Dammed Festivities

Hope Krampus didn't take you, or yours, this year!

SLAOTD - Concept Books

What is a 'Concept Book'? I recently picked up two new sketchbooks for nWo. With a little pre-planning, these are going to become a Grimore and an Atlas, sourcebooks with art and rules.

How is it set up? The first page is the title page, followed by a table of contents, and at the back, an index is set up. These are left blank, slowly being filled in as pictures are drawn for easy reference. Each picture will be accompanied by rules, description and other pertinent information. Setting runes are used like in Zero Terminus to help organize things.

The Grimore will contain all manner of beasts, adversaries, associates, armour, tools, vehicles and robots. Things and persons who are unique will have their profiles kept up to date, the Grimore will be a 'living' sourcebook. The Atlas will contain all manner of maps and scenery sketches from all over the dominions.

As a SL, these books will be invaluable to illustrate the world the victims live in as well as making me more prepared for encounters and other such stuff. For the victim these will assist in formulating plans, and the Grimore might have some goodies...

I recommend a concept book to all players, regardless of the game you play, sink a little deeper into the realms. Keeping an index will help keep track of what/where immeasurably. And, don't forget, art = xp!

I have a collection of entries from other sketchbooks, I would like to compile these along with entries from other SL's to make a tome of knowledge. Does anyone have some of these?

Until next round, be well.

The Monk and the Dervish

nWo is the kind of game that grows continuously. Even as I polish up the Zero Terminus book, new things are created and another book is already planned (a "survival guide"). A couple of these are two new warrior sources; the monk and the dervish.

Monk

Specializing in unarmed combat, a monk can use their strength to cause severe wounds and breaks. Often learned in martial arts, they can become a strong asset in hand to hand combat. Many temple caretakers are trained as monks in addition to their responsibilities to the clergy.

Starting Level:
1 knowledge point, 2 weapon use points, +d10 wounds, +1* (unarmed).

Level Advancement:
1 weapon use point, +d10 wounds, +1* (unarmed).

Dervish

The dancing, weaving, fluid motions of a dervish are easily identifiable and rightly feared. This style of fighting builds up momentum and uses it to make attacks and dodge others. Once in motion, a dervish becomes an increasingly difficult opponent.

Starting Level:
1 knowledge point, +d10 wounds.

Level Advancement:
+d10 wounds.

Benefit:
For each round the victim has been in hand to hand combat add the victim's warrior level to hit and dodge. This bonus only applies in hand to hand combat and will decrease by the victim's warrior level each round not in hand to hand combat.

These sources are allowed in all settings, and have some interesting possibilities. Either of these sources would benefit from the combat discipline or death talent for more hitting power. The monk's bonus can be added to natural weapons (like claws), or think about a dervish with a shimmer....

Until next round, +1 Int.

5th History, Part One

The events that happened before, and which caused the Neoarctic Age are shrouded and corroded. The few things that we do know about the Great War are from personal accounts saved in personal hard-drives, and although often biased, these allow us to reason the cause of this catastrophe.

At the time it was not called the Great War, in fact there seems to have been many stages, these stages were each termed 'wars' or 'operations'. Worldwide power-struggles were being held and were often covert. A system of governments were set up, each declaring an impartial system while being corrupt within. The monetary system was another arena which caused a massive divide in lifestyle between the rich and poor. Many accounts claim that the corporations had control and used capitalism as a weapon, divider and harness.

Nearly every pre-war home excavated has contained at least one personal computing device, as well as a 'television' or tv. Some tv's predate the War by nearly a century, having been embedded into culture and society. Through this media, and multiple industries which support it, dominated and pacified the majority of the population. In fact it has been found that a "pop culture" existed which served as a distraction and commodity.

While distractions and sales dominated the media, other issues were easier to avoid and ignore. While the groundwork was being done by pre-Corp military the media was tasked with the job of hiding the disagreeable facts. They did it fairly well, even to the extent of misinformation on social networking. By the beginning of the 21st century an ever-increasing awareness began to spread which triggered the first of many changes that century.

5th History is a historical account of the World of Damnation (5th Dominion, 7 AW, nWo).

Night of the Lope

The Sith Continuum gathered in a dark park to spin fire in honor of me getting older. I am always filled with pride and energy when I watch my closest friends spin, and I spin too (of course!)

Sadly, I have no pictures of our glorious expedition, but I can tell you it was awesome. My coffee defied gravity (take that gravity!) Benches were verified to be benches! Connections were made, and Aeon died a few times. And there was much more...

But I do have videos of each of the Sith who burned, enjoy.

Some of the best friends a Sith could have!

Visions

Along my travels throughout the Dominions, I sometimes draw pictures of what I see and experience. These are some of those things.

Dantii, as he walks down a village street in Yomi, seconds before all Hell broke loose.

This, or something like it, will become a common sight in the future...
Alice? What are you doing here?
A mid-tech rebreather mask with comms and a targeter.
A ship, sailing softly passed a sunken pyramid, at sunrise.
A skycutter from the Nightlands.
A guy I met sometime in 5 AW.
Another 5th dominion punk, stole my watch!
A dagger-pistol of unknown manufacture.
I hope you enjoyed these glimpses into the Dominions, until next round...

The Gathering

The 0ld 0rder has begun, with eight main personae. Eight unique individuals collected to defend the pantheon. The first was Ta, an arachnid clockwork golem, descendant of the ancients and keeper of much knowledge. He first acquired a shipmaster to travel the Nile. He chose the Black Swan of the Nile, Bezis, a believer of the ways of Old Egypt and its gods. A minotaur, wandering drunk through the streets, was hired by Ta as his bodyguard, his name was Vanshe. Bezis took them up the Nile and found Malak, a golem who's cosmic purpose was in flux, one of the few crystalys beings left on Earth.

Still they traveled, past Thebes and the previous Pharaoh's Great Temple, to Syene. Ta's prophesies directed him to an auspicious corner where he was to meet the other four. As they approached, the hand of fate had brought Giza and Mosa together in the square. Giza was fae, a pixie-kin of peculiarity. The other was a young would-be head hunter. As Ta approached, Zyirael happened upon the same corner. Ta did not believe in coincidence, and the feeling of knowing this person was enough proof. The seven of them went to discuss Ta's proposal within a temple of Horus, all but one of the acolytes scattered, Izareus, an annubii student of sekite lore.

With all eight together, Ta led them to their new ship. When Ra set they would begin.

Stars Lightning Metal

You begin climbing down, swinging your feet over the edge, gingerly placing each foot upon the nearest pipe. The pipe is steady. You exhale in relief and your eyes are caught by the void below. Each point of light beckoning you with endless possibilities, the vastness, the beauty.

Like a thunderclap you it the field. Blue lines of energy flash, burning themselves into your retinas. The discharge renders your body numb, throwing you into the void itself. Your lungs become iron, breathing is impossible. Dark shadows fight with the lines for your vision. The starlight fades.

Waking. Cold. The darkness returns.

You are dreaming of stars. No, you are awake looking at stars. You look around you, at the cold metal landscape beneath the stars. A tower, a city, a fire.

Where do you go?

The Tower
The City
The Fire
Back to the Hole

This is a post in response to Porky's "Blogging Our Adventures", which is an amazing project so far. If you want to start at the beginning, or figure out what this is all about, click.

The 0ld 0rder - Priest Sources

Thought you all might like a look, comments always welcome;

The Book of Faith

This section details the pantheon of the Old Kingdom as well as other paths of elightenment. Often, there are different names for a simular type of god, (like the sun god), they are different faiths but have the same abilities.

Starting Levels:

Each starting level in priest will give the victim two knowledge points, two weapon use points, and d10 prayer pool (add the victim's Wis once).

Level Advancement:

Each level purchased in priest will give one weapon use point, one knowledge point and d10 prayer pool (unless noted).

Disciplines:

Each source has different ways to spend prayer pool, these are listed under each source. The 'Using Disciplines" section describes how they work.

Maximum Pool Expenditure:

The maximum amount of prayer a victim may spend per round is equal to five times their priest level.

Priest Sources:

Each priest source represents a multitude of separate deities. Listed below are the names of priest sources and their associated gods by region or race.

-Name (Egyptian, Hittite, Greek, Celtic) Disciplines

Blood (Shemzu, Jarri, –, Ankou) Combat, Healing, Invoke.

Chaos (Set, –, Erebus, –) Invoke, Combat, Arcane

Creator (Ra, Elkunirsa, Zeus, Taranis) Invoke, Dominance, Resist

Dead (Nepthys, –, Thanatos, Morrigan) Undeath, Arcane, Shadow

Druids (Hathor, Aserdus, Demeter, Morganwg) Healing, Scrying, Invoke

Knowledge (Thoth, Sandas, Apollo, Belenus) Arcane, Scrying, Dominance

Justice (Horus, Istanu, Athena, Mannan) Combat, Flame, Invoke

Magic (Heka, Kamrusepa, Artemis, Veles) Arcane, Flame, Shadow

Pleasure (Bastet, Upelluri, Dionysus, Cernunnos) Healing, Scrying, Dominance

Sensai (n/a) Combat, Resist, Shadow

Storms (Maahes, Pirwa, Posiedon, Lugh) Combat, Scrying, Resist

Sun (Aten, Arinna, –, Belenus) Flame, Dominance, Scrying

Underworld (Anubis, Lelwani, Hades, Pater) Shadow, Undeath, Dominance

Vengeance (Sobek, –, –, Wodanaz) Combat, Shadow, Scrying

War (Anhur, Zababa, Ares, Toutatis) Combat, Dominance, Resist

Using Disciplines

Discipline Knowledge

Description: A brief description of the type of powers the discipline grants.

-Powers: A list of the powers and how they work.

Arcane varies

This discipline mostly resembles true magic, and is often used to augment spellcasting. The arcane discipline uses many symbols and rites to focus prayer.

-Boost Spell (may add pool to modify a mana expenditure).

-Use Item (artifice check, if DoS beats item's Stm caster may activate and/or use item).

-Alchemist (pool spent will give a temporary modifier to alchemy).

Combat n/a

The combat discipline embodies martial prowess.

-To Hit (pool spent will give a temporary to hit modifier).

-To Wound (pool spent will give a temporary modifier to damage, 2 pool will give a temporary +1*).

-To Dodge (pool spent will give a temporary modifier to dodge).

Dominance Psychology

Dominance embodies the power to affect the mind. Many preists will use this discipline during oratories, sermons or simply in the marketplace.

-Suggest (may give a temporary modifier to bartering, bullshiting, persuasion or diplomacy).

-Control (pool to hit, duration of control equals DoS minus target's CL).

-Telepathy (DoS equals duration, minus one for each target).

Flame Pyromancy

The discipline of flame calls down holy fire to cleanse unbelievers and opponents alike.

-Burn (DoS equals duration, temporarily gives weapon burning).

-Fireball (pool to hit will cause damage to wounds, burning, unsoakable equal to pyromancy modifier).

-Ummunity (may negate wounds caused by fire talent and flame discipline sources equal to DoS).

Healing Biology/Surgery

The discipline of healing can cure nearly all disease and remedy any wound.

-Heal (DoS equals wounds replenished, stops bleed, recovers K.O.).

-Cure (if DoS equals Stm of disease, or Str of poison/intoxicant, all modifiers are removed).

Invoke Command

Invoke embodies the ability to summon the servants of the chosen diety.

-Augment, Summoning (may spend pool to modify an invomacy check)

-Summon, Creatures (DoS equals maximum CL of summoned creatures).

-Summon, Sentient (DoS equals maximum CL of the target).

Resist n/a

This discipline is used to augment the resilience of those it is used upon. It is a favoured discipline of the deserts.

-Refresh (pool spent will remove negative Stm, Str and Man modifiers).

-Toughness (pool spent will give a temporary modifier to soak).

Scrying Scry

To glimpse into te futer, and pull meaning from those glimpses, is the discipline of scrying.

-Augment, Divination (may spend pool to modify any scry check).

-Precognition (may spend pool to give a temporary modifier to hit or to dodge).

-Seeing (may apply DoS to one check during the next turn).

Shadow Stealth

The discipline of shadow uses darkness as its ally.

-Hide (pool spent will give a temporary modifier to stealth).

-Summon, Shadow (DoS equals the stats of the shadow as well as duration, shadao has unsoakable equal to summoner's stealth modifier).

Undeath Necrology

This is the discipline that grants the ability to animate the dead.

-Animate, Undead (DoS equals maximum CL of undead as well as duration, undead have an unsoakable equal to necrology modifier).

-Augment, Death (may spend pool to modify any necromancy check).

-Control/Speak, Undead (DoS equals duration, DoS must equal CL of undead).

The 0ld 0rder - Setting Overview

The Setting

The Old Order takes place on Earth during 1300 BC, primarily in Africa, Asia and Europe. It during the golden age of the older empires, and a time of expansion for the young ones. It is the beginning of the monolithic phase of humankind, and the waning of the older races of dwarves and elves.

The River and the Desert

It is the late 18^th dynasty of the Egyptian Empire, Pharaoh Amenhotep's son, Akenahten has taken the throne. The new Pharaoh defies the Egyptian pantheon, claiming Ahten as Egypt's sole deity, and rules the Nile with a heavy hand. The nomads of the desert swell with religious refugees.

Rising Empires

Assyria, the Hittite Empire and the Kassite Empire thrive on the eastern Mediterranean and Arabia. Although trade is common, political disputes will often result in military action. The Greeks on the northern bank grow more prosperous each year, making treaties with the city-states of the Phoenicians, and Crete.

The East

The Dravidian people are an uneasy alliance smaller kingdoms between Arabia and the Far East. Known for their skill with stone craft, jewelry and spice exports, the Dravidians trade freely with other kingdoms. Monasteries are scattered throughout the kingdoms for stargazing, philosophy, and other studies.

The Far East

The most prominent kingdom to the east is the Shang Kingdom, which is surrounded by smaller feifdoms and rice farming families. The Shang enjoy some trade with the west, trading exclusive materials like pearls and silks.

Atlantis

Atlantis is a relic from the ancients. Most scholars claim that the island drifts further out to sea with each passing year, although it is difficult to tell due to the Great Obscuring. The fey enchantment keeps the island, and its inhabitants, hidden from those without magical talent. On the island itself, Atlantians enjoy the luxuries of the ancients' forgotten technologies.

Monoliths and Iron

The 0ld 0rder takes place at the end of the Bronze Age, in the early Iron Age. The older kingdoms are mastering the art of stone-crafting and raising massive structures to gods and kings. The common materials are made from hides, stone, brass or bronze. Expensive metals like iron and gold are highly valued, while gemstones are prized by those who practice with the arcane. Copper or brass ingots are the common currency, although many hunter-gatherer tribes will refuse such useless trinkets.

Historical Fantasy

Although much of The 0ld 0rder setting is historically accurate, there have been many important alterations made. Metaphysics, meddling gods and arcane mechanics flavor the setting wherever appropriate. Necropolis' house the populations of the dead, who make trade-arrangements with tribes of beasts for lost technology of the ancients. Magi are hired as consorts to the throne, priests sway the population's favor to one god or another, and thousands toil to build monuments that will outlast their entire cultures.

The 0ld 0rder - Mage Sources

Straight from the protocopy;

The Book of Magic

The Book of Magic describes the various ways to use magic, and those who are resistant to metaphysics. Each of the sources listed are mage sources and effect mana pool. A victim may only have one mage source.

Magi

Those who are called magi, are those who practice the rites of sorcery and the magiks of the ancients. Magi travel from the Old Kingdoms to the the Earth's far reaches to find scraps of the lost empire of the ancient ones. The ancients had mastered sorcery, it is said, and used it to buid and maintian their empire. The magi of today know a small fraction of that power.

Magi Talents

A magi will often practice more than one talent, although there are many who choose to speacialize in one or two. The five talents are dream, illusion, time, divination and summoning. A victim with a level in magi must select one of these talents upon the purchase of the level. Additional talents may be purchased with later levels. The sage lore of the talent is listed beside the name.

Dream Onieromancy

Dream magic can effect the realm known as dreamscape, but has few effects in the waking world.

-K.O. (adjust any K.O. modifier at one point per pool spent).

-Enter Dreamscape (spell DoS equals the CL of target).

-Effect Dreamscape (may mimic any other mana source while in a dreamscape)

-Nightmare (pool to hit will damage Int and Wis)

Divination Scry

Divination is the art of deciphering the possible futer. A diviner is often a student of several distinct ways of augry, from stones to weather patterns.

-Precognition (may give a temporary bonus to Dex or Per).

-Find (may locate things, range equals DoS in meters).

-Translate (may give a temporary bonus to languages).

-Read (may find out information, one question for every 5 DoS)

Illusion Optimancy

Illusionists excel at bewildering the senses. Illusion can hide objects and persons, or make fake ones from the air.

-Unvisiblity (may give a temporary bonus to stealth).

-Illusion (DoS equals the difficulty to disbelieve, may not cause damage)

-Message (may send a message, DoS equals range in meters)

-Nightmare (pool to hit will damage Int and Wis).

-Flash/Shadow (pool to hit will damage Per).

Summoning Invomancy

Summoners learn the incantations to bring things to them, creatures and items. Note that which is summoned will return at the end of the duration (rounds equal DoS, may be maintained).

-Control (add half invomancy modifier to control modifier, round down).

-Summon Inanimate (DoS equals maximum weight).

-Summon Creature (DoS equals maximum CL of summoned creatures).

-Summon Sentient (DoS must equal or beat the target's CL).

Time Chronomancy

Chronomancers bend time to their will. Things can be spend up or slowed down at a chronomancer's disgretion, depending on its need.

-Speed (may give a temporary bonus to Dex or Fl Dex).

-Stasis (may stop the passage of time on a target, one round for every 5 DoS).

-Age (pool to hit damages Stm).

Multiple Talents

An additional talent may be purchased with a mage level, this will cost 5 xp more than normal.

Magyver

A magyver does not use conventional magics, if they choose to use magic at all. Instead they focus on learning and honing their reasoning skils. A magyver can be counted upon to achieve nearly any mundane task with a high degree of skill.

Starting Level

4 knowledge points, +2 to all knowledge checks. This is instead of the standard mage starting level.

Level Advancement

2 knowledge points, +1 to all knowledge checks. This is instead of standard level advancement.

Mundanes

Those who are unable to cast magic are called mundanes. Their inablity to use magic gives them a resilience towards the metaphysical. For many adventurers, this frees them to broaden the subjects they research.

Starting Level

7 knowldge points, 1 weapon use point, +2 magical stamina. This is instead of the standard mage starting levels.

Level Advancement

4 knowledge points, +1 magical stamina.

Restrictions

Mundanes may never have a mana pool regardless of how it may be obtained.

Sekites

Sekite lore originates from the underworld, their talents are often brutal and usually deadly. Often called the dark arts, sekite knowledge is often sought out and destroyed, its practitioners considered suspicious or outright evil. The sekite talents are death, war, famine and pestilence.

Sekite Talents

A victim must select a sekite talent with each starting mage level, or when purchasing a first level in mage. A victim may purchase additional talents with further mage levels.

Death Necromancy

A necromancer uses the energies of death effect the dead and destroy the living. Of all the talents, it is the most condemmed by the people of the Old Kingdoms.

-Kill (pool to hit damages wound pool, necromancy mod equals unsoakable).

-Heal Undead (replenish an undead's wound pool by DoS).

-Increase Damage (pool spent will add a temporary damage modifier to a weapon, 2 pool will add a temporary unsoakable modifier).

Famine Cryomancy

A practitioner of cryomancy excels at weakening the target to oblivion. Cryomancers are the cause of much of the people's dislike for sekites.

-Weaken (pool to hit will damage Stm and Str).

-Disenchant (pool to hit will damage item's stm and bonuses).

-Cripple (pool to hit will damage Dex).

Pestilence Cadramancy

The pestilence talent is one of the most natural, but sickening, of the sekite talents. Cadramancers specialize in the breaking down of their tagets, reducing them to nothing peice by peice.

-Immunity to Disease (add the cadramancy modifier when rolling a war against a disease).

-Summon Vermin (swarm's stats equal DoS, cadramancy modifier equals the swarms unsoakable).

-Shapeshift, Vermin (DoS 40, add cadramancy modifier to soak, Fl Dex, and unsoakable).

-Rot (pool to hit will damage wound pool).

-Steal Item (DoS must equal target's Stm, the source of the item becomes sekite, the item's effect are unchanged).

War Psychomancy

Most subtle of all the sekite talents, psychomancers effect their target's mind. They take over the psyche, bending them to their will.

-Telepathy (DoS equals number of targets that may be communicated with).

-Migrane (pool to hit will damage Int and Wis).

-Tormment (pool to hit will damage Man).

-Control (if successful, caster may control one action for each psychomancy modifier of the caster).

Additional Talents

Additional talents may be purchased when buying a mage level, which will cost five additional xp. A victim may purchase all four sekite talents.

Shamans

The practitioners who harness the elements are referred to as shamans by many in the Old Kingdom. Shamans are more widely accepted than magi or sekites, but they are still treated with mistrust due to their spellcasting. The talents of a shaman are the five elements; air, earth, fire, water and aether.

Shaman Talents

A shaman must select a talent upon purchasing a mage level. Additional talents may be purchased when buying mage levels.

Air Aeromancy

Air shamans use the wind to assist them. It is one of the most subtle of the shamanic talents, but useful in many ways.

-Speed (may give a temporary modifier to Dex and Fl Dex).

-Silence (range equals DoS in meters).

-Hear (may give a temporary modifier to Int or Per).

-Wall, Air (DoS equals legnth in meters and Str, wall causes a throw attack, aeromancy modifier equals unsoakable).

Earth Geomancy

Geomancers manipulate solid rock, sand and metal into new forms or as weapons. Many dwarves are geomancers, but they are not uncommon elsewhere.

-Solidify (may give a temporary modifier to soak).

-Crush (may give a temporary modifier to Str, unsoakable equals geomancy modifer if unarmed).

-Alter, Earth (may permamently modify inamimate object's stats, equal to DoS).

-Wall, Earth (DoS equals length in meters and Stm, wall can soak unsoakable equal to caster's goemancy modifier).

Fire Pyromancy

Pyromancy is the most dstructive of the talents of the shaman, harnessing fire to burn anyting that opposes.

-Burn (may add the burning rule to any weapon, unsoakable equals pyromancy modifier if unarmed).

-Blast (pool to hit will damage wound pool, unsoakable equals pyromancy modifier).

-Ignite (may add a temporary damage modifier to a weapon equal to DoS, unsoakable equals caster's pyromancy modifier).

-Wall, Fire (DoS equals length in meters and Str, burning, unsoakable equals caster's pyromancy modifier).

Water Hydromancy

The talent of water is the most widely accepted of any talent in the mountains and deserts, but they tend to stay near coastal areas. Hydromancy is a diverse talent, like the waves.

-Augry (may give a temporary modifier to Dex and Wis).

-Calm (may give a temporary modifier to Chr and Int).

-Create, Water (DoS equals amount in leters).

-Wall, Water (pool to hit, K.O., hydromancy modifier equals unsoakable, damage done to wounds, temporary Dex damage).

Aether Vivomancy

Aether is the element of the soul and, in its raw state, lightning. Soul shamans have the ability to heal, but their powers are likened to necromancy and considered unnatural.

-Heal (target replenishes wounds equal to DoS, caster gains wounds equal to their vivomancy modifier).

-Lightning (pool to hit will damage wound pool, K.O., unsoakable equals vivomancy modifier).

-Disrupt (pool to hit will damage mech pool, K.O., unsoakable equals vivomancy modifier).

-Wall (DoS equals length in meters and Str, K.O., unsoakable equals vivomancy modifier).

Additional Talents

Additional talents may be purchased with a mage level for +5 xp. A victim may purchase all five shaman talents.

Next up: The Book of Faith ;)