Making your Character
A player assumes the role of a character. The player develops the personality of his character during adventures: the
character's needs, foibles, and ethos are revealed through interaction with the other players' characters and the
creatures represented by the GM. The manner in which the character's personality develops will undoubtedly be
affected by that character's characteristics. A characteristic is a measure of a facet of the character's physical or
mental make-up which the player does not invent.
Every human character begins play at the age of 18 years (if the gamesmaster's world revolves around its sun during a
period of time not equal to 365 days, he should convert from earth years to his own). A non-human character
begins play at a corresponding age for his race. At that age, the character's body has matured enough so that age will
not alter his characteristics. The character does have some of his life already behind him; the memories of those
times must be supplied by the player, but any monies and experience accumulated are the character's to expend.
A player must keep track of the statistical data (e.g., characteristics) concerning his character. A model Character
Record, on which all pertinent information may be recorded, is provided within this rulebook. The gamesmaster may
choose to use a different recording form, or modify the one provided to suit his tastes. Whichever the case, the
gamesmaster must be provided with a complete and current character record for each player's character. The
gamesmaster can then verify the information on each record, or make corrections where necessary. Each player should
also have a copy of his own character's record, though as play goes on, the two records will differ (the gamesmaster will,
in all probability, note something about a character that he does not want the player to know, such as a curse).
DESCRIPTION OF CHARACTERISTICS
The player must generate and/or assign values to each of his character's first eight characteristics. The gamesmaster
may also choose to introduce optional characteristics, including Physical Beauty (described herein), Height, Weight, Sex
Drive, and anything else that comes to mind. The proliferation of such indices, while providing a player with a clearer
picture of his character, will require extra book keeping.
The first six characteristics are the primary characteristics. Primary characteristics may be increased temporarily by
magic or permanently by the expenditure of experience, and may be decreased temporarily by magic or permanently by
injury to the character. All other characteristics, whether or not optional, are secondary characteristics. The manner in
which a secondary characteristic may be changed will be covered in the appropriate rule. A "temporary" change
indicates an increase or decrease of limited duration to the value of a characteristic; a "permanent" change indicates an
increase or decrease of indefinite duration to the value of a characteristic. Adventurers in a world of magic can expect to
be in a state of flux for most of the time.
Generally, a high characteristic value indicates a character's ability to perform a certain task well, while a low value
indicates a relative lack of such ability. A characteristic's effect Is almost always translated into numerical terms
for the purposes of resolving action during play. Though characteristics are relatively fixed, a player retains total
freedom of choice for his character. When a player shapes the personality of his character, he will probably wish to
account for some of the character's more extreme characteristics. For instance, if a character with an extremely low
Physical Strength value decided to specialize in magic, he might compensate for an inferiority complex developed
during adolescence (due to constant bullying) by choosing spells of destruction. The spells would, of course, allow that
character to stand off the would-be Conans of his world. A character with a high value in Agility might indulge in frivolous
sports, because of his natural talent in such activities. Remember, the greater the care taken when characterizing, the
more "real" that character becomes. The player should strive for consistency in developing
facets of his character's emotional make-up.
PS = Physical Strength is a measure of a character's muscle co-ordination and strength. The Physical Strength
characteristic represents the brute force a character can exert from the thews of his arms, the thrusting power
of his leg muscles, and his lift and weight capacity (using leg, back, and stomach muscles).
MD = Manual Dexterity is a measure of a character's digital control. The Manual Dexterity characteristic
represents the character's hand-to-eye coordination, the speed at which he may perform a complex task with his hands,
and his ability to manipulate his hands.
AG = Agility is a measure of a character's ability to maneuver his body and the speed at which he moves. The Agility
characteristic represents the character's litheness of body, the speed at which he may run, and his ability to dodge with
or contort his body.
MA = Magic Aptitude is a measure of a character's ability to harness and direct magical energies. The Magic Aptitude
characteristic represents the character's control over the now of mana (the stuff of magic) from another dimension, and
his ability to remember arcane rituals and information.
WP = Willpower is a measure of a character's control of his mind and body especially in stress situations.
The Willpower characteristic represents a character's ability to resist the imposition of another's will upon his own, and
the degree to which his will can be used to counter his instincts (when, for instance, he might be attempting an action
which may be suicidal).
EN = Endurance is a measure of the punishment a character's body can absorb before he becomes unconscious,
sustains mortal wounds, or dies. The Endurance characteristic represents the character's capacity to sustain wounds,
his resistance to disease and infection and his rate of recovery from same, and directly affects his ability to overexert
himself.
FT = Fatigue is a measure of the length of time that a character can sustain activities requiring a great
deal of physical or mental exertion. The Fatigue characteristic represents the number of potentially serious wounds the
character can turn into minor cuts and bruises by adroit or random maneuvering in combat, the mental energy he can
use to cast spells, and the degree to which he may exert himself before becoming exhausted. Fatigue value may be
increased permanently, by the expenditure of Experience Points, and temporarily, by magic.
PC = Perception is a measure of a character's intuition developed as a result of his experience.
The Perception characteristic represents the character's ability to note peculiarities in a given situation (e.g., recognize
an ambush), his ability to deduce a people's habits or customs from scant information, and his ability to gauge the
fighting skill of another person or monster. Perception value may be increased or decreased
temporarily, as a result of a character's performance during an expedition, and may be increased permanently, through
the expenditure of experience. Magic, drugs, and the character's condition may cause a temporary increase or
decrease in the Perception value.
PB = Physical Beauty is a measure of a character's exterior attractiveness (or repulsiveness), as perceived by a
member of a humanoid race. Physical Beauty is an optional characteristic representing a character's appearance
compared to the aesthetic standards of his society and race. A character with a high Physical Beauty value will be a
pleasing sight to a member of any of the races described on this site, though reactions will vary by race
(for example, a female halfling would find a male halfling with a Physical Beauty of 23 sexually stimulating, while a female
human would think that the same halfling is extremely cute). Physical Beauty is in no way a reflection
of a character's personality; a member of the opposite sex might be smitten by a character with a high Physical Beauty
value, but the smitten character's subsequent reactions would probably be governed by the beautiful character's
personality. The Physical Beauty values for monsters describe how that monster appears to a character,
and not to another monster of the same race. This distinction is made because there is a greater incidence of
character-to- monster than monster-to-monster interaction, from the perspective of the players. Physical Beauty may
be increased or decreased temporarily by magic, and decreased permanently by disfigurement.
EFFECTS OF CHARACTERISTICS
The characteristics do not cover every facet of a character's performance on an adventure. The gamesmaster relies
upon characteristics only when a player attempts a physical or magical action for which character-gamesmaster
interaction will no longer help decide the outcome. If the character must exercise his intelligence or wisdom (to name a
few facets of his personality not included in characteristics), the player must provide the action or conversation for his
character. If a character attempts a feasible task not specifically explained in a rule, the gamesmaster
derives a percentage chance of the character succeeding. When a player declares that his character will
attempt a task which the GM acknowledges as dependent upon a particular characteristic, the gamesmaster
assigns the task a difficulty factor. This difficulty factor will be a number from one-half through 5. The greater the
difficulty factor value, the easier a task will be to perform. The gamesmaster multiplies the difficulty factor by the
appropriate characteristic, arriving at the percentage chance of the character performing the task. He then rolls D100,
and if the roll is less than the percentage, the character has successfully performed the task. If the roll is equal to that
percentage, the character will succeed if immediately aided by another character (if applicable). If the roll is greater than
the percentage, but not greater than the percentage plus the relevant characteristic, the character has failed without
injury to himself (if injury is at all avoidable). If the roll is greater than the percentage plus the relevant characteristic,
then the character has failed and may have injured himself. The gamesmaster may wish to determine the extent of the
injury by how much the roll exceeds the percentage plus the characteristic. When one character aids another (because
the D100 roll was equal to the latter's characteristic times the difficulty factor), the aiding character's value in the
relevant characteristic must be at least 15 or equal to or greater than the aided character's value.
Example: Rolf the Barbarian informs the gamesmaster that he wishes to burst open a solid-looking oaken door which
has temporarily stymied the party. He proposes to use his trusty great axe to batter the door down. The GM, who knows
that the door is buttressed by an iron bolt on the reverse side, assigns it a difficulty factor of 2.5. Rolf's Physical
Strength is 20, so if the GM rolls a 49 or less(2.5 x 20 = 50), the door bursts asunder (and any traps will probably be set
off). If the roll is 50, the door will be held by the iron bolt, unless Rolf's good friend, Tedric Ironthews (with Physical
Strength of 18), takes his mallet to the door. If the roll is from 51 to 70([2.5 x 20] + 20 = 70), the door withstands Rolf's
assault. If the roll is 71 or greater, results will vary from the great axe being damaged or broken to Rolf receiving a
jarring shock (he hit the iron bolt directly) to Rolf suffering Damage Points as oak splinters penetrate his armor. The
result depends on the GM's discretion and how The chance of failure is always equal to at least 30 minus the relevant
characteristic, and a roll of 100 always causes failure. If, for instance, the applicable value is 23, then a roll of 94 or
greater (30 - 23 = 7; there is a 7% chance of a number from 94 to 100 being generated) will cause the character to fail
at his task, regardless of what the percentage chance of success may be. The following sample tasks are provided so
the gamesmasters may establish their own guidelines.
Physical Strength: Opening doors and lifting heavy objects will be the two most common tasks tied to Physical
Strength. Consider the sturdiness of the door and the implement being used to open it for the former, and consider the
weight and bulk of the object plus the purchase afforded the character for the latter.
Manual Dexterity: Consider the delicacy of the task when a character seeks the careful manipulation or removal of an
object.
Agility: Consider the sturdiness of the structure being crossed or climbed and the ease with which the character may
balance himself when attempting to cross or climb a poorly-anchored structure.
Endurance: Consider how tired the character already is and how exhausting the upcoming task if the character wishes
to push his body to its limits. If more than one character is attempting a task which the GM will resolve
using these rules, he may reduce the difficulty factor if their combined efforts surpass those of one. If the task requires a
co-operative effort, the difficulty factor remains the same. In either case, the lowest-valued characteristic among the
performing characters is the multiplier.
The only magic task not described in the rules which may be attempted by a character is a feat of minor
magic.
Minor magic is best performed by a member of a Magical College. Therefore, a character's ability to perform minor
magic is governed by his Magic Aptitude value. A feat of minor magic is generally performed to entertain rich, royal, or
towns folk. Such a feat can also gull the credulous. Minor magic includes the tricks used by the prestidigitators
and conjurors of fantasy literature. Minor magic may be employed by any caster, regardless of his collegiate affiliation.
No one may be directly harmed by the use of minor magic, although an adroit caster might conceive a trap making use
of minor magic. There are three types of minor magic. The glamour, a spell of minor illusion, can be used to create
simple images that glow with faint luminescence. A caster could, for instance, appear to be juggling colored balls of light
though use of a glamour. The cantrip, a spell of small transformation or apportation, can be used to re-create some of
the spells ascribed to imps. A caster could sour beer, cause candle flames to gutter, or make small objects disappear
down his sleeve to any other place on his person. The trance, a hypnotic spell, can be used to remove minor inhibitions
temporarily or to cause a person to perform a harmless task. The caster of such a spell must engage his subject
through traditional means; i.e., he must Lull the subject into trance by engaging the subject's concentration upon the
rhythmic movement of a small object. If, for instance, a woman with prim demeanor were rather attracted to a
male caster, the caster could not cause the same woman to run naked through a deserted street at night, if the nudity
taboo of her culture was as strong as that of most cultures. The casting of a minor magic spell costs the Adept one
Fatigue' Point, whether the spell is successful or not. The difficulty factor value should decrease as the spell becomes
more ambitious. If the roll is greater than the sum of the success percentage plus the value of the character's Magic
Aptitude, then the spell result should manifest itself in a manner decidedly different from the Adept's intention.
The information given the players by the GM will sometimes depend upon a player's Perception
characteristic. A character will often have to rely upon his intuition and his powers of observation at crucial junctures
during an adventure. The GM can recreate a character's interpretation of events or of a tableau in front of him by
deriving a percentage chance (of the character understanding the situation properly) from one character's Perception
value. The GM should use this procedure to dictate what he will tell the players only when the particular clue or piece of
information is not deducible from verbally relayed data. The GM should, for example, inform the players that the ellipsoid
symbol on the robes of the tall man approaching them probably indicates that he is a priest, since the circle is a
religious symbol used throughout his world. However, it would be up to the players to infer what happened when they
see the vampire with which their necromancer friend was so recently talking come out the door, blood dripping from
his mouth. When the GM deems it appropriate to check a player's Perception before he answers a question, he either
consults the Perception of the leader or the character who is particularly suited to deduce information in the current
situation. The obscurity of the information sought determines the difficulty factor. Multiply the character's Perception
value by the difficulty factor, and roll D100. If the roll is equal to or less than the percentage chance, the GM informs the
appropriate player of the correct information. If the roll is greater than the percentage, but not greater than the
percentage plus the character's Perception value, the GM will either inform the player that he is not sure or give him a
part (but not all) of the information. If the roll is greater than the percentage plus the character's Perception value, the
GM will mix fact with fiction; the greater the roll, the more erroneous the information.
The gamesmaster should not avail himself of this procedure constantly during an expedition. He should use it when the
player request more information than he is willing to give them, when the characters venture into foreign places or lands
or meet alien people or races, and when a decision is necessary to speed play. Remember that constant use of this
procedure makes the out- come of the adventure increasingly luck-dependent. A judicious GM will use the procedure no
more than once per hour (real time) during an expedition. The GM will stint those players who constantly request
use of the perception or other rolls when it comes time for experience awards A player who allows dice-rolls to
usurp the responsibilities of his mind deserves no better.
A player assumes the role of a character. The player develops the personality of his character during adventures: the
character's needs, foibles, and ethos are revealed through interaction with the other players' characters and the
creatures represented by the GM. The manner in which the character's personality develops will undoubtedly be
affected by that character's characteristics. A characteristic is a measure of a facet of the character's physical or
mental make-up which the player does not invent.
Every human character begins play at the age of 18 years (if the gamesmaster's world revolves around its sun during a
period of time not equal to 365 days, he should convert from earth years to his own). A non-human character
begins play at a corresponding age for his race. At that age, the character's body has matured enough so that age will
not alter his characteristics. The character does have some of his life already behind him; the memories of those
times must be supplied by the player, but any monies and experience accumulated are the character's to expend.
A player must keep track of the statistical data (e.g., characteristics) concerning his character. A model Character
Record, on which all pertinent information may be recorded, is provided within this rulebook. The gamesmaster may
choose to use a different recording form, or modify the one provided to suit his tastes. Whichever the case, the
gamesmaster must be provided with a complete and current character record for each player's character. The
gamesmaster can then verify the information on each record, or make corrections where necessary. Each player should
also have a copy of his own character's record, though as play goes on, the two records will differ (the gamesmaster will,
in all probability, note something about a character that he does not want the player to know, such as a curse).
DESCRIPTION OF CHARACTERISTICS
The player must generate and/or assign values to each of his character's first eight characteristics. The gamesmaster
may also choose to introduce optional characteristics, including Physical Beauty (described herein), Height, Weight, Sex
Drive, and anything else that comes to mind. The proliferation of such indices, while providing a player with a clearer
picture of his character, will require extra book keeping.
The first six characteristics are the primary characteristics. Primary characteristics may be increased temporarily by
magic or permanently by the expenditure of experience, and may be decreased temporarily by magic or permanently by
injury to the character. All other characteristics, whether or not optional, are secondary characteristics. The manner in
which a secondary characteristic may be changed will be covered in the appropriate rule. A "temporary" change
indicates an increase or decrease of limited duration to the value of a characteristic; a "permanent" change indicates an
increase or decrease of indefinite duration to the value of a characteristic. Adventurers in a world of magic can expect to
be in a state of flux for most of the time.
Generally, a high characteristic value indicates a character's ability to perform a certain task well, while a low value
indicates a relative lack of such ability. A characteristic's effect Is almost always translated into numerical terms
for the purposes of resolving action during play. Though characteristics are relatively fixed, a player retains total
freedom of choice for his character. When a player shapes the personality of his character, he will probably wish to
account for some of the character's more extreme characteristics. For instance, if a character with an extremely low
Physical Strength value decided to specialize in magic, he might compensate for an inferiority complex developed
during adolescence (due to constant bullying) by choosing spells of destruction. The spells would, of course, allow that
character to stand off the would-be Conans of his world. A character with a high value in Agility might indulge in frivolous
sports, because of his natural talent in such activities. Remember, the greater the care taken when characterizing, the
more "real" that character becomes. The player should strive for consistency in developing
facets of his character's emotional make-up.
PS = Physical Strength is a measure of a character's muscle co-ordination and strength. The Physical Strength
characteristic represents the brute force a character can exert from the thews of his arms, the thrusting power
of his leg muscles, and his lift and weight capacity (using leg, back, and stomach muscles).
MD = Manual Dexterity is a measure of a character's digital control. The Manual Dexterity characteristic
represents the character's hand-to-eye coordination, the speed at which he may perform a complex task with his hands,
and his ability to manipulate his hands.
AG = Agility is a measure of a character's ability to maneuver his body and the speed at which he moves. The Agility
characteristic represents the character's litheness of body, the speed at which he may run, and his ability to dodge with
or contort his body.
MA = Magic Aptitude is a measure of a character's ability to harness and direct magical energies. The Magic Aptitude
characteristic represents the character's control over the now of mana (the stuff of magic) from another dimension, and
his ability to remember arcane rituals and information.
WP = Willpower is a measure of a character's control of his mind and body especially in stress situations.
The Willpower characteristic represents a character's ability to resist the imposition of another's will upon his own, and
the degree to which his will can be used to counter his instincts (when, for instance, he might be attempting an action
which may be suicidal).
EN = Endurance is a measure of the punishment a character's body can absorb before he becomes unconscious,
sustains mortal wounds, or dies. The Endurance characteristic represents the character's capacity to sustain wounds,
his resistance to disease and infection and his rate of recovery from same, and directly affects his ability to overexert
himself.
FT = Fatigue is a measure of the length of time that a character can sustain activities requiring a great
deal of physical or mental exertion. The Fatigue characteristic represents the number of potentially serious wounds the
character can turn into minor cuts and bruises by adroit or random maneuvering in combat, the mental energy he can
use to cast spells, and the degree to which he may exert himself before becoming exhausted. Fatigue value may be
increased permanently, by the expenditure of Experience Points, and temporarily, by magic.
PC = Perception is a measure of a character's intuition developed as a result of his experience.
The Perception characteristic represents the character's ability to note peculiarities in a given situation (e.g., recognize
an ambush), his ability to deduce a people's habits or customs from scant information, and his ability to gauge the
fighting skill of another person or monster. Perception value may be increased or decreased
temporarily, as a result of a character's performance during an expedition, and may be increased permanently, through
the expenditure of experience. Magic, drugs, and the character's condition may cause a temporary increase or
decrease in the Perception value.
PB = Physical Beauty is a measure of a character's exterior attractiveness (or repulsiveness), as perceived by a
member of a humanoid race. Physical Beauty is an optional characteristic representing a character's appearance
compared to the aesthetic standards of his society and race. A character with a high Physical Beauty value will be a
pleasing sight to a member of any of the races described on this site, though reactions will vary by race
(for example, a female halfling would find a male halfling with a Physical Beauty of 23 sexually stimulating, while a female
human would think that the same halfling is extremely cute). Physical Beauty is in no way a reflection
of a character's personality; a member of the opposite sex might be smitten by a character with a high Physical Beauty
value, but the smitten character's subsequent reactions would probably be governed by the beautiful character's
personality. The Physical Beauty values for monsters describe how that monster appears to a character,
and not to another monster of the same race. This distinction is made because there is a greater incidence of
character-to- monster than monster-to-monster interaction, from the perspective of the players. Physical Beauty may
be increased or decreased temporarily by magic, and decreased permanently by disfigurement.
EFFECTS OF CHARACTERISTICS
The characteristics do not cover every facet of a character's performance on an adventure. The gamesmaster relies
upon characteristics only when a player attempts a physical or magical action for which character-gamesmaster
interaction will no longer help decide the outcome. If the character must exercise his intelligence or wisdom (to name a
few facets of his personality not included in characteristics), the player must provide the action or conversation for his
character. If a character attempts a feasible task not specifically explained in a rule, the gamesmaster
derives a percentage chance of the character succeeding. When a player declares that his character will
attempt a task which the GM acknowledges as dependent upon a particular characteristic, the gamesmaster
assigns the task a difficulty factor. This difficulty factor will be a number from one-half through 5. The greater the
difficulty factor value, the easier a task will be to perform. The gamesmaster multiplies the difficulty factor by the
appropriate characteristic, arriving at the percentage chance of the character performing the task. He then rolls D100,
and if the roll is less than the percentage, the character has successfully performed the task. If the roll is equal to that
percentage, the character will succeed if immediately aided by another character (if applicable). If the roll is greater than
the percentage, but not greater than the percentage plus the relevant characteristic, the character has failed without
injury to himself (if injury is at all avoidable). If the roll is greater than the percentage plus the relevant characteristic,
then the character has failed and may have injured himself. The gamesmaster may wish to determine the extent of the
injury by how much the roll exceeds the percentage plus the characteristic. When one character aids another (because
the D100 roll was equal to the latter's characteristic times the difficulty factor), the aiding character's value in the
relevant characteristic must be at least 15 or equal to or greater than the aided character's value.
Example: Rolf the Barbarian informs the gamesmaster that he wishes to burst open a solid-looking oaken door which
has temporarily stymied the party. He proposes to use his trusty great axe to batter the door down. The GM, who knows
that the door is buttressed by an iron bolt on the reverse side, assigns it a difficulty factor of 2.5. Rolf's Physical
Strength is 20, so if the GM rolls a 49 or less(2.5 x 20 = 50), the door bursts asunder (and any traps will probably be set
off). If the roll is 50, the door will be held by the iron bolt, unless Rolf's good friend, Tedric Ironthews (with Physical
Strength of 18), takes his mallet to the door. If the roll is from 51 to 70([2.5 x 20] + 20 = 70), the door withstands Rolf's
assault. If the roll is 71 or greater, results will vary from the great axe being damaged or broken to Rolf receiving a
jarring shock (he hit the iron bolt directly) to Rolf suffering Damage Points as oak splinters penetrate his armor. The
result depends on the GM's discretion and how The chance of failure is always equal to at least 30 minus the relevant
characteristic, and a roll of 100 always causes failure. If, for instance, the applicable value is 23, then a roll of 94 or
greater (30 - 23 = 7; there is a 7% chance of a number from 94 to 100 being generated) will cause the character to fail
at his task, regardless of what the percentage chance of success may be. The following sample tasks are provided so
the gamesmasters may establish their own guidelines.
Physical Strength: Opening doors and lifting heavy objects will be the two most common tasks tied to Physical
Strength. Consider the sturdiness of the door and the implement being used to open it for the former, and consider the
weight and bulk of the object plus the purchase afforded the character for the latter.
Manual Dexterity: Consider the delicacy of the task when a character seeks the careful manipulation or removal of an
object.
Agility: Consider the sturdiness of the structure being crossed or climbed and the ease with which the character may
balance himself when attempting to cross or climb a poorly-anchored structure.
Endurance: Consider how tired the character already is and how exhausting the upcoming task if the character wishes
to push his body to its limits. If more than one character is attempting a task which the GM will resolve
using these rules, he may reduce the difficulty factor if their combined efforts surpass those of one. If the task requires a
co-operative effort, the difficulty factor remains the same. In either case, the lowest-valued characteristic among the
performing characters is the multiplier.
The only magic task not described in the rules which may be attempted by a character is a feat of minor
magic.
Minor magic is best performed by a member of a Magical College. Therefore, a character's ability to perform minor
magic is governed by his Magic Aptitude value. A feat of minor magic is generally performed to entertain rich, royal, or
towns folk. Such a feat can also gull the credulous. Minor magic includes the tricks used by the prestidigitators
and conjurors of fantasy literature. Minor magic may be employed by any caster, regardless of his collegiate affiliation.
No one may be directly harmed by the use of minor magic, although an adroit caster might conceive a trap making use
of minor magic. There are three types of minor magic. The glamour, a spell of minor illusion, can be used to create
simple images that glow with faint luminescence. A caster could, for instance, appear to be juggling colored balls of light
though use of a glamour. The cantrip, a spell of small transformation or apportation, can be used to re-create some of
the spells ascribed to imps. A caster could sour beer, cause candle flames to gutter, or make small objects disappear
down his sleeve to any other place on his person. The trance, a hypnotic spell, can be used to remove minor inhibitions
temporarily or to cause a person to perform a harmless task. The caster of such a spell must engage his subject
through traditional means; i.e., he must Lull the subject into trance by engaging the subject's concentration upon the
rhythmic movement of a small object. If, for instance, a woman with prim demeanor were rather attracted to a
male caster, the caster could not cause the same woman to run naked through a deserted street at night, if the nudity
taboo of her culture was as strong as that of most cultures. The casting of a minor magic spell costs the Adept one
Fatigue' Point, whether the spell is successful or not. The difficulty factor value should decrease as the spell becomes
more ambitious. If the roll is greater than the sum of the success percentage plus the value of the character's Magic
Aptitude, then the spell result should manifest itself in a manner decidedly different from the Adept's intention.
The information given the players by the GM will sometimes depend upon a player's Perception
characteristic. A character will often have to rely upon his intuition and his powers of observation at crucial junctures
during an adventure. The GM can recreate a character's interpretation of events or of a tableau in front of him by
deriving a percentage chance (of the character understanding the situation properly) from one character's Perception
value. The GM should use this procedure to dictate what he will tell the players only when the particular clue or piece of
information is not deducible from verbally relayed data. The GM should, for example, inform the players that the ellipsoid
symbol on the robes of the tall man approaching them probably indicates that he is a priest, since the circle is a
religious symbol used throughout his world. However, it would be up to the players to infer what happened when they
see the vampire with which their necromancer friend was so recently talking come out the door, blood dripping from
his mouth. When the GM deems it appropriate to check a player's Perception before he answers a question, he either
consults the Perception of the leader or the character who is particularly suited to deduce information in the current
situation. The obscurity of the information sought determines the difficulty factor. Multiply the character's Perception
value by the difficulty factor, and roll D100. If the roll is equal to or less than the percentage chance, the GM informs the
appropriate player of the correct information. If the roll is greater than the percentage, but not greater than the
percentage plus the character's Perception value, the GM will either inform the player that he is not sure or give him a
part (but not all) of the information. If the roll is greater than the percentage plus the character's Perception value, the
GM will mix fact with fiction; the greater the roll, the more erroneous the information.
The gamesmaster should not avail himself of this procedure constantly during an expedition. He should use it when the
player request more information than he is willing to give them, when the characters venture into foreign places or lands
or meet alien people or races, and when a decision is necessary to speed play. Remember that constant use of this
procedure makes the out- come of the adventure increasingly luck-dependent. A judicious GM will use the procedure no
more than once per hour (real time) during an expedition. The GM will stint those players who constantly request
use of the perception or other rolls when it comes time for experience awards A player who allows dice-rolls to
usurp the responsibilities of his mind deserves no better.
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