The Trilogy of Gog and Magog

First to be told is the legend of the beings named Gog and Magog.  Brothers of thought and kin to the gods, these two held great power over the Fifth after the Sundering.  They first resided in the shadowed corners of the Celestial Realms taking council from the other powers of the Dark.  At their bidding they hunted Merrith, the sister of Vivoria, and slew her with sword and hammer.  Gog took the goddess' face as a trophy and symbol of their defiance.  The lords of Light were deeply angered and cast them out and barred the Gates to the Celestial Realms to them.

Gog and Magog fled to the Fifth, and there they began to form legions who carry the taint of their violence which infects like a disease.  Their legions of fell creatures ruled over the land, tainting everything under their dominion.  Only the greatest cities survived the legion's advances and many were destroyed.  Atlantis, Ur and the elven city of Celebair became islands of light in a darkening night.

Vet- Auun, angered by such a light punishment for godslaying, sired a christos to a human woman of Ur.  This man grew to become an honoured warrior, for it was obvious to all to saw him that he was possessed by the strength of the gods.  Ikslander they named him, and armies grew under his lead.  Such was his strength of arms and skill with the tactics of war that he slew the Legions and chased them until they were cornered into a deep valley.  Ikslander fought the brothers and took the hammer and sword and broke them.  He then rent Magog's armour from his form and Mirrith's face, which had been fashioned into a three eyed mask, from Gog.  Using the last of his power he shut the mountains, locking Gog and Magog with their Legion until the end of the Earth.

Ikslandir went on to create an Empire and he ruled long.  The spoils of the battle he locked into chests of dwarven metal, and when he passed from the mortal world they were brought with him to burial.  The Altantians brought him to the Sacred Valley, where those touched by the lords of Light are put to rest, and entombed with the chalice spoken of old, his half-elven queen and the Everliving Rose.

At the end of the Earth a human will awaken him, and his treasure will be stolen.  When the Mask and Armour are worn will Gog and Magog awaken and begin to delve a way through the mountains.  Only with these tokens, and the waking of the brothers, can the Four be overthrown and the remnants of the world spared.  If the Four should be banished, for another aeon, the Everliving Rose may be planted and Eden grow anew.

Codex Psychosia - Travelling Through the Endless Night

+++translated from Derekest dialect (Shan, loc. Nightlands)+++

Long has it been, months of night.  An age in the hour past sunset, I walk through the soft places near Ten O'clock.  There is sand here, waves of shifting dunes that flow and ebb into infinity.

It is not cold, not is it warm, for there is no temperature here.  The wind barely touches ones face, smelling of nutmeg, and pulls the coat upon my back.  The pilgrim beside me swears the wind smells of chocolate.

It had been a month before I came to the Kradena, from isles populated by the peoples of Quiddity in all their chaotic splendour.  It has been almost a Earthly year since I returned to the islands.  I had forgotten I had been here, the memory obscured from my mind, until Uriel arrived.

The pilgrim joined my company early on, sensing my need to return to the waking world.  He would lead me along the path and teach me the secrets of passing through.  I would bring him with me, along my memory of Earth, and stand under a sun again.  This was our deal, for good or ill.

I caught a qwtyllc entering the Kradena and wove a cage of Thornalis root.  These I gave to the pilgrim, who would in turn give them to my friends.  By this connection I might forge a path through the barrier of the Dreaming.

The qwtyllc would be bled  upon a stone thirty paces beyond the Gate of the Gods.  I must try to be at the edge of Kradena by then, at a temple made of ivory.  By the direction of the pilgrim I crafted a dowsing rod from the last shrub in the sands which points ever further into the sands.

There are few stars here, and they change positions when the eye isn't focused on them.  Violet clouds drift across the sky, never with the wind.  Once during my travel I saw a herd of massive animals which reminded me of buffalo, but they sensed us on the horizon and fled.

I've aged a year, perhaps more, my hair has grown long, and my hands are callused.  Surprisingly, my staff has changed, it has absorbed some of the essence of Quiddity and there is a whole new scope of power I can channel.

I look forward to returning, and with the pilgrim's scrying stone I can view them from afar, but only briefly, time passes faster in the Dying Dominion.  I look forward to returning with the task set out before us.

Codex Psychosia - Awake

In accord with the prophesy dreamed,

Amid the warring factions and minds,

At Worldstar's point they gather.

They are fewer this time, than last.

Some lost, one fallen, one dreaming.

Relics they bring, from neverplaces.

Angel now fallen and cast out of Iyant,

The Shield of Oceans fused to his arm,

Stands where Ra dies an old man.

The Arbutan Staff begins the helix' bend,

At polar north where dragons hunt,

Where the gate to Noctus is unlocked.

By portent or design, irony or humour,

The cursed Corpus Occuli stands at East,

Borne by nightmare crossed with flesh.

The jewels of life taken from death's shore,

Closes the helix, completing the cycle,

By the hand of faery, may they return.

Doomed to fail, as all things are by fate,

For at the center one who is awake speaks,

And he has died unable to speak the words.

Codex Psychosia - Corpus Occuli

Dead eyes, the Corpus Occuli.

Like many places otherwhere,

Few struggle against many.

At the Worldstar's jagged point,

Where power shatters land.

Unlight stirs He Who Slumbers

Under where reality is torn.

The Awakened, as yet to be,

Venture to man's foul wounding,

And the second seal of John's writ

Shall be broken without thunder.

He Who Slumbers wakes enraged,

Uriel, incomplete and wrathful.

Before the storm of divine fury

One shall fall, and his kin avenge.

Divine form, now lifeless and dead,

Shall be folded inwards, first wings,

Then legs, arms, and lastly his head.

The shard, so sealed, seen as an eye,

Shall complete the means to waken.

Read All the Things #6 - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Number six is about a little book called; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick.  An interesting read to say the least (so I will say some more!)

Set in a post-apocalyptic Earth, where many have fled to Mars and other colonies, a bounty hunter sets out on his first hunt.  Bounty hunters are police agents who track illegal androids.  These are near-human, biological and smarter, androids defecting their servitude to humans.  They only lack the ability to breed, live long or have empathy.  There are also 'specials', radiated humans who lack the IQ to emigrate.

The story calls into question some very intriguing, and frightening, concepts.  Since the only way to test a live person is to test their empathy, what if a human fails?  Do the sentient 'andys' have rights or are they less valuable than the nearly extinct animals who are held sacred by the survivors?  Would you pass an empathy test?

This book receives 9 strips of bacon, with feta fondue.

This book fits into the World of Damnation easily.  Simulants who 'go rogue' would be hunted by police funded bounty hunters. It is also an interesting look at life outside the Cities, in the dust-ridden ruins occupied by specials...

Pain and Suffering

An invisible, serrated shard of glass piercing the flesh.  Mind numbing agony which emanates through the body.  That incessant ache which permeates everything and clouds the senses.

I find that pain isn't represented very well, or at all most times.  For instance, if someone were to suffer from a blow from a truck the pain would be debilitating.  Even if said person were to then be magically healed, the pain might continue to linger unless directly addressed.  A victim suffering from damage should be suffering penalties, and the greater the damage...

Pain

For every ten points a victim suffers damage to their wound pool, in a single attack, the victim gains one Pain.  Pain is healed with rest (like pools and other modifiers).  Every point of Pain gives -1 to all rolls (except during lunacy rolls add Pain).  All undead and golems are immune to pain.

Threshold (Sage Lore - Stm)

Add the Threshold modifier to Pain, a victim can never receive a positive modifier this way.  (Eg: A victim with 2 Pain and Threshold +4 would have no negative or positive penalty due to Pain.)

Shock
When a victim's Pain penalty equals their Stm, they go into shock.  When in shock, a victim is limited to one check or move and may not use mana or prayer pool.

Using Power and Pain

Soothing Touch (Water, Healing) - DoS removes Pain from target.

Transference (Telepathy, War, Air, Summoning) - DoS removes Pain from target which the caster receives.  (War could then be used to make a pool to hit, transferring the Pain to the target.)

Skills and Pain

The skill torture should be noted, due to being able to give things pain points (equal to the DoS).  The intended target should be immobilized to use this as a check and no damage is done.  Torture could also be stacked with a damage roll, which would double the amount of Pain received from the attack.

Aid can be used to reduce pain, temporarily.  An aid check will negate Pain at one per DoS, which will go down at one every round.

A non-lethal called shot could also be used to double the Pain from an attack.

Tormentor (Priest Source)

A person might chose to specialize in producing and spreading pain to harness the dark energies it produces.  A tormentor does this by hurting themselves and others and then using it as a weapon against their foes.

Starting Level: +1 Threshold, 1 knowledge point, 3 weapon uses.

Level Advancement: +1 Threshold, 2 weapon uses.

Using Pool:  A tormentor can use an amount of prayer equal to the amount of Pain near them, including themselves, up to five times their Threshold modifier.

-Scathe: Pool to hit, attack DoS equals Pain received by target.

-Transfer: Threshold DoS equals amount of Pain to be transferred from one target to another willing target.

-Override: Caster may ignore one Pain modifier for each 5 prayer used.

-Incite: Pool to hit, attack DoS adds to an immediate lunacy roll.

-Agonize: Target loses an amount of wounds equal to Threshold DoS, to a maximum of their Pain.

Other Sources and Pain

Any source which gives a modifier to MS would instead gain a modifier to Threshold.

Soul Streamer

Soul Streamer (Priest Source)

There is a persistent cycle of life and death, an ebb and flow, an energy that is constant and immense. Soul Streamers have learned to tap in to this energy and use their bodies as a conduit with which to alter the flow. Every person is different, thus every soul streamer will have learned different uses for this power. There is a chorus, created in the stream, by the multitudes of ending and beginning lives; because of this, soul streamers slowly lose their minds... their individuality slowed stripped away.

Starting Level: 3 knowledge points, d10+Chr prayer, +1 Madness.

Level Advancement: +2 knowledge points, +d10 prayer, +1 Madness.

Disciplines: The victim must choose three Disciplines: lunacy, resist, healing, scry, undeath or dominance.

Codex Psychosia - Heretic's Requiem

The sand of old Aegypt smells of spice and gold.

Above, the stars dance the same dance with the moon.

I see a river of people, a city's flood, refugees.

Camels, oxen, tuskers, horses and many others.

Each burdened with all they can carry,

Carving a new path through dust and rock.

To Thebes!  To the Old Gods! They shout.

The Pharaoh is dead, long live the Pharaoh!

With blade, and star, and child they came.

To the house of Aten they brought death,

The judgement of the glorious hand of Horus.

Great AmonRa and dark Shemzu concurred.

The Heretic-King flayed bare with wrath.

But the deluge grasped me like the jaws of Set

And carried me further to the Great City.

Scarabs and locusts made of brass,

Each with insides of spinning brass gears,

The Swarm of Ra, shepherding the throng.

To dust, his soul is devoured by brass claws.

The Heretic's name and spirit obliterated.

Let them hear the names Ta brought here.

Favoured of Ra, Jesyble lost to flame.

Mosa-nalendi, the graceful star,

Banished, cursed, damned, Ickthuas.

Bezis, the lost swan of the Nile,

Grog'Nak D'More Goliathi Kai'Kee.

And Mateuw from the shore of Quiddity.

To Thebes! To the Old Gods! We shout.

Read All The Things #5 - Cowbow Ninja Viking

One can likely tell from the title that this book is fun.  Our protagonist, the cowboy ninja viking, has a very severe case of multiple personalities.  Our 'hero' faces many challenges being a triplet, and the subject of military experimentation to create a better warrior.  He reunites with some other triplets, his ex, some antagonists and some allies.  This graphic novel is packed with crazy...

Cowboy Ninja Viking gets 8 strips of bacon on the scale.

Which brings us to the triplet subrace.  DNA and Interzone would likely experiment in this type of field, likely at the cost of the subject's sanity.

Triplet (Subrace) - World of Damnation

-The victim's warrior, mage and priest sources are not restricted by level type.  A triplet can choose a warrior, mage or priest source instead of the level type.  The victim's cyber source is unaffected.  (The victim may have three warrior sources for example.)

Restricted - Human only.

Madness - +2 madness points.

Codex Psychosia - Rubies of Vitae

To set them well, to right old ways,

To seek the well, to bring new ways.

Rubies fall from knuckles

Flayed with holy gold.

The noblewoman's path leads

From the soiled bilge waters

Pooling at her bedsheets

Poisoning her blossoms.

Rubies flayed from knuckles

Fall from holy gold.

The Eye of Ra has never seen

The path of crushed bone,

Which lead to Anubis' garden

Where grow nothing but stone.

Rubies fall from knuckles

Flayed by holy gold.

A setting, a chalice, defaced

By unrelenting Mahees

With unliving chaperones

Here meets the Neverplace.

Rubies flayed from knuckles

Fall from holy gold.

Magus Guard

Magus Guard

Magus Guard are mages that have spent years studying the principles of combat. They are not warriors, but mages who have sacrificed arcane studies for martial ones. Because of this the practical application of the skills they study are beyond their grasp, and therefore they cannot apply more than the basics of any martial art in combat. They manipulate the arcane energies around them to increase their combat prowess or decrease that of their opponents to compensate for this shortcoming. Unlike Warlocks/Battle Magi, the Magus Guard are usually among those leading the charge in to combat. They are the adrenaline junkies/berserkers of the mages. Typically the best of the Magus Guard are used by the largest mage schools. Often they are left to protect the secrets hidden within their libraries or as assassins; their abilities making them equal to any normal warrior in battle.

Using Mana:

Used to augment/hinder combat abilities or weapon stats

    Modifier to Hit (+1/1)

    Increase unsoakable (+1*/2)

    Additional parry (1 parry/2)

Must choose a weapon specialization at creation from any specified Standard Weapon Use

    For an additional +5 XP at level up, new weapon specializations can be learned, victim must have the relevant Standard Weapon Use.

Banned from cybernetics, master, sensei and martial arts.

Max pool expenditure is based off applicable the specified standard weapon use of the weapon being used, this weapon use counts as a sage lore.

 

Adapted by Brin Shadius.

GottaCon 2013 - In The City

 GottaCon has come and gone, and it was a good one.  This year I brought some nWo along with me, a storyline I named In The City, and registered three spots.  Part I was at 9am Saturday (Morning Coffee), and Part II was at midnight until 9am (Day Jobs).  Things started well enough, and like any classic nWo game, it grew into a monster.  Luckily, I am a professional monster-handler.

Morning Coffee had 7-8 players, only two of them new to the game.  Once the celestial monkey threw a table at them things went along their natural course. There was epic fails and backstabbing.  The two new guys were awesome, easily fitting into their victim's roles and learning to use power.

Day Jobs started with 16 players, we were short premade victims and had to make some on the fly.  Everyone was tired, throats were sore and the energy drinks had stopped working.  In true nWo form, we pressed onward.  Our new players slid into their new roles heavily and security guards died.  At 4am the second slot began, many of the new players left (which I fully understand) and we picked up another new player.  By 8am they had found the genetics library.

Overall I will call it a success, but only with thanks to the crew who kept it alive.  There were a few things I learned this year:

-Pre-written intros are awesome! (but at a Con each intro needs a setting description as the new players in the later session didn't really know where they were)

-Make more starter victims.  Lots of them.

-PLAYERS HAVE TO SIGN UP!!!  otherwise you will might not get a seat (I will never run that big of a game myself again. Ever.)

-Bring the Atlas and Grimiore.  Pictures say a thousand words, your throat will thank you.

And yes, I do plan on having nWo at next year's GottaCon, I will continue In The City, possibly with a second SL at my side.....

Until next round.

MADNESS!!!

Madness

When a victim is confronted by something which does not comply to rational thought they are touched by madness. The decent into insanity can be gradual or swift, or it may be forced upon by spells and curses.

Madness Rating (MR)

Places and entities that are naturally dementing have a Madness Rating (MR). A negative App would apply towards the MR (-2 App would add +2 to the entity's MR), and being immortal also adds +1 MR.

Sanity vs Madness

A madness war is provoked the first time the victim encounters any of the following:

-Something with a MR.

-An immortal being (if mortal).

-Going below -10 wounds.

-Something with a negative App.

-Inter-dominion travel.

-Entering Quiddity, Heaven or Hell.

A madness war is based on the victim's Int. Add one for each sage lore the victim has points in. If the victim has any Madness Points, subtract them from the total. This is the victim's Sanity total.

Int +#SL -Mad +d10 =Sanity

Madness Points

Madness is aquired when a victim fails to resist a madness war. The victim recieves one Madness for every five points they did not resist. Use Madness as a modifier to the victim's MS and against K.O.

Insanity

Once a victim has Madness they will begin to exhibit signs of instability. Whenever a victim with Madness rolls a natural one to attack, or a natural ten on a check, they must roll Insanity in addition to any other effects. The victim rolls one dice and adds any Madness points, then consultes the chart below. Effects will last for an amount of rounds equal to victim's Madness.

Roll Effect Modifiers

1-9 Stable (everything is fine, for now) None

10-14 Paranoid (They are watching) -5 to soak

15-19 Hallucinations (not again...) -5 Per

20-24 The Shakes (twitching fear) -5 Dex, Str

25-29 Visions (it's happening again!) -5 Dex, Man

30-34 Mania (can't take it anymore...) Attacks closest

target.

35-39 Portents (They are speaking to me) +5 to dodge and

MS.

40-44 Neurotic (gibbering looney) +5 auto blast pool

to hit.

45-49 Permament Condition Roll again, effect is

pernament.

Multiple Insanity

If a victim is under the influence of an Insanity, they add +5 to the Insanity roll for each effect.

Ѝ All victims in the Nightlands begin with one Madness.

The next post will be about racial mods and sources dealing with madness....MADNESS!!!!

Sept 28, 5 AW – Victoria

The city of Victoria is a massive place, both in scale and complexity. Like all of the largest Earth Cities, Victoria is protected from the atmosphere by a bubble of energy called the Shield. This Shield is the City's sky, no stars pierce through and the moon is a mere shadow. The daylight, tinted by the Shield, reflects off the highest peaks of the buildings and parkways built upon a forest of superstructure. Layers of City Levels are stacked upon the island's tip, always spreading outwards over the inland straight until only a thin bridge spans to the other side. Those who I ask say that the Shield touches the far shore along with the bridge, but few cross the dirty waters to the mainland.

I am left to hire a taxicab for my initial tour, a half-dwarven veteran with many strange (and often rude) tattoos covering a large portion of his skin. His name is Rup, and his yellow armoured grav-car is named Julie. The cab climbs upward first and Rup stays along the shoreline roads, pointing out odd bits of knowledge here and there, until we are coasting along a winding road close to the arc of the Shield. The surrounding architecture was enamoring as each estate (or corporate buildings as I was told) was a spectacular example of ingenuity. Through the use of grav-engines many of them had little to no support, and I could see several out above the water.

The elaborate facades were not the focus of Rup's route however. As we turned a gradual corner the Pyramidion came into view. The structure was reflective black, like onyx, and consisted of eight triangular sides like two pyramids connected at the bases. Each side was easily fifty kilometers long and the entire building hung above the water with only one narrow road connecting it to the rest of the world. Rup explained that the Pyramidion was the seat of the GIS Corporation, one of the major world powers. Within sight of it, I could almost feel it watching in a cold machine way. I asked Rup to take me to the inn I was expected at and was at once glad to be away from it.

It did not take long for our route to take us away from the splendor of the Upper Levels and into the darkened Middle Levels. Here was where “normal” lives were lived out by millions of humans, and thousands of others from dozens of races. Consumerism was king here with nearly every street level space being a store or service outlet (or a thousand other things). As the ride drew on, I recognized the same logos and brands, but the quality and space got worse. Soon we were on Sub-Level 3, where my inn was located.

The Sub-Levels are dirty places, as if an entire metropolis was built from alleys and junkyards. Each block is twice as long as those above, the thin roads having to wind around the massive City supports, and all light is cut off from the sky by the roads and structures above. Rup tells me there are more Sub-Levels, and they don't get any better as you go deeper. The inn he leaves me at barely has a sign, through the graffiti and posters I can make out “Helmeken Inn”.

Specialists

Mages can take multiple talents depending upon their mage source, but not all do. Some prefer to stick to a single talent which can make them more powerful but less versatile. Also, many have noticed the lack of the 'feeding' abilities in the new book, this was intentional as such abilities come at a price. Specialists gain the feed ability (if there is one for their talent), or it can be purchased as an other power. Specialists also gain additional abilities and cost reductions depending on their specialization. Becoming a specialist is an additional cost when purchasing a mage level (much like selecting an additional talent).

A mage who specializes in a single talent will become far more skilled with their power. Mastering a single talent is far easier, as is gaining immunities to it. Some specialists have access to abilities exclusive to them.

Becoming a Specialist: A victim may spend an additional 5 xp when purchasing a mage level to become a specialist. The victim's mage source is not altered in any way, simply note that the victim is a specialist.

Benefits: Mastery (see 'Other Powers – Book of Tools') costs 2 points less and the stat costs are removed. Additional benefits are based upon talent;

Restrictions: A specialist may only have access to a single talent and no further talents may be purchased. A victim cannot become a specialist if they have access to more than one talent.

Air – Elemental Immunity (air)* costs 3 less, add aeromancy modifier to Fl Dex (augmented), Feed (air)#.

Earth – Elemental Immunity (earth)* costs 3 less, add geomancy modifier to soak and Stm checks, Feed (earth)#.

Fire – Elemental Immunity (fire)* costs 3 less, add mage level to MS, Feed (fire)#.

Water – Elemental Immunity (water)* costs 4 less, Waterbreath* costs 5 less, add mage level to one check or war per day, Feed (water)#.

Aether – Elemental Immunity (aether)* costs 3 less, Regenerate (mutation) costs 4 less, K.O. (hand to hand), Feed (aether)#.

Death – Soul Thief* costs 2 less, Hard to Kill* costs 2 less, add necromancy modifier to all regular damage, Feed (death)#.

Famine – Mind Over Body costs 2 less, Hard to Kill* costs 2 less, Magical Resistance* costs 2 less, any attack made by the victim has a K.O. modifier equal to the victim's cryomancy modifier.

Pestilence – Victim's App is negatively modified by their mage level, add cadramancy modifier to all disease and narcotic based rolls (in favor of the disease or narcotic), Appetite Magic and Faith* each cost 2 less, Feed (pestilence)#.

War – Discord* costs 3 less (and may be taken regardless of race), Gaze of Petrification* costs 3 less, Mind Over Body* costs 2 less, add psychomancy modifier to Chr (augmented), Feed (war)#.

Chronomancy – Add mage level to initiative, one reroll per day (per mage level).

Divination – Add scry modifier to dodge and Per (augmented), add mage level to MS.

Dream – Add mage level to K.O. checks, Magical Resistance* and Countercaster* costs 2 less, Feed (dream)#.

Illusion – Add mage level to stealth and App (augmented), Gaze of Petrification* costs 3 less.

Summoning - Add mage level to command, Animal Friendship* costs 2 less, Teleportation#.

*These refer to abilities from 'Other Powers – The Book of Tools' in the Zero Terminus.

#These refer to abilities from 'Other Powers – The Book of Tools' in the Survival Guide.

Feed Cost: 6

The victim has learned to feed upon the energies that they practice. A victim may replenish pool whenever the reuirements are met but cannot excede maximum pool. A victim must select which talent they feed from, which they have access to.

All – Casting (1 mana for each use of power that uses a like mana source).

Air – During high winds (d10 mana per round).

Earth – During eathquakes (d10x10).

Fire -Near flame (1 mana per round), near large fire (d10 mana per round).

Water – In open waters (1 per round).

Aether – Electric fields (equal to Str of field or d10 per round).

Death – Near death (mana replenished equal to CL of dying).

Pestilence – Near disease (1 mana per round, per infected).

War – Disputes (1 mana per round), conflict (d10 mana per round).

Dream – Near sleepers (1 mana per round, per sleeper).

Until next round...>

Of Ridden Dragons

Very seldom, a mortal is allowed to be present during the hatching of a dragon, rarely does this mortal become a Dragon Rider. A bond is formed with the hatchling which ties the two together, both mind and soul. It is known that at some point in the Dominions' history Dragon Riders had formed the Draconus Templar which is now only rumored to exist. Most known Dragon Riders exist in the Nightlands, with notable exceptions on both Earth and Sogrum.

A Dragon Rider's strength is the combination of power and knowledge. They can access any of the talents providing they learn the requisite lores. Also, they can draw upon the dragon's well of mana. A Rider's dragon is a "bonded dragon" and is born tied to their Rider. As the Rider progresses, so does the dragon, and the bond intensifies. At maturity, or draccus, the dragon and rider are nearly the same being with a dragon's power and a mortal's ingenuity.

Bonded Dragon

(Dragon Subrace)

Bonded dragons are those which hatched in the presence of the one who was destined to be their Rider. The bond that is formed between the two is immediate and permanent. A Bonded Dragon is affected by the choices of their Rider as much as their own. When a Bonded Dragon reaches maturity (Draccus) their style of breathe weapon is dictated by their Riders skills in magic and faith (mage and priest source).

Stats: d10, Fl Dex

Levels: A bonded dragon gains a level when their Rider purchases one. This level is of the same type as the Rider.

Sources: A bonded dragon has the same sources as their Rider.

Mana Pool: The bonded dragon may share an amount of mana equal to their max pool with their Rider each turn, this is the only way they may spend mana.

Dragon: A bonded dragon gains all of the rules regarding dragons (see Zero Terminus; Book of Races).

Note: A bonded dragon is not a victim race. These are the companions to Dragon Riders (see Zero Terminus; Book of Magic).

Other Power

Heart of Draccus Cost: 6

Draccus

When a dragon reaches maturity their "essence" can be contained within a diamond-like crystal that grows within them. Disgorging this crystal before final death, the dragon will live on within it. The size of the crystal is based on the dragons CL (base is about 6" diameter, doubling every 5 levels). The crystal has a Stm of double the dragon's and a wound pool equal to the dragon's (at the time of disgorging it). Upon the death of the dragon, the soul is transferred to the crystal retaining Int, Wis, Man and Chr. The dragon's pools (other than wounds), knowledges, wu's, powers, etc. are also transferred but not accessible. The dragon also retains their CL.
Through various means like necromancy and technology, the dragon may be re-animated, this will require the creation of a new body to inhabit. Through some powers, like telepathy and scrying, the dragon may be conversed with, (this will allow a Dragon Rider access to the dragon's mana pool). If the dragon was bonded to a Rider, then the Rider will not succumb to Lunacy at the death of their dragons physical body.

Hope that sheds some light on things, until next round.

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.