What Is Maharlika?

WHAT IS MAHARLIKA? MAHARLIKA is a technomystic, Filipino Mythology inspired Science Fantasy centered around Mekanized Weapons or Meka, and their pilots: the eponymous Maharlika. You will play as these titular spirit-warriors, mavericks, aces, and knights that all swear loyalty to a Datu, the CEOs of the Megacorporations, so that you can protect the technospiritual galaxy of Arkipelago. Sometimes, you’re the archetypical noble Maharlika, sworn follower of your Datu and kneeling before his feet. Other times, you’re just an exceptionally skilled person trying to make ends meet, and ‘loyalty’ is just another word for “which makes the most money.” You are a Freed Man after all. As Maharlika, you venture out into space where you will take on missions, trade, and find more work through fiestas to survive, thrive, and protect what is yours in the dangerous Starsea. What is a Tabletop RPG? It is a game that is played on top of a ‘table’, like Monopoly for instance, but more in-depth. You will play as a character within the game’s world, and one of you will be the GAME MASTER. They will be the one tasked to bring life to the galaxy you and the other Maharlika will play in, and act as the characters you will meet and maybe fight throughout your adventures. PLAYERS will play as MAHARLIKA. They will be tasked with creating their own characters and their actions within the world. They are the MC, or Main Character of the story. You will only need some pencils, paper, a grid (square or hex. Can be found in hobby stores. If not present, you may use math paper.), tokens or miniature to represent your characters and opponents on the grid (use anything that can fit in the space) and a few 1d20s or 1d10s. (can also be found in hobby stores.) Venture into the stars, they said. And so, we did. Going past the skies, to where the stars are, and with our salimbals we sailed towards the unknown. There we were able to create the nations upon which the entire galaxy of Arkipelago was born. It was from here that the corporations stood, numbering as many as the stars themselves. It was here that the First and Second Lakanates flourished, bringing about prosperous times. When the First Lakanate ended, we were invaded by the Banyaga, travelers from another dimension, who looked eerily just like us. They gave us knowledge to use the Diwa, to create advanced technology, to establish the Lambat, the internet of things through the Diwa, and even the wisdom to defeat death itself. By the end of the First Lakanate, we were a different humanity. Truly, the Humanity of the Second Lakanate was vastly different from the Humanity of the First. During the Golden Age, the first of the Mekanized Weapons were already being produced. They were intended to be the Frontier's explorers; adventurers in search of resources beyond the galactic borders. The first beings they encountered were the first kind of Xenobeings whom at first were benevolent. Soon, trade with these beings, and the rise of the corporation BAKUNAWA ARMASAN resulted in the hastened production of Meka using new materials. Then the Maligno arrived, the second Xenobeings. Horrible, monstrous behemoths, they were. Giants, made from matter so black, it was as if they were made from the shadows themselves. Mountains bowed at every step, cities cowered with every raise of a hand. We used the Mekas to fight the invading army. We were able to fend them off, with great losses. We knew they will come again. Until now, though, there are planets in the Shore still being ravaged by Malignos that survived. This was the Golden Age. However, all things must come to an end. During the latter part of the Golden Age, wars between the corporations erupted in what was known as the First Corporation War. The war waged until only a few remained and innumerable planets within the Arkipelago were devastated. By the end of the war, much new baluti, Meka, and technologies have been developed, in exchange for billions of lives. And now, with the rise of the four mandalas of the four Great Corporations, tensions are beginning once again. Furthermore, the Lakan, the head of the Lakanate, has vanished. The Government of the Arkipelago, to whom the Corporations give tribute to, has no leader. The Atubang of the Lakan, or his Attendants, are doing a haphazard job. In spite of all this, the Government still works. They still commission the production of Spiritweb Conduits. There are also Far Operations Group (FOG). Diwanite flows. The Lakanate still serves its function. It’s why we’re here, fighting moot and senseless wars without reason, all to protect it. We need warriors, protectors, healers, scientists, valiants, those bigger than life. We need you. We need a Maharlika. Pilot of the majestic Meka. It's not safe to go alone, my friend, but worry not: you won’t sail alone. HOW TO PLAY First, you should know how one plays a Tabletop RPG. In MAHARLIKA, when 3-6 of your friends gather around a table to play, you are having a Session. A Session usually lasts for 3 - 6 hours. One of the players rolls an Arbiter. An Arbiter describes a violent galaxy wherein the Maharlika live within. That’s it. You do not tell a story (or this is not your story): that should come naturally from your playing. Your primary responsibility is to create fair obstacles (like enemies) to your Maharlika’s wants, using the Maharlika’s relationships, and showcasing a violent galaxy. You are an impartial Arbiter, not a storyteller. The rest of you are the Players. The players play the role of the Maharlika, the titular warriors and aces of the galaxy. The responsibility of the player is to not be a jerk at the table, and to act and roleplay as your Maharlika. MAHARLIKA is split into two systems: one that is narrative and one that is tactical. Usually the tactical part is only used while riding a Meka and conducting combat. The narrative mechanics are used almost everywhere else. Always remember that in the narrative systems, the player always rolls. The Arbiter simply describes consequences and reactions to whatever action the Maharlika takes. An important rule to note is that we are operating under the “Specific then General” rule. If there is a general rule for something, and then here is a specific rule for something, the specific rule takes precedence over the general one. (If you only get 1 Reaction per round, but your Meka configuration gives you 2, then you have 2 Reactions. THE TYPES OF ROLLS There are two kinds of rolls within MAHARLIKA: Maharika rolls and Meka rolls. Maharlika rolls are narrative ones. If you have something you wish to do that has a doubtful outcome, is dangerous, or has consequences, roll 1d10 and add any Fact that may be connected to whatever you’re trying to do. If there are more than one Facts that may be connected, choose the one with the higher bonus. If the result is a 10, it’s a success. If it’s 6-9, that’s a partial success. You do what you set out to do but you still suffer consequences. If 1-5, that’s a Failure. You don’t get what you want and you suffer consequences. Arbiters, if you think what they’re trying to do is hard, you may add +1 Malas if its hard, +2 if its really hard, and +3 if it’s almost impossible. On the flip side, if the action seems easy, don’t make them roll anymore. Let it succeed! Meka rolls are used once you enter Meka Violence. Meka Skills are the ones added to the rolls here, explained on page XX. Once it comes to Meka rolls, use a 1d20, because the scale is larger and it is usually more chaotic. If you roll, you usually add the bonus only, but there might be other things that give you an advantage or hold you back. These are represented through Suwerte (which means Good Luck or Fortune in Filipino) and Malas (which means misfortune in Filipino). If you have Suwerte or Malas, you add +1d10 (if Maharlika) or +1d20 (if Meka) for each point of Suwerte or Malas you have, and then take the highest (if Suwerte) or Lowest (if Malas) of the results. If you attack and have +1 Suwerte, that means you roll 2d20 and take the higher number. The limit to Suwerte and Malas is +3! They also cancel each other out, 1-for-1. So someone with 2 Suwerte and 1 Malas ends up with a net 1 Suwerte. TERMINOLOGY Player: The players of the Maharlika. Arbiter: The one running the game, controlling the Non-Playable Characters, and the one describing the dangerous and fantastical galaxy. Meka: “Mekanized Weapon”. Piloted by the Maharlika. Maharlika: The players. They are saviors, keepers of peace, and slayer of Humanity’s enemies. Allies: You allies in the field.. Drone: Machines and beings controlled by something. Reach: Tells you how far your attack will go. WATCH: The reach of where your Watchstrike can hit. Damage: The effect of damage and debilitation to an opponent. The two types of damage are Material and Energy. Fraying: The dealing of destruction and splitting of the Kalagyo of the Maharlika from the systems of the Meka. The damage dealt by this is applied to your Reserve Gahum (RG). If a Meka is hit with Fraying while they have no RG, the Fraying is converted to Pagsasapi points.

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