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JONATHAN HICKS
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INTRODUCTION
Highlander was a surprise hit in the mid 1980s. The idea behind it seems somewhat
strange that immortals have lived throughout the ages and spent their time cutting off
each others heads but the movie was so well visualised, written and shot that it became
a hit. The seminal Queen soundtrack helped somewhat, too.
This Unofficial Roleplaying Game is assuming two things:
1. That you, the player, are fully aware of what the Highlander movie is all about.
2. That you have played roleplaying games before and are therefore fully capable of
running a game with little to no advice or instruction.
This game is going to take primarily focus on the original 1986 movie the sequels and
the television series have not been taken into account, but feel free to adapt or change as
you see fit.
Here we are
Born to be Kings
Were the Princes of the Universe
Queen
No one knows how or why the immortals came to be. They simply exist with a single
purpose to survive through time until the time of The Gathering, when those that are
left will battle for The Prize. What The Prize is, none of them know. All they know is
that they have an urge, a need, to gravitate to a certain place on the Earth and draw their
swords to kill their immortal opponents the only way possible by removing their head.
Most immortals realise the danger and the threat from other
immortals and they hide themselves away. Others blatantly seek
each other out, sometimes to kill them and sometimes to aid
them. It is a strange thing to hear of immortals teaming up,
aiding each other, helping each other through the ages. But
they are the only ones of their kind and sometimes the sheer
joy at discovering another immortal, finding another who
shares your fate and burden, overpowers the need to kill and
they join as siblings accursed, or blessed, with this long life.
THE RULES
All characters are represented by two things their STRENGTH and their SKILLS.
STRENGTH is a single score that decides how much physical damage, a person can
take. This is decided by rolling 1D3 and adding 2 to the result, to get a number between
3 and 5. If this score ever reaches zero, the character is unconscious. If it ever goes below
zero, the character is dead unless they are an Immortal, in which case they will regain
their Strength at 1 point per minute (six rounds).
STRENGTH = 1D3+2
SKILLS are divided into six groups. The Player is given
the numbers 1 through to 6 to put in each skill group
this means that he can have a skill level of 1 in one group,
2 in another, 3 in another and so on up to 6.
This number is what the player has to roll or less on
1D6 to succeed in an action. So remember: during
character creation, the higher the number in the skill
group the better the PC is at those skills!
EXAMPLE: Manuel, an 11th century Spanish Immortal, has come across Kim, a 17th
Difficulty
Very easy
Easy
Normal
Hard
Very Hard
Extremely Hard
+3
+2
0
-1
-2
-3
ACTION ROUNDS
The time it takes to perform a skill is up the GM, but in general each action takes one
round to perform. A single action round lasts for five seconds.
OPPOSING ROLLS
If for any reason two characters face off, pitting either wits or physical skills against
one another, then do the following; each player rolls the D6 and adds their applicable
skill level to the result. Whoever rolls the highest wins the face-off. If the rolls are tied
then roll again until someone wins.
For hand to hand or weapon combat (not missile or thrown weapons), use the
Opposing Rolls system, with each player rolling a D6 and adding his or her Combat skill
level to the roll. Whoever rolls the highest number wins the round and the loser takes
damage. If the rolls are tied, they have parried each other in that round, no damage has
been taken on either side and they must roll again.
For Immortal swordfights there are special rules see the Swordmanship skill
description for more details.
IMPORTANT!
Ignore the ones are always a success,
sixes are always a failure rule for opposed rolls.
DAMAGE and HEALING
If a character takes damage, then this means they are reducing their
STRENGTH score by the amount of damage they have taken. For
every 1 point of damage taken, the character reduces their
STRENGTH by 1 point. If the STRENGTH score ever reaches
zero, the character is unconscious. If it ever goes below zero, any
mortal PC/NPC character is dead.
Immortals, however, cannot die. They cannot be shot, drowned,
electrocuted, burned, hung or squashed. If their STRENGTH score
ever reaches zero or below then theyre not dead, just unconscious.
They will get 1 STRENGTH point back per minute once the
STRENGTH gets to a positive number, 1 or above, they regain
consciousness and can only fully function once their STRENGTH gets back to its full
original score.
They can die if someone cuts their head off. It doesnt have to be another immortal; it
could be an accident or an intentional attack by a mortal. Either way, if your head comes
away from your shoulders, its over.
If a mortal PC/NPC wants to heal naturally, theyll get 1 STRENGTH point back per
24 hours of rest. If they use a basic medical unit, such as a portable medical kit or a
medical station found on board most starships, they get back 1 point every six hours. If
they use a fully equipped surgery or hospital, they get back 1 point per hour. To benefit
from medical facilities, the attending character has to make a successful Agility roll.
The next table lists the common causes of damage. The damage number is the amount
of points that have to be taken from the STRENGTH score.
VEHICLES
The stats for vehicles are exactly the same. A vehicle is represented by Body Strength
and Speed.
Body Strength acts the same way as a characters Strength once it has been reduced to
zero the vehicle stops dead, and below zero it explodes or catches fire, possibly injuring
the occupants.
Damage done to a vehicle is calculated as per the damage table on page 6 as normal but
all damage levels are reduced by 2 points.
Motorbikes have a Body Strength of 3 and a top speed of 150 kph.
Cars have a Body Strength of 6 and a top speed of 120 kph.
Small boats have a Body Strength of 5 and a top speed of 30 kph.
Theres no time for us
Theres no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams yet slips away from us?
Who wants to live forever
Who wants to live forever....?
Theres no chance for us
Its all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us
Who wants to live forever
Who wants to live forever?
Who dares to love forever?
When love must die
But touch my tears with your lips
Touch my world with your fingertips
And we can have forever
And we can love forever
Forever is our today
Who wants to live forever
Who wants to live forever?
Forever is our today
Who waits forever anyway?
They may not all be immortals. It is possible to create a mortal character, minus the
Swordmanship skill, and have them accompany one player who is the immortal on
their adventures.
They may have come together for protection. Depending on when you set your
games will determine why they are together as a group. Perhaps they had the same
mentor; perhaps they are from the same place.
They are simply friends. They have stayed together because they all get on very, very
well and, while they realise that the time of The Gathering will stretch that
friendship (cutting off someones head can be considered somewhat anti-social),
they have decided to aid each other any way they can until it is time to fight.
Whatever the reason, the group have come together, to either fight for The Prize or to
aid each other through the centuries to reach The Gathering.
PLAYING AN IMMORTAL
There are four things to take into account when playing an immortal:
1. You cannot die. You cannot be shot, drowned, electrocuted, burned, hung or
squashed. If your STRENGTH score ever reaches zero or below then youre not
dead, just unconscious. You will get 1 STRENGTH point back per minute
once the STRENGTH gets to a positive number, 1 or above, you regain
consciousness and can only fully function once your STRENGTH gets back to
its full original score.
2. You can die if someone cuts your head off. It doesnt have to be another
immortal; it could be an accident or an intentional attack by a mortal. Either way,
if your head comes away from your shoulders, its over.
3. Your age will determine your skill group levels. Every standard human being has
skill group levels of 2 for every five hundred years you go back into history,
take 1 point away from all your skill groups except Charisma to a minimum of 2.
This means that of you have skill group 6, going back and playing your character
a thousand years ago will reduce their score by 2, and will also reduce all other
skill groups by 2, as well. Remember that no skill group can go below 2, thats the
minimum score no matter how old your character is. The reasoning is that the
closer the characters get to The Gathering the more powerful they become as
the number of immortals dwindle. This way, you can also play your character at
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any period in history and know how skilled they were in the time period you have
chosen.
4. Holy ground, Highlander. Remember what Ramirez taught you. Under no
circumstances do immortals fight on holy ground, no matter what the religion. In
churches, graveyards, Buddhist temples, Sikh halls, synagogues, mosques it
doesnt matter. Immortals cannot lock blades or take a head when on holy
ground. It is not known from where this rule stems from - perhaps its an
indication that immortality is a gift from the divine - but even the most evil of
immortals know not to break this rule.
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Sergei double cross the PCs and sell them out to the enemy? Or do the PCs sell out
Sergei?
Play out the adventure in the time period chosen, and then once it is over revert back to
the present. A few different things might happen:
-
If Sergei was the bad guy in the flashback, the PCs might be here for revenge. If
thats the case the fight is on!
If Sergei did something really bad, then the other immortals he has got together
might see him in a different light. They might step away and decide not to fight the
PCs, which means the history between the PCs and Sergei has actually done them a
favour in the present.
If it was the PCs in the wrong, then Sergei may have sought them out. They will
have to fight to survive, or even try to convince Sergei and his followers of their
innocence.
If none of them were in the wrong and they were actually good friends, then they
may re-sheath their swords and then its hugs, laughter and beers all round.
Or maybe, just maybe, there is a secret between them all so dark, so bad, that the
truth could destroy all kinds of things: people, families, even nations. Then maybe
someone will have to die to protect the secret, no matter how much they dont want
to kill each other.
Of course, any flashbacks wouldnt have the PCs die or they wouldnt be around to face
off in the future and trigger the flashback in the first place. They cant die, anyway,
because theyre immortal and any zero STRENGTH scores are a passing inconvenience,
although it could mess up what they set out to do resulting in a failure of another kind.
Its here the GM plays their Fate Of The Immortals card and intervenes in any possible
death situations The immortal PCs/NPCs about to get their head cut off? At the last
possible moment a whole group of people swarm over the one about to do the
beheading (remember at the beginning of the movie, during the Clan battle, when
Connor McClouds kinsmen mobbed the Kurgen as he was about to take his head?
Something like that), or the attacker slips and falls down a ravine, or the attacker is
forced to flee because of mortal intervention. Either way, the characters present at the
modern-day face-off have to survive the flashback encounter to be present at the
modern-day face-off to have the flashback in the first place. And, yes, that last sentence
does make sense.
Remember that no skill group can go below 2, thats the minimum score no
matter how old your character is. Then, every five hundred years the player can
do this in reverse and put points back into their skill groups. Its up to them which
skill groups they increase up to their maximum level, i.e. the level the player
decided on when creating the character circa 1986.
4. Every game the player is in is a different age in history. You can make the gap
between games 10 years, fifty years, a hundred years at a time. Its up to you. This
way, if the PC is ever killed before they make it to The Gathering then so be it,
and you dont have to worry about contradicting flashbacks.
5. You could make it a kind of competition to see if the PC makes it to The
Gathering. After every adventure roll 2D6 and multiply it by ten this is the
number of years that have passed between adventures, anything from twenty to
one hundred and twenty. If the PC makes it to the 1980s then well done, but
bear in mind that theyll lose their head to McCloud, the Kurgen, or another
character that made it to the movie. Who wants to live forever?
NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS
These templates are for mortals circa 1970s/early 1980s you may want to change the
levels depending on the historical period, and use Vehicles as a horse-riding skill if youre
pre-automobiles. If you want to use one as an immortal character then roll 1D6 for their
Swordmanship skill, minimum roll 2.
Soldier
Strength 4, Agility 3, Combat 4, Charisma 3, Technical 3, Vehicles 2
Officer
Strength 4, Agility 3, Combat 4, Charisma 4, Technical 3, Vehicles 2
Driver
Strength 4, Agility 3, Combat 3, Charisma 2, Technical 4, Vehicles 5
Trader
Strength 4, Agility 3, Combat 3, Charisma 4, Technical 3, Vehicles 4
Bounty Hunter
Strength 4, Agility 3, Combat 4, Charisma 2, Technical 3, Vehicles 2
Civilian
Strength 4, Agility 2, Combat 2, Charisma 2, Technical 2, Vehicles 2
Medic
Strength 4, Agility 2, Combat 1, Charisma 4, Technical 2, Vehicles 2
Small Creature (rat, cat, bird)
Strength 2, Agility 3, Combat 2
Medium Creature (dog, wolf, goat)
Strength 4, Agility 3, Combat 3
Large Creature (horse, cow, bear)
Strength 6, Agility 2, Combat 3
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