TEXT: High Adventure 
  Role Playing
  TM
  Fantasy
  #GCP-HARP-1005
  TM
  Loot
  GCP
  GCP
  Guild Companion
  Publications Ltd
  Guild Companion
  Publications Ltd
  TM
  Jonathan Cassie
  
  Loot
  Jonathan Cassie
  
  Author: Jonathan Cassie
  HARP Loot Redesign Editor: Nicholas HM Caldwell;
  HARP Loot Redesign Team: John Duffield, Thom Jones, Sam 
  Orton, Marc Rosen;
  Special Contributions to HARP Loot: All of the fans who 
  have played and/or GM’ed HARP since its first publication 
  and have participated in discussions on the ICE forums, 
  Guild Companion forums, Silent Tower mailing lists and 
  elsewhere on the Internet and at conventions.
  HARP Loot New Front Cover: Raymond Gaustadnes
  HARP Loot Frontispiece: Aaron Williams;
  HARP Loot New Interior Art: Maria Duffield, Raymond 
  Gaustadnes, Rick Hansen;
  HARP Loot Layout: Terry Kevin Amthor
  Original Editors: Heike A. Kubasch, Tim Dugger;
  Original Cover Art: Aaron Williams;
  Original Interior Art: Toren “MacBin” Atkinson, Peter 
  Bergting, David Bezzina, Joel Biske, Craig Henderson, Jeff 
  Laubenstein, Pat Ann Lewis, Larry MacDougall, Jennifer 
  Credits
  Meyer, Carisa Swenson, Colin Throm; Keirston Vande 
  Kraats, Jonathan White;
  Original Art Direction: Jeff Laubenstein;
  Original Pagemaking: Sherry Robinson;
  Original Proofreading: THE Howard Huggins, Lori Dugger;
  HARP Loot and HARP Loot: a Field Guide Copyright © 
  2005, 2016 Guild Companion Publications Ltd. Produced, 
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  Guild Companion Publications Ltd is registered in England and Wales under No 7094505. Registered office: 37 Fulbourn 
  Road, Cambridge CB1 9JL. Directors: Nicholas HM Caldwell & Thom Jones
  
  Table of Contents
  1 Introduction .............................. 4
  Editor’s Notes ................................................................. 5
  2 Loot Law .................................... 6
  Principles of Loot .................................................. 7
  “Value” ............................................................................. 7
  Looking for Loot ................................................... 8
  Loot and Character .............................................. 8
  Loot and Professions ............................................ 9
  Loot and Race ...................................................... 10
  Loot and Culture ................................................ 11
  3 Loot in the Wilderness ............. 12
  Getting Ahead in the Wide Open Country ... 13
  “Organic” Placement of Loot ..................................... 13
  Loot and Wilderness Creatures ....................... 13
  Loot Among the Ruins ...................................... 18
  The Ruins of Assht’clar ............................................... 18
  The Underkeep of H’rex .............................................. 19
  4 Loot in the Big City ..................20
  Getting Ahead in the City ................................. 21
  Urban Environments................................................... 21
  Core Cities Versus Peripheral Cities ............... 22
  Human City Profiles .................................................... 23
  Dwarven Cities .............................................................25
  Elven Cities ....................................................................25
  Gnome Cities ................................................................26
  Gryx Cities .................................................................... 27
  Halfling Cities ............................................................... 27
  Scorin’ Some Loot .............................................. 27
  5 Fabrication & Materials...........32
  The Building Blocks ........................................... 33
  Materials Matter .......................................................... 33
  The Four Laws of Matter ............................................ 33
  “Flora” Family Ingredients .........................................34
  “Flora”Family of Ingredients .....................................38
  “Mineral” Family of Ingredients ............................... 41
  Esoteric Materials ........................................................45
  Aspects...........................................................................45
  Steps in Common to Fabricate New Items .... 49
  6 Potions ..................................... 54
  The Basics ............................................................. 55
  Potions and Materials ........................................ 55
  Laboratories ......................................................... 55
  Matrix Potions .................................................... 55
  Formula Potions .................................................. 56
  7 Runes ........................................60
  The Basics ............................................................. 60
  Inscription .....................................................................60
  Media .............................................................................60
   “Normal” Runes ................................................. 60
  Crystal Runes ...................................................... 61
  Using Crystal Runes .................................................... 61
  Recharging Crystal Runes .......................................... 62
  Inscribing Crystal Runes ............................................ 62
  8 Crafting Talismans ................. 63
  Charms, Fetishes and Talismans .....................64
  Charms ..........................................................................64
  Fetishes .......................................................................... 65
  Talismans ...................................................................... 67
  Charms, Fetishes and Talismans in History 
  and Gameplay ................................................. 69
  9 Enchanting Items .................... 70
  Enchanting Items ............................................... 71
  Cultural Sophistication .............................................. 71
  Special Ingredients ...................................................... 73
  Spiritual Quest ............................................................. 73
  Sacrifice.......................................................................... 73
  Wealth ............................................................................ 74
  Health ............................................................................. 74
  Life  ................................................................................. 74
  The Consequences of Enchanting ....................74
  10 Intelligent Loot ......................75
  Items with Intelligence ...................................... 76
  Generating Intelligent Items ..................................... 76
  Willpower Challenges 
  Item versus Character ................................... 79
  11 Now What? ..............................81
  Oopsy! ................................................................... 82
  Three Schools of Thought .......................................... 82
  Money ................................................................... 82
  When Magic Items Attack: One-shot Items .. 82
  When Weapons Fail ...........................................84
  When Magic Items Attack: Miscellaneous 
  Items .................................................................84
  12 The Loot .................................. 86
  A Quick Note on the Loot ................................. 87
  Money, Gems and Jewelry ................................. 87
  Gems and Jewelry ........................................................88
  Mundane Items ................................................... 88
  Magic Items ......................................................... 92
  Bonus Items .................................................................. 92
  Enchanted Weapons and Armor .............................. 92
  Runes .............................................................................. 98
  Potions ......................................................................... 101
  Clothing and Jewelry .................................................103
  Rods and Staves ..........................................................107
  Miscellaneous Items ................................................. 111
  Artifacts and Intelligent Items ................................ 117
  13 Index ...................................... 123
  
  1 Introduction
  “I am a little alarmed that so many years have 
  passed since I first started gaming… in 1979. 
  Many things about gaming have changed 
  since those days; the industry has proliferated 
  and expanded in all sorts of interesting ways 
  (Vampires? Radioactive Bunnies? Superheroes?) To 
  say nothing of the profusion of new systems.”
  HARP  Loot 
  Introduction 
  Page 4
  
  In my mind, there was never a better fantasy role-playing 
  system than Rolemaster. Its flexibility, depth, magic-system 
  complexity, sophistication and expandability were precisely 
  the sort of system I needed when I was trying to take a fan-
  tastic campaign to the next level (that campaign eventually 
  spawned at least three successive generations and entailed 
  nearly a decade of gaming). You can imagine my excitement 
  for the coming of HARP – so much of what I previously loved 
  about Rolemaster in a sleek, new package. And this book is 
  about a concept that at best is pretty broad and at worst, made 
  unproductively narrow.
  First, Loot is not just about treasure. I would define this book 
  as a new way to look at rewards for characters and players 
  alike. I can only speak for myself, but I quickly tired as a player 
  with the endless repetition of scenes like this in games:
  “OK, you kill the kobolds.”
  “Great, we go through their pockets.”
  “Let me just make a roll here...good. 45 copper pieces and one 
  +1 dagger.”
  “That’s it?”
  That’s it, indeed. I have tried for a long time now to bring a 
  new approach to treasure and reward to my games, I think 
  with some success. Now players expect there to be the poten-
  tial, at least, for a magic item to have more effect on the game 
  than just to give them a +20 OB bonus (which, while handy, is 
  usually not enough to help drive the story forward). Any player 
  in a game run by me is wary (and rightfully so) in the face 
  of too much treasure; they do not willy-nilly desire new and 
  more powerful magic, because sometimes (but only some-
  times) that magic comes with an unexpectedly high price.
  Second, gaming is ultimately about the stories we tell to-
  gether, GM and player. Even the most controlling GM doesn’t 
  have much of a game if the players don’t want to play! To my 
  way of thinking, storytelling and story-centered role-playing 
  is about more than killing the monster and rolling up the 
  treasure you take out of their lair. Role-playing can and should 
  be like excellent fiction; it can and should teach the players 
  and GM something about themselves. If a GM is mindful of 
  the role culture plays in determining exactly what Loot is, for 
  instance, the rewards will make more sense and feel more or-
  ganic. This keeps players focused on the story they are build-
  ing together with the GM.
  Writing Loot has been great fun. I want to thank all of my 
  friends who made the games I gamemastered what they were; 
  you all know who you are. And last of all, my love and thanks 
  to my partner John, who shows legendary patience and love 
  while I’m in “gaming mode.”
  Editor’s Notes
  In updating this work from its original form as Loot: A Field 
  Guide to this new enhanced edition as HARP Loot, we have 
  focused on ensuring that this edition is fully consistent 
  and compatible with HARP Fantasy and HARP College of 
  Magics. To that end, the following changes have been made:
   
   Gargoyles, Sharks and Wyverns have been added to 
  the monstrous loot discussions, while Griffin has 
  been removed.
   
   Aspect definitions and costs, attribute cost tables and as-
  sociated rules in the Fabrication and Materials chapter 
  have been made consistent with HARP College of Magics
   
   The Potions chapter has been made consistent with and 
  extends the material in HARP College of Magics
   
   The Runes chapter has been made consistent with and ex-
  tends the material in HARP College of Magics – Crystal 
  Runes are no longer a separate skill
   
   The Talismans chapter has been made consistent with and 
  extends the material in HARP College of Magics
   
   The special spells used to create permanent enchantments 
  have been replaced with a new set of High Magic spells
   
   Intelligent Items now calculate their stats and Development 
  Points in line with HARP Fantasy rules; bonuses and 
  spells will cost intelligent items more Development Points, 
  however.
  HARP   Loot 
  Introduction 
  Page 5
  
  2 Loot Law
  “A bloody dragon!” Ferrannin said.
  “And not just any dragon,” Rekki added. “That beast...”
  “...can be killed,” Horkin interrupted. “I am sure of it.”
  “You had better be right,” Rekki said. He hiked his bag over his 
  shoulder. “We should never have gone in with her,” he added.
  Ferrannin hooted with laughter. “We’ve 
  been in with her for six years, fool!”
  “It is too late to back out now,” Horkin said.
  “I’m not sure which is worse,” Ferrannin said with a 
  shudder. “That bloody dragon or the White Lady.”
  “That’s an easy one,” Horkin said.
  HARP  Loot 
  Loot Law 
  Page 6
  
  Principles of Loot
  I am certain that many, if not most of you reading this book 
  have some experience with role-playing games. You have 
  steered characters through a whole range of game activities, 
  not the least of which is getting rewards for your successes. 
  As a player, you have no doubt been awarded all sorts of ma-
  terial goodies for that success. And why not, right? You de-
  served them!
  As a GM, one of your tasks has always been the divvying up 
  of these goodies. If you have ever gamemastered, I am also 
  sure that, like me, you have waded through charts detailing 
  a whole panoply of awards to successful adventurers: copper, 
  silver and gold pieces; curious but mundane items; artwork; 
  gems and jewelry (handier to carry around than money!) and 
  the occasional magical item or weapon. But on some level, 
  is this satisfying? Does it really advance the purpose of your 
  game? Is a bag of copper pieces seized from the body of a 
  dead opponent sufficient reason for a character to risk his or 
  her life in the first place? And what is more rewarding in the 
  end—money, stuff and goodies without a history, context or 
  story or loot (even if it is money, stuff and goodies) that some-
  times (or frequently) has a history and a context that makes 
  sense within the GMs game environment. The purpose of 
  this chapter, and to some extent this book, is to help players 
  and GMs to take the notion of loot to the next level.
  “Value”
  So, what is loot? Broadly defined, it is anything to which 
  someone assigns value. This could be a material possession 
  like money, a weapon or a suit of armor. It might also be 
  something more intangible, like an idea, a story, a mission, a 
  goal or a person. Paradoxically, loot might also be something 
  that one person values that another does not, or that is valued 
  by that someone else in a totally different way. An excellent 
  example of this is the currency used on Yap, an island in the 
  south Pacific. The Yap islanders traditionally used (and con-
  tinue to use) giant, donut-shaped stones as their sole means of 
  currency and exchange. Difficult if not impossible to move, 
  they have enormous value on Yap. They are without question 
  loot. To everyone else on the planet, however, they are es-
  sentially totally valueless, except as somewhat bizarre curios. 
  They have value, but they do not have the same sort of value 
  that is assigned to them by the Yap islanders. They are with-
  out question loot, but of a completely different kind. The Yap 
  islanders would be highly displeased by someone “stealing” 
  their money, but anyone taking them off the island would not 
  be able to use them as money. Loot can be a terribly strange 
  thing. This example illustrates a point about loot that is not 
  often considered in other role-playing games and that will be 
  considered in this one. Rewards can be complicated things! 
  Even money scrounged out of the pockets of goblins can have 
  a back-story! Even simple magical daggers or cheaply made 
  charms undoubtedly came from somewhere and were made 
  for some reason. Loot can, and should (at least most of the 
  time) tell its own story.
  This is where random treasure tables and the granting of 
  rewards based on them can go wrong sometimes and where 
  treasure assigned based on the principles that will follow can 
  make the experience richer and fuller. Let us use an example 
  that any gamer might recognize to illustrate the point. A team 
  of four adventurers, two humans, a dwarf and a gnome (pro-
  fessions: cleric, monk, fighter and rogue respectively) has just 
  defeated a nest of goblins holed up in an otherwise abandoned 
  underground dungeon. These goblins had been interfering 
  with trade along a nearby road and raiding a small farming 
  community nestled in a valley that depended on that road for 
  many supplies. The four adventurers had come to the town 
  for the simplest of reasons—it was a good place to rest on the 
  road to a large city that was their ultimate destination. They 
  went after the goblins for equally simple reasons—it seemed 
  a good way to earn some glory and to uphold order and good-
  ness, values to which all of the characters subscribed.
  So the characters make a plan and attack the goblins; their 
  victory is won with limited difficulty and that is that. Now, 
  the gamemaster has a choice to make—to reward the char-
  acters with treasure or to reward them with loot. If the gam-
  emaster has a random treasure table, this could be a simple 
  choice—roll a few dice, grant the adventurers some coins, 
  perhaps a gem or two, a low-powered weapon and perhaps, 
  if the roll of the dice is excellent, a medium-powered shield 
  or suit of armor. And that’s it, really. The characters go about 
  their business, the town is saved and all is well. This is fine 
  sometimes, but it gets a bit dull over time.
  But instead of rewarding the characters with treasure, the 
  gamemaster decided beforehand to give the characters some 
  loot. Rather than rolling some dice, the gamemaster chooses 
  an assortment of wealth that was possessed by the goblins 
  in their warren. They had some coins, as one would suspect, 
  and also some gems and jewelry, as one would suspect, but 
  in addition, at least a dozen of the goblins possessed small 
  humanoid-shaped fetishes that they wore directly on their 
  bodies through pierced flesh. These fetishes are beyond the 
  Charmcrafting skills of goblins, have an uncertain value and 
  are a complete mystery. Now the loot that was awarded by 
  the gamemaster has an intriguing quality—what are these 
  fetishes, and why are they in the possession of some goblins? 
  How were they used by these goblins, and where did they 
  come from?
  If the gamemaster has done his work and the characters are 
  as committed to their personal values as they should be, this 
  mystery will generate further role-playing opportunities. 
  Clever players should be given myriad opportunities to put 
  pieces of a larger puzzle together. Granting loot that helps 
  them do this is a surefire way to make any game more inter-
  esting. If, indeed, loot does tell its own story, the value that it 
  can add to a game is nearly limitless. The sections that follow 
  will investigate the ways in which loot can tell its own story 
  and how these stories can enhance the experience of RPG 
  playing and gamemastering. In order to get this right, players 
  and GMs must understand three basic principles of character 
  HARP   Loot 
  Loot Law 
  Page 7
  
  that stand at the core of HARP and any role-playing game: 
  profession, race and culture.
  Looking for Loot (in, With Any 
  Luck, All the Right Places)
  Where might players find loot? Essentially, anyplace. In the 
  countryside where monsters and other hostile forces live, 
  the opportunity to find wealth, property and other tangible 
  things is almost limitless. While many monsters have no 
  interest in wealth as it is understood by the six great races 
  in HARP, still others are hoarders of the first order. Savvy 
  characters will have learned from experience which creatures 
  are likely to store their wealth (or even to have any) and what 
  sorts of things these creatures are likely to keep. Where else 
  might one look for loot? A great game experience is not built 
  on killing monsters and clearing out dungeons alone. Here 
  are some examples: ancient temples, ruined cities, abandoned 
  desert camps, great fortresses, dank dungeons (naturally), 
  underground cities, monstrous lairs and thousands more. 
  The countryside is a dangerous place, though arguably, it is 
  less dangerous than the cities. 
  Name any city at any time in history and in any cultural 
  context (even entirely fictional) and lurking barely under the 
  surface one will find danger. Running parallel to that danger, 
  however, is opportunity. One of the hallmarks of almost any 
  city is the disparity in wealth between the richest and the 
  poorest residents. In the cities, great storehouses of wealth 
  are potentially commonplace; finding folks interested in di-
  vesting these storehouses of some of that wealth should be 
  easy enough too! Cities are home to great guilds of thieves and 
  assassins, merchant houses and shady characters that have 
  their own interests at heart and could care less about you. It 
  is within cities that characters can sometimes risk much to 
  gain an even greater reward. Whole adventures can take place 
  along a single street or within one city district. Who cares 
  about the wider world if the local one is rich enough?
  Loot and Character
  One way in which loot can make the experience of role-play-
  ing more enjoyable is to tie the loot in meaningful ways to 
  the characters themselves. Different characters and different 
  professions value items and property differently. A team of 
  just Fighters would potentially leave items that a team of just 
  Harpers would place a high value on and vice versa. Likewise, 
  characters that are just beginning their adventuring careers 
  might value items that more experienced characters would 
  not waste their time with.
  During the process of character creation, it can be useful for 
  the GM to discuss the “psychological profile” of the character 
  with his or her player. One of the essential questions a player 
  should consider is the relationship of his character to wealth. 
  Is the character greedy? Indifferent to wealth? Obsessed with 
  quirky magical items, or swords, or armor? Is the charac-
  ter prone to making poor decisions based on her desire for 
  wealth? Will the character risk life and limb for the opportu-
  nity to get rich? Does the character have strong values...except 
  when those values conflict with the desire for wealth? All of 
  these questions can help a player better understand his or her 
  character and help the GM construct a game environment 
  that will reward and challenge the characters in a meaningful 
  way. But this question can and should go even further.
  Loot does not just represent material wealth, but also those 
  intangible things that a character might value. If a character 
  quests for ancient knowledge or wisdom, what might be loot 
  for him might be dusty old tomes found in distant monastic 
  libraries—not particularly valuable in and of themselves, but 
  containing information that, for the right character, might 
  be considered priceless. By the same token, if a character is 
  looking for a long-lost relative or lover, information regard-
  ing that person is likewise priceless. A precious item (a piece 
  of jewelry, a peculiar coin) tied to that lover might trigger a 
  whole sequence of adventures all by itself. Almost anything 
  HARP  Loot 
  Loot Law 
  Page 8
  
  that a gamemaster might choose to reward characters with 
  can have a story, be tied in some way to the character’s de-
  sires or be valuable to someone who the character knows. It 
  is not always about getting rich. In my experience, the char-
  acters who developed into the most interesting personalities 
  were ultimately almost totally disinterested in wealth for its 
  own sake.
  Loot and Professions
  Because professions form the core of a character’s iden-
  tity, understanding how loot ties in with professions can 
  prove very useful in developing character-based rewards. 
  Characters having multiple professions will, naturally, have 
  some conflicting motivations in this regard.
  Clerics
  Clerics are most closely associated with the worship of a spe-
  cific deity and the use of divine magic based on that deity. It is 
  vital for the player and the GM to understand the core values 
  of the character’s deity. If the deity values poverty, it would be 
  nearly impossible to justify a character that is herself greedy. 
  Conversely, if one of the deity’s areas of divine concern is the 
  “Robin Hood”-like redistribution of wealth from the rich to 
  the poor, the character might have a strong motivation to find 
  wealth in all of its forms...and then to find those who need 
  it the most. One reliable way to get a sedentary cleric out of 
  the monastery is to present the character with evidence that 
  a key piece of spiritual wisdom might be found...in a distant 
  city, perhaps. Or, more reliable still, that some of the deity’s 
  adherents are being persecuted by malevolent forces who are 
  perverting the deity’s holy symbols. The critical thing to keep 
  in mind is that clerics are (or at least should be) motivated by 
  their god’s purposes first.
  Fighters
  The fighter is notorious for his desire for the good things in 
  life. Hard fighting, hard living and, with any luck, a glorious 
  death are the fighter’s lot. For this reason, they are frequently 
  greedier than average. Every fighter knows that a small ad-
  vantage in combat can mean the difference between life and 
  death, and any fighter worth his salt is going to want a magi-
  cal weapon if it should come along. Even the rumor of a valu-
  able weapon might be enough to motivate a fighter. Because 
  fighters come in every conceivable walk of life (the knight’s 
  way-of-life is different from the urban thugs’ after all), what 
  might drive them is likewise nearly limitless. When playing 
  fighters, I have always tried to provide them with as rich a 
  back-story as possible; this way, there’s more to life than kill-
  ing and maiming. The same is true when I have gamemas-
  tered fighters. 
  Harpers
  Oh, what a Harper will do to hear a good story! Rare indeed 
  is the Harper who does not want to wander from town to 
  city, seeking new adventures and news. Harpers care little 
  for weapons or magic items or wealth for its own sake, but 
  rather crave experience for its own value. Since Harpers use 
  their skills at storytelling and their magic to make their way 
  in the world, new stories are inherently valuable. Being a part 
  of these stories does not hurt!
  Mages
  Mages are the great seekers after esoteric and secret knowl-
  edge. They care for material wealth only in so far as it can help 
  them towards fulfilling their greater purpose. Lost tomes, 
  weird spell formulae, the knowledge to make peculiar fetishes 
  and charms, ancient wisdom lost to the ages and more can 
  be powerfully motivating to the traveling mage. The desire 
  for such knowledge can get a mage out of his cell and onto 
  the road unlike almost anything else. Mages have also been 
  known to be so interested in this sort of knowledge that their 
  judgment can be impaired.
  Monks
  It is a truism that monks view adventuring as an opportunity 
  to test their skills and to reinforce their personal discipline. 
  Because monks are motivated by their commitment to un-
  derstanding the world, what drives on a mage will also, some-
  times, drive on a monk. While it is uncommon for monks to 
  desire property and material possessions, they are oftentimes 
  not averse to it.
  Rangers
  Rangers are most at home in the woods, protecting them and 
  those who live in them and travel through them. Anything 
  that helps the ranger carry out that sacred mission would be 
  desirable. Like the fighter, they make their living exposing 
  themselves to great physical risks; weapons, armor and the 
  like are frequently highly prized.
  Rogues
  The rogues’ ability to carry out all sorts of sneaky tasks makes 
  them indispensable to have around, but what do they want 
  out of life? This is where a discussion about personality be-
  fore beginning play can be particularly useful. Rogues can 
  do just about anything decently, but their lack of specializa-
  tion makes structuring rewards for them harder than it is for 
  other classes. Many rogues will be motivated by wealth (why 
  else would they spend all of that time learning how to break 
  into places they do not belong!), but information has a great 
  deal of value as well for the busy rogue.
  Thieves
  There is no profession more drawn to gold, treasure and 
  wealth for its own sake than the thief. Their sneaky skills are 
  unparalleled and they use them to get more and more and 
  more. Motivating a thief might seem pretty straightforward, 
  but their values, which often seem to be unethical or down-
  right criminal are frequently motivated by deeply-held per-
  sonal philosophies that give them an “internal rationale” that 
  HARP   Loot 
  Loot Law 
  Page 9
  
  explains what they do. In my experience, lots of thieves have a 
  strong commitment to a personal spirituality associated with 
  a god or goddess of luck, “justice,” or what have you. Bring 
  this dimension into the game and see where the thieves go 
  from there.
  Warrior Mages
  Because warrior mages straddle the line between fighter and 
  mage, their motivations are also going to straddle the line. 
  Each warrior mage is going to be different from the next, 
  and their understanding of their role in society will deter-
  mine to some degree what their goals are. Because a warrior 
  mage maintains an assortment of spells to aid their cause, 
  their desire for esoteric knowledge is higher than the fighters 
  but they are also likely to want items that the typical mage 
  might ignore.
  Loot and Race
  It is arguable that the distinctions between different profes-
  sions pale in comparison to those things that divide the races 
  in HARP. The six races in HARP have profoundly different 
  ways of seeing the world; these distinctions are fundamental 
  to playing characters of these races and can bring about pow-
  erfully interesting game play when loot is added to the mix.
  Dwarves
  It is a well-known fact that dwarves will go out of their way 
  to possess precious stones, unusual metals and gems of all 
  sorts. Most dwarves have an insatiable appetite for this sort 
  of wealth—hence their decision to live near the great min-
  eral seams beneath the earth. They do not hoard as a gnome 
  might, but they are selective about what they will sell or trans-
  fer to “surface dwellers.” Additionally, dwarves have a highly 
  refined sense of beauty; they can appreciate and discern the 
  intrinsic artistic value of an object better than almost anyone 
  else. Their understanding of beadwork, jewelry-making and 
  gem-cutting is unparalleled. 
  What might be as well known but not as carefully considered 
  is this: dwarves are also secretive, suspicious and sometimes 
  mistrustful. They keep the truths of their people close to the 
  heart (they rarely teach their languages to outsiders, for in-
  stance) and tend to view the world in a fairly black-or-white 
  manner (you are either one of us or not—no real middle 
  ground). They are deeply moved by the concept of “home” and 
  tend to maintain ties to their home city/village throughout 
  adulthood. Dwarves do not consider the adventuring life to 
  be a permanent one, generally. Rather, they see it as a way to 
  increase status at home.
  It might seem from all of this that what dwarves crave most 
  is mineral wealth, but this would be a surface reading of their 
  culture. Dwarves appreciate this sort of wealth, but as it were 
  “they can get all of that at home.” Dwarves seek more than 
  adventure for its own sake a lot of the time, and certainly 
  will not be motivated by stories of routine wealth. No, what 
  a dwarf wants is something special, something rare, and 
  something never before seen at home. If a dwarf believes that 
  something (a story, a sword, a husband or wife) will increase 
  status at home, that will be a strong motivator.
  Elves
  It can be difficult for non-elves to figure out what elves actu-
  ally want. Because they are so long-lived and so inclined to 
  take the long view of things, they are not generally motivated 
  by short-term gain. Their craftsmanship, particularly with 
  natural materials, is the envy of all of the other races. So what 
  then might motivate an elf? What constitutes loot for elves?
  Elves have a strong connection to nature and are deeply com-
  mitted to maintaining the order and rhythms of nature. To 
  gain materials for use by their smiths, elves have been known 
  to travel great distances. Elves often make excellent Harpers 
  and the best of them are frequently the best traveled. When 
  one can live to be 600 years old, a century or two of travel can 
  really provide one with excellent stories! Elves will go in quest 
  of all sorts of lore and information and while they are not par-
  ticularly motivated by wealth for its own sake, a well-crafted 
  item will always elicit positive comments and perhaps even a 
  slight desire.
  Elves are interested in magic for its own sake, but not to the 
  degree of some of the other races. They do not desire magic 
  any more than anything else, recognizing that magic is just 
  one expression of the mysteries of nature.
  Gnomes
  The elfish commitment to natural lore pales in comparison to 
  the gnomish desire to learn all that can be learned. Gnomes 
  love secrets! They love magical lore of all sorts and decipher-
  ing puzzles. There is little that is secret or obscure that would 
  not motivate a gnome. Wealth for its own sake is of little in-
  terest to the gnome; most gnomish communities are fairly 
  modest by the standards of the other races, and this is how 
  the gnomes wish it to be. Their relative material poverty is 
  more than compensated for by their copious libraries, labora-
  tories and workshops. Gnomes make some of the best charm 
  and potion makers anywhere and the rumor of a new potion 
  formula or incantation brings them forth from their commu-
  nities like little else.
  While gnomes have a distinct interest in magic, they are not 
  so interested in magical weapons, seeing the whole business 
  of combat and fighting to be somewhat distasteful. A gnome 
  would take a magical weapon for the sole purpose, generally, 
  of selling it at the nearest market so that he or she could buy 
  an interesting book.
  Gryx
  As the most peace loving of the six races, the gryx can be 
  counted on to reject the pursuit of weapons, armor and the 
  like. They tend to avoid conflict wherever possible, but they 
  can be drawn from their peaceful pursuits with the promise 
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  of learning new things. Because the gryx are excellent crafts-
  men (only the elves are better), the lure of new materials with 
  which to work or the hope of finding new plants for their 
  gardens is frequently sufficient to bring them out. While the 
  gryx are non-violent, they are tenacious defenders of home 
  and hearth. If their children or families are threatened, they 
  will defend them with all vigor.
  Halflings
  The most friendly and affable of the six races, halflings are 
  gregarious taletellers, wanderers and traders.  The lure of 
  adventure itself is frequently enough to draw out a halfling. 
  Because the halflings are not terribly sedentary, preferring 
  travel to settling down, it generally does not take much to 
  encourage one to move on. Halflings are quite interested in 
  profit and will sometimes adventure for the sole purpose of 
  finding things on their travels that they can then sell at mar-
  ket for a profit.
  Halflings are addicted to hearing new stories and finding out 
  new things. They will join adventuring teams sometimes with 
  the sole intention of being part of great tales. While halflings 
  are not known for being particularly brave, like the gryx, they 
  will fight with purpose to defend themselves and their own.
  Humans
  Anything you can name might motivate a human. Because 
  humans are so adaptable and so driven to better themselves, 
  humans of all cultures and sorts want to advance themselves. 
  Many will do this by any means necessary. Human warriors 
  love new and magical weapons. Human mages desire secret 
  lore and so on.
  Loot and Culture
  One of the great advantages to the HARP system is the flex-
  ibility it provides with regard to cultures. Like the six races, the 
  cultures in HARP provide the player and GM with significant 
  clues about what characters are likely to value. Culture stands 
  at the core of every character’s personality—it informs who 
  they are on a fundamental level. This is why it is critical that 
  players and GMs determine in advance whether a character 
  comes from a “standard” culture (dwarves are from the Deep 
  Warrens culture usually, for instance) or has been transplanted 
  for some reason. To continue with the preceding example, 
  dwarves raised in the Deep Warrens culture exhibit many of 
  the racial characteristics associated with dwarves and the reti-
  cence inherent in the culture. Dwarves raised in an Underhill 
  culture, however, would express both a dwarven racial mindset 
  and an Underhill view of the way the world works. Thus, that 
  character might have a personality that some of his Underhill 
  friends might describe as sullen, but that others would recog-
  nize as reserved—“he just needs to get to know you before he 
  warms up.” Dwarves raised in the Deep Warrens culture meet-
  ing the same character might find him overly curious, even ec-
  centric, and “too friendly.”
  One’s culture informs what one values. What one values deter-
  mines to a great degree what one sees as loot. While this might 
  seem to have little to nothing to do with magic items, money 
  and adventuring, it is actually at the core of the question. Loot 
  is stuff that someone values. I might value something mightily 
  that you would not even recognize has value. My character’s 
  cultural and racial identity, along with her profession, is going 
  to tell me (and the GM) what she values. If this does not mesh 
  with the other adventurers in the gaming party—so much 
  the better!
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  The distractions were significant. Many of the outlying homes inching 
  up the side of the broken hills had been abandoned long ago, and from 
  the looks of them, scarcely anyone had bothered to have a look at them 
  since. A ruined spire reaching just above the tree line suggested riches 
  waiting to be taken, at least to Rekki who in particular was insistent that 
  they have a look around before dealing with the hateful dragon.
  “Who knows what could be up there!” Rekki said, hoping to get his two 
  dragon-slaying friends interested.
  “Some old clothes and a shoe or two most likely,” Ferrannin replied.
  “And don’t even think about that temple, Rekki,” Horkin said. “We don’t 
  have the time.”
  “On the way back, then,” Rekki said.
  “Ah, optimism!” Ferrannin laughed.
  3 Loot in the Wilderness
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  Getting Ahead in the Wide 
  Open Country
  The country, it almost goes without saying, is a pretty big 
  place. By and large, it is also controlled by creatures that could 
  charitably be called uncivilized. The danger is high, but the 
  rewards are also potentially high, provided that characters 
  know where to look for loot. Nearly every creature is going to 
  be in possession of some kind of material wealth, no matter 
  how poor. The core rules of HARP provide useful treasure 
  tables for determining the sort of wealth that is likely to be 
  owned and hoarded by wilderness creatures. These tables are 
  our starting place.
  What exactly does “the country” mean? All of the HARP cul-
  tural types except Urban might be covered by a term like “the 
  country.” The wilderness is what it is – the great forests, grass-
  lands, mountains and underground realms that dot every 
  game environment and world. Anything that is untouched 
  by the civilizing hand of the intelligent races would qualify 
  as wilderness. In the wilderness, creatures make their homes 
  in hundreds of different ways. As characters come to under-
  stand the ways of these creatures, finding loot within these 
  lairs, grottoes and homes will be easier and easier.
  In addition to being the home of monsters and other vermin, 
  the country is frequently where characters might find the 
  ruins or remnants of past civilizations. Abandoned cities, 
  temples, libraries and the like have a powerful attraction to 
  adventurers and with good reason – even though they might 
  be overrun with creatures, they are likely to be repositories of 
  potentially large quantities of loot. This chapter will look at 
  the lairs of creatures and what loot one might expect to find 
  there (and where it might be hidden).
  “Organic” Placement of Loot
  One way to quickly throw off the tone of a game is to not 
  give sufficient thought to the placement of loot within a lair 
  or dungeon. It does not make much sense to reward charac-
  ters who have just killed a sabertooth tiger in its lair a +25 
  weapon, unless the characters have some reason to believe 
  that a sword like that was going to be in that lair. Or barring 
  that, the weapon should have some tie or connection to the 
  campaign that makes such a disproportionate reward both 
  reasonable and appropriate, but also essential to the telling 
  of the story. Giant apes, while intelligent to some degree, do 
  not hoard gold coins in locked treasure chests, deviously hid-
  den within traps and behind locked doors, and if they have, 
  a reasonably intelligent character is going to want to know 
  why. Characters who kill a clan of giant apes can expect these 
  apes to possess some wealth, but it is likely to be fairly ran-
  dom, in keeping with the personalities of the apes themselves. 
  Likewise, it is likely to be strewn here and there without any 
  real purpose or even recognition of value.
  If players become accustomed to finding disproportionate re-
  wards, their games might very quickly turn into “Monty Haul” 
  treasure-seeking fests that have little to do with character or 
  story, regardless of what gamemasters hope to do. Now there 
  is nothing inherently wrong with this, but if the gamemaster 
  is hoping to achieve more in a game, much greater care has to 
  be taken with loot placement. Conversely, players will quickly 
  become discouraged if the loot that is offered is much poorer 
  than it should be (a dragon without a hoard? Inconceivable! 
  Or is it? I once offered two dragons to my players, both of whom 
  had negligible real hoards, but a few juicy, and ultimately dev-
  astating weapons...the costs to get this loot were ruinously high, 
  however...). If characters are never or rarely given rewards that 
  they value, they might just as well retire back to their homes 
  and be done with it. It is the gamemaster’s job to get it right.
  Getting it right, however, does not mean simply following the 
  treasure charts. Gamemasters have to give careful consid-
  eration to how they are going to stock their encounters with 
  material rewards for characters. The treasure charts within 
  the HARP core rules are provided to help GMs get this right, 
  but they are just the beginning. It is entirely appropriate to 
  use the treasure charts as guidelines and to stray from them 
  whenever it might suit the game’s purpose. Recall that the 
  base chance of a creature even having treasure is only 20% + 
  3% per level of the creature. Coming up empty is part of the 
  drill for most adventurers, but it should not be a constant.
  Over time, players will come to understand that the loot it-
  self is sometimes part of the story both the players and the 
  gamemaster are creating together. To expand on an earlier 
  example: if characters should happen to find a +25 weapon 
  in a sabertooth tiger’s lair, it should alert the characters that 
  something else might be going on there or around there. 
  Where did that weapon come from? Who left it there and 
  why? And where might more of them be found? Characters 
  who go to all of the effort to kill a great dragon only to find 
  that its hoard is much poorer than it should be are likely to 
  be aggrieved, and to want to know why. Did someone get in 
  there and clear it out before they did? If so, where are they and 
  what have they done with the loot? And an even more astute 
  question – how did they get the loot without slaying the dread 
  beast? Imagine how much more aggravating it would be to 
  kill that dragon only to find its lair, more or less, picked clean. 
  Characters are unlikely to leave without a serious investiga-
  tion of the lair, trying to figure out who “did them in,” as it 
  were. Gamemasters can also anticipate a hot pursuit, even if it 
  is following uninspiring leads.
  A game can be made significantly richer if the placement of 
  loot makes sense, remembering that loot that makes sense is 
  not always “by the book.”
  Loot and Wilderness 
  Creatures
  A distinction needs to be made when considering the loot 
  owned by wilderness creatures and more sophisticated mon-
  sters. Wilderness animals that are not particularly intelligent 
  are going to have lairs that are impromptu or built according 
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  to an animal intelligence. More intelligent creatures and 
  those that have some form of society (like goblins) are going to 
  be much more complicated and will be considered later. Each 
  of the creatures from HARP will be considered individually. 
  Each creature’s treasure code will be listed in the heading. The 
  code gives the quality of treasure, [either Poor (P), Normal (N) 
  or Rich (R) depending] that can be expected in the following 
  order:  Magic, Money and Mundane.
  Animals
  Ant, Giant (PNP)
  Giant Ants are not intelligent, but they are more attracted 
  to shiny coins than one would expect. Giant anthills are en-
  countered sometimes in grasslands or savannahs, where at 
  their most extreme they can stand nearly as tall as a five-story 
  building and be nearly as deep. Investigating a giant anthill is 
  going to be difficult and unpleasant work at best for even the 
  shortest player characters. Because Giant Ants do not really 
  care about loot, to get the maximum reward, characters are 
  going to have to spend a lot of time digging through the sand 
  and dirt to find all that these ants might have. Best of luck to 
  the claustrophobics – ant tunnels are only a few feet wide at 
  their widest.
  Beetle, Giant (-N3-)
  At least human-sized, very hungry and very dumb, Giant 
  Beetles view the fat and slow as preeminent loot. Any wealth 
  that might be found in a giant beetle lair is likely to have found 
  its way there on the persons of the beetles’ most recent meals. 
  Will clearing out a giant beetle lair be worth it, loot-wise? 
  Very possibly – they do eat a lot and one could reasonably 
  hope that at least someone who met his or her end there was 
  worth more than a copper or two when death came calling.
  Gargoyle (N R(5) N)
  These winged goblinoid creatures are suspected to be magi-
  cally created guardians who have somehow achieved inde-
  pendence and the ability to reproduce. Territorial, a roost 
  of Gargoyles will claim a large building (such as a castle, a 
  temple, a civic hall, etc.) as their protectorate and establish 
  an aerie. The contents of the building (or at least any valuable 
  items that the Gargoyles can see) will be considered “theirs”. 
  Gargoyles will not trouble normal building occupants - how-
  ever burglars and anyone removing the “treasures” will face 
  angry Gargoyles ready to fight to protect the loot and who 
  will then stash it in their aerie for safekeeping.
  Giant, Greater (R2R (10) R2)
  Frightening and imposing, there are few creatures with the 
  loot potential of the Greater Giant. The problem, of course, 
  is getting one’s hands on the loot – Greater Giants are not 
  forgiving of trespassers. Aggressive and disagreeable at best, 
  there are at least a half-dozen different types of recognized 
  Greater Giants (Earth, Water, Fire, Forest, etc.). Each type of 
  Greater Giant makes his or her home in an appropriate set-
  ting, and their homes are generally well built. A common 
  quality to all Greater Giants, however, is their rapacious de-
  sire for loot. Only dragons are more likely to have gargantuan 
  hoards filled to overflowing with goodies. While Greater 
  Giants do not have strong preferences for one kind of loot 
  over any other, finding some high quality magic items in a gi-
  ant’s hoard is almost a sure bet. Greater Giants are exception-
  ally devious with their loot – they leave nothing lying around.
  Giant, Lesser (P2NN3)
  The less sophisticated cousins to the Greater Giants, Lesser 
  Giants are nowhere near as clever as the Greater Giants. 
  They are not even as on-the-ball as any of the six great races 
  in HARP. Lesser Giants might be found living in rough-
  hewn caves or in other solitary places. The Cyclops, a form 
  of Lesser Giant, is frequently found living on small islands. 
  Their hoards are nowhere near as rich as that of Greater 
  Giants. Lesser Giants also put a great deal of stock in their 
  own cleverness, with predictable results. If you can outthink 
  one, you have a good chance of getting at that hoard with lim-
  ited difficulty.
  Griffin (PNP)
  Generally encountered alone (but occasionally as a breeding 
  pair and rarer still as a community), griffins are powerful foes 
  without a reputation for bounteous loot. They generally make 
  their homes in caves, preferring mountainous terrain but also 
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  content in deep, hilly forests. Griffins are usually indifferent 
  to others, but will attack if hungry. Wealth found in a griffin’s 
  lair is likely to be almost random in distribution, but they sure 
  do seem to appreciate shiny coins!
  Hippogriff (PNP)
  Similar to griffins in some ways but less violent (unless cor-
  nered and directly threatened), hippogriffs are indifferent 
  to human notions of wealth. Their tendency to feather their 
  nests with all manner of things tends to bring them into pos-
  session of a wide, but generally low-valued, assortment of loot.
  Hydra (PNP)
  One of the problems with hydras is that they are just so very 
  angry most of the time. They can be encountered anywhere 
  in the wilderness, tending to prefer mountains about as much 
  as they prefer broad grasslands. They do not keep lairs, per 
  se; rather, they tend to take over large structures and cave-
  compounds that have been abandoned by others. Much of 
  the time, the wealth one finds when slaying a hydra is not 
  actually their wealth, but whatever happened to be in their 
  lair when they took it over. A high degree of randomness can 
  be expected.
  Rat, Giant (PPP)
  The good news here is that Giant Rats are fairly easily slain. 
  The bad news is that they are among the least likely creatures 
  to have loot of any kind and what they do have is likely to be 
  fouled, along with the rats’ filthy nests. If a character is clear-
  ing out a Giant Rat’s lair in hopes of finding something valu-
  able, his or her fortunes have definitely fallen low.
  Sabertooth Tiger (PPP)
  Ferocious, powerful and highly territorial, wealth accumula-
  tion is not first on the agenda for most sabertooth tigers. They 
  are, however, hungry most of the time and quite capable of 
  killing many folks foolish enough to pay them a visit. Wealth 
  found in a sabertooth tiger den is likely to be the former prop-
  erty of whomever the tiger most recently killed...and ate.
  Shark, Great White (PPP)
  Any loot possessed by a Great White Shark will be the detri-
  tus of a recent meal. Those slain by a Great White Shark will 
  usually have been out for a swim or fallen overboard from a 
  ship, and will rarely be carrying significant wealth. Valuables 
  that survive the shark attack itself, and the consumption, and 
  the digestive processes, may linger in the shark’s belly for 
  some time. To retrieve first catch the shark, second kill it be-
  fore it kills you, and then gut the shark.
  Scorpion, Giant (PPP)
  Preferring underground lairs with easy access to the surface, 
  Giant Scorpions are unlikely to be a great source of wealth 
  for characters at the best of times. It is a good thing that they 
  are so belligerent and capable of dealing death or they would 
  probably have nothing at all. In all likelihood, the only wealth 
  anyone is going to find in a Giant Scorpion’s lair was brought 
  in by the last bunch of fools who were sure they could kill it.
  Spider, Giant (NNP)
  Now, Giant Spiders are far craftier than many other wood-
  land animals. Making their homes more often than not in 
  the deepest parts of the forest, Giant Spiders can sniff out the 
  weak and the (relatively) wealthy more easily than many other 
  monsters. The trick, of course, is killing the Giant Spider (or 
  spiders, they frequently live in fairly large groups) to get at the 
  goodies. Because so much of a Giant Spider’s wealth is going 
  to be literally bound up in their webs, it is a fool’s errand to try 
  to get at the loot until the Giant Spider is dispatched.
  Spider, Greater (RRP)
  One of the great terrors of the animal kingdom (and a stock 
  villain in many fantasy stories and games), the Greater Spider 
  stands near the top of the monstrous food chain. Living a 
  solitary life (and living it for a long, long time) in the deep-
  est portions of the forest or within great underground lairs, 
  Greater Spiders are nearly as attracted to wealth as they are to 
  the sheer pleasure of tormenting their prey. Capable of keep-
  ing their victims alive for days or even weeks while torturing 
  them, it is only the hardiest team of adventurers that would 
  dare to take one on. Better to fight a dragon, because at least 
  a dragon will dispatch you quickly. A Greater Spider always 
  takes its own, sweet time. Still, because Greater Spiders al-
  ways have a strong connection to the most ancient rhythms 
  of their world, they are strongly attracted to magic and like 
  to gather magic items, presumably for the simple pleasure of 
  owning them. Their love of magic far surpasses their interest 
  in common wealth, though gold and gems have their place.
  Spider, Lesser (PPP)
  A poor man’s Giant Spider with an equivalent amount of 
  wealth. Lesser Spiders do not have the instincts of their 
  greater cousins and their lack of good loot reflects this. Still, 
  they are easier to kill.
  Wasp, Giant (PPP)
  While not the sharpest tool in the shed, Giant Wasps are 
  clever enough to coordinate their attacks for better effective-
  ness than if they all went at it individually. Like with many of 
  the preceding creatures, the loot that can be found in a Giant 
  Wasp nest is going to be hard to find (who wants to crawl 
  around in a giant wasp’s nest?) and of low value, essentially, 
  whatever the Giant Wasps’ victims had on their person as 
  they were slowly dissolved to death.
  Wyvern (R3 R3(10) R3)
  Wyverns are frequently considered the smaller cous-
  ins of Dragons. They share many of the characteristics of 
  Dragons, including a propensity for collecting treasure from 
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  settlements they have raided and adventurers they have slain 
  and hoarding this loot in their lair. This is despite them lack-
  ing the sophistication and the intellect of their draconic peers, 
  and despite the absence of any reason or use demonstrated 
  by Wyverns for their loot. Scholars shrug and claim that is 
  merely Wyverns imitating Dragons; adventurers shrug and 
  are only too willing to liberate the loot - after all, it is merely 
  a Wyvern. Many have discovered to their cost that mere 
  Wyverns are more than capable of defending themselves and 
  their hoard. Dead by a Wyvern is still dead.
  Social Monsters
  Ape, Giant (PPP)
  Giant Apes live in communities and are about as intelligent 
  as a small child. They make their homes in the woods, favor-
  ing territory at higher elevations. They are not interested in 
  wealth or loot as humans understand it, but there will gener-
  ally be some coins, weird mundane stuff and perhaps even an 
  item of magic or two in a Giant Ape community.
  Centaur (N2N2 (10) R2)
  Centaurs are as intelligent as any of the speaking races in 
  HARP, are highly tribal and territorial and are quite will-
  ing to be violent to protect their clan, loved ones and wealth. 
  Because Centaurs are nomadic (they are generally of the 
  Nomad culture in HARP), their wealth is usually highly 
  portable (no giant, immobile artifacts or grand pianos among 
  their loot). They are dwarf-like in their suspicions of others 
  and make friends with others slowly. Centaurs are capable of 
  craftsmanship just like any of the six great races and are as 
  jealous of their secrets as anyone. Because they sometimes 
  sell their wares to markets in nearby cities (be they human or 
  otherwise), anyone born in a nearby community might know 
  of the location of a centaur tribe and might 
  also be conversant with the wares in which 
  they specialize.
  Goblin (PPR3)
  Goblins mate and mate and mate. As a 
  result, they can be found in nearly any 
  wilderness setting. If civilization con-
  tracts for whatever reason, the goblins 
  will move right in. They do not like mak-
  ing homes on their own, preferring to take 
  over abandoned structures (like dungeons, 
  for instance, but they have been known to 
  occupy whole towns if they are left to their 
  own devices). While goblins like to believe 
  that they have it pretty good, a cursory 
  examination of a goblin warren will reveal 
  the truth – they have lots and lots of very 
  low-quality manufactured goods and very 
  little else. If a goblin has a magic weapon, 
  you can presume it came from someone 
  else who used to treasure it. While they 
  can be dispatched fairly easily, there are always more where 
  the last lot came from and are they ever greedy! If you or your 
  friends demonstrate that you have some stuff that a goblin 
  might want, they will never leave you alone.
  Hobgoblin (NNN)
  The more violent, slightly more cunning and much more 
  domineering relatives of the goblins, hobgoblins are essen-
  tially everything goblins are, only writ larger. They live in 
  clans and also prefer to settle in abandoned dungeons and 
  derelict human villages. Hobgoblins have also been known 
  to drive halflings and dwarves from their settlements. Once 
  hobgoblins establish themselves in an underground setting, 
  they can be nearly impossible to dislodge. Unlike goblins, 
  hobgoblins know exactly how good they have it – and they 
  are bitter about it, as a rule. This is not to say that they are 
  poor; by any reasonable standard, they are not. They never 
  see what they have as sufficient, however, driving them on to 
  greater and greater violence. A couple of clans of hobgoblins 
  acting together can strip an unsuspecting town of much of its 
  wealth in no time.
  Kobold (NPN)
  Kobolds “punch above their weight.” Small and about as strong 
  as a goblins, kobolds use their cunning and their ability to 
  work together to gain advantages over their enemies. Vaguely 
  reptilian, kobolds prefer to live in jungles, swamps and other 
  damp environments. They do not make their homes in the 
  mountains or plains. They have no problem with under-
  ground caves and dungeons, provided there is a lot of water 
  in the air. Kobolds are not particularly enamored of money, 
  but love magic items as much as the next monster. While 
  they do not make them (or at least they do not make them 
  well), they do covet them. Like other social monsters, once 
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  kobolds establish themselves, they are difficult to dislodge. 
  They are at least as greedy as goblins, making them the more 
  vexsome enemy.
  Lizardmen (NPR3)
  Lizardmen combine the koboldish love of damp habitats with 
  the aggression of hobgoblins. They are the most tenacious 
  of the social monsters, hunting in large groups and living in 
  communities that, once established, might require a small 
  army to dislodge. They are at least as intelligent as the speak-
  ing races of HARP. Lizardmen are driven by a love of bat-
  tle and an abiding greed. Characters lucky enough to come 
  across a lizardmen lair that they can clear out might find the 
  rewards are slightly better than they might expect.
  Ogres (PPN)
  Ogres are included amongst the social races, but only barely. 
  Just as likely to be encountered alone as they are to be found 
  in small groupings, ogres are distant cousins to the giants, 
  but are lesser in every respect. Slovenly and dumb (except for 
  the Ogre Mages – a rare subclass of ogres), ogres are hungrier 
  than they are greedy. While they are not particularly easy for 
  a small group to kill, they are an easy match for a larger group. 
  Still, the material reward for doing in an ogre is likely to be 
  pretty small.
  Orcs (NPN)
  Staggeringly violent, cannibalistic and with a malevolent 
  ingenuity that allows them to lord it over the lesser social 
  monsters, orcs can be found anywhere. Living a distinctly no-
  madic lifestyle, orcs move through regions dealing death and 
  destruction as they go. Living in clans that can number more 
  than 200, they might also have nearly half-again as many gob-
  lins and kobolds under their command. One does not attack 
  an orc band with the hope of getting rich, but they might have 
  some magic goodies, if one is lucky enough to find them.
  Troll, Greater (NPN)
  Trolls are perhaps the definitive example of a social monster 
  with a low loot-to-danger ratio. Greater Trolls are a more ex-
  treme version. Big and nasty, Greater Trolls live in small clans 
  generally in forests or hills. They do not live underground.
  Troll, Lesser (PPN)
  The Lesser Trolls, like their bigger cousins, do not offer much 
  by way of loot.
  Special Monsters
  With both of the creature types that follow, it might be a bet-
  ter idea to plant loot purposefully rather than relying exclu-
  sively on the treasure tables. Because both of them are unique 
  and peculiar and unlikely to be encountered in a random 
  fashion, everything about the encounter, including the loot 
  on the line, should probably be determined in advance.
  Demons
  Demons are not from around here, so to speak, and do not live 
  around here either. They are here on this plane of existence for 
  some purpose and are just passing through. Frequently they 
  are here against their will. Demons will never have anything 
  other than magical loot – the more powerful the demon, the 
  more likely he will have something tasty. Demons might just 
  as easily be encountered in an urban setting.
  Undead
  The sheer profusion of different undead types can make as-
  signing loot to them a daunting task. Lower-level undead may 
  not even understand what they wield or “own,” while higher-
  level undead are not only going to know exactly what they 
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  own, they will jealously and tena-
  ciously guard it. Characters going 
  into combat against the undead 
  should have a pretty good idea what 
  they are getting themselves into.
  THE SINE QUA NON
  The dragon is the gold standard in 
  wilderness loot. Solitary, disagree-
  able, greedy, rapacious, cruel and 
  domineering, dragons are long-
  lived and so focused on destruction 
  and hoarding loot that being able to 
  slay one could easily be considered 
  the peak of an entire adventuring 
  career and as good a time as any 
  to retire. Even young dragons are 
  going to have hoards that could 
  destabilize small regional econo-
  mies – an adult dragon’s hoard could depress prices through-
  out a small kingdom. Dragons are not as devious as one might 
  suspect with the guarding of their treasure, generally trusting 
  (for good or ill) to their own ability to deal damage and de-
  struction to protect their stuff. Dragons are not stupid; the 
  best of their hoards will always be well hidden and protected 
  by a variety of traps and other measures. Dragons are also the 
  gold standard in fiendish magical protections -- best of luck 
  to the adventuring team trying to get at the hoard without 
  some magical assistance. Dragons do not keep their loot in 
  the hallways and foyers of their lairs, of course. Getting to the 
  “treasure room” of a dragon’s lair can be time-consuming and 
  fraught with its own kind of peril.
  Characters who expect to get at a hoard without the very real 
  risk of sudden death are foolish. Players who do not realize 
  the danger need to be taught how real it is. Gamemasters 
  must be mindful before offering characters and players this 
  kind of challenge – death is right around the corner.
  Loot Among the Ruins
  Not every character is cut out for rummaging in anthills to 
  get ahead in the world. If this is not your character’s cup of tea, 
  do not despair! There is hardly a countryside one might care 
  to name that is not dotted with the ruined remains of human 
  and other civilizations long gone and perhaps long forgotten. 
  These ancient places are the stuff of the most ancient lore 
  and are feared by the common folk...all the more reason for a 
  doughty group of adventurers to seek them out to prove their 
  name and learn a little something about the world.
  These places are usually the best places to find ancient wis-
  dom, forgotten spells, ancient weapons long abandoned by 
  their dead owners and the like. Sadly, they are frequently the 
  homes of the most hated villains that prey on civilization – 
  twisted mages enthralled to the forces of darkness, wicked 
  cabals of witches and warlocks, fetid breeding grounds for the 
  most vexing of foes and the like.
  When building a place like this, gamemasters should pay 
  careful attention to the details, being mindful of the organic 
  principles discussed above. What follows are some sample 
  ruins to serve as adventuring opportunities. Notes for the 
  gamemaster are in italics.
  The Ruins of Assht’clar
  Far to the west rests the corpse of the once great city of 
  Assht’clar. A journey of many weeks is required to get there 
  and it is slow going, dangerous work. The countryside is 
  infested with all manner of horrors. It is said that the hun-
  dredfold dead who lost their lives in and around the city rise 
  with the setting sun to feast on whatever might be living, and 
  nearby.  Only fools go to Assht’clar, or so it is said by those 
  who are left behind. No one returns who makes the journey.
  Clearly inspired by Lovecraft, this kind of ruin is more ide-
  ally suited for high-level characters who can take more of a 
  beating and have more life experience. The opportunity to 
  provide characters with equally high-powered rewards is a 
  natural here. The fun of this setting is going to be heightened 
  by maintaining the mood and providing sufficient rewards. 
  It is critical that the rewards offered are not only commen-
  surate with the risk, but also reflective of the city’s reputation 
  for weirdness.
  Attacked on each of the previous three nights by lower level 
  undead, the adventurers continued to make their way towards 
  the ruins, their dread increasing with each passing hour. And 
  then they saw it! Strange, bulbous architecture towering over 
  a semi-ruined wall. A ghastly pall that hung in the air like a 
  smoky cloud. Assht’clar!
  Now the question before you is who is running the show? A 
  Class V Undead would seem to fit the bill – or perhaps a cabal 
  of them, still meeting all these years later to devise new ways to 
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  torment the rest of the planet. They only come out once every 
  ten years unless woken by their minions. The arrival of fresh 
  meat is sure to attract their attention. Class V Undead are 
  very difficult to kill and very rich in loot. A ruin like this is 
  going to be a great source for intangible loot – ancient histo-
  ries, spellbooks, rumors and the like as well as magic items 
  and money. The difficulty, of course, is maintaining one’s san-
  ity long enough to get it out of town.
  The Underkeep of H’rex
  Located some 12 miles north from the nearest human town 
  (and more than 50 miles in the opposite direction from a 
  small halfling settlement), the Underkeep of H’rex is all that 
  remains of an ancient watchtower that represented the south-
  ern limits of a human empire whose name is lost to history 
  and the winds of time. The halflings will not even speak of the 
  structure, believing it to be a source of terrible evil (though 
  if pressed, they cannot say what sort of evil, exactly). The old-
  timers back in the human town will share stories when given 
  the opportunity (like, say, when someone buys one of them 
  a drink), but they are universally scoffed at by the younger 
  crowd. Who or what has taken over the place? Ask three peo-
  ple, get three different answers (a malevolent spider, a giant, 
  a werewolf).
  The stage is set and mystery has been created. How you get 
  your players to visit the Underkeep depends on who they are 
  and what they value. There is of course the potential oppor-
  tunity to slay whatever is living there, but it has to go beyond 
  that. What do they want? What do they need? Rumors that 
  precisely what they are looking for can be found there might be 
  a powerful motivation to visit.
  The journey to the Underkeep takes nearly a full day’s walk 
  through increasingly difficult terrain. Hills covered with 
  thick forests stretch on seemingly endlessly. An ancient trail 
  that once led to H’rex wends its way north from the town but 
  before the town is even a half-hour out of sight, the trail dis-
  appears into the wilderness. There are no signs of either civi-
  lization or monsters, a worrying sign, given that goblins have 
  long been known to inhabit these hills.
  A first sign that something is wrong – no goblins?
  The adventurers arrive with only a few hours before sunset. 
  They see that the tower itself is totally derelict. Great build-
  ing stones lie strewn across a broad swathe of land. The tower 
  was obviously once the centerpiece of a broad clearing – the 
  trees that are growing here are noticeably smaller than the 
  surrounding forest. Whatever property used to belong to the 
  tower has long since been ransacked. There is also a profusion 
  of bones. There are more on the southern approach than else-
  where and the bones belong to a small creature. But there are 
  no skulls. Nor is there anything else of value – whatever these 
  creatures brought with them has also been taken by someone 
  or something.
  So that’s where the goblins went, right? Or did those bones once 
  belong to halflings? Their settlement is to the south, after all.
  At the center of the clearing, exposed to the surface, is a stone, 
  spiral staircase going down – the entrance to the Underkeep. 
  Curiously, it is not covered up by stones or a slab or anything. 
  Despite the fact that it is sunny out, the light does not pen-
  etrate more than a few stairs.
  The Underkeep is a single-level dungeon and in its heyday was 
  used as a prison – lots of cells and barred doors with most of 
  the civilized elements of the place being in the now ruined 
  tower. But what is the source of all the evil rumors? First, it 
  could be nothing, just rumors – this means that when the 
  players explore the Underkeep, there are no real challenges 
  and no real rewards. Second, it could be any of the three ru-
  mored creatures who have taken over. Even a cursory investi-
  gation should rule out the giant story, leaving the spider and 
  the werewolf. Now it is up to you.
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  4 Loot in the Big City
  “We have no business doing this!” Rekki 
  said, dwarfed by the trees.
  “It’s a bit late to get out of it now,” Horkin said, 
  pushing his way through the brush.
  “Couldn’t we just buy our way out of the debt?” Rekki asked.
  “And work twenty more years for the White 
  Lady? That’s how we got into this situation in 
  the first place! No thanks,” Ferrannin said.
  “She’s got us coming and going,” Horkin said with resignation.
  “As do I, I think,” the dragon said, poking its head into the brush.
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  Getting Ahead in the City
  Who can resist the considerable temptations of a big city? 
  Loud, busy and perhaps just a little bit frightening, an urban 
  setting might just be the sort of place where your characters 
  can shine. Not everyone wants to spend their time camping 
  in the woods, after all. There is certainly a place in almost 
  any role-playing game for an extended period of time spent 
  adventuring in a city. I have even conducted entire games 
  where characters never passed through the city’s gates for 
  more than a daytrip. There is a reason why an urban setting 
  is powerfully attractive – more people, more stories, more ru-
  mors, more information, in short, the loot potential of even a 
  medium-sized city is going to far surpass the same potential 
  in the country. So, why go dungeon crawling, when the dan-
  gerous streets of the city are beckoning? Surely the city has 
  something to offer?
  Even for characters who spend a lot of time in the country-
  side, there’s going to be times when the city summons them. 
  Where else can one find a full range of goods, both magical 
  and mundane? Where else would a character go to change 
  money or to try to sell some gems at a profit? Certainly not 
  in a dungeon! Had a problem making a complex fetish and 
  now you’ve run out of frankincense? Why not look for some 
  in the city? Cities are great places to find patrons, a day job, a 
  religious experience, new friends or just a heck of a time.
  Not all cities have the same background, purpose or sense of 
  self – each city is unique.
  Urban Environments
  One way to illustrate this point is to take a look at some cit-
  ies from fantasy literature. Depending on the authors one 
  chooses to read, there are plenty of great examples of fantasy 
  cities that demonstrate this point. Three examples from re-
  cent (or semi-recent) literature come to mind. Robin Hobb’s 
  Buckkeep is a small city filled to overflowing with character 
  and intrigue. Even getting a drink in one of the local pubs 
  could be an adventure in a city like that. George R.R. Martin’s 
  King’s Landing is bigger than Buckkeep, and with a corre-
  sponding increase in danger. Both of these cities are hotbeds 
  of political and social intrigue. They are dangerous places not 
  just because of the physical dangers, though they are consid-
  erable. No, the greatest dangers there are of a social/cultural 
  variety. It is so easy to make a mistake that might prove to be 
  fatal. Neither of these cities is shallow or narrowly conceived 
  – they are living, breathing places as real as any city in our 
  own world. The last example is Minas Tirith. Indescribably 
  ancient in the setting of the last days of the Third Age, Minas 
  Tirith might feel like a museum to some people – nothing but 
  a shadow of its former glory. But the fact remains that even 
  a city that ancient and past its prime is still physically, emo-
  tionally and socio-culturally dangerous. What do these three 
  fantasy cities show? That cities can have as broad a range of 
  personalities as characters can, perhaps even more. Perhaps 
  even clearer examples of this are provided by cities from our 
  own civilizations.
  Cities reflect the values of the societies that make them. 
  Strong, bold, confident civilizations will tend to build sweep-
  ingly large cities filled with monuments to the civilization’s 
  glories. Civilizations that were once great will possess these 
  same cities, but now in decline. Smaller societies accustomed 
  to giving in to their stronger neighbors will build cities that 
  feel cramped and defensive. Young cities (even in more estab-
  lished civilizations) have an energy that transcends the city’s 
  age. Vibrant, brash and busy, they are not as interested in his-
  tory as they are in the virtues of the here and now. Cities that 
  are in their mature phase are frequently larger, with more 
  established neighborhoods, markets, criminals and what 
  have you. They might be more confident (if they are still in 
  their growth phase) or less, depending on the city’s fortunes. 
  Ancient cities have sturdiness and a confidence that can shat-
  ter the will of a weak-willed character. Ancient stones tell 
  more stories than fragile flesh could ever hope to.
  One of the great things about fantasy role-playing environ-
  ments is the potentially large number of non-human civiliza-
  tions with which the characters can interact. Human cities 
  and civilization has a particular ebb and flow. Non-human 
  civilizations have their own patterns, ways of life and under-
  standing of what is valuable. Visiting non-human cities (or 
  human ones, if your character is non-human) can be a great 
  way for a character to learn more about herself and the world, 
  and maybe make a profit to boot!
  There are other factors that come to bear in getting at the per-
  sonalities of cities; these will be discussed below using exam-
  ples from historical cities.
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  Core Cities Versus Peripheral 
  Cities
  There are fundamental differences between cities that are at 
  the core of a culture versus those that are on the periphery. 
  These differences touch on every aspect of what gives a city 
  life – its personality, its layout, the people who choose to re-
  side there and anything else one might care to name. For our 
  purposes, a critical point is that while cities in the core of an 
  empire are likely to have both a greater quality and a greater 
  quantity of goods, it is frequently in peripheral cities that the 
  most curious, peculiar or interesting goodies can be found. 
  The Core
  The core of any empire or civilization is going to have the 
  best-developed, most well established cities – those cities 
  that really represent the culture in question. These cities are 
  either going to have the highest populations in the civiliza-
  tion or they are going to have something else that gives them 
  weight and cultural status. Ancient Rome in its prime comes 
  to mind, but so does medieval London, for instance. No less 
  representative a city of this core concept would be Alexandria 
  during the period 300-30 BCE, however. Few cities tolerated 
  the range of human behavior more than Alexandria did, and 
  there is no Hellenistic city that captured the cosmopolitan 
  flair of that Hellenistic culture more than Alexandria. 
  Core cities are not necessarily near the geographical center 
  of their civilizations (Rome was, Alexandria was not), rather, 
  their gravity pulls people, goods and culture into their orbit 
  regardless of where they are geographically located. The civi-
  lization’s core evolves around them. Trade routes are built 
  up mindful of this principle. The greatest markets of a cul-
  ture are going to be found in the core. Libraries, monaster-
  ies, universities, temples – in short, nearly everything that 
  can stand in for or represent a culture are going to be found 
  in greater numbers in the core. The core is so powerful, in 
  fact, that when the core becomes destabilized for whatever 
  reason, the cities within the core are likewise undermined, 
  generating a feedback loop of decline and disruption that can 
  take centuries to right. When a core city declines, the entire 
  civilization which was held up by that city declines along 
  with it, leaving a vacuum in its wake that is filled by disorder 
  and chaos. While there are no orcs and goblins in Western 
  Europe, the level of chaos and social disruption brought 
  about by the collapse of the Roman Empire in the west meant 
  that there might just as well have been. Traveling in what was 
  the western Roman Empire became akin to a fool’s errand. 
  “Well, if you’d like to get yourself killed, go right ahead.” In CE 
  100, a traveler could have walked in relative safety from one 
  peripheral region (modern Portugal) to another peripheral re-
  gion (modern Israel), all the while being under the protection 
  of the Pax Romana, passing through the great cores of the 
  Roman state (the first in Italy, the other along the coast of the 
  Eastern Mediterranean) and hardly realizing what a marvel 
  that state was. By CE 600, an unremarkable resident of what 
  was the western portion of Rome would hardly dare to travel 
  10 miles from home.
  The Periphery
  A clever shorthand approach to the core/periphery question 
  holds that “whatever is not core is periphery.” Sort of. Cities 
  and settlements in the periphery have a fundamentally dif-
  ferent tone, way of life and identity than core cities do. The 
  frontier spirit of any culture lives and endures here. Much 
  more tolerant of the rough-and-tumble facts of life than their 
  brethren in the core, the people who live their lives in the pe-
  ripheral parts of a civilization or empire do not expect life 
  to give them things for which they have not worked. In the 
  periphery, qualities of civilization displayed in the core are 
  often more exaggerated. The reason for this is clear – when 
  life is harder, everything is magnified: personality, greed, 
  love, seclusion, mistrust, isolationism and the like. Whatever 
  personality the civilization has, it is going to be expressed 
  more manifestly and with sharper edges in the periphery.
  Peripheral cities are generally found in the less-populated, 
  more-recently conquered or harsher territories of a civiliza-
  tion. If life is harder, for whatever reason, that region is likely 
  to be periphery. To use an example from early American his-
  tory: in 1800, places like Boston, New York and Philadelphia 
  were all core. The Maine district of Massachusetts, Kentucky 
  and what would become Ohio were all periphery. By 1850, 
  the frontier had extended itself much further west, bringing 
  some of those peripheral regions closer to the core. While 
  Maine might in 2004 still have a peripheral quality, for in-
  stance, Ohio is clearly core.
  Settlements on the periphery are generally smaller than core 
  settlements. Culturally, they are often much less sophisti-
  cated. They are less cosmopolitan and less inclined to forgive 
  strangers if they make mistakes. They are less tolerant of dif-
  ference. They are less interested in “book learning” than the 
  core is. Also, the loot available in them is much more subjec-
  tive than in the core. One can never know for sure exactly 
  what one might find in a general store or traveling market 
  that has stopped in town for a couple of days. Because the 
  goods coming into peripheral towns and cities are so unpre-
  dictable, the best bargains and the most rare of materials and 
  rumor are frequently only available there, out in the country.
  When Core Becomes Periphery
  Few things are as resplendent and as frightening to adventur-
  ers as a once great core city that has been consigned to the pe-
  riphery because of the vicissitudes of fate. Any place in which 
  any of the great races of HARP have settled are likely to have 
  been settled at some point in the distant past, by someone 
  else. “Core” and “periphery” are concepts that are constantly 
  in play. As centuries pass, core areas can degenerate and once 
  unimportant towns in the wilderness can acquire new heft.
  Core cities that are collapsing or have collapsed present the 
  adventurer with a number of intriguing challenges; this idea 
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  has been explored in numerous fantasy settings. What does 
  it mean to live in a city that once housed a million people, 
  but is home now to only a few thousand? What is going on in 
  all of those abandoned structures? Why did the city become 
  peripheral? Where did the core go? Even more exciting is the 
  once core city that has fallen completely into ruins. The loot 
  potential of a city like this can sometimes be nearly limitless. 
  As always, the questions that have to be considered are nu-
  merous. When was this city core? How “core” was it? What 
  was commonly traded here? Why did it become derelict? 
  Who or what lives there now?
  There are few gaming settings that are spookier, creepier and 
  more fun than a once-proud city brought low by fate, hap-
  penstance and “hard living.” Totally abandoned, they exude 
  an austere terror. When inhabited by a handful of peculiar 
  crazies, the terror might, if anything, be heightened.
  Human City Profiles
  This section is designed to give you a feel for different types 
  of cities one might encounter while traveling in human ter-
  ritory. Any of these city types could be core or periphery; 
  that designation is determined more broadly throughout 
  the culture in which it is located. None of these city types is 
  “better” than any other; this section is not exhaustive. It will, 
  however, provide some “color” to the gaming experience and 
  be a strong indication of the sort of loot that is going to be 
  available. Reserved hamlets are significantly different from 
  settlements of the same size that are on a major road – the 
  distinctions between smaller towns and larger ones is cor-
  respondingly as vast.
  Hamlets/Towns/Villages
  Small towns are what they are, whether they are located 
  near the geographical core of a civilization or far out in the 
  boonies. Essentially, small towns are always periphery. They 
  reflect the broader culture, but each town is going to center it-
  self on its own identity, whatever that happens to be. Perhaps 
  one hamlet will stake its claim on the fact that humans and 
  gryx live together in peace and have done so for more than 
  a century. Another town, perhaps just a few miles down the 
  street, might be totally dominated by humans and would 
  never tolerate a gryx family living amongst them. These ten-
  sions are natural in any civilization and they are going to be 
  reflected in that society’s small towns.
  Hamlets and villages are the best place to get specific local 
  information. They are comparatively poorer than larger 
  places in terms of material goods, but there is always a decent 
  chance (10-20%) that the market or markets in town are going 
  to have something interesting or unusual for sale or available. 
  Depending on the distance of the village from the nearest 
  city, there is always a chance that a traveling faire or market 
  might be just about to arrive!
  Each town is going to have a handful of specialists who work 
  for the local folk. A barkeep or publican, a blacksmith, a 
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  tanner, a cartwright perhaps, an assortment of farmers and 
  others are commonly found in country towns. Some larger 
  settlements might support coppersmiths, jewelers or the like. 
  Depending on culture, a town might have a temple, a sacred 
  grove, breeding stables or other specialized structures.
  Remember that towns reflect the broader culture, but are 
  often more extreme versions of it. If the rest of the society 
  does not use gold for currency, one should not expect a small 
  town to suddenly start to do so (unless there is some peculiar 
  reason for it), or even to accept gold at a value one would ex-
  pect. If the civilization is hateful towards dwarves for what-
  ever reason, it is unlikely that dwarven goods will be publicly 
  displayed in marketplaces. Also, dwarves going through town 
  should expect a chilly reception at best. If the broader culture 
  is friendly and warm to outsiders, that civilization’s small 
  towns are likely to be much the same.
  Imperial Centers—Ancient Rome
  Ancient Rome in its heyday is a classic example of a thriv-
  ing imperial center. Home to more than one million people 
  for more than a century, anything one might have wanted 
  to learn or own was available for the taking in Rome. As an 
  imperial center, Rome was the seat of government and the 
  seat of religion for the entire empire. Towering walls many 
  feet thick surrounded the city. Monumental architecture was 
  everywhere. But because of the size of the city, these great 
  monuments and other public structures were frequently just 
  down the street from enormous apartment buildings where 
  the Roman poor made their living. Anyone who was anyone 
  lived here or maintained property here.
  A city like ancient Rome has the potential to chew up and spit 
  out visitors. The city is so busy, so hectic and crazy, that no 
  one within it is going to care if your character dies, even if 
  the character is stabbed to death in broad daylight. It helps to 
  have friends in town, or to bring some. But, if characters can 
  make the transition to the city, the opportunities to get richer 
  are nearly limitless.
  When a city like this is core, it is vibrant and palpably alive. 
  Ships or caravans from the most distant shores line up at the 
  harbors and gates, bringing all manner of goodies in every 
  day of the year. The markets are well supplied with every con-
  ceivable thing. Magical items might be for sale in the mar-
  kets. Uncommon animals might be almost commonplace. 
  Weird materials for the manufacture of even weirder fetishes 
  and charms might be found, if one knows where to find them. 
  Cities like this are frequently the seats of the major religions 
  or magic colleges. Thieves’ Guilds, Assassins’ Guilds and the 
  like are also likely to be headquartered here. The tone and feel 
  of the city is going to be governed in part by the sort of person 
  or persons who run the empire.
  When a city like Rome goes into or is in decline, the results are 
  devastating. Great public buildings become the home of rats 
  and monsters. The policing ability of the city collapses, lead-
  ing to the takeover of whole neighborhoods by undesirable 
  elements. Evil has a way of taking root where before it would 
  get no purchase. Without maintenance, the buildings them-
  selves become little more than death traps; in time, all it takes 
  is a good storm to bring these buildings down. What fun!
  Sacrifice Centers—Ancient 
  Mesoamerica
  The great cities of ancient North and Central America were 
  imperial centers like Rome, but with a very different flavor. 
  Because these cities were primarily designed to serve as the 
  seat of the imperial cult, they had a high spiritual “charge” but 
  were not necessarily as vibrant or alive in a day-to-day sort 
  of way as an imperial center like Rome was. These cities were 
  frequently unwalled, but protected not only by loyal troops 
  but also by the taboo associated with attacking a “house of 
  the gods.”
  Sacrifice centers are often much more dangerous places than 
  imperial centers. If the players are not sufficiently aware of 
  the religious calendar and the religious rules of the society, 
  it is frightfully easy to make a mistake that might prove fatal. 
  These cities are far less cosmopolitan as a rule than large 
  imperial centers and their people are far more suspicious 
  of strangers. Markets are going to have a narrower range of 
  goods (though the chance of finding something really interest-
  ing is pretty high – upwards of 40%) and the prices are going to 
  be worse for travelers than locals.
  When sacrifice centers decline, they are usually almost to-
  tally abandoned. If they are taken over by outsiders, they are 
  frequently torn to the ground. Taboos surrounding those cit-
  ies become magnified in the surrounding cultures, making 
  travel to the ruins uncommon at best and considered fool-
  hardy by many.
  Core and Periphery—Pueblos and 
  Cliff Dwellings
  Two of the urban strategies of Southwestern Native Americans 
  bear on this discussion. Both the pueblos of the Taos and the 
  cliff dwellings of the Anasazi reflect qualities that are both 
  core and periphery. What do they have in common?
  Both the pueblos and the cliff dwellings were built by sophis-
  ticated cultures with strong identities. Both of these cultures 
  were fairly small, in that they did not range over hundreds or 
  thousands of miles. Strong enemies threatened both of them 
  at different times in their existence. Both were built in such 
  a way as to maximize defense. Both were more or less self-
  sufficient. How did they differ from other great cities?
  Both of these city types were low population – certainly fewer 
  than 10,000. They were relatively isolated, meaning that they 
  were not as cosmopolitan as even a sacrifice center might be. 
  Because they were so self-sufficient, they did not necessarily 
  trade broadly with the surrounding cultures in the same way 
  that a city like Rome might have. People were accustomed to 
  making do with what they had and not necessarily wondering 
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  where the “good stuff” was. Their most significant difference 
  has to be that they have both the qualities of a core city and a 
  peripheral city at the same time. They exert a powerful local 
  effect on the people surrounding them, but their influence 
  is just that, local. Even at its height, the Taos pueblo did not 
  influence people living five hundred miles away, for instance.
  What might one find in a city like this? Because each one is 
  going to be so idiosyncratic, it can be difficult to predict be-
  fore actually visiting. This sort of city is the best place to look 
  for strange or unusual crafted goods. One can never say what 
  sort of materials are going to be for sale, either. It is almost a 
  sure bet that the folks living in these cities are going to have 
  excellent stories. They are likely to be most willing to tell 
  them as well.
  Dwarven Cities
  Because dwarves tend to make their homes in Deep Warrens 
  cultural areas, their cities reflect the culture. Dwarves do not 
  build cities to support large populations, rather, they build 
  their cities to give the people living there lots of living room. 
  The concepts of core and periphery do not really apply to 
  dwarves. Essentially, all dwarven cities would count as pe-
  ripheral because dwarves do not attempt to spread their cul-
  ture to other places or to impress their will on other dwarves 
  in the way humans do. Dwarves do not like to be crowded, 
  hence their tendency to quarry enormous chambers deep 
  under the ground to serve as their public spaces. Many times, 
  dwarves light their cities through natural sunlight that 
  beams down through very narrow channels that the dwarves 
  mine straight through the mountains. Dwarven cities are 
  frequently connected to other dwarven cities through deep 
  underground turnpikes that the dwarves build only for com-
  mercial purposes. Any non-dwarf passing along a dwarven 
  turnpike will either be turned back or will be assessed a 
  heavy toll.
  Dwarven cities are not the warmest, most hospitable places 
  on earth. Dwarves are very hard working as a rule and do not 
  take kindly to non-dwarves having a great time while they are 
  mining and crafting. Still, there is no better place to find the 
  highest quality, sturdiest armor and weapons, outstanding 
  gemcraft and jewel manufacture and the best mineral raw 
  materials anywhere. The fact that dwarves will not go out of 
  their way to sell to “foreigners” simply makes the challenge 
  of finding a bargain (or even something for sale) all the more 
  intriguing. The best way to get ahead in a dwarven city is to 
  have friends who have family in that city along for the ride. A 
  character will not be able to cheat under these circumstances, 
  but he or she might be able to get some loot that would be out 
  of reach otherwise.
  The ways and means of dwarven craft associations, guilds 
  and local politics can be nearly impenetrable to outsiders. 
  This comes at a potential cost to visitors, as dwarves who are 
  in conflict with one another can make a real mess of things. 
  There is a cumulative 1% chance per day that a non-human 
  adventuring party spends in a dwarven city that some form 
  of local unrest will spring up around them without the party 
  being aware of it.  That the party might be blamed for the 
  problem is just another issue they might need to deal with.
  There are dwarves who live in the shallow warrens culture 
  also. Their cities are built according to the same principles 
  (lots of burrowing into the earth, 
  underground construction, lots 
  and lots of room between houses), 
  but are frequently walled. Shallow 
  warrens dwarves tend to be ma-
  terially poorer and even more 
  suspicious of outsiders than their 
  deep warrens cousins.
  Elven Cities
  There is something fundamen-
  tally delicate, almost gauzy, about 
  most elven cities. Built in and 
  among the woodlands that they 
  favor, it is sometimes possible for 
  non-elves to walk entirely around 
  the circumference of an elven 
  city and not even realize that a 
  teeming, busy place is just a few 
  hundred yards away. Like dwar-
  ven cities, elven cities are almost 
  never built at a scale to house 
  tens of thousands of elves. This is 
  not their way. Because elves love 
  the outdoors and harmonizing 
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  themselves with the rhythms of nature, it is very important 
  to them that their cities have an organic quality that is just 
  not seen outside of elven culture (except perhaps with the 
  gryx). Seen from the perspective of core and periphery, all 
  elven cities would be considered core. They are almost al-
  ways civilized and pride themselves on their sophistication 
  and elegance. The overwhelming majority of elven cities are 
  chock-a-block with temples, libraries and other storehouses 
  of cultural knowledge.
  An eleven city is a peculiar place for non-elves. The tempo 
  of elven lives is such that visitors to elven cities often find 
  themselves totally out of synch with what’s going on: you 
  are asleep when the elves are at their most active; you want 
  to eat, but there’s no food to be had; you want to negotiate a 
  better selling price for something you would like to buy but 
  the elves won’t hear about it...right now, and the like. It can 
  all be highly disorienting. This is even more apparent when 
  just taking a walk around town. Because elven cities are built 
  into and around great, ancient trees, these settlements have a 
  much more vertical quality than any other culture’s cities. It 
  is well nigh impossible not to get lost in an elven city the first 
  time one walks around.
  Lootwise, an elven city is a fantastic place to spend some 
  time. The elves are a living repository of stories and wisdom. 
  Their libraries are often the best places around to find an-
  cient information that other races have lost track of. Elves are 
  sometimes jealously protective of their lore, but not always. It 
  generally helps to give the elves a chance to “warm up” to the 
  notion of letting a non-elf spend time rooting around in their 
  libraries. In addition, elven craft (in all of its forms) is perhaps 
  the highest quality anywhere. Elven goldsmithing is legend-
  ary, as is their ability to work with all manner of gemstones. 
  The only trick is getting them to sell.
  Gnome Cities
  It might be something of a misnomer to even use the term 
  gnome city. It is probably closer to the truth to say that these 
  shallow warrens dwellers build highly articulated, complex 
  towns but not cities. The most important thing to keep in 
  mind about gnome settlements is that, almost without excep-
  tion, gnomes do not want the location of their towns and cit-
  ies to be common knowledge. They go to extravagant lengths 
  to keep the entrances to their villages secret. Because gnomes 
  build to their own scale (as opposed to dwarves, who build al-
  most exclusively on the monumental scale), it can be very dif-
  ficult for “big folk” to negotiate their way about town, should 
  they find the way in.
  Gnomes do not welcome outsiders; they are even less hospi-
  table than the dwarves in this regard. However, for trusted 
  friends, they will sometimes come out of their towns and 
  welcome people on neutral ground. Smaller folk who can get 
  around within the underground settlements of the gnomes 
  will find that they will be hounded constantly if they were 
  not previously welcomed. Curiously, gnomes always seem to 
  know when a visitor has been acknowledged by the rest of the 
  community or not.
  Knowing that gnomes are addicted to secrets, it should not 
  surprise anyone to learn that they build this love of riddles 
  and tricks into their cities themselves. False roadways, “aban-
  doned” houses, markets that appear wherever non-gnomes 
  choose to congregate and the like are common in gnome 
  settlements. Gnomes are almost genetically predisposed to 
  try to get the best deal possible when negotiating by trying to 
  finagle or manipulate the process of the deal. Still, if one can 
  get inside, it is worth making the attempt – because gnomes 
  are so secretive, scheming and well traveled, they are often 
  the only place to go to find the most unusual or desirable loot.
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  Gryx Cities
  The gryx are the most pastoral of the six great races of HARP. 
  Despite this, the gryx are also the only race other than hu-
  manity that is inclined, at times, to build larger population 
  centers. Gryx cities are almost always going to be “wide open” 
  affairs, with broad boulevards and large public structures 
  and private homes. The gryx do not like to be cooped up 
  indoors, even when they live in cities. Gryx cities can be ei-
  ther core or periphery in nature, depending upon the unique 
  qualities of the culture in which that city is embedded. The 
  gryx are sometimes gregarious and sometimes reserved; like 
  the gryx themselves, each gryx town seems to have its own 
  personality, much as one human city feels very different from 
  any other.
  The gryx are not terribly sophisticated craftsmen; the best 
  material goods one will find in a gryx city were probably 
  made by dwarves or humans. Because the gryx have an inher-
  ent, racial understanding of the land and the natural world 
  that is almost akin to the elves, their ability to find, use and 
  preserve natural materials is almost unsurpassed. In addi-
  tion, the gryx have a tremendous love for good stories and are 
  a deeply spiritual people. This means that despite the fact that 
  of all the major races the gryx die at the youngest age, they 
  have an institutional memory more akin to the elves. As the 
  old saying goes: “what the elves do not remember, the gryx will 
  never forget.”
  Halfling Cities
  The most nomadic of the six great races, the halflings are 
  also the least likely to build cities or settlements of any kind. 
  Halflings like to be able to move quickly, frequently con-
  structing semi-permanent settlements that can be packed up 
  and moved in a single day. When they do build permanent 
  towns (they never build anything that approaches the size of a 
  real city), they are roughly similar to gnomish towns. Namely, 
  they correspond to the shallow warrens cultural type. They 
  prefer to live in hilly, semi-secluded territories well protected 
  from the predations of their enemies.
  Halfling villages are a real mixed bag from a loot perspective. 
  It is impossible to predict with confidence what one might 
  be able to find in one. Halflings have a very strong commit-
  ment to the good life and all of those things (good beer, good 
  food, nice clothes, handsome books, etc.) that make the good 
  life worth living. Halflings have the broadest notion of value 
  of almost any civilization. The best bargains are frequently 
  found in halfling cities; the trick is, do you want what they 
  happen to be selling?
  Halfling caravans, unlike halfling cities, are a brilliant place 
  to find not only bargains but also real quality goods. Because 
  halflings are sophisticated traders (they get a good deal with-
  out giving the impression they are stealing from you as it some-
  times feels with the gnomes), odds are that they are going to 
  have something bizarre, curious or just plain cool for sale 
  or trade.
  Scorin’ Some Loot
  Despite all of this, on some level, most cities of a certain size 
  (a population of 5,000 or greater) are more or less the same. 
  There are thousands of legitimate enterprises, some semi-
  legitimate ones and scores of disreputable folks and organiza-
  tions that have one goal – separating you from your cash or 
  your stuff. But, where are you going to get all of it? All of the 
  good stuff that you want and need? Try some of these places...
  The Legitimate Trade
  The legitimate trade encompasses all of those venues where 
  goods or services or information can be acquired through 
  trade or purchase. Vendors are not interested in stealing from 
  you; people hoping to provide you with services truly intend 
  to help; the information you might buy or get is given with-
  out malice or hope of deception (whether it is actually true/
  good information is another issue). Each city will have its own 
  unique mix of traders, merchants, goods and products and 
  prices are almost always going to be negotiable. Most cities 
  will also have temporary markets and permanent markets. 
  Depending on its location, some cities will also have ethnic 
  communities with their own markets inside.
  Farmer’s Markets
  The overwhelming majority of products available in most city 
  markets are going to be straightforward and from the local 
  area. “The harvest”, farming goods, seeds, very simple spices 
  and herbs, livestock and the like are going to comprise at least 
  a half of most of the market goods in any city. This is, after all, 
  what most of the people need. These markets are extremely 
  local and are often impromptu. Farmer’s markets will appear 
  in market squares and along streets on a daily basis and be 
  taken down just as fast. The sellers do not have permanent 
  stalls, nor do they come to market every day. Urban resi-
  dents, who do not have farms of their own, need the produce 
  of these markets to get by; the markets will, therefore, con-
  gregate where the people are. The larger the city, the more of 
  these food markets there are going to be. Right along side of 
  the vendor selling fresh apples will be a vendor selling pre-
  pared foods – bubbling stews, thin stocks and the like. Keep 
  in mind that the product mix is going to be heavily depend-
  ent on the geography of the place. Coastal cities are going to 
  have lots and lots of fish, fish stews, exotic creatures from the 
  deeps, clams and what have you, but will be relatively poorer 
  in those goods that have to come some distance. The situa-
  tion is reversed if one is far inland (more than fifty miles or so).
  It can be useful for a character looking for unique or special-
  ized herbs and spices to visit these food markets because 
  there is always a chance (5% per hour spent investigating 
  the market up to three hours) that something unusual, out-
  of-market or peculiar will turn up. If something does reveal 
  itself, it will be priced at d100% lower than its actual price. 
  These farmer’s markets are also just about the best place 
  in town to find out information about the goings-on in the 
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  countryside. Most people like to tell stories; farmers are no 
  exception. If something is up in the country, a character is 
  bound to find out about it just by having three or four conver-
  sations at a farmer’s market in any city, anywhere. There is a 
  50% chance that information learned from these discussions 
  is credible (mostly accurate). There is a 10% chance that it is 
  flat-out wrong, leading to misadventure and perhaps more 
  danger than the character’s would have bargained for. But 
  people need more than just food to get by, which brings us to 
  the “settled trade.”
  Craft Markets
  As with farmer’s markets and other temporary markets, the 
  customers for permanent craft markets are going to be drawn 
  primarily from the local market, which means that these mar-
  kets are going to provide goods in line with the needs of the 
  local community, whatever that happens to be. Coastal craft 
  markets will be great places to get high quality rope, netting, 
  fishing tools and the like. Cities near to great forests will be 
  able to outfit adventurers who are going exploring there bet-
  ter than cities in the middle of a grassland. The majority of 
  goods that will be found in these markets are tailored to the 
  needs of the local population (at least two-thirds of all of the 
  products will be “market specific”). Thus, every city is going 
  to have dozens of blacksmiths, but there many cities will not 
  have a goldsmith, and those that do might only have one or 
  two. Every city is going to have chandlers, tackle shops, pot-
  tery shops, brick makers, weavers and so on. But many cities 
  are not going to have “hot forges” (forges so hot that they can 
  make steel), fine jewelers, shipwrights and/or paper/parch-
  ment/papyrus makers. Every city is going to have a handful 
  of interesting specialties that seem to have little or nothing 
  to do with its geographical location of the needs of its more 
  traditional markets. It is up to the characters to find these 
  curiosities out by exploring, asking around and doing their 
  research. For cities with a population below 100,000, one can 
  assume that there is at least one “peculiar specialty” available 
  in the city. For populations between 100,000 and one million, 
  one might assume two or three peculiar specialties. For pop-
  ulations above one million (there are only going to be one or 
  two of these cities in any given game environment, generally), 
  one might assume between five and a dozen of these markets. 
  There is never going to be one “perfect” place to find these 
  interesting items at the best price in any city, but there are 
  some places that are more likely to offer intriguing things at 
  a good price. 
  First, if the city is coastal, the harbor district is likely to be 
  the most freewheeling district in town. The goods may not be 
  as high quality (though they may be), but the opportunity to 
  make deals will be second-to-none. Harbor districts are also 
  excellent places to find information from far-away places or 
  to discuss local issues like politics. Harbor districts are fre-
  quently overrun by the criminal element so be on your guard!
  Second, permanent markets located near the city center are 
  often the best places to find the highest quality goods in the 
  city. These markets are often the best-established retail loca-
  tions in a city and can only survive by selling the best stuff...or 
  by selling it at the best price. There is a 40% chance per trans-
  action in one of these marketplaces that the base price will be 
  10-25% higher than standard. Oftentimes, these permanent 
  markets will be the best place to find the quirky, clever or rare 
  things that a city has to offer.
  Third, markets that are built near higher-end residential 
  areas (or near palaces, castles or other homes of the nobil-
  ity) are likely to offer the most exotic items of all. Imported 
  goods from the most distant places, rare items, the finest gem 
  work and jewelry, peculiar animals and so forth. Name it, and 
  you might be able to find it here...at a substantial mark-up, 
  of course.
  Cities that are on the periphery are going to be vastly better 
  for getting adventuring goods than cities that are in the core. 
  They are less likely to have a broad range of interesting things 
  for sale (but more likely to have stronger markets in local curi-
  osities). Core cities, because of the relative closeness of other 
  core cities and civilization, just do not exert the same kind 
  of demand for adventuring goods. Cities on frontiers, near 
  to foreign cultures or other hostile forces, are great places to 
  find these sorts of goods.
  Ethnic Markets
  There are two distinct takes on this concept; either type of 
  ethnic market (or both) can occur in any city in any kind of 
  culture. Potentially the best place anywhere in a city to find 
  bargains or unusual crafted goods, ethnic markets can some-
  times be hard to find, in out-of-the-way places, or very small 
  (some of these neighborhoods occupy nothing but a single street 
  or block in a large city).
  The first type of ethnic market is unique to human cities. 
  Humans have the most varied cultures of any of the races of 
  HARP. When coupled with the typical human wanderlust 
  and the human penchant for violence, it is probably not sur-
  prising to learn that almost every great human city is going to 
  have smaller neighborhoods embedded within them that are 
  not part of the majority culture. Gamemasters are encour-
  aged to populate these neighborhoods with fully self-sustain-
  ing subcultures with their own values, mores and way-of-life. 
  Characters who find these neighborhoods and can get inside 
  them and learn their ways can find their lives immeasurably 
  enhanced. The loot potential in these neighborhoods is fairly 
  high as well. Frequently the quality of goods is higher than 
  one might suspect. These are often the best place to find unu-
  sual materials for the manufacture of magic items.
  The second type of ethnic market is not unique to human cit-
  ies but is most likely to be found there. There are six races 
  in HARP. One of them, halflings, are nomadic by nature. 
  It is very common in human and gryx cities to find halfling 
  quarters with halflings making goods for other halflings (or 
  big folk). It is possible to find almost any combination of ra-
  cial minority within a majority city, but the most commonly 
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  encountered communities are: halflings within a human 
  city; gryx within a human city; humans within a gryx city; 
  halflings within a dwarven city and last of all either gnomes 
  and halflings, halflings and humans, halflings and gryx or hu-
  mans and gryx in a shared community. Loot opportunities in 
  these foreign quarters are at least as good as they are in ethnic 
  human communities.
  The Black Market
  While the legitimate trade has a certain place in a charac-
  ter’s life, the criminal element – the black market, is going 
  to cross nearly everyone’s path at some point as well. While 
  clearly more dangerous, the black market is often going to 
  be the only place to get certain items, be they disreputable, 
  criminal or so valuable that no one in the mainstream market 
  would carry them. Every town, city and metropolis, whether a 
  core capital or a peripheral backwater, is going to have a black 
  market of some kind – they are as common as farmer’s mar-
  kets, if perhaps harder to find. The black market can also be 
  the best place in town to score deals, as goods with a more 
  dubious provenance sometimes just need to be unloaded, re-
  gardless of the profits.
  How Do I Find These Markets?
  In this case, the buzzwords are not location, location, location 
  but rather whom do you know? A character is just not going 
  to come upon a black market by accident. Black markets can 
  be difficult to find for newcomers to the city. So, where should 
  a character go to learn about these markets? It helps to have 
  a friend or an “in” – somebody who already knows the city 
  and can track down the criminal element. Without a friend 
  who already knows the town, the task becomes more diffi-
  cult. There are natural places where one might go to ask ques-
  tions – local taverns, public houses, parks and places where 
  Harpers congregate come straight away to mind, but perhaps 
  even better would be to spend time talking to people in the 
  legitimate economy. There are few things that a straight mer-
  chant despises more than a renegade slashing into his profits 
  and giving a bad name to the whole business of buying and 
  selling. If you represented yourself as someone with a mission 
  designed to bring down some aspect of the criminal element, 
  some folks might talk. And never forget how useful a money-
  pouch filled with coppers and silvers can be. A little money is 
  well known for its ability to loosen lips.
  A black market by definition is not a settled market; it can 
  move throughout the city. Sometimes a black market repre-
  sents little more than a single merchant or broker, moving 
  from place to place, selling whatever it is he has that the po-
  lice, his fellow merchants or other forces would prefer he did 
  not. Otherwise, these markets might be semi-permanently 
  settled in safe houses in disreputable neighborhoods, but a 
  character new to town would never know how to get access to 
  it. More often than not, the purveyors of these sorts of goods 
  do not want to be found by the gendarme; they can only be 
  found if they wish to be found. Still, with a little effort, one 
  can track them down.
  There are some classic places where one might look for crimi-
  nal markets. Every city has neighborhoods that are down on 
  their luck for whatever reason. One of the reasons a “Hell 
  Row” kind of neighborhood has gone to seed is because the 
  criminal element gathers there. Thieving, fencing stolen 
  goods, racketeering and the like can all turn a neighborhood 
  from decent to disastrous in almost no time at all.  Wharfs 
  and waterfronts are well known for their transient popula-
  tions. Because the people who live there come and go quickly, 
  the police often have a hard time getting a handle on what 
  is going on, opening the door for chaos. Large apartment 
  blocks filled with poor people trying to get ahead can also be 
  places where criminal markets thrive. If a Thieves’ Guild ex-
  ists in town and it is strong, it might control all of the trade 
  coming into and leaving these neighborhoods. Even a weak 
  Thieves’ Guild can make its presence known in smaller neigh-
  borhoods. Frequently, different criminal market areas will 
  emerge in different parts of town. For example, one might 
  visit “Hell Row” for illegal substances (narcotic or addictive 
  plants or spirits in teetotaler cities), but the waterfront for 
  fenced gems. Each city is going to be different. The stronger 
  the police in town, the craftier the criminal element has to be; 
  a strong police presence does not mean that the crooks are 
  going to be run out of town!
  Some other great places to find the criminal element 
  are in what I might call the “semi-legitimate” market. 
  Moneychangers often own all sorts of strange goods that they 
  have taken in exchange for the cash of the realm. If they are on 
  the level, fine. It is worth visiting them to see what they might 
  have to sell – most moneychangers are not in the merchant 
  business; they do not want to keep an inventory. Perhaps they 
  will have something excellent that they might be willing to 
  part with at a bargain basement price. You will never know if 
  you don’t visit! Moneychangers who are not on the level are 
  potentially even better places to look for stuff. Who knows 
  what they stole over the last three days from hayseeds just 
  in from the county? By the same token, gambling establish-
  ments are potentially even more loot-tastic than money-
  changers. Truly it is a sad thing when someone is wiped out 
  at a friendly card game...for the loser. For you, it just might be 
  your lucky day.
  The key to finding a black market is simple – spend the time 
  talking to the local people and doing the legwork. If you are 
  patient, you will definitely have an opportunity to find what 
  you are looking for. But what exactly are you looking for?
  What Can I Find There?
  In essence, everything available in the legitimate market 
  might be available in the black market. If something is being 
  sold in the criminal market, however, there is usually some-
  thing irregular about the item being sold that makes owning 
  or selling it problematic. Stolen goods are a classic example of 
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  black market wares, but there are others. Civilizations often 
  have idiosyncratic views on what they view as legal, reputable 
  or tolerated goods. Some civilizations are freewheeling, cha-
  otic and disinterested in setting laws and standards. In this 
  sort of a city, you should be able to find almost anything you 
  could want. Cities from civilizations that take a more pater-
  nal view might outlaw any number of random things – it can 
  be impossible to predict before coming into town.
  More importantly, however, are goods, products or items 
  that are dangerous to own or dangerous to sell in an open 
  market. Things like vampire’s fang, for instance, but there 
  are hundreds of things that might come to mind in a game 
  setting. Any magical material that has a high rarity is likely 
  to be found in the black market. Characters who have looked 
  for things in the legitimate market and have not found them 
  should feel free to look for them among the crooks and crimi-
  nals. Who knows what they might have? A classic game hook 
  that can take characters into the depths of adventure is this: 
  what do you do if something you bought legitimately is stolen 
  from you and you really, really need it?
  If it can be named, it can be found somewhere for sale. 
  Nowhere is this truer than in the black markets of great cities. 
  All you need is time, gold and, perhaps, a keen blade.
  Esoteric Markets
  Perhaps market is not the appropriate term for the places that 
  follow. All might be found in large cities (and only in large 
  cities – most of the places that I will describe below cannot be 
  supported by towns and small cities) and each will have its 
  own personality. Some will be welcoming to strangers; others 
  will want nothing to do with you (even if you have a friend 
  who can open a door). While few of these places will have any-
  thing for sale, they all have the potential to have a very high 
  “loot quotient” and might be worth checking out, depending 
  on what you need. The adventuring potential of these places is 
  very high. Characters who do not visit places like these when 
  they have a chance are really missing out!
  Churches and Monasteries
  There is a lot to be said for churches and monasteries in the 
  loot department. Unless a religious order has taken (and ad-
  hered to) a vow of poverty, the likelihood that a church has 
  been gathering copper, gold, gems, magic items and anything 
  else you might care to name is very high. The older or more 
  established the church, the more loot a church or monastery 
  is going to have. Now, of course, they are not going to be in 
  the business of giving away their loot after spending all of that 
  energy gathering it, but still, they are going to have it.
  Again depending on the order’s predilections, churches and 
  monasteries are likely to be excellent repositories of ancient 
  texts. Many religions are obsessed with history and keeping 
  track not only of their past but also the pasts of other religions 
  or the societies that give them converts. If information is your 
  loot, it can really help to make friends with the local monks 
  and churches. Gaining access to monastic libraries can make 
  the difference between success in a campaign and failure. 
  Remember that churches and monasteries are not lending li-
  braries. These organizations have complex goals and agendas 
  of their own. The degree to which these goals are in align-
  ment with the characters’ goals is crucial; even churches that 
  broadly share the values of the characters are unlikely to just 
  open their vaults.
  Are your characters in the business of relieving rich organiza-
  tions of some of their loot through nefarious means? Again, 
  there are few places that would be better to look than reli-
  gious houses. Unless an order has a military wing or is ac-
  customed to being endlessly looted, clerical orders often do 
  not defend themselves particularly well. Get in and get out is 
  the order of the day.
  Colleges of Magic
  A college of magic is a great place to look not only for infor-
  mation but also for more tangible loot. There are literally doz-
  ens of ways in which a college of magic might organize itself. 
  Regardless of the details, all colleges of magic are interested 
  in gathering ancient lore. This lore is then used by the mages 
  and sages to advance the causes of the college. Libraries in 
  colleges of magic might be even more difficult to get to than 
  monastic libraries; these colleges are often very jealous of 
  competitors and disinterested in advancing the cause of “in-
  dependent research.” Despite this, it is sometimes possible to 
  get into these libraries. It really helps to have an inside track 
  of some kind – a friend with a relationship to the college, a 
  relative within the college or a letter of recommendation from 
  a trusted source, for example.
  Like churches and monasteries, colleges of magic have a well-
  deserved reputation for hording wealth. Unlike churches, 
  however, they are far more profligate in spending their wealth 
  as a rule. It can be impossible to know from the outside 
  whether a college is rich or poor in tangible goodies. Ancient 
  colleges will sometimes have fantastic buildings and infra-
  structure but barely two silver pieces to rub together. Because 
  wealth is not necessarily held collectively in a college of magic, 
  the relative poverty or wealth of the college has nothing to do 
  with the amount of wealth available on campus. For visitors 
  with criminal intent, a college of magic can be an excellent 
  place to get rich fast.
  Theaters
  A theater might not seem like a high-loot sort of place, but 
  if information is your game, actors, singers and Harpers 
  are the sine qua non. Every city of any size is going to have 
  a theater; big cities will literally have hundreds of smaller 
  and larger entertainment venues. There are few profession-
  als more interested in idle chatter, dish or gossip than actors. 
  Actors, dancers and singers are not as a rule going to have lots 
  of information about “big picture” kinds of questions – they 
  are not interested in history like monks and priests tend to 
  HARP  Loot 
  Loot in the Big City 
  Page 30
  
  be. Rather, entertainment professionals are going to have an 
  endless quantity of stories that are specifically and idiosyn-
  cratically local. Do you need to find a local purveyor of ille-
  gal goods? Ask an actor. Interested in knowing how the local 
  Thieves’ Guild operates? Ask an actor. Hoping to find some-
  place to fence some goods that you should not even have? Ask 
  an actor. Anything you need to know about the local region 
  can be found out in a theater – anything. Just ask an...well, 
  you get the picture.
  HARP   Loot 
  Loot in the Big City 
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  “I find your failures difficult to stomach,” the White Lady said acidly. Horkin bowed his 
  head, eyes on the floor. This was the most dangerous moment. Horkin knew the Lady’s 
  capacity for anger...and retribution. She hissed in a thoughtful breath.  Horkin decided 
  to chance it.
  “We were very close, Lady,” he said.
  “Close is not success, rogue,” she said, hissing out now. 
  “We were close enough to warrant your continued patronage,” Horkin said with 
  unintended irony; the threesome were essentially her slaves. He paused before adding, 
  “What you seek cannot be bought in any market on the continent.” He looked up and 
  met her white-hot gaze.
  “And you insist that your band can do the job,” she said. “Where is your band, rogue?” she 
  asked, only now seeming to realize that Horkin was alone.
  “Re-equipping, dread Lady,” Horkin said, his confidence rising. “Dragon heart is difficult 
  and expensive to come by.”
  “Expensive for me,” the White Lady said.
  5 Fabrication & Materials
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  Fabrication & Materials 
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  The Building Blocks
  Fabricating magic items, be they potions, charms, talismans, 
  rune-encrusted swords or intelligent rings, is a time-consum-
  ing and resource-demanding affair. Fabricating a magic item 
  from scratch requires a certain level of basic fabrication skill, 
  the highest quality raw materials, a clear sense of purpose 
  (unless the mage knows what the potion or talisman is sup-
  posed to do, it is unlikely to do anything), peace and quiet and 
  generally a fair amount of time. The specific problems and 
  issues facing potion-makers, charmcrafters, rune lords and 
  those with the unusual ambition to fabricate an intelligent 
  item are all addressed in the coming chapters. The principles 
  that follow are general rules governing item manufacture that 
  apply regardless of form and intended function.
  Materials Matter
  The experienced mage knows that the most important factor 
  in successfully making a magic item is high quality raw mate-
  rials. But how to get them? 
  Purchasing materials in the open market is always a dicey 
  proposition – spices, nuts and oily resins from the remote 
  corners of the world might be both ruinously expensive and 
  so old that their powers are unreliable – a dangerous combi-
  nation. Worse still, they might not even be available. Never 
  forget that the fates of nations have risen and fallen on access 
  to spices as simple to the sophisticated mind as table sugar 
  and black pepper. There is a reason why frankincense and 
  myrrh, along with gold, would be considered appropriate gifts 
  for a newborn king – they are rare, difficult to manufacture 
  and precious. And this is to say nothing of the constituent 
  parts of animals and monsters. While buying teeth or bone 
  might not seem like a terrible idea (a mage should be able to 
  tell the difference between a tiger’s tooth and a sabertooth ti-
  ger’s tooth, for instance), many other animal or monster parts 
  just will not hold their mana matrix long enough to be use-
  ful. Equally problematic is the notion of getting minerals and 
  gems from the market. Some of the most useful gemstones 
  are almost never encountered, even in the largest markets; 
  other minerals are easily confused with more readily avail-
  able (and far less useful) stones.
  More dicey, but potentially much more profitable and inter-
  esting, than buying materials at market is the prospect of 
  going adventuring to find them. The competent herbalist in 
  the right environment should stand a reasonable chance of 
  finding any number of quality herbs and plants that could 
  be used in fabricating a potion or a charm. Fighting men and 
  women with enough imagination and skill have long made a 
  name for themselves helping mages kill fearsome monsters 
  whose teeth, blood, bone and hide are useful. Provided one 
  is prepared to negotiate and knows what one is doing, buy-
  ing unprocessed gemstones directly from dwarves and other 
  subterranean races can be very profitable indeed. Digging 
  them out of the ground with one’s own labor is generally not 
  an agreeable option.
  The natural world, even those parts of it whose origin is un-
  natural or supernatural, provides a rich, almost limitless 
  assortment of materials that might be appropriate for con-
  structing magical fetishes, potions, runes or other magical 
  items. While everything in nature is imbued with a certain 
  fundamental level of mana or magical substance, everyone 
  recognizes that not all materials are made alike. Many (heart 
  of dragon) are extraordinarily powerful and correspondingly 
  dangerous or rare. Others (powdered oak leaves) might carry 
  only the most rudimentary charge. Having said that, there 
  are effects that cannot be brought about by dragon heart 
  that may be possible to create with powdered oak leaves! 
  Not all materials are equally effective in all circumstances. 
  Certain effects are best generated from organic materials. 
  Other effects might only be possible to get from an inorganic 
  substance. Choosing the correct materials is the first test of 
  success. Broadly speaking, magical materials can be divided 
  into four basic families: 
  “Flora” – an organic family composed of plants and plant-
  derived substances (essences, nuts, resins, natural plant oils 
  and the like).
  “Fauna” – an organic family composed of components de-
  rived from animals. These can be live, recently dead or har-
  vested or long deceased depending on how they are intended 
  to be used. Using many of the ingredients from this family 
  would constitute an act of evil; many would definitely con-
  sider the harvesting of these ingredients evil.
  “Mineral” – all inorganic materials, be they rocks, gems or 
  naturally occurring metals and ores. This family does not 
  include anything that was alive at any previous time (bones 
  belong to the fauna group, as do fossils, petrified wood, etc.), 
  nor does it include materials derived from living things (pep-
  permint oil, for instance, would be considered organic).
  “Special” – this catchall family includes artificial ingredients, 
  materials from outer space or other planes of existence and 
  materials whose organic/inorganic status is uncertain (e.g., 
  shavings from an iron golem).
  The Four Laws of Matter
  All matter, regardless of family and the uses thereof, are gov-
  erned by four overarching rules regarding natural magic. 
  These laws help explain the hidden or occult properties of 
  materials. They are:
  “The Doctrine of Signatures” – this principle holds that the 
  external characteristics of a substance reveal its occult prop-
  erties. Sometimes these are highly esoteric (moonstone can 
  have effects related to darkness, madness and love), some-
  times not (cat’s whiskers, for instance, are well-known for their 
  role in augmenting stealthiness).
  “The Principle of Homeopathy” – this doctrine holds that if an 
  object or substance resembles another, then those materials 
  are in some ways the same. Hence mandrake root has pow-
  ers that relate to healing and necromancy in part because it 
  resembles people. This principle is critical to the making of 
  charms, fetishes and talismans that function.
  “The Principle of Contagion” – this tenet states that fragments 
  of plants, animals and minerals remain in mystical contact 
  with the original. Blood, hair, nail clippings and the like pro-
  vide a magical link to the original person. Similarly, body 
  parts from supernatural creatures retain those creatures’ 
  mystical powers.
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  Fabrication & Materials 
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  “The Principle of First Use and Fading” – this principle states 
  that every material from which some form of mana might 
  be extracted has only a limited amount of mana. Many sub-
  stances are transformed and destroyed the first time they 
  are used. Others may be usable two or three times. It is very 
  rare for materials to be usable more than a handful of times 
  before they are either destroyed or consumed. This principle 
  also states that most substances are at their most potent im-
  mediately after harvesting and lose their power gradually 
  over time.
  “Flora” Family Ingredients
  The mana available in plants is stored in different parts of the 
  plant. Leaves, bark, berries, roots or flowers might be reser-
  voirs of power. Plant materials are frequently beneficial in 
  the healing arts, but many plants have other effects that can 
  be transferred to potions, lotions, ointments or teas. Many 
  plants can have a variety of different potential effects depend-
  ing on how (and when) they are harvested, how they are pro-
  cessed and how they are used.
  Plants are generally only available for purchase in their cli-
  matic region; if they are available at market in other climates, 
  they are likely to be much more costly and there is always the 
  prospect that their powers might have dissipated because 
  of age.
  The following table uses notation as follows:
  “Plant Name” – the common name of the plant.
  “Form” – the reservoir of the plant’s mana (berries, etc.)
  “Cost/Power” – the market cost of the plant in its climatic re-
  gion and the number of PP per plant/berry. The stated price 
  buys enough of the plant to generate the stated number of 
  PPs. Cost increases at least 100% outside of its climatic region 
  (but could increase by 500%-20000% depending). There is a 
  minimum 15% chance that a plant purchased outside of its 
  climatic region is so old that it cannot generate any mana.
  “Climate” – the type of climate in which the plant naturally 
  grows. The climate codes are: f = frigid (everlasting cold/tun-
  dra/arctic), c = cold, a = arid (hot and dry), h = hot and humid, 
  s = semi-arid, m = mild temperate, t = cool temperate.
  “Rarity” – the rarity level equates to a difficulty level for a 
  maneuver roll to find the plant in its natural setting (routine 
  through absurd) provided a party of at least three individuals 
  have devoted at least 10 hours to searching an area that has 
  not been searched in the last six months. Outside of its natu-
  ral climate, the rarity is at least sheer folly.
  “Aspects/Sphere” – a general statement of spell aspects with 
  which the plant is particularly associated or spheres in which 
  it is particularly useful. Generally, mages get a bonus to suc-
  cessful fabrication when using plants “within aspect.”
  HARP  Loot 
  Fabrication & Materials 
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  Name
  Form
  Cost/Power
  Rarity
  Aspects/Sphere
  Acacia
  Leaf
  12 sp/1 PP
  h
  Medium
  Perceive, Life/Harper
  Adder’s Tongue
  Bulb/Leaf
  17 sp/1 PP
  t
  Medium
  Discuss, Heal, Mind/Cleric
  Agaric
  Mushroom
  18 sp/1 PP
  m/t
  Medium
  Perceive, Youthen, Body/Cleric
  Agrimony
  Leaf/Root
  19 sp/1PP
  t
  Hard
  Alteration, Negate, Weather/Cleric
  Allspice
  Berry/Leaf
  11 sp/1 PP
  h/m
  Light
  Conceal, Transform/Universal
  Almond
  Nut
  6 sp/1PP
  h/m
  Light
  Harm, Death, Earth/Universal
  Aloe
  Leaf
  16 sp/1PP
  a/s
  Medium
  Negate, Body/Universal
  Amaranth
  Flower
  13 cp /1PP
  h/m
  Easy
  Conceal, Force/Universal
  Angelica
  Leaf
  10 sp/1 PP
  c/t
  Medium
  Perceive, Sense/Harper
  Anise
  Seed
  2 sp/1 PP
  m
  Light
  Resistance/Universal
  Apple
  Bark/Flesh
  15 cp/1 PP
  c/m/t
  Light
  Youthen/Universal
  Asafoetida
  Powder/Resin
  2 gp /2 PP
  s
  Very Hard
  Control, Discuss/Cleric, Harper, Mage, 
  Universal
  Ash
  Bark
  3 sp/1 PP
  m/t
  Light
  Knowledge, Mind/Mage
  Basil
  Leaf
  10 sp/1PP
  h/m
  Medium
  Reduce, Demons, Spirits/Cleric, Mage
  Bay
  Leaf
  1 gp/1 PP
  h
  Medium
  Age, Heal/Ranger
  Belladonna
  Berry
  4 gp/2 PP
  c
  Very Hard
  Harm, Reduce/Universal
  Benzoin
  Resin/Salve
  1 gp/1 PP
  h
  Hard
  Negate, Transform/Cleric, Ranger
  Bergamot
  Rind
  19 sp/1PP
  m
  Hard
  Increase, Transform/Mage
  Betony
  Leaf
  2 gp/1 PP
  c
  Hard
  Animal, Call, Heal/Cleric, Ranger
  Borage
  Leaf
  1 gp/1 PP
  m/c
  Medium
  Mind, Sense/Universal
  Caraway
  Seed
  14 sp/1 PP
  s/m
  Medium
  Mind, Spirit / Universal, Mage
  Cardamon
  Seed
  18 cp/1 PP
  a/s
  Light
  Return, Transform, Body/Universal
  Carnation
  Flower
  4 cp/1 PP
  m/t
  Easy
  Negate, Reduce, Resistance/Universal
  Catnip
  Flower
  2 sp/1 PP
  h/m
  Medium
  Control/Universal, Ranger
  Cedar
  Bark
  18 sp/1 PP
  c/t
  Hard
  Store, Air, Animal, Creature/Cleric, Ranger
  Celandine
  Flower
  19 sp/1 PP
  t
  Hard
  Reduce, Creature, Shape/Universal, Mage, 
  Ranger
  Cherry
  Bark/Flower
  10 sp/1PP
  m/t
  Light
  Perceive, Time/Mage
  Chestnut
  Nut
  5 sp/1 PP
  c/t
  Light
  Call, Control/Cleric
  Chickweed
  Whole Plant
  15 cp/1 PP
  m/t
  Light
  Instill, Perceive, Illusion/Universal
  Cinnamon
  Bark
  2 gp/1 PP
  h
  Hard
  Animate, Create, Divination, Life/Universal, 
  Cleric, Mage, Ranger
  Cinquefoil
  Leaf
  1 gp/1 PP
  c
  Medium
  Perceive, Store, Emotion, Illusion/Universal, 
  Harper
  Clover
  Leaf
  3 cp/1 PP
  m/t
  Easy
  Negate, Substance/Universal
  Comfrey
  Leaf/Stem
  7 sp/1 PP
  t
  Medium
  Heal, Barrier, Travel/Harper, Ranger
  Cypress
  Bark
  2 sp/1 PP
  m/t
  Light
  Conceal, Cloud/Universal
  Damiana
  Leaf
  1 gp/1 PP
  h
  Hard
  Animate, Call, Control, Enhance, Creature, 
  Emotion, Life/Cleric, Harper, Ranger
  Dandelion Flower
  Flower
  5 cp/1 PP
  m/t
  Easy
  Air/Universal
  Dandelion Root
  Root
  18 cp/1 PP
  m/t
  Easy
  Spirit/Universal, Cleric, Mage
  Dittany
  Root
  2 gp/2 PP
  m
  Very Hard
  Earth, Fire, Sense, Spirit/Cleric, Harper, 
  Mage
  Elder
  Berry
  16 sp/1 PP
  m/t
  Medium
  Animate, Heal, Instill, Undead/Universal, 
  Cleric, Mage
  Elm
  Bark
  10 sp/1 PP
  m/t
  Medium
  Emotion/Harper
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  Fabrication & Materials 
  Page 35
  
  Name
  Form
  Cost/Power
  Rarity
  Aspects/Sphere
  Eyebright
  Flower/Leaf
  14 sp/1 PP
  s/m
  Hard
  Conceal, Open, Perceive, Mind/Universal, 
  Cleric, Mage
  Feverfew
  Flower
  9 cp/1 PP
  m/t
  Easy
  Heal, Body, Resistance/Universal
  Frankincense
  Resin
  3 gp/2 PP
  a
  Very Hard
  Animate, Instill, Elemental, Spirit/Mage, 
  Warrior Mage
  Gardenia
  Flower
  7 sp/1 PP
  m
  Medium
  Perceive, Sense/Universal
  Garlic
  Bulb
  11 sp/1 PP
  s/m
  Medium
  Return, Undead/Cleric, Mage
  Ginseng
  Root
  3 gp/2 PP
  m/t
  Hard
  Youthen, Earth/Universal, Cleric
  Grape
  Fruit
  15 sp/1 PP
  m
  Medium
  Mind/Harper, Mage
  Hawthorne
  Leaf
  9 sp/1 PP
  t
  Medium
  Death/Cleric
  Heartsease
  Flower
  3 cp/.5 PP
  t
  Easy
  Increase, Life/Universal
  Heather
  Flower
  12 cp/1 PP
  m/t
  Easy
  Create, Cloud/Universal
  Heliotrope
  Flower
  1 gp/1 PP
  m
  Hard
  Transform, Magic, Weather/Cleric, Mage
  Hellebore
  Rhizome/Root
  17 sp/1 PP
  m
  Hard
  Harm, Death, Demon/Universal, Cleric, 
  Mage
  Hemlock
  Leaf
  1 gp/2 PP
  m
  Hard
  Reduce, Body, Death/Universal, Cleric, Mage
  Henbane
  Leaf
  11 sp/1 PP
  m/t
  Medium
  Call, Elemental, Spirit/Cleric, Mage, Ranger
  Henna
  Leaf
  18 cp/1 PP
  h
  Medium
  Heal/Universal
  Hickory
  Bark/Nut
  11 cp/1 PP
  m/t
  Easy
  Negate, Location/Universal
  High John
  Root
  1 gp/1 PP
  h
  Very Hard
  Divination, Emotion, Illusion/Harper, Mage
  Holly
  Leaf/Berry
  13 sp/1 PP
  c/m/t
  Medium
  Animal, Creature/Cleric, Ranger
  Honeysuckle
  Flower
  8 sp/1 PP
  t
  Medium
  Store, Location/Universal
  Hyssop
  Flower
  19 sp/1 PP
  h
  Hard
  Body/Universal
  Ivy
  Leaf/Berry
  8 sp/1 PP
  t
  Medium
  Illusion, Heal/Universal
  Jasmine
  Leaf/Flower
  17 sp/1 PP
  m
  Medium
  Close, Store, Divination/Harper
  Juniper
  Berry
  9 sp/1 PP
  m
  Medium
  Close, Decrease, Force/Universal, Mage
  Kelp
  Stem
  15 cp/1 PP
  c/m/t
  Easy
  Water/Universal
  Lily
  Flower
  1 sp/1 PP
  m/t
  Easy
  Negate, Magic/Universal, Mage, Warrior 
  Mage
  Lotus
  Flower
  1 gp/1 PP
  h
  Hard
  Control, Magic, Mind/Cleric, Mage, Harper
  Lovage
  Root
  16 sp/1 PP
  t
  Hard
  Control, Emotion, Spirit/Harper, Mage, 
  Warrior Mage
  Mandrake
  Root
  1 gp/2 PP
  c/t
  Very Hard
  Heal, Body/Cleric
  Mistletoe
  Leaf/Berry
  1 gp/1 PP
  c/t
  Hard
  Animal, Creature, Emotion, Sense/Cleric, 
  Harper, Ranger
  Mugwort
  Leaf/Root
  4 sp/1 PP
  t
  Medium
  Perceive, Substance, Spirit/Universal, Mage
  Myrrh
  Resin
  4 gp/2 PP
  a
  Ex. Hard
  Instill, Negate, Return, Store, Life, Magic/
  Cleric, Mage, Ranger, Warrior Mage
  Myrtle
  Bark
  18 sp/1 PP
  c
  Medium
  Reduce, Negate, Water/Universal, Cleric
  Nettle
  Seeds
  5 sp/1 P
  h/m
  Medium
  Stop, Animal, Creature, Fire/Cleric, Ranger
  Nutmeg
  Nut
  2 gp/2 PP
  h
  Very Hard
  Perceive, Air, Time/Mage
  Oak
  Leaf
  18 cp /1 PP
  t
  Easy
  Heal, Resistance/Universal
  Olive
  Fruit
  10 sp/1 PP
  h/m
  Medium
  Body, Life/Cleric
  Orris
  Root
  19 sp/1 PP
  h/m
  Hard
  Perceive, Emotion, Water/Universal, Mage
  Patchouli
  Leaf
  13 sp/1 PP
  h
  Medium
  Open, Air/Universal
  Pennyroyal
  Leaf
  10 sp/1 PP
  m/t
  Medium
  Conceal, Reduce, Animal, Creature/Cleric, 
  Ranger
  Pepper
  Seeds
  2 gp/1 PP
  h
  Hard
  Negate, Fire/Universal
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  Fabrication & Materials 
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  Name
  Form
  Cost/Power
  Rarity
  Aspects/Sphere
  Peppermint
  Leaf
  17 sp/1 PP
  m
  Medium
  Heal, Perceive, Store/Universal, Mage
  Pine
  Bark
  19 cp/1 PP
  f/c
  Easy
  Increase/Universal
  Rose
  Flower
  17 sp/1 PP
  h
  Medium
  Control/Universal
  Rosemary
  Leaf/Stem
  13 sp/1 PP
  m
  Medium
  Reduce, Youthen, Life/Cleric, Mage, Ranger
  Rowan
  Flower
  1 gp/1 PP
  t
  Hard
  Life, Mind/Mage
  Rue
  Leaf
  12 sp/1 PP
  t
  Medium
  Create, Increase, Fire/Universal
  Saffron
  Leaf
  10gp/3 PP
  h/s
  Sheer Folly
  Animate, Create, Instill, Air, Cloud/Mage
  Sage
  Leaf
  9 sp/1 PP
  a/s
  Medium
  Divination, Time, Youthen/Cleric, Harper, 
  Mage
  Sandalwood
  Wood
  19 sp/1 PP
  h
  Medium
  Negate, Spirit/Cleric, Ranger
  Sarsaparilla
  Root
  12 sp/1 PP
  h/m
  Hard
  Age, Create, Increase/Universal, Mage
  Sassafras
  Root
  6  sp/1 PP
  m
  Medium
  Heal/Universal
  Skullcap
  Leaf
  9 sp/1 PP
  m/t
  Medium
  Perceive, Youthen, Emotion, Fire/Harper
  Tansy
  Leaf
  1 gp/1 PP
  m/t
  Very Hard
  Negate, Open, Life/Cleric, Mage
  Thistle
  Leaf
  6 sp/1 PP
  m/t
  Easy
  Negate/Universal
  Thyme
  Flower
  10 sp/1 PP
  m/t
  Medium
  Instill, Magic/Cleric, Harper, Mage, Ranger
  Uva Ursi
  Leaf
  19 sp/1 PP
  f/c
  Hard
  Transform, Animal, Creature, Location, 
  Magic/Ranger, Warrior Mage
  Valerian
  Root
  15 sp/1 PP
  m
  Hard
  Mind/Universal
  Vervain
  Flower/Leaf
  15 sp/1 PP
  t
  Medium
  Create, Increase, Earth/Mage, Ranger
  Willow
  Leaf
  17 cp/1 PP
  t
  Easy
  Heal/Universal
  Witch Hazel
  Bark/Leaf
  2 sp/1 PP
  m
  Medium
  Negate/Cleric
  Wolfsbane
  Leaf
  1 gp/1 PP
  m
  Very Hard
  Return, Animal, Creature, Death/Cleric, 
  Mage
  Wormwood
  Leaf/Seed
  16 sp/1 PP
  m/t
  Hard
  Control, Discuss, Demon,  Spirit/Cleric, 
  Harper, Mage
  Yarrow
  Flower, Leaf
  6 cp/.5 PP
  c/m/t
  Easy
  Perceive/Universal
  Yucca
  Root
  2 sp/1 PP
  a/s
  Medium
  Close, Stop/Universal
  HARP   Martial Law 
  Fabrication & Materials 
  Page 37
  
  “Flora”Family of Ingredients
  Like most plants, nearly all members of the animal king-
  dom have mana from which a trained mage, cleric or other 
  user of magic might draw. Even the most mundane animals 
  have a small amount of mana available within their bodies 
  (Gamemaster’s discretion on how much, but never more than 
  1 PP), while certain monsters or other special mana reser-
  voirs might have 2 PP, 3 PP or even more.
  Animal and monster body parts are generally essential ingre-
  dients in magic involving transformation into, control of and 
  protection from the same animal or monster. To assume the 
  form of an animal or monster also requires the relevant body 
  part. The portions of the body in which mana resides differs 
  by species, but will include some or all of the following: bone, 
  tusk, horn, feathers, fur, hide, skin, scale, teeth, fangs, organs 
  such as the heart and the eyes, blood and others
  While the taking of a feather, some fur or even in some cases 
  some skin would not be a big deal for an animal, the taking 
  of an essential organ like an eye or the heart or anything 
  else which would kill the animal would be considered an act 
  of evil by many cultures. This has to be taken into account 
  when a character needs something from this material family 
  The taking of said essential organs from a monster, however, 
  might actually be considered a great boon to society.
  As has been stated above, fossilized animal parts of all types 
  fall under the fauna group. It is in the Gamemaster’s discre-
  tion whether these fossilized parts might actually retain their 
  mana. Perhaps more logical would be the notion that while 
  the original mana might have faded, a new “mana matrix” 
  might have been imprinted on the fossil, giving it the stand-
  ard 1PP-3PP of embedded mana.
  Many of these materials will be available for purchase in mar-
  kets, particularly in the larger cities. Characters are, of course, 
  dependent on their own skills and the honesty of merchants 
  to ensure that what they think they are buying and what they 
  are actually buying are the same thing. Like plants, many 
  animal and monster parts only hold their mana for a short 
  period of time (frequently not longer than a month). Caveat 
  emptor should be the first law of the buyer in all cases...
  The following table uses notation:
  “Creature Type” – the name of the animal or monster .
  “Body Part” – the relevant mana reservoir in the creature’s 
  body. Skin/Hide necessary to contain the states fixed mana is 
  always 9 square inches. Blood and other liquids are always 1 
  ounce per stated level of fixed mana.
  “Rarity” – the rarity level equates to a difficulty level (with 
  concomitant penalties) for a maneuver roll to find the animal 
  or monster part in a market (provided the Gamemaster deter-
  mines that it might be). The cost at market of these items is no 
  less than 10 gp x RarityX x DangerX.
  “RarityX” – the rarity modifier of the animal or monster (used 
  in part for determining the actual gp cost of the body part).
  “DangerX” – the danger modifier of the animal or mon-
  ster (used in part for determining the actual gp cost of the 
  body part).
  “Fixed Mana” – the amount of fixed mana per unit of the rel-
  evant body part.
  Creature Type
  Body Part
  Rarity
  RarityX
  DangerX
  Fixed Mana
  Ant, Giant
  Pincers (2)
  Very Hard
  x4
  x2
  2PP
  Ape, Giant
  Hide
  Very Hard
  x6
  x5
  3PP
  Ape, Giant
  Heart
  Ex. Hard
  x10
  x5
  4PP
  Banshee
  Vocal Cords
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  20PP
  Barghest
  Heart
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  25PP
  Basilisk
  Eye
  Absurd
  x10
  x5
  10PP
  Bat
  Blood
  Easy
  x2
  x2
  1PP
  Bat
  Wing
  Medium
  x2
  x2
  3PP
  Beetle, Giant
  Carapace
  Very Hard
  x4
  x5
  3PP
  Boar
  Tusk
  Medium
  x2
  x5
  1PP
  Bolla
  Eye
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  10PP
  Boobrie
  Wing Feather
  Sheer Folly
  x6
  x2
  4PP
  Cat, Large
  Eye
  Hard
  x4
  x5
  2PP
  Cat, Large
  Hide
  Hard
  x4
  x5
  1PP
  Catoblepas
  Scales
  Sheer Folly
  x6
  x2
  3PP
  Centaur
  Hoof
  Sheer Folly
  x6
  x10
  5PP
  Chimera
  Mane
  Sheer Folly
  x10
  x10
  8PP
  Chimera
  Tail
  Sheer Folly
  x10
  x10
  10PP
  HARP  Loot 
  Fabrication & Materials 
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  Creature Type
  Body Part
  Rarity
  RarityX
  DangerX
  Fixed Mana
  Cusith
  Tooth
  Ex. Hard
  x6
  x5
  3PP
  Demon
  Blood
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  5 x class
  Demon
  Bone
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  8 x class
  Demon
  Heart
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  20 x class
  Demon
  Skin
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  5 x class
  Dragon
  Blood
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  7 x level
  Dragon
  Bone
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  7 x level
  Dragon
  Heart
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  10 x level
  Dragon
  Scales
  Sheer Folly
  x10
  x10
  5 x level
  Dragon
  Tooth
  Sheer Folly
  x10
  x10
  3 x level
  Eagle
  Wing Feather
  Light
  x4
  x5
  2PP
  Eel
  Hide
  Medium
  x2
  x2
  1PP
  Elemental
  Essence
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  25PP
  Fox
  Hide
  Easy
  x2
  x2
  1PP
  Gagana
  Iron Beak
  Ex. Hard
  x10
  x2
  5PP
  Gagana
  Copper Claws
  Ex. Hard
  x10
  x2
  4PP
  Gargoyle
  Wing
  Ex. Hard
  x6
  x5
  4PP
  Ghast
  Brain
  Sheer Folly
  x10
  x5
  8PP
  Ghoul
  Brain
  Sheer Folly
  x6
  x5
  4PP
  Giant
  Blood
  Ex. Hard
  x6
  x10
  1PP
  Giant
  Bone
  Ex. Hard
  x6
  x10
  3PP
  Goblin
  Blood
  Hard
  x2
  x2
  1PP
  Griffin
  Wing Feather
  Very Hard
  x6
  x5
  5PP
  Harpy
  Blood
  Ex. Hard
  x4
  x5
  1PP
  Hippogriff
  Hoof
  Very Hard
  x4
  x5
  3PP
  Hippogriff
  Wing Feather
  Very Hard
  x6
  x5
  4PP
  Hobgoblin
  Blood
  Very Hard
  x4
  x2
  1PP
  Hydra
  Blood
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  10PP
  Hydra
  Tooth
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  20PP
  Ki-Rin
  Horn
  Sheer Folly
  x6
  x5
  15PP
  Kobold
  Blood
  Medium
  x2
  x2
  1PP
  Kraken
  Suction Cup
  Very Hard
  x10
  x10
  2PP
  Lizardmen
  Scales
  Very Hard
  x2
  x2
  2PP
  Lycanthrope
  Blood
  Sheer Folly
  x6
  x10
  3PP
  Medusa
  Serpent Tress
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  3PP
  Mummy
  Skin
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  5PP
  Mummy
  Wrappings (1 lb.)
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  8PP
  Newt
  Eye
  Very Hard
  x2
  x2
  3PP
  Ogre
  Hide
  Hard
  x4
  x2
  1PP
  Orc
  Blood
  Hard
  x2
  x2
  1PP
  Owl
  Feather
  Easy
  x2
  x2
  1PP
  Oyster
  Whole
  Medium
  x2
  x2
  1PP
  Pegasus
  Wing
  Sheer Folly
  x10
  x10
  20PP
  Phoenix
  Ashes (1 lb.)
  Absurd
  x10
  x2
  5PP
  Rabbit
  Foot
  Medium
  x2
  x2
  3PP
  Rat, Giant
  Tooth
  Easy
  x2
  x2
  1PP
  HARP   Loot 
  Fabrication & Materials 
  Page 39
  
  Creature Type
  Body Part
  Rarity
  RarityX
  DangerX
  Fixed Mana
  Roc
  Wing Feather
  Very Hard
  x6
  x5
  5PP
  Sabertooth Tiger
  Tusk
  Ex. Hard
  x10
  x5
  10PP
  Scorpion, Common
  Stinger
  Medium
  x2
  x2
  2PP
  Scorpion, Giant
  Stinger
  Ex. Hard
  x10
  x5
  10PP
  Shark
  Tooth
  Very Hard
  x4
  x5
  2PP
  Skeleton
  Bone
  Very Hard
  x4
  x5
  1PP
  Snake
  Fang
  Easy
  x2
  x2
  2PP
  Sphinx
  Mane
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  25PP
  Spider, Common
  Whole + Web
  Medium
  x2
  x2
  2PP
  Spider, Giant
  Leg
  Ex. Hard
  x6
  x5
  10PP
  Spider, Giant
  Web Spinner
  Sheer Folly
  x10
  x5
  10PP
  Squid
  Ink (1 oz.)
  Hard
  x6
  x5
  1PP
  Troll
  Hide
  Sheer Folly
  x6
  x5
  3PP
  Unicorn
  Horn
  Sheer Folly
  x10
  x5
  50PP
  Vampire
  Blood
  Absurd
  x10
  x10
  10PP
  Vampire
  Fang
  Sheer Folly
  x10
  x10
  5PP
  Vampire 
  Skin
  Absurd
  x10
  10
  5PP
  Wasp, Giant
  Stinger
  Very Hard
  x4
  x5
  3PP
  Wolf
  Blood
  Medium
  x2
  x5
  1PP 
  Wolf
  Tooth
  Medium
  x2
  x5
  2PP
  Wyvern
  Tail Barb
  Sheer Folly
  x10
  x5
  20PP
  Zombie
  Flesh (1 lb.)
  Ex. Hard
  x6
  x5
  1PP
  HARP  Loot 
  Fabrication & Materials 
  Page 40
  
  “Mineral” Family of Ingredients
  One of the best understood and most desired of mana res-
  ervoirs is the gemstone or crystal. Mages of all stripes have 
  long recognized that earthly crystals contain fixed mana. The 
  ability of crystals and gemstones to recharge their mana, al-
  beit a limited amount of times, is also generally well-known. 
  Less well known is the esoteric relationship of gemstones 
  to the different aspects (both active and passive) of magic. 
  Every gemstone has a connection of some kind with one 
  or more magical aspects. For the mage or spell user well 
  versed in the arcane arts, the “right” crystal is not always the 
  most expensive.
  All earthly crystals, even the most mundane, have some 
  amount of fixed mana. The amount of mana depends upon 
  the crystal’s type and size. A crystal has 1 PP of fixed mana 
  per gold piece of value (rounded down). This means that gems 
  whose value is less than 1 gold piece per carat are only useful 
  to a mage if they are larger than a carat in size. For exam-
  ple, diamonds have a value of 15 gp per carat and thus have a 
  mana capacity of 15 PPs. Aquamarines are only worth 14 cp 
  per carat, so the minimum useful aquamarine is an 8-carat 
  gem valued at 112 cp with a mana capacity of 1 PP.
  All crystals and gemstones have a limited ability to recharge 
  themselves. A crystal can be fully drained of mana, allowed to 
  restore itself to full charge and then be drained again. The re-
  covery period is normally a full twenty-four hours.  No crys-
  tals will begin to recharge unless they have been fully drained 
  first. Crystals can be recharged a number of times equal to 
  their gold piece per carat value x5, rounding up. The num-
  ber of carats in the gem is irrelevant here. For example, dia-
  monds, which have a value of 15 gp, can be recharged (5x15gp) 
  or 75 times. Aquamarines by contrast can only be recharged 
  5 times (14 cp round up to 1 gp, 5x1gp). Once a gemstone has 
  been discharged for the last time, its inner crystalline matrix 
  destabilizes and the gem turns into a small pile of worthless 
  sand or powder.
  Though not all mages are aware, nearly every crystal that has 
  some value is also attuned in some way to one of the numer-
  ous magical aspects. The various methods by which crystals 
  can be used to draw out these aspects are detailed in forth-
  coming chapters. The crystals that follow, while in no way ex-
  haustive, gives the present understanding in the great schools 
  of magic on gems, crystals and their powers.
  Alexandrite
  Alexandrite is an exceptionally rare and lovely gemstone. 
  Its color is quite mutable, sometimes appearing to be red, at 
  other times green. Its color depends upon the light to which 
  it is exposed. Alexandrite is generally found only in very deep 
  mines, particularly mines in the tallest mountains. Dwarves 
  have been known to sell them in small numbers to above-
  ground dwellers. In particular, dwarves are most willing to 
  sell them to gnomes, who for reasons that are not entirely 
  known love them especially and have been known to spend 
  excessive amounts for them.
  Value: 5 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Close/Earth.
  Amethyst
  Amethyst is the purple-colored form of quartz and as a result 
  is fairly common. Its color has sometimes been described as 
  wine-like. Even inexperienced mineralogists have the ability 
  to find fully exposed amethysts, ready for use in the earth. 
  The deep warren races generally do not trade in them.
  Value: 9 cp/carat.
  Aspects: Perceive/Air.
  Aquamarine
  Aquamarine is a medium-value stone that is fairly easy to 
  find in the markets of larger cities; it would not be peculiar 
  to find aquamarines in smaller cities or even towns. While 
  most aquamarines are greenish-blue in color, the most highly 
  prized (and the most expensive) are a solid dark blue.
  Value:  14 cp/carat (solid dark blue aquamarines fetch 20-50% 
  more at market).
  Aspects: Increase/Water.
  Axinite
  Axinite is a relatively uncommon stone quarried in hills. 
  There are a variety of general types. Commonly, axinite is 
  a purplish-brown, but can be blue, blue-black, yellowish or 
  even gray. One factor that makes axinite popular is that it can 
  occur in almost any color (Gamemasters are encouraged to 
  change aspects based on color). The gray stones are undesir-
  able as they have almost no value.
  Value: 4 sp/carat (gray axinite has a value of 2 cp/carat).
  Aspects: Animate/Animal.
  Bloodstone
  Bloodstone can be of a variety of colors, but is most com-
  monly encountered as a green stone with red flecks. It is 
  lower-value stone, but is quite abundant at markets. Despite 
  how common it is at market, bloodstone is not a stone than 
  an amateur could find digging in the earth. Bloodstone is fre-
  quently encountered in the jewelry of sylvan cultures.
  Value: 18 cp/carat.
  Aspects: Youthen/Plant.
  Carnelian
  Carnelian is a semi-precious stone which, like amethyst, is of 
  limited utility unless the mage owns a particularly large rock. 
  Carnelian is generally yellow to yellow-orange in color and 
  is available in the markets of cities large and small. It can be 
  HARP   Loot 
  Fabrication & Materials 
  Page 41
  
  found in the wild in almost any terrain, hot and humid jungle 
  being the principle exception.
  Value: 15 cp/carat.
  Aspects: Create/Object.
  Celestite
  Celestite is a highly prized but uncommonly encountered 
  stone that is highly desired by mages and clerics of certain 
  orientations. Most examples of celestite are a delicate sky 
  blue in color and have a very stable crystal matrix. Because 
  of this stability, celestite can be manipulated across three as-
  pects, rather than just two. It is very unlikely that one would 
  encounter celestite for sale at market – most of them come 
  from deep warren cultures that mine volcanic or semi-vol-
  canic seams.
  Value: 12 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Instill/Store/Stat.
  Chrysoberyl (Cat’s Eye)
  Cat’s eye chrysoberyl has a number of unique properties that 
  make it more desirable than one would expect based on how 
  regularly it occurs in the markets. Cat’s eye chrysoberyl is 
  usually yellow, green or brown; what makes cat’s eye unusual 
  is that its crystal matrix focuses light in one shaft down the 
  center of the stone, giving it the appearance of a living cat’s 
  eye. Cat’s eye is one of the very few minerals that can be used 
  in place of a living mana reservoir (a cat’s eye or whisker) in 
  simulating animal spell effects.
  Value: 16 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Call/Animal.
  Chrysoprase
  Chrysoprase is a lovely, if not particularly valuable, green 
  stone similar to amethyst. Chrysoprase is commonly en-
  countered in markets under the name “green agate,” but the 
  careful mage must be certain to examine the stone as false 
  examples of chrysoprase are regretfully commonplace.
  Value: 10 cp/carat.
  Aspects: Conceal/Illusion.
  Citrine
  Citrine is a pale-yellow form of quartz and is far less com-
  mon than many of the other quartzes. When seeking out this 
  gemstone, buyers and mages are advised that only the pale-
  yellow forms of the gemstone actually function as magical 
  reservoirs. Certain less scrupulous elements of the market 
  have been known to heat citrine to accentuate its yellow-
  orange tones. After heating, citrines are almost never able to 
  recharge their mana matrix.  Caveat emptor.
  Value: 5 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Reduce/Barrier.
  Diamond
  It is little wonder that diamond is the most highly prized of 
  all crystals and gemstones. Its properties, value, stability and 
  rarity all speak to its status as “best of the best.” Buyers should 
  be mindful that there are numerous stones in the market that 
  can be confused for diamond.
  Value: 15 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Control/Harm/Life/Spirit.
  Elbaite
  Of all the crystals and gemstones that can serve as mana res-
  ervoirs, none are as varied in color as elbaite. Elbaite can be 
  watermelon-colored, yellow, pink, orange, greenish-blue or 
  even on rare occasions red. Gnomes are well known for their 
  hording of elbaite crystals – a mage seeking one would do 
  best to find a gnomish settlement; elbaite is seldom found in 
  human markets.
  Value: 18 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Reduce/Shape.
  Emerald
  Deep-green emerald has long been desired by those mages 
  who desire some of the qualities of diamond but find them-
  selves a few gold pieces short. While having a market value 
  of slightly less than half that of diamond, emeralds are not 
  significantly more likely to be found in human markets. They 
  are, like many gemstones, sold to humans and elves by deep 
  warren cultures that value them at least as highly as above-
  ground dwellers.
  Value: 7 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Age/Talent.
  Fire Opal
  Fire Opal is not to be confused with common opal. Even a 
  mage with a week’s experience in the field should be able to 
  tell the difference between the brilliant, shimmering fire opal 
  and the dull, gray, common opal. Nevertheless, the opal has 
  significant value to mages and clerics of all stripes because of 
  its relatively low cost.
  Value: 4 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Negate/Body/Stat.
  Garnet
  Garnet is the least valuable of all of the crystals and gem-
  stones that have a mana matrix. They are quite common in 
  markets everywhere. They are not, however, common in the 
  large sizes necessary to generate any but a mere handful of 
  PPs. Garnets can be of any color.
  Value: 1 cp/carat.
  Aspect: Reduce.
  Iolite
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  Fabrication & Materials 
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  Iolite is a little-known stone that only infrequently makes its 
  way to human markets. Known best of all to the elves, iolite is 
  a pale violet gem which frequently occurs in larger than nor-
  mal sizes, making it more desirable than its wealth per carat 
  would indicate.
  Value: 6 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Move/Emotion.
  Heliador
  Heliador is an exceptionally uncommon stone with a bright, 
  clear yellow hue. Much prized by dwarves and other denizens 
  of the deep warrens for its beautiful light refraction, heliador 
  is rarely sold by these peoples to humans.
  Value: 19 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Travel/Location.
  Hiddenite
  A very rare gemstone, hiddenite ranges in color from yellow-
  ish-green to pale green to an almost emerald-like dark green. 
  The origin of its unusual name is not known, but specula-
  tion suggests that it comes from the halfling word for “dew.” 
  Finding hiddenite in a market would be a rare prize.
  Value: 1 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Shrink/Body.
  Jade
  Jade has a tradition of service to mages that extends back at 
  least as far as diamond. While it is less precious than dia-
  mond, it has considerable value and is one of the only gem-
  stones that can be used to manipulate three different aspects.
  Value: 9 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Harm/Death/Fire.
  Kunzite
  Another very rare gemstone, kunzite is always pinkish in 
  color. Kunzite is one of the few crystals which can be used in 
  transformation magic.
  Value: 1 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Transform/Substance.
  Lapis
  Not to be confused with lapis lazuli, which occurs in very 
  large stones and is valueless to a mage, lapis is the stone which 
  gives lapis lazuli its blue color. Only the deep blue lapis is use-
  ful to the mage. Lapis in a form useable by mages is rarely seen 
  in stones larger than a few carats. It is nevertheless important.
  Value: 6 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Return/Magic.
  Magnetite
  Magnetite is notable for two qualities. First, it is entirely 
  black. Second, it is a natural magnet – hence its name. While 
  not uncommon, per se, magnetite is so desired by dwarves 
  that they never sell it to above-ground folk. It is possible to 
  find magnetite in mountainous soil, if the mineralogist look-
  ing for it has excellent skills (or a device that can help find 
  natural magnets).
  Value: 1 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Stop/Force.
  Moonstone
  Moonstone is characterized by its off-white to pale white 
  color. It is semi-precious and easily found in markets. It is not 
  the sort of stone that can be found by the amateur in the en-
  vironment, however.
  Value: 6 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Harm/Mind/Stat.
  Morganite
  Morganite is a uniform pink in color and is related to the 
  emerald and the heliador, though is less valuable than both. 
  Morganite stones in excess of twenty carats are not uncom-
  mon, but are never available in markets.
  Value: 17 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Open/Magic.
  Onyx
  Onyx is a form of quartz. Its most valuable forms are a uni-
  form black in color. While not particularly valuable, it has 
  been used to make crystal balls and sometimes occurs in very 
  large stones.
  Value: 4 cp/carat.
  Aspects: Harm/Substance.
  Pearl (Black)
  The less common of the two types of pearls, black pearls are 
  not always black in color but are sometimes coppery, golden 
  or opalescent. They are more rare than white pearls and cor-
  respondingly more valuable. Black pearl cannot be found by 
  any means other than chance in the wild. They are very rarely 
  for sale in markets.
  Value: 14 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Heal/Divination/Elemental.
  Pearl (White)
  The more common of the two types of pearls, white pearls 
  are, no surprise, white or off-white and are the only pearl one 
  is likely to encounter in markets.
  Value: 7 sp/carat.
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  Aspects: Increase/Weather.
  Peridot
  Peridot is a greenish to yellow-greenish stone that has fre-
  quently been associated with malevolent uses. It is uncom-
  mon at markets as the dwarves do not like to traffic in them 
  as a rule.
  Value: 11 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Discuss/Demon. 
  Red Beryl
  Exceptionally rare, red beryl is related to the emerald but is 
  much less common. It is a brilliant deep red in color and is 
  highly desired by elves and halflings. It can be confused with 
  ruby but has very different magical properties.
  Value: 9 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Age/Increase/Cloud.
  Rhodochrosite
  Rhodochrosite is best known for its breathtaking pink-
  ish color. It is not commonly encountered by above-
  ground peoples.
  Value: 3 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Transform/Substance.
  Ruby
  One of the best known of all gemstones, rubies are well known 
  for their versatility and value. Rubies have been known to be 
  confused with red beryl, so the buyer is advised to be mindful 
  if he or she should happen to come across a high-quality ruby 
  at market.
  Value: 19 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Instill/Negate/Fire/Mind.
  Sapphire
  Deep-blue sapphires are beloved of mages and clerics of all 
  cultures and races. They are useful in a variety of applications 
  and are relatively easy to find in markets, given their value.
  Value: 18 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Create/Store/Divination/Water.
  Sardonyx
  Sardonyx is a form of quartz most closely related to agate or 
  onyx. Sardonyx is a low-value stone that is very common to 
  find in the wild and in markets.
  Value: 6 cp/carat.
  Aspects: Perceive/Force.
  Sinhalite
  Sinhalite is a little-known gemstone that has only been found 
  in the deepest mines dug by the dwarves. It is generally a 
  brownish copper in color and not particularly attractive even 
  when polished by a professional. Its value is relatively low, 
  considering its high degree of rarity and that it is the only 
  known gemstone to be associated with the aspect of time.
  Value: 6 gp/carat.
  Aspect: Time.
  Spinel
  Spinel is very similar to ruby in appearance, so similar in fact 
  that even experienced gemologists have confused it with its 
  more valuable relation. Spinels are more likely to be encoun-
  tered in markets and have fewer associated magical aspects.
  Value: 7 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Harm/Emotion.
  Taaffeite
  Woe to the inexperienced mage, cleric or merchant who dis-
  penses with a rare taaffeite because he or she believes this 
  gemstone to be a common spinel! Taaffeite is similar in color, 
  shape, size and geological quality with spinel but is much 
  more valuable. The deep warren peoples rarely transfer it to 
  surface dwellers.
  Value: 2 gp/carat.
  Aspects: Youthen/Divination.
  Topaz
  Topaz is a honey-yellow in color. It is of medium value but is 
  not prized by the dwarves who discard it during their mining 
  operations or sell it at below its market value.
  Value: 14 sp/carat.
  Aspects: Close/Air.
  Turquoise
  Turquoise is best known for its sea blue color and its relatively 
  brittle nature. It is fairly common, but its connection to the 
  spirit aspect gives it more value than would otherwise be 
  the case.
  Value: 11 sp/carat.
  Aspect: Spirit.
  Veszelyite
  Veszelyite is either emerald-green or a greenish-blue in 
  color and is a rare mineral. It is one of the family of stones 
  that is so highly desired by gnomes that it is more expensive 
  than its base value wherever it might be sold near gnom-
  ish communities.
  Value: 1 gp/carat.
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  Aspects: Travel/Weather.
  Esoteric Materials
  Of all materials known to harbor mana, those very rare mate-
  rials that fall from the heavens are universally acknowledged 
  to be the most desirable. These resources are very high in 
  fixed mana and are uniformly difficult to find.
  Hearts of Fire
  Hearts of Fire are irregularly shaped meteorites most notable 
  for their red-flecked exteriors. These meteorites are especially 
  prized by dwarves and other denizens of the deep warrens 
  because they are impervious to heat. Dwarves will pay a pre-
  mium for them.
  Mana: 25 PP/ounce.
  Cost: 25 gp/ounce.
  Lightningbolt
  Lightningbolts are smooth, blue cylinders of meteorite that 
  fall once per year and never in more than one single shower. 
  They fall to earth fully polished and ready for use.
  Mana: 50 PP/pound.
  Cost: 50 gp/pound.
  Primal Essence
  Thought by many to be the source of all earthly mana, primal 
  essence is the most mana-charged material known to magical 
  science. Some magical practitioners hold that primal essence 
  is actually pure mana in material form. Primal essence occurs 
  80% of the time in solid form. In this form, it is sometimes 
  mistaken for diamond, but mages of all stripes would recog-
  nize the immense power in a stone of primal essence. Primal 
  essence stones also tend to be teardrop shaped. 20% of the 
  time, primal essence occurs as a liquid. In its liquid form it 
  presents as a particularly viscous, clear liquid. It shimmers 
  when exposed to light.
  Mana: 200 PP/ounce of tappable fixed mana.
  Cost: 1,000 gp/ounce (should one be lucky enough to find it 
  for sale!).
  Starstone
  Starstones are the infrequently found, crystal hearts of 
  certain meteorites. They are fiery-white or silver in color. 
  Starstones are desirable because their mana matrix never de-
  generates – they can be recharged indefinitely.
  Mana: 25 PP/carat.
  Cost: 500 gp/carat.
  Thunderbolt
  Thunderbolts are black, meteoritic stones. Among the most 
  common of the esoteric materials, thunderbolts can gener-
  ally be found in markets of far northern or southern cities. 
  Thunderbolts cannot be recharged.
  Mana: 100 PP/pound.
  Cost: 100 gp/pound.
  Aspects
  One of the guiding concepts of HARP is the notion that the 
  GM must detail for herself how the magical physics of her 
  world operates. If magic is essentially physics, it is certainly 
  governed by laws that work regularly, consistently and can 
  be measured. A corollary to this concept is that, in principle, 
  there is no effect in the natural or supernatural or mystical 
  world that cannot be duplicated by some form of magic. The 
  specific formulae to manipulate the physical world to create 
  a specific effect might be called a spell. While the source of 
  magic that powers spells is up to each GM, the specific effects 
  of spells can be understood more generally or scientifically. 
  These specific effects are called aspects.
  Aspects are the building blocks of all magic in HARP, be it 
  simple, utility magic of the universal sphere or artifact-level 
  magic of a nearly godlike intelligent ring. Aspects are divided 
  into two types – active and passive. To create any magical 
  item in HARP requires an understanding and use of active 
  and passive aspects. Every campaign world or setting could 
  have slightly different aspects; some might emphasize certain 
  types over others. Aspects are limited only by your own im-
  agination. The lists that follow should by no means be taken 
  as exhaustive.
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  Action Aspects
  Action Aspects specify what the magic item does in the world 
  to alter reality. Action Aspects are, therefore, generally repre-
  sented by verbs. Many Action Aspects have natural antago-
  nisms or opposites. Every magic item is going to have at least 
  one Action Aspect (otherwise, that magic item would not ac-
  tually do anything). The Action Aspects are:
  Alteration: This aspect covers the making of extremely 
  minor, cosmetic changes to an appropriate Object Aspect, 
  such as removing dirt from an item, or letting out a seam on a 
  pair of pants. This is used in the cantrips, Clean Body, Clean 
  Item, and the various Dry cantrips. Simply put, this Aspect 
  allows the transformation of an Object Aspect’s natural state 
  to another natural state. As such, this could be used to change 
  ink that has been blurred and smudged by time back to being 
  clear and crisp. Opposite: none
  Age: This aspect allows for the aging of an object. This could 
  allow something to reach maturity quicker. Each use of this 
  Aspect will age something by 3 months. A good example of 
  this is a spell of Plant Growth, which allows a caster to bring a 
  plant to maturity quickly. Opposite: Youthen
  Animate (Simple Action): This aspect is required for any 
  spell that concerns non-living items moving on their own. 
  Use of this aspect allows the object to perform very simple 
  tasks. This aspect must be added once for each task to be per-
  formed. A simple task is defined as an action requiring only 
  one or two physical actions such as a shield that automatically 
  blocks an incoming attack. Opposite: none
  Animate (Complex Action):  This aspect is required for any 
  spell that concerns items moving on their own. Use of this 
  aspect allows the object to perform more complex tasks. This 
  aspect must be added once for each task to be performed. A 
  complex task is defined as a task that requires multiple ac-
  tions such as the mixing of several ingredients or the picking 
  of a lock. Opposite: none.
  Animate (Spirit): This aspect animates an item or object with 
  a disembodied spirit. The spirit is not controlled by the caster. 
  A separate spell is required for that. Unless controlled in some 
  form, such spirits are normally hostile to the one who bound 
  them to the object. This aspect requires the use of the object 
  Spirit. This Aspect is often used in the creation of Undead and 
  various constructs. Opposite: none.
  Call: This aspect allows a caster to call an Object Aspect to 
  him. It does not give the Object Aspect the means by which to 
  get to the caster. Other aspects, such as Travel and Teleport 
  or Fly must be used to give inanimate object the means to 
  respond, or to allow animate objects to arrive quicker than 
  their normal mode of transportation. This aspect does not 
  compel the object being called to answer such a summons. 
  Living, thinking beings may ignore this unless this aspect is 
  combined with others such as Influence or  Control to force 
  compliance. Opposite: Return
  Close: This aspect is used to close or block some sort of 
  opening or portal with something that already exists. This 
  includes spells that would shut a door or chest, and prevent 
  them from being opened. This does not include Wall spells or 
  other spells that create barriers. Opposite: Close
  Conceal: This aspect allows a caster to obscure or hide some 
  trait or attribute from an object or of the object of the spell. 
  This Aspect is often utilized for spells that prevent current or 
  later scrying. Opposite: Perceive.
  Control: This action is used to forcibly impose the caster’s 
  will upon the Object Aspect of the spell. The basic use of this 
  aspect limits the spell to very simple commands only and 
  cannot force the recipient of the command to do something 
  that would cause themselves harm. Opposite: none
  Create: This aspect allows a caster to create an item out of 
  existing materials and/or energy in the surrounding area. 
  That which is created will be Tiny in size, or the equivalent, 
  meaning that it is the smallest or least amount possible. This 
  aspect is used in many spells such as the Acid Bolt and Acid 
  Ball spells. Opposite: none
  Discuss: This aspect allows a caster to be able to talk with 
  the Object Aspect of the spell. If the caster does not have the 
  physical means to be able to communicate, then other as-
  pects must be added to account for this. If the caster wanted 
  to create a spell that allowed him to talk to plants, he would 
  have to include the Object Aspect, Mind, since plants would 
  not communicate like a person does. For animals, so long as 
  the caster can approximate the proper sounds, this Aspect 
  will aid in communication and understanding for its dura-
  tion. Opposite: none.
  Enhance: This aspect allows some trait or attribute of an 
  Object Aspect to be made better than previously. This may 
  also be used to add a “little something extra” without chang-
  ing the base Object Aspect. For example, the spell Boost 
  Agility uses Enhance as an aspect to increase the Agility stat 
  bonus. This Aspect can also be used to heighten emotions or 
  attitudes that already exist. Opposite: Reduce
  Feel: This aspect allows for the target of the spell to expe-
  rience a given sensation or emotion. Thus a target could be 
  made to “feel” pain or fear, but once the spell ended the “feel-
  ing” would disappear. Opposite: none.
  Harm: This aspect is used when the purpose of the spell is to 
  hurt or be detrimental in some way to the target of the spell. 
  This could be through direct damage such as with the Inflict 
  Pain and Inflict Injury spells or by hurting some other aspect 
  of a target such as one of his stats or the target’s Resistance 
  Rolls. This aspect may also be used to turn a temporary bad 
  effect into something more permanent. Opposite: Heal
  Heal: This aspect repairs damage to the Object Aspect, re-
  turning it to its natural, undamaged state.  Since a spell using 
  this aspect returns an Object back to its original state, such 
  spells normally do not have a duration since once the dam-
  age has been repaired, there is nothing more for the spell to 
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  do. Nonliving physical targets use the Repair Action Aspect. 
  Opposite: Harm
  Increase: This aspect is used to make an Object Aspect be 
  larger than before. This is used for effects such as increas-
  ing the size and/or mass of something. This is used with the 
  Vivamancer spell, Growth. Opposite: Shrink.
  Influence: This aspect is similar to the Control aspect, but 
  not quite as powerful. It allows only the caster to influence an 
  Object Aspect, not fully control it. The use of this aspect lim-
  its the spell to very simple suggestions only and cannot force 
  the recipient of the effect to do something that they would not 
  normally do. For example, this Aspect cannot be used in a 
  spell that would make a farmer attack a city guard if he would 
  not do so under normal circumstances or provocations. It is 
  used in the Charm spell. Opposite: none
  Instill: This aspect adds something to the Object Aspect that 
  was not previously there. This aspect is often used in spells 
  that grant abilities to items, e.g. Imbue Bonus. Opposite: 
  Negate.
  Levitate: This aspect allows for an Object Aspect to be able to 
  be lifted up into the air. It requires the Move aspect in order 
  for any movement other than up or down. Opposite: none
  Merge: This aspect is used to allow the merging of a target 
  with an Object Aspect. The target of spells using this Aspect 
  enters and becomes part of a larger item. In its basic form, 
  this does not allow the caster to move other than for the ac-
  tual merging and unmerging. Opposite: none
  Move: This aspect is used to move an Object Aspect or toallow 
  it to move under its own power. This is often combined with 
  the Levitate Aspect to allow something to fly. It is also used 
  in such spells as Deflections and Bladeturn, which allows the 
  deflection of an item that is already moving. Opposite: Stop
  Negate: This aspect removes or cancels out something in an 
  Object Aspect. The spell, Dispel Magic, uses it to cancel out 
  another spell after it has already been cast. Opposite: Instill
  Open: This aspect is used to remove a barrier or to open a 
  closed portal. The spell, Unlocking Ways, uses this Aspect for 
  opening various types of locks. Opposite: Close
  Perceive: This aspect allows the caster to learn or discover 
  something in relation to the Object Aspect. This Aspect is 
  used in many spells including those in which the caster is try-
  ing to detect something or trying to gain information about 
  something. It is a very wide aspect, one that allows for many 
  different types of detecting or perceiving things. Opposite: 
  Conceal
  Purify: This aspect is used to remove impurities or additives 
  from an Object Aspect. It is used in cantrips such as Purify 
  Drink and Purify Food and spells such as Neutralize Poison. 
  Opposite: none.
  Reduce: This aspect is used to quantitatively lessen an Object 
  Aspect for good or ill, making it the opposite of Enhance. This 
  aspect is often used in spells that impose penalties, such as 
  the Weaken Stat spells, to reduce incoming attacks as in the 
  spells, Mantlet and Spell Shield, or to lessen penalties such as 
  range penalties in the Sharpshooter spell. Opposite: Enhance
  Repair: This aspect repairs damage to the Object Aspect, re-
  turning it to its natural, undamaged state.  Since a spell using 
  this aspect returns an Object back to its original state, such 
  spells normally do not have a duration since once the dam-
  age has been repaired, there is nothing more for the spell to 
  do. Living and non-physical targets (e.g. spirits, ghosts) use 
  the Heal Action Aspect. Animated entities such as Golems, 
  Constructs, physical Undead, etc. use Repair. Opposite: None
  Retrieve: This aspect allows a spell to access the stored tem-
  plate of a target person or place, or item, as created by the 
  Store Action Aspect, as in the Study Target spell. It is used 
  in conjunction with the Magic and Mind Object Aspects. 
  Opposite: Store
  Return: This aspect causes something to automatically re-
  turn to its place of origin or to return to a natural state after it 
  has been transformed by something else. This can be used in 
  conjunction with other aspects to allow the creation of a spell 
  or magical item that automatically returns a thrown weapon 
  to its sheath the round after it is thrown. It can also be used 
  to banish a summoned creature back to the place it was sum-
  moned from. Opposite: Call
  Shrink: This is used to make an Object Aspect smaller than 
  it was previously. This is often used in spells that will make 
  the target shorter then they were before, such as in the Shrink 
  spell. It is also sometimes used in conjunction with the Mass 
  Object Aspect to make a target weigh less as well when its size 
  is changed, such as in Change Object Size. Opposite: Increase
  Stop: This aspect is used to hold, immobilize or imprison an 
  object. It can be used in conjunction with other aspects, in 
  spells that bind its target to a restricted area, or to cause a 
  person to be unable to move as much as normally. Opposite: 
  Move
  Store: This aspect creates a template of a target person or 
  place, or item, which other spells may access, as in the Study 
  Target spell. These templates are often used as models for 
  other spells to work from. Opposite: Retrieve
  Teleport: This aspect is used to transport an Object Aspect 
  from one location to another without traveling the interven-
  ing distance. Such travel is instantaneous. Opposite: none.
  Trace: This aspect is used to track or follow some trait of an 
  object. This can be used in spells that aid the use of the track-
  ing skill, or spells that allow a caster to follow something or 
  somebody, such as with the Detect Signature spell. Opposite: 
  none.
  Transform (minor): This concerns the change or transmuta-
  tion of a target from one form, shape, or substance to another. 
  Such a change can only be minor in nature, such as the Water 
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  Breathing spell changing its target so that it can breathe both 
  air and water. Opposite: none.
  Transform (major): This concerns the change or transmu-
  tation of a target from one form, shape, or substance to an-
  other. Such changes can encompass the entirety of the Object 
  Aspect of a spell. This aspect is used in the Air Form and 
  Water Form spells. Opposite: none.
  Travel: This aspect is used to force an Object Aspect to move 
  from one location to another. The means of travel must be 
  available to the object or it must be added using other aspects. 
  The spell, Long Door, uses this aspect in conjunction with the 
  Teleport Aspect to transport a person from one place to an-
  other. Opposite: none.
  Youthen: This aspect causes the object to become younger, 
  removing the effects of natural or magical aging. This aspect 
  works in 3 month increments just as the Age Aspect does. 
  Opposite: Age.
  Onject Aspects
  Object Aspects represent what the Action Aspects act upon. 
  Object Aspects are, therefore, generally represented by 
  nouns. All magic items have at least one Object Aspect (be-
  cause otherwise they would do something...but they would not 
  do it to anything at all!). The Object Aspects are:
  Acid: This aspect is embodied by a highly corrosive liquid 
  or gas.
  Animal: This aspect covers anything affecting normal ani-
  mals of Tiny size. This must be added multiple times if a spell 
  is going to affect something larger.
  Barrier: This aspect relates to the use of something in order 
  to prevent or hinder passage through a portal or area. It is 
  most often used with Elemental Wall spells, however, it can 
  also be used with other types of magic that perform simi-
  lar functions.
  Body: This aspect covers anything that has to deal with the 
  body of a sentient target. This means that if a spell is supposed 
  to directly affect a human, elf, dwarf, or other sentient, think-
  ing race’s body, it must contain this aspect. It is often used for 
  both healing and hurting spells of various types.
  Bonus: This aspect is used to supply a generic enhancement 
  to an object. It must be used in conjunction with another ob-
  ject aspect in order for it to have something to be applied to. 
  Each use of this aspect refers to a +5 modifier or an equivalent 
  portion of a larger modifier.
  Cloud: This aspect is used to affect a circular or (hemispheri-
  cal) area. This is required for area effect spells. The size of such 
  an area effect is determined by the Attributes of the spell.
  Creature: This aspect covers anything that affects magical 
  creatures of a Tiny size. This must be added multiple times 
  for larger creatures.
  Darkness: This aspect deals with the manipulation of dark-
  ness and shadows.
  Death: This aspect deals with working with something that is 
  dead, like a corpse or the spirit of a dead person.
  Demon: This aspect deals with working with demons and 
  similar creatures and beings from other planes or dimensions. 
  Divination: This aspect deals with the acquisition of knowl-
  edge. This means that the caster of the spell is acquiring 
  information that he did not have before. This could be some-
  thing like learning of edible food within a certain area or see-
  ing into either the past or the future. The majority of the time, 
  this Aspect is used to gather information that a normal skill 
  sometimes cannot be used for.
  Divine: This aspect deals with working with angelic or other 
  similar beings and creatures from other planes or dimen-
  sions. This includes Devi, Djinns, etc.
  Element: This aspect deals with the manipulation of a single 
  magical element, i.e. Air, Earth, Fire or Water. The element 
  being dealt with must be selected at the time that this aspect 
  is chosen.
  Elemental: This aspect is utilized in any spell dealing with 
  Elemental beings, creatures and other similar extra-planar 
  entities.  
  Emotions: This aspect is used for the manipulation of a single 
  emotion. It must be taken multiple times if more than one 
  emotion is to be effected by the spell. Examples of the types 
  of emotions that can be manipulated include Calm, Courage, 
  Fear, Friendship, and Hate.
  Food: This aspect is used with anything to do with edible and 
  drinkable substances.
  Force: This aspect covers the manipulation and application 
  of energy in a physical or tangible form. This aspect is some-
  thing of a catch-all, used when certain other aspects may not 
  apply. 
  Illusion: This aspect covers things that are not really there. 
  This aspect requires that another object aspect be included to 
  allow for actually sensing some portion of the illusion other 
  than visually.
  Item: This aspect covers physical items of all sorts. This in-
  cludes such things as armor, weapons, shields, saddles, blan-
  kets, clothes, etc. If a spell is to directly affect a physical item, 
  it needs to include this aspect.
  Life: This aspect relates to the basic life force or energy of a 
  target. This aspect is used in spells that detect life and healing 
  spells designed to restore a dead target back to life.
  Light: This aspect deals with the manipulation of light in its 
  many forms and colors.
  Location: This aspect is used for dealing with a specific loca-
  tion. For example, it may be used to create a spell that pro-
  tects a small building or grove of trees.
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  Magic: This aspect relates to the raw magical energy known 
  as mana. It is required for any spell that works on magic itself. 
  This includes such things as potions, runes, and the creation 
  of magical items as well as anything that modifies another 
  spell both while being cast or after it is cast.
  Malus: This aspect is used to bestow a generic negative 
  modifier upon an object. It must be used in conjunction 
  with another object aspect in order for it to have something 
  to apply the modifier to. Each use of this aspect specifically 
  refers to a single -5 modifier, or an equivalent portion of a 
  larger modifier.
  Mass: This aspect deals with the raw mass of an object. It 
  is required, along a proper Action Aspect, for any spell that 
  deals with changing the size, shape, form, or substance of a 
  target in such a way that their weight or mass would also need 
  to change, such as changing lead into gold.
  Mind: This aspect deals with Action Aspects that affect the 
  mind or thoughts or memories of a target.
  Path: This aspect relates to any physical route from one point 
  to another. There is at least one Ranger spell that deals with 
  learning information about different paths. Also, the spell, 
  Earth Tunnel, also uses this Aspect.
  Planar: This aspect is utilized in any spell that deals with 
  other planes of existence.
  Plant: This aspect deals with any form of non-sentient grow-
  ing plant life.
  Resistance: This aspect is related to the ability to resist some-
  thing. It requires being combined with another object aspect 
  for which the resistance is against.
  Senses: This aspect deals with the manipulation and modifi-
  cations to the senses of a single target. This aspect may only 
  affect one single sense for each time it is taken.
  Shape: This aspect covers any shape other than a circle or 
  sphere. For spells that affect a given area. The spell, Earth 
  Tunnel, uses this Aspect. When using this Aspect, the de-
  fined shape may be unusual. Since the basic area effect 
  Attributes that are available are spherical in nature, enough 
  should be added until the shape is complete. For example, the 
  spell, Earth Tunnel, creates a tunnel that is 10’ wide and high 
  by 50’ long.
  Skill: This aspect relates to the skills that may be possessed 
  by a character. Each instance of this Aspect targets one skill.
  Sound: This aspect covers the manipulation of sounds.
  Spirit: This aspect relates to things having to do with the 
  spirit and with beings that are spirit in nature. 
  Stat: This aspect covers the eight stats of the charac-
  ter. When this aspect is selected, one of those eight stats 
  (Agility, Constitution, Strength, Quickness, Insight, Presence, 
  Reasoning, or Self Discipline) must be selected. If a spell re-
  quires more than one Stat Aspect (i.e. the Speed Reading spell 
  uses both the Quickness and Reasoning Stat Aspects), then 
  each must be added separately.
  Substance: This aspect deals with material (solids, liquids, 
  gases, etc.) that has not been shaped into an Item.
  Talent: This aspect relates to the Talents that may be pos-
  sessed by a character. Each instance of this Aspect targets 
  one Talent.
  Time: This aspect deals with the manipulation and viewing 
  of events through time. Spells that use this Aspect include 
  Intuitions and Past Visions.
  Undead: This aspect is utilized in any spell that affects 
  Undead creatures.
  Weather: This aspect deals with controlling or manipulating 
  the weather. 
  Steps in Common to Fabricate 
  New Items
  Regardless of whether one is trying to make a potion, a 
  charm, a rune or something more complicated the steps are 
  essentially the same and are outlined in a general form below. 
  Specific instructions for each of the following steps will be 
  found in the following three chapters; use the specific steps in 
  these chapters to resolve the fabrication process. The steps for 
  fabricating items are:
  1. Define The Concept
  2. Concept to Aspects
  3. Determine Attributes
  4. Determine Scale
  5. Calculate Effect Costs
  6. Calculate Mana and Material Requirements
  7. Calculate “Laboratory” Costs and Time Factors
  8. Resolve Fabrication Attempt
  Define The Concept
  This will usually involve jotting down some quick, clear notes 
  that specify what the item is supposed to do.
  Concept to Aspects
  Many magic items are going to duplicate already existing 
  spells within HARP. If this is the case, skip this section.  If 
  not, then it will be necessary to translate your concept into 
  specific Aspects. Different Aspects generate different mate-
  rial consequences and laboratory costs. Aspects and materi-
  als also have a relationship that will determine the eventual 
  outcome of the fabrication process.
  The chart below lists the costs of each of the above Aspects. 
  These costs will be used in later steps if you are attempting 
  to generate an entirely new spell effect. Add up the costs of 
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  the Aspects to arrive at the Aspects 
  total cost, subject to the follow-
  ing rules:
  1. A spell may only have a single ac-
  tive effect. The active effect is what 
  the spell actually does when cast. 
  It is made up of at least one Action 
  Aspect and one Object Aspect, and 
  sometimes more than one of each.
  2. All spells must contain at 
  least one Action Aspect and one 
  Object Aspect.
  3. For spells that have multiple ef-
  fects that the caster may select 
  from, add 10 Aspect points for each 
  additional effect to get the total 
  Aspect cost.
  4. For spells that have multiple 
  effects, where the effect is deter-
  mined randomly, add 5 Aspect 
  points for each additional effect to 
  get the total Aspect cost.
  Determine Attributes
  All magic items have specific 
  parameters 
  and 
  limitations. 
  Collectively, 
  these 
  are 
  called 
  Attributes. If the magic item du-
  plicates an already existing spell 
  within HARP, skip this section. 
  Otherwise, this step will involve 
  outlining these parameters by an-
  swering questions like: “what is the 
  range of the spell effects this item cre-
  ates?” or “can this item affect more 
  than one target?” The charts below 
  will help you calculate the costs of 
  a variety of different attributes; add 
  all of the Attributes together to get 
  the Attribute total cost:
  Active Aspects
  Object Aspects
  Aspects
  Cost
  Acid
  5
  Alteration
  10
  Animal
  5
  Age
  5
  Barrier
  10
  Animate (Simple Action)
  10
  Body
  5
  Animate (Complex Action)
  30
  Bonus
  5
  Animate (Spirit)
  40
  Cloud
  15
  Call
  10
  Creature
  10
  Close
  5
  Darkness
  5
  Conceal
  10
  Death
  15
  Control
  20
  Demon
  15
  Create
  30
  Divination
  10
  Discuss
  5
  Divine
  15
  Enhance
  15
  Element
  5
  Feel
  5
  Elemental
  15
  Harm
  5
  Emotions
  10
  Heal
  5
  Food
  5
  Increase
  10
  Force
  10
  Influence
  10
  Illusion
  10
  Instill
  15
  Item
  5
  Levitate
  10
  Life
  15
  Merge
  10
  Light
  5
  Move
  5
  Location
  10
  Negate
  15
  Magic
  10
  Open
  5
  Malus
  5
  Perceive
  5
  Mass
  10
  Purify
  5
  Mind
  5
  Reduce
  15
  Path
  5
  Repair
  5
  Planar
  15
  Retrieve
  20
  Plant
  5
  Return
  10
  Resistance
  10
  Shrink
  5
  Senses
  5
  Stop
  5
  Shape
  15
  Store
  20
  Shape
  15
  Teleport
  20
  Skill
  10
  Trace
  5
  Sound
  5
  Transform (minor)
  15
  Spirit
  15
  Transform (major)
  30
  Stat
  5
  Travel
  10
  Substance
  5
  Youthen
  5
  Talent
  10
  Time
  15
  Undead
  15
  Weather
  40
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  Casting Time
  Cost
  Spell Type
  Normal Casting
  0
  Any
  Instantaneous Casting
  50
  Any
  Range
  Cost
  Spell Type
  Personal (self)
  5
  Any
  Touch
  10
  Any
  10’
  20
  Any
  50’
  30
  Any
  100’
  40
  Any
  Area of Effect
  Utility Cost
  Attack & 
  Elemental Attack 
  Cost
  Individual (self)
  5
  5
  1 target
  10
  10
  Per additional target
  +15
  +20
  5’ radius
  10
  10
  10’ radius
  15
  20
  20’ radius
  20
  30
  Per additional 10’ 
  radius up to 50’
  +10
  +10
  Duration
  Utility Spells Only
  Cost
  Cost *
  Cost **
  Instant/No Duration
  5
  N/A
  N/A
  Concentration Only
  5
  N/A
  N/A
  2 rounds
  10
  20
  5
  5 rounds
  15
  30
  10
  10 rounds
  20
  40
  15
  1 minute
  25
  50
  20
  Attack and Elemental 
  Attack Spells Only 
  Cost
  Cost *
  Cost **
  Instant/No Duration
  5
  N/A
  N/A
  Concentration Only
  5
  N/A
  N/A
  2 rounds
  10
  20
  10
  5 rounds
  20
  40
  15
  10 rounds
  30
  60
  20
  1 minute
  40
  80
  30
  * = duration xx per skill rank in spell
  ** = caster must concentrate, up to maximum duration
  N/A = not applicable
  Determine Scale
  All spells and spell-effects in HARP can be scaled; if one is 
  going to fabricate a magic item with more “bang,” it is gener-
  ally going to cost more to make and increase the likelihood of 
  catastrophe if it is made badly. The following charts will help 
  you determine the costs associated with a variety of scaling 
  options; add up all of your selections to get the Scaling total 
  cost (Base refers to the Base PP cost of the spell):
  Area of Effect
  Utility Cost
  Attack and 
  Elemental 
  Attack Cost
  To change self to 1 target 
  (range = Touch)
  +4 PP
  +4 PP
  Per additional target
  +3 PP
  +4 PP
  To change self to 5’ radius
  +2 PP
  +2 PP
  To increase 5’ radius to 10’ 
  radius
  +1 PP
  +2 PP
  For each additional 10’ 
  radius up to 100’
  +1 PP
  +2 PP
  Range
  Cost
  Spell Type
  To change self to touch (AoE = 1 
  Target)
  +4 PP
  Any
  To change touch to 10’
  +2 PP
  Any
  To change 10’ to 50’
  +2 PP
  Any
  For each additional 50’ (up to 500’)
  +1 PP
  Any
  Duration
  Utility Spells Only
  Cost
  Cost *
  Cost **
  2 rounds
  +1 PP
  +2 PP
  +1
  5 rounds
  +2 PP
  +3 PP
  +1
  10 rounds
  +2 PP
  +4 PP
  +2
  1 minute
  +3 PP
  +5 PP
  +2
  10 minutes
  +3 PP
  +6 PP
  N/A
  1 hour
  +4 PP
  +8 PP
  N/A
  Attack and Elemental 
  Attack Spells Only
  Cost
  Cost *
  Cost **
  2 rounds
  +1 PP
  +2 PP
  +1
  5 rounds
  +2 PP
  +4 PP
  +2
  10 rounds
  +3 PP
  +6 PP
  +2
  1 minute
  +4 PP
  +8 PP
  +3
  10 minutes
  +5 PP
  +10 PP
  N/A
  1 hour
  +6 PP
  +12 PP
  N/A
   * = duration xx per skill rank in spell
  ** = caster must concentrate, up to maximum duration
  *** = requires GM approval
  N/A = Not Applicable
  Alter Percentage
  This option relates to spells whose effect is determined by a 
  d100 roll, e.g. Guess.
  Increase Percentage: +x2 Base.
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  Change Effect
  This option modifies the main effect of the spell in a qualita-
  tive fashion, frequently to remove a limitation
  Each change: +x0.5 Base to +x1.5 Base
  Enable Other Action
  This option allows the target to perform an action during the 
  duration of a spell that is disallowed by the base spell descrip-
  tion. For example, using the base form of Tree Merge, the 
  caster cannot perceive his surroundings or move.
  To permit passive actions (such as observing): +x0.5 Base
  To permit other actions (such as spell-casting): +Base
  Extra Force
  This option increases the severity of a spell in harming its 
  target. Such spells are those that do damage but do not do 
  criticals. Example: Arcane Bolt.
  Each increase in severity: either +0.5xBase or +2PPs which-
  ever is higher
  Increase Damage Size
  This option increases the size of a critical delivered by an 
  offensive spell but not Elemental Bolts or Balls. All criticals 
  begin at Tiny size.
  Each increase in critical size: +4PP
  Increase/Decrease Difficulty
  (This option is for spells that either alter the difficulty of a ma-
  neuver or whose effect is constrained by a maneuver difficulty. 
  For example, Unlocking Ways in its base form will only affect 
  locks with a rating of Light.)
  Each increase or decrease in maneuver difficulty rating: +2 PP
  Increased Distance
  Range is the distance that a target must be within at the 
  commencement of a spell for it to take effect. The Increased 
  Distance option is for spells where the target may be some-
  where else during or after the spell. For example, Long Door 
  requires the target to be within 10’ and in its base form can 
  only move the target up to 100’. The Distance options enable 
  Long Door to be used for substantial rapid travel. This cannot 
  be used to increase the Range of a spell.
  Increased Distance (100’/rank) +4 PP
  Increased Distance (1 mile/rank) +8 PP
  Increased Distance (10 miles/rank) +16 PP
  Increase Elemental Attack Potency
  (This option increases the size of a critical delivered by an 
  Elemental Attack spell (such as Elemental Ball or Elemental 
  Bolt) where the casting roll is also an attack roll.
  All criticals begin at Tiny size.
  Each increase in critical size: +2 PP
  Increase Interval
  This option is for spells such as Past Visions which have a 
  temporal range. Increase Viewing Speed is a related option.
  Increase Interval (1 day/rank): +2 PP
  Increase Interval (1 week/rank): +4 PP
  Increase Interval (1 month/rank): +6 PP
  Increase Interval (1 year/rank): +8 PP
  Increase Interval (10 years/rank): +10 PP
  Increase Viewing Speed (1 minute per hour ):+4 PP
  Increase Viewing Speed (1 minute per day ): +6 PP
  Increase Viewing Speed (1 minute per week) :+8 PP
  Increase Viewing Speed (1 minute per year): +10 PP
  Increase Mass
  This option is for spells which affect a specific amount of ma-
  terial or objects of a specific mass. The starting mass for an 
  unscaled spell is one pound.
  Increase Mass (to 1 pound per rank) +x0.5 PP
  Increase Mass (to 10 pounds per rank) +Base PP
  Increase Mass (to 100 pounds per rank) +x2 Base PP
  Increase Numeric Bonus/Effect
  This option is applicable to all spells that have a numeric 
  effect, such as Blur. For spells where the base effect is a +5 
  bonus or -5 penalty, the step change is +5 or
  -5. For spells where the base effect is a +10 bonus or -10 pen-
  alty, the step change is +10 or -10.
  For each step change in numeric bonus: +Base.
  Increase Potency
  This option is for spells involving the imbedding of magic 
  into runes and items. Example: Rune Mastery.
  For each PP imbedded: +1PP
  Increase Size
  This option increases the size of an animal or creature af-
  fected by a spell, such as Summon Land Creature. All such 
  spells begin with a size of Tiny, and may be increased through 
  Small, Medium, and Large to Huge.
  Each increase in size: +4PP
  Increase Speed
  This is for spells involving movement or travel. The base speed 
  is 15’ per round or 5 mph.
  Increase Speed (per extra 5 mph – 15’ per rnd) +2 PP
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  Increase Type
  This option increases the Type of a supernatural being such 
  as an Undead, Demon, or Elemental which may be affected by 
  a spell such as Create Undead. Such spells affect Type I beings 
  in their base form.
  Each increase in Type: +4 PP (e.g. Type II is +4 PP, Type III is 
  +8 PP, Type IV is +12 PP, etc.) 
  Multiple Options
  This is for spells which in their base form require the caster to 
  select one possibility from a set of choices.
  To allow two options to be chosen: +x0.5 Base
  To allow three options to be chosen: +Base
  To allow four options to be chosen: +x1.5 Base
  Calculate Effect Costs
  Once one has determined the Aspects, Attributes and Scale 
  of the effects he wants generated by the magic item being 
  manufactured, the total cost in PP of those effects can be cal-
  culated. Use the following formula to calculate the total cost:
  Aspects Cost + Attributes Cost    (round up)
                           20
  To this, add all of the Scale factors to get a total PP for the spell 
  effect. The mana matrix of the item being created must con-
  tain at least this many PP for the creator to have any chance 
  whatsoever of succeeding at her fabrication roll.
  Calculate Mana and Material 
  Requirements
  All magic items require the crafter to have sufficient personal 
  mana and the correct materials for manufacture. Personal 
  mana is what it is. Materials are a different matter. Sometimes 
  the materials used will actually aid in the construction of 
  the item; sometimes the materials will hinder construction. 
  Sometimes, the nature of the specific materials really does 
  not matter. Of greatest import (and potential for adventur-
  ing fun) is whether the potion-maker or charmcrafter or rune 
  lord actually possesses the necessary materials.
  Calculate “Laboratory” Costs and Time 
  Factors
  Making magic items is generally a slow process; sometimes it 
  is brutally time-consuming. It usually helps in the manufac-
  turing process to have a lab or its equivalent. Attempting to 
  fabricate an item on the cheap, in an inappropriate setting or 
  on the fly is always going to have consequences.
  Resolve Fabrication Attempt
  This will generally involve making a d100 roll against the rel-
  evant skill and comparing the roll against a success/failure 
  table within the chapter. Miss the roll by too wide a margin 
  and you will be referred to chapter 11.
  So...let’s get to work.
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   “Are you sure this is it?” Rekki asked as they approached a 
  structure in the woods that practically defined ramshackle.
  “I hope so,” Horkin said. “This will only take a few minutes.”
  He knocked on the door. After a moment, the witch 
  opened the door, letting Horkin, Rekki and Ferrannin inside. 
  The house had a peculiar smell – boiled greens, gone-off 
  eggs, animal waste and something that could only be 
  described as age. A cauldron sat burbling over a fire.
  “It will be done in a few minutes, loves,” the witch said. She 
  smiled a leering smile at Horkin. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
  6 Potions
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  Potions 
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  The Basics
  In HARP, any spell embedded within a matrix that has to be 
  consumed in some way (by eating, absorption through the skin 
  or inhaling smoke, for instance) is considered a potion. Potions 
  are made by alchemists, chandlers (who make candles), brew-
  ers, witches and other mages who take an interest in the natu-
  ral world. While potion making is traditionally considered 
  the work of magical professionals, any character with suffi-
  cient time, interest and resources can make a simple potion. 
  The critical element is learning the relationship between the 
  ingredients and the magic inherent within ingredients.
  All potions are spells or spell effects embedded within some 
  kind of consumable media. Generally this media is a liquid 
  like pure water, alcohol, juice or some combination of these. It 
  is perfectly appropriate to embed a spell within an oil, lotion 
  or salve that must be applied to bare skin in order to function. 
  Chandlers specialize in embedding spells within incense 
  or candles.
  Potions can be divided into two basic types, one much more 
  useful than the other. The first type is called a Spell Potion 
  or a “matrix” potion. In a Spell Potion, a specific spell is em-
  bedded within the potion’s matrix. Spell Potions are relatively 
  easy to make and have a significant virtue over the other type 
  of potion – they do not require specific material ingredients. 
  The second type of potion is more creative and interesting, 
  but more dangerous. This other type of potion might be called 
  a “recipe” or “formula” potion. This sort of potion can create 
  any kind of spell effect that can be devised by your character 
  but there is a slight problem – the fabrication process requires 
  specific  materials. After a month, any potion destabilizes, 
  leaving its owner with a vial of useless, though perhaps tasty, 
  fluid, unless the spell Stabilize Elixir is cast upon the potion 
  as it is created.
  Potions and Materials
  Of all magical items, potions are the most sensitive to the ma-
  terials used to make them. Purity is of the essence in potion 
  making. Poor quality ingredients can throw off the whole en-
  terprise of making a potion; failure to attend to this can mean 
  endless frustration. The liquids used have to be unadulter-
  ated; the other raw materials have to be of the highest quality. 
  Potion making is a time-consuming business at the best of 
  times...getting the right ingredients and preparing them to be 
  a potion takes more time still.
  Ingredients can improve or lessen the chances of success-
  fully making a potion depending on their quality and their 
  essences. Some ingredients, like most herbs and plants, are 
  more aligned with certain types of magic, the natural world 
  or spheres of magical concern. Most mineral ingredients have 
  the same type of alignment. Animal ingredients can be used 
  to extract raw fixed mana or can be used to generate specific 
  spell effects.
  Laboratories
  Potion making requires at least a basic laboratory before any-
  thing can be done. In essence, this requires the potion maker 
  to own three things: a mortar (a glorified stick), a pestle (a 
  bowl in which ingredients can be ground up) and a cauldron 
  for boiling. As one cannot reasonably carry a big cauldron 
  while adventuring, the potion maker needs to have vials, 
  stoppers and other vessels to carry the potion in once it is 
  made. Assembling even this basic laboratory costs at least 100 
  gold pieces. A more advanced laboratory can start at 500 gold 
  pieces and go up from there.
  Potion makers who have a basic laboratory can make one 
  potion per day. Possessing an advanced laboratory allows 
  for the making of one potion per day per every five ranks of 
  Alchemy skill.
  Basic laboratories can be used to extract mana from plant and 
  animal sources. Extracting mana from mineral resources re-
  quires at least an advanced laboratory and specialized tools. 
  Reducing minerals to powders or draining mana from them 
  using occult processes is difficult business!
  Matrix Potions
  Matrix potions are nothing more than specific, pre-existing 
  spells embedded within liquid media. Resolution of matrix 
  potion making attempts are made using the Alchemy skill.
  Creating a Matrix Potion
  Use the following steps to create a matrix potion after select-
  ing the spell to be embedded:
  1. Calculate Effect Costs
  Spell potions can only duplicate Base spell effects (unless the 
  Potion Mastery spell is used during their creation). For ex-
  ample, the spell Neutralize Poison has a PP casting cost of 2. 
  Therefore, a matrix potion that will Neutralize Poison (that 
  will, in other words, produce precisely the results of the Base 
  spell Neutralize Poison) has a Base effect cost of 2 PP.
  2. Calculate Mana and Materials Requirements
  Once the cost of the desired effects is calculated, the charac-
  ter making the potion can assemble the materials. In order to 
  make the Alchemy manuever, the potion maker must have at 
  least as many PP of personal mana as the potion’s effects re-
  quire. In other words, if the potion will generate effects equiv-
  alent to a 3 PP spell, the character must have 3 PP available, 
  otherwise the potion-making attempt will fail. The potion 
  maker must have ingredients that provide at least an equal 
  number of PP as well. The total of personal mana and materi-
  als mana must add up to twice the total cost of the matrix 
  potion. The relative quality of the ingredients has an effect on 
  the success of the resolution attempt. While it is true that any 
  ingredient can be used to make a matrix potion, ingredients 
  that relate directly to the Aspects of the spell provide bonuses 
  to successfully making the potion.
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  3. Calculate “Laboratory” Costs and Time Factors
  Potion making is expensive and takes time. To make a potion, 
  the maker must have at least eight hours of uninterrupted 
  time to work. This time is used to form, manipulate and pro-
  cess the ingredients, to purify the liquid medium and to fix 
  the matrix. As potion making is delicate work, any interrup-
  tion of more than a minute during the process requires the 
  potion maker to make an immediate skill check to continue.
  The base laboratory costs to manufacture a matrix potion 
  are 1 gp per PP of the potion (a 3 PP potion would cost 3 gp). 
  These costs cover all manner of depreciation, wear-and-tear 
  on the materials and all of the other factors that are just a 
  cost of doing business. They do not, however, include the cost 
  of materials. Chapter 5 lists literally hundreds of materials 
  and ingredients that can be used in potion making. Each of 
  these ingredients has a specific cost and differing abilities 
  and usefulness. If the GM wishes, a blanket manufacturing 
  cost of between 2 gp and 5 gp per PP of the matrix potion can 
  be assigned on the assumption that the materials are readily 
  available. However, because potion makers are a notoriously 
  fastidious lot, it might make more sense for the GM to require 
  the maker to go out there and find the ingredients.
  4. Resolve Attempt
  Make an open-ended All-or-Nothing Perform Alchemy 
  (-40 Alchemy sub-skill) 1d100 maneuver roll modified as 
  follows:
  +20 
   
  Using a material “within Aspect”
  +15 
   
  Materials harvested by hand
  +10 
   
  Materials harvested by hand or 
  definitively fresh (harvested a week ago or less)
  +5 
   
  For each 2 PP of additional mana 
  invested in the attempt (up to a +10 bonus)
  +0 
   
  Using a material in “neutral Aspect”
  -10 
   
  Materials stale (harvested more than a 
  month ago) or definitively old
  -20 
   
  Using a material “outside of Aspect” 
  (only one penalty per potion)
  Formula Potions
  “Eye of newt and toe of frog / wool of bat and tongue of dog.” This 
  is, of course, the quintessence of the formula potion. Take an 
  assortment of peculiar ingredients, mix them according to 
  an occult formula, add personal mana and voila!, you have a 
  potion that does something totally different or new. Formula 
  potions are not limited by the realities of pre-existing spells; 
  formulas and recipes abound and can do almost anything a 
  character might name. There is a catch, however. Because 
  formula potions are so complex, they are inherently unsta-
  ble. After a month, a formula potion’s mana matrix collapses, 
  leaving you with nothing but goo.
  Formula potions are excellent loot; they have a much higher 
  market value in general than matrix potions. The actual for-
  mulas for formula potions are highly valuable loot in and of 
  themselves. Alchemists’ Guilds have been known to hire all 
  manner of disreputable characters in order to recover a stolen 
  formula. It almost goes without saying that stealing and then 
  selling a formula could set one up nicely for a long time.
  Creating a Formula Potion
  Use the following steps to create a formula potion:
  1. Define The Concept
  What effects do you want the formula potion to have? 
  Formula potions cannot do more than one thing, but they can 
  generate unlimited PPs in spell effects. Formula potions are 
  often used to provide OB, DB, RR and maneuver bonuses. The 
  higher these bonuses or the more complex the formula, the 
  more difficult and expensive the potion is to make, of course.
  Example:  Rekki, Horkin and Ferrannin are going to be traveling 
  in a volcanic area known for its extremely toxic gas emission. 
  They decide to have a potion-master whip up some “Gas 
  Breathing” potions that they can drink as needed.
  Spell / Matrix Potion Resolution Table
  Roll
  Result
  greater than 
  150
  Eureka!! You really stumbled upon 
  something fascinating here. The GM 
  should provide some appropriate 
  additional bonus to this potion (a Potion of 
  Minor Healing generates effects equivalent 
  to a Potion of Major Healing, for instance).
  126-150
  A Little Goes a Long Way!  – Once again 
  your diligence pays off. This potion is so 
  well made that it is the equivalent of a 
  double dose. You only need to drink half of 
  it to generate the desired effects.
  76-125
  Success – The potion works as expected.
  51-75
  Limited Failure – The potion works, 
  though not very well. Some step in the 
  potion making process was performed 
  improperly. The GM should assign an 
  appropriate penalty to the potion (for 
  example – a potion of Minor Healing 
  might reduce bleeding by only 2 points 
  rather than the standard 5), or a certain 
  percentage chance that the potion fails 
  outright. 
  1-50
  Failure – The potion is little more than 
  disgusting slurry. The ingredients are 
  destroyed. Start again.
  less than 
  zero
  Disaster! – Your potion does not function, 
  but you don’t know it. After imbibing, 
  consult chapter 12: “One-shot Items” for 
  what goes wrong.
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  2. Concept to Aspects
  After determining what the potion is supposed to do, you 
  must translate the concept into Aspects. Refer to the Aspect 
  charts in chapter 5 to calculate the Aspect total cost and pro-
  ceed to step 3.
  Example cont’d:  The Active Aspect for a “Gas Breathing” potion 
  would be Transform (minor) while the Passive Aspect would be 
  Body.
  3. Determine Attributes
  Formula potions, like matrix potions, usually have a range of 
  Self and an area of effect of Self. Duration is generally limited 
  as well. It is up to the GM whether a potion that does not 
  generate an obviously instant effect can have a duration that 
  lasts a day or longer.
  Example cont’d:  The Range of this potion is Self; Area of Effect is 
  Self. Duration in base form is irrelevant
  4. Determine Scale
  Formula potions can be scaled to whatever degree desired by 
  the potion master.
  Example cont’d:  The players want the potion to be able to 
  protect their characters for as long as possible, so 1 hour per rank 
  (or in this case PP invested in the potion)
  5. Calculate Effect Costs
  The total PP cost of a formula potion can be calculated based 
  on the formula in chapter 5, except the base PP cost is divided 
  by 10, not 20.
  Example cont’d:  The PP cost of the potion is 
  (15+5+0+5+5+5)/10, for a total of 3.5, rounded up to 4. The GM 
  assigns a scaling cost to the potion of 8 for a total PP of 12. This 
  means a potion dose will allow the imbiber to survive in toxic air 
  for 12 hours..
  6. Calculate Mana and Materials Requirements
  To make a formula potion, the potion maker must have avail-
  able personal and material PPs equal to double the cost of the 
  potion. Materials quality has an effect on the resolution roll.
  Example cont’d:  The Body Aspect has a number of appropriate 
  materials, while Transform has somewhat less. The characters 
  have access to a sufficient quantity of feverfew to make two 
  potions but no materials that are specifically useful for the 
  Transform Aspect. Had they any cardamom seeds, they would 
  have a material component useful for both. They provide the 
  potion maker with a huge pile of freshly harvested kelp to use in 
  making the spell as it is cheap, readily available and just as good 
  as anything else at this point. This decision will have an effect on 
  the resolution roll below.
  7. Calculate “Laboratory” Costs and Time Factors
  Formula potions are complicated at least and fiendish at 
  worst. Formula potions require an extra-long day of work 
  (twelve hours) for every 10 PPs of spell effects generated. Only 
  formula potions that generate 5 PPs or less in spell effects can 
  be completed in the standard eight hour workday. This time 
  is essential because processing all of the materials accord-
  ing to the recipe is inherently time consuming and must be 
  performed precisely according to the occult formula. Only a 
  foolish potion maker attempts to rush the job.
  The base laboratory costs to manufacture a formula potion 
  are 5 gp per PP of the potion (a 15 PP potion would cost 75 gp). 
  These costs cover everything inherent to the manufacturing 
  process except the cost of materials. If the character has not 
  found the necessary materials through adventuring, purchas-
  ing them at market (for the appropriate market price cited in 
  chapter 5) is an option. If the GM wishes, a laboratory cost of 
  Spell / Matrix Potion Resolution Table
  Roll
  Result
  greater than 150
  Wow!! A total breakthrough in potion 
  making has just been achieved! You 
  have discovered a new and more 
  efficient way to make this formula 
  potion – all further attempts to make 
  this same potion cost 1/3 as much 
  and you get an automatic +25 to your 
  resolution check.
  126-150
  Sweet! – It took time, but your hard 
  work pays off above and beyond. 
  Unlike most formula potions, this 
  one is inherently stable. It will not 
  destabilize after one month. Anytime 
  you make this potion in the future, 
  there is a 25% chance that it will be 
  stabile.
  91-125
  Success – The potion works as 
  expected.
  76-90
  Limited Success – The potion works, 
  but it is highly unstable. If it is not 
  used within a week, it is useless.
  51-75
  Limited Failure – Hmm. Focus is 
  essential in potion making; you need 
  to remember this lesson in the future. 
  Distractions during the process mean 
  that the potion you made works, but it 
  does not do what you intended it to do. 
  GM discretion about what it actually 
  does, but rest assured – it will not be 
  good.
  1-50
  Failure – The potion does not work 
  and the materials are wasted. Pay 
  attention next time!
  less than zero
  Catastrophe! – This should be fun! 
  You’ve gotten the matrix of this 
  potion completely wrong. It is going 
  to do something...just not what you 
  intended. See chapter 12: “One-shot 
  Items.”
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  between 4 and 6 gp per PP of the potion can be assigned on 
  the assumption that materials are readily available.
  Example cont’d:  So, as the potion is valued at 12 PP, it will 
  take the potion-maker twenty-four hours to make. The cost of 
  the potion is 60 gp (as the characters have access to sufficient 
  materials).
  8. Resolve Attempt
  Make an open-ended All-or-Nothing Perform Alchemy (-40 
  Alchemy sub-skill) 1d100 maneuver roll modified as follows:
   
   +20  
  Using only materials “within Aspect” (only 
  one credit per potion)
   
   +10  
  Materials harvested by hand or defini-
  tively fresh (harvested a week ago or less)
   
   +0 
   
  Using only or any materials in “neu-
  tral Aspect”
   
   -5 
   
  For each bonus level above +20 (so a +30 
  bonus potion would grant a –10)
   
   -10 
   
  Materials stale (harvested more than a 
  month ago) or definitively old
   
   -15 
   
  Combining plant/animal and mineral in-
  gredients with conflicting Aspects
   
   -20  
  For each material “outside of Aspect” (un-
  limited number of penalties per potion)
  Example cont’d:  The potion resolution roll is modified as 
  follows: +10 for definitively fresh ingredients; +0 for materials 
  in neutral Aspect (feverfew within Aspect for Body, but Kelp is 
  neutral; Transform does not have an opposite aspect) for a total 
  bonus of +10. Now roll the dice... 
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  “Is there anything else you’ll be needing?” the witch asked, 
  coughing on “needing” so it sounded more like “nee-hee-ding.” 
  Horkin and his two traveling compatriots Rekki and Ferrannin 
  exchanged vaguely sickened glances.
  “We’ll be running along now,” Rekki said.
  “I think this might interest you,” the witch said, holding up a roll 
  of parchment tied with an old, weathered ribbon. “Protection 
  from fire,” she cackled.
  Horkin narrowed his eyes. “Why would you believe we need 
  such a rune?” he asked.
  The witch’s cackles caught in her throat but her eyes gleamed 
  with malevolence and mischief. “It’s a girl’s business to know,” 
  she said…”
  7 Runes
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  The Basics
  Runes are among the simplest forms of magical loot. Write 
  a spell on paper, bark, wood or what have you and voila! you 
  have a rune. The principle distinguishing characteristic be-
  tween a rune and other magical items or devices is that runes 
  are always temporary – use them once and they vanish. This 
  potentially negative quality is offset in the speed department 
  – simple runes can be written in less than five minutes. Only 
  the most complicated runes take more than about an hour to 
  inscribe. All runes require a successful medium (or higher) 
  maneuver roll to inscribe.
  One of the most desirable qualities about runes is that their 
  mana matrices are so minimalist that they can be read by 
  anyone with the appropriate skill.  
  This chapter will give you the lowdown on the entire process 
  of rune making: inscription, inscribable media, and all of the 
  mechanics to go forward. While normal runes can be writ-
  ten in any kind of available ink, other more specialized runes 
  have specific ink or materials requirements – these will be 
  detailed in the specific sections as needed. All Runes fall 
  under the general category of Mystic Arts.
  Inscription
  Inscription is simply the process of writing a spell onto a 
  medium like parchment or stone. The process of writing the 
  spell onto the parchment transfers the mana matrix from the 
  inscriber to the medium and fixes it there, embedded within 
  the medium and the lettering itself. Resolving the Inscribe 
  Rune subskill has a base –30 penalty. It should seem self-
  evident that the inscription process is a fairly delicate one. 
  Attempting to inscribe a rune onto vellum while hunker-
  ing down on a windy moor not only makes little sense but 
  is going to earn an additional modifier in conjunction to the 
  base -30 modifier for inscribing a rune. 
  Media
  Anything that one might write on could serve as a medium 
  for a rune. Specially prepared papers, parchment, vellum or 
  other animal skins are commonly employed for this purpose. 
  Papyrus, reeds or fern fronds might serve a similar purpose 
  among appropriate cultures. Harder media include soft 
  woods (balsa, pine) and bark. Runes can also be inscribed 
  on stone or metal. There are no specific penalties or bonuses 
  that come with writing on any of these mundane media.
  Esoteric media will be discussed later in the chapter, but they 
  include things like living skin, crystals, spirits and so forth.
   “Normal” Runes
  Any character can inscribe a spell as a rune; any spell can be 
  inscribed as a rune. The following rules govern the writing of 
  runes on mundane media (paper, parchment, vellum, bark, 
  papyrus and the like). These rules cover only Base spells and 
  spell effects; to inscribe scaled effects requires separate use of 
  the spell Rune Mastery (the use of which is detailed in HARP 
  Fantasy). 
  All spell attributes are based upon how many power points 
  (PP) are in the rune. A rune for a spell that costs 5 PP and that 
  has a duration of 2 rounds per rank is considered to be cast as 
  if the character had 5 ranks with the spell regardless of how 
  many ranks the character might actually have with the spell. 
  For those spells which attack another character, the bonus 
  for the attack, which is rolled separately from the maneuver 
  to activate the rune, is the rank bonus, where the number of 
  ranks is equivalent to the number of power points in the rune. 
  Thus, a rune containing an Elemental Bolt  (5 PP) has an at-
  tack bonus equivalent to having 5 ranks in the spell (+25).
  Use the following steps to inscribe a normal rune:
  1. Prepare the Medium
  While anything (in principle) can be inscribed with a rune, it 
  is better if the medium is pre-prepared.  For the cost of 1 gp 
  per sheet, all paper-like media can be prepared to take and 
  hold an inscribed rune. It takes 10 minutes to prepare a single 
  sheet, but once it is prepared, if it is properly stored (away 
  from light, heat and dirt), it will last, essentially, indefinitely. 
  Runes inscribed on properly prepared paper cannot degrade 
  (provided the paper is kept safe) because their medium will 
  not degrade.
  Any character inscribing a rune on regular paper/papyrus/
  parchment should be advised to read the rune with all dili-
  gence. For each week after inscription that the rune remains 
  unread, there is a 20% chance that natural wear-and-tear will 
  cause the paper to degrade to such a degree that the rune can-
  not be read.
  2. Inscribe
  Any character can inscribe a rune for any spell he or she 
  knows. Even non-spellcasters can write runes, learning one 
  rune for every 5 ranks that they have in the Rune skill. Only 
  the base form of a given spell may be inscribed unless the 
  person inscribing the rune also knows and uses the Rune 
  Mastery spell.
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  Inscribing a rune takes one minute for each PP required by 
  the spell. Those PPs are expended by the caster when the 
  Inscribe Rune roll is made. Whether successful or not, the 
  PPs are used.
  3. Special Types of Runes 
  In addition to normal Runes, there are a few types of special 
  runes that may be attempted as well. These specialized types 
  of runes are treated as sub-skills of the Runes skill, and as 
  such are resolved using the Runes skill, with the appropri-
  ate modifier.
  Circle Runes – There are a number of runes that may be in-
  scribed as circles. There are spell circles, protection circles 
  and containment circles that may all be inscribed using this 
  sub-skill. The sub-skill, Inscribe Circle Rune, has a base mod-
  ifier of -50 to the Runes skill. Circle Runes are covered more 
  completely in College of Magics and are beyond the scope of 
  this product.
  Elemental Runes – An elemental rune is a rune for an el-
  emental spell. Such runes are made with special inks and 
  require special media upon which they are to be inscribed. 
  The media to be used must have an affinity for the element 
  encompassed by the spell to be enruned, refer to Chapter 5 
  for more information on special materials. The inks used for 
  inscribing the runes must also be made of special materials as 
  well, each with an affinity towards the proper element (an ink 
  for fire spells will not work for runes of elemental water).  An 
  elemental rune is very easy to identify since the elementally 
  charged ink from which it is made takes on an appearance 
  similar to the element to which the rune is attuned. For ex-
  ample, an air rune will glow slightly and a character will see 
  little sparks shooting along the inscription while a water rune 
  will have a liquid-like look to the inscription and a fire rune 
  might seem to resemble burning coals.
  The sub-skill, Inscribe Elemental Rune, has a base modifier of 
  -50 for the inscription sub-skill. Reading an elemental rune 
  is considered to be a Hard Maneuver (-20). Elemental runes 
  may be scaled up using the Rune Mastery spell just as normal 
  runes. Elemental runes have an additional +20 to any attack 
  rolls made. 
  Professional Runes – Characters may also inscribe rune for 
  purely educational purposes. Such runes are not empowered 
  in any way and are only used for the purpose of teaching it to 
  another. The sub-skill, Inscribe Professional Runes, has a base 
  modifier of -40.
  Spirit Runes – Spirit Runes are another type of special rune. 
  These are runes which affect the spirit or mind of the target. 
  This includes spells that affect the dead or undead as well as 
  spells that affect the mind such as Distractions or various il-
  lusions. Spirit runes are inscribed solely upon a special type 
  of vellum known as a Spiritscrye. The Spiritscrye costs 20x 
  the price as normal rune paper, but spirit-related spells in-
  scribed on it have a much more potent effect.
  The sub-skill, Inscribe Spirit Rune, has a base modifier of -50, 
  however when read, a spirit rune gives a +20 bonus to the roll 
  used to determine the Resistance Roll that the target needs 
  to beat.
  Crystal Runes
  Crystal Runes have enormous potential to aid the adventur-
  ing spellcaster, but they are pricey and difficult to create. 
  Crystal runes have similarities to normal runes, as well as 
  charged and daily items, yet do not really fall into any of these 
  three categories neatly.
  Gems and crystals have 1 power point (PP) per gold piece (gp) 
  value (rounded down). This means that crystals which have a 
  value of less than 1 gp per carat will be useless unless they are 
  of a large size. This number of power points is what is used 
  to power the crystal runes. In order for a spell to be enruned 
  upon a crystal, the crystal must be large enough to have an 
  equal or greater number of power points than the spell or 
  spells enruned upon a crystal.
  A crystal may hold any number of runes so long as the total 
  power point cost for those runes does not exceed double the 
  number of power points held by the crystal. This means that 
  a crystal that is worth 10 gp may have up to 20 PP worth of 
  spells enruned upon it. Thus a  6 gp diamond (12 PP) could be 
  enruned with the following spells: Elemental Ball: Fire (6 PP), 
  and Fire Wall (6PP).
  Refer to Chapter 5 for more information on crystals and 
  their values.
  Using Crystal Runes
  In order to use a crystal rune, a character must succeed in 
  a Medium Maneuver Roll using the Runes skill (detailed 
  below). A crystal rune may be used any number of times so 
  long as the crystal still has enough power points to power the 
  rune. If all the power points within a crystal have not been 
  expended and it does not have enough power points left to 
  activate the runes upon it, then it must be emptied so that it 
  may begin the recharging process. 
  When a crystal rune is activated, the power points for the 
  rune are subtracted from the crystal’s total number of power 
  points. The only limit to how many times a given rune may be 
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  activated before the crystal needs recharging is the number of 
  power points within the crystal. 
  Thus a 12 gp diamond, enruned with the spells Elemental 
  Bolt: Fire (scaled to 6 PP), Elemental Ball: Fire (6 PP), and Fire 
  Wall (6 PP) could be used to cast the Elemental Bolt spell 
  twice before needing to be recharged or one Elemental Bolt 
  and one Fire Wall, or one Elemental Ball and one Fire Wall, or 
  any other combination so long as it does not exceed the num-
  ber of power points that the crystal has. However, once all or 
  most of the power points in the crystal have been used, the 
  crystal will need to be recharged before it can be used again.
  All attributes of a spell embedded in a crystal rune are deter-
  mined by how many power points the spell uses when acti-
  vated. A crystal rune for a spell that costs 5 PP and that has a 
  duration of 2 rounds per rank is considered to be cast as if the 
  character had 5 ranks with the spell regardless of how many 
  ranks the character might actually have with the spell. For 
  those spells which attack another character, the bonus for the 
  attack, which is rolled separately from the maneuver to acti-
  vate the rune, is the rank bonus, where the number of ranks is 
  equivalent to the number of power points used by the crystal 
  rune. Thus, a crystal rune containing an Elemental Bolt (5 PP) 
  has an attack bonus equivalent to having 4 ranks in the spell 
  (+25).
  Recharging Crystal Runes
  Once a crystal is emptied of power points, the crystal will 
  begin recharging and regain 1 power point each hour until 
  fully charged. A crystal may not begin recharging unless it 
  has been fully emptied by either activation of its runes or by 
  the deliberate action of its possessor. 
  In order to empty a crystal of its remaining power points, 
  for those crystals not totally emptied via activation of their 
  runes, the character must make a Hard Runes Maneuver with 
  an additional -5 modifier for every power point still within 
  the crystal. 
  A crystal may only be recharged a total number of times 
  equal to its gold piece (rounded up) value times 5. Thus a 1 
  carat diamond worth 15 gp may be recharged 75 times (5 x 15 
  gp) while an 8 carat Aquamarine (worth 14 copper pieces per 
  carat – 8 carats being the smallest size needed to get 1 PP – 
  total value of 112 cp or 1 gp, 1 sp, 2 cp) may be recharged only 
  10 times (112 cp rounds up to 2 gp x 5 = 10). Once a crystal has 
  been charged its last time, if it runs out of power points it will 
  turn to worthless dust.
  Inscribing Crystal Runes
  In order to inscribe a rune upon a crystal, the character is 
  going to require a special set of tools which include a specially 
  tipped stylus, a magnifying lens, and a special vise for holding 
  the crystal. These tools may be purchased in any large city for 
  between 100 and 200 gp. The stylus counts for the majority 
  of that cost and it can be used to inscribe hundreds of crystal 
  runes before wearing out if properly cared for. It also requires 
  that the crystal to be inscribed be cut and/or polished prop-
  erly, an uncut crystal may not be used for crystal runes.
  Inscribing a crystal rune takes 10 minute for each power point 
  of spell to be inscribed, thus a spell that costs 4 PP to cast will 
  take 40 minutes to inscribe. While inscribing the spell, the 
  caster must expend double the number of power points re-
  quired by the spell in order to bond the spell’s matrix to that 
  of the matrix of the crystal.
  A character may inscribe the base form of a spell as a crystal 
  rune. Using the Rune Mastery spell, a character may inscribe 
  a scaled version. In both cases, inscribing a crystal rune re-
  quires the -60 subskill Inscribe Crystal Rune. 
  It is even possible for characters who do not know any spells 
  to be able to inscribe crystal runes. Characters will learn the 
  proper rune for inscribing a single spell for every 5 ranks that 
  the character has in the skill. Spell forms gained in this man-
  ner may not be scaled.
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  “Please remind me why we trusted that witch,” Horkin asked as he clawed gingerly at his 
  smoking armor.
  “An even better question,” Rekki began after spitting a tuft of his own singed hair out of his 
  mouth,” is why we trusted him.”
  Both Horkin and Rekki fixed their gaze on Ferrannin. It would normally have been his 
  inclination at a time like this to turn tail and run – the nearest city was probably twenty 
  miles hence, but his legs, while short, were dependable and he had a gnome’s sense of the 
  hilly terrain. He could outrun Horkin and Rekki, but he would not run...not this time.
  “I have given you no reason not to trust me,” Ferrannin said to Rekki with as much contempt 
  as a gnome could ever hope to muster. “And as for the witch,” Ferrannin continued, stepping 
  behind Horkin to help him off with his armor, “we trusted her because I trusted her. How 
  could I have known that she was in cahoots with that confounded dragon?”
  “We would have been better off approaching the dragon’s lair with smoking torches,” 
  Horkin said.
  “To all effects,” Rekki said, picking the ashy bundle of herbs and sticks that had been their 
  secret weapon off of his armor, “we did.”
  “With these,” Horkin said, throwing his own fetish to the ground, “that dragon could smell 
  us from fifty miles...”
  8 Crafting Talismans
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  Charms, Fetishes and 
  Talismans
  Charm, fetish and talisman are three names given to magical 
  items that are, to greater or lesser degrees, the same thing. 
  Charms, fetishes and talismans are all items that make use 
  of mana available in natural forms (be they plants, animals, 
  monsters or inorganic materials) to generate spell-like effects. 
  In appearance they may be as simple as a bundle of bound 
  twigs or a poorly carved piece of soapstone or as sophisti-
  cated as a delicately carved piece of exquisitely rare ivory 
  with complex scrimshaw that took four months to carve. 
  Charms, fetishes and talismans are all items that can be 
  created by means of the Charmcraft skill. Charms, fetishes 
  and talismans are all specifically and purposefully crafted 
  by the actions of a skilled charmcrafter. The work of the 
  charmcrafter melds the mana matrix of the relevant mate-
  rials with his or her own mana. The new object so created 
  can be used by anyone or the charmcrafter can infuse into 
  the charm specific wards preventing its use by the unwanted 
  or unauthorized.
  The lore for making charms, fetishes and talismans are all 
  culturally specific and frequently they are jealously guarded. 
  This does not mean that charmcrafters will never sell their 
  wares, however! Even simple charms can fetch a heavy price 
  in the market. 
  At its heart, creating a charm, fetish or talisman amounts to 
  possessing the essential materials, and putting in the time to 
  manipulate them. A successful Charmcraft all-or-nothing 
  maneuver roll modified by a variety of factors that are out-
  lined below completes the process. 
  Charms, fetishes and talismans differ primarily in their de-
  gree of permanence, their cost to manufacture, their depend-
  ence on the natural mana matrix of the plants and herbs used 
  in their manufacture and whether they will accept the mana 
  matrices of inorganic materials as well as organic.
  Charms
  Charms are the least sophisticated of the magic items that can 
  be made via the Charmcraft skill. They are the Charmcraft 
  equivalent of a simple utility spell – some are spell charms, 
  others are bonus/malus charms. Charms are generally small 
  objects made from materials that are on-hand or easily got-
  ten and that require very little work or time to create. Because 
  of their simplicity in both construction and purpose, charms 
  can only be made using organic (plant and animal) ingre-
  dients – they will not accept any inorganic material within 
  their matrix. Likewise, unless they are outstandingly well 
  made, spell charms work only once and disintegrate. Bonus/
  malus charms as described in College of Magics only last one 
  month unless the Preserve Charm spell has been cast upon 
  them. Charms have three principal purposes: to ward their 
  owners from a specific form of attack, to prevent poisoning, 
  illness or disease, or to ward their owners from a specific 
  form of magic. A charm might also be used to ward its owner 
  from threats presented by a specific person or animal. 
  Charms can be sold at market at a value between 10 and 20 gp 
  per PP of the charm.
  Creating a Charm
  Use the following steps to create a charm:
  1. Define The Concept
  What is the charm supposed to do? The simplicity of a 
  charm’s mana matrix means that it may not do more than one 
  spell effect. Spell Charms may not generate spell effects that 
  cost more than 10 PP. Bonus/malus charms may be made that 
  provide general bonuses to OBs, DBs, RRs or specific maneu-
  vers. Charms are made only from plants or animals – never 
  minerals or other esoteric materials.
  Example:  Dobruno wants a charm that will protect him from 
  poison. An equivalent to the Neutralize Poison spell in the Cleric 
  Sphere
  2. Concept to Aspects
  Does the charm’s effects replicate an already existing spell 
  that costs less than 11 PP? If so, skip ahead to step 5. Is the 
  charm intended to generate a simple bonus to something? If 
  so, skip ahead to step 5. If it does not, calculate the Aspect 
  total cost according to the charts and instructions in chapter 
  6 and proceed to step 3.
  Example cont’d:  Like many charms, Dobruno’s is essentially a 
  “Neutralize Poison” spell. Therefore, we skip ahead to step 5.
  3. Determine Attributes
  Spell Charms have highly restricted Attributes. Charms nor-
  mally may only have a range of Self and an area of effect of Self. 
  They may have a duration of either Instant or Concentration.
  4. Determine Scale
  Charms may not be scaled; that is to say, they may only 
  have “Base” effects.
  5. Calculate Effect Costs
  If the charm duplicates an already existing spell, the effect 
  costs are the total PP required to cast the Base spell. If the 
  charm does not duplicate an already existing spell, the total 
  PP cost can be determined according to the formula in chap-
  ter 6.
  Example cont’d:  Neutralize Poison has a PP cost of 2. Therefore, 
  a charm that will Neutralize Poison (that will, in other words, 
  produce precisely the results of the Base spell Neutralize Poison) 
  has a Base effect cost of 2 PP. The spell qualifies to be rendered as 
  a Charm.
  6. Calculate Mana and Materials Requirements
  Once the cost of the effects you want generated by the charm 
  are known, the character who is going to make the fabrica-
  tion attempt can assemble the materials. In order to make the 
  Charmcraft roll, the crafter must have at least as many PP of 
  personal mana as the charm’s effects require. In other words, 
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  manipulating, shaping and processing materials. Spending a 
  little more time at this work, as little as a half-hour more, can 
  dramatically improve the likelihood of success (a bonus of 
  +15). Conversely, crafters in a hurry have the option of taking 
  a –10 penalty for each 10 minutes they shave off this time (up 
  to a maximum penalty of –30).
  The base laboratory costs to manufacture a charm are 1 gp 
  per PP of the charm (a 3 PP charm would cost 3 gp). These 
  costs cover all manner of depreciation, wear-and-tear and 
  contingency in the manufacturing process. They do not, 
  however, include the cost of materials. There are literally 
  hundreds of materials catalogued in chapter 5. Each one has 
  a different cost and differing availabilities. If the GM wishes, 
  a manufacturing cost of between 2 gp and 4 gp per PP of the 
  charm can be assigned on the assumption that materials are 
  readily available. It is potentially more interesting for the 
  charmcrafter to be compelled to find the materials as part of 
  the game, however!
  Example cont’d:  The Neutralize Poison charm costs 
  4 gp to manufacture (1 gp per PP) plus the materials 
  that the crafter had previously. If the Charmcrafter 
  did not have these materials, they would have to be 
  gotten first.
  Because the Charmcrafter has the time and is 
  not being rushed, she spends an hour-and-a-half 
  working to earn the +15 resolution bonus.
  8. Resolve Fabrication Attempt
  Make an open-ended All-or-Nothing Create Charm (-40 
  Charmcraft sub-skill) 1d100 maneuver roll modified 
  as follows:
   
   +20 Using any material “within Aspect” (only one credit 
  per charm)
   
   +15 Working without interruption for an hour-and-a-half
   
   +10 Materials harvested by hand or definitively fresh 
  (harvested a week ago or less)
   
   +5 
  For each 2 PP of additional mana invested in the at-
  tempt (up to a +10 bonus)
   
   +0 
  Using only materials in “neutral Aspect”
   
   -10 
  Materials stale (harvested more than a month ago) or 
  definitively old
   
   -10 
  For every 10 minutes less than one hour spent on 
  the charm
   
   -20 
  sing any material “outside of Aspect” (only one pen-
  alty per charm)
  Example cont’d:  Because the Charmcrafter is using a material 
  within Aspect and spent an additional half hour working, she 
  earns a bonus of +35 to the resolution roll. Now, go for it!!
  Fetishes
  Like charms, fetishes are manufactured using the Charmcraft 
  skill. Fetishes are, in essence, more sophisticated charms. 
  They are magical devices that are designed to provide their 
  owners with significant wards against attack, to defend 
  if the charm will generate effects equivalent to a 3 PP spell, 
  the charmcrafter must have 3 PP available, otherwise he will 
  not be able to manipulate the mana matrix of the materials. 
  Similarly, the crafter must have an equal number of PP in 
  materials in order to make the fabrication attempt. The total 
  of personal mana and materials mana must add up to twice 
  the total cost of the charm. Adding additional personal mana 
  to the attempt improves, to a limited degree, the likelihood 
  of success.
  Likewise, materials must be fresh or at least reasonably so. 
  Old materials bestow a negative penalty to success.
  Example cont’d:  So, if the Neutralize Poison Spell Charm 
  has an Effect cost of 2 PP, the Charmcrafter must have 2 PP of 
  personal mana available and 2 PP in materials available. Using 
  an owl feather (1 PP) and a bundle of sage (1 PP, with the added 
  benefit of being in Aspect because it provides benefits for Cleric 
  sphere spells), the Charmcrafter has sufficient materials to 
  proceed.
  7. Calculate “Laboratory” Costs and Time Factors
  Charms are so simple that they can be made “in the field,” but 
  they do take time and cost money. A charm requires an hour 
  of uninterrupted crafting work before a success roll can be 
  made. This work includes all manner of shaping, trimming, 
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  against the nastiest poisons or to shield more than just the 
  owner from these sorts of attacks. Unlike charms, however, 
  fetishes can be constructed with the purpose of attacking 
  others. They also have more stable mana matrices – a typi-
  cal fetish will function for a full month before it permanently 
  fails. Despite the fact that fetishes are usually physically small 
  (generally a fetish will fit in the palm of the hand, but some fet-
  ishes are so large that one might crawl  – or be pushed – inside 
  of them), their mana matrices are frequently frightfully com-
  plex. This complexity is augmented by the fetish’s sometimes 
  highly specific materials requirements, difficult laboratory 
  requirements or other problems. Fetishes that are designed to 
  sicken their targets or weaken their health can be made only 
  with organic materials.
  Fetishes have a highly flexible market price, ranging from 
  about 25 gp per PP on the low end up to 50 gp or more for 
  more complex fetishes.
  Creating a Fetish
  Use the following steps to create a fetish:
  1. Define The Concept
  What is the fetish supposed to do? Fetishes can be con-
  structed that do more than one thing (they may allow multiple 
  spell effects) or that have more complicated effects. Fetishes 
  may generate limitless PPs in spell effects. Also, fetishes can 
  provide limitless bonuses to OBs, DBs, RRs and maneuver 
  checks. The more complex the intended effect, however, the 
  greater the danger of failure (penalties for com-
  plexity add up quickly) and the greater the cost.
  Example:  Phoebe, a doting mother, wants 
  a fetish made that will ward off her young 
  daughter Daphne’s nightmares and keep the 
  monsters under her bed at bay – at least 
  until her big brother returns home in a few 
  weeks.
  2. Concept to Aspects
  Does the fetish’s effects replicate an already 
  existing spell? If so, skip ahead to step 5. Is the 
  fetish intended to generate a simple bonus to 
  something? If so, skip ahead to step 5. If it does 
  not, calculate the Aspect total cost according to 
  the charts and instructions in chapter 6 and pro-
  ceed to step 3.
  Example cont’d:  This fetish does not duplicate 
  an existing spell. Because it is intended to affect 
  Daphne’s dreams, it has the Control Aspect and the 
  Mind Aspect. These Aspects also affect frightening 
  off monsters or at least keeping them under the bed 
  for the night, “safe and sound.” The fetish should have 
  the Control Aspect again as well, just in case and the 
  Creature Aspect, last but not least.
  The ultimate goal is to alter nightmares 
  into dreams and keep monsters away. Pretty 
  straightforward.
  3. Determine Attributes
  Fetishes can have a full range of Attributes. They can have an 
  unlimited range. They are limited in duration, however. They 
  may not have a duration of Permanent or generate effects that 
  are Permanent.
  Example cont’d:  Each effect of the fetish has its own Attributes. 
  The anti-nightmare effect has a Range of Self, an Area of 
  Effect of Self and a Duration of 1 hour per rank. The monster 
  defense effect of the fetish has a Range of 10’ (sufficient in size 
  to accommodate the bed), an Area of Effect of 10’ radius (same) 
  and a Duration of 1 hour per rank (because 1 hour would not be 
  sufficient; in addition, the monster gets a RR to resist the effects 
  of the fetish and if the monster fails, the fetish has the desired 
  effect).
  4. Determine Scale
  Fetishes can be scaled to whatever degree desired by the 
  charmcrafter.
  Example cont’d:  No need for scaling here as we are not 
  duplicating an existing spell.
  5. Calculate Effect Costs
  If the fetish duplicates an already existing spell (Base or 
  scaled), the effect costs are the total PP required to cast that 
  spell. If the fetish does not duplicate an already existing spell, 
  the total PP cost can be determined according to the formula 
  in chapter 5.
  Charm Resolution Table
  Roll
  Result
  greater than 150
  Outstanding Work!! Your charm is very nearly the 
  stuff of legend. The charm’s mana matrix is very 
  stable: a spell charm can generate its effects 5 times, 
  a bonus/malus charm will last for two months
  101-150
  Charming! – Your focus pays off. Your charm’s 
  mana matrix is stable: a spell charm can generate 
  its effects three times before failing. a bonus/malus 
  charm will last for one month
  76-100
  Success – Your charm works as expected...but if a 
  spell charm only once, and if a bonus/malus charm 
  will only last two weeks
  51-75
  Limited Failure – Your charm works...sort of. 
  Some aspect of the spell charm is dysfunctional, 
  misaligned or just plain messed up. GM should 
  assign an appropriate penalty to the charm (for 
  example – a charm of Minor Healing might reduce 
  bleeding by only 2 points rather than the standard 
  5), or a certain percentage chance that the charm 
  fails outright.  A bonus/malus charm will only last 
  one week.
  1-50
  Failure – Your charm does not work...in fact, it does 
  not work to such a degree that you have destroyed 
  the mana matrix of your materials. Start again.
  less than zero
  Consult chapter 11 – “One-shot Items”
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  Example cont’d:  The total effect costs of this fetish are Aspects 
  (20+5+20+10 +10 for multiple effects) + “Anti-Nightmare” 
  (5+5+80) + “Ward Monsters” (20+20+120) for a total effect cost 
  of 315/20 = 16 (rounded up). This means the fetish has a Base PP 
  cost of 16.
  6. Calculate Mana and Materials Requirements
  Fetishes are much more expensive than charms, but many 
  of the basic principles are the same. The charmcrafter must 
  have available personal PPs and material PPs equal to double 
  the cost of the fetish. Unlike with charm fabrication, spend-
  ing additional personal PPs has no effect on the success of the 
  Charmcraft resolution roll. Like charm fabrication, however, 
  old materials bestow a negative penalty to success.
  Example cont’d:  The fetish has a PP cost of 16, 
  meaning the Charmcrafter must have 16 PP of mana 
  and 16 PP of extractable mana from materials.
  7. Calculate “Laboratory” Costs and Time Factors
  Fetishes are complex things; they cannot be made on the fly 
  or on the cheap. Fetishes require a full day of work (twelve 
  hours) for every 10 PPs of generated effects. Even fetishes that 
  cost only 3 PPs or 5 PPs take a full day to finish. This time is 
  spent performing all of the requisite plucking, binding, shap-
  ing and processing necessary to stabilize the mana matrix of 
  the materials. If great care is taken, the likelihood of success 
  is improved. Hurrying the work is not 
  an option. 
  The base laboratory costs to manu-
  facture a fetish are 3 gp per PP of the 
  fetish (a 15 PP fetish would cost 45 gp). 
  These costs cover everything inherent 
  to the manufacturing process except 
  the cost of materials. If the character 
  has not found the necessary materials 
  through adventuring, purchasing them 
  at market (for the appropriate market 
  price cited in chapter 6) is an option. 
  If the GM wishes, a laboratory cost of 
  between 4 and 6 gp per PP of the fetish 
  can be assigned on the assumption that 
  materials are readily available.
  Example cont’d:  This 16 PP fetish 
  takes two full days to make and 
  costs 48 gp. For purposes of the 
  Fabrication Attempt, this is a “two-
  purpose” fetish.
  8. Resolve Fabrication Attempt
  Make an open-ended All-or-Nothing 
  Create Fetish (-50 Charmcraft sub-
  skill) 1d100 maneuver roll modified 
  as follows:
   
   +20 Using only materials “within 
  Aspect” (only one credit per fetish)
   
   +15 Working half again as long as required (1 ½ days for a 
  simple fetish)
   
   +10 Materials harvested by hand or definitively fresh 
  (harvested a week ago or less)
   
   +0 
  Using only or any materials in “neutral Aspect”
   
   -5 
  For a “two-purpose” fetish
   
   -10 
  Materials stale (harvested more than a month ago) or 
  definitively old
   
   -15 
  For a “three-purpose” fetish
   
   -20 
  For each material “outside of Aspect” (unlimited 
  number of penalties per fetish)
   
   -30 
  For each purpose beyond the fourth in a single fetish
  Talismans
  Talismans are the gold standard in magical charmcraft de-
  vices. Talismans, by definition, create permanent effects 
  and/or are themselves permanent. Talismans represent 
  the greatest of the charmcrafters lore – talismans that are 
  well made can function for lifetimes. Generally, these items 
  must be made from permanent materials (minerals, teeth, 
  bone, wood and so on). Like charms and fetishes, talismans 
  are fabricated using the Charmcraft skill. Any function that 
  can be generated by a spell can be generated by a talisman. 
  Talismans can be used for defense or attack. While the mak-
  ing of charms might be seen as bordering on commonplace, 
  Fetish Resolution Table
  Result
  greater than 150
  Bravo!! The legends and skills of your ancestors 
  have paid off again. The fetish will generate effects 
  for two months.
  126-150
  Fantastic! – Your focus pays off, in a slightly unex-
  pected way. Your fetish’s mana matrix is unusually 
  well constructed. The fetish functions for one 
  month, but on one occasion (chosen by the fetish’s 
  owner), the fetish generates double its base effects.
  101-125
  Nice! – A well-made fetish is truly a sight to see. 
  While this fetish is entirely normal in operational 
  capacity (it functions for one month as expected), 
  its resale value is doubled.
  91-100
  Success – The fetish works as expected for one 
  month.
  76-90
  Limited Success – The fetish will function, but is 
  poorly made. It functions as expected, but only for a 
  week. Reduce its market value by half.
  51-75
  Limited Failure – Oh dear. While it might appear 
  that the fetish works, it is deeply unreliable. Each 
  time the owner attempts to use the fetish, a d100 
  roll must be made. Any roll of 33 or below causes 
  the fetish to fail permanently. Any roll between 34 
  and 50 causes the charm to malfunction in some 
  unpleasant...and GM determined...way. A roll above 
  50 means the fetish functions as expected. Any 
  open-ended high roll destroys the fetish.
  1-50
  Failure – Your fetish does not function. Your mate-
  rials are wasted. Start over.
  less than zero
  Consult chapter 11 – “One-shot Items”
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  talisman-making is burdensomely complex, time-consuming 
  in the extreme and very, very expensive. The lore to manu-
  facture talismans is almost without exception guarded like 
  a prized jewel by its owners. While many nations have got-
  ten rich through trading in spices, others make their money 
  through the manufacture and sale of items like these. Still 
  other cultures would never under any circumstances sell 
  their talismans and would hunt down any who stole them.
  The market price of talismans cannot be generalized. Each 
  one, due to factors of function, purpose and craft, will have a 
  different market price. A base price of 500 gp per PP is a good 
  place to start (but prices could go vastly higher).
  Creating a Talisman
  Use the following steps to create a talisman:
  1. Define The Concept
  What is the talisman supposed to do? There is no limit to the 
  potential complexity of a talisman. They can have multiple 
  Aspects, can provide limitless PPs in spell effects, can provide 
  limitless bonuses to OBs, DBs, RRs and maneuver checks and 
  can generate permanent effects. The chief difference between 
  a talisman and a charm or fetish is its permanence. Once 
  made (properly) it endures until purposefully or accidentally 
  destroyed. While there are no specific penalties for complex-
  ity, talismans are inherently difficult and expensive to make.
  Example:  The concept is a “Talisman of Time.” 
  The talisman has to grant the ability to stop and 
  manipulate time. In addition, it needs to give the 
  owner the ability to “remember” the layout of the 
  local area to such a precise degree that  she can 
  go back to a specific time, make a subtle (or gross) 
  change and allow events to replay themselves from 
  that time. Because this is so complex, the talisman 
  grants a temporary but substantial bonus to the 
  Insight statistic while the talisman is being used. Any 
  changes made to a timeline are permanent, and only 
  the owner remembers the last “time out.”
  2. Concept to Aspects
  Does the talisman generate only spell effects that replicate 
  existing spells or grant assorted bonuses? If so, skip ahead to 
  step 5. If it does not, calculate the Aspect total cost according 
  to the charts and instructions in chapter 6 and proceed to 
  step 3.
  Example cont’d: This talisman has a number of 
  Aspects. Active Aspects include Enhance, Stop, Store, 
  Travel. Passive Aspects include Stat and Time.
  3. Determine Attributes
  Talismans can have a full range of Attributes. Their range can 
  be anything between Self and essentially unlimited. They are 
  the only charmcraft devices that can generate Permanent ef-
  fects or are themselves permanent.
  Example cont’d: The relevant Attributes for this 
  item include a Range of 500’, an Area of Effect of 
  100’ and a  Duration of Permanent for the time 
  effects and a Range of Self, an Area of Effect of Self 
  and a Duration of “No Duration” for the Insight 
  augmentation. The GM also insists that it be limited 
  in its temporal range (how far back into the past 
  time can be manipulated) to 5 rounds.
  4. Determine Scale
  Talismans can be scaled to whatever degree desired by 
  the charmcrafter.
  Example cont’d:  The Insight bonus is going to be a 
  bonus of +40 to the stat bonus, leading to a cost of 
  8xBase, which we will calculate below.
  5. Calculate Effect Costs
  If the talisman duplicates already existing spells, be they Base 
  or scaled, the effect costs are the total PPs required to cast 
  these spells. If the talisman does not duplicate already exist-
  ing spells, the total PP cost can be determined according to 
  the formula in chapter 5.
  Example cont’d:  In order to properly determine 
  the cost of the scaled effect, we need to cost the item’s 
  different abilities separately. The base cost of the 
  Insight augmentation is (15+5) + (5+5+5) = 35/20 = 
  2. When we add the cost of the scaled effect, the total 
  PP cost for the Insight augmentation is 8x2 = 16.
  The time effect costs rather more. (5+20+10+15 + 10 
  for multiple effect) + (80+150+200 +15 for special 
  time) = 505/20 = 26 round up. Add the 26 to the 16 
  for a grand total of 42 PP. Costly indeed.
  6. Calculate Mana and Materials Requirements
  Talismans have the potential to be superbly difficult to make. 
  Not only are the material costs higher because of the use of 
  minerals and esoteric materials, the personal mana invest-
  ment is as high as it is for charms and fetishes. The charm-
  crafter must have available personal PPs and material PPs 
  equal to double to total cost of the talisman.
  Example cont’d:  42 PP of personal mana is a 
  sizable investment for all the most powerful mages 
  to come up with. This is as it should be, as the 
  permanent manipulation of time even on a modest 
  area and a handful of seconds is serious business. 42 
  PP of material for a worthy talisman should require 
  an esoteric material like Thunderbolt or Starstone.
  7. Calculate “Laboratory” Costs and Time Factors
  Talismans are complicated indeed and have the potential to 
  be ruinously expensive. A talisman requires no less than a 
  full month’s work (twelve hours per day) per 25 PPs before a 
  fabrication attempt roll can be made.
  The base laboratory costs to manufacture a fetish are 10 gp 
  plus 10 gp per PP of the talisman (a 15 PP talisman would cost 
  160 gp). These costs cover everything except the cost of ma-
  terials. Because of the inherent rarity of talismans, GMs are 
  encouraged to require the fabricating player to gain access to 
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  the materials through the game it-
  self rather than to presume that the 
  materials are “readily available.”
  Example cont’d:  The base 
  time to manufacture this item 
  is two months. The basic cost 
  to manufacture this item is 
  420 gp...before materials. After 
  spending the time and the 
  money – roll on the table below. 
  Good luck!
  8. Resolve Fabrication Attempt
  Make 
  an 
  open-ended 
  All-or-
  Nothing Create Talisman (-60 
  Charmcraft sub-skill) 1d100 ma-
  neuver roll modified as follows:
   
   +20 Taking special care (working at least 25% longer 
  than required)
   
   -5 
  For each different material after two
  Charms, Fetishes and 
  Talismans in History and 
  Gameplay
  There is a long tradition in human culture to invest authority 
  in the power of certain objects. From the classic dolls of the 
  Voudoun tradition, to jade figurines, to Celtic wicker men to 
  the supposed power of Christian relics, charms, fetishes and 
  talismans have long held sway over the imagination. Charms 
  and fetishes have been used to protect their owners from un-
  wanted magical spells since the earliest days of civilization. 
  They have also been used to focus magical energy in the hopes 
  of bringing about some kind of change. Frequently, ancient 
  charms and fetishes were used by their owners for purposes 
  of love – either to make someone fall in love with the owner, 
  or to break up a relationship which, for whatever reason, the 
  owner did not agree with. If not for love, charms and fetishes 
  were also frequently used in the hopes that the magical pow-
  ers invested in them would make the owner wealthy through 
  some mystical means. Talismans, defined here as a perma-
  nent charm, also exist in the human experience, but their 
  magic more commonly derives from something inherent in 
  the materials themselves. An object made from a nail of the 
  True Cross might serve as an example of a talisman – because 
  the power of the True Cross never fails, the object made from 
  it also never fails.
  Charms, fetishes and talismans can play a significant role in a 
  role-playing environment. Every culture will have its own tra-
  dition regarding this sort of magical object. GMs should con-
  sider the full range of questions when bringing these objects 
  into their games, particularly the talismans, as their perma-
  nence and expense makes them both highly prized and rare. 
  Because charms, fetishes and talismans can alter reality, they 
  are inherently powerful (even a minor charm can turn the tide 
  of battle or negotiation, if deployed at precisely the right time) 
  and frequently destabilizing. The need to steal or recover a 
  sacred talisman can generate weeks upon weeks of exciting, 
  nail-biting adventuring. An adventuring party being attacked 
  capriciously and from the shadows by a fetish-wielding enemy 
  bent on their destruction is a hair-raising experience indeed. 
  I did precisely this to an adventuring party running through 
  a game of mine some years ago. Their enemy? A young, unlet-
  tered woman who, because of a negative encounter with one 
  of the party members, took it upon herself to do them in. Her 
  weapon? Little more than a bag of sacred...and very power-
  ful...bones. 
  Talisman Resolution Table
  Result
  101 or greater
  Success!! Your people will surely tell your story for 
  generations. Your talisman works. 
  91-100
  So Very Close! – While you have not succeeded, 
  you are so close you can smell it. You must work an 
  additional two weeks. After you put in the work, 
  make another roll on this table. Treat any result 
  of less than 100 as a failure (materials and money 
  wasted – start again).
  51-90
  What Was It? – A critical but unsuspected error 
  must have been made at some early point in the 
  process, because no matter what you try to do to 
  bring the talisman to life, it just does not work. 
  Start again.
  50 or less
  Consult chapter 11 – “One-shot Items”
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  9 Enchanting Items
  And lo it transpired that on the second attempt, our intrepid heroes slew 
  the dragon. The band of three was actually quite surprised at the ease of 
  it. With the loot that they had purchased, purloined and acquired from the 
  White Lady and other sources both reputable and less so, the dragon was 
  easily dispatched. Now came the challenging part – dividing the spoils.
  “Are you sure that all she wants is this sword?” Ferrannin the gnome 
  asked, hefting a jewel-encrusted blade with both hands.
  Horkin nodded while Rekki greedily sorted copper pieces out of the fairly 
  substantial pile of silver and gold he’d found in piles all over the dragon’s lair.
  “Fair enough,” said Ferrannin, pocketing crystals, a ring or two and sheathing 
  a new, glimmering dagger that he was confident would help in a pinch.
  Horkin by contrast was still, staggered by the scope of their 
  accomplishment and the sheer, staggering size of the dragon’s 
  loot. Oh, what we will have to leave behind, he thought.
  “Look at this,” Rekki said, holding out a simple brooch with an enormous 
  emerald in the setting. Both Horkin and Ferrannin gasped at its beauty.
  “She’ll want this,” Ferrannin said.
  “She isn’t going to get it,” Horkin said, a new and unwelcome strain in his voice.
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  Enchanting Items
  There is nothing quite as desirable as a magic item that, for 
  whatever reason, is permanent. This is to say that the item can 
  generate a specific type of effect a certain number of times 
  per day, seemingly or actually forever. Quests to find them 
  frequently form the core of the best stories, myths and games. 
  The desire for these items often unmake those who desire 
  them. Strategically deploying permanent items within a game 
  environment can greatly enhance the game itself, raising the 
  stakes precipitously while at the same time increasing the 
  danger faced by the adventuring team. This danger, it almost 
  goes without saying, is both external and internal. External 
  because if the party’s enemies possess an item of power, the 
  party is usually in big trouble. Internal because if the party 
  owns an item like this, conflicts between players can threaten 
  to divide the party against itself.
  Permanent items are often fairly rare in most adventuring 
  contexts; the costs to make them are frequently prohibitively 
  expensive. By the same token, the lore to create these items is 
  not public knowledge. Those who know how to make an item 
  permanent generally do not want others also knowing how to 
  do it. Last of all, one way in which items can be made perma-
  nent is through personal sacrifice. Once someone makes that 
  kind of sacrifice, he or she is certainly not going to be pleased 
  to lose control of that item.
  The normal enchantment process using Imbue Bonus, Imbue 
  Charge, Imbue Exotic and Imbue Spell  as described in College 
  of Magics provides a mechanism for creating permanent 
  magical items but the process takes time and requires sig-
  nificant spell knowledge. What follows are some alternative 
  methods by which items might be made permanent. GMs are 
  advised that these methods can be destabilizing to a game en-
  vironment or irrelevant within it. It the GM and players wish, 
  however, any of these methods might provide the opportu-
  nity for enhanced game play and character development. This 
  is also not an exhaustive consideration of the topic; the clever 
  GM might devise many other methods.
  Cultural Sophistication
  Powerful cabals of witches and warlocks. Schools of magic 
  nestled in secluded valleys. Whole cities which have bent 
  their purpose to the unlocking of lore. Empires bent on 
  controlling enough people, mana, land or other wealth for 
  purposes known only to the empire’s leadership. All of these 
  types of forces might have sufficient powers to create magical 
  items that are permanent.
  The most likely way for an organized society to create items 
  of permanence is through closely held, secret spells designed 
  to imbue items with a mana matrix so stable that it will never 
  break down. These items will not always be intelligent, but 
  they will almost always be made for a special purpose. Items 
  that are made permanent by means of these sorts of spells can 
  be made from any sort of material. A simple bundle of reeds, 
  a holy bone or even a ring made of copper might be infused 
  with power and made permanent. The materials being used 
  must be able to hold the mana that is being infused into them, 
  however.
  Different societies have differing needs, goals and purposes. 
  Not every culture needs great rings or swords of power. Many 
  of them might need smaller, less sophisticated items that are 
  nevertheless permanent. Using this method, GMs have the 
  capacity to make any item permanent.
  What follows is a list of spells that a GM might use to bring a 
  permanent item into existence. These spells are High Magic 
  and require access to ley lines or nexus points. Their advan-
  tage is that a single casting can create a permanent magical 
  item, without the process of imprints and sealing them with 
  power projection. The disadvantage is being tied to ley lines 
  and nexus points and high PP costs. Fumbling on one of these 
  attempts will end badly. None of the spells that follow are 
  standard. Even the most sophisticated cultures might not 
  master the more complex of these.
  High Imbue Attack Bonus
  PP COST: 15
  RANGE: Touch
  DURATION: Permanent
  SPELL TYPE: Utility
  RR: —
  SPHERES: High Magic
  DESCRIPTION: The caster may imbue an item with a spell 
  matrix capable of holding a single magical bonus increment to 
  OB. This spell may only be cast on a ley line or within a nexus 
  node.
  SCALING OPTIONS:
  Enchant Existing Non-magical Item +15 PP
  Enchant Existing Magical Item +30 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment II +15 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment III +30 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment IV +45 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment V +60 PP
  High Imbue Defense Bonus
  PP COST: 15
  RANGE: Touch
  DURATION: Permanent
  SPELL TYPE: Utility
  RR: —
  SPHERES: High Magic
  DESCRIPTION: The caster may imbue an item with a spell 
  matrix capable of holding a single magical bonus increment to 
  DB. This spell may only be cast on a ley line or within a nexus 
  node.
  SCALING OPTIONS:
  Enchant Existing Non-magical Item +15 PP
  Enchant Existing Magical Item +30 PP
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  Increase Bonus Increment II +15 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment III +30 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment IV +45 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment V +60 PP
  High Imbue Charge
  PP COST: 20
  RANGE: Touch
  DURATION: Permanent
  SPELL TYPE: Utility
  RR: —
  SPHERES: High Magic
  DESCRIPTION: The caster may imbue an item with a 
  spell matrix capable of holding a spell of up to 4 PP, with the 
  eventual aim of creating a charged spell item (with 50 charges). 
  This spell may only be cast on a ley line or within a nexus node.
  This spell has four special scaling options:
  Increase Matrix Potency: This allows higher-powered 
  spells to be added to items that are created and enchanted at 
  the same time, on a 2 for 1 PP basis.
  Self-Charging: This option allows the item to regenerate 
  one charge per day.
  Recharge Item: A charged item that has expended all 
  its charges may be recharged using this option. One charge is 
  restored for each PP invested in this scaling option.
  Increase Maximum Charges: The item will have a 
  maximum of 100 charges.
  SCALING OPTIONS:
  Enchant Existing Non-magical Item +20 PP
  Enchant Existing Magical Item +40 PP
  Increase Matrix Potency (per extra PP) +2 PP
  Self-Charging (per PP in matrix) +2 PP
  Recharge Item (per charge restored) +2 PP
  Increase Maximum Charges +20 PP
  High Imbue Exotic 
  PP COST: 19
  RANGE: Touch
  DURATION: Permanent
  SPELL TYPE: Utility
  RR: —
  SPHERES: High Magic
  DESCRIPTION: The caster may imbue an item with a spell 
  matrix capable of simulating a talent or a special magical 
  ability. Using the base form of this spell, the talent’s DP cost or 
  the Ability Cost must be 5 points or less. This spell may only be 
  cast on a ley line or within a nexus node.
  SCALING OPTIONS:
  Enchant Existing Non-magical Item +19 PP
  Enchant Existing Magical Item +38 PP
  Greater Talent (per extra DP of Talent) +2 PP
  Greater Ability (per extra Ability Cost point) +2 PP
  High Imbue Resistance
  PP COST: 15
  RANGE: Touch
  DURATION: Permanent
  SPELL TYPE: Utility
  RR: —
  SPHERES: High Magic
  DESCRIPTION: The caster may imbue an item with a spell 
  matrix capable of holding a single magical bonus increment to 
  RR. This spell may only be cast on a ley line or within a nexus 
  node.
  SCALING OPTIONS:
  Enchant Existing Non-magical Item +15 PP
  Enchant Existing Magical Item +30 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment II +15 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment III +30 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment IV +45 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment V +60 PP
  High Imbue Skill Bonus
  PP COST: 15
  RANGE: Touch
  DURATION: Permanent
  SPELL TYPE: Utility
  RR: —
  SPHERES: High Magic
  DESCRIPTION: The caster may imbue an item with a spell 
  matrix capable of holding a single magical bonus increment 
  to a specific skill. This spell may only be cast on a ley line or 
  within a nexus node.
  SCALING OPTIONS:
  Enchant Existing Non-magical Item +15 PP
  Enchant Existing Magical Item +30 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment II +15 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment III +30 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment IV +45 PP
  Increase Bonus Increment V +60 PP
  High Imbue Spell
  PP COST: 20
  RANGE: Touch
  DURATION: Permanent
  SPELL TYPE: Utility
  RR: —
  SPHERES: High Magic
  DESCRIPTION: The caster may imbue an item with a 
  spell matrix capable of holding a spell of up to 5 PP, with the 
  eventual aim of creating a Daily spell item. This spell may only 
  be cast on a ley line or within a nexus node.
  This spell has six special scaling options:
  Increase Matrix Potency: This allows higher-powered 
  spells to be added to items that are created and enchanted at 
  the same time, on a 2 for 1 PP basis.
  Daily II Effect: This will allow the item to function twice 
  per day.
  Daily III Effect: This will allow the item to function three 
  times per day.
  Constant Effect: Instead of creating a Daily Item, the use 
  of this option will enable the caster to enchant an item with a 
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  constant effect. 
  Trigger Effect: Instead of creating a Daily Item, the use 
  of this option will enable the caster to enchant an item with a 
  semi-constant effect. The effect will be active only as long as a 
  certain condition is met. The condition must be something that 
  is built into the item easily doable, such as purposely touching a 
  specific stud on a handle or using a feature of the item to cause 
  specific bits of the item to touch, activating the effect.
  “At Will” Effect: Instead of creating a Daily Item, the use 
  of this option will enable the caster to enchant an item with an 
  effect which can be used “at will” by its wielder or wearer. 
  SCALING OPTIONS:
  Enchant Existing Non-magical Item +20 PP
  Enchant Existing Magical Item +40 PP
  Increase Matrix Potency (per extra PP) +2 PP
  Daily II Effect +10 PP
  Daily III Effect +20 PP
  Constant Effect +40 PP
  Trigger Effect +20 PP
  “At Will” Effect +40 PP
  Special Ingredients
  Another method characters might use to make items perma-
  nent is through the use of special ingredients. The existence 
  of special crystals, unusual metal, meteorites or other such 
  things is a commonplace in fantasy literature, and for a good 
  reason; the need to find these special ingredients can gener-
  ate hundreds of hours of compelling reading or gameplay. 
  Possessing this sort of special ingredient also has the ten-
  dency to concentrate one’s enemies and attract even more of 
  their unwelcome attention.
  Making a permanent item from one of these special ingredi-
  ents is as simple as making any other item, be it a talisman, a 
  rune, a ring or what have you. The only difference is that by 
  using this ingredient, the item made generates permanent ef-
  fects. Some special ingredients are:
  Earth-emerald
  Do not let the unassuming name fool you! Earth-emerald is 
  one of the most rare stones that can be dug from the Earth. 
  In the richest mother lodes worked by the dwarves, perhaps 
  one Earth-emerald per year turns up. Unlike many other 
  things that dwarves dig up, they have never expressed a great 
  deal of interest in owning these gems, tending to sell them to 
  elves or gnomes, who desire them greatly. One of the quali-
  ties that make Earth-emerald peculiar is that it does not have 
  any mana potential on its own. What it does have is the most 
  stable matrix of any stone known. It can hold up to 5 PP per 
  carat. The largest Earth-emerald ever found is only 5 carats; 
  generally, they are about 1 carat in size. Their open market 
  value is 1000 gp/carat.
  Fairie-wood
  Found deep within the most sacred groves of the elves, fairie-
  wood comes from rare trees known for two qualities. First, 
  they bloom once per century, sending out one long shoot 
  that will take root and grow into another fairie-wood tree. At 
  that point, the original tree, never with a wider circumfer-
  ence than a human thumb, is ready to be harvested. Second, 
  when harvested, the bark and inner flesh of the tree form long 
  and thin but sturdy strands that can be woven. Each strand 
  of fairie-wood can hold 1 PP. Each fairie-wood tree generates 
  approximately 100 strands when harvested. The open market 
  value of fairie-wood is irrelevant – the elves never sell.
  Titanite
  Titanite is an exceptionally rare metal that falls to Earth 
  every so often during meteor showers. Titanite is highly mal-
  leable and has a fairly low melting point. As a result, it can be 
  used in a variety of alloys and applications. Titanite is used 
  frequently as one metal among others in weapon and shield 
  crafting. Even a thin filament of titanite used in a sword can 
  greatly augment its potential. Magical effects stored within a 
  titanite matrix do not break down. An ounce of titanite can 
  store up to 10 PP of mana per ounce. The open market value of 
  titanite is north of 1000 gp per ounce.
  Spiritual Quest
  The gods can do as they will in a game environment. There 
  are going to be role-playing opportunities where the spiritual 
  realm plays a large part just as there will be games where 
  the gods and the spiritual element play a tangential role. 
  This method of generating permanent items is a trifle arbi-
  trary, much like the gods can seem to be to mortals. In my 
  own gamemastering experience, every now and again I have 
  granted a permanent magical item as a reward for completing 
  a spiritual quest. The item granted always had something to 
  do with the god whose will was done and the party always 
  had to embrace the quest willingly and to advance whatever 
  god’s mission was being served. While this can be arbitrary, 
  if it is placed within a cultural and social context and is only 
  granted as a result of a great victory achieved at a terrible 
  price (the gods tend not to notice sacrifice unless it is big), the 
  results can be quite satisfactory.
  Sacrifice
  There is one other way that an individual or group might 
  achieve the creation of a permanent magic item...the way that 
  is the most terrible. Another theme in fantasy literature is 
  sacrifice; the personal sacrifice of wealth, health, or even life 
  itself to achieve the goal of a permanent magic item. There are 
  dozens of ways in which an individual or group might make 
  sacrifices to achieve this goal. If the sacrifice is to be made by 
  a group, the GM might use the spells above under Cultural 
  Sophistication. Some suggested methods follow:
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  Wealth
  A GM might allow a character to forge a permanent item by 
  means of sacrificing wealth. This wealth might be given to 
  the gods, melted down in a dragon’s fire or within a volcanic 
  cone or left on another plane of existence. The act of making 
  the sacrifice grants PPs to the sacrificer. I would discourage 
  this method, but an appropriate exchange might be 1000 gp 
  of sacrificed wealth for each 1 PP of mana granted. Thus, sac-
  rificing 10,000 gp would allow for the creation of a permanent 
  magic item that can do up to 10 PPs of effects.
  Health
  The sacrifice of one’s health, be it physical or mental, has a 
  greater game integrity than sacrificing wealth and also has 
  a stronger tradition within fantasy literature. To generate 
  1 PP of effects, a character must sacrifice 5 points from any 
  Statistic. There is no limit to the number of points that can be 
  sacrificed in this way. A character might also sacrifice 10 of 
  their permanent hits.
  Life
  Last of all, a character might sacrifice his or her very life 
  force to attain permanence for a magic item. For each level 
  sacrificed, a character can create 5 PP of permanently embed-
  ded effects.
  The Consequences of 
  Enchanting
  Enchanting an item so that it has permanent effects should 
  generally have consequences. Characters who spend their 
  lives learning how to work as a powerful collective that can 
  cast spells like Greater Imbuing are going to be under a lot 
  of pressure to conform to their society’s standards. Failing to 
  live up to these standards can and should change that char-
  acter’s life permanently. A team of adventurers who take it 
  upon themselves to carry out a god’s mission and perform a 
  spiritual quest might receive a great reward, but what is the 
  ultimate cost of that reward? How much freedom does a spir-
  itual hero have after succeeding at their task?
  Last of all are those individuals who commit personal sac-
  rifices to make permanent magic items. What personality 
  traits have to come together before undertaking this sort of 
  task? Madness? Megalomania? Insanity? Greed? In any case, 
  a character who sacrifices his or her health or life force to cre-
  ate a magic item is going to be rather unwilling to part with 
  it…
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  They journeyed back to town with a newfound spring in their step. They 
  had beaten the dragon and had every hope of escaping, for good, their 
  forced servitude to the White Lady. But like many people in over their 
  heads, their judgment was not perfect. Their impulses being what they 
  were, they would not give up everything and they would play one last 
  trick on her, damn the consequences.
  “Are you certain?” Ferrannin asked Horkin, fingering the sword hanging at 
  his side.
  “That sword is cursed – can’t you read the inscription?” Horkin said.
  “No I can’t, actually,” Ferrannin said.
  “It’s a nonsense rhyme, but its meaning is clear.  It turns your friends 
  against you!”
  “Make certain she gets that sword first,” Rekki said.
  10 Intelligent Loot
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  items with intelligence
  Rings with malevolent agendas of their own. Swords whose 
  will is so strong that they can rule whole empires. Crystal 
  balls with just a bit too many ideas of their own. Strange carv-
  ings from a distant past which have been working for mil-
  lennia at equally strange purposes. Battleaxes with a taste 
  for orcish blood and the will to drive its “owner” far deeper 
  into conflict than perhaps he or she can handle. An endur-
  ing theme in fantasy literature is that sometimes items have 
  a mind of their own. These items can take almost any form 
  and can have almost any kind of agenda. Sometimes these 
  items are merely empathic; other items are perhaps the most 
  intelligent entity on Earth. Sometimes these items share the 
  morality and purpose of their owners, other times they do 
  not. In any case, these rings, swords, amulets, statues and the 
  like have the ability to propel a story forward like little else 
  and are a staple of many fantasy adventures, despite their in-
  herent risks.
  players, characters and intelligent 
  items
  Characters who take possession of items with intelligence 
  should be mindful of some of the problems that go along 
  with them. Unless the character’s personal moral values, 
  ethical choices and life plan are in perfect alignment with the 
  item’s, there is bound to be conflict. Intelligent items have a 
  well-deserved history for not going along with a character, 
  particularly when “all is on the line.” While characters may not 
  always be completely aware of this, players generally are.
  Players with characters who own intelligent items should, 
  as a matter of general principle, be allowed to play the item 
  and their character at the same time. There will, however, 
  undoubtedly be times during any campaign where the item’s 
  agenda and the character’s are in conflict. During these 
  moments of crisis, it is appropriate for the gamemaster to take 
  control of the item, at least until said crisis is resolved.
  intelligent items in a campaign 
  setting
  Intelligent items should never be introduced into a 
  campaign or a campaign setting without careful thought on the 
  part of the gamemaster and frequently the players. Intelligent 
  items are exceedingly rare (in any one campaign setting there 
  may be just one or two, but certainly there will almost never 
  be more than a few dozen). Table 14.1 of the HARP rulebook, 
  for instance, provides just one occasion where an intelligent 
  item might be randomly generated (and even were a 100 to be 
  rolled on the rich treasure column, the GM is not compelled 
  to provide an intelligent item). Because these items can be 
  destabilizing and disruptive, they should never be part of 
  random treasure assortments or given without premeditation. 
  Gamemasters must fully understand an intelligent items’ 
  history, purpose, moral values and future plans before bringing 
  the item into a campaign properly. Likewise, characters should 
  be careful and reflective before they enter into the process of 
  making an intelligent item. This process is time consuming, 
  resource consuming and frequently relationship consuming as 
  well.
  Generating statistics for an intelligent item is a relatively 
  straightforward process for a GM; it is outlined below. 
  Fabricating intelligent items from scratch is much more 
  complicated and will be detailed in a separate section.
  Generating Intelligent Items
  The steps for generating an intelligent item are:
  1. Generate Stats and Determine Willpower
  2. Assign Personality
  3. Assign Moral Purpose(s)
  4. Determine Special Purposes 
  5. Buy Special Powers
  6. Determine Flaws and/or Defects
  7. Draft History and Plans
  1. Generate Stats and Determine 
  Willpower
  The first step in creating an intelligent item is determin-
  ing its stats. All intelligent items have four basic stats: Self-
  Discipline, Reasoning, Insight and Presence (their physical 
  stats are determined by whatever their physical make-up hap-
  pens to be). These stats should be determined using one of the 
  options below (modified from the HARP core rules for stat 
  generation). Once stats are determined, the GM should make 
  note of the stat bonuses for each of the four stats.
  Generating Stats: Option One
  Using this method, the GM has 275 points to purchase 
  the four intelligent item stats. All stats start at zero but can be 
  bought up on a point-by-point basis unless the desired stat 
  value is 91 or higher. Use the table below to determine the cost 
  per stat point.
  Stat Range
  Cost per point
  1-90
  1
  91-95
  2
  96-100
  3
  101-105
  5
  Generating Stats: Option Two
  Using this method, the GM has 250 points plus 10d10 
  points to spend on purchasing the intelligent item’s stats. This 
  method could produce an intelligent item with 350 points, or 
  one with only 260, depending on the luck of the GMs roll. See 
  the chart above for the cost of purchasing stats.
  Generating Stats: Option Three
  GMs should use this option to create very powerful intelli-
  gent items. Using this method, the GM has as many points as 
  she would like to generate the item’s stats. Because this option 
  can be highly destabilizing, it is suggested that this option 
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  only be used when creating items that will have a key or criti-
  cal impact on the game being played. This option should not 
  be used for “routine” intelligent items. GMs should also make 
  certain to provide intelligent items generated under this op-
  tion with some interesting defects/flaws.
  Determining Willpower
  Once stats have been purchased and stat bonuses noted, 
  the GM should add two times the stat bonus for Self Discipline 
  with the stat bonus for Presence together ((SDx2)+PR). This 
  gives the item’s willpower, which will be used to determine the 
  outcome in item versus character conflicts.
  For example: the GM has generated the following stats 
  for an intelligent sword using option one: SD 101; RE 60; IN 
  50; PR 45. This generates bonuses of  (+11x2=22) and –2 for 
  a combined willpower of 20.
  2. Assign Personality
  One of the most enjoyable aspects of creating and play-
  ing with intelligent items is the personality of these items. 
  Intelligent items have a long and glorious reputation for bra-
  vado. In order to bring maximum flavor to his or her game, 
  the GM should select three dominant personality character-
  istics from the tables below. At least one of these should be 
  based on the item’s most dominant stat (in the above example, 
  SD) and one should be based on the weakest stat (in the above 
  example, PR).
  Getting the personality of the item fixed early is important 
  for a couple of reasons. First, understanding the personality 
  of the item will give the GM important insights into the de-
  cision making of the item. What will it risk? What might it 
  want to gain? With whom might it work best? Worst? Second, 
  as is the case with all intelligent races, knowing the personal-
  ity of the item will help the GM come to terms with the essen-
  tial nature of the item. This knowledge will be critical when 
  writing the item’s history. The personality traits below are 
  just suggestions; there are many more than these!
  Personality Traits: Self Discipline
  Dominant
  Driven, Focused, Judicial, Moderate, Organized, Pragmatic, 
  Restrained, Self-possessed, Temperate
  Weak
  Base, Cowardly, Craven, Fickle, Procrastinator, Spineless, 
  Two-faced, Unmotivated, Venal
  Personality Traits: Reasoning
  Dominant
  Analytical, Assiduous, Astute, Discerning, Logical, 
  Rational, Reasonable, Sensible
  Weak
  Dull, Illogical, Slow, Unaware, Unreasonable
  Personality Traits: Insight
  Dominant
  Aware, Clever, Discriminating, Insightful, Mindful, 
  Sagacious, Sensible, Sharp
  Weak
  Clueless, Foolish, Idiotic, Simple, Unaware
  Personality Traits: Presence
  Dominant
  Bewitching, Charming, Engaging, Influential, Lovable, 
  Pleasant, Self assured, Witty
  Weak
  Aggravating, Annoying, Domineering, Irksome, Overeager, 
  Vexing 
  3. Assign Moral Purpose
  All sentient beings have some moral purpose; this is no less 
  true for intelligent loot. Moral purpose might be called eth-
  ics, alignment, values, but whatever it is called, it speaks to 
  the core of the item’s goals and objectives. It helps clarify 
  what the item will willingly do, the sort of owner it might look 
  for and for what it will risk everything to accomplish.
  An unsophisticated item’s moral purpose might be very sim-
  ply stated as simply “good” or “evil” or “lawful” or “chaotic.” A 
  more complex assessment of moral alignment might develop 
  these notions with concepts like “rigidly lawful,” “noble,” 
  “amoral,” “corrupt,” “neutral,” “scoundrel, “self-centered” 
  or dozens more. Ultimately, the most important thing for a 
  GM to understand is that items have morality too, and their 
  actions are going to be strongly governed by their morality. 
  Like people, intelligent loot is going to be unwilling at best to 
  advance a moral agenda that stands in opposition to its own. 
  It is critical that the GM understand the intelligent item’s eth-
  ics and morality as some great roleplaying can come from a 
  player and intelligent item being, suddenly and surprisingly, 
  at cross purposes.
  4. Determine Special Purposes
  Many intelligent items also have a special purpose – some-
  thing that gives their existence a greater focus. Gamemasters 
  should feel free to ignore this section if it seems too both-
  ersome; running a campaign with an intelligent item with a 
  special purpose can be quite difficult. Special purposes are 
  potentially infinite in scope and should be selected purpose-
  fully by the gamemaster.
  It should perhaps go without saying that special purposes 
  have to be in alignment with the item’s moral purpose  (unless 
  the intelligent item is insane). It is also important to remem-
  ber that even though an item might have a special purpose, 
  it does not necessarily mean that it is driven to carry out its 
  special purpose to the detriment of everything else. If an item 
  has the special purpose “destroy Underhill cultures,” that 
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  does not mean that the item believes that it can destroy all 
  Underhill cultures. Rather, it will want to act in such a way 
  as to do maximum harm to those cultures whenever the op-
  portunity presents itself. Likewise, if the item has the special 
  purpose “kill Gryx,” that does not necessarily mean that the 
  item will want to engage in rampant slaughter whenever a 
  Gryx is about. Rather, if given the opportunity, it will want its 
  owner to help it carry out its special purpose. 
  A last example – there might be one or two examples of intel-
  ligent items in any campaign setting which have a complex 
  special purpose, that is to say, a special purpose with multiple 
  steps. The first part might be something like “kill ten drag-
  ons and take their hearts.” The second part might be “secure 
  10,000 PPs of primal essence.” Unless the item completely 
  loses a willpower contest with an owner, the rest of its special 
  purpose would be kept from the owner.
  The following are just some examples of special purposes. 
  There are, of course, thousands more. Gamemasters should 
  feel free to improvise on this list:
    Defeat all dwarves/elves/gryx/gnomes/humans/etc.
    Defend all dwarves/elves/gryx/gnomes/humans/etc.
    Defend sylvan cultures.
    Defeat Underhill cultures.
    Smite the enemies of God.
    Defend the interests of God.
    Uphold the good.
    Spread malevolence.
    Preserve the balance between order and disorder.
    Defend truth and justice.
    Defend lies and injustice.
    Gather all of a particular gemstone/primal essence/etc.
    Support the interests of the legitimate kings of the realm.
    Prove to all the world that I, the sword of luck, am the 
  pinnacle of all life...ha!!
    Visit the seventeen islands of the Lorgish chain.
  5. Buy Special Powers
  All intelligent items have special powers embedded within 
  them to help them defend themselves or carry out their 
  special purposes. The gamemaster should first compute the 
  item’s development points. Intelligent items development 
  points are determined the same way character development 
  points are and are set at 50 Development Points, 
  Anything, be it a weapon, a shield, a ring, an amulet or what-
  ever the GM might imagine, can be enchanted to provide 
  its owner with an augmented DB. Only weapons can be en-
  chanted to provide its owner with an augmented OB. Any 
  item may be enchanted to provide skill bonuses. Using the 
  full pool of development points, the costs for these augmenta-
  tions are:
  OB/DB Bonus/Skill 
  Bonus
  Development Point Cost/ 
  level
  +5
  2
  +10/+15
  4
  +20/+25
  6
  +30 and above
  8 (+2/each level above +30)
  Example 1: The GM has generated a dagger and she wants the 
  dagger to have a +25 OB bonus. A +25 OB bonus costs 2 + 2x4 
  + 2x6 DPs for a total of 22 DPs. The same dagger with a +30 OB 
  would cost 30 DPs.
  Example 2: The GM has generated a ring that will provide a +5 
  DB bonus to its wearer. A +5 DB bonus costs 2 DPs. If the ring 
  provided a +10 bonus, it would cost 6 DP.
  In addition to OB/DB/skill bonuses, GMs have the option of 
  buying a full range of spell-like powers for the intelligent item 
  in question. The cost per spell-like effect is simple: 2 DP per 
  PP of the spell effect.
  For example: an intelligent magical ring provides its wearer 
  with the ability to safely land from any fall of 100 feet. The cost 
  for this is 4 PP +6 PP to scale the power to 100 feet. This totals 10 
  PPs for a DP cost of 10. 
  6. Determine Flaws and Defects
  One of the most enjoyable aspects of roleplaying an intelligent 
  item is bringing the items flaws into the game. There are very 
  few intelligent creatures indeed that do not have some kind of 
  defect or flaw that make up who or what they are. Therefore, 
  every item should have at least one of these flaws or defects.
  Flaws are fairly straightforward – these problems are not 
  potentially fatal problems with design (a defective mana ma-
  trix, for instance), but rather problems of will, inopportune 
  failures or other such inconveniences. Characters possess-
  ing intelligent items usually become aware of an item’s flaws 
  quickly enough, giving the character the opportunity to try 
  to counterbalance the flaw. Some examples of flaws include:
    Item will not function if it is raining or if the tempera-
  ture is below freezing.
    Item will not harm a male character unless it loses an 
  immediate willpower contest.
    Item fails to operate 10% of the time when it is night.
    Item fails to operate whenever there is a full moon.
    Item “forgets” its powers after it participates in kill-
  ing someone.
  Defects are potentially much more problematic. Defects in 
  design can cause the item not only to fail, but also to gener-
  ate effects opposite of those intended. Defects can also cause 
  direct and permanent damage to the item’s owner. Defects 
  are much trickier than flaws. Frequently the item is not even 
  aware that the defect exists. Should the item know about the 
  defect, it is generally in the item’s interests to keep the defect 
  from its owner. Items need to lose a willpower contest before 
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  Intelligent Items 
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  they will willingly acknowledge the presence of a defect. 
  Some examples of defects include:
  Each time the character wields the item successfully, there 
  is a 5% chance that he will lose 1d10 points of Strength/Self 
  Discipline/Insight/etc...
  The tenth time the character successfully wields the item, the 
  character’s gender is changed to the opposite (or to neuter).
  If the character fails to use the item in pursuit of one of its 
  special purposes, the item will summon a demon (or another 
  suitably nasty creature) to come to its aid the next time the 
  item is in a position to pursue one of its special purposes.
  Each time the character wields the item successfully, there 
  is a cumulative 5% chance that he will become “addicted” to 
  the item. That is to say that she will become paranoid about 
  others who come into contact with it. The owning character 
  will become jealous of others who express an interest in it. 
  The character will be increasingly unable to resist the will of 
  the item.
  7. Draft History And Plans
  The last step is to write a short history of the item – its pre-
  vious owners, what it knows (and does not know) about its 
  maker and what it believes is its purpose. The item should 
  also be provided with a short list of plans and objectives for 
  the future. There has to be a reason, after all, why it ended up 
  with the owner the GM selected.
  Willpower Challenges 
  item versus character
  Intelligent items always and without question have a moral 
  purpose and agenda of their own. Most intelligent items are 
  not terribly forthcoming with their owners regarding their 
  purpose and agenda, particularly if the owner’s morality dif-
  fers in some way with the item’s. It has long been a feature of 
  fantasy literature that taking possession of an intelligent item 
  can be far more dangerous than it would seem. 
  There will inevitably be times when the item’s will and pur-
  pose is in conflict with its owning character’s will and pur-
  pose. The first time an intelligent item and character come 
  into contact might be an appropriate occasion to consult this 
  chart. When an intelligent item wants one thing and a char-
  acter wants another, it is appropriate to consult the following 
  table to determine the outcome of that willpower challenge. 
  Gamemasters should feel free not to consult this chart every 
  time there is a minor disagreement between the item and the 
  owner. Reserve these contests for major turning points in 
  the relationship between item and owner – when the owner 
  wants to do something diametrically opposed to the item’s 
  moral purpose or plans/objectives or vice versa.
  Resolving a willpower challenge is a simple process. The own-
  ing player makes an open-ended d100 roll and adds his char-
  acter’s Will RR to the roll. This is the “resistance number.” The 
  gamemaster then makes an open-ended d100 roll, adding the 
  item’s Willpower (see above) to this roll. Subtract the item’s 
  roll from the character’s roll and consult the following chart 
  to determine the result.
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  Intelligent Items 
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  (Character Roll) – (Item Roll)
  Result
  greater than 100
  Character Dominant – the character has total dominance over 
  the item. The item will carry out the character’s instructions 
  without question and conform itself to the character’s moral 
  purpose and ambitions. Character gains a permanent +30 on any 
  future willpower challenges. The GM may allow the item to initi-
  ate willpower challenges once per month to attempt to restore 
  the balance, but the character retains her +30 bonus.
  76-100
  Character Wins – the character wins the willpower challenge. 
  The item carries out the character’s instructions for the next 
  week. The item conforms to the character’s moral purpose and 
  ambition for the next week but is fully aware that it has been 
  beaten in a willpower challenge and is displeased. At the end of 
  the week, the status quo is restored.
  51-75
  Character Barely Wins – the character wins the willpower 
  challenge, but only just. The item carries out the character’s next 
  instruction only. The item does not conform to the character’s 
  moral purpose and will work to subvert the character’s moral 
  purpose, even when carrying out the instruction. The item will 
  not carry out additional instructions that differ from its purpose 
  unless it loses another willpower challenge.
  (-50)-50
  No One Wins – neither the character nor the item wins the 
  willpower challenge. The GM may resolve this result in the fol-
  lowing ways:
  1. the character may wield the item as though there were 
  no challenge.
  2. initiate another willpower challenge immediately and continue 
  to make willpower challenges until either one side wins or there 
  are two consecutive rolls either above or below zero (a roll of 31 
  and then 46 would result in a character win, for instance).
  3. roleplay the conflict between the item and the character – have 
  them talk it out.
  (-51)-(-75)
  Item Barely Wins – the item wins the willpower challenge, but 
  only just. The character carries out the item’s next instruction 
  only. The character does not conform himself to the item’s moral 
  purpose even though he carries out the instruction. The charac-
  ter will not carry out additional instructions from the item that 
  differ from the character’s purpose unless the character loses 
  another willpower challenge.
  (-76)-(-100)
  Item Wins -- the item wins the willpower challenge. The char-
  acter carries out the item’s instructions for the next week. The 
  character conforms to the item’s moral purpose and ambition 
  for the next week but is fully aware that it has been beaten in a 
  willpower challenge and is resentful. At the end of the week, the 
  status quo is restored.
  less than –100
  Item Dominant – the item has total dominance over the charac-
  ter. The character will carry out the item’s instructions without 
  question. The character will conform itself to the item’s moral 
  purpose and ambitions. The item gains a permanent +30 on any 
  future willpower challenges. The GM may allow the character 
  to initiate willpower challenges once per month to restore the 
  balance, but the item retains its +30 bonus.
  HARP  Loot 
  Intelligent Items 
  Page 80
  
  Horkin bowed low, presenting the sword to the White Lady 
  without meeting her terrible gaze. “An additional bounty, your 
  gracefulness,” Horkin said with scarcely a trace of irony.
  The White Lady took the delicately carved, perfectly balanced sword 
  by the hilt and lifted it from Horkin’s outstretched hands. The beauty of 
  the sword’s design made her gasp ever so slightly. Horkin noticed.
  “It is a beauty, grace,” he said.
  “Quite,” she said. Horkin backed up a few steps, giving the White Lady 
  room to swing the longsword. It made an agreeable “whoof” as she 
  swung. “And you say it was just part of that fool dragon’s hoard?”
  Horkin smiled and nodded. “It appears he didn’t even know what he had.”
  The White Lady swung the sword again and smiled broadly.
  “I dismiss you and your team from my service, Horkin!” she said with enthusiasm.
  “Your word is bond, dread Lady,” Horkin said as he turned and hurried 
  from the room. He suspected he did not have much time...
  11 Now What!?
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  Now What? 
  Page 81
  
  Oopsy!
  If only adventuring was easier. Not only does the adventuring 
  professional have to deal with man-eating monsters, poisons, 
  traps, spiders, deranged vampires and blast-all what else, there 
  is also the ever-present risk of being cheated at cards by ag-
  gressive sharks, being ripped off in markets or being assaulted 
  by city police looking for kicks. The wise adventurer takes all 
  of this in stride because what else is there to do? If one can’t 
  take the risks, take up farming, right? Most adventurers can 
  cope with all manner of problems, but when loot, fairly or not 
  so fairly acquired is not what it seems to be, or doesn’t hold up 
  as it should, most adventurers, rightly, despair. If only there 
  weren’t so many ways in which loot can go wrong. Money 
  can be dodgy; weapons can backfire in surprising ways; rings 
  can turn on their owners; runes can be miswritten and so on. 
  Nearly anything that characters can earn as rewards can have 
  a dark or disagreeable side. Be mindful!
  And this is to say nothing of the myriad things that can go 
  catastrophically wrong during the fabrication process. Even 
  items as comparatively simple as potions can cause enormous 
  chaos if they are made improperly. Even mundane items can 
  cause serious problems if they fail. Weapons that are unreli-
  able are scary to take into combat. And this is to say nothing 
  of intelligent items that are made improperly or artifacts that 
  have lost their way. Frightening indeed. 
  A caveat: all that follows can provide flavor and character to 
  a game, but could also be considered annoying to the play-
  ers. It is, after all, hard enough acquiring loot. To have it go 
  bad, sometimes without warning, can be really insufferable. 
  So, gamemasters beware. Do not just take all of that as in-
  structions or requirements. Do with this what you will. I have 
  always believed that characters (and players for that matter) 
  should not get into the habit of viewing loot and treasure as 
  pure anyway. A little caution does a character good.
  Three Schools of Thought
  There are three ways to look at this notion of loot going 
  wrong. The first is simple enough – it doesn’t happen. Once 
  acquired, magic items and the like function and continue to 
  function normally unless some trauma takes place (acciden-
  tally dropping your magical ring into a volcano, for instance). 
  Loot is always legitimate; nothing ever goes wrong. If this is 
  your feeling, please skip ahead to chapter 13!
  Another school of thought holds that items break down 
  over time. Everything, even magical items, can only take so 
  much use or wear-and-tear before they break down. Worse 
  still, items can function, though not well, even while they are 
  breaking down. This can lead to an enjoyable level of mayhem 
  and added risk. In the sections that follow, methods to simu-
  late this process will be discussed.
  The last school of thought holds that items function properly 
  until, whammo!, they break down. Perhaps less realistic and 
  satisfying than the previous method, but items have been 
  known to break without warning, after all. This is often most 
  true of one-shot items like potions or charms. All seems to be 
  well until you actually need to use the thing. They often break 
  down in combat or at a critical moment, of course...
  Money
  Bless your heart. You believed that there would be no sec-
  tion in this chapter on money, didn’t you? Sorry. Even money, 
  simple currency, gold and silver, is subject to problems to 
  which you might not be immediately aware. Money can 
  present problems on two fronts: debasement and/or cul-
  tural concerns.
  A brief history of currency debasement is in order here. In 
  pre-modern societies (like almost all HARP game environ-
  ment societies are likely to be), the principle means of ex-
  change is coinage in gold, silver and copper. All coins struck 
  in these precious metals have to be alloyed to some degree. 
  The problem comes when governments, kings or emperors try 
  to reserve more of the gold, silver and copper to themselves 
  by striking coins that have more alloy (nickel and the like) 
  than the precious metal. When currency becomes debased 
  it is worth less inherently. A bigger problem still is the effect 
  this has on prices, which inevitably rise when the debase-
  ment becomes commonly known. If characters are not aware 
  that the local mint has been striking coins that are only 60% 
  gold rather than the proper 90% and everyone else does, they 
  can easily get ripped off. An award of 50 gold pieces, in other 
  words, is not always what it appears to be. If a gamemaster is 
  inclined to bring this concept into the game, it would be fair 
  to say that perhaps as much as 20% of coins in any particular 
  sack might be debased.
  Culturally speaking, adventurers face significant problems 
  with money when crossing borders. Nations with normal and 
  friendly relations are also going to have trade relations that 
  are normal and friendly. This means that merchants in both 
  countries will be accustomed to getting coins from the other 
  in trade and that these coins will be accepted at more or less 
  face value. Nationals of countries that are hostile to one an-
  other are going to be far less willing to take the other’s coins 
  at face value.
  These two issues are what give the moneychanger’s trade its 
  reputation, its risk and its rewards. Money speaks many lan-
  guages, some of which a character won’t recognize. Beware.
  When Magic Items Attack: 
  One-shot items
  One-shot items are potions, charms, runes and any other 
  miscellaneous item that triggers its effect and is finished. It is 
  difficult to know, sometimes, before use whether a one-shot 
  item is going to be just fine or whether there is going to be a 
  problem. GMs are referred to this section in the event that a 
  fabrication attempt goes seriously awry, but they can feel free 
  to use it to provide some added spice to a game session. A GM 
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  Now What? 
  Page 82
  
  One-shot Items Chart
  Roll
  Result
  01-05
  Item leaves a bad taste in the mouth – character cannot taste anything for one day.
  06-10
  Item causes character’s hair to fall out instantaneously. If this makes the character look silly or inappropriate, 
  there is a 25% chance that he/she will be laughed at in public during encounters.
  11-15
  Item causes character to attract insects. For the next hour, any flying insects within 200’ of character will swarm 
  around him.
  16-20
  Item induces “butterfingers.” All character OBs and DBs are reduced by –20 for the next 24 hours.
  21-25
  Item reverses day/night vision. Characters see during the day as though it were night and vice versa. If the 
  character is of a race that can normally see at night, that power is temporarily canceled. This situation reverses 
  itself in one day.
  26-30
  Item causes mental fatigue. Treat the character as though his/her mental stats were –30 of what they actually are 
  for the next day.
  31-35
  Item causes high distractibility. For the next day, character cannot focus long enough to cast spells, train or even 
  carry on an intelligent conversation.
  36-40
  Item causes belligerency. Character is itching for a fight. Given the opportunity, the character will start up to five 
  fights over the course of the next day, particularly if they are against stronger targets.
  41-45
  Item induces ravenousness. Character will eat anything that he can get his hands on for the next 12 hours. And 
  this does mean anything even remotely food-like. Get this character out of the market, fast!
  46-50
  Character loses all Stamina RR bonuses for the next day due to ill health.
  51-55
  Item causes the character’s highest skill to be reduced to zero for the next day.
  56-60
  Animals within a 500’ radius of the character are hostile to him for the next day. If an animal is naturally hostile 
  or belligerent, it will attack the character.
  61-65
  Item induces altruism. Character gives away 20% of his material possessions. This can include clothing, weapons 
  and even magic items. Character will also give away items that are his friends’ but that do not belong to him.
  66-70
  Item induces kleptomania. Character has an insatiable urge to steal things for the next day. All potential targets 
  are legitimate – markets, priests, friends, royalty, etc.
  71-75
  Item strikes the character blind for the next day.
  76-80
  Item seems to do nothing, but the next time the character attempts to cast a spell or use another magic item, he 
  takes an Impact critical.
  81-85
  Character loses five points of permanent Strength due to the ill effects of the item.
  86-90
  Item induces a berserker rage. Character attacks anyone within 20’ and will continue to attack for the next 10 
  minutes unless forcibly restrained. Character will have no memory of any of this upon awakening.
  90-95
  Character cannot speak for the next 24 hours. Not a word!
  96-99
  Character becomes a friend-slayer. For the next 24 hours, character will plan, plot and scheme to harm one of 
  her friends. GM and character should agree on who this will be, but character will take one shot at harming the 
  other.
  100
  Catastrophic mishap opens a vortex to a demonic plane out of which steps a Class IV Demon. Have fun!
  HARP   Loot 
  Now What? 
  Page 83
  
  should feel free to give players clues that something might be 
  amiss before the characters proceed with using the item:
  “Rather than smelling of gardenias, the potion smells of feet...
  very dirty feet.”
  “You observe that a splash of orange ink obscures part of 
  the rune.”
  When Weapons Fail
  Nothing is more disheartening to a character than when a 
  magical weapon fails in combat. That it might also cause the 
  gamemaster a certain amount of glee is a totally separate 
  issue. Here are some things that might go wrong when weap-
  ons fail.
  Weapons Failure Chart
  Roll
  Result
  01-10
  A strange crack appears along the main slicing/crushing surface of the weapon. Each time the weapon delivers a 
  critical, there is a 10% chance that the weapon will fracture, rendering it useless.
  11-20
  That last creature must have had weirdness in its blood (that blood you got all over the blade) because now the 
  weapon’s OB bonus fluctuates between –10 and +10 of its previous magical bonus. Worse, it offers no DB help 
  anymore.
  21-30
  Your weapon has become something akin to a lightning rod. Anytime an elemental attack bolt is fired within 
  100’ of you and you have your weapon drawn, there is a 20% chance that the weapon attracts the bolt to you. 
  Lovely.
  31-40
  Your weapon seems fine, but you realize after much experimentation that it causes you to miss a particular type 
  of target (kobolds, elves, etc.) every time you attack one in combat without exception.
  41-50
  What is the deal?! While all looks fine, you just don’t seem to be smiting evil with the same panache. The cause? 
  Your weapon is just not so interested in making the kill. Subtract 20 from all critical rolls. If at any point you roll 
  a modified result that is less than zero, the weapon will never deliver another critical hit again.
  51-60
  The next time you kill a creature with one blow, your weapon becomes akin to glass. For the next day, any time 
  you score a hit on a target with the weapon, there is a 50% chance that the weapon shatters into a thousand 
  pieces.
  61-70
  Your weapon has really become a weirdness attractor.  Every time you score a critical hit that kills a target, you 
  attract the attention of something undesirable (like a demon or a werewolf) who wants the weapon for whatever 
  reason. Within the next 24 hours, you will be ambushed by whatever you attracted. Have fun!
  71-80
  Somehow your weapon has acquired a kind of temporary planeshifting. Each time you deliver a critical where 
  you roll more than an 80 on the result, there is a 30% chance that the blade actually passes through the target, 
  delivering no hits.
  81-90
  Getting...taller...! Each time you score a critical hit with this weapon, you become ¼ of an inch taller. This effect 
  does not end and can only be countered by magical means.
  91-99
  While your weapons works just fine, every time you score a kill with it, you lose 1 permanent point of a random 
  stat.
  100
  Any time you successfully kill a target with the weapon, you must make a Will RR. If you fail the roll, you feel an 
  insatiable desire to keep killing...you must make another attack within ten seconds, even if that means targeting 
  a friend.
  When Magic Items Attack: 
  Miscellaneous Items
  This section covers all of those other items that are not weap-
  ons or one-shot items. Flying carpets, crystal talismans, 
  shields, magic broaches, self-igniting torches and what have 
  you.
  HARP  Loot 
  Now What? 
  Page 84
  
  Other Items Chart
  Roll
  Result
  01-10
  Each time the item is used successfully, the character breaks out in a hideous bout of acne. This acne 
  is painful and disfiguring, resulting in a –25 to all character interactions for the next three days, when 
  the outbreak goes away naturally.
  11-20
  The item generates precisely the reverse of its intended effect for the next hour. For example – a torch 
  does not illuminate but rather makes everything around it darker.
  21-30
  Using the item causes you to break out in a fit of hiccups that lasts for eight hours. Take a –5 to all 
  activities per hour (in the seventh hour, all actions are at –35) for your troubles.
  31-40
  The next time you use the item, make a successful Will RR or you develop a compulsion to give all of 
  your cash money to the next stranger you see.
  41-50
  Every time you successfully use the item, you and everyone within 20’ of you takes an Electrical 
  critical.
  51-60
  Item functions intermittently. Every round you need to use the item, there is a 50% chance that it fails 
  (not so spiffy if the item in question is a flying carpet).
  61-70
  Each time you successfully use the item, there is a 20% chance that you will instantly gain 10 pounds. 
  The only way to get rid of this extra weight is hard work, diet and exercise.
  71-80
  The next time you successfully use the item, birds acquire a rabid hatred of you. For the next six 
  hours, any bird within 200’ of you will swoop down to attack.
  81-90
  Successfully using this item causes a negative change in the local weather for the next 12 hours. If the 
  climate is amenable to snow, it snows. Rain increases and the like.
  91-99
  Using this item successfully causes your voice to be projected at a random point up to half a mile 
  away from where you are for the next full day. No one standing next to you can hear you, no matter 
  how loud you shout.
  100
  Hello reverse alchemy! You are the most hated person in town for the next full day because any coin 
  you touch is instantly converted to lead. No shopping for you!
  HARP   Loot 
  Now What? 
  Page 85
  
  Rekki lifted his tankard of ale, a toothy smile on his face.
  “To victory!” he said, which Horkin and Ferrannin heartily 
  acknowledged.
  “I can’t believe she bought it!” Ferrannin said.
  “She’s never been that gullible before,” Horkin said. “I think 
  we got lucky.”
  At that moment the heavy, bronze-reinforced doors of 
  the pub slammed open and three heavies entered, their 
  breastplates emblazoned with the sigil of the White Lady – 
  a diamond on black.
  “Nor was she this time!” Rekki said.
  And they ran...
  12 The Loot
  HARP  Loot 
  Loot 
  Page 86
  
  A Quick Note on the Loot
  What follows is not just a simple series of charts listing doz-
  ens of magic and mundane items that you can use to reward 
  adventurers. As is true in life, so it should be in a game – 
  many items described below have a small (or medium-length) 
  story attached. As a player or a GM, you can feel free to use 
  these stories as you see fit. You can ignore them, of course. 
  You can use them to provide a little spice to the game or give 
  you a character concept for a potential opponent. Every item, 
  even the most mundane, will have a past. This history can be 
  used to seed the game with new adventuring opportunities. 
  Sometimes, the stories behind certain items will be of suffi-
  cient interest that they might generate multi-game sessions. I 
  have used some items almost identical to these in Rolemaster 
  campaigns that I have run in the past and I found that my 
  players became accustomed to many items having a history 
  and they actually came to relish that aspect of the game, even 
  if it meant that the story inevitably meant that they were off 
  again on a dangerous quest which they thought they had al-
  ready finished.
  I hope you savor the opportunities; I certainly have enjoyed 
  writing them!
  Money, Gems and Jewelry
  This category is reasonably straightforward – it includes all 
  coins, individual gems and jewelry. When determining this 
  sort of treasure, gamemasters are encouraged to “mix it up” 
  a bit – particularly if the loot is being taken off of someone 
  Money
  Roll
  Poor
  Normal
  Rich
  01-10
  2 cp
  5 cp
  5 sp
  11-20
  3 cp
  10 cp
  10 sp
  21-30
  5 cp
  2 sp
  15 sp
  31-35
  7 cp
  5 sp
  20 sp 
  36-40
  10 cp
  7 sp
  3 gp
  41-45
  12 cp
  10 sp
  5 gp
  46-50
  15 cp
  15 sp
  8 gp
  51-55
  1 sp
  18 sp
  10 gp
  56-60
  2 sp
  20 sp
  12 gp
  61-65
  17 cp
  3 gp
  15 gp
  66-70
  20 cp
  5 gp
  18 gp
  71-75
  4 sp
  7 gp
  20 gp
  76-80
  6 sp
  8 gp
  3 pp
  81-85
  9 sp
  10 gp
  5 pp
  86-90
  12 sp
  2 pp
  10 pp
  91-94
  15 sp
  Gems (20)
  Gems (250)
  95-97
  20 sp
  Gems (50)
  Gems (300)
  98-99
  3 gp
  Gems (100)
  Gems (500)
  100
  Special
  Special
  Special
  else’s person, because after all, most normal people have an 
  assortment of coins on them whenever they are carrying 
  money around and in a typical gaming environment, many 
  people will carry small gems because they are just easier to 
  exchange when you get to a new city.
  Coins
  In HARP, the standard coins are copper pieces, silver pieces 
  and gold pieces, but copper, silver and gold are not the only 
  metals which different cultures have coined at times in the 
  past. To increase the interest level of coin awards in your 
  game, consider mixing in some of these other sorts of coins. 
  You are under no obligation to convert your entire monetary 
  system, of course, but these coins can create some challeng-
  ing difficulties for your players as they attempt to negotiate 
  the markets and vendors of a new city with money they might 
  scarcely recognize. Suddenly coming across a hoard of non-
  standard or peculiar coins should definitely spark the curios-
  ity of the characters. With each metal, a range of exchange 
  is provided; this is general – every market and city money-
  changer will offer a different rate.
  Electrum: Electrum is a naturally occurring alloy of gold 
  and silver. It is thought to be the very first metal ever coined. 
  While it is not rare, per se, it is not a standard metal for coin-
  age in most cultures. It could, therefore, have collector value 
  as well as simple trade value. Electrum coins are worth 10 sil-
  ver pieces each or ½ a gold piece.
  Platinum: the “gold standard” in coinage metals (so to speak), 
  platinum coins are also the most rare of all coins. Platinum is 
  fairly easy to work with and is easy to strike into coins, but it 
  is much more rare in most contexts than gold. It is even better 
  bullion metal than gold if a culture can get its hands on lots of 
  it. An exchange rate of 10-20 gold pieces per platinum pieces 
  would be very fair. Collectors in cultures without platinum 
  would pay an even higher premium for a good coin.
  Speculum: Speculum is an alloy of tin and bronze with a sil-
  very sheen. This can definitely come in handy when trying 
  to spend in a society that doesn’t realize that speculum isn’t 
  silver (speculum is silvery but not silver in appearance – any 
  moneychanger or clerk paying attention should get a good 
  RR to spot the fake). Speculum is worth roughly 10 to 1 cop-
  per piece.
  Tin: Tin coins are extraordinarily cheap and are not very 
  sturdy. Cultures coining tin are often going to be materially 
  poor in some way, meaning that if you bring copper or silver 
  into those societies, your coins are going to be more valuable. 
  Tin coins are valued at 30 to 40 to 1 copper piece.
  Non-coin Money
  Interested in really throwing in some different rewards? Try 
  some of these non-coin moneys that might give players a run 
  for their...money...(sorry!).
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  Paper: Cultures using paper currency are going to be sophis-
  ticated, with a high degree of mutual trust (because paper 
  money is worthless unless everyone agrees to take it in trade 
  at whatever value it is denominated), a good banking system 
  and, in all likelihood, excellent bullion reserves hidden some-
  where in a well-guarded fortress. I have used paper money a 
  few times in a game, in large measure as a prod to get char-
  acters to visit a place that I thought would offer a good “fish 
  out of water” adventuring arc. After all, a big wad of paper is 
  worthless if the characters pick it up a month’s journey from 
  the only place in the world it actually has value.
  Porcelain: There have been cultures in the past that have 
  used porcelain medallions as currency. Imagine the reaction 
  of players when they open a money pouch and find 20-30 per-
  fectly round, perfectly white porcelain buttons inside.
  Stones: And not just any stones. Yap Islander-type giant 
  stones are one approach to this. Another approach might be 
  to have a specialized profession within a culture that carves/
  chisels or in some other way takes non-precious stones and 
  turns them into money through their carvings.
  Wampum: Wampum is shells that have been turned through 
  painstaking work into beads that can then be used as money. 
  In 17th century New England there were two types: white and 
  dark. The dark was valued at 2/1 over the white.
  Gems and Jewelry
  Gems and jewelry tell their own stories. Rings of gold set with 
  diamonds are not made for their own sake, after all. When 
  you make a roll on the Money table, you are going to be given 
  a value that says something like Gems (250). This means that 
  you have found one or more gems or pieces of jewelry that has 
  a total value of 250 gold pieces. How this shakes out (whether 
  it is just one big stone or a number of stones totaling 250 gold 
  pieces) is up to you as the GM.
  Gems are going to be encountered with much greater fre-
  quency near or inside cultures that have unreliable currency 
  (I refer you back to the section on debased currency earlier), or 
  that have a lot of political instability. People are always going 
  to want to have the most reliable wealth on them, and if gold 
  or silver is scarce or its value is just not certain, people are 
  going to want to have gems more than money.
  Whether gemstones or a piece of jewelry will have a story at-
  tached to it that might be of interest to the party depends on 
  a lot of factors. If the gems are found in a “country” adventure 
  or in a dungeon, it might be simple wealth. If these things 
  are found in a city, or taken off of someone who has just been 
  killed by the party then they should say something. Someone 
  wearing a locket, a bracelet or a solitary ring did attach some 
  meaning to that jewelry. A good way to build on the story and 
  to go forward to the next adventure is by tying the jewelry 
  into your ongoing story. When jewelry is lost, particularly 
  when it is lost in an urban setting, the relatives of the previ-
  ous owners are going to attach value to the item as well. If 
  there is any reason to suspect that the party might now be the 
  owners of the jewelry, these other relatives are going to seek 
  them out. Every piece of loot can advance the story in new 
  and interesting ways.
  Remember also that different cultures have different tech-
  niques for making jewelry that a trained (or even just an as-
  tute) eye should detect. Why would a human palace guard be 
  wearing an elven brooch under his clothing? What is a tribe 
  of goblins doing wearing thick, dwarven necklaces? Where 
  did that gnome get that rare gryx ring that the party spent 
  four months trying to track down when you were positive it 
  was in the hands of some dwarves who had stolen it? Perhaps 
  the dwarves didn’t steal it? The best kind of story element for 
  a piece of jewelry is frequently just a simple question.
  Mundane Items
  Mundane items are exactly that – the routine items that all 
  people accumulate over the course of life. As you can tell 
  from the table, many of these items are likely to be encoun-
  tered within an urban environment (it would be unlikely, for 
  instance, to find toys when rummaging through the leavings in 
  a giant anthill), but not all of them will. Keep in mind that the 
  type of the treasure that the characters will find will reflect 
  the dominant culture. It makes absolutely no sense for a party 
  that has just ransacked a halfling home to find a variety of 
  goods that would only really be found among humans. Armor 
  will be halfling-sized; toys will reflect halfling values; artwork 
  will reflect the halfling aesthetic. Should the party find a va-
  riety of non-halfling goods in a halfling town, I would expect 
  they would notice that this makes no sense and want to make 
  inquiries. Gamemasters can feel free, as always, to substitute 
  regular equipment from the normal equipment lists in chap-
  ter 8 of the HARP core book at their leisure. The subtables 
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  included in this section are designed to give more opportuni-
  ties for the GM to add flavor to a campaign.
  Mundane Treasure in the Country
  When adventuring in the country, including in dungeons, 
  abandoned structures/villages or just in the woods, the qual-
  ity and type of goods is likely to be fundamentally different. 
  The chart below gives a way for you to alter the type and qual-
  ity of goods one might encounter while “on expedition.” In 
  the country, the expectations for the goods to have a racial/
  cultural uniformity gives way a little bit, but might still be 
  something an observant team pays attention to. If they were 
  not aware of any gryx towns within a month’s journey from 
  the dungeon they have just cleared out and all of the bodies, 
  adventurers’ goods and leavings are clearly of gryx origin, 
  they might want to know why.
  Item quantities are the same as they are in HARP: Poor (1d10 
  items), Normal (2d10 items), Rich (4d10 items).
  Ancient Relic
  As these items are those that belong to now dead cultures, the 
  prospect of finding them in a dungeon or abandoned town 
  are better than average. Roll again on this table to determine 
  exactly what sort of ancient relic it is (either ignoring this re-
  sult if it comes up again or changing the result to Magic Item). 
  Mundane Treasure
  Roll
  Poor
  Normal
  Rich
  Item
  01-10
  Normal Equipment
  11-20
  01-10
  Normal Equipment
  21-30
  11-20
  01-10
  Normal Equipment
  31-35
  21-30
  11-20
  Household Items
  36-40
  31-35
  21-30
  Household Items
  41-45
  36-40
  31-35
  Laborer’s Tools
  46-50
  41-45
  36-40
  Laborer’s Tools
  51-55
  46-50
  41-45
  Clothes
  56-60
  51-55
  46-50
  Outdoor Gear
  61-65
  56-60
  51-55
  Entertainment Gear
  66-70
  61-65
  56-60
  Herbs
  71-75
  66-70
  61-65
  Thieves’ Tools
  76-80
  71-75
  66-70
  Weapons
  81-85
  76-80
  71-75
  Armor
  86-90
  81-85
  76-80
  Toys
  91-94
  86-90
  81-85
  Scribes’ Gear
  95-97
  91-94
  86-90
  Artwork
  98-99
  95-97
  91-94
  Treasure Map
  100
  98-99
  95-97
  Wizard’s Gear
  100
  98-99
  Ancient Relic
  100
  Magic Item
  GMs can feel free to give the characters a coin/money award 
  when this is rolled, though the coins are going to be demon-
  strably ancient (anyone can tell the difference between “stand-
  ard” coins and ones that don’t belong to their culture). Ancient 
  relics are peculiar items – they have no real value to anyone 
  except a collector of that particular item (unless the item were 
  a map of some kind, for example).
  This result is an excellent story-element result. It is as good a 
  reason as any to pre-generate and determine loot before the 
  game begins so that you have some time to think about what 
  this item could be, why it is in this particular place and where 
  it came from. Because these items are rare and weird, charac-
  ters might not even realize what they have. Having said this, it 
  is useful to recall that ancient relics have value to collectors of 
  ancient relics (x5/x10/x100 depending on whether the item is 
  Poor/Normal/Rich), and offloading the item might be worth 
  some game time.
  Armor
  As all of the races are prone to some degree towards adven-
  turing, it is always possible that the armor that will be found 
  will be sized for or made by one of the other races. Armor that 
  is found while adventuring in a country setting is often in dis-
  repair or has taken some damage. If the armor is rolled on 
  the Poor column it will protect its wearer as well as anything 
  else, but it has a resale value of 50% less than Normal. In addi-
  tion, convert results of 91-100 on the chart below to “Human 
  Mundane Treasure in the Country
  Roll
  Poor
  Normal
  Rich
  Item
  01-10
  Weapons
  11-20
  01-10
  Armor
  21-30
  11-20
  01-10
  Weapons or Armor
  31-35
  21-30
  11-20
  Normal Equipment
  36-40
  31-35
  21-30
  Normal Equipment
  41-45
  36-40
  31-35
  Laborer’s Tools
  46-50
  41-45
  36-40
  Clothes
  51-55
  46-50
  41-45
  Clothes
  56-60
  51-55
  46-50
  Outdoor Gear
  61-65
  56-60
  51-55
  Outdoor Gear
  66-70
  61-65
  56-60
  Household Items
  71-75
  66-70
  61-65
  Entertainment Gear
  76-80
  71-75
  66-70
  Scribes’ Gear
  81-85
  76-80
  71-75
  Artwork
  86-90
  81-85
  76-80
  Map
  91-94
  86-90
  81-85
  Herbs
  95-97
  91-94
  86-90
  Thieves’ Tools
  98-99
  95-97
  91-94
  Wizard’s Gear
  100
  98-99
  95-97
  Ancient Relic
  100
  98-99
  Magic Item
  100
  Magic Item
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  Armor.” If the armor is rolled on the Normal column, it is just 
  that, Normal. It can have a +5/+10 quality bonus per below.
  To determine the sort of armor that is found, roll on the fol-
  lowing chart, then consult the Armor chart in chapter 14 of 
  the HARP core rules:
  Artwork
  If this result is rolled in a dungeon, it might be appropriate 
  to consider something like a figurine, decorative pottery or 
  other portable forms of artwork than the more typical paint-
  ings and tapestries. While many of the monstrous races are 
  not known for their love of fine art or an aesthetic sense, it is 
  not totally out-of-hand for the more intelligent of the monster 
  races to have something that might pass as artwork (perhaps 
  consider this option if the roll or choice is Poor).
  Artwork is purposeful – it is hung, displayed and made for a 
  reason. Granted, the reason might be exclusively decorative, 
  but in many contexts, the art is going to say something im-
  portant about its owner. The Romans and other ancient civi-
  lizations used to carve busts of dead ancestors that were kept 
  safe and venerated. How would characters react to opening a 
  closet or alcove in a long unused basement, only to find fifty 
  marble heads?
  Clothes
  Use the armor chart above to determine the race for which 
  the clothes have been made. Rolls of 91-100 do not indicate +5 
  Clothes but are rather the filthy rags, furs and scraps of leather 
  favored by goblins, kobolds and the like. They are the worst 
  sort of clothes. 80% of the time, this roll will indicate finished 
  clothing rather than bolts of cloth. The quality of the item 
  determines the value; be mindful that clothing in most country 
  contexts is not going to be in good shape:
  Entertainment Gear
  Is there anything more sad than juggler’s balls, streamers, 
  noise-makers and other entertaining toys scattered at the 
  bottom of a dungeon staircase, clearly lost as their owner fell 
  down the stairs to his or her death?
  Entertainment gear that was made by gnomes has 2x nor-
  mal value.
  Herbs
  These are any herbs from the herb chart in chapter 6. The 
  herbs that are found can be determined in two ways. First, 
  the herbs can be selected to match the climate region where 
  they are found. Second, if the GM wishes, the herbs can be 
  selected to match the needs or desires of their last owner. 
  If their owner was a Harper, perhaps the herbs might have 
  all been the sort of herbs that would be useful to the Harper 
  sphere. If this is the case, some of these herbs might be natu-
  rally more valuable than what might be rolled. Determine the 
  standard value according to the following chart:
  Household Items
  If this is rolled within a dungeon, these items are going to 
  be either essentially worthless or the household items of its 
  most recent monstrous residents (orcs are not known for their 
  housekeeping skills). If this is rolled on the Rich table, these 
  items will be worth 1d10 gold pieces on the open market (sil-
  ver flatware, pewter tankards, brassware, unbroken porcelain, 
  decorations with gold leaf, etc.).
  Laborer’s Tools
  These items are tools appropriate to whatever sort of work 
  was/is being performed in the local area. If this is rolled on 
  the Rich table, the tools are in usable condition and have a 
  value of between 1 and 5 gold pieces.
  Magic Item
  Consult the Magic Item loot chart in this chapter and re-roll 
  on that chart to determine the result at the same quality level 
  (Normal to Normal, for instance). Weapons have a Bonus 
  Increment of +5; Armor follows the Bonus Increments listed 
  in the Armor Tables in chapter 10 of the HARP core book.
  Map
  If this result is rolled, consult the following chart to deter-
  mine the sort of map found. If this roll comes from the Rich 
  column, the map is enclosed in a specially made case. The 
  case is worth 10 gold pieces on the open market.
  Armor and Shields: Race/Culture
  Roll
  01-06
  Gnome Armor 
  07-12
  Halfling Armor 
  13-18
  Gryx Armor 
  19-24
  Dwarven Armor 
  25-30
  Elven Armor 
  31-90
  Human Armor
  91-95
  +5 Quality Bonus Armor (GMs choice of Race/
  Culture)
  96-100
  +10 Quality Bonus Armor (GMs choice of 
  Race/Culture)
  Clothing Chart
  Quality
  Cloth/Furs/Leather
  Finished Clothing
  Poor
  1d10 copper pieces
  Normal cost
  Normal
  1d100 + 25 silver pieces
  1.5x normal cost
  Rich
  1d10 + 10 gold pieces
  2x normal cost
  Herb Chart
  Quality
  Doses
  Different Herbs
  Poor
  1d10
  1-2
  Normal
  2d10
  1-5 or an uncommon herb
  Rich
  2d10
  2d10 and some rare herbs
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  Normal Equipment
  Choose an item from the Equipment List found in chapter 8 
  of the HARP core book.
  Outdoor Gear
  This includes all sorts of adventuring gear appropriate to 
  the outdoors. If this result comes from the Rich column, the 
  Map Chart
  Roll
  Item
  01-14
  Barely readable, fragile parchment map. –25 to 
  determine what it marks (GMs discretion).
  15-28
  Parchment treasure map with unclear geographi-
  cal markings.  –10 to determine what it marks 
  (GMs discretion).
  29-42
  Parchment Map. Does not seem to mark anything, 
  but is clearly ancient. Has a value of 25 gold pieces 
  to a map collector.
  43-56
  Parchment Map. Modern; marks the nearest major 
  city clearly. Has a marked pathway, but it doesn’t 
  seem to mark treasure.
  57-72
  Parchment Treasure Map. Treasure marked 
  clearly and named on the map (treasure worth up 
  to 500 gold pieces).
  73-86
  Vellum Map. Largely a geography map; does not 
  mark any treasure, per se, but does mark dozens 
  of places in different parts of the local area. Map is 
  unclear about what these places are.
  87-100
  Map is made on an unusual medium (paper, 
  papyrus, clay, porcelain), but definitely marks 
  something of interest in the local area (within 100 
  miles).
  Scribe’s Gear Chart
  Roll
  Item
  Value
  01-14
  Quill pens (count of 50)
  2 sp
  15-28
  Vials of Ink (6)
  5 sp
  29-42
  Scrollcase with blank, rolled 
  parchment
  10 sp
  43-56
  Book Safe (hollowed out, lockable 
  book)
  12 sp
  57-72
  Cartographer’s Kit (+10 to map 
  making)
  35 sp
  73-86
  Ivory Scrollcase w/one rune (GMs 
  choice)
  50 sp
  87-100
  Portable Book Case (trunk with shelves 
  – holds up to 50 books)
  275 sp
  goods are of higher value or quality (valued up to 10 gold 
  pieces). Some higher quality items might be: multi-person 
  tents that are in good condition, high-quality packs, simple 
  but well-made hunting gear, nutritious food and the like.
  Scribes’ Gear
  Unless the characters are in a library, an abandoned monas-
  tery or other structure that would have supported scribes, 
  treat this entry as either “Outdoor Gear” or “Normal 
  Equipment” or roll on the following chart (instead of the chart 
  in the HARP core book), adding +5 to the roll if this result 
  comes from the Normal column or +10 if on the Rich column:
  Thieves’ Tools
  This award depends on the sort of thief who was using the 
  tools when he lost them. For a human, dwarf, elf, halfling 
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  or gryx thief, use the Thieves’ Tools chart from the HARP 
  core book, adding +5 to the roll if this result comes from the 
  Normal column or +10 if on the Rich column. If the thief in 
  question was a gnome, subtract 10 from the roll, treating any 
  negative roll as though it were Marbles.
  Weapons
  Choose a suitable weapon from the weapon list in chapter 8 
  of the HARP core book. If this result comes from the Poor 
  column, the weapon or weapons in question are badly used 
  and damaged, though still more useful than just pounding 
  on someone with your bare fists. Any weapon from the Poor 
  column has a 25% chance of breaking each time it scores a hit 
  on a target.
  Wizard’s Gear
  This column is going to generate items used by the adventur-
  ing wizard. This could be gear from the Wizard’s Gear chart 
  in chapter 14 of the HARP core book, or nearly anything else 
  appropriate to the wizard who lost it. The value of the goods 
  will be highest if previously owned by an elf. Fully 40% of 
  the time, this result will reflect the gear formerly owned by 
  a gnome (due to their predilection for getting into scrapes and 
  being obsessed with magic). Feel free to substitute a result of 
  Map or Scribe’s Gear if Wizard’s Gear would not be appropri-
  ate given the setting.
  Magic Items
  There are hundreds of items listed below. Many of them pro-
  vide a story that you might use in your game to provide added 
  color and story ideas. Feel free, of course, to modify or ignore 
  the story elements if they are of no use to you (or take a story 
  from another item if it works better in your game).
  Bonus Items
  Bonus Items are the most commonly encountered items in a 
  HARP game. While straightforward, remember before plac-
  ing them in a dungeon or assigning them as treasure that each 
  has a story of its own and can be used to propel your story in 
  new and interesting directions. 
  Enhanced Weapons and Armor
  These weapons and armor all provide specific bonuses to 
  actions. Unlike a standard bonus item, these weapons and 
  armor often provide additional, special bonuses. While these 
  items generally provide combat bonuses as well, this is not 
  necessarily their only virtue.
  Blades of Marn
  Marn the Wizard might just be the most skilled wizard in 
  the entire Kingdom of Caliban, but why stop there? In addi-
  tion to his unparalleled wizarding skills, he is also a weapon 
  smith of the first rank. Add to this his total lack of scruples 
  and principles and it is perhaps not surprising that he is one 
  of the richest men in Caliban too. His blades are simply made 
  (no one is entirely sure how he can produce so many so quickly, 
  but dark stories of demons and pacts with assorted devils are 
  routinely bandied about), but deadly in their power. And they 
  can be yours – for a price.
  Blades of Marn are all +20 swords (but they can be of any type 
  – short, broad, two-handed, etc.) with the ability to inflict 
  double criticals. Any time a critical hit is scored, simply dou-
  ble the result.
  Magic Items
  Roll
  Poor
  Normal
  Rich
  Item
  01-10
  Bonus I
  11-20
  01-10
  Bonus I
  21-30
  11-20
  01-10
  Bonus I
  31-35
  21-30
  11-20
  Bonus I
  36-40
  31-35
  21-30
  Bonus II
  41-45
  36-40
  31-35
  Bonus II
  46-50
  41-45
  36-40
  Bonus III
  51-55
  46-50
  41-45
  Bonus III
  56-60
  51-55
  46-50
  Runes
  61-65
  56-60
  51-55
  Potion
  66-70
  61-65
  56-60
  Bonus IV
  71-75
  66-70
  61-65
  Bonus V
  76-80
  71-75
  66-70
  Runes
  81-85
  76-80
  71-75
  Potion
  86-90
  81-85
  76-80
  Clothing
  91-94
  86-90
  81-85
  Jewelry
  95-97
  91-94
  86-90
  Miscellaneous
  98-99
  95-97
  91-94
  Rods & Staves
  100
  98-99
  95-97
  Weapons
  100
  98-99
  Armor
  100
  Special
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  Bola of Vengeance
  In the Empire of the Great Hahn, there is an order of mysti-
  cal healers whose ability to cure any disease and repair any 
  wound is known throughout the world in both fact and leg-
  end. There are only one hundred of these healers and they 
  serve the god Solan (he who binds and seals). Solan demands 
  total sacrifice and near-total separation from the mundane 
  world of all his attendants. There are four hundred and six 
  laws of Solan to which the healers and his other worshippers 
  devote themselves. None is more important than “never take 
  a life.” Ever. Should a Solanian do so, the order shuns the of-
  fending mystic, barring him from communion forever. This 
  is so severe a punishment that only one healer in history has 
  ever broken the law. 
  Of the one hundred healers sworn to the order, only three are 
  allowed to venture out into the world; each of them is armed 
  with a Bola of Vengeance and given clear instructions on how 
  to use it.
  The bola is the definitive weapon for a healing order sworn 
  above all else not to take life – it takes some doing to kill some-
  one with a bola. The itinerant Solan Healers are instructed 
  on the “rules of engagement” – no taking of life, no striking 
  out in self-defense, no coming to the aid of fellow adventur-
  ers through physical combat...only healing. The only time a 
  Solan Healer may use his weapon is if he has witnessed an 
  Bonus Items
  Roll
  Item
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  Value 
  (I)
  01-05
  Katana (1H) 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  252 gp
  06-10
  Pick 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  221 gp
  11-15
  Short Bow 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  231 gp
  16-20
  Buckler 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  211 gp
  21-25
  Nunchaku 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  211 gp
  26-30
  Soft Leather 
  Gorget 
  +1
  +1
  +2
  +2
  +3
  221 gp
  31-35
  Chain Cuirass +2
  +3
  +5
  +6
  +8
  442 gp
  36-40
  Cutlass 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  221 gp
  41-45
  Wall Shield 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  271 gp
  46-50
  Foil 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  252 gp
  51-55
  Sai 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  241 gp
  56-60
  Tomahawk 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  201 gp
  61-65
  Rigid Leather 
  Shirt 
  +2
  +4
  +6
  +8
  +10
  261 gp
  66
  Falchion 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  231 gp
  67-70
  Short Sword 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  221 gp
  71-75
  Normal Shield +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  251 gp
  76-80
  Club 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  201 gp
  81-85
  Plate/Chain 
  Boots 
  +1
  +1
  +2
  +2
  +3
  242 gp
  86-90
  Quarterstaff 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  211 gp
  91-95
  Mace 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  221 gp
  96-97
  Plate Cuirass 
  +2
  +3
  +5
  +6
  +8
  413 gp
  98-99
  Flail 
  +5 +10
  +15 +20 +25
  251 gp
  100
  Plate Shirt 
  +2
  +4
  +6
  +8
  +10
  554 gp
  Weapons and Armor
  Roll
  Item
  Value
  01-05
  Dirk of the Hodges
  4,101 gp
  06-10
  Buckler of Grissom
  1,001 gp
  11-15
  Short Bow of True Aiming
  9,676 gp
  16-20
  Mage Foil
  6,251 gp
  21-25
  Harpoon of the Rhodion
  8,406 gp
  26-30
  Goblinbane
  varies
  31-35
  Frost Scimitar
  9,453 gp
  36-40
  Dagger of Illusion
  4,501 gp
  41-45
  Long Door Boomerang
  961 gp
  46-50
  Shield of the Hoplite
  16,416 gp
  51-55
  Mountain Trident
  18,602 gp
  56-60
  Bola of Vengeance
  4,001 gp
  61-65
  Runeshield
  varies
  66
  Fortune Blade
  101,502 gp
  67-70
  Shurikens of Gong
  36,455 gp
  71-75
  Blades of Marn
  17,552 gp
  76-80
  Nightmare Armor
  31,362 gp
  81-85
  War Mattock of Bleeding
  27,906 gp
  86-90
  Silken Armor
  26,100 gp
  91-95
  Sword of Withering
  42,005 gp
  96-97
  Javelin of the Gamella
  16,776 gp
  98-99
  Snicker-snack Blackblade
  39,995 gp
  100
  Flail of the Circles Six
  52,505 gp
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  “abomination.” The order has dozens of definitions for what 
  constitutes an abomination, but even so, a Bola of Vengeance 
  has only been reported used in combat four times in the last 
  three centuries. In the hands of a non-Solan, however, they 
  have been used quite effectively...
  A Bola of Vengeance is a standard Bola. 1x/day, provided the 
  character using the bola has taken at least ½ of her total hits 
  in damage, the bola can strike out with incredible force. On a 
  critical hit of the player’s choice, the hit is resolved as though 
  it were a Huge critical rather than standard. The bola also 
  deals an additional 20 points of body damage.
  Buckler of Grissom
  “That is the silliest looking shield I have ever seen,” Dorin said 
  to his oldest friend and adventuring companion Pilar. “It 
  wouldn’t protect you from a well-timed chopstick let alone a 
  real blade.”
  Pilar considered her friend’s statement, but only for a mo-
  ment. Dorin might be an excellent fighter, but Pilar was prone 
  to more roguish pursuits. She had little need for a “real” 
  shield, whatever that might mean. But this buckler, small and 
  easy to use, would be a real boon. And it was cheap, too. Far 
  cheaper than it should have been, in fact. In her travels, Pilar 
  had heard mention of this particular buckler (many existed, 
  but this was the first she had ever seen this far east).
  “Are you certain, Dorin?” she asked, strapping it on and pull-
  ing her dagger. “Then try to strike me,” she said, facing him.
  He took the bait without hesitation, squared his shoulders and 
  struck. She evaded him. He swung his sword again and again, 
  but each time he missed. Tiring and feeling foolish he swung 
  again, but lost his balance a bit. Pilar slashed with her dagger, 
  slicing open the leather that protected Dorin’s upper arm.
  “How?” Dorin asked, winded.
  “I couldn’t really say,” Pilar said. “But I’ll sew that up for you, 
  if you’d like.”
  A Buckler of Grissom is a simple buckler made of iron. Ten 
  fleurs-de-lis in a circle are engraved and enameled on the 
  outer rim – the clearest mark of a Grissom there is. A Buckler 
  of Grissom is a +5 Buckler, but if a character uses it only in 
  defense and makes a successful Full Parry check, the Buckler 
  grants an additional +50 to DB.
  Dagger of Illusion
  Long ago there was a gnome named Stele. He was typical 
  of the gnomish breed, short, impish and prone to mischief. 
  Unlike his gnomish brethren, however, he was also a passion-
  ate devotee of combat, martial arts and weapons. Because he 
  stood a shade less than three feet tall, his martial passions 
  often came a cropper. Thankfully for him, though, he had a 
  good friend who shared his interests in weapons and war...
  and this friend was a master trickster.
  After a number of years, Stele’s friend came up with just the 
  sort of weapon that could help a gnome even out the advan-
  tage – the Dagger of Illusion. In addition to being a standard 
  +10 dagger, the weapon has a shimmering, mirror-like blade. 
  During combat, the weapon cannot be reliably seen by op-
  ponents because of the magicks that have been infused into it. 
  As a result, no one facing a Dagger of Illusion in combat can 
  attempt a Full Parry against the user.
  Dirk of the Hodges
  The Hodges is the name of a grouping of Halfling villages in 
  the foothills of the Frosty Mountains. Eight settlements make 
  up The Hodges; all were founded more than a century ago 
  when the Matriarch of the Eight Clans revealed that the clan 
  ancestors had led her to that place because it would be a safe 
  haven against danger. They settled and built farms, but the 
  area did not turn out to be as safe as the Matriarch hoped. As 
  a result, over the course of the last one hundred years, the hal-
  flings have had to devise a defense against not only the mon-
  sters of the Frosty Mountains but also the rapacious humans 
  from the Winter Plains. It is perhaps not surprising that The 
  Hodges halflings have become expert at weapons manufac-
  ture. The Dirk that bears the name of their community is the 
  definitive example of their craft.
  A Dirk of the Hodges is a +10 dirk. It is made from steel and 
  is completely imperious to rust. It can be used as either a 
  stabbing weapon or as a throwing weapon, in either case the 
  bonus is the same.
  Flail of the Circles Six
  Probably made in the bowels of some hellish, demonic outer 
  plane, the Flail of the Circles Six grants a +40 OB bonus and is 
  a massive weapon that can kill an opponent before she’s even 
  had time to draw her own blade. Its power comes from the 
  demon that is bound into the weapon itself. 1x/day, the owner 
  of the Flail can call forth a Type V Demon who will fight at 
  his summoner’s side and take the summoner’s orders for up 
  to ten minutes.
  Fortune Blade
  The history of the three swords that are known to all as the 
  Fortune Blades goes back deep into time – deeper even than 
  the histories recorded in the four thousand year old Church 
  of Holy Redemption, the oldest church in human lands (older, 
  some say, even than the elven nations). All three are presently 
  lost and despite the fact that rumors of their location (and 
  equally unlikely stories of their finding) are commonplace, no 
  one who has ever gone searching for one has ever come up 
  with one. The most persistent rumor says that to go search-
  ing for a Fortune Blade is the surest sign that one will never 
  find it – a Fortune Blade finds you, or so goes that rumor. It 
  is perhaps not surprising that intrepid adventurers want to 
  find one – the last known user of a Fortune Blade was Arik 
  Dondarelle...yes, that Arik. Arik the Victorious; Arik the 
  Conqueror; Arik the Blessed; Arik the Very-Very Lucky. Was 
  it because of his unquestioned military skill that he was able 
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  to conquer the whole of the Parian Empire with only three 
  battles? That question remains unanswered to this day. What 
  we do know is that the Parian Emperor, killed in remote 
  Outer Paria, alone and broken, was looking, without success, 
  for a Fortune Blade when he died.
  A Fortune Blade is a +40 broadsword. The blade is completely 
  black with a crescent moon engraved in the hilt. When found, 
  it is just a +40 broadsword. However, each time a user scores 
  a critical hit and rolls either a 66 or a 100, the blade becomes 
  more powerful and more deadly. Each time a 66 or a 100 is 
  rolled, two things happen. First, the sword gains an additional 
  +5 bonus. Second, the sword’s critical ranges change. After 
  the first hit of 66 or 100, the range for the maximum critical 
  expands (so that now a result of 66 or 100 delivers a “100” criti-
  cal). With each successive 66 or 100, the range expands down 
  from 100 (so that after two such massive criticals, the range for 
  100 is now 66, 99-100) and so on. When the Fortune Blade’s 
  owner dies, the blade disappears, reappearing at some point 
  up to 1,000 miles away from where its former owner died and 
  the process starts back again at 66 or 100.
  Frost Scimitar
  “What the blazes are we doing up here?” shivered Dav as he 
  climbed out of a waist-high snow bank. The sun shone bright 
  in the sky and reflected harshly off the white snow.
  “You know full well,” Kristi said, scampering up from behind 
  Dav (snowshoes) and helping him out of the snow. “She wants 
  a Frost Scimitar and the only place to get one that I know of is 
  in the Frosty Mountains.”
  “Purchased from the Frosty giants, I know, I know!” Dav said, 
  standing now on the crusty snow.
  “What are you two blathering about?” Dav’s brother Vad 
  asked, looking back at them. “We’ve got work to do,” he said 
  turning back to business.
  They trudged onward and upward for what seemed like hours 
  before Vad noticed the stream of blood flowing down the 
  mountain, steaming through the snow.
  “That’s not good,” he said. They slowed their ascent but did 
  not stop. Just a few minutes later they came upon the car-
  nage. Bodies everywhere, but no footfalls going down the hill. 
  Mutually fatal.
  “Check ‘em,” Kristi said. And thus it was that they found a 
  Frost Scimitar for the White Lady, sparing them both the 
  business of dealing with the Frosty giants and the unpleasant 
  spending of the White Lady’s...sorry, their...money.
  A Frost Scimitar is a +15 Scimitar that delivers Medium Cold 
  criticals in addition to its standard critical. A thin sliver of 
  aquamarine is set in the foot of the blade.
  Goblinbane
  Highly prized by thieves, rogues and even fighters who want 
  to “get the job done and be done with it,” the Goblinbane is 
  a short sword that has been augmented by an assortment of 
  beneficial magic. There are three main centers of Goblinbane 
  manufacture; curiously, this seems to be one of the best ex-
  amples of cross-racial cooperation in the Southlands. First, 
  the gnomish villages of Weave and Hound, each a good 
  day’s walk from the city of Rohat, are well-known for their 
  Goblinbane weapons – each is a +5 short sword, but when 
  a critical is inflicted on a goblin, it also inflicts a Small 
  Electricity critical. Second, the halfling nomads of the Rek, 
  who travel back and forth in the wastes between Rohat and 
  Gangelan (a four-month’s journey), received the wisdom of 
  the Goblinbane from the gnomes. Their Goblinbane weapons 
  are +10 short swords that also inflict a Tiny Heat critical to 
  goblins if a regular critical is inflicted. The best Goblinbane 
  swords are those made by the gryx of Low Rohat, a village just 
  outside the northern wall of the city of Rohat. Their blades are 
  +15 short swords. Each time a gryx Goblinbane inflicts a criti-
  cal on a goblin, the goblin is affected with fear (per the Fear 
  spell – RR (100)). The goblin must save or flee.
  Harpoon of the Rhodion
  The Rhodion Islands stretch more than three hundred miles 
  down the western coast of the continent of Falouha. None of 
  the more than nine hundred islands in the Rhodion chain is 
  more than five miles long or wide. As a result, the Rhodish 
  clans have developed the most sophisticated seafaring skills 
  anywhere on Earth. They can sail anywhere, in any kind of 
  weather and can vanquish nearly any foe at sea. They have 
  developed a wide range of tools and weapons to help them in 
  their task. One of them is the harpoon that bears their name.
  A harpoon is a notoriously difficult weapon to use; it is not for 
  the inexperienced or the weak. The Harpoon of the Rhodion 
  grants a standard +10 to OB. It is bamboo shaft onto which 
  has been affixed a triangular point. Once 
  engaged, this point cannot be removed 
  without causing significant additional dam-
  age (removal inflicts a Bleeding IV result on 
  the target). When used at sea or against a 
  creature of the sea, it grants a +20 OB.
  Javelin of the Gamella
  “What the hell is happening?” Croak said to 
  no one in particular, surveying the battle-
  field. Dozens of his best-trained men, who 
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  just minutes ago had been arrayed in orderly rows, were now 
  splayed out and spread-eagled, sometimes hundreds of feet 
  behind the main charge line. A lackey came up behind him.
  “You were warned, Lord Croak!” the lackey said, remind-
  ing Croak of the legends of the Gamella, legends that Croak 
  just as quickly discounted. After all, the Gamella were a 
  small nation of peace-loving gryx. Farmers...scholars...rich, 
  fat merchants. It was a miracle that no one had conquered 
  them earlier. But Croak was confident – fifty well-armed men 
  would do the trick. Now most of them were lying on their 
  backs, broken and useless.
  “Those gryx are only armed with javelins!”  Croak shouted. 
  “Kill them all!”
  But his men were hesitant and Croak himself distracted. He 
  did not see the incoming javelin that had his name on it until it 
  was too late. When it struck him, the impact was astounding. 
  So astounding in fact that it blew the life right out of him...
  The Javelin of the Gamella is a +15 Javelin. 1x/day at the 
  thrower’s discretion, the Javelin can deliver an additional 
  Huge Impact critical on top of the standard critical. In ad-
  dition to this extra critical, anyone hit by a Javelin of the 
  Gamella is thrown back at least 50 feet. If there is something 
  hard in the way (like a house or a mountainside), the thrown 
  character takes an additional 1d10 damage for each 10 feet 
  blown back.
  Long Door Boomerang
  A boomerang is a bloody useful weapon outdoors; everyone 
  knows this. It is perhaps less useful underground, indoors or 
  anywhere else where vexsome walls, ceilings and T-shaped 
  passageways can interfere with the stately arc and swoop of 
  the flying weapon. Curiously (not just because of the weapon 
  but also the magic), the Long Door Boomerang was invented 
  by a nation of underworld-dwelling dwarves whose tunnels 
  were often overrun with assorted vermin (and whose tun-
  nels were uniquely unsuited to standard dwarven combat 
  strategies). These dwarves not only made hundreds of these 
  weapons, but also shared the skills in making them with hu-
  mans and gryx. Therefore, there are many of these weapons 
  to be found.
  A Long Door Boomerang is a +10 boomerang into which has 
  been infused the essential powers of the Long Door spell. 
  Because of this, when thrown, the Long Door Boomerang can 
  be made to disappear and reappear up to 100 feet away, strik-
  ing a target that far away with the same accuracy as if it had 
  been thrown normally. Whether the boomerang hits or not, 
  it returns to the thrower by means of the same Long Door 
  mechanic. Its Long Door power can be used up to 5x/day.
  Mage Foil
  The Wizard’s College of Archam-Ex is justly famous for its 
  rigorous curriculum; parents from hundreds of miles away 
  pray to their gods and ancestors that a son or daughter might 
  be accepted into the school during the Time of the Choosing 
  each September. Somewhat unusually for a pure Wizard’s 
  College (Archam-Ex does not train Warrior Mages, finding 
  the combination of the two skills to be just a bit unseemly), 
  Archam-Ex offers its acolytes meticulous training in the use 
  of the foil.
  It had been argued in Archam-Ex’s past that the foil is per-
  haps not the most useful weapon in combat. Advocates for the 
  weapon remarked favorably on its elegance (a well-made foil is 
  a lovely sight), length (it gives the impression of authority with-
  out all that tedious weight) and training difficulty (it is not the 
  easiest weapon to use correctly, which the mages considered 
  to be an advantage). And so the foil carried the day. Because 
  of this, mages in training at the school of Archam-Ex spend 
  many hours during their youth learning to use a weapon that 
  many would prefer never to touch. Only later, in the field, do 
  they come to realize how useful that training was.
  A Mage Foil is simply but excellently made. In the hands of 
  a non-Mage, it is an uninteresting +5 Foil. In the hands of a 
  Mage, however, it is more useful. For a Mage, a Mage Foil of-
  fers an additional +25 to the Mage’s DB, provided the Mage 
  parries to some degree (if the Mage makes a full OB attack, 
  the Mage Foil is just +5). Archam-Ex mages live a long time 
  for a reason...
  Mountain Trident
  There are those who argue that a trident has no place in the 
  mountains – that it is a weapon of the sea and of seafaring 
  peoples. It is a weapon dear to the gods of the sea and feared 
  by the creatures that swim in the oceans; it is hardly a fit-
  ting weapon for noble, upstanding mountain folk. But not all 
  agree with this argument.
  A hard trek of twenty days separates the great metropolis of 
  Carron from the mountain folk of Eagle’s Roost, a village of 
  a few hundred families above the permanent snow line on 
  Mount Graylock, the highest peak in the Northern Range 
  north of Carron-town. The Roosters have no need for stand-
  ard weapons – they shun the blade and the bow in favor of 
  the trident, which they have made uniquely their weapon. A 
  trained Rooster can throw one nearly 50 feet with pinpoint 
  accuracy and can use it in close combat where it would usu-
  ally be a liability. Their weapon smiths (trading with the 
  dwarves of Under-mountain for the iron they need) make only 
  Mountain Tridents. And any who would take the time to 
  learn the mountain ways will be rewarded handsomely.
  A Mountain Trident is a +15 Trident. It grants the following 
  two additional powers: first, when used against a foe using a 
  shorter weapon, a Mountain Trident provides an additional 
  +15, but only to OB (this extra +15 cannot be used to parry). 
  Second, if used in aerial combat, a Mountain Trident negates 
  the usual penalties that come from airborne combat.
  Nightmare Armor
  Padel the Harrower, who was alleged to have drunk the blood 
  of his enemies after besting them in combat, is the man most 
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  responsible for this armor’s existence. Dozens of suits exist; 
  almost any good-oriented character who has encountered 
  it or fought against someone wearing a Nightmare suit will 
  tell you that the fight was the longest and most brutal they 
  have ever fought. Any of them who got their hands on a suit of 
  Nightmare Armor would immediately attempt to destroy it. 
  Wearing Nightmare Armor is one of the best ways to get peo-
  ple to attack you repeatedly and without mercy. Be warned.
  Nightmare Armor is a full suit of +25 plate mail. If one is just 
  wearing it around town, it appears to be nothing more than 
  a suit of pitch black plate mail – worrying, but not actually 
  frightening. Wear the suit into battle, though, and its look 
  changes. Faces of those who were killed by the person wear-
  ing the armor appear in anguish in the metal; they writhe 
  and moan. The suit radiates an aura of fear and causes wak-
  ing nightmares in those who stand opposed it its wearer. An 
  opponent must make an immediate Will RR at –25 or be in-
  capacitated. All actions are at –50 for the next 5 rounds. The 
  character cannot flee; rather, he is transfixed by the armor. 
  The transfixed character may not attempt to Full Parry dur-
  ing these five rounds. If the character is killed, his life force is 
  drawn from his body and into the armor. To release the soul, 
  the armor must be destroyed within a day of the soul’s taking 
  or it is forever lost.
  Runeshield
  The city of Petaluma has a long and fractious history. On more 
  than one occasion, the city has literally been divided between 
  its three major communities – humans (in two religious va-
  rieties) and refugee gryx (fleeing extermination at the hands 
  of a third human community subscribing to yet another reli-
  gion) who had carved out a walled ghetto for themselves and 
  wanted nothing more than to be left alone.  During the last so 
  called “division,” the humans worshipping Michaelo (he of the 
  flowing locks of blond hair) got it into their heads that the real 
  problem was not the humans who worship Walas (the crip-
  pled god) but rather the reclusive gryx. And so the Michaelos 
  invaded the gryx ghetto...big mistake. The gryx may have fled 
  their former homelands, but they were far from defenseless.
  The gryx brought a unique skill with them to Petaluma – the 
  crafting of Runeshields. A Runeshield is a simple +10 Full 
  Shield with either a sheet of thin parchment stretched over 
  the front or with a crystal runestone set in the middle of the 
  shield. Any spell up to 7 PP (including scaled versions of lower-
  cost spells) can be inscribed into or onto a Runeshield. During 
  their decisive two-day battle with the Michaelos, the gryx 
  used a small force equipped with 50 of these shields to crush 
  their enemies. At least half of those shields were inscribed 
  with Hammer Strike spells. It really turned the tide...
  Shield of the Hoplite
  It was more than five centuries ago that the single greatest 
  military innovation on the Aeneas Peninsula took form. The 
  development of the armed and shielded hoplite strengthened 
  the power of the city of Ajas over that of the other forty cities 
  and led inexorably to the rise on the peninsula of the United 
  Cities, the greatest power of the age, with Ajas at its head. 
  Large, culturally diverse and as tolerant as any country can 
  be expected to be, the United Cities have been the predomi-
  nant nation on the continent for nearly one hundred years 
  (after its conclusive defeat of the Tyr-Honn Alliance in the 
  epic war that ended with the UC sacking Tyr itself. Curiously, 
  the historians rarely speak of the weapons the UC brought to 
  bear against Tyr, but rather focus on the shield – the Shield of 
  the Hoplite.
  Made in the great Wizard Guild Houses of Ajas, Menza and 
  Handla, these shields reinforce the ability of the hoplite to re-
  sist the strains of combat and focus on the job. A Shield of the 
  Hoplite is a +15 Wall Shield that grants two additional pow-
  ers. First, each Shield of the Hoplite generates a spell aura that 
  grants the wielder the equivalent of the spell Resist Damage 
  in combat. Second, provided that the shield owner has a part-
  ner with a Shield of the Hoplite on either side of him (creating 
  a wall three shields long), the shield’s benefit is not +15 but 
  rather +25.
  Short Bow of True Aiming
  Hoskuld of Brax, noted historian of the Empire of the Four 
  Plains, had this to say about the famous weapon that is now 
  known as the Short Bow of True Aiming:
  “The Empire of the Four Plains, unlike many great imperial 
  enterprises in human history, was the only one not built upon 
  the sword. The people of Lorwelen, the founding city in the 
  empire, had long ago learned the virtue of arrows and bows 
  that could fire them efficiently. Second of all, they understood 
  the usefulness of seeming to be weaker than they actually 
  were. Third and last, they knew the value of knowing the 
  weather. With these three qualities, they were able to build an 
  empire that continues now to rival larger and commercially 
  stronger nations.
  “The single most dominant feature of the Four Plains is the ter-
  rible wind that sweeps down from the Cascading Mountains 
  in all seasons save winter (whose snows make travel nearly 
  impossible anyway). These winds have been known to blow for 
  weeks on end. They can blow down homes and would make 
  others take cover, but not the Lorwelenese. ‘Conquer with the 
  wind’ is their saying. With their short bows and good tactics, 
  they have descended upon invaders with a ferocity that stag-
  gers the imagination. Clever enemies stay away during the 
  winds (and frequently at other times, too.”
  A Short Bow of True Aiming is a simple +10 Short Bow with a 
  few additional characteristics. First, it has quadruple the nor-
  mal range of a short bow. Second, arrows fired from a Short 
  Bow of True Aiming are not affected by the wind. In fact, the 
  windier it is, the better. If the wind is calm, the bow is +10. If 
  the wind blows between 5 and 25 miles per hour, the bow is 
  +15. If the wind blows between 20 and 40 miles per hour, the 
  bow is +20. If the wind blows faster than 40 miles per hour, 
  the bow is +25.
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  Shurikens of Gong
  The secretive, mountain Kingdom of Gong has been invaded 
  dozens of times in its existence but never successfully. These 
  invasions have created a closed and enigmatic culture that 
  rarely welcomes guests and shuns contact with the outside. 
  The Gongolese, who rarely befriend strangers or foreigners, 
  also seldom travel outside of the Kingdom. When they do, 
  though, they are usually outfitted with these shurikens – the 
  best of the breed, so to speak. Many tales are told of those 
  who run afoul of the Gong and are struck by these shurikens; 
  it usually takes only one hit to get a foe to run.
  Shurikens of Gong are +30 shurikens. They are enhanced by 
  means of a special form of the Drain Life spell. Any time the 
  shurikens hit a target, they begin to drain hits from the vic-
  tim at a rate of 4 hits per round, for up to a maximum of 10 
  rounds, regardless of the location or status of the victim (if a 
  victim casts Long Door to get away, for instance, the hit drain 
  continues for 10 rounds or until the shuriken’s user decides 
  to stop the draining process). This draining of the life force is 
  particularly painful, forcing the target to suffer the effects of 
  Stun each round the hits are drained.
  Silken Armor
  Silken Armor is a great boon to Mages and others who do 
  not want to be encumbered by heavy armor. The process 
  by which a suit is made is a secret of a reclusive Alchemists’ 
  Guild that maintains its “mother house” on a remote island in 
  the Eastern Ocean the location of which is known to only a 
  handful of the Guild’s allies and the Guild itself.
  Silken Armor protects the wearer as though it were a full suit 
  of plate mail and provides an additional +30 bonus to DB. 
  Woven from a special form of silk, the armor weighs less than 
  a pound and does not interfere with the casting of magic in 
  any way.
  Snicker-snack Blackblade
  Named for the terrifying sound it makes when it does what it 
  is designed to do, the Snicker-snack Blackblade is famed for 
  one thing – decapitation. The magic required to make the 
  blade is esoteric and difficult to master – this would account 
  for the fact that there are very few of these blades in existence.
  A Snicker-snack Blackblade is a +40 broadsword. During 
  resolution of a critical hit, if the roll is a 66 or a 100, disregard 
  the stated critical and replace it with: “Foe decapitated; head 
  spins away from lifeless body. Foe dies instantly.”
  Sword of Withering
  A nasty weapon that has turned the tide of many battles, a 
  Sword of Withering is so malevolent in its power that good-
  oriented characters that so much as swing it (even just to test 
  its balance), lose one level of experience immediately. That 
  these swords can be made only with the help of demons or 
  other dark forces is beyond question. Perhaps six exist in 
  the world; all of them are thought to be owned by the most 
  diabolical and fiendish forces of evil known in the world. 
  Good luck if you should come across someone using a Sword 
  of Withering...and good luck to you if you should choose to 
  use it.
  A Sword of Withering is a +30 two-handed sword that is pure 
  bone-white in color. Any time the sword delivers a critical hit 
  against an opponent, consult the following chart to deter-
  mine the additional damage delivered by the sword:
  War Mattock of Bleeding
  A favorite of dwarves and humans, the war mattock is a bru-
  tal weapon at the worst of times. Some clever dwarves came 
  up with a way to make it even more so by enchanting their 
  already well-made weapons with magic that is certainly on 
  the cutting edge of brutality. These are rarely found unowned 
  (their users do not seem to die as frequently as other adventur-
  ers for whatever reason) and never sold by the dwarves who 
  make them. They might make one for you, however, if you ask 
  nicely and have a good reason for owning one.
  The War Mattock of Bleeding is a +25 War Mattock. Each 
  time it scores a critical hit that causes bleeding, it triples the 
  bleeding result. Only the original bleed can be cured by nor-
  mal means – the additional bleeding must be stanched by 
  magical intervention.
  Runes
  Runes are generally spells that have been written down on 
  some medium that can then be used by anyone. While it is 
  true that runes can be used by anyone, some runes require 
  some kind of specialized training to use properly.
  Crystal Rune 10/25/50
  What a rock! Crystal Runes are renowned not only for their 
  beauty and versatility, but also for their ability to “carry” more 
  than one spell within the same rune. This award is for a single 
  rune stone storing either up to 10, 25 or 50 PP in spells. For 
  the two higher value rune crystals, at least one of the spells 
  Critical Achieved
  Result
  01-50
  -5 to a randomly selected physical 
  statistic
  51-75
  -10 to a randomly selected physical 
  statistic
  76-90
  Massive internal organ trauma 
  causes character to bleed at 10 hits 
  per round
  91-99
  one randomly selected limb withers; 
  muscles atrophy; limb unusable for a 
  full day; -90 to all actions performed 
  with that limb
  100
  one randomly selected limb with-
  ers; limb permanently unusable; 
  -90 to all actions performed with 
  that limb; only magical means can 
  reverse this damage
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  Runes
  Roll
  Item
  Value
  01-05
  Damaged Rune 10
  11 gp
  06-10
  Damaged Rune 3
  5 gp
  11-15
  Rune 3
  4 gp
  16-20
  Rune 5
  6 gp
  21-25
  Rune 5
  6 gp
  26-30
  Rune 5
  6 gp
  31-35
  Elemental Ink: Air
  100 gp
  36-40
  Elemental Ink: Earth
  100 gp
  41-45
  Elemental Ink: Fire
  100 gp
  46-50
  Elemental Ink: Water
  100 gp
  51-55
  Spirit Rune 10
  51 gp
  56-60
  Rune 10
  11 gp
  61-65
  Spiritscrye x5
  25 gp
  66
  Crystal Rune 25
  50 gp
  67-70
  Crystal Runes Tools
  100 gp
  71-75
  Rune 20
  21 gp
  76-80
  Rune Library
  varies
  81-85
  Crystal Rune 10
  20 gp
  86-90
  Runebook: Spirit Runes
  varies
  91-95
  Runebook: Elemental Runes
  varies
  96-97
  Runebook: Circle Runes
  varies
  98-99
  Runebook: Crystal Runes
  varies
  100
  Crystal Rune 50
  100 gp
  should have 15 PP or more. While it is commonplace for 
  wizards to inscribe similar spells onto the same rune crys-
  tal, there is no rule compelling that the spells have anything 
  in common.
  Crystal Runes Tools
  Crystal Runes are notoriously difficult to inscribe, requir-
  ing a specialized workshop and a lot of time and tools. The 
  tools for inscribing Crystal Runes are reflective of this dif-
  ficulty. Magnifying lenses, padded vices, lanterns that gener-
  ate intense light, special reagents and chemicals to clean and 
  prepare the crystals or the instruments and diamond-tipped 
  cutting tools would all be part of the tools to get the job 
  done. Generally speaking, this award is most appropriate in 
  an urban setting – there is no reason for a maker of Crystal 
  Runes to have tools out in the country because the runes can 
  only be inscribed in the lab. Gamemasters should feel free 
  to ignore this award if it does not make sense within their 
  game environment. Crystal Runes tools are worth at least 250 
  gold pieces.
  Damaged Rune 3
  This is a normal spell rune that was inscribed improperly in 
  some way. The maximum value of the inscribed spell is 3 PP. 
  The damage can be physical (degraded paper, faded ink) or 
  metaphysical (something went wrong in the inscription that 
  cannot be seen). If the damage is physical, the character has 
  a 20% chance of realizing that the rune is damaged (it might 
  still work, but there is a GM-determined chance that the rune 
  will fail). If the damage is metaphysical, the character has 
  no chance of realizing the mistake unless the character has 
  Runes skill and declares she wants to check out the rune. If 
  the GM is determining the status of this rune at random, 
  there is a 10% chance that this rune is an attack spell.
  Damaged Rune 10
  This award presents a much more serious problem for the 
  character than the Damaged Rune 3. In addition to the in-
  scribed spell having a maximum PP of 10, the chance that this 
  rune is an attack spell is 40%(with the corresponding danger 
  this presents to the character reading the rune). Again, the 
  damage to the rune’s matrix can be physical or metaphysical.
  Sinister mages with great skill at runes have been known to 
  purposefully write these kinds of damaged runes with the 
  sole purpose of foiling those who would steal from them. In 
  particular, when these sorts of mages have a larger collec-
  tion of runes stored for whatever purpose the wizard might 
  need, he might put one or two of these runes into the library. 
  Written “properly,” it is almost impossible to detect a pur-
  posefully miswritten rune from the real thing.
  Elemental Ink: Air
  Because Elemental Runes of Air are so difficult to write, many 
  mages who specialize in them have developed formulae for 
  special “inks” that are particularly stable in the air. Elemental 
  Inks for Air Runes are often made with exotic substances 
  related to the element of Air, such as wood from a tree struck 
  by lightning or the egg of a giant eagle, which have been bot-
  tled and preserved. Up to 5 vials might be found together.
  For common or “mundane” inks of this type, the value of the 
  ink is 10 gold pieces per vial. It is possible that the value could 
  be upwards of 100 gold pieces per vial if it were sold in the ap-
  propriate market or to a mage in need.
  Elemental Ink: Earth
  Because Elemental Runes of Earth are so difficult to write, 
  many mages who specialize in them have developed formu-
  lae for special “inks” that are particularly stable in the air. 
  Elemental Inks for Earth Runes are often made with exotic 
  substances related to the element of Earth, such as a rare ore 
  mined deep below the ground or some dirt from a highly 
  magical location, which have been bottled and preserved. Up 
  to 5 vials might be found together.
  For common or “mundane” inks of this type, the value of the 
  ink is 10 gold pieces per vial. It is possible that the value could 
  be upwards of 100 gold pieces per vial if it were sold in the ap-
  propriate market or to a mage in need.
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  Elemental Ink: Fire
  Because Elemental Runes of Fire are so difficult to write, 
  many mages who specialize in them have developed formu-
  lae for special “inks” that are particularly stable in the air. 
  Elemental Inks for Fire Runes are often made with exotic sub-
  stances related to the element of Fire, such molten lava or the 
  glands that allow a dragon to breathe fire, which have been 
  bottled and preserved. Up to 5 vials might be found together.
  For common or “mundane” inks of this type, the value of the 
  ink is 10 gold pieces per vial. It is possible that the value could 
  be upwards of 100 gold pieces per vial if it were sold in the ap-
  propriate market or to a mage in need.
  Elemental Ink: Water
  Because Elemental Runes of Water are so difficult to write, 
  many mages who specialize in them have developed formu-
  lae for special “inks” that are particularly stable in the air. 
  Elemental Inks for Water Runes are often made with exotic 
  substances related to the element of Water, such as water 
  from a magical pool or from within the heart of a water el-
  emental, which have been bottled and preserved. Up to 5 vials 
  might be found together.
  For common or “mundane” inks of this type, the value of the 
  ink is 10 gold pieces per vial. It is possible that the value could 
  be upwards of 100 gold pieces per vial if it were sold in the ap-
  propriate market or to a mage in need.
  Rune 3/5/10/20
  These are all normal spell runes written on normal media. 
  They have a maximum value up to the total of the award. If 
  a character gets an award of multiple runes and these are the 
  runes that are found, there is a 50% chance that the runes will 
  be the same spell, or in the same family of spells.
  Runebook: Circle Runes
  This runebook is a detailed instruction manual on how to 
  write a variety of Circle Runes. Each rune has a unique for-
  mula – specialized requirements for success. This runebook 
  provides all of the steps for up to 5 different Circle Runes. 
  With this runebook, any attempt to inscribe a Circle Rune 
  that is in the runebook is at +15 to the resolution roll.
  There is a 30% chance that a Circle Rune runebook will be 
  written in a Dwarven language.
  Runebook: Crystal Runes
  This runebook provides instructions for inscribing up to 5 
  different Crystal Runes. Each rune has specific inscription 
  requirements, necessary tools and gem appropriateness con-
  siderations. This runebook provides the full details; with this 
  runebook, any attempt to inscribe a Crystal Rune that is in 
  the runebook is at an additional +10 to the resolution roll.
  There is a 25% chance that a Crystal Runes runebook will be 
  written in a Gryx language.
  Runebook: Elemental Runes
  There are four different runebooks in this category – one 
  for each of the four elements that can be inscribed using the 
  Elemental Runes skill. The GM should use his/her best judg-
  ment in determining the sort of book that would be appropri-
  ate for this type of award. Near an active volcano? Probably 
  we’re talking about a Fire Runebook. Two thousand miles 
  from the nearest ocean? If so, why would anyone have a Water 
  Runebook there (and if there is one there, perhaps a clever per-
  son would want to know why...)?
  Each runebook provides the complete instructions for in-
  scribing up to 5 different Elemental Runes; with this rune-
  book, any attempt to inscribe an Elemental Rune that is 
  included in the runebook is at an additional +15 to the resolu-
  tion roll.
  Runebook: Spirit Runes
  This runebook is almost more of a general instruction manual 
  than a book of specific instructions for specific runes. When 
  studied diligently (at least 4 hours a day for a full month), 
  the runebook provides sufficient lore to grant a +20 bonus to 
  the reader on the resolution roll of any one spell that is being 
  written as a Spirit Rune.
  Rune Library
  A Rune Library is a collection of at least 1d10+2 separate, nor-
  mal runes that are bound together in some way. They might 
  be the traveling collection of a mage who met an unfortunate 
  end in some remote dungeon. They might also be an actual 
  library in a monastery or College of Magic. Of course, for the 
  latter, there might be hundreds of runes being stored.
  There are two schools of thought on the assembly of a Rune 
  Library. Either the owner of the library will have brought 
  together a collection of spells that all have something to do 
  with one another (a number of attack spells, for instance, or 
  spells that deal with the undead), or that were put together to 
  deal with a specific threat. Of course if a Rune Library is not a 
  traveling library, it might have anything in it.
  Because a Rune Library is something for which the owner will 
  have taken some care in assembling, the owner should be pre-
  sumed to have taken care in storing the runes as well. There is 
  only a 5% chance that a rune in a Rune Library will be spoiled 
  as a result of the environment. In an urban setting, there is 
  only a 2% chance that any rune will be spoiled.
  Spiritscrye x5
  Spiritscrye is the special paper used to inscribe Spirit Runes. 
  This award is for five sheets of the paper, all prepared properly 
  and ready to go. There is a 10% chance that a Spirit Rune is 
  written on one of the sheets of paper.
  Spirit Rune 10
  This is a Spirit Rune with a PP value of up to 10. 20%of the 
  time, this rune will be written in an Elven script.
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  Potions
  Roll
  Item
  Value
  01-05
  Potion of Cantrips
  1 gp
  06-10
  Counterpotion
  5 gp
  11-15
  Potion of Curiosity
  5 gp
  16-20
  Candle of Insight
  3 gp
  21-25
  Lotion of Steel
  4 gp
  26-30
  Potion of the True Path
  20 gp
  31-35
  Potion of the Gryx-way
  5 gp
  36-40
  Potion of Exchange
  15 gp
  41-45
  Potion of Awe
  100 gp
  46-50
  Potion of the Longer Door
  25 gp
  51-55
  Seal’s Lotion
  15 gp
  56-60
  Potion of Peculiarity
  10 gp
  61-65
  Potion of Leadership
  10 gp
  66
  Concoction of Ahabrab
  2,000 gp
  67-70
  Lingualotion
  6 gp
  71-75
  Potion of the Sharp Eye
  20 gp
  76-80
  Potion of the Banshee
  35 gp
  81-85
  Potion of Dragon’s Breath
  70 gp
  86-90
  Lotion of the Queen
  120 gp
  91-95
  Candle of Command
  58 gp
  96-97
  Potion of Lore
  5 gp
  98-99
  Dream Potion
  28 gp
  100
  Potion of Gong
  20 gp
  Potions
  The potions that follow are both formula potions and matrix 
  potions. Remember that potions almost never last indefi-
  nitely. At best, you can hope that a brand new potion will last 
  a month before going bad.
  Candle of Insight
  The Clerical Order of Dar Masten, an elven goddess who is the 
  patron saint of scholars and seekers, is said to be the inventers 
  of this candle formula. The lore of the Order holds that the 
  formula for the Candle of Insight came to the lowest-ranking 
  member of the Order during the Order’s darkest days (when 
  the Order’s home city was being besieged by a veritable army 
  of dark-worshipping humans). When the candle is lit and the 
  smoke from it inhaled, any skill roll related to Insight gets a 
  +5 to its resolution roll. However, if there are enemies of the 
  candle’s user within 1 mile, the bonus is +10.
  Candle of Command
  Made in darkness and used for dark purposes, the Candle of 
  Command is a black pillar of pitchy wax which, when ignited, 
  gives off a foul smoke. This smoke, when inhaled, gives the 
  owner the ability to command up to a dozen Type I, II or III 
  Undead. These undead will obey all reasonable and simple 
  orders of the candle’s user for up to one hour. The commands 
  have to be kept very simple.
  Concoction of Ahabrab
  Ahabrab was one of the greatest wizards of the preceding 
  century. Working quietly, primarily in the half-human, half-
  gryx village of Brannon, Ahabrab is credited with inventing 
  nearly fifty different potion formulas and for bringing an 
  unprecedented efficiency to the craft of potion making (his 
  potion books and equipment manifests command a hefty price 
  whenever they are found and put up for sale). The Concoction 
  of Ahabrab is one of the more complex potions ever invented 
  (it has more than 40 ingredients and a resolution roll to suc-
  cessfully make this potion is at an additional –35). When 
  drunk, however, it grants a Mage a +15 to all Elemental Spell 
  Attacks. If the Mage scores a Critical hit after drinking the 
  Concoction, the Critical damage roll is modified by +5 as well.
  Counterpotion
  Invented, it is said, by Lummod the Insufficiently Clever 
  (whose actions in its defense finally laid waste to the city of 
  Astinar), the Counterpotion may very well be the dandiest 
  piece of magic Lummod ever worked. Clearly he came up 
  with this formula because of repeated potion-making disas-
  ters (there is nothing worse than auto-poisoning, as everyone 
  knows). The Counterpotion’s purpose is simply to reverse the 
  effects of the last potion drunk by the Counterpotion’s user 
  (up to 5 PPs in effects). The Counterpotion must be consumed 
  within 30 seconds of the previous potion or it does nothing.
  Dream Potion
  Rare and expensive to make, a Dream Potion is much desired 
  by characters that have difficult decisions to make. After 
  drinking a Dream Potion and going to sleep, the character 
  will have a lucid dream about whatever issue is most on their 
  minds. This dream will give them not only the opportunity 
  to try out some strategies but also to see some pitfalls that 
  might be waiting for them. If the character wishes, he or she 
  does not need to participate in the dream. Because the action 
  is taking place within a dream, the logic will not necessarily 
  be “real” logic, but rather “dream” logic. At best, the character 
  can expect half of what he or she sees to be accurate.
  Lingualotion
  The city of Babelam is notorious throughout the continent for 
  its linguistic difficulties. Located at the one point that ten dif-
  ferent societies share in common, it can be impossible to con-
  duct normal business in Babelam without the ever-helpful 
  Lingualotion. Spread a thin layer onto your face and neck (like 
  any moisturizing lotion), and you will be able to communicate 
  in any language for the course of one hour. You will not be 
  able to read any language you cannot already read, however.
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  Lotion of Steel
  The Lotion of Steel is a Warrior Mage (or really any classes) 
  best friend. When applied to the torso (one application uses 
  up half of the lotion), the lotion provides the benefit of the 
  Steel Skin spell for 30 minutes.
  Lotion of the Queen
  This lotion was invented by or for the benefit of Queen Laura 
  II of Hennera, a small island kingdom located just off the 
  mainland. Rich but not powerful, Hennera was best known 
  for its culture. Its singers, musicians and storytellers were 
  known throughout the continent and none was better known 
  than Queen Laura II. The reason for her great success has 
  much to do with this lotion. Spread in a thin layer over the 
  hands and face, it grants the owner a +20 to any Harper spell 
  resolution checks for a full hour.
  Potion of Awe
  This potion augments a character’s natural leadership and 
  charisma. After drinking, the character has a +20 to all rolls 
  where the character is trying to influence the actions of some-
  one else. This potion’s effects last for an hour.
  Potion of Cantrips
  In the College of Magic of Robbax, a small city in the 
  Northlands, the use of cantrips by youngsters is routine. Of 
  course, if a 13-year-old is experienced with a certain type 
  of spell, regardless of how unsophisticated it may be, the 
  11-year-olds want in on the action. The fact that they are for-
  bidden to use magic of any kind (and don’t know how to yet 
  anyway) is irrelevant. These potions circulate freely. Drink it 
  down, and for the next ten minutes, you can cast any cantrip 
  you have seen cast at some point in the past (not a cantrip 
  you’ve never seen).
  Potion of Curiosity
  Another in a long line of gnomish formula potions (the recipe 
  for which the less scrupulous of the gnomish folk will gladly 
  sell to you for 500 gold pieces or your best offer), the Potion of 
  Curiosity gives a +25 bonus to any roll in which the imbiber 
  is attempting to see or discover hidden or secret things. This 
  effect is useful for all manner of hidden or secret things, even 
  illusionary magic.
  Potion of Dragon’s Breath
  This ingenious potion is both expensive and powerful. It 
  grants the drinker a dragon’s breath weapon, at least for ten 
  minutes after drinking! The breath weapon in question is 
  at a +50 OB and the character can breathe up to four times 
  per potion.
  Potion of Exchange
  A Potion of Exchange never occurs alone; it is always found 
  and/or made in batches of two. The potion does not work un-
  less there are two people drinking it. It is unclear why this po-
  tion was formulated for the first time, but it is very powerful. 
  When two people drink a Potion of Exchange, one character 
  transfers her stat bonus in any one stat to the other player. 
  This transfer lasts for an hour, during which time the charac-
  ter that transferred her stat bonus has a negative stat bonus in 
  that stat equal to her stat bonus (if a character transfers a +20 
  Quickness bonus, during the hour of the transfer, the character 
  has a –20 Quickness bonus).
  Potion of Gong
  Invented in the secretive Kingdom of Gong more than two 
  centuries ago, this potion has allowed the Kingdom to turn 
  back repeated waves of invasion by much more power-
  ful, populous and richer nations. This potion grants to the 
  drinker the equivalent of 5 ranks of Chi Defense for up to one 
  hour. This will augment the drinker’s DB and is cumulative 
  with any Chi Defense the character already has.
  Potion of Leadership
  This potion has turned the tide of more than one battle. For 
  one hour after drinking, the potion bestows upon its drinker 
  the ability to coordinate a team of up to ten people in battle. 
  This coordination grants everyone who has a personal (and 
  friendly) connection to the potion’s drinker a +5 OB during 
  one battle.
  Potion of Lore
  Whether this potion is usable for good or ill is up for grabs. 
  Upon drinking it, the character has to make a successful 
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  Stamina RR for the potion’s powers to take effect (otherwise 
  the character takes 20 hits and the potion fails). After drink-
  ing, the potion grants the drinker the ability to converse with 
  the dead. Only someone who has been dead less than a month 
  is a valid target for this potion. The dead will answer simple 
  questions and can discuss its life, but the answers will be 
  short and straightforward. The potion grants the drinker up 
  to five questions before it fails.
  Potion of Peculiarity
  It is not entirely clear whether a Potion of Peculiarity is a good 
  thing or not. Thought to be invented by an Alchemist’s Guild 
  that had a collective penchant for mischief, this potion grants 
  its drinker a +50 bonus to the next RR he or she needs to make, 
  regardless of what it is. The problem is that until that roll is 
  made (and this could go on for days, conceivably), the potion 
  also alters some aspect of the drinker’s personality, and not 
  for the better. This could mean that the drinker laughs at in-
  appropriate times, develops an obsession for something odd 
  or what have you.  GMs – be creative!
  Potion of the Banshee
  A frightful potion indeed, and frightful tasting (characters 
  have to make a Will RR even to drink the thing), the Potion of 
  the Banshee grants the drinker a terrible vocal power. After 
  drinking, for the next five minutes, if the character wishes, 
  he can shout with the power to do damage. If the charac-
  ter shouts, anyone directly in front of the character takes a 
  Medium Impact Critical. After shouting just once, however, 
  the potion’s drinker loses the ability to speak for a full day.
  Potion of the Gryx-way
  This excellent disguise potion has long been used by those 
  with a need to pass in gryx communities that might be more 
  suspicious of foreigners than others. After drinking, the po-
  tion changes the external form of the drinker into that of a 
  gryx. Nothing else changes, only the form of the drinker.
  Potion of the Sharp Eye
  Probably invented by a monastic order specializing in the de-
  fensive arts, one dose of Potion of the Sharp Eye augments 
  the drinker’s DB. A Potion of the Sharp Eye is effective for a 
  half-hour and it grants the drinker a +10 DB bonus.
  Potion of the Longer Door
  Invented either by a desperate wizard or a practical joking 
  one, the Potion of the Longer Door is based on the Long Door 
  spell. Where the spell allows the user to teleport, this potion 
  allows the wizard to teleport someone else, according to the 
  rules of the spell. The wizard does have to be in physical con-
  tact with the target for the potion to work. Once the potion’s 
  power has been used once, that’s it.
  Potion of the True Path
  The formula for this potion was probably invented by an 
  adventuring wizard who had occasion to spend lots of time 
  underground. In those parts of the world where the formula 
  for this potion is known, it is very popular with adventurers. 
  A Potion of the True Path bestows upon its drinker an innate 
  sense of depth. For a full day after drinking this potion, the 
  drinker is aware of changes in depth greater than 10 feet and 
  can find his way back to the surface without fail.
  Seal’s Lotion
  Found almost exclusively among arctic cultures, Seal’s Lotion 
  grants a +25 bonus to all maneuvers attempted while in the 
  water for one hour. It must be spread over the entire body 
  (one jar of the lotion is good for one application). This includes 
  swimming, treading water, hunting in the water and anything 
  else. It does not bestow the ability to breathe under water.
  Clothing and Jewelry
  Who says that clothing does not make the man? Or indeed 
  the woman? Regardless of race or culture, there will always 
  be those wizards who specialize in the embedding of magic 
  within articles of clothing. Magic within clothing is fre-
  quently surprising to ones enemies, and provided one stays 
  conscious, is often difficult to take away. Or if not clothing, 
  why not some special jewelry? There are all sorts of ways that 
  magic can be embedded within clothing and jewelry. Here 
  Clothing and Jewelry
  Roll
  Item
  Value
  01-05
  Charles’ Cravat Pins
  1,470 gp
  06-10
  Earrings of Association
  445 gp
  11-15
  Belt of Philli
  2,049 gp
  16-20
  Anklet of Unmaking
  9,802 gp
  21-25
  Gnomish Boots
  445 gp
  26-30
  Necklace of the Masters of Hrrax
  6,247 gp
  31-35
  Dovren Amulet
  361 gp
  36-40
  Beret of M’racca
  970 gp
  41-45
  Shirt of the Gryx
  4,418 gp
  46-50
  Beard Beads
  421 gp
  51-55
  Socks of Reaction
  varies
  56-60
  Tiger Belt
  254 gp
  61-65
  Earring of the Wild
  340 gp
  66
  Sash of the Prime Minister
  20,000 gp
  67-70
  Butterfly Bracelet
  1,953 gp
  71-75
  Titanium Knuckles
  882 gp
  76-80
  Gown of Glory
  10,275 gp
  81-85
  Tiara of the Empress
  15,280 gp
  86-90
  Spectacles of Ghent
  3,240 gp
  91-95
  Acen Amulet
  1,003 gp
  96-97
  Ulavu Bandana
  2,560 gp
  98-99
  Fez of the Harpers
  15,212 gp
  100
  Robes of the Dragon
  25,000 gp
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  are some ideas that great (and average) wizards have already 
  come up with.
  Acen Amulet
  The Acen are an elven people known for their deep and abiding 
  understanding of the most fundamental principles of magic. 
  Secretive and hostile to outsiders (their self-centeredness bor-
  ders on xenophobia), they ward their entire forest home with 
  confusion and misdirection spells. Nevertheless, they do en-
  gage in a small amount of trade with the outside world, and 
  on rare occasions, they have allowed one of these amulets to 
  cross beyond their borders into the rest of civilization.
  Acen Amulets are always in the shape of a woodland animal 
  (the beaver and the partridge seem to be particular favorites) 
  and fabricated from silver. The gemstone set within the amu-
  let is always different but is never one of the semi-precious 
  stones. All Acen Amulets are +4 Spell Adders.
  Anklet of Unmaking
  Only ancient legends, hidden away in the libraries of the old-
  est mystical orders, tell of these anklets, and of the few people 
  on the planet who know of these legends discount them as 
  fanciful. But lingering, persistent questions remain. Of these 
  anklets, only three things are known for sure. First, they were 
  supposed to number only 12, and of the original 12, at least 
  3 have been destroyed. Second, their powers are directed 
  against the undead. Third, even though they were designed 
  to deal with the undead, their maker made a mistake, cursing 
  the items – they can also work on the living. It is their power 
  to corrupt the flesh and mind of the living that gives them 
  their terrible reputation.
  An Anklet of Unmaking can be worn either about the ankle 
  or, if preferred, as a bracelet. They are all made of simple, 
  interlocking silver rings. The only distinguishing character-
  istic of one of these anklets is that one of the rings is going 
  to be tarnished and there is no amount of polishing that will 
  remove that tarnish. The anklet grants the wearer, up to 3x/
  day for an undead creature but up to 5x/day for the living, the 
  power to dissociate or unmake. If the character wearing the 
  anklet scores a Touch hit in combat (it has to be physical con-
  tact, not a weapon hit) against an undead of either Type I, II 
  or III, that hit does +25 hits of damage and does an additional 
  critical hit at +15. Against an undead of any other type, the 
  undead gets a +25 Stamina RR to resist the power of the an-
  klet. If the anklet’s power is used against a living creature, the 
  damage is much more severe. A character touched by an an-
  klet wearer gets a +25 Stamina RR. If this RR fails, the char-
  acter is inflicted with either a degenerative physical or mental 
  condition. The anklet seems to know whether a character is 
  going to be more harmed by physical or mental deterioration. 
  There is at least a –25 applied to the relevant stat based on this 
  harm. This illness can only be repaired by magical means.
  Beard Beads
  Humans, dwarves and to a lesser extent gryx have a well-de-
  served reputation for high-quality beards. Warriors amongst 
  humans and dwarves (revered elders among the gryx), often 
  decorate their beards with specially made beads that reflect 
  their status and power and give them additional powers. 
  These beads can be infused with a wide variety of powers and 
  benefits, but the most common are (each of these are 1x/day, 
  no one can wear more than two of these beads without their 
  mana matrices canceling each other out): +5 OB, +5 DB or +5 
  to any Combat skill roll resolution.
  Belt of Philli
  Philli was the name of a first rate rogue and thief who plied 
  his craft for more than forty years in and among the cities 
  of the Hesternus Coast. The most populous (though not the 
  richest) of these cities was Hess, Philli’s home base. Philli was 
  known throughout these cities for his ability to do jobs that 
  no one else could manage. Whether he was stealing precious 
  jewels from rich burgomasters, maps from secretive cartog-
  raphers or potion formulae from the Alchemists’ Guild of 
  Hess, his ability to slip into and then back out of situations 
  was legendary. He was never once caught in the act. He was 
  so good, in fact, that even during his ten years as Head of the 
  Hess Thieves’ Guild, he could deny plausibly that he even was 
  a thief. And it was all because of his belt, or so thought those 
  very few in the know.
  A Belt of Philli grants its wearer the following power: 1x/
  week, while wearing the belt, the character gets a net total 
  of +50 which he can use to modify die rolls in the Subterfuge 
  skill area. This means, for example, that a character might 
  declare a +30 bonus to one roll and four +5 bonuses to four 
  other rolls. All declarations have to be made before the dice 
  are thrown. Once used for a job, the belt requires a full week 
  to “recharge.”
  Beret of M’racca
  The M’racca are a gregarious clan of halflings who have made 
  their living by telling stories, acting in plays, being trouba-
  dours and singing songs for centuries now. Traveling in cara-
  van from city to city, they are almost always welcomed with 
  open arms wherever they travel. One can always tell a M’racca 
  by the singular dark green beret they wear.
  This beret grants to the wearer, up to 2x/day (for one whole 
  story, song or play), a +10 to the skill check of either the Acting, 
  Singing or Storytelling skills.
  Butterfly Bracelet
  The Butterfly Bracelets were invented by a now unknown 
  mystical order that lived and worked in monasteries and 
  academies at very high altitudes, or so it is theorized. Butterfly 
  bracelets are made from at least three different types of met-
  als, woven into a herringbone pattern. One of the metals is 
  always gold, but the other two are up for grabs.
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  A Butterfly Bracelet grants the following powers: Fly, per the 
  spell (but at 25 miles per hour), 2x/day; Acrobatics/Tumbling, 
  5 free ranks. These free ranks in Acrobatics/Tumbling gives 
  the wearer of the bracelet the ability to make airborne ma-
  neuvers per the Fly spell.
  Charles’ Cravat Pins
  Charles Della Veiga, the acknowledged master of style, fash-
  ion and magic in the great, cosmopolitan port city of Serapian, 
  has a nearly continental-wide reputation for his magic-
  infused jewelry, to say nothing of his excellent clothes. Two 
  things set Charles apart from the other wizards in Serapian 
  and nearly everywhere else. He has trained a dozen other, 
  lesser wizards in his craft and he is an aggressive salesman.
  Anyone can buy one (or more) of these cravat pins, but they 
  are only offered for sale in Charles’ boutique in Serapian. 
  That the other, poorer wizards in town are jealous of Charles 
  Della Veiga almost goes without saying. There have been at 
  least four attempts on his life in the last decade. This jealousy 
  comes not just from his skills at magic (these pins just scratch 
  the surface of his capabilities), but also from his ostentatious 
  wealth and lifestyle. Everyone knows how rich Charles Della 
  Veiga is – he makes certain of it.
  Charles’ Cravat Pins are traditionally worn so that they fix a 
  gentleman’s cravat to the shirt. They are not worn openly; no 
  one should know you are wearing one. There are two main 
  types of the pin:
  The first is set with a small ruby and gives the wearer a +5 to 
  persuasion attempts, up to 3x/day.
  The second is set with a small sapphire. When worn, it gives 
  the wearer a permanent +5 DB bonus. The bonus is +10 if the 
  attacker is an elf.
  Dovren Amulet
  Dovren Amulets are also made by the Acen, but they are 
  much less powerful than their namesake Amulets. Dovren 
  amulets are small, almost more of a brooch than an amulet, 
  and are set with a small gemstone. Frequently fabricated from 
  copper (though sometimes from silver), Dovren Amulets are 
  all +1 Spell Adders.
  Earring of the Wild
  These earrings, generally a small golden hoop with a small 
  stone set towards the top of the ring or just a simple gem-
  stone stud, are a boon to Rangers of all stripes. They come in 
  two varieties:
  The hoop type grants a Ranger access, up to 1x/day per spell, 
  to the following spells: Nature’s Strength, Traceless Passing 
  and Tree Merge.
  The stud type serves as a +1 Spell Adder, but only for Rangers.
  Earrings of Association
  These earrings are a specialty of the magical craftsmen of the 
  Harattic Republic, a small but wealthy confederation of cit-
  ies located on the Har Peninsula, on the southern equator-
  facing region of its continent. In ages past, the Har was riven 
  with conflict between warring states – human ones along the 
  coast of the peninsula and mixed dwarven/halfling commu-
  nities in the highlands and in the mountains. Their conflicts 
  were broad ranging and deeply felt, but were centered on sil-
  ver and gems as these conflicts often are. The wars between 
  humans and dwarves and halflings got to such a point less 
  than a century ago that both sides realized that if they did 
  not come to terms, the expansionist Toorine Empire that oc-
  cupies the north.
  So, they came to terms. The dwarves would trade a certain 
  volume of the gems they mined from the mountains and the 
  halflings would trade an equivalent amount of silver that they 
  mined from the hills. The human cities would then agree 
  to trade manufactured goods back to the upland cities. The 
  humans quickly took to making these earrings from the 
  traded materials.
  Earrings of Association are made in groups of five sets of two. 
  A standard set includes ten earrings, though the earrings will 
  function provided there is at least one pair. When worn by at 
  least two people, they allow the pair (or the trio, and so on up 
  to ten) to coordinate their actions in combat such that each 
  person gets either a +5 OB bonus or a +10 DB bonus. The deci-
  sion about whether they want to take the OB or the DB bonus 
  has to be made before any other decision in the combat round.
  Fez of the Harpers
  The Order of Harpers in the great trading city of Oxyreen, 
  located deep in the heart of the southern continent, is well 
  known for their principle symbol of membership – the Fez 
  of the Harpers. When worn by a Harper, the Fez grants the 
  wearer the ability to cast, for free up to 10 PPs of spells from 
  the Harper Sphere per day.
  Gown of Glory
  The dancing sisters of the Order of Gracefulness have a 
  well-deserved reputation for their entertaining skills. In the 
  great Imperial cities on the eastern shores of the country, the 
  Graceful Sisters have cornered the market on high-class en-
  tertaining and giving pleasure to the nobility. Their Gowns of 
  Glory are the hallmark of the order. Each gown is made of the 
  most delicate silks and taffeta and each one is made especially 
  for the Sister who will wear it.
  A Gown of Glory grants to the wearer a +50 to all reaction 
  and persuasion rolls against someone who finds them sexu-
  ally attractive (regardless of race or gender).  After the wearer 
  of a Gown of Glory has made one successful role against a 
  target, the target is bewitched, as though he or she was suf-
  fering from the combined effects of a Charm spell and a 
  Confusion spell.
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  This may very well be the reason why the Order is so rich!
  Gnomish Boots
  Many clever tricksters hard at work running their schemes 
  have found themselves on the receiving end of a gnomish 
  prank or worse, a gnomish scheme that they did not antici-
  pate. The question these other tricksters are often left with 
  is this: “how did that dang gnome get away so fast!” While 
  gnomes may be insatiably curious, prone to tricking, practi-
  cal jokes and being pains in the behind to any who have to 
  deal with them, they are not stupid. One of the great secrets 
  of gnomish magic is these boots that are never given or sold 
  to outsiders.
  Gnomish boots grant the wearer, 1x/day, the ability to run re-
  ally, really fast for up to a full minute. If needed, the wearer 
  may run at a rate 10x his base speed for up to a minute.
  Necklace of the Masters of Hrrax
  The warrior mages of the Hrrax are loved by their country-
  men and feared by any who would dare to cross them. But 
  even amongst these warrior mages, there is a class that stands 
  apart. Capable of the greatest feats of magic and physically 
  among the very best specimens of the dwarvenkind, one can 
  tell a Master of Hrrax by the necklace that marks his station. 
  A Necklace of the Masters of Hrrax is a solid gold choker of 
  interlocking rings. Generally there will be between 15 and 20 
  rings that form the necklace but at times there are more.
  When worn, a Necklace of the Masters of Hrrax grants a 
  Warrior Mage (and only a warrior mage) of any race except 
  elven the following powers: +2 PP/day; 1x/day, +20 OB to any 
  one attack; 1x/day, +20 OB to any one spell attack.
  Robes of the Dragon
  Gloriously resplendent, Robes of the Dragon are made ap-
  proximately once every fifty years by the Sacred Weaver, who 
  spends the best part of an entire career weaving and assem-
  bling one Robe of the Dragon. These robes are made by the 
  Sacred Weaver for one discerning, and very rich, customer. 
  When worn, they grant the wearer the ability to transform 
  himself, 1x/week, into the dragon that is pictured on the back 
  of the robes. Generally speaking, this will be a red dragon on 
  red robes, but almost any kind of dragon can be imprinted 
  onto the robes. This transformation is complete, but it can be 
  reversed by the wearer for no cost up to 24 hours after trans-
  formation. For each day past the first day that the wearer stays 
  in the dragon form, there is a 10% chance that the wearer will 
  not be able to transform back to his normal form, being stuck 
  in dragon form unless he can be transformed back by some 
  magical means. 
  Sash of the Prime Minister
  The history of the Carrabe Republic is writ large with colorful 
  figures that have made their mark on the Carrabe peoples. 
  The only fully functional republic on the island continent 
  of Toneran, Carrabe has used its peoples commitment to 
  Carrabean values to hold its own against threats and to ex-
  pand their influence against more despotic regimes. At the 
  head of the Carrabe Republic is the Prime Minister. Each 
  time there is a change in government, the Republican Guild 
  of Wizards commissions a new sash of office. Each sash (there 
  are more than 300 in existence, one for each Prime Minister – 
  there is even one for Donn Akinson, who served in office for only 
  four days) is custom made and they all provide at least five 
  different powers. Sashes are not recycled; no Prime Minister 
  has ever worn another’s sash of office. Once a Prime Minister 
  leaves office, they must turn over their sash to the Republican 
  Guild of Wizards, who preserve the sash in their archives. 
  Two examples follow:
  The Sash of Obadai Helksson: +10 to any attempt to persuade 
  a gryx, +10 DB up to 2x/day, 5 free ranks of Martial Arts 
  Sweeps, 6 free speaking ranks of the local gryx language, per-
  manent +5 to SD as long as the sash was worn.
  The Sash of Fafnar Ielsson: +3 Spell Adder, +10 DB up to 2x/
  day, 5 free ranks of Duping, Nature’s Tongues up to 2x/day, 
  Weapon Fury up to 2x/day.
  Shirt of the Gryx
  The gryx are, of course, best known for their peaceful pur-
  suits – gardening, reading, stargazing and the like. While this 
  is what the gryx are best known for, they are not a pacifist 
  people. When they are forced into conflict, however, they 
  want to get the job done as quickly as possible. They abhor 
  violence and like most people, have no interest in dying early.
  A Shirt of the Gryx is a simple but very finely made chain 
  shirt. It has been infused with powerful magics, however. 
  Up to 2x/day, a Shirt of the Gryx provides its wearer with the 
  equivalent effects of a –50 Bladeturn spell and an Unaim True 
  Deflection spell.
  Socks of Reaction
  The Yarloks of Amaramp are the world’s greatest martial 
  arts masters as everyone knows. Their great, open-plan cities 
  frequently play host to the exercises of the dozens of martial 
  arts clubs and associations that form the core of Yarlok soci-
  ety. Featuring the combined efforts of literally thousands of 
  individuals working in teams, these Yarlok Demonstrations 
  have kept the peace between them and their neighbors for 
  hundreds of years. What few realize is that their skills are 
  augmented by magic.
  Hundreds of years ago, the Yarlok developed their signature 
  socks. They come in four colors. The lowest rank is white; 
  they grant a +5 DB bonus when using Martial Arts Sweeps. 
  The next rank is tan; they grant a +5 DB bonus when using 
  Martial Arts Strikes. The next highest rank is orange; they 
  grant a +10 DB bonus when using either Martial Arts Sweeps 
  or Strikes. The highest rank, black, grants a +15 DB bonus 
  when using either Martial Arts Sweeps or Strikes.
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  Spectacles of Ghent
  The traders of Ghent are the most difficult merchants to 
  trick or deceive anywhere on the Inland Sea. Their specta-
  cles are the answer to this unique power. Anyone who wears 
  Spectacles of Ghent gets a +15 RR to their resistance roll 
  whenever someone lies to them or attempts to dupe them 
  using the Duping skill. If a wearer of the Spectacles succeeds 
  in resisting a lie, for the next week, anytime that same person 
  attempts to lie, the liar will be surrounded by a green aura. 
  Tiara of the Empress
  Lena V was the previous Empress of the Sandoval Empire. 
  Her reign of more than forty years was a high water mark 
  in the recent history of the Empire. The country is wealth-
  ier, more peaceful and more confident now than it has been 
  for more than a century. This Tiara, the principle symbol of 
  her office, became something like a symbol for the Empress 
  herself. Alas, it has been stolen, right out of the royal palace 
  itself. If only it were not so important, both symbolically 
  and magically...
  The Tiara of the Empress is a powerful tool in the hands of 
  a Cleric – it grants a Cleric the ability to cast up to 20 PPs of 
  spells from the Cleric Sphere 1x/day. These are any spells of 
  the owner’s choice.
  Tiger Belt
  This simple brown and gold belt is either of halfling or elven 
  construction. Up to 1x/day, the wearer can take the belt off 
  and toss it onto the ground. When a command word is spo-
  ken, the belt will transform over the course of a single combat 
  round into a sabertooth tiger. This tiger will fight on behalf of 
  its master. If the tiger is killed in combat, the belt is destroyed.
  Titanium Knuckles
  These are not your brother’s brass knuckles, no sir! Made 
  throughout the northlands by the Kong Order (and re-
  served for their and their friends’ use), Titanium Knuckles 
  are worn on the hand. They grant to the wearer 10 free ranks 
  of Brawling skill and +5 hits per successful attack using that 
  skill. Brawling attacks using Titanium Knuckles are consid-
  ered Normal sized attacks (not Tiny or Small).
  Ulavu Bandana
  An Ulavu Bandana is always a red/green tartan striped piece 
  of square cloth. When worn, it grants the wearer the perma-
  nent effects of Misfeel, per the Mage spell.
  Rods and Staves
  Rods and staves are most commonly used by high-ranking 
  Mages and other magical professionals, but the nice thing 
  about these items is that they can be used by anyone! All 
  rods and staves have somewhere between 1 and 100 charges. 
  Gamemasters can feel free to assign any number of charges to 
  a rod or staff just encountered. A simple roll can grant a Mage 
  an accurate count of the amount of charges that remain.
  Blackstaff
  It is thought that the Blackstaves were all made centuries ago 
  during the period of the Magewars. During the Magewars, 
  the Dark Lord Balegon brought under his control all evil wiz-
  ards. They were all equipped with a Blackstaff as a symbol not 
  only of their wickedness, but also of their relationship with 
  Balegon. Blackstaves are all eight-feet tall, ebony and inlaid 
  with emeralds and decorated with silver. Their beauty belies 
  their malevolence.
  Blackstaves only function for evil wizards. If a good wizard 
  touches or attempts to use a Blackstaff, she takes an Electricity 
  critical at +20. If a good wizard, even after this, actually uses 
  a Blackstaff, she loses two permanent levels of experience. If a 
  good wizard uses a Blackstaff again, she becomes evil as well, 
  bent now to doing to corrupt will of Balegon.
  Blackstaves are +25 Quarterstaffs that also grant the follow-
  ing powers to evil-oriented wizards:
   
   +4 PP adder
   
   1 charge -- Fear
   
   2 charges – Drain Life (2d10 Hits/round)
   
   3 charges – Elemental Bolt (+25 OB; Electricity; attack size 
  – Tiny)
   
   5 charges -- Harm (per the enhanced version of the spell: 
  3d10 Hits and Bleeding IV)
  Dannels’ Rod
  The Dannels are the second-highest ranking family in the 
  Hierarchy of Eighty-one, the great ruling families of Eddere 
  By The Bay. Their greatest rivals are the Spencers. The 
  Dannels have maintained their status and power in Eddere By 
  The Bay because of their stranglehold on Clerical magic in the 
  city. The rod that marks the status of the family is made from 
  cherry wood and is plainly adorned.
  A Dannels’ Rod grants the following powers:
   
   2 charges (2x/day) – any spell of the Cleric’s sphere with a 
  Base PP of 3 or below.
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   4 charges (1x/day) – any spell of the Cleric’s sphere with a 
  Base PP of 5 or below.
  Rod of Healthful Living
  Oh those gryx. Peaceful gardeners and steadfast keepers of 
  the faith, it should come as no surprise that this rod is of gryx 
  origin. A three-and-a-half foot long stalk of green wood with 
  delicate carvings is the form of the Rod of Healthful Living, a 
  great boon to travelers in harsh climates.
  A Rod of Healthful Living can do two different things. For 
  one charge, the rod can tell the owner if food or water is safe 
  to eat. For three charges, the rod can purify food or water suf-
  ficient to feed and hydrate up to ten people for one full day.
  Rod of Letters
  Even the laziest scholars can rest assured provided they have 
  access to a Rod of Letters! Just sweep the rod over a piece of 
  unreadable text and – voila! – you get it! And all for the cost 
  of just 2 charges per page! Who could ask for anything more!
  Rod of Order
  Not everyone is amused by the tricks and illusions of gnomes 
  and like-minded folk. The Rod of Order, manufactured by 
  the Guild of Right-Minded Magicians of the famous city of 
  Pilar-Mod, is one of the least humorous items ever made by 
  humans. Little more than a beige stick with a Pilarian sigil 
  that stands for seriousness engraved within it, the Rod of 
  Order is frequently sold to travelers who have to make their 
  way through gnomish lands.
  The Rod of Order is used to cancel phantasms and other illu-
  sions. Each charge used grants the user a 5% chance of dispel-
  ling a phantasm, trick or other illusion.
  Rod of Rass
  Rass...the eldritch city. Legends both ancient and modern tell 
  that the city of Rass was one of the most frightening places on 
  earth. Overwhelmed by dream creatures, monsters and mad-
  ness, no one visits Rass anymore unless one’s directions have 
  gone terribly wrong. Maps do not show the city’s location; 
  older maps show only the “Ruins of Rass” – a wasteland in the 
  center of an island continent. One of the ways that the city’s 
  reputation was established was through their infamous rods.
  A Rod of Rass is a three-foot long shaft of pure black ash with-
  out additional adornment.  Each charge grants the user the 
  ability to weaken a primary stat of the target by 1 point (all 
  the way down to zero if so desired).  The user of a Rod of Rass 
  has to select the stat and the number of charges to be used. 
  The target gets a Stamina RR against the Rod’s effects, but 
  the RR is at –20, and if it succeeds, it only halves the dam-
  age done. Because Rods of Rass are generally ancient items, 
  they never have a full 100 charges when found (roll a d100 to 
  determine charges).
  Rod of Smoke
  During the darkest days of the previous decade, the human 
  town of Arrain was beset by brigands, thieves and other mis-
  creants who descended on them from their redoubts in the 
  surrounding mountains. Arrain was well known back then 
  for two things: first, it was (and remains) one of the richest 
  communities in the area and second, it was difficult to defend, 
  owing to it almost permanent daylight (from the sun during 
  the day and the unique interplay of light from the world’s three 
  moons during the nighttime in the Arrain valley). The town’s 
  lone mage came up with the solution...the Rod of Smoke.
  Each time a charge is used from the Rod of Smoke, a 20x20 
  foot square cloud of smoke intersperses itself between the 
  user and his/her enemies. This cloud grants the user a +15 
  DB for up to six combat rounds. High winds reduce the total 
  length of protection to three combat rounds.
  Rod of the Archimandrite
  The Glorious and Universal World Church of Mundary has 
  the second most complicated system of internal organiza-
  tion known to elves, humans or gryx (the most complex being 
  that of the Universal and Glorious Mundarite Church of the 
  World). At the entry level of the GUWCM pecking order is 
  the Archimandrite (a step above the priest in importance). 
  Each Archimandrite is invested with a small (one-and-a-half 
  Rods and Staves
  Roll
  Item
  Value
  01-05
  Rod of Smoke
  350 gp
  06-10
  Rod of Letters
  550 gp
  11-15
  Rod of Healthful Living
  945 gp
  16-20
  Spencers’ Rod
  3,645 gp
  21-25
  Dannels’ Rod
  10,890 gp
  26-30
  Rod of the M’racca
  6,390 gp
  31-35
  Staff of the Centaurs
  4,955 gp
  36-40
  Rod of Order
  2,475 gp
  41-45
  Staff of the Fist
  8,005 gp
  46-50
  Staff of Home
  1,530 gp
  51-55
  Staff of the Rhodion
  4,955 gp
  56-60
  Rod of Zo
  12,000 gp
  61-65
  Staff of Right
  1,810 gp
  66
  Staff of Law
  175,000 gp
  67-70
  Rod of the Archimandrite
  4,160 gp
  71-75
  Staff of Tombs
  10,725 gp
  76-80
  Staff of Suffering
  2,665 gp
  81-85
  Rod of Rass
  18,775 gp
  86-90
  Staff of the Elements
  18,005 gp
  91-95
  Staff of Reversal
  14,500 gp
  96-97
  Blackstaff
  110,000 gp
  98-99
  Whitestaff
  110,000 gp
  100
  Staff of Time
  250,000 gp
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  feet long) rod inlaid with jewels and gold filigree to mark 
  his office.
  Each Rod of the Archimandrite serves as a Holy Symbol for 
  the possessor (+1 PP adder; +5 to RRs) and grants the cleric 
  the use of Major Healing 1x/day (per the spell).
  Rod of the M’racca
  While the M’racca are best known for their powerful berets, 
  they are also justly known for their rods of power. There are 
  usually only three M’racca rod-masters at work in any given 
  generation and each of them makes just two or three rods per 
  year. The M’racca are known for their lovely and heroic songs. 
  These rods are one of the ways in which the M’racca get the 
  source material for their songs.
  Each rod is made from semi-petrified wood, is less than an 
  inch in diameter and has a short message inscribed on the 
  body of the rod. Each rod grants the user the ability to see the 
  past, per the Past Visions spell. Unlike most rods and staves, 
  this rod can be recharged after use, provided it is not com-
  pletely discharged. The only person who can recharge the rod 
  is the M’racca who made it (the cost is 5 PP/charge). The costs 
  associated for each use of the rod are:
   
   1 charge – up to one day in the past, up to one hour 
  of viewing
   
   1 charge – up to one additional hour of viewing per use
   
   3 charges – up to one week in the past, up to one hour 
  of viewing
   
   5 charges – up to one month in the past, up to one hour 
  of viewing
   
   10 charges – up to one year in the past, up to one hour 
  of viewing
   
   20 charges – up to ten years in the past, up to one hour 
  of viewing
   
   50 charges – up to a century in the past, up to one hour 
  of viewing
   
   100 charges – up to a millennium in the past, up to one 
  hour of viewing
  Rod of Zo
  Zo the Mad? Zo the Brilliant? Zo the Clever? Zo the Difficult? 
  Whichever moniker one chooses one truth remains, Zo the 
  Mage is one of the most brilliant, clever, mad and difficult 
  mages at work today. He is also one of the most prolific in 
  the production of magic items. Owing to a constitution that 
  allows him to work twenty-three hours a day and an almost 
  superhuman greed, Zo churns out stuff for the local and re-
  gional market three hundred forty days a year (he takes two 
  week’s vacation in the summer to spend his loot).
  The rod that bears his name is a two foot long piece of white 
  birch with the simplest of carving along the shaft. His rod 
  is an excellent defense against missile weapons. Provided the 
  owner either has the initiative or holds his action until a mis-
  sile weapon is discharged, the Rod can be used against the 
  incoming missile, giving its intended target a +75 DB against 
  that one missile. The rod works against all kinds, types and 
  sizes of missile weapons.
  Spencers’ Rod
  The Spencers are the highest-ranking family in the Hierarchy 
  of the Eighty-one, the great ruling families of Eddere By The 
  Bay. Their greatest rivals are the Dannels. In each generation, 
  two children are trained to become masters in each of the 
  major character classes. The two children who are trained as 
  mages are given the secrets of the rod that bears the family 
  name when they reach the age of fourteen years. On the fam-
  ily estates, the wood that is used to make the rod is grown. 
  The rods are made of a single shaft of mahogany topped by an 
  ornament (the family’s spherical crest) in bronze.
  Each Spencers’ Rod can do the following (as many times 
  per day as desired):
   
   1 charge – Boost Presence, Boost Insight (per the spells)
   
   2 charges – Counterspell (per the spell)
   
   3 charges – Distractions (per the spell)
  Staff of Home
  No one has the first idea why these staves were made or by 
  whom, but their scale (they stand anywhere from five feet 
  tall to as high as six feet but never higher) suggests a halfling 
  derivation. A Staff of Home is carefully hewn from oak and 
  has deeply-gouged patterns carved into the wood. When a 
  character comes into possession of a Staff of Home, she needs 
  to make an Insight check to tune to the staff (the character 
  needs to roll a d100 with a result under her Insight to tune to 
  the staff).
  If the character does not tune to the staff, it is a +5 Quarterstaff 
  but nothing more. If the character does tune to the staff, how-
  ever, it grants two uncanny abilities. First, the character al-
  ways knows the direction of her home. Second, 1x/month, the 
  character can use the power of the staff to Long Door directly 
  to her home. The character can take no more than one hun-
  dred pounds of additional material with her when she travels.
  Staff of Law
  A radiant and resplendent beauty is the Staff of Law. Four are 
  known to exist – two carved from redwood and two from 
  fir. All four of them are capped with steel reinforcing boots 
  on the bottom and an ornament of white gold at the top. The 
  carvings within the staff itself are intricate, reticulated and 
  beautiful. No scholars have the first clue why these staves 
  were made; their complexity suggests an intelligence that was 
  from an earlier age of civilization. The whereabouts of one 
  of these staves is known; the other three are thought to be 
  lost, probably in some deep, ruined underground city or some 
  other foul lair.
  A Staff of Law is a +25 Quarterstaff that grants the follow-
  ing powers:
   
   +20 Insight, Presence and Reasoning bonus as long as 
  owner possesses staff
   
   +20 to all RRs
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   Immunity to Poison and Disease
   
   +3 Spell Adder per day
   
   50 PPs of spells per day, drawn from the Universal, Mage, 
  Warrior Mage spheres (for a fir staff) or from Universal, 
  Cleric, Ranger (for a redwood staff)
  Staff of Reversal
  Rare and highly prized by adventurers and others who live 
  their lives in a state of constant danger, each Staff of Reversal 
  has been made by an elven cleric committed to the preser-
  vation of life, regardless of the danger or cost. Elves do not 
  sell these items; rather, they give them to particularly noble 
  adventurers who, for whatever reason, support the agenda of 
  the elves.
  Once per week, a Staff of Reversal can restore the soul of a 
  dead character to his body, per the Lifegiving spell. If the Staff 
  is used a second time during a single week, the Staff’s power 
  is expended for good. Otherwise, the staff recharges after 
  a week.
  Staff of Right
  One of the most blessed magical items that one could come 
  across, the Staff of Right is a solid piece of white sandalwood 
  and, by reputation, is carved only by elves, whose hostil-
  ity to the undead is well known. It stands nearly eleven feet 
  tall and is but the width of a finger, but is nevertheless a 
  +10 Quarterstaff.
  The Staff is used to Turn Undead (per the spell). Each charge 
  can cause 1 point of undead within a 10’ radius to flee from 
  the Staff’s owner or disintegrate. There is no maximum re-
  garding the number of times the Staff may be used in any 
  given day, but it does have a finite number of charges. It can-
  not be recharged.
  Staff of Suffering
  The Staff of Suffering is a baleful item indeed. It is thought 
  by many that the staves in existence were made by a Clerical 
  Order committed to making more and more lycanthropes in 
  the world. A Staff of Suffering looks like a piece of ancient 
  wood, craggy, pitted and barely capable of holding together. 
  It is unadorned.
  Twice per month (once at the New Moon and once at the Full 
  Moon), the Staff of Suffering can be used to inflict lycanthropy 
  on a target. The target gets a Stamina RR at –10 to resist the 
  transformation, but if transformed, any attempt to reverse 
  the lycanthropic illness is also at a –10 to success.
  Staff of the Centaurs
  There are some who make the argument that the Centaurs 
  are not one of the great races despite their natural curiosity, 
  intelligent, culture and sense of community and purpose. For 
  those who do not believe in the greatness of the Centaurs, 
  the Staff that bears their name should serve as conclusive 
  evidence. Standing nearly ten feet tall and intricately carved 
  with Centaur sigils, runes and symbols, this staff is a great 
  boon to centaurs and indeed to rangers.
  A Staff of the Centaurs grants the following powers (per the 
  spells of the same name):
   
   1 charge (3x/day) – Path Lore
   
   2 charges (2x/day) – Find Path
   
   3 charges (2x/day) – Path Tales
   
   5 charges (1x/week) – Know Path True
  Staff of the Elements
  The Exarchs of Debussy, who have ruled that city for the past 
  two decades, have always been in danger of losing power 
  to the family they deposed twenty years ago. Their tenuous 
  hold on power has been supported primarily by the Mages’ 
  Guild of Debussy, who have supplied them and their hench-
  men with assorted weapons, chief amongst them this handy 
  staff. Because the Guild has been working “overtime” to keep 
  the Exarchs in power, each Staff of the Elements has but 50 
  charges maximum.
  A Staff of the Elements is a +0 Quarterstaff with the follow-
  ing power:
   
   5 charges  -- Elemental Ball (OB 20; element of staff user’s 
  choice – attack size Small)
   
   5 charges – Elemental Bolt (OB 35; element of staff user’s 
  choice – attack size Small)
  Staff of the Fist
  Seven-feet tall and topped with an iron fist, the Staff of the Fist 
  is a great boon to any who come across it, but is best known 
  to Warrior Mages. All Staves of the Fist were made between 
  fifty years ago and ten years ago by an Order of Mages that 
  attempted without success to preserve the freedom of a now 
  overrun kingdom. When it became clear to the order that 
  their kingdom was going to be conquered, they sent hundreds 
  of their kind out into the world to seek help, each of them 
  equipped with a Staff of the Fist.
  Each staff is a +20 Quarterstaff that also provides the follow-
  ing powers (per the spells):
   
   3 charges (1x/day) – Guardian Blades
   
   4 charges (1x/day) – Hammer Strike (4x hit damage)
   
   10 charges (1x/week) – Warrior’s Might (+20 critical modi-
  fier; +30 to strength maneuvers)
  Staff of the Rhodion
  The Rhodion are the greatest seafarers of their age or of any 
  other age. Their skills are legendary and their seamasters 
  have a well-deserved reputation for gruffness and confidence. 
  The Staves of the Rhodion seamasters are nine-feet tall pieces 
  of solid bamboo with the simplest ornamentation.
  A Staff of the Rhodion grants its owner the following powers:
   
   1 charge (1x/day) – Path Lore (only at sea)
   
   2 charges (1x/day) – Find Path (only at sea)
   
   3 charges (1x/day) – Control Winds (summons a wind of 
  25 mph in staff owner’s choice of direction)
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   4 charges (1x/day) – Summon Sea Monster (summons a 
  sea dragon or turtle that will aid the staff owner’s ship)
   
   5 charges (1x/day) – Steel Skin (related either to the ship or 
  to its passengers)
  Staff of Time
  Made centuries ago by a peerless wizard interested in taking 
  his research beyond this phase of human existence, the Staff 
  of Time is a singular item. Very easy to miss because of the 
  simplicity of its design (it is a ten-foot tall piece of unadorned 
  elder-wood), anyone with the ability to sense mana and power 
  would be aware of the staff’s presence from ten miles away.
  Simply put, the Staff of Time allows the owner to move either 
  backward or forward in time. Each charge allows the owner 
  to choose a time between a decade to either side of the own-
  er’s current time, meaning that if the staff was fully charged 
  it could move a person 50 decades into the past or the future 
  and then back to the start time.
  The Staff of Time can be recharged, but it takes time...for each 
  year that the staff is not used, the staff gains 1 charge.
  Staff of Tombs
  A dreadful implement used only by the most wicked sorcer-
  ers, just one Staff of Tombs has been known to turn the tide 
  of battle against the forces of good. It is thought that no more 
  than a dozen Staff of Tombs exist in the world – most of the 
  good-oriented Clerics, Churches and Holy Warriors spend 
  their time trying to find them and destroy them and with 
  good reason. A staff is hewn from ebony and capped with 
  some kind of bone; a Staff of Tombs is a +15 Quarterstaff. If a 
  Staff of Tombs is not used for a full day, it recharges 1 charge. 
  In addition, it grants the following powers (there is no limit 
  to the number of times the Staff of Tombs can be used in any 
  given day):
   
   no charges –Any undead created by the staff are consid-
  ered controlled (per Control Undead) by the staff’s owner
   
   1 charge – Animate Dead (+0 to maneuvers; +10 to combat)
   
   1 charge – Animate Dead (per above, for each addi-
  tional target)
   
   2 charges – Create Undead (Class I, +1 charge for each 
  higher class of undead)
   
   3 charges – Harm (2d10 hits or Bleeding IV, staff us-
  er’s choice)
  Whitestaff
  During the Magewars, it is well known that the Dark Lord 
  Balegon gathered evil wizards to his side. Equally important, 
  but perhaps less well known is that the forces that opposed 
  Balegon also rallied the power of good wizards to the side of 
  righteousness. While there are far fewer Whitestaves in ex-
  istence than there are Blackstaves, Whitestaves were made to 
  give the forces of good something in common to resist evil.
  Whitestaves are only usable by good-oriented wizards. If 
  an evil wizard touches or attempts to use a Whitestaff, he 
  takes a Cold critical at +20. If an evil wizard continues with 
  the experiment and actually does use the staff, he suffers a 
  loss of two levels. Each additional time the evil wizard uses a 
  Whitestaff, he loses an additional two levels.
  Whitestaves are +25 Quarterstaffs that grant the following 
  additional powers (per the relevant spells):
   
   1 charge – Blur
   
   2 charges – Bladeturn (self or a target within 50’)
   
   3 charges – Elemental Bolt (+25 OB; Cold; attack size 
  – Tiny)
   
   5 charges – Elemental Bolt (+20 OB; Cold; attack size 
  – Medium)
  Miscellaneous Items
  Perhaps it will surprise you to find some of these items below; 
  perhaps not. These items do show one thing – magic can be 
  found in very strange places indeed!
  Astrolabe of Finding
  The techno-mages of Elasterac have taken the practice of fus-
  ing magic with “practical technology” to higher and higher 
  levels in recent times, making Elasterac the richest city in the 
  human world. The techno-mages are curiously dependent 
  on particular gemstones in order to build their increasingly 
  elaborate technology. The Astrolabe of Finding is a critical 
  tool in their search.
  Miscellaneous Items
  Roll
  Item
  Value
  01-05
  Soap of Cleanliness
  88 gp
  06-10
  Cup of Agility
  148 gp
  11-15
  Censer of Concentration
  112 gp
  16-20
  Teapot of Enrichment
  2,420 gp
  21-25
  Duct Tape of Healing
  999 gp
  26-30
  Crystal Ball of Zex
  666 gp
  31-35
  Fan of Lust
  2,250 gp
  36-40
  Wizarding Hat
  varies
  41-45
  Astrolabe of Finding
  3,265 gp
  46-50
  Insta-Hench®
  5,000 gp
  51-55
  Candlesticks of Confusion
  1,375 gp
  56-60
  Bag of Keeping
  2,501 gp
  61-65
  Tomes of Dread
  85,000 gp
  66
  Deep Dungeon
  100,000 gp
  67-70
  Violin of Soothing
  12,440 gp
  71-75
  Inks of the Mogendar
  varies
  76-80
  Les Grimoires d’Artax
  12,500 gp
  81-85
  Bags of Sending
  5,001 gp
  86-90
  Mask of the Hullabree
  4,810 gp
  91-95
  Phylactery of Authority
  7,605 gp
  96-97
  “Critical Hits for the Clueless”
  6,850 gp
  98-99
  Star-sand of Wishing
  150,000 gp
  100
  Flying Saucer
  1,000,000 gp
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  An Astrolabe of Finding allows the owner to find specific 
  stones, metals or exotic materials (but not plant life) by “tun-
  ing” the astrolabe to the essential properties of these stones, 
  metals or exotic materials. 2x/month, the astrolabe can be set 
  to find a specific kind of stone, metal or exotic material. It will 
  then tell the user precisely where to find what she seeks. It 
  says nothing about the danger involved in finding the desired 
  quarry, nor does it reveal the distance (though simple astro-
  nomical calculation will tell one) to where the stone or metal 
  is (the astrolabe does not reliably choose either the closest or 
  richest site; there is a certain risk in using it). It is, however, 
  unfailingly accurate.
  Bag of Keeping
  Clearly of gnomish design, a Bag of Keeping is about as handy 
  as an instant henchman or any other tool one might use to 
  carry lots of loot with ease. A Bag of Keeping is essentially a 
  large burlap sack into which has been sewn a special sheet of 
  extra-planar polymer that alters the internal spatial-logisti-
  cal-temporal matrix within the bag, meaning that it can hold 
  lots of stuff and does not really weigh too much!
  A Bag of Keeping can carry up to 1,000 coins, a dozen small 
  weapons, a suit of armor, a handful of irregularly sized ob-
  jects while retaining sufficient room to give a small friend 
  a place to hide for two minutes (after which they are dead, 
  dead, dead!). A Bag of Keeping has enough air for one charac-
  ter to survive two minutes, but can hold up to two characters. 
  Place a Bag of Keeping inside a Bag of Keeping and you cause 
  everyone within 100 feet of you to take a Huge Impact criti-
  cal...smart move, idiot!
  Bags of Sending
  Another clever piece of gnomish design, Bags of Sending al-
  ways come in pairs. These pairs are attuned to one another 
  permanently. The principle of a Bag of Sending is blessedly 
  simple – place something into one Bag and in one round it 
  appears, safe and sound, in the other bag. Its virtues to an ad-
  venturing party should be straightforward enough to under-
  stand – place some treasure in one bag that you have with you 
  in the wilderness and the treasure reappears, safe and sound, 
  back home. Bags of Sending can also be used to transport 
  people, though a Bag can only hold one human-sized person 
  at a time. Conveniently, the insides of a Bag of Sending have 
  a small drawstring to open the bag from the inside. A Bag of 
  Sending can hold up to 1,000 coins, numerous weapons, suits 
  of armor and dozens of other items.
  Candlesticks of Confusion
  No home should be without these handy candlesticks. Each 
  of them is forged from iron and is painted an almost glow-
  ing red. Each candlestick is capable of holding three tapers 
  (the quality of the candle does not matter – the magic is in the 
  candlestick itself). Particularly useful in defending treasure 
  rooms, map rooms, silver, jewelry and the bedchambers of 
  loved ones, Candlesticks of Confusion can tell the difference 
  between someone who belongs in a house and someone who 
  does not. If a candle has been set to burn in the candlestick 
  and someone who does not belong in the house either sees 
  the flame or breathes in the fumes coming off the candle (they 
  will always burn with more smoke than they would in a nor-
  mal candelabra), the intruder must make a Will RR. If the 
  intruder fails the roll, he instantly loses track of what he was 
  doing in the house (or other place where he was not welcome). 
  90% of the time, the intruder will leave the house at once, 
  fearing to get caught. 10% of the time, he will wait around, 
  providing all sorts of opportunities for “discussion” with the 
  homeowner. 
  Censer of Concentration
  The monks of Antrim’s Hollow have spent centuries master-
  ing their complex martial arts and ascetic personal practices. 
  Before being admitted to the Brotherhood, all monks spend a 
  full year in silent meditation, prayer and contemplation. With 
  the exception of their common meals, these aspiring broth-
  ers have absolutely no contact with other human (or gryx, the 
  other race that has been admitted to the Covenant of Antrim). 
  Nor do they have any contact with anything that might give 
  pleasure or distract the brother from his meditation with one 
  exception. Each monastic cell has one censer for the burning 
  of sacred incense. Each of these censers is enchanted with the 
  magic known best to the Covenant of Antrim. For those lucky 
  enough to get their hands on one of these censers, the powers 
  are transferable.
  When incense is burned in a Censer of Concentration and 
  the smoke is inhaled, the character gains 5 ranks in the 
  Concentration skill Mental Focus. These 5 ranks last for a full 
  day after which a character has to wait at least a full week 
  before he can use a Censer of Concentration again.
  “Critical Hits for the Clueless”
  A handy tome if ever there was one, this book can be a great 
  help to anyone who sets aside the time to read it cover to cover 
  (the book takes two full months to read, though you can read 
  it as little as one hour per day to still get the benefit). “Critical 
  Hits for the Clueless” was written just recently by an author 
  who, for whatever reason, has chosen to remain anonymous. 
  The wisdom he or she imparts is priceless for those who make 
  their living in battle. After finishing the book, the reader gets 
  a permanent +2 on all of his Critical rolls.
  Crystal Ball of Zex
  Merely whispering the name Zex in certain towns and vil-
  lages that lie near or in the Western Woods is enough to get 
  you run out of town. Some who have come looking for one 
  of his eponymous crystal balls have even reported being 
  physically attacked in their beds by angry townspeople who 
  wanted nothing to do with these visitors. Even now, a century 
  after his death, the name of Zex stirs great passions.
  Zex was a mage who, after being dismissed from the Guild of 
  Magicians in the capital, set up residence in the small town 
  of Macalla. No one ever knew for sure why he had been sent 
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  into exile, but it was pretty clear in short order that Zex had 
  some dark powers that he was using in Macalla-town. Where 
  before it had been orderly, friendly and welcoming, now a pall 
  seemed to hang over the town. Bats, rats and other vermin 
  were more numerous. Gardens that were once verdant and 
  glorious became overgrown and unkempt. Men who had 
  been friends for years became unreasonably suspicious of 
  one another. But it was the rats and mice and rodents that 
  started to drive the people of Macalla crazy. They were every-
  where...except Zex’s home. Before the year was out, Zex had 
  been driven from Macalla, but the rats stayed and Macalla 
  was never the same. Wherever Zex went the same story was 
  heard. Friendly people became disharmonious and rats and 
  bats and mice became profuse.
  The people of the Western Woods were never able to get rid 
  of the rats or of Zex. One day he left his home and was never 
  seen again. His crystal balls, which number in the dozens, 
  were found in his last home and have been found throughout 
  the woods during the intervening years. The wood-folk will 
  usually destroy them, but some have been known to sell them 
  in the city for profit.
  A Crystal Ball of Zex grants the user the ability to see through 
  the eyes of rodents and bats at will. 2x/day, the Crystal Ball of 
  Zex grants its owner the ability to command a rodent or bat 
  to take a specific action, provided the action is in keeping with 
  something the animal might already do (like bite something) 
  and would not by definition result in the creature’s death.
  Cup of Agility
  A Cup of Agility is a simply carved mug made from either 
  glass (in which case it is unadorned) or pewter (with simple 
  filigree or monogram). When pure water is poured into the 
  cup and then drunk, it gives the drinker a +10 to her Agility 
  bonus for a full hour. However, if any alcoholic beverage is 
  drunk from a Cup of Agility it has the reverse effect: a –10 to 
  Agility bonus for a full hour. Yet another example of gnomish 
  cleverness that must be approached with caution.
  Deep Dungeon
  No one is quite sure where these items came from (there are 
  three known to exist, each connected to the other by means 
  of mystical tunnels, secret doors and teleportation zones), 
  but that their creator was a genius is beyond dispute. And it 
  would seem that he was the worst kind of genius – a play-
  fully malevolent one. A Deep Dungeon is, simply put, a com-
  pletely realized and fully-fledged dungeon ecosystem wholly 
  contained within the confines of a very heavy iron cube three 
  inches by three inches square that cannot be harmed in any 
  way (by regular weapons, magical weapons or other forms 
  of magic). None of the Deep Dungeons have ever been fully 
  mapped, but adventurers who have spent the better part of 
  their adventuring careers in one report that they are no less 
  than 250 levels deep and that quite possibly the dungeons go 
  on forever.
  There are two ways to get into a Deep Dungeon – voluntarily 
  or involuntarily. Should the characters find themselves own-
  ing a Deep Dungeon, they need to learn how to operate the 
  item’s magic. To learn how to operate the “voluntary” system 
  requires a successful Attunement roll modified by –60. Each 
  time a character advances in Attunement skill another roll 
  may be attempted. Once a character has attuned to the item, 
  he or she understands how to actuate the Deep Dungeon’s 
  magic (it involves pressing on decorated inlays on the outer 
  surface of the item in a specific, but complicated, order). A 
  character can then enter the Deep Dungeon at will (with up to 
  ten friends). But while the character’s understanding of how 
  the Deep Dungeon functions allows them to enter the item, it 
  does not give them any special benefits towards getting back 
  out again (which will be discussed in detail below).
  Pressing a different combination of inlays on the outer sur-
  face of the Deep Dungeon triggers the “involuntary” system. 
  To learn how to operate the “involuntary” system requires 
  a successful Attunement roll modified by –80. Each time a 
  character advances in Attunement skill, another roll may 
  be attempted. Triggering the involuntary system forces all 
  characters, monsters, NPCs and animals (that are at least the 
  equivalent of first level) within ½ mile of the Deep Dungeon 
  to make an unmodified Will RR. Anyone or anything miss-
  ing the RR is transported into the Deep Dungeon. The invol-
  untary system will not pull in the Deep Dungeon’s user in 
  this way, but all of her friends are exposed. Characters and 
  monsters pulled into the Deep Dungeon should be randomly 
  assigned to one of the top 100 levels (simply roll a d100 and 
  that’s your level).
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  Attempting to use a Deep Dungeon without having a clue as 
  to what you are doing is very dangerous indeed. Touching any 
  three inlay surfaces in a sequence that are not the correct first 
  three surfaces (there is only a 5% chance that a character who 
  is not attuned will get the first three surfaces right) triggers the 
  involuntary system, pulling the owning character plus eve-
  ryone within ½ mile into the Deep Dungeon (the unmodified 
  Will RR still applies).
  Getting out of a Deep Dungeon is easy – all one needs to do 
  is find the exit portal. There is one fixed exit portal every fifty 
  levels. It may or may not be protected by baddies or other 
  characters in the Deep Dungeon. There is no way back into 
  the Deep Dungeon through the exit portal. The exit portal 
  deposits you anywhere within 100 miles of where you entered 
  the Deep Dungeon.
  A Deep Dungeon is a great opportunity for a GM to get his 
  characters out of their comfort zone and play around with 
  what I might call “pure, meaningless adventure.” There is no 
  need to worry about organic dungeon creation when you set 
  your characters up in a Deep Dungeon – let the creativity fly! 
  I have used dungeon concepts like this to give each character 
  and player the opportunity to do some good solo role-playing 
  (if the characters are all separated by 10-15 dungeon levels in 
  a hostile dungeon, the role-playing is frequently excellent, if 
  time-consuming for the GM!).
  Duct Tape of Healing
  One of the most marvelous inventions of human ingenuity? A 
  clear sign that resisting naughtiness will be rewarded by the 
  gods? Or is Duct Tape of Healing so very, very useful that it 
  is a semi-proof of the non-existence of God? Modern reason 
  and science has yet to come up with an answer to these ques-
  tions. What is certain is this – Duct Tape of Healing is bloody 
  useful. Created by the great cleric Piffany (whose sweetness 
  is legendary, whose doe-eyes make fighters weak in the knees, 
  whose commitment to her friends is sufficient) and sold by her 
  during those very few months during the year when noth-
  ing much else is going on, the Duct Tape is a great boon not 
  only to fighters and mages but also to those in the employ of 
  adventuring groups. Each roll of the tape is sufficient to do 
  six minor healings (per the Minor Healing spell), three major 
  healings (per the Major Healing spell) or on one resurrection 
  (per the Lifegiving spell).
  Fan of Lust
  The great metropolis of Theseus is well known for its deca-
  dence. The wealthiest families in Theseus consume so much 
  and do so little! They do not even bother to come directly into 
  town to buy anything they might “need,” preferring to send 
  their copious staff to do their dirty work. There is one type of 
  vendor that stands above all others to the great families – the 
  fan makers.
  The fan makers of Theseus have a centuries-old reputation 
  for quality, not only of enchantment but also of design. Using 
  only the finest materials, they hand paint each of their fans 
  over the course of many months (the most expensive taken 
  more than a year to paint, enchant and assemble). While the 
  preferred design elements on the fans are heroic in nature, 
  each fan maker has a particular style that is clearly distin-
  guishable from all others. Each fan has an aesthetic value be-
  yond its magical value. Even someone who had no idea what 
  the fan was enchanted to do would desire one for its beauty. 
  But it is not their intrinsic beauty that makes them so popular 
  amongst the wealthy of Theseus – it is their ability to paper-
  over social differences and disagreements and make social 
  engagements of all types smoother. It might be accurate to 
  say that without these fans, the richest families in Theseus 
  would never be able to reproduce because of the depth of in-
  terfamilial conflict in the city. But with the fans, all is well...
  A Fan of Lust can be used by either men or women (fans 
  for men are designed differently than fans for women and 
  enchanted differently, but wit the same essential function). 
  When the owner of the fan fans himself or herself, anyone 
  within 50 feet who feels any attraction towards the fanner 
  finds those feelings are deepened. This gives the fanner +25 
  to all personal interactions with anyone affected by the fan’s 
  powers. If a person has a sexual attraction to the fanner al-
  ready, the bonus is +50, but the target also has a +25 bonus 
  to influencing the fan’s owner. In such a way are many new 
  families made.
  Flying Saucer
  All the rage in the eastern spiral arm of the galaxy, the fly-
  ing saucer is the acme of transcontinental and interplan-
  etary travel. With luxurious, Corinthian leather seating for 
  seventeen, robotic in-flight service, Inertiamat™ anti-inertia 
  ride stability system, a fully automated piloting interface and 
  100% guaranteed disaster aversion system and enough trans-
  uranic fuel for a limitless number of journeys, a flying saucer 
  reveals in no uncertain terms that your adventuring team has 
  finally arrived!
  Because most HARP adventuring teams will not be traveling 
  planet-to-planet throughout the galaxy, they are most likely 
  to encounter a flying saucer on their home planet. In all likeli-
  hood, the flying saucer they find will have crashed. Because 
  the disaster aversion systems of most eastern spiral arm flying 
  saucers have an 80% efficiency rate, they have been known to 
  crash every now and again, generally touching down in either 
  remote mountain ranges, remote villages with great fields of 
  corn or on remote islands whose inbred peoples are accus-
  tomed to worshipping any old thing that falls from the sky.
  A flying saucer can carry a team of adventurers anywhere they 
  would like to travel, but there are dangers in using one. The 
  fully automated piloting interface has been known in some 
  models to be a stickler for detail (and when the appropriate in-
  structions are not fed into it, it can and usually will deliver the 
  characters to someplace that only approximates the intended 
  destination), and heaven forbid if the interface has been dam-
  aged during the crash! If the ship has been crashed for a long 
  time, the robotic in-flight service software operating system 
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  might have decayed somewhat, either bringing down the 
  quality of the service or turning the robotic flight attendants 
  into laser wielding death robots...
  So, while a flying saucer might indeed be a cool item to own 
  and use, it comes pre-loaded with numerous potential prob-
  lems. Enter at your own risk, as they say.
  Inks of the Mogendar
  The Five Kingdoms that make up the Mogendar Empire have 
  lived at peace with one another for more than a century. In 
  that time, they have refined their civilization in countless 
  ways. No refinement is more important than the develop-
  ment of the Skin Inkers, the former cult whose powers are 
  now well known throughout the world. A Mogendar tattoo, 
  while expensive and painful, is a permanent enhancement to 
  one’s power. In each of the Five Kingdoms, the skills to do 
  the actual tattooing are different and different properties in 
  the enchantment of the ink create different effects. It is not 
  possible to have more than one Mogendar tattoo, however, so 
  choose wisely.
  Beratis: The Beratis Kingdom is both the least populated 
  kingdom and the largest, stretching from the Eastern Ocean 
  to the central plains and then north to the icy tundra. The 
  Beratis generally tattoo on the arms and chest. The Beratis 
  have developed their skin inking skills towards the granting 
  of speed. A Beratis tattoo gives the wearer a running speed 
  2x/normal. It also grants 10 free ranks of Riding skill and a 
  +10 special Quickness bonus.
  Donar: The Donar Kingdom is the most mountainous of the 
  Five Kingdoms. It is also the most scholarly of the five, well 
  known for its production of Mages and Warrior Mages. The 
  Donar tattoo only on the face, giving anyone fair warning 
  of whom they are dealing with. A Donar tattoo grants the 
  following bonuses: 1x/day, Deflections (per the spell); 5 free 
  ranks of Arcane Lore and a special +10 Agility bonus.
  Gove: The Kingdom of Gove is the core kingdom in the Five 
  Kingdoms and the seat of authority of the Emperor. It is a so-
  cially complex kingdom with many rules for proper behavior. 
  Gove tattoo artists only ink the back. A Gove tattoo grants a 
  +10 bonus to all social interactions and grants 10 free ranks of 
  Disguise, Public Speaking and Streetwise.
  Irian: The Irian Kingdom was the first conquered by Gove. 
  Its warriors are the best to be found anywhere in the Five 
  Kingdoms. Irian tattoos are generally inked onto the face for 
  the same reason they are put there in the Donar kingdom. An 
  Irian tattoo grants a +10 bonus to OB and allows the tattooed 
  to make Full Parry checks at +10.
  Olin: The Olin Kingdom is the least like the other four king-
  doms culturally. Favoring different food, religion and fight-
  ing styles, the Olin bring a great deal of creativity to the Five 
  Kingdoms. Olin tattoos are always made onto the legs. An 
  Olin tattoo grants a +10 bonus to Quickness and 10 free ranks 
  of Martial Arts Sweeps.
  Insta-Hench®
  “Surely you have had this experience at least once if you have 
  invested as much time in adventuring as I have. You are trave-
  ling in some remote wilderness, hundreds of miles from the 
  nearest village, and you suddenly come across an ancient and 
  ruined temple or library or fortress that no one has ransacked 
  yet. It is a goldmine – almost literally! You and your friends 
  will be rich for life! Away with the dull monotony of endless 
  marching through marshes and fighting demons! You’ve all 
  finally arrived! If it weren’t for one slight problem – there’s 
  just too much stuff and you don’t have enough arms to carry 
  it all. If only you’d hired that henchman as you’d planned, you 
  would be all set!
  “But fear not! Insta-Hench can save the day! Each instant 
  henchman comes individually carved from stone and stored 
  in its own handsome mahogany box. Kept dry and out of the 
  light, an instant henchman can be ready at your beck-and-call 
  for years after purchase. Don’t leave all that treasure behind 
  for someone else...someone undeserving (after all, you found it 
  first!!), just buy Insta-Hench before setting out for adventure 
  and you can’t go wrong!”
  Insta-Hench brand instant henchmen can meet all of your 
  henchman needs. Just immerse the stone figurine of the 
  henchman in water and wait 30 seconds. Your henchman 
  will come to life, prepared to serve you in whatever capacity 
  you desire. Each henchman is capable of carrying up to 2,000 
  pounds of loot an almost infinite distance. Each henchman 
  must be fed just as though he were a member of your party to 
  keep up his strength. He will fight as requested and will offer 
  suggestions whether you’ve asked for them or not. Capable of 
  cleverness, an instant henchman will frequently tell you in no 
  uncertain terms if your plan does not make sense. Their gen-
  eral willingness to cheerfully tell-off their employers is one 
  reason why Insta-Hench sales have fallen by 20% in recent 
  years. But accept no substitutes!
  After an Insta-Hench brand instant henchman completes his 
  task, he reverts to stone form and cannot be used again for six 
  full months.
  Les Grimoires d’Artax
  Artax the Wizard is about as well known as any wizard can 
  hope to be, with both the advantages and disadvantages that 
  come along with that. While he may not always succeed in 
  his endeavors (though he would dispute this, of course) his 
  reputation is secure. One of the chief pillars of that reputa-
  tion is his notorious habit of writing excellent spell books. A 
  separate sort of magic item is a Grimoire of Artax – a simple 
  Attunement check that succeeds means that you or anyone 
  else with sufficient smarts (GMs can set this level themselves, 
  but Fighters can never read one) can read the spells and 
  use them.
  Two notes on these Artaxian spell books. First, they will 
  always have between 20 and 50 PPs of spells written into 
  them, but only one spell will be a traditional attack spell (an 
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  Elemental Ball or Bolt), the others being more straightfor-
  ward Utility spells. Second, they always come with a secret 
  centerfold. Viewing the centerfold page of an Artaxian spell 
  book grants a +5 bonus to the next roll the viewer has to make 
  (except a Critical hit roll, in which case the bonus is –5).
  Mask of the Hullabree
  The Hullabree are a culture that thrives on honesty in all 
  walks of life. Buy something from a Hullabree merchant and 
  you can be sure that the price is a fair one. Ask a Hullabree to 
  do something to help you out and you can be sure that they 
  will do it. They value honesty to such a high degree that if 
  someone lies to them and they find out about it, they swear a 
  blood-oath to kill the liar. Adventurers finding themselves in 
  Hullabree-town should be mindful of this.
  The Mask that bears their name is a deceptively simple thing 
  carrying strong enchantments. The Mask fits snuggly over 
  human-sized faces and is made from black muslin. A sin-
  gle teardrop is painted on the fabric of the mask just below 
  the left eye. The Mask grants two powers. First, it allows the 
  wearer to “see the truth.” Any phantasms or illusions in the 
  wearer’s field of vision are automatically dispelled. Second, it 
  grants the wearer the ability to properly appraise an item’s 
  value exactly.
  Phylactery of Authority
  This small box worn about the neck is literally a godsend to 
  good-oriented Clerics. When a Cleric places written prayers 
  or divine offerings into the phylactery (a process which takes 
  at least two hours from start to finish), the phylactery is trans-
  formed into a +5 Adder for that Cleric alone. The prayers and 
  offerings have to be re-written or re-offered when the Cleric 
  uses up the benefit.
  Star-sand of Wishing
  Only two of these items are known to exist and both come 
  from the same place. The story of them goes like this. Once 
  upon a time there was a young boy named Elan who lived in a 
  small village on an island far out to sea. He lived with his par-
  ents and his brothers and sisters and he learned how to fish 
  from his father, a big man who owned his own boat and kept 
  the family healthy and happy with the hard work that the sea 
  offered him. One day, a terrible storm came upon the small is-
  land from the south. On that day, Elan had walked to the pier 
  to meet his father’s boat, due back home on that fateful day. 
  The storm came up without warning and was the most fero-
  cious anyone had ever seen or experienced. The wind blew 
  Elan into the water before he could get back home. He was 
  tossed in the waves for what seemed like hours before he was 
  beached at last, far from home. His journey back home took 
  him a few days and when he arrived, he knew the full meas-
  ure of tragedy. His family was dead. He waited for his father, 
  but he never returned, the storm having taken his father from 
  him too.
  Elan was never the same after that. He grew up in the homes 
  of a variety of friendly, if indifferent, families. When he be-
  came a man, he took to the sea, like his father, to fish and 
  try to make his way in the world. He loved the time he spent 
  on his boat because it granted him the peace of being alone. 
  One calm night Elan was lying in his boat gazing at the stars 
  when he saw a new star in the sky. He watched it carefully 
  and was surprised when it became bigger and brighter as the 
  minutes passed. Was this a sign from God? Soon the falling 
  star became brighter still and seemed to be coming right for 
  Elan’s boat. Was God at last going to take him to his family? 
  He stood up as the falling star became brighter still and as he 
  did so, it seemed to explode, dissipating itself in a rain of fall-
  ing sand that Elan collected. Sailing back home, he had glass 
  vessels made for the sand and he kept the two of them on his 
  bedside table. He took them with him whenever he sailed.
  One evening after an unproductive day of fishing, he took 
  one of the bottles of sand out of its place of safekeeping and 
  said, “I wish I could see my father again.” Instantly, the bot-
  tle vanished. Elan was surprised, but he went at last to sleep. 
  The next day while he sailed and fished, a boat came up over 
  the horizon. It was his father’s boat, and his father was sail-
  ing it, just as he had more than a decade ago when the storm 
  came up.
  Elan’s life became more complicated after that. His father was 
  able to restart his life on the island, but the people became 
  frightened when Elan told his story. Very soon he had to leave 
  his home for good, never to return. He took the other sand 
  bottle with him and he used it again, but what he wished for 
  the second time is unknown.
  The Star-sand of Wishing grants a single wish to anyone who 
  has possession of the sands. The wish must be clearly stated, 
  and both the player and the GM are reminded that wishes 
  can be very complex forms of magic with numerous unin-
  tended consequences. After granting the wish, the Star-sand 
  of Wishing disappears.
  Teapot of Enrichment
  Do not be tempted by valueless imitations! Teapots of 
  Enrichment can be found in many of the ethnic markets of 
  Souvin, Rethag and Funneralscai right alongside knock-offs 
  that are priced the same. The buyer must be wary – a real 
  Teapot of Enrichment is notable for its blocky pattern of tri-
  angular decoration that adorns the pot lid and the base of the 
  Teapot. Knock-off teapots have the same pattern, but the tri-
  angles are smaller – be mindful!
  When any sort of tea is brewed in a Teapot of Enrichment and 
  then drunk it grants two benefits. First, it bestows a +10 to 
  the next RR the character needs to make. Second, it repairs 
  up to 2 points of bleeding damage the next time the character 
  needs the repair (even if the attack that causes the damage is 
  months away).
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  Tomes of Dread
  Written in the distant past by authors who were either mad 
  or very, very sane, the three books that make up the Tomes of 
  Dread are deceptively not frightening to behold. They appear 
  to be nothing more than three smallish quarto-size books, 
  well bound and well preserved. They always occur together, 
  the three books bound together with a strong leather strap. 
  The books must be read in the proper order; conveniently, 
  they will only open for each reader in the proper order (the 
  second book will not open until the reader has read the first 
  book cover to cover, and the third will not open until the sec-
  ond has been completed). The text of each book will appear on 
  the page in the alphabet best known to the reader. The reader 
  will feel compelled to finish reading the book once she starts 
  reading (a Will RR is required to stop reading; after the reader 
  is half-way through a book, the RR is at –20; stopping reading 
  the second and third books are at a base of –30 and –50 re-
  spectively), even though she also realizes that the knowledge 
  contained within the book is dark indeed.
  When a reader completes the first book she has the ability 
  to Harm (per the spell) living targets up to 10x/day. But, she 
  emits a permanent aura of fear (per the spell) that drives ani-
  mals and people away from her.
  When a reader completes the second book, she gains the abil-
  ity to create and control undead (per the spells) up to 5x/day. 
  But, she loses her sense of taste and smell, her teeth fall out 
  and her Constitution is reduced by ½.
  When a reader completes the third book, she can cancel, up 
  to 2x/day, any spell cast by a good Cleric. There is no RR; the 
  spell is simply canceled. However, the reader becomes unre-
  pentantly evil. The reader’s physical appearance deteriorates 
  markedly and her aura of fear becomes 250 feet in diameter.
  Soap of Cleanliness
  The fastidious Homalox clan of the eastern gryx-clans is re-
  sponsible for this handy invention. Because their lands are 
  so interspersed with swamp and marsh and the insects are 
  thick as thieves on the ground, the Homalox know a thing 
  or two about disease and misery. They had the good sense to 
  come up with something that not only keeps the bugs away 
  but also makes many other aspects of daily life more pleas-
  ant. It is almost a truism to say “as clean and healthy as a 
  Homalox.” Unlike every other city, town or hamlet one might 
  visit, Homalox has the pleasant smell of fresh flowers, freshly 
  laundered bed linens and non-scabulous skin! A testament to 
  the sometimes particular, sometimes downright persnickety 
  nature of the gryx.
  A bar of Soap of Cleanliness is sufficient for two human-sized 
  or four halfling/gnome-sized creatures to completely clean 
  themselves. When used (the user must scrub in a bath of hot 
  water for at least an hour to use enough of the soap for the 
  desired effect), the soap renders the user completely clean. 
  Insects are repelled for a full week; creatures that find enemies 
  by scent have a –5 to their checks; the user is immune to dis-
  eases that come through the skin for a full week as well.
  Violin of Soothing
  “What do you mean you broke a string? I thought that thing 
  was unbreakable?!” Helen the Fighter said to her compatriot 
  Diana the Harper, she of the violin and the lovely voice.
  “I was under that impression as well,” Diana said. “Is it too 
  late to call off the summoning?” she shouted to Mari the Mage, 
  knee-deep into the process of summoning a demon. Mari said 
  nothing, so Diana went to work trying to restring the violin 
  before it was too late.
  Suffice it to say, she was too late. The demon appeared, Mari 
  waited patiently for Diana to play her lovely violin to calm the 
  demon down, but there was no music. And thus the adventur-
  ing careers of Helen, Diana and Mari came to an end...
  A Violin of Soothing is a handy instrument to have on hand 
  when you are summoning extra-planar baddies like demons 
  and the like. After summoning, if the violin is continu-
  ously played, the demon will take no hostile action towards 
  the summoner or anyone within earshot of the violin. This 
  should give the summoning wizard sufficient time to sort out 
  the next step in the demon-summoning process.
  Wizarding Hat
  Have you grown weary of bracers, rings and other forms of 
  magical protection that, while effective, are just so common-
  place that they do not enhance your personal style? How is 
  a wizard supposed to look the part, feel comfortable and, 
  frankly, manly (in a mage sort of way) while wearing all of that 
  metal, jewelry and other nonsense. Are you a magician look-
  ing for the best accessory you could hope to get your hands 
  on? Look no further than your Wizard’s Haberdasher – he 
  has what you need.
  A simple (so they think!) felt hat in a variety of colors is just 
  the look for the adventuring wizard in these modern and 
  sophisticated times. Pointed, prominent and urbane, no one 
  will doubt that you are at the top of your profession in one of 
  these hats! Just choose your color and choose your bonus to 
  defense. It could not be simpler!
   
   Charcoal = +5 DB
   
   Cranberry = +10 DB
   
   Blood Orange = +15 DB
   
   Semi-Lime Green = +20 DB
   
   Seafoam = +25 DB
   
   Royal Violet = +30 DB
  artifacts and intelligent items
  Because these items are all one-of-a-kind, they are usually 
  not appropriate to assign as “randomly” granted loot. Each of 
  these items has a complex back story that should be brought 
  to bear when deciding to assign the item. If you roll the result 
  Special on the master magic item list, it might be worth con-
  sidering how one of these items might affect your campaign. 
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  Remember, though: these items can be very destabilizing and 
  destructive. They should be awarded only with care. A smart 
  adventurer might actually leave an item of this kind behind 
  for a less wise person to pick up. And it should go without 
  saying that some of these items are so big that they cannot be 
  moved anyway.
  Calendar of the Weave
  Far, far away in the Southern Wastes lie the remains of the ru-
  ined city of Valley Dorn. In bygone days, Valley Dorn was the 
  seat of the most powerful wizards ever known on Earth. With 
  their Seven Principles, commitment to study and willingness 
  to risk, the Valley Dorn mages were able to expand the basis 
  of magic beyond all bounds of recognition. The entire system 
  was based on their one greatest invention. It was Chiasmus 
  of Valley Dorn who first theorized the Seventh Principle of 
  Mana and Mystical Energy that ultimately made it possible, 
  but it was his student Remi who actually built the Calendar 
  of the Weave.
  The calendar is, in essence, an enormous clockworks built 
  into a vaulting underground chamber. Four different inter-
  locking and interrelated dials spin endlessly, reflecting the 
  ebb and flow of the Weave in reality. The mechanics of the 
  calendar are linked to this ebb and flow of the Weave, caus-
  ing the dials to spin at differing rates and to reveal the exact 
  power and nature of the Weave in any given place and at any 
  given time. It is possible to use the calendar to predict the 
  future behavior of the Weave as well.
  The Weave is the name given by the Valley Dorn wizards to the 
  fabric of reality, magic, physics and power that surrounds us 
  all and has the most profound effect on our personal growth, 
  development and relationships. While it has the ability to 
  alter the consciousness of weak-minded individuals, in the 
  hands of the mindful and trained, the Weave can offer pro-
  found insights into the functions of magic. These revelations 
  significantly improve a user of magic’s ability to use magic, 
  sometimes tripling or quadrupling the functional effective-
  ness of a particular Mage or Harper. It is perhaps not sur-
  prising that after the building of the Calendar of the Weave, 
  the magicians of Valley Dorn became somewhat addicted to 
  studying it and attempting to build upon its wisdom. They 
  continued to seek the Eighth Principle and attempted to learn 
  more and more secrets of the Weave.
  But their craving for power was ultimately all corrupting. 
  Fighting broke out between rival factions over control of 
  the Calendar and within days Valley Dorn was a smoldering 
  wasteland of mana storms, altered creatures and madness. 
  But the Calendar survived the fighting and remains to this 
  day in Valley Dorn, waiting for its next students...or victims.
  The Calendar of the Weave is an enormous mechanism – it 
  cannot be moved. It does, however, still work. The first test 
  of an adventurer would not be deciphering the calendar it-
  self (though that would require many months of study and 
  an intuitive leap), but rather surviving in Valley Dorn long 
  enough to have the opportunity to even see the calendar. In 
  the final conflict between the mages, they unleashed the full 
  power of the Weave in their own homes. Storms of magical 
  doom spring up without warning (equivalent to a Medium 
  Elemental Ball); unwilling and unsuspecting creatures are 
  summoned here constantly and they take the battle to whom-
  ever happens to be around. Unless one has mastered the cal-
  endar and knows how the Weave functions, magical power 
  in Valley Dorn is deeply inconsistent. In one ruined street, 
  a Mage might have 2x his normal PPs, but in the adjoining 
  street perhaps none at all. So getting to the calendar itself is 
  a chore.
  Once one arrives in the chamber of the calendar the work re-
  ally begins. The calendar is in essence a giant clock with four 
  concentric, interlocking clock faces. Only a highly trained 
  magician stands the remotest chance of figuring out what 
  the calendar is reporting about the Weave. However, should 
  someone figure it out, they will be handsomely rewarded.
  The Calendar of the Weave reveals how magical energy is 
  being distributed across the planet not only in the present but 
  in the future. The flow of this energy is not constant and if one 
  understands how to tap into the energy on a more intuitive 
  level, one can double or triple (or more) one’s power, if only 
  for a short period of time. Second, the Calendar of the Weave 
  concentrates excess Power Points in its own mechanism, 
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  storing them for the use of outside magicians who understand 
  how to tap into the store. On a practical level, this means two 
  things. First, magicians who spend at least a month study-
  ing the Calendar have access, up to 2x/month, to double their 
  normal PPs for one day. 1x/month they have access to triple 
  their normal PPs. Magicians need to return to the Calendar 
  of the Weave each year for another month of study or they 
  lose access to this benefit. Second, while in Valley Dorn, a 
  wizard who understands the mechanics of the calendar has 
  access to 6x her normal PPs while in Valley Dorn. She is going 
  to need them to, just to stay alive for a full month.
  Figurines of the Hex
  It is in the Hexiad, the great epic poem of the Murien Empire, 
  that we hear the most accurate telling of the Figurines of 
  the Hex. The Hexiad is set in the Fifth Rising of the Murien 
  Empire, the most illustrious, if not the most noble, of the 
  Eight Risings. In the Fifth Rising, the skills of the Murien ma-
  gicians reached their peak. Building on the immense learn-
  ing of the Fourth Rising, the Murien magicians of the Fifth 
  Rising brought a seemingly innate understanding of the es-
  sential properties of all forms of magic to bear on their own 
  learning. As a result, in the last days of the Fifth Rising, the 
  distinctions that were normally understood between the dif-
  ferent spheres of magic broke down. There were no Clerics, no 
  Mages, no Harpers and the like. There were only magicians. 
  Their powers were nearly limitless; they were superhuman. 
  They bent the very fabric of reality; they launched whole cit-
  ies into the sky; they built flying machines that allowed them 
  to travel between distant continents in mere hours. But they 
  did not combine their nearly limitless power with an equally 
  vaulting wisdom. This was their undoing.
  Even a Murien schoolgirl could tell you about the nature of 
  Risings; they are the only given in Murien society. No peo-
  ple, no empire, no civilization can grow better and stronger 
  without at some point falling away from those heights to re-
  charge, regroup and learn anew from sacrifice. It is the nature 
  of civilization to rise; it is also the nature of civilization to fall. 
  As each Murien Rising is coming to an end (to usher in what 
  they call a Great Nadir), the scholars and learned folk commit 
  themselves to the writing down of important poems, stories 
  and histories so that when the next Rising begins, the people 
  do not have to start from scratch. Knowledge is written on 
  stone and hidden away in sacred places for those who have 
  the ability to “crack the lock.” And this is the way it always was 
  until the Fifth Rising.
  The Murien magicians of the Fifth Rising were arrogant in 
  their disbelief of their people’s lore. “Why did there have to 
  be a Great Nadir? We, with out power, can cause this Rising to 
  not be the Fifth, but the Last!” So the magicians set themselves 
  to work – they would stop the coming fall, but not all of them 
  were arrogant. Six of them began working on a separate pro-
  ject, the project that would give rise to the name of the epic 
  that tells their story.
  Five of them would each become specialists in one of the five 
  spheres of magic. The last would continue her studies of all 
  spheres. Their goal – to bring about the end of the Fifth Rising 
  by force. The other magicians labored at their unholy task to-
  tally unaware that within their midst there were others who 
  were going to undo all that they hoped to achieve.
  The war between the Hex (as they became known) and the 
  Magicians was decades long, but it had the desired effect. 
  Though the Magicians won, they and the Murien people had 
  so overspent their energies that within a generation the next 
  Nadir was in full swing. Hundreds of years would pass before 
  the Sixth Rising began, but how it began is not in doubt. The 
  Hex had carved diamond figurines of each member of the 
  Hex before they were at last destroyed. Into these figurines, 
  they had placed the essence of their learning and skills. When 
  the Figurines of the Hex were found for the first time, it was 
  just a few years before the Sixth Rising began.
  The loss of the six Figurines of the Hex precipitated the Great 
  Nadir that brought the short-lived Sixth Rising to a close.
  The Figurines of the Hex are six in number. Each is a diamond 
  carved in the likeness of one of the six members of the Hex. 
  Each grants a slightly different power.
  Aden, the Green Lord: Aden is the figurine of the Rangers. It 
  grants 20 levels of the Ranger class to its owner. It serves as a 
  +4 Adder, but can only be used to cast Ranger spells. The exact 
  spells known are at the GM’s discretion. The owner of Aden 
  must serve only good-intentions. Any act of deliberate evil 
  committed by the owner of Aden slays the owner (only magic 
  can restore life to the owner) and Aden vanishes. The owner of 
  Aden will also always prefer to act alone or in a small group, 
  never joining a party with more than five other members.
  Carel, the Learned: Carel is the figurine of the Mages. It 
  grants 20 levels of the Mage class to its owner. It serves as a 
  +5 Adder, but can only be used to cast Mage spells. The exact 
  spells known are at the GM’s discretion. The owner of Carel 
  becomes deeply curious about the world and its workings. 
  There is a 20% chance per month that the owner will leave any 
  party he is with to embark on his own personal quest. Carel’s 
  owner also becomes more purposeful. Anytime Carel’s owner 
  loses an argument, there is a 50% chance that Carel’s owner 
  will attack the victor.
  Dane, the Joiner: Dane is the greatest of the Hex Figurines. 
  Dane is the figurine of the Murien magician who did not be-
  come a specialist. Dane grants its owner 60 PP/day to use as 
  she sees fit, though the owner of Dane cannot cast more than 
  six spells per day with these 60 PP. The owner of Dane may 
  not advance any more levels in any spellcasting class (Cleric, 
  Harper, Mage, Ranger, Warrior Mage) and requires twice 
  the normal experience points to advance any levels in any 
  other class.
  Golanall, the Blade: Golanall is the figurine of the Warrior 
  Mages. It grants 20 levels of the Warrior Mage class to its 
  owner. It serves as a +3 Adder, but can only be used to cast 
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  Warrior Mage spells. The exact spells known are at the GM’s 
  discretion. Golanall makes its owner irrationally interested in 
  combat. Any time Golanall’s owner perceives a threat, there 
  is a 75% chance that Golanall’s owner will attack that threat 
  with violence, not letting up until the threat is beaten back. 
  Golanall’s owner will never retreat from combat, regardless 
  of odds or physical status.
  Ing, the Blessed: Ing is the figurine of Clerics. It grants 20 lev-
  els of the Cleric class to its owner. It serves as a +4 Adder, but 
  can only be used to cast Cleric spells. The exact spells known 
  are at the GM’s discretion. Ing makes its owner more inclined 
  to sacrifice herself to help her peers. Ing’s owner will never 
  withdraw from combat if a comrade is still under attack. Ing’s 
  owner will always attempt to strike first and will never at-
  tempt to Full Parry.
  Sandor, the Lightbringer: Sandor is the figurine of the 
  Harpers. It grants 20 levels of the Harper class to its owner. 
  It serves as a +3 Adder, but can only be used to cast Harper 
  spells. The exact spells known at the GM’s discretion. Sandor 
  makes its owner an observer. Sandor’s owner will not engage 
  in combat under any circumstances.
  Grimm
  The legends of the First Men, those men who were raised 
  to consciousness by Laurence, the God of the Hunt and 
  Curiosity, hold that in the first generation of Men there arose 
  a great and terrible figure named Grimm. Grimm was great 
  because he towered over all Men in brawn, deeds, intelligence, 
  stature and skill at arms; he was terrible because he turned 
  his immense gifts towards evil, a hitherto unknown concept. 
  It was not just his greed that caused all of the other First Men 
  problems, though it was overarching. Nor was it his anger, 
  though it was epic. It also was not his capacity for vengeance 
  (against any wrong, real or imagined), though he remembered 
  every slight as though it happened yesterday. No, in the final 
  analysis, it was his ability to win allies to his corruption that 
  made what he represented so corrosive.
  Despite his reputation and the swiftness of his sword, 
  he was so persuasive that all of the weak-minded of the first 
  generation of First Men quickly fell under his sway...and once 
  he had an army, he was unstoppable. The communities of 
  First Men scattered across the plains and hills of the new lands 
  surrendered their liberties each in turn. Those that resisted 
  were ruthlessly conquered; their men put to the sword and 
  their women and children sold as chattel. But Grimm did not 
  stop with the First Men. Bearing the mighty weapon that would 
  ultimately bear his name, he made war on the elves and the 
  dwarves when the First Men were all but vanquished.
  It was said that in Heaven, Laurence was punished for rais-
  ing the First Men to consciousness. Certainly the First Men 
  prayed to him, their Creator, for help against his one greatest 
  error, but that help was never coming. Nor did it come when 
  the elves and the dwarves raised up great gifts and honors 
  to their gods. Grimm kept coming. He set the forests ablaze 
  first, for it was the tenacity of the dwarves that was the first 
  sign that perhaps Grimm’s powers were not absolute.
  So it was that a coalition of First Men, elves, dwarves and gryx 
  from the remote islands gathered in the Stronghold of Cullen, 
  the last redoubt of the dwarves, the last bastion of freedom. 
  And there, the representatives of the four Free Races made 
  a binding pact – they would bend their creativity, ingenuity 
  and their righteous indignation against Grimm; they would 
  restore freedom where there was only tyranny. They might 
  not have Grimm’s numbers, but they would outthink him.
  The battles of Grimm’s War were epic in scale before the 
  Alliance. Afterwards, they were Earth-rending. It is said 
  that the planet itself cried out in pain as, battle after battle, 
  the Alliance used its magic and clever thinking to roll back 
  Grimm. But the great general was not to be outdone. In the 
  final battle, on the very ground of his underground com-
  pound, Grimm was thrown down, but the combined expendi-
  tures of magic by both Grimm and the Alliance was too much 
  for the Earth to bear. An enormous crater opened in the body 
  of the Earth as Grimm was defeated. None of the survivors 
  ever found his body or his sword, but those who were there 
  say that his body in death became a malevolent spirit housed 
  in the form of his sword. Does it lie buried in the bowels of the 
  Earth? None can say for sure.
  Grimm is a +100 Two-handed sword. The spirit of the dead 
  warrior resides in the sword and still wants to carry out its 
  mission to conquer the world. Grimm has a Willpower of 40 
  for purposes of resolving Item versus Character Willpower 
  Contests. Grimm is driven to power, easily enraged and 
  megalomaniacal. Grimm grants its owner (whether Grimm is 
  in control or the character is) a +30 bonus to all mental stats 
  and a +40 bonus to all physical stats. Grimm also grants the 
  character 20 ranks of Two-handed sword. Grimm makes 
  the character almost preternaturally likeable. Anyone who 
  comes into contact with Grimm’s owner may make one Will 
  RR check at –25 or be enthralled to Grimm. An enthralled 
  person will carry out any order given by Grimm to the best of 
  his or her ability.
  Harrowing Hengist
  “Let me ask you a question, one intelligent weapon to an-
  other. Have you ever found yourself owned by someone who 
  combines the traits of simple-mindedness, recklessness and 
  bloody mindedness with awesome physical skills? Well let me 
  tell you, it is no picnic. I might even go so far as to say that it 
  is damn aggravating. Perhaps it might help if I fill in a detail 
  or two first.
  “So I am minding my own business in the bottom of the Great 
  Glass Lake, free from cares and hassles. After having been 
  lost at the bottom of the lake more than five centuries previ-
  ously by my former owner (such a hero, and so very unlucky!), 
  I had spent the intervening time throwing up various dooms 
  and encouraging the telling of stories about the supposedly 
  haunted lake, just to keep the curious away. When you are 
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  as old as I am, sometimes you just need a few centuries’ rest 
  before getting back to work, you know?
  “So there I am, just resting amongst the fishes and this big 
  guy shows up right above me. He’s in a fishing boat or a din-
  ghy, some such thing and he’s parked himself right over me. 
  Before I’ve even had four seconds to decide what to do to scare 
  him off, he’s swimming down to get me, like he knew exactly 
  where to find me. Even from a distance I could tell he wasn’t 
  the sharpest blade in the armory, if you know what I mean. 
  Dumb as a bag of rocks, or so I thought. He swims down and 
  carries me to the surface.
  “I immediately set my mind to the task of taking over his. 
  Perhaps it was time after all to come back to the surface. With 
  someone this strong and dumb, I should have no trouble at 
  all having my way with the local population. Perhaps I would 
  even travel some, see the sights, destroy some uppity civiliza-
  tions, that sort of thing. But I quickly learned this was not to 
  be. No matter how hard I strove, his mind was fixed and un-
  yielding. I could not turn him to my purposes. I still ask how 
  this is possible. I know he is not a Mage Guild brain-wise. He 
  should be easily dominated, but try as I might, I just cannot 
  bend him. Which brings me to the present situation.
  “Knowing how powerful I am (and I am indeed one of the 
  wonders of the ages), he has somehow gotten it into his head 
  that he and I can single-handedly slay Yarzgot the Red, the 
  ancient and wicked red dragon whose reign of terror predates 
  anything I might have done. More ancient than the stones of 
  the great mountains themselves is Yarzgot. It is said that he 
  learned his first lessons driving the sniveling halflings so far 
  from their ancestral homes that they’ve forgotten they even 
  had ancestral lands. During my last years above water, I was 
  amazed at Yarzgot’s tenacity – unlike most of his brood, he 
  didn’t seem to favor sleeping and brooding over getting out 
  there and razing towns. He was a menace! Perhaps was is not 
  the right word – he is a menace.
  “And my owner is sure that together, we can rid the world of 
  Yarzgot forever. I don’t know what’s worse – being used for 
  good, or being used to try to kill Yarzgot. I know how hot that 
  dragon’s fire is – meltingly, meltingly hot. Too hot for my steel. 
  And we’re mere days from Yarzgot’s lair...perhaps I have one 
  more chance to get out of this expedition. Any suggestions?”
  Harrowing Hengist is a morphing weapon. It takes the form 
  of whatever non-missile weapon its owner uses best. It is a 
  +100 version of that weapon. It does Huge criticals. It allows 
  the character to make three attacks per round. It grants the 
  user an automatic and free full parry each combat round with 
  no effect on the owner’s OB. Characters using Harrowing 
  Hengist are immune to all stun effects. Harrowing Hengist 
  repairs up to 5 points of bleeding damage each round. 
  Harrowing Hengist’s Willpower is 30, but in Willpower con-
  tests with characters, Harrowing Hengist doubles the char-
  acter’s Self Discipline bonus for purposes of calculating the 
  character’s Willpower.
  Ring of the Gray Dorians
  In the metropolis of Theseus one family stood head-and-
  shoulders above the rest – the Gray Dorians (so named for the 
  founder of the house, Gray Dorian, a very dour man indeed). 
  In all ways that one might care to use to measure one family 
  against another, the Dorians were pre-eminent. The family 
  estate was so vast that one could not walk from one end of it 
  to the other end; one needed a strong horse. They maintained 
  not only the Great House (77 bedrooms and a staff of 600), 
  but also six different Minor Houses on the property (each 
  with at least 12 bedrooms and a staff of 40). They employed 
  the best halflings and gryx butlering staff in their houses 
  and paid them so well that the other important families had 
  to settle for human staff. Their stables had the best reputa-
  tion in the whole city; their horses bred the best lines anyone 
  could ask for. Their armorers were the best skilled in the land, 
  producing the finest swords, shields and armor. And last but 
  not least, the House Magicians of the Dorians were univer-
  sally acknowledged for their prestidigitation, cleverness and 
  ingenuity. No one is entirely sure how the last of the House 
  Magicians invented the ring that bears the family name, but 
  there is no doubt that he is as responsible as the eldest son of 
  the house.
  In the last days of the Gray Dorians, the family had a marked 
  tendency towards decadence. No longer interested in devel-
  oping their warrior skills, the men had taken to pursuing 
  the arts, theater, dancing and other diversions. The eldest 
  son (also named Gray) was obsessed with remaining young, 
  handsome and interesting to the ladies. He begged, cajoled 
  and threatened the House Magician to help him. The Ring of 
  the Gray Dorians was the result.
  Gray lived for more than a century-and-a-half before the 
  ring was wrested from his control. His death came far more 
  swiftly than could have been imagined...
  The Ring of the Gray Dorians is a simple band of platinum. It 
  grants its wearer immortality. Regardless of the character’s 
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  age, he is restored to his physical prime when putting on the 
  ring. Henceforth, he does not age. Rather, the results of his 
  aging are instead applied to nearby targets instead. The ring 
  always prefers to age family and friends over strangers. It is 
  impossible for the owner of the ring to know when the ring 
  will transfer an aging effect to someone else. Because of the 
  ring’s grant of immortality, the character’s functional Self 
  Discipline while wearing the ring is reduced to 5. Any RR in-
  volving Self Discipline is automatically failed. The character 
  must wear the ring at all times, 24/7/365. If at any moment the 
  ring is lost or taken off, all of the effects that the ring deferred 
  immediately happen to the wearer. Gamemasters are encour-
  aged to make the aging effects on others dramatic, unpleasant 
  and mysterious.
  The Tongue of Hazan
  Hazan was the greatest Mage of the last millennium. Rather 
  than succumbing to death, Hazan turned herself into a vam-
  pire by compelling a young and naïve vampire to bite her. As 
  a vampiric Mage, Hazan was the horror-of-horrors for cen-
  turies, tormenting the weak and the bold alike with her mis-
  deeds, corruption and unmitigated evil. But it is the nature of 
  evil to overreach and at last to be defeated. Hazan was undone 
  by the same vampire, now older and bitterer, who turned her 
  into a vampire in the first place. But Hazan was not to be un-
  made so easily.
  Long anticipating her ultimate betrayal and demise, Hazan 
  made a deal with a demon that even in death she would en-
  dure. Under the demonic influence, Hazan’s spirit was not 
  destroyed when her physical body died. Instead, her powers 
  concentrated themselves in her tongue and fangs. The fangs 
  are now thought to have been destroyed, but the tongue lives 
  on. Now the withered, blackened organ is one of the most 
  fearsome artifacts one could ever come across.
  To use the Tongue of Hazan, one must first cut out his own 
  tongue and place the Tongue of Hazan into the wound. 
  Hazan’s Tongue grafts itself into the wound in 1 round, after 
  which it cannot be removed before the new owner’s death. It 
  thickens and protrudes, giving the new owner a horrifying 
  appearance (all PCs and NPCs react to the character with vis-
  ceral horror; animals flee before him). The character becomes 
  vampiric, but does not grow fangs; the character becomes 
  dependent on blood for nutrition, can be killed by exposure 
  to sunlight and so on. The character can cast up to 100 PP/
  day from the list of the following spells; each spell can be 
  cast up to 2x/day: Counterspell, Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, 
  Mage Seal, Unlocking Ways, Animate Dead, Control Undead, 
  Create Undead, Drain Life, Harm, Holy Symbol, Intuitions, 
  Blade Turn, Changing Ways, Darkness, Elemental Ball, 
  Elemental Bolt, Fear, Fire Nerves, Misfeel, Presence, Rune 
  Mastery, Sleep, Stun Cloud.
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  A
  Agility, Cup of  113
  Ahabrab, Concoction of  101
  Aiming, Short Bow of True  97
  Air, Elemental Ink:  99
  Amulet, Acen  104
  Amulet, Dovren  105
  Animals  14
  Ant  14
  Ape  16
  Archimandrite, Rod of the  108
  Armor  89
  Armor, Nightmare  96
  Armor, Silken  98
  artifacts  117
  Artwork  90
  Assht’clar, The Ruins of  18
  Association, Earrings of  105
  Authority, Phylactery of  116
  Awe, Potion of  102
  B
  Bandana, Ulavu  107
  Banshee, Potion of the  103
  Beads, Beard  104
  Beetle  14
  Belt, Tiger  107
  Blackblade, Snicker-snack  98
  Blackstaff  107
  Blade, Fortune  94
  Bleeding, War Mattock of  98
  Boomerang, Long Door  96
  Boots, Gnomish  106
  Bracelet, Butterfly  104
  Breath, Potion of Dragon’s  102
  C
  Cantrips, Potion of  102
  Centaur  16
  Centaurs, Staff of the  110
  Charms  64
  13 Index
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  Cities, Dwarven  25
  Cities, Elven  25
  Cities, Gnome  26
  Cities, Gryx  27
  Cities, Halfling  27
  Cleanliness, Soap of  117
  Clothes  90
  clothing  103
  Coins  87
  Command, Candle of  101
  Concentration, Censer of  112
  Confusion, Candlesticks of  112
  Counterpotion  101
  Credits  2
  Curiosity, Potion of  102
  D
  d’Artax, Les Grimoires  115
  Demons  17
  Door, Potion of the Longer  103
  Dorians, Ring of the Gray  121
  Dragon, Robes of the  106
  Dread, Tomes of  117
  Dungeon, Deep  113
  E
  Earth, Elemental Ink:  99
  Elements, Staff of the  110
  Empress, Tiara of the  107
  Enrichment, Teapot of  116
  Environments, Urban  21
  Equipment, Normal  91
  Exchange, Potion of  102
  Eye, Potion of the Sharp  103
  F
  Fetishes  65
  Fighting With Style  20
  Finding, Astrolabe of  111
  Fire, Elemental Ink:  100
  Fist, Staff of the  110
  Foil, Mage  96
  G
  Gamella, Javelin of the  95
  Gargoyle  14
  Gear, Entertainment  90
  Gear, Outdoor  91
  Gear, Scribes’  91
  Generating Intelligent Items  76
  Ghent, Spectacles of  107
  Giant  14, 15, 16
  Glory, Gown of  105
  Goblin  16
  Goblinbane  95
  Gong, Potion of  102
  Gong, Shurikens of  98
  Greater  14, 15, 17
  Griffin  14
  Grimm  120
  Grissom, Buckler of  94
  Gryx, Shirt of the  106
  Gryx-way, Potion of the  103
  H
  Harpers, Fez of the  105
  Hat, Wizarding  117
  Hazan, The Tongue of  122
  Healing, Duct Tape of  114
  Hengist, Harrowing  120
  Herbs  90
  Hex, Figurines of the  119
  Hippogriff  15
  Hobgoblin  16
  Hodges, Dirk of the  94
  Home, Staff of  109
  Hoplite, Shield of the  97
  H’rex, The Underkeep of  19
  Hrrax, Necklace of the Masters of  106
  Hullabree, Mask of the  116
  Hydra  15
  I
  Illusion, Dagger of  94
  Insight, Candle of  101
  Insta-Hench  115
  intelligent items in a campaign setting  76
  Intelligent Loot  75
  Item, Magic  90
  items, bonus  92
  Items, Household  90
  items, intelligent  117
  items, magic  92
  items, miscellaneous  111
  items with intelligence  76
  J
  Jewelry, Gems and  88
  K
  Keeping, Bag of  112
  Knuckles, Titanium  107
  Kobold  16
  L
  Law, Staff of  109
  Leadership, Potion of  102
  Lesser  14, 15, 17
  Letters, Rod of  108
  Library, Rune  100
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  Lingualotion  101
  Living, Rod of Healthful  108
  Lizardmen  17
  Loot and Character  8
  Loot and Culture  11
  Loot and Professions  9
  Loot and Race  10
  Loot and Wilderness Creatures  13
  Loot, “Organic” Placement of  13
  Lore, Potion of  102
  Lotion, Seal’s  103
  Lust, Fan of  114
  M
  Magic and Spells  4
  Map  90
  Market, Black  29
  Markets, Esoteric  30
  Marn, Blades of  92
  Materials, Esoteric  45
  Materials, Potions and  55
  Matter, The Four Laws of  33
  Melee & Missile Combat  32
  Minister, Sash of the Prime  106
  Mogendar, Inks of the  115
  Money  82
  Monsters, Social  16
  Monsters, Special  17
  M’racca, Beret of  104
  M’racca, Rod of the  109
  N
  Non, the Sine Qua  18
  O
  Ogres  17
  Orcs  17
  Orde, Rod of  108
  P
  Path, Potion of the True  103
  Peculiarity, Potion of  103
  Philli, Belt of  104
  Pins, Charles’ Cravat  105
  players, characters and intelligent items  76
  Potion, Creating a Formula  56
  Potion, Creating a Matrix  55
  Potion, Dream  101
  potions  101
  Potions, Formula  56
  Potions, Matrix  55
  Profiles, Human City  23
  Q
  Queen, Lotion of the  102
  R
  Rass, Rod of  108
  Rat  15
  Reaction, Socks of  106
  Reversal, Staff of  110
  Rhodion, Harpoon of the  95
  Rhodion, Staff of the  110
  Right, Staff of  110
  Rod, Dannels’  107
  rods  107
  Rod, Spencers’  109
  Role Playing Warriors  6
  Ruins, Loot Among the  18
  runes  98
  Runes  59
  Runeshield  97
  Runes, Runebook: Circle  100
  Runes, Runebook: Crystal  100
  Runes, Runebook: Elemental  100
  Runes, Runebook: Spirit  100
  S
  Saucer, Flying  114
  Scimitar, Frost  95
  Scorpion  15
  Sending, Bags of  112
  Shark  15
  Six, Flail of the Circles  94
  Smoke, Rod of  108
  Soothing, Violin of  117
  Spider  15
  staves  107
  Steel, Lotion of  102
  Suffering, Staff of  110
  T
  Talismans  63, 67
  Talismans, Crafting  63
  Tiger, Sabertooth  15
  Time, Staff of  111
  Tombs, Staff of  111
  Tools, Crystal Runes  99
  Tools, Laborer’s  90
  Tools, Thieves’  91
  Trade, Legitimate  27
  Trident, Mountain  96
  Troll  17
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  U
  Undead  17
  Unmaking, Anklet of  104
  V
  Vengeance, Bola of  92
  W
  Wasp  15
  Water, Elemental Ink:  100
  Weapons  92
  Weapons & Armor  54
  Weave, Calendar of the  118
  White, Great  15
  Creator
  Item Name
  Aspects
  PP
  Scale options
  Total PP required
  PP
  Atributes
  PP
  devided by 20 =
  Materials
  Cost
  PP
  Discription
  Notes
  Aspects and Atributes Total PP
  Totals
  Magic Items Index
  A
  Artifacts and Intelligent Items ................ 121
  Calendar of the Weave ....................... 121
  Figurines of the Hex ........................... 122
  Grimm ................................................ 123
  Harrowing Hengist............................. 124
  Ring of the Gray Dorians ................... 125
  The Tongue of Hazan ......................... 125
  B
  Bonus Items ............................................... 92
  Blades of Marn ..................................... 92
  Robes of the Dragon .......................... 107
  Sash of the Prime Minister ................ 107
  Shirt of the Gryx................................. 107
  Socks of Reaction ............................... 108
  Spectacles of Ghent ............................ 108
  Tiara of the Empress .......................... 108
  Tiger Belt............................................. 108
  Titanium Knuckles ............................. 108
  M
  Miscellaneous Items ................................ 113
  Astrolabe of Finding........................... 114
  Bag of Keeping .................................... 114
  Potion of Leadership .......................... 103
  Potion of Lore ..................................... 103
  Potion of Peculiarity .......................... 103
  Potion of the Banshee ........................ 103
  Potion of the Gryx-way ...................... 103
  Potion of the Longer Door ................ 104
  Potion of the Sharp Eye ..................... 103
  Potion of the True Path ...................... 104
  Seal’s Lotion ........................................ 104
  R
  Rods and Staves ....................................... 109
  Blackstaff............................................. 109
  Dannels’ Rod ...................................... 109
  Whitestaff  111
  Wild, Earring of the  105
  Willpower Challenges 
  item versus character  79
  Wishing, Star-sand of  116
  Withering, Sword of  98
  Wyvern  15
  Z
  Zex, Crystal Ball of  112
  Zo, Rod of  109
  HARP  Loot 
  Loot 
  Page 126
  
  GCP
  GCP
  Guild Companion
  Publications Ltd
  Guild Companion
  Publications Ltd
  HARP
  TM FANTASY
  The NEW Road to 
  High Adventure
  www.ironcrown.com
  Loot, that wonderful, 
  glittery, magical stuff 
  that brings a gleam to an 
  adventurer’s eye and makes 
  his heart beat a little faster. 
  What is it and where do 
  you find it? What do you do 
  when your loot breaks? How 
  do you convert your loot to 
  cash? What is the coolest, 
  newest, hottest and best loot 
  around?  This book has all 
  the answers. 
  Can’t lay your hands on 
  the loot you need? No 
  Problem—just make it. Loot 
  explores the myriad ways of 
  creating the magic items so 
  near and dear to our hearts. 
  The book includes, but is not 
  limited to, rules for:
  • Item Enchantment
  • Artifacts
  • Intelligent Items
  • Potions
  • Talismans
  • Magical Runes
  TM
  #GCP-HARP-1005
  TM
  Loot
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Harp/2nd Edition/GCP HARP1005 - Loot 2e.pdf