CREDITS

2

Original Concept: Doug Anderson & Alison AndersonAuthor, Interior Artist, & Cartographer: Doug AndersonCover Artist: Aaron CampbellProject Editor & Coordinator: Michelle NephewPublisher & Proofreader: John NephewLayout Artists: Mark Reed & Michelle NephewPlaytesters: Alison Anderson, David Anderson, Paul J.

Gruen Jr., and David E. Parker; also, thanks to thosewho played at Boston ENWorld Game Day 2003,and all the other players who have offered feedbackover the past six years.

Author’s Special Thanks: Thanks to the following fortheir advice and encouragement: Bill Allen, CamBanks, Kevin Kulp, Geoff Spakes, and especially

James Maliszewski, without whose prodding thisbook would not have been published.

Publisher’s Special Thanks: Jerry Corrick and thegang at the Source.

Acknowledgements: Chris Dolunt, for letting meweave the magic of Nyambe: African Adventures intothe world of Northern Crown. The late EmersonKnapp, whose collection of period maps and refer-ence books were invaluable to the development ofthis material.

About the Author: Doug Anderson lives near Boston,Massachusetts with his wife, Alison, and daughter,Fiona, and three cats named Pugsy, Pickles, andSmudge. When he is not gaming, he works as an artteacher and enrichment program coordinator at apublic school in Cambridge.

OPEN GAME CONTENT

Northern Crown: New World Adventures is published under theOpen Game License. We hereby identify all of the text asOpen Game Content, and designate the following as prod-uct identity: Chiron Franklyn, Northern Crown (the conti-nent), Northern Crown: New World Adventures, NewWorld Adventures, Northern Crown: Gazetteer, SouthernCross (the continent), Coven of Naumkeag, Dark Years, FirstLord of Sophia, First Magus of Sophia, First Ones, theGreening of Albion, Kelt Renegado, Kieran Scot, L’Ordre duSang, Le Dragon Rouge, Los Illustrados, Moundraiser,Philathelias Jeferson, Rebecca Blackthorn, Republic ofSophia, Solomonic Order, Sons of Cincinnatus, UncountedTime, Unknown West, Unseen Hand, Uropan, Vinlander,Witchling, Woodland Confederacy.

Product identity from Nyambe: African Adventurescontained in this book is also designated product identity.Nyambe product identity includes the following: AdamuDwa, Arabo, Baroka, Bashar’ka, bIda, Boha-Boha, Boroko,Bugundo, Caliph Ragheb, Child of Dead Marak Island,Chuku, D’ok, D’okan Desert, Dagamar, Darak-Lar, Desertof Watery Sky, Dogar, Dogar Plateau, Drogo River, Drumof Tarango, Dutama, Eye of N!ok, Forge of the Kosans,

Ghana Bashar, Giko Taaba Mountains, Great MangroveMarsh, Great Udamalore, Gudu Ji Pingu Desert, HalakIsland, Hungering Lion, Isili, Isle of the Overpower,JamIkadi Kimah, Jolo, Kalayu Island, Kalimara River, KayaVua Samaki, Kisi, Kogo, Kosa Empire, Kuba Taaba, Kwo,Kwo’s Shield, Lake Gomala, Lake Tugo, Lord Rag’g DoGa ,Mabwe, Mademba, Mansa Wahibreteni, Marak’ka-land,Marak’pInga Island, Mask of Nyambe, mbUi-land,Molembe, Mura’ka, Mwanamutapa Faouzi of Taumau-Boha,Nibomay, Nyambe, Nyambe-tanda, Nyambe: AfricanAdventures, Oba Dunsai, Oba Thabiti, Opon TuIda,Overchief Bomani, Queen Nyathera, Risu Island, Samara,Shomari of T’ombo, Shombe-land, Shomo, Silwane-manzi-water, Skin of Zombi, Sueta, T’ombo, Tabu-TaabuMountain, Tamago-Dugu, Taumau, Taumau-Boha, Throneof the Overpower, Tobuyho, tUbI, Water People, Z’idan,Zulo.

If you’re not a publisher, don’t worry about this. If you arecurious about Open Gaming, which allows publishers toreproduce and modify each others’ Open Game Content, weencourage you to visit www.opengamingfoundation.org onthe web.

“d20 System” and the “d20 System” logo are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coastand are used according to the terms of the d20 System License. A copy of this licensecan be found at www.wizards.com. Dungeons & Dragons® and Wizards of the Coast®are Registered Trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, and are used with permission.The Atlas Games logo is a trademark of John Nephew and Trident, Inc., d/b/a AtlasGames. Northern Crown: New World Adventures, Northern Crown: Gazetteer,Nyambe: African Adventures, Dynasties & Demagogues, and Penumbra FantasyBestiary are trademarks of Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games.Copyright ©2005 Trident, Inc., d/b/a Atlas Games. Reproduction of non-Open GameContent from this work by any means without written permission from the publisher,except for short excerpts for the purposes of reviews, is expressly prohibited.This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead,is purely coincidental.

DIGITAL EDITION

VERSION 1.0

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4CHAPTER TWO: CULTURES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15CHAPTER THREE: THE UROPANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56CHAPTER FOUR: THE FIRST ONES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68CHAPTER FIVE: CORE CLASSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76CHAPTER SIX: PRESTIGE CLASSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105CHAPTER SEVEN: SKILLS, FEATS, & COMBAT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120CHAPTER EIGHT: MONEY & EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135CHAPTER NINE: MAGIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146CHAPTER TEN: PSIONIC KNACKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154CHAPTER ELEVEN: INVENTION CREATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157APPENDIX A: BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164APPENDIX B: OPEN GAME LICENSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164APPENDIX C: INDEX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

OVERVIEWImagine a world where the legends

of North America come alive — aplace of high adventure, magic, andmonsters, where history and mythintertwine.

Brawl with Mike Fink or swing anaxe with Paul Bunyan. Brave the dan-gers of the polar sea in search of thelegendary northwest passage. Trudgethrough steaming swamps in pursuit ofthe fountain of youth. Prowl the mistystreets of Boston on the trail of hell-spawned fiends. Take flight with acoven of witches upon a midnightride. Shiver at the call of the wendigoas you traverse a frozen wasteland.Carry the banner of liberty into battleagainst the forces of tyranny …

Northern Crown: New World Adventuresis a campaign world set in NorthAmerica’s legendary past, in an age offrontier adventure, political intrigue,and supernatural horror. Inspired byhistory and infused with myth, it is aplace where heroes fight for freedom,chart a vast wilderness, and battleunknown evils.

The possibilities for adventure inthe New World Adventures setting aremany. You might find yourself search-ing the wilderness for a lostMoundraiser city, or aiming a silver bul-let at the heart of an elegant vampirebeneath the Dueling Oak at NouvelleOrleans. At risk could be something aspersonal as your own honor, or as epicas the birth of a new nation.

Your character might be a hardyCoureur scout from the northernwoods, a stylish rake from the court ofCarolingia, a Witchling agent, or aMohawk bard like Okwaho, whosewords you just read. Your foes could beaxe-wielding Vinlander raiders, theautomaton soldiers of a deranged evilgenius, or a lich who once ruled as sor-cerer-king of a now-vanished nativecivilization. Along the way, you mightfind an ally in Jonny Appleseed or theprophet Tenskatawa. And you may justjoin them as a legend in your own right!

To help in your quest, you may pos-sess a psionic knack that lets you workwonders as a hex or a firebug, or evenwield the dreaded evil eye. Perhaps youpractice sorcery, daring to defy the edictsof church and state. Or you could be awitch, wresting your arcane powers froma fiendish imp at the risk of losing yoursoul. A degree in natural philosophy canimbue you with the knowledge to con-struct anything from a flying machine toan earthquake generator, and let you usethe power of science to produce impres-sive effects rivaling the spells of magic-users. But if all else fails, then you’d bet-ter also know how to fire a matchlockmusket or hurl a tomahawk.

It’s a dangerous world, after all. TheNew World seethes with conflict, as thestrifes and plagues of vying Uropan(yoo-ROPE-ahn) nations take root in fer-tile ground. Witches struggle againstPuritan firebrands; royal agents playgames of murder and deception for theglory of their monarch; and soldiers taketo the field of battle where dragoons andmusketeers clash amid the roar of cannon

and shot. Patriots stake their lives tooverthrow the old order and establish anew freedom, unfettered by the evils ofslavery and persecution. Natural philoso-phers compete to create clever inven-tions that could shape the course of thefuture, while wizards and sorcerers seekto preserve the arcane arts of the past.And in the deep forests, druids createstanding stones and earthen mounds tofocus the healing power of the land, andgather animal allies to defy the encroach-ment of civilization.

GETTINGSTARTED

If you’re a player, you’ll want toread Chiron Franklyn’s overview of thecontinent that appears later in thischapter, to get a feel for NorthernCrown’s history, cultures, and conflictsbefore you make your character. You’llthen follow the adventures of Franklynand Okwaho as you read this book —their narratives provide vivid first-per-son accounts of the campaign world,and suggest possibilities for your ownadventures.

If you’re the Game Moderator(GM), first read the Cultures chapterand pick three or four cultures to offeras possible backgrounds for your play-ers’ first characters; opening theirchoices up to every culture at oncewould be a little overwhelming, afterall. The mechanics of character cre-ation will feel very familiar to anyone

4

Onen tsi ne’i nakkara. This is my tale.Call me Okwaho — that is “Wolf” in the language of my people, the Keepers of the

Eastern Door. I am a rakarota, a master storyteller. Give me a seat by the hearth, and fill mycup with pine needle tea, and I will tell you a tale of heroes.

We have been here since the Uncounted Time. We are the People of the Place of Flint. Welive by the grace of the earth, of our sacred crops, of the thunder that brings the rain. We takewhat we need and no more, and we are grateful for the gifts of wood, bone, hide, food, and water.Preserving the balance of all things and returning thanks to that which sustains us are the twohallmarks of a good life.

When the balance fails, heroes must rise to restore it. A hero defeated the stone giants andmonsters of old. By the grace of Sky Woman, a hero saved the world from the great flood.Heroes composed the hymn of peace and combed the snakes from the hair of the enemy ofpeace and straightened his crooked form. A hero buried our weapons of war beneath thepeace tree, and so ended the conflicts that threatened to tear us apart.

Now the balance is again threatened. Newcomers have arrived from the sea. Forests fall.Villages burn. Evil beings stalk the land, bringing strife and sickness. The weapons of war arewielded against our kin. It is a time for heroes.

This is their tale.

who has played a d20 System game,but a selection of new classes, feats,spells, and equipment have beenadded to fit the setting, and may takesome time for you to assimilate. Don’tpanic — many of the standard coreclasses are still available, while othershave been replaced by new ones moreappropriate to the campaign world.You’ll also find a wide array of newgame material, including rules forguns, fencing, artillery, and explosives,special guidelines for inventions, FirstOnes and Uropan spells and magicitems, and psionic knacks. GMs willfind the companion book, the NorthernCrown: Gazetteer, to be an essential refer-ence. It includes non-player character(NPC) stats, setting maps, adventureideas, a menagerie of new monstersand animals, and a complete gazetteerof the campaign world.

SOURCES AND SCOPE

New World Adventures was inspiredby the history, culture, folklore, andreligion of several Native American,African, and European cultures of theearly colonial period, re-imagined as asetting for fantasy adventure.Although presented as part of a fic-tional world, the names of these cul-tures have been left largelyunchanged, to give them due acknowl-edgement as the source of inspirationfor the campaign. This book does notaccurately describe present-daygroups, religions, or political entitiesthat may share the same names.Similarly, NPCs in this book who pos-sess the names of well-known personsare not meant to represent actual his-torical figures, but fictional versions ofthem based on the aura of myth thatthey have accrued over time in thepublic imagination, fiction, and film.

The enslavement of Africans byEuropeans in our own past is explicitlyreflected in the fictional history ofNorthern Crown, as are the religiousand ethnic persecutions and wars thatravaged the landscape of the earlymodern era. Echoes of crimes commit-ted by Europeans against NativeAmericans during this period are alsopart of the campaign world’s back-ground. These evils, rather than thedragons and orcs of many fantasy role-playing settings, are often the mostinsidious foes faced by the heroes of aNew World Adventures campaign. No fic-

tional evocation of America’s past canbe considered complete withoutaddressing these themes directly.

The First Ones of this campaign set-ting are inspired by some of the nativecultures living in the eastern half ofNorth America at the time of Europeancontact. The legendary past of the FirstOnes, represented by the Makers andMoundraisers, corresponds very roughlyto the Adena and Hopewell cultures ofmore ancient times.

This book is compatible withNyambe: African Adventures by ChrisDolunt (Atlas Games, 2002). TheCimarrons of Northern Crown aredescended from the Nyambans ofDolunt’s fantasy Africa. Informationon Nyamban character classes, reli-gion, magic, creatures, and peoplescan be found in his book, and furtheropportunities for crossover adventuresbetween Northern Crown andNyambe are encouraged.

THE CONTINENT

A report to the Uropan Society of NaturalPhilosophy concerning the continent ofNorthern Crown, delivered at the Society’sbiennial congress in the city of Paris upon thefirst of October, 1666, by Lord ChironFranklyn, First Magus of the Republic ofSophia. Presiding, His Most Royal MajestyLouis XIV, President of the Society.

Your Majesty, Members of theSociety, and Dear Guests,

At your monarch’s request I havebeen bidden to stand here before youand deliver a report upon the history,nature, and peoples of the northerncontinent west of the Atlantic Sea,lately called Northern Crown. Wemeet here not as men and women ofvarious nations, but as citizens of theKingdom of Science, united in ourpursuit of Truth and Reason. As herforemost natural philosopher, I feel Ican give an account as well as anyoneof this most remarkable land. Afterestablishing her place upon the terres-trial sphere, her peoples, and her nat-ural resources, I shall lay out a meresketch of the continent’s past ages andher current state, in the form of a nar-rative which I have culled togetherfrom many sources, including bothmaterial evidence and the spoken loreof the continent’s native inhabitants.

LANDSThe continent of Northern Crown

— also known in the Latin asSeptentrionalis — is named for the con-stellation that dominates its skies. It islocated west of the Atlantic Sea, span-ning the subtropical, temperate, andpolar latitudes of the northern hemi-sphere, and is connected to the conti-nent of Southern Cross by a narrowisthmus. Only the eastern half ofNorthern Crown has been mapped byour cartographers; it is not knownwhether the western half of the conti-nent is contiguous with the lands ofCathay in the Far East, or whether anarrow strait separates the two.Occupying several climatic zones, theknown area of the continent includeshumid swamps, warm pine forests,rugged mountains, temperate wood-lands, boreal forests, open prairie,freshwater inland seas, bogs, cold tun-dra, and polar sea. Native people haveingeniously adapted to life in all ofthese terrains, but their numbersremain relatively low, and well withinthe capacity of the land’s natural boun-ty to sustain them. Newcomers fromthe continent of Uropa have yet tomatch their skill in surviving thisoften-harsh land.

PEOPLESNearly two centuries have passed

since Uropans first began arriving innumbers on the shores of NorthernCrown, and after many wars, plagues,and migrations, the continent is hometo Uropans, Nyambans, and nativeFirst Ones. Generally, Uropans andNyambans occupy the coast and off-shore islands, while the First Onesremain populous in the interior.

THE FIRST ONESHaving dwelled on the continent

since the age of ice, thousands of yearsago, the First Ones are divided intodozens of nations. Many of them share acommon social organization and tradi-tions, including hereditary rule by chiefsand the division of each nation into sev-eral clans that each descend from a dif-ferent animal ancestor. Two major FirstOnes political entities exert regionalpower in the east: the Five Nations andthe Woodland Confederacy.

5

Northern Crown

Among the dozens of First Onespeoples, I have included in this volumedetailed descriptions of the followingfour cultures:• Cherokee are people of the deep, fer-

tile vales west of the Mountains ofSmoke. They live by a code of indi-vidual freedom, tempered by groupconsensus. Among their foremostadventurers are diplomats, clerics,and witches.

• Mohawk are the easternmost membersof the Five Nations, dwelling besidethe cold Mohawk River that flowsthrough the northern woods. Theirgeographical position has thrust theminto conflict with Uropan newcom-ers. Their adventuring folk includeraiders, bards, and political leaders ofgreat skill.

• Ojibwa dwell on the shores of LacSuperieur and the surrounding north-

ern forests. Adept at long journeys byland or water, and living in small,mobile bands, they produce skilledscouts, guardians of lore, and spiritualleaders.

• Shawnee dwell in the hardwood forestsof the interior, where the natural powerof the land is strong and few Uropanshave yet tread. Shawnee adventurersare said to be wanderers at heart, trav-eling far from their homeland to live astraders, warriors, and protectors of theliving earth.

THE NYAMBANSThe continent of Nyambe-tanda,

located south of Uropa and east of theAtlantic Sea, is a place still littleknown to our natural philosophers.Nyamban peoples have become partof the tale of Northern Crown largely

through the practice of Uropan slav-ery, an evil that is still practiced inUropan plantations and minesthroughout the continent. Althoughpeople of Nyamban descent can befound among all cultures of NorthernCrown, one Nyamban-influenced cul-ture in particular — the Cimarrons —have arisen to challenge the scourge ofslavery and those who seek to perpet-uate it.• Cimarrons are the descendants of cap-

tive Nyambans who were forced tolabor in the mines and plantations ofNorthern Crown. Having fought towin their freedom, they live in inde-pendent communities throughoutthe Carib Sea and the southerncoasts, where they maintainNyamban traditions and send adven-turers against evil tyrants to defendtheir people and secure liberty forothers.

THE UROPANSSince first contact with the First

Ones, thousands of Uropans havecrossed the Atlantic Sea to establish afoothold in Northern Crown. Theyinclude agents of Uropan kingdoms,private enterprises, and religious sepa-ratists seeking a new life far from per-secution and worldly temptation. Themost populous and influential groupsinclude the following:• Albians are the dashing, witty sub-

jects of Gloriana, the half-fey queenof the land once known as England.They claim little territory inNorthern Crown, but nonethelessare among the foremost Uropan sol-diers and seafarers of the age.

• Buccaneers are colorful sea-goingpirates and scoundrels, culled fromthe exiles, rogues, and misfits ofmany nations. Capricious and vio-lent, but not without honor, theyprowl the seas in search of plunderand the freedom to live under no lawbut their own.

• Carolingians are the exquisitely attiredand well-mannered cavaliers of theEnglish king in exile, Charles II, whonow presides over the Kingdom ofCarolingia in Northern Crown.Skilled at riding, hunting, and main-taining their reputation for honorand courage, they defend their king-dom with style and steel.

• Commonwealthers are Puritan soldiersof God, raising a holy fortress in thewilderness as a bulwark against theEvil One and his many servants,both human and monstrous. Grimand determined, they rely upon theirfaith and conviction in their relent-

6

Northern Crown

less pursuit of evil. Their HolyCommonwealth of New England is amajor force in the northeasternregion of the continent.

• Coureurs (KOO-rurs) are the forestrunners of the north, possessing theskills and lifeways of First Ones, andthe language, weapons, and faith oftheir Français ancestors. Buccaneersof the forest, they are fiercely inde-pendent and experience life as agreat adventure, plying their trade asfrontier fighters, scouts, and traders.

• Espaniards are the imperial agents ofFelipe II, mightiest monarch in allUropa. Part of the greatest militaryand administrative machine Uropahas seen since the age of the Caesars,they defend the Viceroyalty ofNueva España from the depredationsof pirates, corrupt officials, and for-eign spies.

• Français (fran-SAY) are servants ofthe splendid sun king, Louis XIV.Using political savvy and dazzlingswordsmanship, they secure theroyal province of Nouvelle Franceand the city of Nouvelle Orleans,and plan for military and economicdomination of the continent.

• Kelts are the fey-touched members ofan ancient Uropan people,renowned as bards, raiders, and wan-derers. Brought to the shores ofNorthern Crown against their will aslaborers, they have since rebelled,and have re-established their clans inthe Appalachi Mountains, angeringtheir former Uropan masters andtheir new First Ones neighbors alike.

• Nederlanders are the members of aworldwide trading company withcrucial interests in Northern Crown.Stubbornly independent-mindedand pragmatic, they operate out ofthe rough-and-tumble port of NieuAmsterdam, a place of big deals,double-crosses, and fortunes lost andwon.

• Sophians are freethinking rebels fromevery corner of the continent whohave carved out their own republicfrom former English possessions.Drawn from the ranks of freedom-loving Uropans, Nyambans, andFirst Ones alike, they are dedicatedto the advancement of freedom andscience, and are among the conti-nent’s foremost thinkers and inven-tors — if I may be allowed to pay myfellow citizens a compliment.

• Vinlanders are the descendants ofancient Norsk mariners who longago arrived on the cold shores of

northeastern Northern Crown.Seven centuries later, they remain awarrior people, whose raiding shipsare the terror of the coast.

• Witchlings are followers of the OldWays, people of magic and shadows,who keep a precarious balancebetween redirecting the power ofevil for lawful ends and succumbingto it. From their coven on the rockycape of Naumkeag, they fight tokeep their independence from theCommonwealthers who seek todestroy them as servants of the infer-nal realm.

ANIMALSNorthern Crown is rich in animal

life. Its seas swarm with whales ofevery known species and shimmeringshoals of fish, while its skies are filledwith game birds, eagles, ravens, andhawks. In the rivers are huge catfishand sturgeon, while the Great Lakeshold pike and other freshwater gamefish. To the economy of the north, themost important water-dweller is not afish, but a mammal — the humblebeaver, whose soft fur is so much indemand on the streets of YourMajesty’s city of Paris, for the hatter’sand clothier’s trade.

The forests are alive with white-tailed deer; on the frontier, buckskinsare so plentiful that they are even usedas currency. Common predators of thewoodlands include wolves, panthers,and foxes; in the north, fierce wolver-ines and magnificent lynxes are found;and the polar sea is the kingdom of thegreat white bear. Her lesser relatives,the brown and black bears, are thelargest omnivores of the woodlands. Inthe west, where the forest yields toopen prairie, one finds huge herds ofshaggy, horned bison; other than theskilled First Ones hunters of thatregion, the bison fear only the prairiewolves, who hunt in well-coordinatedpacks.

VEGETATIONThe first Uropans to reach the

continent, the Norsk, came in searchof timber, not gold or silver. And theyfound it in abundance. If not for thetowering white pines of the northernforests, it is doubtful that the world’snavies would have tall masts uponwhich to spread their sails. Such trees

are as valuable to the timber trade asthe beaver is to the fur trade; bloodhas been spilled contesting a singletree’s ownership.

Besides the white pine, the wood-lands abound with many useful trees,including oak, elm, maple, and walnut.They supply lumber for a thriving cab-inetry industry from Carolingia to theCommonwealth. The maple is tappedby the First Ones to produce a sweetsyrup which can be rendered into edi-ble sugar by the application of steadyheat. Other naturally occurring foodplants of note include strawberries,blueberries, and wild rice.

The most useful food plant,though, is maize, or corn, which feedsboth human and cattle. It is doubtfulthat the early Uropan settlers couldhave survived without acquiring thisgiant native grain. Squash, beans, sun-flowers, goosefoot, potatoes, andpumpkins are also grown, in additionto the Uropan staples of wheat, barley,oats, and many vegetables. Nyambanshave brought with them the staplecrop of rice, which is grown extensive-ly in the wet soils of the southerncoast.

MINERALSAlthough Uropans have spent cen-

turies searching for gold and silver,Northern Crown has so far yielded nomajor lodes of these precious metals,while the southern continent hasproved rich in both. Copper and ironare abundant in mountainous areas ofthe north, but only Uropans have thetechnology to refine these metals fromore; the First Ones use native coppernuggets and the rare prize of meteoriciron, which is said to have magicalproperties.

The land is poor in gemstones,lacking significant deposits of dia-monds, emeralds, or rubies, but rich insemiprecious stones, especially tour-maline, quartz, jasper, and garnet.These too are believed to have magicalor divine powers; the Uropans usethem in the creation of protectiverings, amulets, and for scrying, whilethe First Ones keep them as charms toward off evil.

Flint is a strategically importantmineral both for First Ones tools andweapons, and for the firing mecha-nisms of advanced Uropan gundesigns. Several sources are known toexist in the Appalachi Mountains.

8

Northern Crown

9

Northern Crown

MONSTERSLike Uropa, the continent has its

own collection of abnormal creatures,which the uneducated call monsters.Some seem to be survivors of anothertime, perhaps the age of ice whichnative legends speak of; while othersare likely the product of ancient mag-ics or the embodiment of powerfulsupernatural entities. I present a briefsummary, arranged by type:• Elementals: The sanauk are a species of

earth elemental associated with richdeposits of flint. They are mostunfriendly to human beings.

• Fey: Just as Uropans do, the FirstOnes have their own species of fey,including the pukwudgee, little mis-chievous gnome-like beings of theforest, and the nunne’hi, a race ofnoble fey bards. In addition, the feyof Uropa have begun to appear, fol-lowing their human allies such as theKelts and Albians across the sea.

• Giants: Former masters of the conti-nent, the giants of Northern Crowninclude stone giants, hill giants, andthe fearsome wendigo of the farnorth. Many hags haunt the moun-tains and caves of the continent,including the spear-fingered u’tlun’ta.Towering over all others are the gar-gantuan amphibious giants known asgougou, which live in the GreatLakes of the interior.

• Magical Beasts: Few if any Uropanmagical beasts can be found on thecontinent except as exotic pets orguard animals, but there are manynative varieties. They include thepanther-like catamount, the dreadrattler, the sly and greedy kawkont-wawk, and the awesome thunder-bird. Other notable magical beastsare the serpentine okanangan, whichdwells in cold lakes, the gargantuan,bearish nyah-gwaheh, and the razor-back hogge, a monstrous form ofswine that lives in the southern pineforests.

• Monstrous Humanoids: The evil deedsof early Uropan invaders have bred acorrupted ilk of monstroushumanoids called haints. These crea-tures, also called bogeymen, are theruined, insane forms of foul crimi-nals. They leave their hiding placesat night to stalk innocent victims.

• Outsiders: Few outsiders dwell inNorthern Crown, aside from thosesummoned by sorcery. They includethe mountain guardian — or pomola— and the bog guardian — the moos-

soogit. Both are said to be celestial ser-vants of the creator god of the FirstOnes.

• Shapechangers: In addition to lycan-thropy among humans, we know of anative race of shapechangers calledtricksters, who prey upon unsuspect-ing travelers in the wilderness.

• Undead: Northern Crown has morethan its share of undead, bothUropan and native. The same haunt-ed scarecrows, lanternjacks, andheadless riders that plague thestreets of France have also been seenthere. In addition, there are severalterrifying native forms of undead,including the flying skeletons calledpauguk, and the undead sorcerersknown as bone dancers.

• Vermin: Rare in the north of the con-tinent, vermin are more common inthe warm, humid south. In the sub-tropical swamps and on tropicalislands, centipedes and spiders growto alarming size.

RELIGIONFirst Ones, Nyamban, and Uropan

religions share several common ele-ments, including the belief in asupreme deity, in celestial beings thatact as intermediaries between the deityand humankind, and in the concept ofan eternal soul or spirit that survivesthe death of the body. Clothed as theyare in different names and forms, thesecommon tenets are seldom recognizedas such by the three cultures, whichhas led to much fear, misunderstand-ing, and even bloodshed betweenthem. Among the Uropans, evenminor differences in belief have led towar between followers of differentfaiths; the Uropan continent has beentorn apart by such conflicts for thepast century.

Many First Ones religions centeraround a belief in a benign creatorcalled the Great Mystery. A remotefigure, said by some to dwell on amountaintop beyond the setting sun,the Great Mystery never interferesdirectly in human affairs. Instead, hemay use animal spirits or sacredobjects as intermediaries, to teachhumans to lead a good life and to pro-tect them from evil. Some First Onesacquire a personal manito at birth,with whom they can converse andpetition the Great Mystery for aid andguidance. Others receive a sacredobject that serves a similar purpose.

Folk of Nyamban ancestry believein a benevolent but distant Overpower,who relies on the intercession of divineorisha spirits to maintain a link withhumankind. Religious practices involverituals honoring one or more of theseorisha.

Most Uropans believe in a creatorgod, as well. Among all but theWitchlings and Kelts, this monotheis-tic faith has replaced the collection ofancient nature religions known as theOld Ways. Although they share abelief in one god, Uropans have his-torically fought bitter wars againstthose who disagree on relatively minormatters of faith. Currently, the fiercestdispute is between the long-estab-lished Roman Church and a handful ofDissenter faiths that are opposed,among other things, to the Church’shierarchy of priests and bishops. TheDissenters maintain that the salvationof souls is possible only through faithin God, while the Roman Churchbelieves that salvation can also besecured through good works. Theresulting wars have devastated muchof Uropa, and contribute a majorimpetus for settlement of NorthernCrown by Uropan exiles. While viru-lent enough, the conflict pales in com-parison to the cruelty reserved for fol-lowers of the Old Ways and otherminority faiths, who are often triedand executed as heretics.

COSMOLOGYThe First Ones, Nyambans, and

Uropans differ more strongly in theirconception of the universe. For thenatives of Northern Crown, the conti-nent is often represented as TurtleIsland, recalling the creature that pro-vided a refuge for life amid the watersof a great flood during the long-agoUncounted Time. Surrounded by thesea, and covered by the dome of theheavens, which may be conceptual-ized as a blanket or skin thrown acrossthe sky, the world is suffused with aforce that I shall call medawaywin(med-ah-WAY-win), the resonance ofthe living earth, which must be nur-tured and sustained if life itself is toendure. This, rather than the businessof saving souls, is the purview of FirstOnes druids.

Nyambans believe in a tripartite uni-verse, comprised of the material worldof living creatures; the spirit world,which is coiled like a snake about it,providing an abode for orisha and the

spirits of the dead; and the shadowworld, which permeates the materialworld and provides a medium of travelbetween it and the spirit world.

The Uropans once thought of theworld as a flat disk, but most haveyielded to evidence that it is a sphere,many thousands of miles in diameter.Still, a matter of debate is whether thesun or the earth stands at the center ofthe universe, but most agree that out-side the courses of the moon, the sun,and the five planets is a crystal spherestudded with fixed stars. This sphereseparates Creation from the celestialrealm, which is the abode of the cre-ator and the final destination of goodsouls. Within the surface of the earth isthe immeasurable abyss of Chaos, thelocation of both the infernal realm,where evil souls are sent for eternalpunishment, and Faerie, the abode ofthe mysterious creatures called the feywho have largely quitted their formerdomains on earth in the face of humanreligions antithetical to their presence.

MAGICDivine magic is wielded by First

Ones and Uropan druids, and byNyamban and Uropan clerics. Thepractice of arcane magic is known toall three cultures. Among the FirstOnes, sorcerers can cast spells withoutthe use of written texts. Mchawi wiz-ards and sei sorcerers are the Nyambancounterparts of Uropan spellcasters.The Uropans distrust sorcerers, whoare said to have infernal blood, butsome societies allow wizards to prac-tice openly, as long as they do notdelve into the unnatural art of necro-mancy, or use an evil black book tosummon outsiders from the infernalrealm. The arcane power of the songand speech of bards is widely recog-nized among First Ones cultures.

TECHNOLOGYThe First Ones are masters of

shaping natural materials from theirimmediate environment into usefultechnology, including stone-tippedand copper weapons and tools, cloth-ing sewn from fur and hide, clay ves-sels for storage and cooking, anddwellings and watercraft constructedfrom wood and bark. These thingsrequire much skill to make but a min-imum of resources, meaning that eventhe smallest communities can makewhat they need for their own survival.Nonetheless, a continental networkof trade has existed for thousands ofyears among the First Ones, trans-porting copper, shell, flint, and boneacross hundreds of miles to eagerlywaiting markets. These specialtymaterials are used for making magicitems, sacred objects, and mundanejewelry.

Nyambans preserve their ownadvanced skills in agriculture, metal-work, and other crafts, with manyadaptations from First Ones andUropan technology. Ironwork is aparticular hallmark of Nyambancraft.

The Uropans have brought theirown technology to Northern Crown— most notably the military innova-tions of firearms, horses, and steelweapons and armor, all of which havebegun to find their way into thehands of First Ones armies. Horses,oxen, and mules are used as draft ani-mals and power sources. OtherUropan technologies formerlyunknown on the continent includeglassmaking, printing, metal refining,wheeled transport, sailing vessels,wind- and water-powered mills, andthe astonishing inventions of naturalphilosophy, which show greatpromise but have so far not been pro-duced in great numbers.

HISTORY OF NORTHERNCROWN

The history of Northern Crowncan be divided into two major ages:the Uncounted Time before the arrivalof the Uropans, and modern history,which begins with the appearance ofNorthern Crown upon Uropan mapsand extends to the present time. Weshall not attempt to separate mythfrom fact here, for all enduring mythsspeak to a universal truth about thehuman condition, even if they are notstrictly factual, and facts do notdescribe the world as it is lived, only asit is observed.

THE UNCOUNTEDTIME

What is known of the UncountedTime is derived from only twosources: the spoken lore of the nativepeoples of the continent, and thephysical artifacts left behind by theirancestors. It is impossible to create anexact chronology for this bygone age,but it certainly stretches back severalthousand years, to a time when theworld was a much different place.This account is not a definitive ver-sion, for each native nation tells thestory differently.

10

Northern Crown

11

Northern Crown

THE WENDIGO ANDTHE AGE OF ICE

It is said that in the distant past,Northern Crown was ruled by thewendigo — the evil spirits of the farnorth. Whether this is literal truth ormere poetical fancy, it is evident fromthe geography of Northern Crownthat a mantle of ice indeed once cov-ered much of this land. Strange beastsroamed the frozen wastes, whosebones are still unearthed from time totime. It was an age of bitter hardshipfor all living things — a winter with-out end.

After many centuries, by some act ofchance or providence, several smallbands of human wanderers arrived in thiscold waste. Some of our natural philoso-phers say they were Tatars of Asia, whileothers hold that they had always beenhere, all but unnoticed amid the vastspaces and mammoth beasts. Still othersclaim they had been created by the GreatMystery to free the land from the grip ofthe wendigo. In lore, these early wander-ers are known as the First Ones. Tales tellof the epic battles of the First Onesagainst the wendigo to free the land frometernal winter. The animals of NorthernCrown, some of whom had the power ofhuman speech, fought on both sides ini-tially, but eventually became unitedagainst the wendigo and drove them tothe far north, where they still lurk, com-ing south only during the depths of win-ter to exact revenge upon their ancientenemies.

THE FLOOD No longer chilled by the presence

of the wendigo, the ice-mantle beganto melt, causing a great flood thatthreatened to destroy all life inNorthern Crown. Most of the beastsand the people of the First Onesdrowned in the deluge. Only a singlehero and a few of his folk were left,

along with his animal allies, clingingto the back of Turtle, who aloneamong them could provide a solidhandhold. But Turtle’s strength wasfailing. They needed to find solidearth, but around them were only theroiling waters of the flood. At last,Muskrat (some say rather that it wasOtter, or Water Bug), who was small instature but not in courage, bid hisfriends farewell, and dove beneath thewaves. After what seemed an age ofwaiting, he returned to his friends,only to die of cold and exhaustion.Amid their grief at the loss of theirfriend, they noticed a clump of mudstill held tightly in the grip ofMuskrat’s tiny paw. Placing the mudon Turtle’s back, they called out to SkyWoman, who caused the mud to swelland grow, until it became an islandlarge enough to provide the survivorsa place of safety. When the floodwa-ters retreated, the land was repopulat-ed by these few beasts and people;their descendants now occupyNorthern Crown, which they still callTurtle Island.

THE MAKERSAfter the flood, many of the savage

beasts of the age of the wendigo werenot seen again: the great dagger-fanged lions, the towering wooly ele-phants, and creatures even stranger forwhich we have no name, but whosebones are still found in farmers’ fieldsand riverbanks. In their absence, thechildren of the First Ones multiplied,filling nearly all of the lands ofNorthern Crown, from the cold pineforests of the north to the fertile rivervalleys of the interior to the warmtidelands of the coast. Their speechand manners of dress changed overtime, until there were many nations ofpeople in the land. Footpaths andrivers wove the nations into a web oftrade that brought copper from thenorth, shell from the south, and crystalfrom the east. Where the great rivers

of trade met — where the Ohio Riverempties into the Espiritu Santo —makers of wondrous artifacts gathered,crafting ornaments, tools, vessels,pipes, and weapons of great beautyand virtue. The finest pieces were saidto have arcane powers, and are highlysought after for this reason, even tothis day. It is said that the craft of sor-cery was first practiced in NorthernCrown during this time, as the Makerslearned the secrets of arcane magicfrom outsiders, used carved and paint-ed glyphs in order to extend their ownlives, and delved ever deeper into thesecrets of craft and artifice.

And so began an estrangementbetween them and their animalbrethren, who withdrew into remoteareas of the wilderness, fearful of theMakers’ reckless pursuit of power anddenial of the natural order. Thisestrangement between humans andtalking animals continues to this day.

The Makers grew rich on theirtrade, and made elaborate tombs forthemselves, filled with objects ofpower that they could not bear to partwith, even in death. Whether thiscostly obsession destroyed their pre-eminence in the trading network, orwhether they probed too far into theforces of dark magic, one thing is cer-tain: the Makers have vanished, alongwith many of their secrets, leavingonly their burial mounds and objectsof power.

THE MOUNDRAISERSAround the time of the decline of

the Makers, the practice of growingmaize appeared in Northern Crown,spreading north and east from thegreat empires of the south beyond theburning deserts of Quivera. The earlyadapters of maize farming soon foundthat many more people could be fedby this method than from the old waysof hunting and gathering; it was notlong before they began to multiply,and settle in larger and larger commu-

nities. Soon, in imitation of the waysof the south, they began to raiseimmense flat-topped mounds thatdwarfed the burial mounds of theMakers. The veneration of the GreatMystery and his creation was replacedby worship of self-styled god-kings,who exacted tribute from their ownsubjects and from weaker neighboringstates. The arts of sorcery were refinedfurther, and pacts were made with eviloutsiders in exchange for even morepower. Temples were erected atop themounds, where offerings were made tothe outsiders and to their royal humanintermediaries. As the Moundraisers’numbers grew, they began to competewith their neighbors for the best crop-land along the riverbanks. Wars brokeout; people began to shelter behindwooden palisades and ditches.Diseases that had always been endem-ic in sparsely settled regions nowraged amid the crowded settlements.In the end, these two perils — war andsickness — ended the reign of thegod-kings. A few peripheral sites wereleft intact, especially in the south, butthe great walled cities were emptiedfor good. Their ruins still brood uponthe riverbanks, overgrown and silent,and the monstrous servants of theseevil gods still lurk in the swamps anddeep forests, biding their time untilhumankind begins to venerate themonce again.

THE EFFIGY-MAKERSAND THE GATHERINGTHREAT

After the fall of the Moundraisers,Northern Crown became once more aplace of many small nations, again vener-ating the Great Mystery. Smaller moundswere built, not as burial monuments ortemple platforms, but in the shapes ofbeasts: snakes, birds, panthers, and bears,covered with green turf. Always theseeffigy mounds were raised in places werethe natural power was strong, to channelthe life force of the land so that it mightsustain the natural order and protect allliving things against evil. It seemed as ifthe land itself were braced against anunseen threat that would soon make anassault upon the children of the FirstOnes — a greater danger even than thewendigo lurking in their distant northernfastness beyond the shimmering skirts ofSky Woman.

THE AGE OF STEELAND HORSES

Far across the Great Water to theeast, another world was stirring.Uropa, the land of iron and horses,was stretching forth, sending greatships full of warriors in bright armor

across the sea to claim new lands forcrown and cross. The kingdoms ofNyambe — the Land of theOverpower — had repulsed theseinvaders through the protection of theorisha and the virulence of native dis-eases against which divine cures hadno effect. And so the ships of Uropasailed west, across the sea, in search ofthe Spicelands of Cathay and thefabled Isle of Xipangu. Instead, theyfound a world entirely new to them.They called it Northern Crown afterthe never-setting constellation thatshines brightly in the northern skies.At their first footfall upon the shore,the Uncounted Time came to an end,and the time of written history began.

MODERN HISTORY

The early written history ofNorthern Crown consists of a fewcryptic sources from the centuries fol-lowing the fall of the Caesars; the his-torical record does not begin in earnestuntil the arrival of the mariners of theroyal courts of Portugal, Spain, andEngland some one-and-a-half centuriesbefore the current era. In the subse-quent interval, life upon the continenthas changed drastically, bringing for-tune to a few, and strife to many …

12

Northern Crown

13

Northern Crown

EARLY VOYAGESMany claims have been made by

the nations of Uropa as to who wasthe first to reach Northern Crown. Inthe archives of Queen Gloriana atLondon I have found evidence that anEirish cleric of the Roman Churchnamed Brendyn made a crossing of theAtlantic Sea in the 8th century, as did aCymric prince of named Madoc whomade the journey in the 12th century.But they left no physical evidence oftheir visits behind, only writtenaccounts, which are full of obviousfancies and nonsense. The first hardevidence is the presence even to thisday of the Norsk upon the peninsulaof Vinland, in the extreme northeast-ern regions of the continent. Theirown sagas tell us that they have beenthere nearly seven hundred years, andalthough they have brought ruin uponthe native states of that area, theimpact of the Norsk upon the whole ofthe continent has been minor com-pared to that of subsequent Uropaninvaders. The certain knowledge thatthere was a great continent beyondBeothuk and Vinland never reachedthe great courts of Uropa, even if theNorsk ever knew it themselves. It tookthe lure of eastern spices to draw thefleets of Uropa westward, only to dis-cover Northern Crown instead.

THE DARK YEARSIt was Miguel Corte-Real who first

brought news of Northern Crown tothe courts of Uropa. On a mission tofind his brother Gaspar, who had beensearching for a way west to Cathay, hemade landfall along the eastern coastin 1501. His lord, King Manuel ofPortugal, could not conceal this newsfor long, and soon the Espaniards, theFrançais, and the English were sendingships across the sea to plant the flagsof empire in the soil of NorthernCrown.

The Uropans brought horses,firearms, and steel weapons to securetheir foothold, but more deadly wasthe weapon of disease, which sorelyafflicted the natives of NorthernCrown, many of whom had wel-comed the newcomers and helpedthem survive their first winters there.Some of the native nations of theeastern coast were weakened nearlyto the point of eradication, and theirlands were soon occupied by Uropansettlements. Fighting to defend them-selves, many of the First Ones werekilled or made captive, to toil in thefields of the victors.

During this time, foul Uropanraiders often captured Nyambans fromthe states of Bashar’ka and Taumau-Boha and delivered them to the mines

and plantations of Northern Crown,Southern Cross, and the Carib Sea.This evil trade has since been all butstamped out by the resistance of theNyambans themselves, but the memo-ry of it hangs like a shadow over theUropans whose forbears participatedin it. The Cimarrons, descendants ofcaptured Nyambans, still fight fortheir liberty in a climate of persecutionand abuse.

This first century of Uropan occu-pation is often called The Dark Years,for many evil deeds were done in thename of righteous conquest in thattime, by fortune-seekers, fanatics, andmadmen alike, while the majoritylooked the other way or countedtheir profits. There are places inNorthern Crown where the echo ofthese fiendish acts still resonates; Ihave walked in these abandoned vil-lages, these bone-scattered fields andwoods. I have felt a chill to my verysoul, and the native peoples say thatthe medawaywin is silent, as if Natureherself recoils from the memory ofthe torture and slaughter perpetratedthere — acts for which the Uropanswho now occupy these lands have yetto atone.

THE PRESENTThere are some who say the Dark

Years have yet to end, but even if thatis so, clearly the advance of theUropans has been greatly slowed oflate, for reasons of geography, politics,and perhaps, some forces less tangible.First, the great barrier of the AppalachiMountains has slowed attempts tooccupy the interior. Second, much ofthe Uropans’ resources are now spentfighting one another, and defendingthe colonies they already hold, leavingfewer forces to win new lands. Third,the native nations of the interior areorganized into several confederacies,and cannot be destroyed piecemeal aswere many of the states of the coast.And last, there are some who say theland itself has organized a resistance tothe Uropan advance. Terrible stormsbeset settlements along the frontier;animals larger and fiercer than normalwaylay travelers, and have even beenseen fighting alongside native forces;and the power of native magic seemsto grow ever mightier the further onepushes westward.

Because of these factors, the east-ern shores are occupied by small butprosperous Uropan states andcolonies, separated from the nativelands by a long, dangerous frontier,behind which brood forces both polit-ical and natural that may yet drive thenewcomers back into the sea. In themeantime, the unsettling menaces ofundead creatures, evil outsiders, andsinister secret societies and cults havebegun to stir once more, casting alengthening shadow over their con-quest. A time of great conflict andperil is at hand in Northern Crown,the outcome of which may depend onthe actions of a handful of youngheroes just now taking their placeupon the world’s stage.

USURPERS OF THENORTHERN CROWN

Who among the many Uropanpowers now sharing the eastern shoresof Northern Crown does not seekmastery over all? Nederlanders clashwith New Sweden in the DelawareVale and with Nouvelle France in thenorth; Espaniards and Carolingianscompete for the favor of the Creekand Cherokee nations to gain an edgein their struggle for control of thesouth. Cimarrons pursue the cause ofliberty for all Nyambans and othercaptive peoples. Commonwealthersseek mastery of their neighbors’ souls,

while my own Republic of Sophiastruggles to free their hearts and mindsfrom superstition and tyranny. And theFirst Ones of the interior are bandingtogether to rebuff these invaders, con-solidating their own holdings. Onlyone head at a time may wear a crown,Your Majesty. Will one of the youngcaptains now fighting upon the battle-fields of Northern Crown seize it byforce of arms, becoming master overall — an Alexander of the new era?

ARMIES OF DISCOVERY

As you are no doubt aware, Uropanknowledge of Northern Crown ends atthe western banks of the great riverEspirtu Santo, which divides the conti-nent in two from north to south.Beyond, our maps show only terra incog-nita and cartographic conceits: goldencities, burning deserts, and rivers run-ning conveniently to the Pacific Sea.The same lure of the unknown thatbrought Corte-Real and Cabot acrossthe Atlantic Sea is now driving my coun-tryfolk into the unknown west. You mayhave heard that the First Lord of Sophiahas organized an Army of Discovery topenetrate the continent’s interior. Itincludes scouts, soldiers, diplomats, andnatural philosophers, well trained andwell supplied. I understand that YourMajesty has employed priests of theIgnatian Order and Coureur scouts forthe same purpose, and that the emperorFelipé of España has sent his armoredcaptains into the deserts of Quivera andthe high, bare lands of Kansa. The trueobjective of these missions — whetherknowledge, trade, gold, or empire —can be debated among royal ambas-sadors from here to Havana, but onething is certain: success or failure willdepend upon who among these smallcompanies has the will, the strength, andthe favor of Fortuna to unlock the key tothe western lands.

REASON’S CHILDRENAs we sit beneath the glow of the

galvanic lamps that illuminate thischamber — gifts to your majesty frommy own laboratory in Sophia — weare keenly aware of the innovationsthat the divine gift of Reason and thescience of natural philosophy havegranted us through the unlocking ofthe secrets of aeliopilic power, gal-vanism, mesmerism, and more. Surelythese inventions hold great potentialto free humankind from toil and dis-comfort, but there is a growing aware-

ness among us that they also may sowthe seeds of destruction, in the form ofever-deadlier weapons of war, plagues,and lethal engines. The next genera-tion of natural philosophers, our intel-lectual children, will decide how thisPromethean drama will play out:either bringing the light of Reason tothe world at large, or beginning aholocaust that will engulf us in mis-eries undreamed of in earlier eras.Northern Crown — a place of relativefreedom, far from the courts of Uropa— could be the place where this ques-tion is decided for us all.

WIELDERS OF WITCHCRAFT ANDSORCERY

But if you think that the old order willgo quietly into the night as the age of rea-son dawns, I am sorry to say that the prac-tices of sorcery and witchcraft are aliveand well in Northern Crown. TheWitchling enclave of Naumkeag sits but aday’s ride from the Puritan capital ofBoston, ready to unleash the very forcesof the infernal realm upon its neighbors.The secret order of sorcerers known as LeDragon Rouge is active in Sophia, andrumors of L’Ordre du Sang, that cabal ofancient vampires, have arisen in the foggystreets of Nouvelle Orleans. Only a fewintrepid clerics and paladins have dared tocombat these occult menaces; the actionsof these young heroes could determinewhether Northern Crown will be sparedthe evil influence of sorcerers and vam-pires, or forever fall under their yoke.

The First Ones’ sorcerers can castspells for which we have no name, andproduce magical items of great power.Within their lands are ancient ruinsthat are said to contain lost arcanespells, mighty artifacts, and evil out-siders summoned by long-dead mages.If these things are brought into thelight of day by a few bold plunderers,the balance of power over the entirecontinent could shift overnight.

CONCLUSIONAnd so, I present to Your Majesty

this tome, encompassing our presentknowledge concerning NorthernCrown — its peoples, creatures, lands,legends, and magic. May it guide YourMajesty’s hand in choosing a wise pathin your conduct with my countryfolk.As a wise man once said, “The noblestquestion in the world is, ‘What goodcan I do in it?’ ”

14

Northern Crown

CULTURALBASICS

In a New World Adventures campaign,all player characters are human beings,and receive the human racial traits fromstandard d20 System rules. Instead ofchoosing a race, as in many generic fan-tasy games, New World Adventures playerschoose a culture for their characterfrom an extensive list of those appro-priate to the campaign setting.

This chapter presents seventeen dif-ferent cultures present on the continentof Northern Crown, representing someof her most influential and populouspeoples. Some, such as the Albians,Cherokee, and Français, are associatedwith a particular nation, while others,such as the Kelts, encompass membersof several nations that share commoncultural features. Still others, such as theBuccaneers and Witchlings, representcultures that are more or less indepen-dent of national origin. Most of the cul-tures fall into one of three culture groups— First Ones, Nyamban, or Uropan; forexample, Albians are of Uropan descent.But the people of some cultures descendfrom ancestors of variety of culturegroups; a Sophian character, forinstance, can have ancestors who wereFirst Ones, Nyambans, or Uropans. TheFirst Ones and the Uropans have their

own chapters in this book, includingimportant general information abouttheir social structure, warfare, and reli-gion. For more information aboutNyambans, see Nyambe: African Adventures.

CULTURE BENEFITS

A character’s culture provides thefollowing benefits:

Culture Bonuses: Each culturegives a character one or more bonuses,representing the skills and abilitiesthat tend to be most valued and usefulwithin the culture. For example, allAlbian PCs receive a bonus to Bluffand Diplomacy skill checks, and theycan cast a single cantrip as a spell-likeability, while all Coureur PCs receiveRun as a free feat at 1st level. Culturebonuses can include a bonus to attackrolls against a particular enemy, aminor spell-like ability, a free feat, orone or more skill bonuses. These cul-ture bonuses ordinarily stack with anyother bonuses derived from member-ship in a particular character class,unless otherwise indicated.

Traditional Weapons: The martialtraditions of each culture tend to focusupon one or two traditional weapons— the cutlass and knife of theBuccaneers, the rapier of the Français,

and so on. All characters are treated asbeing proficient in their culture’s tradi-tional weapons, and also receive a +1attack bonus when using them.

15

CHAPTER TWO

CULTURESI, Chiron Franklyn, stand upon the wharves at Nieu Amsterdam and watch the

newcomers arriving in their great ships, full of hope for a better life. They come frommany lands, speaking a babble of tongues, seeking riches, or fame, or sanctuary, orknowledge — an endless pilgrimage. Here is an Albian captain, returning from the icynorth to sell her maps and charts to a Nederlander merchant who waits anxiously in anoisy coffeehouse. He has just shaken the hand of a Cimarron soldier to seal a delivery ofCarolingian muskets to the rebel forces of the Opener, who seeks to make a second Sophiain the hills of Hispaniola. A rake in the plumed hat of a Kelt lord pauses at the door, hishand straying to the hilt of his rapier, and ponders whether it is worth calling out a chal-lenge to the Buccaneer who just jostled his elbow. Seeing a purse heavy with plunderedgold, the rake decides upon a different tactic, and slips from his embroidered coat a deck ofcards and a predatory smile, following the Buccaneer inside.

A pretty lady in the latest Français mode of fashion, all ribbons and bows, walksout in the company of her servant. As she passes, I tip my hat — bonjour, mademoiselle— and she hands me the communiqué I have been expecting. My fellow lord Hamilton’sconfidential service at work — as a trained agent, she will ensure that I am not troubledby enemy spies while I wait for a Sophian ship to bring me home.

Later, in my room at the coffeehouse, by the pale light of my galvanic lantern, I utter thespell that reveals the hidden text printed between the lines of the young woman’s elegant script.I shall not be returning directly to Sophia, it seems. Something has happened in the west thatrequires my attention. If I fail, then this blessed Babylon may cease its chatter forever …

HUMANRACIAL TRAITS

Size: As Medium creatures,humans have no special bonus-es or penalties due to their size.

Speed: Human base landspeed is 30 feet.

Bonus Feat: 1 extra feat at 1st

level.Bonus Skill Points: 4 extra

skill points at 1st level and 1extra skill point at each addi-tional level.

Automatic Language: Varies byculture.

Bonus Languages: Any (otherthan secret languages, such asDruidic, or automatic lan-guages related to a particularculture, like Buccaneer cant).See the Speak Language skill.

Favored Class: Any. Whendetermining whether a multi-class human takes an experiencepoint penalty, his or her high-est-level class does not count.

Appropriate Class Bonuses:Although a character of any culture canbelong to any character class available inNew World Adventures, certain classes —called appropriate classes — tend to bemore prevalent among the adventurers ofa particular culture. These classes gener-ally have a higher initial social rank, andmay provide a character with additionalbonuses, such as a feat or unique ability.

Initial Social Rank for AppropriateClasses: This book introduces the con-cept of social rank, which measures acharacter’s status within his culture. Eachappropriate class within a culture isassigned a die roll to determine the PC’sinitial social rank (SocR). First Ones,Nyamban, and Uropan characters use dif-ferent social systems; see the Social Ranksection of the chapters describing FirstOnes and Uropan cultures, and theCimarron description later in this section.

Initial Social Rank for Non-Appropriate Classes: Characters belong-ing to a class outside the list of appropri-ate classes for their culture have a defaultinitial social rank of 1d4+1.

MULTICULTURE& MULTICLASSCHARACTERS

Characters who purchase the TwoWorlds feat get some of the benefits ofa second culture. A Commonwealtherwho has lived among the Mohawk, ora Français who becomes a Buccaneer,receive all the culture bonuses of theirsecond culture, excluding free featsand spell-like abilities.

Multiclass characters receive theappropriate class bonuses for all of theirclasses, unless the GM decides that thecharacter is more strongly influencedby a different culture at the time thecharacter gains an additional class. Forexample, a Français rake who joins theEspaniard army and decides to multi-class as a soldier might be given theArmor Training ability of Espaniard sol-diers rather than the Fencing featreceived by 1st-level Français soldiers.

CULTURE ANDALIGNMENT

Culture and alignment in NewWorld Adventures have no correlation.The members of a particular culture donot share the same alignment, and mayin fact include the entire spectrum of

law/chaos and good/evil. These align-ment variations keep the campaigninteresting and unpredictable — theyare the stuff of good roleplaying.

CULTURE ANDAPPEARANCE

The members of any given culturein Northern Crown do not all share thesame physical characteristics, such asskin color, hair color, height, or build.Human culture is independent of phys-ical features. Even if many members ofa group seem to have some physicalsimilarities, that’s an effect of geogra-phy and genetics, not an indication ofmembership in a particular culture.Players are free to decide what theircharacters look like and what part ofthe world their ancestors came from,regardless of their culture.

CULTURE ANDPERSONALITY

Although the information for eachculture in this chapter includes adescription of its adventurers’ typicalattitude towards life, it is best thoughtof as a set of peer expectations for howthe heroes of a culture should behave,not necessarily how they do behave.The personality of an individual char-acter is always under the control of theplayer. Want to play a happy-go-luckyCommonwealther? A shy, retiringBuccaneer? Go ahead — it’s often funto play against expectations for a char-acter’s personality.

AVAILABLECULTURES

The following section details sev-enteen cultures suitable for New WorldAdventures PCs, drawn from the dozensof cultures inhabiting the continent.Not a complete list by any means,they have been chosen for the possi-bilities they offer for adventurers, fortheir prominence in the epic events ofthe age, and for the wealth of legendsand lore surrounding them. Each entryincludes information on personal rela-tions, attitude, history, politics, law,religion, magic, and the role of each

appropriate class and of adventurerswithin the identity. Also included foreach culture is a summary of culturebonuses received by members of theculture, and a description of eachappropriate class.

The GM should use this informa-tion as a general guideline for charactercreation, but may freely change any ofit to reflect the origins of a particularPC or NPC. After all, there must besome Carolingians who don’t knowhow to ride a horse, and maybe even afew Buccaneers who can’t tie a knot! Inthe interest of fairness, however, GMswho decide to withhold a particularculture bonus from a 1st-level charactershould provide equivalent bonuses inother skills and abilities.

ALBIANS:SERVANTS OFTHE FAERIEQUEEN

Albian adventurers are citizens ofthe English-speaking parts of theisland of Albion, formerly calledEngland. Although they have no majorsettlements in Northern Crown, theyare among its foremost mappers andadventurers, especially in the frozennorth. They have an aura of the feyabout them — after all, their queen,Gloriana, is half-fey, and the power ofFaerie runs strong in her subjects.Since the Greening of Albion beganunder Gloriana’s reign, Albion hasbecome a place where the past andpresent walk side by side, the magicand the mundane together.

Albians are known both for theireloquence in speech and boldness inaction. In some Albians, this attitudeleads to excesses of wordplay andswordplay alike, even to buffooneryand foolhardiness. When temperedwith wisdom, however, the Albiancharacter produces daring sea wolves,dashing courtiers, and brilliant menand women of letters and magic.Albians forgive many faults, even seri-ous ones, as long as the person in ques-tion shows proper courtesy and a senseof fun. They tend to have a soft spot intheir hearts for lovable scoundrels,especially for those who champion thecauses of commoners against unjustlords. They find it easy to makefriends, by virtue of their practicedcharm and affability. Many have mas-tered the tricky art of being admiredby their friends without being envied,

16

Northern Crown

17

Northern Crown

perhaps because they don’t seem totake themselves too seriously, makingtheir accomplishments seem of nogreat consequence.

Albians of high social rank like tothink of themselves as witty in speechand courteous in deed. Publicly, theyplay the part of loyal subjects of theirbeloved queen, vying to prove them-selves worthy of her favor. Privately,they might admit to plots and schemesto advance their position, acknowl-edging that charm and manners mayhide cold ambition.

Commoners from this identity seetheir role as the hearthkeepers ofAlbian life, sustaining their king-dom through their industry, heart,and good humor. In good times,they tend to forget the manyperiods of strife and hardshipthey have suffered undermonarchs less benevolentthan Gloriana.

Culture Group: Uropan.Attitude: Albians like

to live for the merrytimes, and respond tobad times with assuranceand composure. Theyaccept good fortune as anatural consequence ofan essentially benignworld, and dwell on mis-fortune as little as possi-ble, trying to ignore set-backs as if to make themdisappear.

History: The island ofAlbion first appears promi-nently in historical recordsat the time of the Romanconquest, when its nativesand their fey protectors weredriven into what are now theKelt lands to the north and west.After the Romans withdrew, thosewho were left gradually forged akingdom of their own, called England,absorbing successive waves ofinvaders, each of whom left their markon its language, law, and custom.

Soon after the first years of theUropan invasion of Northern Crown,England established colonies thereonly to see them break free andbecome the Kingdom of Carolingia,ruled by an exiled English king. After ashort interval as a PuritanCommonwealth, England has re-emerged as the Kingdom of Albion,under the rulership of Gloriana,Elizabeth’s half-fey daughter. Albion’srole in Northern Crown is largely as aprovider of mappers, soldiers of for-tune, traders, spies, privateers, anddiplomats, rather than as conquerorsor settlers.

Relations: Albion, as an islandnation, concentrates much of herpower at sea. Her desire to control theAtlantic Sea has led her fleets intoconflict with both the Espaniards andthe Français at various times in therecent past. As the Nederlandersexpand their overseas trade interests,many see war with them as inevitableas well. The narrowly thwarted

Espaniard invasion of Albion inElizabeth’s time still rankles her now-ancient rival, the Emperor Felipe.Tensions between the two nationsremain high, thanks to the so-calledsea wolves — a loose association ofAlbian privateers who prey onEspaniard vessels with Gloriana’s tacitapproval.

Lands: In Northern Crown, Albionholds only the tiny settlement ofPopham along the rocky coast of NewEngland. Their former colonies ofVirginia and Carolina have becomethe Kingdom of Carolingia; this was a

grievous loss to them, and there is lit-tle hope of it ever being recovered.

Authority: Albians are subjects ofQueen Gloriana, who is heir to thethrones of both Albion and Elfland,through her mother Elizabeth, and herfather, Auberon, respectively. Shefunctions practically as an absolutemonarch, never having called a sessionof Parliament, although that institu-tion has not been formally dissolvedby her. She governs with the help of asmall circle of advisors, including hermother’s old tutor, John Dee.

Law: Albians retain the traditionalEnglish right to jury trial, and on the

whole, the system works well, forGloriana has been careful to

appoint reasonable judges toher courts, in order to keepthe favor of her people. Forminor crimes, convictedcriminals might be impris-oned (a recent innova-tion); for major offenses,they might be banishedfrom Albion for life.

Magic: Albion is amagic-tolerant society,with many wizards anda few sorcerers.Wizardry is studiedopenly at the great uni-versities of the king-dom, while sorcery ispracticed privately, byindividuals who dare toprobe its secrets. Onlywitchcraft and necroman-

cy are outlawed, at therequest of Albion’s fey

allies, who feel threatenedby Albians making pacts

with evil outsiders or the spir-its of the dead.

Religion: Gloriana is consid-ered the titular head of the Anglic

Church, but the faithful are lessthan happy about a half-fey queen in

that position of authority. TheArchbishop of Canterbury is the high-est-ranking clergyman in the kingdom;he effectively acts as the church’s spir-itual leader. Since Gloriana’s return,many country folk have returned tothe Old Ways, venerating the fey andtheir kin, even as they continue toworship in church. A conflict of faithsseems inevitable. In the eastern shires,significant Puritan communitiesremain, never having acknowledgedGloriana after the fall of theCommonwealth. Her authority thereis far from complete. These Ironsides,as they are known, are said to be incontact with Puritans in other lands,such as the Nederlands, to bring aboutGloriana’s downfall.

Arts: Albians excel in song, poetryand drama; they are less renowned fortheir skill in the visual arts. The the-ater is as popular in Albion as it was inElizabeth’s day, and much less restrict-ed by the authorities. Stagecraft isoften enhanced by magical illusions,provided by the wizard-actors who areconsidered a crucial part of anyrespectable theater company.

Food: Albians eat more than theirshare of fish, often fried or baked.They also enjoy meat pies, and roastsof mutton, beef, or fowl. For drink,they prefer cider or ale over the winesof other lands.

Language: Albians speak Englishas an automatic language, with manyregional dialects, some no more wide-spread than a few square blocks ofLondon. In the shires bordering Keltcountries, Keltic is widely spoken.

Names: Most Albian names arenatural in origin, derived from animals,flowers or trees, Last names oftenshow the influence of Norsk orFrançais contact, with spelling andpronunciation much altered over thecenturies.

Male: Alder, Blackthorn,Blackwood, Campion, Hart, Merlin,Rush, Sparhawk.

Female: Aster, Briar, Daisy, Lark,Lily, Pansy, Robin, Rose.

Appearance: Albians seem tobelong to an earlier time; their cloth-ing is outlandishly antique, with color-ful embroidery and hundreds of sewnjewels or beads. Courtly men wear apadded doublets covered by a shortcape, and tight-fitting hose with flat-heeled slippers or thigh-length boots.Women of high social rank wear dress-es of velvet, silk, silver gauze, or clothof gold, over a corselet and farthin-gale, to flatten the chest and add vol-ume to the skirt. Both sexes wear laceruffs at the neck.

Commoners tend to wear less-restrictive, more-practical garb, buteven modestly well-off burghers arelikely to own at least one very expen-sive suit of clothes.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Albians.

AGENT

Social Rank 3d6+3Albian agents are said to show a

cool detachment and more than atrace of irony in their work, and arenot above tossing off an atrocious puneven as they dispatch a hated foe atclose quarters. Trained to operate in asociety where discretion is a watch-word, they are smooth conversational-ists and charming companions, well-suited to court intrigues.

Smooth Operator: Albian agentsreceive Flash as a free feat as soon asthey meet the prerequisites.

BARD

Social Rank 3d6+3Albian bards tend to work in the

written word rather than in music.Poets and dramatists of extreme sub-tlety, their talents are appreciated bycommoners and courtiers alike, givingthem a unique mobility between thelowest and highest ranks of society.

Conscious of their appearance,Albian bards of either sex dress in theheight of male courtly fashion, withpadded doublets, ruff collars, andhose, often highly ornamented. Theyseldom carry musical instruments,except perhaps for a simple woodenflute or recorder, but they are nevercaught without pen and paper, shouldinspiration strike them.

Power of the Pen: Albian bards receiveScribe Scroll as a free feat at 1st level.

DRUID

Social Rank 2d6+2The Old Ways, as the ancient reli-

gion of Uropa is called, has beenallowed to re-enter Albion from its tra-ditional Kelt strongholds to the westand north, and with it have come itspractitioners, the druids. Albian druidstend to come from rural areas wheresupport for the Greening — the

druidic task of restoring the naturalpower of the land — is strongest.They live as wandering mendicants,healing the rural populace, helpingfarmers and herders, and protectingpeople from evil forces.

The center of druidic activity onthe Isle of Albion is actually at HolyHead on the Isle of Anglesey, in north-west Cymru. This has replacedCanterbury as the most popular site ofpilgrimage for Albians of all classes.Holy Head serves as a druidic college,where new druids are trained andinvested, as a meeting place for theseven-year parliament of druids, and asthe seat of the high druid.

Albian druids dress in robes andlong mantles. Their weaponry variesdepending upon their place in thedruidic hierarchy — a quarterstaff isused by lower-ranking druids, and asickle by those above 6th level.

Warm Welcome: The initial attitude ofAlbian NPCs toward an Albian druid isautomatically improved by one step.

Two Worlds: Albian druids canchoose Two Worlds as a free feat at 1st

level, as long as they choose Kelt astheir second culture.

RAKE

Social Rank 2d6+1Albian rakes often work their way

into courtly company, as servants,attendants, scribes, physicians, orentertainers. They often enjoy greatsuccess in padding their purses at theexpense of credulous nobles, promis-ing the secrets of alchemy, eternal life,or undying beauty.

Knee in the Coddes: Renowned forunsportsmanlike kicks and jabs incombat, especially when fencing, allAlbian rakes receive the ImprovedUnarmed Strike feat at 1st-level.

SOLDIER

Social Rank 1d20+3Soldiers of Albion, being from an

island kingdom, are just as likely to findthemselves serving on ships as in thefield. At sea, they specialize in daringboarding operations and savage raids oncoastal targets. Soldiers in Albion aretraditionally looked upon fondly bytheir fellows as defenders of their king-dom, going back to the stout yeomanarcher, hero of Agincourt. Their garb isappropriate to their rank, but simplerthan their counterparts in other nations.

Case of Rapiers: Albian soldiers attack-ing with two rapiers treat the rapier intheir off hand as a Light weapon, ratherthan a one-handed weapon, for purpos-es of determining penalties for fightingwith two weapons.

18

Northern Crown

ALBIAN CULTURE BONUSES Eloquence: Bluff +2, Diplomacy +2Fey-touched: As natives of a fey-touched nation, all Albians can cast one 0-

level spell from the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list per day as a spell-like ability. AnAlbian knows one such cantrip at 1st level, and gains the knowledge of an addi-tional cantrip at 4th, 7th, and 10th level. The save DC is equal to 10 + the cast-er’s Charisma ability modifier.

Traditional Weapons: Broadsword, longbow

SORCERER

Social Rank 1d20+3Albion is one of the few nations

where magic can be practiced openly,and this tolerance gives rise to anunusually high number of sorcerers.Albian sorcerers come from all levels ofsociety; regardless of social rank, theytend to be of an active, emotional tem-perament, rather than contemplative.Like sorcerers everywhere, they areoften tempted to use their powers forpersonal gain, and this deserved repu-tation harms their status somewhat,especially in courtly society.

Vigorous Spirit: Albian sorcerersreceive a +2 bonus to Concentrationchecks.

WIZARD

Social Rank 1d20+6Most Albian wizards come from

the great universities of Oxenford orCantabrigia. They tend to have ascholarly bent, and are averse to travelor adventure (PCs being the excep-tion). If associated with a university,they will wear the cap and gown of thescholar; other wizards wear clothesappropriate to their social class.

Enchanting Power: When castingspells from the school of Enchantment,Albian wizards add one level to theirclass level for purposes of determininglevel-dependent spell effects.

BUCCANEERS:BRETHREN OFTHE HIGH SEAS

Buccaneer adventurers are mem-bers of a nomadic seafaring culturethat stretches from the Carib Sea tothe shores of Uropa. Their code offreedom, fraternity, and honor (aftertheir own fashion) distinguishes themfrom mere pirates and sea-robbers.Although drawn from many lands,once at sea their primary identitybecomes that of the Buccaneer, withits peculiarities of dress, speech, man-ner, law, and custom.

Buccaneers at first meeting oftenseem brash and rude, but they are loyalto their companions and true to theirword. Although marked by a reputa-tion for fierceness and casual cruelty,they can show generosity and maudlinsentimentality at the most surprisingmoments. They are drawn to charis-matic leaders, but dislike taking directorders from anyone, preferring a mob

consensus. They like their justice to beswift and severe in execution, especial-ly among their own kind. They areoften motivated by the promise ofriches, but tend not to hoard theirwealth; rather, they spend it quickly onfancies and entertainments.

Buccaneers don’t deny that theyare outlaws — they revel in it, doingas much as possible to enhance theirreputation as bold, wild cutthroats.Even the most mercenary Buccaneershave a romantic streak, and enjoyplaying the part of the dashing pirateliterally to the hilt. But just as impor-tant to the Buccaneers’ self-ideal isthat concept of the band of equals,free to decide their own fates, servinga captain out of love and respectrather than obligation.

The shared danger of a criminalcareer at sea forms a strong sense offraternity among Buccaneers, and adisdain for outsiders. Buccaneers donot respect shore-dwellers or authori-ty figures, calling them landlubbersand king’s men — timorous, dull, andnot to be trusted. This attitude is smallwonder, as the same merchants whopublicly decry the Buccaneers onemoment will open their docks to piratetrade the next, or turn in a Buccaneerwho once smuggled their goods out ofport to avoid the royal tax.

Buccaneers are dangerous compa-ny; you can’t befriend one withoutpossessing a rebellious streak yourself,or at least wishing you had one, forthey invariably bring trouble. Theyare such a tightly knit band that it ishard to make an alliance with just one;you must first earn their trust as awhole. Once won, a Buccaneer’sfriendship must be cultivated, neverassumed, for it may vanish the instantyou no longer have your friend’srespect, or a better opportunity pre-sents itself.

Culture Group: Any.Attitude: A devil-may-care aban-

don and recklessness are the hallmarksof the Buccaneer life. Most Buccaneerscome from such miserable circum-stances that merely to be alive and freeis enough for them. They tend to give

little thought to the future, seeing theworld as a violent, unpredictableplace, where comfortable old age isseldom reserved for their kind.

History: The founders ofBuccaneer culture were Uropans oflow rank — deserters, criminals, cast-aways, and squatters who made a pre-carious living on the islands of theCarib Sea in the Dark Years of con-quest and slaughter following firstcontact with the natives of that region.As the Espaniards, the Français, andthe Carolingians consolidated theirhold on the islands, the squatters weredriven from their settlements or hunt-ed down, until at last they began toband together, taking to the sea toharass and rob those who sought todislodge them from their lands. Theirreputation grew following early victo-ries on the high seas and brash raids oncoastal towns; within a generationtheir numbers swelled to thousands, asdisenfranchised, desperate, and embit-tered folk of many lands joined them.Now, they roam as far east as the coastof Nyambe, enjoying a warm welcomein many ports for the cash and goodsthey bring. It is feared that they havebecome a political power themselves,who could influence the fate ofNorthern Crown under the properleadership.

Relations: Officially, Buccaneersare considered outlaws by all nationsof Northern Crown. The Espaniardsare perhaps their most bitter foes,because their treasure ships sailingfrom Nueva España to Cadiz offer themost potential profit for Buccaneerraids. As for Carolingia, NieuNederlands, and Albion, theEspaniards’ loss is their gain, but theirtolerance ends when Buccaneers beginattacking their fleets and ports. Despitethis, Buccaneers receive hearty recep-tions from the merchants and tavern-keepers of Boston, Nieu Amsterdam,and Port Royal, because the coloniesare often starved for cash, and wel-come the Buccaneers’ coin, even ifthey disapprove of their rowdy behav-ior ashore.

19

Northern Crown

BUCCANEER CULTURE BONUSESGunnery Drill: All Buccaneers

receive Artillery as a free feat as soonas they meet the prerequisites.

Knowing the Ropes: Buccaneers cantake 10 on Climb checks, even whenrushed or threatened.

Sea Legs: Balance +1, Climb +1,Jump +1, Profession (sailor) +2, Spot+1, Swim +1, Use Rope +1

Ship-shield: Buccaneers receive a +1AC bonus and a +1 Reflex save bonuswhile onboard ship.

Traditional Weapons: Cutlass, knife

20

Northern Crown

Lands: As seafarers, the Buccaneershold no large territories ashore, buthaunt the length of the Atlantic Seaand the Carib Sea. The closest thingto a true Buccaneer haven is theCarolingian city of Port Royal, inJamaica, where the governor openlywelcomes them. On the Outer Banksof Carolingia, a chance meeting ofpirate crews sometimes becomes, for afew weeks, a virtual city of hundreds ofBuccaneers, as more captains arrive totrade goods and crew, make repairs,and enjoy themselves.

Authority: Buccaneers respectno authority but that of theirown captain, who commandsthem by their consent. Acaptain retains his crewonly as long as he dealswith them fairly, andgives them opportunitiesfor plunder and plea-sure. Crewmembers arealways free to leave aship and join anotherat port, showing thatthe authority of eventhe captain is quitelimited.

Law: To Buc-caneers, the onlylaws are the ship’sarticles to which theyhave consented. Thearticles typically spellout how many sharesof treasure each crew-man receives, theamount of cash compen-sation received forinjuries, and the punish-ments for neglecting one’sduty, fighting, plottingagainst a captain, and theft.Accused crewmembers are triedby the captain, who often pollsthe crew as a kind of informal jurybefore delivering sentence. Hangingor marooning are the most commonpunishments.

Magic: Buccaneers come from thelower social ranks, and as such, theyhave little experience with the formalstudy of magic. Buccaneer witches arenot unheard of, having kept alive thefolk traditions of witchcraft practicedby their ancestors.

Religion: Buccaneers tend to serveaboard ships where the majority of thecrew share one faith; followers of otherfaiths may be teased or gently mocked,but the importance of freedom among

the Buccaneers prevents them fromharming another crewmember on thebasis of religion alone. Like all seafarers,they are a superstitious lot. Althoughclerics are considered unlucky to haveaboard ship, Buccaneers often seek outthe services of priests while ashore, andseldom loot religious buildings or harm

servants of the church, out of fear ofdivine retribution in the form of ill luck.

Arts: Among the arts, Buccaneersexcel in the composition of poemsand songs, and in the telling ofimprobable tales. Their chanteys andballads are sung in portside tavernsfrom Charles Town to London, andare notable for their wit, roughhumor, and energy.

Food: Few Buccaneer ships havefull-time cooks; their provisions arenotoriously poor, which explains theirgreat hunger and thirst whenever theyput ashore. When in town, they eatand drink nearly nonstop, as if to makeup for months of chewing on hard bis-cuit and salt beef.

Language: Buccaneers speak thelanguage of their native land as anautomatic language, as well asBuccaneer cant — a salty, jargon-strewn manner of speech incompre-hensible to other cultures.

Names: Buccaneers often lose theirgiven names to avoid identification

by the authorities, taking instead acolorful nickname. Common

nicknames are inspired by hairor clothing colors, such as Red,Black, or Yellow; personalitytraits, such as Mad, Wicked,Wild, Roaring, Storming,Foul, or Dandy; home ports,such as Havana or Boston;and weapons, such asPistol. Just make an alliter-ative match with a givenname or alias, such asPistol Pete or Mad Molly,and you have a ready-made Buccaneer identity.

Appearance: Buccaneersare known for their idiosyn-cratic and outlandish appear-ance, which emphasizesostentatious display of wealthand individuality. Men tend to

wear unkempt beards and longhair, sometimes braided into

many thin tails, while womenkeep their long hair either uncov-

ered or concealed with a soft cap.Buccaneers of both sexes wear loose

shirts and knee-length trousers, andeither go barefoot or in oversized

boots. Long, brightly colored velvetcoats with gold trim are donned ashore,topped with a plumed hat, set at a rakishangle. Gold earrings, rings, bracelets, andnecklaces are worn prominently — theyannounce one’s prosperity, and can easilybe bartered or sold at need.

Adventurers: To be a Buccaneer isto live a life of adventure; there are fewsedentary Buccaneers. Buccaneersstrike out to find wealth, get revenge,or simply for the thrill. Initially, acharacter might become a Buccaneerto escape a prison sentence, to avoidthe noose, to dodge creditors, or sim-ply to leave his former life behind.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Buccaneers.

RAIDER

Social Rank 1d6+1Among the Buccaneer bands are

fearsome Scots highlanders, Vinlanderberserkers, and other warriors frombeyond the pale of so-called civilizedlands. These raiders form the core of theBuccaneer fighting force, although theymay be less adept at seamanship. Theyare the first over the rails in boardingactions, and the first to go ashore duringraiding expeditions, often makingextended overland raids. They prefer touse large melee weapons, especially axesand broadswords.

Bull Rush: All Buccaneer raiders aretreated as having the Improved BullRush feat, regardless of whether theymeet the prerequisites.

RAKE

Social Rank 1d6+1Buccaneers who are less inclined to

life at sea are likely to be rakes. Theyspend much of their time ashore in infa-mous pirate towns like Port Royal,preying on their fellow Buccaneers andother citizens with equal zeal. They rel-ish dueling in settings that allow themto take advantage of their nimble feet.

Cat-footed: Buccaneer rakes can fallup to 30 feet without suffering anydamage, as long as they make a Jumpor Tumble check at DC15.

Freeclimber: Buccaneer rakes retaintheir Dexterity bonus to AC whileclimbing.

SOLDIER

Social Rank 1d6+1Most Buccaneers belong to the sol-

dier character class; in their formerlives, many were soldiers or bandits.Though they’ve learned the ways ofthe sea they still retain their fightingskills, employing pistols, muskets, cut-lasses, knives, clubs, and grenades dur-ing boarding actions, and firing theirship’s cannons during sea battles.

Both Barrels: Buccaneer soldiers gainBoth Barrels as a free feat at 1st level.

Slash and Hack: Buccaneer soldiersattacking with a cutlass or knife are treat-ed as though they had the Cleave feat.

CAROLINGIANS:EXQUISITECAVALIERS

Carolingian adventurers considerthemselves to be the true heirs of theKingdom of England, unlike theirfairy-touched Albian cousins acrossthe sea. King Charles II of Carolingiasets the tone for many of his subjectsin terms of appearance, attitude, andtemperament. As the Merry Monarch,he rules a land where comfort, ease,and diversion are the stuff of life forthose at the top of the social heap, andthe aspiration of those who servethem. The cavalier is perhaps the idealof Carolingian society: exquisitelydressed, well-mannered and gallant,skilled at hunting, shooting, fencing,and dancing.

Carolingian society is highly class-conscious, with each citizen expectedto know his or her place. The study ofgenealogy is also a special concern ofCarolingians, who are always ready torecount their family trees and thedeeds of their illustrious ancestors.They consider themselves English,despite the recent loss of their islandhome to the reign of Gloriana. Theyvalue the English institutions of a largeand prosperous yeomanry, a body ofcommon law and legal protections forall English subjects, and a strongmonarch tempered by a strong parlia-ment. The suggestion that they are nottruly English is likely to perturb them,as they are somewhat sensitive to theirstate of exile. As if to compensate,many strive to be more faithful toEnglish customs than their parents everwere in England. Older Carolingiansare forever worrying that their childrenare not upholding these traditions,endangering the Englishness of thekingdom.

In others, Carolingians look forsigns of doing things the properEnglish way, whether in speech, man-ners, or dress. Lack of Englishness isnearly always a sign of more seriousdefects in character or temperament.They also take interest in the reputa-tion of one’s family, which is either

scandal-free, fiscally responsible, andlong-established or indiscreet, spend-thrift, and without a pedigree.Strangers who can’t be placed withinthe local social order are seen as suspi-cious, even dangerous, because onecan never be sure how to properlyaddress them or treat them, or knowwhether to associate with them at all.

Carolingians are valued friends fortheir constancy, good humor, and dis-cretion. Their admirers see them asgallant, spirited gentlefolk, who neverfail to make their friends feel welcome,and avoid embarrassing them at allcosts. They often serve to remind theirfriends of the decent thing to do in allsituations, hanging on to their princi-ples even when others may be tempt-ed to compromise them.

Culture Group: Uropan.Attitude: Carolingians’ lives are

often driven by concern for their per-sonal and family reputation. They arealways aware of how others see theiractions, often worrying more aboutappearances than what is best for them-selves and enduring discomfort or dan-ger rather than give up their dignity.They are forever taking a stand “on prin-ciple,” as they inevitably put it, ratherthan for reasons of logic or self-interest.

History: The kingdom ofCarolingia was created from theEnglish colonies of Carolina andVirginia by royalists fleeing from theaftermath of the English Civil War.King Charles I, who had narrowlyescaped the chopping block, fled toCarolingia and became its king in1650. He died before realizing hisdream of returning to England, and hismore practical son, Charles II, nowrules the kingdom.

Relations: Carolingia’s great rivalsare the Espaniards, with whom theyfight for control of the land of LaFlorida and the Carib Sea. Bothnations are always seeking alliesamong the First Ones nations of thesoutheast, even as they also look toseize their traditional homelands.Carolingia’s northern neighbor, theRepublic of Sophia, was established bya former earl of the kingdom.Although the two nations share a com-mon language, they could not be moreopposed philosophically and theykeep an uneasy peace, using spies and

21

Northern Crown

CAROLIGIANS CULTURE BONUSESBorn to the Saddle: Handle Animal +1, Ride +2Crown Subjects: Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +2Traditional Weapons: Broadsword, saber

22

Northern Crown

saboteurs in place of soldiers. As forFrance, Charles and his cousin Louisare on good terms, and seem to havechosen to stay out of each others’ wayfor the time being.

Lands: Carolingia occupies a greatswath of the eastern coast of NorthernCrown, from the James River in thenorth to the Savannah River in thesouth. It stretches inland only as far asthe Appalachi Mountains, which pre-sent a barrier to westward expansion.The capital, Charles Town, is on thecoast not far from the southernfrontier. The kingdom alsoholds the island of Jamaica inthe Carib Sea, with thenotorious Buccaneer havenof Port Royal.

Authority: Carol-ingia is ruled by KingCharles II, whose claimto the English throneruns back to HenryVII. He has theauthority to conductforeign policy andappoint ministers torun the government,but the purse stringsare held by the leg-islative body — theHouse ofParliament.

Law: Carolingianlaw is based onEnglish common law.Its cornerstone is theright to a jury trial forall accused. Receiving afair trial is another matter.Defendants do not havethe right to be representedby a lawyer. They can callwitnesses and conduct exami-nations, but can’t require witness-es to testify under oath. Prosecutionwitnesses, however, must testify underoath, with severe penalties for perjury.Judges quite often help the prosecu-tion, even presenting the case to thejury themselves. Punishments includeprison for minor crimes and publichanging for major ones. Prison sen-tences are usually served on planta-tions, either in Carolingia or on theisland of Jamaica. Convicts are animportant source of labor in the king-dom, which is a sore point with manycommoners, who feel that judges con-demn many innocent folk to fill thelandowners’ demand for workers.

Magic: Wizards and sorcerers arerare in Carolingia — magic is consid-ered unsporting and undignified inpolite society. Its open practice is lim-ited to rural folk magic, frauds, andentertainers. The awe reserved formagic in earlier days is now applied to

natural philosophy, especially in theareas of astronomy and mechanics.Charles II is himself an amateuralchemist and astronomer, and hispatronage of natural philosophy hashad a chilling effect on the study ofmagic in his kingdom.

Religion: As part of Parliament’s con-ditions for Charles I’s ascension to thethrone of Carolingia, he agreed to there-establishment of Henry VIII’s AnglicChurch, and the banning of other formsof worship. The Anglic Church ofCarolingia does not recognize theAnglic Church of Albion; its prelate isnot the archbishop of Canterbury, butthe newly created archbishop of CharlesTown. Charles II is personally sympa-thetic to the Roman Church, and haslargely prevented religious persecutionof its followers by skillful control of theHouse of Lords. But the general climatein Carolingia is one of suspicion towardsreligious minorities, and the tensioncontinues to build.

Arts: The dramatic arts are robustin the kingdom, with satires and farcesbeing especially popular, and the kingamong the most ardent supporters ofthe playhouses. Carolingia has pro-duced few painters or sculptors to rivalthose of Uropa, but the royal court isknown for its generous patronage ofartists from other lands, who oftentaken up residence in the king’s palace.In music, art, and architecture, France’sinfluence is strong, dating from theking’s long residence in France in the

court of his cousin Louis.Food: Carolingians enjoy beer,

cider, roast beef, meat pies, andgame. Their drink is strong,

their food is hearty, rich, andsimply prepared, but is oftenconsidered bland by folkfrom other lands.

Language: Carol-ingians speak English as anautomatic language, withpronounced differencesbetween common andcourtly speakers. Muchemphasis is placed onthe role that speechplays in identifying one’splace in the social order.

Names: A commoncomplaint aboutCarolingian names isthat there are notenough of them. Namingtraditions are indeed quite

conservative, but the useof nicknames and surnames

when addressing anotherperson seem to compensate

well for the preponderance ofJohns and Annes throughout

the kingdom. (Nicknames are list-ed in parentheses following each

name.)Male Names: Charles, Edward

(Ned), Edmund, Henry (Hal), James,John (Jack), William (Bill or Will).

Female Names: Anne (Annie), Jane,Elizabeth (Bess or Liza), Mary, Molly(Moll), Nell, Polly, Susan (Sue).

Appearance: In Carolingia, thehigher social ranks keep up with thelatest court fashions, which are influ-enced by Français tastes. Men wearknee-length cloth suits trimmed withribbon, embroidered waistcoats, silkstockings, shoes or riding boots withvery wide turned-down cuffs, velvethats, and periwigs. Swords are carriedon very broad sashes rather than belts.Courtly women wear silk dresses ofsimple construction, with low, round-ed necklines and a natural silhouette.Their hair is often worn in tight curls,with no head covering.

Men of common rank wear loose-fitting linen shirts and wool breeches,

while women wear dresses modeledafter those of courtly women, cut fromcheaper but warmer cloth, and pro-tected by an apron.

Adventurers: Carolingians oftenenter into quests to protect or restoretheir personal or family reputation, orto guard their monarch against enemyspies or homegrown plots. Adventuringabroad for the sake of wealth is seen asundignified by wealthy Carolingians,while commoners avidly seek riches inorder to raise themselves above theirsocial stations, becoming pirates, mer-chants, or soldiers of fortune.

APPROPRIATE CLASSES The following classes are common

among Carolingians.

AGENT

Social Rank 3d6+2Most Carolingian agents serve the

crown directly, as the kingdom has anofficial confidential service thatrecruits and trains agents. But the vari-ous duchies of Carolingia also employprivate agents to keep an eye on theircourt rivals. Carolingian agents tendto be men or women of action, with apenchant for taking physical risks thatruffles their superiors’ sensibilities.Their missions within the borders ofthe kingdom frequently involve pre-serving the honor of their employer,while those who work abroad oftenturn their talents against the king’s tra-ditional foes, the Espaniards.

Heart of Oak: Carolingian agentsmay choose Great Fortitude orToughness as a free feat at 1st level.

BARD

Social Rank 2d6Although music, poetry, and espe-

cially the theater are immensely popu-lar in Carolingia, the performing artsare not seen as respectable careers.Bards may take money or favors fromnoble patrons, but are seldomembraced as full members of high soci-ety. They often find themselves merepawns or go-betweens at court, or ifless presentable, ply their trade aswandering minstrels or storytellersalong the dusty back roads of the king-dom. Their mastery of stagecraft oftencomes in handy when avoiding recog-nition by their creditors or by the law.

English Lore: Carolingian bardsreceive a +4 bonus to BardicKnowledge checks made to gain rele-vant information about notable peo-

ple, legendary items, or noteworthyplaces in Carolingia or Albion.

In Character: Carolingian bards gaina +2 bonus to Disguise checks.

NATURAL PHILOSOPHER

Social Rank 4d6Natural philosophy is pursued as a

leisure interest by some members ofthe gentry, and rarely, as a full-timeoccupation. The establishment of theRoyal Academy under Newton, thepre-eminent figure in the field, hasdone much to regulate the professionand standardize the training of naturalphilosophers. Most PCs of this classwill be graduates of the Academy ifover SocR 15; otherwise, they willhave been apprentices to a master.Only Academy graduates can wear theermine-trimmed black robes thatdemonstrate their higher prestige;others wear robes of gray or purple.

Carolingian natural philosophersare most often interested in the floraand fauna, geology, languages, people,and antiquities of Northern Crown,especially those of the interior beyondthe Appalachi Mountains. They oftensponsor expeditions to the wilderness,or go in person, to collect specimensand make maps. Not surprisingly, mul-ticlass natural philosopher/scouts arenot uncommon.

Expedition Ready: Carolingian natur-al philosophers gain Climb, Spot, andSwim as class skills.

Wilderness Medicine: Carolingian nat-ural philosophers with at least onedegree in Life and Death can sponta-neously create each of the followingphenomena once per day as an extra-ordinary ability, provided they havetheir apparatus at the time the phe-nomenon is created: Cure Minor Wounds,Detect Poison, Purify Food and Drink.

RAKE

Social Rank 2d6Carolingian rakes are the paragon

of their class: foppish, idle, and fond ofduels. They excel at card games,which often serve as the seed of theirdisputes with other rakes. Too lazy tofence, many Carolingian rakes preferthe pistol duel. Dressed in the latestFrançais fashions, they congregate inCharles Town and at the countryestates of the Carolingian nobility. Alarge expatriate community of rakeshas taken residence in NouvelleOrleans, where laws against the duelare seldom enforced.

Card Sharp: Carolingian rakes gain a+2 bonus to Bluff and Sleight of Handskill checks.

Parlez Français: Carolingian rakesreceive Français as an automaticlanguage.

SCOUT

Social Rank 1d6+3A country with so vast and

unmapped a frontier as Carolingia hasgreat need of scouts as skirmishingtroops, guides, and trailblazers. Theircompanion animals are almost alwayshorses, although the wildlife of thehedgerow and meadow can serve aswell, especially foxes. Many Carolingianscouts work within the interior of thekingdom on the great noble and royalestates as foresters, grooms, and game-keepers. Such a servant might beentrusted with a mission by his master toexplore a new land grant on the frontieror find a missing family member.

In the tidewaters and wetlands ofthe kingdom dwell scouts of a differ-ent sort, known as swamp foxes. Theyare of a chaotic, antisocial bent, andare as likely to side with localCimarron and First Ones communitiesas with their own countrymen. In theirdress and manner they adopt a mix ofEnglish and native styles, much likethe Coureurs to the north. MostCarolingian scouts, however, dress inbrown or rusty red, with a black clothcap sporting a badge indicating theirmaster’s identity.

Gamekeeper and Swamp Fox Variants:At 1st level, Carolingian scouts canchoose one of two class variants:gamekeeper or swamp fox.Gamekeepers receive a +2 bonus toHide and Move Silently checks;swamp foxes receive a +2 bonus tosaves made against poison and disease.

SOLDIER

Social Rank 1d20+3In Carolingia, soldiering is closely

tied to horsemanship, and eveninfantry of low rank know how to ride.A soldier might serve in an army regi-ment, as part of a ship’s crew, or as aguard in frontier lands. Less-respectable soldiers may become ban-dits or pistol-toting highwaymen — aromantic and popular career inCarolingia, especially among the poorwho champion the highwaymen as lat-ter-day Robin Hoods.

Carolingian soldiers of the gentry orhigher (SocR 16+) may call themselvescavaliers. They favor broad-brimmedplumed hats and wear sashes to denotetheir rank on the battlefield. Musketeersand halberdiers fill out the lower ranks.

Cavalry Training: All Carolingiansoldiers receive Mounted Combat as afree feat at 1st level.

23

Northern Crown

24

Northern Crown

CHEROKEE:PEOPLE OF THEMOUNTAINS

The most populous First Ones cul-ture of the southeast, the Cherokeelive in a loose confederacy of perma-nent towns on the slopes of theMountains of Smoke and in the deepvale of the Tennessee. They call them-selves the Ani-yun-wiya (ah-nee-yun-WEE-ya), meaning “The RealPeople.” The word Cherokee is anAnglicized version of a Creekword meaning “people whospeak differently.” Their lan-guage is related more closelyto the people of the northernforests than to their presentneighbors, suggesting thatthe Cherokee themselvescame out of the north,long ago. Since then,they have developed ahighly productive agri-culture, and a democrat-ic form of administra-tion based on local con-trol and consensus.

Cherokee cultureemphasizes individualrights — the power ofleaders is limited, andthe right to opt out of aleader’s cause as a matterof personal conscience isreserved even for warriorsin battle. Good manners,generosity, and social har-mony are key social values,enforced by shunning andpublic scorn of individualswho disregard these norms.Women enjoy a notable degreeof social freedom; they own thefamily house and possessions, andmay freely divorce a bad husband.They may also become warriors andgain fame in combat as readily astheir male counterparts. Adventurersmay be outspoken individualists whoare nonetheless skilled at working byconsensus.

Culture Group: First OnesAttitude: Cherokee adventurers

approach life as a balance betweentheir own desires and the need toreach accord with other people andwith the natural world. Like the fourcords that hold the earth above thewaters in Cherokee cosmology, a com-munity is held together by thestrength of its members, separate butunited in a common cause, and eachone tied to the welfare of all.

History: The Cherokee are anIroquoian people, who likely migratedsouth from the northern forests atsome time in the past. They may berelated to the Moundraisers of theUncounted Time. Their present terri-tory shows signs of having been occu-pied long before by other peoples,including the ancient Yuchi, whose vil-lages still exist side-by side-with those

of the Cherokee. Early contact withUropans in search of gold resulted inhorrible massacres of entire villages;these episodes have colored all subse-quent contact with Uropan people.

Relations: The Cherokee have for-mal relations with Charles II ofCarolingia, who courts them seekingan ally against the Espaniards and theFrançais. The Woodland Confederacyhas sought Cherokee aid, butOconostota, the Cherokee leader,prefers to deal with the Uropans onhis own terms. Not forgetting the dis-

astrous results of early Espaniard for-ays into Cherokee territory, theCherokee are on very cool terms withNueva España. As for their otherneighbors, the Cherokee are powerfulenough and secure enough in theirmountain strongholds to deal from aposition of strength. They have oftenallied with the Chickasaw to the westin times of war.

Lands: The Cherokee occupy thewestern slopes of the Mountains ofSmoke, as well as the upper reaches ofthe Tennessee Vale. Most of theirtowns are sited near rivers and streams

within this vast region.Authority: The Cherokee region

encompasses about 70 permanentagricultural towns, populated by

seven matrilinear clans: Deer,Wolf, Wild Potato, Paint, Blue,Long Hair, and Bird. TheWolf clan is the largest, andhas a reputation for produc-ing the most war leadersand adventurers. Eachtown is administered by ademocratically appointedcouncil, which givesevery man, woman, andchild a voice in localaffairs. The leadershiprole of each village andof the confederacy atlarge is held jointly bytwo appointed officials:the red leader, who pre-sides during times of war;and the white leader, whopresides in times of peace

and oversees economic,civil, and spiritual matters.

Leaders can be either male orfemale, and hold their title on

the basis of ability and popularsupport, rather than by heredi-

tary claim. The positions of redand white leader for the confedera-

cy as a whole are currently held byOconostota and Ata-kullakulla,

respectively. Law: Cherokee law emphasizes

individual rights, and the necessity ofconsensus in public policy. Most mat-ters are either settled privately or withthe help of the town council. The pur-suit of justice for major crimes such asmurder is often carried out by the kin-folk of the victim, rather than a centralauthority.

Magic: Wizardry is unknownamong the Cherokee, but sorcerers arecommon. They carry no stigma, unlessthey use their magic for evil purposes.Arcane spellcasting ability is mostoften manifested in twins, who areapprenticed to a master sorcerer at anearly age. The mastery of arcanemagic is a lifelong study; beads, crys-

tals, and magical formulas are oftenused as material components. Magiccan applied for both good and evilends — to protect, cure, and foretell,or to harm and curse.

Religion: The Cherokee conceiveof the world as hanging by four cordsat the ends of the four cardinal direc-tions. In their telling of the raising ofthe land above the waters, it is WaterBug, rather than Muskrat, who recov-ers the mud from which the earth isreconstituted. One day the sustainingcords will break, and the earth willsubmerge once more beneath thewaters that surround it.

The priests of the Cherokee areclerics in d20 System terms, withdivine spellcasting abilities and a cen-tral role in the religious ceremonies ofeach town. The Cherokee supremedeity is Yowa (YOH-wa), whose namemay not be spoken aloud except bydivine spellcasters of 5th-level andabove. This being is a unity of threeother beings, called cho-ta-auh-ne-le-eh (CHO-tah-aww-nay-LAY-eh), theElder Fires Above, who can be thoughtof as three aspects of the same divinemind. Also prominent in Cherokeereligion is Se-lu (SAY-loo), CornMother, whose spilled blood becamelife-giving corn — the staple crop ofthe Cherokee agricultural system.

The number seven figures promi-nently in Cherokee belief: seven clans,seven cardinal directions (north,south, east, west, above, below, andcenter), and seven ceremonies thatdefine the passing of the year. Mostnotable of these ceremonies is theGreen Corn ceremony, performedwhen the last corn crop has becomeripe. Sports have religious significancein Cherokee culture, especially inter-clan lacrosse games, which are accom-panied by ritual observances.

Arts: Among the Cherokee, theperforming arts of dance and oratoryare highly prized. As in so many otherFirst Ones cultures, dance has a sacredfunction. Pottery decorated with

carved wooden stamps, stone pipeswith wooden stems, and wooden med-icine boxes (rather than medicinebags) are other characteristic items ofCherokee artistic production.

Food: Corn is the staple crop ofCherokee agriculture, and has greatspiritual significance as well. Townsare built around areas of agriculturalproduction, which includes threekinds of corn, as well as squash, beans,sunflowers, and tobacco for use in reli-gious ceremonies. Hunting, fishing,and gathering supplement farming asfood sources. Common wild foodsinclude maple syrup, plums, walnuts,grapes, and cherries.

Language: Cherokee speak theirown language as an automatic lan-guage, which belongs to the Iroquoianlanguage group. They have no indige-nous alphabetic writing system, butCherokee bards have recently begunto adapt the Uropan alphabet to theirown tongue, to record their lore andbeliefs.

Names: Cherokee names ofteninclude descriptives paired with anoun. Cherokee girls are not generallynamed after animals.

Male: Agin’-agi’li (“Rising Fawn”),Ina’li (“Black Fox”), Tuksi’ (“Turtle”),Yan-e’ gwa (“Big Bear”)

Female: Adsila (“Blossom”), Ama-dahi (“Forest Water”), Da’ nawa-gas-ta’ya (“Eager Warrior”)

Appearance: Cherokee men weardeerskin breechclouts, augmented bychaps to protect the legs in coldweather or in rough terrain. Long-sleeved leather matchcoats or ponchosare often worn in cooler weather. Anobsidian or copper knife, worn at thebelt, is an essential feature of theirclothing. Headgear includes either atall beaverskin hat, or a turban made ofhide or cloth. Fur cloaks are added tothe outfits of both sexes in winter forextra protection against the cold.

Women wear sleeveless, mid-thigh-length dresses of soft deerskinor mulberry bark fiber, belted at the

waist over an ankle-length wovenunderskirt. A cape of deerskin adornsthe shoulders.

Cherokee hairstyles vary greatlybetween the seven clans. The LongHair clan, appropriately, is known forits elaborately dressed hair. Feathersare only worn in times of war, whensingle feathers, dyed blood-red, areprepared by priests for distribution tothe warriors. Hair is often coloredwith red and yellow dust. As adorn-ment, men’s ears are often split openby an incision and the openingstretched with copper wires to create alarge loop within each ear.

Adventurers: Cherokee might taketo an adventurous life to follow a verypersonal dream or desire, but seldomat the price of endangering the free-dom or happiness of others. Thecourse of a Cherokee’s career may beone of dynamic action, tempered byawareness of the effects of his actionson the world at large.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Cherokee.

BARD

Social Rank 1d6+6Cherokee bard-class characters

can be storytellers, dancers, or musi-cians who tell tales through the medi-um of dance and song. They trade inhumorous tales, historical narratives,and sacred stories — it is common tofind multiclass bard/clerics. Theirinstruments include the water drum,which is a ceramic pot partially filledwith water, and fitted with a drumheadof animal skin; a six-holed cane flute;and the bison-horn trumpet.

Enchanting Performance: Cherokeebards are treated as having the SpellFocus feat when casting spells of theEnchantment school.

CLERIC

Social Rank 2d4+10Because the Cherokee live in per-

manent towns with extensive agricul-ture, religious leaders of the Cherokeeare clerics, rather than druids. Theyuse the standard d20 System clericspell list. They are community priests,responsible for the spiritual protectionof people, crops, and animals throughprayers and sacred dances. They maychoose from the following domains:Good, Plant, Protection, and Sun.Their favored weapon is the blowgun,and they must be within one step of alawful good alignment.

25

Northern Crown

CHEROKEE CULTURE BONUSES Cherokee Heritage: Knowledge (fey) +2, Perform (dance) +2, Profession

(farmer) +2Fey Allies: The Cherokee maintain a close bond with the native fey of the

region, who have taught them secrets of healing and herblore. Any PC with thisidentity can attempt to summon 2d4 pukwudgee allies, once per week, who willassist and defend the PC for up to one hour. The chance of summoning theseallies is 50%, +5% per character level of the summoner. Pukwudgee aredescribed in the Monsters chapter of the Northern Crown: Gazetteer.

Wildshield: Cherokee receive a +1 AC bonus and a +1 Reflex save bonus inforest or mountain terrain.

Traditional Weapon: Blowgun.

26

Northern Crown

Warm Welcome: The initial attitudeof Cherokee NPCs toward a Cherokeecleric is automatically improved byone step.

See Fey (Sp): Cherokee clerics areconsidered to possess see invisibility at will,as a spell-like ability, but the ability isonly applied to invisible fey creatures.

Spontaneous Bless: In addition to thespontaneous casting abilities of otherclerics, Cherokee clerics can sponta-neously cast the spell bless in place of aprepared spell of the same level orhigher.

RAIDER

Social Rank 2d6+1This class represents Cherokee

skilled in skirmish warfare and wilder-ness travel, drawn from the commonranks of the community. Their exten-sive wilderness experience allows themadvantages in navigating forest terrain,handling wild animals, and knowingthe lore of the wild.

Blowgun Training: Cherokee raidersare treated as having the Far Shot andRapid Shot feats when using a blowgun.

Wild Lore: Cherokee raiders gain a+2 bonus to Knowledge (nature) skillchecks.

SCOUT

Social Rank 2d6+1Cherokee scouts are adept at navi-

gating the mist-shrouded mountains oftheir homeland, and the many cavesthat run for miles beneath their slopes,honing their senses to a high degree ofawareness. They protect their commu-nity from encroaching Uropan set-tlers, and from the evil creatures thatlurk in the caves.

Cave Runner: Cherokee scouts aretreated as having Low-light Vision, asthey can see twice as far as an ordinaryhuman in starlight, moonlight, torch-light, and similar conditions of poor illu-mination. They also gain Knowledge(dungeoneering) as a class skill.

SORCERER

Social Rank 2d4+6Cherokee sorcerers are known as

dadunesgi (dah-dunn-ESS-gee). Theyare not shunned by the general popu-lace, although powerful dadunesgimay be held in awe or fear by theirneighbors. In addition to the usualclass abilities of sorcerers, dadunesgireceive the following abilities:

Spell Focus (Conjuration): At 1st level,all dadunesgi receive Spell Focus as afree feat, applied to all Conjurationspells.

Red Path: At 1st level, dadunesgimay choose to follow either the redpath of fire and war, or the white pathof the living earth and peace. Bothpaths are valued ones, equally impor-tant to the safety of the community.Those who follow the red path aretreated as being one spellcaster levelhigher than their actual level whendetermining level-dependent effects ofany spell they cast with the Firedescriptor.

At 4th level, followers of the redpath can maximize a single spell withthe Fire descriptor once per day, as ifthey possessed the Maximize Spellfeat. The dadunesgi chooses to do soat the time of casting, as a free action.

White Path: At 1st level, dadunesgiwho choose to follow the white pathare treated as being one spellcasterlevel higher than their actual levelwhen determining level-dependenteffects of any spell they cast with theForce descriptor.

At 4th level, followers of the whitepath can maximize a single spell withthe Force descriptor once per day, as ifthey possessed the Maximize Spellfeat. The dadunesgi chooses to do soat the time of casting, as a free action.

WITCH

Social Rank 1d4–1Cherokee witches are called skili

(SKEE-lee), or owl witches. Chaotic inalignment, they are generally fearedand shunned by other people, takingto the woods and working their magicunder cover of darkness. Those of evilalignment are said to drain vitalityfrom living souls, while those of neu-tral or good alignment only use thispower against evil creatures. Their impis always an owl. Skili receive the fol-lowing modifications to the witch coreclass:

Owl Merge (Su): At 1st level, skili canmerge with their owl once per day. Theskili and all possessions and gear disap-pear, and the consciousness of the skiliresides in and controls the owl’s body.While merged, skili may cast spells, butcannot speak. They use the owl’s statsand abilities, except for Intelligence,Wisdom, and Will saves. If the owl isslain, both the owl and the skili areslain. The effect lasts until dispelled bythe skili, or until the next sunrise. At 4th

level, skili gain an extra use of this abil-ity per day. At 10th level, they canmerge with their owl at will.

Constitution Drain (Ex): Whilemerged with their owl, skili may drainthe vitality of a living creature by mak-ing a successful grapple check. This isoften done when the victim is asleepor incapacitated by the skili’s magic.

Once pinned, the victim receives 1point of temporary Constitution drainper round (Fortitude save DC 14negates), to a maximum of one pointper class level of the skili. At 14th

level, the rate of drain increases to 1d2points per round.

Alternate Form, Animal Growth, ErinyesForm: The skili’s owl does not receivethese abilities.

Greater Form (Su): The Greater Formof a skili’s owl is a giant owl. The skili’sOwl Merge ability does function whilethe owl is in Greater Form.

Black Garb, Share Spells, Empathic Linkwith Other Witches: Skili do not receivethese class abilities.

CIMARRONS:NYAMBANLIBERATORS

Separated by a wide sea from theland of their ancestors, but maintain-ing strong ties to their Nyamban roots,Cimarrons are descended from cap-tives who had been brought to toil inthe plantations and mines of Uropan-occupied areas of Northern Crown inthe earliest days of the Dark Years.Soon they revolted against theiroppressors, and struck out into thewild, where they re-established theirtraditional ways and fought tenacious-ly to preserve them. For nearly twocenturies, they have kept alight thefires of freedom for all those threat-ened by foreign rule and enslavement,and now appear to be on the verge ofestablishing one or more independentnations of free Nyambans in the midstof Uropan occupation. Called cimar-rones by Espaniards, they are knownas marrons by the Français and areoften called maroons or outlyers byEnglish-speaking peoples.

Cimarrons cherish their Nyambanheritage, having fought and paid dear-ly to preserve the traditions of theirancient homeland. They see them-selves as the guardians of this heritage,and as teachers of the generations tofollow. Many have a special bond withothers who have known the tyranny ofoppression.

Culture Group: Nyamban. SeeNyambe: African Adventures for moreinformation about Nyamban culture.

Attitude: Cimarron adventurers donot believe in fate or resignation to thestatus quo. They believe that whatshould be done, must be done, even atthe cost of their own lives — it is bet-ter to die free than to live as a captive.

27

Northern Crown

History: The origins of theCimarrons lie in early years of theUropan invasion of Northern Crown,when crews of Uropans frequentlyprowled the northern and westerncoasts of Nyambe-tanda in search ofhuman captives to feed the growingdemand for labor in the newly estab-lished mines and plantations of thesouthern continent, the islands of theCarib Sea, La Florida, and Virginia.The demihuman races of were sparedthis fate, since the superstitiousUropans feared them. The Nyambanstates of Bashar’ka and Taumau-Bohawere hardest hit, but eventually droveaway the Uropan raiders, and to thisday remain on guard against fur-ther incursions.

The thousands of captiveswho had already been takenacross the Atlantic Sea totoil for the profit of theirUropan captors did not gowithout a struggle. Theyresisted. They foughtback. They broke free.They regrouped in thehills and forests ofHispaniola and thesubtropical swamps ofNorthern Crown,returning to the plan-tations to liberate oth-ers who the self-styledlords of those landshad enchained. Theirnumbers swelled, andheroes rose from theirranks to establish forti-fied palenque settlementsin the wild where theirfamilies could live inpeace. Many attacks byplantation owners and theirmercenary armies wererepulsed, in some cases fol-lowed by a grudging acknowl-edgement of sovereignty fromlocal authorities. Others ended infierce last stands.

Now, the Cimarrons are locked ina struggle to secure an independentNyamban state in the interior of theFrançais-occupied region ofHispaniola. This revolution is led by acharismatic leader called the Opener.The flame of revolution has begun tokindle in nearby Jamaica as well, in thehands of another Cimarron leadernamed Nanny — a powerful clericwho is said to receive divine inspira-tion that aids her struggle.

Relations: Cimarron communitieshave no formal relations with majorpolitical units in Northern Crown,although some of the long-establishedones have secured legal recognitionfrom local Uropan authorities.

Cimarrons have a special relationshipwith the First Ones, who share a histo-ry of persecution and abuse at thehands of Uropan invaders. MostCimarron communities have membersof First Ones descent.

Lands: The Cimarrons live indozens of independent settlements inLa Florida and the swamps ofCarolingia, and make up a sizeableportion of the population of NouvelleOrleans and Natchez sur Terre. Many

have also taken up residence in theRepublic of Sophia, which shares theirthirst for freedom.

Authority: There is no centralCimarron authority. Like theBuccaneers, the Cimarrons are scat-tered among many small groups, witheach community administered by itsown leadership. Some are lead by localelders or n’anga clerics, while othersare ruled by monarchs who claim royalNyamban descent.

Law: Cimarron law is derived fromthe traditions of their Nyamban ances-tors. Cimarrons of Azzazza ancestry —

those whose forebears came fromTaumau-Boha — have a strong patriar-chal bent, with disputes settled by thelocal elder rather than a distantauthority. Azazza patriarchs weigheven minor legal decisions gravely,using a cautious, incremental approachto justice. Those of Xon’mo heritage— who were originally from theBashar’ka region — tend to appeal tothe local clerics, whose decisions areexpected to be pragmatic, if ratherruthless.

Magic: Cimarron magic followstraditional Nyamban forms, with seisorcerers being extremely rare andmchawi wizards somewhat more com-

mon. Magical power is both respect-ed for its value to the security of the

community against external foes,and feared for its potential toinfluence power relationshipswithin the community.Cimarron leaders often pos-sess at least some magicalabilities, and if they do not,they almost certainly retainadvisors who do.

Religion: Cimarronsmaintain their faith in theorisha — the spirits whoserve as intermediariesbetween human beingsand the supreme deitycalled the Overpower. Theparticular type of orishahonored by an individualdetermines his religiouspractices. The two mostcommon types are the celes-tial and elemental orishas,

which are honored by com-munities of Azzazza and

Xon’mo descent, respectively.The influence of Uropan

religion is also present amongthe Cimarrons. They often inte-

grate names and rituals from theRoman Church with Nyamban prac-

tices, merging the identities of Uropansaints with those of orisha. Worship ofZombi, the fiendish orisha of serpentsand the undead, is said to be practicedby evil n’anga clerics, in exchange forarcane powers or eternal life. Thispractice is met by Cimarrons of goodalignment with the same horror thatUropans reserve for witches who makepacts with evil outsiders in exchangefor similar powers.

Arts: The traditional Nyamban artsof mud stenciling on fabric and figura-tive sculpture from stone, iron, andwood, and the making of ritual masksand costumes, are widely practicedamong Cimarrons. Storytellers, musi-cians, and dancers are valued commu-nity members for both religious andsecular functions.

Food: Cimarrons follow a diet ofboth Nyamban and native foods.Among the common crops ofCimarron settlements are rice, cocoa,pineapple, sugarcane, and cassava.Pigs, goats, and fowl provide the mostcommon sources of meat.

Language: Cimarrons speak oneof several forms of Creole as an auto-matic language, which is an amalgamof Nyamban and Uropan speech.The most common varieties areFrançais Creole and EspaniardCreole, which are spoken inCimarron settlements adjacent toNouvelle France and Nueva España,respectively. Cimarrons adjacent toCarolingia speak English.

Names: Cimarrons may either useUropan names or Nyamban names, orbe known by two different names: oneUropan, one Nyamban. Français,Espaniard, and English names are com-mon, while the most popularNyamban names are those of their par-ent culture — typically either Azzazzaor Xon’mo.

Male Azzazza Names: Ahireras,Amonis, Atatis, Funis, Kebes, Osaris,Peharu, Semet, Setep, Snur, Sombuto,Teharis, Ubis, Utis, Zatenkhen.

Female Azzazza Names: Anta, Bes,Gesara, Khara, Mara, Museti, Rartera,Ratta, Renra, Semara, Shumanti,Snontera, Tara, Thenesara, Tureti.

Male Xon’mo Names: Chubuhle,Eberem, Ekechu, Hanisu, Iziom, Kachu,Kano, Madu, Nabu, Ndubucham,Osakwe, Osan, Rehemau, Thandom,Uzumlo.

Female Xon’mo Names: Abt-l, Am-Su,Atunpa, Buto-Su, Cheopa, Esa, Fenti,Kamona, Keni, Menmeti, Naria,Nofru, Remeti, Tuhshabti, Xeseri.

Appearance: Cimarrons haveadapted some features of Uropanclothing, while retaining Nyambantastes for pattern-dyed, brightly-col-ored comfortable clothing suited toa warm climate. Cimarron men oftenwear loose-fitting shirts and breech-es, while women wear headcloths,blouses, and skirts with aprons.Away from home, a macoute (mah-KOOT), or gunnysack, is worn overthe shoulder, to hold personal effectsand provisions.

Adventurers: Cimarrons embarkupon adventures to liberate those sub-jected to tyranny and to defend theirown communities from externalthreats. They also travel throughoutNorthern Crown to forge bonds withand assist others who fight for free-dom, never forgetting their own strug-gle for liberty.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Nyambans. See Nyambe: AfricanAdventures for information about them.

N’ANGA CLERIC

Social Rank 2d6+5Clerics hold respected positions in

Cimarron communities, especially

those of Xon’mo heritage. They oftenserve as the local arbiters in legal dis-putes, as healers, and most important-ly, as organizers of rituals in honor ofthe orisha revered by the community.

GAMBA FIGHTER

Social Rank 1d20+3Gamba fighters are given the cru-

cial role of protectors of the commu-nity, ready at a moment’s notice totake up arms in defense of their fami-lies, or to strike deep into hostile ter-ritory to make raids on plantationsstill holding others as captive laborers.Increasingly, Cimarron gamba fightersare found serving in the ranks of otherarmies throughout the continent,quickly adapting to Uropan weaponryand tactics.

NANALA ROGUE

Social Rank 1d4–1In a culture where all must con-

tribute to the community’s welfare inorder to secure its survival, roguesare most unwelcome. For this reason,nanala rogues are more likely thanmost other Cimarron characters toleave their home communities andseek adventure elsewhere. Thosewho stay in the palenques of their peo-ple are often those who aid the causeof freedom by infiltrating prisonsand forced labor camps, using theirtalent for stealth to help liberatetheir comrades.

SEI SORCERER

Social Rank 1d12+5Cimarron sei sorcerers occupy an

ambivalent position among their fel-lows. Because they can use their arcanepowers for destructive or selfish ends,they are not wholly trusted, eventhough time and again they haveproved indispensable to the survival ofthe Cimarrons.

MCHAWI WIZARD

Social Rank 1d12–1The few mchawi wizards of neutral

or good alignment in Cimarron com-munities suffer from the reputation oftheir evil counterparts. Althoughthey’re called wizards, their method ofobtaining power — by dominatingevil outsiders through sheer force ofwill or making pacts with them — ismore akin to Uropan witchcraft.Understandably, their presence is sel-dom tolerated, unless their arcanepower is matched by impressivecharisma or leadership skill.

28

Northern Crown

CIMARRON SOCIAL CLASSES

Freedom’s Fire: Cimarrons receive a+1 attack bonus against creatures oflawful evil alignment.

Local Knowledge: Knowledge(local) +2

Traditional Weapons: Cutlass

Class SocRRoyal 41+Noble 31–40Commoner 1–30Marginal 0

Cimarron social classes are looselybased on those of Nyambe-tanda. Theroyal class is comprised of the localmonarch and his or her immediate fami-ly, while nobles may include in-laws,respected advisors, and high-rankingclerics. Not all Cimarron communities

are ruled by those claiming royal or nobleNyamban descent; instead, they may beadministered by a local cleric or circle ofelders.

Cimarron player characters gain+1 SocR each time they gain a charac-ter level. Commoners cannot advanceto the noble class without marriage toa noble family member or an appoint-ment to the court, which must happenin-game, usually within a year ofachieving SocR 30.

CIMARRON CULTURE BONUSES

29

Northern Crown

COMMON-WEALTHERS:SOLDIERS OF GOD

Dour. Grim. Fatalistic. These aresome of the terms used to describeadventurers from the Commonwealthof New England. It is a reputation notaltogether undeserved. The Puritanmindset affects New Englandersdeeply, in their manners, theirspeech, their dress, in almostevery aspect of their lives.They are true believers, on aholy mission to establish aheavenly kingdom on earth.Opposing them are legionsof evil outsiders and theirhuman allies, who cantake many guises todeceive the faithful.

Commonwealthersare people on a mission.They see themselves ashaving been tasked by ahigher power to buildan ideal community as abeacon of hope for theworld at large. Thissense of purpose givesthem a measure of pride,solemnity, and a strongsense of community withother Commonwealthers.They maintain strict stan-dards of conduct anddemeanor among themselves,shunning or criticizing thosewho don’t conform in mattersof speech, appearance, or behav-ior. It often happens that they areharsher critics of their own country-men than of strangers who are not partof their endeavor.

Those who don’t share the goals ofthe divinely inspired mission of theCommonwealth are not likely to betaken seriously by them. If they are for-eigners, such folk are considered frivo-lous or unenlightened; if they areencountered within the Commonwealth,they may be looked on as dangerous orsubversive. Friends may admireCommonwealthers’ zeal and dedicationto their cause and their faith, even if theydon’t always make the merriest compan-ions. They show their true worth in grimtimes, when dedication to a mission andunshakeable faith are most in need; atmore jovial moments, they are voices ofmoderation, not of excess. They canseem judgmental or dismissive about oth-ers, though, and intolerant of dissent.Their belief in evil as an active force in

daily life leads their critics to call themmorbid or superstitious.

Culture Group: Uropan.Attitude: For many Common-

wealthers, life is a battle between goodand evil, full of temptations and chal-lenges. It is a thing to be taken seri-ously, with grave spiritual conse-quences for error. Life’s pleasures do

have their place, as brief breaksbetween battles, but pleasure or com-fort is not an end in itself.

History: The Commonwealth ofNew England was founded in 1630 byEnglish Puritans, who sought to carvea divinely ordered kingdom on earthout of the wilderness of NorthernCrown. When they arrived upon thenortheast coast, they found fourgroups already dwelling there: severalsmall First Ones nations, a tiny colonyof English religious separatists, a secu-lar English colony called Jerusalem,and the Witchling enclave ofNaumkeag. The Puritans came inforce, with many ships, and soon all

but absorbed the two smaller Englishsettlements, with the newly foundedcity of Boston quickly surpassing themin size. The First Ones along the imme-diate coastline were driven away, paidoff, or slain, but the Witchlings were bet-ter prepared, for they had fled Uropa toavoid the very forms of persecution prac-ticed by the newcomers.

Since their arrival, the Puritans havebeen repaid for their initial treatment ofthe First Ones with frequent raids alongtheir long frontier, often aided by theWitchlings, whose influence has crept

slowly into Jerusalem, making it aplace of hauntings and terror. The

Commonwealth has had to absorbmany refugees from the collapseof Cromwell’s Puritan govern-ment in England, putting pres-sure on the governor’s councilto expand. As new settle-ments appear along theCommonwealth’s frontier,the Puritans make new FirstOnes foes, and begin toalarm more distant neigh-bors, including NieuNederlands and NouvelleFrance, with whom futureconflicts are likely.

Relations: NewEngland has few if anyfriends in NorthernCrown, and many ene-mies. Their staunchestfoes are the Witchlings,who are at odds with them

both politically and spiritu-ally. The First Ones border-

ing Commonwealther terri-tory have fought countless

skirmishes and several full-scale battles against the

invaders; two local First Onesleaders have attempted to unite the

regional native nations to drive thePuritans back into the sea.

Further afield, the Français andNederlanders have both clashed withthe Commonwealth over territorialclaims, and Vinlanders often raid theNew England coast.

Lands: The Commonwealth ofNew England includes the city ofBoston, the older settlements ofJerusalem and Plimoth, and the frontiersettlements of Harts Ford and HolyYoke. Surrounding the settlements arescattered farms and villages.

Authority: The Commonwealth isgoverned by a council of prominentclergy and landowners. Membershipin the council is by invitation only, notby popular election. The councilappoints a governor to enforce thelaw, to defend the Commonwealthagainst foreign enemies, and to con-duct diplomacy with other nations.

Law: In the Commonwealth,church law and civil law are one.Failing to observe church services, forexample, is a crime punishable by afine. Judges are appointed by the gov-ernor, and are usually members of theclergy. Minor offenses result in someform of public humiliation, such asbeing locked in the stocks for an after-noon. For major offenses, branding,whipping, or hanging are employed.

Magic: Arcane magic of any kind isoutlawed in the Commonwealth,because all arcane magic is assumed tohave an infernal origin, whether it iswizardry, sorcery, necromancy, orwitchcraft. Spellcasting is considered acapital crime; convicted arcane spell-casters are liable to be hanged pub-licly, as a warning to others. Druids,even though they practice divinemagic, are also considered evil, sincetheir reverence for nature is consid-ered a pagan practice.

Religion: The Commonwealth isbest thought of as a theocracy, withPuritan beliefs controlling nearly everyaspect of life. Simply put, Puritansbelieve in a direct relationship withGod, without church hierarchies orpriests; the fewer distractions fromone’s relationship with God, the bet-ter. Religion is a serious business, forall humans are terrible sinners awaitinghellfire unless they receive God’sgrace, which is their only hope of sal-vation. If that weren’t dauntingenough, the Evil One is omnipresentin the material world, sending misfor-tune and calamity in the hopes ofbreeding despair, and working evilthrough his servants, the devils ofHell, and their earthly servants, thewitches and sorcerers. Only the right-eous can resist his attacks, and onlythe vigilant can recognize evil and itsservants in all their many forms. Thehand of God, too, can be recognizedby the wise, in the form of “signs andwonders” that take the form of rum-blings in the earth, fantastic animalbirths, sightings of angels or armies inthe clouds, or the blare of trumpetsissuing from the hills. An understand-ing of Scripture is essential to inter-

preting signs and wonders, and theabsence of priests or other intermedi-aries means that virtually allCommonwealthers are literate andvery well-versed in religious matters.

Arts: By law, Commonwealthers donot attend the theater, nor are theyallowed to paint or display representa-tional art — both these activities are saidto compete with God, as He the onlytrue creator. But they do excel in furni-ture making, lacemaking, and especiallyarchitecture, raising grand meetinghouses in even the smallest settlements.

Food: Commonwealthers eat inthe manner of their parent culture,England, favoring roast meats, fish,and baked pies, with the addition ofnative shellfish and game. Their drinkis ale or rum, rather than wine.

Language: The people of theCommonwealth speak English as anautomatic language.

Names: Commonwealthers prefereither English names (see Carolingiannames), biblical names, or namesinspired by virtues or positive charac-ter traits.

Male: Asaph, Benjamin, Daniel,Elisha, Ezekiel, Increase, Industry,Isiaah, John, Joshua, Recompense,Samuel, Sensible, Virtue.

Female: Abigail, Charity, Deliverance,Felicity, Margaret, Martha, Rebecca,Sarah, Susannah.

Appearance: Commonwealthershave a taste for plain black clothes andsober, wide-brimmed hats, with only ahint of fine lace at the cuff and collarto distinguish the gentry from thecommoner. In fact, the sumptuary lawsstipulate fines for violations of thistoned-down but still class-consciousdress code.

Hair is worn long and straight bymen, pulled up and invariably coveredin a cap by women, regardless of ageor marital status.

Adventurers: Many Common-wealthers seek adventure only in thename of a cause, rather than for thesake of adventure itself. The man orwoman of action has a place in theworld, but only as a servant of somehigher ideal.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Commonwealthers.

CLERIC

Social Rank 1d10+10In practice, Commonwealther cler-

ics are most often “doctors of thechurch” educated at the College acrossthe river from Boston. They are usual-ly the children of well-to-do membersof New England society, rather thancommoners. Graduates of the Collegeare well grounded in theology, history,Latin, Greek, and law, but have littletraining in other matters. They may beemployed as preachers, governmentofficials, or witch-finders, dependingon their temperament.

As an alternative to this model, aCommonwealther cleric PC could bean iconoclastic preacher railing againstthe established Commonwealthchurch, calling for changes in religiouspractice and hoping to gather a con-gregation of her own.

Fire and Brimstone Preaching: Common-wealther clerics with 3 or more ranks inPerform (oratory) can fascinate lawfulhumans as if they were bards of theequivalent level.

Spontaneous Detect Evil: In addition tothe spontaneous casting abilities ofother clerics, Commonwealther clericscan spontaneously cast the spell detectevil in place of a prepared spell of thesame level or higher.

PALADIN

Social Rank 3d6+1A soldier with the heart of a

preacher, the Commonwealther pal-adin PC represents a soldier who isalso committed to battling the servantsof evil in all their forms. Called sol-diers of God, they belong to no formalorder, and can be found even amongordinary soldiers. Their gear will bethe same as that of other soldiers,except that a paladin of any social rankmay ride a horse. Paladins seek outwitches, sorcerers, and demons,uncovering them at all levels of soci-ety. Their enthusiasm leads to falseaccusations at times, and the publicboth admires and fears them.

Force Majeure: Commonwealtherpaladins gain Force Majeure as a freefeat at 1st level, but can only use itagainst neutral and evil creatures.

SOLDIER

Social Rank 1d20+3

30

Northern Crown

COMMONWEALTHER CULTURE BONUSES

Literate: All Commonwealthers canread English.

Militia Training: All Commonwealthersreceive Polearms as a free feat as soon asthey meet the prerequisites.

Righteous Anger: Commonwealthersreceive a +1 attack bonus against chaoticcreatures.

Scriptural Knowledge: Knowledge(religion) +2

Traditional Weapons: Halberd, longspear

31

Northern Crown

Commonwealther soldiers — calledroundheads for their close-cropped hair— are the epitome of the Puritan sol-dier: dedicated, professional, and full offervor. Many of the Commonwealth’smilitary commanders are veterans ofCromwell’s New Model Army. Themost redoubtable of this old guard arecalled ironsides, after their seeminginvulnerability in battle. The ranks ofNew England’s army are also filled byveterans of the Nederlander warsagainst España and France. And a goodthing, too — the Commonwealth hasmany enemies. To be ready at aminute’s notice, all New Englanders ingood health belong to militia compa-nies of about 20 to 40 soldiers each,under the command of a NewModel Army veteran. The stand-ing army, on the other hand, issmall but highly professional.

Militia Training: Common-wealther soldiers gain CloseOrder Drill as a free feat at1st level.

Minute Soldier: Common-wealther soldiers are treat-ed as having the RapidReload feat when usingany gun. They also sufferno penalties to armorbonus for AC, nor dothey suffer any additionalcheck penalties, whilewearing hastily donnedarmor.

COUREURS:FORESTRUNNERS

People of the wilderness,Coureur (koo-RURE) adventurerspossess features of both Français andFirst Ones culture. They speak a mixof Français and First Ones tongues,and likewise their customs, dress, andgear share elements of both halves oftheir dual heritage. Coureur is shortfor coureur de bois or “forest runner,” butthey are also called voyageurs, “thetravelers,” especially those who ply theGreat Lakes in search of furs.

Coureurs are independent, self-reliant folk by necessity, for they livefar from the cities of Nouvelle France,and travel deep into the wilderness astraders, explorers, scouts, soldiers,hunters, and trappers. They are peopleof few words but many songs, jokes,and tales. Coureurs aspire to greatendurance, cunning, and strength inthe face to adversity. They are highly

practical, eschewing fancies and luxu-ries in favor of whatever helps themsurvive. Many regard themselves as anelite group possessing the skills to sur-vive in a harsh, often dangerous envi-ronment. A Coureur’s worth is based onstrength, resourcefulness, and goodsense. They are aware that they areseen as half-wild, uncouth folk by othercultures, and are often torn between adesire to play the part and a need toprove that they are more civilized than

they seem. They look down upon citydwellers as soft and helpless, but at thesame time as something of a mystery,with their refined manners and tidyappearance. They take great amuse-ment in the discomfort and ignoranceof anyone in their company who seemsunskilled in the ways of the wilderness.

Coureurs make good companionsin the wild, but demanding charges inthe city, with its unfamiliar customsand temptations. They are valued asallies for their cheer and great appetitefor life’s simple pleasures. Their ene-

mies tend to characterize them asbackwoods simpletons, barbaric andbrash. They are frequently malignedfor their refusal to take part in the insti-tutions of so-called civilized nations.

Culture Group: Uropan, FirstOnes.

Attitude: Coureurs are often con-tent simply to survive, given the con-stant peril associated with their way oflife. Like many folk who face frequentbrushes with death, they tend to livefor the moment, enjoying their suc-cesses with gusto, and giving littlethought to their material future.

History: The ancestors of theCoureurs were Français trappers,

traders, and mappers in the earlyyears of the fur trade. As easily

accessible sources of beaver peltswere exhausted, these travelershad to spend more time in thewild, far from coastal settle-ments. They adopted FirstOnes ways to better surviveand travel in the coldnorth, even marrying intoFirst Ones clans. Theirchildren and grandchil-dren, who had known noother life, became a cul-ture unlike their for-bears, at once Françaisand First Ones, dwellingyear-round in the wild.

Relations: Coureursare valuable fur tradersand wilderness guidesfor the Français, whowish to dominate the furtrade and expand their

settlements into the interi-or. At the same time, their

penchant for rowdiness andindividualism makes the

Français nervous; they preferto keep the Coureurs at arm’s

length.First Ones respect the

Coureurs’ skills, but resent theirincursion into First Ones lands.Depending on the individual nationinvolved, Coureurs could be consid-ered trading partners or enemies.

Lands: Coureurs claim no territory,but have an intimate knowledge of theland between the Great Lakes andNouvelle France.

Authority: Coureurs are technical-ly Français citizens, but the authorityof the gouverneur in Québec seldomreaches them. In the wild, Coureursrespect the authority of whomeverthey have chosen as party leader, usu-ally a senior trader.

Law: Coureurs consider most dis-putes to be personal matters, whichshould be settled in whatever fashionseems best to the antagonists. In the

wilderness, it’s easy to simply avoid one’spursuers or enemies, but if this isn’t pos-sible, a trial by combat with axes orknives, without witnesses, is a commonmethod of settling longstanding grudges.

Magic: Among the Coureurs, a fewsorcerers and witches are known tohave arisen, operating as healers,entertainers, or charismatic leaders.Otherwise, little of magic is known tothem, and they tend to regard it withsuperstitious awe.

Religion: Like the Français, mostCoureurs follow the Roman Church.They have few priests among their peo-ple, but may attend services offered byChurch missionaries working in theinterior. Aside from Church doctrine,many Coureurs are quite superstitious,believing that diverse outsiders,undead, ghosts, and fey beings inhabitthe wilderness they traverse.

Arts: Coureurs are masters of song,story, and joke, perfected over longevenings around the fire. They areoften skilled dancers, accompanied bysmall, portable pipes and drums. In thevisual arts, Coureurs excel at bead-work, leatherwork, and woodcarving.

Food: Coureurs eat mostly gameand fish, either fresh, smoked, ordried. They supplement this with friedcornmeal cakes and beans or peasobtained from Français suppliers.

Language: Français and one FirstOnes language are automatic lan-guages. The most common First Oneslanguages known to Coureurs arethose of the boreal forest and GreatLakes regions, such as Ojibwa, Huron,and Cree.

Names: (see Français names).Appearance: Most Coureurs wear

a First Ones coat and trousers of deer-skin, deerskin boots, and a dresseddeerskin cloak, plus a beaver hat andone or more embroidered belts andgear pouches. Their clothing is tough,warm, and practical, invariably maderather than purchased. Both men andwomen commonly wear a capote(KAH-pote) — a long, warm coatmade from a woolen blanket.

Hair is worn long, with beardscommon among men. Women oftenwear their hair in braids, in the FirstOnes manner.

Adventurers: Coureurs could notabandon a life of adventure without

turning their back on their entire wayof life. For them, adventuring is not anescape from mundane existence, butexistence itself, inextricably boundwith their own identity.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Coureurs.

BARD

Social Rank 1d6+3Coureur bards are known for their

tall tales, jokes, and epic song cycles,which are often sung as they paddle theircanoes to help keep their rhythm andpass the time. They seldom play musicalinstruments, although a few carry smalldrums or stringed instruments.

Raconteur: When using Perform(oratory) to fascinate one or more crea-tures, Coureur bards are treated ashaving +3 class levels above their actu-al level when determining how manycreatures are affected.

RAIDER

Social Rank 1d3+3The raider class represents those

Coureurs who specialize in guerillafighting and soldiering, rather than inwoodcraft. They are often found incompanies of skirmishers on the fron-tier, or as bandits preying upon wilder-ness trade routes.

Light Burden: Coureur raiders canrun at five times their normal speed,even when carrying a medium orheavy load. Their maximum Dexteritybonus under a medium load is +4, and+2 for a heavy load, with a checkpenalty of –1 and –3, respectively.

SCOUT

Social Rank 1d6+3Coureur scouts are known for their

mastery of thrown weapons. Theircompanion animals include bears,catamounts, raccoons, wolves, eagles,and hawks.

Throwing Axe and Knife Training: AllCoureur scouts are treated as if theypossessed Shot on the Run when usingknives and throwing axes.

ESPANIARDS:SERVANTS OFTHE EMPIRE

España, center of the HabsburgEmpire, is so large and diverse that anyattempt to generalize the character ofits citizens would be foolish. It encom-passes a grand courtly society, therural aristocracy of the caballeros, avast bureaucracy and military force,and many regional cultures fromCatalonia to Andalusia, each with itsown speech and cultural features. TheEspaniard culture described here rep-resents only the styles, concerns, andmindset of the courtiers, soldiers, andadministrators of the emperor, who aremost likely to become Espaniardadventurers in a Northern Crowncampaign.

Many Espaniards in the service ofthe emperor consider themselves foot-soldiers in a great adventure. They areaware of being members of a hugecadre of professionals, in which theyserve with pride. Some feel that it isthe destiny of the Espaniards to rulethe known world; others merely feelthat they are bringing peace, enlight-enment, and unity to a world hobbledby ignorance and wracked by destruc-tive conflict. They naturally tend tojudge the worth of others by their alle-giance to the imperial cause. Thosewho serve the emperor are consideredworthy; those who oppose him are not,although they may still have honoreven though their cause is not just.

Espaniards provide for their friendsnot only their own resources, butthose of their fellow imperial servants.Once accepted among them, an allymay find a vast army and administra-tion available to offer assistance. On apersonal level, Espaniards can be asconcerned with defending theirfriends’ honor as their own, alwaysspeaking up for them, even at greatrisk to themselves. To their enemies,they can appear to be part of a nearlyunstoppable apparatus bent on worlddomination, with formidable resourcesand a remarkable sense of commonpurpose. Their actions may take on asinister aura, invariably becominglinked to the perceived schemes andplots of the emperor. Once met in per-son, an Espaniard foe will likely berespected for a sense of honor andduty rare in its clarity and consistency.

Culture Group: Uropan.Attitude: The poets of the

Espaniards often describe life as adream — a long thread of experiences,

32

Northern Crown

COUREUR CULTURE BONUSES Forest Runner: All Coureur characters receive Run as a free feat at 1st level.Woods Sense: Hide +2, Listen +2, Move Silently +2 in forest terrainTraditional Weapons: Knife, throwing axe

33

Northern Crown

adventures, and loves which may ormay not have any meaning beyondthat which the dreamer ascribes tothem. Against this fancy is set theactive, purposeful life of many of theemperor’s servants, for whom life is ahigh crusade for a just and righteouscause. The two attitudes happily coex-ist in the hearts of many Espaniardcharacters, who live in two worlds,mixing whimsy and detachment withfierce determination.

History: Espaniards are natives ofIberia, a mountainous peninsula at thesouthwestern tip of Uropa. In ancienttimes, they fought several bitter cam-paigns against the Caesars, who even-tually conquered them. By the timeof Rome’s fall, most Espaniardshad adopted the RomanChurch; over the followingcenturies, they continued tohold on to their new faith,as Uropa was overrun byinvaders from north, east,and south.

By the year 1500,the Espaniards hadbecome masters ofmost of the peninsula,with the exception ofthe Portuguese in thewest and the Nasridkingdom of Granadain the south. Theyhad already attempt-ed and failed to estab-lish a foothold on theshores of Nyambe-tanda, and so turnedwest, seeking a newroute to the spices ofFar Cathay. In that fate-ful year, they made land-fall in Northern Crownand began a long strugglefor mastery of the continent,first among the islands of theCarib Sea, then measuringtheir strength against the goldenempires of the southern continent— a contest that has yet to be won.

Relations: Felipe’s servants seethemselves as defenders of the truefaith, as their Uropan empire is beseton all sides. Buccaneers, Albians, andNederlander pirates harass España’sfleets from the Carib to the EnglishChannel. Their efforts to extend thebenefits of empire to Northern Crownare challenged by the Français, theCarolingians, and the Aztecs. And theWitchlings are the most feared enemyof all, for they are everywhere andnowhere, encouraging suspicion, para-noia, and inquisition.

Lands: In Northern Crown, theviceroyalty of Nueva España includesthe peninsula of La Florida and the

Golfe Coast, as well as the island ofCuba, with its administrative capital,Havana. The Espaniards have othercoastal settlements to the south,including the fortress city ofCartagena, through which pours thegold and silver of Australis.

Authority: Espaniards are underthe authority of the aged EmperorFelipe, who rules from the palace ofL’Escorial. A contemporary of QueenElizabeth of England, it’s said he iskept alive by the power of alchemy,

and is determined not to die until hebrings peace, true faith, and order tothe entire world.

In Northern Crown, the emperor’sauthority is held by the viceroy ofNueva España, who governs from thecity of Havana. In theory, the viceroyhas absolute power within theprovince, although in practice theRoman Church holds much power too,as does a class of noble landownersthat seeks to protect its own holdingsfrom too much imperial interference.

Law: As an absolute monarch,Felipe rules by decree; his laws areenforced by his soldiery, and accusedcriminals are judged by his appointedmagistrates. As in France, the Churchenforces its own law, with its ownjudges, who answer not to Felipe butto Rome.

Magic: Both Felipe and theChurch have decreed that the practiceof arcane magic is both a criminal andreligious offense, punishable by death.Nearly all Espaniard wizards havesince fled to magic-tolerant lands; thefew who remain must study in secret.

Religion: Most Espaniards aremembers of the Roman Church. Felipehimself is a devout practitioner, and

expects the same of his servants andagents. He sees himself as a

defender of the Church againstunbelievers and heretics. As innearly all Uropan lands, reli-gious dissent is not tolerated— members of other faithsare not welcome there.

Arts: The Espaniardshave produced masterfulpainters, writers, and poets,whose works are enjoyedfar outside their own bor-ders. Among commoners,the arts of dance and songare popular.

Food: The Espaniarddiet varies greatly byregion, but includes ricedishes, poultry, seafood,and strong red wine.

Language: Espaniardscan choose either Spanishor Catalan as an automatic

language. Spanish is the offi-cial language of Felipé’s court,

while Espaniard charactersfrom the province of Catalonia

generally speak Catalan. España’sbards speak Langue d’oc, while her

clerics speak Latin.Names: Espaniard characters

may have two or more first names.One is nearly always that of the saintsharing the character’s birthday. Bylong tradition, Espaniard children alsoreceive two surnames: their father’s firstsurname followed by their mother’ssecond surname. The two surnames areseparated by the conjunction y (“and”).So, the child of Diego Fernandez yGarcia and Maria Martinez y Molinarmight be named Antonia Fernandez yMolinar. The following list gives for-mal versions of first names, with nick-names in parentheses.

Male: Alfonso, Antonio, Carlos,Domingo, Esteban, Felipe, Francisco(Paco), José (Pepé), Lorenzo, Luis,Manuel (Manolo), Miguel, Pedro,Santiago, Sebastian.

Female: Ana, Beatriz, Cristina,Dolores, Isabel, Luisa, Magdalena,Maria, Marina, Marta, Rosa.

Appearance: The Black Costume,with its black silk coats, doublets, andhose, relieved only by white ruffs andcollars, is the universal dress of theempire. It is so ubiquitous and influen-tial that it has become the fashion inother areas of Uropa, even among theempire’s enemies. Severe, sober, andelegant, it is a formal costume for seri-ous professionals. It makes a strikingcontrast with the peacock splendor ofthe courts of France and Albion.

Women of the empire wear blackas well, in long dresses with lace ruffsand full skirts. Their hair is oftenbound and covered by a cap.

Men’s hair is neatly trimmed, withshort, pointed beards in fashion.Jewelry is understated, with a pen-chant for pearls and white gems.

Adventurers: Espaniards may takeup a life of adventure for several rea-sons: to serve the emperor, to rise inrank and power among his servants, oreven to win a place in the songs andpoems of the songwriters and poets ofEspaña. Others may embark upon dan-gerous quests for reasons more person-al — either for love or to correct someinjustice, either to themselves or inno-cent people.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Espaniards.

AGENT

Social Rank 2d6+1The Espaniard emperor maintains

a huge cadre of highly trained agents,based at L’Escorial in España, who areemployed against both foreign ene-mies and domestic threats. Theviceroy of Nueva España alsoemploys agents, many of whom areoccupied with rooting out corruptionin the viceroyal bureaucracy. Becauseof the power and size of theEspaniard church, agent/clerics arecommon among Espaniard characters,especially those who belong to theIgnatian order. The state and thechurch often cooperate closely onconfidential missions.

Church and Empire: Espaniard agentsgain Knowledge (religion) andKnowledge (nobility and royalty) asclass skills.

Advanced Training: Espaniard agentsreceive Skill Focus as a free feat at 1st

level, and can apply it to any singleclass skill.

BARD

Social Rank 3d6+3Like Cervantes, author of Don

Quijote de la Mancha and survivor of thebattle of Lepanto, the Espaniard bardcharacter can be both a poet and anadventurer. Soldier/bard multiclassPCs are quite common within thisidentity. In general, entertainer/poetsare valued and honored here, and havean international reputation for skilledmusicianship, dancing, poetry, andsongwriting.

Espaniard bards of low social ranktend to be wandering entertainers,skilled in the lute or the guitar, whoperform in taverns or at social func-tions such as weddings. Their reper-toire is heavily weighted towardsromantic ballads. Bards of Social Rank16 or higher often work as trouba-dours, who sing and write poems onthe subject of courtly love. Thesehigh-ranking bards receive a +2 toKnowledge (nobility and royalty)checks in addition to their other cul-ture bonuses. They are a welcomepresence at the regional courts, but arefrowned upon as frivolous romanticsby the emperor and his ministers.

Langue d’oc: Like their Françaiscounterparts, Espaniard bards canspeak langue d’oc, the ancient lan-guage of Provençal troubadours, as anautomatic language.

Musical Emissary: Espaniard bardsreceive a +2 bonus to Bluff,Diplomacy, and Gather Informationchecks made against characters whowere present when the bard made asuccessful Perform check at DC 20within the past 24 hours.

Warm Welcome: The initial attitudeof Espaniard NPCs toward anEspaniard bard is automaticallyimproved by one step.

CLERIC

Social Rank 1d20+3Espaniard clerics are not merely

spiritual leaders, but help run the day-to-day affairs of the empire, as scribes,clerks, healers, translators, diplomats,and administrators. Espaniard clericsenjoy a vast support network ofchurches, a measure of respect shownby other Espaniard PCs, and opportu-nities for advancement in the empire.All military expeditions, voyages ofdiscovery, and diplomatic missions willinclude clerics. Cleric characters work-ing for the empire will almost certainlybe black friars or Ignatians, while char-acters with no official ties to theempire may be poor brothers instead.

Spontaneous Divine Favor: In additionto the spontaneous casting abilities ofother clerics, Espaniard clerics canspontaneously cast the spell divine favorin place of a prepared spell of the samelevel or higher.

Warm Welcome: The initial attitudeof Espaniard NPCs toward anEspaniard cleric is automaticallyimproved by one step.

Latin: All Espaniard clerics canspeak Latin as an automatic language.

PALADIN

Social Rank 2d10+6The Espaniard paladin par excel-

lence in fiction is represented by theideals of Don Quijote, who espousesthe virtues of chivalry and refuses tocompromise despite the pressures ofthe modern world. A knightly or nobleEspaniard paladin may be a member ofa military order like the Knights ofMalta, or perhaps a lone warrior(except, of course, for the company ofhis faithful servant).

Armor Training: Espaniard paladinswearing medium or heavy armorreceive a +2 bonus to their armor checkpenalty, reducing its negative effect.

Iron Will: Espaniard paladins receiveIron Will as a free feat at 1st level.

SOLDIER

Social Rank 1d20+3An Espaniard soldier is a member

of the most professional and best-sup-plied military force in Uropa. Suchsoldiers have held together the firstglobal empire for over a hundredyears. Their reputation inspires bothfear and admiration, their loyalty is tothe emperor, and their hearts burn forglory.

Armor Training: Espaniard soldierswearing medium or heavy armorreceive a +2 bonus to their armor checkpenalty, reducing its negative effect.

34

Northern Crown

ESPANIARD CULTURE BONUSES Long Rapier Training: Espaniard

characters can use a long rapier as aone-handed weapon.

Imperial Fervor: Espaniards receive a+1 attack bonus against Albians,

Buccaneers, Nederlanders, andWitchlings

Traditional Weapons: Long rapier

ç

35

Northern Crown

FRANCAIS:COURTIERS OFTHE SUN KING

France is a powerful Uropan king-dom with a strong presence inNorthern Crown, which she maintainsto control the northern fur trade andto deny her rivals rulership of the con-tinent. Her adventurers include sol-diers, traders, priests, administrators,diplomats, spies, and natural philoso-phers, loyal to both the crown ofFrance and the Roman Church. Theyare the most quintessentiallyUropan of all the powers inNorthern Crown, determined tomake no concessions to life onthe edge of the wilderness,despite being separated by awide, empty ocean fromtheir urbane, sophisticatedfellow citizens back inFrance.

Français adventurersconsider themselves apart of a sophisticated,highly refined culture,whether it be in the areaof fencing, costume, cui-sine, or manners. Theysee themselves as theparadigm of good taste inall things, with the rest ofthe world so hopelesslybackward that trying toeducate it would be awaste of effort. The arche-typical Français characteroften looks at others with asense of pity at having hadthe misfortune not to be bornFrançais. This flaw is nearlyimpossible to correct, althoughthe mantle of “Français” may bebestowed upon a person who hasdemonstrated such high ability in sci-ence, arts, or letters that they could benothing else.

It would be easy to feel inferior inthe company of the Français. Theyexcel in so many fields: the arts, poli-tics, philosophy, manners, science —they are a cultural juggernaut. Theirmanners are impeccable, their fashionsense exquisite. Fortunately, they areso charming that their friends forgetto envy them. Always quick with awitty retort and a disarming smile,they are good company to have whenthe situation is truly hopeless, helpingto maintain their allies’ morale andgood humor even in defeat. EvenFrance’s enemies admire her charm,gallantry, and sense of honor and duty

upon the field of battle. It’s hard tobear grudges against foes who sooften demonstrate largesse towardsmortal enemies. But away from thetheater of war, France’s enemies beginto see smugness and snobbery whereher allies see only confidence and jus-tifiable pride in cultural achievement.Foes of the Français often find them-selves wishing to deflate theirdamnable sense of superiority.

Culture Group: Uropan.

Attitude: Français characters love lifeand celebrate it whenever possible, oftenin dramatic, whimsical, or sentimentalways. A captured foe may be invited todine with his captor. A mortally wound-ed musketeer might spend his last breathquoting a favorite love poem. Stolen sipsof wine may be enjoyed during a deadlyduel against a bitter enemy — completewith a running critique of the quality ofthe vintage!

History: France is a scion of theancient empire of Charlemagne,which rose as the first great power in

western Uropa after the fall of theRoman Empire. It survived manythreats during the medieval era,including invasion by Norsk andAlbian armies, despite having a rela-tively weak monarchy hampered bygreat dukes and princes who nearlymatched the king in wealth and power.It has emerged from the wars of reli-gion as a strong, centralized state,capable of exercising great military,political, and economic power.

Relations: France’s logical rivalsare the Espaniards and their EmperorFelipe, who vies with King Louis to bethe master of Uropa and NorthernCrown. Relations with the servants of

Felipe are so cold that not even theirmutual allegiance to the Roman

Church can overcome this rival-ry. Other players upon thestage of Northern Crown areof minor concern to theFrançais: the Carolingiansare on good terms, theNederlanders pose littlethreat to her territorialambitions, and theSophians are consideredeccentric freethinkerswho cannot possiblyhope to tread the samestage with the greatmonarchies of the age.

Lands: France, thedominant power in west-ern Uropa, maintains thecolony of NouvelleFrance in the far north ofNorthern Crown, and thecity of Nouvelle Orleans

at the mouth of the EspirituSanto River in the south.

Connecting the two is aweak chain of forts and trade

posts — part of a grand strate-gy to control the entire interior

of the continent from north tosouth. On paper, at least, France

seems to stand the best chance ofmastering the continent of Northern

Crown, but somehow, she has failed toconsolidate her gains.

Authority: France is a centralizedmonarchy, ruled by a powerful king,Louis XIV, who relies on a small circleof ministers to carry out his edicts.The bureaucracy they control is largeand efficient, the army modern andunder direct control of the monarch. Itis a model of authority envied by therulers of other Uropan states.

Law: In France, all law comes ulti-mately from the king, either throughdirect decree or through his appointedjudges. Commoners have few rights,and nobles can expect little better ifthey have fallen into disfavor at court.The church has its own court, claim-

ing jurisdiction in matters of heresyand illegal magic.

Magic: As in most of Uropa, sor-cery is illegal in France and hercolonies, due to religious objections.But wizards aren’t persecuted, as long asthey practice within the structure of theRoyal Academy. That having been said,the secret practice of sorcery is said tobe common at the royal court, andwitchcraft is often practiced amongcountry folk, where the Old Ways havenever entirely been eradicated.

Religion: France remains a strongsupporter of the Roman Church,despite much internal upheaval duringrecent wars of religion. Most charac-ters in the court or in the king’s servicewill be followers of the Church, atleast publicly. A Dissenter minoritysurvives, and is quite strong in certainkey cities and regions, despite theefforts of the king to discourage thepractice of other faiths.

Arts: In France, the production ofart is no less regulated by the statethan any other pursuit, with a strongAcademy that enforces the king’s tastein painting, sculpture, and artisanry.The fine arts are often employed in theservice of the decorative arts, withextensive use of murals, plasterwork,and painted ceramics to ornament thehomes of the wealthy.

The theater is quite strong and livelyin France and its colonies, and the king isamong its most enthusiastic patrons.Women’s roles are played by actresses,not boys, with elaborate costuming andstaging becoming increasingly popular.

Food: Français tables are oftenladen with poultry, fresh bread,cheese, and local fruits, all washeddown with the country’s famous wines.

Language: Français charactersspeak Français, of course, as an auto-matic language, but Italian and Germanare often spoken as bonus languages bynatives of the south of France and theborder province of Lorraine, respec-tively. The regional tongue known asLangue d’oc is also spoken as a bonuslanguage by natives of the south ofFrance, and by Français bards. Latin isspoken by France’s clerics.

Names: Français names are oftennative versions of popular Christiannames. Many women’s names are cre-ated by adding the suffix –ette or –ineto a man’s name. Surnames are some-times preceded by “de,” indicating

geographical or family origins; forexample: de Maupassant, de Winter.

Male: Antoine, Charles, David,Gerard, Henri, Jacques, Jean, Louis,Paul, Pierre, Thomas.

Female: Anne, Catherine, Georgette,Justine, Louise, Marie, Paulette, Sophie,Violette.

Appearance: The Français taste infashion runs to bright colors andostentatious adornment among thewealthy, and to practical, comfortableclothes for commoners. Noblemenwear very wide lace collars, withmatching cuffs on sleeves, and widebreeches. Curled wigs are worn as apart of formal attire, beneath soft,wide-brimmed hats of velvet, oftenadorned with ostrich plumes.Noblewomen wear slender, long-waisted gowns with low, square neck-lines and sleeves tied into a series ofpuffs with silk ribbons. Their hair isusually piled high, with one or moreloose curls — called love-locks — leftunbound to accent the face and neck.

Men of low social rank typicallywear a loose shirt and wide culottes,with low buckled shoes and white stock-ings. Common women wear simpledresses with an apron and a loose cap.

Adventurers: Français charactersoften pursue the dangerous life of theadventurer to win notice among thecountry’s powerful nobility and soimprove their own position. They aremost likely to be employed in thecolonial enterprises of their king,whether as explorers, soldiers, church-men, traders, administrators, diplo-mats, scientists, or spies.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Français.

AGENT

Social Rank 2d6+4Français agents may work for the

court of King Louis, for the RomanChurch, or for a powerful noble fami-ly. They are experts at concealing theirtrue allegiances in order to pass asmembers of the opposition. Theyspend much of their time battling thesecret societies of Le Dragon Rougeand L’Ordre du Sang, or infiltratingcells of freethinkers and other radical

philosophers who rail against thetyranny of the monarchy. A minorityof Français agents have joined theseradicals, emboldened by the exampleof Sophia, and determined to establisha similar republic in Nouvelle France.(See the Intrigue section of theAdventures chapter in the Gazetter formore on secret societies.)

Facile Tongue: Français agents receivean extra bonus language at 1st level.

BARD

Social Rank 3d6+2Français bards of noble rank are

often members of the court, and muchvalued for their skill as entertainers,poets, and musicians. Bards with lowersocial ranks may be wandering minstrelsor tavern dwellers, making a precariousliving entertaining the common folk, orelse they may find work as a servant.Multiclass soldier/bards are quite com-mon, combining the arts of music and ofthe sword in equal measure.

Langue d’oc: Like their Français coun-terparts, all Espaniard bards can speaklangue d’oc, the ancient language ofProvence, as an automatic language.

CLERIC

Social Rank 1d20+3Français clerics will most likely be

secular priests or Ignatians, with aDissenter minority. Like theirEspaniard counterparts, Français cler-ics are often involved in colonialadministration, and may accumulatevast political power, like CardinalsMazarin and Richelieu. FrançaisIgnatian PCs will often be involved inmissions to the interior of NorthernCrown, which involve extreme hard-ship and the risk of tragedy or disasterfor both the clerics and their FirstOnes hosts, due to unscrupuloustraders, deepening mistrust, and theupsetting of the complex political,environmental, and social balancebetween First Ones peoples.

Spontaneous Comprehend Languages: Inaddition to the spontaneous castingabilities of other clerics, Français cler-ics can spontaneously cast the spellcomprehend languages in place of a pre-pared spell of the same level or higher.

Warm Welcome: The initial attitude ofFrançais NPCs toward a Français clericis automatically improved by one step.

Latin: All Français clerics can speakLatin as an automatic language.

NATURAL PHILOSOPHER

Social Rank 2d10+3Français natural philosophers in

Northern Crown will likely be explor-

36

Northern Crown

FRANÇAIS CULTURE BONUSES Gallic Charm: +1 to all Charisma-based skill checksTraditional Weapons: Rapier, smallsword

37

Northern Crown

ers interested in discovering newplants, animals, and minerals. Theywill often be multiclass clerics, andmore rarely, wizards like the famedNostradamus.

Français natural philosophersenjoy considerable prestige, as theyare supported by a well-financedAcademy. The sciences of life anddeath and matter are the most com-monly pursued. Uniquely, the Françaishave established a peer review processfor new ideas and discoveries, whichso respected that natural philoso-phers from many cultures travelacross land and sea to presenttheir papers at the Academy’sannual symposium — evennations at war with Franceallow their scientists a spe-cial dispensation to do so.

Warm Welcome: The ini-tial attitude of any NPCnatural philosopher towarda Français natural philoso-pher is automaticallyimproved by one step.

RAKE

Social Rank 3d6+3Français rakes often

come to NorthernCrown to escape the lawin their native France, ormerely to live in a placewhere edicts against duel-ing are less strictly enforcedthan in Uropa. They aremost commonly found inNouvelle Orleans, Carolingia,and Nieu Amsterdam, movingcomfortably between the circlesof polite society and thedebauched life of the tavern.

Cosmopolitan: Français rakes canreceive Two Worlds as a free feat at1st level, but must choose Albian,Carolingian, or Nederlander as theirsecond culture.

SOLDIER

Social Rank 2d6+3The vast territory of Nouvelle

France requires a sizable garrison ofsoldiers, serving in isolated forts orpatrolling the borders.Swordsmanship is prized amongFrançais soldiers, regardless of theirtroop type. Dueling is a common pas-time, with longstanding rivalriesamong Français officers sometimesovershadowing their zeal to defeat theenemy.

Fencing: All Français soldiers receiveFencing as a free feat as soon as theymeet the prerequisites.

KELTS: PEOPLEOF THE FEY

This culture includes folk of theUropan lands of Eire, Scotia, Cymru,and Bretayne; each has developed its

own language and traditions, but allshare a common Kelt heritage. A Keltadventurer in Northern Crown likelycomes from the Scotian enclaves in themountains of Carolingia, which havecarried their traditions with them acrossthe sea. The Kelts are a fey-touchedpeople, like the people of Albion, butare even more profoundly tied to thefey world. In fact, most Kelts are said tohave at least some fey blood, whichaccounts for their uncanny powers.

Kelt adventurers like to think ofthemselves as merry enough to enjoythe good times and strong enough tosurvive the lean times. They are proudof their good humor, their long resis-tance to conquest and change, and

their special favor among the fey whoshare their homelands. In other folk,they look for signs of that same goodhumor and wisdom. Such individualsare likely to have the favor of the fey,and are welcome in Kelt company,regardless of their allegiance. Thosewith ill manners or an ill temper areshunned, for such folk inevitably drawbad luck to them.

Kelt characters are good companyon the road, and are always ready witha song, joke, or story to enliven a drea-ry or grim moment. Whether they

actually enjoy the favor of the fey, orare simply optimists, good fortune

seems to follow them and theirwindfalls are always shared withtheir friends. Their enemiesmay regard Kelts as the rem-nants of a backward, supersti-tious people who should longago have vanished from theworld, though. Their verypresence is an uncomfort-able reminder that Uropawas once a very differentplace, with other faiths,tongues, and masters, andthat no victory or defeat isever absolute as long asmemory survives.

Culture Group:Uropan.

Attitude: Kelt charac-ters often ascribe thecourse of their lives toluck, or to the unseen hands

of the fey, who reward goodfolk with good fortune. They

never forget how fleeting astreak of good luck can be; in

bad times, they believe withconviction that their luck will

inevitably change for the better.History: Although now confined

to the western shores of Uropa, theKelts once occupied much of the con-tinent before being displaced inancient times by newcomers from theeast and north. The Romans foughtthem and drove them back, but neverdominated them, and the Kelts havelost little ground since. Although theRoman Church established monaster-ies on the eastern coast of Eire, theKelts as a whole remain committed tothe Old Ways.

Because of their deep ties to theland, the Kelts’ history has alwaysbeen tied to that of the spirits of thenatural world — the fey. They too,were forced to withdraw from much ofUropa in ancient times, for whereverhumans migrate, their fey travel withthem, and the fey folk of the ancientKelts were no less susceptible to attackfrom invading spirits than the Keltsthemselves were vulnerable to the

spears and arrows of the Romans,Goths, and Norsk. The last strong-holds of the Kelts are also those of theoriginal fey beings of Uropa, muchdiminished but still powerful withintheir own lands.

The part of the Kelts in the histo-ry of Northern Crown goes back tothe legendary Brendyn, an Eirish holyman who crossed the Atlantic Sea inthe distant past, and Madoc, a seafar-ing prince of Cymru who broughtback news of the lands beyond the seaand eventually sailed west once more,never to be seen again. No more Keltsset foot in Northern Crown until thecurrent age, when they were broughtas laborers to the colony of Virginia(now a part of Carolingia). After a cen-tury of toil there, they rebelled fromtheir masters and fled to the AppalachiMountains, where they are nowknown as the Renegadoes.

Relations: The Kelts have no alliesin Uropa but Albion’s fey-bloodedqueen, Gloriana, and that alliance is afragile one since many Albians andKelts still remember the centuries ofwar and conquest between the Keltsand English that preceded her reign.Aside from her, only Witchlings are onfriendly terms with the Kelts, as fellowadherents of the Old Ways. Scotia,especially, has a strong Witchlingpresence; her king, Kieran Scot, ishimself a witch of great power.

Nations of the Roman Church andDissenters alike are sworn enemies ofKelts, who represent a pagan presenceon the borders of the Church’s domin-ion. Calls for a crusade against theKelts and the Albian queen who toler-ates them have been heard in thecourts of Felipe lately, and theFrançais, though traditional friends ofScotia, have been loathe to interfere.

Lands: The Kelt homelands include:Eire, an island to the west of Britain;Scotia, the northernmost part of Britain;Cymru, occupying the mountainouswest of Britain; and Bretayne, a rockypeninsula on the Français coast. Eire andScotia are independent kingdoms.Cymru was long under English domina-tion but is slowly recovering her power.Bretayne is nominally under Français

rule, but is little affected by Françaisauthority or culture.

In Northern Crown, Kelts occupyonly the Renegado Vale to the west ofCarolingia, which they seized duringthe turmoil caused by the establish-ment of the Republic of Sophia. Theycontinue to spread west into themountains, much to the consternationof both the Uropan powers and theFirst Ones of the interior.

Authority: In most Kelt lands, localauthority is held by a petty king (calleda chieftain in Scotia). Each leader con-trols a kingdom — called a clan in Scotiaor a tuath in Eire — roughly the size of acounty or earldom in other Uropanlands. In Eire and Scotia, there is anover-king to whom the petty kingsswear allegiance; this over-king holds hisposition against many claimants, whowould usurp him through war, assassina-tion, or political maneuvering. An over-king’s authority is limited, with mostcommoners content to recognize nohigher authority than their local king.

Law: In Kelt lands, legal disputesare most commonly settled by thepetty king, who personally takes therole of judge, hearing cases and pass-ing sentences. Only serious crimessuch as murder or treason are consid-ered; lesser disputes are expected to besettled privately by the individualsinvolved, either by the exchange ofcattle or land, though a trial by com-bat, or by the sacred riddle game — afey-derived tradition that is regulatedby the Kelt bards.

Magic: In the Kelt lands, where it’srelatively commonplace to possess feyblood or access magic through theintercession of fey beings, the study ofmagic itself is rare. Wizardry is tolerat-ed, although few Kelt wizards areknown. Sorcery, witchcraft, andnecromancy are shunned as an affrontto the fey, who dislike evil outsiders.The exception to this is Scotia, wherewitches are common because Scotianfey are said to be much more closelyallied to the forces of darkness.

Religion: The Roman Church hasmade few inroads into Kelt lands,except for the east coast of Eire and cer-tain parts of Bretayne. The rest of Kelt

country remains under the sway of theDruids, who venerate the forces ofnature and their intermediaries, the fey.Much of Kelt religious practice involvesmaking small offerings to the fey, whichis regarded as nothing more than pagansuperstition by other Uropans.

Arts: Kelt lands are known for fab-ulous tales, for beautiful gold- and sil-verware and jewelry, and for mar-velously woven textiles, but not forpainting or for the dramatic arts.

Food: Kelt cuisine varies greatlyfrom land to land, but includes hardcheeses, beef, mutton, and root veg-etables, often cooked into a stew overan open fire. Kelt breads are madefrom grains suitable for a northern cli-mate, especially barley and oats.

Language: Kelts choose thetongue of their homeland as an auto-matic language. Eirish and ScotianKeltic are closely related, and can bemutually understood. Cymric andBreton are also related, but less close-ly, so that each should be considered aseparate language.

Names: In most Kelt lands, chil-dren are given a single name at birth,followed by a byname that distin-guishes them from others with thesame name. Unlike surnames,bynames are not inherited. The mostcommon byname is simply the word“of” followed by one’s birthplace; forexample, Niall of Connaught. Otherbynames are based on physical appear-ance or the name of one’s clan; forinstance, Ailsa of the Red Hair, orRonan of the Donnells.

Kelt names vary greatly by region.Separate lists are given here for Eirish,Scotian, Cymric, and Breton names.Where needed, pronunciation is givenin parentheses following the name.

Eirish Male: Aidan, Barra, Blake,Bran, Donal, Eamon, Egan, Keagan,Kevin, Kieran (KEE-ran), Killian,Milo, Niall (NEE-all), Oisin (USH-een), Riain (REE-an), Roan, Rory.

Eirish Female: Aileen, Aisling (ASH-ling), Bevin, Brenna, Caelin (KEE-lin),Dara, Deirdre, Eavan (EE-van), Fiona,Maeve, Muirinn (MWI-rin), Nuala(NOO-la), Saoirse (Seersha).

Scotian Male: Adair, Alasdar, Allan,Angus, Birk, Brian, Cailin, Camden,Cameron, Donald, Douglas, Duncan,Ewan, Glenn, Gowan, Kinnon, Kyle,Murdoch, Ross, Tremayne, Tyree.

Scotian Female: Ailsa, Annag,Arabella, Bridget, Florie, Hesther,Iona, Kenzie, Kyla, Mae, Rowena,Tira.

Cymric Male: Alwyn (ALL-oo-un),Anyon, Bors, Bran, Cadfael (KAHD-vil), Cai (KAY), Dillan, Dru, Emrys(EM-rees), Gareth, Gavin, Griffin,Idris, Kane, Madoc, Pyrs (PEERS),

38

Northern Crown

KELT CULTURE BONUSES Blarney: +2 to Bluff, Diplomacy, or Gather Information (choose one).Fey-touched: As natives of a fey-touched nation, all Kelts can cast one 0-level

bard spell per day as a spell-like ability. A Kelt knows one such cantrip at 1st

level, and gains an additional cantrip at 4th, 7th, and 10th level. The save DC isequal to 10 + the caster’s Charisma ability modifier.

Traditional Weapons: Shortbow (Breton), longbow (Cymric), longspear (Eirish),or greatsword (Scotian).

Reese, Ren, Seren, Taliesen (TAL-yes-in), Tristram, Weyland.

Cymric Female: Adara, Aeron,Arianrhod (ah-ree-AHN-rhod),Branwen (BRAN-oo-en), Brynn(BRIN), Cari, Cerwen (KER-wen),Eleri (el-AIR-ee), Gwyn (GWIN),Isolde, Mab, Morgan, Morwen, Nia,Rhan, Sian (SHAN), Tegan, Teleri,Una, Vala.

Breton Male: Arzhel (AHR-zel),Blaez (BLAYS), Gralon (GRAH-lon),Jos (ZHOS), Kado (KAH-doh),Kavan, Malo (MAH-lo), Morvan,Neven, Ronan, Tanet, Taran, Tristan.

Breton Female: Avenie, Brendana,Gael (GA-ell), Kanna, Madenn,Morvana, Rozenn, Sterenn, Trifin.

Appearance: Kelt clothing for menincludes a loose linen shirt tied at thethroat with a simple cord, a kilt or pairof breeches, slippers, a heavy woolcloak, and a soft cloth cap oftenadorned with a badge or eagle’s feather.Women wear long cloaks over simpledresses with a natural silhouette.Ornamental brooches are worn by bothmen and women to pin their cloaks.

Hair is worn long and unbound byboth men and women. Red hair is com-mon, but fair or dark hair is also seen.

Adventurers: As renegades inNorthern Crown, many Kelt charac-ters are driven into a life of travel anddanger, fleeing from the forces ofCarolingia that seek to drive them outof the mountains. Others may leave alife of poverty and toil in the high-lands for a chance to make their for-tune as bodyguards, scouts, pirates, orsoldiers in the armies of France,Sophia, or Nieu Nederlands.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Kelts.

BARD

Social Rank 2d10+2The bards of the Kelt lands are no

mere entertainers, but also historians,poets, advisors, and diplomats. Manybards serve as ministers or chief ser-vants to Kelt nobles. Even outside Keltlands, in France and Albion they arewelcome as members of the court. Nocharacter class within the Kelt identitycarries more prestige.

Bard is also a common secondcharacter class for Kelt raiders, druids,scouts, and rakes. Such bards may notnecessarily belong to a bardic college,but rather make their living as enter-tainers and storytellers more akin toordinary bards.

Warm Welcome: The initial attitudeof Kelt NPCs toward a Kelt bard isautomatically improved by one step.

DRUID

Social Rank 2d10+2Kelt druids belong to the same

order as their Albian counterparts, butcommand more respect from theirpeers. Their ranks and costume are thesame as Albian druids. Kelt druids andbards are considered to be twobranches of the same sacred order,with the latter subordinate to the for-mer.

See Fey (Sp): Kelt druids are consid-ered to possess see invisibility as an atwill, spell-like ability, but the ability isonly applied to invisible fey creatures.

Warm Welcome: The initial attitudeof Kelt NPCs toward a Kelt druid isautomatically improved by one step.

RAIDER

Social Rank 2d8+2The highlands of Scotia and

Carolingia and the remote hills of Eireproduce fierce raider warriors, swornto protect their clansmen and theirlord. PCs of this class may be on a mis-sion for their clan, acting as body-guards for a Kelt noble, or serving asgallowglass mercenary troopsemployed by France or Carolingia.Kelt raiders are skilled wilderness sol-diers, but are less accustomed topitched battles. They dress in the tar-tan colors of their clan, typically wear-ing a loose-fitting linen shirt, kilt,cloak, wool socks, low shoes, and asoft cap with an eagle feather and clanbadge.

Greatsword Training: Kelt raidersreceive Greatsword as a free feat at 1st

level.

SCOUT

Social Rank 1d6+3Kelt scouts ply their trade among

the misty moors, crags, and greenwoods of Kelt lands. They work asherders, and huntsmen at need, buttheir prime mission is to protect folkfrom evil creatures of the wilderness,to help lost travelers, and to findescaped criminals and outlaws. Theirspecialty is the silent stalking of theirquarry, whether animal or human.Animal companions are commonlyeagles or hawks.

Hide from Animals (Sp): At 1st level,Kelt scouts gain hide from animals (selfonly) as an at will, spell-like abilitythat works against deer, black bears,and wolves.

MOHAWK:GUARDIANS OF THEEASTERN DOOR

The Mohawk are the easternmostmembers of the Kanonsionni, or“League of the United Households,”commonly known in English as theFive Nations Confederacy. This is alongstanding political union located inthe northern woods of NorthernCrown. In their own tongue, theMohawk are the Kaniengehawa (ka-nee-en-guh-HA-wa), meaning “Peopleof the Place of Flint.” “Mohawk” is anAlgonquian word used by their ene-mies, meaning “man-eaters.” Theirgeographical position makes themKeepers of the Eastern Door of thelonghouse that symbolizes the collec-tive identity of the Five Nations. Italso places them in close proximity toNederlander traders to the south andencroaching Commonwealth settlersto the east, making the region ahotbed of both commerce and con-flict. Although members of the Tree ofPeace, they engage in war to protectthemselves and the other members ofthe Five Nations.

Mohawk adventurers live in anincreasingly perilous world, and findthemselves constantly faced with thepolitical and economic consequencesof the Uropan presence on their bor-ders. They are no more warlike bynature than any other people, but findthemselves frequently engaged in bat-tles for the future of their own com-munity and the Confederacy theyprotect.

Culture Group: First Ones.Attitude: Given the dualistic

nature of their beliefs, Mohawk adven-turers may frame their activities as astruggle between good and evil —between the forces of creation anddestruction. Like so many First Onespeoples, balance is a basic precept oftheir approach to life, and their lore isfull of heroes who had to act wiselyand courageously to restore injusticesand preserve the health of the world.

History: The Mohawk were onceone of five related peoples dwellingsouth of Lac Ontario, engaged with oneanother in destructive feuds and warsthat threatened to destroy them all.Finally, the heroes Deganawida (day-gah-nah-WEE-dah) and Hiyowentha(hi-oh-WEN-thah) established theGreat Law of Peace, bringing all five

39

Northern Crown

40

Northern Crown

under a single Tree of Peace and puttingan end to their internal struggles.Relatively early contact with Uropanshas placed them in the thick of thecurrent threat to peace; their recenthistory includes battles againstCommonwealthers and their FirstOnes allies, as well as profitable tradewith Nederlander merchants.

Relations: The Mohawk maintainextensive trade with the Nederlanders,exchanging furs for guns, trade cloth,and other Uropan goods. With fursbecoming rarer locally, theMohawk and their neighborshave stepped up their bid tocontrol the remaining sourcesof fur to the north and west,bringing them into conflictwith the Huron, their prin-ciple rivals, and enteringinto negotiations with theFrançais without expresslyallying with them. To theeast, the Mohawk are inopen war with theCommonwealth, whichhas occupied the NeticutVale and seems poised tomove even closer to theEastern Door of the con-federacy.

Lands: The Mohawkdwell in the vale of theMohawk, west ofHudson’s River. It is a landof dense forests, rockyhills, and fast-flowing rivers,a gap in the mountains thatforms an important corridorof travel between the GreatLakes and the coast.

Authority: The Mohawk livein villages of permanent longhous-es, but travel seasonally to huntingcamps, fishing camps, and cornfields,pursuing food sources as needed.Increasingly, they have gained accessto Uropan guns and metal tools, whichthey have quickly adapted to theirown needs. They follow a sexual divi-son of labor, with the women manag-ing agricultural production and themen hunting and providing fordefense. Mohawk defensive architec-ture is quite sophisticated, with pal-isades, mounds, and ditches providingprotection from attack.

The Mohawk are divided into twogroups of four matrilineal clans: Wolf,Bear, Beaver, and Turtle; and Deer,Snipe, Heron, and Hawk. Marriagebetween members of the same group isprohibited, but clans from differentgroups can freely marry. The mother’sclan determines clan membership ofall children. Each clan mother has theauthority to nominate communityleaders, a process that involves consul-

tation with female family members,then approval by the community as awhole.

Nine leaders are chosen fromamong local community leaders torepresent the Mohawk at generalcouncils of the Five Nations, and they

participate in decisions relating to for-eign policy or international disputes.Most other policy decisions are decid-ed by the Mohawk themselves. Shoulda leader abuse his position, hisantlered kostoweh hat is taken away asa sign that he has lost the power togovern.

Law: As members of the FiveNations, the Mohawk follow theGreat Law of Peace established cen-turies ago by Deganawida, throughhis spokesman Hiyowentha. It pro-vides for an equal voice for all mem-bers of community, freedom ofspeech for individuals, a system ofchecks and balances on politicalauthority, and makes provisions foramending and changing existing laws.

The overarching theme of Mohawklaw is balance — balance betweenmen’s and women’s roles in the com-munity, between leaders and thosethey serve, and between the needs ofhumans and the health of the naturalworld.

Magic: Arcane magic is practicedby maunetu sorcerers. It’s not consid-ered inherently good or evil, but sim-ply a power that can be directed forvarious ends. Those with divine spell-

casting abilities function as healers,diviners, and protectors against

threats from the spirit world.Religion: The cosmology

of the Mohawk and theirneighbors places the earthbetween the upper world ofthe sky, and a lower worldof deep waters. They iden-tify Muskrat as the animalwho recovers a handfulof earth from which Ata-en-sic (attah-EN-sick)the Sky Woman, createsthe earth. Her two sonsare the Do-ya-da-no(doh-yah-DAH-no),the twin spirits of goodand evil. The former,Hah-gweh-di-yu (hah-gwey-DEE-yoo), is thecreator of all goodthings, while his brother,Hah-gweh-da-e t -gah

(hah-gwey-da-ETT-gah),is the creator of evil things

and misfortune. The evilbrother was ultimately ban-

ished to a dark pit beneath theearth, but still employs mon-

strous outsiders called Servers todo his mischief.

Mohawk rituals are centeredaround seasonal ceremonies of thanks-giving, and rites for sanctifying groupdecisions, such as treatymaking.Perhaps the most important is theeight-day midwinter festival, wherethanks are given, the past year’s mis-deeds are forgiven, and hearths areceremonially rekindled. Makingsacred masks for use in protective fes-tivals is also a common practice. Likemany First Ones peoples, they do notsee a distinction between the naturaland the supernatural world, insteadenvisioning the world as entirelysacred, rather than divided into thesacred and the profane.

Arts: The arts are closely boundwith the production of items for use insacred ceremonies, including gorgets,rattles, headdresses, pipes, textiles,and sacred carvings. The performingarts also have a sacred function, in theform of dances, songs, and story-telling. Embroidery and beadwork

have reached a highly sophisticatedlevel of craft, and are applied to manyitems of clothing and to wampumbelts.

Food: The Three Sisters — corn,bean, and squash — form the basis ofMohawk agriculture. Herbal teas arebrewed in many forms, both as bev-erage and medicine. Crops are sup-plemented through hunting, fishing,and foraging for nuts, seeds, andberries.

Language: The Mohawk speaktheir own tongue as an automatic lan-guage, which belongs to the Iroquoianlanguage group. It is closely related tothe tongues of their neighbors withinthe Five Nations.

Names: Mohawk children are usu-ally named by their mothers with adescriptive. They may receive a differ-ent name at adolescence, perhapsgiven by the clan mother. The follow-ing names may be used by MohawkPCs:

Male: Ganeodiyo (“Beautiful Lake”),Garakontie (“Moving Sun”),Gyantwaka (“Planter”), Hadawa’ko(“Shaking Snow”), Odeserundiye(“Where the Thunder Was”), Onatah(“Of the Earth”), Okwaho (“Wolf”),Otetiani (“Always Ready”)

Female: Genneshayo (“ShiningVale”), Oheo (“Beautiful”)

Appearance: Men often wear thekostoweh, a leather cap decoratedwith beadwork and turkey feathers.Community leaders’ kostoweh includea pair of deer antlers, which are sym-bols of office. Long deerskin leggingsare also worn, and often decoratedwith fringework. In cold weather, kiltsare added over the leggings. The tradi-tional deerskin shirt is now often madeof cloth traded from Uropans inexchange for beaver pelts.

Women wear an overdress of deer-skin — or increasingly, trade cloth —over a pair of leggings. All Mohawk

textiles may be embellished with intri-cate beadwork, and moosehair or por-cupine-quill embroidery.

Men’s hair is shaved, except for anarrow strip running from the fore-head to the neck. Women wear theirhair in a single braid running down theback or doubled up and bound withcord. Jewelry made of animal teethand feathered neck pieces are commonitems of adornment. Tattoos are wornby both men and women.

Adventurers: Mohawk adventurersseldom have the luxury or desire tostrike out on their own for personalreasons. Most of their adventuresinvolve the security of their communi-ty, their loyalty to the precepts of theGreat Law of Peace, and the honor oftheir clan.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among the Mohawk.

BARD

Social Rank 1d6+6The Mohawk bards, or rakarota,

hold an honored place in their soci-ety, enjoying a neutral status thatallows them to travel anywhere with-in the Five Nations without fear ofharm. They sing songs, tell stories,and act as conduits for news, rumors,and legends between settlements.Traditional instruments for bardsinclude deer-toe rattles, worn at theknees, and horn rattles, held in thehands. A turkey feather fan is oftenused to embellish gestures whentelling stories.

Warm Welcome: The initial attitudeof Mohawk NPCs toward a Mohawkbard is automatically improved by onestep.

DRUID

Social Rank 1d4+10Druid-class characters from the

Mohawk identity, called powwaws,are just as likely to be male as female.Women druids can join the Societyof Women Planters, which assuresthe fertility of the earth and guardsthe natural resources of the commu-nity, while men may belong to theSpirit Mask Society, which guardsagainst evil outsiders, including theservers of the malevolent Hah-gweh-da-et-gah.

Initial animal companions forMohawk druids include bobcat, wolf,hawk, owl, dog, eagle, and snake.

Bonus Spells: Mohawk druids receivesome spells normally reserved for cler-ics. See the Magic chapter for a list ofthese additional spells.

Shadow on the Land: Mohawk druidsreceive the detect evil ability of paladinswhile in boreal forest environments.

PALADIN

Social Rank 2d4+10Mohawks of the paladin class are

champions of order and goodness fortheir people. These champions aretrained physically, mentally, and spiri-tually from an early age for theirresponsibilities, which include pro-tecting the people against evil leadersand malevolent spirits.

Rigorous Training: Mohawk paladinsreceive Great Fortitude as a free feat at1st level.

White Manito: Mohawk paladins donot receive a special mount like ordi-nary d20 System paladins do. Instead,they receive a white manito that sig-nifies their purity of spirit. Whitemanito, like normal personal manito,are invisible but are felt as a presenceby the character to whom they havebeen granted. The white manito canbe any one of the following animals,chosen by the character at 1st level:wolf, panther, eagle, raven, or blackbear. When a Mohawk paladinachieves 5th level, the manitobecomes visible as a real animal, andacquires the special powers of a pal-adin’s mount, although it cannot actu-ally be ridden.

If slain, a white manito cannot takeanimal form again until the charactergains a class level in paladin.

RAIDER

Social Rank 2d6+1Mohawk adventurers skilled in fight-

ing in wilderness environments belong tothe raider class. They are adept at navi-gating long distances during times of war,

41

Northern Crown

MOHAWK CULTURE BONUSESPersonal Manito: At 1st level,

Mohawk PCs receive a totem spirit,called a personal manito. All manitoexist to act as intermediaries betweenthe individual and the supreme being.They are invisible and incorporeal, buttheir presence can be felt by their par-ticular petitioner. A personal manito isoften called upon in times of need, andmay grant the following powers. AMohawk character has access to all ofthem, and may pick any one of themonce per day.• Heal 1d4 points of damage

• Cast prayer, centered upon the char-acter, with a duration of 3 rounds

• Give the character a bonus of +2 toa single saving throw, before the dieis rolled

Wildshield: Mohawk receive a +1AC bonus and a +1 Reflex save bonusin forest terrain.

Wildborn: Survival +1Traditional Weapons: Greatclub,

throwing axe. Mohawk PCs who applyan Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat tothe greatclub can use it as a one-hand-ed weapon.

42

Northern Crown

living off the land, and maintaining anintimidating, imposing presence in theface of their enemies.

Athletic: Mohawk raiders receiveAthletic as a free feat at 1st level.

SCOUT

Social Rank 2d6+1Members of the community who

are particularly gifted at woodcraft arerepresented by the scout class. Theyare typically the most skilled scoutsand hunters within the community,and are often sent on special missionsby the local sachem. Their com-panion animals are drawn fromthe wilderness creatures aroundthem, including bears, wolves,eagles, foxes, bobcats, lynx,and mountain lions.

Self-Sufficient: Mohawkscouts receive Self-Sufficient as a free feat at1st level.

SORCERER

Social Rank 2d6+2Mohawk sorcerers,

called maunetu, occu-py an ambivalent rolein their culture, some-times acting as heroesand other times asthreats to peace andgoodness.

For Good or Evil:Mohawk sorcerers ofgood alignment who casta spell of the Abjurationschool add one level totheir class level for purposesof determining level-basedspell effects. Those of evilalignment gain a similar benefitfor spells of the Enchantmentschool.

Black Manito: Mohawk sorcererscannot have an ordinary familiar in themanner of other sorcerers. Instead,they possess a black manito that sig-nifices their arcane magical abilities.Unlike ordinary manito, black manitocan become visible as real animals atthe will of the sorcerer to whom theyhave been granted. A black manito canbe any one of the following animals,chosen by the sorcerer at 1st level: rat-tlesnake, fox, weasel, owl, bat, orraven. In addition to the powers of anordinary manito, black manito gainthe special powers of a sorcerer’s famil-iar. If slain, they cannot take animalform again until the character gains aclass level in sorcerer.

NEDERLANDERS:FREE TRADERS

Nederlander adventurers are themercantile masters of Northern Crown,servants of an economic powerhousewhose trading enterprises span the

known world. Nederlanders are alsofiercely independent. They have a rep-utation for ignoring the authority ofappointed officials — even their ownelected leaders — preferring to maketheir own decisions based on their ownbest interests. Having fought hard towin their freedom from a foreign king,Nederlanders do not like autocraticrule, and are more than willing to fightto protect their rights as members of arepublic.

Nederlanders consider themselvessophisticated and urbane. They appre-ciate fine food and splendid clothes,yet also value the virtues of reason,

practicality, and moderation. Thetheme of vanitas — that all materialendeavors are ultimately in vainbecause of the inevitability of death —runs strong in Nederlandish art andthought. This preoccupation oftenleads to both private and public con-flict between the desire to enjoy thefiner things in life and the need toappear temperate and modest.

In their dealings with others,Nederlanders tend to be less curiousabout one’s political allegiance andmore interested in one’s social connec-tions, wealth, and personal reputation.Foes who threaten the existence of

the Nederlander Republic, howev-er, will receive no quarter. As

allies, they are valued for a frank-ness of speech that is devoid offlowery words or fawning ges-tures, regardless of the socialrank of the speaker. If youhave a Nederlander as afriend, you can be nearlysure that the friendship is agenuine one, without ulte-rior motive. They areconsidered by their trad-ing partners to be indus-trious, worldly folk, butnot so serious that theywould refuse an invitationto share a drink or a goodmeal. On the contrary,they enjoy the fruits oftheir industry — in mod-eration, as they willinevitably insist.

In the eyes of their ene-mies, Nederlanders’ pragma-

tism often becomes ruthless-ness, and their frankness

becomes rudeness. In a world ofhereditary kings and emperors,

they are sometimes seen as dan-gerous upstarts, with little respect

for the established social order.Culture Group: Uropan.Attitude: Nederlanders tend to see

the world in terms of both opportuni-ty and temptation. For them, life offersmany possibilities for fame, wealth,and merriment, which can be won byindividuals of talent, industry, andambition. At the same time, indulgingin the rewards of success can be dan-gerous to one’s body and soul. It takeswisdom to chart a temperate coursethrough life.

History: Nederlanders are nativesof the cold, rainy coast of northwest-ern Uropa. Their ancestors settled onlow islands at the mouth of the RhineRiver in the dim past, soon to becomemaster seafarers and traders along thecoasts of the continent. As they grewin number, they began to expand theirisland holdings by enclosing the adja-

cent shallows with earthen walls andpumping out the seawater, a processthat continues to this day.

During the wars of religion of thepast one hundred years, manyNederlanders embraced the Dissenterfaith, especially in the north, and for ageneration the land was wracked bywar, as they fought to overthrowEspaniard control. Finally, a peace wasmade, leaving all but the southernmostprovinces independent of Espaniardrule. The Nederlands have since func-tioned as a kind of republican oligarchy,governed by a council of wealthy citi-zens chosen by their peers. The oldnobility still holds a great deal of pres-tige, with the house of Oranj beingforemost among them, its prince servingas a national figurehead of sorts,although he wields little political power.

Since gaining independence,Nederlanders have been free to pursuenew trade opportunities overseas,administered by several trade compa-nies, including the NederlanderNorthern Crown Company, whichcontrols the colony of NieuNederlands and its satellite tradingstations, settlements, and fortresses.

Relations: Nederlanders are still onbad terms with their late enemies, theEspaniards, for religious as well as polit-ical reasons. They are deeply indebtedto Albion, for they received much aid inthe form of mercenaries and gold fromthat country during their war of inde-pendence. But since the ascension ofGloriana and the return of the OldWays to Albion, relations have cooled,and many see a war between the twocompeting sea powers as inevitable.The Français see the Nederlanders inNorthern Crown as a threat to trade,but not as a serious military rival, whilethe tiny colony of New Sweden is atopen war with them for the control ofthe lands between the Delaware andHudson’s River. More enthusiasticallythan any other Uropan nation, theNederlanders have established tradewith the Five Nations, giving them thelatest guns and other technologies inexchange for furs, much to the dismayof their neighbors.

Lands: In Northern Crown, theNederlanders have one great city, NieuAmsterdam, and a string of settlementsand trading posts stretching northwardup the Hudson Vale. They also lay claim

to the coast as far south as the mouth ofthe Delaware, which they contest withthe colony of New Sweden.

Ironically, the Swedes are very muchlike the Nederlanders in matters of faith,society, and enmity with the Espaniards.The Nederlander identity can be usedto represent characters from NewSweden, with the following modifica-tions: Swedes recognize the authority ofthe Swedish emperor, Gustavus, ratherthan the government of the Nederlands,and they receive Swedish — a form ofNorsk — as an automatic languageinstead of Nederlans.

Authority: The colony of NieuNederlands is administered by aDirector General, appointed by theofficers of the Northern CrownCompany. He functions as both a civiland military governor. Outside of thecity of Nieu Amsterdam, land grantshave been given to several patroons —wealthy landowners who operate withnearly the authority of feudal lords.The Nederlands itself is governed by abody of influential citizens called theStates General, from which theauthority of the Northern CrownCompany ultimately derives.

Law: Nederlanders in their home-land have a right to a jury trial, but inNieu Nederlands the Director Generalis the sole legal authority. Enforcementis quite lax, especially in matters oftrade, due to the influence of wealthymerchants who don’t like the law inter-fering with their business. NieuAmsterdam has a reputation for law-lessness; it is a city of street gangs,thieves, smugglers, and con artists.

Magic: Although the NederlanderDissenter church frowns on the openpractice of magic, Nederlanders of allfaiths often see magic as an antiquated,discredited practice, representative ofthe superstitious, feudal past. Theyview it as opposed to the pursuit ofnatural philosophy, commerce, andengineering, which point the way to aprosperous future.

Religion: As mentioned above,most Nederlanders are Dissenters, buta significant number of followers ofthe Roman Church remain, especiallyamong the old nobility. Membershipin one of several Puritan sects is nearlyas common among Nederlanders as inthe Commonwealth, with similarlyrigorous standards of dress, speech,

and religious observance. For all theprofessed tolerance of the republicangovernment, only Dissenters may wor-ship openly in the Nederlands proper.But in Nieu Amsterdam, few peopletake note of the many faiths practicedin the city.

Arts: Painting is a highly regardedart among Nederlanders, with portrai-ture, landscapes, and still-lifes beinghighly prized. Pottery, often replicat-ing the processes and styles of Cathay,is both an art and an industry.

Food: Herring, ham, and shellfishare found on Nederlander tables, oftenbaked into pies. Strong red wine is thedrink of the prosperous, while thelower social classes must be contentwith beer drunk from stoneware mugs.

Language: The automatic languageof Nederlanders is called Nederlans; itis related to English. As traders, manyNederlanders also learn the language oftheir trade partners, whether English ora First Ones language.

Names: Nederlander first namesare usually Nederlans forms ofChristian names. Surnames are oftenderived from one’s birthplace or oldfamily name, preceded by the word“van” (“from”); for example, van Steen,or van Dyke.

Male: Claes, Hans, Jan, Koenraad,Larz, Markus, Pauel, Pieter, Smid,Willem, Zeeman.

Female: Adrie, Anika, Hendrike,Maryse, Rozamond, Sibylla, Sofie,Wilhelmina.

Appearance: Nederlander dress ismarked by dramatic generational differ-ences, as the conservative garb datingfrom the years of Espaniard rule is slow-ly replaced by new fashions. Older menwear somber black garments set off byenormous neck ruffs of white lace;young men wear simple collars of lace,and often dress in loose-fitting pan-taloons rather than the black tights ofthe Espaniard costume. A similar gener-ational split is seen in women’s dress,with younger women wearing silkdresses of sky blue, white, or yellow,with silk kerchiefs and form-fittingjackets, while older women favor blackgowns with white aprons.

Nederlander men often wear neatlytrimmed beards; their hair is worn longand unbound. Women of the oldergeneration keep their hair completelyhidden under a white cap or headcloth,while younger women are likely towear it loose, often beneath a turban inthe Turkish fashion. Outdoors, bothsexes wear flat, wide-brimmed hats:black hats for men, yellow for women.As they have strong ties to the sea,Nederlanders prefer pearls above allother precious stones and wear them asearrings or necklaces.

43

Northern Crown

NEDERLANDER CULTURE BONUSESImperial Enmity: +1 to attacks made

against servants of the HabsburgEmpire

Sea Sense: Profession (sailor) +1

Trader’s Eye: Appraise +2, SenseMotive +1

Traditional Weapons: Cutlass,matchlock musket

Adventurers: Nederlanders oftenpursue adventure in the name of open-ing new trade routes or defendingexisting ones. Schooled in war, theyare well prepared to seek fame andexcitement as members of foreignarmies or expeditions

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Nederlanders.

CLERIC

Social Rank 2d6+3Nearly all Nederlander cleric PCs

are of the Dissenter faith. Their mostlikely role as a player character is minis-tering to the servants of the DutchNorthern Crown Company. This is notan easy task, given the reputation ofNieu Amsterdam as a place of avariceand intrigue. A number of Nederlanderpuritan sects have established commu-nities in the New World, away from themajor trade centers — PCs from thesecommunities will have much in com-mon with their Commonwealther coun-terparts. The cleric/natural philosophermulticlass PC is also a possible characterbackground, given that many learnedfolk still receive their education fromthe church.

Preacher: Nederlander clerics gainIntimidate and Perform (oratory) asclass skills.

Spontaneous Remove Fear: In additionto the spontaneous casting abilities ofother clerics, Nederlander clerics canspontaneously cast the spell remove fearin place of a prepared spell of the samelevel or higher.

NATURAL PHILOSOPHER

Social Rank 3d6+2Nederlanders are among the greatest

practical inventors of the age, as well asformidable scientists. Many Nederlandernatural philosopher PCs focus on creat-ing or refining practical tools, weapons,and scientific instruments.

Fabricator: Nederlander natural philoso-phers gain Invention Specialization as afree feat when they purchase the CraftInvention feat.

RAKE

Social Rank 2d6+2Many Nederlander rake PCs are

swindlers trying to make a killing onthe rough-and-tumble unpaved streetsof Nieu Amsterdam. Alternately, rakePCs could be highwaymen or perhapsgovernment officials on the take.

Rough and Tumble: Nederlander rakesreceive Toughness as a free feat at 1st level.

Street Sense: Nederlander rakes receivea +1 bonus to Reflex saves and +2 toSpot checks in urban environments.

SOLDIER

Social Rank 1d20+3The Nederlanders have honed

their fighting skills over decades ofwarfare to establish their indepen-dence from the Espaniards. Their armyis composed of volunteer militia andmercenaries, both native and foreign.They may be members of the militia,part of a mercenary company, or elsefreebooters — the infamous outlawsequally comfortable as high seaspirates or land-based bandits.

Foul-weather Gunnery: Nederlandersoldiers receive Surefire as a free featat 1st level.

Freebooter: Nederlander soldiers gainAppraise and Use Rope as class skills.

WIZARD

Social Rank 2d6+2Nederlander wizards usually lack for-

mal schooling; they are more often self-taught or have apprenticed to a singlemaster rather than attending a university.Since magic is frowned upon by theDissenter church, these wizards tend tolive reclusive lives, often serving theunderworld and the marginal folk of thecity. A rare few are multiclassedwizard/natural philosophers, usually witha Social Rank of 11 or higher. These folkoften serve powerful merchant families asspies, engineers, craftsmen, and tutors.Wizard-artists, who combine artistic tal-ent with arcane magic to create paintingswith illusory effects, are a unique vocationof Nederlander culture. Other artisticallyminded Nederlander wizards create ani-mated statues, toys, and other playthingsfor the entertainment of wealthy clients.

Artifice: Nederlander wizards gainCraft Wondrous Item as a free feat at1st level, even though this feat is nor-mally available only to spellcasters of3rd level or higher.

OJIBWA:PEOPLE OF THE LAKES

The Ojibwa (oh-GEEB-wah) areamong the largest and most powerfulnations in Northern Crown, occupyinga vast area around the northern GreatLakes. They name themselves theAnishinabe (ah-neesh-in-AH-bee),meaning “People.” The word “Ojibwa,”also spelled Ojibway or Ojibwe, means“puckered up,” likely in reference to thestitching on Ojibwa mocassins.They areknown as hunters, water-farers, and spir-itual leaders, and hold a faith in manyanimal spirits and a belief in the powerof dreams. Only their relatively remotelocation limits their regional influence,but that may be changing, as the traderoutes of the Coureurs knit the realm ofthe Lakes to the greater social and polit-ical upheavals of the continent.

Culture Group: First Ones.Attitude: The Ojibwa see the

world as invested with spiritual energy,inhabited by spirits, and inextricablyconnected to the realm of dreams. Insuch a world, no event is without sig-nificance and no action is withoutconsequences — life must be livedattending to the spiritual meaning ofevents, and to the wider repercussionsof one’s own choices.

History: The historical traditionsof the Ojibwa assert that they camefrom a salty sea to the east, perhapsthe Golfe de St-Laurence, along withthe people now known as thePotawatomi and the Ottawa, to whomthey are closely related culturally.Some say they were following a spiri-tual quest to find “the place wherefood grows on water.” Once theyreached the shores of the Great Lakes,where stands of wild rice grow in pro-fusion, they adapted to a semi-nomadic existence, harvesting the riceand picking berries, fishing for stur-geon in the lakes, and hunting game in

44

Northern Crown

OJIBWA CULTURE BONUSES Dream Article: At 1st level, Ojibwa PCs receive a dream article — either a

carved stone or a miniature craft item such as a basket or mocassin — that con-nects them to a powerful dream that they had as a child. Once per day, if the PCis in possession of his dream article, his may call upon it to cast augury, shield offaith or divine favor on himself, as if cast by a 2nd-level cleric.

Lake People: Profession (fisher) +2, Swim +2Wildborn: Survival +1Wildshield: Ojibwa receive a +1 AC bonus and a +1 Reflex save bonus in for-

est terrain.Traditional Weapons: Club, longbow

45

Northern Crown

the woods along the water’s edge.Their territory gradually expanded tothe west and north, and divided into anumber of closely related bands.

Relations: After a long period atpeace with their neighbors, the Ojibwanow appear to be on the brink of warwith the Five Nations over control ofthe lucrative Uropan fur trade, whichhas disrupted traditional relationsbetween the First Ones nations of theregion. As allies, they can count onlythe Ottawa for the moment. But as warlooms, others may join them under aregional Ojibwa hegemony. Theyhave also begun pressing west andsouth, heightening tensions withtheir neighbors in those areas.

Lands: The various sub-nations of the Ojbwa encirclethe shores of Lac Superieur,and extend southward alongthe western shore of MerDouce. The land includesboreal forest, bogs,islands, and low, rockymountains. Though it ispoor agricultural land,the area is rich in gameanimals, beaver, and fish,and produces edible wildplants in season.

Authority: TheOjibwa are divided intodozens of small bands,each numbering about 300individuals under the lead-ership of an elder memberof the band, the ogimauh(“foremost leader”). The ogi-mauh holds his position bymaintaining a reputation forgood judgment and generosity.In the winter, these bands divideinto smaller hunting parties, eachcomprised of a single extended fam-ily, only to reunite once more duringthe summer fishing and gathering sea-son. Organization on a regional scaleoccurs in the form of tribal councils,which only meet to discuss matters ofgreatest importance, such as war, diplo-macy, or trade. Despite this lack of centralorganization, the Ojibwa function quitecohesively in times of war, and are able tofield huge numbers of warriors under atemporarily elected war leader.

The social structure of the Ojibwarests upon seven clans: Crane, Loon,Bear, Marten, Fish, Hoof, and Bird.Within each community, the membersof each clan have a unique role. TheCrane and Loon clans both provideleaders, guaranteeing that no singleclan may claim authority. The Bear clanproduce the watchmen and herbal heal-ers of the community, while theMartens lead the group in war and inthe hunt. The Fish clan are the arbitra-

tors and lorekeepers, maintaining thebirchbark scrolls that tell the communi-ty’s story in pictograph form; the Hoofclan builds homes for the group andentertains them with songs and tales.Lastly, the Bird clan supplies the reli-gious leaders for the community and isresponsible for its spiritual well-being.As in many other First Ones cultures,no one may marry within his or her

own clan, regardless of how distantlythe individual is related by blood.

Law: Most legal disputes are settledprivately between the opposing partiesand their families. In more serious cases,the Ojibwa often rely on the superiorwisdom and experience of elder mem-bers of the community to reach a judg-ment, which may involve a fine or evenexpulsion from the band.

Magic: Divine magic is practicedby druidic powwaw, who use theirabilities to heal the sick and injured,and to protect the community againstevil beings. Sorcerers and witches arenot a feature of magic tradition here.

Religion: Among the Ojibwa, thesupreme deity is called Kitchi-Manitou (kit-chee-MAN-ee-too) —the Great Mystery — and the world isthe result of his grand vision. Themother of humankind is his consort,Geezhigo-Quae (gee-ZHEE-go-kway)— the Sky Woman — by whose gracethe living earth was reborn from thehandful of soil recovered by Muskratduring the great flood. An importantcomponent of Ojibwa spiritual life isthe idea of upright living, or walkingin balance, as it is known. Thisrequires individuals to accept their

responsibilities and have an aware-ness of the implications of their

actions for good or ill.Arts: The Ojibwa practice

porcupine quill embroideryand beadwork, work nativecopper and iron into jewelry,and create beautiful canoesof birchbark that are highlyprized by all Great Lakespeoples. Birchbark is alsosewn and shaped intocontainers of all shapesand sizes.

Food: Wild rice,called menomin (men-NO-min), is the staplefood crop of the Ojibwa.Corn is grown only inthe southernmost reach-es of their realm, becauseof a prohibitively shortgrowing season in thenorth. The harvesting of

maple syrup provides asweetener for other foods.

Hunting and fishing furnish-es sources of protein and fat.

Fish are caught with spears,often at night with the aid of

lanterns. Huge lake sturgeon arealso a prized catch.

Language: The Ojibwa speak theirown tongue as an automatic language,which belongs to the Algonquian lan-guage group. Ojibwa druids can readand write a pictographic language usedto record the history of the group onbirchbark scrolls.

Names: Ojibwa names arebestowed upon an infant during thefirst year of life. After being chosen bya family member or group elder, thename is announced to the four cardinaldirections, and four adults are chosento be the child’s guardians for life.Many Ojibwa have both a formalname and a nickname reserved for useby family and friends.

Male: Daebaussigae (“Far-reachingLight”), Hah-je-day-ah’-shee (“MeetingBirds”), Ka-bés hunk (“WidelyTravelled”), O’n-daig (“The Crow”),Waemetik (“Heart of Oak”)

Female: Meemee (“Pigeon”),Waubizee-quae (“Swan Woman”),Waubun-anung (“Morning Star”),Winonah (“To Nourish”)

Appearance: Among the Ojibwa,men may wear a long-sleeved, knee-length leather coat, cinched with awampum belt, and painted with geomet-ric designs in red, yellow, green, andblue. The hem of the coat is fringed, andthe shoulders may be decorated withembroidered epaulets. A rectangularpouch, often beautifully embroidered, isworn from a shoulder strap. Leggingsand moccassins protect the legs and feet,while fur-trimmed leather gauntletsadorn the hands. In winter, both sexesuse wood-and-sinew snowshoes for easi-er travel over deep snow. Women maywear a full-length dress of soft leather,sewn from two deerskins then paintedand fringed, over a pair of leggings. Thebodice is often decorated with bead-work, and jingling pendants of bead-work or metal are also widely seen ondresses worn at formal occasions. Mentend to wear their hair long, either braid-ed or loose; women often wear their hairin two side-braids, clasped by beadworkbands. In times of war, a scalp lock mayreplace normal hair styles. Jewelryincludes earrings, disc-shaped metalpendants, and long necklaces. Red is themost common color used in painting theface; for men, the upper half of the facemay be painted red, while the lower halfis left unpainted.

Adventurers: Ojibwa adventurersmay leave their band to follow a visionreceived in a dream, to secure the tiesof friendship or offer aid to alliednations, or to defeat an evil force fromthe spirit world that threatenshumankind. Their sense of uprightconduct tends to lead them to adven-tures that clearly involve the preserva-tion of order and good, whether in theworld at large or within themselves.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among the Ojibwa.

BARD

Social Rank 2d4+6An Ojibwa bard is known as a dae-

baudjimoot (day-BAWD-gee-moot), orstoryteller. They are more than mereentertainers, for their stories often takethe form of parables or teaching-tales,symbolically or metaphorically address-ing an aspect of human experience andsuggesting a proper course of action.Many tales are humorous, some fright-ening, and some inspiring — a dae-baudjimoot often chooses tales that will

aid the listener spiritually. A traditionalinstrument of Ojibwa bards is a double-headed drum, although single-headedwater-filled drums, tambourines, andrattles are also used.

Words of Wisdom: Ojibwa bards canuse their inspire courage ability to give asingle ally a +4 enhancement bonus toWisdom. This bonus lasts as long asthe ally hears the bard’s performance,and for five rounds thereafter.

DRUID

Social Rank 2d6+5Ojibwa druids often work in groups,

forming medicine societies whose pur-pose is to advance the arts of healing andherblore, and to promote good health asan aid to living a good life. Most 1st-levelOjibwa druids will begin as initiates inone of these groups, under the tutelage ofan elder NPC. Their work involvesstrengthening the level of natural powerin the land, warding off evil creatures,and healing the sick. They are also thekeepers of birchbark scrolls that recordthe history of their people in pictograph-ic form. An Ojibwa band’s scrolls arerevered objects that are always safelyguarded, especially while the group is onthe move. They represent a symboliclink between the present and the past,and are used in teaching history to youngpeople. Initial animal companions forOjibwa druids include bobcat, wolf,hawk, owl, dog, eagle, and snake.

Bonus Spells: Ojibwa druids receivesome spells normally reserved for clerics.See the Magic chapter for a list of theseadditional spells.

Shadow on the Land: Ojibwa druidsreceive the detect evil ability of paladinswhile in Great Lakes and boreal forestenvironments.

PALADIN

Social Rank 2d4+10Paladin-class characters from the

Ojibwa identity function as champi-ons of their people in the battleagainst evil creatures and spirits whothreaten the community.

Extra Turning: Ojibwa paladins gainExtra Turning as a free feat at 4th level.

RAIDER

Social Rank 1d6 + 5Raider-class characters represent

the hunters, fishers, and warriors of theOjibwa, who are skilled at surviving inthe boreal forest and trained to huntand to defend themselves with the tra-ditional weapons of their culture.

Cold-weather Survival: Ojibwa raidersare skilled at keeping warm in a coldenvironment and protecting them-

selves from its damaging effects. Thisworks as Cold Resistance 5, whenexposed to damage from cold temper-atures and cold-based spells.

SCOUT

Social Rank 2d6+1Ojibwa scouts are individuals who

are particularly skilled in woodcraft,and have a special empathy with livingcreatures. They are equally comfort-able traveling by canoe and walkingoverland, venturing far into the watersof the lakes or into the most remoteareas of the northern forest.

Self-Sufficient: Ojibwa scouts receiveSelf-Sufficient as a free feat at 1st level.

SHAWNEE:FORESTGUARDIANS

The Shawnee occupy a large areaof the Ohio Vale, including some ofthe deepest parts of the hardwood for-est. “Shawnee” is an Anglicization ofShawanwa (sha-WA-nah) or“Southerners,” their own designationfor themselves. Much of their realm islittle known even to their neighbors,but it is said to be a place of surpassingabundance in game, especially bisonand deer, which the Shawnee huntwith particular skill. From the bordersof this verdant land, ancient trailsspread out in all directions, placing theShawnee at the crossroads of the east;they are the keepers of its green heart.

According to tradition, theShawnee reached their current home-land after centuries of wandering, leav-ing traces of their passing in the south,east, and north. That tradition contin-ues in the person of the Shawneeguides, teachers, and leaders who arefound in many other lands, having lefttheir native forest seeking new placesand allies.

Culture Group: First OnesAttitude: Shawnee are taught from

a young age that they occupy a specialplace in the cosmos, having beenplaced at the center of the world bytheir creator. With this honor comesthe responsibility to protect the livingworld at all costs from evil and harm.This heavy burden helps define a direc-tion in life for many Shawnee adventur-ers, whether battling the Great Serpentwitches who figure prominently in theirlore, or merely protecting the land frombeing ravaged by Uropan woodcuttersand miners.

46

Northern Crown

47

Northern Crown

History: The Shawnee came intothe Ohio Vale from elsewhere — theirlanguage and lore suggest that theymay have lived in many different landsat times in the past, most probablythose to the north. Surrounded byother First Ones groups on all sides,they appear in the lore of many neigh-boring peoples as warriors, wanderers,and leaders. Though they have livedpeacefully for generations, they haverecently been drawn into the momen-tous events precipitated by the arrivalof the Uropans from the east.

Relations: Because they takeadvantage of their crossroadslocation, the Shawnee havemany economic partners and areputation as skilled long-dis-tance traders. They exportpottery, food, and manufac-tured goods, and importmetals and decorativeitems such as feathers.Recently, they havetaken an interest inUropan horses as anitem of trade.

The Shawnee areclosely allied with theDelaware, who theyrevere as theGrandfathers — their cul-tural ancestors. They alsoare on good terms withthe Kickapo to the north-west, but have a history ofpoor relations with the FiveNations. Increasingly awareof Uropan designs upontheir realm, the Shawneehave adopted a policy ofdestroying illegal Uropan settle-ments and driving the inhabitantsout of the area.

Lands: The lands of theShawnee are centered around thevale of the Ohio, west of theAlleganies and east of the EspirituSanto River. Said to be wanderers atheart, they travel much within thisrealm, breaking into small huntingbands during the winter months andreturning to their villages during thegrowing season.

Authority: Five political subdivi-sions exist among the Shawnee:Chillikothe, Hathawekela, Kispokotha,Spitotha, and Piqua. Each one func-tions more or less independently, withits own hereditary leadership, makingcentralized control of the Shawnee by asingle leader quite challenging — onlya few leaders have succeeded in unitingall five politically. Like the Cherokee,the Shawnee often maintain separateleaders for war and peacetime. Theduties of each leader are shared by aman and a woman — usually a married

couple — with the man leading troopsin war and resolving disputes in peace,and the woman organizing the commu-nity for defense in war and managingagricultural production in peace. Thewoman leader also has the uniqueauthority to cancel an unwise militaryoperation and to spare prisoners of war.

Separate from their political subdi-visions, the Shawnee are organizedinto twelve hom’shooma (hom-SHOO-mah), or patrilinear clans,some of which are responsible for pub-lic roles within the community.Although the name and number ofhom’shooma have changed over time,they currently include: Snake, Turtle,Raccoon, Turkey, Deer, Owl, Bear,Wolf, Panther, Fish, Loon, and Rabbit.The Raccoon clan leads rain cere-monies. The Panther clan leads thecommunity into battle, while the Wolfclan brings the warriors safely home.The Turtle clan has the duty of safe-guarding the community’s sacred bun-

dle, and the Turkey clan leads thecommunity in dance.

Law: Most legal matters amongShawnee are settled privately by thedisputing parties, sometimes with theintervention of their respective families.In civil cases, wrongdoers often givegifts or hold a feast as a means of com-pensation for their acts. Leaders onlyintervene in matters of violent crime orslander; the most feared punishment isbanishment from the community.

Magic: Shawnee are generally sus-picious of arcane magic, associating it

with the evil Great Serpent witches(spirit nagas in d20 System terms)

who are said to dwell in the east.Sorcery is not practiced openlyamong the Shawnee, butdruids, as divine spellcasters,are valued members of thecommunity and among thechief agents responsible forthe protection of the earth.

Religion: The preemi-nent being in Shawnee reli-gion is Kokumthena (koh-koom-THEY-nah), OurGrandmother, even thoughshe is said to be subordinateto a supreme being calledMoneto (monn-EH-toe),the Master of Life.Kokumthena is the world’screator, having beeninspired by Moneto’sthought. She weaves a blan-ket that is continually unwo-

ven by a wolf at her side;should the blanket ever be

completed, she will enfold thegood folk of the world within it,

then destroy the world, bringingher creation to an end.

Shawnee religious celebra-tions are tied to the growth cycle

of corn; the Spring Bread Dance,Green Corn Dance, and Autumn CornDance are among the most important.

The Shawnee believe that theyoccupy the center of the world, and soare uniquely responsible for maintainingits integrity. Each subdivision of theShawnee maintains a sacred bundle — acollection of holy items bestowed bythe Master of Life, whose preservationis essential to the community’s well-being and to the survival of the universeitself. The sacred bundle must be movedwith great care, usually by a member ofthe Turtle hom’shooma, because turtlesmove slowly and deliberately.

Arts: Shawnee textiles and ceram-ics are valued items, but most distinc-tive are the items of beautiful silverjewelry worn by the Shawnee, said tocome from a hidden source of the pre-cious metal somewhere within theirrealm.

Food: The Shawnee grow thecorn, beans, and squash typical of FirstOnes agriculture. Corn, which comesin red, blue, soft white, and hard whitevarieties, is made into meal for corn-bread and for porridge. Corn beer issometimes brewed for celebrations orhonored guests. The rivers and woodsprovide abundant fish, game, andplants to supplement the diet. Fish arecaught by hook-and-line, net, andwooden trap, while game is huntedwith arrows or spears, or caught intraps. Hunting parties composed ofboth men and women are often awayfor extended periods, and travel far insearch of game.

Language: Shawnee speak theirown tongue as an automatic language,which is a language of the Algonquiangroup.

Names: Shawnee names are givenby two friends or family members ofthe mother who receive the namethrough prayer. The chosen name isnearly always related to the infant’shom’shooma affiliation, perhaps refer-ring to some aspect of the naminggroup’s totemic animal. It is also cru-cial to give a name not shared with anyother living person, for sickness or illfortune may result if two living indi-viduals bear the same name. Renamingis common, based on re-assessments ofthe individual’s character and health.

Male: Benewiska (“Black Wolf”),Manemepahtoo (“Trotter”), Sepettekenathe(“Big Rabbit”), Shekaghkela (“Big Turtle”),Shemeneto (“Black Snake”)

Female: Aracoma (“Cornflower”),Ouiskelotha (“Blue Bird”), Melassatequi

(“Sugar Tree”), Pahkotasisqui (“AutumnLeaf”), Wabethe (“Swan”).

Appearance: Shawnee men wearknee-length buckskin leggings, sup-ported by a garter below the knee anddecorated with fringework. They weara short breechclout of tanned leatheror blue cloth, and a loose-fitting tradecloth overshirt of the same material.Women wear a longer overblouse overa pair of leggings. Both sexes augmenttheir clothing in winter with fur robesor mantles, with the animal’s clawsintact as shoulder ornament. Silver orleather arm cuffs are often worn overthe upper arm, and are frequently dec-orated with feathers. Increasingly,broad sashes of trade cloth are worneither at the belt or across the head.

Men often shave their heads, leav-ing only a single scalp lock, which isadorned with one or two feathers.Women wear their hair in a long braid.A distinctive feature of Shawneeadornment is the practice of cutting anincision in the earlobe and stretchingit with weights into a large hoop toaccommodate wheel-shaped orna-ments. The nose is often pierced aswell. Silver jewelry is common, inaddition to native copper, shell, horn,and bone. Shawnee men may tattoo orpaint their faces with a series of thinred lines; other colors are rarely seen.

Adventurers: Adventurers fromthe Shawnee identity may follow thepath of adventure to satisfy their cul-tural wanderlust and curiosity, or tocomplete a mission vital to the contin-ued health of the living world or thesafety of the community.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among the Shawnee.

DRUID

Social Rank 2d4+10Druid-class characters from the

Shawnee identity, called pawwaw,dedicate their lives to the protectionof the living earth. They guard againstevil creatures, perform rites of healingand protection, and serve as healersand teachers for members of the com-munity. They occupy an honoredplace in their community, receivingrespect and recognition for theiressential contributions to the securityof all life. Initial animal companionsinclude bobcat, wolf, hawk, owl, dog,eagle, and snake.

Bonus Spells: Shawnee druids receivesome spells normally reserved for cler-ics. See the Magic chapter for a list ofthese additional spells.

Shadow on the Land: Shawnee druidsreceive the detect evil ability of paladinswhile in hardwood forest environ-ments.

PALADIN

Social Rank 2d4+8Shawnee paladins are dedicated to

protecting the living earth and itscreatures, and as a result they oftenwork closely with druid characters.

Wild Empathy: Shawnee paladinsreceive the Wild Empathy ability of druidswhile in hardwood forest environments.

Special Mount Variant: Shawnee pal-adins do not actually ride their specialmounts, which must be chosen fromthe following animals: bison, blackbear, or panther. Instead, they havethe ability to merge with their specialmount, once per day. The paladin andall possessions and gear disappear, andthe consciousness of the paladinresides in and controls the mount’sbody. While merged, Shawnee pal-adins may cast spells, but cannotspeak. They use the mount’s stats andabilities, except for Intelligence,Wisdom, and Will saves. If the mountis slain while merged with the paladin,both the mount and the paladin areslain. The effect lasts until dispelled bythe paladin.

RAIDER

Social Rank 2d6+1Shawnee skilled in fighting in

wilderness environments belong to theraider class. They are adept at navigat-ing long distances during times of war,

48

Northern Crown

SHAWNEE CULTURE BONUSESHealing Hands: The Shawnee have a

reputation for skill in surgery; allShawnee PCs gain Heal as a class skill,and receive a +2 bonus to Heal checkswhen attempting first aid or long-termcare.

Pawawka: At 1st level, ShawneePCs receive a personal pawawka — asacred object that serves as a linkbetween themselves and the Master ofLife. The pawawka is obtained at theend of a hundred-day ordeal, duringwhich the young PC must dive everymorning into a freezing stream or pool.On the hundredth day, the initiate istold to dive to the bottom and bring upwhatever his hand first closes upon.This object, usually a small stone, is hispawawka.

If the pawawka is in the PC’s pos-session, it can be called upon to do thefollowing things. A Shawnee character

has access to all of them, and may pickany one of them once per day.• Give the PC the detect evil paladin

class ability for 1 round per characterlevel of the PC

• Give the PC a +4 to a single savingthrow against fear

• Bestow the effects of a doom spell onone enemy of the PC’s choice, for 1minute

If the PC’s hit points fall below 0,there is a 2% chance per characterlevel of the PC that the Master of Lifewill send a celestial bison to defend thePC for one round per character level ofthe PC.

Wildshield: Shawnee receive a +1AC bonus and a +1 Reflex save bonusin forest terrain.

Wildborn: Survival +1Traditional Weapon: Longbow

49

Northern Crown

living off the land, tending to injuriesin the field, and maintaining an intim-idating, imposing presence in the faceof their enemies.

Self-Sufficient: Shawnee raidersreceive Self-Sufficient as a free feat at1st level.

SCOUT

Social Rank 2d6+3Because of their history of long

travel through many lands, theShawnee hold the skills of the scoutin high esteem. Serving as guides toboth Shawnee and other peoples,these scouts are renowned fortheir ability to travel far intounfamiliar territory and forgefriendships with other peo-ples.

Negotiator: Shawneescouts gain Diplomacyand Sense Motive as classskills. They receiveNegotiator as a free featat 1st level.

SORCERER

Social Rank 1d4–1Shawnee sorcerers

seldom practice sorceryopenly, for fear of beingaccused of collusionwith witches, so theyoften leave Shawneelands at a young age.They commonly havehawks or tiny vipers asfamiliars.

SOPHIANS:FREETHINKERSAND REBELS

The Republic of Sophia, upon theeastern coast of Northern Crown, is anew kind of state — one where theideals of freethinking radical philoso-phers have been put into practice in akind of grand experiment in freedomand rational government, gatheringUropans, Cimarrons, and First Onesalike under a common cause. Sophianadventurers are often iconoclasts, freespirits, radicals, or idealists, who arewilling to live and let live — unlessyou deprive them of their freedom orthreaten the survival of the Republicitself. Their loyalty is seldom to anindividual, but rather to a cause orideal. They are often seen as upstartsor ingrates by the established govern-

ments of other nations, and may notbe welcome in areas with a strongmonarchy, such as Carolingia andNouvelle France.

Sophians fancy themselves asenlightened individuals who have nouse for the failed ways of the past.They are proud of their practice ofphilosophical inquiry, free discourse,

and innovation. Among their country-folk, they admire people who use rea-son and logic as a guide for orderingthe course of their lives, and dislikethose who let their base emotions getthe better of them. They care nothingfor a person’s surname or hereditarytitle. They prefer to measure others bythe power of their intellect, the refine-ment and consistency of their ethics,and their skill in their chosen profes-sion. Those who make sacrifices for anoble idea are honored, and those whodie while blindly following a king or aflag are worthy only of pity.

Citizens of Sophia are oftenadmired by their allies for their com-

mitment to freedom and the advance-ment of humankind, even thoughtheir zeal tends to lead them intomore than their share of fights. In abind, they are valuable for their abili-ty to keep their heads and reason theirway out of trouble. Their foes oftensee them as dangerous radicals, deter-mined to upset the natural social orderfor the sake of a mad scheme. Theyare called dreamers, meddlers, orzealots. A common complaint is thatSophians do not fight honorably,because their soldiers make no dis-tinction between shooting enemy

nobles and common soldiers. Culture Group: Uropan,

Nyamban, or First OnesAttitude: Sophians see life

as a struggle of ideas, ratherthan of nations. They con-duct their lives as a philo-sophical experiment toprove the worth of theirassumptions about govern-ment and personal free-dom. To give purpose tolife (and death), theybelieve that a personmust choose somethingworth fighting for — acause that is larger thanany one individual. Forthem, pursuit of personalwealth or glory is toosmall an ideal to dedicatea human life to it.

History: The Republicof Sophia is the brainchild

of a wealthy gentlemannamed Philathelias Jeferson,

whose lands lay on the north-ern borders of the English

colony of Virginia. Taken by histutor to Paris as a young man,

Jeferson was influenced by Françaisfreethinkers who advocated a gov-

ernment with shared authority amongseveral branches, as well as an empha-sis on individual freedoms. He com-bined these ideas with a personal questfor truth and wisdom, aided by hismembership in the Solomonic Order,and turned his holdings into a newkind of state.

He seized his opportunity duringthe English Civil War, when his king’sattention was occupied, by breakingaway from Virginia and announcingthe creation of the Republic of Sophia.Several years later, after Charles I hadfled to the now-renamed Kingdom ofCarolingia, Jeferson refused to acceptthe noble title offered him. A warensued between Sophia andCarolingia, which Sophia survived dueto a timely attack by Espaniards andFirst Ones that drew off Charles’forces. Only when the more reason-

able Charles II took power didCarolingia give up her claim toSophia, although relations betweenthe parent and daughter states remaincool.

Relations: In addition to herenmity with Carolingia, Sophiaremains at odds with several FirstOnes nations of the interior, who fearher westward expansion, as doesFrance, who also has designs on theregion. Nieu Nederlands does notappreciate Sophia’s overtures to thetiny colony of New Sweden, and cor-rectly suspects that Sophia is courtingthe progressive Princess Cristina toconvince her to become a newSophian state.

Lands: Sophia occupies a smallsection of the eastern coast ofNorthern Crown between the Jamesand the Suskehana rivers. Her onlymajor urban center is her unfinishedcapital, Sophia — a planned city ofboulevards, canals, and monumentalbuildings. To the west are severalunauthorized settlements establishedby Sophian pioneers, which are fre-quently under attack by the Françaisand First Ones of the region.

In addition to Sophia itself, expa-triate Sophians have founded theRepublic of Vermont in the north, atiny mountain state. Player characterswith a Sophian identity may comefrom Vermont rather than theRepublic of Sophia.

Authority: Jeferson’s title is FirstLord of the Republic. He is the head ofthe Lords General, which is the execu-tive branch of government. The sec-ond branch, called the Parliament, actsas a legislature, with a lower chamberof elected representatives and anupper chamber of members electedfrom the lower chamber.

Law: The seven judges of theCourt General hear court cases andinterpret the law. At regular intervals,they make a circuit of the republic,hearing local disputes. Sophian lawreserves capital punishment for trea-son only; other crimes are punishedby imprisonment, never by brandingor other humiliating or disfiguringpractices.

Magic: Sophians do not believe inthe supernatural, instead regarding allmagical phenomena and creatures —even fey and outsiders — as natural

beings, albeit of a different order thanhumans. The practice of all forms ofmagic is allowed in Sophia, as long asit does not pose a risk to public safetyor violate any other laws, but it is oftenseen as backward and outdated.

Religion: All faiths are welcomein Sophia, although the Sophianbranches of most Uropan faiths arenot recognized by their respectivechurch leadership, and their follow-ers are considered heretics. Manyinfluential Sophians attend meetingsof the Solomonic Order, which isdedicated to the search for truth andwisdom.

Arts: Architecture and furniture-making are the most respected artsin Sophia, because they have practi-cal applications and are governedby the rational laws of geometry.Music is also appreciated, because ittoo is based on reason. Sophianshave invented several new musicalinstruments, most famously theglass harmonium.

In the visual arts, Sophians arefamed for the development of paintingwith eidetic shadow boxes, which cancapture an image indefinitely on ametal plate. These devices are expen-sive to build and operate, but in skilledhands can produce images that rivalthose of even the most skilled paintersin their fidelity to nature.

Food: Sophians enjoy many foods,according to individual taste. As in somany other aspects of life, Sophiansapproach cooking as a science, alwaysrefining recipes and increasing theefficiency of their kitchens.

Language: Most Sophians speakEnglish as an automatic language, butFrançais is spoken almost as widelyamong its leaders, because of theirhigh regard for Français learning andculture. Hebrew, Latin, and Greek arealso commonly spoken by educatedcitizens.

Names: Sophians use the namingconventions of their parent culture,most commonly English or Français.When taking Sophian citizenship,they adopt what is called a civil nameand use it in place of their first nameexcept in conversation with closefriends. Civil names are often derivedfrom Latin or Greek. They include thenames of great heroes of the ancientworld, gods or goddesses, or the

names of Sophian virtues or admiredqualities.

Male: Achilles, Apollo, Candor,Cincinnatus, Comitas, Daedalus,Fidelius, Germanus, Hermes,Impavidus, Intrepidus, Hero, Invictus,Libertas, Odysseus, Pericles, Plato,Socrates, Titan, Verax, Zeus.

Female: Athena, Artemis, Calliope,Clio, Demeter, Fidelia, Germania,Hera, Ingenia, Juno, Licentia,Nemesis, Prudentia, Republica,Sapientia, Scientia, Sensia, Sophia,Thalia, Urania, Validia.

Appearance: Sophian men dress insimple cloth suits, augmented by longcoats in cold weather, and festoonedwith a knotted silk cravat. They favorknee-length trousers with silk stock-ings and buckle shoes. Women wearcomfortable dresses without corsets orfarthingales.

Headgear for both sexes includeseither a tasseled stocking-cap or awide-brimmed hat with a low, roundedcrown. Both men and women weartheir hair long, neatly clubbed in a tailat the back.

Adventurers: Sophians go adven-turing to further the cause of libertyamong humankind, to explore theunknown in the name of science, or todefend their homeland against tyran-ny. They seldom risk their lives purelyfor personal gain.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Sophians.

AGENT

Social Rank 2d6+2Sophia maintains a confidential

service under the leadership ofAchilles Hamilton, a member ofJeferson’s cabinet. Hamilton’s agentsare well trained and supported, and areoften given the latest inventions ofnatural philosophy to augment theirabilities.

Negotiator: Sophian agents receiveNegotiator as a free feat at 1st level.

NATURAL PHILOSOPHER

Social Rank 1d10+10Sophian natural philosophers are

highly respected by most of their fel-low citizens for their contributions toeveryone’s comfort, health, and safety.The emphasis of many Sophian scien-tists’ work is toward practical inven-tions that improve the quality of lifefor all people, rather than the pursuitof esoteric questions. The study of thenatural world is also important, espe-

50

Northern Crown

SOPHIAN CULTURE BONUSESPower of Reason: Concentration +2,

Diplomacy +2Patriotic Fervor: +1 to attacks made

against the members of any nation at warwith Sophia

Traditional Weapons: Snaphance musket

51

Northern Crown

cially regarding the usefulness ofplants for agriculture and medicine. Inthis capacity, natural philosophers areoften attached to Army of Discoverymissions into the interior.

Government Grant: Sophian naturalphilosophers receive a bonus of 200gp at 1st level.

SCOUT

Social Rank 1d8+3Situated on the edge of the wilder-

ness, Sophia needs many skilled scoutsto guard her borders against foreignspies, to open trade routes to the inte-rior, and to guide her regular troops intimes of war. Sophian scouts are likethe Coureurs in many respects, affect-ing a mix of Uropan and native sur-vival strategies and gear, but theyare typically better equippedwith snaphance muskets, com-passes, and surveying tools.

Scouts form the backboneof Philathelias Jeferson’s Armyof Discovery, whose missionis to explore the interior ofthe continent. They may becalled on to make first con-tact with other nations, tomap the wilderness, tocapture foreign spies, orblaze a path for latertraders to follow.

First Contact Training:Sophian scouts receiveGift of Tongues as a freefeat at 1st level.

SOLDIER

Social Rank 2d8+3All adult Sophians

receive basic military train-ing as members of the mili-tia, but only the best soldiersare called to join her small pro-fessional army, serving either asmusketeers or dragoons. Sophiansoldier PCs may be active soldiersor ex-soldiers, but seldom mercenar-ies, since such troops are outlawed inthe Republic. However, the govern-ment does allow foreign “patriots” toserve in the professional army, so aSophian soldier may actually beFrançais, Kelt, or from another sympa-thetic nation.

Sharpshooter: Sophian soldiersreceive Take Aim as a free feat at 1st

level.

VINLANDERS:SEA ROVERSAND WARWOLVES

Vinlander adventurers are fierce,canny raiders of the north, descendedfrom ancient mariners who crossed the

sea from Uropa many centuries ago andnow live on the cold, misty shores ofnortheastern Northern Crown. Theycall their homeland Vinland, after thewild grapes and other sweet berries thatcover its vast uplands and moors. Fearedby most of their neighbors, but grudg-ingly admired for their daring and fortheir skill as seafarers, the Vinlanders arethe outlaws and renegades of NorthernCrown — larger than life, colorful inspeech, bold in deed.

Vinlanders often see themselves asheroes, fighting for glory or honor,respected by their kinfolk, and fearedby their enemies. They consider them-selves stronger, hardier, and braver thanother cultures, and many of themassume that all unfamiliar peoples areweak and cowardly. Lords are expectedto be generous to their warriors andretainers, who in turn should defendtheir master with their lives. One’splace within the culture is defined bypersonal relationships between lord andretainer. A stranger’s honor is in doubtuntil his worth is proved with acts ofcourage on the battlefield or generosityin the lord’s hall. Once accepted, how-ever, a stranger is welcomed as an equal,and given all the respect due to a

Vinlander of similar rank.In a fight, few allies are more

reliable than a Vinlander forcourage, loyalty, and ferocity.Off the battlefield, Vinlanders’concern with their personalhonor and reputation leads tomany challenges and fightswith friends and foes alike,making them lively, if alsosomewhat troublesomecompanions. Because theydo not adhere to thedress, manners, or faith ofmost Uropan cultures,Vinlanders are often cari-catured by their enemiesas uncouth savages, inca-pable of appreciating thebenefits of modern life.They are consideredpirates and outlaws — theenemies of civilization.

Culture Group:Uropan.

Attitude: ForVinlanders, life is a heroic

battle for honor, which is tobe embraced and won by force

of arms, cunning, wit, andcourage. Death is nothing to be

feared, for as long as one has liveda worthy life, the gods will reward

you. In the meanwhile, fight bravely,speak truthfully, and act wisely.

History: Vinlanders are descen-dants of Norsk mariners from theisland of Ultima Thule, who estab-lished a toehold in the extreme north-eastern regions of Northern Crownabout six hundred years before thecurrent age. They came seeking onlyfurs and timber, but eventually estab-lished permanent settlements afterfighting bitter wars with the nativeBeothuk people. The legacy of thisearly contact is a lasting mutual dis-trust, which persists despite the estab-lishment of trade and intermarriagebetween the two peoples.

When the climate of the northernseas turned colder, around the year1300, the Vinlanders lost contact withtheir cousins to the east. Trade routesfailed and their numbers dwindled. Notuntil the Uropans returned in 1500 didthe fortunes of Vinland rise again, forthey swiftly learned to copy the new-comers’ ships and once again establishedcontact with other Norsk peoples.

Relations: Vinlanders act as mid-dlemen in the fur and timber tradebetween the Beothuk and Cree nationsto the west and the markets of Uropato the east, via Ultima Thule. Theypersist in making pirate raids to thesouth; in the past, they’ve sacked thecity of Boston and even appeared offthe coast of Nieu Amsterdam and inthe Golfe de St-Laurence. As a result,they are not on good terms withCommonwealthers, Nederlanders, orFrançais. And as followers of the OldWays, they are considered enemies ofthe Espaniards and other nations ofthe Roman Church.

Lands: The peninsula of Vinland isthe only territory of any size held by theVinlanders, and even there it’s only thecoast that they truly occupy, penetratingthe interior only to fell timber, gatherberries, and hunt for game. To the south,just off the mainland, is the mountain-ous, fjord-cloven isle of Eiriksland,which the Vinlanders use to stage searaids on the coast of New England.

Authority: Vinland is ruled by ajarl (YARL), who holds the title onlyby the assent of the heads of the mostpowerful and prosperous families ofVinland. The jarl has the authority tomake war, but not to make new laws;that is the right of the general assem-bly, called the Athing (AY-ting).

Law: In Vinland, most disputes aresettled on a personal level, without theintercession of judges. Restitution for aperceived injustice most commonlytakes the form of personal combatbetween the two parties, or a cash pay-ment. Only in cases of murder or theftdoes the jarl intervene to decide legalmatters. Even a murderer may onlyhave to pay compensation to the vic-tim’s family; imprisonment is unknown,but banishment from the jarldom maybe imposed for repeat offenders.

Magic: Vinland, having few books,is not rich in wizards. And as a place

where physical strength and directaction is valued, sorcerers are oftendistrusted. The open practice of magicor sorcery is frowned upon asunwholesome or unnatural, althoughthe more subtle bardic magic of theskalds is accepted as a natural result oftheir skill with song and speech.

Religion: Vinlanders keep the OldWays, worshipping the gods thatother Norsk long ago abandoned infavor of the Roman Church. For mostVinlanders, the gods are active in dailylife and take interest in the deeds ofmortals, especially favoring heroicadventurers. Vinlander priests, calledgodi (GO-dee), have important secu-lar duties as the administrative arm ofthe jarl, as well as responsibility formaintaining shrines to the major gods.They are invariably drawn from noblefamilies, and do not necessarily havethe ability to cast divine spells.

Arts: The working of wood andmetal are highly advanced skills in allNorsk lands, but in Vinland the art ofwoodcarving is especially well devel-oped in ornate decoration on ships,houses, and furniture. The telling oftales through song is an honored art,practiced by professional skalds at thejarl’s court.

Food: Fish is the staple food of theVinlanders, and is smoked with alderwood. Their favorite drink is a strongspirit distilled from the berries of theirhomeland.

Language: Vinlanders speak adialect of Norsk as an automatic lan-guage, with many words borrowedfrom Beothuk and other native lan-guages. They use runes for writteninscriptions on stone or wood, buthave no books, keeping instead a richoral tradition of epic poetry, riddles,and songs.

Names: Vinlanders use traditionalNorsk names. Their surnames arederived from the first name of the par-ent of the same gender, with the suffix–sson for boys and –dottir for girls. So,the son of Einar might be named FrekiEinarsson, and the daughter of Gudrunmight be named Asa Gudrunsdottir.

Male: Asmund, Einar, Eirik, Freki,Glammad, Grim, Ketil, Odd, Rolf,Sigmund, Ulf.

Female: Asa, Gudrun, Helga, Kara,Sif, Sigrid, Thora, Yrsa.

Appearance: Vinlanders tend to betall, with fair skin and red or goldenhair, although exceptions are commondue to the intermarriage of the Norskwith many other peoples over longcenturies of seafaring and wandering.Men and women braid their hair inelaborate styles, and most men wear fullbeards as a practical defense against thecold. Both sexes wear a simple woolentunic with a heavy cloak held at theneck by a silver brooch. Armbands andrings of gold and silver are used both asadornment and as currency.

Adventurers: As a place settled bywanderers and a people raised on talesof heroic adventure, Vinland is fertileground for awakening the imagina-tions of young folk eager for fame andfortune in faraway lands. They oftenfind employment in other lands as sea-men, soldiers, or merchants.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Vinlanders.

BARD

Social Rank 3d6Vinlander bards, called skalds,

function as the living libraries of theirnoble patrons, remembering and recit-ing the history of Vinland, as well asthe stories of the Norsk gods and leg-endary heroes. Skalds learn their craftfrom a master skald, who teaches themto recite improvised poetic narrativesbased on well-known tales. They near-ly always accompany themselves on asimple harp as they recite, to keep themeter of the poem and to give empha-sis to key words and phrases.

Thundering Voice: The effects of aVinlander bard’s inspire courage abilitylast for 8 rounds after he’s heard.

CLERIC

Social Rank 3d6Vinlander clerics, called godi, have

the task of maintaining and protectingshrines to the gods and goddesses ofthe Norsk pantheon: Odin, the fatherof the gods, and his queen, Frigg; Thor,the god of thunder; Tyr, the god of jus-tice; and Frey and Freya, the lord andlady of magic and the fey. BecauseVinland has relatively few large settle-ments, it supports few full-time clerics,and those who do fill this role are like-ly to have secular responsibilities ascourt advisors and even warriors.Domains include Knowledge and Law(Odin), Earth and Healing (Frigg),Strength and War (Tyr), Sun and Magic(Frey), and Air and Magic (Freya).

52

Northern Crown

VINLANDER CULTURE BONUSES Boldness: +2 to saves against fear effects, Intimidate +2Hardiness: +1 to Fortitude savesSeaworthy: Swim +3Traditional Weapons: Greataxe, longspear

53

Spontaneous Magic Weapon: In addi-tion to the spontaneous casting abili-ties of other clerics, Vinlander clericscan spontaneously cast the spell magicweapon in place of a prepared spell ofthe same level or higher.

RAIDER

Social Rank 2d4+5In Vinland, where strength, brav-

ery, and the will to survive are cele-brated in song, and the gods them-selves are prone to violent rages, raidercharacters are as common as soldiersare in other lands. The Vinlander ofthis leaning is most often a sea raider— an adventurer willing to live thedisciplined and arduous life of a seafar-er for weeks at a time, just for thechance to make a raid on a distantport or to strike a blow against arival household.

In battle, Vinlander raiderswear metal helms and chainshirts, and carry large roundwooden shields. Theirweaponry includesbroadswords, axes, and asmattering of capturedguns — mostly pistolsrather than longarms.

Strength Training: AllVinlander raiders aretreated as though theyhad the Power Attackfeat, regardless ofwhether they meet theprerequisites.

SCOUT

Social Rank 2d4+3These adventurers

appear in Vinlander terri-tory as scouts, frontier sen-tries, and hunters. They pre-fer to hunt with dogs andspears rather than with bows,believing it is more honorableto face an animal in melee com-bat. Scouts accompany timber-gathering expeditions, trade parties,and shore raiders, to ensure that thecrews can avoid ambushes and findtheir way safely back to their ships.Because of the dangerous nature of thiswork, Vinlander scouts tend to bequite comfortable in combat situa-tions, and more heavily armed andarmored than scouts of other cultures.

Enhanced Armor Proficiency: Vinlanderscouts are proficient with mediumarmor, in addition to the weapon andarmor proficiencies of ordinary scouts.

WITCHLINGS:PEOPLE OFMAGIC ANDSHADOWS

Witchling adventurers are the sur-vivors of an ancient faith, revering theliving earth and sworn to protect it.Their leaders, the witches, can wrest

away the arcane power of evil beingsand use it to do good works. Sometimesthey fail, and become servants of evilthemselves. For this reason, they arefeared and hated by their neighbors, butthey are by no means inherently evil oreven magical. In a Witchling enclave,one can find ordinary soldiers, servants,and tradesmen, as well as sorcerers, wiz-ards, and true witches. No one candeny, however, that all Witchlings sharea tolerance of sorcery and trafficking

with the spirit world that horrifies mostother cultures. That tolerance is but oneexpression of Witchlings’ belief in freewill, tempered by an acknowledgementof the consequences of exercising it.

Witchlings see their role asguardians of the ancient arcane practiceof witchcraft. It can be a thankless task,but the importance they attach to theirguardianship creates a close bondbetween all Witchlings, making themclannish and exclusive. They often act asthough their responsibility makes themdifferent from, or even superior to, othercultures. But they also seem to expect tobe harmed, reviled, or betrayed bystrangers. They seldom show very muchof their inner thoughts and feelings toothers, for fear of making themselvesvulnerable. Because of this, it often takes

a long time for them to trust otherpeople, and even then, a measure of

reserve and caution nearly alwaysremains between them. Theyconstantly worry that theirfriends will be persecuted asWitchling sympathizers, andtry not to get too close tothose they care about forfear of inadvertently endan-gering them.

Because they do nottrust many people, thefriendship of a Witchling isnot to be treated casually.Companions of Witchlingssometimes feel a degree ofspecial favor in their com-pany, especially if their rela-tionship is more than a for-mal or temporary alliance.At the same time, befriend-ing a Witchling is a riskyproposition at best. To their

enemies, the justification forhating Witchlings is incontro-

vertible — they commune withevil outsiders, they worship the

earth rather than a true god, andthey live in secret, hatching plots

and schemes for the ruin of humanity.As enemies of all that is good, they

must be exterminated. And so their manyfoes pursue the Witchlings with a fanaticalintensity — few people are more intense-ly feared and hated than Witchlings andtheir friends.

Culture Group: Uropan.Attitude: For Witchlings, life is a

mirror of deeds — those who aid othersreceive good will in return, and thosewho hurt others will ultimately beharmed themselves. They try to livetheir lives with an awareness of the effectof their actions on the world as a whole,often thinking of life as an unseen webthat ties all causes and effects, from thephases of the moon to the least doings ofhumans and other creatures.

Northern Crown

History: Witchlings have been prac-ticing their faith since ancient times.The Romans employed them as diviners,and allowed them to foster their cult ofnature worship throughout the empire aslong as they did not challenge the statereligion. After the rise of the RomanChurch, they could no longer worshipopenly because of their dealings withevil outsiders. They were driven under-ground until forced out of hiding bywaves of religious persecutions startingaround the year 1400. Many fled toScotia, where the king, Kieran Scot, wasknown to be a witch himself.

The enclave of Naumkeag inNorthern Crown was founded byWitchlings from France, España, andEngland who fled across the AtlanticSea to escape persecution, only to bethreatened by the arrival of Puritans ageneration later. Currently, they are atwar with their neighbors, theCommonwealth, while they seek toforge an alliance with the First Onesby offering them material and magicalassistance in their own effort againstUropan settlement.

Relations: Witchlings have a sen-tence of death upon their heads in TheCommonwealth, Nieu Nederlands,Carolingia, and Nueva España. TheRepublic of Sophia is officially neutraltowards them, but does not conductdiplomacy with them for fear ofoffending its neighbors. In Uropa,only the kingdom of Scotia is friendlyto them. First Ones find much toadmire about their respect for theearth, but as their new neighbors, theWitchlings have been no less ruinousthan other Uropans.

Lands: By and large, Witchlings donot seek to control territory, only toprotect themselves. In NorthernCrown, the only known Witchlingenclave is on the rocky peninsula ofNaumkeag, just north of theCommonwealth of New England. Avery small coven is rumored to dwell inthe Renegado Vale, sheltered by Keltrebels on the frontiers of Carolingia. InUropa, the land of Scotia is ruled byWitchlings, and another enclave is saidto lie hidden in the Black Forest in theimperial state of Bavaria.

Authority: Each Witchling enclaveis organized around a coven of power-ful witches, the eldest of whom is calledthe coven mother. The coven uses its

arcane power to defend the enclave, ittrains promising young Witchlings foreventual membership in the coven, andit appoints military captains and othermundane servants to positions ofauthority within the community.

Law: At the heart of Witchling lawis one fundamental proposition: do asyou will, but harm none. Witchlingsare free to live as they please, as longas they do not threaten the safety,freedom, or property of others. WhenWitchlings break this law, they mustpresent themselves before the covento receive judgment. No trial is need-ed, for the coven’s magical abilitiesallow them to quickly read the heartsand minds of those who stand beforethem. Punishment usually takes theform of restitution to the victim, ifpossible, and penance for the criminal,expressed either in word or deed. Inextreme cases, a wrongdoer might betransformed into an animal for sevenyears, or put into an enchanted sleep.Witchlings never kill prisoners, fearingthat such an act would bring ill conse-quences from the unseen web that tiesall acts together.

Magic: Within Witchling culture,magic is accepted as a natural practice.Not all Witchlings practice magic,though; there are many soldiers, rakes,scouts, commoners, and others whoconsider themselves Witchlings, butpossess no arcane abilities.

Students of magic in Witchlinglands may be wizards, sorcerers, orwitches. The latter have the greateststatus among their people, for witchesgain their arcane spellcasting abilityby dominating the will of evil out-siders, and only the strongest can doso without succumbing to evil them-selves. Most Witchling enclaves pre-pare young witches with years of ardu-ous study and mental preparation, buteven this is not always sufficient toprotect them from corruption. Evilwitches are almost invariably outcastsamong their own kind, although theyoccasionally have succeeded in wrest-ing control of Witchling communitiesfor themselves. Those who make pactswith evil outsiders are the most reviledof all, for they have surrendered theirwill and their humanity.

Religion: The Witchling faith isthat of the earth as universal mother,with an emphasis on the responsibili-

ties of humans as earth’s children. Itdiffers from the Druid faith of Keltsand Albians in two respects:Witchlings do not seek to draw powerfrom the earth, only to revere andguard it; and they do not see any divi-sion between the natural world andthe world of human society, since bothare ultimately derived from the lifeforce of the earth.

There is no organized priesthoodamong Witchlings; all members of anenclave participate in simple obser-vances of natural events, including thefull moon, the new moon, the sol-stices, and the equinoxes. Despite thesuspicions of other peoples, only evilwitches are said to worship the out-siders who grant them their magicalpowers, which makes them foolish andcontemptible in the eyes of goodWitchlings everywhere.

Arts: In Witchling lands, the weav-ing of cloth is an honorable activity,because it symbolizes the connectionsbetween all members of the Witchlingculture. The art of weaving andembroidery is highly refined in manyWitchling strongholds. Silversmithingis also symbolically important, as silveris the moon’s metal; the Witchlingsproduce fine silver jewelry and silver-ware for their own use.

Food: Witchlings eat no morethan they need to; they are not fond offeasting. Their fare tends to be simple,consisting of bread, berries, fruits, andcider, with little meat or fish.

Language: Witchlings speak thelanguage of their homeland as an auto-matic language, whether English,Français, Keltic, or Espaniard.

Names: Witchlings come frommany lands, and bring their namingtraditions with them. Children born toWitchling parents are sometimesgiven names suggestive of the powerof the night or of the earth.

Male: Ash, Alder, Auberon,Blackthorn, Corbin, Grey, Hawthorn,Oakley, Silver, Star.

Female: Argent, Belladonna, Cat,Diana, Luna, Pearl, Ravenna, Shade,Tenebra, Thorne, Titania, Umbriel,Willow.

Appearance: When traveling out-side their strongholds, Witchlingswear no identifying costume otherthan favoring black clothing withblack lace. In Witchling lands, theywear black exclusively. Men don blackdoublets or padded jackets of blackleather, embroidered with silver threadand sewn with mother-of-pearl, bone,and ivory. Women wear similarlyembroidered dresses of black silk withfull skirts, and capes clasped at theneck with a silver pin. Their jewelry isnever made of gold — the sun’s metal

54

Northern Crown

WITCHLING CULTURE BONUSES Nightchild: +2 to saves against fear; Low-light Vision to 60 feetUncanny Senses: Sense Motive +1Traditional Weapons: Dagger, longbow

— but only silver, pearl, crystal, andmoonstone, to symbolize the night.

Adventurers: Witchlings ventureinto hostile lands to rescue captives orto spy upon or attack their enemies.Because of the risks involved, they donot travel in unfriendly lands casually.

APPROPRIATE CLASSESThe following classes are common

among Witchlings.

AGENT

Social Rank 2d6+4Like other Witchling PCs, agents

are often multiclass sorcerers or witches.A Witchling agent can either work out-side the system as a spy for one of themany dissident factions that typicallybreed in a Witchling stronghold, orwithin as a legitimate servant of thecoven hired to act as a spy or mischief-maker in neighboring enemy lands.Because anonymity is limited within thetypically small population of aWitchling enclave, agents often becomemasters of disguise, and are particularlyadept at staying hidden. WitchlingLow-light Vision gives them an edge inforeign territory, but is obviously not asuseful in Witchling lands, where nearlyeveryone has the same advantage.

Cover of Darkness: Witchling agentsgain a +1 bonus to Initiative checks andskill checks for skills with Dexterity asthe key ability, in conditions of dark-ness or shadowy illumination.

BARD

Social Rank 3d6+3As do many other lands, Witchling

strongholds have their performers andpoets. They are not as free to wanderas are other bards, but the witchesappreciate the magic within rhymeand music, and hold their bards inhigh esteem. Those who do dare plytheir trade in other lands often act asspies for the witches, or at the veryleast, gatherers of news. It is said thatthe witches give these bards some-thing of their gift for human intuitionand the reading of hearts.

Instill Fear: Instead of generatingbenefits for their allies, Witchlingbards can choose to use their inspirecourage ability to give enemies whohear them a –1 morale penalty onsaves against charm and fear effects,and a –1 morale penalty on attack andweapon damage rolls. This effect lastswhile enemies hear the song and for 5rounds subsequently. The level of the

penalty increases to –2 at 8th level, –3at 14th level, and –4 at 20th level.

RAIDER

Social Rank 1d20+3From the highlands of Scotia and

the forests of Northern Crown comeformidable warriors who engage insolemn pacts to protect the witches oftheir homeland, in exchange for charmsand healing magic. Those who leavetheir clans to serve the witches becomeWitchlings in the eyes of their formercountrymen, unwelcome in their ownhomelands, cursed and feared. Theirbattle prowess and ferocity earn themimportant positions as bodyguards tomembers of the coven, and in exchangethey receive treasure and magicalpower from their new masters. Manystories are told of love affairs betweenraiders and witches; children of suchunions are usually raised as witches orraiders, depending on their aptitude.

Witchling raiders wear their nativecostume, usually with the addition of ablack feather to their headgear thatindicates their allegiance.

Stealthy: Witchling raiders receiveStealthy as a free feat at 1st level.

SCOUT

Social Rank 2d6Witchling scouts are almost always

multiclass witch/scouts or sorcerer/scouts.They lead patrols of witches along theperimeter of Witchling lands, or conductforays into enemy territory as scouts andspies. They wear gray jackets and hose,with black cloaks, broad hats, and highblack boots. Their companion animalstend to be ravens, crows, adders, orwolves.

Night Creature Empathy: Witchlingscouts gain a +4 bonus to WildEmpathy checks against animals withLow-light Vision or Darkvision.

Night Tracker: Witchling scoutsignore penalties for poor visibilitywhen making Survival checks to findor follow tracks.

SORCERER

Social Rank 2d6+6As one of the few lands where such

practices are not punishable by deathor even frowned upon, Witchlingstrongholds attract more than theirshare of sorcerers. However, thesemagic users do not carry the prestigeof witches, and tend to remain in themiddle of the social order, outside ofthe inner circle of the coven.Exceptions exist though, especially formulticlass sorcerer/witches, whose rel-

atively high charisma and wisdommakes them natural coven leaders.

To keep charismatic sorcerers at asafe distance, the coven often sendsthem on errands to the outside world,as secret agents or message-carriers toforeign covens. They can pass as ordi-nary citizens more easily than witches,and unlike wizards, they need noincriminating spellbooks. They some-times consort with rakes to work fortheir own profit rather than for thegood of the coven, however.

Witchling sorcerers usually dressin the black-upon-black garb of thewitches, but are said to carry it offwith more flare and flash, suitable totheir character.

Power of Night and Fear: When cast-ing spells with the Darkness or Feardescriptor, Witchling sorcerers addone level to their class level for thepurpose of determining level-basedspell effects.

WITCH

Social Rank 2d6+10Witches are at the top of the social

order in Witchling lands. They formthe core of the coven, the governingbody of a Witchling enclave. They alsomake up the Flight, which is the air-borne army of the witches that mobi-lizes to defend an enclave or punish thetransgressions of a neighbor. Witchescan be either male or female, but thetalent seems to run most stronglyamong daughters rather than sons; onlyabout 1 in 10 witches is a male, knownas a warlock. For more information onwitches, read the description of thewitch character class later in this book.

Coven Prestige: Witchling witchesreceive a +2 bonus to skill checks withCharisma as the key ability wheninteracting with other Witchlings.

WIZARD

Social Rank 2d6+4Wizards in Witchling lands are

often looked upon as mere technicians,rather than as true practitioners of theArt. But multiclass wizards/witches arehighly respected, for they are consid-ered to have cultivated their native tal-ent through academic study. Manywitches find wizards vaguely threaten-ing, perhaps because they learn theirmagic without the risk of traffickingwith evil outsiders, which seems aneasy out to them.

Dark Arts: When casting spells fromthe schools of Abjuration or Necromancy,Witchling wizards add one level to theirclass level for purposes of determininglevel-based spell effects.

55

Northern Crown

This chapter, which is designed asa mini-sourcebook for players andGMs, contains information about theUropans. Their arrival on the shores ofNorthern Crown has brought cata-strophic changes to the political andphysical landscape of the continent. Inaddition to guns, horses, and deadlydiseases, the Uropans have broughtwith them the legacy of their own cul-ture, including a unique system ofsocial ranks, customs, and values, andlong-standing traditions related towarfare, leisure, medicine, magic, andreligion.

SOCIALRANK

Uropan society is divided intocourtly and common ranks, with sev-eral classes within these two majordistinctions. All Uropans are expectedto know their place in this socialorder, and to dress, eat, speak, andbehave appropriately. It is not unusualfor people of ambition to advancewithin the social order, but they haveto observe the rules of social interac-tion, or such advancements will beshort-lived. In New World Adventures,

these distinctions between charactersare represented by a new concept —social rank, abbreviated SocR, isdetermined by a die roll at 1st level forplayer characters (see the previouschapter for initial social ranks forcharacters within each culture).

COURTLYCLASSES

The courtly classes of Uropansociety, from the royal family of themonarch to the relatively modest gen-try, all share one thing that common-ers lack — a title, which they can passin some form to their heirs.

ROYALRoyal rank is restricted to members

of the immediate family of the reign-ing monarch and his or her predeces-sors, including spouses, siblings, andtheir children. The oldest child of amonarch inherits the title; youngerchildren are usually considered royalprinces or princesses, whose own chil-dren will join the upper ranks of thenobility. To have royal blood sets oneso high above even the nobility, thatall but the most powerful individualswill treat a royal character as anotherspecies — remote, mysterious, evendivine. Either that, or they will consid-er you a ripe target for bribery, abduc-tion, or assassination. Being a memberof this class is a mixed blessing.

As a royal, you live in one of sever-al palaces or great castles. You spendyour days in the leisure pursuits of thenobility — hunting, hawking, riding,

56

CHAPTER THREE

THE UROPANSAs the letter burns in the fireplace grate, its contents come to life as a vivid play in my mind’s eye. The curtain opens upon Lady

Annalisa X, provost of the Vandalian College of War, as she alights from her aerostatic ship in a meadow near a dig site in the OhioVale. The guards — filthy freebooters from every war-ravaged corner of Uropa — hold the tethers and secure the vessel, asAnnalisa’s clockwork servant begins to unload her scientific apparatus, neatly packed in a nested Cathay box. A cadre of workers,drawn from the ranks of the rafters who ply this stretch of the Ohio, carry wicker basketsof earth from the excavation to the riverside,where they sift through the dirt for Moundraiser artifacts, under the watchful eye of a Vandalian hussar.

Annalisa retires to her tent and compares the eidetic plate she has just taken from the vantage of the ship to one taken upon herlast visit, one week earlier. Her finger traces the serpentine outline of the mound, and pauses upon a scar cut through the ancient earth-work by the labor of her diggers. Too small, too shallow. Lazy villeins, she thinks. The dig is proceeding too slowly, they are drag-ging their feet. It’s the ridiculous fireside tales and ghost stories centered around these mounds that are making them too careful.

A commotion stirs outside the tent. Shawnee raiders perhaps, trying to stop the dig — more superstitious nonsense. She puts a sil-ver whistle to her lips to sound the alarm, then pauses, looking over at the freshest part of the dig. There the unmistakable outline of aroyal Moundraiser tomb rises out of the earth, clawed out of the surrounding soil by the few rafters bold enough to touch the thing.She barks an order to the clockwork servant to fetch her sympathetic ear — the other ear is in the keeping of her master, Lord AsaphBurr, self-styled Emperor of Vandalia.

“My lord?” she whispers into the bronze ear, just a trace of excitement in her voice.“You’ve found it, then,” comes the reply, as clear as if he stood there beside her. “Proceed.”

UROPANSOCIAL CLASSESCOURTLY SOCIAL CLASSES

Class Social RankRoyal 41+Noble 26–40Knight 21–25Gentry 16–20

COMMON SOCIAL CLASSES

Class Social RankBurgess 11–15Tradesman 7–10Yeoman 4–6Laborer 1–3Marginal 0

dancing, wrestling, and fighting —and you are also inevitably involved inthe highest intrigues of the court.Carolingia is the only Uropan cultureto have its royal class residing inNorthern Crown, at the capital ofCharles Town. The royal courts of theAlbians, Espaniards, and Françaisremain in Uropa, an ocean away.Royals from these cultures come toNorthern Crown rarely, being wary ofleaving the throne vacant.

NOBLENobles are titled members of the

courtly ranks, fit to associate with theroyal family, but less isolated from thevicissitudes of real life. The mostimportant offices of state are usuallyheld by members of this class, provid-ing them with additional power, pres-tige, and income. A noble title is usu-ally territorial, meaning that it is asso-ciated with a particular area of thekingdom, whose size and value is rela-tive to the prestige of the title. Anoble’s title passes to the eldest child,while younger children become part ofthe gentry once they achieve theirmaturity.

As a noble, you live on a greatestate; this is either manor or castle,depending on the stability of the localpopulace and your proximity to hos-tile neighbors. You may spend much ofyour time away at court, attending theroyal family and vying for favoragainst your fellow nobles. That is, ofcourse, unless you have offended the

monarch, in which case you may beimprisoned, exiled, stripped of yourtitle, or executed.

In Northern Crown, Uropannobles can be found as administratorsand military leaders in Nueva España,as members of Charles’ court inCarolingia, as entrepreneurs orlandowners in Nouvelle France, as clanleaders of Kelt renegado settlements inthe mountains, or as adventurers ofAlbion nearly anywhere.

KNIGHTNeither noble nor common,

knights are a class in themselves.Knights (the equivalent rank forwomen is dame) are created at the willof the monarch, usually for some greatservice to the crown. They do not passtheir knightly rank to their children,who instead become members of thegentry. A distinction is made betweenthe ordinary knight, called a knightbachelor, and the very rare knight ban-neret, who wins the title on the battle-field by doing something of greathonor for the monarch.

As a knight, you will live in aknightly hall. Your duties will includeserving at court when summoned, anddefending the nation as a soldier intimes of war. Most knights inNorthern Crown have come to serveas administrators, military leaders, orexplorers, leaving their native landsbehind in order to seek fame and for-tune overseas.

GENTRY

The gentry are composed of fami-lies who are descended from titlednobility and knights. All that isrequired is a single noble or knightlyancestor. The gentry is the class of thecountry squire, sometimes scarcelymore prosperous than the commoners,but with an aura of pomp andgrandeur, however slight or faded.

As a gentleman or lady, you willmaintain a small country estate, andlive off the income of your tenants,plus whatever old money that hasn’tbeen squandered by your ancestors.Your manor house is probably in needof repair, but still quite comfortable bycommon standards. The society ofrural Carolingia, Nieu Nederlands,and the Commonwealth of NewEngland is centered on the estates ofthe gentry, bound together by aninterest in agricultural production,maintenance of the traditions of hunt-ing, riding, and social gatherings, andin the preservation of family wealthand honor.

COMMONCLASSES

Members of the common classes,although lacking titles, can still accu-mulate considerable wealth and power,though honest or dishonest means.

BURGESSBurgesses represent the wealthiest

members of the new mercantile class-es. They signal a shift in the centers ofpower from rural landholders to urbanmen and women of commerce.Burgesses are powerful enough to havea say in city government, and perhapsnational government as well, thoughas new money they lack the prestige ofthe nobility.

As a burgess, you live in a townhouse,perhaps occupying a small city block.Your income comes from practicing aprofession — most commonly as a mer-chant, but possibly as a lawyer, physician,or other professional occupation.

TRADESMANTradesmen form the backbone of

the skilled crafts, formally organizedinto powerful guilds, but now losingpower to the burgesses. As skilled

57

Northern Crown

UROPAN ROYAL & NOBLE TITLESMALE FEMALE LAND HOLDING

ROYALKing Queen Kingdom

Royal Prince Royal Princess Principality

NOBLEDuke Duchess Duchy

Marquis Marchioness MarchEarl or Count Countess County

Viscount Viscountess CountyBaron Baroness Barony

KNIGHTLYKnight Banneret Grand Dame ManorKnight Bachelor Dame Manor

GENTRYSquire Lady Estate

workers, they retain more status thanordinary farmers and laborers.

As a tradesman or tradeswoman,you live in a modest house in a city ortown, with the ground floor occupiedby your workshop and the upperfloors as your family’s living quarters.You earn good wages for your work,but the hours are long and the condi-tions often difficult.

YEOMANThe yeoman is the freeman

farmer, meaning that he is free tofarm the land as he pleases, eventhough it is likely rented from aknight or gentleman. Many of thesoldiery are drawn from this class; informer times, they supplied longbow-men to the royal army, but now, theyoften become mercenaries or elseleave the farm for opportunities in thecity or overseas. In Northern Crown,the yeomanry prospers on the fron-tiers of Uropan settlement, far frompowerful lords and central authori-ties. They are often called settlers,homesteaders, or pioneers.

As a yeoman, you live in a well-kept farm near the land that your fam-ily tills. You earn a little money sellingyour produce at market, but most ofyour labor goes simply to feed yourfamily and maintain your farm.

LABORERAlso known as a mechanical or

peasant, the laborer works entirely forthe benefit his lord, either as a manuallaborer or servant. The work is oftendirty and exhausting, even dangerous,and life is often short and brutal.

As a laborer, you sleep in an attic, abarn, or on your employer’s floor, asyou can. The little money you earn isbarely sufficient to keep you in the nec-essaries of life.

MARGINALYou are a vagrant, a wanderer, or

maybe even a criminal. Your home isthe street, and you rely on charity andyour own wits to scrape by. Or you maybe an escaped captive laborer or prison-er, wanted by the law, your formersocial rank stripped away by those whoimprisoned you.

SOCIAL RANKIN GAME PLAY

All Uropan PCs start with a SocialRank derived from a die roll determinedby their character class within their cul-ture. This initial rank determines howthey are expected to behave and betreated by others.

RULES OF CONDUCTEspecially among the courtly

ranks, the standard of behavior forindividuals can be strict and quitecomplex with regards to dress,speech, entertainments, and vocation.For the lower ranks, the rules are per-haps less complex but no less strict.The following rules are universal inUropan culture:• It is considered impertinent to

address members of a non-adjacenthigher rank without being spoken tofirst; for example, a tradesman can-not address a member of the gentry.

• It is considered indecent to associatewith members of a non-adjacentlower social class; for example, anobleman associating with membersof the mere gentry. The exception isif the person of lower rank is clearlya servant or employee.

COURTESYThe coinage of Uropan social

interaction is courtesy, meaning notonly the gestures of politeness, butrespect for one’s own place in thesocial order and for the place of oth-ers, whether higher or lower. • When showing courtesy to someone

of higher rank, you are expected tobow when greeting them, not speakunless addressed, and not leave untilyou are dismissed. You do not pub-licly challenge the decisions of high-er individuals, and you do not adopta familiar tone when speaking withthem.

• Showing courtesy to people of lowerrank means not becoming too famil-iar with them, either. To treat a ser-vant as a friend is demeaning to youand embarrassing to the servant —who would want a master who didn’tknow his place in the world? It also

means rewarding one’s servants withappropriate gifts for good service,and treating them well (withoutspoiling them, of course).

• Only among one’s peers can a PCreally relax and adopt a more informalmanner. A burgess in a meeting withhis fellow merchants, a yeoman rub-bing elbows with his mates in a tav-ern, or a duchess riding through thepark with her cousin the countess,can all drop their formal personae.

SOCIALADVANCEMENT

Central to the role of social rank isthe idea that PCs can climb in rank asthey advance in experience. In thenew age, people of ambition and talentcan indeed rise above their station inlife, even making the transition fromcommon to courtly in rare cases. Thedetails of social rank advancement areas follows:• Each time PCs gain a class level, add

+1 their SocR.• A PC of common class cannot rise

above burgess (SocR 15) unlessgiven a knighthood or other title.

• PCs of courtly class cannot riseabove the highest SocR of their ini-tial social class unless knighted orgiven a title. For example, a knightcan’t rise above SocR 25 unless ele-vated to the nobility. To be elevatedabove one’s initial courtly class hap-pens in one of two ways: either as areward from the monarch for somegreat service to the state, or by pur-chasing a vacant title. The selling oftitles is a common practice in thisera, as it is a means of raising quickmoney for the royal treasury, despitewarnings that this practice devaluesthe prestige of the court by packingit with over-moneyed social climbersof low birth.

• Purchase of a title costs a minimumof 50,000 gp for a knightly title, and100,000 gp for a noble one. Oncepurchased, it raises the SocR of thePC to the lowest level possible forthe next highest class: SocR 21 forknights, SocR 26 for nobles. Royaltitles cannot be purchased under anycircumstances.

58

Northern Crown

IDEALSPart of the GM’s job is to set a

heroic tone for the campaign byreflecting it in the words, deeds, andideals of the NPCs encountered by theplayer characters — even the villain-ous ones. Despite differences in thevalues upheld by individual Uropancultures, certain character traits arenearly universally admired, and othersreviled. This section gives a summaryabout the ideals upheld by manyUropans as the most admirable.

HONORHonor is something expected of

individuals at all levels of society,despite personal feelings or evendeep hatreds. Generally, it can bethought of as a code for personalinteraction, composed of four indi-vidual principles:

VOUCHSAFE Vouchsafe is the first principle of

honor. It means that once you havegiven your word to another person,you will not break it, even if it costsyou your life. To betray another’s trustis considered treachery, which imme-diately places you outside the civilizedworld. In Dante’s Inferno, the traitorsJudas, Brutus, and Cassius occupy thedeepest circle of hell — even lowerthan murderers and thieves. There isno quicker way to become an outcastthen to let it be known that you havecommitted treachery against someoneto whom you have given vouchsafe.

CREDIT Credit is the practice of treating

others as their station deserves. To actwith credit is to faithfully serve thoseabove you, and to act as a fair and rea-sonably generous master to thosebelow you. To be too generous or toostingy to one’s servants is to lose cred-it with them; lavish rewards willembarrass them and make them sus-pect in the eyes of their peers, whilewithholding any reward and stillexpecting loyal service will soon erodenot only their loyalty to you, but alsoyour own honor in the eyes of yourpeers and your betters.

MERCIE Mercie is the quality of not exact-

ing revenge upon a defeated enemy,even if he has caused you great harm.Honorable characters always acceptthe surrender of an enemy — or evenbetter, give their enemy a chance torecover and continue the fight on evenground. To gratuitously injure or mis-treat someone who is in your powershows a definite lack of sangfroid (seebelow); it is a sign of weakness.

COURAGE Courage is physical bravery — a

lack of visible concern for pain, dis-comfort, and death. Such situationsare seen as a chance to show goodhumor (see below). To shrink fromdanger or flinch at the experience ofpain makes you a coward. If death isinevitable, it is far more honorable todie well then to live as a coward with-out honor.

SANGFROIDThe ideal of sangfroid, or cold-

bloodedness, means not that you areruthless (see Mercie, above), but thatyou do not let anger or petty grudgescloud your judgment. Acting withoutthinking through the consequences ofyour actions is considered rash, orcholeric (see Fortune and Characterlater in this chapter). A character withsangfroid will turn in a traitorous fel-low officer to his commander, even ifthe traitor is a friend, because not todo so may be damaging to one’s ownhonor; and besides, the traitor knewvery well what the consequenceswould be if he was discovered.

GOOD HUMORAll Uropans are expected to be in

good humor, meaning that they refrainfrom public displays of anger, frustra-tion, and disappointment. To demon-strate ill humor in the company of yourassociates is embarrassing for them,because it calls their own character intoquestion. A character who remainscheerful, or even cockily defiant, in theface of overwhelming odds earns respectfrom friend and foe alike. To wring one’shands or sulk is to give in to melancholy,the traditional temperament of artists,thinkers, and Danish princes.

COURTESYCourtesy, as described in the

Social Rank section of this chapter, isthe display of proper manners to one’speers, betters, and servants — themedium through which credit isgiven and received. It involves anexchange of gestures and words thatreinforce and acknowledge your rankin relation to another person.Characters lacking courtesy are saidto be base or low. Such people willnever lack for challenges to a duel atdawn; in an age where access tomoney and power depends on yourrank, to ignore a discourteous act is toadmit that you are unworthy of yourplace in the social order, with possi-bly disastrous consequences.

IDEALS IN THECAMPAIGN

Uropan characters who demon-strate exceptional examples of honor,sangfroid, good humor, and courtesyshould earn experience point awards,especially if their behavior puts themat a tactical disadvantage or increasestheir personal danger. To allow a foeto recover a dropped rapier beforecontinuing a fight, to make a powerfulenemy by honoring a debt to a friend,to keep one’s cool after an insult froma member of the court — these actsare worth ad hoc awards of at least 50to 100 XP each, and possibly muchmore depending on the personal riskto the PC.

Of course, player characters don’thave to adhere to any of the ideals ofthe age, but there is a price to pay.Characters who are consistently trai-torous, dishonorable, rash, ill-humored, or base soon develop a rep-utation as villeins, unworthy of trustand not fit to be seen with. (There areplaces where villeins may congregatewithout shame, but they tend to beunpleasant, dangerous ones, full ofvilleins even more base than you are.)Villeins will soon see their Social Rankdrop to the top of the next-lowestsocial class until exceptional measuresare taken to restore their reputation.

The ideals of the age do notaddress every aspect of behavior, byany means. For example, they saynothing for or against enjoying theworldly pleasures of food, drink, gam-bling, and romance. Your religion mayindeed preach against these, but suchthings are a matter of individual con-

59

Northern Crown

science rather than public record. Ifyou can make merry without discredit-ing or insulting anyone, few peoplewill care.

Non-violence is not mentionedas an ideal, either. This is an agewhere nearly everyone carries asword or knife to defend honor,faith, friends, and property. Yourown conscience might prevent youfrom using violence, but there is nouniversal condemnation against it. Itall depends upon whether you werehonorably fighting a well-matchedfoe, or dishonorably bullying aweaker victim.

Whatever you do, don’t confusethe ideals of the age with chivalry,which survives only as a kind of par-lor game among the nobility and asa subject of satire for writers andpoets like Cervantes and Ariosto. Itis considered positively medievalfor an honorable man to publiclypine for a married woman, and inde-cent for her to encourage it.Courtesy is to be extended univer-sally, if it is to be of any value, notjust to the object your romanticinterest.

EVIL & CHAOTICUROPANS

The ideals of honor, sangfroid, goodhumor, and courtesy might seem out ofplace in an evil character, but theseideals are tied not to good alignment,but rather to lawful alignment. All char-acters who acknowledge hierarchiesand laws will at least pay lip service tothe ideals of the age. That includes themajority of NPCs the characters arelikely to encounter — even buccaneerslive by a code of honor, after their ownfashion. The ideals tend to be ignoredonly when dealing with so-called sav-ages or outlaws — people literally out-side the pale of civilization. These folkare seen by their enemies as servants ofchaos, incapable of understanding orupholding honorable or courteousbehavior. The fact that they may havetheir own ideals of honor and courtesyis seldom considered.

Truly chaotic PCs or NPCs aremost likely to ignore the ideals of theage. The chaotic good highwaymanwho steals only from the rich to give tothe poor, the chaotic neutral wanderingminstrel, or the chaotic evil banditchief may not follow the niceties ofcourteous behavior, nor the strictures ofhonor, but they pay a heavy price for it— namely, exile from Uropan civiliza-tion and its benefits.

THE SEXESIn Northern Crown, ordinary

Uropans tend to accept or be forced intothe traditional roles expected of mem-bers of their gender. In a given companyof NPC soldiers, for example, the major-ity will be men, just as most NPC FirstOnes households will be headed bywomen. It takes extraordinary people tobreak out of their assumed role in theirown culture. Since player characters areby definition extraordinary, with higherthan average abilities and a player con-trolling their actions, they can take anyrole they like, whether as a woman sol-dier or a male witch. History is full ofthese exceptional people (see WomenAdventurers, below). In the heroic worldof a New World Adventures campaign, theyare even more common. No femaleplayer character should expect to bedrummed out of town for wearingbreeches and carrying a rapier. There areexceptions to this, notably in Uropanchurches where women are absolutelyprohibited from positions of power, andthe Witchling covens where men arealmost entirely absent. But for the mostpart, the GM should allow player char-acters free access to all roles accessible totheir social rank, regardless of sex, andallow exceptional NPCs the sameaccess. Run-of-the-mill NPCs will justdo what’s expected of them by friends,family, and neighbors.

60

Northern Crown

DAILY LIFEThe following section contains

information about daily life in Uropanlands, including medical care, traveland leisure, games and sports, and ser-vants and retainers.

MEDICINEIf a Uropan character in need of

medical care asks for a doctor, he willbe shown the way to the nearest uni-versity or church. A doctor is someonewith an advanced university degree ofany kind, not a healer. When yourcharacter is sick, he goes to a physi-cian who deals exclusively in diagnos-ing and treating disease. After examin-ing your eyes, your skin tone, yourpulse, and your urine sample, thephysician may prescribe a pill,draught, tincture, poultice, or otherunappealing treatment. This is sup-plied by an apothecary, who preparesand dispenses drugs whether or notyou have a written prescription forthem. Or, the physician might recom-mend a visit to a surgeon for a courseof bloodletting. Surgeons do not diag-nose or cure diseases; their skill lies inrepairing injuries to the body, whethersetting bones, stitching wounds, orperforming actual surgery without thebenefit of anesthetic. They also relieveyou of excess blood, either with thehelp of live leeches applied to variousareas of your body, or with an incisionmade by a sharp knife or a spring-loaded scarificator. A scarificator isalso helpful for self-bloodletting bythe squeamish.

TREATING DISEASEA disease must be correctly diag-

nosed before treatment, whichrequires a Heal skill check at DC 10.Treatment can include bloodletting,leeches, scalding or freezing baths, orany number of odd and uncomfortableprocedures left to the discretion of theGM. Physicians usually treat diseasesfree of charge, since they are nearlyalways of courtly rank and considertaking money for services to bedemeaning. Unfortunately, they sel-dom stray very far from the safety ofthe university or royal court; charac-ters who fall ill in the wilderness are ontheir own.

HEALING DAMAGEMost wounded characters will go

to a surgeon to recover hit points. Asuccessful treatment heals the standardamount of damage described underd20 System rules for characters receiv-ing long-term care, providing theinjured character follows a course ofbed rest. Surgeons charge 1 gp pertreatment, plus 1 gp for every rank ofHeal skill above five ranks (good sur-geons are expensive).

TRAVEL ANDLEISURE

Travel and leisure are enjoyed byboth nobility and commoners, to vary-ing degrees. These are describedbelow.

TAVERNS, ALE HOUSES,INNS, & COFFEEHOUSES

In Uropan lands, public eating anddrinking establishments take severalforms:

THE TAVERN OR ORDINARY

A tavern or ordinary is a roadsideservice area catering to travelers, offer-ing food, drink, and short-term lodg-ings. Taverns tend to be found on well-traveled roads at intervals of about aday’s journey apart. The more trafficthey serve, the larger they are.Regardless of their size, they will offerbasic services with few frills. You canget a meal, a drink, a room, and somestabling and fodder for your horse, butlittle else. Because they cater to tran-sients, they tend to attract rakes,swindlers, pickpockets, and othervilleins, as well as respectable folk likemerchants and tradesmen. Many fate-ful chance meetings have happened inthe common rooms of such places.

THE ALE-HOUSE

An ale-house offers no lodgings,except perhaps a communal room forsleeping off hangovers. Their businessis offering drinks to the local clientele.In poor neighborhoods, ale-houseswill be dark and dismal hovels, dan-gerous and disreputable for courtlycharacters to visit. In wealthier quar-ters of the city, ale-houses are cheery,well-lit places known as tippling hous-

es. They often serve as impromptuoffices for merchants and traders.Private rooms may be available forgentlefolk who don’t wish to minglewith the common folk, and meals areserved with advance notice.

THE INN OR BOARDINGHOUSE

Inns and boarding houses offerlong-term accommodation, in additionto the services of a tavern. Inns arefound in large towns and cities. Theytend to be large, well-run, and comfort-able, with a professional staff of ser-vants including maids, grooms, laun-derers, and cooks. Up to half of an inn’sguests may be permanent lodgers:unmarried characters without their ownservants often find it convenient to livein an inn, where they can have theirmeals cooked, their clothes washed,and so on, all for a nominal fee.

THE COFFEEHOUSE

The coffeehouse is a recent inno-vation, following the introduction ofthis stimulating beverage from theNear East. It is the favored gatheringplace for natural philosophers, bards,freethinkers, and artists of all kinds.These establishments function as amarketplace of ideas and news fromaround the known world; printedbroadsheets containing news, rumors,ballads, satire, and advertisements areposted on the walls. Private rooms areavailable for meetings of fraternal soci-eties, friends, and business associates.The atmosphere of coffeehouses tendsto be more convivial and intellectualthan that of ale-houses, although caf-feine-fueled debates can become quiterancorous at times.

GAMES AND SPORTSUropans enjoy a variety of games

and sports, especially those thatinvolve gambling or riding. TheRoman Church and their Dissenterenemies both frown upon games andsports as wasteful and distracting, yetthe following pastimes remain popularamong all Uropan cultures:

DRAUGHTS

Draughts, or checkers, is the gameof the common ale-house. Thedraughts-board is usually scratchedinto the tabletop or windowsill, andthe pieces are often improvised. Apopular variant, called nine-men’smorris, uses a different board.

61

Northern Crown

HAZARD

Hazard is the most popularUropan dice game. A favorite of sol-diers on garrison duty, it is played likecraps, for money (of course).

HUNTING

Hunting is a pastime of courtlycharacters. It usually takes place in theautumn, as the central feature of anelaborate social ritual. Deer and boarare the most common quarry for hunt-ing. Specially bred dogs are used to findand trap animals; their prey is then dis-patched with spears (not with guns,which are considered unsporting).

NINEPINS

Ninepins is played with a ball andnine bowling pins. The object of thegame is to bowl exactly 31 pins with-out going over. This is a popular tav-ern game among the common classes.

TABLES

Tables would be recognized by amodern observer as the game ofbackgammon. It is also called theCorsican game. Like tennis, tables isplayed for money, often in a publictabling den where players might goto have a drink and find a worthyopponent.

TENNIS

Tennis is the game of courtly char-acters, enjoyed by Louis of France andCharles of Carolingia alike. It is playedindoors, with the ball played off thewalls as well as off the floor. One side ofthe court contains a gallery for specta-tors, separated from the players by a netor screen. Disputes and points of honorbetween gentlemen are often settled onthe tennis courts, rather than at swordpoint. Wagering, both by the playersand the spectators, is an integral featureof the game.

RETAINERSAND SERVANTS

Uropan culture features a systemof retainers and servants who serve amaster of higher social rank. Retainersdo so out of loyalty, while servants doit in exchange for room, board, andpay. It is not unusual for even 1st-levelUropan characters to have one ormore NPC servants, while retainerscan only be acquired as followers of acharacter with the Leadership feat.

In play, the actions of NPC retain-ers and servants are generally con-

trolled by the player who controls theirmaster’s PC. They are best thought ofas extensions of the PC, rather than asseparate characters. If a PC tells hisretainers or servants to do something,the player can assume they will. TheGM only steps in when there is a rea-son for the NPCs to do otherwise—perhaps they don’t know how to carryout their master’s orders, they havebeen bribed, or they are too scared tocomply. That having been said, playersand GMs are welcome to flesh out thepersonalities of NPC servants andretainers — especially those closest tothe PC — as long as doing so does notdistract players from roleplaying theirown characters. A name, a briefdescription, and a few lines about theNPC’s personality are usually sufficient.

RETAINERSIn a New World Adventures campaign,

followers of a character with aLeadership feat are generally calledretainers. They are your most loyalcompanions, ready to defend yourhonor and your life with their swords.Your retainers always have lowerSocial Rank than you, but no morethan one social class below your own— a knight’s retainers, for example,will all be knights of lower rank orfrom the gentry. Retainers can beyounger siblings, poorer relations,

Northern Crown

SERVANTSServant Pay Class* 7–10 11–15 16–20 21–25 26–40 41+Actor/Musician 10 gp Exp 1 — — — — 1 6Astrologer 50 gp Exp 3 — — — — — 1Butler 15 gp Exp 1 — 1 1 1 1 1Chaplain 20 gp Adpt 2 — — — 1 1 1Cook 15 gp Exp 2 — 1 1 1 2 3Footman 8 gp Com 1 — 1 1 2 4 12Gardener 14 gp Exp 2 — — — 1 1 1Groom 7 gp Com 1 — — 1 2 4 6Harbinger 30 gp Exp 2 — — — — 1 1Housemaid 6 gp Com 1 — 1 1 2 4 8Lackey 5 gp Com 1 1 1 1 2 4 8Laundress 6 gp Com 1 — — 1 1 1 1Magus 50 gp Adpt 3 — — — — — 1Nurse 6 gp Com 1 — — 1 ** ** **Physician 50 gp Exp 3 — — — — — 1Steward 60 gp Exp 3 — — — 1 1 1Waiter 10 gp Com 1 — — — 1 2 4Watchman 12 gp War 1 — — 1 1 2 4

Total Number of Servants: 1 5 10 16 29 60Total Pay/Quarter (gp): 5 49 80 204 333 714

* This column gives the NPC class and minimum character level of this servant type.** Generally, one nurse is required for every child in the house under age 14.

— Master’s Social Rank —

62

drinking pals, old schoolyard chums,or family friends. They are not yourservants, nor are they your employees,but it is your responsibility to ensurethat they are well-fed, well-housed,and well-equipped. In return for yourpatronage, they wear your family liv-ery (your family colors) to show theirdevotion to you. If you are a knight,noble, or royal, they will also wear acloth badge embroidered with yourcoat of arms.

Retainers offer genuine devotionand respect for you. In exchange, theywant your protection and your friend-ship. They also hope to raise their ownsocial rank by associating with you —if enough of your reputation and gloryrubs off on them, they may begin toattract their own retainers.

In the course of the game, your PCmay have an opportunity to become aretainer of a higher-level NPC. Thiscan work to your PC’s advantage. Yougain a powerful friend who can intro-duce you to other influential NPCs,help pay your expenses, and protectyou from enemies. PCs who agree tobecome a retainer must wear the NPC’slivery and be available to assist andprotect the NPC at a moment’s notice.A GM may deem that an entire partyof PCs begins their campaign as retain-ers of the same NPC. Such an arrange-ment has its advantages in terms ofproviding tasks and adventures for theparty, and getting the PCs immediate-ly involved in complex plots and NPCinteractions.

SERVANTSUropan PCs who can afford it may

have one or more servants. Servants areordinarily played as NPCs who followthe orders of the PC who employsthem. They are usually 1st-level com-

moners, although highly skilled ser-vants can be expert class. They are notcounted among a PC’s followers, butmight eventually become followers, oreven cohorts, like Don Quixote’s long-suffering Sancho Panza or D’Artagnan’shapless dogsbody Planchet. Most ofthe time, however, servants are practi-cally invisible unless called for by thePC; a good servant strives to be unob-trusive, but responsive to his employ-er’s needs.

Servants get paid for their services,and they may leave if they aren’t treat-ed well. They are not followers. Theirduties do not include leaping in frontof flying bullets to save you, nordefending your honor with theirswords. As their employer, you areexpected to let them do their job with-out being either inappropriatelychummy or abusive (see Credit underthe Ideals section of this chapter).Masters who discredit their servantswill soon find that no one is willing towork for them. Most servants are justas eager to climb the social ladder asyou are; they’re just starting on a lowerrung, and looking for someone whocan give them opportunities. Apotscrubber might hope to become abutler; a scullery maid might dream ofbeing handmaiden to a great lady.They are willing to play the game inorder to get ahead.

And, of course, they want money. Infact, they accept money not just fromyou, but from anyone who wants to gettheir attention or receive some servicefrom them, like delivering a message toyou. A silver piece is customary in pay-ment for some small service. Such a tipis called a vail. A douceur, also a silverpiece or two, is given as a little bribe inadvance, to ensure prompt and discreetservice. It’s all acceptable, as long as theservant’s bond of vouchsafe with you isnot broken.

In addition to tips, servants arepaid quarterly and given one new suitof clothes per year. They live in yourhouse, and may travel with you. Abreach of conduct or failure to per-form their job results in a small fine of5 to 10 cp, exacted by you. Infractionsinclude sleeping on the job, shirking,cursing, being drunk on duty, wearingdirty clothes, forgetting to close thedoor behind them, and missing churchservices. Poor servants are never givencorporal punishment by any but themost evil and cruel master; they aresimply dismissed from your service.

Characters who do not maintain aminimum staff of servants appropriateto their class will be shunned by theirsocial peers, distrusted by their socialinferiors, and ignored by their socialbetters. Such characters’ effectiveSocial Rank will drop to the highestlevel of the next highest social class,until a minimum household staff ishired. The table on the opposite pageshows the minimum number of eachtype of servant a character must employto maintain a given social class. Forconvenience, the total quarterly pay islisted at the bottom of the table. Keepin mind that the numbers given are abare-bones minimum; the actual house-hold staff of a noble or royal characterwill almost always be much higher.

SERVANT TYPESHere are the duties of different ser-

vant types from the Servants table:

ACTORS/MUSICIANS

These servants are paid to enter-tain you and your guests, and to writeand perform flattering songs and playsabout you. They typically work singlyor in troupes of 2 to 12.

ASTROLOGERS

Astrologers cast monthly horo-scopes for you and anyone else youask them to, and advise you about thebest and worst times to begin a partic-ular journey or task.

THE BUTLER

Your butler is in charge of thehousehold wine supplies.

THE CHAPLAIN

The chaplain oversees the familychapel and presides over religious ser-vices for your family, including bap-tisms, weddings, and funerals.

63

Northern Crown

64

FOOTMEN

Footmen help you in and out ofyour coach, open doors for you whenyou enter a room, and close thembehind you. They also convey mes-sages and announce guests.

THE GARDENER

The gardener cares for the groundsof your house, including trees, shrubs,and flowers.

GROOMS

Grooms take care of your horsesand stables.

THE HARBINGER

A harbinger travels ahead of you toarrange suitable lodgings for you,either at an inn or a gentleman’s home.

HOUSEMAIDS

Housemaids are responsible for gen-eral housecleaning duties, from scrub-bing pots to sweeping out the fireplaces.

LACKEYS

Also called valets, lackeys are gen-eral personal servants. They carry yourluggage, polish your boots, cook yourmeals in the field, deliver messages,and do anything else you can think of.

THE FAMILY MAGUS

Your magus spies on your enemiesby means of divination, and protectsyou from sorcerous plots and curses.

THE NURSE

The nurse cares for your children.In many households, she, rather thanthe parents, is the primary caregiver tothe master’s children.

THE HOUSEHOLD PHYSICIAN

The physician maintains the healthof the master and his family.

THE STEWARD

The steward is your highest-rank-ing servant. He hires and fires thehousehold staff, and manages theirday-to-day activities, ensuring every-thing is kept up to your standards.

WAITERS

Waiters serve and remove food dur-ing meals, and help the cook as needed.

THE WATCHMAN

The watchman works as adoorguard, and keeps the grounds ofthe house safe at night with the help ofhis dog, his lantern, and his clacker(noisemaker).

CRIMES & EVILS

Many Uropans participate in orprofit from the criminal practices ofslavery, persecution, and genocide.Player characters must reckon withthese evils, for they are found nearlyeverywhere in the Uropan-occupiedareas of the New World, and touchevery aspect of Uropan life.

Like other violent crimes againstinnocent people, these practices areperpetrated exclusively by characters ofevil alignment. Any character who sellsa human being, or purchases humanbeings without immediately freeinghim, has committed an evil act. Anycharacter who harms another characterbecause of his religious or ethnic back-ground has committed an evil act. GMswho allow evil player characters shouldthink carefully about the implications ofdoing so in a New World Adventures cam-paign, which has stronger resonanceswith our own historical past than a typ-ical fantasy campaign does. It is highlyrecommended that GMs adopt the pol-icy that player characters who committhese evil acts immediately becomeNPCs under the GM’s control.

FORCED LABORForemost among the evil common

in the New World is that of forcedlabor, whether it be as slavery orindentured servitude.

SLAVERYFor centuries, Uropan nations have

participated in the capture and forcedlabor of other humans, including reli-gious and ethnic minorities, prisonersof war, and their own kinfolk. Theextension of this practice to the conti-nent of Nyambe-tanda occurred veryquickly after Uropan contact withNyambans, and continues to the pre-sent day, despite the efforts of manyNyambans and a few Uropans to com-

bat it. The Carolingians, Français, andNederlanders are the principal partici-pants in the transport of Nyambans toNorthern Crown, but plantations,mines, and private individuals in allUropan-occupied lands employ them,augmented by the labor of politicaldissidents, condemned criminals, andprisoners of war. Their motive is puregreed, for captives are seen as a cheap-er source of labor than free workers.

No Uropan nation has formallyadvanced a position against the use offorced labor. Captive laborers have nolegal rights and no protections againstabuse. They are considered underUropan law to be the property ofthose who keep them imprisoned.Many risk torture or death to escape tofreedom, fleeing either to the relativeanonymity of the city or to the grow-ing free Cimarron communities thathave arisen in the swamps, mountains,and forests of the continent.

INDENTURED SERVITUDE

Many Uropan commoners seekinga better life pay for passage across thesea by agreeing to work for a master fora period of up to seven years.Ostensibly, such a contract is an agree-ment to work off the cost of their pas-sage, food, and clothing, and to receivetraining in a useful craft. But once inNorthern Crown, indentured servantsoften find themselves overworked andill treated, with few legal protections.By law, indentured servants are sup-posed to be supplied with a small landgrant on the frontier at the end of theirservice. But in practice, they are oftensimply turned out by their master withno money or resources, or even kepton against their will indefinitely.

RELIGIOUS & ETHNIC PERSECUTION

Religious and ethnic minoritieshave long been the targets of persecu-tion by authorities in Uropa. Religiousauthorities often frame these persecu-tions as the righteous struggle of theforces of law and goodness againstheretics and witches. Civil authoritiesexploit the practice to seize propertyand keep the populace distracted fromthe enormous civil abuses committedby the state. Individuals may point

Northern Crown

accusing fingers simply to settle oldscores with their neighbors.

Although Northern Crown offersthe hope of a safe haven for minorityfaiths and peoples, the old suspicions,prejudices, and conflicts have followedthem across the Atlantic Sea, threaten-ing to kindle anew the wars of religionthat have torn Uropa apart for the pastcentury. The Puritans of theCommonwealth of New England huntfor witches in their midst, with fewstandards of evidence and little con-cern for the accused. Carolingians dis-trust nations where the Roman Churchforms the majority, while NouvelleFrance and Nueva España are commit-ted to fighting the Dissenter cause.The Republic of Sophia offers a flameof hope that victims of persecutionmay find freedom there, but there isstill much work to be done by theheroes of a New World Adventures cam-paign to ensure that the future of thecontinent is better than the past.

GENOCIDEAll Uropan-occupied lands in

Northern Crown have been taken atthe expense of the First Ones; theywere seized by violent conquest aidedby the spread of Uropan diseases, andsecured by sheer force of numbers.Entire cultures have been destroyedsince first contact, while others havebeen decimated or forced to movewest. Religious and secular leaders haveconspired in these events, eager forprofit and prestige. Although the rateof expansion has slowed, the Uropanhunger for new territory has not beensated. Opposing them are the FirstOnes nations who dwell beyond thenatural barrier of the AppalacheeMountains, who have formed alliancesand confederacies against the invaders.

THEARCANE

Uropa is a place rich in forms ofarcane magic, from the scholarly pur-suit of wizardry to the whispered ritesof witchcraft. In ancient times, magicwas widely accepted, if often fearedor misunderstood. But in the currentage, some forms of magic are out-lawed for religious reasons, whileothers are highly regulated by acade-mic institutions.

Rumors, legends, and whisperingsabout the doings of magicians, sorcer-ers, necromancers, and witches areoften heard in Uropan taverns,churches, and sitting rooms. Mostcommon folk make a distinctionbetween magic, which is an academicdiscipline hardly distinguishable bymost laypersons from natural philoso-phy; sorcery, which is the use of inher-ited arcane power owing to the pos-session of an infernal bloodline; necro-mancy, which involves communicatingwith dead souls and creating and com-manding the undead; and witchcraft,which involves control of or alliancewith evil outsiders in exchange formagical power. Magic is consideredrelatively harmless, sorcery and necro-mancy highly risky and suspect, andwitchcraft utterly evil.

MAGICMagic is the province of bards and

wizards. Among educated people, thereis a longstanding debate about whethermagic is different than science, or merelya separate science in itself. Its powers canhave either beneficial or harmful effects,depending on how it is employed, but itis neither inherently good nor evil. Forthis reason, it is often called natural magic,to distinguish it from the supernaturalmagic of sorcery, necromancy, andwitchcraft. When used innocuously or torender aid, it is called white magic. Whenused to harm, it is called black magic.

The common response to magic is oneof awe, mixed with fear of the unknown.Wizards are considered a little odd and per-haps a bit disreputable, but they are not gen-erally persecuted. Even multiclasscleric/wizards are not seen as evil, as long asthey use magic only for good purposes. Thequestion of whether the arcane power ofnatural magic comes ultimately from adivine source is a matter of debate amongtheologians in Uropa, with no consensushaving been reached.

SORCERYSorcerers are said to be the legacy of

interbreeding between humans and eviloutsiders. Sorcerers are shunned by mostof their neighbors, due to the taint ofinfernal ancestry. Both the RomanChurch and the various Dissenter faithsactively hunt down sorcerers, seeking toextinguish all infernal bloodlines fromthe human race, whether their powersare used for good, evil, or not at all.

The use of certain arcane spells tosummon evil outsiders is also considered

sorcery, even though it can be done bywizards using a forbidden sorcerousblack book (see Minor Artifacts in theMagic Items chapter of the NorthernCrown: Gazetteer for more information).Such wizards are known as diabolists —their ranks have included many famousmagicians of history and lore.

NECROMANCYAlso called goetic magic, necroman-

cy holds not only fear but also fascina-tion for most people, due to an almostuniversal curiosity about the afterlife andthe possibilities of cheating the seeminginevitability of death. Necromancers areshunned, and certainly arrested if caughtpracticing their art, but they are notreviled as sorcerers or witches are unlessthey actually traffic with the undead.

Any spellcaster who casts a spellfrom the necromancy school is by def-inition a necromancer, although inpractice only necromantic spells of 4th

level or greater are considered seriousenough to bring a criminal charge ofnecromancy against the caster.

WITCHCRAFTWitchcraft is the practice of wrest-

ing arcane power from infernal beingsby sheer will; this brings with it the con-stant danger of becoming corrupted bythe very forces you are trying to control.Said to predate the other arcane formsknown to Uropans, it is the one form ofmagic that is nearly universally fearedand reviled, except among Witchlings.For this reason, practitioners of witch-craft go to great lengths to hide theirpractices, usually performing theirunholy rites on remote hilltops or forestglades. The church actively hunts downusers of witchcraft with the full supportof the common people, even thoughtheir zealotry often results in the deathof innocent witches and ordinary folk.

ARCANE MAGIC& CHARACTERS

So, how do classes that use arcanemagic fit into this schematic?

BARDSBards, although they share a sorcer-

er’s ability to cast arcane spells withoutthe use of books or scrolls, are considered

65

Northern Crown

practitioners of magic. They may beaccused of sorcery if they cast a summonmonster spell of any level to summon anevil monster, as all evil monsters sum-moned by magic are believed to comefrom the infernal regions.

SORCERERSSorcerer-class characters are auto-

matically considered to be practitionersof sorcery. As mentioned above, this is acapital crime in most Uropan landsbecause an infernal bloodline is thoughtto be the source of a sorcerer’s power.Sorcerers who cast spells of the necro-mancy school are doubly damned by theauthorities, being considered both sor-cerers and necromancers.

WITCHESWitch-class characters are automati-

cally considered to be practitioners ofwitchcraft, whether they gain their pow-ers in a battle of will with their imp, orhave become corrupted and willinglyserve the cause of evil.

WIZARDSIn Uropan lands, wizards charac-

ters are considered magicians — usersof magic — unless they cast one ormore spells from a black book (seeSorcery, above), or employ the spellsof necromancy.

RELIGIONCharacters with a Uropan identity

can belong to one of several faiths.Describing these faiths in detail is notwithin the scope of this sourcebook,but the following entries give an indi-cation of their popularity within par-ticular cultures, and the degree of tol-erance they enjoy from followers ofother faiths.

OLD WAYSThe Old Ways represent the collec-

tion of ancient pagan practices and folkbeliefs professed by Kelts and other folkwho have regular dealings with feybeings. This faith was once the domi-nant system of belief throughout Uropa,before the coming of successive waves

of polytheism and monotheism fromthe Near East. Central to the Old Waysis the belief in magic as a natural force,rather than as a supernatural evil, and areverence for the natural world and thefey who are its emissaries and protec-tors. The beliefs of the Old Ways sur-vive among nearly all Uropans in theform of superstitions about elves, fairies,and goblins.

The druids of Kelt lands form theorganized priesthood of the Old Ways.They preside at gatherings to observekey moments in the passing of eachyear — chiefly the summer and wintersolstices (Midsummer and Yule), andthe spring and autumn equinoxes (MayDay and Samhain). Rites are usuallyperformed at natural sites in the openair, sometimes marked by a circle ofstanding stones that is said to channeland strengthen the living earth. Theseplaces of power are connected by aninvisible network of ley lines, whichbind the land in a sustaining web ofpower, not unlike the medawaywin of theFirst Ones faith. Between the cross-quarter days, as the ritual gatherings arecalled, the druids labor to protect thenatural world from harm by thoughtlesshumans and unnatural monsters. Thislabor, called the Greening, is of partic-ular significance in Albion, where thedruids have only recently returned aftera long absence. They also mediatebetween humans and fey, ensuring thatthe fey are given proper respect inexchange for good luck, health, andbountiful harvests.

The Witchlings of Uropa also fol-low the Old Ways, although they donot acknowledge the authority of thedruids, and have few dealings with thefey. The emphasis of their faith is anactive defense of all living beings fromevil, by means of wresting power fromevil outsiders and turning it to a goodcause.

JUDAISMJewish minorities exist within sev-

eral Uropan identities, most notablyamong Espaniards. They survive with-in a general climate of intolerance andpersecution by both religious and sec-ular forces. Like many other Uropanminorities, they look to the NewWorld as a place of freedom to liveand worship in peace. Synagogues —places of study and prayer — havebeen recently established in rough-and-tumble Nieu Amsterdam and inthe Republic of Sophia, which allowsfree worship.

ROMANCHURCH

The Roman Church has dominatedUropan religious life for over a thou-sand years. Once headed by a singlepope, the Church has been adminis-tered by a Magisterium of high-rank-ing clerics since the Council ofConstance in 1418 failed to resolve theGreat Schism between rival claimantsto the papacy in Avignon and Rome.The Church has faced a great chal-lenge from Dissenter movements sincethe early 1500s, but remains strong inFrançais and Espaniard lands, despitethe conversion of many northernUropans to Dissenter faiths. Currently,the Roman Church is the official statereligion of the empire of Felipe ofEspaña, and he is its foremost defenderagainst both the Ottomans of the eastand Dissenter groups like theNederlanders. Aiding him are severalorders of holy knights, including theKnights of Malta, who form the van-guard of his defenses against the east.

The Church and its allies currentlypursue a policy of Counter-Dissent,whose foremost agents are the mem-bers of the Ignatian Order — clericswho are experts in theology, reason,science, and oratory. Next to theIgnatians, the two most prominentorders of the Church are the FriarPreachers, who travel the world tospread the word of their faith and offersalvation; and the Poor Brothers, whodedicate their lives to helping ease thesuffering of all living things withprayer and healing.

In Northern Crown, the center ofthe Roman Church is at Havana onthe island of Cuba, an Espaniard pos-session. The Archbishop of Havana isthe highest-ranking cleric there; boththe Friar Preachers and the PoorBrothers have large convents in thecity as well. In the north, the Ignatianshave a particularly strong presence,spreading out into First Ones landsfrom their headquarters in the Françaisroyal city of Québec. NeitherDissenter-led Nieu Amsterdam nor thePuritan Commonwealth tolerates thepresence of Roman Church members.Roman priests are subject to arrest iffound in either of these lands. InCarolingia, the Roman faith is private-ly encouraged by the king and hisbrother, although the majority of thecommon folk remain Anglic.

66

Northern Crown

ANGLICCHURCH

The Anglic Church developedfrom Henry VIII’s split with theRoman Church over his several mar-riages. It shares many aspects with theRoman faith, including a clergy ofbishops and archbishops, but placesthe monarch rather than the pope athead of the church. Since Gloriana’sreturn to the throne of Albion, theexiled Stuart king, Charles II ofCarolingia, is generally acknowledgedto be the head of the church, despitehis personal Catholic sympathies. Thehighest-ranking Carolingian cleric isthe Archbishop of Charles Town.Many Anglics remain in Albion, wherethey practice without persecution as asizable minority. These Albian Anglicsacknowledge the Archbishop ofCanterbury, rather than King Charles,as their spiritual leader.

DISSENTERSMany forms of Dissenter faith are

found among Nederlanders andFrançais, with smaller pockets in otherlands. They have arisen from dissatis-faction with the policies and structure

of the Roman Church, and this splithas resulted in a century of warbetween the two sides that has devas-tated much of Uropa.

At the core of Dissenter faith isthe idea of justification by faith: thatpeople are redeemed by faith alone,rather than any good works they maydo in life. Other common tenets ofDissenter groups include the practiceof private study of holy texts, and theabsence of priests, monks, and otherfull-time church officials. Within thegeneral Dissenter movement aremany smaller groups with differingpractices and beliefs. The Puritans,described below, are among the moreconservative.

PURITANSPuritans include several Dissenter

sects who believe in the completeabsence of a clerical hierarchy, in favorof a direct relationship between wor-shipper and deity through silentprayer and extensive study of thescriptures. Some Puritan sects are sep-aratists, wishing to isolate themselvesfrom a sinful world, while others aremilitant, hoping to export their faithto new lands. In Northern Crown, mil-itant Puritans are the majority in the

Commonwealth, but also have a pres-ence among Nederlanders.

Puritans believe in strict adherenceto a moral code governing nearly allaspects of daily life. They often speak-ing out against drinking, gambling,and other forms of amusement. ManyPuritan sects have restrictive laws con-cerning speech, costume, and conduct;violations are punished by a monetaryfine, or by the public humiliation ofthe stocks. Church attendance and aproscription against labor on theSabbath are strictly enforced. The mil-itant sects, especially, believe in evil asan active force in everyday life thatappears in many forms to tempt ormislead the faithful; but the force ofgood is also quite real, revealing itselfin miraculous signs and wonders thatcan appear at any time to strengthenone’s belief and drive away evil.

DEISTSMany Sophians, and a small minor-

ity in other lands, believe in a rationalsupreme being who created the uni-verse but does not interfere in itsworkings. They see the universe as aplace governed by predictable laws ofnatural philosophy, which can be dis-covered and understood by any think-ing person.

67

Northern Crown

This chapter is the second of twomini-sourcebooks included in this vol-ume. It contains information about theFirst Ones — the original humaninhabitants of Northern Crown —including their social structure, lan-guage, warfare, dwellings, clothing,religion, and other aspects of FirstOnes daily life. No single First Onesculture will share all the featuresdescribed in this chapter, but many ofthem do have common traditions. Thedescriptions of the Cherokee,Mohawk, Ojibwa, and Shawnee in theCultures chapter have additional infor-mation particular to those identities.

SOCIALRANK

Many First Ones societies aremuch less stratified than their Uropancounterparts, but nevertheless, severaldistinctions of class are made withinmost First Ones groups. The twomajor class divisions are likely to bebetween the ruling family and the restof the population. As in the Uropansocial system, there is room foradvancement within either the royalor common classes, but to rise abovethe dividing line between common

and royal is difficult. Fortunately, thedivide is placed much higher in thesocial ladder, so that even commonerscan hope to become respected leadersof their people — the rough equiva-lent of knightly rank in Uropan lands.The following section gives a genericFirst Ones system of social ranks. Theterminology used is taken from severalFirst Ones cultures of the northeast,but the actual names of the ranks,where present, vary greatly by region.

ROYALCLASSES

Those of the royal classes of theFirst Ones are expected to be leadersof their clans, endowed with wisdomby their royal bloodline.

GREAT SACHEMExtremely powerful sachems may

have one or more lesser sachems undertheir authority. These great sachemsoften receive tribute from the lessersachems in exchange for security andmilitary aid. In other respects, theyfunction as ordinary sachems.

SACHEMThe leader of a particular First

Ones community is referred to hereas the sachem (SAY-chem). Sachemshold absolute power by virtue oftheir inherited position, father toson. A sachem rules by custom andtradition. If no son exists to inherit,the leadership passes to the sachem’swife. If no wife exists, the line of suc-cession passes to the sachem’s nearestblood relative. At no time can thesachemdom be held by non-royalblood.

68

CHAPTER FOUR

THE FIRST ONESThe next morning, with my audience still asleep in the longhouse, I, Okwaho, slip away, taking the gifts left for me in exchange

for my tales: a pouch of corn meal, a soapstone pipe, a new pair of shoes, and a good shirt of trade cloth. As a final boon to myhosts, I sing the bickering crows to sleep to keep them out of the corn until the people return to their harvesting. The wolf manito whoalways walks unseen beside me laughs to see the birds tuck their heads beneath their black wings, their squabbles forgotten.

Beyond the fields, the forest waits, a place of tall pines above a brown carpet of soft needles. I find the trail, an ancient way thatis just one thread in a great weaving that binds the People of the Place of Flint to our friends and enemies alike.

Feeling a growing sense of unease, I open my senses to the forest around me. No birds sing. Somewhere ahead, a squirrel scolds anunwelcome presence. The reek of burning matchcord fills the air. Unseen foes with guns have placed themselves upwind. Careless. Theywill fire when I reach the column of sunlight that pierces the forest gloom to cast a dappled glow upon the path, just ahead. I feel themanito bare its teeth and gather itself for a quick sprint towards the sound of the imminent shot. I calm it with a thought.

They are hungry, desperate souls, veterans of the wars of religion across the sea, who have come here to win gold, only to findthemselves killing for a pair of shoes or a warm coat. They hear the savage approaching, see him framed in the light, and fire, spend-ing their precious powder and shot. I fall with a soft thud. Running forward, muskets smoking, they stop at the edge of the sunlight.Stunned silence, then a babble of astonishment and fear. The body is gone. Had they shot a ghost?

I creep past them, mere yards away. The illusion I had quickly woven out of whispered song has served its purpose, to be dis-missed before the bandits could touch it.But there is no time for self-congratulation.

“We must talk,” says the manito, speaking the will of the Great Mystery in my mind. “The song of the living earth is troubled.From the southwest it calls, a cry for help. You have been chosen to hear this call, and to help the land find its voice again.”

We walk south …

FIRST ONESSOCIALRANKSROYAL CLASSES

Class SocRGreat Sachem 41+Sachem 26–40

COMMON CLASSES

Class SocRSagamore 21–25Sannops 1–20Marginal 0

The sachem is the chief judicialauthority of the people, settling dis-putes and meting out punishments tocriminals. Sachems are responsible forproviding for the elderly and infirm,and for orphaned children. They alsoplay gracious host to strangers, hous-ing them in their own lodge and pro-viding them with food and entertain-ment suited to their status.

Contrary to popular Uropanbelief, sachems know precisely wheretheir tribal boundaries lie. The sachemhas the authority to grant plots of landfor corn, and is always given a share ofany game killed within his territory.

COMMONCLASSES

Though not of royal blood, thoseof the common classes of the FirstOnes still play an important part intheir culture, and can become respect-ed members of the clan.

SAGAMOREEach sachem has a group of advi-

sors, called here sagamores (SAG-ah-mores). The sagamores are valued fortheir wisdom, courage, and leadershipskills. Sagamores attract their own fol-lowers based on their personal reputa-tion. Unlike the sachems’ hereditaryright to rule, sagamores retain theirposition only so long as their followersare satisfied with their leadership. Inwar, sagamores provide military leader-ship and strategic advice. In peace, theyact as a tribal council, discussing impor-tant community matters and makingrecommendations to the sachem.

SANNOPSThe bulk of the community is the

common people of the tribe, knowncollectively as the sannops (SAN-ops).All sannops have land rights withinthe tribal area. Only strangers, un-adopted captives, or refugees fromother sachemdoms are excluded fromthe sannops.

MARGINALPeople who have been convicted of

crimes, or who habitually break thetrust of their neighbors, are exiled fromthe community. They wander fromplace to place, stealing or begging forfood; they are welcome nowhere.

Other marginal individuals include cap-tives or refugees from other nationswho have not yet been adopted asmembers of the community.

SOCIAL RANKIN GAME PLAY

All First Ones PCs start with asocial rank determined by the statusof their character class within theirown culture. This initial rank deter-mines how they are expected tobehave and be treated by others with-in their community.

OBLIGATIONAll First Ones PCs have obliga-

tions to other characters based ontheir relative social rank. Characters ofhigher rank are expected to defend thepersons and property of those of lowerrank. They are also expected to pro-vide food, clothing, and shelter forlower-ranking neighbors who are suf-fering from the loss of a head of house-hold or a temporary shortage of foodand other resources.

First Ones have an obligation tohigher-ranking neighbors to show def-erence and respect, based on anacknowledgment of the superior wis-dom and experience of the old, and ofthose born into ruling families. Theyalso have an obligation to fight for theirsuperiors, but only if the cause is just.

SOCIALADVANCEMENT

In First Ones communities, charac-ters advance in social rank as they gainage and experience. Characters born intocommon classes, however, cannot rise tothe royal class except through marriage.• Each time First Ones PCs gain a

character level, add +1 their SocR.• When First Ones PCs reach SocR

25, they cannot advance furtherunless elevated to royal status bymarriage to a sachem or to asachem’s sibling or child.Fortunately, the spouses of royalchildren are often taken from thesagamore class, so that most PCsstuck at SocR 25 can expect toreceive an offer of royal marriagewithin a year or two if they havegained particular fame as adventurersor heroes of their community.

CLANSFirst Ones culture includes many

clans, the names and number of whichvary greatly between individual nationsand over time. A clan is composed ofindividuals who can trace their ances-try, usually through the female line, to asingle legendary founder. Each one isnamed for a totem animal or conceptthat serves as the symbol of the clan.All members of a particular clan areconsidered brothers and sisters, so thatmarriage between members of the sameclan is forbidden. Clans often possessmutual honor; if one clan member isinsulted or harmed, he or she can relyon the entire clan for support. Within asingle culture area — even one as largeas the Five Nations Confederacy —travelers can expect a warm welcomefrom other members of their clan, evenif they have never met before; initialreactions for NPCs of the same clanwill automatically be improved by onestep. In several First Ones cultures,including the Mohawk, a higher levelof clan organization has developed,dividing the clans into two groupscalled moieties (MOY-eh-tees), whichfunction as super-clans. Individuals arerequired to take marriage partners frommembers of the opposing moiety.

Sachems, like all First Ones, belongto a clan; it is not unusual for the clan ofthe local sachem to receive somewhatpreferential treatment, compared to theothers. Within a settlement, each clanhas one or more longhouses, whichserve not only as homes, but also asstorehouses, meeting places, and hostelsfor traveling clan members.

Most First Ones clans are matrilin-eal (the Shawnee are an importantexception). That means that when amarriage is arranged between clans, itis the groom who loses his native clanand comes to live with his wife’s clan.Women do not change clan identity inthis system, because it is through theirline that the sacred heritage of a clan ismaintained.

The division of the First Ones intoanimal clans in Northern Crown is notmerely symbolic; when humans firstappeared in Northern Crown, in theUncounted Time, they were only one ofmany animal nations, most prominentof which were the Bears, Wolves, andTurtles. These three nations were thechief animal enemies of the icy wendigo— the evil giants of the far north — andwhen the First Ones appeared, the ani-mal nations taught the newcomers howto find food and shelter, and how todefend themselves against the giants.Each animal nation adopted a differentfamily of humans to teach and protect.

69

Northern Crown

In this long-ago time, humans and ani-mals could marry and produce children,and their descendants still carry the clanname and occasionally the powers oftheir animal ancestor.

A First Ones PC can purchase ananimal ancestry as a feat, gaining someof the abilities of a bear, wolf, or turtleancestor. Further abilities can be gainedby purchasing advanced and heroic ver-sions of these feats. See the Skills, Feats,& Combat chapter for more information.

IDEALSThis section gives a broad overview

of the ideals cherished by many FirstOnes cultures. Characters who wish tobe welcomed as members of a FirstOnes community must observe themfaithfully. Those who do not will face acold reception at best, and exile fromtheir community in extreme cases.

CONSENSUSDecisions in many First Ones com-

munities are made through a process

of mutual inquiry. This involves askingprobing or clarifying questions ofother individuals or the group as awhole to bring about understandingand consensus. Adequate time isalways given to reach a decision, andonce made, the entire group supportsit. The practice of arguing the meritsof competing solutions to a problemthrough debate or persuasion isfrowned upon, because it may notuncover the essential facts underlyingthe problem. This could lead to anineffective solution and may createdivisions within the group.

When confronted with a dispute,the community comes together not toadjudicate, but to reconcile the twoparties. Who is right and who is wrongis less important than finding a solu-tion both sides can agree upon. Thisoften takes the form of restitution — apublic apology, an exchange of gifts,or a cash payment.

Characters who fail to gain theconsensus of their community beforetaking action will not receive supportor recognition. Impulsive or rashactions are a mark of immaturity and areckless, and a disrespectful attitudetowards others. Bold leadership andheroics are not admired unless theyserve the common good, as does thecourage of raiders during battle.

GENEROSITYThe sharing of resources is a com-

mon method of cementing relation-ships between individuals andstrengthening the community.Leaders are expected to give gener-ously to members of the communityin need. Strangers must be given awarm welcome by their hosts; theyshould never have to ask for a place tosleep or for a meal. Acts of generositycan take the form of a public displaysuch as a feast, or a private gift offood, clothing, shelter, wampum,trade goods, Uropan money, or land.Generosity can also be expressed indeeds, rather than wealth; a well-toldstory, a piece of news, or some goodadvice all show generosity. Nothing isexpected in return, but recipients of agift will typically return the favor ifthey can afford to do so.

Characters who fail to give gener-ously to others will find themselvesunwelcome as guests and placed out-side the community system of mutualsupport. This is tantamount to with-drawing from public life, and sends amessage that you choose not to sus-tain your relationship with yourneighbors.

70

Northern Crown

71

HONESTYIn a culture without written

records or contracts, spoken wordscarry added weight, and people areconsistently held to account for whatthey say. A good person’s word canalways be relied upon. Promises arenot made without careful thought, butonce given they must be adhered to,even at great personal cost. Dishonestcharacters quickly lose the trust of thecommunity — this is a quick path toshunning or exile.

HUMILITYPeople of good character are

expected to be humble, acknowledgingtheir limited role within the greatercommunity. They accept the judgmentof their elders, deferring to the superiorwisdom and experience of these peo-ple. Except for inherited royal titles,positions of authority and honor areconferred upon individuals by the com-munity, based on the individual’s abilityand past achievements. People of goodcharacter do not conspicuously seekfame or power. It is considered immod-est to boast about your deeds or to can-vass for public office. Only raiderspreparing for battle or recalling theirvictories are typically given license tobrag about their prowess, since the tar-get of their boast is the enemy, ratherthan their own people.

Characters who brag about theirachievements, who show a hunger forpower, or who value their own judg-ment above that of the communityleadership can expect to lose any hopeof official recognition for their abilitiesor accomplishments. Such charactersare seen as renegades or fools. It isconsidered dangerous to reward some-one for immodest behavior, because itweakens the cohesion of the commu-nity. Characters already in a positionof leadership who fail to maintain ahumble demeanor endanger their ownposition, since they commonly main-tain their position only by the consen-sus of their own people.

EVIL & CHAOTICFIRST ONES

The First Ones ideals of consensus,generosity, honesty, and humility clear-ly favor law over chaos, just as their

spiritual values of harmony, respect,and reverence are inimical to charactersof evil alignment. Rather than commit-ting evil acts openly, evil people areoften duplicitous or treacherous,appearing to uphold the values andideals of the community, while secretlyworking to bring discord and unhappi-ness to their neighbors. Even chaoticgood characters may find themselvesshunned by the community if theiractions are not supported by consensus.

SPECIALIZEDROLES

Although the vast majority of FirstOnes are members of the sannops,working to clothe, feed, and housetheir community, specialized roles doexist for individuals with divine orarcane powers. Such talents arerevered, for they may indicate the spe-cial favor of the creator. Those whoreceive these gifts may be allowed tofreely pursue and develop them, ratherthan working at more mundane tasks.

First Ones characters who meetthe prerequisites can purchase a spe-cialized role in the community as afeat, giving them a +5 bonus to SocialRank. See the Skills, Feats, & Combatchapter for details.

THE SEXESLike Uropan society, First Ones soci-

ety distinguishes between male andfemale roles, with significant pressure toconform. Men are responsible for hunt-ing, fishing, and the protection of thecommunity from attack. Women are theable and self-reliant managers of the vil-lage’s agricultural production. They domost of the day-to-day work of the com-munity, from child-rearing, to lodge con-struction, to ceramics. They also regulatethe birth rate of the community by prac-ticing abstinence while nursing, and tak-ing medicinal birth-control herbs. In theFive Nations, women choose the repre-sentatives who attend meetings of thegeneral confederacy. In many cultures, allclan leaders are women, and they are eli-gible to become sachems if the male lineof succession fails.

Just like Uropan women PCs, FirstOnes women PCs are free to act as theplayer wishes — they don’t need to beheld to their traditional roles asdescribed above.

DAILY LIFEThis section contains general infor-

mation about First Ones shelter, cloth-ing, food, pastimes, and the cycle of theyear. Where significant differences areseen between the cultures of the northand the south, separate entries are given.

THE FIRSTONES’ YEAR

Like all agricultural peoples livingin a temperate climate, First Ones’ cul-ture is inexorably bound to the chang-ing of the seasons. The communityallocates its labor to take advantage ofseasonal resources like game, foragefoods, and crops, and acknowledgesthe importance of these resources withceremonies and celebrations. This sec-tion gives an overview of the seasonalchanges in a typical northern andsouthern community over the courseof a single year.

THE NORTHERN YEARA central feature of First Ones life

in the north is the seasonal migrationof the community several times eachyear; the cycle of the seasons plays amajor role in these movements. Themigratory aspect of northern FirstOnes groups has a major effect ontheir role in the campaign. It is notalways easy to find a particular com-munity or individual. Characters mayreturn to a First Ones settlement theyvisited previously, only to find it aban-doned. Or they may unexpectedlyencounter an entire community intransit, with the sachem and his familyat the center of the group, protectedby a bodyguard of pniese paladins, anda ring of scouts at the edge of thegroup, guarding against ambush byhostile groups.

WINTER

The community stays warm insidelonghouses heated by wood fires.These winter camps are often in heav-ily wooded, snug valleys, protectedfrom cold winds. The sannops drinkpine-needle tea, make and mend toolsand clothing, and listen to the spell-binding tales of the rakarota bards topass the time until the weatherimproves.

Northern Crown

SPRING AND SUMMER

The winter camp is abandoned,and the community moves to theirfields to plant and tend the maize,beans, and squash that form therevered three sisters of First Ones agri-culture. During this time, they live insmaller, temporary houses very closeto their crops. If the sea is nearby, theirdiet will be supplemented with fishand other seafood. The brief strawber-ry season sets off an orgy of eatingunsurpassed the rest of the year.

AUTUMN

The culmination of the growingseason comes with the harvest festival,which includes a feast and a generousgiveaway of food, clothes, and tools tothe needier members of the communi-ty. This is the time of plenty, and timeis taken to give thanks and to enjoythe land’s bounty. As winter approach-es, the community moves to its hunt-ing houses deep in the woods, close togood sources of deer and other game.Often, the hunters will remain hereuntil the ground is deep with snowbefore returning to their winter camp,to enjoy an end-of-year hunting feastbefore spring returns.

THE SOUTHERN YEAR

In the south, where the growingseason is longer, agriculture is moreextensive, and the land is more pro-ductive, communities tend to establishpermanent settlements rather than sea-sonal camps. The cycle of the seasonsbecomes more closely aligned to theagricultural cycle, rather than to themovements of game animals and thelocation of seasonal wild foods.

SPRING AND SUMMER

The agricultural cycle begins inspring, as the women break the rich soilof the river with wooden hoes tippedwith blades of mussel-shell. The sacredcrop of corn is planted. As the weatherwarms and summer arrives, the GreenCorn Ceremony marks the new yearwith the emergence of the young cornstalks from the earth. Sacred places arerepainted and cleaned by the males ofthe community, the village clergy leadthe people in fasting and purifyingthemselves, and a sacred fire is lit toburn small ears of green corn. Boys for-age along the riverbanks for turtles,wildfowl, and fish to supplement thecommunity’s food stores. Fish arecaught in stone weirs or woven baskets,and pearls are harvested from shellfishand fashioned into beads.

AUTUMN

Three lunar cycles after the newyear comes Big Chestnut Month, whenthe corn, left to dry on the cob, is har-vested and placed in elevated granaries.Acorns and other nuts are also harvest-ed. Wild turkeys begin to emerge fromthe forest to feed in the clearings, mark-ing the start of hunting season.Ceremonies mark the completion ofthe harvest and ensure the return of thelife-giving corn the following year.

WINTER

Mild weather allows outdoor activi-ties to continue unabated. Houses arerepaired with straw and mud to keep outthe rain. Forage foodstuffs such as fresh-water mussels are collected from nearbyrivers. Hunters travel far into the moun-tains in search of game, sometimes bring-ing their families for extended expedi-tions. Youths and adults play games ofchunkey, hurling javelins at a woodendisk rolled along the ground, both forentertainment and to sharpen their hunt-ing and fighting skills. At night, storiesare told about heroes and legendary ani-mals of the Uncounted Time: Panther,Owl, Turkey, Rattlesnake, Skunk,Opossum, and especially Rabbit, thetrickster.

72

Northern Crown

73

Northern Crown

ESSENTIALSThe food, shelter, clothing, and

monetary system of the First Onesmay be quite unfamiliar to many read-ers; this section gives a brief summary.

FOODThe First Ones enjoy a healthy,

diverse menu of plants, includingbeans and squash, fresh and driedcorn, and dried nuts and nut oils.Strawberries are a favorite sweet, andare sometimes mixed with cornmeal tomake “strawberry bread.” Likewise,cranberries can be combined withmeal to make another form of sweetcake. In the Great Lakes region, wildrice is harvested; while in the south,fruit and nut trees are an importantaddition to the diet.

Shad, eel, and alewives are caughtduring spring runs along riverbanksnear the sea. The ocean also yieldsshellfish of many kinds, which can beboiled, roasted, or smoked. Lakes andrivers provide sturgeon, catfish, tur-tles, and crawfish. Game meats includewildfowl, bear, wildcat, raccoon,moose, and deer. Dried moose tonguesare a particular delicacy in the north.

Many First Ones cultures keep noset mealtimes, and eat whatever theyhappen to have in store. The dietvaries greatly depending on the sea-son. Food is cooked in clay pots, orroasted on a spit. Once cooked, foodis eaten while reclining, without platesor utensils. For journeying, First Onestravelers carry a leather bag of driedcornmeal, which they mix with waterto make porridge.

SHELTERIn the north, many First Ones live

in lodges made of woven mats orsheets of bark placed over framesmade from lashed saplings. The twobasic shapes are the bowl-shapedround hut, and the loaf-shaped long-house. The conical wigwam is foundonly in the far north. In the south, hutswith straw roofs and walls of wattleand daub or woven reeds are builtinstead.

Round huts shelter one or two fam-ilies around a central hearth for heat-ing and cooking. A single smoke holeprovides ventilation. The inhabitantssleep on mats or on low cots aroundthe edges of the hut. The singleentrance is covered with a flap of deer-skin or woven reeds and bark.

The longhouse has two or moreentrances, and two or more smokeholes. They are used more often inwinter, as they are warmer and morecapacious than the round hut.Ordinary longhouses might housethree to four families. Ceremoniallonghouses can be up to 200 feet longand 30 feet wide, holding a hundred ormore people.

SETTLEMENTSWithin the walls of a First Ones

settlement, you are likely to find manyhouses, each holding a single familygroup. In the center of the settlementis a large open area used for ceremoni-al dancing and ball games. Facing theopen area is the sachem’s longhouse(or the sagamore’s, depending on thesize of the settlement). This largelonghouse, called the court, is boththe seat of government and thesachem’s dwelling; it is where councilsare held, guests are received, and busi-ness is conducted.

The flexible nature of First Onesarchitecture allows for temporary sea-sonal structures to be built and dis-mantled as needed. At harvest time, aspecial longhouse is built to hold theentire settlement during the harvestfeast. After the feast, the entire houseis dismantled, leaving only the framepoles standing until the next greatoccasion.

Also within the settlement may bea gaming arbor where gambling gamesare held. The arbor features a squareroof supported by poles at each cor-ner, from which the bettors hang theirwagers, in the form of wampum belts— a form of currency made of shellbeads.

Somewhere near the settlement,one might find the hothouse. It is mostcommonly a small cave or cellar builtinto a hillside near a stream or pond. Touse the hothouse, a heap of stones onthe floor of the cave is heated to hightemperature with a wood fire builtdirectly on the stones. The wood isthen removed, leaving only the hotstones. Up to twenty men will then usethe hothouse, sweating to cleanse theirskin and rid themselves of disease. Afteran hour or so, the participants leave thehouse and plunge into the nearbystream, to cool off and stimulate the cir-culation.

In the south, towns are often larg-er, with dedicated religious districtsfeaturing raised, four-sided moundstopped with shrines, and extensiveearthworks around the perimeter.

CLOTHING ANDADORNMENT

The First Ones often use animalskins and furs for their clothing needs.Moose, bear, beaver, otter, fox, rac-coon, and deer provide a source ofmaterial; wildcat is particularly prized.Their clothing is well-tailored andhighly decorated with colorful pat-terns. Tailoring is a specialized activi-ty, usually practiced by the women ofthe community. Although childrenoften go naked in warm weather, ado-lescents and adults value physicalmodesty, and do not appear unclothedin public, except for women, whosometimes work bare-chested.

Male clothing may consist of a softleather loincloth secured by a cordaround the waist; thigh-high leggingsof deerskin take the form of longstockings or chaps; shoes, calledmocussinass, of moose leather; and acape of deerskin, augmented in coldweather by a bracer of fur. A sachemor sagamore might wear a magnificentmantle embroidered with wild turkeyfeathers — the highest expression ofthe tailor’s art. No man’s outfit is com-plete without his embroidered tobaccobag, carried around his neck by a cord.It contains his supply of green or pow-dered tobacco, his clay or stone pipe,and his flints. A second pouch, carriedat the waist, might contain corn mealor other travel food. A knife of flint ormetal is often worn at the belt.

Women often wear a full-lengthdeerskin robe and sometimes eschewleggings for slippers. They carry theirfire tools in a small pouch at the waist.Clothing can be decorated with por-cupine-quill embroidery, painting, orbeadwork, either in geometric oranthropomorphic patterns. Cloth is apopular trade good offered by Uropanmerchants, and the First Ones haveadapted to these new materials to pro-duce wool and linen garments to theirliking.

Tattooing, branding, and facepainting serve both a decorative andritual function among First Ones peo-ple. A man might receive a tattoo as acharm against injury in battle, to pro-tect his spirit, to identify his clan affil-iation, as a medical treatment for anillness or injury, or simply for aesthet-ic reasons. Designs are either based onanimals or geometric patterns. Facepainting is associated with ritualevents, like funerals, wars, and dances.Colors include red, black, white, andblue.

Both men and women wear ear-rings and pendants made of bone,stone, or shell. They also favor belts,collars, and bracelets intricately carvedfrom animal shells or made from nativecopper, silver, and iron.

First Ones generally wear their hairlong, with one or more braids, some-times in a side-knot or topknot.Beadwork hats or headbands andfeathers might complete the look.Hairstyles are elaborate and neatlydressed, sometimes with the additionof animal fat to give them luster.Cutting one’s hair is considered a greatsacrifice in many cultures, and oftenoccurs as a mark of respect for arecently departed relative.

MONEY AND TRADEThe First Ones monetary system is

based not on precious metals, but onwampum — a kind of bead made fromthe shells of small sea animals. Thereare actually two kinds of wampum:white wampum are made from theshells of periwinkles, or meteauhock,while the more valuable blackwampum are made from a shell of adifferent shellfish, called thepoquauhock.

Tribes living near the seashoremake as many wampum beads as theycan, in order to exchange them for fursbrought from the interior. Wampum isused as legal tender throughout theCommonwealth, Nieu Nederlands,and Vermont by Uropans and FirstOnes alike. The exchange rate is:

1 cp = 1 black wampum = 2 white wampum

Large numbers of beads are com-monly woven into belts one fathom(six feet) long, for convenience inmaking large transactions. One fath-om of white wampum beads (1000beads) is worth 5 gp; a fathom of blackbeads is worth 10 gp. These belts areworn both as adornment and as a wayof displaying personal wealth, alongwith wampum bracelets, necklaces,and caps, sometimes to a value of 100gp or more!

In addition to wampum, beaverpelts are used as currency in the north,and buckskins in the south.

Uropan coinage is known asmonéash (mon-ee-ASH) among theFirst Ones. It is not unusual to find amix of wampum, shillings, livres, andguilders in a First Ones moneybag.Barter is also widespread, with guns,corn, iron tools, glass, pots and pans,and cloth as the most popular barteredgoods.

LEISUREBesides the pleasures of story-

telling and the pursuit of craft special-ties like embroidery and tattoo artistry,First Ones enjoy the following groupleisure activities.

GAMESGames form an important social

activity in some First Ones cultures.Two principal games, especially popu-lar in the northeast, are describedhere.

PUIM

Puim is played with fifty or sixtypieces of straw, each about a foot inlength. The straws are shuffled orrolled between the dealer’s palms, thendistributed among the players accord-ing to a complex set of rules. The play-er who receives the most straws wins.Puim players often carry their strawsthrough a hole in their ear as an adver-tisement that they are ready to take onall comers.

HUBBUB

In hubbub, five small stones orpeach pits, painted black on one sideand white on the other, are placed in atray. The tray is shaken, while theplayers chant “Hub, hub hub!” and theactive player calls out his wager. If allthe stones come up one color, the pay-off is double. Three of one color andtwo of another results in an even pay-off. All other combinations were los-ing hands. So long as you keep win-ning, you keep the tray, but you pass itto the next player as soon as you lose,and forfeit your winnings.

SPORTSTwo neighboring villages might

meet at appointed seasons to engagein athletic contests. Among thesports practiced are football, archery,swimming, and running. The footballgames are played with a small leatherball handled without the hands, as insoccer. The passes and kicks are notunlike those in hacky sack. A largearea of beach or field is staked out,and fought across by dozens of play-ers. Sometimes it takes days for agoal to be scored; this is an occasionof celebration and feasting. Sportsalso have an important spiritualaspect, sometimes being tied to reli-gious celebrations.

In the south, a popular game is chunky,which requires the participants to cast ajavelin through a rolling disk. In thenorth, lacrosse is popular, and is some-times used to settle inter-clan disputes.

RELIGIONThe central practice of First Ones’

religious life is an ongoing exchangeof prayer and guidance between theindividual and the creator spirit, some-times through the intercession of apersonal manito spirit, fey being,dream article, or pawawka object,which acts as guide and guardian. Thisrelation is a private one, requiring noassistance from the local powwaw,who only intervenes if a person feelthat the bond between him and hismanito or sacred object has somehowbeen broken, and that he is in need ofguidance to find it again.

THE MEDAWAYWIN

The chief responsibility of theindividual in many First Ones culturesis the protection of what is called inthis book the medawaywin (med-a-WAY-win). This is an Ojibwa wordthat can be interpreted as the soundresonance of the living earth. Oftenlikened to the beat of a drum, or of aliving heart, it permeates all life, bring-ing with it fertility, peace, and goodhealth to all creatures. It also drivesaway evil creatures and misfortune.Only evil deeds and the destruction ofthe natural environment can harm themedawaywin. In places where themurder of innocent creatures has beenperpetrated, where great suffering hasoccurred, or where plant and animallife have been wantonly destroyed orpolluted, the medawaywin ceases tobeat. In the most despoiled sites, evilcreatures like the undead can enter theworld to prey upon the living.

The monitoring of the health of themedawaywin is the responsibility of thepowwaw, who not only educate youngFirst Ones about the importance ofrespecting the living earth, but also cre-ate effigy mounds to concentrate andstrengthen the medawaywin. They usetheir divine spellcasting abilities torestore plant and animal life to damagedareas, to heal wounded creatures, and todrive off evil humans and monsters alikewho threaten the natural order.

74

Northern Crown

75

Northern Crown

THE SPIRITWORLD

Not unlike the Uropans, the FirstOnes believe that there is an unseenworld of spirits adjacent to the visibleworld. This spirit world is the usualdwelling place of the many beingswhose presence in the visible worldcan normally be only felt, not seen. Itis not a remote dimension upon a dis-tant plane, but a place contained with-in or superimposed upon the visibleworld that it sustains and empowersthrough the beat of the medawaywin.

THE GREATMYSTERY

Many First Ones believe in a benev-olent but remote creator spirit, referredto here as the Great Mystery, butknown by many names across manycultures. Before the arrival of humans,according to a tale popular in the north,the animals of the world were threat-ened when some mischievous spiritscaused a universal flood. Some of theanimals survived by escaping to theGreat Mystery’s mountain, and receiveda spiritual association with him that hassurvived ever since.

In one version of the tale, theGreat Mystery repaired the damagedearth, and made the first man andwoman out of stone. He didn’t like theresult, and smashed this first coupleinto bits because they had no lifeforce. He carved a second couple froma living tree, and this time succeededin creating beings with immortal souls.After giving them the precious gifts ofcorn and beans, he placed them in theworld and promised them a place inhis mountaintop house after death, solong as they lived a good life.

OTHER SPIRITPOWERS

The many spirit powers of the FirstOnes are best thought of as individualimpulses or manifestations of theGreat Mystery, rather than as gods inthe Uropan sense. Dozens of spiritpowers may be acknowledge by a par-ticular culture, including the four car-dinal directions (north, east, south,and west), the spirit of the house, andthe spirit of women. There may alsobe a fire spirit, a sun spirit, a moonspirit, and a spirit of thunder and light-ning, among others. Both good andbad fortune is attributed to the will ofthe spirits. They are sometimesappeased with feasting or dancing, orwarded off with amulets or tattoos.

Each spirit does not have a particularpriesthood; powwaws typically reverethe spirit world as a whole, rather thandevoting themselves to a single aspectof it. This reflects the understandingthat all spirit powers are part of a sin-gle spirit that permeates the universe.

DEATH ANDAFTERLIFE

When First Ones die, their spiritmay follow the setting sun to thesouthwestern realm of the creator spir-it. In one tradition, the spirit knocksupon the Great Mystery’s door, and isreceived into his house if he has liveda good life, which includes supportinghis community and revering the med-awaywin. If the spirit of a criminal orbad person knocks, the creator simplyreplies, “Walk abroad,” condemningthe spirit to eternal wandering withoutrest.

To ease the journey, a dead per-son’s family and friends may bury thecorpse aligned to the southwest, alongwith various grave goods for use in theafterlife. When a child dies, its parentsinclude their own most prized jewelryamong the grave goods. They maystage a funeral banquet in memory ofthe deceased, cut their hair and painttheir faces black in mourning, andengage in long rites of grieving.

EXISTINGCORECLASSES

Except for barbarians, fighters,monks, rangers, and rogues, all standardd20 System core classes and NPC classesare appropriate for a New World Adventurescampaign. Although hit dice, base saves,attack bonuses, and class abilities remainthe same, the standard core classes havebeen given new roles more appropriateto the campaign setting. This chapteralso presesnts seven new core classesunique to the campaign.

ADEPTAdepts represent the majority of

NPCs belonging to religious orders,and are capable of drawing upon limit-ed divine powers that they find usefulin the fulfillment of their duties ashealers and protectors of the commu-

nity. They are often found as villagepriests and healers, or as wanderingblack friars or poor brothers. Theadept class can also be used for self-taught spellcasters commonly found inrural areas, who have developed aninnate spellcasting ability through trialand error. These characters can cast afew spells, without understanding thetheoretical underpinnings of the art.Like other users of magic, adepts inlands with a strong religious authoritymay run the risk of arrest on suspicionof sorcery or witchcraft if they prac-tice their art indiscreetly.

ARISTOCRATThe aristocrat includes most NPCs

belonging to the courtly classes,including gentry, knights, nobles, andmembers of the royal family. They mayspend their time as members of thecourt, administrators, military leaders,or ambassadors, making full use of theirclass skills to advance their own stand-ing, win influence, steal state secrets,and compete for lucrative appoint-ments. Compared to their medieval

predecessors, they spend little time inarmor, except at tournaments, whichhave become relatively bloodlesspageants. A few bold individuals maymake better use of their money and tal-ents as explorers, traders, philosophers,or military commanders — the sort ofaristocrat most likely to be encoun-tered by player characters in the courseof an adventure.

BARDThe bard character class has a

broader interpretation in New WorldAdventures than in a medieval fantasycampaign. In an age where apprecia-tion of the wordsmith’s art has becomewidespread through printed books andpopular plays, bards can find work aspoets, storytellers, dramatists, actors,or wits, as well as wandering bal-ladeers. Performance is still a key skill,but is just as likely to include oratoryor acting as singing or playing aninstrument.

Patrons are an important source ofincome and support for many bards.It’s common to take money from

76

An opponent as formidable as Lady Annalisa X requires a carefully composed fellowship of men and women of ability andcourage to stand against her. Within three days, I have gathered together such a group from the local cadre of operatives. As wewind through the endless, rolling slopes of the Alleganies, I study my chosen companions, weighing their strengths against those ofour enemy.

Born a Witchling, Emmaline Whatley escaped the noose of the Commonwealther witch-hunters by virtue of her hell-spawnedimp, who, in the shape of a rat, chewed through her bonds upon the gallows, freeing her hands to cast a spell of invisibility and soflee her captors. Now pledged to fight tyranny in the service of my young nation, she spends much of the journey flying upon herwitch’s broom, far above our heads, ready to rain down a shower of poisoned arrows upon any bandits or raiders who shouldattempt to ambush us.

Estaban de Garcia y Orellana reins in his horse at the top of the ridge and scans the trail ahead. Espaniard by birth and sol-dier of fortune by inclination, he has followed the drum of war from the damp coasts of the Nederlands to the dazzling waters ofthe Carib Sea to the swamps of the Ogeechie Marches. Recruited from a Carolingian prison by one of my operatives, he nowserves as the party’s most deadly blade, his hand never more than a heartbeat away from the hilt of his long rapier — an unsports-manlike but effective weapon, forged by Moorish bladesmiths and infused with enchantments that give its thrusts added bite andpenetrating power. His silvered cuirass, momentarily revealed as a puff of wind throws back his gray cloak, gleams in the sunlight,mirroring the blue skies of this vast land.

“Devil take your carelessness, Garcia,” says Jean Fournier, drawing rein beside him upon a spirited little chestnut mare.Having drawn a spyglass from his pocket, he surveys the horizon in vain for the pall of smoke that would mark the location ofLogstown, where we plan to exchange our horses for a hired raft to take us down the Ohio. Fournier is our cloak-and-dagger man,a former Français agent now turned to the Sophian cause. A cheerfully profane little fellow, Fournier is also a practitioner of theevil eye, one of those folk “knacks” that our science is only beginning to understand. A family trait, it allows him to cloud the per-ceptions of our foes, read their minds, even force an enemy to obey Fournier’s will. A useful talent, but doesn’t exactly make onepopular among one’s friends.

“Admit it, we’re lost,” says the Espaniard. Yes, I sigh, inwardly, we should have hired a scout, but Nieu Amsterdam is notexactly the best place to hire wilderness guides. Time is pressing, and we are making but slow progress, while our foes’ work pro-ceeds apace …

CHAPTER FIVE

CORE CLASSES

wealthy fans with the understandingthat you will craft flattering poems orsongs about them in return. Sucharrangements amount to good publicrelations for the patron and a steadyincome for the bard. For bards whohave no patron, wars and sieges can bequite profitable, offering large audi-ences of idle soldiers, and positions inthe military bands that play a crucialrole in maintaining morale and disci-pline. Dual class bard/soldiers arecommon in army camps and siegetrains.

Because of the growing power ofcentralized authorities, whether civilor religious, bards often find them-selves the targets of censorship onmoral or political grounds. Theatershave been closed for long periods dueto an unflattering portrayal of a publicofficial; poets may find their worksbanned for indecent content by theChurch. In extreme cases, performersare arrested and jailed as nuisances, orexiled from their homeland. Theseperils keep sharp-tongued or satiricbards on the move — some join com-panies of strolling players, someaccompany military bands, and otherssimply leave town when the authori-ties take notice.

CLERICClerics can take on the roles of

spiritual teachers, community leaders,and defenders of humankind againstevil. In Uropan lands, cleric charactersare found among adherents of allmajor faiths. Puritan clerics representparticularly active and pious membersof the local congregation; if they pos-sess a degree in theology, they may becalled doctors, but they do not holdany titles or require any special formsof address. Rabbis are well-schooled inthe sacred laws of the Torah, but arealso expected to know much aboutastrology, medicine, magic, and law.Their role in the community theyserve is as advisor, scholar, andteacher. Among Cimarrons, n’angaclerics fill the roles of arbitrator, heal-er, seer, and ritual leader.

Some First Ones cultures have nocleric-class characters — many of thecleric’s roles are filled by powwawdruids instead, including the tasks ofdivine healing and spiritual teaching.Clerics are more common in the south,where the influence of solar religionsfrom the southern continent havebeen stronger. The Cherokee cultureis one example, and specifics for theirclerics are in the Cherokee entry inthe Cultures chapter.

Regardless of their faith, Uropanclerics of good alignment may choosefrom the following domains: Good,Healing, Knowledge, and Protection.Although the tenets of Uropan religionsstress lawful good behavior, neutral goodand chaotic good clerics have made theirmark within the churches of Uropa, too,as conciliators and reformers, and haveaccess to the same domains.

Uropan clerics of evil alignment,although they may sometimes infil-trate the ranks of the church, areinvariably secret worshippers of eviloutsiders, and do not receive theirpowers from the deity of Uropan reli-gions. They do not serve an organizedpriesthood, but may congregate insmall cells or cults within a single cityor region. They choose from amongthe following domains: Death,Destruction, Evil, and Trickery.

Uropan cleric-class characters canbe lawful good, neutral good, or chaot-ic good. There are no true neutralUropan clerics, although characters ofother alignments can be found in thechurch, as in any large organization.

COMMONERIn Uropan lands, commoner NPCs

fill the roles of farmers, fishers,herders, unskilled workers, and ser-vants. They typically belong to themarginal, laborer, or yeoman socialclasses. Many have made the danger-ous voyage across the Atlantic Sea toNorthern Crown, hoping to find free-dom and opportunity there. The prac-tice of indentured servitude leavesmany commoners bound to theiremployers for years, leading to abuse,exploitation, and resentment.Indentured servants frequently runaway to escape the terms of their ser-vice. As the economic power of citiesand towns continues to grow, morecommoners are leaving the traditionalvillage life for better-paying jobs andthe chance to rise above their humblesocial origins. Increasingly, common-ers are being conscripted into militiaarmies, armed with pikes, and taughtto fight in large units.

DRUIDThe role of druid characters depends

on their homeland. In Kelt lands and inAlbion, druids are organized into tradi-tional priesthoods that are virtuallyunchanged from ancient times, andwhich have maintained their own spiritu-al and political power. Here, druids willcommand the respect of the public; theyare the established religion, with little

competition. Among First Ones, druid-class characters occupy the same role,although their organization is more akinto a master-apprentice system than to apriesthood. Druids fill the roles of spiri-tual advisors, healers, and defenders ofthe health of the natural world.

Outside of their homelands, manydruids find themselves feared or perse-cuted. In lands with a majority ofRoman Church or Dissenter worship-pers, druids are considered heretics;they leave themselves open to arrestand execution if they declare theirfaith publicly. They avoid settling inthese lands, but may visit them toestablish secret druid sects, to defendthe land from desecration, or to rescueother druids from captivity.

EXPERTExpert NPCs occupy many spe-

cialized roles in Uropan cultures,including trained crafters, profession-als, and merchants. Drawn from thetradesman and burgess classes, theirranks include physicians, traders,lawyers, bankers, mapmakers, fineartists, scholars, and artisans. Thechurch also includes experts in theirranks, working as monks who haveimpressive skills in the Healing,Diplomacy, and Knowledge skills.Although proficient in simple weaponsand light armor, experts are seldomcalled upon to fight. They do occa-sionally serve in the military as profes-sional artillerists, cartographers, andengineers.

PALADINPaladins are found among charac-

ters with a particular zeal for seekingjustice, rooting out hidden evils, andprotecting the innocent. They are sel-dom called paladins by other charac-ters, but are more commonly referredto as “soldiers of god” by Uropans andas “pniese” (puh-NEES-uh) by FirstOnes peoples. Paladins in New WorldAdventures do not necessarily belong toa clerical order; they are just as likelyto be laypeople with a strong faith inthe goodness of humankind, and ahatred of both disorder and tyranny.Common roles for paladin charactersinclude religious reformers, inquisi-tors, secret operatives of the church,folk heroes, or outspoken critics ofabuse and oppression. Their lawfulgood alignment often refers to theirobedience to a higher moral authorityrather than to the authority of thestate or even the authority of churchleaders.

77

Northern Crown

In densely settled cities, paladinsmay find themselves uncovering cor-ruption within the institutions ofchurch and state, rather than battlingtoe-to-toe with evil monsters. Theirunique abilities give them powerfulinvestigative tools for identifying hid-den threats to peace and order. Theymay have to bend the rules of theircode of honor to avoid giving awaytheir cover while on the track of sinis-ter plots and fiends in disguise. Onlywhen an evil enemy has been revealedwill a paladin fall back on his combatskills to defend himself against directattack.

SORCERERSorcerers cannot practice openly

in most lands, because it is commonlybelieved that they owe their powers toevil outsider bloodlines. They arequite rare among the general popula-tion, and employ magic furtively,either alone or as members of one ofseveral secret societies or cults (see theIntrigue section of the Adventureschapter in the Gazetteer for more onsecret societies). Sorcerers can befound serving as spies or hired killersin criminal gangs and at the royalcourts — anywhere they can find anoutlet for their talents without expos-

ing themselves to risk of arrest bychurch authorities. Powerful FirstOnes sorcerers are called maunetu(MAW-neh-too); they are generallyfeared by their neighbors, but given adegree of respect and awe for theirunusual powers.

WARRIORThe warrior NPC can be found fill-

ing the common ranks of Uropan con-script armies, taking the same battle-field roles as soldier-class characters.They are most often from the laboreror yeoman social class.

WIZARDBecause they learn spells from the

written word, rather than from infernalsources, wizards are generally moreaccepted by society than witches orsorcerers are. They often pursue wiz-ardry as an academic subject, whileholding a position at a university or byappointment to the royal court. Theirattachment to great places of learningmakes them less likely to travel or goadventuring, unless driven by greatneed or curiosity. Because they rely onbooks to learn spells, they are virtuallyunknown in First Ones lands.

NEW CORECLASSES

This section introduces seven newcore classes, giving players excitingopportunities to play characters notseen in traditional fantasy campaigns.Players who like rogues in standardd20 System games will enjoy the play-ing the agent, skilled in daring cloak-and-dagger missions and high-stakescontests of nerve and wit; and therake, a swashbuckling professionalduelist and scoundrel. Fans of barbar-ian characters can explore the raider, aferocious combatant from a clan-basedculture, whose battle prowess isenhanced with extraordinary abilities.Those who love the ranger class canbecome scouts, adept at exploring andfighting on the frontiers. Fighters haveevolved into soldiers, professionalswho specialize in a particular battle-field role, whether as members of theroyal army or as hard-bitten mercenar-ies. A new spellcasting class, the witch,guards the magical legacy of the past,and the natural philosopher is a har-binger of a new age of reason, innova-tion, and scientific inquiry, wieldingspell-like effects created by a scientificapparatus.

78

Northern Crown

NEW CLASS: AGENTEven great powers, with vast

armies and overflowing treasuries attheir disposal, cannot always afford towield their power openly. To avoid anembarrassing revelation, eliminate adangerous enemy, or gain crucial intel-ligence about a rival’s next move, theyrely upon a special breed of adventur-er trained to conduct confidential mis-sions. These agents gather informa-tion, provide security, foil the plots ofenemy agents, and, when necessary,act swiftly and decisively to defendtheir own lives and those of the peoplein their care.

Adventures: Agents’ adventurestypically involve missions for a royalcourt, secret society, religious institu-tion, or powerful family. They do notnecessarily work alone; manyemployers earmark some funds to hireadditional support for a mission, cho-sen from the agent’s most trustedcompanions to provide extra muscle,spellcasting, or knowledge as needed.For this reason, agents often con-

tribute more than their share ofadventuring opportunites as membersof a group of player characters. Evenbetween missions, agents may lendtheir services to adventuring partiesin exchange for a stake in any wealthgained during the adventure. Therivalries that develop between enemyagents are often played out as adven-tures in their own right, as each agentseeks to expose or eliminate theother.

Characteristics: Agents possessthe capacity to learn a wide range ofskills and feats related to clandestineoperations. They are proficient in alimited palette of weapons, mostlythose worn in polite society or easilyconcealed, rather than those bran-dished on the battlefield. Althoughthey are capable fighters, they preferto strike unexpectedly from cover orconcealment rather than face an oppo-nent squarely. Their sneak attack abil-ity allows them to inflict heavy dam-age against distracted or unaware tar-

gets. Agents avoid wearing armorbecause of its bulk and conspicuousappearance; they gain bonuses to theirarmor class through their extraordi-nary insight and ability to anticipatedanger.

Alignment: Agents can belong toany alignment. Agents working for agood or evil cause may not necessarilyshare the alignment of their employ-ers. Some may have a fanatical devo-tion to a good or evil cause, while oth-ers may be completely dispassionateabout their work, maintaining a neu-tral alignment.

Background: With a unique mix ofcombat abilities and social skills, mostagents are likely to have had a color-ful early life. Many agents pick up thetools of the trade as peripheral mem-bers of courtly society, often as theillegitimate sons and daughters ofroyal or noble parents, who canbecome embroiled in plots and powergames at a tender age. Other agentsmay receive rigorous training after

79

Northern Crown

being selected for service by a reli-gious order or secret society (see theIntrigue section of the Adventureschapter in the Gazetteer for more onsecret societies). Often, agents begintheir careers under the eye of a men-tor, usually an older agent, whoassigns their missions and overseestheir training.

Other Classes: Perhaps of allcore classes, agents are the least like-ly to form lasting alliances withothers. They maintain an ambiva-lent stance toward other agents,who they can never fully trustdue to the tenuous nature ofloyalties within the world ofconfidential service. Theyadmire the professionalismand discipline of soldiers,although they find theirmethods too direct, andmay resent having to workalongside them despite theadded security they pro-vide. Natural philosophersand sorcerers often findthemselves employed in asupport position for agentsin the field, supplying themwith new inventions andmagic items to give them anedge over the opposition —many agents seem to take a per-verse delight in mishandling suchexpensive gear, much to the conster-nation of their support staff. Agentsreserve much of their disdain forrakes, even though they travel in thesame circles, because rakes do not

put their skills to practical use.Agents’ disapproval for the rakishlifestyle disregards the fact that thetwo classes are often drawn from thesame pool of disaffected aristocrats.

GAME RULE INFORMATION

Agents have the following gamestatistics:

Abilities: Charisma and Dexterityare key abilities for many of an agent’sclass skills. A high Dexterity also helpsraise the armor class of agents, com-pensating for the fact that few of them

wear armor.Alignment: Any.Hit Die: d6.

CLASS SKILLS

The agent’s class skills (andthe key ability for each skill)are Balance (Dex), Bluff(Cha), Climb (Str) DecipherScript (Int), Diplomacy(Cha), Disable Device (Int),Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist(Dex), Forgery (Int), GatherInformation (Cha), Hide(Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump

(Str), Knowledge (any) (local)(Int), Listen (Wis), Move

Silently (Dex), Open Lock(Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession

(Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive(Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot

(Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), andUse Rope (Dex).Skill Points at 1st Level:

(8 + Int modifier) x 4.Skill Points at Each Additional Level:

8 + Int modifier.

THE AGENTLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1 +0 +0 +1 +2 Insight +2 AC, slip away, sneak attack +1d6/30 ft.2 +1 +0 +1 +3 Uncanny dodge3 +2 +1 +2 +3 Bonus feat4 +3 +1 +2 +4 Sneak attack +2d65 +3 +1 +3 +4 Bonus feat, insight +3 AC6 +4 +2 +3 +5 Blend in, undetectable alignment7 +5 +2 +4 +5 Bonus feat, sneak attack +3d68 +6/+1 +2 +4 +6 Improved uncanny dodge9 +6/+1 +3 +5 +6 Bonus feat, insight +4 AC10 +7/+2 +3 +5 +7 Sneak attack +4d6/40 ft.11 +9/+4 +3 +6 +7 Bonus feat12 +9/+4 +4 +6 +8 Improved critical (dagger)13 +10/+5 +4 +7 +8 Bonus feat, sneak attack +5d614 +11/+6/+1 +4 +7 +9 Insight +5 AC15 +12/+7/+2 +5 +8 +9 Bonus feat16 +12/+7/+2 +5 +8 +10 Sneak attack +6d617 +13/+8/+3 +5 +9 +10 Bonus feat, hide in plain sight18 +14/+9/+4 +6 +9 +11 Discreet attack19 +15/+10/+5 +6 +10 +11 Bonus feat, sneak attack +7d6/50 ft.20 +15/+10/+5 +6 +10 +12 Insight +6 AC

CLASS FEATURES

All the following are class featuresof the agent.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:Agents are proficient in the the fol-lowing weapons: dagger, rapier,smallsword, and all pistols. They arenot prohibited from obtaining moreweapon and armor proficiencies asthey advance, but lose their insightAC bonus and sneak attack abilities ifthey wear armor.

Insight AC Bonus: At 1st level,agents gain a +2 insight bonus to AC,representing their ability to anticipatetheir opponent’s moves and to quicklyanalyze and respond to danger. Agentswho wear armor lose this ability.

At 5th, 9th, 14th, and 20th level,this bonus increases to +3, +4, +5, and+6, respectively.

Slip Away: Agents receive a +4bonus to their Bluff check whenattempting to distract observers inorder to hide from them.

Sneak Attack: Agents who catchopponents when they are unable todefend themselves effectively fromtheir attack can strike a vital spot forextra damage.

Agents’ attacks deal extra damageany time their target would be denieda Dexterity bonus to AC (whether thetarget actually has a Dexterity bonusor not), or when the agent flanks thetarget. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st

level, and it increases by 1d6 everythree agent levels thereafter. Shouldthe agent score a critical hit with asneak attack, this extra damage is notmultiplied.

Ranged attacks can count as sneakattacks only if the target is within 30feet. This distance increases to 40 feetat 10th level and 50 feet at 19th level.

With an unarmed strike, agents canmake a sneak attack that deals non-lethal damage instead of lethal dam-age. They cannot use a weapon that

deals lethal damage to deal nonlethaldamage in a sneak attack, not evenwith the usual –4 penalty.

Agents can sneak attack only livingcreatures with discernible anatomies— undead, constructs, oozes, plants,and incorporeal creatures lack vitalareas to attack. Any creature that isimmune to critical hits is not vulnera-ble to sneak attacks. Agents must beable to see the target well enough topick out a vital spot and must be ableto reach such a spot. Agents cannotsneak attack while striking a creaturewith concealment or striking the limbsof a creature whose vitals are beyondreach.

For agents who are multiclassed asrakes, the extra damage caused bytheir sneak attack does not stack withextra damage caused by the rake’scraven attack class ability — if bothclass abilities apply to the same attack,only the ability that provides moredice of extra damage applies. Forexample, a 4th-level agent/1st-levelrake would roll 2d6 extra damage asdetermined by his sneak attack abilityrather than 1d6 extra damage deter-mined by his craven attack ability.

For agents who are multiclassed asscouts, the extra damage caused bytheir sneak attack stacks with any extrasneak attack damage gained as a scout.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at2nd level, agents can react to dangerbefore their senses would normallyallow them to do so. They retain theirDexterity bonus to AC (if any) even ifthey are caught flat-footed or struckby an invisible attacker. However,they still lose their Dexterity bonus toAC if immobilized.

Agents who already have uncannydodge from a different class automati-cally gain improved uncanny dodge(see below) instead.

Bonus Feat: At 3rd level and everytwo levels thereafter, agents choose abonus feat from the following list, pro-

vided they meet the prerequisites:Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Blindfight,Combat Expertise, Deceitful, DeftHands, Diligent, Explosives, Gift ofTongues, Improved Disarm, ImprovedGrapple, Investigator, Iron Will,Manners, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers,Persuasive, Quick Draw, Stealthy, andTwo Worlds.

Blend In (Ex): Agents of 6th levelor higher can use the Hide skillindoors and in an urban environment,even if the terrain doesn’t grant coveror concealment.

Undetectable Alignment (Ex):Agents of 6th level or higher are treat-ed as being the subject of an undetectablealignment spell.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex):Agents of 8th level or higher can nolonger be flanked.This defense deniesanother agent the ability to sneakattack the agent by flanking, unlessthe attacker has at least four moreagent levels than the target does.

If a character already has uncannydodge (see above) from a second class,the levels from the classes that grantuncanny dodge stack to determine theminimum agent level required to flankthe character.

Improved Critical (dagger): At12th level, agents are treated as havingthe Improved Critical feat whenattacking with a dagger.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While inan urban environment or indoors, anagent of 17th level or higher can use theHide skill even while being observed.

Discreet Attack (Ex): At 18th

level, an agent can make sneak attackswith Tiny or Small melee weaponswithout being observed. Anyoneobserving the agent (except for thetarget of the attack) must make a Spotcheck opposed by the agent’s Bluffcheck in order to notice the attack.This ability applies to thrown attacksmade by melee weapons as well asmelee attacks.

80

Northern Crown

81

Northern Crown

NEW CLASS: NATURAL PHILOSOPHERThe natural philosopher character

class represents the inquiring, scientif-ically-minded thinker who has cometo challenge the wizard as the arche-type of the learned person as theancient world fades and age of reasonbegins. Natural philosophers use theirunderstanding of the laws of nature tocreate extraordinary phenomena thatduplicate or surpass the arcane anddivine spells of the spellcasters of ear-lier eras.

Natural philosophers may pursuethe mysteries of the life force and thebody, the secrets of matter, or thechallenges of engineering and inven-tion. As their understanding of thesecrets of the natural worldbecomes more complete, naturalphilosophers may discover sci-entific means to travel to otherplanes, control the powers ofthe mind, predict the future,or confound the spells ofdivine and arcane magic.

Adventures: A naturalphilosopher adventures inthe interests of knowledgeand discovery, seldom sole-ly for material gain or forfame, except for those whoturn their genius to evil pur-poses. The promise of newlands, with unknown flora,fauna, people, and things,often calls young naturalphilosophers to the adventuringlife. Or, the political arena maybeckon, tempting them to put theirscientific knowledge into action toimprove the lives of common folk, indefiance of the interests of long-estab-lished power structures that equateany attempt to change the status quowith treason.

Characteristics: To the untrainedeye, natural philosophers seem capa-ble of duplicating some of the divinespells of clerics and the arcane spells ofwizards and sorcerers, with miraculousfeats of healing and divination, andcontrol of the elements. But these phe-nomena are the product of their well-honed minds and scientific apparatus,rather than magical power. Naturalphilosophers also have the ability toturn undead creatures and resist magi-cal spells, simply by the power of rea-son, which in New World Adventures cansuppress magical forces.

Alignment: Natural philosophersmay be of any alignment, but their ratio-nal minds tend to draw them stronglytowards law and away from chaos.

Background: All natural philoso-phers have a background of extensivestudy, whether at a university, with thehelp of a mentor, or simply self-taughtfrom texts. Those with a social class ofburgess or higher will have been touniversity, while characters of a lowersocial class will have learned what theyknow as an apprentice to a master ofhigher social class, or else learned on

their own from books or from trial anderror.

As a group, natural philosophersshare intense rivalries over academicprowess, but are quite willing to sharetheir published results in the interestsof peer review and the advancement oftheir art. A natural philosopher PCwill likely be a junior member of atleast one academy or philosophicalsociety that may meet regularly to dis-cuss new discoveries or argue theories,and publish yearly journals summariz-ing their findings. Among these orga-nizations are the Virtuosi, based inSophia; the Royal Society, based inCarolingia; and the Uropan Society ofNatural Philosophy, with its headquar-ters in Paris. (See the PhilosophicalSociety Member feat.)

Other Classes: Natural philoso-phers enjoy the company of their ownkind, with whom they share a com-mon mindset and language. They alsorespect wizards’ dedication to study,although they may disdain them fortrying to keep alive the traditions ofthe medieval past. They often enjoydebating clerics over philosophicalmatters. As for other classes, raiders,druids, and scouts may be admired fortheir understanding of the naturalworld, but other classes are met withindifference. Clerics, druids, paladins,witches, and sorcerers often find ithard to get along with natural philoso-phers, who consider their powers an

affront to their own science-basedabilities.

GAME RULE INFORMATION

Natural philosophers havethe following game statistics:

Abilities: Intelligence isby far the most significantability for natural philoso-phers. It determines the maxi-mum level of the phenomenathey can create, how many

they can create per day, and theDC to resist them. Many of their

class skills have Intelligence astheir key ability.

Alignment: Any.Hit Die: d4.

CLASS SKILLS

The natural philosopher’s class skills(and the key ability for each skill) are:Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con),Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int),Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int),Heal (Wis), Knowledge (any) (Int),Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).Skill Points at 1st Level:

(4 + Int Modifier) x 4.Skill Points at Each Additional Level:

4 + Int Modifier.

CLASS FEATURES

All the following are class featuresof the natural philosopher.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:Natural philosophers are proficientonly with simple weapons. They haveno armor or shield proficiency. Theyare not prohibited from learning any

weapon and armor feats as theyadvance.

Spell Resistance: Natural philoso-phers’ power of reason gives them pro-tection from the effects of magic; allnatural philosophers have a SpellResistance (SR) equal to their classlevel, to a maximum of SR 20.

Phenomena (Ex): Natural philoso-phers can create scientific phenomenausing their understanding of the lawsof nature. A phenomenon is an extra-ordinary ability that is equivalent to astandard d20 System arcane or divinespell, but is not magical in nature andinteracts with psionics differently (asdescribed in the Natural PhilosopherPhenomena section, below). The num-ber of phenomena natural philoso-phers can create is determined asthough they were clerics of equivalentlevel (they don’t receive bonus domainspells), but using their Intelligencerather than Wisdom to determine saveDCs and bonus phenomena.

To create a phenomenon, naturalphilosophers must have a degree in thescience to which the phenomenonbelongs and an apparatus appropriateto the science (see Apparatus, below).They must have an Intelligence scoreequal to or higher than 10 + the levelof the phenomenon. The DC for sav-ing throws against a natural philoso-pher’s phenomena is 10 + phenome-non level + the natural philosopher’sIntelligence modifier. Natural philoso-phers do not require any material com-ponents listed under the standard d20System description of the equivalent

spell, unless the components have alisted cost in gp. In this case, theyneed to spend the equivalent cost inmaterials from a lab supplies kit theycarry with them.

Phenomena whose standard d20System spell equivalent includes ver-bal components produce sound whencreated. The sound emanates from thescientific apparatus used, and is equiv-alent in volume to conversationalspeech. All phenomena are consideredto have a somatic component, becausethe natural philosopher must manipu-late the apparatus to produce them.The somatic component of a phenom-enon takes the form of gestures madeby the natural philosopher to activatethe apparatus, and are apparent to any-one in view of the natural philosopher.The metascience feats SilentApparatus and Subtle Apparatus caneliminate the need for sounds and ges-tures made during phenomena cre-ation; see the Skills, Feats, & Combatchapter for details.

Natural philosophers can create alimited number of phenomena of eachphenomenon level per day, equal tothe number of spells cast by a cleric ofequivalent level. In addition, theyreceive bonus phenomena per day ifthey have a high Intelligence score.

Natural philosophers need to cali-brate their apparatus ahead of time inorder to create phenomena. Thisrequires one hour of uninterruptedwork in a quiet environment. Timespent resting has no effect on whethernatural philosophers can calibrate

their apparatus to create phenomena,but an apparatus requires at least 24hours between calibrations in order tobe recharged. An apparatus may becalibrated to create any phenomenonon the natural philosopher spell list,provided that the natural philosophercan create phenomena of that leveland holds a degree in the science towhich the phenomenon belongs, butthe phenomena must be chosen aheadof time, during calibration.

Degrees: Natural philosophers canonly create phenomena belonging tosciences in which they hold a degree.At first level, they can hold one degreein two of the following sciences, orelse two degrees in a single science:Antimagic, Life and Death,Magnetism, Matter, Mentalism, andPhysics. At 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th

level, natural philosophers gain anadditional degree, which they caneither apply to a new science or togain an additional degree in a sciencethey already have a degree in. Thereare no limits to the number of degreesnatural philosophers may hold in onescience. For each degree in excess ofone held in a particular science, alllevel-dependent effects of phenomenabelonging to that science, such asrange, duration, and damage, areincreased by one level, as if the natur-al philosopher were one class levelhigher.

Apparatus: To create the phenom-ena of a particular science they hold adegree in, natural philosophers needto possess an apparatus appropriate to

82

Northern Crown

THE NATURAL PHILOSOPHERLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Two degrees, spell resistance, phenomena, 1 or 2 apparati2 +1 +0 +0 +33 +1 +1 +1 +3 Eligible for Craft Invention, turn undead4 +2 +1 +1 +4 Bonus feat5 +2 +1 +1 +4 Additional degree6 +3 +2 +2 +57 +3 +2 +2 +58 +4 +2 +2 +6 Bonus feat9 +4 +3 +3 +610 +5 +3 +3 +7 Additional degree11 +5 +3 +3 +712 +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 Bonus feat13 +6/+1 +4 +4 +814 +7/+2 +4 +4 +915 +7/+2 +5 +5 +9 Additional degree16 +8/+3 +5 +5 +10 Bonus feat17 +8/+3 +5 +5 +1018 +9/+4 +6 +6 +1119 +9/+4 +6 +6 +1120 +10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Additional degree, bonus feat

that science. An apparatus is a hand-held device capable of manipulatingthe forces associated with the science,but only in the hands of the naturalphilosopher who has constructed itand calibrated it beforehand. It weighsapproximately one pound, and has 5hit points and Hardness 10. It has aBreak DC of 25. It is not a magic item,but rather a special kind of focus, withno inherent powers of its own. At 1st

level, natural philosophers receive oneapparatus for each science in whichthey have one or more degrees. Asthey master new sciences they canconstruct a new apparatus for each oneat a cost of 150 gp and one week ofwork. If an apparatus is lost ordestroyed, no phenomena of the asso-ciated science can be produced until anew one is built.

Turn Undead: As masters of thelaws of nature, at 3rd level naturalphilosophers gain the ability to turnundead creatures, which are theembodiment of un-nature. Naturalphilosophers can turn undead as ifthey were clerics of two levels lowerthan their class level. They use theirIntelligence modifier for turningchecks rather than their Charismamodifier, however.

Inventions: Unique among charac-ter classes, natural philosophers cancreate inventions. Inventions are simi-lar to magic items, except that theirpowers are generated by scientificprocesses rather than magic. To inventan item, you must learn a new feat:Craft Invention. To take this feat, youmust be a natural philosopher level 3+.

Inventions require the inventor tohave a degree in the appropriate sci-ence, and be at least the minimum nat-ural philosopher level listed. Somecommon inventions include an earth-quake generator, a diving helmet, aquick-firing gun, and a flying machine.See the Invention Creation chapterlater in this book, and the Inventionschapter in the Northern Crown: Gazetteer,for more information.

Bonus Feats: At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th,and 20th levels, natural philosophers maychoose a bonus feat from the followinglist: Cheap Invention, Fast InventionRepair, Hardened Invention, IncreasedInvention Damage, Increased InventionHit Points, Increased Invention Speed,Invention Specialization, ScienceSpecialization, Silent Apparatus, andSubtle Apparatus.

Natural Philosophers and Multi-classing: Although it may seem a conflictof interest, natural philosophers can cer-tainly multiclass as sorcerers, wizards, orother spellcasters. It is within the spirit ofthe campaign to practice both magic andscience without contradiction.

NATURAL PHILOSOPHER PHENOMENA

The natural philosopher’s phenom-ena are equivalent to the standard d20System spells of the same name,regarding casting time, range, effect,duration, and saving throws, but areextraordinary abilities rather thanspells. They are non-magical in nature,and not subject to spell resistance.Phenomena interact differently withpsionic powers, however. Psionic pow-ers interact with phenomena and phe-nomena interact with psionic powersin the same way a spell or normalspell-like ability interacts with anotherspell or spell-like ability.

All phenomena belong to one ofsix known sciences:

Antimagic: This science attemptsto unravel, dispel, and negate super-natural forces, including both magicspells and negative energy. Relativelyfew antimagic phenomena are avail-able at low levels to budding antim-ages, but this science becomes increas-ingly potent at higher levels. It causesmuch distress to spellcasters, who cando little to counter its effects.

Antimagic phenomena require aCopernican clock as an apparatus — ametal sphere about the size of an apple,containing many dials, gears, andwheels. When the dials are set to theproper marks by a natural philosopherwith a degree in antimagic, the motionof the gears can produce phenomenathat can cancel or repel magic.

When creating a phenomenon witha verbal component, a Copernicanclock ticks, whirrs, and chimes loudlyfor a length of time equal to the equiv-alent spell’s casting time.

Antimagic phenomena that blockspells, dispel magic, or provide protec-tion against spells do not affect natur-al philosopher phenomena, even otherantimagic phenomena. An antimagicfield phenomenon, for example, doesnot prevent a natural philosopher fromcreating other phenomena within itsarea of effect. Antimagic phenomenathat block magical scrying or divina-tion attempts do not block the equiva-lent mentalism phenomena.

Life and Death: Natural philoso-phers who study life and death gainthe power to heal and harm, in equalmeasure. The phenomena created bythese scientists, often known as anima-tors, duplicate the curing powers ofdivine magic but also include toxiceffects, from clouds of poison gas toenfeebling rays. At the very highest

levels of study, this science offers thekeys to life and death itself, allowingnatural philosophers to restore thedead to life.

Natural philosophers who producelife and death phenomena use anapothecary of Chiron and Nessus astheir apparatus, which looks like awooden case with two compartments.One compartment is named forChiron, the wise centaur of ancientmyth, and contains a selection ofsalves, powders, and pills, which, inthe proper dosage and sequence, canrestore health and even life itself. Theother, named for Nessus, the centaurwhose poisoned blood slew Hercules,contains a selection of salves, powders,and pills, which, in the proper dosageand sequence, can injure or kill, evenat a distance, with the aid of a smallbellows included in the kit.

When creating a phenomenon witha verbal component, the liquids and oilscontained in an apothecary of Chironand Nessus bubble, steam, and seetheaudibly for a length of time equal to theequivalent spell’s casting time.

Magnetism: Magnetism is the sci-ence of galvanic forces, which includeboth magnetism and electricity.Students of magnetism, called gal-vanists, can cause the attraction orrepulsion of two bodies of matter,shape and create protective or liftingforces around themselves, and wieldthe power of lightning like modern-day Jupiters. It is among the mostostentatious and awe-inspiring of thesciences, attracting characters with amercurial or charismatic streak.

The apparatus used to create mag-netism phenomena is the Galvanicbelt: a leather harness studded withmagnets. Combined with the propergestures, the wearer of the belt cancreate and manipulate magneticforces, to draw, repel, or suspend sur-rounding objects and people, or tocreate and shape electrical energy.

When creating a phenomenonwith a verbal component, a galvanicbelt crackles and pops with static elec-tricity for a length of time equal to theequivalent spell’s casting time.

Matter: The science of matter isconcerned with the properties of vari-ous substances — solid, liquid, andgaseous — as well as with their cre-ation, transformation, and destruction.Natural philosophers who are trainedin matter are commonly known aschymists. They consider it to be themost versatile of the known sciences,producing and controlling fire, heat,and cold; changing one substance toanother; and even altering seeminglyimmutably properties of matter, suchas mass.

83

Northern Crown

84

Northern Crown

0-LEVEL PHENOMENA

ANTIMAGIC

Detect Magic Detects spells and magic itemswithin 60 ft.

LIFE AND DEATH

Cure Minor Wounds Cures 1 point of damage.

Detect Poison Detects poison in one creature orsmall object.

Inflict Minor Wounds Touch attack, 1 point of damage.

Purify Food and Drink Purifies 1 cu. ft./level of food andwater.

Touch of Fatigue Touch attack fatigues target.

Virtue Subject gains 1 temporary hp.

MAGNETISM

Know Direction You discern north.

Open/Close Opens or closes small or lightthings.

MATTER

Acid Splash Orb deals 1d3 acid damage.

Create Water Creates 2 gallons/level of purewater.

Mending Makes minor repairs on an object.

Ray of Frost Ray deals 1d3 cold damage.

MENTALISM

Daze Humanoid creature of 4 HD orless loses next action.

Lullaby Makes subject drowsy; –5 on Spotand Listen checks, –2 on Willsaves against sleep.

Mage Hand 5-pound telekinesis.

PHYSICS

Ghost Sound Figment sounds.

Light Object shines like a torch.

1ST-LEVEL PHENOMENA

ANTIMAGIC

Detect Undead Reveals undead within 60 ft.

Erase Mundane or magical writing dis-appears.

Hide from Undead Undead can’t perceive one sub-ject/level.

Obscure Object Masks object against scrying.

NATURAL PHILOSOPHER PHENOMENA

The sympathetic fork serves as theapparatus to generate matter phenom-ena. This is a metal fork consisting oftwo parallel rods, one made of goldand filled with sulphur, the other madeof silver and filled with mercury, andset into a handle of wood, ivory, orbone. When properly struck, the rodsvibrate in sympathy with nearby mat-ter, enabling the wielder to manipulateit or alter its properties.

When creating a phenomenonwith a verbal component, a sympa-thetic fork rings loudly in a clear tonefor a length of time equal to the equiv-alent spell’s casting time.

Mentalism: This science attemptsto harness the powers of the mind tocontrol the will of others, read theirthoughts, and move matter by sheermental force. It includes phenomenaof both power and subtlety, enabling amentalist to wield great power overthe realm of the mind, even thoughtheir control over the physical worldis quite limited compared to studentsof the other sciences.

Mentalism phenomena are not con-sidered psionic powers, since they are

generated by a scientific apparatus,rather than by a creature’s inherentpsionic ability. Because they are notmagical in nature, the mentalism phe-nomena locate object, scrying, and greaterscrying are not blocked by spells ormagic items that block magical scryingor divination. This makes them espe-cially powerful tools in the hands of atrained mentalist. The vulnerability ofthe mentalist is that he has few defensesagainst the divinations and scrying ofothers, except for the 8th-level phenom-enon mind blank. For this reason, mental-ists often study antimagic as well.

Mentalists use a mesmeric cap asan apparatus to produce mentalismphenomena. This is a skullcap made offinely woven, flexible silver thread. Aproperly trained wearer of the cap canproject one’s thoughts, read thethoughts of others, and receive imagesof things far distant in space and time.

When creating a phenomenonwith a verbal component, a mesmericcap emits a low-pitched hummingnoise for a length of time equal to theequivalent spell’s casting time.

Physics: The youngest of theknown sciences of natural philosophy,physics includes the study of light andsound, the manipulation of physicalforces, and the alteration of the fabricof the universe itself. Relatively unim-pressive at lower levels of study,physics pays off for persistent physi-cists, allowing them to teleport overvast distances, stop time, and eventravel to other planes of existence.

The prismatic rod is used as anapparatus to create physics phenome-na. This is a 12-inch rod of faultlessquartz crystal, cut and polished into atriangular prism, and set into a wood-en handle. When struck, the rod cancreate and amplify sound; when usedas a prism, it can produce opticaleffects. When both methods are com-bined, it can create resonances thatopen portals to other planes or trans-port the wielder incredible distances.

When creating a phenomenonwith a verbal component, a prismaticrod pulsates audibly for a length oftime equal to the equivalent spell’scasting time.

85

Northern Crown

LIFE AND DEATH

Chill Touch One touch/level deals 1d6 damageand possibly 1 Str damage.

Cure Light Wounds Cures 1d8 damage +1/level (max+5).

Delay Poison Stops poison from harming subject

for 1 hour/level.

Inflict Light Wounds Touch deals 1d8 damage +1/level(max +5)

Ray of Enfeeblement Ray deals 1d6+1 per two levels Strdamage.

MAGNETISM

Entropic Shield Ranged attacks against you have20% miss chance.

Hold Portal Holds door shut.

Mage Armor Gives subject +4 armor bonus.

Shocking Grasp Touch delivers 1d6/level electricitydamage (max 5d6).

MATTER

Detect Secret Doors Reveals hidden doors within 60 ft.

Endure Elements Exist comfortably in hot or coldenvironments.

Enlarge Person Humanoid creature doubles in size.

Obscuring Mist Fog surrounds you.

Produce Flame 1d6 damage +1/level, touch orthrown.

Pyrotechnics Turns fire into blinding light orchoking smoke.

Reduce Person Humanoid creature halves in size.

MENTALISM

Cause Fear One creature of 5 HD or less fleesfor 1d4 rounds.

Command One subject obeys selected com-mand for 1 round.

Comprehend Languages You understand all spoken andwritten languages.

Confusion, Lesser One creature is confused for 1round/level.

Hypnotism Fascinates 2d4 HD of creatures.

Remove Fear Suppresses fear or gives +4 onsaves against fear for one subject +one per four levels.

Sleep Puts 4 HD of creatures into magicalslumber.

Unseen Servant Invisible force obeys your commands.

PHYSICS

Alarm Wards an area for 2 hours/level.

Burning Hands 1d4/level fire damage (max 5d4).

Color Spray Knocks unconscious, blinds, and/orstuns 1d6 weak creatures.

Feather Fall Objects or creatures fall slowly.

Floating Disk Creates 3-ft.-diameter horizontaldisk that holds 100 lb./level.

Ventriloquism Throws voice for 1 min./level.

2ND-LEVEL PHENOMENA

ANTIMAGIC

Misdirection Misleads divinations for one crea-ture or object.

See Invisibility Reveals invisible creatures orobjects.

LIFE AND DEATH

Bull’s Strength Subject gains +4 to Str for 1min./level.

Bear’s Endurance Subject gains +4 to Con for 1min./level.

Cat’s Grace Subject gains +4 to Dex for 1min./level.

Cure Moderate Wounds Cures 2d8 damage +1/level (max+10).

Death Knell Kills dying creature; you gain 1d8temporary hp, +2 to Str, and +1level.

False Life Gain 1d10 temporary hp +1/level (max +10)

Gentle Repose Preserves one corpse.

Inflict Moderate Wounds Touch attack, 2d8 damage +1/level(max +10).

Remove Paralysis Frees one or more creatures from

paralysis or slow effect.

MAGNETISM

Hold Person Paralyzes one humanoid for 1round/level.

Levitate Subject moves up and down atyour direction.

Spider Climb Grants ability to walk on walls andceilings

MATTER

Chill Metal Cold metal damages those whotouch it.

Fog Cloud Fog obscures vision.

Gust of Wind Blows away or knocks down small-er creatures.

Heat Metal Make metal so hot it damagesthose who touch it.

86

Northern Crown

Make Whole Repairs an object.

Resist Energy Ignores 10 (or more) points ofdamage/attack from specified ener-gy type.

Soften Earth and Stone Turns stone to clay or dirt to sandor mud.

Warp Wood Bends wood (shaft, handle, door,plank).

MENTALISM

Calm Emotions Calms creatures, negating emotioneffects.

Detect Thoughts Allows “listening” to surfacethoughts.

Find Traps Notice traps as a rogue does.

Owl’s Wisdom Subject gains +4 to Wis for 1min./level.

Scare Panics creatures of less than 6 HD.

Touch of Idiocy Subject takes 1d6 points of Int,Wis, and Cha damage.

PHYSICS

Blur Attacks miss subject 20% of thetime.

Darkness 20-ft. radius of supernatural shadow.

Protection from Arrows Subject immune to most rangedattacks.

Scorching Ray Ranged touch attack deals 4d6 firedamage, +1 ray/four levels (max 3).

Shatter Sonic vibration damages objects orcrystalline creatures.

Silence Negates sound in 15-ft. radius.

Sound Burst Deals 1d8 sonic damage to sub-jects; may stun them.

3RD-LEVEL PHENOMENA

ANTIMAGIC

Arcane Sight Magical auras become visible toyou.

Dispel Magic Cancels spells and magical effects.

Invisibility Purge Dispels invisibility within 5ft./level.

Nondetection Hides subject from divination,scrying

LIFE AND DEATH

Contagion Infects subject with chosen disease.

Cure Serious Wounds Cures 3d8 damage +1/level (max+15).

Heroism Gives +2 bonus on attack rolls,saves, skill checks.

Inflict Serious Wounds Touch attack, 3d8 damage +1/level(max +15).

Ray of Exhaustion Ray makes subject exhausted.

Remove Blindness/Deafness Cures normal or magical conditions.

Remove Disease Cures all diseases affecting subject.

Restoration, Lesser Dispels magical ability penalty orrepairs 1d4 ability damage.

MAGNETISM

Fly Subject flies at speed of 60 ft.

Lightning Bolt Electricity deals 1d6/level damage.

MATTER

Continual Flame Makes a permanent, heatlesstorch.

Meld into Stone You and your gear merge withstone.

Protection from Energy Absorb 12 points/level of damagefrom one kind of energy.

Stinking Cloud Nauseating vapors, 1 round/level.

Stone Shape Sculpts stone into any shape.

Water Breathing Subjects can breathe underwater.

Wind Wall Deflects arrows, smaller creatures,and gases.

MENTALISM

Blindness/Deafness Makes subject blinded or deafened.

Confusion Subjects behave oddly for 1round/level.

Crushing Despair Subjects take –2 on attack rolls,damage rolls, saves, and checks.

Fear Subjects within cone flee for 1round/level.

Deep Slumber Puts 10 HD of creatures to sleep.

Locate Object Senses direction toward object(specific or type).

Suggestion Compels subject to follow statedcourse of action.

Zone of Truth Subjects within range cannot lie.

PHYSICS

Blink You randomly vanish and reappearfor 1 round/level.

Daylight 60-ft. radius of bright light.

Deeper Darkness Object sheds supernatural shadowin 60-ft. radius.

Displacement Attacks miss subject 50%.

Sculpt Sound Creates new sounds or changesexisting ones.

Searing Light Ray deals 1d8/two levels damage,more against undead.

87

Northern Crown

4TH-LEVEL PHENOMENA

ANTIMAGIC

Detect Scrying Alerts you of magical eavesdropping.

Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser Stops 1st- through 3rd-level spell

effects.

Halt Undead Immobilizes undead for 1round/level.

Spell Immunity Subject is immune to one spell per

four levels.

LIFE AND DEATH

Cure Critical Wounds Cures 4d8 damage +1/level (max+20).

Inflict Critical Wounds Touch attack, 4d8 damage +1/level

(max +20).

Neutralize Poison Immunizes subject against poison,detoxifies venom in or on subject.

Poison Touch deals 1d10 Con damage,repeats in 1 min.

Rage Subject gains +2 to Str and Con,+1 on Will saves, –2 to AC.

Restoration Restores level and ability scoredrains.

Vampiric Touch Touch deals 1d6/two levels dam-age; caster gains damage as hp.

MAGNETISM

Resilient Sphere Force globe protects but traps onesubject.

MATTER

Air Walk Subject treads on air as if solid(climb at 45-degree angle).

Control Water Raises or lowers bodies of water.

Giant Vermin Turns centipedes, scorpions, orspiders into giant vermin.

Rusting Grasp Your touch corrodes iron andalloys.

Shrink Item Object shrinks to one-sixteenthsize.

Wall of Ice Ice plane creates wall with 15 hp+1/level, or hemisphere can trapcreatures inside.

MENTALISM

Discern Lies Reveals deliberate falsehoods.

Modify Memory Changes 5 minutes of subject’smemories.

Repel Vermin Insects, spiders, and other verminstay 10 ft. away.

Scrying Spies on subject from a distance.

Sending Delivers short message anywhere, instantly.

Tongues Speak any language.

PHYSICS

Dimension Door Teleports you short distance.

Dimensional Anchor Bars extradimensional movement.

Invisibility Subject is invisible for 1 min./levelor until it attacks.

Rainbow Pattern Lights fascinate 24 HD of creatures.

Shout Deafens all within cone and deals5d6 sonic damage.

Zone of Silence Keeps eavesdroppers from over-hearing conversations.

5TH-LEVEL PHENOMENA

ANTIMAGIC

Break Enchantment Frees subjects from enchantments,alterations, curses, and petrification.

Disrupting Weapon Melee weapon destroys undead.

Spell Resistance Subject gains SR 12 + level.

LIFE AND DEATH

Plant Growth Grows vegetation, improves crops.

Raise Dead Restores life to subject who diedas long as one day/level ago.

Slay Living Touch attack kills subject.

Waves of Fatigue Several targets become fatigued.

MAGNETISM

Hold Monster As hold person, but any creature.

Wall of Force Wall is immune to damage.

MATTER

Cone of Cold 1d6/level cold damage.

Fabricate Transforms raw materials into fin-ished items.

Fire Shield Creatures attacking you take firedamage; you’re protected fromheat or cold.

Gaseous Form Subject becomes insubstantial andcan fly slowly.

Solid Fog Blocks vision and slows movement.

Wall of Stone Creates a stone wall that can beshaped.

MENTALISM

Command, Greater As command, but affects one sub-ject/level.

88

Northern Crown

Dominate Person Controls humanoid telepathically.

Mind Fog Subjects in fog get –10 to Wis andWill checks.

Suggestion, Mass As suggestion, plus one subject/level.

Telekinesis Moves object, attacks creature, orhurls object or creature.

True Seeing Lets you see all things as they real-ly are.

PHYSICS

Invisibility, Greater As invisibility, but subject can attackand stay invisible.

Passwall Creates passage through wood orstone wall.

Plane Shift As many as eight subjects travel toanother plane.

Teleport Instantly transports you as far as100 miles/level.

6TH-LEVEL PHENOMENA

ANTIMAGIC

Globe of Invulnerability As lesser globe of invulnerability, plus4th-level spell effects.

Dispel Magic, Greater As dispel magic, but +20 on check.

LIFE AND DEATH

Antiplant Shell Keeps animated plants at bay.

Blight Withers one plant or deals1d6/level damage to plant creature.

Harm Deals 10 points/level damage totarget.

Heal Cures 10 points/level of damage,all diseases and mental conditions.

MAGNETISM

Chain Lightning 1d6/level damage; 1 secondarybolt/level each deals half damage.

Interposing Hand Hand provides cover against oneopponent.

MATTER

Acid Fog Fog deals acid damage.

Control Weather Changes weather in local area.

Disintegrate Makes one creature or object vanish.

Repel Wood Pushes away wooden objects.

Wind Walk You and your allies turn vaporousand travel fast.

MENTALISM

Animate Objects Objects attack your foes.

Antilife Shell 10-ft. field hedges out livingcreatures.

Feeblemind Subject’s Int and Cha drop to 1.

Telepathic Bond Link lets allies communicate.

PHYSICS

Invisibility Sphere Makes everyone within 10 ft.invisible.

Shout, Greater Devastating yell does 10d6 sonicdamage; stuns creatures, damagesobjects.

Sympathetic Vibration Deals 2d10 damage/round to free-standing structure.

7TH-LEVEL PHENOMENA

ANTIMAGIC

Antimagic Field Negates magic within 10 ft.

Spell Turning Reflect 1d4+6 spell levels back atcaster.

Undeath to Death Destroys 1d4 HD/level undead(max 20d4).

LIFE AND DEATH

Heroism, Greater Gives +4 bonus on attack rolls,saves, skill checks; immunity tofear; temporary hp.

Regenerate Subject’s severed limbs grow back,cures 4d8 damage +1/level (max+35).

Restoration, Greater As restoration, plus restores all levelsand ability scores.

Waves of Exhaustion Several targets become exhausted.

MAGNETISM

Forceful Hand Hand pushes creatures away.

Repulsion Creatures can’t approach you.

MATTER

Cloudkill Kills 3 HD or less; 4–6 HD saveor die, 6+ HD take Con damage.

Destruction Kills subject and destroys remains.

Freezing Sphere Freezes water or deals cold damage.

Stoneskin Ignore 10 points of damage perattack.

Transmute Mud to Rock Transforms two 10-ft. cubes perlevel.

Transmute Rock to Mud Transforms two 10-ft. cubes perlevel.

89

Northern Crown

MENTALISM

Insanity Subject suffers continuous confusion.

Scrying, Greater As scrying, but faster and longer.

PHYSICS

Phase Door Creates an invisible passagethrough wood or stone.

Teleport, Greater As teleport, but no range limit andno off-target arrival.

Teleport Object As teleport, but affects a touchedobject.

8TH-LEVEL PHENOMENA

ANTIMAGIC

Protection from Spells Confers +8 resistance bonus.

Spell Immunity, Greater As spell immunity, but up to 8th-levelspells.

LIFE AND DEATH

Circle of Death Kills 1d4/level HD of creatures.

Clone Duplicate awakens when originaldies.

Horrid Wilting Deals 1d6/level damage within30 ft.

MAGNETISM

Forcecage Cube or cage of force imprisons allinside.

Grasping Hand Hand provides cover, pushes, orgrapples.

Hold Person, Mass As hold person, but all within 30 ft.

MATTER

Earthquake Intense tremor shakes 5-ft./levelradius.

Iron Body Your body becomes living iron.

Minor Creation Creates one cloth or wood object.

Polar Ray Ranged touch attack deals1d6/level cold damage.

Wall of Fire Deals 2d4 fire damage out to 10 ft.and 1d4 out to 20 ft. Passingthrough wall deals 2d6 damage.

MENTALISM

Demand As sending, plus you can send suggestion.Discern Location Reveals exact location of creature

or object.

Mind Blank Subject is immune to mental/emo-tional magic and scrying.

Moment of Prescience You gain insight bonus on singleattack roll, check, or save.

PHYSICS

Dimensional Lock Teleportation and interplanar trav-el blocked for one day/level.

Ethereal Jaunt You become ethereal for 1round/level.

Reverse Gravity Objects and creatures fall upward.

Sunbeam Beam blinds and deals 4d6 damage.

Temporal Stasis Puts subject into suspended animation.

9TH-LEVEL PHENOMENA

ANTIMAGIC

Mage’s Disjunction Dispels magic, disenchants magicitems.

LIFE AND DEATH

Finger of Death Kills one subject.

Resurrection Fully restore dead subject.

MAGNETISM

Crushing Hand Large hand provides cover, pushes,or crushes your foes.

MATTER

Fire Storm Deals 1d6/level fire damage.

Implosion Kills one creature/round.

Major Creation As minor creation, plus stone andmetal.

MENTALISM

Astral Projection Projects you and companions onto Astral Plane.

Foresight “Sixth sense” warns of impendingdanger.

PHYSICS

Etherealness Travel to Ethereal Plane with com-panions.

Gate Connects two planes for travelor summoning.

Teleportation Circle Circle teleports any creature insideto a designated spot.

Time Stop You act freely for 1d4+1 rounds.

90

Northern Crown

NEW CLASS: RAIDERRaiders are specialist fighters,

adapted for conducting warfare acrossthe vast forests and mountains ofNorthern Crown and other wild placesof the world. They form the core ofthe fighting force of many clan-basedcultures, from the sea-raiders ofVinland to the Kelt renegadoes of theMountains of Smoke to the most cele-brated warriors of the First Ones.Skilled in brutal melee combat,ambush tactics, and wilderness travel,they draw courage and strength fromthe company of other like-mindedadventurers, working themselves intoa rage prior to battle and using ritualsto gain combat abilities that seemalmost magical in nature.

Adventures: Raiders may enter alife of adventure to remove a stain ofdishonor upon themselves or theirclan, to eliminate an enemy oftheir people, or simply to gain areputation as a force to be reck-oned with. They seldomaccept employment formoney, but will gladly asso-ciate with characters whothey respect for theirstrength, courage, or wits.

Characteristics: Raidersshare many characteristicswith the barbarians of theancient world, from theirability to enter into a state ofrage, to their uncanny abilityto avoid being taken unawares.They also possess some of thefeatures of the rangers of earliertimes, including the ability totrack their foes and to move with-out hindrance through rough ter-rain. Uniquely, through the ritual ofthe wardance, raiders can temporarilygain extraordinary combat abilities thatmimic the benefits of certain spells. Theyalso have the ability to frighten creaturesthrough their fearsome appearance.

Alignment: Raiders can belong toany alignment, but tend toward chaosbecause of the importance they placeon individual deeds of valor.

Background: From childhood,raiders are trained in the arts of wilder-ness travel and swift and stealthymovement, while also learning toheighten the senses of vision and hear-ing, and harness their rage to enhancetheir physical abilities. Their loyalty totheir comrades and to their clan is rein-forced through trials of bravery,endurance, and combat skill, andrewarded with a position of honor

within their culture. By early adult-hood, they have been honed intomembers of the main offensive force oftheir people, and are often identifiedby distinctive clothing and adornment.

Other Classes: Raiders respect thewilderness skills of scouts, but have lit-tle patience with their penchant formapping, diplomacy, and quiet obser-vation. Soldiers can gain acceptancefrom raiders if they display courage inbattle, but raiders often consider sol-diers’ use of heavy armor to be dishon-orable. Druids are venerated by raidersfor their knowledge of the natural

world and their ability to harness andcontrol the forces of nature, but otherclasses are usually dismissed as weakand cowardly, unless this is disprovedthrough demonstrations of their phys-ical courage.

GAME RULE INFORMATION

Raiders have the following gamestatistics:

Abilities: A high Strength andDexterity is helpful in enhancing araider’s fighting ability, while a goodConstitution score helps buffer theraider against the many physical threatsfaced in warfare and wilderness travel.Raiders’ class skills include a wide rangeof key abilities, notably Strength,Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom.

Alignment: Any.Hit Die: d12.

CLASS SKILLS

The raider’s class skills (and the keyability for each skill) are Climb (Str),Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex),Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge(geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature)(Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex),Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spot

(Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), andUse Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at 1st Level:(4 + Int modifier) x 4.Skill Points at EachAdditional Level:4 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURES

All the following are classfeatures of the raider.

Weapon and ArmorProficiency: A raider is profi-cient with all simple weapons

and light armor. Raiders whowear heavy or medium armor

lose the following class abilities:fast movement, endurance, uncan-

ny dodge, improved uncannydodge, quiet movement, woodlandstride, and swift tracker.

Fast Movement (Ex): A raiders’land speed is faster than the norm forhis race by +10 feet. This benefitapplies only when he is wearing noarmor or light armor and not carryinga heavy load. Apply this bonus beforemodifying the raider’s speed becauseof any load carried or armor worn.

Illiteracy: Raiders do not automat-ically know how to read and write.Raiders may spend 2 skill points togain the ability to read and write alllanguages they are able to speak.

A raider who gains a level in anyother class that does not have illitera-cy automatically gains literacy. Anyother characters who gain a raiderlevel do not lose the literacy theyalready had.

Rage (Ex): Raiders can fly into arage a certain number of times per day.In a rage, raiders temporarily gain a +4bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus toConstitution, and a +2 morale bonuson Will saves, but they take a –2penalty to Armor Class. The increasein Constitution increases raiders’ hitpoints by 2 points per level, but thesehit points go away at the end of therage when their Constitution scoredrops back to normal. (These extra hitpoints are not lost first the way tem-porary hit points are.) While raging,raiders cannot use any Charisma-,Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills(except for Balance, Escape Artist, andIntimidate, and Ride), theConcentration skill, or any abilitiesthat require patience or concentration,nor can they cast spells or activatemagic items that require a commandword, a spell trigger (such as a wand),or spell completion (such as a scroll)to function. They can use any featthey have except Combat Expertise,item creation feats, and metamagicfeats.

A fit of rage lasts for a number ofrounds equal to 1 round + the raider’s(newly improved) Constitution modifi-er. Raiders may prematurely end theirrage. At the end of the rage, raiders losethe rage modifiers and restrictions andbecome fatigued (–2 penalty toStrength, –2 penalty to Dexterity, can’tcharge or run) for the duration of thecurrent encounter (unless they are a17th-level raider, at which point thislimitation no longer applies; see below).

Raiders can fly into a rage only onceper encounter. At 1st level they can onlyuse their rage ability once per day. At 4th

level and every four levels thereafter,they can use it one additional time perday (to a maximum of six times per dayat 20th level). Entering a rage takes notime itself, but raiders can do it only dur-ing their action, not in response to some-one else’s action.

Endurance (Ex): At 2nd level,raiders gain Endurance as a free feat.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 2nd

level, raiders retain their Dexteritybonus to AC (if any) even if they arecaught flat-footed or struck by aninvisible attacker. However, they stilllose their Dexterity bonus to AC ifimmobilized. Raiders who alreadyhave uncanny dodge from a differentclass automatically gain improveduncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Quiet Movement (Ex): At 3rd

level, when moving at a speed greaterthan one-half but less than full speed,raiders do not suffer the usual –5penalty to Move Silently skill checks.They suffer only a –10 penalty tomove silently while running or charg-ing, and suffer only a –2 penalty tomove silently while crossing even verynoisy surfaces.

Wardance (Ex): At 4th level, raidersmay engage in a ritual to temporarilygain additional combat abilities. A war-dance may take the form of a dance,chant, oath, or other ritual observance.It takes one hour to complete a war-dance, during which time the raidermust not be interrupted. At the end of a

wardance, a raider chooses one of thefollowing abilities, which may be acti-vated once as a standard action at anytime within one full day of the war-dance. Although similar to the spells ofthe same name, they are consideredextraordinary abilities rather than spell-like effects. A raider may engage in awardance once per day.

Jump: When this ability is activatedas a standard action, you gain a +10enhancement bonus on Jump checksfor one minute multiplied by yourclass level.

Remove Fear: When this ability is activat-ed as a standard action, you gain a +4morale bonus against fear effects for 10 min-utes. If you are under the influence of a feareffect when activating this ability, that effectis suppressed for the duration of the spell.

True Strike: When you activate thisability as a standard action, your nextsingle attack roll (if it is made withinone hour) gains a +20 insight bonus.Additionally, you are not affected bythe miss chance that applies to attack-ers trying to strike a concealed target.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex):At 5th level and higher, raiders can nolonger be flanked. This defense deniesan agent or scout the ability to sneakattack raiders by flanking them, unlessthe attacker has at least four moreagent or scout levels than the targethas raider levels. If a character alreadyhas uncanny dodge (see above) from asecond class, the character automati-cally gains improved uncanny dodgeinstead, and the levels from the classesthat grant uncanny dodge stack to

91

Northern Crown

THE RAIDERLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1 +1 +2 +2 +0 Fast movement, illiteracy, rage 1/day2 +2 +3 +3 +0 Endurance, uncanny dodge3 +3 +3 +3 +1 Quiet movement4 +4 +4 +4 +1 Wardance, rage 2/day5 +5 +4 +4 +2 Improved uncanny dodge6 +6/+1 +5 +5 +2 Track, woodland stride7 +7/+2 +5 +5 +3 Damage reduction 1 (vs. weapons & natural attacks only)8 +8/+3 +6 +6 +3 Improved wardance, rage 3/day9 +9/+4 +6 +6 +4 Swift tracker10 +10/+5 +7 +7 +4 Damage reduction 2 (vs. weapons & natural attacks only)11 +11/+6/+1 +7 +7 +5 Greater rage12 +12/+7/+2 +8 +8 +5 Greater wardance, rage 4/day13 +13/+8/+3 +8 +8 +6 Damage reduction 3 (vs. weapons & natural attacks only)14 +14/+9/+4 +9 +9 +6 Blindsense 30 ft.15 +15/+10/+5 +9 +9 +7 Nerve-shaking gaze16 +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +10 +7 Damage reduction 4 (vs. weapons & natural attacks only), rage 5/day17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +10 +8 Tireless rage18 +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +11 +8 Frightening gaze19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +11 +9 Damage reduction 5 (vs. weapons & natural attacks only)20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +12 +9 Mighty rage, rage 6/day

determine the minimum level a rake orscout must be to flank the character.

Track: At 6th level, raiders gainTrack as a free feat.

Woodland Stride (Ex): At 6th

level, raiders may move through anysort of undergrowth (such as naturalthorns, briars, overgrown areas, andsimilar terrain) at their normal speedand without taking damage or suffer-ing any other impairment. However,thorns, briars, and overgrown areasthat are enchanted or magicallymanipulated to impede motion stillaffect them.

Damage Reduction (Ex): At 7th

level, a raider gains damage reduction.Subtract 1 from the damage the raidertakes each time damage is dealt from aweapon or a natural attack. At 10th

level, and every three raider levelsthereafter (13th, 16th, and 19th level),this damage reduction rises by 1 point.Damage reduction can reduce damageto 0 but not below 0.

Improved Wardance (Ex): At 8th

level, raiders receive two abilities fol-lowing the completion of a wardanceinstead of one. They can choose twodifferent abilities or the same onetwice. Raiders add the following abili-ties to the abilities available to them:

Bear’s Endurance: Upon activation ofthis ability as a standard action, yougain greater vitality and stamina. Youget a +4 enhancement bonus toConstitution, which adds the usualbenefits to hit points, Fortitude saves,Constitution checks, and so forth. Thisability lasts for one round multiplied byyour class level. Hit points gained by atemporary increase in Constitutionscore are not temporary hit points.They go away when the subject’sConstitution drops back to normal.They are not lost first as temporary hitpoints are.

Bull’s Strength: Upon activation ofthis ability as a standard action, youbecome stronger, gaining a +4enhancement bonus to Strength andadding the usual benefits to meleeattack rolls, melee damage rolls, andother uses of the Strength modifier.

This ability lasts for one round multi-plied by your class level.

Heroism: Upon activating this abili-ty as a standard action, you gain greatbravery and morale in battle, receivinga +2 morale bonus on attack rolls,saves, and skill checks. This abilitylasts for one round multiplied by yourclass level.

Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at9th level, raiders can move at their nor-mal speed while following tracks with-out taking the normal –5 penalty.They take only a –10 penalty (insteadof the normal –20) when moving at upto twice normal speed while tracking.

Greater Rage (Ex): At 11th level,raiders’ bonuses to Strength andConstitution during their rage eachincrease to +6, and their morale bonuson Will saves increases to +3. Thepenalty to AC remains at –2.

Greater Wardance (Ex): At 12th

level, raiders receive three abilities fol-lowing the completion of a wardanceinstead of two, chosen from the list ofabilities gained from their Wardanceand Improved Wardance class abilities,plus the following additional abilities:

Barkskin: Upon activating this abilityas a standard action, you gain a +4enhancement bonus to your existingnatural armor bonus. The enhancementbonus provided by barkskin stacks withyour natural armor bonus, but not withother enhancement bonuses to naturalarmor. A creature without natural armorhas an effective natural armor bonus of+0. This ability lasts for one round mul-tiplied by your class level.

Protection from Arrows: Upon activat-ing this ability as a standard action, yougain damage reduction 10/magicagainst ranged weapons. (This abilitydoesn’t grant you the ability to damagecreatures with similar damage reduc-tion.) Up to 50 points of damage can beprevented. This ability lasts for oneround multiplied by your class level.

Blindsense (Ex): At 14th level,raiders gain blindsense, an ability thatlets raiders notice things they cannotsee, but without the precision of blind-sight. Raiders usually do not need to

make Spot or Listen checks to noticeand locate creatures within range oftheir blindsense ability, provided thatthey have line of effect to that crea-ture. Any opponent the raider cannotsee has total concealment (50% misschance) against the raider, and theraider still has the normal miss chancewhen attacking foes that have conceal-ment. Visibility still affects the move-ment of a raider with blindsense.Raiders with blindsense are still deniedtheir Dexterity bonus to Armor Classagainst attacks from creatures theycannot see. Blindsense works to arange of 30 feet.

Nerve-shaking Gaze (Ex): At 15th

level, raiders can shake opponentswithin 30 feet by making a gazeattack. Raiders with this ability canactively attempt to use their gaze as anattack action. The raider chooses anopponent within 30 feet, and thatopponent must attempt a Fortitudesave at DC 14 each round he is subjectto the gaze attack, at the beginning ofthe opponent’s turn. Opponents whofail to save against the gaze attackbecome shaken as long as they are inthe raider’s presence, taking a –2penalty on attack rolls, saving throws,skill checks, and ability checks.

Tireless Rage (Ex): At 17th leveland higher, raiders no longer becomefatigued at the end of their rage.

Frightening Gaze: At 18th level,targets of a raider’s gaze attack becomefrightened in addition to becomingshaken, fleeing from the raider asquickly as they can. They can choosethe path of their flight. Once they areout of sight of the raider, they can actas they want. If they see the raideragain, they must make a new savingthrow during their turn to avoid theeffects of the raider’s gaze. Charactersunable to flee can fight (though theyare still shaken).

Mighty Rage (Ex): At 20th level,raiders’ bonuses to Strength andConstitution during their rage eachincrease to +8, and their morale bonuson Will saves increases to +4. Thepenalty to AC remains at –2.

92

Northern Crown

93

Northern Crown

NEW CLASS: RAKERakes are stylish masters of civil

combat. The dueling ground is theirbattlefield; elegant blades and slenderpistols are their weapons. Railedagainst from the pulpit, shunned bydecent citizens, but adored as dashingscoundrels by their admirers andpatrons, rakes are colorful and contro-versial adventurers of the new age.

Adventures: A life of dueling andgambling holds the promise ofadventure for many young rakes.They may be forced into the com-pany of other adventurers tothwart a common enemy, evadethe law, or simply to find newopportunities for pleasure andprofit.

Characteristics: Rakesare skilled in the use ofweapons that can be worn asaccessories to fashionablegarb, and they would neverbe seen wearing armor inpublic. Their class abilitieshelp them gain advantages onthe dueling ground, survivethe stray blade or shot, andmake their way in the world bycheating, dissembling, hiding,and stretching the truth. Outsideof combat, rakes gain significantbonuses to skills related to deceptionand disguise.

Alignment: Rakes can be good,neutral or evil, but must be chaotic,since society as a whole frowns upondueling and carousing. Regardless oftheir alignment, they strive to do as lit-tle work as possible, preferring tosponge off wealthy friends and rela-tions, win at cards and other forms ofgambling, and take employment asprofessional duelists, receiving sub-stantial pay as stand-ins for aggrievedparties whose courage and combatskills are lacking. Good rakes, oftencalled gallants, use their skills to pro-tect the honor of innocent victims andto put bullies, swindlers, and other vil-lains out of commission. Neutral rakestend to put their abilities to use toadvance in rank and wealth, withoutparticularly enjoying the rakishlifestyle; they see it merely as a way ofpositioning themselves to take advan-tage of opportunity. Evil rakes, knownas cads, enjoy the basest pleasures ofthe tavern and tabling den, and treatdueling as another forbidden pastimeto be savored. They have no regard forhuman life, except their own.

Background: Rakes may comefrom any level of society, but regard-less of their actual social rank, theystrive to seem as elegant, fashionable,

and prosperous as possible. Most rakesfind the rakish lifestyle at an early age,learning to talk their way into highsociety and out of trouble, to masterthe sword and pistol, and to parlaytheir skills and charms into cash.

Other Classes: Bards ply theirtrade in many of the same low placesthat rakes frequent, giving them a cer-tain sympathy. Few clerics will abide

the company of a rake for long, unlessthey see some hope of reforming theirways. Although they share an interestin fighting, rakes and soldiers do notoften get along with one another,because of the rake’s lack of disciplineor sense of duty. Rakes may secretlyadmire agents’ cool exterior and com-petence, but often ridicule them ashumorless and drab.

GAME RULE INFORMATION

Rakes have the followinggame statistics:

Abilities: Charisma isimportant to a rake’s socialskills, while Strength andDexterity are key attributesfor combat skills. While ahigh Wisdom score helpsrakes sense the deceits ofother rakes, considered actionsand forethought are not hall-

marks of their character.Alignment: Any chaotic.

Hit Die: d8.

CLASS SKILLS

The rake’s class skills (and the keyability for each skill) are Appraise (Int),Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str),Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), GatherInformation (Cha), Intimidate (Cha),Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int),Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession(Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight ofHand (Dex), and Tumble (Dex).Skill Points at 1st Level:

(4 + Int modifier) x 4.Skill Points at Each Additional Level:

4 + Int modifier.

CODE OF HONOR Everything a rake does is informed by

a code of honor with three major tenets• First, rakes must strive to look fash-

ionable and attractive at all times. • Second, no rake can refuse an

opportunity to enjoy food, drink,cards, or good company, at the riskof being called soft or prudish.

• Third, any insult to a rake’s charac-ter, personal appearance, compe-

tence, or social standing must beanswered with a challenge to settlethe matter with swords or pistols atthe earliest opportunity.

Even rakes whose hearts are kind andwithout malice are vulnerable to worldlytemptations and cannot let insults gounanswered.

CLASS FEATURES

All the following are class featuresof the rake.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:Rakes are proficient in the the follow-ing weapons: broadsword, dagger, cut-lass, rapier, saber, smallsword, wheel-lock belt pistol, and snaphance pistol.They are not forbidden from gainingadditional armor and weapon proficien-cies as they advance. When wearingarmor, rakes lose their just a scratch andcraven attack class abilities.

Fencing or Guns: Rakes canchoose Fencing or Guns as as a freefeat at 1st level.

Fortune my Mistress: At 1st level,rakes receive a +2 bonus to the follow-ing skills: Bluff, Disguise, Forgery,Perform, and Sleight of Hand.

Just a Scratch: At 1st level, rakeswho suffer lethal damage can convertsome or all of it to nonlethal damage.Rakes can convert an amount of lethaldamage equal to their rake class level +their Dexterity modifier. This abilitycan be used once per day, against thedamage from a single damage roll.

At 5th, 9th, 14th, and 20th level,rakes gain an extra use of this abilityper day.

Craven Attack: At 1st level, rakesinflict an extra 1d6 damage againstflat-footed opponents. The damagebonus applies to melee attacks andranged attacks within 30 feet of theopponent. At 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th,and 19th level, the extra damage

increases to 2d6, 3d6, 4d6, 5d6, 6d6,and 7d6, respectively.

Dueling Style: At 2nd level, therake may choose between two duelingstyles. The pistols duelling style givesthe rake Hair Trigger and Point BlankShot as free feats. The fencing duelingstyle gives the rake Quick Draw andWeapon Specialization as free feats;the Weapon Specialization feat can beapplied to any single melee weapon.

Sworn Enemy: At 2nd level, therake can choose an individualhumanoid creature as a sworn enemy.The rake gains a +1 bonus to attackand +2 to damage against the chosencreature. The rake can not choose adifferent sworn enemy until one fullday after the sworn enemy is slain.

At 8th level, the rake gains an addi-tional use of this ability, allowing therake to have up to two sworn enemiesat one time.

Dirty Trick: At 3rd level, rakeschoose one of the following under-handed fighting techniques.

Blinding Attack (Ex): The rake cantemporarily blind an opponent with adirect hit on a successful splashweapon attack. The vessel used mustcontain an eye irritant, such as salt,pepper, alcohol, or sand. The rakemust declare the blinding attack aheadof time. If the attack hits, no damage isinflicted, but the target must make aReflex save at DC 14 or be blinded for1d4 rounds.

Blinded creatures take a –2 penaltyto Armor Class, lose their Dexterity

bonus to AC (if any), move at halfspeed, and take a –4 penalty on Searchchecks and on most Strength- andDexterity-based skill checks. Allchecks and activities that rely onvision (such as reading and Spotchecks) automatically fail. All oppo-nents are considered to have total con-cealment (50% miss chance) to blind-ed creatures.

Rakish Stance (Ex): On the rake’sturn, before taking any actions, therake can choose to adopt a risky com-bat stance in order to receive a bonusto melee attack rolls. A rake whoadopts a rakish stance can take noactions other than attack actions, losesany Dexterity bonus to AC, butreceives a +2 bonus to melee attackrolls. The attack bonus and the loss ofany Dexterity bonus to AC last untilthe beginning of the rake’s next turn.

Foul Blow (Ex): When the rakemakes a successful unarmed attackupon a humanoid opponent of Largesize or smaller, the rake can temporar-ily sicken the opponent rather thaninflict damage. The rake must declarea foul blow before the attack roll ismade. If successful, the opponent canavoid being sickened by making aFortitude save at DC 14. The effects ofa foul blow last for 1d4 rounds.Creatures which are immune from crit-ical hits are also immune to this abili-ty. A sickened creature takes a –2penalty on all attack rolls, weapondamage rolls, saving throws, skillchecks, and ability checks.

94

Northern Crown

THE RAKELEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1 +1 +0 +1 +0 Craven attack +1d6, Fencing or Guns feat,

just a scratch 1/day, fortune my mistress2 +2 +0 +1 +0 Dueling style, sworn enemy 13 +3 +1 +2 +1 Dirty trick 24 +3 +1 +2 +1 Craven attack +2d65 +4 +2 +3 +1 Just a scratch 2/day6 +5 +2 +3 +2 Dirty trick 27 +6/+1 +3 +4 +2 Craven attack +3d68 +6/+1 +3 +4 +2 Sworn enemy 29 +7/+2 +4 +5 +3 Dirty trick 3, just a scratch 3/day10 +8/+3 +4 +5 +3 Craven attack +4d611 +9/+4 +5 +6 +3 Advanced sworn enemy12 +9/+4 +5 +6 +4 Dirty trick 413 +10/+5 +6 +7 +4 Craven attack +5d614 +11/+6/+1 +6 +7 +4 Just a scratch 4/day15 +12/+7/+2 +7 +8 +5 Dirty trick 516 +12/+7/+2 +7 +8 +5 Craven attack +6d617 +13/+8/+3 +8 +9 +5 Scarring attack18 +14/+9/+4 +8 +9 +6 Dirty trick 619 +15/+10/+5 +9 +10 +6 Craven attack +7d620 +15/+10/+5 +9 +10 +6 Just a scratch 5/day

Judicious Retreat (Ex): Once per day,as a free action, the rake can increasehis or her base land speed by 10 feetfor one round per class level. The rakeneed not actually retreat to make useof this ability.

Opportunist (Ex): Once per round,the rake can make an attack of oppor-tunity against an opponent who hasjust been struck for damage in meleeby another character. This attackcounts as the rake’s attack of opportu-nity for that round. Even a rake withthe Combat Reflexes feat can’t use the

opportunist ability more than once perround.

Twist the Blade (Ex): On a successfulmelee hit, the rake can choose toinflict pain on an opponent by usinganother available attack action. Theopponent must make a Fortitude saveat DC 10 + the damage inflicted, orsuffer a –2 penalty to attacks and ACfor 1d4 rounds.

At 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th

level, the rake gains an additionaltechnique from the list.

Advanced Sworn Enemy: At 11th

level, the rake’s attack bonus against asworn enemy increases to +2, and thedamage bonus increases to +4.

Scarring Attack: At 17th level, arake who makes a critical hit canchoose to inflict one point of perma-nent Charisma damage against ahumanoid opponent, instead of inflict-ing normal damage.

Ex-Rakes: Rakes who cease to beof chaotic alignment retain their classabilities, but can no longer advance asrakes.

95

Northern Crown

NEW CLASS: SCOUTLone travelers in the wilderness,

scouts have evolved from the rangers ofearlier ages. They’ve lost the spellcast-ing abilities of their predecessors, butgained new powers of concealment andcombat. They are equally comfortableserving as guides for an army on themarch, or as pathfinders blazing a trailfor a party of frontier settlers.

Adventures: Scouts typicallyserve as the eyes and ears of anadventuring party, using theirskills to steer the party aroundthe hidden dangers of thewilderness. Many youngscouts get their first taste ofadventure as guides or skir-mishers for regular troopspassing through unfamiliarterritory. Scouts of a less mil-itary bent may becomeinvolved in efforts to expandthe settled lands of their ownculture, bringing them intoconflict with neighboringpeoples who see scouts as spiesand harbingers of invasion.

Characteristics: Living inthe wild for months at a time,scouts develop a rapport withwild animals. Skilled fighters, theydevelop an extraordinary ability touse terrain to boost their defenses, andto make sneak attacks against enemysentries and scouts. They also possessadvanced skills in communicating withlocal inhabitants despite language bar-riers, and in gathering useful informa-tion from the terrain itself.

Alignment: Scouts can belong toany alignment.

Background: Scouts almost invariablycome from frontier regions, where theyhave had opportunities to improve theirskills from an early age as hunters, trap-pers, traders, and trailblazers. They usual-ly hail from small settlements, and possessa limited understanding of urban culture.

Other Classes: Scouts share manycharacteristics with raiders, and oftenform adventuring parties with them.

Soldiers are respected by scouts fortheir combat skills, and druids areoften revered by scouts for their divinepowers over nature. Rakes are particu-larly disliked by scouts as being sillyfops with no common sense. Althoughat first glance natural philosophersmight seem to have little in commonwith scouts, their shared curiosityabout the natural world often leadsthem to join forces to explore thewilderness.

GAME RULE INFORMATION

Scouts have the following gamestatistics:

Abilities: Scouts find bothStrength and Dexterity useful formany of their class skills and combat

abilities. A high Intelligence scoreaids their Knowledge and Searchskills, while a good Wisdom scoreaids several other class skillsincluding Heal, Listen, Spot, andSurvival.

Alignment: Scouts canbelong to any alignment.

Hit Die: d10.

CLASS SKILLS

The scout’s class skills (andthe key ability for each skill)are Climb (Str), Craft (Int),Gather Information (Cha),

Handle Animal (Cha), Heal(Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str),

Knowledge (geography) (Int),Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen

(Wis), Move Silently (Dex),Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search(Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim(Str), and Use Rope (Dex).Skill Points at 1st Level:

(6 + Int modifier) x 4.Skill Points at Each Additional Level:

6 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURES

All the following are class featuresof the scout.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:A scout is proficient with light armor,guns, all simple weapons, plus the fol-lowing martial weapons: handaxe andthrowing axe. Scouts who wear medi-

um or heavy armor lose the quietmovement, sneak attack, wildshield,and woodland stride class abilities.

Concealment +10 (Ex): Scoutsgain a +10 bonus when they have con-cealment against ranged attacks,resulting in a 30% miss chance undernormal concealment and a 60% misschance when under total concealment.

At 10th level, a scout’s concealmentbonus increases to +20, resulting in a40% miss chance when he has con-cealment and a 70% miss chance whenhe has total concealment.

Recon (Ex): By studying tracks andthe local environment, watching themovements and gestures of people,and analyzing the condition andarrangement of nearby dwellings, set-tlements, and natural features for1d4+1 hours, scouts can make aGather Information check withoutspeaking to anybody, albeit at a –4penalty.

Track: Scouts gain Track as abonus feat at 1st level.

Wildshield +1 (Ex): While wear-ing no armor or light armor, scoutsreceive a +1 AC bonus and a +1 Reflexsave bonus in any natural terrain. Thisbonus stacks with any wildshieldbonus gained from the scout’s culture.

At 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th

level, a scout’s wildshield AC bonusincreases to +2, +3, +4, +5, +6, and+7, respectively. The Reflex savebonus remains at +1.

Combat Style (Ex): At 2nd level, ascout must select one of three combatstyles to pursue: archery, sharpshoot-

ing, or two-weapon combat. Thischoice affects the character’s class fea-tures but does not restrict his selectionof feats or special abilities in any way.

Scouts who select archery aretreated as having the Rapid Shot feat,even if they do not have the normalprerequisites for that feat.

Scouts who select sharpshootingare treated as having the Point BlankShot and Precise Shot feats.

Scouts who select two-weaponcombat are treated as having the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if they donot have the normal prerequisites forthat feat.

The benefits of a scout’s chosenstyle apply only when he wears lightor no armor. He loses all benefits of hiscombat style when wearing medium orheavy armor.

Quiet Movement (Ex): At 2nd

level, when moving at a speed greaterthan one-half but less than full speed,scouts do not suffer the usual –5 penal-ty to Move Silently skill checks.Theysuffer only a –10 penalty to movesilently while running or charging, andsuffer only a –2 penalty to move silent-ly while crossing even very noisy sur-faces.

Wild Empathy (Ex): At 2nd level,scouts can improve the attitude of ananimal. This ability functions just likea Diplomacy check to improve theattitude of a person. Scouts roll 1d20and add their scout level and theirCharisma bonus to determine the wildempathy check result. The typicaldomestic animal has a starting attitude

of indifferent, while wild animals areusually unfriendly.

To use wild empathy, the scout andthe animal must be able to study eachother, which means that they must bewithin 30 feet of one another undernormal visibility conditions.Generally, influencing an animal inthis way takes 1 minute, but, as withinfluencing people, it might take moreor less time.

The scout can also use this abilityto influence a magical beast with anIntelligence score of 1 or 2, but with–4 penalty on the check.

Blaze (Ex): At 3rd level, while mov-ing at one-half speed, a scout can marka path through any natural terrain thatis not noticeable to anyone except thescout and the scout’s allies unless theymake a Spot check at DC 20 plus thescout’s class level. The scout canchoose to make marks that last oneweek, one year, or permanently.

At 13th level, the scout can use thisability while moving at full speed.

Improved Cover (Ex): At 3rd level,scouts gain a +8 bonus to AC and a +4bonus to Reflex saves when undercover, rather than the usual +4 bonusand +2 bonus, respectively. Whenunder cover, they gain the improvedevasion class ability against any attackto which the Reflex save bonusapplies. Furthermore, scouts gain a+10 bonus to Hide checks when undercover.

Animal Companion (Ex): At 4th

level, a scout gains an animal compan-ion selected from the following list:

96

Northern Crown

THE SCOUTLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1 +1 +2 +2 +0 Concealment +10, recon, track, wildshield +12 +2 +3 +3 +0 Combat style, quiet movement, wild empathy3 +3 +3 +3 +1 Blaze (half speed), improved cover, wildshield +24 +4 +4 +4 +1 Animal companion5 +5 +4 +4 +2 Endurance, sneak attack +1d6/30 ft.6 +6/+1 +5 +5 +2 Improved combat style, wildshield +37 +7/+2 +5 +5 +3 Woodland stride8 +8/+3 +6 +6 +3 Sneak attack +2d6, swift tracker9 +9/+4 +6 +6 +4 Gift of tongues, wildshield +410 +10/+5 +7 +7 +4 Concealment +20, sneak attack 60 ft.11 +11/+6/+1 +7 +7 +5 Combat style mastery, sneak attack +3d612 +12/+7/+2 +8 +8 +5 Improved Recon, Wildshield +513 +13/+8/+3 +8 +8 +6 Camouflage, blaze (full speed)14 +14/+9/+4 +9 +9 +6 Sneak attack +4d615 +15/+10/+5 +9 +9 +7 Wildshield +616 +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +10 +7 Hide in plain sight17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +10 +8 Sneak attack +5d618 +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +11 +8 Wildshield +719 +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +11 +9 Sneak attack 100 ft.20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +12 +9 Sneak attack +6d6

black bear, dog, eagle, hawk, horse(light or heavy), lynx, owl, pony, orwolf. This animal is a loyal companionthat accompanies the scout on hisadventures as appropriate for its kind.

This ability functions like the druidability of the same name, except thatthe scout’s effective druid level is one-half his scout level (rounded down). Ascout may select from the alternativelists of animal companions just as adruid can, though again his effectivedruid level is half his scout level. Like adruid, a scout cannot select an alterna-tive animal if the choice would reducehis effective druid level below 1st.

Endurance: A scout gainsEndurance as a bonus feat at 5th level.

Sneak Attack: At 5th level, scoutswho catch opponents when they areunable to defend themselves effective-ly from their attack can strike a vitalspot for extra damage.

A scout’s attacks deal extra damageany time his target would be denied aDexterity bonus to AC (whether thetarget actually has a Dexterity bonusor not), or when the scout flanks thetarget. This extra damage is 1d6 at 5th

level, and it increases by 1d6 everythree scout levels thereafter. Shouldthe scout score a critical hit with asneak attack, this extra damage is notmultiplied.

Ranged attacks can count as sneakattacks only if the target is within 30feet. This distance increases to 60 feetat 10th level and 100 feet at 19th level.

With an unarmed strike, scouts canperform a sneak attack that deals non-lethal damage instead of lethal dam-age. They cannot use a weapon thatdeals lethal damage to deal nonlethal

damage in a sneak attack, not evenwith the usual –4 penalty.

Scouts can sneak attack only livingcreatures with discernible anatomies— undead, constructs, oozes, plants,and incorporeal creatures lack vitalareas to attack. Any creature that isimmune to critical hits is not vulnera-ble to sneak attacks. Scouts must beable to see the target well enough topick out a vital spot and must be ableto reach such a spot. Scouts cannotsneak attack while striking a creaturewith concealment or striking the limbsof a creature whose vitals are beyondreach.

For scouts who are multiclassed asagents or rakes, the extra damagecaused by their sneak attack stackswith any extra sneak attack damagegained as an agent and any cravenattack damage gained as a rake.

Improved Combat Style: At 6th

level, scouts who chose the archery orsharpshooting combat style at 2nd

level are treated as having the Shot onthe Run feat, regardless of whetherthey meet the usual prerequisites.Scouts who chose the two-weaponfighting style gain Improved Two-Weapon Fighting as a free feat regard-less of the usual prerequisites.

As before, the benefits of a scout’schosen style apply only when he wearslight or no armor. He loses all benefitsof his combat style when wearingmedium or heavy armor.

Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at7th level, scouts may move throughany sort of undergrowth (such as nat-ural thorns, briars, overgrown areas,and similar terrain) at their normalspeed and without taking damage or

suffering any other impairment.However, thorns, briars, and over-grown areas that are enchanted ormagically manipulated to impedemotion still affect them.

Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at8th level, scouts can move at their nor-mal speed while following tracks with-out taking the normal –5 penalty.They take only a –10 penalty (insteadof the normal –20) when moving at upto twice normal speed while tracking.

Gift of Tongues: Scouts gain Giftof Tongues as a free feat at 9th level.

Combat Style Mastery (Ex): At11th level, scouts who selected thearchery or sharpshooting combat styleat 2nd level are treated as having theImproved Precise Shot feat, even ifthey do not have the normal prerequi-sites for that feat.

Scouts who selected two-weaponcombat at 2nd level are treated as hav-ing the Spring Attack feat, even if theydo not have the normal prerequisitesfor that feat.

As before, the benefits of a scout’schosen style apply only when he wearslight or no armor. He loses all benefitsof his combat style when wearingmedium or heavy armor.

Improved Recon: At 12th level,scouts can use their Recon abilitywithout a –4 penalty.

Camouflage (Ex): Scouts of 13th

level or higher can use the Hide skillin any sort of natural terrain, even ifthe terrain doesn’t grant cover or con-cealment.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While inany sort of natural terrain, scouts of16th level or higher can use the Hideskill even while being observed.

97

Northern Crown

98

Northern Crown

NEW CLASS: SOLDIERDogs of war, freebooters, king’s

men — known by many names, sol-diers are the masters of combat in thenew age. The generalist fighters of theold order have been supplanted bytrained specialist soldiers, each with aparticular role to play, from mounteddragoons who spoil and plunder deepin enemy territory, to musketeers whostand firm and give withering fire inthe face of a cavalry charge.

Far from the undisciplinedhordes of earlier ages, soldiersfollow a strict hierarchy ofcommand that is only partlydetermined by one’s place inthe social order. A high socialrank may help a soldierobtain an officer’s commis-sion in the royal army, butskill, courage, and therespect of one’s troops areneeded to avoid death ordisgrace. Given enoughluck, guts, and sheer will, alow social rank is no bar toadvancement to the highestlevels of command. But sol-diers can expect to make manyenemies along the way, and notonly upon the opposing side ofthe battlefield. Living in a world ofviolent conflict, soldiers tend to set-tle their differences with whatevertools are at hand.

Adventures: Soldiers often take toadventuring as a way of turning theirmilitary training to their own fame andprofit, especially during the longmonths or years between major bat-tles, when the only alternatives toadventuring are either monotonoussentry duty or a criminal career as abandit or pillager. Military units areoften decommissioned between wars,giving their members plenty of time tostrike out on their own, or to lendtheir blades and bullets to an adven-turing party in need of trained com-batants.

Characteristics: Soldiers are thecombat specialists of NorthernCrown. Although other classes may beadept at fighting, soldiers excel at it, tothe exclusion of other endeavors.Their bonus feats allow them toimprove and refine their fighting abil-ity faster than other classes, whiletheir high hit point totals make themmore likely to survive physical threats.

Alignment: Soldiers can belong toany alignment. Some soldiers fight for a

noble cause, others to slake a thirst forviolence and mayhem. But many sol-diers, especially those jaded and disillu-sioned by the harsh realities of theirtrade, fight merely to advance their

social position, gain wealth, and securesome measure of fame that may endurebeyond their own imperiled lives. Theinitial alignments of soldiers are moresusceptible to change than those ofmost other classes — the experience ofbattle has unpredictable effects uponthe human heart, awakening a sense ofthe value of human life in some, whilesundering others from any feelings ofcompassion for their fellow creatures.The senseless carnage of war often fos-ters ambivalence in soldiers’ attitudestowards matters of right and wrong,leaving them more loyal to their com-mander and fellow soldiers than to anycivilian code of conduct.

Background: Most soldiers begintheir careers as raw recruits, havingjoined a royal army or mercenary com-pany for the promise of steady foodand board, a few silver coins, and anew uniform. Often they are leavingbehind a less-than-successful civilian

life as indentured servants, apprenticesin trade, or younger children withpoor financial prospects. Some mayeven be on the run from the law;recruiters ask few questions, andarmies are usually on the move, mak-ing the capture of fugitives difficult.

Other Classes: Soldiers are used tothe company of other soldiers, with allother classes running a distant second.

They look down upon raiders asuntrained clods, but may still offerthem grudging respect for theircourage and strength. Scouts,too, are looked upon by soldierswith a mix of disdain for theirskulking tactics and admira-tion for their marksmanship.Trained to rely on powder,steel, and muscle, soldiersdon’t often place much faithin either magic or new inven-tions; they regard spellcastersas dabblers in esoteric, unreli-able arts, and natural philoso-phers as eccentrics or cranks.

GAME RULE INFORMATIONSoldiers have the following game

statistics:Abilities: Strength is important for

soldiers, enhancing their melee attackand damage, but Dexterity is also valu-able for its benefit to armor class andranged attacks. A high Constitutionenables soldiers to gain hit pointsfaster and to resist disease and hard-ship on the march. As soldiers gainexperience, Charisma becomesincreasingly useful for its role in lead-ing troops and conducting truces andparleys.

Alignment: Any.Hit Die: d10.

CLASS SKILLS

The soldier’s class skills (and thekey ability for each skill) are Climb(Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal(Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str),Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).Skill Points at 1st Level:

(2 + Int modifier) x 4.Skill Points at Each Additional Level:

2 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURES

All the following are class featuresof the soldier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Asoldier is proficient with light armor,guns, and all simple and martial weapons.

Military Training: At 1st level, sol-diers receive training as a particulartroop type. They receive a free suite ofgear, one or more bonus feats, and aunique class ability.

Choose one of the following trooptypes: dragoon, greatsword, grenadier, hal-berdier, hussar, musketeer, or royal guard.

DRAGOONThese soldiers function as mount-

ed infantry, riding to the battle andshooting from horseback, but dis-mounting for melee combat. They areused to scout, forage, and make raidson enemy camps. They have a reputa-tion as the rowdiest and most blood-thirsty of all soldiers. In times ofpeace, they often resort to pillaging orbanditry to survive.

Gear: Light warhorse (includes bitand bridle, riding saddle, and saddle-bags), matchlock caliver, broadsword,and buff coat.

1st-level Bonus Feats: Mounted Shot,Weapon Focus (matchlock caliver)

Saddle-crafty: Dragoons making aRide skill check to attempt a fastmount or dismount or to use theirmount as cover receive a +4 compe-tence bonus to their skill check.

GREATSWORDAlso called double-pay men,

greatswords are hired to do the dan-gerous work of breaking up enemypike units simply by wading into themand hacking away at the pike shafts.They are also employed to guard thecompany colors from capture. Thisoccupation attracts characters of greatcourage or recklessness — greatswordsseldom live to old age.

Gear: Greatsword and buff coat.1st-level Bonus Feats: Greatsword,

Weapon Focus (greatsword)Reckless Courage: Greatswords receive

a +4 bonus to Will saves made to avoidfear effects.

GRENADIERGrenadiers are trained to use hand

grenades on the battlefield. This danger-ous occupation attracts characters ofgreat daring and nerves of steel; they areoften used as assault troops against enemytrenches and other fixed positions.

Gear: Satchel with 4 grenades,matchlock caliver, and breastplate.

1st-level Bonus Feats: Exotic WeaponProficiency (grenade), Medium ArmorProficiency

Steady Hands: Grenadiers receive a+2 bonus to Dexterity checks.

HALBERDIERThese infantry are armed with hal-

berds or other polearms. They are usedas shock troops or guards.

Gear: Halberd and breastplate.1st-level Bonus Feats: Medium Armor

Proficiency, PolearmsDefensive Training: Halberdiers receive

a +1 adjustment to their Polearm shieldbonus to AC against melee attacks.

HUSSARHussars, also called lancers, are pro-

fessional cavalry troops. They are usedfor battlefield charges against enemycavalry and infantry, but they are of lim-ited value against well-directed pikes.Hussars are known for their colorful uni-forms and for their skill in riding.

Gear: Light warhorse (includes bitand bridle, riding saddle, and saddle-bags), saber, light lance, and cuirasswith tassets.

1st-level Bonus Feats: Heavy ArmorProficiency, Mounted Combat

Cavalry Training: Hussars receive a +4bonus to Ride checks when attemptingto control their mount in battle, leap,spur their mount, or make a soft fall.

MUSKETEERMusketeers are infantry armed

with a large musket, fired from aforked rest. They are the key offensiveweapon of most military companies,but are vulnerable to cavalry attackunless protected by pike units.

Gear: Matchlock musket with rest,plug bayonet, broadsword (or rapier),and breastplate.

1st-level Bonus Feats: Medium ArmorProficiency, Point Blank Shot

Fix Bayonets: Musketeers can fix orremove a plug bayonet from a musketbarrel as a free action.

ROYAL GUARDRoyal guards, although armed as

musketeers, belong to an elite unitunder the control of a member of aroyal family, or a high-ranking reli-gious official such as a cardinal. Theirmissions include personal protectionof nobles and their agents, and armedescort. They wear distinctive uniformswith plumed hats, wide-cuffed boots,and square cassock-type cloaks.

Gear: Light warhorse (includes bit andbridle, riding saddle, and saddlebags),snaphance musketoon, broadsword (orrapier), and breastplate.

1st-level Bonus Feats: Medium ArmorProficiency, Fencing

Royal Authority: Royal guards receivea +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Initimidateskill checks. They may reroll once whenmaking Diplomacy checks on an NPC inservice of the same royal family or high-ranking official.

Bonus Feats: At 2nd level, soldiersreceive a bonus feat. Each troop type hasa list of bonus feats from which to choose,which can be added to the general list ofbonus feats available to all soldiers.Additional bonus feats are available at 4th,6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and

99

Northern Crown

THE SOLDIERLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1 +1 +2 +0 +0 Military training2 +2 +3 +0 +0 Bonus feat3 +3 +3 +1 +14 +4 +4 +1 +1 Bonus feat5 +5 +4 +2 +16 +6/+1 +5 +2 +2 Bonus feat7 +7/+2 +5 +3 +28 +8/+3 +6 +3 +2 Bonus feat9 +9/+4 +6 +4 +310 +10/+5 +7 +4 +3 Bonus feat11 +11/+6/+1 +7 +5 +312 +12/+7/+2 +8 +5 +4 Bonus feat13 +13/+8/+3 +8 +6 +414 +14/+9/+4 +9 +6 +4 Bonus feat15 +15/+10/+5 +9 +7 +516 +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +7 +5 Bonus feat17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +8 +518 +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +8 +6 Bonus feat19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +9 +620 +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +9 +6 Bonus feat

20th level. Soldiers must meet all normalprerequisites to receive a bonus feat.Those marked with asterisks are feats forwhich soldiers ignore the usual restrictionthat only fighters can take them.

The following bonus feats are avail-able to all soldiers regardless of trooptype: Blindfight, Both Barrels, Dodge,Greater Weapon Focus*, GreaterWeapon Specialization*, Hair Trigger,Improved Critical, Improved UnarmedStrike, Improved Grapple, ImprovedInitiative, Improved Trip, Leadership,Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, RangedDisarm, Rapid Reload, Ricochet,Stunning Fist, Surefire, Take Aim,Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization*.

The following feats are availableonly to particular troop types:

Dragoon: Animal Affinity, Endurance,Great Fortitude, Mobility, Run, Self-Sufficient, Shot on the Run, Toughness,Track

Greatsword: Cleave, CombatExpertise, Diehard, Great Cleave,Improved Bull Rush, ImprovedDisarm, Improved Overrun, ImprovedSunder, Mobility, Spring Attack,Whirlwind Attack

Grenadier: Diehard, Far Shot, ExoticWeapon Proficiency (hand mortar),Great Fortitude, Iron Will, LightningReflexes, Run, Toughness

Halberdier: Cleave, Combat Expertise,Diehard, Great Cleave, Improved BullRush, Improved Overrun, Mobility,Toughness

Hussar: Quick Draw, MountedShot, Ride-by Attack, SpiritedCharge, Trample, Weapon Finesse

Musketeer: Far Shot, ImprovedPrecise Shot, Precise Shot

Royal Guard: Combat Expertise,Combat Reflexes, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Disarm,Improved Feint, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Mobility, QuickDraw, Spring Attack, Two-WeaponDefense, Two-Weapon Fighting,Weapon Finesse, Whirlwind Attack

100

Northern Crown

NEW CLASS: WITCHDressed in black and accompa-

nied by her hell-spawned imp, thewitch is a member of an ancient sis-terhood said to reach back to thedawn of humankind, when arcaneknowledge was wrested from power-ful and dangerous outsiders by sheerwill rather than learned frombooks. Although not necessarilyevil, witches certainly traffickwith evil to gain their powers,either using their willpowerto force evil outsiders to givethem arcane spellcastingability, or signing infernalcompacts to gain evenmore power in exchangefor one’s soul.

Witches are organizedinto enclaves of anywherefrom a handful to severalthousand witches in size.Each enclave is ruled by acoven of powerful witchesled by an elder known as thecoven mother. The coventrains younger witches andmanages the affairs of theenclave. Although lawful inalignment, witches are often con-sidered a threat to the safety ofhumankind because of the dangerousnature of their business.

Adventures: Witches usuallychoose quests that will benefit theircommunity as a whole; for example,rescuing a captive witch, avengingsome harm done to a coven member,or containing a chaotic force thatthreatens to upset the balance of thenatural order. They often travel in dis-guise, for fear of arrest by church offi-cials. Subtlety and secrecy are the hall-marks of a witch on a mission; she uses

her magic to confuse, delay, and dis-tract, then chooses her foe’s most vul-nerable moment to attack.

Characteristics: Witches arespellcasters. Like wizards, they mem-orize spells ahead of time, but theylearn them not from a book but fromtheir imp. They are able to use allmagic items, and can learn any of theitem creation feats open to otherspellcasters.

Witches are somewhat more adeptat fighting than wizards, having beenforced to defend themselves as a peo-ple from many enemies over the cen-turies. They are skilled with a limitedrange of weapons, but wear no armor.

Alignment: Witches may be of anylawful alignment, whether good, neu-tral, or evil. This is reflected in the

hierarchy of the coven, where awell-defined order of seniority isseldom challenged by juniormembers. The laws of the covenare strict, and punishmentssevere — witches of chaoticalignment seldom remain in acoven for very long.

Religion: Witches reverethe living earth and place anemphasis on the responsibili-ties of humans as her children.Only evil witches are said toworship the outsiders whogrant them their powers;witches of neutral or good

alignment do not become will-ing servants of evil.

Background: Most witcheshave been raised in a Witchling

enclave from birth, learning theirskills from their parents and othercoven members, who raise them com-munally. Young witches often find amentor in an older witch, who guidesthem through their first attempts toharness the powers of the infernalrealm, and sponsors their admissioninto the coven.

Cultures: The world’s greatWitchling enclaves are on the coast ofNorthern Crown at Naumkeag, and inthe witch-kingdom of the Scots.Smaller covens exist in Albion, theKelt lands, France, and many other

places, usually in secret for fear of per-secution. Among the Cherokee,witches are also generally an unwel-come presence; unlike Uropan witch-es, they generally operate alone andhave only slightly different class abili-ties. See the Cherokee culture descrip-tion for more information.

Other Classes: A Witchling enclaveincludes people of many character class-es, all of whom are sympathetic to (or atleast willing to serve) the coven. As aresult, witches are agreeable to workingwith other classes as long as those char-acters are not opposed to the practice ofwitchcraft. Druids are respected fortheir connection with nature, as long asthe druid is not of an opposed align-ment. Clerics and paladins are likely toprovoke extremely negative reactionsfrom witches, who are always mindful ofthe many persecutions they have suf-fered at the hands of the church.Cooperation in this case is only possibleif the witch feels she has a powerfulmotive to suppress her anger and resent-ment, such as a common enemy or thechance to restore balance between thespirit world and the visible world.Wizards can expect to receive a coolreaction from witches, who considerthem mere dabblers who perform magicby rote, rather than by heart. However,it is not uncommon for a witch to aug-ment her own power by being a multi-class witch/wizard.

GAME RULE INFORMATION

Witches have the following gamestatistics:

Abilities: Wisdom determines themaximum level of spells a witch cancast, her bonus spells, and the DC ofsaving throws against her spells. Thenumber of spells she knows, and thenumber she can cast per day are deter-mined according to the rules for wiz-ard-class characters, substitutingWisdom for Intelligence. Becausewitches have some fighting and stealthability, Strength and Dexterity are alsovaluable.

Alignment: Any lawful.Hit Die: d4.

CLASS SKILLS

The witch’s class skills (and the keyability for each skill) are Concentration(Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha),Hide (Dex), Knowledge (any) (Int),Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive(Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).Skill Points at 1st Level:

(2 + Intelligence modifier) x 4.Skill Points at Each Additional Level:

2 + Intelligence modifier.

CLASS FEATURES

All of the following are class fea-tures of the witch.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:Witches have proficiency in the fol-lowing weapons: quarterstaff, shorts-pear, dagger, shortbow, and longbow.They are not proficient with armor orshields, although they are not prohib-ited from attaining additional armoror weapon proficiencies as theyadvance in level. When wearing anyarmor, witches are subject to arcanespell failure.

Spells: A witch casts arcane spells,limited to a certain number per day asdetermined by her class level; these areequal to a wizard of equivalent level.She memorizes her spells ahead of timeby communicating with her imp forone hour following a full night’s rest.To learn or cast a spell, a witch musthave a Wisdom score of at least 10 +the spell’s level. Her bonus spells arebased on her Wisdom score. The num-ber of spells she knows is limited tothose imparted to her by her imp (seebelow). The DC for saving throwsagainst a witch’s spells is 10 + spelllevel + the witch’s Wisdom modifier.

Witches must meet the verbal,material, and somatic componentrequirements for all spells they cast.Their magical focus, if one is listed inthe spell description, is always an ordi-

101

Northern Crown

THE WITCHLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Spells, summon imp, black garb +12 +1 +0 +0 +3 Share spells, empathic link (1 mi.)3 +1 +1 +1 +3 Cause fear4 +2 +1 +1 +4 Empathic link (5 mi.)5 +2 +1 +1 +4 black garb +26 +3 +2 +2 +5 Disguise self (at will)7 +3 +2 +2 +5 Bonus feat8 +4 +2 +2 +6 Empathic link (10 mi)9 +4 +3 +3 +610 +5 +3 +3 +7 black garb +311 +5 +3 +3 +712 +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 Empathic link (20 mi.)13 +6/+1 +4 +4 +814 +7/+2 +4 +4 +9 Bonus feat15 +7/+2 +5 +5 +9 Black garb +4, slow aging16 +8/+3 +5 +5 +1017 +8/+3 +5 +5 +1018 +9/+4 +6 +6 +1119 +9/+4 +6 +6 +1120 +10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Black garb +5, bonus feat

102

Northern Crown

IMPSImps have the Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)

type, but otherwise have the same statistics as a normalanimal of the kind whose form they take (see below), withthe following changes:

Hit Dice: For effects related to hit dice, imps have thehit dice of the witch who they serve, or their normal total,whichever is greater.

Hit Points: Imps have 3 hit points per HD of the witch.Armor Class: Use the AC of the normal animal, with

a natural armor bonus to AC tied to the witch’s class level,as indicated on the Imp Special Abilities table.

Attacks: Imps use the base attack bonus of the witch,or the attack bonus of a normal animal of their type,whichever is greater. Damage is equivalent to that of anormal animal of their type.

Saving Throws: Use the witch’s base saving throws or thesaving throws of the normal animal, whichever are greater.

Abilities: Imps have the Strength, Dexterity,Constitution, and Charisma of a normal animal of theirtype, with Intelligence 14, and Wisdom 14.

Skills: Use the skills of the normal animal, with thefollowing bonuses: Bluff +2, Escape Artist +2, Hide +2,Jump +2, Move Silently +2, Sense Motive +2.

Normal Animal Form: Although appearing as anerinyes devil when encountered elsewhere, on theMaterial Plane imps normally take the physical form of aTiny or Small animal. Allowed animal forms include cat,dog, eagle, hawk, lizard, monkey, owl, rat, raven, tiny orsmall viper, and weasel. Imps are always black in color,with yellow or green eyes.

Improved Evasion (Ex): All imps possess the ability totake no damage on a successful Reflex saving throwagainst attacks such as a dragon’s breath weapon or a fire-ball, and to take only half damage on a failed save. A help-less imp (such as one that is unconscious or paralyzed)doesn’t gain this benefit.

Invisibility (Sp): As a standard action, imps canbecome invisible at will, as a spell-like ability. If hit withholy water, an invisible imp becomes visible for 1d3 rounds.

Speech: All imps can speak the witch’s native language.Detect Thoughts (Sp): Once per day, when the witch

reaches 3rd level, the imp gains the ability to detect thethoughts of nearby minds, including the witch’s mind.This is similar to the spell detect thoughts, as if cast by thewitch herself regarding duration and save DC. Imps oftenuse this spell-like ability to benefit the witch, whisperingin her ear to give her insights into the thoughts of bothher friends and enemies. When the witch reaches 13th

level, the imp can use this ability at will.Alternate Animal Form (Su): When the witch reaches 3rd

level, the imp gains the ability to assume the form of anothersingle Tiny or Small animal at will, chosen from the list of impforms. The imp in alternate form retains its hit points, naturalarmor AC bonus, Intelligence, Wisdom, saves, and skillbonuses and special abilities, but uses the attacks, base AC,move, Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma of anormal animal of the type chosen. When the witch reaches5th and 8th level, an additional alternate form is chosen.

Flying Ability (Su): When the witch reaches 5th level,the imp gains the ability to fly at 60 ft. per round, withPerfect maneuverability.

Greater Form (Su): When the witch reaches 11th

level, the imp can take the form of a single type ofMedium or Large animal. The duration of the form is tenminutes per witch class level of the witch. The imp retainsits hit points, saving throws, skill bonuses, Intelligence,Wisdom, and special abilities, but uses the AC, attackbonus, weapons, movement rate, damage, Strength,Dexterity, Constitution, Charisma, and extraordinary abil-ities of the greater form. The following list indicates theappropriate stats to use for the imp’s greater form.

Normal Form Greater Form Cat LeopardDog WolfEagle Giant eagleHawk Giant eagleLizard Giant lizard

Monkey ApeOwl Giant owlRat Dire rat

Raven Giant eagleViper Large viper

Weasel Dire weasel

Polymorph (Sp): When the witch attains 16th level,the imp can polymorph itself once per day as a spell-likeability. It can transform itself into any animal of Large sizeor smaller, as if it were a sorcerer of equivalent class levelto the witch.

Erinyes Form (Su): When the witch attains 20th level,the imp can assume the form of an erinyes devil once perday, for up to one hour.

IMP SPECIAL ABILITIESWitch Class Natural

Level Armor Special

1–2 +1 Normal animal form,improved evasion, invisibility,speech

3–4 +1 Detect thoughts 1/day, alter-nate animal form 1

5–7 +2 Flying ability, alternate animal form 2

8–10 +2 Alternate animal form 3

11–12 +3 Greater form 1/day

13–15 +4 Detect thoughts at will

16–19 +4 Polymorph 1/day

20 +5 Erinyes form 1/day

nary broom (or a broom of flying, if theypossess one).

Witches can use all magic items,and can learn item creation feats.Although they can create and usescrolls if they purchase the ScribeScroll feat, they cannot add a spellfrom a scroll or spellbook to theirrepertoire of known spells.

Summon Imp: At 1st level, a witchattracts a lawful evil outsider called animp, which she uses in lieu of a spellbook to memorize spells. The imp isnot summoned, but sent willingly fromthe infernal realm to tempt the youngwitch to follow the path of evil inexchange for more power. It will remainwith her as long as she remains a witch;she cannot dismiss it voluntarily. At firstlevel, the imp knows all 0-level witchcantrips and four 1st-level witch spells.As the witch advances in level, the impimparts new spells to her, at the rate oftwo new spells per level, as chosen by

the witch. This is the only way a witchgains access to new spells — she cannotlearn them from other spellcasters, orfrom books or scrolls, unless she is mul-ticlassed as a wizard.

Imps should be under the controlof the GM rather than the player con-trolling the witch. They usually obeythe witch’s bidding, but take everyopportunity to persuade the witch toaccept evil in exchange for greaterpower. A witch who becomes evilgains the spellcasting abilities of awitch one level higher than her actualclass level, regarding any level-depen-dent spell effects, such as range, dura-tion, and damage. She also gainsaccess to certain spells that are off-lim-its to witches of good or neutral align-ment. An evil witch’s imp acquiresabilities as if the witch were one levelhigher than her actual class level.

A witch can only have one imp at atime. If a witch’s imp is captured or

separated from her, she cannot memo-rize spells until they are reunited. Ifslain, an imp returns to its native planeand the witch must bargain with itsirate masters for a replacement. Thisusually requires a sacrifice of 100 gpmultiplied by the witch’s class level,and a loss of 50 XP multiplied by thewitch’s class level. Evil witches areexempt from these costs; since theyhave already sworn their allegiance totheir outsider masters, they willreceive an immediate replacement.

Black Garb: At 1st level, a witchdressed entirely in black gains a +1bonus to AC. This bonus is lost if herclothing is hidden beneath clothing ofa different color, if she wears armor, orif she uses disguise self, alter self, or poly-morph to make her clothes appear to bea different color. At 5th, 10th, 15th, and20th levels, the bonus increases to +2,+3, +4, and +5, respectively.

103

Northern Crown

WITCH SPELL LISTWitches’ spells relate to the living world, healing and

harming, illusions and disguise, flight, emotional and men-tal control, perceiving hidden things and keeping secrets,darkness, and protection from evil creatures. Few witchspells cause damage directly, but must be employed withsubtlety, patience, and guile to be used for offense.

The witch spell list is drawn from standard d20 Systembard, cleric, druid, and wizard/sorcerer lists, but regardlessof the source, witch spells are considered arcane rather thandivine spells. Spells marked “(E)” are only accessible towitches of evil alignment. Spells marked “(U)” are newspells described in the Magic chapter of this book and areavailable only to Uropan witches. Spells marked “(F)” arenew spells available only to First Ones witches.

0-Level: Daze, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, fizzle (U),ghost sound, lullaby, message, read magic, touch of fatigue (E)

1st Level: Bane, bless, cause fear, chill touch, charm animal, charmperson, command, comprehend languages, cure minor wounds, cursewater (E), darkness, delay poison, detect undead, disguise self, doom (E),erase, faerie fire, feather fall, hideous laughter, hypnotism, inflict minorwounds (E), lesser confusion, mount, obscuring mist, pass without trace,protection from chaos/evil, protection from good (E), remove fear, sanc-tuary, see invisibility, silence, silent image, sleep, summon monster I,unseen servant, ventriloquism

2nd Level: Alter self, animal messenger, backfire (U), blindness/deaf-ness, calm emotions, cat’s grace, consecrate, cure light wounds, dazemonster, death knell (E), desecrate (E), detect thoughts, gentle repose,ghoul touch (E), inflict light wounds (E), eagle’s splendor, enthrall, fogcloud, glitterdust, gust of wind, hold person, hypnotic pattern, invisibil-ity, knock, levitate, minor image, neutralize poison, obscure object, owl’swisdom, poison (E), recover poison (F), scare, spectral hand, suggestion,summon monster II, summon swarm, tongues, touch of idiocy, unde-tectable alignment, web, whispering wind

3rd Level: Animate shadow (U), arcane sight, bestow curse, clairaudi-ence/clairvoyance, command undead (E), confusion, cure moderatewounds, deep slumber, fear, fly, halt undead, haste, hold animal, inflictmoderate wounds (E), invisibility sphere, magic circle against chaos/evil,magic circle against good (E), major image, phantom steed, remove curse,remove paralysis, lesser restoration, scrying, slow, soft body (F), spikegrowth, summon monster III, tiny hut, tongues, vampiric touch (E),wind wall

4th Level: Arcane eye, bacon’s detonator (U), black tentacles, calllightning, charm monster, contagion (E), crushing despair, death ward,detect scrying, discern lies, dismissal, dominate person, enervation (E),lesser geas, hallucinatory terrain, hold monster, greater invisibility,phantasmal killer, lesser planar ally (E), modify memory, secure shelter,sending, shadow conjuration, spider climb, summon monster IV, zone ofsilence

5th Level: Blight (E), break enchantment, contact other plane, dispelchaos/evil, dispel good (E), dream, false vision, feeblemind, insect plague,mark of justice, mirage arcana, nightmare (E), persistent image, plantgrowth, prying eyes, mage’s private sanctum, lesser planar binding,remove disease, restoration, seeming, shadow evocation, summon monsterV, telekinesis

6th Level: Animate dead (E), animate objects, baleful polymorph (E),banishment, circle of death (E), greater command, control weather, eye-bite (E), forbiddance, geas/quest, guards and wards, mislead, planarally, planar binding, polymorph, permanency, shadow walk, summonmonster VI, true seeing, veil

7th Level: Greater arcane sight, banishment, blasphemy (E), controlundead (E), dictum, horrid wilting (E), insanity (E), mind blank, pro-ject image, greater scrying, screen, sequester, summon monster VII

8th Level: Demand, dimensional lock, discern location, greater planarally, greater planar binding, greater prying eyes, scintillating pattern,shield of law, summon monster VIII, temporal stasis, unholy aura (E)

9th Level: Dominate monster, energy drain (E), foresight, gate, regen-erate, shapechange, summon monster IX, wail of the banshee, weird

Share Spells (Ex): At 2nd level, awitch gains the ability to share spellswith other witches within 5 feet.

Empathic Link with OtherWitches (Ex): At 2nd level, a witchgains an empathic link with otherwitches in her coven with a range ofup to one mile. At 4th level, 8th level,and 12th level, the range increases to5, 10, and 20 miles, respectively.

Cause Fear (Sp): At 3rd level, awitch can cause fear, as if casting thespell of the same name, as a spell-likeability. The save DC is 10 + the witch’sCharisma modifier. The witch can usethis power once per day multiplied byher class level. She can spend anynumber of uses of this ability simulta-neously, to affect more than one crea-ture in the same round. This an anexception to the normal casting timeof this spell.

Disguise Self (Sp): At 6th level, awitch can cast disguise self upon herself atwill, as a spell-like ability, with the fol-lowing limitations: she cannot disguiseherself as a member of anotherhumanoid race, and she cannot appearas a member of the opposite sex.

Bonus Feats (Ex): A witch gains abonus feat at 7th level, and one addi-tional bonus feat at 14th and 20th lev-els. These feats are drawn from the fol-lowing: Combat Casting, EmpowerSpell, Enlarge Spell, Eschew Materials,Extend Spell, Heighten Spell,Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, SilentSpell, Still Spell, Widen Spell

Slow Aging (Ex): At 15th level, awitch begins to age much more slowlythan ordinary humans, according tothe following schedule: Middle Age,70 years; Old, 100 years; Venerable,200 years. Maximum age becomes 200years + 1d100 years. Her ability mod-

ifiers due to age still accrue as eachcategory is reached, as described instandard d20 System rules.

Ex-Witches: Witches who cease tobe of lawful alignment lose their sharespells and empathic link with otherwitches class abilities, but may contin-ue to advance as witches. They losemembership in whatever coven ofwitches to which they belong, andmay not join another. The initial reac-tion of Witchling NPCs towards themis automatically decreased by one step.

A witch who changes to a chaoticalignment, most commonly by dis-obeying her elders or harming anotherwitch, loses all spells and class abili-ties, loses her imp, is exiled from hercoven, and cannot gain levels as awitch until she is readmitted. The ini-tial reaction of Witchling NPCstowards them is automaticallydecreased by two steps.

104

Northern Crown

EXISTINGPRESTIGECLASSES

Several existing d20 System pres-tige classes can be adapted to a NewWorld Adventures campaign, with thefollowing modifications.

ARCANE TRICKSTER

Arcane tricksters can be foundamong the criminal gangs of largeUropan cities, the spy rings of royalcourts, and the operatives of Witchlingcovens. They sometimes work as stagemagicians or swindlers.

ARCHMAGEArchmages occupy the most presti-

gious positions at Uropan universities,usually holding a doctorate in arcanestudies, with the title of ProfessorEmeritus. Many archmages serve as advi-sors to the royal courts of Uropa. Tohave made magic their life’s work, theyneed to have dwelled in an environmentwhere the pursuit of arcane arts is at leasttolerated, or else to have secured a pow-erful patron who can protect them fromthe agents of the church. They representthe epitome of the “natural magician,”opposed to witches and sorcerers whodraw their powers from infernal sources.

ASSASSINAssassins possess the same abilities

as described under standard d20 rules.Many are drawn from the agent class;they are employed by the royal courtsof Uropa. Other assassins serve indi-vidual masters, and a few are indepen-dent specialists willing to work foranyone who dares to employ them.

BLACKGUARDIn New World Adventures, blackguards

have the same powers described in thestandard d20 rules. They are usuallycalled fiends, or simply the damned.They represent evil humans who havesworn to serve the infernal realm, havingsigned a pact in their own blood inexchange for dark powers.

HIEROPHANTPowerful religious leaders may

become members of the hierophantclass. Their powers are identical tothose described under standard d20System rules. They typically occupysenior positions of great responsibilityin the Roman Church or among Keltor First Ones druids.

HORIZON WALKERKnown as rovers, horizon walkers are

found among First Ones scouts, and lesscommonly among Uropans who havetraveled extensively in the wilderness.

LOREMASTERLoremasters are common in the

universities of Uropa, and at the RoyalAcademy of Carolingia. They arecalled learned doctors or scholarsemeritus. They possess the same abili-ties ascribed to loremasters in othercampaign worlds.

SHADOWDANCERThe shadowdancer class is limited

to female characters with theWitchling identity. They are calledfuries, and are used as the eliteguardians of the coven, under thecommand of the coven mother. Furiesare employed as spies, messengers, andavengers, using their combat andstealth abilities to avoid detection orcapture.

THAUMATURGISTBecause the summoning of a planar

ally usually requires the possession ofan illegal sorcerous black book, mostthaumaturgists in Northern Crown aredrawn from the sorcerer character class.They must pursue their work in secret,for fear of discovery by religiousauthorities or superstitious neighbors.

105

CHAPTER SIX

PRESTIGE CLASSESThat night, as we sit around the glow of my lantern, with the darkness pressing in close, the others fortify themselves with tales

of heroic deeds done by the legendary men and women of the age. A big land engenders big heroes, like Bunyan, the woodsman withhis mighty axe and faithful blue ox.

Estaban describes first-hand narratives of the battlefield heroics of brave officers and bold sea captains. Then Jean spins abawdy tale or two, shot through with blustering fools and deadly fencers. Emmaline breaks her long silence to relate her knowledgeof the sowers — the wandering healers who transform the wilds into orchards whose fruit possess remarkable virtues. My own con-tribution is culled from my scientific expeditions in the west, and the rough characters I met while drifting down the waters of theOhio or wandering through the Mountains of Smoke — river brawlers, frontier wanderers, legends in their own time.

I think that’s what draws many of us here, to these shores; the hint that in this place lies the possibility of great destiny even forone of humble beginnings …

106

Northern Crown

NEW PRESTIGECLASSES

The New World Adventures campaignintroduces nine new prestige classes,each representing a heroic archetypein American lore. The frontier legendis a larger-than-life trailblazer and

backwoods traveler, possessingimpressive skills in overland naviga-tion, negotiation, and survival. Thesea captain commands an ocean-goingfighting ship, and is skilled in navalwarfare, navigation, and the duties ofleadership, whether his crew is madeup of scurvy pirates or crack seamen.The officer prestige class is the dry-land counterpart of the sea captain,commanding a company of soldiers,either mercenaries or royal troops.Sowers are masters of growing won-drous fruits and trees with divine pow-

ers for the benefit of humankind,while firebrands are fervent followersof a noble cause who can stir commonfolk into action. Tall tale heroes wieldhammers and axes against mountainand forest, to carve settlements out ofthe wilderness. The falstaff is a knav-ish buffoon with powers to inducemayhem and laughter, and the fencingmaster is a dedicated student of the artof sword combat. The wild brawler isan ornery hellrasier, skilled in unarmedfighting and imbued with chaoticenergy.

Falstaffs are characters who elevatebad behavior, unhealthy living, and dis-respect for all that is honorable to atruly heroic level. The Shakespeareanfigures of Sir John Falstaff (who giveshis name to the class) and Sir TobyBelch are perfect role models forthese characters — weak-willed,disruptive, blustering, but some-how likeable and charismatic.They have a legendary reputa-tion for wreaking havoc andmaking life complicated forfriends and enemies alike.Their fortitude is unmatched,their willpower pathetic. InFirst Ones lands, falstaffs areknown as clowns; their pen-chant for foolery is seen as adivine gift for exposing thefoibles of humankind, andthey are often the subject oflegend and lore.

Rakes are well suited tobecoming falstaffs, because theyare already disposed towardunseemly behavior. Bards, too, areappropriate candidates for the falstaffclass, due to their penchant for publicperformance and an unsettled lifestyle.

Hit Die: d6.

REQUIREMENTSTo become a falstaff, a character must

meet these criteria:Alignment: Chaotic good or

chaotic neutralBase Fortitude Save: +2.Skills: 6 ranks Bluff, 4 ranks

Perform (any), plus 4 ranks in atleast two of the following skills:Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery,Intimidate, or Tumble.

CLASS SKILLSThe falstaff’s class skills

(and the key ability for eachskill) are Appraise (Dex), Bluff(Cha), Disguise (Cha), EscapeArtist (Dex), Forgery (Int),

Gather Information (Cha),Intimidate (Cha), Perform

(Cha), Sense Motive (Wis),Sleight of Hand (Dex), and

Tumble (Dex).Skill Points at Each Level:6 + Int modifier.

THE FALSTAFFLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1st +0 +2 +0 0 Corpulence, circle of mayhem (5 ft.)2nd +1 +3 +0 0 Blunder, inspiring binge3rd +2 +4 +1 –1 Fortune’s fool (DR 1/—)4th +3 +5 +1 –1 Dogsbodies5th +3 +5 +2 –1 Shared mayhem6th +4 +6 +2 –2 Bedlam7th +5 +6 +3 –2 Collateral damage8th +6 +7 +3 –2 Circle of mayhem (10 ft.)9th +6 +8 +4 –3 Fortune’s fool (DR 2/—)10th +7 +8 +4 –3 Greater collateral damage

NEW PRESTIGE CLASS: FALSTAFF

CLASS FEATURES

All of the following are class fea-tures of the falstaff prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:Falstaffs retain the weapon and armorproficiencies of whatever core classesthey were before becoming falstaffs.

Corpulence: At 1st level, a falstaff’sappetite for food, drink, and indolencebegins to make a mark on his appearanceand mobility. His base speed decreasesby 5 ft. His weight increases by 30%,giving his a natural armor bonus of +1 toAC and a +1 bonus to Intimidate skillchecks. He also receives a one-time gainof 3 hit points.

Circle of Mayhem (Su): At 1st

level, falstaffs create a circle of may-hem centered around themselves, witha radius of 5 ft. All attack rolls, saves,and skill checks made by any creatureswithin the circle suffer a –1 penalty.Only falstaffs are immune from thiseffect. This ability functions continu-ously, even against the will of the fal-staff. At 8th level, the radius of the cir-cle increases to 10 ft.

Blunder: At 2nd level, falstaffsreceive a +2 bonus to bull rush andgrapple checks, due to their increasedgirth and density.

Inspiring Binge: At 2nd level, fal-staffs gain a +2 attack bonus duringany round in which they eat or drinkas a move-equivalent action. Toengage in a fortifying binge, falstaffsmust have one hand free to hold adrinking vessel or morsel of food witha minimum weight of three pounds.

Fortune’s Fool (Su): At 3rd level,falstaffs gain damage reduction as asupernatural ability, due to the disrupt-ing effects of their chaotic personality.Initial damage reduction is 1/—; at 9th

level, it increases to 2/—.Dogsbodies: At 4th level, falstaffs

attract a group of mangy hangers-oncalled dogsbodies. The number ofdogsbodies is equal to the falstaff’sCharisma ability modifier, with a min-imum of one. Dogsbodies are 1st-levelcommoner NPCs with a Social Rankof 0. They do not count against thetotal number followers the falstaff mayattract due to possessing theLeadership feat.

Dogsbodies are retainers, ratherthan servants; they follow the falstaffout of loyalty, whether the falstaffwants them or not. The falstaff has noobligation to pay them a wage; theyare grateful to accept the falstaff’s left-over food, castaway garments, andrusty old weapons. In return, they actas drinking companions, bodyguards,messengers, spies, and fall guys. Theyreceive 25% of the falstaff’s experiencepoints (this is in addition to the fal-staff’s XP, rather than being subtactedfrom it), and can advance in characterlevels, but only as commoners. Slaindogsbodies are not replaced.

Shared Mayhem: At 5th level, one ofthe falstaff’s dogsbodies, chosen by thecontrolling player, gains the 5-ft. circleof mayhem ability. Once bestowed, thisability cannot be transferred to anotherdogsbody unless the first one is slain.

Bedlam (Su): At 6th level, the fal-staff’s bumbling ways become so comical

that they can reduce nearby characters todisabling fits of laughter. Any time thefalstaff rolls a natural 1 on an attack rollor on any skill check with Dexterity,Strength, or Charisma as the key ability,any humans within 30 ft. must make aWill save at a DC of 10 + the falstaff’sclass level. Those who fail to savebecome dazed for one round.

Collateral Damage (Ex): Uponreaching 7th level, falstaffs who missan enemy when making a melee orranged attack can choose to inflictdamage upon a single enemy within 5ft. of their intended target. This abili-ty inflicts one point of damage per fal-staff class level of the falstaff. Falstaffscan inflict collateral damage at leastonce per day, depending on theirDexterity score:

Dexterity Uses Per Day1–3 54–6 47–9 3

10–12 213+ 1

Greater Collateral Damage (Ex):Upon reaching 10th level, falstaffs’ col-lateral damage ability applies to allenemies within 5 ft. of the intendedtarget, not just a single enemy.

Ex-Falstaffs: Falstaffs who cease tobe chaotic good or chaotic neutral losetheir class abilities and cannot gainnew levels as falstaffs. Should theiralignment revert to chaotic good orchaotic neutral, they regain any fal-staff class abilities they lost and mayresume gaining levels as falstaffs.

107

Northern Crown

Although the art of fencing is knownto many, only a select few have mademastery of the art their life’s work. Thesefencing masters strive to perfect theirskill with the sword, acquiring such facil-ity that their blade becomes an extensionof their will, giving them almost super-natural abilities.

Fencing masters may work as teach-ers of promising young fencers, as eliteguards, or simply as wandering duelists,always seeking opponents worthy ofthem. They tend to enjoy fencing for itsown sake, spurning positions of authori-ty that might limit their opportunities topractice their art.

Most commonly, soldiers aredrawn towards the life of the fencingmaster. But given the prevalence ofdueling and swordplay in Northern

Crown, nearly any character with theFencing feat can be drawn to seriousstudy of the blade.

Hit Die: d10.

REQUIRMENTSTo become a fencing master, a

character must meet these criteria:Base Attack Bonus: +6.Feats: Fencing, Two-Weapon

Fighting, Weapon Finesse (the weaponmust be one to which the Fencing featapplies), plus at least one of the fol-lowing feats: Combat Expertise, QuickDraw, or Two-Weapon Defense.

CLASS SKILLSThe fencing master’s class skills

(and the key ability for each skill) areBalance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb(Str), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Ride(Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim(Str), and Tumble (Dex).Skill Points at Each Level:

2 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are class features

of the fencing master prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

Fencing masters retain the weapon andarmor proficiencies of whatever char-acter classes they possessed before

NEW PRESTIGE CLASS: FENCING MASTER

108

Northern Crown

THE FENCING MASTERLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1st +1 +1 +0 0 Improved fencing +1, favored blade +12nd +2 +1 +1 0 AC bonus +1, bonus feat3rd +3 +2 +1 0 Secret move 1, ranged fencing attack4th +4 +2 +2 0 Improved fencing +2, favored blade +25th +5 +3 +2 +1 AC bonus +2, bonus feat6th +6 +3 +3 +1 Secret move 2, expanded fencing7th +7 +4 +3 +1 Improved fencing +3, favored blade +38th +8 +4 +4 +2 AC bonus +3, bonus feat9th +9 +5 +4 +2 Secret move 310th +10 +5 +5 +2 Improved fencing +4, fence with anything

becoming fencing masters, plus thefollowing weapons: dagger, rapier,long rapier, saber, broadsword,smallsword, and cutlass.

Improved Fencing: At 1st level, thepenalty to attack rolls when the fencingmaster employs a fencing move isreduced by one. At 4th, 7th, and 10th lev-els, the penalty to hit for all fencingmoves is reduced by an additionalpoint. If the penalty for a move isadjusted to higher than +0, treat itas +0. This ability stacks with anybenefit gained from theSignature Move feat.

Favored Blade: At 1st

level, fencing masters devel-op an affinity for a singlefencing weapon in theirpossession. It must be ofmasterwork quality or bet-ter. When attacking withtheir favored blade, fencingmasters gain a +1 bonus toattack and damage rolls. Thisbonus stacks with any magi-cal enhancements already pos-sessed by the weapon.

If their favored blade is lostor destroyed, fencing masters cantry to establish an affinity foranother masterwork blade by using itfor a minimum of one week. At theend of the week, they can make aWisdom check at DC 20; success indi-cates that a new favored blade hasbeen found.

At 4th and 7th levels, the favoredblade bonus increases to +2 and +3,respectively.

AC Bonus: At 2nd level, fencingmasters gain a +1 insight bonus to ACwhile holding with any weapon towhich they can apply the Fencing feat.At 5th and 8th level, the bonus increas-es to +2 and +3 respectively.

Bonus Feat: At 2nd, 5th, and 8th

level, fencing masters receive a bonusfeat from the following list: Acrobatic,Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise,

Combat Reflexes, Dodge, GreaterTwo-Weapon Fighting, ImprovedDisarm, Improved Feint, ImprovedTwo-Weapon Fighting, Mobility,Quick Draw, Signature Move, SpringAttack, Two-Weapon Defense,Whirlwind Attack. The fencing mastermust meet all prerequisites beforeselecting one of these feats.

Ranged Fencing Attack: At 3rd

level, all fencing weapons can becomethrown ranged weapons in the handsof the fencing master. This ability isoften used to kill a fleeing foe or aid athreatened ally, when no otherweapons are handy. Regardless of theweapon, it has a range increment of 10ft., with five range increments. It

inflicts the same amount of damageas it does when used as a meleeweapon.

Secret Move: At 3rd level,fencing masters develop a secretmove that they can employagainst an unsuspecting foe. Asecret move can only be usedonce ever on a particularopponent, and must bedeclared beforehand. Onlyfencing weapons apply. Usinga secret move doubles thecritical threat range of theweapon for one attack only.

At 6th and 9th level, fenc-ing masters develop an addi-

tional secret move, which, liketheir first secret move, can each

be used only once per opponent.Expanded Fencing: At 6th

level, fencing masters can apply theFencing feat to any light or one-hand-ed slashing or piercing weapon,instead of being restricted to the list ofordinary fencing weapons.

Fence with Anything: At 10th

level, fencing masters can apply theFencing feat to any light or one-hand-ed weapon. They can also apply theFencing feat to nearly any solid objectthey can hold in one hand, such as achair leg, fireplace tool, tennis racket,stick, or fishing rod. Regardless of theobject, it will inflict 1d4 points ofpiercing damage, with a critical threatrange of 20/x3.

109

Northern Crown

NEW PRESTIGE CLASS: FIREBRANDEvery great cause has its heroes —

men and women who become livingsymbols of the struggle to achieve anoble goal, who proclaim their idealsproudly in the face of scorn and hos-tility. These firebrands have the fervorto rally supporters to their cause, andto gather strength and courage fromthe force of their own convictions. Inthe fight for their cause — whetherit is a nation, a faith, or an idea —firebrands are always on thefront lines, often literally, forthis is an age in which differ-ences of opinion are settledon the battlefield. A fire-brand might fight for theideal of liberty for allhumankind, or for theadvancement of a particularfaith; for the inhabitants ofa single settlement, or forthe honor of a king orqueen.

Firebrands are typicallydrawn from the ranks of ordi-nary soldiers, clerics, and pal-adins serving a particular cause— most often one that chal-lenges the established political,social, or religious order. Naturalphilosophers with ambitious plans tocreate a better society also take therole of firebrands, transforming theirideas into action. Bards who use theirclass abilities to inspire action in oth-ers sometimes rise to the position offirebrand, having a natural affinity forbeing at the center of attention.

Hit Die: d10.

REQUIREMENTSTo become a firebrand, a character

must meet these criteria:Alignment: Any non-neutral.Base Will Save: +5.Feats: Iron Will, Leadership.

Special: The character must becommitted to a cause that has at least100 adherents, as judged by the GM.Adherents are defined as characters

whose full-time occupation is theadvancement or preservation of a par-ticular person, group, faith, or idea.The residents of a small First Ones vil-lage, for example, work towards thecause of their own safety and prosper-ity. The court of King Charles II iscommitted to the cause of the king’scontinued good health and prosperity.The Puritans of Boston dedicate theirlives to the cause of creating a heaven-ly city on earth. The freethinkers ofSophia work and fight for the cause of

equality among their fellow citizens.The only restrictions are that the causecan’t be a moneymaking scheme, or agrab for power that doesn’t involve afundamental change in government.The GM has final say.

CLASS SKILLSThe firebrand’s class skills (and the

key ability for each skill) are Craft(Int), Diplomacy (Cha), GatherInformation (Cha), Knowledge(any) (Int), Profession (Wis), andSense Motive (Wis).Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are

class features of the firebrandprestige class.

Weapon and ArmorProficiency: Firebrands retain

the weapon and armor proficien-cies of whatever character classes

they possessed before becomingfirebrands.

Fervor (Ex): At 1st level, firebrandscan draw upon their fervor to theircause to fight their enemies with extravigor. Once per day, they can volun-tarily enter a state of fervor duringtheir own turn, as a free action. A stateof fervor lasts for 1 round + 1 roundper class level of the firebrand. Whilein fervor, a firebrand can make oneextra attack when making a full attackaction, using the firebrand’s full baseattack bonus, plus any appropriatemodifiers. The firebrand also gains a+2 bonus to checks made on skillswith Charisma as the key modifier.

A state of fervor can’t be ended pre-maturely, unless all enemies of the fire-brand have been vanquished or driven

THE FIREBRANDLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1st +1 +0 +0 +1 Fervor 1/day, rallying cry (30 ft.)2nd +2 +0 +0 +2 Detect adherents3rd +3 +1 +1 +2 Banner4th +4 +1 +1 +3 Gather allies (1st level)5th +5 +2 +1 +3 Fervor 2/day6th +6 +2 +2 +4 Rallying cry (60 ft.)7th +7 +3 +2 +4 Gather allies (2nd level)8th +8 +3 +2 +5 Oriflamme9th +9 +4 +3 +5 Fervor 3/day10th +10 +4 +3 +6 Gather allies (3rd level)

out of sight. Once the fervor has passed,the firebrand suffers a –2 penalty toStrength and Dexterity for one hour.

At 5th and 9th level, firebrands canenter a state of fervor two and threetimes per day, respectively.

Rallying Cry (Ex): A 1st-level fire-brand gains the ability to utter a rally-ing cry, once per day per class level.The firebrand and any allies within 30ft. gain a +1 bonus to attack and dam-age rolls. The effect lasts for one roundmultiplied by the firebrand’s class level.

At 6th level, the range of a fire-brand’s rallying cry increases to 60 ft.

Detect Adherents (Ex): At 2nd

level, firebrands acquire the ability todetect fellow adherents within 60 ft, asa standard action. This ability func-tions within line of sight only.

Banner (Ex): When firebrandsreach 3rd level, they may create a ban-ner that symbolizes their cause, toinspire their allies. Making the bannercosts 100 gp in materials and one fullweek of work. No skill checks arerequired to create it. The finished ban-ner can be of any shape, with a mini-mum dimension of 2 feet x 3 feet. Itweighs 5 pounds, including its 5-footstaff tipped with a spearpoint, and has10 hit points and a Hardness of zero.It has a Break DC of 23.

While holding a banner, the rangeof a firebrand’s Rallying Cry and

Oriflamme abilities is doubled. Whenthe banner is flourished by the firebrandas a full-round action, all allies within 60feet receive a +4 bonus to saving throwsagainst fear for one minute.

A banner is considered a two-handed weapon. If used as a meleeweapon, it deals 1d6 points of damageof piercing damage, with a criticalthreat range of 20/x3. Firebrands aretreated as having the Weapon Focusfeat while attacking with a banner.

If a banner is captured, the fire-brand can’t create another one, butmust recover it. A destroyed bannercan’t be replaced until the firebrandgains another class level.

Gather Allies (Ex): At 4th level,once per day, firebrands can temporar-ily convince NPCs to become theirallies. To gather allies, firebrandsexpend one use of their rallying cryability (see above). One or more 1st-level NPCs within range of the rally-ing cry can then be chosen by the fire-brand to become allies for one hourper class level of the firebrand. Onlygood-aligned NPCs can be gatheredby a firebrand of good alignment,while evil firebrands can gather onlyevil NPCs. The maximum number ofallies that can be gathered is equal tothe firebrand’s Charisma modifier,with a minimum of one.

Allies gathered using this ability donot count towards followers gainedthrough the firebrand’s Leadershipfeat, but are bound by the same rulesthat apply to ordinary followersregarding the limits of their loyaltyand the treatment they expect fromthe firebrand.

At 7th level and 10th level, the fire-brand gains the ability to gather 2nd-level and 3rd-level NPCs, respectively.

Oriflamme (Ex): When firebrandsattain 8th level, they become ori-flammes — living symbols of theircause. Their mere presence on thefield of battle gives their allies courageand fervor. When the firebrand entersa state of fervor, all allies within 10 feetat the time the fervor ability is activat-ed gain the benefits of fervor, whichlast as long as the firebrand’s own fer-vor. They suffer the usual penaltiesonce the fervor ends.

Ex-Firebrands: Firebrands whobecome neutral, or who give up theircause or begin working against it, losetheir firebrand class abilities and can-not gain new levels as a firebrand, evenif they subsequently rejoin their cause.Firebrands who gain final victory fortheir cause may continue to advance asfirebrands, as long as they do not actto undermine the cause they hadchampioned.

110

Northern Crown

All cultures have heroes who seekthe unknown, braving danger andhardship to expand the knowledge andreach of their culture, to find pathsthrough the wild, to establish contactwith new peoples, and to test their lim-its against the challenge of surviving inan unforgiving natural environment.They work as pathfinders, diplomats,surveyors, naturalists, and traders,sometimes in the employ of less-adven-turous travelers, but more commonlyalone or with others of their kind.They love the freedom of a life livedliterally and figuratively on the edge.

Uropan, First Ones, and Nyambantales feature heroes who trek into theunknown, often upon a quest for thebetterment or security of their people.Whatever their motives, all frontierlegends develop the same crucial skills:the ability to win the trust of strangersand wild animals; mastery of wilder-ness survival skills, including resistanceto extremes of temperature and theeffects of hunger and thirst; and anuncanny sense of direction. Often liv-ing side by side with wild creatures,

they develop a kinship with them,gaining their trust and respect. In time,they acquire an aura of ruggedstrength that enhances their socialinteractions with others.

Scouts are perhaps best suited tobecome frontier legends, because theyalready possess many of the skillsneeded to meet the criteria for theclass, but raiders, bards, and naturalphilosophers can also be drawn to alarger-than-life existence on the bor-der of the unknown. Few characterclasses are opposed to the aims offrontier legends, except druids, whofear that the ills of civilization will fol-low in their footsteps.

Hit Die: d10

REQUIREMENTSTo become a frontier legend, a char-

acter must meet these criteria:Diplomacy: 2 ranks.Knowledge (Nature): 6 ranks.Survival: 6 ranks.Feats:Endurance, Gift of Tongues, Track.

CLASS SKILLSThe frontier legend’s class skills

(and the key ability for each skill)are: Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft(Int), Diplomacy (Cha), GatherInformation (Cha), Heal (Wis),Hide (Dex), Knowledge (geogra-phy) (Int), Knowledge (nature)(Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently(Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), SpeakLanguage (none), Spot (Wis),Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).Skill Points at Each Level:

6 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are class fea-

tures of the frontier legend prestigeclass.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:Frontier legends retain the weaponand armor proficiencies of whatevercharacter classes they possessed beforebecoming frontier legends.

NEW PRESTIGE CLASS: FRONTIER LEGEND

111

Northern Crown

Toughness: At 1st level, frontier leg-ends receive Toughness as a free feat.

Unerring Direction Sense (Ex): At1st level, frontier legends can alwaystell where true north is. Using thisability is a standard action.

Wildshield (Ex): At 1st level, afrontier legend receives a +1 ACbonus and a +1 Reflex save bonus inone of the following terrains, chosenby the player: forest, marsh, hills,mountain, or plains. If he has alreadyreceived this ability for a particularterrain as a culture bonus, he cannotstack it by selecting the same terraina second time.

At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level,frontier legends choose an addi-tional terrain to apply to thisability.

Bonus Feat: At 2nd level,frontier legends receive abonus feat from the follow-ing list: Alertness, AnimalAffinity, Athletic, GreatFortitude, Negotiator,Persuasive, Self-Sufficient,Stealthy, Surefire, orWeatherproof. At 4th, 6th,8th, and 10th level, theychoose an additional bonusfeat from the same list.

Internal Map: At 2nd level,frontier legends are less likely tobecome lost in difficult terrain.Frontier legends are always consid-ered to have a map when determin-ing the DC of Survival checks todetermine whether they have becomelost. If they do become lost, theyreceive a +4 bonus to Survival checksmade to determine whether they rec-ognize it, and to set a new course sub-sequently.

Second Impression: At 2nd level,frontier legends can reroll a failed Bluffor Diplomacy check once perencounter. This ability cannot beapplied to Bluff rolls used to makefeints in combat.

Animal Staredown (Su): At 3rd

level, frontier legends gain a gazeattack that causes an animal to cower.This is an attack action that affects asingle animal within 30 feet. The ani-mal receives a Will save DC 14 toavoid the effect. A cowering animal isfrozen and can take no actions. Itreceives a penalty of –2 to AC and

loses any Dex bonus. The effect lastsas long as the frontier legend contin-ues to spend an attack action eachround meeting the animal’s gaze, plus1d4 rounds after the gaze is broken. Ifan affected animal is subject to anattack, grapple, or any other attemptto harm or restrain it, the effect isinstantly cancelled and the animal is

no longer subject to the frontier leg-end’s gaze attack.

Shrug off Damage (Ex): At 4th

level, once per day, frontier legendscan ignore damage from a single attackof any kind, up to one point of damageper character level; this is a limitedform of damage reduction.

Short Rations: At 4th level, fron-tier legends become inured to thirstand starvation. They need only a halfgallon of water and one-half pound ofdecent food per day in normal cli-mates. They can go for two days with-

out water, plus a number of hoursequal to their Constitution score.

They can go without food for 4days. They also receive a +4bonus to Constitution checksmade to avoid nonlethal dam-age from thirst and starvation.

Animal Kinship (Su): At5rd level, frontier legendsengender a sense of kinshipin a particular species of ani-mal, chosen from the follow-ing list: black bear, lynx, pan-ther, or wolf. The chosenanimal type will not attackthe frontier legend or any ofthe legend’s allies within 30

feet, unless the animal is sub-ject to attack, grapple, or any

other attempt to harm or restrainit by the frontier legend or any of

the legend’s allies. If frontier leg-ends with this ability or their allies

are attacked by enemies, all animals ofthe chosen type within sight willattack the frontier legend’s enemiesuntil the enemies are slain or the fron-tier legend calls off their attack.

Long March: At 6th level, frontierlegends gain a +4 bonus toConstitution checks made to avoidnonlethal damage from marchinglonger than normal during a singleday’s travel.

At 9th level, this ability also appliesto any allies traveling with the frontierlegend.

THE FRONTIER LEGENDLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1st +1 +2 +1 0 Unerring direction sense, toughness, wildshield 12nd +2 +3 +1 0 Bonus feat, internal map, second impression3rd +3 +3 +2 0 Wildshield 2, animal staredown4th +4 +4 +2 0 Bonus feat, shrug off damage, short rations5th +5 +4 +3 +1 Wildshield 3, animal kinship6th +6 +5 +3 +1 Bonus feat, long march (self)7th +7 +5 +4 +1 Wildshield 4, rugged aura +1, wild detection8th +8 +6 +4 +2 Bonus feat, sense frontier dangers9th +9 +6 +5 +2 Wildshield 5, long march (allies)10th +10 +7 +5 +2 Bonus feat, neverlost, rugged aura +2

112

Northern Crown

NEW PRESTIGE CLASS: OFFICER

Rugged Aura: At 7th level, frontierlegends receive a +1 circumstancebonus to Charisma-based skills whenthey are in any terrain to which theyhave applied the Wildshield ability.This bonus increases to +2 at 10th level.

Wild Detection: At 7th level, fron-tier legends double the maximum dis-tance at which they can use a Spotcheck to detect the presence of othersin any terrain to which they haveapplied their Wildshield ability. The

GM rolls the dice indicated under d20System rules for determining the max-imum Spot distance in the terrain athand, and simply doubles the result forthe frontier legend.

Sense Frontier Dangers (Ex): At8th level, frontier legends always spotan avalanche or forest fire at the max-imum range possible, unless they roll anatural 1 on their Spot check.Likewise, they always spot quicksandunless a natural 1 is rolled on their

Survival check, which they receiveregardless of their movement ratewhen they encounter the quicksand.

Neverlost: At 10th level, frontierlegends automatically succeed inSurvival checks to avoid becominglost, unless they roll a natural 1. If lost,they automatically recognize it afterone hour of random travel, unless theyroll a natural 1 on their Survival roll.

Officers are commanders of troopson the battlefield, skilled in the art ofwar. They draw soldiers to their bannerby the strength of their personal repu-tation, and keep them together byvirtue of their confidence andprowess in matters of strategy, tac-tics, and supply, and by thepromise of glory and gold.Officers may either be commis-sioned by their sovereign tolead a splendid regiment ofroyal troops, or else work as afreelance mercenary captainwith a hand-picked compa-ny of battle-scarred veter-ans. In times of peace, whentheir source of pay dries up,they may even become ban-dit leaders, plundering androbbing to keep their sol-diers fed and happy until thedrums of war beat again.

Soldiers are most likely tobecome officers, but paladins,raiders, and rakes also rise topositions of command, and maybecome formidable officers on theirown terms, fighting for their ownreasons in command of like-mindedfollowers.

Hit Die: d10

REQUIREMENTSTo become an officer, a character

must meet these criteria:Base Attack Bonus: +6.Profession (Military): 6 ranks.

Ride: 4 ranks.Feats: Leadership 8+, Fencing,

Guns, Mounted Combat, MartialWeapon Proficiency.

Money: 5,000 gp minimumto purchase commission.

CLASS SKILLSThe officer’s class skills (and the

key ability for each skill) are: Craft(Int), Diplomacy (Cha), GatherInformation (Cha), Intimidate(Cha), Profession (Soldier) (Wis),Ride (Dex), and Spot (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level:2 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are class fea-

tures of the officer prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

An officer is proficient with all simpleand martial weapons and armor.

THE OFFICERLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1st +1 +2 +1 0 Commission, leadership bonus2nd +2 +3 +1 0 SocR +1, charmed life (light fortification)3rd +3 +3 +2 0 Inspire courage +1, bonus feat4th +4 +4 +2 0 SocR +2, aura of command +15th +5 +4 +3 +1 Battle sense, bonus feat6th +6 +5 +3 +1 SocR +3, charmed life (medium fortification)7th +7 +5 +4 +1 Life in armor, bonus feat8th +8 +6 +4 +2 SocR +49th +9 +6 +5 +2 Inspire courage +2, bonus feat10th +10 +7 +5 +2 SocR +5, aura of command +2

Commission: Upon attaining theirfirst class level, officers obtain a com-mission to recruit a company of fight-ers. An officer of any social rank maybuy the papers necessary to form amercenary company for 5,000 gp.Officers with a courtly social rank(SocR 16+) may purchase a captaincyin the royal army of their sovereign forthe same price. The occasion ofreceiving a royal commission ismarked by the receipt of the companyflag, called the colors, which repre-sents the sovereign’s authority andmust never be captured in battle.

Once commissioned, an officercan assemble a fighting company. Theofficer’s cohort and followers, if any,must be included in the company, usu-ally as its non-commissioned officers.Other soldiers are recruited and paidout of the officer’s pocket. The maxi-mum company size for officers is equalto their Leadership score x 10. If someof the subordinate NPCs are also ofthe officer prestige class, the maximumsize of the company is equal to thesum of all their Leadership scores x 10.In this way, a single PC can commandan entire army, given enough officers.

Leadership Bonus: An officerreceives a +1 Leadership bonus untilhis commission is lost or sold.

Social Rank Bonus: At 2nd level,officers receive an extra +1 bonus totheir Social Rank to represent theheightened prestige of being a militarycommander. They receive an addition-al +1 bonus to Social rank at 4th, 6th,8th, and 10th level.

Charmed Life (Su): At 2nd level,officers are treated as if they werewearing armor with the light fortificationability, applied to ranged attacks only.When a critical hit or sneak attack isscored on the officer, there is a 25%chance that the critical hit or sneakattack is negated and damage isinstead rolled normally. At 6th level,this ability becomes equivalent to medi-um fortification (75% chance that thecritical hit or sneak attack is negated).

Inspire Courage (Su): At 3rd level,officers acquire the bard class abilityinspire courage, but it is only appliedto members of their own companywho can hear them speak. Initially, thebonus to morale, attack, and damage is+1; it increases to +2 at 9th level.

Aura of Command: At 4th level,officers receive a +1 bonus to all skills

with Charisma as the key ability whenmaking skill checks against membersof the officer, soldier, and warriorcharacter classes. At 10th level, thisbonus increases to +2.

Bonus Feat: At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and9th level, officers receive a bonus featfrom the list of bonus feats available tothe soldier character class. Officerswith one or more levels in the soldierclass may choose from the list of featsavailable to all soldier-class characters,or from the list of feats particular totheir own troop type; officers with noclass levels as soldiers may onlychoose from the list of feats availableto all soldier-class characters.

Battle Sense (Ex): Starting at 5th

level, officers can sense when they arein an enemy’s sights and react accord-ingly. They retain their Dexteritybonus to AC when attacked unawaresor flat-footed by any ranged weapon,excluding spells and spell-like abilities.

Life in Armor (Ex): At 7th level,officers become immune to the fatigueeffects of sleeping in medium andheavy armor. They also receive a +1reduction to armor check penalties. Ifthe reduction would make the checkpenalty higher than +0, treat it as +0.

113

Northern Crown

The sea captain commands anocean-going ship-of-war, whether itflies the flag of his own nation or theskull-and-crossbones of the pirate.He is in the select company ofDrake, Frobisher, Kidd, andTeach — the famed sea com-manders of many nations.While any character withsufficient training can cap-tain a merchant ship orsmall craft, only sea captainshave the skill and leadershipto assemble and train a crewand then send them intobattle on the high seas.Whether directing cannonfire or leading a boardingparty armed to the teeth withcutlass, knife, and pistol, thesea captain is a formidable andprofessional fighter.

Soldiers, not surprisingly, arethe most common aspirants tothis class, but rakes and evenraiders may sometimes become seacaptains. Other character classes,except for the occasional paladin, sel-dom aspire to this position.

Hit Die: d10

REQUIREMENTSTo become a sea captain, a charac-

ter must meet these criteria:Base Attack Bonus: +6.Profession (sailor): 8 ranks.Feats: Leadership 10+,

Artillery.

CLASS SKILLSThe sea captain’s class

skills (and the key ability foreach skill) are Balance (Dex),Climb (Str), Craft (Int),Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge(geography) (Int), Profession(sailor) (Wis), Spot (Wis),Swim (Str), and Use Rope

(Dex).Skill Points at Each Level:

4 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are class fea-

tures of the sea captain prestige class.

NEW PRESTIGE CLASS: SEA CAPTAIN

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:A sea captain is proficient with all sim-ple and martial weapons, light armor,and medium armor.

Ship Command: Upon attaining 1st

level as a sea captain, the characterbecomes captain of a ship. This canhappen in one of two ways. First, thesea captain can build or buy a ship. Thecost for a sailing ship is 10,000 gp; for awarship, 25,000 gp. Second, the seacaptain may receive a commission in atrading company or in the navy of aparticular nation, by presenting creden-tials before a board of directors or tothe admiralty. A ship will be assignedaccording to seniority — new captainsget the oldest or smallest ships.

Once the ship is purchased, built,or assigned, the sea captain may hire acrew. Whether the sea captain ownsthe ship or is simply its commander,the crew is paid out of the captain’s

own pocket. The sea captain’s cohortand followers must be included in theship’s crew, usually as its officers. Asthe sea captain’s Leadership scoreincreases, more of the crew maybecome followers.

Bonus Weapon Focus Feat: Asthey ply their trade, sea captainsbecome adept at many of the ship-fighter’s favorite weapons. At 1st, 3rd,5th, 7th, and 9th levels, they acquirethe Weapon Focus feat for one addi-tional weapon from the following list:shortspear, cutlass, broadsword,snaphance pistol, wheellock pistol,club, dagger, handaxe, sap, rapier, hal-berd, and longspear.

Sense Weather (Ex): This 1st-levelability allows a sea captain to know ifthe weather will change significantlyin the next 12 hours. Upon request,the GM must tell the player if theweather will improve, deteriorate, or

remain the same, and what directionthe wind will come from. Particulardetails such as precipitation, tempera-ture, and wind speed are not given.

Social Rank Bonus: At 2nd level,sea captains receive an extra +1 bonusto their Social Rank to represent theheightened prestige of being a a navalcommander. They receive an addition-al +1 bonus to Social rank at 4th, 6th,8th, and 10th level.

Expert Gunnery: At 3rd level, seacaptains give a +1 attack bonus to anyartillery fired from their ship whilethey are aboard. At 7th level, thisbonus increases to +2.

Lion at Sea: At 5th level, sea cap-tains receive a +1 bonus to all skillswith Charisma as a key ability whilethey are on board their own ship. At9th level, this bonus increases to +2.

114

Northern Crown

Along the dusty roads and crookedpaths of Northern Crown they wander,dressed in simple garb, carrying only agnarled staff and a burlap pouch filledwith seeds and fruit of divine power,which can sustain, heal, and guard theinnocent. Their words bring peace andreconciliation between neighbors; thefolk of the country value their wisdom,kindness, and impartiality as settlers ofdisputes and bearers of a message ofhope and comfort. They are known asappleseeds or waypreachers by thefarmers and wanderers who receivetheir aid, but they prefer to be calledsowers — those who plant the seeds ofa better future that they themselvesmay not live to see.

The most common aspirants to thisclass are druids and clerics.Occasionally, a druid will decide thatrather than defending a sacred grove

from trespassers, it is more satisfyingto use the powers of nature to helphumankind, and by doing so, perhapsincrease people’s appreciation for thenatural world. Disaffected clerics maybecome sowers as a way to take theirdivine gifts directly to the people,rather than waiting for the people tocome to their church.

Hit Die: d6.

REQUIREMENTSTo become a sower, a character

must meet these criteria:Alignment: Lawful good or neutral

good.Skills: 4 ranks in Diplomacy, 4 ranks

in Heal, 6 ranks in Profession (farmer).Spells: Able to cast 3rd-level divine

spells.

CLASS SKILLSThe sower’s class skills (and the key

ability for each skill) are Concentration(Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha),Gather Information (Cha), HandleAnimal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge(local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int),Kowledge (religion) (Int), and SenseMotive (Wis).Skill Points at Each Level:

2 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are class fea-

tures of the sower prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

Sowers retain the weapon and armorproficiencies of whatever characterclasses they possessed before becom-

NEW PRESTIGE CLASS: SOWER

THE SEA CAPTAINLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1st +1 +2 +1 0 Ship command, sense weather, weapon focus 12nd +2 +3 +1 0 SocR +13rd +3 +3 +2 0 Weapon focus 2, expert gunnery +14th +4 +4 +2 +1 SocR +25th +5 +4 +3 +1 Weapon focus 3, lion at sea +16th +6 +5 +3 +1 SocR +37th +7 +5 +4 +1 Weapon focus 4, expert gunnery +28th +8 +6 +4 +2 SocR +49th +9 +6 +5 +2 Weapon focus 5, lion at sea +210th +10 +7 +5 +2 SocR +5

115

Northern Crown

THE SOWERLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL DIVINE SPELLCASTING1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Create divine apple, staff +1, +1 level of existing class

harmless appearance2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Create divine tree (1st level) +1 level of existing class3rd +1 +3 +1 +3 Tree of good +1 level of existing class4th +2 +4 +1 +4 Tree of healing +1 level of existing class5th +2 +4 +1 +4 Staff +2 +1 level of existing class6th +3 +5 +2 +5 Create divine tree (2nd level) +1 level of existing class7th +3 +5 +2 +5 Tree of peace +1 level of existing class8th +4 +6 +2 +6 Greater tree of good +1 level of existing class9th +4 +6 +3 +6 Create divine tree (3rd level) +1 level of existing class10th +5 +7 +3 +7 Tree of wonders +1 level of existing class

ing sowers, with the addition of thequarterstaff. They cannot use theirsower class features while wearingmedium or heavy armor or carryingmetal weapons.

Spells per Day: Sowers belonging to acharacter class with divine spellcastingabilities continue to gain additional spellsas they advance as sowers, as if they hadgained a level in their previous divinespellcasting class. They do not gain anyother benefits of their former class,however, such as base attack bonus,saves, or other class abilities.

Harmless Appearance: at1st level, sowers lose whatev-er social rank they possessed,becoming Social Rank 0(marginal). They do notgain +1 to their Social Rankwhen they gain a level.However, they get a +4bonus to Diplomacy checksbecause of their harmless,humble appearance.

Create Divine Apples:At 1st level, a sower canimbue an ordinary apple withdivine power, turning it into awondrous item. A divine apple cancontain any single divine spellknown by the sower, which targetsone or more creatures. Any choicesthat the caster of the spell would usu-ally make when casting it are madewhen the divine apple is created, includ-ing setting the caster level and whichvariation of the spell is to be cast (ifmore than one is listed).

To become the target of a divineapple, a creature must bite it and swal-low at least one bite, which takes astandard action. If the spell affectsmore than one creature, additional tar-gets can bite the apple to gain itseffects, but the duration of the spell isconsidered to start when the first tar-get bites it. A divine apple can be sharedamong no more than six targets,

regardless of the usual limitations ofthe spell’s area or number of targets.

Creating a divine apple has no mate-rial cost, but does cost the sower 1 XPmultiplied by the spell level, multi-

plied by the caster level. Any XP costnormally associated with casting thespell is added to the XP cost. A sowercan make one divine apple per day.

Once used, divine apples becomeordinary ones, and cannot be imbuedwith further divine spells. They have a“shelf life” of 30 days, after which timethey wither and lose the divine spellthey contained.Faint conjuration; CL 1st; sower level 1+

Staff: At 1st level, sowers can cuta quarterstaff of ordinary apple woodto use as their divine focus. Anyapple-wood quarterstaff gains a +1magical enhancement bonus toattack and damage when used by thesower. At 5th level, the bonusincreases to +2.

Create Divine Tree: At 2nd level,sowers can cause an apple seed to

grow into a tree that produces divineapples, which is itself a wondrousitsm. To create a divine tree, sowersfirst create a divine apple contain-ing a 0-level or 1st-level spell.Rather than being eaten, theapple is cut open and a singleseed is extracted; the divineapple immediately loses thedivine spell it contained, butthe seed retains its potencyindefinitely. When planted, itwill produce a tree whose fruitare divine apples that each con-tain an identical spell to theapple from which the seed wastaken.

Planting a divine tree costs 2XP multiplied by the spell level,

multiplied by the caster level (inaddition to the cost of the divine

apple). It can only be planted in areaswith a natural power level of normal orbetter (see the Magic chapter).Planting the seed takes one minute. Itmust be watered with one quart ofpure water created by a create waterspell.

The tree takes at least one full yearto bear fruit. Normally, it will producea single divine apple in the firstSeptember following one full year ofgrowth. Additional divine apples are pro-duced according to the schedulebelow. Divine apples remain potentfor up to one year if not picked, butonce picked they wither and aredestroyed after 30 days.

Age Divine Apples per Year1 year 12–3 years 1d4 per year4–6 years 1d6 per year7–100 years 2d6 per year

If a plant growth or prayer spell is castupon the seed at the time of planting,the resulting seedling will undergo theequivalent of 1 year’s growth in oneday, producing 1 divine apple. It will notproduce more until the September fol-lowing its second year of growth.Additional plant growth or prayer spellshave no effect on its growth rate.

At 6th and 9th levels, sowers gainthe ability to create divine trees that pro-duce apples imbued with 2nd- and 3rd-level spells, respectively.Faint conjuration (1st-level spells),

moderate conjuration (2nd- or 3rd-level spells); CL 2nd (1st level), 6th

(2nd level), 9th (3rd level); sowerlevel 2+ (1st level), 6+ (2nd level), 9+(3rd level)

Tree of Good: At 3rd level, sowerscan imbue an ordinary tree with thepower to guard an area against theforces of evil, turning it into a won-drous item. The tree must be at least20 feet high and one foot in diameter.To activate the tree’s powers, thesower spends 200 XP and one full dayin meditation within sight of the tree.At the end of this time, the treebecomes the center of a permanentmagic circle against evil, focused outwardagainst evil creatures. The spell lastsuntil the tree is cut down or destroyedby fire, which takes a minimum of 200hp worth of damage plus 10 hp multi-plied by the caster level. Its caster levelis equivalent to the class level of thesower at the time it was created.

Trees of good are often created bysowers to encourage settlement and to

provide refuge to travelers. They mayalso be placed near a watering hole orforaging area to give animals protec-tion against evil monsters and maraud-ing humans. Faint conjuration; CL 3rd; sower level 3+

Tree of Healing: At 4th level, sow-ers can transform an ordinary tree intoa wondrous items called a tree of healing,which helps to restore hit points tothose who take shelter beneath itsboughs. The requirements, activationtime, and XP cost are the same forthose of a tree of good (see above). Onceactivated, the tree allows creatures ofgood or neutral alignment to heal atthe rate of 2 hit points per characterlevel per day of rest. To gain this ben-efit, they must not stray further than30 feet from the tree while resting.

Trees of healing are often placed intown centers, hospices, and sickhous-es. In the wild, they are situated inareas where hunters pass by, to helpinjured creatures recover fromwounds.Faint conjuration; CL 4th; sower level 4+

Tree of Peace: At 7th level, sowerscan transform an ordinary tree into awondrous item called a tree of peace,which prevents violence and destruc-tion in its immediate environment.The requirements, activation time, andXP cost are the same for those of a treeof good (see above). A tree of peace gener-ates a calm emotions spell as a permanentarea effect, with a radius of 30 feet.Targets may make a Will save tonegate the effect when they first enterthe spell area.Faint conjuration; CL 7th; sower level 7+

Greater Tree of Good: At 8th

level, sowers can create a wondrousitem called a greater tree of good, which

functions as a tree of good (see above),but costs 500 XP to create and has aradius of 30 feet.Moderate conjuration; CL 8th; sower

level 8+

Tree of Wonders: At 10th level,sowers can transform an ordinary treeinto a wondrous items called a tree ofwonders, which can manifest one of sev-eral divine powers at the will of thesower who created it. The require-ments and activation time are the samefor those of a greater tree of good (seeabove), but with a cost of 1000 XP.

Once created, a tree of wonders cre-ates the one of the following spells asa permanent, ongoing effect, centeredon itself, as if it were the target of a per-manency spell: plant growth (cropimprovement variant), daylight, zone oftruth, or dispel magic. The sower canchange the effect as a free action, butmust be in physical contact with thetree to do so. The effect cannot bechanged more than once per day.Moderate conjuration; CL 10th; sower

level 10

Note: Divine apples, divine trees, trees ofgood, trees of healing, trees of peace, greatertrees of good, and trees of wonders are magicitems uniquely available to sowers tocreate. The caster level of a divine appleis set by the sower at the time it is cre-ated, similar to a potion, scroll, orwand. A sower’s trees are consideredminor wondrous items with the statis-tics given in their entries.

Ex-Sowers: Sowers who cease tobe lawful good or neutral good losetheir sower class abilities and cannotgain new levels as sowers. If they sub-sequently return to lawful good orneutral good alignment, they regaintheir class abilities and may continueto advance as sowers.

116

Northern Crown

NEW PRESTIGE CLASS: TALL TALE HEROThe lore of many cultures includes

tall tales of heroes of legendary size andstrength who stride through the wilder-ness, undertaking great labors to tamethe wild lands so that their people canhave room to grow and prosper. Someare said to owe their impressive statureto a bloodline of giants, or to divinefavor. Whatever their origin, these talltale heroes seem to appear when a par-ticular culture is poised to expand intothe unknown, or when it is under threatof attack. Their unusual abilities some-times do not manifest until adulthood,

when they continue to grow in heightand weight beyond their peers. Lackingany worthy challenge to their abilitiesamong the farms or towns of theirbirth, and shunned by ordinary folk,they take to the frontiers where theycan accomplish great labors and earnthe awe and gratitude of the people.

Working as woodcutters or stone-cutters, tall tale heroes chop downforests, carve roads through mountains,and clear the fields of plow-shatteringstones, acting as a vanguard for thefarmers and builders who follow in

their wake. Among the First Ones, talltale heroes were instrumental in defeat-ing the stone giants who once kepthumankind in thrall. The marks of theirvictory can still be seen upon the land,in the odd terrain features that are saidto be the remains of the stone giantsthey slew to protect their people.

Tall tale heroes are not universallyadmired, even among their own peo-ple, who are frightened by their sizeand strength. Druids find tall taleheroes particularly upsetting andthreatening as enemies of the natural

117

Northern Crown

THE TALL TALE HEROLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Material foe, growth spurt (7 ft./400 lbs.), heavy lifting +42nd +2 +3 +1 +0 Clobber +1d12, stonecrush/timberfell 1/day3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Heavy lifting +5, healthy appetite +2d84th +4 +4 +1 +1 Growth spurt (8 ft./550 lbs.)5th +5 +4 +2 +1 Heavy lifting +6, clobber +2d126th +6 +5 +2 +2 Stonecrush/timberfell 2/day, mighty companion animal7th +7 +5 +2 +2 Growth spurt (9 ft./700 lbs.), heavy lifting +78th +8 +6 +3 +2 Clobber +3d129th +9 +6 +3 +3 Heavy lifting +8, healthy appetite +3d810th +10 +7 +3 +3 Growth spurt (10 ft./900 lbs., Large), stonecrush/timberfell 3/day

order, and the First Ones considerUropan tall tale heroes to be a threatto the natural power of the earthbecause they mar the land with roads,mines, and clearings.

Tall tale heroes arise among com-moners, scouts, raiders, and soldiers,all of whom have the high Fortitudesaves required. Raiders and scouts areespecially likely, because of theirknowledge of the wilderness.

Hit Die: d12.

REQUIREMENTSTo become a tall tale hero,

a character must meet thesecriteria:

Base Fortitude Save: +5.Skills: 6 ranks in one of

the following Professionskills: lumberjack, miner.

Feats: Cleave, Endurance,Power Attack.

CLASS SKILLSThe tall tale hero’s class

skills (and the key ability foreach skill) are Climb (Str), HandleAnimal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha),Profession (lumberjack or miner,Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).Skill Points at Each Level:

2 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are class fea-

tures of the tall tale hero prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

Tall tale heroes retain the weapon andarmor proficiencies of whatever char-acter classes they possessed beforebecoming tall tale heroes. They alsogain proficiency in a single martialweapon, determined by their materialfoe (see below).

Because of their great size, tall taleheroes cannot easily wear medium orheavy armor. Check penalties for thesetypes of armor are increased by 2when worn by tall tale heroes. They

lose their heavy lifting, clobber, andstonecrush/timberfell abilities unless theyare wearing no armor or Light armor.

Growth Spurt: At 1st level, tall taleheroes grow to 7 feet in height, with aweight of 400 pounds. They receive a+1 natural armor bonus to AC and aone-time bonus of 1d12 hit points.

At 4th level, tall tale heroes grow to8 feet in height, with a weight of 550pounds, becoming Large creatureswith a 10-foot reach and an AC andattack modifier of –1, grapple modifier

of +4, and a Hide modifier of –4 dueto size. Any armor or clothing thatthey wore previously will no longer fitthem, at this point. At 7th level, theirsize increases again, to 9 feet in heightand a weight of 700 pounds. Finally, at10th level, tall tale heroes reach 10 feetin height and 900 pounds in weight.

Heavy Lifting (Ex): Tall taleheroes gain this extraordinary abilityat 1st level. It gives them the carrying

capacity of a character with aStrength score 4 points higherthan their actual strength, butonly when applied to lifting, car-rying, and dragging objects.

At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th lev-els, the carrying capacity oftall tale heroes increases to+5, +6, +7, and +8 Strengthrespectively.

Material Foe: When talltale heroes reach first level,they choose one of two nat-ural materials that willbecome the focus of theirlabors: stone or wood.

Stone: Tall tale heroes whochoose stone as their material

foe are usually builders of roadsthrough the wilderness; those who

see the imposing barriers of moun-tains and cliffs as battlements that

must be breached to enable their com-munity to claim the new lands beyond.They also clear potential farmland ofboulders and other rocky obstacles. Forthem, there is no greater pleasure thanto turn harsh, unyielding rock into use-ful stone for building the roads,bridges, walls, and houses that willadvance the frontiers of their culture.

Tall tale heroes who elect to takestone as their material foe gain profi-ciency with the heavy pick, if they donot already have it. This weaponallows them to use their clobber abili-ty (see below).

Wood: Wood is the foe of tall taleheroes who wish to carve their waythrough the impenetrable forests that

118

Northern Crown

NEW PRESTIGE CLASS: WILD BRAWLER

mark the limits of their community,opening the woods to settlement. Tofell a tree and render it into lumber forbuilding houses, ships, and wagons,while clearing the land for farming, istheir greatest joy.

Tall tale heroes who chose wood astheir material foe gain proficiency withthe greataxe, if they do not alreadypossess it. This weapon allows them touse their clobber ability (see below).

Clobber (Ex): At 2nd level, tall taleheroes gain the ability to do addition-al damage to their material foe (seeabove). When attacking an objectmade of their material foe — eitherstone or wood — they inflict an extra1d12 damage per attack, as long asthey are using a heavy pick orgreataxe, respectively.

Extra damage from this ability alsoapplies to the following creatures:

Stone: Earth elementals, gargoyles,stone giants, stone golems.

Wood: Treants and all other crea-tures of the Plant type.

At 5th and 8th level, tall tale heroesadd an additional 1d12 to their clob-ber damage.

Stonecrush/Timberfell (Ex): At2nd level, tall tale heroes’ intimateknowledge of their material foe allowsthem to strike a devastating blow

against it, doing great damage. Twoforms of this ability exist, dependingon the material foe chosen at 1st level.

Stonecrush: Tall tale heroes withstone as their material foe can chooseto shatter up to 1000 cubic feet ofstone with a single attack, once perday, turning it into coarse gravelinstantly. The shattered area takes oneof two forms, chosen by the tall talehero: a 10-foot cube, or a 20-foot longcleft that’s 5 feet wide and 10 feetdeep. The attack must be made with aheavy pick; other weapons will doonly normal damage. This abilityfunctions only on natural rock forma-tions; stone structures are not affected.

Timberfell: Tall tale heroes withwood as their material foe can cutdown a large tree or a stand of vegeta-tion with a single attack, once per day.Two forms of timberfell exist: anattack against a single tree of any sizethat will fall in the direction chosen bythe tall tale hero, or the clearing of alltrees and plants with stalks smallerthan 24 inches in diameter in a 20-foot-radius circle around the tall talehero. A timberfell attack must be madewith a greataxe; other weapons will doonly normal damage. This abilityfunctions only on live trees; woodenstructures are not affected.

At 6th and 10th level, tall tale heroesgain an extra use of this ability per day.

Healthy Appetite (Ex): At 3rd

level, tall tale heroes can regain losthit points by eating gargantuan meals.Tall tale heroes who eat at least 20 gp(5 pounds) worth of common food inone hour, and then sleep for at leastone hour, immediately regain 2d8 losthit points when they awake. This abil-ity functions once per day.

At 9th level, the amount of hitpoints regained increases to 3d8.

Mighty Companion Animal: At6th level, tall tale heroes attract amighty companion animal — a natur-al domesticated animal that has grownfar beyond its normal size andstrength, and feels a particular bondwith humans who share the sameunusual characteristics. These crea-tures behave like overgrown pets, fol-lowing the tall tale hero as a faithfuldog might tag along behind its master,and helping in his labor by haulingstone or wood.

Tall tale heroes who have chosenstone as their material foe attractmighty mules, while those who havechosen wood attract mighty oxen.Both types of mighty animal aremarked by unusual size and pullingpower, and by a blue tint to their hide.

MIGHTY MULE Huge AnimalCR 4; SZ H (animal); HD 4d8+20; hp 38; Init +1 (Dex);

Spd 40 ft.; AC 11 (–2 size, +1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 10; Base Atk + 3; Grp + 19; Atk +10 melee (1d6+8,crit x3, 2 hooves); Full Atk +10/+10 melee (1d6+8, crit x3, 2hooves); Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SA none; SQ heavy lifting+4; AL as master; SV Fort +9, Ref +2, Will +4; Str 26, Dex12, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 7

Skills: Listen +7, Spot +7Heavy Lifting (Ex): The mule has the carrying capacity

of a creature with a Strength of 30.

MIGHTY OXHuge AnimalCR 4; SZ H (animal); HD 4d8+20; hp 38; Init +1 (Dex);

Spd 30 ft.; AC 10 (–2 size, +2 natural), touch 8, flat-footed10; Base Atk + 3; Grp + 20; Atk +11 melee (2d6+9, crit x3,gore); Full Atk +11 melee (2d6+9, crit x3, gore); Space 10 ft.;Reach 5 ft.; SA none; SQ heavy lifting +4; AL as master; SVFort +9, Ref +1, Will +4; Str 28, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 2, Wis11, Cha 7

Skills: Listen +7, Spot +7Heavy Lifting (Ex): The ox has the carrying capacity of

a creature with a Strength of 32.

The legends of Northern Crownabound with ornery characters sotough that they could survive anychallenge except civilized existence ora steady job. These wild brawlersdwell on the borders of their home-lands, determined to stay one stepahead of the advance of law and order.Unlike tall tale heroes, who deliber-ately toil to push back the domain offorest and field, wild brawlers oftenfoster the expansion of their own cul-

ture’s territory inadvertently; theypush their way into remote areas insearch of freedom, only to have civi-lization catch up with them. In theopinion of natural philosophers, theymay have some trace of satyr’s bloodflowing through their veins, imbuingthem with a chaotic force akin to thatascribed to the god Pan and his fol-lowers in ancient times.

Wild brawlers are found workingas river rafters, among parties of

Coureur traders, and as ne’er-do-wellsin frontier settlements. They neverstay in one place very long, much tothe relief of the local authorities whosee them as troublemakers.

Soldiers, raiders, and scouts makelikely characters for this prestige class,due to the high Fortitude saverequired to join.

Hit Die: d12.

119

Northern Crown

REQUIREMENTSTo become a wild brawler, a character

must meet these criteria:Alignment: Any chaotic.Base Fortitude Save: +5.Skills: 4 ranks in Intimidate.Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike,

Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus(knife or unarmed).

CLASS SKILLSThe wild brawler’s class skills

(and the key ability for each skill)are Climb (Str), Craft (Int),Escape Artist (Dex), HandleAnimal (Cha), Intimidate(Cha), Jump (Str), Survival(Wis), and Swim (Wis).Skill Points at Each Level:

2 + Int modifier.

CLASSFEATURES

All of the following areclass features of the wildbrawler prestige class.

Weapon and ArmorProficiency: Wild brawlers retainthe weapon and armor proficienciesof whatever character classes they pos-sessed before becoming wild brawlers.

Because so many of their abilitiesdepend on freedom of movement, wildbrawlers lose their class abilities whilewearing Medium or Heavy armor.

Bloodcurdling Whoop (Ex): At 1st

level, wild brawlers can let out a blood-curdling whoop that can leave their ene-mies dismayed. All enemies within 30feet with 6 HD or less must make aFortitude saving throw at DC 12 plus thewild brawler’s class level, or becomeshaken for 1d6 rounds. This ability maybe used once per day.

At 4th, 7th, and 10th level, wildbrawlers gain an additional use of thisability per day.

Gator’s Hide: At 1st level, wildbrawlers gain a +1 natural armor bonusto AC, having been inured to hardknocks and physical damage. At 4th,7th, and 10th level, the bonus increasesto +2, +3, and +4 respectively.

Stunning Attack: At 1st level, wildbrawlers gain the stunning attack abil-ity of the monk character class. TheDC of saves to avoid being stunned is10 + 1/2 the wild brawler’s class level +Str modifier. This ability can be usedonce per day per class level.

Iron Jaw: At 2nd level, wildbrawlers become so tough that they

actually inflict damage to enemies whohit them with unarmed attacks or nat-ural weapons. On a successful hitagainst the wild brawler, an attackerreceives one point of damage inreturn. Any damage resistance pos-sessed by the attacker can be appliedagainst this damage.

At 5th and 8th level, wild brawlersinflict an additional point of iron jawdamage.

Flurry of Blows: At 2nd level, wildbrawlers gain the flurry of blows abilityof the monk character class. The ability

can be applied to unarmed or knifeattacks only.

Wrassling: At 2nd level, wildbrawlers gain a +2 bonus toopposed grapple checks. At 5th

and 8th level, this bonusincreases to +4 and +6, respec-tively.

Mighty Swing (Ex): At3rd level, wild brawlers canmake a devastating unarmedattack, once per day. On amighty swing, the wildbrawler’s Strength abilitymodifier is doubled for pur-poses of determining both themelee attack bonus and the

damage. At 6th and 9th level, wild

brawlers gain an additional use ofthis ability per day.

Slippery Hide: At 3rd level, wildbrawlers gain a +4 bonus to Escape

Artist checks.Bear Hug (Ex): At 6th level, wild

brawlers acquire the ability to do con-stricting damage to pinned opponents.Beginning in the round following asuccessful pin, wild brawlers cansqueeze a pinned opponent for 2d6points of nonlethal damage, plus theirStrength bonus. A bear hug is consid-ered a full-round action.

Ex-Wild Brawlers: Wild brawlerswho cease to be of chaotic alignment losetheir bloodcurdling whoop class ability andcan no longer advance as wild brawlers.

THE WILD BRAWLERLEVEL BAB FORT REF WILL SPECIAL1st +1 +1 +1 +0 Bloodcurdling whoop 1/day, gator’s hide +1, stunning attack2nd +2 +2 +1 +0 Iron jaw (1 hp), flurry of blows, wrassling +23rd +3 +2 +1 +1 Mighty swing 1/day, slippery hide4th +4 +3 +2 +1 Bloodcurdling whoop 2/day, gator’s hide +25th +5 +3 +2 +1 Iron jaw (2 hp), wrassling +46th +6 +4 +2 +2 Bear hug, mighty swing 2/day7th +7 +4 +3 +2 Bloodcurdling whoop 3/day, gator’s hide +38th +8 +5 +3 +2 Iron jaw (3 hp), wrassling +69th +9 +5 +3 +3 Mighty swing 3/day10th +10 +6 +4 +3 Bloodcurdling whoop 4/day, gator’s hide +4

SKILLSAll skills described in the standard

d20 System rules are available to NewWorld Adventures characters. A newKnowledge skill — Knowledge (sci-ence) — has been added. The list oflanguages available to player charac-ters is also included in this section.

CRAFT (INTELLIGENCE)

The following list includes thecrafts most commonly practiced inNorthern Crown. For details onNyamban crafts, see Nyambe: AfricanAdventures.

Craft ProductArbalester Crossbows and boltsArmorer Shields and armorBaker Bread, pies, and

other baked goodsBlacksmith Iron tools and fittingsBowyer Bows and arrowsCarpenter Wooden house

frames, doors, andother architecturalelements

Cartwright Wagons and cartsClockmaker ClocksCooper Barrels and casksCoppersmith Copper cookware

and fittingsDrafter Measured drawings

and plansEmbroiderer Embroidered clothFounder Cast bells and cannonGlazier Glass vessels and

windowpanesGlover Leather gloves,

purses, and beltsGoldsmith Gold jewelryGunsmith Guns and bulletsHatter Hats and other

headgearInstrument-maker Telescopes and other

navigational aidsJeweler Gems and jewels in

decorative settingsJoiner Wooden furnitureLensmaker Lenses for specta-

cles and telescopesLimner Painted shop signs

and other decora-tive painting

Locksmith Padlocks and door-locks

Luthier Wooden stringedinstruments

Papermaker PaperPotter Ceramic warePowdermaker Gunpowder

Printer Printed books andbroadside sheets

Ropemaker Rope and cordShipwright BoatsShoemaker Shoes and bootsSilversmith Silver cutlery and

tablewareSwordsmith Swords and other

weaponsTailor ClothesTurner Bowls, cups, candle-

sticks, and furnitureusing a wood lathe

KNOWLEDGE (INT; TRAINED ONLY)

One new knowledge area is avail-able to New World Adventures campaigns:Science.

SCIENCEScience includes the six areas of

study of natural philosophy: antimagic,life and death, magnetism, matter, men-talism, and physics. This skill can beused to answer questions about thesesciences. The DC for Knowledge (sci-ence) checks is determined in the samemanner as other Knowledge skills.

120

CHAPTER SEVEN

SKILLS, FEATS, & COMBATTheir trail is easy to follow — heavy hoofprints in the mud, campfire ashes neither covered nor dispersed, empty bottles and

broken pipestems strewn upon the ground. They are deaf to the drumbeat of the earth, blind to the effect they have upon the livingworld. They have not the skills to survive here long. For them, the forests and waters are obstacles to travel, not a sustaining envi-ronment. They seem to have been making for Logstown, but they have meandered far off course, towards Shawnee country. Aninstinct tells me that their journey is somehow bound to my own, that whatever draws them south and west is what compels me, too.

Manemepahtoo — a Shawnee scout who I have hired to take me through this land — draws my attention to a new set oftracks that has joined the trail from the north, and now follows the Uropan party closely. A catamount, he tells me — one of themost feared predators in Northern Crown. No sooner are the words out of my guide’s mouth, then we hear a cry, a shot, horsesshrieking in terror. We run forward, bursting into the sudden glare of a sunny glade surrounding an abandoned Uropan farm thathas become a scene of slaughter.

The wayward travellers keep their backs to the wall of a decaying farmhouse, while the catamount eyes them hungrily. It hasalready slain one of the horses; the other mounts have bolted into the forest. By signs, Mamemepahtoo warns the foreigners to remainstill. A chant comes to me, and I hear the soft words passing my lips, breathing out their power. The catamount turns its golden eyestoward me, curls its bloody lips, and coils as if to spring. One of the Uropans slowly reaches for a pistol that hangs at his belt, butI warn him away with a quick glance. The creature takes a step toward me, and another. Its stance relaxes, all fear and malice gonefrom its mind. My chant has bound it to me, and I call it over to my side.

The Uropan headman, a little older than the others, removes his spectacles and wipes his face with a silk handkerchief.Speaking in a poor approximation of my tongue, he thanks me for my assistance, and says could we please direct him to the ancientcity of the Moundraisers?

PROFESSION (WIS; TRAINED ONLY)

The following list includes the mostcommon professions practiced in NorthernCrown:

Profession ActivityAdministrator Assists in the opera-

tion of governmentApothecary Prepares and pre-

scribes medicationsArchitect Designs buildings and

oversees constructionAstrologer Casts horoscopes,

advises clients ontheir future coursesof action

Cartographer Prepares maps andcharts

Cook Cooks mealsLawyer Represents clients in

court, draws up andnotarizes contracts

Lumberjack Cuts lumber frompieces of timber

Merchant Imports and exportsgoods

Military Leads troops in battleMiner Digs underground

passages for oremining or siegework

Physician Diagnoses and curesdiseases, prescribesmedicine

Sea Captain Operates a sailingvessel

Servant Professional servantto a courtly NPC

Surgeon Treats wounds andbroken bones, per-forms surgicaloperations

Tanner Works leather

SPEAK LANGUAGE (NONE; TRAINED ONLY)

Although the description of thisskill is unchanged from standard d20System rules, the list of available lan-guages is unique to the campaign.The Languages table lists the mostcommon languages spoken inNorthern Crown; languages of player

character cultures included in thisbook are shown in italics. A characterwho speaks a language that belongsto a language group also has somefacility with other languages in thesame group. While speaking anotherlanguage in the same group as a lan-

guage known by a character, thecharacter suffers a –4 penalty to Bluff,Diplomacy, and Gather Information,Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks.This penalty goes away if the charac-ter spends a skill point to learn thelanguage.

121

Northern Crown

LANGUAGES OF NORTHERN CROWNFIRST ONES LANGUAGES

Language Group Associated LanguagesAlgonquian Group Ab’naki, Chippewa, Cree, Delaware, Fox, Illinois,

Kickapo, Mahican, Massachuset, Menomeni, Miami, Micmac, Mohegan, Montagnais, Montauk, Naraganset, Naskapi, Nauset, Niantic, Nipmuc, Ojibwa, Passamaquoddy, Penacook, Pequot, P’nobscot, Pocumtuk, Potawatomi, Sauk, Shawnee, Powhattan, Wampanoag,

Beothuk BeothukBuccaneer Cant Buccaneer CantIroquoian Group Cayuga, Cherokee, Erie, Huron, Mohawk, Neutrals,

Onandaga, Oneida, Seneca, Susquehana, TuscaroraMuskogean Group Alabama, Apalachee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek,

Natchez, Tuskegee, YuchiSiouan Group Quapaw, Winnebago

NYAMBAN LANGUAGESLanguage Language of:Buccaneer Cant BuccaneersFrançais Creole Cimarrons from Français-speaking areasKordo All NyambansEspaniard Creole Cimarrons from Spanish-speaking areas

UROPAN LANGUAGESLanguage Language of:Breton Breton KeltsBuccaneer Cant BuccaneersCatalan Espaniards from CataloniaCymric Cymric KeltsEnglish Albians, Carolingians, Cimarrons adjacent to

Carolingia, Commonwealthers, SophiansFrançais Coureurs, Français, Sophian leadersGerman Français from LorraineGreek Educated SophiansHebrew Educated SophiansItalian Français from the south of FranceKeltic Group Eirish and Scotian Kelts, Albians from shires (associated languages: bordering Kelt countriesEirish Keltic, Scotian Keltic)

Langue d’oc Espaniard and Français bards, and Français from the south of France

Latin Espaniard and Français clerics, educated SophiansNederlans NederlandersNorsk VinlandersSpanish Espaniards

FEATSAll feats described in standard d20

System rules are available in New WorldAdventures. In the new age, however,the arts of war and science have

advanced far beyond the levels repre-sented in a medieval fantasy campaign.Many new feats related to guns, explo-sives, and new fighting styles have

been added to reflect these develop-ments. Details on the use of most ofthe combat-related feats are foundlater in this chapter.

122

Northern Crown

GENERAL FEATS

Feat PrerequisitesAdvanced Bear Ancestry First Ones culture, Str 15+,

Bear AncestryAdvanced Turtle Ancestry First Ones culture, Con 13+,

Wis 13+, Turtle AncestryAdvanced Wolf Ancestry First Ones culture, Cha 12+,

Wolf AncestryArtillery Base attack bonus +1Bear Ancestry First Ones culture, Str 15+Both Barrels Guns, Two-Weapon FightingClose-order Drill PolearmsExplosives Dex 12+Fencing Dex 12+, base attack bonus +1Flash Cha 12+Force Majeure Cha 12+, base Will save +5Gift of Tongues Int 12+Greatsword Str 13+, base attack bonus +1Guns NoneHair Trigger Dex 13+, GunsHeroic Bear Ancestry First Ones culture, Str 15+,

Bear Ancestry, Advanced Bear Ancestry

Heroic Turtle Ancestry First Ones culture, Con 13+, Wis 13+, Turtle Ancestry, Advanced Turtle Ancestry

Heroic Wolf Ancestry First Ones culture, Cha 12+, Wolf Ancestry, Advanced Wolf Ancestry

Maunetu Sorcerer First Ones culture, sorcerer character class, Cha 15+, character level 5+

Manners NonePhilosophical Society Member Natural philosopher character

class, character level 5+Pawwaw Druid First Ones culture, druid

character class, Wis 15+, character level 5+

Pniese Paladin First Ones culture, paladin character class, Str 13+, Cha 13+, character level 3+

Polearms Str 13+, base attack bonus +1Ranged Disarm Dex 13+, Guns, base attack

bonus +5Ricochet Dex 13+, GunsSignature Move FencingSurefire Dex 13+, GunsTake Aim GunsTurtle Ancestry First Ones culture, Con 13+,

Wis 13+

Two Worlds None for 1st-level characters, others, see below

Wolf Ancestry First Ones culture, Cha 12+

ITEM CREATION FEATS

Feat PrerequisitesCompose Chant First Ones culture, spellcaster

level 1st+Craft Pipe First Ones culture, spellcaster

level 9th+Craft Totem First Ones culture, spellcaster

level 5th+Inscribe Tattoo First Ones culture, spellcaster

level 12th+Raise Earth Effigy First Ones culture, spellcaster

level 5th+Raise Standing Stone Uropan culture, druid,

spellcaster level 5th+

INVENTION FEATS

Feat PrerequisitesCheap Invention Craft InventionCraft Invention Natural philosopher level 3rd+Fast Invention Repair Craft InventionHardened Invention Craft InventionIncreased Invention Damage Craft InventionIncreased Invention Hit Points Craft InventionIncreased Vehicle Speed Craft InventionInvention Specialization Craft InventionScience Specialization Natural philosopher level 1st+

METASCIENCE FEATS

Feat PrerequisitesSilent Apparatus Natural philosopher level

1st+, with two degrees in one science

Subtle Apparatus Natural philosopher level 1st+, with two degrees in one science

PSIONIC FEATS

Feat PrerequisitesEvil Eye NoneFirebug NoneSecond Sight None

NEW FEATS

ADVANCEDBEAR ANCESTRYGENERAL

Your bear ancestry has begun tomanifest itself more strongly, givingyou additional abilities.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,Strength 15+, Bear Ancestry

Benefit: You gain Scent as an extraor-dinary ability, allowing you to detectopponents by sense of smell. You alsogain the ability to summon 1d3 blackbears once per day as a spell-like ability;this is identical to the spell summon nature’sally III, as if you were a druid of a levelequal to your own character level.

ADVANCEDTURTLEANCESTRYGENERAL

Your turtle ancestry has begun tomanifest itself more strongly, givingyou additional abilities.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,Constitution 13+, Wisdom 13+, TurtleAncestry

Benefit: You can hold your breathfor up to 30 minutes before having tomake a Constitution check to avoiddrowning. You also gain the ability totoughen your skin as a supernaturalability once per day for up to one hour,giving you an additional +4 enhance-ment bonus to your existing naturalarmor bonus. This bonus does not stackwith other enhancement bonuses tonatural armor, such as barkskin.

ADVANCEDWOLF ANCESTRY GENERAL

Your wolf ancestry has begun tomanifest itself more strongly, givingyou additional abilities.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,Charisma 12+, Wolf Ancestry

Benefit: You gain Scent as an extra-ordinary ability, allowing you todetect opponents by sense of smell.You also gain the ability to summonone dire wolf or 1d4+1 wolves onceper day as a spell-like ability; this isidentical to the spell summon nature’s allyIII, as if you were a druid of a levelequal to your own character level.

ARTILLERY GENERAL

You can sight, load, fire, and maintainall types of field, siege, and naval artillery.

Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1.Benefit: When using an artillery

piece, you can make attack rolls with-out penalty. See the Combat sectionfor more about artillery.

Normal: Without this feat, a char-acter suffers a –8 penalty on attackrolls, and cannot reload or clear ajammed artillery piece.

BEAR ANCESTRYGENERAL

You have inherited the powers of abear ancestor from the UncountedTime. Bears are known for theirstrength, courage, and wisdom. Thosewho carry their ancestry tend to be big-framed, muscular, and loud-voiced, butgood-humored and gentle. They lovethe deep forest and stony mountains,but feel uncomfortable in open fields.Many prefer to live a life alone, apartfrom other humans; they do not alwaysco-operate well in groups.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,Strength 15+

Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus toFortitude saves, +1 to damage when makingan unarmed attack, and a +2 bonus toClimb checks.

BOTH BARRELSGENERAL

You can fire a pistol in each hand atonce, or one pistol in your off hand,without sacrificing accuracy.

Prerequisites: Guns, Two-WeaponFighting

Benefit: When firing a light or one-handed gun in each hand, or firing a lightor one-handed gun with your off hand,you do not suffer the penalties on attackrolls usually associated with fighting withtwo weapons.

CHEAP INVENTIONINVENTION

You can create inventions at lowercost.

Prerequisites: Craft Invention.Benefit: Your inventions cost only

75% of the listed price. Normal: Without this feat, a char-

acter with Craft Invention spends thelisted price when building an invention.

CLOSE-ORDERDRILL GENERAL

You can use a reach weapon tostrike opponents through occupiedsquares.

Prerequisites: Polearms.Benefit: You can use a reach

weapon to attack an enemy 10 feetaway, even if the square between youis occupied by a Medium or smallercreature. This feat allows polearmfighters to attack in formations thatare two ranks deep, increasing theireffectiveness on the battlefield.

Normal: Without this feat, a char-acter with a polearm or other reachweapon cannot hit an opponent if anintervening square is occupied.

COMPOSECHANTITEM CREATION

You can compose a magical chantthat activates a spell when sung.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,spellcaster level 1st+.

Benefit: This feat replaces theScribe Scroll feat for First Ones spell-casters. See the Magic Items chapterof the Northern Crown: Gazetteer for moreinformation.

123

Northern Crown

CRAFT INVENTION

INVENTION

You can create ingenious devices,such as flying machines, rapid-fireguns, and mechanical servants.

Prerequisite: Natural Philosopherlevel 3rd+.

Benefit: You can create any inven-tion whose prerequisites you meet (seethe Invention Creation chapter later inthis book, and the Inventions chapterin the Northern Crown: Gazetteer).Creating and testing a prototypeinvention takes 1 day for each 100 gpin its price. Once a successful proto-type has been built, additional modelscan be made at 75% of the cost and75% of the time of the original. Onlyone model can be built at a time.

Natural philosophers possessing amodel or plans of someone else’sinvention can attempt to duplicate it ifit is one that they could make. Theprocess is identical to copying one’sown prototype.

You can also mend a broken inven-tion if it is one that you could make.Details about repairing a brokeninvention are found in the Gazetteer.

CRAFT PIPE ITEM CREATION

You can create magical smokingpipes.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,spellcaster level 9th+.

Benefit: This feat replaces the CraftRod feat for First Ones spellcasters. Seethe Magic Items chapter of the Gazetteerfor specific pipes made by First Onesspellcasters.

CRAFT TOTEM ITEM CREATION

You can create magical totemsticks.

Prerequisites: First One culture,spellcaster level 5th+.

Benefit: This feat replaces the CraftWand feat for First Ones spellcasters. Seethe Magic Items chapter of the Gazetteerfor specific totems made by First Onesspellcasters.

EVIL EYE PSIONIC

You have inherited a psionic talent thatallows you to interfere with and detect thethoughts of other creatures. This feat isdescribed in the Available Knacks sectionof the Psionic Knacks chapter.

EXPLOSIVES GENERAL

You are trained in the science of usinggunpowder to destroy structures and cre-ate mines and other battlefield defenses.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 12+.Benefit: You have the specialized

knowledge needed to effectively harnessthe explosive effects of gunpowder. Youcan set fuses and know with certaintywhen they will explode; you can placeexplosives to ensure that they achievemaximum damage against structures.

Normal: Characters withoutExplosives cannot properly set timedfuses; they must be physically present toset off a gunpowder explosion. Damageto structures from gunpowder blasts setby characters without the Explosives featis reduced by 50%, due to the inefficientplacement of the charge. For more infor-mation about gunpowder, see theMoney & Equipment chapter.

FAST INVENTIONREPAIR INVENTION

You can repair inventions morequickly than normal.

Prerequisites: Craft Invention.Benefit: You repair 1d6 hp of damage

to an invention after each hour of work.Normal: Without this feat, charac-

ters with Craft Invention repair only1d3 hp after each hour of repair work.

FENCING GENERAL

When attacking with a dagger, rapier,long rapier, saber, broadsword, smallsword,

or cutlass, you can employ special movesand you receive an AC bonus.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 12+, baseattack bonus +1

Benefit: You are able to employthe following fencing moves: pass,rondo, clinch, hilt smash, bind, touch,lunge, spring and retreat, wear down,and beat. You also receive a bonus toAC against melee attacks when youare using a fencing weapon. For moreinformation, see the Combat sectionlater in this book.

Normal: Characters withoutFencing do not receive any of the ben-efits of the Fencing feat.

FIREBUG PSIONIC

You have inherited a psionic talentthat allows you to create and controlfire. This feat is described in theAvailable Knacks section of thePsionic Knacks chapter.

FLASH GENERAL

Your personal flair and style givesyou a winning air that grants you anadvantage when attempting to succeedin a difficult task.

Prerequisites: Charisma 12+.Benefit: Once per day, you can

add your Charisma ability modifier toa single skill roll, attack roll, or save.You must declare that you are doing sobefore the die is rolled.

Normal: Characters without thisfeat do not gain this advantage.

FORCEMAJEURE GENERAL

You have a commanding presencethat can awe those who are subject toyour gaze.

Prerequisites: Charisma 12+, baseWill save 5+.

Benefit: Once per day, as a standardaction, you can bring your majesticpresence, or force majeure, to bear upon asingle human target within 10 feet. Youcan attempt to induce one of the fol-

124

Northern Crown

lowing two conditions in the target; ineither case, the target gets a Will save ata DC of 10 + your character level:

Frightened: The target flees as well asit can. If unable to flee, the creaturemay fight. It suffers a –2 morale penal-ty on attack rolls, checks, and savingthrows. A frightened creature can usespecial abilities, including spells, to flee;indeed, the creature must use suchmeans if they are the only way toescape. The effect lasts for one roundmultiplied by your character level.

Held: The target is unable to move.It is helpless. It can perform no physicalactions (but it continues to breathe andcan take purely mental actions). Thiseffect lasts only as long as you maintainyour gaze each round as a standardaction, to a maximum of one roundmultiplied by your character level.

Normal: A character without thisfeat gains none of the abilities associ-ated with this feat.

GIFT OFTONGUES GENERAL

You learn the basic elements ofunfamiliar languages quickly.

Prerequisites: Intelligence 12+.Benefit: You can make yourself

understood at a basic level, even withspeakers of an unfamiliar language.When interacting with someonewhose language you don’t understand,you can still use skills with Charismaas the key ability, at a penalty of –4. Ifyou know another language within thesame language group as a languageknown by your audience, you may useCharisma-based skills without penalty.

Normal: Characters without thisfeat cannot communicate verbally withothers unless they know the language aspart of their Speak Language skill. Ifthey know another language in thesame language group, they can use someCharisma-based skills at a –4 penalty.

GREATSWORD GENERAL

You are trained in the art of attackand defense using the greatsword.

Prerequisites: Strength 13+, baseattack bonus +1

Benefit: You are able to use agreatsword to add to your AC against

melee weapons. You can use agreatsword as a double weapon, orchange your grip to turn it into a pre-cise thrusting weapon. You can alsoclear a 5-foot-radius circle around youby using a greatsword as a weapon ofintimidation. For more information, seethe Combat section later in this book.

Normal: Characters without thisfeat can still use the greatsword, but donot receive any of the benefits of thefeat.

GUNS GENERAL

You can load, fire, and maintain alltypes of personal firearms, includingarquebuses, matchlocks, wheellocks, andsnaphances.

Benefit: When using a gun, youcan make attack rolls without penalty.

Normal: Without this feat, a charac-ter suffers a –4 penalty on attack rollswhen using personal firearms, and can-not reload a gun or clear a fouled gun.For more information on guns, see Gunsin the Combat section.

HAIR TRIGGER GENERAL

You can fire a gun as a free action,at the cost of accuracy.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 13+,Guns

Benefit: Once per round, you canfire a loaded gun as a free action, butyou receive a penalty of –4 to yourattack roll and the chance of a misfireis increased by +1.

Normal: Firing a gun is normally astandard action.

HARDENEDINVENTION INVENTION

Your inventions are more resistantto damage.

Prerequisites: Craft Invention.Benefit: Add +5 points to the

Hardness rating and Break DC of yourinventions.

Normal: Without this feat, characterswith Craft Invention create inventions

with the standard Hardness rating andBreak DC listed in the invention’sdescription.

HEROIC BEARANCESTRY GENERAL

Your bear ancestry manifests itselfto a truly heroic degree, allowing youto take the form of a black bear.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,Strength 15+, Bear Ancestry,Advanced Bear Ancestry

Benefit: You can change into ablack bear once per day, as if you werea 5th-level druid using the wild shapeclass ability. This allows you to remainin bear form for up to five hours.

HEROIC TURTLEANCESTRY GENERAL

Your turtle ancestry manifests itselfso strongly that you can take the formof a giant turtle.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,Constitution 13+, Wisdom 13+, TurtleAncestry, Advanced Turtle Ancestry

Benefit: You can change into agiant snapping turtle once per day, asif you were an 8th-level druid using thewild shape class ability. This allowsyou to remain in turtle form for up to8 hours.

HEROIC WOLFANCESTRY GENERAL

Your wolf ancestry manifests itselfso strongly that you can take the formof a dire wolf.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,Charisma 12+, Wolf Ancestry,Advanced Wolf Ancestry

Benefit: You can change into a direwolf once per day, as if you were an8th-level druid using the wild shapeclass ability. This allows you to remainin dire wolf form for up to 8 hours.

125

Northern Crown

INCREASEDINVENTIONDAMAGE INVENTION

Your inventions inflict more damage.Prerequisites: Craft Invention.Benefit: Any hand-held weapons

you invent inflict additional damage,proportional to their size:

Size Additional DamageLight +1One-handed +2Two-handed +3

Normal: Without this feat, charac-ters with Craft Invention createweapons with the standard damagelisted in the invention’s description.

INCREASEDINVENTION HIT POINTS INVENTION

Your inventions have more hit points.Prerequisites: Craft Invention.Benefit: Any inventions you create

have additional hit points, proportion-al to their size:

NON-HAND-HELD INVENTIONS

Size Additional Hit PointsTiny or smaller +5 hpMedium +10 hpLarge +15 hpHuge +30 hpGargantuan +60 hpColossal +120 hp

HAND-HELD INVENTIONS

Size Additional Hit PointsLight +1 hpOne-handed +2 hpTwo-handed +4 hp

Normal: Without this feat, charac-ters with Craft Invention createautomatons and weapons with thestandard hit points listed in the inven-tion’s description.

INCREASEDVEHICLE SPEED

INVENTION

Your invented vehicles move faster.Prerequisites: Craft Invention.Benefit: Any vehicles you invent

move faster, proportional to their stan-dard speed per round:

Speed Additional Speed10 ft. or slower +5 ft.11–30 ft. +10 ft.31–40 ft. +15 ft.41 ft. or faster +20 ft.

Normal: Without this feat, charac-ters with Craft Invention create vehi-cles with the standard speed listed inthe invention’s description.

INSCRIBE TATTOO ITEM CREATION

You can create magic tattoos,which can give their wearers magicaleffects.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture;spellcaster level 12+.

Benefit: This feat replaces theForge Ring feat for First Ones spell-casters. Uropan characters may nottake this feat unless taught by a FirstOnes spellcaster who has it. See theMagic Items chapter of the Gazetteer forspecific tattoos made by First Onesspellcasters.

INVENTION SPECIALIZATIONINVENTION

You can create one type of inven-tion more easily.

Prerequisites: Craft Invention.Benefit: Choose one of the follow-

ing types of invention: automaton,device, power source, substance, vehi-cle, or weapon. You gain +1 class levelfor purposes of meeting the minimum

natural philosopher level needed tocreate inventions of the chosen type.In addition, inventions of the chosentype receive the following benefits.You may take this feat multiple times;each time, it applies to a different typeof invention.

Type BenefitAutomatons Gain either +1 to

attack rolls or gain +1 to an attribute score of your choice, chosen by you at the time you invent it.

Devices Reduced in size by one category from the listed size, and reduced to 75% of its listed weight.

Power Sources Increased in power by +4 points of Strength, and increases fuel efficiency by 25%.

Substances Yields two applications rather than only one for each listed amount, effectively reducing the cost by 50%.

Vehicles Gain a +2 Dexterity bonus.

Weapons Gain a +1 to attack rolls or damage, chosen by you at the time you invent it.

Normal: Without this feat, charac-ters with Craft Invention need to meetthe listed minimum inventor level tocreate an invention. Their inventionsdo not gain any of the benefits listedabove.

MANNERS GENERAL

You have the refined manners andappearance that allow you to beaccepted as a peer by your socialsuperiors.

Prerequisites: None.Benefit: You gain +5 to your Social

Rank. If you are of the common class-es, and taking this feat would raise youto the courtly classes, your SocialRank does not increase beyond thehighest common rank for your identi-ty group. This feat can only be takenonce.

126

Northern Crown

MAUNETUSORCERER

GENERAL

First Ones sorcerers who havegained a reputation for possessingimpressive arcane powers are calledmaunetu (MAWN-eh-too). Whethergood, neutral, or evil, this title carrieswith it a measure of awe and respect,elevating a sorcerer above his peers insocial rank.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,sorcerer character class, Charisma15+, character level 5+

Benefit: You gain +5 Social Rank.

PHILOSOPHICALSOCIETY MEMBER GENERAL

Many respected natural philoso-phers are members of academies orphilosophical societies that meet regu-larly to discuss new discoveries or arguetheories. These organizations alsoafford them the chance to have a sum-mary of their findings published in theorganization’s yearly journal. Amongthese organizations are the Virtuosi,based in Sophia; the Royal Society,based in Carolingia; and the UropanSociety of Natural Philosophy, with itsheadquarters in Paris.

Prerequisites: Natural philosophercharacter class, character level 5+

Benefit: You gain +5 Social Rankas a junior member of a philosophicalsociety. The initial attitude of NPCnatural philosophers toward you isautomatically improved by one step.

PNIESE PALADIN GENERAL

Some First Ones communities havespecialized champions called pniese(puh-NEES-eh). The community culti-vates this elite class from among itsown children, taking those who arestrong of both body and spirit.

Promising youths receive martial train-ing and spartan physical conditioning.They are held to the highest standardsof conduct, and often are given specialspiritual training, involving rituals offasting and solitary meditation. Oncethey reach adulthood, they form thesachem’s bodyguard, participate in thecouncil, and serve as the community’sbest warriors. Many pniese participatein ritual scarring or tattooing by thepowwaw, which is said to render theminvincible. Their courage is legendary,and they have the respect of friendsand foes alike.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,paladin character class, Strength 13+,Charisma 13+, character level 3+

Benefit: You gain +5 Social Rank.

POLEARMS GENERAL

You are trained in the art of attack anddefense using polearms, including theglaive, guisarme, halberd, ranseur, and simi-lar weapons.

Prerequisites: Strength 13+, baseattack bonus +1

Benefit: You are able to use apolearm to add to your AC againstmelee weapons. You can use anypolearm as a double weapon. You canalso use a close attack grip to attackopponents within 5 feet. For moreinformation, see the Combat sectionlater in this book.

Normal: Characters without thisfeat can still use polearms, but do notreceive any of the benefits of the feat.

POWWAWDRUID GENERAL

Powwaw (POW-wah) are the spir-itual leaders of many First Ones com-munities. They lead the people insacred rites and meditations, monitorthe natural power of the earth andconduct rituals to strengthen it, teachthe old stories and beliefs to the chil-dren of the community, and act ashealers of maladies both physical andspiritual.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture, druidcharacter class, Wisdom 15+, characterlevel 5+

Benefit: You gain +5 Social Rank.

RAISE EARTHEFFIGY

ITEM CREATION

You can create magical earth-works that enhance the natural powerof the land, cast spells, and arerecharged over time. See the MagicItems chapter of the Gazetteer for spe-cific earth effigies.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,druid, spellcaster level 5+.

Benefit: You can create any of thespecific earth effigies listed in theMagic Items chapter of the Gazetteer,provided that you are of sufficientcaster level. Raising an earth effigyrequires 1 day for every 1,000 gp in itsbase price. To create an earth effigy,the caster must spend 1/25 of its pricein XP and obtain the raw materials forit through successfully completing anencounter with an encounter levelequal to 1/2000 of the base price.

You can also repair a damagedearth effigy. The cost of repair is 1/2 ofthe XP and time for creating it, withno additional material cost.

RAISE STANDINGSTONE ITEM CREATION

You can create magical standingstones that enhance the natural powerof the land, cast spells, and arerecharged over time. See the MagicItems chapter of the Gazetteer for spe-cific standing stones.

Prerequisites: Uropan culture,druid, spellcaster level 5+.

Benefit: You can create any of thespecific standing stones listed in theMagic Items chapter of the Gazetteer,provided that you are of sufficientcaster level. Raising a standing stonerequires one day for every 1,000 gp inits base price. To create a standingstone, the caster must spend 1/25 of itsprice in XP and obtain the raw materi-als for it through successfully complet-ing an encounter with an encounterlevel equal to 1/2000 of the base price.

You can also repair a damagedstanding stone. The cost of repair is1/2 of the XP and time for creating it,with no additional material cost.

127

Northern Crown

RANGED DISARMGENERAL

Your gunshots can disarm opponents.Prerequisites: Guns, Dexterity

13+, base attack bonus 5+.Benefit: You can try to disarm a crea-

ture with a ranged attack using a gun.This does not provoke an attack ofopportunity, unless making a rangedattack would provoke one anyway. Makean attack roll at a –4 penalty. If you hit,ignore any critical threats and roll dam-age as normal. The defender makes aStrength check at a DC equal to 10 plusthe damage. If the weapon is held in twohands, the defender gets a +4 bonus tothe check. If the check fails, the weaponis knocked out of the defender’s grasp.

Normal: Characters without thisfeat can only attempt to disarm oppo-nents as a melee attack.

RICOCHET GENERAL

Your gunshots can strike more thanone foe.

Prerequisites: Guns, Dexterity 13+.Benefit: If you bring a creature’s hit

points to below 0 as the result of aranged attack with a gun, you have achance of hitting a second creature with-in 5 feet of the first one with the sameshot. Choose a target and make a secondattack roll at the same bonus as the first.If the second roll indicates a hit, the tar-get receives one-half the damage inflict-ed by the first attack, rounded up.

SCIENCE SPECIALIZATION INVENTION

The phenomena of one of your sci-ences are more potent.

Prerequisite: Natural Philosopherlevel 1st+.

Benefit: Choose one science youalready have a degree in: Antimagic,Life and Death, Magnetism, Matter,Mentalism, or Physics. The save DCagainst phenomena you create in thatscience is increased by +2. This featmay be taken more than once; eachtime, it applies to a different science.

SECOND SIGHT PSIONIC

You have inherited a psionic talentthat gives you powers of insight anddivination. This feat is described in theAvailable Knacks section of thePsionic Knacks chapter.

SIGNATUREMOVE GENERAL

You have gained such skill in a par-ticular fencing move that it is easier foryou to employ.

Prerequisites: Fencing.Benefit: Choose a fencing move from

the following list: pass, rondo, clinch, hiltsmash, bind, touch, lunge, spring andretreat, wear down, or beat. Whenever youemploy this move, the penalty to the attackroll normally associated with the move isreduced by 2. If the penalty would be raisedto greater than +0, it is considered to be +0.

This feat can be purchased morethan once. Each time, it applies to adifferent fencing move.

Normal: Characters without thisfeat do not receive any reduction tothe attack roll penalty associated withemploying a fencing move.

SILENT APPARATUS METASCIENCE

Your apparatus can create naturalscience phenomena noiselessly.

Prerequisite: Natural Philosopher level1st+, with two degrees in one science.

Benefit: When you create a phe-nomenon in a science in which youhave more than one degree, yourapparatus does not generate anysound, even if the equivalent d20System spell includes a verbal compo-nent. You must decide to make a phe-nomenon silent ahead of time, whenyou calibrate an apparatus. A silentphenomenon uses up a phenomenonslot one level higher than its actuallevel.

Normal: An apparatus normallygenerates noise when creating a phe-nomena with a verbal component.

SUBTLE APPARATUS

METASCIENCE

Your apparatus can create a phenom-enon without any noticeable gesturefrom you.

Prerequisite: Natural Philosopherlevel 1st+, with two degrees in one sci-ence.

Benefit: When you create a phe-nomenon in a science in which youhave more than one degree, you donot have to make any visible gesture,even if the equivalent d20 System spellincludes a somatic component. Youdo, however, need to be touching theapparatus. You must decide to make aphenomenon subtle ahead of time,when you calibrate an apparatus. Asubtle phenomenon uses up a phe-nomenon slot two levels higher thanits actual level.

Normal: An apparatus normallyrequires a gesture from you when cre-ating a phenomena with a somaticcomponent.

SUREFIRE GENERAL

Your gunshots misfire less fre-quently.

Prerequisites: Guns, Dexterity13+.

Benefit: On an attack roll, yourgunshots only misfire on a roll of 1,regardless of the weather conditions,unless you are operating the gun in anenvironment where ignition is impos-sible, such as underwater or in an air-less place. If you have applied anExotic Weapon Proficiency feat togrenades, then this feat applies togrenades as well as guns.

TAKE AIM GENERAL

You can improve the accuracy of aranged attack with a gun by spending extratime aiming.

Prerequisites: GunsBenefit: If you took a full-round

action to aim a gun during your previ-ous round, you receive a +1 bonus to

128

Northern Crown

your attack roll. If you spend tworounds aiming, you receive a +2bonus, and you double the criticalthreat range of your gun for that attackonly. If you took damage while youwere aiming, you do not receive anybonus to attack, unless you make aConcentration check at DC 10 + theamount of damage you received.

Normal: Characters without thisfeat gain no advantage by spendingone or more rounds aiming a gun.

TURTLEANCESTRY GENERAL

You have a turtle ancestor from theUncounted Time. Turtles are known fortheir patience, resilience, and wisdom.Characters with a turtle ancestor areoften short but solidly built, thick-skinned, slow to make up their minds,but thoughtful and extremely prudent.They tend to be quiet and retiring, butnot unfriendly. They prefer quiet water-ways to the field or forest, often becom-ing master boaters and swimmers.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,Constitution 13+, Wisdom 13+

Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus toWill saves, a +1 natural armor bonus toAC, and a +2 bonus to Swim checks.

TWO WORLDS GENERAL

You gain some of the culture bonus-es of a second culture of your choice.

Prerequisites: None for 1st-levelcharacters; other characters must live asa member of the culture for two con-secutive years before taking this feat.

Benefit: You gain the culturebonuses of a second culture, excludingfree feats and spell-like abilities.

WOLF ANCESTRY GENERAL

You have a wolf ancestor from theUncounted Time. Wolves are said to bewary of danger, but fierce in a fight, andtireless in pursuit. Characters with wolfancestry are restless, sometimes ambi-tious, and alternately bold and cautiousin temperament. Always conscious oftheir place in the social order, theywork well with others, and hate to beexcluded from human company. Theyprefer open fields and pine forests tomountains, rivers, or dense woods.

Prerequisites: First Ones culture,Charisma 12+

Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus toReflex saves, and to Listen and MoveSilently skill checks.

COMBATIn Northern Crown, wars are often

fought with guns, thundering artillery,deadly polearms, and massivegreatswords. Duels may involve flash-ing blades that show advances in themartial arts beyond those of earlierages. The following section of thischapter introduces new rules for theweapons and martial arts, includingdetailed descriptions of the Artillery,Cloak, Fencing, Greatsword, Guns,and Polearms feats.

GUNSThis section addresses the use of

guns in the campaign, including load-ing and firing times, misfires and fouls,and unorthodox uses for guns. Specificstatistics on guns are found in theMoney & Equipment chapter.

All guns come with a ramrod andgunflint at the time of purchase.

In addition to their primary func-tion as ranged weapons, some gunscan be used as bludgeoning meleeweapons. Light and one-handed gunsare considered clubs, while two-hand-ed guns are double weapons equiva-lent to quarterstaffs. If fitted with plugbayonets, two-handed guns can beused as –1 halfspears.

Any gun can be loaded with bulletsor with smallshot. Bullets inflict dam-age to a single target. Smallshot cre-ates an area affect, inflicting damage to

129

Northern Crown

all targets within a cone whose size isdetermined by the size of the gun.

Gun Size Cone Size DamageLight 10 ft. 1d2One-Handed 15 ft. 1d3Two-Handed 20 ft. 1d4Huge 30 ft. 1d6

An attack roll when firing small-shot is made only to determinewhether a misfire occurs.

GUNS IN THE CAMPAIGN

From tiny concealed pistols tohuge cannons that can hurl heavy ironballs across a mile of open sea, gunsare an integral part of combat inNorthern Crown. The most commonroles for guns include sieges, navalcombats, ambushes, and opening vol-leys preceding a melee combat. Forplayers accustomed to firing arrows attheir foes, guns can be intoxicating,but they have limitations. Guns arenoisy, smelly, smoky, and cumber-some. And if the PCs have them,chances are their enemies have them,too. Players who don’t have any otherway of dealing with an enemy will findguns impractical for sustained or closeorder fights, even against archers, whocan fire off three or four arrows forevery bullet.

LOADING AND FIRINGGuns use unique rules for loading

and firing. Characters with the Gunsfeat are assumed to have spent manyhours learning the complex series ofactions involved in the loading and fir-ing process.

SNAPHANCES ANDWHEELLOCKS

Loading and firing a snaphance orwheellock gun requires four combatrounds:

Round Action Time1 Load Powder Full-round action2 Load Shot Full-round action3 Ram Shot Full-round action4 Fire Standard action

In the first round, the firer emptiesa premeasured powder charge from apowder flask into the barrel. In thesecond round, the firer loads the barrelwith shot. In the third round, the firerrams it down with a ramrod, cocks the

weapon, and primes the pan. In thefourth round, the firer aims theweapon and pulls the trigger.

MATCHLOCKS

Loading and firing a matchlockweapon requires five rounds, becausethe firer must first prime the match byblowing on it:

Round Action Time1 Prime Match Full-round action2 Load Powder Full-round action3 Load Shot Full-round action4 Ram Shot Full-round action5 Fire Standard action

INTERRUPTION DURING LOADING

If the firer is attacked or otherwisehindered during loading, a Dexteritycheck at DC 10 is required to com-plete that particular step. If the firertakes damage, add the damage to theDC.

THE RAPID RELOAD FEAT

Characters with the Rapid Reloadfeat can reduce the time required toload a gun by one round, combiningthe Load Powder and Load Shot into asingle full-round action. When thefeat is taken, you can choose to applyit to either matchlock or snaphanceguns. You can take the feat a secondtime to apply it to the gun type youdid not choose the first time you tookthe feat.

NOISE

Any character within five feetwhen a gun is fired suffers a penalty of–4 to Listen checks for the next hour.

MISFIRES AND FOULS

Any time a 1 is rolled on an attackroll for a gun, the weapon has failed tofire. The firer may attempt to fire itagain during his next round of action.In the event a 1 is rolled again, the gunis fouled, and must be cleaned before itwill work again, which requires onefull hour.

Certain conditions increase thechance of misfire, including weatherand the condition of the gun.Regardless of the weather conditions,if the second attempt to fire alsoresults in misfire, the gun is not fouledunless a 1 is rolled — you can try tofire as many times as you like until thegun fires or you roll a 1 and the gun isfouled.

Weather Matchlocks Other GunsCondition Misfire On Misfire OnLight Rain/Spray 1–3 1–2Heavy Rain 1–6 1–4Damp Powder 1–8 1–10High Wind 1–6 1

GUN TRICKSIn desperate circumstances, char-

acters may use guns in unorthodoxways in order to increase damage orshorten the firing time. Here are sev-eral tricks that can be used by anycharacter possessing the Guns feat.

DOUBLE-SHOTTING

A character can try loading doublepowder and two balls of shot to packan extra punch. Double-shottingincreases the duration of the LoadShot action to two rounds. Make anattack roll as normal, and roll damagetwice if the shot is a hit. However, ifthe attack roll is a 1, the gun barrelbursts, destroying the gun and givingthe firer 1d6 points of fire damage. Inthis case, the shot is automatically amiss.

IMPROVISED SHOT

A character who is out of shot, orwishes to pepper a nearby foe withsmallshot, can substitute a handful ofsmall items such as nails, beads, pen-nies, gravel, or pebbles. Assuming youhave some material in hand, it takes nolonger than a normal loading proce-dure. Just pour the missiles down thebarrel and ram them home. Make anattack roll as normal. Unless you mis-fire, the effect is a 10-foot cone. Alltargets within the cone receive 1d4damage. If you misfire, your gun isautomatically fouled and cannot befired again until you spend one fullturn cleaning it.

SHOOTING THE RAMROD

Characters in a hurry can fire oneround sooner than normal, if theyneglect to remove the ramrod from thegun barrel. The Ram Shot action ofthe loading sequence becomes a freeaction. Make an attack roll as normal,and treat the hurtling ramrod as aranged weapon (1d4 piercing damage,range increment 10 feet, with fiverange increments). The ball hits what-ever the ramrod hits, but will only do1/2 normal damage. An attack roll of 1to 3 will burst the gun barrel andinflict 1d6 points of fire damage on theshooter.

130

Northern Crown

ARTILLERYArtillery includes any gun that

must be fired from a mount or carriage,whether on a ship, on a castle wall, oron a mounted carriage in the field.Using artillery without a penaltyrequires the Artillery feat. Anyonewithout the Artillery feat who tries tofire an artillery piece suffers a penaltyof –8 to his attack roll, and cannotclear a fouled piece.

Four types of artillery exist in thecampaign: cannon, culverin, perier,and mortar.

CANNON

Cannon are of large bore andmedium length. They have arespectable range and firepower fortheir size.

CULVERINS

Culverins have a greater length rel-ative to their bore, and are therefore oflonger range. They are often mountedin the bow of a ship as a chaser, to fireduring a pursuit.

PERIERS

Periers are short-barreled relativeto their bore, giving them a shorterrange but making them easier tomount aboard a cramped ship.

131

Northern Crown

ARTILLERY TYPES

CULVERINS

Type Length Bore Wt. Shot Range Mount Cost CrewRabbinet 3 ft. 2 in. 50 lb. 1 lb. 100 ft. Swivel 125 gp 1Falconet 4 ft. 2 in. 75 lb. 1 lb. 200 ft. Swivel 175 gp 1Falcon 6 ft. 2 in. 125 lb. 1 lb. 300 ft. Swivel 300 gp 2Minion 8 ft. 3 in. 250 lb. 4 lb. 300 ft. Wheel 600 gp 3Saker 9 ft. 3 in. 400 lb. 4 lb. 400 ft. Wheel 1000 gp 3Demi-Culverin 11 ft. 4 in. 700 lb. 10 lb. 400 ft. Wheel 1400 gp 4Culverin 12 ft. 5 in. 800 lb. 18 lb. 400 ft. Wheel 2000 gp 5Long Culverin 16 ft. 4.75 in. 850 lb. 16 lb. 600 ft. Wheel 2100 gp 5

CANNON

Type Length Bore Wt. Shot Range Mount Cost CrewDemi-cannon 11 ft. 6 in. 900 lb. 32 lb. 300 ft. Wheel 2200 gp 6Cannon 12 ft. 7 in. 1000 lb. 50 lb. 300 ft. Wheel 2400 gp 7

PERIERS

Type Length Bore Wt. Shot Range Mount Cost CrewPerier 5 ft. 8 in. 500 lb. 76 lb. 200 ft. Wheel 1200 gp 7

MORTARS

Type Length Bore Wt. Shot Range Mount Cost CrewDeck Mortar 1 ft. 6 in. 75 lb. 32 lb. 25 ft. Sled 175 gp 2Howitzer 2 ft. 8 in. 300 lb. 76 lb. 50 ft. Sled 600 gp 8Bombard 3 ft. 12 in. 1200 lb. 200 lb. 75 ft. Sled 1600 gp 12

Length: The length of the barrel.Bore: The width of the mouth of the barrel, also the

diameter of the shot.Wt.: The weight of the artillery in pounds, including the

mount.Shot: The weight of the iron ball fired by the gun.

Artillery is often referred to by the size of the shot it fires; forexample, a 10-pounder, a 32-pounder, and so on.

Range: The range increment, in feet. Artillery have tenrange increments.

Mount: The type of mount appropriate to the piece.Swivel indicates a gun mounted on a fork-shaped brace that,when inserted into a fixed tube, can be aimed in any direction.

Commonly this would occur on the railing of a ship, or thewalls of a fortress. These weapons can also be mounted onwheeled carriages for field battles. Wheel indicates a wheeledcarriage — either a naval mount with four small wheels, or afield mount with two or more large wheels. Sled indicates anon-wheeled mount that is carried or dragged into place,most commonly for sieges or castle defense.

Cost: The cost of the piece, in gold pieces, includingmount and artillery tools. Cost of shot is 2 sp per pound, withpowder costs being 2 sp per pound of shot fired.

Crew: The minimum number of crew needed to fire thegun in the shortest time. For every crewmember missing, addone round.

MORTARS

Mortars are of even shorter lengthrelative to their bore. They are oftenused to fire bags of smallshot againstan enemy crew before boarding, butthey can also be used to lob roundshotover the walls of a fortress.

LOADING AND FIRINGLoading and firing an artillery

piece requires at least six combatrounds:

Round Action Time1 Sponge Out Full-round action2 Load Powder Full-round action3 Load Shot Full-round action4 Sight Gun Full-round action5 Prime Vent Full-round action6 Fire Standard action

In the first round, the bore isswabbed with a pole-mounted spongesoaked in a vinegar-water solution tosnuff out any sparks remaining fromthe last shot, and to soften the sootcaking the inside of the bore. Next,while one gunner puts his thumb overthe vent to prevent accidental firing, acloth bag of powder is rammed downthe bore with a rammer, followed bythe shot itself. The gun is aimed at thecommand of the master gunner, andthen primed by filling the vent with asmall powder charge. Finally, the gunis fired.

Large-bore artillery requires moretime to load, because of the weight ofthe shot and the difficulty of movingthe piece for aiming. A 32-pounderrequires two rounds each for loadingpowder, shot, and sighting the gun, fora total of nine rounds. Anything heav-ier than a 32-pounder requires tworounds for loading powder, threerounds for loading shot, and fourrounds for sighting the gun, for a totalof 12 rounds.

SMOKE

Every time an artillery piece isfired, a 15-foot cone of smoke is creat-ed directly in front of the muzzle. Thiscloud lasts for one round, and providesconcealment (20% miss chance) toany targets hidden behind it.

MUZZLE FLASH

In addition to a smoke cloud,artillery creates a muzzle flash in the5-foot square directly in front of thefirer. Anyone in the affected area mustmake a Reflex save at DC 15, or suffer1d6 points of fire damage.

NOISE

Any character within 10 feet of themuzzle when an artillery piece is firedsuffers a penalty of –6 to Listen checksfor the next hour.

MISFIRES AND FOULS

The chance of misfire for artillery isthe same for as for guns: any roll of 1indicates a misfire. Artillery is subject toweather conditions, with the sameprobability of misfire as for matchlockguns. Clearing a fouled artillery pieceinvolves removing the shot and thenthe powder-bag with the screw tool, aprocess that takes one full hour.

ARTILLERY DAMAGEDamage varies depending on

whether you’re using roundshot orsmallshot, and special rules apply todamage against structures rather thanliving targets.

ROUNDSHOT

Roundshot, meaning a single ironball as opposed to a bag of smaller balls,can be devastating against living targets.The base damage alone for roundshot is10 points. In addition, for each pound ofweight of the shot, add 1d10 points ofdamage. For example, a 6-pounderroundshot does 10+6d10 points of dam-age, and a 12-pounder does 10+12d10points of damage. A Fortitude save at aDC equal to 10 + the weight of the shotreduces the damage to 1/2.

The most devastating aspect ofroundshot is its ability to mow down anentire column of targets. If the damageis greater than the total hit points of thefirst target, the shot will bounce up to30 feet past its initial impact, inflictingthe excess damage on any other targetsin its path until either all damage isabsorbed, it bounces to a stop after 30feet, or it hits a solid obstruction (seeArtillery Damage to Structures, below).Mortars do not bounce beyond theirinitial target, because they approachthe ground at a higher angle.

SMALLSHOT

Instead of using roundshot, anartillery piece can be loaded with bagsof small iron shot against nearby tar-gets. Make an attack roll as normal,but only for purposes of determiningmisfires. The resulting shot will fill acone extending from the bore of thegun, hitting all targets within thecone; cone size is dependent onartillery type.

Artillery Cone SizeRabbinett 20 ft.Falconet 20 ft.Falcon 20 ft.Minion 30 ft.Saker 30 ft.Demi-Culverin 40 ft.Culverin 50 ft.Long Culverin 50 ft.Demi-cannon 50 ft.Cannon 60 ft.Perier 50 ft.Deck Mortar 30 ft.Howitzer 40 ft.Bombard 60 ft.

Regardless of the size of the gun,the damage is 1d10 for Medium orsmaller creatures, 2d10 for Large andlarger creatures.

ARTILLERY DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES

Artillery fire against structures fol-lows the standard d20 System rules forattacking objects. If the shot is a miss,determine the distance and directionof the missed shot as a grenade-likeweapon.

USING ARTILLERY IN COMBAT

Artillery takes several roles in combat,depending on the nature of the battle.

FIELD BATTLES

Artillery is expensive. Most merce-nary captains can’t afford it, leaving itto the royal army to employ in battle.Artillery is also hard to move. Fieldguns have to be hauled around byteams of oxen, which are strong butslow animals. Sighting the guns is amatter of guessing where the enemywill be during the battle. The guns areoften protected from enemy fire byrows of sharpened stakes and hugewicker baskets filled with earth. Oncesited, a battery of artillery usually staysput until the firing is over. It can beused to fire at enemy soldiers orartillery, often right over the heads ofone’s own advancing soldiers.

SIEGES

In a siege, artillery comes into itsown. A besieging force with artillery willinevitably breach the walls of a besiegedtown or fortress, given enough time andammunition. Mortars, especially thehuge bombards, are placed in protectedbatteries to hammer at the walls and lobshot inside the fortress itself. The defend-

132

Northern Crown

ers, meanwhile, use their own wall-mounted cannon to repel assaults and tryto pick off enemy artillery, while mortarssited safely behind the walls rain downfire on enemy trenches.

FENCINGCharacters with the Fencing feat are

not confined to merely cutting or thrust-ing at their opponents. They have a widepalette of fencing moves available tothem, including passes, rondos, clinches,hilt smashes, binds, touches, lunges,beats, and more, each of which has aunique effect on combat.

SHIELD AC BONUSWhile holding a weapon to which

they can apply the Fencing feat, char-acters with the Fencing feat also gain ashield AC bonus against melee attacks.The level of the bonus depends on thecharacter’s base attack bonus.

BAB AC Bonus1–5 +16–10 +211–15 +316+ +4

FENCING MOVESAll characters with the Fencing

feat know ten basic fencing moves. Afencing move counts as an attackaction, with a penalty to the attack rollthat represents the difficulty of themove. If an attack roll for a fencingmove fails, it is considered a miss.Unless otherwise stated, fencingmoves inflict normal damage on a suc-cessful attack, in addition to the bene-fits described in their descriptions.

BEAT

You knock your opponent’s defens-es aside, doing no damage, but givingyou a +2 bonus to any subsequentattacks you make against your oppo-nent this round. A beat is often used asa first attack to prepare for a secondattack either with your main weaponor off–hand weapon.

Attack Roll Penalty: –2

BIND

You do no damage, but you catchone of your opponent’s weapons in theguard of your own weapon. Youropponent cannot use the weapon until

he or she frees it at the cost of oneattack action, moves out of yourweapon’s reach, or until you cancel thebind as a free action or make an attackwith the weapon you used for thebind. You are not subject to an attackof opportunity when attempting todisarm an opponent’s bound weapon,and you get a +2 bonus to the opposedattack roll to determine the outcomeof the disarm attempt.

Attack Roll Penalty: –4

CLINCH

You do no damage, but if you makea grapple attempt against your oppo-nent subsequently this round, you donot provoke an attack of opportunity.

Attack Roll Penalty: –4

HILT SMASH

You bludgeon your opponent withyour weapon’s hilt in addition toinflicting normal damage. The hiltsmash inflicts additional nonlethaldamage equal to your Strength abilitymodifier.

Attack Roll Penalty: –4

LUNGE

In this risky maneuver, used againstweakened or inferior opponents, youlunge forward on one knee to addextra depth to your attack. The normalcritical threat range for your weapon isdoubled for this attack, but if youropponent is not reduced to below zerohit points, he receives an attack ofopportunity against you.

Attack Roll Penalty: –4

PASS

You move through your opponent’ssquare without provoking an attack ofopportunity, while making a normalattack, and end up in the square on theopposite side of your starting position.This maneuver is only effective againstMedium or smaller opponents.

Attack Roll Penalty: –8

RONDO

In a tactical maneuver, you circleyour opponent at close range whilemaking a normal attack. In addition toinflicting normal damage, you andyour opponent must trade squares,without provoking any attacks ofopportunity while doing so. This is agood way of getting past someoneguarding a doorway or corridor. Thismaneuver is only effective againstMedium or smaller opponents.

Attack Roll Penalty: –4

SPRING & RETREAT

You spring forward, attack, andretreat, giving your weapon a 10-footreach for this attack only.

Attack Roll Penalty: –6

TOUCH

Your attack causes a distractingsuperficial wound, rather than inflict-ing normal damage. If the attack hits,your opponent suffers 1 point of tem-porary damage to his Dexterity score.

Attack Roll Penalty: –6

WEAR DOWN

You wear down the defender with ahail of blows using the flat of yourblade. If the attack hits, you inflict nodamage but your opponent suffers 1point of temporary damage to hisStrength score. This is a good move toapply repeatedly to a closely matchedfoe.

Attack Roll Penalty: –8

GREATSWORDCOMBAT

Characters with the Greatswordfeat practice a highly specialized mar-tial art, involving several techniquesfor both attack and defense. Both theblade and the heavy hilt of thegreatsword are used in attack. It can beswung in a wide arc, or gripped withone hand above the hilt for precisehalf-sword thrusts and parries. Theweapon can be used as an effectiveshield, even to block blows from therear, by holding the sword along thelength of one’s body. Finally, theintimidating appearance of thegreatsword itself cannot be denied,and can be used to great advantage tokeep enemies at bay.

DOUBLE WEAPONSTATUS

Characters with the Greatswordfeat may treat their greatsword as adouble weapon, using not only theblade but the pommel of the weapon.The pommel inflicts 1d6 bludgeoningdamage, with a critical range of 20/x2.Using the greatsword as a doubleweapon incurs normal penalties forfighting with two weapons, as if theblade were a one-handed weapon andthe pommel were a light off-handweapon.

133

Northern Crown

SHIELD BONUS TO ACWhile holding a greatsword, char-

acters with the Greatsword feat get a+2 shield AC bonus against meleeattacks.

GREATSWORDINTIMIDATION

While holding a greatsword, charac-ters with the Greatsword feat receive a+2 circumstance bonus to Intimidatechecks. If the character uses a full-roundaction to flourish the greatsword, thebonus increases to +4.

HALF-SWORD GRIPFOR GREATSWORD

Greatswords feature an unsharpenedarea of the blade above the hilt calledthe ricasso. When one hand is placed onthe ricasso, the effective length of thesword is reduced; the precision of itsstrokes is in this way increased, at theexpense of power. A character with theGreatsword feat can shift to half-swordgrip as a free action. For combat purpos-es, the sword then becomes a one-hand-ed weapon, doing 1d6 piercing damageand critical 19-20/x2. The greatsword’sshield AC bonus remains in effect, but itcannot be used as a double weapon. Inaddition, the wielder gets a +1 bonus toattack rolls due to the added controlafforded by the half-sword grip.Changing back to full-sword grip is afree action.

POLEARM COMBAT

Like the greatsword, the polearm isassociated with a unique martial art —one that takes advantage of theweapon’s size for purposes of attackand defense. Halberds and otherpoleaxes are by far the most popularweapon for polearm fighters, withglaives, guisarmes, and ranseurs distantseconds. Regional favorites include theLochaber and Jedburg axes of Scotia,the Cymric hook, and the berdiche, apopular weapon in distant Muscovy.All of these weapons have the samestatistics as the halberd, and are notlisted separately in the Money &Equipment chapter.

DOUBLE WEAPONSTATUS

Characters with the Polearm featmay treat any polearm as a doubleweapon, using not only the head butalso the shaft as a weapon. The shaftinflicts 1d6 bludgeoning damage, witha critical range of 20/x2. Using apolearm as a double weapon incursnormal penalties for fighting with twoweapons, as if the head were a one-handed weapon and the shaft were alight off-hand weapon.

SHIELD BONUS TO ACWhile holding a polearm, charac-

ters with the Polearm feat get a +2shield AC bonus against melee attacks.

CLOSE-ATTACK GRIPNormally, polearms can only be

used against foes 10 feet away, due tothe length of the haft. As a free action,characters with the Polearm feat canshift their grip to bring the head of theweapon much closer to their body,allowing attacks against adjacent foes.While held in close-attack grip, apolearm becomes a two-handedweapon, doing 1d8 piercing damageand critical x3. The polearm’s shieldbonus to AC remains in effect, but itcannot be used as a double weapon.

134

Northern Crown

In Northern Crown, a wide range ofweapons, armor, clothing, supplies, ani-mals, goods, and services are available forpurchase by those with sufficient coin,while those who know the secrets of FirstOnes crafts may fashion their own gearfrom the environment around them.After a brief discussion of money in thecampaign world, this chapter lists appro-priate equipment from the standard d20System rules and new items unique to thecampaign. Cimarrons can purchase itemsfrom the Uropan equipment tables inthis chapter, or equip themselves fromthe Nyamban Equipment chapter ofNyambe: African Adventures.

MONEYThe use of money is nearly univer-

sal among Uropans, and familiar toNyambans and First Ones as well; allcultures in Northern Crown use eachother’s systems of currency inter-changeably, especially in frontierareas. In addition to the familiar coinsof Uropa, three forms of First Onescurrency are used: wampum, or shellbeads; buckskins, which are commonin the south; and beaver pelts, com-mon in the north. First Ones currencyis used universally in wilderness areas,that of the English is used by Albians,Carolingians, Commonwealthers,Sophians, and Witchlings, andFrançais money is used by Français andCoureurs. The currency of theEspaniards and Nederlanders is alsoquite common.

CURRENCYThis book uses standard d20 System

coinage to describe the price of equip-ment, although the actual names of thecoins used by the citizens of NorthernCrown are quite different — onlyVinlanders actually use the medievalsystem of gold, silver, and copperpieces. The table at left lists the majorcurrencies of the continent and theirequivalent value in gold, silver, and cop-per pieces for easy translation:

CHAPTER EIGHT

MONEY & EQUIPMENT

CURRENCIES OF NORTHERN CROWN

FIRST ONES

Currency gp sp cp

Beaver pelt 12 120 1200

Black wampumbelt 10 100 1000

White wampum belt 5 50 500

Buckskin 1 10 100

Black wampumbead 0.01 0.1 1

White wampum bead 0.005 0.05 0.5

ENGLISH

Currency gp sp cp

Pound 12 120 1200

Crown 3 30 300

Shilling 0.6 6 60

Penny 0.05 0.5 5

Farthing 0.01 0.1 1

ESPANIARD

Currency gp sp cp

Doblon 12 120 1200

Pistole 6 60 600

Real 0.3 3 30

Maravedi 0.01 0.1 1

FRANÇAIS

Currency gp sp cp

Louis 36 360 3600

Ecu 12 120 1200

Livre 4 40 400

Sou 0.2 2 20

NEDERLANDER

Currency gp sp cp

Ducat 25 250 2500

Lion 10 100 1000

Guilder 5 50 500

Stuiver 0.2 2 20

135

STARTINGMONEY FOR PCS

Characters begin the game with anamount of money determined by theirsocial rank, rather than according theircharacter class as in standard d20 Systemrules; see the Starting Money table.

Characters belonging two culturegroups as a result of taking the TwoWorlds feat receive the more favorableof the two starting money values avail-able to them.

FIRST ONESEQUIPMENT

Listed in the table are all the itemsthat are commonly produced by FirstOnes cultures. These items are suitablefor initial equipment for First Ones char-acters, or for First Ones-only campaignsthat have no Uropan technology avail-able. Items listed in italics are given adescriptive entry below. Descriptions forclothing, buildings, and property aregiven in the First Ones chapter.

FIRST ONESWEAPONS AND ARMOR

The following weapons and shieldsare common to the First Ones culture.

Blowgun: Blowguns are used bythe Cherokee and a few of their neigh-bors to the south. They fire tiny dartsthat do little damage, but deliver a poi-soned wound (usually rattlesnakevenom). For a list of poisons availablein Northern Crown, see theAdventures chapter in the NorthernCrown: Gazetteer.

Darts: Blowgun darts are madefrom slender reeds fletched with feath-er tufts to ensure a tight seal in the bar-rel of the blowgun. They are obtainedin bundles of ten darts.

Hide Shield: A lightweight FirstOnes shield made of animal hide overa wooden frame.

Slat: A First Ones form of mediumarmor consisting of a cuirass andshoulder defenses made of thin slats orsticks bound together with sinew.

Turtle Plate: A rarely-seen FirstOnes armor made of giant snappingturtle plates, shaped into a cuirass withshoulder defenses and skirts.

Turtle Shield: A Medium FirstOnes shield made from the carapaceof a young giant snapping turtle.

FIRST ONESGOODS ANDSERVICES

The following First Ones goodsand services are also available.

Canoe, Birchbark: This is a light-weight watercraft about 17 feet inlength, which can carry up to fourpeople and their gear, with a totalweight not exceeding 1,000 pounds.

Float Bag, Moosehide: This is afloat made of moosehide and inflatedby the user before being tied off. Itgives a +4 bonus to Swim checks, andlasts for up to one hour before it needsto be re-inflated.

Tattoo Kit: A tattoo kit includes abone needle and a small supply of inksfor use in making tattoos. One kit issufficient to cover about 36 squareinches of skin with tattoos.

136

Northern Crown

STARTING MONEY— SOCIAL RANK — STARTING MONEY

Cimarron First Ones Uropan0 0 0 0– – 1–3 1 gp x SocR– – 4–6 3 gp x SocR1–30 1–25 7–10 5 gp x SocR31–40 26–40 11–15 10 gp x SocR41+ 41+ 16–20 15 gp x SocR– – 21–25 20 gp x SocR– – 26–40 30 gp x SocR– – 41+ 60 gp x SocR

FIRST ONES WEAPONSSIMPLE WEAPONS

Cost Dmg (M) Critical Increment Weight TypeLight Melee WeaponsKnife, flint 2 gp 1d3 19–20/x2 10 ft. 2 lb. P

One-Handed Melee WeaponsClub — 1d6 x2 10 ft. 3 lb. BShortspear 1 gp 1d6 x3 20 ft. 3 lb. P

Ranged WeaponsJavelin 1 gp 1d4 x2 30 ft. 2 lb. P

MARTIAL WEAPONS

Light Melee WeaponsAxe, throwing 8 gp 1d6 x2 10 ft. 4 lb. S

Two-Handed Melee WeaponsGreatclub 5 gp 1d10 x2 — 10 lb. B

Ranged WeaponsLongbow 75 gp 1d8 x3 100 ft. 3 lb. PArrows (20) 1 gp — — — 1 lb. —

EXOTIC WEAPONS

Ranged WeaponsBlowgun 20 gp 1d3 — 20 ft. 2 lb. PDarts (10) 1 gp 1d3 — — 1 lb. —

ADVENTURING GEARItem Cost WeightBackpack, woven reed

(empty) 2 gp 2 lb.Basket (empty) 4 sp 1 lb.Blanket, winter 5 sp 3 lb.Bucket (empty) 5 sp 2 lb.Fishhook 1 sp —Fishing net, 25 sq. ft. 4 gp 5 lb.Flask, gourd (empty) 3 cp —Hammer 5 sp 2 lb.Jug, clay 3 cp 9 lb.Mirror, small mica 10 gp 1/2 lb.Cup, carved hoof 1 sp 1 lb.Pot, clay 1 sp 10 lb.Pouch, belt (empty) 1 gp 3 lb.Rations, trail (per day) 5 sp 1 lb.Rope, hemp (50 ft.) 1 gp 10 lb.Sack (empty), hide 1 sp 1/2 lb.Sewing needles,

bone (5) 5 sp —Sledge 1 gp 10 lb.Sleeping mat, woven 1 sp 1 lb.Spade or shovel, antler 2 gp 8 lb.Torches, pine tar (10) 1 cp 1 lb.Waterskin 1 gp 4 lb.Whetstone 2 cp 1 lb.

CLASS TOOLS AND SKILL KITSItem Cost WeightArtisan’s tools 5 gp 5 lb.Artisan’s tools,

masterwork 55 gp 5 lb.Healer’s kit 50 gp 1 lb.Musical Instrument,

common 5 gp 3 lb.Musical Instrument,

masterwork 100 gp 3 lb.Tattoo Kit 5 gp —

CLOTHINGItem Cost WeightCape, formal 75 gp 3 lbs.Headdress, formal 50 gp 2 lbs.Summer outfit 10 gp 3 lbs.Winter outfit 20 gp 6 lbs.

TRANSPORTItem Cost WeightCanoe, birchbark 50 gp 50 lb.Float bag, moose hide 5 gp 2 lb.Paddle 2 gp 5 lb.Rations, trail (per day) 5 sp 1 lb.

BUILDINGS AND PROPERTYItem CostGaming arbor 30 gpLodge, round 40 gpLonghouse, one-hearth 60 gpLonghouse, two-hearth 100 gpLonghouse, great 300 gpPalisade,

per 10-ft. length 3 gpSweat house 50 gp

FIRST ONES ARMORMEDIUM ARMOR

Armor Max Check Arcane — Speed —Armor Cost Bonus Dex Penalty Failure (30 ft.) (20 ft.) WeightHide 15 gp +3 +4 –3 20% 20 ft. 15 ft. 25 lb.Slat 50 gp +4 +3 –4 25% 20 ft. 15 ft. 30 lb.

HEAVY ARMOR

Turtle plate 200 gp +5 +2 –4 30% 20 ft. 15 ft. 30 lb.

SHIELDS

Shield, hide 5 gp +1 — –1 5% — — 3 lb.Shield, small wooden 3 gp +1 — –1 5% — — 5 lb.

Shield, turtle 30 gp +2 — –2 10% — — 8 lb.

Note: Items in italics denote new equipment described in this book.

Northern Crown

137

FIRST ONES GOODS & SERVICES

UROPANEQUIPMENT

This section contains equipmentavailable for purchase in areas settledby Uropans. Items not in the standardd20 System rules are indicated by ital-ics; each of these new items isdescribed in this chapter.

UROPANWEAPONS

The arms markets of NieuAmsterdam and the royal armories ofCharles Town are filled with a wideassortment of melee and rangedweapons, some centuries old, somenew. Many weapons of earlier centuriesare still available for purchase, whilesome have fallen out of favor as cum-bersome relics. Prices of some weaponsmay be lower than in standard d20System rules, reflecting a lesseneddemand for archaic weaponry.

Broadsword: This one-handed,two-edged weapon often has one edgeslightly curved to enhance cuttingpower. Suitable for both cut andthrust, it is slightly shorter but consid-erably heavier than the rapier. It’s mostoften fitted with a basket hilt. Popularin Albion and adjacent areas.

Bullets: Ammunition for guns issold in bags of 20 lead bullets. They

are available in four sizes: light, one-handed, two-handed, and huge, corre-sponding to the size of the gun fromwhich they can be fired. Bullets can beused in a gun that is one size too large,but suffer a penalty of –2 to damage.

Cutlass: A short, heavy sword with acurved cutting edge and a simple guard,favored by Buccaneers and other close-quarter fighters for its short swinging radius.

Grenade: Grenades are made ofsheet metal, stuffed with gunpowderand sporting a rope fuse that must belighted from a match before throwing.They are often used in sieges andboarding actions. Typically, they arecarried in satchels of no more thanfour grenades, to limit the damagefrom accidental ignition.

Lighting a grenade is a full-roundaction. It requires a Dexterity check atDC 3. If the check succeeds, thegrenade will detonate at the end of thewielder’s next turn. If the Dexteritycheck fails, it means that the fuse is littoo close to the grenade, and willexplode immediately unless the throw-er makes a second Dexterity check atDC 10 to snuff it out.

Grenades are subject to the samemisfire chances as matchlock guns,with the same vulnerability to weatherconditions. When the attack roll ismade, a misfire result indicates thatthe fuse has gone out in flight. Theycan be re-lit normally.

Grenades obey the standard d20System rules for splash weapons. Theyinflict 3d6 damage on a direct hit, and1d6 damage within 5 feet.

Hand Mortar, Snapchance: Theseweapons take the form of a tiny mortaron a rifle stock. The gunstock has afolding metal rod that can be planted inthe ground to steady the piece for fir-ing. Setting up the mortar for firing is astandard action. This primitive grenadelauncher has its own powder chargeand gunlock, which are readied beforeloading the bore with a live grenade. Itsloading schedule is as follows.

Round Action Time1 Load Powder Full-round action2 Load Grenade Full-round action3 Fire Standard action

The loading schedule assumes a litgrenade is at hand during the secondround of the loading schedule. If thefirer does not have an assistant to lightthe grenade, an additional round isrequired. Note that a misfire result ona hand mortar applies only to the gun-lock, not to the grenade itself. In caseof misfire, the firer may attempt tosnuff out the grenade with a Dexteritycheck at DC 10, as per the usual rulesfor snuffing grenades.

Matchlocks: These are the oldesttype of firearm still in use. The match isa length of slow-burning cord thatplunges into the priming pan when thetrigger is pulled. The match itself mustbe lit before use, and is always in dan-ger of being put out by wind or rain,although in calm, dry conditions, mis-fires are few. Its glow can easily be seenin the dark (–4 to Hide checks in dark-ness), and the smell can be detected byanyone within 30 feet of the firer (–4 toHide checks when the match is burn-ing). The design of the priming pan,whose cover must be manually openedbefore firing, makes the weapon evenmore vulnerable to wet conditions andaccidental ignition. Finally, the matchcord itself must be frequently replaced;it burns at the rate of 1 foot per hour.

Arquebus: This early, crudely madematchlock weapon is still encounteredin extremely backward areas. Thisweapon gives a –2 penalty to all attackrolls due to its inaccuracy, unless firedon a musket rest, which lowers thepenalty to –1.

Caliver: A light matchlock longarm,favored by cavalry, skirmishers, ban-dits, and First Ones warriors.

Musket with Rest: A Huge, powerfulmatchlock longarm weapon. Mediumcreatures cannot fire it without balanc-ing the weapon’s barrel on a musketrest or other support.

Plug Bayonet: This weapon is a dag-ger with a round, slightly tapered handlethat can be fixed into the muzzle of aLarge gun. Fixing or removing a plugbayonet is a move-equivalent action; it

138

Northern Crown

allows the gun to be used as a somewhatclumsy shortspear, with a –1 attackpenalty, but not as a ranged weapon.

Rapier: A long-bladed thrustingsword, fitted with a variety of hilts,including cup-hilt and swept-hilt.Often used in conjunction with an off-hand dagger.

Rapier, Long: An even longer rapi-er favored by professional duelists andEspaniards. It is considered unsportingin most civilized areas, because of itslong reach. Most municipal authoritieswill confiscate long rapiers if they arecarried openly on the street. They can-not be used as a fencing weapon unlessthe character purchases the ExoticWeapon Proficiency feat and applies itto the weapon. Otherwise, they aretreated as a Large melee weapon.

Saber: A long, curved cutting sword,favored by cavalry. It is a Uropan versionof the curved cavalry blades of centralAsia and the Near East.

Smallshot: As described under GunTricks in the Skills, Feats & Combatchapter, guns may be loaded with smalllead pellets instead of bullets to producean area effect when fired. Smallshot issold in groups of 20 paper cartridges,each holding one load of shot.

Smallsword: A short thrustingsword with a very sharp point but littlecutting power. Highly popular in urbanareas as both a weapon and a fashionstatement, but seldom seen on the bat-tlefield. Its slender blade is capable ofdelivering accurate, deadly thrusts.

Snaphances: These are early flintlockweapons, representing the mostadvanced guns available in the campaign.They require no match, using the sparksgenerated from the contact between flintand steel. They also feature a primingpan with a cover that is opened mechan-ically when the trigger is pulled, makingthem less vulnerable to wet weather andaccidental firing. Because the mechanicsof the lock are more complicated, theyare quite expensive.

Musket: Lighter and more accuratethan the matchlock version, thesnaphance musket can be fired comfort-ably without use of a rest or other support.

Long Musket: A snaphance musketfitted with a longer barrel for greaterrange, the long musket is favored byhunters and skirmishers.

Musketoon: A shorter version of thesnaphance musket.

Pistol: A sidearm, with an identicalignition system to the largersnaphance weapons. Two may be car-ried on a belt.

Swansfeather Rest: This weaponresembles a shortspear, with a small spike atthe opposite end of the shaft, and a metalhook just below the main blade, allowingthe weapon to be used as a musket rest.

Matchlock muskets fire at a –1 penaltyunless a rest or other support is used.

Wall Gun, Snapchance: Theseweapons, also called rampart guns,arquebuses a croc, or amusettes, areHuge matchlocks or snaphances firedfrom a swivel mount or rested againstthe top of a battlement. They cannotbe fired without resting on a solid sup-port. They have a caliber of 1 inch,with an overall length of at least sixfeet. More portable than cannon, wallguns are often used to defend hastilybuilt forts, or to pick off individualattackers during a siege. Its loadingschedule is as follows.

Round Action Time1 Dismount Full-round action2 Load Powder Full-round action3 Load Shot Full-round action4 Ram Shot Full-round action5 Mount Full-round action6 Fire Standard action

Wheellocks: These are efficientbut internally complex weapons thatuse iron pyrites scraping against aspring-powered rotating wheel toignite the powder charge. Theirexpense limits their use mainly to thecourtly classes, especially as sidearmsfor cavalry.

139

Northern Crown

Belt Pistol: A concealable version ofthe wheellock pistol. As many as fourmay be worn on a belt.

Horse Pistol: A larger wheellock pis-tol often carried at the saddle by cav-alry. Up to two may be carried.

Double Pistol: A two-barreled over-and-under wheellock pistol, each witha separate firing mechanism and trig-ger. It can be fired one barrel at a time,or in a two-barrel volley at a penalty of–2 to attack. Only one can be com-fortably carried on a belt.

UROPANARMOR

This section describes the armoravailable to Uropans.

3/4 Plate: A suit of articulatedmetal, including a cuirass, tassets, andarm defenses, but excluding the legs.Includes a padded undergarment with

sewn-in chainmail patches to protectthe armpits.

Breastplate: A metal defense cov-ering only the front of the torso. It isworn by infantry, who seldom facegunfire from behind, and are just ashappy to leave their backs unarmoredfor better comfort. Includes a buff coatas an undergarment.

Buff Coat: So called because it issometimes made of buffalo hide, this isa thigh-length coat of stiff leather, thearmor of choice for the lower ranks.

Cuirass: A metal defense protect-ing the entire torso, a cuirass is used bycavalry to ward off both shot andsaber-strokes. Includes a buff coat asan undergarment.

Cuirass with Tassets: A cuirasswith attached thigh defenses, alsofavored by cavalry.

Heavy Plate: A fully-articulatedsuit of metal armor, covering the entirebody with the exception of the insideof the upper legs, since this area is notexposed while on horseback. It is most

often used by high-ranking nobilityand elite heavy cavalry units.

Musket Proof: A suit of heavyarmor can be vastly strengthened byadditional plates to give the wearereven more protection than pistol-proofed armor provides. The wearergains DR 10/+1 against rangedweapons, but the armor’s check penal-ty is further modified by –2, its weightincreases by 10 pounds, and the wear-er’s speed decreases by 5 feet.

Padded Coat: A civilian jacket ofheavy padded material worn over alinen shirt. This type of armor is subtleenough not to attract attention, butcan stop the odd knife thrust or slash.

Pistol Proof: A suit of heavy armorcan be strengthened by additionalplates to provide protection againstranged weapons. The wearer gains DR5/+1 against these weapons, but thearmor’s check penalty is further modi-fied by –1, and its weight increases by5 pounds.

140

Northern Crown

UROPAN WEAPONSSIMPLE WEAPONS

Light Melee Weapons Cost Damage Critical Increment Weight TypeDagger 2 gp 1d4 19–20/x2 10 ft. 1 lb. PGauntlet, spiked 5 gp 1d4 x2 — 2 lb. PPlug bayonet 2 gp 1d4 19–20/x2 10 ft. 1 lb. PMace, light 4 gp 1d6 x2 — 6 lb. BSickle — 1d6 x2 — 3 lb. S

One-Handed Melee WeaponsClub — 1d6 x2 10 ft. 3 lb. BShortspear 5 sp 1d6 x3 20 ft. 3 lb. PMace, heavy 8 gp 1d8 x2 — 12 lb. BSwansfeather rest 1 gp 1d6 x3 — 3 lb. P

Two-Handed Melee WeaponsQuarterstaff — 1d6/1d6 x2 — 4 lb. BLongspear 1 gp 1d8 x3 20 ft. 5 lb. P

MARTIAL WEAPONS

Light Melee WeaponsAxe, throwing 6 gp 1d6 x2 10 ft. 4 lb. SHammer, light 1 gp 1d4 x2 20 ft. 2 lb. BHandaxe 6 gp 1d6 x3 — 5 lb. SLance, light 6 gp 1d6 x3 — 5 lb. PPick, light 4 gp 1d4 x4 — 4 lb. PSap 1 gp 1d6S x2 — 3 lb. B

One-Handed Melee WeaponsBattleaxe 10 gp 1d8 x3 — 7 lb. SBroadsword 25 gp 1d8 x3 — 5 lb. SCutlass 10 gp 1d6 x3 — 4 lb. SLance, heavy 10 gp 1d8 x3 — 10 lb. PPick, heavy 8 gp 1d6 x4 — 6 lb. PRapier 45 gp 1d6 19–20/x2 — 4 lb. PSaber 40 gp 1d6 19–20/x2 — 4lb. SScimitar 15 gp 1d6 18–20/x2 — 4 lb. SSmallsword 80 gp 1d4 18–20/x2 — 3 lb. PWarhammer 2 gp 1d8 x3 — 8 lb. B

Two-Handed Melee WeaponsGlaive 8 gp 1d10 x3 — 15 lb. SGreataxe 10 gp 1d12 x3 — 20 lb. SGreatclub 2 gp 1d10 x2 — 10 lb. BGreatsword 50 gp 2d6 19–20/x2 — 15 lb. SGuisarme 9 gp 2d4 x3 — 15 lb. SHalberd 10 gp 1d10 x3 — 15 lb. P&SLongspear 5 gp 1d8 x3 — 9 lb. PRanseur 10 gp 2d4 x3 — 15 lb. P

Ranged WeaponsShortbow 10 gp 1d6 x3 60 ft. 2 lb. PArrows (20) 1 gp — — — 3 lb. —Longbow 30 gp 1d8 x3 100 ft. 3 lb. PArrows (20) 1 gp — — — 3 lb. —

141

Northern Crown

UROPAN WEAPONS (CON’D)EXOTIC WEAPONS

One-Handed Exotic WeaponsRapier, long 60 gp 2d6 19–20/x2 — 5 lb. P

Ranged Exotic WeaponsGrenade 3 gp 3d6/1d6 x3 10 ft. 2 lb.Snaphance hand mortar 150 gp see grenade 30 ft. 12 lb.Snaphance wall gun 300 gp 2d12 17–20/x3 80 ft. 24 lb. P

GUNSLight GunsWheellock belt pistol 75 gp 1d8 18–20/x2 40 ft. 3 lb. P

One-Handed GunsSnaphance pistol 65 gp 1d8 18–20/x2 40 ft. 3 lb. PWheellock horse pistol 90 gp 1d10 18–20/x2 50 ft. 4 lb. PWheellock double pistol 200 gp 1d8/1d8 18–20/x2 40 ft. 5 lb. P

Two-Handed GunsMatchlock arquebus 40 gp 1d10 18–20/x2 40 ft. 10 lb. PMatchlock caliver 50 gp 1d8 18–20/x2 50 ft. 8 lb. PSnaphance musket 150 gp 1d12 17–20/x2 60 ft. 10 lb. PSnaphance long musket 200 gp 1d12 17–20/x2 70 ft. 11 lb. PSnaphance musketoon 120 gp 1d10 18–20/x2 50 ft. 7 lb. PBullets (20) 1 sp — — — 1 lb. —Smallshot (20) 1 sp — — — 1 lb. —

Huge GunsMatchlock musket w/rest 80 gp 1d12 17–20/x2 60 ft. 16 lb. P

UROPAN ARMORLIGHT ARMOR

Armor Max Check — Speed —Armor Cost Bonus Dex Penalty (30 ft.) (20 ft.) WeightPadded coat 6 gp +1 +5 –1 30 ft. 20 ft. 6 lb.Buff coat 10 gp +2 +6 0 30 ft. 20 ft. 10 lb.Studded leather 25 gp +3 +5 –1 30 ft. 20 ft. 20 lb.Chain shirt 70 gp +4 +4 –2 30 ft. 20 ft. 25 lb.

MEDIUM ARMORChainmail 150 gp +5 +2 –5 20 ft. 15 ft. 40 lb.Breastplate 100 gp +5 +4 –2 25 ft. 15 ft. 15 lb.

HEAVY ARMORCuirass 150 gp +6 +3 –3 25 ft. 15 ft. 20 lb.Cuirass with tassets 200 gp +7 +2 –4 25 ft. 15 ft. 25 lb.3/4 plate 300 gp +8 +2 –4 20 ft. 15 ft. 35 lb.Heavy plate 500 gp +9 +1 –6 20 ft. 15 ft. 50 lb.

SHIELDSBuckler 15 gp +1 — –1 — — 5 lb.Shield, small wooden 3 gp +1 — –1 — — 5 lb.

EXTRASPistol proof +50 gp — — –1 — — +5 lb.Musket proof +100 gp — — –2 –5 ft. –5 ft. +10 lb.

Note: Items in italics denote new equipment described in this book.

Northern Crown

142

Northern Crown

143

UROPANGOODS ANDSERVICES

Most goods and services listed instandard d20 system rules can also bepurchased in Northern Crown. Newitems are listed in italics; they aredescribed below.

Bandolier: A bandolier is a belt witha row of clips for holding powder flasks.Each bandolier holds up to 12 flasks.

Burgess’ Townhouse: This is athree-story half-timbered or stonedwelling with a slate roof. The firststory contains a drawing room and sit-ting room; the second story features adining room and a private study; thethird story has three bedrooms. Theattic contains servants’ quarters. A sep-arate kitchen and stable occupy awalled, gated yard to the rear of thetownhouse. All rooms are heated withfireplaces and lit with glazed windows.This is a typical dwelling for Uropancharacters of SocR 11–15.

Country Estate: This is a largecountry house made of stone, with aslate roof. It has all the rooms of aburgess’ townhouse, plus three morebedrooms, an interior kitchen, and aformal garden. It is a typical dwellingfor Uropan characters of SocR 16–20.

Gentry Outfit: The gentry, espe-cially rural landowners, wear clothingthat is well-made but more suited toriding and hunting than the confiningclothing of the nobility.

Gunflint: This is a piece of flint usedfor igniting snaphance weapons. A singleflint is good for about 50 shots.

Gunpowder Keg: Used for allguns in New World Adventures, gunpow-der is a low explosive, meaning that itexplodes by simply burning veryrapidly, without creating the shatter-ing impact of a high explosive. It isalso an insensitive explosive, meaningthat it cannot be easily detonatedthrough jarring or impact. A spark orflame, however, will ignite dry powdereasily. In bulk, gunpowder has the fol-lowing damage:

Direct Hit Within 5 ft. Within 10 ft.5d6 3d6 1d6

Knightly Hall: This is a larger ver-sion of a country estate, with a verylarge central hall between two wingsof private rooms and servants’ quarters.It is a typical dwelling for Uropancharacters of SocR 21–25.

Laborer’s Cottage: This is a two-room stone or half-timbered dwellingwith a thatched or shingled roof, and asingle fireplace. Humans occupy oneroom, with animals stabled in theother. There are no windows and onlyone exterior door. It is a typicaldwelling for Uropan characters ofSocR 1–3.

Match Cord: This is a chemicallytreated length of slender rope thatburns along its length when ignited.Two types exist: slow cord, used forigniting matchlock weapons, burns ata rate of 1 foot per hour; fast cord,used for igniting gunpowder explo-sions, burns at 5 feet per round. Bothtypes are vulnerable to being extin-guished by high winds or rain.

Military Pack: Most soldiers carrya standard military pack, whichincludes the following gear from theequipment list: backpack, bedroll, 6feet x 9 feet of canvas, flint and steel,clay mug, sewing needle (with thread),and waterskin.

Natural Philosopher’s Lab Kit:This wooden case filled with powders,oils, and reagents is used by naturalphilosophers. Its contents are used inplace of material components for cre-ating phenomena, when the equiva-lent d20 System spell has a listed costin its description. Once 100 gp worthof materials have been used, the kit isempty and can be refilled with up to500 gp worth of additional materials.

Powder Flask: A powder flask is asmall wooden or leather vial with astopper and narrow spout. Each oneholds enough gunpowder for one shot.They are usually carried on bandoliers,each holding up to 12 flasks. The pricelisted here does not include gunpow-der; refilling a flask requires 5 cp(approximately 1 ounce) of powder.

Ramrod: Ramrods are slender metalrods capped with a small metal disk.They are used to load a gun with shot.Most guns have a bracket or slot runningbeneath the barrel to hold the ramrodwhen not in use. Ramrods come in threetypes: those for light and one-handedguns, and those for two-handed guns,and those for Huge guns.

Sextant: A sextant is a sightingdevice used in navigation. It gives youa +5 to Survival checks made to findyour location.

Soldier’s Uniform: Most soldierswear a distinctive uniform, custommade for them to enhance theirmajesty on the battlefield, rather thanto indicate who they fight for. A sol-dier’s allegiance is indicated by wear-ing a sash or badge of a particularcolor. The price given is a minimum;add 1 gp multiplied by the character’sSocR to the base price of any soldier’suniform to account for finer materialsand more-fashionable styles.

Tradesman’s House: This is a two-story stone or half-timbered housewith a slate roof. The upper storyincludes a living and eating area, witha narrow stair to a loft beneath theroof. The lower story contains a store-front and workshop space. Both storiesfeature a fireplace served by the samechimney. Windows are small, butglazed with small panes of glass.Behind the house is a small yard with afreestanding kitchen shed. It is a typi-cal dwelling for Uropan characters ofSocR 7–10.

Yeoman’s Farm: This is a largestone or half-timbered farmhouse witha central hall flanked by a kitchen anda barn. The hall is heated by a largefireplace, and lit by one or two win-dows filled with oiled paper ratherthan glass. Although it lacks a true sec-ond story, the house has a sleeping loftbeneath the thatched or shingled roof,which is reached by a ladder. It is atypical dwelling for Uropan charactersof SocR 4–6.

ADVENTURING GEAR

Item Cost WeightAcid (flask) 10 gp —Alchemist’s fire (flask) 20 gp —Antitoxin (vial) 50 gp —Backpack (empty) 2 gp 2 lb.Bandolier 2 gp 2 lb.Barrel (empty) 2 gp 30 lb.Basket (empty) 4 sp 1 lb.Bedroll 1 sp 5 lb.Bell 1 gp —Blanket, winter 5 sp 3 lb.Block and tackle 5 gp 5 lb.Bottle, glass wine 2 gp —Bucket (empty) 5 sp 2 lb.Caltrops 1 gp 2 lb.Candle 1 cp —Canvas (sq. yd.) 1 sp 1 lb.Case, map or scroll 1 gp 1/2 lb.Chain (10 ft.) 30 gp 2 lb.Chalk, 1 piece 1 cp —Chest (empty) 2 gp 25 lb.Crowbar 2 gp 5 lb.Firewood (per day) 1 cp 20 lb.Fishhook 1 sp —Fishing net, 25 sq. ft. 4 gp 5 lb.Flask 3 cp —Flask, powder(per 10) 50 cp 1 lb.Flint and steel 1 gp —Grappling hook 1 gp 4 lb.Gunflint (per 10) 10 cp 1 lb.Gunpowder keg 20 gp 5 lb.Hammer 5 sp 2 lb.Ink (1 oz. vial) 8 gp —Inkpen 1 sp —Jug, clay 3 cp 9 lb.Ladder, 10-foot 5 cp 20 lb.Lamp, common 1 sp 1 lb.Lantern, bullseye 12 gp 3 lb.Lantern, hooded 7 gp 2 lb.Lock

Very simple 20 gp 1 lb.Average 40 gp 1 lb.Good 80 gp 1 lb.Amazing 150 gp 1 lb.

Manacles 15 gp 2 lb.Manacles, masterwork 50 gp 2 lb.Match cord (50 ft.) 4 gp 1 lb.Military pack 4 gp 18Mirror, small steel 10 gp 1/2 lb.Mug/tankard, clay 2 cp 1 lb.Oil (1-pint flask) 1 sp 1 lb.Paper (sheet) 4 sp —

Parchment (sheet) 2 sp —Pick, miner’s 3 gp 10 lb.Pitcher, clay 2 cp 5 lb.Piton 1 sp 1/2 lb.Pole, 10-foot 2 sp 8 lb.Pot, iron 5 sp 10 lb.Pouch, belt 1 gp 3 lb.Ram, portable 10 gp 20 lb.Ramrod (light gun) 1 gp 1/4 lb.Ramrod (one- or two-handed gun) 15 sp 1/2 lb.Rations, trail (per day) 5 sp 1 lb.Rope, hemp (50 ft.) 1 gp 10 lb.Rope, silk (50 ft.) 10 gp 5 lb.Sack (empty) 1 sp 1/2 lb.Sealing wax 1 gp 1 lb.Sewing needle 5 sp —Signal whistle 8 sp —Signet ring 5 gp —Sledge 1 gp 10 lb.Soap (per lb.) 5 sp 1 lb.Spade or shovel 2 gp 8 lb.Spyglass 750 gp 1 lb.Tent 10 gp 20 lb.Torch 1 cp 1 lb.Vial, ink or potion 1 gp —Waterskin 1 gp 4 lb.Whetstone 2 cp 1 lb.

SPECIAL SUBSTANCES AND ITEMS

Item Cost WeightAcid (flask) 10 gp 1 lb.Alchemist’s fire (flask) 20 gp 1 lb.Antitoxin (vial) 50 gp —Holy water (flask) 25 gp 1 lb.

CLASS TOOLS AND SKILL KITS

Item Cost WeightArtisan’s tools 5 gp 5 lb.Artisan’s tools, masterwork 55 gp 5 lb.Climber’s kit 80 gp 5 lb.Disguise kit 50 gp 8 lb.Healer’s kit 50 gp 1 lb.Holly and mistletoe — —Holy symbol, wooden 1 gp —Holy symbol, silver 25 gp 1 lb.Hourglass 20 gp 1 lb.Magnifying glass 30 gp —Natural philosopher’s lab kit 100 gp 2 lb.Tool, masterwork +50 gp —Musical instrument,

common 5 gp 3 lb.Musical instrument,

masterwork 100 gp 3 lb.

144

Northern Crown

UROPAN GOODS AND SERVICES

Scale, merchant’s 2 gp 1 lb.Sextant 300 gp 2 lb.Spyglass 250 gp 2 lb.Spell component pouch 5 gp 3 lb.Spellbook, wizard’s (blank) 15 gp 3 lb.Thieves’ tools 30 gp 1 lb.Thieves’ tools, masterwork 100 gp 2 lb.Water clock 20 gp 200 lb.

CLOTHING

Item Cost WeightArtisan’s outfit 1 gp 4 lb.Cleric’s vestments 5 gp 6 lb.Cold weather outfit 8 gp 7 lb.Courtier’s outfit 30 gp 6 lb.Entertainer’s outfit 3 gp 4 lb.Explorer’s outfit 10 gp 8 lb.Gentry outfit 15 gp 6 lb.Noble’s outfit 75 gp 10 lb.Peasant’s outfit 1 sp 2 lb.Royal outfit 200 gp 15 lb.Scholar’s outfit 5 gp 6 lb.Soldier’s uniform 10 gp 6 lb.Traveler’s outfit 1 gp 5 lb.

FOOD, DRINK, AND LODGING

Item Cost WeightAle

Gallon 2 sp 8 lb.Mug 4 cp 1 lb.

Banquet (per person) 10 gp —Bread, per loaf 2 cp 1/2 lb.Cheese, hunk of 1 sp 1/2 lb.Inn stay (per day)

Good 2 gp —Common 5 sp —Poor 2 sp —

Meals (per day)Good 5 sp —Common 3 sp —Poor 1 sp —

Meat, chunk of 3 sp 1/2 lb.Rations, trail (per day) 5 sp 1 lb.Wine

Common (pitcher) 2 sp 6 lb.Fine (bottle) 10 gp 1 1/2 lb.

MOUNTS AND RELATED GEAR

Item Cost WeightBarding, Medium creature x2 x1Barding, Large creature x4 x2Bit and bridle 2 gp 1 lb.Cart 15 gp 200 lb.

Donkey or mule 8 gp —Feed (per day) 5 cp 10 lb.Horse, heavy 200 gp —Horse, light 75 gp —Pony 30 gp —Warhorse, heavy 400 gp —Warhorse, light 150 gp —Warpony 100 gp —Saddle, Military 20 gp 30 lb.Pack 5 gp 15 lb.Riding 10 gp 25 lb.Pack 15 gp 20 lb.Riding 30 gp 30 lb.Saddlebags 4 gp 8 lb.Sled 20 gp 300 lb.Stabling (per day) 5 sp —Wagon 35 gp 400 lb.

HAULING VEHICLES

Item Cost Weight Holds or CarriesCart 15 gp 200 lb. 1/2 tonSled 20 gp 300 lb. 1 tonWagon 35 gp 400 lb. 2 tons

SHIPS

Item CostRowboat 50 gpOar 2 gpGalley 30,000 gpKeelboat 3,000 gpSailing ship 10,000 gpWarship 25,000 gp

TRANSPORTATION

Item CostShip’s passage 1 sp per mileCoach cab 3 cp per mileMessenger 2 cp per mileRoad or gate toll 1 cp

BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY

Item CostLaborer’s cottage 100 gpYeoman’s farm 500 gpTradesman’s house 1,000 gpBurgess’ townhouse 10,000 gpCountry estate 50,000 gpKnightly hall 100,000 gp

Note: Items in italics denote new equipment described in this book.

Northern Crown

145

UROPAN GOODS AND SERVICES (CON’D)

POWERAND MIGHT

This chapter discusses the uniquecomponents, focus types, and spellsused by First Ones spellcasters, as wellas the influence of natural power uponthe abilities of both First Ones andUropan druids. Brief mention is alsomade of the compatibility of Uropanmagic with standard d20 System rules,and several new Uropan spells aregiven, many of which are related togunpowder, guns, inventions, medi-cine, and astrology.

NATURALPOWER &SPELLS

The spellcasting abilities of bothFirst Ones and Uropan druids areclosely tied to the natural power oftheir surroundings. The First Ones callnatural power medawaywin. ForUropan druids, most of whom hailfrom Kelt lands, natural power iscalled the Greening. Both types ofdruids can cast spells to detect, moni-

tor, and enhance natural power. If thenatural power of an area has beenweakened or destroyed, either bydestruction of the area’s flora, by thelingering effect of mass killings, or bythe presence of the undead, the druid’sspellcasting abilities are negativelyaffected, while an area of strong natur-al power increases the druid’s spellcast-ing ability. For this reason, druidsspend much of their time protectingthe wilderness from damage caused byhuman activities and evil magic, eitherby hunting down despoilers of thewild or by raising earth effigies andstanding stones to enhance the naturalpower of the area.

NATURALPOWER LEVELSAND EFFECTS

A given area of land always possess-es one of six levels of natural power,with associated effects for druid spell-casting, the health of animals withinthe area, and Survival checks.

VERY STRONG (+2)Areas enhanced by earth effigies, stand-

ing stones, enhance natural power spells, orsimply possessing an innately strongnatural power because of their pristine

beauty, allow druids to cast spells at twoclass levels above their actual levelregarding range, damage, number oftargets, duration, and other level-dependent aspects of the spell. Theseareas are characterized by extremelyfertile soil, with large, healthy trees orother flora, which support an abun-dance of animal life. Normal animalsfound here receive a +2 circumstancebonus to Constitution scores. Survivalchecks to get along in the wild in theseareas receive a +4 bonus.

STRONG (+1)Areas with strong magical power

have been enhanced as above, but notas strongly; druids cast spells at oneclass level above their actual levelregarding level-dependent aspects ofthe spell. These areas appear to bewilderness, with no sign of damagefrom human activities. Normal animalsfound here receive a +1 circumstancebonus to Constitution scores. Survivalchecks to get along in the wild in theseareas receive a +2 bonus.

NORMALAreas that have retained more than

3/4 of their natural vegetation andtopology have a normal level of natur-al power. Most wilderness terrain inNorthern Crown falls under this cate-gory. Druids cast spells at their actualclass levels in these areas.

146

CHAPTER NINE

MAGICWhether by chance or fate, our encounter with Okwaho has rescued our mission from certain disaster. His agreement to join

forces with us lifts my spirits. His bardic abilities are prodigious, and his linguistic and diplomatic skills have proven invaluable aswe have made our way overland through Shawnee country, securing right of safe passage from the local leadership through carefulnegotiation.

Now I lie upon a wooded bluff, looking upon the scene that has disturbed my dreams these last few weeks: a river plain, stud-ded with ancient earthworks, and infested with gangs of tomb robbers, digging like ants and disturbing who knows what ancientspirits in the name of Vandalian lust for power and treasure. It is common knowledge that the ancestors of the First Ones possessedmagic spells and wondrous items far beyond our current capabilities. Annalisa X, bold fool that she is, has decided to systematical-ly plunder these mounds for whatever artifacts she can find, using the methods of science to recover the sorceries of the distant past.

Emmaline and Okwaho have both rendered themselves invisible, and walk now through the rows of tents and hovels, lookingfor our foe. As I observe the activities of the workers, something strikes me as odd. They are not excavating the mounds, but ratherrepairing them, fetching baskets of earth from the riverbank and healing the scars they made earlier in their search for plunder! Somedistance off, unaccountably, they have started work upon a new mound — a great stepped pyramid that, if completed, woulddwarf even the largest of the ancient mounds. In their movements, they are like somnambulists, or automata, shambling and awk-ward, as if no longer the masters of their own bodies.

It is as I have feared — something has been awakened from beneath the mounds that should have been left sleeping. I only hopemy friends down in the camp realize their peril!

WEAK (–1)Areas retaining only 1/4 to 3/4 of

their natural vegetation and topologyare considered to have a weakenedlevel of natural power. Most farmlandenvironments fall under this category.Druids in these areas cast spells as ifthey were one class level lower thantheir actual level regarding level-dependent aspects of the spell.Normal animals found here receive a–1 circumstance penalty toConstitution scores. Survival checks toget along in the wild in these areasreceive a –2 penalty.

ABSENT (–2)Areas with less than 1/4 or of their

natural vegetation and topologyremaining are considered to have nonatural power. This includes mosturban areas of the continent. Druids inthese areas cast spells as if they weretwo class levels lower than their actuallevel regarding level-dependentaspects of the spell. Normal animalsfound here receive a –2 circumstancepenalty to Constitution scores.Survival checks to get along in the wildin these areas receive a –4 penalty.

CORRUPTED (–3)Areas with absent natural power that

have been affected by the spells drain nat-ural power or suppress natural power, or thosethat have been the scene of horriblecrimes against living creatures, becomecorrupted. Druids in these areas castspells as if they were three class levelslower than their actual level regardinglevel-dependent aspects of the spell.Corrupted areas are barren of all normalvegetation, but may harbor foul weeds,thorns, nettles, and other unpleasantplants. They tend to swarm with giantvermin, and are haunted at night by mon-sters. Aberrations, evil outsiders, and ver-min receive a +2 circumstance bonus toConstitution scores while in these areas,and the area is considered to be under theeffect of an unhallow spell from sunset untilsunrise, for purposes of turning andrebuking undead. Normal animals (otherthan vermin) found here receive a –4 cir-cumstance penalty to Constitutionscores. Survival checks to get along in thewild in these areas receive a –8 penalty.

CHANGINGPOWER LEVELS

Natural power levels can shift formany reasons. The most commoninclude traumatic events in the loca-

tion’s history, and the use of spells thatimpact natural power levels; thesespells are described at the end of thischapter.

DAMAGENatural power can be weakened by

physical damage to local vegetationand landforms, as the result of lumber-ing, mining, settlement, burning, orpollution. At least 1/4 of the naturalvegetation or surface topography ofthe area must be damaged in order toproduce this condition.

DRAINEDNatural power can be weakened by

a corrupt natural power or suppress naturalpower spell.

ENHANCEMENTNatural power can become strong

or very strong due to the presence ofan earth effigy, an enhance natural powerspell, or special innate strength in anarea.

EVIL PRESENCENatural power can be weakened

by the presence of aberrations,undead, or evil outsiders. To weakenit, the evil presence must have beenpresent in the area for at least oneweek. If a total of 10 or more HD ofcreatures creating the evil presencehave resided in the area for onemonth or more, the natural powerwill be absent. If they have remainedfor one year or more, the level of nat-ural power will be corrupted.

BLOODSHEDNatural power can be weakened or

destroyed by acts of bloodshed, eitherby humans against non-evil humans,or by humans against non-evil crea-tures. To weaken the natural power bybloodshed, at least 10 HD worth ofnon-evil humans or creatures musthave been slain in the area, with theweakness lasting for one year per HDslain. If 100 or more HD of non-evilhumans or creatures have been slain inthe area within a one-year period, thenatural power will be entirely absent,regardless of how long ago the blood-shed occurred.

147

Northern Crown

Northern Crown

148

SUPPLEMENTAL FIRST ONES SPELL LISTSFIRST ONES BARD SPELLS

1ST-LEVEL BARD SPELLSEarthclap: Your clapping hands or drumbeat can

shake nearby evil creatures.

3RD-LEVEL BARD SPELLSInvoke Hero: Ally gains a temporary +2 bonus to

Dexterity, Strength, and Wisdom.

FIRST ONES DRUID SPELLS

0-LEVEL DRUID SPELLSDetect Natural Power: You can sense the strength of

local natural power.

1ST-LEVEL DRUID SPELLSBane: Enemies suffer -1 attack, -1 on saves against fear. Bless: Allies gain +1 attack and +1 on saves against fear. Earthclap: Your clapping hands can shake nearby evil

creatures.Protection from Chaos/Evil: +2 AC and saves, counter

mind control, hedge out elementals and outsiders. Remove Fear: +4 on saves against fear for one subject

+1/four levels.

2ND-LEVEL DRUID SPELLSAugury: Learns whether an action will be good or bad. Cure Moderate Wounds: Cures 2d8 +1/level damage (max +10). Diagnose Natural Power: You can determine the

cause of weakness or absence of local natural power.Internal Creature: You can swallow a live Tiny animal

and store it in your body.Lesser Restoration: Dispels magic ability penalty or repairs

1d4 ability damage. Zone of Truth: Subjects within range cannot lie.

3RD-LEVEL DRUID SPELLSCure Serious Wounds: Cures 3d8 +1/level damage (max +15). Daylight: 60-ft. radius of bright light.Enhance Natural Power: You can temporarily

increase the natural power of an area.

Hair to Snakes: Your hair transforms into a mass ofDiminutive snakes.

Magic Circle against Chaos/Evil: As protection spells, but10-ft. radius and 10 min./level.

Magic Vestment: Armor or shield gains +1 enhancement perthree levels.

Prayer: Allies gain +1 on most rolls, and enemies suffer -1. Remove Blindness/Deafness: Cures normal or magical conditions. Remove Disease: Cures all diseases affecting subject. Recover Poison: You can draw poison out of a live

animal or victim and save it.

4TH-LEVEL DRUID SPELLSDiscern Lies: Reveals deliberate falsehoods. Dismissal: Forces a creature to return to native plane. Divination: Provides useful advice for specific proposed actions.Restoration: Restores level and ability score drains.Restore Natural Power: You permanently increase an

area’s natural power.

FIRST ONES PALADIN SPELLS

3RD-LEVEL PALADIN SPELLSRecover Poison: You can draw poison out of a live

animal or victim and save it.

FIRST ONES SORCERER SPELLS

1ST-LEVEL SORCERER SPELLSInternal Creature: You can swallow a live Tiny animal

and store it in your body.

2ND-LEVEL SORCERER SPELLSEat Fire: You can extinguish flames by inhaling them,

without harming yourself.Hair to Snakes: Your hair transforms into a mass of

Diminutive snakes.

3RD-LEVEL SORCERER SPELLSRecover Poison: You can draw poison out of a live

animal or victim and save it.Soft Body: Piercing and slashing weapons only do

one point of damage to you.

FIRST ONESMAGIC

The spellcasters of Uropa use all thespells of the standard d20 System rules,but the First Ones, who have developedtheir own divine and arcane magic

forms, have access to unique spells oftheir own in addition to the standardd20 System spells, while certainUropan spells are unknown to them.

The following spells are not availableto First Ones spellcasters: arcane lock, bladebarrier, erase, hold portal, illusory script, knock,mage’s sword, magnificent mansion, mount, phan-tom steed, secret page, sepia snake sigil, trap, wall

of iron. The spells given below are avail-able to First Ones spellcasters.

In First Ones cultures where the cler-ic is not an appropriate class — includ-ing the Mohawk, Ojibwa, and Shawnee— some low-level spells normallyreserved for clerics in the standard d20System rules are accessible to druids.The these spells are indicated by italics.

UROPANMAGIC

Although their cultures’ attitudestowards magic may differ from those

found in a typical high-fantasy cam-paign, Uropan spellcasters use the com-ponents, focus types, and spellsdescribed in standard d20 System rules,plus several spells developed over thepast two centuries to maintain paritywith advancing technology. For exam-ple, wizards and sorcerers have created

several new spells in response to thenew developments of guns and naturalphilosophy, and also to reflect a moresophisticated understanding of astrolo-gy and the theory of bodily humors.

The spells in this table are availableto Uropan spellcasters in addition tothose listed in standard d20 System rules.

Northern Crown

149

SUPPLEMENTAL UROPAN SPELL LISTS

UROPAN BARD SPELLS

0-LEVEL BARD SPELLS

Fizzle: You prevent a gun from firing for one round.Pause Invention: You cause an invention to stop

working for one round.

1ST-LEVEL BARD SPELLS

Walking Tune: Your song adds +10 ft. to allies’ move-ment rate.

UROPAN CLERIC SPELLS

0-LEVEL CLERIC SPELLS

Benediction: Subject gains +1 deflection bonus forone round/level.

1ST-LEVEL CLERIC SPELLS

Exhortation: Subject gains 1d4+1 to Str, Dex, or Wisfor 1 round/level.

Unshakable Faith: You cannot be blown away,checked, knocked down, shaken, or stunned.

2ND-LEVEL CLERIC SPELLS

Righteous Healing: Subject who slays evil creaturesrecovers lost hp.

3RD-LEVEL CLERIC SPELLS

Swords to Plowshares: You temporarily dull enemies’weapons for –2 damage.

UROPAN DRUID SPELLS

0-LEVEL DRUID SPELLS

Detect Natural Power: You can sense the strength oflocal natural power.

2ND-LEVEL DRUID SPELLS

Diagnose Natural Power: You can determine thecause of weakness or absence of local natural power.

3RD-LEVEL DRUID SPELLS

Enhance Natural Power: You can temporarilyincrease the natural power of an area.

Suppress Natural Power: You can temporarilydecrease the natural power of an area.

4TH-LEVEL DRUID SPELLS

Drain Natural Power: You permanently decrease anarea’s natural power.

Restore Natural Power: You permanently increase anarea’s natural power.

UROPAN SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS

0-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS

Fizzle: You prevent a gun from firing for one round.Pause Invention: You cause an invention to stop

working for one round.

1ST-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS

Lofty Missile: You double the range increment of asingle missile.

2ND-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS

Backfire: You cause a gun to explode when it is fired.

3RD-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS

Animate Shadow: Your shadow temporarily becomesan undead creature.

Bacon’s Detonator: You ignite all gunpowder withina 10-ft. burst.

Hold Invention: You cause an invention to stop work-ing for one round/level.

NEW SPELLDESCRIPTIONS

The following are descriptions ofnew spells unique to New WorldAdventures campaigns. Those markedwith a (F) are exclusive to First Ones ofthe indicated class, while those thathave a (U) are used only by Uropansof that class.

ANIMATE SHADOWTransmutation [Evil]Level: Wit (U) 3, Sor/Wiz (U) 3Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: PersonalTarget: Your shadowDuration: 1 round/level (D)Saving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You temporarily transform yourown shadow into the undead creatureof the same name, under your mentalcontrol. The shadow has 19 hit points,plus 1 hit point multiplied by yourclass level. It has all the special attacksand qualities of a shadow as describedin standard d20 System rules, exceptthat its touch attack only drains 1d4points of temporary Strength damage,and it cannot create spawn as a super-natural ability.

An animated shadow cannot gomore than 30 feet away from you, andmust remain in your line of sight. If itis slain or subject to daylight or a simi-lar spell, the spell ends.

BACKFIREAbjurationLevel: Wit (U) 2, Sor/Wiz (U) 2Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)Target: One gunpowder weaponof Large size or smaller

Duration: 1 round/levelSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You place a spell upon a light, one-handed, or two-handed gun, whichwill cause the weapon to explodewhen it is next fired. This causes it todeal 1d4 normal damage and 1d3 firedamage to the firer, and it destroys theweapon.

BACON’S DETONATOR

EvocationLevel: Wit (U) 4, Sor/Wiz (U) 3Components: V, S, MCasting Time: 1 actionRange: Medium (100 ft. + 10ft./level)

Target: All gunpowder in the spellarea

Area: 10-ft. radius burstDuration: InstantaneousSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You cause all gunpowder withinthe spell area to ignite. Any loadedguns will fire, even if their gunlocksare not cocked. Gunpowder kegs andother bulk containers of gunpowderexplode, causing the normal damageand area effects associated with gun-powder explosions. The spell does notaffect any other flammable materials.

Material Component: A small piece offlint.

BENEDICTIONAbjurationLevel: Clr (U) 0Components: V, S, DFCasting Time: 1 actionRange: TouchTarget: One personDuration: 1 round/levelSaving Throw: NoSpell Resistance: No

You grant a +1 deflection bonus tothe touched person, who must be ofgood or neutral alignment.

Divine Focus: A holy symbol.

DETECT NATURAL POWER

DivinationLevel: Drd 0Components: SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: 1000 ft.Area: Quarter circle emanatingfrom you to the range limit

Duration: Concentration, up to 1minute/level (D)

Saving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You can detect the local strength ofthe natural power of the land. You cantell if it is either very strong, strong,normal, weak, absent, or corrupted.

DIAGNOSE NATURAL POWER

DivinationLevel: Drd 2Components: SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: 1000 ft.Area: Quarter circle emanatingfrom you to the range limit

Duration: Concentration, up to 1minute/level (D)

Saving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

1st Round: You can detect thestrength of the natural power of theland. You can tell if it is either verystrong, strong, normal, weak, absent,or corrupted.

2nd Round: You can determine whythe natural power of the land isstronger or weaker than normal, aschosen from the following list of caus-es: damage, drain, enhancement, evilpresence, or bloodshed.

3rd Round: You can sense the num-ber of sites of damage, evil presence,or bloodshed within the spell area.

4th Round: You can sense the direc-tion and distance of any sites youdetected in the 3rd round.

DRAIN NATURAL POWER

Necromancy [Evil]Level: Clr 4Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 dayRange: PersonalArea: 100 ft. + 10 ft./level radiuscentered on you

Duration: PermanentSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You can spend XP to permanentlydecrease the natural power of yourimmediate surroundings. To decreasethe level of natural power by one cat-egory (very strong to strong, strong tonormal, normal to weak, weak toabsent, or absent to corrupted), youcan spend 50 XP. Although the changein power level is immediate, the areawill not look any different initially.Natural vegetation will wither toreflect the change over the course of ayear; it is replaced by foul andunwholesome plants in a corruptedarea, it vanishes completely in anabsent area, it covers 1/2 of a weak-ened area, and covers 3/4 of a normalarea.

150

Northern Crown

You can cast this spell multipletimes in a single area, to decrease thenatural power more than one level.

EARTHCLAPEvocationLevel: Brd (F) 1/Drd (F) 1Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: 30-ft. radius centered onyou

Target: YouDuration: InstantaneousSaving Throw: Will negatesSpell Resistance: No

With a clap of your hands, you canmake a single beat of the living earthaudible to human ears, using its powerto shake evil creatures. All evil crea-tures failing a Fortitude save within 30feet of you must make a Will save orbecome shaken. The duration of theircondition depends upon the level ofnatural power in the immediate area:very strong, 1d6 rounds; strong, 1d4rounds; normal or weaker, 1 round.

EAT FIREConjurationLevel: Sor (F) 2Components: SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: 10 ft. Target: One creature or flamesource

Area: One creature or 5 ft. x 5 ft.area of flame

Duration: One round/levelSaving Throw: Fortitude negates(see text)

Spell Resistance: Yes

You can extinguish normal fires,changing the target area once perround as a free action. You can alsodamage creatures of the Fire subtype,inflicting 1d6 damage each round.Creatures are allowed a Fortitude save.

ENHANCE NATURAL POWER

EvocationLevel: Drd 3Components: SCasting Time: 1 minuteRange: PersonalArea: 100 ft. + 10 ft./level radiuscentered on you

Duration: See textSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You can spend XP to temporarilyenhance the natural power of yourimmediate surroundings. To increase thelevel of natural power by one category(corrupted to absent, absent to weak,weak to normal, or normal to strong,strong to very strong), you can spend 2XP per hour of duration, to a maximumof 2 XP multiplied by your class level. Atthe end of the spell’s duration, the levelof natural power returns to what it wasbefore the spell was cast.

EXHORTATIONEnchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]Level: Clr (U) 1Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)Target: One personDuration: 1 round/levelSaving Throw: Will negates (harmless)Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

Your shout gives a single ally a tem-porary bonus of +4 to either his Strength,Dexterity, or Wisdom score, chosen byyou at the time the spell is cast.

FIZZLEAbjurationLevel: Brd (U) 0, Wit (U) 0,Sor/Wiz (U) 0

Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)Target: One gunpowder weaponof Large size or smaller

Duration: 1 roundSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

This cantrip allows you to preventa light, one-handed, or two-handedgun from firing for one round, by sup-pressing the ignition of its gunpowdercharge. Matchlock weapons will dis-charge when the spell ends; wheellockand snaphance weapons need to becocked again before firing (this takes afree action).

HAIR TO SNAKESTransmutationLevel: Drd (F) 3, Sor (F) 2Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: PersonalTarget: YouDuration: One round/levelSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

Your hair transforms into awrithing mass of Diminutive ven-omous serpents, resembling coralsnakes, with red, yellow, and blackbands. On your successful touchattack, or while grappling, 1d4 snakeswill attempt to bite your opponent.Each one attacks at +0, and does 1point of damage plus poison.

Coral snake poison: Injury DC 10,Initial damage 1d3 Con and Paralysisfor 2d4 hours; secondary damage 1d6Str; 100 gp

The snakes do not give you addi-tional hit points, and they share what-ever conditions you are subject to; forexample, if you are unconscious, shak-en, or dazed, they are as well.

HOLD INVENTIONAbjurationLevel: Sor/Wiz (U) 3Components: V, S, MCasting Time: 1 actionRange: Medium (100 ft. + 10ft./level)

Target: One invention of Largesize or smaller

Duration: 1 round/levelSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

This is a more powerful version ofpause invention, with a longer durationand greater range.

Material Component: A tiny metalwrench or a wooden shoe.

INTERNAL CREATUREConjurationLevel: Drd (F) 2, Sor (F) 1Components: SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: Touch Target: One Tiny creatureDuration: See textSaving Throw: Will negatesSpell Resistance: No

You can compel a Tiny creaturesuch as a viper or spider to enter yourbody through your mouth and remainin your body until you draw it forth asa standard action. The animal, if notbefriended by you as an animal com-panion or familiar, can make a Willsave to resist the spell. Only one crea-ture may be stored at a time in thisfashion.

While inside you, the animal isconsidered held; this condition lastsfor one round after it is drawn forthagain, after which time it recovers.While the spell is in effect, you cantalk, eat, and drink normally. This spell

151

Northern Crown

is often used to protect or conceal afamiliar or animal companion. If afamiliar, it maintains an empathic linkwith its master even when concealedin its master’s or another spellcaster’sbody.

INVOKE HEROTransmutationLevel: Brd (F) 3Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)Target: One personDuration: One round/level (D)Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)Spell Resistance: Yes

You give a single ally a temporarybonus of +2 to Dexterity, Strength, andWisdom scores. The bonus affects sav-ing throws, AC, attacks, damage, andskill checks related to those attributes.

LOFTY MISSILETransmutationLevel: Sor/Wiz (U) 1Components: V, S, MCasting Time: 1 actionRange: TouchTarget: One missileDuration: 1 day/levelSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You temporarily enhance the rangeof a single missile, either thrown orfired from a ranged weapon. For exam-ple: a bullet, a cannonball, an arrow, ora rock. The range increment of themissile (or the weapon it is fired from)is doubled for one attack only.

Material Component: A pigeon’s feather.

PAUSE INVENTIONAbjurationLevel: Brd (U) 0, Sor/Wiz (U) 0Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 lev-els)

Target: One invention of Largesize

or smallerDuration: 1 roundSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You briefly stop an invention ofLarge size or smaller from functioning.

The invention is considered held; itcannot move, operate, or produce anyof its normal effects. Vehicles cease topropel themselves, but are subject tonatural forces including gravity andbuoyancy.

RECOVER POISONConjurationLevel: Drd 3 (F), Pal (F) 3, Sor (F)3, Wit (F) 2

Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 minuteRange: TouchArea: One creatureDuration: InstantaneousSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You can magically draw one doseof poison from a living creature andsave it in a vial or similar container.The spell can be used to harvest poi-son from a live animal, or to removepoison from a victim. If used on a poi-soned victim, the victim suffers no fur-ther effects but this does not negateany damage already done, such as lossof hit points or ability damage.

RESTORE NATURAL POWER

EvocationLevel: Drd 4Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 dayRange: PersonalArea: 100 ft. + 10 ft./level radiuscentered on you

Duration: PermanentSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You can spend XP to permanentlyincrease the natural power of yourimmediate surroundings. To increasethe level of natural power by one cat-egory (corrupted to absent, absent toweak, weak to normal, or normal tostrong, strong to very strong), you canspend 50 XP. Although the change inpower level is immediate, the area willnot look any different initially. Naturalvegetation will grow back to reflectthe change over the course of a year; itwill cover 1/2 of a weakened area, 3/4of a normal area, or all of a strong area.

You can cast this spell multipletimes in a single area, to increase thenatural power more than one level.

RIGHTEOUS HEALINGConjuration (Healing)Level: Clr (U) 2Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 lev-els)

Target: One personDuration: 1 round/levelSaving Throw: Will negates (harm-less)

Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The target of a righteous healing spellrecovers one or more lost hit pointswhenever he reduces an evil creature’shit points below 0 as the result of amelee or ranged attack. This excludesthe following attacks: spells or spell-like abilities that inflict damage; poi-son; sneak attacks; or attacks againstdisabled, held, helpless, incapacitated,paralyzed, or unconscious creatures.The rate of hit point recovery is 1point per hit die of the creature slain.In a single round, the target cannotrecover more than one hit point multi-plied by your class level.

SOFT BODYTransmutationLevel: Sor (F) 3, Wit (F) 3Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: PersonalTarget: YouDuration: One round/level (D)

You alter your body to allowweapons to pass through it withalmost no harm to you. While thespell is in effect, attacks made againstyou by normal piercing or slashingweapons cannot inflict more than onepoint of damage. Other attacks inflict1/2 damage. Magical weapons with abonus of +1 or better inflict normaldamage. Any other types of damage,including cold, heat, poison, or elec-tricity, are not blocked by the spell.

The spell does not protect yourpersonal effects, which remain subjectto damage.

SUPPRESS NATURAL POWER

Necromancy [Evil]Level: Clr 3Components: SCasting Time: 1 minute

152

Northern Crown

Range: PersonalArea: 100 ft. + 10 ft./level radiuscentered on you

Duration: See textSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You can spend XP to temporarilydrain the natural power of your imme-diate surroundings. To decrease thelevel of natural power by one category(very strong to strong, strong to nor-mal, normal to weak, weak to absent,or absent to corrupted), you can spend2 XP per hour of duration, to a maxi-mum of 2 XP multiplied by your classlevel. At the end of the spell’s duration,the level of natural power returns towhat it was before the spell was cast.

SWORDS TO PLOWSHARES

TransmutationLevel: Clr (U) 3Components: V, S, MCasting Time: 1 actionRange: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)Target: See textArea:30-ft. emanation, centered on youDuration: 1 round/level (D)Saving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You cause normal and masterworkpiercing and slashing melee andranged weapons wielded by enemieswithin the spell area to temporarilybecome dull, resulting in a –1 penaltyto damage rolls while the spell is ineffect. Magic weapons, naturalweapons, and weapons that inflictbludgeoning damage are not affected.

Material Component: A spring of anolive tree, which is broken when thespell is cast.

UNSHAKABLE FAITHTransmutationLevel: Clr (U) 1Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: PersonalTarget: YouDuration: 1 round/levelSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

You gain immunity from beingblown away, checked, knocked down,shaken, staggered, and stunned. Anydamage associated with effects thatwould cause these conditions isapplied normally. You also receive a +4bonus to Strength checks made toresist a trip attempt.

WALKING TUNETransmutationLevel: Brd (U) 1Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 actionRange: PersonalTarget: Self and allies within 20 ft.Duration: Concentration, up to 1hour/level (D); see text

Saving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

You sing a tune that increases themovement rate of you and your alliesby +10 ft./round. For each ally joiningyou in song, the normal duration ofthe spell can be extended by one hourto a maximum of one additional hourmultiplied by your class level.

While this spell is in effect, Listenchecks are at a penalty of –4 and MoveSilently checks are at a penalty of –8for anyone within 20 ft. of you.

153

Northern Crown

POWERSOF THEMIND

In addition to the arcane and divinespellcasting abilities possessed by someUropans and First Ones, others are giftedwith powers of the mind that manifest instartling, sometimes powerful effects.Although these powers use the standardd20 System rules for psionics, the term“psionics” is unknown to denizens ofNorthern Crown, except perhaps for a fewnatural philosophers who have just begun tostudy the phenomenon. Instead, psionicabilities are simply called “knacks.” Thosewho manifest them or witness them maybelieve that they are divinely inspired gifts,merely another form of magic, or the workof evil spirits.

This chapter describes the various typesof psionic knacks found in New WorldAdventures characters and includes a list ofpsionic powers suitable to the campaign, astaken from the d20 System rules.

AVAILABLEKNACKS

Three psionic knacks are available toNew World Adventures characters: evil eye,firebug, and second sight. A charactergains a psionic knack by taking the featof the same name as the knack desired. Itprovides the character with access to alimited number of psionic powers,depending on the character’s level.

A psionic knack is not a characterclass. Unlike a psionic class, it does not

have a key ability or primary discipline. Itsimply allows a character to manifest asmall number of psionic powers, with afixed number of power points per daybased on the character’s level.

Knacks first manifest themselveswhen the character is still a toddler.Young folk with the evil eye may startletheir parents with their ability to see inthe dark; children destined to becomefirebugs may have eyes that glow likefireflies in the dark; and those with theknack of second sight may casuallyreveal the thoughts of neighbors orstrangers. In rural areas of NorthernCrown, a knack can be considered ablessing — a valuable addition to thefamily’s limited resources. But such agift carries the danger that the childwill use its talents for mischief or harm,which would bring disapproval or evenretribution from the community.

Natural philosophers have foundevidence that knacks seem to be rareamong urban populations, but that may

CHAPTER TEN

PSIONIC KNACKS

PSIONIC KNACKSCHARACTER LEVEL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9+POWER PTS./DAY 2 3 4 5 7 9 11 13 15POWER LEVEL 0 1st 1st 2nd 2nd 2nd 3rd 3rd 3rd

Character Level: The character’s total character level.Power Pts./Day: How many psionic power points the character has access to each day.Power Level: The maximum level of psionic power to which the character has access. Characters with a psionic knack do not need to discover their powers; once they can manifest powers of a certain level, they have access to all the powers of that level associated with their particular knack.

“Miss Emmaline, are you there?” I call, in a whisper. But the witch is either too scared to answer, or has become separatedfrom me. My wolf sniffs at the air, but cannot catch her scent. His paws tremble at the touch of this place, whose natural powerhas become corrupted to the point that it has begun to extend tendrils of unlife into the surrounding lands. This is what we havefelt all along. We have arrived at the source of the interruption of the beat of the living earth — a rent in the web of life. The peo-ple here — the rafters and the soldiers alike — are without independent thought, mere playthings of a single mind, a powerfulpresence that draws me onward toward the rising pyramid by the riverside. I pass a smoldering pyre, the smoking wreckage of aflying ship, fed by papers, books, and maps, all crumbling away to ashes. What madness is this?

Then I see her, the one Franklyn has warned me about. Gold and silver bracelets adorn her arms, a glittering mica gorget hangsat her throat. And upon her face, a mask like a crystal skull, the funeral garb of some long-dead sorcerer-king. My wolf growls, andI see that the woman stands at the center of this evil place — she is its source and its master. The mask — those hollow eye sockets— there is an inhuman malice behind them. She is no less a puppet than they are. I am facing a greater and older enemy than I haveever encountered, intent on reclaiming its ancient realm, and capable of controlling the minds and bodies of others.

Another woman has appeared at her side, with the same awkward gait as the others. It is Emmaline, but her face is like amask, showing no emotions, no spark of life. A feeling of sickness spreads over me, and then the mind of that evil thing inside themask makes contact with my own …

154

155

Northern Crown

be explained by the reluctance of suchpeople to reveal their talents in areaswhere the church and state have a strongpresence. The church has often failed todistinguish knacks from sorcery andwitchcraft, and has persecuted thosewho display psionic ability. The state isaware of the potential of psionic charac-ters to become spies and saboteurs, andmay arrest them in the interest of securi-ty, or even recruit them as spies, remov-ing them from public life either way.

Regardless of the type, all charac-ters with a psionic knack acquirepower points and discover powers atthe following rate:

EVIL EYEThe evil eye is a form of psionic

knack that gives characters the abilityto strike fear into opponents’ hearts,inflict pain, or even temporarily dis-able them. Characters with this knackare not necessarily of evil alignment,although their disarming, baleful gazeoften evokes fear or suspicion amongtheir neighbors, leading to baselessaccusations of witchcraft and sorcery.As a result of their persecution by soci-ety, those with the evil eye tendtoward chaotic alignment, oftenbecoming wanderers or hermits.

0-LEVEL EVIL EYE POWERS(Talents)

Daze: Creature loses next action.Distract: Subject’s mind wanders, impart-

ing a –1 penalty on some actions.Elfsight: The manifester has low-light

vision.

1st-LEVEL EVIL EYE POWERS

Charm Person: Makes one per-son the manifester’s friend.

Demoralize: Foes suffer –1penalty on some actions.

Disable: Subjects incor-rectly believe they aredisabled.

Steadfast Gaze: Gazeattacks hold no terror forthe manifester.

2nd-LEVEL EVIL EYE POWERS

Brain Lock: Subject cannotmove or take any mentalactions.

Detect Thoughts: Detect sub-ject’s surface thoughts.

Inflict Pain: Mental attack deals 3d6damage.

Suggestion: Compels subject to fol-low suggested action.

3rd-LEVEL EVIL EYE POWERS

Lesser Domination: Forces subject toobey manifester’s will.

FIREBUGFirebugs have a natural

gift for controlling the ele-ments of fire and illumina-tion, creating sparks andflames out of thin air,either to provide welcomewarmth or to sear andburn their foes. They tendtoward chaotic alignmentand are said to be quick-tempered.

0-LEVEL FIREBUG POWERS (Talents)

Finger of Fire: Deals 1d3fire damage to one foe.

My Light: Eyes emit a 20-ft. coneof light.

1st-LEVEL FIREBUG POWERS

Firefall: Fiery sparks deal 1d4 fire dam-age in 10-ft. radius.

Psycholuminescence: Object sheds silverylight.

Control Light: Adjust light levels up ordown.

2nd-LEVEL FIREBUG POWERS

Burning Ray: Fiery ray deals 3d6 dam-age to foe.

Control Flames: Control heat andmovement of a fire.

3rd-LEVEL FIREBUG POWERS

Whitefire: Deals 5d4 fire damage in 20-ft.radius.

156

Northern Crown

SECOND SIGHTCharacters with second sight manifest

the ability to see far in space and time, sensehidden dangers, and read the thoughts ofothers. Their heightened awareness of theunfolding of time and of the innermostthoughts of others often creates an aloof,disinterested manner towards their fellowhuman beings, expressed as a neutral align-ment. Because of this neutral stance, thosewith second sight frequently becomesources of advice, wisdom, and prognosti-cation for their neighbors.

0-LEVEL SECOND SIGHTPOWERS (TALENTS)

Inkling: 50% likely to know ifan intended action is goodor bad.

Know Direction: Know whichway is north.

1st-LEVEL SECONDSIGHT POWERS

Combat Precognition: Gainsa +1 insight bonus to AC.

Know Location: The manifester knowswhere he or she is.

Lesser Mindlink: Forge a limited men-tal bond with another creature.

Object Reading: Knows about anobject’s past.

Sense Link: Sense what the subjectsenses (single sense).

2nd-LEVEL SECOND SIGHT POWERS

Augury: Learn if an intended actionwill be good or bad.

Clairaudience/Clairvoyance: Hear orsee at a distance.

Combat Prescience: Gain a +2 insightbonus on attack roll.

Detect Thoughts: Detect subject’ssurface thoughts.

See Invisibility: Reveals invisible crea-tures or objects.

Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions:Find out about an area’s past.

3rd-LEVEL SECOND SIGHT POWERS

Danger Sense: Gain a +4bonus against traps.Mindlink: Have a mentalbond with others.Remote Viewing: See subjectfrom a distance.

This section gives players andGMs some general guidelines for cre-ating new inventions, including rulesfor constructing automata, powersources, vehicles, and weapons. Fordevices and substances, guidelines aregiven for the GM to help in assigningan inventor level, required science,and cost. The Northern Crown: Gazetteerprovides specific stats and descriptionsfor common inventions.

Although natural philosophers cancreate inventions that duplicate theeffects of many magic items, theinventions that add the most value to aNew World Adventures campaign aremore than simply magic items goingby another name. A new inventionshould fulfill a longstanding wish ofhumankind: to fly, to cheat death, toexplore the seas. Given the early stateof scientific knowledge in the world ofNew World Adventures, an invention musthave some limitations. Perhaps it isheavy, or cumbersome, or noisy, orneeds to be recharged or re-woundperiodically. The GM should considerall new inventions carefully; anythingtoo efficient or powerful may unbal-ance the game.

ASSIGNINGA SCIENCE

To help determine which science isrequired to build an invention, usethese guidelines:Antimagic: This science includes any

invention that suppresses, cancels, orabsorbs spells or spellcasting.

Life and Death: Any invention thatrestores or removes life, abilityscores, or hit points, or protectsagainst disease or poison, or affectsStrength, Dexterity, or Constitution.

Magnetism: Any invention thatinvolves electrical energy or magnet-ic forces.

Matter: Any invention that affects theproperties of matter, or that involvesa transformation of matter or energy,or inflicts fire, acid, or cold damage.Vehicles and power sources areincluded under this science.

Mentalism: Any invention that ampli-fies, projects, or blocks mind effects,or affects Intelligence, Wisdom, orCharisma.

Physics: Any invention involvinglight, sound, or planar travel.

Any: If the invention doesn’t seem tofit any of these categories, place itunder the “any” category. Examplesof inventions in this categoryinclude weapons, automata, andtimesaving gadgets.

CREATINGAUTOMATA

An automaton’s price and statisticsare based on its size, as given in thetable on the next page. Its weight is asfor a typical d20 System creature basedon its size. Improvements can be madeat additional cost. The creator of anautomaton can base its general form onany creature with a discernable anato-my, regarding the arrangement of itslimbs and its body shape. But regardlessof this form, automata are restricted toland movement unless improved.

All automata of Medium size or larg-er possess damage resistance 5/— as anextraordinary ability. They obey the ver-bal commands and carry out the instruc-tions of anyone whose voice their creatorhas authorized them to respond to, up toone person per point of Intelligence pos-sessed by the automaton. They obeycommands mindlessly, even to the pointof destroying themselves.

POWERSOURCE

All automata are powered by aninternal power source (see CreatingPower Sources, below). The cost of thepower source is included in the cost ofthe automaton. Automata must befueled with alcohol to operate, at thecost of fueling a power source of equiv-alent size. All automata can operate forone full day before requiring refueling.

TYPEAutomata are constructs, and have

the usual features and traits of theConstruct type.

CONSTRUCTFEATURES & TRAITS

Features:A construct has these features.— 10-sided Hit Dice.— Base attack bonus equal to 3/4 total

Hit Dice (as cleric).— No good saving throws.— Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier,

minimum 1) per Hit Die, withquadruple skill points for the first HitDie, if the construct has anIntelligence score. However, mostconstructs are mindless and gain noskill points or feats.

Traits: A construct possesses the fol-lowing traits (unless otherwise noted).— No Constitution score.— Low-light vision.— Darkvision out to 60 feet.— Immunity to all mind-affecting effects

(charms, compulsions, phantasms,patterns, and morale effects).

— Immunity to poison, sleep effects,paralysis, stunning, disease, deatheffects, and necromancy effects.

— Not subject to critical hits, nonlethaldamage, ability damage, ability drain,fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain.

— Immunity to any effect that requires aFortitude save (unless the effect alsoworks on objects, or is harmless).

— Not at risk of death from massivedamage. Immediately destroyedwhen reduced to 0 hit points or less.

— Since it was never alive, a constructcannot be raised or resurrected.

— Because its body is a mass of unlivingmatter, a construct is hard to destroy.It gains bonus hit points based onsize, as shown on the Automata BaseStatistics table.

— Proficient with its natural weaponsonly, unless generally humanoid inform, in which case proficient withany weapon mentioned in its entry.

— Proficient with no armor.— Constructs do not eat, sleep, or breathe.

157

CHAPTER ELEVEN

INVENTION CREATION

AUTOMATAIMPROVEMENTS

Armor Plating: This improvementincreases an automaton’s existing natur-al AC bonus, up to an additional +5points. Automata of Tiny size and small-er can not receive this improvement.Cost: 20% of base price per additionalpoint of AC bonus. Inventor Level: 7th.

Breath Weapon: This improve-ment gives an automaton a breathweapon attack: a line of hot steam 20ft. long, once every 1d4 rounds,inflicting 2d4 fire damage, Reflex saveDC 14, half. Cost: 20% of base price.Inventor Level: 7th.

Burrow: An automaton with thisimprovement can burrow at up to onehalf its base land speed. Cost: 50% ofbase price. Inventor Level: 8th.

Climb: This improvement allowsan automaton to climb at up to onehalf its base land speed. Cost: 50% ofbase price. Inventor Level: 7th.

Dexterous: This improvementadds +4 to the Dexterity score ofMedium and smaller automata, and +2to the Dexterity score of Large and

larger automata. Cost: 50% of baseprice. Inventor Level: 7th.

Enlightened: This improvementgives an automaton a Charisma andWisdom score of 10. Enlightenedautomata have a Will save of +0, butlose their immunity to mind-affectingeffects. Cost: 50% of base price. InventorLevel: 12th.

Fast: This improvement adds +2 tothe automaton’s Dexterity score, +1 toits Reflex save, and +5 feet to theautomaton’s speed. Cost: 25% of baseprice. Inventor Level: 7th.

Fly (clumsy): This improvementallows an automaton to fly withClumsy maneuverability at a speed ofup to twice its base land speed. Cost:100% of base price. Inventor Level: 7th.

Fly (poor): This improvementallows an automaton to fly with Poormaneuverability at a speed of up totwice its base land speed. Cost: 200%of base price. Inventor Level: 7th.

Fly (average): This improvementallows an automaton to fly withAverage maneuverability at a speed ofup to twice its base land speed. Cost:300% of base price. Inventor Level: 9th.

Galvanic Armor: An automatoncan be equipped with galvanic armor

that provides a deflection AC bonusagainst ranged attacks, of up to +5.Once activated, the armor can remainactive for up to one hour before need-ing one hour to recharge. Cost: 20% ofbase price per point of deflection ACbonus. Inventor Level: 7th

Intelligent: An automaton’sIntelligence score can be improved asmuch as +8 points above its baseIntelligence. Cost: 1,000 gp x the abili-ty score increase squared, up to +8.Inventor Level: 8th.

Run: This improvement allows anautomaton to run as a full-roundaction at up to three times its base landspeed. Cost: 50% of base price. InventorLevel: 7th.

Skilled: This improvement gives anautomaton ranks in a skill. Cost: 1,000gp per skill point. Inventor Level: 7th.

Strong: An automaton’s Strengthscore can be improved as much as +8points above its base Strength. Cost:The value of the bonus squared x 1000gp, up to +8. Inventor Level: 7th.

Swim: This improvement allows anautomaton to swim at up to one half itsbase land speed. Cost: 50% of baseprice. Inventor Level: 7th.

158

Northern Crown

AUTOMATA BASE STATISTICS

Size Price Inventor Level AC Hit Dice Speed (No Run)Fine 1,000 gp 20th 22 (+8 size, +4 Dex) 1/4 d10 (1 hp) 10 ft. (2 sq.)Diminutive 2,000 gp 16th 17 (+4 size, +3 Dex) 1/4 d10 (1 hp) 10 ft. (2 sq.)Tiny 4,000 gp 12th 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex) 1/2 d10 (2 hp) 10 ft. (2 sq.)Small 6,000 gp 8th 13 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +1 natural) 1d10+10 (15 hp) 10 ft. (2 sq.)Medium 8,000 gp 7th 12 (+2 natural) 2d10 +20 (31 hp) 20 ft. (4 sq.)Large 10,000 gp 8th 12 (–1 size, –1 Dex, +4 natural) 4d10+30 (52 hp) 20 ft. (4 sq.)Huge 15,000 gp 10th 14 (–2 size, –2 Dex, +6 natural) 8d10+40 (84 hp) 20 ft. (4 sq.)Gargantuan 25,000 gp 14th 14 (–4 size, –3 Dex, +8 natural) 1610+50 (148 hp) 30 ft. (6 sq.)Colossal 50,000 gp 18th 14 (–8 size, –4 Dex, +12 natural) 32d10+80 (256 hp) 30 ft. (6 sq.)

Size BAB Slam Attack: Str Dex Con Int Wis Cha Fort Ref WillFine +0 –4 melee (1d3–4) 2 18 — 10 1 1 +0 +4 –5Diminutive +0 –3 melee (1d3–3) 4 16 — 10 1 1 +0 +3 –5Tiny +0 –2 melee (1d3–2) 6 14 — 10 1 1 +0 +2 –5Small +0 –1 melee (1d4–1) 8 12 — 10 1 1 +0 +1 –5Medium +1 +1 melee (1d6) 10 10 — 10 1 1 +0 +0 –5Large +3 +5 melee (1d8+2) 14 8 — 10 1 1 +0 –1 –5Huge +6 +10 melee (2d6+4) 18 6 — 10 1 1 +0 –2 –5Gargantuan +10 +16 melee (2d8+6) 22 4 — 10 1 1 +0 –3 –5Colossal +24 +33 melee (4d6+9) 28 2 — 10 1 1 +0 –4 –5

CREATINGDEVICES

Natural Philosophers are also able tocreate smaller devices, as outlined below.

DUPLICATING ITEMS

Natural philosophers with theCraft Invention feat can create devicesthat duplicate the effects of a d20System ring, wand, or wondrous item,provided they know the naturalphilosopher phenomena equivalent tothe spells needed to make the item,their natural philosopher level is atleast as high as the caster level listedfor the item, and they meet all otherprerequisites listed for the item, withthe exception of item creation feats.For example, a 5th-level naturalphilosopher can make a device thatacts precisely like a 5th-level wand oflightning bolt if she knows the naturalphilosopher phenomenon lightning bolt.She doesn’t need to have the CraftWand feat, because she is not actuallymaking a wand. The resulting device

would work exactly like a wand,regarding the save DC, number ofcharges, and activation method.

Phenomena generated by devicesare considered extraordinary abilitiesrather than spells. Generally, devicesthat duplicate the effects of a wandcan only be used by natural philoso-phers, while those that are the equiva-lent of a ring or wondrous item can beused by anyone. Magical armor,weapons, rods, staffs, and scrolls can’tbe duplicated by natural philosophers.

Devices that produce a naturalphilosopher phenomenon are pricedas though they were magic items thatproduce the equivalent spell. A syringewith 50 charges that produces theeffect of cure light wounds when used ona wounded creature costs the same as awand of cure light wounds of equivalentlevel. A belt that allows the wearer tobecome invisible at will has the samecost as a ring of invisibility. Naturalphilosophers do not spend XP to cre-ate devices.

Devices usually take differentforms from their magic item counter-parts. A ring of invisibility becomes a beltof invisibility; a wand of cure light woundsbecomes a syringe of cure light wounds; awind fan becomes a wind engine. Caps,belts, gloves, syringes, forks, andengines are the most common formsfor devices that mimic magic items.

CREATING UNIQUE DEVICES

Natural philosophers can also createnew devices that have unique powersunlike any standard d20 System magicitem. Most of the inventions listed in theInventions chapter of the Northern Crown:Gazetteer fall into the latter category. Thed20 System rules for pricing magic itemscan be used as a general guideline forpricing new devices, but ultimately theGM has final say on the price and inven-tor level of any new invention proposedby a player that does not precisely cor-respond to an existing magic item.

CREATINGPOWER SOURCES

All power sources are rated in termsof their size and Strength — they havethe lifting and dragging power of acreature of the same size and Strength,following standard d20 System rules.They can be used to turn a wheel ordrive a piston, or to power an automa-ton or vehicle. Power sources run onalcohol fuel, with an operating time ofsix hours on a full reserve of alcohol.

Northern Crown

POWER SOURCE STATISTICS

Size Price Inventor Level Strength Lift Dragging Power Weight (Fueled/Empty)Fine 500 gp 16th 2 2.5 lbs. 12.5 lbs. 0.5 lb.*Diminutive 500 gp 12th 4 10 lbs. 50 lbs. 5 lb.*Tiny 500 gp 8th 6 30 lbs. 150 lbs. 15 lbs.*Small 500 gp 4th 8 60 lbs. 300 lbs. 30 lbs./27 lbs.Medium 500 gp 3rd 10 100 lbs. 500 lbs. 50 lbs./38 lbs.Large 1,000 gp 4th 14 350 lbs. 1,750 lbs. 175 lbs./139 lbs.Huge 2,000 gp 6th 18 1,200 lbs. 6,000 lbs. 600 lbs./456 lbs.Gargantuan 4,000 gp 10th 22 4,160 lbs. 20,800 lbs. 2,080 lbs./1,780 lbs.Colossal 8,000 gp 14th 28 19,200 lbs. 96,000 lbs. 9,600 lbs./8,850 lbs.

* Fuel adds a negligible amount of weight.

Size Hit Points Hardness Break DC Volume Refuel CostFine 1 0 2 0.01 quart 1 cpDiminutive 1 0 4 0.1 quart 1 spTiny 2 0 6 0.5 quart 5 spSmall 10 0 8 1quart 1 gpMedium 15 5 20 4 quarts 4 gpLarge 25 5 14 12 quarts 12 gpHuge 50 10 18 48 quarts 48 gpGargantuan 100 10 22 100 quarts 100 gpColossal 200 10 26 250 quarts 250 gp

159

CREATINGSUBSTANCES

Substances generally are used likemagic potions and oils; they cost as muchto create as the equivalent potion or oilunder standard d20 System rules. Naturalphilosophers do not pay an XP cost whencreating a substance that is the equivalentof a potion or oil, and they do not need topossess the Brew Potion feat. The inven-tor of a substance must have access to thenatural philosopher phenomenon that iscreated when the substance is used.Natural philosopher substances are usual-ly called tinctures and salves rather thanpotions or oils, to distinguish them fromthe equivalent magic item — a tincture ofcat’s grace or a salve of protection from energy,rather than a potion of cat’s grace or oil of pro-tection from energy. The effects of naturalphilosopher substances are consideredextraordinary abilities rather than spells.

Substances that do not duplicatethe effects of a magic potion or oil mustbe priced by comparing them to exist-ing items. As with other inventions thatdo not have an exact equivalent magicitem, the GM should assign a value.

CREATINGVEHICLES

Vehicles are a type of construct. Theyhave all the properties of constructs, withthe following additional features.

Features: A vehicle has the follow-ing additional features.— Vehicles use the initiative and

Reflex saves of the person control-ling them.

— They can’t heal damage on theirown, but can be repaired like otherinventions.

— They are subject to critical hits,since they have a discernable (butinorganic) anatomy, but are notsubject to nonlethal damage, abili-ty damage, ability drain, fatigue,exhaustion, or energy drain.

— They are immune to effects thatrequire a Fortitude or Will save.

— Vehicles lose the skill points, low-light vision, darkvision, and weaponproficiencies of other constructs.

VEHICLESUBTYPES

When inventing a vehicle, an inven-tor can choose one of three basic sub-types: land vehicle, water vehicle, or airvehicle. Land vehicles only possess landmovement; water vehicles can swimexclusively; while air vehicles can onlyfly. Land vehicles travel by means ofmechanical legs, but can be improvedwith multiple legs or wheels; water vehi-cles use oars or mechanical propulsion totravel over the water’s surface, and canbe improved to dive under the water;and air vehicles fly using a combinationof paddles and mechanical wings. Thespeed of a vehicle can be increased andadditional modes of movement addedby purchasing improvements.

POWERSOURCES & SPEED

Vehicles have a base speed of 0 feet.They require one or more mechanicalpower sources or crew members to movethem; non-humanoid crew members likea horse on a treadmill or an automatonare entirely possible. To increase itsspeed above 0, a vehicle must havepower sources or crew aboard capable ofdragging the vehicle’s weight plus theweight of any power sources, fuelreserves, crew, cargo, and any improve-ments like armor or weapons.

A power source’s dragging power isdetermined by its size, as given in thePower Sources Stats table. A crewmember’s dragging power is deter-mined by his Strength score; a charac-ter can generally drag five times hismaximum encumbrance load, as givenin the table below.

Strength Score Dragging Power6 300 lbs.7 350 lbs.8 400 lbs.9 450 lbs.10 500 lbs.11 575 lbs.12 650 lbs.13 750 lbs.14 875 lbs.15 1000 lbs.16 1150 lbs.17 1300 lbs.18 1500 lbs.19 1750 lbs.20 2000 lbs.

Northern Crown

VEHICLE BASE STATISTICS

Size Price Inventor Level AC Hit DiceLarge 10,000 gp 4th 8 (–1 size, –5 Dex, +4 natural) 4d10+30 (52 hp)Huge 15,000 gp 6th 9 (–2 size, –5 Dex, +6 natural) 8d10+40 (84 hp)Gargantuan 25,000 gp 8th 9 (–4 size, –5 Dex, +8 natural) 16d10+50 (148 hp)Colossal 50,000 gp 10th 9 (–8 size, –5 Dex, +12 natural) 32d10+80 (256 hp)

Size Weight Crew Stations Cargo BinsLarge 1,000 lbs. 2 2Huge 3,000 lbs. 4 4Gargantuan 6,000 lbs. 8 8Colossal 12,000 lbs. 16 16

160

To determine a vehicle’s speed, addup the dragging power of all powersources and crew members aboard,and divide the total by the weight ofthe vehicle and its contents. Round tothe nearest whole number and thenmultiply by 10 feet to find the vehicle’sspeed. For land vehicles with multiplelegs and for water vehicles multiply by15 feet instead, for wheeled vehiclesand air vehicles multiply by 20 feetinstead, and for air vehicles multiplyby 25 instead. Round any remainderup to the next five-foot increment.

For example, a Large land vehicleis equipped with a Medium powersource (500 lbs. dragging power) and2 crew members, one with a Strengthof 19 (1750 lbs.), and one with aStrength of 10 (500 lbs.), for a total of2750 pounds combined draggingpower.

The vehicle weighs 1,000 pounds,the power source weighs 50 pounds,and the two crew members weigh atotal of 300 pounds, for a total weightof 1,350 lbs. Dividing the draggingpower of the crew and power source bythe total weight carried by the vehicle,we get a result of 2.04. The vehicle’sspeed is 10 feet times that result, for aspeed of 20.4 feet, which rounded upgives a final speed of 25 feet.

A vehicle can’t run, and there arepractical limits to how fast you canmake a vehicle travel. No land vehiclecan travel faster than 80 feet; watervehicles, 40 feet; and air vehicles, 120feet.

CREW STATIONS& CARGO SPACE

The number of crew stations andcargo bins available aboard a vehicle isgiven on the Vehicle Base Statisticstable. Crew stations can be used toseat passengers or crew members.Cargo bins utilize odd spaces aboardthe vehicle not occupied by crew sta-tions; each bin is 8 cubic feet in size.Mechanical power sources must occu-py one or more crew stations or cargobins, at the following rate:

Size SpaceMedium 1Large 2Huge 4Gargantuan 8Colossal 12

(Note: The value given above foreach power source’s space requirementis measured in crew stations/cargo binsrequired.)

VEHICLEIMPROVEMENTS

Airtight: This improvement allowsa land vehicle to operate at half itsbase speed on the bottom of a body ofwater at a depth of up to 200 feet.While sealed, an airtight vehicle hasno outside source of air. Each vacantcrew station and cargo bin aboard pro-vides enough air for one person tobreathe for two hours. Alcohol powersources of Medium size or larger con-sume the equivalent of one hour’sworth of air per hour. Cost: Land vehi-cles only; 100% of base price. InventorLevel: 4th.

Armor Plating: This improvementincreases a vehicle’s existing naturalAC bonus, up to an additional +5points. Each point of armor adds 100pounds of weight to a vehicle, adjust-ed by the following modifiers, basedon the vehicle’s size: Large x 1, Huge x

2, Gargantuan x 8, Colossal x 12. Cost:20% of base price per additional pointof AC bonus. Inventor Level: 4th.

Artillery: A vehicle can be fittedwith a limited range of standardartillery pieces (for complete stats ofartillery pieces, see Artillery in theSkills, Feats, & Combat chapter). Costand weight of each type is givenabove, along with the number of crewstations each type occupies. Artillerycan be mounted on diving vehicles atdouble cost, but the artillery does notfunction underwater. Inventor Level: 4th.

Balloon Canopy: Any air vehiclecan be fitted with a balloon canopy. Itallows the vehicle to maintain its alti-tude without the use of rowers orother power sources, but when figur-ing the vehicle’s speed it uses a multi-plier of 15 feet instead of 25 feet. Thecanopy can be attacked separatelyfrom the vehicle to which it isattached. If reduced to zero hit pointsa balloon canopy begins to deflate,causing the vehicle to descent at a rateof 20 feet per round. Inventor Level: 4th.

Burrow: A vehicle with thisimprovement can burrow at up to onehalf its base land speed. Cost: Landvehicles only, wheeled vehicles pro-hibited; 100% of base price. InventorLevel: 8th.

Climb: This improvement allows avehicle to climb at up to one half itsbase land speed. Cost: Land vehiclesonly, wheeled vehicles prohibited;50% of base price. Inventor Level: 4th.

Dive: In addition to being able toswim on the surface of the water asnormal, a water vehicle with thisimprovement can dive and travel atdepth of 200 feet at up to one half itsbase speed. Vehicles take 1d4 of dam-age each round per 100 feet of depth,rounded down, when diving beyond200 feet. While submerged, a divingvehicle has no outside source of air.Each vacant crew station and cargobin aboard a diving vessel providesenough air for one person to breathe

161

Northern Crown

ARTILLERY STATISTICSArtillery Type Weight Space* CostRabbinet 50 lbs. 1 125 gpFalconet 75 lbs. 1 175 gpFalcon 125 lbs. 2 300 gpMinion 250 lbs. 3 600 gpSaker 400 lbs. 4 1,000 gpDemi-Culverin 700 lbs. 6 1,400 gpCulverin 800 lbs. 8 2,000 gpLong Culverin 850 lbs. 10 2,100 gp

* Measured in crew stations required.

BALLOON CANOPY STATISTICSCanopy Size AC Hit Points CostLarge 9 20 5,000 gpHuge 8 40 10,000 gpGargantuan 6 60 20,000 gpColossal 2 120 40,000 gp

for two hours. Alcohol power sourcesof Medium size or larger consume theequivalent of one hour’s worth of airper hour. Cost: Water vehicles only;100% of base price. Inventor Level: 5th.

Electrostatic Cannon: An air orland vehicle can be mounted with anelectrostatic cannon (see theInventions chapter in the NorthernCrown: Gazetteer for full stats). The can-non occupies 3 crew stations or cargobins, and must be charged by 2 crewmembers before firing. Cost: 10, 000 gpInventor Level: 10th.

Fly (clumsy): This improvementallows a vehicle to fly with Clumsymaneuverability. Cost: Free for air vehi-cles; 100% of base price for othertypes. Inventor Level: 4th.

Fly (poor): This improvementallows a vehicle to fly with Poormaneuverability. Cost: 100% of baseprice; air vehicles only. Inventor Level: 6th.

Fly (average): This improvementallows a vehicle to fly with Averagemaneuverability. Cost: 200% of baseprice; air vehicles only. Inventor Level: 9th.

Fly (good): This improvementallows a vehicle to fly with Good

maneuverability. Cost: 300% of baseprice; air vehicles only. Inventor Level: 12th.

Fly (perfect): This improvementallows a vehicle to fly with Perfectmaneuverability. Cost: 350% of baseprice; air vehicles only. Inventor Level: 15th.

Fuel Reserve: Cargo bins aboard avehicle can be filled with vessels tohold extra alcohol fuel for onboardpower sources and allow for refuelingwhile the vehicle is in motion. Eachfuel reserve holds enough alcohol forone refueling (six hours’ operation) ofa power source of equivalent size.When full, a fuel reserve adds weightto a vehicle, as given in the tablebelow. Empty, the weight of a fuelreserve is negligible. Cost: 10 gp(Medium), 30 gp (Large), 100 gp(Huge), 300 gp (Gargantuan), 600 gp(Colossal). Inventor Level: 4th.

Galvanic Shields: A vehicle can beequipped with galvanic shields thatprovide a deflection AC bonus againstranged attacks, up to +10. Activating agalvanic shield takes 1 full round foreach point of deflection AC bonusgained — a +6 galvanic shield, forexample, takes six rounds to become

fully activated, becoming +1 on thefirst round, +2 on the second round,and so on. Once activated, the shieldscan remain active for up to one hourbefore needing one hour to recharge.Galvanic shields take up one cargo binon Large vehicles, two bins on Hugevehicles, 4 bins on Huge vehicles, 8bins on Gargantuan vehicles, and 12bins on Colossal vehicles. Cost: 20% ofbase price per point of deflection ACbonus. Inventor Level: 6th.

Gun Ports: A vehicle can be out-fitted with gun ports to allow crew andpassengers to fire Large and smallerweapons at targets outside the vehicle.A character using a gun port is vulner-able to attack from outside the vehicle,but gains 50% concealment. Cost: 100gp for each crew station fitted with agun port. Inventor Level: 4th.

Multiple Legs: A land vehicle withmultiple legs moves faster than a vehiclewith legs. It uses a multiplier of 15 feetinstead of 10 feet when determiningvehicle speed. Cost: Land vehicles only;20% of base price. Inventor Level: 4th.

Swim: This improvement allows avehicle to swim on the surface of thewater at up to one half its base speed. Cost:Free for water vehicles; 100% of baseprice for other types. Inventor Level: 4th.

Wheels: A land vehicle with wheelsmoves faster than a vehicle with legs ormultiple legs. It uses a multiplier of 20instead of 10 when determining vehiclespeed. A wheeled vehicle can only trav-el on roads and other flat surfaces. Airand water vehicles can be fitted withwheels to allow land travel. Cost: Freefor land vehicles; 50% of base price forother types. Inventor Level: 4th.

162

Northern Crown

MELEE ENERGY WEAPONS STATISTICSWeapon Size Energy Damage Cost Inventor LevelLight d4 masterwork weapon cost + 2,000 gp 7th

One-Handed d6 masterwork weapon cost + 4,000 gp 7th

Two-Handed 2d6 masterwork weapon cost + 6,000 gp 7th

Large 3d6 masterwork weapon cost + 8,000 gp 7th

RANGED ENERGY WEAPONS STATISTICSWeapon Size Energy Damage Range Weight Cost Inventor LevelOne-handed d4/rd charging 30 feet 4 lbs. 6,000 gp 7th

Two-handed d6/rd charging 60 feet 7 lbs. 9,000 gp 8th

Large d8/rd charging 80 feet 40 lbs. 12,000 gp 9th

Huge d10/rd charging 100 feet 500 lbs. 15,000 gp 10th

Gargantuan d12/rd charging 150 feet 1,000 lbs. 18,000 gp 12th

Colossal d20/rd charging 200 feet 2,000 lbs. 21,000 gp 14th

FUEL RESERVE STATISTICSPower Source Size Weight Added Space*Medium 12 pounds 1Large 36 pounds 2Huge 144 pounds 4Gargantuan 300 pounds 8Colossal 750 pounds 12

* Measured in crew stations/cargo bins required.

CREATINGWEAPONS

Characters with the CraftInvention feat can invent energyweapons that inflict cold, fire, or elec-tricity damage. Both melee and rangedweapons can be created.

MELEE ENERGYWEAPONS

Melee energy weapons are creat-ed from masterwork melee weapons

of any type. The type of energy dam-age they inflict is determined whenthey are created. On a successfulattack, they inflict the normal amountof damage for a weapon of their typeplus an amount of energy damagebased on their size. After a successfulattack, they function as masterworkweapons until placed in a chargescabbard (a move-equivalent action)and drawn again (another move-equivalent action). Energy weaponsdo not function underwater. If notused to attack or touch a target with-in one minute of being charged, ener-gy weapons do not inflict energydamage.

RANGED ENERGYWEAPONS

Ranged energy weapons are builtfrom scratch, rather than adapted frommasterwork weapons. They must beone-handed or larger in size. Allranged energy weapons have ten rangeincrements. They must be charged byturning a hand crank for at least onefull round before firing. For eachround they have been charged beforefiring, ranged energy weapons inflictone die of damage, up to a maximumof six rounds. If not fired within oneminute of charging, the charge dissi-pates, making the weapon inoperableuntil charged again.

163

Northern Crown

164

APPENDIX A

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The following text is the property of Wizards of theCoast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc(“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.

1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyrightand/or trademark owners who have contributed Open GameContent; (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted materialincluding derivative works and translations (including into othercomputer languages), potation, modification, correction, addi-tion, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridg-ment or other form in which an existing work may be recast,transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce,license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit orotherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the gamemechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes androutines to the extent such content does not embody theProduct Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art andany additional content clearly identified as Open Game Contentby the Contributor, and means any work covered by thisLicense, including translations and derivative works under copy-right law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “ProductIdentity” means product and product line names, logos and iden-tifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures charac-ters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, inci-dents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likeness-es, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographicand other visual or audio representations; names and descrip-tions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams,personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, envi-ronments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilitiesor effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any othertrademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Productidentity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specif-ically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” meansthe logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by aContributor to identify itself or its products or the associatedproducts contributed to the Open Game License by theContributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use,Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwisecreate Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or“Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.

2. The License: This License applies to any Open GameContent that contains a notice indicating that the Open GameContent may only be Used under and in terms of this License.You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content thatyou Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from thisLicense except as described by the License itself. No other termsor conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content dis-tributed using this License.

3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open GameContent You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of thisLicense.

4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeingto use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual,worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exactterms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.

5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You arecontributing original material as Open Game Content, You rep-resent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/orYou have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by thisLicense.

6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update theCOPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include theexact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open GameContent You are copying, modifying or distributing, and Youmust add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright hold-er’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original OpenGame Content you Distribute.

7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use anyProduct Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility,except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreementwith the owner of each element of that Product Identity. Youagree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with anyTrademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a workcontaining Open Game Content except as expressly licensed inanother, independent Agreement with the owner of suchTrademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any ProductIdentity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challengeto the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of anyProduct Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain allrights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.

8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game ContentYou must clearly indicate which portions of the work that youare distributing are Open Game Content.

9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agentsmay publish updated versions of this License. You may use anyauthorized version of this License to copy, modify and distributeany Open Game Content originally distributed under any ver-sion of this License.

10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of thisLicense with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.

11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or adver-tise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributorunless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.

12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to com-ply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some orall of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, orgovernmental regulation then You may not Use any Open GameMaterial so affected.

13 Termination: This License will terminate automatically ifYou fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure suchbreach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sub-licenses shall survive the termination of this License.

14 Reformation: If any provision of this License is held tobe unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to theextent necessary to make it enforceable.

15 COPYRIGHT NOTICEOpen Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2001, Wizards of

the Coast, Inc.D20 System Rules & Content Copyright 2000-2003

Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, MonteCook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan,Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell; based on original material byDave Arneson and E. Gary Gygax.

Occult Lore Copyright 2002, Trident Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games.Nyambe: African Adventures Copyright 2002, Trident Inc.

d/b/a Atlas Games; author Christopher W. Dolunt.Northern Crown: Gazetteer Copyright 2005, Trident, Inc. d/b/a

Atlas Games; author Douglas Anderson.Northern Crown: New World Adventures Copyright 2005,

Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games; author Douglas Anderson.

“1491: America Before Columbus.” NationalGeographic (October 1991).

Anglo, Sydney. The Martial Arts of RenaissanceEurope. New Haven: Yale UP, 2000.

Ankarloo, Bengt, and Gustav Henningsen. EarlyModern European Witchcraft: Centres and Peripheries.Oxford: Clarendon, 1990.

Bailyn, Bernard. Voyagers to the West: A Passage inthe Peopling of America on the Eve of the Revolution.New York: Vintage, 1986.

Becker, Tracy. Traditional American Indian Leadership:A Comparison with U.S. Governance. AmericanIndian Research and Policy Institute, 1997.

Benton-Banai, Edward. The Mishomis Book: TheVoice of the Ojibway. Saint Paul, MN: IndianCountry Press, 1981.

Briggs, Katharine. An Encyclopedia of Fairies:Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and other SupernaturalCreatures. New York: Pantheon, 1976.

Chesterman, Charles W. The Audubon Society FieldGuide to North American Rocks and Minerals. NewYork: Knopf, 1992.

Clark, Sir George. The Seventeenth Century. NewYork: Oxford UP, 1961.

Coe, Michael, Dean Snow, and ElizabethBenson. Atlas of Ancient America. New York:Facts on File, 1980.

Davidson, Gustav. A Dictionary of Angels Including theFallen Angels. New York: The Free Press, 1967.

Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates ofHuman Societies. New York: Norton, 1999.

Dolunt, Chris. Nyambe: African Adventures.Roseville, MN: Atlas Games, 2002.

Foster, Steven, and Roger Caras. A Field Guide toVenomous Animals and Poisonous Plants. Boston:Houghton Mifflin, 1994.

Goetzmann, William H., and Glyndyr Williams.The Atlas of North American Exploration from theNorse Voyages to the Race to the Pole. New York:Prentice Hall, 1992.

Johnson, Michael G. Men at Arms Series: AmericanWoodland Indians. London: Osprey, 1990.

Johnston, Basil. The Manitous: The Spiritual World ofthe Ojibway. New York: Harper Perennial, 1995.

Kerr, Ronald Dale, ed. Indian New England1524–1674: A Compendium of Eyewitness Accounts ofNative American Life. Pepperell, MA: BranchLine Press, 1999.

Leon, Vicki. Uppity Women of the Renaissance. NewYork: MJF Books, 1999.

Malone, Patrick M.. The Skulking Way of War:Technology and Tactics among the New EnglandIndians. Lanham, MD: Madison Books, 1991.

Morgan, Ted. Wilderness at Dawn: The Settling of theNorth American Continent. New York: Simon andSchuster, 1993.

Paterek, Josephine. Encyclopedia of American IndianCostume. New York: Norton, 1994.

Pennington, D.H. Europe in the Seventeenth Century.New York: Longman, 1970.

Peterson, Harold L. Arms and Armor in ColonialAmerica 1526–1783. Mineola, NY: Dover, 2000.

Polley, Jane, ed. American Folklore and Legend.Pleasantville, NY: Reader’s Digest, 1978.

Price, Richard. Maroon Societies: Rebel SlaveCommunities in the Americas. Baltimore: JohnsHopkins Press, 1996.

Pritzker, Barry M. A Native American Encyclopedia:History, Culture, and Peoples. New York: OxfordUP, 2000.

Quinn, Arthur. A New World: An Epic of ColonialAmerica from the Founding of Jamestown to the Fall ofQuébec. New York: Berkley Books, 1994.

Secara, Maggie. A Compendium of CommonKnowledge, 1558–1603: Elizabethan Commonplacesfor Writers, Actors, and Re-enactors. MaggieSecara, 1998.

Simmons, William M. Spirit of the New EnglandTribes: Indian History and Folklore, 1620–1984.Hanover, NH: UP of New England, 1986.

Taylor, Dale. The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life inColonial America from 1607–1783. Cincinnati:Writer’s Digest Books, 1997.

Wagner, Eduard. European Weapons and Warfare1618–1648. London: Octopus, 1979.

Whitfield, Peter. New Found Lands: Maps in theHistory of Exploration. New York: Routledge,1998.

Wilbur, C. Keith. The New England Indians. OldSaybrook, CT: Globe Pequot, 1978.

Wilcox, R. Turner. Five Centuries of AmericanCostume. New York: Dover, 2004.

Williams, Roger. A Key into the Language of America.London: Gregory Dexter, 1643.

Wright, Louis B. The Atlantic Frontier: Colonial AmericanCivilization 1607–1763. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 1947.

APPENDIX B

OPEN GAME LICENSE V 1.0A

APPENDIX C

INDEXabsent natural power level 147actors 63adept 76Advanced Bear Ancestry

[General] 123Advanced Training 34Advanced Turtle Ancestry

[General] 123Advanced Wolf Ancestry

[General] 123Age of Ice 11Age of Steel & Horses 12afterlife 75agent 18, 23, 36, 50, 55, 78–80Albians 6, 16–19alehouses 61alignment 16, 60, 71Alternate Form 26Anglic Church 67Animal Growth 26animals 8Animate Shadow 150arcane trickster 105archmage 105aristocrat 76armies of discovery 14Armor Training 34armor, First Ones 136–137armor, Uropan 140, 142Artifice 44artillery see Gun Combat Rules

and Weapons, UropanArtillery [General] 123Artillery Statistics table 161Artillery Types table 131assassin 105astrologers 63Athletic 41Automata Base Statistics table 158automata, creating 157–159autumn 72Backfire 150Bacon’s Detonator 150Balloon Canopy

Statistics table 161bard 18, 23, 25, 32, 34, 36, 39,

41, 46, 52, 55, 65, 76Bear Ancestry [General] 123Benediction 150Black Garb 26Black Manito 41blackguard 105Blarney 38bloodshed and natural

power level 147Blowgun Training 26Boldness 52Bonus Spells 41, 48Born to the Saddle 21Both Barrels [General] 123Both Barrels 21Buccaneer 6, 19–21Bull Rush 21burgess class 57butler 63calendar 71–72cannon see Gun Combat Rules

and Weapons, UropanCard Sharp 23

Carolingians 6, 14, 21–23Case of Rapiers 18Cat-footed 21Cavalry Training 23Cave Runner 26chaplain 63Cheap Invention [Invention] 123Cherokee Heritage 25Cherokee 6, 14, 24–26Church and Empire 34Cimarrons 6, 13, 14, 26–28clans 69–60class bonuses, appropriate 16,

18–54classes, core 76–104classes, prestige 105–119classes, social see Social Rankcleric 25, 28, 30, 34, 36, 44,

52, 76clothing 73–74; see also specific culturescoffeehouses 61Cold-weather Survival 46commoner 77Commonwealthers 6, 14, 29–31Compost Chant

[Item Creation] 123conduct 58consensus 70Constitution Drain 26Cosmopolitan 37courage 59Coureurs 8, 14, 31–32courtesy 58, 59Coven Prestige 55Cover of Darkness 55Craft Invention [Invention] 124Craft Pipe [Item Creation] 124Craft skill 120Craft Totem [Item Creation] 124creatures 8, 9, 11; see also

Northern Crown: Gazetteercredit 59Crown Subjects 21culture bonuses 15, 16–55cultures 15–55culverins see Gun Combat Rules

and Weapons, UropanCurrencies of Northern

Crown table 135damage, healing 61damage to natural power level 147Dark Arts 55Dark Years 13death 75Deists 67Detect Natural Power 150devices, creating 159Diagnose Natural Power 150disease 61; see also Northern

Crown: GazetteerDissenters 67Drain Natural Power 150drain to natural power level 147draughts 61Dream Article 44druid 18, 39, 41, 46, 48, 77Earthclap 151Eat Fire 151Effigy-Makers 12

elementals 9Eloquence 18Empathic Link with

Other Witches 26Enchanting Performance 25Enchanting Power 19English Lore 23Enhance Natural Power 151Enhanced Armor Proficiency 53enhancment to natural

power level 147equipment 135–145Erinyes Form 26Espaniards 8, 14, 32–34ethnic persecution 64–65Evil Eye [Psionics] 124evil eye 124, 155evil presence and natural

power level 147Exhortation 151Expedition Ready 23expert 77Explosives [General] 124Extra Turning 46Fabricator 44Facile Tongue 36falstaff 106–107Fast Invention Repair

[Invention] 124Feats table 122feats, new 123–129Fencing [General] 124fencing combat rules 133fencing master 107–108Fencing 37fey 9Fey Allies 25Fey-touched 18, 38fighter 28Fire and Brimstone 30firebrand 109–110Firebug [Psionics] 124firebug 124, 155First Contact Training 51First Ones Armor table 137First Ones Goods &

Services table 137First Ones Social Ranks table 68First Ones Weapons table 137First Ones 5, 9, 11, 12, 14,

68–75; see also specific culturesFizzle 151Flash [General] 124flood 11food 73; see also specific culturesfootmen 64For Good or Evil 41Force Majeure [General] 124Force Majeure 30Forest Runner 32Foul-weather Gunnery 44fouls see Gun Combat RulesFrançais 8, 35–37Freebooter 44Freeclimber 21Freedom’s Fire 28frontier legend 110–112Fuel Reserve Statistics table 162Gallic Charm 36

gamba fighter 28; see alsoNyambe: African Adventures

Gamekeeper and Swamp Fox 23games 61–61, 74gardener 64generosity 70genocide 65gentry class 57giants 9Gift of Tongues [General] 125good humor 59goods & services,

First Ones 136–137goods & services,

Uropan 143–145Government Grant 51Great Mystery 75great sachem class 68Greater Form 26Greatsword [General] 125greatsword combat rules 133–134Greatsword Training 39grooms 64gun combat rules 129–133;

see also Weapons, UropanGunnery Drill 19Guns [General] 125Hair to Snakes 151Hair Trigger [General] 125harbinger 64Hardened Invention

[Invention] 125Hardiness 52hazard 62healing damage 61Healing Hands 48Heart of Oak 23Heroic Bear Ancestry

[General] 125Heroic Turtle Ancestry

[General] 125Heroic Wolf Ancestry

[General] 125Hide from Animals 39hierophant 105history 10–14; see also specific culturesHold Invention 151honesty 71honor 59horizon walker 105housemaids 64hubbub 74Human Racial Traits insert 15humility 71hunting 62ideals 59, 70–71Imperial Enmity 43Imperial Fervor 34improvements, invention 158,

161–162Imps insert 102In Character 23Increased Invention Damage

[Invention] 126Increased Invention Hit Points

[Invention] 126Increased Vehicle Speed

[Invention] 126indentured servitude 64

165

Inscribe Tattoo [Item Creation] 126

inns 61Instill Fear 55Internal Creature 151Invention Specialization

[Invention] 126inventions, creating 156–163;

see also Northern Crown: GazetteerInvoke Hero 152Iron Will 34Judaism 66Kelts 8, 37 – 39knacks 124, 128, 153–156Knee in the Coddes 18knight class 57; see also Northern

Crown: GazetteerKnowing the Ropes 19Knowledge: Science skill 120laborer class 58lackeys 64Lake People 44Languages of Northern

Crown table 122Langue d’oc 34, 36Latin 34, 36Light Burden 32Literate 30loading see Gun Combat RulesLocal Knowledge 28Lofty Missile 152Long Rapier Training 34loremaster 105magic 10, 65–66, 146–153magical beasts 9magus, family 64Makers 11Manners [General] 126Maunetu Sorcerer [General] 127map, campaign 6marginal class 58, 69matchlock weapons see Gun

Combat Rules and Weapons, Uropanmchawi wizard 28; see also

Nyambe: African Adventuresmedawaywin 74medicine 61Melee Energy Weapons

Statistics table 162mercie 59Militia Training 28Militia Training 30minerals 8Minute Soldier 30misfires see Gun Combat RulesMohawk 6, 39 – 42money 74, 135–136monsters 8, 9, 11; see also

Northern Crown: Gazetteermonstrous humanoids 9mortars see Gun Combat Rules

and Weapons, UropanMoundraisers 11–12multiclass characters 16multiculture characters 16Musical Emissary 34musicians 63n’anga cleric 28; see also Nyambe:

African Adventuresnanala rogue 28; see also

Nyambe: African Adventuresnatural philosopher 23, 36, 44,

50, 81–89natural power 146–147, 150,

151, 152necromancy 65Nederlanders 8, 14, 42–44Negotiator 48, 50

Night Creature Empathy 55Night Tracker 55Nightchild 54ninepins 62noble class 57normal natural power level 146Northern Crown map 6nurse 64Nyambans 6, 9, 12–14, 33; see

also Cimarrons and Nyambe:African Adventures

obligation 69officer 112–113Ojibwa 6, 44–46Old Ways 66outsiders 9Owl Merge 26paladin 30, 34, 41, 46, 48, 77Parlez Français 23Patriotic Fervor 50Pause Invention 152Pawawka 48periers see Gun Combat Rules

and Weapons, UropanPersonal Manito 41Phenomena table 84–89Philosophical Society Member

[General] 127physician, household 64Pniese Paladin [General] 127polearm combat rules 134Polearms [General] 127Power of Night and Fear 55Power of Reason 50Power of the Pen 18Power Source Statistics table 159power sources 157, 159, 160Powwaw Druid [General] 127Preacher 44Profession skill 121Psionic Knacks table 154psionics 124, 128, 153–156puim 74Puritans 67Raconteur 32raider 21, 26, 32, 39, 41, 46,

48, 52, 55, 90–92Raise Earth Effigy [Item

Creation] 127Raise Standing Stone [Item

Creation] 127rake 18, 21, 23, 36, 44, 93–95ramrod see Gun Combat Rules

and Weapons, UropanRanged Disarm [General] 128Ranged Energy Weapons

Statistics table 162rank, social see Social RankRecover Poison 152Red Path 26religion & cosmology 9–10, 66–67,

74–75; see also specific cultures religious persecution 64–66reloading see Gun Combat RulesRestore Natural Power 152retainers 62–64Ricochet [General] 128Righteous Anger 30Righteous Healing 152Rigorous Training 41rogue 28Roman Church 66Rough and Tumble 44roundshot see Gun Combat Rules

and Weapons, Uropanroyal class 56sachem class 68sagamore class 69

sangfroid 59sannops class 69Science Specialization

[Invention] 128scout 23, 26, 32, 39, 41, 46,

48, 50, 52, 55, 95–97Scriptural Knowledge 30sea captain 113–114Sea Legs 19Sea Sense 43Seaworthy 52Second Sight [Psionic] 128second sight 128, 156See Fey 26, 39sei sorcerer 28; see also Nyambe:

African AdventuresSelf-Sufficient 41, 46, 48Septentrionalis 5Servants table 62Shadow on the Land 41, 46, 48shadowdancer 105shapechangers 9Share Spells 26Sharpshooter 51Shawnee 6, 46–49shelter 73; see also specific culturesShip-shield 19Signature Move [General] 128Silent Apparatus [Metascience] 128Slash and Hack 21slavery 64smallshot see Gun Combat Rules

and Weapons, UropanSmooth Operator 18snaphance weapons see Gun

Combat Rules and Weapons, Uropansocial rank 16, 56–58, 68–69;

see also specific classesSoft Body 152soldier 18, 21, 23, 30, 34, 36,

44, 50, 98–100Sophians 8, 14, 49–51sorcerer 14, 19, 26, 28, 41, 48,

55, 65, 66, 78sower 114–116Speak Language skill 121Special Mount Variant 48Spell Focus (Conjuration) 26spells, new 150–153spirit world 75Spontaneous Bless 26Spontaneous Comprehend

Languages 36Spontaneous Detect Evil 30Spontaneous Divine Favor 34Spontaneous Magic Weapon 53Spontaneous Remove Feat 44sports 61–62, 74spring 72Starting Money table 136Stealthy 55steward 64Street Sense 44Strength Training 53strong natural power level 146substances, creating 160Subtle Apparatus

[Metascience] 128summer 72Supplemental First Ones

Spell Lists 148Supplemental Uropan

Spell Lists 149Suppress Natural Power 152Surefire [General] 128Swords to Plowshares 153tables, the game of 62Take Aim [General] 128

tall tale hero 116–118taverns 61technology 10tennis 62thaumaturgist 105Throwing Axe and Knife

Training 32Thundering Voice 52Titles, Uropan Royal & Noble

table 57Trader’s Eye 43tradesman class 57traditional weapons 15Traditional Weapons 18, 19,

21, 25, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38,41, 43, 44, 48, 50, 52, 54

tricks with guns see Gun Combat Rules

Turtle Ancestry [General] 129Two Worlds [General] 18, 129Uncanny Senses 54Uncounted Time 10undead 9Unshakable Faith 153Uropan Armor table 142Uropan Goods & Services table

144–145Uropan Royal and Noble

Titles table 57Uropan Social Classes table 56Uropan Weapons table 141–142Uropans 6, 9, 12, 14, 56–67;

see also specific culturesvegetation 8Vehicle Base Statistics table 160vehicles, creating 160–162vermin 9very strong natural power level 146Vigorous Spirit 19Vinlanders 8, 13, 51–53vouchsafe 59waiters 64Walking Tune 153Warm Welcome 18, 26, 34,

36, 37, 39, 41warrior 78watchmen 64weak natural power level 147weapons, creating 163weapons, First Ones 136–137weapons, Uropan 138–142;

see also Gun Combat Ruleswendigo 11wheellock weapons see Gun Combat

Rules and Weapons, UropanWhite Manito 41White Path 26wild brawler 118–119Wild Empathy 48Wild Lore 26Wildborn 41, 44, 48Wilderness Medicine 23Wildshield 25, 41, 44, 48winter 71, 72witch 14, 26, 55, 66, 100–104Witchlings 8, 14, 29, 53–55wizard 19, 28, 44, 55, 66, 78Wolf Ancestry [General] 129women 60, 71Woods Sense 32Words of Wisdom 46yeoman class 58

166

Northern Crown