Interplaner Relationships (outer planes)

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All the substance that exists in the meta-universe of existences, sometimes called the Metaverse, originates from two fundamental planes defining the nature of substance, the Negative and Positive material planes. Between these two planes there exists a balance, but one that is fluid and ever changing, animated in a timeless void. In effect, the two planes churn together, becoming conjoined in such a manner that time is transiently brought into existence . . . creating a time 'period' which lasts many billions of years, in which all other existence is birthed and ultimately destroyed again.

The churning, conjoined happenstance manifests, initially, as the Elemental Planes, which may occur in varying degrees depending upon the incident of consolidation. The present relationship, where the elements are balanced and made manifest in the manner we recognize, is mere chance; another moment of churn would create utterly different, unfamiliar balances - but these are not matters with which we ever need concern ourselves.

We describe the focus where the elemental planes form the reality we recognize as the Prime Material Plane. This plane comprises the familiar structure of 'reality,' or the known universe, which includes Earth, the Solar System, the unnumbered galaxies and the widest reaches of intergalactic space. This existence is often simply referred to as the 'Prime Material.' The name itself is a misnomer, incorrectly given due to the subjective position of those prejudiciously attached to their plane of occupation.

Coextensive with the Prime Material is the Prime Immaterial, more familiarly called the Ethereal plane, an insubstantial reflection of the more substantial world, occupied by ethereal shades whose existence tends to slip in and out of the Prime Material, randomly or upon the will of the ethereal creature. On Earth, ethereal creatures are categorized as manifestations.

Through the accumulation of thought, following a long evolution initiated by the present incident of consolidation, further planes of semi-existence (generally referred to as the Outer Planes) came into being. The cognitive fury of millions of the Prime Material's inhabitants steadily served, over the space of tens of thousands of years, to vivify - bring to life - the unmistakable reality of these Planes beyond the simple understanding of the universe's first inhabitants. As each planet in the Prime Material became home to intelligent life, each outer plane that was conceived and therefore made substance grew in service with the individual culture's imagination. Thus, our outer planes are occupied by our imaginations alone - the outer planes created by the thoughts of other planets are unique to those civilizations. Though infinite, they are outside our ability to reckon and therefore outside our ability to visit. We may only visit those planes that our reckoning could create.

The first outer plane, slowly appreciated in Paleolithic times, with belief but without articulation, emerged as a vast, empty void that we call the Astral Plane, where endless vortices spiral out now to the Higher Outer Planes, which were necessarily forced to attach themselves to the framework that was previously created. Thus, to travel to any other outer plane, we must first cross the Astral Plane - which may be thought of as the imaginative existence created by the animal brain of intelligence. All other planes whose names are familiar to us are truly 'outer' in the sense that they are beyond the Astral.

See Outer Planes

Protective Bracken (sage ability)

In many areas of the world, bracken exists as a cluster or thicket of ferns, often mixed with shrubbery. Sometimes growing up to three feet tall, bracken will cover fields, brushy areas and woods like a carpet.

Unknown to most, bracken is a home for a wide variety of faeries, of untold variety and very often of a nature that exists nowhere else on earth except within a particular large bracken. Many of these faeries are less that a tenth the size of a sprite and many are invisible. However, with knowledge of bracken gained from the study of ferns, the character will be able to quietly call upon these creatures in time of need.

There are two ways in which a character can gain protection from a bracken; the first, if the character wishes to hide, the character need only lay down and the leaves of the bracken will be closed over top, hiding the character from discovery. So long as the character remains in place, does not move and does not make a sound, the character cannot be found in bracken except by magical means.

Alternately, if the character is forced to defend against an enemy, he or she will gain aid from the faerie-folk while standing in a bracken, granting them a +1 protection against all attacks, physical or magical. Enemies will feel themselves grasped by the bracken, the character will be shifted out of the way of missile weapons as best the faeries can manage and the overall magical strength of the bracken will give a +1 to all saving throws. It isn't much help, but the faeries do what they can.

Characters with this knowledge will be able to seek out brackens if pursued with a chance equal to the number of points of knowledge they possess (presuming, of course, that they are seeking within a woodland). Note that this benefit only applies to places in the wild, not patches of ferns grown in a domestic garden.

See Mosses & Ferns

Cultivate Ferns & Mosses (sage ability)

Provides knowledge of valuable materials that can be gathered from various moss and fern species, including material needed to produce essential oils, soap and dyestuffs, as well as medicinal tonics that can be applied to temporarily restore strength or constitution in times of illness.

As this material is largely gathered from the wild and varies considerably in terms of how much material is required in order to distill value from its general mass, to keep things as simple as possible the rule will be that a full day of gathering (in areas appropriate to the materials sought) will produce 3-12 lbs of raw material. This can then be distilled (by a variety of means) in order to produce whatever would be the appropriate amount of final, essential product. This distilling process will typically take only an hour, but will require a workshop suitable for whatever is being obtained.

At present, a specific list of ratios for material to product is not included here, nor are there specific details included as to what products might be obtained from what parts of the world (although some of this is being added steadily to the wiki, as time allows).

Details will be worked out as players make their desires known.

See Mosses & Ferns

Common Language

Describes a universal language spoken by virtually all the races of Alexis' World, superimposed so as to simplify matters of communication.  Early in my experiences as a DM, I found the peculiarities surrounding multiple languages was less than satisfying in game play.  Not having language skills outside of my native language English, I found it difficult to successfully present situations where language was an obstruction ~ and, on the whole, I did not find such situations providing an effective emotional response from players.

So I got rid of commonly used language. The term, "common language," comes from early D&D.  Other languages from common do exist, but almost entirely as written clues, which must be comprehended through the use of spells or applicable sage abilities.

See Campaign

Torch (illumination)

Torches provide light, and can serve as a means for alighting flammable materials.

Torches can be thrown. If hurled or tossed 15 feet or more, a roll must be made to see if, because of the flight through the air or rolling on the ground, the torch snuffs itself out. The chance of it doing so is 1 in 6 per combat hex beyond the first two.

A torch on the ground will not burn well, because the surface reduces two thirds of the torch's oxygen supply. Torches are not meant to burn hot, but slow, as the oil and wax soaked cloth tied around the top of the cloth has a fairly high flash point.

See Illumination

Monster (definition)

For definition purposes, any creature of sufficient strength or mass to possess at least 1 hit point and to impose an attack capable of causing 1 hit point of damage.

For a list of monsters used in the game, see Bestiary.

Prehistoric World (culture)

A mega-culture describing to a scattered collection of isolated regions representing those parts of the world that pre-existed human culture. These areas are dominated by a wide variety of humanoids, occupying most of sub-Saharan Africa, Siberia, Australia and the Pacific Islands as well as most of the New World.

While highly disparate in form, these cultures possess a minimum of scholarly information, so it is possible for an individual to become an thorough expert regarding these cultures as a combined whole.

Oriental World (culture)

Includes the geographical lands of southern India (apart from the Moghul Empire), Southeast Asia, the East Indies, China and Japan, as well as various Oriental cultures of Siberia and the surrounding Ocean.

The principle religion of the region is highly varied: Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Confucianism, Taoism and a range of other philosophical religions.  The principal races are largely human, with firenewts, orcs, haruchai and hobgoblins ranging across the sub-Arctic regions.

Islamic World (culture)

The Islamic mega-culture dominates a vast area that extends from Morocco, along the northern edge of the Sahara Desert, to the eastern frontiers of the Moghul Empire in India. Much of this land area is controlled by the Ottoman, Safavid and Moghul empires, which dominate lands of the Near and Middle East, Persia, Afghanistan and the south slopes of the Himalaya Mountains (including the Ganges and Indus river basins). This also includes those parts of the Balkan Peninsula and the Russian Steppes that are under the authority of the Ottomans.

The principle religion of the region is Islam.  The predominant race of inhabitants is almost universally human.

European World (culture)

Describes the culture of those parts of the world dominated by France, Spain, the British Isles, the Italian Peninsula, the Holy Roman Empire, Poland, Scandinavia (including Iceland) and Moscovy, along with adjoining regions extending east to the Siberian non-human frontiers, the Turkish Frontier and North Africa.

The predominant religion of this culture is Christianity, either Catholic or Protestant.  The predominant race is human, though there are numbers of elves, gnomes and halflings known in the area, along with half-orcs immediately to the east of the Dneiper River, west of the Don.

Shrapnel (siege engines)

Catapult balls that are constructed of broken stone and low-grade masonry will shatter when hitting a hard object. Ballista bolts surprisingly heavy and will split into dangerous splinters when they hit a surface. Either has the potential for breaking apart and causing damage with shrapnel:

All creatures within the orange hexes above can potentially take damage. Each are "attacked" by a d20; those that are hit will suffer shrapnel damage from the weapon that has been used.

See Also,
Ship's Weaponry
Weapons List

Locus

Any sub-entity of a larger kingdom or state, or the entire kingdom or state if that region possesses no sub-entity.

For example, the Kingdom of Hungary is divided into 8 sub-entities: Burgenland, Croatia, Guns, Little Ruthenia, Nyatria, Ruthenia, Upper Hungary and the West Border. Alternately, the Colony of Archangel has no sub-entities; therefore, the whole Colony is considered to be one locus.

Sub-entities will be of very different sizes; the size, or number of hexes, has no effect on the definition of a locus.

Possessing knowledge of a locus (sage ability) would mean that the character had chosen which sub-entity the character wished to know very well.

If, for example, a character with knowledge of Geography chose the locus of Croatia, then that character would have specific and detailed knowledge of the geography of that specific locus.

Fungus (violet)

Violet fungi are a species of non-intelligent, carnivorous fungal growth.  The creature is able to move slowly, able to sense spaces that are well-travelled, where they will tend to gather singly, in pairs or in very small groups.

Though easy to avoid (their prey is more likely creatures of animal intelligence who attempt to pick their way past the fungi), the process of exterminating the creatures is difficult and dangerous.  Outdoors, they can be avoided; but when they block a tunnel underground, they are often closed in rather than contended with.  A violet fungus might live for a year without sustenance.

Advantages

The body of violet fungus possesses four stiff tentacles that can snap reflexively at any creature that approaches up to a distance of ten feet (two hexes).  The creature expends none of its own movement in this attack.  As these tentacles are positioned equally around the body, each is able to attack only a 180° half circle ~ so that while the creature has up to four attacks, this relies on the creature being attacked by more than one creature to take advantage of the benefit.

In game terms, one creature approaching within the range of the creature will be attacked twice.  Two creatures, attacking side by side can be attacked three times (maximum of two per defender).  If two persons attack from opposite sides of the creature, each can be attacked twice.  Finally, if three persons attack the fungus, distribute all four attacks among them ~ with each being attacked a minimum of once.

Hits will not cause ordinary damage, but necrotic damage.  This is damage that cannot be healed with ordinary cure spells or with rest ... and in turn begins to consume the body each day.

Violet fungus must be thoroughly destroyed with acid to be permanently rid of the creature.  Otherwise, a new fungus will grow from less than an ounce of its original body in 4 to 5 months.  The creature is fire resistant and will not burn unless cast into a enclosed oven or kiln ~ even small pieces thrown into a open bonfire will leave enough to sprout a new fungus.  A level of expertise is necessary when removing or cutting up a fungus, expertise is necessary as gas from the fungus as it is cut apart will cause 1 point of necrotic damage to the victim's lungs.

Once a violet fungi has killed a victim, it will step over the body and begin to feed on the victim, dessicating its remains.  Violet fungi hardly ever move during combat.

See Bestiary

Cockatrice (beast)

Describes a malevolent, colorful two-legged dragon-like creature with a rooster's head, dwelling in obscure, dense hinterlands ranging from temperate to tropical climates. They are expressly dangerous in that the tail of the beast (which may consist of a flourish of feathers or a line of spikes as shown) has the power to transform enemies into stone.

In combat, the cockatrice will take short leaps of 3-4 hexes, jumping up and over its enemies, striking downwards with the tail while it passes. These leaps require only 2 action points to achieve. The tail causes little damage, but those struck by it must make a saving throw or be transformed. Once the creature has landed, it will attack with its beak. If in trouble, it will bound away and seek a better opportunity for attacking again.

Cockatrices are uncommonly malevolent and, if challenged, will fight until dead.

The cockatrice owes its existence to a dweomercraft practice of allowing a toad to incubate an egg which is produced from the male chicken, a circumstance that is induced through dark means unknown to most persons. Once managed, the single egg will usually produce three infants, which will seek a hidden place to dwell, remaining there for years before chancing upon a village or other habitation. Often, their presence becomes known when such a village is discovered with all the occupants turned to stone. Over time, one or two might die, leaving only one, thus accounting for the number appearing.

Myths that weasels are immune to the touch of a cockatrice have not been supported by a single, credible witness.

See Bestiary

Terminal Afflictions (disease)

These are afflictions that inevitably end in death. In terms of effects, they possess the same structure as severe afflictions - the only difference is that for whatever reason the body simply surrenders, develops a complication and dies. In the case of some diseases, such as those affecting the hormonal organs or the muscles, where the symptoms are less rigorous, the complication that is developed will be a terminal case of another disease (roll randomly). The new affliction will quickly come into effect within a day or two before the terminal moment determined by the original disease, rapidly killing the creature.

In other cases, it will be a matter of the sufferer just not getting better - this is why in terminal cases the time period is longer. Note, however, that in some cases, where ability stats and hit points are lowered past the zero point, a non-terminal disease may yet be terminal and the afflicted of a terminal disease may die long before the number of weeks originally rolled. In such cases, the specific described effects of the disease take precedence - presume the original roll for terminal death on the Time Period chart under Diseases is an outside limit to life and not a guarantee for survival.

See Disease

Severe Afflictions (disease)

Upon onset of a severe infection, over a period of 3-12 hours, ALL character ability stats will be reduced by 25% (this can be calculated as a progressive reduction as necessary). In turn, the character will lose one level of effective experience per day, until levels are reduced to one half of the total. Note that a 3rd level character would not be reduced to less than 2nd, a 5th level character would not be reduced to less than 3rd and so on. All level loss incurs an equal loss in hit points and other abilities.

These losses are to be combined with additional reductions that are listed below, so that further losses to ability stats occur AFTER being reduced by 25%. As well, if any character suffering from any severe infection is reduced to less than zero hit points by any effect other than the infection itself, a strength check must be made or the character will die. All checks must be made against the stat as it has been modified by other effects!

Following the second week of the disease, the character will regain one level per week that the infection remains; all remaining lost levels will be restored in the last week of infection.

In every moment of suffering from a severe infection (following the first 3-12 hours), the character will be totally disabled, unable to take part in any action, including walking or even eating. Therefore, the character must be fed by another. Moving the character physically will result in 1-4 damage per round. If the character is teleported or otherwise shifted by magic, 1-4 damage will occur one time only. If the character is levitated, the character will suffer 1 damage every 5-20 rounds (whether or not the character is manipulated), due to the body tensing up and the effects of stress.

A breakdown for the effects of mild infections are listed below:

• bladder: the character will likely suffer considerable pain due to retention; any movement will cause an additional 1-8 damage over and above other considerations. 1-4 damage will be experienced per day.
• blood (hemorrhagic): reduce both strength & constitution 0-2 (d3 -1) more points per week; death will occur if either is reduced to zero.
• brain & nerves: reduce intelligence & wisdom by 1-6 points each; if either is reduced to 2 points or less, there is a 20% chance of losing 1 point from that stat permanently.
• breathing: character will be subject to 0-3 (d4 -1) coughing fits per day. For each, roll a constitution check; failure indicates the character suffers 1-3 damage.
• ears: all hearing is reduced in either one (90% chance, either ear) or both ears (10% chance) for the duration of the infection, making the character deaf.
• eyes: all sight is reduced in either one (40% chance, either ear) or both ears (60% chance) for the duration of the infection, making the character blind.
• heart: reduce both strength & constitution 0-2 (d3 -1) more points per week. Once per week the character must make a strength check; failure indicates the character suffers 2-20 damage from a seizure.
• hormonal organs: a rash will emerge due to infection, causing an additional 1d4 damage over and above other considerations. there is a 20% chance that the character will be rendered permanently sterile.
• joints & tendons: roll a dexterity check once per week; failure will reduce dexterity by 1 point for a period of three months (it would require 18 months to regain a loss of 6 dexterity points).
• muscles: following the first week of the disease, roll checks against both strength & constitution; failure indicates a permanent loss of 1 point.
• nose, throat & sinuses: roll a constitution check once per week - failure indicates that the character has caught an acute breathinginfection; roll degree of infection.
• skeletal: reduce both strength & constitution 0-2 (d3 -1) more points per week; death will occur if either is reduced to zero.
• skin: reduce charisma by 0-4 points (d5 -1) for each week of the disease, to a minimum of 3. Make a constitution check; failure indicates a permanent loss of 0-3 charisma (d4-1).
• stomach & colon: reduce strength & constitution by 2-8 points each; death will occur if either is reduced to zero. A skin rash will occur from diarrhea if the character is not assigned a permanent nurse, causing 1-4 damage per day.

See Also,
Disease
Terminal Afflictions

Mild Afflictions (disease)

These will cause the character to experience considerable strain from exercise of any kind. This will not mean that the character cannot physically exert themselves; only that there will be heavy consequences for doing so. For every round of combat or for every 10 minutes of exertion, the character's constitution should be temporarily reduced from 0-2 points (d3 -1). This penalty should be increased (an extra die rolled) for every 6 lbs. of weight the character carries above 10 lbs. (a total of 15 lbs. would not incur the penalty). Take note that memorizing of spells is considered strain and will have likewise effect.

If disabled, the character will not be able to take part in any other action, including walking or even eating.

Each of these constitution points may be retained by 1 hour of total rest, in which the character does nothing at all. Note, however, that in many cases the disease itself is also reducing the constitution of the character, in which case rest will only return the character's constitution to the disease level.

A breakdown for the effects of mild infections are listed below:

• bladder: 4-8 times during a 24-hour period, character will be disabled for an hour after painful urination, during which time their constitution will drop by 1 point; this lost point will be restored after another hour.
• blood (hemorrhagic): reduce strength & constitution by 1-3 points each; any weapon hit upon the character will cause a wound.
• brain & nerves: reduce intelligence & wisdom by 1-6 points each.
• breathing: reduce strength, constitution & dexterity by 1 point each.
• ears: reduce hearing range to 5-40 feet; instructions or sounds from beyond that distance will be ignored.
• eyes: reduce visual range to 5-40 feet; study of spells or other materials will require twice as long to accomplish.
• heart: reduce strength & constitution by 1-3 points each; if the character is knocked unconscious, the character must make a strength check (against modified stat, affected also from being in negative hit points); failure indicates the character suffers 2-20 damage from a seizure.
• hormonal organs: character will be rendered impotent; there is a 50% chance that a rash will emerge during infection, reducing dexterity by 2-5 if armor is worn.
• joints & tendons: reduce dexterity by 1-3 points.
• muscles: reduce strength & constitution by 1 points each.
• nose, throat & sinuses: reduce constitution by 1 point.
• skeletal: reduce strength & constitution by 1-4 points each; any wound suffered has a 1 in 10 chance of breaking a bone.
• skin: reduce charisma by 0-3 points (d4 -1) for each of the first three weeks of the disease, to a minimum of 3. If charisma is reduced by more than 5 points, there is a 10% chance that the character will permanently lose 1 point of charisma. One point of charisma will be regained each week after the third week; all remaining lost charisma will be restored in the last week of infection. Reduce dexterity by 1 point.
• stomach & colon: reduce strength & constitution by 1-6 points each to a minimum of 3 points. 3-5 times per day, character will be disabled for two hours after painful diarrhea.

See Disease

Primitivism (sage ability)

Provides recognition and comprehension of primitive art forms, most notably drawing, music and dance.  The character is able to understand and replicate the meaning and purpose behind primitive signs, fetishes and shamanistic designs.

The ability includes a skill at reading tribal messages, such as drumming, smoke signalling and the like, and even allows the character to use such methods, once identifying correctly the tribe and race of the party to be communicated with.

See Criticism & Composition

Art vs. Product

This page exists to give a distinction for game purposes between what is original created work and what is the reproduction of art that is made by other persons.

Product

Most of what a bard produces is Product. The songs sung at the tavern are familiar songs, the meter used to write a poem is a familiar meter, the story and movements made by a puppeteer are well-known, the food by a gastronomist is commonplace and recognizable. This is what most bards do ~ they take the stock forms of their individual artistic backgrounds and transform them to make proficient, workaday, conventional reproductions therefrom.

Most bards never do anything else. Common bards have a small collection of things they know, a repertoire that will grow as they become more able at their craft. But this improvement is not "original" ~ it is merely a better copy. Over time, it only looks unique and artistic because the masses are not sophisticated nor engaged enough in the field of art to recognize the difference between something new and different and something that is substantially reshaped from a previous bard's work.

Those inside the profession, however, know. The creators themselves are perfectly aware of the stealing they've done.

Art

This is the making of something original, something that has never been seen or conceived of before. Though part of an artwork may include elements that are substantially product, there will be an important element that subverts or completely alters the perspective of the viewer, including that of other bards. Art is that from which product is made. The creation of art is difficult and rare, often resulting in disappointment.

See Also,

Creativity

Make Art

Sukha

Temperature Grades

The table on the left divides ambient temperature experienced by the characters into grades of 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Any individual should be able to use the numbers to create a table in Celsius if they wish. Each temperature grade demands a certain amount of clothing and intake of water. Each will also have effects upon combat, as combat alters the body temperature of the participant. The following links are an attempt to categorize the effects of temperature at each grade, to enable a 'feeling' of temperature change for the players to experience.

For each temperature grade, compare with details on clothing and water intake.

See these pages for detailed descriptions of adventure/game effects at these temperatures:

Pleasant Weather
Warm Weather

Crashes & Collisions

Crashes are events where a combatant walks, runs or while moving at triple-speed into a permanently fixed object. Collisions describe the same situation where the crash occurs with another combatant, either an ally or enemy.

As the combat system employed is turn-based, collisions are rare - but they may happen due to participants moving at high speed, tumbling or otherwise acting in the dark or with surprise. Additionally, combatants may be willed by others to hurl themselves at objects or persons; said objects may be invisible or the combatant may be duped by illusions, etc.

Crashes and collisions cause damage. Damage done to persons moving at a normal pace occurs when the object crashed into is completely unexpected. Crashes may occur with persons who are running around a corner, such as in the case shown on the right (click to enlarge) in which Caleb cannot see the space beyond the corner until actually making the turn.

Typically, in a combat system, the situation depicted here would not occur; the player would have a top-down view of the battle field and would be able to see that a 60º turn, carried out to the end of movement, would result in a crash. Yet in real life, this sort of thing has the potential to happen all the time.

One method is to conceal part of the battlefield, then compel the character to commit to a total movement before turning the corner. Caleb would tell me he was moving up to 0705 and turning into 1004 (obscured by the building) and the move would then be resolved to show the surprise obstacle in Caleb's path.

First, Caleb would make a wisdom check, as a wise person would hesitate before turning the corner. A successful check would bring Caleb up short right at the corner - but I would also argue that said check would reduce Caleb's to a walk for 1 AP, even if there was no reason to pause. Thus, if there were no second obstacle, Caleb would run to the corner at ½ AP per hex, then slow to 1 AP, then be free to speed up again.

Supposing he does not wish to make a wisdom check, because he is pursuing someone and he willingly throws caution to the wind? At that point, Caleb is entitled to a dexterity check - with a successful check meaning that he would pull up and stop in the hex immediately ahead of the wall. A failure to make this check would mean acrash.

The same situation could occur with a tree, an unseen statue, a small cart, a large stone in the runner's path or another combatant waiting behind the corner. Caleb could feasibly slam into the back of an ordinary person waiting or working. In the case of another person, the damage from the collision would result to both combatants.

Crashing into a wooden object or surface at running speed will cause 1-6 damage. Add +1 to damage in the case of stone or metal. Objects that have notable protrusions, such as spikes, nails, pointed tree limbs and so on, then increase damage by 1-4. If the object is small enough to be tripped over, the combatant will tumble and take 1-4 damage (2-8 if the dexterity check for tumbling fails). Where a moving combatant hits a combatant that is not moving, that is also considered a crash, where both combatants suffer 1-6 damage.

In the case of collisions, where both combatants are moving towards each other, the mutual damage caused is equal to 2-12 damage. In both crashes and collisions, a d20 should be rolled. A natural 20 indicates that this damage is doubled.

Note that combatants can be deliberately crashed against, in order to slam them against or over an object, even potentially over a drop (in which case both combatants would have to make a dexterity check to avoid falling). In the case of being slamming someone into a wall, while both combatants would take damage from the collision, only one combatant would take damage from crashing into the wall. For further rules regarding attacking into an enemy hex, see charging.

See Movement in Combat

World (Alexis' game setting)

Geographical and statistical overview of the world, organized by kingdom, empire and political entity.

Archangel, Colony of
Astrakhan, Pirate Khanate of
Bjarmaland, Kingdom of
Cumana, Sanjak of
Harnia, Queendom of
Hungary, Kingdom of
Kiyev, Grand Principality of
Moscovy, Grand Duchy of
Nissi An, Reaches of the

All Cities
Sheet Maps
Alexis' Whole World

Additional content to follow.

See General Index

Wishes

Because of fairy tales such as The Ridiculous Wishes or The Monkey's Paw, the value of making a wish in the Dungeons & Dragons game setting has always been subject to a thematic taint. It is unclear, from the style of a particular DM's play, whether or not the existence of the wish is a game feature or an opportunity to produce a spontaneous morality play, with the DM as moralist. Thus players have been required to produce exact words of uncompromising perfection when stating a wish, as an effort to restrain the DM from twisting the intended meaning of the wish and thus punishing the player for daring to use this ridiculously dangerous stab-yourself-in-the-chest ability.

D&D is not a morality play or story and the rules that apply to wishes must restrict the DM as much as the player. The DM cannot be allowed to use his or her discretion. Everyone using a wish should have a clear and reasonable idea of its effect and limitations, enabling them to employ this magic without fear of arbitrary consequence.

Because of the difficulty of this requirement, and the very wide latitude of possible effects that a wish might have, there are consequences that must be considered regarding both the campaign and upon the enjoyment of the game. As Bernard Suits describes it, "Playing a game is the voluntary attempt to overcome necessary obstacles." We don't want to make the power of wishing so formidable that it will overwhelm the game and make every desire possible for the players, so that the game ceases to be worth playing. At the same time, we do not want to contain the effectiveness of the wish by means of threat, guilt, supposed punishment for choosing the wrong things or by means of the DM's autocratic authority.

The rules below are intended to solve this quandary.

Rule 1: the DM is not allowed to misconstrue the player's intended purpose. When making a wish, the player should be able to specify clearly what is wanted, in circumstances where what's asked for is not merely a thing or an event. Most of the time, the point of inconsistency will likely result from an interpretation of the rules on this page. The onus falls upon the DM to empower the player to make themselves clear, discussing the matter before the wish is made, if need be. The DM should also be prepared to ret-con the wish and its results in the time immediately after the wish has taken place, if need be, in order to ensure that the player is completely happy with their intended purpose. Take note: if the player takes an inordinate amount of time to settle on the desired wish in a situation where time is relevant, such as during combat, the player's indecision should be held against the player by requiring a round or more to pass before the wish's asking has actually come to pass.

In all cases, the DM should always provide the most likely standard thing, in the most standard fashion that is recognized. That is, a "wagon" will always be of the most probable size of wagon that is for sale at a particular town, and not something much larger or much smaller. If an earthquake is wished for, the DM should decide upon the most probable size of earthquake that would meaningfully get the attention of people (that is, "feels" like an earthquake). The DM should not produce some minor tremor and argue that it is "technically" an earthquake, or even that "most earthquakes" are only tremors. When we think "earthquake," we have an image of widespread damage. The DM should recognize that wishes are meant to be powerful and adhere to that standard. The player will be wholly justified in receiving exactly what was wished for, without niggling or poor practice on the DM's part.

Rule 2: the Player is not permitted to needlessly accessorize the wish. It should be understand that one wish means to ask for one thing. Desirably, the player should be able to wish for a thing or event, and then apply one adjective to that wish. For example, the player could ask for a blue wagon, but not a big, blue wagon. Thus the player is enjoined to minimally describe the effect or thing desired, without positing that it has additional abilities, features, persons to service the thing or any other addition which must be considered a an additional wish. With regards to an earthquake, a player could ask for a "big" earthquake or a "devastating" earthquake, but not an earthquake that alsospecifically targets a specific house. That's two wishes and cannot therefore be managed with one wish. If the word "and" or "but" or "also" can be inserted into a given wish, it is probably two or more wishes and should be exempted.

Rule 3: the Player's character cannot affect things the Player cannot fully comprehend or identify. For example, a player's character cannot wish to "abolish France." In no way can the player fully comprehend the full nature of France, or any other entity that is vastly beyond the player's conception. Likewise, the player could not wish to change the course of a river they have never seen and cannot comprehend (particularly in a world without clear maps), nor ask for the deaths of thousands of people who cannot be personally known and identified by the player, nor ask for anything on a scale with which the player's character has no reckoning.

The Player's character can wish for things that affect persons or entities about which the player has sage knowledge, but only insofar as that knowledge reaches. For example, a player who is aware of a King's existence on the throne of a particular country can wish for the death of that king (but cannot name the manner of death, as that would be a second wish) ~ but would not be able to wish for the death of a specific King's advisor whose name isn't known, though it is fairly certain the King does have an advisor. Take note that to ask for the death of the most trusted advisor would break rule #2; the death of a single advisor could be asked for, but not specified.

In general, it should be assumed that the player's character can wish for things that directly affect his or her self; places where they are or have been; creatures which they recognize or can name and events regarding the consequences of which can be reasonably comprehended. The fallout from the obliteration of France is far too uncertain to be included in this list ~ and we must assume that the combined will of the gods and all other magical beings in the known universe are there to check the ad hoc disappearance of massively important entities.

Rule 4: The Player's character cannot meaningfully alter the game's fundamental structure. Players will be inclined to wish for the most obvious things: to be stronger, to be smarter, to possess more experience, to be able to cast more spells and be harder to hit and so on. Since this rule must take into account the running of an 18th level mage able to cast a wish spell [placeholder] every day, the possibility of increasing every stat of every party member, and all their followers, to a maximum degree, is a game breaking circumstance.

Therefore, it is argued that while the Player may be able to conceive the difference between, say, having 10,000 x.p. and 20,000 x.p., the player's character cannot. If the character were to ask to be wiser, more powerful, etcetera, they would be doing this without the benefit of having numbers assigned to these things that would tell them they were more powerful. Therefore, while the character would believe they were more experienced, wiser, stronger and so on, the character's actual stats would not change.

The character's wish might be more specific. If the character said, "I wish to be strong enough to break open that door," that would be granted ~ but it would NOT translate into a change of stats and it would not translate to every door. If the character were to say, "I wish to be strong enough to break every door," the specificity of the wish is lacking; it requires an answer to the question "where;" the implied answer, "in the universe," is an accessorization of "every door," and therefore is counted as two wishes. Not just every door, but every door somewhere.

Likewise, characters cannot be made smarter about things such as sage abilities. They can wish for an ability such as, "I wish I could ride a horse," which can be translated into the minimum of sage ability that enables this. A character could not, however, propose, "I wish I were an alchemist," because the player has no conception of alchemy and this would break rule #3.

Conclusion

For the present, I am convinced these rules serve to contain the power of the wish, while enabling a considerable amount of latitude on the player's part. In general, I believe that a player possessing a wish should be entitled to wreak considerable effect on the world, within the above boundaries.

It should be noted by players that wishes do not occur in a vacuum. If a king were wished dead, very likely the source of the death would be known within minutes, as the king is surrounded by clerics and mages with divination spells and other determination methods at their disposal; the king would likely be wished alive again within the hour, which would then create a focused effort to identify (again, through various means), the name of the original wisher, the location of said wisher and, within a few hours, the presence of a number of high level officials and potentially assassins teleported to that location for the purpose of arresting, killing or otherwise punishing the wrong-doer.

Players should always be aware that the presence of wishes in a campaign are a sort of nuclear option, where everyone with the power tends to treat its effects upon the powerful with a no-hands-on policy. Mess with them and they will mess with you. And since everyone in the world agrees to this cold war, there are many, many more ready to stamp down on a non-conformist than the number of non-conformists the player character likely knows.

No doubt, more theoretical points will have to be added to this page, given future instances where the wish crops up in a campaign. In no manner should it be assumed that this page pretends to cover all possible contingencies.

See Also,
Campaign
Limited Wish

Wild Magic

A form of magic that does not correspond to spells, devices or any other form of controlled necromancy, existing in the natural world as a random, inconstant influence on events and happenstance. Virtually anything can be explained as random magic, such as coincidence, synchronicity, fate, karma, ball lightning, creatures falling from the sky, spontaneous combustion, the origin of horrid or baffling creatures and so on . . . any and all of which may defy explanation.

Upon another level, wild magic is the impetus that puts in motion all the forces of the universe. It is the soul of power that resides at the base of all things, the ghost in the machine, the atman, the means by which breathing powers the body. It is the magic that makes crops grow and seas rise, that topples mountains and cracks open the earth, that brings gravity and magnetism into existence, that causes the atomic foundation of matter to be orchestrated in the manner that it is. Wild magic is the thing that even the gods must take into account where it comes to the rules that define their limitations as well as those of mortals.

There is no reliable way to control wild magic. One method of perpetrating its existence is the discipline of occultism, which can have potentially disastrous consequences when invoked.

The reasons for my wanting there to be such a thing as wild magic should be obvious; it serves as a handwaving mechanism for all the absurdities and inconsistencies that exist in a D&D world. At the same time, as a DM, I do not invoke wild magic as a justification to do whatever I desire; it is an explanation for the weirdness of the world, and only that.

See Campaign

Trade & Equipment

The following pages are related to trade, distribution of resources and equipment for purchase.

Armor List
Coins
Equipment Notes
Freight
References
Sources
Trade System
Weapons List

See General Index

Ternketh Keep (module)

Ternketh Keep is a module produced by Alexis Smolensk that can be purchased for $10 through a donation on the blog, Tao of D&D.  The module is presented in Publisher Format, as a PDF or as a set of Images. The benefit to the Publisher version is that all the parts of the module - furniture, doors, walls, etc. - are fully interactive and can be used to build other adventures.

The description below gives an abridged version of the modules' introduction:

INTRODUCTION

Ternketh Town is an unusual collection of floating platforms, and bridges that drift some two thousand feet above the ground. At the center of these is Ternketh Keep, a place of peace and contemplation where monks and lords would rest, study and converse. The floating town was launched more than a thousand years ago for reasons that aren’t precisely known (it is suggested the DM should create a reason that suits the campaign); since that time it has drifted from land to land, moving in a great circle over the whole world.

The contents of the keep, and its history, should allow for the DM to create a unique purpose for the keep that does not necessarily conform to the one I chose to run for my campaign. In the game that I ran, the keep was deserted, the inhabitants attacked and killed by nearly two hundred harpies. This happened about four years ago. These harpies dwelt in great numbers on Ternketh for a time, until the number of victims dwindled and the harpies left in groups. There remain a dozen of the beasts in Ternketh Keep.

Approaching Ternketh

It is presumed that the party has some means of reaching the town. Perhaps they have an airship, perhaps they are able to fly or they are teleported into the adventure by themselves or by someone powerful. If themselves, it is suggested that the number of beasts (or the type of beasts) be greatly altered. I would estimate that the adventure as planned would be sufficient to frighten a group of 5th – 8th level characters, depending on how much healing power they have. The original idea was intended for AD&D . . . so adjustments would have to be made in the number and power of the creatures if the adventure were adapted for later editions. Going forward, the description hereafter will presume the party has arrived in an airship.

Ternketh Town

The main town is made of platforms that surround the keep in a large circle. Each of these platforms, or ‘docks,’ are large enough to serve as a foundation for a dozen residences that are built together as a block, with a narrow street that runs around the outside. This street is perhaps ten to fifteen feet wide and serves only foot traffic.

The docks are built close together, so that one can cross from dock to dock by rope bridges, 10 to 30 feet long. Underneath the docks are posts, as though the docks were built on water – but of course, the docks float.

The party’s airship can be used to look down into the keep (in which case, the Ramparts map should be shown to the party). If the airship is small enough, the party can set down in the yard; alternately, the party may wish to dock the airship to the outer wall and step onto the ramparts. The party may also prefer to dock the ship somewhere by the town and proceed to the keep using the bridge between the keep and the town (see below).

Townspeople

There yet remain a dozen of the beasts and perhaps a hundred people – these are protected by a venerable wizard, Shan, who is too old to campaign or fight. Shan keeps a part of the town safe by setting out glyphs and wards, the precise location of which he changes. The harpies have been caught by these and now leave the remaining residents of Ternketh alone. The party can meet these residents, and Shan, who can explain what has happened.

Shan will have a limited knowledge of the interior of the keep. He will say that it has two levels below ground, that there is a treasure room and that there are an unknown number of harpies who dwell there, that there are barracks for soldiers and a central tower where the chief lord dwelt. He had only visited the keep many times, but as he did not live there his only experience is with the yard itself (the ‘ground’ of the keep). He has not been even there in ten years, as he was getting quite aged when the harpies attacked.

If the party decides to enter the keep and see about cleaning it out and finding the treasure room, Shan has little he can do to help. He possesses no potions, no magic items, no special gifts to give; he cannot even offer to put a ward on the party to protect them because he needs all he has for the town. He cannot walk along with the party and the other people of the town are too frightened to go anywhere near the keep. The party should not expect help.

Approaching the Keep

While the keep is in the middle of the town, no part of the keep is less than 100 feet from the nearest edge of any town dock. It can be approached without flying only by the stone bridge that links one town dock with the east edge of the Keep. This bridge is narrow, only about eight feet, with walls on either side that are only two feet high and crowned with machicolations (which are about three and a half feet above the stones of the bridge). The walls are only a foot thick, the machicolations only six inches. Obviously, the nature of the bridge was designed to discourage persons from wandering across for pleasure. The dock side of the bridge has no fortifications whatsoever, suggesting that the town was friendly in design and rulership.

Development Levels

Development is a standard that describes the quality of life of the creatures that dwell within a given region.  A “region” may be of any size, and based on any criteria the DM may wish.  With a sense of practicality, I have chosen to define regional development according to the population density within political borders.  This would indicate the typical, or mean level of development for a given region.  It would not preclude the presence of a small cell of higher development; such cells, however, would not be considered the norm, and would exist only to serve the DM in actual game play.

The purpose for creating a development measure is to helpfully define small political areas within a gigantic world tapestry, to give them a sense of identity and predictable character.  Therefore, it would be meaningless to circumvent a low development region by filling it with high development cells of elite inhabitants.  The DM should be encouraged to create adventures that fit the pre-requisite of the region's development, specifically because that limitation helps define one region as recognizably different from another.

Political boundaries and populations, however, are useful only to describe parts of the world that have people (or the D&D equivalent).  "People," which includes all monsters with an intelligence of 5 or better on a scale of 18, have not developed every part of the game world.  Much of that world is wilderness: uncultivated, inhospitable and uninhabited.

However, rather than consider this wilderness as a single, ill-defined unit, I've chosen to include development levels of 0 to 4 that describe an evolutionary standard of development.  The harshest parts of the wilderness would preclude large mammals or other creatures with an animal or semi- intelligence, due to lack of sustenance, water or a reliable biological predation cycle.  Regions of less than 5 development are defined by vegetation, topography and hydrography. 

Loosely, a development of zero describes a part of the world occupied by insects, molluscs and monsters that lack any intelligence, feeding upon one another in a biome so bleak as to defy even the occasional hunting party a reason for entry. 

Conversely, a development of one would include animal-intelligence mammals ~ but the absence of any peoples would indicate that too few mammals would exist to support even sporadic hunting.  These would be truly obscure grazing lands, such as those found infrequently in deserts such as the Sahara or Gobi, or in the open ocean.  Still, grazing mammals would be the highest form of life.

A development of two would increase the number of grazers, supplying enough predation for family groups of carnivores, such as canines and felines, among other D&D monsters.  Hunting parties of intelligent beings may be encountered, but rarely; the size of such regions would be immense and would lack exploitable water supplies for creatures that could not carry their own water supply or travel many hundreds of miles.  The lack of exploitable water and resources has already declared such areas (such as savannas in Kenya or Tanzania) accessible but not desirable for settlement (at least, not until the onset of the Industrial Revolution).

A development of three describes the presence of higher intelligence creatures possessing a crude form of communicative language; such as Earth primates.  Primitive tool use has not been managed; cooperative forms of attack, or large family groups able to act in concert for attack or defense, make these creatures the dominant creatures in the environment.

A development of four indicates the next stage in semi-intelligence, describing primitive peoples with crude linguistic abilities, strong family bonds and primitive tool use (particularly as weapons), combined with firm social bonds.  What we would think of as primitive humans, up to but not including the creation of habitats, aestetics, a comprehension of self or the environment ... so very nearly like a primitive neolithic culture, but not quite.

Further development levels are deserving of their own page of description:

Dev Level 5
Dev Level 6
Dev Level 7
Dev Level 8

See Campaign

Mythology

A growing account of all things mystical, magical and supernatural in the game world, including the nature of religion and religious iconography, the presence of gods and their minions and the planes of existence, establishing the nature of the "unknown universe" that is outside the scientific and perceptible, or ordinary universe.

Abaddon, Keyholder of the Abyss
Abyss
Angel
Avalon
Brisingamen
Chidambarum
Crann Bethadh
Demonic Culture and Origins
Demonic Possession
Devilish Culture
Eden
Elysium
Four Elements
Gehenna
Grigori
Higher Planes of Existence
Jannah
Lower Planes of Existence
Outer Planes
Pandemonium, one of the Outer Planes
Paradise
Prime Material Plane
Purgatory
Tartarus*
Thought Made Manifest*
War in Heaven
Wild Magic, magic that manifests without direction or purpose

Hex Groups Chooser

The generator can be found at this link.

Content about this generator can be found below:

http://tao-dnd.blogspot.ca/2013/08/cracking-wall-on-hex-generation.html
http://tao-dnd.blogspot.ca/2013/08/making-hard-generation-easy.html

An Online Blog Campaign shows the response of players to the generator:

http://taoscampaign.blogspot.ca/2013/08/coming-ashore-on-greater-koufonisia.html?showComment=1376491576608

Clothing Insulation (CLO)

The insulation of clothes are often measured in the unit "CLO", where 1 corresponds to the insulating value of clothing that is needed to maintain a person in comfort, sitting at rest, in a room that is 21 C (there are other considerations but these can be ignored for game purposes).

My general concern is that players are able to determine the appropriate amount of clothing that their characters should be wearing for each temperature grade - and that they are able to easily calculate what their CLO would be if they wore this or that. Here is the table on the left as a downloaded excel file, which allows the character to write 'yes' to each piece of clothing they are wearing, to have their total CLO calculated:

"Comfort" for game purposes is defined as the character operating at all ability scores at full. As discomfort increases, however, ability scores fall - as the character becomes less able to strain, reason, endure, react or maintain a peaceful disposition. It is desirable that players should consider the weather before launching themselves upon an adventure, taking into consideration things like their lower ability stats, the amount of armor they can reasonable expect to wear and the amount of time they can engage in combat before suffering serious fatigue.

The table gives a general sense of the comfort level that is possible, depending upon the temperature grade and the amount of insulation the character has added. The comfort level is indicated by the amount of CLO that must be worn at that temperature grade. For each temperature grade the character is removed from their comfort level - whether due to the weather being hotter or colder - that counts as a 1 point reduction to their ability stats.

For example:

Albert is wearing clothing sufficient to give him a CLO of 0.8; he is residing where the temperature is warm and he is taking no action. He is therefore comfortable, as any clo between above 0.5 to 1.0 is sufficient to be comfortable.

However, Albert decides to go to the market; as he is moving about, buying things, his 0.8 CLO is now above the 0.5 maximum that is necessary for him to be comfortable. As a result, all his ability stats count as 1 point lower.

Albert sits down to rest, but the sun shines harder and it becomes balmy. He is still not comfortable, because now the maximum amount of CLO he can wear is 0.5 - so that even sitting he is -1 to all ability stats. However, he fights back and removes his doublet with sleeves, reducing his CLO to 0.5. He's bareskinned from the waist up but he's comfortable. His stats revert to normal.

The evening comes and the temperature drops down to pleasant. Unfortunately for Albert, he can't find his doublet - and now he needs to be wearing a CLO of at least 1.0 to be comfortable. Whereas before he was too warm, now he is too cold. Once again, his ability stats drop by one point.

See Also,
Campaign
Temperature Grades

Clothing Insulation Calculator

The calculator can be found at this link.

The link is an excel spreadsheet intended to simplify the comparison of clothing worn, in different weather conditions, with the relative comfort of the character. Some liberties have been taken ~ many of the clothing insulation modifiers have been adjusted for what I believe would be more accurate for medieval clothing. However, anyone using the document can easily change the variables as they wish.

The calculator then adds together the combined CLO (clothing insulation) for all articles worn. Then the user must input the temperature, in celsius. This then calculates the "ease": the amount of CLO necessary to be perfectly comfortable while at rest.

Then there are figures that indicate the amount of damage that a character will suffer if participating in that activity with their present "ease" for a 12-hour-period ~ that is, a day of travel or a night of sleeping/rest. Hit point penalties are indicated if it is too cold for the clothing that is worn or if it is too hot.

Moreover, there are three lines for calculating the effect of "heating up" while in combat. As combat goes on, characters will begin to sweat uncomfortably, to the point where they will begin to take damage PER ROUND in addition to all other considerations.

This is entirely optional, obviously, for anyone using the table for their campaign.

See Campaign

Bestiary

This page has been moved to a new wiki.

Addiction (malady)

Addiction in my game describes the compulsion that characters possess for hard drink or for stimulants and hallucinogens (such as tobacco, opium or qat), the dependency upon which can require a character to daily partake, at some expense, or to become stressed and less effective when these substances are not available.

Most often, a character will acquire an addiction through the character background generator, due to a negative roll against a middle to low wisdom. Addictions are reckoned as a measurement of material that must be drunk, eaten or smoked within the space of a day or a week. When addicted characters fail to obtain their dose, they can temporarily lose ability points or combat ability until such time as they can acquire a 'fix.'

Kicking an Addiction

To get rid of an addiction, a character must make a wisdom check each day to abstain from use of the substance. Success at this roll will not, in the short term, suspend the negative consequences of failing to partake, it is the only path that will, in the long run, end the dependency. The character must, initially, succeed at a wisdom check for seven days running. All wisdom checks are presumed to have been made at sunrise of a particular day. For each successful string of seven days, a character will receive a +1 bonus to all further wisdom checks with regards to their addiction, provided they do not fail to make a wisdom check and attempt to relapse. In relapsing, the character will immediately take steps to acquire the substance they need and use it. If this occurs, the character has lost all ground gained and must begin their resistance anew.

It should be obvious that this makes it almost impossible for a character to become free from an addiction on their own. It is so easy to relapse that, if the substance they need is available, they will certainly fail again and again to kick their addiction. There are, therefore, only two real paths to kicking their addiction:

• The first is for others to take steps, often combative steps, to ensure that the character cannot relapse even if the character attempts to do so. If it happens that the character, failing to make a wisdom check, is kept from relapsing until sunrise the following day, they will be entitled to another wisdom check. If this succeeds, the character will not attempt to relapse that day, the crisis will be past and the character's forward accumulation of days is not compromised.
• Secondly, the character can put themselves under the care of a physician able to aid in detoxification. This will give a +3 bonus to all wisdom checks made under the physician's care, in addition to bonuses gained by repeated weeks of success.

Thus, the path of success will mean that the character, with the help of friends and a physician, will steadily improve their bonuses week by week until it is impossible for them to fail a wisdom check.

Further Issues

Note, however, that friends must be vigilant in keeping a watch on an addicted character, as the character will give no sign of intending to relapse. As well, the player, having spent multiple sessions with a character of lowered strength, dexterity or other ability statistic will likely want to quit their treatment, returning to their use of whatever substance. These negative consequences, difficult as they are, do not go away until characters have truly freed themselves of the dependency.

Finally, a character can be compelled to fight other characters (though I do not support player-vs-player, this is a special case) from a sort of madness, if physical restraint is applied against a character's will. In cases where a character is in a town, where these substances are easily available, this may be necessary.

To determine a character's success at obtaining a substance in a town or city (where anyone might possess the substance), the character should make an intelligence check; success would indicate that the character has somehow met an individual willing to pass the substance quietly into the character's possession (addicted persons help each other). One other random character in the party, keeping watch on the addicted character, should make a wisdom check to see if this exchange is observed. If it is not, consider this:

The character may obtain this substance on a day when they have not failed their wisdom check - just in case they may want it later. Therefore, the character may already be ready to use the substance with a wisdom check is failed . . . potentially within minutes of sunrise. Thus, a failed wisdom check by the party will mean the relapse has occurred, even in the wilderness. Occasionally subjecting the addicted character to a search could prevent this, but any such searches that occur when the character is actually in possession (make the intelligence check to know) should result in a player-vs.-player conflict. Suffice to say that choice of weapons is left up to the characters.

Last, it must be noted that each time a character wants to relapse and fails to do so, the character should make a system shock survival roll (see Player's Handbook). Failure to succeed at this roll will mean the character will fall to a random disease of random nature and degree.

See Campaign

Equipment Notes

I've included this index to account for goods, services and general objects for which I have created special rules in my world. See Trade & Equipment.

• agrimonia: natural flower that will double the chance of pregnancy occurring.
• alder catkins: natural flower that will reduce the degree of infection (see Disease) in diseases affecting the skin by 0-3 points when used by a physician; will heal damage done by insect bites (but not poison) in the manner of a healing salve (see below), usually more cheaply.
• aloe vera: natural oil that will reduce the negative effects of uncomfortably hot temperatures by restoring ability points 1 point.
• amaranth: natural flower that, when properly prepared, will enable immortality.
• betel nut: when prepared by an apothecary as a powder, will defend the body against parasitic infestations.
• blue mass: curative for madness and charm.
• boric serum: anti-hemorrhagent; treats fungal infections; affects insects.
• camphor oil: waxy solid, flammable; insect repellent and embalmer.
• citronella oil: effective insect repellent.
• devil's dung: a gummy resin that, if consumed, will provide the victim of possession a +2 saving throw against charm, even if no previous saving throw was possible. Often, the victim will need to be restrained in order to be force-fed the medication.
• four thieves' vinegar: anti-pestilential tonic that will reduce the degree of infection in diseases affecting the blood, breathing, joints & tendons, muscles, nose, throat & sinuses and the skin by 0-3 points when used by a competent physician.
• faerie oil: acts as an addictive enticement and hallucinogenic for faeries; also an animation catalyst.
• gripcolle: a gummy, magical substance that will temporarily function as a powerful glue.
• gum ammoniac: a gummy resin that will reduce the degree of infection in diseases affecting the creature's breathing by 0-3 points when used by a physician.
• healing salve: healing substance that supplies 1-4 hit points per dose, closes wounds.
• holy water sprinkler: mace with glass bladder designed to spread fluid over an opponent.
• jacob's ladder: a dried root, usually shaved, that will heal damage done by poison only in the manner of a healing salve (see above), usually more cheaply.
• monk's head: a toadstool that has multiple healing properties, including treatment of hormonal organs, asthma and excessive heart rate, in addition to driving off werewolves.
• quicksilver: temporarily gives ordinary weapons the power to affect opponents as though silvered.
• vitriol (blue): a copper-infused acid, sometimes called 'flower of copper,' that will reduce the degree of infection of eye diseases by 0-3 points when used by a competent physician.
• vitriol (green): an iron-infused acid that will reduce the degree of infection of hormonal organs by 0-3 points when used by a competent physician.
• wood alcohol: also called wood spirit, an anti-freeze and solvent that acts as an acid against molds & jellies.
• woundwort: like amaranth (see above), woundwort will half the chance of a resurrection survival roll failing when a character is magically restored from death. Woundwort does not possess amaranth's other properties, however.

Spell Components

While spellcasters do not have to worry about using spell components when actually casting spells in my game, to create scrolls of those spells, the original list of spell components still serve as a set of ingredients. These are listed below:

• bat (live): for darkness (15' radius) and wizard eye spells
• bone shard: piece of human skeleton; for scare spell.
• carp (live), minnow: for identify spell.
• cricket (live), of old age: for magic mouth & sleep spells.
• cricket (live), of young age: for jump spell.
• eyeball (human): for clairvoyance spell and potion.
• flesh (human): for animate dead spell.
• ichor (doppleganger): brain fluid, for polymorph other spell and potion.
• ichor (goblin): brain fluid, for monster summoning I spell.
• ichor (hobgoblin): brain fluid, for monster summoning II spell.
• leeches: multiple annelids floating in water, for tongues spell.
• owl feather (steeped in wine): for identify spell.
• scarab (live): for strength spell.
• spider (live): for spider climb spell.

See Also,

Poison
Trade & Equipment

Studded Leather (armor)

A fantasy-conceived form of armor that did not actually exist as a unique form of armor, imagined from artwork that was most likely fashionable renderings of incorporated metal pieces and studs into leather armor. This was interpreted by the makers of D&D as necessarily superior to leather armor, though this is likely a confused interpretation. Nevertheless, I continue to use the armor form for my games simply because I am used to it existing in my world and I see no reason to change its existence, since D&D is, in fact, fantasy. I could easily dispense with it, as ring mail would remain to fit the armor class (they provide the same amount of protection), but I don't.

Therefore, studded leather in my game is judged to be superior, with a +3 armor class adjustment (lowers armor class by 3 points).

Like leather armor, the garment incorporates within its base structure the cloth padded armor, into which the leather pieces are sewn. Thus, the character does not need to buy chausses or a hauberk when purchasing studded leather armor.

See Armor List

Splint Mail (armor)

Also splinted mail, a form of armor in which narrow plates ("splints") are fixed to a mesh ring surface in order to provide better protection. The edges of the splints are attached either by rings through the splints and the mail mesh, or as embedded splints in the mail. The splints are most commonly vertical. For the purposes of my game, splinted armor is popular in Russia and Central Asia, when heavy armor is worn.

The armor requires the wearing of padded armor beneath the chain and splint frame, to prevent chafing and to provide armor for the backs of the legs, which the mail does not cover.

Splint mail provides a +6 armor class adjustment (lowers armor class by 6 points).

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Scale Mail (armor)

An armor consisting of many individual small scales of various shapes attached to each other and to a backing of leather in overlapping rows. The lower part of the armor consists of leather or scale greaves that cover the shins and the top of the boot.

The armor requires the wearing of padded armor beneath the scales-and-leather to prevent chafing and to provide armor for gaps the scales do not cover.

Scale mail provides a +4 armor class adjustment (lowers armor class by 4 points). It is fairly heavy.

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Ring Mail (armor)

An armor of uncertain make and design, as no actual examples of this type of armor exist in fact, rather only in loose descriptions from the medieval period. Nevertheless, we may assume it to be individual (not interlocking) rings sewn over the surface of a garment, intended to act similarly to studded leather armor.

Ring mail provides the same +3 armor class adjustment as studded leather armor (lowers armor class by 3 points). However, it is moderately heavier and much stronger with regards to item saving throws (for which it should save as a metal and not as leather). It also requires the purchase of cloth padded armor (though not the hauberk), which must be worn with the ring mail torso.

See Armor List