TEXT: Introduction,
  Being a generall survey and description of the author’s
  novel role-playing entertainment.
  This is the first edition of the Septentrionalis d20 Sourcebook, a resource for creating role-
  playing campaigns in an alternate history 17th century North America. It is available only at
  the URL http://www.catspawcomics.com/sept/sept.html -- if you received this sourcebook
  from any other source, please tell me at dougmander @ earthlink.net, especially if you paid
  for it. This is a FREE resource.
  For those of you already familiar with my website, some of this material will be familiar to
  you, but much will be wholly new. The page numbering indicates the order in which the
  sourcebook should be assembled. Missing page numbers between chapters do not mean
  missing pages -- they are a consequence of occasional updates to a particular chapter.
  The Campaign World
  Septentrionalis, and the larger world of which it is only a small part, is equal parts utopia and
  uchronia: a place that never was, full of events that never happened. Neither its history nor
  its geography are quite the same as those of our own world, although they agree in many
  places. Much of it will be familiar to even a casual student of history or lover of historical
  adventure fiction and film, but, as you will see, there are differences. In short, it is a distort-
  ed mirror of history, one that magnifies adventure, drama, and mystery, at the expense of the
  tedious, the depressing and the mundane.
  In the year 1666 A.D. ...
  When does the campaign take place, exactly? Well, the almanacs say it’s the Year of our Lord
  Sixteen Hundred and Sixty Six, but it’s not the one we know from the history books. Many
  liberties have been taken with historical timelines, with people, nations, and ideas appearing
  earlier or lingering later than their real-life counterparts.
  The colonies of Carolina and Georgia are now the Kingdom of Carolingia, ruled by Charles
  II, formerly of England. An eternally young queen with fairy blood sits on the throne of that
  island nation, now called Albion. Viking raiders from Vinland the Great prowl the coast of
  the Commonwealth of New England, beneath witch-haunted skies. Inland, the mighty forests
  ring with the sound of battle between the First Peoples and their animal allies, and the armies
  of the Old World, seeking to carve out an empire in the New. And beyond the mountains,
  the maps show only rumors of a vast continent, with unknown perils and riches, and perhaps,
  even a sea route to the distant shores of Far Cathay and Xipangu, the lands of silk and spice. 
  The characters who stride upon this epic stage are men and women of action, style, and wit,
  from a dozen different lands, engaged in a titanic struggle for victory, fame, wealth, knowl-
  What does “Septentrionalis” mean?
  “Septentrionalis” is short for “America
  Septentrionalis”, which is how North America is
  labelled on many maps of the period.The word
  literally means,“of the seven plow-oxen”, refer-
  ring to the seven stars of the Big Dipper, which
  dominates the night sky of the northern hemi-
  sphere. So,“America of the seven plow-oxen” is
  the the part of America from which the Big
  Dipper (an asterism comprising the tail of Ursa
  Major) is visible.
  The Origins of Septentrionalis
  This campaign world is an outgrowth of our
  interest in the Elizabethan and Jacobean ages,
  fantasy literature, early American history and
  folklore, old maps, historical adventure fiction
  and film, and Native American culture. Much of
  the inspiration for the campaign came during
  several road trips we have made across
  Massachusetts, upstate New York, and Vermont.
  The romance and splendid setting of Fort
  Ticonderoga in New York was especially inspir-
  ing. It is one of those rare places where you feel
  that mythic, epic events could actually have hap-
  pened here.This campaign is an attempt to con-
  jure up some of that romantic spirit, and make
  America a stage for heroic adventure again, if
  only in a game.
  Historical Disclaimer
  Warning: this is a work of fiction, intended only
  as entertainment. Historical people, events, ideas,
  and places have been omitted, distorted, conflat-
  ed and falsified in the interests of creating a
  compelling and enjoyable role-playing campaign.
  This means when Charles II is mentioned, for
  example, I am not referring to the historical
  Stuart king of that name, but to a fictionalized
  version of him. By longstanding legal tradition,
  such public figures have no immunity from inclu-
  sion in works of fiction.
  This work also mentions certain cultures,
  nations, and faiths of the real world. Such repre-
  sentations are not intended to show how such
  cultures, nations, and faiths are or were histori-
  cally, but rather how they might appear in a fic-
  tional setting based on classic adventure stories
  like The Three Musketeers and Captain Blood. No
  offense is intended toward any contemporary
  ethnic, racial, political, or religious affiliation.
  
  edge, and power. The player characters are destined to join this struggle, and take their place
  among the legends of the age -- if they can survive long enough. 
  Your Septentrionalis player character can be a buccaneer from the Carib Sea, a sorcerous
  witch, a swashbuckling gentleman adventurer, an intrepid scientist, a charming court spy, a
  courageous Algonkian warrior, a grim witch-hunter... the possibilities are vast. Your
  weapons will be broadsword, bullet, faith, and spell. Your foes will be colorful, cunning
  courtiers, devil-spawned fiends, and base rogues. Nearly all of them will share a sense of
  honor, a belief in fate, fortune, and the supernatural, and a desire for glory -- or infamy. And
  the spoils: the favor of kings, the command of entire armies, the gold and silver of ancient
  kingdoms of unimaginable wealth, the secrets of life and death itself. Only bravado, fortune,
  and skill will win them. For the losers, there is only disgrace, misery, and mortal peril.
  Your Septentrionalis Campaign
  Like any roleplaying setting worth its salt, the land of Septentrionalis can encompass many
  different kinds of adventures to suit the taste of the players and DM. This book is not intend-
  ed as a ready-made adventure, but as a resource to create your own adventures or play any of
  the adventures I have written and made available through my web site (other DMs are wel-
  come to distribute their own Septentrionalis adventures as long as no money changes hands
  and no property rights are claimed over the unique characters and concepts I have created).
  Here are some suggested campaign types for your own version of this campaign setting:
  The Military Campaign
  In a military campaign, the PCs will be soldiers or mercenaries in the service of one of the
  states of Septentrionalis, fighting on the front lines between Nieu Nederlands and New
  Sweden, on the Ogeechee Marches, on the high seas or inland waters, or in the wilderness.
  This type of campaign includes pitched battles, sieges, raids, and rescue operations, with an
  emphasis on violent action, tactics, and glory, with less emphasis placed on intrigue and puz-
  zle-solving. Fighter-class characters will predominate, with a smattering of rogues and
  rangers. As the characters advance, they will obtain command positions, earn lifelong ene-
  mies, and become drawn into the politics of the states they serve. Eventually they may
  become generals or knighted commanders, or else try to carve out their own state at the
  expense of their neighbors.
  The Exploration Campaign
  A campaign focused on treks into the unknown will involve first contacts with unknown cul-
  tures of the interior, investigation of ancient ruins, attempts to find new land and water
  routes to the west, and the challenges of surviving in a hostile environment. The characters
  may be in the service of a state or trading company, or else be independent explorers pro-
  pelled by fame or curiosity. In this type of campaign, rangers are invaluable, but barbarians
  also contribute their survival and fighting skills, and natural philosophers are drawn to the
  opportunity to advance their knowledge and make new discoveries. As the campaign pro-
  gresses, the characters may achieve fame and fortune, or attract unwanted attention from
  rival powers jealous of their knowledge, or suspicious that any “explorers” in their territory
  are actually spies of a foreign state.
  2 Introduction
  
  The Supernatural Campaign
  In a supernatural campaign, characters may either be allied with the forces of magic, or com-
  mitted to battling the hidden armies of darkness that threaten to corrupt the New World.
  This campaign style emphasizes confrontations with evil outsiders and their minions,
  encounters with powerful forces of the wilderness, and investigations of lost cities in search
  of magical artefacts and the secrets of life and death. The setting of Spectral Boston is an
  example of such a campaign. A typical party of PCs in a supernatural campaign might be a
  troop of paladins and priests, or a cabal of witches, wizards, and sorcerors. As the characters
  advance, they attract the attention of increasingly powerful supernatural foes, even as they
  themselves gain in power and reputation. Eventually the PCs may take their place among the
  defenders of humanity or among the great magi of the age.
  The Political Campaign
  In a political campaign, characters navigate the maze of courtly intrigue, either within a sin-
  gle state, or within a complex and subtle power struggle between several nations. The stuff
  of a political campaign includes diplomatic missions, espionage, sabotage, and cloak-and-
  dagger work at the behest of a powerful NPC lord or minister. PCs may be bards, rogues,
  fighters, priests, or any other class with a reason to be drawn into the political world. Secret
  societies and alliances may play a major role, the existence of which only becomes apparent
  as the PCs put the pieces together and rub shoulders with ever-larger players in the great
  game of power. Ultimately, the PCs may find themselves in positions of power within the
  state, as administrators, embassadors, or secret agents of the crown.
  The Grand Campaign
  The most enjoyable Septentrionalis campaign might include elements of two or more cam-
  paign types. An exploration campaign, for example, can easily become a political one, as the
  PCs become involved in the political implications of their discoveries. Then, a supernatural
  element is introduced, as a powerful demon is discovered to be influencing the PC’s patron
  behind the scenes.A war with a neighboring state is precipitated, and the characters find
  themselves fighting for their lives. A grand campaign can accommodate a mix of character
  classes, as long as the DM remembers to provide a strong incentive for them to work togeth-
  er. The evolution of a grand campaign often ends with the characters becoming major play-
  ers in the campaign world, taking their place among the most powerful NPCs.
  Introduction 3
  
  Character
  Creation,
  being the method of creating a Persona for purposes
  of Role Play in the Septentrionalis Campaign.
  In Septentrionalis, player characters are created following the rules outlined in the Third
  Edition D&D Players Handbook, with additional rules to adapt them to a historical rather
  than a fantasy campaign setting. This chapter will lead you step by step through the character
  creation process, with details on character identity, new classes, skills, feats, and equipment.
  Ability Scores
  Ability scores are rolled according to standard D&D rules.
  Identity
  In a Septentrionalis campaign, all PCs are human beings, so the D&D concept of “race”
  does not apply. Rather than choosing to be a human, elf, or gnome, players choose an identi-
  ty that represents their character’s political, religious and social background, training, and
  early life experience. A PC’s identity affects them in the following ways:
  • Each character class within an identity is given a unique set of skill bonuses, to represent
  that identity’s particular interpretation of the class. For example, all Carolingian fighters get
  a +3 Ride bonus, because Carolingian culture particularly values horsemanship.
  • Some identities confer a universal bonus to all characters within that identity. It can be a
  bonus to attack rolls against a particular enemy, a minor spell-like ability, a skill bonus, or a
  combination of two or more. For example, all Albian characters receive a bonus to Bluff skill
  checks, and they can cast a cantrip as a spell-like ability. These universal bonuses stack with
  any other bonuses determined by a belonging to a particular character class.
  •  Each identity is assigned a die roll to determine the PCs initial social rank (SocR). For
  example, the initial social rank of an Algonkian druid is 1d4+10.
  • Most importantly, a character identity represents the political, religious, and cultural
  influences in a character’s young life. A PC may choose to rebell against these influences or
  embrace them as the campaign progresses, but you cannot ignore them --  in this era, the
  battle lines on matters of faith and nationality have been drawn in blood, and to straddle the
  line is a dangerous enterprise.
  The following table shows the identities and classes available to player characters: 
  What’s Different
  For experienced players and DMs, here’s a sum-
  mary of how a Septentrionalis character differs
  from a standard D&D character:
  •the D&D concept of “race” has been replaced
  by character identity, which represents a charac-
  ter’s cultural background, education and early
  experiences;
  •the Monk character class is not available, but
  new character classes include three Witch class-
  es, Natural Philosopher, and the Sea Wolf and
  Officer prestige classes.
  •new feats are available, including Craft
  Invention, Fencing, Greatsword, Polearm, Cloak,
  and Lantern.
  •all characters have a social rank (SocR), which
  determines their place in the social order. A
  character’s SocR can improve as she advances in
  experience level.
  •not all standard D&D equipment is available to
  player characters, but many new items are,
  including guns, different armor types, and scientif-
  ic instruments.
  
  Player Character Identities
  Albian
  Universal Bonuses: +2 to Bluff skill rolls; cast one Sorceror/Wizard cantrip per 3 experi
  ence levels per day, up to 3/day
  Allowed Classes
  Skill Bonuses
  Bard
  Gather Information +1, Innuendo +4, Spellcraft +1, Diplomacy +2
  Druid
  Heal +1, Knowledge(nature) +3, Scry +1, Wilderness Lore +1
  Fighter
  Ride +1, Double Arm’d Fighting Style
  Natural Phil.
  Alchemy +1, Scry +2
  Ranger
  Ride +2
  Rogue
  Diplomacy +1, Innuendo +3, Perform +1, Sense Motive +1
  Sorceror
  Spellcraft +1
  Wizard
  Alchemy +1
  The Albian Character:
  Albians are citizens of the English-speaking parts of island of Albion, formerly called
  England. They have an aura of the fey about them -- after all, their queen, Gloriana, is herself
  of fairy blood, and the power of Faerie runs strong in her subjects. Since the Greening of
  Albion began under Gloriana’s reign, Albion has become a place where the past and present
  walk side by side, the magic and the mundane together. 
  Albians are known both for their eloquence in speech and boldness in action. They like to
  think of themselves as witty, whimsical, merry, brave and courteous. In some Albians, this
  attitude leads to excesses of wordplay and swordplay alike, even to buffoonery and foolhardi-
  ness. When tempered with wisdom, however, the Albian character produces daring sea
  wolves, dashing courtiers, and brilliant men and women of letters and magic.
  Universal Bonuses: As natives of a Fairy-touched nation, all Albian PCs have access to 0-level
  sorceror and wizard spells. An Albian can cast one such cantrip per day, for every three expe-
  Dual-Identity Characters
  At the DM’s discretion, a player may create a
  character with a dual identity, for example, a
  Commonwealther who has spent much of her
  childhood in Algonkian society. Such a PC gains
  the universal bonuses of both identities, but only
  gains the class-related bonuses of one identity
  (DM’s choice). Using the above example, the
  Commonwealther-Algonkian PC would get the
  +1 AC bonus in woodlands, +1 to wilderness
  lore skill checks, and personal manito from her
  Algonkian heritage, plus literacy, the +1 attack
  bonus against Witchlings, and the +2 to knowl-
  edge (religion) from her Commonwealther side.
  If she belongs to the ranger class, she would
  have to choose either Algonkian Ranger or
  Commonwealther Ranger, receiving only the
  class-related bonuses from one or the other
  identity.
  What about other Identities?
  The identities listed on the table represent the
  types of character most likely to appear in a
  Septentrionalis campaign, but by no means the
  only ones. A character from the Ottoman
  Empire, an African city-state, Russia, or even dis-
  tant Cathay (China) or Xipangu (Japan) could
  appear in the campaign, but she would have to
  have an extraordinary background story to
  explain her presence there! Some of these char-
  acter identities will be detailed in the sequel to
  Septentrionalis, tentatively titled Europa 1666.
  16 Character Creation 
  Table: Identities and Allowed Character Classes
  Identity
  Bbn
  Brd
  Clr
  Drd
  Ftr
  NPh
  Pal
  Rgr
  Rog
  Sor
  Wit
  Wiz
  Albian
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Algonkian
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Buccaneer
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Carolingian
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Commonwealther
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Coureur
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Espaniard
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  French
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Gael
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Nederlander
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Sophian
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Witchling
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  Yes
  
  rience levels, rounded up, to a limit of three per day. The DC is equal to 10 + the caster’s
  Charisma ability modifier.
  The Fairy-charmed air of Albion also contributes to Abian PCs’ ability to enchant with the
  power of their speech: they receive a +2 to all Bluff skill rolls.
  Albian Bard (Social Rank 3d6+3)
  Albian bards tend to work in the written word rather than in music. Poets and dramatists of
  extreme subtlety, their Innuendo skill bonus applies only to their poetry and drama, not to
  extemporaneous speech. Their talents are appreciated by commoners and courtiers alike,
  giving them a unique mobility between the lowest and highest ranks of society. 
  Conscious of their appearance, Albian bards of either sex tend to dress in the height of male
  courtly fashion, with padded doublets, ruff collars, and hose, often highly ornamented. They
  seldom carry musical instruments, except perhaps for a simple wooden flute or recorder, but
  they are never caught without pen and paper, should inspiration strike them.
  Albian Druid (Social Rank d6+4)
  The Old Faith, as it called, has been allowed to re-enter Albion from its traditional Gael
  strongholds to the west and north, and with it have come its practitioners, the druids. Not yet
  as respected by the courtly ranks as their Gael counterparts, Albian druids tend to come
  from rural areas where the Greening is strongest. They live as wandering mendicants, heal-
  ing the rural populace, helping farmers and herders, and protecting people from evil forces.
  The center of druid activity on the Isle of Albion is actually at Holy Head on the Isle of
  Anglesey, in northwest Cymru. This has replaced Canterbury as the most popular site of pil-
  grimage for Albians of all classes. Holy Head serves as a druidic college, where new druids
  are trained and invested, as a meeting place for the Seven Year Parliament of druids, and as
  the seat of the High Druid.
  Albian druids dress in robes and long mantles dyed in one of several colors, appropriate to
  their status. Their sacred weaponry also varies depending upon their place in the druidic
  hierarchy. See the sidebar for details on Druidic costume and weapons.
  Albian Fighter (Social Rank 1d20+3)
  Soldiers of Albion, being from an island kingdom, are just as likely to find themselves serv-
  ing on ships as in the field. At sea, they specialize in daring boarding operations and savage
  raids on coastal targets. On land, they fight en masse with the unique technique of “the dou-
  ble-arm’d man”, carrying longbow and pike simultaneously. Fighters in Albion are tradition-
  ally looked upon fondly by their fellows as defenders of their kingdom, especially the stout
  yeoman archer, hero of Agincourt. Their garb is appropriate to their rank, but simpler than
  their counterparts in other nations.Initial gear and weaponry depends upon their social
  rank. See the sidebar for details.
  Albian Natural Philosopher (Social Rank 1d20+6)
  The tolerance of magic and the energy and confidence of the Albian character lends itself
  well to the pursuit of natural philosophy. From Roger Bacon to John Dee, Albion has pro-
  duced many inquiring minds. Courtly natural philosophers often serve as advisors, policy-
  makers, and spies, with an emphasis on scrying, intelligence-gathering, and uncovering of
  plots against the queen or Parliament. Less well connected natural philosophers make a liv-
  ing by telling fortunes and practicing medicine. The lower classes tend to regard natural
  philosopher with a mixture of fear and awe, salted with a healthy scepticism, considering the
  exploits of such frauds as Kelly and Charnock.
  Druidic Costume, by Level:
  Level
  Robe
  Mantle
  Brooch 
  1
  plain
  plain
  copper
  2
  green
  plain
  copper
  3
  green
  green
  copper
  4
  blue
  green
  silver
  5
  blue
  blue
  silver
  6
  white
  blue
  silver
  7
  white
  white
  silver
  8
  white
  white
  gold
  9+
  white
  gold
  gold
  Druidic Weapons, by Level
  Level
  Weapons
  1-3
  quarterstaff or halfspear, shortbow
  4+
  sickle, longspear, longbow
  Albian Fighter Armor, by Social Rank
  Social Rank
  Armor
  4-6 (Pikeman)
  studded leather
  7-10 (Musketeer)
  buff coat, breastplate
  11-15 (Halberdier) buff coat, cuirass
  16-20 (Dragoon)
  as halberdier, plus tassets
  21-25 (Knight)
  3/4 plate
  Albian Fighter Weapons
  Pikeman: longbow, longspear, lt. hammer, dagger.
  Musketeer: broadsword or cutlass, musket with
  rest, dagger.
  Halberdier: broadsword, halberd, dagger.
  Dragoon: rapier, 2 horse pistols, dagger.
  Knight: heavy pick or warhammer, 2 horse pis-
  tols, dagger.
  Character Creation 17
  
  Albian Ranger (Social Rank 3d6)
  Albion’s hilly northern marches, her vast eastern fens, the high wastes of Exmoor and
  Dartmoor -- these are the homelands of her rangers. Expert riders, trackers, and huntsmen,
  they are drawn from both the common and the gentry. If over SocR15, they will be hunters
  foremost; otherwise, they may be foresters, gamekeepers, wardens, bandits, or poachers.
  Rangers of 3rd level or higher with origins in the gentry can join the Queen’s Own
  Foresters, an elite unit of rangers assigned to protect the queen when she is travelling
  through open country. See the sidebar for information about gear and weapons for Albian
  rangers.
  Albian Rogue (Social Rank 1d6-1)
  Albian rogues are well-organized city-dwellers, with a strict hierarchy, an extensive and sub-
  tle thieves’ cant, and a sophisticated training and fencing network. The great city of London
  draws almost all of Albion’s rogues; it is said that entire neighborhoods of the city are under
  their control. London thieves are highly specialized; confidence men, pickpockets, second-
  story men, smugglers and so forth each have their own professional guild and hierarchy.
  First-level Albian Rogue PCs are assumed to have been trained in one of the thief’s arts, and
  to maintain connections with the criminal underworld.
  Experienced Albian rogues often work their way into courtly company, as servants, atten-
  dants, scribes, physicians, or entertainers. They have enjoyed great success in padding their
  purses at the expense of credulous nobles, promising the secrets of alchemy, eternal life, or
  undying beauty. 
  Albian Sorceror (Social Rank 1d20+3)
  Albion is one of the few nations where magic can be practiced openly, and the prevalence of
  Fairy blood gives rise to more than its share of sorcerors, drawing their power from their
  own semi-enchanted nature. Albian sorcerors come from all levels of society: regardless of
  social rank, they tend to be of an active, emotional temperament, rather than contemplative.
  Like sorcerors everywhere, they are often tempted to use their powers for personal gain, and
  this deserved reputation harms their status somewhat, especially in courtly society.
  Albian Wizard (Social Rank 1d20+6)
  Most Albian wizards come from the great universities of Oxenford or Cantabrigia. They tend
  to have a scholarly bent, and are averse to travel or adventure (PCs being the exception). If
  associated with the University, they will wear the cap and gown of the scholar; other wizards
  will wear clothes appropriate to their station.
  Algonkian
  Universal Bonuses: +1 AC bonus in woodland settings, Wilderness Lore +1, personal mani
  to spirit at level 2
  Allowed Classes
  Skill Bonuses
  Barbarian
  Handle Animal +1, Intuit Direction +2, Wilderness Lore +1, 
  Intimidate +2
  Bard
  Gather Information +2, Knowledge(nature) +2, Perform +1
  Druid
  Animal Empathy +2, Knowledge(nature) +2, protective tattooing, 
  Heal +1, Handle Animal +1
  Some Nations within 
  the Algonkian PC Identity
  Detailed information on Algonkian characters is
  given later in this book, but to start, you might
  want to choose a homeland for your Algonkian
  PC from this partial list:
  Nation
  Modern Location
  Abenaki
  Maine
  Catuga*
  New York
  Huron
  Ontario, Canada
  Massachusett
  E Massachusetts
  Mohawk*
  New York
  Mohegan
  W Massachusetts
  Narragansett
  Rhode Island
  Nipmuc
  C Massachusetts
  Oneida*
  New York
  Onondaga*
  New York
  Pennacook
  S New Hampshire
  Penobscot
  Maine
  Pequot
  Connecticut
  Seneca*
  New York
  Wampanoag
  SE Massachusetts
  *denotes member of Five Nations confederacy,
  called the Irroquois by their enemies.
  18 Character Creation 
  
  Paladin
  none
  Ranger
  Animal Empathy +1, Handle Animal +1, Move Silently +2, Hide +2, 
  Listen +2
  Wilderness Lore +2.
  Sorceror
  none
  The Algonkian Character:
  This character identity represents a member of one of many native cultures living in the
  northeastern quadrant of Septentrionalis, including the Irroquois and their allies. The
  details of Algonkian society are described in a later chapter, but in brief, it is a culture organ-
  ized around matrilineal clans, the most common of which are Bear, Tortoise, and Wolf. One
  or more extended families belonging to one or more clans are subject to the rule of a heredi-
  tary monarch, called a sachem, who in turn may be the subject of a grand sachem. Larger
  units may unite to form confederacies, or be coerced by a powerful neighbor into becoming
  a kind of vassal state.
  Within this social and political framework are a wide variety of roles for player characters,
  but regardless of one’s character class, one’s public virtues include honesty, hospitality,
  honor, and physical courage. More details are given below.
  Universal Bonuses: All Algonkian PCs receive a +1 AC bonus when in a woodland setting,
  due to their ability to use the land to their advantage. They receive a +1 bonus to Wilderness
  Lore checks, due to their familiarity with this environment. At 2nd level, they receive a per-
  sonal totem spirit, called a manito (see sidebar this page).
  Algonkian Barbarian (Sannops) (Social Rank 2d6 +1)
  This character identity represents a typical Algonkian warrior, drawn from the sannops, or
  common members of the sachemdom. Their extensive wilderness experience allows them
  advantages in navigating forest terrain, handling wild animals, and knowing the lore of the
  wild. Initial weapons and equipment, include a longbow, a quiver with 10 arrows, a war club,
  small wooden shield, tobacco pouch, food pouch, and firemaking kit. PCs of SocR 6+ also
  receive a wheellock caliver and handaxe.
  Algonkian Bard (Rakarota) (Social Rank d6+6)
  The Algonkian bards, or rakarota, hold an honored place in Algonquian society. They travel
  from village to village and receive a warm welcome in exchange for stories, which they would
  preface by saying, “This is my story. Do you wish to hear it told?”. They bind the culture
  together, as bringers of news, archivists, and entertainers. Initial gear includes: fine turkey-
  feather cloak, leggings, shoes, tobacco pouch, fire tools, pipe, a month’s supply of tobacco,
  and food pouch.
  Algonkian Druid (Powwaw) (Social Rank d4+10)
  The Algonkian druids, more properly called powwaw, are the shamans and physicians of the
  tribe. The Europeans describe them variously as priests, wizards, and witches, trying to fit
  them into an archetype familiar to them, but their function is as both healer, spiritual leader,
  and magician. In some cases, the tribe’s powwaw is the sachem himself, possessing both
  political and spiritual prowess.
  At level 3, a powwaw gains the ability to inscribe protective tattoos on any person he choos-
  es, including himself or herself. These tattoos provide a natural armor AC bonus of +1 per
  three experience levels of the powwaw at the time of inscription, rounding up. One person
  per month can receive this benefit, and the ceremony takes three days.
  Personal Manitos
  All Algonkian PCs and NPCs will obtain a per-
  sonal manito upon reaching level 2. Often, it will
  first appear in a dream. Alternately, the DM can
  assign a PC a quest to discover the manito. Roll
  d20 on the following table to determine the
  type:
  1-3 
  Bear
  4 
  Otter
  5-6 
  Fox
  7-8 
  Wolf
  9-10 
  Crow
  11-12 
  Rabbit
  13-14 
  Raccoon
  15 
  Deer
  16 
  Moose
  17 
  Eagle
  18 
  Hawk
  19 
  Wildcat
  20 
  Catamount (cougar)
  As another option, a DM might let a player
  choose a manito for his or her PC, based on the
  character’s class and personality. A brave warrior
  might choose a wolf or a wildcat, while a crafty,
  clever rakarota might prefer a crow or a rabbit.
  All manito exist to act as intermediaries
  between the individual and his or her Creator.
  They are normally invisible and incorporeal, but
  their presence can be felt by their particular
  petitioner. One’s manito is often called upon in
  times of need, and may grant one of the follow-
  ing powers, once per day:
  •Heal d3 points of damage
  •Give the supplicant a +1 to any single saving
  throw
  •Give the supplicant a +1 to a single attack roll,
  when attempting to hit an enemy
  •Give the supplicant a +1 to any single skill roll.
  Other powers may be granted at the DM’s dis-
  cretion. If the PC is in immediate danger of seri-
  ous injury or death, there is a 2% chance per
  experience level of the PC that the manito will
  manifest itself as a celestial animal, and come to
  the PC’s aid.
  The Sorceror’s Black Manito
  Roll d20 on the following table to determine the
  animal form taken by an Algonkian sorceror’s
  manito familar:
  1-10 
  Snake
  11-14 
  Crow
  15-16 
  Fox
  17-18 
  Weasel
  19 
  Hawk
  20 
  Player’s Choice
  The Algonkian World
  You can read more about the society of
  Algonkian characters later in this book.
  Character Creation 19
  
  Algonkian Paladin (Pniese) (Social Rank d4+ 8)
  Some Algonquian cultures have specialized champions called pniese. The sachemdom culti-
  vates this elite class from among its own children. Promising youths are given martial skills
  and subjected to spartan physical conditioning. They are held to the highest standards of
  conduct, and often are given special spiritual training, involving the ingestion of mind-alter-
  ing plants. Once trained to adulthood, they form the sachem’s bodyguard, participate in the
  council, and serve as the tribe’s best warriors. Many pniese participate in ritual scarring or
  tattooing that was said to render them invulnerable and invincible (see Powwaw, above).
  Their courage is legendary, and they have the respect of friend and foe alike.
  Pniese gain all the benefits of ordinary paladins, except that instead of a special mount, they
  receive a companion animal with all the abilities of a paladin’s mount. Common companions
  include bears, wolves, bobcats, and mountain lions.
  Initial equipment for a pniese is identical to that of a sannops.
  Algonkian Ranger (Social Rank 2d6 +1)
  Members of the sannops who are particularly gifted at woodcraft are represented by the
  ranger class. They are typically the most skilled scouts and hunters within the community,
  and are often sent on special missions by the local sachem. 
  Algonkian rangers start with the weapons and gear of an ordinary sannops. Their companion
  animals are drawn from the wilderness creatures around them, including bears, wolves,
  eagles, foxes, bobcats, lynx, and mountain lions.
  Algonkian Sorceror (Maunetu) (Social Rank 2d6 +2)
  Natural magicians do exist among the Algonkians, and are known as maunetu. They are
  often multiclassed with any of the other common Algonkian character classes. Unlike ordi-
  nary sorcerors, they begin the game already accompanied by a familiar. This is a special black
  manito sent by the god Hobbamock to instruct and protect them. A black manito has stats
  similar to ordinary familiars, except that it may disappear and reappear at will. See the side-
  bar for more details about manitos.
  Buccaneer
  Universal Bonuses: Knowledge(Seamanship)+2, +1 AC bonus when on shipboard, 
  private cant
  Allowed Classes
  Skill Bonuses
  Barbarian
  Climb +1, Intuit Direction +1, Jump +1, Swim +1, Intimidate +2
  Fighter
  Climb +1, Jump +1, Use Rope +1
  Rogue
  Balance/Climb +2, Intimidate +1, Jump +1, Swim +1, Use Rope +1
  The Buccaneer Character:
  Buccaneers are members of a nomadic pirate culture that stretches from the Carib Sea to the
  Indian Ocean. Such a character can be a native of nearly any nation, but once at sea, his or
  her primary identity becomes that of the buccaneer, with its peculiarities of dress, speech,
  manner, law, and custom. The details of pirate life have been so often depicted in fiction and
  film that little needs to be said here (refer to the Sea Wolves rules for details on pirates), so I
  will instead concentrate on matters of temperament.
  20 Character Creation 
  
  Buccaneers at first meeting often seem brash and rude, but they are loyal to their compan-
  ions and true to their word. Although marked by a reputation for fierceness and casual cruel-
  ty, they can show generosity and maudlin sentimentality at the most surprising moments.
  They are drawn to charismatic leaders, but dislike taking direct orders from anyone, prefer-
  ring a mob consensus. They like their justice to be swift and severe in execution, especially
  among their own kind. They are often motivated by the promise of riches, but tend not to
  hoard their wealth, but rather spend it quickly on fancies and entertainments.
  Universal Bonuses: All buccaneers gain +2 to Knowledge (Seamanship) skill rolls. They also
  receive a +1 miscellaneous bonus to AC while on board ship, due to their familiarity with
  fighting at sea. The salty, jargon-strewn language of seafarers is known to all buccaneers, and
  can be used by them as a private cant among others of their kind.
  Buccaneer Barbarian (Social Rank d6)
  Among the buccaneer bands are fearsome Scots highlanders, Vinlander berserkers, and
  other warriors from beyond the pale of the so-called civilized lands. These barbarians form
  the core of the buccaneer fighting force, although they may be less adept at seamanship.
  They are the first over the rails in boarding actions, and the first to go ashore during raiding
  expeditions. They prefer to use large melee weapons, especially axes and broadswords.
  Buccaneer Fighter (Social Rank d6)
  Most pirates belong to the fighter character class; in their former lives, many were soldiers or
  bandits. Having learned the ways of the sea, they still retain their fighting skills, employing
  pistols, muskets, cutlasses, knives, clubs, and grenades during boarding actions, and firing
  the ships’ cannons during sea battles.
  Buccaneer Rogue (Social Rank d6)
  Buccaneers who are less adept at fighting are likely to be rogues. They are skilled sailors, but
  less willing to risk their necks in combat, instead serving as spies, informers, clerks, or
  entertainers. They spend more time ashore in infamous pirate towns like Port Royal than
  their counterparts do, preying on their fellow buccaneers and other citizens with equal zeal.
  Carolingian
  Universal Bonuses: +2 to Knowledge (nobility and royalty) skill rolls; +1 to Ride skill rolls
  Allowed Classes
  Skill Bonuses
  Bard
  Bluff +1, Diplomacy +1, Knowledge(nobility and royalty) +3
  Cleric
  see Clerical Orders
  Fighter
  Ride +3
  Nat. Philosopher
  Diplomacy +1, Knowledge(nature) +2
  Ranger
  Handle Animal +1, Ride +1
  The Carolingian Character:
  Carolingians consider themselves to be the true heirs of the Kingdom of England, unlike
  their fairy-touched Albian cousins across the sea. Like Gloriana, Louis, and Philip, Charles
  II sets the tone for many of his subjects in terms of appearance, attitude, and temperament.
  As the Merry Monarch, he rules a land where comfort, ease, and diversion are the stuff of life
  for those at the top of the social heap, and the goal of those who serve them. The cavalier is
  Carolingian Fighter Initial Gear
  Armor
  Social Rank
  Gear
  4-6 (Pikeman)
  buff coat
  7-10 (Musketeer)
  buff coat
  11-15 (Dragoon)
  buff coat, breastplate
  16+ (Cavalier)
  buff coat, cuirass
  Weapons (all fighters have a dagger, plus):
  Social Rank
  Weapons
  4-6 (Pikeman)
  broadsword, longspear
  7-10 (Musketeer)
  broadsword, musket w/rest
  11-15 (Dragoon)
  rapier, 2 horse pistols
  16+ (Cavalier)
  rapier, 2 horse pistols, caliver
  Horses
  Social Rank
  Horse
  11-15 (Dragoon)
  light warhorse
  16+ (Cavalier)
  heavy warhorse
  Character Creation 21
  
  perhaps the ideal of Carolingian society: exquisitely dressed, well mannered and gallant,
  skilled at hunting, shooting, fencing, and dancing. To their critics, the cavaliers are horse-
  obsessed, drunken fops, and in truth, a Carolingian PC may fall into either camp or land
  somewhere in between.
  Carolingian society is highly class-conscious, with each citizen expected to know his or her
  place. The study of geneology is also a special concern of Carolingians, who are always ready
  to recount their family trees and the deeds of their illustrious ancestors.
  Universal Bonuses: All Carolingians receive a +2 bonus to their Knowledge (nobility and
  royalty) skill rolls, and a +1 to Ride skill rolls. Some classes (Bard, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger)
  receive higher bonus; they do not stack with the universal bonus.
  Carolingian Bard (Social Rank 2d6+2)
  Although music, poetry, and especially the theater is immensely popular in Carolingia, it is
  much less desirable for one to actually be an entertainer of any sort. Carolingian bards may
  be accepted by the nobility as specialized servants (or in the case of the king, as mistresses),
  but they will find it hard to join the higher ranks of society, being rather disreputable in the
  eyes of their countrymen. Such bards often find themselves mere pawns or go-betweens at
  court, or if less presentable, wandering minstrels along the dusty back roads of the kingdom.
  A Carolingian PC may find much easier going as a multiclass bard/fighter, the soldier’s
  trade being more respectable than that of the entertainer.
  Carolingian Cleric (Social Rank 3d6+3)
  Most Carolingian cleric PCs will be members of the Anglican church. Although there is no
  politically guaranteed freedom of worship in Carolingia, there is a sizable Catholic commu-
  nity, too, which is quietly supported by the king, whose own private sympathies (as well as
  those of his brother James) are Catholic.
  Carolingian Fighter (Social Rank 4d6)
  In Carolingia, soldiering is closely tied to horsemanship, and even infantry of low rank will
  know how to ride if called upon. A fighter PC might serve in an army regiment, a ship’s crew,
  or stand guard upon the frontier. Less respectable fighters may become bandits or pistol-tot-
  ing highwaymen, a romantic and popular career in Carolingia, especially among the poor,
  who champion the highwaymen as latter-day Robin Hoods. 
  Carolingian fighters of the gentry or higher (SocR 16+) may call themselves cavaliers, while
  those with SocR 11-15 are dragoons. They favor broad-brimmed plumed hats and wear sash-
  es to denote their rank on the battlefield. Musketeers and pikemen fill out the lower ranks.
  Initial equipment includes:
  Carolingian Natural Philosopher (Social Rank 4d6)
  Natural philosophy is pursued as a leisure interest by some members of the gentry, and
  rarely, as a full-time occupation.The establishment of the Royal Academy under Newton, the
  pre-eminent figure in the field, has done much to regulate the profession, and to standardize
  the training of natural philosophers. Most PCs of this class will be graduates of the Academy
  if over SocR 15; otherwise, they will have been apprentices to a master. Only Academy grad-
  uates can wear the ermine-trimmed black robes of their philosophy; others wear robes of
  grey or purple.
  Carolingian natural philosophers are most often interested in the flora and fauna, geology,
  languages, people, and antiquities of Septentrionalis, especially of the interior beyond the
  Appalachee Mountains. They often sponsor expeditions to the wilderness, or go in person,
  22 Character Creation 
  
  to collect specimens and make maps. Not surprisingly, multiclass natural
  philosopher/rangers are not uncommon.
  Carolingian Ranger (Social Rank d6+3)
  A country with so vast and unmapped a frontier as Carolingia has great need of rangers, as
  scouts, guides, and trailblazers. Many Carolingian rangers actually work within the interior
  of the kingdom on the great noble and royal estates, as foresters, grooms, and gamekeepers.
  A PC might begin with such a background, and be entrusted with a mission by his master, to
  explore a new land grant or find a missing family member. Or, as mentioned above, a ranger
  may be multiclassed as a natural philosopher. 
  In the tidewaters and wetlands of the kingdom dwell rangers of a different sort, known as
  Swamp Foxes. They are of a chaotic, antisocial bent, and are as likely to side with outlaws,
  pirates, or local natives as with their own countrymen. In their dress and manner they adopt
  a mix of English and native styles, much like the coureurs to the north. Most Carolingian
  rangers, however, dress in brown or rusty red, with a black cloth cap sporting a badge indi-
  cating their master’s identity. Their companion animals are almost always horses, although
  the wildlife of the hedgerow and meadow can serve as well, especially foxes.
  Commonwealther
  Universal Bonuses: +1 to attack Witchlings; literacy; +2 to Knowledge(religion)
  Allowed Classes
  Skill Bonuses
  Cleric
  see Clerical Orders
  Fighter
  Ride +1
  Paladin
  see Clerical Orders
  Ranger
  Handle Animal +2, Ride +2, Wilderness Lore +1
  The Commonwealth Character:
  Dour. Grim. Fatalistic. These are some of the terms used to describe the citizens of the
  Commonwealth of New England. It is a reputation not altogether undeserved. The Puritan
  mindset affects New Englanders deeply, in their manners, their speech, their dress, in almost
  every aspect of their lives. Simply put, Puritans believe in a direct relationship to God, with-
  out chuch hierarchies or priests, and the fewer distractions from one’s relationship with
  God, the better. Religion is a deadly serious business, for all humans are terrible sinners
  awaiting hellfire unless they receive God’s grace, their only hope of salvation. If that weren’t
  daunting enough, the Evil One is omnipresent in the material world, sending misfortune and
  calamity in the hopes of breeding despair, and working evil through his servants, the devils
  of Hell and their earthly servants, the witches and sorcerors. Only the righteous can resist
  his attacks, and only the vigilant can recognize Evil and its servants in all their many forms.
  The hand of God, too, can be recognized by the wise, in the form of “signs and wonders”
  that take the form of rumblings in the earth, fantastic animal births, sightings of angels or
  armies in the clouds, or the blare of trumpets issuing from the hills. An understanding of
  Scripture is essential to interpreting signs and wonders, and the absence of priests or other
  intermediaries means that virtually all Commonwealthers are literate and very-well versed in
  religious matters.
  It is understandable that their beliefs might lead to an intolerant, suspicious streak, and an
  absolute desire to suppress magic in all its forms, especially since the great witchling enclave
  of Naumkeag lies only a day’s journey from Boston, City on a Hill. Their seriousness also
  Commonwealther Fighter Initial Gear
  Armor
  Social Rank
  Gear
  4-6 (Pikeman)
  buff coat, breastplate
  7-10 (Musketeer)
  as pikeman, plus tassets
  11-15 (Dragoon)
  buff coat, cuirass
  16+ (Gentleman)
  3/4 plate
  Weapons (all fighters have a dagger, plus):
  Social Rank
  Weapons
  4-6 (Pikeman)
  broadsword, longspear
  7-10 (Musketeer)
  broadsword, musket w/rest
  11-15 (Dragoon)
  broadsword, 2 horse pistols
  16+ (Gentleman)
  rapier or broadsword, 2 
  horse pistols, caliver
  Horses
  Social Rank
  Horse
  11-15 (Dragoon)
  light warhorse
  16+ (Gentleman)
  heavy warhorse
  Character Creation 23
  
  leads to a taste for plain black clothes and sober, wide-brimmed hats, with only a hint of fine
  lace at the cuff and collar to distinguish the gentry from the commoner. In fact, the sumptu-
  ary laws stipulate fines for violations of this toned-down but still class-conscious dress code.
  Music? Only the voices of the congregation raised in song. Drink? Never in public, certain-
  ly.
  But don’t take the Commonwealther at face value. Out of sight of the church fathers, there
  are cheerful taverns, comfortable drawing rooms, and occasionally, something sinister. And
  things are changing -- the younger generation is less strict about such matters, with an
  increasing influence from both Carolingia and Albion bringing a desire for luxury and
  leisure. If a Commonwealther PC is from the outlying settlements, he will have almost as
  much in common with his Algonkian neighbors as with his city cousins, and chances are he
  won’t attend church services every Sunday.
  Universal Bonuses: Because of their fervor against the forces of evil, all Commonwealthers
  receive a +1 bonus to attack when fighting Witchlings or their allies. Commonwealthers are
  automatically considered literate, regardless of social rank; their study of Scripture gives
  them a +2 to all Knowledge(religion) skill rolls related to their own faith.
  Commonwealther Cleric (Social Rank 1d10+10)
  In practice, Commonwealther clerics are usually “doctors of the church”, educated at The
  College across the river from Boston. They are usually the children of well-to-do members of
  New England society, rather than commoners. Graduates of The College are well grounded
  in theology, history, Latin, Greek, and law, but have little training in other matters. They may
  be employed as preachers, government officials, or witch-finders, depending on their tem-
  perament. 
  As an alternative to this model, a Commonwealther cleric PC could be an iconoclastic
  preacher railing against the established Commonwealth church, calling for changes in reli-
  gious practice and hoping to gather a congregation of her own.
  Commonwealther Fighter (Social Rank 1d20+3)
  Cromwell’s Roundheads (named for their close-cropped hair, not for their helmets as has
  been commonly put about) are the epitomé of the Puritan soldier: dedicated, professional,
  and full of fervor. In fact, many of the Commonwealth’s military commanders are old veter-
  ans of Cromwell’s New Model Army. The most redoubtable of this old guard are called
  “Ironsides”, after their seeming invulnerability in battle. The ranks of New England’s army
  are also filled by veterans of the Dutch Wars against Spain and France. And a good thing,
  too -- the Commonwealth has many enemies, from New France to the Witchlings of
  Naumkeag to New Amsterdam to the Irroquois and other Algonkian neighbors. To be ready
  at a minute’s notice against these many threats, all New Englanders in good health belong to
  militia companies of about 20-40 men each, under the command of a New Model Army vet-
  eran. The standing army, on the other hand, is small but highly professional. See the sidebar
  for intial gear.
  Commonwealther Paladin (Social Rank 3d6+1)
  Soldiers of the Commonwealth with the hearts of preachers, the paladin class PC represents
  a fighter who is also committed to battling the servants of the Evil One in all their forms.
  They are called “firebrands”, or “soldiers of God,” but they belong to no organized group,
  and can be found among ordinary soldiers. Their gear will be the same as that of an ordinary
  fighter, except that a firebrand of any social rank may ride a horse (see The Paladin’s Mount,
  D&D PHB). Firebrands seek out witches, sorcerors, and demons, uncovering them at all
  24 Character Creation 
  
  levels of society. Their enthusiasm leads to false accusations at times, and the public both
  admires and fears them.
  Commonwealther Ranger (Social Rank 1d6+3)
  The attitude of the Commonwealther ranger towards the wilderness is that of a conqueror
  towards her conquest. The wilderness is an evil place that must be tamed and civilized. A
  Commonwealther ranger is the vanguard of settlement, not a wanderer, and may often have a
  small farm as a home base for her forays. When an area becomes settled, she moves on, to
  advance the frontier. Clashes with neighboring states are common.
  Initial equipment, regardless of social rank, includes: buff coat, high boots, snaphance mus-
  ket, broadsword, light horse, backpack fully stocked with wilderness gear. Clothes are of the
  European model, with few concessions to Algonkian styles. Companion animals tend to be
  domestic dogs, or horses.
  Not all Commonwealther rangers have this attitude, of course, but those who have a more
  benign attitude toward the wilderness (and the Algonkians who dwell in it) should use the
  Coureur ranger model instead (qv).
  Coureur
  Universal Bonus: +2 to Hide, Listen, and Move Silently in a wilderness environment
  Allowed Classes
  Skill Bonuses
  Barbarian
  Handle Animal +1, Intuit Direction +1, Swim +1, Wilderness Lore +1
  Bard
  (only allowed as a second character class)
  Ranger
  Handle Animal +1, Intuit Direction +2, Swim +1, Wilderness Lore +2
  The Coureur Character:
  People of the Septentrionalian wilderness, coureurs possess features of both French and
  Algonkian culture. They speak a mix of French and Algonkian, and likewise their customs,
  dress, and gear share elements of both halves of their dual heritage. “Coureur” is short for
  “coureur de bois”, or “forest runner”, but they are also called “les voyageurs” -- “the travel-
  ers,” especially those who trade deep into the western interior.
  Coureurs are independent, self-reliant folk by neccessity, for they live far from the cities of
  New France, and travel deep into the wilderness, as traders, explorers, scouts, soldiers,
  hunters, and trappers. They are people of few words, but of many songs, jokes and tales --
  hence the addition of bard as a second character class. Coureurs aspire to strength in adver-
  sity, endurance, and cunning. They are highly practical, eschewing fancies and luxuries in
  favor of whatever helps them survive. They typically wear an Algonkian coat and trousers of
  deerskin, deerskin boots, a dressed deerskin cloak, plus a beaver hat, and one or more
  embroidered belts and gear pouches. 
  Universal Bonus: Because of their wilderness experience, all Coureur characters receive a
  +2 bonus to Hide, Listen, and Move Silently rolls in a wilderness environment (but not in
  the city).
  Coureur Barbarian (Social Rank 1d3+3)
  The barbarian class represents those coureurs who specialize in guerilla fighting and sol-
  diering, rather than in woodcraft. They are often found in companies of irregular infantry on
  the frontier, or as bandits preying upon wilderness trade routes. Initial equipment includes a
  matchlock caliver, throwing axe, broadsword, dagger, and studded leather armor, plus a
  Other “Coureur” Cultures
  As an option, a coureur PC could come from
  one of several other cultural areas which have
  much in common with the French coureurs:
  A melungeon coureur PC originates in the
  secluded valleys of the Mountains of Smoke on
  the borders of Carolingia. Melungeons (the term
  is considered perjorative in some circles) are
  said to be descended from shipwrecked
  Portugeuse sailors, Espaniard renegades, and
  native peoples, now accustomed to life in the
  wilderness.
  A cimmeron coureur PC is a member of a cul-
  ture of escaped captives or servants of African,
  Espaniard, and native origin who have estab-
  lished settlements along the frontier between
  Carolingia and New Spain, especially in the
  Ogechee Marches.
  Character Creation 25
  
  knapsack full of wilderness gear.
  Coureur Ranger (Social Rank 1d6+3)
  Most coureur PCs will be rangers. Coureur rangers have a legendary sense of direction and
  extensive knowledge of the wilderness. Their initial equipment includes a matchlock caliver,
  2 throwing axes, dagger, and buff coat, plus a knapsack full of wilderness gear. Companion
  animals include bears, catamounts, raccoons, wolves, eagles, or hawks.
  Espaniard
  Universal Bonuses: +1 attack bonus vs Albians, Buccaneers, Nederlanders, and Witchlings
  Allowed Classes
  Skill Bonuses
  Bard
  Knowledge(religion) +1, Perform +2
  Cleric
  see Clerical Orders
  Fighter
  Armor Check Penalty reduced by 1, +1 AC group fighting bonus
  Paladin
  as Fighter, above
  Rogue
  none
  The Espaniard Character:
  Spain, center of the Habsburg Empire, is so large and diverse that any attempt to generalize
  the character of its citizens would be misleading. It encompasses a grand courtly society, the
  rural aristocracy of the caballeros, a vast beaurocracy and military force, and many regional
  cultures from Catalonia to the Basque country, each with its own language and culture. I will
  instead concentrate on the styles, concerns, and mindset of the courtiers, soldiers, and
  administrators of the Emperor himself, Philip, who are most likely to become Espaniard PCs
  in a Septentrionalis campaign.
  It must be said that Philip’s own character and beliefs strongly color the lives of his servants
  and subjects, and that color is literally black. The “Black Costume”, with its black silk coats,
  doublets, and hose, relieved only by white ruffs and collars, is the universal dress of the
  Empire, so ubiquitous and influential that it has become the fashion in other areas of
  Europe, even among Spain’s enemies. Severe, sober, and elegant, it is the 17th century
  equivalent of the power suit for serious professionals. It makes a striking contrast with the
  courts of France and Albion, with their peacock splendor. Wearing The Black Costume is a
  sign that you mean business.
  For running an empire is serious business indeed. Philip’s servants see themselves as
  defenders of the faith, beset on all sides, by Turks to the east, Protestants to the north, and
  Moors to the south. Overseas, their efforts to extend the benefits of empire to Terra Novae
  Septentrionalis et Australus are challenged by the Carolingians and the Aztecs. And the
  Witchlings are the most feared enemy of all, for they are everywhere and nowhere, encourag-
  ing suspicion, paranoia, and inquisition. Buccaneers, Albians, and Nederlander pirates
  harass Spain’s fleets from the Carib to the English Channel. With so many enemies, it is
  understandable why Philip’s servants seldom give in to whimsies or jests.
  Universal Bonuses: All Espaniard PCs receive a +1 attack bonus against certain enemies of
  the Empire: Albians, Buccaneers, Nederlanders, and Witchlings.
  Espaniard Bard (Social Rank 3d6+3)
  Cervantes, author of Don Quixote and survivor of the battle of Lepanto, is proof that the
  26 Character Creation 
  
  Espaniard bard character can be both a poet and an adventurer. Fighter/bard multiclass PCs
  are quite common within this identity. In general, entertainer/poets are valued and honored
  here, and have an international reputation for skilled musicianship, dancing, poetry, and
  songwriting.
  Espaniard bards of low social rank tend to be wandering entertainers, skilled in the lute or
  the guitar, who perform in taverns or at social functions like weddings. Their repertoire is
  heavily weighted towards romantic ballads which can be either original compositions or tra-
  ditional tunes. Bards of higher social rank (SocR 16 or better) are often troubadours, who
  sing and write poems on the subject of courtly love. These high-ranking bards receive a +2
  to Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) in addition to their other identity based skill bonuses.
  They are a welcome presence at the regional courts, but are frowned upon by the Emperor
  and his ministers.
  Note: Like their French counterparts on the other side of the Pyrenees, all Espaniard bards
  can speak langue d’oc, the ancient language of Provence, as a private cant.
  Espaniard Cleric (Social Rank 1d20+3)
  Espaniard clerics are not merely spiritual leaders but help run the day-to-day affairs of the
  Empire, as scribes, clerks, healers, translators, diplomats, and administrators. The great
  advantage to having a Espaniard cleric PC is the vast support network you have access to, the
  respect shown to you by other Espaniard PCs, and the opportunities for advancement in the
  Empire. All military expeditions, voyages of discovery, and diplomatic missions will include
  clerics. Cleric characters working for the Empire will almost certainly be Dominicans or
  Jesuits, while characters with no official ties to the Empire may be Franciscan mendicants
  instead. 
  Espaniard Fighter (Social Rank 1d20+3)
  As a Espaniard fighter PC, you are a member of the most professional and best-supplied mil-
  itary force in Europe. Your comrades have held together the first global empire for over a
  hundred years. Your reputation inspires both fear and admiration, your loyalty is to the
  Emperor, and your heart burns for glory.
  As for the practicalities, Espaniard fighter PCs tend to favor heavy armor and heavy muskets.
  (See the sidebar for Commonwealther Initial Gear for details). As a benefit of their training,
  they receive a +1 reduction to any armor check penalty. And, when fighting adjacent to
  (within 5’) of another Espaniard fighter, they receive a +1 miscellaneous AC bonus, due to
  their group defensive training.
  Espaniard Paladin (Social Rank 2d10+6)
  The Espaniard paladin par excellence in fiction is represented by the ideals of Don Quixote,
  espousing the virtues of chivalry, and refusing to compromise despite the pressures of the
  modern world. A knightly or noble Espaniard paladin may be a member of a military order
  like the Knights of Malta, or else be a lone warrior, (except, of course, for the company of his
  faithful servant). 
  Espaniard paladin-class PCs receive all the bonuses of Espaniard fighter PCs.
  Espaniard Rogue (Social Rank 1d6-1)
  Espaniard rogue-class characters can be daring bandits of the countryside, adventurers seek-
  ing fame and fortune overseas, renegade pirates, or urbane city-dwellers. They are often
  multiclassed with bards, since the career of a wandering entertainer provides good cover for
  roguish pursuits.
  Character Creation 27
  
  French
  Universal Bonuses: +1 attack bonus against enemies of France
  Allowed Classes
  Skill Bonuses
  Bard
  Bluff +2, Disguise +2, private cant
  Cleric
  see Clerical Orders
  Fighter
  Climb +1, Jump +2,
  Nat. Philosopher
  Alchemy +1, Appraise, +1, Heal +1
  Paladin
  Ride +1 , see Clerical Orders
  Rogue
  Appraise +1, Decipher +1, Disguise +1, Gather Info. +1, Read Lips +1
  Sorceror
  none
  Wizard
  none
  The French Character:
  France at this time is a large and powerful state, but her possessions in Septentrionalis are
  limited to the land of New France in the far north, and a chain of small outposts (and the city
  of D’Orleans) along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, supporting her tenuous claim to the
  interior of the continent. In the campaign, French PCs are most likely to be employed in the
  colonial enterprises of their mother country, whether as explorers, soldiers, churchmen,
  traders, administrators, diplomats, scientists, or spies.
  The French rightfully consider themselves to be a sophisticated, highly refined culture,
  whether it be in the area of fencing, dress, cuisine, or manners. King Louis certainly sets a
  high standard for ostentation and elegance! Players may enjoy playing their French PCs as
  characters who are never at a loss for the right word or gesture, and never lose their poise or
  joie de vivre. Among other nations, the French have a reputation for charm and gallantry,
  even as adversaries, and the French certainly do have their adversaries in the region, includ-
  ing the Commonwealthers, the Nederlanders, and certain of their Algonkian neighbors.
  French Bard (Social Rank 3d6+2)
  French bards are often members of the court, valued for their skill as entertainers, poets,
  and musicians. They are often employed as go-betweens or private spies by individual
  nobles, requiring them to be adept in the arts of disguise and discretion. Bards with lower
  social ranks may be wandering minstrels or tavern dwellers, making a precarious living
  entertaining the common folk, or else they may find work as the servant of a musketeer or
  cavalier.  Multiclass fighter/bards are quite common, combining the arts of music and of the
  sword in equal measure.
  Note: All French bards speak the tongue of langue d’oc as a private cant.
  French Cleric (Social Rank 1d20+3)
  French clerics will most likely be secular priests or Jesuits, with a minority of Protestant
  (Huguenot) clerics. Like their Espaniard counterparts, French clerics are often involved in
  colonial administration, and may accumulate vast political power, like Cardinals Mazarin and
  Richelieu. French Jesuit PCs will often be involved in missions to the interior, which involve
  extreme hardship, and often risk tragedy or disaster for both the clerics and their Algonkian
  hosts, due to unscrupulous traders, deepening mistrust, and the upsetting of the complex
  political, environmental, and social balance between native peoples.
  French Fighter (Social Rank 2d6+3)
  French Fighter Initial Gear
  Armor
  Social Rank
  Gear
  4-6 (Pikeman)
  buff coat
  7-10 (Musketeer)
  buff coat
  11-15 (Dragoon)
  buff coat, breastplate
  16-20 (Chevalier)
  buff coat, cuirass
  21+ (Gendarme)
  full plate (horse and rider)
  Weapons (all fighters have a dagger, plus):
  Social Rank
  Weapons
  4-6 (Pikeman)
  rapier, longspear
  7-10 (Musketeer)
  rapier, musket w/rest
  11-15 (Dragoon)
  rapier, 2 horse pistols
  16-20 (Chevalier)
  rapier, 2 horse pistols, caliver
  21+ (Gendarme)
  lt. hammer or pick, lance,
  2 horse pistols
  Horses
  Social Rank
  Horse
  11-20 
  light warhorse
  21+ 
  heavy warhorse
  28 Character Creation 
  
  French fighter-class PCs of SocR 16 or above will belong to an elite unit of musketeer
  guardsmen, attached either to the king’s service, the queen’s, the cardinal’s, or some other
  noble or powerful cleric. Lower ranking fighters will most likely belong to a mercenary unit
  or less prestigious guard company or militia. Swordsmanship is prized among French fight-
  ers, and even the lowliest soldier will likely be skilled in one or more rapier techniques. See
  the sidebar for initial gear.
  French Natural Philosopher (Social Rank 2d10+3)
  French natural philosophers enjoy considerable prestige, being supported by a well-financed
  Academie. Medicine, mathematics, and alchemy are their most common areas of study,
  rather than practical inventions, mechanics, or astronomy. They are the only scientists to
  have an established peer review process for new ideas and discoveries, so respected that
  many foreign philosophers travel across land and sea to present their papers at the
  Academie’s annual symposium -- even nations at war with France allow their scientists a spe-
  cial dispensation to do so!
  French natural philosophers in Septentrionalis will likely be explorers interested in discover-
  ing new plants, animals, and minerals. They will often be multiclass clerics, and more rarely,
  wizards, like the famed Nostradamus.
  French Paladin (Social Rank 2d6+6)
  French Paladins of knightly or noble social rank will most often belong to a military order,
  such as the Knights of Malta. Lower ranking paladins will serve as guards to church missions
  or important cleric NPCs. Their initial equipment is similar to that of an ordinary French
  fighter.
  French Rogue (Social Rank d6)
  French rogue-class PCs will most likely be urbanites, practiced in the art of separating fools
  from their money. They tend to be independent operators under the pay of a patron rather
  than members of a thieves’ guild. Those with higher aspirations may operate in other nations
  as spies for King Louis, gathering information, planting moles, and sowing confusion among
  the enemies of France. 
  French Sorceror (Social Rank d20+2)
  In a land with a powerful Church, sorcerors are persecuted for their practices, which are
  seen as demonaically inspired. Any French sorceror PC will be by neccessity a secret practi-
  tioner, constantly risking arrest and execution. Multiclass sorceror/natural philosophers,
  rogues, or even clerics are possible, especially among members of the court, who seek any
  advantage they can get.
  French Wizard (use Social Rank of primary class)
  Wizard is available to a French PC as a multiclass only, except in extremely rare cases,
  because of the tight control of magical instruction kept by the Academie. Unlike sorcery,
  wizardry is not outlawed in France, and is often considered part of a natural philosopher’s
  course of study.
  Character Creation 29
  
  Gael
  Universal Bonuses: +2 to Bluff, Hide, or Scry, (player’s choice at character creation); one 
  spell-like ability, determined randomly
  Allowed Classes
  Skill Bonuses
  Barbarian
  Climb +1, Intimidate +1, Wilderness Lore +1
  Bard
  Bluff +2, Innuendo +1, Gather Information +1, Sense Motive +1
  Druid
  Heal +1, Knowledge(nature) +3, Scry +1, Wilderness Lore +1
  Ranger
  Hide +2, Intuit Direction +1, Spot +1, Move Silently +1
  Rogue
  Bluff +2, Innuendo +1
  The Gael Character:
  This character identity includes the cultures of Eire, Scotia, Cymru and Bretayne, each of
  whom have developed their own language and traditions, but whom all share a common
  Celtic heritage. Alternately, a Gael PC may come from the Scots enclaves that have arisen in
  the mountains of Carolingia, which have carried their traditions with them across the sea.
  The Gaels are a fairy-touched people, like the people of Albion, but are even more profound-
  ly tied to the unseen world. In fact, most Gaels are said to have at least some fairy blood,
  which accounts for their uncanny powers. First, all Gael PCs get a +2 bonus to either Bluff,
  Hide, or Scry skill rolls, decided by the player when the character is created. These bonuses
  stack with any skill bonuses listed for a particular Gael character class. Second, all Gael PCs
  possess a single spell-like ability, determined randomly. See the sidebar for more.
  Gael Barbarian (Social Rank 2d8+2)
  The highlands of Scotia and the remote hills of Eire produce fierce barbarian warriors,
  sworn to protect their clansmen and their lord. PCs of this class may be on a mission for their
  clan, bodyguards for a Gael noble, or gallowglass (mercenary) troops employed by France or
  Carolingia. Gael barbarians are skilled wilderness fighters, but less accustomed to pitched
  battles. They dress in the tartans (colors) of their clan, typically wearing a loose-fitting linen
  shirt, kilt, cloak, wool socks, low shoes, and a soft cap with an eagle feather and clan badge.
  Initial gear is detailed in the sidebar on this page.
  Gael Bard (Social Rank 2d10+2)
  The bards of the Gael lands are no mere entertainers, but also historians, poets, advisors,
  and diplomats. Many bards serve as ministers or chief servants to Gael nobles. Even outside
  Gael lands, in France and Albion, they are welcome as members of the court. No character
  class within the Gael identity carries more prestige. 
  All practicing bards within Gael lands must be in good standing with their country’s bardic
  college, which functions like a guild to ensure standards of musicianship, knowledge, and
  conduct. Applicants to a bardic college must enter and pass a performance test held annually
  in each Gael land. (PCs cannot apply until they reach 2nd level). Once accepted, young bards
  are allowed to wear the sky-blue cloak of the Gael bard. Leadership of the bardic college is
  determined at a yearly eisteddfod, a competition open to all bards. Judged by a panel of
  druids, the competitors prove their merit in harping, singing, and recital, and the best is
  appointed leader of the college until the next eisteddfod. 
  The head of the college has the power to banish bards who do not live up to bardic standards.
  Gael Spell-like Abilities
  Roll d20 on the following table to determine
  which spell-like ability your Gael PC has, by
  virtue of their fairy blood:
  Die Roll
  Ability
  1-3
  Cure Light Wounds
  4-6
  Animal Friendship
  7-9
  Faerie Fire
  10-12
  Invisibility to Animals
  13-14
  See Invisibility
  15-16
  Charm Person or Animal
  17-18
  Speak with Animals
  19-20
  Hold Animal
  All spell-like abilities can be used once/day, as
  though the PC were a spellcaster of equivalent
  level.
  Gael Barbarian Initial Gear
  Armor
  Social Rank
  Gear
  all 
  small spiked wooden shield
  Weapons (all fighters have a dagger, plus):
  Rank
  Weapons
  4-6 
  longbow, longspear
  7-10
  longbow, broadsword or greatsword
  11-15 
  2 wheellock pistols, broadsword or 
  greatsword
  16+ 
  2 snaphance pistols, broadsword
  30 Character Creation 
  
  Banishment from one’s college means disgrace and exile. (Gael bard PCs adventuring out-
  side of Gael lands may well have been exiled in this way for some transgression). 
  Bard is also a common second character class for Gael barbarians, druids, rangers, and
  rogues. Such bards may not neccessarily belong to a bardic college, but rather be entertain-
  ers and storytellers more akin to ordinary bards.
  Gael Druid (Social Rank 2d10+2)
  Gael druids belong to the same order as their Albian counterparts (see Albian Druid), but
  command more respect from their peers. Their ranks and costume are the same as Albian
  druids. Gael druids and bards are considered to be two branches of the same sacred order,
  with the latter subordinate to the former.
  Gael Ranger (Social Rank d6+3)
  Gael rangers ply their trade among the misty moors, crags, and green woods of the Gael
  lands. They work as scouts, herders, and huntsmen at need, but their prime mission is to
  protect folk from evil creatures of the wilderness, to help lost travelers, and to find escaped
  criminals or outlaws. Their speciality is the silent stalking of their quarry, whether animal or
  human. Initial gear includes a longbow, longspear, and broadsword or battleaxe. Animal
  companions are most often golden eagles, ravens, or other large birds of the wild.
  Gael Rogue (Social Rank d6)
  Gael rogues often use their mastery of words to gain mastery over others, rather than
  employing brute force. This talent, called blarney, is said to be a particular gift of those born
  in Eire. Possible roles for Gael rogue PCs might be as servant to a wealthy but easily duped
  master, a wandering confidence trickster, or a honey-tongued multiclass bard/rogue. (Some
  rogues are undoubtedly less subtle in their approach, but given the power placed on words in
  Gael culture, it seems out-of-place for a self-respecting Gael rogue to simply rob someone at
  the point of a sword!)
  Nederlander
  Universal Bonuses: Knowledge(Seamanship)+1, +1 attack bonus against Espaniards
  Allowed Classes
  Skill Bonuses
  Cleric
  see Clerical Orders
  Fighter
  Knowledge (Warfare)+1
  Nat. Philosopher
  Knowledge (Nature) +1
  Rogue
  none
  Wizard
  none
  The Nederlander Character:
  Nederlanders often see themselves as cultivated and urbane, enjoying the finer things in
  food, clothing, and accommodation, but wise enough to avoid excess and intemperance. The
  Enlightenment is just catching fire here, with an emphasis on reason, pragmatism, and
  progress over superstition. The economic powerhouses of the Hague, Bruges, and Antwerp
  have produced a society of merchants and tradesmen who are steadily overtaking a weak,
  marginalized “old money” gentry. With this in mind, Nederlander PCs with a Social Rank
  above 20 are more likely to be from powerful merchant families than actual gentry, and may
  not be recognized as courtly by other nations. As for religion, the Protestant faith is strong
  Character Creation 31
  
  here, but Nederlanders are more tolerant of religious dissenters than most of their contem-
  poraries.
  Nederlander characters in a Septentrionalis campaign are likely to be employed in some
  capacity by the Dutch Septentrionalis Company, operators of a trade network headquartered
  in Nieu Amsterdam, at the mouth of Hudson’s River. The primary goal of the Nederlander
  Republic in the New World is not colonization, but trade with the nations of Septentrionalis,
  especially the Irroquois Confederacy, who supply the Nederlanders with valuable furs for the
  European market in exchange for guns and other metal tools, cloth, and grain.
  Universal Bonuses: As citizens of a land laced by waterways and surrounded by the sea, all
  Nederlanders receive a +1 Knowledge(Seamanship) bonus. They also receive a +1 attack
  bonus against Espaniards, due to their longstanding enmity.
  Nederlander Cleric (Social Rank 2d6+3)
  Nederlander cleric PCs will nearly always be Protestant. Their most likely role as a player
  character is ministering to the servants of the Dutch Septentrionalis Company, not an easy
  task, given the reputation of NieuAmsterdam as a place of avarice and intrigue. A number of
  Nederlander puritan sects have established communities in the New World, away from the
  major trade centers -- PCs from these communities will have much in common with their
  Commonwealther counterparts. The cleric/natural philosopher multiclass PC is also a pos-
  sible character background, given that many learned folk still receive their education from
  the church.
  Nederlander Fighter (Social Rank 2d6+3)
  The Nederlanders have honed their fighting skills over decades of warfare to establish their
  independence from the Espaniards. Their army is composed of volunteer militia and merce-
  naries, both native and foreign. Fighter-class PCs from this identity tend to have the latest
  snaphance weapons. They may either be members of the militia, a mercenary company, or
  else freebooters, the infamous outlaws equally comfortable plying their trade as high seas
  pirates or land-based bandits.
  Nederlander Natural Philosopher (Social Rank 3d6+2)
  Nederlanders are among the greatest practical inventors of the age, as well as formidable sci-
  entists. Most Nederlander natural philosopher PCs will focus on creating or refining practi-
  cal tools, weapons, and scientific instruments, but some may specialize in astronomy, chem-
  istry, or another scientific discipline. A Nederlander natural philosopher is never without her
  scientific apparatus, often beautifully made and compact enough to fit in a small case. 
  As mentioned above, Nederlander natural philosophers are often multiclass clerics.
  Nederlander Rogue (Social Rank d6-1)
  Many Nederlander rogue PCs will be swindlers, thieves, pickpockets, or forgers, trying to
  make a killing on the rough-and-touble unpaved streets of Nieu Amsterdam. It’s a rogue’s
  paradise: a big town full of people trying to make a quick fortune, including the officials who
  are willing to look the other way, as long as they get their share. Alternately, rogue PCs could
  be highwaymen, freebooters, or pirates, or perhaps government officials on the take.
  Nederlander Wizard (Social Rank 2d6+2) 
  Nederlander wizards usually lack formal schooling, being self-taught or having apprenticed
  to a single master rather than attending a university. Since magic is frowned upon by the
  32 Character Creation 
  
  Protestant church, these wizards tend to live reclusive lives, often serving the underworld
  and the marginal folk of the city. A rare few are multiclassed wizard/natural philosophers,
  usually with a social rank of SocR 11 or better: these folk often serve powerful merchant fam-
  ilies as spies, engineers, craftsmen, and tutors. Wizard-artists, who combine artistic wiz-
  ardry with real magic to create paintings with magical properties, are a unique subclass of
  this character identity. Other artistically-minded Nederlander wizards create animated stat-
  ues, toys, and other playthings for the entertainment of wealthy clients.
  Sophian
  Universal Bonuses: +1 attack bonus against enemies of Sophia
  Allowed Classes
  Skill Bonuses
  Fighter
  Aimed Shot Bonus +1
  Nat. Philosopher
  Diplomacy +1, Knowledge(engineering) +1, Knowledge(nature)+2
  Ranger
  Diplomacy +1, Knowledge(nature)+1, Wilderness Lore +1
  The Sophian Character:
  The Republic of Sophia is a new kind of state -- one where the ideals of freethinking radical
  philosophers have been put into practice in a kind of grand experiment in freedom and
  rational government. Sophian PCs are often iconoclasts, free-spirits, radicals, or idealists,
  who are willing to live and let live -- unless you deprive them of their freedom or threaten the
  survival of the Republic itself. Their loyalty is seldom to an individual, but rather to a cause
  or ideal. They are often seen as upstarts or ingrates by the established governments of other
  nations, and may not be welcome in areas with a strong monarchy, such as Carolingia.
  Universal Bonus: All Sophians receive a +1 attack bonus against the agents of any nation in a
  state of war with the Republic of Sophia.
  Sophian Fighter (Social Rank 2d10 +3)
  All adult Sophians receive basic military training as members of the militia, but only the best
  fighters are called to join her small professional army, serving either as musketeers or dra-
  goons. Sophian fighter PCs may active soldiers or ex-soldiers, but seldom mercenaries, since
  such troops are outlawed in the Republic. However, the government does allow foreign
  “patriots” to serve in the professional army, so a Sophian fighter may actually be French,
  Moorish, Algonkian, or from another sympathetic nation.
  Note: Because they are used to being outnumbered, Sophian fighters are trained to make
  every shot count; they receive a +1 attack bonus if they spend a round aiming as a full action
  before making any ranged attack other than casting a spell.
  For initial gear for Sophian fighters, see the sidebar on this page.
  Sophian Natural Philosopher (Social Rank d10+10)
  Sophian natural philosophers are highly respected by most of their fellow citizens for their
  contributions to everyone’s comfort, health, and safety. The emphasis of many Sophian sci-
  entists’ work is toward practical inventions that improve the quality of life for all people,
  rather than the pursuit of esoteric questions. Others study political science, seeking to per-
  fect the process of government. The study of the natural world is also important, especially
  regarding the usefulness of plants for agriculture and medicine. In this capacity, natural
  philosophers are often attached to Armie of Discoverie missions into the interior. Their
  diplomatic skills also are of use when making contact with other cultures west of the moun-
  Sophian Fighter Initial Gear
  Armor
  Social Rank
  Gear
  4-6 (Pikeman)
  buff coat
  7-10 (Musketeer)
  buff coat
  11-15 (Dragoon)
  buff coat
  16+ (Cavalier)
  buff coat, cuirass
  Weapons (all fighters have a dagger, plus):
  Rank
  Weapons
  4-6 
  broadsword, musket w/rest
  7-10
  broadsword, snaphance musket
  11-15
  broadsword, 2 horse pistols
  16+
  rapier or broadsword, 2 horse pistols,
  caliver
  Horses
  Social Rank
  Horse
  11-15
  light warhorse
  16+
  heavy warhorse
  Sophian Ranger Organization, by
  Experience Level
  Level 1-2 Ranger
  Level 3
  Ensign
  Level 4
  Seargent
  Level 5+ Captain of Rangers
  Initial equipment for all Sophian rangers includes
  a snaphance musket, hand axe, dagger, compass,
  mapping tools, and full wilderness gear.
  Character Creation 33
  
  tains.
  Sophian natural philosophers of level 3+ may become associate members of the Virtuosi, a
  society dedicated to advancing the sciences for the benefit of humanity. Full membership is
  conferred only by invitation of Chiron Franklin, the society’s president.
  Sophian Ranger (Social Rank d8+3)
  Situated on the edge of the wilderness, Sophia needs many skilled rangers to guard her bor-
  ders against foreign spies, to open trade routes to the interior, and to guide her regular
  troops in times of war. Sophian rangers are like the Coureurs in many respects, affecting a
  mix of European and native survival strategies and gear, but they are typically better
  equipped, with snaphance muskets, compasses, and surveying tools.
  Rangers form the backbone of Philathelias Jeferson’s Armie of Discoverie, whose mission is
  to explore the interior of the continent. They may be called on to make first contact with
  other nations, to map the wilderness, to capture foreign spies, or blaze a path for later
  traders to follow. The Armie is organized along military lines; see the sidebar for more info.
  Witchling
  Universal Bonuses: +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear; 60’ darkvision
  Allowed Classes
  Skill Bonuses
  Barbarian
  Intimidate +3
  Bard
  Sense Motive +2
  Fighter
  none
  Ranger
  Animal Empathy +1, Hide +2
  Rogue
  Disguise +2, Hide +2, Sense Motive +1
  Sorceror
  Scry +2, Spellcraft +2
  Witch
  Sense Motive +2, Scry +2
  Wizard
  Knowledge(arcana) +2, Scry +1, Spellcraft +1
  The Witchling Character:
  People of magic, mystery, and the night, Witchlings are feared and hated by their neighbors,
  but they are by no means inherently evil or even magical. In a Witchling stronghold, such as
  Naumkeag or Edinburgh, one can find ordinary soldiers, servants, and tradesmen, as well as
  sorcerors and witches. No one can deny, however, that all Witchlings share a tolerance of
  sorcery and trafficking with the spirit world. “Do as you will” is the Witchling credo, “(but
  harm none)” many will add, although there are indeed truly wicked witches among the
  Witchlings, as there are truly evil people everywhere). An attitude of laissez-faire is typical of
  Witchling society, of minding one’s own affairs.
  Witchlings tend to be clannish, and keep to themselves when traveling away from their
  strongholds. They have no identifying costume, other than perhaps favoring black clothing
  with black lace, because simply to be recognized as a Witchling is fatal in many lands. A
  Witchling PC will tend to be cautious, discreet, and not easily befriended by non-Witchlings.
  Multiclass characters combining sorceror or witch with a second class such as bard, fighter,
  or ranger are quite common among the Witchlings, as one might expect in a society where
  magical ability is cultivated. The combination of wizard class with sorceror or witch is also
  common, since witches value the added knowledge that comes from academic magic.
  Universal Bonuses: Due to their familiarity with magic and the spirit world, all Witchling PCs
  receive a +2 bonus to saving throws against fear. Their proximity to the World of Shadows
  Witchling Witch Gear, by Experience
  Level
  Level
  Gear
  1st
  shortbow with arrows
  one poisoned arrow
  one poisoned thorn
  dagger
  2rd
  Add broom of flying
  Add one poisoned arrow
  3rd - 7th Add one poisoned arrow per level
  8th
  Add flying mount (goat)
  34 Character Creation 
  
  gives them 60’ darkvision as well.
  Witchling Barbarian (Social Rank 1d20+3)
  From the Highlands of Scotland and the shores of the Dniepr come formidable warriors who
  engage in solemn pacts to protect the witches of their homeland, in exchange for charms and
  healing magic. Those who leave their clan to serve the witches become Witchlings in the
  eyes of their former countrymen, unwelcome in their own homelands, cursed and feared.
  Their battle prowess and ferocity earn them important positions as bodyguards to members
  of the coven, and in exchange, they receive treasure and magical power from their new mas-
  ters. Many stories are told of love affairs between clansmen and witches; children of such
  unions are usually raised as witches or soldiers, depending on their aptitude.
  Witchling barbarians wear native costume, usually with the addition of a black feather to
  their headgear, to indicate their loyalty. (See Gael barbarian for initial equipment).
  Witchling Bard (Social Rank 3d6+3)
  As in many other lands, Witchling strongholds have their performers and poets. They are not
  as free to wander as are other bards, but the witches appreciate the magic within rhyme and
  music, and hold their bards in high esteem. Those who do dare ply their trade in other lands
  often act as spies for the witches, or at the very least, gatherers of news. It is said that the
  witches give them something of their gift for human intuition and the reading of hearts.
  Witchling Fighter (Social Rank 3d6)
  The arts of war are not held in as high regard among the Witchlings as in other lands, but
  they do recognize the value of trained soldiers as a practical matter. With little chance of ris-
  ing to the aristocracy, Witchling soldiers tend to be outlaws or desperate men and women,
  with no place else to go. Often, veteran soldiers will enter service with the witches in
  exchange for some magical service: the lifting of a curse, the curing of an old wound, or a few
  extra years of youth and vigor. 
  Those born to Witchling parents, however, are of a different character entirely: not profi-
  cient in magic, they put a certain zeal into defending their homeland and striking out against
  their enemies. Multiclass witches who combine sorcery and fighting are quite common; they
  are usually from the upper levels of Witchling society, and act as captains of ordinary
  Witchling companies.
  For initial equipment for a Witchling fighter, see the entry for Commonwealth fighters.
  Witchling Ranger (Social Rank 2d6)
  Witchling rangers are almost always multiclass witch/rangers or sorceror/rangers. They
  lead patrols of witches along the perimeter of Witchling lands, or conduct forays into enemy
  territory as scouts and spies. They wear gray jackets and hose, with black cloaks, broad hats,
  and high black boots. Their companion animals tend to be ravens, crows, adders, or wolves.
  Witchling Rogue (Social Rank 1d6-1)
  Like other Witchling PCs, rogues are often multiclass sorcerors or witches. A Witchling
  rogue can either be a true rogue, working outside the system as a thief, a swindler, or a spy
  for one of the many dissident factions that typically breed in a Witchling stronghold; or a
  legitimate servant of the coven, hired to act as a spy or mischief-maker in neighboring enemy
  lands. Because anonymity is limited within the typically small population of a Witch enclave,
  Witchling rogues often become masters of disguise, and are particularly adept at staying hid-
  den. Witchling darkvision gives them an edge in foreign territory, but is obviously not as
  Character Creation 35
  
  useful in Witchling lands, where nearly everyone has the same advantage.
  Witchling Sorceror (Social Rank 2d6+6)
  As one of the few lands where such practices are not punishable by death or even frowned
  upon, Witchling strongholds attract more than their share of sorcerors. However, they do
  not carry the prestige of witches, and tend to remain in the middle of the social order, out-
  side of the inner circle of the coven (although exceptions exist, especially for multiclass sor-
  ceror/witches, whose relatively high charisma and wisdom makes them natural coven lead-
  ers). As a result, Witchling sorcerors are often loners, and are said to consort with rogues to
  work for their own profit rather than for the good of the coven.
  To keep charismatic sorcerors at a safe distance, the coven often sends them on errands to
  the outside world, as secret agents or message-carriers to foreign covens. They can pass as
  ordinary citizens more easily than witches, and unlike wizards, they need no incriminating
  spellbooks.
  Witchling sorcerors usually dress in the black-upon-black garb of the witches, but are said to
  carry it off with more flare and flash, suitable to their character.
  Witchling Witch (Social Rank 2d6+10)
  Hunted down on sight in other areas, witches are at the top of the social order in Witchling
  lands. They form the core of the coven, the governing body of a Witchling enclave. They also
  make up the Flight, which is the airborne army of the witches, mobilized to defend an
  enclave or punish the transgressions of a neighbor. To clarify a matter of some debate, witch-
  es can be either male or female, but the talent seems to run most strongly among daughters
  rather than sons; only about 1 in 10 witches is a male, known as a warlock. For more infor-
  mation on witches, read the description of the witch character classes later in this book.
  Witchling Wizard (Social Rank 2d6+4)
  Wizards in Witchling lands are often looked upon as mere technicians, rather than as true
  practitioners of the Art, but multiclass wizards/witches are highly respected, for they are
  considered to have cultivated their native talent through academic study. Many witches find
  wizards vaguely threatening, perhaps because they learn their magic without the risk of traf-
  ficking with evil spirits, which seems an easy out to them.
  Why do I need Social Rank 
  in my Campaign?
  It is strongly recommended that all PCs
  acknowledge the rules of social conduct in the
  game, and that the DM provide consequences
  when the rules are flouted in the presence of
  NPCs.The period feel of a historical game large-
  ly depends on the willingness of the players to
  accept the social conventions of the era, and on
  a consistent treatment of these conventions by
  the DM.To ignore social ranks is to rob the
  campaign of much of its tension, and to take
  away an incentive for PC advancement in the
  form of priveleges accorded to PCs of higher
  rank.The plots of classic adventure fiction set in
  this era often hang on matters of rank and priv-
  elege, the social ambitions of low-born charac-
  ters, and schemes involving impersonation of the
  nobility.
  Social Rank 
  for Algonkians, Buccaneers,
  and Witchlings
  The social ranks described in this chapter are
  based on the cultures of Europe, because they
  are familiar, and apply to nearly all of the charac-
  ter identities in the game. Notably absent is the
  social system of Algonkians, Buccaneers, and
  Witchlings.These societies are covered in their
  own chapters later in this book. For now, just
  roll your initial social rank and record it on your
  character sheet.The DM will give you informa-
  tion about it before the start of the campaign.
  Applying Social Rank to the Game
  How does social rank actuallly work in the
  course of a Septentrionalis campaign? At its most
  basic level, social rank strongly influences the
  kind of relationships which are proper between
  characters of different ranks. For example, a
  knight PC should not publicly associate with a
  laborer PC unless there is an easily accepted
  explanation, such as the laborer being his tenant
  or servant. If other knights were to see him
  chumming around in a tavern with a laborer, he
  would lose “credit” with them, meaning they
  would no longer accept him as an equal. And
  the laborer would lose credit among his peers,
  too, for being too familiar with someone above
  his station in life.
  All this talk of rules and ranks doesn’t mean that
  you can’t have a party of PCs with widely differ-
  ing social ranks. It just means that players may
  have to maintain some ruses or fictions in public
  to avoid negative reactions from NPCs.
  36 Character Creation 
  
  Social Rank
  In this era, society is divided into the courtly and the common, with several degrees of rank
  within these two major distinctions. Every man and woman is expected to know his or her
  place in this social order, and to dress, eat, speak, and behave appropriately. It is not unusual
  for a person of ambition to advance within the social order, but he or she had better know the
  rules, or such advancements will be short-lived.
  After choosing your PC’s identity and class, make a die roll as indicated in the identity/class
  description to determine the character’s social rank (SocR):
  Table: Social Ranks
  Courtly Ranks:
  Class
  SocR
  Earnings/Month
  Expenses/Month
  Royal
  41+
  SocR x 16 gp (income, rents & preferments)
  500 gp
  Noble
  26-40
  SocR x 6 gp (income, rents & preferments)
  100 gp
  Knight
  21-25
  SocR x 4 gp (income, rents & preferments)
  50 gp
  Gentry
  16-20
  SocR x 3 gp (income & rents)
  30 gp
  Common Ranks:
  Class
  SocR
  Earnings/Month
  Expenses/Month
  Burgess
  11-15
  SocR x 3 gp (income & rents)
  20 gp
  Tradesman
  7-10
  SocR x 2 gp (wages)
  10 gp
  Yeoman
  4-6
  SocR x 1 gp (income)
  3 gp
  Laborer
  1-3
  SocR x 1/4 gp (wages)
  0
  Marginal
  0 or less 1d3g (charity)
  0
  Royal
  Royal rank is restricted to members of the immediate family of the reigning monarch and his
  or her predecessors, including spouses, siblings, and their children. To have royal blood sets
  one so high above even the nobility, that all but the most powerful individuals will treat a
  royal character as another species, remote, mysterious, even divine. Either that, or they will
  consider you a ripe target for bribery, abduction, or assassination. Certes, to be a member of
  this class is a mixed blessing.
  As a royal, you live in one of several palaces or great castles. Unless you are the monarch her-
  self, you are most likely a prince or princess. You spend your days in the leisure pursuits of
  the nobility: hunting, hawking, riding, dancing, wrestling, and fighting, and you are also
  inevitably involved in the highest intrigues of the court.
  Noble
  Nobles are titled members of the courtly ranks, fit to associate with the royal family, but less
  isolated from the vicissitudes of real life. The most important offices of State are usually held
  by members of this class, providing them with additional power, prestige, and income.
  Nobles have titles like duke or duchess, marquis or marchioness, earl or countess, viscount
  or viscountess, baron or baroness. These are usually territorial titles, meaning that they are
  associated with an area of land, called a duchy, march, earldom, county, or barony. A noble’s
  title passes to his or her eldest child, while younger children become part of the gentry once
  they achieve their maturity. 
  A List of Courtly Titles
  Royal:
  King
  Queen
  Royal Prince
  Royal Princess
  Noble:
  Duke
  Duchess
  Marquis
  Marchioness
  Earl/Count
  Countess
  Viscount
  Viscountess
  Baron
  Baroness
  Knightly:
  Knight Banneret
  (no equivalent)
  Knight Bachelor
  Dame
  Gentleman
  Gentlewoman
  Sources of Earnings for Player
  Characters
  Charity:
  You have no steady source of income other
  than handouts. Requires you to work seven days
  a week, 4-6 hours per day.
  Wages:
  You perform physical labor for others and
  receive pay for it. Requires you to work six days
  a week, 10 hours per day.
  Income:
  You make money from your investments in vari-
  ous business ventures. Requires no work.
  Rents:
  You own properties or land and charge others
  rent to live on it. Requires no work.
  Preferments:
  You possess one or more appointed offices
  which come with an important-sounding title
  and a stipend. Requires typically no more than
  one day of work per week.
  Do you receive Earnings 
  during Adventures?
  A character only receives earnings from wages
  and charity if he spends the required hours
  working.Typically, this is only possible between
  adventures. But a character who receives earn-
  ings from income and rents collects them
  regardless of whether he is at home or not.
  Preferments can typically be left in charge of an
  appointed subordinate for several months, but
  cannot be abandoned indefinitely -- it is consid-
  ered ill-mannered not to show up at your office
  at least a few times a year!
  Character Creation 37
  
  As a noble, you live on a great estate, either manor or castle, depending on the stability of
  the local populace and your proximity to hostile neighbors. You may spend much of your
  time away at court, attending the royal family and vying for favor against your fellow nobles.
  That is, of course, unless you have offended the monarch, in which case you may be impris-
  oned, exiled, stripped of your title, or executed.
  Knight
  Neither noble nor common, knights are a class in themselves. Knights (the equivalent rank
  for women is “Dame”) are created at the will of the monarch, usually for some great service
  to the crown. They do not pass their knightly rank to their children, who instead become
  members of the gentry. A distinction is made between the ordinary knight, called a Knight
  Bachelor, and the very rare Knight Banneret, who wins his title on the battlefield for doing
  great honor for his monarch.
  As a knight, you will have a modest estate with a comfortable house. Your duties will include
  serving at court when summoned, and defending the nation as a soldier in times of war.
  Gentry
  The gentry is composed of families who are descended from titled nobility and knights. All
  that is required is a single noble or knightly ancestor. The gentry is the class of the country
  squire, sometimes scarcely more prosperous than his common neighbors, but with an aura of
  pomp and grandeur, however slight or faded.
  As a gentleman or lady, you will maintain a small family estate, and live off the income of your
  tenants, plus whatever old money that hasn’t been squandered by your ancestors. Your
  manor house is probably in need of repair, but still quite comfortable by common standards.
  Burgess
  Burgesses represent the wealthiest of the new mercantile classes. They signal a shift in the
  centers of power from rural landholders to urban men and women of commerce. Burgesses
  are powerful enough to have a say in city government, and perhaps national government as
  well, though as “new money” they lack the prestige of the nobility.
  As a burgess, you live in a grand townhouse, perhaps occupying an entire city block. Your
  income comes from overseas trade, banking, and the rent paid to you as landlord of city
  properties.
  Tradesman
  Tradesmen form the backbone of the skilled crafts, formally organized into powerful guilds,
  but now losing power to the burgesses. As skilled workers, they retain more status than ordi-
  nary farmers and laborers.
  As a tradesman or tradeswoman, you live in a modest house in a city or town, with the
  ground floor occupied by your workshop and the upper floors as your family’s living quar-
  ters. You earn good wages for your work, but the hours are long and the conditions often dif-
  ficult.
  38 Character Creation 
  
  Yeoman
  The yeoman is the freeman farmer, meaning that he is free to farm the land as he pleases,
  even though it is likely rented from a knight or gentleman. Many of the soldiery are drawn
  from this class; in former times, they supplied longbowmen to the royal army, but now, they
  often become mercenaries or else leave the farm for opportunities in the city or overseas.
  As a yeoman, you live in a well-kept cottage near the land that your family farms. You earn a
  little money selling your produce at market, but most of your labor goes simply to feed your
  family and maintain your farm.
  Laborer
  Also known as a mechanical or peasant, the laborer works entirely for the benefit his lord,
  either as a manual laborer or servant. The work is often dirty and exhausting, even danger-
  ous, and life is often short and brutal.
  As a laborer, you sleep in an attic, a barn, or on your master’s floor, as you can. The little
  money you earn is barely sufficient to keep you in the neccessaries of life.
  Marginal
  You are a vagrant, a wanderer, maybe even a criminal. Your home is the street, and you rely
  on charity and your own wits to scrape by.
  How Social Rank affects Play:
  All PCs start with a Social Rank (SocR) randomly determined within the range indicated by
  their identity and character class. This initial social rank determines:
  •your rules of conduct (how you are expected to behave)
  •your priveleges of rank (how others are expected to treat you)
  •your monthly earnings and expenses
  •the sources of your income
  The Rules of Conduct:
  Especially among the courtly ranks, the standard of behavior for individuals can be strict and
  quite complex with regards to dress, speech, entertainments, and vocation. For the lower
  ranks, the rules are perhaps less complex but no less strict. The following rules are universal
  in polite culture:
  •It is considered impertinent to address members of a non-adjacent higher rank without
  being spoken to first, (eg., a tradesman cannot address a member of the gentry).
  •It is considered indecent to associate with members of a non-adjacent lower class, for
  example, a nobleman associating with members of the mere gentry. The exception is if the
  person of lower rank is clearly one’s servant or employee. 
  •You must show courtesy to all ranks. See “Priveleges of Rank”, below.
  Disguising Your Social Rank
  It’s very hard to pass yourself off as a member
  of a higher rank. Each rank has its own manners,
  speech, and dress, which are difficult to fake. A
  PC with a Disguise skill and the appropriate
  clothing can do it, with a base DC of 10+5
  points for each difference in rank. For example, a
  yeoman impersonating a gentleman would have
  a DC of 10+(3x5)=25, because Gentleman is
  three ranks removed from Yeoman. Attempts to
  pass oneself off as a lower rank are just as diffi-
  cult.
  Buying Your Way into a Higher Rank
  If a PC has enough money, she can buy her way
  into the next higher rank by spending money for
  6 months at the monthly expenses rate for the
  higher class. For example, the widow Cutler, a
  burgess, wishes to rise to the gentry. She begins
  spending 30gp per month on food, servants, and
  clothing, perhaps also renting a country estate.
  After 6 months at this level of expenses, her
  neighbors conclude she is in effect a member of
  the gentry, and treat her as such. However, her
  actual social rank does not increase, and real
  members of the gentry will certainly not be
  fooled, only members of her own rank of
  burgess and lower.
  Character Creation 39
  
  Priveleges of Rank
  The coinage of social interaction is “courtesy”, meaning not only the gestures of politeness,
  but respect for one’s own place in the social order and for the place of others, whether higher
  or lower. 
  •When showing courtesy to someone of higher rank, you are expected to bow when greet-
  ing them, not speak unless addressed, and not leave until you are dismissed. You do not pub-
  licly challenge the decisions of higher individuals, and you do not adopt a familiar tone when
  speaking with them.
  •Showing courtesy to someone of lower rank means not becoming too familiar with them,
  either. To treat a servant as a friend is demeaning to you and embarassing to the servant --
  who would want a master who didn’t know his place in the world? It also means rewarding
  one’s servants with appropriate gifts for good service, and treating them well (without spoil-
  ing them, of course).
  •Only among one’s peers (and maybe one’s spouse) can a PC really relax and adopt a more
  informal manner. A burgess in a meeting with his fellow merchants, a yeoman rubbing
  elbows with his mates in a tavern, or a duchess riding through the park with her cousin the
  Countess, can all drop their formal personae. Unless of course, there are servants around,
  who must never be exposed to their masters’ casual side!
  Earnings
  It is assumed that most PCs will have one or more sources of income. Depending on your
  social rank, your monthly earnings come from one or more sources. See the sidebar for
  details about the various ways that PCs make money.
  Expenses
  Your clothes, food, and chambers must be suitable to your rank. The monthly expenditure
  listed in the Social Rank table indicates the minimum amount of money you must spend each
  month to keep up the appearances of your rank. Failure to do so drops your SocR to the top
  of the next-highest rank for purposes of whom you may associate with and receive courtesy
  from. Your SocR is restored only when you begin to spend money appropriate to your class.
  Advancement:
  Central to the idea of social rank is the idea that PCs can climb in rank as they advance in
  experience. In this era, people of ambition and talent can indeed rise above their station in
  life, even making the transition from common to courtly in rare cases! The details of social
  rank advancement are as follows:
  •Each time a PC gains an experience level, add +1 to his or her SocR.
  •A PC of common rank cannot rise above burgess (SocR 15) unless given a knighthood or
  other title.
  •A PC of courtly rank cannot rise above the highest SocR of his initial rank unless knighted
  or given a title. For example, a knight can’t rise above SocR 25 unless elevated to the nobili-
  ty. To be “created” a lord happens in one of two ways: either as a reward from the monarch
  40 Character Creation 
  
  for some great service to the realm, or by purchasing a vacant title. The selling of titles was a
  common practice in the 17th century, as a means of raising quick money for the royal treas-
  ury, despite warnings that this practice devaluated the prestige of the court by packing it
  with overmoneyed social climbers of low birth.
  New Character Classes:
  Witch, Natural Philosopher
  In addition to the standard D&D classes (minus monk, which is not appropriate for the cam-
  paign setting), Septentrionalis offers three new witch classes and a natural philosopher class
  for player characters. 
  Witch Character Class
  The witch class actually includes three very different types of witch: wild witch, coven witch,
  and hexe. Most PCs will be coven witches or wild witches, since the hexe class is of evil align-
  ment, but all three types are described below.
  Wild Witch
  A spellcasting character class that features some druid abilities, limited weapon and armor
  proficiency, and sorceror-style casting from the druid spell list. Must be chaotic good or chaot-
  ic neutral.
  In the deep forests, in the tangled swamps, on fog-shrouded moors they dwell, in caves, in
  trees, in holes in riverbanks. They are daughters of earth, wood, water, and sky. Even the
  druids dread the natural forces at their command. To meet one upon a lonely road is to know
  fear, for their curses have the power of all nature behind them, and their prophecies never
  err. To have one as an ally is a gift indeed, for they seldom take up with others, not even their
  own kind.
  Adventures: Wild witches only cooperate with others to protect their fellow inhabitants of
  the wild, whether they are animals, trees, or other people of field and forest, like herders,
  druids, rangers and farmers. If some outrage has been committed against the natural world,
  wild witches become vengeful furies until the transgressor has been found and punished,
  preferably with a nasty curse. Common incentives for risking life and limb, like fame, power,
  or treasure mean nothing to them. They are only interested in restoring balance to the wild,
  and failing that, to exact a price upon those who upset it.
  Characteristics: Wild witches draw their arcane spell power from nature. They are in effect
  a sentient extension or avatar of the living world around them, and therefore they see noth-
  ing supernatural in the druid-like abilities that they gain as they advance. They do not learn
  their powers from books, but rather from listening to and observing natural phenomena, like
  the play of wind through the leaves, the angry clash of lightning, and the strength of a mighty
  oak. This experience of oneness with nature allows them to develop deep bonds with the ani-
  Character Creation 41
  
  mals who become their companions, guides, and protectors. Their limited contact with civi-
  lization restricts wild witches to the use of a few simple weapons.
  Alignment: Wild witches tend strongly to chaos, being opposed to the aims of civilization.
  They can be good or neutral, depending on whether they see themselves as active caretakers
  of the wilderness, or merely as an integral part of it, just as subject to its laws as any other
  creature. 
  Religion: The faith of the witch is that of the earth as universal mother. They see divinity in
  every aspect of nature, as though the world itself were literally the body of a divine being.
  Consequently, they have little use for the organized faiths of the civilized world, which often
  have sought to persecute them.
  Background: Wild witches often begin life, it is said, as children who become lost or aban-
  doned in the woods. They are raised by the forest itself, and groomed to serve as its guardian
  and avenger. Others are adopted as young children by an older witch who needs a successor.
  In some rural or nomadic cultures, the child is given as an offering by its parents; in other
  places, a child whose parents have been slain by forest animals or have met a fatal accident is
  rescued in by the older witch and raised as her own.
  Wild witches have no organization or governing body; they live independently of one anoth-
  er, seldom crossing paths, each one being associated with a particular forest, moor, or
  swamp. Only a great threat can overcome their chaotic tendencies and inspire them to work
  as a group, and then, only until the threat is overcome.
  Identities: Wild witches are found along the margins of settled areas, where the human and
  natural worlds meet. In the Septentrionalis campaign setting, they occur in all lands, but
  infrequently. In Algonkian lands, where they are revered and feared, they are known as
  skwannit, after the name of the women’s goddess of that culture.
  Other Classes: Wild witches don’t particularly like to associate with anyone, but they find
  the company of barbarians, druids, and rangers more tolerable than others. They tend to dis-
  like clerics of lawful alignment, and especially paladins, whose focus on protecting people
  rather than preserving life as a whole seems shortsighted to them.
  Wild Witch Game Rule Information
  Wild witches have the following game abilities:
  Abilities: Wisdom determines the power of a wild witch’s spells, how many she can cast, and
  the spell resistance. The number of spells she knows, and the number she can cast per day
  are determined according to the rules for sorceror class characters in the D&D Player’s
  Handbook.
  Alignment: Chaotic good or chaotic neutral.
  Hit Die: d4
  Base Attack Bonus, Saving Throws: As druid.
  1st-Level Skill Points: (3 + Wisdom modifier) x 4
  Higher Level Skill Points: 3 + Wisdom modifier
  Class Skills: Animal Empathy (Cha), Concentration (Con), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal
  (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Swim (Str), Wilderness Lore (Wis).
  42 Character Creation 
  
  Excluded Skills: Decipher Script, Read Lips, Use Magic Device.
  Wild Witch Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Limited to: quarterstaff, halfspear, shortspear, dart, dag-
  ger, and javelin. Wild witches are not proficient with armor or shields. They follow the same
  rules for spell failure while wearing armor as wizards and sorcerors.
  Spells: A wild witch casts divine spells, limited to a certain number per day, determined by
  her class level. She does not need to prepare the spell ahead of time, but simply casts it. To
  learn or cast a spell, a wild witch must have an Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell’s level.
  Her bonus spells are based on her Wisdom score (see Table 1-1, D&D Player’s Handbook,
  page 8). The number of spells she knows is equal to a sorceror-class character of the same
  level. The Difficulty class for saving throws against a wild witch’s spells is 10 + spell level +
  the witch’s Wisdom modifier. 
  Nature Sense, Animal Companion, Woodland Stride, Trackless Step, Resist Nature’s
  Lure, Timeless Body: A wild witch acquires these abilities as she increases in class level, per
  druids.
  Wild Witch Spell List: Wild witches use the standard druid spell list.
  Ex-Wild Witches: A wild witch who changes to a lawful or evil alignment loses all spells and
  druid-derived abilities, and cannot gain levels as a wild witch until she atones (see atonement
  spell description in the D&D PHB).
  Coven Witch
  A variant of the wizard class, using the bard spell list, with slightly improved combat abilities
  and a fiendish servant. Coven witches can share spells and maintain an empathic link among
  themselves.
  Black cats and broomsticks. Moonlight meetings in a forest glade. The coven witch is the
  witch of popular imagination, dressed in black and accompanied by her devil-sent imp. She is
  a member of an ancient sisterhood, said to reach back to the dawn of time, when arcane
  knowledge was wrested from powerful and dangerous outsiders, rather than learned from
  books. Although not neccessarily evil, coven witches certainly traffick with fiends to gain
  their powers, either binding the evil spirits and forcing them to reveal their secrets, or sign-
  ing infernal compacts to gain a measure of their power in exchange for one’s soul.
  Adventures: Coven witches usually choose quests that will benefit their coven as a whole: to
  rescue a captive witch, to avenge some harm done to a coven member, or to contain a chaotic
  force that threatens to upset the balance of the natural order. They often travel in disguise,
  for fear of arrest by church officials. Subtlety and secrecy are the hallmarks of a coven witch
  on a mission, using her magic to confuse, delay, and distract, then choosing her foe’s most
  vulnerable moment to attack.
  Characteristics: Coven witches are spellcasters. Like wizards, they memorize spells ahead
  Character Creation 43
  
  of time, but learn them not from a book but from their imp. They are able to use most magic
  items, although they cannot make their own, unless multiclassed as a wizard or sorceror (a
  common practice).
  Coven witches are somewhat more adept at fighting than wizards, having been forced to
  defend themselves as a people from many enemies over the centuries. They are skilled in a
  limited range of weapons, but wear no armor.
  Alignment: Coven witches may be of any lawful alignment, whether good, neutral, or evil.
  This is reflected in the hierarchy of the coven, with a well-defined order of seniority seldom
  challenged by junior members. The laws of the coven are strict, and punishments severe --
  witches of chaotic aligment seldom remain in a coven for very long.
  Religion: As it is for wild witches, the faith of the coven witch is that of the earth as universal
  mother, but with more of an emphasis on the responsibilities of humans as children of moth-
  er earth rather than on reverence for the earth itself. Evil coven witches are said to worship
  the outsiders who grant them their powers, which makes them foolish and contemptible in
  the eyes of good witches everywhere.
  Background: Most coven witches have been raised in a Witchling enclave from birth, learn-
  ing their skills from their parents and other coven members, who raise them communally.
  Young coven witches often find a mentor in an older witch, who guides them through their
  first attempts to harness the powers of the spirit world, and sponsors their admission into the
  coven.
  Identities: The world’s great Witchling enclaves are on the coast of Septentrionalis at
  Naumkeag, and in the Witch-kingdom of the Scots. Smaller covens exist in Albion, the Gael
  lands, France, and many other places, usually in secret, for fear of persecution.
  Other Classes: A Witchling enclave includes people of many character classes, all of whom
  are sympathetic to (or at least willing to serve) the coven. As a result, coven witches are agre-
  able to working with other classes, including barbarians, fighters, rangers, rogues, and sor-
  cerors, as long as they are not opposed to the practice of witchcraft. Druids are respected for
  their connection with nature, as long as the druid is not of an opposed alignment. Clerics
  and paladins are likely to provoke extremely negative reactions from coven witches, who are
  always mindful of the many persecutions they have suffered at the hands of the church.
  Cooperation in this case is only possible if the witch feels she has a powerful motive to sup-
  press her anger and resentment, like a common enemy, or the chance to restore balance
  between the spirit world and the visible world. Wizards can expect to receive a cool reaction
  from coven witches, who consider them mere dabblers who perform magic by rote, rather
  than by heart. (However, it is not uncommon for a witch to augment her own power by being
  a multiclass witch/wizard)!
  Coven Witch Game Rule Information
  Coven witches have the following game abilities:
  Abilities: Intelligence determines the power of a coven witch’s spells, how many she can
  cast, and the spell resistance. The number of spells she knows, and the number she can cast
  per day are determined according to the rules for wizard class characters in the D&D
  44 Character Creation 
  
  Player’s Handbook.
  Alignment: Lawful (any).
  Hit Die: d4
  Base Attack Bonus, Saving Throws: As wizard.
  1st-Level Skill Points: (2 + Intelligence modifier) x 4
  Higher Level Skill Points: 2 + Intilligence modifier
  Class Skills: Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Hide (Dex),
  Knowledge (any), Move Silently (Dex), Scry (Int), Spellcraft (Int)
  Excluded Skills: Decipher Script, Read Lips, Use Magic Device.
  Coven Witch Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Limited to: quarterstaff, halfspear, shortspear, dart, dag-
  ger, shortbow, and javelin. Coven witches are not proficient with armor or shields. They fol-
  low the same rules for spell failure while wearing armor as wizards and sorcerors.
  Spells: A coven witch casts arcane spells, limited to a certain number per day, determined by
  her class level. She must learn her spells ahead of time, by communicating with her imp for
  one hour following a full night’s rest. To learn or cast a spell, a coven witch must have an
  Intelligence score of at least 10 + the spell’s level. Her bonus spells are based on her
  Intelligence score (see Table 1-1, D&D Player’s Handbook, page 8). Like a wizard, she may
  know any number of spells. The Difficulty class for saving throws against a coven witch’s
  spells is 10 + spell level + the witch’s Intelligence modifier.  Coven witches earn bonus feats
  at the same rate as wizards.
  Share Spells, Empathic Link with other Witches: At level 1, a coven witch gains the ability
  to share spells with other coven witches within 5 feet. She also gains an empathic link with
  other coven witches with a range of up to one mile. (See the ability descriptions for familiars
  on page 51 of the D&D PHB). 
  Timeless Body: A coven witch acquires this ability at level 15, per druids.
  Imp: At the time the character is created, a coven witch receives an imp, which she uses in
  lieu of a spell book to memorize spells. The imp appears to be a Tiny or Small animal, usually
  a cat, rat, bat, toad, crow, adder, or dog. As the witch advances in level, the imp receives
  more spells from its devilish superiors. This is the only way a coven witch gains access to new
  spells -- she cannot learn them from other spellcasters, or from books or scrolls.
  The rules for creating an imp are the same as those for a fiendish servant in the D&D DMG.
  The imp gains the same abilities as the witch advances in level as though she were a black-
  guard of equivalent level, except that the witch can speak with the imp at level 1, rather than
  at level 13.
  If a witch’s imp is captured or separated from her, she cannot memorize spells until they are
  reunited. If slain, an imp returns to its native plane, and the witch must bargain with its irate
  masters for a replacement. This usually requires a sacrifice of 100gp x the witch’s class level,
  and a loss of 50 XP x the witch’s class level. Evil witches are exempt from these costs; since
  they have already sworn their allegiance to their outsider masters, they will receive an imme-
  diate replacement.
  Coven Witch Spell List: Coven witches use the standard bard spell list.
  Character Creation 45
  
  46 Character Creation 
  Ex-Coven Witches: A coven witch who changes to a chaotic alignment, most commonly by
  disobeying her elders or harming another witch, loses all spells and druid-derived abilities,
  loses her imp, is exiled from her coven, and cannot gain levels as a coven witch until she is
  readmitted. 
  Hexe
  A chaotic evil witch, with limited spellcasting abilities and some barbarian class abilities.
  Hexes are said to be human hags, and they do indeed share many characteristics, especially
  their malevolence and hatred of mankind. They live in dark, noisy enclaves far from settled
  lands, where they plot the destruction of mankind and the domination of the earth by their
  demonic allies.
  Adventures: Hexes are motivated by greed, revenge, and personal gain. They do not risk
  their lives for the sake of others unless they are under the domination of a strong leader
  whom they fear.
  Characteristics: Hexes, like all witches, are spellcasters. Like coven witches, they rely on
  their fiendish servants to grant them magical power. The constant struggle for survival and
  dominance within a hexe enclave cultivates more formidable physical skills than other witches
  enjoy, but with a corresponding limitation in the number of spells available to them.
  Alignment: Hexes are always chaotic evil. They are violent, underhanded, and avaricious for
  power. Their society is organized by tyranny of the strong over the weak, or alternately by
  mob rule when no strong leader is present. 
  Religion: Unlike the earth-based faith of other witches, the religion of the hexe is based on
  the worship of demonic forces. It is thought that hexes are descended from coven witches
  who were seduced into abandoning their respect for the natural order in exchange for greater
  magical power.
  Background: A typical hexe has been raised in the rough-and-tumble, tooth-and-claw envi-
  ronment of a hexe enclave, hidden in a remote swamp or mountain range. Her fighting skills
  will have been honed by the need to defend herself from other hexes and stay on top of the
  heap, while her spellcasting abilities will have been granted to her upon her taking an demon-
  imp as as a fiendish servant. To survive, most young hexes ally themselves with an older hexe
  to receive protection in exchange for servitude.
  Identities: Hexe enclaves are said to exist in the marshes of Eastern Europa and the frozen
  north, although none have ever been seen by outsiders. In a Septentrionalis campaign, hexes
  are extremely rare, although rumors of a secret effort by the hexes to establish themselves on
  the continent are spreading.
  Other Classes: Hexes are often revered by local barbarians, who provide the muscle for hexe
  attacks on civilized areas. Otherwise, hexes have little contact with other character classes,
  and do not cooperate with them easily, unless they are totally cowed by superior force.
  Clerics and paladins are especially feared and hated, and wild witches are considered deadly
  enemies, because of their opposed alignment.
  
  Hexe Game Rule Information
  Hexes have the following game abilities:
  Abilities: Intelligence determines the power of a hexe’s spells, how many she can cast, and
  the spell resistance. Like a wizard, she may know any number of spells. The number of spells
  she can cast per day are determined according to the following table:
  Alignment: Chaotic evil
  Hit Die: d4
  Base Attack Bonus, Saving Throws: As wizard.
  Class Skills: Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Hide (Dex),
  Knowledge (any), Move Silently (Dex), Scry (Int), Spellcraft (Int)
  Excluded Skills: Decipher Script, Read Lips, Use Magic Device.
  Hexe Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Limited to: dagger, punching dagger, spiked gauntlet,
  light mace, club, halfspear, shortspear, shortbow. They are proficient with light armor and
  shields, and follow the same rules for spell failure while wearing armor as wizards and sor-
  cerors.
  Spells: A hexe casts arcane spells, limited to a certain number per day, determined by her
  class level. She must learn her spells ahead of time, by communicating with her imp for one
  Character Creation 47
  Table: Hexe Spell Progression
  Level
  0
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  1
  2
  1
  2
  3
  1
  3
  4
  2
  4
  4
  2
  1
  5
  4
  3
  2
  6
  4
  3
  2
  1
  7
  4
  3
  3
  1
  8
  4
  4
  3
  2
  9
  4
  4
  4
  2
  1
  10
  4
  4
  4
  3
  1
  11
  4
  4
  4
  3
  2
  12
  4
  4
  4
  4
  3
  1
  13
  4
  4
  4
  4
  3
  2
  14
  4
  4
  4
  4
  3
  2
  1
  15
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  3
  2
  16
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  3
  2
  1
  17
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  3
  2
  18
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  3
  2
  1
  19
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  3
  2
  20
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  3
  2
  1
  
  hour following a full night’s rest. To learn or cast a spell, a hexe must have an Intelligence
  score of at least 10 + the spell’s level. Her bonus spells are based on her Intelligence score
  (see Table 1-1, D&D Player’s Handbook, page 8). The number of spells she knows is equal
  to a wizard-class character of the same level. The Difficulty class for saving throws against a
  hexe’s spells is 10 + spell level + the hexe’s Intelligence modifier. 
  Barbarian Rage, Fast Movement, Uncanny Dodge: Hexes can enter a barbarian rage once
  per day at 1st level, and twice per day at 6th level. They gain fast movement at 2nd level, and
  uncanny dodge at 5th level. See the class features for barbarians in the D&D PHB.
  Timeless Body: A hexe acquires this ability at level 15, per druids.
  Imp: see Coven Witch, above.
  Hexe Spell List: Hexes use the standard wizard/sorceror spell list.
  Ex-Hexes: A hexe who changes to a lawful or good alignment loses her imp and access to
  spells, and will be considered an enemy by members of her enclave. If she joings a coven of
  lawful witches, she will gain the spellcasting abilites and imp of a coven witch of equivalent
  level, but will lose her hexe spellcasting abilities permanently.
  Natural Philosopher Character Class
  The natural philosopher character class represents the kind of inquiring, scientifically-mind-
  ed thinker who began to replace the wizard or sage as the archetype of the learned person as
  the middle ages faded and the modern era began. Historical examples include Leonardo,
  More, Bacon, Newton, Descartes, and Franklin, among many others. As a bridge between
  medieval superstition and modern science, natural philosophers have some characteristics of
  each. They uphold reason, or logic, as the greatest power at mankind’s disposal, capable of
  solving any problem. But at the same time, they may employ alchemy, numerology, or divina-
  tion as problem-solving tools, making few distinctions between what we would call magic and
  the scientific method used by today's researchers and engineers. 
  Natural philosophers may pursue the mysteries of the life force and the body, the secrets of
  alchemy, or challenges of engineering and invention. Leonardo is the epitome of this type.
  Characters favoring the mystical aspects of the character class may try to travel to other
  planes, control the powers of the mind, predict the future, or codify the laws of magic. The
  fictional Dr. Frankenstein, although slightly later than the campaign period, is very much in
  this mould. 
  Adventures: A natural philosopher adventures in the interests of knowledge and discovery,
  seldom solely for material gain or fame. The promise of new lands, with unknown flora,
  fauna, people, and things often calls young natural philosophers to the adventuring life. Or,
  the political arena may beckon, tempting them to test their theories of good government in
  the ruthless, dangerous world of courtly society.
  Characteristics: To the untrained eye, natural philosophers seem capable of duplicating
  some of the divine powers of clerics, with miraculous feats of healing, divination, and control
  Natural Philosopher Spell List
  The following spells represent the natural
  philosopher’s spell-like effects.The associated sci-
  ence is listed in the right-hand column.
  0-Level
  Cure Minor Wounds
  Health
  Daze
  Mentalism
  Detect Magic
  Antimagic
  Detect Poison
  Health
  Inflict Minor Wounds
  Death
  Ghost Sound
  Physics
  Light
  Physics
  Mending
  Matter
  Open/Close
  Magnetism
  Purify Food and Drink
  Health
  Ray of Frost
  Matter
  Virtue
  Health
  1st Level
  Alarm
  Physics
  Color Spray
  Physics
  Comprehend Languages
  Mentalism
  Cure Light Wounds
  Health
  Detect Undead
  Antimagic
  Endure Elements
  Matter
  Entropic Shield
  Magnetism
  Hypnotism
  Mentalism
  Inflict Light Wounds
  Death
  Invisibility to Undead
  Antimagic
  Mage Armor
  Magnetism
  Obscuring Mist
  Matter
  Shocking Grasp
  Magnetism
  Tenser’s Floating Disk
  Physics
  2nd Level
  Augury
  Mentalism
  Bull’s Strength
  Health
  Calm Emotions
  Mentalism
  Cure Moderate Wounds
  Health
  Darkness
  Physics
  Detect Thoughts
  Mentalism
  Endurance
  Health
  Find Traps
  Mentalism
  Gentle Repose
  Health
  Hold Person
  Magnetism
  Inflict Moderate Wounds
  Death
  Lesser Restoration
  Health
  Levitate
  Magnetism
  Make Whole
  Matter
  Remove Paralysis
  Health
  Resist Elements
  Matter
  See Invisibility
  Antimagic
  Shatter
  Physics
  Silence
  Physics
  Sound Burst
  Physics
  Speak with Animals
  Mentalism
  3rd Level
  Blindness/Deafness
  Mentalism
  Blink
  Physics
  Contagion
  Death
  Continual Flame
  Matter
  Cure Serious Wounds
  Health
  Daylight
  Physics
  Deeper Darkness
  Physics
  Dispel Magic
  Antimagic
  Fly
  Physics
  Hold Person
  Magnetism
  Inflict Serious Wounds
  Death
  Invisibility Purge
  Antimagic
  Lightning Bolt
  Magnetism
  Locate Object
  Mentalism
  Negative Energy Protection
  Antimagic
  Obscure Object
  Mentalism
  Protection from Elements
  Matter
  Remove Blindness/Deafness
  Mentalism
  Remove Disease
  Health
  Searing Light
  Physics
  Suggestion
  Mentalism
  Water Breathing
  Matter
  (continued next page)
  48 Character Creation 
  
  of the elements. But their spell-like abilities are the product of their well-honed minds and
  scientific equipment, rather than supernatural power. They also have the power to turn
  undead creatures and resist magical spells, simply by the power of reason, which can supress
  arcane forces.
  Alignment: Natural philosophers may be of any alignment, but their rational minds tend to
  draw them towards law and away from chaos. 
  Background: All natural philosophers have a background of extensive study, whether at a
  university, with the help of a mentor, or simply through self-teaching from texts. Generally, if
  the PC has a social rank of burgess or higher, she has been to university, and will probably
  hold a minor chair there, as assistant to an older master. Characters with lower social rank
  will have apprenticed to a master, or else learned on their own. 
  As a group, natural philosophers share intense rivalries over academic prowess, but are quite
  willing to share their published results in the interests of peer review and the advancement of
  their art. A natural philosopher PC will likely be a junior member of at least one academy or
  philosophical society that may meet regularly to discuss new discoveries or argue theories,
  and publish yearly journals summarizing their findings.
  Other Classes: Natural philosophers enjoy the company of their own kind, with whom they
  share a common mindset and language. They also respect wizards’ dedication to study,
  although they may disagree with their ends. They often enjoy debating clerics over philo-
  sophical matters. As for other classes, barbarians, druids, and rangers may be admired for
  their understanding of the natural world, and other classes are met with indifference.
  Clerics, druids, paladins, witches, and sorcerors often find it hard to get along with natural
  philosophers, who consider their spell-casting abilities unnatural.
  Natural Philosopher Game Rule Information
  Hit Die: d4
  Alignment: Any
  Base Attack Bonus, Saves: As Wizard
  Class Skills: Alchemy (Int), Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher
  Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), any Knowledge (Int), Profession (Wis), Scry
  (Int), Spellcraft (Int)
  Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int. Modifier) x 4
  Skill Points at each additional level: 2 + Int. Modifier
  Natural Philosopher Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Natural philosophers are proficient with the weapons of
  the educated gentleman or lady, namely: dagger, rapier, and light guns. They have no armor
  or shield proficiency. They are not prohibited from learning any weapon and armor feats as
  they advance.
  Turn Undead: As masters of the laws of nature, members of this character class have a cler-
  ic-like ability to turn undead creatures, which are the embodiment of un-nature. Natural
  philosophers can turn undead as if they were clerics of equivalent level. They use their
  4th Level
  Air Walk
  Magnetism
  Cure Critical Wounds
  Health
  Dimension Door
  Physics
  Dimensional Anchor
  Physics
  Discern Lies
  Mentalism
  Divination
  Mentalism
  Enervation
  Death
  Inflict Critical Wounds
  Death
  Minor Globe of Invulnerability
  Antimagic
  Neutralize Poison
  Health
  Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere
  Magnetism
  Poison
  Death
  Rainbow Pattern
  Physics
  Repel Vermin
  Mentalism
  Restoration
  Health
  Scrying
  Mentalism
  Sending
  Mentalism
  Shout
  Physics
  Spell Immunity
  Antimagic
  Status
  Mentalism
  Tongues
  Mentalism
  5th Level
  Break Enchantment
  Antimagic
  Cone of Cold
  Matter
  Ethereal Jaunt
  Physics
  Fabricate
  Matter
  Hold Monster
  Magnetism
  Plane Shift
  Physics
  Raise Dead
  Health
  Slay Living
  Death
  Spell Resistance
  Antimagic
  Telekinesis
  Mentalism
  Teleport
  Physics
  True Seeing
  Mentalism
  Wall of Force
  Magnetism
  6th Level
  Antilife Shell
  Mentalism
  Chain Lightning
  Magnetism
  Control Weather
  Matter
  Disintegrate
  Matter
  Etherealness
  Physics
  Globe of Invulnerability
  Antimagic
  Greater Dispelling
  Antimagic
  Harm
  Death
  Heal
  Health
  Mass Suggestion
  Mentalism
  Repulsion
  Magnetism
  7th Level
  Destruction
  Matter
  Finger of Death
  Death
  Greater Restoration
  Health
  Greater Scrying
  Mentalism
  Insanity
  Mentalism
  Regenerate
  Health
  Repulsion
  Magnetism
  Resurrection
  Health
  Spell Turning
  Antimagic
  Teleport without Error
  Physics
  Vanish
  Physics
  8th Level
  Antimagic Field
  Antimagic
  Clone
  Death
  Discern Location
  Mentalism
  Earthquake
  Matter
  Etherealness
  Physics
  Fire Storm
  Matter
  Forcecage
  Magnetism
  9th Level
  Astral Projection
  Mentalism
  Energy Drain
  Death
  Foresight
  Mentalism
  Gate
  Physics
  Implosion
  Physics
  Storm of Vengeance
  Matter
  Teleportation Circle
  Physics
  Character Creation 49
  
  Intelligence modifier for turning checks rather than their Charisma modifier, however.
  Spell Resistance: Natural philosophers’ power of reason gives them protection from the the
  effects of magic; all natural philosophers have a Spell Resistance (SR) equal to 10 + their
  class level, to a maximum of SR 20.
  Spell-like Effects: Natural philosophers can create spell-like effects using their understand-
  ing of the laws of nature, The number of effects they can create and the number of effects
  known are determined as though they were a sorceror of equivalent level, but using their
  Intelligence rather than Charisma to determine bonus effects and effect save DCs. Like sor-
  cerors, natural philosophers do not need to memorize effects ahead of time, and can cast the
  same effect any number of times up to the maximum number allowed per day for their class
  level. See the sidebar for a list of effects available.
  At first level, natural philosophers are proficient in two of seven sciences: Antimagic, Death,
  Health, Magnetism, Matter, Mentalism, or Physics. They can only use spell-like effects
  belonging to those two sciences. At 3nd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th level, natural philosophers
  add a science to their range of proficiencies, giving them access to spell-like effects within
  that additional science.
  To produce a spell-like effects of a particular science, natural philosophers need to posess an
  apparatus appropriate to that science. This is a hand-held device capable of manipulating the
  energies associated with the science. At 1st level, a natural philosophers receive two appara-
  tuses from their university or master. As they master new sciences (see above), they can con-
  struct a new apparatus for each one at a cost of 150 gp and one week of work. If an apparatus
  is lost or destroyed, no spell-like effects can be produced until a new one is built. See the
  sidebar next page for a list of apparatuses and their appearance.
  Inventions: Unique among character classes, natural philosophers can create inventions.
  Inventions are similar to magic items, except that their powers are generated by scientific
  processes rather than magic. To invent an item, one must learn a new feat: Craft Invention.
  To take this feat, you must be a natural philosopher level 3+. 
  Inventions require the inventor to have the appropriate science as a specialty, and be at least
  the minimum natural philosopher level listed. Some common inventions include an earth-
  quake generator, a diving helmet, a quick-firing gun, and a flying machine. See the
  Inventions chapter later in this book.
  A Note on Natural Philosophers and Multiclassing:
  The natural philosopher’s spell-like effects are rather weak at first, so it might be wise to
  begin as a multiclass character, or add natural philosopher as a second class later.
  Although it may seem a conflict of interest, natural philosophers can certainly multiclass as
  sorcerors, wizards, or other spellcasters. It is within the spirit of the campaign to practice
  both magic and science without seeing any contradiction. 
  Natural Philosopher Apparatuses
  Science
  Apparatus
  Antimagic
  Copernican Clock
  Death
  Apothecary of Nessus
  Health
  Apothecary of Galen
  Magnestism
  Galvanic Belt
  Matter
  Sympathetic Fork
  Mentalism
  Cap of Mesmer
  Physics
  Prismatic Rod
  Sympathetic Fork (Matter)
  A metal fork consisting of two parallel rods, one
  made of gold and filled with sulphur, the other
  made of silver and filled with mercury, set into a
  handle of wood, ivory, or bone..When properly
  struck, the rods vibrate in sympathy with nearby
  matter, enabling the wielder to manipulate it
  with spell-like effects.
  Prismatic Rod (Physics)
  A 12” rod of faultless quartz crystal, cut and pol-
  ished into a triangular prism, and set into a
  wooden handle.When struck, the rod can cre-
  ate and amplify sound; when used as a prism, it
  can produce optical effects.When both methods
  are combined, it can create resonances that
  open portals to other planes or transport the
  wielder incredible distances.
  Galvanic Belt (Magnetism)
  A leather belt studded with magnets. Combined
  with the proper gestures, the wearer of the belt
  can create and manipulate magnetic forces, to
  draw, repel, or suspend surrounding objects and
  people, or to create and shape electrical energy.
  Cap of Mesmer (Mentalism)
  A skullcap made of finely woven, flexible silver
  thread. A properly trained wearer of the cap can
  project one’s thoughts, read the thoughts of oth-
  ers, and receive images of things far distant in
  space and time.
  Copernican Clock (Antimagic)
  A clockwork sphere about the size of an apple,
  containing many dials, gears, and wheels.When
  the dials are set to the proper marks by a
  trained operator, the motion of the gears can
  cancel or repel nearby supernatural forces.
  Apothecary of Chiron (Health)
  Named for the wise centaur of ancient myth,
  this small wooden case contains a selection of
  salves, powders, and pills, which, in the proper
  dosage and sequence, can restore health, and
  even life itself.
  Apothecary of Nessus (Death)
  Named for the centaur whose poisoned blood
  slew Hercules, this small wooden case contains a
  selection of salves, powders, and pills, which, in
  the proper dosage and sequence, can injure or
  kill, even at a distance, with the aid of a small
  bellows included in the kit.
  50 Character Creation 
  
  New Prestige Classes:
  Sea Wolf and Officer
  The Septentrionalis campaign introduces two new prestige classes. The sea wolf is the cap-
  tain of an ocean-going fighting ship, skilled in naval warfare, navigation, and the duties of
  command, whether over a crew of scurvy pirates or crack seamen. The officer prestige class
  is the terrestrial counterpart of the sea wolf, commanding a company of soldiers, either mer-
  cenaries or royal troops.
  Sea Wolf Prestige Class
  The sea wolf commands an ocean-going ship-of-war, whether it flies the flag of his own
  nation or the skull-and-crossbones of the buccaneer. He is in the select company of Drake,
  Frobisher, Kidd, and Teach. While any character with sufficient training can captain a mer-
  chant ship or small craft, only sea wolves have the skill and leadership to assemble and train a
  crew and then send them into battle on the high seas. Whether directing cannon fire or lead-
  ing a boarding party armed to the teeth with cutlass, knife, and pistol, the sea wolf is a formi-
  dable and professional fighter.
  Fighters, not surprisingly, are the most common aspirants to this class, but rogues and even
  barbarians may become sea wolves. Other character classes, except for the occasional pal-
  adin, seldom do. 
  Table: Sea Wolf Level Benefits
  Class 
  Base
  Level
  Attack 
  Bonus
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Special
  1st
  +1
  +2
  +1
  0
  Ship command, sense weather,  
  bonus weapon focus feat
  2nd
  +2
  +3
  +1
  0
  +2 save vs. cold, wind, and water
  3rd
  +3
  +3
  +2
  0
  bonus weapon focus feat
  4th
  +4
  +4
  +2
  0
  +3 save vs. cold, wind, and water
  5th
  +5
  +4
  +3
  +1
  bonus weapon focus feat
  6th
  +6
  +5
  +3
  +1
  +4 save vs. cold, wind, and water
  7th
  +7
  +5
  +4
  +1
  bonus weapon focus feat
  8th
  +8
  +6
  +4
  +2
  +5 save vs. cold, wind, and water
  9th
  +9
  +6
  +5
  +2
  bonus weapon focus feat
  10th
  +10
  +7
  +5
  +2
  +6 save vs. cold, wind, and water
  Hit Die: d10
  Sea Wolf Requirements
  To become a sea wolf, a character must meet these criteria:
  Base Attack Bonus: +6
  Knowledge (Navigation): 4 ranks
  Profession (Sail): 8 ranks
  Feats: Leadership 10+, Artillery
  Character Creation 51
  
  Sea Wolf Class Skills:Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha),
  Profession(Sailor only), Spot (Wis), Use Rope (Dex).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
  Sea Wolf Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A sea wolf is proficient with all simple and martial
  weapons, light armor, and medium armor.
  Ship Command: Upon attaining his first class level as a sea wolf, the character becomes
  captain of a ship. This happens in one of two ways. If the character can afford to build or buy
  his own ship, he may do so. The minimum cost for such a ship is 10,000 gp (the Captains
  and Crews chapter has more information about ships). Otherwise, the character may receive
  a commission in the navy of a particular nation, by presenting his credentials at court. A ship
  will be assigned to him according to his seniority -- new captains get the oldest or smallest
  ships.
  Once the ship is purchased, built, or assigned, the character may hire a crew. Whether he
  owns the ship, or is simply its commander, the crew is paid out of his own pocket. The char-
  acter’s cohort and followers must be included in the ship’s crew, usually as its officers. As
  the character’s Leadership score increases, more of the crew may become followers.
  Sense Weather: This is an extraordinary ability. It allows a sea wolf to know if the weather
  will change significantly in the next 12 hours. Upon request, the DM must tell the player if
  the weather will improve, deteriorate, or remain the same, and what direction the wind will
  come from. Particular details such as precipitation, temperature, and wind speed are not
  given.
  Saving Bonus against Cold, Wind, and Water: The life of a sea wolf inures him to even the
  worst biting cold and wind, and the deadly grasp of deep water. At 2nd level, he receives a
  +2 bonus to saving throws against all cold and wind-based effects, including (but not limited
  to) the spells Whirlwind and Cone of Cold, white dragon breath and freezing fog ability. At
  4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, the saving throw bonus increases to +3, +4, +5, and +6
  respectively. He receives the same bonus to Constitution checks against drowning (see
  DMG, page 85).
  Bonus Weapon Focus Feat: As he plies his trade, a sea wolf becomes adept with many of the
  ship-fighter’s favorite weapons. At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th levels, he acquires the
  Weapon Focus feat for one additional weapon from the following list: shortspear, cutlass,
  broadsword, snaphance pistol, wheellock pistol, club, dagger, handaxe, sap, rapier, halberd,
  longspear.
  Soldier Types
  The following types of soldier are available to
  officer prestige class PCs. All are considered to
  be warrior class NPCs unless otherwise stated
  (see D&D DMG for more information).
  Type
  Level
  SR
  Cost
  Pikeman
  1st
  4
  10 gp
  Musketeer
  1st
  7
  20 gp
  Greatsword
  1st
  4
  20 gp
  Halberdier
  1st
  7
  20 gp
  Dragoon
  2nd
  11
  30 gp
  Hussar
  2nd
  16
  60 gp
  Lansknecht
  3rd
  21
  80 gp
  Ranger
  1st
  4
  15 gp
  Gunner
  1st
  4
  40 gp*
  Sapper
  1st
  4
  30 gp**
  Level: The experience level of the soldier type at
  time of recruitment.This is relevant to both the
  soldier’s fighting ability and his eligibility to
  become a follower or cohort of the officer.
  SR:The minimum social rank of both the soldier
  type and the officer in command.
  Cost:The montly cost to the officer for each sol-
  dier of this type.
  *this includes the cost of the artillery itself. For
  every six gunners, an officer may field one small
  field piece.Three small field pieces (18 gunners)
  may be exchanged for one large one.
  **this includes the cost of the sapper’s tools and
  supplies for building earthworks, trenches, and so
  on.
  Armor and Weapons of Soldier Types
  Soldiers own their armor and weapons -- they
  are not issued by the officer.These are standard
  armor and weapons for soldier types.
  Type
  AC
  Armor
  Pikeman
  11
  Padded Coat
  Musketeer
  12
  Buff Coat
  Greatsword
  11
  Padded Coat
  Halberdier
  15
  Breastplate
  Dragoon
  15
  Breastplate
  Hussar
  17
  Cuirass w/ Tassets
  Lansknecht
  19
  Full Plate
  Ranger
  12
  Buff Coat
  Gunner
  12
  Buff Coat
  Sapper
  12
  Buff Coat
  Type
  Weapon(s)
  Pikeman
  longspear, broadsword
  Musketeer
  musket w/rest, broadsword
  Greatsword
  greatsword
  Halberdier
  halberd
  Dragoon
  caliver, broadsword
  Hussar
  lance, saber, 2 horse pistols
  Lansknecht
  lance, hammer, wheellock
  pistol
  Ranger
  snaphance musket, knife
  Gunner
  none
  Sapper
  none
  52 Character Creation 
  
  Officer Prestige Class
  The officer is a commander of troops on the battlefield, skilled in the art of war, and a natu-
  ral leader. He draws fighters to his banner by the strength of his personal reputation, and
  keeps them together by virtue of his confidence and prowess in matters of strategy, tactics,
  and supply, and by the promise of glory and gold. An officer may either be commissioned by
  his sovereign to lead a splendid regiment of royal troops, or else work as a freelance merce-
  nary captain with a hand-picked company of battle-scarred veterans. In times of peace, when
  his source of pay dries up, he may even become a bandit leader, plundering and robbing to
  keep his soldiers fed and happy until the drums of war begin to beat again!
  Fighter-class PCs, of course, are most likely to become officers, but paladins, rangers, and
  rogues also rise to positions of command, and may become formidable officers on their own
  terms, fighting for their own reasons in command of like-minded followers.
  Table: Officer Level Benefits
  Base
  Class
  Attack 
  Level
  Bonus
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Special
  1st
  +1
  +2
  +1
  0
  commission, soldier type, + 1 leadership
  2nd
  +2
  +3
  +1
  0
  soldier type
  3rd
  +3
  +3
  +2
  0
  Inspire Courage as bard, weapon focus
  4th
  +4
  +4
  +2
  0
  soldier type
  5th
  +5
  +4
  +3
  +1
  battle sense, weapon focus
  6th
  +6
  +5
  +3
  +1
  soldier type
  7th
  +7
  +5
  +4
  +1
  weapon focus
  8th
  +8
  +6
  +4
  +2
  soldier type
  9th
  +9
  +6
  +5
  +2
  weapon focus
  10th
  +10
  +7
  +5
  +2
  soldier type
  Hit Die: d10
  Officer Requirements
  To become an officer, a character must meet these criteria:
  Base Attack Bonus: +6
  Profession (Soldier): 6 ranks
  Ride: 4 ranks
  Feats: Leadership 8+, Fencing, Guns, Mounted Combat, Martial Weapon Proficiency
  Money: 500 gp minimum to purchase commission.
  Officer Class Skills: Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate
  (Cha), Profession(Soldier only), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
  Officer Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An officer is proficient with all simple and martial
  weapons and armor.
  Character Creation 53
  
  Commission: Upon attaining his first class level, an officer obtains a commission to recruit
  a company of fighters. An officer of any social rank may buy the papers neccessary to form a
  mercenary company for 500 gp. PCs with a courtly social rank (16+) may purchase a cap-
  taincy in the royal army of their sovereign for the same price. The occasion of receiving a
  royal commission is marked by the receipt of the company flag, called the colors, which rep-
  resents the sovereign’s authority, and must never be captured in battle. Once commissioned,
  an officer receives a +1 Leadership bonus which remains until the commission is lost or
  sold.
  Once commissioned, an officer can assemble a fighting company. The PC’s cohort and fol-
  lowers, if any, must be included in the company, usually as its non-commissioned officers.
  Other soldiers are recruited and paid out of the officer’s pocket, whether he is a mercenary
  or a royal officer. The maximum company size for an officer is his Leadership score x 10. If
  some of his subordinate NPCs are also officer prestige class, he may add their maximum
  company size to his own. In this way, a single PC can command an entire army, given enough
  officers.
  Soldier Type: At 1st level, an officer is familiar with one soldier type (see sidebar). His com-
  pany can only contain this type of soldier. At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th, he chooses an
  additional soldier type to add to his choice of troops to command.
  Inspire Courage: At 3rd level, an officer acquires the bardic ability Inspire Courage, but
  only among his own company. See Bard in the D&D Player’s Handbook for more informa-
  tion.
  Bonus Weapon Focus Feat: At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, an officer acquires the Weapon
  Focus feat for one additional weapon from the following list: snaphance pistol, wheellock pis-
  tol, saber, rapier, broadsword, halberd, longspear.
  Battle Sense: Starting at 5th level, an officer can sense when he is in an enemy’s sights and
  react accordingly. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC when attacked unawares or flat-foot-
  ed by any missile weapon, excluding spells and spell-like abilities.
  Feats
  The world of Septentrionalis is a place where the arts of war and science have advanced far
  beyond the levels represented in the standard fantasy campaign. To account for these
  advances, several new feats are included: Artillery, Cloak, Craft Invention, Fencing,
  Greatsword, Guns, and Polearms .
  Artillery (General)
  You can sight, load, fire, and maintain all types of field, siege, and naval artillery.
  Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1.
  Benefit: When using an artillery piece, you can make attack rolls without penalty.
  Normal: Without this feat, a character suffers a -8 penalty on attack rolls, and cannot reload
  or clear a jammed artillery piece.
  Soldier Type Descriptions:
  Pikeman: A lightly armored infantryman trained
  to fight in massed formation with a long pike.
  Used to protect musketeers from enemy cavalry
  and other pikes.
  Musketeer: An infantryman armed with a large
  musket, fired from a rest.The key offensive
  weapon of most military companies.
  Greatsword: Also called a double-pay man, hired
  to do the dangerous work of breaking up
  enemy pike units simply by wading into them.
  Or, as an ensign, guards the company colors.
  Halberdier: Heavy infantry armed with halberds
  or other polearms. Used as shock troops. Non-
  commissioned officers also fall under this cate-
  gory.
  Dragoon: Mounted infantry, which rides to the
  battle and then fights on foot. Used as scouts
  and foragers.
  Hussar: Professional cavalry, also called lancers.
  Used for battlefield charges against enemy caval-
  ry and infantry, but of limited value against well-
  directed pikes.
  Lansknecht: Also called gendarmes, these are
  heavy cavalry in full armor, with heavy lances. No
  longer very useful on the field, but still carry
  great prestige and present quite a spectacle.
  Ranger: A skirmisher, trained to fight in open
  order or on the run. Also used for scouting and
  ambushes. Despite their name, they are usually
  Warrior class NPCs.
  Gunner: An artilleryman. Cannon are usually used
  defensively, but can be devastating in attack if
  deployed quickly.They are Expert class, rather
  than Warrior class NPCs.
  Sapper: An engineer capable of digging defenses
  or building siege lines around a town.They are
  drawn from the Expert NPC class rather than
  Warrior.
  54 Character Creation 
  
  Cloak (General)
  You can use a cloak to baffle and blind opponents.
  Prerequisites: Fencing, Two Weapon Fighting.
  Benefit: You can use a cloak as an off-hand weapon, to blind, distract, or disarm an enemy. 
  Normal: Without this feat, a character with Fencing can use a rolled cloak as an off-hand
  defense, but not for attack.
  Craft Invention (Item Creation)
  You can create ingenious devices, such as flying machines, rapid-fire guns, and mechanical
  servants.
  Prerequisite: Natural Philosopher level 3rd+.
  Benefit: You can create any mechanical device whose prerequisites you meet (see the
  Inventions chapter later in this book). Creating and testing a prototype invention takes 1 day
  for each 100gp in its price. Once a successful prototype has been built, additional models
  can be made at 75% of the cost and 50% of the time of the original. Only one model can be
  built at a time.
  Natural philosophers possessing a model or plans of someone else’s invention can attempt to
  duplicate it if it is one that they could make. The process is identical to copying one’s own
  prototype.
  You can also mend a broken invention if it is one that you could make, for half the price and
  time it would take to make a new one.
  Fencing (General)
  You are trained in the art of attack and defense using the noble weapons of dagger, rapier,
  long rapier, saber, broadsword, smallsword, and cutlass.
  Prerequisites: Dexterity 13+, Base attack bonus +1.
  Benefit: You are able to employ the fencing techniques of pass, rondo, corps a corps, hilt
  smash, bind, touch, lunge, and beat. If you have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, you may
  forego your off-hand attack and employ a dagger, gauntlet, hat, rolled cloak, or improvised
  defense to increase your AC. You also receive a miscellaneous bonus to AC against melee
  weapons simply by having a fencing weapon in your hand. For more information, see the
  Combat chapter later in this book.
  Normal: Characters without Fencing can still use fencing weapons, but do not receive any of
  the benefits of the Fencing feat.
  Greatsword (General)
  You are trained in the art of attack and defense using greatswords, including the claymore
  and zweihander.
  Prerequisites: Strength 13+, Base attack bonus +1.
  Benefit: You are able to use a greatsword to add to your AC against medium and large melee
  weapons. You can use a greatsword as a double weapon, or change your grip to turn it into a
  Character Creation 55
  
  precise thrusting weapon. You can also clear a 5’ radius circle around you by using a
  greatsword as a weapon of intimidation. For more information, see the Combat chapter later
  in this book.
  Normal: Characters without this feat can still use the greatsword, but do not receive any of
  the benefits of the feat.
  Guns (General)
  You can load, fire, and maintain all types of personal firearms, including arquebuses,
  matchlocks, wheellocks, and snaphances. Use this feat to expand your knowledge of
  weapons beyond those given in your class description.
  Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1.
  Benefit: When using a gun, you can make attack rolls without penalty.
  Normal: Without this feat, a character suffers a -4 penalty on attack rolls, and cannot reload
  or clear a jammed gun.
  Lantern (General)
  You are trained in the art of using a lighted lantern to blind an enemy and deflect attacks.
  Prerequisites: Fencing, Two Weapon Fighting
  Benefit: You are able to use a lantern to dazzle an enemy’s eyes, throw confusing shadows,
  and as an off-hand defense. For more information, see the Combat chapter later in this book.
  Normal: Characters without this feat cannot use lanterns for attack or defense.
  Polearms (General)
  You are trained in the art of attack and defense using polearms, including the glaive, guis-
  arme, halberd, ranseur, and similar weapons.
  Prerequisites: Strength 13+, Base attack bonus +1.
  Benefit: You are able to use a polearm to add to your AC against medium and large melee
  weapons. You can use any polearm as a double weapon. You can also use a close attack grip
  to attack opponents within 5’. Finally, you gain the Improved Trip ability when using a
  polearm. For more information, see the Combat chapter later in this book.
  Normal: Characters without this feat can still use polearms, but do not receive any of the
  benefits of the feat.
  Skills
  A new Knowledge skill, Navigation, has been added. For convenience, this section also
  includes a suggested list of crafts and professions for the campaign. See the sidebar for a list
  of crafts.
  Knowledge (Navigation): The science of finding out where you are on the earth’s surface
  by measuring the position of the sun and stars. This skill is a prerequisite for the Sea Wolf
  prestige class. The DC for navigation checks depends on the conditions at the time of that
  readings are taken:
  Crafts
  Although the influence of the guilds is on the
  wane in this era, crafts remain quite specialized,
  and most crafts are respectable occupations.
  Here is a list of the crafts most likely to be used
  by Septentrionalis PCs:
  Craft
  Notes
  Armorer
  makes armor
  Baker
  Blacksmith
  works with iron
  Brewer
  Butcher
  Carpenter
  builds wooden houses
  Clockmaker
  makes fine instruments
  Cook
  Crossbow Maker
  Embroiderer
  Farmer
  Fisherman
  Furrier
  Gem Cutter
  Glazier
  Goldsmith
  Gunsmith
  Joiner
  makes fine furniture
  Locksmith
  Luthier
  a maker of lutes
  Miner
  Painter
  Pewterer
  makes silverware
  Printer/Binder
  Ropemaker
  Saddler
  Sculptor
  Shipwright
  builds ships
  Shoemaker
  Stonemason
  Surgeon
  heals wounds, sets bones
  Swordsmith
  makes weapons
  Tailor
  Tanner
  Wagonwright
  Weaver
  56 Character Creation 
  
  DC 10
  calm sea, clear horizon, clear sky
  +5 each
  rough sea, haze, horizon obscured by mist or landforms
  +10 each
  stormy sea, cloudy sky
  No reading is possible if the sun or stars are not visible due to weather conditions.
  Professions
  Professions are only available to PCs with a social rank of 11 or better (Burgess rank). The
  following professions are most appropriate for Septentrionalis PCs, although others can cer-
  tainly be allowed at the DM’s discretion.
  Profession
  Notes
  Administrator
  assists in the operation of government
  Architect
  designs buildings and oversees construction
  Astrologer
  casts horoscopes, advises clients on their future courses of action
  Lawyer
  represents clients in court, draws up and notarizes contracts
  Merchant
  imports and exports goods
  Physician
  diagnoses and cures diseases, prescribes medicine
  Sailor
  prerequisite for Sea Wolf prestige class
  Servant
  a professional servant to a courtly NPC
  Soldier
  prerequisite for Officer prestige class
  Equipment
  Nearly all of the equipment listed in the D&D Player’s Handbook is available for
  Septentrionalis PCs at the standard price, including simple weapons, adventuring gear, class
  tools and skill kits, clothing, food, drink, and lodging, mounts and related gear (no riding
  dogs, though!), containers and carriers. Not available are the special substances and items. 
  Starting Money
  Most Septentrionalis PCs start with money equal to 3 months’ earnings, according to their
  social rank. Fighters begin the game with the initial gear listed for their character identity,
  plus one month’s earnings.
  Weapons
  Athough they are still available, many of the martial weapons appropriate for a medieval cam-
  paign have gone out of favor, to be replaced by a different arsenal of swords and guns. All
  martial weapons listed in the Player’s Handbook are available for purchase, with additional
  weapons shown below:
  Option: Historical Coinage
  If you really want to confuse and alienate your
  players, you can try to convert the standard
  D&D gp/sp/cp coinage into historical period
  coinage. It does add a certain flavor to the game
  to speak of florins, shillings, and doblons, but the
  romance of old coins is far outweighed by the
  insanity of trying to keep track of conversions in
  a non-decimal based monetary system. If you
  must, here is a general conversion rate for D&D
  gold pieces to actual Septentrionalis coins:
  English System:
  (1 pound=2 angels=4 crowns=20 shillings=240
  pence.)
  Unit
  gp
  sp
  cp
  Pound
  12
  120
  1200
  Angel
  6
  60
  600
  Crown
  3
  30
  300
  Shilling
  0.6
  6
  60
  Penny
  0.05
  0.5
  5
  Espaniard System:
  (1 doblon=2 pistoles=40 reals=1200 maravedi)
  Unit
  gp
  sp
  cp
  Doblon
  12
  120
  1200
  Pistole
  6
  60
  600
  Real
  0.3
  3
  30
  Maravedi 0.01
  0.1
  1
  French System:
  1 Louis=3 ecus=12 livres=180 sou)
  Unit
  gp
  sp
  cp
  Louis
  36
  360
  3600
  Ecu
  12
  120
  1200
  Livre
  4
  40
  400
  Sou
  0.2
  2
  20
  Nederlander System:
  (1 ducat=2.5 lions=5 guilders=125 stuivers)
  Unit
  gp
  sp
  cp
  Ducat
  25
  250
  2500
  Lion
  10
  100
  1000
  Guilder
  5
  50
  500
  Stuiver
  0.2
  2
  20
  Converting between Systems:
  Currency Pounds
  Doblons
  Louis
  Ducats
  Pound:
  1
  1
  3
  2
  Doblon:
  1
  1
  3
  2
  Louis:
  3
  3
  1
  6
  Ducat:
  0.5
  0.5
  0.17
  1
  The conversion rates here are approximate, as is
  their value measured against the highly idiosyn-
  cratic and inflated currency of standard D&D
  rules. I have used decimal equivalents, even
  though historically the relative value of a lesser
  coin was expressed as a fractional value of a
  greater one, like 1/34 or 1/252. If you want to
  deal with that in your campaign on a daily basis,
  then your sanity is probably in doubt.
  Character Creation 57
  
  Table: Martial Weapons of Septentrionalis 
  Name 
  Cost
  Size
  Damage Critical
  Range Inc. Max 
  Matchlocks:
  Arquebus
  40 gp
  Lg
  1d10
  18-20/x2
  40 ft.
  400 ft.
  Caliver
  30 gp
  Lg
  1d8
  18-20/x2
  50 ft.
  500 ft.
  Musket w/Rest
  50 gp
  Lg
  1d12
  17-20/x2
  60 ft.
  600 ft.
  Snaphances:
  Musket
  100 gp
  Lg
  1d12
  17-20/x2
  60 ft.
  600 ft.
  Musketoon
  75 gp
  Med
  1d10
  18-20/x2
  50 ft
  500 ft.
  Pistol
  60 gp
  Sm
  1d8
  18-20/x2
  40 ft.
  200 ft.
  Wheelocks:
  Belt Pistol
  75 gp
  Sm
  1d8
  18-20/x2
  40 ft.
  200 ft.
  Horse Pistol
  90 gp
  Med
  1d10
  18-20/x2
  50 ft.
  250 ft.
  Double Pistol
  200 gp
  Med
  1d8
  18-20/x2
  40 ft.
  200 ft.
  Swords:
  Broadsword
  20 gp
  Med
  1d8
  x3
  -
  Cutlass
  10 gp
  Med
  1d6
  x3
  -
  Rapier
  35 gp
  Med
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  -
  Rapier, Long
  40 gp
  Med
  2d4
  19-20/x2
  -
  Saber
  30 gp
  Med
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  -
  Smallsword
  40 gp
  Sm
  1d4
  18-20/x2-
  Weapon Descriptions
  The following descriptions include notes for all weapons found on the Martial Weapons of
  Septentrionalis table. More information about guns and fencing weapons can be found in the
  Combat chapter.
  Matchlocks (see sidebar for description)
  Arquebus: An early, crudely-made matchlock weapon, still encountered in extremely back-
  ward areas. This weapon gives a -2 penalty to all attack rolls due to its inaccuracy, unless
  fired on a musket rest, which lowers the penalty to -1. Weight: 10 pounds.
  Caliver: A light longarm, favored by cavalry, skirmishers, bandits, and Algonkian warriors.
  Weight: 8 pounds.
  Musket w/Rest: A large, powerful longarm weapon. Usually fired while supported on a
  forked rest; if fired unsupported, attack rolls are at -1. Weight: 16 pounds.
  Snaphances (see sidebar for description)
  Musket: Lighter and more accurate than the matchlock version, the snaphance musket can be
  fired comfortably without use of a rest or other support. It can also be fitted with a plug bay-
  onet. Weight: 10 pounds.
  Musketoon: A shorter version of the musket. Weight: 7 pounds.
  Pistol: A sidearm, with an identical ignition system to the larger snaphance weapons.
  Weight: 3 pounds. Two may be carried on a belt.
  Small Pistol: A concealable version of the pistol. As many as four may be worn on a crossbelt.
  Weight: 2 pounds.
  I want my Longsword!
  Why can’t my PC wield a warhammer or a bat-
  tleaxe? After all, they do a lot of damage, and
  they’re cheap to buy. Well, there’s no rule
  against it. In Septentrionalis, medieval weapons
  are sometimes still seen in the areas of the
  world furthest removed from the prosperous,
  fast-growing urban centers, where the new fenc-
  ing weapons are ubiquitous, because of their
  speed, deadliness, and ease of handling. So popu-
  lar are the new weapons, that characters walking
  around the city with non-fencing handweapons
  like greataxes and morningstars will be seen as
  backward yokels, effectively lowering their social
  rank by 2 points among city-dwellers.
  For those of you who can’t give up your old
  habits, remember that the highly advantageous
  Fencing feat only applies to the new weapons,
  like rapier, broadsword, and saber.The older,
  heavier weapons like the longsword are
  designed for chopping and punching through
  heavy armor with brute force, rather than
  finesse. If you must rely on big, devasting
  weapons, you might want to choose either a
  greatsword or a polearm, since specialized mar-
  tial arts have been developed to take advantage
  of their characteristics (see the Greatsword and
  Polearm feats described earlier in this chapter).
  Matchlocks
  These are the oldest type of firearm still in use
  in the campaign.The “match” is a length of slow-
  burning cord which plunges into the priming pan
  when the trigger is pulled.The match itself must
  be lit before use, and is always in danger of
  being put out by wind or rain. Its glow can easily
  be seen in the dark (-4 to Hide checks in dark-
  ness), and the smell can be detected by anyone
  within 50’ downwind of the firer. And carrying a
  lit match around often leads to accidental igni-
  tion of one’s clothes, hair, and powder supply!
  The design of the priming pan, whose cover
  must be manually opened before firing, makes
  the weapon even more vulnerable to wet con-
  ditions and accidental ignition. Finally, the match
  cord itself must be frequently replaced: a single
  sentry on guard duty uses a mile of match in
  one year!
  Snaphances
  These are early flintlock weapons, representing
  the most advanced guns available in the cam-
  paign.They require no match, using the sparks
  generated from the contact between flint and
  steel.They also feature a priming pan with a
  cover that is opened mechanically when the trig-
  ger is pulled, making them less vulnerable to wet
  weather and accidental firing. Because the
  mechanics of the lock are more complicated,
  they are quite expensive.
  Wheellocks
  These are efficient but internally complex
  weapons that use iron pyrites scraping against a
  spring-powered rotating wheel to ignite the
  powder charge.Their expense limits their use
  mainly to the courtly classes, especially as
  sidearms for cavalry.
  58 Character Creation 
  
  Wheelocks (see sidebar for description)
  Pistol: A sidearm used by infantry officers and the gentry for personal protection. Weight: 3
  pounds.
  Horse Pistol: A larger pistol often carried at the saddle by cavalry. Up to two may be carried.
  Weight: 4 pounds.
  Double Pistol: A two-barrelled over-and-under pistol, each with a separate firing mechanism
  and trigger. Can be fired one barrel at a time, or in a two-barrel volley.
  Swords
  Broadsword: A one-handed, two-edged weapon, often with one edge slightly curved to
  enhance cutting power. Suitable for both cut and thrust, slightly shorter but considerably
  heavier than the rapier. Most often fitted with a basket hilt. Popular in Albion and adjacent
  areas.
  Cutlass: A short, heavy sword with a curved cutting edge and a simple guard, favored by buc-
  caneers for its short swinging radius. 
  Rapier: A long-bladed thrusting sword, fitted with a variety of hilts, including cup-hilt and
  swept-hilt. Often used in conjunction with a left-handed dagger.
  Rapier, Long: An even longer rapier favored by professional duellists. Considered illegal in
  most civilized areas.
  Saber: A long, curved cutting sword, favored by cavalry.
  Smallsword: A short thrusting sword with a fullered, two-edged blade. Highly popular in
  urban areas as both a weapon and a fashion statement, but seldom seen on the battlefield. Its
  slender blade is capable of delivering accurate, deadly thrusts.
  Armor
  The fully armored warrior is in decline during this era, but partial armor is still worn by pro-
  fessional fighters. Armor is made thick enough to stop bullets, and the resulting weight
  makes full suits of armor cumbersome. 
  Table: Armor of Septentrionalis
  Armor
  Max
  Check
  Spell
  Speed
  Name
  Cost
  Bonus
  Dex+
  Penalty Failure
  (30/20) Weight
  Light Armor:
  Padded Coat
  6 gp
  +1
  +5
  -1
  10%
  30/20
  6 lb.
  Buff Coat
  10 gp
  +2
  +6
  0
  10%
  30/20
  10 lb.
  Medium Armor:
  Breastplate
  100 gp
  +5
  +4
  -2
  25%
  25/15
  15 lb.
  Heavy Armor:
  Cuirass
  150 gp
  +6
  +3
  -3
  30%
  25/15
  20 lb.
  with Tassets
  200 gp
  +7
  +2
  -4
  30%
  25/15
  25 lb.
  3/4 Plate
  300 gp +8
  +2
  -4
  35%
  20/15
  35 lb.
  Full Plate 
  500 gp
  +9
  +1
  -6
  40%
  20/15
  50 lb.
  Donning Times for Armor
  Type
  Don/Don Hastily/Remove
  Padded Coat
  1 min./5 rnds./1 min.
  Buff Coat
  1 min./5 rnds./1 min.
  Breastplate*
  3 min./1 min./1 min.
  Cuirass (any)*
  4 min./1 min./1 min.
  3/4 Plate**
  5 min./4 min./2 min.
  Full Plate**
  6 min./4 min./3 min.
  *can be donned in half the time with help.
  **requires assistance to don/remove. Can don
  hastily without help. See the D&D Player’s
  Handbook for details about getting into and out
  of armor.
  Character Creation 59
  
  Armor Descriptions
  The following descriptions include notes for all armor on the Armor of Septentrionalis table.
  More information about armor can be found in the Combat chapter.
  Padded Coat: A civilian jacket of heavy padded material worn over a linen shirt. This type of
  armor is subtle enough not to attract attention, but can stop the odd knife-thrust or slash.
  Buff Coat: So-called because it is sometimes made of buffalo hide, this is a thigh-length coat
  of stiff leather, the armor of choice for the lower ranks. Not bullet-proof, but surprisingly
  effective against arrows and sword-cuts.
  Breastplate: A metal defense covering only the front of the torso. Used by infantry, who sel-
  dom face gunfire from behind, and are just as happy to leave their backs unarmored, for bet-
  ter comfort. Worn over a buff coat.
  Cuirass: A metal defense protecting the entire torso, worn over a buff coat. Used by cavalry,
  to ward off both shot and saber-strokes.
  Cuirass with Tassets: A cuirass with attached thigh defenses, also favored by cavalry.
  3/4 Plate: A suit of articulated metal, including a cuirass, tassets, and arm defenses. Worn
  over a padded garment with sewn-in chainmail patches to protect the armpits.
  Full Plate: A fully-articulated suit of metal armor, covering the entire body with the excep-
  tion of the inside of the upper legs, since this area is not exposed while on horseback. Used
  by high-ranking nobility and elite heavy cavalry units.
  Character Description
  Alignment and Religion
  Septentrionalis uses the standard D&D alignment system as defined in the Player’s
  Handbook, but not its religion or its deities. Players can choose a religion for their PC, using
  the following guidelines, according to character identity.
  Table: Religions
  Identity
  Majority
  Minority
  Albian
  Old Ways
  Anglican
  Algonkian
  Animist
  -
  Buccaneer
  -
  Catholic, Protestant
  Carolingian
  Anglican
  Catholic
  Commonwealther
  Puritan
  -
  Coureur
  Catholic
  -
  Espaniard
  Catholic
  Jewish
  French
  Catholic
  Protestant
  Gael
  Old Ways
  Catholic
  Nederlander
  Protestant
  Puritan
  Sophian
  Deist
  Anglican, Protestant, Catholic
  Witchling
  Old Ways
  -
  Key
  Majority: The most likely religion for a PC with this identity.
  Minority: Other religions likely for a PC with this identity.
  See the sidebar for a capsule description of these faiths.
  Religion:The (very) Short Course
  It’s not in the scope of this book to include a
  primer in world religion, but here is a very brief
  rundown on the faiths most likely for a
  Septentrionalis PC:
  Anglican: The Anglican church developed from
  Henry VIII’s split with the Catholic church over
  his several marriages (see A History of Elfland).
  It shares many aspects with Catholicism, includ-
  ing a clergy of bishops and archbishops, but with
  the monarch rather than the pope as head of
  the church. Since Gloriana’s return to the throne
  of Albion, the exiled Stuart king Charles II is
  generally acknowledged to be the head of the
  church, despite his personal Catholic sympathies.
  Many Anglicans remain in Albion, where they
  practice without persecution as a sizable minori-
  ty.
  Animist: A general term for the spiritual practices
  of the Septentrionalian natives, who revere
  nature, and consider all things to be inhabited by
  divine spirits. A key tenet of their faith is belief in
  totems, which are messengers from the spirit
  world who act as guides and teachers.
  Catholic:The established Roman Church is the
  predominant religion among both Espaniards
  and French.There are significant Catholic minori-
  ties in Carolingia and the Gael lands.
  Deist: Many Sophians, and a small minority in
  other lands, believe in a rational God who creat-
  ed the universe but does not interfere in its
  workings.They see the universe as a place gov-
  erned by predictable laws of physics, which can
  be discovered and understood by any thinking
  person.
  Jewish: Jewish minorities exist within several of
  the other identities, including Spain.They survive
  within a general climate of intolerance and per-
  secution by both religious and secular forces.
  Old Ways: The Old Ways represent the collec-
  tion of ancient pagan practices and folk beliefs
  professed by Gaels,Witchlings, Albians, and other
  folk who have regular dealings with elves and
  other magical beings. Central to the Old Ways is
  the belief in magic as a natural force, rather than
  a supernatural evil.The beliefs of the Old Ways
  survive among nearly all PCs in the form of
  superstitions and old wives’ tales.
  Protestant:The many forms of Protestant faith
  are found among Nederlanders and French, with
  smaller pockets in other lands.They have arisen
  from a dissatisfaction with elements of the
  Roman Church, and this split has resulted in a
  century of war between the two sides.
  Puritan: Puritans include several Protestant sects
  who believe in the absence of a clerical hierar-
  chy, in favor of a direct relationship between
  worshipper and deity using extensive study of
  the scriptures.
  60 Character Creation 
  
  Chapter Title Placeholder 61
  
  Primer,
  being an introduction to the ideals of the age, the lat-
  est advances in astrology & medicine, notions of magic
  & the supernatural, the political landscape, and so on.
  How to Use this Chapter
  If you’re the DM, read this chapter through before starting your Septentrionalis campaign, to
  gain some background about the culture, science, magic, and politics of the game environ-
  ment. If you’re a player, you are welcome to read it too, and in fact, the DM should give your
  characters a +1 to Knowledge skill checks if you have done so, if you consistently apply the
  information to enhance the atmosphere of the game.
  The Ideals of the Age
  Part of your job as DM is to set a heroic tone for the campaign by reflecting it in the words,
  deeds, and ideals of the NPCs encountered by the player characters, even the villainous ones.
  Despite many differences in the values upheld by individual nations, certain character traits
  are nearly universally admired, and others reviled. Here is a guide to behavior to be used by
  NPCs and PCs alike:
  Honor
  Honor is something expected of individuals at all levels of society, despite personal feelings
  or even deep hatreds. Generally, it can be thought of as a code for personal interaction, com-
  posed of four individual principles:
  1. Vouchsafe is the first principle of honor. It means that once you have given your word to
  another person, you will not break it, even if it costs you your life. To betray another’s trust is
  considered treachery, which immediately places you outside the civilized world. In Dante’s
  Inferno, the traitors Judas, Brutus, and Cassius occupy the deepest circle of hell, even lower
  than murderers and thieves. There is no quicker way to become an outcast then to let it be
  known that you have committed treachery against someone to whom you have given vouch-
  safe.
  2. Credit is the practice of treating others as their station deserves. As mentioned in the
  Social Rank section of the Character Creation chapter, this is a world where everyone is
  expected to know their place, and where everyone, even a servant or laborer, expects to be
  treated with honor. To act with credit is to faithfully serve those above you, and to act as a fair
  and reasonably generous master to those below you. To be too generous or too stingy to
  one’s servants is to lose credit with them; lavish rewards will embarass them and make them
  suspect in the eyes of their peers, while withholding any reward and still expecting loyal serv-
  ice will soon erode not only their loyalty to you, but will damage your own honor in the eyes
  version 15 July 2002
  Who are the Bad Guys?
  The political landscape laid out in this source-
  book refrains, from the most part, from making
  judgments about the alignment of the political
  leaders and their subjects. So how do you know
  who the villains are in this kind of campaign?
  Who are the bad guys?
  In a word, everybody.
  In a historical campaign, even one with an alter-
  nate history, magic and monsters, all nations are
  essentially self-interested, meaning that they do
  what they need to survive.Their leaders may
  pay lip service to high principles, but political
  reality ensures that society as a whole is lawful
  neutral at best, and chaotic evil at worst.
  That having been said, the alignments of individ-
  ual NPCs will run the entire spectrum of
  law/chaos and good/evil. In a company of sol-
  diers, one might find sadistic brutes (chaotic
  evil), self-interested survivors (neutral evil), ideal-
  istic crusaders (lawful good), harsh martinets
  (lawful evil), and desperate lost souls (chaotic
  neutral). A mission of priests on the frontier
  might include compassionate defenders of the
  weak (lawful good), ambitious politicos (lawful
  neutral), intolerant zealots (lawful evil), serene
  ascetics (neutral good), spirited iconoclasts
  (chaotic good), and madmen (chaotic evil).
  These alignment variations keep the campaign
  interesting and unpredictable -- they are the
  stuff of good fiction in all genres, including role-
  playing games.Whatever you do, do not make
  all members of a particular nation share the
  same alignment. NPCs shouldn’t be a force of
  monolithic evil, like orcs, but rather a group of
  individuals with various motives and morals.
  Of course, those same soldiers or priests might
  very well believe that everyone not allied with
  them is the embodiment of evil, but that’s differ-
  ent than making such an assertion a part of the
  campaign background itself. A player character,
  too, might see all people of a particular identity
  as good or evil; such a character can be interest-
  ing to play, especially when they encounter
  NPCs or PCs who don’t seem to match their
  stereotypes. Entire novels have been written
  around such encounters between sworn ene-
  mies who become friends, or allies who betray
  one another’s trust.
  
  of your peers and your betters. 
  3. Mercie is the quality of not exacting revenge upon a defeated enemy, even if they have
  caused you great harm. An honorable character always accepts the surrender of an enemy, or
  even better, gives their enemy a chance to recover and continue the fight on even ground. To
  gratuitously injure or mistreat a captive shows a definite lack of sangfroid (see below), a sign
  of weakness. Habitual flouting of the act of mercie defines one as a savage; as for the non-
  Europeans often called savages by their enemies, their concept of mercie is quite different,
  and will be detailed later, in the chapter called The Algonkians. 
  4. Courage is physical bravery, a lack of visible concern for pain, discomfort, and death. Such
  situations are seen as a chance to show good humour (see below). To shrink from danger or
  flinch at the experience of pain makes you a coward. If death is inevitable, it is far more hon-
  orable to die well then to live as a coward without honor.
  Sangfroid
  The ideal of sangfroid, or cold-bloodedness, means not that you are ruthless (see Mercie,
  above), but that you do not let anger or petty grudges cloud your judgment. Acting without
  thinking through the consequences of your actions is considered rash, or choleric (see
  Fortune and Character later in this chapter). A character with sangfroid will turn in a traitor-
  ous fellow officer to his commander, even if the traitor is a friend, because not to do so may
  be damaging to one’s own honor, and besides, the traitor knew very well what the conse-
  quences would be if he were discovered.
  Good Humour
  All civilized folk are expected to be in good humour, meaning that they refrain from public
  displays of anger, frustration and disappointment. To demonstrate ill-humour in the compa-
  ny of your associates is embarassing for them, because it calls their own character into ques-
  tion. A character who remains cheerful, even cockily defiant in the face of overwhelming
  odds earns respect from friend and foe alike. To wring one’s hands or sulk is to give in to
  melancholy, the traditional temperament of artists, thinkers, and Danish princes.
  Courtesy
  Courtesy, as described in the Social Rank section of the Character Creation chapter, is the
  display of proper manners to one’s peers, betters, and servants. It involves an exchange of
  gestures and words that reinforce and acknowledge one’s rank in relation to the other per-
  son. Characters lacking courtesy are said to be base or low. Such people will never lack for
  challenges to a duel at dawn; in an age where access to money and power depend on one’s
  rank, to ignore a discourteous act is to admit that you are unworthy of your always precari-
  ous place in the social order, with possibly disastrous consequences.
  Applying Ideals to the Campaign
  Characters who demonstrate exceptional examples of honor, sangfroid, good humour, and
  courtesy should earn experience point awards, especially if their behavior puts them at a tac-
  Do Evil or Chaotic Characters follow the
  Ideals of the Age?
  The ideals of honor, sangfroid, good humor and
  courtesy might seem out of place in an evil
  character, but these ideals are tied not to good
  alignment, but rather to lawful alignment. All
  characters who acknowledge hierarchies and
  laws will at least pay lip service to the ideals of
  the age.That includes the majority of NPCs the
  characters are likely to encounter 
  -- even buccaneers live by a code of honor, after
  their own fashion.The ideals tend to be ignored
  only when dealing with so-called savages or out-
  laws, people literally outside the pale of civiliza-
  tion.These folk as seen by their enemies as ser-
  vants of chaos, incapable of understanding or
  upholding honorable or courteous behavior.The
  fact that they may have their own ideals of
  honor and courtesy are seldom considered.
  Truly chaotic PCs or NPCs are most likely to
  ignore the ideals of the age.The chaotic good
  highwayman who steals only from the rich to
  give to the poor, the chaotic neutral wandering
  minstrel, or the chaotic evil bandit chief may not
  follow the niceties of courteous behavior, nor
  the strictures of honor, but they pay a heavy
  price for it, namely, exile from civilization and its
  benefits.
  What isn’t included in the Ideals of the
  Age
  The ideals of the age do not address every
  aspect of behavior, by any means. For example,
  they say nothing for or against enjoying the
  worldly pleasures of food, drink, gambling and
  romance. One’s religion may indeed preach
  against it, but such things are a matter of individ-
  ual conscience rather than public record. If you
  can make merry without discrediting or insulting
  anyone, few people will care.
  Non-violence is not mentioned as an ideal,
  either.This is a world where nearly everyone
  carries a sword or knife to defend one’s honor,
  faith, master, and property. Once again, your own
  conscience might prevent you from using vio-
  lence, but there is no universal condemnation
  against it. It all depends upon whether you were
  fighting a well-matched foe (honorable), or sim-
  ply bullying a weaker victim (dishonorable).
  Whatever you do, don’t confuse the ideals of
  the age with chivalry, which survives only as a
  kind of parlor game among the nobility and as a
  subject of satire for writers and poets like
  Cervantes and Ariosto. It is considered positively
  medieval for an honorable man to publicly pine
  for a married woman, and indecent for her to
  encourage it. Courtesy is to be extended uni-
  versally, if it is to be of any value, not just to your
  romantic interest.
  64 Primer
  
  tical disadvantage or increases their personal danger. To allow a foe to recover a dropped
  rapier before continuing a fight, to make a powerful enemy by honoring a debt to a friend, to
  keep one’s cool after an insult from a member of the court -- these acts are worth at least 50-
  100 XP each, and possibly much more, depending on the personal risk to the PC..
  Of course, player characters don’t have to adhere to any of the ideals of the age, but there
  will be a price to pay. Characters who are consistently traitorous, dishonorable, rash, ill-
  humored, or base will soon develop a reputation as villeins, unworthy of trust and not fit to
  be seen with. (There are places where villeins may congregate without shame, but they tend
  to be unpleasant, dangerous ones, full of villeins even more base than you are). Villeins will
  soon see their Social Rank drop to the top of the next lowest category until exceptional
  measures are taken to restore their reputation. 
  The Sexes
  In the world of the campaign, ordinary men and women tend to accept (or be forced into) the
  traditional roles expected of them. In a given company of NPC Commonwealther soldiers,
  for example, the majority will be men, just as most NPC Algonkian household heads will be
  women. It takes an extraordinary person of either sex to break out of their assumed role in
  their own culture. Since player characters are by definition extraordinary, with higher than
  average abilities and a real live player controlling their actions, they can take any role they
  like, whether as a woman fencer or a male witch. History is full of these exceptional people
  (see the sidebar this page). In the heroic world of the campaign, they are even more com-
  mon. No female player character should expect to be drummed out of town for wearing
  breeches and carrying a rapier. There are exceptions, notably in the churches, where women
  are absolutely prohibited from positions of power, and the Witchling covens, where men are
  almost entirely absent. But for the most part, the DM should allow player characters free
  access to all roles accessible to their social rank, regardless of sex, and allow exceptional
  NPCs the same access. Run-of-the-mill NPCs will just do what’s expected of them by friends,
  family, and neighbors; details on social roles for each identity can be found in a later chapter.
  Fortune and Character
  This is a world ruled by a mysterious force called fortune, sometimes personified as the god-
  dess Fortuna, who turns a wheel upon which various people are perched: persons of ambi-
  tion on the rise, kings and queens at the apex, tragic figures on the decline, and defeated vic-
  tims at the bottom. Fortune does not equate with destiny, but merely represents a mysterious
  force at work in the world which aids your efforts at some points and thwarts them at others,
  depending on where you sit upon Fortuna’s wheel at the moment. And nearly everyone
  agrees that a person’s place on the wheel of fortune is determined by the position of the stars
  and planets at the time of their birth.
  Women Adventurers of the Age
  The following women from the pages of actual
  17th century history demonstrate the possibili-
  ties for adventure that a female Sepentrionalis PC
  or NPC might enjoy in your campaign:
  Jane Whorwood was a spy for the Royalist
  side during the English Civil War. After the war,
  she tried unsuccessfully to spring Charles I from
  prison by slipping him a vial of acid and a file.
  (Like any educated person of her era, she had
  consulted astrologers to determine the best
  times for escape attempts). A year later, she
  tried to spirit the king out of the country, again
  without success, but earned Charles’ gratitude
  (briefly) before he was executed the following
  year.
  Aphra Amis Behn lived several years as a
  colonist in the rainforests of South America
  before returning to London in the year of the
  Plague. She survived, but her husband died, leav-
  ing her penniless. She signed on as a spy for
  Charles II against the Dutch, only to have her
  warnings of an imminent naval attack against
  England ignored -- a warning that was later born
  out when the Dutch indeed caught England
  unprepared the following year. She turned to lit-
  erature, writing twenty plays and fourteen nov-
  els, earning public acclaim, and a burial place in
  Westminster Abbey.
  Queen Christina of Sweden lived a tumul-
  tuous, exuberant life, ruling for over two
  decades, attempting to grab the thrones of
  Poland and Naples on two occasions, and rub-
  bing elbows with the likes of Rene Descartes
  and Pope Clement IX. She could out-ride and
  out-shoot most of her royal peers, being a
  skilled fighter and cavalrywoman as well as a
  keen intellect.
  Aubigny de Maupin was a master
  swordswoman in the court of Louis XIV. She
  dressed as a cavalier, fought duels, sometimes
  against two or three men at once, and escaped
  prison only because the king found her
  escapades amusing. She was also a stage actress,
  taking male roles and employing her fencing abil-
  ities to the delight of the audience.
  Primer 65
  
  Fortune: Astrology and Horoscopes
  Astrology is based on the idea of omnia in omnibus, that is, all is in all. Or, as it is more com-
  monly put, As Above, So Below. This means, that whatever happens in the greater world of
  the stars and planets must be reflected in the little world of the individual. The planets,
  strictly speaking, do not influence anyone; they are merely the most visible sign of mysteri-
  ous Fortuna who affects planets and people alike. When a comet disrupts the night sky, there
  must be an corresponding disaster (literally, a “bad star”) in the world below. Being able to
  read the stars, then, is like being able to read a weather forecast.
  The circumstances of a birth, like any other event, are reflected in the stars. Nearly every
  newborn child will have a horoscope made for them by a professional astrologer. This astral
  scheme, as it is called, shows the positions of the seven planets among the houses of the
  twelve constellations of the Zodiac. It tells which vocations in life are most suited for you,
  and which perils you are most vulnerable to -- almost as if the character themselves could see
  what their ability scores and saving throw modifiers were! A horoscope is considered highly
  personal, and is usually kept secret, for fear of one’s enemies finding out your weaknesses. If
  you don’t have one, you need to know your exact date and hour of birth before an astrologer
  can make one for you, usually for a fee of 1 gp x your Social Rank (the price of confidentiality
  is greater for those with more of a reputation to lose). If you don’t know your birthdate,
  you’re stuck. 
  Regardless, the DM should make a horoscope for each PC and apply bonuses and penalties
  to certain die rolls depending on which is their “ruling planet.” This information is kept
  secret unless the character has been given their own horoscope by their parents (5% chance
  per point of Social Rank), or has one made for them in the course of the game. To cast a
  horoscope, roll 1d8 and consult the following table:
  Table: Horoscopes
  Result/Planet
  Bonus:
  Penalty
  1 Moon
  +1 to Will saving throws
  -1 to Leadership level
  2 Mercury
  +2 to Craft/Profession skill checks
  -1 to Will saving throws
  3 Venus
  +1 to Charisma-based skill checks
  -1 to Wisdom-based skill checks
  4 Sun
  +1 to Leadership level
  none
  5 Mars
  +1 to attack rolls
  -1 to Will saving throws
  6 Jupiter
  +2 to Social Rank
  none
  7 Saturn
  none
  -1 to Reflex saving throws
  If an 8 is rolled, roll again, ignoring further results of 8, until two ruling planets have been
  determined. The character will have the bonuses and penalties of those two planets. It is pos-
  sible that a bonus of one planet may cancel the penalty of another.
  In addition to the bonuses and penalties associated with the position of the planets at the
  time of one’s birth, the current position of the planets show how fortune is likely to help or
  hinder your endevours in the near future. For each month of game time, the DM can roll
  twice on the horoscope table to determine which planet is in ascention (favorable) and which
  is in retrograde (unfavorable). If the same planet is rolled twice, roll again. Characters with
  What the Planets Signify
  Each planet is said to represent a different sort
  of aptitude and likely course in life, summarized
  below.The descriptions below also include an
  archetypal character class and alignment, to pro-
  vide a thumbnail summary of the most repre-
  sentative character type for each planet. DMs
  can use the archetypes to decide what a given
  NPC’s most likely ruling planet is. If either the
  alignment or the class matches the archetype,
  then the DM may choose to give the NPC the
  associated horoscope bonus and penalty.
  The Moon
  Archetype: Chaotic Neutral Sorceror
  Characters born under the moon are prone to
  brooding and melancholy.They are often cre-
  ative, but restless and unpredictable.Their
  moodiness and introversion make them poor
  leaders.When combined with a melancholy
  temperament, the result is often an irascible, dif-
  ficult personality.
  Mercury
  Archetype: Neutral Good Rogue or Bard
  This planet signifies an highly active, industrious
  temperament, still called “mercurial”.Those born
  under this planet are adept at making money
  and living by their wits.This ruling planet has
  produced many swindlers and merchants alike.
  Venus
  Archetype: Chaotic Good Cleric
  Venus is the planet of lovers, martyrs, and all
  those ruled by compassion and feeling, rather
  than cold logic.
  The Sun
  Archetype: Lawful Good Paladin
  The sun is the most fortunate of all planets, sig-
  nifying a person possibly destined for glory and
  riches.Those born under the sun are agreable
  and well-liked, and tend to value and nuture
  positive qualities in others.
  Mars
  Archetype: Neutral Evil Fighter
  Mars is the planet of war and battles. It por-
  tends a life of danger, conflict, and adventure for
  its own sake, without much regard for right and
  wrong.
  Jupiter
  Archetype: Lawful Neutral or Lawful Evil Aristocrat
  Jupitar signifies a life of power and splendor. This
  is the planet of one destined to rise to a high
  station in life, whether to dispense power justly
  or to be a tyrant.
  Saturn
  Archetype: Chaotic Evil Wizard
  The planet Saturn presages a life of chaos and
  many twists of fate, but certainly not a dull one.
  It is considered an unlucky planet, associated
  with magic and with challenges to the natural
  order.
  66 Primer
  
  their ruling planet in ascention receive a +1 bonus to saving throws during that month, while
  characters with a retrograde ruling planet receive a -1 to saving throws for the same period.
  This information remains secret unless a character has had their horoscope checked by an
  astrologer, a service which costs 3 gp per month, assuming that the character can provide the
  astral scheme of their birth.
  Character: The Four Humors
  Character, as opposed to fortune, is said to be influenced by the balance of four key sub-
  stances within an individual. These “humors” include black bile, blood, yellow bile, and
  phlegm. Each fosters a different personality type. Ideally, the humors should be in balance,
  but when one predominates, the associated character trait becomes dominant too. To deter-
  mine a player character’s humor, roll 1d8 on the following table:
  Table: The Four Humors
  1d8
  Humor
  Effect
  1-4
  In Balance
  None
  5
  Phlegmatic
  -1 to Reflex saving throws
  6
  Sanguine
  +1 to Fortitude saving throws
  7
  Choleric
  -1 to Will saving throws
  8
  Melancholy
  -1 to Fortitude saving throws
  A character can learn the balance of their bodily humors by consulting a physician, who
  makes a Profession (Physician) check at DC 15 to correctly identify the humors. This service
  costs 5 gp. Monthly medical treatments can counteract one’s natural humor and place the
  humors in balance. Such treatments cost 12 gp per month.
  Applying Fortune & Character to the Game
  Considerations of fortune and character should not dominate the game, but they should be
  felt as a real force upon it. The rules for horoscopes and humors are meant to give PCs and
  NPCs alike a reason for paying heed to considerations of fortune and character, to enhance
  the period feel of the campaign. When two NPCs talk about a mutual friend’s ill-temper, they
  may speak in terms of his choleric temperament. Two consecutive poor attack rolls during a
  crucial battle might cause a character to bemoan the unlucky stars that shone upon the hour
  of their birth! With encouragement from the DM, players will soon become familiar with the
  terminology and use it in character, much to the benefit of the campaign as a whole. Some
  experience points, judiciously applied, can act as an encouragement.
  Medicine
  If a character in need of medical care asks for a doctor, they will be shown the way to the
  nearest university or church. A doctor is someone with an advanced university degree of any
  kind, not a healer. When a character is sick, they go to a physician, who deals exclusively in
  diagnosing and treating disease. After examining your eyes, your skin tone, your pulse, and
  your urine sample, the physician may prescribe a pill, draught, tincture, poultice or other
  The Four Humors Described
  Phlegmatic:
  Phegmatics, ruled by phlegm, tend to be cold,
  inactive individuals.They are said to lack compas-
  sion and fervor.
  Sanguine:
  The influence of blood gives the sanguine per-
  son a happy, warm, easy-going personality, if per-
  haps a little overeager at times.
  Choleric:
  Cholerics, under the sway of yellow bile, are
  short-tempered, angry folk.They tend to be
  impatient and impulsive.
  Melancholy:
  The melancholy individual, ruled by black bile, is
  dark, pensive, and unapproachable-- the classic
  artistic temperament.They are prone to fits of
  depression and inaction, only to fly into periods
  of manic action.
  The Role of Disease in the Game
  As DM, use the threat of disease sparingly.
  Disease should only threaten characters who
  enter a dirty environment like a sewer or a
  place where disease-carrying miasmas abound,
  usually swamps and low-lying areas. Areas rav-
  aged by war are more likely to become sources
  of disease, as are places with extremely crowd-
  ed conditions, like prisons and army camps.The
  virulent plague that sweeps across an entire area
  should be a rare but significant event; just escap-
  ing it can be an adventure in itself, with panics,
  looting, and forced quarantine.
  Here then, is some information about the dis-
  eases featured on the Disease table. Please note
  that the vectors of transmission are not scientifi-
  cally accurate, but reflect what people in
  Septentrionalis think the vectors are!
  Ague
  An ague is a high fever accompanied by violent
  shakes, contracted either through inhaling a
  miasma or being bitten by a mosquito from a
  misasmatic area.
  Flux
  Flux is characterized by abdominal pains, leg
  cramps, fever, and weakness. It is spread through
  contact with filth or dirty water.
  Influenza
  Influenza includes fever, chills, and weakness. It is
  spread through coughs.
  Plague
  The most feared disease of all, plague is spread
  by contact with other plague victims or by
  retrograde planets. It includes fever, chills, body
  pain, and black sores, accompanied by rapid
  weakness and death.
  Primer 67
  
  unappealing treatment, which is supplied by an apothecary, who prepares and dispenses
  drugs, whether or not you have a written prescription for them. Or, the physician might rec-
  ommend a visit to a surgeon for a course of bloodletting. Surgeons do not diagnose or cure
  diseases; their skill lies in repairing injuries to the body, whether setting bones, stitching
  wounds, or performing actual surgery without the benefit of anaesthetic. They also relieve
  you of excess blood, with the help of live leeches applied to various areas of your body, or
  with an incision made by a sharp knife or a spring-loaded scarificator, helpful for self-blood-
  letting by the squeamish.
  Treating Disease
  A physican will have at least 5 ranks in Heal, and can make a skill check to cure disease as
  outlined in the Disease rules in the D&D DMG. A disease must be correctly diagnosed
  before treatment, which requires a Knowledge (Medicine) skill check at DC 10. Treatment
  can include bloodletting, leeches, scalding or freezing baths, or any number of odd and
  uncomfortable procedures, left to the discretion of the DM. Physicians usually treat diseases
  free of charge, since they are nearly always of courtly rank, and consider taking money for
  services to be demeaning. For a list of diseases, the the table below:
  Table: Diseases
  Disease
  Vector
  DC
  Incubation
  Damage
  Ague
  Contact
  14
  1d6 days
  1d3 Dex, 1d4 Con
  Flux
  Ingested
  16
  1d3 days
  1d6 Con, 1d3 Dex
  Influenza
  Inhaled
  15
  1d3 days
  1d4 Str, 1d4 Con
  Plague
  Contact
  18
  1d2 days
  1d8 Con
  Healing Damage
  Most wounded characters will go to a surgeon to recover hit points. Surgeons will have at
  least 5 ranks in Heal. A successful treatment heals the standard amount of damage as
  described under Heal in the Player’s Handbook. Surgeons charge 1 gp, plus 1 gp for every
  rank of Heal skill above five ranks (good surgeons are expensive).
  Leisure
  Taverns, Ale-Houses, & Inns
  Public eating and drinking establishments take several forms: 
  The tavern is a roadside service area catering to travelers, offering food, drink, and short-
  term lodgings. They tend to be found on well-traveled roads at intervals of about a day’s
  journey apart. The more traffic they serve, the larger they are. Regardless of their size, they
  will offer basic services with few frills. You can get a meal, a drink, a room, and some stabling
  and fodder for your horse, but little else. Because they cater to transients, they tend to attract
  swindlers, pickpockets, and other villeins, as well as respectable folk like merchants and
  Drinks
  What do characters drink when frequenting the
  local tippling-house? Wine and beer are by far
  the most popular, while hard liquor is usually
  hard to come by. Generally, wine is thick and
  heavy, and must be strained before drinking it,
  either hot or cold. Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and
  nutmeg are often added to it to enhance the
  taste. Order a bumper of wine and you’ll get a
  glass filled to the brim, which tradition says must
  be drained in one gulp!
  Aqua vitae refers to any distilled alcoholic spirit,
  like brandy.
  Beer is flat, not carbonated. It is often flavored
  with spices.
  Canary is a sweet white wine from the Canary
  Islands, off the African coast.
  Claret is a dry red wine from the Gascony
  region of France.
  Madeira, from the island of the same name, is a
  fortified sweet wine.
  Perry is a weak cider made from pears.
  Posset is a warm drink made from rum, sugar,
  and milk. It is often served in a two-handled
  communal cup, passed among friends around
  the table at a tippling-house.
  Punch is a mixture of wine, spirits, and spices,
  served hot.
  Rhenish, from the Rhine valley, is a strong dry
  white wine.
  Sack, also called Jerez wine, is a fortified Spanish
  wine. It is often flavored with sugar.
  Scrumpy is a very strong Albian apple cider, said
  to bring out violent behavior in those who drink
  it. Respectable ale-houses don’t serve it.
  How much for a Posset?
  Here is a price list for various items and services
  at a public establishment:
  Drinks:
  Cost
  Aqua vitae
  1 sp
  Beer
  5 cp
  Canary
  8 cp
  Claret
  8 cp
  Madeira
  8 cp
  Perry
  6 cp
  Posset (for 4)
  1 sp
  Punch (for 4)
  1 sp
  Rhenish
  1 sp
  Sack
  7 cp
  Scrumpy
  5 cp
  Lodging:
  Cost
  Tavern
  1 sp/day
  Inn
  2 sp/day
  Services:
  Cost
  Stabling, per horse
  5 cp/day
  Meals, SR 1-6
  1 sp/day
  Meals, SR 7-15
  2 sp/day
  Meals, SR 16-25
  3 sp/day
  Meals, SR 26+
  1 gp/day
  Maid/Laundry Service
  6 cp/day
  68 Primer
  
  tradesmen. Many fateful chance meetings have happened in the common rooms of such
  places.
  The ale-house offers no lodgings, except perhaps a communal room for sleeping one off.
  Their business is offering drinks to the local clientele. In poor neighborhoods, the ale-hous-
  es will be dark and dismal hovels, dangerous and disreputable for courtly characters to visit.
  In wealthier quarters of the city, the ale-houses are cheery, well-lit places, known as tippling
  houses. They often serve as impromptu offices for merchants and tradesmen. Private rooms
  may be available for gentlemen who don’t wish to mingle with the common folk, and meals
  are served, with advance notice.
  The inn offers long-term accommodation, in addition to the services of a tavern. Inns are
  found in large towns and cities. They tend to be large, well-run, and comfortable, with a pro-
  fessional staff of servants including maids, grooms, launderers, and cooks. Up to half of an
  inn’s guests may be permanent lodgers: unmarried characters without their own servants
  often find it convenient to live in an inn, where you can have your meals cooked for you, your
  clothes washed, and so on, all for a nominal fee.
  Games and Sports
  Draughts, or checkers, is the game of the common ale-house. The draughts-board is usually
  scratched into the table-top or windowsill, and the pieces are often improvised. A popular
  variant, called nine-men’s morris, uses a different board.
  Tennis is the game of courtly characters, enjoyed by Louis of France and Charles of
  Carolingia alike. It is played indoors, with the ball played off the walls as well as off the floor.
  One side of the court contains a gallery for spectators, separated from the players by a net or
  screen. Disputes and points of honor between gentlemen are often settled on the tennis
  courts, rather than at swordspoint. Wagering, both by the players and the spectators, are an
  integral feature of the game.
  Tables would be recognized by a modern observer as the game of backgammon. It is also
  called the Corsican game. Like tennis, tables is played for money, often in a public tabling
  den, where players might go to have a drink and find a worthy opponent.
  Hazard is the most popular dice game. A favorite of soldiers on garrison duty, it is played
  like craps, for money of course.
  Hunting is a pastime of courtly characters. It usually takes place in the autumn, as the central
  feature of an elaborate social ritual. Deer and boar are the most common quarry for hunting.
  Specially bred dogs are used to find and trap the animal; they are then dispatched with spears
  (not with guns, which are considered unsporting).
  Retainers & Servants
  Retainers
  Resolving Games
  Here’s a simple system for resolving the out-
  come of any game, using opposed skill checks. If
  your ruling planet is in ascension this month, you
  get a +1 bonus to your skill check. If it is in ret-
  rograde, you get a -1 penalty (see Fortune:
  Astrology & Horoscopes earlier in this chap-
  ter).
  Strategy Games:
  A strategy game, like draughts or tables, requires
  players to make an opposed Intelligence check. If
  the results differ by three points or less, then
  make additional checks until one player wins by
  more than three points.
  Card Games:
  A card game in which chance plays a greater
  role than in a strategy game requires players to
  make three opposed checks. (If playing for
  money, the players should agree ahead of time
  how much money is at stake).
  Check
  Player A
  Player B
  1st
  Bluff
  Sense Motive
  2nd
  Sense Motive
  Bluff
  3rd
  Wisdom
  Wisdom
  Whoever wins two out of three checks, wins
  the game..
  Dice Games:
  The outcome of a dice game like hazard is
  almost pure luck.The only other factor is the
  Wisdom of the players -- can they stop before
  their luck (and money) runs out? First, the play-
  ers agree on the amount of money they’re risk-
  ing.Then, make an opposed Wisdom check, and
  check the result on this table:
  Lost by
  Result
  7+ points
  Lose all your money
  3 to 6 points
  Lose 1/2 your money
  1 to 2 points
  Lose 1/4 your money
  0
  Break even
  Any money lost goes, of course, to the winning
  player.
  Sports:
  A scored physical sport, like tennis, can be
  resolved with an opposed Dexterity check. If the
  results differ by three points or less, then make
  an opposed Strength check . If the results of the
  Strength check are within three points or less,
  then make an opposed Constitution check, until
  one player wins by more than three points.
  (characters may add a +4 bonus to a
  Constitution check if they have the Endurance
  feat).
  Primer 69
  
  In the Septentrionalis campaign, followers of a character with a Leadership skill are generally
  called retainers. They are your most loyal NPC companions, ready to defend your honor and
  your life with their swords. Your retainers always have lower social rank than you, but no
  more than one general social class below yours -- a knight’s retainers, for example, will all be
  from the knightly class or the gentry. Retainers can be younger siblings, poorer relations,
  drinking pals, old schoolyard chums, or family friends. They are not your servants (see
  below), nor are they your employees, but it is your responsibility to ensure that they are well-
  fed, well-housed, and well-equipped. In return for your patronage, they wear your family liv-
  ery (your family colors) to show their devotion to you. If you are a knight, noble, or royal,
  they will also wear a cloth badge embroidered with your coat of arms. 
  What Retainers Want
  Retainers have genuine devotion and respect for you. In exchange, they want your protection
  and your friendship. They also hope to raise their own social rank by associating with you --
  if enough of your reputation and glory rubs off on them, they may begin to attract their own
  retainers.
  PCs as Retainers of NPCs
  In the course of the game, your PC may have an opportunity to become a retainer of a high-
  er-level NPC. This can work to your PC’s advantage. You gain a powerful friend who can
  introduce you to other influential NPCs, who can help pay your expenses, and protect you
  from hostile NPCs. If your PC agrees to become a retainer, she will have to wear the NPC’s
  livery and be available to assist and protect the NPC at a moment’s notice. A DM may deem
  that an entire party of PCs begins their campaign as retainers of the same NPC. Such an
  arrangement has its advantages in terms of providing tasks and adventures for the party, and
  getting the PCs immediately involved in complex plots and NPC interactions.
  Servants
  If you can afford it, you can have one or more servants. Servants are ordinarily played as
  NPCs, following the orders of the PC who employs them. They are usually 1st-level com-
  moners, although highly skilled servants can be expert class. They are not counted among a
  PC’s followers, but might eventually become a follower, or even a cohort, like Don Quixote’s
  longsuffering Sancho Panza or D’Artagnan’s hapless dogsbody Planchet. Most of the time,
  however, servant NPCs are practically invisible unless called for by the PC; a good servant
  strives to be unobtrusive, but responsive to their employer’s needs.
  What Servants Want
  Servants are not slaves. They get paid for their services, and they may leave if they aren’t
  treated well. As their employer, you are expected to let them do their job without being
  either inappropriately chummy or abusive (see Credit under The Ideals of the Age earlier in
  this chapter). A master who discredits his servants will soon find that no one is willing to
  work for him. Most servants are just as eager to climb the social ladder as you are; they’re
  just starting on a lower rung, and their looking for someone who can give them opportuni-
  ties. A potscrubber might hope to be a butler; a scullery maid might dream of being hand-
  maiden to a great lady. They are willing to play the game in order to get ahead. 
  What Servants Do
  Here is a list of selected servants and their
  duties in your character’s household:
  Actors/Musicians are paid to entertain you and
  your guests, and to write and perform flattering
  songs and plays about you.They typically work
  singly or in troupes of 2-12.
  Astrologers cast monthly horoscopes for you and
  anyone else you ask them to, and advise you
  about the best and worst times to begin a par-
  ticular journey or task.
  The butler is in charge of the household wine
  supplies.
  The chaplain oversees the family chapel, and
  presides over religious services for your family,
  including baptisms, weddings, and funerals.
  Footmen help you in and out of your coach,
  open doors for you when you enter a room,
  and close them behind you.They also convey
  messages and announce guests.
  The gardener cares for the grounds of your
  house, including trees, shrubs, and flowers.
  Grooms take care of your horses and stables.
  Your harbinger travels ahead of you to arrange
  suitable lodgings for you, either at an inn or a
  gentleman’s home.
  Housemaids are responsible for general house-
  cleaning duties, from scrubbing pots to sweeping
  out the fireplaces.
  Lackeys also called valets, are general personal
  servants.They carry your luggage, polish your
  boots, cook your meals in the field, deliver mes-
  sages, and do anything else you can think of.
  The family magus spies on your enemies by
  means of divination, and protects you from sor-
  cerous plots and curses.
  The nurse cares for your children. In many
  households, she, rather than the parents, is the
  primary caregiver to the master’s children.
  The household physician maintains the health of
  the master and his family.
  The steward is your highest ranking servant. He
  hires and fires the household staff, and manages
  their day to day activities, ensuring everything is
  kept up to your standards.
  Waiters serve and remove food during meals,
  and help the cook as needed.
  The watchman works as a doorguard, and keeps
  the grounds of the house safe at night, with the
  help of his dog, his lantern, and his clacker
  (noisemaker).
  70 Primer
  
  And, of course, they want money. In fact, they accept money not just from you, but from any-
  one who wants to get their attention or receive some service from them, like delivering a
  message to you. A penny or two (5-10 cp) is customary in payment for some small service.
  Such a tip is called a vail. A douceur, also a penny or two, is given as a little bribe in advance,
  to ensure prompt and discreet service. It’s all acceptible, as long as the servant’s bond of
  vouchsafe with you is not broken.
  In addition to tips, servants are paid quarterly, and given one new suit of clothes per year.
  They live in your house, and may travel with you. Breaches of conduct or failure to perform
  their jobs result in a small fine of 5-10 cp, exacted by their employer. Infractions include
  sleeping on the job, shirking, cursing, being drunk on duty, wearing dirty clothes, forgetting
  to close the door behind them, and missing church services. Poor servants are never given
  corporal punishment by any but the most evil and cruel master; they are simply dismissed
  from your service.
  Minimum Household Staff, by Master’s Social Rank
  Characters who do not maintain a minimum staff of servants will be shunned by their social
  peers, distrusted by their social inferiors, and ignored by their social betters. The following
  table shows the minimum number of each type of servant a character must employ to main-
  tain a given social rank. For convenience, the total quarterly pay is listed at the bottom of the
  table. Keep in mind that the numbers given are a bare-bones minimum; the actual household
  staff of a noble or royal character will almost always be much higher.
  --Master’s Social Rank--
  Servant
  Pay
  Class*
  7-10
  11-15
  16-20
  21-25
  26-40
  41+
  Trades.
  Burgher Gentle.
  Knight
  Noble
  Royal
  Actor/Musician
  10 gp
  Exp 1st
  1
  6
  Astrologer
  50 gp
  Exp 3rd
  1
  Butler
  15 gp
  Exp 1st
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  Chaplain
  20 gp
  Adpt 2nd
  1
  1
  1
  Cook
  15 gp
  Exp 2nd
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  Footman
  8 gp
  Com 1st
  1
  1
  2
  4
  12
  Gardener
  14 gp
  Exp 2nd
  1
  1
  1
  Groom
  7 gp
  Com 1st
  1
  2
  4
  6
  Harbinger
  30 gp
  Exp 2nd
  1
  1
  Housemaid
  6 gp
  Com 1st
  1
  1
  2
  4
  8
  Lackey
  5 gp
  Com 1st 1
  1
  1
  2
  4
  8
  Laundress
  6 gp
  Com 1st
  1
  1
  1
  1
  Magus
  50 gp
  Adpt 3rd
  1
  Nurse
  6 gp
  Com 1st
  1
  **
  **
  **
  Physician
  50 gp
  Exp 3rd
  1
  Steward
  60 gp
  Exp 3rd
  1
  1
  1
  Waiter
  10 gp
  Com 1st
  1
  2
  4
  Watchman
  12 gp
  War 1st
  1
  1
  2
  4
  Total number of Servants:
  1
  5
  8
  16
  29
  60
  Total Pay/Quarter (gp):
  5 
  49
  80
  204
  333
  714
  * This column gives the NPC class and minimum experience level of this servant type:
  Primer 71
  
  Exp = expert class, Com = commoner, Adpt = adept, War = warrior.
  **Generally, one nurse for every child in the house under age 14.
  NPC Retainers & Servants in the Campaign
  In play, the actions of NPC retainers and servants are generally controlled by the player who
  controls their master’s PC. They are best thought of as extensions of the PC, rather than as
  separate characters. If a PC tells his retainer or servant to do something, the player can
  assume he will. The DM only steps in when there is a reason for the NPC to do otherwise: he
  doesn’t know how to carry out his master’s orders, he is being bribed, and so on. That hav-
  ing been said, players and DMs are welcome to flesh out the personalities of NPC servants
  and retainers, especially those closest to the PC, as long as doing so does not distract the
  player from roleplaying his own character. A name, a brief description, and a few lines about
  the NPC’s personality are usually sufficient.
  Magic, Sorcery, Necromancy &
  Witchcraft
  The fantasy-historical basis of the Septentrionalis campaign calls for a slightly different con-
  cept of magic than one finds in a generic fantasy campaign. Not all magic is equa in the eyes
  of the church and of the law, and some explanation is neccessary of the distinctions between
  different magical arts and how they fit the various arcane spellcaster classes.
  Rumors, legends, and whisperings about the doings of magicians, sorcerors, necromancers
  and witches are often heard in taverns, churches, and sitting rooms. Most common folk make
  a distinction between magic, which is an academic discipline hardly distinguishable by most
  laypersons from natural philosophy or alchemy; sorcery, which involves summoning and con-
  trolling evil outsiders to serve the magician either for good or evil ends; necromancy, which
  involves communicating with dead souls and creating and commanding the undead; and
  witchcraft, which involves a willing pact with evil outsiders in exchange for magical power.
  Magic is considered relatively harmless, sorcery and necromancy highly risky and suspect,
  and witchcraft, utterly evil.
  Magic
  Magic is the province of magi and scholars. Among educated people, there is a longstanding
  debate whether magic is different than science, or merely a separate science in itself.
  Wizards, bards, and sorcerors can all practice magic. Its powers can have either beneficial or
  harmful effects, depending on how it is employed, but it is neither inherently good nor evil.
  For this reason, it is often called natural magic, to distinguish it from the supernatural magic
  of sorcery, necromancy and witchcraft. When used innocuously or to render aid, it is called
  white magic. When used to harm, it is called black magic.
  The common response to magic is one of awe, mixed with fear of the unknown. Magicians
  are considered a little odd, a little disreputable perhaps, but they are not generally persecut-
  ed. Even multiclass cleric/wizards are not seen as evil, as long as they use magic only for
  Some Legendary Sorcerors
  Characters with spellcasting ability, or a
  Knowledge (Arcana) skill, will undoubtedly know
  something about the following famous sorcerors
  from the pages of history and legend:
  King Solomon
  Solomon, or Suleiman-ibn-Daoud, first codified
  the laws of magic and sorcery in ancient times.
  He summoned and commanded outsiders of all
  kinds, and used them to build his palace and
  transport him to the far corners of the world.
  Evil outsiders were imprisoned in urns, sealed
  with a six-pointed star, and buried. Before his
  death, he entrusted his book to his son,
  Rehoboam, and told him to bury it with him. But
  the Key of Solomon was later found, and exists to
  this day.
  Theophilus and Salatin
  Theophilus, bursar of the church of Adana,
  worked with the sorceror Salatin during the 6th
  century A.D. It is said that Theophilus turned to
  sorcery to exact revenge against the bishop
  who had deprived him of office.
  Albertus Magnus
  Albertus Magnus was perhaps Albert, Bishop of
  Ratisbon. He was a great naturalist with a side
  interest in demonology, who became a great
  authority on sorcery, although he never prac-
  ticed it himself.
  Paracelsus
  The great German physician Paracelsus was said
  to have bound a demon inside the pommel of
  his sword Azoth.This sword, later lost, is said to
  bestow great power upon the wielder.
  Catherine de Medici
  The queen of Henri III of France was rumored
  to have been a great sorceress in her own right,
  with the full knowledge and support of her hus-
  band.The two of them openly invited sorcerors
  to the court, and kept a sorcerous laboratory in
  Henri’s keep at Vincennes, called le Tour de
  Diable (the Devil’s Tower).
  Doktor Faustus
  The legendary Faustus was a doctor of divinity
  whose dabbling in sorcery soon led to outright
  witchcraft. He signed a pact with the devil
  Mephistocles, with a term of 24 years in
  exchange for power and knowledge. At the end
  of the term, it is said, he could not escape the
  pact, and his life and soul were forfeited.
  72 Primer
  
  good purposes. 
  Sorcery
  The legend of Doktor Faustus supplies the popular imagination with the image of the arche-
  typal sorceror: proud, vain, greedy for power or knowledge, and always in danger of suc-
  cumbing to the demonic forces he seeks to command. Sorcery is feared and shunned by most
  people for good reason. It is risky and dangerous, not only to the sorceror but to their neigh-
  bors as well. While no one denies that sorcerors can force evil outsiders to do good works,
  there always remains the possibility that an outsider will escape or take over the sorceror’s
  will, a possibility made all but inevitable by the sorceror’s unquenchable thirst for power.
  Necromancy
  Also called goetic magic, necromancy holds not only fear but fascination for most people, due
  to the almost universal curiosity about the afterlife and the possibilities of cheating the seem-
  ing inevitability of death. Necromancers are shunned, and certainly arrested if caught prac-
  ticing their art, but they are not reviled as sorcerors or witches are, unless they actually traf-
  fick with the undead.
  Witchcraft
  Witchcraft is the one form of magic that is nearly universally feared and reviled. Even many
  witches do not practice it, for it leads inevitably to evil deeds and the loss of one’s immortal
  soul. For this reason, practitioners of witchcraft go to great lengths to hide their practices,
  usually performing their unholy rites on remote hilltops or forest glades. The church actively
  hunts down users of witchcraft with the full support of the common people, even though
  their zealotry often results in the death of innocent witches and ordinary folk.
  Magic, Sorcery, Necromancy & Witchcraft applied to Characters
  Wizard, Sorceror and Bard Class Characters
  In game terms, a wizard, bard, or sorceror class character is considered a magician unless
  they cast one or more of the following spells: summon monster (any level), lesser planar bind-
  ing, planar binding, greater planar binding, or gate. Casting these spells is legally consid-
  ered sorcery by most authorities, and in this campaign, cannot be done without possession
  of a sorcerous black-book (see sidebar). If a wizard, sorceror or bard wishes to make a pact
  with an outsider, they must multiclass as a witch first. Only witches can practice witchcraft
  (see below).
  Any arcane spellcaster who casts a spell from the necromancy school is by definition a necro-
  mancer, although in practice, only the necromantic spells of 4th level or greater are consid-
  ered serious enough to bring a criminal charge of necromancy against the caster.
  Witch Class Characters
  Not all witch class characters practice witchcraft. Witches of good and neutral alignment are
  The Black-Book
  The spells of sorcery (see main text this page)
  can only be cast from the pages of a black-book,
  which is a manual for the summoning and bind-
  ing of outsiders. It is only effective if hand-writ-
  ten, rather than printed, most commonly in red
  ink on black paper.The church authorities con-
  sider possession of a black-book to be a capital
  offense; both the book and its owner are liable
  to be burned. As a result, black-books are diffi-
  cult to find and risky and expensive to buy on
  the black market. A typical black-book might sell
  for 5000 gp. It can be one of several known sor-
  cerous texts, some dating back to the ancient
  world:
  The Key of Solomon
  The oldest known and most famous black-book,
  said to be written by King Solomon himself, the
  first sorceror, whose knowledge was said to
  come from good outsiders who wished it to be
  used only for the benefit of humankind.The
  emperor Vespasian was said to have had a copy,
  called by the Romans Liber Pentaculorum.The
  Key is also known by the titles The Secret of
  Secrets and The True Grimoire. A Persian verse
  translation well-known in the East is called
  Suleiman-Nameh.
  The Grimoire of Pope Honorius
  Dated 1216, this black-book is little known and
  quite rare. It is attributed to Honorius, but it is
  more likely to have been written by an anony-
  mous scholar, since admitting the authorship of a
  black-book would have been tanamount to a
  death sentence.
  The Book of Belial
  This tome was written by one Jacobus de
  Teramo some time in the early Renaissance. It
  includes an exhaustive list of outsiders’ names
  and place in the infernal hierarchy. It is favored
  by evil sorcerors for its emphasis on infernal
  outsiders as opposed to elementals and other
  types.
  The Red Dragon, or,The Art of Commanding the
  Spirits of Heaven,Air, Earth, and, and Hell
  This black-book is relatively new, having been
  penned in 1522, possibly by a French sorceror
  named Offray. It represents the most scientific
  treatise on sorcery to date, but is no less per-
  ilous to use.
  Primer 73
  
  considered practitioners of sorcery, rather than witchcraft, because they do not make pacts
  with the forces that supply their power, while only witches of evil alignment are the true prac-
  titioners of witchcraft. Most people have such a fear of evil witches that they will seldom take
  the trouble to inquire whether a witch is actually practicing witchcraft before taking action to
  arrest, drive away, or slay them.
  The Spectral World
  For most citizens of Septentrionalis, the world consists of two realms: the visible world,
  which includes everyday experience, and the invisible world, often called the spectral world,
  which is the realm of the supernatural, of ghosts, spirits, fairies, wonders, and miracles. The
  border between these realms is quite porous, allowing for lost or careless travellers to stray
  into the spectral world, like Beauty’s father wandering into the castle of the Beast, or for resi-
  dents of the spectral world to enter our own, especially at night, before being banished by
  the crowing of the rooster at dawn. This commerce between our world and the spectral world
  takes many forms, which are detailed below.
  Signs and Wonders
  Signs and wonders are the most common manifestations of the spectral world within our
  own. A sign is a strange phenomenon or apparition, often witnessed by many people, that
  has no tangible effects on the natural world, but confirms the presence of the supernatural.
  Common signs include the noise of pealing bells, guns, or thunder coming from a clear sky
  or from beneath the ground; comets, shooting stars, and eclipses; and phantom apparitions
  of armies, angels, ships, and cities in the clouds or in the sky. A wonder is like a sign, but
  includes tangible and lasting evidence, such as the birth of an oddly-colored or deformed
  animal, an earthquake, unseasonably cold or warm weather, or a mysterious rain of blood,
  frogs, or fish. As DM, you should feel free to include occasional signs and wonders in the
  game, to reinforce the existence of the spectral world, and to foreshadow coming events in
  the campaign or give hints or clues to the players.
  Prophecies
  It is sometimes divine will, or perhaps dead spirits, which give the gift of prophecy to com-
  mon folk. Tales tell of newborn babies who have uttered chilling predictions of future calami-
  ties, or of people suddenly stricken by a trance, during which they prophesy strange won-
  ders, only to lose their memory of having done so when the trance passes. Like signs and
  wonders, prophecy can be used by the DM as a means of imparting information to the play-
  ers and as an aid in establishing the mood of the campaign.
  Hauntings
  Spirits can make their presence known more directly by haunting a particular person, place,
  or object. Some say hauntings are the work of ghosts; others contend that they are the trick-
  ery of evil outsiders merely pretending to be ghosts, to mislead and frighten the living. In
  any case, the spirits themselves are seldom seen, but they cause chairs to dance, people to
  rise into the air, and coverlets to be wrenched off one’s bed in the middle of the night. Only
  the intervention of a priest, or the satisfaction of the spirit’s wishes can end a haunting.
  74 Primer
  
  Fairy Visits
  Fairies are common visitors from the spectral world. Most of life’s little problems are
  ascribed to them, as well as some serious misfortunes. Their visits can result in minor annoy-
  ances or deadly pranks, depending on their fickle mood. They might tangle your hair at
  night, ride your sheep and cows bareback through the forest, curdle your milk, or steal your
  child only to replace it with a changeling. Rowan wood, cold iron, and the sign of the cross
  are often said to keep them away, although many folk prefer to stay on good terms with them,
  leaving a bowl of milk and a crust of bread in the hope of receiving the blessing of good for-
  tune.
  Travelers’ Tales
  Sometimes denizens of the visible world find themselves in the spectral world, either by
  chance or design. The boundary between Faerie and our world has many hidden gates,
  which, if found, can lead to places of both beauty and peril: dark, endless forests, rockbound
  castles inhabited by cruel giants guarding golden hoards, sumptuous palaces beneath green
  hills. One may return from a single night at a fairy revel, only to find twenty years have
  passed in our world. The fairy tales of the nursery and fireside are said to have their basis in
  such visits to the other world.
  Infernal Invasions
  It is said that the Devil and his servants often enter our world to cheat foolish mortals of their
  souls, or simply make a show of force. Depending on the story, the Devil may be cast down,
  tricked out his bargain, or succeed in his deception. The story of Faustus and
  Mephistopheles has already been mentioned. Another tale involves a preacher whose ser-
  mons against evil were so effective that the Evil One himself came to see what could be done
  to stop them. He wrestled with the preacher in a bout that ended on the church roof, from
  which the Devil at last was thrown, only to spring away howling, leaving his cloven footprint
  upon a stone in the churchyard which can be seen to this day.
  The Political Landscape
  This section presents a brief overview of the political powers of the Old World and their New
  World interests. All of it is considered general knowledge to player characters.
  An Old World Overview
  The Habsburg Empire
  The great Old World power at the moment is the Habsburg Empire, under the control of
  Philip II of Spain. The Emperor, well over a hundred years old, is said to be kept alive by a
  team of alchemists and physicians at enormous expense. He is dedicated to battling the ene-
  mies of Christendom from his palace and administrative center of L’Escorial. With a vast
  world empire in his care, Philip considers the destiny of Septentrionalis only one among
  many concerns.His lands include Spain, much of the German territories, Austria, and the
  Faerie as part of the Campaign
  The role of Faerie within your campaign is large-
  ly a matter of personal taste. Keep in mind that
  Septentrionalis is primarily a historical fantasy set-
  ting, rather than a generic fantasy. Journeys by
  PCs into Faerie should be rare events, because
  they tend to shift the focus of play away from
  the campaign’s center of interest. When used
  sparingly, they provide an occasional break from
  the usual campaign setting, with different chal-
  lenges and rewards.
  Using a Generic Fantasy Campaign
  Setting for Faerie
  As DM, if you already run a standard fantasy
  campaign full of knights, monsters, and magic,
  you have a readymade campaign setting to use
  for PC’s occasional adventures into Faerie.Your
  Septentrionalis characters will find themselves in
  a world without firearms, galleons, or natural
  philosophy, but full of treasure, spells, and strange
  creatures.
  Conversely, your generic fantasy campaign char-
  acters could travel to Septentrionalis, where
  they would find few spellcasters, dwarves, or
  dragons, but plenty of strange weapons and
  artefacts to bring back and take with them into
  the next dungeon they discover!
  Primer 75
  
  southern Nederlander provinces. As top dog, Spain has attracted a number of enemies nip-
  ping at her heels. Philip reserves special enmity for Gloriana of Albion, fairy-tainted daugh-
  ter of his ancient rival Elizabeth, but the rebellious Nederlanders, infidel Turks and the med-
  dling, ambitious Louis of France are also on his list of foes. Philip has seen Espaniard power
  in the region slowly eroded since her early settlements as far north as Virginia have disap-
  peared in the face of Carolingian expansion.
  Albion
  Formerly called England, the Kingdom of Albion enjoys special fame (or infamy) as the only
  Old World power to have open relations with the kingdom of Elfland (see the entry on
  Elfland for the extraordinary history of this relationship). Consequently, Albion’s queen
  Gloriana has a highly profitable trade with the Blessed Isles and the vast magical powers of
  Elfland at her disposal, but she also has many enemies who consider her to be in league with
  the devil, chief among them Philip of Spain. As for France, Louis maintains an official policy
  of neutrality with Albion; privately he delights in Albion’s ability to tweak Philip’s nose
  through the daring actions of her sea wolves against the Spanish fleet. The Nederlanders
  would love to gain a share of Albion’s trade, but they don’t want to appear ungrateful for the
  military aid that Albion sends to them to keep the Nederlands free from Habsburg rule.
  Gloriana’s strategic aims are to keep Spain from enjoying the fruits of her overseas colonies;
  to court the friendship of the Gael lands, who are still smarting from abuses dating back to
  her mother’s and Cromwell’s reign and have historically been more friendly with France than
  with England; and to discover a northeast or northwest passage to Cathay to enable Albion
  to share in the same spice trade now enjoyed by Spain and Portugal.
  Elfland
  The kingdom of Elfland, which exists on the plane of Faerie, conducts commerce with our
  own world chiefly through the kingdom of Albion, whose queen is of fairy blood. The follow-
  ing Albian text, details the history of the relations between these two kingdoms.
  “Of old, the island of Britain teemed with the race of creatures called variously the White
  People, the Good People, the fey, the fairies, or simply, the elves. Creatures of spirit, they
  could clothe themselves in matter, and assume the form of whatever their human neighbors
  believed them to be. By turns benevolent and malevolent, a help or a hinder, the elves
  pruned and pollarded the tree of human history as it suited them. Vain creatures, and always
  drawn to the warmth of animal life which they can only mimic and mock, they craved human
  company, and a place in the affairs of humankind. They counseled kings, inspired poets, and
  inflamed the passions of lovers. In return, they were revered, and feared. It was a perfect cir-
  cle of desire.
  Over the centuries, invaders would appear on the eastern shores, tall and fair, come from
  northern seas to plunder, then to conquer. The elves bided their time, and slowly wove the
  northmen into the human thicket, until whatever rents they had made were whole again. And
  great ships came from the Middle Sea, beaked with iron and rowed by lashed, moaning
  slaves, and disgorged their hundreds of clever men, come to refashion a damp, foggy island
  into an outpost of their Empire. They raised statues of their grave, handsome gods, and the
  elves laughed, because the gods of the east had no power here, and so, neither did the ones
  who raised their images. Again, the elves bided their time, and the Empire withered, and the
  Background: Gloriana's War 
  In 1660, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of
  England, was still smarting from his disastrous
  attempt to conquer Charles II's Septentrionalian
  kingdom of Carolina.The war (1658-59) had
  emptied the treasury, cost many lives, and deci-
  sively ended any hopes for a Puritan foothold on
  the southern shores of Septentrionalis.
  Cromwell's humiliating defeat by the combined
  navies of France and Carolingia at the Battle of
  Natoket, off the New England coast, had stirred
  up much disaffection and doubt at home about
  the Protectorate's ability to lead the nation.
  At this dark moment, in the late winter of 1660,
  strange rumors reached Cromwell's ear about
  the sighting of a faerie rade, or royal procession,
  seen in the north of England, near the Scots
  border.Witnesses reported the rade travelling
  southward by night, led by a “great Ladye” of
  Elfland. Official commerce with Elfland had
  ceased upon Elizabeth's death some half-century
  earlier, so it was with great interest that the
  people of England watched for the coming of
  the rade. Each time the rade was sighted, it was
  said to have grown in size, and was now accom-
  panied by a large body of Elvish knights and
  bowmen.
  When reports came to the Lord Protector
  about the rade travelling brazenly by daylight,
  and attracting an army of disaffected Englishmen,
  he mustered his Roundhead forces to march
  north and disperse this uncanny threat to his
  rulership.The two forces clashed near Leicester
  on May 1st, in what became known as the Battle
  of the May. In the course of the battle,
  Cromwell's horse shied and fell on top of him,
  killing him instantly.Whether this was an
  enchantment of the enemy, a sign from God, or
  mere misfortune, his troops took it as an ill
  omen and panicked.The forces of Faerie carried
  the day, routing the army of the Protectorate.
  Nothing now stood between them and the cap-
  ital.
  When news of the disaster reached Cromwell's
  son Roger, he fled to his ships along with the
  rump of the Protectorate forces. As the rade
  reached the outskirts of London, curiosity as to
  the identity of the mysterious leader of the
  Faerie forces climbed to a fever pitch. At last, on
  the steps of Parliament, the mystery was
  revealed - the lady at the head of the elvish host
  was none other than Gloriana, daughter of
  Elizabeth, Queen of England, and Oberon, King
  of Elfland. She had come to reclaim her moth-
  er's throne. Having chosen her moment wisely,
  with the advice of her tutor, John Dee, the
  young heir to the throne was received enthusi-
  astically by a people worn down and dispirited
  by a decade of Cromwell's grim dictatorship.
  (concluded on next page)
  76 Primer
  
  statues crumbled, and were grown over by the green grass.
  And then came the Word.
  At first, the elves took no notice of the ragged wanderers who spread the Word from hovel to
  hovel, hall to hall, but in short order, the kingdoms of Eire, the green isle to the west and
  also a place of great elven power, all became lost to the Word. And soon, Britain itself was
  changing. As the churches rose in the green landscape, the elves began a long, painful
  retreat from the minds and tongues and hearts of humankind, and became in their eyes the
  little creatures of hearth and hedgerow, worthy not of song or worship but only the occasion-
  al offering of fresh cream or stale crusts, as insurance against curdling the milk or poxing the
  complexion. They were no longer the White People, but brownies, sprites, pixies, a humili-
  ating garb for a once-proud race.
  Oberon, king of the elves, and Titania his queen, seeing their people thus belittled, removed
  themselves and their subjects from Britain to the Blessed Isles, which straddle the border
  between our earthly world and great Chaos beyond. Always had the elves maintained lands
  among the Isles, as places of healing, and defence, and pleasure, where no mortal man or
  woman may walk except by leave of the elven king and queen. It was said that the elves first
  came to our world from Chaos through these same Isles, and so always kept that way open,
  should they ever have need of return.
  As a refuge for the myriad thousands of fleeing elves, the Isles were much too small. And so,
  the exiles struck out into boundless Chaos, there to establish a new Elfland beyond the circle
  of the world. But although Chaos was vast, it was not unoccupied. Hell, which God had cre-
  ated as an eternal prison for his fallen angels, also stood on the borders of Chaos, and, the
  Devil, having expanded his reach in subsequent years, claimed not only Hell but Chaos as his
  kingdom. If the elves wished to remain in Chaos, they risked war with the demons of Hell,
  unless some agreement could be reached between the two camps. Ultimately, the elves
  agreed to send a tithe of human souls to Hell, as rent-payment for their domains in Chaos.
  Oberon and Titania chafed under this obligation, but they had little choice other than war,
  which would result in certain defeat, for the forces of Hell are legion.
  It soon became clear to Oberon and Titania that to live as tenants of the Devil was intolera-
  ble, and they began to contrive a plan that would re-establish an elven presence on earth.
  Choosing a young man named Arthur as his protegé, Oberon sought to reunite Britain,
  which, since the elves' departure, had slipped into an age of disorder and darkness. He gave
  Arthur the use of his own sword, Excalibur, and its scabbard, which bestowed invulnerability.
  He approached and turned to his cause a half demon, half-human named Merlin, who had no
  love for the elves, but wished to see the kingdom reunited. Merlin groomed Arthur for king-
  ship, encouraged him to defeat the neighboring kingdoms, and manipulated his policies in
  the guise of wise counsel. Soon, Arthur had succeeded in bringing peace to the land, and
  Oberon was pleased.
  But Arthur was to have been merely the prelude to Oberon's scheme. When Guinevere bore
  Arthur a son, Oberon and Titania planned to bring the child to Elfland and raise it as one of
  their own. Upon the child's return as a grown man, he would claim Arthur's throne, cast out
  the New Faith, re-establish the old ways, and prepare the people for the return of the elves to
  (continued from previous page)
  Gloriana was crowned at Westminster on
  Midsummer’s Day, 1660 by the Archbishop of
  Canterbury, before a splendid assembly of the
  lords of England and Elfland, including Oberon
  himself, who had raised Gloriana to serve as a
  living link between his aging kingdom and the
  young vital empire of England.
  In the years which have followed, Gloriana has
  proved an able monarch, keeping the French and
  Espaniards at bay, and opening profitable trade
  routes to the elvish isles of Antilles, Hy-Brasil,
  and Tir Nan N'ogth. She has surrounded herself
  with the cream of England's captains, poets, and
  natural philosophers. Like Persephone, she
  spends the spring and summer in her earthly
  kingdom, and returns to Elfland in the fall and
  winter.This regimen may be the reason for her
  remarkably youthful appearance, scarcely
  changed from the day she ascended to power. It
  is said she may well rule forever...
  Primer 77
  
  their former homeland.
  This was not to be. Guinevere fell in love with Lancelot, and it was he, not Arthur, who
  became the father of her child, Galahad. Worse, a rebel faction of elves appeared to con-
  found Oberon's scheme. The rebels, led by Morgan le Fay, wished to place their own
  claimant on the throne. Morgan seduced Arthur and bore him a son in Elfland, named
  Mordred. He was given mighty powers and taught to despise his father. Backed by the rebels,
  he unwrought much of what Arthur had accomplished, and at last, mortally wounded his
  father in their final battle, at the cost of his own life. Arthur was rescued by Oberon's agents
  and brought to the Blessed Isles, where he could not die, but could not recover, either.
  Titania placed him in an enchanted sleep to spare him the agony of the cursed wound, and he
  sleeps there still, until he may be healed and rise again.
  After this debacle, Morgan le Fay and her faction fled to Hell, where they dwell still. Oberon
  and Titania withdrew, bided their time, and waited for another opportunity, all the while pay-
  ing their tithe of souls to Hell.
  A thousand years of exile passed before that opportunity came. Henry, the eighth king of
  that name, was nearly mad with desperation at his failure to produce a male heir. As a last
  resort, he called upon the Devil to guarantee him a male heir at any cost. The Devil set the
  price for this service at the destruction of the Roman Chuch in England and the dissolution
  of its monasteries and holy orders. Henry complied, and received his heir, Edward. But as he
  always does, the Devil cheated Henry in the end, by giving him a son destined to die before
  he grew to manhood.
  Oberon, with the foresight of an elf-lord, knew that this would come to pass. He allowed the
  English navigator and seaman Sebastian Cabot to discover the most earthward of the Isles of
  the Blessed, known as Hy-Brasil, and there recruited Cabot to his cause. He then sent Cabot
  back to Henry, with many rich gifts, and the following offer: That Oberon would make
  Henry's daughter Elizabeth a great queen, in place of the doomed Edward, upon these con-
  ditions: That she be taken to Elfland, there to be raised by Oberon and Titania. And that she
  should marry Oberon's son, a lord of Elfland, and that their child, Gloriana, shall be both
  Queen of England and a Princess of Elfland, and that she will restore the old ways when she
  takes the throne.
  Henry agreed, and allowed Elizabeth to be spirited away to Elfland. In her absence, Mary
  Tudor gained the throne after the deaths of Henry and Edward, and Elizabeth did not return
  until shortly before Mary's untimely death, which was said to have been engineered by
  Oberon. Elizabeth, bathed in the glamour of her years in Elfland, became a charismatic and
  successful queen. During her reign, she defended England from foreign foes and greatly
  increased her power, especially at sea.
  Before Gloriana could be installed as her heir, Oberon knew that the country must pass
  through a period of turmoil, to sharpen their hunger a bit. And so, the people of England
  suffered a half century of turmoil, ending with the grim years of civil war and Cromwell's
  subsequent rule. At last, when Cromwell could be no longer tolerated, and the people were
  looking for salvation, Oberon sent Gloriana back to claim her mother's throne, and the
  Greening of England began.”
  Other Old World Powers:
  The following states have regional power in the
  Old World but little effect on the affairs of
  Septentrionalis.They are briefly mentioned here
  to fill in the details of the Old World political
  landscape.
  Denmark
  The small but strategically situated nation of
  Denmark controls the straits leading to the
  Baltic Sea.They charge heavy tolls to sea traffic
  passing through the straits under the heavy guns
  of their coastal forts. Sweden would dearly love
  to control the straits, but has so far been unable
  to assail Danish defenses.
  Eire
  Eire is a fairy-touched nation, a center of the
  Old Ways, courted by Albion but determined to
  remain apart from continental struggles.
  Knights of Malta
  The Knights of Malta, formerly called the
  Hospitallers, are based on the heavily fortified
  Mediterranean island of Malta. Having lost their
  former stronghold of Rhodes to the Turks, they
  have since become masters of sea warfare, prey-
  ing on Turkish shipping and battling the corsairs
  of the North African coast.
  Poland
  The kingdom of Poland dominates the landscape
  of eastern Europe.With a strong Catholic
  church and a beloved king, Poland has survived
  attack from both the Turks and the eastern
  states of Muscovy and Novgorod.
  Teutonic Knights
  The Teutonic Knights control a small state along
  the Baltic coast, adjacent to Poland and
  Lithuania.They see themselves as crusaders
  against the pagan Lithuanians, but their detrac-
  tors accuse them of mere empire-building at the
  expense of their neighbors.
  Republic of Venice
  The powerful trading state of Venice has gath-
  ered great wealth through her sea-routes from
  the Adriatic Sea through the Eastern
  Mediterranean to the Levant, terminus of over-
  land trade from the East. Her galley fleet battles
  both the Turks and the Uskok pirates of the
  Balkans.Turkish sea power has been much weak-
  ened since the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, but
  the Venetians have not had a free hand, thanks
  to Spain, who has encouraged the Uskoks as a
  way of containing Venetian power.Venice still
  clings to the strategic island of Crete as a
  halfway point along their trade route; it is
  expected to come under assault by the Turks at
  any moment.
  Scotland
  Scotland has long resisted English domination.
  Her king is the undying witch Michael Scot, who
  rules from the Black Rock of Edinburgh, com-
  manding both a coven of witches and thousands
  of fierce highland clansmen.
  78 Primer
  
  France
  France is ruled by the absolute monarchy of Louis XIV, at the height of his personal and
  political powers. With the assistance of Cardinal Richelieu, Louis controls every aspect of
  government from his “machine of state” at Versailles, making his level of authority the envy
  of every European monarch. The advanced state of French arts and natural philosophy sets
  the standard for civilized fashion and thought, although the radical French freethinkers are
  perhaps too advanced for the taste of some.
  Louis has one main strategic goal: to check the power of the Habsburgs, led by Philip of
  Spain. To this end, he gives aid even to the enemies of Christendom, such as Turkey, so
  intent he is at wearing down Philip’s power. The French privateers of Petit Guaves in the
  Carib Sea harass the fleets of New Spain, while on the mainland of Septentrionalis, the
  northern and southern provinces of Nouvelle France stretch toward one another along the
  valley of the Espiritu Santo, seeking to cut the continent in two and check Spanish expan-
  sion. This last aim suits well his cousin Charles II of Carolingia, and in fact the two kings are
  on good terms, although Charles likes Louis better from the comfort of his own court, rather
  than as a pet at Versailles.
  Ottoman Turks
  The great Ottoman Empire dominates the eastern half of the Mediterranean Sea, including
  the African coast, and also the southern Balkan region. It is ruled by the sultan Mehmed IV,
  whose strategic aims are to eliminate Venetian influence in the region, crush the Knights of
  Malta, and capture the great prize of Vienna, capital of the eastern Habsburg lands.
  Mehmed, the sun of a Turkish sultan and a Russian-born sultana, is an accomplished rider
  and hunter, with a love of literature and poetry. He leaves the details of government to his
  great vizier, Ahmed Koprulu, an elderly but vigorous administrator. The extent of the
  Empire has never been greater, but there are signs of trouble. An attempt to break a
  Venetian blockade on the Dardanelles, bottling up the Black Sea, ended in defeat in 1656,
  with the help of the Knights of Malta on the Venetian side. Offensives against Austria have
  been costly, yet have failed to win Vienna, due to the timely intervention of the Polish king
  and his army of winged hussars. The one friend Mehmed has in Europe is Louis of France,
  but the Catholic king cannot help Mehmed too openly, though any enemy of the Habsburgs
  is a friend of France.
  Portugal
  This small kingdom on the tip of the Iberian peninsula would seem to be in a precarious
  position, with a powerful neighbor, Spain, jealous of Portugal’s geographic knowledge,
  marine prowess, and trading stations in the East, chief among them at Goa and in Xipangu.
  But Philip of Spain has sworn to abide by the Church’s decision to divide the world into
  spheres of colonial influence, giving Portugal the east and Spain the west, and so he must sit
  on his hands and watch Portugal prosper while Spain wrestles with the military and magical
  might of the Aztec and Inca empires. 
  Portugal is ruled by Pedro II as Prince Regent, the brother of the former king, Alfonso VI,
  who was removed due to mental illness and now resides in the Azores. Pedro’s chief concern
  is the attempt by the Nederlander East India Company to establish its own trading stations in
  the east -- as Protestants, the Nederlanders do not acknowledge the Church’s spheres of
  influence. The Nederlander and Portugeuse fleets have clashed on more than one occasion,
  Powers of the East:
  Beyond the frontiers of Europe are several pow-
  erful empires, little known to Europeans but said
  to be the fonts of fabulous wealth in the form of
  silks, jewels, and spices. Spain, Albion, the
  Nederlands, and Portugal are engaged in heated
  competition to dominate existing trade routes
  to these lands, secure trade monopolies, and to
  discover new profitable routes, perhaps via the
  fabled Northeast and Northwest Passages.
  Novgorod and Muscovy
  These eastern city states possess great wealth in
  the form of furs and timber. Currently, the
  Muscovy Company of Albion enjoys a trade
  monopoly granted by Czar Ivan.The Albion
  ships brave the icy sea route to the port of
  Archangel, where they overwinter before return-
  ing to Albion the following summer.
  Muscovy has recently annexed the formerly
  independent state of Novgorod, but other
  neighbors remain resistant to the Czar’s
  advances. Poland holds the west, and in the
  south, Muscovy has two enemies in the form of
  the Tatar hordes and the Turks, who seek to
  control the territory around the northern shore
  of the Black Sea.To the east lie the vast steppes
  of Asia, a frontier of settlement and exploration
  for Muscovite pioneers and natural philosophers.
  The Moghul Empire
  The emperor Aurangzeb, son of the legendary
  Shah Jahan, rules a great Muslim empire span-
  ning much of the Indian subcontinent. Moghul
  wealth has been tapped successfully by the
  Portugeuse, whokeep a trading station at the
  coastal city of Goa.The Albian East India
  Company is making inroads, but so far has failed
  to match Portugal’s success.The French,
  Nederlanders, and even the Danes are also peti-
  tioning for trade rights with this mighty eastern
  power.
  Cathay
  Great Cathay is in a time of turmoil, as the Ming
  Emperors crumble in the face of Xipangu
  coastal pirates and rebellious generals. In the
  midst of this unrest, the Portugeuse have estab-
  lished a trade port at Macao, to tap into the silk
  trade.
  Xipangu
  The island kingdom of Xipangu has allowed a
  limited number of Portugeuse Jesuits and
  traders to stay on the island, but have so far
  refused to grant a trade monopoly. Xipangu has
  only recently become united under a single
  emperor, after generations of strife under com-
  peting warlords.
  Primer 79
  
  both in the Sea of India and off the Iberian coast. Albion has taken on the role of peacemaker
  between the two, but Portugal does not entirely trust Gloriana, who has her own trade ambi-
  tions in the East.
  Sweden
  The Swedish Empire is the creation of Gustavus Adolphus, the so-called Lion of the North,
  one of the most brilliant military commanders of the age. This Protestant king has not only
  held his own against the Imperial forces of the Habsburgs, but threatens to take many of the
  German territories for his own. His reputation as a battlefield commander has taken on
  almost divine proportions since his near-miraculous recovery of wounds received at the bat-
  tle of Lutzen, the first but not the last occasion when his wits were matched against his only
  serious military rival, Wallenstein, commander of Imperial forces in the east. These two old
  foes have since clashed many times, without conclusive results, giving them a grudging
  respect for one another, like two master chess players. As a result of their ceaseless struggle,
  the German lands lie in ruin, scarred by a generation of religious warfare.
  Gustavus has the chief aim of preserving his Scandinavian empire, and keeping alive the
  flame of the Lutheran cause in the north. He can count few allies, and many enemies, includ-
  ing the Russians, the Poles, and of course, Philip of Spain. The colony of New Sweden is for
  Gustavus a small matter, a plaything for his daughter and heir Cristina, while she waits to
  come into her own.
  The Septentrionalian Powers
  The following list includes a summary of the government and political interests of the major
  political powers in the eastern regions of Septentrionalis. Minor players like Vandalia are
  discussed under their own entry in the Gazetteer.
  Carolingia
  Capital: Charleston.
  Leader: His Majesty Charles II
  Form of Government: Monarchy.
  Religion: Anglican, with Catholic minority.
  Language: English.
  Allies: France.
  Enemies: Spain.
  Established by the exiled Stuart king Charles I, who narrowly escaped execution at the hands
  of Oliver Cromwell in 1649. With the help of royalist friends and his French allies, Charles
  established Charleston as the new seat of the British crown in 1650, declaring the eastern
  seaboard of Septentrionalis from Virginia to Florida as the Kingdom of Carolingia. Many
  powerful royalist leaders fled there to join him, leaving Cromwell's Commonwealth behind.
  After Cromwell's death in 1658, Charles hoped that he might be able to return to England,
  but a fever contracted from the miasmal vapors of the Carolingian swamps led to his death
  and the ascension of his son Charles II in 1660.
  By the time Charles II took the throne, Gloriana had become queen of England (discussed
  elsewhere), and Charles was a much too practical and intelligent man to attempt to reclaim it
  for himself. Instead, he concentrated on consolidating his American kingdom, which he
  80 Primer
  
  rules to this day. Charles has no male heirs. Waiting in the wings is his younger brother
  James and James' son Charles Edward.
  During the Septentrionalian Adventure, Carolingia allied with the Republic of Sophia, New
  Sweden, New Netherlands,  and The Commonwealth of New England to repel the English
  invaders. Relations are still cordial with the Republic, but Charles worries that freethinkers
  like Lord Jeferson are a threat to the monarchy, and best kept at a distance.
  To the south, Charles makes war against Nueva Espana, seeking both territory and gold. His
  fleets raid the Carib to plunder Spanish treasure ships.
  Irroquois League (the Great Tree of Peace)
  Capital: Onondaga.
  Leader: Garacontie of the Onondaga.
  Form of Government: Confederacy
  Religion: Shamanistic.
  Language: Algonkian.
  Allies: France.
  Enemies: Huron, Shawnee, Suskehana, Commonwealth of New England, Vermont.
  The confederacy of the Five Nations that was to become the Irroquois League was founded
  around the year 1450 by the visionary leader Deganawida and his apostle Hayowentha. The
  Five Nations include the Mohawk, the Oneida, the Onandaga, the Cayuga, and the Seneca.
  The Great Law of Peace is the basis for this union. It provides for and equal voice for all
  members of the confederacy, freedom of speech for individuals, an impeachment system for
  corrupt officials, and an amendment procedure to the existing Law. Within each nation are
  several matrilineal clans, each named for a bird or animal. The center of clan life is the long-
  house, which typically holds 50-60 people.
  Currently the elected leader of the League is Garacontie, a man with a reputation for diplo-
  macy and peace. He is also adept at playing the colonial powers against one another to his
  own advantage. From the Nederlanders he receives guns and trade goods, via Fort Oranj.
  From the French, he receives military support against other native nations, and an outlet to
  sell furs. From Sophia, he receives scientific and military advisors, and offers of membership
  in Jeferson's Republic. The strategic position and formidable reputation of the Irroquois
  guarantees that their neighbors will court them, flatter them, or fear them. As for their own
  objectives, the League has been pushing southward and westward, attempting to incorporate
  or drive out their neighbors and take over their lands, to expand their potential fur trade and
  prestige.
  Naumkeag
  Capital: The Witches' City.
  Leader: The Coven Mother (name unknown)
  Form of Government: Mago-gynarchy.
  Religion: Pagan.
  Language: English.
  Allies: Penacook/Pawtucket
  Enemies: New England, France, Spain.
  Strategic Overview of the
  Septentrionalian Powers
  This is a summary of the strategic aims of the
  major players in Septentrionalis, to use as a
  quick reference for players and DM alike.
  Carolingia
  •stop northward expansion by Nueva Espana,
  and expand own territory to south and west
  •prevent growth of Republic of Sophia
  Irroquois League
  •dominate fur trade at expense of Huron and
  other neighbors
  •add members to the League, and conquer
  those who resist joining
  •court the favor of the French and
  Nederlanders, without giving away concessions
  or territory
  Naumkeag
  •secure alliances with neighboring Algonkian
  nations
  •destroy the Puritan leadership of New England
  New England
  •destroy the witches of Naumkeag
  •convert Algonkians to the Puritan faith
  •expand frontiers of settlement in the Neticut
  vale
  •contain the Nederlanders in the Hudson vale
  Nieu Nederlands
  •expand trade network with the Irroquois, and
  disrupt French fur trade
  •destroy New Sweden and occupy former
  Swedish claims to expand trade into mid-coast
  region
  Nouvelle France
  •establish a chain of forts and settlements along
  the Espiritu Santo between Nouvelle France and
  Orleans, blocking other powers from western
  settlement
  •maintain control of fur trade
  •convert Algonkians to Catholicism
  •discover all-water route to the western ocean
  and Cathay
  Vermont
  •seize control of the Lac Champlain-Hudson
  vale corridor from Nouvelle France
  •expand settlement north, south, and east
  Vinland
  •establish raiding bases along the coast close to
  New England
  •bottle up the French in the Golfe du St-
  Laurence for purposes of extortion and plunder
  Primer 81
  
  The Coven Mother
  Naumkeag is ruled by a coven of 12 powerful witches, who serve for life, and gain admission
  to the coven through the sponsorship of more senior coven members. The most senior of the
  12 is the Coven Mother, who wields executive power over all Naumkeag witches. She is elect-
  ed by the other coven members, and serves a seven year term. Her staff of office is a hazel
  broomstick whose broom is woven from the hair of her predecessors. It is this artifact which
  allows the Coven Mother to control the weather on Naumkeag, as well as communicate with
  the souls of those who came before her.
  The Politics of Naumkeag
  The Witches of Naumkeag  are interested in driving the Puritans into the sea, and to replace
  them with a magic-tolerant gynarchy that would share New England equally between native
  peoples and Europeans. Like the pilgrims of Plymouth to the south, the witches have come
  to Septentrionalis to escape persecution and to shield their young folk from the“corrupt”
  Old World. They have a personal dislike for the Puritans, whom they believe encouraged the
  witch-hunts that have overrun Europe within the last generation.
  The surviving Algonkians to the west and north of Naumkeag share the witches’ hatred for
  the Puritans, and they respect the witches’ magic, which is so much more like their own
  shamanism than the religion of the other Europeans. Chief among the Indian allies of the
  witches is Passaconawaw, of the Pawtucket, who rules from a green meadow near the mouth
  of the Merrimacke. He is a powerful shaman, as well as a warrior, and is himself cementing
  alliances with his Algonkian neighbors, as well as with the witches. A well-coordinated attack
  by Passaconaway and the witches could overrun the Bostoners, and in fact, the Governor’s
  Council is preparing for just such a disaster.
  The Commonwealth of New England
  Capital: Boston
  Leader: Governor John Worthington.
  Form of Government: Theocracy.
  Religion: Puritan Protestant.
  Language: English.
  Allies: none.
  Enemies: Naumkeag, the Irroquois, neighboring native peoples, Nieu Nederlands,
  Carolingia, France, Vinland.
  The Commonwealth includes the towns of Jerusalem, Plymouth, Boston, and Hart's Ford, as
  well as numerous villages and settlements between the Merrimacke and the Hudson valleys.
  The inhabitants are English Puritans, who enforce strict religious laws. They came to these
  shores to establish God's kingdom on earth, free from the corruption and excess of the Old
  World. For the most part, the parsons and "doctors" of the Puritan church are also its politi-
  cal leaders, forming the powerful Governor's Council under the direction of the Governor
  Worthington himself. The Governor is said to be a man of faith, but also quite pragmatic in
  his political and administrative dealings, which has earned him some enemies among the
  most ardently pious council members.
  The chief thorn in New England's side is the land of Naumkeag, the Witches' City, just a
  day's ride from the gates of Boston. Like the Puritans, the witches came to New England to
  escape persecution in Europe, but the Bostoners have more in common with the witch-
  82 Primer
  
  hunters of England  and France than with the witches themselves. Anti-witch mania is at a
  fever pitch in New England, and many innocents have gone to the gallows on the word of
  their neighbors, citing "spectral evidence" of their guilt. The militia is at constant readiness
  to repel an witch invasion, and some preachers, like Cotton Mather, advocate an all-out war
  to destroy them.
  In the west, New Englanders have clashed with Nederlander colonists over ownership of
  Long Island and the land between the Hudson and the Neticut. The Nederlanders suspect
  that the Bostoners would love to drive them out of Septentrionalis altogether. Fueling their
  animosity is the New Englander perception that the Nederlanders are avaricous, profane,
  and corrupt.
  As Puritan settlements expand, they have stolen land from the native peoples of the area: the
  Naraganset, the Nipmuck, the Mohegan, the Pawtucket, the Wampanoag, and many others.
  Native raids are common, especially along the Merrimacke and Upper Neticut. The two most
  powerful remaining Indian leaders are Metacomet of the Wampanoag, who holds court at
  Mount Hope, and Passaconaway, in the north, who has cemented an alliance with the witch-
  es. A united effort by the witches and the Algonkians is highly feared by the Bostoners,
  whose position has always been tenuous.
  Minor threats include occasional Vinlander incursions along the coast, and a vague unease
  about the presence of Catholic New France to the north. As the New Englanders expand to
  the north, these distant enemies will be seen as an increasingly important threat to Puritan
  life.
  Nouvelle France
  Capital: Quebec
  Leader: Gouveneur Louis de Baude, Comte de Frontenac.
  Form of Government: Crown Colony of France.
  Religion: Catholic.
  Language: French
  Allies: Carolina, the Iroquois.
  Enemies: Naumkeag, New England, Shawnee, Vinland, England, Vermont.
  Quebec is the mightiest fortress in the north, an almost impregnable city, topped by the cas-
  tle named for the governeur himself. As a moneymaker for the Sun King, Louis XIV,
  Nouvelle France is well-tended and well-defended. Its large army has made forays both south
  and west, and sits poised to enter the Ohio Valley and New England. Such a powerful pres-
  ence has made many of her southern neighbors nervous, especially since the Iroquois often
  side with the French against the New Englanders.
  The Catholic Church is active here, in the form of the Jesuit missionaries and the agents of
  the Inquisition. Anti-Protestant feeling runs high. Many observers feel that war between
  Nouvelle France and her neighbors is inevitable.
  Nieu Nederlands
  Capital: Nieu Amsterdam.
  Leader: Director General Pieter Stuyvesant.
  Form of Government: Corporate (the West India Company).
  Religion: Protestant.
  Language: Dutch, others.
  Allies: none.
  Primer 83
  
  Enemies: Commonwealth of New England.
  Alone among the colonial powers, the Nieu Netherlands is not interested in territorial gain,
  but purely in financial gain. To this end, they have established trading posts along the
  Hudson, and have turned New Amsterdam into a major financial and manufacturing center.
  The military forces of Nieu Netherlands exist only to protect their trade interests, not to con-
  quer. Only in the Delaware valley and vicinity has there been active Nederlander military
  action, against the struggling colony of New Sweden. Again, the motive is financial, to con-
  trol trade along the river, and to gain a port nearer to the prosperous kingdom of Carolingia.
  The governance of such a colony is not easy, considering the independent spirit of the
  NieuAmsterdam merchants. Stuyvesant, a military man, has not been on good terms with his
  people, and has earned the nickname, "the Director General of Babel." His greatest suc-
  cesses have come in the form of attacks against New Sweden, fending off Carib pirates, and
  the strengthening of Nederlander defenses by wringing taxes from the hides of resistant mer-
  chants.
  Nueva Espana
  Capital: Havana
  Leader: Governor Hernan Cabeza.
  Form of Government: Royal Colony
  Religion: Catholic.
  Language: Spanish.
  Allies: none.
  Enemies: Aztec, Inca, Carolingia, England.
  Carolingia's chief rival in the south. New Spain is occupied with its long war against the Inca
  and Aztec powers, and has little commerce with the nations of Septentrionalis.
  New Sweden
  Capital:Cristina.
  Leader: Princess Cristina of Sweden
  Form of Government: Crown Colony of Sweden.
  Religion: Protestant.
  Language: Swedish.
  Allies: none.
  Enemies: Nieu Nederlands.
  A small colony of his majesty Gustavus Adolphus, the Lion of the North. Cristina is small but
  well defended, and controls the mouth of the Delaware. The colony is at war with Nieu
  Nederlands for control of the river and its trade. As a mid-Atlantic power, New Sweden has
  been courted by the Republic of Sophia for membership, but loyalty to Gustavus has so far
  outweighed the need for an ally against the Amsterdamers.
  Republic of Sophia
  Capital: Sophia.
  Leader: Lord Jeferson.
  Form of Government: Republic.
  Religion: Solomonic Order, others.
  84 Primer
  
  Language: English.
  Allies: Vermont.
  Enemies: Nieu Nederlands.
  Founded by English and French freethinkers in the land known formerly as Virginia. With
  no parent state in the Old World, Sophia's position is precarious. Her greatest assets are her
  leaders, the wise Philathelias Jeferson and the masterful wizard Chiron Franklin.
  Vermont
  Capital: Winooski.
  Leader: First Citizen Ira Cole.
  Form of Government: Republic.
  Religion: Protestant, others.
  Language: English.
  Allies: Republic of Sophia.
  Enemies: Nouvelle France, New Nederlands, Irroquois.
  A small independent Republic, allied with distant Sophia. Vermont is beset from all sides by
  her enemies, but the surrounding mountains and the prowess of the Vermont rangers have
  so far preserved her freedom.
  Vinland
  Capital: Eriksland (assembly site).
  Leader: Jarl Ketil Ranulfsson.
  Form of Government: Jarldom.
  Religion: Norse.
  Language: Icelandic.
  Allies: Neighboring native peoples.
  Enemies: France, New England.
  Founded by Icelandic settlers around the year 1000. Vinland is ruled by a jarl, the most pow-
  erful of about a dozen chiefdoms that occupy the Vinland peninsula. They keep no formal
  relations with any of their neighbors, but practive piracy along the coast as far south as Nieu
  Amsterdam.
  Primer 85
  
  The Algonkians,
  being a description of the lives of the original inhabitants of the northeastern forests of
  Septentrionalis.
  How to Use this Chapter
  Because the Algonkian way of life is less familiar to most DMs and players than its European
  counterparts, I’ve included an entire chapter to provide basic information about Algonkian
  social structure, language, warfare, dwellings, clothing, religion, and more. DMs and players
  alike should read it before introducing Algonkian characters to the game. By way of a caveat,
  I should mention that there is an enormous diversity even within the general Algonkian cul-
  ture group, in terms of religion, language, politics and customs, which for reasons of game
  mechanics somewhat streamlined here. Generally, except for the magic items, everything is
  historically accurate -- no writer of fantasy or game designer could possibly create a more
  fascinating culture. Read on!
  Social Structure
  “In this place sat their sachem with very great attendance, the English coming to deliver their
  message to manifest the greater state. The sachem lay along upon the ground on a mat, and
  his nobility sat on the ground with their legs doubled up, their knees touching their chin...It
  was matter of much wonderment to the English to see how solidly and wisely these savage
  people did consider of the weighty undertaking of a war, especially old Canonicus, who was
  very discreet in his answers.” --Edward Johnson, 1653.
  Sachems
  Algonkian tribal groups are organized along monarchial lines. The leader of a particular
  group is called the sachem. He holds absolute power by virtue of his inherited position,
  father to son. A sachem rules by custom and tradition. If no son exists to inherit, the leader-
  ship passes to the sachem’s wife. (At least one powerful woman sachem appears in 17th
  Century Puritan accounts). If no wife exists, the line of succession passes to the sachem’s
  nearest blood relative. At no time can the sachemdom be held by non-royal blood.
  Sachems are responsible for providing for the elderly and infirm, and for orphaned children.
  They also play gracious host to strangers, housing them in their own lodge, and providing
  them with food and entertainment suited to their status.
  The sachem is also the chief judicial authority of his people, settling disputes and meting out
  punishments to criminals. First offenses are often dealt with by public reprimand. Second
  offenses might warrant a beating. Habitual criminals might have their nostrils split as a warn-
  ing mark to identify them. Condemned murderers are personally executed by the sachem
  himself, with a blow to the skull or a knife-stroke.
  Social Rank for Algonkian Characters
  The following table gives guidelines for the social
  rank of Algonkians occupying various positions
  of power within the sachemdom:
  Great Sachem
  SR 40+
  Sachem
  SR 26-39
  Sagamore
  SR 16-25
  Sannops
  SR 4-10
  An Algonkian Lexicon
  This lexicon is adapted from Roger Williams’ A
  Key into the Language of America, originally pub-
  lished in 1643.You can use it to create names
  for Algonkian characters and place names. Some
  basic phrases are also included to lend flavor to
  interactions with Algonkian characters.
  Pronounciation:
  Generally the next to last syllable of each word
  is stressed, as in ” mass-a-CHU-setts”. I have
  written the stressed syllable in capital letters to
  make pronounciation easier.Where Williams
  leaves the pronounciation in doubt, I’ve made
  my best guess.
  Pleasantries:
  Good morning.
  As-co we-quass-un-NUM-
  mis.
  How are You?
  As-kut-ta-a-quomp-SIN?
  I am well.
  As-n-paump-MAUN-tam.
  I thank you.
  Tau-bot-ne-an-a-WAY-ean.
  Farewell.
  Ha-WUN-shech.
  Numbers:
  One
  Quit
  Two
  ne-ES-se
  Three
  nish
  Four
  yoh
  Five
  na-PAN-na
  Six
  QUT-ta
  Seven
  E-nad-a
  Eight
  SHWO-suck
  Nine
  pas-KU-git
  Ten
  pi-UCK
  Eleven
  pi-UCK nab-na quit*
  *literally,“ten and one”
  Colors:
  White
  WOM-pi
  Black
  MO-wi-SUC-ki
  Red
  m-SQUI
  Yellow
  we-SAW-i
  Green
  ask-AS-ki
  Blue
  pesh-AW-i
  
  Contrary to popular belief about native attitudes towards the land, sachems know precisely
  where their tribal boundaries lie. The sachem has the authority to grant plots of land for
  corn, and is always given a share of any game killed within his desmesne. An extremely pow-
  erful sachem may have one or more lesser sachems under his authority. These so-called great
  sachems often receieve tribute from the lesser sachems in exchange for security and military
  aid.
  Sagamores
  The more powerful sachems have a group of advisors, called by the Europeans sagamores or
  lesser sachems. The sagamores are valued for their wisdom, courage, and leadership skills.
  Each sagamore attracts his own followers based on their personal reputation. Unlike the
  sachem’s hereditary right to rule, the sagamore retains his position only so long as his fol-
  lowers are satisfied with his leadership. In war, the sagamores provide military leadership
  and strategic advice. In peace, they act as a tribal council, discussing important community
  matters and making recommendations to the sachem.
  Sannops
  The bulk of the community are the common people of the tribe, known collectively as the
  sannops. All sannops have land rights within the tribal area. Only strangers, unadopted cap-
  tives, or refugees from other sachemdoms are excluded from the sannops.
  Clans
  The sannops are in turn divided into several clans, each having blood ties, and tracing its
  ancestry back through the female line. Each clan is named for a symbolic animal, such as a
  tortoise, bear, or wolf, which serves as the totem animal for the clan. All members of a partic-
  ular clan are considered brothers and sisters; marriage between members of the same clan is
  forbidden. Clans possess mutual honor; if one clan member is insulted or harmed, he or she
  can rely on the entire clan for support. Within a tribal confederacy, a traveler can expect a
  warm welcome from other members of his clan, even if he or she is a stranger to them.
  Powwaws
  Powwaws are the shamans and physicians of the tribe. The Europeans describe them various-
  ly as priests, wizards, and witches, trying to fit them into an archetype familiar to them, but
  their function is both healer, spiritual leader, and magician. (Algonkian spiritual and magical
  practices are discussed in detail elsewhere in this chapter). In some cases, the tribe’s
  powwaw is the sachem himself, possessing both political and spiritual prowess. The great
  sachem Passaconawaw of the Pawtucket is one such sachem powwaw.
  Maunetu
  Algonkian sorcerors are known as maunetu. This word is translated by Roger Williams as
  An Algonkian Lexicon (Continued)
  Arm
  wup-PIT-te-ne
  Arrow
  CAW-quat
  Bear
  paw-cun-NAW-waw
  Beaver
  tum-MOCK quaw-og
  Blood
  mish-QUE
  Candle
  we-qua-NAN-tig
  Canoe
  mish-o-ON
  Celebration
  nic-KOM-mo
  Chestnut
  WOM-pim-ish
  Cleric
  PAW-waaw
  Cold
  tah-ke-ES
  Corn
  e-WA-chim-ne-ash
  Crow
  kau-kont TU-ock
  Dark
  pau-KUN-num
  Deer
  at-tuck
  Dog
  an-NUM
  Eagle
  WOM-pis-sa-cuk
  Ear
  wut-TOV-wog
  European
  waw-ta-con-A-uog
  Evil
  mach-it
  Eye
  wus-KEE-suck
  Fighter
  me-CAW-te-a
  Fire
  NO-te
  Fish
  na-ma-US
  Foot
  wus-SE-te
  Fort
  au-MANSK
  Fox
  mish-QUA-shim
  Good
  wu-NE-gin
  Gun
  PESK-cunck
  Hand
  wun-NI-che
  Hawk
  wu-SHO-wu-nan
  Heart
  wut-TAH
  Horse
  nay-nay-OU-me-wot
  House
  we-tu
  Key
  paw-paq-QUON-teg
  King
  SA-chim
  Knife
  WI-a-seck
  Leg
  moh-CONT
  Light
  we-QUAI
  Lightning
  cut-SHAW-sha
  Moon
  na-ne-PAW-shat
  Moose
  mo-OS SO-og
  Mouth
  wut-TO-ne
  Neck
  SITCH-i-puck
  Oak
  paw-GAW-te-misk
  Otter
  n-KE-ke
  Owl
  ko-KO-ke-hom
  Pine
  CO-waw
  Queen
  saunks
  Raccoon
  AU-sup-PAN-nog
  River
  SE-ip
  Rogue
  ka-MO-o-ta-kick
  Sea
  we-CHE-kum
  Ship
  ki-TO-nuck
  Sky
  KEE-suck
  Smoke
  puck
  Snake
  as-KUG
  Spirit
  man-it-TO
  Squirrel
  mi-SHAN
  Stream
  se-POE-me-se
  Sun
  nip-PAW-us
  Thunder
  ne-im-PAW-og
  Town
  o-TAN
  Tree
  mih-TUCK
  Walnut
  WUS-so-quat
  Wildcat
  pus-SOUGH
  Wind
  WAU-pi
  Wolf
  muck-QUA-shim
  The Algonkians 88
  
  “conjuror”, which probably refers to such recorded feats of Algonkian “magic” as producing
  ice on a hot summer day, swallowing and regurgitating a live snake, and so on. 
  Pniese
  Some Algonkian cultures have specialized champions called pniese. The tribe cultivates this
  elite class from among its own children. Promising youths receive martial skills and spartan
  physical conditioning. They are held to the highest standards of conduct, and often are given
  special spiritual training, involving the ingestion of mind-altering plants. Once trained to
  adulthood, they form the sachem’s bodyguard, participate in the council, and serve as the
  tribe’s best warriors. Many pniese participate in ritual scarring or tattooing that is said to
  render them invulnerable and invincible. Their courage is legendary, and they have the
  respect of friend and foe alike.
  Rakarota
  The rakarotas, or storytellers, hold an honored place in Algonkian society. They travel from
  village to village, like bards, and receive a warm welcome in exchange for stories, which they
  preface by saying: “Onen tsi ne’I nakkara” (“This is my story. Do you wish to hear it told?”).
  They bind the culture together, as bringers of news, archivists, and entertainers.
  The Role of Women in Algonkian Culture
  Not much has been said here about the role of women, other than they can serve as sachems.
  In fact, Algonkian women are the able and self reliant managers of the village’s agricultural
  production. They do most of the day-to-day work of the community, from child-rearing, to
  lodge construction, to ceramics.  They also regulate the birth rate of the community, by
  practicing abstinance while nursing, and taking medicinal birth-control herbs. In Five
  Nations lands, the women choose the representatives who attend meetings of the general
  Confederacy. As discussed in the Primer chapter, Algonkian women PCs are free to become
  warriors, pnieses, rakarotas, powwaws, or maunetus as the player wishes -- you don’t need to
  hold them to their historical roles as described above.
  Warfare
  “Their wars are far less bloody and devouring than the cruel wars of Europe; and seldom
  twenty slain in a pitched field, partly because when they fight in a wood every tree is a buck-
  ler. When they fight in a plain, they fight with [such] leaping and dancing that seldom an
  arrow hits, and when a man is wounded, they soon retire and save the wounded; and yet
  having no swords nor guns, all that are slain are commonly slain with valor and courage, for
  the conqueror ventures into the thickest and brings away the head of his enemy.” 
  --Roger Williams, 1643.
  If the contemporary English accounts are to be believed, Algonquin warfare is a relatively
  bloodless affair compared to European mass battles. When disputes between neighboring
  sachemdoms arise, the result is seldom an all-out war, but rather a series of ambushes, skir-
  mishes, and raids until one side takes enough casualties to withdraw, or else takes enough
  prisoners (or heads) to satisfy its honor.
  The Algonkian Year
  A central feature of Algonkian life is the seasonal
  migration of the sachemdom several times each
  year; the cycle of the seasons plays a major role
  in these movements:
  Winter
  The sachemdom stays warm inside longhouses
  heated by wood fires.These winter camps are
  often in heavily wooded, snug valleys, protected
  from cold winds.The sannops drink pine-needle
  tea, make and mend tools and clothing, and lis-
  ten to the spellbinding tales of the rakarota to
  pass the time until the weather improves.
  Spring and Summer
  The winter camp is abandoned, and the sachem-
  dom moves to their fields to plant and tend the
  corn. During this time, they live in smaller, tem-
  porary houses very close to their crops. If the
  sea is nearby, their diet will be supplemented
  with fish and other seafood.The brief strawberry
  season sets off an orgy of eating unsurpassed
  the rest of the year.
  Fall
  The culmination of the growing season comes
  with the harvest festival, which includes a feast,
  and a generous giveaway of food, clothes, and
  tools to the needier members of the sachem-
  dom.This is the time of plenty, and time is taken
  to give thanks to the creator spirit and enjoy the
  land’s bounty. As winter approaches, the sachem-
  dom moves to its hunting houses deep in the
  woods, close to good sources of deer and other
  game. Often, the hunters will remain here until
  the ground is deep with snow before returning
  to their winter camp, to enjoy an end of year
  hunting feast before the cycle begins anew.
  The migratory aspect of Algonkian groups has a
  major effect on their role in the campaign. It is
  not always easy to find a particular sachemdom
  or Algonkian NPC. Characters may return to an
  Algonkian settlement they had visited previously,
  only to find it abandoned. Or they may
  encounter an entire sachemdom in transit, with
  the sachem and his family at the center of the
  group, protected by a bodyguard of pniese, and
  a ring of sentinels at the edge of the group,
  guarding against ambush by hostile sachemdoms.
  The Algonkians 89
  
  Causes
  A war can be precipitated by an insult against the sachem, revenge for slights against a clan
  member, or retaliation for previous raids on settlements. In the case of the Irroquois
  Confederacy and other powerful nations, war is also a means of territorial expansion. Often,
  the chosen target is warned in advance, either by an envoy who states the nature of his
  sachem’s grievance, or else by the symbolic leaving of a sheaf of arrows at the edge of the
  enemy camp.
  Preparation
  Once a course of war has been decided by the sachem and his council, a war fire is built in
  the center of the settlement. The sachem (or one of his sagamores, if the raid is to be a minor
  one), performs a ritual speech and war-dance, holding a war club smeared with red paint to
  symbolize the coming battle. His oratory is expected to be a rousing and inspirational call to
  the men of the tribe; to join the dance means you have volunteered to join the war-path. Each
  warrior sings of his prowess and past victories, disparages the enemy, and boasts of the cap-
  tives he will win.
  Attack
  Once assembled, the war party leaves for the enemy settlement, often in single file, with
  scouts posted ahead and to either side to warn of ambush. Night attacks are rarely made; a
  raiding party usually waits until first light to begin their assault. The attack itself might
  involve an exchange of arrow volleys, followed by a hand-to-hand melee. In keeping with the
  warrior ethic of the participants, individual courage and deeds of valor are often valued more
  than coordinated effort. Once one side has had enough, the attack breaks off, with both
  sides carrying away as many heads and captives as they can. Decisive battles in which the los-
  ing side is completely vanquished are quite rare; the Algonkians do not often engage in total
  war, but rather live with an endemic level of raids and skirmishes.
  Captives
  To die in battle is a great honor; to be captured, a disgrace. Captive warriors face several
  possible fates: they might actually be adopted into the tribe, to literally replace a casualty of a
  previous raid; or if too badly injured, they might be given a chance to redeem their honor by
  enduring unimaginably brutal tortures. These tortures are often administered by the women
  of the tribe. They are prolonged affairs, during which the victim is expected to retain his self-
  control, and even shout defiance at his tormentors. The desirable end-result is an honorable
  death, not having cried out or begged for mercy. 
  Non-combatants are often captured on raids as well. Child captives are adopted by new fami-
  lies who have lost children of their own to war or disease; older captives do menial work, and
  may eventually be accepted as members of the sachemdom. European captives may not know
  what sort of treatment to expect at the hands of a particular sachem; it depends on his politi-
  Algonkian Money
  The Algonkian monetary system is based not on
  precious metals, but on wampum, which is a kind
  of bead made from the shells of small sea ani-
  mals.There are actually two kinds of wampum:
  white, made from the shells of periwinkles, or
  meteauhock; and the more valuable black, made
  from a shell of a different shellfish called the
  poquauhock.
  Tribes living near the seashore make as many
  wampum beads as they can, in order to
  exchange them for furs brought from the interi-
  or. Wampum is used as legal tender throughout
  the Commonwealth, the Nederlander colony,
  and Vermont by Europeans and Algonkians alike.
  The exchange rate is:
  5 cp = 3 black wampum = 6 white wampum
  Large numbers of beads are commonly woven
  into belts one fathom long, for convenience in
  making large transactions. One fathom of white
  wampum beads (720 beads) is worth 6 gp; a
  fathom of black beads is worth 12 gp.These
  belts are worn both as adornment and as a way
  of displaying personal wealth, along with
  wampum bracelets, necklaces, and caps, some-
  times to the value of 120 gp or more!
  European coinage is known as monéash among
  the Algonkians. It is not unusual to find a mix of
  wampum, shillings, francs and guilders in an
  Algonkian money bag. Barter is also widespread,
  with guns, corn, iron tools, glass, pots and pans,
  and cloth as the most popular bartered goods.
  Food
  The Algonkians enjoy a healthy, diverse diet,
  including:
  --corn, either fresh or dried
  --dried acorns and chestnuts
  --beans, squash, and pumpkin
  --strawberries, sometimes mixed with cornmeal
  to make “strawberry bread”
  --cranberries, also powdered and mixed with
  meal to make “sautauthig”, a sweet cake
  --shads, eel, alewives, or other fish
  --wildfowl, bear, wildcat, racoon, deer
  --boiled or dried eggs
  --dried oysters, roasted or smoked lobster, dried
  moose tongues
  According to European visitors, they keep no set
  mealtimes, and eat whatever they happen to
  have in store.The diet varies greatly depending
  on the season. Food is cooked in clay pots, or
  roasted on a spit. Lack of salt, bread, and beer is
  the most noticeable difference between the
  Algonkian and European diets. Once cooked,
  food is eaten while reclining “in the Turkish fash-
  ion”, without “trenchers, napkins, or knives”.
  For journeying, each traveller carries a leather
  bag of nokehick, or dried cornmeal, which they
  mix with water to make porridge.
  The Algonkians 90
  
  cal alliances and the status of the captive. If you have killed a member of the sachemdom,
  however, you can expect no mercy.
  A Note on Algonkian Torture and the Ideals of the Age
  Algonkian ritual torture at first might seem to violate the ideal of mercie, which requires a
  show of respect and generosity towards a helpless enemy. But from the Algonkian perspec-
  tive, torture is itself an act of mercie, because it offers a warrior already humiliated by defeat
  and capture an opportunity to restore their honor by showing good humor and courage in
  the face of pain and fear. To show restraint towards a warrior captive, from the Algonkian
  standpoint, is to further humiliate him, because such treatment is reserved for non-warriors,
  the elderly, and children. This is not to condone torture, by any means, but to explain how it
  is rationalized within the context of those who practice it.
  Weapons
  “Their weapons heretofore were bows and arrows, clubs, and tomahawks, made of wood like
  a pole ax, with a sharpened stone fastened therein...they generally disuse their former
  weapons and instead thereof have guns, pistols, swords, rapier blades fastened unto a staff of
  the length of a half-pike, hatchets, and axes.” --Daniel Gookin, 1674.
  Longbow
  Algonquins use longbows for both hunting and warfare. These weapons are typically five to
  six feet in length. Favored woods include hickory, ash, oak, and witch hazel. Once carved,
  they are usually painted with alternating yellow and black stripes. The bowstrings are quite
  thick, and made from three braided strands of moose sinew. Arrows are made from ash or
  elder wood, with eagle-feather fletchings and points made of flint, bone or antler. After con-
  tact with Europeans, iron points were quickly adopted.
  The bowstring is held in a thumb-and-forefinger grip. Contemporary reports indicate an
  effective killing range of “six or seven score”, or 180-210 feet.
  War Clubs
  All-wooden war clubs are favored melee weapons. They are about 2.5 feet in length, carved
  from a single piece of wood, with a round, knob-like head, off-center from the shaft.
  Sometimes, the knob is inset with a sharp triangular piece of quartz, quartzite, or felsite.
  More rarely, war clubs are made by binding a stone head to a wooden haft. Fine examples of
  the war club are inlaid with mother of pearl or other precious materials.
  Post-Contact Weapons
  Contemporary documents suggest that the native peoples of the northeast quickly adopted
  European weaponry, including half-spears, cutlasses, metal tipped pikes, hatchets, axes, and
  above all, guns: “Of late he is a poor Indian that is not master of two guns, which they pur-
  chase of the French, and powder and shot. They are generally excellent marksmen.” (John
  Josselyn, 1674). Calivers (short muskets) are especially popular.
  A Typical Algonkian Settlement
  Within the walls of  an Algonkian settlement,
  you are likely to find many small long houses
  and round huts, each holding a single family
  group. In the center of the settlement is a large
  open area used for cermonial dancing and ball
  games. Facing the open area is the sachem’s
  longhouse (or the sagamore’s, depending on the
  size of the settlement).This large longhouse,
  called the court, is both the seat of government
  and the sachem’s dwelling, where councils are
  held, guests are received, and business is con-
  ducted.
  The flexible nature of Algonkian architecture
  allows for temporary seasonal structures to be
  built and dismantled as needed. At harvest time,
  a special longhouse is built to hold the entire
  settlement during the harvest feast. After the
  feast, the entire house is dismantled, perhaps
  only leaving the frame poles standing until the
  next great occasion.
  Also within the settlement is a gaming arbor, or
  puttuckquapuonck, where gambling games are
  held.The arbor features a square roof support-
  ed by poles at each corner, from which the bet-
  tors hang their wagers, in the form of wampum
  belts.When in use, the arbor reverberates with
  the shouts of the bettors, some of whom gam-
  ble the night away, along with their clothes,
  house, corn, and possessions.
  Somewhere near the settlement, one will find
  the pesuponck, or hothouse. It is most common-
  ly a small cave or cellar built into a hillside near a
  stream or pond.To use the pesuponck, a heap of
  stones on the floor of the cave is heated to high
  temperature with a wood fire built directly on
  the stones.The wood is then removed, leaving
  only the hot stones. Up to twenty men will then
  use the hothouse, sweating to cleanse their skin
  and rid themselves of disease. After an hour or
  so, the participants leave the pesuponck and
  plunge into the nearby stream, to cool off and
  stimulate the circulation.
  The Algonkians 91
  
  Defense
  Personal Defense
  At least one source mentions that the Algonkians use “targets” (small round shields) for
  defense, but largely, they go unarmored. The forest environment itself often provides cover
  and concealment from enemy arrows, making armor less attractive.
  Fortifications
  Permanent villages are usually surrounded by square- or ring-shaped wooden pallisades.
  There are about twenty such “castles”, as the English call them, in New England alone. They
  often take advantage of natural features in the landscape, such as hilltops and river-bends.
  The logs comprising the pallisade are less than a foot thick, about 10-12 feet high, and are
  planted a good three feet into the ground. Gaps between the logs are used as arrow-slits. A
  single entrance is made by letting the ends of the ring overlap one another, one to the out-
  side, one to the inside, creating a kind of narrow corridor that could be blocked with brush
  by the defenders to resist an assault.
  A typical castle might be fifty feet across. Larger forts enclose as many as five acres, and con-
  tain hundreds of dwellings. These larger forts often have two gates instead of one.
  Shelter
  “They are quick; in half a day, yea, sometimes at few hours’ warning to be gone and the
  house up elsewhere...I once in travel lodged at a house at which in my return I hoped to have
  lodged again there the next night, but the house was gone in that interim, and I was glad to
  lodge under a tree. The men make the poles or stakes, but the women make and set up, take
  down, order, and carry the mats and household stuff.” -- Roger Williams, 1643.
  Algonkians live in lodges made of woven mats or sheets of bark placed over frames made
  from lashed saplings. The two basic shapes are the bowl shaped round hut, and the loaf-
  shaped long house. The conical wigwam is found only in northern New England, in
  Ab’nakee country.
  Round huts shelter one or two families around a central hearth for heating and cooking. A
  single smokehole provides ventilation. The inhabitants sleep on mats or on low cots around
  the edges of the hut. The single entrance is covered with a flap of deerskin or woven
  reeds/bark. 
  The longhouse has two or more entrances, and two or more smokeholes. They are used
  more often in winter, being warmer and more capacious than the round hut. Ordinary long-
  houses might house 3-4 families. Ceremonial longhouses can be up to 200 feet long and 30
  feet wide, holding a hundred or more people.
  Appearance
  Adornment
  “...many of the better sort bearing upon their
  cheeks certain portraitures of beasts, as bears,
  deer, moose, wolves, etc., some of fowls, as of
  eagles, hawks, etc., which be not a superficial paint-
  ing, but a certain incision, or else a raising of their
  skin by a small sharp instrument, under which they
  convey a certain kind of black unchangeable ink...
  Others have certain round impressions down the
  outside of their arms and breasts, in the form of
  mullets [stars] or spur-rowels, which they imprint by
  searing irons.” --William Wood, 1634.
  Tattooing, Branding and Face-Painting
  Tattooing, branding and face painting serve both
  a decorative and ritual function. A man might
  receive a tattoo as a charm against injury in bat-
  tle, to protect his spirit, to identify his clan affilia-
  tion, as a medical treatment for an illness or
  injury, or simply for aesthetic reasons. As indicat-
  ed in the above quote, designs are either based
  on animals or geometric patterns.
  Face painting is associated with ritual events, like
  funerals, wars, and dances. Colors include red,
  black, white, and blue.
  Jewelry
  Both men and women wear earrings and pen-
  dants made of bone, stone, or shell.They also
  favor belts, collars, and bracelets “curiously
  wrought” (intricately made) from wampum
  (shell) beads, which are of two colors, black and
  white.
  Hair
  Algonkians generally wear their hair long, with
  one or more braids, sometimes in a side-knot or
  top-knot. Unmarried women wear long bangs
  that conceal their faces. Beadwork headbands
  and feathers might complete the look. Hairstyles
  are elaborate and neatly dressed, sometimes
  with the addition of animal fat to give them lus-
  ter. Cutting one’s hair is considered a great sacri-
  fice, often as a mark of respect for a recently
  departed relative.
  The Algonkians 92
  
  “As for their persons they are tall and handsome timbered people, out-wristed, pale and lean,
  Tartarian-visaged, black-eyed, and generally black-haired. No beards, or very rarely; their
  teeth are very white, short and even; they account them the most neccessary and best parts of
  man.” -- John Josselyn, 1674.
  What did the first peoples of the northeast look like at the time of first contact? We have
  many eyewitness accounts, and nearly all of them refer to the good health and physical condi-
  tion of the native peoples. Before the introduction of European diseases, they enjoyed supe-
  rior health and lifespan compared to their Old World counterparts. The surviving accounts
  are less in agreement about skin color, varying from “pale” to “tawny” to “chestnut”, “acci-
  dentally” as eyewitness Martin Pring said in 1603, implying that the darker tones were the
  result of suntan and weathering, rather than natural pigmentation.
  Clothing
  “They had every man a deer’s skin on him, and the principal of them had a wildcat’s skin, or
  such like, on the one arm. They had most of them long hosen up to their groins, close made,
  and above their groins to their waist another leather; they were altogether like the Irish
  trousers.” --William Bradford and Edward Winslow, 1621.
  The Algonkians use animal skins and furs for their clothing needs. Moose, bear, beaver,
  otter, fox, raccoon, and deer provide a source of material; wildcat seems to be particularly
  prized. Their clothing is well-tailored and highly decorated with colorful patterns. Tailoring
  is a specialized activity, and is the source of much pride among them. Although children
  often go naked in warm weather, adolescents and adults value physical modesty, and do not
  appear unclothed in public, except for women, who sometimes work bare-chested. To make
  their English neighbors more comfortable, they often wear English clothes while visiting,
  only to revert to their native clothes when they return home.
  Men’s Clothing
  Male clothing consists of a soft leather loincloth (autah), secured by a cord around the waist;
  thigh-high leggings of deerskin which take the form of long stockings or chaps
  (caukoanash); shoes (mocussinass) of moose leather; and a cape (acoh) of deerskin, aug-
  mented in cold weather by a bracer of fur. A sachem or sagamore might wear a magnificent
  mantle embroidered with wild turkey (neyhommauuog) feathers, the highest expression of
  the Algonquin tailor’s art. No man’s outfit is complete without his embroidered tobacco bag
  (petouwassinug), carried around his neck by a cord. It contains his supply of green or pow-
  dered tobacco, his clay or stone pipe, and his flints. A second pouch, carried at the waist,
  might contain corn meal or other travel food.
  Women’s Clothing
  Women often wear a full-length deerskin robe (squaus auhaqut), and sometimes eschew leg-
  gings for slippers. They carry their fire tools in a small pouch at the waist. Clothing can be
  decorated with porcupine-quill embroidery, painting, or bead work, either in geometric or
  anthropomorphic patterns.
  More Algonkian Manitos
  The Manitos of the Cardinal Directions:
  Wompanand
  The Manito of the East
  Chekesuwand
  The Manito of the West
  Wunnanameanit
  The Manito of the North
  Sowwanand
  The Manito of the South
  The cardinal manitos are invoked before starting
  a journey in their direction.They are said to con-
  trol the winds that blow from their quarter of
  the compass.
  Squannit
  The patron manito of women, Squannit appears
  as an old granny with tangled hair. She is invoked
  to aid women in childbirth. Gift baskets are
  often left tied to trees as offerings for Granny
  Squannit in thanks for a healthy baby.
  Muckquachuckquand
  The patron manito of children, often taking the
  form of a protective animal, such as a dog or
  bear. Muckquachuckquand is invoked by lost chil-
  dren and their parents, to aid them in getting
  home safely. He also receives prayers to help
  heal sick or injured children. He sometimes
  appears to dying Algonkians to comfort them
  and guide them safely to the house of
  Cautantowit.
  Yotaanit
  The manito of fire,Yotaanit is considered to
  dwell in every spark and flame, from the hearth
  to the raging blaze than sweeps the forest. Like
  fire itself, he has the power to aid or hurt, and is
  regarded with a mixture of reverence and fear.
  Paumpagussit
  The manito of the sea, Paumpagussit is fickle of
  mood, like so many gods of the waters. He can
  reward the angler with a good catch, or brew a
  storm to send your ship to the bottom of the
  sea, depending on his whim. He is propitiated by
  the casting of wampum or other wealth into the
  sea before the start of a voyage.
  Keesuckquand and Nanepaushat
  The manitos of the sun and moon are said to
  be servants of Cautantowit, because they retire
  to his house in the southwest at the end of their
  journey across the sky.They are invoked for luck
  by travelers, by day and night respectively, by
  farmers wishing for good crops, and by hunters
  hoping for a good catch.
  Wetuomanit
  Wetuomanit is the manito of the home. She is
  invoked by the head of the household to keep
  the family safe from disease and misfortune. She
  often appears as a kindly woman, carrying the
  woven mats of her house on her back, or as a
  poor traveler seeking shelter, as a means of test-
  ing the hospitality of her worshippers.
  The Algonkians 93
  
  Post-Contact Clothing
  Cloth is a popular trade good among the Europeans, and the Algonquins have adapted to
  these new materials to produce wool and linen garments to their liking.
  Beliefs
  Creator God
  The Algonquins believe in a benevolent creator god, called Cautantowit [caw-tan-TOW-it],
  who dwells atop a great mountain in the southwest: the destination of the setting sun, and by
  extension, the souls of the dead. Cauntantowit is also known also as Kiehtan or Woonand, by
  various peoples. 
  Creation Story
  Before the arrival of humans, the animals of the world were threatened when some mischie-
  vous spirits caused a universal flood. Some of the animals survived by escaping to
  Cautantowit’s mountain, and received a spiritual association with him that has survived ever
  since.
  Cautantowit repaired the damaged earth, and made the first man and woman out of stone.
  He didn’t like the result, and smashed this first couple into bits, because they had no life
  force. He carved a second couple from a living tree, and this time, succeeded in creating
  beings with immortal souls. After giving them the precious gifts of corn and beans, he
  placed them in the world, and promised them a place in his mountaintop house after death,
  so long as they lived a good life.
  Personal Manitos
  Cautantowit never interferes directly in human affairs, but uses the animals of the forest as
  His go-betweens. All animals contain a fragment of His spirit, a residue of their bond with
  him during their rescue from the flood. Each individual chooses one of these animals as his
  personal spirit guide, or manito. The manito provides guidance, comfort, and strength dur-
  ing moments of crisis, and reveals its messages through dreams, visions, or natural phenom-
  ena. See the Character Creation chapter for more information about personal manitos.
  Other Manitos 
  Roger Williams says tantalizingly that he knows of thirty-eight impersonal manitos or lesser
  gods, but only lists a few, including the gods of the four cardinal directions (north, east,
  south, and west), the god of the House, and the god of Women. There is also a fire god, a
  sun god, a moon god, and a god of thunder and lightning. Both good and bad fortune are
  The Algonkians 94
  
  attributed to the will of the manitos. These lesser gods are appeased with feasting or danc-
  ing, or warded off with amulets or tattoos. Note that each manito does not have a particular
  priesthood; the local pawwaw will revere all manito, rather than devote herself to a single
  god. See the sidebar for more information.
  Hobbamock
  The Algonkians also believe in a god named Hobbamock, sometimes called Squanto or
  Cheepi. The Europeans equate Hobbamock with Satan, and he seems to be a source of evil
  and misfortune. Yet, he is also invoked for good fortune, and to cure disease. Unlike the dis-
  tant Cautantowit, Hobbamock often appears personally when summoned, either in human
  form, or as a black snake, deer, or other black animal. He is not an adversary god, but was
  said to either cure or kill his patients at the will of Cautantowit.
  Death
  When an Algonkian dies, his or her immortal soul follows the setting sun to the southwest-
  ern realm of the creator god. The soul knocks upon Cautantowit’s door, and is received into
  His house, as long as the person has lived a good life. If the soul of a criminal or bad person
  knocks, the god simply replies, “Quatchet!” (“Walk abroad!”), condemning the soul to eter-
  nal wandering without rest.
  To ease the journey, a dead person’s family and friends bury the corpse aligned to the south-
  west, accompanied by various grave goods for use in the afterlife. (When a child dies, its par-
  ents include their own most prized jewelry among the grave goods). They stage a commoco,
  or funeral banquet, in memory of the deceased, cut their hair and paint their faces black in
  mourning, and engage in long rites of grieving.
  Religious Practices
  The central feature of Algonkian religious life is the relation between the individual and their
  personal manito, which acts as guide and guardian. Sometimes the pawwaw will call for a
  communal service, called a keesaqunnamun, in which the entire sachemdom gathers to lie
  quietly under the trees and meditate on the divine power which permeates all things.
  Games and Sports
  “I have known when three or four of these milder spirits have sit down staking their treasures,
  where they have played four and twenty hours, neither eating, drinking, or sleeping in the
  interim; nay which is most to be wondered at, not quarreling, but as they came thither in
  peace so they depart in peace.” --William Wood, 1634.
  Gambling
  The Algonkians are fanatical about gambling, which they play with great gusto, often for
  hours on end, to the exclusion of all else. Sometimes an entire town will wager against anoth-
  er for truly high stakes play. There are two principle gambling games. The first, called puim,
  Playing Puim and Hubbub
  Player characters wishing to join in a game of
  puim or hubbub can use the following rules,
  which use playing cards and dice instead of
  straws and peach pits:
  Puim
  The players put in an ante, agreed upon before
  the game begins. Deal out an entire standard
  deck of playing cards evenly to all the players,
  face down, leaving aside any extra cards.The
  players may now look at their hands. A hand is
  scored according to the face value of each card.
  Court cards are worth 12 points. Aces have no
  value themselves, but they double the value of
  the highest card in the player’s hand.
  Each player must pass one card to the player to
  their left.Then, each player draws one card at
  random from the hand of the player to their
  right.The person to the right of the dealer
  makes the first bet. Other players, as in poker,
  may fold, see the bet, or raise the stakes.
  Then, each player still in the game must pass
  one card to the player to their left, and then
  draw one card at random from the player to
  their right, as before. A second round of betting
  ensues.The hand with the highest points wins. In
  case of a tie, the player closest to the dealer’s
  right hand (or the dealer himself) wins. For the
  next hand, the deck is shuffled and passed to
  the dealer’s left.
  Hubbub
  To play hubbub, a randomly determined player
  places a bet. All other players have to put up
  the same amount.The active player rolls 5d6,
  while everyone chants,“Hub! Hub! Hub!”.
  If all the dice are odd numbers or all even num-
  bers, everyone pays the active player twice their
  bet. (This money is kept aside for now, rather
  than pocketed by the active player). He may
  place another bet, or claim his winnings and pass
  the dice to the next player.
  If three of the dice are odd, and two even, or
  three even and two odd, everyone pays the
  active player the amount they bet. He may place
  another bet, or pass the dice to the next player,
  keeping all his winnings set aside since the start
  of his active turn.
  If four dice are odd, and one even, or four even
  and one odd, the active player loses everything
  he won on his current turn. (His winnings are
  divided evenly and returned to the other play-
  ers). He must then pass the dice to the next
  player.
  The Algonkians 95
  
  is played with ffty or sixty pieces of straw, each about a foot in length. The straws are shuffled
  or rolled between the dealer’s palms, then distributed among the players. The player who
  receives the most straws, wins. The exact rules are numerous, whimsical, and complex. A
  diehard puim player actually carries his straws through a hole in his ear as an advertisement
  that he is ready to take on all comers!
  The second game is called hubbub. Five small stones or peach pits, painted black on one side
  and white on the other, are placed in a tray. The tray is shaken, while the players chant “Hub,
  hub hub!”, and the active player calls out his wager. If all the stones come up one color, the
  payoff is double. Three of one color and two of another results in an even payoff. All other
  combinations were losing hands. So long as you keep winning, you keep the tray, but you
  pass it to the next player as soon as you lose, and forfeit your winnings. A man might wager
  everything he possesses in the fever of the game.
  Sports
  Two neighboring villages might meet at appointed seasons to engage in athletic contests.
  Four sports are practised: football, archery, swimming, and running. The football games are
  played with a small leather ball, handled without the hands, as in soccer. The passes and
  kicks are not unlike those in hacky-sack. A large area of beach or field is staked out, and
  fought across by dozens of players. Sometimes it takes days for a goal to be scored; this is an
  occasion of celebration and feasting.
  Note: If you are a player, do not read any further in this chapter -- the following information
  is for DMs only!
  Algonkian Magic Items
  The following magic items can only be made by Algonkian spellcasters, although they can be
  used by non-Algonkians if of the appropriate character class. In addition to these items,
  many standard magic items can be easily adapted to Algonkian settings by changing the
  name of the item or the materials of which they is made.
  A Note about Raw Materials and Market Price:
  Although each magic item has a listed market price, Algonkian spellcasters seldom pay in
  gold for the raw materials needed to create a magic item. Most commonly, the materials are
  obtained through a quest appointed by the spellcaster’s personal manito. The quest could
  involve for, example, snatching a stick from a giant eagle’s nest, seizing the war club of a can-
  nibal giant, or stealing a mask from the longhouse of an evil powwaw. The encounter level of
  the quest will generally be equal to 1/1000 of the raw material cost. For example, the raw
  material cost of a cloak of the bear is 12,160 gp, so the quest should be EL 12.
  Cloak of the Bear
  Caster Level: 6th
  Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Bull’s Strength
  Market Price: 24,320 gp
  This black bearskin cloak with bearclaw clasps gives the wearer +2 to Strength as long as the
  cloak is worn. It also betstows a +2 bonus to Climb, Hide, and Listen skill checks.
  The Algonkians 96
  
  Cloak of the Great Sachem
  Caster Level: 9th
  Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Charm Person, Emotion
  Market Price: 12,960 gp
  This exquisite cloak of turkey feathers enhances the persuasive powers of the wearer. Once
  per day, the wearer may cast the following spells at 9th level: charm person, emotion. In addi-
  tion, the cloak grants a +1 bonus to Charisma while it is on the wearer.
  Lightning Stone
  Caster Level: 9th
  Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Lighting Bolt, Shocking Grasp
  Market Price: 12,960 gp
  This hollow, conical piece of stone is made of fused sand caused by a lightning strike enter-
  ing the earth. A single bolt of lightning can produce a tube of fused sand several feet long,
  but typically, a lightning stone is only a 3” fragment of such a tube, strung with a piece of
  cord and worn as a necklace. The wearer of a lightning stone can cast shocking grasp as a
  9th-level arcane spellcaster once per day. Once per week, the wearer can cast lightning bolt,
  also at the equivalent of 9th level. The wearer also receives damage reduction of 10 against
  electrical attacks.
  Maushop’s War Club
  Caster Level: 12th Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Enlarge
  Market Price: 42,000 gp
  This +3 weapon, named after a legendary giant, appears to be a greatclub of fine make.
  Upon grasping the club, the wielder grows 50% larger, as if an enlarge spell had been cast,
  with attendant bonuses to height, weight, and Strength. The spell remains in effect as long as
  the club is in the wielder’s hand.
  Turtle Shield
  Caster Level: 10th Prerequisites: Druid character class, Craft Magic Arms and Armor,
  Barkskin, Water Breathing
  Market Price: 21,600 gp
  This +2 large shield is made from the upper carapace of an ancient turtle, and polished to a
  lustrous hue. Once per day, upon command, the shield bestows an additional +3 natural
  armor AC bonus upon its owner. This additional bonus lasts for 100 minutes. Once per day,
  upon command, the shield casts the spell water breathing upon the owner and anyone else
  touching the shield, as if cast by a 10th level druid.
  Wolves’ Whistle
  Caster Level: 9th Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Summon Nature’s Ally V
  Market Price: 18,000 gp
  This small whistle made of the shin bone of a deer, when blown, summons 1d4+1 wolves,
  per the spell summon nature’s ally V. The whistle functions once per day.
  The Algonkians 97
  
  Captains & Crews,
  being instructions for the hiring, training, and com-
  manding of a ship’s crew.
  This chapter contains rules for acquiring, outfitting, and crewing a ship, and for training and
  maintaining her crew. Any character who is a member of the Sea Wolf prestige class may
  command a ship and  create a crew, which advances collectively, gaining experience levels,
  feats, and class abilities.
  Captains
  Becoming a Ship Captain
  Ship captain is a coveted position -- in times of peace, even fully qualified, experienced naval
  officers will find it hard to obtain a ship. Just rising to the position of captain is the stuff of
  roleplaying adventure. It is highly recommended that the gaining of a ship command be a
  significant event in the campaign, not merely something occurring offstage between adven-
  tures. The position is prestigious, and ships are incredibly expensive and complex pieces of
  hardware. A party of PCs with a ship can travel far and fast, and may be able to field consider-
  able firepower. In the interests of play balance, it is worthwhile for the DM to think carefully
  about how and when a PC is allowed to don the captain’s hat.
  Sea Wolf Class Characters
  Characters who have at least one experience level in the Sea Wolf prestige class (see the
  Character Creation chapter) can either obtain a commission in the royal navy and so receive
  the captaincy of a ship, or else purchase, construct, or capture their own. The crucial class
  feature of the sea wolf is that he commands a ship, by virtue of his skill as a mariner, gunner,
  and leader. Sea wolves who can afford to build or purchase their ship are limited to the size of
  their purse; those who accept a navy commission will receive an old, small, or badly built
  ship until by merit or influence they receive commissions upon larger, newer vessels.
  Other Character Classes
  Characters who are not members of the sea wolf class who wish to have the services of their
  own ship and crew must hire an NPC sea wolf class character as ship’s master, who carries
  out the functions of captain but still takes orders from the ship’s owner. Such arrangements
  are common, especially on military raids and merchant ventures, where the financers and
  organizers of the operation need ships but are not professional sailors.
  Pirates
  Pirate ship captains neither receive a commission nor, commonly, build or purchase their
  own ships. Usually they capture, steal, or commandeer a vessel. Most pirate captains will
  belong to the sea wolf class, but it is conceivable that a rogue, fighter, or barbarian with
  some ranks in Profession (Sail) might find themselves at the helm. For a variant of the pirati-
  cal career, see the sidebar about Letters of Marque this page.
  Letters of Marque
  A captain who owns her own ship may obtain a
  letter of marque from a particular sovereign,
  which is a legal document authorizing the cap-
  tain to attack and seize vessels flying the flag of
  one or more enemy nations. Captains holding a
  letter of marque are commonly called privateers.
  They are looked upon with disfavor by the royal
  navy as nothing more than legal pirates, and are
  likely to be hanged if captured by the enemy.
  
  Obtaining a Ship
  Sea wolf characters have several options for finding a ship: securing a royal commission, pur-
  chasing a ship, or obtaining a ship by illegal means. All three options are discussed below.
  Royal Commissions
  As described under the Sea Wolf character class in the Character Creation chapter, a charac-
  ter lacking the money to buy a ship may take a commission in the navy of his sovereign. To
  receive a commission, a character presents his credentials at the royal court, and is assigned
  a ship. New captains usually receive a sloop or an antiquated, poorly maintained warship.
  Their orders may include courier duty, anti-smuggling or anti-piracy patrols, or a support
  role in a battle squadron.
  Purchasing a Ship
  With sufficient funds, a character can purchase his own ship, either a newly-built or used
  vessel. New vessels cost full price, while used ships are discounted10% + 1 % per year of age
  up to a total discount of 50%. (see Ship Constuction rules for effects of ship aging). 
  Illegal Means
  In the course of play, a captain may capture or seize a vessel by piracy or in the course of war.
  These incidents should never occur offstage, but always as part of the campaign.
  Crews
  The NPCs making up a ship’s crew generally will belong to the Crew NPC character class,
  although ships may also include a contingent of Warrior-class NPCs. The shared dangers of
  life at sea cultivate intense loyalty among a ship’s crew for each other and especially for their
  captain. In game terms, the followers of PC ship captains will almost always be among his
  highest ranking crew members, with the first mate or ship’s master as cohort. Not all mem-
  bers of a ship’s crew need to be followers, but the higher the percentage of followers in the
  crew, the lower the chances of mutiny, and the fewer deserters when the ship stays in port.
  Ship Prices and Construction Times
  Fluyt 10000 gp
  4 months
  Galley 20000 gp
  8 months
  Galleasse 22000 gp
  9 months
  East Indiaman 40000 gp
  1 year
  Merchantman 18000 gp
  7 months
  Royal Warship 80000 gp 
  2 years
  Sloop 16000 gp 
  6 months
  100 Captains & Crews
  
  The Crew NPC Class
  Ship’s crew are highly specialized laborers, trained in sailing, maintaining, and repairing
  seagoing vessels, and in operating the ship’s artillery. They are tough individuals with a
  thirst for travel and adventure, found in all the world’s ports. Because of the inherent perils
  of sea travel, they have some weapons training, although they are not as formidable as war-
  rior class NPCs.
  Hit Die: d6 (4 hp)
  Social Rank: 1 (laborer)
  Social Rank Advancement: +1 at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level
  Table: Crew NPC Class
  NPC
  Base
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Level
  Attack Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Av. hp  w/Toughness Feat
  1st
  0
  +2
  +0
  +0
  4
  7
  Artillery Feat
  2nd
  +1
  +3
  +0
  +0
  7
  10
  Crew Feat
  3rd
  +2
  +3
  +1
  +1
  11
  14
  4th
  +3
  +4
  +1
  +1
  14
  17
  Crew Feat
  5th
  +3
  +4
  +1
  +1
  17
  20
  6th
  +4
  +5
  +2
  +2
  21
  24
  Crew Feat
  7th
  +5
  +5
  +2
  +2
  25
  28
  8th
  +6/+1
  +6
  +2
  +2
  28
  31
  Crew Feat
  9th
  +6/+1
  +6
  +3
  +3
  32
  35
  10th
  +7/+2
  +7
  +3
  +3
  35
  38
  11th
  +8/+3
  +7
  +3
  +3
  39
  42
  12th
  +9/+4
  +8
  +4
  +4
  42
  45
  Crew Feat
  13th
  +9/+4
  +8
  +4
  +4
  46
  49
  14th
  +10/+5
  +9
  +4
  +4
  49
  52
  15th
  +11/+6/+1
  +9
  +5
  +5
  53
  56
  16th
  +12/+7/+2
  +10
  +5
  +5
  56
  59
  Crew Feat
  17th
  +12/+7/+2
  +10
  +5
  +5
  60
  63
  18th
  +13/+8/+3
  +11
  +6
  +6
  63
  66
  19th
  +14/+9/+4
  +11
  +6
  +6
  67
  70
  20th
  +15/+10/+5
  +12
  +6
  +6
  70
  73
  Crew Feat
  Skills
  Class Skills
  Crew class skills are:
  Balance, Climb, Craft ( any, but typically carpentry, ropemaking, blacksmithing, sewing),
  Intuit Direction, Jump, Knowledge (Sea), Listen, Profession(Sail), Spot, Swim, Use Rope.
  Excluded Skills:
  Alchemy, Appraise, Decipher Script, Read Lips, Scry, Use Magic Device.
  Skill Points
  1st Level: (3+Int Modifier) x 4. See the sidebar this page.
  Each Additional Level: 3 + Int Modifier
  Standard Skills for 1st Level Crew
  Crew typically begin the game with the following
  skills/ranks:
  Skill
  Ranks
  Balance
  2
  Climb
  2
  Craft
  1
  Intuit Direction
  Jump
  Knowledge (Sea)
  1
  Listen
  Profession(Sail)
  3
  Spot
  1
  Swim
  Use Rope
  2
  Feats Known by Crew at 1st Level
  The most likely feats for NPC crew to possess
  at 1st level are Skill Focus: Profession (Sail) and
  Toughness. See next page for other options.
  Ability Score Advancement:
  Typical ability score advancement for NPC crew
  is:
  +1 to Strength at Level 4
  +1 to Dexterity at Level 8
  +1 to Strength at Level 12
  +1 to Dexterity at Level 16
  +1 to Wisdom at Level 20
  Captains & Crews 101
  
  Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
  Crew are not proficient in any form of armor. They are proficient with the following
  weapons: cutlass, dagger, club, halfspear, shortspear, crossbows, handaxe, guisarme, longs-
  pear, snaphaunce pistols.
  Artillery Feat:
  At 1st level, NPC crew possess the Artillery feat.
  Crew Feats:
  In addition to normal feat progression, NPC crew receive bonus crew feats which improve
  their ability to sail, fight, and survive at sea. At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th
  level, the captain of an NPC crew can choose one bonus crew feat which applies to collective-
  ly to the crew. See Crew Feats later in this chapter for a description.
  Starting Gear
  5d4 gp worth of gear (average 12 gp, 5 sp). See the sidebar for a typical selection.
  Attracting/Hiring a Crew
  A typical crew consists of two groups: the captain’s own cohort and folllowers, who make up
  the inner circle of loyal officers and mates; and the common crew, who sign on for money,
  room, and board. The process of finding crewmembers begins in port, with the captain and
  his followers, and perhaps some hired agents, scouring the taverns and docksides for unem-
  ployed mariners, or for landsmen looking for a career at sea. Since most commoners can’t
  read, printed advertisements are generally not used. Captains of evil alignment sometimes
  resort to force to find crewmembers (see Pressing Crews in the sidebar).
  Officers and Mates: the Role of Cohorts and Followers
  As described in the Character Creation chapter, the Leadership feat is a prerequisite for the
  sea wolf prestige class -- a captain can’t command a ship without this key quality. The core of
  a captain’s crew is his cohort and followers, as determined by his Leadership level. They will
  become his officers and mates, serving out of personal loyalty to the captain, rather than
  being hired for money (although they still expect compensation for their work). Cohorts and
  followers count towards the effective crew strength of a ship, and can be assigned to any of
  the standard ship duties (gunner, deck hand, fire watch, repair crew, soldiery).
  The Common Crew
  Any remaining crew positions not filled by followers must be taken by hired NPC crew. A
  new captain can only hire1st level NPC crew -- more experienced sailors will not sign on
  with a green (untested) leader, no matter how much he or she is willing to pay them. See
  Level Advancement for NPC Crew, below.
  Standard Equipment for 1st Level Crew
  As a shortcut, you can assume each 1st level
  crew has the following equipment plus 78 sp in
  cash:
  knife
  2gp
  sea-chest
  2 gp
  tankard (tin)
  3 sp
  blanket, wool
  2 sp
  sewing kit
  2 sp
  + the following clothes: shirt, trousers, stockings,
  shoes, cap.
  The Cost of Captaincy
  A ship captain, whether the owner of his ship or
  the holder of a royal commission, is expected to
  pay for the following expenses out of his own
  pocket:
  •crew salaries
  •supplies
  •repairs and maintenance
  Whether volunteers or pressed into service,
  crew are paid in coin, quarterly.Their salary
  depends on their experience level:
  Level
  Quarterly Pay
  1st-3rd
  5 gp
  4th-6th
  6 gp
  7th-9th
  7 gp
  10th-12th
  8 gp
  13th-15th
  9 gp
  16th-18th
  10 gp
  19th-20th
  11 gp
  Supplies include fresh water, food, alcohol, fire-
  wood, and other neccessaries to support the
  crew. For each week at sea, a ship must have:
  1 gp worth of supplies per crewmember
  Repair materials include iron, timber, and canvas.
  The captain has discretion over how much
  repair material to have aboard; the price of
  these materials are:
  Material
  Cost, per 10 pounds
  Canvas
  5 gp
  Iron
  10 gp
  Timber
  3 gp
  Pressing Crews
  Captains of evil alignment often seize landsmen
  or experienced sailors against their will, essen-
  tially kidnapping them and keeping them in irons
  aboard the ship until the vessel has left port.
  This practice, called pressing, is used by civilian
  and naval captains alike. Usually, a group of the
  captains followers will form a press-gang to
  roam the streets of a port and simply abduct
  anyone they can catch. In some cases, warships
  will even stop a merchant vessel on the high
  seas and force the merchant crew into service.
  102 Captains & Crews
  
  Training & Maintaining a Crew
  Level Advancement for NPC Crew
  As a captain and his crew sail the seas, share the dangers of weather and battle, and hone
  their nautical skills, the crew collectively earns experience points, as if they were one of the
  captain’s followers. The most helpful way to think of the crew is as a single NPC comprised
  of many individual bodies, all under the control of the captain. When the crew gains an expe-
  rience level, the captain chooses how they distribute skill points, which feats they gain (if
  any), and which ability scores are improved (if any). 
  Replacing Lost Crew
  NPC crew who die or desert can be replaced in port with new crew of the same experience
  level. For example, a 4th level crew attracts 4th level replacements.
  Crew Feats
  As described above, at 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level, NPC crew receive
  bonus crew feats which represent advanced tactics and training received at sea under the
  command of their captain. The choice of feats is up to the captain in command of the crew.
  Crew Feats: Feats in italics require the plain text feat above them as a prerequisite.
  Advanced Gunnery
  Advanced Seamanship
  Close-Hauled Sailing
  Fast Escape from Irons
  Fast Trimming
  Rough-Weather Sailing
  Efficiency
  Improved Efficiency
  Fast Pumping
  Fast Repair
  Firefighting
  Green-Water Sailing
  Ship-Shape & Bristol Fashion
  Stealth
  Survival
  Swimming
  Thrifty Repair
  Advanced Gunnery (Crew)
  The crew is skilled in accurate cannonfire, even in high winds.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: A crew with the Advanced Gunnery feat receives lower penalties to their attack roll
  for firing artillery in high winds:
  Wind speed 11-17 knots
  0
  Wind speed 18-21 knots
  -1
  Wind speed 22-27 knots
  -2
  Wind speed 28 knots or more
  -4
  Gaining Experience for NPC Crew
  The DM should award experience points to
  NPC crew for the following events:
  Service Aboard Ship
  Simply living on a ship generates experience
  points for NPC crew. For each week spent on
  shipboard, crew earn experience points based
  on their current level:
  Crew Level
  XP per Week
  1st-3rd
  20
  4th and above
  10
  Sea Battles
  DMs should assign a challenge rating to enemy
  ships and monsters battled at sea. If an enemy
  ship is captured or sunk, or a monster slain, crew
  earn full XP. If the battle is a draw, or their own
  ship is captured, sunk, or driven away, they earn
  1/2 XP for the encounter.
  Storms
  Surviving a storm at sea earns 50-300 XP for
  the crew, depending on the duration and severi-
  ty of the storm.
  Ad Hoc Awards
  DMs should also give XP for unique challenges
  overcome by the crew: a dangerous raid on an
  enemy port, a rescue mission to save their cap-
  tain, or perhaps a shipwreck and subsequent
  survival on a desert isle.
  Captains & Crews 103
  
  Normal: Crews without this feat suffer the standard artillery situational modifiers for high
  winds.
  Advanced Seamanship (Crew)
  The crew is especially competent at steering and operating a sailing vessel.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: A crew with Advanced Seamanship gets a +2 bonus to all Climb, Sail, and Use Rope
  skill checks. This feat is a prerequisite for Close-Hauled Sailing, Fast Escape from Irons,
  Fast Trimming, and Rough-Weather Sailing.
  Normal: Crews without this feat receive no bonus to Climb, Sail, and Use Rope skill checks.
  Close-Hauled Sailing (Crew)
  The crew can sail a square-rigged ship very close to the wind.
  Prerequisites: Advanced Seamanship.
  Benefit: A crew trained with this feat can sail a square-rigged ship at only 45° from the wind
  for limited distances. Once per turn, the crew can make a Sail check at a DC of 1/2 the wind
  speed. If successful, the ship moves one square diagonally upwind. If not, the ship moves
  upwind at 67.5°, gaining 100’ upwind distance for every 200’ travelled across the wind, as
  normal.
  Normal: Crews without this feat cannot make a square-rigged ship sail closer than 67.5°
  away from the wind.
  Efficiency (Crew)
  The crew can trim the sails to catch more wind than normally possible.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: A crew trained with this feat increases the current efficiency of the ship’s sails by 
  + 0.1, to a maximum of 1.0 efficiency. For example, a ship whose sails are operating at 0.6
  efficiency would have an increased efficiency of 0.7. 
  Normal: Crews without the Efficiency feat do not give any bonus to the ship’s sail efficiency.
  Fast Escape from Irons (Crew).
  The crew can get the ship moving again sooner after it has failed to tack (turn across the
  wind).
  Prerequisites: Advanced Seamanship.
  Benefit: A crew trained with this feat can get out of irons in only two turns, according to the
  following schedule:
  Turn
  Action
  1
  Ship turns 90° to port or starboard (beam reach). Sail check required, normally at 
  DC 15, but at DC 13 for crews trained with this feat.
  2
  Ship moves normally, starting from a speed of 1 knot.
  104 Captains & Crews
  
  Normal: Crews without the Fast Escape from Irons feat require three turns to escape from
  irons.
  Fast Pumping (Crew)
  The crew can pump out the ship’s bilge faster than normal.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: When crewing the pumps, a crew with this feat can pump 0.2 tons of water per turn
  (12 tons per hour) per crewmember assigned to pumping duty.
  Normal: Crews without the Fast Pumping feat can only pump 0.1 ton of wate per turn per
  crewmember assigned to pumping duty.
  Fast Repair (Crew)
  The crew can make ship repairs faster than normal.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: When making emergency repairs, each crewmember repairs 2 hp (0.2 Dhp) per
  turn. This applies to holes at the waterline, jammed rudders, and falling canvas. When mak-
  ing non-emergency repairs, crews repair 1hp (0.1 Dhp) per five work-hours, which is double
  the usual rate. This applies to broken masts and rigging damage, dismounted artillery, holes
  at the waterline, hull, deck, or sail damage, and jammed rudders.
  Normal: Crews without the Fast Repair feat make emergency repairs at the rate of 1 hp 
  (0.1 Dhp) per crewmember per turn. They make non-emergency repairs at the rate of 1 hp
  (0.1 Dhp) per crewmember per ten work-hours.
  Fast Trimming (Crew)
  The crew can add or remove sail more quickly than normal.
  Prerequisites: Advanced Seamanship.
  Benefit: A crew trained with this feat can increase the speed of a ship up to 2 knots per turn,
  up to the ship’s maximum efficiency. They can also slow the ship by one-half its current
  speed, rounded up, plus an additional 1 knot.
  Normal: Crews without this feat can only increase ship speed by 1 knot per turn, and
  decrease speed by one-half current speed, rounded up.
  Firefighting (Crew)
  The crew has received advanced training in fighting shipboard fires, allowing them to extin-
  guish them faster.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: Any crewmembers assigned to fire watch duty extinguish fires at the rate of 2 Dhp
  per turn, which is double the usual rate.
  Normal: Crews without the Firefighting feat extinguish fires at a rate of 1 Dhp per
  crewmember per turn. 
  Captains & Crews 105
  
  Green-Water Sailing (Crew)
  The crew can navigate shallow waters more safely, helping the ship avoid running aground,
  and steering clear of obstacles.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: A crew with the Green-Water Sailing feat gains two benefits. First, they get a +2
  bonus to Sail checks to avoid underwater obstacles like reefs, wrecks, and sandbars. Second,
  they can ballast a ship to reduce its draft (the depth of the keel underwater) by one foot for
  every five feet of draft, rounded up. Thus, a ship with a draft of 1-5 feet gains 1 foot of water
  beneath its keel, while a ship with a draft of 6-10 feet gains 2 feet, and so on. 
  Normal: Crews without this feat do not gain any special benefits in shallow water.
  Improved Efficiency (Crew)
  The crew can increase the efficiency of the ship’s sails even beyond the ship’s normal design
  limits.
  Prerequisites: Efficiency.
  Benefit: A crew trained with this feat increases the current efficiency of the ship’s sails by 
  + 0.1, with no limit to the level of efficiency achieved. For example, a ship operating at 1.0
  efficiency could be increased to 1.1. The usual effects of sailing faster than best speed are
  ignored, unless the wind speed is above 32 knots.
  Normal: Crews without the Improved Efficiency feat can’t improve sail efficiency beyond
  1.0.
  Rough-Weather Sailing (Crew)
  The crew is more adept at keeping the ship from foundering in bad weather.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: A crew with the Rough-Weather Sailing feat gets a +2 to any Sail checks made to
  avoid capsizing as a result of waterspouts and high winds. 
  Normal: Crews without this feat do not gain any special benefits against weather hazards.
  Ship-Shape & Bristol Fashion (Crew)
  The crew keeps the ship extremely clean and well maintained.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: Crewmembers with this feat get a +2 to all Fortitude saves to resist shipboard dis-
  ease. They also reduce the depreciation rate of the ship’s cash value as it ages: a base depre-
  ciation of 10%, with a loss of 1% of its original value every two years of age.
  Normal: Crews without this feat gain no benefit to Fortitude checks against disease. Their
  ship loses value at a base depreciation of 10% plus 1% per year of age.
  Stealth (Crew)
  The crew has been trained in the arts of silent movement and concealment, to improve their
  effectiveness in shore raids and surprise attacks.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: Crewmembers gain Hide and Move Silently as class skills.
  106 Captains & Crews
  
  Normal: Crews without this feat can only gain ranks in Hide and Move Silently as cross-class
  skills. 
  Survival (Crew)
  The crew has been trained to survive in wilderness settings, in case of shipwreck or maroon-
  ing in an uninhabited area.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: Crewmembers gain Knowledge (Nature) and Wilderness Lore as class skills.
  Normal: Crews without this feat can only gain ranks in Knowledge (Nature) and Wilderness
  Lore as cross-class skills.
  Swimming (Crew)
  The crew knows how to swim.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: Crewmembers get a +2 bonus to Swim checks, and a +2 Fortitude checks to hold
  their breath and survive in the water.
  Normal: Crews without this feat gain no special benefits in these areas.
  Thrifty Repair (Crew)
  The crew uses fewer repair stores when making ship repairs.
  Prerequisites: none.
  Benefit: Crew with this feat use repair stores at the following rate while making repairs to
  damaged areas of the ship:
  Damaged Masts: 80 pounds of timber and 5 pounds of iron per 1 Dhp of damage.
  Dismounted Artillery: 5 pounds of timber per 1 pound of shot weight of the piece.
  Hole at the Waterline: 80 pounds of timber per Dhp of damage.
  Hull and Deck Damage: 40 pounds of timber per Dhp of damage.
  Sail Damage: 5 pounds of canvas per Dhp of damage.
  Jammed Rudder: 80 pounds of timber and 5 pounds of iron per Dhp of damage.
  Normal: Crews without the Thrifty Repair feat use repair stores at the following rate:
  Damaged Masts: 100 pounds of timber and 10 pounds of iron per 1 Dhp of damage.
  Dismounted Artillery: 10 pounds of timber per 1 pound of shot weight of the piece.
  Hole at the Waterline: 100 pounds of timber per Dhp of damage.
  Hull and Deck Damage: 50 pounds of timber per Dhp of damage.
  Sail Damage: 10 pounds of canvas per Dhp of damage.
  Jammed Rudder: 100 pounds of timber and 10 pounds of iron per Dhp of damage.
  Captains & Crews 107
  
  Sea Adventues &
  Sea Battles,
  Being a set of Rules for the Conduct of Mass
  Combat on Sea.  
  These rules are an update of my earlier “Sea Wolves” rules, made fully compatible with the
  d20 system, at least as much as I care to make them. They allow you to add ship combat to
  your Septentrionalis adventures, but can easily be adapted for any naval battles during the
  Age of Sail. Unlike the original Sea Wolves rules, this version is designed to be played with
  miniatures or counters, at a suggested scale of 1” = 100’. Miniatures are really needed only
  for tactical movement, generally at ranges of one mile or less, since cannon of this era were
  rarely employed beyond this distance.
  Ship Speed & Movement
  Best Speed
  A ship’s theoretical best speed is based on a simple formula (see sidebar), but in practice,
  ships of the era will sail more slowly, due to the inefficiency of their sail rig. Each ship type
  listed in these rules has its own Best Speed rating in knots, based on this formula, derived
  from the length of the hull at the waterline.
  Actual Speed
  The actual speed of a ship at a given moment is based on many factors, including the condi-
  tion of the hull, the direction and strength of any currents acting on the hull, how the ship is
  ballasted, and so on, but the prime factor is the strength of the wind. The DM may choose
  whatever wind speed he feels appropriate, or may create a random wind speed table for each
  area of the gaming world. Once the wind speed has been determined, consult the Actual
  Speed table below to determine the actual speed of the ship, based on the efficiency of its
  rig, which is listed among the ship’s stats. If the actual speed is higher than the ship’s best
  speed, use the best speed instead -- remember, a ship can never go faster than the best speed
  listed in its stats.
  Exceeding Best Speed
  When the actual speed of a ship would exceed its best speed -- usually because the ship is
  carrying too much sail in high winds -- the ship remains at its best speed. The ship’s sails and
  masts may take damage, and the ship could capsize. See the Other Hazards section at the
  end of this chapter for more details.
  Actual Speed of Oared Ships
  The maximum actual speed of an oared ship is based on the current number of rowers, as
  shown on the ship’s crew roster. If the ship has sails as well, the sail speed does not stack
  with the oared speed -- the ship can either be under sail or oar, but not both.
  version 17 July 2002
  How fast can a Ship Go?
  The maximum speed for a displacement hull (as
  opposed to a planing hull, like a catamaran,
  which skims over the waves instead of plowing
  through them) is based on the length of the hull
  at the waterline.The formula for hull speed is
  1.34 knots x the square root of the hull length,
  in feet
  So a ship that is 50 feet long at the waterline
  can move no faster than 
  1.34 x square root of 50, or 1.34 x 7.071
  or about 9.5 knots. I’ve included this formula for
  players who want to design their own ships, to
  give them a rough idea of maximum speed.
  Knots vs. Miles per Hour
  These rules use the nautical mile, which at 6076
  feet is 1.15 times the length of a standard mile.
  To convert knots (nautical miles per hour) into
  MPH, just multiply by 1.15.
  Daily and Weekly Movement Rates
  This table serves as a handy reference for deter-
  mining the distance covered by ships over time.
  Ships in this era generally sailed 24 hours a day
  while on the high seas, unlike medieval mariners
  who often hugged the coast and put in to shore
  every night. All distances  are given in nautical
  miles.
  Hourly
  Daily
  Weekly
  Upwind*
  1 
  24 
  168
  11/77
  2
  48
  336
  22/154
  3
  72
  504
  33/231
  4
  96
  672
  44/308
  5
  120
  840
  55/385
  6
  144
  1008
  66/462
  7
  168
  1176
  77/539
  8
  192
  1344
  88/616
  9
  216
  1512
  99/693
  10
  240
  1680
  110/770
  11
  264
  1848
  121/847
  12
  288
  2016
  132/924
  13
  312
  2184
  143/1001
  14
  336
  2352
  154/1078
  15
  360
  2520
  165/1155
  16
  384
  2688
  176/1232
  17
  408
  2856
  187/1309
  18
  432
  3024
  198/1386
  19
  456
  3192
  209/1463
  20
  480
  3360
  220/1540
  *weekly distances for daily/weekly upwind travel
  (see Sailing against the Wind next page)
  
  Table: Actual Speed 
  --Actual Speed, based on Current Efficiency--
  Wind
  Terrible Bad
  V. Poor
  Poor
  Fair
  Average Good 
  V.Good Great
  Speed
  (0.1)
  (0.2)
  (0.3)
  (0.4)
  (0.5)
  (0.6)
  (0.7)
  (0.8)
  (0.9)
  0 kts
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  2
  0
  0
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  2
  4
  0
  1
  1
  2
  2
  2
  3
  3
  4
  6
  1
  1
  2
  2
  3
  4
  4
  5
  5
  8
  1
  2
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  6
  7
  10
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  12
  1
  2
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  10
  11
  14
  1
  3
  4
  6
  7
  8
  10
  11
  13
  16
  2
  3
  5
  6
  8
  10
  11
  13
  14
  18
  2
  4
  5
  7
  9
  11
  13
  14
  16
  20
  2
  4
  6
  8
  10
  12
  14
  16
  18
  22
  2
  4
  7
  9
  11
  13
  15
  18
  20
  24
  2
  5
  7
  10
  12
  14
  17
  19
  22
  26
  3
  5
  8
  10
  13
  16
  18
  21
  23
  28
  3
  6
  8
  11
  14
  17
  20
  22
  25
  30
  3
  6
  9
  12
  15
  18
  21
  24
  27
  32
  3
  6
  10
  13
  16
  19
  22
  26
  29
  All actual speeds listed in the table have been rounded to the nearest whole number, to make
  tactical movement easier. The strongest wind represented in the table is a moderate gale --
  few ships can actually take advantage of fresh and strong gales, storms, (56-63 knots) or
  hurricane force winds (64+).  Even a 150’ galleon has a best speed of only 16 knots, so the
  table doesn’t cover higher speeds.
  Example of finding actual speed from the Actual Speed table: a ship traveling in a wind of 18
  knots at an efficiency of 0.7 travels at 0.7 x 18, or 13 knots.
  Sailing against the Wind
  Most warships of the era can only sail within about a 225° arc, centered on a heading point-
  ing the same way the wind is blowing. In other words, they can’t sail on a heading closer than
  67.5° to the wind. That means that nearly half the compass -- the upwind half -- is closed to
  them. To sail upwind, then as now, involves a zigzag course called tacking, first sailing as
  close as possible to one edge of the upwind no-sail zone, then as close as possible to the
  other edge. A  period warship tacking  upwind has to sail about 2.2 nautical miles for every
  mile gained. That means that the equivalent of a one day voyage downwind takes 2.2 days
  upwind -- a significant delay, especially when magnified over many days and hundreds of
  miles. Remember that the ship’s actual speed doesn’t change; it just has to cover more
  ground to gain the same distance. 
  Vision and Spotting at Sea
  Often, in the course of an adventure, the DM will need to determine whether a ship’s crew
  has seen an approaching vessel or a distant island. In an encounter at sea, whoever spots the
  enemy first often gains crucial minutes to either slip away undetected or prepare for action.
  Modifiers to Efficiency:
  A ship’s efficiency rating can be modified by sev-
  eral factors. All the factors listed below stack
  with each other. As DM, feel free to assign
  bonuses or penalties based on the following cir-
  cumstances:
  Condition
  Modifier
  Fouled Hull
  -0.1
  Poorly Ballasted
  -0.1
  Rime Ice
  -0.1
  Fouled Hull
  A ship’s hull provides an ideal platform for
  marine animals and plants, such as barnacles and
  algae. If the hull is not regularly careened (drawn
  ashore by ropes or merely tilted to provide
  access to the lower portions) and scraped
  down, the growth of marine life will slow the
  ship.
  Poorly Ballasted
  A ship keeps an even keel (neither too low at
  the bow or the stern) by means of heavy stone
  ballast in the lowest part of the ship’s interior.
  Ballast must occasionally be shifted by the labor
  of the crew to even the keel and improve the
  ship’s sailing efficiency.
  Rime Ice
  Ice forms as spray freezes on ropes and sails,
  reducing their efficiency. Unless knocked off with
  axes and clubs by the crew, the ice will continue
  to slow the ship, and perhaps even break spars
  or masts. See Arctic Hazards at the end of the
  chapter for more info.
  Efficiency and Rigging
  Each ship’s stats include a breakdown of how
  each mast’s sails contribute to the ship’s efficien-
  cy. For an ideal ship, it might look like this:
  Bowsprit:
  +0.1
  Foremast:
  +0.3
  Mainmast:
  +0.4
  Mizzenmast:
  +0.2
  =1.0 effeciency
  Depending on the design of her sails, a ship may
  not have 1.0 efficiency even under full canvas.
  A ship may deliberately reduce its efficiency by
  furling sails, as a way of slowing the ship down;
  usually the top course of sails is the last to be
  added and the first to be removed. During tacti-
  cal movement, it is assumed that this is being
  done whenever the captain slows the speed of
  the ship.
  In combat, a ship may lose sails due to fire or
  chain shot; each time the sail’s hit points (indicat-
  ed in the ship’s stats) drop below a certain
  threshhold, it automatically loses efficiency. If a
  mast is lost due to artillery fire, the ship immedi-
  ately loses whatever fraction that mast’s sails
  contribute tothe ship’s efficiency.
  110 Sea Battles
  
  Two major factors affect Spot checks at sea: the distance from the observer to the horizon, and
  local weather conditions. 
  The Horizon
  The curvature of the earth establishes an limit to the distance at which objects can be seen at
  sea. Anything beyond the horizon is hidden from an observer, no matter how acute her vision
  is. The higher your vantage point, the more of the earth’s surface you can see at once, pushing
  back the horizon in an expanding circle around you. If you know your height above the sea in
  feet, a simple formula can tell you the distance to the horizon. The formula is: 
  1.17 x the square root of your height of eye in feet = Distance to the horizon in nautical miles* 
  See the sidebar for some common horizon distances. Anything closer to you than the horizon
  is potentially visible.
  Seeing beyond the Horizon
  Tall objects, like mountain summits and the masts of ships, can be seen even when they are
  beyond the horizon. If you want to calculate the distance at which an object becomes visible,
  you must know your height of eye and the height of the object. You then do the same calcula-
  tion for your distance to the horizon and the object's distance to the horizon and add the dis-
  tances together. So, from a 500-foot hilltop (horizon 26 miles), you can see the top of a 100'
  lighthouse (horizon 12 miles) from 26+12=38 miles away. The following table gives the maxi-
  mum sighting distance for observers and objects of a given height. Results are in nautical
  miles.
  Table: Maximum Sighting Distances between Observer/Object
  Height
  6’
  12’
  24’
  48’
  100’
  500’
  1000’
  5000’
  10000’
  6’
  6
  7
  9
  11
  15
  29
  40
  86
  120
  12’
  7
  8
  10
  12
  16
  30
  41
  87
  121
  24’
  9
  10
  12
  14
  18
  32
  43
  89
  123
  48’
  11
  12
  14
  16
  20
  34
  45
  91
  125
  100’
  15
  16
  18
  20
  24
  38
  49
  95
  129
  500’
  29
  30
  32
  34
  38
  52
  63
  109
  143
  1000’
  40
  41
  43
  45
  49
  63
  74
  120
  154
  5000’
  86
  87
  89
  91
  95
  109
  120
  166
  200
  10000’
  120
  121
  123
  125
  129
  143
  154
  200
  234
  Atmospheric Limits to Sighting at Sea
  Besides the horizon itself, the maximum sighting distance of objects at sea may be limited by
  atmospheric conditions. Different weather types will establish an absolute limit of vision,
  beyond which no seeing is possible. Check the sidebar for conditions that limit vision at sea.
  Within the given limit, all Spot checks are made at the DC indicated for that condition.
  Making Spot Checks at Sea
  As soon as an object enters an observer’s maximum sighting distance, the DM should roll a
  Spot check at the DC indicated by the weather condition . If there is more than one lookout
  on duty, then give the result a +2 cooperation bonus. If the Spot check fails, then make addi-
  tional checks on the following schedule, depending on the distance and size of the object:
  Some Common Eye Heights and
  Horizon Distances
  Observer’s Elevation
  Horizon
  Raft  (6 ‘ elevation)
  3 miles
  Deck of a Ship (12’)  
  4 miles
  Poop Deck (24’) 
  6 miles
  Crow's Nest (48’)
  8 miles
  100-foot Hilltop 
  12 miles
  500-foot Hilltop  
  26 miles
  1000-foot Mountaintop 
  37 miles
  5000-foot Mountaintop 
  83 miles
  10,000-foot Mountaintop 
  117 miles
  Handy Nautical Term Defined
  A ship whose masts only are visible on the hori-
  zon is said to be “sail up”. Once the hull is visi-
  ble, it is “hull up”.
  Atmospheric Limits to Vision at Sea
  Check this table to determine the maximum
  sighting distance in various weather conditions.
  The Spot column gives the DC of Spot skill rolls
  made within the vision limit.
  Condition
  Vision Limit
  Spot DC
  Blizzard 
  300 feet
  22
  Clear
  horizon
  6
  Dense Fog
  100 feet
  24
  Downpour 
  2 miles
  14
  Fog 
  1 mile
  18
  Haze 
  1d6+3 miles
  8
  Light Rain 
  1d4+3 miles
  10
  Light Snow 
  3 miles
  12
  Steady Rain 
  3 miles
  12
  Steady Snow 
  1 mile
  18
  Modifiers to Spot skill Checks
  The DM should adjust Spot skill checks with the
  following situational modifiers:
  Condition
  +/-
  Night, Starry Sky*
  -8
  Night, Overcast*
  -12
  Night, Moonlit*
  -6
  Twilight*
  -2
  Silhouetted against Sunrise/Sunset
  +4
  * If the object is illuminated by a light source,
  reduce penalty by 1/2.
  Sea Battles 111
  
  Size
  Object is within:
  1000’
  1 mile
  3 miles
  greater
  Tiny
  Check every
  1 min.
  10 min. -
  -
  Small
  1 min.
  1 min.
  10 min. -
  Medium-Size
  1 round 1 min.
  10 min. -
  Large
  1 round 1 min.
  10 min. 1 hr.
  Huge
  1 round 1 round 1 min.
  10 min.
  Gargantuan
  1 round 1 round 1 round 1 min.
  Encounters at Sea
  Once a ship has been Spotted, a sea chase may ensue, with one ship attempting to elude or
  overtake the other. To conduct a sea chase:
  1. Using the Vision and Spotting at Sea rules, determine the distance in nautical miles
  between the two ships at the start of the chase.
  2. If you haven't already done so, determine each ship's speed in knots (see Actual Speed,
  above) and compare the two. If one or both ships are tacking upwind, remember to use the
  upwind speed rather than the normal speed.
  3. If the faster ship wants to escape, it will escape, unless something happens to either slow it
  down or to accelerate its pursuer. To find out how long before the faster ship escapes, deter-
  mine how far away the escaping ship is from the maximum sighting distance of her pursuer.
  Then, divide the distance to the maximum sighting distance by the difference between the
  two ships' speeds. The result is the number of hours before the escaping ship disappears
  from view.
  4. If the pursuing ship is faster, subtract the speed of the slower ship from the faster ship to
  find the difference. Divide the distance between the two ships by the difference in speed.
  The result is the number of hours before the slower ship is overtaken.
  Once the pursuing ship closes to within one nautical mile of the slower ship, switch to tacti-
  cal movement scale (see below).
  Tactical Movement
  Ground Scale
  Tactical ship movement uses a grid system to regulate ship movement and cannon fire. Each
  square on the grid represents 100’ x 100’ of area. Using a grid of 1” squares allows  the use
  of 1/1200 scale ship models to represent the combatants (see sidebar for a suggested manu-
  facturer of 17th Century ship models). Of course, cardboard counters or gaming pieces can
  be used in place of ship models, as long as the bow and stern are marked. 
  Note: Ships longer than 100’ are considered to occupy only one square; they are centered
  over the center of a single square, rather than placed half on one square and half on another.
  Summary: Escape Time
  To calculate the time remaining before a faster
  ship escapes a slower one:
  1. Find Distance to Escape:
  (Max. Sighting Distance) - ( Current Distance) 
  = Distance to Escape
  2. Find Difference in Speeds:
  (Escaping Ship’s Speed) - (Pursuer’s Speed) 
  = Difference in Speeds
  3. Find Escape Time:
  (Distance to Escape) / (Difference in Speeds) 
  = Escape Time
  Summary: Overtake Time
  To calculate the time remaining before a faster
  ship overtakes a slower one:
  1. Find Difference in Speeds:
  (Faster Ship’s Speed) - (Slower Ship’s Speed) 
  = Difference in Speeds
  2. Find Overtake Time:
  (Distance) - (Difference in Speed)
  = Time until Slower Ship is Overtaken
  112 Sea Battles
  
  Time Scale & Ship Speed
  Each turn of tactical movement represents one minute of actual time. During one turn, a
  ship moves one square (100’) per knot of speed. For example, a ship travelling at 7 knots
  moves 7 squares, while a ship travelling at 3 knots moves only 3 squares.
  The Sailing Arc
  As mentioned above, most ships of the era can only sail in a 225° arc away from the wind.
  On the tactical movement grid, this sailing arc is represented like this, with the green
  squares representing possible moves based on the ship’s current position:
  Sailing Moves
  Sailing ships are limited to a number of sailing moves, representing movement in a particular
  direction relative to the wind. Each move has its own nautical term, represented by a differ-
  ent move on the grid. These moves are described below, and illustrated in the sidebar. 
  Running
  Running means moving directly downwind. To represent a run, the ship points directly away
  from the wind and moves in a straight line. A ship on a run can turn 90° to port or starboard
  by moving downwind one square and turning simultaneously (see Jibing, below).
  Beam Reaching
  Sailing at a right angle to the wind, either port or starboard, is called beam reaching. A ship
  traveling in a beam reach must be pointed at right angles to the wind direction. Simply move
  the ship in a straight line at right angles to the wind.
  Broad Reaching
  Sailing at an angle downwind is called broad reaching. On the tactical grid, the ship may be
  pointed either away from the wind or at right angles to it (see option 1 and 2 in the sidebar).
  The ship moves downwind diagonally.
  Tactical Movement
  The following illustrations show common moves
  on the tactical grid:
  Running (sailing directly downwind).
  Beam reaching (sailing at 90° to the wind).
  Broad reaching (option 1).
  Broad reaching (option 2).
  Sea Battles 113
  1       start
  A
  2        end
  A
  wind
  wind
  1 start
  A
  2 end
  A
  1       start
  A
  2        end
  A
  wind
  wind
  1 start
  A
  2 end
  A
  wind
  A
  Sail Zone
  No-Sail Zone
  1
  3
  5
  d
  e
  g
  r
  e
  e
  a
  r
  c
  2
  2
  5
  d
  e
  g
  r
  e
  e
  a
  r
  c
  
  Beating Upwind
  A ship traveling upwind is said to be beating. On the tactical grid, the ship must be pointed
  at right angles to the wind, either to port or starboard. Because of the ship’s limited sailing
  arc, it can only move diagonally upwind, and only if it has first moved straight ahead one
  square (see the sidebar illustration).
  Jibing
  A ship pointing at right angles to the wind can turn 180° by jibing. To jibe, move the ship
  ahead one square and simultaneously point the bow away from the wind. Then, move one
  square downwind and turn the ship another  90° in the same direction. 
  Tacking
  To tack is to turn 180° while traveling upwind. A ship can maintain a directly upwind course
  by beating upwind, tacking, and beating in the other direction for the same distance before
  tacking again. To tack, the ship begins at right angles to the wind. The ship then moves
  ahead one square and points into the wind. The ship’s momentum then carries it one square
  upwind, while it continues to turn another 90°. Tacking requires a Sail skill check from the
  crew (described later). A failure leaves the ship motionless, pointed into the wind (see In
  Irons, below)
  In Irons
  A ship that moves directly upwind without immediately tacking comes to a stop, and is said
  to be “in irons”. The following turn, it will actually begin to move against the wind at a speed
  of one knot (one square). Experienced captains sometimes put a ship in irons deliberately to
  stop a ship or sail backward. To move out of irons, a ship turns 90° to port or starboard
  (doing so successfully requires a Sail skill check at DC 15). On its following turn, the ship
  moves at right angles to the wind at a speed of one knot.
  Getting out of Irons Summary
  Turn
  Action
  1
  Ship turns 90° to port or starboard (beam reach). Sail check required.
  2
  Ship remains motionless.
  3
  Ship moves normally, starting from a speed of 1 knot.
  Moves for Oared Ships
  Galleys, rowboats, and other ships that don’t rely on the wind for motive power are obviously
  not limited to a 225° sailing arc -- they can row in any direction they choose. Oared ships
  simply move one square per turn for every knot of speed. The following moves are available
  to them:
  Straight Course
  An oared ship on a straight course moves one square per knot of speed per turn.
  90° Turn
  An oared ship may turn 90° to port or starboard at any time, but must move straight ahead
  one square before turning again, unless stationary (see 180° Turn, below)
  Beating upwind.
  Jibing (turning while heading downwind).
  Tacking (turning while heading upwind).
  In irons (an unsuccessful tack).
  114 Sea Battles
  1 start
  2
  3 end
  A
  A
  A
  wind
  A
  wind
  1 start
  A
  2  
  A
  3 end
  A
  1 start
  2
  A
  A
  3 end
  A
  wind
  1 start
  2
  A
  A
  3        end
  wind
  A
  
  180° Turn
  If stationary at the start of its turn (speed zero knots), an oared ship may turn up to 180° on
  its own axis, by ordering the rowers on one side of the ship to row backwards. The following
  turn, it can begin to increase its speed, from a base of zero.
  Reverse Oars
  An oared ship may row in reverse if starting from a speed of zero knots. Its maximum reverse
  speed is one half of its maximum forward speed, rounding down to the next whole number.
  Running a Ship Battle
  Setup
  When the DM decides to switch to tactical movement during an encounter between ships,
  she places the ship models on the grid in the proper relation to one another and to the wind.
  Islands and other obstacles are marked, and so on, although the DM can choose not to reveal
  hidden reefs or other submerged dangers unless a successful Spot check is made by the crew.
  Fog banks, smoke clouds, and other barriers to sight are also placed.
  Initiative Check
  Each ship’s crew has its own initiative modifier, which is added to the initiative modifer of the
  ship itself (large ships have lower initiative modifiers); make an initiative check for each ship
  and crew before the first turn of tactical movement to establish the order of play. Each ship
  moves sequentially according to its current initiative. Note that unlike people, ships cannot
  hold action or delay action -- they cannot refocus or otherwise change their initiative.
  Turn Sequence
  During each ship’s move, it follows a schedule of possible actions and skill checks, detailed
  below. 
  1. Set Speed 
  A ship may change its speed only at the start of its turn. Generally, a ship may either add one
  knot of speed per turn, or subtract one half its current speed, rounding down to the next
  whole number. For example, a ship travelling at 6 knots can either accelerate to 7 knots or
  decelerate to as low as 3 knots. Putting a ship in irons (see Sailing Moves, above) is the most
  common way of stopping more quickly than allowed by the general rules.
  2. Crew Orders
  After setting the ship’s speed, the captain of the ship may give orders to various parts of the
  crew, including the gun crew, fire watch, repair crew, soldiers, and deck hands, or redestrib-
  ute the crew between these different tasks. Orders are detailed later in the chapter, but some
  common ones are Load Artillery, Away Boarders, Repel Boarders, and Out Boats.
  3. Fire Artillery/Small Arms Fire/Firefighting
  If a ship began its turn with loaded artillery, it may fire some or all of its batteries before
  movement. Boarders may also make ranged attacks with small arms at this time. This is also
  the time when fire watch crews fight any fires aboard the ship.
  Ship Tactics 101: Upwind or Downwind?
  Sea battles of the era usually begin with frantic
  maneuvering to obtain the most advantageous
  position relative to the wind. Both the upwind
  and downwind positions have pros and cons,
  although most captains prefer to have “the
  weather gauge”, as seaman call the advantage of
  being upwind of the foe.
  Upwind Position: Pros
  If you are closer to the source of the wind than
  your enemy, and you are faster, it is nearly
  inevitable that you will overtake him.This is the
  position to be in if you want to fight and your
  enemy doesn’t.
  Upwind Position: Cons
  If you don’t want to fight a downwind foe, the
  best you can do is delay the action by sailing on
  a beam reach or beat upwind to keep him at a
  distance. If you want to get past him, you will
  have to sail a long way around him, and even
  then he will have taken the weather gauge, and
  may be able to overtake or shadow you.
  Downwind Position: Pros
  If you want to escape the fight, and you are
  faster, then downwind is the preferred position.
  Downwind Position: Cons
  If you are the slower ship, you are essentially at
  the mercy of an upwind foe -- he will overtake
  you sooner or later. Pray for fog or nightfall, and
  hope that you can slip away. Of course, if you
  are spoiling for a fight, simply reduce sail and
  wait for battle.
  Ship Tactics 101: Bombard or Board?
  It’s quite difficult to sink a ship of any size with
  artillery alone -- usually the goal is to capture
  rather than destroy a vessel.You may eventually
  have to board the enemy and fight hand to
  hand. If you have numerical superiority, you will
  want to close and board as quickly as possible,
  to minimize artillery damage to your own ship. If
  you are outnumbered in soldiers and deck
  hands, then delay any boarding as long as possi-
  ble -- hope for a knockout against the enemy’s
  masts and sails, to give you a chance to either
  escape or finish him off safely from a distance.
  Ship Tactics 101: Choosing Shot
  Roundshot
  Use roundshot against the hull to kill gunners,
  dismount artillery, and hope for a lucky hit at the
  waterline.
  Chain
  Fire chain against the enemy’s rigging to slow
  him down by shredding sails and breaking masts.
  Use it against the deck to hit masts and crew.
  Smallshot
  Use smallshot against the deck at very close
  range to wipe out enemy boarding parties and
  crew.
  Sea Battles 115
  
  4. Boarding Actions/Fend Off
  Any melee attacks by soldiers and deck hands are conducted against enemy soldiers and
  crew. Then, any attempts to fend off an enemy ship are made.
  5. Movement 
  After making any changes to speed, the ship conducts any movement. A ship may fire loaded
  artillery at any point during its move. If a Sail skill check is required to complete a particular
  move, such as tacking, then the check is made as that move is attempted. Making more than
  one Sail skill check in a single turn (for example, tacking twice), imposes a penalty of -2 to
  the crew’s Sail check for each check after the first. 
  6. Fire Remaining Artillery
  If a ship still has any loaded artillery batteries, it may fire after movement.
  Artillery Fire
  Ship-mounted Artillery and Fields of Fire
  Most ships have four quarters, or sections of the ship, on which to mount their artillery. They
  include starboard (the right side of the ship), port(left side), bow (front), and stern (rear).
  Only a few pieces (often called chasers) can be mounted in the bow and stern, while many
  can be arranged along the port and starboard sides, called the broadsides for obvious rea-
  sons. The above diagram shows the fields of fire of guns mounted on each of the ship’s quar-
  ters.
  Note that the outer edges of the broadsides’ fields of fire (pink) are considered 1/2 effec-
  tive, meaning that only 1/2 of a port or starboard battery’s guns can fire on a target in the
  Small Arms Fire
  Besides firing the ship’s gun batteries, a captain
  may order any soldiers to make ranged attacks
  against enemy soldiers and crew aboard nearby
  ships.The results of small arms fire are deter-
  mined by a single 1d20 roll  -- do not roll sepa-
  rately for each firer.The number of casualties is
  based on the number of attackers multiplied by a
  factor based on the modified 1d20 roll.To deter-
  mine small arms fire results:
  1. Ranged Attack Bonus
  Use the ranged attack bonus of the attackers.
  2. Range Modifier
  Count the number of squares from the attacker’s
  ship to the target. Do not use diagonals. Add -4
  to the attack modifier for each square of range.
  3. Situational Modifiers
  Use the situational modifiers in the sidebar next
  page, plus any other modifiers the DM feels are
  appropriate, including those found in the D&D
  PHB.
  4. Choose Target: Soldiers or Deck Hands
  The firer chooses either the enemy soldiers or
  deck hands to fire upon. It is considered unsport-
  ing to deliberately fire at civilians, so usually only
  characters of evil alignment will do so.
  5.Target’s AC Modifier
  Rather than using the target’s AC as the DC, you
  need to express the AC as a modifier to the
  attack bonus. First, if the target ship’s Deck AC is
  greater than 10, subtract the difference from the
  modified attack bonus. For example, a ship with a
  Deck AC of 12 gives a -2 penalty to the firer’s
  attack bonus. Second, do the same for the AC of
  the targeted soldiers or crew themselves.
  6. Fire!
  Roll 1d20 and add the modified attack bonus to
  the result. Consult the appropriate table below
  and multiply the casualties by the number of fir-
  ers.
  Casualties
  Result
  Matchlocks
  Snaphances
  0 or less 0
  0
  1 to 5
  0
  1
  6 to 10
  1
  1
  11 to 15 1
  2
  16 to 20 2
  2
  21+
  2
  3
  7. Damage
  Each small arms hit will inflict an average damage
  amount to one casualty.
  Pistols:
  5 hp
  Horse Pistols:
  6 hp
  Arquebuses
  6 hp
  Musketoons
  6 hp
  Muskets
  7 hp
  Casualty assignment is determined according to
  Special Rules for Assigning Smallshot damage,
  below.
  116 Sea Battles
  A
  Full Broadside
  Full Broadside
  1/2
  1/2
  1/2
  1/2
  Bow Chasers
  Stern Chasers
  
  pink zone. For example, a ship with 8 guns mounted on the port side can only fire 4 guns at
  targets in the 1/2 broadside zone. (For odd numbers of guns, round up to the nearest whole
  number).
  Batteries
  A ship’s artillery is divided into groups of similar pieces called batteries. All guns of the
  same caliber mounted on the same quarter of the ship are considered to be a single battery,
  for example, a starboard battery of 8 32-pound cannon, or a forward battery of 2 16-pound
  long culverins. Artillery is loaded and fired as a battery by the gunners, under the order of
  the captain. On the ship’s crew roster, the player controlling the ship distributes the gunners
  among the different batteries. Undercrewed batteries will fire fewer guns each turn, as indi-
  cated on the crew roster.
  Loading Artillery
  Most ships will begin the combat with loaded artillery, unless the DM decides otherwise. If a
  ship is caught by surprise, with no gun crew on duty, the guns are still considered to be
  loaded, but the gun crew will take two full turns to reach their stations. Once a battery is
  fired, it must be loaded on subsequent turn(s) before firing again, by giving the gun crew a
  Load order during the Crew Orders action of the ship’s next turn. Most guns take one turn
  to load, with the exception being guns with a shot-weight greater than 32 pounds, which
  require two turns. Undercrewed ships will have longer reload rates, as indicated on the ship’s
  crew roster.
  Shot Type
  When available, a battery can be loaded with one of several types of shot, including round-
  shot, chain, and smallshot. Each has a different effect on the target’s hull, deck, and rigging.
  Smallshot is a close range area effect, and is not subject to range modifiers. It can only be
  used if the target ship is in the same square as the firer. 
  Firing Artillery
  A battery may be fired starting the next turn after loading. As mentioned above, a loaded
  battery may be fired before, during, or after movement. To determine the results of artillery
  fire:
  1. Base Attack Bonus
  Use the gun crew’s base attack bonus.A table showing crew base attack bonus is shown in
  the sidebar this page.
  2. Range Modifier
  Count the number of squares from the battery to the target. Do not use diagonals. Check the
  artillery’s range increment, and subtract 2 from the attack modifier for each full increment.
  3. Situational Modifiers
  Use the situational modifiers in the sidebar this page, plus any other modifiers the DM feels
  are appropriate, including those found in the D&D PHB.
  4. Choose Target: Hull, Deck, or Rigging
  If the base attack bonus adjusted by range and situational modifiers is -10 or greater, the
  Summary:Artillery Loading Schedule
  32-pounder or lighter:
  One turn
  Heavier than 32-pounder:
  Two turns
  Summary:Types of Shot
  Roundshot
  Chain
  Smallshot
  Undercrewed Guns
  Few ships have sufficient crew to fully operate
  both port and starboard broadsides at once.
  Ships with insufficient gunners to “fight both
  sides” may either undercrew both broadsides, or
  fully crew the port or starboard broadside,
  depending on the position of the enemy.
  Crew Base Attack Bonus, by Level
  Level
  BAB
  1
  0
  2
  +1
  3
  +2
  4
  +3
  5
  +3
  6
  +4
  7
  +5
  8
  +6
  9
  +6
  10
  +7
  Artillery Situational Modifiers
  Wind speed 11-17 knots
  -1
  Wind speed 18-21 knots
  -2
  Wind speed 22-27 knots
  -4
  Wind speed 28 knots or more
  -8
  General Fire Table
  If the modified attack bonus is not high enough
  to allow the firer to target a particular section of
  the ship, (-10 or less) roll 1d6 on the following
  table to determine randomly which section is
  actually hit by any successful shots:
  Result:
  Use AC listed for target’s:
  1-2
  Hull
  3
  Deck
  4-6
  Rigging
  Sea Battles 117
  
  firer may choose a particular section of the target ship to fire upon: hull, deck, or rigging.
  Each ship has a separate AC for each of these three sections. The hull is usually the hardest
  to hit, followed by the deck, with the rigging being the easiest target.
  If the adjusted attack bonus is less than -10, roll randomly on the general fire table to deter-
  mine which AC to use. Any hits from the battery will affect that randomly determined section
  of the target.
  5. Fire!
  Roll 1d20 for each gun in the battery against the target’s AC, adding the base attack bonus
  and any range and situational modifiers to the die roll. If a natural 1 is rolled, that gun has
  misfired, and cannot be cleared until after the battle. If a natural 20 is rolled, it is an auto-
  matic hit, and also possibly a critical hit, depending on the type of shot used. Refer to the
  Damage and Critical Hits by Shot Type table in the sidebar this page. If a critical hit is indi-
  cated, do not double the damage, but roll 1d20 on the Critical Hit Table on the sidebar next
  page for whichever section of the target it hit. (Ignore the critical threat rules of standard
  combat; you don’t need to roll a second time to confirm a critical artillery hit).
  6. Damage
  Depending on the type of shot used, a hit on hull, deck, or rigging may or may not result in
  damage to the ship. Roundshot inflicts full damage against the hull, one-half damage against
  the deck, and no damage against the rigging (but still may cause a critical hit). Chain is inef-
  fective against the hull, but inflicts full damage against the deck and rigging. Smallshot only
  inflicts damage against the deck.
  If the number of guns involved are few, the DM may allow players to roll the damage for each
  gun separately, but it is recommended that she use an average damage amount instead. Since
  the amount of damage involved in artillery fire can be very high, artillery average damage
  amounts are listed in deca-hit points, or Dhp, equal to ten ordinary hit points. See the side-
  bar for average damage of various shot weights.
  If the ship’s hull or deck is the targeted section, subtract the listed Hardness rating from the
  damage inflicted by each shot. Most ships have a hull Hardness between 1-3 Dhp, making
  light guns much less effective against them. Only large ships have a deck Hardness, and sel-
  dom above 1 Dhp.
  7. Casualties
  In addition to causing damage to the ship itself, some hits inflict casualties against the crew.
  Roundshot hits against the hull send a shower of splinters through the gun deck, injuring the
  gunners. Chain sweeps across the deck, inflicting 1/2 casualties to deck hands and soldiers
  on a deck hit, and 1/2 casualties to deck hands on a rigging hit. A shower of smallshot
  inflicts full casualties against deckhands and soldiers on a deck hit, and 1/2 casualties to
  deckhands on a rigging hit. See the Casualties by Location and Shot Type table in the side-
  bar for a summary.
  To calculate casualties from each hit, use only the penetration damage (the damage not
  blocked by the ship’s Hardness rating). For each Dhp of penetration damage, 1 hp of dam-
  age will be suffered by one or more members of the crew. The exception is smallshot, which
  Damage & Critical Hits,
  by Shot Type
  Type
  Target
  Damage? Critical?
  Roundshot
  Hull
  Yes
  Yes
  Deck
  1/2
  Yes
  Rig
  No
  Yes
  Chain
  Hull
  No
  No
  Deck
  Yes
  Yes
  Rig
  Yes
  Yes
  Smallshot
  Hull
  No
  No
  Deck
  No
  No
  Rig
  No
  No
  Average Damage, by Shot Weight
  Shot Weight
  Average Damage
  1 lb
  2 Dhp
  2 lb
  2 Dhp
  3 lb
  3 Dhp
  4 lb
  3 Dhp
  6 lb
  4 Dhp
  10 lb
  7 Dhp
  12 lb
  8 Dhp
  16 lb
  10 Dhp
  18 lb
  11 Dhp
  32 lb
  19 Dhp
  50 lb
  29 Dhp
  76 lb
  42 Dhp
  Crew Casualties,
  by Location & Shot Type
  Hull
  Deck
  Rigging
  Roundshot
  Yes
  Yes
  No
  Chain
  No
  1/2
  1/2
  Smallshot
  No
  Yes
  1/2
  Roundshot & Chain Casualties per Hit,
  by Crew Density
  Full
  1/2 Casualties
  Full Density
  4 crew
  2 crew
  Adequate Density
  3 crew
  2 crew
  Low Density
  2 crew
  1 crew
  Skeleton Crew
  1 crew
  1 crew
  Smallshot Casualties, by Gun Type and
  Crew Density
  Full
  Adequate Short
  Skeleton
  Culverins
  Rabbinett 4
  3
  2
  1
  Falconet 4
  3
  2
  1
  Falcon
  4
  3
  2
  1
  Minion
  12
  9
  6
  3
  Saker
  12
  9
  6
  3
  D-Culvr. 16
  8
  4
  2
  Culverin 30
  23
  15
  8
  L. Culvr.
  30
  23
  15
  8
  Cannon
  Demi-C. 30
  23
  15
  8
  Cannon
  36
  27
  18
  9
  Periers
  Perier
  40
  30
  20
  10
  Mortars
  Dk. Mtr.
  18
  14
  9
  5
  Howitz.
  32
  24
  16
  8
  Bombrd. 50
  38
  25
  13
  118 Sea Battles
  
  always inflicts 6 hp of damage, regardless of the type of gun from which it is fired. The num-
  ber of crew hit by each shot depends on the crew density, listed in the ship’s stats. The more
  crowded a ship is, the more casualties will occur from each shot. See the Crew Casualties by
  Density table in the sidebar this page. For smallshot, use the Smallshot Casualties table
  instead. If the shot type inflicts only 1/2 casualties, only half the number of crew indicated
  will suffer damage, rounding up to the nearest whole number.
  8. Assigning Casualties
  Each ship’s crew roster divides the crew into gunners, deck hands, and soldiers. (Deck
  hands are further divided into sailors, fire watch, pump hands, and repair crew). Hull hits
  inflict casualties on gunners. Deck hits inflict casualties on both deck hands and soldiers. 
  If the damage inflicted  by the hit is greater than the average hit points of the type of crew
  member affected, one crew member is slain and removed from the roster for each casualty. If
  the damage is less than or equal to the crew type’s average hit points, then one crew member
  for each casualty is removed from active duty and placed in the orlop (see below). If the type
  of crew affected (deck hand or soldier) is divided into several types or duties, the player con-
  trolling the targeted ship decides from which type or duty the casualties are drawn.
  Special Rules for Assigning Smallshot Damage
  Armor worn by deck hands and soldiers is partially effective against smallshot. A Fortitude
  save reduces the damage to 3 hp, with a DC of 10. Crewmen can add their AC bonus due to
  armor to their die roll. Make only one saving throw for the deck hands, and one throw for the
  soldiers -- do not roll individual saving throws unless the numbers involved are quite small.
  A single crewman cannot be damaged twice by the same smallshot hit. Do not roll 1d4 to
  determine which members of a section are hit by smallshot, just assign 6 hp damage sequen-
  tially until you reach the total number of casualties.
  What Happens to Wounded Crew Members.
  Non-fatal casualties retire to the orlop (the lowest deck of the ship) to receive medical treat-
  ment. They are not affected by subsequent hits to the ship unless the powder magazine
  explodes. Wounded crew return to active duty in two days.
  An Example of Roundshot Casualty Assignment:
  A ship’s hull is hit by a 32-pound roundshot, inflicting 19 Dhp. The hull has a Hardness of 2
  Dhp, resulting in only 17 Dhp damage. The damage to gunners from flying splinters will be
  1/10 of 17 Dhp, or 17 hp. The gunner crew density is adequate, meaning that 3 gunners are
  hit. The average hit points of the gunners is 11 hp. Since 17 hp is greater than 11 hp, three
  gunners are slain and removed from the crew roster.
  An Example of Smallshot Casualty Assignment:
  A ship’s deck is hit by smallshot fired from a howitzer, inflicting 6 hp. The crowded deck has
  a crew density of Full, meaning that 32 casualties are suffered. Half of the casualties will
  affect deck hands and half will affect soldiers. Deck hands have AC 12, while soldiers have
  AC 16. Make a Fortitude save at DC 10 for the deck hands, adding +2 for their armor, and a
  save at DC 10 for the soldiers, adding +6 for their heavier armor. The deck hands save with a
  roll of 12, while the soldiers fail with a roll of 8. The deck hands each suffer 3 hp damage,
  while the soldiers suffer 6 hp each. The average hit points of the deck hands is 11 hp, while
  Crew Type affected by Casualties
  Location
  Crew Type 
  Hull
  Gunners
  Deck
  Deck Hands and Soldiers
  Rigging
  Deck Hands
  Applying Damage
  Hull:
  Hull damage is subtracted from the ship’s hull hit
  points. A ship reduced to zero hull hit points will
  begin to admit water at a rate equal to 1/5 its
  total displacement in tons each turn.
  Deck:
  Deck damage is taken from the ship’s deck hit
  points.When deck hit points reach zero, any fur-
  ther deck damage is applied to the hull, and the
  crew loses any AC bonus given by the deck.
  Rigging:
  Damage to a ship’s rigging normally comes off
  the ship’s sail hit points. Once the sail’s hit points
  drop below 50%, the ship will begin to lose effi-
  ciency, as indicated on the Rig section of the
  ship’s stats.
  Masts are damaged only on a critical mast hit. If
  the mast damage reaches zero, the mast breaks.
  Ship Critical Hits
  Roll 1d20 on the appropriate subtable:
  Hull Subtable
  1-3 
  Holed at the Waterline!
  4
  Powder Magazine Hit!
  5-6
  Mast Hit Below Decks!
  7-10
  Fire Below Deck!
  11-13
  Gun Hit!
  14-20
  Double Casualties!
  Deck Subtable
  1-4
  Mast Hit!
  5
  Rudder Hit!
  6-9
  Fire on Deck!
  10-19
  Double Casualties!
  20
  Bridge Hit!
  Rigging Subtable
  1-4
  Mast Hit!
  5-8
  Falling Yards!
  9-15
  Falling Canvas!
  16-20
  Fire Aloft!
  For detailed descriptions of critical hits, see the
  Critical Hit Descriptions next page.
  Sea Battles 119
  
  that of the soldiers is 14 hp. They are alive, but removed from active duty and placed in the
  orlop.
  Critical Hit Descriptions
  Hull Subtable
  1-3 
  Holed at the Waterline!
  In addition to inflicting normal damage, the shot smashes a hole in the hull “between wind
  and water”, allowing water to rush into the ship. To determine how much water enters the
  ship’s hold each turn, multiply the Dhp inflicted by the shot by one ton. When the weight of
  the incoming water plus any cargo in the cargo hold surpasses the displacement of the ship,
  the ship sinks. See the sidebar next page for rules concerning repairing leaks, and pumping
  water out of a ship.
  4
  Powder Magazine Hit!
  The shot strikes the ship’s powder magazine. The magazine may explode -- the percentage
  chance of an explosion is equal to the Dhp inflicted by the shot. An explosion inflicts base
  damage of 10 Dhp against the hull, plus 1 Dhp for every artillery piece on board greater
  than a 10-pounder. The number of casualties will equal 1/10 of the Dhp of the explosion,
  inflicting 1/10 of the damage suffered by the hull. In addition, the explosion starts a fire
  below deck (see description below). If no explosion occurs, the shot inflicts normal damage
  and casualties.
  5-6
  Mast Hit Below Decks!
  The base of one of the ship’s masts is struck below deck level, inflicting triple damage on the
  mast, because of the stress caused by the weight of the entire mast above the hit. Roll on the
  ship’s random mast table to determine which mast is hit.  If the damage exceeds the mast’s
  current hit points, it breaks, reducing the ship’s efficiency and requiring deck hands to cut it
  away.
  7-10
  Fire Below Deck!
  In addition to inflicting normal damage and casualties, the shot ignites a fire below deck.
  The fire begins with Dhp equal to the damage inflicted. The proximity of the fire to the
  ship’s powder magazine is critical. Roll 1d20 on the following table to determine how much
  damage the fire must inflict on the hull before the powder magazine is ignited (see Powder
  Magazine Hit!, above).
  Die Roll Result
  1-10
  Fire will not ignite magazine until hull reaches zero hit points due to fire.
  11-18 
  Fire will not ignite magazine until hull loses 1/2 of its hit points due to fire
  19-20
  Fire will not ignite magazine until hull loses 3/4 of its hit points due to fire.
  See the fire fighting rules in the sidebar for more details.
  11-13
  Gun Hit!
  In addition to inflicting normal damage and casualties, one of the ship’s artillery pieces is
  Shipboard Fires
  If a ship catches fire, either as the result of a crit-
  ical hit, or in the course of some action by a
  character, the DM should determine the size of
  the fire, where it is, and who is fighting it.
  A fire begins with its own hit point total, usually
  equal to the damage inflicted by the shot or
  explosion which ignited it. For example, an
  explosion causing 10 Dhp damage creates a fire
  of 10 Dhp size. It will inflict damage to the ship
  each turn equal to its own Dhp.The damage is
  assessed at the end of the ship’s next turn, and
  once per turn after that.
  If not contained, it will grow each turn by one
  half of its current hit points, until the section of
  the ship it is damaging is destroyed (see below
  for what happens after that).
  A fire can be put out only by crew already
  assigned to fire watch by the captain at the start
  of the ship’s turn. Normally, each crew member
  on fire watch reduces a fire’s hit points by one
  Dhp each turn.This happens during the first
  Artillery Fire section of the ship’s turn. A fire
  reduced to zero hit points or less is considered
  extinguished.
  If there are fires in more than one area of the
  ship, the captain can decide how to distribute
  the fire watch’s strength.
  More deck hands, gunners, or soldiers can be
  ordered to fight the fire by ordering them to
  join the fire watch during the Crew Orders sec-
  tion of the ship’s turn. Soldiers only reduce a fire
  by 0.5 Dhp per turn, being untrained in fire fight-
  ing.
  Fire Spread, by Initial Location
  Hull Fire
  When the hull of a ship reaches zero hit points
  due to fire, the ship’s powder stores explode, if
  they have not done so already, sinking the ship
  instantly and inflicting damage to all crew equal
  to a base damage  of 10 hp plus 1hp for every
  artillery piece on board greater than a 10-
  pounder.
  Deck Fire
  When a ship’s deck is reduced to zero hit points
  by fire, fires with one half the hit points of the
  deck fire will appear in the rigging and in the
  hull.
  Rigging Fire
  When a ship’s rigging is reduced to zero hit
  points by fire, a fire with one half the hit points
  of the rigging fire will appear on the deck.
  120 Sea Battles
  
  hit. Roll randomly to determine which gun-deck mounted piece is hit. The gun is knocked
  off its mount and must be remounted before it can be used again.
  14-20
  Double Casualties!
  The shot sends a particularly thick spray of splinters and fragments through the gun deck,
  inflicting twice as many casualties as normal, but doing no more damage than normal. 
  Deck Subtable
  1-2
  Mast Hit!
  One of the ship’s masts is struck above the deck, inflicting double damage on the mast. Roll
  on the ship’s random mast table to determine which mast is hit. If the damage exceeds the
  mast’s current hit points, it breaks, reducing the ship’s efficiency and requiring deck hands
  to cut it away.
  3
  Rudder Hit!
  In addition to inflicting normal damage and casualties, the ship’s rudder is hit. If the damage
  inflicted by the shot is greater than the rudder’s hp, then the rudder is destroyed. Otherwise,
  it is jammed. A ship with a destroyed or jammed rudder must continue on her present
  course, although she may change her speed normally. A jammed rudder can be freed by
  repairing any hit points done to it.
  4-7
  Fire on Deck!
  In addition to inflicting normal damage and casualties, the shot ignites a fire on deck. The
  fire begins with hit points equal to the damage inflicted. See the fire fighting rules in the
  sidebar for more details.
  5-19
  Double Casualties!
  In addition to inflicting normal damage to the deck, the shot mows down an unusually high
  number of deck hands and soldiers, inflicting twice as many casualties as normal, but doing
  no more damage than normal. 
  20
  Bridge Hit!
  In addition to inflicting normal damage to the deck, the shot threatens the captain and any
  officers on deck, plus any PCs on the bridge. PCs and NPC followers and cohorts may roll
  individual saving throws to reduce the damage to 1/2, per normal rules.
  Rigging Subtable
  1-2
  Mast Hit!
  One of the ship’s masts is struck well above the deck, inflicting normal damage on the mast.
  Roll on the ship’s random mast table to determine which mast is hit. If the damage exceeds
  the mast’s current hit points, it breaks, reducing the ship’s efficiency and requiring deck
  hands to cut it away.
  3-8
  Falling Yards!
  In addition to inflicting normal damage on the rigging, the shot sends one or more yards
  (heavy wooden crosspieces which support the sails) crashing to the deck. The shot inflicts
  double the normal number of casualties to deck hands and soldiers, but does no additional
  damage.
  Emergency Repairs
  Emergency repairs are made by assigning one or
  more crew members to repair duty. Generally,
  each person repairs 1 hp (0.1 Dhp) of damage
  each turn. Emergency repairs do not actually
  restore hp to the ship, but negate the effects of
  critical hits temporarily. Unlike permanent
  repairs, they use no significant amount of materi-
  al from the ship’s repair stores.
  Hole at the Waterline
  A hole at the waterline in the ship’s hull can be
  temporarily stopped by placing a square of oiled
  canvas over the area and stopping the hole with
  improvised materials.This is a very difficult repair
  to make -- the repair crew must repair three
  times the damage caused by the hit before the
  leak is stopped. Note that the hull damage is not
  actually repaired; only its effects are temporarily
  countered. A patched waterline hit will continue
  to admit water at the rate of 1 ton per Dhp of
  the shot per day, until permanent repairs are
  effected.
  Jammed Rudder
  To repair a rudder jammed by a critical hit, the
  crew must repair damage equal to the damage
  inflicted by the shot that caused the jam.There
  is a 10% chance of another jam each time a turn
  is made until the damage is repaired permanent-
  ly.
  Falling Canvas
  A repair crew can remove fallen canvas to free a
  pinned crew members by inflicting damage to
  the canvas equal to the damage inflicted by the
  shot which caused the canvas to fall.
  Non-Emergency Repairs
  The following damage can not be repaired dur-
  ing battle conditions:
  •Hull, Deck, or Sail Damage
  •Dismounted Artillery
  •Broken Masts/Rigging Damage
  See the Repairs section later in this chapter for
  repair times and costs.
  Man the Pumps!
  Water within the ship’s hull due to a hole at or
  below the waterline can be pumped out by
  assigning one or more crew members to the
  ship’s pumps. Each ship’s stats include a maxi-
  mum number of pump crew, each pumping the
  stated amount of water per turn.
  Sea Battles 121
  
  9-15
  Falling Canvas!
  In addition to inflicting normal damage on the rigging, the shot shears away a great piece of
  canvas, sending it to the deck. One deck hand per Dhp of damage is trapped beneath the
  canvas, and cannot take any actions until either the battle is over or a repair crew clears away
  damage equal to the damage inflicted by the shot.
  16-20
  Fire Aloft!
  The ship’s sails are afire. The fire’s initial hit points are equal to the damage caused by the
  shot. See the fire fighting rules in the sidebar for more details.
  Boarding Actions
  In this era, most warships carry a contingent of soldiers whose task is to board and capture
  enemy ships, once the artillery has damaged or destroyed their rigging and pounded their
  crew. Pirate ships, too, use ship-to-ship assaults to take possession of their prey. Between
  closely matched foes, a melee may sweep across the decks of the attacking and defending
  vessels, ranging up into the rigging and down below decks, until one side is victorious.
  Closing with an Enemy Vessel
  A ship must already occupy the same square as her enemy at the start of her turn before a
  boarding action can begin. How exactly the two ships make contact depends on the Sail
  skills of their respective captains (see the sidebar to determine the results of one ship’s
  attempt to close with another). The position of the two ship’s hulls in relation to one another
  is crucial, because gun crews can continue to fire at the enemy ship while the two vessels are
  locked together. Ideally, the attacker wants to contact the enemy bow to bow, or bow to
  stern, so that the enemy’s broadsides can’t be brought to bear. The attacker’s bowsprit
  makes a convenient bridge for boarders to stream onto the other ship.Less desirable is
  boarding while the two ships are side-by-side, because each ship is exposed to the other’s
  broadside at point-blank range. The one advantage this position gives the attacker is a much
  broader front of attack -- it might be used against an undermanned, undergunned vessel for a
  quick, overwhelming assault. Worst of all, an attacker may find her bow against the enemy’s
  broadside, allowing the enemy to rake her with her artillery with near impunity.
  To determine the results of an attacker’s attempt to close, choose  the relation between the
  attacker and defender just prior to contact from among nine possible scenarios labelled A
  through I in the sidebar this page. Then, make an opposed Sail check between the two ships.
  Their ending position will depend on whether the attacker or defender wins the check. See
  the sidebar for more details.
  Collision!
  When two ships collide prior to boarding, they may inflict damage upon one another -- the
  relative speed and final position of the two ships determines how much. Any hull damage
  indicated is lessened by the Hull Hardness rating of the ship, if any. 
  Side-by-Side
  Neither ship takes any damage, aside from scrapes along the hull. If either of the ships is
  oared, it automatically loses all oars on the side making contact with the enemy.
  Resolving Closing Attempts
  First, determine which of these nine positions,
  labelled A through I, describe the relation
  between attacker and defender:
  Then, make an opposed Sail check between the
  two ships.The final position of the two ships
  depends on whether the attacker or defender
  wins the Sail check. See the sidebar next page.
  122 Sea Battles
  Defender
  Attacker
  Attacker
  Attacker
  A
  B
  C
  Attacker
  Defender
  Attacker
  Attacker
  D
  E
  F
  Defender
  Attacker
  Attacker
  Attacker
  G
  H
  I
  
  Passing
  The rigging of both ships take 1 Dhp per knot of speed of both ships combined, as the yards
  scrape and tear against one another. Roll randomly to determine which mast is affected. If
  either of the ships is oared, it automatically loses all oars on the side making contact with the
  enemy.
  Bow-to-Stern
  The bowsprit mast of the attacker suffers 3 Dhp per knot of speed of the attacker, minus the
  speed of the defender. If the bowsprit mast is destroyed, or the ship does not have a
  bowsprit, then the hulls of both ships suffer any remaining damage.
  Bow-to-Bow
  The bowsprit masts of both ships suffer 3 Dhp per knot of speed of both ships combined. If
  either bowsprit mast is destroyed, or either ship does not have a bowsprit, then the hull of
  both ships suffer any remaining damage.
  Bow-to-Side
  The bowsprit mast of the attacker suffers 3 Dhp per knot of speed of the attacker. If the
  bowsprit mast is destroyed, or the ship does not have a bowsprit, then the hull of both ships
  suffer any remaining damage.
  Away Grapnels!
  Once contact has been made between the two ships, the attacker may attempt to secure the
  vessels by throwing grapnels (hooks) on heavy lines into the defender’s rails and rigging.
  Only deck hands may throw grapnels. Using the deck hands’ ranged attack bonus, make a
  ranged attack roll against the AC of the defender’s deck, adding +1 to the die roll for every
  four deck hands (ignore fractions)s throwing grapnels. Success means that one grapnel line
  has been established, plus an additional line for every 5 points that the adjusted die roll
  exceeds the defender’s AC. Note that on a bow-to-bow, bow-to-stern, or bow-to-side con-
  tact, no more than 2 grapnel lines can be established each turn.
  Fend Off!
  On the defender’s next turn following contact, the defender may either attempt to pre-emp-
  tively board the attacker or fend off. (To board, see Away Boarders!, below). Fending off
  involves hacking away at grapnel lines and the entangled sections of the ships’ rigging and
  then pushing the attacker’s hull away with poles and boarding hooks. 
  The captain of the defending ship can order deck hands, repair crew, pump crew, fire watch,
  and soldiers to Fend Off. Their usual functions are suspended for the duration of the ship’s
  turn. During the Boarding Action/Fend Off section of the turn, make a Sail check for the
  defending ship. The DC depends on the number of crew relative to the length of the attack-
  ing ship in feet:
  Length of attacker in feet/5 is greater than number of crew fending off
  DC 25
  Length of attacker in feet/5 is equal to number of crew fending off
  DC 20
  Length of attacker in feet/5 is less than number of crew fending off
  DC 15
  Resolving Closing Attempts (continued)
  The results of the opposed Sail check determine
  the position of the two ships when they make
  contact:
  Starting
  --Ending Position--
  Position
  Attacker Wins
  Defender Wins
  A
  Bow-to-Bow
  Bow-to-Side
  B
  Bow-to-Bow
  Passing
  C
  Bow-to-Bow
  Bow-to-Side
  D
  Bow-to-Stern
  Side-by-Side
  E
  Bow-to-Side
  Bow-to-Side
  F
  Bow-to-Bow
  Passing
  G
  Bow-to-Stern
  Bow-to-Side
  H
  Bow-to-Stern
  Side-by-Side
  I
  Bow-to-Stern
  Bow-to-Side
  Ending Positions
  Sea Battles 123
  Side-by-Side
  Passing
  Bow-to-Stern
  Bow-to-Bow
  Bow-to-Side
  
  Attacker’s bow is in contact with defender
  +5 DC
  Each grapnel line between ships
  +2 DC
  On a successful check, the defenders push the attacker away. The two ships are still occupy-
  ing the same square, but are not in contact with one another. Then, during the defender’s
  Movement section of the turn, the defender may increase speed from zero to one knot, mov-
  ing one square away from the attacker.
  If the check fails, the two ships remain in contact. Successive attempts to fend off may be
  make in subsequent turns.
  Away Boarders!
  On the turn following contact between the two ships, the captain of the attacking ship may
  give the order Away Boarders. Soldiers and deck hands assigned as boarding parties can
  attempt to cross to the enemy ship and attack her crew, while other soldiers may be left
  behind to make ranged attacks. The defender may attempt to repel boarders with available
  soldiers and deck hands, and like the attacker may reserve some crew to make ranged
  attacks.
  Where does the Fight Happen?
  In a boarding action, melee initially is assumed to occur over the rails between the two ships,
  unless one group of melee attackers outnumbers the other by more than 2:1, in which case
  the fight may move to the ship possessed by the weaker side, if the stronger side desires. For
  example, a force of 21 pirates can swarm onto the deck of a ship with 10 or fewer defenders,
  will fight rail to rail against a force of 11 to 42 defenders, and could be boarded by a force of
  43 or greater.
  How does Mass Combat Work?
  The two essential differences between standard combat and mass combat are:
  •a single 1d20 roll determines the outcome of many attacks;
  •weapons do an average damage amount, not a random amount determined by a die roll.
  The details of mass combat are discussed below.
  Who gets to Attack?
  Both sides get to make one set of attack rolls during each ship’s turn -- the equivalent of 30
  seconds (5 rounds) of melee during one ship’s turn, then the remaining 30 seconds during
  the other’s turn.  Casualties are assessed simultaneously at the end of each ship’s turn.
  How many Die Rolls?
  Melee and ranged attacks in a boarding action are resolved by a single 1d20 roll for each
  type of soldier or deck hand that is attacking a single type of defender. For example, the
  attacks of all 2nd level halberdiers attacking 1st level deck hands would be resolved with a
  single die roll, while any halberdiers attacking 3rd level greatswordsmen would be resolved
  with a second roll.
  Ranged Attacks
  Mass Melee Combat
  The results of mass melee combat are deter-
  mined by a single 1d20 roll for each type of
  attacker attacking each type of defender.The
  number of casualties equals the number of
  attackers multiplied by a factor based on the
  modified 1d20 roll.To determine melee results:
  1. Melee Attack Bonus
  Use the melee attack bonus of the attackers.
  2. Choose Target: Soldiers or Deck Hands
  The attackers choose one target type: either
  deck hands, or a particular soldier type, such as
  swordsmen or halberdiers. Note that no more
  than 2:1 odds can be made by the defender -- if
  there are only four targets, then only up to eight
  attackers may target them.
  3. Defender’s AC Modifier
  Rather than using the defender’s AC as the DC,
  you need to express the AC as a modifier to
  the attack bonus. Subtract 10 from the target’s
  AC and subtract the remainder from the attack
  bonus. For example, if the defenders have an AC
  of 14, give a -4 penalty to the attack bonus, or if
  the defenders’ AC is 8, then give a +2 bonus to
  the attack bonus.
  4. Attack!
  Roll 1d20 and add the modified attack bonus to
  the result. Consult the appropriate table below
  and multiply the casualties by the number of
  attackers:
  Result
  Casualties per Attacker
  4 or less
  0
  5 to 10
  1
  10 to 15
  2
  16 to 20
  3
  21 to 24
  4
  26+
  5
  Note: If the attackers get 2 or more attacks per
  round, multiply the number of casualties by the
  number of attacks.
  5. Damage
  Each melee hit will inflict an average damage
  amount to one casualty. Damage for common
  shipboard weapons of the era include:
  Broadsword
  5 hp + Str bonus
  Cutlass
  4 hp + Str bonus
  Dagger, Knife
  3 hp + Str bonus
  Rapier
  4 hp + Str bonus
  Rapier, Long
  5 hp + Str bonus
  Saber
  4 hp + Str bonus
  Smallsword
  3 hp + Str bonus
  Other weapons will do average damage accord-
  ing to their damage die:
  1d4 weapon
  3 hp + Str bonus
  1d6 weapon
  4 hp + Str bonus
  1d8 weapon
  5 hp + Str bonus
  1d10 weapon
  6 hp + Str bonus
  1d12 weapon
  7 hp + Str bonus
  (continued next sidebar)
  124 Sea Battles
  
  Ranged attacks are resolved using the Small Arms Fire rules in the sidebar adjacent to the
  Artillery Fire rules in this chapter, except that firers choose a particular target type, as
  described above. The range modifier is zero, and Deck AC does not apply, but apply a -4
  penalty for firing into a melee unless the firers have a feat which negates this penalty.
  Melee Attacks
  Melee attacks are resolved according to the Mass Melee Combat rules in the sidebar this
  page. Once all attacks have been made by both sides, apply the damage simultaneously. Any
  slain combatants are removed from the battle.
  Fighting Below Decks
  If attackers clear the deck of the defender’s ship, or gain odds of more than 3:1, they may
  enter the interior of the ship and attack any gunners or other crew below deck. Ranged
  attacks are generally not allowed below deck -- only melee attacks.
  Boarding Actions among more than Two Ships
  In the case of a ship being boarded by more than one ship at once, melee and ranged combat
  takes place during the turns of the first two ships to make contact -- do not add a third set of
  attack rolls simply because another ship has joined the fray.
  Concluding a Boarding Action
  Ship-to-ship melee combat continues until one side surrenders, retreats, or manages to dis-
  entangle their ship from the enemy. Ships are such valuable commodities that rarely will a
  ship be deliberately sunk after capture. Usually a fraction of the victor’s crew are transferred
  to the new ship, who can be sailed away as a prize.
  Ramming
  Ramming is, of course, the deliberate crashing of one ship into another to inflict damage to
  the hull. Most galleys are fitted with metal prows to enable them to penetrate wooden hulls,
  but sailing ships may also ram vessels, especially smaller ones, in order to crush and sink
  them.
  Point of Contact
  Use the Closing with an Enemy Vessel rules, above, to determine where the two vessels
  make contact. The final position of the two ships in relation to one another determines how
  much damage is inflicted. If the attacking ship is outfitted with a ram,and the point of con-
  tact is her bow, subtract the sum of the attacker’s Ram Hardness and Hull Hardness rating
  from the damage suffered by the attacker. Thus, the ramming ship will usually suffer less
  damage, because she has the strength of both her ram and her hull to absorb the damage.
  Breaching the Hull
  When hit by a ram-equipped attacker, the defender’s hull is breached below the waterline if
  the remaining damage to her hull is more than twice her Hull Hardness rating. Otherwise,
  the defender’s hull is intact as long as hit points remain. A hole below waterline admits water
  at the rate of two tons per turn per Dhp of damage if the ram has not yet backed out (see
  below), or 3 tons per turn per Dhp of damage if the ramming ship has backed out. When the
  Mass Melee Combat (continued)
  6. Damage Assignment
  Only defenders engaged in the melee may take
  damage from melee attacks.The damage is
  assigned by the defender among the target type;
  he may assign each hit to the defender of his
  choice, with the following limit:
  When assigning melee hits to deck hands or sol-
  diers, the defender can’t assign more than two
  hits to the same defender in the same turn. For
  example, the defenders, who include four hal-
  berdiers, have taken five hits during the current
  turn.The defender can’t give a single halberdier
  more than two hits, because no more than two
  attackers are assumed to have been able to
  reach him. Some possible options for assigning
  hits could include:
  Option A Option B
  Halberdier #1
  0 hits
  1 hit
  Halberdier #2
  2 hits
  1 hit
  Halberdier #3
  2 hits
  1 hit
  Halberdier #4
  1 hit
  2 hits
  Example: Mass Melee Combat
  Five pirates with a melee attack bonus of +2,
  armed with cutlasses, attack 8 soldiers with AC
  15, giving a penalty of (15-10 = 5) to the attack
  bonus, for a modified attack bonus of -3.The
  player controlling the pirates rolls 1d20 and sub-
  tracts 3 from the result, giving an adjusted result
  of 11. According to the Casualties per Attacker
  table, a result of 11 yields 2 casualties per
  attacker.The five pirates inflict 10 casualties on
  the soldiers, each inflicting 4 hp with their cut-
  lasses.
  Example: Ramming by a Ship outfitted
  with a Ram
  A galley outfitted with a ram, travelling at 6
  knots, strikes the side of an enemy ship, inflicting
  3 Dhp x 6 knots = 18 Dhp against both hulls.
  The attacker’s ram has a Ram Hardness rating of
  8 Dhp and a Hull Hardness rating of 2 Dhp,
  reducing the attacker’s hull damage to 18 - (8 +
  2) = 8 Dhp.The defender’s Hull Hardness rating
  is 3 Dhp, reducing her damage to 18 - 3 = 15
  Dhp. Since 15 Dhp is greater than twice the
  defender’s Hull Hardness rating, her hull is
  breached.
  Summary: Ram Damage
  To Attacker:
  As indicated in Closing with an Enemy Vessel
  rules, minus Ram Hardness (if applicable)
  To Defender:
  As Indicated in Closing with an Enemy Vessel
  Hull Breach:
  If damage to defender is more than twice her
  Hull Hardness rating, her hull is breached.
  Sea Battles 125
  
  weight of the incoming water plus any cargo in the cargo hold surpasses the displacement of
  the ship, the ship sinks.
  Backing Out of a Hull Breach
  After a hull breach is made, a ram-equipped ship is considered entangled with the enemy
  ship. If the breached ship sinks while the ram ship is stuck, both ships will go down together.
  Only backing out with a Reverse Oars order during the Movement section of the ram’s next
  turn can free a stuck ram. Make a Sail check at DC 15 with the following modifiers to the die
  roll:
  Maximum reverse oared speed of ramming ship
  +1 per knot of speed
  (one half of max. forward speed, rounded up)
  Size of hull breach
  -1 per Dhp 
  A ram can make one attempt per turn until either it is freed, or the two entangled ships sink.
  Fireships
  A common tactic of the era is to load an older, expendable ship with flammable materials, set
  it ablaze, and let it drift downwind into an enemy fleet, especially if the enemy is at anchor or
  in a confined space and cannot maneuver out of the way.
  Fireship Movement
  Fireships are rigged with a limited spread of canvas (no more than 50% of Best Speed) then
  towed into position, ignited, and let loose. They travel directly downwind at the fastest speed
  allowed by their spread of canvas. If brought to a stop (by contact with an enemy vessel, for
  example), then allowed to move again, they will accelerate at +1 knot per turn until reaching
  their best speed.
  Damage to other Ships
  When a fireship enters the same square as another vessel, it has a chance of starting a fire on
  board the enemy. The player controlling the fireship makes an opposed Sail check against
  the threatened ship. (The fireship’s Sail skill modifier is always -4; a stationary defender has
  a Sail skill modifier of -8). If the fireship wins, then it starts a fire on board the other ship.
  Roll 1d6 to determine the location of the fire: 1-2 = rigging, 3-4 = deck, 5-6 = hull. The
  size of the fire is equal to the length of the fireship in feet, divided by five, expressed in Dhp.
  For example, a 30’ fireship can ignite a fire of 30/5 = 6 Dhp.
  Once a fireship starts a fire on board another vessel, it is considered to have closed with the
  vessel, but not entangled with it. It will continue to start an additional fire aboard the enemy
  vessel on each of its subsequent turns, until the target vessel moves away from the current
  square, fends off the fireship, puts out the fire aboard the fireship, or if the fireship sinks.
  Fireship Duration
  Fireships inflict fire damage to their own hull each turn equal to their length in feet,  divided
  by 5, expressed in Dhp. For example a 30’ fireship inflicts 6 Dhp damage to itself each turn.
  When a fireship’s hull reaches 0 hit points, it sinks.
  Summary: Hull Breaches
  Hull breach occurs if remaining damage to hull is
  twice the Hull Hardness rating or more
  Two tons of water per turn per Dhp of damage
  if ram is still in place
  Three tons per turn per Dhp if ram has backed
  out.
  126 Sea Battles
  
  Bombships
  Like fireships, bombships are unmanned vessels rigged with limited canvas, ignited, and set
  adrift to cause damage to a downwind target. However, they carry a deadly surprise -- their
  holds are packed with gunpowder which will ignite explosively when the fire reaches it. Only
  a Spot check at DC26 can identify a bombship; otherwise it will appear to be a fireship. It
  can be loaded with up to 30 5-lb. powder kegs per 5’ of length, but in practice, the amount
  of powder will be less (see Timing, below).
  Timing
  Timing the detonation of a bombship is only approximate - the powder can be placed to det-
  onate when the hull loses either 3/4, 1/2, or 1/4 of its hit points due to fire. The longer the
  timing, the fewer kegs can be placed aboard:
  Timing of Explosion
  Maximum GunpowderLoad
  at 3/4 fire damage to hull
  1/4 of maximum
  at 1/2 fire damage
  1/2 of maximum
  at 1/4 fire damage
  3/4 of maximum
  When the fire damage to the hull reaches the preset level, the gunpowder will ignite.
  Effects
  A bombship has the same movement and incendiary abilities as a fireship. When it explodes,
  it inflicts 1Dhp per powder keg aboard against the hull of any ship it is in contact with, and 2
  Dhp per powder keg against its own hull. In addition, it sends a spray of burning debris
  against any vessels in the same square, starting rigging fires in all ships with a size of 1Dhp.
  After the Battle
  Repairs
  After a battle, the crew can make non-emergency repairs to the following:
  •Broken Masts and Rigging Damage
  •Dismounted Artillery
  •Hole at the Waterline
  •Hull, Deck, or Sail Damage
  •Jammed Rudder
  Full Repair vs. Jury-Rigging
  Repairs can either be full or jury-rigged (partial). Jury-rigging is faster, and uses less materi-
  al, although it does not fully restore the Dhp of the part of the ship being repaired. Full
  repair takes more time and uses more materials, but results in complete restoration of the
  damage. 
  To Jury-Rig or not Jury-Rig
  When trying to decide between making a full
  repair and a jury-rig, consider the following fac-
  tors:
  Material:
  If you don’t have enough material to make a full
  repair, you simply must jury-rig.
  Time:
  If you don’t have enough time to make a full
  repair, then a quick jury-rig may suffice until you
  reach a safe port or calm sea. Sometimes it is
  more important to regain a little sail efficiency
  quickly than to founder until proper repairs are
  made.
  Sea Battles 127
  
  Repair Rate and Repair Time
  Full repairs require ten work-hours for each Dhp repaired (one work-hour per hp). To deter-
  mine the time needed to complete a full repair:
  •multiply the damage in Dhp x ten hours;
  •divide the result by the size of the repair crew.
  The result gives the number of hours needed to complete repairs. Jury-rigged repairs
  require only five work-hours per Dhp of damage, or half the time of a full repair.
  Maximum Size of Repair Crews
  The maximum size of a repair crew is two times the size of the damage in Dhp. For example,
  a repair of 4 Dhp can be carried out by a repair crew of up to 8 persons.
  Repair Stores
  Most ships carry spare canvas, timber, and iron to effect repairs. Any repair stores carried
  will count against a ship’s cargo capacity. See the sidebar for costs of these materials.
  Broken Masts
  A mast broken by a critical hit or reduced to zero Dhp cannot be fully repaired by extra tim-
  ber from the ship’s repair stores; a new mast must be purchased. A temporary mast can be
  jury-rigged from the stump of the old mast. A jury-rigged stump consumes no material, and
  restores only one-half of the original mast’s contribution to sailing efficiency, rounded
  down. It has hit points equal to one-half of the original mast.
  Damaged Masts
  Damaged masts can be repaired to 90% of full points by using timber and iron from the
  ship’s repair stores, at a rate of 1 Dhp per 100 pounds of timber and 10 pounds of iron. A
  repaired mast cannot be repaired to higher than 90%; it must be replaced (see above).
  Dismounted Artillery
  An artillery piece dismounted by a critical hull hit can be remounted by using 10 pounds of
  timber per 1 pound of shot weight of the piece.
  Hole at the Waterline
  While a ship is at sea, a hole at the waterline can only be patched with canvas (see
  Emergency Repairs). It can be fully repaired only when the ship is beached, careened, or in
  dry-dock. Repairs require 100 pounds of timber per Dhp of damage.
  Hull and Deck Damage
  Hull and deck damage can only be fully repaired, not jury-rigged. It is repaired at the rate of
  50 pounds of timber per Dhp of damage.
  Sail Damage
  Sail damaged by fire or shot can either be fully repaired or jury-rigged (patched). To fully
  repair sail damage requires 10 pounds of canvas per Dhp of damage. To patch canvas
  requires no significant amount of canvas, but can only restore the sails to 90% of full hit
  Summary: Repair Rates
  Full Repair
  ten work-hours x Dhp
  Jury-Rig
  five work-hours x Dhp
  Summary: Maximum Repair Crew Size
  Dhp of damage x 2
  Repair Material Costs
  Material
  Cost, per 10 pounds
  Canvas
  6 gp
  Iron
  10 gp
  Timber
  4 gp
  128 Sea Battles
  
  points.
  Jammed Rudder
  A jammed rudder can be fully repaired by expending 100 pounds of timber and 10 pounds
  of iron per Dhp of damage. Rudders do not function reliably until they are at full hit points.
  Hazards of the Sea
  Beyond battle, sailors face other challenges, including storms, reefs, and shipwreck. This
  section contains information for DMs about the most common hazards of sea adventuring.
  Weather Hazards
  Dangerous weather conditions at sea include hurricanes and tropical storms, and water-
  spouts. Each is described below, with an explanation of the hazards it presents to ships.
  Hurricanes & Tropical Storms
  By far the most dangerous of weather phenomena, hurricanes and tropical storms can sink
  even the largest ships.They develop in very warm water near the equator, usually between the
  months of May and November, and may last for days before losing energy when they make
  landfall or move over colder water. They present two main threats to ships: wind and waves. 
  Tropical storms and hurricanes are distinguished by the speed of the winds they generate.
  Tropical storms have winds of 63 knots or less. If they strengthen beyond this limit, they are
  considered hurricanes. No ship can keep full sails aloft for long during a cyclonic ocean
  storm; at wind  speeds above 32 knots, sails take damage hourly (see the table below).
  Usually, ships will ride out a hurricane under “bare poles”, meaning under masts without
  sails. In any case, only downwind movement is possible; a ship cannot tack under bare poles.
  The resistance of the masts alone under high winds is enough to propel the ship forward at
  significant speeds; in winds above 32 knots, assume an efficiency of 0.1 for masts alone
  (which does indeed stack with any sail carried). At very high wind speeds, even bare masts
  will begin to strain, and will take damage hourly, breaking when they reach 0 Dhp.
  Waves are the second threat. A ship within a hurricane sustains hull damage at an hourly rate
  determined by wave size, and will have to make Sail checks to survive capsizing by rogue
  waves. Each hour, there is a 1 in 6 chance of encountering a rogue wave. (The DM can roll
  1d6 for each hour of the hurricane’s duration, with each rogue wave indicated by a roll of 1).
  Each rogue wave inflicts one hour’s worth of damage to the hull, and will capsize the ship
  unless a Sail check is made at a DC equal to the wave’s damage. Ships in a hurricane will take
  on water in their holds at a rate equal to the hourly hull damage, in tons. (Generally, each
  crewmember can pump out 6 tons of water per hour. Check the ships stats for the maximum
  pump crew size to determine how many crew will have to man the pumps to keep the ship
  afloat. When the amount of water in the hold equals the ship’s displacement, she will sink.
  Waterspouts
  Waterspouts are rapidly spinning columns of air which form over water, creating a tornado-
  like funnel which moves with the wind. (For tactical movement purposes, treat them as sail-
  driven vessels with an efficiency of 1.0). These cyclonic whirls can cause damage to ships
  Hurricane Duration
  A hurricane will affect a ship for 1d2 hours per
  10 mph of wind speed, rounded down.
  Hurricane Strength
  Subtract 10 from die roll if hurricane is encoun-
  tered above 30° N latititude.
  Die Roll (d100)
  Wind Speed
  01-10
  32 + 1d8
  11-25
  40 + 1d10
  26-50
  50 + 1d10
  51-70
  60 + 1d10
  71-80
  70 + 1d10
  81-85
  80 + 1d10
  86-90
  90 + 1d10
  91-95
  100 + 1d10
  96-99
  110 + 1d10
  00
  120 + 1d10
  Hurricane and Tropical Storm Damage,
  Hourly
  Speed
  Sail Damage
  Hull/Mast Damage
  33-40 
  13 Dhp
  none
  41-50 
  20 Dhp
  2 Dhp
  51-60 
  30 Dhp
  3 Dhp
  61-70 
  40 Dhp
  4 Dhp
  71-80 
  55 Dhp
  5 Dhp
  81-90 
  70 Dhp
  7 Dhp
  91-100 
  90 Dhp
  9 Dhp
  101-110 110 Dhp
  11 Dhp
  111-120 130 Dhp
  13 Dhp
  121-130 155 Dhp
  15 Dhp
  Note: Hull Hardness rating does apply to hull
  damage from hurricane and tropical storm dam-
  age.
  Summary: Rogue Waves
  •1 in 6 chance per hour
  •inflicts damage to hull equal to hourly damage
  •capsize unless Sail check made at DC equal or
  above damage
  Summary:Water in the Hold
  •1 ton of water x hourly hull damage, hourly
  •each crewmember pumps 6 tons/hour
  Sea Battles 129
  
  unlucky enough to encounter them; disabled ships and ships at anchor are the most at risk.
  Waterspouts include two distinct phenomena:
  Fair-weather waterspouts occur most often in very warm water, especially in the tropics, dur-
  ing the summer months, under innocuous-seeming cumulous clouds. They often appear in
  clusters of 2d4 spouts, moving slowly with the prevailing winds. They tend to be weak, with
  a diameter of 100’, inflicting 3d6 Dhp damage to the sails of any ship they encounter, with a
  risk of capsize for vessels shorter than 50’ in length (a Sail check at a  DC equal to the dam-
  age inflicted negates capsize). Because they draw their energy from the warm water, they
  quickly dissipate when they strike land (within 100’ of landfall). Over water, their lifetime is
  only 10 + 2d6 minutes.
  Tornadic waterspouts are generated by the same conditions that spawn their land-dwelling
  cousins: an unstable pressure front, often associated with thunderstorms and severe hail and
  rain.They inflict 10 + 10d10 Dhp to the hull and sails of any vessel they strike, as well as
  causing the vessel to heel dangerously (a Sail check at a  DC equal to the damage inflicted
  negates capsize). Unlike fair-weather waterspouts, tornadic waterspouts are not weakened by
  contact with land; they persist as long as conditions remain favorable: usually no more than 7
  + 2d6 minutes, but up to seven hours in some rare cases. They have a diameter of 200’,
  occupying a 2 x 2 square on the tactical movement grid.
  Arctic Hazards
  Sailing at high latitudes involves unique risks: icebergs that can tear a hole in a ship’s hull,
  pack ice capable of trapping a ship for months, slowly crushing it into splinters, and rime ice,
  formed by freezing spray that weighs down a ship and breaks her masts. All three hazards are
  detailed below.
  Icebergs
  Icebergs are floating chunks of fresh-water ice which have calved (split off) from the terminal
  ends of the world’s glaciers and entered the open sea. They can be found most commonly in
  the spring and summer months in subarctic waters, particularly in the North Atlantic. If
  spotted by lookouts, lone icebergs can be easily avoided. Any ship which does strike an ice-
  berg suffers hull damage proportional to its speed at time of collision: 3 Dhp x the speed of
  the ship, in knots. If the damage is more than twice the hull’s Hardness rating, a breach at
  the waterline has occurred. One ton of water will enter the hull each minute per Dhp of dam-
  age.
  Pack Ice
  Pack ice is a solid layer of ice which forms on the surface of the sea. The seas near the pole
  are never free of ice, but the edge of the pack ice advances southward each winter and
  retreats northward each summer. Any ship unfortunate enough to find itself enclosed in pack
  ice suffers 1 Dhp hull damage each day until either the ship escapes, or the hull is destroyed.
  Rime Ice
  Rime ice accumulates on sails, masts, and lines in subfreezing weather. It grows 10 Dhp in
  size each day per 10’ length of the ship, and can be cleared off at the rate of 10 Dhp per
  crewmember per day. In addition to decreasing sailing efficiency by 0.1, rime ice damages
  sails and masts. Sail damage from rime ice is 1 Dhp  x the size of the rime ice per day, always
  Summary:Waterspouts
  Efficiency 1.0
  Fair-Weather Type:
  Number Appearing 2d4
  Size
  100’ diameter at surface
  Height
  up to 3000’
  Duration
  10 + 2d6 minutes
  Damage
  3d6 Dhp to sails
  Capsize
  Sail Check equal to damage
  Tornadic Type:
  Number Appearing 1
  Size
  200’ diameter at surface
  Height
  up to 3000’
  Duration
  7 + 2d6 minutes
  Damage
  10+ 10d10 Dhp to hull/sails
  Capsize
  Sail Check equal to damage
  Summary: Iceberg Damage
  3 Dhp x speed of the ship, in knots. Subtract
  Hull Hardness rating from damage.
  Summary: Pack Ice Damage
  1 Dhp hull damage per day, regardless of hull
  Hardness rating.
  Summary: Rime Ice Damage
  Sails:
  1 Dhp x rime ice size per day, minimum 1 Dhp.
  Masts:
  0.1 Dhp x rime ice size per day, no minimum.
  130 Sea Battles
  
  a minimum of 1 Dhp, regardless of how much ice is cleared. Mast damage is equal to 0.1
  Dhp x the size of the rime ice per day (after any clearing off is done), rounded down to the
  nearest Dhp.
  Whale Collisions
  Whales offer occasional hazards to marine travel. Usually, the threat is passive -- whales
  often swim just below the surface, and may not be aware that a ship is on a collision course
  with them. In this case, treat the damage as equivalent to an iceberg collision. Documented
  attacks on ships by whales have occurred, but they are rare, and usually are the harassment
  of the whale or its fellows by whaling vessels. Nearly all such attacks are initiated by cachalots
  (now called sperm whales). Cachalots swim at a speed of up to 15 knots; consider the dam-
  age to the hull from a deliberate attack to be 45 Dhp.
  Reefs and other Underwater Hazards
  Solid underwater obstructions can be avoided if spotted by the crew in time. The DM can
  either assign a DC to avoid the hazard with a successful Sail check, or else use the tactical
  movement rules to see if the ship can turn in time (Wind direction becomes a crucial factor
  in this case, because of the ship’s limited upwind maneuverability).
  Reefs
  Reefs are extremely hard accretions of the skeletons of tiny marine animals; their jagged sur-
  faces inflict tremendous hull damage if struck. If a ship passes over a reef without sufficient
  draught beneath its keel, the reef inflicts 4 Dhp x the speed of the ship, in knots. If the ship’s
  keel is exactly the depth of the reef, the damage multiplier is only 2 Dhp, but if the reef is
  wider than the ship’s length, the ship is stuck until it can be lifted off on the next high tide (a
  ship caught on a reef at high tide is stuck until the next storm or monthly high tide).
  Sandbars
  Sandbars cause less damage than reefs; their collision damage multiplier is only 1 Dhp. They
  will stop and trap a ship unless the width of the sandbar is shorter than the length of the
  ship’s hull.
  Wrecks
  Shipwrecks are treated as reefs for collision purposes, but with a damage multiplier of 3
  Dhp.
  Sea Battles 131
  
  Ships,
  being a list of common vessels of the era, their capaci-
  ties, armament, and rig.
  This chapter includes stats for common ships of the era, for use with the Sea Battles rules
  detailed in the chapter of the same name. Each ship appears on a two-page spread; the left-
  hand page lists the ship’s stats, while the right-hand page serves as a crew roster.
  On the following two pages is a key explaining each listing within a ship’s stats and crew ros-
  ter.
  Ships Included in this Chapter
  Fluyt
  Galley
  Galleasse
  East Indiaman
  Merchantman
  Royal Warship
  Sloop
  Galleon
  
  Description
  A brief description of the ship’s place in the
  evolution of ship design, her overall design,
  strengths and weaknesses, and common roles.
  Vital Stats
  Best Speed & Initiative Modifier
  The ship’s theoretical best speed, in knots,
  and her initiative modifier.
  Cargo
  The maximum cargo capacity of the ship in
  tons.
  Complement
  The number of human-sized creatures which
  the ship can accommodate.
  Sighting
  Lookout Height, Horizon
  The height of the lookout’s post on the main-
  mast, and the extent of the lookout’s vision,
  based on the lookout height.
  Dimensions
  Displacement
  The amount of water, in tons, displaced by the
  ship when afloat; also the maximum amount of
  water the ship can take on before sinking.
  Length, Beam, Draught
  The length of the ship’s hull, its width at the
  widest point, and the minimum depth needed
  for the ship to clear the sea bottom.
  Decks
  The number and function of the ship’s decks,
  not including the hold and the orlop.
  Crew
  Optimal Battle Crew
  A good mix of sailors, gunners, soldiers, and
  bridge crew for the ship to perform well in a
  fight.
  Typical Crew
  The typical crew complement encountered for
  this ship type.
  134 Ships
  Ship Type 
  Historical Date
  Capsule description of ship
  Rig
  AC
  The armor class of the ship’s rig.
  Mast
  The name of each mast in the ship’s rig.
  Efficiency
  The contribution of each mast’s sails to overall sailing efficiency.
  hp
  The hit points of each mast, in Dhp (deca-hit points).
  Current HP
  Record any current damage to a mast in this field.
  Broken
  Place an X in this field if the mast is broken by damage or critical hit.
  Current Efficiency Add the efficiency of all unbroken masts to tally total rig efficiency
  Sail Strength
  The current hp of the sails, in Dhp.
  Efficiency
  The corresponding modifier to sailing efficiency at full, 1/2, 1/4 and
  1/10 hit points
  Current Sail hp
  Record any current damage to the sails in this field.
  Fire Damage
  Record fire damage to sails separately.
  Deck
  AC
  The armor class of the ship’s deck.
  Hit Points
  The total hit points of the deck.
  Hardness Rating
  The deck’s Hardness rating.
  AC Bonus to Crew 
  The bonus to the deck hands’ AC, if any.
  Rudder Hit Points
  The total hit points of the ship’s rudder.
  Hull
  AC
  The armor class of the hull.
  Hit Points
  The total hit points of the hull.
  Hardness Rating
  The hull’s Hardness rating.
  Damage
  Record any non-fire damage to the ship’s hull in this field.
  Fire Damage
  Record any fire damage to the ship’s hull in this field.
  Breaches 
  Record the number and size of any waterline or below
  waterline hull breaches in these fields.
  Artillery
  This section includes entries for bow chasers, stern chasers, port and starboard broadsides.
  #
  The maximum number of guns mounted.
  Wt.
  The weight of the heaviest gun type that can be mounted in this position. Any gun
  removed adds to the ship’s cargo capacity.
  Shot
  The weight of each shot.
  Range
  The range increment for this type of gun. 
  Crew
  The number of gunners needed to fire each gun at full speed. If there are two num
  bers listed, the number before the slash shows the number of gunners for each gun,
  while the number after the slash shows the number of gunners in the entire battery.
  
  Crew Stats
  This sidebar contains fields for keeping track
  of the NPC crew’s experience, hit points,
  attack bonuses, saves, ability scores, AC,
  skills, and feats. For information about hiring,
  training, and improving crews, see the
  Captains and Crews chapter.
  Ships 135
  Crew Roster and Manifest (Ship Type)
  Ship’s Name
  ________________
  Captain ________________
  Max Crew
  The maximum crew capacity (see Complement in Ship’s Stats)
  Crew
  Deck Hands
  Sailors
  The number of deck hands currently assigned to man the sails.
  Density
  The crew density, from Full (100%) to Skeleton (10%)
  # Sailors
  The number of sailors needed to maintain the given crew density
  Sail Check
  The modifier to Sail skill check rolls when crew is at that density
  Fire Watch
  Record the number of deck hands currently assigned to fire watch, and 
  multiply by 1 Dhp to find the extinguishing power of the fire watch.
  Repair Crew
  Record the number of deck hands currently assigned to repair crew,
  and multiply by 0.1 Dhp to find the amount of damage repaired each turn
  by the repair crew as emergency repair.
  Pump Crew
  Record the number of deck hands currently assigned to pump crew, and 
  multiply by 0.1 ton to find the amount of water pumped by the pump 
  crew each turn.
  Max. Pump Crew/Rate
  The maximum number of deck hands who can operate the
  ship’s pumps, and the maximum rate of water pumped.
  Gunners
  This section includes entries for each artillery battery on the ship.
  Number of Gunners
  Record the number of gunners assigned to each battery.
  Number of Gunners/Number of Guns firing each Turn:
  The number of gunners assigned to each battery determines the number of guns which can
  fire each turn. If the number of guns is “1/2”, that means one gun will fire every other turn.
  If it is “1/3”, then one gun will fire every third turn, and so on. If less than the minimum
  number of gunners for the battery are currently assigned, then no guns will fire at all.
  Soldiers
  To keep track of a ship’s complement of soldiers, use a Military Unit roster from the Mass
  Battles chapter.
  
  Fluyt (Flute) 
  1600 AD
  A roomy merchant vessel with a small crew and plenty of cargo space
  Rig
  AC 2
  Mast
  Efficiency
  hp
  Current hp
  Broken
  Sprit
  0.1
  8 Dhp
  ______
  ______
  Foremast
  0.2
  18 Dhp
  ______
  ______
  Mainmast
  0.4
  24 Dhp
  ______
  ______
  Mizzen
  0.1
  10 Dhp
  ______
  ______
  Current Efficiency
  ______
  Sail Strength
  Efficiency
  Current Sail hp:
  ______
  31-60 Dhp
  no modifier
  Fire Damage to Sails
  ______
  16-30  Dhp
  -0.2
  7-15 Dhp
  -0.4
  1-6 Dhp
  -0.7
  Deck AC 6
  Hit Points
  30 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  0
  AC Bonus to Crew 
  +1
  Rudder Hit Points
  3 Dhp
  Hull
  AC 4
  Hit Points
  60 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  1 Dhp
  Breaches
  Size (Dhp)
  Damage
  ______
  At Waterline
  ______
  Fire Damage
  ______
  Below Waterline
  ______
  Artillery
  Bow Chasers
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Demi-Culverin
  1
  700
  10 lbs.
  400 
  4
  7 Dhp/10+10d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Stern Chasers
  none
  Port Broadside
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Sakers
  3
  400
  4  lbs.
  400
  3/9
  3 Dhp/10 +4d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Starboard Broadside
  Saker
  3
  400
  4  lbs.
  400
  3/9
  3 Dhp/10 +4d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Description
  The beamy, flat-bottomed Nederlander fluyt is
  a cheaply produced, versatile cargo ship. Her
  cargo capacity is as much as 50% higher than
  other ships her size. Using innovations in
  block and tackle control of her sails and yards,
  the fluyt can be crewed by a small number of
  deck hands, in order to save on space and
  manpower.
  Vital Stats
  Best Speed
  11 knots
  Initiative Modifier 0
  Cargo
  50 tons
  Complement
  50 Medium creatures
  Sighting
  Lookout Height
  80 feet
  Horizon
  10 miles
  Dimensions
  Displacement
  100 tons
  Length
  60 feet
  Beam
  20 feet
  Draught
  8 feet
  Decks
  Main Deck + Gun Deck
  Crew
  Optimal Battle Crew: 
  Deck Hands
  16
  Gunners
  22
  Soldiers
  9
  Bridge
  3
  Typical Crew:
  Deck Hands 
  10
  Gunners 
  6
  Soldiers 
  0
  Bridge 
  2
  136 Ships
  
  Crew Roster and Manifest (Fluyt)
  Ship’s Name
  ________________
  Captain ________________
  Max Crew
  50
  Crew
  Deck Hands
  Sailors
  ______
  Density
  # Sailors
  Sail C heck
  Full (1/1)
  9-16
  0
  Adequate (1/2)
  5-8
  -2
  Short (1/4)
  3-4
  -4
  Skeleton (1/10)
  2
  -6
  Fire Watch
  ______ x 1 Dhp of Fire Size extinguished per Turn = ______ Dhp
  Repair Crew
  ______ x 0.1 Dhp damage repaired each turn = ______ Dhp
  Pump Crew
  ______ x 0.1 ton of water per turn = ______ tons
  Maximum Pump Crew/Rate
  5 crew/0.5 tons
  Gunners
  Number of Bow Chaser Gunners
  ______
  Number of Gunners
  Number of Guns firing each Turn
  4 or more
  1
  3
  1/2
  2
  1/3
  1
  1/4
  Number of Port Broadside Gunners
  ______
  Number of Starboard Broadside Gunners
  ______
  Number of Gunners
  Number of Guns firing each Turn
  9 or more
  3
  6-8
  2
  3-5
  1
  2
  1/2
  1
  1/3
  Soldiers
  (see Military Unit Roster)
  Crew Stats
  NPC Level
  ____
  Experience Points
  __________
  Hit Dice
  ____d6
  Av. Hit Points = 4 x level
  ____
  Base Attack Bonus
  ____
  Melee
  ____
  Ranged ____
  Fort Save
  ____
  Reflex Save
  ____
  Will Save
  ____
  Ability
  Score
  Modifier
  Strength
  ____
  ____
  Dexterity
  ____
  ____
  Constitution
  ____
  ____
  Intelligence
  ____
  ____
  Wisdom
  ____
  ____
  Charisma
  ____
  ____
  AC
  Armor
  ____
  Dex
  ____
  Misc
  ____
  +10 = 
  ____
  Skills
  Max Ranks:
  /
  1st Level: (3+Int Modifier) x 4
  Each Additional Level: 3 + Int Modifier
  Skill:
  Mod
  Abil
  Ranks
  Balance
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Climb
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Craft
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Intuit Direction
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Jump
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Knowledge (Sea) ___
  ___
  ___
  Listen
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Profession(Sail)
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Spot
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Swim
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Use Rope
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Feats
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  Ships 137
  
  East Indiaman 
  1650 AD
  A large cargo vessel for long ocean voyages
  Rig
  AC 2
  Mast
  Efficiency
  hp
  Damage Broken
  Sprit
  0.1
  18 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Foremast
  0.3
  40 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Mainmast
  0.4
  54 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Mizzen
  0.1
  26 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Current Efficiency
  ______
  Sail Strength
  Efficiency
  Current Sail hp:
  ______
  68-134 Dhp
  no modifier
  Fire Damage to Sails
  ______
  35-67  Dhp
  -0.2
  15-34 Dhp
  -0.4
  1-14 Dhp
  -0.8
  Deck AC 4
  Hit Points
  200 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  1
  AC Bonus to Crew 
  +2
  Rudder Hit Points
  20 Dhp
  Hull
  AC 2
  Hit Points
  500 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  2 Dhp
  Breaches
  Size (Dhp)
  Damage
  ______
  At Waterline
  ______
  Fire Damage
  ______
  Below Waterline
  ______
  Artillery
  Bow Chasers
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Demi-Culverin
  2
  700
  10 lbs.
  400 
  4/8
  7 Dhp/10+10d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Stern Chasers
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Demi-Culverin
  1
  700
  10 lbs.
  400 
  4/4
  7 Dhp/10+10d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Port Broadside
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Demi-Cannon
  12
  900
  32 lbs.
  300
  6/72
  10+32d10/19 Dhp
  Current #
  ______
  Starboard Broadside
  Demi-Cannon
  12
  900
  32 lbs.
  300
  6/72
  10+32d10/19 Dhp
  Current #
  ______
  Description
  The east indiaman is the largest merchant ves-
  sel of the era. It is used by the Nederlanders
  and other powers to carry cargo between
  Europa and Asia. Although designed to carry
  a large crew and heavy armament, in practice
  these vessels seldom carry sufficient crew to
  fully man their artillery, because of the
  expense involved.
  Vital Stats
  Best Speed
  17 knots
  Initiative Modifier -1
  Cargo
  300 tons
  Complement
  300 Medium creatures
  Sighting
  Lookout Height
  120 feet
  Horizon
  13 miles
  Dimensions
  Displacement
  600 tons
  Length
  160 feet
  Beam
  30 feet
  Draught
  12 feet
  Decks
  Main Deck + Gun Deck+ 
  Cargo Deck
  Crew
  Optimal Battle Crew: 
  Deck Hands
  110
  Gunners
  156
  Soldiers
  30
  Bridge
  4
  Typical Crew:
  Deck Hands 
  90
  Gunners 
  72
  Soldiers 
  0
  Bridge 
  4
  138 Ships
  
  Crew Roster and Manifest (East Indiaman)
  Ship’s Name
  ________________
  Captain ________________
  Max Crew
  300
  Crew
  Deck Hands
  Sailors
  ______
  Density
  # Sailors
  Sail C heck
  Full (1/1)
  71-140
  0
  Adequate (1/2)
  36-70
  -2
  Short (1/4)
  15-35
  -4
  Skeleton (1/10)
  14
  -8
  Fire Watch
  ______ x 1 Dhp of Fire Size extinguished per Turn = ______ Dhp
  Repair Crew
  ______ x 0.1 Dhp damage repaired each turn = ______ Dhp
  Pump Crew
  ______ x 0.1 ton of water per turn = ______ tons
  Maximum Pump Crew/Rate
  20 crew/2 tons
  Gunners
  Number of Bow Chaser Gunners
  ______
  Number of Gunners
  Number of Guns firing each Turn
  8 or more
  2
  4-7
  1
  3
  1/2
  2
  1/3
  1
  1/4
  Number of Stern Chaser Gunners
  ______
  Number of Gunners
  Number of Guns firing each Turn
  4 or more
  1
  3
  1/2
  2
  1/3
  1
  1/4
  (c ontinued next page)
  Crew Stats
  NPC Level
  ____
  Experience Points
  __________
  Hit Dice
  ____d6
  Av. Hit Points = 4 x level
  ____
  Base Attack Bonus
  ____
  Melee
  ____
  Ranged ____
  Fort Save
  ____
  Reflex Save
  ____
  Will Save
  ____
  Ability
  Score
  Modifier
  Strength
  ____
  ____
  Dexterity
  ____
  ____
  Constitution
  ____
  ____
  Intelligence
  ____
  ____
  Wisdom
  ____
  ____
  Charisma
  ____
  ____
  AC
  Armor
  ____
  Dex
  ____
  Misc
  ____
  +10 = 
  ____
  Skills
  Max Ranks:
  /
  1st Level: (3+Int Modifier) x 4
  Each Additional Level: 3 + Int Modifier
  Skill:
  Mod
  Abil
  Ranks
  Balance
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Climb
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Craft
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Intuit Direction
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Jump
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Knowledge (Sea) ___
  ___
  ___
  Listen
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Profession(Sail)
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Spot
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Swim
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Use Rope
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Feats
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  Ships 139
  
  Crew Roster and Manifest (East Indiaman) -- continued
  Number of Port Broadside Gunners
  ______
  Number of Starboard Broadside Gunners
  ______
  Number of Gunners
  Number of Guns firing each Turn
  72 or more
  12
  66-71
  11
  60-65
  10
  54-59
  9
  48-53
  8
  42-47
  7
  36-41
  6
  30-35
  5
  24-29
  4
  18-23
  3
  12-17
  2
  6-11
  1
  5
  1/2
  4
  1/3
  3
  1/4
  Soldiers
  (see Military Unit Roster)
  140 Ships
  
  (this page has been intentionally left blank to maintain the two-page spread format for ship
  stats and crew roster).
  Ships 141
  
  Galley
  1550-1650 AD
  A rowed ship equipped with a ram, but with few guns
  Rig
  AC 2
  Mast
  Efficiency*
  hp
  Damage Broken
  Mainmast
  0.4
  18 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Current Efficiency
  ______
  Sail Strength
  Efficiency
  Current Sail hp:
  ______
  10-18 Dhp
  no modifier
  Fire Damage to Sails
  ______
  6-9  Dhp
  -0.1
  3-5 Dhp
  -0.2
  1-2 Dhp
  -0.3
  Deck AC 2
  Hit Points
  100 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  1
  AC Bonus to Crew 
  +3
  Rudder Hit Points
  10 Dhp
  Hull
  AC 5
  Hit Points
  140 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  2 Dhp
  Breaches
  Size (Dhp)
  Damage
  ______
  At Waterline
  ______
  Fire Damage
  ______
  Below Waterline
  ______
  Artillery
  Bow Chasers
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Demi-Cannon
  2
  900
  32 lbs.
  300
  6/12
  10+32d10/19 Dhp
  Current #
  ______
  Ram
  Hardness Rating
  8
  *The contribution of rig to a galley’s efficiency does not stack with the efficiency of the row-
  ers. Sails only contribute to galley speed when the rowers are not employed.
  Description
  Galleys were the dominant warship in the
  Mediterranean from ancient times through the
  17th Century. They relied on ram-and-board
  tactics, having little room for artillery. Crewed
  by either free men or captives, they had up to
  three banks of oars, and a single lateen sail
  which could be deployed in favorable winds.
  Vital Stats
  Best Speed
  16 knots
  Initiative Modifier +1
  Cargo
  20 tons
  Complement
  200 Medium creatures
  Sighting
  Lookout Height
  60 feet
  Horizon
  9 miles
  Dimensions
  Displacement
  200 tons
  Length
  140 feet
  Beam
  25 feet
  Draught
  7 feet
  Decks
  Main Deck +Oar Decks
  Crew
  Optimal Battle Crew: 
  Rowers
  60
  Deck Hands
  20
  Gunners
  12
  Soldiers
  100
  Bridge
  5
  Typical Crew:
  Rowers
  60
  Deck Hands
  10
  Gunners
  12
  Soldiers
  50
  Bridge
  5
  142 Ships
  
  Crew Roster and Manifest (Galley)
  Ship’s Name
  ________________
  Captain ________________
  Max Crew
  185
  Crew
  Deck Hands
  Sailors
  ______
  Density
  # Crew
  Sail C heck
  Full (1/1)
  11-20
  -3
  Adequate (1/2)
  6-10
  -5
  Short (1/4)
  3-5
  -7
  Skeleton (1/10)
  2
  -9
  Fire Watch
  ______ x 1 Dhp of Fire Size extinguished per Turn = ______ Dhp
  Repair Crew
  ______ x 0.1 Dhp damage repaired each turn = ______ Dhp
  Pump Crew
  ______ x 0.1 ton of water per turn = ______ ton
  Maximum Pump Crew/Rate
  10 crew/1 ton
  Rowers
  Sailors
  ______
  Density
  # Crew
  Speed
  Full (1/1)
  31-60
  12
  Adequate (1/2)
  16-30
  6
  Short (1/4)
  7-15
  3
  Skeleton (1/10)
  1-6
  2
  Gunners
  Number of Bow Chaser Gunners
  ______
  # of gunners
  # of guns firing
  12 or more
  2
  6-11
  1
  5
  1/2
  4
  1/3
  3
  1/4
  Crew Stats
  NPC Level
  ____
  Experience Points
  __________
  Hit Dice
  ____d6
  Av. Hit Points = 4 x level
  ____
  Base Attack Bonus
  ____
  Melee
  ____
  Ranged ____
  Fort Save
  ____
  Reflex Save
  ____
  Will Save
  ____
  Ability
  Score
  Modifier
  Strength
  ____
  ____
  Dexterity
  ____
  ____
  Constitution
  ____
  ____
  Intelligence
  ____
  ____
  Wisdom
  ____
  ____
  Charisma
  ____
  ____
  AC
  Armor
  ____
  Dex
  ____
  Misc
  ____
  +10 = 
  ____
  Skills
  Max Ranks:
  /
  1st Level: (3+Int Modifier) x 4
  Each Additional Level: 3 + Int Modifier
  Skill:
  Mod
  Abil
  Ranks
  Balance
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Climb
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Craft
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Intuit Direction
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Jump
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Knowledge (Sea) ___
  ___
  ___
  Listen
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Profession(Sail)
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Spot
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Swim
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Use Rope
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Feats
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  Ships 143
  
  Galleasse
  1550-1700 AD
  A hybrid oar-and-sail vessel
  Rig
  AC 2
  Mast
  Efficiency*
  hp
  Damage Broken
  Mainmast
  0.4
  18 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Current Efficiency
  ______
  Sail Strength
  Efficiency
  Current Sail hp:
  ______
  10-18 Dhp
  no modifier
  Fire Damage to Sails
  ______
  6-9  Dhp
  -0.1
  3-5 Dhp
  -0.2
  1-2 Dhp
  -0.3
  Deck AC 2
  Hit Points
  100 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  1
  AC Bonus to Crew 
  +3
  Rudder Hit Points
  10 Dhp
  Hull
  AC 5
  Hit Points
  140 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  2 Dhp
  Breaches
  Size (Dhp)
  Damage
  ______
  At Waterline
  ______
  Fire Damage
  ______
  Below Waterline
  ______
  Artillery
  Bow Chasers
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Long Culverin
  2
  850
  16 lbs.
  600
  5/10
  10 Dhp/10+16d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Port Broadside
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Demi-Cannon
  4
  900
  32 lbs.
  300
  6/24
  19 Dhp/10+32d10
  Current #
  ______
  Starboard Broadside
  Demi-Cannon
  4
  900
  32 lbs.
  300
  6/24
  19 Dhp/10+32d10
  Current #
  ______
  Ram
  Hardness Rating
  5
  *The contribution of rig to a galley’s efficiency does not stack with the efficiency of the row-
  ers. Sails only contribute to galley speed when the rowers are not employed.
  Description
  The galleasse is a compromise between a gal-
  ley and a sailing ship. It was designed to be
  more adept at long ocean-journeys than the
  galley, while still retaining the galley’s excel-
  lent maneuverability in battle. In practice, the
  galleasse was neither a good sailing vessel nor
  an effective galley -- the four galleasses among
  the Armada in 1588, for example, had no
  effect on the outcome of the battle. The galle-
  asse concept was revived at the end of the 17th
  Century, in Captain Kidd’s notorious
  Adventure Galley and one or two others.
  Vital Stats
  Best Speed
  16 knots
  Initiative Modifier 0
  Cargo
  30 tons
  Complement
  225 Medium creatures
  Sighting
  Lookout Height
  60 feet
  Horizon
  9 miles
  Dimensions
  Displacement
  200 tons
  Length
  140 feet
  Beam
  30 feet
  Draught
  9 feet
  Decks
  Main Deck +
  Oar/Gun Deck
  Crew
  Optimal Battle Crew: 
  Rowers
  40
  Deck Hands
  30
  Gunners
  58
  Soldiers
  80
  Bridge
  5
  Typical Crew:
  Rowers
  40
  Deck Hands
  10
  Gunners
  34
  Soldiers
  50
  Bridge
  5
  144 Ships
  
  Crew Roster and Manifest (Galleasse)
  Ship’s Name
  ________________
  Captain ________________
  Max Crew
  185
  Crew
  Deck Hands
  Sailors
  ______
  Density
  # Crew
  Sail C heck
  Full (1/1)
  16-30
  -2
  Adequate (1/2)
  8-15
  -4
  Short (1/4)
  4-7
  -6
  Skeleton (1/10)
  3
  -8
  Fire Watch
  ______ x 1 Dhp of Fire Size extinguished per Turn = ______ Dhp
  Repair Crew
  ______ x 0.1 Dhp damage repaired each turn = ______ Dhp
  Pump Crew
  ______ x 0.1 ton of water per turn = ______ ton
  Maximum Pump Crew/Rate
  10 crew/1 ton
  Rowers
  Sailors
  ______
  Density
  # Crew
  Speed
  Full (1/1)
  21-40
  9
  Adequate (1/2)
  11-20
  5
  Short (1/4)
  3-10
  3
  Skeleton (1/10)
  1-2
  1
  Gunners
  Number of Bow Chaser Gunners
  ______
  # of gunners
  # of guns firing
  10 or more
  2
  5-9
  1
  4
  1/2
  3
  1/3
  2
  1/4
  Number of Port Demi-Cannon Gunners
  ______
  Number of Starboard Demi-Cannon Gunners
  ______
  # of gunners
  # of guns firing
  24 or more
  4
  18-23
  3
  12-17
  2
  6-11
  1
  5
  1/2
  4
  1/3
  3
  1/4
  Crew Stats
  NPC Level
  ____
  Experience Points
  __________
  Hit Dice
  ____d6
  Av. Hit Points = 4 x level
  ____
  Base Attack Bonus
  ____
  Melee
  ____
  Ranged ____
  Fort Save
  ____
  Reflex Save
  ____
  Will Save
  ____
  Ability
  Score
  Modifier
  Strength
  ____
  ____
  Dexterity
  ____
  ____
  Constitution
  ____
  ____
  Intelligence
  ____
  ____
  Wisdom
  ____
  ____
  Charisma
  ____
  ____
  AC
  Armor
  ____
  Dex
  ____
  Misc
  ____
  +10 = 
  ____
  Skills
  Max Ranks:
  /
  1st Level: (3+Int Modifier) x 4
  Each Additional Level: 3 + Int Modifier
  Skill:
  Mod
  Abil
  Ranks
  Balance
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Climb
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Craft
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Intuit Direction
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Jump
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Knowledge (Sea) ___
  ___
  ___
  Listen
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Profession(Sail)
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Spot
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Swim
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Use Rope
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Feats
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  Ships 145
  
  Merchantman 
  1620 AD
  A small oceangoing cargo vessel
  Rig
  AC 2
  Mast
  Efficiency
  hp
  Damage Broken
  Sprit
  0.1
  8 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Foremast
  0.2
  16 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Mainmast
  0.4
  22 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Mizzen
  0.1
  8 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Current Efficiency
  ______
  Sail Strength
  Efficiency
  Current Sail hp:
  ______
  29-56 Dhp
  no modifier
  Fire Damage to Sails
  ______
  15-28  Dhp
  -0.2
  7-14 Dhp
  -0.4
  1-6 Dhp
  -0.7
  Deck AC 6
  Hit Points
  30 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  0
  AC Bonus to Crew 
  +1
  Rudder Hit Points
  3 Dhp
  Hull
  AC 4
  Hit Points
  64 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  1 Dhp
  Breaches
  Size (Dhp)
  Damage
  ______
  At Waterline
  ______
  Fire Damage
  ______
  Below Waterline
  ______
  Artillery
  Bow Chasers
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Demi-Culverin
  1
  700
  10 lbs.
  400 
  4
  7 Dhp/10+10d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Stern Chasers
  none
  Port Broadside
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Sakers
  3
  400
  4  lbs.
  400
  3/9
  3 Dhp/10 +4d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Starboard Broadside
  Saker
  3
  400
  4  lbs.
  400
  3/9
  3 Dhp/10 +4d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Description
  These stats are typical for a small cargo vessel
  of the early 17th Century, such as the
  Mayflower. This type of vessel was superced-
  ed by the larger East Indiamen by the end of
  the century.
  Vital Stats
  Best Speed
  11 knots
  Initiative Modifier 0
  Cargo
  35 tons
  Complement
  50 Medium creatures
  Sighting
  Lookout Height
  50 feet
  Horizon
  8 miles
  Dimensions
  Displacement
  90 tons
  Length
  65 feet
  Beam
  20 feet
  Draught
  10 feet
  Decks
  Main Deck + Gun Deck
  Crew
  Optimal Battle Crew: 
  Deck Hands
  24
  Gunners
  22
  Soldiers
  2
  Bridge
  2
  Typical Crew:
  Deck Hands 
  16
  Gunners 
  6
  Soldiers 
  0
  Bridge 
  2
  146 Ships
  
  Crew Roster and Manifest (Merchantman)
  Ship’s Name
  ________________
  Captain ________________
  Max Crew
  50
  Crew
  Deck Hands
  Sailors
  ______
  Density
  # Sailors
  Sail C heck
  Full (1/1)
  13-24
  -1
  Adequate (1/2)
  7-12
  -3
  Short (1/4)
  3-6
  -5
  Skeleton (1/10)
  2
  -10
  Fire Watch
  ______ x 1 Dhp of Fire Size extinguished per Turn = ______ Dhp
  Repair Crew
  ______ x 0.1 Dhp damage repaired each turn = ______ Dhp
  Pump Crew
  ______ x 0.1 ton of water per turn = ______ tons
  Maximum Pump Crew/Rate
  5 crew/0.5 tons
  Gunners
  Number of Bow Chaser Gunners
  ______
  Number of Gunners
  Number of Guns firing each Turn
  4 or more
  1
  3
  1/2
  2
  1/3
  1
  1/4
  Number of Port Broadside Gunners
  ______
  Number of Starboard Broadside Gunners
  ______
  Number of Gunners
  Number of Guns firing each Turn
  9 or more
  3
  6-8
  2
  3-5
  1
  2
  1/2
  1
  1/3
  Soldiers
  (see Military Unit Roster)
  Crew Stats
  NPC Level
  ____
  Experience Points
  __________
  Hit Dice
  ____d6
  Av. Hit Points = 4 x level
  ____
  Base Attack Bonus
  ____
  Melee
  ____
  Ranged ____
  Fort Save
  ____
  Reflex Save
  ____
  Will Save
  ____
  Ability
  Score
  Modifier
  Strength
  ____
  ____
  Dexterity
  ____
  ____
  Constitution
  ____
  ____
  Intelligence
  ____
  ____
  Wisdom
  ____
  ____
  Charisma
  ____
  ____
  AC
  Armor
  ____
  Dex
  ____
  Misc
  ____
  +10 = 
  ____
  Skills
  Max Ranks:
  /
  1st Level: (3+Int Modifier) x 4
  Each Additional Level: 3 + Int Modifier
  Skill:
  Mod
  Abil
  Ranks
  Balance
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Climb
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Craft
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Intuit Direction
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Jump
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Knowledge (Sea) ___
  ___
  ___
  Listen
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Profession(Sail)
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Spot
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Swim
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Use Rope
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Feats
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  Ships 147
  
  Royal Warship
  1625-1700 AD
  A large fighting ship with lots of guns and room for soldiers
  Rig
  AC 0
  Mast
  Efficiency
  hp
  Damage Broken
  Sprit
  0.1
  16 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Foremast
  0.2
  38 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Mainmast
  0.4
  50 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Mizzen
  0.1
  24 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Current Efficiency
  ______
  Sail Strength
  Efficiency
  Current Sail hp:
  ______
  63-124 Dhp
  no modifier
  Fire Damage to Sails
  ______
  32-62  Dhp
  -0.2
  13-31 Dhp
  -0.4
  1-12 Dhp
  -0.7
  Deck AC 4
  Hit Points
  200 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  2
  AC Bonus to Crew 
  +3
  Rudder Hit Points
  20 Dhp
  Hull
  AC 2
  Hit Points
  600 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  3 Dhp
  Breaches
  Size (Dhp)
  Damage
  ______
  At Waterline
  ______
  Fire Damage
  ______
  Below Waterline
  ______
  Artillery
  Bow Chasers
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Long Culverin
  2
  850
  16 lbs.
  600
  5/10
  10 Dhp/10+16d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Stern Chasers
  Long Culverin
  2
  850
  16 lbs.
  600
  5/10
  10 Dhp/10+16d10 hp
  Port Broadside
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Cannon
  8
  1000
  50 lbs.
  300
  7/56
  29 Dhp/10+50d10 hp
  Demi-Culverin
  12
  700
  10 lbs.
  400
  4/48
  7 Dhp/10+10d10 hp
  Saker
  10
  400
  4  lbs.
  400
  3/30 
  3 Dhp/10+4d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Starboard Broadside
  Cannon
  8
  1000
  50 lbs.
  300
  7/56
  29 Dhp/10+50d10 hp
  Demi-Culverin
  12
  700
  10 lbs.
  400
  4/48
  7 Dhp/10+10d10 hp
  Saker
  10
  400
  4  lbs.
  400
  3/30 
  3 Dhp/10+4d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Description
  This ship type is loosely based on the ill-fated
  Swedish warship Vasa, the largest of her day.
  This ship is built for boarding actions, with a
  high aft castle and plenty of room for soldiers.
  Her high profile makes her tricky to sail.
  Vital Stats
  Best Speed
  17 knots
  Initiative Modifier -3
  Cargo
  200 tons
  Complement
  450 Medium creatures
  Sighting
  Lookout Height
  130 feet
  Horizon
  14 miles
  Dimensions
  Displacement
  1000 tons
  Length
  160 feet
  Beam
  30 feet
  Draught
  12 feet
  Decks
  Main Deck + 2 Gun Decks
  Crew
  Optimal Battle Crew: 
  Deck Hands
  100
  Gunners
  136
  Soldiers
  204
  Bridge
  10
  Typical Crew:
  Deck Hands 
  90
  Gunners 
  136
  Soldiers 
  160
  Bridge 
  10
  148 Ships
  
  Crew Roster and Manifest (Royal Warship)
  Ship’s Name
  ________________
  Captain ________________
  Max Crew
  450
  Crew
  Deck Hands
  Sailors
  ______
  Density
  # Crew
  Sail C heck
  Full (1/1)
  76-150 -2
  Adequate (1/2)
  38-75
  -4
  Short (1/4)
  16-37
  -6
  Skeleton (1/10)
  15
  -12
  Fire Watch
  ______ x 1 Dhp of Fire Size extinguished per Turn = ______ Dhp
  Repair Crew
  ______ x 0.1 Dhp damage repaired each turn = ______ Dhp
  Pump Crew
  ______ x 0.1 ton of water per turn = ______ tons
  Maximum Pump Crew/Rate
  30 crew/3 tons
  Gunners
  Number of Bow Chaser Gunners
  ______
  Number of Stern Chaser Gunners
  ______
  # of gunners
  # of guns firing
  # of gunners
  # of guns firing
  10 or more
  2
  3
  1/3
  5-9
  1
  2
  1/4
  4
  1/2
  Number of Port Cannon Gunners
  ______
  Number of Starboard Cannon Gunners
  ______
  # of gunners
  # of guns firing
  # of gunners
  # of guns firing
  56 or more
  8/2
  21-27
  3/2
  49-55
  7/2
  14-20
  2/2
  42-48
  6/2
  7-13
  1/2
  35-41
  5/2
  6
  1/3
  28-34
  4/2
  5
  1/4
  Number of Port Demi-Culverin Gunners
  ______
  Number of Starboard Demi-Culverin Gunners
  ______
  # of gunners
  # of guns firing
  # of gunners
  # of guns firing
  48 or more
  12
  16-19
  4
  44-47
  11
  12-15
  3
  40-43
  10
  8-11
  2
  36-39
  9
  4-7
  1
  32-35
  8
  3
  1/2
  28-31
  7
  2
  1/3
  24-27
  6
  1
  1/4
  20-23
  5
  (continued next page)
  Crew Stats
  NPC Level
  ____
  Experience Points
  __________
  Hit Dice
  ____d6
  Av. Hit Points = 4 x level
  ____
  Base Attack Bonus
  ____
  Melee
  ____
  Ranged ____
  Fort Save
  ____
  Reflex Save
  ____
  Will Save
  ____
  Ability
  Score
  Modifier
  Strength
  ____
  ____
  Dexterity
  ____
  ____
  Constitution
  ____
  ____
  Intelligence
  ____
  ____
  Wisdom
  ____
  ____
  Charisma
  ____
  ____
  AC
  Armor
  ____
  Dex
  ____
  Misc
  ____
  +10 = 
  ____
  Skills
  Max Ranks:
  /
  1st Level: (3+Int Modifier) x 4
  Each Additional Level: 3 + Int Modifier
  Skill:
  Mod
  Abil
  Ranks
  Balance
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Climb
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Craft
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Intuit Direction
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Jump
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Knowledge (Sea) ___
  ___
  ___
  Listen
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Profession(Sail)
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Spot
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Swim
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Use Rope
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Feats
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  Ships 149
  
  Crew Roster and Manifest (Royal Warship) -- continued
  Number of Port Saker Gunners
  ______
  Number of Starboard Saker Gunners
  ______
  # of gunners
  # of guns firing
  # of gunners
  # of guns firing
  30 or more
  10
  12-14
  4
  27-29
  9
  9-11
  3
  24-26
  8
  6-8
  2
  21-23
  7
  3-5
  1
  18-20
  6
  2
  1/2
  15-17
  5
  1
  1/3
  12-14
  4
  150 Ships
  
  (this page has been intentionally left blank to maintain the two-page spread format for ship
  stats and crew roster).
  Ships 151
  
  Sloop 
  1650 AD
  A fast ship favored by couriers and pirates.
  Rig
  AC 1
  Mast
  Efficiency
  hp
  Damage Broken
  Sprit
  0.3
  20 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Mainmast
  0.5
  32 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Mizzen
  0.2
  12 Dhp
  ______ ______
  Current Efficiency
  ______
  Sail Strength
  Efficiency
  Current Sail hp:
  ______
  46-90 Dhp
  no modifier
  Fire Damage to Sails
  ______
  23-45  Dhp
  -0.2
  10-22  Dhp
  -0.4
  1-9 Dhp
  -0.9
  Deck AC 4
  Hit Points
  25 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  0
  AC Bonus to Crew 
  0
  Rudder Hit Points
  3 Dhp
  Hull
  AC 2
  Hit Points
  60 Dhp
  Hardness Rating
  1 Dhp
  Breaches
  Size (Dhp)
  Damage
  ______
  At Waterline
  ______
  Fire Damage
  ______
  Below Waterline
  ______
  Artillery
  Bow Chasers
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Demi-Culverin
  1
  700
  10 lbs.
  400 
  4
  7 Dhp/10+10d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Stern Chasers
  none
  Port Broadside
  #
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Crew
  Damage
  Sakers
  4
  400
  4  lbs.
  400
  3/12
  3 Dhp/10 +4d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Starboard Broadside
  Sakers
  4
  400
  4  lbs.
  400
  3/12
  3 Dhp/10 +4d10 hp
  Current #
  ______
  Description
  The sloop is a small, fast ship that carries an
  enormous area of sail for her size. Her most
  distinctive feature is her 50-foot bowsprit, jut-
  ting like a narwhal’s tusk from her prow. She
  is fitted with a fore-and-aft rig, rather than
  square sails, giving her a 270° sailing arc,
  allowing her to sail as close as 45° to the
  wind. Sloops are favored by couriers, smug-
  glers and pirates.
  Vital Stats
  Best Speed
  9 knots
  Initiative Modifier +2
  Cargo
  20 tons
  Complement
  50 Medium creatures
  Sighting
  Lookout Height
  60 feet
  Horizon
  9 miles
  Dimensions
  Displacement
  70 tons
  Length
  50 feet + 50-foot sprit
  Beam
  10 feet
  Draught
  8 feet
  Decks
  Main Deck + Gun Deck
  Crew
  Optimal Battle Crew: 
  Deck Hands
  20
  Gunners
  24
  Soldiers
  4
  Bridge
  2
  Typical Crew:
  Deck Hands
  14
  Gunners
  12
  Soldiers
  0
  Bridge
  2
  152 Ships
  
  Crew Roster and Manifest (Sloop)
  Ship’s Name
  ________________
  Captain ________________
  Max Crew
  50
  Crew
  Deck Hands
  Sailors
  ______
  Density
  # Sailors
  Sail C heck
  Full (1/1)
  11-20
  0
  Adequate (1/2)
  6-10
  -2
  Short (1/4)
  3-5
  -4
  Skeleton (1/10)
  2
  -8
  Fire Watch
  ______ x 1 Dhp of Fire Size extinguished per Turn = ______ Dhp
  Repair Crew
  ______ x 0.1 Dhp damage repaired each turn = ______ Dhp
  Pump Crew
  ______ x 0.1 ton of water per turn = ______ tons
  Maximum Pump Crew/Rate
  5 crew/0.5 tons
  Gunners
  Number of Bow Chaser Gunners
  ______
  Number of Gunners
  Number of Guns firing each Turn
  4 or more
  1
  3
  1/2
  2
  1/3
  1
  1/4
  Number of Port Broadside Gunners
  ______
  Number of Starboard Broadside Gunners
  ______
  Number of Gunners
  Number of Guns firing each Turn
  12 or more
  4
  9-11
  3
  6-8
  2
  3-5
  1 
  2
  1/2
  1
  1/3
  Soldiers
  (see Military Unit Roster)
  Crew Stats
  NPC Level
  ____
  Experience Points
  __________
  Hit Dice
  ____d6
  Av. Hit Points = 4 x level
  ____
  Base Attack Bonus
  ____
  Melee
  ____
  Ranged ____
  Fort Save
  ____
  Reflex Save
  ____
  Will Save
  ____
  Ability
  Score
  Modifier
  Strength
  ____
  ____
  Dexterity
  ____
  ____
  Constitution
  ____
  ____
  Intelligence
  ____
  ____
  Wisdom
  ____
  ____
  Charisma
  ____
  ____
  AC
  Armor
  ____
  Dex
  ____
  Misc
  ____
  +10 = 
  ____
  Skills
  Max Ranks:
  /
  1st Level: (3+Int Modifier) x 4
  Each Additional Level: 3 + Int Modifier
  Skill:
  Mod
  Abil
  Ranks
  Balance
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Climb
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Craft
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Intuit Direction
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Jump
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Knowledge (Sea) ___
  ___
  ___
  Listen
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Profession(Sail)
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Spot
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Swim
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Use Rope
  ___
  ___
  ___
  Feats
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  ______________________
  Ships 153
  
  Combat,
  being a treatise on the deadly arts of defense, includ-
  ing divers strategies, methods, and hazards of war.
  Guns
  Loading and Firing
  Operating a snaphance or wheellock gun requires three combat rounds:
  1
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  2
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  3
  Fire (standard action)
  In the first round, the firer primes the pan and empties a premeasured powder charge from a
  powder flask into the barrel. In the second round, the firer loads the barrel with shot, rams it
  down with a ramrod, and cocks the weapon. In the third round, the firer aims the weapon
  and pulls the trigger.
  Operating a matchlock weapon requires four rounds, because the firer must first prime the
  match by blowing on it:
  1
  Prime Match (full-round action)
  2
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  3
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  4
  Fire (standard action)
  Interruption during Loading
  If the firer is attacked or otherwise hindered during loading, a Dexterity check at DC 10 is
  required to complete that particular step. If the firer takes damage, add the damage to the
  DC.
  The Rapid Shot Feat applied to Guns
  Characters with the Rapid Shot feat can reduce by one round the time required to load a
  gun. The attack is not made with the -2 penalty usually applied to extra shots associated with
  this feat.
  Effects of Smoke, Muzzle Flash, and Noise
  Smoke: Everty time a Heavy gun is fired, a smoke cloud is created in the 5’ square directly in
  front of the firer. This cloud lasts for one round, and provides one-half concealment (20%
  miss chance) to any missile attacks passing through it.
  Muzzle Flash: In addition to a smoke cloud, a Heavy gun creates a muzzle flash in the same
  5’ square directly in front of the firer. Anyone in the affected area must make a Reflex save at
  The Role of Guns in Your Campaign
  Guns are an integral part of the campaign flavor.
  For players used to twanging arrows at their
  foes, they can be quite intoxicating.To make
  guns a balanced feature of the campaign, you
  have to emphasize their limitations. A matchlock
  musket is noisy, smelly, smoky, and cumbersome.
  And if the PCs have them, chances are the bad
  guys have them too. In my own campaign, guns
  are good for delivering a quick salvo before
  charging in with swords, or for picking off an
  advancing enemy from a covered position.
  Players who don’t have any other ways of deal-
  ing with an enemy will find guns impractical for
  sustained or close order fights, even against
  archers, who gain fire off three or four arrows
  for every bullet.
  Guns vs. Monsters
  To preserve play balance and emphasize the
  supernatural qualities of monsters in this setting,
  it is highly recommended that guns not inflict full
  damage on certain creature types. Aberrations,
  dragons, elementals, fey, and magical beasts
  should lose only 1 hp for each gun hit. Undead
  and shapechangers are immune to bullets, but
  take full damage from silver bullets. Outsiders
  are immune entirely.
  Summary of Loading and Firing
  Schedule for Guns
  Wheellocks and Snaphances:
  1
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  2
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  3
  Fire (standard action)
  ...with Rapid Shot Feat:
  1 
  Load Powder & Shot (full-round)
  2
  Fire (standard action)
  Matchlocks:
  1
  Prime Match (full-round action)
  2
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  3
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  4
  Fire (standard action)
  ...with Rapid Shot Feat:
  1 
  Prime Match (full-round)
  2
  Load Powder & Shot  (full-round)
  3
  Fire (standard action)
  
  DC 15, or suffer d2 points of burn damage.
  Noise: Any character within 5’ when a gun is fired suffers a penalty of -3 to Listen checks for
  the next hour.
  Misfires & Fouls
  Any time a 1 is rolled on an attack roll for a gun, the weapon has failed to fire. The firer  may
  attempt to fire it again during their next round of action. In the event a 1 is rolled again, the
  gun is fouled, and must be cleaned before it will work again, which requires one full turn.
  Certain conditions increase the chance of misfire, including weather and the condition of
  the gun, but regardless of the conditions, if a second attempt to fire also results in misfire,
  gun is not fouled unless the second die roll is 1 -- you can try to fire as many times as you like
  until the gun fires or is fouled.
  Table: Gun Misfires
  Weather
  Matchlocks
  Other Guns
  Condition
  Misfire on
  Misfire on
  Light Rain/Spray
  1-3
  1-2
  Heavy Rain
  1-6
  1-4
  Damp Powder
  1-8
  1-10
  High Wind
  1-6
  1
  Artillery
  Artillery includes any gun that must be fired from a mount or carriage, whether on a ship, on
  a castle wall, or on a mounted carriage in the field. To use artillery without penalty requires
  the Artillery feat. Anyone without the Artillery feat who tries to fire an artillery piece suffers
  a penalty of -8 to their attack roll, and cannot clear a fouled piece.
  Table: Artillery Types
  Culverins
  Length
  Bore
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Mount
  Cost
  Crew
  Rabbinet
  3 ft.
  2”
  50
  1 lb.
  100
  Swivel
  125 
  1
  Falconet
  4 ft.
  2”
  75
  1 lb.
  200
  Swivel
  175 
  1
  Falcon
  6 ft.
  2”
  125
  1 lb.
  300
  Swivel
  300 
  2
  Minion
  8 ft.
  3”
  250
  4 lbs.
  300
  Wheel
  600 
  3
  Saker
  9 ft.
  3”
  400
  4  lbs.
  400
  Wheel
  1000 
  3
  Demi-Culverin
  11 ft.
  4”
  700
  10 lbs.
  400
  Wheel
  1400 
  4
  Culverin
  12 ft.
  5”
  800
  18 lbs.
  400
  Wheel
  2000 
  5
  Long Culverin
  16 ft.
  4.75”
  850
  16 lbs.
  600
  Wheel
  2100 
  5
  Cannon
  Length
  Bore
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Mount
  Cost
  Crew
  Demi-Cannon
  11 ft.
  6”
  900
  32 lbs.
  300
  Wheel
  2200 
  6
  Cannon
  12 ft.
  7”
  1000
  50 lbs.
  300
  Wheel
  2400 
  7
  Stupid Gun Tricks
  To liven up combat or in desperate circum-
  stances, characters may try the following tech-
  niques.They are not wholly realistic, but are cer-
  tainly allowed in a Septentrionalis campaign.
  Double-Shotting
  A PC can try loading double powder and two
  balls of shot to pack an extra punch. Double-
  shotting takes an extra full round of action. Make
  an attack roll as normal, but with double the
  normal critical hit range. However, if the attack
  roll is a 1-3, the gun barrel bursts, destroying the
  gun and giving the firer 1d6 points of fire dam-
  age. In this case, the shot is automatically a miss.
  Improvised Shot
  A PC who is out of shot, or wishes to pepper a
  nearby foe with smallshot, can substitute a hand-
  ful of nails, beads, ha’pennies, gravel, or pebbles.
  Assuming you have some material in hand, it
  takes no longer than a normal loading proce-
  dure. Just pour the missiles down the barrel and
  ram them home. Make an attack roll as normal.
  Unless you misfire, the effect is a 10’ cone with a
  base of 10’. All targets within the cone receive
  1d6 damage. Congratulations -- your gun is
  automatically fouled, and cannot be fired again
  until you spend one full turn cleaning it.
  Shooting the Ramrod
  A firer in a hurry can fire one round sooner
  than normal, if you neglect to remove the ram-
  rod from the gun barrel. Make an attack roll as
  normal, and treat the hurtling ramrod as a dart
  (1d4 damage, range increment 20 feet).The ball
  hits whatever the ramrod hits, but will only do
  1/2 normal damage. An attack roll of 1-3 will
  burst the gun barrel and inflict 1d6 points of fire
  damage to the shooter. And your ramrod is now
  sticking in somebody’s chest.
  Artillery Classification
  Four main types of artillery exist in the cam-
  paign: cannon, culverin, perier, and mortar.
  Cannon are of large bore and medium length
  They have a respectable range and firepower for
  their size.
  .
  Culverin have a greater length relative to their
  bore, and are therefore of longer range.They
  are often mounted in the bow of a ship as a
  chaser, to fire during a pursuit.
  Periers are short-barrelled relative to their bore,
  giving them a shorter range, but making them
  easier to mount aboard a cramped ship.
  Mortars are even shorter length relative to their
  bore.They are often used to fire bags of small-
  shot against an enemy crew before boarding, but
  they can also be used to lob a large shot over
  the walls of a fortress.
  156 Combat
  
  Periers
  Length
  Bore
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Mount
  Cost
  Crew
  Perier
  5 ft.
  8”
  500
  76 lbs.
  200
  Wheel
  1200 
  7
  Mortars
  Length
  Bore
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Mount
  Cost
  Crew
  Deck Mortar
  1 ft.
  6”
  75
  32
  25
  Sled
  175
  2
  Howitzer
  2 ft.
  8”
  300
  76
  50
  Sled
  600
  8
  Bombard
  3 ft.
  12”
  1200
  200
  75
  Sled
  1600
  12
  Length: The length of the barrel.
  Bore: The width of the mouth of the barrel, also the diameter of the shot.
  Wt.: The weight of the artillery in pounds, including the mount.
  Shot: The weight of the iron ball fired by the gun. Artillery is often referred to by the size of
  the shot it fires, for example, a ten-pounder, a thirty-two pounder, and so on.
  Range: The range increment, in feet.
  Mount: The type of mount appropriate to the piece. Swivel indicates a gun mounted on a
  fork-shaped brace that, when inserted into a fixed tube, can be aimed in any direction.
  Commonly this would occur on the railing of a ship, or the walls of a fortress. These weapons
  can also be mounted on wheeled carriages for field battles. Wheel indicates a wheeled car-
  riage, either a naval mount with four small wheels, or a field mount with two or more large
  wheels. Sled indicates a non-wheeled mount that is carried or dragged into place, most com-
  monly for sieges or castle defence.
  Cost: The cost of the piece, in gold pieces, including mount and artillery tools. Cost of shot
  is 2 sp per pound, with powder costs being 2 sp per pound of shot fired.
  Crew: The minimum number of crew needed to fire the gun in the shortest time. For every
  crewman missing, add one round.
  Loading and Firing Artillery
  Loading and firing an artillery piece requires at least six combat rounds:
  1
  Sponge out (full-round action)
  2
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  3
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  4
  Sight Gun (full-round action)
  5
  Prime Vent (full-round action)
  6
  Fire (standard action)
  In the first round, the bore is swabbed with a pole-mounted sponge soaked in a vinegar-
  water solution to snuff out any sparks remaining from the last shot, and to soften the soot
  caking the side of the bore. Next, while one gunner puts his thumb over the vent to prevent
  accidental firing, a cloth bag of powder is rammed down the bore with a rammer, followed by
  the shot itself. The gun is aimed at the command of the master gunner, and then primed by
  filling the vent with a small powder charge. Finally, the gun is fired.
  Large-bore artillery requires more time to load, because of the weight of the shot, and the
  difficulty of moving the piece for aiming. 32-pounders require two rounds each for loading
  powder, shot, and sighting the gun, for a total of 9 rounds. Anything heavier than a 32-
  pounder requires two rounds for loading powder, 3 rounds for loading shot, and 4 rounds
  for sighting the gun, for a total of 12 rounds. See the sidebar for a summary of loading and
  A List of Artillery Tools
  Quadrant: A levelling tool used to measure the
  angle of elevation of the barrel.
  Rammer: A rod with a padded leather head used
  for pushing down the powder-bag and shot.
  Sponge: A stuffed cloth pad on a stick for swab-
  bing the barrel between shots.
  Thumbstall: A leather pad used to protect the
  thumb while covering the vent during loading..
  Worm: a screw-like tool for clearing damp
  charges and other blockages from the bore.
  Summary of Loading and Firing
  Schedule for Artillery
  Below 32-pounder:
  1
  Sponge out (full-round action)
  2
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  3
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  4
  Sight Gun (full-round action)
  5
  Prime Vent (full-round action)
  6
  Fire (standard action)
  32-pounder:
  1
  Sponge out (full-round action)
  2-3
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  4-5
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  6-7
  Sight Gun (full-round action)
  8
  Prime Vent (full-round action)
  9
  Fire (standard action)
  Above 32-pounder:
  1
  Sponge out (full-round action)
  2-3
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  4-6
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  7-10
  Sight Gun (full-round action)
  11
  Prime Vent (full-round action)
  12
  Fire (standard action)
  Summary of Roundshot Damage:
  Base Damage: 10
  Additional Damage: 1d10 per pound
  Fortitude Save reduces damage to 1/2
  Save DC: 10 + weight of shot.
  Reflex save reduces damage to 1/2, or to zero if
  the PC has the Evasion class feature.
  Save DC: 20, minus 1 for every 50 feet of dis-
  tance between the gun and the target, to a mini-
  mum of DC 10.
  Excess damage from first target is applied to
  subsequent targets up to 30’ beyond first target,
  until all damage is absorbed.
  Example of Roundshot Damage:
  An 18-pounder culverin is fired at a company of
  advancing troops. Each soldier has 10 hp.The
  damage is 10 + 18d10, and after much die
  rolling, the result is 105 points of damage.The
  company is in a line 3 ranks deep. One man in
  the first rank is killed, leaving 95 excess damage
  points.The man behind him is also slain, leaving
  85 points. Finally, a man in the third rank is hit,
  leaving plenty of excess energy for the shot to
  bounce to a stop 15 feet or so behind the com-
  pany.
  Combat 157
  
  firing schedules for artillery of various sizes.
  Artillery Misfires and Fouls
  The chance of misfire for artillery is the same for as for small arms -- any roll of 1 indicates a
  misfire. They are subject to weather conditions, too, using the same column as matchlock
  weapons on the Gun Misfires Table. Clearing a fouled artillery piece involves removing the
  shot and then the powder-bag with the screw tool, a process which takes as long as a stan-
  dard loading and firing procedure.
  Artillery vs. Living Targets
  Roundshot
  When iron roundshot hits a human target, the results can be calamitous. The base damage
  alone for roundshot is 10 points. In addition, for each pound of weight of the shot, add 1d10
  points of damage. For example, a 6-pounder roundshot does 10 + 6d10 points of damage,
  and a 12-pounder does 10 + 12d10 points of damage. A Fortitude save at a DC equal to 10
  + the weight of the shot reduces the damage to 1/2. Instead of a Fortitude save, a target may
  choose to make a Reflex save to evade the shot, but only if a successful Spot check has been
  made to see the shot being fired. The DC for the Reflex save is 20, minus 1 for every 50 feet
  of distance between the gun and the target, to a minimum value of DC 10.
  The most devastating aspect of roundshot is its ability to mow down an entire column of tar-
  gets. If the damage is greater than the total hit points of the first target, the shot will bounce
  up to 30 feet past its initial impact, inflicting the excess damage on any other targets in its
  path until either all damage is absorbed, it bounces to a stop, or it hits a solid obstruction
  (see Artillery vs. Structures, below). Note: Mortars do not bounce beyond their initial target,
  because they approach the ground at a higher angle.
  Smallshot
  An artillery piece can be loaded with bags of small iron shot against living targets within
  short range. Make an attack roll as normal, but only for purposes of determining misfires.
  The resulting shot will fill a cone extending some distance from the bore of the gun, hitting
  all targets within the cone. See the sidebar for length and base of the cone of effect for vari-
  ous guns. Regardless of the size of the gun, the damage is 1d10 per 5’square occupied by
  the target. (So, for example, a horse, occupying two 5’ squares, receives 2d10 damage, while
  the rider only receives 1d10. A Fortitude save reduces the damage to 1/2, with a DC of 10.
  Targets can add their AC bonus due to armor to their die roll.
  Artillery vs. Structures
  Artillery fire against standing structures follows the rules outlined in Attack an Object in the
  Special Attacks and Damage section of the Combat chapter in the D&D Player’s Handbook.
  If the shot is a miss, determine the distance and direction of the missed shot under the
  Grenadelike Weapon Attacks rules in the same chapter.
  Artillery vs. Ships
  Naval combat is covered in its own chapter later in this book, using an abstract system that
  groups individual shots into broadsides. For added realism, or in very small sea battles, the
  Smallshot Area of Effect
  Culverins
  Length
  Base
  Rabbinett
  20
  5
  Falconet
  20
  5
  Falcon
  20
  5
  Minion
  30
  10
  Saker
  30
  10
  Demi-Culverin
  40
  10
  Culverin
  50
  15
  Long Culverin
  50
  15
  Cannon
  Length
  Base
  Demi-Cannon
  50
  15
  Cannon
  60
  15
  Periers
  Length
  Base
  Perier
  50
  20
  Mortars
  Length
  Base
  Deck Mortar
  30
  15
  Howitzer
  40
  20
  Bombard
  60
  30
  How Artillery is Used in Combat
  Field Battles
  First, artillery is expensive. Most mercenary cap-
  tains can’t affford it, leaving it to the the royal
  army to employ in battle. Second, it is not very
  mobile. Field guns have to be hauled around by
  teams of oxen, who are strong but slow animals.
  Sighting the guns is a matter of guessing where
  the enemy will be during the battle.The guns
  are often protected from enemy fire by rows of
  sharpened stakes and huge wicker baskets filled
  with earth. Once sited, a battery of artillery usu-
  ally stays put until the firing is over. It can be
  used to fire at enemy soldiers or artillery, often
  right over the heads of one’s own advancing sol-
  diers.
  Sieges
  In a siege, artillery really comes into its own, for
  both sides. A besieging force with artillery will
  inevitably breach the walls of a besieged town
  or fortress, given enough time and ammunition.
  Mortars, especially the huge bombards, are
  placed in protected batteries to hammer at the
  walls and lob shot inside the fortress itself.The
  defenders, meanwhile, use their own wall-
  mounted cannon to repel assaults and try to
  pick off enemy artillery, while mortars sited safe-
  ly behind the walls rain down fire on enemy
  trenches.
  Naval Battles
  At sea, artillery becomes the primary weapon of
  fighting ships. For more about ship-to-ship com-
  bat, refer to the relevant chapter later in this
  book.
  158 Combat 
  
  Attack an Object rules can be used to determine the results of individual shots.
  Fencing
  Characters with the Fencing feat (see the Character Creation chapter) are not confined to
  merely cutting or thrusting at their opponents. They have a wide palette of fencing moves
  available to them, including passes, rondos, corps a corps, hilt smashes, binds, touches,
  lunges, and beats, each of which has a unique effect on combat. Fencers can also use a
  weapon, gauntlet, hat, cloak, or improvised defense in their off-hand to increase their AC.
  Finally, simply having a blade in one’s hand adds to a fencer’s AC against melee attacks!
  Fencing Moves Described
  In addition to inflicting normal damage, fencing moves provide the following benefits:
  Beat  (Attack roll modifier: -2)
  The attacker knocks the defender’s main weapon aside, giving the defender a -2 modifier to
  attack with his main weapon on his next attack, and negating the defender’s fencing bonus to
  AC for any subsequent attacks this round. A beat is often used as a first attack to prepare for
  a second attack either with the main weapon or off-hand weapon.
  Bind  (Attack roll modifier: -3)
  The attacker catches the defender’s main weapon in the quillions of her own sword. The
  defender cannot use his main weapon until he frees it during a subsequent turn at the cost of
  one attack, or until the attacker cancels the bind by making another attack.
  Corps a Corps  (Attack roll modifier: -4)
  The attacker moves into the defender’s square without provoking an attack of opportunity,
  and may attempt to grapple.
  Hilt Smash  (Attack roll modifier: -4)
  The attacker bludgeons the defender with the hilt of her sword as a follow-through to her
  attack. She inflicts additional damage equal to her Strength ability modifier.
  Lunge  (Attack roll modifier: -4)
  The attacker lunges forward on one knee, driving her main weapon into the defender’s body.
  The normal critical threat range for her weapon is doubled for this attack, but if the defender
  survives, he makes a free attack of opportunity against the attacker.
  Pass  (Attack roll modifier: -8)
  The attacker moves through the defender’s square without provoking an attack of opportuni-
  ty, cutting or thrusting as she does so, and ends up in the square on the opposite side of her
  starting position. The defender is considered flanked for this attack only.
  Rondo   (Attack roll modifier: -4)
  In a tactical maneuver, the attacker circles the defender at close range while cutting or
  thrusting, forcing the defender to switch squares with her, still facing one another, without
  provoking an attack of opportunity. This is a good way of getting past someone guarding a
  doorway or corridor.
  Table: Fencing Moves
  Move
  Attack Roll Modifier
  Beat
  -2
  Bind
  -3
  Corps a Corps
  -4
  Hilt Smash
  -4
  Lunge
  -4
  Pass
  -8
  Rondo
  -4
  Spring & Fly Out
  -6
  Touch
  -4
  Table: Fencing Moves, by Difficulty
  Move
  Attack Roll Modifier
  Easy
  Beat
  -2
  Bind
  -3
  Moderate
  Corps a Corps
  -4
  Hilt Smash
  -4
  Lunge
  -4
  Rondo
  -4
  Touch
  -4
  Difficult
  Spring & Fly Out
  -6
  Very Difficult
  Pass
  -8
  How to Prepare for a Swordfight
  If you carry only a sword, grasp the scabbard
  with your left hand, draw the sword with your
  right, then throw away the scabbard and its
  detachable hanger to unencumber yourself and
  give your opponent one less thing by which to
  grab you.
  If you’re wearing a cloak or a hat, either toss it
  away or hold it in your left hand for protection.
  If you carry both sword and dagger, carry them
  both on the left hip, so that you can draw them
  both at once without crossing your arms.
  Get into the fighting stance of your favorite
  fencing master, whether Giganti Alfieri or
  Agrippa (see next page).
  En garde!
  Combat 159
  
  Spring & Fly Out   (Attack roll modifier: -6)
  The attacker springs forward on one knee, attacks, and retreats, giving her main weapon a
  10’ reach.
  Touch   (Attack roll modifier: -4)
  The attacker only does 1 hp of damage, giving the defender a painful wound that also deliv-
  ers one point of temporary ability damage to Dexterity. This is a good move to apply repeat-
  edly to a closely matched foe, in order to wear him down.
  Off-Hand Defenses
  Characters with the Fencing feat capable of off-hand attacks may use a tiny or small weapon,
  gauntlet, rolled cloak, hat, or improvised defense to increase their armor bonus to AC
  against melee attacks. If a fencer carrying an off-hand defense does not make an off-hand
  attack in a given round, they receive an AC bonus against melee attacks until the beginning
  of their next round, at which time they can decide again. Characters attacked unaware or
  caught flat-footed do not receive the off-hand defense bonus.
  Table: Off-Hand Defenses
  Defense
  AC Bonus
  Hat
  +1
  Improvised
  +1
  Leather Gauntlet
  +1
  Rolled Cloak
  +2
  Small Weapon
  +3
  Tiny Weapon
  +2
  Fencing Weapon Bonus to AC
  Characters with the Fencing feat can use their main weapon to get a miscellaneous AC bonus
  against Tiny, Small, and Medium melee weapons, as long as they are not attacked unaware or
  caught flat-footed. Only fencing weapons apply. The AC bonus applies whether or not the
  fencer attacks with the weapon during his combat round. The level of the bonus depends on
  how many experience levels the character has gained since first receiving the Fencing feat.
  Table: Fencing Weapon Bonus to AC
  Levels gained
  AC Bonus
  0
  +1
  1-2
  +2
  3-4
  +3
  5-6
  +4
  7 or more
  +5
  Examples of Improvised Defenses
  Any solid object (Hardness 5+) you can hold
  comfortably in one hand can be used as an
  improvised defense. It must be between 6 inches
  and 18 inches long, and no heavier than 3
  pounds. Some examples include:
  Basket
  Roast Turkey Leg
  Belaying Pin
  Rolling Pin
  Candlestick
  Saddlebag
  Chair Leg
  Stick
  Footstool
  Wooden Spoon
  Applying National Styles to Combat
  The fencing rules assume that a character with
  the Fencing feat has received training in one or
  more regional or national traditions. Instead of
  making each style a separate feat, I’ve left it up
  to the players to use the universal palette of
  fencing moves to simulate any style of play they
  choose. Here are some tips for simulating the
  most popular national syles, or “schools”, of the
  era:
  Espaniard
  The Espaniard school emphasizes geometry and
  formal stances over maneuver and off-hand play.
  The prefered weapon is the long rapier, which
  keeps the enemy as far away as possible.
  Adherents of this school will seldom attempt
  any fencing moves, simply standing their ground
  and thrusting when their opponent presents an
  opening.
  French
  The French school is highly aggressive and dar-
  ing. Using a rapier or the highly fashionable
  smallsword, followers of this school prefer lunges
  to quickly dispatch an inferior foe, and a series
  of touches and beats to wear down a more for-
  midable one. Left-hand weapons are seldom
  used, but cloaks or wide-brimmed hats are often
  employed as an off-hand defense.
  Albian
  The Albian school is considered uncouth by
  many other nations. It features frequent corps a
  corps allowing for kicks and unarmed attacks.
  Albian fencers often use a case of rapiers, that is,
  a rapier in each hand.When only one weapon is
  used, the broadsword is favored.
  Italian
  The Italian school advocates letting the oppo-
  nent make the first move, provoking an attack of
  opportunity as they enter weapon range. Once
  engaged, a student of this school becomes highly
  mobile, using passes and rondos to gain oppor-
  tunities to make off-hand attacks with a dagger.
  Gael
  Gaels are masters of broadsword and shield
  fighting.They employ a small wooden shield
  called a target (pronounced “targe” , rhymes
  with “large”) fitted with a central spike. Off-hand
  attacks with a shield are covered under Shield
  Bash rules in the D&D PHB.
  160 Combat
  
  Greatsword Combat
  Characters with the Greatsword feat practice a highly specialized martial art, involving many
  techniques for both attack and defense. Both the blade and the heavy hilt of the greatsword
  are used in attack. It can be swung in a wide arc, or gripped with one hand above the hilt for
  precise half-sword thrusts and parries. The weapon can be used as an effective shield, even
  to block blows from the rear, by holding the sword along the length of one’s body. Finally,
  the intimidating appearance of the greatsword itself cannot be denied, and can be used to
  great advantage to keep enemies at bay.
  Double Weapon Status
  Characters with the Greatsword feat may treat their greatsword as a double weapon, using
  not only the blade but the pommel of the weapon. The pommel inflicts 1d6 bludgeoning
  damage, with a critical range of 20/x2. Using the greatsword as a double weapon incurs
  normal penalties for fighting with two weapons, as if you were using a one-handed weapon
  and a light weapon.
  Greatsword Bonus to AC
  Like fencers, greatsword fighters get a miscellaneous AC bonus against melee attacks simply
  by having the weapon in hand. The bonus is determined by how many levels the character has
  gained since receiving the Greatsword feat, using the Fencing Weapon Bonus to AC table
  above. The bonus applies to attacks by Medium and Large melee weapons; the greatsword is
  too slow to give this bonus against Tiny or Small weapons.
  Greatsword Intimidation Ability
  Instead of making an attack, a character with the Greatsword feat may use the weapon to
  intimidate his foes, simply by swinging it in an arc around him. This is a effective way to clear
  an area of foes who threaten to flank you. The ability affects only the eight 5’ squares adja-
  cent to you. Make an Intimidation check, adding your melee attack bonus to the die roll.
  (See the Intimidation skill in the Skills chapter of the D&D Player’s Handbook). If the check
  succeeds, all affected targets must vacate the area of effect by moving 5’ away from you,
  unless they are stopped by a solid obstruction or an ally, would have to enter an enemy’s
  threatened area, or would suffer obvious harm by doing so, like falling from a balcony.
  Intimidated enemies do not provoke an attack of opportunity from you by retreating!
  Half-sword Grip for Greatsword
  Many greatswords feature an unsharpened area of the blade above the hilt, called the ricasso.
  When one hand is placed on the ricasso, the effective length of the sword is reduced, and the
  precision of its strokes increased, at the expense of power. A character with the Greatsword
  feat can shift to this half-sword grip as a free action. For combat purposes, the sword then
  becomes a Medium weapon, 1d6 piercing damage, critical 19-20/x2. The greatsword’s
  Inventing New Fencing Moves
  Historically, the fencing manuals of the era were
  filled with colorfully named moves and stances.
  They had names like “the Grieving Iron Gate”,“
  the Star”,“the Falcon”, and  “the Lion.” As DM,
  you can add new moves to your NPC fencers’
  palettes, and even allow players to invent moves
  of their own.
  Here are examples of several fencing moves
  that could be introduced to the players or
  invented by them. None are historically accurate,
  but they do sound impressive:
  Apollo’s Arrow Difficulty: Moderate (-4)
  A move in which the attacker makes a feint with
  the main weapon to distract the defender from
  a thrown dagger from the off-hand.The main
  weapon does no damage.The thrown dagger
  does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
  Furthermore, the defender is considered flanked
  against the dagger attack for purposes of AC.
  The Scorpion’s Sting Difficulty: Difficult (-6)
  This move can only be made by a character
  who is flanked by two or more foes.The attack-
  er feigns an attack on one foe, then thrusts
  behind him at the foe to his rear ,sliding his main
  weapon beneath his left armpit. In addition to
  normal damage, the defender is dazed for one
  round.
  The Scythe Difficulty:Very Difficult (-8)
  The attacker crouches and swings in an arc at
  the defender’s legs.The defender must make a
  Jump check at a DC of 18, or receives a leg
  wound that reduces his Dexterity by 1d6 points
  until healed, in addition to normal damage.
  Introducing New Moves to your
  Campaign
  New fencing moves can be introduced to the
  campaign in several ways . A character may dis-
  cover a scroll or manuscript describing a lost or
  secret move. An old master may be encoun-
  tered, who teaches a PC a patented move as a
  reward, or perhaps in exchange for money.
  Sadistic DMs may introduce NPC friends or foes
  who seem to be able to do things the PCs can’t.
  Or, a character may invent his own move.The
  player should write down what the move is, give
  it a name, and then let the DM decide if it
  should be allowed and what the difficulty level is.
  The player’s PC must then spend 1d6 weeks of
  game time in the fencing studio perfecting the
  move before trying it out on his unsuspecting
  foes!
  Combat 161
  
  bonus to AC remains. More significant, the wielder gets a +2 to attack rolls due to the added
  control afforded by the half-sword grip. Changing back to full sword grip is a free action.
  Polearm Combat
  Like the greatsword, the polearm is associated with a unique martial art, one that takes
  advantage of the weapon’s size for purposes of attack and defense. Entire manuals are devot-
  ed to the finer points of polearm combat. Halberds and other poleaxes are by far the most
  popular weapon for polearm fighters, with glaives, guisarmes, and ranseurs a distant second.
  Regional favorites include the Lochaber and Jedburg axes of Scotland, the Welsh hook, and
  the berdiche, popular in Russia, especially among the Cossacks.
  Double Weapon Status
  Characters with the Polearm feat may treat any polearm as a double weapon, using not only
  the head but the butt-end of the weapon. The butt-end inflicts 1d6 bludgeoning damage,
  with a critical range of 20/x2. Using a polearm as a double weapon incurs normal penalties
  for fighting with two weapons, as described in the D&D PHB, as if you were using a one-
  handed weapon and a light weapon.
  Polearm Bonus to AC
  Characters with the Polearm feat get a miscellaneous AC bonus against melee attacks when
  wielding a polearm. The bonus is determined by how many levels the character has gained
  since receiving the Polearm feat, using the Fencing Weapon Bonus table above. The bonus
  applies to attacks by Medium and Large melee weapons; polearms are too slow to give this
  bonus against Tiny or Small weapons.
  Close Attack Grip
  Normally, polearms can only be used against foes 10 feet away, due to the length of the haft.
  As a free action, a character with the Polearm feat can shift their grip to bring the head of the
  weapon much closer to their body, allowing attacks against adjacent foes. To use a close
  attack grip, the 5’ square behind you, opposite the attacker, must be unoccupied, so that you
  have room for the butt-end of the haft. While held in close attack grip, a polearm becomes a
  Large weapon, 1d8 piercing damage, critical x3.
  Improved Trip Ability
  Characters with the Polearm feat gain the Improved Trip feat when using a polearm. See the
  Feats chapter of the D&D Player’s Handbook for more information.
  Optional Rule: Fencing Stances
  Different fencing manuals argued for varying lev-
  els of caution and risk during sword combat.You
  may want to give your players the tactical option
  of choosing a particular fencing stance each
  round, with associated modifiers to attack, dam-
  age, and AC. Here are some possible fencing
  stances:
  Giganti Alfieri (Cautious)
  Attack -2,AC +2
  A cautious approach.The fencer places more
  weight on the rear leg, leaning away from her
  opponent, right foot in front.The left hand is
  held by the left ear, to deflect blows to the face.
  Agrippa (Neutral)
  no modifier to attack or AC
  A neutral stance, with body slightly bent, square-
  ly facing the opponent. Fencers who do not
  choose a stance are considered to be standing
  according to Agrippa.
  Capo Ferro (Risky)
  Attack +2,AC -2
  A more risky stance, with more weight placed
  on the forward leg, ready for a sudden lunge or
  riposte.
  Meyer (Strength over Speed)
  AC +1, Damage +1,Attack-2
  Especially suitable for broadsword combat, this
  stance engages the fencer’s strength in wide
  swings and checks. In defense, the blade is held
  over the head, sometimes with one hand grasp-
  ing the blade.
  Note: these stances do stack with the feats
  Expertise and Power Attack. Also, I apologize to
  students of fencing who may notice that I have
  greatly simplified the teachings of the above
  masters in the interests of finding some excuse
  to include their names in play.
  162 Combat 
  
  Specialized Styles: Cloak, Lantern
  Cloak
  Characters with the Cloak feat can use a cloak in their off-hand (or main hand, if unarmed),
  to blind, confuse, or disarm a foe. A standard cloak is a square of heavy cloth about 3’ x 4’,
  but a blanket, sheet, curtain or tablecloth can also serve. Removing a cloak one is wearing to
  use for combat is a move equivalent action that can be done one-handed.
  Cloak-Blind
  Instead of making an off-hand attack, a character with the Cloak feat may blind an opponent
  by throwing a cloak over their head. The target must be within 10’. Make an attack roll as
  normal, using your melee attack bonus if the target is 5’ away, or your ranged attack bonus if
  the target is 10’ away. The defender does not get their armor, shield, or natural armor AC
  bonus against a cloak-blind, because the intent is not to penetrate their armor. Dexterity,
  size modifier, and miscellaneous AC bonuses do apply. If successful, the defender is effec-
  tively blind (see Concealment in the Combat chapter of the D&D Player’s Handbook) until
  the cloak is removed, either by the defender or another person. Removing a cloak is a move-
  equivalent action. 
  Attacks made against a cloak-blinded defender get a +2 bonus, and the defender loses any
  Dexterity bonus to AC. If within 5’, the attacker may hold on to a corner of the cloak while
  attacking the subject of a cloak-blind, and may remove the cloak in lieu of an off-hand attack,
  or as a move-equivalent action.
  Small size and smaller opponents are completely covered by a cloak-blind rather than simply
  blinded. Escaping requires an Escape Artist check at DC 20 (a full-round action).
  Muffle
  Instead of making an off-hand attack, a character with the Cloak feat can muffle an oppo-
  nent’s weapon in a cloak and render it harmless. Only Medium and smaller weapons are
  affected. The attacker and defender make opposed attack rolls, with a +4 bonus to the
  defender if they are using the weapon two-handed. If the defender loses, their weapon is
  muffled in the cloak, and cannot be used until the defender either makes a successful Escape
  Artist check at DC 18, or wins an opposed Strength roll against the holder of the cloak in
  lieu of an attack with his main weapon. 
  Flourish
  Instead of making an off-hand attack, a character with the Cloak feat can swirl a cloak to baf-
  fle a single Medium size or smaller opponent within 5’. The target must make a Will save at a
  DC equal to 10 + the attacker’s melee attack bonus. Failure means that the opponent can
  take no action during their next round, although attackers receive no special advantage
  Combat 163
  
  against them.
  Great Flourish
  As a full-round action, a character with the Cloak feat can sweep the cloak in an arc between
  the 5’ square adjacent to his left flank and the 5’ square adjacent to his right. Any Medium
  size or smaller opponents within the five squares covered by the flourish must make a Will
  save at a DC equal to 10 + the attacker’s melee attack bonus. Failure to save means that the
  defender can take no action during their next round, although attackers receive no special
  advantage against them.
  Lantern
  Characters with the Lantern feat can use a combat lantern to confuse and dazzle their oppo-
  nents. Entire treatises have been devoted to the science of this unique fighting style, which is
  for obvious reasons only effective in dim or dark conditions.
  The Combat Lantern 
  A combat lantern is heavier and sturdier than a standard lantern. It costs 30 gp, and weighs
  4 pounds. If used as a shield, a combat lantern gives a shield AC bonus of +1. It has a
  Hardness of 5, 5 hit points, and a Break DC of 20. It burns for 6 hours on a pint of oil, dimly
  illuminating a 5’ radius circle when shuttered. The shutter remains closed until opened by
  squeezing a lever in the handle, emitting a cone of bright light with a length of 40 feet and a
  base of 20 feet.
  Confuse
  As a move-equivalent action, a character with the Lantern feat can brandish a combat lantern
  to create distracting shadows around themselves, making themselves harder to hit. A Will
  save negates the effects, with a DC of 10 in moderate darkness, DC 15 in near total dark-
  ness, and DC 20 in total darkness. If the save fails, the holder of the lantern receives a con-
  cealment bonus for the next round, giving all opponents a 10% chance of missing in condi-
  tions of moderate darkness, 20% in near total darkness, and 30% in total darkness.
  Dazzle
  As an off-hand attack, a character with the Lantern feat can dazzle an foe by briefly snapping
  open the shutter of their lantern in the face of a single opponent within 15’. This is a ranged
  attack, but does not provoke an attack of opportunity. A Fortitude save negates the effects of
  the dazzle, with a DC of 10 in moderate darkness, DC 15 in near total darkness, and DC 20
  in total darkness. A target who fails to save suffers a -2 to attack and Spot checks for one
  minute.
  Explosives
  164 Combat
  
  Grenades
  Grenades are made of sheet metal, stuffed with gunpowder and sporting a rope fuze that
  must be lighted from a slow-match before throwing. They are often used in sieges and board-
  ing actions, but seldom in field actions. Typically, they are carried in satchels of no more
  than four grenades. They have the following characteristics:
  Damage
  Damage
  Range
  Cost
  (Direct Hit)
  (within 5’)
  Increment
  Weight
  1 gp
  3d6
  1d6
  10 ft.
  2 pounds
  Lighting a grenade is a full-round action. It requires a Dexterity check at DC 3. If the check
  succeeds, the grenade will detonate at the end of the wielder’s next round of action. Failure
  (including any roll of 1) means that the fuze is lit too close to to the grenade, and will
  explode immediately unless the thrower makes a second Dexterity check at DC 10 and
  snuffs it out.
  Grenades are subject to the same misfire chances as matchlock guns, with the same vulnera-
  bility to weather conditions. When the attack roll is made, a misfire result indicates that the
  fuze has gone out in flight. Such grenades can be relit according to the rules above.
  Gunpowder Kegs
  Gunpowder is a low explosive, meaning that it explodes by simply burning very rapidly, with-
  out creating the shattering impact of a high explosive. It is also an insensitive explosive,
  meaning that it cannot be easily detonated through jarring or impact. A spark or flame, how-
  ever, will ignite dry powder easily. In bulk, gunpowder has the following characteristics:
  Cost
  Damage
  Damage
  Damage
  (5 lb. keg)
  (Direct Hit)
  (within 5’)
  (within 10’)
  5 gp
  5d6
  3 d6
  1d6
  As many as 30 kegs may be stacked in a single 5’ area. For each keg above one, add 1d6 to
  the direct hit damage. For the blast area, consult the following table:
  Table: Gunpowder Blast Area
  Kegs
  Direct Hit
  3d6 Damage
  1d6 Damage
  1-5
  5’ x 5’
  15’ x 15’
  25’ x 25’
  6-10
  15’ x 15’
  25’ x 25’
  35’ x 35’
  11-20
  25’ x 25’
  35’ x 35’
  45’ x 45’
  21-30
  35’ x 35’
  45’ x 45’
  55’ x 55’
  For keg piles with a larger area than 5’, overlap the blast areas, adding 1d6 damage to over-
  lapping 3d6 and 4d6 areas. A keg pile taller than 5’, for example, a 10’ pit filled with kegs,
  will increase the direct hit damage by 1d6 for each keg over 30, but will not increase the area
  Unusual Weapons:
  Grenade Launchers
  Grenade launchers were indeed toyed with in
  the late1600s, taking the form of a tiny mortar
  on a rifle stock.This “hand mortar” had its own
  powder charge and gunlock, which were readied
  before loading the bore with a live grenade,
  probably by a second man assigned as a loader.
  The firer had only seconds to fire before the
  grenade exploded; a misfire or mistiming could
  be fatal. Often the gunstock had a folding metal
  rod which could be planted in the ground to
  steady the piece for firing. One model was a
  combination musket and grenade launcher, with
  a rear-facing mortal barrel serving as the butt of
  the gunstock!
  If you want to make grenade laumchers available
  in your campaign, you can give them the follow-
  ing stats:
  Snaphance Hand Mortar
  Cost: 90 gp
  Size: Large
  Range Increment: 30 ft
  Maximum Range: 300 ft
  Damage: as grenade (3d6/2d6/1d6)
  Loading Schedule:
  1
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  2
  Load Grenade (full-round action)
  3
  Fire (standard action)
  The loading schedule assumes a lit grenade is at
  hand. Note that a misfire result applies only to
  the gunlock, not to the grenade itself. In case of
  misfire, the firer may attempt to snuff out the
  grenade with a Dexterity check at DC 10.
  Wall Guns
  Wall guns, also called rampart guns, arquebuses a
  croc, or amusettes, were essentially huge smooth-
  bore matchlocks or snaphances fired from a
  swivel mount or rested against the top of a bat-
  tlement.They had a caliber of 1-inch or more,
  with an overall length of at least six feet. More
  portable than cannon, wall guns were often used
  to defend hastily built forts, or to pick off indi-
  vidual attackers during a siege.
  A typical wall gun might have the following stats:
  Snaphance Wall Gun
  Cost: 150 gp
  Size: Huge
  Range Increment: 80 ft
  Maximum Range: 800 ft
  Damage: 2d12, critical 17-20/x2
  Loading Schedule:
  1
  Dismount (full-round action)
  2
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  3
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  4
  Mount (full-round action)
  5
  Fire (standard action)
  Combat 165
  
  of the 3d6 and 1d6 zones.
  Gunpowder Damage to Living Targets and Structures
  Damage from gunpowder blasts can be applied to both people and structures in the area of
  effect. A Fortitude save at a DC equal to 5 + 1 for each 1d6 of damage will reduce the dam-
  age to 1/2. Prone characters receive 1/2 damage, unless they are in the direct hit area.
  Characters who Spot or are otherwise warned of an impending blast may “hit the deck” just
  in time if they make a successful Reflex save at DC 15.
  Craters from Gunpowder Blasts
  A gunpowder blast in soft earth, sand, or gravel will create a crater equal in size to the direct
  hit zone, with a depth equal to 1/3 its width. An underground blast will cause a collapse of
  the ground above it of the same size as an ordinary crater, to a depth of 1/4 its width.
  Earthen, stone or wooden walls above such a collapse will fail, as long as the collapsed area is
  at least as wide as the wall’s thickness.
  Fougasses
  A fougasse is a fixed defense used in fortifications against attacking troops. It is built within
  a trench with walls sloping toward the enemy. The bottom of the trench is filled with gun-
  powder, and covered with stones, gravel, and earth. When detonated by rope fuze, the pow-
  der explosion hurls the debris outward in a huge cone, pummelling the enemy with stones
  and earth. A standard fougasse is 10 feet long and 5 feet deep when empty. It is filled with 16
  powder kegs (80 pounds of gunpowder) and 5 tons of rocks. When detonated, it creates a
  400’ cone 10’ wide at the source and 300’ wide at the end. All targets within the cone take
  1d8 damage.
  166 Combat
  
  Gazetteer,
  being a description of the divers lands comprising the
  setting of the game.
  How to Use this Chapter
  This chapter is for DMs only; it contains information about encounters, places, and adven-
  tures that players should not be privy to. It is arranged as a key to the Atlas of
  Septentrionalis, including a description of each named area, notes about important features
  within the area, and adventure ideas. 
  The entries in this Gazetteer correspond to the areas shown on the schematic maps in the
  Atlas. The schematic maps  allow point-to-point movement of characters from one area to the
  next, along either a land route, a river, or body of water. Each area is indicated by a star on
  the map; the routes are shown as lines connecting the areas. As DM, you can use the
  schematic maps as a flowchart, to determine how characters get from one area to the next,
  giving them choices at each intersection. Treat each area as though it were a room in a stan-
  dard dungeon adventure, with its own description, occupants, challenges, and exits, as
  described in its own capsule description in the Gazetteer. The capsule description includes:
  •an “in the distance” description of the area, giving the players a distant glimpse of the area
  from adjacent areas. Read this description to the players when their characters are within one
  day’s journey of the area.
  •a full description, to be read to the players when they reach the area itself. The full descrip-
  tion describes the general look and feel of the area, without getting into details about specif-
  ic features or characters.
  •DM’s background information, detailing the key NPCs and locations within the area. This
  tells you what is going on in this part of the campaign world: the political situation, the major
  players, and other things the PCs won’t learn unless they  explore the area and meet the local
  NPCs.
  •notes for the DM about local hazards, fortifications, population level, and other helpful
  information too specific to be included in the background information. Often, additional
  notes will be found in a sidebar nearby, showing stat blocks for NPCs, unique creatures and
  other handy information.
  •adventure ideas in case you want to use this area as the setting of an adventure, rather than
  just a place the characters have to traverse on their way to somewhere else.
  WARNING:Work in Progess!
  The Gazetteer of Septentrionalis is a huge proj-
  ect, and will take many months to complete.
  Until a complete version of the Gazeteer is
  available, some capsule descriptions will be limit-
  ed to a one- or two-sentence description. Even
  so, you will still find dozens of complete capsule
  descriptions in this early version.
  
  Ab’naki
  Ab’naki country is occupied by an Algonkian people of the same name. They are more
  dependent on hunting and foraging than their more settled neighbors to the south, and have
  little contact with Europeans, except for Vinlander raiders, whom they fear and despise. The
  land itself is dominated by south-running rivers, the great Ab’naki Lake, and low glacier-
  scoured hills.
  Abitibi
  The Abitibi subgroup of the great Cree culture occupy a broad area of the northern forest.
  They live by hunting and trapping, in the sub-arctic manner.
  Adirondacs
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  You see a wide forested upland of long ridges and deep vales.
  Full Description:
  You enter a broad upland of forested mountains, with occasional higher peaks bare and
  rocky. Between the mountains are narrow vales, some forested, some filled with open mead-
  ows, and others filled with treacherous bogs and flooded forests of swamp maple and other
  hardwoods. Occasionally, you encounter a narrow, dark blue mountain lake or pond.
  DM’s Background Information:
  The Adirondacs form a broad, jumbled upland north of the Mohawk Vale. They support no
  permanent settlements, offering few opportunities for growing crops. Only hunters,
  shamans, and explorers visit them with any frequency.
  Notes:
  •North of the Adirondacs are the High Adirondacs (see separate entry for this region). 
  Agamenticus
  -see Piscataqua
  Alabama
  The Alabama are part of the great Southern native culture which spreads from the Espiritu
  Santo River to La Florida. They dwell along the upper Escambia River in fixed settlements.
  Algonkins
  The Algonkins, a people related to the Ojibwa nation,  occupy the lower vale of the Ottawa
  River. They have extensive trade dealings with the French, who use the river as a trade route
  for penetration of the interior.
  Algonquins, Les
  Les Algonquins are a cluster of highlands and hills clad in pine forests. They are thinly set-
  tled, due to the rugged terrain.
  Alleganies
  176 Gazetteer 
  
  The Alleganie mountains run for hundreds of miles in hog-backed, parallel ridges separating
  narrow vales. They offer an extremely rugged terrain to east-west travel, and have impeded
  mass settlement of the lands to the west by European settlers.
  Allegashe, The
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A vast lowland area drained by winding channels and rivers.
  Full Description:
  You enter a vast swath of wetlands comprised of treacherous bogs, twisting streams and
  rivers, and isolated stands of tall pines. Clouds of black flies lie in wait for any warm-blooded
  prey that ventures near. The lonely cry of loons and the distant bellowing of moose occasion-
  ally break the stillness. Over all blows a cold wind from the surrounding mountains. 
  DM’s Background Information:
  The Allegashe is a wild, little-travelled wilderness, seldom visited even by Algonkians. It
  forms an effective barrier between Nouvelle France and the valleys of the Kennebecke and
  P’nobscot. The spirit of the wild is strong here; the land itself reacts with malice to human
  intruders, unless they are marked as friends of the manito. Chilling mists rise from the
  ground at night; solid ground can suddenly become a quaking, grasping bog. Rivercourses
  can change from day to day, always steering characters back into the heart of the wilderness
  if they seek to escape, or blocking entry if they are trying to penetrate the interior.
  Notes:
  •The Allegashe is home to a powerful manito named Moos-soogit, who protects the area’s
  wild creatures, especially its moose and caribou. His chief concern is keeping humans out of
  his domain, especially hunters and trappers. He travels with a bodyguard of 1 spirit moose
  and 1d6 ordinary bull moose, appearing when his animals are threatened or disturbed, but at
  other times he prefers to graze quietly in the most remote areas of the Allegashe. He has an
  uneasy peace with Pomola, Manito of K’tahdin, and has an especial dislike of his followers.
  Moos-soogit can speak Algonkian and the languages of all wetland animals. See the sidebar
  for more information about Moos-soogit’s powers.
  •The moose here are enormous in size, and spirit-moose are common (see the Beasts of
  Septentrionalis chapter).
  Adventure Ideas:
  •Only great need or great foolishness could drive characters into the Allegashe. Unless on a
  special mission from a great pawwaw or another lawful neutral manito, Moos-soogit’s
  response will be hostile.
  •Evil NPCs might enter the Allegashe to hunt game; the PCs could pursue them with the
  aim of thwarting them.
  Moos-soogit, Manito of the Allegashe
  Large Outsider; CR 12; AL LN
  Hit Dice 12d8+60 (114 hp) ; initiative +8; speed 40 ft/Swim 30 ft
  AC 18 (+4 Dex, -1 size, +5 natural)
  Attacks:
  antlers +18 melee, 2d6+6 damage
  2 hooves +13 melee 1d8+3 damage
  Gazetteer 177
  
  Face/Reach: 5ft. by 10 ft./5ft.
  Special Attacks:Trample 2d8+3, bellow
  Special Qualities:Tremorsense 30’, Scent, Damage Reduction 5/+1
  Saves: Fort +15/Ref +12/Will +14
  Str 22 Dex 18 Con 21 Int 12  Wis 22 Cha 16
  Selected Skills: Animal Empathy +10, Concentration +11,, Handle Animal +15, Heal +13, Intuit
  Direction +13, Knowledge (Nature) +15,Wilderness Lore +15.
  Feats: Improved Initiative, Endurance, Great Fortitude,Track, nature sense, woodland stride, track-
  less step, resist nature’s lure, wild shape 2/day
  Special Qualities: Wildheart: has spell and class abilities of a 6th level druid. Darkvision 60’.
  Spells per Day: 5/5/5/3. Base Save DC:22
  Description: Moos-soogit appears as an enormous reddish-brown moose with massive antlers.
  Combat:
  Moos-soogit prefers to catch his enemies while they are mired in soft ground, or while crossing
  open water. He often overturns boats with his antlers, then attacks the passengers in the water.
  On dry ground, he charges and tramples, while his bodyguard of moose keep his prey from
  escaping. Often, he uses his druid powers to entangle his enemies before he attacks.
  Bellow (Ex): Every 1d4 rounds, Moos-soogit can let out a thunderous bellow that affects all ene-
  mies within 30’. All affected must make a Fortitude save at DC 15 or be shaken for the duration
  of the encounter.
  Trample (Ex): Moos-soogit can trample Medium or smaller opponents for 2d8+3 points of dam-
  age.
  Amoskeag
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A broad, shallow river valley flows through a landscape of densely forested hills.
  Full Description:
  You enter a broad, gently sloping river valley, sculpted by a wide yet shallow river with many
  shoals of rounded boulders, and fringed by muddy, willow-clad banks. The valley is fertile,
  supporting many Algonkian villages, where corn, beans, and squash are grown. Local folk
  seem generally friendly, eager to exchange goods and news.
  DM’s Background Information:
  Amoskeag comprises the valley of the Merimacke River between its tidal mouth and its cold,
  high sources in the White Hills. It is the heartland of the Penacook nation, for whom the
  river is a highway and source of food, in the form of fish, turtles, and waterfowl. The greater
  sachem Passaconnawaw rules here, from his winter court at the Falls of Amoskeag. The falls
  themselves are a series of drops totalling about 25 feet. They can only be passed via portage
  through the nearby Penacook settlement, making Amoskeag a natural administrative center.
  Notes:
  •For information about Passaconnawaw, see the gazetteer entry for Pawtucket. 
  •The friendliness of the local inhabitants belies an uneasiness and wariness over incursions
  from the north by coureur and Algonkin raiders in the pay of Nouvelle France, who trek into
  the area from the north to raze villages and take captives. The raids are part of a strategy to
  weaken the Penacook, who provide a barrier to southward expansion by the French into the
  lands of the Commonwealth and the hated Witchlings.
  Adventure Ideas:
  •Characters could be sent to Amoskeag to counter the French raiders. They themselves
  178 Gazetteer
  
  might even be captured by raiders and dragged off to the dungeons of Quebec, to await
  transport to the plantations of D’Orleans.
  •Amoskeag might be the starting point of a great chase, with PCs following an escaping
  raiding party returning to Nouvelle France with captives and plunder. The route would likely
  lead through Great Notch, over the White Hills, and so to Trois Rivieres.
  •If Passaconnawaw is holding court in Amoskeag, he might be the object of a diplomatic
  mission by PCs from the Commonwealth or Naumkeag.
  Apalachee
  The Apalachee, like their neighbors the Alabama, are part of the Southern culture of native
  groups. They have closer ties to the Espaniards than some of the more remote nations, hop-
  ing to find allies against the encroaching French.
  Appalachi Mts.
  The Appalachi Mountains form the southern terminus of the great mountain chain that runs
  parallel to the eastern seaboard from the far north to the warm south. Although more tem-
  perate than the northern peaks, they still present formidable barriers to travel.
  Ascutney
  The upper vale of the Neticut is a narrow but fertile region flanked by hills and mountains on
  both sides. Rising dramatically from the midst of this narrow vale, on the western bank of the
  river, is a lone mountain which gives its name to the entire region. Ascutney is bitterly con-
  tested by both the Pocumtuks to the south and homesteaders from the Republic of Vermont
  to the west.
  Attawapiskat
  The lands of the Attawapiskat, a sub-group of the great Cree cultural area, are a mix of sub-
  arctic conifer forest and open wetlands, crossed by great herds of elk.
  Attikamer
  The Attikamer Cree occupy a land of thousands of small lakes, linked by streams and
  portageways. The Attikamer are hunters, rather than farmers, traversing a huge area in
  search of game.
  Bahamia
  Bahamia is an archipelago of low, sandy-shored islands and keys, covered with tropical vege-
  tation. It is a notorious haunt of the buccaneers, with many hidden coves and secluded
  shores where pirates can careen and refit their ships without fear of the Espaniard fleet.
  Baye des Hurons
  The Baye des Hurons is a relatively sheltered arm of Mer Douce, separated from the rest of
  the lake by the narrow Petun peninsula.
  Baye des Puans
  The long, narrow Baye des Puans thrusts southwestward from the northern reaches of Lac
  des Illinois towards the forested lands of the Winnebago. 
  Gazetteer 179
  
  Beothuk
  Beothuk, called “the land God gave to Cain” by the French, is a subarctic landscape of shal-
  low, stony rivers, rocky fields, and stunted fir trees. The Beothuk are a nation of hunters and
  fishers, determined enemies of the Vinlanders, who sometimes raid Beothuk for captives.
  Bermuda
  The treacherous isle of Bermuda is ringed by coral reefs passable only by a few well-hidden
  deep-water gaps. Seldom reached successfully, it is said to be the lair of the hermit wizard
  Prospero, formerly Duke of Milan, and considered to be among the greatest magi of the age.
  Biloxi
  The coastal lowlands of Biloxi are occupied by cypress swamps, navigable by small boat but
  difficult to cross on foot. 
  Blue Hills
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A range of dark, wooded hills rising nearly 1000’ above the surrounding terrain. From a dis-
  tance, they seem to take on a deep, shadowy blue color, especially at dawn and dusk.
  Full Description:
  You ascend a range of tall, wooded hills with rounded tops, rising about 1000’ feet above the
  surrounding terrain. Their slopes are strewn with massive boulders, and the saddles between
  their summits conceal rocky ravines and small ponds. Views from the upper slopes and sum-
  mits include the ocean to the E, and vast forests to the W and S. 
  DM’s Background Information:
  The Blue Hills are a wild and lonely region, not often visited by either Commonwealthers or
  Algonkians, although occasionally visited to obtain flint and other minerals.
  Blue Ridge
  A long, nearly unbroken range of low mountains separating the Republic of Sophia from the
  Renegado Vale. The ridge forms an effective barrier to cart traffic, although it may be
  crossed on foot. It has been the site of frequent skirmishes between Sophians and Gael
  raiders, who cross the mountains to steal cattle from outlying Sophian settlements.
  Boston
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A great bay dotted with islands, surrounded by low hills, dotted with settlements, and featur-
  ing a large city.
  Full Description:
  A ring of low, maple-clad hills, enclosing a great bay, dotted with a dozen or more islands.
  The land is a mix of woodlots, rocky outcrops, and farmsteads connected by good roads. At
  the edge of the bay, upon a hilly peninsula connected to the mainland by a narrow neck, is a
  large city of houses and church spires, with a busy harbor and evidence of fortification.
  Separated from the city by a narrow tidal river is a smaller settlement, featuring a quadrangle
  of handsome brick buildings.
  180 Gazetteer
  
  DM’s Background Information:
  The city on the peninsula, is, of course Boston. The smaller settlement is the College. Refer
  to the Spectral Boston campaign setting for very detailed information about the area.
  Adventures:
  See the Spectral Boston campaign setting.
  Camden
  A recently established Carolingian settlement at the ford of the Santee, between Castle
  James and Henrietta. Camden is accessible by river from the capital of Charles Town, mak-
  ing it a popular trade route to the interior.
  Campbelltown
  Seat of the Earldom of Campbell. A river town, dominated by the vast estates of the Earl,
  called Chiraw House, after the river which flows past its banks.
  Cape Hatteras
  A treacherous shore of barrier islands thrust out into the Atlantic along the coast of
  Carolingia. The cape is a ships’ graveyard, as well as a gathering place for pirates. The
  islands are sparsely populated by a mix of fishermen, coastal pirates, and outlaws.
  Carillon
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  You see narrow waterway between two large lakes dominated by a hilltop fortress.
  Full Description:
  You enter a shallow, winding river valley between two large lakes, one to the south, one to
  the north, tucked within a range of steep, forested hills. Built upon a strategically placed
  height, brooding over the valley is a large fortress flying the French flag.
  DM’s Background Information:
  The fortress of Carillon controls a key passage between Willems Zee to the south and Lac
  Champlain to the north along the great north-south water route between Nieu Amsterdam
  and Nouvelle France. The French have constructed the fortress at great expense to prevent
  Nederlander expansion to the north, and to facilitate French military movements to the
  south. It is considered a prize by all the regional powers, including the Vermonters, who
  would dearly love to consolidate their hold in the Champlain area. The Vermont navy often
  harasses French shipping on Lac Champlain to make it as costly for the French as possible to
  maintain Carillon.
  Notes:
  •Carillon is built on a hilltop along a rectangular plan, with corner bastions, a stone block-
  house, and numerous fixed defenses outside its walls.  Its battlements sport 24 32-pound
  cannon, with numerous smaller artillery and mortars, manned by about 200 soldiers. It is
  nearly impregnable to direct assault, but is vulnerable to a siege or to infiltration by a very
  small force using stealth or the cover of darkness. It could also be shelled from above, if can-
  non could somehow be placed on the summit of a nearby mountain which is somewhat high-
  Gazetteer 181
  
  er than the fort, but French engineers are confident that such a thing could never be accom-
  plished.
  •The commandant of Carillon is Capitaine Beaumont (Aristocrat4/Ftr 4), a nobleman with
  keen intellect but little battle experience. He runs the fort efficiently, but often fails to learn
  from experience, trusting instead to theory learned from military texts.
  Adventure Ideas:
  •A secret mission to infiltrate the fort and capture it might make the centerpiece of an
  action-oriented adventure. Or perhaps PCs could attempt to rescue a captured spy, or steal
  the enemy’s war plans. Merely trying to sneak past Carillon without capture might be an
  adventure, with the possibility of capture or attack by the French defenders.
  Castle Beversrede
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  You see a deep river valley flowing through a forested landscape, running north to south.
  Full Description:
  Upon an island in a lazy river flowing slowly southward out of a wooded valley stands a squat
  fortress with rounded bastions, flying the Swedish flag. South of the castle, numerous farm-
  steads line the river on both sides, and a tow path allows barges to be hauled upstream.
  DM’s Background Information:
  Castle Beversrede is the northernmost outpost of the colony of New Sweden, staking a claim
  to the Vale of the Delaware. It protects Swedish settlements in the lower valley, and could
  serve as a staging area for attacks against the Nederlanders to the north. Any traffic passing
  by the castle is subject to search and to payment of tolls. The settlements themselves are
  riverside farmsteads and dairies, who produce food for the city of Cristina downriver.
  The castle supports a small village on the east bank of the river nearby. The village, also
  named Beversrede, attracts a population of rivermen and teamsters, very rough and tumble.
  Its single tavern is called the Two Oxen.
  Notes:
  •Beversrede is small by military standards, with only 8 cannon and a garrison of 50 men. It
  is commanded by Colonel Berg, of the Swedish Royal Army.
  Adventure Ideas:
  •This is a relatively sleepy area of settlement, but raids by Delaware warriors on farmsteads
  and occasional piracy by rivermen might make the basis of an adventure.
  Castle Frontenac
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  At the edge of a great archipelago, opening on to a large inland sea, stands a sturdy island
  fortress.
  Full Description:
  You see the eastern edge of a vast inland lake, which meets a narrow waterway dotted with
  hundreds of wooded and rocky islands, islets, and rocks. At the entrance to the narrows,
  upon a high-sided island, stands a fortress dominating the approaches between lake and
  182 Gazetteer
  
  waterway. The flag of France flies on the battlements, and the thick walls support several
  cannon. By the water’s edge is a small landing area with one sailing vessel and many trading
  canoes.
  DM’s Background Information:
  Castle Frontenac, named for the royal governeur of Nouvelle France, serves as both a trading
  post and fortress. It is strategically placed at the headwaters of the Riviere du Canada, which
  connects the interior with the coast. Its mission is to give aid to coureurs trading with the
  nations of the west for furs, to patrol the eastern half of Lac Ontario, and to guard French
  possessions against attack by the Irroquois League or other enemies. 
  Notes:
  •The Castle is built in a square, with bastions at each corner. It is supplied with a garrison
  of 60 musketeers and gunners, with a further 100 servants, administrators, and laborers.
  The 15’ high, 6’ thick walls of the fort boast 8 32-pound demi-cannon, four of which can be
  brought to bear against any single target. In the courtyard is a single 8” howitzer. One wall
  of the fort is taken up by a two-storey stone blockhouse, containing a barracks, armory,
  kitchen, offices, storehouses, and jail.
  •The commandant of the Castle is Capitaine Vaudreil (Ftr 7). He is a competent, but not
  overly enthusiastic leader. He is particularly indulgent of his own troops, with the aim of
  keeping them happy and well-cared for, knowing the danger of mutiny in this far outpost.
  Discipline is not what it could be, with drunkenness being the most common infraction.
  •Vaudreil has two small warships under his command: the sloops L’ Ontario and L’Amie.
  Each sloop has a crew of 30 sailors, and is armed with four 4-pounder sakers. Generally,
  only one is in port at any given time, while the other is on patrol within 30 miles or so of the
  Castle.
  Adventure Ideas:
  •The annual arrival of the voyageurs from the west, laden with furs, is the highlight of the
  Castle’s year. As many as 300 coureurs may stop at the fortress to rest and refit briefly
  before the final push to Quebec to sell their cargo. PCs arriving at the same time may find a
  rowdy, lawless encampment outside the fortress walls, where not even the guards dare to go. 
  Castle James
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  Within a bend of a slow-moving river lies a fortified town.
  Full Description:
  Encircled by a bend in a lazy, muddy-brown river is a small town protected by a defensive
  wall, mostly of stone, but with only a wooden pallisade standing in certain sections . A road
  leads out of town to the east. The flag of Carolingia flies above the town.
  DM’s Background Information:
  Castle James, named for Charles II’s brother, is the principal outpost of Carolingia’s south-
  ern frontier, called the Ogechee Marches. Facing the forces of New Spain and their native
  allies across a wilderness of sandy pine forests and sucking swamps, the Castle provides a
  base for frontier patrols and raids, and houses a garrison of soldiers poised to counter
  Espaniard attacks. Nominally commanded by James himself, in practice, the Castle is com-
  Gazetteer 183
  
  manded by the Warden of the Ogechee Marshes, a not-very-prestigious position currently
  given to a younger son of the Earl of Campbell.
  Notes:
  •The garrison here includes 200 musketeers and gunners, and a squadron of 100 dragoons
  well suited for overland raids.
  •The town has a reputation as a miasma-ridden hellhole, the least attractive posting in
  Carolingia, replete with mosquitoes, hostile natives, and alligators.
  Adventure Ideas:
  •Castle James is a good jumping-off point for adventures on the Ogeechie Marches and
  beyond. PCs could be recruited for a raid, as scouts, spies, or surveyors, or they could them-
  selves encounter Espaniard spies hidden among the populace.
  Castle Massanuten
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  Upon the downstream end of a long, rocky spine that runs along the floor of the Renegado
  Vale, lies a high fortress commanding the surrounding valley floor.
  Full Description:
  You approach a formidable fortified town built at the NE end of a rocky ridge that runs along
  the valley floor parallel to the river, which splits in two to flow around the town. Strong walls
  surround the base of the rock, which is reachable only by a narrow bridge across the river.
  Dozens of sturdy townhouses are crowded within the walls, along steep, winding streets. At
  the summit of the rock is a commanding castle, tall, vertical, with round turrets at the cor-
  ners and a peaked, houselike roof of slate. The bottomlands around the town are filled with
  fields of grain and orchards, while the valley slopes are dotted with herds of shaggy, long-
  horned cattle.
  DM’s Background Information:
  Castle Massanuten is the seat of the High Laird of the Renegado Vale. This title is given to
  the laird of whichever Gael clan is dominant in the Vale at the moment. Currently, it is The
  MacDonald, as he is known. As High Laird, he has the authority to summon a meeting of the
  clans to pay homage to him, to muster them for war against foreign enemies, and to mete out
  justice to other lairds and their followers for high crimes such as cattle theft or treason. The
  town itself is peopled by folk of many clans, who work as artisans and traders, supporting the
  High Laird and producing goods for export to Sophia.
  Notes:
  •Notable features of the town include a distillery, where the potent whiskey called Golden
  Renegado is made, an attached tavern run by the distillery, and a small Calvinist church,
  whose minister is loyal to The MacDonald.
  •The MacDonald’s household includes 200 family members and 50 servants. Among his
  family are perhaps 50 warriors. He also maintains a group of 10 loyal retainers, all fighters.
  They fight in the Gael manner, with broadsword and target shield, which a brace of pistols
  for good measure, or else a great claymore.
  Adventure Ideas:
  184 Gazetteer
  
  •Characters travelling up the Renegado Vale will be welcome in the town, if they come to
  trade or offer their services to The High Laird. Out of sight of the town, however, especially
  away from the river, they are vulnerable to robbery or capture for ransom by rival clans. An
  interesting adventure might involve the characters getting caught between two feuding clans.
  •The High Laird’s position is ever tenuous; he is at risk of poisoning, stabbing, and capture
  from other lairds, and even from members of his own family. He is suspicious of strangers,
  and might hold the PCs in the dungeon of Castle Massanuten until he decides they are not a
  threat. Or, he might hire them to carry out some mission against a rival.
  •The Witchlings have a small, secret coven in the town. Perhaps they have infiltrated the
  High Laird’s own household. Maybe one of his daughters is secretly a witch, and is plotting
  to usurp her father’s seat.
  Douglas,The MacDonald, High Laird of the Renegado Vale:
  Male Gael Brb10; CR 10; AL CN
  Hit Dice 10d12+30 (95 hp); initiative +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Imp. Init.); speed 40 ft
  AC 15 (+3 Dex, +2 bracers of armor) or
  AC 19 (wearing chain shirt, if prepared for a fight)
  Base Attack +14/+9/+4 melee , +13/+8/+3 ranged
  +2 broadsword, +16/+11/+6 melee, 1d8+6 damage, critical 19-20/x3
  2 belt pistols +13/+8 ranged, 1d8 damage, critical 18-20/x2
  Saves: Fort +10/Ref +6/Will +4
  Str 19 Dex 16 Con 17 Int 13  Wis 12 Cha 18
  Selected Skills: Animal Empathy +10, Concentration +9, Diplomacy +8, Handle Animal +15, Heal
  +13, Intuit Direction +11, Knowledge (Nature) +15,Wilderness Lore +15.
  Feats: Rage 3/day, fast movement, uncanny dodge (+1 against traps, can’t be flanked), Improved
  Critical (broadsword), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Cleave, Leadership (18 follower, 16
  cohort).
  Special Qualities: +2 to Bluff skill rolls; can cast charm person once per day as a 10th level sor-
  ceror.
  Cohort: Haimish MacDonald, Human Male Rgr 8
  Followers: 35 1st level warriors/3 2nd level warriors/1 3rd level warrior/1 4th level warrior
  Possessions: +2 broadsword, 2 belt pistols,+2 bracers of armor, potion of cure moderate wounds,
  potion of invisibility, potion of bull’s strength, 250 gp, gold ring worth 100 gp.
  Description:The MacDonald is a short, very broad man with ruddy complexion and a neatly
  trimmed beard. He wears tartan at all times, with a flat cap emblazoned with the MacDonald
  arms and an eagle feather. He is eloquent and very gracious, even to his enemies, whom he fights
  with great gusto. His private persona is that of a much quieter, more calculating man, not as jocu-
  lar as one might think.
  Castle Oranj
  Strategically placed at the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson rivers, the Nederlander
  fortress of Castle Oranj has a double purpose: first, as a trading post for commerce with the
  League of Five Nations, and second, as a counterpart to Carillon, the French fortress to the
  north. The French and the Commonwealth would like to destroy Oranj, because of its role as
  a center of firearms trade with the Mohawk, and because it blocks expansion into the prized
  Hudson Vale.
  Castle William
  Unlike Castle Oranj to the south, Castle William is purely a military outpost, with little role
  in the Nederlander trade network. It sits on a small promontory at the south end of the
  Gazetteer 185
  
  mountain lake of Willems Zee, part of the ancient north-south water route between the
  Riviere du Canada and mouth of the Hudson. The garrison of Castle William has the unenvi-
  able job of providing early warning against and blunting any French attack launched from
  Carillon.
  Catawba
  The Catawba nation dwells in the foothills of the Pied-a-Mont, in the shadow of the
  Mountains of Smoke. Although formerly at peace with their Carolingian neighbors, the
  Catawba are feeling the effects of encroaching settlement and have begun secret overtures to
  the Espaniards to receive military and material aid against the subjects of Charles II.
  Charles Town
  Capital of the Kingdom of Carolingia, seat of Charles II, heir of the Stuart dynasty. Situated
  at a river’s mouth, upon low, green swards, the city is laid out in a stately grid of broad
  streets, well-supplied with fountains and shade trees. The great armies of laborers and ser-
  vants required to keep the city functioning are discreetly housed away from the city center,
  so as not to offend the sensibilities of the king and his court. Charles himself lives in the
  immense palace of White Hall, built for him by his loyal followers anticipating his arrival in
  Septentrionalis. The palace is surrounded by hundreds of acres of parkland, gardens, orna-
  mental lakes, grottoes, and riding paths, exclusively for the entertainment of the king and his
  court, a flattering copy of Louis’ court at Versailles.
  Charles leaves the day-to-day functions of government to his capable ministers, preferring to
  spend his time playing tennis or attending plays, often starring one or another of his many
  mistresses. His queen, Henrietta, lives in separate apartments within the palace. For all his
  reputation as the Merry Monarch, Charles has a good grasp of the kingdom’s problems and
  policies. His great concerns are the Espaniards and their native allies to the south, and the
  freethinking Sophian radicals to the north.
  Chesapeake Bay
  A great tidal estuary fed by many rivers. It separates the Republic of Sophia from New
  Sweden, and is patrolled by the anxious fleets of both powers.
  Chippewa
  The  wooded peninsula of the Chippewa separates Lac des Illinois and Lac Superieur. The
  Chippewa nation are major players in the fur trade. Although the peninsula (and the islands
  to the east) are at the core of their territory, the Chippewa have a presence as traders as far
  east as Québec.
  Choctaw
  The Choctaw dwell among the lowlands and coastal swamps east of the southern French pos-
  sessions. They are determined enemies of both the French and the Espaniards, making sure
  that a heavy price is paid for any encroachment into their territory.
  Cree
  The Cree are a huge culture of sub-arctic hunting groups, ranging across wide swaths of the
  northern forest. They are becoming increasingly important in the fur trade as suppliers
  rather than middlemen.
  186 Gazetteer
  
  Creek
  The lands of the Creek nation are dominated by pine forests and muddy rivers flowing from
  the distant mountains to the north. The Creek themselves are a highly organized culture,
  with large villages and temple complexes, a full-time priesthood, and elaborate religious
  practices centered around the burial of dead relatives and funerary goods. Politically, the
  Creek are allied with the Espaniards against the Carolingians, but it is an alliance of conven-
  ience, for the Creek are just as wary of losing territory to the Espaniards, advancing north
  from La Florida.
  Cristina
  Capital of New Sweden, ruled by Princess Cristina, daughter of Gustav, the Swedish emper-
  or. Cristina is an accomplished soldier, scientist, and artist, as well as ruler, who has been
  given New Sweden as a plaything by her father. She wishes to establish a progressive king-
  dom, but has been forced to spend many of her resources battling the Nederlanders, who
  wish to sweep the Swedes into the sea. 
  Crystal Hills
  East of the White Hills, the mazelike jumble of the Crystal Hills is said to hide hidden lodes
  of silver and gold, as well as many gems, especially tourmaline.
  Cumberland
  The Vale of Cumberland is a private fief of the former Albian duke of the same name, who
  has established an agricultural settlement there. The Duke is not on friendly terms with
  Sophia, preferring to remain independent for as long as possible, as the virtual monarch of
  his small domain. He maintains a small mercenary army to protect against Irroquois and
  Gael renegado raids.
  D’Orleans
  Capital of the southern province of Nouvelle France, the city of  D’Orleans controls access
  to the mouth of the Espiritu Santo River. It stands as a bulwark against Espaniard ambitions
  in the region, preventing the Viceroy of Nova Espana from linking his posessions in La
  Florida with those on the coast of Mexico. The city itself is protected by an encircling arm of
  the river, as well as by fortified levees which guard against attackers and high water. The
  landward approach to D’Orleans are limited to a single causeway which traverses an adjacent
  lake and swamplands.
  Delaware
  The fertile vale of the Delaware River is occupied by the locally dominant Delaware nation,
  known as “the Grandfathers” by their subordinate client nations, including the Munsi and
  Onami. The Delaware are at war with the League of Five Nations to the north, who covet the
  Delaware Vale.
  Dismal Swamp
  The Dismal Swamp is a nearly impenetrable coastal swamp along the Carolingian coast. It
  has been the refuge of outlaws, and the source of legends about giant lizards, ghostly lights,
  and lost Albian colonists.
  Gazetteer 187
  
  Duchy of Albermarle
  Albermarle is the northernmost duchy of Carolingia. It has historically been the jumping-off
  point for battles against the freethinkers of the Republic of Sophia. The Duke is a staunch
  Stuart loyalist, providing a suitable bulwark against the spread of republicanism to the
  remainder of Carolingia.
  Duchy of Hatteras
  The Duchy of Hatteras is an outlying duchy of Carolingia, something of a backwater, and, it
  is said, a bit too friendly with the pirates and smugglers of the coast.
  Duchy of Wilmington
  Sandwiched between two forbidding swamps, the Duchy of Wilmington is virtually cut off
  from the rest of Carolingia by land, relying almost exclusively on the sea lanes for its connec-
  tions with the capital of Charles Town to the south.
  Earldom of Campbell
  The Earldom of Campbell is the heart of the Carolingian gentry society -- a place of cross-
  country fox-hunts, fierce rapier duels over points of honor, and spectacular dinners and par-
  ties. The Earldom is said to produce the most fiery cavaliers for the King’s army, known as
  the Spitfires.
  Eastern Cree
  The vast subarctic forest east of Hudson’s Bay is occupied by the eastern branch of the great
  Cree culture of foragers/hunters.
  Eastern Ojibwa
  The Eastern Ojibwa control the heart of the Michigan peninsula. This is a land of dense
  woods and gently rolling hills, between two great inland seas. It is a place poorly known and
  understood by most Europeans, remaining something of a stronghold of native culture.
  Eden Town
  Sited on the coast, at the mouth of the Chowan, the optimistically named Eden Town is a
  miasmal settlement of fishermen and farmers, serving the material needs of the Duchy of
  Albemarle.
  Elizabeth’s Isle
  This sandy island, surrounded by dangerous shoals and a chain of smaller islands to the west,
  is an Algonkian stronghold little visited by the Commonwealthers to the north. Its western
  end terminates in high cliffs of multihued clay, a spiritually powerful site. The island’s many
  coves provide harbors for the great canoes of the island’s native whalers. The bay of
  Menemsah is said to be the home of a sacred white whale whose well-being is tied to that of
  the whalers themselves.
  Erie
  The portage between Lac du Chat and the headwaters of the Alleganie River is the homeland
  188 Gazetteer
  
  of a small independent Irroquois group known as the Erie. They are not officially members
  of the League, but are on civil terms with the Seneca, westernmost nation of the League.
  Falls of the Ohio
  Along a steep-banked reach of the Ohio, as it pours its way towards its meeting with the river
  of Espiritu Santo, lie the Falls. Not a single drop but a series of drops totalling thirty to forty
  feet, the Falls are navigable downstream to small boats and rafts, but present an insurmount-
  able barrier to upstream navigation, requiring portage along a well-marked path that skirts
  the worst obstacles. The put-in point of the portage provides a natural meeting place for
  travelers both Algonkian, French, and Coureur. The French have plans to erect a fort at the
  falls, but as yet have no permanent presence there.
  Foret des Loups, La
  The deepest reaches of the northern forest, beyond the settlements of Nouvelle France,
  beyond even the knowledge of the Algonkians, is called La Foret des Loups  -- the
  Wolfwood. It is stronghold of the Wildheart -- the power of the wilderness. There, the beasts
  rule, and, it is said, retain their primordial powers of speech and reason, since lost by ani-
  mals who have been in closer contact with humankind.
  Fort Maurepas
  This French fort guards the eastern frontier of Nouvelle France’s southern possessions. It
  consists of a small coastal settlement and fortifications. It is used as a base for forays into
  Espaniard territory and punitive expeditions against the Espaniards’ native allies.
  Gardiner’s Isle
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  Lying off the two-pronged eastern terminus of a large, wooded island is a modest-sized
  island with a busy harbor.
  Full Description:
  You see a low-lying, sandy-shored island with a natural harbor at the east end. The harbor
  supports a busy trade port, with warehouses, docks, taverns and mercantile businesses. The
  streets and taverns are populated with a colorful clientele from many nations, some dressed
  nearly in rags, others wearing incomparable finery. Nearly everyone is armed to the teeth,
  even the merchants and barkeeps. Revelry and merrymaking seem to go on non-stop, some-
  times sparking brawls and duels.
  DM’s Background Information:
  Gardiner’s Isle is the private fief of one Gregory  Gardiner, victualler, moneychanger, and
  host to the most fearsome and notorious pirates of the east coast. He owns the settlement,
  lock, stock, and barrel, charging inflated fees for food, water, rum, canvas, and timber, which
  the pirates gladly pay, for the privelege of unloading cargoes and spending their hard-won
  loot with no questions asked. Hefty bribes to the director-general of Nieu Amsterdam ensure
  that the commerce of the island goes on undisturbed by the Nederlander navy.
  The Commonwealth is not happy about the existence of Gardiner’s Isle, but the governor
  fears to do anything that would offend the pirates and keep them away from the port of
  Boston, where they also provide a much needed infusion of cash, with local officials conve-
  Gazetteer 189
  
  niently looking the other way. Nouvelle France and Carolingia, with their greater share of
  the merchant trade, are less sanguine about any port that calls itself a friend to pirates. Twice
  they have made small raids upon the place, but fear to launch an all-out assault, for fear of
  angering the Nederlanders, who possess a powerful navy.
  Notes:
  •Prices for most goods on Gardiner’s Isle are at 150% of normal. Although the population
  is only about 1500 people, the GP limit for the town is 5000 gp, due to the heavy influx of
  coin and treasure brought in by the pirates.
  •Gardiner operates a moneychanging operation, charging a 3% conversion fee. He also
  keeps a stronghouse for storing cash within his fortress-like mansion on a small hill behind
  the town. The stronghouse is rumored to hold thousands of gold pieces in pirate gold.
  •Other highlights of the town include a powder magazine, three taverns (The King’s Head,
  The Two Ships, and the Arm & Sword), a general mercantile store, a lumber yard, a sailyard,
  a smithy, a careening bay, and a dozen assorted businesses.
  Adventure Ideas:
  •The fortunes of PCs visiting Gardiner’s Isle will depend on their character identity.
  Buccaneers will blend in and attract no notice; Commonwealthers may incur hard looks or
  worse. The standard pirate entertainments of brawls, duels, and gambling bouts will be easi-
  ly found.
  Golfe du Mexique
  The warm, shallow waters of the Golfe du Mexique brew fierce storms in the summer
  months. They are plied by both French and Espaniard vessels.
  Great Cahokia
  A ghost city of earthen pyramids, beast-form mounds and dikes, and wide, overgrown plazas,
  Great Cahokia was once the capital of a great inland empire that spread from the upper
  reaches of the Ohio to the lower waters of the river of Espiritu Sancto. It has been aban-
  doned for hundreds of years, its builders suffering  an unknown fate, its secrets hidden
  beneath the tall grasses and scrubby undergrowth. Natural philosophers from Nouvelle
  France speculate that the builders of the city took much inspiration from the ancestors of the
  native empires to the South, principally the pyramid builders of Mexico. Hungering after
  gold and antiquities, treasure seekers have made some explorations of the ruins, but have
  found only tantalizing trinkets and half-legible inscriptions. The local Algonkians warn
  against any disturbance of the city, out of respect for the spirits of its long-dead inhabitants
  and their gods, who are stillsaid to guard its secrets.
  Great Falls
  The Great Falls of the Pottomacke present a natural barrier to water travel to the interior. A
  series of drops totalling forty feet, they must be passed via foot portage. The government of
  Sophia has begun a public works project to install a series of locks that would tame the falls
  and allow large vessels to ascend the river as far as the settlement of Cumberland.
  Great Notch
  Great Notch serves both as a natural gate to the White Hills, and a pass between the Vale of
  the Merimacke and the approaches to Nouvelle France. The Notch is a U-shaped valley with
  190 Gazetteer
  
  soaring walls of granite. It is brooded over by a great face of stone, a natural formation that
  tops the western wall of the vale.
  Great Swamps
  A tangle of wet maple stands, open bogs, and tussocked meadows, the Great Swamps serve
  as a refuge for adjacent Algonkian nations, particularly the Naraganset and their allies. The
  difficulties of navigating the swamps by those not familiar with them serve as an effective
  defense against Commonwealther raiders from the Neticut Vale who seek to weaken their
  Algonkian neighbors through wholesale destruction and slaughter. It is said that within the
  depths of the swamp is a pallisaded Algonkian castle capable of holding hundreds of people.
  Green Hills
  The Green Hills run in a long spine north to south for over a hundred miles between the Vale
  of the Neticut and Lac Champlain. They are the roaming grounds of the Vermont Rangers, a
  band of rugged, independent mountain-men who form the backbone of their tiny republic’s
  army.
  Green Swamp
  A dense swamp along the Carolingian coast.
  Greenbrier
  The remote vale of Greenbrier is nestled in an arm of the Appalachee Mountains. It is a little-
  seen wilderness, drained by a mountain river that drains into the Kanawa Vale.
  Hart’s Ford
  Hart’s Ford is a frontier settlement of the Commonwealth along the road between Boston
  and Nieu Amsterdam. As such, it is surrounded by a stout wooden pallisade, and is in con-
  stant danger of attack from Algonkians who are committed to keeping the Neticut Vale
  closed to further settlement. A more remote danger is the army of the Nederlanders, who are
  suspected of wanting to destroy Hart’s Ford, not to conquer, but to curb any challenge to
  their inland trade empire, and to placate their Mohawk allies.
  Havana
  Capital of Nueva Espana, Havana is a stoutly fortified port city, with grand churches, houses,
  and a citadel defending the harbor. It is administered by the Viceroy of Nueva Espana from
  his palatial quarters inside the city. The island of Cuba itself, beyond the city walls, is a heavi-
  ly forested, hilly land, occupied by a native people who are slowly retreating in the face of
  Espaniard settlement.
  Henrietta
  Named for Charles’ queen, the young frontier settlement of Henrietta is poised to push the
  settled lands of Carolingia to the very slopes of the Great Smoky Mountains themselves. It is
  a jumping-off point for  renegade homesteaders seeking new lands for development away
  from the heavy taxes of the duchies and earldoms to the east.
  Gazetteer 191
  
  High Adirondacs
  A loftier extension of the Adirondacs to the south, the High Adirondacs present high, bare
  peaks with conifer-clad slopes, only slightly lower than the White Hills, just visible on the
  eastern horizon. They are considered impassable to all but the most determined travelers.
  Hispaniola
  The oldest foothold of the Espaniards in the New World, Hispaniola is administered from its
  capital of Santo Domingo. Formerly a heavily forested land, it is now covered with planta-
  tions. The western half of the island, controlled by the French, is the target of frequent
  Espaniard raids.
  Holy Yoke
  Holy Yoke is the sister settlement of Hart’s Ford, even further north along the Neticut River,
  where the ancient east-west war-trail crosses the river. Sheltered behind its pallisade, Holy
  Yoke is under frequent assault by Mohawks from the west, determined to destroy the settle-
  ment before it becomes established. It is inhabited by a motley mix of outcasts, Puritan
  zealots, and hardened rangers.
  Hudson’s Bay
  Southernmost arm of the Polar Sea, Hudson’s Bay marks the limit of Old World knowledge
  of the northern reaches of Septentrionalis. It is said to be haunted by great white bears with
  the power of speech, as well as by a nation of native people who live much of the time on the
  ice, and travel in boats of animal skin.
  Huron
  The powerful woodland nation of the Huron are the major competitors of the Irroquois
  League in the French fur trade. As a result, the two peoples are in constant conflict, each
  one seeking to destroy the other and gain a trade monopoly. For their part, the French are
  only too happy to play the Huron and the Irroquois off one another, and do not greatly care
  which one emerges dominant. The Jesuits, however, have made far greater inroads with the
  Huron than with the Irroquois, and are pressuring the French to make them their preferred
  partner in trade.
  Illini
  The Illini are a French-allied nation at war with the Irroquois, who seek to expand westward
  into the Illini vale. 
  Indian Stream
  The uppermost reaches of the Neticut Vale are claimed both by Nouvelle France and by the
  Republic of Vermont. In point of fact they are occupied by a group of several hundred squat-
  ters who consider themselves an independent nation, with its own charter, laws, and curren-
  cy. 
  Isle du Sable
  A long, low, sandy crescent in the middle of the sea, Isle du Sable is a perfect ships’ grave-
  yard. Its shores are lined with many wrecks of all nations, and its dunes are said to be haunt-
  ed by the undead spirits of the doomed crews. For brave salvagers, it is a destination for
  192 Gazetteer
  
  treasure-hunting among the debris, especially those of wayward French and Espaniard
  galleons.
  Isle Minong
  Set within a western arm of Lac Superieur, Isle Minong is a stronghold of wild power, seldom
  trodden by humans. It is said to be the home of a great band of intelligent wolves, who cross
  the frozen surface of the lake in winter to hunt in the surrounding coastlands.
  Jamaica
  The island of Jamaica is the home of the original buccaneers, settlers who took to piracy
  after the Espaniards attempted to drive them from the island. They have found a sympathetic
  home in Port Royal, the capital, which administers the island as a Carolingian colony. This
  notorious pirate city is well-protected by cannon against attack from the sea; its merchants
  are only too happy to resupply the buccaneers in exchange for captured booty. Beyond the
  city is a growing circle of Carolingian plantations, worked by condemned prisoners and
  native captives in abominable conditions.
  Jamestown
  This Albian settlement, founded sixty years ago, is being slowly swallowed by the surround-
  ing swamps, leaving the pallisaded settlement nearly a ghost town. Jamestown has a dark his-
  tory -- its early years were marked by starvation (to the point of cannibalism), murderous
  skirmishes and betrayals both among the settlers and against the local natives, and revolt
  against the officers of the colony by overworked, abused servants. It has been all but aban-
  doned, in favor of better sited settlements on drier ground. A few settlers remain behind,
  known as Swamp Albians. Their speech and manner are archaic, their lives adapted to the
  watery maze of the swamp. It is said that many of the Swamp Albians practice witchcraft, or
  are themselves accursed and deathless, condemned to suffer for their crimes in the early days
  of the settlement.
  Jerusalem
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A rockbound coastal land, full of crags and ravines, with some evidence of settlement, in the
  form of chimney smoke, and a few narrow roads.
  Full Description:
  This area forms the neck of a craggy peninsula jutting out into a stormy sea. The coast is
  bound by brownish cliffs, and ringed by barnacled reefs pounded by hissing, angry waves.
  Inland are granite-topped hills and narrow ravines and gullies, hindering progress. The few
  flats are filled with fly-infested marshes and sluggish, muddy streams filled and emptied by
  the tide. At the base of the peninsula, on the S side, is the bewitched town of Jerusalem. 
  DM’s Background Information:
  Jerusalem is a disputed land between Boston, capital of the Commonwealth, and Naumkeag,
  the great city of the Witchlings. The town of Jerusalem itself, a short journey from Boston, is
  nominally under Commonwealth control. While officially Puritan, the Jerusalem folk are
  shunned by their neighbors, for it is said that not only do they trade and traffic with the
  witches, but that some ‘salemers practice witchcraft themselves. Many fiery sermons eminate
  Gazetteer 193
  
  from Boston pulpits about the Sodom in the midst of the new Puritan Eden, but the
  ‘Salemers are so feared that no one dares raise a hand against them, not even the famed
  witch-finder Cotton Mather. Besides, it is common knowledge that many a proper Bostonian
  has gone to Jerusalem for a healing spell or love potion as the need arises
  Opposition to the Puritan church is especially strong in Jerusalem since the brutal witch-
  hunts in 1652 which resulted in the hangings of innocent townspeople (and no doubt, a few
  genuine Witchlings). The tragedy cast a pall over the town which remains to the present day;
  some say the land itself is cursed. Surrounding villages and farmsteads have shrunk to a
  ghost of their former selves; travelers through the area will come across abandoned farms,
  fields gone to seed, and half-empty settlements. The few Commonwealthers who remain out-
  side of the town proper face raids from the Pawtuckets to the NW, and harassing visitations
  from the Witchlings to the E -- unless, of course, they are Witchling sympathizers them-
  selves.
  Adventure Ideas:
  • Outside of the city, the PCs may encounter a war party of Pawtucket Algonkian warriors.
  There is a base 30% chance per day of such an encounter; the two parties should make
  opposed Spot vs. Hide checks. The party will include 2d8 + 8 1st level warriors, 2 2nd level
  warriors, one 2nd level ranger, and 1 3rd level barbarian leader. The raiders are looking for
  Commonwealthers only; they will not attack Witchlings. Their goal is drive away any
  strangers seeking either to enter Pawtucket or to travel to Naumkeag (see Pawtucket for
  descriptions of the alliance between the Witchlings and the Pawtuckets).
  • A Witchling patrol may spot the party; each day, make an opposed check between the PCs’
  Hide skill and the witch patrol’s Spot skill, which is +8. The patrol may either be a flight of
  broom-mounted witches (3 3rd level coven witches + one 4th level leader); or a single 4th
  level ranger with a dire wolf companion animal. Weak PCs will be attacked immediately;
  stronger parties will be trailed at a distance, while reinforcements are sent from Naumkeag.
  • In the gabled, crooked lanes of Jerusalem itself, PCs can expect encounters with
  Witchling spies, Commonwealther witch-hunters, and the unquiet dead. The town is a gate-
  way between the Witchling world and the Commonwealth; people, goods, and information
  are smuggled, sold, and stolen by agents of either side.
  •To the E of Jerusalem, guarding its treacherous harbor, is the reef of Northman’s Woe, said
  to take its name from a Vinlander shipwreck centuries ago. It is a gathering place for sea-
  devils at low tide, under the moonlight. Some say that certain townsfolk traffick with the sea-
  devils, exchanging their own sons and daughters for sunken treasure. There may even be sea-
  devil blood in some Jerusalem families!
  •The many crags and crevices in this land hold deposits of unusual minerals, including
  smoky quartz, tourmaline, and silver. Both the Pawtuckets and the Witchlings mine them,
  and do not appreciate claim jumpers. The greatest of the crevices is called the Devil’s Den,
  and may indeed be the haunt of outsiders waiting for the arrival of greedy mortals.
  K’Tahdin
  K’tahdin is a broad, stony plateau-like mountain set amid a vast wilderness of lower moun-
  tains, remote lakes, and lonely swamps. It is considered holy ground by neighboring
  Algonkian peoples, never scaled, the abode of a powerful manito named Pomola.
  Kanawa Vale
  194 Gazetteer
  
  The Kanawa Vale is the cradle of an ancient river that runs from Stone Pass, high in the
  mountains, to meet the Ohio several hundred miles downstream. The Vale has only recently
  been explored by Carolingian surveyors, and remains a wilderness.
  Kats Kills
  The Kats Kills are a mass of steep mountains rising several thousand feet above the sur-
  rounding terrain. They are said to be ruled by an enclave of Algonkian hexes (skwannits),
  who brew storms, generate landslides, and awaken the very trees of the forest to guard their
  domain against intrusion.
  Keweenaw
  The Keweenaw Peninsula juts out into Lac Superieur like a flint arrowhead. Its shores are
  marked by high, stony cliffs, and ringed by pine-covered rocky islets. The peninsula’s weath-
  er is cold and wet, often covering the land and surrounding waters in dense fog.
  Kikapo
  The upper reaches of the Illinois River are the homeland of the Kikapo nation, who are said
  to have migrated there from the Wisconsin Vale to the west. The Kikapo is an independent
  player in the politics of the region, owing no allegiance to the Irroquois or the French, and
  participating little in the fur trade.
  La Florida
  The peninsula of La Florida is claimed by Spain, but only a few scattered coastal settlements
  are actually under Espaniard control. The interior, composed of swampy glades and lush
  grasslands, is the home of several native nations, who so far have successfully resisted
  Espaniard incursion, whether in the form of raiders, settlers, or searchers for the fabled
  Fountain of Youth, said to lie within these lands.
  Lac Champlain
  Long, narrow Lac Champlain is a strategically important water route between the heart of
  Nouvelle France and her southern fortress of Carillon (qv). Its northern end is dotted with
  islands, the two largest of which are called North Twin and South Twin. The southern end
  terminates in a long, narrow fjord with mountainous shores. Though landlocked, the lake
  hosts two naval fleets: the Champlain fleet of Nouvelle France, charged with keeping the
  supply routes open to Carillon; and the Vermont fleet, made of small, fast ships built to
  harass French shipping without engaging in general battle with the numerically superior
  French. Opposed to both is a third force: an enormous okanagan (lake serpent), responsible
  for several sinkings, especially in the deepest parts of the lake. Both the French and the
  Vermonters have attempted to slay the creature without success.
  Lac des Illinois
  Lac des Illinois forms a natural highway both for the native peoples living on its shores and
  coureur traders coming from Nouvelle France in search of furs. Its southern shores are
  sandy and gentle, hosting many Algonkian settlements, while stony cliffs and more rugged
  terrain predominates in the north.
  Lac des Kilistinons
  Gazetteer 195
  
  A forest lake, used as a waterway for travel between the lands of the Northern Ojibwa and
  Lac Superieur.
  Lac du Chat
  The “Lake of the Cat” is named, perhaps, for its capricious and sometimes cruel character.
  The winds can whip the surface of the lake into a frenzy, making passage dangerous for small
  craft. Sometimes the winds pile up the water at the eastern end of the lake to such a degree
  that the western shoreline may retreat several feet. In winter, fierce storms howl along the
  lake, dumping heavy snow to the east.
  The lake separates bitter enemies: the Irroquois League on the south shore, and the Huron
  on the north. Besides serving as a war road for raids between these foes, it also provides
  access to the western lakes by French traders.
  Lac Ontario
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A great inland sea stretches from horizon to horizon, ringed by wooded shores.
  Full Description:
  You come to an inland sea of fresh water, surrounded by woodlands. In places, the shore is
  sandy, with high dunes carved into fantastic shapes by the incessant wind, which blows most
  often from the west.
  DM’s Background Information:
  Lac Ontario is the lowest of the Great Lakes in elevation. It is fed by the Niagara River, and
  drains into the Riviere du Canada. Politically important as a route to the interior, the French
  maintain a small fleet here and have built trade stations/fortresses at the east and western
  ends of the lake.The Irroquois League stare across the lake at their hated enemies, the
  Hurons and their allies. Often, the lake is used as a warpath between these two native pow-
  ers.
  Lac St-Jean
  Remote Lac St-Jean is connected to the sea by the Saguenay River. It provides a water route
  to the interior of the northern forest for traders, trappers, and hunters. The lake is home to a
  serpent-like monster capable of attacking and sinking small boats.
  Lac Superieur
  Mighty Lac Superieur is a highway for trade between Nouvelle France and their sources of
  fur in the far west. As such, it is strategically important, and access restricted by the French
  to all but the voyageur traders, who ply the waters in enormous trading canoes.
  Lacs du Main
  The Lacs du Main, or Lakes of the Hand, are a series of narrow, steep-sided lakes running
  roughly north to south, with hills to the south, and flatter land to the north. They are heavily
  populated by people of the Five Nations, who maintain many villages and farms there.
  Lake Nipissing
  A long, narrow waterway providing access between the Ottawa River and Mer Douce, Lake
  196 Gazetteer
  
  Nipissing is an alternate route for traders between Mont Real and the interior. 
  Laurentides, Les
  Les Laurentides are a range of low, forested mountains to the north and east of the city of
  Québec. They are reknowned for heavy snowfalls and rugged terrain, and as a consequence,
  remain a wild region despite their proximity to the settlements of Nouvelle France.
  Leni-Lenape
  A fertile land of Algonkian villages and gentle ranges of hills, this region is eyed covetously
  by the Nederlander jonker landowners. Skirmishes are common, as the Nederlanders
  encroach upon Leni-Lenape fields and settlements.
  Les Mille Isles
  Les Mille Isles fill a narrow, eastward-thrusting arm of Lac Ontario. They make a natural
  maze for water traffic -- and a haunt for smugglers, unsanctioned traders, and Algonkian
  raiders.
  Logstown
  A fortified frontier settlement at the confluence of the Monongehela and Alleganie rivers,
  once controlled by the French but now occupied precariously by Sophian soldiers. The
  recent seizing of the fort is controversial within Sophia, not having been approved in advance
  by the Court General. By some in Sophia it is seen as a provocation against France; others
  consider it a neccessary check to French ambitions in the Alleganies, and to counter the
  aims of the renegade state of Vandalia (qv).
  Manassas
  A fertile farming state of Sophia.
  Markland
  Markland, or “wooded land”, is a forested shore much visited by Vinlanders for timber har-
  vesting. Formerly a populous area, the native peoples of Markland have moved away from the
  coast to escape capture by the Vinlanders.
  Melungeon Pass
  The Melungeon Pass provides one of the few valley routes through the mountains of the east
  to the interior. It is the home of a people known as the melungeons, who are said to be
  descended from shipwrecked Espaniard mariners and deserters. They live as farmers and
  hunters, in peace with their Algonkian neighbors.
  Menomini
  The Algonkians of the Menomini Vale are skilled river-farers. They live in settlements along
  the Menomini River between the Monts du Fer and Lac des Illinois. Their chief industry is
  the gathering of wild rice along the riverbanks and lakeshore.
  Mer Douce
  The great Mer Douce, or “Sweet Sea”, is a great crossroad of Septentrionalis, connecting
  Gazetteer 197
  
  Nouvelle France and the interior.
  Merrymount
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A parklike, idyllic stretch of partially wooded, gentle hills.
  Full Description:
  You enter a pastoral land of gentle green hills crowned with ancient oaks, bordering a bright
  blue sea. Deer graze on the hillsides, and the trees are thick with songbirds.
  DM’s Background Information:
  Merrymount is a thorn in the side of the Commonwealth, a stronghold of the Old Ways a few
  short miles from Puritan Boston. It is the tiny realm of Tobias Merton, self-styled Lord of
  Merrymount, and priest of the Albian god of the hunt, Herne. Merton has been here nearly
  as long as the Puritans -- he has been sent here by Herne to export the Greening of Albion to
  the New World. So far, the results have been mixed. Merton has a small band of human fol-
  lowers, mostly living in temporary camps. They include former Puritans, Albians, and
  Algonkians. Marriage between Algonkians and Europeans is encouraged, and the general
  mood is one of harmonious cooperation between humans and beasts. It remains to be seen
  whether Merrymount will ever be more than a small outpost, surrounded by hostile neigh-
  bors.
  Notes:
  •Merrymount is defended by stagriders: human lancers mounted on enormous deer. The
  stagrider troop includes 20 1st level warriors, 2 2nd level warriors with the rank of ensign,
  and one 3rd level warrior captain. The riders carry longspears and shortbows, and wear hide
  armor. In addition, Merton’s people include several low-level sorcerors and wizards.
  •Merton has established a shrine to Herne on the summit of the hill of Merrymount itself. It
  takes the form of a grassy glade, dominated by a carved 20’ pillar surmounted with a stag’s
  skull and antlers. The pole is used as a maypole in ceremonies led by Merton himself. Each
  ceremony requires 20 dancers, and takes about 1 hour to complete. At the end of this time,
  the pole bestows the following powers: 
  First, Merton and the dancers receive the benefits of a prayer spell for 24 hours. Secondly,
  any game animals slain within the borders of Merrymount in the previous 24 hours will reap-
  pear at the pole alive and whole, to retake their place in the natural order. Third, Merton
  himself gains the ability to detect evil within 10 miles of Merrymount. This ability lasts for
  24 hours.
  •Merton has a small priesthood of adepts: 5 1st level adepts, and 3 2nd level adepts. These
  acolytes of Herne are not full-time worshippers, but are drawn from the community at large.
  •Some strange beings have been sighted in the woods of Merrymount. It is said that several
  satyrs and fauns have crossed the sea from the Old World, attracted by the virgin forest and
  the sympathetic, dionysian spirit of Merton’s followers.
  Adventure Ideas:
  • PCs entering Merrymount will be welcomed, unless they are agents of the
  Commonwealth. If there are druids or Albians in the party, they will recognize the Greening
  and the power of Herne in this land. Merton welcomes new members of his community, as
  long as they revere Herne and the land.
  198 Gazetteer
  
  •The Commonwealth may try to invade Merrymount and capture Merton, if they decide he
  is enough of a threat. Only superstitious dread among the rank and file has prevented them
  from doing so before. Perhaps a particularly fervent firebrand could rouse some followers to
  attempt such a raid.
  Tobias Merton, Lord of Merrymount:
  Male Albian Drd12; CR 12; AL CG
  Hit Dice 12d8+24 (78 hp); initiative +4 (dex); speed 30 ft
  AC 14 (+4 Dex)
  Base Attack +11/+6/+1 melee , +13/+8 /+3ranged
  halfspear +11/+6/+1 melee, 1d6+2 damage
  mighty masterwork longbow +14/+9/+4 melee, 1d8+2 damage, or +12/+12/+7/+2 as full
  attack, with rapid shot feat
  Saves: Fort +10/Ref +8/Will +12
  Str 15 Dex 18 Con 14 Int 15 Wis 18 Cha 16
  Selected Skills: Animal Empathy +10, Concentration +9, Diplomacy +8, Handle Animal +15, Heal
  +13, Intuit Direction +11, Knowledge (Nature) +15,Wilderness Lore +15.
  Feats: Nature sense, woodland stride, trackless step, resist nature’s lure, wild shape 4/day, venom
  immunity, brew potion, combat reflexes, point blank shot, rapid shot, leadership 15, dodge.
  Special Qualities: can cast 3 0-level sorceror/wizard cantrips per day as spell-like ability; +2 to all
  Bluff skill checks. Also, see Herne’s antlers, below.
  Spells per Day: 6/6/5/5/3/3/2
  Animal Companion: none.
  Cohort: none
  Followers: 20 1st level warriors/2 2nd level warriors/1 3rd level warrior
  Possessions: halfspear, mighty masterwork longbow, Herne’s antlers.
  Description:Tobias Merton is a tall, muscular Albian gentleman with a neatly trimmed beard, long
  blond hair tending to grey at the temples, and pale blue eyes. He wears a green doublet and
  brown riding boots. Most remarkably, he sports a pair of stag’s antlers growing from his temples.
  Herne’s Antlers
  Herne’s antlers are a wondrous item created by the Albian priests of Herne, god of the hunt.
  Only seven of these items are known to exist, all of which are in the possession of high-ranking
  Albian druids and their followers.The High Priest of Herne only bestows Herne’s antlers on wor-
  thy champions who have proven themselves to be tireless servants of the Greening and deter-
  mined guardians of the natural world and its inhabitants. Only chaotic good characters are eligi-
  ble. Once donned, the antlers cannot be removed; only the death of the wearer releases them
  for reuse by another champion.
  The antlers, used as a Medium natural weapon, deliver a base damage of 1d8 plus the wearer’s
  Strength ability modifier, with a critical range of 19-20/x2.They also give the wearer the following
  spell-like abilities, once/day each, as a 9th level spellcaster: calm animals, pass without trace, hold
  animal. In addition, the wearer gains the ability to speak with animals at will.
  Miami
  The Miami live along the banks of the river bearing their name. Like the Kikapo, they are
  said to have moved into the area from the west. Their leader, known as Small Turtle, is deter-
  mined to present a strong front against any encroachment of his forested lands, and has been
  making overtures to neighboring Algonkian nations to form an alliance against the French,
  the Irroquois, and other foreign threats.
  Gazetteer 199
  
  Michilimackinac
  The French fort and trading post of Michilimackinac is one of two forts guarding the straits
  between Lac des Illinois and Mer Douce. It stands upon a promontory on the south side of
  the strait, providing shelter and supplies for voyageur traders, and a base for overland trade
  with the Ottawa to the south.
  Micmac
  The Micmac are a hunting culture of the northern woods. They have long been at war with
  the Vinlanders to the east, who ever seek to dominate Micmac lands.
  Mingo
  The Mingo are  an independent Irroquois group --  not a member of the League of Five
  Nations, but rather a powerful force in their own right. They are loosely allied with the
  French, who have supplied them with arms to harass Sophian attemping to settle in the Vale
  of the Ohio. Their villages are large, with stout wooden pallisades, often using the river for
  added defensive strength.
  Missisauga
  This conifer forest is the home of an Algonkian people of the same name, who are loosely
  allied with the Huron to the west.
  Mohawk
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A river valley cuts its way west to east  across a forested landscape.
  Full Description:
  You enter a valley carved by an arrow-straight, rushing river, falling west to east towards a
  larger river valley running north to south. At some points, the river cuts through reedy
  marshlands and green meadows; elsewhere, it runs beneath high stone bluffs crowned with
  white pine and other conifers. Algonkian settlements line the river bank at intervals, and a
  well-worn footpath parallels the river on the northern side.
  DM’s Background Information:
  This is the valley of the Mohawk River, which flows from Oneida Lake to the mighty Hudson
  River at Fort Oranj. It is a strategically valuable highway between the heartland of the League
  of Five Nations and the great north-south Champlain-Hudson corridor. It has served both as
  a route for commerce and as a path of war. The valley is controlled by the Mohawk nation,
  most easterly of the Five Nations, and considered to be among the finest of Irroquois war-
  riors. The Mohawk are on generally friendly terms with the Nederlanders, for whom they act
  as middlemen between the fur-supplying areas of the west and the trade post of Fort Oranj.
  The Nederlanders give them guns in exchange, which upsets their neighbors to the north
  and east, who are often the target of deeply penetrating Mohawk raids. The Mahicans,
  Nipmucs, and Vermonters are the most frequent target of these raids, which the
  Nederlanders privately condone, to compromise these powers ability to get a share of the fur
  trade.
  Notes:
  200 Gazetteer
  
  •Mohawk villages are often built on a natural feature that provides some defensive value,
  such as a bend in the river. Houses are long, with rounded roofs. Pallisaded walls provide
  communal defense.
  Adventure Ideas:
  •The Mohawk becomes a dangerous gantlet for PCs who are not on good terms with the
  Mohawk leaders. Traders, pathfinders, and spies often risk a passage down the Mohawk
  because it provides one of the few fast water routes through the mountains. An adventure for
  ranger class PCs could involve a pursuit of raiders or a spying out of Mohawk military
  strength.
  Montagnais
  The Montagnais groups are a hunter/gatherer culture of the sub-arctic forests, much like
  their Cree neighbors to the west. Their region is said to be the homeland of many fearsome
  giants, some benevolent, some malicious.
  Mont Real
  The French city of Mont Real is built upon a cluster of steep islands in the Riviere du
  Canada, at the furthest point above Québec navigable to ocean-going ships. As a defensive
  position, it is nearly impregnable, with its stony heights augmented by modern stone fortifi-
  cations. Detachments from its garrison are sent to defend French possessions from attack by
  Algonkians, Vermonters, and other foes.  The city is also the center of Jesuit missionary
  activity in Nouvelle France; the Society maintains its Septentrionalian headquarters there,
  sending missions to the interior of the continent.
  Monts du Fer
  The Monts du Fer, or “Mountains of Iron”, rise in stony terraces from  the surrounding
  forests. They harbor the sources of both the Menomini and Wisconsin rivers, and also hold
  great veins of iron and copper. The latter has long been mined by local peoples, but of late,
  French surveyors have been turning their attention to both metals.
  Moosoni
  The sub-arctic Moosoni people are a part of the great Cree culture which rings the cold, flat,
  many-watered lands south of Hudson’s Bay. They live as hunter-gatherers, with little contact
  with Europeans.
  Mounds
  The lower reaches of the Ohio are bordered by dozens of green-clad earthwork mounds,
  some round, some pyramidal, and some in the form of animals or geometric designs. They
  were raised by a people thought to be related to the builders of Great Cahokia to the west. It
  is said that they cover hidden tombs and temples, full of the plunder and treasure of the
  ancient empire that constructed them.
  Mountains of Smoke
  The Mountains of Smoke are the highest in the east, rising thousands of feet above the sur-
  rounding foothills, terminating in treeless, domelike peaks, often wreathed in smoky, bluish
  mist. They provide a daunting barrier to east-west travel, but can be traversed by experi-
  Gazetteer 201
  
  enced mountaineers.
  Mt. Tremblant
  The highlands of Mt. Tremblant rise north from the heights of Mont Real. Like their sister
  hills Les Laurentides to the east, they have a reputation for heavy snows and rough terrain,
  and are seldom travelled.
  Naraganset
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  You glimpse the western shore of a broad ocean bay, opening to the south, dotted with large
  islands.
  Full Description:
  You stand at the western shore of a great bay of the ocean, filled with large islands, some
  wooded, some rocky. The shores are dotted with native settlements of unusually large size.
  Some seem to be permanent villages, and nearly all are fortified with wooden pallisades. 
  DM’s Background Information:
  This is the land of the Naragansets, a powerful nation ruled jointly by the great sachem
  Canonicus (Aristocrat 9/Sor 5) and his nephew Miantonomo (Aristocrat 4/Bbn 8).
  Canonicus, who is said to be over 100 years old, takes the role of advisor and mentor to his
  younger partner, who leads the people in war and conducts the day-to-day affairs of govern-
  ment. Canonicus is a conciliator and diplomat, prefering to stay on good terms with
  Europeans, while Miantonomo seeks to make an alliance with the neighboring Algonkian
  nations to sweep the Commonwealthers into the sea. Neither the Wampanoags to the east
  nor the Pequots to the west quite trust the mercurial young sachem, however. Should he ever
  succeed in forming a native alliance against the Puritans, he would present a genuine threat
  to Boston. It is said that he has sent emissaries even further afield, to the Mohawks and
  Mahicans, to secure their support.
  The Court of the Two Sachems, as it is known, is situated at Naraganset Castle, on the west-
  ern shore of the bay. This hilltop, pallisaded settlement has a population of several hundred
  people, which can swell to a thousand or more when the sachems hold a tribal council.
  Notes:
  •The total military force of the Naragansets is perhaps 500 warriors. They are well
  equipped for sea-borne invasions, having large war canoes about 25 feet in length, holding a
  dozen or more warriors. About 10% of the warriors are elite pniese.
  •Although not widely known by Europeans, the bay contains several mysterious ruins said
  to be Vinlander in origin. Indeed, they are the only visible remains of a once-thriving
  Vinlander setttlement, dating from 500 years ago. The settlement was eventually overrun by
  the ancestors of the Naragansets. Some relics of the Vinlanders are still kept in the treasury
  of the sachems. Most interesting is a small carved runic stone that tells of the fabled
  Northwest Passage to the Pacific, carved by one Bjorni Sigurdsson.
  Adventure Ideas:
  • Visitors still receive a warm welcome in the Court of the Two Sachems -- for now, at any
  rate. Miantonomo might grill PCs for information about Commonwealth defenses. If the PCs
  are Algonkians, he might seek to recruit them to his cause of a united front against the
  202 Gazetteer
  
  Commonwealthers. 
  Naskapi
  The Naskapi dwell on the very fringes of the earth’s polar regions, north even of the Cree
  lands. They are poorly known by Europeans, but are said to run an extensive sub-polar trade
  route stretching from shore to shore of Hudson’s Bay.
  Natchez
  The Natchez are a powerful southern nation inhabiting the broad vale of the Pearl River.
  They have at times been allied with the Espaniards, but now maintain an uneasy neutrality
  between the Espaniards and the French. They have a well-organized state, with castes of
  priests and professional warriors.Their settlements have dedicated religious districts, with
  temples, tombs, and observatories built atop and within earthen pyramids of impressive size.
  The Southern Cult, a warrior religion, is popular here.
  Natchez-sur-Terre
  The French river-town of Natchez-sur-Terre is sited along a high bluff of the eastern bank of
  the river of Espiritu Santo. Its harbor is nestled along the narrow shore at the base of the
  bluff, connected to the houses atop the bluff by several steep roads. The face of the bluff
  itself has been delved into a warren of caves, used as storehouses, taverns, and residences.
  The town is a notorious den of river-pirates, who prey upon shipping between D’Orleans
  and upriver French settlements.
  Natoket
  Natoket is a sandy, windswept island with a small population of Algonkian whalers. The
  waters around the island are known as a ships’ graveyard, and were the site of the Battle of
  Natoket, which ended Albian claims to Septentrionalis.
  Naumkeag
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  At the end of a craggy peninsula, separated from it by a steep banked tidal river, is a cliff-
  ringed headland, lying under perpetual cloud. The land is rough and hilly, and covered with
  dark forests.
  Full Description:
  This is a land of mists, granite crags, and fly-infested marshes. There are no proper roads,
  and paths through the blackthorn and rowan woods are poorly maintained and hard to follow.
  The woods are empty of animal life by day, save for great flocks of noisy crows. By night, the
  howls of wolves fill the air.
  The seas around the peninsula are plagued by storm and fog, even on days when the sur-
  rounding waters are fair. The coast features many tiny coves with gravel beaches, hidden
  among tall cliffs where seabirds scream and whirl.
  DM’s Background Information:
  The outer third of the peninsula is cut off from the mainland by the tidal, steep-sided
  Annisquam River, which is spanned by a single bridge of stone. In a harbor at the E end of
  Naumkeag is the Witches’ City, from which few outsiders have ever returned. 
  Gazetteer 203
  
  The greatest Witchling stronghold in Septentrionalis, Naumkeag is ruled by a coven of 12
  powerful witches, who serve for life, and gain admission to the coven through the sponsor-
  ship of more senior coven members. The most senior of the 12 is the Coven Mother, who
  wields executive power over all Naumkeag witches. She is elected by the other coven mem-
  bers, and serves a seven year term. Her staff of office is a hazel broomstick whose broom is
  woven from the hair of her predecessors. It is this artifact which allows the Coven Mother to
  control the weather on Naumkeag, as well as communicate with the souls of those who came
  before her. 
  The city lies within mighty demon-raised walls of native stone, built in the shape of a five-
  pointed star. At the center of the star is the citadel of the Coven, from whose high towers the
  witches take flight upon their dark and secret errands. 
  Weather Effects:
  The witches of Naumkeag can produce dense fog, rain, and cold winds at will anywhere on
  the peninsula, as well as up to five miles out to sea. Any characters subjected to these weath-
  er effects for more than six hours must save against their Constitution at DC 15 or else lose
  1d6 hit points due to exposure, which cannot be recovered until they leave the area. 
  Storms:
  Once per week, the witches can create a 5-mile radius squall anywhere in Naumkeag or the
  surrounding waters. A conjured squall lasts d6+1 hours. On land, this squall reduces charac-
  ters’ movement to 1/3 normal, and reduces visibility to 50’. Anyone caught in the squall
  must save against Constitution at DC 18 or lose d6 hit points due to exposure (in addition to
  any previous loss of hp from the at-will weather effects described above).
  At sea, the squall requires the pilots of any ships in the area to make a Profession (Navigator)
  skill check at DC 15. Failure will send the ship in a random direction (use the Grenadelike
  Weapons table in the PHB), resulting in shipwreck if landfall is made. 
  Defenses:
  Any characters attempting to reach the Witches’ City by land have an 80% chance of being
  spotted before reaching the stone bridge over the Annisquam. Once detected, intruders can
  be immediately attacked by a patrol of three 3rd level and one 4th level witch.
  The witches’ preferred tactic is to use low cloud as cover, and fire arrows from the air, which
  they can do quite comfortably from their brooms. 
  Within one hour of the initial attack, the witches can bring to bear an additional 12 3rd level
  and 3 4th level witches, led by a 7th level Coven sister. In an all-out defense of Naumkeag,
  the witches will also employ ordinary soldiers (1st level NPC warriors). The soldiers are
  organized in ten companies of 20 soldiers, each with a 2nd level captain.
  The Stone Bridge:
  The bridge over the Annisquam is guarded by a watch composed of 20 human warriors in
  the service of the witches:
  Their captain, John Campion, is a formidable 5th level fighter, and an experienced soldier:
  Campion is not a willing servant of the witches, but owes them a debt for saving his life (his
  204 Gazetteer
  
  social standing makes him honor-bound). If convinced that the party is travelling to the
  Witches’ City to offer service or information to them, and not to attack them, he may allow
  the party to cross the bridge and be escorted under guard the rest of the way, but the least
  act of disrespect or resistance on the part of the party will change his mind.
  Adventure Ideas:
  •Many ships have been lost after straying too close, their crews never seen again, or else
  returning years later, strangely altered by the witches’ enchantments. The party might find
  themselves shipwrecked on the coast of Naumkeag and have to fight their way back to safety. 
  •A ship carrying a VIP from the Old World has gone missing, and the party must journey to
  Naumkeag and discover his or her whereabouts.
  •One of the party members is a rebel witch who has just escaped from Naumkeag with a crit-
  ical piece of information that could change the balance of power between the witches and the
  Puritans.
  •The party must infiltrate the Witches City to rescue a prisoner, steal the Coven Mother’s
  broom, spy on the construction of the city, etc.
  •An abandoned manor on the peninsula is said to conceal a secret treasure hoarde, but
  being in witch territory, no one has dared try to recover it.
  •The Puritans decide to finance a raid on Naumkeag, and the party is hired as an advance
  group to scout out the way for the main raiding force.
  •The witches have smuggled in some Old World monsters and let them loose on the
  Puritans. Can the party catch them before they breed, or escape into the west? (Manticores,
  chimerae, leucrota?)
  •A fire-and-brimstone preacher has been abducted from the streets of Jerusalem. Can the
  party find him before the local vagabonds turn him over to the witches?
  Crow Imp
  CR 1/3
  Tiny Fiendish Creature
  HD 3
  hp = 1/2 master’s
  Init +2 (Dex)
  Speed 10 feet, fly 90 ft (average)
  AC 15
  Attack +4 melee
  claws 1d2-5
  Special Attack: Smite Good: +3 points of damage against a foe of good alignment, once/day.
  Face/Reach 2.5’ x 2.5’
  Alignment: Lawful Evil
  Saves: Fort +1, Ref +5,Will +5
  Str 1, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 6,Wis 14, Cha 7
  Skills: Hide +2, Listen +3, Spot +2
  Special Qualities: Speak Language (English),
  Darkvision 60’, Cold/Fire Resistance 5, SR 6.
  Soldier of Naumkeag
  2nd level warrior NPC; CR 2; AL Lawful (any)
  Medium-Sized Human
  2d8 hp; Init 0 
  Speed 25 ft
  AC 15 (+5 armor)
  Base attack +3 melee, +2 ranged
  weapons:
  +3 melee, poleaxe 2d4+1, x3 crit,
  +3 melee, broadsword 1d8+1, x3 crit
  or
  +3 ranged, matchlock musket 1d12, 17-20/x2
  +3 melee, broadsword 1d8+1, x3 crit
  Gazetteer 205
  
  Saves: Fort+3, Ref+0,Will+0 
  Str 12, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 10,Wis 10, Cha 10
  Skills: Climb +2, Intimidate +2, Hide +1, Spot +1
  Feats: Polearms or Weapon Focus (musket)
  Special Qualities: 60’ darkvision, +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear
  Possessions: breastplate, polaxe or musket, broadsword, dagger, 4d6 gp.
  Seargent of Naumkeag
  3nd level warrior NPC; CR 3; AL Lawful (any)
  Medium-Sized Human
  3d8 hp; Init 0 
  Speed 25 ft
  AC 16 (+5 armor, +1 Dex)
  Base attack +4 melee, +4 ranged
  +4 melee, poleaxe 2d4+1, x3 crit,
  +5 melee, broadsword 1d8+1, x3 crit
  +4 ranged, belt pistol 1d8, 18-20/x3 crit
  Saves: Fort+4, Ref+2,Will+1 
  Str 12, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 12,Wis 10, Cha 10
  Skills: Climb +3, Intimidate +5, Hide +2, Spot +2
  Feats: Polearms, weapon focus (broadsword).
  Special Qualities: 60’ darkvision, +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear
  Possessions: breastplate, polaxe, wheellock belt pistol, broadsword, dagger, 6d6 gp.
  Level 3 Coven Witch NPC
  CR 2
  Medium-Sized Human
  3d4 hp
  Init +1 (Dex)
  Speed 30ft/90ft on broom of flying
  AC 11 (+1 Dex)
  Attack +1 melee, +2 missile
  Dagger 1d4, 19-20/x2 crit
  Shortbow 1d6, x3 critical
  Special Attacks: Each witch’s quiver contains one arrow doctored with black adder venom (Injury
  DC 12, secondary damage 1d6 Str). Each witch also carries a concealed poisoned thorn (Injury
  DC 15, 1d6 Con, secondary damage 2d6 Con).
  Alignment: Lawful Evil
  Saves: Fort+1, Ref+2,Will+5
  Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 11,Wis 14, Cha 8
  Skills: Concentration +3, Hide +2, Knowledge (arcana) +3, Knowledge (local) +4, Listen +2,
  Spellcraft +2, Spot +2
  Feats: Silent Spell, Brew Potion
  Special Qualities: Spellcasting, imp.
  Spells Prepared:(4/3/2):
  0--Daze, Ghost Sound, Detect Magic, Mage Hand.
  1st--Cause Fear, Change Self, Sleep. 2nd--Invisibility + one of the following (roll d100): 01-
  25=Shatter, 26-60=Scare, 61-85=Web, 86-00=Summon Swarm.
  Possessions: broom of flying, dagger, shortbow, quiver of 12 arrows, 1 poisoned arrow, poisoned
  thorn.
  Level 4 Coven Witch Flight Mother NPC
  CR 3
  Medium-Sized Human
  4d4 hp
  Init +1 (Dex)
  Speed 30ft/90ft on broom of flying
  AC 12 (+2 Dex)
  Attack +2 melee, +3 missile
  Dagger d4, 19-20/x2 crit
  Shortbow d6, x3 critical
  Special Attacks: Quiver contains one arrow doctored with black adder venom (Injury DC 12,
  secondary damage 1d6 Str)
  Alignment: Lawful Evil
  Saves: Fort+2, Ref+4,Will+7 (includes +1 from Cloak of Resistance)
  Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 11,Wis 14, Cha 12
  206 Gazetteer
  
  Skills: Concentration +4, Hide +2, Knowledge (arcana) +4, Knowledge (local) +5, Listen +2,
  Spellcraft +3, Spot +2
  Feats: Silent Spell, Brew Potion
  Special Qualities: Spellcasting, imp.
  Spells Prepared:(4/4/3):
  0--Daze, Ghost Sound, Detect Magic, Mage Hand. 1st--Cause Fear, Change Self, Sleep, Obscuring
  Mist. 2nd--Invisibility, Shatter, Scare.
  Possessions: broom of flying, dagger, shortbow, quiver of 12 arrows, 1 poisoned arrow, poisoned
  thorn, cloak of resistance +1.
  Note: Stats for a crow imp are found on the sidebar next page.
  Nemaska
  The Nemaska are a group of Cree hunters ranging across the many-rivered northlands that
  drain into Hudson’s Bay.
  Neutrals
  The Neutrals are an independent Irroquois nation at odds with the League of Five Nations
  over control of the fur trade. Like the Huron, they are competitors in the fur trade whom the
  Irroquois would like to eliminate.
  New Sweden
  The peninsula of New Sweden is occupied by Swedish farmsteads, maintaining a foothold in
  the New World despite threats from the Nederlander forward base of Zwaanendael. Most of
  the farmsteads are pallisaded, and maintain a high state of readiness against Nederlander
  raids. In times of real threat from the Nederlanders, New Sweden is reinforced with troops
  from the capital of Cristina to the north.
  Niagara
  The great cataract of Niagara, the Thunder Waters, lies along the fierce and mighty river
  between Lac du Chat and Lac Ontario. It is not merely  a portage point for water travelers,
  but a sacred spot for spiritual seekers from many Algonkian nations. It is said that the island
  that lies between the two halves of the cataract is a burial ground for Irroquois warriors.
  Three smaller islands lead toward the edge of the cataract, from which point offerings are
  made to the waters.
  Niantic
  The Niantic nation dwells at the mouth of the Neticut River. They occupy a precarious posi-
  tion, between the Pequot to the west and the Naraganset to the east. The eastern Niantic are
  allies of the Naraganset, while the western Niantic are more closely aligned with the Pequot.
  The group has a whole has had many skirmishes with encroaching Commonwealther settlers
  and raiders.
  Nieu Amsterdam
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  At the southern tip of a long, narrow island set in a splendid natural harbor lies a bustling
  port town.
  Full Description:
  You see a small city of red brick houses in the Nederlander fashion, with stepped fronts and
  Gazetteer 207
  
  tiled roofs. The city occupies the southern tip of an island several miles in length, running
  away northward within a huge estuary. Several other islands fill the bay, occupied by farm-
  steads. The city has a busy seaport, guarded by a stone fort at the very tip of the island. The
  landward approach to the city is protected by a defensive wall that cuts across the island, but
  it is clear that the city has already outgrown its original limits. Neither the fort nor the wall
  are in good repair.
  The inhabitants of this city are dressed in black, with white ruff collars, in the Espaniard
  fashion now popular in the Nederlands. Some of the younger folk wear brighter colors in the
  French fashion. Everywhere you see signs of economic vitality, with a profusion of banks,
  storehouses, customs houses, and newly minted townhouses.
  DM’s Background Information:
  This is Nieu Amsterdam, capital of the Nieu Nederlands. It is the most vital port on the east
  coast, transforming the furs and timber of the interior into new wealth for the Nederlander
  traders who run the city. The city is governed by the Director-General, appointed by the
  board of the Nederlander Septentrionalis Company. His priority is maintaining a healthy and
  profitable trade for his corporate superiors; the defense of the city, and keeping the peace
  are not as important, as evidenced by the rough-and-tumble streetsscape and the neglected
  wall and fort.
  Notes:
  •The current Director-General is the one-legged soldier Pieter Stuyvesant (Ftr 5/Officer
  6). His critics call him Director-General of Babel, refering to the proverbial unruly, grasping
  nature of Nieu Amsterdam’s citizens. He does not particularly enjoy his position, feeling that
  his authority is quite limited, and that his requests for funds to repair the city’s defenses are
  unwisely ignored. As a result, he is a somewhat irascible man, and does not look kindly on
  troublemakers, when he can get his hands on them.
  •The legitimate trade in the harbor masks a thriving smuggling and pirate trade. Not only
  do officials take bribes to look the other way when pirates drop anchor to unload their
  goods, but many of the city’s most prosperous merchants actively invest in pirate ventures in
  exchange for a share of the booty.
  •Money and the anonymity of city streets have attracted a large and well-organized criminal
  contingent to Nieu Amsterdam. Street gangs have particular turf, and are distinguished by
  their clothing and their particular cant.  
  Adventure Ideas:
  •Nieu Amsterdam is one of the few places in Septentrionalis with a true cityscape, for urban
  adventures involving thievery, crime, mystery, and intrigue.
  Nipmuc
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A wide, forested land dominated by ranges of steep hills spreading across the horizon from N
  to S.
  Full Description:
  You enter an expanse of mixed pine, oak, and maple forest, full of small lakes and ponds, but
  with no sizeable rivers. The terrain features several parallel ranges of steep hills, running N-
  S, with flat-bottomed valleys between them. Small Algonkian settlements occupy some of the
  valley floors, but they are few in number.
  208 Gazetteer
  
  DM’s Background Information:
  The people of Nipmuc, few in number, are on friendly terms with the Pocumtuk to the W,
  who help protect them against the Mohawk and other potential enemies. Lacking access to
  the coast and major river systems, they have fewer natural resources than many of their
  neighbors, but have become skilled traders and go-betweens, transporting furs and flints to
  Boston in exchange for metal blades, cloth, and beads. 
  Northern Ojibwa
  The Northern Ojibwa occupy a wide area of the northern forest beyond Lac des Kilistinons.
  They are migratory hunters and wild rice harvesters, rather than farmers.
  Northern Peaks
  The northern peaks of the White Hills are a wild land of sharp peaks, dense conifer forests,
  and steep ravines filled with rushing rivers. They are extremely remote and poorly known by
  both Europeans and Algonkians.
  Ogeechie Marches
  The Ogeechie Marches are a theater of war between the Kingdom of Carolingia and Nueva
  Espana, as these two great powers wrestle for control of the south. The conflict takes the
  form of skirmishes between the two sides and their native allies, seldom pitched battles.
  Ojibwa
  The center of the great broken range of the Ojibwa culture lies along the northern shore of
  Mer Douce. These dense woods are the realm of hunters and rice gatherers, known as some
  of the greatest storytellers among the Algonkian nations. It is said that they expanded north,
  south, and west from this core area relatively recently, and continue to expand their range in
  their attempt to reap greater profits from the fur trade.
  Onandaga Castle
  Onandaga Castle is the political and spiritual center of the League of Five Nations. It is a
  huge fortified settlement, the largest Algonkian fortification in the northeast, and the site of
  the Great Tree of Peace, the council of leaders from the Mohawk, the Oneida, the Onandaga,
  the Cayuga, and the Seneca. Their leader is Garacontie, and his spiritual advisor,
  Daganawida.
  Ottawa
  The forests of the northern Michigan peninsula are occupied by the Ottawa, a populous
  nation on relatively good terms with the French, but wary of the Irroquois, who are kept at
  bay for the moment by their focus on the Huron. The Ottawa worry that if the Huron fall, the
  Irroquois will turn on them, and they have been augmenting their military strength in antici-
  pation.
  Pamlico Sound
  The waters of Pamlico Sound form a sheltered waterway for inland travel along the
  Carolingian coast.
  Gazetteer 209
  
  Pamunkey
  Pamunkey is a densely populated agricultural state of the Republic of Sophia.
  Pawtucket
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A land of rolling hills, merging with a wide band of green marshes and sandy islets to the E,
  at the edge of the sea.
  Full Description:
  An area of rounded, rolling hills, covered with open stands of mature pine and oak, and
  crossed by foot trails. Signs of Algonkian settlement are common: campsites, cultivated
  fields, and distant curls of smoke from campfires. A wide, tidal river bisects the area from W
  to E, emptying into the sea amid a landscape of flat, puzzle-channeled marshes and slender,
  sandy islets running parallel to the shore.
  DM’s Background Information:
  The strong Pawtucket nation is ruled by a greater sachem-maunetu named Passaconawaw
  (“Son of the Bear”). He has made a treaty with the Witchlings to the SE, to cooperate in
  keeping the Commonwealthers from expanding N of Boston along the coast. His political
  sphere includes settlements on either bank of the Merimacke river, both in Pawtucket and
  upriver, among the Penacook of Amoskeag. To the north, his influence extends into
  Piscataqua, which is under threat by the Ab’nakees to the N, as well as Commonwealther set-
  tlement attempts. Much of his political acumen is credited to his spiritual advisor,
  Aspinaquid, who dwells in Piscataqua. They share the strategic goal of uniting all the nations
  of northern New England against the Commonwealth.
  Notes:
  •Passaconawaw’s summer court is held upon a green lawn on the south side of the
  Merimacke River, about 4 miles upriver from its treacherous mouth. (His winter court is at
  the falls of Amoskeag, in the area of the same name). The court includes a council of 8 sag-
  amores, 20 pniese (paladins), 100 warriors, and 200 retainers and family members. The
  tone at his court is cordial and dignified. He is personally affable and generous, even to visi-
  tors from the Commonwealth.
  •Although Passaconawaw’s fighting prowess cannot be discounted, much of his political
  power indeed lies in his impressive sorcerous abilities. He often demonstrates his sorcerous
  powers to audiences of followers, guests, or foreign diplomats, as a means of impressing and
  entertaining them. He especially enjoys displays of shape-shifting, producing materials out
  of thin air, and pyrotechnics. Commonwealthers are often alarmed by these tricks, because
  they assume all sorcery has a demonic origin.
  •Several isolated Commonwealther farmsteads exist in Pawtucket, mostly near the coast.
  They pay monetary tribute to the Pawtuckets, in exchange for the right to dwell there. Most
  significant is the settlement of Newberry, upon an island in the marshes near the sea. This
  settlement is populated by a group of about 200 Diggers, radical communitarians from
  Albion, who believe in the abolition of personal property, ranks, and social privileges. Noble
  visitors to Newberry will not get a warm welcome there!
  210 Gazetteer
  
  Adventure Ideas:
  •Gaining the friendship of Passaconawaw is a powerful asset for a group of PCs. An adven-
  ture could involve saving the great sachem’s life from an assassination attempt during a
  diplomatic or trade mission to his court. Once established as a powerful NPC patron,
  Passaconawaw could send a party of PCs on any number of missions.
  •Commonwealther raiders sometimes sail up the Merimacke to harass Pawtucket settle-
  ments. Perhaps a foolhardy pirate captain hatches a scheme to kidnap the sachem and his
  sagamores, to turn them over to the governor at Boston. Such an outrage would certainly
  spark a war between Boston, Naumkeag, and the Pawtuckets, with the Algonkians and
  Witchlings allied against the Commonwealthers.
  •Pawtucket is a good jumping-off point for exploring the White Hills to the northwest.
  Gaining permission to do so would involve showering Passaconawaw with gifts.
  Passaconawaw, Great Sachem of the Pawtucket:
  Male Algonkian Bbn6 Sor9; CR 15; AL NG
  hp 59; initiative +2; speed 40 ft
  AC 16 *(+2 Dex, +2 cloak, +2 armor)
  * +1 misc AC bonus in woodland settings.
  Base Attack + 12/+7 melee and ranged
  +3 Club, +15/+10 melee, 1d6+5 damage
  +2 Longbow, +14/+9 melee, 1d6+2 damage
  Saves: Fort +10/Ref +7/Will +8
  Str 15 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 16 Wis 11 Cha 18
  Selected Skills: Handle Animal +8, Hide +8, Intimidate +9, Intuit Direction +5, Knowledge
  (arcana) +), Listen +4, Spellcraft +9, Swim +6,Wilderness Lore +6
  Feats: Alertness (from familiar), Leadership (18), Combat Casting, Improved Unarmed Strike,
  Deflect Arrows, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Spell Focus (Conjury), Rage 2/day, Uncanny Dodge.
  Special Qualities: 30% chance of receiving aid from personal manito (celestial black bear) once
  per day. Or, may call upon manito to heal d3 points of damage, give +1 to any single saving
  throw, +1 to a single attack roll, or +1 to any single skill roll, once per day.
  Spells Known: 6/6/6/6/4: 0 - daze, detect magic, ghost sound, light, mending, ray of frost; 1st - ani-
  mate rope, mage armor, obscuring mist, spider climb, summon monster 1, ventriloquism; 2nd - continu-
  al flame, invisibility, pyrotechnics, see invisibility, summon swarm, whispering wind; 3rd - fly, major
  image, protection from elements, summon monster III, tongues, water breathing; 4th - leomund’s secure
  shelter, minor creation, polymorph self, remove curse.
  Spells per Day: 8/6/5/4/3
  Familiar: Black Rattlesnake. Powers: improved evasion, share spells, empathic link, touch spells,
  speak with master, speak with animals of same type.
  Cohort: Kancamagus (Passaconawaw’s eldest son and heir), Bbn6/Drd6
  Followers: 35 1st-level warriors, 3 2nd-level warriors, 1 3rd level warrior, 1 4th level warrior.
  Possessions: leather armor, +2 cloak of protection, +3 club, +2 longbow, 3500 gp (in wampum), jar
  of Keoughtom’s ointment, drums of panic.
  Description: Passaconawaw is a strong, vigorous man with an expressive face, a quick laugh, and a
  quick temper. He wears a leather coat and leggings, with a softly rustling turkey-feather cloak.
  Penn’s Wood
  Penn’s Wood was originally an independent, far-flung settlement of Carolingia, founded by
  Gazetteer 211
  
  Elder Penn, a spiritual leader seeking to create a utopian community in the wilderness of
  Septentrionalis. It has since become a state of the Republic of Sophia, with Penn as gover-
  nor.
  Petun
  The narrow Petun peninsula is surrounded on three sides by Mer Douce. The Petun them-
  selves are an Irroquoian people not aligned with the League of Five Nations, and therefore,
  in a precarious position.
  Piankeshaw
  The lower reaches of the Miami Vale are occupied by the Piankeshaw, a sub-group of the
  Miami themselves.
  Pied-a-Mont Marches
  The Pied-a-Mont Marches mark the extent of Carolingian control towards the great moun-
  tains of the interior. The Marches are ruled by the Marquis of Pied-a-Mont, an absentee lord
  who spends most of his time at the court of the king in Charles Town. The defense of the
  Marches are left to Rangers of the king: hardy mountaineers who keep the peace among the
  rough-and-tumble frontier settlements, rescue lost travelers, and guard against enemies
  seeking to attack the kingdom from the west.
  Pine Barrens
  The Pine Barrens are a wilderness of bogs and sandy-floored pine groves spanning the broad
  lands between the mouth of the Delaware and the open ocean. The Barrens are inhabited by
  widely-scattered groups of Nederlander and Swedish settlers, derisively called Pineys by
  their neighbors. They brave the treacherous bogs and envenomed snakes to dig and smelt
  bog iron, found copiously here in layers within the soil of the Barrens. The iron is destined
  for the hungry smithies and foundries of Cristina, Sophia, and Nieu Amsterdam, providing a
  livelihood for the settlers.
  The Barrens are rich sources of legends concerning strange creatures, or “devils” inhabiting
  the more remote regions. These winged creatures have been sought by both natural philoso-
  phers and sorcerors, the former looking for some heretofore unidentified creature, the latter
  for an evil outsider perhaps unintentionally freed from its subterranean home by overzealous
  iron miners.
  Piscataqua
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A flat coastal plain, dotted with pines, surrounding a high, round-shouldered hill with an
  open summit.
  Full Description:
  You enter a flat, sandy-soiled plan, covered with stands of slender pines, whose dead needles
  carpet the forest floor. To the E is a shoreline of sandy beaches between rocky headlands.
  The shoreline is broken by a narrow tidal river leading to a great salt-water bay extending
  miles inland. NE of the bay stands a lone hill, rising about 500’ above the plain. Its summit is
  bare, like the shaven crown of a monk’s head. The entire land has a lonely, quiet spirit, with
  few signs of permanent settlement.
  212 Gazetteer
  
  DM’s Background Information:
  Piscataqua is a satellite sachemdom of the great sachem of the Pawtucket, Passaconawaw. He
  seldom holds court here; in fact, the area is sparsely populated, having poor soil for cultiva-
  tion and being vulnerable to raids by the Abenakis to the north. What few Algonkians there
  are can be found near the coast, living from the bounty of the sea. Some use great canoes to
  hunt small whales off-shore; the skill of Piscataqua boatbuilders is legendary. The lone hill
  dominating the skyline is Agamenticus, called by sailors the Turk’s Head, a location sacred
  to the Pawtucket, and traditionally, the dwelling place of its most powerful pawaws. The
  pawaws operate a spiritual school there, for the training of members of their order. The cur-
  rent elder pawaw is Aspinaquid, mentor and spiritual advisor of Passaconawaw, with whom
  he shares a vision of a united front against Commonwealther expansion from the south. He
  receives many visitors seeking spiritual enlightenment, even the occasional European. By
  tradition, each visitor brings with him a white stone from the foot of the hill, and adds it to
  the great cairn at the summit before leaving. When an elder pawaw dies, his bones are placed
  beneath the cairn.
  Notes:
  •The school at Agamenticus includes a small pallisaded “castle” near the summit protecting
  the pawaws and their families. About 10 pniese champions, 10 pawaws, and 30 sannops
  dwell there, in addition to Aspiniquid’s personal followers (see sidebar). The hill itself com-
  mands views of the sea, and of the snow-capped peaks of the White Hills, far to the NW, said
  to be the abode of powerful spirits.
  •The pine woods of Piscataqua are particularly vulnerable to forest fires. Every half-century
  or so, a great fire, started by lightning, sweeps across the area, charring everything in its
  path, and limiting the growth of the trees.
  •Anyone coming within five miles of Agamenticus will encounter a pack of 1d4 + 14 wolves
  whom the creator god Cautantowit, it is said, uses to keep evil folk from setting foot on the
  revered hill where the Pawtucket shamans dwell. The wolves constantly patrol the area, find-
  ing the scent of any trespassers within 2d6 hours. Upon finding a scent they will bay and
  howl, letting Aspinaquid know that danger may be near. The wolves then follow the scent
  with their Tracking ability until the intruders are found. The pack leader, whose stats are
  equivalent to those of a dire wolf, can use detect evil as a spell-like ability (as a 9th level spell-
  caster) at will to determine the hearts of the intruders. Evil intruders are attacked, while
  good or neutral intruders are held at bay until Aspinaquid or one of his shamans arrives. The
  old shaman sometimes takes wolf form to run with the pack; there is a 10% chance he will be
  accompanying them during any given encounter.
  Adventure Ideas:
  • The most significant feature of Piscataqua is the pawaw school on Agamenticus, and the
  dominant NPC is Aspinaquid. PCs might have many reasons to consult the old shaman
  before starting an adventure -- or he might summon them there to fulfill a vision he has expe-
  rienced.
  •Travelers in Piscataqua are vulnerable to raids by Ab’nakis coming from the north. They
  are of a different culture group, and do not get along well with their Algonkian neighbors.
  Gazetteer 213
  
  •The occasional Vinlander ship will stop in the great bay to gather timber, or lay in wait for
  passing ships. Algonkian captives are often taken by Vinlanders here, since it is the most
  northerly coastal Algonkian area, and the Vinlanders are bound by political alliance with the
  Ab’nakis. PCs could be the victim of such an attempt, or else be employed by the Algonkians
  to rescue captives, or stop the Vinlanders before the next raid. Perhaps the Vinlanders might
  try to settle here permanently, threatening to upset the political balance of the entire region.
  Aspinaquid, Elder Pawaw of the Pawtucket:
  Male Algonkian Drd14; CR 14; AL NG
  hp 68; initiative 0; speed 30 ft
  AC 15 *(+5 belt of protection)
  * +1 misc AC bonus in woodland settings.
  Base Attack +10/+5 melee and ranged
  +3 halfspear, +13/+8 melee, 1d6+3 damage
  Saves: Fort +12/Ref +6/Will +15
  Str 11 Dex 11 Con 16 Int 16 Wis 19 Cha 17
  Selected Skills: Animal Empathy +12, Concentration +14, Diplomacy +15, Handle Animal +12,
  Heal +18, Intuit Direction +10, Knowledge (Nature) +18,Wilderness Lore +10.
  Feats: Nature sense, woodland stride, trackless step, resist nature’s lure, wild shape 5/day, venom
  immunity, a thousand faces, craft wondrous item, craft magic arms and armor, endurance, leader-
  ship (23), lightning reflexes, iron will.
  Special Qualities: 28% chance of receiving aid from personal manito (celestial black bear) once
  per day. Or, may call upon manito to heal 1d3 points of damage, give +1 to any single saving
  throw, +1 to a single attack roll, or +1 to any single skill roll, once per day.
  Spells per Day: 6/5/5/4/4/3/3/2
  Animal Companion: Giant Eagle.
  Cohort: none
  Followers: 90/9/5/3/2/1 (30 1st level warriors, 60 1st level commoners, 9 2nd level warriors, 5
  3rd level warriors, 3 4th level warriors, 2 5th level warriors, 1 6th level warrior.
  Possessions: +3 halfspear, +5 belt of protection, 300 gp (in wampum), wolves’ whistle (see the chap-
  ter The Algonkian World for info).
  Description: Aspiniquid is a tall, thin, white-haired elderly man in good health. He has a piercing
  gaze but a warm, friendly voice and manner. An exquisite wampum belt is looped around his
  waist, and he wears a wolf-skin cloak, trimmed with eagle feathers.
  Plimoth
  Plimoth was established as a colony of religious separatists from Albion by way of the
  Nederlands some 50 years in the past, before the founding of Boston and the Puritan
  Commonwealth. Its existence has always been precarious, from early struggles to feed itself
  to more recent warfare with the Wampanoags to the south. It remains a palisaded town at the
  edge of the sea, with a small ring of farmsteads outside the walls, its inhabitants eking out  a
  living from the relatively poor soil. The fathers of Plimoth have seen their isolated spiritual
  refuge encroached by the much larger and more prosperous Puritans to the north, resigned-
  ly becoming part of the Commonwealth despite their significant differences over matters of
  religion and politics.
  Pocumtuk
  The Pocumtuk nation dwell in the narrow but fertile land of the Neticut Vale, and the sur-
  rounding low, forested hills. They make their living as farmers and hunters, seasonally, like
  214 Gazetteer
  
  most of their Algonkian neighbors. They are not a populous group, and are in danger of
  being pushed out as Commonwealthers expand upriver from their settlements at Holy Yoke
  and Hart’s Ford.
  Popham
  At the mouth of the Saco, on a narrow peninsula spanned by a wooden pallisade, is the
  ancient, tiny Albian settlement of Popham. Almost forgotten, it survives as a small but stable
  fishing town, protected by a fort from occasional Ab’naki raids and seaborne Vinlander
  attacks. The populace still professes allegiance to Albion, revering both Elizabeth and her
  half-fairy daughter Gloriana.
  Potawatomi
  The Potawatomi nation hold a key portage at the southern end of Lac des Illinois, connect-
  ing the inland lake system to the drainage of the great Espiritu Santo River system via the
  Illinois River. The strategic portage is used by French traders, explorers, and missionaries,
  as well as by Algonkian traders.
  Pottomacke Vale
  The long, narrow vale of the southern branch of the Pottomacke is a frontier of settlement for
  both Sophian pioneers and Gael renegadoes. Tension between the two groups has led to
  bloody feuds, with the possibility of all-out battle between the clansmen of the High Laird of
  the renegadoes and the Sophian army.
  Powhattan League
  The Vale of the Rapahanoc River is the heartland of an Algonkian nation composed of many
  small groups owing allegience to a great chieftain, traditionally called the Powhattan. Having
  survived bloody conflicts against early Albian settlers, the League has now become a state of
  the Republic of Sophia. It sends representatives to Parliament, enjoys full citizenship, and
  contributes companies of fighters to the Sophian militia.
  Quapaw
  The Quapaw occupy the western shores of the Espiritu Santo River south of its confluence
  with the Ohio. Little is known about the lands to the west of the river, but rumors have sur-
  faced of vast open deserts and high mountains.
  Québec
  The fortified city of Québec is the capital of Nouvelle France, and seat of the Royal
  Gouveneur, le comte de Frontenac himself. Sited at the mouth of the Riviere du Canada,
  where it meets the cold, salty waters of the Golfe de St-Laurence, Québec is an unrivalled
  strategic prize, controlling access to the entire northern interior. As a defensive position, it
  is nearly impregnable, perched upon high bluffs overlooking the water, on the north side of
  the St-Laurence. The city is surrounded by state-of-the-art stonework defenses, and within
  the outer walls stands the citadel called le Chateau Frontenac, a combination castle, palace,
  and administrative center.
  Québec is the end point of the coureur trade route, funnelling precious furs collected from
  thousands of square miles of interior wilderness to a single point for transport to the
  European markets, where they will be transformed into hats for the gentry. The lower city, at
  Gazetteer 215
  
  the foot of the bluff, is a rough seaport at the best of times, but becomes a lawless hellion-
  town after the annual arrival of the coureur trading canoes. The coureurs tend to spend their
  hard-earned money on good food, drink, and luxuries, attracting both honest victualers and
  swindlers eager to separate the coureurs from their coins.
  Ramapaw
  The rugged Ramapaw hills loom on the western horizon of Nieu Amsterdam. Originally
  inhabited by a small Algonkian group of the same name, they have become the home of a
  people of Nederlander, buccaneer, and Algonkian origin. The Ramapaw make a living as
  herders, hunters, and farmers, combining Algonkian and European lifeways in a unique
  blend of languages, crafts, and traditions. Travelers through these hills often encounter brig-
  ands and robbers, but these outlaw bands are said to be wandering mercenaries, rather than
  natives of Ramapaw.
  Red Bogs
  The Red Bogs include low-lying pine groves, sandy moors, and wet boglands presenting
  something of a no-man’s land between the Commonwealth and their Algonkian enemies to
  the south and west. The bogs take their name from the edible red berries which grow in
  them, harvested by both Algonkian and Commonwealther alike.
  Renegadoes
  The upper valley of the Renegado River is the home of the wildest of the Gael renegado
  clans, notorious for kidnapping, cattle-raiding, and inter-clan warfare. Although they owe
  allegience to the High Laird downriver at Massanuten Castle, in practice, they seldom obey
  his commands.
  Richelieu
  The province of Richelieu is a farming region of Nouvelle France, consisting of farmsteads
  spreading out from either bank of the Riviere du Canada. The far-flung settlements are vul-
  nerable to attack by Algonkian raiders, and in response, the French are slowly building a
  chain of blockhouses at intervals along the river.
  Richmond
  The Sophian state of Richmond was formerly the Earldom of Shadwell, home of the
  Republic’s founder, Philathelias Jeferson. As a frontier state, it saw its share of battles in the
  early years of the Republic, and is still defended by a small permanent force. The land itself is
  intensely farmed, and is particularly known for its vineyards.
  Saco Vale
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A flat, heavily wooded plain broken by small lakes, ending at a rocky coastline strewn with
  offshore islands.
  Full Description:
  This land is a coastal plain, heavily wooded with pine, birch, and maple. The land is swampy,
  and broken by many small, irregularly shaped lakes and ponds. A shallow, gravelly river slow-
  ly threads through a fertile floodplain from NW to SE, ending at the coast, where the sandy
  216 Gazetteer
  
  beaches of the south give way to the pebbled strands and rocky coves of the northern coast,
  thick with seals and sea birds.
  DM’s Background Information:
  Saco, named for the river which traverses it, is a sparsely populated no-man’s land between
  the Algonkian and Ab’nakee cultures. The river marks the approximate boundry between
  the maize-growing Algonkians to the S and the Ab’nakee hunters to the N. Although the
  river valley is rich and fertile, the short growing season makes maize cultivation difficult,
  limiting settlement. Any native peoples found here will likely be just passing through, either
  following the seasonal movements of game animals, or patrolling their borders, each seeking
  to find the other side’s raiding or hunting parties. Clashes are rare, but bloody, affairs.
  Notes:
  •The Saco river drains from the Crystal Hills, and ultimately, the White Hills, distantly
  glimpsed to the NW. The river has at times been prospected for gold and silver, with some
  success, making it a possible target for future conquest by the gold-crazed Europeans.
  Prospectors run the risk of capture or attack by either the Algonkians or the Ab’nakees.
  •The mouth of the Saco is controlled by the venerable Albian settlement of Popham (qv).
  Adventure Ideas:
  • PCs might try to use the Saco to reach the tantalizing White Hills, in search of riches or
  new routes to the N and W. 
  •As a border area, travel through the region could be dangerous for PCs of any political
  affiliation. A border war could be started by the least provocation.
  •An NPC prospector could hire the PCs to provide protection or to establish a fort on the
  Saco in preparation for large scale mining of the river’s gold and silver. Claim jumping,
  internal squabbling, and dirty dealing are inevitable, when so much potential wealth is
  involved.
  Salisbury
  The Carolingian royal town of Salisbury is the former seat of the Duchy of Monmouth, once
  the fiefdom of the king’s illegitimate son. The Duke has been banished for attempting to
  overthrow the king; it is rumored that he has taken refuge either with the Espaniards beyond
  the Ogechee Marches, or with the Shawnee beyond the mountains. Isolated pockets of rebels
  loyal to the Duke are said to isolate in and around Salisbury, acting as brigands and spies.
  San Agostino
  The fortress-city of San Agostino was built by the Espaniards to subdue the natives of La
  Florida and also to harbor a naval fleet to protect the Espaniard treasure galleons from buc-
  caneer attack. The city itself is built from blocks of dazzling white native coral, with mighty
  battlements overlooking the sea.
  San Felipe
  San Felipe is an Espaniard fortified settlement at the mouth of the Savannah River. It is con-
  sidered a bulwark against Carolingian expansion, and a base for military campaigns in the
  area. The settlement is administered by a military commandant appointed by the Viceroy of
  Gazetteer 217
  
  Nueva Espana in distant Havana. The Church also maintains a mission there, with the aim of
  converting the Espaniards’ native allies to Christianity.
  Sauk
  The lands of the Sauk are dotted with open prairie, pine woods, and thousands of small
  lakes, set amid rolling hills. Like the Winnebago to the north, the Sauk (and a closely related
  group in the same region called the Fox) are builders of earthen effigy mounds upon points
  of natural power in the landscape. They are also masterful workers of flint and native copper.
  It is said that they are they distant heirs of the builders of Great Cahokia to the south.
  Shawnee
  The Shawnee nation is the most powerful and populous in the Ohio Vale. They are an inde-
  pendent political force, committed to blocking the expansion of any foreign powers into the
  interior woodlands, whether they be Irroquois, French, or Sophian. Their charismatic
  leader, Tecumseh, has a vision of a grand alliance with other woodland nations to forever
  protect their lands from incursion. He has already sent warriors against the frontier settle-
  ment of Logstown, and has sent envoys to all the neighboring nations to join his cause.
  Shawsheen
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  A low-lying area, heavily forested with maples, with no signs of settlement.
  Full Description:
  This land is a tangle of maple swamps, sluggish, north-flowing streams, and flooded grassy
  meadows. Visibility is limited by the dense underbrush and thick mists. Outcrops of huge,
  rounded boulders rise from the surrounding swamps. Water-loving creatures like turtles,
  otters, beaver, and muskrat are often seen, but there are no permanent human settlements in
  sight.
  DM’s Background Information:
  Shawsheen is a lowland area that drains into the Merimacke river to the north. It serves as a
  buffer area between the Pawtuckets to the northeast and the Nipmuc to the southwest, and so
  has few full-time inhabitants.
  Adventure Ideas:
  • Shawsheen makes an ideal home base for a supernatural enemy, such as a vampire, ghost,
  or evil outsider. It could also serve as a refuge for renegade Commonwealther brigands,
  Algonkian raiders, or Witchling operatives. Algonkian wild witches, called skwannits, would
  find it a welcoming home.
  Shick-Shock Mts.
  The Shick-Shock Mountains run many miles from the Northern Peaks region of the White
  Hills to the storm-tossed Gaspé Peninsula. They are said to be the homeland of fierce and
  savage giants, as well as the haunt of powerful spirits of the wild.
  Sophia
  The capital of the Republic  of Sophia, ambitiously planned but not yet completed, is sited
  on the swampy east bank of the Pottomacke River. The city is laid out in the shape of a six-
  218 Gazetteer
  
  pointed star, its edges marked out by defensive walls, its streets radiating outward from the
  Pyramidium, center of Sophian government and meeting site of the Solomonic Order.
  Outside the city walls is the port of Georges Town, pre-dating the city. It houses much of the
  city labor force, takes in supplies, and outfits the small but well-trained Sophian navy.
  St-Ignace
  The French fort and trading post of St-Ignace guards the straits separating Lac des Illinois
  and Mer Douce. Like its sister fort across the strait, St-Ignace serves as a safehouse for
  traders, and assures that only sanctioned traders pass through the straits.
  Ste-Croix
  The province of Ste-Croix, along the northern shore of the Golfe de St-Laurence, includes a
  number of coastal fishing villages and small towns. It is a departure point for inland trade
  and exploration via the Saguenay River and Lac St-Jean. Life in this frontier province is hard,
  subject to ferocious winter weather and Vinlander raids in summer.
  Ste-Dominique
  The western half of the island called Hispaniola by the Espaniards is controlled by the
  French, from their capital of Petit Guaves. Like the Espaniards, the French have established
  plantations on the island sustained by miserable convicts and captives. The city is a haven for
  French privateers, who are sanctioned by the government to hunt Espaniard ships.
  Stone Pass
  Stone Pass is a key gateway within the Mountains of Smoke leading to the watershed of the
  Ohio. Sheer mountain cliffs rise up on either side of this high and lonely pass. It is a wild
  place, with no permanent settlements.
  Storm King
  North of Nieu Amsterdam, the Hudson River enters a dramatic, winding gorge whose tall
  cliffs terminate in rocky ledges and summits, clad in oak and pine. The tallest and sheerest of
  these summits, Storm King, upon the west bank of the gorge, has an almost sentient pres-
  ence, seeming to generate fierce thunderstorms and hurl them against the walls of the gorge.
  Even in fair weather, deep rumblings emanate from the mountain, as if the lightning itself
  were trapped within, awaiting sudden release.
  Speculation as to the cause of this phenomenon varies. The local Irroquois attribute it to
  mountain spirits; the Nederlanders blame the arrival of nisse (elves or dwarfs) from the Old
  World, who have taken up residence within the mountain.
  Straits of La Florida
  The Straits form a sea passage between Cuba and La Florida proper. They are considered the
  most perilous point along the route of the treasure galleons from Havana on their way back
  to the Azores and Seville, due to the packs of hungry buccaneer ships that lie in wait for
  them within the narrows. If that were not dangerous enough, ships passing through the
  Straits during the stormy season risk being blown eastward into the hazardous shores and
  reefs of Bahamia.
  Sunapi Hills
  Gazetteer 219
  
  The Sunapi Hills rise between the Merimacke and Upper Neticut valleys, presenting a jum-
  ble of stony hills and wooded lowlands, dotted with wetlands and small ponds. The Hills are
  the home of a smallAlgonkian group owing allegiance to Passaconaway at Amoskeag (qv).
  Suskehana
  The Suskehana River twists and cuts its way through the parallel ridges of the Hogsback
  Mountains on its way to the Ocean Atlantic, providing a fertile vale for the Suskehana nation,
  an Algonkian group under attack from the League of Five Nations to the north.
  Taconic Mts.
  A range of low but rugged and rocky hills running in a ridge north-south between the
  Neticut and Hudson rivers. Several foot trails wind their way through gaps in the hills, allow-
  ing east-west travel between the river valleys. 
  Tenessee
  The long, deep Tenessee Vale runs from the Appalachi Mountains to the Ohio River. Along
  its banks are a number of native villages, connected by water and by an ancient trail known as
  the Natchez Trace (see Chickasaw).
  Timagami
  The upper stretches of the Ottawa River are occupied by small bands of Algonkians, among
  whom are the Timagami, Timiskaming, and Maniwaki. They are closely involved in the
  French fur trade.
  Trois Rivieres
  The lower vale of the Riviere du Canada is lined with French farming settlements, running in
  long strips away from the river. This province of Trois Rivieres links the cities of Mont Real
  and Quebec, supplying both with produce and labor. The settlers themselves are protected
  by a chain of blockhouses along the river, meant to protect against raiders from the Republic
  of Vermont.
  Tug Hills
  The Tug Hills are an isolated upland of ancient, worn peaks, forming a natural frontier for
  the League of Five Nations.
  Tunica
  The Tunica nation dwells along the banks of the Espiritu Santo River, north of Natchez-sur-
  Terre. Like the Quapaw to the north, their western lands are little known to Europeans, and
  are said to include broad, grassy plains. 
  Tuscarora Mts.
  The Tuscarora Mountains are the homeland of an independent Irroquois nation of the same
  name. They are on the verge of joining the Irroquois League, a move which would provide
  them with strong military allies, but could possibly give the League a foothold for further
  expansion to the south. 
  220 Gazetteer
  
  Tuskegee
  The Tuskegee nation dwells among the sources of several south-running rivers issuing from
  the Appalachi Mountains (qv). They are aligned with neither the Carolingians nor the
  Espaniards, determined to retain their independence and remain outside the region’s con-
  flicts.
  Vandalia
  The renegade state of Vandalia is the domain of a cadre of rebel captains and ministers from
  the Republic of Sophia, led by Lord Asaph Burr. Spurning the freethinking philosophy of
  Jeferson and Franklin, the captains of Vandalia have established a private state with the aim
  of establishing an inland empire, at the expense of their native neighbors. Only the Sophian
  fortified settlement of Logstown stands between the Vandalians and the Ohio Vale.
  Vinland
  Vinland is the home of the jarldom of the Vinlanders, descendants of Norse settlers who
  arrived here six hundred years ago. They eke out a living as herdsmen and fishermen, and
  during good sailing weather, take to the sea as pirates, raiding as far south as the
  Commonwealth of New England.
  Wamanoag
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  You see the wooden eastern shore of a great ocean bay, opening to the south, dotted with
  many islands.
  Full Description:
  You enter the eastern half of a salt-water bay, opening to the south. Many islands fill the bay.
  The shores are wooded, and heavily settled by Algonkian farmers and fishers. One island,
  with steep, rocky sides seems to be particularly thickly inhabited.
  DM’s Background Information:
  The Wampanoag have suffered greatly at the hands of the Commonwealth, especially the
  Plimoth colony, which continues to press their northern borders. The current sachem,
  Metacom, called Philip by the Commonwealthers, has seen his own brother poisoned by the
  Plimoth settlers (although they claim his death was by disease, not poison). Metacom has
  sworn revenge against them. For now, he bides his time, slowly building his forces, and vying
  with Miantonomo across the bay (see Naraganset) to become the uniting force in the
  region.
  Notes:
  • Metacom’s court, or Mount Hope as the Puritans call it, is on a steep, rocky island on the
  east side of the bay, well-provided as a naturally defensible stronghold. Atop the island is a
  circular, 50-foot diameter lodge built over a natural throne-like seat in the rock. The seat
  gives whomever sits in it the ability to scry as if she were the possessor of a crystal ball. In
  addition, the sitter receives a +1 bonus to Scry skill checks for every 2 character levels she
  possesses.
  • Metacom, by virtue of his birth, is nearly invulnerable to ordinary gunfire. This supernatu-
  Gazetteer 221
  
  ral ability gives him a damage resistance of 10/+1 against all gunpowder weapons. His invul-
  nerability is well-known to both his own subjects and his enemies, and has saved him from
  both murder attempts and death in battle.
  Adventure Ideas:
  • Commonwealther PCs will find a journey to the land of the Wampanoags quite hazardous.
  Members of other Algonkian nations will be invited to join Metacom’s alliance only if he is
  sure they are not spies.
  •PCs could persue a spy or assassin from the Commonwealth into the Wampanoag lands,
  only to find themselves under attack.
  Western Cree
  The  subarctic forest west of Hudson’s Bay is occupied by the western branch of the great
  Cree culture of foragers/hunters.
  White Hills
  “In the Distance” Description: 
  You see the ramparts of a great mountain range, with forested slopes and bare, rocky sum-
  mits.
  Full Description:
  You enter a mountainous landscape of deep, U-shaped valleys, heavily forested, and drained
  by bitterly cold streams and foaming white cascades. The valleys run between irregular
  ridges of peaks whose slopes are clad in pine and hemlock, with bare, weatherworn summits
  often shrouded in mist and cloud. One peak with broad shoulders stands high above the rest.
  Its heights are frosted with blinding white snow in all seasons. The mountains seem immea-
  surably old, lonely, and untamed. There is little sign of human presence here, aside from a
  few half-overgrown trails running along the valley floors.
  DM’s Background Information:
  The White Hills are the dominant mountain range of eastern Algonkia -- only the High
  Adirondacs even approach their forbidding, stony majesty.  They are the abode of wild beasts
  and mountain spirits, but few permanent human residents -- food resources are scarce, and
  the climate and soil are poor for agriculture. The weather in the mountains is severe, with
  snow possible in all months of the year, flash floods, avalanches, and deadly rock slides. For
  this reason, and due to fears of the spirits that live there, the summits are virtually terra
  incognita, although rumors persist of deposits of precious gems, gold, and silver.
  The mountains are traversed occasionally by spies and smugglers passing between Nouvelle
  France and The Commonwealth, by Algonkian raiding parties, and even by curious natural
  philosophers and surveyors. Otherwise, only catamounts, wolves, and other beasts are
  encountered, and for the unwary or irreverent, the mountain spirits themselves.
  Notes:
  •Any PCs climbing above treeline in the White Hills risk the wrath of the spirits who dwell
  among the cloud-masked summits. Their attacks will take the form of sudden rain or snow
  squalls, rock slides, avalanches, and well-placed bolts of lightning. 
  222 Gazetteer
  
  Adventure Ideas:
  •Just getting safely through the White Hills could be an adventure for PCs, between natural
  hazards, hostile predators, and the enmity of supernatural forces. Add enemy NPCs in pur-
  suit of the party, and the already harsh environment could become even more deadly.
  White Oak Swamp
  A coastal swamp along the coast of Carolingia. White Oak Swamp is the source of some of
  the kingdoms best “swamp foxes”, rangers trained to scout and fight in lowland areas.
  Winnebago
  The Winnebago people occupy the upper stretches of the Wisconsin river. They are said to
  be related to the builders of the great mounds of old, and in fact, they still create many earth-
  en effigy mounds at centers of natural power. They are also master workers of flint and other
  useful stones, creating pipes, jewelery, and tools for general trade. 
  Winooski
  Capital and chief settled region of the Republic of Vermont. Winooski sits at the top of a
  slope above the eastern shore of Lac Champlain. It is defended by a wooden pallisade to the
  west, south, and east, and on the north by a river flowing out of the Green Hills to the lake.
  At the river’s mouth is a small port, home of the landlocked Vermont navy, which numbers
  about a dozen small ships, mostly sloops. The city itself is well-ordered, with neatly laid
  streets around a large town green and meeting house. The town green also serves as a train-
  ing field for the Green Hill Rangers, the Republic’s volunteer army. 
  The First Citizen of the Republic, Ira Cole, lives in a modest house off the green. He is the
  spritual leader of many of his countrymen as well as their elected leader, believing that he has
  received divine inspiration from angelic spirits to found the Republic.
  Wyandot
  The waterway of Wyandot connects Mer Douce and Mer du Chat. It is occupied by the
  Huron, who allow passage to French traders in exchange for aid.
  Yuchi
  The deep woodlands between the Ohio and the Kaintuck are the realm of the Yuchi, a popu-
  lous nation related to the Shawnee but far less well known by Europeans. Scouts entering the
  forests of the Yuchi report an almost tangible force about the area, as if the very heart of the
  eastern woodlands was hidden there. 
  Zwaanendael
  Zwaanendael is a Nederlander toehold on the peninsula of New Sweden. The area includes a
  small fortified settlement on the coast, and a semicircular line of earthwork defenses running
  at a distance of some miles from the settlement, manned by Albian, Nederlander, and
  Vinlander mercenaries, hired to make harassing raids against the Swedish settlements on the
  peninsula. The Swedes would love to erase Zwaanendael from the map, but the powerful
  Nederlander navy protects it from attack by sea, and so far at any rate, the defensive line has
  blunted Swedish attacks by land.
  Gazetteer 223
  
  224 Gazetteer
  
  Monsters,
  being a gallery of beasts, spirits, and other inhabitants
  of the New World, both native and alien, their pecu-
  liar strengths, habits, and severall abilities.
  This chapter includes monsters unique to the Septentrionalis campaign setting, as well as
  some Septentrionalis versions of monsters which may be familiar from other fantasy settings.
  The Monsters
  Bone Dancer
  Medium Undead
  Hit Dice: 5d12+10 (55 hp)
  Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
  Speed: 30 ft.
  AC:17  (+2  Dex, +5 natural)
  Attacks: 2 claws +6 melee, bite +4 melee
  Damage: claws 1d4+3 , bite 1d6+2
  Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks: Bone Dance, Create Spawn
  Special Qualities: Undead, spellcasting ability
  Saves: Fortitude +4, Reflex +3, Will +5
  Abilities: Str 16, Dex 15, Con 14, Int  17, Wis 12, Cha 16
  Skills: Concentration +10, Hide + 4, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Listen +5, Scry +4,
  Spellcraft +11, Spot +5
  Feats: Multiattack,  Spell Penetration
  ____________
  Climate/Terrain: Any
  Organization: Solitary + 1d6 medium skeletons
  Challenge Rating: 5
  Treasure: Standard
  Alignment: Always neutral evil
  Advancement: 6-12 HD (Medium)
  Bone dancers are the undead corpses of neutral evil Algonkian sorcerors who have gained
  eternal existence through the gruesome practice of eating their own flesh down to the very
  marrow within their bones, which are filled with pebbles that rattle and shake with each
  movement. They appear as skeletons still wearing the clothes they wore in life, without flesh
  except for their lidless, staring eyes. Still hungry, they seek out other living humanoids to
  feast upon and add to their evil, capering train.
  
  Combat
  Bone Dance (Su): As a move-equivalent action, a bone dancer can rhythmically rattle its
  bones to bring living creatures under its spell. All humanoids within 30’ must make a Will
  save at DC 15 or be paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. Once a successful save has been made, or the
  duration of the paralysis expired, a victim is immune to the bone dance of that particular
  bone dancer. Note that while dancing, the bone dancer suffers a penalty of -8 to Hide and
  Move Silently skill checks.
  Create Skeleton (Su): All humanoid creatures slain and eaten by a bone dancer become ani-
  mated skeletons under the control of their creator. A bone dancer may be accompanied by
  1d6 such skeletons, plus one for each HD above 5.
  Spellcasting Abilities: Bone dancers cast arcane  spells as if they were sorcerors of equiva-
  lent level.
  Undead: Bone dancers enjoy the standard immunities of undead creatures.
  Bone dancers seek only more flesh to devour, and to gather more skeletons into their unholy
  dance. They can seldom resist an opportunity to feed, even at some risk to themselves. They
  use their dance to paralyze victims, then move in to slay and feed.
  Catamount
  Large Magical Beast
  Hit Dice: 4d10+8 (30 hp)
  Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
  Speed: 40 ft.
  AC:15  (+4  Dex, -1 size, +4 natural)
  Attacks: 2 claws +9 melee, bite +4 melee
  Damage: claws 1d4+5 , bite 1d8+2
  Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks: Stunning leap
  Special Qualities: Scent, jump
  Saves: Fortitude +6, Reflex +8, Will +1
  Abilities: Str 20, Dex 18, Con 15, Int  4, Wis 11, Cha 7
  Skills: Hide +5, Listen +5, Jump +30, Spot +4, Wilderness Lore +5  
  Feats: Improved Initiative, Track
  ____________
  Climate/Terrain: Temperate Woodlands and Mountains
  Organization: solitary or female with litter of 1-4 1HD kittens
  Challenge Rating: 4
  Treasure: none
  Alignment: always neutral
  Advancement: 5-6 HD (large), 7 HD (huge)
  Catamounts are feline predators resembling  large mountain lions. They dwell in forested
  upland areas of Septentrionalis, preying on deer and smaller game. Solitary animals, they
  stake out a large and exclusive hunting range that typically includes several terrain types: for-
  est verge, maple swamp, and mountain slopes.
  Combat
  218 Monsters
  
  Jump (Sp): Catamounts can jump at will, per the spell of the same name.
  Stunning Leap (Ex): Each time a catamount makes an successful attack at the end of a jump
  of 10 feet or more, the victim must make a Fortitude save at DC 14 or be stunned for one
  round.
  Catamounts hunt by stalking and ambushing. They can leap incredible distances at unsus-
  pecting prey, terminating in a savage blow to the victim’s neck or skull. They usually do not
  attack groups of well-armed humans, prefering solitary targets.
  Okanagan
  Huge Beast
  Hit Dice: 10d10+60 (115 hp)
  Initiative: 0
  Speed: swim 40 ft.
  AC:15  ( -2 size, +7 natural)
  Attacks: bite +11 melee, tail +6 melee
  Damage: bite 1d12+7 , tail 1d10+4
  Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 30 ft./10 ft.
  Special Attacks: Wave thrash 
  Special Qualities: 60’ darkvision
  Saves: Fortitude +13, Reflex +7, Will +4
  Abilities: Str 25, Dex 11, Con 22, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
  Skills:  Hide +1, Listen +5, Spot +4
  ____________
  Climate/Terrain: Rivers and Lakes
  Organization: solitary 
  Challenge Rating: 10
  Treasure: none
  Alignment: always neutral
  Advancement: 11-14 HD(huge); 15-20 HD (gargantuan)
  Okanagan are a wide-ranging group of serpentine lake monsters, given many local names by
  both natives and  Europeans who live near their habitats. They favor deep lakes with steep-
  sided shores, but have been known to inhabit large rivers as well. It is thought that these
  huge creatures feed on game fish like salmon, trout, and sturgeon, using their long, coiling
  bodies to herd a school of fish into a tight mass before feeding.
  Natural philosophers disagree over whether the okanangan is reptilian or mammalian,
  although they have given it the latin name Megophias (“big snake”). Its skin is smooth and
  shiny, like the hide of a whale, but it has no flippers. Its head is strangely horse-like, with two
  knob-like horns often mistaken for stalked eyes. It is often spotted as a series of three to five
  humps or coils just breaking the surface of the water.
  Combat
  Wave Thrash (Ex): As a standard action, an okanangan can use its coils to send a powerful
  wave of water at targets within 100’. The wave is 5’ high and 30’ broad, emanating from the
  creature’s center of mass and rushing outward at a speed of 100’/round. It delivers a slam
  attack to any ship or swimming creature it encounters, inflicting 1d10+4 points of damage
  Monsters 219
  
  per 5’ of the target’s length. (A 10’ rowboat, for example, takes 2d10+8 points of damage).
  A swimming creature hit by the wave can make a Reflex save at DC 16 for half damage.
  Okanangan are not normally agressive creatures, but will attack if startled or bumped into
  while feeding. They are strongly attracted to fishing boats, however, and will capsize one to
  spill its catch into the water; anglers may delay such an attack for 2d6 rounds by throwing 20
  pounds or more of fish over the side to distract the creature.
  Because of their size, okanangan require a huge amount of territory to sustain them. Even a
  large lake will have no more than two or three. How they breed is unclear, but it is suspected
  that they can haul themselves over land for short distances to find mates in neighboring
  lakes, much as eels do. Mating season is probably in March and April, because most unpro-
  voked attacks on boats occur at this season, when male okanangan are thought to be
  engaged in fights with rival males over breeding rights.
  Pauguk
  Medium Undead
  Hit Dice: 2d12 (13 hp)
  Initiative: +2 (+2 Dex)
  Speed: 30 ft, fly 40 ft (good)
  AC:14  (+2  Dex, +2 deflection)
  Attacks: 2 claws +3 melee, bite +2 melee
  Damage: claws 1d6+2, bite 1d4+1 + blood drain
  Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Blood Drain 
  Special Qualities: damage reduction 5/+1, darkvision  60’
  Saves: Fortitude +0, Reflex +2, Will +3
  Abilities: Str 14, Dex 14, Con --, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 6
  Skills:  Listen + 3, Spot +5
  Feats: Skill Focus (Spot)
  ____________
  Climate/Terrain: any
  Organization: flock (3-30)
  Challenge Rating: 2
  Treasure: none
  Alignment: always neutral evil
  Advancement: none
  Pauguk are a from of wandering undead that are attracted to areas where disease, starvation,
  or war have left a weakened population. Villages that are suffering from plague, besieged
  forts, lost explorers, or battlefield casualties are all at risk from these feared scavengers.
  They appear as elongated human skeletons that hover several feet above the ground, creep-
  ing along the terrain like a low-lying fog. 
  Pauguk live in loose flocks, with no leader or hierarchy. No lairs have ever been found, and it
  is supposed that they only materialize to feast upon sick or wounded humans. Their place in
  the ecosystem is not unlike carrion creatures like vultures and canines, since they prefer to
  attack only weakened individuals. They communicate with each other in harsh whispers, but
  220 Monsters
  
  do not speak with humans. They have no natural enemies besides humankind.
  Combat
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a pauguk must hit with both claw attacks.
  Blood Drain (Ex): With each successful bite attack, a pauguk temporarily drains one point
  from the victim’s Constitution score.
  When attacking, pauguk often use fog, mist, or darkness as cover. They descend silently
  upon an area, often gaining access to houses by slithering down chimneys or through open
  windows. Only when the entire flock has arrived do they start they attack. Pauguk dispatch
  their victims using their bony claws, then gain nourishment by drinking the victim's blood.
  Successful firearm attacks against pauguks inflict only one point of damage, unless silver
  bullets are used, which inflict half-damage.
  Pukwudgee
  Small Fey
  Hit Dice: 1d6+2 (5 hp)
  Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
  Speed: 20 ft
  AC:13  (+2  Dex, +1 size)
  Attacks: club +1 melee, shortbow +2 ranged
  Damage: club 1d6+1, shortbow 1d6 + poison
  Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks: poison arrows, spell-like abilities 
  Special Qualities: SR 17, concealment
  Saves: Fortitude +2, Reflex +4, Will +6
  Abilities: Str 12,  Dex 14, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 18, Cha 16
  Skills:  Animal Empathy +7, Bluff +7, Climb +5, Craft (woodcraft) +6, Escape Artist +6,
  Heal +8, Hide +10*, Intuit Direction +9, Knowledge (nature) +6, Listen +8, Move Silently
  +10, Spot +8  
  Feats: Improved initiative
  *includes a +4 racial bonus.
  ____________
  Climate/Terrain: Temperate Woodland
  Organization: solitary, group (2-20) or clan (20-100)
  Challenge Rating: 2
  Treasure: none
  Alignment: neutral
  Advancement: 2-6 HD (Small)
  Pukwudgee are a woodland fey race of Septentrionalis, secretive folk who use their wood-
  craft to remain out of sight of prying mortal eyes.Wide-ranging, they  are known by many
  regional names, including nan-a-push, manitowussuk, and muhkeahweesug. They appear as
  gnomelike beings with craggy features and large noses. They habitually wear skirts and
  cloaks woven from leaves and straw, and often paint themselves in natural pigments to add to
  their camouflage. Some wear shell or tooth necklaces of fine craftsmanship. Their leaders
  usually wear grotesque carved wooden masks, purportedly to scare away evil outsiders who
  Monsters 221
  
  love to prey on them.
  Pukwudgee ociety is organized along tribal lines under the rule of a sachem. Occasional
  mass gatherings occur among 2-12 sachemdoms, numbering in the hundreds of individuals.
  During these gatherings marriages are arranged, alliances made, disputes settled, and goods
  exchanged. Occasionally sachemdoms will join to form a loose confederation under a fight-
  er/druid of level 4-6.
  Occasionally a pukwudgee does reveal itself to human travellers or settlers, usually by
  appearing suddenly close by. The lone pukwudgee then points away into the distance, and
  anyone foolish enough to follow the gesture will be distracted long enough for the puk-
  wudgees hidden companions to steal some of the victim's possessions. To prevent such
  theft, local peoples often place offerings in wicker baskets at the edge of the forest to satisfy
  the pukwudgees' need for human wares.
  Pukwudgee speak the Algonkian dialect of their region, and can also communicate silently
  by signs. They are occasionally helpful to humans in need of directions or medical care, but
  never assist hunters or woodcutters.
  Combat:
  Concealment (Ex): In a woodland setting, Pukwudgees always are considered to have at
  least 20% concealment, due to their uncanny ability to blend in with their surroundings.
  Poisoned Arrows (Ex): Pukwudgee coat their arrows with a plant-derived poison that
  induces disorientation and confusion in its victims:
  Type: Injury DC 14, Initial Damage 0, Secondary Damage 0
  Effect: Loss of 1d6 Wisdom  -2 to attacks, saves, and skill rolls 
  Duration: One hour
  Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day: Entangle, Goodberry, Summon Nature’s Ally 1. These abilities
  are as the spells cast by a 5th level druid (save DC 16).
  Pukwudgee prefer skirmishes to direct assault, due to their small stature. They fight pitched
  battles only when trapped or in vastly superior numbers. All pukwudgee carry bows and
  wooden clubs. They often seek covered positions from which to shoot their poisoned arrows. 
  For each group of pukwudgee encountered, there will be one pukwudgee druid of level 3. 
  222 Monsters
  
  Thunderbird
  Large Magical Beast
  Hit Dice: 6d10+12 (45 hp)
  Initiative: +2 (+2 Dex)
  Speed: 10 ft, fly 90 ft (good)
  AC:15  (+2  Dex, -1 size, +4 natural)
  Attacks: 2 claws +8 melee, bite +5 melee
  Damage: claws 1d8+3 plus 1d6 electrical, bite 1d8+1
  Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks: electrical attack, thunderclap 
  Special Qualities: damage reduction 5/+1, evasion
  Saves: Fortitude +7, Reflex +7, Will +5
  Abilities: Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 16
  Skills:  Balance +7, Knowledge (religion) +5, Listen +12, Sense Motive +8, Spot +14  
  Feats: Skill Focus (Spot), Flyby Attack
  ____________
  Climate/Terrain: Temperate
  Organization: solitary or flock (2-12)
  Challenge Rating: 7
  Treasure: none
  Alignment: always lawful good
  Advancement: none
  Thunderbirds, also called Stormbirds, are large eagle-like avians sent by the creator god to
  battle the forces of evil for the benefit of humankind, and to enforce the peace. They may
  appear when native settlements are threatened by attack, or to mediate an end to a dispute
  that has deteriorated into mindless bloodshed. 
  These creatures appear as crested, hook-beaked raptors, with long, flat wing feathers and
  long, forked tails. They are red to red-orange in color, with yellow beaks and blazing eyes.
  They roost in remote highland areas and along river bluffs, far from civilization, but most of
  their days are spent flying at high altitude, using their keen eyes to spot trouble on the
  ground. At times, a particular thunderbird has been known to become the guardian and
  companion of a powerful lawful good character, most commonly a paladin. Thunderbirds
  speak a tongue akin to Algonkian, but which can also be understood by any lawful good crea-
  ture.
  No young thunderbirds or thunderbird eggs have ever been found. It is possible that the
  birds spring fully formed from the will of the creator god.
  Combat
  Detect Evil (Sp): At will, as a 6th level spellcaster.
  Electrical Attack (Ex): Each time a thunderbird makes a successful claw or bite attack, it
  also delivers 1d6 points of electrical damage. 
  Thunderclap (Su): As a standard action, a thunderbird can strike its wings together to cre-
  ate a powerful clash of thunder. All enemies within  30’ must make a successful Fortitude
  save at DC 16 or be dazed for 1d4 rounds. A thunderbird can use this ability once per
  encounter.
  Monsters 223
  
  Thunderbirds prefer to dive on their enemies and daze them with their thunderclap ability
  before making flyby attacks with their electrified claws. They avoid landing on the ground at
  all costs, prefering to remain airborne. To stop a battle in progress, they have been known to
  swoop between combatants and herd them away from their opponents until cooler heads
  prevail.
  Wendigo
  Large Outsider
  Hit Dice: 6d8 +36 (63 hp)
  Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
  Speed: 30 ft, fly 50 ft (good)
  AC:18  (-1 size, +4 Dex, +5 natural)
  Attacks: Bite +11 melee, 2 claws +6 melee
  Damage: Bite 2d6+6, claw 1d4+3
  Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft.
  Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Breath Weapon 
  Special Qualities: cold resistance 30, damage reduction 10/+1, darkvision  60’
  Saves: Fortitude +11, Reflex +9, Will +6
  Abilities: Str 22, Dex 18, Con 23, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 10
  Skills: Hide +13, Intimidate +6, Listen  +13, Move Silently +13,  Search +11,  Spot +12,
  Wilderness Lore +10
  Feats: Flyby Attack, Track, Alertness, Improved Initiative
  ____________
  Climate/Terrain: Cold
  Organization:
  Challenge Rating: 8
  Treasure: none
  Alignment: always chaotic evil
  Advancement: 7-9 HD (Large), 10-12 HD (Huge), 13-15 HD (Gargantuan)
  The wendigo is the embodiment of winter's cruelty, and is only active in snowy, subfreezing
  areas. It appears as a gaunt, emaciated giant, with tattered, bloody lips, jagged teeth, and
  sharp claws. An odor of death and corruption surrounds it. Traders and explorers in the far
  north are at the most risk from the wendigo, especially those who travel alone. The creatures
  have also been known to attack frontier settlements and isolated villages. In severe winters,
  they range as far south as the temperature allows. Only warmth and fire are proof against
  them (a torch or campfire wards off their attack for 1d4  rounds).
  Wendigo society is said to mirror that of their Algonkian neighbors, with several sachem-
  doms under a great sachem named Beboonikal, who dwells in a huge, icy hall in the far
  north.Beboonikal is a Gargantuan wendigo with 15 hit dice, who travels in the company of 4
  Huge wendigo bodyguards with 12 hit dice each. Fortunately, he seldom travels abroad,
  unless the weather is severely cold.
  Combat
  Wendigos prefer to wait in ambush for their victims, often using falling or drifting snow to
  screen their attack. They use their breath weapons to immobilize and weaken their prey,
  before rending with their claws, grabbing, and savagely biting. Their hunger is so great that
  224 Monsters
  
  they will often pause to eat a fallen victim in the middle of a battle, unless directly threat-
  ened.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the wendigo must hit with a claw attack.
  Breath Weapon (Su): Every 1d3 rounds, a wendigo can use a standard action to unleash a
  cone of numbing cold breath. The length/base of the cone is 30 ft. Targets may make a
  Reflex save for 1/2 damage with a DC of 19. The cone inflicts 4d6 of Cold damage. Instead
  of a cone, a wendigo may use an alternate form of breath weapon: a 80’ line which can target
  a single medium size or smaller creature, encasing it in a 3” coating of ice. (A successful
  Reflex save at DC 19 allows the target to avoid being encased). Encased victims cannot
  move; they take 1d6 Cold damage per round until freed. A successful Escape Artist or
  Strength check at DC 25 will allow a victim to break free in 1d3 rounds. Any attempt to
  smash the ice from outside does one-half damage to the ice, and one-half damage to the vic-
  tim. The ice has 9 hp, and a hardness of 0. A shatter spell destroys it instantly.
  New Monster Template
  This chapter introduces a new monster template: the animal brother, which can be created
  from any normal animal type.
  Animal Brother/Sister
  Animal brothers (and sisters) are normal animals who retain the powers of human speech and
  reason that other animals have forgotten or abandoned since the morning of the world. They
  generally have the use of their forelimbs as hands, and live in small communities sharing
  many features of Algonkian society, including the longhouse, matrilinear clans, and inherit-
  ed leadership positions. They make and use tools, weapons, and other paleolithic artefacts,
  often of finest craftsmanship. They speak the language of their Algonkian neighbors.
  Having been betrayed or belittled many times by their neighbors, animal brothers shun
  human company, except for the rare druid or ranger who earns their trust. Their communi-
  ties are always in the most remote inaccessible regions of the wilderness. If encountered,
  animal brothers will attempt to pose as ordinary animals. Only a successful Spot check at DC
  20 by a ranger or druid can reveal their special nature.
  Creating an Animal Brother/Sister
  An animal brother can be createdfrom any normal animal. It starts with the base abilities of
  that animal. The most common are bears, otters, wolves, and other carnivores, but every ani-
  mal is said to have animal brothers and sisters within its population.
  Special Qualities: In addition to the base animal’s normal armor class, natural weapons,
  saves, abilities, special attacks and qualities, skills, and feats, an animal brother gains the fol-
  lowing qualities:
  •Class Abilities: Animal brothers  receive the saving throw and attack bonuses, class abili-
  ties, and spellcasting abilities of one of the following character classes: barbarian, bard,
  druid, ranger, rogue, or sorceror. 
  •Class Advancement: Although they continue to gain hit points using the hit die of their
  animal type, rather than of their character class, in all other respects they advance as a mem-
  ber of their class, receiving the saving throw and attack bonuses, feats, class abilities, and
  Monsters 225
  
  spellcasting abilities of their chosen class. Once an animal brother reaches the maximum HD
  listed for its animal type, it gains only its Constitution ability modifier (if any) in hit points
  with each subsequent class level gained.
  •Speak with Animals: Animal brothers can communicate with all normal animals.
  Saves,  Skills, Feats: see above. Animal brothers receive feats per normal character advance-
  ment. They receive skill points and bonuses to saving throws based on their character class,
  which stack with any skill points and saving throw bonuses from the base creature.
  Abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution as base creature; Intelligence, Wisdom, and
  Charisma by standard player character generation rules.
  Climate/Terrain: same as base creature
  Organization: same as base creature
  Challenge Rating: same as base creature, +1 for every character level
  Treasure: items only
  Alignment: usually neutral good
  Advancement: hit dice as base creature; otherwise as character class. Attack bonuses from
  the animal’s character class do not apply to its natural weapons.
  Sample Animal Brother
  2nd Level Bear Brother Ranger
  Medium-Size Animal
  Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (26 hp)
  Initiative: +2 (+2 Dex)
  Speed: 40 ft.
  AC:14  (+1  Dex, +2 natural, +1 leather armor)
  Attacks: 2 claws +6 melee, bite +1 melee or
  club + 6 melee or club +4 melee/knife +4 melee or longbow +4 ranged
  Natural Weapon Damage: claws 1d4+4, bite 1d6+2
  Damage: club 1d6+4 melee/knife 1d4+4 melee, longbow 1d8 ranged
  Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks: - 
  Special Qualities: Scent
  Saves: Fortitude +8, Reflex +4, Will +2
  Abilities: Str 19, Dex 13, Con 15-, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 10
  Skills:  Animal Empathy + 4, Climb +8, Handle Animal +3, Hide +4, Knowledge (nature)
  +4, Listen + 4, Move Silently +5, Spot +7, Swim +8, Wilderness Lore +5
  Feats and Class Abilities: Track, Favored Enemy (wolves), Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon
  Fighting (when wearing light or no armor), Weapon Focus (longbow)
  Animal Brothers as Player Characters
  Depending on the focus of your campaign, you may allow an experienced player to choose
  Animal Brother as a character race. A talking, club-wielding bear is sure to liven up any cam-
  paign. You might even run a campaign in which all the PCs are animal brothers of one sort or
  another, trekking off to face the unknown dangers of human civilization.
  226 Monsters
  
  Inventions,
  being a compendium of ingenious devices built by the
  labor of the natural philosopher.
  This chapter contains a list of inventions available to characters with the Craft Invention feat,
  normally restricted to the natural philosopher character class. It can also be used by the DM
  who wishes to introduce an invention to the campaign. The inventions are listed alphabeti-
  cally, with the required science listed in parentheses. If knowledge of no particular science is
  required, then the school is listed as (any). Also listed are:
  Inventor Level: The mimimum natural philosopher level to construct the invention.
  Market Price: The selling price of the invention on the open market.
  Weight: The unloaded weight of the invention.
  AC: Vehicles receive a Dexterity bonus to AC when moving. When stationary, they are “flat-
  footed”, losing this bonus.
  Dexterity: Vehicles have a Dexterity score based on their speed and maneuverability. When
  immobile, a vehicle has no Dexterity.
  hp: When an invention reaches 0 hp, it is broken, but not destroyed. A natural philosopher
  can repair d3 hp within one hour, and d8 + 1 hp/level for each day of repair work thereafter.
  To destroy an invention beyond repair, it must take negative damage to the value of its total
  hp.
  Hardness, Break DC: See Attack an Object in the D&D Player’s Handbook.
  Additional Inventions
  As DM, feel free to add to this list, but try to do something more than merely duplicate a
  magic device -- inventions should be unique gadgets rather than simply magical wands,
  rings, and wondrous items under another name. A good invention is one that fulfills a long-
  standing wish of humankind: to fly, to cheat death, to explore the seas. It should have limita-
  tions, too. Perhaps it is heavy, or cumbersome, or noisy, or needs to be recharged or re-
  wound periodically. Consider all inventions carefully before allowing them: anything too effi-
  cient or powerful may unbalance the game. Players should be encouraged to come up with
  their own inventions. The DM will assign an inventor level, required science, market price,
  weight, and so on. To help determine which science is required to build the invention, use
  these guidelines:
  Antimagic: any invention which supresses, cancels, or absorbs spells or spellcasting.
  Death: any invention which harms, drugs, poisons, or kills, excluding weapons.
  Health: any invention which restores life, ability scores, or lost hit points, or protects against
  disease or poison, or affects Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution.
  Magnetism: any invention which involves electrical energy or magnetic forces. 
  Matter: includes any invention which involves an understanding of the properties of air,
  water, or solid matter, or which involves a transformation of matter or energy.
  version 15 July 2002
  Legendary Inventors
  Natural philosophers aspiring to greatness might
  look at some of these legendary inventors of
  the ancient world for ideas and inspiration. All
  but the first two are actual historical figures:
  Hephaistos
  The Greek god of metallurgy and crafts was an
  inventor in his own right. He created golden
  mechanical servants and wheeled tables which
  obeyed his commands and followed him
  through the halls of Olympus.
  Daedalus
  This celebrated genius of myth constructed
  wings for himself and his son to escape from the
  island of Crete. He also designed the labyrinth
  there. It is said that he exacted his revenge on
  King Minos by scalding him to death by means
  of a hidden pipe he installed in the King of
  Sicily’s bath!
  Archimedes
  A native of ancient Syracuse, where he was
  advisor to its king. He was an expert in defen-
  sive weaponry, including mechanical claws that
  could grab incoming enemy ships’ hulls and
  shake them to pieces, and concave mirrors capa-
  ble of igniting their sails.
  Alexander the Great
  By medieval tradition, Alexander the Great was
  said to have invented a diving bell and explored
  the undersea world, and to have invented an
  eagle-powered flying machine.
  Heron of Alexandria
  A Greek inventor known for his skill with gad-
  getry and automated devices. His detailed manu-
  als, surviving since the 1st century A.D., tell of
  mechanical singing birds, solar powered foun-
  tains, slot machines, automatic doors, and per-
  forming automata. He also developed a working
  steam engine (albeit one of very low efficiency).
  Callinicus of Syria
  This scientist is credited with the invention of
  greek fire, while in service of Byzantium in 674
  A.D.The ingredients are still not wholly under-
  stood, but the fiery mixture was pumped
  through tubes onto enemy vessels.
  The Banu Musa Brothers
  Three brothers from ninth-century Bagdad, gift-
  ed scientists who also wrote the famous trea-
  tise, The Book of Ingenious Devices.
  Note to DMs: Finding a lost text or invention of
  one of these geniuses might become the seed of
  an exciting adventure!
  
  Mentalism: any invention which amplifies, projects, or blocks mind effects, or affects
  Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma.
  Physics: any invention involving light, sound, or planar travel.
  If the invention doesn’t seem to fit any of these categories, place it under the Any category.
  Examples include weapons, clockwork devices, and timesaving gizmos.
  The Inventions
  Aeolipilic Mill (Matter)
  Inventor Level: 11th
  Market Price: 1500 gp
  Weight: 200 lbs.
  20 hp
  Hardness 10
  Break DC 22
  The aeolipilic mill consists of a 2’ diameter spherical copper flask partially filled with water,
  seated above an alcohol stove. A reservoir of water stands in a separate flask connected to
  the main flask by a tube. A second tube attached to the main flask terminates in a piston.
  When heated, the water in the main flask is transformed into steam, whose pressure drives
  the piston as it escapes through the tube. 1 gp worth of alcohol (one quart) is sufficient to
  power the mill for six hours. Using a network of gears and belts, the piston can turn a wheel,
  such as a mill wheel or cartwheel, or simply move an object back and forth along a single
  dimension, like a hammer or a paddle. It can lift up to 300 pounds and push up to 750
  pounds, or move a wheeled vehicle of up to 1500 pounds. It can generally replace the work
  of a single person of Strength 13, for example, taking the place of a single rower on a galley,
  or powering a single winder of an aerial helix (see below). The mill must be monitored con-
  stantly to assure the proper heat, water supply, and pressure; if left unattended while operat-
  ing, it runs a 50% chance of exploding within one hour, with a 90% chance each hour there-
  after, doing 3d6 damage and 2d6 fire damage to all targets within 20’ (a Reflex save at DC
  15 reduces damage to 1/2).
  Aerial Helix (Matter)
  Inventor Level: 8th
  Market Price: 6000 gp
  Weight: 50 lbs.
  AC 9 flying/3 at rest
  Dexterity 12
  20 hp
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 18
  A flying machine consisting of a helix-shaped sail mounted on a revolving gear. The gear
  mechanism sits upon an 8’ diameter disc-like wooden platform with four passenger sta-
  tions,each fitted with a hand crank. It can carry up to four Medium sized crew, with a total
  weight of 800 lbs. When turned rapidly by means of the hand cranks, the sail lifts the
  machine into the air by the same principle as a drill bit sinks into a wooden board. In flight,
  an aerial helix has Good maneuverability and a speed of 30 ft, with a climb rate of 10’ per
  round, vertically, and a descent rate of 30’, also vertically. The direction of flight is con-
  trolled by a vane mounted on the side of the disk and turned by means of a foot pedal at one
  of the passenger stations. Because at least two hand cranks must be turned at all times to
  keep it airborne, it cannot be flown by one person, but can be flown indefinitely by two
  teams of two, working in shifts. The maximum safe flight time  for a crew of two is equal to
  the weaker flier’s Constitution score in turns. On each subsequent turn, the weaker flier
  makes a Constitution check at DC 10. Failure means the helix will fall to earth at 30’ per
  round.  
  Inventions, listed by Science and Level
  Any
  Invention
  Inventor Level
  Dupligraphic Pen
  3rd
  Ring Bayonet
  3rd
  Chronometer
  4th
  Rifle
  4th
  Volley Gun
  5th
  Quick-firing Musket
  6th
  Clockwork Horse
  7th
  Clockwork Servant
  7th
  Clockwork Soldier
  8th
  Antimagic
  Invention
  Inventor Level
  Spirit Vane
  6th
  Arcanostatic Rod
  12th
  Demanafix
  14th
  Death
  Invention
  Inventor Level
  Morphitic Spirit
  4th
  Thanatopic Mill
  13th
  Health
  Invention
  Inventor Level
  Healing Salve
  3rd
  Vaccinatory Needle
  3rd
  Herculean Tincture
  5th
  Mercurial Tincture
  5th
  Simalcrumatorium
  12th
  Lazarus Box
  13th
  Magnetism
  Invention
  Inventor Level
  Galvanic Lantern
  3rd
  Galvanic Lantern, Pocket
  4th
  Electrostatic Gunlock
  4th
  Galvanic Armor
  6th
  Electrostatic Sword
  7th
  Galvanic Boots & Gauntlets
  8th
  Electrostatic Cannon
  10th
  Matter
  Invention
  Inventor Level
  Ornithoptical Wings
  5th
  Natatory Helmet
  6th
  Aerial Helix
  7th
  Aerostatic Ship
  8th
  Occam’s Blade Oil
  8th
  Piscatoform Ship
  9th
  Aeolipilic Mill
  11th
  Earthquake Engine
  16th
  Mentalism
  Invention
  Inventor Level
  Mesmeric Disk
  5th
  Panopticon
  10th
  Physics
  Invention
  Inventor Level
  Periscopic Viewer
  3rd
  Eidetic Shadow Box
  4th
  Sympathetic Ears
  4th
  Nocturnal Lenses
  5th
  Heliopyritic Mirror
  6th
  Transmaterial Lenses
  7th
  Sympathetic Mirrors
  8th
  Osmotic Mirrors
  15th
  230 Inventions 
  
  Aerostatic Ship (Matter)
  Inventor Level: 11th
  Market Price: 20000 gp
  Weight: 500 lbs.
  AC 9 flying/3 at rest
  Dexterity 12
  40 hp
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 18
  A flying vessel consisting of a 25’ x 15’ open gondola suspended beneath a three spherical
  silk bladders filled with aetheric spirit, whose natural antipathy for the earth causes it to rise.
  The craft is propelled by four pairs of oars, each of which terminate in a fanlike blade. By
  bleeding some of the spirit from the bladders, the ship can descend, and when further ascent
  is required, more spirit can be introduced into the bladders from a large flask of liquid aether
  carried on board. In flight, an aerostatic ship has Perfect maneuverability and a speed of 10
  feet per pair of oars in use, with a climb rate of 15’ per round, vertically, and a descent rate of
  30’, also vertically. The gondola can carry eight rowers and up to six passengers, plus their
  equipment, to a maximum weight of 4200 lbs.
  Arcanostatic Rod (Antimagic)
  Inventor Level: 12th
  Market Price: 20000 gp
  Weight: 4 lbs.
  5 hp
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 20
  An arcanostatic rod appears as a 3’ walking stick tipped with a hollow sphere of aetherical
  spirit and shod with a copper spike. It absorbs magical energy and stores it, creating an
  antimagic field with a radius of 10’. Up to 20 spell levels worth of spells can be absorbed by
  the rod before it is fully charged. To discharge the rod, the user may touch the copper spike
  to any solid surface in contact with the earth, or to a living target via touch attack. The dis-
  charge produces no damage to ordinary matter or creatures, but deals 1d6 magical damage
  per spell level stored to any magical beast, fey, dragon, undead, shapeshifter, outsider, or
  character with arcane spellcasting ability, to a maximum of 10d6.
  Chronometer (any)
  Inventor Level: 4th
  Market Price: 2000 gp
  Weight: 10 lbs.
  5 hp
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 16
  The chronometer allows for accurate timekeeping, even at sea. It is accurate to within only a
  few seconds each month. Because this accuracy enables navigators to determine their longi-
  tude (distance east or west of a fixed point), the chronometer gives a +10 to all Profession
  (navigator) skill checks.
  Clockwork Horse (any)
  Inventor Level: 7th
  Market Price: 10000 gp
  Weight: 400 lbs.
  AC 18
  30 hp
  Hardness 10
  Break DC 25
  Str 15
  Dex 13
  Con -
  Int 2
  Wis 1
  Cha 1
  A clockwork horse appears as a life-size articulated model of a horse, with limbs made of
  steel struts and cables covered by metal plates. It is capable of moving at 50’ per round, with
  a light load of up to 400 pounds, a medium load of up to 800 pounds, and a heavy load of up
  to 1200 pounds. It can drag up to 6000 pounds. It is immune to poison, mind control, dis-
  ease, and similar effects.
  In combat, clockwork horses have a melee attack bonus of +3, delivering 2 attacks with their
  Inventions 231
  
  hooves for 1d6+4 points of bludgeoning damage each. They respond to the spoken com-
  mands and physical cues of their riders. To operate, they must be wound with a large key fit-
  ted into a lock at their back. One winding is sufficient for 24 hours’ of operation.
  Clockwork Servant (any)
  Inventor Level: 7th
  Market Price: 8000 gp
  Weight: 200 lbs.
  AC 13
  11 hp
  Hardness 8
  Break DC 15
  Str 10
  Dex 8
  Con -
  Int 10
  Wis 1
  Cha 1
  A clockwork servant is a human-shaped automaton built to do menial work at the command
  of its creator. It appears as a 5’ tall, jointed statue, with limbs made of steel struts and cables
  covered by a skin of light metal such as tin. It is capable of moving at 20’ per round on its
  sturdy legs. It is immune to poison, mind control, disease, and similar effects.
  At its creation, a clockwork servant has 10 skill points. Its creator can use these points only
  to buy Craft skills, which remain fixed for the duration of its existance. Examples of craft
  skills might include Domestic Servant, Cook, Laborer, Armorer, or Shepherd. Only one
  Craft skill may be practiced by the clockwork servant at a time; to enable the servant to
  access a different skill, a Mode lever in its back must be adjusted by its owner.
  Clockwork servants are incapable of attacking or defending themselves. They understand
  spoken commands, but cannot speak. To operate, they must be wound with a large key fitted
  into a lock at their back. One winding is sufficient for 24 hours’ of operation.
  Clockwork Soldier (any)
  Inventor Level: 8th
  Market Price: 12000 gp
  Weight: 300 lbs.
  AC 18
  20 hp
  Hardness 10
  Break DC 25
  Str 15
  Dex 9
  Con -
  Int 10
  Wis 1
  Cha 1
  A clockwork soldier is a human-shaped automaton built for combat. It appears as a 6’ tall,
  jointed statue, with limbs made of steel struts and cables covered by armored steel plates. Its
  arms terminate in brutal-looking blades and hammers, rather than hands. It is capable of
  moving at 15’ per round on its sturdy legs. It is immune to poison, mind control, disease,
  and similar effects.
  In combat, clockwork soldiers have an attack bonus of +6/+1, with +2 to damage due to
  their high Strength. When created, their inventor may fit them with any 2 of the following
  weapons: battleaxe, heavy pick, warhammer, or heavy mace.  They cannot aim or operate
  ranged weapons. 
  Clockwork soldiers understand spoken commands, but cannot speak. To operate, they must
  be wound with a large key fitted into a lock at their back. One winding is sufficient for 24
  hours’ of operation.
  232 Inventions 
  
  Demanafix (Antimagic)
  Inventor Level: 14th
  Market Price: 24000 gp
  Weight: 800 lbs.
  20 hp
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 22
  A demanafix appears as a heavy iron sarcophagus, 7’ long, 4’ high, and 3’ wide. It stands
  upright, like an iron maiden, with a hinged lid and a lever along one side. The interior of the
  lid is studded with 24 sharpened amythyst crystals, while hand and foot restraints are found
  attached to the inside of the device itself. The demanafix has the power to strip a character of
  arcane spellcasting ability, simply by placing them inside and throwing the lever. For every
  minute spent inside, the device drains one experience level’s worth of spellcasting ability.
  For example, a 10th level sorceror placed inside for three minutes will be able to cast spells
  as though they were only a 7th level sorceror. The effect is permanent, but not irreversable --
  if the demanafix is destroyed, all subjects drained by it will be restored to full spellcasting
  ability.
  It can also be used to slay supernatural creatures -- any Medium or smaller fey, magical beast,
  outsider, shapechanger, or undead placed in a demanafix suffers 1d10 damage for each
  round spent itside it.
  Dupligraphic Pen (any)
  Inventor Level: 3rd
  Market Price: 100 gp
  Weight: 2 lbs.
  0 hp
  Hardness 0
  Break DC 14
  The dupligraphic pen consists of a two quill pens attached by means of a jointed arm, mount-
  ed on a 3’ by 4’ board, with integral inkwells and clips for attaching two sheets of paper up to
  18” x 24” in size. It allows the user to make a copy of a document or drawing as the original
  is being created. If a stylus is used rather than a pen, the invention can be used to trace a
  document or drawing and create a perfect copy. Up to three additional pens can be linked to
  the first one, each creating an additional copy.
  Earthquake Engine (Matter)
  Inventor Level: 16th
  Market Price: 30000 gp
  Weight: 200 lbs.
  20 hp
  Hardness 10
  Break DC 22
  This invention takes the form of an iron barrel, 24” tall and 18” in diameter, standing
  upright on four short legs. The top of the barrel features a directional arrow superimposed
  upon a compass, and a dial with settings between “0” and “100 miles distant”. A simple
  on/off switch adorns the side of the barrel. Protruding beneath the barrel is an iron foot
  mounted on a vertical pole. When activated, the foot begins to pound the earth beneath the
  device, creating sympathetic vibrations that generate an earthquake at the location indicated
  by the arrow and dial on the surface of the barrel. The earthquake affects a 1-mile diameter
  circle, and lasts for one round, after which time the engine shuts itself off, and cannot be
  restarted for a period of one week, while it recharges itself.
  During a quake, all creatures in the quake zone must make a Reflex save at DC 20 or fall
  down. Any structures in the area need to make a Break check to see if they collapse. Make a
  Strength roll as if the earthquake had a Strength score of 25 (+7 ability modifier):
  Inventions 233
  
  Type of Structure
  Break DC
  Damage to Occupants
  Wooden 
  17
  4d6 per storey
  Masonry
  20
  6d6 per storey
  Hewn Stone
  25
  8d6 per storey
  If you wish to assess damage for an entire town or city within the quake zone, consider 50%
  of wooden buildings will have collapsed, 35% of masonry buildings, and 10% of hewn stone
  buildings.
  Eidetic Shadow Box (Physics)
  Inventor Level: 4th
  Market Price: 1000 gp
  Weight: 1 lb.
  1 hp
  Hardness 0
  Eidetic plates are copper or tin plates coated with a chemical film that, when placed in a
  shadow box fitted with a tiny aperature, produce a monochrome image of whatever the box is
  pointed at. It is thought that the plates capture eidolons, which are phantom images con-
  stantly shed by all matter that allow the eye to receive visual information. A prototype device
  includes the shadow box itself, and a supply of twenty 5” x 7” plates. Additional plates can
  be produced at 20 gp per plate.
  Electrostatic Cannon (Magnetism)
  Inventor Level: 10th
  Market Price: 10000 gp
  Weight: 300 lbs.
  25 hp
  Hardness 10
  Break DC 20
  The electrostatic cannon appears at first glance to be an ordinary 3-pounder artillery piece,
  but on closer inspection, it becomes apparent that the barrel is a solid cylinder of iron tightly
  wrapped with coils of copper wire. The breech end of the cannon contains a large galvanic
  jar with a heavy hand crank. To charge the cannon, the crank must be turned by two gunners
  as a full-round action for at least one round. When the gunlock is activated, the cannon dis-
  charges a bolt of lightning at the target, accompanied by a clap of thunder. The range incre-
  ment is 100’; on a successful hit, the target receives 1d10 electrical damage for each round
  the cannon has been charged, to a maximum of 10d10. A successful Reflex save at DC 20
  reduces the damage to 1/2 normal.
  Electrostatic Gunlock (Magnetism)
  Inventor Level: 4th
  Market Price: 300 gp
  Weight: 0.5 lbs.
  0 hp
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 23
  Any gunpowder weapon, from a pistol to an artillery piece, may be fitted with an electrostatic
  gunlock, to replace the weapon’s original firing mechanism.  The gunlocks  detonates the
  powder charge by means of an electric spark transmited via copper wire. It eliminates any
  chance of misfire normally associated with gunpowder weapons.
  Electrostatic Sword (Magnetism)
  Inventor Level: 7th
  Market Price: 5000 gp
  Weight: 5 lbs.
  5 hp
  Hardness 10
  Break DC 23
  This invention appears to be an ordinary rapier or broadsword, except for the large magnet
  forming the pommel of the weapon, and the integral shagreen gauntlet attached to the hand-
  234 Inventions 
  
  grip. The scabbard is wound with copper wire. Drawing the sword from the scabbard creates
  an electrostatic charge upon the blade, causing it to crackle with blue sparks. On its next
  successful attack, the weapon deals an extra 2d6 electrical damage to the target. It then
  functions as an ordinary sword until replaced in the scabbard (a move-equivalent action) and
  drawn again (another move-equivalent action). The sword does not function underwater. If
  not used to attack or touch a target within one minute, the sword loses its charge.
  Galvanic Armor (Magnetism)
  Inventor Level: 6th
  Market Price: 4000 gp
  Weight: 10 lbs.
  3 hp
  Hardness 5
  Galvanic armor consists of a leather vest sewn with small disc-shaped magnets, connected to
  a galvanic belt. When activated by means of a lever, the armor generates a magnetic field that
  provides a +4 deflection bonus against melee and ranged attacks. It can be activated for up
  to one hour before it must be turned off to let the magnets rest for a minimum of one hour.
  Galvanic Boots and Gauntlets (Magnetism)
  Inventor Level: 7th
  Market Price: 5000 gp
  Weight: 4 lbs.
  6 hp
  Hardness 5
  Galvanic boots and gauntlets allow the wearer to cling like a spider to any solid surface, even
  sheer cliffs and ceilings, giving the wearer a +30 to Climb skill rolls. They can operate for up
  to one hour before needing a one-hour rest for recharging of the integral magnets that power
  them.
  Galvanic Lantern (Magnetism)
  Inventor Level: 3rd
  Market Price: 500 gp
  Weight: 3 lbs.
  AC 7
  5 hp
  Hardness 3
  Break DC 10
  A 12” tall, 5” diameter lantern powered by galvanic forces, needing no fuel and no air to
  operate. It appears to be an ordinary hooded lantern, with the addition of a hand winder near
  the top. When wound vigorously for one minute, the lantern produces a 20’ radius bluish
  glow for six hours before it needs to be wound again.
  Galvanic Lantern, Pocket (Magnetism)
  Inventor Level: 4rd
  Market Price: 700 gp
  Weight: 0.5 lbs.
  AC 9
  1 hp
  Hardness 3
  Break DC 8
  A smaller version of the galvanic lantern (see above). It is a cylinder, only 4” tall and 2” in
  diameter, with the lens placed at one end of the cylinder. When wound for one minute, it
  produces a 20’ long beam, 10’ wide at the far end, for one hour before needing to be wound
  again.
  Healing Salve (Health)
  Inventor Level: 3rd
  Market Price: 100 gp/dose
  Weight: 1 lb./20 doses
  This white cream, when applied to wounds, heals 1d8+3 hp instantly. Additional doses
  applied to the same wounds are not effective. 
  Inventions 235
  
  Heliopyritic Mirror (Physics)
  Inventor Level: 6th
  Market Price: 4000 gp
  Weight: 35 lbs.
  AC 5
  1 hp
  Hardness 1
  Break DC 12
  A highly polished parabolic mirror capable of turning the sun’s rays into a powerful ranged
  weapon. It consists of a circular, curved mirror  3’ in diameter, with a carefully cut and pol-
  ished ruby suspended by 3 slender rods at the mirror’s focus, about 1’ away. The mirror is
  set in a swivel mount similar to that of a small artillery piece. It can be mounted on a wall, the
  deck of a ship, a tripod, or a wheeled carriage. The mirror can project a beam of intense
  heat, causing fire damage to a single target within range. The damage and effective range
  depends on the amount of available sunlight:
  -Range-
  -Damage-
  Light:
  Short
  Medium Long
  Short
  Medium Long
  Full Sunlight
  100’
  250’
  500’
  3d6
  2d6
  1d6
  Partial Sunlight
  50’
  125’
  250’
  2d6
  1d6
  1d4
  Minimal Sunlight
  25’
  60’
  125’
  1d6
  1d4
  1d4-1
  To operate it, the firer makes a ranged attack roll. If fired along the same trajectory the fol-
  lowing round, it does not need to be aimed again. On the first round of exposure, the target
  experiences intense and painful heat damage. If exposed for two rounds, flammable materi-
  als in the target area will ignite.
  Herculean Tincture (Health)
  Inventor Level: 5th
  Market Price: 200 gp/dose Weight: 1 lb./20 doses
  A reddish liquid, which bestows added strength to the imbiber. A dose of Herculean tincture
  increases a character’s Strength score by 4 (+2 to melee attack/damage) for one hour, at
  which time Strength drops to 4 points below normal for 3 hours. Taking more than one dose
  in a single day results in a permanent loss of 1 Strength point.
  Lazarus Box (Health)
  Inventor Level: 13th
  Market Price: 35000 gp
  Weight: 2500 lbs.
  30 hp
  Hardness 10
  Break DC 24
  This silver-plated iron sarcophagus is 7’ long, 3’ high, and 3’ wide. It stands on 4 short legs,
  and has a removable lid. The interior is partially filled with liquid mercury. The box has the
  power to restore life to a corpse, including ability scores, skills, feats, class features, and
  memories. Only the subject’s Constitution score is affected. The time required depends
  upon the condition of the corpse:
  Condition
  Time Required
  Loss
  Intact corpse, perfect condition
  1 day
  -1 Constitution
  Intact corpse, some decay
  7 days
  -2 Constitution
  Partial or badly decayed corpse
  14 days
  -3 Constitution
  Intact skeleton
  28 days
  -4 Constitution
  Partial skeleton
  36 days
  -5 Constitution
  236 Inventions 
  
  If the box is opened prematurely, the entire operation must start from scratch. If the full time
  has elapsed, however, the resurrected creature will appear, floating atop the liquid mercury
  inside the box. Once the subject has been removed, the box may immediately by used for
  another operation. A particular indvidual can only be restored to life by a Lazarus box once.
  Any diseases the subject had prior to death will be removed, except for magical ones. If the
  subject died of old age, they will live for approximately 5 years, adjusted by their new
  Constitution ability modifier. The only tell-tale sign that a creature has been restored via
  Lazarus box is that they bleed mercury rather than blood when wounded. A Spot check at
  DC20 may reveal a silvery cast to their skin and eyes.  
  Mercurial Tincture (Health)
  Inventor Level: 5th
  Market Price: 200 gp/dose Weight: 1 lb./20 doses
  A clear liquid, which increases the speed of the imbiber. A dose of Mercurial tincture allows
  a character to make a double move as a move equivalent action, as if they were making a nor-
  mal move. It also allows the drinker to run up to six times their normal move (or four times
  their normal move if wearing heavy armor). While affected by the tincture, the drinker gets a
  miscellaneous AC bonus of +2 due to their increased speed. The effects wear off after one
  hour, at which point the character suffers 1d6 damage and cannot move more than a normal
  move per round for the next three hours. Taking more than one dose in a single day results
  in a permanent loss of 5’ off one’s normal move.
  Mesmeric Disk (Mentalism)
  Inventor Level: 5th
  Market Price: 1000 gp
  Weight: 1 lb
  This disk resembles a 3” diameter pocket watch with a spinning disk in place of a normal
  clock face. When brandished, once per round, it can paralyze a single 6 HD or less creature
  within 15’. Subjects may make a Will save at DC 20 to resist the effects. If unsuccessful, they
  cannot move or speak as long as the user of the disk is targeting them, and for d3 rounds
  thereafter. All memory of events during paralysis is forgotten by the subject when the effects
  wear off.
  Morphitic Spirit (Death)
  Inventor Level: 4th
  Market Price: 100 gp/dose
  Weight: 1 lb./20 doses
  This colorless liquid, when decanted and allowed to form vapors, sends anyone who breathes
  it into a deep sleep for d3 hours. A single dose creates vapors in a 10’ square area, or if
  sniffed from the bottle, contains four uses. Unwilling subjects may make a Fortitude save at
  DC 20 to resist.
  Natatory Helmet (Matter)
  Inventor Level: 6th
  Market Price: 3000 gp
  Weight: 5 lbs.
  5 hp
  Hardness 10
  Break DC 20
  The natatory helmet appears as a fully enclosed metal helmet, sealed around the neck open-
  ing with an oiled leather cowl, and fitted with a bowl-like glass lens instead of a faceplate.
  Two finlike projections containing clusters of tiny brass tubes appear on the cheeks of the
  Inventions 237
  
  helmet. The tubes are joined to a hose that fits into the wearer’s mouth. These tubes draw
  breathable air from water, allowing the wearer to survive in a marine environment, to a depth
  of 400’.
  Nocturnal Lenses (Physics)
  Inventor Level: 5th
  Market Price: 2000 gp
  Weight: 0.2 lbs./pair
  0 hp
  Hardness 0
  Break DC 12
  Nocturnal lenses appear as a pair of spectacles with lenses of smoked glass. They give the
  wearer 60’ darkvision.
  Occam’s Blade Oil (Matter)
  Inventor Level: 8th
  Market Price: 400gp/dose
  Weight: 0.2 lbs./dose
  This invention appears to be a slightly aromatic light amber oil. When used to polish the
  blade of a piercing or slashing melee weapon, the weapon’s damage is permanently increased
  by +1.
  Ornithoptical Wings (Matter)
  Inventor Level: 5th
  Market Price: 4000 gp
  Weight: 30 lbs.
  AC 12 flying/10 stationary Dexterity 14
  5 hp
  Hardness 0
  Break DC 10
  A pair of articulated wings made of wood and wire, covered with light canvas, with a
  wingspan of 12’. (When not in flight, the wings fold down to a length of 5’). They are
  attached to the wearer by means of a stiff leather cuirass (+1 armor bonus to wearer’s AC).
  The wearer threads her arms through loops in the wings, and can use her own strength to
  propel them. The maximum weight of the user and all her gear cannot exceed 250 lbs. To
  take off, the wearer must run at at least 30’ in a straight line, or 10’ if jumping off of a cliff or
  slope. Once airborne the wings have Poor maneuverability and a base speed of 60’ per round
  (7 mph).The base speed per round is modified by the character’s Strength ability modifier x
  5’. The wings have a climb rate of 20’ and a dive rate of 80’. They can be operated for a num-
  ber of turns equal to the user’s Constitution; starting on the subsequent turn, make a
  Constitution check at DC 10 every turn. Failure indicates that the user begins to descend at
  a rate of 50’ per minute (5’ per round).
  Osmotic Mirrors (Physics)
  Inventor Level: 15th
  Market Price: 24000 gp
  Weight: 200 lbs./pair
  15 hp each
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 20
  These gold-framed full-length mirrors, filled with liquid mercury suspended between two
  thin sheets of glass, allow instantaneous passage of living and nonliving matter between
  them, regardless of distance, in effect creating a gate for long-distance travel and transport
  for Medium sized and smaller creatures, and objects not wider than 6’ x 2’. They can trans-
  port up to 1000 pounds of matter per day of operation. 
  238 Inventions 
  
  Panopticon (Mentalism)
  Inventor Level: 10th
  Market Price: 12000 gp
  Weight: 300 lbs.
  60 hp
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 23
  The panopticon resembles a wooden cabinet, 8’ tall, with a 5’ square base. The interior of
  the cabinet is reached via a sliding door, revealing a single high-backed seat facing an oval
  mirror. The occupant of a panopticon can use their will to summon images in the mirror of
  any point in space, no matter how remote. The images do not include sounds. They can be
  viewed for as long as the occupant wishes. The subject of a panopticon is not protected by
  any spells that guard against scrying, since the invention does not rely on magic for its
  effects.
  Periscopic Viewer (Physics)
  Inventor Level: 3rd
  Market Price: 100 gp
  Weight: 2 lbs
  1 hp
  Hardness 0
  Break DC 20
  The periscopic viewer consists of a nested set of oblong wooden sleeves, capable of extend-
  ing from a minimum length of 12” to a maximum length of 36”. An angled mirror at either
  end of the device allows the user to view objects at a 90° angle, facilitating vision around the
  corner of an obstacle, over the top of a tall object, and so forth.
  Piscatoform Ship (Matter)
  Inventor Level: 9th
  Market Price: 12000 gp
  Weight: 1200 lbs dry
  AC 8 moving/3 at rest
  Dexterity 9
  150 hp
  Hardness 8
  Break DC 24
  This device is a submersible vessel with a crew of six. The 25’ long, 10’ wide hull consists of
  a streamlined, fish-shaped body made of articulated sections of copper-clad wood, sealed
  with flexible sections of tarred canvas. A dorsal fin conceals a watertight hatch through
  which the crew compartment can be entered and exited. Inside are three pairs of passenger
  stations, one behind the other, with an oarlock at each station connected to the ship’s
  propulsion mechanism. The forwardmost pair of oars controls the ship’s pectoral fins, the aft
  pair controls the movement of the tail, while the middle pair activate the articulation of the
  jointed sections of the hull itself, all of which contribute to the ship’s propulsion. Two con-
  vex glass lenses serve as “eyes”, allowing the two passengers at the bow to view their sur-
  roundings and help steer, which is accomplished through foot pedals which adjust the angle
  of the fins. 
  The ship has Good maneuverability whether on the surface or submerged. On the surface, it
  moves at just 2 mph (15’ per round). Once submerged, the maximum speed is 3 mph (25’
  per round). The maximum safe depth is 200’; beyond that, a check must be made every ten
  minutes for hull breaching, using the Attack an Object rules. Consider each 100’ of depth to
  inflict 1d4 damage on the ship (no attack roll is neccessary). If a single damage roll does
  more than 8 hp of damage, then a hull breach has occurred, and the ship will fill with water
  in 3 minutes unless sealed. Sealing a breach takes a Strength ability check at DC 25.
  Inventions 239
  
  Quick-Firing Musket (any)
  Inventor Level: 6th
  Market Price: 3000 gp
  Weight: 12 lbs.
  5 hp
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 23
  The quick-firing musket uses 6 rotating barrels and a wheellock firing mechanism to enable
  the user to fire one shot per round, up to six shots before reloading. It does 1d8 damage per
  shot, critical 19-20/x2. Loading takes 2 rounds per barrel. Misfires are the same as for a
  standard wheellock gun. The range increment is 30 feet.
  Rifle (any)
  Inventor Level: 4th
  Market Price: 300 gp
  Weight: 10 lbs.
  5 hp
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 23
  A rifle appears at first glance to be an ordinary snaphance musket, but the interior surface of
  the barrel is incised with spiralled grooves, which give spin to the roundshot as it is expelled.
  The spin stabilizes the shot, increasing its effective range and accuracy. The range increment
  for a snaphance musket is 60 feet, and the firer receives a +1 bonus to attack.
  Ring Bayonet (any)
  Inventor Level: 3rd
  Market Price: 100 gp
  Weight: 2 lbs.
  1 hp
  Hardness 10
  Break DC 23
  The ring bayonet is an ordinary dagger whose hilt is fitted with an iron ring. The ring can be
  slipped over the muzzle of a snaphance musket, allowing it to function as a -1 half-spear,
  without preventing the musket from firing, as a plug bayonet would. Firing a musket
  equipped with a ring bayonet gives a penalty of -1 to attack, due to the bayonet’s added
  weight at the end of the barrel.
  Simalcrumatorium (Health)
  Inventor Level: 12th
  Market Price: 20000 gp
  Weight: 1400 lbs.
  25 hp
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 22
  This device consists of two copper flasks, 7’ tall and 4’ in diameter, set into the floor or
  earth so that only the top 1’ of each flask is visible. One flask is filled with chilled aetherical
  spirits, the other is empty. A domed lid with a small glass viewing window is attached to each
  flask with a hinge and clasp. Copper tubing runs between the flasks, controlled by several
  valves. A Medium or smaller creature placed in the empty flask can be duplicated by closing
  the lid, transfering the aetherical spirit from one flask to the other, and then back again.
  When the lid of the unoccupied flask is opened, it will contain an exact replica of the origi-
  nal creature, while the original will emerge unharmed. The process takes one hour, and
  requires 1 day to recharge before it can be done again.
  Although it is capable of speech, the replica has no memories, and cannot duplicate the orig-
  inal’s mannerisms or emotional responses. If it is of a player character race, it will be equiva-
  lent to the original at 1st level regarding hit points, base attack bonus, saves, initiative, and
  class features. It will possess only some of the original’s skills, including those with
  Dexterity or Strength as the key ability, with ranks equal to what they were when the original
  was at 1st level. Any remaining initial skill points can be spent in training, a process which
  240 Inventions 
  
  could take up to one year to complete. 
  The replica imprints upon the first person it sees; if more than one person is present, each
  one must make an opposed Charisma check, regardless of whether or not they actually want
  the replica to imprint upon them. The highest check result determines whom the replica
  chooses to serve and obey, calling them “Father” or “Mother.” Note that a replica can
  imprint upon its own original.
  Non-character races of creatures are duplicated at their weakest and most common version.
  Certain creature types cannot be replicated by a simalcrumatorium, including constructs,
  dragons, elementals, fey, magical beasts, outsiders, shapechangers, and undead. No more
  than one creature per operation may be replicated.
  Spirit Vane (Antimagic)
  Inventor Level: 4th
  Market Price: 1000 gp
  Weight: 2 lbs.
  3 hp
  Hardness 3
  Break DC 16
  A spirit vane detects the presence and direction of nearby supernatural forces. It is a
  mechanical device, about 4” tall, enclosed in a glass bell jar upon a round wooden pedestal.
  The device itself consists of a brass pole, surrounded by three cuplike arms, and surmounted
  by a golden arrow not unlike a weathervane. 
  Within 300’ of dragons, elementals, fey, magical beasts, outsiders, shapechangers, or
  undead, the three cups will begin to spin around the pole as if blown by an unseen wind, and
  the arrow will point to the source of the presence. The velocity of the cups corresponds to
  both the strength and proximity of the presence. If two or more sources are within range, the
  vane will point to the stronger, unless the stronger source is twice as far away or farther than
  the weaker source.
  Sympathetic Ears (Physics)
  Inventor Level: 4th
  Market Price: 3000 gp
  Weight: 3 lbs./pair
  2 hp
  Hardness 10
  Break DC 20
  Sympathetic ears consist of two life-size bronze ears. Regardless of the distance separating
  them, whatever sounds are picked up by one ear are transmitted and projected by the other
  ear, and vice versa, allowing for remote communication. A sympathetic ear has approximately
  the same sensitivity as a human ear, and projects sounds at about 1/2 their original volume,
  meaning that they must be held fairly close to the head in order to listen to them.
  Sympathetic Mirrors (Physics)
  Inventor Level: 8th
  Market Price: 8000 gp
  Weight: 2 lbs./pair
  5 hp each
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 18
  Each of these pair of  4” diameter round mirrors shows what is visible to the other mirror,
  regardless of the distance between them, allowing visual communication across vast spaces.
  When combined with sympathetic ears, sounds can be transmitted as well.
  Inventions 241
  
  Thanatopic Mill (Death)
  Inventor Level: 13th
  Market Price: 11,000 gp
  Weight: 500 lbs.
  20 hp
  Hardness 10
  Break DC 22
  This device consists of an 8’ diameter rotating sail with three blades, akin to those of a wind-
  mill, but strung with black silk. The sail turns a gear that drives a vertical shaft connected to
  a heavy iron wheel at the base of the mill. The mill is driven not by wind, but by drawing and
  crushing the life force from surrounding living things. Any living things, excluding plants,
  within 500’ of the mill will lose 1 hit point per hour until they leave the affected area, or are
  reduced to -10 hit points. If the mill is drawing more than 50 hit points per hour, its range
  doubles to 1000’ for the next hour and remains there until it is drawing fewer than 50 hit
  points per hour. The mill continues to run until all creatures in the affected area are dead.
  Transmaterial Lenses (Physics)
  Inventor Level: 7th
  Market Price: 8000 gp
  Weight: 0.2 lbs./pair
  0 hp
  Hardness 0
  Break DC 12
  Transmaterial lenses resemble a pair of spectacles fitted with mirrored lenses of glass. They
  give the wearer the ability to see through up to 10’ of solid matter, and give unlimited vision
  through fog, smoke, and haze. Using the glasses is a move-equivalent action; the wearer
  must stand still and stare intently, creating an area of effect equal to a 90° cone, creating a
  virtual window through any intervening matter. Note that the lenses do not give the wearer
  darkvision; if the area behind the obstruction is dark, the wearer will sense the general out-
  line of the area, but receives no details about what is within it.
  Transmogrifix (Matter)
  Inventor Level: 13th
  Market Price: 22000 gp
  Weight: 300 lbs.
  50 hp
  Hardness 5
  Break DC 22
  A transmogrifix is a large wooden cabinet, 15’ wide, 20’ long, and 10’ high, with a wooden
  gate at one end, and a set of controls and a large lever on the side. A single subject is placed
  in the cabinet, and the door closed. By adjusting the controls and pulling the lever, the trans-
  mogrifix can transform any Large or smaller creature into another creature of the same size
  category. Certain creature types cannot be replicated by a transmogrifix, including con-
  structs, dragons, elementals, fey, magical beasts, outsiders, shapechangers, and undead. The
  transformation is permanent, unless the subject returns to the transmogrifix to be restored.
  Vaccinatory Needle (Health)
  Inventor Level: 3rd
  Market Price: 100 gp/dose
  Weight: 1 lb./20 doses
  This needle, coated with a homeopathic solution of various miasmas thought to cause dis-
  ease, renders the patient immune from a single specified disease for a period of ten years. To
  use, the patient’s skin is pierced by the needle, which is then thrown away.
  Volley Gun (any)
  Inventor Level: 5th
  Market Price: 3000 gp
  Weight: 250 lbs.
  40 hp
  Hardness 10
  Break DC 23
  The volley gun is a fast-loading, multibarrelled gun capable of delivering volleys of shot. It
  242 Inventions 
  
  consists of a row of 12 musket barrels mounted on a light wheeled gun carriage. To load it, a
  comb-like rack of 12 ramrods each tipped with a cartridge of premeasured powder and shot
  is inserted into the barrel by means of a lever. When the lever is released, the rack retracts
  into a row of 12 tubes stacked with cartridges, to pick up another load. The gun is fired by
  means of 12 snaphance locks, which are cocked and then fired by a master trigger. The load-
  ing and firing schedule is equal to that of a standard snaphance gun. Up to 5 volleys can be
  fired before the loading tubes must be refilled, a process which takes one minute per volley.
  The horizontal spread of the barrels can be adjusted by means of a gear, resulting in a target
  area with a depth of 5’ and a width of 5’, 10’, or 15’. Damage in each 5’ square is 12d10 for a
  5’ width volley, 6d10 for a 10’ width volley, and 4d10 for a 15’ width volley. The critical
  range and multiplier is19-20/x2 for all volleys. The range increment is 60 feet.
  The gun requires a character with the Artillery feat to fire without penalty. If a 1 is rolled for
  an attack roll, then 1d3 barrels have misfired, requiring one minute to clear each one before
  firing resumes. 
  Inventions 243
  
  Septentrionalis Reference Tables
  Loading and Firing
  Schedule for Guns
  Wheellocks and Snaphances
  1
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  2
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  3
  Fire (standard action)
  ...with Rapid Shot Feat
  1 
  Load Powder & Shot (full-round)
  2
  Fire (standard action)
  Matchlocks
  1
  Prime Match (full-round action)
  2
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  3
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  4
  Fire (standard action)
  ...with Rapid Shot Feat
  1 
  Prime Match (full-round)
  2
  Load Powder & Shot  (full-round)
  3
  Fire (standard action)
  Gun Misfires 
  Condition
  Matchlocks
  Other 
  Light Rain/Spray 1-3
  1-2
  Heavy Rain
  1-6
  1-4
  Damp Powder
  1-8
  1-10
  High Wind
  1-6
  1
  Muzzle Flash, Smoke, & Noise
  Muzzle Flash: Reflex save at DC 15 or 1d2
  points of damage to target adjacent to muzzle.
  Smoke: Heavy guns create 5’ smoke cloud for
  one round, providing 20% concealment.
  Noise: -3 to Listen checks for 1 hour for tar-
  gets within 5’.
  Grenades
  Cost:1 gp
  Damage: 3d6(Direct Hit), 1d6 (5’)
  Range Increment: 10’ (as thrown weapon)
  Dex Check at DC 3 to light
  Dex Check at DC 10 to snuff short fuse
  Misfires as Matchlock Gun (see above)
  Gunpowder Kegs
  Cost:5 gp per 5 lb. keg
  Damage: 5d6(Direct Hit), 3d6 (5’), 1d6 (10’)
  Armor 
  Armor
  Max
  Check
  Spell
  Speed
  Name
  Cost
  Bonus
  Dex+
  Penalty Failure
  (30/20) Weight
  Light Armor:
  Padded Coat
  6 gp
  +1
  +5
  -1
  10%
  30/20
  6 lb.
  Buff Coat
  10 gp
  +2
  +6
  0
  10%
  30/20
  10 lb.
  Medium Armor:
  Breastplate
  100 gp
  +5
  +4
  -2
  25%
  25/15
  15 lb.
  Heavy Armor:
  Cuirass
  150 gp
  +6
  +3
  -3
  30%
  25/15
  20 lb.
  with Tassets
  200 gp
  +7
  +2
  -4
  30%
  25/15
  25 lb.
  3/4 Plate
  300 gp +8
  +2
  -4
  35%
  20/15
  35 lb.
  Full Plate 
  500 gp
  +9
  +1
  -6
  40%
  20/15
  50 lb.
  Weapons
  Name 
  Cost
  Size
  Damage Critical
  Range Inc. Max 
  Matchlocks:
  Arquebus
  40 gp
  Lg
  1d10
  18-20/x2
  40 ft.
  400 ft.
  Caliver
  30 gp
  Lg
  1d8
  18-20/x2
  50 ft.
  500 ft.
  Musket w/Rest
  50 gp
  Lg
  1d12
  17-20/x2
  60 ft.
  600 ft.
  Snaphances:
  Musket
  100 gp
  Lg
  1d12
  17-20/x2
  60 ft.
  600 ft.
  Musketoon
  75 gp
  Med
  1d10
  18-20/x2
  50 ft
  500 ft.
  Pistol
  60 gp
  Sm
  1d8
  18-20/x2
  40 ft.
  200 ft.
  Wheelocks:
  Belt Pistol
  75 gp
  Sm
  1d8
  18-20/x2
  40 ft.
  200 ft.
  Horse Pistol
  90 gp
  Med
  1d10
  18-20/x2
  50 ft.
  250 ft.
  Double Pistol
  200 gp
  Med
  1d8
  18-20/x2
  40 ft.
  200 ft.
  Swords:
  Broadsword
  20 gp
  Med
  1d8
  x3
  -
  Cutlass
  10 gp
  Med
  1d6
  x3
  -
  Rapier
  35 gp
  Med
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  -
  Rapier, Long
  40 gp
  Med
  2d4
  19-20/x2
  -
  Saber
  30 gp
  Med
  1d6
  19-20/x2
  -
  Smallsword
  40 gp
  Sm
  1d4
  18-20/x2
  Unusual Weapons:
  Wall Gun
  150gp
  Huge
  2d12
  17-20/x2
  80ft.
  800 ft.
  Hand Mortar
  90 gp
  Lg
  see Grenades, right
  30 ft.
  300 ft.
  
  Artillery 
  Culverins
  Length
  Bore
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Mount
  Cost
  Crew
  Rabbinet
  3 ft.
  2”
  50
  1 lb.
  100
  Swivel
  125 
  1
  Falconet
  4 ft.
  2”
  75
  1 lb.
  200
  Swivel
  175 
  1
  Falcon
  6 ft.
  2”
  125
  1 lb.
  300
  Swivel
  300 
  2
  Minion
  8 ft.
  3”
  250
  4 lbs.
  300
  Wheel
  600 
  3
  Saker
  9 ft.
  3”
  400
  4  lbs.
  400
  Wheel
  1000 
  3
  Demi-Culverin
  11 ft.
  4”
  700
  10 lbs.
  400
  Wheel
  1400 
  4
  Culverin
  12 ft.
  5”
  800
  18 lbs.
  400
  Wheel
  2000 
  5
  Long Culverin
  16 ft.
  4.75”
  850
  16 lbs.
  600
  Wheel
  2100 
  5
  Cannon
  Length
  Bore
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Mount
  Cost
  Crew
  Demi-Cannon
  11 ft.
  6”
  900
  32 lbs.
  300
  Wheel
  2200 
  6
  Cannon
  12 ft.
  7”
  1000
  50 lbs.
  300
  Wheel
  2400 
  7
  Periers
  Length
  Bore
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Mount
  Cost
  Crew
  Perier
  5 ft.
  8”
  500
  76 lbs.
  200
  Wheel
  1200 
  7
  Mortars
  Length
  Bore
  Wt.
  Shot
  Range
  Mount
  Cost
  Crew
  Deck Mortar
  1 ft.
  6”
  75
  32
  25
  Sled
  175
  2
  Howitzer
  2 ft.
  8”
  300
  76
  50
  Sled
  600
  8
  Bombard
  3 ft.
  12”
  1200
  200
  75
  Sled
  1600
  12
  Fencing Moves
  Beat  (Attack roll modifier: -2)
  Attacker knocks defender’s main weapon aside, giving  defender a -2 modifier to attack with main weapon on
  next attack, and negating the defender’s fencing bonus to AC for this round.
  Bind  (Attack roll modifier: -3)
  Defender cannot use main weapon until freed at the cost of one attack, or cancelled by attacker.
  Corps a Corps  (Attack roll modifier: -4)
  Attacker enters defender’s square without provoking an attack of opportunity; may try to grapple.
  Hilt Smash  (Attack roll modifier: -4)
  Attacker inflicts additional damage equal to her Strength ability modifier.
  Lunge  (Attack roll modifier: -4)
  The normal critical threat range for the attacker’s weapon is doubled for this attack, but if the defender sur-
  vives, he makes a free attack of opportunity against the attacker.
  Pass  (Attack roll modifier: -8)
  Attacker moves through defender’s square without provoking an attack of opportunity, does normal damage,
  and ends up in the square on the opposite side of her starting position. Defender flanked for this attack only.
  Rondo   (Attack roll modifier: -4)
  Attacker switches squares with defender, still facing one another, without provoking AoO. 
  Spring & Fly Out   (Attack roll modifier: -6)
  Attacker attacks and retreats, giving main weapon a 10’ reach.
  Touch   (Attack roll modifier: -4)
  Attacker only does 1 hp of damage, giving defender one point of temporary ability damage to Dexterity. 
  Loading and Firing Schedule
  for Artillery
  Below 32-pounder:
  1
  Sponge out (full-round action)
  2
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  3
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  4
  Sight Gun (full-round action)
  5
  Prime Vent (full-round action)
  6
  Fire (standard action)
  32-pounder:
  1
  Sponge out (full-round action)
  2-3
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  4-5
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  6-7
  Sight Gun (full-round action)
  8
  Prime Vent (full-round action)
  9
  Fire (standard action)
  Above 32-pounder:
  1
  Sponge out (full-round action)
  2-3
  Load Powder (full-round action)
  4-6
  Load Shot (full-round action)
  7-10
  Sight Gun (full-round action)
  11
  Prime Vent (full-round action)
  12
  Fire (standard action)
  Summary of Roundshot
  Damage
  Base Damage: 10
  Additional Damage: 1d10 per pound
  Fortitude Save reduces damage to 1/2
  Save DC: 10 + weight of shot.
  Reflex save reduces damage to 1/2, or to zero if
  the PC has the Evasion class feature.
  Save DC: 20, minus 1 for every 50 feet of dis-
  tance between the gun and the target, to a mini-
  mum of DC 10.
  Excess damage from first target is applied to
  subsequent targets up to 30’ beyond first target,
  until all damage is absorbed.
  Fencing Moves
  Move
  Attack Roll Modifier
  Beat
  -2
  Bind
  -3
  Corps a Corps
  -4
  Hilt Smash
  -4
  Lunge
  -4
  Pass
  -8
  Rondo
  -4
  Spring & Fly Out
  -6
  Touch
  -4
  Off-Hand Defenses
  Defense
  AC Bonus
  Hat
  +1
  Improvised
  +1
  Leather Gauntlet
  +1
  Rolled Cloak
  +2
  Small Weapon
  +3
  Tiny Weapon
  +2
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Septentrionalis/Septentrionalis Corebook.pdf