Savage Sword & Sorcery

Black Knight

Contents
1 Setting Rules
Literacy & Languages Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hindrances

5
5 6 7 8

2 Combat
Combat Grid Posting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9
9 9

3 Gear
Encumbrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11
11 12

4 Cultural Archetypes
Savage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nomadic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Civilized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enlightened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Decadent Degenerate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

17
17 18 18 19 19 20

5 Cultures
Azimbans Ghulzai Hungols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edenites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

21
22 22 23 24 24 25 26

Ilians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kukuana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Milezians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

CONTENTS

Mineans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Muans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thulans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tatha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yorabi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

27 27 28 29 30

6 Religions
Danu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ishtar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Isis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jul-Juggah Kronos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Manah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mithras Proteus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Moloch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tiamat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yaghuth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

31
31 31 31 32 32 32 33 33 33 33 33

Chapter 1

Setting Rules
This chapter is intended to make the campaign accessible for those who have only the

age World Deluxe & Barbarians

tions are omitted.

rules. The following sections

Sav-

Literacy & Languages

Literacy is rare in the campaign world. So, as per the standard game rules, most of the characters should have the Illiterate Hindrance. Yet, this would cause a generic attening of the heroes. Hence, the Hindrance is ignored and each player is allowed to decide if his hero knows how to read and write or not (depending on the hero's background). Illiterate characters have an extra Skill point, to be spent on a Smarts based skill. Characters can become literate during the game by spending a leveling option. A hero starts the game knowing a number of languages equal to half his Smarts die, plus his native tongue as per the Multiple Languages rule from . New languages can be acquired through advancements.

include all the modications to the core Skills, Edges, and Hindrances as described in the setting book; the new player op-

Beasts

Savage Worlds Deluxe

DM Note:

If you wish, you may leave some

of your available language slots undeclared to start the campaign, and ll them in when the need arises. For example, a Milezian character with a d8 in Smarts could declare Edenite as one of his known languages, and leave the three other slots undeclared. Then, if he encountered a situation where he needed to speak Ilian, he could say Ah, I know a bit of Ilian; I used to drink 5

CHAPTER 1.

SETTING RULES

with an Ilian trader in Carcoza, and then ll in Ilian as one of his known languages, leaving only two slots undeclared for later.

Skills
The Piloting skill is not used, and the following skills are modied or extended to t the setting.

Driving
This skill is used to drive chariots, carts, and other similar vehicles.

Knowledge
The following are the most useful areas of knowledge in this setting.

Arcana: Battle:
past.

It covers the vast eld of magic,

the occult and the supernatural.

Useful for mass combats. It covers the knowledge of the

History:

Legends & Lore:

from common

It covers everything to knowledge of

folklore

myths and fantastic creatures and places.

Religion:
matters.

It covers all the religious matters.

In some cases, it can also be used, with a penalty, to cover Arcana, Legends and Lore

Specic Area:

Its focus can be any specic

city, region, or country, such as Avalon, Ilium, Kukuanaland, Mu, or the Red Wastes.

EDGES

ing). Each of these vehicles requires a related Edge (to be taken only once). or Born in the Saddle (Riding). A hero with one of these Edges adds +2 to Driving, Boating or Riding rolls. In addition, This is a he may also spend Bennies on soak rolls for any vehicle, vessel or mount he controls. the usual +2). sulted from it. Driving, Boating or Riding roll at -2 (canceling Each success and raise soaks a wound and any critical hit that would have reSaid Edges are: Charioteer (Driving), Quartermaster (Boating),

Arcane Background Stealth

Beside its other uses, Stealth is used to deliver venom while going unnoticed. Pouring poison into a tankard while no one is looking, for example at a feast or in a crowded tavern, requires a Stealth roll. In case of failure, someone notices the attempt. In a one-to-one situation (like two people drinking together) or when someone is explicitly paying attention, delivering poison requires an opposed roll between the poisoners' Stealth and the observer's Notice. Three new arcane backgrounds are used in this setting: ment. Lotusmastery, Sorcery, and EnlightenAll the other arcane backgrounds are for further details.

Beasts & Barbarians

Champion

banned. See the Arcane Background chapter in

Requirements:
(Enlightment),

Novice,

Arcane Background Spirit d8+,

Enlightment d6+,

Strength d6+, Vigor d8+, Fighting d8+

Apart from the dierent requirements, it works

Edges
These Edges are not permitted in this world: Adept, MacGyver, Mentalist, Mr. the setting. Fix It, and

as usual.

Holy/Unholy Warrior

Wizard. The following Edges are modied to t

Requirements:
(Enlightment),

Novice,

Arcane Background Spirit d8+,

Enlightment d6+,

Ace
This Edge is slightly modied to work with chariots (Driving), ships (Boating) and mounts (Rid-

Strength d6+, Vigor d8+, Fighting d8+

Apart from the dierent requirements, it works as usual.

CHAPTER 1.

SETTING RULES

Noble
See Rich & Filthy Rich for monetary changes. Otherwise, it works as usual.

Hindrances
These Hindrances are not used in this setting: All Thumbs, Doubting Thomas, and Illiterate. The following Hindrance is also modied.

Soul Drain

Requirements:
(Sorcery), d8+

Novice,

Arcane Background Knowledge (Arcana)

Poverty
Besides starting with half the amount of money, a Poor hero also halves his Savings (see Beasts & Barbarians page 104).

Sorcery d8+,

Apart from the dierent requirements, it works as usual.

Rich & Filthy Rich

For adventuring heroes, these Edges grant respectively ve times and ten times the starting funds, but they bestow no regular income. For NPCs they work in the customary way.

Chapter 2

Combat
Combat Grid
For convenience in a play-by-post game, we will be using a square grid for movement in combat. Each square of movement over ordinary terrain costs only 1", even when moving diagonally.

Posting
In order to keep combat moving at a brisk pace, you will have

24 hours to post your actions start-

ing from the moment your turn comes up. If you do not post in time, you will be placed on hold.

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CHAPTER 2.

COMBAT

Chapter 3

Gear
The most common currency of the world is the silver coin. A silver coin is equal to $1, so you can pick items from the Savage Worlds core rules without any need to do mathematical conversions. The characters start with 500 silvers, plus 100 for every rank above Novice. The weapons and armour presented in this section replace those given in and

lanterns and chariots, can be found in the previously mentioned sources. The following properties supplement those in the core rulebook.

Beasts & Barbarians

. Other items, such as

Savage Worlds Deluxe

Concealable: Mounted: Versatile:

The wielder gains +2 Agility to

draw the weapon and opponents suer -2 Notice to spot it.

The

weapon when

is

treated wielder

as is

an not

improvised mounted.

weapon

the

When wielded in 2 hands, the

weapon gains the Parry +1 property.

Encumbrance
We will use the simplied encumbrance system from that denes Load Limit in signicant items rather than in pounds. A

Savage Armory

A gladiator from the Land of the Three Cities, clad in piecemeal armour.

11

12

CHAPTER 3.

GEAR

signicant item is one that weighs roughly

5

14

pounds,

and you can carry a number of

such items equal to half your Strength without penalty. A character with a Strength of d8 would be able to carry 4 signicant items without penalty, for example. Items weighing under

pounds are not sig-

nicant, and thus do not count towards encumbrance. However, at the GM's discretion, multiple small items can be collectively classied as a signicant item. For example,

10

daggers might

collectively be counted as a signicant item. Particularly heavy items may count as two or more signicant items; divide their weight (in pounds) by as. Using this system, the Brawny Edge increases your Load Limit in signicant items by

10

and round to the nearest whole

number to determine how many items they count

1 12

times

(rounded up) and the Hoplite Training Edge cuts the weight of worn armour and shields in half (rounded down).

Shields
Shields apply their bonus regardless of facing, just like other weapons. The Gang Up bonus is what represents being anked or attacked in such a way that you cannot defend as eectively in all directions.

13

Mle Weapons
Type

Blades
Dagger Great Sword Rapier Sword

Damage

Weight

Cost

Notes

Str+d4 Str+d10 Str+d4 Str+d8 Str+d6 Str+d8 Str+d12 Str+d6 Str+d8 Str+d6 Str+d8 Str+d8 Str+d6 Str+d6 Str+d8

0 2 1 1 0 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1

25 400 150 300 75 300 400 200 600 300 400 250 200 100 300

Concealable 2 hands Parry +1 Includes short swords, long swords, katanas, scimitars etc.

Axes
Axe

Battle Axe Great Axe Flail Great Flail Mace/Warhammer Maul/Morningstar

Bludgeons

Parry -1, 2 hands Ignores Shield/Weapon Parry and Cover bonus Ignores Shield/Weapon Parry and Cover bonus, 2 hands AP 1 (AP 2 vs. Rigid) AP 1 (AP 2 vs. Rigid), Parry -1, 2 hands Reach 1, 2 hands Reach 2, 2 hands Reach 1, Versatile AP 2 when charging, Mounted, Reach 2

Pole Arms
Pike Spear Lance

Glaive/Halberd

14

CHAPTER 3.

GEAR

Ranged Weapons
Type Axe Bow Composite Bow Dagger Sling Spear Range 3/6/12 12/24/48 15/30/60 3/6/12 4/8/16 3/6/12 Damage Str+d6 2d6 2d6 Str+d4 Str+d4 Str+d6 Weight 0 1 1 0 0 1 Cost 75 250 500 25 10 100 Min Str d6 d8 d6 Notes

15

Armour
Type Light Armour Suit Light Armour Shirt Light Piecemeal Armour Medium Armour Suit Medium Corselet Medium Piecemeal Armour Heavy Armour Suit Heavy Cuirass Heavy Piecemeal Armour Helm Armour +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +3 Weight 2 1 1 3 2 2 6 4 5 1 1 2 Cost 50 30 40 300 200 250 800 400 600 75 50 200 Notes Covers torso, arms, legs Covers torso Covers torso, arms, legs, -1 Armour vs. raise Covers torso, arms, legs Covers torso Covers torso, arms, legs, -1 Armour vs. raise Covers torso, arms, legs Covers torso Covers torso, arms, legs, -1 Armour vs. raise 50% vs. head shot +1 Parry, +2 Armour vs. ranged shots +2 Parry, +2 Armour vs. ranged shots

Shields
Shield Large Shield

16

CHAPTER 3.

GEAR

Chapter 4

Cultural Archetypes
In a typical sword and sorcery campaign, the traditional demihumans do not exist, and the majority of player characters and non-player characters are human. The following broad cultural archetypes are used to distinguish between characters who would otherwise have the same racial abilities.

Savage
Savages include warriors from the frozen north and witch-doctors from the snake-infested jungles of the south. Savages tend to have a close connection with nature, but are easily spooked by things outside of their normal expectations. Savages have the following racial traits:

Strong: Feral:

Start with a d6 in Strength.

+2 bonus to resist all negative envi-

ronmental eects.

Superstitious:
superstitions. might believe

Savages are prone to tribal albinos are sired by

For example, a certain tribe that

ghosts; another might be terried of mirrors, which are said to steal the souls of those who gaze upon them. This functions as the Phobia (Minor) Hindrance.

A Savage Gargarean warrior.

17

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CHAPTER 4.

CULTURAL ARCHETYPES

Nomadic
Nomads roam the empty wastes beyond the civilized cities; quick to strike and bound by no laws. Nomads live with their animals and feel ill at ease without them. Steppe- and desert-dwellers are born in the saddle, while hillmen can scale clis as swiftly as the goats they herd. Nomads have the following racial traits:

Agile:

Start with a d6 in Agility. Steppe or desert hill-

Horselord or Hillman: Bowlegged:

Nomads start with a d6 in Riding; dwellers start with a d6 in Climbing.

Nomads have a pace of 5".

Civilized
Savages and nomads eventually gather together to cultivate the land, build great cities, develop trade, and study medicine, mathematics and languages. In the civilized lands dwell noble knights, wise kings, and learned sagesas well as greedy merchants and cunning thieves. Civilized traits: people have the following racial

Versatile:
free Edge.

Civilized people start with one

Professional:

Start with a d4 in any two of

the following Skills: Boating, Driving, Gambling, Healing, Knowledge, Lockpicking, Repair, Streetwise, or Taunt.

Frail:

Civilized people have grown soft from

living in the comfort of civilization, and are more susceptible to poison and disease. The eect is identical to the Anemic Hindrance.

A Civilized mercenary of Kush.

19

Enlightened
A few great civilizations rise above others and gain half-mythical status. Learned beyond normal men, people of enlightened cultures are builders of cyclopean pyramids and towers that pierce the skies. Their magnicent buildings can last forever, and likewise the esh of the enlightened ones can withstand the passage of time like no other mortals. Enlightened people have people with the following racial traits:

Wise:

Start with a d6 in Spirit. Start with a d6 in one area of

Educated:
Knowledge.

Conceited:

Too condent in their own

abilities, enlightened ones often underestimate their enemies. During the rst round of combat, they draw an additional Action Card and act on the worst of the draw. If an enlightened one takes the Level Headed or Improved Level Headed Edge, then they simply draw one less Action Card during the rst round of combat instead of suering this penalty.

Decadent
Great civilizations reach their peak and eventually start to decline. slave-traders. tures. Decadent traits: people have the following racial Such fallen empires are ruled by jaded nobles, corrupt priests and wicked Demon-worship, human sacrice and drug abuse is all too common in these cul-

An Enlightened Pureblood of Atlantis.

Tempting: Insidious:

+2 to Charisma Start with a d6 in Persuasion.

20

CHAPTER 4.

CULTURAL ARCHETYPES

A Decadent noble of Mu.

Corrupt:

Decadent people cannot resist

Tough:

Start with a d6 in Vigor.

an opportunity for a good time and have a Quirk (Minor Hindrance) related to a need for parties, alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, and entertainment.

Nocturnal:

Degenerates

ignore

attack

penalties for Dim and Dark lighting.

Unwholesome:

Degenerates always have

Degenerate
The last survivors of decadent civilizations start to feud over dwindling resources, or are driven away by stronger cultures. Fleeing into the wilderness, or deep underground beneath their ruins, they start to inbreed and devolve into something no longer entirely human. carry the evil taint of fallen empires. Degenerates have the following racial traits: Degenerates may outwardly resemble savages, but they

a physical deformity or a mental illness, caused by inbreeding, that sets them apart from other humans. This unwholesomeness can never be fully concealed. Choose one of the following Hindrances: Anemic (poxridden), Bad Eyes (Minor), Delusional (Minor), Habit (Minor; often involves cannibalism or necrophilia), Hard of Hearing (Minor), Obese (hideously bloated), Slow (misshapen leg), or Ugly.

Chapter 5

Cultures
Know, oh prince, that in the time before the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, there was an age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the starsIlium, Argos, Milezia, Sheba, Amazonia with its copper-skinned warrior women and mossgrown palisades, Loneis with its chivalry, Kukuanaland with it's ebony GiantKings, Mu with its mummy-haunted tombs, Nunkai with its God Spire rising above the lush valley of Eden. It was an age of swords and sorcery, when witches, warriors, and thieves tread the jeweled thrones of Earth under their sandalled feet. It is I, the chronicler, who alone can tell thee of their sagas. Let me tell you of the days of high adventure!
Welcome to a world where men are mighty, women are voluptuous, kings are cruel, and hidden terror lurks in every brooding ruin! It is an age of splendorous but decadent kingdoms, where armies clash at the whims of depraved nobles, and the bloody sword of an adventurer can topple empires. The Inner Sea is the heart of this world's civilization, with cities and kingdoms clustered along its coastline: Argos, Ilium, Milezia, and Mu among them. To the north, ancient forests hide 21

An Azimban warrior.

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CHAPTER 5.

CULTURES

isolated kingdoms long forgotten; farther north still are the shores of the Frozen Sea. lantis cling to a sinking continent. In the great ocean to the west, the last remnants of AtIn the east, squabbling cities rule the valley of Eden, and more mysterious lands lurk behind the mountains. Deserts grasp at the southern coast of the Inner Sea, and kingdoms rise from the jungles and savannas beyond the Red Wastes. The following cultures are only a sample of the diverse people who live in this age of swords and sorcery. Each people speaks its own tongue; there is no common language.

Azimbans
Also known as the dwellers in the cities of stone" by their tribal neighbors, the Azimbans have an old culture centred around their stone fortresses and bird-worship.

Appearance:

The black warriors of Azimba

are tall, strong and proud, known for their discipline in formations with shield and spear. The men are usually shaven-headed, and the wearing of brightly colored robes and feathered plumes is common.

Edenite soldiers.

Religion:

The god of the Azimbans is Jul-

Edenites
The land of Eden is a fertile valley amid the arid wastes, where mighty city-states cluster along the riverbanks, and hanging gardens and ziggurats loom over humble mud-brick homes. The Edenites are a race practised in the arts of war; soldiers in scale corselets and cyclindrical helmets constantly clash upon the plains at the whims of jealous kings. Greatest among the kingdoms of Eden is the holy city of Nunkai, where the Spire of the Gods scrapes the heavens. Nunkai sits upon the ruins of even older civilizations, and some say forgotten demons still lurk in the deepest reaches.

Juggah, a reptilian bird-god that must be propitiated with human sacrice. His feather-cloaked priests know the secret spells to summon lesser winged lizards, survivors of a lost age.

Culture:

Azimbans are almost invariably

Civilized, with only some of the more jaded or depraved members of their upper class qualifying as Decadent.

Names

(male) Dakarai, Tichaona; (female) Rufaro, Rutendo, Rumbidzai, Tafadzwa, Sekai, MuTapiwa, (unisex) Farai, Fungai,

Chipo, Tapiwa, nashe,

Nyarai, Tariro; Rudo,

Tatenda, Tendai, Tinashe.

23

Appearance:

The Edenites are an olive-

skinned people with hooked noses and curly black hair. Men dress in owing robes and take great pride in their curled or braided beards. necklaces of pearl. The women are lithe, wearing golden armbands and

Religion:

Each city-state usually has its own

patron deity, worshipped side-by-side with hundreds of lesser gods. Most popular of all the divinities is the fertility goddess Ishtar, the whore of Eden, whose alluring temple prostitutes attract worshippers in droves.

Culture:

Edenites are a people both Civilized

and Decadent. While Decadents are more commonly found among the upper class, they are in no way conned to it.

A Ghulzai nomad.
plexion, since they hide every inch of skin beneath their heavy cowled robes.

Names:

(male)

Arishaka,

Ashurbanipal,

Balathu, Bashaa, Deemethresu, Dipatusu, EaNasir, Ekurzakir, Enshunu, Ibbi-Addad, IshmeEa, Kadashman, Kinaa, Kurigalzu, Manishtusu, Naram-Sin, Nikanuur, Nutesh, Numunia, PuzurShitar, Rihat, Rimush, Shamash, Shu-Turul, AhasSin-Nazir, Banunu, Ubar, Yahatti-Il; (female)

Religion:
prayer.

Chief

among

the

gods

of

the

Ghulzai is Yaghuth, the Ancient One, although his name is more often used in curses than in Still, the hillmen fear the Lord of the Empty Wastes and make small oerings to avoid getting lost or suering from hunger and thirst.

sunu, Amata, Anagalshu, Arahunaa, Ashlultum, Beletsunu, Enheduana, Erishti-Aya, Ettu, Gashansunu, Gemekaa, Humusi, IshtarGamelat, Ku-Aya, Kullaa, Mushezibti, Nidintu, Ninsunu, Ubalnu, Yadidatum, Zakiti.

Culture:
ture.

Living o their mountain goats and

plunder, the Ghulzai hillmen are Nomadic by na-

Names:
Azmaray,

(male) Abasin, Angaar, Awalmir, Babrak, Bakhtawar, Batoor, Baz,

Ghulzai
The Ghulzai tribesmen lurk in the sand-swept rocky hills and mountains that lie beyond Eden; it is a harsh land of searing summers and bonechilling winters. The hillmen carve their villages from the barren clis, and exact heavy tolls from those foolish or desperate enough to enter their domain.

Behram, Darun, Daryab, Emal, Ghatool, Gul, Gulab, Mashal, Mirwais, Nangial, Sangar, Sarban, Sarbaz, Shingul, Shpol, Surgul, Torgul, Zarak, Zardad, Zargar, Zargul; Gulalai, sanga, Mahzala, The Ghulzai are of similar linGhatola, Husai, Malala, Gulghotai, Nazanina, (female) AriGul-

ana, Balbala, Bukhtawara, Durkhanai, Gabina, Gulmina, Nazo, Kashmala, Kawtara, Lalzari,

Appearance:

Palwasha,

Pashmina, Reshtina, Rokhana, Sandara, Sangina, Shaghalay, Shamira, Shandana, Shaperai,

eage to the Edenites, though much paler in com-

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CHAPTER 5.

CULTURES

Shughla,

Wagma,

Zalah,

Zareena,

Zarghuna,

unfortunate souls are forced to watch as every woman, whether maiden or crone, is raped. An obscure prophecy predicts that one day the Hungol hordes will unite under one Khan; the very thought makes civilized folk tremble.

Zarka, Zarlakhta, Zarmina, Zarwareen.

Appearance:

Hungols are typically short and

stocky, with sun-bronzed skin and straight black hair. Their broad faces feature a at nose and The Hungol religion is a blend of slanted eyes.

Religion:

animism, shamanism, and totemism. The chief spirit is the stallion, and the Hungols believe that a person's horse is an extension of the individual. They also revere the wolf-mother, the hawk, and the dragon. madic.

Culture: Names:

Hungols are almost exclusively No(male) Attila, Arghun, Gkhan, Yesgei; Behter, Genghis, (female)

Belgutei, Temjin,

Buda,

Chagatai, Tuldila,

Hasar, Jehungir, Khabul, Megujin, Mundzuc, Temge, Abagai, Alangoa, Brte, Chotan, Hoelun, Hulan, Khada'an, Khoakchin, Khorijin, Khu'urchin, Orbai, Ruga, Sokhatai, Temulin.

Ilians
A Hungol nomad
Ruled by a council of archpriests, the gleaming white city of Ilium is the capital of a growing theocratic empire devoted to the sun god Mithras. A proud and self-righteous people, Ilians believe that it is their sacred duty to unite mankind in one nation and religion. Few can stand against the Ilian legions: whether centurion or fresh recruit, each soldier is clad in plate armor and the iconic metal-crested Ilian helm.

Hungols
The Hungols are fearsome horse-nomads dwelling in mobile tent-cities upon the eastern steppes. They are masters of the art of mounted archery. They are infamous for their merciless cruelty. When the Hungols sack a city, the defeated men are tortured to deathaying and impalement being the preferred methods. But rst, the

Appearance:

Ilians tend to be short and

broad-shouldered, with aquiline noses, fair skin, and darker hair.

25

An Ilian centurion ghts o a demonic creature.

Religion:
worshippers,

Known

to

be

ardent

sunall

Vitruvius; (nicknames) Agricola, Aggripa, Albus, Aquila, Aquilinus, Barbatus, Brutus, Canus, Corvus, Crassus, Lupus, Marcellus, Metellus, Regulus, Severus, Silus, Triarius.

Ilians pray only to Mithras;

other gods have been banished from the Empire.

Culture:
Civilized;

The stoic people of Ilium are highly

there are few Decadent individuals

even among the wealthier classes.

Names:

Kukuana
Also known as Giant-Kings, the Kukuana are the merciless ruling caste of a slave empire in the far South. Countless thralls of other races toil in the gold mines to feed their masters' endless greed; Kukuanaland is so wealthy that even the cattle are bedecked in jewelry.

Ilian citizens, even commoners, have

long ocial titles comprised of their given and family names, along with appended nicknames. The female version of each name is obtained simply by changing the sux -us to -a. Names with other endings, such as Aquila, are unisex. Some common examples: (given names) Appius, Aulus, Decimus, Gaius, Gnaeus, Julius, Lucius, Manius, Marcus, Publius, Quintus, Servius, Sextus, Spurius, Tiberius, Titus, Vibius; (family names) Antonius, Artorius, Aurelius, Cassius, Claudius, Cornelius, Equitius, Fabius, Flavius, Galerius, Gratius, Licinius, Marius, Modius, Nautius, Numerius, Octavius, Petronius, Pontius, Salonius, Sertorius, Titurius, Valerius,

Appearance:

The lanky and sharp-featured they

Giant-Kings truly live up to their name: boo.

stand over seven feet tall, like men of black bamThe Kukuana love to aunt their vast wealth, adorning nearly ever inch of their ebony esh with gold rings, chains, bracelets, piercings, and other ornaments.

Religion:

Though

hardly

religious,

the

Kukuana occasionally make sacrices to appease

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CHAPTER 5.

CULTURES

capricious earth demons,

whose tremors and

earthquakes bring ruin to their prized gold mines.

Culture:

The Kukuana are almost entirely

Decadent. The expendable slaves who toil in the mines are generally Savage or Nomadic in origin, while their overseersslaves themselves tend to be Civilized.

Names:

(male) Ganza, Gatera, Hitimana,

Kamanzi, Mugabo, Mukunzi, Ngoga, Rukundo, Shyaka, Turatsinze; (female) Giramata, Girinka, Gisa, Isaro, Kabatesi, Keza, Kirezi, Kundwa, Mpore, Nkunzi, Sa, Umubyeyi, Umulisa, Umutoni, Uwase.

Milezians
The Milezian peninsula is a temperate land of plenty, fed by bountiful grain elds and orchards amid the rolling hills, where merchant-princes rule over cosmopolitan city-statesTartezo and Carcoza being the most powerful among them. Music rings in the colourful streets and markets, while thugs and thieves prowl the slums and alleys.

Appearance:

Milezians favour extravagant

and colourful attire, especially the wealthy folk who follow the latest and silliest fashions. They are a diverse people; folk from far o lands are a regular sight in the bustling streets.

Religion: Culture:

The Milezians have few gods of

their own, but tolerate the temples of foreign gods to be built in their cities. Milezians are a passionate people, They fond of music, dancing, and swordplay.

are usually Civilized, but a sizeable and increasing proportion of their upper classes has become Decadent. Johan,

Names:

(male) Alonso, Armando, Cipriano, Vincenzo, Salvatore, Sergio,

Luciano,

Vaasco; (female) Angelita, Celestina, Concetta,

A Milezian thief.

27

Encarna, Giovanna, Margerita.

Appearance:
and togas.

Typically olive-skinned, with

thick and curly hair, Mineans favour loose tunics

Religion:

Marble-pillared

temples

to

the

many Minean gods are ubiquitous in the Land of the Three Cities. Kronos, the lord of time, is the most widely worshipped, though each state often favours its own patron. In Argos, the ckle sea god Proteus is honoured above all others, and appeased with drowned sacrices.

Culture: Names:

Mineans

are

mostly

Civilized,

though some cities are inhabited by more Decadent individuals. (male) Agathon, Androkles, Azeus, Diokles, Herodes, Hippolytos, Demetrios,

Kallias, Kyros, Leonidas, Nikomachos, Platon, Pyrrhos, Solon, Theokles, Theron, Tychon, Xanthos; (female) Alexandra, Ambrosia, Aphrodisia, Aristomache, Demetria, Eutropia, Galene, Hypatia, Kallisto, Kassandra, Kleopatra, Melitta, Phoibe, Sappho, Theodosia, Zenobia.

Muans
Also known as the kingdom of tombs, Mu is an ancient desert empire built upon the shores of the river Styx, which winds like a black serpent through the arid Red Wastes. Exotic cities of

A Minean hoplite.

mud-brick and stone line its fertile shores. Free Muans and slaves alike toil in the blazing sun to build temples and pyramids in honour of Isis, the divine empress of Mu, who has reigned since the dawn of manif her priests are to be believed. It is said that Isis stands nearly eight feet tall and is an exotic beauty, despite her spindly, almost spider-like gure. Isis rarely speaks or appears in public; her commands are delivered and executed by her priesthood.

Mineans
Mineans hail from the Land of the Three Cities, a hilly coastal country contested by a triad of rival states: Argos with its navel prowess, Machimos with its warrior culture and bronzearmored hoplites, and Thera with its ancient island fortresses. Scattered across the mainland and the isles of the Inner Sea are smaller Minean states, which are often forced into paying tribute.

Appearance:

Muans are typically slender,

28

CHAPTER 5.

CULTURES

with black hair, dusky skin, and straight features. Most people wear little or no clothing Noble men often grow narin the hot climate.

row plaited beards, while women paint their bodies with henna. Make-up, especially around the eyes, is fashionable for both men and women of all classes.

Religion:

The aristocratic priesthood of Isis

is second only to the goddess herself in power, and is both feared and respected by the common people. The empress is worshipped almost exclusively in Mu; the names of half-forgotten gods who now dwell among the stars are rarely spoken. However, it is said that some Muan cultists still secretly worship the half-bestial gods of Kush, who have since been banished from Mu.

Culture:

Children of an old culture steeped

deeply in sorcerous mysteries, Muans are a mixture of Civilized and Decadent people. Commoners lean toward the former, and the priests toward the latter.

Names:

Muan

names

are

usually

com-

pounded of several meaningful syllables, such as: Ak, Amon, Ankh, Cris, Mek, Mes, Merkri, Mun, Nafer, Nut, Phon, Ra, Ri, Thoth, and Tut. Some common examples: (male) Bakt, on by some long-forgotten blood-feud. Only during the summer season do the Thulans cease their tribal bickering, while they rape and pillage coastal lands across the Frozen Sea, packing their dragonships with slaves and loot to trade in southern ports. Ctesphon, Imhotep, Kamoses, Kutamun, Thutothmes, Hebeny,
Figure 5.1:

A Thulan shieldmaiden.

Menes, Setankmek, Thoth-Amon, Thothmekri, Thugra-Khotan, Akivasha, Thutmekri, Tothmekri, Totrasmek, Tutankhamun; (female) Ankhesenamun, Enehy, Imiu, Isetnophret, Kiya, Miw-Sher, Nefertari, Netikerty, Sadeh, Thalis, Yunet.

Appearance:

Clad in wolf-skin cloaks, mail

Thulans
These northern barbarians dwell at the edge of the world: upon the frozen wastes of Thule. The snows of their homeland are stained red by the endless wars of the sir and Vanir tribes, spurred

shirts, and horned helmets, the northern barbarians are famed for their icy-white skin, glacierblue eyes, gold or copper hair, and of course: their giant stature. Some say that they are indeed the children of titans from a more primal age.

29

Religion:

Thulans venerate their ancestors,

who dwell in the sacred halls of Valhalla. Only warriors who die a glorious death in battle may pass through the gates; those claimed by sickness or old age are doomed to wander the icy wastes for eternity. The northmen keep no gods; it is said that they once worshipped Ymir, who crafted their race from re and ice, but the barbarians slew their creator and scattered his bones.

Culture:

Thulans are a warrior race, as Sav-

age as the land that bred them; their axes drink blood by day and their longhouses echo with drunken revelry by night.

Names:

(male) Bork, Bragi, Eirik, Fafhrd, Gunnar, Haimdul, Hengist,

Gorm, Ralf, Geon,

Grimnir, Skuld,

Herd, Hialmar, Hodur, Hogni, Lodur, Njord, Snorri, Hlin, Thoradin, Hnoss, Thorgrim, Lofn, Wulfhere; (female) Erda, Eyra, Frigga, Fulla, Gersemi, Iduna, Nanna, Nerthus, Nott, Ran, Saga, Sif, Sigyn.

Tatha
Upon the misty island of Avalon in the northern seas, mighty witch-queens rule over the tattooed barbarians known as the Tatha. The gloomy forests and hills of Avalon are said to be haunted by ancient spirits long-forgotten in more civilized lands. the matriarchal rule of the witches, and now worship the worm lord Crom, and other abominable Famous for their geometric tatgods.
Figure 5.2:

Woad warriors of the Tatha.

Appearance:

toos and war paint of blue woad, the Tatha are a pale-skinned, emerald-eyed, and ery-haired people. Though some warriors ght , both men and women usually wear tartan kilts that proudly display their clan colours.

Culture: Names:

The Tatha are almost entirely Sav-

skyclad

age, though the witches that rule over them are often Decadent, and occasionally Civilized. (male) Aodh, Bres, Cei, Cathbad, Edern, Art, Barach, Cador, BedCael, wyr, Bran, Cadarn, Caw, Fionn,

Religion:

Served by witch-priestesses, the

Cainneach, dan, Doon,

Comgall, Gann,

Conan, Gundan,

Triple Goddess Danu is the supreme deity of Avalon; men are forbidden from learning her arcane secrets. Some Tatha have rebelled against

Crimthann, Crug, Culhwch, Cullen, Daere, DunLaeg, Madog, Naf, Osdan, Ragall, Roch, Roth,

30

CHAPTER 5.

CULTURES

harem girls entertain lecherous sultans. However, many Yorabi tribes still cling to the nomadic ways of their ancestors, and ride their camels from oasis to oasis amid the dunes.

Appearance:

The

Yorabi

are

typically

swarthy-skinned, black-haired, and hawk-nosed. Men often wear turbans and grow long bushy beards, while women usually dress in robes and veils.

Religion:

Greatest among the deities of Al-

Yorab is Manah, the moon-goddess of destiny. However, nomadic tribesmen often pay tribute to the elemental spirits known as sinister god Yaghuth. , or the

djinn

Culture:

City-dwelling Yorabi are mostly

Civilized, though a growing portion of the upper class is becoming Decadent. Many Nomadic Yorabi tribes still wander the sand dunes, and prey upon merchants and travellers.

Names:

(male) Ali,

Abdul,

Aziz,

Baraq,

Fahim, Hasan, Iskandar, Jalal, Jafar, Khalid, Mansur, Mustafa, Nasr, Qasim, Rasul, Shad, Yusuf; (female) Aliyah, Amirah, Farah, Israh, Jamilah, Lamiah, Nadiyyah, Raqah, Samirah, Shakirah.

Yorabi nomads.
Sline, Usnach; (female) Aluine, Catha, Credhe, Crimora, Dalny, Deirdre, Fea, Fionna, La, Macha, Medb, Megrim, Nemon, Nest, Niamh, Oithonna, Olwen, Sabra, Sheela.

Yorabi
The Yorabi are renowned as master craftsmen, shrewd merchants, and cunning thieves. Rising from humble nomadic roots, they have established a wealthy civilization in the arid land of Al-Yorab. Sparkling minarets and domes dominate their desert cities, where merchants peddle slaves and spices from distant lands, and exotic

Chapter 6

Religions
Danu

The Triple Goddess of Avalon

Amid the monolithic stone circles of Avalon, witches lead the Tatha in human sacrices and ritual orgies in honour of Danu, whose three aspectsMaiden, Mother, and Croneembody life, fertility, and death. Among the many lesser spirits is her consort Cernunnos: the Horned God of beasts.

Ishtar

The Whore of Eden

A goddess of fertility and debauched pleasure, Ishtar is the most popular divinity in the land of Eden. The goddess is served by temple prostitutes, who fornicate with worshippers in exchange for donations. In Eden, the world's oldest profession is a highly respected one.

Isis

The God-Empress of Mu
31

The living goddess Isis, empress of Mu

32

CHAPTER 6.

RELIGIONS

The Empress Isis is worshipped as a living goddess by the Muans. Her priests claim that Isis is the mother of all the gods and man alike; when the other divinites returned to the stars, she stayed behind to rule over her earthly creations. The divine children of Isisknown only by half-forgotten names such as Atum, Nit, and Ptahare rarely mentioned; Some heretics and foreigners whisper that Isis is no goddess, but rather the last of an ancient race of sorcerous beings, or even a serpentwoman in disguise.

Jul-Juggah

The Devil-Bird of Azimba

The sweltering plains of Azimba are dotted with hundreds of monstrous statues of lizard-birds. Whether these grim egies were crafted by an older civilization, or placed there more recently by the feather-cloaked shamans of Jul-Juggah, is not known.

Kronos

Figure 6.1:

A shaman of Cernunnos.

The Titan of Time

Minean legends say that Kronos vanquished the Old Serpent who once ruled the cosmos. Giant bronze statues of the time god, with sickle in one hand and the other outstretched for oerings, are a common sight in the Land of the Three Cities. Most worshippers leave grain, though some desperate souls burn newborn infants upon the blackened palm of Kronos. Said to dwell upon the moon, the goddess of fate is the most widely worshipped of the Yorabi deities. Each year, faithful pilgrims from all corners of Al-Yorab ock to the holy Moon Stonea strange boulder said to have fallen from Manah's lunar abode.

Manah

The assassin-cultists of the Red Moon are Manah's most fanatical followers. guided by the goddess herself. They slay those who would defy fate, and claim to be

The Goddess of Fate

33

Mithras

The Sun God of Ilium

The lord of light, order, and civilization, Mithras is the inconquerable sun god of Ilium, who stands in opposition to a nameless archdemon of manifest darkness and chaos. His fervent sunworshippers reject all other divinities, dismissing them as nothing but powerless idols, or worse: demonic enemies of Mithras.

Depicted as a ve-headed dragon, Tiamat is said to be the mother of all the gods and demons; she gave birth to the universe so that she could have the pleasure of destroying it herself. Edenites appease Tiamat with sacrices in hopes of staving o the apocalypse, though some mad cultists secretly strive to rouse the Dragon-Queen from her ageless slumber beneath the seas.

Yaghuth

Moloch

The Ancient One, the Sleeper Beneath the Sands

Some say that Yaghuth dwells in the black gulfs between the stars, others that he sleeps in a sealed and forbidden tomb beneath the desert sand. Yaghuth is one of the Old Gods. The nomads hear his voice in the howling of the desert winds, and they see his face in the rage of sandstorms. He is the emptiness of the desert, associated with getting lost, with thirst and hunger, with darkness, and with sandstorms.

The Brazen God of Zhaol

Abominable are the brass idols of Moloch, the re-god of Zhaol, and even worse are the rites of the priesthood, which include the burning of infants as sacrice. The priests of Zhaol accept no other god than their own, and worship of other gods is strictly forbidden and punishable by death. Moloch is sometimes depicted as a bull, or a bull-headed humanoid.

Proteus

The Sea King of Argos

Proteus is a ckle and vengeful god: his monstrous sons prey upon ships and coastal villages, and his daughters lure sailors to their deaths; it is said that entire civilizations have been doomed for slighting him. Minean sailors, especially Argosseans, often attempt to appease the Sea King with drowned sacrices.

Tiamat

The Primordial Chaos Monster of Eden