Essentially, he is now powerful enough to call up someone with a specific set of skills and knowledge without any other link. This can be very useful in getting advice and such, but the lack of a link means that “sages” always leave in very short order after the consultation.

Spirit Sages take a lot of skill and power to contact because the caster is using a very tenuous link indeed – his or her interest in some problem or piece of information that the “spirit sage” happens to have a good knowledge of. Of course, once you get that information your interest fades – and so does the link, dismissing the Spirit Sage.

In current edition terms… this is more or less “I burn a sixth level spell slot to consult with a knowledgeable NPC”, which seems reasonable enough.

L7: Greater Spirits: “Greater” Spirits are specific individuals, and often powerful ones. They can be give physical bodies to act through, or can go forth on their own as potent wraiths. They will commonly want something in exchange for their services. The necromancer can maintain up to (Chr/6) greater spirits in his employ.

“Greater” Spirits are contacted using nothing more than their name for a link. They’re usually known as “Greater” spirits because no one bothers to use seventh level magic to contact the spirit of Bob the Generic Innkeeper. It’s always the spirit of a deceased emperor or something. Such spirits often have considerably greater powers of “witchcraft” than the spirits of ordinary folk, and so can be quite dangerous if displeased.

In current edition terms, these are higher-level spirits with a specialized version of the “Apparition” witchcraft power (likely among others) – allowing them to take physical form, and thus to use their skills and combat abilities as well as Witchcraft.

L8: Channeling: This application allows the caster to tap the power of a spirit and channel it through himself. It’s wise to contact and bargain with the spirit first.

Classically this is used for things like allowing the murdered king to strike back at his killer, to let a long-dead mage cast some powerful spell, or to temporarily use some power you don’t have by calling on a spirit that does have it.

In current edition terms… you’re basically getting in touch with a spirit and allowing it to partially possess you. And yes, that can be a very bad thing if it doesn’t like you much. Still the Possession ability (Advanced Witchcraft) is pretty common amongst more powerful spirits, and no one bothers with this with Bob the Generic (Whatever) unless (perhaps) it’s a role-playing bit where you use your mighty powers to let Bob make contact with his sad grandchild or some such – and for that you don’t need much power.

L9: Possession: The pinnacle of spirit summoning lets the caster summon up a spirit and place it in a truly living body. Note that damned spirits are extremely trustworthy. The necromancer’s link with them is all that’s keeping them out of hell.

In current edition terms… “hell” isn’t an especially onerous fate for dark spirits; it’s really just an obnoxious pyramid scheme. What you’re really doing here is getting some reasonably loyal spirit-minions with the “Possession” power specialized for long-term use.

Overall, in current edition terms, this metaspell includes getting a lot of spirit-minions and either two spells – “Contact Spirit” and “Channel Spirit” – or some ritualistic talents. As a metaspell it costs 6 CP or one Feat. Can we do something comparable another way?

As it turns out, we certainly can. Take Leadership, with the Exotic Modifier (Spirits), Specialized / relies on the user’s ability to cast higher-level spells, spirit followers only, followers can be temporarily banished in various ways and must thereafter be resummoned, followers are individualized NPC’s and are not always all that cooperative (3 CP) and either two spell formula (Contact Spirit and Channel Spirit, 2 CP for those who prepare spells, 4 CP for spontaneous casters) or Ritual Magic, Specialized and Corrupted for increased effect (can be fast)/spiritualist rituals only, rituals require burning spell slots for power (3 CP). Now, Leadership would require you to be of a slightly higher level at first, but this version calls for a high level of magical power to get the really useful followers – which seems more than fair.

Depending on whether or not you’re a spontaneous caster, and just how you buy it, that package costs 5, 6, or 7 CP – which is certainly comparable to the 6 CP cost of a Metaspell. Ergo, the price is fair enough presuming that the game master is allowing characters to take Leadership. If not… then Spirit Summoning should probably be on the forbidden list as well, since it does almost exactly the same thing.

The Chronicles of Heavenly Artifice CLII – Digressions and Diversions

Back in Aden, the Kickaha had mostly settled down – patrolling the wilds, staffing the more physical attractions, and rearing their packs. The bad news was that some of them wanted a little more excitement. They were itching for Charles to open up the gates to space! Once they could go to untamed worlds, the universe would be open to them!

Charles HAD been letting them set up as colonization guides and go out to map out the new worlds – but the restless ones wanted to explore beyond those worlds… to cross into the Wyld zones and from there, to the wider universe, to explore, adventure, and hunt down the nastier evils! And they didn’t really have the means to do so without spaceships and Wyld drives.

(Charles, with vast hypocrisy) “Uhm… Not until you’re older!”

(Anaki, a young brawler) “But you’re what, fourteen? You have a babysitter, for gods’ sakes! But you’re jumping all over the place!”

(Charles) “Er… But I have lots of backup along!”

(Anaki) “Well, yeah, but how often are we going to run into the kinds of things you take on? I’ll be fine if I have a way to get back to Aden!”

(Charles, who was feeling rather stuck) “But… but a lot of you have kids and need to look after them!”

(Anaki) “Even if I fall, my pack will watch over my kids… and I’ve got to do SOMETHING more with your gifts! No offense, but surveying and being a tour guide is getting boring!”

(Charles) “Well, as soon as the colonization gates open you can help people colonize and deal with those problems!”

(Aniki, who could see the obvious, sighing) “…if you’re that worried about our safety, couldn’t you just build a lot of cool gadgets to keep us safe?”

(Charles) “Well… I suppose… Did you at least complete a few martial arts courses?”

(Aniki, realizing that Charles was just stalling) “Did I complete a few martial arts courses!?”

She showed off her Solar Hero Style training.

(Charles) “Been practicing with some of the students over at the Citadel of Enlightenment?”

(Aniki) “Oh yeah… I wanted to be prepared!”

(Charles, yielding to the inevitable) “Well, that’s good! I guess I could make some artifacts! Armor and things anyway… At least for those of you who don’t have the enhanced link to the Dun and have it anyway!”

(Aniki) “Great! Thanks, Charles! We won’t let you down!”

Oh dear. He’d accidentally created a race of would-be interstellar heroes! Not that that was a BAD thing, but…

Charles put upgraded commando armor in the que, along with some specialty tools and even (sigh) some weapons for the few who really felt like they needed them.

As a stopgap… he checked to see how many of the would-be adventurers were willing to take on temporary roles as guardians; at the moment, what with the Arbiter of Games End acting up, he had a LOT of places that needed watching!

As long as it would put them her against evil – and allow her to use their training and powers to the utmost – Anaki was happy to try bodyguarding for a bit. Halekua, a boy in another pack, had trained in both the bodyguard oriented Falling Blossom Style and God Slayer Style (optimized for fighting spirits). Manesku was incredibly strong and perceptive and had been studying Lunar Hero Style.

And Frumasara stuck her nose in and told him – in no uncertain terms! – that if he was setting up bodyguards for all kinds of OTHER people and places, he should definitely get a few for HIMSELF!

Well… some personal bodyguards might not be a bad idea and (sigh) quite a few of the Kickaha were entirely willing – not ot mention all the other guardian-types he’d been creating to protect the tenders and vital areas of Yu-Shan. At least they all had multiple occurrences of the “only a unique special method will truly kill them” even if it had proven impossible to set up directly contradictory methods on the same individual… there was always SOME flaw (even over and above “wreck the supporting manse:). You could make it almost arbitrarily difficult though!

And there were enough now to deploy additional defenders for the the various Tender bunkers, the likely-vital sites that did not have fate disruptions in Yu-Shan, a few around the Jade Pleasure Dome and Perfect Lotus of Destiny (even if those were likely the most secure locations in the city… still, HE’D gotten through the defenses on the Jade Pleasure Dome without a lot of trouble, even if he HAD only wanted a communications link. Still, with all the gods and exalts around there, they were probably pretty secure. .

He set up some tests, with the various gear items as awards for completion/success, and some counseling (as in: “if you have kids it’s not fair not to raise them first”) to ensure that the ones who graduated were ready!

The program turned out to be fairly popular, even with the “if you fail a test you have to study some more before you can retake a variant of it”. There would still be a reasonable minority of Kickaha ready to go adventuring when the gates opened.

There were some begging for help of course – but extra training courses seemed like a suitable answer there! It wasn’t as if there was THAT big a rush!

The fey rescuees had mostly settled in as child-caretakers and such – apparently it had quite a few similarities with attending the fey – and even the established procedures were managing even the worst cases of naturally-low willpower. The “buying from the fey” program was going well – the Raksha were commonly trading for the Resplendent Butler’s Accouterments – and… there seemed to be a few beastman kids in the latest batch who were so comfortable as panther-people that they’d pretty obviously been that way either from birth or for a VERY long time!

Were they importing from off-earth just because the prices were good?

The Pantheroids from a Wyld zone a LOT closer to Tarvail than to Earth. They even had ribbons “of joy and delight” around their necks. They’d… made a deal with the Fey: they wanted to visit Aden, and the sellers had heard of it from a friend of a friend, and they didn’t really have anyone else to look after them other than the fey, and since Aden was known as a god of charity and kindness, well… From their attitudes… evidently Aden was the next best thing to their conception of Heaven.

Oh well! If they wanted to live in Aden, THAT was an easy set of desires to grant… They were pretty normal kids otherwise, so they got sent to the usual they’ll-be-kids-for-centuries-so-some-school-some-practical-apprenticeships-and-LOTS-of-play program.

And they were cute and Naturally Fuzzy! The Teddies proved to be VERY fond of them.

Meanwhile, Celestial Lion Zuangwo was investigating a reported deiphage attack. Normally that wouldn’t have drawn much notice in a neighborhood so bad – but the reports had indicated some high-end energy discharges and a lot of power involved for a scuffle in a back alley. Some sort of stasis effect, and lunar essence! Not a common combination!
It didn’t take him long to fly over – and the alleyway was choked with ice linked with some sort of stasis effect – with several lesser deiphages stuck in it!

(Zuangwo) “What the…?”

He cast around for witnesses and found a (sigh) over-excited god of Pekingese dogs who’d seen the whole thing. Unfortunately… he was very excited to be interviewed, if slightly nervous about the interview being conducted by a big cat!

(Zuangwo, giving an imposing glare to make sure he didn’t get jumped on. Sigh… Minor gods and their excitability!) “Right! (Montioning towards the scene with a paw) Now what’s all this then?”

(Ranappy) “It was a machine god or something! Maybe a god of gerrymandering or electronic vote fraud! Lots of power, even if he didn’t look too important! A small group of deiphages were lurking in a side-cubby there – must have come up from underground – but he froze them right out!”

(Zuangwo) “What did this god look like, other than a machine?”

(Ranappy) “Well, he had a swirling cloak and a big hat with a feather, and pirate boots and a scimitar – but underneath he was all metal! An electronic vote pirate I think!”

Zuangwo blinked… he didn’t recall any gods like that, but then there had been so many over the millennia! Crazy modern gods…

He turned to the area itself, to perform a more detailed Essence analysis.

(Ranappy) “Anyway, his cloak swirled around, and there was a terrible flash, and the deiphages got all frozen – and he just departed! Didn’t even wait for the reward! MUST be a god of something undercover!”

(Zuangwo, while analyzing) “You didn’t see where he went, did you?”

Huh… Lunar and… Exotic… and Wyld?!? A Reality Shaping stasis effect, but… no actual reality shaping cause evident. And the exotic was… something he’d never run across before! It felt… gigantic, and oddly human, with a touch of the wyld about it, and… prayer of some sort. Definitely reality twisting! Humph! Both artifact and living… with immense amounts of power backing it. And geomancy.

Unfortunately, the Sidereals had been keeping the Kaiju Manses a deep secret.

Some kind of god of geomancy? But why would a powerful god be hanging out in the empty quarters? Did “Gerrymandering” generate it’s OWN geomancy? And such power! And four lesser deiphages in stasis WITHOUT a shaping effect to do it.

He tried to get a sketch from the Pekingese god’s description to get a better idea of it’s form – but that turned out, annoyingly enough, to be mostly of it’s clothing. Still, that was something and would make it easier to spot the god! Wyld and Exotic Essence was not normal for gods!

Well, except for that one guy in the Forbidding Manse of Ivy, and nobody knew what the Wyld had warped him into except the division head.

And the essence level was reading as… 5.2? DECIMALS? Perhaps an average? That would mean that the god was… being possesses, or controlled. That was very troubling, even if it was going against deiphages! And by something with an unknown power signature, which was worse!

The trail… was short. Not a Teleport (thank the Incarnae), but down the alleyway, then… traces of a wyld energy charm of clothing alteration – and then lost in the flow of traffic. That was always a problem in Yu-Shan!

He filed a report and watched for further sightings – and called Charles; the kid was pretty knowledgeable about anything at all to do with geomancy and seemed to be involved with a good half of the weird stuff that was going on these days.

He had to settle for sending a messenger – Charles was hard to reach directly at the moment – but there were a few other things going on… A flying vehicle? creature? god? had collided with an aerial rickshaw (who’d thought that it had the right-of-way due to an arrogant god pilot); and there was some argument, and then suddenly… the accident had never happened, and there were only vague memories of it… which was a LOT of power to spend on a traffic offense! Especially when you were arguably in the right!

And the reported essence signature had been… Sidereal-Exotic-Wyld.

Argh! Not another! Yu-Shans security was really pretty permeable, but TWO in one day? With what seemed to be… the same type of exotic essence.

More reports came in from around the city over the next few days – but correlating the reports showed that they were mostly centered on… various attractions. Amusement parks, casinos, and other facilities – with nothing being stolen, but some VERY odd results. One casino in particular… the roulette wheel had landed on “green” then on “do not pass go” – neither of which were actually on it. Four players got simultaneous royal flushes, but were beaten out by seven incarnae. The bingo… had gotten VERY weird. The cards had gone non-euclidean, and had started transforming directly into prizes

That wasn’t even the right number of cards for Celestial Poker! And what happened with the bingo? Plentimon, God of Gambling, must be livid… What in Malfeas was going on?

Actually, he’d been annoyed at first, but then had decided that it was just making the gamble bigger.

Anyway… eventually the casino had had to call in a specialist and purge the whole casino of Wyld energies.

Hm. Business would be down for months now that rumors of THAT have gotten out. What a pain for the divine manager – and a pain for him and and his colleagues, too! Wyld energies were NOT supposed to be in Yu-Shan! ESPECIALLY when the source could apparently blend in well enough to move freely around Yu-Shan!

Worse… there were enough instances that it looked like at least two infiltrators, and perhaps three or more.

Zuangwo grumbled to himself… Blast. He might have to swallow his pride and get Tender help. Useful as the “treaty” Charles had brokered had been, it STILL didn’t sit well! They… just had too damned much in common!

After much additional investigating Zuangwo and the Tenders got close enough to spot King Ghidorah moving through a near-deserted quarter, apparently with no fear at all. He was fairly conspicuous, even with a trenchcoat and three hats. Even among gods, few had three heads!

When Zuangwo got there he found a most CURIOUS creature… shopping. It had a WEIRD power signature though – well concealed, but still Solar-Exotic-Wyld! It looked like it had been worth the trouble to bring in Fifty-Six Joy and Ninety-Seven Daffodil…

The Tenders were pretty puzzled anyway… That exotic aspect… it felt VERY human – but there was no such thing as a “human” aspect! Definitely a LOT of geomantic power there though! No human, or group of humans, should have power like THAT. Even Exalts were less diverse… most of the time. (The Lions weren’t so sure about Charles!)

Zuangwo had the lion dogs, scarab guardians, and (sigh…) deiphages in the area discreetly keep an eye on the thing – but kept the human forces out of it. For some reason the humans and Sidereals tended to get cross when they died, and this could be dangerous!

The thing seemed to have plenty of ambrosia – and was mostly shopping for ornaments and other trivia. A little interest in artifacts and such though.Mostly convenience stuff, some interest in armor and weapons (not that much), and some queries about Rings of the Wyld – a rather rare item!

Rings of the Wyld were from early in the first age, when the Raksha were more or less being seen as entertainment. They shielded a Raksha from the sun, allowed respiration in Creation, and allowed the use of some minor powers on a personal level – a bit like a low-grade personal wyld pocket. They were mostly used for entertainers and ambassadors at the time.

Harumph! That.. Wasn’t good,, although he’d heard that the Silver Faction Sidereals used those on fey associates sometimes… still very suspicious! Of course (sigh…) etiquette in Yu-Shan being what it was, he couldn’t do an arrest like the humans would see on COPS. He’d have to ask it to come with him down to the local station with him. If it resisted, and didn’t somehow manage to slip away… THEN he could pursue.

He quietly slipped up beside the thing…

(Zuangwo) “Well. Finding what you’re looking for?”

The lion dogs and scarabs covered the entrances, with orders to be discreet but cut off escape.

(“Khan” Ghidorah, “speaking” in a bizarre sound that somehow translated as) “Partially! If you’re one of the clerks, how much on this spun-emerald sash with the gold-and-ruby buttons?”

Now THAT was weird.

(Zuangwo) “Harumph… I am no clerk. I have some questions for you, if you wouldn’t mind joining me for a little while…”

(“Khan” Ghidorah, with an offended noise) “What, store security then? As if I, Khan Ghidora, would stoop to stealing something from a shop like this! Or are you just a nosy pest moonlighting a bit? “Very well! I present you with this award!””

Somehow – despite the lack of arms – it hung around his neck… a huge fluffy ribbon-bow tied to an incredibly gaudy and tasteless medal declaiming “1’st Place – Overzealousness!” in great big letters!

(Zuangwo, through gritted teeth) “Sir, please come with me…”

(“Khan” Ghidorah) “Harrrounnkkk!” – which came across as “And why?”

Argh! If he said “I suspect you’re a Wyld creature,” it would cause a panic!

(“Khan” Ghidorah) “Gronkkkk! / The shop owner is happy enough to take my money!”

(Zuangwo) “Your Essence signature is of interest to Heavenly authorities. My colleagues wish to look at it.”

(“Khan” Ghidorah) “Grwowwth! / “Very well then! If it is my essence signature that you find interesting, here is a sample!”

The creature – somehow – handed him a bottle full of… essence signature!?!?

While he was considering that, the creature cheerily attracted the nearest clerk, filled her pockets with ambrosia – and sprinkled her with a bit of… powdered essence signature, a sort of sparkling crystal sand – making HER essence-signature a duplicate of HIS!

(Zuangwo) “Whaaaaaa?!?!”

(“Khan” Ghidorah) “Hooonnnkkkkk! / Try out new brand of essence-makeup!”

Zuangwo groaned to himself…. other than the weird twists of fate, they hadn’t done anything truly malevolent. Just… annoying! At least the essence signature would be something. Though that might count as “disturbing gods” there!

At least if he hadn’t plentifully bribed her first.

(Zuangwo, with gritted teeth) “Thank you, sir. Is there a way I can contact you if I need further information?”

The three heads looked at him from all directions…

(“Khan” Ghidorah) “Hoooonnngggg! / Quickest? Grab nearest human, slip him a coin, have him pray to “Khan” Ghidorah! How else?”

(Zuangwo) “Of course, sir.”

Savvy creature! It knew how hard prayers were to trace! Although… that DID say either that he was lying or that he was better at hearing individual prayers than most gods were…

He was still considering the fact that he’d just been handed a sensory impression in physical form as “Khan” Ghidorah departed… It might be a suitable arcane link – but turning impressions into objects… was definitely dream-magic or wyld thaumaturg. It was usually a Raksha stunt! That was VERY worrying! Infiltrators in Yu-Shan, or at least somebody using potent Wyld magic at a fairly critical time! At least there was a possible link that the sorcerers might be able to use to track it!

Annoyingly… that was NOT easy, and it traced to… the deep wyld, earth (slightly more in Japan and America), elsewhere, and humans in general all at once. Still, it was SOMETHING to go on – and revealing – and worrying! – in it’s own way.

Still… while there were occasional strange reports… at the moment nothing outright horrible was happening, although Raksha imports – which were normally very rare – were up! It was mostly amusements and diversions – bottled dreams, candied euphoria, some gossamer stuff (mostly as novelties, although the Armor was popular; it was still protective even when it was constructed of pure narrative, and hence generally hard to even detect in Yu-Shan). Possibility-stones were popular too.

Was that just Charles again? Aden was a good source for that stuff.

Charles eventually did get back to him, even if it was by phone.

(Charles) “Hello there! What do you need?”

(Zuangwo) “Hello, Charles! I’ve got a case I need assistance with…”

He explained – but it was mostly “Huh” and Hmm” – until he mentioned “Khan Ghidorah” and his three heads and lack of arms – at which Charles was suddenly paying attention.

(Charles, suddenly sitting up straight) “Oh DEAR! Khan – “King” – Ghidorah? With a solar-exotic-wyld signature?… Er… (shows some scenes from movies) did it look like this? (and a near-perfect match)”

(Zuangwo) “Almost exactly!”

(Charles) “Oh dear! That’s not a god… That’s something that humans dreamed up!”

(Zuangwo) “Who would think of such a thing?”

(Charles) “Well… Entertainers actually! For a movie!”

Charles happily showed Zuangwo Godzilla versus “Monster X” (King Ghidorah) – which, incidently, showed it being summoned by shapeshifting beings who become strangely animalistic and then sort of calcified when killed – and who came from beyond “the dark side of jupiter” to attack a huge city….

(Zuangwo) “Incarnae! That’s not good!”

(Charles) “Yeah but… it never goes shopping in the movies! Just flies around blowing things up!”

(Zuangwo) “Hrmm… I’m sure it’s up to something. I’ll have to monitor it… Now how did it get out of the movie? That normally doesn’t happen unless somebody’s fooling around!”

(Charles) “Er… well… (sigh) It’s a manse built from dreams.”

(Zuangwo) “I knew it! Some kind of Wyld technique, no doubt…”

(Charles) “Well yes! You have to build it in the domain of the mind – but it’s sited on an IDEA rather than a fixed demesne – and ideas don’t really have “locations”, so it can move around!”

(Zuangwo) “Hrmm…”

He put two and two together; The lions all knew all about Demien’s Hearthstone. They’d been specifically guarding the place – albeit with nowhere near enough resources.

(Zuangwo) “Argh! If only we had enough resources to keep those blasted troublemakers out!”

(Charles) “Well, I can send some help – but they’re already here! And they’re… shopping and seeing the sights…”

(Zuangwo) “Nothing we can do but surveillance at this point… until they do something.”

He could barely grumbling about improper allocation of Celestial resources! No wonder so many of his colleagues had gone renegade!

Charles tried to avoid inducing panic – but he wound up having to explain that the Kaiju were manses, with crews of hundreds of Raksha and some Exalts and their own awakened god, etc, etc, etc.

(Zuangwo) “What can I expect out of these things?”

(Charles) “Er… well… anything you might expect from… several hundred Raksha, an Exalt or two, a Manse, and Artifacts. If King Ghidorah as “Solar” as a part of it’s signature, it’s probably got a Solar for a pilot!”

(Zuangwo) “That many raksha-and a Cauldron-Born pilot? That’s it! I’m advocating round-the-clock surveillance for these things!”

(Charles) “I hope that you’ll be able to find them!”

(Zuangwo) “One down, anyway… we’ll find the others, or I’m no lion!”

(Charles, somewhat plaintively) “But… what are they PLAYING at? Why are they just… amusing themselves? Are they waiting for something? They have free access to Yu-Shan already!”

(Zuangwo) “You don’t think they’re planning to mess with somebody else’s plans, are they?”

(Charles) “Urm… (And he looked a bit worried suddenly) maybe!”

(Zuangwo) “I mean, just blending in means you see a lot of things you wouldn’t get to if you went in Charms blazing. And with the time I had tracking that one down, the others will take at least as much time.”

(Charles) “Well… I’ve been worried that they could get in for quite a while now… It’s a relief in some ways to know that they are already here I suppose.”

(Zuangwo) “Nothing left to do but keep an eye on them!”

(Charles) “I suppose not!”

There were other things to deal with of course… Multipresence and transdimensional cell phones let such a lot of people pester you at once! Fortunately, he could now handle that…

(Charles) “Er… Hello?”

Maybe I should get a secretary?

(Mr. Montague) “Hello, Charles! There’s something you might be interested in over in the Lunargent Ecological Protectorate… the geomancy’s going crazy around this one Quintessence fountain. I’ve been asked to look at it and wanted to invite you along. Got time to look?”

(Charles) “Oh? Oh! OK!”

He’d have to send a remote – but at this point they were almost impossible to tell apart from HIM save that he couldn’t use anything but the most basic charms and thaumaturgy through them. Of course, that covered most of his usual activities anyway… Of course, given his current schedule – at least for those who knew what was going on – a remote was pretty much expected.

(Mr. Montague) “Great! I’ll give you the address and meet you there…”

That led remote-Charles to a cordoned-off Quintessence fountain in the local empty quarters. There were still indigent gods and divine servants receiving the daily handouts there, and guardian gods watching over it. But even from a fair distance he could see that the Quintessence was “burning” brightly. Mr. Montague was there outside the cordon, carrying some surveying tools. He was… rubbing his hands again.

Charles quietly checked on that as well as the fountain – and it looked like Mr. Montague was in quite a bit of pain! And a minor god was approaching him with a package…
Excess energy? The fountain was certainly pulling too much and what was affecting Mr Montague seemed like it might be an excess – or blocked – energy-flow problem. The fountain was, of course, very much like the local Essence – but moreso. Were the Sidereals linked to the old geomancy through the loom? Could this be a part of Yu-Shan’s “price”?

He tried to counter the pain for the moment anyway and looked for any actual damage… could it be purely sympathetic? Related to Yu-Shan’s depleted power reserves?

Meanwhile, Mr Montague had opened the package… which turned out to contain a necklace and a note. He read the note and took a divinatory look at the necklace.

The pain reduction did seem to be helping somewhat – and it was DEFINITELY linked with Yu-Shan’s pain and felt “alive” – even if there was only a bit of physical damage from the supercharging. Yet another reason to get on with the fixing! And… none of the NEW Sidereals were showing any symptoms…

Mr. Montague had put on the necklace with a quizzical look on his face, and had headed over to the fountain. He looked a little more worried now.

(Mr Montague) “You might want to stay back, Charles… something’s not right here.”

Charles was still busy analyzing… the Fountain seemed to be way overcharged… it was getting a LOT of interstellar prayer-input, and the other fountains weren’t spreading it around properly! The source of the damage seemed to be a lot of cracks in the fountain’s base that were constantly healing and sealing themselves as the energy flowed in and out. As for the energy… compared to the other fountains, this one was actually showing some signs of life, and a bit of sapience.

Mr. Montague’s analysis matched up – although he seemed rather distracted. Almost as if he was listening to something.

Charles made some special purpose automatons – rather like Folding Servants but set up to go do repairs on other fountains and powered by the energy-flows of Yu-Shan, rather than by personal essence.

(Mr Montague) “Can you put audio recorders on those?”

(Charles, with some surprise) “Sure! Why not?”

(Mr Montague) “Okay, good… are you really not hearing it?”

(Charles) “I’m afraid not! What does it sound like?”

(Mr Montague, leaning in to whisper) “It wants me to dive in!”

(Charles, thoughtfully) “Now THAT’S a little weird… it wants you to… join it? Become a secondary focus? Help feed power to the city? Power up the Loom?”

(Mr Montague) “It says that I need to unlock my full duties! The note said the necklace would keep me under control if I did dive in, but ordered me not to!”

(Charles) “Ah! That’s the city speaking… it wants you to fulfill a VERY old bargain, and it has gotten somewhat desperate!”

Mr Montague showed him the note – but all all traces of who had sent it had been expertly thaumaturgically removed, although it was written in Old Realm script.
Interestingly, the same script that had appeared in his cocoa. Roughly translated… “Put the necklace on if you wish to continue your life as is, and stay at least a foot away from that fountain. If you insist on fooling with the fountain, the necklace will keep you under control afterwards, but I make no guarantees for your future.”

(Charles) “Huh! Well… lets see what happens with the other fountains!”

He’d already finished up some 1200 fountain-repairing automatons. There were a LOT of fountains!

(Mr. Montague) “Right… I’ll keep tabs on those for you… while keeping my distance.”

Hmm… fixing more fountains to pick up interstellar prayer helped reduce the load on this one! And the stress on Mr. Montague too! (Although he WAS still staying at least a foot from the fountain).

(Mr Montague) “Er… Charles? How did you know what was going on and how to program artifact-servants to reproduce it? And do you have any idea why a thaumaturgic ward against deiphagy, turned INWARD, would have helped me out? Because that’s what’s on the necklace!”

(Charles, privately) “Well… you’re linked to Yu-Shan through your Exaltation which is linked to a thread in the loom which is linked to Yu-Shan! Yu-Shan desperately needs power – and that’s affecting you! With so much extra power so close at hand… the craving was becoming overwhelming I think! I suspect that if you exposed yourself to that much extra power the link would open fully and you’d start pouring it through into Yu-Shan – basically becoming an exalted counterpart to the Deiphages!”

(Mr Montague, privately and in a bit of denial) “But… I’m HUMAN! It shouldn’t work that way!”

(Charles, privately) “Why? You’re an Exalt, and so an active essence-wielder – and if you started being drained of motes all the time wouldn’t you be desperate to replace them?”

(Mr Montague, privately) “Well, yeah, but… what that means! I could go berserk and mess things up – and somebody other than you knows about this…”

(Charles, privately) “But you aren’t! – And after I get things fixed, the problem should go away!”

(Mr Montague, privately) “Thank the gods… I’m going to try to find who sent this note… if I can get the time.”

Hm… it sounded like he was going to keep the necklace on.

The other fountains flowed more freely – and this one powered down somewhat.

(Charles) “Much better now!”

The gods guarding the fountain were much relieved, – if bewildered by the speed at which Charles had done it. Though he’d taken the pressure off their backs-the Quintessence from that fountain was absolutely delicious…

(Charles) “It should be spreading out a bit! It will take the workers about twenty minutes per fountain though even after they reach them!”

And there were questions, and requests for instructions on making the fountain-fixing automatons, since that one fountain had been getting too much Essence.

Charles turned out another 1200 anyway; Yu-Shan had a LOT of fountains! And hopefully there would be no further eruptions of Essence like that, both for the city’s sake and for the Sidereals.

There’d been far more interstellar prayer-flux than he’d thought there was! It needed better distributing so that Yyu-Shan wouldn’t get unruly in her sleep…

(Mr Montague, privately) “Now then Charles… Having the fountain talking to me with no one else noticing was weird – and just HOW did you know exactly how to fix the issue? And what to program your automatons to do?”

(Charles, privately) “Oh… Well, when I was wandering around the deep passages, I ran across the substructure of a fountain and it wasn’t properly adjusted to pick up interstellar prayers – so I adjusted it for more efficiency! But with it being the only one there was a local overload!”

(Mr Montague, privately) “There’s a reason you don’t mess with the fountains, you know…”

(Charles, privately) “But it wasn’t working right!

(Mr Montague, privately) “Yeah, but look at what happened… at least you fixed it.”

(Charles, privately) “Well, that should make the quintessence a good deal more abundant!”

(Mr Montague, privately) “I don’t think anyone will complain too much, at least.”

(Charles, privately) “I hope not! It’s just maintenance really!”

Eclipse – Sample Races, Templates, and Characters

Here, at last, is an indexing update; all the Eclipse-Style Races, Templates, Power Packages, and Sample Characters on the blog.

If you’re building a character, the usual sequence will be Race – Template (if any) – Basic Build, so that’s how this is organized. If you’re looking for “how-to” information, next up is the level-by-level class breakdowns and the general power-package information and examples. After that, for inspiration, swiping power packages from, and use in other games, comes the sample higher-level characters.

Character Creation and System Primer

Sample Races:

• +0 ECL Player’s Handbook Races; Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, and Halflings.
• +0 ECL Human Variants: Revised Human (how humans are different from other species), Spirit-Touched Humans (natural shaman), Elan (psychicly augmented humans, scroll down), God-Touched Humans (spirit channels).
• +0 ECL Human Variants/10-point Package Deals: Star Wars, Polluted Future, and Technical Expert Humans and Men of Faith (humans who draw strength form their religion).
• Elven Variants: High Eves (+0 ECL), Aquatic Elves (+0 ECL), Drow Elves (+2 ECL), Classical Drow Elves (+2 ECL), Gray Elves (+0 ECL), Noble Elves (+1 ECL), Wood Elves (+0 ECL), Wildwood Elves (+1 ECL), Xin Elves (+0 ECL), and 100 types of Affinity Elves (+1 ECL,  10 choices each of Terrain and Arcane affinities). Also, the Primal Elves.
• +0 ECL Wildfolk – generic anthropmorphic animals.
• +0 ECL Kitsune: Part I, Part II, and Part III (with higher ECL upgrades)
• +0 ECL Android: For when you want to play a construct.
• +0 ECL Half Plant-Fey. An example for making various half-fey templates.
• +0 ECL Ur-Human (Golden Dragon Heritage).
• The Blink Dog (+2 ECL), Bugbear (+2 ECL), Gnoll (+1 ECL), Goblin (+0 ECL), Hobgoblin (+0 ECL), Janni (multiple possible), Lizardfolk (+1 ECL), and Ogre (+2 ECL).
• +1 ECL Ri’aal: Non-humanoid cats with innate magic in lieu of tool use.
• +1 ECL Werewolf. As a species of their own, rather than as an infection, with assorted variants.
• +1 ECL Sentient Office Device for Battling Business World. This uses the half-price attribute rule, but the ECL would remain the same if it didn’t.
• +1 ECL Half-Giant.
• +1 ECL : Gargoyles and Bat-Winged Electric Cat Mutates. Yes, from the Gargoyles cartoon.
• +1 ECL Transhuman – for characters in post-cyberpunk settings.
• The Lesser (+1 ECL), Greater (+2 ECL), and High (+3 ECL) Fey.
• +2 ECL Satyrs and Centaurs (scroll down, note that the Centaurs are easily tweaked to +1 ECL).
• +2 ECL World Tree Races: Cani (Dog-Folk), Gormorror (Bear Folk), Herethroy (Insect Folk), Khtsoyis (Flying Octopi), Orren (Otter-Folk), Rassimel, Sleeth (Big Cats), and Zi Ri (Minature Dragons), all with innate spellcasting abilities.
• +2 ECL Dark Reaper, responsible for capturing evil spirits which have escaped into the mortal world.
• +2 ECL Rad’Egion, Initiates of the Arcane Forge – creatures reborn as things of magic.
• +2 ECL Race or +3 ECL Template: Darkchilde’, children of tempter-demons. 
• +2 ECL Basic or +4 ECL Elder Sekirei
• +4 ECL Darkweird Dragon.
• +4 ECL Dream Entity. A creature born of popular belief.
  • Genegrafting, Genetic Engineering, and Anthropomorphics in d20: Part I, Part II, Part III, and Part IV.
  • Building Sapient Animal Characters in Eclipse:
• High-Powered Races. Those marked with an “*” use the half-price attribute rule; if this rule is not in use, their attribute modifiers should be reduced appropriately. Others are simply built for extreme efficiency.
  • +0 ECL Basic Dragon: A minimalist dragon.
  • +0 ECL Fedyra: Dragon-Fey hybrids.
  • +0 ECL Tolkien’s Istari and Corrupted Maiar (scroll down to the racial breakdowns)
  • +0 ECL Neanderthal*: Quasi-ursine cave dwellers with natural magic.
  • +0 ECL NeoDogs and NeoDolphins*: Genetically-engineered animals.
  • +0 ECL Pureblooded Humans*: Genetically enhanced humans.
  • +0 ECL Atherian Races/Magical Birthrights*: Blood, Crystal, Death, Dimensional, Elemental, Forest/Plant, Ice, Illusion, Life, Light, Lunar, Order, Shadow, Solar, Totemism, and Dragon, Absolute Command, Divination, Venom, and Warding.
  • +0 ECL Twilight Isles Races: Ikam (Culture and Racial Traits), Shadow Elves (Culture and Racial Traits), and Thunder Dwarves (Culture and Racial Traits). Since the Shadow Elves have numerous bloodlines, here are some samples – Part I, Part II, Part III,
  • +1 ECL Twilight Isles Veltine (Culture and Racial Traits) – with an explanation of the races of the Twilight Isles. Also, the Veltine in Depth: More details on the culture of the Veltine
  • +1 ECL Twilight Isles Hahn Beastmasters.
  • +1 ECL Cartoon Pureblooded Human. For when you just need to get animated.
  • +1 ECL Cinematic Hero*: +1 ECL movie-style action hero.
  • +1 ECL: Childe of the Starborn Fire*. The offspring of a dimension-walking draconic power.
  • +1 ECL Demonically Infused Pureblooded Human*. This is your character on demonic power.
  • +1 ECL Loup-Garou: Another variant on the werewolf, this time as a very powerful nature spirit.
  • +1 ECL Number Lord Template:  For when a crazed mathematical spirit who cannot even exist in sane universes seems appropriate.
  • +2 ECL Generic Evil Outsider. For mighty demons and the like.
  • +2 ECL Alien Symbiont. For turning your familiar into something REALLY strange.
  • +1 ECL Chthonic Invested: Warrior-Mages, Assassins, and Black Knights.
  • +2 ECL races/templates from Monte Cook’s World of Darkness White Wolf adaption: Vampires,  Werewolves, Demons, Awakened and Mages (with sphere-based magic and notes on the innate specialization of the various White Wolf games).
  • +2 ECL Greater Undead Template and +4 ECL Knight of Hades Template. For when you really want some horrors running about.
  • +2 ECL Scion of the Damned: The offspring of life-draining horrors and cursed demons.
  • +2 ECL Promethean Revenant: When Dr Frankenstein starts digging up Angels and Devils.
  • +3 ECL Krell Psychic Adept*. Malevolent natural psychics, +4 ECL without the half-price attribute rule.
  • +4 ECL Light Military Cruiser An example of stretching things for people who want to play a warship.
  • +4 ECL Stormlord Template. Heirs to the Thunder Gods.
  • +5 ECL Praetorian*: +7 ECL without the half-price attribute rule. An atrocity of raw physical power.
• Building Monstrous Races Level-By-Level: The Minotaur (and general principles) and the Succubus.

Sample Templates:

• In general, races may be used as templates at +1 ECL. This is especially handy with the Atherian Magical Birthrights and the Fey provided above. Here we have some note on Stacking Templates, just in case there are any questions.
• Negative ECL Races: Why they’re a bad idea, how to do them, and how to account for segments of templates which cancel each other out.
• +0 ECL Party Template and samples – the Knights of Yggdrasil, Forest Stalkers, Company of Kardeon, Angbokor Guild, and Royal Cartographic Society.
• +0 ECL Low-Level Hero Template: Using Eclipse to run low-powered, slow-advancement, d20 games.
• +0 ECL Talking Teapot Template: For creating animated utensils and furnishings.
• +0 ECL God-Blooded Template: For those unfortunate Greek heroes who are stuck with quarrelsome divine parents – along with some additional power packages.
• +1 ECL Generic Lesser Outsider: for minor angels, demons, spawn of chaos, jinn, etc.
• +1 ECL Allomancer or Talismanic Mage.
• +1 ECL Time Lord Template. For those who like Dr Who.
• +1 ECL Anime Character Template.
• +1 ECL Cyborg Super-Soldier*. The effects will vary with the available equipment.
• +1 ECL God-Favored, +1 ECL Noble-Blooded, and +2 ECL Divine Ruler – divinely-chosen nobles and rulers.
• +1 ECL Elemental “Bender“, along with the +5 ECL “Avatar” template.
• +1 ECL Ciarkian Anthropomorphic “Adventurer Template“. For making venturesome animal-people. Also Part II with power-signs, Part III with a city and it’s Ward Major, and their Guilds and Knightly Orders.
• +1 ECL Basic Vampire. For playing vampires at a reasonable ECL.
• +1 ECL Minimal Lich. For undead spellcasters who want to continue adventuring.
• +1 ECL Spirit. Spirits of the dead acting from the Outer Planes.
• +1 ECL Contagious Piracy. A template that’s better than Ninja!
• +2 ECL Ancient One – a mortal suddenly infused with many lifetimes worth of ancient memories.
• +2 ECL Magical Girl (or Boy) Template. For  those who simply must.
• +2 ECL Spirit Binder. For those who wish to channel spirits.
• +2 ECL Elemental Infusion Template, for heroes and creatures filled with elemental power.
• +2 ECL Darkling Template: for making creatures of living darkness.
• +2 ECL Heritage of Darkness Template, for partial heirs of divine power. (Also usable for non-dark heritages).
• +3 ECL Wyld Magic Template. For when you’re infused with vast – but mostly uncontrollable – powers.

Eclipse Pathfinder:

Eclipse handles Pathfinder just fine – so here are Eclipse breakdowns for Pathfinder –Basics and Races and the class breakdowns for the  Alchemist, Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer and Summoner. The sample characters are pretty much all compatible with Pathfinder; if they don’t already have the Pathfinder Package Deal from Basics and Races simply add +2 to an attribute and +3 to their skills.

Sample Level One Character Builds:

• Iron Dragon:  unarmed and unarmoured tank.
• Shamanic Adept: a speaker to spirits.
• Vedic Master: a matter transmuter and self-enhancer.
• The Bulwark : a MMORPG – or 4′th Edition D&D – style tank/controller.
• Kabalistic Ritualist: a ritual mage. Includes the Priestly Scholar, Demonologist, Expert Ritualist, and Canny Spellblade variants.
• The Street Rat: a roguish street kid. Includes the Black Marketeer, Spellthief, Street Survivor, Gang Leader, and Wiz Kid variants..
• The Wraith: a short-range teleporter.
• The Swashbuckler: an unarmored fighter. Includes the Cinematic Hero, Experienced Duelist, Agile Master, Florentine Fighter, Demon Hunter, Dilettante Noble, Golden One, Shadow Adept, Military Man, Spirit Speaker Magical Dabbler, and Ruthless Questor variants.
• The Primal Warrior: a shapeshifter-berserker.
• Animist: a non-spellcasting wizard who speaks with creatures and objects.
• Harbringer of Doom:  an optimized skirmisher, and what NOT to do.
• Alarian Legionaire Build and some Sample Legionaires (these characters use the half-price attribute rule).
• Courtly Witch: a noblie intriguer with hidden psychic powers.
• The Battlerager: a totemistic warrior with rage-based augmentations.
• The Witch: a low-powered but extremely flexible psychic.
• The Gifted Psion: a second-edition style psion build.
• The Dweomer Master: a master of particular psychic fields.
• The Starfire Adept: a stress-powered master of psychic skills
• The Revised Psion: variants on the standard Psion build. Psychic Knight, Expert Psion, Natural Psion, Tower Resident, Fatebound Psion, Spirit Warror, and Psychic Artificer.
• Transhumans: mutants and superheros with limitless use of some specific powers.
• Scholarly Priest: a master of channeling aid to his or her friends.
• The Hellguide: a revenant from the abyss
• the Werewolf: a young ECL1 shapeshifter
• The Cyber-Warrior: and how to buy Cyberware
• Runesmith: a caster who builds up spells a bit at a time = along with some additional explanations of their abilities and limitations.
• Tollers: characters who summon essences into themselves
• Poseur or Mad Cultist: single-school spellcasters
• Mystic Adept: a design-it-yourself spontaneous spell point caster available in many different flavors.
• The Collector: a ritualist and collector of magical devices
• The Tech Wiz: a build for hackers, security breakers, and tinkerers. Includes the Technical Hero, Kit-Basher, Robot Master, Intuitive Expert, Expert Technician, Wondersmith, and Hacker variants.
• The Hotshot Pilot: a master of some type of vehicle.
• The Investigative Reporter: the truth is out there. Includes the Hard-Hitting Detective, World Traveler, Intuitive Reporter, Lucky Intern, Magical Dabbler, and Tough Reporter variants.
• The Elementalist: a specialist in a particular branch of magic
• The Fortunate Hero: a character who can provide his own lucky breaks
• The Bloodmarked: a victim of his or her own innate powers. Essentially consists entirely of variants.
• Khamsin The Wanderer, a warrior-mage designed to buy each of his spells, and their casting level, individually.
• Inaro Montban, a mystical agent of the Limbo Wheel built using a house rule I don’t recommend – but found irresistably amusing.
• The Paladin of Death, a guardian of life’s cycle.
• Ruth Gelman: A young – if very deadly – level one sharpshooter from the Federation-Apocalypse setting.
• Ishinomorel. Shadow Elf Archer-Runemaster. Level Two Upgrade.
• Tristan. Shadow Elf Pirate-Elementalist. Level Two Upgrade.
• Ysmir. Shadow Elf Scout-Firemaster. Level Two Upgrade.
• Vehn Rageclaw: Veltine Warrior-Mad Scientist.
• Rudra Mogzul, Thunder Dwarf Warrior. Level Two Upgrade (offsite link).
• Peregrine, a Veltine Bodyguard-Companion.
• Building the Level One Bladesinger
• S’stam: An Ikam Follower-Bodyguard.
• Orin Markala: A Wildfolk mage-priest and his Level Two Upgrades.
• The Children’s Crusade – building starting child-characters for children and making a suitable setting and adventures.  Part I with Julia Winters (a mystic warrior) and Georgina De’Flower (a positive-energy channeler and healer), Part II with Talios Asrian (swordmaster) and Horace of the Burning Blade (warrior-firemaster), Part III with Roland Huntley (skill monkey / trickster mage), Part IV with Nikoli Verburger (mystic archer), Melinissa (a ghostly dybbuk), and Tamlin Cooper (youthful shaman).
• “Ghost” the Shadowwalker. A shadowy trickster, her Level Two Upgrade and her Level Four Upgrade.
• Lerona Vendrith (Scroll Down): A youngster with a demon trapped inside her.
• Gareth Tamson, Feyblooded Cartographer of Dreams. With Mystic Artist/Cartography
• Lucas Arwin, the Master of the World. A young master of battle magic and his steam dirigible.
• Verdigrised Forge, Ironclad Pragmatic Engineer and Honorable Defender. A sapient golem-warrior and living artifice-furnace.
• Eliki Montari: An enthusiastic Kitsune Pirate.
• Level Zero Youngsters: Faelan, Mathghamhain, and Caiside, scout-apprentices, Edelbert a youngster transformed into a steed,

Level-by-Level Class Breakdowns:

• The Merchant: A complete level 1-20 point-buy example.
• Basic Classes: Barbarian, Bard, and Cleric, Druid, Fighter, and Sorcerer, Paladin and Ranger, Rogue and Wizard, Psion and Psychic Warrior, and Monk.
• Standard “Types” broken down.
• Star Wars d20 Base Classes broken down for Eclipse.
• The Blade Dancer / Wuxia Adept.

General Build Information and Power Packages:

• Compiled Martial Arts: All the martial arts from the sample characters and site, given alphabetically.
• Specialized Martial Arts Techniques – Daiken Vior (versus Undead), Silver Forge Kung Fu (versus lycanthropes), and other highly-focused forms.
• 24 CP Archetypes and Roles:  Aristocrat, Berserker, Commander, Laborer, Magus, Messenger, Shadow, Wanderer, and Wise Companion,Broken Spirit, Brute, Elder, Great Leader, Official, Scholar, and Shaman, Centurion, El Diablo, Performer, Romantic, and Thief, Fortunate Scion, Merchant, Seducer, and Stoic, and the How-to-use-them guide
• 24 CP Sith and Jedi power packages, and translating Force Powers into Eclipse.
• (Mostly) 24 CP Star Trek Power Packages: Ensign, Infiltrator, and Engineer, Captian and Second In Command, Transporter Officer, Counselor, Mystic Counselor, and Doctor, Chief Security Officer, Cosmic Wedgie, Annoying Brat, the Mudd, and Holographic Characters.
• Eclipse Power Packages. Answers to requests on how to build particular powers with Eclipse.
• Buying Cyberware in Eclipse.
• Building Spellcasters. Various magical options in point-buy.
• Building Psychics: Power Sources and Basics, Types of Psychics.
• Advanced Companions: Templates for Companions, Familiars (Spirit Fetches, Liflings, and Shadow Guardians and the Wealth Level Templates from the Practical Enchanter), Mounts and Companion Creatures (Flying Steeds, Firehawks, Stormcrows, and other beasties), and Animal Companions.
• Literary Magic Items and Sample Relics: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, and Part VII (with Index and Summary). The Tongues of Heaven: Combined enchantment-relics and quest objects. Excalibur: The Blade of Kings. The Lives of the Saints: for preaching powerful sermons. Tolkien’s Rings of Power and the Silmarils.
• Political Positions: some rules for playing a politician, ambassador, general, or other influential individual.
• Martial Arts: Celestial Martial Arts, Harpist of the Weave Mystic Martial Art.
• Psychic Pilot Powers.
• Building Reserve Feats in Eclipse.
• Building Incarnum Weilders in Eclipse.
• Building Weapon Specialists in Eclipse.
• Building Narrative Powers in Eclipse.
• Thematic abilities for those who have returned from death: Deathly Feats and Spirit Riders (powers bestowed by symbiotic spirits).
• Building the Thaumaturgist in Eclipse; a more detailed look.
• Shapeshifters and Cursed Lycanthropes. Making Lycanthropy something to fear.
• Revised d20 Skills System: An option for making rarely-used skills more attractive by reducing their cost.
• Sample Thaumaturgy and Dweomer fields.
• Character Types – The Expert: General requirements and limitations of such characters, and how to build one in Eclipse.
• The Witchery and Negative Energy Domains.
• The Fellowship of the Ring d20: Converting characters from the books.
• You Have No Power Over Me!: Purchasing immunities to particular foes and types of foes.
• Companions: Notes on Companions: Appendums to the articles on Companions.
• Alchemical Magic: A spell list and spells for alchemical hedge magicians.
• Sample Package Deals: The Obsidian Order and the Crystal Seers: Two orders with opposing viewpoints on keeping secrets. Kadian Package Deals; training packages for youngsters. The Sarkari Seekers of Wisdom.
• Epic Spell Conversions: Part I; Spells and Stunts, Part II, Part III, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight.
• The Dreamspawn: The Basic Template, Timothy and Verendior, Dunangylaz and Antaeus Varin, Lerona and Queen Yintor, Oridon and Yinsloth. Mortal Children – and the Horrific Alien Monsters who love them. Akso Sevarangin – a thieflord
• The Society Mind and Psionic Focus: Building psychic networks in Eclipse.
• Hedge Magic Heroes: Practical magic for low-level characters: Part I, Part II and Part III (level zero spells), Part IV (level one spells), Part V and Part VI (level two spells and technological hedge magic), and Part VII (summary list and sample enchantments).
• Old School Skills: How to make skills a backup check in Eclipse.
• Village Heroes: Building A Campaign (the basics of building an Eclipse campaign – and a sample setup for a low-level low-powered campaign setting), Village Hero Package Deals Part I and Part II (background package deals for low-powered local characters), Argius and Jamiel (a hedge mage and a village smith), Ethan and Kordov (an apprentice forester and a militia trainee), Tarvel and Raymund (a streetwise youngster and a scholarly initiate), Nagindeyu (a wannabee adventurer), and Maylindarin Vrilnassyr (elven archer-mystic).
• Character Optimization and Broken Builds: Ways to build overly-efficient characters – and ways to restrain those builds.
• Over-Optimized Builds – and what to look out for – in Eclipse.
• The Shonen Jump: Sudden power-ups in Eclipse.
• Teenagers from Outer Space: Making such characters in Eclipse d20.
• The Trickster Magi power package: Building mages with unlimited use of relatively minor powers.
• Mutants of the Eclipse: A guide to using Eclipse to run a “Mutant Superhero” game. The Basic Templates, The Element Master, The Feral, The Strongman, The Gadgeteer, The Blaster, The Speedster (and his spells), The Exokinetic, The Stealth Expert, The Healer, The Paragon, Minor Mutants, Weres, Alter-Egos, Metamorphs, Power Mimics, and Shapeshifters, The Duplicator, The Adept, The Channeler (and the basis of “Mutant Powers”), The Long-Range Teleporter, Power Duplicator, and Power Negator / Manipulator, Guardians and Monotalents, The Stuntman, The Armorsmith, The Immortal, The Combat Expert, and Adept Themes.
• Designing Subraces and the Mothu – sample human empaths.
• Role Playing Disadvantages – With Teeth. Why vague social disadvantages are NOT the soft option.
• Using Theurgy: How to use the Theurgy advanced magic system. Also, in the same category, Amnesia Magic.
• The Gravespeaker: Assorted necromantic power packages.
• The Serpent Master. A snake-themed dark magic package.
• Advanced Armor Training. For those who want their armor to be more than a bonus to AC.
• Leveling Intelligent Items. Turning your magic items into henchmen.
• Retraining and Exchanging Old Abilities: When you want to rewrite your character a bit.
• Making “Skill Tricks” in Eclipse. Part I and Part II.
• Playing Half-Dragons and High-ECL Races. Breaking down races into levels.
• Megalithic Magic. How to use massive structures to work very high-level effects.
• Atherian Package Deals: Landkeepers and Adopted Imperials.
• Immunity: The Fourth Wall. How to buy in-character metagaming abilities, or just to justify snarky remarks.
• Spellcasting Modification Feats. Giving characters signature magical knacks.
• Character Traits Explained. How to play effectively with the Character Trait system.
• Peasant Powers: A six=point power package to turn scrabbling medieval peasants into contended d20 peasants.
• A Feat Full of Tricks: Using Witchcraft to given characters a unique touch. Clerics, Fighters and Wizards
• Dangerous positive-energy abilities, Part I and Part II
• Building Unlimited-Use Shapeshifters, Players Handbook II or Pathfinder Style.
• Reducing Action Types: Doing more in the same time.
• Building the Possessed: Making characters like Naruto or Etrigan – with some powerful beast trapped in them.
• Creating Troublesome Relics: For items with drawbacks.
• Maker of Potions, Talismans, and Scrolls: For characters who stock up on minor magic items between adventures.
• Building Mad Scientists and Inventors: For when you’ve just got to invent something new.
• Occult Talent Builds: For characters who have just a touch of magic.
• Military PC’s and Fantasy Armies: Functional fantasy-style military groups for PC’s, to go with Mass Combat Made Simple.
• Building Mysterious Magic Items:
• Building True Love: When you want the power of heart.
• Gear and the Big Six Magic Items: How to buy extra gear, stipends, and wealth in various settings. Also Wealth in Eclipse Part I and Part II.
• The Oath of the Postulant: Religious Training through Spiritual Guidance. Includes the +1 ECL Spiritual Guide template.
• Condensed d20 Skills List: with magical skill applications.
• United We Stand and Group Magic: Two different takes on how to build characters who pool their magic for greater effects.
• Building Dragons: Part I (the basic small dragon), Part II (a playable ECL 5 Dragon), and Part III (a level one golden dragon hatchling).
• Building the Thrallherd in Eclipse: And why it’s a bad idea.
• The Sacerdos Pastor: A high-efficiency 24 CP package for village priests and wise men.
• Building Complete Gear-style Influence Points in Eclipse.
• The Houngan Conjurer: Enhancing your party with Conjures.
• Uses for Leadership – buying traps and tomb guardians, acting as a mentor to children, and improving intelligent items.
• Effective Castles; as bought with character points on the cheap.
• Do =-it-yourself Charms and Talismans: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, and Part VIII. Exotic proposals for more Charms and Talismans.
• Gun Fu. Yes, just like in all those movies.
• Narrative Manipulation: How to buy the ability to get bonuses for describing wild stunts.
• True Names and Nymic Magic: In a system that makes them worth using.
• Using vehicles in the game and buying them as followers and companions.
• Sample Occult Skills: Legendarium, Gadgetry, and Glowstone Alchemy, Dwarven Rune Mastery, Subsumption, and Identities,  Faith, Gathering, and Accounting, Foresight, Governance, Command, Ninjaneering, Dream-Binding, and Secrets
• Spirits in Eclipse: Building classical not-easily-killable spirits in Eclipse.
• Arcanist Casting in Eclipse: How sorcerer-types can swap out their known spells.
• Time-Manipulation Power Packages. How to meddle with that Timey-Wimey Thing.
• Eclipse and Mythic Ascension: The Basic Mechanic, How to Use The Secondary Progression Mechanic in Other Ways, Basic Mythic Abilities, The Universal Abilities,
• Buying Basic Survival Magics as Innate Enchantments and Crafting In The Game.
• Making Skills Magical – and why Craft and Profession (say… Demonologist) are not wastes of skill points.

Sample High-Level Characters:

. . Note that these characters were generally built for particular campaigns, and so are sometimes built using campaign-specific variants – usually a price break on especially-relevant abilities. These are covered in the Campaign Sheets for the relevant campaigns – Federation-Apocalypse Campaign, Ironwinds Campaign, Atheria Campaign, Twilight Isles Campaign, and Darkweird Campaign.

Level Two Sample Characters:

• Abigail Saunders-Tabard, Iron Homemaker. Housewife, Mystical Cook, and Martial Artist.
• Ahriman, a second level Thunder Dwarf.
• Arnold Jeremyn: a cyborg superhero.
• Benedict: a mystic swordsman of the manifold, and his Homeworld.
• Lotus Lefarge: an influential on-the-spot reporter who can influence what happens with what she says.
• Jarvian Mitchell: a wandering mechwarrior (and his mech).
• Kevin Sanwell, unseelie knight and would-be demon lord.
• Marty Tabard, a cartoon businessman from Battling Businesss World.
• Rudra, A thunder dwarf warrior from the twilight isles.
• Terin Aderath, mystic ritualist and martial-artist assassin.
• Flowing River, an Ankorath Smuggler.
• Sem the Sin-Eater, an oathbound “Paladin” from Kharidath.
• Fauve, a Chelmian Adventurous Scholar.
• Killers, Diplomats and Technomagi: Eclipse Sample Characters, Jarek Zindel (assassin), Boran Nong (half orc apologist), and Rochar Lindolfsen (dwarven technomage).
• Professor Arcane: Level two anime-themed human occultist with the Respected Academic, Psychic Mastery, and Shamanic Lore power packages plus the Arnis-Barang and Kulam-Kali Occult Martial Arts. Also, some Alternate Power Packages: Frankenstein and his Monster, Alchemic Mastery, and Magic Theorist.
• Taric the Pit Fighter: A simple warrior build for Eclipse.
• Olivia Marcanti: Level zero Ancient One, visionary, and secretary.
• The Red Knights of Iskarin in the Twilight Isles: Hilsaryn Rollyn (Ikam Thief), Temorath Marbane (Veltine Runemaster), Serrulan (Thunder Dwarf Ranger), and Obian Bloodwrath (Shadow Elf Barbarian).
• Zachary Marron, Level Zero (ECL 2) Darkchilde’ Alchemist. A dark-blooded young adventurer.
• The Fey Swordsman: a very tricky warrior.
• Heng Xia: a mutant panda martial artist and c’hi master.
• The Servant of a Fallen God: A Sorcerer-Priest and his Companion Deity.
• Gar Ashwood, Pathfinder/Dragonstar Soulmech Gunslinger-Detective
• The Balancer Of Scales, Dragonstar/Pathfinder Paladin

Level Three Sample Characters:

• Sir Laurent Onn, a knight who channels celestial energies into magical auras.
• Kysen Nial, a nemesis for low-level characters.
• John Jack: a paranoid James Bond-style gadgeteer/secret agent.
• Kesara Galano: a delusional shadow elf who thinks she’s a dragon.
• Tarlin Malority: a death-affinity Thunder Dwarf Assassin and his History. Also, a version of him as transformed into a magma elemental; Tarlin “Magma” Malorty.
• Volund Saril, budding thief-lord and Dreamspawn Companion.
• Coran Mordant, Thief of Scrolls: a villain who steals magic from dying magi.
• Wildfire: A fire-projecting cheetah-morph superhero.
• Dante Allegori, the Divine Comedian. A Catman-mystic weaponsmaster.

Level Four Sample Characters:

• Cadmel, Anime Sorcerer. A roguish anime-style sorcerer with unlimited use of his spells.
• Ithulsin the Outcast: a powerful mentalist with the Krell Psychic Adept template.
• Li Kao, a d20 Samurai and Shintoist mystic. Exchanges favors with spirits for his magical talents.
• Lingering Smoke, a quick conversion of a Sidereal Exalted character to Eclipse.
• Jamie Wolfe – a MLELF Cyborg Super-Soldier.
• Dr Solomon Brenner: A highly skilled, if monstrously immoral, surgeon from the Linear Realms.
• Rahne Diende, a human runemage healer.
• Anatolia Demonslayer, a modern demon hunter.
• Yolande of the Sternwaters, a shapeshifter-witch-shaman
• Kelelawar, Vigilante Hero a mystic martial artist with skill-powered magic.

Level Five Sample Characters:

• Doctor Wrath, a power-armor supervillian who can fit nicely into most d20 parties.
• The Iron Raptor, a basic superstrong / flying / super-tough superhero build.
• Julius Gaius Maximus, a healer-priest of the Imperium.
• Charles Stevenson. An exceptionally deadly martial artist and master of C’hi Manipulation via Acupressure.
• Kristin Stanwell. A cyborg firearms expert.
• Matthew Carrington. An anime-styled paladin-archer and servant of the light.
• Shadow-of-Dark-Wings. A Dark Reaper, responsible for capturing evil spirits which have escaped into the human world.
• Terry Jenkins (offsite link). Battling Businesswoman, occult accountant, and Champion of the Numbers.
• Jim Corrigan, psychiatrist, road rager, and Battling Businessman.
• Aumakua Puka, the guardian of the Wolf Wood and his Companions.
• Sylthis Torr, a Sapient Leopard Warrior-Adept of the Obsidian Order.
• Baron Ectar, a supervillian and master of vocal powers.
• The Toller of the Darkness: A fifth level “Warlock” build for Eclipse.
• Variations on the Monk: The basic “Monk”, the C’hi Master, and the Exorcist at level five for Eclipse.
• Ifhitel the Assassin and Chandia the Snakewitch: Snake-themed bad guys.
• Marhandur the Son of the Serpent. A would-be hero with a dark heritage and some inherent supernatural gifts.
• Yuki Tendo, Mystic Ninja (relies strongly on Atherian world laws).
• The Walker in Darkness: a devilish warlock-styled priestess of Asmodeus.
• Noita Verduur, psychic shapeshifter and special agent.

Level Six Sample Characters:

• A’ikana Kalil, a psychic monk, a dimension walking chi master, and agent of the Unified Church.
• Thrall, a jackal-barbarian Lesser Dark Lord.
• Amber the Dragon Sorceress. A young (ECL 6) dragon-sorceress.
• Edward Elric, the Full Metal Alchemist.Yes, it’s the anime character. Someone wanted to know how to build him in Eclipse.
• Akio Matsuda: A sentient humanoid robot from Battling Business World and the Humanoid Sapient Device Template.
• Bernie “Coach” Thompson, Floorherd: A Battling Business World Stockbroker.
• Todd Jenkins, Battling Business World English Traditionalist-Archer.
• Howl-of-Death, Level Six Hyena Gravespeaker. A Bandit Queen, Demonologist and Necromancer, and all-around unpleasant person.
• Lynxi Abysinia: World-Conquering Sorceress Super-villainess Catgirl. Need I say more?
• Little Bear, Wrestler of Magic:  A mage who pounds magic into submission, with the Spellbreaker martial art.
• Taric of Alderdale, Dragon Warrior. Taric the Pit Fighter is growing up – and into his draconic heritage.

Level Seven Sample Characters:

• Esteria, a slightly senile old woman with poor control of her magic and entirely too many dragon-cats.
• Kelsaru Ana’Nasu, a crystal dragoness, powerful telepath, and Kevin Sanwell’s girlfriend.
• Xaliotl, an obsessive fire mage.
• Marty Tabard (offsite link), Battling Businessman and dimensional wanderer.
• Yuki Tendo – L5 to L7 Update. A slight upgrade to the original mystic ninja.
• Tomonoko (“Tomo”) Sayuki, a Power-Armor Superhero.
• An Arcane Rogue: A mystical thief and a very complex conversion.
• Dallyn Vortys, Ebonthane of Nidhogg the Devourer, Would-Be Dark Lord. A Warrior-Priest of Nidhogg.
• Illurion Voice-Of-Nightmares, Bard of the Unmaking. A Bard specializing in the music of destruction.
• Raykul Tepes, Scion of the Damned. The accursed offspring of a Necromancer Vampire Lord and a true, Demonic Lycanthrope
• Kivan Lark, Biologist and Monster-Maker.
• Lukas Scourgeson, a human prince – and a rampaging monster.
• Gravewright Eyes-Of-The-Dead, Lesser Lich.
• Whispering Songbird, cultist.
• Rake and Rokean, a dark druid and his aberrant familiar.
• Heir to Darkness, a partial vessel of a fallen god.

Level Eight Sample Characters:

• Gandalf and the Balrog. Surely I don’t need to explain who these are?
• Haurgrim the Sagacious, a magus, mystical artist, and demonstration of how to build an advanced skill.
• Arith Lewauken, a tribal warrior and witch-doctor turned mecha pilot.
• Ragnar the Questionable, a prismatic warrior from the Illusion Domain.
• Fred Gelman (Offsite Link), battling businessman and friend to sentient office devices.
• Ulric Kyrie Dunholtson, a mystical guardian, wielder of the Dragon Path, and hedge mage.
• Brendalen Kathin: a mid-level Loup-Garou.

Higher Level Sample Characters:

• Level Ten: Raven, a druid/thief/dragon who’s wandered in from older editions.
• Level Ten: Darius Metaxis, Siege Engineer. Along with his portable castle.
• Level Ten: Darth Vader (as a character-conversion example)
• Level Ten: Building the Kensai or “Sword Saint”.
• Level Eleven: One, the Number Lord of Identity.
• Level Eleven: Dark Lord Kevin, an ascending godling specializing in bestowing power on his minions. Also his bestowed Power Package from fairly early on.
• Level Eleven: Conley Mac’Gregor, a master shapeshifter.
• Level Twelve: Peter Leland (Offsite Link), a cartoon business raider and possum breeder.
• Level Twelve: Ryan “Tools” O’Malley. A tinkerer-engineer-artificer.
• Level Twelve: Anek Borez, Lord Goth: A fallen Paladin, now an undead Knight of the Abyss. With an ECL 16 Upgrade.
• Level Twelve: Haurgrim the Sagacious, Magus-Politician. Moving up in level and into politics.
• Lord Zero: The Number Lord of Eternity. A crazed godling.
• Level Thirteen: Adam, Praetorian Nightmare: a melee death-machine nightmare for entire high-level parties.
• Level Eighteen: The Atrocity Build: A grossly abusive build designed for raw sorcerous power – and his Companions.
• Level Nineteen: Torak Rosul, ECL 19 Accursed Primordial Vampire and his Followers
• Epic Level: A Balor, spawn of darkness…
• Epic Level: Amilko Moonshadow: History and Character Sheet. One of the few epic-level squirrels out there.
• Epic Level: Ptaysanwee, Priestess-Archer.
• Epic Level; King Dorsian, ECL 30 Warrior-Mage. Not an especially efficient build, but at this point who cares?

Level Ten and Twenty Breakdowns:

• The Warlock (and variations thereof).
• The Duskblade (and variations thereof)
• The Malconvoker and the Master Summoner variations.
• The Crusader, Swordsage, and Warblade from the Book of Nine Swords.
• The Soul Archer (ten-level prestige class).
• The Iron Heroes Harrier.
• The Empiric Masquerader: A ten-level build that can impersonate many other classes.
• The Soul Knife: Along with how to upgrade them to make them usable.
• The Mastercrafter, Artificer, or similar.
• The Factotum and the Seneschal
• The (Totally Revised) Truenamer. For when you want a character like this who’s actually useful.
• The Soul Eater. When the flavor text is at war with the mechanics.

Christopher West has put up a fair number of Eclipse character designs over on his RPG Blog – so here are some links. His notions of how to build things tend to be very different from mine – and that’s a very good thing; original approaches and differing interpretations create interesting characters.

• The Battle Sage (Basic Concept, Build, and an Adventure Log). I really like this one; I’ve always been rather partial to the notion of including a scholar in a group as something other than a primary spellcaster – and this character (a scholar so knowledgable that he can call forth a weapon designed to work against a particular opponent) works in that role very nicely.
• The Planer Mage-Assassin: Some notions for a magical assassin specializing in destroying extra-planar beings. The things certainly make enough trouble to justify a small society of such people after all.
• Building Warlocks in Eclipse: Basic Thoughts and Greygin the Render – a Warlock-style build using Spirit Weapon. Both definite contrasts with the way I was building a Warlock and (in Greygin’s case) an EXCEPTIONALLY nasty specialization.
• The Jester: A basic layout for creating that old second-edition April-Fools favorite class.
• Star Wars Eclipse – thoughts on converting the Saga Edition.
• Dark Era Priests – a partial design for priests as a medieval player might have viewed them. Most suited for a low-magic world.
• Burnt Meat – an (extremely) troubled young woman with flame powers.
• The Anti-Magus. A few possible designs for a character who’s very presence negates magic – a powerful, but not-especially advantageous ability.
• The Shifting Mind – a character who has the classic day/night split personality problem – although, in this case, the “monster” only comes out during the day…
• The Healer: A dedicated healer – and an exceptionally good one.
• The Dagger Master: A roguish specialist in Daggers in a second-edition style – back when daggers were faster, and got more attacks, than other weapons did.
• The Arch Mage: A youthful mage who is being consumed by her own, terrible, powers.
• The Blood-Fueled Mage: A notion for creating a mage who draws power from blood and slaughter. Sadly, I have some serious doubts about the first option on this one; a requirement for killing other creatures doesn’t really effectively substitute for a personal cost. Most of the others look good if you can get the speciality spells past your game master.
• Creating A Monster: This one is a massively deadly barbarian-type, mostly revolving around using Augmented Bonus to get massive numbers of hit points. I’d – as usual – want a good explanation for why you got to add your strength modifier to your constitution modifier for calculating your hit points – but there are certainly more atrocious builds out there, even in standard d20.
• The Elder Scrolls Hero: Here we have a generalist adventurer – some skills, some combat, and some magic – but not too much of anything.
• A Healer’s Nightmare: A healer with a severe flaw – the life she grants must be taken from elsewhere…
• Wasting Time with 3.5: More or less a short review of Eclipse (and why Mr West is enjoying it more than 3.5).
• The Squirely Squire –  Here we have a classic young squire – a student who specializes (at least for the moment) in working as a part of a combat team, rather than as a solo warrior.
• The Summoner Controller – A summoner who can seize control of other people’s summoned monsters, rather than taking the usual course of augmenting his own.
• The Specialist Sniper –  RPG’s tend to be designed to make life difficult for snipers: yes they’re cool – but they’re only at their best in specialized situations and the players tend to really hate it when a sniper blows away a few of the more vulnerable PC’s at the start of a battle. Fortunately, in Eclipse, the easiest way to build a “sniper” is to simply make a more effective ranged combatant – and that’s no worse than any other specialist.
• Hunter of Magus  Basically a witch-hunter who gains power from resisting spells.
• The Apprentice – A spellcaster with a wide range of tricks – and the ability to cast spells spontaneously from his or her spellbook.
• Spell Touched Mind –  A spellcaster with random access to magic, rather than control.
• A Perfect Thief – Here we have an actual fantasy thief – someone who specializes in getting in, stealing stuff, and getting away again and uses enough magic of their own to counter magical defenses and help with emergency escapes.
• An Eclipse Review: A quick review of Eclipse here. OK, it’s not a character build – but there’s no reason to get out of order with the Eclipse topics on the blog.
• Saboteur – Destructor –  Here we have a blaster / trapsetter who is very good at blowing things up – starting with inanimate objects. Of course, such things are often in the way.
• Desert Dancer Elementalist –  A character who persuades the elemental forces of the world to produce effects using the Rune Magic system. A nice idea and an excellent bit of background here.
• The Fallen Mage –  A once-powerful spellcaster who has lost much of his or her power.
• Dead Sight – A sort of a medium, who gains strength when creatures die nearby. I haven’t read the story it’s based on, but the build works just fine.
• Spy vs Spy –  A fairly straightforward deep-cover secret agent.
• Infernal Seduction – A demonic seducer in service to his/her/its demonic masters.
• Fearmonger – A specialist in raw, primal, terror.
• Skyborne Archer – Another semi-sniper build, favoring shooting from somewhere well out of reach.
• Mage – Assassin – A spellcaster who specializes in getting in, eliminating a target, and getting out.
• The Dabbler – A youngster with partially-controlled spontaneous magic. I really like this one; the untrained wannabe with more power than is at all good for him (or her) makes such a wonderful plot hook…
• The Sneak Thief – A character who can use his or her skills very swiftly indeed. An interesting idea, but perhaps a bit over-specialized.
• The Draining Wilder – A psionic expert who goes berserk when out of power. An entertaining surprise for people who think that running the psion out of power points is the optimal strategy.
• Kinetic Mage Apprentice – A specialist in telekinetic powers.
• Dark Priest of Misty Dawn – A warrior-priest who drains the souls of those he kills.

Alzrius has also put up quite a few Eclipse characters on his Intelligence Check blog – including quite a few interpretations of popular characters from a variety of sources. Pretty much all of them are written up for Pathfinder, and usually use the Pathfinder Package Deal.

• Rinoa, from Final Fantasy via Dead Fantasy, a powerful 15’th level spellcaster – along with the Hyne Witch template and a discussion of many of the other characters.
• Pyrrha Nikos, a 7th-level Huntress-in-training, along with statistics for Vytal Humans, three Martial Arts, and some world background and discussion.
• Sharalia, a Level One Fire Dancer – a character who controls flame through dance.
• A 20’th level breakdown for an Antimage –  a “class” that specializes in negating the powers of dangerous spellcasters.
• The Maedar – a racial template breakdown for a male medusa.
• Sailor Saturn – a fragile young woman from the Sailor Moon anime with some exceptionally over-the-top powers.
• Scorpion from Mortal Kombat, written up at the peak of his powers – along with the Netherrealm Ghost template and three Martial Arts.
• Sam Winchester, a level three paranormal investigator from the Supernatural television series.
• Varek, a Level Six Cleric with some support abilities.
• Abraham Lincoln, Level Twelve Civil Warrior of the United States of America – with a touch of Vampire Hunter and including his Martial Art.
• Agent Spin – a Second Level Elite Beat Agent who gets sent… to encourage people in trouble.
• Gargamel, a First Level Incompetent Ritualist and Bumbler – perhaps fortunately, without statistics for Smurfs.
• Spinnerette, a Level Five Spider-Style Superheroine/
• Malecite, a Level Ten Villainous Mage from Suburban Knights, along with Malecite’s Hand, a vastly powerful relic and various new spells.
• Dirk Markson, a Level One Dark Witch – and possible hero.
• Barney Stinson (Scroll Down), a Level One Sitcom Inhabitant – from How I Met Your Mother.

Eclipse – Dante Allegori, the Divine Comedian

Once there was a felinoid youngster who lived in the mountain forests with his parents. There they hunted, trapped, and gathered the choicer rare herbs, spices, and dyes to make their living. As the boy grew older, he got taken along more often – and soon began to see how the merchants in town who purchased his parent’s wares and sold them supplies cheated everyone who made their living by actually producing anything. It was not long before the youngster was a youthful catman with a bad temper, a cynical streak a mile wide, and few ethics when it came to dealing with lazy, cheating, townfolk.

The local priests occasionally visited on their rounds, and tried to counsel the youngster – but while he listened eagerly to the tales of the gods, he saw their divine magnificence as all too akin to the splendor affected by the wealthy merchants in town. Sure, the gods were there – and they did some important stuff – but they too were asking quite a lot for very little service!

His creative blasphemies eventually attracted the notice of a God or two – one of whom sent a some minor troubles his way.

Watching him deal with them… was funny.

Besides… to really blaspheme, you needed to really believe – and judging by young Dante’s mouth there might not be a more believing mortal on the entire continent.

They sent some good luck and some more trouble his way – and watching him deal with it was even funnier.

The Gods had a new Jester – and his life was going to be very interesting.

Dante Allegori

Third level Weaponmaster-Scout

Pathfinder Package Deal: +2 Bonus to Dexterity.

Wildfolk Racial Modifiers:

• Self-Development/Attribute Modifiers of +2, +2, and +4 distributed between Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Wisdom and (possibly) Intelligence (for animal-morphs noted as being especially tricky or cunning) as appropriate to the animal type the Wildfolk emulates. No single attribute may be enhanced more than once. (48 CP).
  • In his case, +4 Dex, +2 Str, +2 Con.
• Occult Senses/Low-Light Vision and Scent, Corrupted/the Wildfolk suffer a -2 penalty on saves against light and scent-related attacks (8 CP).
• Martial Arts/1d4 Natural Weapons (3 CP).
• Adept/Pays half price for four skills related to the animal type they emulate (6 CP).
  • His are Acrobatics, Stealth, Survival, and Martial Arts (an unarmed racial style)
• +2 to each Racial Adept Skill (4 CP).
• One Bonus Feat appropriate to the emulated species (6 CP). “Prey” species often take Natural Armor, Celerity, or Augmented Bonus (to provide enhanced senses), while “Predator” species often take enhanced natural weapons or other combat boosts.
  • His is Fast Learner, Specialized in Hit Dice, providing a base of 1d12 at first level and 1d6 at each level thereafter.
• Wildfolk suffer from some drawbacks as well, but for details I’ll have to refer you to the full writeup.

Available Character Points: 96 (L3 Base) +10 (Disadvantages) +6 (Duties) +12 (L1 and L2 Bonus Feats) = 124 CP

Disadvantages:

• Outcast: Dante is widely known as “That guy that weird stuff keeps happening to”, and people who want to avoid complications in their lives generally avoid him. Occasionally this turns into a Hunted for a while instead; sometimes there just isn’t any use explaining that the latest insane disaster was NOT YOUR FAULT – and people get sent after you.
• Irreverent: Dante pretty much DEFINES this one.
• Accursed: Minor, annoying, things happen when Dante swears – milk sours, windows crack, and other small annoyances pop up in the general vicinity.
• Duties: Entertain the Gods, The gods find Dante’s antics and endless blasphemies quite amusing – and keep throwing him into crazy situations, unlikely predicaments, and weird adventures so that they can watch.

Basic Attributes: Str 14 (16), Int 14, Wis 12, Con 14 (16), Dex 16 (20), Chr 8, Pathfinder 25-point buy.

Basic Abilities (54 CP):

• Hit Dice: 20 (1d20, 8 CP) + 11 (2d8, 5, 7, 4 CP) + 12 (2d6 Magic) +15 (5x Con Mod) +1 Pathfinder = 59 HP.
• BAB: +2 (12 CP)
• Saves:
  • Fortitude: +1 (3 CP) +3 (Con) +1 (Morale) = +5
  • Reflex: +2 (6 CP) +5 (Dex) +1 (Morale) = +8
  • Will: +0 (0 CP) +1 (Wis) +1 (Morale) = +2
• Skill Points: 9 (9 CP) +12 (Int) +8 (Fast Learner) +1 Pathfinder = 30 SP
• Proficient with All Simple Weapons and Martial Weapons (9 CP) and Light Armor (3 CP).
• Armor Class: 10 (Base) +5 (Dex) +3 (Studded Leather) +4 (Shield) = 22
• Initiative: +5 (Dex)

Special Abilities (70 CP):

• Fast Learner, Specialized in Skills (taken at level -1, with disadvantage points) (6 CP).
• Track/Wilderness (3 CP).
• Damage Reduction 3/-, Specialized in Energy Attacks Only for Double Effect (6/-) (6 CP).
• Damage Reduction 3/-, Specialized in Physical Attacks Only for Double Effect (6/-) (6 CP).
• Grant of Aid with +4 Bonus Uses, Corrupted/requires a DC 18 Perform/Oratory/Sacrilege check (not an action), Bonus Uses Specialized in Hit Points Only (6 CP).
• Shaping, Specialized for double effect (Cantrips) and Corrupted/only for weapons magic tricks, requires a DC 18 Perform/Oratory/Sacrilege check (not an action) (4 CP).
• Opportunist/may add a weapon shaping effect to a physical attack or other weapon maneuver without it counting as an action, Corrupted/only with Swords and Bows (4 CP).
• 3d6 (12) Mana with Spell Enhancement, Specialized/only for use with weapons magic, Corrupted/requires a DC 18 Perform/Oratory/Sacrilege check (not an action), (6 CP).
• 1d6 (4) Mana with Reality Editing, Specialized/only for minor edits (mostly used to make his plans work, escape certain doom, or dispose of bodies… (3 CP).
• Rite of Chi with +4 Bonus Uses, Specialized/requires a complete recitation (Perform DC 24) of the Sixty Successive Sacrileges – although failed attempts do not count (6 CP).
• Luck with +4 Bonus Uses, Specialized in Saving Throws, Corrupted/only to Take 20 in advance (4 CP).
• Luck with +4 Bonus Uses, Specialized in Attack Checks, Corrupted/only to Take 20 in advance (4 CP).
• Luck with +4 Bonus Uses, Specialized in Skill and Attribute Checks, Corrupted/only to Take 20 in advance (4 CP).
• Reflex Training/Extra Actions Variant, Corrupted/Movement and Weapons Actions only (4 CP)
• Innate Enchantment; The Fortunate Fool. 5000 GP Value, Corrupted/requires assorted Charms and Talismans to work (4 CP)
  • Force Shield I: +4 Shield Bonus to AC, Immune to Magic Missiles. Spell Level 1 x Caster Level 1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use-Activated x .7 Personal Only = 1400 GP.
  • Immortal Vigor I: +12 = (2 x Con Mod) HP. Spell Level 1 x Caster Level 1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use-Activated x .7 Personal Only = 1400 GP.
  • Inspiring Word: +1 Morale Bonus to Attacks, Saves, Damage, and Checks. Spell Level 1 x Caster Level 1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use-Activated x .7 Personal Only = 1400 GP.
  • Healing Belt (750 GP, Magic Item Compendium): 3 Charges/Day, spend 1/2/3 to heal 2d8/3d/4d8 by touch.
  • Shapesand (100 GP, Sandstorm): Change normal into any item of basic gear with a total weight of 12 lbs or less. (Dante normally wears a variety of cheap “sandstone” ornaments and a “sandstone belt” to provide a reserve to work with; making his thieves tools out of Sand on the fly makes them easy to hide from the authorities).

Skills (using the Condensed Skill List):

• Acrobatics +19 (+6(3*) SP, +3 Pathfinder +5 Dex +1 Morale +2 Racial +2 Tool)
• Kifeng (racial martial art style) +19 (+6(3*) SP, +3 Pathfinder +5 Dex +1 Morale +2 Racial +2 Tool)
• Techniques Known (10): Toughness II, Strike, Attack II, Weapon Kata (Longsword), Combat Reflexes, Battlecry, Inner Strength, Vanishing.
• Knowledge/Local +8 (2 SP +3 Pathfinder +2 Int +1 Morale)
• Knowledge/Religion +8 (2 SP +3 Pathfinder +2 Int +1 Morale)
• Perception +7 (2 SP +3 Pathfinder +2 Wis +1 Morale)
• Perform/Oratory +13 (+6 SP +3 Pathfinder -1 Cha +1 Morale +2 Tool) (+5 when Blaspheming).
• Stealth +19 (+6(3*) SP, +3 Pathfinder +5 Dex +1 Morale +2 Racial +2 Tool)
• Survival +15 (+6(3*) +3 Pathfinder +1 Wis +1 Morale +2 Racial +2 Tool)

+1 Specialities (1 SP Each, 5 total); Perform/Oratory/Blasphemy, Knowledge/Religion/Off-Color Myths, Survival/Resource Harvesting, Survival/Tracking, and Local Knowledge/Forests.

Specific Knowledge (1 SP); The Sixty Successive Sacrileges. The Successive Sacrileges start out small – blaspheming the nature spirits, kitchen gods, and similar small fry, moving on to the geographical gods and gods of aspects of life, swiping at the heavy hitters – the gods of fate, time, sky, earth, and similar major aspects of the world – then throughly chewing out the gods of major parts of life such as birth and death, making a blistering verbal assault on the divine kings and overlords, with the final sacrilege targeting the creator gods who are held responsible for the entire mess. Overall it covers “Can’t you !@#$% Gods do ANYTHING right!” with truly impressive thoroughness. This DOES offer a +2 Synergy bonus on Perform/Oratory/Blasphemy.

And may I offer a recommendation for Barry Hughart and Bridge of Birds series?

Gear: Masterwork Studded Leather Armor (175 GP), Masterwork Longsword (315 GP), Masterwork Str 16 Composite Longbow (700 GP), Boots of Landing (500 GP), Self-Heating Teapot (25 GP), Firebox (25 GP), Survival/Camping Kit (50 GP), Acrobat’s Joint Wraps (50 GP), Foresters (Stealth) Cloak (50 GP), Orator’s Throat Lozenges (50 GP), Reinforced Kaifeng Gloves (50 GP), assorted normal gear (rope, bedroll, food, oil, firestarter, water, lantern, etc) and some cash (310 GP). .

Dante is a formidable mystic weaponsmaster, if not quite on the scale of a dedicated-warrior and only in short bursts – but he is both lucky and extremely durable. Given the stuff that keeps falling into his lap, he’ll need all those qualities just to survive.

The Chronicles of Heavenly Artifice CLI – Beyond Tarvail, Basalt And Crimson

The gods of Tarvail more-or-less hadn’t questioned things. You were a god, making planets habitable and moving them around was a part of your portfolio, you had one or more charms for doing so. That was the way it WORKED. Seemed young? Probably because you worked with very young worlds and it was a relatively new portfolio. Made artifacts too? Starting out with a space drive? Yes, making drives, life support systems, gate-manses, and all the stuff you might need for colonizing those new worlds would fit in too. Kid had been one lucky bastard to come into being with a portfolio that expansive though! Of course, if he didn’t watch his back better than he was doing now he might not be around for very long. It took lots of guts or a complete lack of sense to make thumbing your nose at an abyssal fleet your first major intervention!

The Tarvail Military had been patiently waiting their turn – but they wanted to talk to Charles very badly indeed. They’d seen him drop off a planet just a few systems over – and their sensors and analysts had reported nothing but… thaumaturgy. Vastly amplified and astoundingly skillful thaumaturgy – but still only thaumaturgy. Moreover, the reports from onworld observers had matched; the wards had been on an incredible scale, and of very complex shapes, and had warded against gravity and relativistic effects (which normal thaumaturgy didn’t do) – but it had only been wards. If there was a ritual out there for moving planets halfway across the universe, they wanted a copy! Even if it was only a panoply charm or some sort of divine prerogative that would still be important to know!

Charles, of course, was more than willing to explain.

(Charles) “Well, it’s Mach’s Principle; the gravitational force exerted on anything in space is extremely great, but it’s balanced from all directions – so all you have to do is bar some of it and you have a gargantuan net acceleration. Just adjust the metric frame then to avoid relativistic complications and you can move things around pretty easily! I had to add some travel effects though; it was a long way!

(General Barrash, a Bull-Man) “Huh… that’d make it easy to handle Abyssal invasions, if only that wasn’t a Celestial equivalent effect.”

(Charles) “Uhm… I could show some people how to do it, but they probably wouldn’t have the skill to work at that scale. They could call me if it was really urgent though!”

General Barrash and the rest of the command staff wanted to see a demonstration of the thaumaturgical procedures very much indeed. They even had their own array of Crystal Arenas for it (very useful for military simulations…)

And there was extensive analysis. It didn’t take long; it wasn’t like he was hiding anything. The effect was recorded and added to their (rather extensive) databases.

They waited until after the demonstration to inquire (Very gently! Aden Shining Dream was pretty blatantly benevolent, but there was no point in risking antagonizing someone who could throw planets around) about that “I could show some people how to do it” line.

Charles, meanwhile, was providing some orbital calculations for Kyeki’s new location…

(Charles) “The orbits should be nice and steady and there shouldn’t be any nasty asteroids or anything like that for at least ten thousand years… Beyond that the chaos of the system makes it hard to predict! But the odds of any major problem are very low!”

(General Kiirik, a Mantis-Man) “Now, about teaching people how to do this… who’s qualified for that? Do you need actual sorcerers for it? Will a thaumaturge do?”

(Charles) “Somebody who knows thaumaturgy will do! But I’d rather it was someone reasonable and helpful about things; it is enough power to make a mess!”

It would take some time to find suitable candidates in the military, as big as it was. They’d have to get back to him on that.

(General Barrash) “How DO you train people to do it?”

(Charles) “I use a vision-quest! That way it only takes a few minutes!”

(General Kiirik) “A few minutes? What, do you just plug them into a simulation or something?”

(Charles) “More or less I suppose… It usually seems like several hours to them!”

(General Barrash, with some incredulity) “And you can just teach them Celestial effects in that little time? No risk of mutation either?”

(Charles, with some surprise) “Why would there be a risk of mutation? That would be a silly thing to put in an upgrade!”

(General Barrash) “So not a Wyld quest then. That’s good… now what about the mortality and injury rates?”

(Charles) “Ew! Why would I make something that wasn’t safe? That wouldn’t be nice AT ALL.”

(General Barrash) “Just asking before we send the troops in… hey, you’re not Kryptonian by any chance, are you? You don’t LOOK Kryptonian…”

(Charles) “Oooh! They’re for real? Where are they? Do they match up with the movies?”

After some confusion, Charles received a bit of information about Krypton and Zod: albeit a slightly less detailed version. Zod occasionally harried Tarvialian shipping to fund some of his schemes.

(Charles) “Oh dear! I’ll have to look into it sometime!”

(General Kiirik) “Honestly, he’s a headache. Hmm… if you’re not from Krypton… Earth?”

(Charles) “Usually! Or Yu-Shan!”

(General Kiirik) “Ah, of course.”

(General Barrash) “He’s a minor god, of course he has some Heavenly contacts! Going to move more planets any time soon, by the way?”

(Charles) “Only if they’re in trouble!”

(General Barrash) “Heh. Let us know before you do it next time! You’ve caused a lot of confusion across the Empire, you know… we’ve already been getting messages from traders and fleets asking where Kyeki-II went! It’s going to take a while to work through all that and update the Wyld zone maps – and that’s just for us!”

(Charles) “Well, they should stay away from there! Deathlords are not at all nice!”

(General Kiirik) “That’s an understatement. Until everybody gets the news, though, we’ll need to set up a beacon.”

A beacon? Ah! Their form of FTL communication – sent information across a radius of (artifact rating+1) old-metric waypoints – many hubble volumes at Kyeki’s prior location… Deathlord attacks generally warranted deployment of a rating-three beacon – rating two if they were not sure that a Deathlord was actually involved.

(Charles) “Should I send some messages or set up a beacon right away?”

(General Kiirik) “A beacon would be best – Abyssal raids are no joke.”

(Charles) “OK!”

He made and sent out a rating-four beacon, just to be safe. It was pretty quick anyway!

There was a good deal of carefully-concealed amazement among the general staff. They’d been briefed on Charles’s tendency to make artifacts or manses for every situation – but actually seeing it in action that way was still astounding.

(Charles) “I should be back by in a bit! I’ve just got an errand to run outside creation – or at least on the border!”

(General Barrash) “Mind telling us about that?” (Half-jokingly) “If you’re making your own solar system, you’ll need to let Parliament know if you want to be part of the Empire.”

(Charles) “I’ve got to pick something up!”

Charles thought back…

Look for the massive ring that encircles Creation, and the towers on the Creation side. I think she will see you first, though. Basalt and crimson… it’s been such a long time. I hope she’s still there. No, she has to be. She swore to it.

-Gaia

Hey! Come to think of it that wasn’t all that much of a guide… even WITH “Thank you, Charles. And when you see her, could you tell her your grandfather is all right?”. Maybe most Primordials weren’t all that good at giving directions?

Hopefully “she” WOULD see him!

(General Barrash) “Nothing harmful to us?”

(Charles, shrugging off unaccustomed introspection) “Should be indirectly helpful!”

(General Barrash) “Hrm… well, good luck with that.”

They HAD to get some observers into Aden! If only to keep an eye on the boy and steer him away from potential disasters! The boy needed… Baby-Sitters!

Charles prepared to go. It might have been nice to visit one of the great centers of civilization in the cosmos – but he had to fix Yu-Shan! The Music of Creation was almost done, and that was most of his reason for taking his time in the first place… It was easier to work when you were a billions of billions of light years from the nearest disturbance!

Fortunately… the edge of the universe wasn’t all THAT large, and – by cosmic standards – it wasn’t all that far away. Less than two hundred thousand light years – making Tarvail a part of a mighty, hollow, spherical galaxy that encircled the cosmos.

And still wasn’t really all that big.

And the actual edge of the universe – where Creations dual metrics were once more one – was a good deal smaller. Chaos had swallowed up much of the threshold during the Reshaping, and – from that viewpoint – the universe was a good deal smaller than it had been during the third age. Charles, and the Tsunami, were fairly noticeable. There weren’t all that many other high-essence types wandering around out there.

Charles did his best to free himself of all expectations. He didn’t need his own imagination being mirrored in chaos and showing him a chaos-spawned version “what he was looking for”. It had worked for Harry Potter, sure, but HE didn’t actually exist!

As Tsunami hurtled toward the edge of the universe things started subtly changing… The first noticeable change was that the darkness of space started shifting from black to a rich indigo. The stars glowed with faint auras beyond their usual radiance, and those auras didn’t always match the star’s color. Visible planets become less spherical and more like floating bits of land in the void. The laws of creation most Earth-based astronomers knew had loosened considerably. It… was probably a good thing that he’d sent the astronomers back to earth! They’d be pestering him with all KINDS of questions right about now if they were still aboard! And he could feel the Wyld energies flowing through space… equivalent to either a strongly tainted land, or perhaps a weak Middlemarch. It was kind of hard to say over such distances!

Onwards!

He invited any of the Raksha from the Atlanta pocket who wanted to look at the edge of the cosmos to come along. Kaernock and several of the others were definitely in! As he had noted earlier, it had been quite some time since he’d been this far out.

And there was the WEIRDNESS of the cosmos closing in around him to a ringworld/barrier as the vast distances fell away behind him. The barrier was… strange. The edge of the universe was notoriously mercurial where Reshaped Creation and the Wyld met. At the moment… it was a dome of indigo. The stars and worlds hung from faintly visible strings that hummed vibrantly to Charles and Kaernock’s ears and to Tsunami’s sensors. Some worlds were loose, lacking strings and not revolving around suns – and those were slowly moving of their own volition. There were even less identifiable things, glimmering within the indigo… but some might well be impossible to make out by definition.

Tsunami started to travel along the edge of the dome, looking for towers! As it… fluttered?… along the edges of the dome, the dome vibrated and shimmered when her leaves rubbed against it; the sensation was ticklish and lonely… Nearby planets/waypoints – the distinction was not too strong out here – fluttered by. Some come closer on subsequent passes – but there were no towers yet, and they were on the fifth pass! Still… things kept changing. The edge of the dome was getting thicker with every orbit, though, and taking on a grayish-black hue. Tsunami’s sensors indicated that iron content was going up consistently with each pass, too.

Then one of the waypoints that had been hovering around started hailing Tsunami.

Ooh, another chance to open hailing frequencies! Or to at least say “Hello!”

It appeared to be a rabbit beastman in the middle of a rather deadly warzone! A loud explosion went off in the background, causing the fellow to duck.

(Raksha Rabbit) “Hello there! Didn’t think I’d see a Treeship out here – or Mothra Leo, for that matter! Are you two busy at the moment? And who’s your little friend?”

(Charles) “Not too busy!”

(Rabbit Raksha) “I could use your help! My brother’s having a temper tantrum, and nothing I’ve done so far is calming him down. He’s really tearing up the place. Uh oh, excuse me.”

The rabbitman hit the dirt. There was another explosion and bits of building fell on him – fairly substantial bits. He wormed his way out as a gaggle of more feral looking rabbit beastmen gathered around him.

(Rabbit Raksha) “Sorry about that! Normally the microtransaction missiles are enough to calm him down, but he’s taking this really hard!”

Charles was kind of wondering how he knew about Mothra Leo – but Raksha were awfully big on stories!

(Charles) “Well, how can I help?”

(Rabbit Raksha) “I need a new birthday present.” (One of the rabbit beastmen looked at him sadly.) “Hey, don’t look at me that way! You know the President takes his birthday VERY seriously!”

(Charles, making a leap) “Oh! Did you lose one into elsewhere?”

(Rabbit Raksha) “Damned Chancellor Mayariki managed to snatch it from me when we were debating the military allotments… I TOLD my brother it was a bad idea to have somebody with that technique in the freehold. Wait, what… you have it?”

(Charles, producing the box) “Is this it? I found it lying around in Elsewhere!”

(Rabbit Raksha) “Huh! Just like her to toss it away without a care in the world… what’d you do, fish it out?”

(Charles) “Yep! The Narrative Force must be very strong around here!”

(Rabbit Raksha) “Eh… going to need more than that to calm him down now! He’s been bribing everyone within two waypoints to come in for a fight.”

Hmm… that wasn’t a technique associated with the usual Graces, unless his brother had a lot of gossamer lying around.

(Charles) “What might?”

(Rabbit Raksha) “Gossamer, and lots of it… or money, or a new mansion. Anything connected to a Means Grace, really.”

(Charles) “I could make him a new mansion!”

(Rabbit Raksha) “We’ll need a new Presidential Palace, anyway; Noriishana blew up the Treasury when he started his little fit, and that’s the form it was taking. And a new… damn it, just one minute.” (He pulled a grenade out of his uniform pocket and threw it. There was the sound of it going off.) “Sorry, he’s made it so money talks around here – and it’s pretty persuasive. Grenades still work, though! Really, he gets so worked up! If you’re making a new Treasury, though, I can at least TALK to him.”

(Charles) “Sure!”

(Rabbit Raksha) “You… are giving me control over it at first, right? Otherwise it’ll be boom all over again.”

(Charles) “Why not? It’s good to have manses out here; they anchor the border and help keep your lands stable against incursions from either side!”

(Rabbit Raksha) “Right!” (To the soldiers) “All right, men! Aden here is going to create a new Presidential Palace! We’re going to occupy it so my brother doesn’t try any funny stuff, then… finally give him his actual birthday present, I guess. Move out!”

Charles… promptly constructed a near-indestructible manse with Wyld Revocation to hold a Freehold, and a Grace Stone for a Hearthstone, and some loyal Raksha-type minions (albeit not horribly dangerous ones). The Rabbit Raksha and his minions promptly occupied it, and started raining bullets on an army of what appears to be various currencies from across the universe. Just another day in Lupimanda, it seemed.

(Charles) “Does anyone know where there are some towers with an ancient presence in them?”

(Rabbit Raksha, A.K.A. General Koiiyana) “Yeah, I’d stay away from those if I were you! If you touch them, you’ll probably calcify. Sometimes really brave Anarchs get into Creation through them, but you’ve got to be quick and fast about not touching them. And the guardians are a pain too!”

Hm! He’d better make a quick artifact to protect any fey around him from that! That was a pain!

(General Koiiyana) “What are you seeking those out for, anyway? Nothing there but a lot of danger-though if the rumors are true, you’re Creation born in the first place.”

(Charles) “Well, I’m looking for somebody who’s been hanging out around here for… well, probably since Creation!”

(General Koiiyana) “Not a Primordial, is it? That’s one of the popular theories for that… thing around here.”

(Charles) “Might be! Or perhaps a Deva! Or something else!

(General Koiiyana) “I’m not sure if they’re a Primordial or not! Those things at least respond when you try to talk to them, even if it is setting you on fire or (and he shivers) making you stick to a shape you don’t want.”

(Charles) “Well… I’d better go find out! Thanks for the information and enjoy the new palace!”

(General Koiiyana) “Hopefully his next birthday party will go smoother than this…”

From the tone, SOME kind of disaster on the President’s birthday was a sure thing! It had probably become a tradition! Still… it was off to the pillars/towers after making sure that none of his friends could get calcified!

He reached them soon enough, as the edge of the dome took on the hue of basalt streaked with crimson material of unknown nature. There was an elegant pillar composed of the same material rising up from it, shaped vaguely like a person. It pulsated with some of the most stable and resolute Essence that Charles had ever felt. Here, on the edges of the Wyld, he could taste the defiance and steadfastness.

(Charles) “Er… Hello!”

There was no response.

As Tsunami flew closer, the edge of the ring of basalt and crimson began to shake – and what appeared to be a chain of stone lashed out at her!

Tsunami had to deploy her own defenses the first time – and for the first time – but then Charles put an indestructible wall in the way. Oddly enough… Charles felt a certain resonance within his own essence the chain of stone hit the wall and it looped back.

Charles tried telepathy – and encountered considerable resistance from the… main body. It felt like vaguely organic resonance trying to stop him, but he did get a response.

(Tower) “Ah, hello there… if you would step upon this sacred ground, dispense with the false soul and come yourself.”

It came from the “head” – and Charles was about to head over when Frumisara spoke up.

(Frumisera) “Oh, now this is suspicious… even if it is what you came for. Ask it why you need to do that.”

(Charles, while grabbing his usual pack) “What? Oh! OK; Will I need to bring anything? You haven’t said why”

And Gothumg breathed a sigh of relief; not only was he listening to the nanny, but he had the sense to take along some equipment!

Charles wasn’t much worried really. After all… inside or outside of Tsunami really didn’t make that big a difference in his defenses anyway.

(Tower) “Well… my mistress has been rather concerned for her security since her brother passed through and failed to return. The false soul will make her worry. Now, you should be reasonably safe here – as long as you play nicely with our other visitors.”

(Charles) “OK!”

Gothmug groaned, and resolved to keep VERY AWARE of what was going on around his Heartstone.! And Frumasara did much the same; she was about as suspicious of this as Gothmug was.

Charles briefly considered using magic to jump down – but around here it seemed MUCH wiser to use the stairs – which went down to the “head” of the tower, which pulsated with a very defensive type of Essence…

(Charles) “Hello there! I’m Charles!”

(Tower) “Well met, Charles. I’m Irmin Rashul. Your coming was foretold. Mind the Razorcarls when you enter; they can be rather enthusiastic.”

And a hole – more like a pore really – opened up, and Charles headed in. The sound of buzzing and grinding came from within. Inside he found odd grinding insects crawling along the walls the chamber, chitinous in composition, but maintaining the appearance of the ring outside. They were looking at him oddly with their single eye each; they seemed confused. Razor-like spikes protruded from their backs – and they were giving off enough stabilizing Essence to calcify any Raksha in mere minutes. It was a good thing that he hadn’t brought any with him!

He made an air-path over the presumed “Razorcarls”…

(Charles) “Hello Razorcarls!”

One of them looked at him oddly, crawled up the wall, and then leaped onto his shoulder. It felt like he was being pricked, just having it on him. If he hadn’t had a Behemoth Cloak active it would have been really painful! Even its legs were sharp.

It extended feelers and seemed to be sniffing him.

He let it sniff his hand – which it did for about a minute, then looked vaguely disappointed.

(Razorcarl) “No poles?”

(Charles) “Poles of what? Or do you mean elemental poles?”

(Razorcarl) “Something like that… my, do the people in there really not know? Good imitation otherwise. Fascinating, really.”

And it jumped back to the wall to join the others.

(Charles) “Hm… Oh! It needs a set of conceptual pairs to define it as a unique reality and deliminate it’s conceptual limits! I think those… would be a result of developing a First Excellency… and… that defines the Fietch Soul too doesn’t it? It represents the conceptual center and balance point of stability…”

(Razorcarl, from the wall) “I am only a humble carl; such is not for me to know.”

(Charles) “Well I’ll think about it! Thanks for the suggestion!”

Onwards!

Further down, there was, oddly enough, a bit of celestial architecture. It resembled a Heavenly toll booth, but it was in the Wyld, nowhere near the embassy gate leading to Yu-Shan. It was well warded against Raksha and raksha abilities, and was minded by a human in a full suit of cold iron armor. The vivid red eyes and Essence signature indicated a Battles Half-Caste.

(Charles) “Hello!”

(Guard) “Huh? Charles Dexter Ward? What are you doing here?”

(Charles) “I came out to visit and pick something up!”

Ah! He’d seen the woman in Yu-Shan before! Her name was Kalsi Garda Bird, the daughter of an elder Chosen of Battles often believed to be a part of the Silver Faction – though it was hard to say for most non-Bronze Sidereals. She was noted for being an experienced traveler of space and an advocate of expanding the Bureaucracy to the cosmos.

(Charles) “Anyway, how are you?”

(Kalsi) “I’m doing good… and the guy in the tower spoke to you, right? I need to ask you some questions for… things.”

(Charles) “OK!”

(Kalsi) “Just a security clearance; everyone passing through needs to answer these questions… Are you currently carrying any unshaped or shaped raksha with you right now?”

She had pulled out a device to check.

(Kalsi) “And are you an unshaped or shaped raksha yourself?”

(Charles) “Well, sort of! There are some shaped Raksha in Aden! I’m pretty sure I’m not though!”

(Kalsi) “Are any of these raksha interested in joining the Celestial Bureaucracy on a temporary or permanent basis?”

(Charles) “I’ll ask!”

He did so.

(Kaernock) “If I wanted to drown in paperwork, I would go to a freehold ruled by a Panjandrum.”

(Charles) “Well, it might be wise to step back to earth then! I don’t THINK that much would get through into Aden, but it’s hard to really be sure!”

He was pretty sure that the Mardi Gras Raksha – who were created by creations’s rules in their own weird way – wouldn’t be affected though, given that they didn’t calcify or anything anyway.

Kaernock did so, although he was disappointed; he was curious about what was deeper in the place!

(Kalsi) “Okay… I see some of the raksha you’re carrying have left… and the ones inside are reading as native. That’s no problem – I guess those are the Mardi Gras ones?”

(Charles) “That’s right!”

(Kalsi) “Well, they should be fine…” (She analyzed his Graces since she knew that he had them, and made sure that they were clean). “I’ll also need you to promise not to use any Wyld-based abilities past this point. It angers our… host.”

(Charles) “OK! I think that’s manageable!”

(Kalsi giving him a card made of cold iron.) “Okay, you’re clear. Since you’re not going to be a god, head to the left when you get past here, and have a nice day.”

And she raised the gate and waved him through. The path branched off immediately after, within view – and to the left it was! As he passed the fork… he could hear some noise coming from the right; it sounded like a lot of interviewing. Raksha to God clearance? And special artifacts to help with that?

Onwards though!

To the left there were stairs down, that finally ended in a large chamber with many windows and a transparent doorway. The edge of the ring was visible outside; it was ringed with catapults that looked more grown than constructed and reminded Charles of hair in structure. Their payloads looked like stones, but were far more solid than any stone he’d ever seen. On the other side of the ring he could hear a good deal of noise… Meanwhile, in the chamber itself, he could see several mosaics on the wall. They pulsated as if alive.

(Charles, audibly and telepathically) “Hello!”

(Irmin) “Ah, you’ve passed the meat creatures’ security, I see. They’ve been here for quite a while, doing odd things with the… I suppose they were Shapeless once, but not any more. Shaped and Unshaped, yes?”

One of the mosaics – the one with the red-and-black robed man blasting a horde of raksha with his hair – seemed to be looking at him.

(Charles) “Well, the Raksha in Creation have mostly settled down to defending the place with everyone else! The ones outside are supposed to have gotten worse and they don’t want to get eaten! Uhrm… I might have a message from Gaia for someone here, but she didn’t really say who!”

(Irmin) “Gaia? She came through a long while ago in her Gnosis-form. I thought she had left a piece of herself inside. What was the message?”

(Charles) “Well, she sent me to pick up some sort of “tool” that Autochthon made and that she left here in safe-keeping and she said to tell the person who had it that my Grandfather – Richof Haldane – was doing just fine!”

(Irmin) “Wait – well, no wonder you were foretold, then! And no wonder he said you weren’t to bring any subsidiary selves in… how badly is Yu-Shan doing, I wonder? The Emerald Mother must be genuinely desperate to ask for THAT.”

(Charles) “Well… not very well! But I think I can make her better…”

(Irmin) “And to think that Richof, of all the thanes, would be desperate enough to… never mind. You need to go to the thirteenth segment as soon as possible. I can get you over there, though the method would be… harrowing, to say the least.”

(Charles) “Well, I could open some gates; redirecting the manse-gates works pretty well!”

(Irmin) “That will require some adjustments. The last people to pass through used them, though they were… odd, to say the least.”

(Charles) “They’re set up for that already… The operators would just use the artifacts!”

Irmin made some quick adjustments on the local land, which Charles could feel geomantically. Normally, the basalt was quite well warded against any form of teleportation whatsoever, except maybe for through Oblivion – but then that tremendously risky method went pretty much anyplace and was almost unavailable these days! Only a few old Deathlords/Abyssals still contained an oblivion shard to use it with. The Memory of the Void was MUCH less risky anyhow!

There was an eye-opening view as Charles emerged and saw a good portion of the universe – the shaped universe – instead of the Wyld. A statue loomed here too.

(Charles) “Hello!”

A VERY familiar voice answered from the statue, which was much less worn than the one from before!

(Richof) “Hello, my boy!”

(Charles) “Oh, hey! I didn’t think that you’d be here… After all, last I heard you were in the inner regions of the universe!”

(Richof) “Well, technically… yes! But then you know that multipresence is not as difficult as some would think.”

(Charles) “But… if I was looking for you, why would Gaia say to tell you that you were all right?”

(Richof, sadly) “The Emerald Mother has no idea of my true capabilities. Orders from MY progenitor, I fear.”

(Charles) “Oh! Well, everyone in Yu-Shan hs lots of secrets!”

(Richof) “Don’t they all… no wonder you’re taking this so well. I suppose you’ve come for the Spike of Polar Unbinding, then?”

(Charles) “I guess so! She didn’t exactly say what it was I was coming for!”

The ground beneath Charles’s feet rumbled a bit) “That’s… going to be rather dangerous for Gaia, but helpful to you. Your great-grandmother has it at the moment. Or should I say, her jouten does.”

(Charles) “Hrm… Well, how can I reach her?”

(Richof) “That’s… going to be tricky even for you, my boy. Her jouten is deep within this world-body, hidden from those who would do her harm. I can at least open the way, but . . . she had to watch several of her siblings die to your kind. She wasn’t pleased when I told her you Exalted. And once you get down there… the grinding, heat, and pressure are considerable.”

(Charles) “Well I didn’t MEAN to!”

(Richof) “I know, I know… but your great-grandmother has never set foot in Creation. There’s so much she doesn’t understand. Which is why I exist, I suppose! You’re absolutely sure you must do this? I already know the answer, but I will hate sending you into such danger!”

(Charles) “But if I don’t fix Yu-Shan, she’ll die, and the backlash will destroy the pole of Earth and then the universe will collapse!”

Charles showed his Grandfather the geomantic mess, since he’d never gotten briefed on it!

(Richof) “Shinma! You must show that to your great-grandmother! The only thing worse than Yu-Shan as she is now is likely to be what she will dissolve into!”

(Charles) “Well… Anything else that might help? I have most of my other tools and preparations ready…”

(Richof) “At least we don’t have to worry about hiding the Exaltation! But at any rate… be prepared for a good deal of digging and dealing with fortifications. Also, her name is Gauderis Athelstane, the Ring of Basalt and Crimson. It does help to know who you are dealing with – and the surprise of a Creation born knowing who she is might get you somewhere.”

Eclipse – A City On A Hill

Today it ‘ s a question that I forgot about for quite some time. Fortunately, it apparently wasn’t too vital…

Using the Eclipse system of 10th and higher level spells, where would you peg a Creation (?) spell that allows the caster to make a small town or something equally impressive, yet has a duration other than instantaneous or permanent and the caster can dispel parts without dispelling the whole.

-Derek

Cities have always been among the greatest and most complex human achievements. Even the great monuments are mostly parts of cities; there are (or were) the Pyramids of Giza near Cairo, the Pharos of Alexandria, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon… some set a bit apart, but all fundamentally built and maintained by the people of the cities they were associated with. Philosophy, science and engineering, warfare, literature, and rulership may color the great tapestry of history – but tale of human civilization is fundamentally the history of cities. Great nations are little more than collections of cities and the areas they dominate. On the human – and perhaps on the cosmic – scale there are few acts more impressive than founding or raising a city. That tradition reaches across time, from the near-mythical acts of Romulus on to the most modern of groundbreaking ceremonies.

Raising a city is also one of the great acts of magic. In myth and legend ruined cities are raised from dust, either as shades of the dead past or as horrific citadels of the undead. Cities of refuge are raised by acts of magic – or, in more modern tales, by equally magical nanotechnology. There are cities of illusion and more-or-less real mirrors of existing cities.

Still, in a setting where transhuman adventurers may shatter mountains with their swords, call planes of existence into being, and rise to replace the elder power of creation, raising a city with little more than a transcendent act of will is well within reach.

Oddly enough, one of the easiest ways to conjure up a city is to actually do it. The malleable stuff of interdimensional space is so easy to mold that mere dreams can do it, and drawing things across those spaces is so easy that mere first level spells can do it routinely – with enough leftover power to throw in extra functions as well. Simple, low-cost, magical devices such as a Handy Haversack create, organize, and hold open tiny extradimensional realms for mere conveniences sake. All you need do to conjure up a building or a city is to reach into the interdimensional aether, shape it, and draw your shaping into reality.

To do so, simply use the Spacewarp Spell Template from The Practical Enchanter. Properly applied, you can use it to generate spells that will squeeze buildings or even entire cities into an existing landscape. For some possible spells in such a sequence consider…

• Sheltering Cavern (L3): This quick incantation opens a handy, if dead-end, cavern in some convenient solid surface – an extradimensional space that’s stable enough to handle containing the bags of holding, portable holes, and the other minor dimensional distortions that so many adventurers haul around with them. If you need a convenient spot to duck that avalanche, then this is the spell for you. Spacewarp (2), Stable against minor portals (bags of holding, etc, +1), Finite Boundaries (Original World).
• Secure Shelter (L4): This standard SRD spell is an old standby for wilderness camps – and can be built like this: Spacewarp (2), Minimal Features (simple furnishings, basic alarms and barriers, possible Unseen Servant, +1), Stable +2 (the shelter can contain gates, portable holes, and similar dimensional distortions without difficulties), Finite Boundaries (original World), Long Casting Time (-1). Very similar spells can be used to create an oasis, a pit of flames, a handy workshop, or even a small pillbox-fort.
• Mage’s Mansion (L7): Another SRD classic, this spell is handy for more luxury-prone high-level types. Spacewarp (2), Increased Size (+1), Furnished (+1), Supplied (+1), Servants (+1), and Barriers (+1). The base version has finite boundaries (walls), but a variant with finite boundaries (walls opening onto the original plane) is pretty trivial.
• The Hidden City (L9): Calling forth an entire small city (or a fortification) is just a bit harder. It’s Spacewarp (2), lasting 1 Day/Level (+1), Increased Area 50/level radius (+3), Furnished (+1), and Stable +2 (the city can hold gates, portable holes, and similar dimensional distortions without difficulties). This will produce a well-furnished – but essentially empty city. Variants with additional features will either wind up creeping into the spell level 10+ category or will call for expensive components, lengthy casting times, or other methods of holding their spell level down. Throwing in Supplies (stocking the bars, putting grain in the granary, and so on) adds +1 level. Adding walls, locks, alarms, and other basic defenses adds +1 level (Traps, +1). Throwing in either a modest number of powerful creatures or a city populace costs +2 levels (Servants) for one or the other or +3 levels for both. Adding other features… simply falls for adding appropriate modifiers from the Spacewarp Template. Given that the area of effect is a great deal larger than that of a normal Dispel Magic, even a successful attempt at dispelling will normally only remove a portion of the city or fortification. If the variant chosen includes an appropriate magically morphic planar trait, the caster will be able to use specialized sub-magics to change various features of the city. In any case, such a city can either be located in its own pocket dimension or it can be bounded by the caster’s original dimension.

There are, however, other ways – which are sometimes quite useful.

Fabricating a city from available materials is quite possible, and has the advantage of inherent permanency – but is harder than simply conjuring up a city. Worse, the effects tend to be limited by the caster’s skills (rather than by his dreams) unless additional magic is included to obviate that limitation. In any case, when using this method it’s advisable to draw up some basic plans first. The fourteenth level Construction spell will handle this sort of project, and already includes a Divination component to compensate for any lack of skill on the caster’s part. Variants for lesser projects are possible; a twelfth level version will suffice for a large manor house and outbuildings, a block of tenements, or similar mid-range project. A mere tenth level version will suffice to build a mage’s tower (and makes a suitable ‘I made Archmage!’ announcement) or a modest stone mansion – and a mere eighth level conventional spell will suffice to build a decent house (although if all the caster has to work with is dirt, adobe bricks will have to do). However, if you’re unhappy with the available materials, this sort of spell won’t help a bit.

Versions that skip the divination component are generally a level lower -but are so much less versatile and useful that they’re almost never researched.

Illusory cities – pretty much by necessity – include enough shadow magic to give them a good deal of reality. Otherwise they’d give themselves away as soon as a visitor tried to step up onto a curb. The major problem with an illusory city is that they have to be directed. Make a real block stone and it will fracture properly when struck, respond to gravity and inertia properly when thrown, and react to further spells properly. An illusory block of rock… needs either constant attention or some fairly complex rules. Even if you make it partially real with Shadow Magic, you have rules to provide; a shadow magic block of stone could be representing pretty much any kind of stone, or be hollow, or many other things.

The Grand Mirage.

• Level Sixteen
• Conjuration, Divination, Illusion.
• Components: V, S
• Range: LOS
• Casting Time: One Standard Action
• Saving Throw: Will Partial
• Spell Resistance: No

The Grand Mirage affects a radius of one-quarter mile per caster level and produces an 80% real change in the environment within that area. The environmental change may include plants, animals vermin, and even first and second level commoners, NPC class figures as desired (as well as common citizens for populated environments and need not be consistent throughout the area of effect; if the caster wants half the area to become deep ocean, to become shallows, and the remainder to become beachfront, so be it. If he or she wishes to include rains of sharks, workshops full of elves making toys, or many attractive young adults on ‘spring break’, that works too. The Grand Mirage can be dispelled – but dispelling one chunk of it has no effect on the rest.

Cities are founded, they grow, they prosper – and, eventually, they die.

And what dies can be recalled by the necromantic arts.

The Shadow Of Days Gone By

• Level Thirteen
• Divination, Illusion, Necromancy
• Components: V
• Range: LOS
• Casting Time: Ritual
• Saving Throw: None
• Spell Resistance: No

This mighty spell evokes a city or a region that once existed in a particular region, but which does no longer – allowing modern visitors to see sights long gone, hear extinct tongues, speak with sages millennia dead, to taste dishes long forgotten, and to study books long since dust. The recreation will endure until the sun sets upon it three times, and then will return to the dust from whence it came. During that time all the glories – and all the dangers – of a past age will rise once more. Knowledge and mundane items acquired in the city – such as food, or recipes, or even books – will remain, as will minor magical devices, such as potions and wands – but major items of magic will vanish with the city.

The Charnel Realm

• Level Fifteen
• Conjuration, Necromancy, Transmutation
• Components V, S, M (a dark altar must be raised)
• Range: LOS
• Casting Time: Ritual
• Saving Throw: None.
• Spell Resistance: No.

This horrific spell imbues the very essence of a land long gone with dark malice and negative energy – raising a horrific realm of the undead. Ever-decaying and accursed buildings loom, elder libraries are filled with dark secrets and horrific spells (no matter what they were like originally), and the deceased people and creatures of the land will walk again as undead – many of them fully sapient and accepting of their horrific state. Undead law enforcement will impose twisted statuettes of death, decaying courtesans will offer their malign favors, and undead butchers will assemble deathly abominations. The caster does NOT gain control of the realm or its creatures, but the caster – and up to (Charisma) designated companions – will be accepted by the realm and its horrors as residents, as if they were undead themselves.

Still, while truly evil masters of dark forces may find such a city congenial, and perhaps take it as a lair, few others will find any attraction in the prospect. Unfortunately for the world, the effect is quite permanent and cannot simply be dispelled.

Whispering Songbird, Level Seven Cultist

Despite their pretensions, the Cultists had very little actual power. A few poorly-understood rituals, alchemy and herblore, a few cantrips, a little peasant witchery, and an urgent desire to feel effectual did not make them so.

They did have patience though – and were willing to invest what little power they DID have in attempting to rear a worthy vessel for the dark powers they worshiped.

They still didn’t do that great a job – but a lifetime of strengthening herbs, alchemical treatments, and witchery focused on a single child got them some minor results. For good or ill, however, the youngster turned out to be quite bright enough naturally to see that most of her “mentors” had no real idea of what they were up to – and to strike out on her own.

The dread powers she had been meant to serve have never really answered her, but she certainly wouldn’t have any objection to using them as well if they should happen to get their act together and start doing something.

The Pathfinder Package Deal includes +2 to an attribute, a bonus SP or HP per level the user follows a strict development plan (not included in the basic writeup), and not having to pay XP for any reasonable use of item-creation abilities.

Racial Template/Alchemically Augmented Human:

Given that the other characters for this game are all creating their own races, Whispering Songbird might as well at least spend the rest of the points available for a +0 ECL race…

• Humans get to pick which attribute enjoys the Pathfinder Template bonus – buying off a Corruption worth (4 CP).
• Bonus Feat (6 CP).
• Fast Learner, Specialized in Skills (3 CP).
•  “Groomed with many rare alchemical elixirs from an early age, Whispering Songbird has gained a +1 bonus to each attribute” (18 CP).

That’s not an especially dramatic racial ability, but a slight generic edge suits this character well enough.

Base Attributes: Str 9 (-1), Dex 13 (3), Con 13 (3), Int 15 (7), Wis 13 (3), Cha 17 (13).

Net Attributes: Str 10, Dex 18 (+2 Human, +1 Level, +1 Self-Dev), Con 14, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 18

“Class” Skills: Acrobatics, Stealth, Disable Device, Seight of Hand, Climb, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Bluff, Sense Motive, Knowledge: Local, Knowledge: Nobility, Knowledge: History, Use Magic Device, Disguise, Craft, Profession, Perform, and Perception.

Available Character Points: 192 (L7 Base) +10 (Disadvantages: Hunted, Irreverent, Valuable) +30 (Human, L1, L3, L5, L7 Feats) = 232 CP

Basics (92 CP):

• Hit dice: L1d8 (4 CP), L2-7d6 (12 CP)
• Saves: +11 Total (+3 Fort, +4 Ref, +4 Will, 33 CP).
• BAB +3 (18 CP), +1 Specialized in Ranged Attacks, Corrupted/Crossbows Only for Triple Effect (6 CP), +1 Specialized in Melee Attacks, Corrupted/Daggers and Short Swords Only (2 CP).
• Proficient with Light Armor (3 CP) and a Small Group of Simple Weapons (Crossbows, Daggers, and Short Swords, 2 CP).
• Skill Points: 12 (CP) +30 (Int) +20 (Human Fast Learner) = 62.

Special Abilities (140 CP):

• Upgrade Human Fast Learner to +2 SP/Level (3 CP).
• Fast Learner, Specialized in Skills, Corrupted/automatically keeps Spy Block skills maxed out (4 CP).
• Master Spy/Adept (6 CP): Buys Stealth, Disguise, Bluff and Sense Motive for half cost.
• Master Thief/Adept (6 CP): Buys Climb, Disable Device, Knowledge: Local, and Sleight of Hand for half cost.
• Awareness (6 CP): Suffers no defensive penalties when surprised.
• Augmented Bonus (Expert Shot): Adds (Int Mod) to (Dex Mod) with ranged weapons, Specialized in Crossbows (3 CP).
• Augmented Attack (6 CP): +2d6 classical sneak attack.
• Augmented Attack – Silencing (6 CP)
• Evasive/Using ranged weapons in melee, Specialized and Corrupted/crossbows only (4 CP): – Do not take AoO for firing a crossbow.
• Fortune: Evasion Variant (6 CP) – as the Rogue ability
• Improved Superior Presence (18 CP) – 10′ radius, all enemies receive a -2 morale penalty to attacks against you. Improved Presence; +4 Social bonus impacts people who are receptive to her beauty, Superior Presence; Those affected by her beauty must make DC 13 + Cha mod Will saves to even attack you (they get +5 to the save if you are actively attacking them though)
• Luck with +2 Bonus Uses, Specialized for Ranged Attacks only (4 CP). Take 20 on any d20 roll with no prep, even if not normally allowed, once per day
• Luck with +2 Bonus Uses, Specialized in saving throws (4 CP).
• Skill Focus +1 (2 CP) – +1 bonus to Stealth
• Immunity/Penalties for firing into Melee (Common/Minor/Minor, Specialized/Crossbows Only, 2 CP).
• Improved Initiative +4 (6 CP)
• Action Hero/Influence Option (6 CP)
• Contacts (Occult x2, Multiple, 9 CP): Includes a king, a powerful fey, a powerful mage, a lich., and one more contact.
• Innate Enchantment (10 CP) – 9000 gp worth of effects
  • Tap Inner Beauty (2000) (+2 Insight Bonus to Cha checks)
  • Expeditious Retreat (2000): +30′ bonus to movement.
  • Innocence (2000): +10 Competence Bonus on Bluff Checks to convince others of your innocence.
  • Cultural Adaptation (2000) +2 on Diplomacy checks made to influence members of the culture to which you have adapted. You also gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks made to pass yourself off as a member of the culture. Additionally, the DCs of enchantment (charm) spells you cast against natives of the culture to which you are attuned increase by +1.
  • Resistance (700)”: +1 Resistance Bonus on Saving Throws (this one ins not already personal-only, so only 700 GP).
• Witchcraft III, (Basic Abilities: The Adamant Will, Glamour, The Hand of Shadows, Healing, The Inner Eye, Shadowweave, and Witchsight) with four Pacts – Taboos, Rituals, Souls, and Gateway. The Pacts pay for +3d6 (16) Power, The Dark Flame, the Umbral Form, and Leaping Fire. Net Power 39, Save DC (13 + Cha Mod) (18 CP).
• Companion: Falcon Familiar with the Spirit Fetch Template and Might, Corrupted/Familiar is quite independent, and tends to do it’s own thing (12 CP). Provides Occult Sense/Spirit Sense to allow the user to “see” and “hear” spirits. The bonus points from Might go to upgrading the Fetch’s Mystic Link with an Identity Link (3 CP), the Transferable Modifier (Specialized; transferring a link takes a mystic ritual with GMO requirements, 3 CP), +2 additional links (6 CP). This allows the Fetch to link with up to two other people to share and transfer spells and other magical effects as needed.
• Create Relic, Specialized and Corrupted/only usable to make one-point relics, only usable with points from Enthusiast, all relics carry a disadvantage – although this does help reduce their cost (2 CP).Coming up with an elaborate ritual and an interesting description is highly recommended, but not required.
• Double Enthusiast, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect (a total of six “floating” character points)/points may only be used to create relics, relics have a maximum cost of one point and no one can use more than one at any one time.

Note that it IS possible to give one to the Fetch, and thus set up additional power-sharing links.

Iron Bolt Kung Fu (Dex)

You aim well, you remain calm, you breathe deeply – and you put relatively modest pieces of sharply pointed steel into vital points as quickly as you possibly can. You move quickly and you make yourself as elusive a target as you possibly can. Iron Bolt Kung Fu is not an elaborate style – but it’s eminently practical.

• Requires: At least +1 BAB specialized in Crossbows AND +1 BAB specialized in short blades.
• Basic Abilities: Attack 4, Defenses 2, Power 2, and Synergy Craft/Crossbow.
• Advanced and Master Techniques: Sneak Attack II, Weapon Kata/Dagger, and Rapid Shot.
• Occult Techniques: Inner Strength, Light Foot, Touch Strike, and Vanishing.

With a skill of anywhere from +14 to +17, this character can have 7 to 9 techniques. Attack III, Sneak Attack II, Weapon Kata / Dagger, and either Rapid Shot or Vanishing (or both) would be useful.

Whispering Songbird is an excellent social manipulator, possesses a variety of useful (if minor) powers, is not at all bad at sneak attacks – and can both provide her companions with useful boosts and allows them to share spells with each other. She’s no overwhelming powerhouse – but she should be welcome in practically any (evil) party.

Rake and Rokean

The Green endured, and in the end, it always conquered. It was the basis of life across a myriad worlds. It’s strength – the strength of the lands and forests – surged through his veins, swamping the human side of his heritage. If he could just touch the Green that surely grew in the realms beyond, a thousand new magics might be his!

The older druids would have warned him if he hadn’t hidden his ambitions from them. There were places where even the primeval strengths of the Green did not reach. Places where powers dwelt that no sane spellcaster would ever seek to link to. 

When the young druid arose from his trance his new companion stood by his side – and gnawed furtively as his essence. Nidhogg and the powers that gnawed, the forces of the Mirror Sephirot, the things from beyond were indeed a part of nature – but of it’s darkest and most destructive aspect.

And there was HUNGER.

Rake is a Pathfinder-style character, and so takes the Pathfinder Package Deal – including +2 to an attribute, a bonus SP or HP per level in which he follows his development plan, and not having to pay XP for any reasonable use of item-creation abilities.

Since the game master is allowing the characters to create their own races (evil parties tend to need all the advantages they can get) AND is using the half-price rule for attributes Rake has his own unique (supernaturally altered) species:

Racial Template: Half Plant Fey (31 CP/+0 ECL):

• Pathfinder Racial Attribute Bonus: +2 Charisma (0 CP, see Pathfinder Package above)
• Self-Development (Using the half-cost attributes rule): +2 Dex, +2 Wis, +2 Int, +2 more to any chosen attribute (24 CP).
• Fast Learner, Specialized in Skills for Double Effect (+2 SP/Level) (6 CP).
• Immunity to Poison (Common, Major, Minor, 6 CP)
• Occult Sense – Low-Light Vision (6 CP)
• Traceless/Travel (6 CP)
• Speak Language/Sylvan (1 CP).
• Template Disadvantage/the Fey are Compulsive about keeping their sworn words (-3 CP).

The entire Template is, however, Corrupted:

• Rake takes 1d6 extra damage from weapons of Cold Iron.
• Rake’s life is bound to the land; there is some area, or grove of trees, or similar natural feature that you depend on; if it is damaged or destroyed, you will be severely weakened, and will have to find something new to bind yourself too before you can recover.
• Rake is compelled to offer three boons to anyone who independently discovers and invokes his true name – although he can play tricks with the wording and there are limits as to what can be demanded of him (for a start, nothing suicidal or requiring more than one week of his time).
• Rake owes a yearly service (again, nothing suicidal and taking no longer than one month) to the great lords of the fey.

The second, third, and fourth are, of course, plot hooks – ways in which the character can be roped into a party or an adventure. That’s useful to the game master (which is why it’s worth some bonuses), but you’re trusting the game master to provide interesting adventures anyway – so it’s not all that burdensome to the player even if it annoys the character.

Available Character Points: 192 (Level Seven Base) +10 (Disadvantages) +14 (Duties; druid-style) + 24 (L1, 3, 5 and 7 Bonus Feats) = 240 CP.

Disadvantages:

• Secret: The disturbing truth about Rake is that he’s no longer really in control of himself; the symbiote calls the shots now. That’s why he becomes ineffectual if the symbiote isn’t nearby to tell him what to do.- Compulsive: The Symbiote is HUNGRY FOR MEAT. It will seek to devour creatures whenever possible, provided they are weakened or helpless. Rake must do all he can to help facilitate this.
• Dependent: If the Symbiont isn’t adjacent to Rake, or occupies the same space as Rake for more than a minute, Rake suffers a -3 penalty to all rolls.

Attributes: STR 8, DEX 18 (+2 racial), CON 12, INT 12 (+2 Racial), WIS 16 (+2 Racial), and CHA 22 (+4 racial, +1 at level 4, +1 from Self-Development at level 4)

Basic Purchases (71 CP):

• Hit Dice: 7d6 (14 CP).
• Saves: total +8 (24 CP).
• Fortitude: +4 (12 CP) +1 (Con) = +5
• Reflex: +2 (6 CP) +4 (Dex) = +6
• Will: +2 (6 CP) +3 (Wis) = +5
• Skill Points: 15 (15 CP) +20 (Racial Fast Learner) + 10 (Int) = 45 SP
• BAB +3 (18 CP).
• Proficiencies: Light Armor and Shields, both Corrupted/non-metal materials only (4 CP).

Special Abilities (130 CP):

• Turning Towards The Sun: Fast Learner, Specialized in Druid Magic Levels for Double Effect (6 CP, taken at L0).
• Spirit-Speaker: Nine Charisma-Based Druid Magic Levels (72 – 16 = 56 CP). Restrictions: Conduct (Don’t harm nature), Restrained (No damaging spells).
• Champion of the Wilds: Improved Augmented Bonus x3 (Adds Cha Mod to all three saving throws), Specialized / only while he remains true to the service of the powers of nature (18 CP).
• Whispering Lore/Augmented Bonus; may add (Cha Mod) to Knowledge Skills, since the spirits of nature constantly whisper their secrets to him (6 CP).
• Master Of The Vine/Innate Enchantment (7000 GP net value/8 CP).
  • Roots of the Earth/Fast Healing I, SL1 x CL1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use-Activated x .6 for 3x/Day = 1200 GP.
  • Entangle: SL1 x CL1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use-Activated = 2000 GP.
  • Shoots of Ivy: Vines stretch from you to perform a non-damaging single combat maneuver at close range using a combat maneuver bonus of (Caster’s Hit Dice + Casting Attribute Modifier + Caster Size Modifier) before withering away moments later. SL1 x CL1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use-Activated = 2000 GP.
  • Etheric Foliage: The user is surrounded by the rustling shadows of leaves, which deflect blows and missiles as per Shield of Faith. SL1 x CL1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use-Activated = 2000 GP.
• Might of Trees/Empowerment, Specialized in Innate Enchantment: His Innate Enchantments use his level as their casting level, rather than their purchased casting level (6 CP).
• The Wind In The Branches/Immunity/Restraint (QV Freedom Of Movement) (Uncommon, Major, Epic, Specialized and Corrupted/only works for (Level) rounds per day, although these need not be consecutive (6 CP).
• Self-Development (6 CP): +1 to Charisma
• One With The World/Immunity/The need to have Cover or Concealment to Hide (Common, Minor, Minor, 4 CP).
• Flesh of the Fey/Damage Reduction 2, Corrupted/not versus Cold Iron (2 CP).
• Of Air and Darkness/Improved (Level + 10) Spell Resistance (12 CP).

Rokean, Harbringer of the Outer Darkness (39 CP).

• Companion/Companion Creature (6 CP) with +2 ECL Template (Alien Symbiont, 6 CP), Might (+2 Positive Levels, 6 CP), Great Form (can cast Righteous Might (as evil) on companion up to three times per day as a Free Action, 6 CP), and Transference/+30 (15 CP).

Base Statistics: Wild Boar.

• Companion Bonuses: Improved Fortune/Evasion, +3d8 HD, +3 Natural Armor, +3 Warcraft, +1 Con, +1 Str, Int 8, 21 CP to spend. May communicate and share the effects of spells and powers (if desired) at ranges of up to one mile. CP: Adept (Perception, Sense Motive, Climb, Stealth, 6 CP), +4 to each Adept skill (8 CP), extra +2 on Perception (1 CP), Improved Initiative +4 (6 CP).
• Might Bonuses: +2 to BAB, Saves, and AC, +12 CP to spend.
  • CP: Luck with +4 Bonus Uses, Specialized in Saving Throws (6 CP), Reflex Training /three extra actions per day variant (6 CP).
• Alien Symbiont Template (+2 ECL/93 CP):
  • Extra Legs (6 CP) – +4 bonus vs. Trip, +10 bonus to ground movement, for a total of 50′
  • Self-Development: +4 Strength, +2 Dex (18 CP, since the half-price attribute rule is in play)
  • Amorphous (6 CP): Can’t be flanked, can fit through small spaces.
  • Energy Infusion/Fire: Immune to Fire, double damage from Cold (6 CP).
  • Energy Infusion/Electricity: Immune to Electricity, double damage from Acid (6 CP).
  • Mindspeech (6 CP): The creature has no voice, and so must communicate telepathically
  • Occult Sense/Blindsight 60 (6 CP).
  • Internal Inherent Spell I/Negate Aroma and Feather Step, each usable 2/Day as a supernatural ability (12 CP)
  • Internal Inherent Spell II /Greater Invisibility as a supernatural ability with +6 Bonus Uses (21 CP).
  • Returning; As long as Rake survives, his Symbiont can regenerate from him, whether he likes it or not (6 CP).
• Transference Bonuses:
  • Martial Arts (6 CP): Gore increases to 1d12.
  • Lunge (6 CP): 5′ Reach.
  • Augment Attack/2d6 Sneak Attack (6 CP)
  • DR 2/- (3 CP).
  • +3 Skill Points (three remaining adept skills to +6, 3 CP).
  • Enhanced Strike/Mighty Slash (Automatically deals maximum damage and gets a +5 to hit, once per minute, 6 CP).

Which gives Rokean…

Medium sized Abomination:

• Str 22, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 4
• HD: 5d8
• HP: 57/57
• Initiative: +5
• BAB: +6/+1
• CMB: +12
• CMD: 23, 31 vs. Trip
• Base Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2
• Adjusted Saves: Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +3
• AC: 20 (+9 Natural + 1 Dex)
• FF AC: 19 (+9 Natural)
• Touch AC: 11 (+1 Dex)
• Speed: 50′
• Defenses:
  • – Improved Evasion
  • – DR 2/-
  • – Immune to Fire
  • – Immune to Electricity
• Weaknesses:
  • – Vulnerable to Cold
  • – Vulnerable to Acid
• Skills:
  • – Climb 6 + 6 + 3 = +15
  • – Perception 6 + 1 + 3 = +10
  • – Sense Motive 6 + 1 + 3 = +10
  • – Stealth 6 + 1 + 3 = +10
• Feats:
  •  Toughness
  •  Lunge
• Special Abilities:
  • – Ferocity (is staggered but not unconscious once past 0 HP)
  • Gore natural attack (1d12)
  • Sneak Attack 2d6
  • Blindsight 60′
  • Mindspeech
  • Negate Aroma and Feather Step, each usable 2/Day as a supernatural ability
  • Greater Invisibility as a supernatural ability with +6 Bonus Uses
  • Amorphous: Can’t be flanked, can fit through small spaces
  • Returning: If “killed”, Smoke Pig regenerates from Rake whether he likes it or not
  • Mighty Slash: Automatically deals maximum damage and gets a +5 to hit, once per minute
  • Luck with +4 Bonus Uses (take 20 on saving throw), Specialized in Saving Throws
  • Reflex Training /three extra actions per day variant

 

Eclipse – Kelelawar, Level Four Vigilante Hero

The distinction between magic and expertise has always been blurred. Masters of the Martial Arts, of Herbalism, of Metallurgy, and of many other fields have often been reputed to possess supernatural powers.

In a realm of magic that dividing line may not exist at all.

The child’s eyes were haunted. If they were windows to his soul, they opened onto a vista consumed by fire and war – the same fires which had left him orphaned and alone.

The priests who cared for the orphans were kindly enough, but the could not restore what had been taken. They tried, at least to offer a future – teaching the children whatever they could of the skills they knew. Most eventually took to the simple pursuits which were always in demand, and took up careers as Carpenters, Bakers, Millers, or any of a hundred other common professions. A few became scholars, priests, or even mages in their turn.

Young Kelelawar had shown a talent for the Martial Arts, and had practiced them earnestly – at first as a distraction, later with grim purpose; he would never again be helpless in the face of violence, whether weapons were forbidden or not. Finding the child adamant, despite all attempts to lead him into some more practical field, the priests bowed to the inevitable and gave him extra lessons – as long as he kept up reasonably well in his other subjects.

Kelelawar was thirteen and running an errand when he took a shortcut through the alleys and ran across a pair of thugs menacing a young woman and her two small children. Large, armed, and dressed in studded leather, the two easily shrugged off an attack by an outraged child, tossing him aside with stunning force – but the hidden depths of the Stone Mountain Style responded to his hand and blood dripping on the ground, striking down one thug with an erupting pillar-spear of earth and stone. As the second swung his blade, the Drifting Spider Style guided it gently astray – and the Venomous Spider’s Bite left him convulsing on the ground.

The young woman gasped out her thanks – and clutched her children and fled for busier and safer streets. Young adventurers were little safer to be around than criminals, even if they were being benevolent at the moment.

The nearby river accepted two more bodies with barely a ripple. It was used to it; the wars had glutted it with flesh more than once. The thugs anonymously-donated purses sufficed to make life a little easier for the younger children for more than a month.

It took three more years of training before Kelelawar could reliably call on the hidden depths of the arts – but now he knew that he had the potential, the ability to go beyond the normal limits of mortal skill, and that he needed only practice.

Today most of his skills reach beyond the normal limits – and Kelelawar has taken to haunting the streets, becoming a whispered figure of fear to the petty criminals of the city. Someday, perhaps, his reach will extend to the greater criminals – the creatures (he will not call them men) who plot wars and spread carnage in search of profit and advantage. Until that day – if it should ever come – he will do what he can with what he has.

Kelelawar is pretty much purely skill-based – and that alone turns a lot of d20 assumptions on their heads. In d20, skills peak early; they’re very useful before the DC’s get too high – but by level six or seven the spells and powers that can replace many of them are pretty routinely available. Knock, Levitate, Suggestion, Jump… the list goes on. Just as importantly, skills tend to increase linearly; Kelelawar has already got several of the best bonuses for his skills – so he can expect to raise his attribute bonuses a point or two, and add another +13 skill points to his major skills, by level twenty. That will take him from +23 to around +40. Since he’s using his skills to power his special abilities… at level four he’s got almost half of all the power he’s ever going to have as far as his main abilities are concerned. Yes, he can raise the limits of the “spell effects” he can generate – but that will become increasingly hard to justify as the effect levels go up and will drain his reserves even faster. For the moment he’s very powerful. If he wants to remain at all relevant, however, he’s going to have to start branching out fairly soon – most likely along a rogue-style path.

Kelelawar, Nemesis of the Underworld

Level Four Vigilante Hero

Human: +1 Bonus Feat, Fast Learner, Specialized in Skills for Half Cost (3 CP)

Pathfinder Package Deal (+2 bonus to Intelligence)

Available Character Points: 120 (L4 Base) +10 (Disadvantages) +8 (Duties) +24 (Human, L0, L1, and L3 Bonus Feats) = 162 CP

Basic Attributes; Str 14, Int 20 (22), Wis 14, Con 15, Dex 16 (18), Cha 13 (5d6 Keep 3, +1 for level to Int).

Basic Abilities (83 CP):

• Hit Dice: 1d12 (12, 8 CP) + 3d8 (6, 8, 7, 12 CP) + 2d6 (at 6, 6, from Magic) = 69 HP.
• BAB: +3 (18 CP) +3 (Specialized and Corrupted/only with unarmed attacks, 6 CP).
• Base Saves: Reflex +6 (18 CP), Fortitude +4 (12 CP), Will +2 (6 CP).
• Proficient with Light Armor (3 CP).
• Initiative +4 (Dex)
• Armor Class: 10 (Base) +4 (Dex) +3 (+1 Leather Armor) +4 (Shield) = 21

Kelelawar’s combat abilities vary a good deal with what form he’s currently using; if it’s the Stone Mountain style he’ll have a potentially MUCH higher AC and a good deal of damage reduction – but little offence. If it’s Mercurial Tiger, it’s pretty much the other way around.

Special Abilities (79 CP):

• Immunity/The normal limits of Martial Arts Skills: (Very Common, Severe, Minor, Corrupted / such effects must be powered by the expenditure of either (effect spell level + 1) points of mana or a similar number of ranks from the relevant skill (add +1 for an Swift Action or use during an Attack of Opportunity, +2 for an Immediate Action). No skill may be reduced below +0 in this fashion,. Expended skill ranks will return after a days rest, effective casting level equals character level): Kelelawar can produce a wide variety of supernatural “martial arts” effects approximating spells of up to level three. Unfortunately, such effects must be in-theme for the martial art skill so employed. Thus the Tiger Style can be used for feats of strength, sprouting or upgrading claws, to make great leaps, to roll with and negate massive blows, to survive falls, to see in the dark, and for other cat-style effects. The Godfire Palm Style offers control of Fire and rapid movement, but few other options. (8 CP).
• Immunity/Being restricted to the standard skill list. Kelelawar may use the Condensed skill list, and it’s magical benefits, even it is not normally in use in the campaign, and may use Occult Skills without having to buy them individually (Very Common, Major, Major, 15 CP).

As usual with natural-law immunities, these are fairly fundamental game-changers; Kelelawar is basically redefining the skill system as a magical system of it’s very own. The way this is set up though, it’s very draining to use – which will go a long ways towards keeping things under control. 

• Adept x 2 (12 CP). Learns Acrobatics, Athletics, Espionage, Dream-Binding, and his initial four martial arts (Stone Mountain, Drifting Spider, Mercurial Tiger, and Northern Stormwind Styles) at half cost.
• Fast Learner specialized in Skills for +2 SP/Level (6 CP).
• Upgrade Human Fast Learner to Double Effect (+2 SP/Level, 3 CP).
• Augmented Bonus: Adds his (Int Mod) to his Martial Arts Skills (6 CP).
• Innate Enchantment (11,000 GP Value / 12 CP): Mostly Spell Level One x Caster Level One x 2000 GP Unlimited Use Use-Activated x,7 Personal Only where applicable.
  • +2 Int
  • +2 Dex
  • +2 Competence Bonus to All Skills
  • Immortal Vigor I, +(12 + 2 x Con Mod) HP.
  • Inspiring Word: +1 Morale bonus to attacks, checks, damage, and saves.
  • Rugged Metabolism (Fast Healing I – for 18 Rounds – 2/Day, Relieve Illness 1/Day, Relieve Poison 1/Day, and Lesser Restoration 1/Day. From the Hedge Wizardry list on this site and The Practical Enchanter).
  • Golden Armor/Force Shield I: +4 Shield Bonus to AC.
  • Tough as Nails: Convert the first five points of damage he’d normally sustain from any attack to nonlethal damage.
• Occult Ritual, Specialized in Investigation and Demonology (3 CP).

Kelelawar isn’t big on demonology – but banishments, exorcisms, and demon-banes are often handy. And sometimes… you just have to use whatever tool you can.

Skill Points: 14 (CP Spent) +42 (Int) +28 (Fast Learner) = 84 SP.

Basic Skills:

• Acrobatics: +17 (7 (3) SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp +1 Morale + 4 Dex). 3d4 damage for a wild stunt.
• Arcana: +19 (7 SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale + 6 Int). Knows three minor rituals:
• Athletics: +17 (7 (3) SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp +1 Morale + 2 Str +3 Synergy). 3d4 damage for a wild stunt.
• Local Knowledge: +19 (7 SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp +1 Morale +6 Int )
• Perception: +15 (7 SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale + 2 Wis)
• Persuasion: +14 (7 SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale + 1 Cha). May use a level one Enchantment/Charm effect once per day through his words alone.
• Socialize: +14 (7 SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale + 1 Cha). Has five useful contacts.
• Stealth: +19 (7 SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale + 4 Dex +2 Cloak). Has the equivalent of a Handy Haversack.
• Thievery: +17 (7 SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale + 4 Dex). May be used as a free action up to four times per day.

Occult Skills:

• Espionage: +14 (7 (3) SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale + 1 Cha). These points may be spent on Connections and Preparations as per the Political Positions rules.
• Dream-Binding: +14 (7 (3) SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale + 1 Cha).
• Foresight: +19 (7 SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale + 6 Int). This is commonly used in conjunction with his Dream-Binding or Gadgetry skills to simply produce the items that he happens to need at the moment.
• Gadgetry +14 (4 SP + 3 Pathfinder +2 Comp + 1 Morale +4 Dex (Tinkerer Variant)). Self-rewinding spring-loaded sleeve grapnel (2), Smoke Pellets (1), Concealing Cloak (+2 Stealth, 2), Intimidating Mask (+2 to such rolls, 1), Repeating Heavy Crossbow (6 shots, 2), Alchemical Bolt Magazines (six shots each Alchemists Fire, Tanglefoot, Thunderstone, and Sunrods, 4), Flash Pellets, “Superglue”, two left for use with Foresight.

Martial Arts Styles:

• Drifting Spider +23 (7 (3) SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale +6 Int + 4 Dex )
• Mercurial Tiger +23 (7 (3) SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale +6 Int + 4 Dex)
• Northern Stormwind +23 (7 (3) SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale +6 Int + 4 Dex)
• Stone Mountain: +21 (7 (3) SP + 3 Pathfinder + 2 Comp + 1 Morale +6 Int + 2 Con)

Drifting Spider Style (Dex)

The Drifting Spider stylist shifts with the wind, letting the force of an opponent’s own blows send him whirling away from danger – and lashing out with lightning speed and precision when an opening presents itself, focusing always on acrobatic maneuvers and double finger strikes to vulnerable vital points. The Spider Style is at it’s best when an opponent can be entangled, entrapped, or distracted; then the Venomous Spiders Bite – blows that strike vital points to disrupt the very life force of an opponent – can swiftly bring down even the most formidable opponents.

• Requires: Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike) or equivalent point-buy, Acrobatics total 4+.
• Basic Techniques: Attack 1, Defenses 4, Power 1, Strike, Synergy/Acrobatics (Yes, this does include swinging around), Synergy/Athletics (including climbing and briefly “running up the walls”), and Synergy/Stealth
• Advanced and Master Techniques: Instant Stand, Sneak Attack II (2d6), and Dodge.
• Occult Techniques: Inner Strength, Light Foot, Serpent Strike, and Vanishing.

Known Techniques (12): Strike, Defenses 4, Synergy/Athletics, Instant Stand, Sneak Attack 2, Inner Strength, Light Foot, Vanishing,

Mercurial Tiger Style:

The Mercurial Tiger Stylist knows that the only true defense is striking down your opponents before they can strike you down, and so flows and whirls in constant attack – leaping into battle and lashing out with powerful, destructive, raking, blows. That may mean accepting a few, weak, strikes from those who do not understand the lessons of the tiger – but the Mercurial Tiger knows how to withstand adversity, to survive perhaps bloodied but unbowed. The style favors a wide, low, stance and is filled with feats of raw power – smashing opponents weapons, shattering stone, hurling opponents about, meeting power with power, and breaking bone.

• Requires: Str and Dex 14+
• Basic Techniques: Strike, Power 4, Toughness 2, Synergy/Survival, and Synergy/Athletics.
• Advanced and Master Techniques: Breaking, Combat Reflexes, Mighty Blow, and Sunder.
• Occult Techniques: Focused Blow, Inner Strength, Ki Block, and Ki Focus (Strength).

Known Techniques (12): Strike, Power 4, Synergy/Athletics, Breaking, Combat Reflexes, Mighty Blow, Sunder, Inner Strength, Ki Block.

Northern Stormwind Style:

The core of this art is the subtle Katas of the Winds – mystical gestures and stances which channel and focus the very currents of the air, lashing them against opponents like blades, hurling stunning blasts of air, and lending speed and sureness to arrows. A master may move like a wisp of wind, sense what disturbs the air about him, and can even become a very avatar of the storm – to the point of commanding the very air to withdraw from a victims lungs or lashing out with wind and lightning.

• Requires: Arcana total of +5 or more, Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike) or equivalent point-buy.
• Basic Techniques: Strike, Attack 3, Power 3, Defenses 2, Synergy/Perception, and Synergy/Stealth.
• Advanced and Master Techniques: Improved Trip, Rapid Shot, Reach, and Weapon Kata (Bow).
• Occult Techniques: Inner Strength, One Finger, Ki Focus (Dexterity), and Wrath (Lightning).

Known Techniques (12): Strike, Attack 2, Power 2, Synergy/Perception, Improved Trip, Reach, Inner Strength, One Finger, Ki Focus/Dexterity, and Touch Strike.

Stone Mountain Style:

The strength of the earth flows through you, what touches upon the earth touches you, for all things are rooted ultimately in the earth – and the heart of the earth is stone. From stone is forged the peaks of mountains and the foundations of the seas. To master the Stone Mountain style is to master the earth itself. It’s strikes are slow but nigh-irresistible, it’s low stances withstand attack, and it allows the force of opponents blows to pass into the earth. Advanced practitioners can tap into the flow of geomantic energies, manipulating their own life force and the very forces of the earth. (And yes, this is an “Earthbending” style).

• Requires: Weapon Focus/Unarmed Combat or equivalent point-buy.
• Basic Techniques: Strike, Toughness 4, Defense 3, Synergy/Athletics, and Synergy/Heal.
• Advanced and Master Techniques: Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Mighty Blow, and Mind Like Moon.
• Occult Techniques: Healing Hand, Inner Strength, Iron Skin, and Resist Pain.

Known Techniques (11): Toughness 4, Defense 2, Combat Expertise, Mind Like Moon, Inner Strength, Iron Skin, and Resist Pain.

Basically what you have here is Batman with a stronger emphasis on mystical martial arts powers, an Exalted-style Sidereal Martial Artist, or a Champions-style mystic superhero. Kelelawar is never going to reach the truly godlike heights of power d20 makes possible, but he should fit in quite comfortably in his niche. 

Eclipse and Spirits

Back in the old days it wasn’t too uncommon to have encounters with “spirits” – “creatures” who usually didn’t possess much actual power, but couldn’t be dealt with by any conventional means. Spirits were annoyances, puzzles, and talking characters who’s conversations couldn’t be interrupted by a crossbow bolt. If you had to placate an angry spirit that was haunting someone, you usually had to find a way to satisfy it; exorcisms and containments were temporary measures at best. Still, most spirits had a rather limited range from whatever was anchoring them to the material world – the site of their death, their treasured sword, or a hated foe. Quite often the simplest way to escape one was to simply leave the immediate area or dispose of the anchoring creature or item. Of course if the anchor was someone that you didn’t want to kill, or an item that you didn’t want to abandon or destroy, you had to fall back on persuasion.

Spirits could reveal secrets, offer guidance, provide warnings, or even offer very (very) minor support if you did something for them – if you took a message to their surviving relatives, rescued their friends before they too died, or found adoptive parents for their children. More importantly, you couldn’t simply use blackmail, torture, mind-probes, or other means to bypass a spirit; you either made a deal or you got along without whatever information it had to supply.

While it may be unkind to imply that the only people who can safely bargain with adventurers are the ones who are already dead, it’s often true.

In those days most characters only occasionally dealt with spirits – but there were always a few spiritualists, shamans, and other specialists who made a routine of it.

Some of them used class-based abilities, some skills, and some specialized spells that linked spirits to them.

Thus, for example, we had an Ancestor or Guardian Spirit associated with a member of the Kwin family. Ancestor spirits are generally effectively third or fourth level; no matter how powerful they are, there’s only so much they can do working through subtle psychic influences.

Yang The Invincible, also known as the Wonderful, the Incomparable, the (Censored), the Barbarian, the Magnificent, the Mass Murderer, the Pillager, the Arsonist, and so on.

Yang was something of an interloper in the clan Kwin family tree; he was a Tsongi horseman / raider instead of a citizen of the Empire. How he got involved with the family doesn’t bear mentioning, but the damage to the village was pretty massive. Yang died about 220 years ago, some ten generations back. He is short and tends to appear in crummy chainmail and stained leather, which matches his greasy hair and general aura of dirt extremely well. He always smells a bit of horses. Yang is loud, crude, and in favor of his descendants getting back to the “basics” or “Three R’s” – Raiding, Raping, and Ravaging. Pillaging, murdering, and going berserk are optional extras, but are nice if they can be managed. Yang’s advice is utterly uninhibited by any notions of being honorable and is often throughly vicious – but it also tends to be crudely practical, very direct, and occasionally quite insightful.

As an Ancestor Spirit Yang possesses several powers:

• Limited telekinesis. He can move small objects within sixty feet of his contact. If it should matter, treat this as Str 2.
• He grants 1d6 extra points of psychic strength to his contact.
• He provides a +1 bonus on his contact’s defense rating (armor class) while present.
• He can “scout” areas from the empyrean (ethereal) plane.
• He can appear to, communicate with, and offer advice to, his contact as desired.
• He can manifest for up to (Contacts Wis/3 + Level) rounds daily while within sixty feet of his contact.
• He can share his senses with his contact with a range of sixty feet.
• He may take limited possession of unresisting subjects – using their body until they either want to do something themselves or want him to leave.

Yang himself was fourth level. He was proficient with light armor and all weapons, knew a bit of unarmed combat, was a good horseman, and possessed several minor psychokinetic knacks – minor pyrokinesis (1d4 damage) and flame control, telekinetic missile control (+2/+2), and a personal force shield. Sadly, he has a psychic strength of a mere six points on his own, which is why he normally works through his contact. His other skills include some ability to evaluate the worth of common kinds of loot, power drinking, and evading pursuit. Finally, his advice on tactics is usually fairly decent. He’s picked up a bit of finesse since he died. (He was jumped by six armed men while he was in bed with someone else’s wife)

Now in first edition there was no problem with a spell that provided long-term special powers for the caster – such as being able to link up with several ancestor spirits. When mages could only learn a very limited number of spells, might never be able to learn particular spells, and obtaining new spells was difficult (making a captured spellbook a great treasure and a spellbook which had original spells in it a legendary treasure) finding a rare spell that offered special powers… worked just fine. In d20 games – where spells of all types are easily available and come in standardized levels of power – that approach doesn’t work properly. To make the same sort of resource-choice mean something we’re going to have to go with Feats – or, in Eclipse, Character points.

Ergo, to get some spirits invest in Leadership with Exotic Type (Spirits), Corrupted/Spirits ONLY and they definitely have minds of their own (6 CP).

That will get you a few spirits working for you.

So what can spirits do in d20?

Well, being nigh-indestructible is hard in d20. About the only way to manage that is not to get involved in the fight to begin with. Ergo, here’s a basic package for Spirits.

• Sanctum/Appropriate Outer Plane (6 CP). Most of a spirits powers – or at least the ones that we’re interested in – only work on the appropriate outer plane where it can manifest itself easily.
  • While on an appropriate Outer Plane, a Spirit may maintain a link with some individual or item on the Prime Material – although this must be established through a magical summons or at the moment of death. That’s Mystic Link with Communications II (allows sensory sharing) Power Links, and Transferable, Specialized/may be temporarily disrupted or blocked by exorcisms, spirit wards, and similar effects, involves hallucinations of the character actually being present (9 CP).
  • Spirits are pretty safe on their Outer Plane, and need not worry about things like making a living. That’s Privilege/Safe Residence on Alignment Plane (3 CP).
  • Spirits are naturally psychic; it comes of being creatures of mind and magical energy – but it’s harder to tap into that when they’re on less cooperative planes. That’s +3d6 Power (6).
  • Spirits need not sleep, and are generally available most of the time. That’s Immunity/Sleep (Common, Minor, Major, 6 CP).
• All Spirits – or at least the ones we’re interested in – possess Witchcraft II (including three basic witchcraft abilities), with the Summoning, Blessing, and Possession (Specialized for increased effect (minimal cost)/target must be and remain unresisting) advanced abilities. They are, however, bound by the Pact of Souls (they must attempt to recruit descendants for their plane of residence) and Spell Failure (their witchery will not work against characters or areas with spirit wards) (Net 18 CP)
• Spirits can easily recognize their descendants. That’s Occult Sense/Kinfolk (6 CP).

With a net cost of 30 CP we have a +0 ECL race/+1 ECL Template. That will come out of their assigned levels of course.

That package… allows them to use witchcraft powers on their “anchor” with ease and to spend a 3 Power surcharge to use witchery in the immediate vicinity of their anchor. While each spirits powers will vary, some can lend their anchor strength and healing, others can assault targets in the vicinity with pyrokinesis, some can whisper suggestions, or use illusions to “manifest”, and so on. Their very limited psychic strength will keep them from doing too much of that sort of thing – but they can still be pretty versatile. If they specialize minor telekinetic powers properly they can even play at animating “zombies” – or at least using corpses and puppets.

Spirits can serve as mentors, training partners, or aides, can possess small, properly trained animals, consulting experts, or scouts. As their anchors power increases their effective levels will go up – and their abilities will increase.

Is this “Balanced”? It will give you access to a fair amount of Witchcraft rather cheaply and it makes your followers pretty nearly indestructible.

Of course, there are lots of ways to arrange that. If you’re willing to allow the use of Leadership, this is hardly the most abusive way to use it.

The Chronicles of Heavenly Artifice CL – The Wraith Of Frumisara, With Fiddling

Charles was currently making more manses / bodyguard-protector manse guardians, studying defense charms, researching Deathlords, and puzzling over Yu-Shan’s geomantic maps… Aikiko was not a big worry at the moment given that she was protected from unnatural mental influence and that she’d gone from “Help! I’ve been Kidnaped!” to “I have GOT to get me one of THESE!” anyway. She seemed to be rather enjoying herself…

He’d already notified Autochthonia that there might be attacks there and dispatched assistance (and was rather awaiting the “Who in the Void are YOU!?” responses) and put bodyguards on all the Tenders and major geomantic nexi of Yu-Shan… There wasn’t much else he could do to keep a lid on THAT situation at the moment!

The end of the cosmos beckoned, but the military of Tarvail still wanted to talk to him a bit and the Music Of Creation needed more work anyway. Even for him it was a pretty ambitious project; arranging to hit that peak of skill – and for the cascading probabilities that would make success almost inevitable – was rather a lot of work, even with his resources.

Gamespeak Interlude: It was indeed. Arranging to roll nearly seventy dice, and for the threshold of success to be reduced to “2″, called for a wide assortment of excellencies, charms, sorceries, artifacts, augmented grace tools, grace magic, hearthstones, geomancies, manses, aides, divine aid, and geomantic relays, all carefully sequenced and timed. It took even Charles a rather long time to set up each roll. Doing so at least twenty-five times in a row was a lot of work.

And, of course, there was an interruption…

The extraterrestrial humans had recovered nicely from having the earth astronomers leave, the dragon-lady from Satries was providing entertainment with her marvelous breath, Mothra Leo was fluttering around outside, enjoying getting in some flying time – and Gothmug was reporting that a wraith was requesting clearance to enter Aden through the Underworld communications Manse.

Given that he WAS having Deathlord problems Charles had said Wraith checked out carefully – and gave instructions not to allow him or her in if he or she DIDN’T check out!

According to Gothmug… she identified herself as “Frumisara” and claimed to have been hired by the Donelly Terrestrial Clan to keep an eye on Charles himself! She’d sent documentation over through a living descendant.

Oh dear!

He had Malinda check that out – and she turned out to be quite legitimate, and guests WERE allowed… She even had a letter from the clan head himself, which also checked out. And just when he had a lot of things to do… maybe she’d be willing to help sort out the kids from the fey? She might as well come in… after all, she’d be solid by default in Aden.

Frumisara was pleased by that at least. Her demeanor was pretty stoic, though, and – fairly typically for wraiths – her clothing was very old fashioned.

And she wanted to meet Charles of course.

She was currently in one of the stores, looking over some dresses – the darker ones, mostly – but headed over to the Mardi Gras Laboratory as soon as permission came through.

(Frumisara, distantly, but friendly enough) “Ah, there you are. You must be Charles. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

(Charles, who was carefully adjusting a note-sequence, hanging in the air. Fortunately, in the Mardi Gras manse, he could simply manifest them and sand the rough spots off) “Nice to meet you too!”

(Frumisara, not at all startled by this) “Well… you are a powerful one, creating your own world like this. Even with the report from the Donellys, I needed to see it with my own eyes. It must be fairly obliging to you – which is all the more reason why I am needed! The outside world is not so obliging.”

(Charles) “Well no! And there are mean people in it!”

(Frumisara) “Which is why I am here. Mr. Donelly asked me to have you consult with me before you made major decisions – such as building artifacts and manses for people, engaging powerful entities such as Deathlords, or gallivanting outside Creation – which I believe you are about to do right now, yes? Just what is your intent there?”

(Charles) “Well, I need to pick something up to help out someone who’s very sick! And only one Deathlord is really upset with me at the moment!”

(Frumisara) “ONLY one? All right, young man, tell me what happened…”

(Charles) “Erm… Well… But that involves secret stuff!”

(Frumisara) “Come now, young man – I’m supposed to ensure that you don’t give things to people who would be detrimental to Creation – or the Underworld for that matter! And just who is sick enough that you need to go to the edge of the universe for them? Most cures are easy enough to find or create for a sorcerer of your apparent power.”

Charles was panicky! Direct questions! From someone insistent!

Frumisara almost laughed – but maintained her stoicism. For all his power Charles was obviously enough still a small boy! You just needed… to be an authority figure and back him into a verbal corner while sternly waggling a finger! He must have been well brought up from very early on!

(Charles) “Er… Er… Well… Would you take an Oath of Secrecy? At the Privacy Manse? It’s important!”

(Frumisara) “It won’t affect my mind negatively, will it?”

(Charles, quite indignantly) “Of course not!”

(Frumisara) “I had children pull pranks on me that way, back when I was living… but lead the way.”

Charles set his artificing aside for the moment and did so. Once there, and privacy assured, and oath made…

(Charles) “Well… Yu-Shan is a Primordial, and she’s very sick already – and there’s a Deathlord who wants to kill her, recreate oblivion, and dump all of the gods and Incarnae in it! He sent three Abyssals to Earth to blow up a manse I was fixing, and they sort of died, and their Exaltations didn’t go back to him, so he’s pretty cross! And I need some stuff to help Yu-Shan because most medicines and charms don’t work on Primordial Illnesses! And that’s why there’s a hurry!”

(Frumisara) “By the Dual Monarchs… does he know about this place?”

(Charles) “About Aden? Some! he could get aboard through some of the Old Oblivion Magics – but that’s one reason I’m making more guards. Fortunately, even if someone was standing next to us under perfect concealment effects, the privacy effects here are also perfect, so they still couldn’t listen in!”

(Frumisara) “Well… you should start some further security protocols, just in case – and watch that Underworld communications Manse!”

She listed off some of the ways hostile ghosts could get in and some of the common ways Deathlords could… alter them. She was a fairly popular nanny among Ghost-Blooded and ghosts who cared about their descendants!

And, of course, the odd child-ghost who needed a nanny as a part of the current story they were acting out.

Charles cheering added more precautions. Always good to have more people thinking about a problem!

Hmm… The boy was indeed obliging! Still, she had to wonder what she’d gotten herself into! He’d “only” upset ONE Deathlord? Of course… he’d upset a Deathlord in a major way and was still alive – and seemed fairly likely to stay that way! His defenses were obviously already most formidable!

Charles… set her up with the “special measures to kill” package and some boosts and artifacts and such. If she was going to hang around she might need them!

Frumisara spent some time getting to know Gothmug a bit better… and getting set up to keep an eye on Charles and moving into one of the manses where he had a partial presence; that made him MUCH easier to keep an eye on and advise!

A bit of training at the Solar Academy, checking out Galileo, and shopping was also in order – as well as talking about the other children the boy was picking up from the fey!

Charles had been looking for advice on what to do about the low-end ones anyway.

Frumisara suggested getting guardians for them, and training in for caring for their own needs. She knew several good therapists and trainers, both living and dead.

Charles… had been reluctant to get trainers… it felt unpleasantly like finding someone to teach a dog tricks.

(Frumisara) “Charles . . . they have to learn how to live in the world, even here. It’s good for them to be as independent as they can. Be honest: do you want them to spend the rest of their lives doing nothing but running errands?”

(Charles) “Well… they are learning! Even the Teddies have modified their paws to be better hands, and gotten thinner, and are making their own dinners and things… it’s really SLOW, but they don’t age or anything while they’re here! But… if you think it would help them progress faster, I can get some traininers. It’s just that… most of them aren’t STUPID; they just have so little will of their own that being told what to do makes it easy for them to stagnate. Having to decide what to do in very small things… at least gets them used to making SOME decisions!”

(Frumisara) “That’s not a bad tactic – but teaching them, say, basic cooking will involve them making an awful lot of small decisions – how much spice, how much salt, whether something is done or not…”

(Charles) “Huh! I hadn’t really thought about it, but that’s true! A few hours of lessons every day it is!”

Elsewhere, flashing through the void on yet another errand for her master, a young Abyssal was considering. The function of the amulet the child had given her (or perhaps created on the spot?) was easy enough to see; if she attuned it… it would restore any damaged or currently-limited sections of her mind to full operation and it would provide considerable resistance to mental influence while she kept it. Could that… cheerful gift… have any place in her current life? Was what she’d given up to become an Abyssal Exalt really worthwhile?

On Tarvail, Charles’s small cult was discovering that simply joining the group, even if you weren’t at all exclusive about praying to Charles, was apparently enough to cause virtually any injury to start healing and – at least according to the puzzled doctors – to drastically slow the aging process. And even for THAT benefit, recruiting was…. remarkably easy!

And that wasn’t even mentioning the fact that – if you were really in serious trouble – dropping a prayer to Charles was often enough to get some prompt, and extremely helpful, divine intervention! Or the resistance to mental influence! Or the ability to get minor artifacts of your own, or the way in which their effectiveness in working on projects other than recruiting seemed to be multiplied…

Haurgrim the Sagacious, Level Twelve Magus-Politician

The last time we saw Haurgrim he was level eight. Over the last four levels Haurgrim has begun to move from “adventurer” to “patron of adventurers” as his own activities have begun to focus on politics, major negotiations with the creatures of the old, wild, magic in the mountains, and on dealing with threats to his father’s barony and its people, rather than on personal aggrandizement. Somewhat to his surprise, that’s been proving to be every bit as busy and exciting as chasing around in old ruins and magical caverns.

In Haurgim’s world the Old Magic and it’s Creatures still rule. In the deep caverns, in the high mountains, upon the wild seas… there giants, fey, dragons, and other things hold dominion, fearing only the ancient horrors that were sealed away in the forgotten youth of the world. The depths of the forest are more friendly, but are still a place of peril. Only the scattered valleys, paths, and waters that are protected by the old bargains can serve as safe homes for Men, Elves, and the other younger races. There, where hoary rites and old pacts hold the worst of the wild magic at bay, the younger races till their fields, raise their beasts, and worship their gods.

Here being a Druid is a highly respectable trade. SOMEONE needs to enact the rites, cut the symbols into the hills, maintain the mystic boundaries, and mediate between the young races and the old powers. Haurgrim – studious, observant, and methodical, was an ideal candidate, and was apprenticed to the village druid early on by his father, Eurathin – a local baron who cheerily acknowledged and made provisions for his bastards.

Haurgrim, however, was too curious for his own good. He looked beyond the minor spirits and shallow pools of earthpower which druids called upon. He became fascinated with the old powers, the wild magic of the outer planes. When he was caught up in a bit of petty warfare (another minor noble had a quarrel with Eurathin) he called upon those terrible elder powers in desperation – and he was answered, becoming a true Magus.

Eurathin was delighted – the greater magics were rare (most of the NPC’s are limited to low-level stuff using “local” energies), and usually only the upper nobility could boast a true mage at their courts. Eurathin sponsored Haurgrim, ensuring that he had every opportunity both to study his arts and to fulfill his obligations to his supernatural patrons.

Over the years since, Haurgrim spent some time adventuring – but he has also become a master designer of mystical architecture, a skilled ritualist, and has undertaken a variety of missions – some trivial, some baffling, and some vital – on behalf of his various arcane patrons. That’s been a large enough pain that he prefers not to call on them for any major magics if he can avoid it (burning a few incense sticks or something is usually sufficient to pay for cantrips and first-level spells and such, which is easy). Haurgrim thus prefers to rely on his knowledge, his skills, his rituals, and occasionally on his connections. If he can avoid an encounter, determine the weakness of a creature, or solve an ancient puzzle without resorting to magic, that’s all to the good.

Recently, with the death of Karliss Vandorian, the elderly town speaker, Haurgrim has taken over his job and moved into politics – becoming the speaker for the commoners at Eurathin’s court and the local organizer. So far, that has proved at least as dangerous as his adventuring years were.

Human Racial Package (+0 ECL): Bonus Feat (6 CP) and Fast Learner (Specialized in Skills, +1 SP/Level, 3 CP). (Bonus Feat taken as Fast Learner, Specialized in Skills, three points from disadvantages used to boost racial Fast Learner to +2 SP/Level)

Available Character Points: Duties/Court Mage and protection of the Barony (+2 CP/Level), Restrictions/Finds armor impossibly burdensome (+1 CP/Level), Compulsive (curiosity) and Recorder (keeps notes on all kinds of things) (+6 CP), Human Bonus, L1, L3, L6, L9, and L12 Feats (+36 CP), Level Twelve Base (312 CP) = 390 CP. Nine have already been spent on racial abilities.

Basic Attributes: Strength 11/+0, Intelligence 24 (28)/+9, Wisdom 16 (18)/+4, Constitution 14 (16)/+3, Dexterity 12/+1, Charisma 12/+1. Original Rolls: 12, 16, 18, 12, 14, 11. Level-Based Bonuses: +3 Intelligence. Purchased Bonus: +3 Int (since the half-price attributes rule is in play, 18 CP).

Saving Throws (42 CP):

• Reflex: +4 (Purchased, 6 CP) + 1 (Dexterity) +2 (Resistance) = +7
• Fortitude: +4 (Purchased, 12 CP) +3 (Constitution) +2 (Resistance) = +9
• Will: +6 (Purchased, 18 CP) + 1 (Wisdom) +2 (Resistance) = +9

Basic Abilities (88 CP):

• Initiative: +1 (Dex) +4 Warning +5 Nerveskitter = +10
• Alignment: Lawful Good
• Move: 30
• Hit Dice: L1-8d8 (32 CP), L9-12d6 (8 CP)
  • Hit Points: 8 (L1d8) + 42 (8, 8, 5, 8, 3, 7, 3, 5, 3, 6, 6) + 24 (Con Mod x 12) = 94
• Armor Class: 10 (Base) +1 (Dexterity) +4 Armor (Mage Armor) +4 Shield (Shield Spell) = 19.
• Proficiencies: All Simple and Druidic Weapons (9 CP).
• Languages (6 + 5): Common, Elvish, Celestial, Infernal, Sylvan, Draconic, Grave Argot, and the four Elemental Languages.
• Warcraft: +6 (36 CP), +1 Specialized in Scimitar (3 CP)

Usual Weapons:

• Scimitar +21/+16 (+7 BAB +1 Enh +4 MA +9 Int), 1d6+9 (Int), Crit 18+/x2.
• Light Crossbow +8 (+6 BAB +1 Dex +1 Masterwork), 1d8, Crit 19+/x2, 80′ Range Increment.

Purchased Abilities (233 CP):

• Greater Invocation (30 CP): 5 Levels of Intelligence-Based Wilder Power Progression as Spell Levels (Divide power by 1.8 to convert to available spell levels. Substitute Components for Restrained on the basic progression). Specialized and Corrupted for triple effect (effective level 15): does not provide any actual powers to work with, these must be bought separately, only works to power Paths and Metaspells which invoke various entities, such entities may occasionally call on him for various services or favors – and the more often he calls upon them, the more likely this is. Provides (195 + [Int Mod x CL/2])/1.8 (146 total) spell levels to work with and allows him to use path- or metaspell-based effects of up to level seven.
• 3d6 (14) Mana with the Spell Enhancement Option, Specialized/cannot be used to go more than one spell level above what he could normally use. This can, however, reduce the level of favors that he’ll owe for a particular spell (6 CP).
• Rite of Chi with +4 bonus uses, Specialized/requires an hour of sleep or meditation per use (6 CP).
• +3d6 Mana as 6d4 (16) Generic Spell Levels, Corrupted/only to power Metaspells (12 CP).
  • Over the years Haurgrim has learned to use local magic to turn a few minor spells into greater spells without owing favors – but that’s a very limited resource.
• Paths and Metaspells: 42 CP.
  • The Adamant Darkness of the Nameless One: Creates and – at higher levels – solidifies and manipulates – darkness. Often used to create barriers, chains, weapons, and storms of darts.
  • Eilken’s Unbinding: Breaks spells and controlling effects, releases bonds and seals, and – at very high levels – can disintegrate matter.
  • The Winds of Malgaunt: Provides telekinetic effects.
  • The Eye of Sutekh: Lays compulsions and commands.
  • The Krellian Beasts: Creates – or perhaps unleashes – psychic constructs.
  • The Transmutation of Ordanth: Elemental transmutation and polymorph effects.
  • The White Winds: Provides teleportation and planar travel effects.
    • That’s actually quite a lot of fairly flexible power, but it’s also 96 CP. That’s enough for twelve levels of Bard, Cleric, or Druid spellcasting, or sixteen levels of Wilder – and while Haurgrim can invent his own spells within those seven broad themes, he can only get away with two or three high-level spells a day, and five or six of up to level four, before he’ll start having to pay back those favors. That can easily become a loop; use a powerful spell to solve one problem, get a brand new problem, use a powerful spell to solve IT, get a brand new problem… Of course, it’s also a lot more interesting than standard spellcasting or psionics – which is always a good thing.
• Druidic Spellcasting I (8 CP): 3L0 and 2L1 spells per day.
  • While Haurgrim never really pursued his druidical training after he learned that he could use the greater magics, he remembers the basics – even if he does mostly use them for operating wands and such.
• Finesse: Clever Fencing. Uses (Int Mod) instead of (Str Mod) with swords (6 CP).
• Ritual Magic (6 CP): Can produce a wide variety of magical effects with his Spellcraft skill – given time and materials.
• Augmented Bonus/Perceptive Studies (6 CP): Adds his Wis Mod to his Int Mod for Int-Based skills.
• Luck with +4 Bonus Uses, Specialized in Saving Throws (6 CP).
  • All right. This is just too useful not to get – and it means that, while the character can avoid the real disasters, since he’s not really keeping his saves up, minor effects will often get through. After all, who wants to waste their limited supply of luck on minor stuff?
• Innate Enchantment (12 CP/11,000 GP value):
  • Mage Armor (SL1 x CL1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use Activated x .7 Personal Only = 1400 GP
  • Force Shield (SL1 x CL1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use Activated x .7 Personal Only = 1400 GP).
  • Enhance Attribute/+2 Wisdom (SL1 x CL1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use Activated x .7 Personal Only = 1400 GP).
  • Moment of Insight (SL1 x CL1 x 400 GP/Use Use Activated) True Skill 3/day = 1200 GP).
  • Detect Magic ((SL1/2 x CL1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use Activated x .7 Personal Only = 700 GP.
  • Scout’s Headband (Magic Item Compendium, 3400 GP) +2 to Spot, 3 Charges / Day, 1 for 60′ Darkvision for an hour, 2 for See Invisible for ten minutes, three for True Seeing for one minute.
  • Artificer’s Monocle (Magic Item Compendium, 1500 GP): Use Detect Magic and Arcana 5+ to identify magic items given one minute.
• Skill Emphasis/Knowledge; Architecture and Engineering (3 CP): +2 bonus.
• Advanced Surgical Studies/Augmented Bonus (Adds Int Mod to Wis Mod for skill purposes), Specialized/Heal Only (3 CP).
• Favors (3 CP): Haurgrim has connections with the local nobility, and can obtain some minor favor or bit of aid from them once per session.
• Adept II (10 CP). Corrupted, may only be applied to knowledge skills, and only then if the user takes time out to study in a library. 1.5x Effect (six knowledge skills) on the first instance, reduced cost on the second, to cover all knowledge skills.
• Access to Occult Skill/Governance (3 CP).
• Reflex Training/ 3 action per day variant (6 CP).
• Mystic Artist / Architecture (6 CP).
  • Haurgrim can design and build structures that affect all those within or around them with the power of his art. With an applicable skill of 30 (since reference-work and magical bonuses do not count in determining how many ways he can use his power), he is entitled to use eleven of the basic abilities. In his case he has selected the following options:
  • Inspiration Abilities:
    • Emotion; he can design structures that inspire strong emotions in all who view or enter them (Save DC 11 + Int Mod).
    • Competence (Skipped).
    • Greatness; he can design structures that inspire those contemplating them or within them with +1 Positive Level and 1d10 temporary hit points.
    • Excellence; he can design structures that grant those within them or contemplating them to +4 Morale Bonuses which may be applied to their saves, their AC, their attacks, or to the damage they inflict in melee.
    • Mass Greatness; basically as above, at least for someone who creates buildings rather than arts which only affect a small number of people.
    • Mass Excellence; basically as above, at least for someone who creates buildings rather than arts which only affect a small number of people.
    • Heroism; he can design structures that grant those affected by them a +2 positive level bonus.
  • Synergy Abilities:
    • Block; he can design his structures to resist magic which would damage them, such as Earth to Stone or Disintegrate.
    • Group Focus (Skipped).
    • Amplify; he can design structures which boost the abilities of friendly spellcasters, providing them with a +2 caster level bonus.
    • Harmonize; He can incorporate any two these functions into a single building.
    • Serenity; he can design structures that will, once per week each, allow anyone who contemplates them to regain “uses-per-day” abilities and be refreshed as if by a nights rest.
    • Rule the Horde; he can design structures that render those who contemplate or enter them non-hostile and inflict a chosen Suggestion on them (Will save DC 22 + Int Mod).

    Mystic Architecture Ability Modifiers:

    • Seeking (6 CP): Haurgrim can limit the effects of his architecture to particular targets, such as “the rightful inhabitants of the city” or “the followers of a particular god” or some such. This allows him to design a wide variety of custom structures.
    • Whispers (6 CP): The source of his architectures effects is not immediately obvious; it will take special measures, such as divination, to trace them down.
  • Mystic architecture can produce some fairly powerful effects relatively cheaply – at least in terms of Character Points. On the other hand, the direct utility to most characters is strictly limited. It does, however, offer a wonderful way to create castles that cannot be easily penetrated by a few spells, glorious temples that actually impress visitors or which enhance the powers of the priests within them, and similar dedicated structures. If the architect who designed the walls of a town happens to have incorporated the Block and Greatness effects with the Seeking modifier, the walls will not readily fall to supernatural attacks – and the guards upon them will gain a very useful advantage.
• Immunity to the normal restrictions of the Heal skill (Uncommon / Major / Major, covers effects of up to L5, Specialized; requires ten minutes of work with a bagful of tools and medicines to bypass such limitations, 3 CP). The user can also:
  • DC 20: Splint broken limbs, relieve allergies and arthritis, and reduce similar troubles to something manageable.
  • DC 25: Maximize the effect of a healing spell or perform simple surgery (curing 2d4 damage). DC 30: Cure blindness, deafness, or disease, or perform a Lesser Restoration (once per day per patient).
  • DC 35: Perform complex surgery (curing 3d6 damage), Neutralize Poison and heal it’s effects.
  • DC 40: Revival (allows normal treatment and recovery for up to 3 minutes after “death”), provide a full Restoration (once per day per patient).
    • These effects will require an upgrade to the Great Immunity level, for +3 CP.
  • DC 50: Perform organ transplants, perform advanced surgery (curing 4d12 damage), cure a supernatural disease, or Quicken Recovery (as per the Epic Level Handbook).
  • DC 60: Perform ultra-advanced surgery (curing 5D20 damage), rebuild limbs, or redesign bodies.
  • These effects will require an upgrade to the Epic Immunity level, for another +3 CP.
  • DC 75: Build a Flesh Golem. This bypasses the usual prerequisites and 80% of the GP cost – but does not bypass the experience point cost.
  • DC 100: Induce a Perfect Recovery (as per the Epic Level Handbook).
    • Unfortunately, any given patient can only be healed via surgery once per day.

Skill Points: 44 (CP Spent) + 60 (Racial and Purchased Fast Learner) + 105 (Intelligence) = 209 SP.

• Knowledge Skills: Arcana, Dungeoneering, Geography, History, Local, Nature, Nobility and Royalty, Religion, and the Planes, all +15 (Skill Points spent + Adept) + 13 (Effective Intelligence Modifier for Knowledge Skills) + 2 (Masterwork Reference Work) + 3 (Competence) = +33. Architecture and Engineering also gets a +2 bonus from his Skill Emphasis. Net cost: 60 SP.
• Other Skills: Blade of the Janni Martial Art +28 (15 SP + 13 Int), Concentration +20 (15 SP +3 Con +2 Enh), Craft/Alchemy +19 (6 SP +13 Int), Disable Device +30 (15 SP +13 Int +2 Tools), Disguise +2 (1 SP +1 Cha), Governance +28 (15 SP + 13 Int), Heal +32 (15 SP +4 Wis +9 Int +2 Tools +2 Syn), Listen +15 (11 SP +4 Wis), Ride +7 (6 SP +1 Dex), Search +19 (15 SP +4 Wis), Speak Language/+5 Languages (5), Spellcraft +28 (15 SP +13 Int), Spot +24 (15 SP +4 Wis +5 Mask).

Blade of the Janni provides 14 abilities: Attack +4, Strike, Synergy/Heal, Instant Stand, Mind Like Moon, Combat Reflexes, Sunder, Inner Strength, Ki Block, Ki Focus (Int), and Vanishing.

Governance Effects:

Thanks to Haurgrim’s efficient management and impressive Governance score of +28 the town boasts several features over and above what would normally be expected, including…

• A splendid Theater Company (2).
• Several famous eateries (2)
• Warehouses sufficient to supply the area through two major emergencies (4).
• A notable School of Magic (4)
• A Treasury sufficient to meet the needs of one major emergency (2)
• Criminal Courts which reduces unrest and criminal activities by one level (2)
• Temples and Shrines, capable of providing notable clerical assistance (4).
• Mystical Wards sufficient to block out scrying and minor spirits (2).
• The backing of several local Nobles, who will supply a minor and a major favor once each per season (4).
• Enough Outposts and Outworks to force an attacker to fight at least one battle before even reaching the town (2).

Notable Equipment:

Masterwork Items: Silver Dagger, Light Crossbow, Mages Bag (+2 to Spellcraft), Healers Pouch (+2 to Heal), and an Alchemists Kit.

Minor items: Riding Horse and Tack, Packmule and Tack, Fine Clothing, 20 Bolts, Sling and Bullets, Rations, Bedroll, Water Flask, Writing Kit, Candles, Silk Rope, Masterwork Medical Kit, Hammer and Pitons, 3 Oil Flasks, Bullseye Lantern, Masterwork Thieves Picks and Tools, Small Steel Mirror, Silver Holy Symbol, Signet Ring, Spyglass, Tarp, assorted minor personal items (grooming, bathing, etc).

Special Materials: 3x Holy Water, 3x Antitoxin, 6x Sunrods, Tanglefoot Bag, and an assortment of incenses and such for making offerings to his patrons.

Magical Items:

• +1 Scimitar of Warning (+5 to Initiative when held) (8000 GP) with a Crystal of Return (1000 GP).
• Amulet of Health +2 (4000 GP).
• Belt of Battle (12,000), Sapient (Nerveskitter 3/Day), with Healing Belt Function (+1125 GP) and it’s own “Healing Belt” (tassle) (750 GP).
• Boots of Swift Passage (MIC, 5000 GP) Move action to teleport 20′ with LOS five times a day.
• Cloak of Resistance +2 (4000 GP).
• Headband of Intellect +4 (16,000), combines Circlet of Mages (MIC, 7500), and Hat of Disguise (2700) functions.
• Heward’s Handy Haversack (2000 GP).
• Raptor’s Mask (MIC, 3500 GP) +5 unnamed bonus to spot, immunity to being blinded or dazzled.
• Ring of Silent Spells (MIC, 2000 GP) Creates a silence effect centered on the wearer once per day. While it lasts the wearer may cast up to three spells of 3rd level or lower without verbal components.
• Ring of The Forcewall (5100 GP).
• Sphere of Awakening (Magic Item Compendium 186, 1800 GP) Swift action to awaken all allies within 60′. User and all allies are fatigue, exhaustion, and sleep effects for 10 minutes.
• Survival Pouch (Magic Item Compendium 187, 3300 GP) 5/day, you can pull out one of the following: trail rations, 2 gallons of water in a waterskin, tent plus two bedrolls, 50′ rope, shovel, campfire/8 torches, composite shortbow with 20 arrows in a quiver, or a mule with bit/bridle/saddle/saddlebags. Items last for eight hours or until used up.
• Universal Encyclopedia (Masterwork Reference Work, +2 Enhancement and +3 Competence bonus to all Knowledge Skills, 2000 GP),
• Wand of Cure Light Wounds (750 GP).
• Wand of Entangle (750 GP).

Haurgrim is still a formidable mage – but he’ll run short of power he can use without committing himself very quickly indeed if he has to face two or three encounters in a row. He makes a wonderful city speaker though – with power to meet emergencies and the skills to make his city a prosperous and important place.