Meg can be quite dangerous when threatened:

Apparently, this was my trip to bond with Meg

What did we do in Vegas? Stay in our hotel playing the Magic card game:

Erin– like a spider:

Strolling down Miracle Mile:

duv and Meg Dance-Dancing away:

Quark’s Bar:

Don’t We Look Happy? And check all the Star-trekkie shirts:

The Las Vegas Airport has cool art:

I’ve played Magic long enough that when Fallen Empires first came out, and they had a faction which was, briefly, sentient masses of fungus originally bred for food, which had turned against their creators. So, cool story hooks, Check. Then, the mechanics supporting them were great: Every thallid grew (got a counter) every turn, and when they got enough, the counters budded off into new monsters called Saprolings, or into poisonous darts, or whatever. They even had an elvish farmer which could convert them into Life points– their original function, story-wise. This meant that they worked very well together, and had an almost organic exponential rise to their strength. Well, at least in theory. In practice, they weren’t strong enough quickly enough, and were quickly overwhelmed but just about anything else.

Cue some months ago, when I reapproached magic: In the intervening years, new cards featuring Thallids and Saprolings had been printed. Some new, good cards. So I’ve rebuilt a Thallid-centric deck, and while it’s not complete, it’s gotten fairly decent (if still a little slow). I started with the awesome Fun with Fungus Deck (guess I wasn’t the only one to love Thallids), and have been modifying it slowly.

Some Cards in the Deck:
Elvish Farmer
Thallid
Night Soil
Deathspore Thallid
Thelon of Havenwood
Thallid Germinator
Pendelhaven Elder
Savage Thallid
Sporesower Thallid
Thallid Shell-Dweller
Golgari Rot Farm
Verdant Embrace
Sporoloth Ancient
Doubling Season

I’d like to add:
Thelonite Hermit
Putrefy
Coat of Arms

Any Magic geeks out there with other improvements?

Does anyone else have half-written things that they nibble away at?

Table of Contents

• Geography of the Risen Lands
• Prelude to the Risen Lands
• The First Age of the Risen Lands
• The Second Age of the Risen Lands
• The Third Age of the Risen Lands
• The Fourth Age of the Risen Lands
• Current Events
• The Magic of the Risen Lands
• Gods of the Risen Lands
• Racial Templates
• Adventuring Occupations
• Magical Denizens
• Allowed Attributes and Defects
• BESM Rules Primer — Character Creation
• BESM Rules Primer — Rules Mechanics

The Geography of the Risen Lands

The Risen Lands is a world of islands and chains of islands.

At the center of the world is the island-continent Eresh, the largest of all islands. Eresh is too large for any one statement to hold firm, but several general statments can be made. The mountains at it’s center are traditionally known as the abode of the Dwarves, though Trolls and Minotaurs also make them their home. The East tends to be dominated by Human culture, though there are notable enclaves of Ogres and Goblins.

Surrounding Eresh are all the other isles of the world, with some small isles so close to river deltas of Eresh that fresh water bridges the gap between them. To the South of Eresh is Yemev, the second largest island of the Risen Lands. Yemev is dominated by thick tropical jungles, and is not a civilized place, filled with Orcs, Goblins, and Kobolds. To the Northwest of Eresh lies Jamal, the third largest island. It is an unnaturally cold island, and home to many Giants, as . A fourth isle, Thrassa, has gained importance in the modern Age. Thrassa is somewhat smaller than Jamal, and is located to the East of Eresh. Thrassa has become the unofficially capital of human and elven life, and the mightiest human institutions are located there.

Besides these large islands, there are probably several hundreds additional isles, from tiny atolls to islands that almost rival Jamal in size.

Prelude to the Risen Lands

In the beginning, there was void. Then came the one: Ungakway of the Deeps, the Serpent of the Waters. A primal, chaotic force, Ungakway filled the void with the waters of the World. But Ungakway grew lonely, and fashioned two companions from her own flesh, each half as powerful as she was. The first of these companions is known to modern scholars as Areth-Akaton of the Many Veils, the Lord of the Air. A fiery, passionate Lord, it was Areth-Akaton who would eventually fashion the races of Man. The second of these companions is known as Garl-Ghanren of the Darkness, the Lord of Earth. A harsh, slow Lord, it was Garl-Ghanren who would fashion the Gods of Man.

The world exists, suspended between the winds of Areth-Akaton, the soils of Garl-Ghanren, and the ever-swifting waters of Ungakway. It is impossible for the races of Man to properly comprehend the actions of desires of these, the Old Lords of the World. A second’s blink for them could seem an enternity for our races– Indeed, they are not quiescent now. We simply have not been around long enough for their eternal gazes to have taken notice of our actions yet, nor for us to see their movements. They do know of us, however.

The Elves were the first race of Man that Areth-Akaton formed. He had not learned how to add water to his creations properly though, so they had very little of the Deep One’s changing nature within themselves. They were nearly eternal and unchanging, on their scale.

The Dwarves were the second race of Man that Areth-Akaton formed. By this time, Garn-Ghanren had taken notice of Areth-Akaton’s game, and encouraged the Lord of our Creation to fashion a race rich in Garn-Ghanren’s soils. The Lord of Air did so, forming the stout, dour dwarves.

The name of last of the early races of Man is now lost in the sands of time. It is remembered that Areth-Akaton formed them with too little of the soil, after feeling unsatisfied with the dwarven race. All that remains in our memory of them is the name the Elves still refer to them by: Purulac-Namen, the formless ones.

With his gnarled hands, Garn-Ghanren fashioned the Gods of Man, giving them an enduring connection to the soils, but for reasons lost to modern scholars, winning the hatred of Ungakway. Thus were the Gods made– powerful, but nearly unable to cross the waters.

The First Age of the Risen Lands

The Elves were the first race of Man, and they populated many of the Risen Lands, including Eresh, the largest island of the world; Jamal, the gateway to the frozen lands; and Yemev, whose jungles swarmed with life. They created many wonders, and learned to harness the natural forces of the world though many forms of magic. The Dwarves did not spread as far, but they spread far deeper, especially on Eresh, which contained more caves than any island should. The Dwarves claimed that Eresh was the resting place of Lord Garn-Ghanren. The Purulac-Namen lived in the jungles of Yemev, and on many other islands, but were never as organized as the other races.

• Spells that invoked the powers of Nature through sheer force of will (Natural Magic)
• Symbols that invoked the powers of the Gods of Man (Diabolism)
• Spells that called the attention of a God to the caster, to use his force through them (Godly Magic)
• Mighty spells that briefly roused the Lords of the Risen Lands (Lordly Magic)

The Dwarves never mastered magic to the same extent as the Elves, but they too practiced Diabolism, Godly Magic, and Lordly Magic… but they discovered a secret: how to combine the symbols of Diabolism with the rousing of the Lords of the Risen Lands, crafting the secret Runes of Power.
Nothing is known of the Purulac-Namen’s use of magic, but one thing is known without a doubt–

Using trickery, the Purulac-Namen precipitated a war between the Elves and the Dwarves. The Elves were made enraged beyond reason that the Dwarves would not share the Rune magic, and the Dwarves were made jealous of the powerful, immortal Elves. Perhaps the Formless Ones intended to play both sides and profit, but instead they were ground to dust by the war.

The Second Age of the Risen Lands

The second races of Man were legion, and no man may fully know from whence they all came. Even some races which claim to know their origin may have manufactured it for themselves in ages past. So it goes.

• the Giants (created by a mighty earth-God)
• the Trolls (who claim to be the earth itself, brought to life by the potent blood of a God of life)
• the Goblins
• the Orcs (who claim to be descended from elves- a fact the elves dispute)
• the Kobolds
• the Minotaurs
• the Ogres (who claim to be a varient of human)
• the Humans (who claim they were created by Areth-Akaton itself)
• the Ellyl
• and the Kin (their claim that they are the favored children of Ungakway is supported by the fact that they can walk across the waves themselves)

The Third Age of the Risen Lands

The Alliance of Man lead to a powerful, noble empire known as the Ereshian Empire. The Elves were its leading members, but they included many of the races of Man in their empire, giving them a near equal voice in the government. The Dwarves, of course, refused membership on principle, but engaged in a great deal of trade with the empire. The Goblins were fervent supporters of the empire, as were the fledgling humans. Trading missions established a unified language and civilization across the isles, and trading posts were even opened on Jamal, to trade with the giants, and a geat city of magic was founded on the island of Yemev.

Not all was perfect, of course. The Elves engaged in a quiet war against the Orcs, disadvantaging and cheating them whenever possible. Meanwhile, the Trolls turned their stony gazes upon the capital city of Lurat-Halorrow, claiming it was built on their ancestral burial ground. Constant Troll attacks were normal, and kept the city guard sharp. Most disquieting of all was the breaking of the Kin. Once strong supporters of the Empire, they lead their Barrikas, their floating cities, away from the lands of the Empire, claiming that they were the chosen of Ungakway of the Deeps. The Kin claimed that they had no need for lesser races.

Despite these problems, the Ereshian Empire was still vast and noble, and the Third Age is remembered as a golden age.

The Third Age ended among many scandals… It was a reality that many had known that the Elves were slowly weakening. The greatest Elven scholars claimed that their time as the first of the races was drawing to a close. The Elves chose Humans as their successors to the Empire, causing bloody revolt by the other races, who were not chosen, despite their obvious advantages over the Humans. Worst of all, it was discovered that the Purulac-Namen, the Formless Ones, were not truly erradicated. Horribly worse- it was found that one of the Three Elven Lords who ruled the Empire was a Formless One who concealed his true nature from all.

The Ereshian Empire dissolved into chaos. The Humans, proud successors, fled to Thrassa, where they founded the new capital of the empire, calling it now the Thrassian Empire. The Trolls destroyed Lurat-Halorrow, and rebuilt their funeral mosques atop its ruins. The ports of call on many islands were abandoned, all sembelence of a unified government dissolving, leaving many islanders poor and helpless. The port at Jamal declared it’s independence, allying with a God of the North to rule the city now known as IceHold. The great magic city of Abaydos in Yemev was overwhelming by the jungle, and vanished from the sight of mortal men. The Orcs claimed the west of Eresh as their own, forming a loose union of tribes known as the Protectorate. So began the Fourth Age of the Risen Lands.

The Fourth Age of the Risen Lands

The Thrassian Empire was not, sadly, as wise nor as benevolent as the great Ereshian Empire had been, and a great corruption festered throughout its extent. In the Southern Seas, cut-throats were hired as privateers to forcably “extract” funds from small islands that had once been members of the empire. These Crimson Barons would eventually betray the Thrassian Empire, joining the Kin on their endless treks across the waves.

The Orc Protectorate engaged in a great war with the Dwarves, which devestated both sides, until the Minotaurs allied with the the Dwarves to drive the Orcs away from the mountains. It was during this time that Rissen-Pok, the greatest of the Minotaur warriors, was gifted with the Rune Ax StormRaiser. Using it, Rissen-Pok called forth a great flood that not only defeated the last great Orc army, but accidently drowned an entire region of the island, killing thousands of innocents. Overwhelmed with grief, Rissen-Pok confronted the last of the Orc Chieftans. Rather than fight, however, he allowed himselrf to be overtaken and captured. He was hung from a high tree, and it took him 4 days to die. StormRaiser was claimed by the Orcish Chieftan Jarel Thornsfoot, who reunited the last of the Protectorate, and made a lasting peace with the Dwarves– though no Orc feels entirely safe in the mountains, even in the modern day.

The Ogres allied with the Orcs, making the Protectorate stronger than ever, and providing a Navy, for Orcs have no great love for water.

The Goblins formed a great trading society that, if not entirely honest, was at least somewhat fair. Never referred to by a name, the Goblins simply called it “the trade”, or “the company”, or “the caravan”. Regardless of title, they managed to spread the influence of the Thrassian Empire across Eresh once more, though the empire was still riddled with corruption.

Despite this, the Empire recovered some of its past glory, though many folk of the smaller isles still fear and distrust representatives of the empire.

Five years ago, the current Emperor died in his sleep and his son Charles GreatFeather, who was raised by the Elves, came to power, wielding the ancient Rune Shield Ferall, the Bladestopper. He appears to be a noble and just ruler– a return to the empire of old.

Many feel that under his careful guidance, the Wheel of Ages approaches another turn. However, no man may know the truth of that claim yet.

Current Events

World Events: 5 years ago, Charles GreatFeather succeeded his father as Emperor of the Thrassian Empire. The first of the great Elven Lords dies, 3 years ago. The number of Kin converts increases greatly, but the majority of Kin are never sighted by land-dwellers.

Ereshian Events: A year ago, Trolls begin migrating south across eastern Eresh, claiming that an “Evil Thing” has returned in the North. Their presence precipitates much conflict with the humans of the region. The Dwarves began another “Throne War“, a sporting competition to choose their next King.

Thrassian Empire Events: Formal alliance made with Goblin Trading Caravan to carry Imperial Messages and Funds across Eresh and the Eastern Isles. Bandits prepare to reap a geat return, while the Goblins sharpen their wits.

Jamal Events: Navy begins using Golem crews to minimize loss of life, since Giants are much less prolific than other races. King Wallach begins wielding a Rune weapon, which causes unrest among his citizens, many of whom believe it is cursed.

Yemev Events: Kobolds and Orcs dominate the isle, living in small tribes. A large portion of the Orcs worship a mysterious god who claims to live in the lost city of magic, Abaydos.

Southern Isles Events: The Great War between Auberon of Fey and Titania of Fey (located on nearby isles Arcadia and Nevera) re-erupted several months ago, after a 20 year peace, devestating the recently rebuilt Human and Kobold villages on the isles.

Eastern Isles Events: Thrassian Empire continues to regain dominance over the Eastern Isles, but a restistance group known as the Fellowship of the Shores challenges the Imperial Navy with guerilla raids. The Kin begin prosetylizing among the isles.

Western Isles Events: Ogrish Navy, under the Guidance of the Orc Protectorate, begins raiding Western Isles, prompting the Navy of Jamal to begin preparations for battle. The small isle of Rey-Anan rises from the waves, populated by the Undead.

Northern Isle Events: Very little is known of the Northern Isles.

Current Factions

• Thrassian Empire

• Imperial Thrassians
• Crimson Barons
• Church of Areth-Akaton

The Magic of the Risen Lands

The easiest magic to learn in the world of the Risen Lands is Natural Magic. Natural Magic is a will-power based effort that is fairly flexible, since it does not rely on a God or Lord for power, but it is very taxing for the caster. Most villages have at least one shaman or wise-woman who knows a few levels of Natural Magic.

Natural Magic System: treat as Dynamic Sorcery with a cost of 3 points per level. It uses a Soul based stat check to activate, and can affect most natural things, such as weather, animals, and the self. Natural Magic is incredibly draining; The energy costs for any spell are doubled.

Magic of the Gods System: treat as Dynamic Sorcery with a cost of 4 points per level. It uses a Soul based stat check to activate, and can affect anything that falls under the domain of Gods that the caster knows of (fire magic from a fire god, etc). It is suggested that starting characters know of two Gods per level of this attribute, and gain additional Gods in play. Optionally, characters may be charged one advancement point for each additional God they learn to invoke (not suggested for campaigns that feature much travel across the oceans).

Diabolism System: treat as Dynamic Sorcery with a cost of 4 points per level. It uses a Mind based stat check to activate, and can affect most anything. The only limitation is that it can not be cast on-the-fly, it is only active through inscriptions and prepared magic circles. As a general rule (which should be waived as drama dictates), inscriptions take one minute to two minutes per energy point spent activating them. All Diabolism is lasting… treat the duration of any Diabolist spell as if it were one level higher.

Magic of the Lords System: treat as Dynamic Sorcery with a cost of 5 points per level. It uses a Mind based stat check to activate, and can affect most anything.

Rune Item System: Rune items are built as powerful Items of Power. All Rune weapons must possess Rune Invincibility, a 5 point attribute available only to Rune items. They must also possess at least level 3 Artificial Intelligence, though most have level 4 or higher. Note that many have the defect Free-Willed [-1] or Corrupts Owner [-3]. Rune Items can possess almost any power, from creating a flaming sword or shield to changing the form of the user.

Gods of the Risen Lands

Balasta of the Wastes, a depraved god of the western slopes, is feared rather than worshipped. She and her servants, the bone-hags, pray upon travelers who let down their guard. She appears at a sickeningly thin, pathetic hag… but can grow mighty claws and fangs, dripping with venom, at a moments notice.

Lord Yentash, a noble god of Protection and Blood… he appears as a tall human, glowing with an impossible radiance, astride a pale horse that bleeds from it’s eyes and hooves. His knights are renowned for their courage and strength, but also for their brutality toward their enemies. He grants his priests the ability to protect the weak, and weaken the blood of his enemies.

Welar-It-Tik, a god of darkness and smoke worshipped by a blood-thirsty Orc tribe on Yemev. Usually appears as a swarm of locusts with glowing red eyes, and creates servants that look orcish out of ash.

Racial Templates

This section is just rules mechanics, with no descriptions for now. It will be revised.

Humans [3 pts]: Divine Relationship 3 [3 pts]. Racial Average Stats: 4 body, 4 mind, 5 soul.

Elves [8 pts]: Special Defense (agingx2, disease) [3 pts], Heightened Senses (vision, hearing) [2 pts], Unique Attribute: Magical Aptitude (+1 on all check values using Magic) [4 pts], Features: Appearance [2 pts], Nemesis (dwarves, orcs) [-2], Cursed (dying race) [-1]. Racial Average Stats: 5 body, 6 mind, 5 soul.

Dwarves [6 pts]: SuperStrength 1 (restriction: not for damage) [2 pts], Mechanical Genius 1 [2 pts], Special Defense (aging) [1 pt], Features (night vision) [1 pt], Damn Healthy 2 [2 pts], Nemesis (elves, orcs) [-2 pts]. Racial Average Stats: 5 body, 4 mind, 4 soul.

Orcs [2 pts]: Special Defense (disease) [1 pt], Combat Mastery 1 [2 pts], Unappealing [-1 pt]. Racial Average Stats: 4 body, 3 mind, 4 soul.

Minotaurs [6 pts]: Super Strength 1 [3 pts], Damn Healthy 2 [2 pts], Natural Weapons (horns) [1 pt], Awkward Size 1 [-1 pt], Not So Fast 1 [-1 pt], Light Armor 2 [2 pts]. Racial Average Stats: body 6, mind 3, soul 4.

Goblins [3 pts]: Stealth 2 [2 pts], Features (night vision) [1 pt], Not So Strong 1 [-1 pt], Heightened Senses (taste) [1 pt]. Racial Average Stats: 4 body, 4 mind, 4 soul.

Ogres [2 pts]: Super Strength 1 [3 pts], Damn Healthy 2 [2 pts], Awkward Size 1 [-1], Awkward 1 [-1 pt], Unappealing [-1 pt]. Racial Average Stats: 6 body, mind 3, soul 5.

Kobolds [4 pts]: Stealth 2 [2 pts], Features (night vision) [1 pt], Not So Strong [-1 pt], Not So Tough [-1 pt], Unique Attribute: Cannot Be Bound [3 pts]. Racial Average Stats: 4 body, 3 mind, 3 soul.

Trolls [8 pts]: Super Strength 1 [3 pts], Damn Healthy 3 [3 pts], Awkward Size 1 [-1 pt], Features (night vision) [1 pt], Unappealing 2 [-2], Heavy Armor 1 [4 pts], Not So Fast 2 [-2], Special Defense (disease x 2, poison x 2) [4 pts], Sensory Impairment (poor vision, poor hearing) [-2 pts]. Racial Average Stats: 5 body, 3 mind, 4 soul.

Giants [8 pts]: Super Strength 2 [6 pts], Damn Healthy 4 [4 pts], Awkward Size 2 [-2 pts], Light Armor 3 [3 pts], Phobia (claustrophobia) [-2], Special Requirement (4x human amount of food) [-1]. Racial Average Stats: 5 body, 4 mind, 4 soul.

Ellyl [4 pts]:Diminutive Size 1 [-3 pts], Stealth 1 [1 pt], Flight [4 pts], Heightened Senses (vision, hearing) [2 pts]. Racial Average Stats: 4 body, 4 mind, 4 soul.

Kin [0 pts]:Marked (jeweled third eye) [-1 pt], Special Movement (water-walking) [2 pts], Contamination (willing, takes months) [1 pt], Bane (contact with Soil) [-1 pt], Owned by the Kin [-1]. Racial Average Stats: same as base race. The majority of kin were human, and have 4 body, 4 mind, 5 soul.

Adventuring Occupations

Note: these templates are to encourage ideas, and should be modified freely.

Note: these templates are for larger-than-life heroes, not common folk

Water Witch [20 pts]

Typical Added Stats: +1 mind, +4 soul over racial averages.
Attributes: Natural Magic 4 [8 pts], Energy Bonus 3 [3 pt], Highly Skilled 1 [1 pt], Aura of Command 2 [2 pts], Sixth Sense (magic, spirits) [2 pts].
Defects: Owned by a Trading Company [-1 pt].

Swords-Master (with Rune Blade) [20 pts]

Typical Added Stats: +3 body, +2 soul over racial averages.
Attributes: Combat Mastery 2 [4 pts], Extra Attacks 1 [4 pts], Focused Damage (sword) 2 [2 pts], Jumping 1 [1 pt], Melee Techniques (lightning draw, precise stroke) [2 pts], Item of Power (basic rune sword is Rune Invincible [5 power pts], AI 3 [3 power pts], though most possess addtional magic powers) [4 pts], Features 1 (appearance) [1 pt].
Defects: Girl/Guy Magnet [-1 pt], Marked (scarred face) [-1 pt], Nemesis (some part enemy) [-1 pt].

Famous Pirate [15 pts]

Typical Added Stats: +2 body, +1 mind, +1 soul over racial averages.
Attributes: Aura of Command 4 [4 pts], Combat Mastery 1 [2 pts], Flunkies 5 [5 pts], Heightened Senses (vision) [1 pt], Special Defense (disease) [1 pt], Highly Skilled 1 [1 pt].
Defects: Girl/Guy Magnet [-1 pt], Wanted (thrassian empire) [-1], Marked (one eye, or similar) [-1 pt].

Druid [23 pts]

Typical Added Stats: +1 body, +3 soul.
Attributes: Godly Magic 3 [9 pts], Animal Friendship 2 [2 pts], Damn Healthy 1 [1 pt], Energy Bonus 1 [1 pt], Precognition 2 (no control) [2 pts], Servant 3 (familiar) [3 pts], Sixth Sense (magic, spirits) [2 pts].
Defects: Attack Restrictions (willnot harm animals) [-1 pt].

Wizened Old Magus [25 pts]

Typical Added Stats: -1 body, +4 mind, +2 soul over racial averages.
Attributes: Lordly Magic 3 [12 pts], Divine Relationship 2 [2 pts], Energy Bonus 2 [2 pts], Heightened Awareness 1 [1 pt], Highly Skilled 2 [2 pts], Place of Power 2 [2 pts], Sixth Sense (magic, spirits( [2 pts].
Defects: Inept Combat 2 [-2 pts], Nemesis (rival wizard) [-1 pt].

Honest Thief [18 pts]

Typical Added Stats: +1 body, +2 mind, +2 soul over racial averages.
Attributes: Divine Relationship 2 [2 pts], Heightened Awareness 2 [2 pts], Highly Skilled 2 [2 pts], Item of Power (cloak of invisibility, requires concentration) [2 pts], Jumping 2 [2 pts], Sixth Sense (danger) [1 pt], Stealth 3 [3 pts], Special Movement (balance, cat-like) [2 pts]..
Defects: Easily Distracted (loot) [-1 pt], Skeleton in the Closet (thefts before becoming a good guy) [-1 pt], Not So Tough 1 [-1 pt]..

Knight [24 pts]

Typical Added Stats: +3 body, +1 mind, +1 soul over racial averages.
Attributes: Animal Friendship 1 [1 pt], Aura of Command 2 [2 pts], Combat Mastery 2 [4 pts], Damn Healthy 1 [1 pt], Features (appearance) [1 pt], Flunkies (squire) [1 pt], Massive Damage 1 [2 pts], Highly Skilled 2 [2 pts], Organizational Ties 2 (thrassian empire) [4 pts], Servant 5 (trained war-horse) [5 pts].
Defects: Attack Restriction (willnot attack women or children) [-1 pt], Nemesis (rival knight) [-1 pt], Owned by the Empire [-1 pt], Skeleton in the Closet (illicit love with royal lady) [-1 pt].

Wandering Cleric [22 pts]

Typical Added Stats: +1 mind, +4 soul over racial averages.
Attributes: Animal Friendship 1 [1 pt], Art of Distraction 3 [3 pts], Divine Relationship 2 [2 pts], Godly Magic 3 [9 pts], Energy Bonus 1 [1 pt], Highly Skilled 1 [1 pt], Organizational Ties 1 (church) [1 pt], Sixth Sense (magic, spirits) [2 pts].
Defects: Attack Restriction (will fight only for self-defense) [-2 pts], Skeleton in the Closet (horrible secret) [-1 pt].

Demon Summoner [26 pts]

Typical Added Stats: +4 mind, +2 soul over racial averages.
Attributes: Diabolism 5 [20 pts], Highly Skilled 2 [2 pts], Sixth Sense (spirits, magic) [2 pts].
Defects: Owns Favors to Hell [-1 pts], Skeleton in the Closet (sacrifices before change of heart) [-2 pts], Marked (demon-claw scars) [-1 pt].

Priest of the Light [24 pts]

Typical Added Stats: +2 mind, +3 soul over racial averages.
Attributes: Art of Distraction 4 [4 pts], Godly Magic 4 [12 pts], Highly Skilled 1 [1 pt], Organizational Ties 2 (church) [2 pts], Sixth Sense (magic, spirits) [2 pts].
Defects: Not So Fast [-1 pt], Owned by the Church [-1 pt].

Berserker [21 pts]

Typical Added Stats: +4 body, -1 mind, +2 soul over racial averages.
Attributes: Combat Mastery 2 [4 pts], Damn Healthy 2 [2 pts], Extra Attacks 2 [8 pts], Massive Damage 1 [2 pts], Heightened Awareness 1 [1 pts], Melee Techniques (two weapons, blind fighting) [2 pts], Speed 1 [1 pt].
Defects: Girl/Guy Magnet [-1 pt], Cursed (loses control in combat) [-2 pts], Unskilled [-1 pt]..

Magical Denizens

Besides the Races of Man, many magical creatures exist in the worlds of the Risen Lands. Most are created by the active manipulations of a God, though unlike Gods they may cross the waters of the world. Some few, however, exist as either the creations of a mortal sorceror, or as direct manifestations of natural magic.

Among the countless variety of creatures, some common types exist:

• Elementals: much as men cast shadows, the Lords of the Risen Lands cast Elementals into the world, reflections of their nature

• Elementals of Areth-Akaton: Wind, Fire, Light
• Elementals of Ungakway: Water, Darkness
• Elementals of Garl-Ghanren: Earth, Stone, Silence

• Faeries
• Half-Men

• Centaurs
• Winged Folk
• Mermen

Allowed Attributes and Defects

Attributes

Animal Friendship	Art of Distraction	Aura of Command
Combat Mastery	Contamination	Damn Healthy
Divine Relationship	Natural Magic	Godly Magic
Lordly Magic	Diabolism	Energy Bonus
Extra Attacks	Features	Flight
Flunkies	Focused Damage	Ranged Attack Techniques
Heavy Armour	Heightened Awareness	Heightened Senses
Highly Skilled	Insubstantial	Invisibility
Item of Power	Jumping	Melee Techniques
Light Armour	Massive Damage	Mechanical Genius
Meld	Metamorphosis	Natural Weapons
Organizational Ties	Personal Gear	Place of Power
Precognition	Regeneration	Reincarnation
Servant	Shape Change	Sixth Sense
Special Defense	Special Movement	Speed
Stealth	Super Strength	Unique Character ASttribute
Weapon Attack

Defects

Ageism	Attack Restriction	Awkward
Awkward Size	Bane	Cannot Talk
Cursed	Diminutive	Easily Distracted
Girl/Guy Magnet	Inept Combat	Involuntary Physical Change
Magical Restrictions	Marked	Nemesis
Not So Fast	Not So Strong	Not So Tough
One Arm/No Arms	One Way Transformation	Owned by a Megacorp
Phobia	Unappealing	Red Tape
Sensory Impairment	Significant Other	Skeleton in the Closest
Special Requirement	Unique Defect	Unskilled
Vulnerability	Wanted

BESM Rules Primer — Character Creation

BESM is a fundamentally simple game engine, but it works excellently for cinematic play.

Character creation is point based, with point expediture reflecting game utility (thus, an ability that might be very useful in the real world, but nearly useless in the game, would have a low cost).

Character points are spent on two things: Stats and Attributes.

Stats reflect the base characteristics of a character. They cost 1 character point per level of each stat. There are three stats:

• Mind: This represents your character’s mental abilities. High values indicate intelligent, technically skilled, and witty characters.
• Body: This represents your character’s physical abilities. High values reflect strength speed, health, endurance, quickness, manuel dexterity, and the like.
• Soul: This represents your character’s “spiritual” abilities. High values indicate high willpower, determination, and empathy.

Attributes reflect your character’s specific abilities and talents. For example, a mage-character would need some form of the Magic attribute (such as diabolism, and a fighter might have mastered the ability to quickly deliver Extra Attacks. Each attribute has a cost per level associated with it, with each level providing increasing power, talent, or proficiency. These are listed in the BESM Core Rulebook.

Defects are disadvantages that your character must suffer. They generally give 1 and sometimes 2 bonus points to spend on your character (or, to view it differently, have costs of -1 or -2 character points). It is important to note: In General, defects (and their bonus points) are not awarded for disadvantages that the willpower of the character can easily overcome. For example, you will find no Defect for a Lazy, Honest, or Lecherous character. These traits, if they fight your character concept, sould definitely be roleplayed, but since a player can choose whether they apply to their character in a given situation, they are worth no bonus points.

Skills can be considered a sub-set of Attributes. Each character, by default, has 20 skill points to spend. Each skill has a listed cost per level. Important Note: Stats reflect base skill levels. A high-Mind character is assumed to have proficiency in many mind-based skills, such as scientific skills. Similarly, a character with a high Body stat is assumed to has knowledge of sports and similar activities. Skill points, by and large, should not be spent on these. Skill points should instead be spent on skills that either do not fit the stat pattern (a low mind character who is nonetheless a genius at linguistics) or skills that a character knows extraordinarily well (a undisputed master swordsman would put additional points into Melee Combat, even though he already has a high body stat). Extra skill points can be gained by taking the attribute Highly Skilled or lost by taking the defect Unskilled

BESM Rules Primer — Rules Mechanics

The BESM Rules Mechanics are very simple.

All rolls are fundamentally a contest vs. a Check Value. Two standard (6 sided) dice are rolled, then added. Lower results are preferable. The Check Value is either the value of a Stat, the value of a Stat plus a Skill Value, or the value of a derived Combat Stat plus the relevant combat skill, if any. A roll lower than the relevent Check Value is considered a success. Note: Stat check are often made against the averaged value of two Stats (see exmaple, below).

+1 to +4 bonuses or -1 to -4 penalties are assigned to the Check Value by the GM, based on the difficulty of the task in question. Note: Skills also add an additional +1 bonus beyond their level if the skill specialty fits the task (see example, below).

Two rolls of the dice are special: A 2 is always a success, if the GM rules that the character had any chance at all. Similarly, a 12 is always a failure… even experts make mistakes!

Example: A doctor attempts to perform tricky field surgery on a wounded soldier. He has a Mind stat of 6, a Soul stat of 6, and the skill Medical (surgery)-3. The GM calls for a Mind/Soul Surgery Check, with a -3 penalty for the rushed field conditions. The doctor finds his Check Value by averaging his Mind and Soul Stats, yielding a 6, then adding his skill (+3, +1 more for the correct skill specialty) yielding a 10, then minus 3 for the penalty, leaving a 7. The doctor would then roll 2 six-sided dice, hoping for a seven or less.

Another Example: The same doctor from above is performing routine diagnosis at a hospital. The GM calls for a Mind based (the GM thinks that since the situation isn’t stressful, the soul stat doesn’t apply) Diagnosis roll with a +2 bonus. The doctor finds his Check Value by adding his Medical Skill (+3, not +1, since this is diagnosis, not surgery) to his Mind Stat, then adding the +2 bonus, yielding a 12. The doctor will only fail on the roll of a 12, since 12 is always a failure.

Attack Combat Value is the average of all three of your stats. It reflects your raw physical abilities, your determination, and your knowledge of technique and weak points, yielding your overall combat ability.

Defense Combat Value is your Attack Combat Value minus 2. It is your defensive ability.

In Combat, the attacker rolls against his Attack Combat Value plus any relevant combat skill. If the roll is below this Check Value, the attack succeeds.

However, the defender may roll against his Defense Combat Value plus any relevant defensive combat skills. A success indicates a successful dodge, parry, or block.

If you take away leveling (experience gain) and the constant need for better gear (varying equipment), what’s left in an MMORPG experience? You’re left with a game:

• that is multiplayer, with thousands of players
• but divides those players into instanced maps
• interesting scenery and fluff
• Clans and organized player group, both casual and hardcore
• and lots of chatting

Well…. that sounds a lot like Team Fortress 2 (or other online, team-based multiplayer FPS games).

Additionally, a common complaint about MMORPGs is that time played is the major controller of success, with player skill being only a small fraction of success. In TF2, most success is skill-based: not only aiming and dodging (much more satisfying than the “click and go get a snack” combat found in most MMORPGs), but knowledge of maps, teamwork, knowing when to switch classes to balance your team, and reacting to changing circumstances.

The only things it lacks are the ability to customize your character and the ability to explore. With the plethora of custom maps available, the exploration concern might be partly alleviated. And with the upcoming unlockables and achievements, the ability to differentiate your character will become even more feasible. Plus, in a skill-based setting, your differentiation is primarily reflected in your skill and your personality on voice chat. Maybe they could release custom faces for TF2, which confer no advantage?

OrcCon 2007 was my first con ever, and kind of rushed. Work was harrying me, so I was at the con from 2:30 pm to 12:30 am Saturday– but still managed to squeeze myself into two RPG sessions.

I was an a Shadow of Yesterday game at 3 pm. Very cool, laid-back GM, who had good control of pacing, and kept an excellent handle on the game– and explained it very quickly and clearly for those of us (the majority) who didn’t know fudge dice from our foot. Did voices the way I do GMing, which was kind of validating, I suppose. The game was really stolen by a few outrageous players– The Baron, the Sorceror, and the sychophantic, scheming goblin. Man, the interactions between them were hilarious and very well played. I was a debauched visiting noble, which didn’t give me much to go on, but I established that one of my secondary goals was to keep the kingdom divided so that it couldn’t become a threat, which gave me more to work with. The guy playing the Baronness brought his kid along to play the Baron’s brother, which I have no problem with in theory. In practice, the kid was clearly past his attention-span limit (who knows how long he’d been sitting and playing at the con?) and didn’t do much except be a little disruptive. Halfway through, his mom picked him up, and I snuck Teisha, who had been an alt for the game, in. It was better for her than studying in the lobby, but by the time she joined, the conflict was ongoing, the movers and shakers had been established, and she had never seen the system… so the Baron’s Brother still didn’t end up doing too much.

Overall, I’d rate it a B+ game. Everyone had fun, the players and GM did a good job making scenes interesting and playing in character. More control (player or GM-initiated) of spotlight time would have been nice. As to the system: I like the idea, but not the execution. Flipping through the book during a break, the wonderfully evocative system of keys and secrets seems too tied down with very limited, constrained specifc examples in the book. Maybe an incorrect reading, but I’d rather just make all mine up. Then again, I’m on a Spirit of the Century ick right now.

At 8 pm, Teisha and I got to game together from the get-go, in a Lord of the Rings / HeroQuest game run by one of the new Strategicon RPG coordinators. The scheming sorceror (Alex) from the previous game joined us, as well as Shadow Rat (who ran the SotC Clone Wars game mentioned above), and an an older guy named Tom. Good group, definitely. Once our achetypical roles were sorted out, we quickly established some strong rapport, and everyone was very good at bringing their character to life. Particularly, Shadow Rat ran with his “Leader of Men” shtick and made epic, sweeping pronouncements and speeches, slamming his fist over his heart and giving rallying calls. Meanwhile, Alex played up the cold, distrustful Northman angle well, giving (to me) a Boromir-esque, dark and brooding, but trying to do good kind of vibe. I was the token Elf, and I tried to play that up without becoming a caricature– I had a few nice moments, doing the elvish thing- giving a ancient Clasp to the little hobbit for luck, doing crazy archery, talking in that holier-than-thou “see the big picture” sense. *shrugs*

The GM was clearly of the “ponders, researches, and works on his GMing” school, for good and ill. He made excellent use of evocative descriptions, using multiple senses and trying to convey the mood as well as the location, and it worked well. His energy was nice and high, too, but also very relaxed and willing to help people figure out rolls, etc. HeroQuest was new to everyone at the table except Shadow Rat and I (I may be wrong), but it worked out well. Like can happen with HQ, sometimes analysis paralysis set in when people were trying to figure out augments. So, great GMing in terms of description, in terms of framing conflicts. What I didn’t dig as much (which I expected, coming into a LotR game) was the slavish attention to Tolkien’s world. I’ve read the Silmarillion, but honestly? I could care less who begat who, what year it was exactly, and the true names of the eldrich beasties sent out by the Witch-King of Angmar. But everyone has a taste, and I won’t hold that against the many people who salivate over scriptural accuracy in Tolkien’s fantasy. The game was planned to be part of an on-going campaign at the strategicons, which is a nifty idea, and I’d love to play in part 2– the “pre-scripted” nature only made me feel railroaded for a few moments, and the GM did a good job of making even that enjoyable by keeping the players focused on telling an interesting story.

Two very narrativist games, my only RPG experience since quitting an Exalted campaign and running a Wild Talents one-shot. Mmmm… player control, emphasis on narrative flow. It’s like the nectar of the gods.

In the one hour or so I was at the con and not playing, it seemed pretty busy– but I’ve never been to one before, so it’s hard to judge. NerdSoCal.com did a good job advertising.

I even got some ego-boost. On RPG.net after the event, the GM of the HeroQuest game said, “Thank you ParadoxDruid for terrifically playing your Sindarin Elf. Great job! I only wish you were closer to Los Angeles that I could grab you as a part of my regular gaming group.” Also, Shadow Rat chimed in, “And seriously Paradox – you were a damn fine elf and a great role-player who was always raising the bar at the table.” They were both awesome, too, and it was a great experience. Pretty intense, though.

Unlike many charities, they keep absolutely no money for themselves (no paid positions, no paid office-space, etc). It’s a good thing, and shows that people who play video games can do good in the world. I gave to them, and I’d encourage anyone to do the same.