CODEX CELTARUM Celtic Adventure in Faery
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CODEX CELTARUM Celtic Adventure in Faery BY BRIAN N. YOUNG EDITOR: ALICIA STANLEY & TIM BURNS ART: PETER BRADLEY, JASON WALTON ART DIRECTION//LAYOUT/: PETER BRADLEY CARTOGRAPHY: PETER BRADLEY 1818 North Taylor, #143, Little Rock, AR, 72207 email: [email protected] website: www.trolllord.com or www.castlesandcrusades.com Interested in Castles & Crusades ® the role playing game? Want to learn more? There is a large online community of gamers who post home brewed rules, adventure discussion and help incoming players disgest the game and it’s potential. Please visit our online forums at the web address mentioned above and get involved. All are welcome!!! © 2013 Troll Lord Games. All Rights Reserved. Castles & Crusades ® is a Registered Trademark of Troll Lord Games. All Rights Reserved. C&C, Castle Keeper, SEIGE engine, Troll Lord Games, and the Castles & Crusades, SEIGE engine, and Troll Lord Games logos are Trademark of Troll Lord Games. All Rights Reserved. Art, artwork, cover art, cartography is copyright Peter Bradley of Ravenchilde Illustrations, 2013 or Troll Lord Games. All Rights Reserved. All text is copy- right Brian Young. All other content copyright 2013 Troll Lord Games. All Rights Reserved. Castles & Crusades, C&C, Castle Keeper, Troll Lord Games, and the Castles & Crusades and Troll Lord Games logos, and products published by Troll Lord Games are Trademarks of Troll Lord Games. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States of America Sample file GWASTRAWT AFWYN BRENHINES Tom Tullis, Ron "Bubba Ho-Tep" Purvi, Julian G Hicks, Matt Hurd SWYDDWR Y LLYS Sebastian Dietz, Marzio Spairani, The Great and Powerful Alpha Wolf Troy Schwaller, Raymond M. S. Quignon, Keith Davies, "Lord Karick", Jeremy Clifford, Shawn Lamb, Bill Centinaro, E. Michael Rupert, Joe Maccarrone, Tom Williams, Mike Welham, Damian Hupfeld, W. Schaeffer Tolliver, Can Sungur, Jayson C. Block, "Wooly Rupert", Christopher Anderson, Bad Baboon, Bill Dodds, Kevin Donovan, Redbeard, Dustin "Design Zombie" Cooper, Keith E Brandt, Catprog, Dokkalfar, Rasmus Durban Jahr, DrLight, Che Webster, "Wine Guy" Morgan Boehringer, Tom Hudson, Jordi Rabionet Her- nandez, "Steven D Warble", "Pat "Silverhand" Andrews", R. A. Mc Reynolds, Peter "Zeus" Mette, Seth "Justicar" Corbett MEDYD Michael Ramsey, Andrew Gelbman, Matthias Weeks, Christopher Dawson, Jeffrey Osthoff, Kyle Decker, Sarah Devier, Rian McMurtry, Patrick Seymour, Warren Michael Goodman, Todd Leback, Ryan Percival, Kevin Kentner, Jonathan Woodward, Brent Walters, David Cinabro, John Canales, Dan- iel Dimitroff, Robert Miller,Brad Everman, Aaron Atwood, Matthew Cook, Bill De Franza, John Appel, Mark Martin, Todd Showalter, Christopher Child, Nathanael Terrien, Greg Kramer, Gus J. Badnell, Jerry Aldridge II, Bruce Wiggins, Jeffrey Tadlock, Kurtis Evans, Anthony Roberson TRULLYAT Mark Clodi, Johnathan L Bingham, David DeRocha, Trampas Whiteman, Lloyd Rasmussen, Niels Adair, Kathleen Harbinger, Daniel Bayerdorffer aka "Seljuck Graylock", Great DruidPaul Munson, Jai Mather, Timothy S. Brannan, Haylea Hamous, Christina Stiles, Vincent DiPaula, James M. Yager, Dan- iel J. Corwin, Curtis 'Wolfson' Lyon, S Penrod, Steven Vest, Ed Moretti,Doug Palmer, M. Sean Molley, Terry Buckingham, Karl The Good, Philip J. Hudson, Jay Hypes, Bill Willy Rat Currie, Seorus Lockkerry DRYSSAWR NEUAD Kem Templeton, Jorden J. McNally, Rich Canino, Derek W. White BARDD TEULU Kevin Fitzgerald, Patrick Odell, Petr Engebos, Rowan Harbinger, Eric Falk, Thomas Woodall, Ryan Peel, Daniel and Johanna Pack, Jake Parker, Bret P. Smith, Jason Paul McCartan, Calvin Shafer, Mi- chael Tapia, Daniel Colwell, Lukie Fuge, Brett Easterbrook, Kent D Taylor, Michael Ferdie, John R. Woollard, Dave Ellingwood, Garth Elliott, Adam Fink, Kevin M. McDaniel, Blake thomas, Thomas Biskup, Pat Bellavance, Steve Dodge, Wendy Napier DISTAIN BRENHINES Tim Rudolph, Chad Drummond, Caninicus, David Williams, Zappophalian, Thomas G Treptow, Frost Holli- man PENKYNYD Jim Kitchen, Morgan Hazel, Mario M. Butter, Ben and Nateal Erickson, Derrick "Omote" Landwehr, David Donohoo, Benisha Abe, J. Quincy Sperber, Steven Sullivan, Sir Izzy, Gael Imad'Eddine, Doug- las Meserve, Drew Wood, Mark 'Isamill' Liddle, John Craft, Jason 'Hierax' Verbitsky PENTEULU SampleRob Stone, Gateway Games & More, Noble Knight Games, Paul Coulter, Kell's Crusaders, Richardfile Kurtin CODEX CELTARUM - CELTIC ADVENTURE IN FAERY his World book has been a little over twenty years in the making, with two university degrees and as many years play-testing before it came together in the manner it did. It evolved out of a purely fan- T tasy based setting that was inspired by some of the greatest fantasy movies of the early 1980’s (The Dark Crystal, Legend, The Black Cauldron, Dragonslayer and Excalibur) and found its way into my pedigree along slightly eccentric and genetic paths. The background of this world alone is enough to make a thick academic study, and someday that might be a possibility. No decision behind this World setting was chosen lightly, but was instead weighed against ancient Celtic ethos, mythologies and his- tory. Where there was an answer lacking, a creative substitute was put in place by a combination of Celtic idiom and fantasy analogs. The hope is this will become an iconic setting where gamers can have endless adventures and memories that will be personal and as good as any found in fantasy gaming. One advantage of designing this complex and unique world set- ting is the acquisition of Celtic languages along the way. Sadly, in gaming history these areas are poorly represented, but that is righted in this book. Unlike the majority of Fantasy world settings, this one does not cater to the usual clichés of role-playing games. Wealth abounds in Faery but ironically has little value among the Faery-folk ex- cept for the Neutral and Dark alignments. Another unique as- pect is that adventure is everywhere, but not in the same man- ner that most gamers are used to experiencing. Every adventure story in Faery is epic – every one. There are no simple adven- tures that require only that the characters hunt simple bandits or ruffians, for example, unless they are in the Mortal world. Any adventure will be grand, regardless of its meager beginning. Each chapter is arranged to follow a slightly mischievous and very Faery logic from start to finish. Due to the enormity of the setting, the lands and worlds covered are given as detailed a scope as possible with hopes that each can be further embellished later with additional books or editions. Over a hundred and fifty Faery abilities and pow- ers are included, broken into the three alignments that the Universe has split between them. Humans, and Humanoid races as found in Aihrde, function differently in regards to their alignments than the Fey, and this will be explained. Derived from Celtic primary sources are Druidic spells and com- bat Adjuncts, with the added rare opportunity to transform the Faery character (gradually, over time) into a demi-god. Faery- folk also can be born, or cursed, with the unusual maladies and quirks of being an Immortal. These can definitely increase the pressure and tension in the campaign and make things as dif- ficult as the CK desires. This setting can be adapted to any ex- isting campaign, and taken from and/or added to along the way as needed, but if left as-is leaves a wondrous realm of magic and Sampleepic adventure that most gamers have never experienced file or imagined. Sticking to the Castle & Crusades idea, this is light on rules but gives just enough in the way of game mechanics to play out a compelling and fun story. CELTIC ADVENTURE IN FAERY 3 A plethora of Celtic language is used in this book obviously, and The book in your hands has seen over two decades of change, to make it less difficult for those not fluent, the more modern evolution and constant improvement until has been stream- orthographies have been chosen in place of their ancient coun- lined and is ready to go. Dive into the magical realm of Faery terparts at times. Primitive/Old Welsh and Primitive/Old Irish are and don’t look back; this is truly another world rarely seen or commonly used throughout with some Cornish and Breton sprin- experienced by Man. Oh come away with me, Human Child… kled where necessary. The orthography is a little scattered due to the many sources referencing Celtic gods and Faery-folk, but this This book’s chapters are arranged in a very Fey manner to help is left so to make the understanding of much of this diverse (but the reader find their way by memory wherever they have to go: related) material for new people. 1. Once Upon a Time (History section) Often separate but related Celtic languages are side-by-side in 2. In Lands Far Away (Covers the World Setting) the place names in Faery, and that is because of shared multiple traditions concerning the concepts and ideas out of essentially 3. There Lived a People (Faery races and monsters) the same myth and faery-lore. The remaining languages today are used as more of a filter to which this magical realm exists 4. Great of Magic and Power (Magical abilities, items and spells) in, or once existed in ancient belief. So it would seem odd that Gaelic and Cornish speakers, for example, were adjacent but in 5. Strong of Feats and Deeds (Combat and warfare). reality, during the Post-Roman and early medieval eras this was 6. With Great Gods and Lords (The Deities and the many truly the case. powerful lords that rule over Faery). The Celtic Gods, whose pantheon is widely misunderstood 7. Who have Mighty Names and Feats (CK information) among modern Pagans and recreationists, are given a semi- fantastical ambiance and character throughout to aid in the In this song given to Oisín mac Finn by the Faery princess Fantasy nature of role-playing gaming.