El dado fue subastado por la famosa casa de subastas Christies. El extraño dado está hecho de cristal y fue encontrado en Egipto cerca de 1920. Aún no han podido determinar para que juego se usaba. El costo de esta maravilla fue rematado en la cantidad de US$17,925.

Sería genial tenerlo en la bolsa de dados. Lástima que la subasta ya se había cerrado. También es una lástima que sólo entre a comprar aquí cuando necesito con que adornar mi amplio hall, mi biblioteca o mi modesta sala de armas.

Esto deja la siguiente conclusión: los romanos, además de ser unos genios militares, políticos y mantener uno de los imperios mas poderosos de la historia... también eran grandes y fervientes jugadores de rol.

(No hay nada nuevo bajo el sol)

   It looked like Londinium was the mages stronghold, as well as the capital of Baelaria, the center of operations for the ministry of magic, and the probable location for the primary "well" and biggest labs. The locals weren't really sure what to do; some were advocating swift assault while others were talking of digging in and using the portals to other realms as a supply line during a long-term war. What with their general impatience, the group decided on "fast". The mages had won in too many places to let them consolidate. That meant that they wouldn’t have time to wait for those Voidstone amulets; even if they had just provided plenty of Voidstone, it would take a day or so to set it.

   The situation in Londinium was hard to ascertain. While the Guild had apparently managed to achieve swift victory, energy discharges were increasing in the city, refugees were fleeing, the news was scrambled, and the military was trying to comprehend what just happened. It looked like they’d received orders from one or more of their commanders to head to the frontier and prepare for an assault.

   Come to think of it, on the subject of "assault", they sent the Mirage back to the Singularites for a tactical program upgrade. It didn’t seem to comprehend ranges of less than twenty miles or so, so it relied on its pilot to limit it - and Jarvian just wasn’t inclined towards limiting his firepower.

   Marty wanted to use the sewer system - it was supposed to be one of the most extensive and robust in the realm - but it mostly opened up along the river. Still, people did seem to be fleeing the city - and it looked like the mages attempts at stopping them were being countered. Looked like some of the "refugees" were covering the others.

   Well, that would make good cover - hm, disguising themselves as war profiteers would be even better - and they could just duck into the sewers once they were in the city. It was a three-day walk, so Kevin busied himself getting a steam-truck out from under the rubble (and dealing with a free fire elemental which liked beer.. He encouraged it to live in the brewery fireboxes: it could get all it wanted and the locals would never know). Smoke liked the idea; it meant they actually could get food/medicine/etcetera to endangered civilians. Smoke and Marty headed off to Potterworld to get some goods - medicines, weapons, and such for preference, food for second best. Platform 9 3/4'ths connected to Potterworld London, so it was an easy enough trip. The locals had apparently noticed all the school traffic, so there were plenty of shops... It didn’t look like Magic was as "secret" as the books had originally implied - and it looked like the disappearances had been more widespread than just Hogwarts. There was a lot on the TV about them. They made a note to tell Kevin about it later.

   Getting the stuff back through the station turned awkward. A truckload of stuff was just a bit conspicuous.

   They settled on having Marty drive a U-haul truck up the steps and through while Smoke did an impromptu solo Shakespeare performance to distract everyone. It was quite a performance - but there was still panic (Truck Bomb!) when the truck came up the steps. The cops reacted very quickly indeed - but Marty made it through and the station on the Baelaria side was pretty much deserted anyway.

   Back in Potterworld, the locals were speculating about "it being one of those weird superhero bombs". Looked like they were more aware of the Manifold than they used to be - and the cops were certainly aware of Smoke, and the connection wasn’t hard to make. At least one of them was also aware of - and apparently immune to - forgetting spells.

   Smoke explained. This mostly just added to the confusion, but the cop who apparently had truthsense - and decided that he both didn’t like the implications and didn’t want to try and explain to anyone else. He also didn’t want a repeat.

   Kevin put a flame-construct into the firebox, they loaded up the Golem and the Kids and Smoke and started off... Marty had to drive: the thing didn’t have a computer.

   Perhaps fortunately with the way that Marty drove, Kevin and the kids had never seriously considered the possibility of being hurt in a vehicle. Within a few hours they could see the city of Londinium ahead. Everything looked calm at that distance, but the masses of people walking alongside the roads testified that things were not as they seemed.

   They settled down to trading supplies for information - and got harangued by a finely-dressed young man with a couple of thuggish bodyguards. Smoke was pleased: a possible future hero. The guy was a bit startled to find that they only really wanted information - what was going on in Londinium, what the major factions were, if there was lots of resistance or were the mages crushing everyone with an iron hand, what were the local garrisons up to (and was Baelaria run by a King of Queen?). He guessed that they were Manifolders quickly enough. They had a discussion over lunch.

   Apparently the local underworld was not happy with the Mages Guild. The mage's thought they had control of the city when the stormed parliament and captured the Prime Minister. Several members of the Military, the police, and the Ministry of Magic had been in on the coup. Of course, that meant that everyone and their grandmother started to rise up and do whatever they wanted. The mages had been having a hell of a time trying to maintain order ever since - while the underworld had been busy trying to keep the civilian casualties to a minimum. He was pleased to find that the group was also pretty unhappy with the Mages Guild - and that Kevin and company were quite willing to take them on directly. The deal was simple: the "family" would help them slip into the city and help locate targets - and the group would do something about them. The Family could handle the generals and officials, but there were four major mages (currently truing to prepare for the arrival of the military) plus the Minister of Magic and her six powerful subordinates (and two powerful bodyguards) behind the defenses of the Ministry of Magic to deal with. So: 11 major targets, two annoying bodyguards, and other targets of opportunity.

   Well, since the Family would be covering their arrival (taking them in disguised as a container), they wouldn’t need the truck and the supplies. The Family suggested starting in the SW side of town: the mages presence was weakest there.

   2 CP and two new Contacts: Officer Dulandal (From Potterworld) and Taraq the "mobster".

   The Centurion is a miltary veteran. He is tough, professional, and disciplined. He acts without hesitation, carries a weapon, and speaks commandingly. He is impatient with speculation, mysticism, and abstraction, focusing on immediate practicality and leaving mysticism and philosophy to others. He wears a uniform, whether military or simply what he has decided is the optimum mode of dress, and uses his title instead of his almost-forgotten name.

• Channeling (1+Cha Mod times per day, 6 CP, specialized in Spell Conversion, 3 CP), Circle of Power (6 CP), Conversion (Set of four L2 spells: Heroism, Flesh Ward (Dr 3/-), Longstrider (L2 variant usable on others), and Remove Paralysis. Specialized: Only usable on those who formally acknowledge the user's leadership in battle and who can hear and understand his orders, 3 CP). The Centurion is practical and experienced. Those who listen to his orders in battle are far more likely to survive.
• Immunity/Being Identified (Very Common / Minor / Major. Specialized: Only works at long range and to conceal the fact that no one knows the user's name, Corrupted: only works as long as the user is ready to defend the local people, 4 CP). When the Centurion moves into an area, the locals will respect his silence, asking no questions and accepting whatever identification, if any, he wishes to give, as long as he is ready to defend them. Attempts to locate him from afar, whether mortal or supernatural, will be confounded; he is just another anonymous soldier among others.
• Favored Enemy (Weapon types variant, 6 CP). The Centurion practices intensively with his weapons, and thus may be come exceptionally skilled with his favorites.
• Specific Knowledge: +15 on Knowledge rolls related to the history, tactics, and weaponry of the military organization he originally served in (2 CP).

   El Diablo is a dashing rogue, good-looking and possessed of the devil's own luck. He dresses in black and wears a mask. He is bold and daring, and takes excessive risks. His weapons and armor are light, the better to make quick escapes. He wears a cloak which swirls about him and has a brilliant smile. He is a man of wealth - whether legitimate or stolen - and may possess a comedic sidekick or servant.

• Guises, Quick Change, and Mental Guise (5 CP): Specialized in a single, "civilian", identity only, Corrupted: the identity cannot be changed later and can only be changed out of sight: Despite the fact that he wears no more than slightly different clothing and a simple band of cloth across his face, none ever suspect that the El Diablo's Civilian and Adventurous personas are one and the same!
• Immunity/People making the connection between his identities (Common / Minor / Major. Corrupted: only works as long as he does not change identities directly in front of people and is not formally unmasked, 4 CP).
• Action Hero/Stunts (6 CP): El Diablo can pull off remarkable tricks, but occasionally his luck runs out.
• Luck with +2 Bonus Uses (9 CP).

   The Performer dresses to attract notice and bears the tools of his trade. He is unrestrained by social conventions and feels free to comment without deference on all who come before him. He enjoys what there is to enjoy without apology and complains loudly when things are not up to his standards. He insists upon due payment for services rendered.

• Inherent Spells: Lesser Confusion 2/Day, Hypnotism 2/Day, and Suggestion 2/Day (12 CP): Being able to confuse, fascinate, and manipulate an audience is the hallmark of the Performer. Their subtle influence can be found in manyplaces.
• Guises with Mental Guise and Immunity to the usual Time requirement (Uncommon / Minor / Major), both Specialized (only works to lose yourself among groups of people who are willing to accept eccentric individuals with thin backgrounds, such as circus performers, artists, eccentrics, and criminals, 6 CP).
• Mystic Artist (Select Performance Skill and Abilities, 6 CP).

   The Romantic is in pursuit of some numinous idealized dream, whether of love, beauty, or revolution. Regardless of the nature of the dream he bears it proudly, flaunting it for all to see. He is well-dressed and well-groomed but unconcerned with money. He is happy and fulfilled, knowing his purpose. He has a smile for everyone and scatters small gifts upon those about him.

• Luck with +4 Bonus Uses (Specialized: only usable for Rerolls, 6 CP) and Blessing (Specialized, only usable for sharing Rerolls, 3 CP). All the world loves a lover and the gods watch over fools: the Romantic is lucky himself and his cheery interventions bring good fortune to all his friends.
• Advanced Presence/Aura of Cheer (Corrupted for Reduced Cost on the basic Presence and Increased Effect on the Advanced modifier: only works while the situation remains peaceful, +6 on relevant social checks, 10 CP).
• Immunity/Suspicion (Very Common / Minor / Minor. Specialized: only works while the character invests the vast majority of his time on socializing, 4 CP): So long as the Romantic spends most of his time attending parties, pursuing romantic entanglements, and socializing, his very obviousness protects him from all social scrutiny. He may gossip about forbidden or treasonous subjects or sneak about in the night, and - as long as he avoids leaving a blatant trail - his activities will be shrugged off. "Him? That's just Chaldis, he's like that, but he's harmless..."
• Enthusiast (Specialized in Skills, Corrupted: Languages Only, 1 CP): While he may never speak like a native, the Romantic can soon pick up enough of any language to get along.

   The Thief is furtive, nervous, and always on the alert. His clothing is loose, and has several hidden pockets. He lives lightly, his back to the wall and always ready to flee. His eyes are keen, his fingers quick, and he has more cash than he can readily explain. He has a criminal record and uses an alias. If he must fight, he does not do so fairly.

• Lore/Underworld (6 CP): Attuned to the pulse of the streets, the Thief can easily locate purveyors of illegal goods and services, identify scams, find fences and safehouses, and otherwise navigate the dark side of civilization, even in places where he has never been before.
• Innate Enchantment (6 CP): +2 Competence Bonus to all Rogue Skills, Expeditious Retreat, Hidden Touch (L0, increases the TN to notice a Slight of Hand attempt by +10), and +2 Dex. The Thief lives by his wits, and the penalty for losing the game is all too steep. His skills are honed.
• Immunity to Divination (Common / Minor / Major - or effects of up to L5, 6 CP): In a world of magic, only those with the knack of resisting or evading divinatory spells can become truly successful thieves.
• Luck with +8 Bonus Uses: Specialized (rerolls only, cannot "take 20" in advance) and Corrupted (Skills and Attribute Checks only) (6 CP).

Effective Level:9th
Skill Checks: 9
*Knowledge (the planes) DC 26, 2 success;
*Spellcraft DC 26, 1 success;
*Psicraft DC 26, 1 success;
*Perform (sing) DC 26, 5 successes
-For this incantation the spellcraft and psicraft checks are made by the additional casters while the Knowledge: the planes and Perform checks are made by the primary caster.Failure:All casters take 2d6 hp of damage and are exhausted. Smalljammer along with crew and cargo is planeshifted to a random plane within the originating multiverse and unable to take its first action for 1d6 rounds while the smalljammer attunes to its new spacetime coordinates. (i.e. You fail to make the jump from Realmspace to Urban Arcana, the ship and contents are planeshifted to the plane of Shadow and unable to move for 4 rounds while the ship recovers from the jump.)
Components: V, S, M, F, XP
Casting Time:< 9 hours
Range:Touch
Target or Targets:1 Smalljammer Class Ship with crew and cargo. While the ship's air envelope is affected as well, nothing more solid than a gas that is within the envelope but outside the Smalljammer's hull is. (While it is speculated that the incantation will work with any living ship there are no known instances of it being done.) For the incantation to work the smalljammer must be outside the orbit of the outermost planet in the system by at least 5,000 miles.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw:Will negates (harmless) (DC 19 + caster's Cha modifier)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
Casting: The actual song portion of the incantation takes five hours. During that time the singing alternates with chanted components performed by the additionalcasters and, if they are successful, the Smalljammer as well.
Material Component: 5,000 gp Worth of exotic materials. The exact materials vary depending on what multiverse you are in and which one you wish to go to.In all cases the materials must come from three different planes in the starting multiverse.
Focus: An Organic, Living Spelljamming Helm
Backlash Component: Crossdimensional feedback. (planeshifted, exhausted, 2d6 hp damage)
Extra Casters: 2 backup chanters, 1 with Psicraft and one with Spellcraft. In addition the Smalljammer acts as an additional caster for a grand total of 3.
XP Cost: 200 xp from Primary Caster and 75 xp each from the additional casters.

Since the barrier between the Myriad Realms (i.e. d20 Modern, DragonStar, Call of Cthulhu, etc.) is vibrational in nature it stands to reason that one of the few ways of breaching the barriers between dimensions would involve sound. In this case the sound of song.

This nine hour ritual creates a breach in the barriers between dimensions allowing one ship to pass through. The first four hours are used in ritual preparation, attuning the ship and crew with the balance of arcane, psionic, and divine energies of their starting plane.

Some say that it was during the first performance of this Incantation that the Far Realm was first discovered. If there is truth to the theory held amongst some sagesthat the Far Realm fills the area between dimensions much like the Phlogiston fills the area between Spheres then this story may well be true.

As the silver light streams in through the windows Violetta feels momentarily light headed. While Xring tends the unconscious Ibid, Klasath explains that he is a pariah amongst his people and being on the Astral is a death sentence if they get caught. As they interrogate Moswen about what happened and discover she has no idea the githyanki explains some basics of the plane: lack of time, getting places by thinking about them, etc.

During the course of the conversation a change in Violetta's chain, as it now has the aspect of both being made of silver and being of githyanki craftsmanship. As Klasath asks her about it a figure comes into view in the distance. In short order it resolves into a strange looking cube, a cube with spindly chicken like arms and legs as well as a strange almost comical face. Larren identifies it as a Modron, native to the plane of Mechanus, a creature of pure Law.

In a strangely stilted prose the creature introduces itself as Individual 23 and, they think, inquires why they are there. Closer view shows the creature seems to be made of a an odd mix of metal, stone, and flesh. All in all it almost seems more of a construct than a creature of flesh and blood. Under its arm it carries a stone tile about a foot square and it holds a staff in its left hand.

After a brief and slightly confusing conversation the Modron asks, "Interrogative: Participate in game?" After a bit of conversation they agree and the Modron tosses the board out into the Silver Void where it rapidly grows to huge proportions.

Upon attaining full size the crew are transported to the surface of the board where they have taken the place of several pieces on the white side of the board. Surrounding them are living chess pieces, the Chaturani from Mechanus. The Modron sits on a raised dias at the other end of the board directing the black side's pieces.

A rapid, vicious game ensues. As the pieces move, animate, and fight Violetta feels a pulse at her temples and, suddenly released by the energies of the Astral, strikes out for the first time with an Ego Whip. As the strange, boxlike entity plunges headfirst into depressive lassitude Larren directs the game towards a rapid checkmate. In the course of the combat Lemmy had been "killed." At its end he appears on a dias opposite the Modron beaten but barely alive.

As a booming voice from above announces "checkmate," the black pieces defeated, including the checkmated King evaporate in amber light leaving behind three scrolls hanging suspended in mid air where they stood. Two are maps, in the same style as the map of Athas Violetta memorized a few weeks ago. One is labeled Dasaraches, The White Fortress. The other one is a city map emblazoned with the name Tyr.

In addition to the enigmatic maps is a scroll bearing a powerful incantaion, The Song of The Jammer. Combining elements of arcane, psionic and musical notation it seems to be a complex multi hour ritual that allows a smalljammer to breach dimensional barriers. At least that is the best they can gather from it.

After the game Klasath explains to Moswen how to rest in the Astral. Being a warlock she is unused to the energy draining effects of the helm. Being bereft of all her arcane abilities has rattled her a good deal. Individual 23 has, in the meantime, begun balling to himself while standing on the open deck of the Voidskimmer. He keeps saying that "Mad, mad, mad! Giotractuszeit mad will be," wringing his strange spindly hands.

Acting as the native guide Klasath finally suggest the best place to seek shelter would be Crosswinds Keep in the Elserryn Cluster. As a githyanki he would have to hide in the ship, his race are forbidden there and constantly attempt to breach the settlement's defenses.

He gives a detailed description to Xring and off they go. After five hours they come to a swirling array of color pools, portals to other planes that orbit in a complicated array much like and asteroid field. This is the Elserryn Cluster. Off on the other side of this maelstrom of color pools floats the enormous stone head of a dead god. Built o the back of the head is their destination, Crosswinds Keep.

As the smalljammer describes a sweeping arc around the swirling array a pair of seemingly normal hammerships move into view and hail them. A quick visit from the guards of the Lion Fleet allows them to be escorted inside the magical sphere of exclusion. Moswen immediately picks out the leader, Justin, and begins the now familiar batting of her eyes. Violetta rolls her own eyes and walks off. In short order the Voidskimmer is following the hammerships through the force shield and up to a dock on the side of the head.

While Klasath hides and the Modron sits in the hold talking to itself Ibid paces the perimeter keeping watch and guarding the ship. In the meantime the rest of the group make their way to the main keep where they are charged two gold to enter. After doing so they make their way to the common room and order a round of drinks.

Me? I get excited. Dungeons & Dragons has been a part of my social repertoire since I was in high school. My first experience was with 2^nd edition AD&D, a horrid age of unnecessarily complex rules, presided over by the dark and tyrannical THAC0 (To Hit Armor Class 0). That didn't last so long. In high school, a friend convinced me to give it another shot, during the 3.5^th edition era, a time when negative modifiers were no longer good (ever), and feats were as important a part of character creation as classes and skills.

Having bought, to date, over $400 worth of 3^rd and 3.5^th edition, I was understandably bitter when 4^th edition was announced, though optimistic that particularly annoying rules might be changed (I hated grappling, it never made sense). A part of me yearned for a system that was more balanced and player-friendly, while my wallet vehemently rejected the idea. As details leaked out, I grew excited by the changes; maybe this would be fun after all.

As it turns out, it is.

Pros: The game has been simplified. A lot. Rather than fighters getting bonus feats, wizards getting spells, and rogues getting "special features," everyone now gets powers. All of the powers are very simple to read and understand, and since everything is largely the same, new gamers won't feel overwhelmed by a barrage of choices.

The basic game mechanic of roll a d20, add a number, and compare it to a Difficulty Class (DC) hasn't changed, but the numbers you add have. No more are you bothered by base attack bonuses, skill ranks, and base saves complicating your class: almost everything is simply a d20 plus one-half your level plus an ability modifier. Saves have been done away with altogether, replacing them with Fortitude, Reflex, and Will defenses, an AC-like score which enemy casters try to beat with an attack roll. This allows casters to critical with anything, not just "weaponlike" spells anymore.

The addition of at-will powers means that no one, not even the spell-slinging wizard, is at a loss for action in combat. It also adds more variety; now, rather than simply having a fighter swing a sword around mindlessly, he can make a basic attack or use one of his at-will powers with a variety of interesting (though not game-breaking) effects.

Death effects have been entirely removed, meaning that an unlucky roll will never lead to your character's untimely demise. Likewise, critical hits have been made less lethal; no longer does a natural 20 multiply damage, now it just maximizes the damage dice you would have otherwise rolled. Still very cool when some powers let you do three times weapon damage. Also, confirmation rolls have been removed, because what's more disappointing than rolling a natural 20, only to fail the confirmation roll?

Separation of power levels into ten-level "tiers" (heroic, paragon, and epic) makes the game simply for the DM and player alike. Feats are likewise separated, with heroic, paragon, and epic tier feats becoming available at the appropriate level, thus doing away with the complicated base attack bonus prerequisites of 3.5^th edition.

The book layouts have been improved, significantly. Every topic has a simple bullet-list style of presentation, and has been worded such that it's very easy to understand. A single chart covers all classes' progression through the levels, and each class has a very standardized layout that's simple for new players to digest. Terminology has also been standardized; "shift" always means movement that doesn't provoke opportunity attacks, "push" always means moving an enemy directly away from you, etc.

The game has been, overall, been made more accessible to those without any sort of roleplaying experience whatsoever. The Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG) even has really good advice for new DMs... mostly. Monster encounters have been made easier to set up, experience has been simplified, and play has been streamlined. Even character creation is a little easier. As much as I personally dislike the official inclusion of character "roles" in the system, it does make it easier for new players to figure out their character's job.

But not everything is chocolate body frosting and edible underwear. Every silver lining has its cloud, so let's look at the negatives.

Cons: Class roles have been strongly emphasized; fighters are defenders, clerics are leaders, and rogues are strikers. It's harder to play a social rogue, or a dual-wielding, damage-dealing fighter. Actually, that second one is completely impossible by the current ruleset, where dual-wielding is impractical for anyone but rangers. Though power and feat selection still allow for a fairly versatile character, all of the powers point in one direction for each class.

The Monster Manual (MM) has skipped out on metallic dragons. Other than a short blurb about the other varieties of dragons, only chromatic dragons got any page-time. Admittedly, this isn't that big a deal. The game assumes that players are playing a good party, and as such should only meet chromatic dragons as adversaries, but as a true dragon-lover, I find myself disappointed by the lack of play that metallic dragons have received thus far.

The game's core rulebooks assume you'll be playing a good or unaligned party. As such, only the good and unaligned deities received a significant amount of attention. All paladin and cleric powers deal "radiant damage" and are described as shining lights from the gods themselves. The DMG, fortunately, gives slightly more information on the evil deities and suggestions on how to make player classes more evil-themed. Still, the fact that the typical stance is goody-two-shoes is troublesome. Some of us have darker urges.

Gnomes are a monster race. Wizards of the Coast was kind enough to put a small blurb on playing gnomes, drow, and such in the back of the MM, but gnomes are no longer the bright-eyed, tiny illusionists they once were. Now they are squat, ugly, grey things with sharp teeth, twisted by the alien realm of the Feywild. Gnome bards are a thing of the past.

Come to think of it, bards are a thing of the past, as are monks, sorcerers, barbarians, and druids. At least, they're history until more supplements come out, detailing the archetypal classes that are so far missing from our rulebooks. This is enough to be annoying, though there may be a good reason for this. We'll have to wait for the supplements to come out before a sterner judgment can be passed.

Multiclassing has been butchered. No more can a wizard dabble in a few levels of rogue to get some sneak attack dice and a few ranks in Hide and Move Silently. Multiclassing is handled entirely through feats; if you take four separate feats to gain powers from another class, you may then select that class in place of your 11^th level "paragon path" to gain even more powers from that class. It is impossible to gain a class' features without having selected that class.

Overall, the feel of the game is different; it feels a little more like playing an MMORPG on paper, rather than MMORPGs being a bit like D&D on your computer. The increased standardization of magic items, the uniformity of level progression, the strictness of class roles, the increased focus on combat, and especially the lumping of all special abilities under the "powers" banner have the appearance of making the game easier for new players (which is true, to an extent) but also suck dry the original soul of the game. No longer is a group of adventurers quite as different from one another as they once were under 3.5^th edition's rule. Uniqueness was sacrificed for simplicity's sake, and those of us with the intelligence and patience to learn older systems have to wonder if it's worth it.

Overall: Though my heart weeps at some of the changes this system has seen, the switch to 4^th edition has been a worthwhile one. The game is simpler, quicker-moving, easier to teach to new players, and as much (perhaps more) fun as older systems. As with any game, further releases only serve to deepen the game, hopefully returning some conspicuously missing classes to us and giving us unique perspectives on existing classes (rangers are rumored to have a third combat style on the way). As it stands, an incomplete system, it could use improvement. Hopefully, that's on its way.

For now, a mutable four out of five stars.

   Heading on down into the crypts to release some souls turned out to be awkward. The remains of the Mage's Guild tower were a smoldering ruin, with only a skeletal stone framework still standing - but the tunnels to the underlevels were still mostly intact.

   While they group was pulling rubble out of the way, someone across the city somehow managed to summon Lingering Smoke - a Sidereal from the Exalted realm - before falling unconscious. Smoke shrugged it off: another bit of random chaos in the loom no doubt. Still, the smoldering tower was an obvious starting point. Where else would the loom put him but in the center of events?

   Concerned with larger matters, the group had no objections to someone else who wanted to help out. The entire city was a war zone after all and there were endless strays running about. The couldn't identify Smoke's origin - but his general nature was clear enough.

   Smoke found the group a bit more confusing, but at least they seemed to be familiar with what had happened to him. Best to hang around with the people who had some information.

   They shrank down the Mirage to human scale - and Jarvian and his assistant to miniature scale - and headed on down. After all, they were more or less there to wreck the place.

   It turned out to be full of bodies floating in tubes - youngsters who'd been experimented on and enhanced in various ways. Unfortunately, trying to release the obedience-bindings and get them out triggered both a lockdown and the defenses - including a pretty powerful automation / golem.

   The resulting explosions (the Mirage really needed a new combat program: it's tactical program was still designed for intership combat at ranges of many miles) did quite a lot of damage to everyone and threatened to bring down the roof, which busied the group with propping it up, pulling youngsters out of cylinders, trying to bring the golem back into action on their side, and trying to get through the blast doors - and spurred Arxus to expend most of his power-accumulation opening a local gateway to outside the city.

   They managed to get everything out - including the reactivated golem - before the roof came down.

   It took the remains of the guild with it - and sealed off the deeper levels of the crypts. They could break the compulsions on the ones they'd rescued, but no one was sure how many more there were deeper down - and there were seven other major chapterhouses of the mages guild.

   They left the rescued and unbound youngsters with the local priests,

   According to the golem, the lower floors had contained numerous labs: including Artificial Ensoulment, Artificial Physical Constructs, Revenant Creation, and Well construction. The Wells were a series of seven secondary Wells of Energy used to store and feed energy into the Primary Well. The local lab had been pursuing the construction of the Sunwell. There were probably at least 212 people still alive in the lower labs.

   Back in town the fighting had ground to a halt, cleanup was underway, and the remaining powers in the city were beginning to gather. The mages had lost here - leaving the Alchemist's Guild, the City Guard, the Independent Mages, and the Church of the Light (plus numerous adventurers) in control. Bristol had managed to repel the mage's assault through the efforts of the Steam Guild. Londinium, Liverpool, and Manchester were confirmed to have fallen. Corinum and Calem still had fighting going on and the status of Avesbury was unknown. The military had mostly been sent into rural areas before the assault began, and their response was - as yet - unknown.

   The group spread the word that the mages enhanced troops were mostly controlled by binding runes on their tongues, confirmed that the mages were kidnaping children for hideous experiments and stealing souls, put out the information about the Sunwell - and that the six other "minor" wells and a major one were also under construction. The "Sunwell" did seem to be literal - and possibly tied in with all that gold. Seven major astronomical objects, seven primary wells and one focus? No way of knowing yet. Even with the golem and the two captives to question, that was about all they could get.

   The next step would be to assault the mages in Londinium (unless getting a tactical-program update for the Mirage took precedence). There was still some resistance there, but a lot more was obviously required - and if the army was moving in they could be a mutual diversion.

Nós que jogamos bastante RPG, MMORPG e outros jogos que interagimos tomando uma forma de um personagem em um mundo fictício normalmente tomamos como padrão o heroísmo como forma de levar os nossos personagens a frente. Salvar o mundo, a donzela e destruir o mal que vem assolando o reinado.

Uma coisa que me intriga sempre e qual é o papel daquele que tem o poder de mudar as coisas, ser diferente de tudo e todos, poder fazer as coisas apenas do seu jeito. Será o papel do Anti-heroi? Ou papel do jogador?

O Anti-herói

Vamos ver uma definição que podemos encontrar pela internet.

“Anti-herói é o termo que se emprega para alguém que protagoniza atitudes referentes às do herói clássico, mas que não possuem vocação heróica ou que realizam as façanhas por motivos egoístas, de vaidade ou de quaisquer gêneros que não sejam altruístas.”

Bom em termos de jogo, como poderíamos colocar isso, séria os nossos personagens que estão buscando resolver seus problemas pessoais de sua forma, fora de uma lei especifica que de vez enquanto ajuda alguém (só que visando os seus interesses ou vai levar ao seu objetivo).

Aquele estereotipo em que tudo que ele faz esta certo na ótica dele e seus meios vão justificar os resultados. Sempre fazendo as coisas de sua forma para conseguir o que quer, quando quer. Nisso aqui podemos classificar bastantes personagens clássicos existentes na TV,filmes e quadrinhos.

O Anti-herói de verdade.

As vezes confundimos o herói como o anti-heroi e vice-versa, será que quando jogamos conseguimos ser 100% herói? ou temos aquela pequena recaída para um lado obscuro?

Creio que sim meus caros leitores, porque todos nós temos um lado que deseja algo muito que acaba esquecendo alguns dos valores heróicos. Isto não quer dizer que você esta virando um anti-heroi, mas que você esta correndo atrás de um dos seus objetivos com mais afinco e carisma. Quem nunca aqui desejou aquela arma mágica, ou aquela pedra que esta no fundo daquele poço para poder resolver seus problemas?

Existe uma linha fina entre o herói e o anti-herói, pois ser totalmente certinho às vezes não se consegue, nem o paladino que e tendencioso a isso ele consegue ser. Às vezes ele tem que simplesmente deixar o seu grupo de lado para atender um apelo de um grito aflito mesmo todos avisando que e uma armadilha ou aquele mercenário que só trabalha ou ajuda para conseguir aquelas coisas porque tem dinheiro em volto e uma grande recompensa.

O Anti-herói sempre vai fazer qualquer movimento motivado para atingir os seus objetivos de sua forma, lutando para ter aquilo que deseja para si logo de sua própria forma. Um das mais comuns criações dos personagens por jogador e o que teve sua vida na infância destruída, treina o resto de sua vida para conseguir sua vingança sobre aqueles que destruíram a sua vida. Só um segundo, onde estar o fato do heroísmo aí nesta descrição? Este personagem vai fazer de tudo para chegar ao seu objetivo de se vingar, mesmo que tenha que salvar o mundo antes para que ele tenha chance de levar a cabo a sua vingança.

As vezes ou maioria das vezes não criamos heróis e sim anti-heróis para satisfazer uma determinada necessidade de um background criado ou um estereotipo que queremos desenvolver.

Ser ou não ser um anti-herói, es a questão.

Texto por: Christian Alencar

   The Broken Spirit has walked too often with death and awaits its final visit as one awaits a friend who will assume a grievous burden. An undercurrent of more-than-physical exhaustion, despair, and misery taints his every action, he cannot be consoled. He smiles not, his vestments are the withered remnants of joyful celebrations, and his weapons are worn. He sees little difference between one more death at his hands - and the death of another tiny portion of his spirit - and his own physical end.

• Immunity/The need for formal instruction (Uncommon/Major/Major, 6 CP): Intimate with death and the dead, the Broken Spirit may be easily filled by any strength. Given a chance to observe an ability or spell in action, the Broken Spirit may spend CP to purchase it without further instruction.
• Trick/Death Attack (6 CP): The Broken Spirit has seen many defenses fail and all too many friends fall, and each such death has added to his store of tricks.
• Immunity/Penalties to his base defenses: the Broken Spirit can have his bonuses and enhancements stripped away, but - for example - his saves can never be reduced before his basic purchased bonus (Uncommon/Major/Great, 6 CP). An awareness of death and destruction all around has set the Broken Spirit on guard - however uninterestedly - against all their manifestations.
• Inherent Spell (L2 Spell 2/Day: a ranged Curse with Arcanum Minimus II/inflicts 3d6 damage to the caster when used, 6 CP): Intimate with death, the Broken Spirit can let the energies of the dark realms flow through his unresisting spirit, inflicting them upon some target while yielding up a portion of his life force to the dark realms.
• Some broken spirits also develop an immunity to emotional manipulation - but such characters are not so much awaiting death as dead already.

   The Brute values dominance over logic, making senseless demands and enforcing obedience with an iron hand, ruthlessly crushing any defiance. The brute wears a uniform, his fists are scarred, and his features battered. He often shows traces of his victim's blood or terrified resistance. He shows no reluctance to undertake necessary, but unpleasant, tasks or to make callously expedient decisions.

• Occult Sense/Fear (6 CP): The Brute instinctively knows who is frightened, and what they are frightened of, and to what degree. He will use that knowledge without compunction.
• Professional/Intimidation (6 CP): The Brute is a master of getting his way through intimidation, whether by demonstrations of physical might or by subtle insinuations.
• Inherent Spell/Curse with +10 Bonus Uses and Reflex Action/May release this inherent spell with blow (Specialized: may not be used more than three times per encounter, may not be used except with a blatant physical attack, only to inflict long-term injuries which are appropriately curable, 12 CP): The Brutes blows can break bones, create scars, and otherwise inflict a variety of long-term injuries.

   The Elder is worn and gnarled by care and carries a keepsake of something precious and lost. He is filled with proverbs and folk sayings, but is healthy and vigorous for his age. He is suspicious of strangers, but does not hesitate to take advantage of them as long as they are none of his. He has folk wisdom, but does not know what parts of it are false.

• Innate Enchantment (4x constant-effect L1 Spells, 6 CP): Unseen Servant and Supervisor (grants a +4 Assistance bonus on Craft Skills, Heal skills used in an emergency, and physically-oriented Profession skills or Use Rope checks and allows the user to accomplish four times as much work in a given time), +3 Competence Bonus to all Craft and Profession skills, and gains a +1 Luck Bonus to his AC and Saves (Ward of Heaven).
• Occult Sense/Scams and Exploitation (6 CP): The Elder has seen every scam, and heard every tale of woe, under the sun. He will invariably spot any attempt to take advantage of him or his.
• 3d6 Mana with the Reality Editing Option: Specialized: only to produce Charms and Talismans, Corrupted: such charms are never good for more than a single adventure and cannot be sold (6 CP): The Elder can always produce small items of folk magic to help out his friends.
• Lore/Local Rumors, History, and Geography (6 CP).

   The Great Leader is decisive and trenchant. He bears a trademark and speaks with distinctive turns of phrase. He passes among his men, and stops to speak to those who have served him well. He is fearless, leads from the front lines, and does not change his mind. He inspires legends and tales and is strikingly clad. He gives others the respect that they are due, and demands it in his turn, but is ruthless with his enemies. His plans are simple and easily summed up, the better to communicate them to those who must carry them out.

• Dominion (6 CP) and Voice of Command (6 CP): The Great Leader is favored by destiny. He can inspire thousands and is capable of heroic feats. When he speaks, people listen. (Note that, if Dominion is acquired on a temporary basis, a character must adopt a local legend to represent and starts off with (Chr Mod) Dominion Points).
• Mystic Artist/Oratory (6 CP): While not all Great Leaders are gifted in oratory, those who are can manipulate those around them in a wide variety of ways.
• Inherent Spell (Specialized: Takes hours or days to take effect, Corrupted: Requires a use of Mystic Artist to cast, total triple effect)/Address the Multitude (L9, allows the user to make a brief speech which will be heard throughout the land - a nation or even small continent) (6 CP): The words of a Great Leader will be passed across the land, and his deeds rumored. Given time, even the remotest vales and crags will hear the whispers of the word.

   The Official is a powerful and slightly seedy figure who demands deference and bribes in equal measure. He is arrogant, ambitious, and concerned only with his own sphere of responsibility. He has selective hearing, some things he hears well, others pass by when shouted.

   While "honest" officials may expect no more than food and drink, the less ethical are unmerciful in their demands. Where there is trouble and disaster, the Official brings welcome assistance. Where things are running smoothly, the Official is an unwelcome impediment.

• Major Favors/Official Intervention (6 CP): The Official may call for the assistance, a blind eye from, or even the formal intervention, of whatever organization he works for. If a full intervention was truly needed, his competence will be recognized and rewarded. If not, he will be censured for such a waste of time and resources.
• Inherent Spell/Filing a Report (L2, usable 2/Day, 6 CP): The Official may file a report with his superiors or an appropriate destination at any time, whether due to having sent off a letter covering his suspicions and requests "some time ago" or via supernatural means.
• Occult Sense/Rules Violations (Specialized: Only covers those in the officials area of responsibility, 3 CP): The Official has a sixth sense, when someone or some organization he is dealing with is evading the regulations for which he is responsible, somehow he will always know.
• Privilege/Sinecure (3 CP) plus Spell/Power Resistance (Specialized: Only versus attempts to reach or investigate the user while he is engaged in official business, 3 CP): The Official may always involve himself in local matters, becoming entangled in a web of meetings, luncheons, and other pointless official activities. As long as the Official opts to spend the vast majority of his time on such pointless bureaucratic entanglements, any attempt to reach or investigate him - regardless of the importance of the matter - must contend with the entire bureau in question. Even supernatural attempts to do so are often useless.
• Occult Sense/Detect Scrutiny (Specialized: requires several minutes of concentration, 3 CP): When the Official carefully considers an action, his vast experience with the bureaucracy will easily let him determine how likely it is to attract official attention or investigation.

   The Scholar is well-educated. He carries pens, ink, and paper and keeps extensive notes. His conversation is filled with quotations and citations from learned sources. He s quick-witted and versatile, filled with ideas and skilled in many things, but is meddlesome, unaware of the virtues of silence and acceptance. If he must use a weapon, he inscribes sigla of power upon missiles, the better to exploit the weaknesses of his enemies.

• Luck with +4 Bonus Uses: Specialized in Social and Intellectual Checks (6 CP)
• Focused Imbuement: Specialized (Spell Storing only. Corrupted: Never progresses to higher-order effects. 4 CP): The scholar may prepare up to 50 missiles of his or her chosen variety in advance, imbuing each of them with an arcane spell effect of up to L3.
• Inherent Spell with +4 Bonus Uses totaling 5/day (Specialized: Requires at least ten minutes to cast, double effect, Corrupted, requires drawing complex symbols in the item to be affected, 2/3'rds cost, 8 CP)/L6 Greater Invocation produces any L3 or below arcane spell effect: The magic of the scholar is slow, but versatile, as the complex symbols of his art channel the energies of magic.
• Innate Enchantment (6 CP): Moment of Insight (+20 Insight bonus to Social or Intellectual Skill checks only, only to negate penalties for rushing, 3/day, 840 GP), Detect Weakness (detects a single unknown weakness of the target if it fails a willpower save, 2000 GP), +3 Competence Bonus on all Intelligence-Based Skills (1400 GP), +3 Competence Bonus on all Charisma-Based Skills (1400 GP), and Comprehend Languages 1/Day (400 GP).

   The Shaman is a spirit guide and intermediary between men and the otherworlds. He wears fur and feathers and carries the skulls and bones of animals. He is unnerving, looking past or through those to whom he speaks. He is clever and values obscure fragments of lore and tokens of favor from those he has known or dealt with above impersonal wealth.

• Major Privilege/May arrange a peaceful (or terrible) passing and a smooth transition into a (desirable or undesirable) afterlife or superior (inferior) reincarnation for those under his care (6 CP): The Shaman has power over the spirits of the dying and the dead, whether to bind, guide, or release them into the otherworlds. He stands at the gates of death, directing those who pass through.
• Shapeshift(6 CP): The Shaman may call on the animal spirits to grant him their forms and powers
• Major Favors/Spirits with +2 Bonus Uses (Corrupted: requires lengthy rituals and minor offerings, 6 CP): The Shaman can call on the spirits of nature and the dead for magic and information.
• Innate Enchantment (4x L1 Spells, 6 CP): Moment of Insight/+20 Insight bonus to Slight Of Hand, only to avoid being noticed 5/Day, Detect Spirits, Detect Illusion (+6 to relevant saves), Protection from Evil (or Good as appropriate): The spirits grant the Shaman many gifts, but to whom much is given, much shall be expected.

   The first step in doing that is to define a few, so here are a few suitably-styled packages for Aristocrats, Berserkers, Commanders, Laborers, Magi, Messengers, Shadows, Wanderers, and Wise Companions.

   The Aristocrat is vain, shallow, and prideful. He displays his wealth and influence, whether it is within a street gang or within a mighty kingdom. He instinctively seeks out those allies who can be of benefit to him and gravitates to privilege.

• Shaping (Specialized in vanity and social effects to allow L0 effects, 6 CP): The Aristocrat looks good at all times, his hair impeccable, his clothing resplendent, his person clean and sweetly scented. His glances speak volumes. (Mending, Prestidigitation, Message, +2 Luck bonus to Social Checks)
• Privilege/Wealth (3 CP): The Aristocrat never lacks for petty cash or credit, and may live a high lifestyle without worrying about the cost.
• Blessing/Share Saves and Checks with those in the immediate vicinity, rolling yours first, Specialized: Only affects socially-based effects, Corrupted: only works for lovers and immediate family members (both reducing the cost, 6 CP): The Aristocrat preempts criticism and manipulation for those within his purview, all such attempts must first be addressed to him and only afterwards at their objects.
• Immunity to Official Observation (Common/Minor/Major, 6 CP): the Aristocrat is above official suspicion and scrutiny, whether due to his connections, fear, or being surrounded by loyal minions who will intercept any such annoyances.
• Favors (3 CP): The Aristocrat trades in minor favors with the upper crust, and can thus obtain many minor special services and perks.

   The Berserker dresses savagely, and is always ready for war. His weapons and shield are never far from his hand. He glories in battle, whether in victory or defeat. He does not work well with others, seeing even great cities as just another wilderness - albeit with their own predators and laws. He surrounds himself with trophies and souvenirs of his battles and kills and boasts of his exploits.

• Augment Attack: +3d8 damage with attacks (12 CP) which comes into play at 1d8 per 25% of HP taken (thus 1d8 at 75% HP or less, 2d8 at 50% or less, and 3d8 at 25% or less): The Berserker becomes ever more dangerous as he has less and less to lose.
• Berserker and Enduring (9 CP): +4 Strength and +4/- Universal DR (versus both physical attacks and energy): The berserker fights like a bear at bay, without regard for the future; the fight is NOW.
• Presence/Aura of Fear (enemies save DC 11 + Cha Mod or flee. Specialized: only while Berserk, 3 CP): When the rage is upon the Berserker, even the stoutest heart may tremble before him.

   The Commander leads with strength and purpose, demanding discipline and obedience from his men. While he is cold and acknowledges neither fear, exhaustion, nor weakness, he is fair and cares for his men as a miser cares for his gold. He bears the trappings of his rank and speaks in the tones of command.

• Leadership and Emperor's Star (12 CP): you may designate up to (2x [Level + Cha Mod]) individuals as followers, who will serve you loyally. Each gains one Positive Level.
• Advanced Presence/Aura of Authority (12 CP). Those following your commands gain a +1 Moral Bonus to attacks, saves, checks, and weapons damage. Few will question your orders without good reason and you gain a +4 bonus on relevant social skill rolls.

   The Laborer is common and unremarkable, his dress is inexpensive, his food plain but hearty, and his demeanor humble. He does not question his orders and stumbles in confusion if he should attempt to lie.

• Professional (6 CP) and Tireless (6 CP). The Laborer is equal to the task, gaining a +(Level/2) bonus on all Strength checks and never becoming fatigued from normal labors.
• Assistant (6 CP) Your "Aid Another" actions provide twice the usual bonus. Your quiet strength bolsters the efforts of others.
• Immunity/Being Noticed (Very Common/Minor/Major, Specialized: Only while you spend almost all your time working at humble tasks, half cost, 6 CP). As long as you labor at your tasks almost anyone will overlook you.

   The Magus has incorporated his power into his very core; none shall touch upon it without leave. It's signs are upon him, his skin and clothing bears occult sigils, he wears talismans and bears devices of unknown nature, and traces of his power leak into his eyes, voice, and bearing. None can mistake him for a lesser being.

• Immunity to power-draining and suppressing effects (Uncommon/Major/Great, 12 CP): Must I speak twice thou duffer? None shall touch upon it without leave.
• Improved Presence: Aura of Mastery (+4 to all relevant social checks, recognized as a master. Specialized: the character is obviously a great mage and supernatural beings and powers in the area will tend to assume that your presence involves them, 6 CP). The Magus must be factored into the plans of others, whether he wilt or no.
• Occult Ritual (6 CP): The Magus knows that there are many ways to channel power, and may wield it in precisely the ways he wishes.

   The Messenger has urgent business elsewhere, and will not be persuaded to delay it. He braves danger, darkness, and storm, without complaint. He bears a weapon and a package, neither of which he will lay down before the end of his journey. He is well-spoken and shows signs of fatigue and tension.

• Presence (Specialized; only while on a mission, half cost, 3 CP): The Messenger feels no fear, and neither do those around him or her, while there is a mission to fulfill.
• Deep Sleep (6 CP) and Cosmic Awareness (Specialized: Involuntary use only, 3 CP): The Messenger is driven and needs little rest, while the word he brings may oft reveal far more than he imagines.
• Immunity/Bad Weather Penalties (Common/Minor/Trivial, 2 CP).
• Blessing (Double Specialized: Both Double effect (both user and target share the ability) and Half Cost. Only with Deep Sleep and Weather Protection and only with a Mount, 3 CP).
• Inherent Spell/Phantom Steed 1/Day (6 CP). The Messenger is never without a Mount.
• Immunity/Intoxicants and Sophorics (Uncommon/Minor/Trivial, 1 CP): The Messenger remains alert, and can never be drugged or drunk into insensibility.

   The Shadow presents others with few clues, he is quiet and mysterious. None note his passing. The Shadow wears soft, dark, clothing and conceals his face. He lingers around sacred and magical places. He appears suddenly, and vanishes equally swiftly. Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? THE SHADOW knows.

• Inherent Spell/L3 Seal of Privacy with +2 Bonus Uses for 3/Day (9 CP). The area around the user is warded against supernatural intrusion, whether by divination, scrying sensors, teleportation, or other means. The places of the Shadow are mysterious and hidden. None shall trespass upon them.
• Luck/Specialized in Stealth (3 CP): The shadow passes like a whisper of breeze. Three times per day you may either "take 20" in advance or reroll a stealth-related check.
• Immunity to Official Observation (Common/Minor/Major, 6 CP): The Shadow moves in the hidden places, he is a myth and there is no record of his existence.
• Innate Enchantment (6 CP, mostly at-will L1 spells cast at L1): Cloak of Shadows (+3 circumstance bonus to Stealth-related checks), Pop (may teleport up to 10 feet 3/day), Insight to the Heart (+3 competence bonus to perception-related skills), Moment of Insight 3/Day (+20 Insight bonus to a Check), and Void Sheathe (L0 at will, may extra-dimensionally conceal a single object weighing up to 20 lb).

   The Wanderer is a footloose free spirit, going where the wind takes him. He is unkempt and unburdened, his clothing is loose and comfortable, and his demeanor is relaxed. He fits casually into any group.

• Presence (6 CP): You are accepted almost everywhere. Those around you will assume that you are either working or have some acceptable reason to be there.
• Immunity/Mind Control (Uncommon/Severe/Great, providing immunity to effects of up to L7 and a +8 bonus to rolls to resist higher level effects, 18 CP). You are a freewheeling scamp, and nothing can force you to behave.

   The Wise Companion is plain, or even severe, in both dress and appearance and shows signs of age and wisdom. He is firmly grounded in the earth and practicality, providing the foundation for the soaring dreams of others and able to deal fairly with those about him. He carries medicines and herbs, and is prepared for many eventualities.

• Healing Touch, with Improved, Switch, and Empower (Specialized: the recipient must sleep for at least four hours immediately after this is used or the effects are negated, 12 CP): With a few herbs, a gentle touch, and the sleep that doth knit up the raveled sleeve of care, the Wise Companion can readily deal with many innumerable ills.
• Privilege/Hospitality (3 CP): The Wise Companion is always welcome, and may readily find a quiet, comfortable - and as private as his or her abruptly-acquired friends can arrange - place to stay wherever there are people. Anyone seeking the Wise Companion will have great difficulty in such a quest unless the Wise Companion chooses to advertise his location.
• Major Privilege/Backing for the Wise Companions plans (Specialized: the plan must actually have some merit, be plausible, promise profit for the backers, and be honestly intended and presented, 3 CP).
• Equipage (Corrupted: the Wise Companion must be able to provide both a plausible source for the goods produced and a plausible way in which they could have been brought along, 4 CP):
• Contacts (2 CP): Given a few weeks in an area, a Wise Companion will soon become well-acquainted with some useful individuals.

.

The crew of the Soravin (First Manifold Campaign: The Chronicles of the Opening)

   Virtually the entire crew of the Soravin were primary or secondary Openers, or - at the very least - strong Gatekeepers. As such, they were a major focus of the early Manifold Wars. While quite a few characters participated along the way, some of the most important included:

• Captain John Calzin: Core Earth merchant-adventurer, one of the first Openers. Lost during a quixotic - or crazed - attempt to destroy most of the milky way galaxy.
• Ryan O'Malley: Crusader Gadgeteer-Engineer and master of Ninjaneering. Thanks to several deaths, also an ensouled robot, a giant panda with alcoholic blood, and several other incarnations at one point or another. Currently founder and director of ATE.
• Zeal: Anime (Slayers Universe) Origin: An amnesiac Ice Wizard/Elemental. Currently a member of the Divine Alliance.
• Tom Scott/"Serin". Core Earth role playing gamer and shapeshifter-mage, also an early opener.
• Jayce: A Core Earth Mystic Performance Artist and Opener,
• Locadel the Indestructible: A turtle who communicated primarily thorough interpretative dance, with enormous healing abilities and enormous durability - which he bestowed upon his chosen companions.
• Vena, also the Archangel Vena: An anime-origin ferret-creature which could metamorphoses into a powerful starship, she was later infused with vast supernatural energies - first becoming an Archdemon and later, after successfully purging the evil from her powers, an Archangel.

.

Notable Factions:

   Advanced Technology Exchange (ATE) is a technology and magic manufacturing, research, and development company primarily owned by Ryan O'Malley. Designs and manufactures advanced weaponry, defenses, and transportation systems making extensive use of exotic matter. ATE operates Grand Central Station in almost all the New York's and many other major trading hubs throughout the multiverse. While not able to match the sheer manufacturing capacity of some of the major Galactic and American companies, ATE tends to design its technology to work in far more places than usual - putting it well ahead of the offerings from other advanced-technology companies.

   The Commonwealth is a conglomeration of worlds bound together by their recognition of Arthur as the Once and Future King. Mainly fantasy realms and British Empire worlds, they produce some of the most powerful magic seen in the multiverse. King Arthur runs a largely Christian kingdom with Christian overtones and history. Lately, rumors of betrayal in Arthur's court have begun to emerge, with speculation running rampant as to who and why. The various Orders of Knights is loosely under the command of King Arthur.

   The Universal Church, with its foundations laid centuries ago by the Ecumenical Council is the sole remaining major religious organization left in Core. It sponsors a variety of Knightly Orders, often drawing recruits from the Manifold, and - thanks to its members Faith in the powers of the light - wields a fair amount of magical power even in Core. In the Manifold, they may be even stronger - although the life expectancy for their Research Theologicians is still woefully short.

   The New Imperium is the "Star Wars" Galactic Empire under the leadership of Emperor Skywalker I - who, since his release from the bonds of the Light and Dark sides of the Force has chosen a course of balance and fairness in dealing with diversity and dissent. He has largely managed to unify the galaxy and several neighboring realms under his leadership, splintering his realm away from the (constantly-resetting) realms of the Old Empire and the classical source material. In his realm he has reformed the Jedi council with the addition of Sith teachings and has striven to bring balance to the Force - although a group of hardcore fanatics have been formenting rebellion. Even the Emperor acknowledges that they shall always remain. He has been making efforts to reach out diplomatically and economically to other realms and promote ties with them and - especially - with Core.

   The Oracles Archona speak in cryptic riddles and prophecies. Each year they release a set of new prophecies, provoking an intensively-covered frenzy of interpretation. The Oracles tend to stay out of petty politics, intervening only under the most unusual circumstances since - according to their own statements - they have been banned from direct intervention in human affairs. Who or what could have been responsible for such a ban has never been explained. Nevertheless, their predictions have been becoming increasingly ominous.

   The House of Roses is still the Royal House of England - although, with the general fading-away of formal governments over the last few centuries, their only remaining "duties" for the previous century consisted of officially opening a few private events and historical re-enactments. The computer systems, of course, continued to maintain the royal palace for their use.

   Despite their limited official power, however, the House invested wisely across the centuries, and has immense monetary reserves. It has also retained and expanded its web of connections - and still retains a variety of diplomatic and executive privileges (such as receiving and posting ambassadors). While such privileges were meaningless for centuries, they remained on file with the computers - and there is no longer any other "government" around to revoke them.

   Today, the House may not be a government, but it still retains a position of leadership and has a great deal of influence in Core. Quite a lot people in Core look to Elizabeth III as a leader and the House has been among those calling for talk with the robots and an end to this possible perpetual war.

   The United States (now including most of the old nations of Canada and Mexico) maintained a formal Government - complete with campaigns, elections, and debates - for centuries after its authority was curtailed and most of its responsibilities were turned over to the computers. Oddly enough, that conservative, traditionalist, position left the United States as one of the few groups with mechanisms in place to negotiate as an organization with outsiders - such as the various nations and realms of the Manifold. Currently, they are one of the few groups which seems to have embraced the idea of "Manifold Destiny" - and have built a coalition of the "United States of the Manifold" under the Bill of Unification and with the guidance/assistance of the Legionary Cohorts. So far the coalition has embraced a wide variety of alternate and historical Americas - Wild West World, Necromantic Nazi World, Communist Invasion World, Japanese Invasion World, Axis Invasion World, Alien Invasion World, WWII World, (all currently receiving military support), Rustic Americana World, Maxfield Parrish World, Linear World, Energy Crisis world, Pollution World, Mutant Menace World, and many others. Unsurprisingly, the best response has come from those desperately in need of help - making them more than a bit interested in a defensive and supportive union. Still, exactly how much authority the elected officials have over major affairs is something that has not yet been tested

   Primaeval Indian World, Secret Supernatural World, The Weird West World, Confederate States World, and Robber Baron World have all refused to join and some of them may be considering creating their own opposing alliance.

   The Legionary Cohorts are the robotic armies of the Singular United States. With all known command units (Praetorians) dead, they have largely reverted to their original programming: safeguarding the human continuum. How they currently - and will in the future - interpret those general orders has many parties keeping a close eye on developments. The Legions have accessed other renditions of the United States and have made efforts to unify them for collective defense and governing.

   The Singularians are the survivors of the Singularity War in Singular. They are largely the scientists, engineers, and commanders from the American techno-military-industrial complex. While their numbers are few, they have a great deal of high technology at their disposal - almost all of it operating under natural laws close enough to Core's to be useful across large reaches of the Manifold. They are very wary of the Legionary Cohorts and their creation of the Unified United States.

   The Necropolis is a city of the undead - the dark reflection of the despair of those dying alone in the midst of crowds. Populated by shuffling zombies, the spirits of the despairing dead, and the occasional powerful and reckless mage, this is not a place for the living. The city is ruled by powerful liches and vampire lords. Some of the oldest and most powerful beings reside here, having existed for centuries, if not millennia. While not exactly hostile, the inhabitants have little tolerance for the outside world intruding in their domain. A few more open-minded individuals do run trading operations with brave mortals from other realms.

   The Mage's Guild of Baelaria was fortunate - or unfortunate - enough to be "blessed" with at least two Openers and several Gatekeepers years ago, and has been trying to turn that marvelous edge into total dominance of their home dimension and influence in many more, as well as pursuing numerous highly unethical activities in pursuit of additional unknown goals. They have not been at all pleased to discover that there are other Openers as well - and that such a gift it is not properly restrained to the magically-skilled as they had assumed. The Guild is believed to have been allying with other groups of unethical mages across the realms of the Manifold, such as the Red Wizards of the Forgotten Realms and the Necromancers of L'Kung.

   The Divine Alliance is relatively simple: quite a few of the early gods - Zeus, Odin, Ra, Ahura Mazda, Enlil, Quetzalcoatl, Shang Ti, and many more - are still around, rulers of their own realms. They're mostly fairly benign towards humans. After all, humans created them and sustain them. They NEED humans around. Ideally, they want more recruits for their realms - and now that humans have become aware of them again, and occasionally drop by to visit or negotiate, they're trying to build up followings again - if not of devout worshipers, at least of respectful people who owe them favors.

   The Ghost Dance is primarily a sect of Core - but they constantly call on the powers of the Manifold. They recognize the trap of high technology: too high a population, too close to the limits of the possible - and you're entire species gets sucked into the Manifold, and into what they see as a dead end. They will see civilizations shattered and mankind hurled back into the age of hunter-gatherers before they accept mankind becoming extinct in core. To this end they try to establish primitive colonies, renounce technology, sabotage groups which are opening too many gates into the manifold, and push expansion into space and the defense of the core worlds rather than expansion into the manifold - or giving up and taking refuge there as they describe it. Their strong beliefs allow a surprising number of them to draw on the magic of the Manifold, even if such effects are very limited in Core.

   At least one splinter sect wants to leave Core to new races and return to the primitive paradise that man was meant to live out in the endless reaches of the Manifold.

   The Abyss represents the powers of Darkness and Evil. They don't have many willing Openers - but they do have a lot of gates which people managed to open to escape through and they have LOTS of magic and people willing to call on them. Oddly enough, the Abyss is not particularly hostile to humanity as a whole - indeed, the Abyss wants humanity to constantly expand, to take over more worlds, and to dispose of everyone else. The power of the Abyss depends on a ready supply of new human souls.

   Fortunately, most of the serious powers of the Abyss are more or less trapped there: they're far too magical (and non-technological) to survive in core or the hard-science realms, and have too many weaknesses and vulnerabilities to last for long in most other places in the face of constant opposition from the Confluence of Elysium - although the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse get out relatively often. Far too many people believe in such harbingers throughout the Manifold to keep them mewed up for long.

   The Confluence of Elysium is an alliance of the Lesser Powers of Light - assorted minor angels, messenger spirits from various faiths, deceased religious prophets, and similar entities united by the belief in abstract good. While most are too honest to claim to know the "Truth", they're still pretty inhuman - and they do tend to see themselves as the Swords of Light - warriors of the faith and burning blade, guardians against the darkness, guides of the benighted, and punishers of evil. They tend to pop up all over, since there's always SOMEONE calling on them.

   The Robber Baron Alliance is pretty straightforward - but has its tendrils into core and the most distant reaches of the Manifold alike. Profit over Humanity speaks a common tongue throughout the realms - and it pays very well indeed. Where you find profiteers, slave-traders, sweat shops, child labor, price-gougers, and general greed, there you find the roots of the Robber Baron Alliance. They want routes across the manifold. They want resources. They want servants and wealth. They want it ALL (although most of them at least start off trying to monopolize a more specialized field) - and they are sending in their thugs to try and TAKE IT.

   There isn't much more to know about them - outside of the myriad details of their operations of course. Unlike many of the other factions, the Robber Barons aren't really united; each of them wants the entire multiverse for themselves. That doesn't stop them from uniting against any outsider who interferes in their plundering however.

   The Lords of Madness may or may not be a faction. Humans have always feared and envisioned the alien, the incomprehensible, and the formless creatures occupying the darkness in the most wild and contradictory of ways. Now that the Manifold has opened, they're all out there - doing whatever-it-is that they do - and planning their incomprehensible plans.

   Or maybe they're just a bunch of gibbering crazy things that do things at random. Nobody really knows.

   The Men in Black are - at least apparently - attempting to manipulate the large-scale structure and destiny of the Manifold in some fashion. One the other hand, they may not even be connected with each other. Since none of them will explain anything, its hard to be sure whether they represent one unified organization or many independent groups. Hopefully they aren't another aspect of the Lords of Madness.

   The Ourathan Robots simply want to carry out their orders. Civilizations and cultures must be restrained and maintained to prevent large-scale conflicts, contacts with unprepared races, and social collapse. Unchecked expansion, trade, and the inevitable warfare which follows when such things occur, cannot be permitted. The young must be educated as their culture demands so as to maintain it. Damage should be kept to a minimum. The borders must be patrolled and defended. When a contact occurs with a new space-traveling race, they must be gathered in and supervised so that they do not hurt themselves or others. There shall be peace throughout the galaxy.

   Now most of that isn't necessarily BAD - but the Ouratha can be awfully heavy-handed and arbitrary about it. After all, they were programmed by aliens who never met any humans (and probably would have thought they were pretty weird if they had) - and there's been no one left to update them for millennia.

The Peacekeepers, SkyWatch, and the Federation Defense Force.

   It's rather difficult to say if earth HAS a "government". There are certainly interest groups, and people who make it their business to ensure that certain things get done, but most of them are volunteers. Nevertheless, the computers recognize that humans and other species are territorial, that menaces may arise, that occasional crazed individuals (and creatures of the manifold) must be dealt with, and that a certain percentage of the human race finds fulfillment in standing ready to defend the rest. So a certain amount of resources are made available for such activities.

   Larger and more organized groups get more. Crazier, "sporting", or gladiatorial groups are firmly discouraged. Even the occasional children's "space patrol!" club can get taggers and light-duty stunners to chase stray animals and minor annoyances which wander in from the manifold - although such groups are closely monitored and supervised.

   For some centuries, the Peacekeepers. SkyWatch, and the Federation Defense Force consisted of little more than social clubs and theory. There were instruments, and a few ships which responded to occasional emergencies and disturbances, and a stockpile of mothballed ships and weapons held in reserve - but despite the dedication of men such as MacAndrew, Co-ordinator of the Stellar Courier and Survey Service and the Department of Mysteries (dedicated to tracking unexplained events across the Federation and seeking explanations for them), there really wasn't that much to be done.

   Then mysterious events skyrocketed. A "race" of alien robots determined to take over the Federation put in an appearance. People disappeared and swarms of monsters appeared.

   More resources were allotted, the people who'd spent their time organizing and preparing for such things abruptly found themselves in charge of major organizations, and the ships and weapons came out of mothballs.

   These days, General McAndrew - one of the first to recognize, and begin to recruit, Openers and agents from the Manifold - remains in charge of the Department of Mysteries - now the Department of the Manifold. He employs numerous agents in attempts to track and forestall menaces from the Manifold, attempts to survey manifold routes and monitor and co-ordinate travel, and handles most special operations. His computer network - The "Loom of Moirai" (so christened by one of his agents) - supposedly stretches across several realities so as to take advantage of technologies impossible in Core and he has accumulated a wide variety of ways to direct, equip, and enhance his agents - including a reported alliance with Pathfinder, the Dragon of the East in Crusader. Most off-core military operations are handled by his department. McAndrew has several Openers on staff and quite a few Gatekeepers.

   The Peacekeepers are currently handling surface operations against Manifold incursions, nearspace defense, and containment of newly-established incoming gates. Most of their operations have a classical military feel to them, and - since they operate almost entirely in core - they rarely recruit mages, powerful psychics, or mystical warriors. They have a few Gatekeepers involved, but not many - and, at least as far as they admit, no Openers.

   SkyWatch has currently incorporated most of the old Stellar Courier and Survey Service and is now handling long-range space defense, investigations of the Ouratha and other realspace menaces, and planetary evacuations ahead of the expanding radiation wavefront of the ring nova. Since this necessarily involves shortcuts through some reaches of the Manifold Skywatch always needs Openers to establish gates and Gatekeepers to run them. It hasn't had that much luck in recruiting them though.

   The Taractocoli want to quietly undermine the Ouratha by making sure that the various races in the vicinity occur so closely together that - even under the restrictions imposed by the Ouratha - a widespread network of trade and communications will spring up inevitably. Given the nature of their hive-minds - which, thanks to the deaths of thousands of components across the eons exist both in their Manifold and in the Core - they ahve found it only natural to explore through the Manifold, uplift other races, and attempt to make their own trading partners. They have time. They're immortal. They can wait...

   The Neanderthals apparently want CHILDREN. They have virtually exhausted their ability to bring forth new souls thanks to eons-long separation from core (not that they apparently realize the cause), and see only one way to continue their race - they must seize the human souls and bring them into Neanderthal incarnations. Of course, that means that the human donors must die.

   While they are apparently working indirectly, and relatively subtly, for the moment, the Neanderthals are very old, extremely experienced within the Manifold, and numerous, and have great numbers of Gatekeepers - if few Openers - and thus are a considerable menace wherever they can gain access to the Human Manifold.

   The Caravan Masters Guild is a loose association of Openers, Gatekeepers, and Wanderers of the Manifold who are dedicated to travel and trade across the Manifold . They're notable mostly for the urge to TRADE and EXPLORE. To open new gates, climb higher mountains, contact tribes of extinct human relatives, exchange dyes and onions in the markets of Babylon, hunt dinosaurs, go whaling, and chase the nymphs of Ancient Greece. They're the ones who will lead your caravan, shipload, or procession of pilgrims to the realms of their hearts desire - or of their nightmares, since the two are often one and the same. While the group isn't very formally organized - its more of an information exchange service and social club than anything else - it wields a disproportionate influence. Many of its members are centuries old, and have mapped the natural connections between hundreds of manifold realms - and most of the rest are Openers and Gatekeepers, individuals both rare and valuable.

   The Fey are numerous, powerful, secretly influential, scheming, and - surprisingly often - ensouled thanks to their tendency to mate with any normal humans who come along. While they do seem to want to "adopt" humans (especially children), drawing them into Faerie and taking them as consorts, whether this is a simple desire for children, some complex scheme - or whether both the Seelie and Unseelie courts are simply bored and like to mess with people - remains an open question.

   The Reptile Kings are rumor and myth. Some say that they are the rare spirits of a long, long, extinct race of sentient dinosaurs, grown deep - or even bloated - with power and wisdom across the ages. Others say that they are simply the dreams of humanities youth, ensouled with human spirits and grown fat on fictions ranging from tales of Pern to Kaiju movies. Some say they are elder aliens, meddling with humanity. Some say they are the homes of groups of hundreds or thousands of souls, the ultimate evolution of the Arrancar. Others say they are representatives of mystical powers from beyond the borders of the Manifold.

   Most say they're simply another group of mythic godlings, and no more mysterious than most such.

   Regardless of the tale, its usually agreed that the few Reptile Kings which have been encountered are subtle, intelligent, powerful, and seem to have some agenda of their own - for which they occasionally employ human agents. That seems to fit the definition of a "Faction" well enough.

Fazendo a ficha

Olha além do material estar todo em inglês e ter mudado algumas coisas, a ficha em si continua sendo a mesma. Mas houve estipulação da forma de jogar os atributos, que facilita no caso de decidir o como o fazê-lo.

E demorada, que o mestre tem que explicar um pouco sobre as mudanças das fichas, os novos poderes dos personagens, raças, classes e pericias.

Passando isso a ficha ate que ficou um pouco mais dinâmica, deixando um pouco mais fácil o acesso as informações.

Jogando

Vamos para mesa e que é. Agora se tornou extremamente importante a presença de miniaturas nas mesas, porque os combates deixaram de ser simplesmente...bate bate...magia magia...agora todos estão mais equilibrados e a estratégia para o combate ficou muito mais evidente

O trabalho em grupo ficou cada vez mais necessário, pois sem ele a tendência de perder os personagens e muito maior. A interação, a necessidade de combater com auxilio dos outros ficou muito mais evidente.

Os lances dos dados praticamente continuam a mesma, mas os cálculos para acerto e para defesa modificaram um pouco. Em primeiro momento, não mudaram nada que não de para jogar.

Espero que com o tempo eu consiga ver que melhorou realmente a jogabilidade dentro do jogo como foi o dito objetivo pela Wizard.

Aventura

Começamos com uma pequena entrega na cidade principal do mestre, Pacedeam, que tínhamos que entregar em um alfaiate. Passamos um tempo em uma taberna clássica e quando fomos entregar já estava escurecendo, que devia ser entregue a noite, mas o nosso destinatário estava sendo abordado por 5 inimigos. Tentamos conversar mas o caras já vieram com briga e empurando o nosso mago, resumo pauladas neles.

Foi um combate ate que rápido, 3 turnos para acabar com todos, mas deu para ver que o jogo promete algo a mais.

Esperar para a próxima seção.

Lingering Smoke Balamada

   Available Character Points: Disadvantages: Attention-Seeker and History, (+6 CP), Duties (Must return regularly to Yu-Shan and run missions for the Sidereals, +2 CP/Level), and +12 CP for her L1 and L3 Feats. Total: 120 CP (L4 Base) + 26 = 146 CP.

Racial Modifiers: Pureblooded Human (+0 ECL)

• Fast Learner/Specialized in Skills: +2 SP/Level (6 CP).
• +4 Intelligence (Normally 24 CP, reduced to 12 CP by world laws). As a note, there have been many attempts to enhance the intelligence bonus even further, but they tend to lead to psychological problems and instability. Of course, player characters may be the fortunate exceptions.
• +2 to any one attribute other than Intelligence (normally 12 CP, reduced to 6 CP by world laws).
• Immunity/Aging (uncommon/minor/minor, 2 CP). They can expect to live for several centuries without much of any signs of aging.
• Grant of Aid/Specialized (requires several hours): May heal 1d8+5 damage OR 1d3 points of attribute damage OR one negative level once per three levels per day or part thereof, 3 CP), with the Regenerative option/Corrupted (requires lots of food and rest, 2 CP), allowing them to slowly regrow lost limbs and organs.

Languages (5): English, Flame Tongue, Old Realm, Riverspeak,

.

Combat Information (50 CP):

• Saves:

Fortitude +0 (0 CP) +5 (Con) +4 Resistance (Warding Rune) = +9

Reflex +0 (0 CP) +6 (Dex) +4 Resistance (Warding Rune) = +10

Will +2 (6 CP) +5 (Wis) +4 Resistance (Warding Rune) = +11

• Hit Dice: L1 d12 (8 CP), L2-4 d6 (6 CP, 5, 6, 3). HP 22 + 36 (Immortal Vigor III) + (10x Con Mod) + = 108 HP
• Proficiencies: All Simple and Martial Weapons and Small Arms (12 CP, -12 from Dex = 0 CP).
• Move: 30 Base + 30 Enhancement = 60
• Initiative: +6
• BAB: +4 (24 CP), +2 BAB with Martial Arts only (6 CP).
• Armor Class: 10 (Base) +6 (Dex) +5 (Wis, per world rules) +2 (Leathers) +4 Natural (Stone Ox Spell) = 27 (and DR 5/-).
• Usual Attack: Unarmed Strike: +15/+10, 1d12+1d6 Force +5 Damage.

Purchased Abilities (96 CP):

• Exaltation/Path of the Dragon (36 CP): Shaping (for cool effects and always being shiny, 6), Pulse of the Dragon (6) and Heart of the Dragon (18), both Specialized and Corrupted (Personal enhancements only, for effects of up to L3) and Reflex Action (can combine a short term personal-enhancement with another action or use one as a defense, 6).
• Hexcrafting/Sidereal Astrology: 10 Caster Levels. Specialized (Hexcrafting Only), Corrupted: Subject to Paradox Limitations (Basically the GM gets to note that some effect has backlashed and produced annoying side effects if you produce too many effects, 20) and 3 Card Slots (Chr Based, adds +2 slots), Corrupted: Paradox Limitations (16 CP).
• Martial Arts/1d10 Base Damage (12 CP).
• Natural Charms/Innate Enchantment (12 CP): Minor Precognition: 4xL1 Spells, 3/day Each (4800 GP), True Strike, True Save, True Evasion, True Skill (All provide a +20 insight bonus to a single roll or against a single attack, activating when needed), Iron Fist (+1d6 Force damage to blows), Mastery of the Fist (+4 Competence Bonus to Unarmed Combat BAB), +3 Competence Bonus to AC (Dodge), Distract Opponent (L1, Save or be diverted, unlimited use but only DC 11 save), Avoiding the Truth (L1, makes any statement you make seem like a lie, no save).

Base Skill Points: 14 (Racial) + 28 (Int) = 42

   General Skills (All +7 Int, +15 Competence when required): Investigation +27 (1 SP +4 Wis), Larceny +29 (1 SP +6 Dex), Occult Lore +30 (1 SP +7 Int), Physical Stealth +29 (1 SP +6 Dex), Performance +36 (6 SP +8 Chr), Athletics +34 (7 SP +5 Str), Spot +18 (7 SP +4 Wis, cannot be passively augmented), Listen +18 (7 SP +4 Wis, cannot be passively augmented), Persuasion +37 (7 SP +8 Chr), Intimidation +31 (1 SP +8 Chr), Bureaucracy +31 (1 SP +8 Chr), Identities +10 (cannot be augmented, 1 SP +5 Cha), and Gadgetry +8 (cannot be augmented, 1 SP +3 Dex).

   Usual Gadgets: None as yet.

   Identities: In the Exalted realm, and in his Rank-4/32-Point Role as a Chosen of Secrets, Lingering Smoke possesses a lesser Immunity to being remembered (Very Common/Minor/Minor, 8 CP), providing a high resistance to it, a Celestial Mansion, freedom to wander Yu-shan, and a certain amount of authority there (Major Privilege, 6 CP), considerable Wealth (3 CP), can call on Major Favors from several powerful entities and organizations (12 CP), and has some additional Contacts (3 CP) - including a mentor in the Celestial Martial Arts - but none of this has much relevance elsewhere. As yet, he has established no other identities.

   The Ri'aal are an exotic, non-humanoid, race. While their body plan is vaguely feline - although a bit blockier, and with non-retractable claws - their bodies are covered with a mixture of feathers (which change color according to their moods) and iridescent scales covering vital areas, giving a somewhat serpentine impression. They normally move on four legs, but can rear back on two to use their paws. Unfortunately, their paws are impossibly clumsy. Ri'aal are not natural tool users, and their innate powers interfere with virtually all equipment - but their natural powers are often a fair substitute for such items. Why anyone would use "things" tends to be a bit beyond them and they virtually never carry anything. Those who associate with other races may occasionally consent to wearing a shoulder-pack, or even a potion bandoleer (although they cannot benefit from potions themselves), in order to assist their allies - or to carry some food more conveniently at lower levels. Higher-level Ri’aal usually develop the ability to store food extradimensionally for use on long journeys.

   Ri’aal normally weigh about 160 pounds, do not wear clothing, and never carry anything except, occasionally, a carcass in their jaws - and then only to somewhere to stash it or back to their den for the sick or young. Otherwise they usually feel that the best place for food is in their stomachs; a Ri’aal will often devour several days worth of food, sleep for a few hours, and then eat nothing else for days. They normally live on raw meat and small amounts of fruits, vegetables, and grains - although those who associate with other races may develop a taste for dried, cooked, or even spiced meat.

   Even a non-adventuring Ri’aal can be quite dangerous. As wilderness chase-and-pounce-hunters, they will normally be skilled in evasion, tracking, climbing, melee combat, and wilderness survival. They will possess innate magical powers - normally including Mage Armor, Self-Healing, and some sort of ranged attack to fend off other predators - they are resistant to physical attacks, and have formidable jaws and talons. There is no such thing as a "commoner" Ri’aal.

   The Ri'aal find the very concept of using external "equipment" - or of engaging in complex manipulations - utterly alien. Whenever they attempt to do so they must roll twice when attempting any task related to the item in question, accepting the worst result (thus, for example, using armor or a weapon penalizes all combat checks). For the Ri'aal, learning to manage a doorknob, or to use Mage hand to do so, is the height of technological sophistication.

   Ri’aal don’t normally live in cities, and rarely even come into towns unless they’re accompanying (or moving in on) a personal friend - but they do make friends relatively easily. They are, like most sentient races, sexually active year round, but are only fertile for a month or so each year. A pair will usually produce a litter of 2-3 kits every four to five years. Sadly, young Ri’aal have an unfortunately high casualty rate - although those which opt to hang around with friends of ot