GURPS - 4th Edition - Fantasy

LOOKING FOR FANTASY?

Fantasy – from ancient myths to popular films, sto-
ries of heroes and magic have captured the human
imagination. Now GURPS offers roleplayers a com-
prehensive guide to the entire Fantasy genre. Building
on the flexible, streamlined Fourth Edition rules, it
helps you develop a campaign to explore the world of
your favorite book or film – or create a new one from
your own dreams. The main emphasis is on historical
fantasy, in settings from the Bronze Age to the
Renaissance, but the principles apply to any fantasy
setting, from the prehistoric past to the remote future.

A complete campaign setting, Roma Arcana, is
ready to use in your own campaign. It can stand on its
own, or fit into the Infinite Worlds campaign frame-
work from GURPS Fourth Edition. Send a band of
adventurers on impossible missions in a magical
Roman Empire, as they struggle to hold back the
darkness from their native city and win honor.

You’ll find help in running your campaign in Roma
Arcana or any other setting – advice on creating bal-
anced parties, devising scenarios to challenge them,
and using the game systems to achieve dramatic
effects.

Take the most flexible, most consistent game rules
system available, and use it to run the campaign of
your dreams.

This PDF is the latest edition of GURPS
Fantasy. All known errata at the time of
the creation of this edition have been
incorporated into this document.

GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks DOWNLOAD.
of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Pyramid, GURPS Fantasy, and the PRINT.
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names of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are reg-
istered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used e23
under license. All rights reserved. GURPS Fantasy is copyright © 1990, 1995,
STEVE JACKSON GAMES TM
2004, 2006 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated.
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The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this material via the Internet or
via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and pun-
ishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not
participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your

support of the authors’ rights is appreciated.

STEVE JACKSON GAMES

e23.sjgames.com

Stock #82-0126 Version 1.0 February 3, 2006



Written by WILLIAM H. STODDARD

Cover by DENIS LOUBET, PAT MORRISSEY, BOB STEVLIC, and JOHN ZELEZNIK

Edited by ANDREW HACKARD and JEFF ROSE

Additional Material by MICHAEL SUILEABHAIN-WILSON

Illustrated by ABRAR AJMAL, ALEX FERNANDEZ, DENIS LOUBET,
BOB STEVLIC, EVA WIDERMANN, and ERIC WILKERSON

ISBN 1-55634-519-4 Cartography by PHILIP REED 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

STEVE JACKSON GAMES

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . 4 Using Magical Objects in Mana and Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Campaigns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Magical Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
About GURPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Spirits of Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
MAGICAL BEINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 PLANTS AND ANIMALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
1. PLANNING THE Spirits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Plant and Animal Legends . . . . . . 46
CAMPAIGN . . . . . . 5 Spirits in the Material World . . . . 30 Imaginary Species . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Gods, Spirits, and Mana . . . . . . . . 30 Magical Species and
GENRES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Gods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
High Fantasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Mana Organs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Low Fantasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Demons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Plant and Animal Spirits . . . . . . . . 49
Myths and Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Evil Gods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 MONSTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Dark Fantasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Half-Mortals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Giants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Light Fantasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Using Spirits in Campaigns . . . . . 33 Behind the Curtain:
Sword and Sorcery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Being a God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
On the Borders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 How Strong Is a Giant? . . . . . . 51
Crossovers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 MAGICAL REALMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Hybrids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Dreamlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 The Chimera’s Pedigree . . . . . . . . . 52
SETTINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Faerie Realms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Possessed Creatures . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Fantasy Worlds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Afterworlds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Unnatural Swarms . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Motifs, Part 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Spirit Worlds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Magical Creations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Fantasy in the Real World . . . . . . 13 Heavens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Victims of Curses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Motifs, Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Hells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Offspring of Gods . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Archetypical Realms . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Primordial Entities . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
SCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Pocket Universes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 RACES AND CULTURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Point Campaigns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Exotic Customs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Area Campaigns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 THE DEAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Arc Campaigns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Ghosts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Interfertility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Base and Mission Campaigns . . . 15 Ancestor Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Wugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Campaign Style: Afterworlds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Alternative Lycanthropies . . . . . . . 60
Aspects of Realism . . . . . . . . . . 16 Reincarnation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Unique Beings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Resurrection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Cultures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
2. THE SUPERNATURAL Ascension and Deification . . . . . . 38 The Place of Humanity . . . . . . . . 63
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Revenants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
MAGIC AND TECHNOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Behind the Curtain: Point Costs . . 18 3. WORLDS . . . . . . . 39 Alternative Technologies . . . . . . . 65
MAGIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Magically Enhanced
FRAMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Intrinsic Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Planets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Subjective Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Variant Natural Laws . . . . . . . . . . 65
The Three Laws of Magic . . . . . . . 19 Many Worlds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Technomagic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Nature and Supernature . . . . . . . . 20 Above and Below . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 When Magic Becomes
Knowing Good and Evil . . . . . . . . 21
Using Magic in Campaigns . . . . . 21 PLAYING WITH MAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
MAGICAL OBJECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Technologically
Natural Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Altering the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Alchemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Creating the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Enhanced Magic . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Enchantment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Exotic Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Runic Enchantment . . . . . . . . . . . 25 MAGICAL LANDSCAPES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 CIVILIZATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Familiars and Fetishes . . . . . . . . . 26 The Living Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 True Kings and
Named Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Enhanced Environments . . . . . . . 42
Holy Relics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Impossible Environments . . . . . . 42 Sacred Covenants . . . . . . . . . . 68
Foci . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Unevenly Distributed Magic . . . . . 43 Supernatural Elites . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Aspected Mana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Pirate Commonwealths . . . . . . . . . 69
Mana Basins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Fantastic Customs . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Everyday Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

GURPS System Design ❚ STEVE JACKSON Prepress Checker ❚ MONICA STEPHENS
Managing Editor ❚ ANDREW HACKARD Print Buyer ❚ MONICA STEPHENS
GURPS Line Editor ❚ SEAN PUNCH
Marketing Director ❚ PAUL CHAPMAN
Production Manager ❚ MONIQUE CHAPMAN Sales Manager ❚ ROSS JEPSON
Art Director ❚ STEVE JACKSON
Page Design ❚ PHILIP REED Errata Coordinator ❚ ANDY VETROMILE
GURPS FAQ Maintainer ❚ STÉPHANE THÉRIAULT
Production Artist ❚ ALEX FERNANDEZ

Lead Playtester: Peter V. Dell’Orto
Playtesters: Kimara Bernard, James L. Cambias, Mike Dokachev, Kenneth Hite, Phil Masters, Kenneth Peters,

David L. Pulver, Gene Seabolt, Michael Suileabhain-Wilson, and Chad Underkoffler

GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Pyramid and the names
of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated,
or used under license. GURPS Fantasy is copyright © 1990, 1995, 2004 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal,
and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage
the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

2 CREDITS

The Genius of a People . . . . . . . . . 70 Alternative Wizards . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Through a Glass, Darkly . . . . . . 181
Magic as a Resource . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Why Are These Learning Experiences . . . . . . . . . 182
The Control of Magic . . . . . . . . . . 71 The Responsibility of Power . . . 184
Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 People Together? . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Shore Leave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Foreign Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES, SUBPLOTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Multispecies Empires . . . . . . . . . . 73 WAR IN FANTASY SETTINGS . . . . . . . . . 186
AND SKILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Varieties of Forces . . . . . . . . . . . 186
4. HISTORIES . . . . . 74 Appearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Strategic Positions . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Battles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
FRAMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Behind the Curtain: Cost of Divided Player Characters in Battle . . . . . 190
Historical Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Magic and Warfare . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Mythic Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 and Restructurable Magery . . 130 Mythical Beasts in Combat . . . . . 193
Prophecy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Ally or Asset? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 The Armies of Darkness . . . . . . . 194
Mythology, Part 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 New Perks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Disadvantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 9. ROMA ARCANA . . 195
PLAYING WITH TIMELINES . . . . . . . . . . 77 Magical Afflictions . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Real History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 New Meta-Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Roma Arcana in the
Mythology, Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Multiverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Divergent History . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 New Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Zeitgeists: Spirits of Time . . . . . . . 78 Skills and Size Modifiers . . . . . . . 137 A TIME OF TROUBLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Invented History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 WEALTH AND STATUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Foes and Menaces . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Currency and Prices . . . . . . . . . . 137 Imperial Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
HISTORICAL ERAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Status and Cost of Living . . . . . . 137
Dawn Ages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 MAP: THE ROMAN EMPIRE . . . . . . . . 199
City-States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Order of Battle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Empires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Exotic Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Men of Destiny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Decadence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Reunion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Exhaustion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Petards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Catastrophe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Vehicular Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . 144 ROMAN FAITH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Dark Ages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Gods and Spirits . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
New Beginnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 7. MAGICAL ARTS . . 146 Ancestors and
Household Cults . . . . . . . . . . 202
DISTURBANCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 USES OF MAGIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 The Imperial Genius . . . . . . . . . . 202
Natural Disasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Low Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Sacrifices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Plagues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Formulaic Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Wars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Man Proposes, Divination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Magical Disasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 God Disposes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Priesthoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Divine Punishments . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Naming the Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Sacred Grounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
High Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
SHADOWS OF THE PAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 RIVAL BELIEFS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Genealogies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 THE STRUCTURE OF MAGIC . . . . . . . . . 153 Mystery Cults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Ruins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Levels of Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Sorcery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Relics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Levels of Skill and Black Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Skill Hierarchies . . . . . . . . . . 153 Skin-Turner Animal Forms . . . . . 209
5. LOCALITIES . . . . . 92 Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Astrology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Philosophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
SETTLEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 The Anger of the Gods . . . . . . . . 210
Isolates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 How Much Detail? . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Christianity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Villages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Ritualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Towns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 BESTIARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 SYSTEMS OF MAGIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Empedocles’ Quest . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Agrarian Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Custom-Built Magic . . . . . . . . . . 155
Temporary Settlements . . . . . . . . . 95 Alternative Magic Systems . . . . . 155 CHARACTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Imperial Capitals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Behind the Curtain: Racial Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
City of Wonders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Making Gold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Ethnic Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Modified Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Occupational Templates . . . . . . .214
SERVICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Magical Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Advantages, Disadvantages,
Medical Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 True Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 and Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Transportations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Nonhuman Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Wealth and Status . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Inns and Taverns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Information Sources . . . . . . . . . . 99 EXPANDED SPELL LISTS . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Courts and Castles . . . . . . . . . . . 100 MAGICAL PLURALISM: HOW TO BURDIGALA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Holy Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Sanctity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 USE THIS CHAPTER . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Who’s in Charge? . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Magical Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . 102
Schools for Sorcerers . . . . . . . . . . 102 8. STORYLINES . . . 173 MAP: BURDIGALA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Behind the Curtain: Temples and Cults . . . . . . . . . . . 225
How Many Mages? . . . . . . . . . 103 ADVENTURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Into the Labyrinth . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Adventurers Wanted! . . . . . . . . . 226
6. CHARACTERS . . . 104 Perilous Journeys . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Sponsors of the Arcani . . . . . . . . 226
Hunting Parties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
CAMPAIGN STYLES AND Warfare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 THREATS AND STORYLINES . . . . . . . . . 226
POINT VALUES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Treasons, Stratagems, Human Foes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
and Spoils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Zoroastrian Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
RACIAL TEMPLATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Diplomacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 Nonhuman Foes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
From Creature to Character . . . . . 106 Investigations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Adventure Seeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Cold Iron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Confrontations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Behind the Curtain: Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Selkie Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 ROMA ARCANA BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . 232
Undead Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Player-Designed Races . . . . . . . . . 113 BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . 233

OCCUPATIONAL TEMPLATES . . . . . . . . . 114 INDEX . . . . . . . . . . 238

CONTENTS 3

INTRODUCTION

Fantasy is the realm of the imagi- A great resource for creating fan- ABOUT
nation. If a fantasy writer wants to tell tasy comes from the legends, myths, THE AUTHOR
stories about dragons, wizards, or and folklore of the past. Everyone
fairy kingdoms, he doesn’t need his- knows about dragons, so readers and William H. Stoddard is a freelance
torical documentation or scientific players are already halfway to believ- writer and editor living in San Diego,
explanations – he can just imagine ing in them. GURPS Fantasy California, in an apartment crammed
them. This gives writers more freedom describes many legendary beings, with books. He was introduced to
than any other genre. creatures, and objects, and gives RPGs in 1975 and has played them
advice on using GURPS for your ever since. His main other hobby is
But “more freedom” doesn’t mean own fantasies. research; new game books give him an
unlimited freedom. The reader has to excuse for even more library visits
believe that the characters and events The final chapter puts it all togeth- than he would make anyway. His pre-
are possible in the world of the story. A er in a new fantasy setting, Roma vious work for Steve Jackson Games
fantasy world with its own logic – Arcana, based on the legends of includes GURPS Steampunk and
what critics call the inner consistency ancient Rome in its darkest and most four other books, as sole or co-author,
of reality – yields more interesting sto- exciting time. If you want to start a as well as contributions to numerous
ries than a world where anything can new campaign in a familiar but exotic other books.
happen. setting, Roma Arcana is ready to play.
If you’re using the Infinite Worlds He dedicates this book to the mem-
In roleplaying games, one source of framework from the GURPS Basic ory of Felon, felis optimus max-
that consistency is the rules system. A Set, Fourth Edition, you can fit Roma imusque, who supervised the writing
good set of rules isn’t a barrier to the Arcana into it as an alternative history, of its earlier drafts.
GM’s imagination . . . it’s a tool for at once familiar and weird. And if
making everything he imagines hold you’d like to design your own original
together. GURPS Fantasy shows how world, Roma Arcana is a model you
to run the fantasy campaign you real- can follow.
ly want.

About GURPS

Steve Jackson Games is committed to full support Errata. Everyone makes mistakes, including us –
of the GURPS system. Our address is SJ Games, Box but we do our best to fix our errors. Up-to-date errata
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4 INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE

PLANNING
THE CAMPAIGN

And, as imagination bodies forth Rhys said, “I’ll be there in a minute. face challenges and perils that are also
The forms of things unknown, the I have to get this tablet properly larger than life.
poet’s pen packed. Tell her to wait for me.”
Turns them to shapes, and gives to Most of the preparation for a fan-
airy nothing Fantasy occupies the middle tasy campaign goes into the develop-
A local habitation and a name. ground between history and myth. ment of the setting. However, the set-
History attempts to describe what ting exists for the sake of the cam-
– William Shakespeare, actually happened. Realistic fiction is paign. It’s much easier to decide what
A Midsummer Night’s Dream as close to history as possible; it may to include after deciding what kind of
not have actually happened, but the campaign it needs to support. This
David Rhys brushed carefully at reader believes its events could have applies to all kinds of gaming, but
the unearthed clay tablet. Its surface happened. Myth attempts to describe especially to fantasy. A fantasy cam-
was hard, as if it had been fired, but he what captures the imagination; a good paign offers a wider range of possibil-
didn’t want to risk damaging the story creates its own sense of truth. ities; narrowing them down takes
cuneiform inscription. The words Fantasy has elements from both. Its more work.
were Hittite, but in some peculiar heroes escape the limits of human
dialect, archaic or simply early. There existence. Their actions and their abil- This chapter explores the different
was something about “. . . that which ities can be larger than life. And they fantasy campaigns by considering
defeats the sorcerer . . .” three categories: genre, setting, and
scope. If you’re basing a campaign on
“Professor!” a favorite book or film, these defini-
Moving with exaggerated slow tions of genre and setting can help you
care, he turned partway toward the
ladder that Andrew Jenkins had just bring it into clearer focus.
descended. “Have you found some-
thing?” he asked.
“Rose said I should ask
you to have a look. It’s
some sort of forge, she
thinks, and there’s
some sort of sword
there. It looks rust-
ed, so it might be
iron.”

PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN 5

Genre is a way of predicting what GENRES names, “He is Fire. She is Dance. He is
people will like. If two stories (or two Destruction. She is Love.”
campaigns) are in the same genre, Characters in a high fantasy setting
people who enjoy one will usually may encounter true powers of the – Roger Zelazny, Lord of Light
enjoy the other. Each genre has its world – gods or other mythic beings.
own audience, typical challenges for Often, these encounters will be con- LOW FANTASY
characters to face, and certain back- versations instead of battles. Facing
grounds for the action. Each genre mythic foes in combat should frighten Low fantasy, is closer to realistic
also emphasizes certain emotions and even the most capable adventurers. fiction than to myth. Low fantasy sto-
moods. However, attracting such beings’ ries focus on people’s daily lives and
attention raises the heroes above ordi- practical goals; magic provides a way
Few stories are pure examples of nary mortals. Gods may single out the to achieve those goals, and makes it
any one genre; some have elements greatest or worthiest mortals as their interesting. A low fantasy campaign
from all of them. The same is true of champions, or even as potential future asks what it’s like to live in a world of
campaigns. Statements about genres recruits to godhood – or as problems monsters, magic, and demigods.
are guidelines, not unbreakable rules. to remove before they ascend to real
Genre definitions can help suggest power. Most low fantasy magic is evenly
things to include in a campaign to get distributed in the world, not sharply
the effect you want. Godhood is more than a name. It is focused in certain places. Its effects
a condition of being . . . Being a god is are predictable and knowable. Low
HIGH FANTASY the quality of being able to be yourself to fantasy magic is less a source of won-
such an extent that your passions cor- der than a toolkit.
If fantasy occupies the middle respond with the forces of the universe,
ground between myth and history, so that those who look upon you know Characters in low fantasy are
high fantasy is closer to myth. this without hearing your name spo- more concerned with practical goals,
ken. . . . One rules through one’s ruling less with great passions. A high fan-
Myths are about gods; high fantasy passion. Those who look upon gods tasy traitor might be motivated by
is about demigods, heroic warriors, then say, without even knowing their passionate jealousy, tempted by the
and powerful magicians. But there’s devil, or perversely sympathetic to
more to it than that. In a high fantasy
campaign, the power level is a means Myths and Games
to create wonder and amazement.
If fantasy falls between history and myth, then where does myth fall?
Magic should still evoke this won- If it’s possible to run a fantasy campaign, is it possible to run a mythic
der. For thousands of years, myths and campaign? It depends on the myth.
folktales made flying a symbol of
power. The gods lived in heaven and Some myths are much like adventure stories. In Norse legend, Thor
flew down to earth, or sent winged and Loki go to Jotunheim, the land of the frost giants, and have adven-
messengers on errands. Sorcerers tures there. For example, they visit a giant’s house and engage in sport-
wove flying carpets, and cunning ing competitions with its residents. This could be an episode in a role-
inventors made artificial wings. Now, playing campaign, especially if the players like a touch of comedy.
millions of people fly all over the
world – and it’s not much more excit- During one of the contests, Thor tries to empty a drinking horn that’s
ing than taking the bus. Routine use magically linked to the ocean, and drinks so much that he causes the first
can turn anything from a wonder into tides. Action on this scale is beyond the scope of any spells, enchant-
a convenience. If magic, especially ments, or powers in most fantasy games.
powerful magic, is common and reli-
able, then it’s just another technology; Characters in myths are personifications of cosmic forces. Stories
it won’t feel mythic. that emphasize this personification are often adventure stories, love
stories, or murder mysteries, and can turn into game scenarios.
Several things help keep magic However, the cosmic forces inspire other kinds of stories – stories that
amazing. First, distribute it unevenly. explain the world’s origin, prophesy its end, or express horror at its
Intensely magical events stand out inhuman vastness.
more if they contrast with a less mag-
ical background. Second, stress its Nothing prevents cosmic forces from entering a game. But they’re
unpredictability, even to people who usually best presented through pure storytelling (see Mythology, pp. 76-
use it regularly. Third, if possible, 77, for some suitable stories), not through rules. The powers of mythic
make some magic unknown – not beings are never fully measured, nor their motives fully understood.
just to the protagonists, but to every-
one . . . perhaps even the gods.

6 PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN

the other side; a low fantasy traitor along the way. These threats usually Classic sword and sorcery usually
wants 30 pieces of silver. Merchants aren’t lethal or irreversible. If the makes the swordsmen the main
and criminals are minor figures, or heroes get turned into something icky, heroes. Sorcerers might be threats to
entirely absent, in most high fantasy. there will be a way to turn them back. the hero or the people he protects, as
In low fantasy, they are not only If they face a monster, it will have in Robert E. Howard’s Conan series
prevalent, they may be the heroes. some unexpected weakness. Many and C.L. Moore’s Jirel of Joiry stories.
light fantasy plots deal with complica- Or they might be the heroes’ mentors
DARK FANTASY tions instead of threats; for example, a and patrons, as in Fritz Leiber’s tales
heroine may have to find odd magical of Lankhmar. More recent sword and
Dark fantasy borrows the mood of ingredients to free the hero from a sorcery often has heroes who can
horror. It portrays magic as ominous spell. work magic. They may be equally
. . . more likely to harm than help. skilled at nonmagical combat, or
Supernatural beings are powerful Spells in light fantasy always risk belong to teams of adventurers where
and indifferent to human concerns, if going wrong in unexpected ways. some members provide the swords
not outright malevolent; their atten- Supernatural beings are eccentric or and others the sorcery. Adventurer
tion is feared, not sought. Remember tricky, controlled by peculiar rules teams have been the basis of most fan-
the ancient custom of talking about that give clever mortals ways to get tasy roleplaying, all the way back to
“the fair folk” (faeries) or “the kindly the better of them. Learning their the original Dungeons & Dragons.
ones” (the Furies of Greek myth) to names (see True Names, p. 14) is a
avoid giving offense. Any use of classic example, as in the fairy tale Magic for adventurers has to be
magic, even for virtuous purposes, “Rumpelstiltskin.” The same theme fast, largely designed for combat effec-
should have a price. shows up in stories about wishes tiveness. The wizard adventurer isn’t a
going wrong, or about making bar- scholarly recluse or a clever trickster,
The elaborate mythologies that gains with the Devil and wriggling out but a human artillery weapon. Or, if
underlie much high fantasy also form at the last minute. his powers are subtler, he needs non-
an essential element in dark fantasy – magical combat skills to keep himself
but in dark fantasy, most people may In some ways, light fantasy relates alive. Either approach avoids scenes
not even have heard of them. In the to low fantasy. Putting everyday peo- where everyone else fights and the
darkest settings, the ultimate truth ple and practical problems together wizard takes cover and waits for the
may be maltheistic (p. 32), and the with mythical beings and powerful battle to end.
heroes may be doomed to struggle magic is a natural source of humorous
hopelessly against evil and horror. incongruities. Sword and sorcery can resemble
any other genre, but focuses mainly
A great theme in dark fantasy is On the other hand, some light fan- on action and combat. The sword-
the hero’s sacrifice. This may be his tasy comes closer to high fantasy. and-sorcery version of high fantasy
life, willingly given to kill a foe or Stories influenced by classic swash- features impressive spells, epic heroes,
close the gates of hell; wounds and buckling adventure, such as Steven and battles that decide the fate of
scars that will never heal; madness; or Brust’s The Phoenix Guards, have kingdoms. The dark version is full of
his own corruption by using evil to heroes who face real danger, but take evil sorcery and terrifying monsters.
defeat worse evil. He faces constant it lightly, or even welcome it out of a The low version often sends adventur-
fear – not only for himself, but also sense of personal honor. ers into gritty urban environments to
for the people he defends. Dark fan- contend with thieves’ and assassins’
tasies often end in tragedy. Their SWORD AND guilds or corrupt priests and aristo-
heroes have appropriate traits, from SORCERY crats. In light sword and sorcery, the
tragic character flaws to curses or heroes have to deal with flashy rivals
unhappy destinies. The focus of sword and sorcery is and their own bad judgment. A cam-
adventure, and the mood it produces paign focused on adventure can be in
LIGHT FANTASY is excitement. The settings for sword any of these styles.
and sorcery campaigns allow as much
Where dark fantasy is full of grim adventuring as possible. Well-organ- ON THE
consequences, light fantasy avoids ized civilizations are rare. Empty BORDERS
them. Its goal is to amuse the audi- lands roamed by barbarian nomads,
ence (or the players). Inspirations for corrupt and decadent city-states, or A number of other genres have
this kind of fantasy include the haunted ruins of earlier civiliza- some kinship to fantasy. Some have
Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s tions offer more entertainment – and clearly fantastic elements, but aren’t
Dream, with its faeries playing tricks have fewer inconvenient laws. usually classified as fantasy and may
on mortals, and fairy tales with happy Backgrounds for sword and sorcery appeal to different audiences. Others
endings. Dark fantasies are often are often just quick sketches. appeal to fantasy audiences and are
tragedies; light fantasies are usually Elaborate worldbuilding isn’t the classified as fantasy, but lack one or
comedies. point of this genre; what matters is more typical elements.
that there are armies to conquer,
Naturally, characters in light fanta- monsters to slay, and ruins to loot.
sy have to face problems and threats

PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN 7

Christian probability. Many stories in this genre, chivalric past. As a rule, time-travel
Supernaturalism from The Prisoner of Zenda and the romances don’t have time machines
Titus Groan novels to The Princess or other scientific props, or explore
Not everyone regards supernatural Bride, take place in nonexistent lands, the logical paradoxes of visiting the
forces as fantasy. Millions of which makes them fantasy by one def- past. The time travel is effectively
Christians (as well as adherents of inition (see Fantasy Worlds, p. 10). magical, even if there’s no other
other religions) believe that the super- magic in the story. Other “romantic
natural is real and omnipresent. A Martial Arts fantasy” novels have mortal heroines
number of novels, such as Frank who fall in love with supernatural
Peretti’s This Present Darkness, portray Martial arts films, especially beings, or portray the romantic
these supernatural forces in war in the Japanese chambara and Chinese effects of magical or psychic talents.
modern world. Such novels aren’t usu- wuxia movies, have heroes with super-
ally considered fantasy, and the super- human or supernatural gifts, often Worldbuilding is less common,
natural powers aren’t described as explained as mastery of chi (life ener- though books classified as futuristic
magic. This is partly semantics, but gy). Heroes run the gamut from those romance may be set on other planets
reflects a real point of theology: If who are simply amazingly skilled, to with fantasy aspects, such as Owens’
supernatural events come from God, those with esoteric powers or who cast Celta (see Other Planets, p. 10). These
the right way to describe them is not “I spells and work magic. These are “dis- books focus primarily on romantic
cast a spell” but “my prayers were tant land” settings for Western audi- relationships instead of the setting’s
answered by a miracle.” A campaign ences, but not for audiences in Japan details, much as sword and sorcery
based on this assumption wouldn’t or Hong Kong; many take place in the emphasizes action and combat over
require the tools presented in this legendary past. The abilities of real setting.
book, though the rules for clerical martial artists are impressive enough,
magic (p. B242) might be useful. and legends of their superhuman feats Superheroic Adventure
Anything that looks like magical spells help make outright fantasy elements
will be a snare of the Devil, and its acceptable to both Asian and Comic book superheroes include
effects will be illusions (see Glamour, American audiences. magicians and magically empowered
pp. 20-21). characters: Dr. Fate, the Spectre,
Paranormal Romance Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Dr.
Exotic Lands Strange, Thor, and Promethea, among
During the past quarter-century, others. The uniqueness of the super-
This genre has little or no super- romance writers such as Sharon hero, or the supervillain, is part of the
natural content, but includes all the Green, Melanie Jackson, Kathleen classic formula. The presence of
other trappings of historical fantasy. Nance, and Robin Owens began magic does not change the world any
The settings are remote countries, the exploring themes from science fiction more than the technological spinoff of
heroes are often aristocrats, and their or fantasy. Time travel is the most other superheroes’ amazing inven-
feats transcend the normal limits of popular; it allows a present-day hero- tions. Magical characters may become
ine fall in love with a man from the involved with various magical worlds:
the Christian heaven and hell, the
realms of the Greek and Norse gods,
or the land of dreams or death.
Typically, only a superhero or supervil-
lain can visit these other planes.

Supernatural Horror

What’s the difference between
supernatural horror and dark fantasy?
That’s a good question. Critics don’t
agree on the answer, or whether there
even is a difference.

Supernatural horror is akin to
Christian supernaturalism in its view
of magic. Human involvement in
magic is perilous and often reflects
sinful pride; salvation comes from
faith in a higher power. In dark fanta-
sy, heroes defeat the horror with their
own courage, or discover ways of
using magic against it.

In any case, the boundary between
the two is debatable. Which side a
campaign is on, or a book, or a film, is
often a matter of opinion.

8 PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN

Crossovers

Fantasy is a rich genre all by itself – but GURPS Swashbuckling
allows GMs and players to combine different genres.
GMs may want to run a campaign of “fantasy plus”: The swashbuckling era saw the creation of scientif-
fantasy and another genre, working together. ic astronomy, physics, and anatomy – and the pursuit of
occult and supernatural lore, often by those same early
Cyberpunk scientists. In a magical setting, spymasters such as
Walsingham and Richelieu can employ diviners and
Cyberpunk started out with the idea that future sorcerers along with assassins and cryptographers.
computers, or virtual reality, might look like magic. But Swashbucklers themselves may favor flashier magic as
what if things that just look like magic collide with well as swordplay, as in Steven Brust’s The Phoenix
things that really are magic? A cyberpunk future might Guards. For a more freewheeling setting, move the
have elves, dwarves, and orcs living in postmodern campaign to the pirate-ridden Caribbean, where slaves
cities, as in the classic roleplaying game Shadowrun. create new magical traditions as protection against
Magic might enhance the skills of programmers, or their masters (see Tim Powers’ On Stranger Tides or the
summon spirits to inhabit computers as a shortcut to film Pirates of the Caribbean).
artificial intelligence. Conversely, cybermages might
use computers to aid magical rituals. Can a chat room War Stories
host a ceremonial magic spellcasting?
War is one of genre fantasy’s main themes – usually
Espionage based on pre-gunpowder weapons and tactics.
However, modern warfare could combine with fantasy.
If magic did exist, would the government tell us? World War II makes a perfect setting for a cryptic fan-
Spies and secret agents already live in an occult world. tasy campaign, with British and German occultists
Perhaps it has darker secrets than anyone knows, and casting spells on each other and seeking out potent
illuminated operatives guard them . . . or steal them. A mystical relics (see, for example, Katherine Kurtz’s
team may work for a government’s paranormal investi- Lammas Night).
gations agency, the Vatican, a cabal of sorcerers, or a
supernatural power. They may even be supernatural Westerns
entities, sent from heaven, hell, or the faerie realms to
intervene in human affairs. The Old West certainly forms part of American
mythology, but most people aren’t aware of Western
Police Procedural folklore’s supernatural elements. Magic must be inte-
grated into a Western setting with care. Wizards
“Criminals are a cowardly, superstitious lot” – but if throwing fireballs could upstage gunslingers, and
magic works, some superstitions might pay off. The destroy a central motif of the Western genre. Subtler
police may deal with everything from succubus street- magic is better.
walkers and thieves’ cantrips to murderous curses and
blood sacrifice. Every department may house a The theme of conflict between civilized and tribal
Sorcerers, Witches, And Thaumaturgists team – or indi- societies – “cowboys and Indians” – can be enhanced if
vidual police officers may pick up tricks that they can’t the tribal peoples have access to supernatural powers
talk about in public. that civilized people have forgotten. In classic Westerns,
the civilized people will be the heroes; in subversive
Retrotech treatments, American Indians have spiritual insights
whose loss is a profound tragedy. They may also pro-
Steampunk combines the antique charm of gas vide a refuge for other “uncivilized” elements, as in Pat
lamps and airships with technological speculation Murphy’s lycanthropic Western, Nadya. Or civilized
about mechanical computers and wireless electric people may have their own magic. For example, many
power. However, the age of steam was also fascinated gamblers in the Deadlands setting have supernatural
with the supernatural, from the Arabian Nights and powers, and Hoyle’s Rules of Games is a grimoire!
Gilbert and Sullivan to high ritual magic, spiritualism,
and theosophy. Two GURPS sourcebooks, Castle Westerns could be a model for campaigns in other
Falkenstein and Deadlands, combine steampunk and historical eras. Ancient Persian Empire nobles learned
magic. The technological fancies of earlier ages also to “ride well, shoot straight, and tell the truth.” Their
work well, from the clockwork automata of the 18th Zoroastrian faith in a cosmic battle between good and
century back to the legendary inventions of Daedalus. evil, with lying as the ultimate evil, could inspire a
Retrotech also may use magic to enhance technology. struggle between their civilization and tribal savages
such as the Greeks. Zoroastrian magi able to hurl fire
and lightning could even substitute for gunslingers.

PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN 9

Setting focuses on the nature of the SETTINGS still works, as in several of Andre
specific campaign world – as seen by Norton’s novels, including Star Gate.
the Game Master. Fantasy stories remote any more. There are no hid- C.S. Lewis offers a high fantasy treat-
describe things that don’t exist in the den lands. ment in Out of the Silent Planet and
real world – often, but not always, Perelandra, whose hero, Ransom, vis-
magic. In some stories, the magical or GMs, however, can set a hidden its Mars and Venus and finds them
fantastic elements are secret; the land in the recent past, a century or ruled by angels.
heroes know about them, or learn two ago. People in those eras didn’t
about them, but the everyday world expect magic in their own lives or The Past
goes on unaware. In other stories, their own countries, but when large
society embraces the magical or fan- parts of the world were unmapped, Like distant lands, the past has
tastic elements. Either option provides surprises were imaginable. Tim some advantages that the present
several approaches. GURPS Fantasy Powers’ treatment of the Caribbean lacks.
focuses on creating magical worlds Sea in On Stranger Tides is a good
and running campaigns in them – example. If the setting is the historic past
though much of its content is also use- before 1730, the great majority of peo-
ful for running fantasy campaigns set Another method is simply to ignore ple believed in magic. Roleplaying
in the real world. the problem. Yes, on an island off the these people includes roleplaying their
coast of Europe, there are dragons belief in the supernatural – which
FANTASY WORLDS and wizards, and the people there all makes the actual supernatural easier
know about them, but people from to work into a story or campaign. The
Openly recognized fantastic ele- other countries think they’re just folk- legends of historical societies such as
ments produce a setting separate from lore. This approach usually works best Greece or Japan provide source mate-
the “here and now.” GMs can make in humorous fantasy (see Absurdist rial with which the players may be
this separation in a variety of ways. Fantasy, p. 13). already familiar, limiting the need for
long explanations.
Separation from the real world, all The classic example of this kind of
by itself, can make a story or a cam- fantasy is The Wizard of Oz and its A campaign set in prehistory draws
paign fantasy. In literature, many con- many sequels. on no such sources. However, it has
sider Mervyn Peake’s Titus Groan nov- more room to make them up, since
els fantasy, even though they contain In the civilized countries I believe prehistory is still largely unknown.
no magical elements. there are no witches left; nor wizards, The remains of magic might have dis-
nor sorceresses, nor magicians. But, integrated in the past few millennia,
For some critics, “high fantasy” you see, the Land of Oz has never been or might lie undiscovered beneath the
includes every story set in a fantasy civilized, for we are cut off from all the soil of some remote country (see Relic
world. That’s a useful definition for rest of the world. Therefore we still have Fantasy).
some purposes, but different from the witches and wizards amongst us.
one this book uses. A completely Campaigns set in the past may
invented world can be much closer to – L. Frank Baum, explore the reasons for the disappear-
history or even present-day reality The Wizard of Oz ance of magic; it’s a natural theme for
than to myth. Fritz Leiber’s Lankhmar them.
stories and China Miéville’s Perdido Other Planets
Street Station and The Scar are set in Both Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings
invented worlds, but their great cities After the exploration of the entire and Howard’s Conan stories are set, at
have realistically corrupt politics and Earth, writers turned to other planets least nominally, in the prehistoric
their heroes’ motives are seldom as settings for fantastic adventures. A past. Larry Niven’s The Magic Goes
noble. few decades ago, the moon, Mars, and Away is a recent yet classic treatment
Venus were far enough away. With our of the disappearance of magic.
Far Away solar system mapped, writers have Fantasy set in the historic past
turned to planets of other stars to give includes many Arthurian novels.
Fantastic things can happen in dis- their imagination license. Roleplaying settings include the
tant countries, especially ones that Mythic Europe of Ars Magica and the
few people visit. Tibet, or Haiti, or the Most stories of alien worlds envi- Camelot of King Arthur Pendragon,
Balkans may provide homes for super- sion only scientifically explainable in historical periods, and the world of
natural forces forgotten by civilized strangeness, even in planetary Exalted, in an invented prehistory.
people. At the simplest, this blends romances such as Edgar Rice
into travelers telling strange stories, Burroughs’ Mars novels or the Planet The Future
knowing that no one can check them. Krishna stories of L. Sprague de
Camp. Some apparently supernatural A less popular approach, but one
This rationale worked much bet- elements actually have psionic or that several interesting stories pur-
ter in the 19th century than now. other science-fictional rationales, sue, sets magic in the future. This
Improved transportation and com- such as James H. Schmitz’s Witches actually offers several different
munication mean that no place is of Karres, the spells and sorceresses hybrids of fantasy and science fic-
of Marion Zimmer Bradley’s tion, depending on which future the
Darkover, or the Hindu gods of Roger campaign uses.
Zelazny’s Lord of Light. Other stories
envision distant worlds where magic

10 PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN

Motifs, Part 1

Fans of any genre expect certain types of content – of fantasy employs magicians who can throw fireballs
they look for them in new works, and miss them if or hurl each other across a room with a gesture. Such
they’re absent. Here are some elements that are espe- abilities also help them deal with swordsmen who have
cially common in fantasy roleplaying. quick reflexes and limited respect for the sanctity of life.

Bardic Gifts Fools

In legend, ancient Celtic bards were sacred. No one Clowns, fools, and jesters often have a parody of
could punish them for what they said or sang, and bardic immunity: they can imitate or mock warriors
kings and warriors feared their satires. Bards in many and aristocrats in their master’s court, unpunished,
cultures have magical powers, often involving superhu- because everyone agrees that they don’t know what
man persuasiveness. In a number of religious tradi- they’re saying. This freedom of speech made them irre-
tions, the gods speak through poets (sometimes an sistible to writers long before genre fantasy came into
inconvenience, as when the Queen of Faerie gave being; Shakespeare’s characters include some memo-
Thomas Rymer “the tongue that cannot lie”). rable fools. Fools in literature are often intelligent men
wearing a mask of stupidity or insanity.
Cook’s Tour
Healers
Heroes visiting a fantasy world, or a new country in
such a world, often travel to all its interesting places If magic’s good for anything, it’s usually good for tak-
and hear their stories. Even if the forces of evil are close ing care of the sick and wounded. Most people don’t
behind, the heroes have time to go look at the tomb of want to fantasize about real medieval medicine.
an ancient king. Healing spells can stop bleeding, cure diseases, or even
restore lost body parts, often with the aid of magical
Duels herbs. Other herbs may provide reliable contraception;
unwanted pregnancy seems to be rare in fantasy.
In real wars, armies trained to fight as units nor-
mally defeat armies of warriors who fight as individu- Letter of the Law
als, even if the warriors are individually better fighters
(see War in Fantasy Settings, pp. 186-194). However, An old proverb warns, “Be careful what you wish
fantasy often focuses on individual heroes. The impor- for,” and folk tales describe many wishes that go awry
tant combat is man-to-man, skilled warrior against because they are carelessly stated. In a magical setting,
skilled warrior, with the rest of the army fading into the a wish, spell, or prayer will come true, but not neces-
background, or even standing still and watching while sarily the way the speaker meant it. Making sure the
the leaders fight it out. Other sorts of conflict, such as wording leaves no room for unpleasant surprises pro-
wizards’ duels, also emphasize individual power and vides work for people who would become lawyers in
skill instead of organization. A traditional wizards’ duel realistic settings.
(as in the ballad “The Two Magicians”) involves repeat-
edly changing shape.

Flashy Magic

Real-world magical rituals, like real-world technolo-

gy, require long, slow, careful preparations. Magic in

fantasy worlds could be much the same. However, a lot

One form is a near-future “return longer fully understood. The details of planetary romance, where the domi-
of magic.” This may result from the its reemergence can be vague; in thou- nant civilization is technological and
collapse of world civilization followed sands or millions of years, they could rationalistic, and magic exists only on
by a renewal of magic, perhaps in a have been forgotten. Jack Vance’s The a distant planet. In outer space fanta-
quasi-medieval setting. Another good Dying Earth is a classic treatment that sy, the dominant civilization is magi-
approach is to have magic reappear in influenced the portrayal of magic in cal and magic is the only way to travel
a high-tech world, as in the roleplay- fantasy roleplaying. A very different between the stars. Magic may coexist
ing game Shadowrun. Either way, the treatment is the hyperurbanized with technology in such a setting, or
setting is still recognizably Earth, with future of Walter Jon Williams’s replace it. Melissa Scott’s novels Five-
magic as a recent development. Metropolitan and City on Fire. Twelfths of Heaven, Silence in Solitude,
and The Empress of Earth offer a treat-
In a far future Earth, magic may A further variant is outer space fan- ment of this theme based on Hermetic
coexist with remnants of very tasy, with an interstellar civilization magic.
advanced technology, perhaps no using magic. This is different from

PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN 11

Alternate History universe. In other realms, magic Separate Realities
remains powerful.
A number of fantasies are alterna- A fantasy world may be a realm of
tive histories, diverging from actual Magical realms include dream- its own, with no relationship with
history at specific branch points. In lands, faerie realms, spirit worlds, Earth and the present day, or only a
such settings, a specific different heavens, hells, and archetypal worlds vague one. Its origins may be mytho-
choice in the past led to the discovery (see Magical Realms, pp. 34-36). There logical instead of scientific; it may be a
or preservation of magic, often in may even be multiple dimensions in disc floating in space, or a flat world
an otherwise modern world. This complex arrangements, as in the roofed over by a tangible sky. The only
approach works well either for explor- Cabal setting (p. B543). Other planes requirement is that it be consistent
ing a world similar to the present day tie directly to Earth – possibly to a fan- with its own basic premises. Its people
or the recent past, but where magic tasy Earth, or the otherwise nonmagi- may offer a reflection of Earth’s inhab-
works, or for sending people from cal 21st-century Earth. Their relation- itants, or they may have their own,
here and now to such a world. ship with Earth should define how entirely different history and cultures.
their magic works and how humans
Randall Garrett’s Lord Darcy sto- gain access to them. This is probably the most widely
ries offer a carefully worked out used type of setting in recent fantasy.
alternative history for their magical Stories of this type include The Middle-Earth of J.R.R. Tolkien’s
setting, with a divergence in the Odysseus’ visit to the underworld in Silmarillion is this type of world; so
Middle Ages. John M. Ford’s The the Odyssey and Thomas Rymer’s jour- are Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea, Steven
Dragon Waiting branches off earlier, ney to the faerie realms in “The Ballad Brust’s Dragaera, and Terry Pratchett’s
with the Roman emperor Julian’s of True Thomas.” From the 20th cen- Discworld, among many others. In
successful restoration of paganism. tury, two of the best examples empha- roleplaying, Hero Wars focuses on the
Robert Heinlein’s “Magic, Inc.,” Poul size dreamlands: H.P. Lovecraft’s “The separate world of Glorantha.
Anderson’s Operation Chaos, and Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath”
Harry Turtledove’s The Case of the and Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman. E.R. Multiple Realities
Toxic Spell Dump are lighter treat- Eddison’s Zimiamvia trilogy offers a
ments, focused mainly on magical different sort of other plane – the A number of fantasy novels occupy
parallels to 20th-century technology. archetypal reality of which Earth is a a middle ground between these last
Castle Falkenstein presents a game shadow, and one man’s personal heav- three options: separate realities
world in the same spirit, though with- en. In roleplaying, other planes are a roughly comparable to Earth, but
out a specific point of divergence or major element of the World of accessible through some higher-level
detailed timeline. And, of course, see Darkness games. reality. In contrast to alternate histo-
GURPS Infinite Worlds. ries, whose divergence is measurable
In a sense, the virtual realities of by how long ago two histories split,
Other Planes cyberpunk are another sort of alter- separate realities differ in kind, like
nate plane where different natural works of art. And the passage between
Other planes, or other dimensions, laws exist. Usually these simulations the two usually involves a “higher
offer another way to send people from can’t directly change external reality, plane” which connects them. The pas-
the present day into a realm of magic. but the hero of The Matrix and its sage usually requires technology, not
This basic idea accepts the nonmagi- sequels gains superhuman powers in magic. Roger Zelazny’s Amber series,
cal world known to 21st-century sci- both worlds. whose heroes can “walk through
ence as simply one realm in a larger shadow” from one world to another,

12 PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN

and the various universes embedded work at full strength for someone with Neuromancer is a kind of wainscot
in C.S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew enough faith or luck. This assumption fantasy, taking place in a virtual reali-
are good examples of this idea. In a is especially popular in children’s fan- ty inside the computers of a future
different approach, Fletcher Pratt and tasy, as many stories by E. Nesbitt and everyday world. Both Gibson and
L. Sprague de Camp’s The Compleat Edward Eager demonstrate. Vinge emphasize the point by compar-
Enchanter portrays travel between ing their netrunner heroes to wizards
separate realities by concentration on Portal Fantasy and computer programs to spells.
each reality’s logical axiom, with no
higher reality in between. A relic could be the gateway to a Illuminated Fantasy
fantasy world, where magic is real and
FANTASY IN THE recognized. The portal can be a hid- A different way of concealing the
REAL WORLD den road or path, a tunnel, a door or magical reality is not to hide it at all;
gate, or even a piece of furniture, as in ordinary people’s mental limitations
Setting fantasy in the real world C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and keep them from seeing the magic.
creates a different problem: explaining the Wardrobe. Mirrors offer an inter- Robert Shea and Robert Anton
what keeps the fantastic elements hid- esting variant, both in the whimsy of Wilson’s Illuminatus! trilogy gave this
den. This kind of fantasy occurs most Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking- style of fantasy its name, though it’s
often in the present. However, they Glass and in the sinister dark fantasy only one element in their complicated
can take place in the past, as hidden of Robert Heinlein’s “The Unpleasant story. Nancy Collins made it a recur-
events that didn’t make the historical Profession of Jonathan Hoag.” ring theme of her Sonya Blue novels.
records (many novels by Tim Powers This setting only works if all the
use this approach). This kind of fanta- The portal may be just a vehicle to important characters are “illuminat-
sy has various names: modern fantasy, get the protagonists into the fantasy ed” and thus able to perceive the hid-
urban fantasy, or (if set in the past) world, where the real story takes den truths – which often means that
secret history. place. However, they may spend much they’re magically gifted. For a role-
of their time in the everyday world, playing game treatment, see Mage:
Some critics define “low fantasy” doing things influenced by their expe- The Ascension, with its concepts of
as any fantasy story set in the real riences on the other side of the portal. coincidental magic and Paradox.
world. However, a real world setting Most of C.S. Lewis’ Narnia stories are Forces other than the supernatural or
can include the kind of mythic ele- overt fantasy, but The Magician’s psychological may keep magic secret
ments this book classifies as high fan- Nephew is this kind of cryptic fantasy, in an illuminated setting. Magic may
tasy. In C.S. Lewis’ That Hideous with much of the action occurring in be useful to governments and other
Strength, for example, a reawakened turn-of-the (20th)-century London. powerful organizations, which con-
Merlin in modern England summons ceal it to protect their own interests.
the spirits of the planets to destroy a Wainscot Fantasy Stories based on this assumption can
conspiracy inspired by Hell, and Neil combine fantasy with espionage or
Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s Good In some fantasies, there’s not just covert operations (see Crossovers,
Omens has an angel and devil teaming one portal to a world of magic, but p. 9). Tim Powers’ Declare is a good
up to stop the Last Judgment. This many portals, all leading to the same example of this kind of fantasy.
kind of averted apocalypse, where hidden realm. Different locations in
mythic forces threaten to turn the real the everyday world link to different Absurdist Fantasy
world into a fantasy world, and the locations in the magical world. Often
heroes have to stop them, is a motif of the portals lead underground, to a hid- Especially in film and television,
fantasy set in the real world. (The sea- den city beneath the surface of an magic may be concealed simply by a
sonal plot arcs of Buffy the Vampire everyday city; Neil Gaiman makes the combination of flimsy coverups and
Slayer, for example, involved apoca- subway/underground image explicit most people’s disbelief in it. The 1960s
lyptic threats.) in NeverWhere, and the hundreds of television series Bewitched is a classic
miles of caves, tunnels, and sewers treatment of this theme, inspired by
Relic Fantasy underneath Sunnydale play a similar the film Bell, Book, and Candle. The
role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. earlier Topper films (and the novel by
The setting may include objects or Smaller-scale variants involve imagi- Thorne Smith) are similar. (I Dream of
even living beings from a forgotten nary societies of mice or rats living Jeannie combined this approach with
time when magic was common (see behind the baseboards or wainscots of relic fantasy.) The key to this approach
The Past, p. 10). Buried beneath the houses – the source of one name for is usually humor. The audience laughs
ruins of ancient cities, stored in muse- this genre. The rogue hero of Fritz at the plight of the everyday person
um basements, or passed down as Leiber’s Swords of Lankhmar, the Grey caught up in magic, but who tries to
heirlooms, these items grant mysteri- Mouser, is magically shrunk to rat keep it secret from everyone else.
ous powers and lost knowledge to size, visiting an entire rat city under
guardians who discern their secrets. the ground. There is no substitute for good
Such items may only contain a weak- manners – except fast reflexes.
ened trace of their old magic, or may From one angle, classic cyberpunk
fiction such as Vernor Vinge’s “True – Steven Brust, Jhereg
Names” and William Gibson’s

PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN 13

Motifs, Part 2

Here are more motifs common in fantasy fiction. be a store of knowledge and a way to introduce useful

For more on the topic, see Diana Wynne Jones’ book information to the heroes. Prophecies and oracles may

The Tough Guide to Fantasyland. take the form of riddles.

Lingua Franca Taverns

Dealing with people who don’t speak the same lan- Need a place to stay for the night, out of the rain?
guage you do is slow, difficult, and unexciting. So is There are taverns in every city or town, in many vil-
working through translators or using a partly learned lages, and sometimes on lonely roads halfway to
language. Jokes about inaccurate translation are funny nowhere. They nearly always serve excellent beer, and
the first time, but get old quickly. Most fantasy settings they’re a place to meet local people with rumors to pass
have a “common tongue” that everyone speaks. Even in on, quarrelsome drunks, or mysterious potential fellow
exotic races and cultures, somebody will know enough adventurers.
of it to settle practical questions such as the price of a
meal or whether a captive can be ransomed, or to tell a True Names
story that reveals some key bit of plot-advancing infor-
mation. In many magical traditions (p. 164), knowledge of a
thing’s name grants power over it. Wizards hide their
Nonhumans true names; in some cultures, everyone does so, going
by a nickname or “use-name.” Discovering a foe’s true
Humans in fantasy often share the world with name can be an important plot element. Some foes are
another intelligent race, or even many such races. obliging enough to turn this into a riddle.
Usually these look like humans, except for being taller
or shorter, thinner or thicker, more beautiful or ugly, Visions
and so on. Players going into a fantasy campaign are
likely to ask if they can play elves or dwarves. Adventurers may see visions foreshadowing their
futures – sometimes in dreams, sometimes via magical
Outlaws devices such as mirrors. Typically, these are incomplete
and ambiguous; they can’t provide enough useful infor-
Folklore often makes outlaws into heroes, who mation to prevent the encounter that they foreshadow!
defend the common people against the predatory aris- Instead, their function develops a mood, in both the
tocracy. Fantasy outlaws often take this job seriously, protagonists and the audience. Good visions are like
and have Codes of Honor to match. The ideal outlaw good film trailers, generating anticipation but not giv-
isn’t a brutal thug, but an honorable nobleman driven ing the plot away.
into exile by a misunderstanding or the conquest of his
country. He protects the weak, treats women politely, Women Warriors
and gives away most of his loot (see Bandit, p. 116).
In real history, almost all the warriors were men.
Riddles However, present-day fantasy often has women learn-
ing to use weapons and going to war. Some fantasy
Riddles are a favorite recreation in many fantasy societies simply treat men and women equally, even in
societies; often there are formal rules for “the riddle historical settings where this didn’t really happen.
game.” This can turn into a kind of duel for scholars or Others have cultures where women are equal or superi-
wizards, with serious consequences. Riddles can also or, or groups of women with special privileges and
duties.

14 PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN

The scope defines the point of view SCOPE area campaign. The detailed maps
of the characters. How much of the cover locations between the journey’s
setting do the player characters actu- send the PCs to a new site and run a start and end. They won’t be as precise
ally see? One campaign may take new point campaign there, with as the map for the site of a point cam-
them all over the world; another may greater challenges. paign – after all, the PCs won’t spend
confine them to a single building. Dif- as much time in any one place – but
ferent choices of scope allow different AREA CAMPAIGNS they can be much more precise than
ways of linking adventures together an area campaign’s world map.
into a campaign – and require the GM The location of an area campaign
to do different kinds of preparation. is the entire world. It’s the opposite Arc campaigns excel at giving play-
extreme from a point campaign: wide ers a sense of purpose. They have a
POINT instead of narrow in scope. This, too, goal, a route to get to it, and obstacles
CAMPAIGNS appeared in the first version of to overcome along the way. If the GM
Dungeons & Dragons, as the “wilder- chooses, adventurers can have the
In a point campaign, all the adven- ness adventure,” devoted to exploring same kind of progressively increasing
tures take place in a single location. a landscape. challenges as a point campaign, as the
The oldest example of this approach is route goes into wilder territory.
the “underworld adventure” from Area campaigns give a panoramic
Dungeons & Dragons. Other single view of their settings. They can Like a point campaign, an arc cam-
locations include a village or city; a include many different climates, living paign is naturally limited. Once the
battlefield or besieged stronghold, in a creatures, races, and civilizations. quest is complete, the campaign ends.
military campaign; or a community of When adventurers explore a large Sending the PCs on more quests is
mages and their students. In cam- area, whether looking for something possible, but each quest needs new
paigns that focus on action, the loca- specific or out of simple curiosity, a territory. A series of arc campaigns
tion is often deserted, except for lurk- GM can show off a whole world as an looks increasingly more like a some-
ing monsters. Fantasy literature offers imaginative creation. Having this kind what unplanned area campaign. GMs
models for a campaign set in a living of landscape open before their charac- who want an open-ended campaign
community, such as the aristocratic ters gives players more freedom than should think about mapping the
household in Mervyn Peake’s Gothic any other type of campaign. whole area from the start, and using
fantasy novels. arcs to give the PCs direction in each
To make this work, the GM maps series of adventures.
Because the action stays in a single out the entire world, or as much as
place, a quick sketch can portray the existing transportation can get to. BASE AND
rest of the world. The GM can put all Some detail has to be lost. Maps need MISSION
his effort into creating the site of the forests but not trees, and cities but not CAMPAIGNS
adventures, mapping every path or rooms. If players will spend more time
corridor and describing the abilities of in a particular place, its map can be Base and mission campaigns
every inhabitant. It’s easy to make more detailed – but the GM can’t appear more often in genres other
point campaigns leveled, so that know in advance what places will than fantasy – for example, in spy
adventurers encounter deadlier foes attract the players’ interest. Area cam- thrillers and superhero adventures. In
as they become more capable, by mak- paigns usually require GMs to impro- a base and mission campaign, the
ing sure the routes through the site vise locations and encounters; they’re adventurers work from a central loca-
reach the easier adversaries first (see well suited to GMs who like making tion, but their adventures take place
Into the Labyrinth, pp. 171-175). things up as they go. elsewhere, often in exotic places. Each
Leveled sites also provide a way of adventure’s site is detailed, but the
progressively revealing deeper secrets, ARC CAMPAIGNS journey there and the larger world
particularly in a campaign about initi- only have brief description.
ation into hidden knowledge. A single Television series and comic books
site can be a microcosm, a miniature have story arcs: series of episodes The longer travel times in many
model of the entire world. linked by a continuing plot. Fantasy historical settings make this kind of
stories and games have a similar idea: campaign harder to run. However, in
Point campaigns tend to be limit- the quest. This sends the PCs on a a fantasy world, magic can speed up
ed. Eventually the battle is won or lost, journey in a specific direction and travel. Or the same format can work
or the dungeon has been explored with a specific goal (see Perilous in a smaller area, such as a single
from top to bottom, or the students Journeys, p. 175). Encounters along kingdom. The Labors of Heracles in
have learned all the master wizards the way become important when they ancient Greece and the adventures of
can teach them. If the GM wants to advance or delay the quest. King Arthur’s knights in medieval
keep the campaign going (or the play- Britain offer models for a fantasy
ers insist on it!), one way to do so is to A quest is a journey from one place campaign.
to another. The scope of a quest cam-
paign falls between point and area
campaigns. It requires a map of the
whole world, but less detail than an

PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN 15

Campaign Style: Aspects of Realism

Of course, fantasy isn’t realistic; it’s about magic! loving halfling or the grim, silent warrior. Ethical char-
However, the effect of magic on the setting, and the way acters gain motivation through a Code of Honor,
the setting works apart from magic, can be realistic. Discipline of Faith, Sense of Duty, or Vow, and set aside
The GM’s choices change the whole style of a campaign personal conflicts to pursue it. Archetypes embody
and the world it explores. Making the choice con- some passion, and everything they do reflects it and
sciously can give a campaign a consistent style. serves it. Any of these styles can serve a purpose in fan-
tasy – and suffer from too much realism.
Realism of Action
Realism of Setting
Action can add realism. If the probabilities are like
those in everyday life, the action is realistic. This How much does the presence of magic change the
doesn’t mean that every number needs perfect accu- setting? If common magical spells can cure many dis-
racy, as long as probable things remain probable and eases, heal many wounds, and supply food and water
improbable things remain improbable. Departures (see Magic and Technology, pp. 64-67, and Agrarian
from this kind of realism produce a cinematic cam- Magic, p. 95), then the death rate will be much lower
paign that adjusts probabilities to produce a better than in real history. This means rapid population
story – where the hero can defeat a dozen men in a growth – unless there are also magical ways of reducing
fight, or a hundred. Further departures produce fertility, which will change societies in other ways. The
heroes who are immune to mundane reality and can actual consequences of widespread magic will trans-
do the impossible when it advances the story. form any society. A realistic campaign will have to
explore these consequences; a cinematic or mythic
Danger and injury are an important part of realism. campaign need not.
For example, in the novel The Lord of the Rings,
Aragorn finds Boromir pierced with many arrows, What if the setting is closer to ancient or medieval
dying, but able to gasp out some crucial information. In patterns, either because magic is scarce or by deliberate
the film The Lord of the Rings, three arrows are enough disregard for the consequences of magic? The real past
to kill him, and even the first seriously weakens him, a was often grim. Are there fields worked by half-starved
more realistic treatment suited to a medium that actu- serfs, cities that hold slave markets, and rulers who
ally shows the action. Damage to equipment, dirt, and employ official torturers? Is marriage loveless and war
fatigue similarly add to realism. brutal? Or is the setting a happier vision of the past,
with more splendor and less horror?
Tactical, logistic, and administrative details also
make action more realistic. A realistic campaign can Realistic Style
require skill rolls to pick a campsite, set up a camp, for-
age for food, maintain equipment, set watches, and so Realistic approaches to gaming usually contrast
on; a cinematic campaign should assume that all those with cinematic approaches. However, it’s possible to do
problems are taken care of. almost anything in a cinematic style – even a kind of
realism.
Realism of Characterization
Classic film noir shows dark streets, urban grime,
After centuries of literary realism, characters are and corrupt police forces; cyberpunk and dystopian
supposed to be human, complex, and flawed. GURPS futures have pollution and corporate power politics;
makes this possible through mental disadvantages and gritty fantasies have starving peasants, bloody battles,
quirks. But fantasy can work with other styles of char- and corrupt noblemen or priests. GMs can exaggerate
acterization. Stereotypes have the typical or expected these. A fantasy campaign can be realistic in the same
traits of their race, faith, or profession: the comfort- intensified way.

The base and mission format landscape. Like an arc campaign, a recover from their injuries, and social-
works best for action-oriented cam- base and mission campaign gives ize with each other outside of combat.
paigns. By skipping over the journeys, players a good sense of purpose. It needs detailed description, either by
it makes the landscape and the scale the GM or by the players themselves.
of the world less real. But it also lets Unlike an arc campaign, a base and For a change of pace, set an adventure
the GM focus on the sites of scenarios mission campaign has no natural end- at the base itself, either a lighthearted
and the challenges adventurers face. point. A team of adventurers can con- “day in the life” as the PCs visit a few
And the GM can deliberately send the tinue facing new challenges as long as taverns or see their families (see Shore
PCs to locations where something the GM’s imagination holds out. Leave, pp. 184-185), or a grimly seri-
exciting is going to happen, instead of ous threat to their very survival as a
waiting for them to stumble on Creating the base is the other side team, based on corruption, infiltra-
adventure as they wander over the of this campaign format. The base is tion, or open assault.
the environment where adventurers
prepare for their dangerous tasks,

16 PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN

CHAPTER TWO

THE
SUPERNATURAL

“It is not a supernatural creature.” moved around the circle, but the imp beings, and realms. It also covers a
“But it is all these other things?” kept scuttling sideways, always facing topic that’s particularly important to
“Yes.” him. Frustrated, Albus slashed at it, adventurers: death, and the relation-
“Then I fail to see what difference it hoping to spatter it with a few drops. ship of magic to mortality. The
makes whether it be supernatural or not answers affect nearly every other
– so long as it is malefic, possesses great His hand reached a little too far choice necessary to create a fantasy
powers and life span and has the ability forward. In an instant, in the blink of world.
to change its shape at will.” an eye, the barbed tail had lashed out,
“Ah, but it makes a great deal of dif- around the wand, piercing the flesh of Both magical traditions in the real
ference, you see. It is the difference his hand. Shocked by the pain, he world and the magic imagined by sto-
between the unknown and the unknow- pulled back, dropping the wand inside rytellers are incredibly varied. Instead
able, between science and fantasy . . .” the protective circle. But the imp’s of insisting that magic always works
semblance of flesh couldn’t pass the one specific way, GURPS Fantasy
– Roger Zelazny, Lord of Light barrier he had created, and so neither offers several different answers to
could his hand. each question. If you base your cam-
All the books said creatures of hell paign on a book, a film, or a mytholo-
were stubborn and perverse. This one Around the wound, a burning sen- gy, use the answers that best fit the
was certainly proving them right. It sation spread through his flesh, up to source material. If you’re working
crouched in Albus’ double circle, his wrist. His skin started to blister. from a personal vision, this chapter’s
restrained by the Names inscribed questions can help bring that vision
around its circumference, and washed Desperately, he groped for the ves- into clearer focus.
itself like a cat, with a long, forked sel of holy water.
tongue. Like a cat, it seemed not to
realize that Albus was speaking to it. Explaining magic is as important
to fantasy as explaining technology is
This wasn’t getting the information to a science fiction setting. This chap-
he needed. He reached for the wand ter considers four main questions
he had made. “Hear me, imp!” he about magic: the nature of magic
shouted, and thrust the wand into the itself, and the nature of
circle. The creature yowled as he magical objects,
struck it, and its eyes glowed red like
coals.

“Obey me, or be beaten!” Albus
said.

The imp spoke in a harsh croak like
a trained raven. “Silly wizard, do you
think to frighten me? I come from
Hell. We endure torments worse than
your rod can inflict, every moment of
eternity.”

Albus caught the burning gaze with
his own. He had gotten it to talk! Now
the struggle could begin – and he did-
n’t intend to play fair. He dipped the
wand into a flask, and once again
struck into the circle. Steam flashed
out from the wand as the holy water
touched the little demon’s warty hide,
and its cry this time was shrill.
Desperately, it backed out of reach.
Albus dipped the wand again, and

THE SUPERNATURAL 17

Behind the Curtain: Point Costs

None of the choices in this chapter has a point cost, there’s not much point in having Magery or knowing
or directly changes the point costs of character traits. A spells. The GM can even forbid characters to purchase
character’s options depend on the character’s abilities them. But if a mage from a normal-mana world strays
and the environment. For example, a character with into a no-mana world, he still has Magery and knows
Magery 0 can cast most spells, in a normal-mana envi- spells, and they still cost the same number of points –
ronment (see p. B235); but in a low-mana environment, and if he returns to his home world he can cast spells
he casts them at -5, and in a no-mana environment, he again.
can’t cast them at all. But refiguring a mage’s character
points every time he moves to a different environment Sometimes two different approaches to magic exist
would be inconvenient. So GURPS draws a sharp line side by side in the same world. For example, one mage
between character traits, which have point costs, and might only be able to cast spells in combat, and another
environmental conditions, which don’t. The way a spe- might only be able to create enchanted objects. This
cific world works depends on a set of environmental kind of difference can have a point cost. However, some
conditions. features of magic apply to an entire setting and everyone
in it. They would never make a difference between one
The environmental conditions can limit the choice of character and another, so they shouldn’t have a point
character traits. In a no-mana world, for example, cost.

What is magic? Psychologists MAGIC one set in East Asia or a fantasy world
define magical thinking as based on based on it. (See Chi as Magic, p. 157.)
wish fulfillment. (This can be a fright- Magical Energy
ening idea; many children tell their The idea of magical energy pro-
parents, at least once, “I wish you Standard GURPS magic envisions vides a rationale for stories where
were dead!”) A fantasy world can real- a single magical energy: mana. It can magic is failing, such as Larry Niven’s
ly work this way: believing in some- do a variety of things depending on novel The Magic Goes Away: the ener-
thing, or wishing for it, or command- what spell a mage uses, in the same gy that makes magic work is being
ing it, can make it happen, at least way that physical energy can do many depleted.
sometimes. Magic is the control of different kinds of work. The ability to
reality by consciousness. Different perceive and control this force is Magical Attributes
views of magic lead to different ideas Magery. Mages cast spells partly by
about when this will work, and how, directing the magical energy within Perhaps magic is not a generalized
and for who. their own bodies, and partly by con- force that anyone taps for any pur-
trolling external mana flows. Both pose, but a class of supernormal or
There are two basic ways of look- cause fatigue, just as travel causes extraordinary abilities. Certain human
ing at magic: subjective, in which con- fatigue whether it’s on foot or on beings, animals, and even plants and
sciousness itself controls reality; and horseback. stones may have special powers or
intrinsic, in which consciousness con- virtues. This view of magic supports
trols some other power that controls The name mana comes from the One-College Magery (p. 129); each col-
reality. Each has several variations. beliefs of Polynesian cultures. Other lege requires a separate magical tal-
cultures often have similar beliefs. For ent. In a world with this kind of magic,
INTRINSIC MAGIC example, East Asian cultures spoke of geographic areas may usually have
chi (in Chinese) or ki (in Japanese). aspected mana levels (see pp. 43-45).
Many fantasies and most fantasy Traditional Chinese medicine (defined
games believe magic is something in GURPS as a form of Esoteric GMs may invent other sets of spe-
apart from the mage’s mind and will, Medicine) attempts to influence the cialized magical attributes; see
but subject to his control. Sometimes flow of chi in a patient’s body, and Alternate Colleges for some suggestions
all magic comes from a single source martial arts traditions offer methods (p. 160).
of power. Other settings divide magic for controlling one’s own chi during
into narrower capabilities that pro- combat. The superhuman feats attrib- Alchemy and Herb Lore are magi-
duce specific effects and can’t be con- uted to masters of chi appear in cal arts that rely on knowledge of mag-
verted into each other. GURPS as various esoteric skills ical attributes – the attributes of
(those which have Trained By A Master chemical substances and plants. An
as a prerequisite). Such skills could be alchemist can produce magical effects
part of a fantasy campaign, especially by combining substances in a way that
brings out their inherent magical

18 THE SUPERNATURAL

qualities. Each substance has its own the metals, the elements and the bod- Two people with this kind of corre-
specific virtues, so an alchemist needs ily fluids, and so on. spondence may have Special Rapport
a varied supply of ingredients (see or Mindlink. A mage might discover
GURPS Magic). But magical correspondences may similar bonds between other living
be more specific. A person’s close like- things, or even inanimate objects.
In some settings, casting a spell ness, his blood or fingernails, his pos-
requires drawing runes or other sym- sessions, or even his name may have a SUBJECTIVE
bols, and a mage’s ability to cast a spell connection to him, which a mage can MAGIC
or perform an enchantment can’t use to cast spells on him (see The Three
exceed his Symbol Drawing skill. In Laws of Magic, below). In some views of magic, the human
these versions of Symbol Drawing, the mind doesn’t need any separate power
symbols themselves are magically Usually these correspondences or potentiality to serve it. Every con-
powerful. A mage’s essential skill is form a basis for modifying mana- sciousness controls reality, simply by
knowing the attributes of the various based magic, in which objects con- being conscious. Reality is subjective.
symbols. nected to the subject of a spell Philosophers call this idealism, mean-
grant skill bonuses to its casting ing that everything is an idea in some-
Magical (see Correspondences, pp. 163-164). one’s mind.
Correspondences However, it’s also possible to make
correspondences the only basis for Taken straight, this doesn’t make a
Magical correspondences often magic. In this approach (see very interesting game or story. If it’s
form the basis for magical attributes. Correspondence Magic, p. 160-161), true for one person, that person is
The mandrake root has a human mages can only cast spells with the omnipotent; he wins every game and
voice because it is man-shaped; fire aid of the Three Laws of Magic, by his story always has a happy ending. If
magic uses rubies because they are establishing suitable links to the tar- it’s true for everyone, then either they
red. Such correspondences may get. agree, and there’s no conflict, or they
organize all of nature: the planets and disagree, and conflict leads to unsolv-
able paradoxes.
The Three Laws of Magic
However, partial control can be
Many different spells and magical traditions can be described in interesting. Perhaps a consensus
terms of three basic principles: the Law of Contagion, the Law of shapes reality, and no one has total
Similarity, and the Law of Names. How much part these should play in control. A propaganda campaign
a campaign is a matter of campaign style and the GM’s decision. In an might change reality by changing peo-
action-oriented campaign, it’s usually best just to roll the dice and see if ple’s beliefs. There are still problems to
the spell succeeded or failed. For players who find the details of magic solve and struggles to face. But every-
interesting, the Three Laws can provide skill modifiers (see one can work magic, at least in some
Correspondences, pp. 163-164). degree.

All three laws of magic involve the same basic process: acting upon a Does “everyone” include animals,
symbol to affect the thing it represents. The differences between them as well as sapient beings? Yes . . . if
come from the different kinds of symbols they use. consciousness just means perception,
worms and flies have sense organs.
Evidence includes symbols based on cause and effect. A thing is evi- The exact type of magic may depend
dence of something else if the other thing created it, changed it, or oth- on the range of the animal’s percep-
erwise made it what it is. Symbols of this kind are the basis for the Law tions. Animals that can’t locate a dis-
of Contagion, which says that anything that has been in contact with a tant object may only be able to affect
thing remains connected to it and can be used to cast a spell on it. The their own bodies. An animal’s magic is
closer the contact has been, the better the connection is. A newly bought probably instinctive and limited to
suit of clothes would be no help in casting a spell on its owner; an often- specific spells (see Fixed Magic,
worn suit would be, because contact with the wearer’s body would p. 161).
change the cloth. A person’s blood would be an even better connection,
because it formed inside his body. Or perhaps the key is language. If a
creature can name something, it can
Likenesses are symbols of things that they look like or sound like. The affect the thing by naming it (see The
Law of Similarity says that mages can use anything that resembles a Three Laws of Magic, above). This
thing to cast a spell on it. For example, a mage may use a good drawing would limit magic to sapient beings
to target a spell. The better the likeness, the more help in casting the (IQ 6 and above).
spell.
Theistic and
Words are symbols of the things that they name. The Law of Names Animistic Magic
says that mages can use a thing’s name to cast a spell on it.
Another answer is that conscious-
ness controls reality – but not human
consciousness.

THE SUPERNATURAL 19

In the Bible, creation begins when Nature and Supernature
God says, “Let there be light.” Perhaps
it’s God’s mind that shapes reality – If magic works, does that mean science is wrong? How do the natu-
one God, the multiple gods of a poly- ral and supernatural worlds fit together in a fantasy setting? There are
theistic religion, or the innumerable several ways of answering these questions:
spirits of an animistic one. Human
beings can’t work magic, but can ask Science excludes magic. Natural law controls everything that hap-
the gods or spirits for help. See pens. Magic is based on natural laws that aren’t understood yet. One
Magical Beings for more on this day the progress of knowledge will make those laws understandable
option. and replace spells with reliable procedures, the same way that pharma-
cology replaced herb lore. Often this view goes with belief in psychic
Powers of the Mind powers that magical rituals help to focus.

Perhaps some human minds con- Science leaves room for magic. Natural laws are true, but there is
trol reality, but others can’t. Bending some randomness or uncertainty in nature. Magic works within that
reality to one’s will may take a special area of uncertainty. Where the laws of nature allow two or more out-
mental state, or special gifts of one comes, the mage’s will can decide between them. Jack Williamson’s
sort or another. Depending on the his- Darker than You Think relies on this premise.
torical setting, such gifts may be called
mystical, psychic, or psionic (see Science is dependent on magic. The laws of nature are real, and sci-
Psionics as Magic, p. 158). ence can discover them. But supernatural and magical forces created
nature: the will of God, or a spontaneous outflow of mana, or even col-
The setting determines how char- lective human belief. And that same creative force can change nature.
acters acquire these gifts. They may be (This is the basis of the “Cabal” setting on p. B543.)
inborn and available only by heredity
or accident of birth. It may be possible Magic excludes science. The world doesn’t work the way science says
to create them – for example, by cast- it does. This premise may be unconvincing in a fantasy set in the mod-
ing a spell to grant magical gifts. They ern world. In a separate reality, the sun may really be a chariot driving
may be the gift of the gods to favored through the sky, or the dead may rise from their graves to trouble the
mortals. Or many may acquire them living.
through long and dedicated study – of
yoga, for example. Many magical beliefs reflect scientific ideas that are no longer
accepted, such as the Greek theory of the four elements, or 19th-centu-
Gifts of this sort are a lot like ry ideas about the life force. In fantasy versions of historical settings, the
Magery as usually defined in GURPS. scientific theories of the past may be true. See Richard Garfinkle’s
However, there’s an important differ- Celestial Matters for an example of this approach.
ence. Standard Magery requires
mana, which exists within human Magic conflicts with science. In many recent fantasies, magic and sci-
beings and in the natural environ- ence aren’t just different beliefs about the world, but different forces
ment. The will of the mage determines within the world. Technology may actually interfere with the operation
the powers of the mind. This kind of of magic. A GM may approach this by setting the skill penalty to magi-
magic cannot draw power from the cal actions equal to the TL. A TL5 setting would have -5 to spellcasting,
environment, or create a self-powered equivalent to the standard penalty for low mana. This penalty may be
magical object. And mages must consistent throughout the entire world, based on its highest TL, or each
actively maintain magic effects; if the region may have its own mana level, based on the people living there or
mage loses consciousness, the magic passing through.
goes away instantly.
Mages in Black
Glamour
Drawing on the last three of these five models, perhaps the magical
Some accounts view magic as illu- agency that created natural law wasn’t God, or the collective uncon-
sion. A magician can make people per- scious, but an organization of mages. At the beginning of history, every-
ceive strange things . . . but the rising thing happened magically. But a more predictable world was easier to
sun, or the touch of iron, or the name control magically, so the greatest wizards banded together and worked
of God, banishes the magic, and every- mighty enchantments to bind the planets to their orbits and prevent
thing is as it was. On the other hand, lead from changing into gold. Over the centuries, further tinkering cre-
people who believe what magic shows ated the laws that scientists now rely on.
them may really be affected. Magic
that works this way is often called The laws of nature are a work in progress, and not everyone wants
glamour. the work to be completed. There are occasional outbreaks of wild
magic, or rival conspiracies that want to change the rules. Magical trou-
The most important consequence bleshooters travel through the world, seeking out such enemies of
of glamour, in terms of rules, is that no nature and forcing them to obey natural law. Of course, they are
spell can have permanent effects. entrusted with some of the secret reality-modifying “cheat codes” of
Spells that would ordinarily be perma- nature, for use in emergencies . . .
nent can have long-lasting effects, but

20 THE SUPERNATURAL

they vanish if something dispels the Knowing Good and Evil
magic that creates them. See
Impermanent Magery (p. 129). Human perception is largely “knowing good and evil.” Science often
regards these qualities as relative to the needs of the organism perceiv-
In folklore, this kind of magic is ing them. But in a magical world, they may be basic elements of reali-
often associated with human mages, ty, and the whole world may have a framework of moral absolutes.
faerie trickery or the outright decep- Judaism, Christianity, and Islam believe in such a framework, with
tions of devils. Practitioners of black goodness being obedience to God’s laws.
magic, if they call on the services of
devils, may be limited to glamour as Zoroastrianism takes a different approach. It describes two nearly
well. In some views, all magic is black omnipotent gods, one good, one evil. Christian folklore sometimes sug-
magic! gests such a view, with Satan as an evil anti-God, though orthodox
Christian theology rejects this. Some fantasy worlds have this kind of
Taken one way, this is a subjective polarity, such as Roger Zelazny’s opposition of Amber and Chaos in The
view of magic – but one that splits up Chronicles of Amber.
the magical functions strangely.
Magicians, faeries, or devils have the If evil is a cosmic force or a basic element of reality, it could provide
power to manipulate the mind and a source of power or possibly include “black magic” in a campaign. In
make people see things. But those a dark fantasy, evil might be more powerful than good (see Evil Gods,
people in turn have the power to make p. 32).
the things real, by believing in them.
The magician’s imaginary sword can’t In a less dark setting, good might have created the world, and evil
hurt anyone by itself, but if the victim might have distorted it. Nature may be good: good magic may attune to
believes in it, it can kill him. So the natural processes, and evil magic may act anti-natural. Evil magic and
victim’s consciousness changes reality, technology might ally in this scenario, with dark powers tempting sci-
in ways suggested by the magician. entists into dangerous tampering with “things man was not meant to
know.”
USING MAGIC
IN CAMPAIGNS If good and evil are objectively real, then it’s possible that magical
spells can detect them. They could fall into the college of
Does it make a difference if magic Communication and Empathy. Similarly, advantages could grant moral
is subjective or intrinsic? Does it actu- perceptiveness. Normally this would only apply to sapient beings.
ally change the game mechanics, or However, in some worlds, a murder weapon could acquire the taint of
the abilities of characters? Yes, in two evil. A device specifically designed for unlawful acts, such as a knife
major ways: whether mana exists, and with a poison reservoir, could become tainted upon creation. On the
how Magery works. other hand, if good and evil are matters of human opinion, a Detect
Good or Detect Evil spell is meaningless, because the same act may be
In a setting based on magical ener- good or evil depending on who judges it.
gy, the standard GURPS rules apply.
Magical energy is mana. Magery 0 power source for spells. Mana does
grants the ability to perceive mana not flow externally. Magery 0 is the
and to manipulate it. Levels of Magery ability to sense powers of mind and to
grant improved ability to manipulate control one’s own powers of mind.
mana.
In a setting with theistic or ani-
In a setting based on magical attrib- mistic magic, a variety of rules are
utes, each college of spells has its own possible; see Using Gods and Spirits in
specialized form of mana. Since Campaigns, p. 33. Some involve forms
they’re distinct, Magery 0 grants the of mana and Magery.
ability to identify them; a fire mage
may have an aura of heat and flicker- In a setting with subjective magic,
ing light, for example. the power for spells still comes from
the mage’s body and mind, with no
In a setting based on magical corre- external flow of mana. But this isn’t a
spondences, mages may not control distinctive trait; every mind has the
their own Fatigue or HP to power potential for casting spells. So it’s not
spells. Mana exists, but externally, in possible to sense anything distinctive
the relationships of objects to other about the minds of mages. Magery 0
objects. Magery 0 is then the intuitive isn’t needed for either purpose and
ability to perceive those relationships isn’t available. Levels of Magery are
and judge whether one object can still available, as talents for casting
magically affect another. spells; anyone can have them, without
Magery 0.
In a setting with mystical or psy-
chic powers, things are reversed. The
mage’s body and mind provide the

THE SUPERNATURAL 21

MAGICAL OBJECTS

If a world has magic, it may have counterspell, any more than a magi- pp. 48-49). Miners may discover
magical objects. In some worlds, the cally healed wound would suddenly deposits of naturally magical metals
creation of magical objects is the only, reopen because of a counterspell. or minerals. High-mana areas may
or the main, form of magic. In many be sources of magical materials,
worlds, it’s a common application of Any kind of magical object will feel objects, or creatures.
magic. magical to anyone with Magery 0,
even if Magery did not aid the product In some supernatural views of the
An important distinction exists – for example, a potion. Magically world, everything has magical pow-
between magical objects and magical- transformed objects don’t feel magi- ers. The trick is to discover an
ly created or transformed objects. cal. At the GM’s option, they may carry object’s specific virtues. For example,
Runes inlaid on a sword’s blade might residual traces of magic which can be herbs may have healing powers
magically enhance its ability to injure detected at a -5 penalty to the (IQ + apparent in the shape of their leaves
a foe, in effect casting a spell to Magery) roll. or the color of their fruit. This
wound the foe or sharpen the sword. approach fits well with magic based
The sword wouldn’t work in an area NATURAL MAGIC on correspondences (pp. 160-161).
where magic was blocked or sup-
pressed, and counterspells might In a world of intrinsic magic Here are some examples of natural
block its effectiveness. It would just (pp. 18-19), magical forces may magic from legends and fantasy:
be a normal sword. On the other spontaneously create magical ob-
hand, if spells cast during its forging jects. If magic is widespread, living Adamant
made the blade physically sharper, or things may evolve the ability to use
the material better able to hold an it. Plants and animals with magical Adamant is a crystalline stone that
edge, or the armorer more skillful, the abilities may have mana organs that is harder than any natural substance.
sword would simply be a better naturally accumulate the magical The name means simply “diamond,”
sword. The sharper edge wouldn’t energy to power those abilities (see but legend gives it different properties.
suddenly become blunt because of a Magical Species and Mana Organs, Used as a building material, adamant
has three times the DR and hit points
of a wall of normal stone of the same
thickness. Its DR is semi-ablative (see
pp. B46-47), but damage never
reduces it below DR 9. However, it
costs 30 times as much per pound,
owing to its scarcity and the difficulty
of working it.

All-Heal

The berries of the parasitic plant
mistletoe can have magical healing
powers. Each berry consumed will
restore 1 point of HP lost through dis-
ease, including infected wounds.
Users normally must consume the
berries on the spot, but cutting them
with a golden sickle at night will pre-
serve them for up to a year.
Traditionally only berries of mistletoe
growing on an oak (not its usual host)
are magical; roll vs. Naturalist or
Herb-Lore at -5 to find such a plant.
Preserved berries cost $150 each.
(Reality check: In real life, these berries
are poisonous!)

Dragon’s Blood

Drinking the blood of a dragon
grants the ability to understand the
speech of animals, as described in the
Volsunga Saga. This is equivalent
to having the advantage Speak
with Animals. The effects last for 2d

22 THE SUPERNATURAL

minutes. Ordinarily the blood must be Enchantment Spells
fresh. It will still be hot, inflicting 1d-1
burn damage, and the drinker must In addition to the enchantment spells on pp. B480-481, the following
make a Will roll to avoid being stunned is available:
by the pain (modified by High or Low
Pain Threshold). An alchemist may Temporary Enchantment
preserve dragon’s blood for future use. Enchantment
One dose of preserved dragon’s blood
costs $1,000. This spell creates magic items that only function a few times before
losing their enchantment, at a substantial savings in energy cost (and
Moly therefore time). An item with a single use can be created for 15% of the
normal energy, two uses cost 30%, three cost 60% (very cost ineffective
Moly is a rare plant (see p. 48) under most circumstances) and the cost for an item limited to 4 or more
whose flower protects against spells. uses exceeds the cost of a permanent item.
The picked flower lasts from 6 hours
in hot, dry weather to 48 hours in cool, The temporarily enchanted item acts, in all respects, as a normal
moist weather. While it survives, the item of that type, until all of its spells have been cast. Once all the spell
bearer has +5 Magic Resistance to all uses of the temporary item are gone, the item is no longer magical.
spells cast directly on him, but not to
indirect attacks such as missile spells. A mage can use the Temporary Enchantment spell in place of the
A single fresh flower would cost $500, Enchant spell. A single item cannot be enchanted with both temporary
if available at all. and permanent spells simultaneously.

Orichalcum Temporary Enchantment can only give items a one-time ability to
cast a certain spell – not to cast the spell on an object. For example, a
Orichalcum is a metal with mage couldn’t make a one-shot set of invisible armor – it would never
extraordinary properties, said by the wear off. He could give the armor the ability to cast Invisibility on itself
ancient Greek philosopher Plato to at normal fatigue and duration costs.
have been mined in Atlantis. (Plato
doesn’t discuss specific physical prop- Temporary Enchantment does not work in conjunction with any
erties; those defined here make Enchantment college or Meta-Spell college spells except the following:
orichalcum useful for weapons and Speed, Power, Hex, Limit, Name, and Link. Temporary Enchantment
armor.) absolutely does not further reduce the cost of enchantments that
already have limited uses.
Orichalcum looks like bronze and
has nearly the same density, but its Duration: Until all of the item’s uses have been expended.
DR, hit points, and structural strength Cost and time: See Enchanting, pp. B481-482.
are three times those of bronze. Prerequisites: Enchant.
Orichalcum armor can be one-third as
heavy for the same protection or TL3. Similar effects may be achieved, longer. The standard version of
equally heavy for three times the pro- if the GM chooses, through herbal enchantment requires Magery 2 and
tection. Orichalcum weapons have preparations made using the skill of extensive knowledge of spells. The
damage bonuses for fine or very fine Herb Lore, available at any TL. mage focuses his will and charges an
quality and are tough enough to with- object with mana. The mage need not
stand steel weapons. A steel weapon Each alchemical preparation have made the object himself and
has cheap quality when hit by an requires raw materials, which have a need not change it physically to
orichalcum weapon (see p. B274). cost, and has a preparation time in enchant it; no physical sign identifies
Orichalcum objects cost 30 times as weeks. In a setting where magic is the enchanted object as magical.
much as standard metal objects of the more or less common, the raw materi-
same weight. als may be easier or harder to obtain. Expanded List of
Divide their cost by 2 in a high-mana Enchantments
Because orichalcum is already setting, or by 5 in a very-high-mana
inherently magical, it can’t be further setting, but multiply it by 2 in a low- For campaigns where PCs can be
enchanted to increase its durability. mana setting. See GURPS Magic for enchanters, or for GMs wanting to
Other enchantments work as usual. more information on the practice of make a wider selection of enchanted
alchemy and for costs of specific items available, the following list will
ALCHEMY preparations. be useful.

Alchemy extends the idea of natu- ENCHANTMENT Spell: The name of the spell.
ral magic. An alchemist specializes in Energy: The energy cost required to
procedures that focus and enhance Enchantment in GURPS is the enchant an item with the spell. Note
the hidden virtues of natural materi- process of creating magical objects. It that this is not the same as the cost to
als. Systematic chemical manipula- involves much the same things as cast- cast that spell normally! See also
tion of the sort that gives rise to the ing spells, but takes substantially Enchantment Spells (above).
idea of alchemy really only emerges at

THE SUPERNATURAL 23

Item: The class of item required:

Code Class of Item
A armor or clothing
J jewelry; e.g., an amulet or ring
S staff – any rod-shaped piece of organic material up to 6 feet long
Sh shield
W weapon
X special object; see Notes

Spell Energy Item Notes Spell Energy Item Notes
J, S [3] J, S [2]
Analyze Magic 1,200 S [3, 4] Levitation 800 J, S [3]
J, S [3, 4] X [3, 9]
Apportation 900 S [3] Light 100 S [3, 4, 10]
S [3, 4] A [3, 4]
Aura 100 A, J [2] Magelock 200 A [3, 4]
S [3, 4] S [3, 4, 10]
Awaken 300 J, S [3, 5 ($600)] Major Healing 1,500 J, S [2]
J, S [3] J [2, 5 ($300)]
Bless Plants 500 J, S [3, 6] Mind-Reading 1,000 S [3, 4]
J, S [3] S [3, 4]
Breathe Water 400 S [3] Mind-Sending 1,500 J, S [3]
J, S [3, 5 ($200)], [6] S [3]
Clumsiness 800 J, S [3] Minor Healing 600 X [3, 11]
S [3, 4, 7] S [3, 4, 12]
Cold 400 S [3, 4] Night Vision 200 J [1, 5 ($500)]
S [3, 4] J [2, 5 ($700)]
Command 500 S [3, 4] No-Smell 150 J [2, 5 ($700)]
J, S [3] Any [1, 13]
Continual Light 200/400/600 J, S [3, 4] Pain 400 S [3, 14]
J, S [3, 5 ($1,000)] S [3]
Create Air 200 J, S [3] Paralyze Limb 2,000 W [3, 5 ($300)]
S [3, 4] S [3, 14]
Create Earth 500 J, S [3, 5 ($1,300)] Purify Air 50 J, S [3]
S [3, 4] J, S [3]
Create Fire 300 S [3, 4] Purify Earth 400 J, S [3]
J, S [2] J, S [3]
Create Water 200 J, S [3] Purify Water 50 J, S [3]
S [34] J, S [3, 5 ($300)]
Cure Disease 800/1,500 A, J [2] Rain 600 J, S [3]
S [3] J, S [3]
Daze 1,000 J, S [3, 5 ($300)] Recover Energy 1,000 S [3, 4]
J, S [2] S [3, 4]
Death Vision 600 A [3] Resist Cold 800 J, S [3]
S [3, 4] J, S [3]
Deathtouch 2,500 S [3] Resist Fire 800 S [3, 4]
J, S [3] A, J [1]
Destroy Water 300 J, S [3, 5 ($50)] Scryguard 500/hex S [2, 4]
A, J [1, 8] J, S [3]
Detect Magic 100 J, S [2] Seek Earth 50 A [3]
S [3, 4] A, J, S [2, 5 ($1,000)]
Earth to Air 750 J, S [3] Seek Plant 50 A, J [3]
J, S [3] S [3, 4]
Earth to Stone 300 Seek Water 40

Entombment 1,200 Seeker 500

Extinguish Fire 400 Sense Emotion 300

Fear 300 Sense Foes 200

Flesh to Stone 1,000 Sense Spirit 100

Flight 2,500 Shape Air 200

Fog 300 Shape Earth 200

Foolishness 800 Shape Fire 400

Great Haste 2,000 Shape Stone 500

Heal Plant 400 Shape Water 400

Heat 400 Sleep 1,200

Hide 1,000 Spasm 300

Hide Thoughts 400 Stench 60

Hinder 600 Stone to Earth 400

Identify Plant 200 Stone to Flesh 1,000

Identify Spell 1,100 Stop Bleeding 500

Ignite Fire 100 Teleport 3,000

Illusion Disguise 150/300 Test Food 100

Invisibility 1,200 Truthsayer 500

Itch 100 Walk on Air 500

Lend Energy 100 Walk Through Earth 1,200

Lend Health 250 Wither Limb 2,000

Notes: Special rules for creation or [3] Allows the user to cast the spell [6] The energy cost of Continual
use. exactly as if he knew it himself. Light enchantments is 100 times the
cost of the spell with the same effect.
[1] Always on. Works at all times [4] Mage only. If any spell on the
without the addition of a Power spell. item has this restriction, it extends to [7] A staff of Cure Disease that
all spells on the item. cures one disease costs 800 points; one
[2] Allows the user to cast the spell, that cures any disease costs 1,500
but only on himself. [5] Cost of magical materials points.
required.

24 THE SUPERNATURAL

[8] An Illusion Disguise item must base cost by half that dimension. precious metal. Two skill rolls are
be set for a specific disguise when Enchantment spells follow the same required for each rune: one for the
made. An item that creates a Simple rules as regular spells, except for rune skill itself and one for the craft
Illusion costs 150 points; one that cre- Power, whose cost is proportional to skill used to inscribe it. If all the runes
ates a Complex Illusion costs 300 the energy it provides. are successfully inscribed, anyone
points. who has the skill of Symbol Drawing
Automata for the appropriate type of runes can
[9] The item for Magelock is a gold- roll against it to activate the enchant-
en key. In magical terms, an automaton is ment. Enchanting an object perma-
not a mechanism, but an inanimate nently in this way is treated as slow
[10] A staff of Minor Healing can object, which a spirit occupies. See and sure enchantment, but has half
be used by a non-mage with Esoteric Familiars and Fetishes, p. 26. the energy cost and takes half as long.
Medicine-15+; a staff of Major Healing
can be used by a non-mage with RUNIC Runes can be temporarily marked
Esoteric Medicine-20+. ENCHANTMENT onto a surface such as a papyrus,
parchment, sheet of paper, or wax
[11] The item for Purify Water is a Runic enchantment is an alterna- tablet. Each rune requires a roll
bone or ivory hoop through which the tive to the standard GURPS enchant- against Artist (Calligraphy) and
water is poured. ment rules. It’s based on the idea that against the mage’s skill with the rune.
certain letters or other symbols in A mage can also trace runes into earth
[12] A Rain wand or staff must be themselves are a source of magical or sand, with the tip of a blade, a
kept in water; it loses its enchantment power (see Symbol Drawing, p. B224). pointed stick, or a container of pow-
if left dry for over an hour. This version of intrinsic magic (pp. 18- der such as flour, at -2 to Artist
19) inscribes potent runes on an (Calligraphy). If all the skill rolls work,
[13] Scryguard enchantment hides object, or even a person (by tattooing, the PC may cast the enchantment
the item it is cast on, not the wearer or for example), and can grant magical when desired with a roll against
bearer. powers to the object or person. Symbol Drawing. The first successful
casting destroys the inscription.
[14] A Seek Earth wand must have Runic enchantment is a form of Inscribing an Easy rune takes 1 hour,
one ounce of a specific form of earth, syntactic magic (p. 163). Each inscribing an Average one takes 3
stone, or metal set in the tip. Each enchantment requires placing a mini- hours, and inscribing a Hard one
wand will only seek the one material mum of two runes on the enchanted takes 6 hours.
to which it is attuned. A Seeker wand object: a verb for the magical action
must incorporate something related to and a noun for the subject of the spell. To activate a runic enchantment
the subject. The enchanter must personally mark requires skill with all the runes
the object with the runes; often this involved. The user’s effective Symbol
Enchanted Vehicles requires an artistic or craft skill, such Drawing skill cannot exceed his low-
as Armoury, Jeweler, or Smith. est rune skill. If the effect of the
Most enchanted objects are usually enchantment is to cast a spell, the
relatively small. But exceptional ones Permanently enchanting an object user must supply the energy to power
can be larger. An enchanter could with runes requires that they be part that spell. If the effect is a permanent
create a flying carpet, or a full-rigged of its physical structure. For example, enchantment such as Accuracy or
ship with a hull as hard as iron. a sword may have runes cast or Puissance, there is no energy to use
engraved into the blade, and possibly the item, but it must still be activated
Regular spells can be cast on a larg- emphasized with enameling or inlaid for each use. A successful activation
er than man-sized object; multiply the continues until the user stops hold-
basic cost by SM+1. Area spells have a ing, wearing, or occupying the object,
cost based on the radius of the area after which another activation will be
covered. For a vehicle, look up the SM, needed.
determine the corresponding largest
dimension in yards, and multiply the Runes can enchant some items
described in other sections.

Golem: The parchment placed in
the golem’s mouth, bearing the name
of God, requires rolls against Artist
(Calligraphy) and Symbol Drawing
(Gematria). Energy cost is 125 points.
Placing the parchment in the golem’s
mouth activates it. This is a perma-
nent enchantment, but removing the
parchment can return the golem to
lifeless clay (p. 27).

THE SUPERNATURAL 25

FAMILIARS Named Objects
AND FETISHES
An optional alternative to enchantment is the simple naming of
A fetish is an object that is magical objects. The object must be of at least Fine quality. While making it, the
because it contains a spirit. In maker inscribes a name on it. This requires a roll against Symbol
shamanistic traditions, where all Drawing, by the maker or someone else who tells him what to inscribe.
magic is performed by spirits, all mag- Naming an object does not give it magical powers. Instead, the object
ical objects are fetishes. Mages in accumulates character points from performing notable deeds, at the
other traditions may also create fetish- same rate as its user. Each character point is worth 25 points toward an
es by various methods, such as casting appropriate enchantment, as decided by the GM. Enchantments thus
necromantic spells. gained will reflect the uses to which the object is put.

GMs must distinguish a fetish from The amount of named objects one person can own is unlimited.
a shamanistic focus (see Foci, p. 28). However, experience divides among the objects, so it takes them longer
The focus has no magical power in to gain new powers. Multiply the user’s experience by 25, divide by the
itself but aids the shaman in concen- number of named objects he was using in an adventure, and round
trating on his transactions with the down; the objects each gain that much energy.
spirits. For example, the drums in
Voudoun ceremonies help the partici- In a setting where craft magic is available (p. 147), a Crafts skill aided
pants go into trances where they can by ritually enhanced Talent can make a named item. The maker must
channel the loa, but they don’t magi- also be literate.
cally compel the loa to appear.
unwilling Patron, and the fetish may Sorcerer’s Wand
GURPS provides several ways to be the material component that keeps
represent true fetishes and other spir- it enslaved. To represent this, buy Ally A magician’s wand or rod is shaped
it-inhabited objects. or Patron with a suitable gadget limi- like a hand-to-hand weapon. This isn’t
tation. The spirit still has its own per- accidental: the wand’s function is to
In some worlds, the spirits are the sonality, and getting it to produce discipline uncooperative spirits. The
unseen force behind magical spells, magical aid will involve encountering spirits bound into it have the power to
but they never actually become visible that personality. inflict pain on other spirits. Each sor-
or take on any personality. Calling on cerer makes his own. Each wand is
the names of the spirits is simply part The term “familiar” can mean unique, but a typical example would
of the ritual of casting a spell. If magic either a spirit or an animal that have Affliction 2 (HT-1; Affects Insub-
works this way, then every enchanted attends a magician. Or, in a variety of stantial, +20%; Breakable, DR 1, SM
item has spirits in it – but an object ways, it may be both: a spirit may take -4, Not Repairable, -50%; Can Be
that holds a spirit is just an enchanted the form of an animal, possess a living Stolen, Quick Contest of ST, Would
item, and needs no special rules. animal, merge with it symbiotically, or not work for thief, -15%; Costs
be bound into it. Binding a spirit into Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Melee Attack,
It’s also possible to represent magi- the physical body of an animal is anal- Reach 1, -25%; Moderate Pain, +20%;
cal items as physical carriers for ogous to creating a fetish. Stunning, +10%; Only on spirits,
spells, as chips are for programs. In -30%) at a cost of 15 points. A spirit
this version of Modular Abilities Here are some examples of magical struck with it would have to roll vs.
(p. 130), a mage’s capacity to control objects that contain spirits: HT-1 or be stunned for 1 second per
the spirits bound to fetishes limits the point of failure and in moderate pain
number of spells a mage can access. Djinn Lamp for 1 minute per point of failure (-2 to
all DX, IQ, skill, and self-control rolls).
Modular Abilities aren’t limited to This magical lamp summons a
spells; they can also include skills djinni when rubbed (p. 107). The djin- HOLY RELICS
(especially knowledge skills) and men- ni must grant the wishes of the user to
tal advantages. the best of its ability. Djinn have a In a world where gods exist, divine
racial cost of 247 points. In relation to power may pervade some material
In some settings, fetishes are less any ordinary human being, a djinni is objects or places. In some cases, the
common. Shamans may know how to an ultra-powerful individual, worth a object is simply a channel for the god’s
produce them, but it’s not normally base 20 points. It can supply valuable active presence (see Foci). An object
possible to hire a shaman to do so, or equipment (+100%) and has extraor- that comes into contact with a god
buy one from him. Instead, obtaining dinary reach in space and time may acquire holiness and retain it
a fetish requires persuading or com- (+100%), but is unwilling (-50%), and after the direct contact ends. The
pelling a spirit to provide the appro- the lamp can be snatched with an source of holiness may be the god’s
priate services. Since the fetish doesn’t unopposed DX roll (-40%), is break- actual physical manifestation (see
require standard enchanting, its point able with DR 6 and SM -6 (-20%), can- Gods, p. 31), or a worshipper to whom
cost isn’t based on its energy cost. not be repaired (-15%), and is unique
Instead, define the abilities the fetish (-25%), for a final cost of 30 points.
grants as advantages, and buy them
with gadget limitations.

Finally, the spirit may be an
enslaved Ally, or Minion, or an

26 THE SUPERNATURAL

the god has granted miraculous pow- addition, contact with the object only for users who have Power
ers (see Miracles, p. 151), or the makes it easier to communicate with Investiture from the same god, or a
prayers of a worshipper, especially one the god. It grants +6 to Religious friendly god from the same pantheon.
who has True Faith. Ritual if the god’s name is invoked, or As a result, it has double the normal
+2 for prayers addressed to “whatever cost: 1,000 points for 1 point of Power,
It may be possible to create holy god or goddess,” and anyone speaking ¥2 per additional point.
objects deliberately. Some gods grant to the god is treated as having a
Power Investiture, which works with default Religious Ritual skill at IQ-6. Relics may have other magical
spells from the College of Enchant- In some religions, such benefits may functions. In general, a relic will not
ment. Prayer can also dedicate an descend on any physical object conse- have any spell enchanted into it unless
object to the service of a god. Normally crated by the proper ritual; for exam- it has enough Power to keep that spell
this will be equivalent to slow and sure ple, the consecrated bread and wine of “always on.” If it does, it will perform
enchantment, and what specific capa- a Roman Catholic mass may have its function constantly or when asked
bilities the object acquires may be at them. to. If its Power permanently supports
the god’s discretion. A GM may also one magical function, the base cost for
GMs can treat more potent effects 1 point of Power is only 500 (not dou-
use the Meditative Magic system as enchantments, and the objects that bled). If it has several functions, and
(p. 151) to represent meditative spiri- generate them as enchanted items. its power can shift to a desired func-
tual traditions such as kabbalah. tion, the base cost is 750. If the power
The commonest enchantment refocuses freely on other spells provid-
A holy object automatically grants found in holy relics is a version of ed by the god in question, the base
certain basic benefits. Supernatural Power. Unlike the magical enchant- cost remains 1,000.
creatures hostile to the god suffer 1d ment, the standard religious power
damage from its touch. Any that have source does reduce the energy cost of Enchantments that are normally
a relevant Dread will find it unpleas- the user’s spells. However, it works “always on” don’t require Power.
ant or terrifying even to approach. In
Examples of holy relics include:

The Golem

Created by Rabbi Judah ben Loew
(as described in Monsters, p. 53), the
golem gains animation by a piece of
parchment placed in its mouth, bear-
ing the kabbalistically encoded name
of God. Removing it deactivates the
golem.

The golem of legend was made
from clay transformed into somewhat
unnaturally textured flesh, following
the precedent of God’s making Adam
from clay. It was obedient to orders
from its maker and from others whom
its maker designated. Its energy cost
was 250 points.

If the GM permits the creation of
other golems, each golem will have
certain specific skills designed into it,
worth a total of 10 points. The traits
of a particular golem may differ
depending on its size and its material;
its surface will always change into a
semblance of human flesh, but its HP
and DR may differ.

The base energy cost of a golem is
250 points. This buys a golem with ST
15. Golems may be stronger or
tougher; add 20 points to the energy
for +1 ST, 4 points for +1 HP, or 10
points for +1 DR (starting from DR 0
for the basic version). In some ver-
sions of the legend, the holy words are
on the golem’s forehead – this
approach makes golems easier to
deactivate.

THE SUPERNATURAL 27

The Head of Orpheus Foci

When the ancient Greek demigod Foci are physical objects that aid concentration on a spell, or guide
Orpheus returned from the under- the flow of magical energy in a way favorable to the spell. They are not
world to the surface of the Earth, magical in any way. Instead, they enable the performance of magical
despairing because he had failed to acts. In subjective magic, all magical items may be foci.
bring his wife, Eurydice, with him, a
band of maenads (p. 205) found him ceremonial activation – a brief prayer Thunderstones
and tore him to pieces with their bare by at least 100 Christians. Once active,
hands. But, whether because of his it causes Fear in a 100-yard radius, Thunderbolts are the weapons of
divine parentage or because of his lasting 10 minutes, only affecting ene- Zeus, the king of the Greek gods,
recent supernatural journey, he was mies of Christianity. Its effective value made for him by the Cyclopes (see
filled with divine power. His head as an enchantment is 300 points, mak- Brontes p. 55). The power of their
remains a source of that power. ing it worth 12 character points. attack consumes them as they strike.
However, from time to time, people
A worshipper of Dionysus or
Orpheus can call upon the spirit of
Orpheus to animate the head. A
group of worshippers can do this cer-
emonially. Orpheus will resist an
appeal from his own worshippers at
-5. Because the head is holy, critical
failures have no special effects
beyond ordinary failures.

If Orpheus’ spirit appears, make a
reaction roll for him, at +3 if the sum-
moner is one of his initiates. An invo-
cation in newly composed song may
gain a better reaction. The modifier is
half the margin of success on a Poetry
roll (round down). On a Good or bet-
ter reaction, Orpheus will volunteer
information beyond the exact wording
of what he is asked. On an Excellent
reaction, he may spend his own ener-
gy to remain until the crisis is
resolved.

He may do more than answer ques-
tions; he can still sing, use the
Enthrallment skills, and cast many
spells, always by singing. Whether he
chooses to do this is at the GM’s dis-
cretion. If being summoned offends
him, he may use his magical powers to
chastise his summoner.

In GURPS terms, this is an aspect-
ed Summon Spirit enchantment,
usable only with Orpheus’s spirit, and
worth 1,000 energy points. Energy
must come from the worshippers. Its
possession costs 40 character points
and requires an Unusual Background
with a point value that depends on the
setting.

The Spear of Longinus

This spear was thrust into Christ’s
side as he hung on the cross. His blood
left it supernaturally empowered.
Legends give conflicting accounts of
its history and abilities. Peter the
Hermit found this version at Antioch
during the First Crusade. It requires

28 THE SUPERNATURAL

find a remnant of a thunderbolt: a object or barter for it. A rare object physical object; only “cutting edge”
small piece of flint, worked into a dis- should be forged, won on a dangerous magical research is rare.
tinctive shape like that of an arrow- quest, or otherwise acquired in some
head. Thunderstones retain a link to dramatically interesting way. Mana Levels and
Jupiter, and have the benefits of all Enchantment
holy objects. Their characteristic use Depending on the setting, any one
is in swearing oaths; two people mak- kind of magical object may be com- Mana levels don’t directly equate to
ing a serious commitment will in turn mon, rare, or nonexistent. Magical levels of availability of magical
take the same thunderstone in hand objects in general can be more or less objects. However, they do limit and
while pledging. After doing so, each common in a campaign. There are influence them.
will have a Destiny to fulfill the oath four main levels of availability:
(see Oaths, p. 147). In a no-mana setting, there are no
No Enchantment: Objects with magical objects. Investigating reports
In GURPS terms, thunderstones magical powers are nonexistent, of such objects will reveal a fraud
grant Skill Bonus +6 (Religious because magic either doesn’t work or (usually), advanced technology, or a
Ritual) for administering oaths. The requires a living spellcaster. poorly understood natural phenome-
Capitoline Temple in Rome, where non such as psionics.
Zeus is worshipped by the Latin name Rare Enchantment: Magical objects
Jupiter, keeps a supply of thunder- exist, but can’t normally be bought or In a low-mana setting, a mage has
stones on hand for this purpose. sold. Even minor magical objects have to learn Enchantment-20 to be able to
histories or legends. Those who carry enchant anything. Magical objects are
Fear no more the lightning-flash, them may have Destinies, favor from typically rare.
Nor th’all-dreaded thunder-stone. the gods, or owe their souls to
Fear not slander, censure rash; demons. In a normal-mana setting, any
Thou hast finished joy and moan. availability level is possible, from no
– William Shakespeare, Cymbeline Common Enchantment: Magical enchantment (magic can’t be implant-
objects are common and have custom- ed in inanimate objects, or enchant-
USING MAGICAL ary market prices. Magical objects ment spells haven’t been discovered)
OBJECTS IN with unusual powers are still rare; this to very common enchantment (usual-
CAMPAIGNS often applies to holy relics, for exam- ly requires mass production tech-
ple. At the GM’s discretion, low-pow- niques). Rare or common enchant-
In a fantasy campaign, magical ered magical objects (see Buying ment is typical.
objects can serve two different pur- Magic Items, p. B482) may sell for very
poses for GMs, depending on whether low prices. In a high-mana setting, any avail-
they’re common or rare. ability level is possible, but common
Very Common Enchantment: enchantment is typical.
Rare objects set their owners apart Magical objects are in everyday use,
from ordinary people. If adventurers either because enchanter-level In a very-high-mana setting, there
own them, it’s because adventurers are Magery is widespread, because mass will always be magical objects. They
special, and the objects highlight that production techniques work for may even be common; they’ll never be
specialness. Common magical objects magic (see Technologically Enhanced scarcer than “rare.” If nothing else,
show that the setting itself is magical. Magic, pp. 66-67), or because natural- they may be an exotic side effect of
Anyone can buy a common magical ly magical objects and materials are miscast spells, even if it’s ordinarily
widespread. People use Ignite Fire impossible to enchant an object. If
rings instead of matches. Nearly any enchantment works, new enchant-
generally known spell is available in a ments and spells appear regularly, and
are treated as rare; other enchant-
ments are common or very common.

MAGICAL BEINGS

If magic is real, there may be name for all such magical beings is magic is distinct from mana-based
beings whose nature is primarily mag- “spirits.” magic. A spirit is a consciousness
ical instead of material. Such beings without a material body. Some spirits
don’t just have magical powers (see Spirits can also exist within materi- may be able to use mana-based
Plants and Animals, Monsters, and al objects. In particular, living things magic, just as some mortal mages
Races and Cultures in Chapter 3); they have spirits, which give them life. can. Others have spiritual powers that
actually consist of magic. Some of When the spirit leaves, the creature advantages can define. These aren’t
them can assume material bodies, or dies. What happens to the spirit then mana-based, and spirits are no more
the appearance of having such bodies. depends on the setting (see The Dead, dependent on mana to survive than
Others are permanently invisible and pp. 37-38). mortals are. But in some settings,
insubstantial. A convenient general other approaches may fit better; see
The standard assumption in Gods, Spirits, and Mana (p. 30).
GURPS is that spirits aren’t com-
posed of mana, and spirit-based

THE SUPERNATURAL 29

SPIRITS Gods, Spirits, and Mana

A spirit is a consciousness separate What are the powers of gods and spirits based on? In a setting where
from a physical body. It does not need magic works by influencing mystical energy, do supernatural beings use
food, water, or air, does not age, and is that same energy? If so, do they do it by casting spells? Or do they rely
unaffected by the physical environ- on something else entirely? (The same questions apply to magical
ment, though it can see, hear, and realms such as spirit worlds, if they exist.)
smell. Spirits can pass right through
physical barriers as well as magical In many fantasy worlds, spirits are pure consciousnesses, able to
barriers that aren’t specifically exist with no body at all. This is the default GURPS interpretation.
designed to stop them. Most spirits
can’t act on the material world, In some fantasy settings, spirits are literally made of mana. Their
whether by speaking, manipulating consciousness lives in a body of mana, as a human consciousness lives
objects, or using spells or powers. A in a body of matter. If this is true, spirits will have Dependency on mana.
spirit that has these restrictions has In most fantasy worlds, mana is Very Common.
the Unmanifested Spirit meta-trait
(p. 134). Gifted mortals can perceive Spirits and gods may have special powers. If these work by influenc-
an unmanifested spirit; see ing the flow of mana, buy the powers with the -10% limitation Mana-
Shamanism, p. 149. Sensitive: they work at -5 in low-mana environments and they don’t
work at all in no-mana environments. Otherwise, don’t apply this limi-
Spirits that manifest themselves in tation. Other limitations may apply; for example, if spirit powers are
the material world in some way – powers of pure consciousness, anti-psi effects such as Neutralize (also
becoming visible and audible, using worth -10%) may negate them.
spells or magical powers, or taking
material form – cause adventurers In some settings, spirits or gods can cast spells. Spells are obviously
more concern. A variety of meta-traits mana-dependent, but this doesn’t count as a limitation; it’s built into the
allow the creation of spirits with such definition of the spells and of Magery. A spirit must have Magery to cast
abilities (p. 134). a spell.

Some spirits have always existed as Finally, there’s a subtler option: perhaps all magic works by sum-
spirits; others were once mortals and moning and directing spirits, or even creating them. Mana level is the
became spirits after their deaths. For quality of “being inhabited by spirits,” and high-mana environments are
the second type, see The Dead (pp. 37- environments that spirits favor. In a world of this kind, spirits aren’t
38). The first type fall into several nar- made of mana or dependent on mana; mana is made of spirits. Many
rower groups. cultures, especially those with animistic beliefs, think about magic in
this way.
Locations can have spirits, such as
the nymphs of ancient Greece and First to possess his books; for with- word meanings follow a similar path.
Rome and the kami of Japan (p. 45). out them A word for air becomes a word for
So can times: there can be a spirit of breath – the principle of life, and then
an hour, a season, or an age (p. 78). He’s but a sot, as I am, nor hath not for sentience or sapience, the aware-
One spirit to command: They all do ness of being alive. So a spirit might be
Elemental spirits, associated with hate him made of air, or vapor, or another less
specific substances, often take on bod- As rootedly as I. Burn but his books. tangible form of matter.
ies made of those substances (p. 45).
Usually these spirits use the four ele- – William Shakespeare, For example, Muhammad said
ments recognized by the ancient The Tempest Allah made the djinn of Arabic myth
Greeks (earth, water, air, and fire), (see Djinni, p. 107) from smokeless
instead of the elements of modern SPIRITS IN fire, as he made men from earth.
chemistry. THE MATERIAL Djinn have physical substance, but in
WORLD their natural form, they’re invisible
Plants and animals can have spir- and intangible. European mystics dur-
its, which guard and protect either the The idea of spirits as beings of ing the Renaissance wrote about
individual living creatures or the pure consciousness, without matter intangible sprites, formed from air; in
entire species (p. 49). or substance, is only one way to Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, the
define them. Many cultures think wizard Prospero has such a sprite,
Human families, peoples, or civi- spirits are a type of less tangible and Ariel, as a servant.
lizations can have spirits (p. 70). more elusive matter.
Some visible but not tangible spir-
Human activities and concepts can The word “spirit” comes from the its form various images, such as shad-
have spirits, sometimes called personi- Latin spiritus, which originally meant ows, reflections, and illusions. For
fications. There can be a spirit of law “breath” or “air.” To expire, or die, was example, the doppelgänger of German
or of love. literally to out-breathe: when a dying folklore is an image of a living person
man breathed his last, his spirit seen in another place. Doppelgängers
Finally, there are greater spirits, departed. In many different languages, are usually hostile to their originals,
such as gods, angels, and devils; sepa-
rate sections discuss these in more
detail.

30 THE SUPERNATURAL

trying to get them blamed for illegal or Not all gods are spirits. Some reli- The sacrifice compensates the god
discreditable actions. Some accounts gions and mythologies envision gods for its blessings. Gods may have enor-
of faeries (see Faerie, p. 108) suggest as extremely powerful and long-lived mous reserves of magical energy, but
that they are similar beings. material beings, inhabiting remote if they give it away to anyone who
parts of the world or other planes of asks, they might run out. So the wor-
In GURPS, neither of these sorts of existence. shipper provides the magical energy,
entity has the Spirit meta-trait. Beings and the god converts it into a useful
made of subtle matter usually have Gods who are spirits can choose to form.
Body of Air; beings made of images assume human form, or the form of
have some version of Insubstantiality another race. It’s also possible for a The sacrifice proves seriousness of
or Shadow Form (p. 126 and p. 131). human being to perform such great intent. By giving up something pre-
Either type of being may also have a deeds that he becomes a god. GMs cious, the worshipper proves the
spirit, inhabiting its intangible form, should determine what constitutes importance of his prayers. This appeal
just as human beings have spirits godhead in their campaign settings becomes especially powerful when the
inhabiting their substantial forms. On and whether mortals can attain it. worshipper offers his own life.
the other hand, some legends claim
that beings without substance are also Burnt Offerings The seriousness of intent theory
soulless. The GM must decide which fits with religions where the central
is true in his campaign. Gods often expect their worship- offering is not material, but spiritual.
pers to give them sacrifices, but their By being willing to pray, or fast, or
GODS reasons aren’t always clear. Does a god meditate, the worshipper shows his
who can drown the entire world really devotion to a god or an ideal, and the
Gods are typically spirits that need one sacrificial ram? Different devotion is what the god rewards.
receive human worship, or worship by religions offer a variety of answers,
other material races. Their actions are any of which might be true in a fanta- ANGELS
the subject of mythology (see sy setting.
Mythology, pp. 76-77). Many gods, especially powerful
The sacrifice keeps the god alive. gods, have servitor spirits, such as the
Gods are usually gods of some- Gods may have supernatural ana- angels of Judaism, Christianity, and
thing, just as spirits are usually spirits logues of hunger, thirst, and weari- Islam, or the Valkyries of Norse myth.
of something. However, being the god ness. They may need blood, life ener- Divine servitors are commonly war-
of something means more – not just gy, or the smoke of sacrificial fires to riors. They are not usually worshipped
having an affinity or sympathy for it, regain fatigue points. Human worship or honored in their own right; worship
but having power over it. The thing a may enable them to survive. Or maybe goes to the god they serve. But in a
god has power over is his domain. it’s just more convenient if human ser- monotheistic religion, divine servitors
vants do the herding, butchering, and may have special roles, in the same
Some religions have only one god. cooking, and leave the gods free for fashion as gods in the pantheons of
Such a god is normally extremely divine responsibilities or divine polytheistic religions. Medieval
powerful, because his domain is amusements. Catholic thought, for example, recog-
everything that exists. Other religions nized nine choirs of angels, from the
have several or many gods. The major The sacrifice gives the god pleasure. guardian angels who watched over
gods usually control important Gods may not need sacrifices; they individual human beings up to the
domains and have great power; may simply enjoy them. This makes seraphim who communed directly
minor gods control narrow or unim- especially good sense in religions such with God.
portant domains that give them little as Voudoun, where the loa borrow
power. A minor god may have no their worshippers’ bodies so they can
more power than a powerful spirit. eat, drink, and smoke.
Fantasy worlds often have invented
religions that worship pantheons of
invented gods. Small pantheons usu-
ally give each god a distinct domain.
For example, among the Greek gods,
Zeus ruled the heavens, Poseidon
governed the seas, and Hades over-
saw the underworld. Major gods can
have several domains. For example,
Poseidon was the god of horses and
earthquakes as well as the sea.

Large pantheons may have thou-
sands of gods. Their domains may
overlap or intricately subdivide. Often
gods organize as a bureaucracy, such
as the Chinese heaven – perhaps to
limit quarrels over domains.

THE SUPERNATURAL 31

Mortals can see and hear angelic DEMONS try to bribe demons to harm an
beings, so the heavenly often serve enemy. Demons will affect the physi-
their gods as messengers. They often Just as gods have spirits helping cal world, often through an Affliction.
take on human form, but not at their them, they also have spirits opposing A desire to possess human beings
own whim; their gods grant their them: demons or devils. These may seems widespread among demons,
physical bodies. Their appearance is serve an evil antigod, rebel against a and they often engage in trickery to
often extraordinarily beautiful. good god, or simply enjoy human suf- gain consent to such possession; this
fering and corruption. Many demons might even be an Addiction.
A god may also have servants who have a Dread of holy things.
are not noble warriors or emissaries, Some demons actually serve the
but humble workers. Portray such ser- Demons often have some of the gods, willingly or not. For example,
vants as various kinds of more ordi- less attractive mental disadvantages images of the rakshasa of Indian myth
nary spirits. and may even personify those disad- appear in many Hindu temples, much
vantages. A malevolent human may like gargoyles on medieval European
churches. Their intimidating appear-
Evil Gods ances and overall ferocity drive away
enemies of the gods.
Some religions believe in not only evil spirits but evil gods. These
gods’ power depends on how negatively the religion perceives the Demons and Sickness
world.
In many mythologies, demons
Pantheons sometimes include a god of evil, such as the Egyptian Set have the power to make people sick.
or the Norse Loki. Practitioners of “black magic” (p. 21) may worship Some cultures believe demons cause
such a god. He may be a necessary adversary figure in the grand all sickness. Such demons use a Toxic
mythology, or a dangerous trickster who provides amusement and Attack, but only while in contact with
problems in more prosaic tales of the gods’ lives. A “god of good” is less or inside of the victim. Usually it has
likely; usually all the gods define and enforce moral rules for humans, one or several Symptoms chosen from
though gods in polytheistic myths often fail to meet such standards the effects of Affliction.
themselves. They may tolerate the “god of evil” because he governs an
important and dangerous principle, such as fire or storms, because he If a demon causes the disease, a
is too strong to destroy without precipitating an apocalypse, or simply successful exorcism can cure it.
because he’s a relative of the rest of the pantheon, and even gods don’t Physicians in such a world could have
slaughter their own relatives lightly. They may keep him locked up the skill of Exorcism. The GM may
somewhere, or exile him to the fringes of reality. treat the sickness demon as an unseen
presence and simply check whether
Dualistic faiths, such as Zoroastrianism, believe in two equal gods, the exorcism succeeds.
one good and one evil, eternally at war with each other. The Christian
name for this belief is “the Manichaean heresy.” Orthodox Christian HALF-MORTALS
theology rejects the idea that Satan is as powerful as God, though the
Christian belief in a final war between Heaven and Hell sometimes sug- Many magical beings have children
gests otherwise. by humans – typically, the supernatu-
ral beings court mortal women (more
Finally, maltheism is the belief in an all-powerful evil god, or a pan- or less formally). In the Old
theon of evil gods. Not surprisingly, this isn’t a popular religious doc- Testament, the “sons of God” (usually
trine, but it makes a good belief for an evil or mad villain or a sinister understood as meaning angels) did so.
cult (such as worshippers of Cthulhu in H.P. Lovecraft’s fiction). The ancient Greek gods had many
Maltheism offers its believers a grim choice: submit to their evil deities, such children; stories of King Arthur
do their work, and suffer torment and destruction; or rebel, and suffer often make Merlin the son of a demon.
torment and destruction sooner. In a dark fantasy setting, maltheism The GM should decide whether this is
could be true. possible and how often it happens,
charging an appropriate cost for
If there is an evil god, and a mortal comes to its attention, treat it as Unusual Background.
an Enemy. Normally it will be utterly powerful (base value 40 points),
even if it’s acting alone. If its goal is to destroy a specific mortal, it can Half-mortals usually have super-
only appear on a 9 or less, and if having it totally dominate the plot isn’t human powers, skills, and attributes.
going to work well, limit it to a 6 or less. An Enemy god who wants to They should have high point values –
torment but not destroy a mortal (typical behavior for trickster gods “larger than life” (200-300 points), or
such as Coyote, or Loki early in his career) could appear on a 15 or less. more typically “legendary” (300-500
A god might simply watch a mortal who is a potential foe – perhaps points). They may have exotic or
indicated by a Destiny. This would affect a campaign in a minor way, supernatural advantages or disadvan-
regardless of frequency. tages, Transcendent Appearance, or
increased lifespans (Longevity or
Extended Lifespan). These traits may
be mana-sensitive (p. 133). In some
worlds, Magery or other supernatural

32 THE SUPERNATURAL

advantages may not be available won’t be able to interact with most Finally, some spirits are seen only
to human beings, but only to half- ordinary mortals. in materialized form. They appear
mortals. However, half-mortals don’t when summoned by spells or sent as
normally have any of the Spirit A spirit that can become visible, divine messengers, or they choose to
meta-traits. materialize, or possess a living being take mortal form as avatars. The fact
can interact with mortals. It’s effec- that they are spirits is usually just
With all these qualities, half- tively a character like any other. background. Their character sheets
mortals are prime candidates for should simply describe their physical
apotheosis. For either of these last two options, forms and attributes, including any
the spirit’s character point value is special advantages or disadvantages
USING SPIRITS IN important. The GM (or the player, if due to their supernatural origins. For
CAMPAIGNS the GM allows spirit PCs) needs to fill example, a divine avatar who can
out a character sheet for it. This sheet resume his godhood when his mortal
Spirits play two basic roles in fan- will include suitable Spirit meta-traits. body dies has Unkillable 3 for 150
tasy campaigns. In some campaigns, Since these are costly by themselves, points (or less, if his ability to resume
they’re kept behind the scenes; the PCs spirit characters are most viable in mortal form is restricted).
use their help, but never actually meet high-powered campaigns.
them. In others, they’re actual charac-
ters in the story. Being a God

Invisible Spirits It’s usually best not to give a god a character sheet in GURPS, but it’s
not impossible. Here are some things that would need to go on a typical
In some settings, all magic comes god’s character sheet.
from relationships with spirits. Mages
cast spells by summoning spirits to aid First, most gods are spirits, existing primarily in an immaterial form.
them (or, in some versions, every spell But they aren’t as limited as other spirits. A typical god can assume a
actually creates a spirit to carry it out). material body as often as it likes, so it doesn’t get the Usually On limita-
However, the actual motives and per- tion. When it does assume mortal form, killing its mortal body doesn’t
sonalities of the spirits may not mat- harm it permanently, but merely sends it back to the spiritual plane, so it
ter. The only difference in game has Unkillable 3.
mechanics is that Ritual Magic takes
the place of Thaumatology. Gods have large numbers of mortal worshippers; it appears that many
gods gain strength from those worshippers in one way or another. One
Spirits can also operate behind the way to represent worshippers is as Allies, built on 25% or less of the god’s
scenes as the source of advantages point value (base value 1 point). A minor god might have 100 allies (rais-
gained through a Pact. The rituals that ing their value as a group to 12 points). They have the special ability of
mages must perform or the rules they supplying power to the god through worship (a 50% enhancement, rais-
must follow to keep the advantage are ing their value to 18 points; add 9 points to multiply their number by 10).
visible; the spirits that impose the The god can then buy huge amounts of additional Fatigue with the -40%
requirement remain offstage. The limitation Granted by Worshippers. One Fatigue point per worshipper
same is true of advantages such as would be plausible.
Blessed and Power Investiture.
Most gods can pay attention to more than one prayer at a time; buy
Visible Spirits this as Compartmentalized Mind. A reasonable guideline might be one
compartment for each site that is sacred to the god (minimum 1 level).
In some campaigns, gifted mortals
may perceive and communicate with A very minor god could have +100 FP (Granted by Worshippers, -40%)
spirits. Such spirits react the same [180]; Allies (Built on 0-25% of point value; 100 allies; Special Abilities,
way as other NPCs do, and the seer or +50%) [18]; Charisma 1 [5]; Compartmentalized Mind 1 [50]; Doesn’t
shaman can attempt influence rolls to Breathe [20]; Doesn’t Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn’t Sleep [20]; Immunity to
gain their cooperation. As far as every- Metabolic Hazards [30]; Insubstantiality (Affects Substantial, +100%)
one else is concerned, they remain [160]; Invisibility (Switchable, 10%; Substantial Only, -10%) [40];
invisible. A specific spirit may become Unaging [15]; Unkillable 3 [150]; Maintenance (100 worshippers;
a mortal’s Contact or Patron. An Monthly) [-14]; and Mute (Substantial only, -10%; Only when insubstan-
unfriendly spirit may be an Enemy, tial, -10%) [-20]. That’s a total of 662 points (so its worshippers could
but only as a watcher. be built on up to 165 points). Then consider higher attributes, divine
powers, talents, skills, magical spells, and whatever else the god is
Some spirits may influence the capable of . . .
material world through magic or
other abilities. The spirit itself In a high-powered campaign, this could be a starting point for defin-
remains invisible, but its actions are ing a character who has undergone apotheosis, if the GM is willing to
visible. Such spirits are suitable as provide adventures for lesser gods.
Allies or as active Enemies. A GM may
even allow spirit PCs, though they

THE SUPERNATURAL 33

MAGICAL REALMS

If magic exists, and especially if spirit world, other spirits can perceive, with its own inhabitants. In others, a
magical beings exist, there may be touch, and attack a spirit, so it doesn’t single land of dreams exist, which all
separate realms whose substance is have Insubstantiality, Invisibility, or sleepers visit, and where they occa-
purely or primarily magical. These Mute. It may need to sustain its own sionally meet. A compromise version
may be the homes of magical beings. existence; if so, Doesn’t Breathe and could have individual theaters of
On the other hand, magical beings Doesn’t Eat or Drink have no point dreams with a common backstage.
may simply exist invisibly in the phys- cost, just as Doesn’t Breathe is a 0-
ical world instead of a separate realm. point feature for a fish that can A dreamer with the skill of
breathe only water. If it has such Dreaming can use it to search through
In GURPS, magical realms are needs, then it may also be vulnerable the depths of his own mind. When
other planes, reachable through to diseases and poisons in the spirit attempting to visit deeper levels
mana-based spells such as Plane Shift world and not have Immunity to beneath individual dreams, such as a
(p. B248) or advantages such as World Metabolic Hazards there. The 114 collective unconscious or archetypal
Jumper (see Jumper, p. 129). There points a spirit saves are the cost of the realm, roll vs. Dreaming-5 to find
may also be natural gateways to these ability to perceive and move about the them. If all dreamers share the same
realms, typically at very-high-mana or material world in spirit form, while dreamland, or find their way into the
very-high-sanctity locations or along remaining immune to its hazards. underlying archetypal realm, dream-
ley lines (see Sanctity, p. 101, and ers may meet each other and even
Magical Networks, p. 45). The dis- DREAMLANDS have adventures together. If they have
tances between gateways in the magi- Dreaming skill, roll vs. Dreaming for
cal realm may correspond to those in The realm of dreams, in fantasy, is one dreamer to find another. Two peo-
the physical realm, or they may be often an actual place or plane of exis- ple with Special Rapport or Mindlink
utterly unrelated – or there may be tence, which the minds of sleepers can are at +2 for this roll. People acquaint-
only one gateway to a particular visit. The beings that occupy it seem to ed through a long series of shared
realm. have form, if not substance, and the dreams may meet in the waking
capability of perception, action, and world, as in Kipling’s story “The
Whether magical realms are mana- speech. These may be spirits, or an Brushwood Boy.”
based is variable; see Gods, Spirits, entirely different order of beings, or a
and Mana (p. 30). mixture of both – if your dead grand- There are other ways of entering
mother whispers a secret to you in a another person’s dreams. The spells
As a rule, the inhabitants of a mag- dream, it may be important to know if Mind-Reading and Mind-Sending
ical realm are visible and substantial she was a real ancestral spirit or a from the college of Communication
in that realm, even if they would be phantasm of your mind. Oneiro- and Empathy work on a sleeper.
invisible or insubstantial in the mate- mancers practice the art of discerning Psionic abilities are another option
rial world. If they remain in their which dream beings and events are (see Psionics as Magic, p. 158). Mind
native realm, their ability to survive true and which false. Reading permits passive viewing of
and act has no point cost. For exam- what a sleeping person dreams;
ple, the Unmanifested Spirit meta- In some settings, every individual Telesend permits implanting one’s
trait (p. 134) costs 149 points. dreamer has a separate dreamworld, own words or image in a sleeper’s
However, that’s the cost for a spirit to dreams; Mind Probe can uncover
move about the material world. In the

A dreamer with the skill of Dreaming can use it to search through the
depths of his own mind.

If all dreamers share the same dreamland, or find their way into the
underlying archetypal realm, dreamers may meet each other and even
have adventures together. If they have Dreaming skill, roll vs. Dreaming
for one dreamer to find another.

34 THE SUPERNATURAL

things a waking person has recently The illusionary nature of faeries especially magical locations may pro-
dreamed. A mentalist who has entered explains some of their land’s perils. A vide gateways.
another person’s dreams can use the mortal may think he has spent only a
skill of Dreaming there, but at -2 single night in a faerie realm, but In a spirit world, spirits can harm
because of unfamiliarity. If a single come out many years later. As long as mortals who occupy their realms, or
shared land of dreams exists, these he remains under the faerie spell, his take harm from them. Usually this
abilities may let a waking person visit own life may be sustained by the illu- involves unarmed hand-to-hand com-
it. sion that he has not aged. But if the bat or natural weapons. Inanimate
illusion is dispelled, perhaps as simply objects don’t exist in the spirit realm –
In a common dreamland, the as by his setting foot on the ground, he though some spirits may look and act
advantages Insubstantiality and World suddenly finds himself an old man. like rocks, swords, or full-rigged ships
Jumper may allow a waking person to of the line. A spirit that envisions itself
enter (pp. 128-129), becoming a being AFTERWORLDS clothed, armed, or armored will
of dream substance or projecting his appear as such, but will only inflict
consciousness into a form of dream The realm of the dead (see The added damage if it has appropriate
substance. If each dreamer has a sep- Dead, pp. 37-38) is another highly natural weapons. For example, it
arate world, these abilities grant entry accessible magical world. The heroes might have a club bought as Striker
into any dreamer’s individual dream- of mythology and literary classics go (Crushing Damage; Long, +1 SM,
land. Access to a single dreamer’s there almost routinely; Homer’s +100%) [10] or a knife as Talons [8].
dreamland is an -80% limitation. In Odyssey, Virgil’s Aeneid, and Dante’s
a stage/backstage setup, universal Divine Comedy all describe such visits. In some spirit worlds, such attacks
access grants backstage privileges. In genre fantasy, Ursula Le Guin’s The can kill a spirit in its immaterial form.
The skill of Dreaming can help when Farthest Shore and Garth Nix’s A spirit “killed” in this way is either
finding one’s way around dreamlands. Abhorsen both describe long quests in destroyed or permanently sent to
the afterworld. some realm beyond the spirit world.
“If that there King was to wake,” In other spirit worlds, spirits cannot
added Tweedledum, “you’d go out – In myths and epics, the usual way be destroyed; the spiritual form recov-
bang! – just like a candle!” to reach the afterworld is to go under- ers from damage like a physical body
ground. The realm of the dead may with Unkillable 2, at no point cost.
– Lewis Carroll, actually be inside the Earth, or may be This doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt! The
Through the Looking-Glass another plane whose portals lie under- GM may also rule that a victor can
and What Alice Found There ground. Coming out may be less easy. enslave a defeated spirit, perhaps by
A mortal may sneak past supernatural forcing it to reveal its true name (see
FAERIE REALMS guardians, or gain the permission of True Names, p. 164).
the ruler of the dead. In Greek myth,
Another class of magical worlds even the goddess Persephone, after HEAVENS
relatively accessible to human beings the ruler of the dead carried her off to
is the lands of the faerie folk. Human be his wife, could only return to the If a world has one or more gods,
can reach these in physical locations Earth with his permission. they may inhabit their own magical
where the physical and magical realm – a heaven. Such realms may
worlds overlap. Such locations may be If a mortal does visit the dead, he actually overlap the physical world,
hard to reach or dangerous, explain- often finds them insubstantial, even in just as faerielands do. Some versions
ing why few people explore them. their own land. They can become visi- of Christianity envisioned God and
Traditional areas of overlap include ble and audible without effort, but the angels dwelling above the atmos-
faerie mounds, magical forests, and have no actual bodies. See Spirits in phere, or in an outer sphere beyond
caves. Some of the loa of Voudoun live the Material World (pp. 30-31) for ways the sphere of the fixed stars, and liter-
under the sea. In a planetary romance of portraying the souls of the dead in ally descending to Earth. Greek
campaign, other planets might have their own realm. mythology placed the gods even clos-
their own faerie realms, or the entire er, on top of Mount Olympus.
planet might be the gateway to a faerie “Relax,” said the night man. However, other religions and mytholo-
realm. “We are programmed to receive. gies place the gods in a purely spiritu-
You can check out any time you like, al realm, as purely spiritual beings.
Like their inhabitants, faerie But you can never leave.”
realms often rely on appearance The GM determines whether the
instead of substance (see Spirits in the – The Eagles, “Hotel California” gods or their servitor spirits use
Material World, pp. 30-31). Just as magic. If they do, heaven will make
faeries can change form, color, and SPIRIT WORLDS the task easier. Treat heaven as a very-
even size, the objects in faerie realms high-mana environment. However,
may be changeable. Faerie treasure A spirit world is a magical realm critical failures have only mild conse-
may fade into crumpled leaves under that isn’t accessible by such simple quences, and never result in attacks by
the light of day. Being made of the methods. Normal human beings hostile demons.
stuff of illusions, faeries can touch will never enter a spirit world.
illusionary objects as if they were Shamans and mages may be able to, Spirits in most heavens are
solid. through spells or rituals (see The Unaging and Unkillable.
Magical Arts, pp. 146-172), and some

THE SUPERNATURAL 35

HELLS ARCHETYPAL POCKET
REALMS UNIVERSES
If there are heavens, there may also
be hells, occupied by enemies of the A more abstract spirit world is a Whether a human wizard or a
gods (see Demons, p. 32). These may realm of pure ideas, or Platonic minor god, a single being’s will may
be realms of exile, but they are often essences, the perfect prototypes of create a magical realm. This implies a
devoted to punishment. If their occu- which material things are imperfect very high level of magical ability. Such
pants are spirits, then injuries to them copies. Such prototypes may have realms are normally smaller than the
may only stun without inflicting actu- very little personality in the human true world. They have a certain lack of
al harm – but this doesn’t work in the sense, but a philosopher or a sorcerer reality, and anyone who enters one
victims’ favor, as it means death can’t contemplating them may be illumi- may break out or even destroy it. E.R.
release them and the punishment still nated. One could encounter anthropo- Eddison’s A Fish Dinner in Memison
hurts. In a material hell, the material morphic personifications of ideas, and Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels
bodies of the condemned may miracu- which may or may not be gods. offer a variant on this idea: our world
lously regenerate, making them is actually a pocket universe created
Unkillable. It’s also possible for the prototype by beings in a world where magic is
of the material world, or of all possible possible.
Demons often cast spells, so magic material worlds, to be an archetypal
may work in most hells. However, if it realm where other archetypes are con- In a sense, the dreams of individual
were easy to use, the damned would tained. For example, in Roger dreamers are pocket universes. A
use it to escape. Typical hells are low- Zelazny’s Amber series, the realm of dreamer with Dreaming skill can con-
mana planes, where casting any spell Amber is the prototype for all other sciously shape his pocket universe. A
takes a lot of work. However, any fail- worlds. fantasy world could be the dream uni-
ure becomes a critical failure, and an verse of a god with Dreaming skill at
actual rolled critical failure always A variant on this idea, more preva- an incredibly high level.
draws the attention of a powerful lent in roleplaying games than in tra-
demon. To limit this risk, and to make ditional fantasy, is the existence of Cyberpunk stories sometimes treat
up for the difficulty of casting spells, realms that embody the pure essences virtual reality environments as tech-
demons often have very high magical of the elements. Such a plane might nologically based pocket universes. In
skills, which make them very danger- have aspected mana, high for the a fantasy setting, a virtual reality could
ous if they visit normal-mana worlds. appropriate element and low for magically come to life, transcending
everything else. its creators’ control.

36 THE SUPERNATURAL

Death has a special and complicat- THE DEAD living forget them, and finally vanish
ed place in fantasy. Mythic and leg- most effective scenarios, create the when no one living still remembers
endary beings are often deathless, and sense that their heroes are willing to them, as in Between the Rivers.
escape from death is the goal of many face death, and may have to – whether
heroic quests and magical feats, and any of them actually do die or not. AFTERWORLDS
the happy ending of many fairy tales. Slaughtering legions of helpless foes,
But it’s a goal that may be unattain- or facing a death that’s temporary and Many cultures believe the dead go
able, even for the greatest heroes. reversible, can’t produce the same ten- on to an afterlife. The quality of the
Fantasy exists between history and sion. Because of this, much of the best afterlife depends on the person’s life
myth, and time and mortality are the fantasy has an element of darkness. and death. The good go to join the
very substance of history. Heroes of gods, or to a paradise; the bad descend
fantasy aspire to mythic stature, but GHOSTS to hell, or to a dark realm under the
they emerge out of history, and remain earth. See Afterworlds (p. 35), Heavens
ultimately mortal. In many fantasy worlds, people’s (p. 35), and Hells (p. 36).
spirits may remain in the material
There’s another aspect of death in world as ghosts, especially if they have The definition of “good” varies
fantasy: by dying, the hero or mage a strong reason to do so. They may from culture to culture. In Norse leg-
leaves the world of mortality and even affect the living, though only end, for example, the Valkyries – nine
enters the world of myth. In a fantasy extraordinarily powerful ghosts goddesses who serve Odin, the king of
setting, death is seldom mere nonexis- assume material form. Ordinary the gods – choose warriors who die
tence. It’s a dark side of existence, ghosts can communicate only with a fighting bravely to join the armies of
unseen by the living, but powerful (see shaman or medium. the gods. Other people end up in Hel,
Afterworlds, p. 35). Mortals may call a dreary, uncomfortable place, where
on the dead for knowledge or for In most fantasy worlds, the dead they are condemned to remember
power – or receive threats from the usually don’t become ghosts. But it’s their lack of courage forever.
dead. Necromancers, mages who deal possible, especially in a dark fantasy
with the dead, are often the most pow- setting, to have all the dead become at REINCARNATION
erful of wizards. least weak ghosts, while the strong-
willed may have full or enhanced abil- Different cultures believe the spir-
In a world with more than one ities. Angry ghosts could harass or its of the dead come back in new bod-
intelligent race, different races may inconvenience the living, as in Harry ies. The new bodies may not be
have different afterlives. Or no one Turtledove’s Between the Rivers. Magic human, or even sapient. The Hindu
may know what happens to the dead; may have the purpose of protecting and Buddhist religions, the Greek
it may be a mystery beyond the power the living from the dead, as in Garth philosopher Pythagoras, and the
of magic to unravel. Nix’s Sabriel, whose heroine studies ancient Celtic druids all taught that a
necromancy not to call up the dead man could return as an animal, and
In mythology, the gods may regard but to send them away. the first two favored vegetarian diets
death differently from mortals. Death to avoid the chance of killing a being
is often a realm that they’re privileged ANCESTOR with a human soul.
to enter and leave. Or, if they lose that WORSHIP
freedom, it’s like a rest, a journey, or a In a fantasy world where reincar-
prison sentence; they don’t actually A number of cultures, including nation exists, characters may have
cease to exist. Heroes of legend or ancient Rome and modern China, memories of past lives. The advantage
high fantasy may receive similar priv- have rituals honoring dead family Reawakened grants the ability to
ileges, sleeping in a remote place until members. In some cases, the ances- remember skills learned in a past life.
needed again, or even ascending to the tors become angry if not honored, and Racial Memory can apply to previous
realm of the gods. Less legendary inflict harm on the living. A darker lives instead of genetic ancestors. Two
heroes may enter the usual realm of view could define ancestor worship as people with a close relationship in a
the dead, but live on there as spirits. In a ritual binding the malevolent dead – past life may have a Special Rapport,
low fantasy, death may be extinction with the occasional improperly bound activated when they meet in their new
or total departure from contact with dead person returning as a ghost, life. Racial Memory of past lives may
the living, but the dead may leave psy- vampire, or other undead being. draw them to seek each other out, or
chic or magical residues, as ghosts or they may even have a Destiny to meet
fragments of memory. In GURPS terms, ancestor worship in their new life, or to go on meeting
is Maintenance, and ancestral spirits in many new lives.
The possibility of death also plays have a Maintenance requirement
an important dramatic role. The most (p. B143). The spirits of ancestors are The classic novels of China and
dramatic choices involve things usually Unaging, but being ignored by Japan, reflecting Buddhist teachings,
gained at the highest prices – and life the living may cause them to age. In sometimes have characters who knew
is the highest price. Characters willing other versions, they may fade as the each other in previous lives. Kim
to pay that price are the most dramat-
ic. The most effective stories, and the

THE SUPERNATURAL 37

Stanley Robinson’s novel The Years of Any such ascended mortal will other spirits. But ordinarily, he won’t
Rice and Salt adopts this idea to por- have extreme power. Among other use his powers for unimportant rea-
tray an alternative history from the things, he can probably manifest in sons. A typical role for an ascended
viewpoint of many incarnations of the the physical world, in an apparently spirit is as a Patron with the Minimal
same characters. Characters in mortal body, much more freely than Intervention limitation.
Japanese anime may also have ties
formed in previous lives. Steven Revenants
Brust’s sword and sorcery novel Jhereg
portrays several important characters If death is not final, then the dead may not always stay dead. The
linked together by previous lives. An enslaved dead often serve their creators as mindless automata, such as
epic campaign could have a storyline zombies, or dominated servants, such as lesser vampires. The restless
spanning many incarnations. deads’ own compulsions drive their return, often because of the manner
of their death or unfinished business in their lives. Battlefields may have
Finding the new incarnations of many restless dead. The willful dead rise through their own determina-
specific people can be the motive for a tion, often helped by powerful spells.
quest. Such a person might have
known something important, if he Some come back in the form of spirits, or ghosts, and have Spirit
retains his memory of his life. He meta-traits (p. 134). Others return to their bodies and reanimate them,
might have been a friend of the PCs, either temporarily or lastingly.
whose memories of their own past
lives send them looking for him. Or he If the reanimation is temporary, the spirit has the advantages
might have been a great hero, wizard, Possession (Puppet Only, -30%; Spiritual, -20%) [50] and Puppet [5],
or teacher, whose help is needed. A raising its cost by 55 points. Consider the dead body an Ally with IQ 0
religion may seek out new incarna- and the advantages Minion (+0%) and Summonable (+100%).
tions of its head to lead it, as in Summonable has the special effect that the spirit is summoning itself to
Tibetan traditions in the real world. the location of its own body, and not the reverse.

RESURRECTION If the spirit permanently implants itself in the body, treat it as some
sort of undead creature, such as a vampire (pp. 111-112). Give it one of
Other religions teach that the dead the Corporeal Undead meta-traits (pp. 133-134), based on the condition
will one day rise in restored and of the body. Since the spirit is not going to leave the body, being a spirit
improved versions of their original is merely a special effect.
bodies. This is the basic Muslim doc-
trine, for example. Christianity This type has more exotic possibilities. Dead bodies may host spirits
includes both this idea and a belief in other than their original spirits, such as demons. A spirit may even pos-
an immediate afterlife, where the sess a living person (see the wendigo on pp. 52-53).
souls of the dead wait for the Last
Judgment. If the dead are simply Exorcism will not drive out a spirit that permanently occupies the
awaiting resurrection, they won’t corpse of its own body. Any other combination is subject to exorcism, as
interact with the living in the mean- described on p. B193.
time. In some legends, gods grant
heroes new life, not in the distant
future, but immediately.

ASCENSION AND
DEIFICATION

Some especially worthy people
may not just go to live with the gods,
but gain supernatural powers in their
own right. In polytheistic settings,
they may actually become gods. In
monotheistic settings, they become
saints. In some versions of
Christianity, the saints almost form a
pantheon, each interceding with God
for specific purposes. Even Buddhism,
which regards gods as largely irrele-
vant to gaining enlightenment, honors
spiritually advanced beings such as
bodhisattvas and arhats.

38 THE SUPERNATURAL

CHAPTER THREE

WORLDS

“Do we walk in legends or on the to him. She bent over the bed to kiss do they affect its landscape, its plants
green earth in the daylight?” him, and awaken him to the embrace and animals, its intelligent races, its
of her wings. cultures and civilizations? This chap-
“A man may do both,” said Aragorn ter considers how to map out a magi-
. . . “The green earth, say you? That is a What difference do supernatural cal world as a campaign setting.
mighty matter of legend, though you forces make to a fantasy world? How
tread it under the light of day!”

– J.R.R. Tolkien,
The Lord of the Rings

The Jewish quarter was dark, but
darkness was no barrier to the
woman who flew over the streets.
She glided to a landing in a
square and folded her wings
about herself, making it easier
to walk down the narrower
alleys. The house she sought
was in one of the narrowest of
them.

She passed through the
door, and turned into one of
the smallest bedrooms.

Shmuel lay in his bed: a
handsome young man, and a
clever student. She felt the
piety he had given to the
past month’s prayers, like a
stormcloud with holy light-
ning hidden in its depths,
waiting to be released. The
sense of divine power drew her

To start with, what’s the overall FRAMES jungles and swamps, a cold planet will
shape of the world? Is it round, like have glaciers, and a dry planet will
Earth, or some exotic shape such as a with numbers: the planet’s diameter, have vast deserts and small seas.
disc or hollow sphere? surface gravity, atmospheric pressure, Because they affect a planet’s land-
average surface temperature, and scape, temperature and water surface
PLANETS water surface, for example. Then the are important in fantasy campaigns.
GM works out the kind of planet
In low fantasy, the laws of nature caused by these numbers. But in fan- GMs should ignore other numeri-
are mostly the same as in the real tasy, the planet itself is the natural cal descriptions, such as gravity and
world. A world with human inhabi- starting place. atmospheric pressure. A fantasy plan-
tants will be an Earthlike planet, with et is really just “another Earth” with a
water and breathable air – even if it’s Some numerical descriptions of a different map. Its inhabitants won’t
in another solar system, a distant planet turn into pictures easily. A plan- have any problem coping with the
galaxy, or another timeline. et might be hotter or colder than gravity and pressure. So it’s simplest
Earth, or have more or less water. just to assume that they’re the same as
In a science fiction campaign, Climate differences will affect the ter- on Earth and forget about them.
designing a planet usually starts out rain and weather that adventurers
encounter. A hot, wet planet will have

WORLDS 39

Space fantasy campaigns, where Above and Below
adventurers travel to other planets
and encounter magic, are an excep- A fantasy setting may have a different cosmos, not just a different
tion. The struggle to survive in a diffi- Earth. Within the solar system, for example, the planets may be the more
cult environment creates part of the Earthlike ones astronomers envisioned in the 19th century. C.S. Lewis’
drama in this story. In a campaign space fantasy novels Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra take place on
where fantasy is the focus, GMs may Earthlike versions of Mars and Venus, for example.
decide that a planet’s gravity or air
pressure is low or high, the same way In a more radically different world, the Earth may be the center of the
they may decide that its climate is hot universe, with the planets (which include the sun and moon) orbiting it.
or wet. Then they can apply the rules The very stars may not be inconceivably remote suns, but tiny points of
for atmospheric pressure, different radiance in a sphere not far beyond Saturn.
gravity, and uncomfortable tempera-
ture to the adventurers (see pp. B429- A flat Earth suggests even stranger astronomies. The sun and moon,
430 and B434. and perhaps the other planets, may be vehicles piloted by gods. The con-
stellations may be heroes and monsters transformed into celestial beings,
Hard science fiction writers make or the stars may be lamps hung from the dome of heaven to light the
jokes about stories with “jungle plan- world.
ets” or “ice planets,” pointing out that
any Earthlike planet should have as If the Earth is flat, the space below the ground may be as vast as the
many different environments as space above it. It may have its own dark gods, just as the heavens have
Earth. But in a space fantasy, planets theirs. Gods of the dead are especially likely to dwell beneath the Earth,
like this could exist! ruling vast kingdoms of imprisoned ghosts (see Afterworlds, p. 35). Other
mythologies have races that live within the Earth. In genre fantasy,
PLACES dwarves, orcs, and trolls all prefer to live underground. Underground set-
tings work particularly well for dark fantasy.
In a high fantasy setting, the world
doesn’t have to be round. In mytholo- Philosophers in the Middle Ages believed in the idea of natural place –
gy, the Earth is often flat. A fantasy light materials naturally want to move upward and dark materials down-
world based on mythology may also ward. In a flat Earth setting, the Earth’s materials might get denser and
be flat – for example, Terry Pratchett’s harder at greater depths. Stone from hundreds of miles down might make
Discworld. Other fantasy worlds may nearly indestructible fortifications, worth the cost of cutting it and haul-
have even stranger shapes. ing it up. Perhaps, for example, the depths of the earth are made of solid
adamant (p. 22).
It was once seriously proposed that
the Earth is hollow, with habitable notice: the absence of a horizon. On a MANY WORLDS
lands on its inner surface, and perhaps flat world, the line of sight extends
a central sun. This idea inspired sto- infinitely – or at least until it’s inter- Nothing says a fantasy campaign
ries by Edgar Allan Poe, Jules Verne, rupted by something opaque, such as must limit itself to a single world.
and Edgar Rice Burroughs. The interi- a mountain or a cloud. Distant objects Fantasies set in the modern world,
or of a hollow Earth could be a fanta- may waver or twinkle like stars. Inside where scientific theories are mostly
sy setting. a hollow Earth, the ground actually true, may place magical realms in
curves up to form a roof, probably alternate dimensions. Older mytholo-
A world in one of these shapes with color patterns reflecting the ter- gies and mythic fantasies may assign
would have really bizarre terrain and rain and vegetation; there is no sky at them physical locations. For example,
weather if it had the same natural all. Describing how things look, espe- Norse mythology says that the Nine
laws as Earth. However, high fantasy cially from a high place, will help con- Worlds, of which Midgard (Earth) is
isn’t about scientific speculation. No vey the weirdness of such settings. one, hang in the branches of a huge
matter what shape the world is, its ash tree called Yggdrasil.
inhabited regions will be Earthlike.

On the other hand, there will be
one visible difference, which astro-
nomers and navigators will be likely to

40 WORLDS

PLAYING WITH MAPS

To create a fantasy world, draw a ALTERING To produce bigger changes, take a
map. THE MAP current map of Earth and alter one
aspect. Raising or lowering the sea level
This isn’t the only possible If magic makes more of a differ- is particularly easy; any good atlas has
approach. A point campaign (p. 15) ence, think about changing the map. maps with the contour lines. Or instead
can work perfectly well without a map One approach keeps the terrain and of using Earth as it is now, look at maps
of the world, though it needs a landscape unchanged, but redraws the of earlier geological ages, when the
detailed map of its dungeon, cave political boundaries and possibly continents were in different places. A
complex, or city. But an area, arc, or moves the major settlements. This cre- fantasy campaign could take place on a
base and missions campaign (pp. 15- ates the map for an alternate history, prehistoric continent such as Pangaea.
16) depends on the GM’s knowledge of where the history-changing event is
the world’s layout. At least a sketch of the development of effective magic. More places than Earth have maps.
the main countries, cities, and geo- The main question asks how drastical- Starting with a map of Mars or Venus,
graphical features is indispensable. ly the political power relations were and putting in oceans, could produce
changed, and how long ago. an unfamiliar but geologically realistic
There are several ways to create a world.
world map, depending on how radi- For a minor change, take an idea
cally the setting differs from the real from literature: keep the usual map, CREATING
world. but fit in one or two extra small coun- THE MAP
tries, such as Ruritania (from The
EARTH Prisoner of Zenda), Grand Fenwick Finally, there’s full world creation:
(from The Mouse That Roared), or drawing a map from scratch. A good
The simplest method sets the cam- Scythia-Pannonia-Transbalkania physical geography textbook will help
paign on Earth, either in the present (from Avram Davidson’s Doctor produce a more realistic landscape,
or in the historic past. Use any world Esterhazy stories). Magic may still with the deserts and jungles in the
atlas or historical atlas for geographi- happen to work in these places. right places. A look at Karen Wynn
cal information. Fit the magical and Fonstad’s Atlas of Middle-Earth, in
fantastic elements; perhaps in loca- Small physical changes can have a addition to being interesting, will show
tions such as Stonehenge, Jerusalem, similar impact. Imaginary islands how an imaginary world can embody a
or Tibet that already have a reputation make particularly good sites for small, keen sense of landscape and demon-
for magic. peculiar nations. strate some geographical concepts.

MAGICAL LANDSCAPES

The most basic aspect of a fictional The Living Earth
setting, magical or not, is the physical
environment: the topography and cli- Medieval and earlier philosophers often regarded the Earth as having
mate. Even in fantasy worlds, this a metabolism, like a living creature. For example, many believed veins
mostly resembles physical environ- of metal, ore, or precious stones actively formed within the Earth. On a
ments on Earth, because it will be long enough time scale, this is true . . . but in an intensely magical world,
shaped by similar natural forces. Rock the time scale may be much shorter. Worked-out mines might become
and water will still have weight; winds, productive again after a few millennia – and long-lived races such as
rivers, and ocean currents will still dwarves might have records to prove it. A world with such powers of
erode the land. But the players will self-renewal might also have very high tectonic activity, manifested as
take all this for granted. The things earthquakes, tsunami, and volcanic eruptions.
that will stand out, and that need spe-
cial attention, are the things that are Fossils were evidence for such magical forces. Minerals within the
different because of magic. Earth seemed to spontaneously grow into the shape of plants or ani-
mals. Such fossils could be potent magical objects. It might be possible
The people living in a fantasy to animate a fossil, producing either a living creature of wood or flesh or
world will probably be aware of their a mobile entity of rock. Enchanters might pay high prices for suitable
natural environment. Most fantasy fossils.
settings are pre-industrial, with few
large cities. People live at the mercy of
night and weather. Or if they don’t,
because magic gives them control of
the environment, this itself is an
important difference.

WORLDS 41

ENHANCED lightning, tornadoes, and flash floods Such seeming paradises can
ENVIRONMENTS (see Natural Disasters, p. 86). become a subtler trap. The beauty of
the scenery, or the ease and comfort
The simplest way to create a magi- Rivers may be broad and tranquil of living in a garden environment,
cal environment is to exaggerate a real . . . or narrow and swift, with treach- may seduce travelers into forgetting
natural environment. If a location is erous currents, hidden rocks, rapids, the goal of the quest. They may have
bright or dark, hot or cold, wet or dry, and waterfalls. Over time, rivers erode to roll against Will, at a penalty equal
make it more so, or more unchanging- uneven ground. In fantasy settings, to the Survival bonus, to make them-
ly so. Each of the natural environ- this can be less complete, because the selves leave. They may even develop
ments in GURPS can have its own world is too new for much erosion to an Addiction to the environment.
archetypal form. have happened, or because magical
ground is more resistant. IMPOSSIBLE
Arctic environments freeze uncov- ENVIRONMENTS
ered flesh at a touch, or dazzle travel- Swamps are miserably wet, and
ers with reflected glare. Simply walk- offer little safe footing. A careless step Magic can create environments
ing over their icy surfaces requires a may land an explorer in a bog that can that would not exist in nature. A sim-
DX roll to avoid falling. suck him under in a minute or two. ple form is the climatically impossi-
The air may unnaturally brighten with ble environment. A garden may grow
Caves plunge miles below the glowing vapors, or stink of decay. among the glaciers of a high moun-
ground. Most caves are utterly dark, tain, or in the middle of a desert. A
but some are lit by mysterious phos- Any enhanced environments may stretch of barren sand or rock may
phorescence. Any light that does enter be especially difficult to live and travel cross an otherwise fertile country. In
them reveals elaborate multicolored in; the GM may assign a penalty of -1 a space fantasy campaign, a planet
rock formations. to -5 to Survival rolls. may have small habitable areas with
high mana, while the rest of the plan-
Desert environments are utterly Environments can have enhanced et is a desert or an airless ball of rock
dry. Even breathing the air leaves trav- good qualities. A region that supports or ice.
elers parched. Touching their sands vegetation may be extraordinarily fer-
can be lethal, as in the Deadly Desert tile, rich in edible plants. The climate Drastic physical impossibilities
that surrounds Baum’s Oz. Sunlight in may be exceptionally pleasant, espe- may exist in a high fantasy setting. It
the desert is as dazzling as in the arc- cially in coastal or tropical areas. may have islands in the sky – great
tic. Winds may carry blinding sand or Either circumstance may grant a masses of rock floating in the air, hold-
choking dust; windstorms can literally bonus of +1 to +5 to Survival rolls; the ing wilderness, fields, or cities. The
flay travelers or their pack animals. very best enhanced environments may clouds themselves may be solid and
be natural gardens where an
Forests are eternally shadowed, untrained person can find food and
with twisting paths that never go the shelter with an IQ roll. Or the land-
right way. The nearby air is stiflingly scape may have an unearthly beauty.
still, but distant trees creak eerily in
passing breezes. Jungles are much the
same, but hot and humid and smelling
of decay.

Mountains are incredibly steep and
high, perhaps even rising out of the
atmosphere. Above the snowline, they
present the same hazards arctic envi-
ronments. Volcanic mountains may
erupt, or menace travelers with lava
flows or poisonous fumes.

Oceans have mountainous waves
and treacherous currents. In narrow
seas, whirlpools threaten ships, as in
Poe’s story “A Descent into the
Maelstrom” or the encounter with
Charybdis in the Odyssey. Elsewhere
the seas are completely still, leaving
mariners becalmed or even trapped in
tangled seaweed. Coleridge’s poem
“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
offers many hazards for seamen to
face.

Plains covered with high grass
extend to the horizon. Their main haz-
ards are weather-related: thunder and

42 WORLDS

habitable. Huge caves may be magi- Mana Basins
cally lighted and have vegetation and
people, or bubbles of air may hold Occasionally, a high-mana or very-high-mana zone contains an
cities beneath the sea. object that radiates mana in its most concentrated form. These so-
called “mana basins” actually contain mana available to be tapped by
If the setting is not a realistic planet, any mage. Most basins have a capacity of one or two energy points for
but a place of another kind, it may have casting spells. But some extremely rare “mana geysers” have been dis-
many impossible environments. Flat covered with a capacity of hundreds of points.
earths may have heaven physically
above them, in the sky, and hell physi- An exhausted mana basin will recharge fully in 24 hours; the exact
cally below, beneath the ground (see hourly rate depends on the capacity of the basin. Any mage can tap a
Above and Below, p. 40). In Norse mana basin by touching it. The capacity of the basin is the only limit
mythology, the climate grew hot in the to the amount of mana a mage can tap in a single turn.
south, culminating in the fires of
Muspelheim, and cold in the north, cul- Most mana basins are natural objects – stones, trees, springs, small
minating in the ice and fog of Niflheim. caves, etc. Being expressions of the underlying mana of a place, they
cannot be moved; a mana basin tree that is transplanted to another
It was a miracle of rare device, location will retain its current charge, but will never recharge. Mana
A sunny pleasure-dome with caves basins can appear or vanish overnight, but most mana basins are
of ice! ancient (and appear inexhaustible).

– Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Known mana basins will be claimed by someone. Local lords,
“Kubla Khan” mages’ guilds, churches, archmages – mana basins are too valuable to
be left unclaimed. The discovery of a new mana basin is a major event
UNEVENLY in the wizardly profession; wars are fought to decide control of an
DISTRIBUTED important basin.
MAGIC
also have different climates, weather, spells, or a forest glade might have
In a fantasy setting, magic itself is terrain, or vegetation. High mana is very high mana for plant magic. In
a feature of the landscape. Is it the often in remote places far from these regions, the favored type of
same everywhere? Does it fluctuate human settlements, so that serious magic is made easier and stronger,
randomly? Are there distant realms of mages have to isolate themselves – but while disfavored types are discour-
high or low mana, or scattered islands Walter Jon Williams’ Metropolitan and aged by the very energy a mage works
of magic? Any especially magical area City on Fire portray a world where with. This kind of variation is espe-
can be a source of danger or the goal people and buildings generate magical cially likely to be reflected in the
of a quest. Magical sites may also be energy. region’s climate and plant and animal
the homes of spirits or other supernat- life. In some worlds, all areas may
ural beings. It’s natural in a fantasy setting to have aspected mana (see Magical
assume that high-mana places are Attributes, p. 18).
Each world has an overall mana good and low-mana places are bad.
level, though some areas may be high- However, a different take is possible. Aspected areas may be of any
er or lower. If mana levels do vary, the The folklore of Christian countries mana level, but are usually the same
variation may be on a large or small says that magic doesn’t work on hal- level as the surrounding area. The
scale. Some worlds may have an over- lowed ground. What if the holy places strength of the aspect varies from 1 to
all magical polarity: Roger Zelazny’s are magic-free, and the magic lurks 5; this strength adds a bonus to
Jack of Shadows takes place in a world in unhallowed wild places? This favored magics and a penalty to unfa-
split into scientific and magical hemi- would fit especially well if magic is vored ones. Aspect strength may also
spheres, and Terry Pratchett’s glamour (p. 20). The statement of the vary within an area; some aspected
Discworld has a central mountain Good Witch of the North – that areas have a uniform aspect strength
range with extraordinarily intense Kansas, being a civilized country, while others grow more strongly
magic. Some worlds have areas of would not have witches or wizards – aspected toward their center. Still oth-
high or low mana the size of a conti- hints at this view of magic . . . though ers fluctuate almost randomly.
nent, so that reaching a place with dif- the magic of Oz itself is not necessar-
ferent mana requires a long journey. ily evil or illusory. Life-aspected regions add their
People may go on pilgrimages to high- aspect strength to effective skill for all
mana lands, or mages may found ASPECTED MANA Healing spells and subtract from all
schools there. On a smaller scale, Necromantic spells and all spells
some worlds have areas of higher Mana is not always equally appli- which do direct harm (this includes
mana within a day or two’s walk from cable to all purposes. A region may be most Melee spells and most harmful
every settlement. especially favorable, or aspected, to Body Control spells, but not most
one specific kind of magic. A spring Missile spells – they can be used more
Mana variation may link to fea- might have high mana for healing readily for nonviolent purposes).
tures of the landscape or its inhabi-
tants. Zones of different mana may

WORLDS 43

Death-aspected regions are precise- Mana and Life
ly the reverse of life-aspected regions;
they subtract from Healing spells and In a world where spirits and mana are related (see Gods, Spirits, and
add to Necromantic and harmful Mana, p. 30), and where life depends on having a spirit, no-mana areas
spells. will be destructive to life. Effectively, every living creature will have some
level of Dependency on mana and will wither away if taken to a no-mana
Elemental-aspected regions add area. (Anyone who is a Mana Damper with the Area Effect enhancement
their aspect strength to effective skill will have Lifebane as a nuisance effect.) This relationship could explain
for all spells of the appropriate element such places as the Deadly Desert that surrounds Oz.
except that element’s Destroy and
Control Elemental spells. They sub- use of the desired type of magic will Magically
tract from effective skill for the ele- help as well. It is easiest to amplify an Aspected Items
ment’s Destroy and Control Elemental existing aspect; aspecting a neutral
spells, and from all spells of the area is hard, and suppressing an It is possible for certain items to be
opposed element (Earth vs. Air, Fire vs. aspect almost impossible. Entire (or to become) magically aspected. An
Water). A One-College mage (p. 129) of priestly orders have been dedicated to altar, a chalice, a robe – anything
the appropriate element gets a 50% the task of eliminating the death might become aspected by contagion
increase to the aspect bonus, but a aspects that linger around former (taking on a magical bond to things it
One-College mage of the opposite ele- strongholds of evil. comes into contact with; see The Three
ment gets double the normal penalty!
Ley Lines
Many other types of aspects are
possible. Almost any of the colleges Ley lines connecting very-high-mana sites (white circles) divide the land area into differently
can reasonably have a corresponding aspected manasheds: (A) Air aspected, normal mana; (B) Unaspected, high mana; (C) Earth
style of aspects. Most aspects will be aspected, normal mana; (D) Unaspected, normal mana; (E) Light aspected, normal mana; (F)
designed to aid one type of magic Plant aspected, normal mana; (G) Water aspected, normal mana. Red circles indicate centers of
while hindering another, but you can low-mana sites.
certainly have aspected regions that
only aid or only hinder.

Detecting Aspected
Areas

A mage gets an IQ + Magery roll to
notice that he has crossed the bound-
ary of an aspected area. On a critical
success, he will know the nature of the
new area; otherwise he can cast
Analyze Magic. Elementally aspected
mages will always know when they
enter an area to which they are aspect-
ed or opposed, though they won’t
know its level.

Changes in Aspect

Aspect is not necessarily a funda-
mental property of mana. An area’s
aspect may change according to the
Law of Similarity: like begets like.
Thus, an area of volcanoes might
become fire-aspected. A particularly
gruesome battlefield might become
death-aspected. Even less dramatic
events may change the aspect of an
area; the main hearth of a large castle
might, after many years, become
slightly fire-aspected (or food-aspect-
ed, for that matter).

PCs may try to use this principle to
manipulate the aspect of their sur-
roundings. It should never be trivial to
change the aspect of an area, but the
presence of lots of magically signifi-
cant events and materials will have a
small effect over time. The extensive

44 WORLDS

Laws of Magic, p. 19). Details are up to Because ley lines have higher mana more common on ley lines. It may also
the GM; it is possible that mages know levels than the surrounding environ- be easier to cross into other planes
how an item becomes aspected, and ment, casting spells along them is eas- there. GMs may grant bonuses to Gate
can take advantage of it. The aspect of ier. Special spells might tap their spells at a ley line and to Movement
an item can be determined by Analyze power. In an “industrial magic” cam- spells directed along a ley line.
Magic. paign (see Magic and Technology,
pp. 64-67), they may supply power for Most ley lines are about the width
The user or wearer of such an item magical production lines or for vehi- of a path or road. The smallest ley
casts spells as though he were in an cles that travel along the ley line. lines are effectively paths 18” wide; the
aspected area. Spirits and magical creatures will be largest are broad roads over 12’ wide.

Enchanting in Spirits of Place
Aspected Areas
In an animistic world, some spirits inhabit specific places. Ancient
Enchantment-aspected areas are Greek legends described several classes of nymphs (p. 213): the oreads
extremely rare (and highly prized). of the mountains, the dryads of the woods, the naiads of lakes and
However, enchantment can also be rivers, and the nereids of the oceans – one kind for each natural envi-
assisted by working in an area aspect- ronment familiar to the Greeks. There could be another kind of spirit for
ed toward the spell to be placed in the every other part of the Earth’s surface, from glaciers to geothermal hot
item. When enchanting in an aspected springs. Spirits of place mostly want to preserve their habitats. So long
area, the enchanter’s skill with the as these are unthreatened, they’re calm, and may even be playful or
spell to be placed is enhanced or amorous.
reduced normally, while his effective
Enchant skill is increased or reduced Other sorts of spirits actually live within masses of material: beneath
by half the level of the aspect, round- the ground, or submerged in the sea, or floating in the air. These are
ing down. The enchantment roll is still free-willed elemental spirits. They can come in any size, but the larger
made against the lower of the two ones seldom notice human beings and may live on a much slower time
effective skills. scale, perhaps waking and sleeping once a year. Human-scale spirits are
mainly concerned with disturbances of their elements. Earth spirits
MAGICAL resent miners and may try to sabotage their tunnels, and air spirits dis-
NETWORKS like having the air filled with smoke or bad smells.

In some versions of magical geog- Spirits of the Earth’s surface typically remain stationary. Often they
raphy, magical areas form patterns in have a Dependency, with a base cost depending on the extent of their
the landscape. GMs creating such pat- place (see Disadvantages, p. 132). Free elementals typically have a
terns can use the following approach. Dependency on their element, so classify elements as Very Common. If
spirits are mana-based, the Dependency may be on the aspected mana
Decide how many areas have of a place or element, or even on high mana as such. This doesn’t change
unusually high mana and place them the point cost. On the other hand, the attachment may be an Addiction,
in suitable sites. Assume that mana a Sense of Duty (p. 133), or a Vow never to leave.
naturally flows outward from these
high-mana sites into the landscape. Planetary Spirits
Draw lines connecting high-mana
points or magical “hot spots,” like the In mythology, the planets are often vehicles piloted by gods (see
ridgelines that join the highest peaks Above and Below, p. 40). The rise of natural philosophy at TL2 recog-
in a mountain range. These lines are nized them as natural celestial bodies, but some aspects of the older
secondary areas of higher mana, view remained. Ancient Greek philosophers speculated that each planet
called ley lines. Mana flows from them had individually guiding intelligence. Medieval Christian theology trans-
into the areas in between, just as water ferred the function to angels. C.S. Lewis’ space travelers (in Out of the
flows from mountain ridgelines down Silent Planet and Perelandra) meet the angels of Mars and Venus when
into watersheds. Place points with low they visit those planets. In a space fantasy campaign based on modern
or no mana in the middle of these astronomy, every planet might have its spirit.
“manasheds.” Each manashed has its
own separate flow of magical energy, Planetary spirits are normally extremely powerful. In a polytheistic
which may be aspected to one sort of setting, they may be actual gods. Earth’s spirit is a goddess in many reli-
magic. Ley lines are natural places to gions. A planetary spirit could be a Patron (in a postmodern magic cam-
divide areas with different magical paign, Gaea could be the Patron of a group of magical defenders of the
qualities. environment) but not an Ally.

Ley lines run straight between As a spirit of place, a planetary spirit may have a Dependency on its
adjacent magical sites, unaffected by planet or sphere – worth points only in a setting with interplanetary
the physical landscape. If a third mag- travel or the summoning of planetary spirits. Treat it as Very Common
ical site exists near the middle of a ley in such a setting (base value -5 points).
line, the flow of energy will shift
toward it, forming a pair of shorter ley
lines with an angle at the middle site.

WORLDS 45

PLANTS AND ANIMALS

An important part of most land- Folk beliefs about the medicinal with Slave Mentality. Having animals
scapes is the plants and animals that properties of herbs and other sub- embody moral traits is very much in
inhabit them. A mountain isn’t just a stances may be consistently true. A the idiom of high fantasy and works
mass of rock; it’s a set of habitats at plant with heart-shaped leaves may be well in light fantasy. An animal’s mag-
different altitudes – a level of cold-tol- good for a weak heart, for example. A ical gifts may also have moral signifi-
erant trees, a level of alpine herbs, GM may exaggerate these medicinal cance. In dark fantasy, some animals
grass, moss, and lichen, and a barren effects, as in the field of poppies that may embody anti-moral traits or even
level of snow, ice, and rock. Each has sends Dorothy, Toto, and the Cowardly malevolent magic.
its own distinctive animal species as Lion to sleep in The Wizard of Oz.
well. Setting the scene for a fantasy One of the commonest emblematic
adventure involves populating the Fantasy may also enhance the traits is Trickster. Most human cul-
world with living creatures, both real effect of living creatures on the natural tures credit an animal with human or
and imaginary. environment. Forests are often creepy superhuman cunning, and a joy in
places, with angry trees waiting to playing pranks. Well-known examples
GMs can use a variety of sources avenge a traveler’s campfire. Branches in North America include coyotes,
for imaginary creatures. The study of may drop on an adventurer’s head, or foxes, rabbits, and ravens. The kitsune
fossils has revealed numerous extinct ensnare him, or paths may mysteri- (magical foxes or fox spirits) of
species that might have survived in a ously close off behind him. Spider Japanese legends take human form,
different world (or, in a “living Earth” webs may be yards across and impos- usually that of beautiful women, and
setting, might be unborn future life- sible to cut with any nonmagical cast spells, especially illusion spells.
forms within the womb of the Earth). blade. On the other hand, the colors of
Cryptozoologists investigate popular flowers and the songs and plumage of All the imaginary species in this
legends of mysterious beasts, hoping birds may be supernaturally lovely. book have emblematic traits, as well
to prove that bigfoot, sasquatch, or as their other attributes. GMs can
yeti exists or to find plesiosaurs in Moral Attributes determine whether these species actu-
Loch Ness. Myths and legends ally have these traits.
describe other fantastic beasts, some In folklore, legend, and mythology,
of which, such as unicorns and manti- animals often embody specific virtues Ellum she hateth mankind, and
cores, may have originated in misun- (or faults), which mental advantages waiteth
derstood stories from distant coun- and disadvantages can represent. For
tries. Charlatans sometimes create example, an elephant’s never forget- Till every gust be laid
fraudulent specimens of legendary ting could be Eidetic Memory; a cat’s To drop a limb on head of him
creatures. On the other hand, skeptics inquisitiveness could be Curiosity; That anyway trusts her shade.
may think that real creatures are even an ant could be a Workaholic
frauds of this kind. Some zoologists – Rudyard Kipling,
dismissed the platypus, with its furry “Oak and Ash and Thorn”
body and ducklike bill, as an obvious
fake! And, of course, writers, artists, or
filmmakers can just make up entirely
new creatures, and so can GMs.

PLANT AND
ANIMAL LEGENDS

Even real plants and animals in a
fantasy world may have fantastic
traits. Folklore and legends about nat-
ural history may be true in a fantasy
setting.

Physical Attributes

Folk beliefs often exaggerate the
physical and mental traits of real life-
forms. In a fantasy setting, a blood-
hound’s keen nose could provide a
supernatural tracking ability, or a por-
cupine could fire its quills like darts.

46 WORLDS

Animal Languages Fantasy can envision entire worlds Bird of Paradise
of civilized animals. Many Native
Folklore often envisions animals as American legends are set in a world The legendary bird of paradise,
secretly living human-like lives, and where all animals spoke and built found on remote tropical islands, is an
even having languages (p. 64). In some houses – which the trickster Coyote extraordinary creature: not only
versions, animals actually speak disrupted, in some versions, when he extremely beautiful, with brilliantly
human languages, but only on special made humans. Anthropomorphic or colored feathers, but so pure that it
occasions or to favored humans. In “furry” stories, particularly in comics, never touches the ground, spending its
others, there are animal languages. A also present animal worlds. A note- whole life in flight. Indeed, it has no
human with the advantage Speak with worthy example is Usagi Yojimbo, por- feet to walk on.
Animals can speak all these languages. traying the occasionally supernatural
Other humans can learn them at the adventures of a rabbit samurai. ST 2; DX 14; IQ 4; HT 14.
same cost as spoken human lan- Will 14; Per 11; Speed 7; Dodge 10;
guages. However, since animal voices Companion Animals
are different from human voices, Move 0 (Ground).
Mimicry-12 (specialized in animal Faithful and unusually gifted ani- SM -4; 5 lbs.
sounds or bird calls) is a prerequisite mals accompany many human heroes
for learning the accented form of such in fantasy. Sometimes these are actu- Traits: Acute Vision 1; Appearance
languages, and Mimicry-16 for learn- ally vessels for spirits. They may have (Very Beautiful; Universal); Doesn’t
ing the native form. Animals with psychic or emotional bonds with their Sleep; Flight (Winged; Move 12);
Mimicry-12 or Mimicry-16 (special- human companions. Even “normal” Longevity; No Fine Manipulators;
ized in speech) can similarly learn companion animals are often extraor- Not Bestial; Voice; Wild Animal.
human languages in such settings. dinarily clever and trainable – repre-
sented by raising their IQ one or two Emblematic Trait: Aerial.
In a setting where this is true, ani- points above what the species tem- Skills: Aerobatics-14; Singing-16.
mals are not Mute. Whether their IQ is plate provides (see the Superior Horse
higher, or whether nonsapient beings on p. 106). Herecine
can use language, depends on the set-
ting, but even sapient animals won’t Very intelligent animals may speak In European legend, the herecine is
have much technology. GMs could human languages, at least to their a carnivorous plant large enough to
split sapience between tool-using sapi- human companions. The animal may feed on humans. It’s a large, attractive
ence, still based on IQ, and linguistic even be the more intelligent of the bush, averaging 6’ high and 9’ in diam-
sapience, based on Perception, giving two, as in the fairy tale “Puss in Boots” eter, with dark red berries on its outer
any reasonably alert animal the ability or C.S. Lewis’ The Horse and His Boy. branches and many more on its inner
to speak. Puss in Boots is also an example of an branches. The berries smell delicious
animal that uses human equipment. and are hard to resist. But any small
The King of Beasts and animal that climbs into the inner
the Parliament of Fowls IMAGINARY branches, any large animal that
SPECIES browses on them, or any human who
If animals can speak with each picks the berries will be grappled and
other, they can also tell stories and Fantasy novels often contain pulled toward the central trunk, where
have laws (such as the Jungle Law of invented plant and animal species. a set of jaws inflict crushing damage
Kipling’s The Jungle Books). They can Some are minor variants on real living (1d+2 per second). Anyone grappled
have organized societies and rulers. things. Others have exotic body plans, can break free by winning a Quick
European traditions make the lion the such as the six-limbed vertebrate con- Contest of ST.
king of beasts, while some Native figuration of gryphons (p. B460).
American cultures give a similar role Animals can appear as threats, ST 20; DX 12; IQ 0; HT 12.
to Grandfather Bear. Medieval litera- menagerie specimens, valuable game, Will 0; Per 12; Speed 6; Move 0.
ture describes the Parliament of or potential companions. Fantasy SM +1; Weight 300 lbs.
Fowls, which Alan Moore imitated plants may be active, or even carnivo-
with the Parliament of Trees in the rous, like Audrey II in the film Little Traits: Affliction (Gluttony; Area
comic Swamp Thing. Shop of Horrors. Effect, 4 yards; Sense-Based,
Smell; Emanation); Appearance
Some fantastical animal societies The following examples of plants (Attractive; Universal); Binding 12
live under natural conditions. and animals, largely drawn from folk- (Melee Attack, Reach 1, 2, Cannot
Watership Down offers a well-realized lore and mythology, might appear in a Parry); Blindness; Deafness; De-
modern example. But other fantasies, fantasy setting. Animal statistics pendency (Animal Flesh, Weekly);
such as the Chronicles of Narnia, have appear in the abbreviated “creature Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or
talking beasts, such as the swashbuck- statistics” form (see p. B456). Drink (Requires Water, -50%); DR
ling mouse Reepicheep, who lead Relatively active plants use the same 3; Fragile (Combustible); Hard
much more humanlike lives, with fur- form. Other plants use a briefer form, to Subdue 4; Injury Tolerance
nishings and tools and weapons. This listing only HT, HP, SM, weight, and (Homogenous, No Eyes, No Head,
version usually works best in light fan- qualities that may be important to No Neck); Mute; Regrowth; Sessile;
tasy; it also appears in many animated adventurers. Temperature Tolerance 5.
cartoons.
Emblematic Trait: Odious Racial
Habit (Eating Humans).

WORLDS 47

Manticore attached to the tail . . . the sound of its Terrain Adaptation (Sand);
voice is something between the sound Tunneling 1 (Only Through Earth);
A ferocious predator native to of a pan-pipe and that of a trumpet . . . Wild Animal.
India, the manticore has the face of a it can run swiftly as a deer, and . . . is Emblematic Trait: Miserliness.
man, with blue eyes; the body of a a savage man-eater. Skills: Prospecting-12.
lion, bright red in color; and a scorpi-
on’s tail, from which it fires spines at – Aristotle, Historia Animalium MAGICAL
its prey (1/2D 10, Max 100, Acc 3, RoF SPECIES AND
1, Shots N/A, Recoil 1). Mountain Ant MANA ORGANS

ST 19; DX 13; IQ 5; HT 12. The Greek historian Herodotus Animals and plants in a fantasy set-
Will 11; Per 12; Speed 6.25; Dodge wrote of giant ants found in the moun- ting can have magical powers.
tains of the Persian Empire. They Normally these don’t involve learning
10; Move 9. were bigger than foxes but smaller or casting spells; instead, the animal
SM +1 (2 hexes); 500 lbs. than dogs. has an instinctive ability to produce
certain magical effects.
Traits: Combat Reflexes; DR 1; Mountain ants burrow in the gold-
Impaling Attack 1d+1 (Tail Darts); rich soil of their native land and carry In a setting with intrinsic magic,
Night Vision 2; Odious Racial nuggets up to the surface. They resent this ability comes from the presence of
Habit (Eating Humans); Penetrat- being disturbed and swarm to attack a mana organ, as defined in Natural
ing Voice; Quadruped; Restricted anyone attempting to take their gold. Magic (pp. 22-23). A species that has
Diet (Fresh Meat); Sharp Claws; Typically, two will attack in each hex, this ability can only use it in an area
Sharp Teeth; Temperature Toler- one per leg of a standing target, but where mana is available. Mana organs
ance 1; Wild Animal. four can easily strike at a fallen intrud- operate while the creature is alive;
er. Their bite inflicts 1d-4 cutting dam- once it dies, they remain effective for a
Emblematic Trait: Fearlessness +3. age. few uses, but once their store of mana
Skills: Brawling-13; Innate Attack is used it doesn’t replace itself.
ST 3; DX 10; IQ 1; HT 10.
(Projectile)-14; Stealth-13. Will 10; Per 12; Speed 5; Dodge 8; Magivores use mana to support
basic metabolic functions. These crea-
The Indian wild beast called the Move 4. tures have a Dependency on mana. If
manticore has a triple row of teeth in SM -2; 10 lbs. taken to a no-mana area, they die of
both upper and lower jaw . . . it is as magic starvation. A magivore may
big as a lion and equally hairy, and . . . Traits: 360º Vision (Vulnerable); need mana as well as food (for ani-
its feet resemble those of the lion . . . it Combat Reflexes; DR 3; Extra Legs mals) or soil, water, and sunlight (for
resembles man in its face and ears . . . (Six Legs); High Pain Threshold; plants), or it may sustain itself entire-
its eyes are blue, and its color vermil- Horizontal; Lifting ST +2; ly on mana. The second type may have
ion . . . its tail is like that of the land- Nictitating Membrane 1; No Fine very strange shapes, neither animal
scorpion . . . it has a sting in the tail, Manipulators; Slave Mentality; nor vegetable, without mouths, roots,
and has the faculty of shooting off Striking ST +4; Teeth (Sharp); or leaves, but with special mana
arrow-wise the spines that are organs that sustain life.

The bodies of living things natural-
ly generate mana. Some magivores
may acquire their mana from plants
or animals, either by magically drain-
ing it, or by eating, drinking, or
absorbing mana-rich tissues. Blood is
traditionally a mana source, but spe-
cialized mana organs are even better,
and creatures with such organs may
be targets for magical parasites or
predators.

Moly

This plant confers protection from
hostile magic. According to Homer,
Odysseus used it to ward off Circe’s
spells (p. 23). The plant grows as an
inconspicuous herb, with a round
black root and a white flower. HT 12;
1 HP; SM -6; 0.5 lb.

48 WORLDS