/ Thom / Ardis
/ Me'Gana / Targ
/
Thom Hammerblade's Story:
The room grew silent as the man stood to face the assembly. His voice rang
with authority, and the respect the villagers accorded him marked his position
as village leader. "We have among us several visitors from far lands.
We welcome you to the village of Tardim, and invite you to enjoy our hospitality.
Unfortunately, we must also ask your help. Who among you will enter our
kaer and free it from the terror that has taken Strathem, our magician,
from us?"
A dwarf bearing colorful tattoos and sigils on his face and arms spoke first.
The crowd turned toward him eagerly.
"I am named Thom Hammerblade, weaponsmith from the Kingdom of Throal.
I chose the Discipline of the Weaponsmith to honor my father, killed years
ago during the Theran War. I shall enter your kaer. But first, hear my story.
"Not long after my initiation I left the dwarven kingdom, bored with
the comfortable life within the mountains of Throal. I sought adventure,
and to help reclaim the lands of Barsaive, both from the aftermath of the
Scourge, and from the power-hungry Therans, who seek to enslave us.
"Following a map given to me by my mentor, I found the Coil River a
few days' journey from Throal. As the Coil is but a tributary of the mighty
Serpent River, I knew that if I could find passage on a riverboat it would
take me to lands far away. I joined the crew of a t'skrang riverboat soon
afterward, heading down the Serpent toward Lake Pyros and the Servos Jungle.
"I left ship at Lake Pyros, and traveled many days encountering no
one. A band of ork scorchers discovered me one evening as I slept, and took
me captive. Death was to be my fate at their hands, but a party of crystal
raiders from the Twilight Peaks attacked the scorcher camp, and during the
troll raiders' assault, I managed to escape. My travels eventually led to
your village.
"I have said I will enter your kaer and confront whatever terror awaits
within. Who owns the courage to join me?"
-----------------------------------------------
Thom's Stats
-----------------------------------------------
1st Circle Weaponsmith (Dwarf)
ATTRIBUTES:
- Dexterity (14): 6 / D10
- Strength (14): 6 / D10
- Toughness (16): 7 / D12
- Perception (16): 7 / D12
- Willpower (13): 6 / D10
- Charisma (9): 4 / D6
TALENTS:
- Weapon History (2): 9 / D8 + D6
- Steel Thought (1): 7 / D12
- Melee Weapons (1): 7 / D12
- Forge Blade (2): 9 / D8 + D6
- Avoid Blow (1): 7 / D12
MOVEMENT:
SKILLS:
- Artisan (1): 5 / D8
- Dwarven History (1): 8 / 2D6
- Weapon Lore (1): 8 / 2D6
INITIATIVE:
COMBAT:
- Physical Defense: 8
- Spell Defense: 9
- Social Defense: 6
- Armor: 4 (Leather/Buckler)
- Mystic Armor: 1
DAMAGE:
- Death Rating: 39
- Wound Threshold: 11
- Unconsciousness Rating: 31
- Recovery Tests per Day: 3
- Recovery Dice: D12
EQUIPMENT:
- 10 silver pieces
- 50 feet of rope
- Backpack
- Broadsword (Damage: 11/D10 + D8)
- Buckler shield
- 2 Daggers (Damage: 8/2D6)
- Forging tools (hammer, small anvil)
- Leather armor
- Steel spikes/hammer
- Traveling clothes
- 2 Waterskins
- 2 Weeks trail rations
RACIAL ABILITIES:
-----------------------------------------------
Thom's Talents
-----------------------------------------------
- Avoid Blow: Allows a character to dodge an attack at the last
second. Can be used in the same combat round as an Attack Test. The Difficulty
Number is the result of the Attack Test made by the character's opponent.
- Forge Blade: Allows a character to improve the Damage Rating
of a weapon. The Difficulty Number is the Damage step number of the weapon.
- Melee Weapons: Allows a character to attack an opponent with
a melee weapon. The Difficulty Number is the target's Defense.
- Steel Thought: Allows a character to temporarily improve his
Mystic Armor Rating. The result becomes the character's Mystic Armor Rating
for 1 Combat Round.
- Weapon History: Allows a character to learn the history and
abilities of magical weapons. The Difficulty Number is the Spell Defense
of the weapon.
-----------------------------------------------
Using Thom's Talents
-----------------------------------------------
To use a talent, a player rolls the dice indicated for each talent. For
example, when using Thom's Melee Weapons talent, a player would roll 1D12.
The result of the roll is compared to the Difficulty Number listed in the
talent description. If the result is greater than the Difficulty Number,
the action is successful.
-----------------------------------------------
Thom's Description
-----------------------------------------------
Thom Hammerblade is a dwarven weaponsmith from
the Kingdom of Throal. He stands 4'2" tall and weighs 165 pounds. Thom
learned the Discipline of the Weaponsmith to honor his father, who was killed
in the Theran War. Thom soon grew bored with life within the Kingdom of
Throal, and at the age of 26 set out to seek adventure, determined to help
the people of Barsaive reclaim their world from the aftermath of the Scourge.
Thom distrusts all humans, and particularly distrusts Therans. The face
he shows the world is somewhat harsh and bitter, but he is a fair and just
man. His adventures since leaving Throal have taught him much about the
other races of Barsaive, and he has learned that what a man can see is often
only an illusion hiding the truth.
Ardis Foarr's Story
Excitement rose in the crowd as Thom Hammerblade told his tale. When the
dwarf sat down, a young human stood, and the audience turned to listen to
his story.
"I will help purge your kaer of the horror that dwells within it. I
am named Ardis Foarr, wizard.
"I come from the village of Farenn, which lies beneath the Theran outpost
called Sky Point. At the age of nine I was enslaved on a Theran mining barge,
and escaped from the Therans only five years ago. The barge was damaged
during a gathering ritual on a mining expedition near the Death's Sea. I
was able to escape in the confusion that ensued when the barge crashed to
the ground.
"I fled to a human village, where I learned the Discipline of wizardry.
Just as I began to settle into my new home, Therans sacked the village,
killing nearly everyone. Once again I escaped the Therans, but this time
I found myself in a vast jungle.
"The jungle crawled with creatures of this world and others. Though
my magic skills helped me fight off the jungle monsters, nothing prepared
me for what next awaited me.
"One day, as I stopped to drink from a stream, I heard a sound behind
me. I turned and saw a monstrosity that defied description. So loathesome
and evil was it that I felt fear at the mere sight of it. I made a feeble
attempt to fight it off, but its power was great, and it effortlessly tossed
me aside as it strode past through the jungle. I tried to crawl out of the
jungle, but I was weak and too badly injured. I faded into unconsciousness,
believing I would die.
"I awoke to see what appeared to be a group of small, winged elves
gathered around me. When I inquired who they were, and where I was, they
informed me I was in the windling community of Flythia. The windlings had
found me in the jungle and brought me to their community to heal me. I remained
in Flythia for nearly a year. As I regained my strength, I sought to continue
my training in wizardry, and the community's wizard, a female windling named
Geena, agreed to instruct me.
"When the time came for me to leave Flythia, I traveled back toward
Sky Point, for it was the only place I knew as home. I was on my way there
when I came to your village.
"I shall join Thom Hammerblade and enter your kaer. We do this to free
your village from the danger that threatens it. Who else will join us?"
-----------------------------------------------
Ardis's Stats
-----------------------------------------------
1st Circle Wizard (Human)
ATTRIBUTES:
- Dexterity ( 13 ): 6 / D10
- Strength ( 9 ): 4 / D6
- Toughness ( 12 ): 5 / D8
- Perception ( 15 ): 6 / D10
- Willpower ( 16 ): 7 / D12
- Charisma ( 12 ): 5 / D8
TALENTS:
- Read and Write Language( 1 ): 7 / D12
- Read and Write Magic( 1 ): 7 / D12
- Spellcasting ( 2 ): 8 / 2D6
- Spell Matrix ( 1 )
- Spell Matrix ( 1 )
- Wizardry ( 2 ): 8 / 2D6
MOVEMENT:
SKILLS:
- Alchemy ( 1 ): 7 / D12
- Read Runic Carvings ( 1 ): 7 / D12
- Robe Embroidery ( 1 ): 6 / D10
INITIATIVE:
COMBAT:
- Physical Defense: 7
- Spell Defense: 9
- Social Defense: 7
- Armor: 4
- Mystic Armor: 2
DAMAGE:
- Death Rating: 34
- Wound Threshold: 9
- Unconsciousness Rating: 26
- Recovery Tests Per Day: 2
- Recovery Dice: D8
EQUIPMENT:
- 3 Daggers (Damage 6 / D10)
- 50 silver pieces
- Backpack
- Flint and steel
- Grimoire
- Leather armor
- Quarter staff (Damage 8 / 2D6)
- 2 Torches
- Traveling clothes
- 2 Waterskins
- 1 Weeks trail rations
SPELLS:
- Astral Sense: Allows a wizard to detect a presence in astral
space. The Difficulty Number is the Spell Defense of the presence being
sought.
- Dispel Magic: Allows a wizard to disrupt other spells and magical
effects. The Difficulty Number is determined by the rank of the spell or
magical effect.
- Flame Flash: Allows a wizard to attack an opponent with flames.
The Difficulty Number is the target's Spell Defense. If successful, the
target takes damage.
- Iron Hand: Increases the damage of a melee weapon by three
steps. The magician must touch the weapon to use this spell. The Difficulty
Number is the Spell Defense of the weapon. The effect lasts for 12 Combat
Rounds.
- Mind Dagger: Allows a wizard to attack an opponent's mind.
The Difficulty Number is the target's Spell Defense. The target's Mystic
Armor Rating reduces the damage of this spell.
- Wall Walker: Allows a magician to improve a person's
climbing ability. The Difficulty Number is the target's Spell Defense. If
the test succeeds, the target character adds 5 to the result of any Climbing
Test. This effect lasts for 10 rounds.
-----------------------------------------------
Ardis's Talents
-----------------------------------------------
- Read and Write Language: Allows a character to learn to read
and write new languages. The Difficulty Number is determined by the language
being studied.
- Read and Write Magic: Allows a character to learn new spells
and write them into his grimoire. The Difficulty Number is based on the
rank of the spell.
- Spellcasting: Used when a magician casts a spell. The Difficulty
Number is the Spell Defense of the target.
- Spell Matrix: Astral constructs that store spell patterns.
Once a magician places a spell pattern in a spell matrix, he can cast the
spell. Each spell matrix can hold one spell.
- Wizardry: Allows a character to weave magical energy into a
spell. Magical energy is parcelled into strands called Threads. Threads
woven into a spell give it its power and effect.
-----------------------------------------------
Using Ardis's Talents
-----------------------------------------------
To use a talent, a player rolls the dice indicated for each talent. For
example, when using Ardis's spellcasting talent, a player would roll 2D6.
The result of the roll is compared to the Difficulty Number listed in the
talent description. If the result is greater than the difficulty, the action
is successful.
-----------------------------------------------
Ardis's Description
-----------------------------------------------
Ardis Foarr was born beneath the Theran outpost
known as Sky Point. Now 21 years of age, he is 5' 11" tall and weighs
170 pounds. Enslaved by the Therans as a child, Ardis learned of the atrocities
of the Therans firsthand. He escaped from his slave barge near the Death's
Sea, and fled to a small human village. It was in this village that Ardis
learned the Discipline of the wizard.
Ardis appears to be an adventurous type, always eager to risk life and limb
to help those in need. Actually, he is a scared young man, still struggling
to understand and control his newly acquired magical abilities. He is still
unsure of his magic, though none but his closest associates know this.
Me'gana's Story
Ardis Foarr sat after sharing his story with the village. The village leader
stood once more and spoke to the assembly. "These two will aid us against
the creature that dwells within our kaer. Will others offer their services?"
A handful of heartbeats passed, then a young elven woman stood to face the
crowd. She wore battered leather armor, and two scabbards hung at her sides.
"I am named Me'gana, swordmaster from the village Lowilla. Our kaer,
which lies in the Caucavik Mountains to the far northwest, only recently
opened its doors. I learned the Discipline of the swordmaster from my father
before his death at the hands of a Horror. He and his forefathers had served
Lowilla as swordmasters since long before the Scourge. I, too, was to serve
the village, but others took my place so that I could travel the lands and
help others rebuild their homes and lives. I join Ardis Foarr and Thom Hammerblade
in their pledge to enter your kaer. And as they have done, I share with
you my story.
"Soon after the village of Lowilla was rebuilt, a trio of adventurers
came seeking shelter for the night. They stayed for a few days, sharing
legends of creatures and treasures they had encountered and heard of all
across Barsaive. When they prepared to leave, I offered to join them, that
I might aid those in need in other towns and villages.
"Our first adventure together found us in the Blood Wood, far to the
north. I tell you that the corruption of that place is beyond description.
The once-beautiful forest is twisted and gnarled, as are the creatures that
dwell within the Wood. Yet all this is nothing set against the personal
corruption that the elves of the Blood Wood have endured. As I stood before
a scouting party of Blood Elves, I wondered how those of my own race could
have corrupted themselves in such a terrible way. Thorns, glistening with
fresh blood, grew from within their bodies. The thorns cause the pain and
suffering that legend says made the Blood Elves immune to the Horrors' rampage
during the Scourge.
"We gladly left those elves behind, but almost immediately encountered
a Horror laired within the Blood Wood. It mocked my attempts to kill it,
instead slaying the others before my eyes, holding me helpless and forcing
on me the torment of watching them die. Only after I summoned the strength
to flee did it unleash its power on me, reaching within my mind and replaying
the deaths of my friends, over and over. Only after I left the Blood Wood
did the nightmares end.
"My quest is to aid those who need my help. But I also seek one who
can help me escape the torments of my past, for the nightmares still return,
haunting me even to this day.
"I will gladly give my life to free your village and kaer from whatever
evils threatens it. For I have seen the corruption of the Horrors, and cannot
rest until they, and all their kind, no longer inhabit our world."
-----------------------------------------------
Me'gana's Stats
-----------------------------------------------
First Circle Swordmaster (Elf)
ATTRIBUTES:
- Dexterity (17): 7 / D12
- Strength (15): 6 / D10
- Toughness (12): 5 / D8
- Perception (14): 6 / D10
- Willpower (11): 5 / D8
- Charisma (10): 5 / D8
TALENTS:
- Avoid Blow (1): 8 / 2D6
- Maneuver (1): 8 / 2D6
- Melee Weapons (3): 10 / D10 + D6
- Taunt (2): 7/D12
- Wound Balance (1): 6 / D10
MOVEMENT:
SKILLS:
- Alchemy (1): 7 / D12
- Creature Lore (1): 7 / D12
- Runic Carving (Weapons) (1): 7 / D12
INITIATIVE:
DAMAGE:
- Death Rating: 34
- Wound Threshold: 9
- Unconsciousness Rating: 26
- Recovery Dice: D8
COMBAT:
- Physical Defense: 9
- Spell Defense: 8
- Social Defense: 6
- Armor: 5
- Mystic Armor: 1
EQUIPMENT:
- Broadsword (Damage: 11 / D10 + D8)
- 3 Daggers (Damage: 8 / 2D6)
- Falchion (Damage: 9 / D8 + D6)
- Leather armor
- Sword scabbards (2)
- Traveling clothes
- 1 Waterskin
- 1 Week trail rations
RACIAL ABILITIES:
-----------------------------------------------
Me'gana's Talents
-----------------------------------------------
- AVOID BLOW:
Allows a character to dodge an attack at the last second. Can be used in
the same Combat Round as an Attack Test. The Difficulty Number is the Attack
Test result of the character's opponent.
- MANEUVER:
Allows a character to out-maneuver an opponent. This talent is used in place
of an attack. The result of a Maneuver Test becomes the Physical Defense
number of the character for one Combat Round.
- MELEE WEAPONS:
Allows a character to attack an opponent with a melee weapon. The Difficulty
Number for the attack is the target's Physical Defense.
- TAUNT:
Allows a character to distract an opponent by taunting him. The Difficulty
Number is the target's Social Defense number. If the Taunt Test is successful,
the target suffers a -2 penalty to all his dice roll results.
- WOUND BALANCE:
Allows a character to resist being knocked down in combat. A character uses
her Wound Balance step instead of her Strength step to resist Knockdown.
-----------------------------------------------
Using Me'gana's
Talents
-----------------------------------------------
To use a talent, a player rolls the dice indicated for each talent. For
example, when her character is using the Melee Weapons talent, a player
would roll a D10 + D6. The result of the roll is compared to the Difficulty
Number listed in the talent description. If the result is higher than the
Difficulty Number, the action succeeds.
-----------------------------------------------
Me'Gana's Description
-----------------------------------------------
Me'gana is an elven swordmaster from the village
of Lowilla in the Caucavik Mountains. She stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall and
weighs 135 pounds. Me'gana learned the Discipline of the swordmaster from
her father, finishing her training only days before he was killed by a Horror
that had gotten into their kaer. Me'gana spent several years helping to
rebuild the village of Lowilla before she decided to join a group of adventurers,
hoping to help rebuild the world after the Scourge.
Me'gana holds all Therans in deep contempt. Because her father was killed
by a Horror that broke through the kaer's defenses, defenses which the village
learned from the Therans, Me'gana blames the Therans for her father's death.
Me'gana keeps her emotions to herself, but her experiences traveling across
Barsaive have taught her the value of friendship. She now actively seeks
to make friends with those who earn her trust. Me'gana has learned the true
evil of the Horrors since meeting one face to face in the Blood Wood.
Targ's Story
The crowd murmured among themselves as Me'gana sat down again, but the noise
quickly quieted when a large troll stood, his head rising a full four feet
above those seated around him.
"I am Targ Boneslicer, renowned sky raider from the Twilight Peaks.
I feel sure that your other heroes will welcome my capable help.
"I was born to a crystal raider clan. Like many of my brothers, I trained
as a sky raider. Just after my initiation as a raider, one of the most impressive
displays of skill seen in many years, my clan joined with others to form
a new trollmoot. Our moot actively raided the lands to the southwest occupied
by the Therans.
"Our drakkar battled many Theran vedettes, freed many slaves, and claimed
many Theran lives. But our last battle damaged our ship. We crashed in a
mountain range near the Servos jungle, and only fifteen member of our brave
crew survived.
"After giving our dead brethren every honor they richly deserved, we
began our travels back toward our home in the Twilight Peaks. After battling
a fierce storm for several days, we were finally forced to seek shelter.
Discovering a cave in a nearby ravine, we soon learned that it concealed
the entrance to a still closed, forgotten kaer.
"While we waited out the storm, we decided to attempt to open the kaer,
and bring its inhabitants the good news that the Scourge was over. The magicks
guarding the entrance to the kaer had weakened over time; of course, we
would have cracked it open regardless. Only after we moved deep into the
kaer did we learn the true reason the kaer opened so easily.
"The air stank of decay and rotted flesh. The first person we encountered
was as dead as the rest of the kaer's original inhabitants. Realizing that
this kaer was dead, we turned to leave, but the kaer's only living resident
stopped us. The beast stood 11 feet tall. The four tentacles that passed
for its arms waved around a scaly reptilian torso, which was supported by
four stocky legs. The head of the creature was that of a lizard, but it
spoke to us in dwarven.
"Welcome to my prison, you puny weaklings. Now join the residents of
this place in death."
"And saying that it attacked us, killing four of my crewmates before
I could react. It was like fighting a creature of stone--our blows barely
affected it, while each if its attacks claimed one or more of my mates.
As it turned to attack me, I prepared to die. Its tentacle lashed out, smashing
me into the kaer wall and knocking me senseless. It must have left me for
dead, because when I woke, it was gone. All that remained were the shattered
bodies of my crewmates.
"After resting only long enough to travel, I set out to track the beast
in order to avenge the deaths of my fellow raiders. I also vowed to capture
the beast I set free upon this world.
"I offer my skills to your aid."
-----------------------------------------------
Targ's Stats
-----------------------------------------------
First Circle Sky Raider (Troll)
ATTRIBUTES:
- Dexterity (16): 7 / D12
- Strength (21): 8 / 2D6
- Toughness (21): 8 / 2D6
- Perception (14): 6 / D10
- Willpower (11): 5 / D8
- Charisma (5): 3 / D4
TALENTS:
- Air Sailing (1): 6 / D10
- BattleShout (2): 5 / D8
- Fireblood (1): 9 / D8 + D6
- Great Leap (1): 8 / 2D6
- Melee Weapons (3): 10 / D10 + D6
MOVEMENT :
SKILLS:
- Ancient Weapons (1): 7 / D12
- Troll History (1): 7 / D12
- Crystal Carving (1): 7 / D12
INITIATIVE:
DAMAGE:
- Death Rating: 46
- Wound Threshold: 13
- Unconsciousness Rating: 39
- Recovery Dice: 2 / D6
COMBAT:
- Physical Defense: 9
- Spell Defense: 8
- Social Defense: 4
- Armor: 6
- Mystic Armor: 1
EQUIPMENT:
- Backpack
- Battle-Axe (Damage: 14 / D20 + D4)
- Bedroll
- Broadsword (Damage: 13 / D12 + D10)
- Cuirbolli armor, Buckler shield
- Torches (2)
- Traveling clothes
- Troll sling (Damage: 12 / 2D10)
- 1 Waterskin
- 1 Week trail rations
RACIAL ABILITIES:
-----------------------------------------------
Targ's Talents
-----------------------------------------------
- AIR SAILING:
Enables a character to serve on the crew of an airship. The Difficulty
Number for using this talent is 4.
- BATTLE SHOUT:
Allows a character to intimidate opponents by shouting at them. The
Difficulty Number equals the target's Social Defense number. If the test
result is successful, the target subtracts 2 from all his dice roll results
for the next two Combat Rounds.
- FIREBLOOD:
Allows a character to heal damage during combat. The character spends
one of his available Recovery Tests to use this talent. The test result
is the number of points of damage the character heals.
- GREAT LEAP:
Allows a character to jump great distances. The test result is the number
of yards a character can jump in a single round.
- MELEE WEAPONS:
Allows a character to attack an opponent with a melee weapon. Use the
target's Physical Defense number as the Difficulty Number to attack.
-----------------------------------------------
Using Targ's Talents
-----------------------------------------------
To use a talent, a player rolls the dice indicated for each talent. For
example, when using the Melee Weapons talent, a player would roll a D12.
Compare the result of the roll to the Difficulty Number listed in the talent
description. If the test result is higher than the Difficulty Number, the
action succeeds.
-----------------------------------------------
Targ's Description
-----------------------------------------------
Targ Boneslicer is a troll sky raider from the Twilight Peaks. Targ
stands 8' 7" tall and weighs 550 pounds. Targ learned the Discipline
of the sky raider from his troll clan. After his clan joined other clans
through the Ritual of the Trollmoot, he joined the crew of a crystal raider
airship, battling with his crewmates against Theran airships in the southeastern
area of Barsaive.
Targ finds it difficult to trust anyone who is not a troll. Despite deep
reservations, he has begun to accept others as potential allies on his adventures.
Targ has learned a great deal about the other races of Barsaive since his
airship crashed and he began his travels back to the Twilight Peaks. Recently,
Targ has begun to question his peoples' history of raiding and pillaging
other races.
NOW ON TO THE ADVENTURE!
GAMEMASTERS ONLY!
/ Back to the Top /
Earthdawn is a Registered Trademark of FASA Corportation. All Rights
Reserved.
Entire contents Copyright 1998 FASA Corporation