GURPS - 4th Edition - Fantasy

Panther Plant and Animal Spirits

The panther of medieval myth is Each sapient being has its own spirit, but life forms with racial IQ 5
not a leopard with black fur, but a sep- or less do not. Instead, the entire species has one or more spirits. Such
arate species. Panthers are large cats, spirits behave somewhat like the species of which they are archetypes.
as big as a lion, and their fur is pure In particular, if a species has an emblematic trait, its spirits have that
white. The panther has one special gift: trait also. Plant spirits often stay in one place and thus resemble spirits
its perfumed breath (1/2D 10, Max 100, of place – is a dryad (p. 213) the spirit of oak trees, or of a specific oak,
Acc 3, RoF 1, Shots N/A, Recoil 1). or of the place where an oak tree grows? The ambiguity is less for ani-
Anyone exposed to it must roll vs. HT- mal spirits, because, like animals, they move around.
2 (vs. HT at 1/2D range) or become
obsessed with the sweet scent. Anyone Plant and animal spirits usually take the form of their plant or animal
so obsessed must immediately make a if they materialize. However, a spirit may also take a humanoid form
self-control roll (6 or less) or begin with a few features that resemble the plant or animal. Such beings may
walking toward the panther at Move 1. even have half-human children. Some tribal peoples believe that all
When the first victim comes within 3 human beings are descended from such animal spirits, or totems, and
yards, the panther springs and attacks human clans may cultivate relationships with their totems as allies or
(biting and raking with the hind legs). advisors. If human beings learn lycanthropy (p. 60), a clan might take on
If it kills the victim, the panther drags the shape of its totem animal. “Belongs to (animal species) totem” would
him off the trail to devour him. be a 0-point feature of such a clan.

ST 16; DX 11; IQ 4; HT 13. Animal spirits commonly have a Sense of Duty to the animal species
Will 10; Per 12; Speed 6; Dodge of which they are archetypes. Mobile plant spirits may have this as well.
10; Move 10. Localized plant spirits often have a Sense of Duty to their local habitats.
SM +1 (2 hexes); 400 lbs. They may also have a Dependency on a specific plant.

Traits: Affliction 3 (Disadvantage: and a beard like a goat. Its voice is a ST 18; DX 13; IQ 4; HT 11.
Obsession, +5%; Cone, 1-yard hideous bray. In combat situations it Will 12; Per 12; Speed 6; Dodge 10;
width, +60%; Smell-Based, +50%; can bite (1d+1 crushing damage), kick
Mana-Sensitive, -10%); Combat (1d+2 crushing damage), or thrust Move 6.
Reflexes; DR 1; Extra Attack 1; with its horn (1d+3 impaling damage), SM +1 (3 hexes); 800 lbs.
Night Vision 5; Quadruped; Sharp but usually prefers a running charge
Claws; Sharp Teeth; Temperature with its horn. The horn is also highly Traits: Combat Reflexes; Enhanced
Tolerance 1; Wild Animal. magical; powdered horn is a natural Move 1.5 (Ground Speed 18);
universal antidote. Hooves; Striker (Impaling; Reach
Emblematic Trait: Charisma. 1; Cannot Attack in Close Combat;
Skills: Brawling-12; Climbing-12; The unicorn’s charge uses Lance Cannot Parry; Limited Arc, Only
skill. The basic damage from a charge Straight Ahead); Penetrating Voice;
Innate Attack (Breath)-14; Stealth- is (ST 18 ¥ Move 18)/100 = 3.24, Peripheral Vision; Quadruped;
15. rounded to 3d. Used as an impaling Wild Animal.
striker, the horn raises this to 3d+3. A
Unicorn unicorn can specifically target the Feature: Uses its horn as a lance.
vitals, reducing its effective skill to 10 Emblematic Traits: Berserk (6)
The unicorn of medieval legend is a but multiplying damage by 3.
fierce beast native to India. It looks (Battlelust); Loner (12).
somewhat like a small horse, with a MONSTERS Quirk: Tame when approaching vir-
slender body and uncloven hoofs. A
single spiral horn a yard long grows gin women.
out of its forehead. It has white hair Skills: Brawling-13; Lance-13;

Stealth-13.

Why have a separate section on like themselves. Each monster comes play in fantasy gaming. It’s not just that
monsters, instead of simply listing into being through some disturbance they’re big, or dangerous, or magical,
them with other plants and animals? of nature. In Latin, a monstrum was an or all three. It’s that they’re unpre-
omen, a sign from the gods that some- dictable. No one knows how to fight
In folklore and mythology, mon- thing (usually bad) was about to hap- them. Finding out doesn’t mean just
sters aren’t just unusually intimidating pen, in the form of an unnatural birth. looking them up in a convenient refer-
plant or animal species. They aren’t ence book – it requires study of disin-
species at all. A species is a group of GURPS Fantasy reserves the name tegrating ancient manuscripts, or mag-
living organisms that can breed with “monster” for extraordinary creatures ical divination, or observation and
each other, producing more of their – creatures outside the order of nature, risky experiments. Fighting them is a
own kind. However, monsters don’t and often unique. Like superheroes, task for heroes.
come from earlier monsters of their they have origins and powers. Truly
own kind, and don’t produce offspring unique creatures have a special role to

WORLDS 49

There are several broadly defined protection should be that a creature Basic Speed 7.00 [0]; Basic Move 4
types of true monsters. Most of the fol- on this scale isn’t likely to notice a sin- [-15]; Dodge 11†.
lowing stats are for characters instead gle human being, though it might see
of creatures, since they’re distinctive – and attack or pursue – a large ship or 50’ wingspan; 185,000 lbs. (SM +6).
individuals that require memorable a walled city, requiring desperate
encounters. measures to escape it or drive it off. Advantages

GIANTS Rukh Acute Vision 4 [8]; Claws (Long
Talons) [11]; Combat Reflexes [15];
The simplest monsters are unnatu- 520 points DR 2 (Can’t Wear Armor, -40%) [6];
rally large forms of familiar animals. DR 4 (Can’t Wear Armor, -40%; Legs
Such creatures are not confined to A gigantic bird of prey, large Only, -20%) [8]; Enhanced Move 1 (Air
fantasy or mythology; an entire genre enough to carry an elephant in its Speed 28) [20]; Flight (Winged, -25%)
of monster movies is devoted to giant talons. Some stories call it “roc.” [30]; Protected Sense (Vision) [5];
animals. Humanlike giants also Muslim legend says that Allah created Strikers (Two Wings; Crushing; Weak,
appear in many myths. Monsters of it to rule the air as the behemoth and -50%) [5]; Teeth (Sharp Beak) [1];
other sorts may also be unnaturally leviathan rule the land and sea. Men Unaging [15].
huge. fear the rukh’s ferocity, but it actually
is not very dangerous to men, who are Perks: Penetrating Voice. [1]
“Giant” creatures come in a variety smaller than its preferred prey.
of sizes. Some giants are simply large Disadvantages
members of their species. For exam- The rukh’s long talons inflict
ple, if an average wolf weighs 120 lbs., 11d+11 cutting or impaling damage Bad Grip 3 [-15]; Berserk (12) [-10];
a giant wolf might weigh 240 lbs. on its prey. Its beak inflicts 11d-1 Foot Manipulators (Two Arms) [-6];
People would call it “the biggest wolf large piercing damage. Either of its Gluttony (12) [-5]; Restricted Diet
I’ve ever seen” and find it intimidating. two wings can inflict 11d crushing (Fresh Meat) [-10]; Wild Animal [-30].
It wouldn’t be unnatural or supernatu- damage.
ral – but its appearance might be an Skills
omen (see Soothsaying, p. 150). Such ST 100 [400*]; DX 14 [80]; IQ 4 [-120];
creatures have Gigantism (as defined HT 14 [40]. Brawling-16 (DX+2) [4]; Survival-
on p. B20) and typically have ST 12 (Per+0) [2].
increased by 25%. See Lupus Magnus Damage 11d/13d; BL 2,000 lbs.; HP
on p. 231 for an example of this type of 100 [0]; Will 12 [40]; Per 12 [40]; FP * -60% for Size.
giant. 14 [0]. † +1 from Combat Reflexes.

Other giant creatures are clearly
unnatural, often many times larger
than normal. If the starting point is a
mammal, reptile, bird, or fish, the
giant form is typically no more than
10 times as big (SM increased by no
more than 6). For insects or other
small creatures, the multiple may be
100 or more (SM increased by 12 or
more). These typical giant monsters of
fantasy are big enough to present a
serious threat to a human being.
Realistically, such creatures could not
support their own weight, but in a fan-
tasy setting, they may compare to real
animals of similar size; an elephant-
sized rat would have the ST and HP of
an elephant, for example. (See Behind
the Curtain: How Strong Is a Giant? on
p. 51.)

Some legends describe creatures as
large as geographical features, from
mountain-sized to continent-sized.
The Biblical Leviathan and the world-
encircling Midgard Serpent of Norse
myth are examples. Human adventur-
ers can’t fight such entities with any
normal weapons or spells. Their main

50 WORLDS

Behind the Curtain:
How Strong Is a Giant?

The size, weight, and physical capabilities of real For convenience, use the following table to choose a

animals have very complex interrelationships. Bigger suitable increase in SM. For weight multipliers that fall

animals aren’t just larger duplicates of smaller ones; between two SMs, use the next higher SM. For weight

their bodies and limbs are differently proportioned. In multipliers greater than 1,000, divide by 1,000, multiply

a fantasy setting, giants are often the same shape as the resulting height multiple times 10, and add 6 to the

human beings, but twice or 10 times the scale, and the resulting SM.

same for huge beasts. This makes it possible to offer Example: An extraordinarily large giant weighs 240
rules of thumb for size, weight, and strength. tons or 480,000 lbs., 3,200 times average human
weight. Dividing by 1,000 gives 3.2. His height multiple
To start with, choose a suitable normal-sized crea- is 1.5 ¥ 10 or 15, making him roughly 88 feet tall; his
ture and a weight multiple. For example, a 15-foot SM increase is 1 + 6 for a total of 7 over the normal
python weighs 225 lbs. A gargantuan sea serpent might human SM of 0, equaling +7.
weigh 1,000 times as much, 225,000 lbs. or 112.5 tons,
heavier than a whale. (In fact, it might swallow

small whales whole.) Weight multiple Height/length multiple SM increase
The HP multiple is the cube root of the weight ¥3.2 ¥1.5 +1
¥10 ¥2 +2
multiple. The same multiple applies to ST, ¥32 ¥3 +3
whether ST and HP are equal or not. The cube ¥100 ¥5 +4
root of 1,000 is 10, so the sea serpent has 10 times ¥320 ¥7 +5
a python’s HP and ST, increasing both from 15 to ¥1,000 ¥10 +6
150. (For man-shaped and quadrupedal crea-
tures, typical HP and ST equal twice the cube root

of weight, rounded down; but more exotic body

shapes such as a snake’s don’t fit this formula.) These relationships mean that small creatures can
Figure damage and BL from ST in the usual way. carry heavier loads than large creatures in proportion to
their own size and weight. A ST 1 pixy, standing about
The sea serpent inflicts damage of 16d/18d and has a 7” tall, weighs 0.15 lbs. (2 1/2 ounces) and has BL 0.2
BL of 4,500 lbs. lbs.; one pixy can carry another long distances and not
feel the burden. A ST 10 man weighs 150 lbs. and has
Finally, determine the SM for the creature. A tenfold BL 20 lbs.; he can carry another man, for a limited dis-
length increase adds 6 to the SM. If the proportions are tance and at a reduced speed. A ST 100 giant, standing
unchanged (the usual assumption for giant creatures in 55-60’ tall, weighs 150,000 lbs. (75 tons) and has BL
fantasy), the multiplier for any linear dimension – 2,000 lbs. (1 ton); carrying or lifting another giant is
height, length, wingspan, or diameter – is the cube root beyond his strength. This is actually biologically realis-
of the weight multiple (that is, it increases in propor- tic, though the actual mathematical relationships are
tion to ST and HP). The sea serpent has a length multi- more complicated.
ple of 10; based on a 15’ python, it’s 150’ long, longer
than most ships in a historical fantasy setting. This is
+6 to SM. Since the python has SM 0, the sea serpent

has SM +6.

HYBRIDS and brooded by a snake. Or magic with a third head at the end. All three
may directly create hybrids by fusing heads breathe fire. Her lion head’s bite
A common way to invent a bizarre constituent animals. and her claws each inflict 2d+1 cutting
or unique monster is to combine body damage in close combat, but her main
parts from two or more species. In The Chimera attack is her fiery breath (1/2D 2, Max
some cases, this may produce an 20, Acc 3, RoF 1, Shots N/A, Recoil 1),
abnormal number of heads or limbs. 85 points which each head can use twice per
day.
Hybrids may originate through the The chimera appears in ancient
crossbreeding of different species, per- Greek myth, described as “a lion in ST 25 [60*†]; DX 12 [24*]; IQ 4 [-120];
haps with a magical or alchemical front, a goat in the middle, and a ser- HT 12 [20].
boost to fertility (see Magical Elixirs in pent behind.” The body overall is that
GURPS Magic). More exotic origins of a lioness, though the hindquarters Damage 2d+2/5d-1; BL 125 lbs.; HP 25
are possible, as in the hatching of the are scaly. A second head, shaped like a [0]; Will 10 [30]; Per 12 [40]; FP 12
basilisk from an egg laid by a rooster goat’s, rises just behind the shoulders, [0].
and the tail is shaped like a snake,

WORLDS 51

Basic Speed 6.00 [0]; Basic Move 6 [0]; The Chimera’s Pedigree
Dodge 9.
Greek myths say the chimera was the daughter of Typhon, a giant
10’ long; 1,950 lbs. (SM +2). with a hundred dragonlike heads, and Echidna, half woman and half
snake. Their other children were Cerberus, the three-headed watchdog
Advantages of the underworld; the Hydra, a nine-headed giant snake; and the two-
headed dog Orthos. Orthos mated with his mother and she engendered
360º Vision [25]; Burning Attack 2d the Nemean Lion, a giant lion with armored skin, and the Sphinx, a
(Cone, 5 yards, +100%; Limited Use, winged lioness with a woman’s head and a passion for riddles.
6/day, -10%; Reduced Range, ¥1/5,
-20%) [17]; Claws (Sharp) [5]; DR 2 Obviously, legendary monsters don’t have to breed true. Each new
[10]; Extra Attack 2 [50]; Extra Head 2 birth can be a different form and species.
[30]; Reduced Consumption 3 (Cast
Iron Stomach, -50%) [3]; Teeth the urge to kill and eat his compan- go’s IQ-3 vs. the victim’s Will. While
(Sharp) [1]; Temperature Tolerance 1 ion(s). If he gives in to the impulse, his the conditioning goes on the victim
(Cold) [1]. body further changes into the physical becomes inhumanly strong and
form of the wendigo and he goes look- acquires several repulsive unnatural
Perks: Fur. [1] ing for other victims. When killed, the features. Successful conditioning lasts
wendigo returns to spirit form. 1 day per point of success. If the vic-
Disadvantages tim eats human flesh in that time, he
Possession by the wendigo begins transforms into the wendigo’s fully
Appearance (Horrific; Universal, with hearing its voice in the howling manifested physical form.
+25%) [-30]; Bad Temper (6) [-20]; of the arctic winds. After eight hours,
Quadruped [-35]; Restricted Diet it engages in a Quick Contest of its In its fully manifested form, the
(Fresh Meat) [-10]; Social Stigma IQ+3 vs. the victim’s Will. If the victim wendigo attacks either by clawing (3d
(Monster) [-15]; Wild Animal [-30]. wins, he is immune, but if he loses, the crushing damage) or by biting (3d-1
wendigo begins to take over his mind. cutting damage).
Skills This requires a Quick Contest of its IQ
vs. the victim’s Will (at +2 if the wendi- ST 30 [140*]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 6 [-80];
Brawling-16 (DX+4) [12]; Innate go concentrates for a full minute, or HT 12 [20].
Attack (Breath)-15 (DX+3) [8]; +4 for a full hour). If this attempt suc-
Survival (Mountains)-14 (Per+2) [8]. ceeds, the wendigo then attempts to Damage 3d/5d+2; BL 180 lbs.; HP 30
condition the victim to kill and eat his [0]; Will 8 [10]; Per 12 [30]; FP 12
* -40% for No Fine Manipulators. human companions. Conditioning [0].
† -20% for Size. requires a Quick Contest of the wendi-
Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0];
POSSESSED Dodge 9†.
CREATURES
15’; 2,700 lbs. (SM +3).
A different sort of hybridization is
the magical implantation of a spirit
into a physical form. This may be a liv-
ing creature, a dead body, or an inani-
mate object. Shamans and sorcerers
use such implantations to create
familiars, which don’t generally count
as monsters, except in a dark fantasy
campaign. But more potent or inimi-
cal spirits may turn their vehicles into
something truly unnatural. For a con-
temporary horror treatment of this
theme, see Stephen King’s Pet
Sematary.

The Wendigo

330 points

The wendigo is a malevolent spirit
that haunts the evergreen forests of
Canada and Minnesota. It was origi-
nally described in Native American
tribal lore, but taken seriously by many
white settlers. Its appearances are
associated with winds and snowy
weather. It appears in the material
world by possessing the body of a mor-
tal in an isolated place – but not a soli-
tary mortal! It inspires its victim with

52 WORLDS

Social Background SM 0 instead of -2. The SM does not River’s banks into the form of a man
affect combat rolls, as a horde hits and placed God’s secret name, written
TL: 0 automatically. on a piece of parchment, in his cre-
CF: American Indian cultures of ation’s mouth.
Canada and the United States [0]; A horde is harder to disperse than
European cultures of Canada and the a standard one-hex swarm. Multiply The golem was effectively a super-
United States [1]. the HP for the swarm by the horde’s hero, from the viewpoint of the Jews
Languages: Cree (Native/None) [-3]. diameter in yards to find the hits need- of Prague. It spent the days assisting
ed to disperse the horde. the rabbi in the synagogue, under the
Advantages name of Joseph, and six nights a week
A magical spell or baneful spirit can it went out to patrol the ghetto, stop-
Claws (Blunt) [3]; Combat Reflexes summon swarms or hordes of normal- ping plots against the Jews. Eventually
[15]; Discriminatory Smell [15]; ly solitary animals. Adventurers might a band of Christians invaded the ghet-
Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Move 10) encounter a horde of weasels or to, planning to attack the golem – but
[20]; Fearlessness 4 [8]; Hard to Kill 2 ravens, or even of mythical creatures it waited inside the gates. It took away
[4]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Mind such as basilisks. Fantasy swarms and their battering ram, and attacked
Control (Symptoms: +10 ST, hordes may also consist of multiple them with it, killing several. This
Unnatural Features: Gaunt, Glowing species all acting together, effectively a alarmed the rabbi, and when offered a
eyes, Long tongue, Matted hair, kind of hybrid. Alfred Hitchcock’s film promise of legal protection for the
Sallow skin, +105%; Conditioning The Birds depicts this kind of horde Jews, he removed its activating parch-
Only, -50%; Only victims of posses- behavior in a modern setting. ment for the last time.
sion, -30%) [63]; Penetrating Voice [1];
Possession (Only in Unkillable Spirit The Rats of Hamelin The golem looks like a slightly
Form, -10%; Sense-Based, Hearing, large, awkward man, with grayish
-20%; Spiritual, -20%; Preparation In the story of the Pied Piper of skin and no hair or beard. It’s much
Required, 8 hours, -30%) [20]; Single- Hamelin, huge swarms of rats infest a stronger than a man of its height and
Minded [5]; Teeth (Sharp) [1]; town, until it becomes nearly unin- weight.
Temperature Tolerance 6 (Cold) [6]; habitable. The horde of rats has the
Terrain Adaptation (Snow) [5]; following traits: ST 15 [50]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 8 [-40]; HT
Unaging [15]; Unkillable 3 (Rein- 13 [30].
carnation, -20%; Trigger: Only mani- Diameter 550 yards (SM +17).
fests physically after new host kills Move 4. Does 1d cutting damage per Damage 1d+1/2d+1; BL 45 lbs.; HP 15
another human and eats his flesh, turn. Armor protects with its normal [0]; Will 8 [0]; Per 8 [0].
-12%) [102]. DR. HP 3,300 to disperse the swarm.
Basic Speed 6.00 [0]; Basic Move 6 [0];
Disadvantages MAGICAL Dodge 9; Parry 9 (Brawling).
CREATIONS
Appearance (Horrific) [-24]; Bestial 5’10”; 160 lbs. (SM 0).
[-10]; Cannot Speak [-15]; Gluttony As noted in the above, powerful
[-5]; Loner (6) [-10]; Odious Personal spells create many sorts of monsters. Social Background
Habit (Kills and eats human beings) Giants, hybrids, and possessed crea-
[-15]; Skinny [-5]; Wealth (Dead tures are sometimes the work of TL: 4.
Broke) [-25]. wizards. Various other forms of CF: Eastern Europe (0).
mana-based magic can bring unique, Languages: Hebrew (Native) [0].
Skills unnatural creatures into being.
Advantages
Brawling-12 (DX+2) [4]; Stealth-14 Alternatively, the wizard can him-
(DX+4) [16]; Survival (Woodlands)-14 self turn into such a creature. In Norse Doesn’t Breathe [20]; Doesn’t Eat
(Per+2) [8]. legend, for example, the dragon Fafnir or Drink [10]; Doesn’t Sleep [20]; High
was originally one of three magically Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to
* -30% for Size. talented brothers. He transformed Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury
† +1 from Combat Reflexes. himself into a dragon to guard a treas- Tolerance (Homogenous) [40]; Patron
ure the gods gave in compensation for (Rabbi Judah ben Loew; 12 or less;
UNNATURAL the death of his brother Ottar, also a Minimal Intervention, -50%) [10];
SWARMS shapeshifter. Single-Minded [5]; Status 1 [5];
Unaging [15]; Unfazeable [15].
Plants or animals may appear in The Golem
swarms of unnatural size, defined as Disadvantages
hordes. A horde takes up multiple -25 points
hexes. It can attack one person for Appearance (Unattractive) [-4];
each hex occupied; effectively it has The golem was an artificial man Automaton [-85]; Cannot Learn [-30];
Extra Attacks. Vision rolls to spot it brought to life by Jewish ritual magic. Disturbing Voice [-10]; Enemies
have a positive SM. To determine this, There are many Jewish legends about (Christian mobs and fanatics;
compute the SM based on its diame- golems, but Rabbi Judah ben Loew Hunters; 6 or less) [-15]; Fragile
ter and add 2; a one-hex horde, or made the best-known golem in Prague (Unnatural) [-50]; No Sense of
swarm, with a diameter of 1 yard, has in 1580. Aided by his two best stu- Smell/Taste [-5]; Reprogrammable
dents, he shaped the clay of the Vltava [-10]; Social Stigma (Minority Group:
Jewish) [-10]; Unhealing (Total) [-30];
Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].

Quirks: Observant of Jewish ritual
law. [-1]

WORLDS 53

Features his equal. She called on God’s true Social Background
name and flew out of Eden to the Red
Neither has nor spends Fatigue Sea. God sent three angels to bring her TL: 3.
Points; Sterile. back, but she refused and was CF: Near Eastern [0].
changed into a night demon. Now she Languages: Hebrew (Native) [0].
Skills flies over the Earth, seducing men
who sleep alone and inflicting fatal ill- Advantages
Brawling-12 (DX+1) [2]; Religious nesses on newborn children.
Ritual (Jewish)-8 (IQ+0) [4]; Stealth- Affliction 2 (HT-1; Affects
12 (DX+1) [4]. Lilith has feathered wings instead Substantial, +40%; Based on Will,
of arms. In flight, she has a 10’ +20%; Incapacitation: Ecstasy, +100%;
VICTIMS wingspan, but on the ground, she Melee Attack, Reach C, No Parry,
OF CURSES keeps her wings folded. She has bright -35%; Only on sexually mature men,
red hair and strongly marked features. -30%; Preparation Required, 1
Some monsters start out as human Minute, -20%) [35]; Affliction 2 (HT-1;
beings (or other intelligent beings) but Lilith’s two usual attacks both Affects Substantial, +40%; Incapaci-
fall under a curse. In many legends, require her to touch her victims. She tation: Choking, +100%; Melee Attack,
lycanthropy (turning into a wolf or can use them without becoming visi- Reach C, Cannot Parry, -35%; Only on
other dangerous animal) originates in ble or tangible. The men she embraces very young Infants, -50%) [31]; Allies
this way. The curse strips the accursed experience physical pleasure. If they (100 demons; built on 25% of her
person of his humanity. Curses can fail a roll vs. HT-1, they can only moan point value; 12 or less; Summonable,
also create ghosts, corporeal undead, with pleasure for 1 minute per point of +100%) [48]; Appearance (Very
and various other unnatural entities. failure. Offering to renew the pleasure Beautiful) [16]; Charisma 4 [20]; Dark
There may be a way to dispel the gives her +3 on any Influence roll. She Vision [25]; Detect (Sexual Desire)
curse, but many victims are defiant can steal the breath from babies in [10]; Doesn’t Sleep [20]; Flight
and unwilling to learn what the curse their first days of life. If they fail a roll (Winged, -25%) [30]; Immunity to
was meant to teach them. against HT-1, they stop breathing for 1 Metabolic Hazards [30]; Indomitable
minute per point of failure (see [15]; Insubstantiality (Affects Sub-
Lilith Suffocation on p. B436). stantial, +100%) [160]; Invisibility
(Switchable, +10%; Only When
714 points ST 10 [0]; DX 12 [24*]; IQ 12 [40]; HT Insubstantial, -10%; Substantial Only,
12 [20]. -10%) [36]; Medium [10]; Patron
According to medieval Jewish leg- (Yahweh; 6 or less; Highly Accessible,
end, Lilith was the original cursed Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; +50%; Special Abilities, +100%;
monster. She was Adam’s first wife, Will 20 [40]; Per 12 [0]; FP 12 [0]. Unwilling, -50%) [30]; See Invisible
made like him from earth; but she (Spirits) [15]; Unaging [15].
refused to lie beneath him during sex- Basic Speed 6.00 [0]; Basic Move 6 [0];
ual intercourse, saying that she was Dodge 9; Block 9 (Wings). Perks: Penetrating Voice. [1]

5’8”; 145 lbs. (SM 0; SM 2 in flight).

54 WORLDS

Disadvantages with him and made his thunderbolts, [-15]; Social Stigma (Minority Group)
using their great skill in crafts (see [-10].
Cannot Speak (Mute; Only When Thunderstones, p. 28). Brontes looks
Insubstantial, -10%) [-23]; Enemy generally human, but has a single eye Quirks: Bowlegged. [-1]
(Angels of Yahweh; Rivals – seek to in the middle of his forehead, repul-
drive her away but not harm her; 6 or sive features, and a squat, bowlegged Skills
less) [-7]; Fanaticism (Rebel against build.
Yahweh and Adam) [-15]; Lecherous- Armoury/TL1 (Missile Weapons)-
ness (6) [-30]; No Fine Manipulators Brontes attacks with a thunderous 13*† (IQ+4) [4]; Brawling-11† (DX+1)
[-30]; Odious Personal Habit (Steals roar (1/2D 10, Max 100, Acc 3, RoF 1, [4]; Innate Attack (Breath)-9‡ (DX-1)
the spirits of newborn infants) [-15]; Shots N/A, Recoil 1) that sounds in a [4]; Masonry-14* (IQ+5) [2]; Metal-
Reputation -4 (Seductress and Mur- cone 5 yards wide at its maximum lurgy/TL1-12 (IQ+3) [16]; Natural
deress; among Jews; 10 or less) [-5]; range. Anyone who hears it must roll Philosophy-8 (IQ-1) [2]; Prospec-
Selfish (6) [-10]. vs. HT-5, if within 10 yards, or HT-2, if ting/TL1-12 (IQ+3) [12]; Smith/TL1
farther away. A victim who fails this (Copper)-13*† (IQ+4) [4]; Theology-8
Quirks: Incompetence (Law); roll is unable to hear for 1 minute per (IQ-1) [2].
Wants to be on top. [-2] point of failure and is stunned until he
succeeds on a HT roll with the same Spells
Features modifier (one attempt per second).
This attack costs Brontes 10 Fatigue. Enchant-15 [8]; Lightning-15 [4];
Can use her wings for a Block Usually he follows it up by kicking for Power-15 [4]; Puissance-15 [4]; Shape
maneuver using Cloak skill. 5d crushing damage. Air-15 [4]; Shape Earth-15 [4]. All
include +6 for Power Investiture.
Skills ST 45 [210**]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 9 [-20];
HT 10 [0]. * +4 from Artificer.
Acrobatics (Aerobatics)-12 (DX+0) † -1 from One Eye.
[4]; Acting-16 (IQ+4) [16]; Cloak-12 Damage 5d/7d+1; BL 405 lbs.; HP 45 ‡ -3 from One Eye.
(DX+0) [2]; Dancing-18 (DX+6) [24]; [0]; Will 10 [5]; Per 9 [0]; FP 20 ** -40% for Size.
Erotic Art-18 (DX+6) [24]; Fast-Talk- [30].
12 (IQ+0) [2]; Hidden Lore (Demon Brontes has two brothers, Steropes
Lore)-12 (IQ+0) [2]; History (Jewish)- Basic Speed 5.00 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; and Arges; the three are often togeth-
12 (IQ+0) [4]; Occultism-12 (IQ+0) [2]; Dodge 8. er. Represent them as Allies who
Ritual Magic (Jewish Spirit Magic)-21 appear on a 15 or less. They look very
(IQ+9) [44]; Sex Appeal-16 (HT+4) 30’; 15,000 lbs. (SM +4). much alike and have identical charac-
[16]; Theology (Jewish)-21 (IQ+9) ter sheets, except that each of the
[40]. Social Background brothers has a different attack and
attack skill.
* -40% for No Fine Manipulators. TL: 1.
CF: Eastern Mediterranean [0]. Steropes attacks by hurling light-
OFFSPRING Languages: Homeric Greek ning bolts (1/2D 200, Max 2,000, Acc 3,
OF GODS (Native/None) [-3]. RoF 1, Shots N/A, Recoil 1) that inflict
8d burning damage, stun victims on a
In many mythologies, the gods Advantages failed roll vs. HT-7, and stop their
occasionally beget monsters. In Norse hearts for (20 - HT) minutes on anoth-
myth, Loki had three children – the Affliction 6 (HT-5; Affects er failed roll vs. HT-7.
wolf Fenris, the world-encircling Insubstantial, +20%; Cone, 5 yard
snake Jormungandr, and the half- width, +100%; Costs 10 Fatigue, -50%; Arges’ gaze is a blinding flash of
woman/half-corpse Hela. In Greek leg- Disadvantage: Deafness, +20%; Sense- light (1/2D 10, Max 100, Acc 3, RoF 1,
end, a variety of monsters were Based: Hearing, +150%; Stunning, Shots N/A, Recoil 1). Its effects are the
fathered by one or another god. Such +10%) [210]; Allies (Two brothers; same as Brontes’ roar, except that it
beings should be physically formida- built on 100% of his point value; 15 or afflicts those who see it instead of
ble and either magically gifted or less) [30]; Artificer 4 [40]; DR 2 [10]; those who hear it, and blinds instead
magic-resistant. Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Move 10) of deafening. Each attack costs 10
[20]; Gadgeteer [25]; Hard to Kill 5 Fatigue.
Brontes [10]; Night Vision 5 [5]; Patron (Zeus;
6 or less; Special Abilities, +100%) Steropes: Burning Attack 8d (Costs
670 points [30]; Power Investiture 6 (Gaea) [60]; 10 Fatigue, -50%; Increased Range,
Reputation (Artificer, Maker of Zeus’s ¥20, +40%; Side Effect: Heart Attack,
Brontes was one of the original Thunderbolts; All Classically Educat- +350%; Side Effect: Stunning, +50%;
Cyclopes of Greek and Roman myth. ed People) +4 [10]; Single-Minded [5]; Surge, +20%) [204]; Innate Attack
He and his brothers were born of Subsonic Hearing [5]. (Beam)-10 (DX+0) [8].
Gaea, the goddess of the Earth, at
about the time when she was giving Perks: Penetrating Voice. [1] Arges: Affliction 6 (HT-5; Affects
birth to the Titans. When Zeus led the Insubstantial, +20%; Cone, 3 yard
younger Greek gods in rebellion Disadvantages width, Disadvantage: Blindness,
against the Titans, the Cyclopes sided +50%; +80%; Sense-Based: Vision,
Appearance (Monstrous; Univer- +150%; Costs 10 Fatigue, -50%) [210];
sal, +25%) [-25]; Bad Temper (6) [-20]; Innate Attack (Gaze)-9 (DX-1) [4].
Clueless [-10]; Odious Racial Habit
(Coarse and Brutal) [-10]; One Eye

WORLDS 55

PRIMORDIAL Eventually their battles and celebra- Basic Speed 5.00 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0];
ENTITIES tions made so much noise that their Dodge 8.
parents were angry, and Apsu
Some monsters may have survived resolved to kill them. Tiamat protest- 200’ long; 6,000,000 lbs. (SM +9).
from an earlier stage in the history of ed, but when the younger gods struck
the cosmos. Greek myth had hundred- first, she resolved to avenge her hus- Social Background
handed giants fighting on the side of band. Marduk, one of the youngest
the Titans; Norse myth had frost gods, promised to defeat Tiamat if the TL: 1.
giants and fire giants arrayed against other gods would make him their CF: Ancient Near East [0].
gods and men. Primordial entities king. They accepted the bargain, and Languages: Akkadian (Native) [0].
may simply be huge manlike or beast- after his victory, Marduk cut Tiamat’s
like creatures, possibly with odd num- body in half, making half into the sky Advantages
bers of heads or limbs. In a world with and the other half into the Earth. But
realistic biological evolution, they may every year Tiamat starts to revive, Affliction 6 (HT-5; Area Effect: 60
resemble invertebrates of some kind. flooding the land, and Marduk must yards radius, +300%; Incapacitation:
In a more mythic world, they may be kill her again. Choking, +100%; Emanation, -20%)
made of raw elemental matter not [288]; Amphibious [10]; DR 6 (Can’t
fully shaped into solid form. The following description is for a Wear Armor, -40%; Flexible, -20%)
Primordial entities are overwhelming- lesser material form of Tiamat, such [12]; Doesn’t Breathe (Gills, -50%)
ly powerful; only the greatest heroes as adventurers might encounter. It [10]; Enhanced Move (Water Speed
could survive a battle with one. doesn’t attempt to portray her full 10) [20]; Flight (Cannot Hover, -15%;
size, as half of the universe, or her Winged, -25%) [24]; Nictitating
Primordial entities may be impossi- indestructible spirit. In this form, Membrane 3 [3]; Peripheral Vision
ble to destroy permanently; the most Tiamat has a horizontal body with [15]; Slippery 5 [10]; Teeth (Sharp) [1];
the hero can do may be to drive away four clawed legs and two wings; her Terror 2 (Always On, -20%) [40];
their local manifestations. The creature head has four widely spaced eyes and Unaging [15]; Unkillable 3 (Trigger:
the hero battles may be the monster’s a fanged mouth with a forked tongue. Spring rains, -15%) [128]; Very Fit
physical materialization instead of its (Only in water, -30%) [11].
true self. The true entity may exist on Tiamat’s greatest attack is her abil-
another plane, perhaps as a spirit. ity to summon flood waters from the Disadvantages
Earth. The waters fill a 60-yard radius
Tiamat centered upon Tiamat’s physical body. Cold-Blooded [-5]; Enemy (Mar-
Anyone in this area must roll vs. HT-5. duk; Hunter; 12 or less) [-40];
1,200 points A failed roll results in inability to Quadruped [-35]; Social Stigma
breathe for 1 minute per point of fail- (Monster) [-15]; Vow (Avenge her
Tiamat isn’t just a primordial ure (see Suffocation on p. B436). She Husband’s Death) [-10].
being from before the dawn of time; can also bite for 36d-1 cutting dam-
she’s the first primordial mentioned age. Simply seeing her requires a Skills
in any human records. The ancient Fright Check at Will-2.
Babylonian Enuma Elish described Intimidation-19 (Will+3) [12].
how the world began as two great ST 350 [880*†]; DX 8 [-24*]; IQ 9
deities – Tiamat, the ruler of salt [-20]; HT 12 [20]. * -40% for No Fine Manipulators.
water, and Apsu, the ruler of fresh † -40% for Size.
water. Apsu impregnated Tiamat and Damage 36d/38d; BL 24,500 lbs.; HP
she gave birth to younger gods. 350 [0]; Will 16 [35]; Per 12 [15]; FP The Thing cannot be described –
12 [0]. there is no language for such abysms of
shrieking and immemorial lunacy . . . A
mountain walked or shambled.

– H.P. Lovecraft,
“The Call of Cthulhu”

RACES AND CULTURES

Many fantasy worlds have multiple dwarves. A fantasy world’s human cul- knights and Japanese samurai. (The
sapient races. They often look like tures may vary less than in the real fantasy comic book Elfquest explored
human beings, aside from being larger world. Nonhuman races may have only this theme, with several different elvish
or smaller, or having unusual features one culture per race. In genre fantasy, cultures.) Alternative racial cultures
or coloration. Their main difference is the cultures of commonly portrayed will surprise players who think they
often the location of their homes. But races often follow familiar patterns: already know about fantasy races.
fantasy races may also be much more elves are noble and love the natural
exotic. environment, dwarves are clannish The legends of human cultures out-
miners and metalworkers, orcs are side of Europe and the United States
Fantasy races usually have strange warlike savages, and so on. provide one source for GMs looking for
cultures as well as strange shapes. variety. Perhaps the beings they
While a traditional adventurer might Fantasy races can have more varied describe, which sound like strange vari-
encounter unfamiliar customs in Africa cultures. Two bands of elves might be ants on dragons or fairies or vampires,
or the Arctic, a fantasy hero often finds as different as Bedouin Arabs and really are dragons or fairies or vampires,
such customs among the elves or Australian Aborigines, or English but with different cultures of their own.

56 WORLDS

Exotic Customs

Exotic human customs often provide the best An evil empire with a general custom of anthro-
sources for exotic nonhuman customs. Humans are so pophagy could occur in high fantasy, as an embodi-
inventive that many real cultures described by anthro- ment of mythic evil. In economically realistic low fan-
pologists will seem utterly fantastic if the GM calls tasy, it’s hard to make plausible. Humans mature too
them goblins or halflings. Here are a few examples of slowly to make good herd animals and are too intelli-
such customs: gent to be safe game for hunters. A military empire may
harvest poorly armed neighbors, at least until it uses
Berdaches them up. In a dark fantasy setting, such an empire
might provide the main threat, with heroes coming
This system treats cultural gender as separate from from tribes whose members had been eaten by imperi-
biological sex. When a boy reaches puberty, he may al warriors.
choose to become either a man or a woman and do
either man’s work or women’s work. A boy with no tal- Counting Coup
ent for hunting or war often chooses women’s work.
Some anthropologists reported that influential men Small-scale society with organized armed forces
sought out berdaches as second wives. Some cultures often approach warfare with “counting coup.” Used by
have the corresponding option for girls, and a fantasy some Plains Indian cultures, the warrior gains more
culture certainly could. In cultures that practice honor by approaching an enemy, striking him with a
shamanism (see below), berdaches often become ceremonial weapon, and getting away alive, than by
shamans. killing him.

Matrilineality

Matrilineality is the best-known alternative kinship
system. Children trace their descent through their
mother, not through their father, whose identity may
not be very important. Marriage is informal; men may
live with their sisters and only visit their female friends.
In real-world matrilineal cultures, a man still exercises
authority and passes it onto his mother’s daughter’s
son. In a fantasy matriarchy (see Matriarchy, p. 70),
women may exercise authority directly and marriage
may not exist at all.

Cannibalism and Anthropophagy Potlatch

Anthropophagy is the act of eating humans; canni- Potlatch is a system for distributing goods without a
balism is eating one’s own species. In a world with more market. Chieftains or other influential leaders stockpile
than one sapient race, the distinction is important. food, crafts items, and other goods, largely made by
Eating humans makes a race into a threat. Eating their their followers, and then hold large feasts where they
own kind makes them disturbing or horrifying. A race give them away, both to members of their own com-
in which anyone could eat anyone would be anarchic; munity and to leaders of other communities. This
most races surround cannibalism with legal or ceremo- maintains the Reputation of the chieftain so he can col-
nial restrictions. lect more goods and do it all over again. Potlatch is typ-
ical of moderately complex economies that derive food
Ceremonial cannibalism can express either love or from several sources and have a means of storing food
hate of the person eaten. Some societies’ funeral rites and other goods.
include sharing the corpse’s flesh with friends and fam-
ily. An extension is theophagy, ritually eating the flesh Reciprocity
or drinking the blood of a god. Other societies kill and
eat their enemies as a celebration of victory. Reciprocity is another system for distributing goods
Headhunting, a related custom, produces lasting tro- without a market. Anyone who acquires a major asset,
phies. It has echoes in legend and fantasy, which con- such as a large kill or catch, passes out shares to every-
tain many stories of magically preserved heads. one in the community. People who fail to do so are
mocked, and may be driven out. Small societies with-
out specialized food production often practice reci-
procity, especially hunting societies, where it ensures
that unsuccessful hunters don’t go hungry.

WORLDS 57

Players will often have difficulty Interfertility
roleplaying a character from an unfa-
miliar culture, especially a culture that In many fantasy novels, different races can crossbreed, though they
the GM has made up. A campaign may do so only rarely. This contradicts the normal biological concept of
should include some cultures that a species. On the other hand, this is fantasy! Spells, enchantments, or
players already know about or can potions may allow fertility between different species, or it may simply
easily figure out. Races that can be possible for any two humanoid beings to breed – just as in science-
become PCs should have at least one fictional settings from Barsoom to Vulcan.
familiar culture. Players can learn
about the less familiar cultures as they Depending on the genre, children of interbreeding have different
explore the world. natural roles. In low fantasy, they may face prejudice and have to over-
come it, making them a vehicle for stories about racism. In light fanta-
RACES sy, nonhuman ancestry is mainly a justification for personal eccentrici-
ty. In high fantasy, the greatest kings, heroes, and wizards come from
Sapient beings in fantasy fall into such backgrounds, which help raise them above common humanity. In
several broad types. The main differ- dark fantasy, half-breeds are often tainted and likely to meet evil fates.
ence between the types is their simi- For a more optimistic variant, let the half-breed struggle heroically to
larity to humans, in appearance and in overcome his own tainted nature and preserve humanity from the
behavior. Each type has its own typi- forces of his dark ancestors. The devil-begotten Merlin, using his pow-
cal uses in a campaign. Templates for ers to establish the Round Table, fits this pattern.
several races of each type are in
Chapter 6 (pp. 104-145). bigger differences, such as third eyes, Beasts
extra arms, or hermaphroditic bodies.
People Many fantasy races are based on
Differences in behavior can also set animals – as a rule, mammals, birds,
Many fantasy races are slightly a people apart. Some races, such as or reptiles, the sorts of animals to
exotic humans. This partly reflects elves and dwarves, are relatively long- which humans find it easiest to relate.
human prejudices and human imagi- lived (or even immortal) and repro- Beast races have animal bodies, or
native limits. But the human body duce slowly. Most scenarios portray bodies with animal traits. These come
does have advantages. Reasonable them as “good.” They can be ferocious in several different styles.
mobility in several forms, good in defending their territory, but don’t
manipulation, a useful combination of usually set out to take anyone else’s Some beasts have human-shaped
ranged senses, and the ability to com- lands. Other races, such as orcs, breed bodies, but are covered with fur or
municate at a distance all suit the much faster and lead short, violent have animal-like cosmetic features.
needs of a sapient being. In a world lives. Most scenarios portray these as This style, popular with artists, has
with important supernatural forces, “evil,” seeking to raid, conquer, inspired anthropomorphic comics
the human form may be an archetype enslave, or even eat their neighbors. such as Usagi Yojimbo and Xanadu
that many races approach in some Some races prey on humanity through (and the anthropomorphic fantasy
degree. stealth instead of open violence. game Lace and Steel). Some fantasy
Ghouls, who hide among humans and worlds have hairy, man-shaped “wild
GMs commonly set humanoid fan- eat their dead, are an example. men” such as the yeti (or abominable
tasy races apart from humans by is snowman) of Tibetan legend.
placing their homes in different loca- These races play a role in fantasy
tions. Humans do best on plains, as similar to the role of exotic tribes and Some beasts have bodies shaped
herdsmen, or on smaller areas of foreign civilizations in historical and like actual animals, but behave like
cleared ground, as farmers. Forests adventure fiction. Human characters humans. This may include walking on
often have other peoples such as elves can visit them or even live among their hind legs and using their paws as
living in them. Cutting down a tree them. In some settings, they may live hands, like the talking mice of C.S.
may be risky if the forest people among humans. In others, they serve Lewis’ Narnia series. Other beasts
object. Underground races are even as threats to travelers and adventur- move and act like animals, but talk
more common: orc or trolls in natural ers. Humanoid races, especially the and cooperate (see The King of Beasts
caves, dwarves or gnomes in mines, long-lived ones, may preserve ancient and the Parliament of Fowls on p. 47).
and halflings (and their prototype, lore or have their own forms of magic. A classic example is the horselike
J.R.R. Tolkien’s hobbits) in burrows. Members of these races can easily join Houyhnhms of Jonathan Swift’s
a party of adventurers. Chapter 6 pro- Gulliver’s Travels.
Short and tall races are very com- vides racial templates for dwarves,
mon in fantasy: halflings and dwarves elves, ghouls, halflings, orcs, and trolls In many legends, animals of cer-
on one hand, trolls and giants on the (pp. 104-145). tain species can shapeshift into
other. Fantasy races often have a com- human or nearly human form.
paratively slender or stocky build. Japanese mythology has many such
Minor exotic features are an easy way creatures, called hengeyokai; the best
to make a race look nonhuman – known is the kitsune or magical fox.
pointed ears were a common choice
long before Star Trek. Some races have

58 WORLDS

British legend tells of the selkies, a Serpentine races are very common in sheet. In some accounts, the afflicted
faerie race naturally shaped like seals fantasy and mythology; nearly every have a society of their own, living out-
but who can become human by human culture has legends about side of or hidden within human socie-
removing their skins. creatures resembling dragons. A tradi- ty, so that they’re a culture or subcul-
tional name for dragons is “worms” ture as well as a race.
Other beasts are human/animal (or “wyrms,” in recent fantasy litera-
hybrids. Some hybrids simply replace ture), classifying them together with Both vampires and werewolves
a human body part with an animal many invertebrate species. often come into being through this
body part, as a mermaid replaces sort of infection. In genre fantasy and
human legs with a fish’s tail. Others Wugs aren’t usually portrayed as horror, it’s rare for anyone to become
have extra body sections. Often they close to nature (perhaps because their a vampire any other way. Werewolves
end up with six limbs, instead of the invertebrate models look unnatural to have more varied origins (see
standard four for vertebrates. One many people) or as barbarians. Alternative Lycanthropies).
common configuration is a human They’re often highly civilized, but with
being with a pair of wings. Another is exotic and incomprehensible customs. From the viewpoint of human
a quadruped body with a human torso Races based on social insects such as characters, such transmissible curses
replacing the quadruped’s head and ants, bees, and termites might be com- are a particularly grim threat. Anyone
neck, like the centaur. Animal/animal munistic, militaristic, or both. Other fighting the accursed risks becoming
hybrids also sometimes appear in fan- races may be solitary, as dragons often one or seeing his friends become
tasy as intelligent races. are, or live hidden away in deep infected and having to destroy them. If
forests, under the ground, or beneath the condition is concealable, everyone
Beast races often act like the ani- the sea. may be under suspicion. The suspi-
mals they’re based on. Those based on cion can become dangerous, as
domesticated animals may live with Chapter 6 provides racial templates overzealous monster slayers torture
humans and appear as loyal friends or for three kinds of wugs: devilfish, and kill anyone untrustworthy. For
servants. Those based on wild animals dragons, and myrmidons (pp. 104- even worse paranoia, the victim of a
may live in the wilderness, with no 145). curse (usually lycanthropy instead of
more than a few simple tools.
Depending on the setting, they may be Beast races often act like the animals they’re
dangerous predators, riotous barbar- based on. Those based on domesticated animals
ians, or embodiments of natural beau- may live with humans and appear as loyal
ty and wonder. friends or servants. Those based on wild animals
may live in the wilderness, with no more than a
Chapter 6 provides racial templates few simple tools.
for centaurs and selkies (pp. 104-145).
The Accursed vampirism) may not even realize
WUGS what’s happened to him, or remember
In some fantasy settings, humans what he did the night before.
Other fantasy races develop from (or members of other races) can fall
unfamiliar and disturbing animal victim to a curse that they transmit From the viewpoint of the accursed,
species. Anthropologists coined the to others. GURPS represents this as the story can be completely different.
word “wug” for such creatures (from either Dominance or Infectious They may have a separate culture,
“worm” and “bug”). This book uses Attack. Part of the change is an urge constantly threatened by the humans
the word for intelligent races with to transmit the contagion – often by around it. However superhuman its
strangely built bodies and equally biting. members are, greater numbers can
strange behavior. Including such races always overcome them. Their curse
in a fantasy world usually makes it People with such afflictions aren’t makes them extraordinary, but it also
seem weird or creepy. quite a race in the usual sense. But separates them from humanity and
passing their curse to others is analo- even from their own past lives. This
Most wugs are invertebrates of var- gous to reproduction, and may be sur- theme is usually horror, but could just
ious kinds. Some are more intelligent rounded by similar passions, as in as well be dark fantasy.
(and often larger) versions of real many versions of the vampire mythos.
species. Others combine body parts of The transformed state can be repre- Chapter 6 provides racial templates
two or more invertebrate species. sented as a lens or meta-trait that’s for vampires and werewolves (pp. 104-
Races that add invertebrate features to added to each new victim’s character 145).
a human body, such as many of the
races in China Miéville’s Perdido Street
Station and The Scar, also usually
count as wugs, though tiny pixies with
insect wings come across as beautiful
instead of creepy and might just as
well be classified as people.

Even though snakes are vertebrates
closely related to lizards, many people
find them disturbing or alien.

WORLDS 59

Alternative Lycanthropies

To paraphrase Shakespeare, some are born lycan- game Werewolf: The Apocalypse, children of two
thropes, some achieve lycanthropy, and some have shapeshifters always suffer birth defects, avoidable by
lycanthropy thrust upon them. Lycanthropy can work mating with normal humans or normal animals.
in ways other than the familiar infectious bite.
Either complete sterility or liability to birth defects
Hereditary Lycanthropy is a physical Feature of the form to which it applies.
Lycanthropes who are cross-fertile with only one of
In some legends, children inherit lycanthropy from their two forms have that form as their base form.
their parents. This idea, common in recent books, Lycanthropes who can breed with both species, or nei-
films, and games, may reflect the influence of genetic ther, can have either form as the base form.
theories. But older folk beliefs include shapeshifting
kindreds, such as the medieval European Benandanti. Deliberately Acquired Lycanthropy

The hereditary trait need not be full-fledged lycan- Changing into a different shape isn’t something that
thropy. It may be simply a talent for changing shape. people can just learn! However, some fantasy settings
The actual change would then be acquired (usually provide the opportunity to voluntarily acquire the abil-
deliberately). Variants could include an attunement to ity to turn into a creature of a different species.
one animal species, which would predispose a lineage
to assume that form if they became shapeshifters, or a One option is learning a spell. This isn’t usually con-
tendency to shapeshift without a predestined form, the sidered lycanthropy, but suspicious villagers may not
form being determined at the first shapeshift. draw such careful distinctions.
Discussion of the first trait is found under Plant and
Animal Spirits (p. 49); the second can be represented by A magical object may also cause shapeshifting. A
Alternate Form with Unconscious Only, Uncontrol- mage or enchanter may create such an object through
lable, and perhaps Trigger. standard methods of enchantment; to start out with
such an object, buy it as Signature Gear (p. 131).
Some lycanthropes are a distinct species, capable of Alternatively, a mortal may come into possession of an
breeding only with each other. One of their forms may object such as an enchanted wolfskin, or learn how
mimic humanity, but isn’t truly human, any more than to make one. Buy the Alternate Form with suitable
their other form is truly animal. Other lycanthropes are gadget limitations (see Skin-Turners on p. 209).
cross-fertile with the species of their base form; they
may be a subspecies or have a hereditary talent. They An alchemist may develop a shape change potion.
may even be cross-fertile with both species, though Access to such a potion requires the skill of Alchemy
explaining this scientifically will take some ingenuity! and Signature Gear, or an Unusual Background such as
On the other hand, in fantasy, inheritance doesn’t have “has an alchemist friend.”
to be genetic. A supernatural curse, gift, or calling could
pass to future generations. A shaman capable of out-of-body travel (see
Insubstantiality, p. 128) may be able to assume an ani-
Cross-fertility may be only partially restricted. In Cat mal form in his astral body. Buy Shapeshifting with
People, for example, sexual relations with ordinary Only When Insubstantial (p. 131). Ordinarily this will
human beings trigger the change to the cat form, but only be the image of an animal. But if the shaman also
sexual relations with other cat people do not. In the has Affects Substantial, his projected lycanthropic form
can inflict injury on material beings while remaining
unaffected by their attacks – much like the werewolves
of many legends. This is an expensive set of abilities,
and it ought to be!

Accidentally Acquired Lycanthropy

Lycanthropy and other forms of shapeshifting are
often curses. The common bitten-by-a-werewolf ver-
sion is a curse, with the special quality of being com-
municable. Inherited lycanthropy can also be a curse,
condemning an entire family for one member’s trans-
gression. Curses afflicting only one person are also pos-
sible. A sorcerer may turn his enemies into beasts, or a
god may do this to those who profane his altars. Acting
like a beast – for example, by cannibalism – is a way to
become accursed; eating the flesh of one’s totem animal
is another.

The undead may also take the form of animals.
Some vampires turn into bats or wolves, for example.

60 WORLDS

Spirits Unique Beings

Some spirits can reproduce and Some fantasy characters are not members of any races, but unique
thus are literally members of races. beings. Many such beings appear in the Oz novels – for example, the
Other spirits don’t reproduce, but Scarecrow and Tin Woodman. (The Cowardly Lion is an animal, in a
divide naturally into “races” based on world where animals can speak, as discussed on p. 47.)
similarity to each other and difference
from other spirits. Racial templates To create a unique character, get a description of the character con-
can describe both groups. For a dis- cept from the player. Draw up a racial template that reflects the being’s
cussion of types of spirits and their size, shape, and nature. Compute a point cost for this template, and
campaign roles, see Magical Beings decide whether it’s suitable for play. If it is, let the player build the char-
(pp. 29-33). Chapter 6 provides racial acter, with the point cost treated as an advantage or disadvantage, just
templates for djinn, fairies, and imps. as for a character belonging to an actual race.
Chapter 9 adds templates for larvae
and nymphs. Centuries ago, one dragon found her, and fled. Living in hiding among
an alternative to stealing sheep: mak- humans, she discovered other djinn
CULTURES ing a treaty with a band of human and contrived to free them as well.
shepherds. The humans gave a share Eventually they separated themselves,
Here are some examples for the of their stock to the dragon, agreeing building a city in the hot, dry lands
GM creating variant racial cultures. to “keep the scent of roasting meat that suited their fiery natures and
These are useful in any appropriate and incense in his nostrils.” The drag- using potent magic to supply their
fantasy campaign, or taken as inspira- on used his flight and keen vision to needs. Now only a chosen few agents
tion for creating other cultures. scout out the land ahead of them and walk among men, looking for more of
his fiery breath to destroy their ene- their kind, carrying the image of a bro-
Davy Jones’ Lads mies (and as a beacon when they trav- ken lamp.
eled at night). In effect, the humans
Selkies are native to the British acted as the dragon’s sheep dogs. Both The Marshfolk
Isles; but when the British took to the sides prospered under the arrange-
high seas, selkies went along. Many ment, and the dragon produced many Halflings are usually strict land
came from the poorest regions in offspring who made similar arrange- dwellers, but some live in hollowed-
Britain, from which young men often ments with other tribes. Each dragon out riverbanks, or even build boats.
went away to seek their fortunes. A jealously guards its particular The Marshfolk are an entire culture
“man” born of the sea could find ship- humans, as dragons elsewhere guard that lives close to water, in the mean-
board life appealing, especially if he their hunting grounds. dering streams and pools of a tropical
took along his skin as insurance country. The climate and soil don’t suit
against drowning. Selkies evolved an Dragons from this particular cul- wheat or barley; instead, they grow
unofficial fraternity of mutual aid. If ture are not Bestial. several varieties of rice. Most of their
their mortal shipmates treated them cuisine and brewing includes rice.
well, they might help them in return, The Lampbreakers Their favored beverage is very much
even if it put their secret at risk. Tales like sake.
circulated of drowning sailors saved Legends tell of the City of Brass
by a seal holding them up – though it built by the djinn in the remotest Marshfolk live in large villages.
was rare for a selkie to come out and desert. But the legends say little of They build above ground, atop wood-
admit his true nature. For conceal- why they chose that location. Built as en platforms that act as clumsy rafts,
ment, they developed code phrases, a refuge and stronghold, the City of because it’s almost impossible to keep
including their name for themselves: Brass keeps its inhabitants safe and a hole dry; only the wealthy can afford
Davy Jones’ Lads. free. Solomon the Wise learned to holes in the few low hills. Abundant
invoke the Holy Name and bind the labor enables them to construct
The first selkies sailed on djinn to his service; after his time, his complex drainage systems to remove
Elizabeth’s ships. By Victoria’s reign, bindings remained in force, and lesser excess water. These systems also pro-
the custom was dying out, as ships of sorcerers followed his example. For all vide them with one of their best
wood gave way to ships of iron. their power and pride, many djinn defenses. When desperate, they can
became slaves of mud-formed open the watergates and drown their
The Good Shepherds humans. foes. Marshfolk also build flat-bot-
tomed boats that they pole across the
Dragons and humans generally One imprisoned djinn tricked her water. Some Marshfolk make surpris-
have a hostile relationship. In the human master into giving her a ingly long journeys, for trade or sim-
dragon’s eyes, the human is a game moment of freedom – and then ple curiosity.
animal, one with a useful habit of col- destroyed the magic sigil that bound
lecting precious stones and metals.
But dragons that live near grazing
land usually find it more convenient to
eat the flocks or herds than the herds-
men. Each shepherd has many sheep,
and the sheep don’t fight back.

WORLDS 61

Currently the mercenaries of a natural sympathy for plants or ani- other’s impulsiveness and used their
human empire are invading their mals or superior skill in working with lycanthropic abilities in banditry and
lands. The attackers have found out them. The elves of Paradise have built war. When Romulus’ ambition to
that Marshfolk are natural resistance an extraordinarily high civilization on found a city led him to propose
fighters. Harsh reprisals have wiped this. recruiting more werewolves, Remus
out several entire Marshfolk villages, objected and Romulus killed him.
but this has also convinced the Elves naturally prefer living in Romulus and his band agreed to keep
Marshfolk that the situation is desper- forested areas. Paradise is a tropical their lycanthropy a secret, and so it
ate enough for flood warfare, and two archipelago covered with rain forest. remained for centuries, under the con-
human companies were drowned on Its elven inhabitants initially used trol of an obscure priesthood that
their way to raze villages. Whether the their extraordinary skills to shape the infected selected patrician youths with
empire will tire of the high cost of growth, reproduction, and behavior of lycanthropy and trained them in its
swampland is still uncertain. other species, making the uncleared powers. (GMs may want to make this
land productive without the toil of part of the background of the Roma
Obsidian Mountain farming. With centuries of experience Arcana setting in Chapter 9.)
in breeding, they discovered the laws
Obsidian Mountain stands on the of heredity and used them to improve The Red Orcs
borders of an expanding human mili- plants and animals. Elves with
tary empire. Lacking metallurgy, the empathic gifts learned to understand Most orcs lives in tribal bands with
empire equips its soldiers with obsidi- other species and to awaken them to a limited technology; they would rather
an-edged wooden swords and obsidi- degree of sapience. Paradise now has fight than work and have short time
an-tipped arrows. A colony of dwarves many species with IQ 6 or higher, horizons, reflecting their limited life
provides the obsidian, tunneling deep ranging from parrots and monkeys to expectancy. However, the Red Orcs are
within the mountain – about 500 of trees. The elves have also turned their an exception to this rule. A large,
them, including 200 adult males. Two knowledge toward improving their slave-holding empire, their raiding
out of three dwarves are male; they own race, preserving and enhancing bands regularly strike at their neigh-
commonly practice polyandrous mar- specific gifts in certain houses and bors. Slaves dig tunnels, mine ores
riage, with two or three brothers shar- bloodlines, though this is a slow proj- and coal, or, lately, work in foundries
ing a wife. Each family has its own ect, given the low fertility and late and factories. Some orcs have proven
shaft complex and guards it jealously maturation of their kind. unexpectedly inventive, especially in
against other families, but families military technologies, and the Red
also provide soldiers for the commu- To other sapient races, they’re usu- Orcs are well into TL4 and experi-
nity militia. This cuts into the work ally sympathetic as well, provided menting with TL5, which enhances
time of single sons and hurts their those races don’t harm the natural their military effectiveness. Virtually
chances of getting married. They environment or deplete its resources. every Red Orc owns metal weapons
haven’t needed the militia lately, but Such behavior angers them, and if it and armor, and increasing numbers
all the dwarves know the story of a affects forests that are in their care, it carry muskets.
human invasion three centuries past. invites quick retribution. They often
The same memory causes them to dig treat better-behaved races much like Red Orc society is extremely strati-
cisterns and cultivate small terraced the species they have uplifted, wanting fied. Military Rank translates directly
gardens, even though they don’t really to guide and train them and even to Status, but promotions are usually
need to grow their own food. breed them for superior qualities. informal; killing a superior in a duel is
Individual elves may form extraordi- common. Rank also affects breeding
Recently a new custom has spread narily close bonds with members of opportunities. High-ranked Red Orcs
among poorer dwarves: two single other races who accept this guidance. have harems, middle-ranked orcs have
sons ritually adopt each other as exclusive possession of single mates,
brothers. This makes it easier for them Paradise is an example of an alter- and common soldiers visit “breeding
to afford marriage and children, native technological path (see pens” operated by the elite – or take
threatening to destabilize the system Magically Enhanced Technology, p. 65, advantage of slaves, though many orcs
of ranks within the community. In and Divergent Tech Levels on p. B513). consider this an inferior pleasure,
addition, while senior brothers tradi- Its effective technological level is making fun of those who can’t afford a
tionally have first claim on wives, TL(1+7). female orc and must make do with a
adopted brothers normally work out grotesque human or elf.
equal arrangements – and have more The Patricians
family disputes over them. Despite The Sanguinarians
these problems, two of the seven Roman legend says that Rome’s
dwarvish lawgivers support the new founder, Romulus, and his twin broth- Unlike the vampires of more bar-
custom. er Remus suckled from a she-wolf as baric lands, the lords sanguinary do
infants after their mother abandoned not move with stealth or hide in aban-
Paradise them. This isn’t what really happened. doned ruins. As rulers of great
Instead, as young men, the brothers domains, they openly celebrate their
A classic elven trait is sensitivity to entered political exile in the wilder- blood drinking as a communion with
the beauty of natural environments ness and were attacked by a werewolf, their subjects. Elaborate rituals make
and living beings. Many elves have which they killed. When the curse this a sacrifice, conducted under the
affected them, they restrained each

62 WORLDS

ancient rule that the victim must go vampirism. Where an unrestrained might get results, but the beings them-
willingly. These ceremonies take place vampire could produce several off- selves would not appear.
at night, so night is a time of festival. spring a year, the sanguinary lords feed
Peasants and tradesmen have to be directly only four times a year and pro- If humanity shares the world with
awake in the day, but the wealthy and duce roughly one offspring every other races, many stories assume
powerful are mostly nocturnal. decade. Even so, the vampire popula- that humans dominate – either they
Naturally, vampires have no Social tion is increasing, and the Sanguine have always been dominant or, often,
Stigma or Secret. Empire is expanding as young vam- they have become increasingly dom-
pires seek lands of their own. inant through the course of history.
An elaborate Code of Honor gov- This may be part of a “the magic goes
erns these vampires. For example, a THE PLACE away” setting, if the other races
vampire cannot be denied the right to OF HUMANITY depend on magic and humanity
feed at the nightly festival of any doesn’t. But other causes may be
domain he visits . . . but unless invited In a world with other intelligent important. Humans may be more
to stay, he must move on the next races, where do humans fit in? fertile than other races, or more
night to avoid draining its resources. adaptable to varied environments, or
Vampires may challenge other vam- It’s perfectly possible to have a fan- more combative, or better organized,
pires for their domains, but if the loser tasy world where humans are the only or some combination of these. The
survives the duel, he may depart intelligent race. Many fantasy novels other races may be driven into refuge
unharmed. And vampires are expected and most fantasy games assume mul- zones of various sorts: arctic lands,
to lead their troops in battle. A griev- tiple races, following the precedents of deserts, high mountains, remote
ously wounded vampire may select a The Lord of the Rings and Dungeons & islands, jungles, or even under-
volunteer blood donor to heal his Dragons. However, earlier fantasy set- ground or underwater. If nonhuman
wounds. Such donors often become tings often didn’t make this assump- races are mana-dependent, they may
new vampires, augmenting the vam- tion, and some contemporary ones end up concentrated in the high-
piric forces when most needed. still don’t. mana regions.

Parasites become better adapted to A slight variation on this treatment An interesting campaign assump-
their hosts over time, and these vam- is a world populated by humans and tion, though one not much used, could
pires have done so. Careful proce- unseen spirits. In a fantasy campaign reverse this logic. Human beings run
dures of decanting blood into a with this premise, priests or wizards into another race that is more fertile,
vessel avoid direct contact with the might invoke powerful beings in their more adaptable, more aggressive, or
donor, and thus slow the spread of prayers or spells, and the invocation better organized – more sophisticated
orcs, for example (see The Red Orcs,
p. 62). A dark fantasy setting might
have such a race conquering and
enslaving humans, or driving them
into refuge areas.

Alternatively, humans could be a
minority. Another variant world could
maintain the original diversity of non-
human races. Humans might live in
environments that best fit them, such
as plains, but elves might rule the
forests, dwarves or trolls the moun-
tains, goblins the deserts, and so on. In
designing such a world, decide what
environment can support each race in
the greatest numbers, and which envi-
ronment each race can best defend
against other races; then create a
patchwork of races based on these
conclusions.

A world could have no humans at
all. Most fantasy doesn’t follow this
path; it’s hard to tell a story growing
out of human myths, legends, and
folklore if there aren’t any humans.
However, an experimental GM could
create such a world. One version
might be a world of animals, where all
the animal peoples can talk and have
some kind of civilization as in some
Native American myths.

WORLDS 63

Languages

Different races in a fantasy setting can have their own distinct lan-
guages. Many fantasy settings keep things simple by having only one
language to a race, or a few languages. Nevertheless, the real world has
about 5,000 different human languages, and each fantasy race could
have similar diversity.

In a campaign, language diversity has two main functions. It pro-
vides an obstacle; when explorers encounter a new race, they may not
be able to communicate. It also is a source of color; a nonhuman, or a
human from a different culture, may have an accent, or a strange way
of phrasing things.

In treating language differences as an obstacle, remember that
obstacles exist to be overcome. Rolls against Gesture can be entertain-
ing, but when the communications barrier gets in the way of the story,
provide a way over it: high-speed learning by immersion, or a friendly
bilingual visitor, or a spell of translation or telepathy.

A GM can use language for flavor in two ways. First, he can decide
on the sound patterns of a language and introduce words that fit those
patterns. Commonly, GMs use this to produce exotic names for charac-
ters. But it’s sometimes useful to have a few words from the language.
For example, explorers may borrow native names for unusual plants
and animals, or for dangerous supernatural beings. Writing out a list of
the sounds of a language can help produce a consistent effect in its
words and names.

As an alternative, the GM can use odd turns of phrase, suggesting
strange grammar or peculiar ways of thinking. This doesn’t require any
made-up words at all. Use ordinary English, but say strange things in a
strange way. Insults and curses are good ways to do this. Having an
offended NPC call someone “husband of a dozen pigs” shows that his
native language isn’t English.

Enthusiastic worldbuilders may want to go into more detail, with
family trees of languages and lists of words. J.R.R. Tolkien did this in
The Lord of the Rings and the invented mythologies in its background.
M.A.R. Barker’s classic fantasy game world Tekumel also involves seri-
ous linguistic speculation. Looking at their work is a good introduction
to linguistic worldbuilding. However, most players won’t want to learn
any invented language, or puzzle out relationships between languages.

MAGIC AND TECHNOLOGY
An imaginary culture with a differ- GURPS divides technology into views, unrivalled by science, so few
ent technology can be just as exotic as tech levels, or TLs, from 0 (the Stone people doubt the supernatural. With
one with a different religion or a dif- Age) to 12 (the most advanced tech- few exceptions, rulers are hereditary
ferent cuisine. How people travel to nology that can be envisioned from monarchs or aristocrats who consider
distant places, fight their enemies, and current scientific theories). Most his- themselves better than common peo-
heal the sick – matters of life or death torical fantasy is set in societies at ple. Travel is limited, especially on
in a fantasy campaign – all depend on TL1-4. Despite the centuries of land, where the poor walk and the rich
technology. progress from ancient Sumer to ride. Places a few hundred miles away
Stuart England, these societies have are distant realms where anything
If magic is powerful, reliable, and certain things in common that make could happen.
widely available, it may function as an them congenial to fantasy. Their
alternative form of technological economies are agricultural, with most All these societies draw a line
advance. A realistically portrayed soci- people living in the country, close to between themselves and the tribal
ety with such magic may function folk traditions. Religion is the basis of “savages” or “barbarians” around
much like a society with much more the state and of most people’s world- them, who do not have kings, armies,
advanced material technology. or organized religions – a category

64 WORLDS

that includes all TL0 societies and MAGICALLY Improved Materials
some from higher TLs. The supernat- ENHANCED
ural beliefs of tribal societies may fur- TECHNOLOGY A magical world may have superior
nish civilized religions with spirits, materials, whether found in the natu-
demons, or gods of the earth and One basis for variant technology in ral environment, such as orichalcum
underworld. Lesser supernatural a fantasy setting is the use of magic to (p. 23) or Tolkien’s mithril, made by
beings and tribal peoples are consid- improve technology. Achieve this by alchemy, or strengthened by enchant-
ered contemptible, dangerous, or augmenting either the abilities of the ments or holy blessings. Armor or for-
both. technologists, or the tools and tifications could weigh less but be
resources they use. harder to breach, or swords could
ALTERNATIVE have sharper or longer-lasting edges.
TECHNOLOGIES The basis for the first approach is There are also subtler possibilities: a
the Talents as Magic rules (p. 160). blast furnace with magically heat-
Technology doesn’t develop in a What if an armorer or engineer gained resistant brick, a mile-high tower that
rigid lockstep. Native American and augmented skill through suitable ritu- won’t collapse under its own weight,
Far Eastern civilizations, far away als, perhaps by praying to Thoth or or a flying craft light enough to be
from Europe and the Near East, devel- Hephaestus for aid in his work in the man-powered.
oped quite differently, with some inno- form of Artificer Talent? Other gods
vations coming earlier and others might enhance the skills of farmers Power Sources
later. For example, China had cast iron (Green Thumb), physicians (Healer),
at TL3, while the West didn’t achieve it architects (Master Builder), or With the widespread use of mills in
until TL4; the Mayans, at TL1 overall, even mathematicians (Mathematical the Middle Ages, speculations about
never developed bronze at all, while Ability). Traditional Japanese mathe- perpetual motion gained an audience.
many African peoples went straight maticians made offerings of their the- A captive spirit might keep a wheel
from stone to iron. orems, carved into fine wooden turning with no physical energy
plaques, at Shinto shrines, and a god source, or a wheel made of celestial
The simplest approach to alterna- or spirit might reward such devotion. matter might share the endless turn-
tive technology requires some inven- ing motion of the heavens. Once
tions come early and others late. The In the second approach, magic steam engines come into use, ele-
Mayans, for example, were TL1, with substitutes for certain kinds of tech- mental spirits might induce them to
advanced mathematics and astrono- nology, and thus helps other technolo- run more efficiently, or magically
my (TL3) and retarded materials and gies advance. This could happen in improved materials could let them run
transportation (TL0). various ways. at higher pressure without bursting.

A more freewheeling approach Variant Natural Laws
supposes that the technological
dreams of the past became realities. Nothing requires a fantasy setting to follow the same natural laws as
The steampunk genre uses this basis, the real world. Flat worlds, for example, obviously have different laws.
assuming that engineering schemes In settings with different natural laws, different technologies may be
such as Charles Babbage’s analytical possible.
engine, Nikola Tesla’s beamed power,
or fictional speculations by writers The history of science includes many theories that are no longer
such as Jules Verne could have been accepted, but could be true in a different world, such as Babylonian
realized. But earlier eras had their celestial divination, flat Earth geography, humoral or chi-based medi-
technological dreams as well: cine, or phlogistonic chemistry. Many of these suggest variant technolo-
Renaissance ornithopters and per- gies. For example, one of the reasons chemists rejected the phlogiston
petual motion machines, Roger theory (which interpreted fire not as combining with oxygen, but as giv-
Bacon’s talking brass head, and ing off phlogiston) was that phlogiston seemed to have negative weight.
Cretan wonders such as Talos, a If phlogiston were real, it could be an even better lifting gas for balloons
bronze warrior, and the wings of than hydrogen.
Daedalus and Icarus. Designate such
mechanisms as TL(n+1); Daedalus’s It’s also possible to work in the other logical direction. The techno-
wings were TL(1+1), and Renais- logical fantasies of past ages don’t work because they would violate nat-
sance ornithopters are TL(4+1). ural laws if they did. So identifying those natural laws, and envisioning
Occasionally a higher bonus may a world where they don’t apply, can make such imaginary inventions
be appropriate. For example, the possible. Perpetual motion machines, which violate the conservation of
Flintstones live in a TL(0+7) world, energy, are an example of such an invention. In a fantasy world, energy
with Stone Age technology mimick- might not be conserved.
ing television sets and automobiles.

WORLDS 65

Automata technologies might have given rise to some things easy that look like TL12,
Metal spells (TL1) or Acid spells (TL3). while straining to do other things that
Spirits can do more than just look like TL6. Look at a number of
move; they can perceive, communi- WHEN MAGIC commonly used spells, assign them to
cate, remember, and even think. A fan- BECOMES approximate TL equivalents, and see if
tasy world that learned to control spir- TECHNOLOGY these cluster around one or two TLs as
its, or gain their cooperation, might usually defined; if so, use a rough
have its Information Revolution hun- Arthur C. Clarke stated, “Any suffi- equivalent TL in that range. If that
dreds of years early. If the same spirits ciently advanced technology is indis- doesn’t work, the TL concept may not
could control the motion of artificially tinguishable from magic.” However, in fit the setting – but don’t simply
made bodies, the result would be an a fantasy context, the converse may be assume that it’s “just like TL3, but with
early age of robots, whether in the true: sufficiently advanced magic may wizards.”
form of man-shaped golems and be indistinguishable from technology.
homunculi, or of self-moving tools Settings with magically based TL
and artificial songbirds. A fantasy GURPS can take widely available ratings are effectively alternative his-
world could have an artificial intelli- magic into account when defining the tories, where the point of departure
gence acting as the library for a uni- tech level. In normal- or low-mana is the invention of reliable magic.
versity – or the tax assessor for a gov- worlds where Magery is rare, any They’re closer to realistic fiction
ernment – or the inquisitor for a magical effect is effectively a proto- than myth, both in their focus on
church. type. The same may be true in a very- working out a divergent timeline and
high-mana world where casting spells in their concern with the practical
Biotech is extremely risky. The ability of a uses of magic. Magic in mythic fan-
small number of mages to cast a spell tasy is often too unpredictable for
Living creatures can be altered by doesn’t raise the TL of their world or routine use, even if it’s more power-
changing either their environments or society. If common (see How Many ful than in settings that treat magic
heredity. In a magical setting, spells, Mages, p. 103), magic may function as as technology.
enchantments, or rituals may produce technology’s equal and change the
a more favorable environment, lead- effective TL. Spells may have wide- TECHNOLOGICALLY
ing to better crop yields (see Agrarian spread accessibility in a high-mana ENHANCED MAGIC
Magic, p. 95). Better nutrition may world or in a world where most people
make people taller and stronger. have Magery. Or enchanted objects Mages in a technological society
Herbal or alchemical elixirs may cure might be common, since most don’t may use various devices to enhance
diseases and infections and speed the require Magery. their own spellcasting or enchanting.
healing of wounds, lowering the death The same may apply to other magical
rate. Alchemical techniques may In either approach, the TL may be arts.
transform the human body (or the difficult to define. Magic may make
bodies of other living things) or allow
strange experiments in crossbreeding Examples of Magic as Technology
(see Alchemical Hybrids, p. 51). Spirit
magic could uplift individual organ- The following spells might be widely available, because they either
isms, and perhaps entire species. If
these various sorts of life magic work have few or no prerequisites, or can be enchanted into objects that any-
well, the world may look like that old
favorite of science fiction, the civiliza- one can use. Technological equivalents for each are noted.
tion that developed biological science
and technology earlier than physical. Spell/Item Comparable Device Equivalent TL
Accuracy Gunsight 5
TECHNOMAGIC Armor 10
Continual Light Subdermal armor 5
GMs running fantasy campaigns in Create Air Electric light 5
a TL4 or higher campaign may want Create Fire Oxygen tank 3
to add new colleges or subcolleges, Cure Disease Fire siphon 6
reflecting the changing kinds of Extinguish Fire Antibiotics 6
objects people deal with in everyday Foolishness 1
life. Possible colleges could include Ignite Fire Fire extinguisher 5
Machine spells (TL4), Microorganism Lend Vitality Alcohol 6
spells to accompany Plant and Animal Purify Water Matches 6
spells (TL4), Energy and Fuel spells Seek Earth 7
(TL5), Synthetics spells (TL5), Sense Foes Emergency room equipment 7
Electronics spells (TL6), Radiation Test Food Water filter 6
spells (TL6), Genetics spells (TL7),
and even Nanotech spells (TL8). Older Remote geosensors
Intruder detection systems

Chemical analysis

66 WORLDS

Precision Instruments Mechanically If magic involves the control of
Powered Magic mana, a computer may carry out a
An alchemist working in a high- spell with a mana co-processor. The
tech laboratory gains some effective Magic can obviously control, and computer will still need to understand
skill (see GURPS Magic), which is bet- perhaps create, the kind of energy that the spell, which will require enough
ter than he could achieve with tradi- physicists study. Spells such as Ignite Complexity to process a sophisticated
tional equipment and ingredients. Fire, Light, and Lightning all cause a language, but less than needed to
Similar benefits may accrue to any release of energy. Can it work the become conscious.
other mage who manipulates natural other way? If so, an enchanted
forces in some way. Precision instru- machine can provide magical energy Finally, if symbols themselves have
ments may also aid observation and as long as it has power. A power stor- magical power; any machine that
magic that involves observation. For age system, such as a mainspring, bat- manipulates the appropriate magical
example, if astrology works, an tery, or flywheel, will supply power symbols can work magic. A system as
astrologer with a good telescope and a until its stored energy runs out. A fuel- simple as a music box or a prayer
stabilized mount gains +TL/2 to skill burning engine, such as a steam wheel may cast a single spell infinite
rolls to interpret planetary configura- engine, internal combustion engine, times. A system comparable to a word
tions (see Soothsaying, p. 150). or fuel cell, will keep supplying energy processor, but with magical symbols
so long as it is refueled. In a world programmed into it, could assemble
Industrial Magic where perpetual motion machines are spells from a library, or even work out
possible, they will provide energy until new spells from thaumatological prin-
Standard magic is conducted like a physically destroyed. ciples. This would probably involve
handicraft; single workers or small manipulating symbols with extremely
teams cast spells, as artisans turn out Regardless of the machine’s power, high resolution, comparable to that
handiwork. Can magic be organized the value of the enchantment would for magical printing presses; this abil-
like a factory or an assembly line? If limit the energy output. An enchanted ity could be Magery.
so, the amount of magic will increase battery would not discharge until its
tremendously; this may lead to a very- power was put to use, but would Where do machines get the energy
common-enchantment setting. always be visibly magical to anyone for spells? Typically, mana comes from
with Magery. An enchanted engine the FP and HP of living organisms.
At TL6, a magical production line would release energy whenever it was Entities with the Machine meta-trait
that creates any enchanted object running; unused energy would simply often don’t generate it. A mana co-
might exist. A process of enchantment dissipate into the environment. It processor may contain systems that
in itself, the energy cost is twice that of would be visibly magical when run- emulate mana-generating life process-
setting up a magical workspace to ning, but not when shut off. Starting es or convert physical energy to mana.
build a prototype item, or (number of the conversion process might require A symbol-manipulating machine may
prerequisite spells +1) ¥ (800 energy a small input of magical energy, per- gain the necessary energy from the
points). Each production line can only haps from a magical battery. symbols themselves. A machine
produce one kind of item. It turns out inhabited by a spirit draws energy for
one copy of the prototype in (energy Thaumaturgic magic from the spirit’s FP and HP.
cost of enchantment/4) hours. Each Automata
mage working on the line can con-
tribute 10 energy points per working Can a machine cast a spell? The
day, reducing the cost of hiring mages. answer depends on how magic works
in the campaign setting.
Another option is alchemical pro-
duction on a production line scale. See If magic is a product of conscious-
Alchemic Inventions and apply the ness, only a conscious machine – usu-
standard rules for production lines ally a computer with sophisticated
(p. B156). artificial intelligence programming
and high enough Complexity to run –
In a setting where symbols are can cast a spell. In an animistic set-
magically potent, a printing press can ting, a conscious machine may have a
be a potent magical production line, spirit inhabiting it. In some settings,
turning out multiple copies of a spell. any conscious machine can use
Available at TL4, it works just like any magic; others require a separate
other magical production line. The Magery 0 program.
printing must be of extremely high
quality to make the symbols work. Spirits might not have fixed resi-
dence in specific computers, but trav-
Finally, if naturally magical crea- el between linked computers.
tures or substances exist, a society Cyberpunk offered animistic and
may harvest them on an industrial magical ideas as a metaphor for virtu-
scale. High-tech societies with magic al reality or cyberspace; in a fantasy
may have greenhouses or farms rais- setting, these could be more than a
ing magical herbs, or deep mines or metaphor.
wells seeking deposits of magical
minerals.

WORLDS 67

Exotic Settings

Many fantasy stories show cities or civilizations in magic. Its inhabitants might fly, use flying carpets, or
unusual surroundings. Technology (or magical technol- ride huge flying beasts such as gryphons tamed by
ogy) may make it possible for human beings to inhabit magic. Even more exotic examples are possible: com-
such environments, or nonhuman races may live there munities living underground, or in the craters of live
and may develop different technologies as a result. volcanoes.

Magic could seal a city beneath the sea against the Nonhuman races such as devilfish (p. 105) could
water, or encase it in a dome of adamant. Other spells also live in exotic places. Underwater races would not
could provide air and light. Or its inhabitants could be have fire, and as a result could not produce ceramics,
adapted magically to their aquatic life by spells metal, or glass. Races in more exotic settings would
enabling them to breathe water or giving them gills and have other limitations; a race that lived in the crater of
fish tails. A city could float in the air with levitation, or a live volcano might be unable to use organic materials.
huge chambers of lifting gases perhaps enhanced by

CIVILIZATIONS

Just as natural forces shape land- a vessel of supernatural energy. In addition, he’ll probably have
scapes, political and economic forces Alternatively, they may be specialists exceptional wealth. Aristocrats tradi-
shape civilizations. A political map in maintaining the purity of a sacred tionally get their wealth by inheriting
that reflects these forces will offer king. Priests and scholars are often it, not by working for it; they consider
more ideas for adventures. Magical knowledgeable, especially about most forms of work degrading. Myth,
arts and supernatural forces might secret matters hidden from other peo- legend, and folklore often share this
alter these forces in a variety of ways. ple. This knowledge may turn into view, seeing wealth as an inherent per-
magical power; the word “glamour,” sonal quality – the rich man is rich by
TRUE KINGS for faerie magic (p. 168), was original- nature, and the poor man is poor. Only
AND SACRED ly a mispronunciation of “grammar,” divine favor, or luck so extraordinary
COVENANTS and writing systems such as the Norse as to be supernatural, can change him
runes may have magical powers. Or from one to the other. Even merchants
Real societies often attribute super- the physical expression of their knowl- get their wealth not from careful
natural origins and powers to their edge may be supernaturally potent. investments, but from buying one
kings. Citizens may worship kings as For example, a Bible may be literally pearl of great price, or from trade ven-
gods, claim divine ancestry, or act as holy. tures that are virtually heroic quests.
the gods’ favored servants. In a fanta-
sy setting, a king may gain a level of Lesser aristocrats don’t have the Many fantasy settings support the
Charisma at his coronation. Or he same magic as kings, but they may aristocratic idea that wealth equals
may have supernatural gifts, such as a have their own gifts. A nobleman may land. The rich man who deserves his
touch that cures the sick; the True have not just a Code of Honor, but a wealth has invested in the earth and
King template (p. 125) reflects this Higher Purpose that enables him to has a bond to the earth much like the
idea. He may have a special bond to exceed his normal limits. He may true king’s special bond to his country
the land, as in the myth of the Fisher actually be the knightly ideal of chival- – or the peasant’s closeness to his own
King, whose wounds reflect the ric romance, superior to common soil, which has its own magic (see
injuries of the land. men in both fighting prowess and Everyday Magic, p. 70).
willpower. His bloodline may even
have some special magical heritage.

The hand of the d’Anconias, it was The hands of a king are the hands of a healer,
said, had the miraculous power of the and so the true king was ever known.
saints – but it was not the power to
heal, but the power to produce. – J.R.R. Tolkien,
The Return of the King
– Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

Priests may also have special pow-
ers. They often accept restrictions on
their conduct, to maintain “purity”;
this may be more than ritual in a fan-
tasy setting. Perhaps only the man
who is insulated from daily life can be

68 WORLDS

SUPERNATURAL Pirate Commonwealths
ELITES
Before the American and French Revolutions, the great majority of
In a fantasy setting, magically gift- civilized societies were monarchies of some sort. Few thought about
ed people or beings may rule civiliza- republics, democracies, or anarchies. Law was the command of a sov-
tions. This adds to the standard list of ereign; being without a king meant being without law.
government types.
One exception was the organization of pirate ships in the era of the
Theocracy Spanish Main. A pirate ship was owned in common by its entire crew
and governed by their communal will, under a compact they all agreed
Theocracy usually means rule by to – sometimes under duress, as refusing to sign the articles could be
priests, but in a fantasy world, a god grounds for marooning. The captain was not a sovereign, but an agent
may rule a civilization directly. Harry of the crew. His authority began when the ship prepared for combat,
Turtledove’s Between the Rivers por- and ended when combat ended. During that period, he was an absolute
trays such a world. Priests of such a ruler, but with victory or escape, authority reverted to the quartermas-
god, despite their authority, won’t be ter, including the authority to supervise the division of spoils. On a larg-
supreme rulers, but anxious servants er scale, accounts exist of a pirate republic in Madagascar called
hoping not to offend their divine Libertatia.
master.
Larger commonwealths earlier in history often have traits reminis-
Teratocracy cent of these pirate republics. Iceland, founded by Vikings in the ninth
century, had only one government official, the lawspeaker, who presided
A human civilization may have over annual meetings of Iceland’s judicial body, the Thing. Icelanders
nonhuman rulers. Powerful beings proclaimed that “The law is king.” Much earlier, pre-Monarchic Israel’s
such as dragons, elves, or vampires only officials were the Judges, under the legal codes of the Old
may find human servants convenient. Testament – and the Israelites started out as nomadic desert raiders
Or human beings may be semi-wild preying on the more civilized Canaanites, whom they eventually con-
associates of a more civilized race; for quered. Rome doesn’t fit this pattern as well, since it immediately devel-
example, a dwarvish empire might oped from an armed band to a monarchy, and only later instituted a
rely on human mercenaries and ten- republic under magistrates. But its organization as a republic has some
ant farmers. This might take malig- parallels, including the office of dictator, which held absolute authority
nant forms, such as human beings only for the duration of a war, much like a pirate captain.
becoming the slaves of exceptionally
capable orcs (see The Red Orcs, p. 62). In a historical fantasy setting, these may serve as models for a com-
monwealth, in the nature of their founders or in the organization of
Thanatocracy their institutions.

Vampiric overlords verge on a dif- like other professionals, mostly live in selecting certain mortals to speak
ferent type of exotic system, where cities, thaumatocracies may be rela- with his voice; while doing so, such
human beings serve their own dead. tively urbanized. If cities have lower spokesmen might take on the god’s
This might simply involve ancestor mana, magical rulers could live in charismatic force.
worship, with the ancestors replying. remote high-mana fortresses to which
Or it might involve rule by more pow- cities pay tribute. Charisma and glamour (p. 20) may
erful undead, whether spiritual or cor- be the same thing, or closely related. If
poreal, who regard the living with con- Charismatic Rulers so, explorers may discover the rulers
tempt, envy, or good will. Perhaps of faerie realms have personal charis-
funeral rites are ancient magical tech- The German sociologist Max ma instead of legal authority.
niques freeing the living of such Weber defined charisma as a quality
authority, remnants of some ancient of unique personal authority seen in Charismatic rulers can establish
spiritual revolution. the founders of new faiths and new new laws and customs by decreeing
empires. GURPS defines this as them. A civilization with established
Thaumatocracy Charisma 5 or higher, seen in histor- charismatic rule is almost a self-con-
ical figures such as Alexander and tradictory idea; historical turmoil and
If magic really works, mages may Muhammad, or their fantasy ana- rapid change surrounds charismatic
gain forms of power other than magic. logues. If gods have half-mortal chil- leaders. If charisma is inherited or
The ability to cast spells may be the dren, such demigods might become transmitted, a charismatically ruled
jealously guarded prerogative of a charismatic rulers. Mortals pos- civilization may be a place of rapid
Guild of Wizards, with unlicensed sessed by gods or powerful spirits social change – perhaps constructive
spellcasters facing anything from fines might also have such authority. A progress, like that of the Industrial
to the destruction of their magical tal- god might rule a civilization by Revolution, or perhaps repeated dis-
ent. If Magery is hereditary, a different ruption and outright revolution.
sort of aristocracy generates – one that
may either share power with warriors
and priests or displace them. If mages,

WORLDS 69

FANTASTIC discussed on p. 57.) But fantasy set- Secret Kings
CUSTOMS tings may contain such civilizations.
Who’s really in charge? Historical
Legends and literature describe Women may get their power from societies had popular legends about
many customs and institutions that being warriors, such as the Amazons secret manipulators, much like today’s
fall closer to myth than history, rang- of Greek legend, whose combat skills conspiracy theories. From the
ing from the debatable to the entirely few men could equal. Or they may be Renaissance on, the Jesuits were
imaginary. In a fantasy setting, some priestesses or sorceresses, with magi- favorites for this role, particularly in
may be real and may form part of fan- cal powers that men can’t share. A Protestant countries. Hidden Illumi-
tastic civilizations. matriarchy may worship a goddess nati might rule a fantasy country. They
whose divine power protects her mor- might even be benevolent, as in Lois
Communism tal daughters from male violence. McMaster Bujold’s The Curse of
Chalion, with its church guided by a
Some historians have remarked on Oaths network of hidden saints.
Marxism’s similarity to the prophetic
traditions of Near Eastern religions. In the real world, personal convic- EVERYDAY MAGIC
Marx’s vision hasn’t worked out in the tions and social forces – such as the
real world. However, in a fantasy set- desire to preserve a good Reputation – In many real cultures, common
ting (perhaps a postmodern one), enforce oaths. In a fantasy setting, people have their own sorts of magic.
communistic economics might work. oaths may have supernatural power The same is sometimes true in fantasy
The economy of Oz, for instance, is (see Oaths, p. 147). A society where settings. Alongside the court enchanter
communistic, with great storehouses oaths have such power may rely upon with his potent spells may be a village
from which people take what they them in a way that doesn’t work in the wise woman or hedge wizard with folk
need. (Potlatch and reciprocity, dis- real world. magic handed down from distant
cussed on p. 57, provide real-world ancestors. If these spells actually work,
models for such customs, on a small Reversal they may make the common people’s
scale.) lives easier. Plant and weather magic
Many societies have a custom such can improve crop yields (see Agrarian
Matriarchy as the Roman Saturnalia, a period Magic, p. 95); healing magic can pre-
when authority relations briefly vent women from dying in childbirth,
Legends of countries ruled by reverse, with masters waiting on or children from becoming sick; fertil-
women, or even inhabited solely by slaves and a King of Fools on the ity magic can help barren women con-
women, go a long way back. throne. Some legends describe serious ceive children. Magic can turn away
Nineteenth- and 20th-century anthro- versions of reversal among nonhuman harm from a house, or help a judge
pological speculations about matriar- races. The faeries often split rule discover the truth in a dispute.
chal civilizations remain unproven. between the seelie and unseelie. (See
(This is not the same as matrilineality, Zeitgeists, p. 78, for one way this might Folk magic is like folk music. It
come about.) doesn’t use expensive instruments. It
doesn’t have highly skilled practition-
The Genius of a People ers. It is performed by soloists or very
small groups, not hundreds or thou-
In Roman beliefs, the Genius was the spiritual power that enabled a sands. They perform small, simple
man to beget children, especially sons who would carry on his name. pieces instead of elaborate sym-
Many cultures have similar spirits. Sometimes these are ancestral spir- phonies. (See Low Magic, p. 147, for
its, sometimes totem animal spirits, and sometimes abstract principles more on these distinctions.) But folk
of virility, as in Roman household cults (p. 202). music entertains millions of people,
especially in rural societies, and folk
An entire nation or people may descend from an original ancestor or magic may provide aid in daily lives.
household, biologically or adoptively. So it may have a Genius of its
own, as the Romans thought they had. Or it may have the protection of In a “magic as technology” setting
a greater spiritual being. Medieval Catholicism thought every nation (pp. 64-67), elaborate magic may con-
had an angel to guide and protect it; the angelic order of Principalities tribute to daily life. If production of
specifically had this function. Much earlier, Yahweh was very specifi- enchanted objects is inexpensive, peo-
cally the god of Israel, which claimed descent from Abraham. The ple may use those instead of mundane
Genius may grant a people protection from disasters – or, if offended, tools.
may make them worse (see Divine Punishments, p. 89).
In a society where magic is com-
A people with such a spirit may also have a common spirit in an mon, people will expect it. There will
everyday sense. For example, they may have an emblematic trait be magically skilled guards and detec-
(p. 213). The taciturn speech of Spartans and the reckless bravery of tives; appropriate precautions will be
Gascons are both literary clichés. taken against spellcasters by anyone
who can afford it. Even those who
can’t afford countermeasures will be
mentally prepared for most common
magical tactics.

70 WORLDS

Guards will be ordered to distrib- But another factor also determines For example, one ceremonial cast-
ute themselves so that a single Mass a society’s magical capabilities: the size ing of a 100-point Bless Plants spell
Sleep spell cannot get them all. The of its pool of trained wizards. A society will double the crop yield on 6.5 acres
wealthy will have Spell Shields and that develops better methods of magi- (see Agrarian Magic, p. 95). That’s a
Scryguards in their homes. Large jails cal training, or that identifies and small wheat field, but a substantial
and dungeons will have at least one trains more of the magically gifted, vineyard – and good wine sells for
cell rendered a no-mana zone with will have more people who can make more than good bread, so doubling
the Drain Mana spell (Mages’ Guild use of its available mana. If Magery is the yield pays off even more. Farmers
chapter houses may well have similar not found equally in all races, the peo- who live in a high-mana area will
facilities). ples with more mages will be more probably use their land for vineyards,
powerful. Or if only divine favor grants and spend some of the extra income to
MAGIC AS access to the supernatural, the peoples bring wheat from normal-mana areas
A RESOURCE who worship stronger gods, or enjoy nearby.
more favor from the gods, will be more
A world’s mana level may vary powerful. THE CONTROL
from place to place. If so, sites with OF MAGIC
higher mana levels will provide In a campaign with realistic eco-
sources of power in a magical and nomics, a subtler kind of change will In worlds where magic exists,
political sense. Wizard-lords with tow- take place, through the process of magical abilities are an obvious sub-
ers in high-mana areas will defend comparative advantage. If higher mana ject for legal regulation. Wizards
them fiercely. If mana can be trans- enhances some kinds of production could use magic to resist the author-
ported from place to place, perhaps more than others, the industries that ity of the state or the law, or to kill
embodied in magically charged physi- benefit more will concentrate in the people. Many classes of spells may
cal objects, mana-rich sites will higher-mana areas, and the industries be limited to licensed wizards, or
become wealthy and need more that benefit less will concentrate in the even banned. The following Magical
defenses against invading wizards or lower-mana areas, even if magic Legality Classes (MLCs) provide a
kings. would help them, too. rough average rating, based on the
potential social and political impact
of the spells in question:

MLC 4: Spells of healing; spells of
perception, knowledge, and commu-
nication; spells of crop fertility and
food production.

MLC 3: Movement spells; protec-
tive spells; spells that shape materials
or control natural forces or living crea-
tures; spells of illusion or conceal-
ment; temporary incapacitation spells.

MLC 2: Spells that inflict injury or
break material objects; permanent
incapacitation spells; mind control
spells; flight spells; death spells; resur-
rection spells.

MLC 1: Elemental summoning and
control; teleportation spells; spells for
perception through physical barriers.

MLC 0: Gate and necromantic
spells; large-scale destructive spells;
large-scale mind control spells; large-
scale curses.

In a fantasy world, most societies
will have the same CR for magic as
for other concerns, but variations are
possible. MLC interacts with CR in
the same way as weapon LC
(p. B267). Cultural variation in atti-
tudes usually places increased restric-
tions on magic, but a society might
consider spellcasting a basic right, or
even require that everyone capable of

WORLDS 71

learning certain spells do so. In a high- happy being the target of a manhunt, medieval guild model, designed to reg-
mana world, the law might require all and simple carelessness can easily kill ulate magic with an iron fist, for the
free citizens to know certain spells. a mage in this kind of setting. It can common good of all magicians . . . or
Societies with wizardly aristocracies also be frustrating for a party when at least the Guildmasters.
might have one set of rules for aristo- their single mage repeatedly gets them
crats, another for commoners, and in deep trouble with the law. Strong guilds typically charge hefty
still another for slaves. A society dues – 10% to 30% of the member’s
where priests call on the gods may Above the Law income, increasing with his Merchant
consider priestly status a license to use Rank. However, strong guilds often
divinely granted powers, while regu- Some settings may not have such have the clout to have laws passed
lating or forbidding ordinary spells. stringent standards. In rare-magic set- banning the practice of magic by non-
tings, the civil authorities may never members. And if the law isn’t a suffi-
Alternately, spellcasting may be have taken the time to make laws cient deterrent, they aren’t above send-
illegal in its entirety – no one may about magic. In settings where magic ing a golem squad around to have a
practice magic legally! In such a is not widely acknowledged to exist, it few words with the renegade. In the
world, mages are universally hated may not even possible to charge wiz- end, strong guilds usually end up with
and feared. All wizards must take a ards – it’s hard to charge someone a monopoly on magical training and
negative Reputation; just how strong with negligent telepathy if such abili- traffic in magic items. A few hedge-
depends on the depth of the popular ties aren’t admitted to exist. wizards may live out in the sticks, but
distrust for mages. Legal penalties for the cities are guild territory.
magic use may be heavy, ranging from Also, some very powerful mages
extortionate fines to outright slavery – may simply place themselves above At the same time, however, a guild
many illegal-magic regimes are moti- the law, either by making themselves can do a lot of good for its members.
vated not so much by a desire to elim- an integral part of the local power A guild that can bring pressure to bear
inate magic as to control it, and such structure (see Thaumatocracy, p. 69), on a recalcitrant enchanter can dis-
a government might well take any and or simply by being so powerful that no courage the people who might incite a
all spellcasters into bondage. Armed one would dare to arrest them. torch-wielding mob. And only the
press-gangs with an aura-checking most corrupt of guilds will ignore a
wizard might sweep populated areas Magical Guilds dues-paying member when he comes
from time to time. looking for help or advice. Guilds can
Wizards also police themselves. In be a source of information, training,
These sorts of settings can be very many societies, this means organizing and even employment for the young
exciting for a mage PC. Simply staying into guilds. These range from diffuse wizard.
alive and free will be a challenge. On professional organizations through
the other hand, not every player is mutual defense societies to a rigidly Guilds offer a way to restrict
organized “closed shop” on the access to potentially unbalancing
spells. Learning a powerful spell may
require access to secret guild archives
where such spells are recorded, or
lessons from an authorized guild
instructor. Mages seeking such access
may have to show a record of rep-
utable practice, or demonstrate a
need to know the secret lore – or sim-
ply make a large donation to the guild
treasury.

RELIGION

In a setting where magic works,
prayers can be demonstrably effective.
In a low fantasy setting, praying may
simply focus the worshipper’s Will on
a desired result; the gods themselves
may never appear. In a high fantasy
setting, the gods may truly control the
operation of the natural world, so that
storms are the wrath of the thunder
god and crop yields are the blessing of
the Earth goddess.

If a temple invites people to pray
for the deaths of their enemies, or of
the king, or for war, famine, or plague,
the local rulers will take that amiss.

72 WORLDS

Multispecies Empires leaving itself surrounded by uncivi-
lized lands without many inhabitants,
Many fantasies assume that political authority only operates within like China’s Ch’in Dynasty. But even
a single species. If elves and dwarves exist, they have their own rulers, vast empires usually have to deal with
who owe allegiance to no human ruler, nor does any human ruler owe other empires. In the ancient Near
allegiance to them. If the different species naturally prefer different East, for example, an elaborate diplo-
habitats, this is a plausible assumption, but it’s not the only one possi- matic protocol classified some rulers
ble. Human political arrangements involving contact between people as Great Kings entitled to precedence
from different cultures suggest several alternative models for contact over other rulers; the rulers of Egypt
between different species: and the Hittites called each other
“brother” and wrote letters asking
Enslavement about each other’s wives, sons, and
chariot horses. Interaction between
If a species has superior combat abilities, it may enslave other states takes a variety of forms, includ-
species after its armies defeat theirs. In an idealized fantasy setting, ing war, trade, intermarriage, and
only evil empires will practice such slavery. In a strongly realistic one, diplomacy.
it may be commonplace. Slaves may actually live better than their free
kin. The slaves’ desire for freedom partly determines whether the All of these, but especially war
exchange is good. Slaves usually have Social Stigma (Subjugated); an and trade, depend on transporta-
escaped slave has his master’s entire race as an Enemy. Slave races that tion. Trade requires exporting goods
have been enslaved for a long time may have Slave Mentality. to other lands; war requires the
movement of troops, food, fodder,
Castes and weapons. If magic can lower
transportation costs, whether by
A system somewhat like slavery, but more complex, is the caste hier- producing better ships or instanta-
archy most strongly developed in India. Each of several species may be neous teleportation, it will make
assigned a place in society, with certain permitted or favored occupa- wider-ranging trade and warfare
tions and with specific rights and duties in relation to other species. (A possible.
society where humans are not the top caste offers interesting dramatic
possibilities.) A simple model of such a society gives each caste a Social Foreign relations may be con-
Status. Hybrids (if they exist) have Social Stigma (Minority Group). ducted partially via supernatural
means. If oaths are binding, the
Enclaves rulers of two countries may have
genuinely inviolable treaties. Or
A species may live according to its own laws and customs, but be alliances may reflect the friendship
subject to the authority and taxes of another species. The subordinate or enmity of two nations’ gods or two
species may occupy separate “quarters” of cities and towns, live con- peoples’ geniuses.
fined to reservations, or have their own cities with internal self-govern-
ment. This usually amounts to Social Stigma (Second-Class Citizen) or
(Minority Group).

Equality Under the Law

In the 19th century, some empires treated all their subjects as offi-
cially equal. Englishmen and Jews and Sikhs might not intermarry
or socialize with each other, but were all legally free. This assump-
tion fits especially well in a light fantasy campaign set in the 19th
century. An idealized treatment of earlier historical settings may
have the same assumption. Nineteenth-century British writers such
as Thomas Macaulay and Rudyard Kipling viewed Roman law in this
way – though, as the example of Rome suggests, equality may not
apply to slaves. In a society that takes such ideals seriously, the worst
Social Stigma is normally Second-Class Citizen. An empire with
such rules might have a wealthy orc merchant, a halfling military
commander, or a dwarf senator.

Religions that pray for blessings can FOREIGN
usually do so openly; religions that RELATIONS
pray for curses usually need secrecy.
Mortal rulers might not be able to Like people, nations usually have
punish a god, but they can make life
hard for his priests. neighbors. In rare cases, one state

conquers every state that borders it,

WORLDS 73

CHAPTER FOUR

HISTORIES

This world is older than any of you I turned, and I saw its crest in every Many fantasy novels have elabo-
know, and contrary to popular direction, like a wall encircling the rate historical backgrounds. A fully
mythology, it did not begin in a para- island, higher than the highest moun- realized campaign setting can profit
dise. tains. Our land was swallowed up in from background as well. Historical
the mouth of Ocean!” backstory implies that the world didn’t
– Giles, in Buffy the Vampire Slayer just appear at the start of the cam-
“Poseidon is angry with us. He paign, but was already there waiting
Old Xenops was out in the public gave us this land of Atlantis, so that we to be discovered.
square again, orating about the wrath might live in peace; but our fleets
of the gods. Melanippos and Draco cross the seas, and bring distant lands Even a purely action-oriented cam-
strolled toward him, mostly out of idle under our rule. And yet we do not paign has some implied historical
curiosity. King Poseidophilios didn’t offer him our gratitude, or sacrifice background. There’s a ruined fortress
want to silence the old man – rumor our wealth to appease his wrath.” inhabited by monsters? Then some-
made him a royal bastard, two gener- one long ago built fortresses, and then
ations back – and as long as no one A young man called out, “I see you abandoned them. There’s a great bat-
took him too seriously, exiling him don’t suffer from unsacrificed wealth, tle where the adventurers have to risk
would cause more trouble than it Xenops, judging by the patches in their lives? Then two opposed forces
would save. But if the old man’s rav- your cloak.” have some reason for conflict. Any
ings turned dangerous, the king would such assumption implies other things
need to hear of them. The prophet turned on him, and that may provide a basis for further
the soldiers walked on together, laugh- adventures.
Xenops was in fine form today, ing. Atlantis sinking beneath the
talking about his dreams. “. . . I stood ocean! Next he’d be saying that the
on the slopes of Mount Hieronikos, sun was going to fall from the sky.
above the orichalcum mines, and I
saw a great wave sweeping toward me.

74 HISTORIES

Just as the first step in creating a FRAMES with an alternate history where things
world is deciding its overall shape, the happened differently, and he can’t get
first step in creating a history is decid- or destroy the present before it hap- back to his own world. His presence is
ing how time works in the world. Is pens; his knowledge of the future can an anomaly, but an isolated one. GMs
history an inescapable linear progres- change the future. The very concept of wanting to keep things simple should
sion from past to future? Or are there a historical timeline may break down. use one of these answers.
other options? People who can see the future may try
to prevent it from happening; people MYTHIC TIME
HISTORICAL who can see and influence the past
TIME may try to adjust history in their own Civilizations in the past often
favor. History may repeatedly melt included supernatural events in their
Many fantasy settings have “realis- and recrystallize; encapsulated bits of histories, beginning with a mythic age
tic” historical sequences. Each per- the old may persist within the new – a ruled by the gods. In fantasy, especial-
son’s life is a continuous stretch of plausible source for magical relics. ly high fantasy, such legends may be
time from past to future, which is only Different histories might even coexist true. A high fantasy world may have
a fraction of the world’s history. in the same time. Mary Gentle’s his- been created by some mythological
Memories, records, and relics survive torical fantasy series Ash explores process, and may retain legends,
from the past, but few are truly some of the possible complications. records, or memories of a time when
ancient. No one remembers the future Two methods help avoid time para- the gods still walked the earth. The age
or has certain knowledge of it. No one doxes. One says that the past is diffi- of myth may have ended in some sud-
gets to skip ahead, or drop back. In cult or even impossible to change. The den catastrophe, or gradually faded
this kind of setting, developing a his- other says that changing the past cre- into history, with magic becoming less
tory is fairly straightforward. ates a new branch of time, diverging common and ancient races dying or
from the history that previously hap- departing to make room for humans.
Time travel makes things harder. pened. When the time traveler moves
Science fiction writers talk about “the forward again, he enters a new future,
grandfather paradox,” from the ques-
tion, “If you go back into the past and Prophecy
kill your grandfather, what happens to
you?” Telling a story becomes much Actual bodily travel into the past isn’t common in fantasy. However,
harder if a later event can change an sending information from the present into the past, or receiving infor-
earlier one, or if the same event can mation from the future, can also create paradoxes. Stories about
both happen and not happen. prophetic foreknowledge frame the problem differently – rather than
reaching back into the past and trying to change what has already hap-
One-way time travel from the pres- pened, the prophet looks ahead to Destiny and tries to change what is
ent to the future doesn’t create such doomed to happen. But it’s the same basic problem.
paradoxes. It’s just a way to get the
same character into a new story and In many stories, horrific visions of the future are too vague to prevent.
setting. Putting him in suspended ani- Oracular statements are famous for this kind of vagueness. When the
mation could also get him into the king of Lydia asked the Delphic Oracle what would happen if he made
future. So could simply having him be war on Persia, the oracle said, “A mighty empire will be destroyed,” and
unaging, if he waited for a while. so it was – the Lydian empire.
Fantasy stories often include suspend-
ed animation, typically as a magical In other stories, people simply don’t believe the prophet’s visions and
curse. Merlin was the victim of such a warnings. In Greek legends, the Trojan princess Cassandra foresaw
spell, and so was Sleeping Beauty. Troy’s conquest by the Greeks, but couldn’t prevent it, because no one
Visits to the faeries can also produce would listen to her.
one-way time travel into the future.
Fantasy also has immortals, such as Finally, everything the protagonist does may simply make sure that
the elves, though they’re often more the prophecy comes true. When the Greek hero Oedipus learned of the
concerned with remembering the for- prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother, he left his
gotten past than with jumping ahead home and traveled to Thebes, not knowing of his adoption or of his bio-
into the future. logical parents, the king and queen of Thebes. Thinking he was fleeing
his Destiny, he was actually going to meet it.
Paradoxes arise when someone in
the present travels into the past, or If the future can change, then what a prophet sees can’t be his Destiny.
when he travels into the future and At most, it can be a destiny. Looking ahead lets him choose which of sev-
then returns to the present (or, from eral possible timelines will become real.
the viewpoint of the future, into the
past). His actions in the past can alter

HISTORIES 75

A world may also have mythic A number of mythologies assert don’t usually have calendar dates.
events in its future. Jewish prophecies that time is not actually a line, but a External measures of time, such as the
of the Messiah, and the Christian and circle, a great cosmic day or year. In sun and moon, may not have existed
Muslim beliefs derived from them, this view, the mythic past and the yet when the age of myth started.
imply such a return. A fantasy world mythic future may be the same thing Which event happened first may be
could reawaken myth in its future, . . . a vast renewal of the world. unclear. Mythic eras may have fluid
based on real-world religions and histories, filled with paradoxes created
mythologies or invented ones. Mythic ages do not define time as by divine foreknowledge. A pantheon
sharply as history does. Mythic events may include gods whose origin is
never made clear, such as Heimdall,
Mythology, Part 1 the watchman of the Norse gods,
described only as “the son of nine
Whether myths are true, or simply cultural background, inventing a mothers.”
fantasy setting includes inventing its myths. GMs shouldn’t hesitate to
steal good stories from existing mythologies. The mythologies of cul- One possible theme for a fantasy
tures in the real world did this all the time! For example, ancient campaign is the appearance of myths
Babylonian legend described a great flood and a man named in the historical present. Ancient
Utnapishtim who survived it by building a huge ship. The Bible tells a relics may surface, or forerunners of a
similar story about Noah, and in Greek myth, a hero named Deucalion mystical apocalypse may appear. In a
survived a flood by taking refuge in a mountaintop temple. Identifying fantasy set in the real world, the
themes that occur in many different mythologies can also provide heroes may be called on to prevent
inspiration for a newly invented myth. Scholars such as Joseph such anachronisms from turning the
Campbell and Georges Dumézil discuss many common mythic setting into a fantasy world – espe-
themes in their books. The following themes are typical of both real and cially when the new age would be one
invented mythologies. of darkness and horror (one of the
recurring themes in Buffy the Vampire
The Birth of the Gods Slayer). Other stories portray the
mythic beings more sympathetically,
Where did the gods come from? Theologians describe eternal and as defenders of humanity or creators
uncreated gods, as in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. of a better future. The present-day
Mythology often has the gods emerging from some older, unformed heroes may need to form a bond with
chaos, as in Greek legend, where Chaos and Night were the first gods the mythic beings, or even participate
and the parents of all the other gods. in the events of the mythic age in
some mystical initiation. (All these
Many mythologies describe several generations of gods preceding the themes are common in the superhero
“current” ones that people actually worship. The earlier generations may genre; see Matt Wagner’s Mage: The
still exist, or they may have suffered destruction or exile. Their roles may Hero Discovered for a brilliant treat-
be vaguely defined, or correspond to those of the current gods, or they ment of the “defender of humanity”
may retain control over obscurer domains. theme.) Bringing myth into the fore-
ground as the focus of dramatic con-
The Creation of the World flict can turn a story or a campaign
into high fantasy.
Whatever their origin, the gods’ first tasks typically include creating
the world. This may not be literal creation out of nothing, as in Genesis.
The gods may instead create the world out of the unformed matter
around them, dredging islands out of the sea or shaping clay on a wheel.
They may make it out of their own substance, or out of other beings.
Giants whose dismembered bodies become the world appear in many
mythologies: Tiamat in Mesopotamia, Adam Kadmon in Jewish mysti-
cism, Purusha in Hindu beliefs, and Ymir in Norse myths, among oth-
ers. Relics of the original chaos may linger in corners of the world, or
under or outside it. This may include monsters of various kinds (see
Primordial Entities, p. 56).

War in Heaven

Another early activity of many gods is warfare. One group of gods
may battle another, like the Norse Aesir and Vanir. The gods may battle
primordial beings, or their own rebellious servants, as the Christian God
battled the angel Lucifer and cast him out of Heaven. This sort of war-
fare often takes place after the creation of the world – the prize for which
the gods compete. During such wars, any remaining areas of chaos may
provide refuges for the gods’ enemies.

76 HISTORIES

Mythic Time and was remade into the present physical . . . The eye altering alters all:
Cosmic Change universe. White Wolf Games’ Exalted The senses roll themselves in fear,
presents a similar flat earth and sug- And the flat earth becomes a ball.
A number of fantasies carry the gests that it could be the actual pre-
cursor to our world. William Blake’s The stars, sun, moon all shrink
idea of mythic time a step further, epic poems, written in the early 19th away,
century, described a cosmic transfor-
envisioning a remote past when the mation caused by a change in human A desert vast without a bound . . .
consciousness. Both Blake and
actual shape of the world was differ- Tolkien connected the world-changes – William Blake,
they described with the fall of Atlantis. “The Mental Traveller”
ent. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth was one

example: it was originally created as a

flat world with stars close overhead,

but near the end of the Second Age, it

PLAYING WITH TIMELINES

A timeline of historical events pro- Mythology, Part 2
vides a world with a chronological
framework, just as a map provides it Whereas previous themes discussed the Gods, the following themes
with a geographical framework. When focus more on humanity’s presence in mythology.
creating such a timeline, a GM can use
various methods, depending on how The Creation of Man
similar the fantasy world is to the real
one. Once the world exists, the gods commonly make human beings to
inhabit it – and possibly other sapient races as well, in fantasy worlds.
REAL HISTORY They may need human sacrifices to sustain them or human servants to
fight for them. They may simply want love and enjoy worship. They may
In fantasy set in the real world, the create human beings as a work of art, or even as a practical joke that gets
basic timeline is the same as appears in out of hand.
any historical text.
Ages of Heroes
However, this is only a starting
point. The next step is to look for real Many mythologies describe earlier ages when humans were closer to
historical events that point to some the gods, and when some humans became great heroes. Heroes may
occult secret. There may be a magical even be demigods, children of a god and a mortal, most often a male god
explanation for a death, a war, or an and a mortal woman (see Half-Mortals, p. 32). Heroes often face battles
expedition. Perhaps the German with monsters of various sorts, especially primordial entities. A hero may
oceanographers on the Meteor in be welcomed into Heaven after his death, either as a new god or as a war-
1925-1927 were looking for Atlantis, rior in the service of the gods, as in the Norse myth of Valhalla.
or the death of Alexander the Great
was the result of a magical curse. Or a Heroes also create civilization and technology. Sometimes the gods
visible event may have invisible con- teach a hero, so he can pass on their knowledge. Sometimes he steals it
sequences; what were the magical from them – fire seems especially singled out as the sort of thing the gods
aftershocks of the first moon landing? want to keep to themselves, instead of entrusting it to mortals.
Many of Tim Powers’ novels use this
approach. As the Greek legend of Prometheus illustrates, a story’s hero can be a
god instead of a mortal. In fact, gods can play any sort of heroic role in
Historical events that reveal a hid- their own legends, if the world contains suitable adversaries for them.
den magical influence may not be the
most visible ones. Relatively minor The End of the World
events may be more significant.
Researching actual incidents of this Finally, mythology often describes what will eventually happen to the
sort and adding them to a timeline world and the gods. In cyclical worlds, time will loop back on itself and
can provide a fund of ideas for sce- the world will begin anew. In some mythologies, such as Mithraism, this
narios. Rumored or reputed events happens all at once, in a huge cataclysm. In others, such as Hinduism,
with specific dates can reveal some- the world will first decay and perish, God will rest, and eventually he will
thing going on – not necessarily what create another world. In noncyclical worlds, the usual ending is a great
the people who report them think. battle to destroy evil, such as the Christian Armageddon or the Norse
Perhaps the flying saucer sightings Ragnarok. In either case, mythology often describes these future events
and contacts that began after World with as much certainty as past events.
War II were actually an upsurge in
faerie manifestations.

HISTORIES 77

DIVERGENT Zeitgeists: Spirits of Time
HISTORY
Just as a forest, a country, or a planet can have a spirit, so can a time.
If magic is openly used, then histo- Folk images often treat these spirits somewhat humorously, envisioning
ry will be different. Many fantasy cam- the new year as a baby and the old year as a dying man with a long white
paigns are effectively alternate histo- beard, but serious personifications exist. Historians don’t really believe in
ries. “the spirit of the 20th century,” but they use the image to talk about some-
thing real. And mythology sometimes contains beings such as spirits of
An alternate history’s timeline the hours or the seasons. In a fantasy setting, spirits of times could be real
starts from a point of divergence, the and have a measure of power.
first event that happened differently.
There are two ways to find such a Zeitgeists come in three main types. First, there are spirits of specific
divergence point. One is to look for periods, which have a start and an end. At midnight on December 31,
chancy events, where things could eas- 2000, the spirit of the 20th century was out of a job (after a year of strug-
ily have turned out otherwise, and ask gle for control with the spirit of the 21st). Such spirits take their charac-
what would have happened as a result. ter from the historic events they preside over (or vice versa). Second, there
The other envisions the large-scale are cyclical spirits. Times of day and seasons are obvious examples, such
outcome, then traces backward look- as a goddess of dawn or a god of winter. But astrology offers other cycles:
ing for the smallest visible change that the sun’s yearly movement through the signs of the Zodiac, or the vastly
would have generated it. In either slower precession of the equinoxes, in which the earth spends 2,000 years
strategy, the first visible change can be under the “rule” of Pisces, then under Aquarius, and so on. Finally, there
the first date in the timeline. are spirits of open-ended periods: the spirit of the past, obsessed with his-
tory and tradition; the energetic, rebellious spirit of the future, often seen
In a fantasy setting, the first visible at science fiction conventions; and the spirit of time itself. Ritual magi-
change will probably involve magic or cians might invoke these beings in working their spells.
religion. For example, John M. Ford’s
The Dragon Waiting grows out of the A cyclic zeitgeist has some level of the Sleepy disadvantage. For exam-
emperor Julian’s successful restora- ple, a spirit of winter would be inactive 3/4 of the time, a dawn spirit 7/8
tion of paganism in the Roman of the time. If the spirit doesn’t actually lose consciousness at other times,
Empire, and Randall Garrett’s Lord but is simply passive and unenergetic, treat this as a special -50% limita-
Darcy series starts from changes in tion on the disadvantage. A spirit of a specific time has Self-Destruct and
medieval history that made possible a suitable levels of Extended Lifespan or Short Lifespan; for example, the
science of magic. spirit of the 19th century would have Self-Destruct and one level of
Extended Lifespan.
Whatever the starting point, the
timeline grows by building up a chain
of consequences. If this event had this
outcome, how did the important peo-
ple and organizations of the time

78 HISTORIES

respond to it? What consequences did INVENTED the oldest living beings (in a world with
their actions cause? What people or HISTORY long-lived or immortal races), or the
organizations became more or less point at which myth gave way to histo-
important as a result, and more or less An entirely new setting will have its ry (in a high fantasy setting). Start by
able to shape the history that fol- imagining the important people and
lowed? Tracing these connections can own history. Its timeline won’t start organizations at that time, and then
produce unexpected implications of build the rest of the timeline in the
the original change. with a divergence point, but with the same way as for a divergent history.

first written records, the memories of

HISTORICAL ERAS

In a fantasy setting, history is a have servants at all) . . . but they sel- The best genre for portraying dawn
story. Each historic period has its own dom lack food or simple pleasures. ages is high fantasy, where characters
character, which makes it possible to They usually have a high degree of are larger than life and the world is full
tell certain kinds of stories. And the equality and little occasion for envy. of magic. Such a campaign setting
movement from one period to another Medical treatments are simple and should be a sparsely populated world,
is a larger story. (This takes history “natural,” but effective in preventing with perhaps one-fifth or one-tenth of
itself a step closer to myth.) So the pain. Inhabitants of many dawn ages the land occupied and little clearing of
approach presented here is a some- have very long lives (such as the thou- new fields. However, soil fertility
what literary one, a series of portraits sand years of Methuselah or of the should be high, with good yields every
of historical periods. Once you’ve Greek Golden Age). At a minimum, year. Settlements will be mostly vil-
decided to set a campaign in such a they should have Immunity to Disease lages, or even isolated large farms; the
period, you can define the details of and Longevity. largest settlements will be towns. They
that period. may not even have walls or armies.
Most portraits of dawn ages Much of the world may be unexplored,
You can also use these portraits as include the original invention of famil- inviting long voyages of discovery.
building blocks to create the history of iar technologies, such as fire, metal-
a fictional world. For a familiar histo- lurgy, and writing. Culture heroes may Characters
ry, have city-states give rise to empires be important figures.
that become decadent, are over- Neither warriors nor rogues are
whelmed by catastrophes, pass Dawn ages evoke childhood, as a suitable characters, as war and crime
through dark ages, and then experi- time of innocence and new discover- are unknown or nearly so. Explorers,
ence a new dawn. For something less ies. If gods are present, they may play scouts, or hunters (if anyone hunts)
familiar, mix them up: have an idyllic the role of parents and teachers to the may have comparable skills.
dawn age end in a catastrophe, or whole world. Immortality reflects a Craftsmen and inventors are likely
have a decadent empire emerge revi- child’s unawareness of time horizons. characters; a “culture hero” campaign
talized from catastrophe. Literature, Freedom from need or danger reflects may use the rules for new inventions
mythology, and real history offer the care a child receives from its par- and building up technology (p. B513).
many models. ents. The common occurrence of There isn’t enough formal organiza-
magic may reflect the way children tion for diplomats, or enough history
DAWN AGES see the world, without fully grasping for scholars – there may not even be
cause and effect (called “magical writing – but bards will pass on lore
Often fantasy worlds are created by thinking” by psychologists; see p. 18). (see Bardic Lore, p. 99). It’s common
gods, or magically come into being. In for dawn ages to be high-mana
such a history, intelligent beings usu- Settings worlds. There may not actually be
ally emerge or are created soon after- mages, but all of the above character
ward. The world they inhabit may still Dawn ages aren’t often campaign types may know magic suitable to
be intensely magical, regularly visited settings; they tend not to have enough their professions. Advantages such as
by gods or their servants. Real histori- conflict for intense drama. A dawn age Blessed are also common.
cal societies that believe in such a threatened by some hostile force pro-
process of creation often look back in vides one way around this problem. Wealth should normally be
their legends to a time of innocence: More often, dawn ages survive in the Comfortable, and neither wealth nor
the Golden Age of Greek myth, the memory of later ages. Sometimes this Status should vary much (see Classless
Garden of Eden, or similar eras in the is literally true; a fantasy world may Meritocracies, p. B28). Social Stigma
legends of other lands. A later varia- have a few immortal inhabitants who should be unknown. Marriages do not
tion on this belief was the 18th-centu- still recall the beginning. A very fortu- depend on wealth or political advan-
ry idea of the Noble Savage. nate year, or a place or time blessed by tage, nor does social standing restrict
the gods, can recapture some of this them. Some versions of dawn age
Dawn ages are times of freedom; quality. A society may even have a hol- societies may not have marriage at all;
they have leaders and holy men, but iday or festival that recreates the dawn festivals such as Saturnalia or Mardi
not rulers. Their inhabitants are sel- years, such as the Roman Saturnalia, Gras often include considerable sexu-
dom wealthy in material goods, such when participants feasted and distrib- al freedom.
as elaborate clothing or huge estates uted gifts, and masters waited on their
with numerous servants (they may not servants.

HISTORIES 79

CITY-STATES wars. To add opportunities for adven- Parthenon in Athens devoted to
ture, they often hire mercenaries Athena. Legends often envision the
City-states arise early in the history instead of maintain full-time armies. gods as a royal household, with each
of most civilizations. The Sumerians, Coastal city-states often maintain god running a departmental function,
the early Egyptians, the Chinese, the fleets. from scribe to armorer. The favor or
Mayans, and the ancient Greeks, disfavor of the gods may be real and
among others, established such poli- The lands occupied by city-states important; regular prayers and sacri-
ties. They also appear in other periods; are often densely populated. Farm fices may prevent natural disasters, or
for example, Renaissance Italy was communities aren’t limited to the their neglect may invite them (see
divided among many cities, more or most fertile land, but occupy all the Disturbances, pp. 85-90).
less independent. City-states that reasonably good land. Each city-state
coexist with empires or large nations constructs roads, harbors, and fortifi- Characters
will probably have their choices limit- cations, seeking to control the flow of
ed by external forces, much more than trade in its area. The classic fantasy character types
city-states existing on their own. all work very well in this setting. City-
With the emergence of literacy, states constantly on the edge of war
The term “city-state” sounds as if specialists in knowledge become are ready to hire mercenaries and not
the territory of the state is limited to important – a good basis for mages in ask too many questions about their
the land within the city walls. This a fantasy setting. A link between wiz- origins; skill with spear or sword is
actually wasn’t true of most city- ardry and writing fits well in such set- easy to prove. A full-sized city is large
states. In general, they controlled tings. Practically any branch of real enough for various sorts of rogues to
farmland around the central site. knowledge can be associated with a find shelter in anonymity, supporting
Cutting a city-state off from access to form of mysticism: astronomy with a small underworld; Streetwise
the land that fed it was an act of war- astrology, mathematics with numerol- becomes a useful skill. Literacy and
fare, called a siege (see Strategic ogy, chemistry with alchemy, and so the rise of specialized knowledge justi-
Positions, p. 188). Such warfare was on. Scribes may also be priests. City- fy a variety of learned professions,
common in areas that had independ- states should have at least one temple, including bards and surgeons as well
ent city-states, and as a result, the and often many, including a temple of as priests and wizards.
cities were usually fortified. the city’s divine patron, such as the

In an age of independent city-
states, each large town will probably
be independent; there will be many
relatively small “cities,” with hun-
dreds or thousands of inhabitants.
The largest cities can have a hundred
thousand or more (see Settlements,
p. 93).

Any city except the very smallest
will be too large for a ruler to know
every inhabitant. Written records
become necessary to keep track of
land ownership, taxes, and other
administrative matters. Cities have
scribes who keep such records. The
senior scribes have Area Knowledge at
a high level. The Art of Memory (see
Eidetic Memory, p. 128) may develop
(historically, it’s recorded as far back
as TL2) to help deal with the unwield-
iness of low-tech media and filing sys-
tems. Cities also have merchants and
specialized craftsmen, who produce
enough wealth to pay for elaborate
temples and luxury goods. Long-dis-
tance trade and exploration become
common.

Settings

City-state eras offer many opportu-
nities for campaign creation. In any
historical era, city-states are constant-
ly quarreling and fighting small-scale

80 HISTORIES

The densely settled lands con- Romans never permanently occupied heroic warriors can defeat armies,
trolled by cities usually have a periph- Europe beyond the Rhine, nor the then empires can’t protect their bound-
ery inhabited by barbarians, outlaws, Chinese the interior of Asia. The aries and are unlikely to survive. The
or monsters, suitable for heroic Crusader states of the Near East held founding of an empire, on the other
quests. Navigation makes longer jour- only the areas that ships could supply. hand, may offer such warriors a role as
neys possible, such as the search for Changing this limitation would companions of the founder.
the Golden Fleece. Bands of adventur- require reliable magic either to pro-
ers going on such quests are common duce food, fodder, fuel, and water, or Characters
in epic literature. They may even have to transport them long distances
supernatural Contacts, Allies, or cheaply. In an empire’s early years, citizens
Patrons if they are adventuring on a may have ideals of aristocratic service
city’s behalf. Empires commonly include differ- to the state. Young noblemen starting
ent races, religions, and languages their careers, whether as Chinese
Status becomes important in city- within their boundaries. Their rulers mandarins or Roman legionary offi-
states. A typical hierarchy ranges from typically come up with legal rules that cers, make excellent adventurers.
-4 for a common slave to 7 for the king apply equally to all and that override Players should see both the price of
of a city. A divinely favored ruler may local customs. Universal religions also upholding the law and the perils of liv-
have Status 8. Wealth can reach high emerge: Buddhism, Christianity, and ing outside it. Decide whether military
levels, at least up to Filthy Rich, but Islam all address their teachings to the command and civil service are sepa-
the bulk of the population will be entire human race, not just to a single rate careers or stages in a single
Struggling. Adventurers can come to a nationality, and past religions such as career.
ruler’s attention and gain Status; they Mithraism and Zoroastrianism made
may even be members of a royal similar appeals. Imperial philosophers An empire also offers many oppor-
household whom the king sends on often teach that the gods of other tunities for the more supernaturally
various missions. countries represent an intuitive inclined. The gods of various
awareness of the universal god. subject nations have their temples in
EMPIRES the capital; new beliefs may arise, no
Settings longer tied to a specific nationality.
Empires come into being when one Protection of trade often creates an
city-state defeats its rivals, gaining Many campaigns set in imperial expanded market economy where pro-
control of a wide expanse of land. The eras take place in the capital cities. fessional sorcerers can sell their arts
capital of an empire may be a city of a Emphasis tends to be on intrigue, for a fee. The best sorcerers will set up
million or so inhabitants. Early impe- whether between aristocratic fami- practice in the capital. The imperial
rial ages may involve a large city-state lies (based on Savoir-Faire), within court will command the services of
struggling to gain control of smaller the bureaucracy (based on many sorts of wizards as well.
states or two empires locked in battle Administration), or in the under-
for supremacy; Roman history offers world (based on Streetwise). Some Many aristocratic families have
examples of both. Mature empires outright corruption will exist, but a clients who come to them for favors
usually control everything in easy healthy, vigorous empire should have and protection. A Sense of Duty to
reach, though they may have rivals ways of restraining it – variants on these clients provides a basis for many
that are more distant. Two great “police procedural” campaigns may adventures. Clients may also be inter-
empires may find it convenient to examine their details. esting player characters, with their
have border kingdoms between them. patron as a Patron.
Empires also have frontiers far
Mythologically, empires aspire to away from the capital city, sometimes DECADENCE
universal rule. A fantasy empire may requiring two months’ march or sail-
command an entire world. Realisti- ing. Such outposts are the other clas- A common assumption of histori-
cally, empires expand to a certain sic location for imperial adventures. cal fantasy is that empires become
extent, determined by problems of Tribes of Picts, Huns, or Fuzzy- decadent. Heroes built the empire;
logistics and supply, and then stop. An Wuzzies may offer bitter resistance to their sons managed it; their grandsons
imperial legion is the equivalent of a imperial armies. devote their lives to enjoying it. The
large town, with special needs, such wealthy and privileged pursue increas-
as weapons-grade metal. It can func- An empire going through a civil ingly exotic pleasures. Public enter-
tion indefinitely in a region that can war presents special challenges, from tainment diverts the masses with spec-
afford to support an extra town. In a surviving on the battlefield to guessing tacle and brutality. Young people from
less prosperous region, its presence which contender will end up on the elite families have little enthusiasm
drains local resources; it may pass throne. A civil war campaign may for their duty to serve the state, to pro-
through on an expedition, but it can’t involve both frontier and metropolitan tect their clients, or even to obey the
establish a permanent base. In sparse- settings, as the most competent gener- law. They forget old pieties, and dis-
ly populated lands, a military force als are likely to be at the edge, but miss the gods as fables useful for keep-
depends on what it can carry and their ambitions will look toward the ing commoners in their place. New
what can be shipped to it. The center. gods with more exciting cults replace
them.
Because of their reliance on
organized armies, empires are poor
settings for sword and sorcery. If

HISTORIES 81

A corrupt government is one A fresh way to play a decadent set- the law is lost, the society may no
expression of this decadence. At the ting makes the corruption of the longer be able to maintain enough
top should be a powerful ruler, con- upper class supernatural. Aristocrats order to keep itself working. Or the
vinced the whole apparatus exists may turn to necromancy or other gods may withdraw their favor from a
solely for his own gratification. At the black arts for thrills or political power. corrupt empire, as in the Roma
bottom, faceless masses, burdened The wealth of the upper classes makes Arcana setting (pp. 195-231).
with crushing taxes, should be kept in magical experiments affordable for
line with harsh penalties. Linking the nobles or their favored clients. Settings
two is a bureaucracy that exists pri- Aristocrats may rise from the dead as
marily to perpetuate itself and that liches, mummies, or vampires (see An exhausted civilization is a less
demands bribes for every activity, Racial Templates, pp. 105-113). colorful setting than a decadent one. It
from building a temple to punishing a doesn’t have much extravagant
criminal. On a smaller scale, opportunistic wealth, but it has lots of desperate
rogues can be the stars of an enter- poverty. Its cities have a quality less of
Settings taining campaign, perhaps modeled rot than of sterility, with empty build-
on Fritz Leiber’s classic stories of ings and half-deserted streets.
The natural setting for a campaign Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. When
in an era of decadence is the imperial everyone is corrupt, a cheerful, ingen- In the extreme cases, an exhausted
capital. All the extravagances of a ious, likeable rogue may be a sympa- civilization may not even have any cit-
wealthy aristocracy will be at their thetic figure. izens. Its cities may be empty ruins,
height there: gladiatorial contests, their streets inhabited by whispering
chariot races, extravagant feasts, On the other hand, it can be inter- ghosts or starved demons. Whatever
drunken orgies, and huge mansions esting to play characters who are less haunts them may resent the living and
filled with costly toys. All the corrupt than their setting: a seemingly fear desecration of its tombs – or see
intrigues surrounding the imperial decadent nobleman who retains a them as new worshippers at the tem-
throne will focus there. Anyone peti- sense of honor, or a cynical official ples’ altars. A ruined city may be a
tioning the state to take action will be who still believes in the law. repository of forgotten secrets, or it
there, groping through the mazes of may carry its own charge of supernat-
bureaucracy. EXHAUSTION ural power.

To fit the legendary image of a Another way for an empire to As these motifs suggest, dark fanta-
decadent empire, suggest that the break down is by using up its sy is the natural genre for exhausted
gods are losing patience with it. resources. In real history, the com- civilizations. Mortality is the great
Brooding anger over empty temples monest form of exhaustion is deple- source for dark supernatural imagery;
and forgotten pieties may give rise to tion of the water table by generations the mortality of an entire culture
unfavorable omens or outright catas- of farmers trying to keep their crops offers such imagery on the largest
trophes. At the same time, many peo- irrigated. When the wells and springs scale. Even a still-inhabited city may
ple in such a society may feel that the dry up, the crops fail, the towns starve, care more for its tombs and monu-
gods have failed them. Rome’s mystery and pastoralists take back the land. ments than for its children.
cults drew worshippers who felt that Much later, when the water table
the old faiths were empty rituals (see recovers, new farms and towns spring The contrast between dying civi-
Chapter 9); some periods in Chinese up. Some parts of the Near East have lizations and the young, vigorous bar-
history had a similar fascination with been through this cycle several times. barians who surround and threaten
mystical cults. them is also a classic theme of sword
Exhaustion of a mineral resource is and sorcery.
The very complexity of government harder to recover from, unless the
may be a major reason for the growth world has a very active geological Characters
of cults. People whose lives are subject metabolism (p. 41). The 19th century
to the arbitrary whims of the rich and was already worrying about the supply Threats, not rewards, motivate
powerful may turn to prayer – or sor- of fossil fuels. At lower TLs, a dwarvish adventurers from exhausted civiliza-
cery – to try to get some control back. civilization might fall when it mined tions. If they’re from a farm region,
People denied justice when wronged all the good ore in its mountains. the crops may be failing. If they’re
may buy curses against the criminals. from a city, trade may have broken
Magic itself can be an exhaustible down, or too few men might guard the
Characters resource, as in Larry Niven’s “The walls, inviting raids or worse.
Magic Goes Away.” If an empire relies
Decadent empires are natural habi- on mages to provide key services, or Any of the typical fantasy charac-
tats, on the one hand, for the wealthy; even to maintain a magical analog of ter types are possible, but probably a
on the other, for criminals and the advanced technology (p. 66), what will bit poorer than usual. They may have
underclass. The two come into closer it do when the spells are no longer practical skills considered beneath
contact than ever before. It’s possible effective? their dignity in other societies. They
for the same character to have Savoir- won’t have access to a wide range of
Faire and Streetwise. Many characters From a certain point of view, deca- equipment, or anything of more than
will be Filthy Rich or even dence itself is a form of exhaustion. A debatable quality. A GM might
Multimillionaires, legally or not. society’s laws and ethical beliefs are require reduced Wealth and the
part of its capital. When respect for “points for equipment” rule, with no
ready prospect of buying more than a

82 HISTORIES

limited amount of equipment. A jour- destroy even a thriving civilization will die, like ordinary people in the
ney to a distant city with a weapons (see Disturbances, p. 85). Either an opening scenes of catastrophe films,
industry might make a useful quest. empire or a city-state may fall to such but survivors may later join the main
a disaster. The destruction of Troy, as party as NPCs.
Barbarian wanderers venturing portrayed in the Iliad and Aeneid, is
into dying cities may have interesting the classic example. It’s also possible to set a game after
experiences. Such cities may hold the catastrophe has ended. Show the
unsuspected treasures; they may also Settings survivors clearing away the wreckage,
have surprisingly strong guards for reestablishing their daily routines, and
those treasures. An entire ruined city One way to use a catastrophe as a starting to rebuild. If the catastrophe
can provide the ultimate “dungeon setting is to start a scenario or cam- is large enough to destroy a civiliza-
crawl” adventure (see Into the paign just before the catastrophe, get tion, show them learning that there is
Labyrinth, p. 174). the players oriented to the setting, and no help and they’re on their own, with
then inflict the disaster on the setting resources limited to what they have on
CATASTROPHE and their characters. Describe the hand. Look at secondary conse-
effects of the catastrophe in detail, quences, including the failure of food
Ultimately, civilizations die – espe- hour by hour or even moment by production and distribution and the
cially in historical fantasy, which is moment. This kind of treatment needs threat of famine, and the breakdown
characteristically set in civilizations at least a major disaster, and prefer- of civil authority, leading to bandit
that are now dead. Why this happens ably a historic disaster, on a scale raids or street riots.
is hotly debated, even for real, well- wider than a human being can imme-
known cultures such as the Roman diately grasp, and with a force that a Characters
Empire. Did Rome fall because moral human being cannot oppose. The
corruption undermined the discipline emphasis should be on the power of A catastrophic period in history is
of its armies and administrators the unleashed elements and the des- the ideal setting for “everyman” char-
(decadence)? Did economic collapse perate struggle to survive them. acters. People who would ordinarily
make it unable to support its legions never seek adventure can have adven-
(exhaustion)? Or was it simply over- If the players find such techniques ture come looking for them. The
whelmed by invaders (catastrophe)? acceptable, the GM may narrate a few resulting hard choices can make for
All of these views have proponents “cut scenes” showing what is happen- intense drama.
among historians. The fantasy GM ing in other parts of the affected area.
may pick one for any fallen civiliza- It may be better not to focus these on For more classic adventurer types,
tion in his world, or even leave its fall people the adventurers know. The a catastrophic period offers a change
a mystery. impact of the disaster will be stronger of theme. The catastrophe can clear
if they spend the days following it away the established leaders of their
Certain kinds of catastrophes natu- learning who lived and who died. society, whether they die while hero-
rally follow from decadence (military Players may want to participate in ically doing their duty or while trying
invasion) or from exhaustion (military such scenes, in the role of 25- to 50- to evade it and look out for them-
invasion or famine). Others, such as point “everyman” characters caught selves. Someone has to fill the empty
natural disasters, plagues, and mon- up in the catastrophe. Most of them space, and starting GURPS characters
strous or supernatural attacks, may probably have the necessary abilities.

HISTORIES 83

For this type of story, characters This very lack of documentation weapons and armor. A world that uses
with a Sense of Duty, a Duty, makes dark ages useful settings for magic on a wide enough scale to be
Dependents, or the like are best. A fantasy. If we don’t know what hap- equivalent to technology (p. 64) might
catastrophe storyline makes the play- pened in a real historical period, such similarly prosper during a dark age.
ers actually pay for the points they as 500-1000 A.D. in Europe, it’s easy to
gain from these disadvantages; in fact, imagine fantastic things that weren’t Settings
it makes them the central motive for recorded. This is a major reason that
the scenario. medieval settings are common in fan- A dark ages setting typically has a
tasy games, from the swords and sor- smaller population and fewer cities.
DARK AGES cery of Dungeons & Dragons to the Weakened central authority controls a
high ritual magic of Ars Magica. And much smaller territory. Old institu-
If a civilization actually falls, since the reason for the lack of docu- tions have collapsed, and new ones
whether to catastrophe, decadence, or mentation is typically that transporta- have emerged to take their place.
exhaustion, what follows is a dark age. tion and communication have broken Anyone confident enough to lead a
The classic Dark Ages were the years down, any long journey will have the campaign against the local bandit
after the fall of Rome in Western chance of becoming an adventure. gangs may become the new ruler. At
Europe. However, an even wider-scale the same time, the formulas of the old
dark age occurred at the end of the One common assumption about authorities may be preserved, as when
Bronze Age aroud 1000 B.C. There dark ages is that they are periods of a successor of German kings carried
isn’t any solid historical definition for technological retrogression. This isn’t the title of “holy Roman emperor.”
a “dark age.” Basically, it is a period necessarily the case. The most famil-
with few historical records, because iar example, the post-Roman Dark In a severe dark age, large areas
the people and institutions that gener- Ages in Europe, saw medical knowl- may be empty. Various disasters may
ated such records are gone, or have edge falling back to lower levels than reduce the population until the sur-
more urgent concerns. in ancient Assyria . . . yet technological vivors can no longer live easily. They
advances occurred in the same period, migrate elsewhere or cluster together
including the widespread use of steel in a few scattered strongholds.

The landscape should be littered
with relics of the past: ancient ruined
temples, deserted cities, and battle-
field monuments to deaths in forgot-
ten causes. In a magical setting, ruins
may hide traces of ancient magic.
Ancestral gods may still hunger for
worshippers. Ancient legends may
bear clues, unknowingly passed on by
bards or scribes as lore.

Characters

The breakdown of established
authority at the start of a dark age
leaves room for adventure. Skilled
warriors can travel about the ruined
landscape, looking for plunder or just
trying to pick up their next meal. They
may protect others for a variety of
motives – compassion for the weak,
payment from the rich, or simply
keeping other warriors from raiding
their territory (the origin of many feu-
dal aristocracies). Other sorts of
adventurers can make themselves use-
ful to a band of warriors in various
ways.

Another possibility, especially in a
setting resembling the familiar Dark
Ages of Europe, recruits adventurers
from scholars, priests, or wizards,
who may group together for mutual
aid and protection in monasteries or
the like. Such a group may have lim-
ited possibilities for adventure –

84 HISTORIES

avoiding adventure may be a main In an optimistic setting, especially of what happened before may unlock
goal – but may be effectively lured by in a high fantasy world, the new many doors. If they are wealthy, they
new knowledge. If supernatural beginning may even be, not the age of may fall into bitter rivalries for the
forces are powerful, they may have city-states came back, but the dawn greatest discoveries, even sending
to aid secular authorities. For a vari- age returned. For a mythic treatment, warriors to harass each other’s expedi-
ation on this formula, use Buddhist ancient prophecies of the resurrection tions. Artists and inventors may also
monasteries as a model; in certain of the dead might come true. appear, inspired by the example of the
periods, they also housed martial past to rival its achievements.
artists of various schools. Another Athens shall arise
And to remoter time Merchants and explorers gain an
NEW BEGINNINGS Bequeath, like sunset to the skies, expanded range of movement. Their
The splendor of its prime. journeys can also be the focus for a
After a dark age, civilized life may campaign. In a world of fantasy, any
reemerge. The classic historical – Percy Bysshe Shelley, “Hellas” number of exotic races or creatures
example is the European Renais- may wait over the horizon.
sance, but the rebirth started cen- Settings
turies earlier, not long after 1000 At the same time, there’s work for
A.D., in the High Middle Ages. A time of rebirth often increases the warriors. If law and order are
Similar renewals have occurred at trade and travel, as law makes the expanding to larger territories, some-
other places and times. roads and the high seas safe. People one has to implement them. If barbar-
once barely scraping by now have a ians hear of the rise of wealthy cities
In many ways, a new beginning is little to spare; people who were well and come to raid them, someone has
like the first beginning. But there’s an off are wealthy. Settlers clear fields to defend the walls.
important difference: the awareness of and build houses in formerly empty
something that went before. lands. A sense of open frontiers is All of this assumes that the protag-
Renaissance scholars knew about encouraged. onists come from one of the new civi-
ancient Greece and Rome and doubt- lizations. But as a new culture
ed that anything they could do might At the same time, make sure the expands its boundaries, it may swal-
equal ancient attainments; the Greeks past is not forgotten. Ancient manu- low up older cultures. It’s also possible
themselves looked in awe on the age scripts hint at lost lore; rare treasures to focus on people in one of those
and achievements of Egypt. This rev- grant forgotten powers. The ruins of older cultures, struggling to preserve
erent look back to past greatness is great cities lie waiting for an explorer their customs and institutions against
one of fantasy’s recurring themes. The to venture into their rubble-filled brash conquerors from other lands.
highest praise a king can receive is to streets. The landscape of reborn civi- This works especially well in a low
say that in his reign the greatness of lizations should be full of history. fantasy setting, where neither side
the past is renewed. may be entirely right or entirely
Characters wrong.

Scholars often come to center stage
in this kind of setting; their knowledge

DISTURBANCES

Both in the real world and in fiction, Alternatively, the GM may deliber- It’s possible to introduce vast catas-
trophes, beyond even the scale of a his-
catastrophes of various sorts punctuate ately place disturbances across an toric disaster: continents sinking,
floods covering the earth, winters three
histories. A single event of this kind can entire story. For this purpose, a minor years long, plagues that depopulate a
continent, or other events out of leg-
add drama to a campaign, or even form disturbance represents a year when end. A random die roll cannot generate
such events; they occur when a GM
its focus, as adventurers struggle to sur- something bad happened; a major dis- finds them suitable. They may be the
result of an extremely angry god’s
vive and carry on with their chosen turbance is the worst year of a genera- intervention.

missions. A series of minor and major tion; a historic disaster is the worst year Disasters generally have four types
of consequences.
troubles can form part of a fictional in centuries.
● People die.
world’s historical timeline. Disturbances may be more or less ● About five times this number suf-
fer injury.
To create a timeline of disturbances frequent at certain times. A dawn age ● About 20 times the number who
die have their lives disrupted, losing
randomly for a typical inhabited area, should have +2 or better to all the their homes or their families.
● About 100 times the number who
use the following table: thresholds. A healthy empire or an age die suffer property damage.

of new beginnings might have +1. A

decadent or exhausted

Die Roll Effect empire might have -1. A dark
3-10 Good year age could have -2. An actual
11-15 Minor disturbance, “bad year” age of catastrophe would be
16-17 Major disturbance suffering from a historic dis-
18 Historic disaster aster, or would still be in
shock from a recent one.

HISTORIES 85

A community’s response to a disas- Earthquake 70-140 miles, minor disaster effects
ter follows a typical course. For a 140-280 miles; Richter scale 8.0-9.5.
short time, about 1d+1 days, life is Typical location: Areas of intense All structures severely damaged, many
entirely disrupted, with normal activi- tectonic activity. collapse; occupants crushed, 6d dam-
ties simply ceasing. The community age. Objects thrown into air with
spends about 10 times as long (a num- Minor disaster effects: Felt by every- effective ST 20. Roll vs. DX-2 each
ber of weeks), restoring normal func- one up to 70 miles from epicenter; minute or fall.
tions and making short-term repairs. lasts 1 minute; Richter scale 5.0-6.5.
For about 100 times the length of the Roll vs. DX+2 or fall. Poorly con- Landslide
immediate emergency (typically about structed buildings damaged; some
a year), the community replaces lost injuries from debris, typically 1d. Typical location: At the foot of a
buildings and does other major slope, especially of 45° or steeper, in
repairs. Major disaster effects: Lasts 1d min- an area subject to heavy weathering
utes; full effects up to 70 miles from by rainfall. Limestone is particularly
If someone influential in the com- epicenter, minor disaster effects 70- vulnerable to heavy weathering.
munity can make a Leadership roll (at 140 miles; Richter scale 6.5-8.0. Walls
-3 for a major disaster or -6 for a his- and buildings damaged; poorly con- Minor disaster effects: Soil travels at
toric disaster), the period of total dis- structed buildings collapse; towers Move 6; if unable to outrun it, roll vs.
ruption is reduced to 1d-1 days (mini- may fall; many injuries from debris, DX to avoid falling and being buried.
mum 1 day). The recovery periods typically 2d. Roll vs. DX each minute Roll vs. ST-4 to dig out, once per turn;
shrink proportionately. A GM should or fall. after HT ¥ 10 seconds, begin losing 1
allow a player character to attempt FP/second. Crops lost and buried
this roll! Historic disaster effects: Lasts 3d buildings will need to be dug free.
minutes; full effects up to 70 miles
Here is a partial list of disasters from epicenter, major disaster effects
that can be included in a campaign.
For any area, choose several common
types, and perhaps some rarer ones.
It’s convenient to list six types, or five
types plus the chance of a less com-
mon type; then roll 1d to pick one. The
disasters described here are large
enough to become news for an empire
or subcontinent. Scaled-down disas-
ters can occur with similar frequen-
cies in a smaller region, or even a sin-
gle village.

Some disasters cause intense dam-
age in small areas. Only minor effect
levels are defined for these.

NATURAL
DISASTERS

The unleashed elements can be as
destructive as monsters or armies.
Monsters or powerful wizards may
even be able to command the ele-
ments through powers or spells.

Earth

Cave-In

Typical location: Areas supported
by strata of water-soluble rock (such
as limestone or salt) and subject to
heavy subterranean water flow.
Collapse is especially likely during
droughts.

Minor disaster effects: Collapse of an
area (1d+1) ¥ 50’ in diameter; ground
level drops (1d) ¥ 25’. All structures in
area destroyed; anyone on site must
roll vs. DX+2 or be entombed.

86 HISTORIES

Major disaster effects: Soil travels at Historic disaster effects: Flash flood; Hurricane
Move 18; anyone in its path suffers 1d most structures destroyed. Water can-
damage, is buried, and must make five not be outrun; Swimming rolls Typical location: Subtropical coast-
rolls vs. ST-4 to dig out. Buildings in required at -2. lines, especially on east coasts of con-
poor condition are destroyed; build- tinents; mainly during summer
ings in good condition are reduced to Tsunami months.
poor condition by structural damage
and must be dug out. Typical location: Seacoasts in tec- Minor disaster effects: Roll vs. ST to
tonically active regions. keep footing outdoors. Watercraft roll
Historic disaster effects: Huge mass- vs. Shiphandling-2 modified by SM of
es of soil travel at Move 30 or higher; Minor disaster effects: Waves exceed the ship or suffer swamping and leak-
anyone in their path suffers 5d dam- 10’ and travel at up to Move 5; boats ing. Vegetation and poorly maintained
age, is buried, and cannot dig out, and buildings along coastlines dam- structures damaged. Coastal flooding
though very rapid excavation may aged; anyone caught in wave must roll to 1d feet (see Flood).
extract him before he suffocates. vs. Swimming to avoid drowning.
Buildings are demolished and other Major disaster effects: Roll vs. ST-2
property is a total loss. Major disaster effects: Waves exceed to keep footing outdoors or suffer 1d
30’ and travel at up to Move 15; boats from impacts. Watercraft roll vs.
Albion gave his deadly groan and buildings destroyed; anyone Shiphandling-5 modified by SM of the
And all the Atlantic mountains caught in wave begins to drown. ship or suffer severe leaking; ships
shook. capsize or roll on critical failure.
Historic disaster effects: Waves Vegetation and poorly maintained
– William Blake, “Jerusalem” exceed 50’ and travel at up to Move 50; structures destroyed, other structures
coastal area devastated, with no sur- damaged. Coastal flooding to 3d feet
Water vivors except those who can climb (see Flood) with structural damage.
above height of wave crest.
Drought Historic disaster effects: Roll vs.
Whirlpool ST-5 to keep footing outdoors or suf-
Typical location: Any area that prac- fer 3d from impact. Watercraft roll
tices irrigation agriculture, such as a Typical location: An area at sea vs. Shiphandling-8 modified by SM
Mediterranean climate. where local rock formations channel of the ship or break up and sink.
currents in opposing directions, typi- Some buildings are destroyed, others
Minor disaster effects: Limited rain- cally near shore but with substantial suffer major damage. Coastal flood-
fall; all nonessential uses of water cut depth. ing to 5d feet (see Flood) with struc-
back; crop yields fall 25% without irri- tural damage.
gation (roll against Farming or Minor disaster effects: Pulls a ship
Hydrology to provide). downward with ST 150. A small ship Note: The same effects can repre-
will be pulled under; a large ship may sent storms at higher latitudes, except
Major disaster effects: Severely lim- capsize or suffer hull damage. that the temperatures will be lower.
ited rainfall; crop yields fall 50%,
reducible to 25% by irrigation. For a Air Sandstorm
two-week period, roll vs. Survival daily
to avoid dehydration (see p. B426). Blizzard Typical location: Desert regions and
areas at their edges.
Historic disaster effects: Crop yields Typical location: Temperate forests,
fall 100%, reducible to 50% by irriga- temperate grasslands, or any cold Minor disaster effects: Visibility
tion. For a two-week period, suffer regions during winter months. range reduced to 50’. Roll vs. HT or
dehydration, and roll vs. Survival daily blinded by sand in eyes for duration of
to avoid losing 1 extra FP and 1 HP Minor disaster effects: Heavy snow- storm. Small objects blown away with
(see p. B426). fall and severe cold; people snowed in effective ST 6; sand buries objects to
for two days. Anyone caught outside 1d feet.
Flood must roll vs. Area Knowledge or
Survival to reach shelter or suffer Major disaster effects: Visibility
Typical location: Banks of a large freezing effects (see p. B430). range reduced to 10’. Roll vs. HT as
river. above. Roll vs. ST or lose footing.
Major disaster effects: Extremely Objects blown away with effective ST
Minor disaster effects: River over- heavy snowfall; poorly maintained 13; sand buries objects to 2d feet, any-
flows its banks, covers low-lying adja- structures may collapse. Anyone one who falls down must dig out (one
cent ground (typically not built on); caught outside must roll vs. Area roll vs. ST-4; see Landslide).
some water in streets. Boats swept Knowledge or Survival at -2 to reach
away; anyone on river must make shelter or suffer freezing effects at -2 Historic disaster effects: Visibility
Swimming rolls (see p. B224). to HT for wind chill. totally lost. Roll vs. ST-5 or lose foot-
ing. Objects blown away with effective
Major disaster effects: River several Historic disaster: Incredibly heavy ST 30; sand buries objects to 4d feet,
feet above its banks; many communi- snowfall; buildings risk collapse from anyone without shelter must dig out
ties flooded; poorly constructed build- weight on roof; areas with sloped ter- (five rolls vs. ST-4; see Landslide).
ings destroyed, others suffer water rain may suffer avalanches (treat as
damage, many possessions damaged or major disaster landslides). Roll vs. Tornado
swept away. Any resident who fails an Area Knowledge or Survival at -4;
Sense roll must make Swimming rolls; wind chill gives -4 to HT roll. Typical location: Mid-continental
others can climb or run. plains areas, especially during sum-
mer thunderstorm weather.

HISTORIES 87

Minor disaster effects: A path 2d appropriate locations, include one or that sort of famine is subsumed under
miles long and 2d ¥ 50’ wide suffers another of the following in a region’s Drought (p. 87).
lifting forces averaging ST 30. Animals list of possible disasters:
and furniture carried through air; Minor disaster effects: Disease,
roofs torn off; poorly maintained Epidemic insect infestations, or soil exhaustion
buildings suffer structural damage. reduce crop yield by 25%. A few
Typical location: A large city or deaths occur among children (espe-
Fire other densely populated area, espe- cially nursing infants whose mothers’
cially one with regular foreign trade. milk dries up), the old, and the poor.
Forest Fire
Minor disaster effects: A disease Major disaster effects: Crop yield
Typical location: In an area with with a +1 modifier to HT, typically falls 50%. Food prices rise steeply in
abundant vegetation, especially dur- spread only by close contact (sharing a towns; a significant number of deaths
ing a dry period. Temperate grass- meal, physical intimacy, cannibalism). occur.
lands, deciduous forests, coniferous
forests, and monsoon forests are all Major disaster effects: A disease Historic disaster effects: Crops
plausible. with no modifier to HT, typically almost wholly lost. Food prices rise
spread by touch or by spitting or steeply everywhere; food riots are like-
Minor disaster effects: A grassfire or sneezing. ly; many families lose at least one
brushfire; sets fire to paper, dry wood, member.
light clothing; inflicts 1d-1 on anyone Historic disaster effects: A disease
caught in it – anyone who makes a with a -1 modifier to HT, spread Infestation
Sense roll can escape. by simply being in the victim’s pres-
ence. See p. B443 for modifiers to Typical location: Any warm, fertile
Major disaster effects: A forest fire contagion. region where animals can breed
or very large grassfire; sets fire to readily.
heavy clothing, leather, seasoned Famine
wood; inflicts 3d on anyone caught in Minor disaster effects: A plague of
it – a Sense roll gives enough warning Typical location: Any agricultural merely annoying creatures, such as
to reduce this to 1d-1. area. Famines often occur in dry areas frogs or gnats.
with irrigation-based agriculture, but
Historic disaster effects: A very large
forest fire; burns all organic material
including human flesh; inflicts 6d on
anyone caught in it – a Sense roll gives
enough warning to reduce this to 3d.

Volcano

Typical location: Next to converging
tectonic plates or at hot spots.

Minor disaster effects: Lava flow,
lasting 1 day; flows downhill 1d miles.
Treat as landslide. Anything immersed
in lava suffers 3d burns per 10 seconds
of contact; dry organic materials burst
into flame.

Major disaster: Ash flow, lasting 1
day, in radius of 1d miles; typical
speed is Move 10. Inflicts 6d burns per
10 seconds of contact; green wood and
human flesh may burst into flame.

Historic disaster: Eruption, nearly
instantaneous; scatters ash to radius
of 2d¥10 miles, often many feet thick.
Leaves caldera 1d miles in diameter.
Ash inflicts 10d burns per 10 seconds
of contact. Volcanic ash lowers tem-
peratures for the next year in a “year
without a summer,” worldwide.

PLAGUES

An infestation of vermin, or an epi-
demic, can be a great disaster. Use the
same relative intensities and frequen-
cies as for elemental catastrophes. In

88 HISTORIES

Major disaster effects: A plague of suffer 1d deaths per 100 inhabitants Breaking
creatures that threaten the food sup- and reduction of Wealth levels by one
ply, such as locusts (1d ¥ 5% of food for the next year. Minor disaster effects: Inflicts 1d of
lost), or of moderately dangerous damage on inanimate objects, ignor-
creatures such as rats (roll vs. Historic disaster: War of total con- ing DR. Causes a single structural fail-
Alertness to avoid being attacked by a quest (for example, the Mongol inva- ure in any object whose hits are
swarm). sions). If defense is unsuccessful, exceeded.
defending armies annihilated; major
Historic disaster: A plague of seri- cities besieged, may be destroyed if Major disaster effects: Inflicts 3d of
ously dangerous creatures, either poi- siege succeeds. All portable wealth damage on inanimate objects, ignor-
sonous (scorpions) or large and preda- confiscated; heavy tribute imposed, ing DR. Shatters any object whose hits
tory (wolves). Everyone in the area is with permanent Wealth level reduc- are exceeded.
attacked. tion. Many civilian deaths, typically 1d
¥ 5% of adult population; survivors Historic disaster effects: Inflicts 10d
Monster may be enslaved and/or endure forced of damage on inanimate objects,
resettlement. ignoring DR. Reduces any object
Typical location: Unpredictable; in whose hits are exceeded to dust.
legend, monsters appear mainly MAGICAL
because an angry god has cursed the DISASTERS Elemental Control
land. If the natural disaster frequency
rules on p. 86 are used, this requires In a world where magic is wide- Equivalent to the natural disasters
an unfavorable modifier to the fre- spread, magical forces may also give on p. 86, except that the ultimate
quency roll. rise to catastrophes. Some such disas- cause is magical.
ters will result from spells going
Minor disaster effects: An unusually wrong; others will come about Mind Control
formidable animal, mainly interested through spontaneous magic. The
in food. same categories of intensity and fre- Minor disaster effects: Inflicts an
quency as for natural disasters apply intense emotion or a temporary men-
Major disaster effects: A creature to spontaneous magical disasters. tal failure on each person in range;
difficult to kill because of ferocity, Typical ranges are 1 mile for minor resisted by Will+4.
cunning, or magic, and interested in disasters, 1d miles for major disasters,
human prey. 3d miles for historic disasters. If a Major disaster effects: Causes loss of
world unevenly distributes magic, consciousness or delirium in each per-
Historic disaster effects: A superhu- supernatural disasters will probably son in range; resisted by Will.
manly dangerous creature ferociously be in high-mana or very-high-mana
hostile to human beings. areas or along ley lines. Very-high- Historic disaster effects: Causes
mana areas may be uninhabitable, amnesia, insanity, reduced IQ (-2), or
WARS much like flood plains or the slopes of loss of a skill in each person in range;
active volcanoes. Here are some possi- resisted by Will-4.
The Bible reckons War as one of ble effects of spontaneous magic:
the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, Summoning
along with Famine, Plague, and
Death. For many purposes, an inva- Minor disaster effects: Summons
sion is similar to a natural disaster, demons, elementals, or similar beings
and a GM may choose to incorporate with a total energy cost of 20 for one
invasion into the list of possible disas- hour.
ters for an area. In seacoast areas,
pirate or Viking raids can be treated as Major disaster effects: Summons
invasions. beings with a total energy cost of 100
for one day.
Typical location: Any settled region
with other settled regions or numer- Divine Punishments
ous barbarians outside its boundaries.
A land that is under a curse, or has angered the gods, may have a neg-
Minor disaster effects: Extensive ative modifier to all these thresholds; -1 for a minor curse, -2 for a severe
raids or localized invasions. Property curse, with -3 or worse only for lands that are actually becoming depop-
taken or damaged; some people kid- ulated. (A -1, for example, would mean that a bad year occurred on a 10
napped, especially women; local resi- or above, a major disturbance on a 14 or above, and a historic disaster
dents who resist are wounded or on a 17 or above.)
killed, unless unusually skilled in com-
bat. Military response leads to a fight- A land that is blessed or has a god’s favor may have a positive modi-
ing retreat. fier. The GM should decide whether a natural 18 still indicates a historic
disaster, or whether such a happy land is immune to the worst distur-
Major disaster: Large-scale inva- bances.
sion, aiming to take control of a
province or region (for example, the If diviners or sorcerers can communicate with zeitgeists (p. 78), the
Crusades). Full mobilization required; mood of a zeitgeist may reflect these probabilities. For reaction roll
walled towns besieged; major battles modifiers, double the disturbance roll modifiers – the reaction rolls for
fought. Civilian communities typically the zeitgeist of a dawn age would be at +4, for example.

HISTORIES 89

Historic disaster effects: Summons changing shape or material; resisted Historic disaster: Affects the entire
beings with a total energy cost of 500 by HT+4. body of each person in range, chang-
for one year. ing it to some inanimate material such
Major disaster effects: Affects the as stone or salt; resisted by HT-4. A
Transformation entire body of each person in range, variant may affect some category of
changing it to that of another living plants or animals.
Minor disaster effects: Affects a sin- creature; resisted by HT.
gle body part on each person in range,

SHADOWS OF THE PAST

Most of this history won’t actually relationships. Literature may be use- An area occupied for a number of
come into the action, at least not ful, if the literary works are about his- centuries will usually have older struc-
directly. It may explain how the pow- toric figures and if they present accu- tures below the current ground level.
erful people and states gained their rate information, but Literature skill Normally these will have collapsed.
power, and what their goals are, but can’t separate history from fiction. However, a construction project that
it’s not usually a good idea to reveal Research can locate genealogical involves digging, such as a sewer, may
this to the audience . . . because his- records if any archive maintains such turn up human remains, artifacts, or
torical lectures are dull, and take records. (See Information Sources, even sealed chambers with unusually
away the pleasure of finding out p.99.) solid walls.
what’s going on. The players may
actually never see large parts of a In societies where blood relation- After a major catastrophe, entire
richly detailed history. However, sev- ships are important (such as settlements may become uninhabit-
eral methods can make the past rele- European monarchies and many trib- ed; large cities may be reduced to
vant to action in the present. al societies), genealogical skills can fractions of their former populations.
apply to influence rolls. A success indi- Here the buildings will gradually
GENEALOGIES cates the discovery of a common decay over time: their facades will
ancestor, leading to a Good reaction. A weather away, their floors will col-
Fantasy commonly assumes that failure produces a Bad reaction. This lapse, and eventually even their walls
certain families are especially impor- may indicate that the genealogical dis- will fall. How long this takes depends
tant historically. Age after age, the cussion recalled some ancestral feud on the material. Mud brick structures
same bloodline will keep turning out or grudge! will collapse in the first massive rain-
notable people. And even if a bloodline fall, wooden buildings may last a gen-
seemingly has lost all importance, its Influence rolls can also be helpful eration, and solid stone structures
latest descendant may reclaim its for- in negotiating with ghosts or other may endure for a century before suf-
mer glory. revenants, or with ancestral spirits. fering major deterioration.
Ancestor worship is a compact of
This partly reflects the ideas of the mutual aid between the dead and the Ruins can serve as markers of a
aristocratic societies where much fan- living. By proving their descent, the great civilization of ancient times,
tasy is set. Royal titles really do pass living prove that they are entitled to now destroyed. Faded inscriptions
down the generations, sometimes that aid. Ghosts often return because may hint at the fates of those past civ-
unpredictably, giving special powers of family obligations or obsessions ilizations, or reveal arcane secrets.
to their recipients. Mythically, kings with family concerns. Even a lich or Roll vs. Archaeology to find anything
may have magical powers such as the vampire might aid a living relative on informative, with a critical success
ability to heal (p. 68). This makes it a whim. turning up an actual text or relic (see
plausible to envision other gifts pass- Relics, p. 91). If the language is
ing on in the same way. In fact, royal RUINS unknown, it won’t be very useful,
families often claim descent from a though an inscription can be copied
god. In a fantasy world, demigods may An area inhabited for more than a and taken back to a scholar in a set-
pass on supernatural gifts to their century will have some abandoned tled area.
descendants. structures. Inside a city, where living
space is scarce, these won’t stay Desperate travelers may take shel-
Knowledge of genealogy comes empty for long. Even if they’re ter in ruins. In a sword and sorcery or
from several skills. History includes accursed or haunted, someone will dark fantasy campaign, less pleasant
the details of any lineages that are pay to have them purified, or desper- things may already be there, ready to
important to a given place’s history. ately poor people will move in as attack intruders or curse them. An
Bardic Lore includes the same knowl- squatters (roll vs. Streetwise, modi- Exorcism roll may be needed to drive
edge, and also one’s own descent and fied by settlement size, to find hous- away supernatural guardians. Inhab-
the major deeds of one’s ancestors. ing of this kind). In a village, a house itants of this sort – or ancient curses –
Area Knowledge includes the relation- may stay empty for years. In a may keep hidden treasures safe from
ships between specific living people remote area, an isolated house may tomb robbers; otherwise, any treasure
who are important to the area, and as be entirely forgotten until a stray has probably already been stolen. A
much knowledge of previous genera- wanderer happens upon it. critical success on an Architecture roll
tions as is essential to define those may uncover hidden troves, if there
are any.

90 HISTORIES

RELICS enchanters created them. Information, a city watch, a jealous dragon, or a
in general, can be valuable. This is magical curse.
In an adventure story, “relics” usu- obviously the case for a grimoire with
ally means objects that are either use- lost spells, or a technical manual . . . In fantasy settings, scientific
ful or valuable, left over from the his- but a map could hold the location of a archaeology usually doesn’t yet exist.
torical or forgotten past. Valuable treasure trove or the route to a distant Adventurers sell their finds for as
objects are usually gems, precious land, or the records of a castle could much as they can get. Sometimes mer-
metals, or works of art made from reveal the identity of a lost heir or the chants want them – these may be the
durable materials. Useful objects are true name of a dangerous foe. The dis- same eccentric antiquarians who sell
most often weapons and armor, espe- covery of a bilingual – the same text in volumes of lore. In other cases, the
cially if finely made. These may be two different languages – could pro- only possible buyers will be emperors,
magical, and other sorts of magical vide the key to an unknown language, kings, or high nobles. If the relics are
objects generally count as useful as making it possible to read previously of religious significance, the safest
well. undecipherable grimoires, technical course is to donate them to a church
manuals, or other documents. or temple and hope for gratitude. A
Magical relics aren’t particularly valuable relic may create new perils
interesting or valuable if every city has Most adventurers look for such for the finder before he can get it to his
an enchanters’ market selling equiva- relics in ancient ruins, or take them market, as in Kipling’s story “The
lent objects. Finding magical relics is from the hoards of defeated foes. But King’s Ankus.”
more important in a setting where in some settings, adventurers may buy
enchantment is rare, or the specific and sell magic items and volumes of Adventurers who find useful or
magic objects in question are rare. lore, finding them in obscure shops magical objects may instead want to
Whether made in a mythic age, by for- run by eccentric antiquarians. Getting use them in their further adventures.
gotten mystic arts, or by a uniquely access to them may call for a roll In a low fantasy setting, materials may
skilled enchanter, a fading magic set- against Savoir-Faire or Merchant, wear out, and even enchantments may
ting makes the surviving magical instead of Two-Handed Sword. In weaken. In high fantasy or sword and
treasures stand out. either case, adventurers attempting to sorcery, the question of whether an
walk off with their finds should expect ancient sword has rusted, or a suit of
In a subtler treatment, both useful to discover why they haven’t been car- armor’s leather fastenings have rotted
devices and magical objects may be ried off already, whether the reason is through, won’t usually arise; valuable
valuable clues to how past inventors or relics are immune to age and decay.

HISTORIES 91

CHAPTER FIVE

LOCALITIES

. . . Eventually the South became an indescribable conglomeration of
duchies, earldoms, free cities, minor kingdoms, independent bishoprics,
and counties. These little worlds were often the size of small farms,
though they might be named the Grand Union of the Five Counties,
or the Duchy of Irontree-Dragonrock. Each of these petty poten-
tates coined his own money and levied troops . . . Seldom
could a chieftain gather enough support for anything the
size of a civil war, but there was constant feuding, bicker-
ing, and bullying.

– John Bellairs, The Face in the Frost

The streets of the capital were filled, day and
night. Wu had never seen such crowds. And many
of them dressed richly, their silken robes dyed in
elaborate many-colored patterns. Such an oppor-
tunity for a man of skill! Wu drifted through the
edges of the crowd, his eyes lowered, his steps
keeping him out of people’s way. But as he passed,
silent as the wind, purses fell into his hands like
autumn leaves, and then found their way into hid-
den pockets of his specially made clothing.

Then he stepped into a side street, and was lost
to sight.

But as he made his way to the hostel where he
was staying, he felt that something was wrong.
Some presence troubled his mind. As he began an
unobtrusive survey of the area, he felt two arms
intertwine with his.

“You are very good,” said the one to his left. “But
you did not seek permission before gleaning in our
fields. That shows a lack of respect. You will come
to speak with the Elder, and he will instruct you in
proper manners.”

Wu moved to extricate himself from their
grasp, but their skill was the equal of his own. He
was held fast.

Once the world is fleshed out, there’s one
more step to get it ready for the game. The GM
must map and describe the starting point – the
place where the campaign begins. This can serve
a variety of functions. If the heroes grew up
there, it’s part of their backgrounds; if they
came from elsewhere, it’s the place they
meet. It’s a source of equipment, sup-
plies, and training. It’s a place where
they can sell their loot and spend their
proceeds. It may be a source of plots,
if they defend it or enforce its laws. A
detailed map and a list of the important
inhabitants are useful resources for
making the players believe in it.

92 LOCALITIES

SETTLEMENTS

Most people in civilized human senator’s slave-cultivated villa. What- Manorialism
societies have permanent homes. ever their numbers or situation, they
Farmers stay near their crops. A all work on the farm, whether as Many European countries, in the
landowner, or his bailiff, supervises owners, hands, or slaves. Anyone Middle Ages and later, had a manorial
his estate. Anyone with equipment attempting to find a hireling rolls at pattern, derived partly from Roman
needs a place to store it . . . a crafts- an extra -2; so does anyone looking villa communities. Fantasy landscapes
man’s tools, a ruler’s arms and steeds, for a job, except during harvest sea- often organize along manorial lines,
a bureaucrat’s records, or a wizard’s son, when it becomes an extra +2! usually in idealized medieval worlds.
enchantments. As a result, civilized
societies form settlements, ranging VILLAGES In manorialism, a village commu-
from small villages to cities with a mil- nity grows up adjacent to a large sin-
lion or more inhabitants. Villages form the other settlement gle farm. Often slaves or serfs work
pattern for farm communities: a the manor, but the villagers are mostly
Most people in historical fantasy group of houses built close together, free farmers or farmhands. Generally,
settings live in rural areas and work on with the land surrounding them divid- the village has more inhabitants than
the land or the sea, producing food, ed among the inhabitants. Usually the manor, by a factor of two to five.
fiber, and fuel. Up until the 19th cen- each farmer has the use of multiple The lord of the manor usually collects
tury, no country had even half its pop- strips of land scattered through a larg- rents, taxes, or fines (if he runs the vil-
ulation living in cities. As a guideline, er area. As a rule, everyone does the lage’s court of law). He also benefits
assume that 1/5 of the population is same work on the same days. Villagers from having a large labor pool to draw
urban in a prosperous and well-settled can come to each other’s aid in emer- from, especially at harvest time. The
land, 1/10 in a poorer land, and 1/20 in gencies, such as attacks by wild ani- villagers gain added security from liv-
a barely civilized country. That does mals or solitary outlaws. They can also ing near the manor. Just having it
not mean that, for example, 1/5 of the share the cost of religious or magical there keeps some bandits away, and
settlements are cities! Cities and ceremonies that make their farms they may retreat inside its walls when
towns have bigger populations, so more fertile. attacked. This protection makes the
there are fewer of them. Suppose lord’s taxes and rents a comparatively
there are 800 villages, for example, Most villages have 100 to 999 good bargain.
and an urban population equivalent to inhabitants. Only very small villages,
200 villages; if towns and cities aver- called hamlets, have fewer than 100. Market Villages
age 10 times bigger than villages, there Most households in a village belong to
are only 20 towns and cities. A barely farmers, but there’s some division of Some craftsmen and other special-
civilized country might have only one labor. Job and hireling rolls have only ists cannot find enough work to sup-
small city. the normal penalty for community port themselves in a single village. To
size. minimize competition, they spread out
ISOLATES among villages in a regular pattern.
Living in a village requires a longer Visualize a set of hexagons. One spe-
In some historical places and daily trip to the fields. If oxen travel at cialist lives in the village at the center
times, and some fantasy settings, two miles per hour, it takes a farmer of each hexagon. There will also be a
country people are thinly scattered. half an hour to get to a field a mile village on each side of each hexagon,
This lifestyle involves some tradeoffs. away. A circle a mile in radius has an halfway between two specialists. So
Each farmer’s farmhouse rests in the area of just over 2,000 acres. That’s a each specialist gets all the trade from
middle of his own fields. He doesn’t rough average for the cultivated area his home village and half the trade
need his neighbors’ approval for how of a large village; once the trip to the from each of six villages surrounding
he manages his farm, nor does their fields takes longer than half an hour, it, a total of four villages’ worth. If each
management affect him. He has a rel- some of the population will probably village can keep him busy one-fourth
atively short, straight journey from the migrate away. Outside that area will of the time, he can make a living.
farmhouse to the fields. On the other be a strip of forest, hills, or wasteland,
hand, in an emergency, the neighbors and beyond that the fields of the next A more elaborate trade network
are far away. Isolated settlements village. may have smaller and larger market
occur in sparsely inhabited colonial villages; the larger ones provide
lands, where good soil comes in small In a densely settled land, cultivated services to larger areas, including
patches, and the law effectively con- areas will actually be hexagonal smaller market villages.
trols banditry. instead of circular, bounded by the
next village’s fields, and taking up Naturally, specialists of different
Isolates have small populations, about 1,600 acres rather than 2,000. kinds end up living in the same slight-
less than 100 being typical. Their There won’t be many trees, and farm- ly larger villages. Many village
homesteads range from an American ers will cook over dried manure or economies have markets that open
backwoodsman’s log cabin to a charcoal imported from remote once a week or so. Operating such a
Viking’s farmstead to a Roman forests. market may require one or more spe-
cialists – an innkeeper, a scribe, or a
watchman. So markets space out in
roughly the same way; perhaps one

LOCALITIES 93

Trade and example). Building walls is expensive,
Land Use so the wall encloses as small an area as
possible; and because it’s safer inside
Idealized trade network in an agricultural economy, with four levels: ordinary villages, small market villages (typically the wall than outside, people crowd in,
holding a market every two weeks), large market villages (typically holding a market twice a week), and a town (every raising the population density. A town’s
day a market day). Small settlements buy services from specialists centrally located in larger settlements, shown by built-up area occupies from 12 to 60
arrows. Each settlement has its own roughly circular area of cultivated land. Realistically, differences in soil fertility acres, at about 80 people per acre. A
and ease of transport would produce a less neat pattern; obviously, therefore, this map is not to any set scale. large town is typically about a quarter-
mile across.
village in four will have a marketplace. twice a week. Specialists make up a
Market villages are somewhat larger significant part of a town’s population. Openings in a wall are vulnerable
than other villages, but still have 100 They may keep gardens or raise pigs to attack, and gatehouses to protect
to 999 inhabitants. or chickens, but they get most of their them are costly. So towns have only a
food by selling their services, so food few gates. The country roads pass
TOWNS comes in from the countryside to feed through those gates and connect with
the townspeople. Total population is the major streets; less important
Towns are larger versions of mar- typically 1,000 to 4,999. streets branch off from these. Most
ket villages. Because of increased towns pay a gatekeeper for each gate,
demand, towns support specialists Food costs more in a town, any- and often a night watchman to patrol
who provide services rarely needed in where from 1 1/2 to 3 times as much the streets.
villages, such as armorers and jewel- as in the villages. Since food is the
ers. These craftsmen mostly deal with biggest cost of living, anyone who CITIES
the wealthy (the richest one or two cannot earn enough in a town will
families in each village, who may be move to a village. Cities are normally located at key
its lords). A normal town generates points on major transportation routes:
enough business that the market is Because towns have money, they for example, on natural harbors, or on
open all the time, not just once or both need and can afford protection. A large, navigable rivers, typically at the
typical town has at least a low wall, upstream ends of the navigable por-
hard to climb over (8 to 10 feet, for tions. As a result, they can draw on
areas larger than the local countryside
for food. The next three population
bands – 5,000 to 9,999, 10,000 to
49,999, and 50,000 to 99,999 inhabi-
tants – include most of the large cities
of history. A typical city with 50,000
inhabitants would occupy 625 acres,
or just under a square mile, and would
be about a mile across. This area isn’t
available for farming, and a large city
won’t have farmers among its resi-
dents, though it may have specialized
enterprises such as vegetable gardens
or vineyards.

People in all the common business-
es, and even in some luxury trades,
make cities their homes. Tradesmen
compete for business with others in
the same trade. They may organize
guilds to keep out new competitors,
legally or illegally. They may deliber-
ately call attention to themselves
through advertising (using the
Propaganda skill). Or they may spe-
cialize in a particular product or serv-
ice. If mages work for hire, a city may
have several mages, and even a guild
or school of wizardry.

Anonymity makes it possible for
thieves to live in cities as permanent
residents, instead of just passing
through and carrying off whatever
they can pick up. A thief can keep his

94 LOCALITIES

Agrarian Magic city that controls the surrounding vil-
lages, a free city in a feudal system
The commonest setting for fantasy campaigns amounts to “Europe whose aristocrats control all the
in the Middle Ages, but with magic.” However, if magic is common, it nonurban land, and a provincial cap-
may change the way people live, to the point where it no longer looks ital in an empire or nation-state. A
medieval. provincial capital may have few
defenses, if it’s in the interior of a
Suppose, for example, that every village has either a mage who spe- pacified empire. A city-state or
cializes in plant or weather magic, or a priest who serves a harvest god, medieval free city will have substan-
with at least one or two spells at level 15. Any but the smallest village will tial walls, typically over 30’ high. In
have at least 100 adults and adolescents, and they’ll probably be willing an emergency a city can send its
to contribute a minute or two of ritual in the morning to help bring in a entire adult male population, about
good harvest. So what can 100 points do when spent on a spell? 20%, to guard its walls; a city of
50,000, occupying a square mile, will
Bless Plants: 100 points will double the crop yield for a season with- have about 10,000 men to guard four
in a radius of 300 feet, or roughly 6.5 acres. Casting this over all the miles of walls, or one man per yard
fields may take too much energy, but the built-up area of a village of 260 and one-third of its men as a reserve.
people will be about 6.5 acres – and there will be plenty of vegetable gar- Conquering a defended city typically
dens there. The village may also use this spell on orchards or vineyards. requires a prolonged siege.

Heal Plant: 99 points will get rid of plant diseases and parasites with- City life has other hazards as well.
in a 99’ circle. Most plant infestations will end before they can spread. Food costs at least twice as much as
in the country. If there’s a crop fail-
Predict Weather: 90 points will generate a perfectly accurate weather ure, the city will run out of food
forecast for the next month and a half. Farmers will know exactly when quickly. Large numbers of people
to plant and when to take precautions against bad weather. crowded together create a higher risk
of disease. Cities normally depend on
Purify Earth: 100 points will remove foreign substances and add immigrants from the country to
nutrients to the soil in a radius of 150 feet, which covers about 1.6 acres. maintain a stable population. Fire
Magic will ensure that the fields are fertile. can spread quickly from building to
building. Rumors can spread and
Rain: 100 points will make 1” of rain fall in a circle 1,000 yards in mobs can form; a city’s rulers have to
radius; that’s an area of 649 acres or just over a square mile. Farmers worry about keeping order, and its
will almost never lose crops to drought. minority groups may become targets
of violence.
With just these five spells, a farm village can make every year a good
year, and double the yield of its most important fields. Farmers can feed
themselves on smaller fields, which means the same amount of magic
will aid even more farms.

occupation secret by not practicing it Temporary Settlements
in his own neighborhood, by stealing
from travelers instead of locals, and A society that can’t support a city on a year-round basis may have
by fencing his loot to a merchant who short-term gatherings that are as large as cities. The merchant fairs of
can ship it to another city. Many the Middle Ages drew many buyers and sellers, often emphasizing one
thieves, especially young ones, can type of goods, such as cloth or books. The Althing in early Iceland gath-
also blend into the crowd of poor city ered together people with legal disputes for settlements – and enforced
people. For the same reason, corpo- attendance by outlawing anyone who failed to honor a summons. Many
real undead, black magic cults, and countries have religious festivals that draw large audiences. Nomadic
other supernatural threats find cities societies can also have these events, which may be the only time large
a good place to look for victims. numbers of nomads gather.

As a transportation center, a city Whatever the motive, such events are easier to support than full-scale
will have specialized facilities to sup- cities. An area that can feed 100 permanent town residents can feed
port traffic. Most cities have docks or 36,000/N visitors, where N is the number of days an event lasts.
other support for ships. Cities on
rivers have bridges. And cities often A variation on this pattern is the mobile royal courts of some
build major roads and have housing medieval European societies. Kings and their retainers traveled through
for draft and riding animals. the country, visiting various noblemen and cities for a few days or
Protecting the traffic is often a major weeks. This let a king maintain a larger household than any region could
goal for a city’s rulers. support. It also gave the king a weapon to use against annoying noble-
men; he could drop in for a visit and stay until their supplies were
Most cities have at least some exhausted, knowing they wouldn’t dare ask him to leave. The same kind
measure of self-government. Three of calculation can determine how long a region can host a royal court of
common patterns are an independent any given size.

LOCALITIES 95

IMPERIAL in any other city may have its own works of art, and the buildings will be
CAPITALS small guild. treasuries. In a decadent empire (see
Decadence, p. 81), the residents of the
A city that has enough military The ruler’s palace will be a virtual palace may be concerned only with
power may overcome lesser city- city in itself, though typically it will the microcosm of their own society,
states. The result is an empire, con- operate as a single gigantic household. scarcely able to imagine the lives of
taining several cities with one domi- Its staff won’t be for hire in the usual the people outside. Savoir-Faire (High
nating the others. Commonly the cap- sense, but “hiring” rolls describe the Society) may be defined by the actions
ital of such an empire is even larger search for the right department to get of the court, and provincial nobles
than ordinary large cities, exceeding something done. The palace may actu- may hire instructors in proper courtly
100,000 inhabitants. The largest, such ally have its own walls, with restricted behavior.
as Rome and various Chinese capitals, access even for other residents of the
may attain a population of a million or capital. The palace grounds will be
more. As a rule, a pre-industrial world
can only support one or two such City of Wonders
cities at a time, in widely separated
regions. Feeding their inhabitants Because of its size and complexity, an imperial capital is naturally
requires access to highly productive mysterious. No one can understand everything about how it works, and
farmland, such as Chinese rice pad- important decisions are made behind the scenes. In addition, as a
dies or the wheat fields of the Nile wealthy economy, it has unusual goods for sale and arcane specialists
Valley, and secure, reliable transporta- for hire. Its name will be known in remote lands and attract a variety of
tion to the capital. Naturally, protect- travelers, from diplomats to merchants to pilgrims, often bearing exotic
ing commerce becomes one of an objects as gifts or merchandise. It may have a foreigners’ quarter where
empire’s top priorities. A city of this people follow the strange customs of their native lands.
size doesn’t just have the power to
control a huge territory; it needs the Even the gods may pay special attention to the imperial court. In a
huge territory to survive. high fantasy setting, divine manifestations may surround it, or the gods
may descend to make their wishes known or grant the ruler their aid. In
An imperial capital is a large city a light fantasy setting, visits from gods and other supernatural beings
even by 21st-century standards; to may be common and disruptive; think of the trouble that fairy god-
anyone from a historical fantasy mothers cause in classic fairy tales!
milieu, visiting it will be an unforget-
table experience. Its sheer size will be In short, imperial capitals have a magic of their own, which makes
overwhelming, with walls 5 to 15 them natural settings for fantasy. A campaign can combine overt fanta-
miles long enclosing from 1 1/2 to 15 sy about a generally magical landscape with cryptic fantasy about more
square miles. Even with this area, it powerful magic, hidden by the very density of human beings on the
will be crowded, with many of the res- crowded streets.
idents living in multistory buildings.
The streets will constantly be full of Old cities have even richer possibilities. Small cults or old families
people. Businesses will be highly com- may preserve ancient customs and magics. If a city has stood in the
petitive and diversified; an occupation same place for a thousand years, it almost certainly stands on the rub-
that would support a single specialist ble of its own earlier buildings (see Ruins, p. 90). Who knows what
might lie buried in the empty rooms?

96 LOCALITIES

Whatever size the starting place is, SERVICES If hunting is legal or poaching is
adventurers need to find supplies, common, many villagers will have
equipment, and services there. Actually obtaining the service may hunting weapons, such as bows,
require a reaction roll. If the prospec- slings, or spears (or rifles, at TL4 and
Finding a service requires an IQ or tive clients want a standard service higher).
Area Knowledge roll, modified by the and offer the standard price, don’t
size of the settlement: -3 if population bother with the reaction roll. Services In some countries, the law requires
is under 100; -2 if 100 to 999; -1 if that limit their clienteles react at -3 to every man to have light infantry
1,000 to 4,999; +0 if 5,000 to 9,999; +1 inquiries from the wrong people, and weapons for militia duty. The Norman
if 10,000 to 49,999; +2 if 50,000 to a bad reaction may have unusually kings of medieval England required
99,999; and +3 if 100,000 or more. PCs severe penalties. regular archery practice, for example.
may attempt one roll per day, but with
cumulatively increasing difficulty, as If a service, its provider, or one of Availability of serious military
the adventurers search through the his employees is a Contact or Patron, weapons varies with historical condi-
obvious locations: -2 for each failed no search is required, and obtaining tions. In an unsettled era, individual
search. Any roll at -5 or worse auto- services involves the usual processes landowners may have to fight off ban-
matically fails. This includes the mod- for dealing with Contacts and Patrons dits, or mercenary forces may hire out
ifier for the size of the settlement; in a (see pp. B44-45 and pp. B72-74). their services. Armorers and arms
community with 80 residents, the first dealers will supply them with
failed search is the end, but in an If a settlement has several services weapons. If society is generally peace-
imperial capital, up to four searches of the same type, adventurers who ful, or a powerful ruler wants to keep
are possible. don’t find what they want at one can weapons out of private hands, armor-
look for another. Start the search ers may work exclusively for the state.
It’s easier to find larger establish- process over again, but with -1 for Roll vs. Streetwise to find a black mar-
ments: -1 for a one-man shop, no each provider already visited. ket dealer, or Administration to figure
modifier for two to five workers, +1 out which official might divert
for six to 20, +2 for 21 to 100, and +3 The contents of its window were weapons from their intended uses.
for larger businesses. Apply this curiously varied. They comprised some Persuading him to do it will take a lot
modifier after deciding if further elephant tusks and an imperfect set of of money and influence rolls.
search attempts are possible. For a chessmen, beads and weapons, a box of
single man with no fixed location, eyes, two skulls of tigers and one If weapons are legally available,
use the Hireling rules (see p. B517) human, several moth-eaten stuffed any town will have an armorer or
instead. monkeys (one holding a lamp), a old- arms dealer. He’ll provide ordinary
fashioned cabinet, a fly-blown ostrich gear out of inventory. Expensive
Some services only deal with spe- egg or so, some fishing-tackle, and an weapons such as swords, elaborate
cific clienteles. Finding them requires extraordinarily dirty, empty glass fish- armor, and horse barding, or any gear
a roll against an appropriate skill (or tank. There was also, at the moment the of Fine quality, must be custom-made.
its IQ default) instead of IQ: Savoir- story begins, a mass of crystal, worked Payment is half at the start and half on
Faire for establishments that serve the into the shape of an egg and beautifully delivery.
upper classes, Streetwise for criminal polished.
establishments, Merchant for estab- In a city, an armorer may have
lishments that deal with a specialized – H.G. Wells, “The Crystal Egg” such gear in stock, and several
trade, Administration for special-pur- armorers will probably compete. Use
pose government agencies, or ARMS the repeated search rules. Cities are
Research for scholarly archives. At the AND ARMOR also large enough to have self-sus-
GM’s option, any of these skills may taining underworlds with their own
default to Area Knowledge in place of In general, villages don’t have armorers. A Streetwise roll can locate
IQ for this specific type of search. armorers or dealers in combat gear. a supplier for weapons banned by
Even if there’s a resident smith, he local law, at -2 for each level by which
A service that actively seeks out probably makes most of his living the weapon’s LC falls short of the
clientele through advertising or other from shoeing horses (at TL3 and local CR.
forms of public visibility has +5 above) and repairing tools. However,
to Area Knowledge. A service that adventurers looking for combat gear Cities often employ mercenary
makes systematic efforts not to be in a village do have several options: companies. These companies often
found has -5. have members with Armoury skills.
Knives are often weapons as much Their services will mostly be commit-
If, in the GM’s judgment, the phys- as tools, but every smith knows how to ted to their own companies, of course,
ical site that houses a service is high- make or sharpen them. but the right approach to the armorer
ly visible, because of its size or or the captain of the company may
noticeable features such as signs or Many tools, from hatchets and work wonders.
steeples, no roll is required to locate mallets to pitchforks and shepherd’s
the service. crooks, work as improvised weapons,
typically at -1 to effective skill.

LOCALITIES 97

Imperial capitals have that status blessings. Starting at TL2, armies have TRANSPORTATION
only because they’re able to repulse their own medical specialists.
rebels and invaders. The imperial Intelligent and conscientious soldiers Transportation falls into three
bodyguard will almost certainly have know how to dress wounds and assist main types: land transport, river trans-
the best equipment bought or made. If surgeons. In some armies, they may port, and seagoing transport.
the weapon shops are all owned by the become surgeons; others may recruit Historically, land transport is five
empire, gaining access to their prod- civilian physicians for military med- times as costly as river transport,
ucts will be difficult and perilous . . . ical care. which is five times as costly as seago-
but if private merchants or armorers ing transport. Shipping thousands of
compete to supply the troops, one may For a wider range of medical skills, tons of grain from Egypt to Rome cost
be willing to do an extra job for a many societies turn to the gods. Some less than hauling it over roads in Italy.
small private band of adventurers temples have priests trained in healing
with the right credit rating. And if magic or medical skills; they may also Villages must form on fertile land,
another country makes high-quality operate hospitals. Cities of any size since the majority of their residents
or exotic weapons, an arms merchant, have professional physicians and sur- work that land. However, trade sup-
a wealthy aristocrat, or an eccentric geons. Normally they come to the sick ports the towns. They naturally form
member of the imperial family will person’s house and provide care there, in locations where traders and other
have some in his collection. and family members nurse the sick. travelers are common. And they
Nonmagical remedies are mostly invest in making travel easier by
MEDICAL CARE straightforward and manageable building roads, bridges, canals, or
without specialized training, given docks. Towns concentrate on small
The most basic medical facility is a directions from a physician. facilities that support local trade;
secure place to rest and heal. This is cities and imperial capitals build larg-
available almost anywhere, except More advanced techniques, such as er facilities for long-distance trade. An
during a war or other disaster. reconstructive surgery, are available in imperial capital can afford to create a
some societies. Only guilds or other port city for its shipping, or construct
Many TL0 societies, and all soci- associations of specialists will teach a network of roads for its armies and
eties at TL1 and above, have special- them. They need not be magical, but merchants.
ists in medical care, whether they use will be as mysterious to most people
surgery, herbal potions, or divine as if they were. Adventurers intending to travel
long distances may want to join a car-
avan, or take passage on a ship – or on
a balloon or flying carpet, in a more
exotic setting. Whatever form of long-
distance travel is prevalent will be
available mainly in cities.

INNS AND
TAVERNS

Nearly every human community
bigger than a single household has a
place for people to eat, drink, and
socialize. In a communal economy,
this is a private club, and gaining
admission requires a local sponsor. It
may even be religiously based, only
open to worshippers of the same god.
In a market economy, it will be a busi-
ness. Small businesses may sell only
recreational substances, usually alco-
hol, though chocolate, coffee, tea, and
tobacco are other possibilities. Many
taverns also sell food, or give it away.
Such gathering places don’t usually
have lodgings for travelers; a traveler
staying in a village will need to find a
household with a spare bed.

In a setting with regular traffic,
market villages will have inns and hos-
tels. Often the inn will also be the main
tavern. The innkeeper will probably be

98 LOCALITIES