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Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

I like to imagine the elf version is the human version wearing a big, fake mustache. Anyone who questions him about why an elf has a mustache gets drowned.

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MonsterEnvy
Feb 4, 2012

Shocked I tell you

Mors Rattus posted:

The book honestly mostly assumes you won't and that the PCs are going to be, by and large, if not good at least not horrific monsters. It only offers a single spell for each of the three Chaos Lores, and assumes they will be used to pepper the spell lists of NPC villains.

e: oh yeah, and Asuryan absolutely is a massive shitbird, to the point that Malekith, King of the Dark Elves, is his chosen loving servant all but explicitly. Actually, it was made explicit in End Times, but End Times. Basically the entire Dark Elf problem was caused when one of the Elf heroes realized that Malekith was Elf Jesus, but also that if he was allowed to become High King he would break everything.

The fact that Malekith teamed up with a bunch of Chaos worshipers, murdered a ton of Elven Lords, the Elf King, and started his own evil empire based on slavery, torture, and treachery shows they were right not to make him King.

(Also he broke his oath with the Dwarf King to ensure Elves and Dwarves remained friends, by engineering the War between the two races.)

Another reason I am liking 4e is because Ulthuan and the Elves is stated to be an early supplement.

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

I never knew the bit about Grungi and Grimnir being co-husbands of Valaya, though. That's interesting.

But then I don't know much about the dorf gods because they only get a short mention, even in ToS.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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MonsterEnvy posted:

The fact that Malekith teamed up with a bunch of Chaos worshipers, murdered a ton of Elven Lords, the Elf King, and started his own evil empire based on slavery, torture, and treachery shows they were right not to make him King.

(Also he broke his oath with the Dwarf King to ensure Elves and Dwarves remained friends, by engineering the War between the two races.)

Another reason I am liking 4e is because Ulthuan and the Elves is stated to be an early supplement.

Like I said - the Elf hero that kicked out Malekith realized he'd gently caress everything up.

Still not enough for Asuryan to go 'nope, not gonna make this dude my fave'.


Night10194 posted:

I never knew the bit about Grungi and Grimnir being co-husbands of Valaya, though. That's interesting.

But then I don't know much about the dorf gods because they only get a short mention, even in ToS.

I believe the story is they were about fight over who got marry her and she just got annoyed and yelled at them both for being idiots, and declared that she wasn't going to be the wife of either one, they were going to be her husbands.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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WFRP 4e - How Am Pray

Only a very small number of the faithful, even among priests, can actually actively appeal to their deity for intervention in the form of miracles. Those who can call on such feats are known by many names - the Living Saints, Gods' Servants, the Hallowed, Divine Wills, Anointed Ones. In the Empire, they are typically called Blessed as a title - so you might see Sister Anna, Blessed by Sigmar, or Blessed Anna, or Blessed Anna, Sister of Sigmar, to refer to a nun who can call on Sigmar's grace to have her prayers answered. To become Blessed, well, you take one or more of the Bless or Invoke Talents. Those who have Bless can call on their god's Blessings, minor manifestations of divine will, while those with Invoke can call on powerful Miracles of their god.

Calling on a Blessing or Miracle requires a spoken prayer by the Blessed, which is then empowered by the god. To do this, you must make a Pray test. Success means the thing happens, with a higher SL giving better effects. If you fail, the prayer is spoken but the god doesn't respond for whatever reason. If you roll a Fumble, you offend your god and need to roll on the Wrath of the Gods table. To invoke a Blessing or Miracle, you must be able to actually say it. Further, any given Blessing or Miracle can only be active once, so if you have given out a Blessing, you can't use that same Blessing again until the first one ends. Also, multiple uses of the same prayer by multiple Blessed do not stack. If you get given Blessing of Finesse twice, you still only get its effects once.

The Blessed are carefully watched by their gods, and therefore can earn their disfavor more easily than your average lay worshipper. This is mechanically represented by Sin Points. If a Blessed violates any of their cult's strictures, they gain 1+ Sin Points (depending on how bad the GM thought the violation was). Every time you gain Sin Points, they are added to your running total. There is no cap. The more points you have, the worse poo poo gets for you when your god gets mad at you. There's a sidebar saying that Sin Points should almost never by given in more than 3 at once. They then examine Myrmidia's command to respect prisoners of war. Denying a prisoner a drink of water when they ask might be 1 Sin Point, beating a prisoner would be 2, and torturing or killing a helpless prisoner would easily be 3. GMs are told to warn new players when they are about to commit an infraction, so they can rethink. Whenever you make a Pray test, if the ones die is less than or equal to your current Sin Point total, you suffer the Wrath of the Gods even if it's not a fumble. GMs may allow PCs to complete arduous pilgrimages or make significant efforts for their cult and then make a Pray test to remove Sin Points. Such a roll does still risk Wrath. Otherwise, the only way to remove Sin Points is Wrath.

When you roll on the Wrath table, you get +10 to your roll per Sin Point you have. After the roll and result, you lose 1 Sin Point, to a minimum of 0. The table is a percentile table in (mostly) bands of 5%, ranging from 01-05 to 151+. Examples:
06-10: Think Over Your Deeds: Any successful Pray test you make for the next week can't get more than 0 SLs.
26-30: You Do Not Understand My Intent: For the next 1d10+Sin Points hours, you get -10 to any skills associated with your deity, as determined by the GM.
41-45: Your Cause Is Unworthy: Your targets become Prone. Any Blessings or Miracles of your god targeting them automatically fail for the next 1d10+Sin Points days.
88: Daemonic Interference: The Dark Gods intercept your plea. 1d10 Lesser Daemons appear within 2d10 yards of your position and attack the nearest targets.
89-95: Fear My Wrath: Gain 1+Sin Points Broken conditions.
96-100: Go On Penance: You must go on a Penance.
126-130: Thunderbolts and Lightning: Your god smites you. You drop to 0 Wounds if you had more and gain the Ablaze condition.
141-145: Prove Your Worth: A Divine Servant of your god appears within 1d100 yards and attacks, intervenes, berates or similar based on the nature of your god.
151+: Called to Account: Your god grabs you and pulls you to them to face judgment. If you have a Fate Point, spend it to be returned to a place of the GM's choosing and suffer the effects of I Cast You Out (your god abandons you, you lose Bless and Invoke and all Pray Advances, and all cultists of your god can automatically tell, giving -30 to all tests to interact with them and removal of any bonus that'd give you beter than -30). If you don't have a Fate Point, you just never come back.

If you roll a result requiring a Penance, the GM picks a suitable one based on your deity and your recent misdeeds, or lets you pick one. Penances are usually relayed by visions of divine inspiration or even direct contact with your god, but may come from a Divine Servant or your cult. Divine Servants are usually saints, dead worshippers of importance or animals holy to the god; they're basically the holy equivalent of Daemons and can be built by taking anything out of the bestiary and modifying it to be more divine.

Next time: Blessings and Miracles

OvermanXAN
Nov 14, 2014
The 151+ result on the Wrath table seems rather nasty, but at the same time I suppose you can ask "What the hell was your character doing to get five sin points?" Especially if the GM is doing as advised and giving you a "this is a sin against your god, are you sure you want to do this?" warning. My big problem is that you're permanently penalized even if you do spend the fate point. There should at least be an out for doing appropriately dramatic levels of penance.

Cythereal
Nov 8, 2009

I love the potoo,
and the potoo loves you.

Night10194 posted:

I never knew the bit about Grungi and Grimnir being co-husbands of Valaya, though. That's interesting.

But then I don't know much about the dorf gods because they only get a short mention, even in ToS.

It's been a thing for a while, and popped up in the dwarf army codices. The dwarfs in general practice polyandry because something like nine in ten dwarf births are sons. Marrying is a mark of high status for dwarfs - being rejected for marriage is one of the more common reasons to take the Slayer Oath, and it's more about status and family politics than about what humans would recognize as marriage. Almost all dwarf women are married to several men, and they generally have absolute power in those relationships and have the final say in whether to wed a given man or not.

Dwarfen population decline in Warhammer Fantasy is suggested to mostly be about how suicidal dwarf honor is than about fertility per se. But when a hold is overrun, every woman lost is a blow felt by the entire race.

A goodly chunk of dwarfs never see a dwarf woman except from afar. You'd think this might lead to homosexuality being widespread among the dwarfs, but as far as I know that's never been suggested or explored.

JcDent
May 13, 2013

Give me a rifle, one round, and point me at Berlin!
Were there any hints that Malekith did nothing wrong? before End Times? Because I'm of the opinion that WHF fans should ignore End Times and in fact consider that Archaon was actually headbutted dead by an orc.

Anything else is heresy/alternate timeline hellworld.

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

There's a lot of signs that ASURYAN thinks he didn't, but as established, Asuryan is basically elf satan except that he's shiney and tells them they're great so the dumb bastards made him their chief God.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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WFRP 4e - Bless You

Blessings are divided up by cult - each god has access to six Blessings. Optionally the GM may give out Sin Points for using the same Blessing or Miracle over and over in the same scene on the same target but that's dumb and bad because Sin Points are a big fuckin' deal. For every +2 SLs you get on the Pray check for a Blessing, you get to do one of: increase the range by 6 yards, increase the number of targets by 1, or increase the duration by 6 Rounds. Instant-duration Blessings may not have their duration increased. Also, you can take the same option multiple times. Blessings are mostly subtle, largely imperceptible to anyone without the Holy Visions Talent, and easily blamed on just good luck. (Thus, it is very hard to tell a priest who can use Blessings from one who can't.) Miracles are more overt manifestations of divine will. Blessings will have different IC names based on the cult you belong to. Feel free to be creative. I should also note - both Bless and Invoke give you, as far as I can tell, all of your god's Blessings and Miracles at once. Which, I think, is why the punishment for sin is so much nastier than wizard miscasts - you get a lot of power out the gate.

Blessings
Blessing of Battle: One target within 6 yards gets +10 WS for 6 Rounds. (Manann, Myrmidia, Sigmar, Taal, Ulric)
Blessing of Breath: As above but the target does not need to breathe and cannot suffocate instead. (Manann, Morr, Rhya, Shallya, Taal)
Blessing of Charisma: As above but +10 Fel instead. (Ranald)
Blessing of Conscience: As above, but the target must make a +20 WP test to break any of your god's Strictures instead. If they fail, they are overcome with shame and don't do it. (Myrmidia, Ranald, Rhya, Shallya, Taal, Verena)
Blessing of Courage: As above, but +10 WP instead. (Manann, Morr, Myrmidia, Sigmar, Ulric, Verena)
Blessing of Finesse: As above, but +10 Dex instead. (Ranald)
Blessing of Fortune: As above, but your target's next failed test within 6 Rounds may be rerolled. The reroll stands, even if it's worse. (Morr, Myrmidia, Ranald, Verena)
Blessing of Grace: As above, but +10 Agi. (Rhya)
Blessing of Hardiness: As above, but +10 T. (Manann, Sigmar, Taal, Ulric)
Blessing of Healing: One target you touch heals 1 Wound. (Rhya, Shallya)
Blessing of The Hunt: As above, but +10 BS. (Taal)
Blessing of Might: As above, but +10 S. (Sigmar, Ulric)
Blessing of Protection: As above, but enemies must make a +20 WP test to attack your target for 6 Rounds due to massive shame. If they fail, they must choose a different target or Action entirely. (Myrmidia, Ranald, Rhya, Shallya)
Blessing of Recuperation: One target you touch has the duration of one disease they suffer from reduced by 1 day. You may use this only once per instance of a disease per person. (Rhya, Shallya)
Blessing of Righteousness: As above, but the target's weapon counts as Magical for 6 Rounds. (Morr, Myrmidia, Sigmar, Verena)
Blessing of Savagery: As above, but your target's next time causing a Critical Wound within 6 rounds rolls twice and takes the best result. (Manaan, Taal, Ulric)
Blessing of Tenacity: You remove one Condition from one target within 6 yards. (Manaan, Morr, Shallya, Ulric)
Blessing of Wisdom: As above, but +10 Int. (Morr, Verena)
Blessing of Wit: As above, but +10 I. (Ranald, Verena)

Miracles are major manifestations. They are awe-inspiring and obviously supernatural. Each god has a different list. For every 2 SLs on the Pray test, you can add range, duration or targets equal to the initial base value (so if a Miracle's range is 50 yards, you can add 50 yards per 2 SLs). Miracles with a Range and Target of 'you' can never target anyone but the user, ever. Miracles with an instant duration cannot be extended. Some Miracles may have other options.

Manann
Becalm: 1 sailing vessel you can see within IB miles has the wind stolen from its sails for an hour. Even in stormy weather, no winds blow within (Initiative) yards around it, and if the ship moves by any means, the calm area moves with it.
Drowned Man's Face: You call on Manann to drown 1 foe within Fel yards. For FelB rounds, their lungs fill with saltwater continuously and their hair floats as if submerged. They gain a Fatigued condition and are subject to the Drowning rules while the Miracle is in effect. When it ends, they must make an Endurance test at -20 or become Prone.
Fair Winds: 1 sailing vessel you can see within IB miles has favorable winds for an hour. It moves at top speed regardless of the weather, tides and current, and all tests made to steer it get +10.
Manann's Bounty: You call on Manann for sustenance. You touch a body of water and call forth enough fish to feed 1 person (or 2, at sea). For every 2 SLs, you may feed another person.
Sea Legs: 1 target within Fel yards is immediately drenched in seawater, reeling as if on a rolling deck for FelB Rounds. For as long as this lasts, their hair is whipped as if by wind, and spray lashes at their skin. They gain one each of Blinded, Deafened and Fatigued conditions, and must make an Agi test at +20 to use their Move. If they fail, they become Prone.
Waterwalk: You can walk on any body of water more than 10 yards wide as if it was solid ground for FelB minutes. (Anything smaller is too far from Manann's realm to reach his notice.)

Morr
Death Mask: For FelB rounds, your visage takes on the mien of death, giving you Fear 1.
Destroy Undead: A black fire ripples forth from your body in a perfect circle FelB yards in radius (or diameter, it's not clear). All creatures with the Undead trait in this area lose 1d10 Wounds, ignoring TB and AP. Any Undead destroyed by this can never be raised by Necromancy again under normal conditions. For every +2 SL, you may increase the AOE by another +FelB yards.
Dooming: You gain a vision of 1 target you touch's Doom, almost always related to their actual death. This can only ever be used on a character once, after which they may buy Doomed as if it were a Career Talent.
Last Rites: You chant over 1 corpse within 1 yard. The soul of the dead person is sent into Morr's Portal, and the cadaver may never be targeted by Necromantic spells. If this targets a foe that has both the Undead and Construct traits, the foe is destroyed.
Portal's Threshold: You draw a line up to 8 yards long on the ground while chanting. A shadowy, indistinct portal forms over the line to the croaking of ravens. Creatures with the Undead trait must make a WP test to cross the line, and creatures with both Undead and Construct traits just can't do it. This lasts until dawn.
Stay Morr's Hand: You touch the eyes of someone close to death and ask Morr to guide but not take their soul. The target must be willing and have 0 Wounds left. For FelB hours, the target becomes Unconscious but will not deteriorate due to disease, critical wounds, poison, or any other similar cause. This ends early if appropriate healing is provided, or if you perform last rites. If you perform last rites, which takes about a minute, the target's soul will pass through Morr's Portal immediately and the corpse will never be able to be targeted by Necromancy.

Myrmidia
Blazing Sun: You call on Myrmidia to scourge the field of dishonorable foes, and flash with golden light. Any non-Myrmidian looking in your direction gets 1 Blinded condition. For every 2 SLs, they get an additional +1 Blinded.
Eagle's Eye: You call on Myrmidia to send you a Divine Servant of knowledge of foes. A spectral Eagle manifests within Fel yards and flies into the sky. It looks exactly like and has all the abilities of a normal eagle, but can neither physically affect the world nor be harmed in any way. For FelB rounds, you can see through its eyes and control its movement, surveying the field and spying on foes. Your vision is excellent but you do not have access to any of your own sense-enhancing Talents, such as Night Vision, and you cannot see through your own eyes.
Fury's Call: IntB allies within Fel yards gain Hatred towards anyone engaging them in combat for FelB Rounds.
Inspiring: IntB allies within Fel yards gain +1 Drilled Talent for FelB rounds.
Shield of Myrmidia: IntB allies within Fel yards gain +1 AP to all locations for FelB Rounds as gossamer strands of light ward off enemy blows.
Spear of Myrmidia: If you are wielding a spear, for FelB rounds it gains the Impact Quality and counts as Magical.

Ranald
An Invitation: You speak one of Ranald's riddles about portals and if they exist while closed. 1 door, window or hatch within 1 yard has 1 method of securing it undone - a lock unlocks, a latch unlatches, a rope unties, etc. For every 2 SLs, you may undo one more method of securing the target.
Cat's EYes: You ask Ranald if anything exists that cannot be seen, and a Divine Servant appears in the form of a cat within Fel yards as an answer. It looks like and has all abilities of a normal cat, but cannot be harmed in any way. For FelB Rounds, you perceive everything the cat does, and control its movements. Your senses are as sharp as a cat's, but you have no access to any of your own sense-enhancing Talents. For the duration, you cannot perceive anything with your own senses.
Ranald's Grace: You touch 1 target, calling on the riddles of reality. The target gets +10 A, +10 Stealth and +1 Catfall Talent for AB Rounds.
Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Thief: You smile and ask what, exactly, wealth is. 1 target within 1 yard is affected for FelB minutes. For each target affected, pick one: their purse appears empty, their purse appears full, their clothes appear cheap and unremarkable, their clothes appear reach and finely made, a single valuable item they have is impossible to perceive. For every 2 SLs you may choose an additional effect for 1 target.
Stay Lucky: You cross your fingers and ask what, exactly, luck is. You get +1 Fortune point. For every 2 SLs, you get an extra +1 Fortune point, which can take you over your normal cap. You may not use this again until you hit 0 Fortune points.
You Ain't Seen Me, Right?: You speak a riddle about the reality of that which is not perceived. 1 target within Fel yards may pass unnoticed and unremarked for FelB Rounds, so long as they do nothing to draw attention (such as touching someone, attacking, calling out to someone, casting a spell or making a loud noise). You may only use this if no one is looking directly at you while you do.

Rhya
Rhya's Children: You touch the earth and chant a prayer appealing to Rhya for understanding. You may use this only outdoors and outside settlements. You sense the presence of all sentient creatures within Fel yards for FelB Rounds. Every 2 SLs extends the area by another Fel yards.
Rhya's Harvest: You chant to Rhya, calling forth edible fruit, fungi and vegetables from a point you touch for one Round. For each Round this isactive, you grow enough to feed 1 person. The type of food depends on where you are - mushrooms in a cave, say, or fruits and vegetables in a field.
Rhya's Shelter: You sing a Rhyan hymn of safety. This may only be used outdoors and outside settlements. You find a perfect natural shelter to camp for the night. It is protected from natural wind and rain, and it lasts as long as you remain camped. It is big enough for 1 person, plus 1 more per 2 SLs. When you break camp, the shelter can never be rediscovered again, as if it only existed via Rhya's will. (Which it did.)
Rhya's Succor: You cant Rhya's song of health. FelB allies within Fel yards have 1 Condition removed. If this removes all of their Conditions, they feel as refreshed as if they had just had a good night's sleep and get +10 to any tests on their next Turn.
Rhya's Touch: You touch 1 injured or diseased target and sing prayers. Choose one: They heal FelB wounds or are cured of 1 natural disease. For every 2 SLs you may choose another, and can choose the same effect multiple times. It takes 10 minutes for the effects to manifest, and if interrupted, the Miracle must be attempted again.
Rhya's Union: You touch two targets, blessing their union of souls. For FelB hours, as long as it is biologically possible, the couple will conceive a child if they have sex. (Or possibly if they don't - it just says they'll conceive a child, but given the duration it only makes sense if they, y'know, do a gently caress. Personally I'd allow it to do biologically impossible stuff to let gay folks conceive a child but that could get weird.)

Next time: Shallya, Sigmar, Taal, Ulric and Verena

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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JcDent posted:

Were there any hints that Malekith did nothing wrong? before End Times? Because I'm of the opinion that WHF fans should ignore End Times and in fact consider that Archaon was actually headbutted dead by an orc.

Anything else is heresy/alternate timeline hellworld.

It is very strongly implied that had he been allowed to jump into the magic Asuryan fire, he would have been accepted as Elf Jesus and legally been high king, which is why they had to drive him out before that happened. (Like, the fire burns the "unworthy" to Asuryan. If they weren't afraid he was "worthy" then they could've just let him be burnt up.)

MonsterEnvy
Feb 4, 2012

Shocked I tell you

JcDent posted:

Were there any hints that Malekith did nothing wrong? before End Times? Because I'm of the opinion that WHF fans should ignore End Times and in fact consider that Archaon was actually headbutted dead by an orc.

Anything else is heresy/alternate timeline hellworld.

There were hints he might have been rightful King. Adn he was a good general, explorer and diplomat, before he went off the deep end and teamed up with his mother.

Mors Rattus posted:

It is very strongly implied that had he been allowed to jump into the magic Asuryan fire, he would have been accepted as Elf Jesus and legally been high king, which is why they had to drive him out before that happened. (Like, the fire burns the "unworthy" to Asuryan. If they weren't afraid he was "worthy" then they could've just let him be burnt up.)

Well him burning up, would have been bad for the race as a whole at the time, because Malekith was a hero and very well liked then. When the Elf Princes chose a different king, they tried to make it clear "it was a no hard feelings Malekith, we just think he would is the best choice for now. " and Malekith did accept that for like a thousand years.

When he murdered that King and declared himself the new one, he did step into the flames to prove it. He just ran out screaming cause he was on holy fire and dying from horrible burn wounds. His evil mother saving his life by sealing him in magic armor.

MonsterEnvy fucked around with this message at 22:23 on Sep 20, 2018

sexpig by night
Sep 8, 2011

by Azathoth

OvermanXAN posted:

The 151+ result on the Wrath table seems rather nasty, but at the same time I suppose you can ask "What the hell was your character doing to get five sin points?" Especially if the GM is doing as advised and giving you a "this is a sin against your god, are you sure you want to do this?" warning. My big problem is that you're permanently penalized even if you do spend the fate point. There should at least be an out for doing appropriately dramatic levels of penance.

Yea I like them sticking to the typical Warhammer style of 'ok there's a couple results that are real horrible...but also kiiiiinda what were you doing putting yourself in a situation where that was on the table dude'.

punishedkissinger
Sep 20, 2017

sexpig by night posted:

Yea I like them sticking to the typical Warhammer style of 'ok there's a couple results that are real horrible...but also kiiiiinda what were you doing putting yourself in a situation where that was on the table dude'.

Yeah, as a GM I want my players to succeed, but a consequence-less world is boring.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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WFRP 4e - It's A Miracle

Shallya
Anchorite's Endurance: 1 target in Fel yards feels no pain and suffers no penalties caused by Conditions for FelB Rounds.
Balm to a Wounded Mind: You touch 1 target and call on Shallya to calm their mind. For FelB minutes, all Psychology traits are removed, and after the duration ends, the targets enter deep, restful sleep until next sunrise or until disturbed. Unwilling targets may make a Cool test to resist sleep.
Bitter Catharsis: You touch 1 target and call forth to Shallya, drawing 1 poison or disease out of the target and into you, purging it from them entirely. For every 2 SLs you may purge another disease or poison. For each poison or disease purged, you take 1d10-FelB Wounds, not reduced by TB or APs.
Martyr: You pray about Shallya's need to take on the pain of the world. Any Damage taken by 1 target within Fel yards is instead taken by you for FelB Rounds. If you take any Damage this way, your TB is doubled for purposes of calculating how many Wounds you lose.
Shallya's Tears: You appeal to Shallya to spare 1 target you touch, weeping freely. You pray for (10-FelB) Rounds, at which point the target is healed of 1 Critical Wound, plus 1 per 2 SLs. If your prayer is interrupted, there is no benefit. This cannot reattach amputated parts.
Unblemished Innocence: You touch 1 target and beg Shallya to rid them of corruption. They lose 1 Corrupton Point, plus 1 per 2 SLs. However, if you Fumble while invoking this, the Chaos Gods notice and you and the target both gain 1d10 Corruption on top of the other effects. You must use this within one hour of your target gaining a Corruption Point.

Sigmar
Beacon of Righteous Virtue: You bellow prayers in the name of Sigmar. All allies in your line of sight instantly remove all Broken conditions and gain Fearless (Everything) for FelB rounds, as long as they remain in your line of sight. Any Greenskins within your line of sight are subject to Fear 1 towards you.
Heed Not the Witch: You call on Sigmar to protect against Chaos and magic. Any spells targeting anyone or any location within FelB yards for the next FelB Rounds has a -20 penalty on the Language (Magick) test to cast it, on top of any other penalties. For every 2 SL, you may increase the AOE by FelB yards.
Sigmar's Fiery Hammer: If you are wielding a warhammer, for FelB Rounds it is Magical, deals +FelB Damage and any target struck gains 1 Ablaze Condition and becomes Prone.
Soulfire: You call on Sigmar to smite the foes of the Empire. Holy fire explodes from your body out to FelB yards. Anyone within range takes 1d10 Wounds, ignoring TB and APs. Targets with the Undead or Daemon traits also gain 1 Ablaze Condition. For every 2 SLs, you may increase the AOE by +FelB yards, or cause an extra +2 Damage to Greenskins, Undead or servants of the Ruinous Powers.
Twin-Tailed Comet: You invoke Sigmar to smite your foes. A twin-tailed comet plummets from the sky to strike a point within line of sight and Fel yards of you. Everything within FelB yards of the point of impact suffers 1d10+SL Damage, ignoring TB and APs, and gains 1 Ablaze condition. The target location must be outdoors, and can only target those Sigmar would deem enemies.
Vanquish the Unrighteous: FelB allies within Fel yards of you gain Hatred (Greenskins, Undead and any associated with Chaos) for FelB rounds.

Taal
Animal Instincts: You chant about Taal's great senses and call on him for aid. 1 target you touch gains +1 Acute Sense (Your choice) Talent and, if they rest, automatically awaken if any threats come within I yards, for FelB hours.
King of the Wild: You chant a prayer, calling forth 1 wild animal appropriate to the area. It appears within Fel yards and obeys your wishes for FelB Rounds.
Leaping Stag: You chant to Taal, gaining his favor. You get +1 Movement and +1 Strong Legs Talent for FelB Rounds, and for the duration you automatically pass all Athletics tests to jump with at least 0 SL; if you roll lower, you increase the SLs to success at 0 SLs.
Lord of the Hunt: You call on Taal to guide to in a hunt against an animal you have seen or a person you know. For FelB hours, you cannot lose their trail except by magical means. If your quarry enters a settlement, their trail ends at its borders. You get +10 to all tests regarding your quarry for the duration as well.
Tooth and Claw: You call on Taal for the might of nature. You gain the Bite (SB+3) and Weapon (SB+4) Traits as if you were a monster for FelB Rounds. These attacks are Magical.
Tanglefoot: You call on Taal to protect the wild places, selecting a point within Fel yards. Roots, vines and creepers spring up, giving all targets within FelB yards of the point 1 Entangled Condition. For every 2 SLs, you may increase the AOE around the point by FelB yards or inflict an extra Entangled Condition. Tanglefoot has S equal to your WP for purposes of breaking free.

Ulric
Hoarfrost's Chill: You scream angry prayers to Ulric. Your eyes gain a steely blue glint and the air around you becomes unnaturally cold. For FelB rounds, you have Fear 1 towards all foes, and anyone within Fel yards of you loses 1 Advantage at the start of each Round from the cold.
Howl of the Wolf: You howl for Ulric's aid. He sends you a Divine Servant in the form of a White Wolf that appears within Fel yards, and which fights your foes for FelB rounds before returning to Ulric's Hunting Grounds with a spectral howl. White Wolves have the stats of a Wolf, but with the Frenzy, Magical and Size (Large) traits.
Ulric's Fury: 1 target within Fel yards gains the Frenzy psychology for FelB Rounds.
Pelt of the Winter Wolf: You bellow to Ulric, touching 1 target. While they still feel pain and discomfort from cold and wintry weather, they take no mechanical penalties from it.
The Snow King's Judgement: You call on Ulric to show his hate for the weak, cowardly and deceitful. 1 target within Fel yards takes 1d10 Wounds, ignoring TB and APs. If the GM rules the target is not weak, cowardly or deceitful at all, you suffer the effects instead.
Winter's Bite: You roar prayers about Blitzbeil, the axe of Ulric. If you are wielding an axe, for FelB rounds it is Magical, causes +SL Damage, and any living being struck by it must make an Endurance test or gain a Stunned condition. Anyone hit by it also loses any Bleeding conditions as their blood freezes, and your attacks cannot cause Bleeding conditions for the duration.

Verena
As Verena Is My Witness: You call on Verena to witness your truth. For FelB rounds, as long as you speak only truth, any who hear you will believe you speak truly. They may not agree with your conclusions, but they know you aren't lying.
Blind Justice: You pray about Verena's great preceptions that always find the truth. For FelB rounds, you may make a Simple Perception test to see through spells and miracles that involve illusion or misdirection, unopposed. You may also make an Intuition test at +20 to tell if anyone speaking to you is lying. (It won't tell you if they're just wrong, only if they believe they are lying.)
Shackles of Truth: You pray to Verena to lay judgment on a suspected criminal. If 1 target within Fel yards committed a crime and claims they didn't, they gain an Entangled condition that cannot be removed for FelB rounds. If you have falsely accused them, you gain 1 Sin Point must immediately roll on the Wrath of the Gods table.
Sword of Justice: You pray to Verena to guide your blade. If you wield a sword, for FelB rounds it is Magical and ignores APs, and any foe struck by it that the GM determines is a criminal must make an Endurance test at +20 or gain an Unconscious condition that lasts at least FelB Rounds. If any crime is perpetrated on such unconscious foes, you gain 1 Sin Point per crime.
Truth Will Out: You pray to Verena to reveal the truth. You may ask 1 target within FelB yards a single question. It will be immediately answered truthfully and fully. The target may resist with a Cool test at +20; if they succeed, they may refuse to answer entirely. If they get +2 SLs, they may withhold minor information or refuse to answer. If they get +4 SLs, they may withhold significant information or refuse to answer. If they get +6 SLs, they may lie outright. You know if they resist successfully, but gain no specific knowledge of any deceit or proof of dishonesty.
Wisdom of the Owl: You call on Verena for wisdom. You get +20 to all Int tests for FelB Rounds, and your pupils dilate widely, making your gaze piercing and unsettling. For the duration, you also get +1 Menacing and Acute Sense (Sight) Talents.

Next time: It's maaaaaagic

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

I note Shallya can't just recover base Wounds anymore.

That was actually what Shallyans did in combat in 2e: They were heal-tanks. Martyr would let them take damage for unarmored allies, Shallyans could get Armored Caster as easily as any other priestly character, and their heal was fast and extremely useful, since it was a full d10+Mag for a half action at CN 6.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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Night10194 posted:

I note Shallya can't just recover base Wounds anymore.

That was actually what Shallyans did in combat in 2e: They were heal-tanks. Martyr would let them take damage for unarmored allies, Shallyans could get Armored Caster as easily as any other priestly character, and their heal was fast and extremely useful, since it was a full d10+Mag for a half action at CN 6.

Shallya can still do that - Blessing of Healing. She doesn't get a Miracle for it but can just drop a Blessing that is 'heal 1 Wound' at any time.

They do not get super efficient healing any more, though. No one really does.

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

Yes, I can see that much. They didn't used to have the self-defense provision so against anything but Nurglites they were generally stuck heal-tanking, but holy poo poo were they good at it.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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Side note, one priest of Ulric with Invoke? Terrifying, especially with a crew of melee fighters. Myrmidia's similar but Drilled is less viscerally terrifying to deal with than 'everyone has Frenzy now'.

wiegieman
Apr 22, 2010

Royalty is a continuous cutting motion


Mors Rattus posted:

Side note, one priest of Ulric with Invoke? Terrifying, especially with a crew of melee fighters. Myrmidia's similar but Drilled is less viscerally terrifying to deal with than 'everyone has Frenzy now'.

The Myrmidian priest (Myrmidon?) can give drilled to 3 or 4 people at a time before SLs, the Ulrican can only do 1 at a time. A whole block of Drilled people can hang onto lots of Advantage even when facing down someone tougher than them, which is super cool because that's very Myrmidia.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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Oh, they’re both great, yeah.

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

Hammer of Sigmar is hell of buffed; it's just Magical and if the hammer is a Hand Weapon it adds Impact in 2e.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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Taal has the best one, because Bite is a free attack.

JcDent
May 13, 2013

Give me a rifle, one round, and point me at Berlin!

MonsterEnvy posted:

When he murdered that King and declared himself the new one, he did step into the flames to prove it. He just ran out screaming cause he was on holy fire and dying from horrible burn wounds. His evil mother saving his life by sealing him in magic armor.

That's what I'm getting at. If he was the rightful ruler, the flames of Asuryan shouldn't have burned him.

Unless you're implying that something else did the burning.

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 4, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!


Rifts World Book 19: Australia, Part 12 - "Damage: Demon Frogs can chew up and swallow a single giant leaf in one melee round (15 seconds) and each bite does 1D4x10 M.D. to the Tree, enabling them to bite off small branches, gnaw through large branches in a matter of a minute or two (6-10 bites), strip its bark and take hunks out of its trunk!"

Gods of the Dreamtime

To Ben Lucas' credit, we get writeups for Aboriginal gods that are more practical than usual. Or, at least, I'm presuming this is his doing, given that this is the first time a deific section in Rifts has balked at statting out gods.

Bunyil (no relation to the Bunyip) is a creator god that created humanity, though the stories of which vary. Though venerated, he's never worshiped directly. There are no stats for him presented, as apparently he's more of a "force" than an anthropomorphized being. I couldn't find any source in myth for this one; sometimes the Rainbow Serpent has been called "Bunyip" amongst its dozens of names, but that's presented separately...


megasnek

... speaking of which, the Rainbow Serpent also doesn't get direct stats, apparently having left this dimension long ago after creating the rivers and filling them with water. However, sometimes he sends a smaller avatar fragment to Earth in order to clean house and defeat great evil, but only briefly and only when absolutely necessary. Apparently this effort is costly and that's why he doesn't do it too often - only three times after the coming of the rifts. Once he did it to prevent Australia's destruction (somehow), once to close a rift that threatened the entire continent, and once to battle Tikilik. Generally, he only shows up to fight great supernatural evil and isn't concerned with affairs between humans. (Which is a better explanation than "well humans have to find their own way...")

His avatars have 12,000 M.D.C., regenerates insanely fast, is immune to many forms of damage aside from magic, psionics, or rune weapons, is impervious to lightning and lasers, shoots massive eyebeams (1d6 x 100 M.D.), controls the weather, and can "swallow evil" either to destroy an evil or banish it to a distant dimension that will apparently take an average of 10-11,000 years to escape. Swallowing requires the avatar to peace out, however, to carry the evil creature or being away. Oh and he has all air and water magic and psionics etc. Based on this, the Rainbow Serpent is basically on a whole other level compared to other Rifts gods, with an "avatar" that's more powerful than many deities previously statted.

There's also a throwaway reference to a "Black Strip" that threatens the seemingly-sentient Great Reef, but no further details are provided.


"Seriously, I'm a prince!"

Similarly, Tikilik doesn't get direct numbers. He's supposed to be the giant frog devil of the Dreamtime, and drains water and causes droughts. Now somehow linked to Australia, an avatar of his is being born in the inland sea that within a century or two will reduce Australia to a dry husk. It's apparently sending out frog demons to drain ley lines and cause droughts. Though many are slain, the number sent out each year doubles. The demon frogs (or frog demons, the paragraphs can't decide) are one of the few creatures that can consume Millennium Trees (from Rifts World Book Three: England, but being present in Australia as well), being immune to the energy blasts and magic explosions the trees might use to defend themselves. It's said that Tikilik is one of the "Seven Dangers" prophesied wayyy back in Rifts Sourcebook Two: The Mechanoids, which seems believable. Of course, those aware of the prophecy in America (and Europe and Africa) have no real awareness of Tikilik due to Australia's isolation.

The frog demons are twenty foot-long monster frogs with claws, and are pretty tough (average of 220 M.D.C.). While they can talk, they aren't terribly bright and are more bestial and instinctual than deliberate. In any case, they can sense ley lines and use them to teleport closer to a Millennium Tree, or drain everything magical of P.P.E. along a ley line for about a half-mile. Similarly, they can't be harmed by Millennium Tree items and can consume the trees without harm. Though not a massive threat physically, the frogs are clearly a potent threat to the magical well-being of Australia, and their special abilities are a pretty good spur for player characters to go out and defeat them.

This may be the only god section I've seen so far that's... alright? Or, at the very least, is relatively functional and has some definite hooks that can be used to drive a big quest to save Australia.

Rifts World Book 19: Australia posted:

Other Spirits & Animal Totems

Animals, Animal Totems and other Dreamtime beings will be presented in Rifts® Australia Two: Mystic Australia™. There will also be data about Australian Millennium Beings, Crystal Magic, Aboriginal characters, Aboriginal magic and more. Coming Summer 1999.

Nope!

Next: Whose is that jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?

Alien Rope Burn fucked around with this message at 06:12 on Sep 21, 2018

JcDent
May 13, 2013

Give me a rifle, one round, and point me at Berlin!

quote:

It's said that Tikilik is one of the "Seven Dangers" prophesied wayyy back in Rifts Sourcebook Two: The Mechanoids,

Very Rifts of them to put prophecies about mystical doom of the world in a book about Mechanoids.

ZeroCount
Aug 12, 2013


Rifts Australia seems surprisingly nonawful, especially compared to White Wolf's australia books.

The Lone Badger
Sep 24, 2007

Mors Rattus posted:

Side note, one priest of Ulric with Invoke? Terrifying, especially with a crew of melee fighters. Myrmidia's similar but Drilled is less viscerally terrifying to deal with than 'everyone has Frenzy now'.

Eagle's Eye is incredible in the right situation too. There's plenty of generals who'd have given their right hand for an adjutant who could do that.

Angry Salami
Jul 27, 2013

Don't trust the skull.

ZeroCount posted:

Rifts Australia seems surprisingly nonawful, especially compared to White Wolf's australia books.

Having most of the 'mystical native powers' (as written by a white guy) be set aside for a different book that never got written probably helps.

JcDent
May 13, 2013

Give me a rifle, one round, and point me at Berlin!
I like all the qualifications put on Eagle Eye to prevent PCs from coming up with *shenanigans*

The Lone Badger
Sep 24, 2007

JcDent posted:

I like all the qualifications put on Eagle Eye to prevent PCs from coming up with *shenanigans*

Like that's going to work.

JcDent
May 13, 2013

Give me a rifle, one round, and point me at Berlin!
Pulled the trigger on 4e starting adventure :) :(

Skellybones
May 31, 2011




Fun Shoe

JcDent posted:

I like all the qualifications put on Eagle Eye to prevent PCs from coming up with *shenanigans*

It's a magical intangible eagle. The possibilities are endless.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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WFRP 4e - Magic Power

Magic scares the Empire. It is not entirely illegal these days, but it's close. Technically, being an unlicensed witch isn't illegal, if you never do magic. What's illegal is doing magic without a license. Your options are to get a license, don't do magic or don't get caught. Even licensed Magisters are feared and avoided by the common people, who have a superstitious dread of nearly any magic. It is seen as unnatural, and its darker side is notorious - the hexes of witchcraft, the raising of the dead, Daemonology. Even when practiced "properly," magic is trouble - it's unstable and even the best wizard can lose focus and cause dangerous accidents.

Imperial scholars derive all knowledge of magic from the Elves, who explained to them that all magic comes from the Aethyr. This is, they said, an infinite dimension that is the spawning ground of all daemons and spirits, which exists beyond the physical world. They taught that in the far north, a huge wound was torn in the world that leads into the Aethyr, bleeding raw magic. These energies, known as the Winds of Magic, blow through the world and gather and swirl, permeating the land and its inhabitants. It is the Winds that are called on to perform magic. As what the nature of magic and the Aethyr is, that's a matter of constant debate. Some say it's like the backstage of a theatre, the mechanisms and props responsible for the world we see. Others say it's like math and have many diagrams. No one has a theory that doesn't have a ton of exceptions to it that are relatively easily found.

As the Winds enter the mortal realm in a single mass of power, they splinter and separate into what the Colleges have defined as eight discrete Winds, referred to be color, which each have their own character and ability. The Elves agree, as they teach the same eight Winds individually before their sorcerers may move on to greater magics. Only a small percentage of Humans can perceive the Winds at all, and even fewer can control them. Most Elves are sensitive to the Winds, and many can perceive them even if they never learn magic. This is commonly known as Second Sight, or the Sight. Dwarfs do not much like magic, possibly due to their partial immunity to it, and there are no known Dwarf wizards. Halflings as a species are largely indifferent to magic, except when it's fun to watch.

As a condition of their teaching, the Elves dictated that any Human spellcaster should only use a single Wind of Magic. They said that while it was possible to use spells that drew on multiple Winds, doing so was extremely risky for such a feeble and easily corrupted race as Humans. The Colleges, while less condescending, agree that specializing in a single color of magic is a good idea. Some witches consider the College's limitations on magic use insane, a clear attempt by the Elves to keep the greatest magic for themselves. (Which...probably isn't entirely false, even if it also is definitely not correct.) Drawing on the power of multiple Winds, however, is very risky, even if it is a quick route to power. Many witches have proven unable to resist the temptations, known as Dark Magic, and must be brought down by the Witch Hunters. Others say that magic is not so easily categorized, and many different kinds of 'wizard' or 'witch' can be found in the Old World, with some apparently doing magic entirely outside the Imperial color theory, such as the Ice Witches of Kislev, or the shamans found among some other species like the Greenskins. There is no Imperial answer for how this works; most wizards just refuse to think much about it.

While the Winds are always blowing through everything, they are largely harmless until harnessed via the Language of Magick. It is not clearly understood why, but certain sounds spoken by those attuned to magic cause the Winds to answer. The Colleges teach a complex language known as the lingua praestantia as the basis of their spells, originally taught to them by the Elves. While it is extremely difficult to correctly pronounce, it is still a simplification of Anoqeyan, the language Elves use to shape their own greatest magics. Magisters and Elves are not alone in the knowledge of the language, though - many magical creatures, including Spirits and Daemons, speak its complex forms, and many witches seem to have an instinctive understanding of it.

Each of the Winds of magic has an associated Lore, as the body of spells and knowledge about it are known. Each of the eight Colleges is dedicated to study of a single Lore, with the buildings the College is made of designed to focus the associated Wind to allow for safer teaching.
The Lore of Light is related to Hysh, the White Wind. It is considered to be the most difficult Wind to perceive and manipulate, even with the Sight, as it appears quite diffuse. It is, however, less unpredictable than the other Winds. Hysh is associated with patience, intelligence and purity. The Hierophants of the Light Order are well known for their discipline, knowledge and dedicated fight against Chaos. The Lore of Light contains some extremely potent spells, including blinding rays of light, or spells to banish Daemons or the Undead. More gentle applications can be used to heal or to clarify the mind.
The Lore of Metal is related to Chamon, the Gold Wind. It is dense and heavy to the Sight, sinking into the earth and coalescing within denser metals such as lead and gold. The Alchemists of the Gold Order have a reputation for being relatively prosaic for wizards, and many are just as interested in physics and chemistry as magic itself. The Lore of Metal often involves transmuting or altering metal, and can be used to corrode or melt armor and weapons, weight down foes with suddenly heavy armor or enchant weapons to great effect.
The Lore of Life is related to Ghyran, the Jade Wind. It is a free-flowing Wind associated with growth, fertility and nourishment. To the Sight, it looks like a light rain, falling to the ground and pooling in swirls and eddies. It sinks into the soil and is drawn into the roots of plants, where it goes on to nourish all life. The Druids of the Jade Order often prefer to live away from cities, surrounded by nature. The Lore of Life usually involves healing and rejuvenation of all kinds - plant and animal. It can be used offensively as well, calling on wicked brambles and vines.
The Lore of Heavens is related to Azyr, the Blue Wind. It cascades through the world and the heavens like a charged cloud. Astromancers of the Celestial Order are known for their calm and contemplative nature, using Azyr to scry on the future via the stars. The Lore of Heavens manipulates fate, throws up protective barriers and curses foes with terrible luck. In battle, it can also call on the elemental forces of lightning or even the shooting stars called down fromn the skies.
The Lore of Shadows is related to Ulgu, the Grey Wind. To the Sight, it is a thick fog, pooling where intrigue and deceit occur, rising in storms and tempests when conflict happens. The Grey Guardians of the Grey Order are secretive, given to uncertain loyalties, but well known for their wisdom and skill in negotiation, so they are often called on for diplomacy. The Lore of Shadows can mask and obfuscate, disorienting foes. In battle, it can be used to call forth shadow tendrils that pierce hearts even through the best armor, which it never touches.
The Lore of Death is related to Shyish, the Purple Wind. It gathers in places of death - battlefields, the Gardens of Morr, execution sites. It blows strongest during times of transition, and wizards of the Amethyst Order often work their greatest rites in the time before dawn or during sunset. Shyish relates to time and mortality, but is distinct from illegal Necromancy, which wields the dark power of Dhar. The Amethyst Order, like Morr's cult, is a tireless foe of necromancy, in fact. The Lore of Death can, however, resemble Necromancy to the untrained, for it drains foes of life, spreads fear and can speak to the spirits of the dead.
The Lore of Fire is related to Aqshy, the Red Wind. It is a hot, searing Wind drawn to brashness, courage and zeal, as well as physical heat. The Pyromancers of the Bright Order are bold, hot-tempered sorts, famously good battle mages. Many spells of the Lore of Fire are offensive, calling up great atttacks of flame or igniting swordblades. Even their non-offensive powers, such as crude healing spells, are destructive in nature, though they excel at inspiring allies to courage and loyalty.
The Lore of Beasts is related to Ghur, the Amber Wind. It is a cold, primal force associated with the wilds and the beasts. To the Sight, Ghur blows weakly in tame and settled areas, which may be why the Shamans of the Amber Order usually live as hermits, away from other Humans. The Lore of Beasts can speak to animals and command them into battle, as well as shapeshift into animal forms.

The Elves are long-lived and have minds more attuned to the ways of magic, and so High Elves usually train in more than one Wind, sometimes all eight, as part of their apprenticeship. The most promising move on to study High Magic, Qhaysh, which blends multiple Winds together into a coruscating power. This magic is quite impressive and fiendishly difficult, and Elves claim Humanity could never master it or even learn it. The Wood Elves also use multiple Winds, though their Spellsingers typically focus on the Jade and Amber Winds. The most potent usually go on to study High Magic as the High Elves do, or turn to Dark Magic, which is a foul mixing of the Winds that can be terrifyingly destructive.

Dark Magic, Dhar, is a blending of the Winds, but in a much less safe manner than Qhaysh. This makes it easier, but vastly more dangerous, and is usually done only by evil sorcerers, Necromancers and Daemon summoners. They get a lot of raw power, but terrible side effects. Few can channel Dhar for long without being corrupted and warped into unnatural mind and body. To the Sight, it is a stagnant mire, pooling in places of evil and corruption - Beastman herdstones, Chaos idols, places where great workings of many different Winds happened. It is so dense and potent that it can actually coalesce into physical matter - warpstone.

Warpstone is a lump of pure, physical magic. It is obviously unnatural, for it hurts the eyes to look upon and mutates anything that stays close too long. While its shape varies, it often has hard, flint-like facets and radiates a sickly green. It is the stuff of Chaos made real, and its mere presence is corrupting. Close contact risks disease, madness and mutation, and ingesting the stuff in any quantity causes catastrophic warping. However, the world has many ambitious idiots who know that it is also a potent source of power for magic. Chaos cultists and the Skaven do not hesitate in its use - they see it as a gift from their dark gods.

In more rural areas, far from the Colleges' influence, older forms of magic are still practiced, even though they are illegal and carry a penalty of death. There are many, many forms of this magic, but the two most common Lores by far (among Humans, anyway) are Hedgecraft and Witchcraft.
Hedgecraft is usually done by people who live quiet lives on the fringes, serving their local communities. Their magic usually concerns the liminal space between the material and the world of spirit, and often focuses on folklore, spirits and nature, plus ways to help people. Once, Hedgecraft was common in the Empire, but 200 years of persecution since the Colleges were founded has mostly wiped it out.
Witchcraft is not inherently malicious nor tied to Chaos, but has a reputation for evil and unpleasantness, which it frankly deserves. It is typically self-taught, often wields Dhar, and its users generally lack the discipline and knowledge of the Magisters, putting them at great risk of corruption. Also it mostly involves cursing people. This means witches that use it often end up as bitter, spiteful people with evil in their hearts.

Next time: Actual rules content.

The Lone Badger
Sep 24, 2007

How do the Witch Hunters deal with things like visiting Damsels or Ice Witches? Do they need to formally apply for some kind of diplomatic status? Get given leeway as foreigners as long as they don't run into the wrong person? Need to keep it on the down-low because they'll be burned if they actually do anything?

Edit: I wonder what would happen if a chorf sorcerer somehow ended up in the Empire. A bunch of puritans standing around in a circle going "well he can't be a witch because dwarves can't be witches. By definition. So.... ideas Udwig?"

The Lone Badger fucked around with this message at 13:38 on Sep 21, 2018

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

When does 4e take place? Like 2511 or so? I know they wanted to avoid the Storm even being a thing.

The Lone Badger posted:

How do the Witch Hunters deal with things like visiting Damsels or Ice Witches? Do they need to formally apply for some kind of diplomatic status? Get given leeway as foreigners as long as they don't run into the wrong person? Need to keep it on the down-low because they'll be burned if they actually do anything?

They're grandfathered in as 'technically' priests according to Realms of Sorcery.

Note this is not correct in either case, but the Empire would have problems if it tried to burn either sort of magic woman. Also note Kislevite Hags don't get the same courtesy since they don't tend to have diplomatic immunity.

Night10194 fucked around with this message at 13:20 on Sep 21, 2018

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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I haven't seen an exact date yet, though you could probably work one out based on the time since the Great War Against Chaos.

It's kind of a Generic Now, where Now is 'a period when things are relatively calm and stable and Archaeon is not a thing.'

RocknRollaAyatollah
Nov 26, 2008

Lipstick Apathy

JcDent posted:

That's what I'm getting at. If he was the rightful ruler, the flames of Asuryan shouldn't have burned him.

Unless you're implying that something else did the burning.

Wasn't the implication in End Times that the flames are supposed to horribly burn the candidate but if they're worthy they still survive? The High Elves use protection spells for the candidates but they were doing it wrong, technically cheating, and Malekith was doing it right. http://warhammerfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Asuryan#Revelations_during_the_End_Times

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is one of the few times I've ever been excited in my adult life at the possibility of a source book on elves.

punishedkissinger
Sep 20, 2017

The Lone Badger posted:

How do the Witch Hunters deal with things like visiting Damsels or Ice Witches? Do they need to formally apply for some kind of diplomatic status? Get given leeway as foreigners as long as they don't run into the wrong person? Need to keep it on the down-low because they'll be burned if they actually do anything?

Edit: I wonder what would happen if a chorf sorcerer somehow ended up in the Empire. A bunch of puritans standing around in a circle going "well he can't be a witch because dwarves can't be witches. By definition. So.... ideas Udwig?"

The Witch Hunters are limited in their power by politics. They're just one organization of many who exert power of the judicial process and they do not have absolute control.

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Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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WFRP 4e - How Am Spelling

There are four types of spell, mechanically: Petty, Arcane, Lore and Chaos. Petty spells are basic tricks that use almost no magic at all. Arcane spells are sort of generic spells that any wizard can learn through any Lore (including Chaos Lores). Lore spells are those only usable through a specific Lore. Chaos spells are those usable only by Chaos Lores and which are Very Bad and No Good At All. Also, as a note, just because a spell is in your grimoire does not mean you know it. To memorize a spell and thus be able to cast it without your grimoire open to it, you need to pay some amount of XP determined by the Talent you're using to learn it. Once a spell is memorized, you know it permanently and can cast it at any time.

Casting a spell is a Language (Magick) test. If you succeed, you then compare your SLs to the Casting Number (CN) of the spell. If you are equal or greater than the CN, the spell happens. If not, nothing happens. If you roll a Critical while casting, the Winds flare dangerously high; unless you have the Instinctive Diction Talent, you suffer a roll on the Minor Miscast table. However, no matter what, you also choose one benefit:
1. If the spell does damage, it also causes a Critical Wound.
2. No matter what your SL or the CN of the spell, it is cast successfully, but can be Dispelled.
3. If you had enough SLs to cast the spell, it cannot be Dispelled.

If you Fumble on a casting roll, you suffer a roll on the Minor Miscast table. Also worth noting is that any Language (Magick) or Channeling test in the vicinity of a Corrupting Influence is dangerous - you suffer a Minor Miscast roll if the ones digit of your roll is an 8. If you already had a Minor Miscast for some reason, it instead upgrades to a Major Miscast.
Minor Miscasts are stuff like:
01-05: Witchsign: The next living creature born within a mile is mutated.
16-20: Soulwax: Your ears instantly clog with thick wax. Gain 1 Deafened condition, which cannot be removed until someone cleans out your earwax with a Heal test.
46-50: Wayward Garb: Your clothes move on their own. Gain 1 Entangled condition with a Strength of 5*(1d10) to resist.
51-55: Curse of Temperance: All alcohol within 1d100 yards goes bad, tasting bitter and foul.
86-90: Double Trouble: The effect of the spell goes off again elsewhere within 1d10 miles. The GM should make this have interesting consequences.
96-00: Cascading Chaos: Roll again on the Major Miscast table.

Major Miscasts are stuff like;
01-05: Ghostly Voices: All within WP yards hear dark, seductive whispers from the Realm of Chaos. All sentient creatures in that range must make Cool test or gain 1 Corruption Point.
16-20: Death Walker: For the next 1d10 hours, any plant life near you withers and dies.
46-50: Limb Frozen: One randomly determined limb is frozen in place for 1d10 hours. For that duration, treat it as useless, as if it had been Amputated.
51-55: Darkling Sight: You lose the Second Sight Talent and get -20 to all Channeling tests for 1d10 hours.
86-90: Hellish Stench: You smell awful for 1d10 hours, gaining the Distracting trait and, likely, the hatred of anyone with a sense of smell.
96-00: Aethyric Feedback: Everyone within WPB yards of you, friend or foe, takes 1d10 Wounds, ignoring TB and APs, and becomes Prone. If there are no targets in range, the magic cannot vent, and so your head explodes and you die.

If you successfully cast a spell, it remains in effect for its entire duration unless Dispelled; you can't end it early unless you Dispel it. You can use spells you haven't memorized with XP, if they are in your grimoire and they belong to a Lore you have. Wizards often trade spells for favors. However, casting from a grimoire doubles the spell's CN. Some spells are magic missiles, which deal damage. When they hit, you find hit location by reversing the casting test, and the damage is the spell's listed Damage plus your WPB and the SLs of your casting test. TB and APs apply as normal, by default. Some Lores change this. Some spells require you to touch the target. If in combat or the target is unwilling, this requires a Melee (Brawling) test opposed by their Melee or Dodge after you successfully roll a casting test. If you do this and the spell was a magic missile, you use the touch test rather than the casting test to determine hit location.

Spellcasters can channel their magic via ingredients appropriate to the Lore. This offers a certain protection against Miscasts as the ingredient absorbs the worst of the backlash. If you use an ingredient while casting, any Major Miscast becomes a Minor Miscast and any Minor Miscast is eliminated. However, the ingredient is destroyed no matter what, even if you don't get a Miscast at all. For Arcane and Lore spells, ingredients cost (Spell's CN)s. Whenever you buy one, mark what spell it's for on your equipment list - ingredients are for specific spells, not entire Lores. The game lists sample ingredients at the start of each Lore's spell list; you can freely improvise within those themes. (Arcane Spells are, again, always considered part of whatever Lore you have.)

All spells involve a spoken component, so if you can't speak, you can't cast, and if your voice is somehow inhibited, you get a penalty according to the GM's whim. The Language of Magick must also be spoken or sung clearly and loudly, so spells aren't subtle in almost any case. The higher the CN is, generally speaking, the louder you have to be. You may only have a given spell active once - if you want to cast that spell again, you must wait for it to end or be Dispelled before you can cast it once more. Spells that provide bonuses do not stack with each other, and neither do spells that provide penalties. Only the best bonus and the worst penalty apply in any given case. Also, you must be able to see your target to cast a spell on them. Advantage does apply to casting tests, but not to Channeling tests. If you cast a spell on someone who has already had a spell of the same Lore cast on them this round, you get +1 Advantage from the Winds assisting you.

Channeling tests are required only for certain spells, which require more magic than is naturally found in the ambient flow of the Winds. This can be quite dangerous, but the spells that require it are powerful. Channeling tests are always Extended. When your SL reaches the CN of the spell, you have enough magic and may cast the spell (via the normal casting rules) on the next Round, treating its CN as 0. If the casting fails, you suffer a Minor Miscast as the gathered magic breaks free of your Aethyric grip and escapes. If you roll a critical while Channeling, you gain enough magic to cast the spell next Round regardless of your SLs; however, unless you have the Aethyric Attunement talent, you suffer a Minor Miscast due to the dangerously high concentration of magic. Channeling is also very dangerous, and so Fumbles occur not only on any failed test with a double, but also any failed test with a 0 in the ones digit. Fumbles cause a Major Miscast. If anything distracts you while Channeling, such as loud noises, flashing lights or so on, you must make a Cool test at -20 or else you suffer a Minor Miscast and lose all gathered SLs.

The reason that Magisters dress in the traditional colors of their Wind is that it helps attract the appropriate magic. All casting and Channeling tests while wearing inappropriate garb get -1 SL. Metal and leather armor also repel most Winds, causing -1 SL to such tests per AP on the most protected location. Casters with the Arcane Magic (Metal) talent ignore penalties from metal armor, while those with Arcane Magic (Beasts) ignore penalties from leather.

If a spell targets you, or a point you can see within WP yards, you may attempt to oppose its casting test with your own Language (Magick) test to chant a counterspell. If you win, you Dispel the incoming spell. If you lose, it goes off as normal using its rolled SLs. You may only attempt to Dispel one spell per round. If a spell has a non-instant, persistent effect, you may attempt to Dispel it while it's active. This is an extended Language (Magick) test; once you get SLs equal to the spell's CN, you Dispel it and it ends. Multiple casters can attempt to Dispel the same spell, but roll seperately. If they have the same Lore, however, they may instead use an Assisted Test together.

Warpstone is extremely potent, but extremely dangerous to use - or even carry. If you use Warpstone, double your SLs on any casting or Channeling tests, but Warpstone is a Corrupting Influence, so it does cause all the problems of casting near one.

Oh, and there are rules for Elves learning multiple Lores now. Specifically, an Elf may learn up to (WPB) different Lores. However, it is not easy and takes time. You cannot buy a new Arcane Magic Talent until you have at least 20 Advances in your last Lore's Channeling skill and at least 8 memorized spells from your last Lore. Any wizard can pick a single Dark Lore in addition to their normal Lore, if they're dumb enough to do so and can find a teacher or grimoire for it. If you begin play with a grimoire, incidentally, it will contain however many spells the GM says your master saw fit to scribe for you. Some are more generous than others; however, 4 is the usual minimum, and 8 the usual maximum. While you don't have those spells memorized, once you get your Lore you can cast them out of the grimoire.

Next time: Spells

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