This section covers skills and Spirit Combat.

Rune Quest 4: C) Skills


Pages 71-79:

SKILLS, replace and add to as appropriate:

Skills normally fall into three categories: Easy, Medium or Hard. While there are very specific professional skills that are never learned by most characters, I have tried to keep them off these tables. The GM has to decide when to add new skills and what the character's chances are, which will often depend on the situation, what the character does, how the player roleplays the situation, the character's background, etc.

SKILLS LIST

                                                 Exp.  Training

Skill          Base   Category       Difficulty  Gain  Avail. 

Administrate    5%    Knowledge      Medium      Yes   Rare 

Bargain         5%    Communication  Medium      Yes   ?

Battle          5%    Knowledge      Easy        Yes   Rare 

Boat            5%    Agility        Easy        Yes   ?

Breakfall       0%    Agility        Easy        Yes   Rare 

Catch          15%    Manipulation   Easy        Yes   ?

Ceremony        5%    Magic          Medium      Yes   ?

Climb          40%    Agility        Easy        Yes   ?

Conceal         5%    Manipulation   Medium      Yes   Rare

Courtesan      10%    Communication  Medium      Yes   Rare 

Craft         Varies  Knowledge      Varies      Yes   Varies 

Dance           5%    Agility        Easy        Yes   Common

Devise          0%    Manipulation   Hard        Yes   Rare

Dodge          15%    Agility        Hard        Yes   Rare

Drive          10%    Manipulation   Easy        Yes   ?

Enchant         0%    Magic          Hard        Yes   Rare 

Etiquette     Varies  Communication  Easy        Yes   Varies

Evaluate        5%    Knowledge      Medium      Yes   ?

Fast Draw       0%    Manipulation   Easy        Yes   Rare 

First Aid      10%    Knowledge      Easy        Yes   ?

Hide           10%    Stealth        Easy        Yes   ?

Instruct        5%    Knowledge      Medium      Yes   Rare 

Intrigue        0%    Knowledge      Hard        Yes   Rare 

Jump           25%    Agility        Easy        Yes   ?

Listen         25%    Perception     Medium      Yes   Rare 

Lore            0%    Knowledge      Varies      No    Varies 

Maneuver       25%    Agility        Hard        Yes   Rare 

March           5%    Agility        Easy        Yes   Rare 

Martial Arts    0%    Knowledge      Hard        No    Rare 

Martial Hold    0%    Manipulation   Hard        Yes   Rare 

Martial Throw   0%    Manipulation   Hard        Yes   Rare 

Memorize        0%    Knowledge      Medium      No    Rare 

Orate           5%    Communication  Medium      Yes   ?

Play            0%    Manipulation   Varies      Yes   ?

Read/Write      0%    Knowledge      Varies      No    Varies 

Ride            5%    Agility        Medium      Yes   Common 

Run             5%    Agility        Easy        Yes   ?

Sail            0%    Agility        Medium      Yes   ?

Scan           25%    Perception     Easy        Yes   ?

Scout          30%    Perception     Easy        Yes   Rare 

Search         25%    Perception     Medium      Yes   Rare 

Set Traps       5%    Manipulation   Easy        Yes   ?

Shadow          5%    Stealth        Medium      Yes   Rare 

Sing            5%    Communication  Easy        Yes   Common 

Shield Parry  Varies  Agility        Varies      Yes   Common 

Sleight         5%    Manipulation   Medium      Yes   Rare 

Sneak          10%    Stealth        Medium      Yes   Rare 

Sorcery Skills  0%    Magic          Varies      No    Rare 

Sorcery Spells  0%    Magic          Varies      Yes   Rare 

Spirit Combat  25%    Magic          Hard        Yes   Rare 

Spirit Sense   25%    Perception     Hard        Yes   Rare 

Summon          0%    Magic          Hard        No    Rare 

Survival        5%    Knowledge      Easy        Yes   ?

Swim           15%    Manipulation   Easy        Yes   ?

Throw          25%    Manipulation   Medium      Yes   ?

Track           5%    Perception     Medium      Yes   ?

Treat Disease   5%    Knowledge      Medium      Yes   Rare 

Treat Poison    5%    Knowledge      Medium      Yes   Rare

Weapon Attack Varies  Manipulation   Varies      Yes   Varies 

Weapon Parry  Varies  Agility        Varies      Yes   Varies

SKILLS BY CATEGORY

Attack and Parry skill will specialize in a single weapon category (1H Sword, 2H Spear) , any weapon in that category can be used if given an hour to adapt to the individual balance, otherwise there is a penalty of -20% for an unfamiliar weapon. All 1H Swinging, 1H Thrusting, 2H Swinging and 2H Thrusting Attack and Parry skills default to other weapons of these general types at half percentage.

COMPOSITE SKILLS
Composite skills are skills that subsume one or more skills. These skills are known at the same percentage as the base skill, and if the base skill increases, they will increase correspondingly. The skills a composite skill encompasses are generally bracketed, i.e., Interrogate {Intimidate, Converse}. Composite skills are almost always Medium or Hard skills.
SKILLS WITH DEFAULTS
Some skills have defaults, related skills that are known at half the percentage of the base skill. If the base skill increases, they will increase correspondingly. Skills that have such defaults are almost always Medium or Hard skills. Related skills or categories that a skill defaults to are generally set off by parentheses, i.e., Ride (Species) or by brackets, i.e., Drive [Vehicle], although skills with brackets generally also contain several unrelated categories which do not default to half the percentage of the base skill (any related categories will still default to each other at half the percentage of the base skill).
SKILL SUCCESS AND FAILURE
To add color to the use of non-combat skills, the following guidelines can be used by gamemasters and players: Gamemasters that wish to go to the trouble can use a 'special failure' result, the inverse of a special success. The special failure chance is calculated by taking one fifth of the character's chance of missing the roll and subtracting from 101. If the character rolls equal to or higher to that number, the results are very poor, just short of a fumble (which is even more catastrophic).
Gamemasters are also encouraged to define and use skill modifiers based on the specific situation a character is in and the player's roleplaying in the situation. If the party needs to convince Asylius, a Lunar official, to let them have a permit, have one of them make an Oratory or Bargain roll, with the following modifiers: from -20% to +20% for roleplaying (-20% for no attempt, -10% for bad, 0% for fair, +10% for average, +20% for good); +10% if they mention their mutual friend, Theodorus; +5% if they praise Asylius (he is vain); -10% if they insult him, even subtly (he is quite sharp). Bribery attempts on Asylius use the above modifiers, but with an additional -20% modifier, as Asylius is relatively honest. Intimidate attempts are not likely to succeed, as Asylius will have a hard time believing any threats the characters make, most likely calling for the guards in response.
COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS
In a task where one skill is obviously the most appropriate, and yet there is another skill that could help, add one fifth (the special chance) of the less relevant skill to the first skill to determine success. For example, Achmed the Armorer is a master armorer with Craft/Armory 95% and Bargain 41%. When selling armor in his shop (using Bargain), his Bargain skill would have 1/5 his Craft/Armory skill added to it, or 41% + 95%/5 = 60% Bargain. If however, he was asked to take over a friend's fruit stand for a little while, Achmed would use only his Bargain 41% skill (Achmed knows next to nothing about fruit).
AVAILABILITY OF SKILL TRAINING
A number of skills are not commonly taught or are considered socially unacceptable in a number of cultures. These are skills in which training may be difficult or impossible to find. They are listed as having 'Rare' training availability in the skills list. Some possible sources for training in these rare skills are:
Thieves - skills generally taught only by thieves and Thief Cults: Shadow, Taste, Feel, Smell, Lip Read, Scout(Urban), Search, Escape, Pick Locks, Pick Pockets, Set Traps, Disarm Traps, Lock Lore, Conceal, Intimidate, Mimic, Ventriloquism, Act, Climb, Acrobatics, Interrogate, Fast Talk, Bribe, Dodge, Disguise Craft, Balance, Jump, Bribe, Etiquette (Street), Speak Thieves' Argot, Read/Write Thieves' Argot
Players - skills generally taught only by Players, tricksters and their cults: Lip Reading, Conceal, Sleight, Pick Pockets, Juggle, Mimic, Ventriloquism, Act, Acrobatics, Breakfall, Dodge, Disguise Craft, Balance
Military - skills generally taught only in some military units and cults: Battle, Some exotic weapons, both Attack and Parry, Interrogation, Intimidate, Dodge, March, Etiquette (Military), Fast Draw, Maneuver
Sages - skills generally taught by sages, alchemists and Knowledge cults: Exotic languages, both Read/Write and Speak, Devise, Alchemical Skills, Exotic Lores, Etiquette, Administrate, Instruct
Craft - skills only taught by crafters, Craft guilds and certain cults: Devise and exotic Craft skills. Unususal - rare skills, often only taught only in specific cultures or certain areas of the world, or only to certain people: Exotic weapons, both Attack and Parry, Martial Arts, Martial Throw, Martial Hold, Kick Attack and Parry, Jumping Kick, Magic Skills, Sorcery, Spirit Combat, Spirit Sense, Spirit Travel.

SKILL DEFINITIONS

AGILITY SKILLS:
Breakfall (0%) Easy
The skill of absorbing and redirecting the force of the impact from a fall. A successful Breakfall roll will reduce falling damage by 1d6, a special success reduces falling damage by 2d6, and a critical success will halve the amount of any excess damage inflicted. Any successful Breakfall roll allows a character to specify the hit locations to sustain any excess damage. A successful Breakfall roll additionally allows a character to regain a standing or kneeling position from a fall without having to waste an extra action to stand or kneel.
Dance (Culture) (5%) Easy
The ability to make the right movements and gestures with or without noise or music according to the accepted standards of the dance. This skill is culturally oriented, but defaults across almost all cultures. Some cultural divisions - Hsunchen, Pelorian, Pentan, Praxian, Teshnan, Theyalan, Vithelan, Western, Street, Troll, Elf
Maneuver (25%) Hard
This skill governs movement in melee situations. It is normally studied by warriors, martial artists or duelists. It covers the art of combat movement, engaging, disengaging and closing. In any Move Phase where two or more characters disagree about their state of engagement or their fighting distance, they should each roll Maneuver skill. If they achieve the same level of success (that is, both fumble, both fail, both succeed, both special or both critical), nothing changes. If one character achieves a higher level of success than the other (succeeds where the other fails, specials where the other succeeds, etc.), he or she acts as if disengaged, with the loser remaining engaged. For more details, see Combat.
March (5%) Easy
The ability to move long distances on foot efficiently. A successful March roll can decrease long term fatigue loss from extended movement. Reduce Long term Fatigue by .5 per hour with a successful check.
Run (5%) Easy
The ability to move rapidly on foot. A character's non-combat running rate is increased by half the Run skill, expressed as a precentage. For example, a character with 54% run skill would run at 126% their normal non- combat running rate. Also the character can make a Run roll to gain a positional advantage in a race or they can make a Run roll every five melee rounds to negate the Short term Fatigue for that round.
Sail (0%) Medium
The ability to handle a wind propelled craft. Boat is a complementary skill.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
Bargain (Bribe, Fast Talk, Debate) (5%) Medium
This is the skill of trade and barter. The skill can be used to buy something for a lower price than is asked. To use it, one must be in a position where bargaining is reasonable; bargaining for the sacred axe of a Babeester Gor temple guard is not feasible. The referee must first set a firm price for the object based on the local market value. Both characters check their level of success (failure), and the price is adjusted by a cumulative +10% for each success level of the seller (-10% for fumble) and an opposite adjustment for the buyer. The person selling the item will almost never take a loss, no matter how well they are bargained with, and the buyer must make the final decision whether he can afford to pay the price. Do not allow repeated bargaining checks for the same item with the same person: the price is the price.
Courtesan (10%) Medium
Courtesans are professionals, skilled in many forms of entertainment, whose tools and media include human bodies. This skill encompasses the myriad techniques of sexual activity. It includes the fine points of verbal enticement, coercive seduction, titillating entertainment, tasteful foreplay, subtle manipulation, erotic carnality, exuberant climax and satisfying afterplay. Increased competency in the skill indicates increased finesse. Several skills might be used to modify the overall success.
Etiquette [Culture] (0%) Easy
Knowledge of the manners and acceptable behavior for a specific culture. A skill level of at least 15% will prevent grotesque social errors, a skill level of 31% or greater indicates familiarity with that culture's social customs (as per the language proficiency table). The skills only default within very similar cultures. A Praxian nomad might be able to use half his Etiquette (Praxian) with a Pentan nomad, but his Etiquette (Praxian) would be useless in the Pelorian Heartland. Etiquette (Street) is also known as Streetwise, and is the knowledge of urban low culture. Some cultural divisions - Hsunchen, Pelorian, Pentan, Praxian, Teshnan, Theyalan, Vithelan, Western, Street, Troll, Elf
Sing (5%) Easy
The ability to make one's voice carry a tune according to the standards of rhythm, rhyme, pitch, harmony, etc., as needed for the song.
KNOWLEDGE SKILLS:
Administrate (5%) Medium
The ability to coordinate the many different facets needed to run an organization in a businesslike manner. The level of skill will reflect the general efficiency of a leader that runs an organization larger than a warband.
Battle (5%) Easy
The skill of knowing what to do in a battlefield situation. It defines the savvy and behavior of the character during a fighting period that involves many people. Individual prowess and morale are lost in mass action, and even the boldest Rune Lord who has never been in a mass action may fail to recognize these signs and take the proper actions. The appalling truth of these fights is that one is likely to die through no fault of their own. Battle skill may be trained or researched only to a limit of 50%. Anything past that is gained only through experience.
A character's Battle is modified by 1/10 of their best Attack, Parry and Maneuver. Most battles will have special modifiers added or subtracted from the Battle skill reflecting conditions of particular favor or disfavor to either side: +/- 1 to 20, such as bonuses for fortifications or good tactics and penalties for being outnumbered or caught in the open. Most battles will have a modifier subtracted from both sides due to potential lethality. When mass engagements occur that the character is involved in, roll 1d100 and compare the result to the character's Battle skill.
Success Level Battle Actions Combat Skill Checks POW Check Other Results
Critical Fought heroically Eight Yes Automatic Battle gain
Special Fought very well Six Yes Battle check
Success Fought competently Four Yes Battle check
Failure Wounded, withdrew Two No Battle check
Special Failure Wounded, ran away One No Lost best weapon and heaviest armor piece
Fumble Killed in action n/a n/a n/a
Before the battle, each player should set aside magic points specifically for healing. Any wounded result can be neutralized if 10 MP are set aside for the purpose. Note: most soldiers can do this once, but only experienced characters can save 20 or more MP that are not used for other battle magic.
Next you must check for the aftermath. Roll again with the same modifier, keeping the combat skill checks from the better result. Anyone with two wounded results was killed, 20% of the wounded who ran escaped before the aftermath, and 20% of the other wounded were captured.
Ransoming important or influential people may be common, especially in raids, but in war, prisoners are exchanged or killed. Depending on the situation and the cults he or she belonged to, a slain character might be able to use Divine Intervention to survive, or might be Resurrected after the battle. To get a feel for the application of modifiers the following example is provided for 100 average soldiers with a 50% in Battle, Attack, Parry and Maneuver skills and the modifiers listed below:
Modifier Battle killed Battle wounded Wounded killed New killed, wounded Total killed Total wounded
-20% 3 8 + 44 24 1 + 24 28 52
-10% 2 7 + 36 16 1 + 24 19 51
+0% 2 5 + 28 10 1 + 22 13 45
+10% 1 4 + 20 5 1 + 18 7 37
+20% 1 2 +12 2 1 + 12 4 24
For example, the Building Wall battle was a major Lunar defeat and a major Pharonic victory. All average soldiers on the Lunar side of the battle would have a -20% to their Battle skills due to poor tactics and inadequate numbers, resulting in a 28% chance of death for the Lunar side and an additional 9% captured. All characters on the Pharonic side have a +10% to their Battle skills for good fortifications, resulting in a 7% chance for death with about 7% captured. Modify the chance for captives to fit the situation, since most captives are taken during the rout.
Leader characters with excellent battle skills will have better chances than the +20% row above and peasant conscripts will be at least as bad as the -20% row. It is possible for the modifiers to change during the aftermath because the situation has changed. A long day of battle might have several engagements and withdrawals by good leaders changing their force mix to attempt to modify the total damage to their force.
Craft [Various] (0-10%) Easy, Medium or Hard
Various craft skills, some unrelated, some related. Some examples:
Easy - Basketweaving (5%), Baking (5%), Butchery (10%), Cooking (10%), Candlemaking (5%), Map Making (10%), Prepare Corpse (10%)
Medium - Armorer (5%), Bowyer (5%), Fletcher (5%)
Hard - Artificer (5%), Disguise (5%), Blade Venom (0%), Acid (0%), Blade Venom Antidote (0%)
Instruct (5%) Medium
The skill of teaching. For a training session in a skill to succeed, the teacher must roll under his or her Instruct skill. If the Instruct roll fails, the training session counts as a research session. A fumbled Instruct roll results in the loss of 1d6% from the training session. A special Instruct roll results in a gain of at least 3% (reroll results below 3%) from the training session, and a critical Instruct roll results in a gain of 6% from the training session. A teacher may not teach someone in a skill past their level in the skill, their level of Instruct skill notwithstanding.
Successful training above 75% in most skills counts as research, successful training above 100% in knowledge skill that cannot be raised by experience counts as research, with failed training sessions yielding no results. A single instructor can typically train up to 32 students at a time in a skill up to 25%, 16 students at a time up to 50%, 8 students at a time up to 75%, and 4 students at a time over 75%.
Intrigue (Act, Bribe, Converse, Interrogate) (5%) Hard
The ability to gather sensitive information by indirect means, and apply such information to its best advantage. The skill is of great use to social climbers or those that are active in almost any form of politics.
Lore [Various] (0-5%) Easy, Medium and Hard
Various knowledge and lore skills, some unrelated, some related. Generally, the more a lore encompasses, the more difficult the skill. Some examples:
Easy - Cult Lore (0%), Lock Lore (0%)
Medium - Sartar Lore (0%, 10% if Sartar native), Spirit Lore (5%)
Hard - Glorantha Lore (Age%)
Martial Arts (0%) Hard
  • This skill makes the best use of natural weapons. It is a discipline of the mind that allows a character to double the damage or effect of a natural weapon. A special or critical roll will double the damage bonus also (otherwise, no effect).
  • Using Martial Arts, an adventurer's player must roll a successful attack or parry with a natural weapon. If the percentile roll is also equal to or under the adventurer's Martial Arts skill, then the adventurer gets the benefit of two damage rolls for the natural weapon or unarmed combat skill (i.e., Fist, Kick, Jumping Kick, Grapple or Martial Hold damage attempt, etc.).
  • Martial Arts also affects an adventurer's natural weapons parry. A successful fist, kick or grapple parry roll that is also less than or equal to the Martial Arts percentage blocks 6 points of damage and the defender may take excess damage at that location or at the rolled hit location, at the defender's option.
  • A Grapple attack that is also less than or equal to the Martial Arts percentage that is parried by an opponent's weapon or shield may grasp the opponent's weapon or shield arm instead of the weapon or shield.
  • A Grapple or Martial Hold immobilization attempt that rolls equal to or less than the Martial Arts percentage has a double chance of success.
  • A Grapple throw or Martial Throw attempt that is also equal to or less than the Martial Arts percentage will have a double chance of success or do double damage, at the thrower's option.
  • A Grapple or Martial Hold damage attempt that is also under the Martial Arts percentage will do double damage.
  • Memorize (5%) Medium
    The ability to remember something exactly by rote, even if incomprehensible. The skill can be used to substitute for an INT roll whenever trying to remember something one has seen or heard. The skill is often studied by heralds, messengers, lawspeakers, etc.
    Survival (Terrain) (5%) Easy
    The ability to find food, water and shelter in varying types of terrain. Survival (Urban) is a skill known by beggars or the homeless. Terrain types - Desert/Plains, Woods/Jungle, Marsh, Mountain, Broken, Rough, Arctic, Urban
    Treat Disease (5%) Medium
    Successful use of this skill doubles a victim's chance of success at his or her next disease recovery CON roll. A critical success triples the next chance of success, a fumble halves the next chance of success. Victims of acute, terminal or serious diseases must be tended to constantly to get this bonus. Victims of mild diseases need only be tended for one day per week.
    Treat Poison (5%) Medium
    Successful use of this skill purges the victim of 2d6 POT of poison, a special roll purges 4d6 POT, a critical success purges all of the poison. A fumble halves the victim's chance of resisting the poison. The skill attempt must be begun before damage has been taken. A skill roll can be attempted only once per poisoning.
    MANIPULATION SKILLS:
    Drive [Various] (5%) Easy
    The ability to drive a vehicle. Some driving skills are related, and would share defaults, others are not. Typical vehicles include chariots, oxcarts, and wagons.
    Fast Draw [Weapon] (0%) Easy
    The skill of drawing a weapon and attacking or parrying with it in one motion. It can also be studied for missile weapons, allowing one to draw a missile, load and fire in one motion. The skill must be studied separately for different weapon categories, which on occasion can overlap somewhat (half skill), but generally do not. On a successful Fast Draw skill roll, a character can draw a melee weapon and attack or parry with it at its normal SR in a single melee action. If used with a missile weapon, on a successful roll the character can draw, load and fire a missile in one action, adding 3 SR to the normal SR of the missile weapon (it still requires DEX SR to fire). If the roll is failed, only the regular Draw Weapon melee action takes place, no attack or parry can be combined with it. A fumbled roll drops the weapon 0-3 meters (1d4-1) away in a random direction. A critical success with a melee weapon adds +20% to the attack or parry with the weapon (the opponent is surprised). A critical success with a missile weapon allows the character to draw, load and fire the missile weapon at DEX SR.
    Set Traps (Disarm Trap) (5%) Easy
    The ability to set simple traps, be they snares, deadfalls, pitfalls or tripwires. More complex traps would also require use of the Devise and/or Artificer Craft skills. This skill is complementary to perception skills used for the purposes of detecting traps.
    PERCEPTION SKILLS:
    Scout (Terrain) (30%) Easy
    The ability to cross, view and analyze terrain. Base Scout skill is based on one's native terrain, defaulting to other terrains at half that value. Mounted nomads will typically have Scout (Plains) skill, city-bred thieves will have Scout (Urban) skill, etc. A successful Scout roll indicates that the character managed to move about the terrain in an efficient manner and can find the easiest pathways, good hiding places, water holes, or other appropriate local landmarks. In a city, a successful Scout (Urban) roll will tell where the good and bad parts of town are, where the markets are, and most important public places. Terrain types - Desert/Plains, Woods/Jungle, Marsh, Mountain, Broken, Rough, Arctic, Urban
    Spirit Sense (25%) Hard
    The ability to sense discorporate spirits, with or without the use of magic. Training in Spirit Sense is normally only available to Assistant Shamans, Shamans or members of certain cults. See Magic Book for details.
    STEALTH SKILLS:
    Shadow (Hide) (5%) Medium
    The art of secretly following someone around in a town or city. It should not be used in an unpopulated setting, Hide skill should be used instead. A success with this skill means that the character has managed to follow his or her target unnoticed. A failure means that the target has a chance to match Scan or Listen against the failed Shadow roll to realized that they are being followed, and if they are in any way alert, a successful Search roll will identify the follower. A fumbled roll immediately alerts the target that they are being followed. Depending on the alertness of the target, another Shadow roll should be made after the initial roll as frequently as once a turn, or as infrequently as once an hour (or less). If the target is actively watching for a shadow, they can make a Scan roll every turn to identify the follower, but if the follower succeeded in their Shadow roll, match twice the followers Shadow success against the target's Scan. If the Scan roll wins, the target suspects they are being followed, but is not able to specifically identify the follower(s).
    ATTACK SKILLS:
    Jumping Kick (0%) Medium
    This form of natural weapon attack does 1d8 damage and double the normal amount of knockback, but counts as two actions (i.e., no defenses are allowed when this attack is used). This can represent another form of all out attack, in which case another descriptive name should be used.
    Martial Hold (0%) Hard
    May be used immediately after a successful Grapple attack to inflict damage or immobilize an opponent. Acts as a normal immobilization or does 1d4 damage plus damage bonus, ignoring any articulated armor (i.e., most armor does not count). Protective spells will count at half. May be used as a come-along hold, inflicting pain, but no actual damage unless the opponent attempts to break free.
    Martial Throw (0%) Hard
    A Martial Throw may be attempted immediately after a successful Grapple attack (in the same melee round), throwing at normal chance of success and damage.

    Page 74:

    SPEAK OWN LANGUAGE: Replace Speak Own Language (30) with Speak Own Language (INTx4) Remove the first three sentences of the first paragraph.

    Page 74:

    LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TABLE Replace second sentence of third paragraph (31-50) with: One can speak as well or better than a stupid native, and get most ideas across.

    NEW SKILLS If gamemasters and players feel a need for additional skills, they should by all means define them, though one should be careful not to go too far introducing new skills, as this adds unnecessary complexity to the game. The current skill list, as well as some common sense and reality checking, should be used to create and categorize new skills, both in terms of category and level of difficulty.

    Some very rare and exotic skills or sorcery spells could be Very Hard skills receiving only 1d3-1 for training or research. Some new skills might best be described as composite skills, skills that subsume one or more other skills.

    An example might be a Donandar cultist that wishes to study a skill that lets him jump, fall and roll around, but lacks the sophistication of Acrobatics. After some discussion between the gamemaster and the player, they decide that this skill would basically consist of Jump and Breakfall, with no significant additional benefits. The skill could be called Tumble, and would be a Medium difficulty skill (it is a composite of two Easy skills). The gamemaster would have to determine training and availability, but players and thieves would be two logical sources of training for such a skill. Of course, the character could always attempt to research such a skill on his or her own, a long, and in this case possibly painful process.

    SKILL DECAY Skills naturally atrophy over time. For game purposes, subtract 1% from all skills each year (ie: at Sacred Time) until they reach the starting base value with any cultural modifiers. If the skill is being used and developed regularly it will easily overcome this minor setback, otherwise it is not a skill that is important to the character.

    Page 81:

    WASTING DISEASE, replace with: Wasting Disease: Muscles atrophy. Affects STR. When a character's STR reaches 0, he or she cannot move.

    Page 81:

    DISEASE, Add: Milder diseases exist, typically causing temporary loss of characteristic points or the loss of long term fatigue. Some examples: Fever: Each degree of illness causes a corresponding loss in levels of long term fatigue. An Incapacitated character is bedridden. Runs: Causes temporary loss of STR, which is recovered once the character recovers. A character whose STR reaches 0 is bedridden.

    Page 82:

    AGING AND INACTION, correction: Characters will only die if their CON is reduced to zero. See Disease for the effect of reducing other characteristics to zero.

    Page 83:

    MOVEMENT, replace with: A character trying to move in a wind with strength greater than the character's STR + SIZ will have some difficulty. If the character tries a complex maneuver or tries to move quickly, a DEX roll, typically DEX x 5, is required for the character to remain standing. A wind with strength greater than twice the characters STR + SIZ can knock characters down or possibly carry them away. A failed DEX x 3 roll will result in the character being knocked down, or possibly carried away.

    Page 83:

    WIND MEASUREMENT TABLE, correction: Remove comments following Light, Moderate, or Strong Wind and Fresh Gale.

    RQIV MAGIC BOOK

    Page 7:

    THE PLANES, add:

    The Spirit Plane: The spirit world is contiguous with every point of the mundane world, but is normally invisible to the mundane world, and vice versa. Some spells and abilities allow spirits and embodied creatures to look across the boundary. The view is much like looking at something under murky water - hard to see and harder to locate. When the spirit plane is looked upon by a magic spell that lets one view it, such as Second Sight, or by the innate Second Sight ability of a shaman or another with a special relation with the spirit world, it appears as an additional layer on reality, a dreamlike place where forms come and go. A discorporate spirit sees the spirit world more clearly, but still needs to peer about to find other spirits.

    A discorporate spirit that becomes Visible "- sticks its head out of the water," to use a shaman's figure of speech. It can see the mundane world better, but cannot see the spirit world as well. A man on the mundane world looks out onto a meadow with an old tree that is said to be haunted. He can see a meadow with a tree. If he looked out onto the same meadow with Second Sight, he would not only see the meadow and the tree, but also the spirits of the grass and the spirit of the tree. He could also see into the spirit plane, and might be able to see the ghost that haunts the tree. The ghost is a native of the spirit plane, though it likely was once a creature of the mundane world. It can normally only see and interact with the disembodied spirits native to the spirit world. Unless the ghost uses its innate power of Visibility or the spirit magic of Second Sight, it cannot see the man or his world. If it uses these abilities, it can now see onto the mundane world much as a man with Second Sight or a shaman can see onto its world. A discorporate shaman is in the same situation as the ghost. Unless he uses his Second Sight, he can no longer see the mundane world or the spirits of the living, though he would see disembodied spirits such as ghosts or spell spirits.

    SPIRIT SENSE: Spirit Sense lets an embodied character sense a spirit in the vicinity. It also lets a disembodied character sense an embodied or disembodied spirit. More powerful spirits are easier to see, so add the POW of the spirit to be spotted to the character's Spirit Sense skill. A fetch is visible on the spirit plane like any disembodied spirit. Spirit Sense can work with one's normal senses, but it helps to have a magical perception spell (Second Sight, Soul Sight, or Mystic Vision) or a shaman's Second Sight ability. An embodied character cannot use this skill to Sense another embodied spirit, such as another living creature or a bound spirit. An embodied creature cannot Sense through an opaque barrier. Spirit Sense is a Hard Perception skill with a base of 25%, which can go up by experience. Training in Spirit Sense is normally only available to Assistant Shamans, Shamans or members of certain cults. Shamans have no maximum in this perception skill.

    Embodied Characters Looking for Visible Spirits: If a spirit is Visible but out of spell range, or the character lacks a magical perception spell, the character sees the spirit on a success with Scan. If a Visible spirit comes within a character's POW x 5 in meters, he or she can sense the presence of the spirit with a successful Spirit Sense roll. Within the character's POW in meters, he or she senses the presence of a Visible spirit without a roll. If a spirit is Visible and within spell range, a character with a magical perception spell sees it without a roll.

    Embodied Characters Looking for Non-Visible Spirits: An embodied character without a magical perception spell can Sense a non-visible spirit within his or her POW in meters only on a special success in Spirit Sense, which will tell the character that there is a spirit nearby, but not know where or what kind. A critical success will tell the character the exact location of the spirit. An embodied character with a magical perception spell can Sense a non-visible spirit within spell range on a successful Spirit Sense roll.

    Disembodied Spirits Looking for Embodied Creatures: A disembodied, non-visible spirit without a magical perception spell or ability can only Sense an embodied creature if it passes within its POW in meters, and then only on a special success in Spirit Sense. If a disembodied spirit uses Visibility, it can sense embodied spirits within its POW x 5 in meters with a successful Spirit Sense roll, and will sense embodied spirits within its POW x 1 in meters automatically. A Visible spirit cannot Sense through an opaque barrier. If a disembodied spirit has a magical perception spell or ability, it can sense embodied creatures within spell range on a successful Spirit Sense roll.

    Disembodied Spirits on the Spirit Plane: A non-visible spirit can Sense another non-visible spirit automatically at a range of the larger spirit's POW x 5 in meters. It can Sense another spirit at a range of its own POW x 10 in meters on a successful Spirit Sense roll. A Visible spirit can Sense another spirit (visible or non-visible) without a roll at a range of its POW in meters. It can Sense another spirit at a range of the larger spirit's POW x 5 in meters on a successful Spirit Sense roll. Roll once for each spirit at the beginning of each melee round.

    Miscellaneous Rules: If a disembodied spirit is trying to sense a shaman, add one to its level of success. (A failure = a success, a success = a special, a special = a critical, a critical = a critical and the spirit gets a free attack on the shaman unless the shaman is aware of it.) The shamans fetch makes him or her fairly obvious to spirits. A critical lets the character know the spirit's type without making another roll.

    A fumbled spirit detection means that the character thinks that no spirit is there. In spirit combat, a creature can use Spirit Sense at 1/2 skill without using an action. It can use it at full skill if the creature uses a Miscellaneous Action.

    A character can try to avoid being Sensed in several ways. Running away is helpful. If the character can get out of the spirit's Sense range, he or she is safe unless the spirit blunders upon the character again. Subtract a running character's movement rate in meters from the spirit's Sense skill. (Treat the skill as 100%, or the actual skill if higher, if the character runs away from a Visible spirit that began the melee round less than its POW in meters from the creature.) Spirits have a hard time sensing the mundane plane. Moving confuses them. Some things drive spirits away: see below under Spirit Lore.

    SPIRIT SCOUTS: A Visible, intelligent spirit can navigate on the mundane plane with an INT x 4 roll. If the spirit is unfamiliar with the area, there is a 25% penalty. If there are no landmarks to follow, as in the desert, there is a 25% penalty. Either or both penalties can apply, and the GM may assign other bonuses or penalties. If the spirit misses a roll, it goes off course. It can recognize this on an INT x 5 roll. If it does see that it is off course, it can right itself with a successful INT x 4 roll, modified as above. It loses 1D6 times 5 minutes in doing so. If it misses either roll, it is lost and never reaches its goal. A spirit scout can try to avoid a guardian spirit that it Senses. However, if it crosses a magical barrier, it will alert someone. Common magical barriers are the Glowline, the border of the Mad Sultanate, city walls, and Warding/Market boundaries.

    SPIRIT LORE: Spirit Lore collects all kinds of knowledge about spirits. Its major uses are identifying spirits and knowing how to avoid or drive away spirits. Shamans can use it to remember what will Appease or Banish a kind of spirit. "Kind of spirit" means not only the Creatures Book label, but also the spirit's kindred, runes, and background. There are ghosts of trolls and plant rune healing spirits. Nymphs are linked not only to elements, but also to geography and history. Spirit Lore is a Medium difficulty Knowledge skill with a base of 5%, and cannot go up by experience.

    Identifying Spirits: Characters are not born knowing the contents of the Creatures Book. Before describing a spirit to experienced players, the GM should require a Spirit Lore roll. The GM should only let those who succeeded know what the spirit looks like. There are bonuses for well-known spirits: Ghost +25, Pain Spirit +10, Madness Spirit +5, Fear Spirit +10, Wraith +10. Characters can also identify things like chonchons, elementals, and nymphs with a successful roll. Bonuses for those things are +25 or higher. A critical roll gives the character more information. If the character has a magical perception spell, he or she learns the size of an important statistic of the spirit. Examples include SIZ (in cubic meters, accurately) for elementals, CON (within a 5 point range) for wraiths, and INT (within a 5 point range) for hellions or chonchons. If the person lacks a magical perception spell, then he or she learns the MP of the spirit within the ranges normally provided by Second Sight. A fumbled roll gives the person wrong information. The GM gives the player credible but wrong information. Examples include mistaking a wraith for a ghost, or a spirit as some other type of spirit. Some spirits are almost unmistakable, such as manifested Elementals. A sylph could be mistaken for a Whirlvish, or vice versa, or a viewer might not know the tell-tale appearance of a Chonchon. However, once a person sees these types of being a few times, he or she will always recognize them. Also, if a character knows what a gnome looks like, he or she can tell whether a gap opening in the earth is or is not a gnome.

    Driving Away Spirits: Some spirits hate noise and strong smells. Light or fire tend to drive spirits of darkness away, etc.... Many people carry charms to ward off spirits, or do other magical acts to avoid them. A hunter, alone in the woods, knows how to avoid offending common spirits. Many of these things are of doubtful power. Some might have a limited effectiveness, perhaps adding +1% to +5% to the possessor's Spirit Combat skill, though oddly enough not all of these detect as magical. Nevertheless, the God Learners proved that some things do drive away spirits or make them less likely to attack a person. A Lightwall (or sunlight) can drive away a spirit of darkness. Truestone can drive away a spirit of chaos. The death rune can drive off ghoul spirits, wraiths, and healing spirits. Many of these things will not be available to the adventurer. There are two ways to run Spirit Lore for this purpose. If the player has no ideas, the GM can allow a roll at a proper penalty to see if the character thinks of anything. If the player does have an idea (and the materials it requires), the GM can allow a roll, perhaps with a bonus for cleverness. Planning ahead deserves a bonus of +5 to +50. The GM may let the characters ask for advice from a Spirit Lore master. Sometimes, even the cleverest ideas fail. An idea for driving off an attacking spirit has a chance of success in the 20 to 80% range. An idea for keeping a spirit away has a chance of success in the 40 to 110% range. Subtract the MP of the spirit from the chances of success. The adjusted chance of success is never more than three times the character's Spirit Lore skill, even for the best ideas. One must understand what one is doing.

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    SPIRIT COMBAT, replace most of procedures with:

    Spirit combat is the struggling of two (or more) wills. Each seeks to force its will on the other. Each tries to grind the other down to the point where it can no longer resist. Individuals in spirit combat lose MP, sometimes at a frightful rate. A losing party may try to escape, or to frighten the attacking spirit in some way. More than one spirit can attack a person, but only one person can fight a spirit. In spirit combat, each option takes one combat action.

    Spirit combat attacks take place at the combatant's DEX strike rank. Spirits without DEX attack in SR 1, before all other attacks but after movement. Spirit combat defense takes 1 SR just as parry or dodge does. If more than one attack occurs on the same DEX SR, resolve them in order from the highest Spirit Combat skill to the lowest. If this does not resolve the tie, resolve the options at the same time.

    Spirit Combat is a Hard Magic skill, with a base of 25%, and can increase through experience. Where POW and Magic Points represent a character's life force and raw spiritual strength, skill in spirit combat represents a character's ability to focus their will and strength as they struggle againt a spirit. Training in Spirit Combat is normally only available to Assistant Shamans, Shamans or members of certain cults, and consists of meditative and focusing excercises, as well as exposure to spirits.

    The common combat options in spirit combat are: Attack, Defend, All-out Attack, and All-out Defense. Under some circumstances, using Spirit Sense may take an action. See Spirit Sense, below. There are uncommon combat options as well, known only to some shamans and assistant shamans. The least uncommon options are Appease, Banish, and Intercept. Nearly all fetches learn Intercept. Appease is fairly common, and Banish less so. There are deeper and more terrible secrets, but they are limited to extremely obscure and restricted cults and are outside of the scope of normal play.

    ATTACK: The character makes a Spirit Combat roll. An Attack affects one target only, and takes a single melee action to perform. Critical: Maximum damage plus rolled damage. Special: The attack automatically does maximum damage. Success: Roll damage normally. Failure: No effect. Fumble: One opponent's attempt to Appease, Banish, or use Spirit Sense succeeds without a roll. The opponent should roll anyway, if he or she has not already done so. However, treat a failure or fumble as a success. If there is more than one opponent, pick the one that has the highest MP.

    ALL-OUT ATTACK: An all-out attack requires the use of two combat actions (normally all that a character gets). The character makes a Spirit Combat roll. An All-out Attack affects one target only. Critical: Damage is two times the maximum for the character's MP. On a successful MP vs. MP roll, the character may bind or possess (or do whatever it does to defenseless targets) the target. Special: Roll damage and add it to the maximum damage for the character's MP. Success: Damage is automatically the maximum for the character's MP. Failure: Roll again: on any successful roll, does normal damage. There is no extra effect for a critical, special, or fumble on the second roll. Fumble: All opponents' attempts to Appease, Banish, or use Spirit Sense succeed without a roll. The opponent should roll anyway, if he or she has not already done so. However, treat a failure or fumble as a success. In addition, any opponent who made a normal success can try to bind or possess the fumbler.

    DEFEND: The character makes a Spirit Combat roll. A Defend works against all Attacks and attempts to Banish in one round, and takes a single melee action to perform. Critical: No Attack or Banishment succeeds. Special: Attack or Banishment is one level of success lower. Success: Attack does one-half the normal damage (roll and divide, round up). Double the defending spirit's MP for purposes of Banishment. Failure: No effect. Fumble: All opponents' attempts to Appease, Attack, Banish, or use Spirit Sense succeed without a roll. The opponent should roll anyway, if he or she has not already done so. However, treat a failure or fumble as a success.

    ALL-OUT DEFENSE: An all-out defense requires the use of two combat actions (normally all that a character gets). The character makes a Spirit Combat roll. An All-out Defense works against all Attacks and attempts to Banish in one round. Critical: No Attack or Banishment succeeds, and the Defender does normal damage to all Attackers. (This damage can be affected by a Defend option.) Special: No Attack or Banishment succeeds. Success: Attack or Banishment is one level of success lower than normal. Failure: Attack does one-half the normal damage (roll and divide, round up). Double the defending spirit's MP for purposes of Banishment. Fumble: No effect.

    Damage: The damage done with a successful attack depends on the being's MP at the time of the attack.

    Current MP  Damage      Current MP  Damage
    
     01-10        1d3        51-60        2d6
    
     11-20        1d4        61-70      2d6+2
    
     21-30        1d6        71-80        3d6
    
     31-40        1d8        81-90      3d6+2
    
     41-50       1d10        etc.        etc.