Sample file PLAYER’S GUIDE Sample file EARTHDAWN SAVAGE WORLDS EDITION RULEBOOK CREDITS Earthdawn® Player’s Guide™ savage worlds edition Line Developer: Hank Woon Writing and Development: Hank Woon Editing and Additional Content: Aric Wieder, Chris R. Edwards, Gary Bowerbank, James Sutton, Ron Blessing Product Director: James Sutton Administration: Dawn Sutton Layout: Dawn Sutton, James Sutton Cover Artwork: Tony Szczudlo, Dawn Sutton Interior Artwork: Anita Nelson, Darrell Midgette, David Martin, Earl Geier, Janet Aulisio, Jeff Laubenstein, Jim Nelson, Joel Biske, Karl Waller, Kent Burles, Larry MacDougall, Liz Danforth, Mark Nelson, Mike Nielsen, Paul Jaquays, Rick Berry, Rick Harris, Robert Nelson, Steve Bryant, Tom Baxa, Tony Szczudlo Earthdawn First Edition Material: Allen Varney, Christopher Kubasik, Greg Gordon, Jordan Weisman, L. Ross Babcock III, Louis J. Prosperi, Michael Mulvihill, Nicole Frein, Nigel D. Findley, Robin D. Laws, Sam Lewis, Sam Witt, Teewynn Woodruff, Tom Dowd Playtesters: Chris Skinner, Craig Guarisco, David Amundson, Diana Hill, Justin Carson, Kano Melvin, Melissa Nicole Crumb, T.J. Hill Sample file Dedication: [Hank] For Yuri and Yuzu, for their outstanding patience and support—ありがとうござ いました (arigatou gozaimashita!). Internet: www.redbrickllc.com Contact: [email protected] Edition: May 2012 Earthdawn is a registered trademark of FASA Corporation. Barsaive, The Adept’s Way, and Earthdawn Player’s Guide are trademarks of FASA Corporation. Earthdawn First Edition Material copyright © 1993–2012 FASA Corporation. Published by RedBrick LLC under license from FASA Corporation— Made in the USA. Copyright © 2012 FASA Corporation, RedBrick LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the express written permission of the publisher. This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. Savage Worlds and all associated logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Used with permission. Pinnacle makes no representation or warranty as to the quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of this product. 2 CONTENTS Prologue: Inheritance 5 Archer 65 Game Information 70 Chapter 1: Introduction 14 Beastmaster 71 Game Concepts 17 Game Information 76 Playing Earthdawn 17 Cavalryman 77 Adepts 17 Game Information 83 Magic 18 Elementalist 85 Blood Magic 18 Game Information 92 Karma 18 Illusionist 93 Names 18 Game Information 98 The Horrors 18 Nethermancer 99 The Passions 18 Game Information 104 Scout 106 Chapter 2: History 19 Game Information 110 Sky Raider 111 Chapter 3: Characters 33 Game Information 115 Create Your Character 33 Swordmaster 117 Languages 34 Game Information 123 Major Races of Barsaive 34 Thief 124 Dwarf 35 Game Information 128 Elf Sample35 Troubadourfile 130 Human 36 Game Information 135 Obsidiman 36 Warrior 136 Ork 37 Game Information 141 Troll 38 Weaponsmith 143 T’skrang 38 Game Information 147 Windling 39 Wizard 150 Disciplines 40 Game Information 155 Discipline Edges 41 Multidisciplining 41 Chapter 5: Edges 157 Equip Your Character 45 Adept Edges 165 Flesh Out Your Character 45 Character History 46 Chapter 6: Magic 194 The Cycle of Magic 194 Chapter 4: Adepts 50 Astral Space 195 To Live Life as an Adept 52 Nature of Astral Space 196 Discipline Violation 55 Astral Sensing 196 Air Sailor 58 Magic in Our World 197 Game Information 64 Magical Theory 197 3 EARTHDAWN PLAYER’S GUIDE Patterns 197 Chapter 8: Gear 240 Names and Naming 197 Purchasing Gear 240 True Patterns 199 Currency 241 Pattern Knowledge 200 Weapons 242 Pattern Items 200 Armor and Shields 247 Threads 201 Clothing 250 Thread Magic 201 Adventuring Equipment 251 Using Magic Items 202 Magical Equipment 251 Obtaining the Key Knowledge 202 Blood Charms 251 Weaving the Thread 203 Common Magic Items 253 Limits on Threads 204 Healing Aids 253 Losing Threads 204 Provisions 253 Blood Magic 204 Services 257 Transportation 257 Chapter 7: Spells 205 Being a Magician 205 Chapter 9: Religion 259 Spell Threads 205 Questors 261 Raw Magic 205 Passion Descriptions 262 Starting Spells 206 Astendar 262 Learning New Spells 206 Chorrolis 263 Spell Damage and Armor 206 Dis (Mad Passion) 263 Spell Damage and Raises 206 Floranuus 264 Elementalism Spells 206 Garlen 265 Novice Spell Descriptions 206 Jaspree 266 Seasoned Spell Descriptions 209 Lochost 266 Veteran Spell Descriptions Sample212 Mynbruje file 266 Illusionism Spells 215 Raggok (Mad Passion) 267 Sensing Illusions 215 Thystonius 268 Novice Spell Descriptions 216 Upandal 269 Seasoned Spell Descriptions 219 Vestrial (Mad Passion) 269 Veteran Spell Descriptions 222 Nethermancy Spells 224 Chapter 10: Barsaive 270 Novice Spell Descriptions 224 Overview 270 Seasoned Spell Descriptions 227 The Land 270 Veteran Spell Descriptions 231 Areas of Interest 274 Wizardry Spells 233 The Theran Empire 277 Novice Spell Descriptions 233 Map of Barsaive 278 Seasoned Spell Descriptions 236 Veteran Spell Descriptions 238 Index 280 4 PROLOGUE: INHERITANCE When the Scourge ended, we were determined to reclaim our heritage. But we were not yet ready to pay the price. —Tolan Oddear, Historian of Landis Yes, it is a fine axe, and tempered in many battles, my “Then perhaps you would consider killing some friend. Its head has even tasted the blood of a Horror. scorchers before killing me?” Mestoph asked. How did I gain possession of such a fine weapon? Well, Lorm blinked at the elf ’s question, then pulled his axe fill my mug with more of that fine dwarf stout and I’ll away from our magician. Mestoph slumped away from gladly tell you the tale. ‘Twas during an expedition to the Lorm into a puddle, rain dripping from his aquiline lost city of Jalendale. I shall never forget it. We set out on features. Noticing that Lorm and Mestoph had leaned a cold, wet day, much like today—the elven magician, their packs against the boulder, I took mine off too. As myself, and the warrior who wielded this mighty axe, the feeling returned to my shoulders I looked downhill. troll called Lorm… The ork scorchers had taken cover about halfway up our hill. Apparently they were concerned about I ran up the steep, rocky slope, breathing in steaming what sort of defense we would concoct and wanted to gasps. Over the din of rain pelting the nearby rocks, I consider the possibilities before charging up the last could hear the ork scorchers below. open stretch of hill. They were giving us more credit I stumbled and rolled down a few lengths then than we deserved. regained my feet, strands of moss now clinging to my I took a step toward Mestoph, and the elf fixed me matted red beard. As I fumbled to put my helmet back with his amber eye. on my head, arrows hissed past, strikingSample rocks upslope. file“I swear the maps put Jalendale here, or close to here.” Fear gave my legs new strength and I quickly crested “Well that’s great. How about whipping up a spell the hill, diving for cover behind the boulder I had seen to take care of a few angry scorchers?” my companions use earlier. “I am afraid my ‘destroy angry ork’ selection is Glancing up, I saw Lorm’s wart-covered green fist limited.” holding his huge axe a finger’s width away from Mes- “Then how about something from your ‘take action toph’s face. The hair tufts in Lorm’s large ears twitched to make angry troll happy’ collection?” and his nostrils dilated. His rough tongue rimmed Mestoph nodded. He squatted and crabbed along his left tusk, and his yellow eyes glared from the slits the ground, careful to stay behind the boulder as he formed by his pockmarked eyelids. Lorm was one gathered a few pebbles and began to weave a spell. unhappy troll. Lorm and I had seen this one before. I drew my “Where’s all the gold? Where’s this lost city? Where short sword. Lorm grabbed his axe with both hands. is Jalendale?” Suddenly the sky above us darkened and within Mestoph shook his long white hair away from his minutes we were enveloped by a blackness so deep we face, revealing an ugly sneer. He stared at Lorm with could barely make out the stones at our feet. the orb of magical amber that served as his left eye. This was midnight dark, copper-cavern-no-lamp I wheezed over to Lorm, reached up and tapped dark. This was Mestoph’s darkness. him near his belt. I crouched and waited. A few moments later we were “Wouldn’t you rather kill some scorchers?” back to the murky-storm light. A quick glance told me “No thanks, dwarf.” Mestoph had cast the darkness on the pebbles, then 5 EARTHDAWN PLAYER’S GUIDE tossed the pebbles down the hill at the orks. Confused shouts now came from three large bubbles of darkness where the orks had stood. Lorm and I scrambled down the hill and waited at the edge of the darkness. An ork stumbled out. Lorm smashed him and the scorcher fell back into the dark- ness, leaving a trail of red on the rocky slope. Apparently unable to coordinate their movements in the darkness, the orks kept wandering out haphazardly. Lorm and I took care of as many as we could. As soon as four orks made it out of the darkness at the same time, Lorm and I rushed back up the hill. The plan now called for Mestoph to take care of the most determined ork pursuer or two with a different spell. Nothing happened. Lorm strode on ahead while the orks gained on me. They say never look behind you when you’re in a close chase because it slows you down. I looked. The orks were maybe fifteen of their strides back, swinging their swords across their bodies as they pumped their arms in time with their legs.