Cultures of Khamaz: Salmukaran

Salmukaran (Civilized Culture; Language: High Agadic)

Standard Skills
Deceit, Endurance, Influence, Insight, Locale, Perception, Sing

Combat Style: Salmukaran Alubari
As a recent refugee community, Salmukarans have worked hard to develop and maintain basic fighting skills throughout the lower orders (alubari), who are trained with spear, dagger, hatchet, and sling. [Cultural Style - Lower]

Combat Style: Salmukaran Pahi
Primarily fights with spear and hoplite shield; also trained in mace, akinaka shortsword, dagger, javelin, sling, and short bow. [Cultural Style - Upper]

Defensive Fighting (Salmukaran Pahi Benefit)
When parrying a blow during combat, a Salmukaran pahi's weapon is considered one step higher in size.

Professional Skills
Craft (any), Commerce, Language (any), Literacy, Lore (any), Musicianship, Streetwise, Teach

Specialist Careers
Shangu Priest

Cults
Societies: Brotherhood of Merchant Venturers, Diggers College, Inkashic Brewers Guild, Magisterium
Theist Cults: The Dustmen, The Gate Walkers, The God Hunters, The Lost, The Star Synod

An ancient and proud people, Salmukarans were the first people in the world blessed with the sacred parşu of civilization, and with it, they built the first estates of the gods from the black land of the sacred rivers in Khamaz. Their cities were rich and majestic, their knowledge expansive and revolutionary. But with this wealth and bounty came conflict and envy, and Salmukarans have a long history of fighting to protect the blessings of the gods from those who would take them for themselves.

Even in exile, with the Doom of Nibiru shattering their lands and cities and casting the rubble down into the Star Sea, Salmukarans carry the gods and their sacred parşu with them. New lands will be found. New estates will be built. Atlantis, Borea, the Crescent Kingdoms, all have enjoyed the fruits of the Salmukarans’ first plucking. Now they can repay that bounty, in full.

The Cultures of Khamaz - The Lost Garden of the Sun

Far across the world ocean was once a mysterious land of ancient cities, fertile river valleys, and arid deserts, the true name of which was unknown by those in Borea or simply forgotten to time. Ancient Vanorans knew it as Khamaz and spoke tall tales of demon lizard shibboleths and gods in living form ruling the land from great temple platforms in its cities. Older than Vanor, more ancient than Mhedia, more antique perhaps than even Hyperborea and Atlantis, Khamaz was a primordial land -- the Garden of the Sun -- known only to those who could see into the Deep.

And then, within the living memory of only the most wizened elder, a great calamity befell Khamaz, and the land was gone.

But not its people.

The first refugees to Borea came as but a trickle, isolated landings in great sailing ships whose passengers carried statues of their gods and lamented the coming of Nibiru. Soon, a great flood of humanity swept across Borea, spreading throughout the southern lands of the continent from east to west. A proud people brought low by disaster, the arriving Khamazi peoples were not content to remain as refugees and castoffs in a foreign land, and they soon turned their attentions to carving new homes into the face of the land.

Today, Khamazi communities are found throughout the South of Borea, both along the eastern coasts and the Gleaming Isles and along the western shores of Mhedia and the Southern Reach. In some lands, they are a useful but distrusted minority, using their past learning and cultural knowledge as a currency to buy new stations from the old elites. In others, however, they have become lords and conquerors themselves. As lords and elites plot to destroy their enemies and armies prepare to clash across the South, Khamazi watch the preparations warily. They will not lose all they have regained so easily. The Doom will not befall them again.

---

The next several posts on Tales of Hrimgate will add flesh to the various Khamazi peoples that have migrated to Borea. All have been built with RuneQuest 6 in mind. The list below will be updated with appropriate links when posts go live.

Cultures

• Salmukarans
• Nashiri
• Khurrite

Careers

• Shangu Priest
• Pirru Cavalry
• Assaru Charioteer

Cults and Societies

• The Pantheon of Khamaz: The Annunaki
• The Star Synod
• The Dustmen
• The Keepers of the Great Deluge
• The Gate Walkers
• The God Hunters
• The Cult of the Lost
• The Inkashic Brewers Guild

Cultures of Hrimgate: Vandal

This culture was created by Rich Forest for his War in the North Campaign last year. The original can be found at Superhero Necromancer. 

Vandal (Civilized Culture; Language: High Atlantean)

Standard Skills

Athletics, Endurance, Deceit, Influence, Insight, Locale, Willpower

Combat Style: Vandal Levy

Primarily fight with spear and viking shield; also trained with longspear, javelin, dagger, hatchet, and battle axe. [Cultural Style - Lower]

Combat Style: Vandal Soldier

Primarily fight with spear and viking shield or sword and viking shield; also trained with longspear, javelin, dagger, hatchet, battle axe, jǫtunn axe (great axe). [Cultural Style - Upper]

Formation Fighting (Vandal Soldier Benefit)

Permits a group of three or more warriors to draw into close formation, placing more open or disordered opponents at a disadvantage (provided the ‘unit’ cannot be outflanked) and thus reducing each foe’s Action Points by one if they engage.

Professional Skills

Art (any), Craft (any), Courtesy, Language (any), Lore (any), Navigation, Seamanship, Streetwise

Specialist Careers

Seafarer, Varangian, Viking

Cults

Societies: Diggers College, Magisterium 

Mystic Cults: The Society of Paragon Seafarers

Sorcery Cults: The Atlantean Conclave

Theist Cults: Old Hoary Beard, Sail Filler, Tree Breaker

The Vandals first served as mercenaries in Atlantean armies hundreds of years ago. Today, there is a Vandal kingdom on the northwest coast of Atlantis itself. Vandals still fight alongside Atlantean Kingdoms against the rising threat of the Asturian Empire, with its undead hordes. 

Vandals are common along the northern coasts of Atlantis and southern coasts of Borea. When seen, it is often in the company of Atlanteans, either as traders, as bodyguards, as mercenary recruiters, or as scholars. Most Vandals speak High Atlantean, but their scholars and elites study the old Vandal tongue, which was closely related to the tongues of the Hothar, Iotar, and Thiudar. These scholars travel the world to learn the legends of Old Hoary Beard, the Sail Filler, the Tree Breaker, the one northern god still worshiped among the Vandal people.

Cults of Atlantis: The True Atlanteans

This mystic cult was designed by Rich Forest for the Magisterium Campaign.

The True Atlanteans

Atlantis is the city of paragons. Its people strive for excellence in their crafts, as it is through prowess that men and women reveal and honor the God Within. When an Atlantean comes closer to understanding the God Within, they begin to leave behind the limits of the body. True Atlanteans are not a class or caste apart. They are members of the community and neighborhood like all others. However, they are respected for their excellence and achievements, and their counsel is often sought and weighed heavily when wisdom is needed.

Atlantean

Starting Cultures: Atlantean

Starting Careers: Paragon

Standard Skills: Athletics, Endurance, Insight, Perception, Willpower

Professional Skills: Meditation, Mysticism

Students, Disciples, and Masters

Student: Aura (Confidence), Augment Craft (choose one), Augment Endurance, Augment Insight, Augment Lore (choose one), Augment (Willpower)

Disciple: Denial (Hunger and Thirst), Immunity (Disease), Immunity (Poison)

Master: Enhance (Healing Rate), Indomitable

Notes: Each True Atlantean develops mastery of one Craft or Lore--but only one. One of the True Atlantean’s starting disciplines must be either Augment Craft or Augment Lore. Whatever Craft or Lore is chosen, that is the only Craft or Lore that True Atlantean may learn to augment.  

Cults of the Inner Sea: The Atlantean Conclave

This sorcery cult was designed by Rich Forest for the Magisterium Campaign. 

The Atlantean Conclave

The Atlantean Conclave is an organization of Atlantean sorcerers of diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and traditions who have banded together for mutual support and benefit in this strange northern city. The conclave provides tutelage and services for the Atlantean community of Andrassos and acts as an anchor for visitors and traders from Atlantis. Nearly all Atlanteans of note in Andrassos are members, including traders, local business people, Paragons, and seafarers. Most members are not themselves sorcerers. Every Atlantean sorcerer in Andrassos is a member of the conclave, with one exception: the mysterious founder of the cult of the Atlantean Mysteries keeps apart. The leaders of the Atlantean Conclave, for their part, disapprove of the actions of this mysterious rogue Atlantean who shares lost secrets with any wealthy local who joins that cult.

Only Atlanteans are allowed to join the conclave. 

Novices

Starting Cultures: Atlantean, Vandal
Standard Skills: Insight
Professional Skills: Courtesy, Culture (Andrassos), Invocation (Atlantean Conclave Sorceries), Language (South Vanoran), Literacy, Shaping
Shaping Taught: Duration (Long), Magnitude, Range, Targets

Apprentices, Adepts, Magi, and Archmagi

Apprentice Spells: Intuition, Mark, Spell Resistance, Telepathy
Adept Spells: Summon, Spirit Resistance, Store Manna
Mage/Archmage Spells: Neutralize Magic

Gifts: Perfection (mage/archmage gift)

Cults of Atlantis: The Society of Paragon Seafarers

The Society of Paragon Seafarers

The City of Atlantis is a city of seafarers. The people of Atlantis are the people of the sea. The highest expression of the god within is expertise, excellence, and prowess. Is it any wonder that among the Atlanteans the Paragon Seafarers have arisen? It is not. 

Paragon Seafarers have sailed Atlantean vessels around the entire circle of the world. Wherever Atlanteans are found, seafarers are among them, for it is the seafarer who brought them safely across dangerous waters. 

Sailors

Starting Cultures: Atlantean, Vandal

Starting Careers: Seafarer
Standard Skills: Boating, Endurance
Professional Skills: Craft (Shipboard Specialty), Meditation, Mysticism, Navigation, Seamanship

Students, Disciples, and Masters

Student: Augment Craft (Shipboard Specialty), Augment Endurance, Augment Navigation, Augment Seamanship
Disciple: Aura (Calm), Denial (Rain and Storms)
Master: Adhesion

Careers of Atlantis: Paragons and Seafarers

The following are two specialist careers for RuneQuest 6 characters using the Atlantean culture posted yesterday. These were created by Rich Forest for the world of Hrimgate.

Paragon (Atlantean Career)

Many Atlanteans seek unity with their own God Within. A paragon is one who has found it. Through this search the paragon gains great mastery of one or more skills and even of their own mind and body. Paragons are respected as heroes, leaders, and guides in Atlantean communities. 

Standard Skills

Athletics, Customs, Endurance, Influence, Insight, Perception, Willpower

Professional Skills

Craft (any), Culture (any), Language (any), Literacy (any), Lore (any), Meditation, Mysticism

Seafarer (Atlantean, Vandal Career)

Paragon Seafarers have sailed Atlantean vessels around the entire circle of the world. Wherever Atlanteans are found, seafarers are among them, for it is the seafarer who brought them safely across dangerous waters. 

Standard Skills

Athletics, Boating, Brawn, Endurance, Perception, Swim, Willpower

Professional Skills

Craft (Shipboard Specialty), Culture (any), Language (any), Meditation, Mysticism, Navigation, Seamanship

Cultures of Hrimgate: Atlantean

This culture for the Magisterium Campaign is a slightly tweaked version of the Atlantean culture posted to Superhero Necromancer last year for Rich Forest's War in the North Campaign. 

Atlantean (Civilized Culture; Language: High Atlantean)

Standard Skills

Customs, Influence, Insight, Locale, Perception, Ride, Willpower

Combat Style: Atlantean Civilian

A more limited style, using quarterstaff, dagger, and knife. At range, sling or short bow.

Combat Style: Atlantean Guard

Quarterstaff. Also dagger, knife, shortsword, and trident and net. At war, pike, glaive, longspear. At range, sling or short bow.

Cautious Fighter (Atlantean Guard Benefit) 

Can use the Change Range action to automatically withdraw from engagement with no need to roll.

Professional Skills

Art (Any), Commerce, Craft (any), Language (any), Literacy, Lore (any), Navigation, Seamanship

Specialist Careers

Paragon, Seafarer

Cults

Societies: Diggers College, Fraternity of Inner Light, Magisterium 

Mystic Cults: The Society of Paragon Seafarers, The True Atlanteans

Sorcery Cults: The Atlantean Conclave, The Atlantean Mysteries

Theist Cults: Sol Invictus (worshipped by the Mehari, Atlanteans from the Northeastern High Countries)

Atlanteans originally hail from the city of Atlantis, far to the the distant south in a land of glittering cities, steaming jungles, and sorceries undreamt of in Borea. The Atlantean Kingdoms fight a war on two fronts, one with the rising Asturian Empire that sits between them and the North, and another with the Serpent Kingdoms that sit at the heart of the continent of Atlantis.

There are many Atlanteans in Andrassos. Most who appear are merchants. Some are here to recruit Andrassan and Varangian mercenaries for their armies. Some are here to keep an eye on the Andrassans and their dabbling with the Vanoran sorceries of old. The Atlanteans remember their one and only war with Vanor and do not wish to see the Exarchate follow in the footsteps of Asturias.

Atlanteans do not worship the gods, nor do they worship Sol, nor do they worship the spirits of the land. Each Atlantean worships “the god within.” They believe themselves to be a divine people, and through proper rites and practices, their divinity can be brought forth into the mortal world.

Cults of the Inner Sea: The Arcanum Collegium and the Arcane Delve Brotherhood

This RuneQuest 6 sorcery cult is twinned with an attendant organization that made its first appearance as an ACKS custom class for my Ruins of Vanor campaign last year. Here the concept has been adapted to RuneQuest for the Magisterium campaign.

Arcanum Collegium

Led by a council of magi called the Five Plus One, the Arcanum Collegium is sorcery guild operating out of the Tower of Mysteries in the Ruins of Vanor. Although their ultimate motives are a mystery, the Collegium’s stated goal is the recovery of lost Vanoran artifacts and magicks throughout the Inner Sea. As such, the Collegium teaches a very specific style of sorcery focused on locating and transposing objects and people at great distances. When used in concert with the skills of the Collegium’s attendant Arcane Delve Brotherhood, the sorceries of the Collegium prove extremely adept at recovering the lost treasures and magicks of fallen Vanor.

Novices

Starting Cultures: Rothari, Vanoran
Standard Skills: Native Tongue, Willpower
Professional Skills: Folk Magic, Invocation (Arcane Ruin Mysteries), Literacy (Vanoran or Old Vanoran), Lore (Vanoran Magical Traditions), Shaping
Folk Magic Spells: Appraise, Calculate, Deflect, Find Flaw, Mindspeech, Pet, Protection, Repair
Shaping Taught: Duration (Long), Magnitude, Range, Targets

Apprentices, Adepts, Magi, and Archmagi

Apprentice Spells: Intuition, Mark, Mystic (Sight), Summon
Adept Spells: Neutralize Magic, Portal, Project (Sight)
Mage/Archmage Spells: Teleport
Gifts: Divination (Mage/Archmage Only)

Brotherhood of the Arcane Delve

Also known as the Delvers’ Brotherhood, this organization is an attendant association to the Arcanum Collegium in the Ruins of Vanor. Its members are trained as agents of the Collegium, and in return for service, gain access to secret arcane skills known only to the Collegium. As a brotherhood, it is open to any who show the proper aptitude and who wish to delve deep into the many ruins left scattered around the Inner Sea by the collapse of Vanor.

The Delvers Brotherhood operates out of the Tower of Mysteries in the Ruins of Vanor, and that is where prospective members must first make their appearance before the magi of the Arcanum Collegium and be judged. 

Scouts

Starting Cultures: Rothari, Vanoran

Standard Skills: Stealth

Professional Skills: Folk Magic, Lockpicking, Literacy (Vanoran or Old Vanoran), Lore (Vanoran Magical Traditions), Lore (Vanoran Ruins), Mechanisms

Folk Magic Spells: Avert, Bypass, Coordination, Find Treasure, Incognito (ruins only), Knock, Witchsight

Delvers, Loremasters, Arcane Delvers, Ruin Masters

Delver Gift: Second Sight (character gains ability of Mystic Sight, costs 1 Magic Pt to invoke)

Loremaster Gift: See the Design (character's Lockpicking and Mechanisms skills are recalculated, adding +POW to both)

Arcane Delver Gift: Sense Connections (aware of those places w/ magical or mystical connections to somewhere else; can spot gates and portals on a successful Perception roll), Invulnerability to Poison

Ruin Master Gift: Lucky

Cults of the Inner Sea: Arsaphian Codex

Arsaphian Codex

Written and developed by the Vanoran sorcerer Arsaphius of Psamathia, the Arsaphian Codex contains knowledge and incantations designed to protect a sorcerer from physical and magical threats. Although the look, binding, and providence of more recent copies vary, original versions of the slightly paranoid sorcerer's tome are bound in covers of hard cedar wood decorated with ivory inlays in the shape of Arsaphius' open hand sigil.

Currently, there are three main practitioners of the Arsaphian Defense in Andrassos willing to teach those eager to learn defensive magicks. First, the Slezan mystic, Ladislav White-Hair, residing in a broken down monastery estate outside the village of Marash in Opsikion Theme, is always willing to take on new students, provided they agree to listen to White-Hair go on at length about the teachings of the Slezan faith of the Three-Fold Man. Second, members of the Fraternity of Inner Light, a noble association of scholars operating out of the city of Andrassos, are able to study the Arsaphian Defense as one of several magical traditions the group pursues. Finally, the chief intelligence office of the Andrassan Exarch’s administrative household, the Magisterium, is believed to offer its agents access to the Arsaphian Codex during training. 

Novices

Starting Cultures: Andrassan, Rothari, Vanoran

Standard Skills: Endurance, Willpower

Professional Skills: Healing, Invocation (Arsaphian Defense), Lore (Vanoran Magical Traditions), Shaping, Survival

Shaping Taught: Combine, Duration (Long), Focus, Magnitude

Apprentices, Adepts, Magi, and Archmagi

Apprentice Spells: Castback, Damage Resistance, Intuition, Mystic (Hearing)

Adept Spells: Enhance POW, Protective Ward, Spell Resistance 

Mage/Archmage Spells: Hide Life

Gifts: Sanctuary (Mage/Archmage)

Cultures of Hrimgate: Iotar

This is an updated version of the Iotar culture originally published by Rich Forest on his Superhero Necromancer blog last year. The Iotar are one of the main cultures of his War in the North campaign, which also took place in the world of Hrimgate. This has been polished up for inclusion in the Magisterium Campaign.  

Iotar (Barbarian Culture; Language: Iorsk)

Standard Skills
Athletics, Boating, Brawn, Endurance, First Aid, Locale, Perception

Combat Style: Iotar Fighting
The purview of karls in Iotar society, this combat style uses spear and viking shield, with additional training in dagger, hatchet, and battle axe. [Cultural Style - Lower]

Combat Style: Iotar Shield Wall

Primarily fights with spear and viking shield or sword and viking shield; also trained with javelin, dagger, hatchet, battle axe, jǫtunn axe (great axe), short bow, long knife. [Cultural Style - Upper]

Shield Wall (Iotar Shield Wall Benefit)

Allows a group of three or more shield users to combine their protection, adding one to the number of locations which can be protected with passive blocking, and resisting Knockback, Leaping attacks and Bash as if using the Brace action.

Professional Skills

Commerce, Craft (any, esp. Farming, Animal Husbandry), Exhort, Lore (any), Navigation, Oratory, Seamanship, Survival

Specialist Careers

Varangian, Viking

Cults

Societies: Diggers College, Magisterium

Theist Cults: The most common cults among the Iotar are the Cult of the Nine Winds and the Cult of the Bock. Traders and travelers often favor Sail Filler or the Steady Hand, and raiders and vikings favor the Gullet, the Reavers, and Black Eagle. Those Varangians who fight for glory favor Eagle Head.

The first Iotar raiders came to the shores of the North over one hundred years ago, crashing upon those lands in waves, conquering and making them their own. They are the chieftains of most of the north, but currently face a strong challenge from the Snow Elf hegemony. Those Iotar in Andrassos and the Inner Sea are mainly Varangians, seeking fame, fortune, and freedom, with the dedicated huscarls of the Exarchate’s Varangoi Guard considered the most elite.

Cultures of Hrimgate: Lemurian

This is an updated version of the Lemurian culture published last year on this blog. It more closely reflects the particulars of the Magisterium Campaign.

Lemurian (Civilized Culture; Language: High Agadic)

Standard Skills

Deceit, Endurance, Influence, Insight, Locale, Perception, Sing

Combat Style: Lemurian Alubari (urban commoners)

As a recent refugee community, Lemurians have worked hard to develop and maintain basic fighting skills throughout the lower orders (alubari), who are trained with spear, dagger, hatchet, and sling. [Cultural Style - Lower]

Combat Style: Lemurian Pahi (urban elites)

Primarily fights with spear and hoplite shield; also trained in mace, akinaka shortsword, dagger, javelin, sling, and short bow. [Cultural Style - Upper]

Defensive Fighting (Lemurian Pahi Benefit)

When parrying a blow during combat, a Lemurian pahi's weapon is considered one step higher in size.

Professional Skills

Craft (any), Commerce, Language (any), Literacy, Lore (any), Musicianship, Streetwise, Teach

Specialist Careers

Shangu Priest

Cults

Societies: Brotherhood of Merchant Venturers, Diggers College, Inkashic Brewers Guild, Magisterium

Theist Cults: The Dustmen, The Star Synod

Far across the world ocean was once a mysterious land of ancient cities, fertile river valleys, and arid deserts, the true name of which was unknown by those in Borea or simply forgotten to time. Vanorans called it Lemuria and spoke tall tales of demon lizard shibboleths and gods in living form ruling the land from great temple platforms in its cities. Older than Vanor, more ancient than Stygia, more antique perhaps than even Hyperborea and Atlantis, Lemuria was a primordial land -- the Garden of the Sun -- known only to those who could see into the Deep.

And then, within the living memory of only the most wizened elder, a great calamity befell Lemuria, and the land was gone.

But not its people.

The first refugees to Borea came as but a trickle, isolated landings in great sailing ships whose passengers carried statues of their gods and lamented the coming of Nibiru. Soon, a great flood of humanity swept across Borea, spreading throughout the southern lands of the continent from east to west. A proud people brought low by disaster, the arriving Lemurians were not content to remain as refugees and castoffs in a foreign land, and they soon turned their attentions to carving new homes into the face of the land.

Today, Lemurian communities are found throughout the South, both in Stygia and along the Southern Reach. In some lands, they are a useful but distrusted minority, using their past learning and cultural knowledge as a currency to buy new stations from the old elites. In others, however, they have become lords and conquerors themselves. As lords and elites plot to destroy their enemies and armies prepare to clash across the South, Lemurians watch the preparations warily. They will not lose all they have regained so easily. The Doom will not befall them again.

Cultures of Hrimgate: Andrassan

Andrassan (Civilized Culture; Language: South Vanoran)

Standard Skills
Conceal, Deceit, Influence, Insight, Locale, Perception, Ride

Combat Style: Akritoi Light Infantry
Trained as skirmishers to fight with short bow and javelin, but also some rudimentary training with spear, dagger, and hatchet. [Cultural Style - Lower]

Combat Style: Psiloi Garrison

Trained primarily as garrison and support troops, using the light crossbow, shortsword, dagger, and hatchet. [Cultural Style - Lower]

Combat Style: Andrassan Koursorses
Primarily fights with Andrassan kontarion lance, toxon bow (recurve), bardoukion war mace, and kite shield, usually on horseback, but can also be deployed on foot. Has further training in spathion (sword), dagger, and shortsword. [Cultural Style - Upper]

Mounted Combat (Andrassan Koursorses Benefit)
This combat benefit allows the rider to ignore the skill cap placed upon combat rolls by the Ride skill. 

Professional Skills
Art (any), Bureaucracy, Commerce, Courtesy, Language (any), Literacy, Lore (any), Seduction

Specialist Careers
Adventurer of Vanor, Andrassan Assassin, Andrassan Cataphract, Monk, Skutatoi Heavy Infantry, Sol Priest

Cults
Societies: Brotherhood of Merchant Venturers, Fascinarium, Fraternity of Inner Light, Magisterium
Sorcery Cults: Adelphic Society of War Fire, Arsaphian Codex, The Atlantean Mysteries, The Daemon Hexes, Invidentia Vanorum, Pharmakon of Sarturius Duro, The Umbral Way, The Victarian Mysteries
Theistic Cults: Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun) and the following aspect cults - the Martial Sun, plus any family/ancestor cults appropriate and custom to a character

In the waning days of the Vanoran hegemony, when Imperial control fell away from far-flung exarchates and Vanoran civilization withered to a husk, some areas were able to survive. Andrassos was one such land. Perched on a rocky peninsula overlooking the Sea of Ainos (where the Inner and Axial Seas meet) and behind virtually impregnable walls, the city of Andrassos remained a bastion of civilization and order as barbarous hordes and invading armies brought old Vanor low. 

But that does not make Andrassans complacent. Although one of the richest cities in all of Borea, its resources are not infinite. Although protected by high walls and an army of highly trained cataphracts, its borders are not secure. Although blessed with a legacy of civic prosperity and mature culture, its enemies both foreign and domestic are relentless in their desire to seize, plunder, and conquer. Thus, Andrassan society has adapted accordingly, embracing the politics of diplomacy and subterfuge, the application of power through secrecy, and the leveraging of economic power to keep threats to their way of life off balance and unsure. Considered schemers and cowards by some, Andrassans care little about the opinions of others on this matter. Their way of life will endure.

Magisterium Character Creation Rules and Hacks

The following represents the character creation rules sent out to the players in the Magisterium Campaign. The game uses RuneQuest 6, which is a great, setting-neutral version of RuneQuest with decent amounts of guidance regarding how to customize and do your own shit, so to speak. So Rich Forest and I have.

For quick reading types, here's a list of the hacks we've done to the RAW (Rules As Written) embedded in the rules below: Language and Literacy Changes; Ubiquitous Folk Magic; Kalingoi Race; Generating Characteristics; and ACKS Conversion Rules. 

Character Creation

Characters are built following the standard RuneQuest 6 character creation process in most respects.

1. Choose a Race (Human or Kalingoi).
2. Generate Characteristics (see next page for methods).
3. Choose a Culture from the list available in the next section and spend 100 points on any combination of basic skills, cultural combat style, and up to three professional skills selected from the culture. (Min 5 / skill; Max 15 / skill). 
4. In addition to the standard +40% bump to the Customs and Native Tongue skills, you may also open a second bonus Language skill at +20%. If you have a non-Andrassan, Rothari, or Vanoran culture, you must take Language (South Vanoran); if you have selected Andrassan, Rothari, or Vanoran as a culture, you may take any other language associated with a culture in this document, as appropriate to your background and character concept.
5. Choose or roll Background Event, Social Class, Parents, Family Standing, and Connections.
6. Choose a Career from the standard or specialist lists for your culture (see below) and spend 100 points on any combination of basic and up to three professional skills from the career (Max 15 / skill).
7. Join up to Two Cults, Brotherhoods, Mystical Orders, Sorcery Orders, Churches, Companies, Colleges, or Guilds, one of which must be the Magisterium spy society. You begin as a common member of each. If you so choose, you may swap one Cult professional skill for one of your three Career professional skill slots in the step above. This includes magical skills (keeping Ubiquitous Folk Magic still in play as well). In addition to these two cults, you also start as a lay member of your main cultural pantheon cult (e.g., an Andrassan is a lay member of the Sol Invictus cult). 
8. If through Culture or Career you have access to the cult’s magic skills, you may begin as a dedicated member. You may draw from the cult skill list when selecting professional skills and spending points from the career point pool. 
9. Choose one free professional skill to add to your skill list when spending additional Bonus Points (150 points for an adult, max 15/skill. More points for older characters, as described in the rulebook).

Race

Humans are the major race of Borea, and thus are the default race for this campaign. However, Arborean peoples are ubiquitous around the Inner Sea, and those Kalingoi of Vanor that have obtained their freedom from their cyclops slavers have begun to branch out into other communities. As such, there is a small but growing Kalingoi presence in Andrassos proper. As such, they are a racial option for this campaign.

People of Borea

Careers

For Andrassans, Atlanteans, Lemurians, Rothari, Stygians, Vandals, and Vanorans, the standard careers are: Agent, Alchemist, Beast Handler, Courtesan, Courtier, Crafter, Entertainer, Farmer, Fisher, Herder, Hunter, Merchant, Miner, Official, Physician, Priest (Stygians and Vandals only), Sailor (no Rothari), Scholar, Scout, Sorcerer, Thief, and Warrior.

For Acherians, the standard careers are: Crafter, Entertainer, Farmer, Fisher, Herder, Hunter, Merchant, Official, Physician, Sailor, Scout, Thief, Warrior

For Kalingoi, the standard careers are: Beast Handler, Crafter, Entertainer, Fisher, Hunter, Merchant, Priest, Scout, Shaman, Thief, and Warrior.

For Iotar, the standard careers are: Crafter, Entertainer (Skald), Farmer, Fisher, Herder, Hunter, Merchant, Miner, Sailor, and Scout. 

Specialized cultural careers are listed in the various culture breakdowns later in this document.

Characteristics

Characteristics can be generated in one of two ways. 

Method One: Rolled Attributes

1. Roll 3d6 seven times and assign in any order to STR, CON, DEX, POW, and CHA. (This means you will be able to throw out the lowest two rolls in the set.) 
2. Then roll 2d6+6 three times and assign in any order to INT and SIZ.. (You will be able to throw out the lowest result.) 

Method Two: Point Buy

1. Spend 84 points (77 points if Kalingoi) on STR, CON, SIZ, DEX, INT, POW, CHA. 
2. Stay within the ranges available to human or kalingoi characters. 

Please stick to just one of the above methods for each character.

Languages

Living Languages	Dead or Cultic Languages
Acherian, Arborean, Sciritaen	Unknown
High Agadic	Old Samulkaran
High Atlantean	Classical Atlantean
Hothar, Iorsk, Thiudar, Ormish	Jǫtunn, Rothardic, Vandal
Kemi, Kvennish, Thulean	Old Hyperborean
Groznayan, Slezan, Ughoritic	Unknown
Vanoran, South Vanoran, West Vanoran (Provincial)	Old Vanoran
Stygian, Cimmerian	Old Cimmerian

Other than your cultural Native Tongue skill, languages require the Language skill to have spoken fluency. To have reading/writing fluency in your Native Tongue, you must open up the Literacy skill, which confers knowledge and aptitude of the primary writing script for your Native Tongue. In addition, you may read/write linguistically related languages using the same script at one difficulty grade higher than normal, as usual for related languages. For example, a Vanoran trying to read a text written in South Vanoran has their literacy skill fluency capped at Hard Difficulty.

To open up a dead or cultic language, you must select the Literacy (dead language) skill. You may also speak the dead language at two difficulty grades lower than your literacy. If you would like to speak the dead language more fluently, you must buy it as a skill. 

Converting Characters

If you have characters from the previous Ruins of Vanor ACKS campaign (which ended a year ago in game time) and you have a story reason for having them join the Magisterium in Andrassos, you may convert the character to RuneQuest using the following procedure. 

1. You may either port over your ability scores characteristics from your ACKS character (straight conversion, with WIS = POW and SIZ determined by your ACKS size description) or generate new statistics using the methods outlined above.
2. Appropriate cultures, careers, and cults are found throughout the campaign documents. If you cannot find an appropriate translation in any of these categories, let me know.
3. In addition to a standard starting build, your converted character will carry over extra experience from the ACKS campaign in the following manner: a) 45 bonus skill points to be spent on starting skill allocations (that is to say, you cannot open up new skills, spells, etc, with this bonus pool; use it in the same manner as Step 9 in the Character Creation Guidelines above); and b) 3 + CHA bonus (if any) experience rolls per session played in the ACKS campaign (this is by character, not by player). If you don’t have that information handy, let me know. I kept good records.

The City of Andrassos: Region Maps of the City

The City of Andrassos has the physical infrastructure to contain over 100,000 people comfortably, which it did in its heyday. But since the fall of mighty Vanor, the city has dwindled considerably while still being able to hold the core functions of the various neighborhoods in the city together. The images below are close up maps of each Andrassan Regio, with a short narrative description and several keyed locations.

Next time: The Character Creation Rules and Hacks for the Magisterium Campaign

The City of Andrassos: Maps, Demographics, and State Bureaucracy

The Government and Bureaucracy of the Exarchate

Andrassos as a political entity has been in continuous existence for hundreds of years, dating back well into the heyday of mighty Vanor. As a Vanoran exarchate that survived the fall, it has inherited many institutions, habits, and methods from ancient Vanoran practice, but has also, in the four hundred years since Vanor’s end, begun to develop its own approaches and traditions. Thus, the state apparatus is a curious mixture of old and new.

The Exarch
*An appointed position voted on by the Curia of State, held usually for life or retirement
*Has overall control over the policy and direction of the Andrassan polity, in matters foreign and domestic
*There is no inherent or legislated hereditary principle for succession, but increasingly exarchs are able to influence and even at times dictate the selection of a successor

The Curia of State
*Developed out of the old Vanoran town council for the city of Andrassos itself
*Manages the day-to-day activities of the Andrassan polity through the various administrative Sekreton (bureaus) of State
*Provides advice and counsel to the Exarch on all matters
*Positions appointed by the Exarch and are at-will offices; members of the Curia can be removed from office at the whim of the Exarch

The Legacy of State (The Legates)
*Consists of those appointed offices connected to the Andrassan military and the regional Thematic system
*Officers serve at the will of the Exarch

Church of the Unconquered Sun
*While not an official entity of the state, the Church bureaucracy has become increasingly intertwined with that of the Andrassan state, often sharing personnel
*The Tetrarch of the Great Humanitarium serves as a non-voting member of the Curia of State

The Honors List
*Prestigious titles and awards given out by the Exarch, part of the complex system of hierarchy and ranking that has been developing in Andrassos since the fall of Vanor
*Usually results in higher monetary bonuses during the Roga Donative Ceremony every year

The Exarch’s Household
*Offices that manage the day-to-day affairs of the Exarch and the activities of the Grand Magnaura Palace
*Paid by the state and vetted by the Curia, although exarchs do have decision-making authority over who holds these offices

*Notable Offices: High Chamberlain (Parakoimomenos), Grand Master of Ceremonies, Comes Domesticorum (head of the Domestici, aka the Palace Guard), First Master of the Wardrobe (Protovestiarios)

Key State Offices (Dignities by Proclamation, in order of prestige)

The Grand Logothete	Curia; chancellor in charge of diplomacy, high admin, and postal
The Genikon of the Public Chest	Curia; collects taxes and manages state enterprises
The Stratikon of the Military Chest	Curia; military pay and supply, manages military arsenals
The Eparch	Curia; home affairs, police, fire, regulates trade guilds and foreign merchants
The Quaestor	Curia; justice, appeals courts, wills and testaments
The Sakellarios	Curia; chief financial officer, budgeting, audits
The Magister Officiorum	Curia; head of the Magisterium, spymaster
The Grand Domestic of the Army	Legacy; top ranking general of the standing army
The Grand Duke of the Navy	Legacy; top ranking admiral of the standing navy
The Four Strategoi of the Themes	Legacy; military and administrative commanders in the Themes
The Akolouthos of the Varangoi Guard	Legacy; head of the Varangoi Guard

Honors List (Dignities by Award, in order of prestige)

President (Proedros) of the Curia	Singular honor; presides over all meetings of the Curia of State
Magister (Magistros)	Old Vanoran title for Master
Vestarches	Old Vanoran title for Master of the Wardrobe
Vestes	Originally a lesser Vanoran wardrobe office title
Proconsul (Anthypatos)	Old Vanoran office
Patrician (Patriklos)	Old Vanoran distinction
First Sword Bearer (Protospatharios)	Andrassan noble household title
Sword Bearer (Spatharios)	Andrassan noble household title
Consul (Hypatos)	Old Vanoran office
Groom (Strator)	Andrassan noble household title

Exarchate of Andrassos Demographic Information

Total Population: 235,000
Total Urban Population: 47,000
Andrassos City Population: 24,500

Other Urban Centers
Berutos, Pop: 3,220
Bourla, Pop: 3,250
Eruks, Pop: 3,130
Marash, Pop: 3,125
Philea, Pop: 3,263
Rusion, Pop: 3,262
Skopelos, Pop: 3,250

State Governmental Structure: 1 Exarchate, 4 Themes, 16 Prefectures, 64 Kastra

City of Andrassos Demographic Information

Andrassans - 49% - 12,005
Lemurians - 14% - 3,430
Iotar/Varangians - 10% - 2,450
Atlanteans - 8% - 1,960
Stygians - 7% - 1,715
Acherians - 6% - 1,568

Others (Vanoran, Rothari, Ughor, Kalingoi, etc) - 5% - 1,225

Next Time: Close-up and labeled maps of all eight regiones in the city.