Let's get the rest of the infodump out of the way:
Combat:
Combat takes place in Rounds, each of which represents about ten seconds of action. Each Round, everyone who is taking part in the combat gets the opportunity to perform one action if he or she wishes: to attack, cast a spell, or whatever. Actions are taken in sequence based on each combatant's Awareness score. The combatant with the highest Awareness acts first.....(snip)
Combatants with equal Awareness scores act simultaneously. A combatant who is killed (reduced to zero Endurance) before his turn does not get to act.
These are the possible combat options and the circumstances in which they may be used. A character may choose any option for which he or she is eligible as his or her action for the Round:
MOVE
This action allows the character to close and fight an enemy, or to move to an exit (if any). If you take the move option while an opponent is fighting you, then (unless your Awareness is higher than the opponent's) you take an automatic wound. Once all surviving characters in the party have moved to an exit, the party may flee at the start of the next Round.
FIGHT
The character must be close enough to an opponent to fight (directly adjacent). When striking at an opponent, you roll two Dice. A score of equal to or lower than your Fighting Prowess means that your blow has hit. If you hit, you roll a damage Die (or Dice, at higher ranks) to see how much of an Endurance loss you have inflicted. If your opponent has an Armour Rating, you must reduce your Die roll for damage by this amount, and the result (if greater than zero) is deducted from the opponent's Endurance.
Take an example. You have a Fighting Prowess of seven and a damage roll of one Die. You are attacking a Troll whose Fighting Prowess is six and which also rolls one Die for damage. You have the higher Awareness, so you get first blow. Rolling two Dice, you score a three; this is less than your Fighting Prowess score, so you have succeeded in hitting it. Next you roll one Die for the damage your blow inflicts. You get a six, but the Troll has an Armour Rating of two so only four points are deducted from its Endurance. If still alive (that is, if it hasn't yet been reduced to zero Endurance) the Troll now gets to hack back at you. It rolls six on two Dice - equal to its Fighting Prowess, so good enough to hit you (though only just!). For its damage Die roll it scores a one; because you have an Armour Rating of two this means that you lose no Endurance. The Troll's claws hit you, but scrape harmlessly off your studded leather jerkin. The battle rages on for another Round . . .
DEFEND
You cannot attack in the Round in which you choose this option, but it has the advantage of making you harder to hit. If you defend, then your opponent must roll equal to or less than his Fighting Prowess on three Dice in order to hit you. You do not get to strike a blow yourself in the Round you are defending.
SHOOT
This is an option for Sages and Tricksters only. You fire an arrow at any one opponent. Unlike the fight option, you do not have to be adjacent to them because arrows are long-range weapons. You cannot choose to shoot if an opponent is striking at you in the same Round - that is, you must dispose of any opponents who have closed to attack you before picking off others with your bow.
FLEE
Sometimes the text will give your party the option to flee from a fight. All surviving Adventurers must have made a move before the party can flee. When this option is taken, the entire party flees at the start of the Round, so their opponents get no chance to hack at them or cast spells as they run off.
MAGIC
These are options for Enchanters only.
There are mainly two types of combat magic. BLASTING spells simply inflict damage when they are cast, and you deduct the damage the spell does, less your Armour Rating, from the target's Endurance score. The other sort of spells are PSYCHIC spells, and can be resisted. To resist a PSYCHIC spell you must roll two Dice and obtain a score equal to or less than your Psychic Ability score. If you succeed in this roll, the spell fails to work against you. If you fail to resist it, Armour does not protect against its damage. You will always be told whether a spell is of the Psychic or Blasting variety.
Before you can cast a spell, you must call it to mind. If done during a combat, this takes one Round. You can call spells to mind at any time - and keep them in mind without effort - so you may wish to have a few ready before encountering an enemy - rather like having a cocked and loaded crossbow.
However, each spell that you have in mind temporarily reduces your Psychic Ability by one until it is cast. If you keep several spells in mind at all times, you will therefore be adventuring with quite a low current Psychic Ability, and this makes you vulnerable to psychic attacks.
The attempt to cast a spell takes one Round. It does not happen automatically. In order to cast a spell successfully, you must roll equal to or less than your Psychic Ability on two Dice. You must add the Complexity Level of the spell to the Dice roll. If you fail to cast it, you can try again the next Round; this time the roll is easier, as you subtract one from the two-Dice-plus-Complexity roll. If you fail again, you subtract two from your roll on the next Round. If the spellcasting process is interrupted (for example, you take a Round out to dodge or fight) then you have to go back to stage one.
An example to show how this works: Ragnarok is an Enchanter with a Psychic Ability of nine. He has called two spells into mind in case of trouble, so he currently has a reduced Psychic Ability score of seven. In an encounter with three hobgoblins he decides to use his Sheet Lightning spell. This is a Complexity Level four spell, so the first Round he tries to cast it he must roll seven or less on 2 Dice+4. He fails this difficult roll but continues trying on the next Round, this time making 2 Dice+3. He fails again, so on the third Round he needs to make his roll of seven or less on 2 Dice+2. This time he succeeds, and a crackling bolt scatters the hobgoblins.
If Ragnarok had stopped trying to cast the spell in order to fight, and then started trying again the Round after that, he would have had to start with a 2 Dice+4 roll again.
The spells available to the Enchanter and their Complexity Levels will be listed in the Enchanter's character details section.
You can perform only one of these actions in each Round. (except Tricksters, who sometimes get the opportunity for two actions in a Round. This will be explained in his character details section)
Oh, and with regards to Armour Rating and Damage mentioned above, every character will start with a set of Armour, and every Armour found in the book will have an Armour rating. Each person can only wear 1 set at a time, so Armour Ratings do not stack.
Every character will also have a Damage rating (e.g. 1 Die +1), and this will improve as they gain rank, just like their other stats. Some magic weapons will give you bonus. Fighting without a weapon carries a -2 penalty to BOTH Fighting Prowess and Damage rating.
Equipment and Encumbrance
Each character can carry ten items at a time. If you are fully encumbered and find another item you want, you must discard one of the items you're already carrying (or give it to another player) in order to make space for it in your backpack. This is one of the benefits of a multi-player party: 40 backpack spaces for loot as opposed to just 10.
Every character starts with a money pouch, and each can hold a maximum of 100 coins. The Trickster and the Sage (who can perform archery during combat) will start with quivers, which can hold up to 6 arrows each.
Ad now, finally, the individual character attributes!
The Warrior
You are the master of the fighting arts. You have better Fighting Prowess than any other adventuring type at the same rank, and when you strike a blow you inflict more damage. You also have chainmail armour which provides an Armour Rating of three - better than the armour available to other characters.
These advantages give you a real edge in any fight, but you do not get things all your own way. You have none of the other characters' special skills - the Sage's ESP, for instance, or the Trickster's low, devious cunning. Also, because you are of noble birth and follow the honourable traditions of your ancestors, you must be careful to stay true to the code of chivalry. You may take an experience point penalty if you behave in a dishonourable, cowardly or uncouth manner.
You begin with three items that you should also note down:
• sword
• chainmail armour (Armour Rating three)
• money-pouch
As said before, pretty much the meatshield of the party. Special options tend to be relatively fewer compared to other characters. However, there are still occasional times when the Warrior gets to do something special, like pulling off a cool martial arts maneuver in an emergency situation. Special magical weapons also seem to have a slightly higher chance of giving extra benefits when wielded by him. Also, sometimes his status of "noble birth" may receive different treatments from NPCs.
The amount of money a character starts with depends on what rank they are, so I will list them (and the stats) when players begin registering so that we can determine how many characters will be in this playthrough.
The Trickster:
Some Adventurers are honest, chivalrous and honourable. Not you. You are basically a rogue - a likeable rogue, perhaps, but a rogue nonetheless. You live by your wits. If you can win a fight by trickery or by shooting someone in the back, you will. Cunning is your main weapon.
But when you have to face someone in a straight fight, you are no pushover. After the Warrior, you are perhaps the best fighter in any party.
Three special rules apply to you:
Dodging technique
You are very adept at evading attacks. When an opponent makes a fight roll against you, he or she (or it) must roll 2 Dice+1 instead of the usual 2 Dice.
Archery
As long as you have your bow and arrows, you can use the shoot option in combat. You do not have to be in an adjacent square in order to shoot. A shoot roll is just like a fight roll - that is, to hit you must roll equal to or under your Fighting Prowess on two Dice.
Regardless of your rank, arrows inflict only one Die Endurance damage (less Armour Rating) on the target.
Quick Thinking
Once in each combat you can use this ability to take two actions in the same Round. The first action happens at the point in the Round when you would normally get to act, that is, as governed by your Awareness. The second action comes at the end of the Round when everyone else has had a chance to do something.
Items:
sword
studded leather armour (Armour Rating two)
money-pouch
bow
quiver
The Trickster also tends to get special options when there are opportunities to use stealth (e.g. picking locks/pockets), trickery (cheating at games, disguise), charm, and occasionally performing (e.g. playing a musical instrument).
The Sage:
Your upbringing has been in the spartan Monastery of Illumination on the barren island of Kaxos. There you studied the Mystic Way - a series of demanding psionic disciplines and rigorous physical training.
Several special rules apply to you:
Archery
As long as you have your bow and arrows, you can use the shoot option in combat. You do not have to be in an adjacent square in order to shoot. A shoot roll is just like a fight roll - that is, to hit you must roll equal to or under your Fighting Prowess on two Dice.
Regardless of your rank, arrows inflict only one Die Endurance damage (less Armour Rating) on the target.
Quarterstaff technique
Your expertise in quarterstaff fighting includes a knowledge of critical nerve points. When attacking with the staff, you can elect to make your fight roll on three Dice instead of two. This is obviously more difficult, but it means that if you do hit you inflict an extra one Die damage and knock your foe off-balance, causing him to take his action at the end of the following Round (that is, as if he had an Awareness score of one).
Healing
You can use this psionic ability at any time except during a combat. When you attempt to Heal, you decide how many points of Endurance you are going to use. You deduct these from your Endurance, then roll 1 Die-2 and multiply this by the number of points you expended. The result is the Healing energy (in the form of Endurance points) that you are able to draw from the Cosmic Flux. These points may be distributed as you wish among the players (including yourself). No player can increase his or her Endurance above its initial score, of course.
An example will show how this works. Alfric is a Sage who decides to expend five Endurance in a Healing attempt. He thus rolls 1 Die-2 and multiplies the figure by five - rolling four on the Die, say, and thus getting a total of ten Endurance points. He could restore his own Endurance to what it was before he tried the Healing, and this would still leave him with five points to distribute to himself or his companions as he wishes.
Negative results on the 1 Die-2 roll are counted as zero, as mentioned earlier. Your power of Healing is always a gamble, though, because you might roll one or two on the Die and thus get back no points from the Cosmic Flux.
Other psionic powers
Your other psionic powers will be explained in situations where you might need them. They include:
ESP: the ability to detect thoughts;
Paranormal Sight: the ability to see through soft materials such as curtains, fog or water (not stone or metal);
Levitation: the ability to negate the force of gravity on your body, allowing you to rise vertically into the air;
Exorcism the ability to dispel ghosts and other wraiths by stifling the paranormal energies that sustain them.
Items:
• quarterstaff
• ringmail armour (Armour Rating two)
• money-pouch
• bow
• quiver
In classic RPG terms this is the Cleric/Healer of the party. He's also the scholar of the group, and will be the one who receives special options when there're opportunities to find out info/exposition via book knowledge/lore/reading runes and ancient symbols/languages.
A notes regarding his special abilities: it says that he can Heal any time he's not in combat. In order to prevent this from being abused, I think we should limit this to just one Healing attempt per room (as in each time he moves to a different location), or maybe no more than once per section if you want to be more generous. Let me know which you'd prefer.
The Enchanter:
Forget the mundane arts of swordplay. You can use a sword if you have to, but your true forte is in the manipulation of occult powers of Sorcery.
Your special skills are more involved than those available to any other character because you have a host of useful and deadly spells at your command.
The combat spells available to you are as follows:
Volcano Spray Complexity Level one
Causes all enemies in the vicinity to lose one Die Endurance. This is a Blasting spell, so it cannot be resisted. The enemies' Armour Rating, if any, is deducted from the damage Die roll.
Nighthowl Complexity Level one
A Psychic spell that affects a single opponent. If the opponent fails to resist, he/she/it [even more inclusive than usual!] must make fight or shoot rolls using one Die more than usual (that is, on three Dice rather than two Dice) for the next four Rounds.
White Fire Complexity Level one
This Blasting spell strikes one opponent, causing the loss of 2 Dice+2 Endurance (less Armour Rating).
Swordthrust Complexity Level two
A Blasting spell affecting one enemy, who loses 3 Dice+3 Endurance; armour reduces the damage in the usual way.
Eye of the Tiger Complexity Level two
When this spell is cast, you can either add two to your Fighting Prowess and damage rolls or add one to the Fighting Prowess and damage rolls of everyone in the party including yourself. This lasts for four Rounds of combat.
Immediate Deliverance Complexity Level two
Used during a combat from which you wish to flee, this spell Teleports everyone in the party to the exit (if there is one). You are then ready to beat a retreat in the next Round.
Mists of Death Complexity Level three
All enemies in the vicinity lose two Dice Endurance if they fail to resist this Psychic spell. Armour gives no protection.
The Vampire Spell Complexity Level three
This Psychic spell can be directed against a single foe, who loses four Dice Endurance if he fails to resist it. Some of the vital energy he loses is channelled into you: your own Endurance is increased by half the amount he loses (rounded down). Of course, your Endurance still cannot exceed its initial score.
Sheet Lightning Complexity Level four
A powerful Blasting spell that inflicts 2 Dice+2 damage to all opponents in the vicinity. Armour protects from this as usual.
Ghastly Touch Complexity Level four
This is the only spell that requires you to be in an adjacent square to your intended victim. It is a Psychic spell that affects one opponent, who loses seven Dice Endurance if he fails to resist it - and two Dice even if he does resist it. Armour gives no protection.
Nemesis Bolt Complexity Level five
This highly focused bolt of energy strikes one foe, who loses 7 Dice+7 Endurance. It is a Blasting spell, so armour will reduce the damage.
Servile Enthralment Complexity Level five
This Psychic spell affects one enemy. If not resisted, it brings the enemy under your control. He/she/it simply stops moving and in non-combat situations may respond to your questions. If you order an Enthralled foe to fight for you (that is, against his own former companions), you must roll one Die: on a six he recovers his wits and attacks you. Enthralment lasts long enough for you to leave the vicinity, so you proceed as though you had slain the opponent in question.
You also have a number of non-combat spells. These include:
Summon Faltyn, which calls a sly, faerie creature to serve you for a time;
Prediction, which grants a glimpse into possible futures; and
Detect Spells, which informs you when magic is operating nearby.
There is no need to make Dice rolls to cast such spells because it will not usually matter whether it takes several attempts to get them to work.
Items:
• sword
• silver armour (Armour Rating two)
• money-pouch
Something the book doesn't mention in the beginning (but which will become clear after we use the spell for the first couple times) is that the
Faltyn usually requires a price for whatever service we ask of it (we can refuse and dismiss it if we don't like the price it names, but sometimes the full penalty of the price isn't obvious when first named), and it's cunning enough that it will try to out-bargain the Enchanter so that sometimes, using the
Faltyn to achieve a purpose may end up costing us more trouble than it's worth! (Of course, sometimes the Enchanter gets the chance to outwit it and come out on top.)
So finally, now that the character details are out, please indicate which character you wish to play as so that we can finalise on the party!