GURPS Fantasy Is Copyright © 1990, 1995, 2004 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated
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Written by WILLIAM H. STODDARD Cover by DENIS LOUBET, PAT MORRISSEY, BOB STEVLIC, and JOHN ZELEZNIK Edited by ANDREW HACKARD and JEFF ROSE Illustrated by ABRAR AJMAL, ALEX FERNANDEZ, DENIS LOUBET, BOB STEVLIC, EVA WIDERMANN, and ERIC WILKERSON ISBN 1-55634-519-4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 STEVE JACKSON GAMES ONTENTS C Using Magical Objects in Mana and Life . 44 NTRODUCTION I . 4 Campaigns . 29 Magical Networks . 45 About GURPS . 4 MAGICAL BEINGS . 29 Spirits of Place . 45 Spirits . 30 PLANTS AND ANIMALS . 46 1. PLANNING THE Spirits in the Material World . 30 Plant and Animal Legends . 46 AMPAIGN Gods, Spirits, and Mana . 30 Imaginary Species . 47 C . 5 Gods . 31 Magical Species and GENRES . 6 Angels . 31 Mana Organs . 48 High Fantasy . 6 Demons . 32 Plant and Animal Spirits . 49 Low Fantasy . 6 Evil Gods . 32 MONSTERS . 49 Myths and Games . 6 Half-Mortals . 32 Giants . 50 Dark Fantasy . 7 Using Spirits in Campaigns . 33 Behind the Curtain: Light Fantasy . 7 Being a God . 33 How Strong Is a Giant? . 51 Sword and Sorcery . 7 MAGICAL REALMS . 34 Hybrids . 51 On the Borders . 7 Dreamlands . 34 The Chimera’s Pedigree . 52 Crossovers . 9 Faerie Realms . 35 Possessed Creatures . 52 SETTINGS . 10 Afterworlds . 35 Unnatural Swarms . 53 Fantasy Worlds . 10 Spirit Worlds . 35 Magical Creations . 53 Motifs, Part 1 . 11 Heavens . 35 Victims of Curses . 54 Fantasy in the Real World . 13 Hells . 36 Offspring of Gods . 55 Motifs, Part 2 . 14 Archetypical Realms . 36 Primordial Entities . 56 SCOPE . 15 Pocket Universes . 36 RACES AND CULTURES . 56 Point Campaigns . 15 THE DEAD . 37 Exotic Customs . 57 Area Campaigns . 15 Ghosts . 37 Races . 58 Arc Campaigns . 15 Ancestor Worship . 37 Interfertility . 58 Base and Mission Campaigns . 15 Afterworlds . 37 Wugs . 59 Campaign Style: Reincarnation . 37 Alternative Lycanthropies . 60 Aspects of Realism . 16 Resurrection . 38 Unique Beings . 61 Ascension and Deification . 38 Cultures . 61 2. THE SUPERNATURAL Revenants . 38 The Place of Humanity . 63 . 17 Languages . 64 3. WORLDS . 39 MAGIC AND TECHNOLOGY . 64 Behind the Curtain: Point Costs . 18 Alternative Technologies . 65 MAGIC . 18 FRAMES . 39 Magically Enhanced Intrinsic Magic . 18 Planets . 39 Technology . 65 Subjective Magic . 19 Places . 40 Variant Natural Laws . 65 The Three Laws of Magic . 19 Many Worlds . 40 Technomagic . 66 Nature and Supernature . 20 Above and Below . 40 When Magic Becomes Knowing Good and Evil . 21 PLAYING WITH MAPS . 41 Technology . 66 Using Magic in Campaigns . 21 Earth . 41 Technologically MAGICAL OBJECTS . 22 Altering the Map . 41 Enhanced Magic . 66 Natural Magic . 22 Creating the Map . 41 Exotic Settings . 68 MAGICAL LANDSCAPES . 41 Alchemy . 23 CIVILIZATIONS . 68 Enchantment . 23 The Living Earth . 41 True Kings and Runic Enchantment . 25 Enhanced Environments . 42 Sacred Covenants . 68 Familiars and Fetishes . 26 Impossible Environments . 42 Supernatural Elites . 69 Named Objects . 26 Unevenly Distributed Magic . 43 Pirate Commonwealths . 69 Holy Relics . 26 Aspected Mana . 43 Fantastic Customs . 70 Foci . 28 Mana Basins . 43 Everyday Magic . 70 GURPS System Design ❚ STEVE JACKSON Prepress Checker ❚ MONICA STEPHENS Managing Editor ❚ ANDREW HACKARD Print Buyer ❚ MONICA STEPHENS GURPS Line Editor ❚ SEAN PUNCH Marketing Director ❚ PAUL CHAPMAN Production Manager ❚ MONIQUE CHAPMAN Sales Manager ❚ ROSS JEPSON Art Director ❚ STEVE JACKSON Errata Coordinator ❚ ANDY VETROMILE Page Design ❚ PHILIP REED GURPS FAQ Maintainer ❚ STÉPHANE THÉRIAULT Production Artist ❚ ALEX FERNANDEZ Lead Playtester: Peter V. Dell’Orto Playtesters: Kimara Bernard, James L. Cambias, Mike Dokachev, Kenneth Hite, Phil Masters, Kenneth Peters, David L. Pulver, Gene Seabolt, Michael Suileabhain-Wilson, and Chad Underkoffler GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Pyramid and the names of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. GURPS Fantasy is copyright © 1990, 1995, 2004 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. 2CREDITS The Genius of a People . 70 Alternative Wizards . 124 Through a Glass, Darkly . 181 Magic as a Resource . 71 Why Are These Learning Experiences . 182 The Control of Magic . 71 People Together? . 127 The Responsibility of Power . 184 Religion . 72 ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES, Shore Leave . 184 Foreign Relations . 73 AND SKILLS . 128 SUBPLOTS . 186 Multispecies Empires . 73 Appearance . 128 WAR IN FANTASY SETTINGS . 186 Advantages . 128 Varieties of Forces . 186 4. HISTORIES . 74 Behind the Curtain: Cost of Divided Strategic Positions . 188 and Restructurable Magery . 130 Battles . 188 FRAMES . 75 Ally or Asset? . 132 Player Characters in Battle . 190 Historical Time . 75 New Perks . 132 Magic and Warfare . 190 Mythic Time . 75 Disadvantages . 132 Mythical Beasts in Combat . 193 Prophecy . 75 Magical Afflictions . 133 The Armies of Darkness . 194 Mythology, Part 1 . 76 New Meta-Traits . 133 PLAYING WITH TIMELINES . 77 Skills . 134 9. ROMA ARCANA . 195 Real History . 77 New Techniques . 136 Mythology, Part 2 . 77 Skills and Size Modifiers . 137 Roma Arcana in the Divergent History . 78 Multiverse . 196 WEALTH AND STATUS . 137 Zeitgeists: Spirits of Time . 78 Currency and Prices . 137 A TIME OF TROUBLES . 196 Invented History . 79 Status and Cost of Living . 137 Foes and Menaces . 196 HISTORICAL ERAS . 79 Income . 138 Imperial Assets . 197 Dawn Ages . 79 MAP: THE ROMAN EMPIRE . 199 EQUIPMENT . 140 City-States . 80 Exotic Weapons . 141 Order of Battle . 200 Empires . 81 Vehicles . 141 Men of Destiny . 200 Decadence . 81 Petards . ..