Lost Souls Handbook

[Daos]

First and foremost, I suppose the question is, what is Lost Souls?

Lost Souls is a campaign setting I came up with originally when I was a kid, around fifteen or so. Hence the rather unoriginal name. It is the setting of Amtar, a world of my own devising.

It was terrible. I mean, just awful. But then again, I was only fifteen and had no idea what I was doing. While most D&Ders start as players and then, when ready, possibly become DMs...I started as a DM from day one. None of my friends who played wanted to DM, so it was left up to me to take up that mantle.

In 2002, I opened up a roleplaying chatroom based on Amtar. It failed. But I did manage to acquire enough members to start running an online campaign game set on the world. I 'rebooted' the world, discarding a lot of the stupid stuff I had ripped off from whatever I liked back as a kid, and we wound up running six campaigns there.

But then, in 2008, I put aside the world and started work on a new campaign. Different world, different concepts. We ran two campaigns there, and started a third...but it never got very far. By that point, I guess I was just burned out. I don't know. The game was put on hiatus, I wound up getting focused on my Dragonlance games at another site, and before I knew it, over a year had passed.

I wound up rebooting the world (again) for another site, and ran a game there. The results were...mixed. I'm hoping to take what I learned from that game and use it to make another, better Lost Souls game.

What is Amtar? I'll be up front with you. It's a pretty standard, generic high-fantasy AD&D world. Don't expect anything particularly ground-breaking or revolutionary here. It's got the usual races and classes. It might be a little different, in that I've been rather influenced by Planescape (Amtar has a strong elemental bent, and I like having lots of factions and belief systems). The main appeal to Amtar is that it's open-ended and the consequences of the party's actions matter. In Amtar, each campaign shapes the next. For instance, if the party topples a government in this game, then the consequences of this (civil war, anarchy, whatever) will have a strong impact on the second game. If your character starts a new religion, it may spread to different nations later. And so on.

Furthermore, players have some creative control over the world. A player can make up details about the world, filling in the blanks (with DM approval, of course).

My games are dangerous, but not overly lethal. I am not a killer DM, nor am I a coddling one. I think of myself as being a neutral entity. Deep down, I may want the PCs to win, but I will not intervene to save them. The dice fall where they land, and the consequences of any action play out logically.

This thread will be dedicated to all of the lore and information that a player will need to know in order to successfully run a character in a game here. I actually have a website I was going to use, but it's easier to just post it all here. I will only be posting stuff relevant to the campaign at the time, so it doesn't get too bulky.

[Daos]

This is a complete list of rules and house rules that I use in my game.

Core Rules
Character Generation - You can use Method V (4d6, drop the lowest) to create your character.
Height/Weight/Age - Players need not roll for these, unless they want to. They can just choose them. The DM secretly rolls your maximum age, to learn when your character will die of old age (if you're lucky!)
Starter Spells - A player may choose his wizard's starting spells, but still must roll to learn them. Upon reaching a new spell level, a mage learns a new spell for that level automatically (chosen by the player). A mage's first spellbook is free, but additional ones must be paid for.  If the mage has a mentor or tutor, they receive a few free spells without rolling.
When XP is Given - Characters earn XP (and level up automatically upon receiving enough to do so) at the end of a thread. Threads are usually divided into chapters, and generally will end when the party rests for the night.
Initiative - I use Individual Initiative during combat. I also use all of the modifiers that come with it, including casting times and weapon speeds. Characters with multiple attacks don't use them until the end of the round (except for those who are dual-wielding).  I also only roll initiative once, at the beginning, instead of every round, for simplicity.
Firing into Melee - This rule is largely ignored. You can only hit an ally during melee with a projectile weapon if you roll a fumble or if they move directly into your line of fire (and are larger than or the same size as your target). If you try and fire a projectile weapon at a target while someone else is meleeing you, the opponent gets a free attack.

Optional Rules (The rules in blue found in the PHB/DMG)
Intelligence Bonus to Proficiencies - For every language slot a character gets from INT, they get an extra NWP slot, as well.
Maximum Spells per Level - Based on their INT score, wizards have a limit to how many spells they can learn each level, total.
Detection of Pick Pocketing - I use the optional rule that allows a thief a lesser chance of being caught pickpocketing when the victim is lower level than the thief.
Nonweapon Proficiencies - I use both weapon and nonweapon proficiencies in my game, not secondary skills. Unless stated otherwise, a character must train to learn a new proficiency slot once it becomes available.
Encumbrance - I do use (basic, not specific) encumbrance in my games. I also rule that magical armor does not count toward one's encumbrance.
Horse Traits - I do use horse traits for flavor, but don't usually enforce them.
Armor Made of Unusual Metals - I do allow this.
Spell Components - I do use these. Material components that are rare and expensive must be in the caster's inventory to work. For more general components, like sand, gum, cloth, etc., a caster needs a 'component bag' that costs 1 gp per spell level to refill (a 1st level mage would need to spend 1 gp, a 3rd level mage would need to spend 3 gp, etc.) at a mageware shop. The component bag must be refilled between adventures (or once a month, whichever comes first).
Researching Extra Wizard Spells - I allow that any spell researched by a wizard does not count against his/her limit of spells per level.
Individual Experience Awards - I use these, and group awards, too.
Training - I do not require a character train to advance in level (but they do need to train to learn new proficiencies).
Weapon Type vs Armor Modifiers - I do use these rules. Thus, a piercing weapon is more effective against leather armor, whereas a bludgeoning weapon is better against chain mail.
Parrying - I do allow this.
Multiple Attacks Against Weak Opponents - I do allow warriors to make a number of attacks equal to their level against opponents who have 1-1 or less HD.
Polearms/Shields and Weapon Frontage - I use both of these rules.
Critical Hits/Misses - I use both. A natural 20 is a critical hit, and the character is allowed to roll for double damage (the rules state you are supposed to roll twice, but I find it easier in pbp to just roll once and double it). On a natural 1, the character fumbles. What this means is up to the DM, but it can involve a weapon breaking, accidentally hitting oneself or an ally, dropping a weapon or falling down to the ground. It depends on the situation.
Specific Injuries - I do not use this rule.
Hovering at Death's Door - I do use this rule. At 0 HP, a character becomes unconscious and bleeds out (losing 1 HP per round) until they reach death at -10 HP. A character who is bleeding out can have their wounds bound (no check or roll needed) to stop the bleeding. Magical healing spells only restore an unconscious character to 1 HP and no more can be used until the character has rested for about 5 minutes (as opposed to a full day, as written).
Aerial Combat - I use all of these rules, too.
Degrees of Darkness Modifiers - I use these, yep. Moving/fighting in moonlight is not as bad as total darkness, etc.
Jogging and Running - I use these rules.
Terrain Effects on Movement - I use these rules. So traveling through water, snow, heavy forest/brush, rocky ground, and in darkness slows the party down.
Terrain Modifiers for Overland Movement - I use these, too.
Command Words - Rods, wands and staves use them, yep.

Splatbook Rules
Kits - I do allow some kits, but not others. If you are interested in a kit, just ask the DM to find out more.
The Complete Fighter's Handbook - I use the rules for weapon and armor crafting, off-hand weapon use, kneeling and sitting, range and initiative, ambidexterity, fighting style specialization, martial arts, punching/wrestling specialization, disarming, grabbing, holding, pinning, pulling/tripping, sapping, shield punching and rushing, recovery of temporary damage, darkness modifiers, unstable ground, mounted combat, bone and stone weaponry, high quality racial armor, and piecemeal armor.
The Complete Paladin's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Ranger's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Wizard's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Priest's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Druid's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Thief's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Bard's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Book of Dwarves - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Book of Gnomes and Halflings - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Book of Elves - Just the expanded archery rules and the new equipment/spells.
The Complete Book of Humanoids - Pretty much all of it.
Of Ships and the Sea - Pretty much all of it.
Dungeoneer's Survival Guide - I use the new equipment.
Wilderness Survival Guide - The rules for temperature, the rules for food and water, the rules for foraging, fishing and hunting.

Player's Option: Spells and Magic - The Cure Moderate Wounds spell only.

House Rules
No Racial Ability Minimums or Maximums - I don't bother with these at all (e.g., not being able to play a dwarf unless your STR is 8 or higher). Never saw the point to it.
No Level Limits - I don't bother with these, either. Most of my games never get high enough in level for them to matter anyway.
Max HP at 1st level - At first level, HP is always the maximum amount (including CON modifier) without needing to roll.
No Racial Ability Adjustments - Everyone gets a +1 to the ability score of their choice at character creation, as well as a -1 to another if they choose Method V.  (If you choose Method VI, this does not apply.)
Lesser Alignment Restrictions - Druids and Bards can be of any alignment.
Rally Allies/Berserker Rage - The benefits of a bard's 'rally allies' ability kicks in on the first round, not the third round. Those who can go berserk can do so in one round, not ten.
No Racial/Class Restrictions - Any race may take any class in my games. A dwarf can be a paladin, an elf can be a bard, a gnome can be a ranger, etc.
Proficiency Checks without the Proficiency - In some cases, I will allow a character to attempt a proficiency check in something he/she doesn't have proficiency in. In this case, they must roll a 3 or less to succeed. And the end result will never be of high quality (someone trying to forge a dagger without the weaponsmithing proficiency will only make one of average quality at best). There are lots of stipulations to this rule. For instance, the character in question cannot even make the attempt if the DM feels that it violates common sense (a character who has never seen a horse before can't possibly hope to make a rider check). Likewise, some things are just impossible for unskilled characters, regardless of luck (someone without the armorer proficiency could try and bang out a satisfactory suit of chain mail, but full plate mail is out of the question).
Crossbow Damage - In my games, a light crossbow does 1d10 damage and a heavy crossbow does 1d12 damage.
Turn/Control Undead - I allow clerics and paladins with this ability to also use it against extraplanar creatures. A good cleric can turn evil extraplanar creatures, and an evil cleric can control evil extraplanar creatures.
Cantrips - Cantrip is not a spell, but a nonweapon proficiency that can only be taken by someone with levels in wizard or bard.
Natural Healing - The effects of natural healing and the healing proficiency are stacked.
Proficiency Slots - If a player adds an empty NWP slot to a proficiency he/she already has, they get a +2 to their rolls.
Aid Another - If two characters have the same proficiency, one can 'aid' the other in their roll, and this adds a +2 to the roll.
Familiars - I use a special rule for familiars. At level 2, a mage or bard can summon a familiar automatically, without the use of a spell. At level 4, the caster can see through the familiar's eyes if they concentrate and do nothing else. At 6th level, the caster can cast touch-spells through their familiar. Then at 8th level, the caster's familiar gains a special ability (depending on what the familiar in question is).
Reading/Writing - I rule that if you have a proficiency with Reading/Writing, you can read and write any language you can speak. This does not apply to ancient languages, though.
NWP cross skills - All nonweapon proficiencies cost 1 slot each.  However, if you pick a nwp that is not a class skill, you suffer a -2 to your rolls.
Metalworks - Armorer and Weaponsmithing proficiencies are reliant on STR, not INT.
Alignment - Alignment has been redefined to 'divine allegiance'.  It's not something you put on your character sheet and then try to adhere to.  Rather, it's something the DM charts over time, based on the actions of your character.  All PCs begin 'Unaligned' (UA) when they enter the game.  As the game progresses, I chart the character's alignment, in relation to the five deities, using my own point based system.  So a character who told the truth even if it got them in trouble might get a +1 from Gonto, or someone who showed compassion to another might get a +1 from Octhanus, and so on. When you reach 5 points in a particular deity, that deity reaches out to you in some way (a dream, a vision, sending a cleric or servant) and offers you a pact.  If you accept, your divine allegiance is now with that deity.  If you refuse, the deity's score is reset to 0 and the process begins again.  At 10 points, you are offered a free henchman in service to that deity.  At 15 points, you are granted a special power from that deity.  Additional benefits exist beyond that point.

Non-Lethal combat - There is no 'to hit' penalty for fighting when trying to knock out an opponent with non-lethal fighting.

Tracking - Non-rangers do not suffer a -6 penalty to the Tracking proficiency.

Forum/Posting Rules
Present Tense - Keep your posts in present tense, please.
Three Day Rule - The DM will wait for any given player at least three days before moving on.
Name Your Targets! - When in combat, make sure to specify who you are hitting or where you are centering any spells.
AWOL - If a player vanishes (stops posting, doesn't even log in) for at least a month without giving any prior explanation or warning, they are dropped from the game and their character becomes a permanent NPC.
Dialogue - Please place all dialogue in quotation marks.
Spamming - Don't spam or double-post.  Nothing is sadder than someone trying to inflate their post count like it actually matters.

[Daos]

Amtar Geography
The main area of Amtar where games are held is in the northern hemisphere. A map of the five continents is found below, and each hex represents 100 miles.

The northern peninsula is a frozen wasteland where barbarian tribes war with each other for resources and land.  It is called Crizzara.

The middle area is largely fertile and home to lush, green forests and plains, as well as a number of pseudo-European kingdoms both small and large.  It is known as Gontoria.

The southern part of the main landmass is a desert, modeled a lot like Arabia or Egypt.  It is named Rabbah.

The large island to the south is a harsh area and home to many goblinoids and orcs. Basically, think Mordor from Lord of the Rings.  Most call it Renosia.

Then at the equator, you have the Octhanian Islands, a group of tropical islands based heavily on Polynesia and the Caribbean.



Let's zoom in on our tropical islands. On the map below, each hex is 25 miles.

Triangles are mountains, red triangles are volcanoes, green spots are jungle, brown spots are swamps, yellow spots are barren, lumps are hills. (And green lumps are hills with jungle on them).

These are the Octhanian Islands, named after the goddess, Octhanus. Octhania has no central government. Rather, the entire area is carved up between nine independent city-states (the tenth island, the one furthest to the north, is a floating island; it is a remnant of Eonia). Each city-state consists of an entire island, and some may contain smaller towns and villages, as well. These city-states can come together in a time of crisis, but they are generally at odds with each other. There is much infighting between them, although rarely outright war.

In addition, there are assortments of underwater nations ruled by the Merfolk (creatures that live underwater) that sometimes ally themselves with the city-states, trade with them, or even war with them.

[Daos]

A Brief History of Amtar

Eons ago, the two dominant societies were the elves and dwarves. Both formed massive empires that stretched over the known world. They did not conflict, as the elves took the overworld and the dwarves took the underworld. Thus did they both coexist without entrenching on each other's territories. The elves were highly magical, and the dwarves highly technological.

As the empires expanded, other, more primitive species were discovered. Gnomes and goblinoids were discovered by the dwarves, and halflings and humans discovered by the elves.

The gnomes were integrated into dwarven society, but were largely treated as second-class citizens with few rights. The goblinoids were outright driven out and slaughtered in a war. Eventually, they managed to fall back to what is now the land of Renosia and hold up there. They formed their own empire after a few centuries.

Halflings were 'allowed' to live on elven lands, but were made to 'earn their keep.' They had to work the many farmlands as serfs, making almost no money at it. Humans were first discovered in the Octhanian islands as savages. Elves saw the potential in them, and 'adopted' them. That's how the elves put it. In their minds, they saw themselves doing the humans a favor. They were providing them a roof over their heads, food, and education. All they asked for in return was that the humans serve them, to earn their keep.

The elves may have called it adoption, but to the humans, it was slavery.

The goblinoids, meanwhile, started building up armies of any species they could find that had been driven back by the elves and dwarves. Not only goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears, but also ogres, gnolls, kobolds, and some escaped human slaves. They attacked the elven empire, but were badly beaten. Their forces were no match for the elves' magic. And so the goblins fell back.

The goblins realized that the only way to fight magic was with magic. They spent the next few centuries studying it, learning as much as they could. They discovered a process that allowed them to contact powerful beings from the Lower Planes. These beings would offer the goblinoids power, which was a much faster and efficient way of learning magic than studying tomes for years and years.

Now armed with the knowledge of demon summoning, the goblinoids attacked the elves again. This time, they were not driven back. The dwarves were forced to ally with the elves, and even then, the war ended in a stalemate with all three empires brought to the brink of destruction.

The humans, who had learned so much from their 'guardians' saw that the time to act was now. They led an insurrection against the elves, who were too weakened by the war to put up much of a fight. The humans enlisted the gnomes and halflings in the fight, as well. When it was over, the humans had managed to conquer the elves entirely, enslaving them in a tragic sense of irony.

This was not enough, though. Inheriting the magical powers of the elves, the humans then turned their gaze toward the dwarves and goblinoid empires, which were also very weak from the war. It did not take long to conquer them, as well. Thus did humans inherit the white magic of elves, the black magic of the goblinoids, and the technology of the dwarves. Combining these three powers together, they formed the Eonian Empire, the most powerful political force the world had ever known.

Indeed, the humans were so powerful, they even managed to rip a large island out of the sea and lift it into the air. They founded their capital city on this flying island, known as Infinity. For humans, this began an age of enlightenment. For the other species, this was certainly a dark age. For the humans were no more fair or merciful toward the 'lesser species' than the elves or dwarves had been to them.

The Eonian Empire was not to last, though. The goblinoids, furious that they had nearly defeated one enemy only to inadvertently create a new, even more powerful one, started searching for ways to thwart the humans. Eventually, they discovered a powerful summoning ritual. It was said to summon a creature that would have the power to destroy even Eonia. Never once did the goblinoids stop to consider the consequences of their actions. By the time they realized that the beast they had summoned was too strong for them to control, it was too late.

Legends say that the beast, known only as Carnage, was originally created by the gods. It was meant as a 'reset button' to end the world should the gods ever decide it was no longer worth maintaining. Carnage rampaged across the known world, destroying everything in its path. It killed without mercy or prejudice. It did not care about species, creed, nationality or bloodline. Not even the Eonians could stand against him. Infinity was knocked into the sea and sank to the bottom, killing millions.

All of the species were forced to ally themselves against this threat. Using everything they had, they managed to banish Carnage back to the pocket dimension he had been summoned from, putting him back to sleep to wait for the gods to call him back when the end of the world had arrived. But the victory came at great cost. The Empires had fallen, all of them. The world had been left in ruin.

The next few centuries were a time of darkness, as the races tried to rebuild. Small nations were formed, which battled each other for what meager resources remained. All of the magical and technological power of the old days was forgotten. Every species was now on equal ground.

This brings us to the present day.

[Daos]

The Gods
There are two sets of gods on Amtar. The Guardian gods were the originals, or so they claim. The story goes that they created the world and populated it with life and energy. However, this act exhausted them so that they all went into a deep slumber.

While they slept, a new set of gods appeared and took over their creation. These are often known as the Imperial gods (as they were at their peak during the times of the largest empires). These are the gods who created the sapient species and spread them over the world.

When Carnage was summoned and the world was torn asunder, the Imperial gods vanished. Some say they fled in fear of the demon, others say Carnage destroyed them outright. Whatever the case, followers of the Imperial gods lost all of their divine-given powers and all communion was severed. The sundering of the world also served to awaken the Guardian gods. They discovered their creation infested with lifeforms and in total chaos. They have since stepped in, creating new priesthoods and doing their best to get things back on track. The Guardian gods are Crizza, Gonto, Octhanus, Renos, and Rabbah.

All clerics, at third level, become an anointed cleric and may perform all of the duties expected of them (prior to that, they are acolytes). At ninth level, the cleric becomes a patriarch/matriarch and may build a stronghold and collect followers. The highest ranking priest in the church is the High Priest/Priestess.

Druids worship the elemental aspects of the gods only. They may choose a specific deity (earth, wind, water, fire or spirit) or worship them all as a single entity.


CRIZZA (Crusader)
Crizza is often depicted as a large white bird. He is the god of art, freedom, travel, trickery and luck. Sometimes he is known as the Crusader. The old stories claim that after the world was forged, he flapped his mighty wings to cool it, and consequently, created the atmosphere and wind currents.

The priesthoods of Crizza teach that an individual’s fate is of his own creation. They preach that a single person can change the world and that power should never be hoarded by a few. To a follower of Crizza, a person’s choices are what shape his future and they are encouraged to always take responsibility for their own actions. Crizza also promotes the idea that life is short and one should always take chances and live it to the fullest.

Priests of Crizza often travel the world, and so are found just about everywhere.  Followers of Crizza pray by stretching their arms skyward, like a bird spreading its wings. This is to remind them to appreciate their freedom and always pursue it.

Duties: Priests are expected to provide guidance and council when asked. They can perform marriages. They encourage those who exhibit artistic/musical abilities and participate in events where artists’ works are displayed. They are to be vigilant against forces (usually society) that make people too responsible too young, that mature them too quickly.

Priests of Crizza are not required to take oaths of chastity; but are not allowed to marry.

The vestments of a cleric of Crizza are yellow and orange. Acolytes have simple yellow robes, and as they advance in rank, more orange is added to them. The High Priest wears white robes with yellow trim. Their holy icon is a bird with its wings spread. Priests are not required to wear their vestments and icon while traveling, but do need to wear them for official ceremonies and while at temple.

The church of Crizza has no official holy canon.


GONTO (Arbiter)
Gonto is often depicted as a blind mole. She is the goddess of crafts, commerce, structure, knowledge, and fate. Sometimes she is known as the Arbiter. The old stories claim that she helped forge the world from a large chunk of amethyst found in the ether. The sparks that flew from her hammer formed the stars in the sky. After she was done, she padded down the world with earth. A later story claims she was once scared so badly by the trickster, Crizza, that her eyes popped from her head and remained stuck in the sky, becoming the moons.

The priesthoods of Gonto teach that justice, like their goddess, is blind. They believe that everyone is born with a destiny, and it is up to that person to figure out what it is and follow it. Followers are taught to always tell and seek the truth and promote the idea that only by building the optimal civilization can sapient life find peace and prosperity. Without law and justice, people inevitably fall into anarchy. Only by people working together can the world be rebuilt to its former glories.

Priests of Gonto tend to be found in more civilized areas, but it’s not uncommon to find them out in the wild frontier, helping to spread civilization.  Followers of Gonto pray by holding hands with other followers, forming a circle. If there are no others, the priest simply clasps his hands together, making a circle of one. This is to remind people that only by working together can prosperity be made for all.

Duties: Priests are expected to provide guidance and council when asked, particularly in the doctrine of acceptance of the will of the gods. They can perform marriages, but discourage members of their flock to marry for love if it means alienating the families and living in poverty. They are to educate those on craftsmanship and promote craftsmanship in the community. They are to show vigilance against those who would censor knowledge or spread misinformation.

Priests of Gonto are not required to take oaths of chastity or celibacy.

The vestments of a cleric of Gonto are green. As they advance in rank, the trim of the robes changes color. Copper is the lowest, then bronze, silver, gold and finally platinum. The High Priestess has robes that are trimmed with purple, representing the amethyst core of the world. Their holy icon is a mole rolled up into a ball. Priests of Gonto are required to wear their vestments and icon whenever in public.

The church of Gonto has a rather hefty and convoluted canon known simply as The Doctrine. There have been multiple editions over the centuries, and the most recent version is the fourth edition (although there is a rumor that a fifth edition is in the works). A copy costs 850 gold pieces and all clerics are expected to have one sometime between third and fifth level.


OCTHANUS (Nurturer)
Octhanus is usually depicted as a dolphin. She is the goddess of love, compassion, and peace. She is sometimes called the Nurturer. The old stories claim that she filled the oceans and lakes after the world was forged.

The priesthoods of Octhanus are dedicated to the virtues of love, compassion and peace. They believe that all living things have value and should be treated with respect. They are well known for their knowledge of the healing arts, both magical and mundane. Followers are taught to love their neighbors and forgive all wrong-doings against each other. They focus heavily on helping the weak, sick and downtrodden.

Priests of Octhanus can be found anywhere people are suffering or need help.  Followers of Octhanus pray by placing their hands on their hearts. This is to remind them that when in doubt, one should always listen to their heart.

Duties: Priests are expected to provide guidance and council when asked. They can perform marriages and in fact, are encouraged to help others celebrate love (they oppose the idea of marriages of convenience or politics). On occasion, priests are sent on missions of diplomacy, mercy, or aid. They must heal the sick and injured whenever asked. They are expected to educate others in the arts of healing when requested. A cleric of Octhanus must never willingly take the life of a sentient, mortal being unless there is no other option available.

Priests of Octhanus are not required to take oaths of celibacy or chastity; in fact, they are expected to get married at some point in their careers (usually before 7th level).

The vestments of a cleric of Octhanus are varying shades of blue; the darker the blue, the higher the rank of priest. An acolyte wears a very light powder blue robe. The High Priestess wears a very deep, dark blue. Their holy icon is a crescent-shaped dolphin. Priests of Octhanus are expected to wear their vestments and/or holy icon (at least one or the other) in public wherever they go, marking them as priests.

The holy canon of Octhanus is a book known as the Virtue Edicts. A copy costs 450 gold pieces and all clerics are expected to have one sometime between third and fifth level.


RENOS (Harbinger)
Renos is depicted as a wolf normally. He is the god of vengeance, passion, strength and war. He is sometimes called the Harbinger. The old stories claimed that he heated the world up, so that it could be forged. A later story claims that after being hassled by the trickster, Crizza, he breathed a ball of flame at the avian god. The fireball missed, but became stuck in the sky, becoming the sun instead.

The priesthoods of Renos teach that one must find strength within. If you want something in life, you must fight for it. Having everything handed to you teaches you nothing, except to be weak and dependent on others. True strength can only be obtained through suffering. Those with power make the rules, so you should always seek more power; otherwise, you will never get what you want in life. One should never show weakness to others, or else they will seek to exploit and take advantage of you. Slights must not go unpunished for the same reason. Consequently, followers of Renos are big on vengeance.

Priests of Renos are fairly common, especially in places where life is difficult.  Followers of Renos pray by balling up their fists and crossing their arms over their chest, forming an ‘X’. This is to represent that they are on their own, save for the grace of Renos, and cannot rely on others.

Duties: Priests are expected to provide guidance and council when asked. They can perform marriages. They are to show vigilance against complacency and tide of philosophies of peacefulness; if a land is too peaceful for too long, they must shake things up.

Priests of Renos are not required to take oaths of chastity or celibacy.

The vestments of a cleric of Renos are red. As they advance in rank, various emblems that represent their place in the hierarchy are sewn onto their robes. Their holy icon is a lone wolf. Priests of Renos are not required to wear their vestments and icon when public; but they usually do, as it is a great source of pride for many clerics.

The canon for the church of Renos is known as the Burning Commands. It’s a fairly thin tome, as canons go, so a copy usually only runes 250 gold pieces. Clerics are expected to acquire one between third and fifth level.


RABBAH (Preserver)
On occasion, Rabbah is known as the Preserver. The old stories claim that Rabbah is the energy that was utilized to grant life to all living things when the world was created.  It is often depicted as a rabbit, although some scholars think this is just a mistranslation of its name and that Rabbah has no physical form, but rather is the embodiment of nature itself.

Followers of Rabbah have a strong non-interference bent in life, generally wanting nothing to do with politics.  Many find secluded places in nature, far away from any civilization, and live isolated lives of meditation and prayer.  Rabbites believe that since mortalkind was not created by the Guardian gods, that we are trespassers.  And although we cannot be blamed for the actions of the Imperial Gods, we should do our best to have as little effect on the world as possible.  The world belongs to the Guardians and we are their 'guests' and so should act as such.

Priests of Rabbah are extremely rare and tend to hide away from the world, so are almost never encountered.  Suffice to say, this priesthood is not popular among adventurers.  Also, little is known about their rituals and beliefs, as they tend not to speak of such things to outsiders.

[Daos]

Organizations

Storm Sorcery Academy
The Storm Sorcery Academy was founded by a small cabal of wizards nearly a hundred years ago. This cabal, who were known then as the Storm Sorcerers, had become an elite group of spellcasters after many adventures on the high seas. They decided to retire by using the vast resources they had acquired to build a large school on a small, abandoned island named Ketos. The school’s motto is “Knowledge is Power.” Their mascot is a roc.

The academy generally takes students at about the age of 12. The children stay there, training in the arcane arts, usually for the next six to ten years. Students are provided with rooms in the housing-halls and meals in the college’s refectory. The tuition is steep. It costs 500 gold pieces a year.

When the student reaches the point that they’re shown to be capable of casting level 1 spells, they are given a final exam and either pass or fail. If they fail, they must continue training. Even if they pass, they can still keep returning for further classes and training, as well as full use of the academy’s laboratories and libraries.

If a wizard PC attends this academy, they start the game with Detect Magic and Read Magic, and six spells of their choice without rolling for them.

Graduates of the academy receive a special signet ring that marks them as alumni. As Storm Sorcerers are always in high demand (most ships desire at least one on their crew roster), the ring serves as a useful résumé. When any kind of magic is applied to the ring (including simple cantrips), the school’s motto magically appears on it for a few seconds. This enchantment makes the rings very difficult to forge.

Among the curriculum includes the following courses.

Physical Training, Philosophy of Magic, Basic Astrology, Spell Theory, Fundamentals of Meditation, Language Instruction, History of Magic, Magic and Society, Power Thinking, Survey of Literature, Library Instruction, Fundamentals of Spell Transcription, Principles of Casting, Spell Tutorial, Spell Seminar, Spell Practicum, Formula Analysis, and Laboratory Techniques, Seamanship Training, and Basic Principles of Navigation.

Divine Trinity Church
The most popular religion on the islands, dedicated to the worship of Octhanus.  It is said that after the Carnage War, the islands were cut off from the mainland.  Octhanus appeared on each island, offering people a chance to recover from the war and begin anew.

The church is composed of three branches--the Mercies, who are dedicated to healing; the Shieldbearers, who are dedicated to protecting others; and the Hearthtenders, who are dedicated to family and friends.  Its headquarters are on the island of Sanctuary, although temples can be found on almost every island.

Coral Fleet
A fleet of elite naval ships dedicated to keeping the peace between the islands.  Their headquarters is on the island of Immerfort.  They are colonials hoping to bring peace and order to the 'savage' islands, as well as bolster the nation of Swadia in Gontoria.

Octhania Trade Guild
A massive trading company that is a branch of the Merchant Guild found in Gontoria.  Their headquarters are on the island of Vaneil.  This colonial organization is largely run by dwarves from the mainland, specifically Tardiff, who are hoping to profit from the trade opportunities found on the islands.

Blue Lightning
A fleet of swashbucklers and buccaneers that dedicate themselves to hunting down pirates, slavers and anything else that threatens the high seas and the islands. Some see them as heroes, others view them as vigilantes. The common folk tend to highly romanticize them.

League of Freedom
A group of anarchists who believe that power should never be concentrated in any one place. They scheme to keep political upheaval on the islands fueled by starting wars, destroying treaties and assassinating anyone who gets too powerful.  They are also dedicated to removing colonial influence on the islands.

Silent Rays
A syndicate of smugglers, slavers and pirates.

Swanmays
A druidic order that believes strongly in preserving nature and going back to the old ways before colonials encroached on the islands. They are a highly secretive order that seems to favor women and rumors claim they can turn into swans.

Slaver Syndicate
A collection of slaver guilds that operate in a loose coalition.

Poison Curse
A fleet of organized pirate ships that plague the high seas.  They are run by the Sea Witch, an elven woman named Sable.

Magic of the Deep Academy
A guild and magic academy in Immerfort. Whereas the Storm Sorcerers focus on training mages to survive on ships, the Magi of the Deep teach their students to survive beneath the waves. Their ultimate goal is to uncover lost artifacts and ruins under the sea that crashed there when Eonia fell. They have an undersea facility where they test spells and magic items at various depths and pressures. Their emblem is that of a kraken. They have something of a rivalry with the Storm Sorcerers. The Storm Sorcerers see the Magi of the Deep as stuffy and elitist. The Magi of the Deep see the Storm Sorcerers as uncultured mercenaries, selling their skills off to the highest bidder.

Children of Meer
A small cult of water genasi that have banded together for mutual benefit. They believe that they are a superior race and seek to pass on their bloodline to other 'mortals' and one day replace them altogether through crossbreeding. Basically, they freely offer their bodies to anyone who wants them; however, any genasi children that are born from such unions are claimed by the cultists to be raised among them. Some say they even kidnap other genasi children that are not their own.

Greymantles
A family of vampire pirates. Their matron was actually Lady Greymantle, one of the Eonian imperial family members. She strives to rebuild the lost family by siring new vampires. So she's over 300 years old at this point. It's said there are at least 14 Greymantles now, with about 9 ships between them. They sleep in the hold during the day, while their charmed thralls guide the ships. They are infamous for raiding towns and other ships for slaves and blood. Supposedly they are very picky about who they bring into the family, so they just kill most of their victims (as opposed to turning them). The Greymantles are shrouded in myth and legend, and there are so many rumors about them (some that contradict each other), so it's hard to suss out what is true and what is not.

Primals
A band of lycanthropic gnolls that roam the seas. Under the light of the full red moon, they transform, becoming stronger, larger and scarier. Basically, they become super gnolls. This odd strand of lycanthropy was created by the Primals and they intentionally infect their own with it. They worship the moon and chaos, and believe that the curse better attunes them to their inner-beasts. They refer to their transformed state as their 'true selves.' They're wild, crazy, and very violent. Few who encounter them in their transformed state live to tell the tale.

Soulbiters
Soulbiters are a tribe of orc pirates--the most dangerous and well-known of orc pirates. Their leader, Ghamul Muk, it is said, is supposedly part black dragon. The stories claim he has wings and can breathe acid; that he's incredibly strong and fast and over 100 years old. These are not substantiated; however, the stories that he commands a brood of black dragons are. The Soulbiters control a fleet of ships that sometimes work together and sometimes apart, but just about every ship has at least one black dragon with it; usually either flying or swimming alongside the vessel.

Bloody Chains
A vicious group of pirates that are known for taking prisoners and somehow enslaving them mentally through magic and torture. These people are then either forced to join them or sold to whoever wants them.

[Daos]

Here is some information on the ten major islands of Octhania, from south to north.

Immerfort
Government: The island of Immerfort is one of the larger and most civilized of the islands. It is a militocracy governed by a High Admiral. The island is run under martial law, and all citizens are expected to serve some capacity in the navy for a time when they come of age. The navy is known as the Coral Fleet (Korallenflotte).

History: When the Octhanian islands were rediscovered after the Carnage War, the nation of Swadia in Gontoria was among the first to send colonists.  The island of Immerfort was claimed and the navy was sent to control it.

The original natives were mostly barbaric ogres that dwelt in the mountains.  It took a series of wars with them before the city of Immerfort could be built.  Many of the ogres were killed, although some were enslaved for manual labor.  However, once the city was built, the other islands began sending missionaries of Octhanus.  The Swadians were impressed by the religion and it spread fully.  It even was moved back to the mainland, eventually becoming the main faith of Swadia, almost entirely replacing Gonto.

Immerfort is still fairly strict, but has softened a bit as a result.  The ogre slaves were all released and given full citizenship.  Other races are now allowed to join the Coral Fleet, as well.

Politics: Immerfort has something of a reputation among the other islands as being a hardened police state, although that has changed a bit in recent years. While its residents are treated well, they still have little in the way of personal freedoms. Immerfort has no official alliances, but they do have decent relations with some of the other islands, including Sanctuary. They also have ties with the Guild, the Magi of the Deep, and some of the Mer kingdoms (namely, the Reef Giants, Undines, and Tritons).

Religion: The primary faiths found in Immerfort are the Churches of Octhanus and Gonto.

Trade: Immerfort trades with its underwater neighbors. They also receive shark leather and coral weaponry from the merfolk, often trading silver and gold jewelry in exchange. The mountains in Immerfort are rich with various ores, and they are mined for all they are worth.

Vaneil
Government: Vaneil is a syndicracy ruled by the Guild. The Guild controls all commerce on the island, sets the laws, collects taxes, and determines prices. The Octhanian branch of the Guild itself is led by the Merchant Lord Granite Redhammer, who was elected among the High Merchant Council, which consists of nine men.

History: Long before the Eonian Empire came into being, it was common for the dwarves to banish their criminals to Octhania. As dwarves hate boats and the sea, it was an excellent prison. However, after the dwarven and Eonian empires fell, the dwarves still there (or rather, their descendants) had grown accustomed to the fresh air, sunlight, and tides.

After the Carnage War, things were very difficult. The dwarves realized that the only way to get things back on track was through commerce. Various islands had goods they could do without and goods they desperately needed. But nobody would share or trade, hence there was a great deal of murder, piracy, and theft. The dwarves thus formed the Guild in hopes of reestablishing order.

One of the first acts of the Guild was to construct Paradise City, a large tropical resort with a massive bazaar. It is a prime vacation spot for many wealthy lords and ladies all over the world.

When the mainland rediscovered the islands, the Gontorian Guild wanted to set up shop, but saw it was easier to just absorb the Octhanian Guild instead.  Vaneil was named the Octhanian headquarters for the guild and a church to Gonto was quickly set up to teach the island dwarves the 'proper' ways to be a dwarf.  Many of the native dwarves were quick to be assimilated, eager for a chance to earn their people's approval.  But some clung to the old ways, feeling that their people had long since abandoned them and saw no reason to go back.

Politics: The people of Vaneil are not only law-abiding; they are passionate creators of arcane bureaucracies. The tendency to organize and regulate everything easily gets out of control. There are ministries, councils, commissions, departments, offices, and cabinets for everything. The people are not tremendously concerned with the effectiveness of the government, so long as it functions. They try and have good relations with everyone, except perhaps the League.

Religion: The main religion in Vaneil is the church of Gonto.

Trade: Trade and commerce are what this island is all about. The Guild will trade in any goods except slaves, and only because they don’t want to stir up any trouble and cause bad relations. Tourism is a big money maker for them.

Hashadeth
Government: Hashadeth, from the elven phrase ‘eternal ocean freedom’ is a democracy run by an elected governor. The governor, Lorne Half-Elven, imposes few laws on the people, as they tend to vote against laws that threaten their personal freedoms anyway. People are largely allowed to govern themselves. Towns are usually protected by their own militias or by hiring mercenaries. Elections are held every five years.

History: Supposedly, Hashadeth was once a hotbed for rebel and insurrectionist activity. The elves, in particular, were said to use it as a secret base to plan a coup against the Eonian Empire. However, it never came to fruition. The Carnage War beat them to it.

When the war was over, the people of Hashadeth were often forced to turn to piracy and theft to survive. After a while, one group in particular known as the Blue Lightning became fairly well-known. They were said to never kill unless they had to, and seemed to mostly focus on slavers and pirates. Over time, the people began to romanticize this group, as well as pirates and swashbucklers in general.

Eventually, people started getting back on their feet and stopped pirating. The Blue Lightning, however, continued their activities and grew in number and popularity. Although seen as a scourge to cutthroats and slavers, they were heroes to the common folk.

When the mainland rediscovered the islands, the Swadians tried to claim Hashadeth for their own.  They set up a colony with their own governor. The Blue Lightning often thwarted him, much to the people’s delight. The colonial governor's reign came to an end when the Blue Lightning staged an elaborate coup and removed him from power. A new government was set up, one that allowed people the freedom to choose their own leaders.

Since then, the island has been run by a democracy. The government claims to have no official ties with the Blue Lightning, which continue to attack pirates, slavers and prove a nuisance to the Coral Fleet (who view them as vigilantes) to this day.

Politics: The people of Hashadeth mean well and try to do right, but have a strong dislike for big government. Although there is a single governor, most communities are allowed to manage themselves, so long as they pay their taxes and obey a few broad edicts. There isn’t much in the way of law enforcement, and the people have a tendency to take the law into their own hands when necessary. They have good relations with Sanctuary, but poor relations with Immerfort.

Religion: Any faith is allowed in Hashadeth, so long as it’s not evil. The two main faiths are the churches of Octhanus and Crizza.

Trade: The people of Hashadeth mostly trade in lumber. They refuse to associate with the Guild, which they view as a monopoly that is forcing their taxes and rules on everyone.

Mond
Government: Mond has no government, at least not in any sense that the word is traditionally defined. In Mond, everyone is considered equal. There is no rank, no hierarchy and no status. People are expected to police themselves. If someone robs you, it is up to you to deal with it. The only justice is mob justice. Mond is just about a full anarchy.

Ironically, the only real authority figure is the leader of the League who dwells on the island and oversees it. She would argue she is not a leader, although many revere her, saying she is directly connected to the god, Crizza. She is a human woman named Bear Claw.

The League refers to the only organization found on the island, the League of Freedom. It is dedicated to maintaining the freedom of the Octhanian islands by enforcing a single agenda—to never allow power to be focused in one place.  They are also opposed to any colonial activity.

History: Shortly after the Carnage War ended, Crizza is said to have appeared on the island. He explained that the Carnage War was a result of all of the world’s power being held in the hands of a few. The elves and dwarves had their empires, then the hobgoblins, then the humans. As long as power is split up between everyone equally, there will never be another Carnage War.

Thus did the League of Freed Ones, a religious order dedicated to making sure each island remained equal in power, form to make sure that never did any one island gain the upper-hand over its neighbors.  When the islands were rediscovered by the mainland and ships full of colonials started to arrive, the League were the first to strike at them.

Politics: Mond is a pretty wild and strange place. All people are welcome, so long as they do not attempt to push their beliefs on others; there are no laws or law enforcement; and then there’s the matter of the League.

The League itself has a strong influence over the islands. The League’s spies, infiltrators, assassins and meddlers constantly interfere with the day-to-day affairs of the other islands, always making sure things stay 'equal.' Consequently, none of the other islands like or trust the League or anyone from the island in general, seeing them as criminals and deviants.

In truth, there is some merit to this stereotype. Because of the lack of laws and law enforcement, many criminals operate from Mond or use it as a hideout when they are on the run.

Religion: The primary faith of Mond is toward Crizza, naturally.

Trade: Any trading done on Mond is through individuals. There are no guilds or businesses there. They do not associate with the Guild whatsoever.

Sanctuary
Government: This island has a theocratic government dedicated to the gods (Octhanus in particular). It is controlled by an organization within the Octhanus church called the Divine Trinity, named so because of its three factions. The first faction is dedicated to healing the sick and wounded and is known as the Mercies. The second faction is dedicated to protecting the weak and is called the Shieldbearers. The third faction is dedicated to nurturing family and community, and they are called the Hearthtenders. Each faction is associated with a color, which are azure, olive green and lavender respectively. The island is run by the high priestess of Octhanus, Abigail Deheune. The island of Sanctuary is considered sacred ground, blessed by the gods. Although deeply devout, the people of Sanctuary are not fanatics, and are in fact, fairly tolerant to other beliefs. Their main concern is in helping people, not conquest or conversion.

History: The Divine Trinity was said to have been started up by the halflings shortly after the Carnage War ended and the church of Octhanus was reborn. People were in dire straits and in desperate need of healing, protection and rebuilding. This led to the organization being formed, along with its three factions, to properly see to the needs of the survivors.

The Divine Trinity hopes to spread its message of mercy, love and compassion to all of the islands, because the only way to end the conflicts the people are now facing is by caring about each other.

Politics: Sanctuary is a friendly and open place, where nobody is turned away, so long as they do not harbor ill intentions. There is really only one law to be followed, and that law is ‘Do no harm.’ Sanctuary has good relations with Immerfort, Hashadeth, and some of the merfolk nations.

Religion: While any faith is allowed, so long as it holds no malice, the only religion with any political clout is the church of Octhanus.

The three factions of the Divine Trinity collaborate to protect the island in times of danger. The Mercies serve as medics while the Shieldbearers fight on the frontlines. However, due to the very useful services the Church offers (such as magical healing), few people would seek to do them harm.

Trade: Sanctuary trades with many of its neighbors, including the merfolk. They often barter their services for whatever they need, as magical healing and protection are always in high demand. There’s also an abundance of boars and pigs on the island, and they are largely domesticated.

Draska
Government: Draska is a plutocracy where the wealthiest rule. Or in other words, whoever has the gold, rules. There’s a small council of the six wealthiest, with the richest among them being the leader. Currently that leader is one Derigo Zander. Many speculate that he is the leader of the Silent Rays, a group of smugglers and pirates that plague the seas. Officially, he claims to have no ties to them at all.

History: Like Gunn, Draska was devastated in the Carnage War. Instead of turning to slavery, though, they instead turned to piracy. Unlike the people of Hashadeth, they were very cutthroat about it. They raided many towns, villages and other ships for food, water, riches, and people.

Those who were most successful at this became very wealthy on an island of very poor people. This gave them incredible power, both economically and politically. They could buy whatever they wanted, because the people were too poor to turn them down. This included land and slaves. They hired bodyguards to protect them and assassins to deal with their rivals. Eventually, the island became as cutthroat as the pirates themselves.

Politics: The people of Draska are out to get ahead by any means necessary. The government is corrupt to the core and thoroughly broken. The council is a cesspool of intrigue, shady alliances, backstabs, and bribery.

Religion: The locals follow a strange faith that is a mix of Renos and Gonto. They believe in acquiring money and power through any means, as the strong take what they want from the weak.

Trade: They trade quite a bit with everyone that they can, and just take what they want otherwise. They do work with the guild, but often try to undermine it and corrupt it, as well.

Octhanus
Government: Octhanus is run by a druidic coven of men and women, led by the Grand Druid.

History: The story goes that once these islands were populated only by humans, until the elves came and enslaved them. The elves pushed their beliefs and civilization upon the humans, but some fought back and kept to the old ways. The people of this island are the descendants of those people. The name of the islands, Octhania, comes from Octhanus. Thus, the people that live on this island often refer to themselves as ‘true’ Octhanians and generally take offense when someone uses that term to refer to citizens of any of the islands.

When the Carnage War came and the islands were cut off from the mainland, the druidic council saw this as nature re-balancing itself.  They set about dismantling all evidence of the empire from their island, and started living closer to nature again.  They welcomed anyone of any race who wished to join them, but had no interest in building cities or trade routes or having anything to do with 'civilization.'  In their minds, the Carnage War came about due to sorcery and technology, and that dabbling in both or either will just cause history to repeat itself.

When the islands were rediscovered by the mainland, the people of Octhanus violently opposed any colonization.  Any attempts to build any settlements have resulted in full out war, with the island itself seeming to turn upon the invaders.

Politics: The people of Octhanus live off the land, eschewing most modern conveniences and existing in harmony with nature. There are no cities or towns, only simple villages. Octhanus has no partnerships with other islands, preferring to be left alone. They do barter and commune with some of the merfolk, however.

Religion: The only faith practiced on the island is that of druidism, which are covens dedicated to the elemental aspects of the gods.

Trade: The people of Octhanus don’t trade with anyone but some of the merfolk. Outsiders and visitors are tolerated, so long as they behave, but are watched closely and treated with suspicion (especially colonials).

Gunn
Government: The island of Gunn is run by an autocracy controlled by one man, a wizard known as Kendril Nuhivre. His tyranny is draconian with severe laws and harsh punishments for transgressions regardless of guilt or innocence. Laws generally maintain the status quo instead of serving justice. Social class stifles personal advancement and bribery and graft are rampant. The Slaver Syndicate holds considerable political clout here.

History: Of all the islands, Gunn was probably hit the worst during the Carnage War. Originally, Gunn and Draska were actually the same island, but Carnage cut right through the land, severing the island into two. Massive storms of fire and lightning devastated both islands, but especially Gunn.

Those who survived were forced to do terrible things to live. Resources were scarce and people began fighting and killing each other for a mere sack of grain or a gallon of water. Eventually, one of the Eonian barons managed to build up an army of loyal followers and started conquering the island. He quelled the riots and forced peace upon the people by brutal means when necessary.

In this way, order and peace were restored, and the warlord declared himself king. However, there was still much rebuilding to do. Not having the money to pay people, slavery proved to be a very useful tool. If a family could not afford to make ends meet, they could sell one of their children into slavery. This would give them some money, and provide free labor for the king to help in rebuilding. Eventually, the entire economy became dependent on slavery to exist.

Criminals were made into slaves instead of executed, with the exception of the most brutal and mad ones. If a slave died before earning his or her freedom, they would be reanimated as undead to finish the task.

A syndicate was formed of slavers who were to oversee the buying and selling of slaves, as well as find ways to acquire new ones (sailing the seas for criminals and pirates to capture or searching for uncivilized cultures to cull).

Politics: Gunn can be a difficult place to live unless you toe the line or are wealthy enough to bribe your way out of trouble. Nuhivre’s word is law and breaking that law can result in you being enslaved, killed, or killed and then reanimated to be enslaved. The people keep to themselves and don’t trust outsiders. They keep their heads down and avoid trouble when possible. Gunn has decent relations with the Guild and Draska, but not much anyone else.

Religion: The primary faith of Gunn are the teachings of Renos. This faith preaches that the strongest survive, while the weak perish.

Trade: Gunn mainly deals with slaves, as few others will. They also offer their services of animating the dead for slave labor.

Doubloon
Government: Doubloon is ruled by a dictatorship. Currently, the ruler is a warlord who slew the previous leader, an insane woman named Anya Marit. She is little more than a bully, but a bully with power. She keeps her people in line with fear of death or torture. She hopes to use her army to take over the other islands one day.

History: Doubloon was actually once a fairly peaceful place. The king was not particularly benevolent or cruel, taxes were at a reasonable level, and while things could have been better, they weren’t bad enough to really be a cause for serious complaint.

This all changed about 20 years ago.

It was then that the general of the island’s army, Anya Marit, suddenly and inexplicably went mad. Or so people say. Others claim she planned this from the beginning. Nobody really knows for sure. What is certain is that despite being highly decorated and well-respected, she suddenly launched a bloody coup against her own sovereign, killing the king and taking his throne.

Since then, she’s ruled with an iron and capricious fist. People are sometimes killed or imprisoned for no given reason. She is continually building up her power, but is hindered by the fact that she keeps imprisoning or executing those loyal to her out of paranoia.

Politics: The people of Doubloon are ruled by the adage that 'might makes right.' Any degree of treachery or violence is accepted as a form of advancement. The only law is Marit’s law, and that law can change on a whim. It is a kingdom ruled by fear.

Religion: Both Renos and Crizza tend to be popular here.

Trade: There is little trade here. Marit takes what she wants from her own people, so she does not do without. As for the people themselves, they’re expected to fend for themselves. Their well-being means little to her.

Airlinn
Airlinn is a big mystery. It's not a traditional island, in that it is not in the sea. Rather, it floats hundreds of miles in the air. When the flying city of Infinity was destroyed, a few pieces of them survived and remained aloft. Most remained way out in the middle of nowhere, but this one managed to slowly drift toward the islands before stopping.

There are many different legends and myths about what might be found on Airlinn. Some say a flock of dragons live up there. Others claim that Eonains who survived the war dwell there, looking down on the ground-bound men from their mighty perch. Some think the island is abandoned, but may hold many old treasures and relics left behind by the Eonians.

Whatever may be up there, it's difficult to access. Only with magic or a flying mount could one reach the island. Those few who have tried never returned.

[Daos]

Cantrips - Cantrips are often overlooked by wizards and their players, but only because many players have overlooked the many possibilities that cantrips have to offer. Which spells do almost anything you want? There are two--Wish and Cantrip.

Apprentices to great wizards have long known the only way to learn the art of magic is to practice, and practice hard. Magical training devours years of youth, and the regime for neophyte wizards is rigorous, exhausting, and often tedious. Before a young mage can master even such simple incantations as the spells Sleep or Read Magic, he must be able to call upon magical forces to produce any effect he desires.

Such spells are commonly known as cantrips or "little wishes," and while they have only a minor influence on the surrounding world, they are nonetheless important. Cantrips teach the basic lessons of magic-simple conjurations, illusions and alterations. Once he masters the cantrip, the wizard can progress to more complex spells. At this point, many wizards abandon cantrips entirely, regarding their minor effects as beneath themselves to cast.

Mechanics of Cantrips: A wise mage, however, knows how to use cantrips to their full effect. For mages of first level or greater, cantrips are so trivial to cast that they need not be memorized. Instead, little wishes can be treated as a proficiency.

A character with the cantrip proficiency has learned enough of the rudiments of magic to conjure minor mystical effects. While all mages learn cantrips as part of their training, many forget the basics once they become fully-fledged mages. Others are too proud (and arrogant) to use such "petty magics."

When a character tries to cast a cantrip, the player must describe the form he wishes the spell to take. In combat, cantrips have a casting time of 2. A proficiency check is rolled to determine whether the verbal and somatic components have been executed correctly (cantrips do not require material components). A successful check means the cantrip was cast as desired, and a failed check means the cantrip fizzles. A roll of 20 has no additional effect, unless the DM decides otherwise.

Even the simplest spell creates a mental burden, so the number of cantrips a PC can use is limited. All characters may cast four cantrips per day, plus one per wizard or bard level. Each additional cantrip cast beyond this limit inflicts a cumulative -1 penalty on the proficiency check. Failed checks still count against the total.

School-Specific Cantrips: The cantrip spell spans all schools of magic and has a limitless number of uses. However, DMs should determine exactly which school a particular effect belongs to. Specialist mages cast more reliable cantrips in their own school of magic, and bonuses to saving throws may also apply. However, they cannot use cantrips from their forbidden schools. A list of commonly used cantrips, listed by magical school, follows:

Abjuration Cantrips
Abjuration cantrips tend to be practical, often employed by apprentices to clean up rooms, dust shelves, sweep and polish floors, wash or dry clothes, aid the caster's balance, and warm or cool foods and drinks. Minor wards can also be established (10' radius maximum) against insects or rodents, or an area can be enchanted to stay cool or warm. The cleaning cantrips may either animate cleaning utensils or create ghostly phantom utensils.

Alteration Cantrips
The cantrips of alteration magic represent a wide range of uses, from changing the colors of faded plants or garments, to altering the taste of food, or freshening spoiled food-in these forms they are permanent. Such cantrips can also gather firewood; hide footprints; cut, tie, or untie knots in rope or string; or brighten and dim lights. Alteration cantrips can also act as rudimentary polymorph spells, able to change insects to rodents or vice versa for up to one turn (10 rounds). Furthermore, they can change vegetable or animal items into others within the same kingdom for one turn or less, depending upon how drastic the change is. The physical shape of small mineral objects can be altered, such as a coin changing to a ring. Such a transformation lasts for one round. They cannot be used to alter the properties of a larger organism.

Conjuration and Summoning Cantrips
These cantrips can summon tiny creatures: normal insects, rodents, or nonpoisonous spiders, or snakes. Normal items weighing less than one pound can also be conjured permanently; such items may not be worth more than 1 gp and may not be made from any valuable material. Items between one and five pounds in weight can be conjured, but they remain for only one turn before disappearing. Invisible forces can also be conjured to rattle or tap objects or snatch at, tickle or prod unsuspecting creatures. Conjured objects may appear normal, but they are never stronger than balsa wood and break if stressed.

Divination Cantrips
Lesser divinations can be performed, such as determining the sex of a creature, discovering whether a door or chest is locked without having to touch it, locating the direction of north (magnetic rocks or nearby magic may cause distortions), divining the presence of magic in a 30' radius (but not type, direction, or strength), or searching for secret doors. In this latter case, the spell has the same chance of success and takes the same time as the caster would, but leaves the mage free to do other things.

Enchantment and Charm Cantrips
Enchanting cantrips can move inanimate objects around slowly and jerkily, as if with a crude form of telekinesis (weight limit 2 lbs.). This may spill liquids, pull items off shelves, or knock over unstable objects (such as brooms or sticks). No damage is inflicted by items used to attack. Charm cantrips affect creatures, and can force targets to wink, nod, scratch, belch, yawn, cough, giggle, sneeze, or perform any other minor, involuntary action. A saving throw vs. spell is applicable; success negates the effect or renders it unnoticeable. Cantrips such as these cannot disrupt concentration, but may prove embarrassing for their victims in diplomatic situations.

Illusion and Phantasm Cantrips
These cantrips create false sounds, images, or scents. They can make haunting sounds like moans, chains rattling, footsteps, creaks and eerie bumps, or indistinct muffled sounds. When creating images, illusion cantrips form floating, colored globes of light; alter the facial features of a creature; create illusory furniture, carpets, or bushes in a flat and empty area; or conjure a two-dimensional illusion (invisible from the side or rear). All visual illusions can be dispelled by touch or dispel magic, and they remain only as long as the caster concentrates on them. Any smell created lasts only as long as the caster concentrates, affecting a maximum area of 10 cubic feet. Breezes dissipate the smell, and it may be masked by an overpowering smell, such as a troglodyte's stench or the carrion odor of a ghast.

Invocation and Evocation Cantrips
These cantrips can create glowing lights of any color, puffs of smoke, miniature colored flames shooting from the caster's fingers, crackles of lightning and sparks, or a glowing mystical radiance. They can painfully sting another creature, scorch and destroy paper or wood without flames or heat, or cause harmless but noisy explosions. None of these cantrips can physically damage any but the smallest of targets, though they may ignite combustible materials, frighten animals, and alarm the superstitious.

Necromantic Cantrips
Necromantic cantrips foster death and decay. They can make flowers wilt or food spoil. Tiny animals such as rodents or insects may be killed by a necromantic cantrip, or animated as 1/2 HD undead creatures (no more than 2 HD total per cantrip). Bones may rattle, corpses twitch, or glowing points of light appear in the eyes of skulls or undead. Another necromantic cantrip calls out to undead creatures in a 60' radius, alerting them to the presence of a necromancer. The undead may respond to this information any way they wish, and the caster does not learn of their presence or absence.

All Cantrips must fall into the following guidelines:

No cantrip can directly damage a living target of size S or larger, although damage may be cause indirectly. For example, a fire may be started by a cantrip spark, objects may fall off shelves onto a victim, etc.

No cantrip can force a creature to lose its concentration when maintaining or casting a spell.

Cantrip effects always allow saving throws vs. spells when they affect a living target directly, and they must also overcome natural magic resistance.

No magical items can be damaged or affected by cantrips, nor can a cantrip dispel or remove another magical spell of 1st level or greater.

No cantrip functions within the confines of a protection from cantrips spell, instead being cancelled with a popping noise. A dispel magic spell automatically cancels any cantrip, as will touching any illusory creation. A divination cantrip is automatically fooled by any form of misdirection.

Areas of strong background magic warp cantrips, preventing them from functioning correctly.

If two cantrips from different wizards contest each other (such as two wizards using telekinesis on the same object, or one creating a breeze to blow away an illusory scent), the wizard with the highest successful proficiency check wins. In the case of a tie, neither cantrip dominates and the contest continues into the following round.

[Daos]

Arc System

I developed the arc system years back during my old chat-games and it's worked for me pretty well so far.

Prior, two minor (but often annoying) problems would crop up in my games. First, as time passed, old players would quit, new players would join, old characters would die, new characters would be rolled up. Such is the way of things. But given enough time, sometimes the original party would be mostly or even entirely replaced. This would cause issues with plotlines. Maybe the original party was gung ho about tracking down the vile Lord Blackguard and avenging the village he burned down. But the new party would have little reason to care about that. Consequently, trying to run an epic adventure would be difficult. Often games would fall apart in the middle, as the plotlines would no longer be relevant and the players wouldn't care anymore.

A second problem was in-game time. It's common for PCs to start their career very young (most PCs are between the age of 16 and 19), which is fine. But often they would go from level 1 to level 7 in the span of a few months in-game time (in real time, of course, it took much longer). Back then, downtime between adventures was only just long enough to train and resupply, so usually a couple of weeks, tops. It seemed that adventurers would live exciting, dangerous lives for half a year or so, then retire and settle down at the tender age of 17 with their massive wealth after saving the world.

Hence the arc system. The way it works is that the game is split into several arcs (seven actually, although we've never made it past fourth). Each arc is more or less self-contained. If a game is failing or falling apart, the end of an arc is usually good enough to serve as the end of the game, allowing some closure.

Arcs follow the progress of the PCs as adventurers from apprentices, journeymen, masters, lords, heroes, myths and finally gods. Arcs end when the party reaches a certain level of experience. Arcs are always followed by downtime that equals half of the party's general level in years. When a new arc begins, the party is reunited (either by choice or by fate) and begin their adventures anew. Each arc usually has a theme and will generally ask a question. Arcs help serve to flesh out the PCs and help them feel more part of the world itself.

This is especially true in the downtime. While the downtime is mostly elapsed, it helps ground the character as real people. What do they do in the years between adventures? Stay with family? Train and study at the local academy/church/guild? Do they own property to stay at? Do they have regular jobs when they aren't adventuring? After each arc, the DM and the players hash out what is done during the downtime.

The arcs are as follows:

Arc 1 (Apprentices): This arc begins at 1st level and ends when the party reaches 3rd level (around 5,000 XP). The downtime after the arc lasts about a year to a year and a half. This arc serves to introduce the PCs to each other and to the world. The question asked is 'Who are you?' This is where players figure out who their PCs are and get settled into their roles. It's common for players to write a character a certain way, but then once they are put into action, take an entirely different path altogether. Alignments and personalities are often retooled in this arc (and indeed, alignment change is allowed without penalty in this arc) as the players get used to their characters and each other.

Arc 2 (Journeymen): This arc begins at 3rd level and ends when the party reaches around 6th level (40,000 XP). The downtime after this arc lasts about three years or so. The question asked is, 'Who were you?' This is the arc where player backstory most often comes into play. The first arc is made up pretty randomly, but the second arc is custom built for the PCs. Any plot hooks in your backstory are likely to be harvested for plotlines. Of course, some players deliberately avoid putting any hooks in their backstories; they murder their family, burn down their home town, and make sure there are no ties whatsoever to the past or to this setting. Players sometimes turn in backstories so vague that they may as well have been blank (I grew up in a nameless town that no longer exists. My parents were killed by an unknown monster. I decided to pick up a sword/spellbook/lockpick/holy icon/etc. and become an adventurer! -- No joke, that is the most common backstory I get from most PCs). Well, that's fine then. Just don't get upset when you get little to no spotlight!

Arc 3 (Masters): This arc begins at 6th level and ends when the party reaches around 8th level (150,000 XP). The downtime after this arc usually lasts around four years. If the first arc asks 'Who are you?' and the second arc asks 'Who were you?' then the third arc asks, "Who will you become?' This is the arc that tests the character and their flaws. Their convictions are tested, their shortcomings are picked at, their preconceived notions are challenged. How do they react? Do they grow and change or not? Do they bend--even break? Just so it's understood, my goal here isn't to change the PCs, just observe how they respond to these kinds of things. Whether they change or not is up to the players themselves.

Arc 4 (Lords): This arc begins at 8th level and ends around 10th level. The downtime after this lasts about five years. The question asked here is, 'What place do you have in the world?' This is the point where the game starts to shift gears from dungeon-crawling and exploration to micromanaging and world-building. PCs become lords by building strongholds and attracting followers. They start hobnobbing with monarchs, high priests, archmagi and the like. They begin to gain the power to influence the world around them on a much larger scale.

Arc 5 (Heroes): This arc begins at 10th level and ends at around 13th level. The downtime lasts around six to six and a half years. Here the PCs become a force to be reckoned with and are given the ability to shape the world itself through politics, intrigue, and such. The question asked here is, 'How will you change the world?' I've never actually run a game that made it this far, though.

Arc 6 (Myths): This arc begins at 13th level and lasts until around 16th level. The downtime lasts around eight years. At this point, there is little in the world that can challenge the PCs. Indeed, the world is now a bit beneath them. Here they begin to explore the cosmos, begin walking the planes, sailing through the stars, visiting other worlds, and so forth. They now hobnob not with kings and bishops, but the gods themselves. I suppose the question here is, 'What does real power mean to you?'

Arc 7 (Gods): This arc begins at 16th level and lasts until 20th level. There is no downtime, as when this arc ends, so does the game. The only thing left for the PCs to do is to shed their mortal coils and ascend into godhood. They now join the other gods in shaping the world in a literal sense. They build their followers, establish their religions, and become permanent fixtures on the world itself. (Indeed, in future games, players can even play clerics and followers of these new gods.)

[Daos]

Firearms Rules

Proficiency:  Anyone can pick up a gun and fire it, assuming it is already loaded.  But only if one has the proper weapon proficiency can someone load, clean or maintain a firearm.  There are only two:  Pistols (one handed) and Rifles (two handed).  Both types require two hands to reload.  A rifle can be fired one handed, but it incurs a -4 penalty to hit.

Capacity: A firearm's capacity is the number of shots it can hold at one time. If the gun is fully loaded, you can attack as many times in a round up to this limit, as long as you make no movement (if you use any movement, the number of attacks is halved).

Armor:  Guns ignore armor (but not magical AC or DEX-based AC).

Reloading:  It takes a full round to reload, like with a heavy crossbow.  Thus all firearms have a ROF of 1/2.

Misfiring:  Each gun has a misfire value.  If an attack roll is made with a gun that falls into that value range, it becomes 'broken.'  A broken gun suffers a -4 to hit and if it misfires a second time without being repaired first, it backfires and deals normal damage to the wielder and possibly those around them (the range is given next to the misfire value on the tables below).

Ammunition: Firearm ammunition takes two forms: either black powder and shot (either bullets or pellets) or cartridges. Unlike other types of ammunition, firearm ammunition is destroyed when it is used, and has no chance of being retrieved on a miss. No part of a cartridge can be reused to create new cartridges. Firearm ammunition cannot be treated with poison.

Concealing Firearms: Like light weapons and hand crossbows, one-handed firearms are easy to conceal on your person. Some smaller firearms (like the coat pistol) are better suited for concealment.

Bucklers: You can use a one-handed or two-handed firearm without penalty while carrying a buckler.

Fire while Prone: Firearms, like crossbows, can be fired while their wielders are prone or kneeling.

Firearms, Black Powder, and Water: Black powder becomes useless when exposed to water, but powder horns and cartridges protect black powder from exposure. You cannot normally load a firearm underwater or fire any firearm underwater without magical aid.

Gunsmithing NWP:  A special NWP is available called Gunsmithing.  If you have access to a gunsmith's kit, you can create and restore firearms, craft bullets, and mix black powder for all types of firearms. This skill is based on DEX-2.  You can craft any firearm for a cost in raw materials equal to half the price of the firearm. Crafting a firearm in this way takes 1 day of work for every 1,000 gp of the firearm's price (minimum 1 day).  You can also craft bullets, pellets, and black powder for a cost in raw materials equal to 10% of the price. Crafting bullets, black powder, or cartridges takes 1 day of work for every 1,000 gp of ammunition (minimum 1 day).  Finally, each day, with an hour's worth of work, you can use this to repair a single firearm with the broken condition.

Scatter Weapon Quality: A weapon with the scatter weapon quality can shoot two different types of ammunition. It can fire normal bullets that target one creature, or it can make a scattering shot, attacking all creatures within a cone. Cannons with the scatter weapon quality only fire grapeshot, unless their descriptions state otherwise. When a scatter weapon attacks all creatures within a cone, it makes a separate attack roll against each creature within the cone. Each attack roll takes a –2 penalty. Effects that grant concealment, such as fog or smoke, or the blur, invisibility, or mirror image spells, do not foil a scatter attack. A firearm that makes a scatter shot misfires only if all of the attack rolls made misfire. If a scatter weapon explodes on a misfire, it deals triple its damage to all creatures within the misfire radius.

Pistol Table

Weapon	Cost	Damage	Critical	Range	Misfire	Capacity	Weight	Type	Scatter
Buckler Gun	750 GP	1d4/1d6	x4	10'/20'/30'	1 (5')	2	6 lbs	B	No
Pepperbox	3,000 GP	1d6/1d8	x4	20'/30'/40'	1-2 (5')	6	5 lbs	B	No
Pistol	1,000 GP	1d6/1d8	x4	20'/30'/40'	1 (5')	1	4 lbs	B	No
Pistol, Coat	750 GP	1d3/1d4	x3	10'/20'/30'	1 (5')	1	1 lb	B	No
Pistol, Dagger	740 GP	1d3/1d4	x3	10'/20'/30'	1 (5')	1	1 lb	B	No
Pistol, Double-Barreled	1,750 GP	1d6/1d8	x4	20'/30'/40'	1-2 (5')	2	5 lbs	B	No
Pistol, Dragon	1,000 GP	1d4/1d6	x4	20'/30'/40'	1-2 (5')	1	3 lbs	B	Yes
Pistol, Sword Cane	775 GP	1d3/1d4	x3	10'/20'/30'	1 (5')	1	1 lb	B	No

Buckler Gun: The front of this buckler is fitted with a small, double-barreled gun that can be shot while wearing the buckler. Unlike with a double-barreled pistol, you can only shoot one barrel at a time. You must remove the buckler to reload the gun. Each barrel of a buckler gun uses a bullet and 1 dose of black powder or single alchemical cartridge as ammunition. Because of its awkward construction, a buckler gun is always considered an off-handed weapon.

Pepperbox: This pistol has six barrels instead of one. The entire barrel housing can be quickly rotated by hand between shots (a free action requiring one free hand), allowing all six bullets to be fired before the weapon must be reloaded. Each barrel of a pepperbox uses either a bullet and a single dose of black powder or a single alchemical cartridge as ammunition.

Pistol: The single-shot pistol is one of the most common firearms, although outside the islands it is still rare enough to be an object of envy or curiosity to most. A pistol uses either a bullet and a singe dose of black powder or an alchemical cartridge as ammunition.

Pistol, Coat: Less powerful than other firearms, this pistol is small enough to be easily concealed in a jacket or coat. A coat pistol uses either a bullet and a single dose of black powder or an alchemical cartridge as ammunition.

Pistol, Dagger: A combination of a coat pistol and a blade, the dagger pistol can be used as both weapons. If this firearm gains the broken condition, both the firearm component and the dagger component are considered broken. A dagger pistol uses either a bullet and a single dose of black powder or an alchemical cartridge as ammunition.

Pistol, Double-Barreled: This pistol has two parallel barrels; each barrel can be fired independently as a separate action, or both can be shot at once with the same action. If both barrels are shot at once, they must both target the same creature or object, and the pistol becomes wildly inaccurate, imparting a –4 penalty on each shot.

Pistol, Dragon: Like a miniature blunderbuss, the dragon pistol fires pellets or a bullet from its flared barrel. The dragon pistol fires in a 15-foot cone when firing pellets, and has a 10-foot range increment when firing a bullet. For ammunition, a dragon pistol uses a bullet or group of pellets and a single dose of black powder, or else a single alchemical cartridge (with either bullets or pellets) as ammunition.

Pistol, Sword Cane: A combination weapon, this gun mixes a coat pistol with a sword cane. The pistol attachment makes the nature of the weapon a little more difficult to hide. A sword cane pistol uses either a bullet and a single dose of black powder or an alchemical cartridge as ammunition. The sword part of the weapon must be drawn in order to load the pistol part of the weapon.

Rifle Table

Weapon	Cost	Damage	Critical	Range	Misfire	Capacity	Weight	Type	Scatter
Blunderbuss	2,000 GP	1d6/1d8	x2	Special	1-2 (10')	1	8 lbs	B	Yes
Culverin	4,000 GP	2d6/2d8	x4	30'/40'/50'	1 (10')	1	40 lbs	B	Yes
Double Hackbut	4,000 GP	2d10/2d12	x4	50'/60'/70'	1-2 (5')	2	18 lbs	B	No
Fire lance	25 GP	1d4/1d6	x4	10'/20'/30'	1-4 (5')	1	4 lbs	P	No
Musket	1,500 GP	1d10/1d12	x4	40'/50'/60'	1-2 (5')	1	9 lbs	B	No
Musket, Axe	1,600 GP	1d6/1d8	x4	30'/40'/50'	1-2 (5')	1	6 lbs	B	No
Musket, Double-Barreled	2,500 GP	1d10/1d12	x4	40'/50'/60'	1-3 (5')	2	11 lbs	B	No
Musket, Warhammer	1,600 GP	1d6/1d8	x4	30'/40'/50'	1-2 (5')	1	6 lbs	B	No

Blunderbuss: This weapon fires pellets or a bullet from its trumpet-shaped barrel, making it an effective fowling weapon or close-fighting personal defense weapon. The blunderbuss fires in a 15-foot cone when firing pellets, and has a 10-foot range increment when firing a bullet. A blunderbuss uses a bullet or pellets and a single dose of black powder or a single alchemical cartridge as ammunition.

Culverin (Hand Bombard): The culverin, also known as a hand bombard, consists of a simple smoothbore tube, sealed at one end except for a small hole used to ignite a gunpowder charge. A wooden stock partially encases the barrel, allowing the wielder to hold it under his arm with relative ease when carrying it. Firing a culverin without support (such as a wall, a window, or a stand) imparts a –4 penalty on the attack rolls, and the wielder is knocked prone. A culverin uses 4 doses of black powder and grapeshot. Note that these statistics simulate only the original, hand-held culverins—their larger descendants are considered cannons and are dealt with in the section on siege weapons.

Double Hackbut: This double-length rifle uses a pair of trunnions to mount its barrel into a swiveling mechanism fastened to a lightweight, two-wheeled carriage. It takes a full action to set up the carriage. The carriage has a hind leg, allowing the wielder to wheel the device about and immediately prop it for stability during combat. Unlike other two-handed firearms, you must fire the double hackbut while it is mounted, or else firing it imparts a –4 penalty on attack rolls and the recoil knocks the wielder prone. A Large or larger creature can fire a double hackbut one size smaller than it is without its mounting as a normal two-handed weapon and without the danger of being knocked prone.

Fire Lance: This primitive firearm is nothing more than a long tube that, when ignited, propels a short gout of flame and a javelin. Unlike other firearms, the fire lance is wildly imprecise, and does not penetrate armor automatically. A fire lance is always treated as having the broken condition for the purpose of determining the effects of a misfire. A fire lances uses a javelin and 2 doses of black powder as ammunition.

Musket: This long-barreled firearm has a much greater range than a pistol. A musket uses either a bullet and a single dose of black powder or an alchemical cartridge as its ammunition.

Musket, Axe: This musket features an axe blade at the end of its barrel. It can be used as both a musket and a battleaxe. If this firearm gains the broken condition, both the firearm component and the axe are considered broken. An axe musket uses either a bullet and a single dose of black powder or an alchemical cartridge as ammunition.

Musket, Double-Barreled: This musket has two parallel barrels; each barrel can be shot independently as separate attacks, or both can be fired at once as an attack action. If both barrels are fired at once, they must both target the same creature or object, and the gun becomes wildly inaccurate, taking a –4 penalty on each shot. Each barrel of a double-barreled musket uses either a bullet and a single dose of black powder or an alchemical cartridge as ammunition.

Musket, Warhammer: This musket has a warhammer head at the end of its barrel, which allows it to be used as both a musket and a warhammer. If this firearm gains the broken condition, both the firearm component and the warhammer are considered broken. A warhammer musket uses either a bullet and a single dose of black powder or an alchemical cartridge as ammunition.

Firearm Ammunition and Adventuring Gear
Those who wield guns have a number of options when it comes to loading their weapons, and often need gunsmith's kits to provide proper care and upkeep for their firearms.

Firearm Gear

Item	Cost	Weight
Alchemical cartridge, dragon's breath	40 GP	-
Alchemical cartridge, entangling shot	40 GP	-
Alchemical cartridge, flare	10 GP	-
Alchemical cartridge, paper (bullet or pellet)	12 GP	-
Alchemical cartridge, salt shot	12 GP	-
Black powder (dose)	10 GP	-
Black powder (keg)	1,000 GP	5 lbs
Firearm bullet (1)	1 GP	-
Firearm bullet (30)	30 GP	0.5 lbs
Firearm bullet, silver	25 GP	-
Gunsmith's kit	15 GP	2 lbs
Pellets (handful)	1 GP	-
Pellets (30 handfuls)	30 GP	0.5 lbs
Powder Horn	3 GP	1 lb

Alchemical Cartridges: An alchemical cartridge is a prepared bundle of black powder with a bullet or pellets, sometimes with more exotic material added, which is then wrapped in paper or cloth and sealed with beeswax, lard, or tallow. There are many types of alchemical cartridges, the simplest being the paper cartridge—a simple mix of black powder and either pellets or a bullet. Alchemical cartridges make loading a firearm easier, reducing the time to load a firearm so that ROF becomes 1/1, but they tend to be unstable. The misfire value of a weapon firing an alchemical cartridge increases as listed in each entry.

Dragon's Breath Cartridge: This cartridge contains alchemical compounds that, when fired, produce a cone of fire instead of the normal attack of a one-handed or two-handed firearm with the scatter weapon quality. The nonmagical flame deals 2d6 points of fire damage to all targets within the cone of the scatter firearm (BW save for half). These cartridges cannot be used in firearms that don't have the scatter weapon quality. Because this ammunition forces a saving throw instead of making an attack roll, the misfire rules are slightly different. If you roll a 1 with either of the damage dice, the firearm misfires.

Entangling Shot Cartridge: This mix of black powder and an alchemically treated resin strong enough to survive the shot can only be loaded into a blunderbuss, a dragon pistol, or other scatter weapon. It deals half damage to those hit by a cone attack made with this weapon, but any creature hit by the shot must succeed at a RSW saving throw or become entangled for 2d4 rounds. An entangling shot cartridge increases the firearm's misfire value by 2.

Flare Cartridge: When a flare cartridge hits its target, it only deals half damage, but the creature struck is blinded for 1 round, and creatures within a 20-foot burst suffer a -1 to hit for 1 round. Flare cartridges are also useful for sending up signal flares. Firing a flare cartridge increases the firearm's misfire value by 2 unless it is fired from a blunderbuss or a dragon pistol, in which case doing so only increases the firearm's misfire value by 1. Flares can only be used to attack single creatures; they do not work as a shot for a cone scatter attack.

Paper Cartridge: This simple mix of black powder and either pellets or a bullet increases the misfire value by 1.

Salt Shot Cartridge: This mix of black powder and rock salt can only be loaded into a blunderbuss, a dragon pistol, or other scatter weapon. It deals nonlethal instead of lethal damage, and increases the misfire value by 1. You can only use it with a scatter weapon's cone attack.

Black Powder: Black powder is the key explosive component within a firearm that enables it to function, but in larger amounts this alchemical material can be quite destructive on its own as well. A single dose of black powder is enough to power a single shot from most one-handed and two-handed firearms, while 10 doses are required to fire a cannon. Black powder is often stored and transported in kegs (which hold 100 doses), but in this quantity the powder itself becomes dangerous. Exposure to fire, electricity, or a misfire explosion causes black powder to explode—a single keg that explodes in this manner deals 5d6 points of fire damage to anyone within a 20-foot burst (save vs BW for half). Storing black powder in a powder horn protects the powder from explosion.

Bullet: The ammunition of most one-handed and two-handed firearms, firearm bullets typically take the form of small balls of lead or some other metal.

Bullet, Silver: This ammunition is specifically crafted from silver, and though nonmagical, it is particularly detrimental to lycanthropes, automatically getting a critical hit against them. A firearm that is shooting a silver bullet takes a –1 penalty on damage rolls (with a minimum of 1 point of damage).

Gunsmith's Kit: This small kit has all the tools a person needs to create, repair, and restore firearms, except for the necessary raw materials. Without such a kit, you cannot properly construct or provide upkeep for firearms.

Pellets: A handful of pellets, along with a dose of black powder, is commonly used as ammunition for one-handed and two-handed firearms with the scatter weapon quality, though rocks or other small bits of hard material can be used in the pellets' place. Using anything other than pellets or alchemical cartridges when firing off a cone attack with a scatter weapon increases the weapon's misfire range by 1 (though this increase can be removed by switching back to standard ammunition).

Powder Horn: Typically crafted from animal horn, but increasingly crafted from metal in a wide variety of shapes, a powder horn can hold up to 10 doses of black powder. A powder horn protects black powder stored within in it from exposure to fire, electricity, firearm misfires, and water.