Warning! Violence and the Supernatural The fantasy World of the Palladium Role-Playing Game is violent, deadly and filled with magic and monsters. Other dimensional beings, demons, and sorcerers torment, stalk and enslave humans. Monsters, gods, magic, insanity, cannibal­ ism, war and heroic adventure are all elements of this book. Some parents may find the violence and supernatural elements inappropriate for young readers/players. We suggest pa­ rental discretion. Please note that none of us at Palladium Books condone or encourage the occult, the practice of magic, the use of drugs, or violence. Sample file A sourcebook for the Palladium Fantasy RPG@, 2nd Edition 1 This book is dedicated to Fairfax, Snaggletooth, Steel & Ramis. - Bill Coffin PDF Edition - August 2018 First Printing - September 1998 Copyright 1998 Palladium Books Inc. and Kevin Siembieda All rights reserved under the Universal Copyright Convention, World Wide. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher, except for brief quotes for use in reviews. All incidents, situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity, without satiric intent, of char­ acters or persons living or dead, is strictly coincidental. Palladium Books®, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Rifts® and Megaverse® are registered trademarks owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. The Mind Mage, Diabolist, Summoner, Tristine Chronicles, Dragonwright, Wolf en, Emperor Itomas, Western Empire, Baalgor Wastelands, Yin-Sloth Jungles, Old Ones, Adventures on the High Seas, Monsters & Animals, Dragons & Gods, Be­ yond the Supernatural, Heroes Unlimited, and other names, titles and likenesses of characters are trademarks owned by Kevin SiembiedaSample and Palladium Books Inc. file The Western Empire™ for the Palladium Fantasy RPG®, 2nd Edition is published by Palladium Books® Inc., Webb Westland, Printed in the 39074 Court, MI 48185. USA. 2 fJAIIA-tium J6ooks® fJresents: 7IJe estero empire" 01\ �oureebook for the PAll,utium JA.,tAsl �pq®, �eeo.,If elfitio., Written By: Bill Coffin Additional Text & Concepts: Kevin Siembieda Senior Editor: Alex Marciniszyn Editors: Jim Osten Julius Rosenstein Wayne Smith Cover Painting: Brom Interior Artists: Kent Buries Michael Dubisch Scott Johnson Wayne Breaux Jr. Michael Wilson Martin McKenna Kevin Long Maps: Steve Edwards Bill Coffin Kevin Siembieda Art Direction: Kevin Siembieda Layout & Keylining: Kevin Siembieda Typography: Maryann Siembieda Based on the RPG rules, magic, characters, worlds, concepts and Megaverse® created by Kevin Siembieda. PalladiumSample Books On-Line: www.palladiumbooks.com file Special Thanks to Bill Coffin for a great job and a fun ride. You'll be seeing a lot more of Bill in the future. Also to Steve Edwards for some beautiful maps, and Kent, Scott, Mike Dubisch, Wayne and Mike W. for some truly breathtaking artwork. And to Maryann, AI, Wayne, Jim, Jules, Steve and all the Palladium alchemists who help make our special brand of magic. - Kevin Siembieda, 1998 3 Contents Overview of the Western Empire ••••••••••••7 House Glaverius ...................... 145 Prologue . 7 Caer Glaverius - Regional Capital. ........... 147 A brief history of the Western Empire .......... 8 Other Places of Note ••••••••.•••••••••• 151 Geographic Overview . 11 Gruzzia Islands . 152 Politics ofthe Western Empire •••••.••••••• 13 New Magic Items . • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • . 153 Society. 13 The Western Alchemist . 156 Political Structure . 14 Magic Items Unique to the Western Empire 157 Imperial House . 14 Magical Armor Attributes . 158 Regional Houses. 15 Potions. 159 Provincial Houses . 16 Rings, Charms & Talismans. 159 Additional Notes on Western Nobility ••••••••• 18 Other Western Magic Items . 161 Rules of the Game. 18 Herbs & Drugs ofthe Western Empire ••••••••• 162 Show Me The Money . 19 Medicinal Drugs ...................... 171 A Growing Darkness . 20 City Generation Rules . • . • . • • • • • • • • • • • • 172 Military Forces ofthe Western Empire •••••••••21 Building Types . 184 The Imperial Army . 21 Adventures Begin. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 187 Regional & Provincial Armies . 23 Notable Mercenary Companies . 24 Imperial Soldier O. C. C. 25 Regional Maps Map of the Known World . Imperial Janissary O. C.C. 26 5 Major Cities . 17 Regional Overviews Begin . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 28 Regional Overview 51 Regional Overview #1: West Kighfalton ••••••••28 Imperial House Itomas . 30 Caer Itom - Imperial Capital. 39 City Maps Regional Overview #2: Upper Kighfalton •••.••• 52 Locations of Major Cities . 17 Regional House Ne'klosh ................. 54 Arcadia City . 124 Caer Kurgas - Regional Capital . 56 Caer Glaverius (Yin-Sloth) 149 Regional Overview #3: Koerdian Mountains. • . • • • 63 Caer Itom City Districts . .42 The Pirates of Koerdian . 65 Caer Itom City. .43 House of Oslof. 65 Caer Kurgas City Districts. · 57 Syrefald, the Terraced City . 67 Caer Kurgas City . · 59 Regional Overview #4: Kighfalton Plains • . • • • • • 73 Caer Netebbe City. · 74 House Inindri . 73 Colfax City . 115 Caer Netebbe - Regional Capital . 74 Epiphany City Districts . · 104 Regional Overview #5: Lower Barraduk. • . • • • • • 79 Epiphany City . · 107 House Taerea . 81 Iyancine City Districts. · 84 Iyancine - Regional Capital . 83 Iyancine City ..... · 86 Regional Overview #6: Vequerrel Woodlands .••.•90 Ophidia City Districts . · 140 The Faerie War . 92 Ophidia City . · 141 House Jaoradon . 93 Pallisade City · 96 Pallisade - Regional Capital . 95 Shinkasa City · 132 Regional Overview #7 & 8: The Middle Kingdoms •• 100 Syrefald City. · 69 House Krugazi (The Mouse that Roared) . 10 1 House Kaze . 102 Epiphany - Regional Capital. 104 Provincial Overview Maps Regional Overview #9: The Scarlet Mountains 110 Regional Overview · 51 House Valocek. 111 West Kighfalton . .49 Colfax - Regional Capital . 114 Upper Kighfalton . · 62 Regional Overview #10: The Tarldet Plains • • • • • • 120 Koerdian Mountains. · 71 House Wenglid .... ................. 12 1 Kighfalton Plains . · . 78 Arcadia - Regional Capital . 123 Lower Barraduk . · . 89 Regional Overview #11: Old Kingdom Frontier . • • • 127 Middle Kingdoms . 110 House Clynn ........................ 129 Old Kingdom Frontier. 134 Shinkasa -SampleRegional Capital . 129 Ophid's Grassland Colonies. file143 Regional Overview #12: Ophid's Colony •••••••• 136 Scarlet Mountains . 118 House Belopo ....................... 137 Tarldet Plains . 127 Ophidia - Regional Capital . 139 Vequerrel Woodlands . · . 99 Regional Overview #13: Yin-Sloth Periphery . .. 143 4 )V1up of the known IDorld N THE ISLANO J(INGOOM OF BIZANT/{)M Sample file SCALE IN MILES : : i o 200 �o 600 5 Sample file Demon Black Ship 6 .