R OLEMASTER

Issue #6
Q UARTERLY
June 2007

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

Introduction ...................................................................... 1 Welcome to the sixth issue of the Rolemaster
Clerical Schools ................................................................. 2 Quarterly. The purpose here is to expand and
Monastic Priest .......................................................... 2 enhance your Rolemaster game, both by
Pacifist Priest .............................................................. 3 broadening the rules and by deepening the
Preacher ...................................................................... 4 setting details, giving you a richer and more
Priest Militant ............................................................ 5 fulfilling game and game environment.
Templar ...................................................................... 6 In the last Quarterly we spotlighted
Traps .................................................................................. 7 woodsmen. In this issue we tackle the clerical
Poison Gas Trap, Ankle Trap, Leg Trap ......................... 7 schools of Rolemaster regardless of their
Deadfall Spikes ............................................................. 7 profession. In addition, you’ll see information
Drop Weight Tube ...................................................... 8 on traps and a new creature, as well as adventures
Adventure Locale: The High Seas ...................................... 8 on the high seas.
Technology ................................................................. 8 Enjoy.
Pirates, Naval War, Weather, Superstition ................. 9
The Closed Environment, Sea Monsters ........................ 10
Lurker in the Deep ....................................................... 10
Magic Items ..................................................................... 11
WARNING! All Items in this PDF should be
Shoes of Water Walking, Climbing Glove ................ 11
considered optional and completely unofficial.
Weather Belt, Ring of Untying ................................. 11
Enchanted Pump, Wise Map ................................... 11
Scrying Compass, Richam’s Whipstaff .................... 12

CREDITS
Author: Robert J. Defendi
Editing: Tim Dugger, Heike Kubasch
Pagemaking, & Layout: Tim Dugger
Artwork: Toren “MacBin” Atkinson, Peter Bergting, Mike
Jackson, Keirston Vande Kraats, Jeff Laubenstein,
Carisa Swenson, Colin Throm, Peter Villumsen

ICE STAFF
CEO: Bruce Neidlinger
President: Heike Kubasch
Editor/Jack-of-All-Trades: Tim Dugger
Pagemaking: Sherry Robinson
Web Master: Tim Dugger
Office Cats: Rajah, Pheobe, & Matsi

Rolemaster Quarterly Copyright © 2007 by Aurigas Aldebaran LLC. All rights reserved. No reproductions without
permission. Produced and distributed by Mjolnir LLC, dba Iron Crown Enterprises 112 Goodman Street, Charlottesville,
Virginia 22902. Web: www.harphq.com and www.ironcrown.com.

Rolemaster Quarterly 1 Issue #6

 CLERICAL SCHOOLS
Priests are often treated in a generic fashion in
roleplaying games. They all wear the same armor and
cast almost the same spells. Often, the party treats them
as little more than a magical combat medic. Still, even
apart from the gods they worship, there are many
different types of cleric.
There are many groups and jobs in any game world,
and some of them have their own special methods,
represented by skills and talents and flaws. The schools
below show how different clerical characters, even
worshiping the same god, can be individualized in the RM
game. Each school comes with a background and an
outlook. The information in the main text is presented in
a generic fashion, as we mean you to place these schools
in any game setting you play. At the end, however, you
will find notes on how to place them in Iron Crown
Enterprises’ Cyradon and Shadow World, as well as Final
Redoubt Press’ The Echoes of Heaven. These notes are
typically quite straightforward, as the schools in this
edition are more general by nature.
In the last issue, we talked about training schools for
woodsmen. For the thief, the schools were about attitude
and brotherhood and intimate relationships of honor and
interdependence. These schools are training and seminaries
and philosophy. Whether a character loves or fears their
god can have a lot to do with their selection of a School.
Note: There are many generalities in the text
below that could be construed as absolutes. No two
Templars are the same in the same way no two
countrymen are the same. Matters such as
philosophies of the school are trends and
teachings, not some ultimate guide to personality.
These students are taught, not programmed.
MONASTIC PRIEST
Overview: The monastic priest has renounced the outside
world. He’s retreated to the halls of a monastery and
dedicated himself to the life of quiet contemplation.
Here, he lives a simple life of prayer and solitude.
Monastic priests shun the outer world. They
live lives of simple labor, tending gardens, scribing
tomes. Different monasteries undertake different
tasks. Some of them do nothing but produce
scriptures for the priests of their church. Others
copy history books, poetry, or philosophy (perhaps
all three and more). Others produce wine. Still
others produce some sort of craft.
When not pursuing the task of their
monastery, they pray and meditate and try to find
their way to spiritual purity. Many take vows of
silence to better seek their inner truths. All of them
seek understanding through simplicity.
Philosophies: Monasteries seek simplicity and peace.
They avoid the sins of the outside world shutting
Rolemaster Quarterly
themselves off from worries and temptations. They
feel that one perfects the soul through hard and
honest work. Sometimes this is of a physical nature.
Other times its meticulous work as a copyist.
Whatever the task, it’s through this careful and
repetitive work that they find spiritual peace.
History: Monastic orders have long histories, but these
tend to read more like genealogies than stories of war
and strife. The history of a monastic order is one of
abbots and harvests. Sometimes war comes to a
monastery, but the monastery doesn’t go to the war.
Characters: Monastic priests have dedicated themselves to
a monastic order. They’ve taken vows and forsaken
the worldly life. They’ve abandoned all the concerns
that so often plague adventuring parties, and therefore
its unusual for a monastic priest to be an adventurer.
There are ways, however. Sometimes a monastic
priest disgraces himself and takes to the roads in search
of redemption. Other times his order is destroyed and he
has no choice. Sometimes a monastery will send a priest
out into the world, should the need be great enough.
Whatever the cause, the Monastic Priest hasn’t
taken to the life of adventure as their first choice.
They have a higher calling, and they adventure to
save that calling. Maybe they need to find their faith.
Maybe the need to save their order or their abbey
from an external threat. Whatever the reason, they
aren’t in this for the adventuring lifestyle. They are in
it to return to their former lives. They’re in it to
protect or save what they hold dear.
Training Package: The Monastic Priest uses the
Cloistered Academic training package. You’ll find this
in Character Law.
Skills: The Monastic Priest may choose any one craft, lore,
or language skill as an occupational skill. This is subject
to GM approval. In addition, they must take duping,
bribery, and one other influence skill as restricted.
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Talents/Flaws: Monastic Monks receive one
minor Skilled talent to represent their
primary duty or craft. They must take the
Vow (Minor) talent to represent the vows
they took upon entering their order.
Cyradon: The Nagazi are the race most likely to
have monastic orders established, with temples
set up for those who wish to devote their lives
exclusively to the 7 Sages. Among Dwarves, it
would not be hard to see the Dwarven colonists
setting up a monastery devoted to Atla. It is
suspected that the Rhona have some sort of
monastic order, but nobody has ever found
its location, nor to the Rhona often speak of it
to strangers. If they speak of it at all, they refer
to it simply as the Temple of the World. For the
Gryphons, there are those rare eyries which are
dedicated to the understanding of the Yazatas. None of
the other races are predisposed to monasteries.
Shadow World: Many priests dedicate themselves to
contemplation, but Monastic Priests are particularly
appropriate for Valaris, the goddess of knowledge.
The Echoes of Heaven: Monastic Orders in The Echoes
of Heaven include the Order of Naeponis, the
Order of Albolatian, the Monastic Order of
Sepinus, the Holy Wives Monique, the Ladies of
Alaria, and the Culandil Shapers.
PACIFIST PRIEST
Overview: The raging cleric, with armor and mace, has
become something of an icon in fantasy roleplaying.
Because of this, we tend to lose sight of our more
traditional, western priests. While there were
certainly priests who went to war with their soldiers,
there are likely more who refused to spill blood, to
take life, to commit any act of violence against
another human being. These are the pacifist priests,
and many role players ignore them, unless it is to go
to their temples and exchange a donation for healing.
The Pacifist Priest abhors violence in any form.
They seek to heal, or help, or understand. Many
Pacifist Priests will refuse to raise a hand to save
themselves, although they might be more likely to
lash out to save the weak or innocent.
At its base, a Pacifist Priest only renounces violence
against human, elves, and other civilized races. Still, other
will cherish animals and creatures of the wood. They
might even resist harming insects. The lengths to which
they go to follow their beliefs depends on both the
teachings of their religion, as well as the priest himself.
Philosophies: The primary tenet of a Pacifist Priest is
“do no harm.” They might not seek to help others,
but they certainly do no want to bring more pain
into the world. There is enough pain.
Whether this pacifism extends beyond the
civilized races depends on why they are pacifists.
Rolemaster Quarterly
Some orders may take up the lifestyle because their
god taught them to love every person in the world. In
this case, they likely carry their views to other civilized
races, but not to the animals of the woods.
If, on the other hand, their order is taught to cherish
every living thing, then it’s much more likely they would
take up a vegetarian lifestyle and take the pacifism to
include all the creatures of the woodlands as well.
What a character does if their morals come into
conflict depends on the character (in fact, this is the
heart of character). If they see that a child is about to be
killed and the only way to save it is to hit the attacker
from behind, what do they do? This kind of dilemma
and its implications can follow a pacifist for years.
History: Each pacifistic order has its own unique history.
Usually, this is presented as a body of stories that tell
morality tales. In them their saint, or god, or prophet,
or founder lives the life of a pacifist, preaching peace,
love, and understanding. Through his actions and the
choices he made, the stories lay out a moral code for
their followers to adhere to in years to come.
Characters: For most players, a pacifist is the most
difficult kind of character to play. The reason is
obvious—most games involve large amounts of
combat. It can be very boring indeed to be the only
person sitting out for more than half a game
session.Still, for the player that can make it their own,
there’s a wealth of opportunity in playing a pacifist.
Real storytelling is about conflict, and being forced to
watch as your friends risk their lives for you is nothing
if not conflicting. Other characters might find a role in
combat that doesn’t involve fighting. A Healer makes a
great Pacifist Priest, for instance. After a round or two
of combat, a Healer can be very busy indeed.
Also, a creative player can find nonviolent ways to
help directly in combat. A martial artist that learns
sweeps and locking holds is a good example. A character
that makes clever use of nonviolent traps is another.
We should finally note that any pacifist probably
has some kind of foe they don’t object to fighting. It
might be elementals or constructs, animals or
undead. A good pacifist character truly explores the
3 Issue #6
 ramifications of their teachings, because that’s where
all the interesting character development lies.
Training Package: There are many good training
packages for a Pacifist Priest, depending on the type of
Order to which he belongs. If he’s more monastic, a
Cloistered Academic from Character Law. Other good
choices include the Medic, Minister, Thamaturge, and
Missionary from Channeling Companion or the
Herbalist from Rolemaster Fantasy Role Playing. Let
your judgment be your guide, but any TP that give no
weapon ranks is a good start.
Skills: All weapon skills are restricted to a Pacifist Priest.
The priest may select either all Influence or all Lore to
be everyman, depending on his god’s focus.
Talents/Flaws: All pacifist priests receive the Immovable
Will talent. They all receive the Pacifist (Major) flaw.
Cyradon: The world of Mithra is a strange and dangerous
place. None of the religions are truly pacifistic in any
fashion, although there are quite a number who are less
violent than others. The closest to Pacifism that any
race comes is the worship of the 7 Sages by the Nagazi.
They will resist combat if at all possible, but they will
defend themselves as needed, all the while regretting the
necessity. Of the other religions, there are likely a
number of pacifistic members, but no actual orders.
Shadow World: Except for the more physical gods, many
Lords of Orhan could have pacifist followers. Eissa is
particularly appropriate.
The Echoes of Heaven: Pacifist priests are not common
in The Echoes of Heaven. There are only a few orders
that preach actual pacifism. They are the Holy Wives
Monique, the Ladies of Alaria. However, any
priesthood but Ziruk-Nurak has pacifistic members.
All the monastic and crafting Orders do as well.
PREACHER
Overview: Ah, the Preacher. There are very few images
more iconic than the lone man, standing at a high
place, ministering to a crowd. It’s the very root of
most people’s concept of religion. There are sheep,
and then there’s the shepherd.
The Preacher is the point man for a religion. He
stands at the front and speaks to the masses. He
guides those who are lost. He teaches those who are
ignorant. He answers those who question.
Sometimes, he punishes those who stray.
The Preacher is the primary interface between a
church and its followers. He likely has lesser clergy
Rolemaster Quarterly
helping him, but he’s the one that meets with the married
couples, assigns penance to the sinners, and manages the
poor box. In many cultures (especially the illiterate ones)
he’s the only person allowed to interpret the scriptures.
The preacher is the end-all, be-all of the religion, at least
from the point of view of the congregations.
Philosophies: The Preacher knows his role. He takes it
very seriously. Like Caeser’s wife, her must be above
reproach. Any blemish on his name mars the church
and casts doubt on its teachings. This isn’t to say that
he never strays, just that he’d better not get caught. . . .
Preachers have two goals. They want to bring
new people into the fold (or strays, if their church
has a stranglehold) and they want to keep the ones
they have. There are two main schools of thought
on how to do either of those things.
First, there’s the fire-and-brimstone approach.
With this, the Preacher concentrates on threats and
negative reinforcement. If you sin, you will go to Hell.
If you go to Hell, you will suffer unending torment in
lakes of fire. Do not stray from God’s sight. Fear him!
The second primary tactic is the velvet glove. In
this approach, the Preacher concentrates on the
gentle aspects of his god. How the world can be a
kind and gentle place. How we should love one
another. There are rewards in Heaven. Even the
meekest can enter the gates proud.
What tactic the Preacher uses depends on his
church, its teachings, and his interpretations. There are
often wild variations in even the most extreme faiths.
History: The Preacher is as old as religion. As long as the
gods have spoken to us, they’ve had a message. As
long as they’ve had a message, they’ve needed
preachers. Preachers are more than just the crowd
control of the church, they are the only conduit of
information between the churches’ hierarchy (and
often its prophets) and the masses. Of all the links,
this is the most crucial, as in most fantasy worlds,
even the lowest clergy can receive revelation. Not
everyone has the gift of motivating the people.
Characters: While the preacher isn’t the most played type
of character, it’s easy for most people to envision,
from their personal experience. All one has to do is
turn on the television on Sunday morning.
Preachers are concerned with bringing the word
of god to other people, through thought, act, and
word. They tend to be of a less militant bent, although
sometimes they find it easier to preach to those who
have been whacked a few times (and perhaps tied up).
Ministers are most concerned with other people
following the tenets of their religion. They tend to get
violent only when something seriously threatens that
(like a band of marauding Orcs.)
Training Package: Preachers use the Minister Training
Package for Channeling Companion.
4 Issue #6
Skills: Preachers receive the Public Speaking skill as an PRIEST-MILITANT
occupational skill. They must choose two subterfuge
Overview: There is evil in the world, and good men must
skills to be restricted, although a GM may wish to
defend the righteous. There is evil in the world, and all
change that for a preacher of a thieving god.
that stands against it is a thin line of blood, bone, and
Talents/Flaws: Preachers receive the lesser version of the
steel. There is evil in the world, and it is the job of a
Skilled talent, applied to the Influence category. They
desperate few to stop it. There is evil in the world.
must take the code of honor flaw to represent the
But so are we.
teachings of their deity.
The Priest-Militant is the first line of defense
Cyradon: Of all the religions of Cyradon, only those who
between his order and the forces of evil. He takes the
worship Memra will have active Preachers. Among the
fight to the enemy, delving into lairs, leading charges
human refuges there are likely to even be some
against armies. Clad in armor and carrying the weapon
Preachers of the Orsai religious orders devoted to
of their god, they smite the blasphemous, protect the
Memra, in addition to the Tarahiri orders that worship
innocent, and occasionally salt the fields of the wicked.
Memra. This is likely to lead to some conflict as the
Philosophies: The Priest-Militant believes the might
Orsai Preachers are more of the fire and brimstone
doesn’t make right. He believes that his god makes
type, while the Tarahiri Preachers use gentler means.
right. Everyone who disagrees will have to make do
The Nagazi preachers tend to use the most
with a mace to the skull.
subtle of methods by never directly preaching.
The Priest-Militant believes in talking before
Instead, they tend to only drop little tidbits of
violence. Usually this talking consists of “Repent!”
information and then wait for curiosity to prompt
followed by “Charge!”
prospective members to ask questions. They do this
The Priest-Militant believes that all men are
because they believe that only those who are thirsty
equal . . . in death and surrender.
for knowledge can actually find it.
The Priest-Militant believes that the best way to
Shadow World: All gods need preachers to spread their
cover up grass stains is with blood stains.
word and their teachings, although this school might
The Priest-Militant believes that everyone is
be a little sedentary for followers of Lord’s like Cay.
religious when they see him coming.
Kuor is a particularly good fit for the preacher.
The Priest-Militant believes that he cannot lose.
The Echoes of Heaven: Preachers can be found in almost
There is victory and there is death. In victory lies
every Order in The Echoes of Heaven. However, they
glory. In death lies reward.
are most common in the primary priesthood of their
History: As long as religion has stood against evil, the
religion. The Church of Angenus, for instance, has
churches of the world have needed the Priest-Militant.
almost all of its Preachers in the Angenus Priesthood.
These men have taken the teachings of their church to
the heathens at the point of the sword. Sometimes times
the fight for what’s right. Sometimes they’re woefully
misguided. They never stop fighting, however. Like a
shark, they must always keep moving forward.
Characters: The Priest-Militant is probably the most
familiar clerical archetype in RPG history. Players
should have no problem relating to the warrior
priest, in armor and with weapon, ready to smash
some righteousness into heathen skulls. The Priest-
Militant is the perfect adventuring cleric, if you can
stand his insufferable attitude.
Training Package: Priest-Militants take the Protector
training package from Channeling Companion.
Skills: The Priest-Militant can take one Combat Maneuver
as an everyman skill. They must take two subterfuge
skills as restricted. (Unless they worship a thieving god,
but then why are they playing a Priest Militant? If
necessary, the GM can replace with another category).
Talents/Flaws: The Priest Militant may select one minor
talent that relates directly to a weapon skill. They
must take the fanatic flaw.
Cyradon: The branch of the Lightbringers of Tarahir,
known as the Firebrands, fit the mold of Priest-
Militant almost to perfection. Certain members of

Rolemaster Quarterly 5 Issue #6

 the Skaldi order, The True Spear, may also be
considered to be Priest-Militants. Of the other races,
the only other race that could be considered to have
Priest-Militants are the Rhona, specifically those who
worship the Earth totem. Even Schirae have been
known to fear those who wear the bronze brooch.
Shadow World: The Shadow World is a dangerous place,
but no god is so fit for these followers as Cay.
The Echoes of Heaven: All military orders in The Echoes
of Heaven have their share of Priest-Militants. This
includes the Knights Lonnuso, the Knight Paeso, the
Knights of Living Vengence, the Knights Equenis, the
Knight Tulentil, The Knights of Aurendë, the Church
of Ziruk-Nurak, the Knights of Munder, the Knights
of Selkie, and the Atavist Church.
TEMPLAR
Overview: Whereas the Priest-Militant takes the war to the
heathens, the Templar makes certain the heathens don’t
bring the war to the church. The Templar stands as a
guard, protecting his church’s interests and assets. They
guard caravans, defend pilgrims, and protect temples.
Most importantly, they serve as the guard for all high-
ranking church officials. When the high priest of the
order travels, it’s the templars who stand at his side.
Templars couldn’t care one wit about who listens to
the word of God. Many of them can barely do more the
quote the basic tenets of their faith. They aren’t in this for
the learning or the theological debate. They don’t try to
convert . . . they probably distrust converts. All they care
about is making certain that nothing physically harms
their faith or its cherished parishioners.
Philosophies: The Templar is about guarding the
church from physical assault. They ignore most of the
day to day trials of the church in the world. In fact, some
of the church’s greatest achievements are at odds with the
Templar’s duties. Conversions are up? Well how many
are thieves planning on stealing church money?
Pilgramages are planned? How do we keep them safe?
The High Priest is going to talk among the heathens?!?
For the Templar duty is everything. It’s more
important than the wishes of the priests. It’s even more
important than the teachings. If a Templar is given the
choice between violating doctrine and allowing the Holy
of Holies to be razed, there doesn’t take a moment to
make the decision. His life isn’t about moral
ambiguities. His life is about protecting assets.
History: Templars originate, in orders militant enough to
bear them, as soon as the church gains real wealth.
Before that, the priests and high priests might have
guards, but these tend to be close companions that have
a special bond to the one protected. Once the church is
rich enough to attract attention, then it needs something
more, a unit of men trained specifically to guard and
protect. These men are drilled to be zealots, but not to the
teachings of the church. To the church itself.
Rolemaster Quarterly
Characters: The Templar character is about cold duty and
dedication. They are the bodyguards of the church
itself, and act much like the royal protectors in
governments. They don’t care if they like who they’re
guarding. It’s what they’re guarding that matters.
The main problem with Templar player characters
is getting them into play. Templars are so duty bound
that it’s hard to rationalize one adventuring. One option
is to send them only on church missions. Another is to
make them an ex-Templar, either disgraced or retired,
looking for a way to make their life meaningful. It’s
possible that a Templar might be detached for duty for
a long period, but the reason would have to be very
good (such as the chaos of a holy war).
Training Package: The Templar uses the Templar
training package from Channeling Companion.
Skills: The Templar gains the Situational Awareness:
Guard Duty skill as everyman. He must choose two
influence skills to be restricted. Templars tend to be
uncommunicative.
Talents/Flaws: The Templar gains the Commanding
Demeanor talent. He must take the Duty (Major)
flaw, unless the GM and player agree to special
circumstances (an ex-Templar, for instance) in which
case they can substitute another major flaw that fits
the character’s back story.
Cyradon: The Lightbringers of Tarahir branch known as the
Firebrands are often trained for work as Templars, just as
the Skaldi order known as The True Spear is. Among the
Rhona, those who worship the Moon and Earth totems
may be considered to be Templars upon occasion.
Shadow World: Unless the order preaches peace, they will
have Templars (sometimes even if they do). Cay, Kuor,
and Iorak seem particularly poetic fits for a Templar,
but almost all temples must be guarded somehow.
The Echoes of Heaven: Every major organized church in
the Mortal Realm has Templars of some sort. These
answer to the priesthood of the church, not its sub-
Orders. The Sulvican Guard and the Demon Watch
are also Templar Orders.
6 Issue #6
 TRAPS
Traps are an area overlooked in Rolemaster. Many ANKLE TRAP
new GMs have problems implementing traps in the RM
This is an exceptionally simple trap. With it, a hinged
system with its unique attack charts. Below you will find a
panel is placed over a hole so that stepping on the hinge
treatment of a few of the more simple traps, as well as
causes the foot to push down, bringing the wings up toward
something a bit more complex, for the mischievous crowd.
either side of the ankle. The wings are presumably spiked,
POISON GAS TRAP and those spikes drive into the ankle from either side, using
the person’s own weight as a driving force.
This trap is simple in concept but quite complex in
The trap itself can hobble a man, although it does little
design. With this trap, a pressure plate is used to trigger a
more than an ‘A’ Puncture critical. The trap is most effective
stream of poison gas. This gas issues from holes in the
when the spikes are covered with some kind of venom.
wall around the character, either low, high, or head level,
Spotting the trap is typically a Medium Maneuver,
depending on how heavy the gas is compared to normal
however, it could be more difficult if well hidden. Usually,
air. The gas is then breathed by anyone entering the area.
the setter of the snare relies on the target to be moving
The gas can be released in a number of different
quickly when they step into the ankle trap and not see it
ways. If the creator is magical enough, it might be a spell
hidden in the foliage. If so, the character might take falling
that creates the gas as needed. If not, the pressure plate
damage as well. It’s an Agility Maneuver not to fall, with the
might rupture bladders of the gas, allowing it to stream
difficulty set by the pace of the character, as determined by
out. If the creator has the alchemical knowledge (or
the Pace Char on page 51 of RMFRP. Use Routine difficulty
knows someone else who does) to create a binary gas,
for a pace with a difficulty of ‘none.’ Assign an ‘A’ critical of
such as one created by adding a solid to a liquid or two
straight damage to the character if they fail to avoid the
liquids together, the trap might simply release a drop that
trap. Adjust the critical to effect the ankle area.
combines the proper chemicals.
If the trap is poisoned, the effect depends on the poison
Poison gas traps usually takes some rounds to fill a
use. See Gamemaster’s Law for more details on poison.
space, it could even take many minutes if the space is big
enough. Because of this, poison gas traps are best when LEG TRAP
used on a locked room or when the gas is odorless and
The leg trap is a simple device. A short pole is buried
colorless.
flush to the ground with a pivot near one end. On the
Spotting the pressure plate usually takes a Medium
same end, a board is attached and a hole dug underneath.
Detect Traps or Alertness Maneuvers. Disabling it takes the
The other end of the pole has spikes attached, facing up.
same, and maybe less if the thief has a ready way to plug
Underbrush hides the entire thing.
all the release holes. If the space contains locking doors,
When a character steps on the board, he accidentally
these doors cannot be opened with a regular Open Locks
steps down into the hole. The force of the weight on the
(they aren’t locks in the traditional sense, since they aren’t
board causes the entire pole to whip up, slamming the
meant to be opened by a man with a key.) Opening these
spikes into the target’s leg at thigh-height.
doors requires a Very Hard Disarm Traps Maneuver, and
The trap is typically a Medium difficulty to spot and
may take more if the mechanism is especially devious.
a Routine difficulty to disarm. Avoiding it is merely a
The effects of the poison depend on the trap’s load.
matter of stepping around. The spikes attack on the
See Gamemaster’s Law for
dagger table with an OB equal to half the character’s
more details on poison.
weight. Adjust the critical description to involve the thigh.

DEADFALL SPIKES
This is another simple trap, combining the deadly
force of potential energy with pointed implements. In this
trap, a quick-release tripwire is attached to ropes holding
a very heavy weight above. Attached to the bottom of this
weight are downward-facing spikes. When the tripwire
releases, the spikes plummet onto to head of the victim
with tremendous force.
This can be one of the more difficult traps to hide. If
the trapper finds a good place where he can string the
necessary rope and hide the deadfall in a canopy without
any sight lines, then this trap is a Medium Difficulty to

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spot. In a place with less than optimal sight-lines,
spotting the trap is an Easy or Light Maneuver.
The trap attacks with a single attack roll. Apply this
to the Fall/Crush table with an OB equal to twice the
height of the fall. The attack does a pierce critical in
addition to the result on the chart.
Disarming the trap is a Medium Maneuver, Routine if
a character just wants to set it off at a distance with a stick.
DROP WEIGHT TUBE
This is an elaborate, even a comical trap. In it the
characters enter a round room with a wooden floor. Careful
observation (Medium Difficulty) shows that the edges of the
floor don’t actually connect to the wall. This is because the
floor is actually a loose plug sitting on a metal grate. The
roof is high above them, too high for light sources to reveal.
The characters are actually in a tube. They aren’t at the
bottom, either. Below them . . . below the grate, the tube twists
around and continues up again, this time wider. At the top of
that tube is a 500 ton weight, also a loose plug, held by magic.
ADVENTURE LOCALE: THE HIGH SEAS
The spray of the sea. The gale of the wind. The
snapping of sailcloth. The cries of men. The smell of salt.
These are the elements of the sea. The sea calls. The
sea cries. The sea kills. And still, men come. They come
for the adventure and for the riches, but mostly they
come because once the sea is in a man’s blood, he is never
truly at home anywhere else.
High sea adventure has been a hallmark of our
stories and our legends since man built his first boat. The
sea is violent and mysterious. It plays by rules that one
can guess, but never really understand. It is a powerful,
violent place, and the men who work it are at its mercy,
snatching death from its elemental hate.
There are many types of sea adventures, and how
you play them depends on a great deal on the type of
adventure you want and how it fits into the campaign.
You should consider these topics more the longer the sea
adventures should last. A few good details are enough for
a one-session stint, but a long campaign should receive a
great deal of thought and consideration.
TECHNOLOGY
Many GMs make mistakes with the technology level of
ships in their game. Historically, ships used square sails and
sweeps (oars) until the invention of gunpowder. Gunpowder
allowed for cannons and cannons allowed for great damage
from a compact source. Sails evolved. More deck space
could be used for rigging. Ships became increasingly complex
until we had the Age of Sail ships we’ve come to know and
love from our Napoleonic war stories.
This doesn’t mean that you have to use medieval ships
in a pre-gunpowder society, it’s just that you need to think
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One door leads into the room and one leads out. The
door is very magical. Opening it releases the weight,
which falls, creating tremendous pressure. The narrowing
of the tube means that the displaced air picks up in speed
due to the Venturi effect. The entire floor is launched up
the tube (shattering the door, which opens inward). This
might end hurling the characters into the air over a great
height. It might end in a sharpened grate.
If the characters are thrown clear, apply appropriate
falling damage. If there’s a grate, they’re killed instantly. If
there’s a grate, the characters can see the grid of cuts and
the traces of blood on the floor.
Otherwise, they hopefully get suspicious from the
shape of the room. Power Perception reveals the magic of
the door. Dispelling the door disarms the trap (but it’s a
50th level spell). Undoor also circumvents the trap. Only
the act of opening the door is a trigger. Cutting a hole out
of the middle would do it as well.
through all the implications. Magic can have a great effect
on ships and ship design, especially if some kind of magical
attack technology can fill the role of cannon.
If you use medieval ships, remember the primitive
nature of the sails. Slaves are not common in these types
of ships, which are usually oared by the same warriors
who fight in the boarding actions. Most combat involves
rams, fire, and close melee.
Age of sail ships rely more heavily on the wind. Only
a few have sweeps. They can beat very close to the wind
and sail more quickly when the wind is from the side than
behind (there are more unused sails when the wind is
from behind). These ships rely heavily on their cannon,
maneuvering to fire broadsides at their enemy. They are
crowded and have their own special rules, especially if
they need to worry about gunpowder safety.
Whatever the level of technology, familiarize yourself with
the capabilities of the ships. If possible, read up on some naval
battles involving the proper types of ships. Every detail you
learn will make the adventure richer and more interesting.
8 Issue #6
 PIRATES The worst thing about the weather is it’s completely
out of the control of the crew. Unless they have some sort
One of the eternal favorites, in the pirate campaign
of weather mage on board, they can barely predict it, they
characters are wild and adventurous. They ply the high
can’t outsmart it, and they can’t control it. The weather
sea stealing from the rich and, well, keeping it. They are
can kill them at any moment, and all they can do is pray.
wild, free, and independent.
A smart sailor can survive most any storm, but there’s
Piracy games can be loads of fun. They involve
always that one out there. That one that will kill them no
looting and pillaging and wild celebrations. They defy
matter how well they sail.
authority and destroy their enemies. They are often
drunk while doing so. SUPERSTITION
Pirates are full of vice and superstition. They are best
It’s no wonder, with the unpredictability of the sea,
when played for comedy, to heighten the enjoyment.
that sailors are a superstitious lot. They build a rich stable
Outlandish boasts are also a good thing.
of legends and beliefs. They compile large lists of what is
One tip to game mastering a pirate game. Your
lucky and what is unlucky. They evolve rituals and rules
whole goal is to get everyone into character. Once they
and strictures. A woman on the ship is bad luck. A priest
are deeply enough into character, everything takes on a
is good. A sea bird is good luck. Spilled oil is bad. Some of
life of their own. Once you have a the captain’s player
these will have obvious practical origins. Others will have
standing on a high place, pantomiming a drink in his
solely “spiritual” causes.
hand, giving a rousing, drunken speech, you’re hard
And in a fantasy game, any or all of them could be true.
work is pretty much over, and you can concentrate on
Sailors will latch onto anything that might help to
reacting to the crew’s antics.
predict the future. They want to know the shape of the
NAVAL WAR sea and the direction of the winds. They would pay their
little finger for knowledge of the time and place of the
In the naval war, the characters become embroiled in
next hurricane. Anyone that can provide this information
a brutal war at sea. These stories follow in the steps of
will be popular among sailors. Anyone who can provide
Horatio Hornblower and Jack Aubrey. If those names
it with reliable results will be popular with the captain.
don’t mean anything to you, you might want to do a little
reading before continuing.
Books of naval warfare explore a few key areas. They
delve deeply into naval life. What it means to be a sailor.
What it’s like, day to day on the tides. These stories are
about ropes and tar and the feel of the deck, slick with
blood. They also explore a military existence. What does
it mean to be an officer or sailor in the navy? How does
one navigate the shoals of naval politics? How do
promotions affect the dynamics of a group of friends?
Finally, often ultimately, this genre explores naval tactics.
The roar of the cannon. The holding of the line. Seeking
the weather gauge. “Never mind maneuvering, boys. Go
right at them!”
The naval war tends to be the most structured sea
campaign. Ship captains have some latitude, they are
absolute lords at sea, but they can’t just take off and
explore some part of the world that catches their fancy.
Naval officers take orders. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t
be placed in the position to exercise the latitude they
have at sea.

WEATHER
The sailor is at the mercy of many things, but
nothing is so brutal, so deadly, or so unpredictable as the
weather. A dead calm can starve and dehydrate a crew. A
squall can snap spars and snarl rigging. The hurricane
can quickly kill an entire crew.

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 THE CLOSED ENVIRONMENT
A ship provides an interesting local for adventuring
in that it’s a closed environment. A ship is small,
cramped, and stuffed with people. If one tries to leave it,
they drown. This means that at sea, the ship is a crucible
of interpersonal conflict. One can’t knife a guy in a fight
one night and then just never see him again. The ship
forces people to interact, and even the most concerted
effort won’t keep them apart for long.
This makes interpersonal conflict hot and fast in a
ship. People need to resolve issues before they poison the
entire crew. Tales of ships are tales of characters. They are
stories of the bellowing bosun and the shy middie. They
are tales of conflict and compromise, of arguments and
friendships. If a place as close as a ship, the line between
friends and enemies is very thin.
SEA MONSTERS
Tales of sea monsters go back to the dawn of sea
travel. Creatures lurk in the deeps, and sailors have
known this since the beginning. Even today, scientists are
still discovering the truth behind many nautical yarns.
But in a fantasy world, sea monsters are real. Sea
dragons, serpents, and kraken are all out there, if not
common place. Many can pull a ship down whole. Sea
monsters shouldn’t be common, even in a fantasy game,
but when they come, they should be something to strike
fear in the heart of a sailor.
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LURKER IN THE DEEP
Level: 20G Size: H MS/AQ: FA/FA
Base Move: 120 Max Pace: Spt MM Bonus: +30
Hits: 600G Crits: SL AT (DB): 20(50)
#Enc: 1 Treasure: — Bonus XP: J
Attacks: 120HGr/180HBi
Habitat: (—)-(—),FLOS,(—,—)-9
Outlook (IQ): Aggressive (AV)
Description: The Lurker in the Deep is the terror of all
shipping. Long, with flippered legs and a great
serpentine neck, many mistake if for a sea monster.
They are unpleasantly surprised. The Lurker has
black, glistening scales and teeth of semi-transparent
ivory. Its head is a great mass of horns and teeth,
tripping in saliva and ichor.
Lifestyle: Lurkers are deep, destructive creatures, fueled by
a hatred of surface life. They live eating small whales
and often kill the larger whales purely from spite. They
seem to find the mixture of brass and oak in a ship
particularly tasty. They like to tear a boat to pieces
from below, but will rise to attack the sailors if one
strikes a strong enough blow.
Combat: Lurkers attack a ship below its waterline, tearing
at the hull and keel. They can destroy a ship in
minutes, and so the wise crew distracts one as quickly
as possible, drawing it’s attacks up onto the deck. This
turns the encounter from assured destruction into the
slimmest hope of success. At the very least, one of the
crewmembers might give it indigestion.
10 Issue #6
 MAGIC ITEMS
Below you will find several magic items. Each is ready RING OF UNTYING
to use for the mariner on the go.
This appears to be a simple silver ring, sized to fit on
SHOES OF WATER WALKING the middle finger of anyone who tries to put it on. This
ring is smooth and perfectly polished, no matter how
These shoes appear as old, beaten deck shoes, with faded
much use and abuse it takes. It never takes a ding of chip.
brown leather and brass buckles. The soles have a magical
This ring grants a +25 bonus to rope mastery
grip, making it easier to walk on a heaving deck. This grants a
attempts to tie ropes. It also grants a +150 bonus to any
+10 bonus that can only offset a penalty caused by wild seas.
attempts to untie a rope. Most of the time, a character can
This isn’t, however, the primary function of the shoes.
untie a rope with a single tug. (any knot that would take a
The shoes grant the wearer the ability to walk on water.
Routine check if the person could get a good hand on it).
This affects the whole body, not just the feet, and would
allow the character to stretch out on the water. ENCHANTED PUMP
Unfortunately, this doesn’t allow characters to balance on
This pump is essentially an enchanted construct. It
water. While it might be possible to walk comfortably on a
looks like a normal 4-Man pump, but once in motion,
glassy sea, walking on normal seas is a Medium Difficulty Ag
the magic of the pump takes over. The pump continues to
Maneuver at best, Absurd at worst. Running on this kind of
operate after the men have released it. From that point
unpredictable surface is even more difficult. Sprinting is two
on, it continues pumping constantly at full volume. To
levels of difficulty worse, a Fast Sprint three, a Dash four.
stop the pump, all one must do is take over, then stop
CLIMBING GLOVE pumping themselves.
The enchanted pump is a godsend to a ship with a
This is a thin canvas glove, with wear holes on the
skeleton crew. For a damages ship with a skeleton crew,
fingers. If fits on the right hand, and will fit any person.
it can be all that stands between the ship and the
Sweat and salt stains mar its once-white surface. The
bottom of the ocean.
glove is fraying along the wrist.
This glove causes anyone who grabs a rope to fasten
securely. It allows a character a +10 bonus to climbing
where ropes are involved. A character can also use it to
slide down a rope, controlling their speed by increasing or
releasing pressure on the rope. This is so easy that it
requires no Maneuver.

WEATHER BELT
The weather belt is a wide, comfortable. It is made
from dull black leather, worn at the edges. It’s fastened with
a brass buckle and has metal loops for hanging tools. It’s
not very useful for stringing through loops. Instead, it’s
worn over the pants to hold weapons and equipment.
This item has a few different powers. First of all, it
allows the character to sense the currents of the weather. A
character wearing the belt can sense changes in air pressure,
taste the charge of storms in the air. Sense the level of
moisture. After wearing this belt for one month, the
character gains a +50 bonus to their Weather Watching skill.
In addition, the belt grants the character the ability to
operate easily in adverse weather. They can move through
the wind, see through sleets of rain, hear over the cracks
of thunder and the howling gale. This grants a +25 bonus
that only counters penalties to Awareness and Maneuvers
caused by adverse weather.
Finally, the weather belt protects the character from
the weather itself. Winds don’t touch them as strongly.
The rain-drops sleet by without hitting their flesh. They
gain a +50 to Resistance Rolls versus extremes in
temperature (such as tropical or arctic conditions).
WISE MAP
This appears to be a simple parchment map, depicting
the land and sea features of the area in an artistic and
beautiful painted style. The only thing obviously strange
about the map is the position of the ship, which is clearly
marked in the center of the map. Features of the map
sometimes seem to change slightly in the corners of one’s
eyes, as if wind blows trees and the waters flow.
This map is very simple in usage. It is always at the
center of whatever’s depicted on its surface. As it moves
through the world, it stays at the center and the
landmasses and sea features move and change. This
means that a navigator can plot a course on this map
with a +100 bonus. He need never take a sighting to fix
his position. The map depicts 250 miles in every direction,
so no navigation is necessary to travel to locations in this
range, though it might take just a bit longer than a course
in the hands of a trained navigator.

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 SCRYING COMPASS
This is an elegant golden compass with an ivory
backing and an obsidian needle. It always gleams with
perfect polish, no matter what the wear and tear. The
compass works just like a normal compass, except when
its magic is activated.
To activate the compass, a character merely touches it
and identifies a ship. This can be done by name or other
qualifier, such as “Rilig’s ship,” “the closest ship,” or “the
nearest Karienan ship.” The needle then points directly at
the ship in question. It can be reset by touching the
compass and saying “north.”
The scrying compass only works if the person
touching the compass could make the identification
through a glass. A ship’s name works perfectly. Rilig’s ship
would work if the ship has distinctive lines. The nearest
enemy ship would work if enemy ships had an
identifiable look. One couldn’t say, “the ship that has my
bosun,” if the person activating the magic didn’t know the
ship well enough to identify it at a distance.
RICHAM’S WHIPSTAFF
Richam’s Whipstaff is a magic item that’s attached to
the rudder of a ship in place of the normal whipstaff. Like
a normal whipstaff, the helmsman then uses the staff to
steer the ship. The whipstaff grants a +10 bonus to any
Maneuvers the helmsman makes to pilot the ship.
In addition, the whipstaff can be set to steer the ship
on its own. The helmsman need merely say, “hold course”
and let go of the staff. It will keep the ship on the same
course until someone touches the staff again. The
whipstaff can’t make course changes, it can only hold
steady. It can make corrections for wind and current,
should the ship be nosed out of position.
SLEEP HAMMOCK
Sleeping on a ship can be a difficult task to say the
least. Between noise, smell, and crowding, it’s all that a
man can do to sleep when utterly exhausted. The sleep
hammock is the answer.
This normal-looking hammock is made of springy
cord, allowing for a comfortable repose. The hammock is
mildly enchanted with a sleep spell. Anyone laying in this
hammock will have a good night’s sleep. They receive a –10
penalty to any attempts to wake up early, but they have no
problem waking up when it’s time for their watch.
WATER BEAD
This small glass bead is green in color, clear and
worn. It sparkles brilliantly in the light and glows with a
minor enchantment if examined with Power Perception.
If dropped into a barrel of water, the bead purifies it
over a one hour period. This eliminates all poisons, bacteria,
and the tarry taste most water develops after it’s in a barrel
for a time. If placed in a barrel of alcohol, it will turn to pure
water in two hours . . . an unpopular use to say the least.
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CEDAR PANTRY
This is a portable pantry, too small to store all the
ship’s food, but more than large enough for the captain’s
stores. The pantry will preserve any food placed inside
from spoilage, keeping it fresh without salt. In addition,
spoiled food placed inside will slowly turn good again,
over 24 hours. It has no effect on poison or venom.
The pantry if tall, carved in intricate leafy patterns.
It’s stained in light colors with gleaming brass hinges. It’s
perfectly constructed with a smooth, effortless motion to
the door. A fine lock latches the pantry, closed by a
gleaming golden key.
COOK STONE
Fire is a great danger onboard any ship, and it’s far
worse for ships with gunpowder weapons. There are
many traditions and regulation meant to circumvent
these problems, but none better, for the magically
inclined, than the cook stone.
This is a square stone, some foot and a half square
and very thin. It weighs five pounds and is virtually
indestructible. It’s constructed of sandwiched layers, one a
black obsidian stone, one a brilliant red sandstone. Both
are polished to a fine finish.The cook stone is activated by
tapping the red portion with a metal implement three
times. If the stone in lying on its obsidian side at the time
(a safety feature), the red stone then heats to extreme
temperatures. A good cook will find this more than
enough to prepare meals and experts in its use quickly
learn that quick taps will heat it farther and slow taps will
cool it, giving the cook control over the temperature.
Three slow taps ends the enchantment.
RHEGOR’S SEXTANT
This gleaming sextant would be the prize of any
navigator. It grants a +50 bonus to all attempts at
navigation, and is enchanted to allow the user to site along
the stars even in cloudy weather or the brightest day.
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