Mounts, defensive actions, and new stuff
This is mostly a whole bunch of minor updates. There are a few new creatures, new spells, new spirits, a new weapon, and a new specialty. More skills have been removed (there may be a major change to the way skills work in the future, by the way). Mounted movement has been added, finally. And a few more simplifications and clarifications.
Thieves
The thief skill hide has had its major contributor changed to charisma.
Mounts
Mounted movement has finally been added. The ox, mule, and pack horse have also been added to the price lists for “Animals & Containers”.
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Donkey | 7 | Movement 9 carrying 225 bulk |
| Horse, pack | 30 | Movement 10 carrying 200 bulk |
| Horse, riding | 75 | Movement 14 carrying 250 bulk |
| Horse, war | 200 | Movement 14 carrying 300 bulk |
| Mule | 20 | Movement 10 carrying 400 bulk |
| Ox | 12 | Movement 5 carrying 400 bulk |
| Pony | 30 | Movement 12 carrying 180 bulk |
For animals, the bulk carry listed assumes that the animal’s load has been packed reasonably, using saddle bags and saddles or other standard pack devices. Generally, reduce an animal’s movement by 1 for each 10% increase in bulk carried. Horses, mules, ponies, and donkeys may jog, run, and sprint at twice the speed of a person with the same movement score.
Weapons
The range for thrown daggers and hand axes has been downgraded to 3 yards. The longbow has been downgraded to a 25 yard range. The dart has been added:
| Weapon | Damage | Fire Actions | Range | Bulk | Cost | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dart | d3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | .4 | Simple |
The long sword has been removed as a basic weapon. Prophets and Monks no longer have access to basic weapons, but only to simple weapons.
Sample Characters
The sample characters, in their skill listings, had languages specified as a skill but no actual language listed. They now have languages. Charlotte Kordé also no longer has Mental Resistance as a skill, since that is now a specialty. She has taken clockworks as a skill instead, since we know she’s interested in that.
Defensive Action
Defensive Action has been simplified. Characters may attempt defensive action to the exclusion of any attack. If the character chooses not to attack in a round and focuses completely on avoiding attack, they will gain a bonus of 2 to defense that round.
Skills
The weaving skill’s basic ability has been changed to agility.
Animal handling has been removed. It is the same as animal husbandry.
The Martial Arts Weapon Familiarity has been removed from the skills list in Arcane Lore and placed where it should have been, in the Rules section on weapon familiarities. It is a basic weapon familiarity, which currently means that warriors and thieves have access to it.
The Mental Resistance skill has been changed to a specialty.
Specialties
The Quick Healing specialty has been added.
For Magic Specialization the secondary ability for transmutations has been changed from intelligence to agility.
A specialty has been added, “Understand basic weapons”, which will allow Prophets, Monks, and Sorcerors to gain familiarity with basic weapons.
Spells
The first level spell, See Whole has been clarified.
Magic Box has been downsized to a maximum of level times two inches in diameter.
The duration for Ephemeral Backdrop and Ephemeral Stage has been increased to two minutes per level. The area of effect for Ephemeral Backdrop has been corrected to level yards diameter, not radius.
Sleep now has a level limit: it cannot affect any target of higher level than it was cast at.
Slipknot has been added as a second level spell.
Glue has been added as a fourth level spell.
Bottle of Dreams has been added as a fifth level spell.
Spirit Manifestations
Detect Poison at first level has been changed to Detect Ailment. It can detect both poisons and disease. The first level manifestation Detect Disease has been moved up to fourth level.
Divine Nourishment is a third-level manifestation. Ravel and Energy Weapon are fourth-level, and Captivate is fifth level.
Riddles
The bonus for injured parties in a riddle contest is reduced to 1, but is increased by the level of the place of power if the contest takes place in a place of power.
Creatures
Giant octopuses and bears (black, brown, and polar) have been added to the list of animals.
Orange slimes have been added to the list of slimes. The iridescent buzzfly has been added as a new fantastic creature. The hop snake--hoop, coiled, and balloon varieties--has been added as a rare fantastic creature.
Barrowmen have been added to the list of undead.
Xolome have been added to the list of faeries.
Gorgons and Shadows have been added to the list of demons.
Lost Castle of the Astronomers
The map did not show the secret door in the ballroom on the first level going to the outside of the outer castle walls.
The description of the charred doors to the southwest tower, on the battlement, has been clarified. The doors to these towers has been added to the map as well.
The broken sword’s runes have been added as a player handout.
- Gods & Monsters Rules
- All rules on creating characters and playing the game. This is what you’ll be using most as both player and adventure guide.
- Divine Lore
- Lists of divine spirits and gods.
- Arcane Lore
- Lists of spells, skills, psychic powers, and specialties.
- The Biblyon Broadsheet
- Like adventurers of old you will delve into forgotten tombs where creatures of myth stalk the darkness. You will search uncharted wilderness for lost knowledge and hidden treasure. Where the hand-scrawled sign warns “beyond here lie dragons,” your stories begin.
- Encounter Guide
- A full panoply of creatures from Borogoves to Revenants and more.
- Lost Castle of the Astronomers
- This dungeon crawl is suitable for three to six characters of first to third level. This is the basic adventure that Charlotte, Gralen, Sam, and Will went through in The Order of the Astronomers.