BY NIGEL ?

'IHDLEY
 Legal Stuff

The Primal Order';' primal energy:" primal base]" primal flux:" Pawns: The Opening
Move':' the term "capsystem;" " and Wizards of the Coast® are trademarks of Wizards
of the Coast, Inc.

The mention of or reference to any companies or products in these pages should not be
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Opening Move is not endorsed by the following trademark holders, nor are there any
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with the exception of Stephan Michael Sechi.

Dungeons & Dragonsj' Advanced Dungeons & Dragonsf D&D~ and AD&D® are
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Warhammer Fantasy Rolel'Iay'" is a trademark of Games Workshop:" WarpWorld™ is
a trademark of the Blacksburg Tactical Research Center"

@ 1992 by WIZards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

96 95 94 93 92 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN 1-880992-08-6
 iii

LREDIT5
Author: Nigel Findley.

Creature Creation & Design: Peter D. Adkison-animants, Beasts of Babylon,

chayamis, elemars, gatherers, helkyries, las humeredas, magitors, planar par-
asites, the primordial dragons (Demache, Myrolaos, Panethne, Sopharios, &
Zephrosyne), royal pixies, true unicorns, Wolves of Fenris; James E. Hays,
Jr.-abyssal hounds, allistayrs, askaratans, bachrons, bordecks, Corliss, eoni,
hedvikis, Keepers of Law, Knights of Justice (greater and lesser), pandirwas,
pinos cae, ravidans, stolocks, sumitami, valchii, zorgai; W. R. Woodall-abyssars,
ark radiances, Dogs of War, eternal stalkers, Everlasting, force titans, maskim,
soulwardens, Ur wraiths, Warlords of Sardoen.

Project Managers: James E. Hays, Ir., w. R. Woodall.

Design and Development Director: James E. Hays, Jr.
Copyediting: Beverly Marshall Saling.
Proofreading: Beverly Marshall Saling, James E. Hays, Jr.
Layout: Dave Howell, Iesper Myrfors.

Typesetting: Dave Howell.

Art Direction: Lisa Stevens, Iesper Myrfors.

Production Director: Lisa Stevens.
Front Cover Art: P. D. Breeding-Black.
Front Cover Logo: Rich Kaalaas.
Back Cover Logo: Chris Rush.

Back Cover Art: Ron Spencer.

Interior Illustrations: Grant Costa, Dan Gelon, Anson Maddocks, Cheryl Man-
dus, Jeff Menges, lesper Myrfors, Chris Rush, Ron Spencer.
Integration Notes Coordinator: Mark Pheedrus.
The Experts: Andrew Akins, Keith "Puma" Andreano, R. Allan Baruz, Travis
Casey, Mike Davis, Andrew C. Durston, Randall R. Escoto, Brian A. Hixon,
George Huber, Craig Janssen, Tadhg Kelly, Jeremy Lakatos, Dustin Laurance,
Bryan J. Maloney, David P. Martin, Loren Miller, Mark Minnotte, Jesse Mundis,
Jim Ogle, Andrew Osterburg, Mark Pheedrus, Laird Popkin, Greg Porter, M. J.
Ritch, Jonathan Sari, Curtis Shenton, Michael R. Smith, Ryk Erik Spoor, George
Thornton, Richard Tomasso, Steven H. Underwood, Tom Wylie.
iv Pawns: The Opening Move

COHTEHT3
Foreword vi
Introduction 1

Abyssal Hound 4
Abyssar 7
Allistayr 10
Anirnant 13
Ark Radiance 16
Askaratan 19
Bachron . 22
Beast of Babylon 25
Bordeck 29
Chayarni 32
Corliss . 35
Dog of War 38
Elernar 41
Eonus 45
Eternal Stalker 48
Everlasting 51
Force Titan 54
Gatherer 57
Hedviki 60
Helkyrie 63
Keeper of Law 66
Knight of Justice 69
La Humareda 74
Magitor 77
Maskim 81
Pandirwa 84
Pinosca 87
Planar Parasite 90
Primordial Dragons 94
Demache 95
Myrolaos 98
Panethne 101
Sopharios 104
Zephrosyne 107
Ravidan 110
 Contents v
Royal Pixie 113
Soulwarden 116
Stolock 120
Sumitami 124
True Unicorn 127
UrWraith 130
Valchis . 133
Warlord of Sardoen 137
Wolf of Fenris 140
Zorgai 143

Integration Notes 147

ADvANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 147
AIls MAGICA 150
GURPS 153
HARNMASTER 156
HERO 160
PALlADIUM 162
ROLEMAsTER 164
RUNEQUEST 170
SHADOWRUN 173
TALISLANTA 175
TORG 177
WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAY 180
WARPWORLD 183

"RoomI mhE
£r\U
"UmhOR Born
I kJ £r\ I kJ
in Venezuela. and raised. throu.ghout
the western hemisphere, NIgel Fmdley
moved to Vancouver, B.C. in 1969. He graduated from the University of British
Columbia with degrees in genetics and creative writing, so logically his career
path took him into the computer industry. After several years as a technical
writer, department manager, and finally marketing executive, he went out on
his own as a freelance writer in 1989. In the years since his first game-related
piece was published in an early issue of Dungeon Adventures, he has written
material for most major game systems. His first two novels, Into the Void, in
TSR's'" Spelljammer'" series, and 2XS, a Shadowrun'" novel published by
Penguin's Roc imprint, are selling very well. He has three more novels coming
out within the next year: Out of Nippon for the TORG@ system; Shadowplay, to
be published by Roc; and The Broken Sphere, another Spelljammer'" novel.
vi Pawns: The Opening Move

rOREWORD
You are holding in your hands the first supplement for The Primal Order.
While TPO focused mainly on deities and their relationships with their mortal
worshipers, this book is essentially a bestiary, a collection of critters that you
can use to give the powerful beings in your game world a few friends and foes.
Why this monster book is different: Most bestiaries I've read were disappoint-
ing. When I look for a creature to throw at my players I want it to be interesting,
to have some ability that throws them for a loop. I like creatures that make
the characters sweat a little until they figure out what's going on. But so many
bestiaries provide nothing but new names with different stats and different spell
selections.
In Pawns: The Opening Move, we created an assortment of creatures that
each have some unique power. In many cases these abilities are things that I've
never seen in print. If you're looking for something new and tricky when you
open up a book on monsters, you'll love this book.
Making up your own critters: Just in case the creatures in this book aren't
enough to keep you and your players busy, here's a suggested method for
creating more of your own. If you like my philosophy of creating monsters
with unique abilities you may like to start off the same way I do. First of all, I
think up what the creature's unique ability is so I can build the creature around
it. The ability should be something more than some sort of spell effect; the
creature should have some fundamentally different way of manipulating or
relating to some force in the universe, whether that force is magic, planes of
existence, matter, mentalics, or something else. In a diverse fantasy campaign
there are literally dozens of fundamental building blocks with which you could
allow the creature to interact in some weird way.
Sometimes ideas will just spring to mind. The Beasts of Babylon are a good
example. One day I was just thinking about how powerful a creature would be if
it could both shapechange and gain the abilities of the creature it shapechanged
into. Then it just occurred to me that this would be even nastier if the creature
could shape change into more than one thing at a time. That became the
fundamental concept for the creature, and everything else was just fleshing it
out.
Often these ideas are born from the frustration you feel when GMing a party
of adventurers who are so powerful in one area that nothing you try seems
to slow them down. This is what I did with the elemars, creatures that can
create spatial warps to deflect attacks. This idea came to me when I'd been
GMing some characters who had some extremely powerful ranged attacks and
I was looking for innovative ways of stopping them. They'd already found ways
around all of the normal magical shields, so I had to get creative.
One trap you want to avoid is being blatant about this. You don't want to
design creatures around the abilities of your players too often. I have played in
game worlds in which someone I was fighting had an incredible magical item or
weapon that was really dominating the game. After we finally killed the person
and took the item for ourselves, it became practically worthless. From then
on the GM knew we had this item and designed every adventure so that the
creatures we ran into were immune to its effects. How frustrating! Needless to
say, I don't play in that campaign any more.
Once you've come up with a unique ability for your creature, think of a
setting in which the creature would fit. Sometimes this can lead to the invention
of an entirely new campaign concept or plane. Several creatures that I've
invented for my universe led to the invention of new planes where the existence
Foreword vii
of their abilities made sense. After all, the creature must have gotten the ability
from somewhere.
For example, the magitors' complete immunity to magical effects forced me
to create a history in which it made sense for them to have this ability. It even
helped me understand what magic was in my universe. That's half the fun of
thinking up some bizarre ability first; I never know where it's going to lead me.
In the quest to make one simple idea work, you can end up creating all sorts of
wonderful things for your campaign, all sparked from that original thought.
When you've got your setting, it's time to merge that setting with the rest
of your campaign. You've created the Oggle, you've decided it comes from
Groggle-the next thing you need to do is figure out how it got involved with
what's going on. Perhaps some mage accidentally summoned it and it's now
oozing allover the place, or perhaps it has made an alliance, or its race has
been conquered by some faction, or the plane it's on has been taken over by a
deity and that deity has now sent the beast down to interfere with the player
characters.
Now that you've worked out the general idea behind the beastie and how
it fits into the campaign, it's time to flesh it out. The easiest way to do this
is to find a bestiary you like-hopefully this one will do nicely-and fill out a
beastie "character sheet" using the same format as the bestiary you've selected,
perhaps adjusting it to suit your needs.
For example, if you do want to follow the format we've used in this book,
you'll want to give your creature each of the following things:

Name. The trick to coming up with good names is to have them reflect the
culture the person, place, or thing is from. I do this by assigning a linguistic
"sound" from our world to each part of my campaign. Names from one
culture may have a Mexican ring to them, while names from another
might sound Egyptian. And in a couple of places I got brave and created
my own language sounds, which is something I'd encourage you to try
at least once or twice. Also, if you want your players to respect your
campaign, don't use silly names except perhaps on rare occasions.

Power level. This is a subjective rating we use to give you an idea of how this
creature should rank in relation to the other creatures in the campaign.
In this book we've rated each creature on a scale of one to ten, but this
scale assumes that a one is somewhere near the point at which most game
systems leave off. If you don't find such a power scale useful, abandon it.
Instead, you might consider expanding the scale to something like one to
twenty, in which case you'll want to add ten to all the power levels in this
book.

Attributes. The key thing to remember about attributes is to compare the

creature to other creatures in your campaign and assign attributes that
make sense relative to those creatures. I remember playing in a campaign
in which the GM kept coming up with nastier and nastier orcs so that soon
the orcs had higher attribute scores in strength than dragons. You also
need to be very careful about giving critters high intelligence scores; if a
creature is smarter than Einstein then it should be in politics, not running
around wild in the woods. This same advice applies to size, speed, and
attack speed.

Combat skill ratings. A creature isn't going to have any combat skill above
veteran or professional unless the creature is highly intelligent and rec-
ognizes the value of practice; in other words, the creature must be more
viii Pawns: The Opening Move

humanlike than beastlike. Most races of creatures should not have leg-
endary combat ratings; only individuals within a group can usually get
this far.

Appearance. One good way to thoroughly describe your creature is to cover all
the senses. Figure out what the creature looks like, how it smells, what
it sounds like, and what texture its body has. Another thing to add to
the description is the specific setting in which the creature can typically
be found. This might depend on whether the beastie is a carnivore or
an herbivore, what climate it prefers, how socially inclined it is, how
intelligent, and so forth. If you're a highly visual person you might be
able to just close your eyes and visualize the beastie, and then use your
imagination to fill in a backdrop that seems natural.

Origin & Background. Some creatures evolve, others are hybrids, and yet oth-
ers are created for a purpose. If a creature was created then it is important
to determine who created it and for what purpose. Also, the origin of the
creature will help determine where the creature might be found and how
many exist.

Behavior. Creating beasties that don't behave like stereotypical monsters can
be difficult. What I like to do is think of strange quirks that a beastie
might have, like a fear of darkness, or an allergy or something like that.
Occasionally, I'll reorganize a creature's priorities, which can work par-
ticularly well with the more intelligent creatures. For example, it could be
interesting to have a humanlike race that for some reason just can't bear
the thought of being alone.
While most beasties are designed to be vicious, it pays to stop and think
about why they would behave this way. Are they consumed with hatred,
are they insane, are they hungry, or what? Once you know this you can
leave hints for the players, allowing them to discover more ingenious ways
of handling the creatures than just figuring out which magical swords they
want to use today.

Combat. One thing to think about when designing a creature's combat tactics
is what part of its body the creature uses as a weapon, and whether or
not it is intelligent and physically capable enough to use a manufactured
weapon. You should also consider what special types of moves a being
with its abilities and temperament might employ, such as concentrated
attention on the jugular vein or avoiding physical combat in favor of
spells. In these cases, shrewd players may be able to find ways to turn the
creature's habits to their advantage.

Special Ability. Creatures that are created for a purpose will often have some
special abilities to help them accomplish that purpose. Creatures that
evolved will often have abilities that help them deal with their envi-
ronment or common enemies they have often faced. A creature that
evolved in a desert environment should not have the ability to swim like
an Olympic champion.
Some creatures will develop either mental or magical abilities to com-
pensate for a physical handicap, such as small size or weakness. Most
beasts won't have actual spells that they can cast; more likely there will
simply be some mental or magical effect that radiates from them either
continuously or during certain circumstances.
Foreword ix
Rumors, legends, and myths. We saved the best for last. Seriously, this is where
you can really have fun. Rumors generally should be somewhat based in
fact so that they're useful. On there other hand, it's fun to occasionally
throw in one rumor that is completely and totally wrong. Also, rumors
of sightings can be out of date. Legends can be a blast to make up;
just picturing the creature and its history and thinking about its abilities
can generally inspire you. Myths give you a real chance to exercise your
storytelling abilities; nearly anything goes, including mystery, horror,
incredible coincidence, or absurdity. When I'm making up legends, I
always try to have the legend involve a new mythic character or place.
History can come to life when you have many, many different names and
places as a part of it instead of relying on the same old heroes and settings
every time. "Oh, another creature Thor fought-yawn."

How to run these beasts: I've seen lots of GMs throw a really nasty beast
against a high-powered party of adventurers only to see the beast get wasted.
If you want to do some damage and maybe even send the PCs scampering
off with their tails between their legs, try integrating these beasts into a party.
Remember, the toughest encounters are with other adventurers, deities, and so
forth, so mix up the encounter a bit. Have the party run into a godling with an
abyssar, a couple las humaredas, and a maskim for bodyguards. Throw in an
entourage of twenty of your world's standard demons or other nasties-for that
matter, you can even up their stats a bit and say the godling's boss has been
tampering with them a little. Now you've got something to liven up the mood!
If you're not the best tactician in the world, study what your players do. Most
players tend to take one character and play him to the hilt. If you do the same
with each of the creatures on the battlefield, you'll be able to take a standard
encounter and turn it into a hair-raising, adrenaline-pumping session.
Remember, at this level opponents rarely wipe each other out completely.
Our example godling didn't get this powerful by being stupid. She and her troops
are only going to stick around as long as she thinks she has the upper hand. If
she starts losing, have her pull out! Here at Wizards of the Coast we've found
that many divine-level battles are skirmishes, attempts at intimidation, feints
and counter-feints. It's a whole new way of playing; the trick is to remember
that the beings your players encounter at this level are usually highly intelligent,
know every trick of the trade, and want to survive and win just as badly as the
PCs do. They'll have aces up their sleeves and will typically be ruthless in their
execution. I'm not advocating a "killer GM" mentality; I'm simply describing an
exciting style of play that is a bit different from what occurs in more traditional
play. The difference is subtle, but important.
How we chose these monsters: Our goal here was diversity. We had originally
thought of doing a book full of creatures who were alike in one way or another,
but dropped that approach in favor of giving you a wide selection of different
types of creatures. Some of them are smart, some aren't. Some are natural,
some are demonic, some are creations of deities. Some could be killed by high
level mortals, particularly if they are alone, while others are nasty enough that
many of the deities deal with them as if they were peers. Some of the critters
are even deities in their own right, possessing primal energy and maybe even
an entire organization of minions, servitors, and worshipers. We hope you have
as much fun with these creatures as we have!
Peter D. Adkison
July 25, 1992
Explanation of Statistics
a Range is from 1 to 10 Power Level ~ . . . 2 Combat d
b Size is height in yards Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Veteran
c Movement rate in yards
per second Strength. .. 15-20 Melee Weapon Combat Skill . Professional
d Skill rating from Novice Health 20 Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . .. Novice
to Legendary I 0 Reaction . . . . . 20 Damage Rank
e Attack Speed
J Damage Rank Intelligence. lO-15 Physical J e J e
9 Aptitude rating from Destiny. . .. 11-20 Claw-20 (IX each); Bite-20 (IX) or by weapon type
Novice to Legendary 10
n/a indicates no aptitude Presence . . . . . 20 (IX) (plus Strength bonus)
h Creation cost in primal Willpower . . . . 25 Special Abilities ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nla
base Size ~ . . .. 2.5 yds Defense Strength
Cost in primal nux to · 15
maintain on a daily Aptitudes 9
basis Speed .c ... 6 yds/s Magical Aptitude · nla
Mentalic Aptitude · nla
Primal Cost
To Create h . 2 base
To Maintain! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •• 2 flux
Introduction 1

IH~RODUC~IOH
Welcome to Pawns: The Opening Move. This is the first in a series of products
to support The Primal Order,the capsystem developed for all fantasy roleplaying
games by Wizards of the Coast.
Pawns: The Opening Move is, in essence, a bestiary of sorts. In these pages
you will find a collection of minions and servitors, natural creatures and specific
creations that serve deities from a wide range of pantheons and mythologies.
Youwill also find several creatures here that, while of divine level, are not directly
controlled by any deity. The beings that fill this book can be incorporated into
any game world, from a high-level one where the player characters interact
with divine-level creatures on a regular basis to a more familiar low-level game
where the deities are distant and immeasurably powerful unknowns. They can
become foes or allies for the PCs, or perhaps they can bestow spells upon priests
on behalf of the deities they may serve.
Strictly speaking, you need to have The Primal Order as a basic rulebook in
order to get the most use out of these creatures. The descriptions that follow
include many concepts that are explained in The Primal Order,including primal
energy, power ratings, and so on. If you're creative, you may be able to find some
use for these creatures even if you don't use The Primal Order rules. But this
book is not intended as a stand-alone product, and GMs who try to use it in this
way will be missing out on many of the more interesting features of the creature
descriptions.

~ERmINOLOOY AND RULE5 5Y5~Em5 ~r~~~~~r:;'

this book is designed to work well with virtually any roleplaying game system,
whether skill-based, level-based, or something entirely different. Because of
the profound differences in these many systems, certain facets of the crea-
ture descriptions are necessarily flexible. For example, different systems have
different conceptions of damage. In one system a warrior hero may be able
to take as many as 100 points of damage. In another, the same hero-highly
skilled, yet still a normal mortal-may be able to withstand fewer than two
dozen hits before dying. To circumvent this problem, we have chosen to use
various non-specific terms to describe such factors as competence at skills and
damage inflicted.

rEnEr T~is is intended ~s a guide ": ~elp you pick creatures

POWER o V L1 With the appropnate capabilities and powers for any
given encounter. The power levels used in this book range from indicating a
1,
creature at the upper level of mortal capabilities, to 10, indicating a creature that
even greater deities would see as a very real threat. For example, the fictional
hero Conan would be power level i, while a Zorgai, a guardian of the fabric of
reality found on p. 143, would be power level 10.

mhE
I Ie}
0 10 20 V<::!y~mEm
vI
This is the system by which most nu-
meric attributes such as strength and
points of damage inflicted are calculated. The attribute scale is divided into two
ranges: the human range (0-20) and the superhuman range (21 and up).
Within the human range, 0 is the minimum ability level a human could
reasonably have. The average ability level for humans is 10. The maximum abil-
ity level a professional-level adventurer could reasonably have without magical
2 Pawns: The Opening Move
assistance is 20. Between 0 and 20, the scale is linear, so 15 is an ability level
halfway between 10 and 20.
Beyond 20, the scale becomes logarithmic. For each s-point increase in an
attribute, ability doubles. Thus 25 is twice as good as the human maximum of
20, 30 is four times as good as 20, and so on. The scale is open-ended, with no
ultimate maximum.
All attributes are based on this scale. The following subsections discuss
specifics of how this scale is applied to certain attributes, and other considera-
tions within the system.

"millRIBUmEC!
£r\
I I
All attributes use the scale. The general defini-
0-10--20
I v tions of the attributes are listed below. Your game system
may use fewer attributes than this, requiring you to combine several of these
attributes into one single number. How to use these attributes with the various
game systems is described in the individual integration notes in Appendix A.
Strength reflects pure physical power, lifting capacity, and so on.
Health reflects the ability to withstand physical damage, poison, exposure,
and so on.
Reaction reflects the ability to think quickly, react, coordinate, and maneu-
ver.
Intelligence reflects memory, logic, and reasoning. Most of the minions
herein are considerably more intelligent than humans, making them difficult
for the gamemaster to roleplay. In general if you, as the GM, can see that your
players are running some kind of ploy to deceive a minion, the minion will
realize it too and act accordingly.
Destiny reflects luck-related attributes and bonuses to resistance rolls; for
specifics on how this works in your game system, see the integration notes in
AppendixA.
Presence reflects the ability to inspire awe, whether overwhelming admi-
ration or stupefying terror, and the ability to motivate people to adopt the
creature's goals. It does not necessarily reflect the ability to teach the people
how to achieve those goals, however.
Willpower reflects the ability to concentrate, to resist domination and pain,
and so on.

~PEED A creature's speed score reflects its maximum rate of movement

V unassisted by any extraneous effects or powers. Most creatures will
normally move considerably slower than this, using their full speeds only for
brief periods when necessary. This speed is measured in yards per second
(yds/s).

"Blrlmy D "NI} Ability rank is a measure of how skillful the creature is

£r\U I 1 \{f\ f\ in various areas such as combat skills, magic aptitude,
and mentalic abilities. In this book, we have used the same ability ranks that
were given in The Primal Order, except that we have added several degrees to
the "legendary" category to help us fill out the upper end of the scale in more
detail. These degrees are ordered numerically: legendary 1, legendary 2, and so
forth. Refer to the integration notes in Appendix A for specifics on converting
these ranks to your game system.
Introduction 3

D "ffi "GE DI "HI,,)

tr\ tr\
Different games systematize damage differently. In
\tr\ 1\ one system, a two-handed sword wielded by a war-
rior of average strength could inflict idio points of damage. In another, the
same weapon swung by the same average-strength character could inflict Id6+3
points of body damage plus Id6 points of stun damage. Also, a high-level war-
rior in one system might be able to shrug off half a dozen such blows, while
in another a single blow from a two-handed sword could easily incapacitate a
mortal.
Damage rank is a somewhat generic way of measuring the level of damage
that a creature's attack can inflict. Using the 0-10-20 scale, 0 is no damage. A
novice fighter with strength 10 on the 0-10-20 scale wielding a short sword or
equivalent weapon would do 10 damage; 20 is the damage done by a professional
fighter with strength 20 wielding a two-handed sword or equivalent weapon.

" mm" PI} tJ~PEED Attack

(r\ I I tr\lJ\
speed reflects how quickly a creature can use
each of its attack forms. It does not use the 0-10-20
scale. Instead, IX means the creature can attack at the same speed as the average
novice fighter in the game system; 2X means the creature can attack twice as
fast or often, and so on. A creature will often have different attack speeds for
different types of attacks. Attack speed is found under "Damage Rank."

DEVEH<::!E
1
~ ffiREHGffik
v tJ I
Defense strength reflects.the ~rotection af-
I Ie) forded a creature due to Its skin, scales, ar-
mor, or other protective abilities or magic. On the 0-10-20 scale, 0 is equivalent
to normal human skin, 10 is equivalent to standard leather armor, and 20 is
equivalent to standard full plate armor that does not use exotic or magical ma-
terials. Extremely high defense strengths usually indicate powerful magical or
mentalic defenses.

"r ()O<::! m Some of the creatures in this book have developed

PRI ffitr\l) Lvi naturally, but many are artificial creations of various
deities. At the end of the statistics for each created being, we list the amount of
primal base and flux it took to create the creature and the daily amount it takes
to maintain it. This way, if you want to use one of the creatures but don't want
to use the creator we describe, you can have one of your own deities spend the
necessary amount to create and maintain it.

POWER D" mIHG<::!v Many

I \tr\ I
o.f the .b.e~ngs in this book have artif~cts
or special abilities that could come up agamst
conflicts of intent or conflicts of power as described in The Primal Order. To
help you resolve these conflicts, we have provided sample power ratings for
these items and abilities. The power ratings listed are all based on the example
power rating scale given on p. 83 of The Primal Order; if you don't want to
use that scale, feel free to make up your own and revise these power ratings as
necessary.

mkE
I Iv
H"mURE
tr\ I
O~1 ffiIHIOH<::!v When you're using the minions
in this book, remember-they are
not just "more monsters." These are immortal servitors of the gods, enjoying
a level of power orders of magnitude above that of any mortal creature. If the
creature you're describing has a high presence score, it will emanate an aura
of power or presence that instantly identifies it as supernormal. Be careful to
convey the awesome majesty of these creatures to your players, or they could
very likely end up in some serious trouble.
4 Pawns: The Opening Move

l\BY55l\~ ~OUND
Power Level . . . . 4 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . Professional
Strength 35 Melee Weapon Combat Skill nla
Health . . . . . . 35 Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nl a
Reaction . . . . . 30 Damage Rank
Intelligence . .. 10 Physical . . . . . . . . Claws-20 (2X each); Bite-25 (2X)
Destiny. . . . . . 20 Special Abilities nl a
Presence . . . . . 25 Defense Strength 45
Willpower .... 35 Aptitudes
Size . . . . . . 1·5 yds Magical Aptitude nl a
MentalicAptitude nla
Speed. .. 40 ydsls Primal Cost
To Create 50 base
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 5 flux

"PPE" "NfJE
(!\
D
(r\1 \(r\ ~
Abyssal hounds resemble large, muscular dogs. They
stand about three feet at the shoulder, and their bodies
are a little over five feet long. Their heads and mouths are abnormally large,
and usually covered with a coating of black soot that clings to their short, wiry
hair. The rest of their coat-when it is not, too, covered with soot-is slate gray.
Their eyes pulse a faint red, in time with their heartbeat. Any mortal who looks
into those eyes must make a destiny roll or suffer chills that decrease attack
and defense rolls by 25% for the duration of combat. Even if the destiny roll is
made, anyone seeing a hound's eyes will understand, deep in his or her soul,
that this is a minion and not a normal creature. Their six-Inch-long fangs-of
which there are four in each jaw-and their claws are shiny black metal.
The creatures exude a strong odor of carrion. They can speak Demon's
Tongue and several humanoid tongues, but rarely bother. When pursuing prey,
they are totally silent, which adds to their sense of menace. They bark or howl
only when wounded.

o_ B"(r\lJ\
fJ'}GROUND The Abyssal hounds were created by
ORIGIN V Thulus, a Crowned Prince of the Abyss.
He originally intended them solely as gifts to give to various demon lords who
had served him well, and created only a few dozen. When he realized what ex-
cellent guard animals the creatures made, however, he created several hundred
more, many of which he kept for himself.
Abyssal hounds are perfect choices for guarding entrances, personal cham-
bers, treasure repositories, and so on. They need no food, water or air, and
will-if so ordered-stand watch forever. They are totally loyal to their master,
but only so long as Thulus has specifically instructed them to be. If Thulus ever
gave orders to an Abyssal hound owned by someone else, the hound would obey
its creator, not its erstwhile master. It is important to note that Abyssal hounds
are not overly intelligent. Thus overly complex instructions, or those that require
a high level of judgment from the beasts, could well be misunderstood.
The Abyssal hounds' aggressive, downright nasty personality endears them
to many demons, fiends and devils, who keep the foul creatures as pampered
pets.
Sages believe there are more than 250 Abyssal hounds in existence, more
than 50 of which wander the halls of Thulus's keep in the Abyss. There they
terrorize lesser minions, enjoy the harsh attentions of Thulus himself, and feed
Abyssal Hound 5

on scraps from his table. The nature of those scraps is best not dwelt upon,
particularly by those with weak stomachs. . . .

BE h IH 'IOR
IcJ£.r\ V
Abyssal hounds have the personalities of rabid pit bull terriers
suffering from a splitting headache and having a particularly
bad day-only slightly worse. They enjoy chasing anything that runs, but even
more they enjoy catching it and tearing it to shreds. They seem totally loyal to
their creator, although there are some sages who speculate this is solely out of
fear and self-preservation.
The threat-submission display shown by Abyssal hounds is fascinating. Un-
less under orders to the contrary, they are basically bullies. They love terrorizing
creatures that they perceive to be weaker than they. If they outnumber their
foes, or otherwise know they have the upper hand, they are vicious in the ex-
treme. Should they realize that they are the ones outnumbered or outmatched,
however, they will usually flee from conflict, unless ordered otherwise, of course.
They will back away from stronger foes until they are wounded. Then they will
fly into a killing fury, forgetting about everything else-pain, risk of destruc-
tion, tactical good sense, and so on-but ripping out their foe's throat. Once
an Abyssal hound has flown into this killing fury, even the orders of its master
may not penetrate. Each time the beast's master issue an order, there is only a
50% chance that it will obey. After it has failed to obey three times-i.e., failed
three rolls-it will never stop its mad attack until either it or its foe is destroyed.
Many Abyssal hound masters have had to destroy their pets as the only way of
stopping such a fury.
An Abyssal hound can maintain its top running speed for days at a time.
The creature can also dimensional shift and plane shift at will and without error.

G
6 Pawns: The Opening Move
(lomB"
L
m In melee, Abyssal hounds attack with their razor-sharp fore-
V\ I claws and with their fangs. Abyssal hounds move so fast in
combat that they have a chance equal to their destiny of dodging any direct
physical or magical attack. To do so they must see the attack coming and have
space to maneuver. They cannot dodge attacks with an area effect, or those that
do not pass through every intervening point between the caster and the target,
such as spells cast through a crystal ball. An Abyssal hound can dodge attacks
from only one opponent per combat exchange.

~PECI"V\Llr lr\"Blflmy
V U I
Thulus has endowed the Abyssal hounds with
a hideously powerful primally reinforced breath
weapon called the Amber Fire. This breath weapon has four simultaneous ef-
fects on any creature it touches. The area of effect is a cone 25 feet long issuing
from the creature's mouth, and spreading to a maximum width of 10 feet. Amber
Fire has a power rating of 75. It has enough strength to burn through a 15- point
primal shield and still affect a target on the other side.
The four simultaneous effects are described in the accompanying table.
Name Effect if Modifier(s) Result
DestinyRoll Made
Shieldreave AJlarmo~shield, PowerRating None
and so on, destroyed test only
Life Drain Id6 points lost -40% penalty Halfeffect
to destiny roll from each attribute roll

Bloodboil Agonizingdeath in -50% penalty Damageequiv.

I combat exchange to destiny roll to 5-Pt. primal blast

Cellular Agonizingdeath in -40% penalty Coma in zds combat

poison Ids combat exchanges to destiny roll exchanges;lasts Id4 days

I have heard tell that the

Abyssal hounds were created to
punish those who arbitrarily sum-
mon demons to the main plane to
perform menial tasks. I have heard
that the hounds are sent by the de-
mon lord who rules the demon so
summoned.
I have heard, too, that the
Abyssal hounds have the habit of
speaking to their foes. . . but
only after they are dead and the
hounds have begun tofeed on their
corpses.
Von Estridge, Rumormillsof the
Gods
Abyssar 7

l\BY55l\R
Power Level . . . . 3 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . Professional
Strength . . . . . 40 Melee Weapon Combat Skill ... . . . . . . . .. Novice
Health . . . . . . 35 Missile Weapon Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . .. Novice
Reaction . . . .. 25 Damage Rank
Intelligence . .. 15 Physical . . . . . . . . . Claw-25 (IX each); Bite=-ao (IX)
Destiny 30 Special Abilities nla
Presence . . . .. 0 Defense Strength 35
Willpower . . . . 40 Aptitudes
Size . . .. 2.75 yds Magical Aptitude nl a
MentalicAptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla
Speed .... 4 ydsls Primal Cost
To Create nla
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla

"PPE£r\"R"£r\JI--IfJE
(.r\
Abyssars are hideous demonic minions, standing some
IL eight feet tall and massing almost 500 pounds. They
resemble humanoid reptiles-disgusting crosses between humans and lizards.
They have no scales; their skin has the texture of soggy leather, and is a decaying,
pustulant yellow in color. Their flesh appears to be decomposing-bubbling and
ready to flake away from their bones, although it never actually does so. They
have long, stringy hair-bane-white in color-down their backs to waist-level.
Their eyes are dull yellow, lusterless, with no visible pupils. Looking into their
eyes, one gets the overwhelming sense of soulless hatred. They tend to move
slowly, almost clumsily. When necessary, however, they can keep pace with a
running human, and can strike rapidly in combat.
Abyssars reek of rotting flesh. They speak a harsh, guttural tongue known
only to demons and Lords of the Abyss, and speak or understand no other
language.

ORIGIN (.jo_ B£r\"C'}GD'OUND

1\
Although certain sages claim that the
Abyssars were created by one of the
1 \:
Lords of the Abyss, most demo nolo gists believe they arose independently, evolv-
ing "naturally" -if such a term can be used-on one of the lower planes of the
Abyss. Nobody knows when they arose as a self-aware, sentient race, but it must
have been several millennia ago. Today, there are thought to be between five
and ten thousand of the demonic creatures. Most can be found on the various
planes of the Abyss, enjoying a lifestyle that perfectly matches their tempera-
ment. Some, however, have been inducted into the service of various Abyssal
Lords.

BE h"IcJ£r\nlOR
V
On the planes of the Abyss, Abyssars live in small war bands
usually numbering fewer than 12 individuals. Most of these
bands are migratory, moving into an area, killing or terrorizing the inhabitants,
then moving on. Some, however, have built up permanent settlements, intimi-
dating the lesser Abyssal creatures into serving them.
Various AbyssalLords have bribed or intimidated Abyssars into serving them.
The payment offered to Abyssars is usually the right to torment any damned
souls they encounter, plus the opportunity to kill and destroy. Few Abyssars
could turn down such an offer.
Like most demons, Abyssars are cruel and undeniably immoral. They hate
anything and everything that is not an Abyssar, and will destroy or torture it if
8 Pawns: The Opening Move

they can. They particularly hate mortal sentients, and will go far out of their
way to bring them grief. On the Abyssal planes, Abyssars will not destroy the
various tormented souls condemned to this foul place-although they could
do so. They prefer to simply add to their torment, believing that continued
existence is more horrific to these souls than is destruction.
Although usually found in the Abyss,Abyssars are sometimes found on other
planes, dispatched their by the Abyssal Lords to spread death, destruction, and
terror. On any other plane, it is unusual to encounter more than three Abyssars,
and a sole individual is much more common.
Abyssars can teleport at will, and use whatever modes of movement are
usually available to demons in the individual game world.

(:lOffiR " m Although Abyssars can use melee and missile weapons-albeit
L Ulr\ I not well-they prefer to fight bare-handed. They strike with
both claws, and with their jaws. Any organic or inorganic material that touches
an Abyssar will instantly decompose as though it had aged thousands of years,
unless it makes a destiny roll. This ability has a power rating of 65. Wood will
rot and crumble; metal will rust and disintegrate into dust. This disintegration
Abyssar 9

is instantaneous. Any living being who touches an Abyssar, or is touched by

one, suffers an even worse fate unless he or she makes a successful destiny roll.
The creature's body becomes corrupted=-putrefyingto look something like an
Abyssar-as does its soul and mind. The creature becomes a hate-filled, twisted
parody of its former self, raging with fury, and delighting in the destruction of
all who are not like it. A corrupted character will retain all his or her normal
attributes and skills, but will act like a ravening destroyer. It is advised that
the GM take over the character at this point. A corrupted character can be
redeemed only by direct divine intervention. Note that Abyssars can "turn off"
this corruption ability at will, which they will do if they want to use a weapon.
This deactivation is highly selective, however; an Abyssar wielding a sword will
still destroy any other weapon that touches its body. Abyssars will deactivate
their soul-corrupting power if and only if they believe that doing so will cause
their foe more torment.

<::;!PE~I"
tJ
r "RlrlmIE~u Soanyhorrific
L (r\Lj lr\u Lj I
is the stench ~xud~d ~y Abyssars that
character approachmg within feet must
100
make a successful destiny roll or be violently ill-and incapacitated-for two
combat exchanges. On a successful roll, the character is not incapacitated, but
still suffers nausea and extreme psychological discomfort.

"Yes, it has been said that

the corrupted victims of the Soul-
wrenchers [Abyssarsj can be re-
deemed by the gods, if the gods
consider them worthy. But I say
unto you in warning: one who is so
redeemed is never returned to how
she once was. Her physical health
will always SUffer, and her sani-
ty will always hang by the finest
of threads. I say this to you not
to blunt your will or sap your re-
solve, 0 warriors of renown, you
who would face the Soulwrenchers
and remove their taint from our
land. But my soul would not rest
easy in my breast if I were to send
you forth unaware of the risks that
youface ... "
Murrigaine of the Light, "Address
to the Warriors," recorded in An-
nals of the Guardians
10 Pawns: The Opening Move

(AL-ih-stair) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Novice
Power Level . . . . 7 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Novice
Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . .. Novice
Strength . . . . . 25 Damage Rank
Health . . . . . . 40 Physical .. By weapon type (IX) (plus Strength bonus)
Reaction . . . . . 35 Special Abilities nl a
Intelligence . . . 40 Defense Strength 55
Destiny. . . . . . 40 Aptitudes
Presence 30 Magical Aptitude nla
Willpower . . . . 45 Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . Legendary-a
Size . . . . .. 2 yds Primal Cost
To Create 200 base
Speed To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 20 flux per day
Walk 6 yds/s; Fly
25 yds/s

"PPE"(r\lD\(r\"NnE
lr\ L
When meeting with humanoids, allistayrs always take on
the form of the race with which they are dealing. Their
minion status is reflected in their exceptionally high charisma, however, and in
their almost-divine beauty. In humanoid form, they wear whatever clothes are
appropriate for the time and place, although they prefer garb with simple lines
and pure, bright colors. When appropriate, they carry weapons. They never
wear normal armor. Allistayrs can be recognized by the fact that they always
wear a fine band of silver around their brows.
In their true form, allistayrs appear as supernaturally beautiful, androgynous
humans. Their skin is the white of purest alabaster, their hair like burnished
gold, and their eyes brilliant azure. They seem to glow with their own inner
light. They wear simple white togas.

ORIGIN If0. B(r\"C'JGROUND

f\
The allistayrs were created by Lord
Chestalain, the Patron Deity of Mental-
ists. Lord Allister Chestalain was once a mortal who ascended to godhood based
on his extreme mentalic abilities. When he was a mortal child of twelve, his
entire family was killed in a freak magical accident. It was only much later that
Lord Chestalain discovered the deaths were the result of magical research by
the sinister wizard Elfrandin, who was devising a new spell of mass destruction.
This tragedy shaped much of Lord Chestalain's adult-and divine-personality.
To this day, he hates the profligate and reckless use of magic, and has taken it
upon himself to punish those who misuse magical energy. "Misuse," of course,
is in the eye of the beholder, and Lord Chestalain is somewhat touchy on the
subject. He still seeks vengeance against Elfrandin-who has, in the interim,
ascended to the level of godling himself-but has yet been unable to track him
down.
A century or so ago, Lord Chestalain decided that he needed help in his
quest for vengeance, and in tracking down and punishing rash wizards. To this
end he created some 35 allistayrs.
The allistayrs are mentalists of almost godlike ability. They wander the
planes of existence, seeking out those who misuse magic, and severing the
malefactors from contact with magical energy.
Allistayr 11

h.!H 110R
BE IdLr\ V
Allistayrs share their creator's hatred for EI-
frandin, and for those who profligately mis-
use magic. If a wizard anywhere in the multiverse uses extreme
amounts of magical energy (in the GM's sole judgment), there
is a 25% chance that the allistayrs will detect the flow of pow-
er. Depending on the amount of energy involved, and thus
the power of the wizard, between one and ten allistayrs will
pay a visit to the wizard to teach him or her a lesson. If this
is a "first offence," the allistayrs will usually be satisfied with
delivering a warning-often reinforced by destroying some
or all of the culprit's magical items, spell books, and so on.
For a subsequent offense, or if the use of magic was excep-
tionally reckless-leading to the deaths of innocent families,
for example-the allistayrs will administer punishment in the
form of "the Fever" (see below).
In personality, allistayrs are aloof and generallyuncommu-
nicative. They will rarely listen to explanations, justifications,
or claims of "extenuating circumstances," preferring to inflict
punishment in the most efficient manner and then leave. They
cannot be intimidated, bribed, or fast-talked. If met by over-
whelming force, an allistayr will simply retreat until it can
summon reinforcements-several dozen of them, perhaps-
and then try things again.
If an allistayr should ever discover the location of EI-
frandin, it will summon all of its fellows and Lord Chestalain
himself. The allistayrs will then fight alongside their creator
until Elfrandin is destroyed.
An allistayr can fly using mentalic power, and can teleport,
dimensional shift, and planeshift at will and without error.

(lomB" m
L
Allistayrs can use any form of weapon, al-
Lr\ I though not well. For this reason, they will
almost never do so. They prefer to use their mentalic abili-
ties (see below).
An allistayr is always surrounded by primally powered
mentalic armor. This is invisible yet tangible, a thin barrier
that shields the creature's entire body. Any physical attack
must make a successful power rating roll to penetrate the
armor. The armor also provides a flat 50% resistance against
magical attacks. This mentalic armor has a power rating of 78.

<::!pE()I"
U
r "BlrlmIE<::! All allistayrs have a unique
~ Lr\U Lr\ U I v mentalic ability that renders
magic-users impotent. This discipline-called "the Fever"-
permanently severs the target's connection with unconfigured
magical energy. This prevents the target from ever again sum-
moning magical energy and bending it to his or her will. Thus,
a victim of the Fever can still be affected normally by magical
spells cast by another, but can never cast or create any spells
of his or her own! As far as anyone knows, the effects of the
Fever are permanent. Perhaps Lord Chestalain himself can
reverse the severance, but he has never done so. An allistayr
can bestow the Fever on five targets per combat exchange.
12 Pawns: The Opening Move

The discipline is primally supported by Lord Chestalain, and has a power rating
of 63.
Allistayrs always wear a thin band of silvery metal around their brows, even
when in humanoid form. This band is actually an artifact created by Lord
Chestalain. The artifact-called a Cridos-is an amplifier for mentalic energy,
allowing an allistayr to use mental disciplines at one half of their normal cost.
Because of this artifact, allistayrs rarely if ever exhaust their reserves of mental
energy. This artifact has a power rating of 76.
Allistayrs are powerful mentalists. They can use all known forms of mentalic
powers, all at the upper range of Legendary rank. If Lord Chestalain considers a
particular encounter particularly significant, he can primally lace an allistayr's
mentalic attacks.

"Fear the Fever.

"Fear it. It will sever you forev-
er from the powers of magic. Can
you imagine what that must be
like? Never to be able to touch the
Power again? Never be able to use
the Art? To hear it calling to you,
the siren song of magical energy
keening in your ears, yet be unable
to answer its call? Rather take my
eyes than my magic.
"It is said that six demigods
have suffered the Fever, and ten
score mortal wizards of great pow-
er. Most still suffer from it, since
only the Omnipotence of a greater
deity can reverse the effect.
"Be conscious, always, when
you touch the magical energy that
an allistayr may be watching,
ready to bring the Fever down up-
on you ...••
From a conversation with Dane
Llolomond, Mage Master of Irilin
Animant 13

~Hlm~HT
(AN-ih-mant) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . .. Veteran to Master
Power Level .. 1-4 Melee Weapon Combat Skill ..... Veteran to Master
Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . .. Veteran to Master
Strength .. 15-35§ Damage Rank
Health ..... nla Physical
Reaction . . .. 15§ 20-25 (IX), or by weapon type (IX) (plus Strength
Intelligence .. 1O§ bonus)
Destiny. . . . .. 0 Special Abilities nla
Presence . . . . . 20 Defense Strength Varies (typical range 20-30)
Willpower . .. 15§ Aptitudes
Size 2 yds Magical Aptitudes . . . . . . . nla
Mentalic Aptitudes . . . . . . nla
Speed Primal Cost
12-24 yds/s§ To Create . Varies (6 days enchantment per body part)
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. None
The symbol § denotes that
this statistic can vary from
the typical value listed.

"PPE"(r\lD\(r\"NCE Animants
(r\
are hideous, composite undead minions ere-
ated by the greater deity Arches, the Master of Shadows.
These minions are all different in appearance, and all grotesque. Their bodies
are patched together from fragments of different animated bodies. Some are
roughly humanoid, resembling Frankenstein's monster. Others are shapes out
of nightmare, with half a dozen arms, multiple heads, fanged mouths in their
chests, and so on. Most but not all animants wield numerous melee and missile
weapons clutched in a profusion of appendages.

ORIGIN 0. R
If
"C')GnOUND
U(r\ 1\ I \:
Several centurie~ ago, ~ches. de~el-
oped a range of Innovative antmation
spells that allowed him to animate only part of a dead body, such as the torso
or a limb. He then discovered ways to combine disparate animated parts into a
nightmarish whole, melding them together with an infusion of primal energy.
Thus, the animants came into being.
Although he initially viewed the animants he created as little more than
curiosities, Arches quickly realized that they made effective bodyguards and
shock troops. By incorporating many arms into an animant, Arches could
create an incredibly effective killing machine that had the additional advantage
of terrifying anyone who saw it. Over the centuries, he has built several hundred
of these hideous things, each different in design and capabilities.

h" nlOR
BE It)(r\ V
Animants are generally mindless and are incapable of follow-
ing even the simplest spoken orders. Arches controls them
using specific versions of command spells, which he only rarely teaches to oth-
ers. They are killing machines, pure and simple, and are incapable of anything
else. Note that only corporeal undead can be incorporated into an animant. No
matter how intelligent the undead was before incorporation, once it is part of
an animant it is totally mindless.
Most of the several hundred existing animants can be found on Arches's
home plane, in the service of the Master of Shadows. Some few might appear
on other planes, performing various tasks for their creator. In addition, several
14 Pawns: The Opening Move

are in service to powerful mages to whom Arches has revealed the secrets of
controlling the beasts. Depending on their structure, animants move by walking
or crawling. They have no innate ability to planeshift or teleport.

(:lomB" ffi An animant's cor_nbat. abilitie~ depend entirely on ~e compo-

\..... (.r\I nents that went into Its creation. In general, an ammant can
wield one melee weapon for each arm it possesses. Certain animants are ca-
pable of using simple missile weapons such as spears, darts, and so on. It has
been rumored that certain animants are even able to use bows, but this has yet
to be confirmed.
Each segment of an animant, including the head, torso, each limb, and so on,
must be destroyed independently. Only when all segments have been destroyed
has the animant truly been "killed." The loss of one component has no effect
on the rest of the creature other than the loss of that segment's abilities.

~PECI"(.r\Uf. (.."Blf.
V
lffiIE<: tJ! with
r\ lJ I
S~me specialized anima~ts have been created
fragments of free-willed undead bonded
Animant 15

into the whole by powerful magics. These portions, most often limbs, still
possess the special attack forms, such as energy drains, that they had before
incorporation.
An animant's entire will, such as it is, is focused on combat. As a result, if
it feels that it can no longer attack effectively, such as if it has lost all its limbs,
the creature will self-destruct, blowing apart in a burst of magical energy. This
explosion inflicts a damage rank of 30.

There are those animants who

seem capable of using magic and
mentalics. Little is known about
how this came to pass. Perhaps
these creatures contain portions of
corporeal undead that were pre-
viously able to use these abilities.
This, to me, seems somewhat un-
likely, since surely the use of mag-
ic and mentalics requires intelli-
gence, and animants are mindless.
More likely is the speculation
that certain animants have been
given magical items to use in com-
bat, or perhaps even runes and
symbols that they can activate in
time of need. Since it is known that
Arches is served by a symbolist of
legendary caliber-one Kurthane
by name-this seems possible.
Lane the Necromancer, Specula-
tions
16 Pawns: The Opening Move

ARK RADIANCE
Power Level . . 6 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Master
Strength . 25 Melee Weapon Combat Skill nl a
Health . 30 Missile Weapon Combat Skill nla
Reaction .. 30 Damage Rank
Intelligence 20 Physical . . . . . . . . Plasma Pseudopod-Special (gx)
Destiny ... 30 Special Abilities . . ..... n/a
Presence .. 25 Defense Strength . ...... n/a
Willpower. 45 Aptitudes
Size .... io yds Magical Aptitude Legendary-a
Mentalic Aptitude · n/a
Speed. .. 20 yds/s Primal Cost
To Create . · ... 1,200 base
To Maintain . · . 10 flux per day

"PPE" "NPE
£.r\
D An ark radiance appears as a swirling pillar of blinding
£r\1 \£r\ \., light, about 30 feet tall and five feet in diameter. They
burn with a harsh, blue-white light, with a luminosity three times that of noon-
time sunlight. They are sentient minions composed of pure energy-in effect,
the same kind of fusion reaction that causes stars to shine, yet given life and
awareness by their divine creator. The most damaging energies that the crea-
tures give off are constrained; otherwise, they would instantly vaporize anything
within several miles of them. The only energies that are not constrained are their
light and a strong electromagnetic field. This field feels like static electricity, giv-
ing the air around them the acrid scent of ozone, the "smell of a thunderstorm,"
and making hair stand on end. The field has a diameter of 50 feet. Ark radiances
emit a loud crackling noise, mixed with a pure, high-pitched musical tone.

ORIGIN V0_ B" P'}GDOUND

I"
£r\\.,f\
The ark radiances =:created b~ Adi-
an, an elven greater deity of magic and
enlightenment. Several millennia ago, Adian's home plane suffered frequent
invasions by large numbers of malevolent dragons of great power. The beasts
were being goaded to attack Adian's plane-and, in fact, transported to that
plane-by another deity who was a rival of the elven god. Although the dragons
could do little to harm Adian himself, they caused such commotion among the
other inhabitants of his plane that he realized he had to do something.
Adian created the first 20 ark radiances as planar guardians, "shock troops"
tailor-made to counter the draconic incursions. When the next invasion oc-
curred, the ark radiances struck terror and confusion into the hearts of the
dragons, rampaging among them like destruction personified, while Adian's
other minions pounded a withering barrage of spells into the invaders. The
few surviving dragons fled back to their own plane. There have been other
incursions-some of staggering size-but Adian's forces have won every battle
in the "Draco/Radiance" war, although sometimes with significant losses.
Ark radiances can reproduce by fission, one ark radiance splitting into two.
Their reproductive rate is low, but at the peak of their population there were
almost 400 of the minions. Losses in the Draco/Radiance war decreased this
number, until there are thought to be fewer than 300 left in existence.
Ark Radiance 17

BE IcJ(r\ 110R
h IH
V
The ark radiances are guardians, pure and
simple. That is what they were created for,
and that is all their personalities are suited for. Guardianship
does not necessarily mean killing all intruders, however. If
an unauthorized presence appears in the area they are guard-
ing, the ark radiances will first try to warn the intruder off
using their innate telepathic ability. They will not negotiate
with an intruder, however, just deliver a simple and straight-
forward message like, "You are not welcome here. Leave or
you will be destroyed." They will then try to drive an intruder
away, attempting to intimidate with their great size and obvi-
ous power. Only the most powerful-or stupid-intruder will
not back down before an aroused ark radiance. If warning
and intimidation do not work, only then will they attempt to
eliminate the intruder.
Most of the ark radiances can be found on Adian's home
plane, patrolling and watching for intruders. From time to
time, however, the deity will dispatch one or more of the min-
ions to another plane on a mission. The missions to which
ark radiances are assigned always have something to do with
guardianship-defending territory, or protecting an individu-
al. Adian will not issue such a mission lightly; only territory
or individuals of significant importance to his overall plans
warrant the use of ark radiances.
An ark radiance is totally unaffected by gravitational fields,
and is not subject to the laws of inertia. It can teleport without
error three times per day, but cannot cross planar barriers
without Adian's intervention.

{JomB"
L
IT] In combat, an ark radiance strikes at speed
(r\ I 3X by extruding a thin "pseudopod" of high-
energy plasma. This pseudopod has a maximum range of 20
feet, and inflicts terrible damage on any creature it touches.
Alternatively, the minion can vaporize all non-living materi-
al in contact with one living target-weapons, armor, other
equipment, and so on-by disrupting the material's molecu-
lar bonds. This ability has a power rating ofvo: all items receive
a destiny roll to resist destruction. This power has a range of
50 feet. The ark radiance must concentrate on this ability, and
is unable to do anything else that combat exchange.
Since ark radiances have no physical body, they can suffer
no purely physical damage. Any non-living object that actu-
ally strikes an ark radiance must make a destiny roll or be
vaporized as discussed above. Any living creature who touch-
es an ark radiance suffers damage as if struck by the minion's
plasma pseudopod. Only purely magical-or primal-attacks
can harm an ark radiance.
In large-scale combat-particularly with dragons-ark ra-
diances fight in small groups of three to five, concentrating
their attacks on a single target at a time, and striking from
multiple directions simultaneously. They will always pick out
and try to neutralize the most powerful and dangerous foes
first.
18 Pawns: The Opening Move

~PECI"Lr\Ur lr\"BlrlmIE~:uk
tJ U I
radiances are n~tural ~~lepaths. This is a~
u mnate-not mentalio=ability, Because of their
original purpose-to repel draconic invaders-they have certain advantages
when fighting dragons. They are totally immune to the fear aura that surrounds
many dragons, and never have tt check morale when fighting dragons.

Fire without burning,

Columns of the Singing Flame,
Protectors 'of that which must be
protected.
Children of the Father of Enlight-
enment,
Endless and immortal guardians,
Wyrmbane, Drakedoom; Lizard-
hammer.

Stanza 21, Songs of the Elven

Masters; Author Unknown
Askaratan 19

(ass-kar-AT-tan) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . .. Legendary-s
Power Level . . . . 7 Melee Weapon Combat Skill
Veteran (Legendary-5 with clubs, axes, and hammers)
Strength . . . . . 35 Missile Weapon Combat Skill
Health 25 Veteran (Novice with mechanical bows such as
Reaction . . . . . 20 crossbows)
Intelligence . .. 15 Damage Rank
Destiny 15 Physical
Presence . . . . . 45 Claws-s-ao (2X each); Tusks-35 (2X); Mandibles=-as
Willpower . . . . 25 (2X)
Size . . . . . 8.6 yds Special Abilities nl a
Defense Strength 35
Speed. .. 12 yds/s Aptitudes
Magical Aptitude nl a
Mentalic Aptitude nla
Primal Cost
To Create 750 base
To Maintain 50 flux

"PPE"£r\lD\£r\"NCE Ansomeaskaratan
lr\
resembles a giant humanoid, standing
26 feet high at the shoulders, and weighing in
excess of 2,500 pounds. The creature has the head of a boar, with tusks 5 feet
long framing a mouth that sports hideously serrated mandibles 8 feet long. Its
eyes are relatively small for the size of the head, and have a piercing, hypnotic
gaze. The head is so large and heavy that it is always bowed down below the
level of the creature's shoulders.
The askaratan has abnormally large, clawed hands; its feet, although huge,
resemble those of a normal human. The minion normally moves slowly, empha-
sizing its incredible mass and size. When it wishes, however, it is frighteningly
quick on its feet, unnaturally so for something so big.
An askaratan has a silver-blue mane extending down its back from its head
to its hips. Apart from this mane, its skin is hairless, mottled in shades of tan,
brown, and sometimes even pure white. Askaratans are androgynous, with no
overt genitalia.
Askaratans exude an odor of death and decay. When they speak, their
voices are dry and raspy. They speak their own tongue, plus some human
and humanoid languages.

ORIGIN Vo_ B £r\"C'.lGDOUND

f\ 1 \:
The. first askaratan was created by ~e
ancient sorcerer Bakroth to guard hIS
personal treasure vaults. In later years, Bakroth formed an alliance with a group
of wicked dragons who were currently at war with some crossplanar rivals.
In return for undisclosed but presumably huge sums, Bakroth created more
askaratans for these dragons, to guard their lairs and their hoards while they
were away fighting their foes. As a result of this deal, more than 200 of the vile
creatures came into being.
Bakroth soon paid the price for dealing with dragons. Relieved of worries
about their personal hoards, the dragons soon destroyed their rivals. Bakroth
was invited to the victory dinner as guest of honor, but quickly became the main
course. The secret of making askaratans is thought to have died with Bakroth.
Some 185 of the askaratans Bakroth created are believed to be alive still,
some 1,200 to 1,300 years after their maker's death, guarding the lairs of their
20 Pawns: The Opening Move
original draconic masters, who are also still alive. Since askaratans are believed
to live for five millennia, these monsters are still in their prime. Fifteen or so
have been killed, some by adventurers looting the hoards the creatures guarded
but most by draconic rivals of their masters.

BEl; IH 'IOR
lC)(.r\ V
Askaratans were created for the sole purpose of guarding
vaults, lairs, and hoards, and this they do exceptionally well.
They are very territorial, attacking anything and everything that comes within
their area. Only the creatures who possess their soul gems, described below,
can control them. They enjoy killing and are exceptionally good at it. They
cannot be reasoned with or bribed, and they are easily intelligent enough to see
through most typical ploys that would be used against them.
It is exceptionally rare to encounter more than one askaratan at a time. This
is because the creatures are so territorial that they would attack each other on
sight. Certain of the more powerful baneful dragons have developed magics
powerful enough to prevent two askaratans from ripping each other to shreds,
but this situation is exceptionally rare.
An askaratan has no soul in its body. Its entire life force is concentrated in
an item called a soul gem. Whoever possesses the soul gem can command the
askaratan to guard a lair, hoard, or any equivalent area. This enforced steward-
ship will last until the askaratan is destroyed or the order is countermanded.
Even possession of a soul gem will not allow a character to order an askaratan
to do something against its nature, such as be friendly to strangers. Destroying
a soul gem instantly kills the associated askaratan. Soul gems are exceptionally
resilient, however, and can resist most attack forms short of primal.
Askaratan 21

(lomB"
\....,
m Askaratans attack with their two claws, with their tusks, and
lr\ I with their mandibles. The creatures will use any weapons that
are in the hoard they are guarding. Since all they do is sit on the hoard all day,
it is safe to assume that they have picked out the weapons they can use to best
effect. Obviously, if the creature is using a weapon, it cannot also attack with
that claw.
Askaratans are totally resistant to both magic and mentalics, and to elemen-
tal attacks based on fire, water, earth, or air. At the end of each combat exchange
they regenerate 50% of damage inflicted on them that combat exchange. The
only exception to this is damage inflicted by primal-based or primally laced
attacks; they can regenerate only 10% of such damage at the end of the combat
exchange.

~PE(lI"
U
r "BlflmIE<u:;! An
l- lr\lJ £r\ u I
askaratan is always surrounded by a primal-
based gravitational field three times as strong
as Earth-normal gravity; this field has a power rating of 80. The creature can
reverse this field at will, changing the direction of "local down." It can use this
field to knock foes from their feet, redirect missile weapons, and so on. The
field extends to a range of 20 feet from the body of the askaratan, and does not
affect the askaratan itself.
So hideous is the askaratan that anyone sighting the creature must make a
resistance roll to avoid freezing, collapsing, or simply fleeing from the horror.
This ability has a power rating of 65.

And although Bakroth did

complete his deal with the bane-
ful dragon lords, and supply them
with the askaratan servitors they
demanded, yet he did not fully
trust them. He created six espe-
cially powerful askaratans, the
Chosen Six, whose purpose was to
avenge him should any dragon be-
tray him. In case of such betrayal,
the Chosen Six would seek out the
perpetrator; free the askaratan in
that dragon's service, and then all
seven would fall upon the dragon
to destroy it.
As history relates, all the drag-
on lords betrayed Bakroth, leading
to great confusion among the Cho-
sen Six ...
. . . Yet through it all, there
are recurring tales that the Chosen
Six have already sent three of the
dragon lords into the final dark-
ness, and yet hunt the remainder.
The question remains, of
course: to what will the Chosen
Six-free-willed askaratans, with
no masters-turn their attentions
when all the dragon lords are
dead?
Tales of the DragonLords, Author
Unknown
22 Pawns: The Opening Move

Bt\e~ROH
(BOK-ronJ Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . .. Legendary-a
Power Level . . . . 5 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Novice
Missile Weapon Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . .. Novice
Strength . . . .. 45 Damage Rank
Health ..... nla Physical
Reaction . . . . . 20 Front Claw-25 (2X each); Rear Claw-25 (IX each);
Intelligence . . . . 5 Mandibles-20 (IX)
Destiny. . . 30 Special Abilities nl a
Presence . . . . . 30 Defense Strength 75
Willpower . . .. 25 Aptitudes
Size . . .. 2.75 yds Magical Aptitude nl a
Mentalic Aptitude. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla
Speed Primal Cost
Walk 21 yds/s; Fly To Create . . 10 base
40 ydsls To Maintain . . . . . . . .. i flux per day

"PPE"Lr\lD\Lr\"NeE Bachrons
(r\
are semi-intelligent insectoid creatures,
standing about five feet high at the shoulder. Their
bodies are about eight feet long, and a little less than three feet in diameter.
They have six limbs, like normal insects; these limbs, however, resemble human
arms tipped with long, scythe-like claws.
Sprouting from the creature's thorax are four wings, resembling those of a
dragonfly, with a span of ia feet. Although these wings are iridescent and almost
transparent, they are actually made of a magically-reinforced metal-as is the
creature's entire exoskeleton. The creature's body and limbs are covered with
overlapping scales, black and translucent, through which the inner workings of
the beast's body can just be seen. The claws, too, are black, made of the same
semi-transparent metal.
Bachrons smell of ozone, smoke and various nauseating sulphur com-
pounds. In flight, they emit a high-pitched buzzing, which is painful to the
ear. This is due to the rapid beats of the great wings. Anyone who looks into
a bachron's black, multifaceted eyes feels a sense of almost-mindless hatred
looking for an outlet.

ORIGIN If0_ Blr\"C'.lGROUND

f\
Bachrons are the creations of Mord~n,
Lord of the Nether Darkness and chief
councilmember of the Fell Council of Hell. This sinister deity decided, some
millennia ago, that he needed fast and maneuverable scouts and guardians to
protect his territories from the other malevolent beings that exist on the nether
planes. The bachrons fit the bill perfectly.
They are highly territorial, and loyal to their lord. "Squadrons" of 16 to 20 of
the hideous beasts patrol the outer perimeter of the plane of Nether Darkness. If
they encounter intruders-and anyone not personally invited by the Lord of the
Nether Darkness is considered an intruder-they will split into pairs and attack.
While the guardians of other planes may have orders to "prosecute to drive off,"
bachrons always "prosecute to destroy." Once they have slain the intruders, the
bachrons carry the corpses back to their lord for examination.
There are some 3,000 of the beasts, most of which can be found on the plane
of Nether Darkness. It is thought that Morden creates replacements for any that
are destroyed.
Bach ron 23

BEr;"\)IOR
IcJLr\
Predictably, considering their origin and allegiance, bachrons
are decidedly hostile and mean. They enjoy killing, and they
are very good at it. If they outnumber their foes, they frequently prolong the
conflict so they can enjoy the pain and terror they cause. In more even fights,
they use their speed and mobility to their best advantage.
Bachrons always travel and fight in pairs. Although not highly intelligent,
they can recognize a losing position. They will never turn away from battle,
and will fight until they are destroyed. But if they recognize that defeat is
unavoidable, they will issue a mental summons to more of their kind. These
reinforcements will flock to the site of battle from anywhere else on the same
plane.
Although most bachrons spend their time patrolling the periphery of Hades,
they can sometimes be found on other lower planes, performing inscrutable and
nefarious deeds for their lord. Bachrons cannot be reasoned with, bribed, or
intimidated. They have no true instinct for self-preservation, considering the
24 Pawns: The Opening Move
tasks they are assigned much more important than their continued existence.
It is unknown whether this is because they are too unintelligent to comprehend
personal non-existence, or because they know what will happen to them if they
fail Morden. They will follow the orders of the Lord of the Nether Darkness, and
those few demigods and godlings to whom he has given authority over them,
no matter how self-destructive the required actions may be.
A bachron cannot planeshift by itself. If its presence is required on another
plane, another creature must transport it. It can, however, teleport without error
three times per day.

()om
L
R " m A bachron normally attacks with its two foreclaws. If it is flying,
LJ£r\ I it can also attack with its other four claws. It can also bite with
its serrated mandibles. The creature's wings are so strong that it can lift a mass
of up to 400 pounds-for example, an armored warrior-which it can then drop
from a great height.
The semi-transparent exoskeleton of a bachron is resistant to fire and heat-
based attacks, and takes no damage whatsoever from bludgeoning weapons, or
attacks that inflict damage solely through impact. Bachrons are totally immune
to mentalics, and to magics that affect the mind or the soul.

~PE()I"
U
r "BlrlmIE<::! Bachrons can capture and hold "~ree-flo.ating"
"-- lr\LJ V\ LJ I v souls-those of mortals they have Just slam-as
described on pages 43-45 of The Primal Order. Morden endows each bach ron
with five points of flux per day, which can only be used to draw souls. Unlike
deities, these minions can only draw a soul that is within 100 feet. A bachron can
hold a maximum of three souls captured, and only for a period of 24 hours. At
the end of this time, the minion must release the souls. If the bachron is on the
plane of Nether Darkness, then Morden can choose whether or not to absorb the
souls; if on any other plane, the minion must release the souls to a free-floating
condition. In each combat exchange, they can mentally identify the true race,
sex, age and moral/ethical outlook of any three intelligent creatures within 50
feet. This ability has a power rating of 70.
The creatures have primal-based senses (power rating 72) that can detect
invisible, cloaked, shielded, or dimensionally nonstandard creatures and objects
at a range of up to 120 feet.

The High Unholy Days are

times of great and terrible rejoic-
ing in the dark lands of Hell. On
these days, the Lord of the Nether
Darkness sends forth a dozen Fly-
ing Horrors, known to some as the
bachrons, to the main plane and
the world above. These fiends are
charged with slaying 100 innocent
victims, and returning their car-
casses to the Palace of Night to be
served as delicacies at the Feast of
Souls.
Malaclypse the Elder, The Demo-
nomicon
Beast of Babylon 25

BEt\5T O? Bt\BY~OH
Power Level . . . . 8 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill Legendary-l
Strength 55 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Legendary-l
Health 35 Missile Weapon Combat Skill Legendary-l
Reaction . . . . . 20 Damage Rank
Intelligence . .. 15 Physical
Destiny 20 Claw=so (IX each); Bite=so: (IX); or as appropriate to
Presence . . . . . 25 form
Willpower . . . . 40 Special Abilities As appropriate to form
Size. . . .. 10 yds Defense Strength 25
Aptitudes
Speed Magical Aptitude Appropriate to form
Walk 8 yds/s; Fly Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
12 ydsls Primal Cost
To Create 1000 base
To Maintain 15 flux per day

"PPE"V\lD\V\"NfJE
lr\
A beast of Babylon resembles an immense lion with
\_ huge eagJelike wings sprouting from its shoulders. They
stand about 30 feet high at the shoulder and mass more than a full-grown
bull elephant. When fully extended, their wings have a span of almost 80 feet.
They are a light tan in color, exactly the same hue as weathered sandstone.
Their texture also is hard, cool, and gritty. When a beast of Babylon remains
perfectly motionless, it is almost impossible to tell from a sandstone statue.
When it moves, it exudes an aura of incredible power and overwhelming menace.
Although there are some normal monsters larger than the beasts of Babylon,
none of them radiate the same sense of power; thus, beasts of Babylon are easily
distinguishable from mortal creatures.
The creature's roar sounds like that of a normal lion, amplified to well over
the threshold of pain.
Although they are frequently encountered in their natural form, beasts of
Babylon are also able to shape change freely, as described below. Thus they can
be encountered in virtually any form whatsoever.

ORIGIN li0. B"V\l.J\

fJr) GROUND According to Babylonian mythology,
Tiamat created many creatures to aid
her in her war against Marduk and the Anunuki, the council of deities led by
Anu. The beasts of Babylon were among these creations.
The original mated pair of beasts of Babylon were named Sortuthra and
Meanigre. When she created them, Tiamat wove into their very essence an
intense hatred of Marduk and the other deities of the Anunuki. She did not,
however, inculcate in them an unshakable loyalty to her. Before the great conflict
with Marduk, Meanigre realized that Tiamat's plans for the impending battle
were foolish, and that they would lead to her downfall. Although she and her
mate decided that they would fight alongside Tiamat anyway, they both feared
that their defeat would mean the end of their bloodline. To prevent this, before
the final battle, Meanigre bore a litter of offspring and concealed them in a
remote wilderness area of Babylon, where they survived and prospered.
As Meanigre had predicted, Marduk defeated Tiamat, and she and her mate
Sortuthra were taken captive. Despite their great hatred for him, Marduk's
power was so great that the two original beasts of Babylon were forced into
his service. They still remain captives to this day. Despite his dominance over
26 Pawns: The Opening Move
them, there is one thing that Marduk has never been able to coerce them into
doing-bearing another litter.
The offspring of Meanigre and Sortuthra thrived and multiplied. In cur-
rent times, they have allied themselves with Caconophtili the Beastmaster. Ca-
conophtili is a supported demigod of the Babylonian mythos who acquired his
own plane approximately seventy years ago. He professes a great interest in and
affection for the beasts of Babylon, and so they serve him willingly. He allows
other Babylonian deities to use beasts of Babylon as servants, and the beasts
themselves seem willing to accept this "detached duty."
There are thought to be over 1,000 beasts of Babylon on Caconophtili's plane,
with another several hundred in the service of various Babylonian deities and
great heroes.

REI; lOR Beasts of Babylon are definitely feline, and this kinship is
U I riA\) exhibited in their behavior. Like most other great cats, they are
proud, independent, sometimes lazy, and frequently a little too curious for their
own good. Most beasts exhibit little ambition, and so have no great tendency to
Beast of Babylon 27

advance in abilities. They enjoy their creature comforts, and with their human
level of intelligence they know how to go about gaining and maintaining them.
They love to reside in the mountainous regions of Caconophtili's plane. In
fact, the deity is currently modifying the topography of his plane to create more
of the high, arid peaks that the creatures prefer.
On his plane, Caconophtili has a great zoo in which he keeps specimens of
monsters and beasts from all corners of the universe. One of virtually any non-
unique creature in the game world might be found here. Caconophtili tirelessly
seeks out new additions to his menagerie. He then brings selected beasts of
Babylon to the zoo so they can study the creatures. After such study, they can
use their shapechanging abilities to take on the forms and attributes of these
wondrous beasts.
The beasts of Babylon are loyal to Caconophtili, but mainly out of enlight-
ened self-interest. He gives them things they could not obtain for themselves,
and they consider the duties he requires of them a reasonable price to pay for
their continued comfort.
Although they can sometimes be driven into killing rages, beasts of Babylon
are usually fairly even-tempered as long as they are treated with the respect
they believe they deserve. Because of their background, they hate Marduk with
an undying passion, and this hatred is transferred to anyone who carries his
symbol or who professes devotion to him. They will attack such people on
sight. Perhaps surprisingly, they have no animosity toward other deities who
are allied with Marduk, such as Anu and Enlil.
In their natural form, beasts of Babylon move by running or flying, although
they do neither overly fast because of their great mass. If speed is necessary, or
if they must use another mode of transportation, they simply shapechange into
a creature or combination of creatures with the requisite abilities.

(.lomB"
L
m In their natural form, beasts of Babylon attack with their great
V\ I foreclaws and their jaws. Because of their size, the damage in-
flicted is massive. When she created Meanigre and Sortuthra, Tiamat hardened
and sharpened their claws and fangs using primal energy so that they would be
able to pierce any matter that was not also primally reinforced. This benefit has
not bred completely true, but Meanigre's offspring have claws and teeth with
the resilience and sharpness of honed diamonds. Again, if enhanced combat
abilities become necessary, the creatures will shape change into an appropriate
form or combination of forms.
The skin of a beast of Babylon is even more long-lasting than the sandstone
it resembles. Cutting and thrusting weapons do little damage, and have a
disturbing tendency to shatter on impact. Blunt implements do normal damage,
although their huge size means that beasts of Babylon can take a lot of damage
before dying. As with offensive abilities, Beasts can use their shapechange ability
to gain any special mode of defense that seems particularly appropriate.

~PECI"V\LJr £r\"BlrlmIE~
U
Beasts of Babylon have an uncanny ability to
LJ I v shape change. Unlike most other shapeshifters,
they can change into multiple forms Simultaneously, taking on the attributes of
several other creatures at once. For example, before entering combat, a beast of
Babylon could take on the hardened skin of a Numedian lion, a dragon's scales,
a unicorn's horn, and the petrifying eyes of a medusa. They can exercise this
ability at will, with no limit on the number of changes they make or the duration
they can maintain a particular form. Any change takes one combat exchange,
although they are able to move and fight without hindrance during the change.
28 Pawns: The Opening Move
There are only two restrictions on this ability. The first is that they can only
assume the form of a creature they have seen and studied for a few minutes;
Caconophtili invites the creatures to his zoo mainly to expand their repertoire of
attributes. The second is that any part of the beast's body, or any characteristic,
can only take on the shape and attributes of one other creature. Thus, if it takes
on the petrifying breath of a gorgon it cannot also take on a dragon's breath
weapon.
Beasts of Babylon also have the ability to place themselves into a state of
suspended animation. In this condition, they have no need for food, water, or
even air. They have become, for all intents and purposes, sandstone statues.
While the creatures are not truly conscious in this condition, they do have a
subconscious awareness of their environment. Should they be threatened in
some way, or if something they consider important happens nearby, they can
wake up instantly. Beasts of Babylon can remain in suspended animation for
years, decades, or even centuries.

And so, through his arcane

powers, did the great wizard Nabu
constrain to his services the two
great beasts of Babylon.
When he built his palace on
the high hill overlooking the city,
Nabu constructed two statues of
finest sandstone, in the form and
likeness of the beasts. On the night
of the new moon, when the stone-
masons had departed and there
was none to see, he removed the
statues, rendering them as dust.
And then he called to him the
beasts, and positioned them where
the statues had been, saying to
them, "Here ye shall rest until
I have need of ye." And so the
beasts did as their master instruct-
ed them.
For two score years they rested
there, and none thought them any-
thing but the great statues Nabu
had commissioned.
And then it came to pass that
King Vizaar II, the most mighty,
started his search for a court wiz-
ard. And Nabu went before the
king, saying, "I am the greatest
wizard that is or ever has been."
But the king laughed in his face
and sent him forth with great hu-
miliation.
Nabu went to his beasts, and
said unto them, "Go forth to King
Vizaar, with these words: 'Thou
shalt accept Nabu as thy court wiz-
ard, 0 King, or thou shalt surely
die this night.' " With screams most
fearsome, the beasts began their
flight.
From The Epic of Nabu
Bordeck 29

BORDECK
Power Level . . . . 7 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . .. Legendary-a
Strength . . . .. 55 Melee Weapon Combat Skill
Health 55 Professional (Legendary-8 with all forms of axe)
Reaction . . . . . 30 Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . .. Novice to Veteran
Intelligence . . . 30 Damage Rank
Destiny 35 Physical
Presence . . . . . 40 Claws-35 (2X); Bite-30 (IX); Great Axe-35 (gx)
Willpower . . . . 50 Special Abilities nla
Size . . .. 2.25 yds Defense Strength 50 or more
Aptitudes
Speed Magical Aptitude Legendary-z
Walk 4 yds/s; Fly Mentalic Aptitude ; . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla
20 yds/s Primal Cost
To Create ...........;.......... 2,500 base
To Maintain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 flux

"PPE"£r\lD\£r\"NCE Bordecks
Lr\
are relatives of devilkind, and their appear-
ance bespeaks this kinship. They resemble humanoid
reptiles, standing between 6 and 7 feet tall at the shoulder, and weighing well
over 400 pounds. Although reptilian, they are not draconic, being closer in
appearance to hideously distorted iguanas. They usually walk on their hind
legs, but sometimes drop to all fours. Wings, relatively small for their body size,
sprout from their shoulders. Fully extended, these wings have a span of about
6 feet.
The beasts are covered in translucent scales, bright red in color. If an
observer is unfortunate enough to get very close to a bordeck, he or she might
notice before dying that the beast has twelve layers of scales, one atop another.
The scales are very resilient.
The creature's teeth and claws resemble black obsidian, while the mane of
hair that extends from the creature's head down its spine is also night-black.
The bordeck's small wings are translucent red with prominent green veins. The
eyes of a bordeck look like infinitely deep black voids, studded with tiny stars.
Although much smaller than many other minions, bordecks radiate a sense
of incredible wickedness and ferocity. Their movements seem to imply unbe-
lievable power barely kept in check. When they speak, their voices are harsh
and grating, totally inhuman, and within a 25- foot radius the temperature drops
by 40 OF as though their words were chilling the air.

ORIGIN li
0_ B "C'}GDOUND
£r\ 1\ 1 \:
Bordecks were created by Naamon, a
Prince of Hell, and have served as his
personal guards and overseers of his empire for some 2,000 years. Originally
created to be the highest-ranking generals in the armies of Hell, bordecks are
known for their tactical brilliance. It is said that Naamon himself spent over 100
years training them in personal combat and the art of war. After the Planereaver
Wars between Naamon and rival deities of the nether planes, the Prince of
Hell assigned half of them to be his personal bodyguards, while the other half
assumed various positions of power in his organization.
Naamon created only 12 of the powerful creatures, and all are still alive.
Six accompany Naamon at all times. The others can be found performing
their various duties throughout the planes of Hell, or possibly "on assignment"
elsewhere in the multiverse.
30 Pawns: The Opening Move

BE J; IH
IcJ(/\ V
110R Bordecks are excepti~nal!y s~v~gean~ high-
ly corrupt. They enjoy Inflicting pam and
suffering, and take great pleasure from wanton destruction.
Like so many other denizens of Hell, they love leading others
to their destruction. Their great intelligence is tailor-made for
deceit of epic proportions, and they will frequently orchestrate
matters so their victims will cause their own downfalls, while
the bordecks sit on the sidelines and laugh. As the creations of
Naamon, they are bound to his will and will do nothing to defy
him. They will leap at the chance to make things miserable
for anyone else, however, as long as doing so does not com-
promise Naamon's interests in the slightest. They are sadistic,
cunning, and ruthless, and will never turn aside from a goal
or a victim once they have decided to pursue it.
Although they no longer hold commissions as generals
of the armies of Hell, bordecks still command great respect
among the lesser devils and soldiers of the nether planes. This
~ means they can call upon devils of lesser rank in time of need,
_l and expect steady service-not through any personal loyalty,
of course, but solely out of fear. Bordecks appreciate their
own skill level when it comes to personal combat, however,
and will usually be too proud to call for help unless massively
outnumbered.
The six bordecks who do not serve Naamon as person-
al bodyguards can be found virtually anywhere in the nether
planes, overseeing their creator's far-flung holdings. Occa-
sionally, Naamon sends them forth from Hell on missions,
usually to wreak destruction on some enemy. He has been
known to loan the creatures out to other high-ranking devils,
but only for brief periods, and in return for ludicrous fees.
Bordecks can fly for short distances, up to about 10 miles,
although they do not like to do so because of the exertion
involved; their wings are just too small to be efficient. If they
have to fly, they prefer to do so magically. They can also
teleport without error, planeshift, and dimension shift once
. each per day.

(lomB"
L
m In melee, bordecks strike with their four claws
(/\ I and can bite, although they rarely do so. Their
claws and teeth secrete death wine, a devilish, primal-based
venom that nullifies all normal poison resistance. Anyone
affected by this poison must make a destiny roll at -25% or die
instantly. A successful destiny roll means the victim is only
totally paralyzed for 1-6 days. This paralysis can be removed
only through the application of primal energy.
Although their natural attacks are lethal, bordecks prefer
to use their characteristic weapon, a primally hardened and
sharpened great war axe created for each of the beasts by
Naamon himself. This axe can be wielded only by the bordeck
upon which it was bestowed; in anyone else's hands, it is a
mundane weapon. All successful attacks with the axe bypass
all armors, shields, and barriers that are not primally powered.
A bordeck's axe has a power rating of 82. Bordecks jealously
guard their axes, since they know that if they lose the weapons
Bordeck 31

they will never receive others. Also, the creature's soul is stored within the axe
head, giving it another reason to keep it from harm.
Bordecks are immune to mentalic attacks, to drains of any kind, to heat,
radiation, and control or influence magic and attacks. This immunity has a
power rating of 90. Since their souls are stored within their axes, no soul-based
attack can harm them; the only way to harm a bordeck's soul is to destroy its
axe.

<:;!PECI"Lr\Llr V\
U
"BlrlmIE<:;!
L1 I
Any creature looki~g into the eyes of a bordeck
u must make a destmy roll at a penalty or
-25%
be totally overcome with awe and terror. Even if the creature makes the roll, so
terrifying is the aspect of the bordeck's eyes that all of the victim's skills and
attributes are effectively halved (round fractions down) for the next hour. This
is a primally based ability; magic resistance, mental shields, and the like are
ineffective against it. This ability has a power rating of 70.

"To the best of my knowledge,

no mortal has ever fought a bor-
deck and lived to tell the tale. It is
certain that nobody has ever de-
stroyed one.
"I have been told that the crea-
tures feel great kinship, each for
the other. If one were ever slain,
two more would seek down the
killer and destroy him. And aye,
his destruction would be assured,
since who could face two bordecks?
"There are legends that a great
hero-I know not her name-
managed to steal the axe of a bor-
deck. She hoped to analyze it, to
learn how the bordecks were creat-
ed. She never had the chance. All of
the bordecks-all twelve of them-
left the nether planes in a hideous
group, hunted the hero down, and
destroyed her."
From a conversation with Talin
Demonbane
32 Pawns: The Opening Move

Cgt\yt\ffil
(chai- YAH-mee) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill Legendary-l
Power Level 5 Melee Weapon Combat Skill nla
Missile Weapon Combat Skill nla
Strength . . . . . 35 Damage Rank
Health 25 Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Fist-20 (2X each)
Reaction . . . .. 15 Special Abilities Acid-35 (2X)
Intelligence . .. 10 Defense Strength 25
Destiny. . . . . . 20 Aptitudes
Presence . . . 15 Magical Aptitude ....... nla
Willpower . . 20 Mentalic Aptitude ... nla
Size . . . . .. 3 yds Primal Cost
To Create . ... nla
Speed 4 ydsls To Maintain . . nla

"PPE"R"NCE Amatter
£r\
chayami resembles a ~uge ~ass of rottin~ vegetable
(,r\ (,r\ somehow consohdated mto humanoid form. It
stands over nine feet tall and the creature's limbs are long in proportion to its
height, giving it an extensive reach. In color it is mottled dark green and black.
Its two eyes glow with a sullen red light, and its protruding fangs drip with black
venom.
Not surprisingly, the creatures always smell of rotting vegetation. They make
damp, squelching noises when they move, and leave trails of foul-reeking liquid.
When in combat, they bellow with rage.

ORIGIN 0.
If
B "CLJGDOUND
(,r\r\ 1,\
Chayamis aros~ naturally, evol~ng as
predatory, carmvorous hunters m the
marshes and fens of a far-distant plane. As often occurs when a creature is at
the top of the food chain with no natural enemies, intelligence developed, and
the chayamis evolved a society.
At first, this society was baneful and aggressive, destroying or dominating
all other life-forms in the planar swamps. Slowly, however, this society itself
evolved, to the point where the chayamis realized that all life-forms were, in
some deep sense, kin. Over millennia of development, the chayamis changed
from aggressive reavers to defenders of their swamp home's ecology. The
creatures remained highly aggressive, but now that tendency was focused only
on outsiders, interlopers who threatened the delicate balance of life.
Soon thereafter, the chayamis came to the attention of Ecothne, patron
Goddess of Natural Balance. Although the chayamis did not worship Ecothne-
they worshipped no deities at all at the time-the goddess decided that their
goals and beliefs matched her own. Already the chayamis had repelled an
invasion by a rapacious species known as life-drinkers, who wished to turn the
planar marshes into their own hunting preserve. As a reward for their opposition
to these reavers, Ecothne elevated the chayamis to the rank of minions. As part
of this elevation, she bestowed upon them their ability to sense and modify the
flow of magical energy. At first the chayamis were unwilling to accept that a
deity, whose existence they implicitly doubted, had given them this boon. With
time, however, they accepted the truth of the matter and became loyal followers
of Ecothne.
Chayamis still inhabit their single, vast swamp and strive to protect it and
keep it in its natural state. They are highly territorial and aggressive toward
anyone who encroaches on their home. If they decide that an intruder seeks to
Chayami 33

harm their home, all the chayamis in the vicinity will attack aggressively to drive
off or destroy the interloper. There are several hundred chayamis in existence.
Their swamp is so large, however, and the creatures so spread out that it is rare
to encounter more than eight or so at one time.
Chayamis will never willingly leave their swamp. From time to time, deities
will summon chayamis or transport them elsewhere on quests or missions. This
happens very rarely, however.
A chayami has the innate ability to sense any activity that is out of the
ordinary for the swamp, within a range of one mile. This includes the arrival of
intruders.
In addition to walking, chayamis can teleport, at will and without error,
anywhere within their home swamp.

G
34 Pawns: The Opening Move

(lOffiR "m In combat, chayamis strike with their two fists. Chayamis se-
L U£r\ I crete a powerful molecular acid that breaks down any matter
on contact unless the matter is primally reinforced. This acid will also kill any
creature the chayami touches-or that touches the chayami-unless the vic-
tim makes a successful resistance roll. Note that creatures using natural attack
forms against a chayami, such as claws or fangs, risk killing themselves if the
attack hits. This ability has a Power Rating of 65.

~PE()I"
tJ
r "RlrlmIE<::! Chayamis
L £r\Ll £r\U Ll I
exude an aura that perverts the in-
tention of any magic that occurs within
t) feet 30
of them. This ability is innate and automatic; a chayami cannot negate it even
if it wants to. The primary function of this aura is to prevent any magical spell
from harming the chayami. Generally, any magical event will be twisted so it
has the opposite effect from what the user intended. The possibilities here are
limited only by your imagination. An enchanted broadsword might function as
though cursed when wielded against a chayami. A magical fireball might deto-
nate in the caster's face, or might heal damage already inflicted on the chayami.
Since it is the intent of the magic, not just the mechanism itself, that is pervert-
ed, casting healing magic on a chayami in the hopes that this will damage the
creature will not work. This ability has a Power Rating of 80.
In general, you should pervert magic in subtle ways, so that it does not
become immediately apparent to the players just what is happening. This can
make an encounter with a chayami highly entertaining as the players try to
figure out just what is going on.

The rulers of the chayamis

are even more powerful than
their kindred. Mana-twisters they
are called by many, or magic-
wrenchers.
Larger than their kindred they
are, and much stronger. The touch
as
of a magic- wrencher is death, is
their breath and the miasma that
exudes from their very bodies.
Only physical attacks can
harm a magic-wrencher. Any form
of energy directed at one is reflect-
ed upon the wielder.
So say the legends.
Jaime Resal, Bestiary
 Corliss 35

eORDl55
Power Level . . . . 6 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Master
Strength . . . . . 30 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Legendary-2
Health . . . . . . 40 Missile Weapon Combat Skill. . . . . . .. Legendary-s
Reaction . . . . . 30 Damage Rank
Intelligence . .. 2S Physical .. By weapon type (5X) (plus Strength bonus)
Destiny. . . . . . 25 Special Abilities nl a
Presence. 10 to 20 Defense Strength Varies (average 40)
Willpower . . . . 50 Aptitudes
Size . . . . .. 2 yds Magical Aptitude nla
MentalicAptitude nla
Speed .... 8 ydsls Primal Cost
To Create . nla
To Maintain nla

"PPE"V\lD\V\"NCE T~e
£r\
Corli~sa is the col.lecti:e. name for "" association of
highly trained and paid nuruon assassins. A member of
the Corlissa is known as a Corliss. Individual Corliss appear as humans or as
members of any humanoid race, of either sex. In terms of height, weight, eye
and hair color, and so on, their appearances vary as do all mortal members of
those races. There is absolutely nothing distinctive about the appearance of a
Corliss-no aura of power, or anything similar.
Many people try to claim that one can tell a Corliss by the cold, "soulless"
look in his or her eyes, but this is just a vain attempt to diminish the fearful
reputation of the assassins.

ORIGIN fl.
If
B "C'.lGDOUND
V\ r\ 1 \: .
When they were alive, the Corliss were
all highly skilled assassins, and devoted
worshipers ofTopaal, a lesser deity known as the Assassin Lord. The first Corliss
was a woman named Yoladra, the so-called "Mother of Assassins," who operated
out of the city of Hightower in the Central Planes. Her stellar career came to an
end when some Hightower lordling sent her to eliminate an enemy who turned
out to be, unbeknownst to both the lordling and Yoladra herself, the avatar of
a deity of justice. The outcome of the meeting was as painful for Yoladra as
it was brief. With her dying breath, she begged Topaal to give her the chance
for vengeance. This seemed like a good idea at the time, and the Assassin Lord
collected her soul and raised her to minion status. Over the next few years, she
performed over a dozen unattributable assassinations for Topaal. At the end of
this period, he finally granted her freedom to assassinate the avatar who had
ended her mortal life, which she did with astounding competence and great
glee.
Seeing how useful a skillful minion assassin could actually be, Topaal
scoured the planes for the best assassins among his worshipers. When these
worthies died, he raised them to minion status as well, and formed them into
a cadre of immortal death-dealers under the command of Yoladra. Thus the
Corlissa was born.
The Corliss exist only to take life. Topaal initially sent them forth only after
his personal enemies. But then, after he had received several surreptitious
requests from other deities for the loan of their services, he decided that they
could have other uses.
Today, the services of the Corlissa are used-secretly, of course-by a large
number of malevolent deities, and even by those mortals wealthy enough to pay
36 Pawns: The Opening Move

their fees. Nobody knows exactly how many Corliss there are, although there
are probably no more than 110 and no fewer than 80.

"\)IOR Elevation to minion status has done little to change the per-
BE h
kJlr\ sonalities of the Corliss. They are now as they were in life-
cold, efficient, and utterly ruthless killers. Some seem to feel loyalty toward
Yoladra and their colleagues, but most could not care less what happens to the
other Corliss. They support their colleagues, aid them when necessary, and
keep their secrets merely because they recognize that in numbers lies strength.
They are still as devoted to the Assassin Lord as they were in life, if not more so.
The personalities, temperaments, and eccentricities of Corliss vary as
much as do those of mortals. There are some recurrent characteristics, of
course. All Corliss are exceptionally patient, are highly skilled with all forms of
weapons, and are masters at the art of disguise. They are also unrivalled "social
chameleons," able to worm their way into any social group or organization, and
be accepted-and even liked-by everyone they meet.
One of the precepts of the Corlissa is total secrecy. Once he has agreed to a
deal, Topaal guarantees total secrecy for the person who wants an assassination
performed. This extends to the Corliss themselves. Many times the Corliss sent
on a job does not know who contracted for his or her services, or why. Even
if the individual Corliss does know, it is considered unacceptable to reveal the
fact to anyone, even a colleague. Speculation as to the identity of the person
requiring the "hit" is not acceptable.
Corliss are inhumanly patient when it comes to setting up an assassination.
If circumstances require it, they will spend years infiltrating the target's court,
family, or other group, just to set the stage for the final strike. To earn a victim's
trust they will laugh and sing, tell tales of war and love, even marry-whatever
is required to get close enough to make the kill.
Corliss who fail assassination attempts immediately take their own lives in
the most expedient fashion, to guarantee that they cannot be interrogated. The
tiaras of the black dagger they wear guarantee that their souls go directly to
Topaal, who usually creates new bodies for them if he feels like giving them
another chance.
Corliss can be found on any plane of existence, if they can be found at all.
Corliss 37

()OffiB" ffi When setting up an assassination, Corliss are unarmed and

L V\ 1 unarmored. The only exception is when they are playing some
role, and that role requires weapons and armor. When the actual moment
for the assassination comes, Topaal gates primally reinforced weapons in to
them. These black weapons are unaffected by magic, mentalics, planar, or
other energies. Only a primal shield can block a Corliss's weapon. Normally a
Corliss will attack with surprise, often from behind his or her victim. If surprise
is maintained, such an attack automatically causes maximum damage, all of
which is grievous.
There are two specific, artifact-rated weapons that Topaal supplies to Corliss
performing the most important and difficult assassinations. One is a crossbow
firing bolts that always strike their targets. The other is a sword that also always
strikes its target, always does grievous damage, and has a damage rank of 30.
Both these items have power ratings of 85. If you are adjudicating the success
of an assassination "off-stage" (see below), possession of either item increases
a Corliss's chance of successful assassination by 55%.
Corliss are sometimes supplied with armor as well, although this is rare. The
armor that Topaal provides is always black, and always totally silent. Sometimes
it is primally reinforced. This armor is ornate in design, incorporating an
incredible sense of menace. When wearing this armor-and only then-Corliss
are very obviously much more than human.
When he or she strikes, a Corliss will always carry at least one artifact capable
of capturing the soul of the assassin's victim. The nature and power rating of
this item will vary depending on the circumstances.
"So you want someone killed?
c:!pE(lI" f. "BlflffiIE<:;! You may want to .adj~dicate the success or fail-
V \.. V\LJ (r\ LJ 1 U ure of an assassination attempt "off-stage"-
And you want to hire a Corliss?
Yeah, sure. You're rich, but not that
that is, without roleplaying it out. A Corliss has a base 80% chance of succeeding. rich ...
This is increased by 19% if the target is a mortal, and decreased by spossess- "Hmmm, that things real,
huh? Maybe you are rich enough.
es. Other modifiers to take into account are surprise, terrain, subterfuge, and Maybe.
infiltration, and the effectiveness of the Corliss's weapons against the target's "But trying to cut a deal with
defenses. Topaal is risky. Youve heard he
When they actually make their attempts, all Corliss wear artifacts called keeps the identity of anyone he
Tiaras of the Black Dagger. These are slender bands of an unknown black alloy, contracts with inviolably secret. .
. but thats only if the contract is
in the shape of extended daggers, that the assassins wear around their brows. A accepted. By both sides.
tiara shields the Corliss with a magical neutralization field, and protects him or "What am Italkingabout? Lis-
her completely against mental attacks, tampering or coercion. While wearing a ten. Lets say you get Topaal to lis-
tiara, a Corliss can become primally invisible at will. The artifact has a power ten to you. You tell him who you
rating of 88. Upon the death of the Corliss, the tiara transfers his or her soul want to bump off. . .
"Hey, hey, put that away, I
directly to Topaal, and causes the assassin's body to burst into flames, to be dont want to know.
totally consumed in one combat exchange. 'flnyway, you tell the Assas-
sin Lord. He names a price. And
its much more than you want to
pay, or youre capable of paying.
The deal never gets closed, see? So
Topaal doesn'tfeel any necessity to
keep your secret.
"Yeah, I can tell from your
expression you see what I'm get-
ting at. What happens to you if
word gets out-to the guyyou want
done, say-that you were trying to
hire the Corlissa?
"Uh-huh. Nasty ain't a strong
enough word. . . "
Overheard in a crowded inn
38 Pawns: The Opening Move

DOGO~WAR
Power Level . . . . 2 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Veteran
Strength . .. 15-20 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Professional
Health 20 Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . .. Novice
Reaction . . . . . 20 Damage Rank
Intelligence. 10-15 Physical
Destiny. . .. 11-20 Claw-20 (IX each); Bite-20 (IX) or by weapon type
Presence . . . . . 20 (IX) (plus Strength bonus)
Willpower . . . . 25 Special Abilities nt a
Size . . . .. 2.5 yds Defense Strength 15
Aptitudes
Speed .... 6 ydsts Magical Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nt a
Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nt a
Primal Cost
To Create 2 base
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 2 flux

"PPE(r\"R"N(lE
(r\
Dogs of War have bodies like sturdily built humanoids
(r\ \..... standing between six and eight feet tall. Their limbs a
slightly shorter in proportion to their height than are humans', and their legs
are slightly bowed. Their heads resemble a cross between human and huge dog,
with a protruding snout and erect ears like a German shepherd's. Their eyes
are small, protected by protruding ridges of bone. They have many sharp teeth,
with short fangs on both upper and lower jaws. When their mouths are closed,
their fangs do not protrude, but do distend their black lips. Their entire bodies
are covered with short, stiff fur, usually dark gray, although older individuals
have gray or white around the muzzle. Around the neck and head they have
shaggy manes of longer hair, darker than the rest of their pelt. Even though at
a distance they resemble primitive humanoids, there is something disturbingly
intelligent about their eyes; they seem to emanate an aura of violence orders of
magnitude more intense than even the fiercest normal humanoid.
They exude a strong, unpleasant smell reminiscent of wet dog fur but much
more piercing, even when dry. They speak a harsh, guttural language that
matches their air of viciousness. This language is limited in extent, but when
dealing with important issues such as combat tactics and killing conveys infor-
mation more efficiently than most human tongues.

ORIGIN If0_ B" (l')GD'OUND

(r\\.....f\ I \:
The Dogs of War were created long ago
by Lord Dread, one of the Lords of En-
tropy, a group of gods dedicated to destruction and to swaying the cosmic
balance toward disorder. Lord Dread decided he needed powerful "foot sol-
diers" to fill out his battle host for his ongoing wars against the followers of
order. The deity had already created many more powerful minions, and was
forced to be more parsimonious in his use of primal. Thus he turned to genetics
and magic to assist him in creating the Dogs of War. Although largely natural
creatures-genetic hybrids between humanoids and canine species-the initial
Dogs gained certain supernatural abilities due to the infusion of some primal
energy. These primally created attributes breed true, so all offspring of the
original Dogs enjoy these advantages as well.
While Lord Dread created only a few score of these savage creatures, they
breed so prolifically that there are now on the order of one million of them.
Dog of War 39

110R Dogs of War are soldiers, first and foremost-born killers with
BE h In
IcJ£r\ V an innate love of battle. They are extremely bloodthirsty and
savage, and are only truly happy when in the middle of a battle-preferably one
in which they are slaughtering their foes.
They have a pack mentality, preferring to be surrounded by others of their
kind at all times. They can operate alone when need arises, but they prefer
not to do so. Their basic organization is the war band, numbering about 40
individuals. The band leader is the strongest warrior, achieving and holding
his or her position through personal combat. The creatures' traditions specify
that leadership challenges should not be to the death, but when they taste the
blood of their own kind Dogs of War frequently fly into a fury, ended only when
one of the combatants is killed. Even though fights to the death are against the
traditions, this does not seem to worry then much, which is a telling statement
about their personality. There is no sexual discrimination in a war band; males
fight alongside females, and the band leader can be of either sex.
In Lord Dread's army, multiple war bands are banded together into legions
numbering thousands of Dogs. Dogs' loyalties are, first and foremost, to their
40 Pawns: The Opening Move
bands, then to Lord Dread, and only thirdly to other members of their race.
Thus, unless Lord Dread or one of his more powerful minions keeps the Dogs
suitably intimidated, large military formations often break down into Dog-eat-
Dog melees. When the correct "top-down" discipline is in place, some of the
band leaders are forced to work together and coordinate their efforts as a kind
of "officer corps."
Dogs of War feel a kind of harsh respect for other warlike races. They
most enjoy battles that pit them against adversaries they consider "worthy"-
meaning as bloodthirsty as themselves. The greatest honor they can give to
a fallen adversary is to eat him or her. Dogs hate peace-loving and peace-
promoting creatures, considering them weaklings and traitors to "reality:' If they
encounter such creatures, they will kill them on sight, even if there is no military
reason to do so, revelling in the slaughter. Once the pacifists are killed, the Dogs
will despoil the corpses. They will never eat the corpses of noncombatants,
foes who tried to flee from battle, or vegetarians. Lord Dread cares little what
happens to individual Dogs, as long as he has enough of the creatures to keep his
hosts up to strength. There are many bands of Dogs wandering distant planes
of existence, unable to return home-left behind when Lord Dread neglected
to planeshift them back after an invasion. Most of these bands simply rampage
through the lands, killing and destroying until they are cut down. Some of the
more intelligent individuals, however, have found members of other races they
can respect, and have even signed on as mercenaries in various baneful causes.
Dogs of War cannot teleport, planeshift, or dimension shift. If Lord Dread
wants them on another plane of existence, he or one of his more powerful
minions must transport them there. While most of the Dogs can be found
quartered on Lord Dread's home plane, the deity sometimes dispatches bands
to other locations-usually to tear up something important to one of the gods
of Order.

(lO
L m B" m Dogs of War almost always wear armor when in the field. They
(r\ I usually are equipped with the more sophisticated forms of ar-
mor, such as plate mail, and perhaps 50% of the troops will have enchanted
armor. Dogs can use any weapon without an unfamiliarity penalty, and will
be equipped with the most appropriate weapons mix for the task at hand (i.e.,
pole arms for dealing with cavalry, bludgeoning weapons for use against ar-
mored foot-soldiers, and so on). The minions love weapons, and will spend
"It has long been said that the much of their spare time sharpening and lovingly caring for them.
Dogs of War-the Great Slayers, The "officer corps" of a military unit will usually be outfitted with large
in our tongue-are harbingers of shields. The powerful Dogs can slam these shields into opponents, knocking
doom for any world. It is said that
when Lord Dread is casting ac- them off their feet unless they make dexterity rolls, and perhaps stunning them
quisitive eyes on new territory, he unless they make a destiny roll. Band leaders usually carry great war maces that
first sends the Great Slayers to test inflict terrible damage; any head strike from one of these weapons is a grievous
the defenses. They make quick hit- hit.
and-run raids, then deeper pene-
trations and border skirmishes.
"While bad enough, these are
only preludes. Once the Great Slay-
ers have tested the mettle of the de-
fenders, Lord Dreads hosts move
in.
"Why does all this matter? Be-
cause Great Slayers have been en-
countered on theborders of our na-
tion ... "
From a conversation with Darayl
Rethiada
Elemar 41

E~EmAR
(ELL-em-ahr) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Master
Power Level 6 Melee Weapon Combat Skill nla
Missile Weapon Combat Skill nla
Strength . . . .. 45 Damage Rank
Health 50 Physical Arm-30 (ax each)
Reaction . . .. iot Special Abilities
Intelligence . .. 0 Fire Beam=so (ix): Water Blast-25 (ix): Spatial
Destiny 10 Disruption Field-35 (ix)
Presence . . . . . 20 Defense Strength 40
Willpower . . . . 20 Aptitudes
Size. . .. 4 yds MagicalAptitude . .. nla
Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nl a
Speed. 34 ydsls Primal Cost
To Create . 5 base
tFor dodging and defense. To Maintain. . . . . . . . 4 flux
For attacks using its arms,
the creature's reaction is
25.

"PPE£.r\"R"N()E
Lr\
An elemar is an amalgamation of the four types of ele-
£.r\ \.... mental energy: air, water, fire, and earth. The creature
is roughly humanoid in shape, standing about 12 feet high. Its legs appear as
small whirlwinds, frequently with small chunks of debris that the cyclones have
picked up. Its torso is a swirling mass of acidic liquid, its head is blue fire, and
its arms are composed of black quartz.
Elemars move on a cushion of air generated by the rotation of their lower
bodies, which accounts for their great speed. They usually appear to be hovering
several inches above the ground.
The twin whirlwinds supporting the creature emit a continuous howl, and
the flame that is its head crackles and hisses evilly. Elemars are surrounded by
the sharp smell of sulfur. They emanate an sense of overwhelming, unstoppable
power, on a par with a hurricane or earthquake.
Elemars cannot speak. They communicate among their own kind using
a form of telepathy=actually telempathy, since they are unintelligent. They
cannot use this ability to communicate with any other race.

ORIGIN V0. B"£.r\\....()')GDOUND

1\ I \
The elemars were created b~ Elar, G.od
of Elemental Paradox, as mmdless m-
struments of death and destruction. They serve Elar loyally and unto death,
operating as guardians, shock troops, and assassins.
There are thought to be about 500 of the creatures in the multiverse. The
vast majority of these, 90% or so, are in direct service of Elar and can be found on
Elar's home plane or wandering the various elemental concept planes. Some
are found on the home planes of deities with whom Elar is currently at war,
wreaking death and destruction. A few others can be found literally anywhere
in the multiverse, serving the sometimes unpredictable interests of their creator.
Certain powerful mages have, at Elar's sufferance, learned how to summon
and bind these mindless killers; such mages use them as bodyguards, or occa-
sionallyas "hit-beasts." As their creator, Elar is aware of the whereabouts and
actions of all elemars in the universe, including those summoned by mages;
he seldom interferes, however, unless he believes a mage's intentions will go
against his interests or he needs the summoned elemar himself. In such cases,
42 Pawns: The Opening Move
either the summoning or the binding will fail, often with disastrous results in
the latter circumstance, or Elar will take direct action against the mage.
Only Elar himself knows how to create an elemar. Each elemar is actually
composed of four free-willed elementals, one of each type, that are magically
merged into one creature, after which their intelligences are suppressed. This
merge takes one hour, and is sealed by the expenditure of one point of primal
base. Elar powers the elemars by drawing primal flux from his Plane of Elemental
Paradox and converting it into magic, which he keeps in a special reservoir from
which the creatures can draw. Each elemar generally consumes as much magical
energy per day as a mage of legendary 2 rank.

BE 'IOR
h IH
IcJ£r\ V
Mindless servitors, elemars follow the direct orders of Elar, or
others to whom he has given the authority to issue such orders.
Mages capable of summoning the creatures can also command them, but only
on the sufferance of Elar. Orders to elemars must be simple and straightforward;
they lack the intelligence to understand complex orders or to apply any type of
judgment. They will blindly follow any orders they receive, to the best of their
understanding, until the required duty is discharged, the order is rescinded, or

t,

• I
7,
I
·r(

J
Elemar 43
they are destroyed. When they are not under orders, they wander the elemental
planes, attacking any living being that crosses their path.

(lomB" m
L
Elemars are exceptionally lethal in combat, which is only logical
£r\ I considering their purpose. Each of their four elemental parts
can attack independently, as described below. An elemar can use any or all
of these attacks in a single combat exchange, targeting the same creature or
multiple foes.
An elemar can attack physically with its arms. When it does so, they begin
to spin, whirling like helicopter rotors of black quartz. The path of the arms
frequently seems to defy logic. This is because the creature can manipulate
space to move its arms in exactly the way it wants. Sometimes the arms even
seem to separate from the creature's torso. When this happens, the center of the
arc of each whirling arm can be up to ten feet away from the creature's actual
position. The arms can spin in any way the creature desires-horizontally,
vertically or anywhere in between-and can change their orientation instantly,
disregarding the normal laws of inertia.
The creature's head can spew forth a beam of fire 80 feet long, inflicting
damage of rank 30. This attack is composed of normal fire gated from the Plane
of Elemental Paradox, not magical fire, so magic resistance offers no protection.
Magical items and spells that protect against normal fire are effective, however.
The elemar's torso can spew forth a blast of pressurized water, also gated in
from the Elemental Paradox plane. The blast is 80 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 4
feet tall, and strikes with an impact inflicting damage of rank 25. In addition,
any airbreathing creature struck by this blast must make a resistance roll or
drown from the amount of water forced into its nose and! or mouth.
Finally, the elemar's legs exude a field of spatial disruption. This field literally
tears matter apart, breaking it down to its component molecules, and extends
to a radius of 10 feet from the creature. This effect, to which elemars themselves
are immune, is physical rather than magical and so can affect creatures resistant
to magic. A primal shield would, of course, block this effect, but it would take
damage. The field inflicts damage of rank 35. Further, any creature held within
the field must make a resistance roll or be disintegrated. These abilities have a
Power Rating of 72.
Elemars are immune to any attack form based on elemental energy. Since
they are mindless, they are also immune to all attacks that target the mind or
soul.
Each of the four sections of an elemar must be "killed" separately. Only
when all four sections have been killed is the creature finally destroyed. Obvi-
ously, when a particular section is destroyed the creature loses the attack form
associated with that section. Its other abilities are unaffected, however. Any
given attack will affect only one of the four elemental parts. Unless the attack-
er targets a particular section, you should roll randomly to determine which
section is struck.

<:;!PE(JI"
V
r "BlflmIEc::! Seven times per day, ~~ elem~r can activate a~
L £r\LJ lr\ LJ I u Elemental Paradox ability. ThIS creates a phYSI-
cal warp between whatever plane the elemar is on and some random elemental
concept plane. The warp exists only for an instant, but long enough to divert an
incoming ranged attack. Any ranged attack, magical or physical, that must pass
through space before it hits the elemar can be affected. Unusual ranged attacks
that do not pass through space, such as explosives teleported instantly to the
target, are not affected. The affected attack is gated to a randomly selected
 44 Pawns: The Opening Move

elemental plane, with perhaps devastating effects on any innocent passersby

on that plane.
The elemar has the innate ability to position and time this spatial warp so
as to intercept any attack it chooses. There is no chance of error. Note that
the elemar can use this ability on only one ranged attack in a given combat
exchange. This ability has a power rating of 70.

"You aint never heard of the

'Dark Circle? Where you been?
"Theyre a group of terrorists-
real nasty buggers, I'm telling
you-dedicated to making the
land of Barriga ungovernable by
the Lorgenese who invaded last
year. Just another group of killers
wrapping themselves in fake pa-
triotism, I thought. Not much to
worry about, I thought.
"Maybe I should be worried.
Last week I heard a few things
that bothered me. The Dark Circle
worship Elar-you know Elar, that
paradox god?-thats what I hear
tell. They got some high-powered
help, like a couple of those elemar
things, as combat troops.
'i1nd then, as if that ain't
enough, some bloody mage told
me the 'Dark Circle dont come
from Barriga. Or Lorgen. Or any-
where around here. Like, they dorit
even come from this world. Don't
ask me where theyre from, but it
ain't here.
"lust what the world needs,
ain't itt'
From a conversation with Baral
Warhammer, Mercenary
Bonus 45

EOHU3
(ay-Oll-nuss) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla
Power Level . . . . 8 Melee Weapon Combat Skill nl a
MissileWeapon Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nl a
Strength . . . . . 35 Damage Rank
Health 50 Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Reaction. infinitet SpecialAbilities nl a
Intelligence . . . 50 Defense Strength 70
Destiny 60 Aptitudes
Presence . . . . . 50 MagicalAptitude Legendary-6
Willpower . . . . 55 Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Legendary-6
Size 3 yds Primal Cost
To Create 2,500 base
Speed To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 flux
Instantaneous in
local time stream
tWhen out of the time
stream, movement is 32
yds/s.

"PPE"£r\1D\£r\"N(:lE
lr\
An eonus appears as a sphere of brilliant light approxi-
'-- mately two feet in diameter. It is completely incorporeal,
appearing to be composed entirely of energy. In fact, it is not composed of en-
ergy either, but is a manifestation of a "local eddy" in the time stream. The •
intensity and color of its light varies depending on "where" it is in the time
stream with respect to the present moment. The further in the past its "center
of existence" is in the time stream, the redder its light is; the further in the future
it is, the bluer. If its center of existence is exactly in the present moment, it is
eye-searing white.
Strange "causal irregularities" occur when an eonus is in the vicinity. Effects
precede causes, events happen multiple times, and so on. These irregularities
are always very minor-simple irritations or indications that something is not
quite right-and never effect anything vital. Characters sometimes have flashes
of strong memories, sometimes of things that did not happen.

ORIGIN li0. B"£r\,--f\

(:l'}GROUNDThe eoni were created by Father Time,
"the Creator," the eldest of all the
deities. They are the oldest temporal creatures in the universe, having been
created just after the space-time continuum came into being.
Eoni are the guardians of the time streams, and are responsible for pre-
venting "time-bound" creatures-those not native to the time streams-from
entering them. They can be thought of as the "time police," whose duty it is to
stop would-be time travellers from altering the time-space continuum through
any form of temporal meddling. They are also in charge of preventing, correct-
ing' or at least containing and minimizing temporal paradoxes.
There are 24 eoni in existence.

"UIOR Eoni are native to the time stream, and leave it only when
BE
time.
h
lu£r\ summoned by a deity whose sphere of influence relates to

They are reluctant to harm intruders into the time stream, preferring to
warn them off, or drive them back into their normal continua. If intruders
46 Pawns: The Opening Move
ignore their warnings, however, they are capable of defeating
virtually any foe-up to and including most deities. For each
combat exchange that an intruder remains in the time stream,
there is an 85% chance that an eonus has detected the unau-
thorized access and is heading for that temporal location.
An eonus can travel through the time stream at a "rate" of
one decade per combat exchange. It can move freely in either
direction-into the future or into the past-at will. If it leaves
the time stream to enter a plane, it can still shift its "center of
existence" at the same rate, and can instantaneously travel to
any point within the plane.
The eoni are quite severely constrained by rules and ethics
that Father Time implemented into their very makeup. They
can no more break those prohibitions than can a falling ob-
ject break the law of gravity. If an intruder or party of in-
truders penetrates the time stream, an eonus cannot move
forward in time to view the future and determine the intrud-
er's intentions-whether it intends to attack the eonus, for
example. If the intruder does attack the eonus, or commit
some other major infraction, the creature can communicate
the information to all its fellows elsewhere in the time stream.
Then these other eoni will be prepared for their meeting with
the intruders, if one should occur, and can react accordingly.

DO B" m Eoni have the ability to manipulate time and

L m Lr\ I all forms of energy other than primal, includ-
ing planar energy. They can draw whatever form of energy
they like from whatever plane they happen to be on, or from
the time stream itself, and manipulate it in whatever way they
like. This ability allows them to emulate any magical spell or
effect; this ability mayor may not, in fact, be magical. You
should treat eoni as mages who never run out of magical en-
ergy. They can shift, alter, or stop time in their immediate
vicinity with the proficiency of a demigod with time as sphere
of influence.
Strictly speaking, an eonus can perform no more than 5
functions per combat exchange-move forward a couple of
years, fire off three spells and stop time, for example. The
eonus can render this restriction relatively meaningless, of
course, by ducking back in time by a combat exchange or two
and preparing delayed-effect spells.
Since an eonus can offset its center of existence by a few
seconds or minutes, it can easily "dodge" any attack directed at
it. This includes physical attacks, magic, mentalics, everything
except primal energy, which transcends the time barrier. Even
primally laced attacks have only a 50% chance of striking
home, and inflict only half damage should they do so. All
of the eoni's time manipulation abilities have power ratings
of go.
Bonus 47

<:;!PE()I"
tJ
r "BlrlffiIEc:! Eoni have a special power known by some sages
~ £r\LJ (r\ LJ 1 u as a time lock. This ability creates a "time bub-
ble" surrounding the creature and any group of intruders in the time stream.
This seals off access to the rest of reality, allowing nothing to enter or escape
from the bubble until the eonus wills it. In other words, the eon us' s foes cannot
escape, summon aid, or utilize any form of energy other than primal, mentalic
energy, or magic drawn from items they are carrying with them. Within the
bubble, time ceases to run. There is only one certainty about the time bubble:
when the eonus drops the bubble to allow escape, the only way out is into a
totally different game world in a matching time stream. This ability has a power
rating of 90.

"1 have met an eon us. 1 have

spoken with it. 1 never knew why
it had left the time streams, what
its purpose was on the main plane.
1 never thought to ask. There was
so much else to discuss.
"Fearsome? No, 1 never felt
that. Although an eonus is proba-
bly fearsome to one foolish enough
to oppose it. No, what 1felt was pa-
tience. Unwearying patience, and
ancient wisdom.
"Of course the eoni have no
natural enemies. Nothing preys on
the eoni. They have foes, though.
Deities who enter the time stream.
"Why? Can you imagine the
chaos, the paradoxes, even a
godling could cause? A deity in
the time stream? A hideous con-
cept.
'l1ny deities that stray into
the time stream are attacked, at
once and without warning. With-
out quarter or mercy. Ten, a dozen,
more eoni will join the attack. And
they will tell Father Time.
"Heh. Let any deity try to stand
up to Father Time. 1 would like to
see it."
From a conversation with Garth
the Curmudgeon
48 Pawns: The Opening Move

ETERNAL 3T ALKER
Power Level . . . . 4 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . Legendary-2
Strength. . .. 30t Melee Weapon Combat Skill ... Professional
Health ..... 40t Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . Professional
Reaction . . . . . 35 Damage Rank
Intelligence . . . 30 Physical . . . . . . . . . . . Varies (Natural Form 40 (3X))
Destiny 45 Special Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Presence . . .. 35t Defense Strength Variable (Natural Form 30)
Willpower . . .. 45 Aptitudes
Size ..... 2.6 yds Magical Aptitude . Professional
Mentalic Aptitude Legendary-a
Speed. .. 7 yds/st Primal Cost
To Create 100 base
tThese statistics are for
the natural form. They
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 2 flux
may vary depending on the
shape of the creature.

"PPE"R"N(lE
£r\
The eternal stalkers are natural shapeshifters, able to
It\ It\ L take on whatever form is expedient at the time. Like all
shapeshifters, they can choose the form they want and assume or change it
instantly and at will. They take on all visual, auditory, tactile and scent charac-
teristics of the form they have chosen. They gain all modes of communication
appropriate to the form they take, including specific languages.
In their natural form, eternal stalkers have a humanoid shape, standing
about eight feet tall and massing some 300 pounds. Their skin is white, smooth
and featureless with the texture of cool, flexible plastic, making the creatures
resemble large human mannequins. They have few facial or other features
in this form. Their eye sockets are covered with white skin, but their head
movements imply they can see as well with these empty sockets as a human,
if not much better. They move slowly and smoothly, with what looks like great
deliberation.
They move silently and, in fact, seem to absorb ambient sound around them.
Everything seems unnaturally hushed in the presence of an eternal stalker.

ORIGIN V0_ B"It\L('\

(l')GDOUND
1\
~he eternal stalkers were created by Al-
lisandra, Goddess of Quests, as the ul-
timate seekers, bounty hunters, "salvage experts," and-on rare occasions-
executioners. They have a range of abilities that allows them to track any item
or individual that Allisandra may desire, wherever it may be in the multiverse.
Once they have located it, their sole purpose is to deal with it in whatever
manner Allisandra deems fit: bring it to her, take it elsewhere, or destroy it.
Allisandra created an even 100 of these tireless seekers. At any given time,
most of them can be found on Alllsandra's home plane, waiting for her to send
them on a mission. The others can be encountered anywhere in the multiverse,
on the trail of whatever item or creature Allisandra has sent them after. Since
the deity's interests are wide ranging, they can be found virtually anywhere.

BEr.\ "UIOR
JcJlt\
Eternal stalkers are absolutely single- minded about their task.
They have nothing even resembling human curiosity, and
could not care less why Allisandra issues the orders she does. This does not mean
that they are blindly intent on their task, however. The creatures are intelligent-
cunning and intuitive. They observe and analyze everything they encounter
Eternal Stalker 49
during their quests, constantly aware of potential obstacles and particularly of
opportunities and shortcuts. When Allisandra sends an eternal stalker forth
on a mission, she almost never tells the creature how to go about finding the
desired target, only what to do with it once it is found. She has discovered that
the stalker, on the scene, is much better able to discern the best way to reach its
goal than she is, on her distant plane.
Eternal stalkers have certain inborn limitations on their actions. They will
weigh in the balance the justice-the "rightness"-of any course of action they
consider, and will always choose the path that is most "just." For example, if it
has been ordered to retrieve an item guarded by innocents, an eternal stalker
will not simply planeshift in, kill the guards, and carry off the item. After all,
according to the precepts of justice, those guards were not deserving of death.
Instead, the eternal stalker would devise another, more subtle and cunning way
50 Pawns: The Opening Move

of bypassing the security.

Eternal stalkers are not pacifists, and they never give up on a task. If they
meet determined resistance, they will do whatever is necessary to reach their
goal. If that means fighting their way through an entire army, they will do so-
assuming no other, more efficient course is open to them, of course. They are
persistent and relentless, endlessly patient. They are totally and fanatically loyal
to Allisandra, and so cannot be bribed or intimidated into setting aside their
goal.
Only one eternal stalker will be encountered at any given time, except on
Allisandra's home plane.
The creatures possess the speed and type of movement appropriate to the
form they have taken. They will, of course, choose a form that possesses the
mode of transportation they need at the moment. In addition, the creatures
can planeshift at will and without error.

Co mR" m Eternal stalkers generally avoid combat, since brute force is

L IlULr\ I rarely the most efficient way of achieving their goal. Even
though they have no instinct for self-preservation and no fear of death, they
recognize that their own destruction might be a serious setback to their mis-
tress's plans, and so avoid the possibility. If combat is unavoidable, however,
they are highly skilled at it, and will incapacitate opponents as efficiently as
possible. When on a mission, an eternal stalker will usually be equipped with
magical weapons of a type appropriate to the task and to the form the creature
is most likely to take. These weapons vary in power and capabilities, but are
usually near the upper end of the power spectrum. Their unarmed fighting
style resembles some forms of human martial arts, concentrating on one- blow
disarms, knock-outs, and kills.
Their ultra-cognitive abilities (see below) allow them a 35% chance of sensing
what attack a foe will use next, letting them dodge it without harm to themselves.
On their quests, [ believe that
eternal stalkers have access to all
This ability applies to melee, missile, or direct spell attacks only, and has a power
the information that their mistress rating of 68.
Allisandra possesses on the loca- Further, they can shift their form so that they are wearing any form of non-
tion of the target and its move- magical armor appropriate to their current shape. Thus, when in the form of a
ments. This would seem to imply dwarf, an eternal stalker could instantly shapeshift into a dwarf wearing a suit
a continuous mental link between
the stalker and the deity. of plate mail.
What are the consequences
of this? Firstly, Allisandra would
know at all times the status of each
~PECI"Lr\lJr £r\"BlrlmIE~
tJ lJ I
Eternal stalkers possess an ability known as
v "ultra-cognition." This allows them to predict
and every quest involving an eter-
nal stalker. Thus, should a stalker the movements, actions, and behavioral patterns of their quarry with 75% ac-
be destroyed in the course of quest, curacy.
Allisandra will instantly compre- The creatures have natural mentalic abilities, at legendary rank. These
hend all the details, and can re- abilities are almost always exclusivelyinformation-gathering in nature, although
spond in the most appropriate some eternal stalkers are thought to have mentalic attacks and defenses as well.
manner. This response might sim-
ply involve placing another stalker
When they change into the form of a creature capable of using magic, they
on the quest. This replacement will gain the appropriate magical aptitude at professional rank.
know everything that the original As mentioned above, they can instantly take on the form of any other
stalker knew, and so can contin- creature that they have encountered or otherwise learned about. Allisandra
ue the chase from the point that goes to great lengths to teach her eternal stalkers about wondrous creatures,
the first creature was destroyed. Of
course, Allisandra could choose to expanding their repertoire of forms. A shapeshift takes virtually no time, and a
respond in any other way-up to stalker can make as many as four changes per combat exchange. When it comes
and including involving herselfdi- to resisting spells that affect shapeshifters, consider this ability power rating 70.
rectly in the matter. . .
Maiche Woodwell, Deities and
Mortals
Everlasting 51

E\)ER~C\5~IHG
Power Level . . . . 5 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . Professional
Strength . . . . . 30 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Veteran
Health 20 Missile Weapon Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla
Reaction . . . .. 25 Damage Rank
Intelligence . . . 20 Physical . . . . . . . . . .. Claw-25 (2X each) or Varies
Destiny. . . . . . 40 Special Abilities . . . . . . . Varies
Presence . . 30 Defense Strength 50
Willpower . 45 Aptitudes
Size . . . . .. 3 yds Magical Aptitude nl a
Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nl a
Speed .... 8 ydsls Primal Cost
To Create 130 base + 13 captured souls
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 flux per day

"PPELr\"R"£r\JNPE
V\ I\",-
The Everlasting-also known as the Great Undead or
the Quenchers-are hideously misshapen humanoids
standing nearly nine feet tall and massing around 400 pounds. An Everlasting's
skin is white, almost to the point oftransparency, its flesh pustulant and plague-
ravaged. Beneath the skin, but still disgustingly visible, are thick, knotted veins
of yellow and black. Its face is reminiscent of a leprous human's. It has no
eyes, just empty, blackened sockets. The minion reeks of rotting flesh, urine,
and rancid milk, and it exudes a palpable aura of vicious hatred of everyone
and everything. Although, based on its appearance alone, an Everlasting could
conceivably be mistaken for a "normal" undead, this aura confirms that the
minion is something very different and much more powerful.
The preceding description applies to the minion in its true form. As dis-
cussed later, however, an Everlasting can be forced to assume the form of a type
of normal undead. When this occurs, its physical appearance matches that of
this type of monster. Regardless of its form, an Everlasting continues to exude
its aura of depravity.

ORIGIN Vo_ B" P'}GDOUND

Lr\\...-I\ I\:
The Everlasting were created by Mala-
cobus, one of the death gods known as
the Lords of the Abyss. Malacobus needed powerful, intelligent minions to
serve as generals of his army, most of which was made up of mindless un-
dead. To create each Everlasting, the Abyssal Lord merged the essences of the 13
most powerful types of undead, expending primal to bind them together in one
hideous body. This binding process ensured that the resultant minion would
be highly intelligent, even though some of the component parts were mindless.
In this way, Malacobus created a total of 2,000 Great Undead.
The 13 types of undead incorporated into each Everlasting are the forms
that the minion may be forced into, as mentioned above. When the creature is
killed in its true form, it is instantly reincarnated on the site of its destruction.
Now, however, it takes the form of the most powerful of the undead types it
comprises. If it is destroyed again in this form, it is instantly reincarnated as
the next most powerful undead type, and so on. Thus, an Everlasting must be
destroyed 13 times before it is totally eliminated. Simply by remaining inactive
and uninterrupted for one full hour, an Everlasting in the form of a lesser
undead can "promote" itself to the next most powerful form. Assuming it is left
undisturbed, the minion can "promote" itself once per hour until it regains its
normal form.
52 Pawns: The Opening Move

h" lOR
BEk}(r\\)
As well as commanding units in Malacobus's Abyssal hosts,
Everlasting serve the deity himself as personal servants, and
may appear in the retinues of the lesser deities, godlings, and demigods associ-
ated with Malacobus. They are unshakably loyal to their creator, and to no one
else. If Malacobus ordered an Everlasting to serve a demigod, for example, the
minion would do so, following all of the demigod's orders that didn't directly
harm the Abyssal Lord. Were Malacobus to order the Everlasting to betray its
erstwhile "master," the Great Undead would do so in an instant.
Everlasting will usually be encountered only on the planes of the Abyss,
commanding Malacobus's army or acting as servants in his hierarchy. Occa-
sionally, however, the Abyssal Lord will dispatch a couple of the minions to
guard a particularly important place or item on another plane. They will never
be encountered wandering randomly, or not under orders.
The Everlasting hate all life, as do normal undead. However, with higher
intelligence comes greater pragmatism; Everlasting will not automatically try to
kill every living thing they encounter just for the joy of destruction. If those are
their orders, they will do so and will enjoy it; otherwise, however, they will kill
Everlasting 53
only when it will benefit them in some practical way.
Great Undead look on their mindless kindred as almost worse than the living.
The minions despise demons of all types, considering them stupid and brutish.
These minions normally walk or use whatever movement mode is appro-
priate to their current form, but can teleport at will and planeshift twice per
day.

()OffiR "m In its true form, an Everlasting strikes with its two hands, ripping
L UV\ I flesh with its claws. Each successful strike drains five points
of Health from the target. A mortal reduced to zero health is dead, and the
Everlasting absorbs his or her soul. The touch of an Everlasting can drain magic
energy from an enchanted item. A single touch permanently drains five "levels"
of enchantment; one "level" equates to one "plus" of bonus the item provides,
or one magical ability or effect.
When forced into another form, an Everlasting attacks with all the abilities
and powers appropriate to its current form. Attack speed, damage, and special
effects are all appropriate to the minion's current form. Usually, the minion's
attacks will be much less effective when not in its normal form. The temporary
"demotion" to a lower form is a punishment to the minion for its stupidity in
getting itself killed. An Everlasting in another form does not take on the weak-
nesses and vulnerabilities of that form, however it retains the same immunities
it enjoys in true form. An Everlasting is totally immune to mentalics and to all
attacks and effects based on light, electricity, fire, acid, poison and vacuum. Its
high defense strength and destiny attributes give the minion great resistance to
physical damage and to magical attack.

~PE(lI"
v
r "RlrlmIE~ An ~ve~lasting can ~bsorb the soul of any m?r-
\.., V\LJ £r\U LJ I v tal u kills, preventmg that mortal from bemg
resurrected until the soul is freed. Absorbing a soul requires little concentration
or effort, and replaces only one physical attack. In its true form, an Everlasting
is surrounded by a death aura. This aura-commonly called "the Quenching"-
will kill any mortal creature who comes within five feet of an Everlasting, unless
the mortal makes a successful destiny roll. This ability has a Power Rating of
70. A mortal must make this destiny roll each combat exchange that he or she
is within the aura.

It is said that the Deathlord,

Lord Nosferatu, continues to create
the Great Undead, the Quenchers,
in the darkness and fire of the
Abyss. There are those who say that
the Quenchers themselves provide
the Deathlord with the major raw
material for more of their own
kind-souls.
When a Quencher kills, it
is said that it absorbs the soul
into its own being, terrorizing
and torturing it in the process. A
Quenchercan hold within itself up
to thirteen souls. When it has ac-
quired this many, it returns to the
Deathlord, who incorporates those
souls into yet another Quencher.
Malaclypse the Elder, The Demo-
nomicon
54 Pawns: The Opening Move

rORCE TITAN
Power Level . . . . 5 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . Professional
Strength . . . . . 55 Melee Weapon Combat Skill .. Veteran to Professional
Health 60 Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . .. Novice
Reaction . . . .. 25 Damage Rank
Intelligence Physical
15-20t Fist-305 (IX each) or by weapon type (IX) (plus
Destiny 20 Strength bonus)
Presence .. 2O-35t Special Abilities Energy Discharge-35 (3x)
Willpower . . .. 35 Defense Strength
Size ..... 9+yds 20 (physical form) I 50 (energy form)
Aptitudes
Speed Magical Aptitude nl a
5 ydsl s (physical Mentalic Aptitude nla
form) 113 ydsls Primal Cost
(energy form) To Create nla
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nl a
tvaries.

"PPE"(r\lD\(r\"N(:jE
£r\
In their ~hysical forms, ~dult force titans are tower~ng
L humanoid figures standmg 26 to 30 feet tall, massmg
well over 3,000 pounds. Adolescents stand 14 to 20 feet tall, while newborns
are six to eight feet long. Their proportions are human, with their shoulders
slightly broader and more powerful-looking than normal in relation to their
height. They are completely hairless. Their faces are inhumanly beautiful, their
expressions always serious and thoughtful. Their eyes normally glow with a soft
gray light, and seem to possess an aura of timeless wisdom. When aroused for
battle, the eyes blaze with a harsh white light guaranteed to strike fear into the
strongest mortal opponent. They wear simple clothes of a soft, flowing, satinlike
fabric.
In energy form, only their outlines are visible, seething with brilliant white
light.

QDIGIH
1 \i
0. B,,(:j'JGDOUHD Force titans evolved natu~ally, millions
V (r\LI'\ 1 \: of years ago, on some distant energy
plane. Since then they have spread to other energy-based planes. They worship
many gods, all of whom are devoted to maintaining the cosmic balance between
order and disorder. Today, they serve these gods as willing minions.

REI;." nlOR On their. home planes, force titans live in small family groups,
U IcJ(r\ V numbenng between two and twelve members. They are
monogamous, and mate for life. Child-rearing is a responsibility of the group
as a whole. While the true birth parents have the closest relationship with a
child, all members of the group feel responsible for protecting the child, raising
it, and educating it. .
Force titans are long-lived, with lifespans measured in millennia. They
mature relatively rapidly, however, with a youth attaining sexual maturity in
less than 50 years. The age of majority-when a force titan is considered in all
ways an adult-is 100.
Before reaching the age of majority, an adolescent force titan is expected to
leave his or her home plane on a journey of adventure and exploration. Called
the Shadush, this journey is similar to the "vision quest" that plays a major
part in some Native American traditions. The Shadush is intended to promote
Force Titan 55

self-reliance, self-awareness, and the building of character, and is an accepted

rite of passage among force titans. During the Shadush, the young force titan
will visit many planes over a period of decades. The Shadush is-in part-a
struggle to understand the diversity of life throughout the multiverse, so force
titans on this journey will observe and interact with any races and cultures
they encounter. They have the ability to understand and speak any tongue
they hear, which makes this interaction easier. On matter-based planes, most
encounters with force titans willbe with individuals on their Shadush. While on
Shadush, force titans can be found carrying virtually any kind of equipment or
weaponry-usually items that fascinate them that they have picked up on their
travels.
Once the Shadush is complete, the force titan will return to the home plane
and undergo the ritual of majority, performed by his or her parents and the rest
of the family group. The newly acknowledged adult will then bond with a mate.
Male force titans remain with their familygroups; females go to join their mate's
group and become part of it.
Force titans have a strong sense of curiosity about the world, and a desire to
understand. They are friendly and peaceable by nature, believing that through
understanding they can avoid conflict. They can only be provoked by direct
attacks on them or their family groups. Force titan hatred is rarely kindled,
but when it is it is implacable. Force titans hate undead and other malevolent
creatures-all those that kill and destroy by nature, rather than trying to un-
derstand. They fear undead, too, because such creatures can drain them of life
force whether they are in physical or energy form.
In addition to walking-or, in energy form, flying-force titans can dimen-
56 Pawns: The Opening Move
sian shift once per year.

(lOffiR "ill It is difficult to goad a force titan into combat, but once provoked
L UV\ I the creatures are daunting foes. In melee, they strike with their
fists, inflicting immense crushing damage due to their great strength. When
in energy form, they can lash out with a burst of lambent energy that always
strikes its target, up to a maximum range of 250 yards. They can only strike a
target that they can see, however.
In energy form, a force titan cannot be harmed by any energy-based attack
except for primal energy. If struck by such an attack, they absorb the energy,
convert it into a harmless form-usually light-and release it into the environ-
ment around them. This ability has a power rating of 80. A force titan in energy
form struck by an energy attack will thus glow more brightly than normal for
an instant, with the increase in luminosity proportional to the force of the at-
tack. Note that they are unable to absorb and convert negative energy attacks,
however; such attacks inflict normal damage on them.

~PE~I"
U
f. "Rlf.lillIEC! At will, a force titan can change from physi-
\..., V\Ll £r\U Ll I v cal form into a form consisting of pure energy.
When they make this transformation, all items they are carrying transform with
them, and so are not lost. On their home plane, they can transform to energy
form three times per day, for up to two hours at a time. On any other plane,
they can transform only once per day, and can maintain energy form for only
one hour.

Understanding-that is what
they seek, these creatures of al-
most godlike power, as far above
humankind, evolutionarily speak-
ing, as we are above the scurrying
ants.
Understanding. They wish to
know us, and the other races that
share their universe. They do not
wish to destroy, or to dominate,
though of course they could do ei-
ther with little effort. It is as if
our greatest thinkers were to pros-
trate themselves on the ground
and try to speak with and under-
stand the ants. They see themselves
as our kindred, rather than our
superiors-though superiors they
undoubtedly are. Pride is set aside
for understanding.
A lessonfor us all to learn, per-
haps.
Garay of Ulme, Codexof the Infi-
nite Dimensions
 Gatherer 57

G~T~ERER
Power Level . . . . 4 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Master
Strength nla Melee Weapon Combat Skill nla
Health nla Missile Weapon Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla
Reaction . . . . . 20 Damage Rank
Intelligence . . . . 8 Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nl a
Destiny. . . . . . 20 Special Abilities nl a
Presence . . . .. 15 Defense Strength nl a
Willpower . . . . 20 Aptitudes
Size . . . .. 2.5 yds Magical Aptitude Professional
Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Speed .... 6 ydsls Primal Cost
To Create 5 base
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 5 flux

"PPE(r\1IH)\(r\"N()E
V\
Gatherers are ghoullike in appearance, easily mistaken
l.. for the more normal forms of undead. In fact, they are
something totally other, something much more powerful and lethal than the
typical undead that bedevil the planes.
They appear as dead, decaying humanoids, covered in boils and rotting
flesh. Their skin is generally white with touches of putrid green here and there.
They smell of carrion, and they always seem to be surrounded by a high-pitched
wailing. Although often misinterpreted as the wind, this sound is actually the
crying of the souls that the gatherers have captured.
Despite their appearance, which seems totally solid without any hint of
transparency, gatherers are actually completely incorporeal. They can pass
through solid objects at will; conversely, very little can harm them since they
have no true physical existence.
Animals, whose senses are often better than those of humans, are driven into
a frenzy by the presence of a gatherer within four miles. The sight of normally
calm doves tearing each other to shreds in terror is suitable warning that a
gatherer is in the vicinity.

0_ B"()'}GDOUND ~ages still argue over which deity ini-

ORIGIN V (r\l..1'\ 1 \: tially created the gatherers. It seems
apparent that the creator had to be a deity of death or of the dead, but his
or her actual identity remains in question, even among the other deities. It is
possible that several deities with a professional interest in death might have
collaborated on their creation, but this is just idle speculation.
Whatever their origin, there is little doubt as to the gatherers' purpose:
to gather souls and transport them to the deity in whose service they are
working. Unlike helkyries '(po 63), who prefer to pervert souls to corruption
before gathering them, gatherers care little what moral or ethical state a soul is
in. Without worrying about such irrelevancies, they simply steal souls by force,
and take unholy joy in doing so.
Sages believe there are several thousand of these foul minions in the multi-
verse, in the service of a number of death deities. Up to twenty of them can be
found together at anyone time. When not seeking out souls to steal, they reside
on the plane of the deity their serve, or on one of the distant undead planes.
58 Pawns: The Opening Move

B ElcJl\ \)10R
h Gatherers have one purpose and one joy to their existence,
and that is to gather souls. They care little who their victims
are, and take souls by force rather than through trickery. They congregate in
areas where death or violence is prevalent-regions suffering from plagues, for
example, or battle sites. While they have no compunctions about killing their
victims themselves, they also have no objection if someone else, or some natural
catastrophe, wants to save them the trouble.
Gatherer 59
Gatherers are good at what they do; they enjoy it wholeheartedly, and they
are amply rewarded by the deities they serve. Thus they can never be swayed
from their task through bribery or intimidation. Rather, the only way to persuade
a gatherer not to take a given soul is to offer it more souls, and even then the
creature may take both the bribe and the original soul.
Since gatherers are entirely incorporeal, they can pass unhindered through
solid objects. When they travel on a plane, they appear to walk on the ground,
although their movement rate is faster than would seem appropriate to the
tempo and length of their stride. The subtle gliding component of their motion
is quite distinctive. In addition to this modified walking, they can plane shift
and teleport at will and without error.

1\ m gatherer strikes with its clawed hands. Though these are

A
ComB Lr\ I incorporeal, a successful hit drains one half of the victim's
normal strength and one quarter of the victim's normal health; a second blow
therefore drains the victim's strength completely and leaves his or her health
at half normal. This ability has a power rating of 75. When either attribute
reaches zero, the victim dies, and the gatherer can collect his or her soul. Lost
attribute points return at a rate of one-tenth of the original attribute value for
every four hours of total rest. Normal curative magic cannot restore attribute
points, although divine or primally powered abilities can.
Since they are incorporeal, gatherers are totally immune to physical damage,
whether inflicted by weapons or by magic. They can only be driven off or
destroyed by spells that specifically harm undead.

<::!PECI1\Lr\Ur £r\"BIrImIEC!
U U I
Instead of attacking physi~ally, a gather~r ~an
u attempt to wrest the soul directly from a victim.
To do so, the gatherer must be within 10 feet of its target. The process takes one
combat exchange, during which the gatherer can do nothing else. At the end of
this exchange, the victim must make a resistance roll. On a failed resistance roll
the victim falls dead, and the gatherer collects his or her soul. Fortunately for
the living, a single gatherer can attempt this sudden soul capture only once per
iz-hour period. Unfortunately, it is rare to encounter only a single gatherer.
Gatherers collect and store souls with the same proficiency as a godling.
Further, if a gatherer is currently carrying souls, it can "burn" them, converting
their animistic energy into magical energy in the form of a wish. The intention
of a gatherer's wish is never perverted, since it is actually an extension of the
creature's will. To create such a wish, the gatherer must burn all of the souls it is
carrying; it cannot spare any of the souls, which are completely destroyed and
gone forever. The erstwhile owners of the souls can no longer be resurrected,
raised, or recovered in any way. The power of the wish does not seem to be
dependent on the number of souls burned to bring it about. Gatherers will
only burn the souls they have collected in the direst of circumstances, since the
deities to whom they were bringing the souls are apt to be a tad upset to be
denied the offerings they were expecting.
Beware the Gatherers,
Soulbiters, heartrippers.
Beware the masters of the dead.
Battlefield prowlers,
Plague spreaders,
Spirit tormenters,
Faes aflight and life.
Beware the masters of the dead.

"Verse 21" from Cautionary

Verses, Author Unknown
60 Pawns: The Opening Move

~ED\)JKJ
(hed- VEE-kee) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Master
Power Level . . . 3 Melee Weapon Combat Skill
Professional (with anyone-handed weapon; Veteran
Strength. 40 with two-handed weapons)
Health .. 30 Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . Professional
Reaction . 25 Damage Rank
Intelligence 7 Physical . Claw-25 (8x); Bite-20 (IX)
Destiny. . 20 Special Abilities . . .. nla
Presence . . . . . 20 Defense Strength ............ 30
Willpower . . . . 30 Aptitudes
Size . . . . .. 4 yds Magical Aptitude ........ nla
Mentalic Aptitude . . . . ........ nla
Speed Primal Cost
Run 27 yds/st To Create .... . 1 base, 3,750 pounds of gold
To Maintain. . . . none
tCan sprint at 44 yds/s for
a three- combat exchange
"burst," but must wait for
one hour before another
such burst.

"PPE"D"NDE
V\
A hedviki is a huge, six-armed, four-legged creature,
(.r\1 \(.r\ l.. standing some feet tall and massing about 1,250
12
pounds. Its legs have three joints each, two "knees" and one "ankle", and are
arranged symmetrically around the creature's vertical torso. Its arms, too, have
three major joints, and are also symmetrically arranged. The arms are muscular,
and almost seven feet long. All limbs are double-jointed; the joints can bend
both ways with equal ease. The creature's head resembles that of a crocodile,
with a short, broad snout filled with four-inch fangs. The head can turn 180'in
both directions. Thus it can look directly backwards, but its head cannot spin
repeatedly. Its brilliant eyes are elongated ovals, set horizontally to improve
peripheral vision.
A hedviki is covered head to toe in thick olive-green scales. There are three
layers of scales, so that if one falls off or is broken, there are two more beneath.
It is totally hairless, and appears androgynous. The creature smells of dried fish.
Its language comprises a wide range of clicks and whistles. It is incapable of
learning any other language, and simply would have no interest in ever doing
so.
The appearance of even a single hedviki is presaged by violent weather
disruptions and lightning storms. These storms usually begin several hours
before the hedviki arrives, and reach their peak when the minion actually appear.
When hedvikis march into battle, they always do so in mighty storms, with
thunderclaps as their marching beat. Nobody knows whether these weather
disruptions are caused by the hedvikis themselves-not consciously, perhaps,
but due to some innate power-or by the goddess Dragg, who is thought to have
a penchant for the dramatic.

ORIGIN
0.
V
B" ()'.lGDOUND
(.r\l..f\ 1,\
Hed~ki were created by Dragg, a less-
er deity of mass warfare, known to her
followers as Our Lady of Strife. She created the hedvikis to fill out her armies,
and to use as shock troops. They are lethal in close combat, horrifying to most
opposing soldiers, too stupid to feel fear, expendable, and easily replaceable.
Hedviki 61

Dragg initially created the hedvikis for use in her ongoing war against Horth,
a deity of valor in battle. She modelled them after her own grotesque image,
because she wanted her enemies to know who was defeating them. It must
be admitted that Dragg has never lost a battle since she added the hedvikis to
her forces, although some were very close-run things, and several involved her
armies taking enough losses to qualify as truly Pyrrhic victories.
Some sages believe there are 75,000 or so hedvikis in existence; others put
the number at considerably more. Hedvikis always travel in military units, the
smallest being the platoon-lO hedvikis, according to Dragg's organizational
structure. The largest grouping of hedvikis ever seen was some 60,000 of the
foul creatures, defending Dragg's plane against an invasion of Horth's forces.

BE T; IH 110R
k)(.r\ V
Hedvikis are killing machines, pure and simple. They are not
overly intelligent, and will obey Dragg's orders to the letter.
Sometimes she will order them to obey the orders of another-temporarily, of
course-but their loyalty is to her alone. They do not have the brainpower to
do much but fight, and ordering them to do anything more complex will only
confuse and enrage them. They are said to have a strong sense of humor-
"robust" is the polite way of describing it-and they believe that prolonged
torture unto death is one of the finest practical jokes yet devised. Hedvikis hate
anything not of their race, and will attack it on sight unless specifically ordered
not to.
Most hedvikis have never left Dragg's plane, except as part of an invasion,
and will never do so. Very rarely, Dragg has been known to grant a small army-
250 or so-of the creatures to a particularly powerful and loyal mortal, usually

cq~
~.I\,
62 Pawns: The Opening Move

in return for performing virtually impossible tasks. Most of these mortals have
found themselves becoming dependent on the hedvikis as the mainstay of their
armies. By threatening to recall the beasts, Dragg can in this way break to her
service even the most untractable hero.
Interestingly, some sages claim that the hedviki obey not Dragg herself, but
the possessor of the Talisman of Dragg. Since Dragg possesses the talisman at
the moment, this is currently a moot point. The talisman is a crystalline statue
of Dragg, standing several feet high, with ruby eyes. So intricate is the statue
that only a master sculptor teamed with a master jewelsmith could replicate it,
and then only after several days of close analysis and measurement. It has no
magical powers at all, but it seems to be a symbol to the hedvikis. If someone
other than Dragg were to possess it, the hedvikis would follow that person, and
not their creator, or so some sages claim. Other sages, of course, point out that
this is a ludicrous thing for a deity to do, and decry the story as purest fantasy.
It is up to you to decide which faction has the truth of the matter.

(JomB"
L
m A hedviki can attack with its claw-tipped limbs. Its arms are long
£r\ I and flexible enough that they can reach round the creature's
body if necessary, all six striking at the same target. Alternatively they can
split their attacks among up to six targets; all these targets must be within the
creature's field of view, of course. They can also strike with two of their four legs;
for balance, they must keep two legs on the ground at all times. They can also
bite. These natural attacks will inflict damage on creatures that are normally hit
only by magical weapons.
Hedvikis are proficient with all melee and most missile weapons. They
can wield up to six weapons-one per arm-with no penalty. The sight of a
hedviki wielding half a dozen different weapons is enough to strike fear into
even the most doughty warrior. Weapon attacks will not hit creatures immune
to nonmagical weapons unless the hedviki is wielding enchanted weapons,
which is rare, but not unheard of. Hedvikis are immune to direct mentalic
attack. Mentalic effects can affect them, but direct attacks against their minds
automatically fail. Further, the mentalist foolish enough to make such an attack
must make a destiny roll at -20% or go insane for 1-6 days.

C!PECI"£r\l.1r Lr\"Blr.l.1lmIE~
U I
Hedvikis are able to see clearly in even the poor-
vest light, as if it were bright daylight. This makes
them more sensitive to brilliant flashes of light, which can stun them for up to
one combat exchange.
Certain legends tell that the
loyalty the heduikis show towards
Dragg is based on the fact-the
heduikis belief, rather-that Dragg
is invincible in battle. So far this
has proven out, in that Dragg
has never lost a major battle-
not since the heduikis were creat-
ed. The legends go on to claim that
if Draggs forces were ever to lose,
the hedvikis would no longer serve
her. In fact, they would turn on her
and try to consume her. Then they
would transfer their loyalty to the
general who conquered her forces.
Are these legends true? None can
say.
Drado Barisman, Wars of the
Planes
Helkyrie 63

fc)E~KYRIE
(HELL-kih-reeJ Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill ..... Veteran to Legendary-It
Power Level .. 3-6 Melee Weapon Combat Skill . Veteran to Legendary-at
Missile Weapon Combat Skill. Veteran to Legendary-It
Strength . . . .. 35 tIn all three cases. hellcyries with higher-ranked skills are extremely rare.
Health 25 Damage Rank
Reaction . . . .. 25 Physical
Intelligence . .. 15 Claw-20 (2X each); Bite-20 (IX) or by weapon type
Destiny 25 (2X) (plus strength bonus)
Presence . . . . . 30 Special Abilities nl a
Willpower . . .. 35 Defense Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 25
Size . . . .. 2.5 yds Aptitudes
Magical Aptitude
Speed Novice to Legendary-a (higher-ranked are rare)
Walk 4 yds/s; Mentalic Aptitude. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. n/a
Astral 32 yds/s Primal Cost
To Create . .......... 2 base
To Maintain. . . . . . . . 1 flux/day

"PPE"lr\1D\lr\"Nf.lE
£r\
From a distance, helkyries .look like ~xotically beautiful,
\.._. well-muscled female warnors weanng elaborate metal
armor and wielding weapons of war. They generally have blonde hair that
cascades down their backs, and their skin appears alabaster-white and unblem-
ished. Many warriors have, it is said, mistaken them for valkyries, much to their
detriment.
On closer inspection, a helkyrie's true nature becomes apparent. Her eyes
burn with a sullen red glow, her skin is dry, flaky, often scarred, and cold as that
of a corpse, and her eye teeth are elongated into lethal fangs. Her hair is matted
with blood, usually not hers, and sweat. A helkyrie's voice, which is often raised
in savage laughter, is harsh and grating. She smells of carrion, and emanates a
sense of demonic glee.
Helkyries are the same size as human women, but their strong presence and
arrogantly dominant demeanor make them appear much more powerful.

ORIGIN If
0. B" )GDOUND
f.ll
lr\\.._.f\ I \
Helkyries were created many centur~es
ago by the goddess Hela, a greater deity
whose home plane is Hel. Hela wanted faithful servitors who would pervert the
souls of noble warriors to corruption and take the souls of the wicked dead to
her dark and icy halls. When she created the first helkyrie, the goddess knew
she had the minion she wanted. Powerful enough to wrest the soul from even
the mightiest mortal and eternally loyal to Hela, the helkyries are perfect for
their task.
The helkyries call the plane of Hel their home, and this is where they can
be found between assignments. Most of the time, however, the minions spend
their time scouring the other planes for souls to pervert or steal. There are
thought to be on the order of 10,000 of the hideous creatures in existence.
When encountered outside of Hel, they can be found in virtually any number
from one at a time to thousands, though they generally work in small groups
except in the largest of battles.
64 Pawns: The Opening Move

h "\)IOR
BE kJLr\
Helkyries have personalities one might expect of demons.
They revel in death and destruction, and take infernal glee
in warping the minions of nobility and virtue to treachery and malevolence.
They love battle above all, preferring single combat with paragons of virtue, and
joyously feast on the flesh and blood of those they have slain. They are totally
loyal to Hela; after all, the goddess has given them free license to do what they
most love, and will, in a pinch, support them against those who would destroy
them.
Helkyries hate every manifestation of kindness and benevolence in the
world, and claim to be able to unerringly scent these attributes in the blood
of a mortal from a range of several hundred yards. They despise every creature
not of their own hideous race, although they will grudgingly tolerate and fight
alongside others who have dedicated themselves to the service of Hela.
Helkyries have their own perverted code of honor. They will never refuse a
challenge to single combat issued by a minion of a benevolent deity, and will

(.
r~ .. · r:
~ 'r
" I
, "

'7,' ••.
Helkyrie 65

fight to the death in such a case, using every dirty trick in the book to make sure
they come out on top. Otherwise, they are intelligent enough to recognize an
untenable position. Their hatred is even stronger-ifthat is possible-toward
those who have defeated them in the past, and they will go to any lengths to
exact vengeance on these foes.
The sight of a helkyrie in combat is hideous in the extreme. They are
skilled with all weapons, and are ferocious in-fighters, using their claws and
teeth. When in battle, they often shriek and laugh with demonic glee as they
dismember their foes. If victorious, they loot the survivors for weapons and
equipment, fighting among themselves for choice weapons and combat-related
magic items. Fighting ability creates a "pecking order" among helkyries. The
most powerful have the finest weapons, often magical, and sometimes even of
artifact status. The weakest of their numbers have to make do with mundane
weapons.
Helkyries move as humans on the main plane, although their strength is
such that they are rarely encumbered by their armor and equipment. They can
teleport unerringly and at will, and can plane shift. They seem to enjoy traveling
and fighting on the astral plane.

fJOffiR "m Helkyries usually use weapons they have looted from the bodies
L U£r\ I of those they have slain. In close combat, they attack with their
clawlike fingernails or by biting. They always wear armor, again stolen from the
dead. As with weapons, the strongest or luckiest helkyries sport magical armor,
often of great enchantment, while the weakest must make do with mundane
armor.
Helkyries are excellent tacticians, brilliant at small-unit tactics. Sometimes,
however, they become distracted for a few moments by the appetizing sight of
freshly dead flesh.
"Harsh and grating was her
~PECI"Lr\Ur Lr\u
U
"RlrlmIE~
U I
Helkyries have the ability to c~pture and store
u souls at the same rate as godhngs. When any
voice when she screamed her joy
to the skies. The cry of a preda-
mortal strikes a helkyrie for damage in melee combat, there is a 10% chance tory beast, the cry of a demon.
that the mortal is irrevocably turned to corruption, assuming the mortal was She had already killed my com-
panions, and now her eyes, burn-
virtuous in the first place. If a mortal succeeds in killing a helkyrie, the helkyrie's ing like wind-licked embers, were
soul leaves her body and merges with the mortal's soul, then flees to Hel. The turned on me. She laughed and
mortal is left as a lifeless, soulless husk. Obviously, then, such a victory against moved forward.
a helkyrie is a Pyrrhic victory indeed. '1 knew that her touch was
The demonic battlecry of a helkyrie causes fear and perhaps even paralysis death, or worse than death. [knew
that she would wrench my soul
in mortal foes. This power is thought to be supported directly by Hela, and has from my body and carry it off to
a power rating of 65. eternal torment. I knew all these
things.
"I knew I should run-as if
that would help. But I could not
run. My heart pounded, my breath
burned my throat. But not with
fear.
"No. What [felt-may the gods
pardon me-was a kind of long-
ing. Sexual in its intensity, but
dark as a pit. I wanted to go with
her. Willingly. To be with her, to
be one with her. Never before have
I been so tempted by what others
would call evil. . . ."
From a conversation with Laysek
Shieldwarden
66 Pawns: The Opening Move

KEEPER O? G?\W
Power Level . . . . 6 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . .. Veteran to Master
Strength . . . . . 30 Melee Weapon Combat Skill
Health 35 Professional to Legendary-a
Reaction . . . .. 25 Missile Weapon Combat Skill
Intelligence . . . 20 Professional to Legendary-a
Destiny. . . 25 Damage Rank
Presence . . . . . 30 Physical
Willpower . . . . 30 Fist-25 (3x each) or by weapon type (3x each) (plus
Size . . . .. 2.5 yds strength bonus)
Special Abilities .. Primal Biast-IO points primal flux
Speed .... 8 ydsls Defense Strength 40
Aptitudes
Magical Aptitude nl a
Mentalic Aptitude
Legendary-a with the probe only; otherwise nla
Primal Cost
To Create .. 2 base
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1 flux per day

"PPE"Lr\1D\Lr\"N()E
V\
Keepers of Law are hairless humanoids standing seven
"-.. feet tall. They are slender and fast-looking; despite their
strength, they do not have overdeveloped muscles. They are lean and mean,
looking like overly tall versions of veteran warriors. Their skin has the texture
and resilience of leather, and is pale gray in color.
Keepers of Law are sexless. They usually wear nothing but simple tunics and
sandals. They never wear armor. Keepers of Law are always armed, carrying
melee or missile weapons of the finest quality. When multiple Keepers are
encountered together, they will usually be armed with different weapons, to
maximize their combat options.

ODIGIN If0. B" ()'}GDOUND

I" Lr\"-..I'\ I \:
The Kee~ers ofLawwer~ first ~reated by
the warnor-god Crecelius, Widelywor-
shiped on the world of Fal. He assigned the minions to maintain control of
the gates that led into the City of Valor, the site of his palace and throne on
his home plane, and to defend his plane from invaders. Over the centuries,
Crecelius created some five legions of the minions.
There are thought to be a total of 10,000 keepers throughout the multiverse.
Most of these can be found on Crecelius' home plane, serving in his guard. Oc-
casionally squads, platoons, or even legions of keepers may be found elsewhere,
furthering the interests of their creators.

h "\)IOR
BE luLr\
Keepers of Law are loyal to Crecelius, to the point of fanati-
cism. They will follow their creator's orders no matter what
they are, willingly laying down their own lives if this is required. They cannot
be bribed or otherwise turned aside from their duty.
Keepers are virtually unique in the multiverse in that they exhibit a group
mind. All keepers are constantly in telepathic and telempathic contact with
each oilier and with their creator. Anything sensed or known by one keeper
is instantly sensed or known by all oilier keepers and by Crecelius. Thus they
are exceptional scouts, information-gatherers and security operatives, instantly
conveying everything they learn back to Crecelius. With a contingent of keepers
Keeper of Law 67
stationed around sites of strategic importance, Crecelius can be confident that
surprise attacks will not succeed.
This makes it almost impossible to ever trick a keeper, particularly for rogues
pretending to be operating on Crecelius's orders. Any keeper can instantly check
with the deity, confirming the identity and orders of anyone claiming to operate
on his behalf.
The fact that keepers are part of a group mind influences their worldview
and their behavior. keepers are not really individual creatures, with their own
personalities and wants. Destruction of individuals means as little to the group
mind as does the loss of a fingernail to a mortal warrior. This means that
instincts of self-preservation never influence the actions of individual keepers.
Only if the entire group mind is threatened-that is, only if every single keeper
faces destruction-will even the slightest hint of self-preservation arise. Even
then, the will of Crecelius is paramount.
If a keeper is destroyed, every other keeper and Crecelius will instantly know
it, and will also know who did it, when, and where. While the keepers have no
real instinct of vengeance, the group mind could well decide that the removal
of the killer is in Crecelius's best interest. Anyone destroying a keeper may well
be devilled by more keepers-or, conceivably, even by Crecelius himself.
The mental link between keepers is unaffected by distance and by planar
barriers. There is no time lag, regardless of distance or intervening planes, and
it is impossible to "jam" the link.
Keepers of Law can dimension shift and planeshift at will, and without error.
They are skilled animal handlers, and are often encountered riding monstrous
mounts.
68 Pawns: The Opening Move

(JomB" ill Keepers can use any weapon types, and are highly skilled with
L Lr\ I them all; they suffer no unfamiliarity-proficiency penalties.
They can wield two single-handed weapons Simultaneously with no penalty.
They also receive one parry per weapon each combat exchange, assuming the
weapon can parry. They can wear any form of armor-as long as a suit of
sufficient size can be found-but they rarely do so.
Five times per day, each keeper can produce a zo-point primal blast. This is
powered directly by Crecelius, so he pays the flux cost. Crecelius will power only
a total of 100 such blasts for all of the keepers in existence, and is very selective
as to when he will bestow them. Keepers of Law are very careful when it comes
to using this ability, since Crecelius is displeased if his minions drain his supply
of flux for trivial matters.
When on Crecelius's plane, Keepers of Law regenerate 50% of all damage
inflicted each combat exchange. Also, they are surrounded by a negation aura
powered by planar energy drawn from Crecelius's plane. This negates all mag-
ical, essence, and elemental attacks, with a power rating of 75. Obviously, this
does not interfere with the keepers' own abilities. They can temporarily negate
this aura if they so will, but they must have a very good reason for doing so.
So well trained are keepers at the skills of combat, and so great is the overall
intelligence of the group mind, that they can quickly analyze the fighting style
of any opponent and determine how best to counter it. For each exchange of
combat, a keeper receives a cumulative 5% chance of correctly guessing what
its foe's next attack will be. If the keeper guesses correctly, it can automatically
dodge or counter that attack, if the attack form can be dodged or countered.

c:::!pECI"Lr\Ur (r\"Blr'UlillIE~
U 1
The gro~p-~ind nature of keepers gives them
v several significant benefits. When three or more
keepers are engaged in the same combat, they can merge their awareness and
their combat skills. This increases the attack and defense capabilities of each
keeper in the combat by 2% per keeper involved. This makes a unit of keepers
incredibly effective in melee.
Any mentalist who tries to attack a keeper will end up in combat with the
entire group mind. To reflect this, any mentalist unwise enough to attack a
keeper's mind must make a destiny roll, or have the attack form reflected back
"We don't accept contracts on
devout followers of Crecelius, no
at him or her, at full power. Further, three times per day a keeper can probe
matter how much money is in- the consciousness of anyone within 50 feet, to determine his or her intent. This
volved. So dont even ask us. ability has a power rating of 85.
"Why? Because of the damned Keepers can see see anything that is not primally invisible.
Keepers of Law, thats why. Cre-
celius gets kind of ticked if any of
his followers are denied the 'honor
of death by combat. And that in-
cludes our work, doesnt it? If we
'zerd a High Priest of Crecelius,
or something like that, theres a
bloody good chance the operative
will find himself facing a Keeper of
Law, out for vengeance.
"Our people are good-
damned good. But you name me
one assassin who can take down a
bloody Keeper of Law in a toe-to-
toe fight. . . "Yeah, thats what I
thought."
From a conversation with Ailis
Bloodstone, Grandmother of As-
sassins
Knight of Justice 69

KHIGgT OY JU5TICE
GreaterKnight ofJustice
Power Level . . 7 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . .. Professional to Master
Strength . . . 40 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Legendary
Health . Unlimited Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . Veteran to Professional
Defense Strength Damage Rank
35 Physical
Reaction . . . . . 35 Fist, 35 (ax): or by weapon type, plus strength bonus
Intelligence . .. 25 (4X, 6x with holy weapon)
Destiny 35 Special Abilities nl a
Presence . . . . . 45 Defense Strength 35
Willpower . . . . 50 Aptitudes
Size . . .. 2.66 yds Magical Aptitude nl a
Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Speed. .. 29 ydsls Primal Cost
To Create 750 base+
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 50 flux
tPlus whatever base and flux the creating deity grants to the knight. Typi-
cally. a greater knight has about 200 base and 30-40 flux of its own.
LesserKnight of Justice
Power Level . . . . 5 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . .. Professional to Master
Strength . . . . . 35 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Legendary
Health . Unlimited Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . Veteran to Professional
Reaction . . . .. 25 Damage Rank
Intelligence . . . 20 Physical
Destiny 30 Fist, 30 (gx): or by weapon type, plus strength bonus
Presence . . . . . 40 (3x, 5X with holy weapon)
Willpower .... 45 Special Abilities . ..................... nla
Size . . .. 2.33 yds Defense Strength . . . . . . .. 30
Aptitudes
Speed. .. 29 ydsls Magical Aptitude nla
Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nla
Primal Cost
To Create 45 baset
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 25 flux
tplus whatever base and flux the creating deity grants to the knight. Typi-
cally. a lesser knight has about 75 base and 7-10 flux of its own.

"PPE"(.r\lD\(.r\"H~E
Lr\
A Knight of Justice has no physical body, but acts as the
\... inhabitant and animating force of a huge suit of plate
mail that would fit a humanoid between 7 and 8 feet tall and massing 500-
600 pounds. The armor of greater knights appears to consist of chromed and
polished steel; that of lesser knights is white-enamelled steel. The helmet has
a visor that is always closed, and no part of the creature can be seen within
the armor. The armor is very elaborate, often finely worked and chased with
precious metals; sometimes it is even inset with gems and semiprecious stones.
The armor, the large shield the knight usually carries, the crest on its helmet,
and any pennant or banners it may have always bear symbols and colors
representing a paladin in service of the deity who created the individual knight.
Knights of Justice can speak all human and humanoid tongues fluently.
Their voices are powerful and resonant as befits their great size, and they are
pitched so that some sound female while others sound male. Other than by
listening to the voice, it is impossible to distinguish a given knight's gender, if
indeed gender is a meaningful term with regard to these bodiless creatures.
70 Pawns: The Opening Move
Greater Knights of Justice exude an aura of immense power kept in check.
So strong is this aura that it is impossible to mistake a Greater Knight of Justice
for any mortal creature; they are undeniably minions of a deity, and anyone
who encounters one will know this at once.

ORIGIN {j0_ B"£r\Lr\

(l'.JGROUND Th~ first Knights of Justice, all. greater
knights, were created by Alantna, a pa-
tron deity of the poor and impoverished. The first knights were mortals, mem-
bers of an age-old paladinic and chivalric order devoted to that goddess. So
great was their devotion that they vowed not to allow even death to prevent
them from continuing to discharge their oaths of allegiance and service to their
goddess. When their mortal bodies died, Alantria expended the primal base
necessary to let them continue living as disembodied "souls," which she pro-
moted to minion status. These immaterial spirits remembered everything from

Greater Knight of Justice

Knight of Justice 71

their mortal lives, and their personalities were largely unchanged; if anything,
their devotion to their deity was increased by the trust and love she exhibited.
Alantria then encased these bodiless souls in suits of armor that are artifacts in
their own right; each one has a power rating of 92.
Alantria created the first Knights of Justice as defenders of fairness and
equality. She sent them to the main plane to oppose those who further the
ends of greed and trickery, to exact harsh justice on behalf of the poor, weak,
and afflicted followers of the goddess, to assist members of the church in the

Lesser Knight of Justice

72 Pawns: The Opening Move

performance of their duties when necessary, and generally to defend the honor
and well-being of Alantria's loyal worshipers.
After seeing the great success Alantria had with her Knights of Justice, the
other deities in the Council of Eternal Justice decided to follow up by creating
some of their own in order to expand their forces of holy defenders. Considering
the prohibitive cost in base and flux to create knights as powerful as Alantria's,
the other deities decided to create lesser knights instead. This decision was
logical since there are many duties that can be discharged by servitors without
the immense power base of the greater knights.
Apart from their respective power levels, Lesser Knights of Justice are very
similar to the greater knights. They too were once mortal paladins, now pro-
moted to minion status. The armor of a lesser knight has a power rating of 85.
All Knights of Justice seek out tyranny and injustice and oppose them-
preferably by destroying the perpetrators-wherever they find them.

BEIcJV\ 'IOR
h IH
V
As might be expected of those who were once paladins, the
Knights of Justice are fanatical about following the wishes of
their deities. In life, their entire existences revolved solely around the wishes
of their patrons; every action, every thought, every impulse was dedicated to
furthering their cause. Predictably, this did not change after death. Knights of
Justice cannot be swayed from their course by any means. They are unshakable
and relentless foes of greed and malevolence and are grimly lethal in combat,
giving no quarter to champions of malice and asking none.
Despite or perhaps because of this unwavering devotion to their cause,
Knights of Justice are chivalrous to a fault. They scorn all base trickery and
dishonorable tactics, loving a fair fight. To Knights of Justice, dishonor is worse
than destruction; they will never sully themselves or the names of their patron
deities by acting less than the epitome of nobility and honor.
These minions detest the wanton destruction of life, since this obviously
goes against the precepts of justice. They will go out of their way to succor the
sick, the elderly, and those in dire need. Although they will focus largely on
followers of their patron deities, they will not ignore "unbelievers" unless by so
doing they would compromise their mission.
The Knights of Iustice, both greater and lesser, comprise an undying chivalric
order. The greater knights are the leaders of the order and frequently dispatch
the lesser knights to their tasks. The lesser knights are the day-to-day foot
soldiers sent about their work by their superiors. It is common to find between
two and ten lesser knights together, sometimes accompanied by a greater knight.
During a holy war, particularly one on the home plane of a member of the
Council of Eternal Justice, hundreds of lesser knights can be found. If a lesser
knight is slain by an enemy of the order, a greater knight will always appear
immediately to exact retribution on the killer.
Lesser knights are much more commonly found than greater knights; on
average, there are about four hundred for each deity on the council. The
lesser knights can be found anywhere in the multiverse where the need arises,
sometimes even on the planes of other deities. At last count, there were only
thirty-five Greater Knights of Justice in existence. It is exceptionally rare to
encounter more than one or perhaps two greater knights at one time, except in
the most important engagements with the forces of malevolence. Like the lesser
knights, greater knights will travel wherever they must to perform their duties,
whether or not the plane toward which they march is controlled by another
deity.
Knight of Justice 73
(lomB"
L
m Knights of Justice fight with unfailing morale and have un-
Lr\ I limited endurance; both abilities are powered directly by their
deities.
A greater knight usually carries a massive two-handed sword and a great
shield. When mounted, the creature will usually carry a lance. Many greater
knights possess holy weapons, which raise their attack speeds from 4X to 6x. By
expending 25 flux, the greater knight can convert any holy weapon into a special-
purpose slayer of champions of malice for the duration of a single battle. Once
a weapon has been converted in this way, any successful hit with that weapon
will instantly kill a champion of malice; it will do no damage whatsoever to
other opponents no matter how successfully it hits.
In addition, a greater knight in combat with an opponent whose purpose
is antithetical to that of the Council of Eternal Justice gains double attacks,
putting it at attack speed 12X if using a holy weapon and sx if using a normal
weapon or unarmed. In unarmed combat, a greater knight usually strikes with
its gauntleted fists, inflicting punishing damage. The creature can also use its
great size and mass to overbear.
In unarmed combat, lesser knights can strike with their fists as well. They
prefer, however, to wield the two-handed artifact swords bestowed upon them
by their deities. These swords are considered holy swords, inflicting double
damage on creatures opposed to their cause. They are also enhanced with a
primally laced magic-piercing aura, so that all successful attacks with such a
sword bypass all magical armor and defenses. Such a sword will typically have
a power rating between 80 and 85. In addition, lesser knights all carry large
magical shields and lances of varying power. Like greater knights, they attack at
double speed against those who oppose justice.
The armor of a Knight of Justice is self-repairing; that of a greater knight
regenerates all damage done to it by the end of each combat exchange, while that
of a lesser knight can regenerate half of the damage done to it by the end of each
exchange. The armor also projects a to-foot diameter field that dispels all direct
magical attacks aimed at the knight. The armor and all the items possessed by
a knight are powered by open channels to the knight's deity, preventing such
effects as antimagic auras or deactivation fields from affecting them unless the
aura or field is primally powered. Note that since these channels are always
open, it is possible to bleed flux from the knight's creating deity through its
items; this is not necessarily a good idea, however, since the deity will probably
exact swift and certain vengeance for such an insult.

<:::!
uP
Ee I f).L\r lr\"Blrl11 l' IEC.!v Knights of both types are impervious to all men-
tal energy, whether used directly or indirectly
against them. This ability, granted by the creating deity, has a power rating of 90
for greater knights and 85 for lesser knights. Knights of Justice are considered
priests of their deities, and can use priestly abilities at master rank.
Knights of Justice can planeshift at will with no chance of error. Wherever
a knight is, it can summon an immense war horse standing 24 hands tall to
Serve it as a steed. This creature appears instantly and will serve loyally until
it is destroyed. Under special circumstances, greater knights may be able to
summon other beasts, even monsters, to serve them as mounts.
Knights of Justice, since they are incorporeal, need no sleep, food, water, or
air, and are immune to disease or poison. They and their armor are unaffected
by extreme environments such as elemental planes, the vacuum of space, and
so on. Frequently, when creating a greater knight, Alantria chose to make the
knight a godling and give it primal base of its own. This allowed her to give the
knight more primal energy without paying extra daily flux to maintain it.
74 Pawns: The Opening Move

Dt\ ~Umt\REDt\
(oo-mah-RAY-dah) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . Professional
Power Level . . . . 1 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Professional
Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . Professional
Strength . . . .. 25 Damage Rank
Health 25 Physical
Reaction . . . . . 20 Limb-IS (ax); or by weapon (plus strength bonuses)
Intelligence . .. 15 Special Abilities Skin Penetration-20 (2X)
Destiny. . . . .. 15 Defense Strength nl a
Presence . . . 20 Aptitudes
Willpower . . 25 Magical Aptitude · nla
Size 4 yds Mentalic Aptitude · nla
Primal Cost
Speed 5 ydsls To Create . · nla
To Maintain nla

"PPE"lr\1D\lr\"H()E
£r\ L
La humareda is an amorphous, gaseous minion that
resembles a shifting cloud of gray smoke. The creature
has complete control over its shape, the only restriction being that it must
maintain a constant volume.
When full grown, la humareda has a volume of 512 cubic feet. This means it
can fill a cube a feet on a side, or a sphere with a diameter of about 10 feet, or
a cylinder 2 feet in diameter and 163 feet long, or any other shape that has the
same volume.
When engaging in combat, la humareda usually takes on a roughly hu-
manoid form, standing about 10 feet tall, with multiple limbs that are constant-
ly shifting and reforming. These limbs can resemble human arms clutching
weapons, animal limbs tipped with claws, tentacles, scythe-blades, or anything
else the creature wants.
La humareda can cause its body or any part of its body to solidify and
become material. It will usually do this to materialize weapons with which to
strike its foes. It can materialize or dematerialize instantly, with no preparation
time. Thus it can materialize a tentacle long enough to strike its opponent, then
dematerialize so that its foe's counters trike passes harmlessly through its body.
Las humaredas are totally silent, and completely odorless. The sight of these
shifting columns of gas is enough to strike awe into the soul of any mortal who
sees them.

ORIGIN 0_
V
B" ()')GDOUND
lr\LI\ I \:
Las humaredas evolve~ natural!y in the
outer corona of a massive red giant star
on a distant plane. For uncounted millennia las humaredas existed, blissfully
unaware of the greater multiverse, merging with each other and sharing their
essences in orgiastic rituals. Then, several centuries ago, Xantigo, God of Incor-
poreal Creatures, discovered them and took them under his wing. He recognized
immediately that las humaredas would make excellent servitors for him, "living
weapons" that he could dispatch throughout the multiverse to spread terror
and death among his enemies. Today, las humaredas can be found throughout
the multiverse, furthering the interests of Xantigo.
Sages believe there are several thousand las humaredas in existence. The
majority of them can be found on their plane of origin. When they are dis-
patched to other planes, they usually travel in groups of 5-40.
La Humareda 75

BE h "UIOR Las
k)Lr\
humaredas are totally loyal to Xantigo
and subservient to his will. Nobody knows
why this is or what they gain from serving the deity, but they
must see some benefit in it since they seem to serve him
willingly, not as a result of divine influence.
The creature's mentality is incredibly alien, as might be ex-
pected from a member of a purely gaseous race that evolved
in the atmosphere of a star. Nobody can completely under-
stand la humareda's motives, or its outlook on the world. It is
possible to establish telepathic contact with la humareda, but
in almost all cases the flow of alien symbols and concepts is so
overpowering that it stuns the telepath, or even unseats his or
her sanity; for purposes of conflict resolution, this effect has
a power rating of 60. La humareda is thought to be about as
intelligent and self-aware as a human being, but this is only
speculation. So alien is la humareda's mentality that normal
conceptions of intelligence might be totally irrelevant.
Las humaredas' senses, too, are alien, equating only vague-
ly to human senses. It is thought that las humaredas can sense
physical objects out to a range of several hundred yards, even
in total darkness, and they can sense energy fluxes at much
greater distances. This sensory ability has a power rating of
65.
Las humaredas are very hedonistic, seeking out pleasure
at all times. Unfortunately for sages, however, nobody quite
understands what las humaredas find pleasurable, or why.
Las humaredas move by floating. Their form of movement
is little understood, particularly since they seem able to totally
ignore even the strongest winds. Their speed is always with
respect to the ground, not with respect to the air through
which they float. Even against a hurricane-force headwind,
they can move at their normal rate.

ComB " m Las humaredas attack using solidified limbs,

Lr\ I frequently tipped with simple weapons like
swords, axes, claws, and so on. They will sometimes use a
solidified limb to pick up and hurl a missile weapon. To the
best of anyone's knowledge, they cannot use bows or cross-
bows. The sight of an amorphous cloud sprouting weapons is
enough to strike fear into the heart of most mortal foes, and
this is why the minions fight in this way. They are certainly
strong enough to use tree trunks and such as weapons, and
they will do so if they find that their appearance does not
daunt their opponents.
Since las humaredas can desolidify their bodies at will,
normal physical attacks pass right through them and do them
no harm. Because they originated in the superheated corona
of a star, heat- or fire-based attacks also do no damage. Cold-
based attacks, however, do double normal damage to them.
The mind of la humareda is so alien that there is only a 15%
chance that any psychic or mentalic attack will affect them.
 76 Pawns: The Opening Move

<:::!pE()1
U
" r "BlrlmIE~ Las humaredas have two special attacks. The
\.._ (.r\11 £r\ 11 I U first allows them to surround a single foe up to
100 feet away with a cloud of highly toxic gas. This gas is so lethal that the chances
of making a resistance roll are halved, and failure leads to rapid, painful death.
The gas is somewhat viscous and magically cohesive. Wind, whether natural or
magical, will not disperse it, and it will follow its victim around for a period of
five minutes before dispersing. An exceptionally fast-moving victim might be
able to escape the gas cloud, but the chances are relatively low, 1% for every
yard per second of the victim's speed. La humareda can create up to three gas
clouds per combat exchange, each of which replaces one of its normal melee
attacks. This ability has a power rating of 62.
La humareda can also cause one of its limbs, in gaseous form, to seep
through the pores of its target's skin and then materialize inside the victim's
body. This causes hideous damage, rupturing the victim's skin and flesh. La
humareda can attempt only one such attack per combat exchange, and it
replaces two of its normal attacks. It must make a successful targeting roll
with a -r or -5% penalty, but if it succeeds the hit is automatically grievous.

"The pain was like nothing

else I have ever been unlucky
enough to experience. The sensa-
tion of something material taking
form within the flesh of my body-
it hurt even more than a sword in
the guts, and thats saying some-
thing ... "
From a conversation with Cidema
Trap, High Paladin ofEresh-kigal
Magitor 77

ffiAGITOR
(MAJ~ih-torr) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . Veteran to Legendary-2
Power Level . . . . 6 Melee Weapon Combat Skill . Veteran to Legendary-2
Missile Weapon Combat Skill. Veteran to Legendary-2
Strength . . . . . 45 Damage Rank
Health 55 Physical
Reaction . . . . . 25 Fist, 35 (4x); or by weapon type, plus strength bonus
Intelligence . . . 30 (2X)
Destiny. . . 55 Special Abilities Poison Spit, 35 (IX)
Presence . . . .. 25 Defense Strength 50
Willpower . . 55 Aptitudes
Size 2 yds Magical Aptitude nt a
MentalicAptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nla
Speed. .. 12 yds/s Primal Cost
To Create nl a
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nl a

"PPE"£r\lD\£r\"NCE !he
lr\
magitor is a short, sq~at ~uma~oid creature weigh-
mg 350 pounds and rangmg m height from about 5-6
feet, with disproportionately short legs but long arms. It is hairless and has
thick, rough skin of a texture somewhere between heavy leather and wood.
Brown in color, the magitor ranges from the shade of good, rich loam on its
chest and belly to nearly black on its limbs and extremities. It has small black
eyes, bright and expressionless as glass beads, set deep below overhanging
brows and protected by circular ridges of what serves the creature for bone.
Magitors have a highly developed musculature that follows quite a different
pattern from that of humans and most other humanoids. At rest, the differ-
ences are not noticeable; when a magitor moves, however, the muscles bulge
and shift in patterns that are definitely alien. Their flesh is denser than that
of normal creatures, providing them with unearthly strength and considerable
armor protection. Since they evolved on a plane with a much higher gravi-
tational constant, on the main plane they move gracefully, with a speed that
totally belies their mass.
Magitors always seem to be surrounded by an aura of crushing, eternal
sadness, too deep and intense for any mortal creature to endure. It is a sense of
loss, the loss of something cherished that will never return.

ORIGIN 0.
V
B "C'.JGDOUND
£r\ r\ 1 \:
The magitor species is tho~ght to have
evolved naturally on a distant plane
where the force of gravity is much stronger than it is on the more familiar
planes. Perhaps as a result of this higher gravitational constant, the magitors'
home plane is violently energetic. The level of magical energy there is excep-
tionally high-so high, in fact, that random, undirected magical "events" are
commonplace. There are some sages who believe that no intelligent life could
have evolved on such an inhospitable plane; they posit that the magitors actual-
ly arose somewhere else. Magitor myth and legend inseparably link the species
to the plane, however.
Magitors are thought to be ancient creatures, dating back to the first emer-
gence of magic in the multiverse and even predating most deities, although
the deities quite understandably deny this. Early in their history, the magi tors
developed an intense fascination with magic, at least in part due to the nature
of their home. They strove to penetrate the mysteries that surrounded magic,
78 Pawns: The Opening Move
dedicating their entire existence to learning all there was to know and even-
tually coming to control all aspects of magical energy. It is undeniable that
magitors have an innate intellectual understanding of magic that makes the
most magically adept members of other races appear completely ignorant in
comparison. If a mage could only persuade a magitor to divulge a tiny portion
of what it knows about magic, that mage could make great strides forward in
the manipulation of arcane powers.
Magitor 79
Legends describe the final outcome of the magitors' research into magic.
The magi tors discovered the very essence that was the core of magic, and
realized that it was, in some ways, sentient. Magic is alive! After making this
momentous discovery, magitor leaders came to communicate with the central
essence of magic and negotiated an eternal relationship with the core sentience.
The magitors sought complete and utter immunity to magical effects, whether
direct or indirect, and if the myths are to be believed, the sentient essence of
magic granted this boon to the species.
Most boons carry with them some consequence, and this was no exception.
The magi tors , immunity to magic means that the forces of magic cannot engage
with any facet of a magitor's existence-physical or mental. While this means
that magitors cannot fall victim to baneful magic, it also means the creatures
cannot be affected in any way by beneficial magic. Furthermore, since magic
cannot engage in any way with the magitors' mental processes, it also means
that they are totally incapable of wielding magic in any way, shape, or form. It
is the magitors' tragedy that the quest to control the mysterious forces of magic
finally led to total, eternal separation from the subject of their fascination. The
majority of the race's epic poems and songs relate to this subject.
Although the magitors have been barred from magical use and study, the
other consequences of their negotiation with the essence of magic remain; they
must uphold their end of the deal. In return for their magical immunity, they
must protect the essence of magic from those who would put it at risk or abuse
it.

REh "\)IOR On their home plane, the magi tors live in small bands rarely
U k)(r\ numbering more than a dozen individuals. Some sages be-
lieve that these bands are actually family groups. Since magitors are apparently
androgynous, however, and nobody knows how or even if the creatures repro-
duce, there is some discussion regarding what the word "family" might mean
in this context. Individual magitors occasionally leave their bands for years or
decades at a time, wandering their plane and others, seeking out those who are
using or abusing the powers of magic. They will do what they can to prevent
anyone from abusing magic, even going so far as to destroy the person if no
other course will serve. Although they will never admit it to anyone not of their
kind, they also search for someone who can reconnect them to the powers of
magic from which they have been sundered. Even though the magitors will
never speak of this, certain sages understand what they are doing and refer to
the magitors as "the Seekers" because of this.
Magitors are solemn creatures, exceptionally serious in personality and
mien. They rarely speak, but when they do their words are always worth hearing.
Magitors were never particularly common on their home plane. There are
thought to be on the order of 25,000 of the creatures in the entire multiverse.
Most of these will be found on their home plane, although individuals are
sometimes found elsewhere. When on other planes, magi tors are usually found
singly. Although they are independent creatures with a very definite sense of
their race's particular destiny, they are occasionally found serving powerful
deities. This usually happens only when the deity's interests parallel those of
the magitor, however. Even when a deity's interests align perfectly with those of
a magi tor, alliances are rare since magi tors tend to resent any who can actually
use magic.

(JO B
\_, m fAr Magitors are not warlike creatures. They never fight among
themselves, and would never seek out confrontations with other
creatures. Instead, they simply continue with whatever course of action they
80 Pawns: The Opening Move

consider best, depending on their natural resilience and their immunity to

magic to protect them. If forced into combat in some way, however, magitors
are daunting foes. The majority of magitors have relatively limited interest in
or skill with weapons, preferring to use their fists. They will often use their
immense strength and mass in a grappling, overbearing, or crushing attack.
Some magitors, however, have a natural skill with certain melee or missile
weapons. Since the creatures have never been observed training with these
weapons, the origin of this skill is a mystery.
Magitors seldom possess weapons, and it is overwhelmingly rare to find one
in possession of a magical item, simply because the creature is unable to use
any such things. The species as a whole possesses many magical items, but
keeps them well guarded in a secure vault on the creatures' home plane in order
to protect the items from harm or misuse. Since all magical items are sacred
to magi tors, and since they cannot use them themselves, this is the only logical
course of action for them.

~p.EPI"
U
r "BlrlmIE~ As me~tioned earlier, magi tors are .totally and
\..- v\L1 Lr\ Lj I tJ utterly Immune to all effects of magic, whether
direct or indirect. Spells or other magical effects that would directly affect a
magitor, either for better or worse, will automatically fail or perhaps fumble.
Even indirect uses of magic cannot harm a magitor. Thus, a foe cannot cause a
magical earthquake beneath the feet of a magi tor, or even teleport behind the
creature to attack it from the rear. Any such attempt will cause the magic to fail.
Magical items are equally incapable of harming a magitor. Those that cast
magical effects simply will not function against a magitor. Innate enchant-
ments, such as those frequently found in swords, will resist being used against
a magitor and will self-destruct rather than harm the creature. For example, if a
warrior swings an enchanted broadsword at a magitor, the enchantment in the
broadsword will destroy itself-perhaps in a violent explosion, or perhaps by
simply vanishing and leaving the sword forever nonmagical-before it strikes
the magitor's flesh.
Magitors have an innate ability to sense another creature's attitude toward
magic, and they take special care to see whether the other creature respects
magic or takes it for granted. This outlook will strongly influence the magitor's
reaction to any characters it meets.
When engaged in combat, magitors will frequently pause to drink the blood
of fallen opponents; once the blood is swallowed, the magitors' bodies metab-
olize it into a lethal contact poison that affects only members of the same race
as the opponent whose blood the magitor drank. The magitor can then spit this
poison over a radius of 10 feet for every quart of blood consumed. Because the
poison is a product of the magitor's body, it is also unaffected by magic and can
pass through all magical defenses. If even a tiny bit of this poison touches a
The greatest boon, the greatest portion of unprotected skin or seeps through a joint in the armor of a character
curse. of the appropriate race, that character dies instantly. Characters of other races
Divorced forever from the object of are not affected at all by the poison. For purposes of resolving a conflict, this
their desire:
Woe to the Seekers, woe. ability has a power rating of 80, though it is a natural and not a magical ability.
Woe to the Seekers, woe. Due to the violent atmosphere of their home plane, magitors are naturally
Sundered from hope, cold and resistant to the elements. All attacks based on elemental forces, temperature,
empty, acids or alkalis, poison, fire, electricity, and so on do only one- tenth their normal
Alone and unfulfilled for eternity: damage.
Woe to the Seekers, woe.
Woe to the Seekers, woe.

Song of the Seekers,

Stanza CCXCVII
Maskim 81

ffiA5Klffi
(mass-KEEM) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . .. Legendary-z
Power Level . . . . 9 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Master
Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . Professional
Strength . . . . . 60 Damage Rank
Health . . . . . . 65 Physical
Reaction . . . .. 55 Fist-40 (2X each) or by weapon type (2X) (plus
Intelligence . . . 55 strength bonus)
Destiny 60 Special Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla
Presence . . . .. 55 Defense Strength 50
Willpower . . . . 70 Aptitudes
Size s yds Magical Aptitude Legendary-z
Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Legendary-6
Speed Primal Cost
ydsls I
16 To Create .... . nla
Unlimited To Maintain. . . . nla

"PPE"(r\1D\(r\"NCE When
£r\
in their physical forms, the maskim appear as
perfectly- formed humanoids, standing 18 feet tall and
massing well over 1,000 pounds. They are massively muscled, with chests
more than 80 inches in circumference. They move with a deadly grace, which
bespeaks immense power kept under tight control. A maskim's skin is a dark,
mottled green, and so smooth as to be almost totally frictionless. Its eyes
sparkle with a bright golden light. Straight spiral horns-like the horn of a
narwhal-extend three feet from its head. Maskim are totally devoid of hair, and
have no overt genitalia. If the race is differentiated into sexes, the differences
are detectable only to other maskim. Their features are finely chiseled and
inhumanly beautiful. This beauty makes the maskim's normal expression seem
even more obscene-it is a maniacal, patently insane grin.
In their insubstantial form, maskim can be detected only by divine or pri-
mally enhanced vision, and then only as dim humanoid outlines.

ORIGIN If0. B"C')GDOUND

(r\ 1\ I \:
Norecordofthecreationofthemaskim
can be found, even among the deities.
Neither can records be found describing their natural evolution or spontaneous
generation, or discussing a time when there were no maskim in the multiverse.
It is as if the maskim had always existed.
This has given rise to various interesting rumors and speculations. One is
that the maskim were spawned or perhaps created before the beginning of time,
before the space-time continuum was shaped into its present form. Another is
that the maskim are the physical embodiment of "evil" -the antithesis oflife and
benevolence-and hence came into existence the first instant that philosophy
appeared in the multiverse. Whatever the truth may be, the maskim do exist as
an independent race, not allied with any deity or faction, and serving no one
and nothing but their own malicious interests.
The entire purpose of their existence is to spread terror, death, and
destruction-in other words, to disseminate woe and corruption through-
out the multiverse. This purpose is of their own choosing, but considering their
racial personality they could choose no other.
Fortunately for the multiverse, there are only seven of these reavers in
existence.
82 Pawns: The Opening Move

BE 'IOR
h. IH
ItI(r\ V
Maskim revel in destruction and death, and
in everything that mortals would call "evil."
They deal only in woe on a grand scale, however, consider-
ing petty nastiness unworthy of their efforts and better left to
lesser races. They particularly enjoy causing large-scale disas-
ters such as famines and plagues, gleefully interfering in any
attempts to mitigate the catastrophes they have created. It is
said that they feed on the terror and pain they create, although
no one knows quite how this might work.
They care for nothing and no one but themselves. They are
constrained by no moral codes; in essence, they are the phys-
ical embodiment of contempt, hatred, and raw anger. They
attempt to dominate or destroy every living thing they en-
counter, considering nothing their equal, and definitely noth-
ing their superior. They occasionally make alliances with oth-
er powerful races, but they never keep them, always choosing
the most opportune time to double cross their erstwhile con-
federates.
It is exceptionally rare to encounter more than one maskim
at a time. Maskim can be encountered on any plane of exis-
tence, but are usually found where they can cause the most
destruction, and always turn up at the worst possible time.
They will usually locate baneful races or groups on the plane
in which they are interested, then terrorize these "proxies" in-
to working for them. They care nothing for their proxies other
than as tools, and will send an entire race to destruction if it
suits their purposes, which it nearly always does.
At will, a maskim can convert from its normal physical
form into an insubstantial and undetectable form. Changing
from physical to insubstantial form takes no time at all. To
transform the other way, a maskim must remain inactive for
three hours; at the end of this period, it assumes physical form
once more. This "reconstitution time" is the only limitation
on the frequency with which maskim can change forms.
Individual maskim almost never use weapons or other
pieces of equipment, disdaining such petty baubles. If a
maskim is carrying an item, it is guaranteed that it is immense-
ly powerful and destructive. Maskim communicate among
themselves and with others using an innate form of telepathy.
Three times per day, a maskim can move at virtually unlim-
ited speed without range limit, on a single plane or between
planes. Only primal barriers can block this movement. In
insubstantial form, they can move at unlimited speed, with-
out limit, but cannot cross planar barriers without resuming
physical form.

(:lomB"
L
m ~askim strike ~th their two fists, inflicting
(r\ I Immense crushmg damage. They can use
weapons, but rarely deign to do so. They never wear ar-
mor. They can attack physically only when in physical form;
they can use their mentalic and magical abilities in either
form, however. A maskim is totally unaffected by nonrnag-
ical attack forms; nonmagical weapons simply bounce off
them. Only artifact-caliber magical items can inflict full dam-
Maskim 83

age on a maskim; all others inflict only one-quarter of their normal damage.
A maskim's almost-frictionless skin gives it even more protection against en-
chanted weapons. Piercing weapons inflict normal damage, but bludgeoning
weapons inflict only one-quarter damage and cutting weapons inflict only half
damage. Note that these damage reductions are cumulative with the quarter-
damage penalty for non-artifacts. Thus a non-artifact magical axe will inflict
one-eighth (one quarter times one half) its normal damage. An artifact-caliber
axe would still inflict only half damage.
In insubstantial form, they cannot be struck by physical objects, even en-
chanted ones.
In either form, maskim are immune to all attacks that target the mind or the
soul, and to those based on negative energy.

<:;!PECI"£r\ljr lr\"BlflmIEC!
V 0 I
Maskim can release the energies contained
tJ within magical items that act as power sourc-
es-most rings and wands, items that store spells, and so on. The energy is
released in an explosion that totally destroys the item, and inflicts hideous
damage on anyone and anything nearby. The amount and range of damage are
left up to the individual GM, but should be proportional to the power of the
item; for artifacts, use the rule for the explosion of faulty artifacts on p. 79 of
The Primal Order. This ability has a power rating of 75. The ability has a range of
100 feet, and requires the maskim to do nothing else for one combat exchange
and to be in physical form.
Many deities have attempted to imprison maskim, but even the most pow-
erful bindings seem unable to hold them for long. Given sufficient time, ranging
from seconds to decades, depending on the power of the bindings, maskim can
escape from any imprisonment.
A maskim can possess the mind and body of any creature, even a minion,
turning it into a puppet slave totally under the maskim's control. This ability
has a maximum range of 100 feet and, once established, can only be broken by
the destruction of the maskim. The ability has a power rating of 70, but primally
based defenses can protect the target. A maskim can use this ability ten times
per day.
Woe to those who encounter
the Consumers of Souls [MaskimJ,
and woe to the universe that
it should have to suffer such a
scourge. There are many tales
of the Consumers of Souls. It is
said that they are the children
of the underworld-yet even the
denizens of the dark planes fear
them.
It is also said that they are
masters of ancient lore and hidden
knowledge, and guard the location
of the Tablets of Destiny, on which
are graven the secrets of creation.
The first legend, I will believe.
The second? No-were the Con-
sumers to have the secrets of the
power of creation in their hands,
would they not use them to turn
our universe into something that
better fits their own twisted pre-
cepts? I think so.
Garth Martigan, Sage of Xeonath,
Reflections on Reality
84 Pawns: The Opening Move

PANDJRWA
(pan-DEER-wah) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla
Power Level . . . . 8 Melee Weapon Combat Skill nl a
Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nl a
Strength . . . . . 20 Damage Rank
Health 30 Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla
Reaction . . . . . 40 Special Abilities nl a
Intelligence 30 Defense Strength 30
Destiny. . . . . . 45 Aptitudes
Presence . . . .. 25 Magical Aptitude Legendary-z
Willpower . . .. 55 Mentalic Aptitude nl a
Size . . .. 5·33 yds Primal Cost
To Create 1,500 base
Speed. . . . .. nla To Maintain 50 flux

"PPE"R"NCE
£r\ £r\ £r\
A pandirwa resembles a is-foot-long snake with the
head of a giant fly. The head has two octagonal, faceted
eyes more than a foot in diameter. The pandirwa's body is about a foot in
diameter, while the head has a diameter of almost three feet.
The creature's head is covered with short, black hairs, almost stiff enough to
be spines, while its body is covered with overlapping amber scales. Pandirwas-
when they are seen at all-are semi-transparent, appearing incorporeal. In fact,
the truth of the matter is even more interesting, as discussed below.
Pandirwas are completely silent and odorless. They can be touched only if
they will it, and then they feel insubstantial. Even when a pandirwa is in its
most "material" form, a strong man could push his arm right through its body,
with no harm to the pandirwa, of course.

ORIGIN {j0_ B"C'.JGDOUND

£r\ f\ 1,\
Pandirwas were created by Ravasti,
Guardian of Society, a greater deity
whose sphere of influence is community and social interactions. Their sole
purpose-one to which they are perfectly suited-is to collect information
about the various races and civilizations in the multiverse. They wander the
multiverse, observing and studying as many events, places, and planes of exis-
tence as they can, storing all their perceptions in their perfect memory. Then
they periodically return to Ravasti's plane to transfer the data to the Guardian
of Society. They are the ultimate spies, reporters, scouts, and explorers.
There are only ten pandirwas in existence.

h "VIOR The key personality attribute ?f a .pan~irwa is curiosity. ~hey

BEItJ£r\ want to learn about every society III existence-i-the rapaCIOUS
as well as the peaceful, the divine as well as the mortal-even if their investiga-
tions lead them into personal danger. Sometimes they are a little too curious
for their own good, striving to outdo each other by coming up with the biggest
"scoop" for their master. This is understandable, since Ravasti rewards the
pandirwas based on the amount of useful information they collect. The "hottest
scoop of the day" is rewarded with an extra dose of primal energy on the next
day, a treat enjoyed by a pandirwa. When pandirwas are between assignments,
all members of Ravasti's orders treat them with the respect and honor usually
reserved for demigods. The creatures can summon or command any of Ravasti's
lesser minions with a level of authority equal to that of a demigod.
Pandirwa 85

Pandirwas often find themselves in harm's way. For example, cataclysmic

events like clashes between deities are potentially very interesting, but also
potentially deadly to the pandirwa dispatched to "cover" them. Pandirwas have
no true sense of self-preservation, and no fear of destruction. What they do fear,
however, is loss of the data they may be carrying. They also recognize with a
complete lack of ego that they are valuable to Ravasti, and not to be expended
lightly.
Pandirwas exist insubstantially most of the time, though they can materialize
if they need to. This insubstantiality allows them to observe normal reality, and
to be seen only when they wish to be. This means that, if it is doing its job, a
pandirwa will never be encountered even when it is present!
A pandirwa travels in nonstandard dimensions. This allows it to travel
instantaneously within a single plane, and dimension shift between planes at
will and without error.

(lomB"
L £r\
m Like the best spies, pandirwas consider discretion the better
1 part of valor. The creatures can dodge any physical attack by
"side-stepping" multidimensionally. They are also immune to all non-primal
energy attacks; primally laced attacks affect them normally. So do attacks by
artifacts that have a power rating of 80 or more and that deal multidimensional
attacks. They are susceptible to mental attacks, although their own considerable
mentalic abilities mean they rarely have to worry about this.

~PE()I"
U
r. "BlrlmIEC! Pandirwas remember everything about any
L £r\Ll (r\ u 1 V event, place, plane, and person. that they per-
ceive. They are perfect data collectors, never "tainting" data with their own
opinions, prejudices, and so on. They can convey their memories to Ravasti
with such detail and fidelity that the experience is the same as perceiving the
86 Pawns: The Opening Move
events first-hand, though they usually summarize the salient points to save
time.
A pandirwa can drain the memory from a victim, examine it, and then
replace it-untouched or modified, at the creature's discretion. Pandirwas
consider this an excellent technique for learning about events they did not
witness, or to plumb the personalities of significant people. This ability lets
them edit portions out of a target's memory record, modify remembered events,
add new memories that are indistinguishable from the real thing, or any similar
manipulation. Manipulating the memory record of one subject takes only one
combat exchange, and they can use the ability once per day.
This is a primally powered ability, costing Ravasti 10 flux per use. It has a
power rating of 94. There is no resistance roll, and immunity to mentalics does
not apply. The only defense against the effect is a primal shield protecting the
subject or its mind.

"Didyou know, there are some

old folk tales about pandirwas?
Wrong, of course, like so many
such stories.
"You can capture a pandiru/a,
the stories say. If you do so, it will
grant you the knowledge of an an-
cient warrior or wizard. All the
knowledge, in such a way that you
can use all of that persons abilities.
You know what I mean: toss spells
like a legendary wizard, wield a
sword like a mythical hero.
"Rot! If you ever manage to
capture a pandirwa-and I don't
know how yo Tid do it=-youre
just not going to remember it.
And, if the pandirwa is feeling
even vaguely militant, you wont
remember anything else. Ever
again."
From a conversation with Barclay
the Wise
Pinosca 87

PIH05CA
(pin-Oss-kah) Combat
Unarmed combat skill: n/a. Melee weapon combat skill:
Power Level . . . . 7 n/a. Missile weapon combat skill: n/a.
Damage Rank
Strength . . . . . 20 Physical
Health 25 Limb=ao (IX) or by weapon type (IX) (plus strength
Reaction . . . . . 20 . bonus)
Intelligence . . . 30 Special Abilities nla
Destiny 35 Defense Strength 45
Presence . . . . . 35 Aptitudes
Willpower . . . . 50 Magical Aptitude Legendary-s
Size 2 yds Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Legendary-s
Primal Cost
Speed. .. 12 ydsls To Create As avatars (see The Primal Order)
To Maintain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . none

"PPE "NDE
£r\
IH) A pinosca resembles a giant land-dwelling jellyfish that
lr\1 \lr\ "-- stands upright upon its 12 tentacles. It stands about six
feet tall. Its tentacles are about five feet long; its body is roughly cylindrical,
about six feet in diameter and roughly one foot thick.
Its surface is dry, with a texture and resilience like firm rubber. Its color is
translucent off-white, with thin pink and blue veins visible beneath the surface.
It has no odor, and moves silently. It communicates mentally or magically, and
has no sound-producing organs.
Any sentient creature within 100 feet of a pinosca feels an inexplicable
"mental tingle." While not unpleasant, this tingle makes it impossible to mistake
a pinosca for anything but a powerful minion.

ORI6IN Vo_ B "CI.l 61DOUND

\:
lr\ 1\
The 20 pinoscae are actually "pseudo-
avatars" of a demigod of mentalic mag-
ic named Yisra. Some 80 years ago, Yisra was engaged in some engross-
ing research into overlapping multidimensional planar gates. He created-or
discovered-an artifact that allowed him to create multiple levels of conscious-
ness similar to those possessed by avatars.
Unbeknownst to Yisra, he had earned the undying antipathy of a primal-
based demon named Thretch. As the demigod was happily creating bodies
in which to house his new levels of consciousness, and trying to decide on a
suitable form for them to take, Thretch attacked. In the shock of her assault,
Yisra's magic went horribly awry. Instead of the transcendentally handsome
human figures Yisra had envisioned, the bodies created by his magic resembled
human-sized jellyfish.
He did not have time to be surprised or disappointed by this result, however.
Thretch's overwhelming attack slew his original body and blasted his primal
base to cosmic dust. And so ended the saga of Yisra.
Or so it should have ended. Even as his divine life force was torn asunder,
the magical spell he had initiated continued to completion, transferring his 20
new levels of consciousness into the jellyfishlike vessels created to house them.
These vessels, now known as the pinoscae, survived as avatars of the now-
defunct Yisra. Of course, this simply should not have happened, according to
all known laws of multidimensional physics. That it did implies that there is
more in heaven and earth than is dreamt of in any philosophy.
88 Pawns: The Opening Move

Understandably peeved, the 20 pinoscae paid a visit to Thretch on her home

plane and destroyed her, but only after making sure that she had no would-be
avatars in the works.

RET; "UIOR Each pinosca has all the memories arid personality of the late,
U It]£r\ lamented Yisra. At the moment of their creation, they shared
the same beliefs, emotions, opinions, outlooks, and so on. Since that time,
however, they have diverged slightly due to their different sets of experience.
Even though each of the 20 pinoscae is, in a way, the same person, they do not
make up a group mind as do Keepers of Law (p. 66). They can and do commu-
nicate mentally and magically whenever the mood strikes, but they consider
themselves independent creatures. There are hints that, subconsciously, each
pinosca views itself as the "true" Yisra and all others copies, but the creatures
rarely let this influence their actions.
One thing unifies the 20 pinoscae, and that is a hatred of demons - that
makes all other hatreds resemble vague distaste in comparison. The pinoscae
have dedicated their entire existence to hunting down and destroying demons
wherever they can find them, on any plane. Their special ire is reserved for
primally based demons similar to Thretch.
The pinoscae are closely allied with a number of deities, mainly those of
magic or mental energy. A pinosca will frequently perform a task for a deity
in return for information about the whereabouts of a powerful demon. The
creature will then hunt down and destroy that demon.
Pinosca 89

The pinoscae can walk or crawl relatively slowly. If speed is of the essence,
they fly magically, or teleport, planeshift, or dimensional shift, all of which they
can do at will and without error.

()OffiB" m As avatars, or pseudo-avatars, of a demigod of mentalic magic,

\.., (r\ I the pinoscae prefer to use their magical and mentalic abilities
for attack and defense. Before his destruction, Yisra considered his mind his
greatest weapon, and scorned such "barbaric" tools as swords and spears, which
he never learned to use.. His avatars, the pinoscae, share this ignorance. The
pinoscae will go a long way to avoid melee combat. Certain pinoscae have been
known to use artifact-class enchanted weapons, but this is very rare.
The creatures prefer to bring to bear their incredible arsenal of magical
abilities, described below. As lovers of magic, the pinoscae have collected an
armory of magical items-mainly wands, staves, rods, amulets, and orbs-
which they use to supplement their own abilities. Note that each pinosca has
its own arsenal, and is usually quite leery about "loaning out" items even to its
fellows.

~PE(JI"
V
r "BlrlmIE<:;!u The
L (r\Ll £r\ Ll I
pinosca are spellcasters of legendary-s
ranking. It is common for them to be adept at
three or four different styles or fields of magic. In addition, the pinosca are also
at legendary-s ranking in all forms of mentalics. They are able to perform the
unique function of powering either ability with a common reservoir of energy.
This means that they can use magical energy to power mentalic abilities, and
vice versa if they are pressed. This ability has a power rating of 77.

How does it feel, demon? How

does it feel to have an implacable
foe on your trail, as you dogged the
footsteps of how many mortals?
How bitter is the taste of your
fear, how sharp is its bite in your
belly?
Yes, demon, the Slayers are af-
ter you. And they will catch you.
And when they do, nothing
will stand between you and obliv-
ion ...
The Lay of Metta; Author Un-
known
90 Pawns: The Opening Move

P~l\Hl\R Pl\Rl\3I~E
Power Level . . . . 8 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Strength . . .. nl a Melee Weapon Combat Skill nla
Health ..... nla Missile Weapon Combat Skill nla
Reaction . . . . . 20 Damage Rank
Intelligence . . . . 5 Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Destiny 10 Special Abilities nl a
Presence . . . .. 10 Defense Strength nla
Willpower . . .. 15 Aptitudes
Size . . 100 yds Magical Aptitude . nl a
Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . nl a
Speed Primal Cost
Speed of light, To Create . .... 1,000 base
attainable only in To Maintain . . . . . . ......... nla
vacuum of space
Otherwise-167
yds/s.

"PPE"(r\1D\(r\"N()E
(r\
Composed entirely of planar energy, planar parasites
\..... are completely invisible to all normal forms of vision,
including infravision and ultravision, if they exist in the game world. They can
only be detected by the slight gravitational and magnetic disturbances they
cause in their vicinity. Planar parasites are without mass. They are disk-shaped,
approximately 300 feet across and 10 feet thick.
Creatures that can detect magnetic fields can sense the presence of a planar
parasite at a range of 100 yards, although they might not realize exactly what
it is they are sensing. Creatures closely attuned to gravity can sense a planar
parasite as a gravitational anomaly at a range of several hundred yards. Other
creatures must come within 10 yards of a planar parasite before they can sense
the minuscule variations in gravity caused by the creature.

OUN
ORIGIN V0_ uACr\
R
GR D
I,) Nobody knows exactly who created the
first planar parasite, or when. Sages
propose many theories, the most popular being that a malevolent deity, long
since destroyed, created the planar parasites and loosed them on the multiverse.
Certain sages speculate that the planar parasites were created as a kind of
ultimate weapon, a weapon eventually capable of destroying the multiverse,
and hence never to be used. The fact that the planar parasites are free in the
multiverse implies that their creator either accidentally released them, or was
destroyed and lost control of them. This is all speculation, of course, and there
seems to be little chance of learning the truth of the matter.

REr::.. " {lIOR As thei~ name it~~lies, planar parasites have ~ single goal:
U IcJ(r\ V to survive by drammg energy from planes of existence. They
are completely mindless, driven by instincts of self-preservation and hunger.
If attacked, they will defend themselves with all the powers at their disposal,
but they will never initiate hostilities unless directly threatened. If they are left
alone, they will be content to drain the planar energy from the plane they have
parasitized.
Planar parasites must attach themselves to a plane before they can drain
energy from it. This means that the parasites must spend 12 days on the plane,
investigating its energy flow with their arcane senses. At the end of this 12 days,
Planar Parasite 91

they set up an extradimensional channel between themselves and the plane,

through which they siphon planar energy. A parasite must remain stationary
to maintain this channel. If the parasite is forced to move, the channel is
broken and the creature cannot drain energy from the plane until the channel
is re-established. A primal barrier around a planar parasite will prevent it
from establishing an energy channel, and will break one already established.
If repeatedly attacked or hurt, planar parasites will leave the plane in search of
easier prey.
Evolutionarily speaking, planar parasites are actually unsuccessful as para-
sites, since they lead to the destruction of their hosts. When planar parasites
drain a plane of all its energy, the plane is destroyed, and the planar parasites
infesting it are destroyed along with it. Though the creatures are not intelligent
enough to understand that they will be destroyed with the plane, they do have
some instinct that prevents all of them from being exterminated. Once they
have drained approximately half of a plane's energy, half of the planar parasites
on a given plane will leave to seek out fresher feeding grounds.
A planar parasite normally is composed of an amount of planar energy
92 Pawns: The Opening Move

equivalent in power to 200 points of primal flux. It costs a planar parasite an

amount of planar energy equivalent to 10 points of primal flux per day to sustain
its existence at this level. A single planar parasite, over a period of approximately
half a day, can draw an amount of planar energy equivalent to 11 points of primal
flux from a plane to which it is attached; it is not able to draw more even if it
attempts to do so for the other half of the day. If at any point a planar parasite's
energy reserve is drained to zero, such as if a normal 200- point parasite is forced
to go for 20 days without attaching to a plane, the creature starves to death. If
at any point a planar parasite increases its energy reserve to the equivalent of
400 points of flux, it splits into two offspring, each with 200 points of energy.
This means that, left alone, the number of planar parasites on a given plane will
double every 200 days.
For some reason that has eluded sages for centuries, planar parasites only
operate in groups of equivalently powered individuals. Only one pack will infest
a single plane, and the number of individuals in that pack will always equal a
power of two (i.e., 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, etc.). At first glance, this makes some
sense. After all, a plane will usually be parasitized by one planar parasite which,
as described above, will split into two once it has absorbed enough planar
energy. Each of these two creatures will eventually split into two; each of those
will split into two, and so on. Since each generation will double the number of
the previous generation, it makes sense that the number of planar parasite on
a plane will always be a power of two.
But what if one planar parasite is destroyed? For some reason, planar
parasites seem not to be able to exist in groups that are not powers of two. The
diminished group will split into sub-groups that are powers of two; the smaller
sub-groups will then each move on to infect a different plane. For example, if
one member of a sa-member group is destroyed, the survivors would split into
a pack of 16, a pack of 8, a pack of 4, a pack of 2, and a single planar parasite.
Sub-groups do not planeshift to other planes instantly. The process generally
takes 1-4 hours. If, during that time, more members of the group are killed, the
planeshift will be postponed for another 1-4 hours while the survivors split into
differently organized subgroups.
If a member of a group loses energy, the other members of the group will
redistribute their energy so that all members have exactly the same energy
reservoirs.
Planar parasites can planeshift at will, although they will usually not do so
unless forced for their own survival.

(lomB"
L
ill Planar parasites can convert their planar energy into a lethal
V\ I energy blast, though they do not do so often since this will
drain their reservoirs. The planar energy blast will affect even creatures totally
resistant to magic, but primal or primally laced barriers will block it. Planar
parasites can fire as many energy blasts as they like per combat exchange,
targeting the same or different foes. The only restriction on how many times
they can use this ability is the amount of energy in their reservoirs. Planar
parasites will never drain their energy reserves to zero in this way.
Planar parasites are composed entirely of planar energy, and thus can be
harmed only by attacks that affect this form of energy, such as attacks based on
primal or planar energy or the effects of artifacts rated at 66 or higher.

C!PEPI"
V
r "BIr.lmIE~ As explained in The Primal Order, every plane
"-- V\U V\ U I v generates a certain amount of excess planar en-
ergy that can be used to power planar constants or provide a controlling deity
with flux. Planar parasites infesting a plane first drain the energy that would
Planar Parasite 93

go to flux, incidentally diminishing the capabilities of any deity dependent on

the infected plane, and then drain the energy that would go to power planar
constants. The amount of planar energy that actually makes up the physical
structure of a plane is actually ten times this amount, however. See The Primal
Order, pp. 55 and 142, for information that will help you figure out the amount
of planar energy a given plane has.
Once the energy that produces flux and the energy powering planar con-
stants is gone, the parasites begin draining the plane's base energy and the
physical structure of the plane begins to deteriorate. As a guideline for the
effects of this deterioration, refer to the following chart.

Planar Parasite Energy Drain

Percent
Drained Effect

10% Tidal waves and gravitational shifts

25% Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes
40% Continental breakups
55% Planar rifts (spontaneous "gates" to other planes)
70% Shifts in planetary orbits
85% Atmospheric breakdown; planetary atmospheres outgas into space
100% Plane explodes or implodes

"You want to know something

real scary? If you look at the big
picture, you just shouldn't attack
a group of planar parasites unless
you know you can kill them all. If
you don't think youre up to the job,
just leave them alone. Sure, theyll
eventually destroy the plane theyre
on, but when they do they destroy
themselves as well.
':4.nd what happens if you
knock off one of a group of eight?
They break into sub-groups: a
group of four, a group of two,
and a single planar parasite. The
group of four stays put. The oth-
er two sub-groups go off and infect
two other planes. Your 'good deed
might have just doomed two other
planes to eventual destruction.
"Kind of makes you want to
think before you act, doesnt it'!'
From a conversation with the leg-
endary warrior-magician T'tabal
Beastslayer
94 Pawns: The Opening Move

PRlmORDIA~ DRAGOH3
GENERl\G ORIGIN e Bl\CKGROUND ~an~he~f ~~:e :~~
powerful independent creatures in the multiverse, sages have spent much
time debating the origin of the primordial dragons. The most widely accepted
origin myth claims that the mother of the primordial dragons was the fearsome
half-woman, half-serpent Echidna, an ancient malevolent being who was the
granddaughter of the Greek Titan Oceanus. Echidna had previously given birth
to such creatures as the Lemrean Hydra, the Nemean lion, and the Sphinx
of Thebes, and was greatly sorrowed to see each of her children killed at the
hands of Greek heroes who worshipped her enemy, Zeus. As an act of revenge,
she created a new set of more powerful children that came to be known as
primordial dragons, and sent them to destroy Herakles, Zeus's son and greatest
of the heroes who had slain her firstborn.
By this time, Herakles was no longer mortal, but a demigod in his father's
service, with the support of most of the Olympian pantheon behind him. In the
epic battle that follwed, nearly all of the primordial dragons were killed, and
Herakles himself slew Echidna when she came forth to defend her children.
With their progenitor eliminated, the few primordial dragons who survived
the battle were now free to follow their own destinies. Many became the
parents of various draconic races. Over time, the surviving primordial dragons
established individual spheres of influence and became demigods in their own
rights.
It is important to note that some sages claim that Echidna, though defeated,
was not permanently destroyed. When Herakles defeated Echidna, these sages
claim, her consort Typhon intervened and held her home plane for her. This
allowed her a safe haven to which she could retreat and spend a century
regenerating her power.
All of the following primordial dragons are, of course, unique creatures.
Along with the normal divine aura the dragons have as demigods, their sizes
and high presence abilities make them appear almost unbelievably powerful,
striking fear into the hearts of mortal foes-and even some immortal ones. Any
being short of divine status who sees a primordial dragon must make a destiny
roll or be incapacitated with fear. Magic can counteract this effect, but should
operate with some penalty determined by the GM. Anyone who sees a primordial
dragon will understand, immediately and intuitively, that it is something very
different from the run-of-the-mill dragons hunted by adventurers, something
immeasurably more powerful.
Demache 95

DEmAe~E
Primordial Dragon of Chaos
(DEH-mah-kee) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Master
Power Level . . . . 8 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Master!
Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . .. Professionalt
Strength . . . . . 50 Damage Rank
Health 70 Physical .. Claw, 35 (2X each); Bite, 30 (2X); Tail, 30 (IX)
Reaction . . . . . 25 Special Abilities . Breath of Disintegration, special (2X)
Intelligence . . . 25 Defense Strength 35
Destiny 30 Aptitudes
Presence . . . . . 60 Magical Aptitude Legendary-2
Willpower . . . . 30 Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Size. . . .. 28 yds Primal Cost
To Create . nla
Speed To Maintain . . . . . . . . . . . nla
Walk 6 yds/s; Fly twhen shapechanged.
32 yds/s

"PPE" D"NPE ?e~ache

(r\ (1\1 \(1\
is a white d.ragon of unearthly beauty, elegant
hne and graceful
\..., III movement. She has no scales;
III
instead, she has soft and supple skin with the texture of finest velvet. Inset into
this skin are thousands of precious gems that Demache has collected over the
millennia. She has blood-red eyes and a wild mane that appears to consist of
brilliant green flames. Her teeth more resemble swords of silvery metal than
they do normal draconic fangs. She is usually surrounded by an aura or nimbus
of crackling, coruscating energy.
Demache's voice is well modulated, and its tenor matches her shifting
moods, sounding like melodious music or the screaming of enraged demons.
Both her body and her lair always smell of the most exotic perfumes and
incenses.
As befits her nature as a primordial dragon, Demache is a large creature;
her body is 200 feet long, plus an additional 95 feet of tail, and she is 45 feet
wide across her shoulders. When she sits on her haunches, her shoulders are
approximately 85 feet off the ground.

ORIGIN 0.
If
B" PI/GROUND
(I\\...,f\
Of all the primordial dragons, ?emache
was the one most loyal to Echidna after
her defeat by Herakles. While most of the other primordial dragons saw their
mother's fall as the time to claim their own freedom, Demache remained on
Echidna's home plane, helping to defend it from aggressors while Echidna
reformed. In gratitude for this loyalty, Echidna bestowed upon Demache the
gift of primal of her own. Since that time, Demache has acquired even greater
power. Demache still supports her mother when Echidna is in dire need.
While Demache was the most loyal of the primordial dragons, loyalty is, of
course, a relative thing. Demache supported Echidna primarily because she
thought this course would bring her more benefit in the long run. Since she is
now a lesser deity, the facts would seem to imply she was right. She continues
to support Echidna partly because it is better to have a greater deity's gratitude
than her enmity, and partly because the one place she likes consistency is in
her relationships. If Echidna were to enrage her, or if she thought it would be
a good career move, Demache would undoubtedly betray her mother, though
she would regret the need to do so.
96 Pawns: The Opening Move
Demache resides on one of the planes controlled by Echidna, and her lair is a
staggeringly beautiful place, rivaling Aphrodite's home in loveliness. Demache
finds it relaxing and rejuvenating to be surrounded by beauty, and so has filled
her lair with paintings, tapestries, sculptures, wildly flowering plants, purebred
animals, and servants chosen for their striking comeliness. No surface has
been left undecorated, and the overall effect is one of unrestrained baroque
splendor. When not in her lair, Demache can most often be found on planes
where disorder and anarchy dominate.

BE uM 'IOR
J; IH
I V
Demache's personality, and her sphere of influence, reflect
chaos in the sense of personal anarchy and individualism, not
in the sense of entropy. Thus she does not go around actively hunting down and
destroying champions or artifacts of order in the universe; that would take too
much advance planning. If a champion or artifact should directly oppose her or
get in her way, on the other hand, she will be as implacable as a force of nature in
removing whatever the impediment may be. Her will is paramount, and anyone
or anything incapable of stopping her deserves everything that happens.
Demache is a creature of rapid mood swings and sudden enthusiasms
bordering on the fanatical. When a cause or a desire strikes her, she will throw
all her considerable resources behind it-for a while. Then, even if she has
almost reached her goal, she will lose interest and move on to something else.
Demache is also very temperamental and highly capricious when it comes to
responding to individuals daring enough to speak to her. She can be a pleasant
conversationalist or a raging harpy, a loyal supporter or a backs tabbing traitor, a
generous friend or a greedy hoarder. There is no way of predicting her response
to any individual. Surprisingly, she tends to be quite consistent in maintaining
her relationships, however. If she supports an individual once, she will continue
Demache 97
to do so until strongly compelled otherwise; if she spurns someone, her scorn
will be eternal.
Due to her origin, she dislikes Herakles, Zeus, and the other deities of the
Olympian pantheon, though she usually takes no direct action against them.
She feels close kinship with another primordial dragon, Panethne (p. 101), and
supports her generously.
She has several hoards scattered around her lair and the planes of disorder.
Nobody knows exactly what they contain, although it seems likely she possesses
many magical weapons and other items, plus several artifacts.
In addition to walking and flying, Demache can planeshift, dimension shift,
and use whatever magical means of transportation are available in the game
world.

DO B" m When engaged in physical combat, Demache attacks with each

L m £r\ I of her two foreclaws, with her jaws, and with her tail. Because
of her size, each claw attack affects everything in an area with a 15 foot radius; a
bite affects everything in an area with a radius of 10 feet. Her tail sweep affects
everything within an area similar to that of her breath: 90 feet from the base of
the tail, with a range of 60
0•

C!PECI £r\l1
V
" r V\"BlrlmIE~ In addition to her physical attacks, Demache
l1 I u has a breath weapon that can instantly disin-
tegrate any matter at the molecular level, or break down any form of energy
into harmless, amorphous "proto-energy." She can use this weapon once per
combat exchange in lieu of a bite. This breath weapon reaches 90 feet, covers
60 and has a power rating of 70.
0,

Demache found her breath weapon so successful that she developed a

sphere of influence ability with the exact same effect. The only difference is
that this ability is primal, not magical, with a base power rating of 100 and an
activation cost of 2 flux for each point of damage rank she wishes to inflict.
Since this power can destroy even artifacts, few adventurers or deities who rely
on magic items would be foolish enough to attack Demache. Other than her
available flux, there is no limit to the amount of damage she can inflict with this
ability.
Any matter, living or nonliving, breaks down in the way discussed above once
it impacts on Dernache's skin. Thus she is invulnerable to physical attacks; this
invulnerability has a power rating of 72.
It has been said that Demache
may interbreed with males of any
draconic species, and that the off-
spring of such matings are viable,
breeding true to the species of the
father. What can this tell us about
Demache?
Mainly this: though she may
have offspring, she seems to make
no contribution to their heritage.
It would be as if all her children
were, in fact, stepchildren. This
must have a psychological effect on
Demache, in that she will feel lim-
ited emotional bonds to these off-
spring, and will protect and succor
them to a lesserdegree than is nor-
mal among dragons.
Gonzalo lezet; De Vermiis ("On
Dragons')
98 Pawns: The Opening Move

mYRO~A03
Primordial Dragon of Forests
(mee-roh-LAY-usJ Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Master
Power Level . . . . 8 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Master
Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . Professional
Strength . . . . . 50 Damage Rank
Health . . . . . . 40 Physical .. Claw, 35 (2X each); Bite, 30 (2X); Tail, 35 (IX)
Reaction . . . . . 25 Special Abilities Warp Blast, 45 (IX)
Intelligence . .. 25 Defense Strength 40
Destiny. . 25 Aptitudes
Presence. . . . . 40 Magical Aptitude Legendary-a
Willpower . . . . 30 Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Size . . . . 18 yds Primal Cost
To Create .... nla
Speed To Maintain. . . nla
Walk 4 yds/s; Fly
24 ydsls

"PPE/H)
(r\
"N(lE In his natural form, Myrolaos appears as a huge, ser-
(r\l \(r\ \..... pentine dragon covered with hard, translucent scales
that resemble massive slabs of pure emerald. The membrane making up his
wings has the same hue, but is of course more flexible. His eyes are relatively
small considering his size, but they sparkle with obvious intelligence. His body
is about 120 feet long, with his tail adding another 55 feet, and he is about 25
feet wide. When he sits on his haunches, his shoulders are about 55 feet off the
ground.
Myrolaos rarely appears in his natural form, however. Since he is a lover and
patron of forests, his true draconic form is more hindrance than help, as any
dragon who has tried to make its way through thick forest would understand.
Instead, he takes on various humanoid forms, choosing his current shape to
match that of any intelligent races he expects to meet. In lands dominated by
humans, his favorite form is that of a doddering old man with long white hair
and beard and green eyes.

ORIGIN 0_
If
B" )GD.OUND
(ll
(r\\.....1'\ 1 \:
Like the other primordial dragons, M~-
rolaos was expected to fight at hIS
mother's request against Herakles and the deities of the Olympian pantheon.
From the first day of his existence, however, Myrolaos had very different ideas.
He shared neither Echidna's hatred of humanity nor her enmity toward the
Olympian pantheon, and considered her vendetta against Heralcles a fiendish
waste of time and energy. Although he remained on Echidna's plane for some
time, he did so simply because he recognized the superiority of her power.
While he did nothing to oppose her directly, he followed a course of "dumb in-
solence" and passive resistance. As soon as Echidna was defeated by Herakles,
Myrolaos left her plane to follow his own somewhat eclectic goals and interests
without interference.
Free from Echidna's influence, Myrolaos fully indulged his fascination with
nature, specifically forests. Over the millennia, he chose and developed nature
as his sphere of influence. He has no home plane of his own; instead, he can be
found on one of Pan's planes or on any plane where lush forests grow.
MyroZaos 99

BE 'IOR
T; IH
IcJ£r\ V
Myrolaos is by far the most kindly of the primordial dragons.
He has no enemies and feels little personal hatred toward
anyone. Those few creatures who have earned his enmity must have worked
quite hard to do so. He generally shuns creatures that would harm living
forests, and will frequently act to prevent such harm, usually in some nonviolent
manner.
It has been said that Myrolaos is somewhat senile. He is undeniably a little
absent-minded, sometimes losing his conversational train of thought in the
middle of a sentence when he is diverted by some new sight or idea. He will
deny this if someone draws his attention to it, although he's equally likely to
get distracted in the midst of the denial. Although he sometimes grows angry if
someone "flusters" him, he is generally eventempered.
Myrolaos enjoys conversation with intelligent individuals, and speaks most
humanoid languages fluently. One of his greatest joys is to travel from village
to village in a forested area, disguising his true nature. He seems to take simple
pleasure in varying his disguise, and will appear as fool or sage, philosopher or
mage.
Myrolaos seems to have a slight "identity problem" when it comes to his
sphere of influence; sometimes he seems to identify himself with the forces of
nature or with forests. If someone cuts down a tree, he might say "ouch;" when
the clouds grow dark, he may speak of having to go and rain on someone's
parade.
Predictably, Myrolaos is happiest when surrounded by trees. He seems to
have little preference for any specific type of forest; anything from idyllic, sylvan
glades to deep, dark jungles is just fine with him.
100 Pawns: The Opening Move

Myrolaos probably has several hoards scattered around the multiverse, but
no one knows where they are. Myrolaos himself has probably forgotten about
some of them. He travels by walking, flying, or via whatever magical means are
available in the game world.

()omB" m
\.., (f\
It is difficult to goad the placid Myrolaos into physical combat,
1 but when aroused he is a lethal foe. He attacks with his two
front claws, with his jaws, and with a tail sweep. Because of his size, each claw
attack affects everything in an area with a 15- foot radius; a bite affects everything
in an area with a radius of 10 feet. His tail sweep affects everything within an
area go feet from the base of the tail, with a range of 60 0•

<:.:;!PECI(f\lJ
tJ
" r £r\"BlrlmIE~ Myrolaos calls his brea~h. we.apon his ."warp
lJ 1 U blast," and he can use It heu of a bite at-
ill
tack. Anything caught within the cone of his breath is physically twisted and
warped, and ends up looking like gnarled wood. A warp blast inflicts a damage
rank of 65 on all living matter. Its area of effect reaches go feet and spreads 60 0•

Instead of working to develop a sphere of influence ability, Myrolaos has

spent his time mastering the skill of wielding planar energy. Planar energy de-
fines what planes are, holds them in place, and so forth, and encompasses such
forces as gravity, nuclear physics, magnetism, and other forms of energy un-
known to science. When spellcasters or mentalists travel the planes, they tap
into planar energies, although they don't realize this since their magic or men-
talics isolate them from the planar energy underlying the travel. Myrolaos can
use this energy directly, however. He can move planes, change their adjacen-
cies, alter which planes are parallel to each other, change gravity or magnetic
fields in a limited area, and so on. Given enough time, and enough motivation,
he can even create or remove planar constants, although this is impossible if
he is opposed by the deity who controls the plane or by a sentient plane itself.
Without interference, it takes Myrolaos about a week to alter gravity or magnetic
fields planewide, and as long as six months to realign planes or change planar
constants.

For the last two leagues, I had

been enjoying the conversation of
the old man who walked by my
side. Playing fool and wise man
by turns, he kept me both mys-
tified and entertained. Even his
most foolish comments seemed, on
closer inspection, to contain gems
of surprising wisdom. I wished to
learn more about this strange trav-
eler.
When the bandits fell upon
us, however, I thought that our
conversation--and much more
than that-would come to an
abrupt end. It did so, but in a way
that much surprised me-s-and, to
be honest, the bandits. . . .
Marla Horn, Journal of a World-
Girdler
Panethne 101

Pt\HET~HE
Primordial Dragon of Fire
(pan-ETH-nee) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . .. Legendary-6
Power Level . . . . 8 Melee Weapon Combat Skill Master
Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . .. Master
Strength . . . .. 55 Damage Rank
Health . . . . . . 50 Physical
Reaction . . . . . 20 Claw=-qo (2X each); Bite-35 (2X); Tail=-ao (IX)
Intelligence . . . 25 Special Abilities Fire Blast, special (2X)
Destiny 25 Defense Strength 45
Presence . . . . . 50 Aptitudes
Willpower . . .. 55 Magical Aptitude Legendary-2
Size. . . .. 53 yds Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Primal Cost
Speed To Create nla
Walk: 4 yds/s; Fly To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla
20 ydsls

"PPE"V\lD\V\"NflE
V\
Panethne appears as the purest archetype ofthe Western
\..- dragons: huge and powerful, with a long, muscular tail
and robust wings. Her skin appears to be overlapping, metal-hard red scales.
In fact, however, her entire body is composed of semi-molten lava, given shape
through magic and through Panethne's own indomitable will. Her body exists
at a temperature that would reduce metamorphic rock to plasticity-many
thousand degrees Celsius-and inflicts the concomitant level of damage to
anyone foolish enough to touch it.
Panethne reeks of sulfur and the heavy, mineral smell of lava. Her voice
sounds like the hissing roar of a volcanic eruption, and her breath is like the
blast of a furnace even when she is not using her breath weapon.
Panethne's body is about 360 feet long, with her tail adding another 180 feet,
and she is 60 feet wide at her broadest point. When she sits on her haunches,
her shoulders are 160 feet off the ground.

ORIGIN (.j0_ B"V\\..-fl'}GDOUND

!\ 1 \:
Panethne is one of the t"':"o primordial
dragons who have remamed loyal to
Echidna. When Echidna fell to Herakles, Panethne, like her sister Demache,
took it upon herself to aid in the defense of her mother's home plane. In re-
turn for this loyalty, Echidna ascended Panethne to the status of godling, and
bestowed primal on her. Today, Panethne is a lesser deity with 2,500 points of
primal base. Over the centuries, her fascination with fire led her to take the
subject as her sphere of influence.
Panethne shares Echidna's hatred of Herakles, Zeus, and the other deities
of the Olympian pantheon. Although she is powerful and ambitious, she rec-
ognizes she is not yet powerful enough to face the Olympian pantheon directly.
Thus, if she acts against them, it is always through intermediaries, using guile
and cunning instead of direct force.

BE h"IcJV\t110R
V
Panethne's personality is acquisitive, cruel, arrogant, and eas-
ilyangered. She loves fire, and often starts huge infernos sim-
ply to watch them burn and to play in the flames.
Panethne's special hatred is reserved for those adventurers who seek out
and destroy dragons-the dragonslayers. Whenever she learns the identities
102 Pawns: The Opening Move
and locations of such people, she will move to exact vengeance against them.
This kind of vengeance is so important to her that she is considering developing
it as a secondary sphere of influence.
Panethne has developed an extensive, multiplanar intelligence network that
keeps track of those who have fought and killed dragons for unjust reasons;
somewhat predictably, Panethne has yet to judge any reason just. Panethne
has received significant support for this great enterprise from other dragons.
Currently, she is organizing draconic strike teams that can be called in to fight
adventurers when they threaten other dragons.
In addition, Panethne has created several artifacts to help in her cause, and
has convinced other primordial dragons to share in the cost. One of these items
is a "dragonslayer-slayer," a weapon that can slay any dragon-killer with a single
successful stroke. Another artifact is a crown that allows the draconic wearer to
summon an avatar of Panethne in time of need.
It is interesting to note that, despite her hatred of them, Panethne rarely if
ever confronts dragonslaying adventurers personally. She much prefers to send
servitors, allies, proxies, or even avatars after them, while keeping herself out of
danger. This behavior implies that Panethne's hatred springs largely from fear;
she dreads the day when a group of powerful adventurers will seek her out and
destroy her. Of course, she never admits this fear, and speculating on it to her
face is a good way to commit suicide.
Panethne's home is a vast fiery pit of lava and flames on her mother's home
plane, near Echidna's own lair. This proximity allows Panethne to come to
her mother's aid at once, but also represents an additional level of security for

_ _c;-__ ~

--_ ~---~-
- =. - ~
.- -~
-r
________ .~R-RrurG05TA. ® 1.,/5/9;: ~ .•...
Panethne 103

Panethne herself. In the depths of her lava pit, protected against the heat by
great magics,lies her primary hoard; she has secondary hoards scattered around
the multiverse. Nobody knows exactly what is within her hoard or how large
it may be. Keeping in mind Panethne's overwhelmingly acquisitive nature, it
seems logical that the hoard is massive indeed.
Panethne hates all races except dragons. As an indication of her scorn
for non-dragons, she will never speak in any language but the tongue of the
primordial dragons, although it is known that she understands dozens of other
languages.
Panethne travels by walking or flying, via planeshift and dimension shift,
and using any other means of magical transportation available in the game
world.

"m Panethne is quick to anger and slow to cool down once aroused.
Com R
Uv\ I She attacks with her two front claws, with her jaws, and with a
tail sweep. Because of her size, each claw attack affects everything in an area
with a as-foot radius; a bite affects everything in an area with a radius Of15 feet.
Her tail sweep affects everything within an area similar to that of her breath: 110
feet from the base of the tail, with a range of 60·.

<::;!PECI"v\L1r lr\"BlrlmIE<:
U L1 I
;!t)
Panethne's breath weapon, which she can use
in lieu of a bite attack, is a blast of fire that might
as well have come from the heart of Hell. A blast of this fire will consume any
matter that is not primally reinforced, and will kill any mortal, corporeal creature
in its path. Panethne's breath reaches 110 feet, covers 60·, and has a power rating
of az.

Though she rarely strays from

her lava home, Panethnes in-
fluence extends farther through
the universe than that of any
other primordial worm. Like a
bloated, evil spider at the center
of her web, Panethne is aware
of the twitching of individual
strands, especially the movements
of the great dragonslayers. Torinna
Dragonbane, Saras Wyrmslayer,
Zymor Dragonhammer-three of
the greatest dragonslayers of this
or any age-all fell to the machi-
nations of Panethne. How many
more will fall before she herself is
destroyed?
Gonzalo Iezet, De Vermiis ("'On
Dragons')
104 Pawns: The Opening Move

50PfJl\RI05
Primordial Dragon of Essential Magic
(soh-FAHR-ee-ohsJ Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Master
Power Level . . . . S Melee Weapon Combat Skill Master+
Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . .. Mastert
Strength . . . . . 65 Damage Rank
Health 50 Physical .. Claw, 45 (2X each); Bite, 40 (2X); Tail, 35 (IX)
Reaction . . . .. 25 Special Abilities Molten Mithril Blast, 40 (IX)
Intelligence . . . 35 Defense Strength 40
Destiny 30 Aptitudes
Presence . . . . . 50 Magical Aptitude Legendary-a
Willpower . . . . 40 Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Size. . . .. 27 yds Primal Cost
To Create nl a
Speed To Maintain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Walk 6 yds/s; Fly twhen shapechanged.
32 yds/s

"PPE V\"R"HCE
V\ V\
Sopharios has a build similar to that of most races of
dragons. He is not as fat and bulky as traditional Western
dragons, but is also nowhere near as serpentine as Oriental dragons. His body
is ISO feet long, not induding his 90-foot tail, and some 40 feet wide. When he
sits on his haunches, Sopharios's shoulders are about So feet above the ground.
Fully spread, his slender wings have a span of perhaps 200 feet. They can be
folded tightly to his back, however, adding little to his dimensions.
He has no scales, as many other dragons do. Instead, he has dry, flexible skin
that is almost completely smooth in texture. This skin is the iridescent, silvery
hue of polished mithril. Sopharios's voice is deep and resonant. His body and
his lair smell of molten mithril.

0_ B"C')GROUND Sopharios is a p~imordial dragon, a?d

ORIGIN 1I V\ C\ hence the offspnng of the greater deity
Echidna. Unlike all the other primordial dragons, Sopharios broke with Echidna
before the final battle with Herakles. His early training had given him the
predisposition to hate Zeus and the Olympian pantheon, but he also scorned
Echidna's ambitions almost from the day of his creation. By nature nonviolent
and introspective, he bitterly resented Echidna's expectation that he would fight
against Herakles merely to avenge the deaths of the dragons' older siblings.
While the other dragons prepared for battle, Sopharios longed to reject his
mother and follow his own path, but he was not yet powerful enough to break
the ties that bound him to Echidna.
Fortunately for Sopharios, the goddess Hecate learned of his true feelings
and rescued him from Echidna's domination. Now he dwells on one of the
planes controlled by Hecate. Predictably, his "betrayal" of Echidna did not sit
well with the other primordial dragons who remained loyal to her. Even today,
many millennia later, most other primordial dragons shun Sopharios.
Sopharios's inbred distaste for the Olympian deities continues to this day,
but he also shuns the more malevolent Greek deities, scoffing at what he be-
lieves are their wasteful, pointless efforts to thwart the Olympians. These twin
antipathies make him firmly neutral throughout all the upheavals of Greek pan-
theon politics, and he strongly prefers to associate with deities who remain on
the fringes of these affairs, such as Hecate and Hepheestos. Though Sopharios
Sopharios 105

strongly dislikes most Greek deities, he will not act on these emotions unless
given both direct cause and a good chance of success.
From his birth, Sopharios's primary field of interest has been magic, par-
ticularly learning to understand magic's inmost, essential nature. Over many
millennia and with Hecate's encouragement, he has developed this interest in-
to a sphere of influence. Some sages believe that Sopharios played a part in
defining and bringing order to the forces of magic in the multiverse. Sopharios
himself claims to have taught magic to Isis, though the goddess hotly denies
this.
Sopharios is currently a demigod supported by Hecate, with a primal base of
2,000 points. Unlike the other primordial dragons, Sopharios has never mated,
and so has no offspring.

110R
BE h !H
k)£r\ V
As stated above, Sopharios is more introspective than the
other primordial dragons, preferring above all else to engage
in scholarly and intellectual pursuits, including the study of humanoids. He
cares little for the lives of individuals, preferring to view matters in terms of
civilizations and races. Though he considers himself quite moral in outlook,
he would not think twice about destroying a party of adventurers who were
annoying him. As with most primordial dragons, Sopharios's attitude includes
a good dose of prejudice, and he considers all non-draconic species generally
inferior and unimportant.
This does not mean that Sopharios hates humanity, however. The actions of
humans and humanoids fascinate him in much the way that the actions of ants
106 Pawns: The Opening Move
fascinate some naturalists. Legends claim that he has even aided humanity
from time to time, generally by deflecting the wrath of the other primordial
dragons and other magic-using creatures. When he speaks to humanoids,
Sopharios invariably uses the Dwarven tongue. This is because Dwarven was
the first humanoid language he learned, and he cannot be bothered to make
the distinction between dwarves and other "trivial" races.
Sopharios can travel by walking or flying, by using primal energy, and via
any forms of magical transportation that exist within the game world. Generally,
however, he prefers to fly, since he so enjoys the associated sensations. His
flight is magically enhanced, allowing him to accelerate to full speed within 10
seconds, and to accelerate vertically. Unlike most other dragons, he uses his
wings merely for stability and steering, and does not flap them for propulsion.
With the exception of Zephrosyne (p. 107), Sopharios is the most agile of the
primordial dragons.
With regard to material possessions, Sopharios has a selectively greedy
nature, and over the millennia he has built up a considerable hoard of rare
and otherwise special items. Unlike other dragons, he prefers magical items
and works of art to "baser" forms of wealth. His hoard is incredibly extensive,
including numerous unique works, artifacts, and relics. Itemizing the entire
contents of Sopharios's hoard would take a human cataloger many lifetimes.

(lomB"
L
m Though he usually prefers the expediency of magic, Sopharios
£r\ I is a daunting foe in physical combat. He attacks with both front
claws, with a bite, and with a tail sweep. Because of his size, each claw attack
"I have never experienced any-
thing so terrifying. The principles
affects everything in an area with a 15 foot radius; a bite affects everything in
and precepts of magic are un- an area with a radius of 10 feet. His tail sweep affects everything within an area
changeable; that was what I had similar to that of his breath: go feet from the base of the tail, with a range of 60·.
always been told. But then, as I Sopharios's hide is as strong as mithril, making it invulnerable to any weapon
tried to weave my spell, the laws save an artifact, and difficult to pierce even then. His polished hide will also
of magic-the very way in which
magic interacts with the world-
deflect any energy short of primal.
shifted and mutated; the strands
of magic were wrenched from my
grasp, and there was nothing I
<:;!PECI"£r\LJr (r\"BlrlmIE~
V LJ I
In addition to his normal attacks, Sopharios has
tJ a powerful breath weapon. He can exhale a
could do about it.
"Perhaps an analogy would
blast of molten mithril with a damage rank of 40 (IX), immersing everything
explain my intense reaction. Imag- within go feet with a sospread. Each combat exchange, Sopharios can use this
ine that you, my doughty warrior breath weapon in lieu of a bite attack.
friend, are climbing a mountain, Sopharios has also developed a sphere of influence ability that allows him
a face of solid rock. You are skilled to alter the way magic works within a limited scope. Using this ability, which
in climbing, and there is nothing
about the mountain that would
has a base power rating of 100, Sopharios is capable of altering the way that
surprise you. spells are cast or the way enchantments work in a limited area; the exact nature
'l1nd then, suddenly, halfway of these alterations depends on the situation and should be handled at the
up a challenging face, the texture GM's discretion. This makes it nearly impossible for foes to use magic against
of the rock changes. Instead of hard Sopharios, while he has no difficulty using his magical abilities against them.
and dry, it becomes soft and slip-
pery. Your pitons and wedges hold
as weakly as if they were driven in-
to new cheese. And gravity swings
like a compass needle near a lode-
stone. Everything your experience
and instincts tell you is suddenly
wrong.
"Think on that, and under-
stand my terror."
From a conversation with Belathe-
rial the Red, Demigod ofWander-
ers
Zephrosyne 107

ZEP~R05YHE
Primordial Dragon of Flight
(zeh-FRAH-sin-ee) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill
Power Level . . . . 8 Master (Legendary-a in air-to-air combat)
Melee Weapon Combat Skill ... . . . . . . . .. Master
Strength .. 50 Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . .. Master
Health ... 50 Damage Rank
Reaction . . 30 Physical
Intelligence 25 Claw-30 (2X each); Bite-s-go (2X); Tail-35 (IX)
Destiny 25 Special Abilities Sonic Blast, 40 (IX)
Presence . . . .. 45 Defense Strength 40
Willpower . . . . 30 Aptitudes
Size. . . .. 18 yds Magical Aptitude Legendary-a
Mentalic Aptitude. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla
Speed.. 667 yds/s Primal Cost
To Create . nla
To Maintain. . . . . . nla

"PPE"Lr\1D\Lr\"NCE Zephr?syne
Lr\
.is, with little doubt, the mos~ beautiful of
the prlmordial dragons, and almost certamly the most
exquisite example of dragonkind in the universe. Slender, graceful, and elegant,
she is a work of art. Her body is perfectly streamlined, and her slender wings
are swept back, confirming even to the casual observer that she is a creature of
the air.
Zephrosyne's scales are thin and closely fitted to reduce drag when in the
air. She is predominately silver and blue in color, with a hint of white on her
underbelly. This coloration is the ideal camouflage for a flying creature; those
who are not actively looking for her have only a 20% chance to see her when she
is in the air. At will, however, she can shine with the brilliant light of the sun.
Those who have approached Zephrosyne closely report that the clean, sharp
scent of ocean waters surrounds her. When flying fast, she creates sonic booms
loud enough to rock the foundations of the largest castle. She seems to break
the sound barrier for the sheer joy of the experience.
Zephrosyne's body is approximately 120 feet long, with her tail adding an-
other 55 feet, and she is 25 feet wide at her thickest point. When she sits on her
haunches, her shoulders are about 55 feet above the ground.

ORIGIN lJ0_ ulACKGROUND

R In her youth, Zephrosyne served Echid-
na unquestioningly, hating the deities
of the Olympian pantheon and believing all the tales Echidna told her about
Zeus's evils. When the great war with Herakles began, Zephrosyne fought at the
side of her mother.
Although she had been indoctrinated by Echidna, Zephrosyne was intelli-
gent, and eventually saw her mother's lies for what they were. While Echidna
was reforming on her home plane, Zephrosyne seized the opportunity and fled
to follow her own destiny. She has no reason remaining to hate the deities of
the Olympian pantheon, and indeed gets along well with several of the lesser
gods of the winds, but she distrusts the constant political maneuvering of the
more important deities and is on truly good terms only with Hermes. She re-
viles Echidna for lying to her, but she will never take any retributive action, both
because of some remaining filial loyalty and because she recognizes that she
would come out the loser in any direct conflict.
108 Pawns: The Opening Move

From the day of her birth, Zephrosyne loved to fly, and spent countless hours
honing her skills. Free at last of Echidna's domination, she had even more time
to investigate flight. Over the millennia, she has developed this fascination
into a sphere of influence. Today, Zephrosyne is a demigoddess supported by
Hermes, with 1,500 points of primal base.
!; IH 'IOR
BE IcJ£r\ V
It should come as little surprise that a creature so fascinated
by flight as Zephrosyne would consider herself far superior
to any earthbound creatures. She struggles to keep an open mind, however,
and prides herself on her egalitarian attitudes. Unfortunately, what Zephrosyne
considers egalitarian often seems elitist and condescending to those of other
races. Unlike most other dragons, however, she is not openly arrogant and
aggressive. Zephrosyne enjoys the company of other winged creatures, and
takes great pleasure in racing against them throughout the skies. Her sphere of
influence ability, described below, ensures that she always wins these races, but
she does not scorn those she beats. Instead, she seems to take honest pleasure
from inspiring others to "push the envelope" and exceed their previous personal
bests.
Zephrosyne prides herself on her appreciation of beauty, and rightfully so.
Although she has no desire to create, she has an artist's eye when it comes to
Zephrosyne 109

discerning beauty in the world around her. Her various lairs, all hidden among
the clouds of various planes, are wondrous places created for her by the finest
artisans of the multiverse. Each of these aerial lairs has a large hoard, consisting
mainly of works of art she has collected from around the universe. She has a
fascination with magical items and artifacts that relate in some way to flight, so
her hoards contain many such objects.
When she is not in one of her lairs, she can be found soaring through the
skies of some far-off plane, enjoying its exotic beauty. In addition to flying,
Zephrosyne can planeshift, dimension shift, and use any other magical means
of transportation available in the game world.

()o
L m B" m With the unparalleled maneuverability in the air her sphere of
£r\ I influence ability gives her, Zephrosyne can easily avoid virtually
any unwanted combat. If she does decide to enter combat, she will use her
speed and maneuverability to best effect, maintaining a "stand-off' distance
and pounding her foe with spells or lancing in for a "hit-and-run" attack from
the rear.
Zephrosyne attacks with her two front claws, with her jaws, and with a tail
sweep. Because of her size, each claw attack affects everything in an area with
a 15 foot radius; a bite affects everything in an area with a radius of 10 feet. Her
tail sweep affects everything within an area similar to that of her breath: 90 feet
from the base of the tail, with a range of 60·.
Because of her literally infinite maneuverability, Zephrosyne can evade any
form of attack directed at her if she so wishes-and if she can see it coming.
Since dodging attacks will constrain her own attack options, however, she will
frequently choose to let her scales absorb or deflect the less damaging attack
forms, dodging only those she believes could seriously harm her.

<::;!PECI"£r\Dr V\
t.J
"BlrlmIE<::!.
Ll I
Zephrosyne's flight is magically enhanced, as
u befits a deity of flight. She has also developed a
sphere of influence ability that allows her to change her velocity vector instantly
and at will. A velocity vector is an expression of movement that combines speed
and direction; thus "100 mph northward" is a velocity vector. Zephrosyne can
alter this vector in any way she sees fit, at any time. For example, if she is
traveling northward at 100 mph, she can be cruising southward at 2 mph in an
instant; the next instant she may be heading eastward at 1,000 mph, and the next
instant, completely stationary. This means she is by far the most maneuverable
creature in the sky, since she does not have to turn; she just wills herself to be
traveling in a new direction at a new speed. She can also "stop on a dime:' hover
in place for as long as she likes, and so on. As a deity of flight, Zephrosyne can
temporarily bestow this ability on any creature within her line of sight, at a cost
of 3 flux per target. This sphere of influence ability has a base power rating of
100. Silver beauty, liquid grace resplen-
Zephrosyne's breath weapon, which she can use in lieu of a bite attack, is dent.
Freedom incarnate, clouds won-
a sonic blast that inflicts damage rating 40 on any creature within its area of der,
effect. The range is 90 feet with a 60· spread. and spirit of the wind.
How dost thou come to be? What
god,
what will, could encompass thee?
What eye could see thy grandeur,
what heart comprehend thee
and remain unmoved?

Song of the Sky Dancers, Au-

thor Unknown
110 Pawns: The Opening Move

Rt\UIOt\H
(rav-EE-dan) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . · . . Professional
Power Level . . . . 4 Melee Weapon Combat Skill ... · . . Professional
Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . · ..... Novice
Strength 35 Damage Rank
Health 30 Physical
Reaction . . . . . 20 Hand-20 (2X each) (plus heat-20), or by weapon
Intelligence 25 (2X) (plus strength bonus); FOOt-20 (2X each) (plus
Destiny. . . 30 heat-20)
Presence . . 30 Special Abilities . . . . . .. Fire Missile=-so
Willpower . 30 Defense Strength . ............... 30
Size. . . . .. 2 yds Aptitudes
Magical Aptitude .. . nla
Speed Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . nla
Walk 4 yds/s; Fly Primal Cost
40 ydsls To Create . .... 10 base
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . none

"PPE (r\"R"NCE
Lr\ (r\
Ravidans appear as flaming humanoids, standing be-
tween five and seven feet tall. They are slight of build,
with limbs in human proportion to their height. It is impossible to see their skin,
because they are covered with licking flames that range from yellow to violet.
The color represents the amount of energy they are currently consuming; yellow
represents low energy expenditure, while violet represents the maximum.
They are surrounded by a smell of spicy musk. Any normal fires will burn
more brightly and hotter and take on an unnatural violet tinge if a ravidan
comes within 50 feet; magical fires are not affected. Their voices are raspy, and
frequently somewhat garbled. They can speak most humanoid languages.

ORIGIN V0. B(r\"C'.lGROUND

f\
The ravidans were created by Salus, the
Eye of Heaven, God of the Sun, also
known as the Eternal Illuminator. They are fanatically loyal servitors of Salus,
and eternal enemies of darkness and wickedness in all its forms.
Ravidans were, at one time, mortal followers of Solus, rewarded after death
for their faithful service by being raised to the status of divine servitors. The
ravidans retain their love for and devotion to Solus. They consider themselves
knights in the service of their deity, members of an organization they call the
Illuminated Order.
Salus sometimes loans ravidans to other deities of light and illumination.
This kind of "detached duty" is rare, and usually occurs only as payment for
some great service the other deity has provided for Salus. Although "seconded"
ravidans are usually ordered to obey the deity to whom they have been loaned,
the creatures' allegiance is always to Salus. If they are ever ordered to do
anything that will compromise the interests of Salus, they will consider their
detached duty at an end and immediately return to Salus's home plane to report
the event.
There are on the order of 1,200 ravidans in the multiverse, the vast majority
of which serve Solus directly.
Ravidan 111

BE!;IcJV\"UIOR Ravidans were created as the champions of all the races who
worship Solus. There is a base 2% chance that Solus will
dispatch a ravidan to help any group of faithful worshipers against the forces of
darkness. If a high priest from an order that worships the sun is attacked, there
is a 25% chance that a prayer for assistance or deliverance will be answered by
the arrival of a ravidan. Even if the high priest does not specifically pray for aid,
there is a 10% chance that a high-level servitor of Solus will notice his or her
plight and dispatch a ravidan anyway.
Ravidans hate all wickedness and those creatures who would spread dark-
ness. They are fanatical in their devotion to Solus, but do not let their emotions
interfere with the performance of their duties. They are usually very busi-
nesslike. They appear, do what they were sent to do, bestow the blessings of
Solus on his followers, and then leave. They will never speak so much as a single
word to their enemies, believing that doing so taints them.
In their service to Solus, they can be found on virtually any plane of existence.
Five to ten of the creatures usually accompany any members of Solus's divine
order whenever they leave his home plane. Usually only one ravidan will be
enough to aid faithful followers of Solus. In cases of holy war, genocide, and so
on, twenty or even more ravidans might be dispatched.
If a ravidan is destroyed in the performance of its duty, it is said that two
ravidans will be dispatched to complete the duty. If these two ravidans are
destroyed, a more powerful minion of Solus will be dispatched to the scene to
remedy matters. While most people believe these tales implicitly, various sages
point out that this kind of progression will lead to unusually high levels of divine
intervention. For this reason, they believe that the tales are nothing more than
that-empty tales.
Ravidans can fly and planeshift at will, with no chance of error.
112 Pawns: The Opening Move
()omB" m
L
In combat, ravidans strike with their flaming hands and feet.
Lr\ 1 A blow from a ravidan inflicts impact damage, plus further
damage from the blazing heat of its body. This heat always inflicts grievous
damage.
Any material substance other than an artifact is incinerated instantly on
contact with a ravidan. Artifacts can resist incineration using the conflict of
power rules described in The Primal Order. For the purpose of this test, the
ravidans' ability to incinerate matter has a power rating of 78.
Ravidans have a blanket resistance of 50% against all energy-based attacks
short of primal.

C,!PECI"Lr\11r £r\"BlrlmIE<
U 11 1
: ;! Aravidan
t)
can hurl fireb~ll-like missi.le~that ere-
ate blasts of heat and mtense radiation. The
damage inflicted by these missiles is always grievous. The creature can fire
these missiles at an attack speed of 3X, to a range of 100 feet, in addition to
physical attacks.
Ravidans can create a nonmagical aura of radiation around themselves, to a
radius of anywhere from 5 to 50 feet. This aura destroys all unshielded organic
matter in a single combat exchange. Shields such as force walls, energy shields,
and so on absorb 10% of the damage per point of power rating above 75; thus a
shield of power rating 80 will absorb 50% of the damage. A primal shield of 10
points or more will resist this aura completely. This aura has an power rating of
78.
A ravidan can produce illumination equal to noontime sunlight within 500
feet of its body, at will. This ability has a power rating of 82. Ravidans also
have an ability known as "fire view." If they know the location of any body of
fire larger than that produced by a torch, they can see as though they were at
the site of the fire, observing everything within line of sight from that fire. This
ability requires complete concentration for one combat exchange.

"I have heard that ravidans

hate assassins above all. This is
because these cowardly murder-
ers use darkness and conceal-
ment in order to achieve their
malevolence-or this is how the
ravidans see it.
"In lands where worship ofSo-
Ius is predominant, one will find
flowers and holy symbols placed
on the graves of the most devout
worshipers. Followers of the Eter-
nal Illuminator believe that such
offerings are petitions to Solus to
grant the dearly departed the hon-
or of becoming ravidans them-
selves. So I have heard, at least."
From a conversation with Dyam
Harquist, Master Sage of Revuor
 Royal Pixie 113

ROY t\~ PIXIE

Power Level . . . . 7 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . Professional
Strength . . .. 25t Melee Weapon Combat Skill Professional
Health 25 Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . .. Master
Reaction . . . . . 35 Damage Rank
Intelligence . . . 25 Physical . . Weapon-15 (2X); or as appropriate to form
Destiny 30 Special Abilities As appropriate to form
Presence . . . . . 25 Defense Strength 25 (magically enhanced)
Willpower . . . . 20 Aptitudes
Size I yd
Magical Aptitude Legendary-to
Mentalic Aptitude n/a
Speed Primal Cost
Walk 6 ydsl s; Fly To Create ... . n/a
20 yds/s
To Maintain . . ....... n/a
tMagically enhanced.

"PPE"(r\1D\(r\"NCE beautiful
lr\
In the~r true form, royal pixies ~ppear as s.up.ern~turally
examples of the faene races: diminutive hu-
manoids, standing about 3 feet tall, with delicate gossamer wings sprouting
from their shoulders. They typically have pale skin and shoulder-length silver
hair. Their eyes are brilliant blue, or sometimes deep sea-green. They dress in
colorful clothes, preferring velvet jerkins, silky tights, and high boots of glove-
soft leather. The cut of these clothes will always accentuate their natural physical
beauty, and in many cases could be described as seductive.
Royal pixies are distractingly, almost frighteningly beautiful, and they exude
an arrestingly powerful aura of raw sensuality Their voices are high-pitched
and melodious, and their laughter is musical, with undertones of unspoiled
mountain streams splashing over stones. The laughter of a royal pixie is quite
literally infectious; any mortal humanoid who hears their laughter has no choice
but to join them in their mirth.

ORIGIN (j0. B"C')GDOUND

(r\ f\ I\:
As th~ir name implies, royal p~es.are
the kings and queens of faenekmd.
They directly serve the faerie deities; such as Titania and Oberon, assist some
elven deities, and rule and protect all the faerie races. Their origin is lost in
the mists of time. Some sages speculate that they were created by the faerie
deities; others believe they arose independently as physical manifestations of
the forces of faerie magic in the universe. Since there exists a mated pair of
royal pixies for each plane where faerie societies exist, and they have an innate
ability to wield faerie magic, the facts seem to support the second view.
Even the faerie races themselves do not know whether they are actually the
descendants of the royal pixies, or whether their races arose independently. The
royal pixies themselves presumably know, but will not say.

BEIcJ(r\nlOR
h "
V
Lik~ most fa~rie~, royal pixie.s are el~sive, playful tricksters,
taking great JOY 10 perpetranng magical pranks on mortals
who wander into their territory. These pranks are almost never directly harmful
and usually little more than inconvenient, unless the victim has expressed
malice toward faeriekind. If the butts of these jokes accept them in good part,
recognizing the wit involved, royal pixies have been known to indirectly reward
them for their patience and senses of humor.
114 Pawns: The Opening Move

Even though the two royal pixies on any given plane are a mated pair, the
creatures are inveterate flirts. They frequently become enamored of particularly
beautiful or handsome mortals, and sometimes use their magic to appear as
mortals themselves in order to seduce the objects of their desire. Jealousy
seems foreign to the creatures' nature, and such seductions are viewed by all
royal pixies as harmless diversions. Royal pixies regard their own attractiveness
very highly-usually but not always with reason-and tend to react badly if their
advances are spurned. Scorning the flirtation of a royal pixie is frequently a very
dire mistake.
Though there are no recorded cases of a female royal pixie bearing a mortal's
child, it seems that female mortals can become impregnated through dalliance
with male royal pixies. The offspring of such unions vary wildly in nature and
capabilities. Some seem totally normal examples of the mother's race; others
are strange mortal-faerie crossbreeds, and still others seem to be pureblooded
faeries.
Royal pixies are undeniably aesthetic hedonists. They enjoy beauty in all its
forms, and are totally uninhibited when it comes to satisfying all their sensual
Royal Pixie 115

needs. They love the finest food and drink, exquisite works of art, fine music,
and so on. In a way, they have very simple tastes; they are always satisfied
with the best of everything. If something especially pleases them, they wish to
possess it for themselves. This is particularly true in the case of magical items
and artifacts. Many royal pixies have hoards of magic items that would rival
those of dragons.
Royal pixies are protective of their kindred and hate any creatures who
intend harm to faeriekind. Otherwise, they are emotionally neutral toward all
nonfaerie races. Apart from their dedication to protecting faeriekind, no one
knows what central goals or motives the royal pixies may hold.
The creatures can planeshift and dimension shift at will, and have access to
any other magical means of transportation available in the game world.

()om
L
R" m As magical creatures, royal pixies typically avoid melee combat,
U£r\ I preferring to maintain a "stand-off' separation and attack any
foe with magic. If cornered and forced into combat, they usually shapechange
into something large and powerful and fight in that form. There are rare tales
of royal pixies confronting foes in their true form; in such cases, they are always
armed with powerful magical weapons. In keeping with their acquisitive nature
and love of magic, they will usually be armed with incredibly lethal weaponry if
they choose this route.
Royal pixies are completely immune to all energy attacks except those based
on or laced with primal energy.

~PE()I"
V
r "BlflmIEC! Since royal pixies deal with magic on a very
\.... £r\L} lr\ L} I u natural, instinctive level, they can command a
form of faerie magic called "wild magic" as an extension of their will. Wild
magic is magical energy in its purest, most undifferentiated form. A royal pixie
will have 50-500 points of wild magic at any given moment. Although this wild
magic is not primal energy, it can be used to power spells in the same way; the
number of points of wild magic it costs to cast a given spell is the same as the
amount of primal flux it would take to cast the same spell. Royal pixies can also
use wild magic to lash out directly; damage from the resulting blast is calculated
the same way as for a primal blast. See the integration notes in The Primal Order
for details on how to convert primal energy into magic in your game system,
then use the same formula to convert wild magic to normal magic.
Remember, though that while wild magic is like primal energy for the pur-
pose of these calculations, it is not primal energy. Magic resistance and im-
munities do effect wild magic blasts and spells cast with wild magic, and any
primal shield or primally supported barrier will stop these effects just like it
would any other type of magic. Wild magic also cannot be used to lace spells,
power primal abilities, or perform any other function normally reserved for
primal energy. This ability has a power rating of 80.
My love has wings,
Graceful shining things,
With gossamer arc and upswept
tip.
Her voice is music sweet,
And with each heartbeat
My soul and body sing her praises.
Where has she gone?
My love lives on,
But I can no longer tarry.

Dhuvglas Hardcastle, from

"My Faerie Love'
116 Pawns: The Opening Move

30U~WARDEH
Power Level . . . . 7 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Strength . . 35 Melee Weapon Combat Skill ........ nla
Health. . . 50 Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nla
Reaction . . 40 Damage Rank
Intelligence . . . 35 Physical . nla
Destiny. . . 55 Special Abilities . nla
Presence . . . . . 20 Defense Strength . . 55
Willpower . . . . 50 Aptitudes
Size . . 1.66 yds Magical Aptitude ....... nla
Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . ......... nla
Speed. 33 ydsls Primal Cost
To Create 1,100 base
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 25 flux per day

"PPE£r\"R£r\"NCE Aes.soulwarden
(r\
is totally undetectable to all normal sens-
It cannot be seen, felt, heard, smelled, or tasted by
any mortal. Only deities or other minions that enjoy sight or sense Enhance-
ments can detect soulwardens at all.
To those with the ability to see them, these guardian minions appear as
spheres five feet in diameter. Their surface is perfectly smooth and frictionless,
almost black with a faint pearly iridescence. They usually hover several feet
above the ground, drifting slowly, although they can move at high speed if
necessary.

ORIGIN V0_ BfACf\GRau NDI) The soulwardens were created millen-

nia ago by an association of deities ded-
icated to the cosmic balance between order and disorder. These gods refer to
this association as the Autarchs, although most mortals refer to them as the
"Lords of Symmetry."
The soulwardens are highly revered by humans throughout the multiverse,
particularly those who worship deities among the Autarchs. The Autarchs cre-
ated the soulwardens as guardians, to guard the souls of mortals the deities
considered worthy of protection. The soulwardens have thus gained the stature
of "guardian angels" among followers of the cosmic balance. On many worlds, in
many planes, benedictions such as "May the soulwardens follow you," or "May
the soulwardens watch your going out and your coming in" are common. Very
few mortals actually warrant the attention of a soulwarden=-and, of course, no
mortal will know whether he or she is among the lucky ones-but this is largely
immaterial. Among followers of the cosmic balance, the soulwardens are greatly
loved.
Even those who follow other deities, or those who care little for the balance,
respect the soulwardens. This is because the soulwardens also act as guides and
guardians for souls who have, for some reason, become lost in the multiverse.
Souls wrenched from their mortal bodies by some malevolent minion, and
set adrift in the limitless universe, frequently find a soulwarden beside them,
protecting them from further torment and guiding them to their eternal home.
While the soulwardens will, predictably, concentrate on worshipers of Autarchs,
souls of any and all ethical and moral outlooks receive this final service from
the soulwardens.
There are 1,000 soulwardens. At any time, perhaps 100 of these are "on
assignment," warding mortals important to the Autarchs. The others wander
the infinite planes, searching for lost souls to succor.
Soulwarden 117

It is important to recognize that only mortals considered "worthy" by the

Autarchs are warded by soulwardens. "Worthiness:' of course, is in the eye of
the beholder, and the gods are not given to explaining their decisions to mortals.

BEl; IH 'IOR
Idlr\ V
Invisibly and intangibly, soulwardens travel the various planes
of existence. When warding the souls of mortals, they accom-
pany the mortals at all times. They usually hover over the heads of their "clients,"
and never stray more than 10 feet from them. Since their senses extend in all
directions and they have no "blind spot," soulwardens can usually spot threats
to their clients' souls before the mortals do. They will notify their clients of any
such threats using the form of telempathic communication described later. If
the threat is a creature or other entity, such as a minion or deity, the soulwar-
dens will use this same ability to warn the threat away. If the threat cannot be
eliminated in this way, a soulwarden will use its mentalic abilities to otherwise
protect its client-perhaps by warning an attacker that the client is a chosen
of the Autarchs. If this in turn fails, a soulwarden will interpose itself between
any attack and the client, blocking or deflecting it. Soulwardens are by nature
118 Pawns: The Opening Move
nonviolent, and will try to solve all problems through peaceful means. Only if
these fail will they escalate matters.
The soulwardens are not physical protectors. They will rarely intercede to
prevent the physical death of their clients; that is not their mandate. Death
is immaterial, the soulwardens believe, so long as the client's soul goes to its
correct destination afterward. They will definitely intercede against creatures or
minions that would steal, absorb, pervert, or otherwise interfere with a client's
soul, however.
Predictably, soulwardens cannot be swayed from their assigned task. They
cannot be intimidated, bribed or fast-talked, and only those of godlike guile
could ever hope to trick them.
Unless "on assignment," soulwardens spend their entire existences searching
for wandering lost souls. They are single-minded in this pursuit, and cannot be
influenced away from their task.
Soulwardens are totally unaffected by gravitational fields, and are not subject
to the laws of inertia. They can change their direction and speed of movement
instantly, with no limitations other than their maximum speed. In addition to
flying and hovering, they can planeshift or dimension shift at will.

(:lomB" m
~ (.r\
Soulwardens have no innate attack forms. If combat cannot be
I avoided, they attack using their considerable mentalic abilities,
described below. A soulwarden can, at will, project a negative quasi-magnetic
field that repels all metallic objects, not just ferrous metals. The minion can
vary the radius of this field from zero to 30 feet. No metal object can enter this
field unless it is driven by a strength of at least 60. Nonmetallic objects are not
affected by this field, of course.
Soulwardens can cause their spherical bodies to spin at extreme speed,
always in the same direction as the line of any physical attack. This means that
any physical blow struck against the minion becomes a glancing blow, inflicting
only 10% of the damage normally inflicted.
Soulwardens are surrounded to a radius of 30 feet by a defensive aura that
protects everyone and everything within that field from lifeforce drain, soul-
stealing attacks, or attempts at possession. The soulwardens themselves, plus
any individual they are warding, enjoy these benefits. Further, soulwardens
themselves are immune to all mind-affecting and death magic.

~PEPI"
V
r "RlrlmIE~ So~lwardens communicate wit~ e.ach other via
\...- (.r\L} Lr\u lj I tJ an mnate form of telepathy. Thls not a men-
lS
talic ability as such, but a characteristic of the minion. It has unlimited range
on the same plane of existence.
The soulwardens can communicate with others using a form of telempathy,
whereby they can insinuate an emotional response into a target. The subject
feels the emotion as a "hunch" or "gut feeling," an emotional response below
the level of consciousness that cannot be distinguished from the real thing.
Soulwardens frequently use this ability to warn off those who would harm the
individuals they are protecting. When used in this way, the telempathy projects
a "gut feeling" that the subject should not threaten the soulwarden's client and
should simply back off. So strong is this warning that mortals or minions must
make a successful destiny roll before they can act in any way that is harmful to
the client. Godlings, demigods and full deities feel the hunch as well, but have
complete free will in whether or not they follow it.
Soulwardens enjoy a constant telepathic contact with their patron deity,
whichever member of the Autarchs sent them on a particular mission. This
telepathy is prirnally supported, infinite in range, and is not blocked by planar
Soulwarden 119

barriers. Only a primal barrier can block the communication. If a soulwarden

is attacked, the patron deity will know about it at once. If the telepathic com-
munication is severed, the deity will also know it, and may decide to investigate
personally or send a more powerful minion to check things out.
A soulwarden's patron can use the minion as a conduit for any magical,
energy or primal attack form, using the soulwarden's senses to pick out a target.
For range and effect considerations, the position of the soulwarden is "ground
zero." This is why attacking a soulwarden is a singularly bad idea for anything
short of a deity, even though the minion has no attack modes of its own.

"Unknown and unknowable,

invisible and intangible-eternal
guardian, and our souls hope and
succor. Spirits divine shepherd,
guard now myfriend and conduct
his soul to its eternal home."
Funeral Benediction
120 Pawns: The Opening Move

(STOW-lok) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . ... nla
Power Level . . 4 Melee Weapon Combat Skill . .... nla
Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . nla
Strength . . . 20 Damage Rank
Health 30 Physical . · nla
Reaction . . . . . 25 Special Abilities . · Energy Conduit-45 (IX)
Intelligence 25 Defense Strength . · 25
Destiny. . . 30 Aptitudes
Presence . . 30 Magical Aptitude . Legendary-a
Willpower . 50 Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nla
Size 2 yds Primal Cost
To Create nl a
Speed ... ao yds/s .ro
., M am
. t am
. 20 fluxper d ay

"PPE £r\"R"Nf.lE
V\
A stolock resembles a terrestrial manta ray, with a broad,
£r\ L flat body extended on both sides into thin "wings:' The
creature is about five feet long, with a wingspan of seven feet. Two eyestalks,
each about a foot long, extend upward from the upper surface of its body, while
two humanlike arms extend downwards.
The creature is light gray in color. Its skin is the texture and resilience of
supple leather. The skin on its arms is thinner and slightly more supple than
that anywhere else on its body.
Stolocks never touch the ground, instead hovering several feet above it. The
only limit to the altitude they can achieve seems to be how far the atmosphere
extends above the ground. By choice, however, they will hover close enough to
the ground that their hands can manipulate objects below them. Stolocks have
no odor, and are totally mute. When they need to communicate, they do so
magically.
The air around a stolock seems to shimmer, like a heat haze. In fact, however,
the region is slightly colder than the ambient temperature. The shimmering
effect is a harmless side effect of the power the minion uses to open planar
gates. Occasionally, gravity seems to shift slightly around a stolock, the "local
down" may shift a few degrees for a couple of moments, or the power of gravity
might fluctuate a little. These effects are never severe or prolonged enough to
cause damage. The stolock has no conscious control of these effects, and is
probably not even aware of them.

ORIGIN (1_
(j
B" }GROOND
f.ll
£r\Lf\
St~l~~ksare. minions of Ergaath, ~n ac-
qutsittve deity whose sphere of mflu-
ence is conquest. Many centuries ago, Ergaath was served by a demigod named
Stolock who was highly proficient at creating and manipulating interplanar
gates. Over time, Ergaath became very dependent on Stolock to control the
gates that connected the far-flung regions of her empire.
Eventually, Stolock opened a gate to the wrong plane-a plane held by a
god of death, as a matter of fact-and was killed for his temerity. The deity who
slew him wrested Stolock's soul away from Ergaath, and destroyed it utterly.
Left without her Tender of the Gates, Ergaath turned to her "stable" of loyal and
powerful mages. She selected several dozen of these, and transformed them
into minions, granting them various primally backed abilities. In memory of
her loyal demigod, she named these new minions stolocks.
Stolock 121

The stolocks serve Ergaath in much the same way the original Stolockdid-
by creating, manipulating, and tending interplanar gates for her. Through their
abilities, she can extend her influence to many more planes than she could
otherwise. The stolocks enjoy their new powers, revelling in discovering and
evaluating new planes, passing on what they learn to their mistress.
There are thought to be 50 or so stolocks in existence, although there seems
little reason to believe that Ergaath cannot create as many as she needs. There
are always more mages who would do anything-even give up their mortal
existence-for the opportunity to explore the manifold planes of reality as the
stolocks do.

BE r;" lOR
k)£r\ \)
Stolocks live for the joy of discovery. They spend most of
their time opening new gates into new planes of existence,
evaluating the value of those planes to Ergaath, and the moving on. They
122 Pawns: The Opening Move
frequently return to Ergaath's home plane to pass on to her what they have
learned, but they see such trips as duties to be discharged as quickly and
efficiently as possible. Then they can go back to doing what they enjoy.
The creatures can create one interplanar gate per combat exchange, as
described below. In their eternal search for new planes, they will generally
open a random gate, pass through, assess the value of their new environment,
and then open a new gate to another random plane. In this manner, stolocks
have found access to many of planes held by other deities. This makes stolocks
among the most hated of all minions.
Stolocks always seem to be preoccupied with their exploration. Nothing
else seems to matter to them. They are prone to bouts of temper if they are
interrupted, and mages as powerful as they are exceedingly dangerous when
irked. They are constantly on the move, fully investigating one or two new planes
each month, or superficially scanning up to two per week. They love to talk to
other planar explorers, pumping them for information about the locations and
natures of planes they have yet to visit. They guard their own information
jealously, however, sharing what they learn only with Ergaath herself.
Stolocks can be found on any plane in the multiverse. Usually they are just
passing through, on their way to some new plane. Occasionally they can be
found tending a gate, holding it open or manipulating it, on the express orders
of Ergaath. Predictably, the presence of a stolock performing this duty implies
that the area in question is considered significant by Ergaath; perhaps she is
planning an invasion.
Stolocks can levitate and fly. For longer journeys, they prefer to open an
interplanar gate. It is often quicker for a stolock to gate to another plane, then
back to another location on the original plane, than to travel physically on that
plane.

()omB" m
L
During their mortal existence, the stolocks never bothered to
(r\ I learn the art of personal combat. In stolock form, they are
incapable of using weapons, and will always avoid physical combat. With their
ability to open interplanar gates, this is not difficult.
If pressed, and if its magical attacks are ineffective, a stolock will create
a direct conduit to one of various planes of energy. The blast of pure energy
that comes through such a gate will usually destroy any mortal foe, and can
sometimes be damaging enough to harm a deity.
A particularly useful tactic the stolocks have developed is to create a gate
through which only living matter may pass, then move it over an opponent. The
opponent will be transported to some distant plane, while all clothes, weapons,
equipment, and so on are left behind. Stolocks seem to find this uproariously
funny.

~PE()I" "BlflmIEc::!
t)
r
\.... (r\LJ V\ LJ I
A stolock can create one gate per combat ex-
v change, at will. If the stolock has previously
visited the plane to which the gate leads, it can precisely position the gate with
no chance of error. If the creature has never visited the other plane, the gate
will open at a random location. A stolock can also create a random gate, which
opens at a random location on a randomly selected plane. This is how the crea-
tures explore so many different planes, even those considered "hidden" by their
owners. Note that these gates are very temporary, typically remaining open for
2-12 seconds, just long enough for the stolock to pass through. Stolocks can also
create permanent gates, but the process takes one full day.
A stolock can instantly and automatically take full control of any nonprimal
gate that it encounters. If it encounters a primally powered gate, a stolock will
Stolock 123

usually notify Ergaath immediately to determine if she wants to contest control

of the gate with its creator. If so, the stolock will act as the focal point for
the attempt. Several stolocks have been consumed by the volume of energy
involved in such a contest, so Ergaath has taken to sending a demigod to the
scene to help the stolock out.

Many deities hate stolocks

with a passion. This is because,
on their wanderings, stolocks are
quite capable of stumbling across
hidden planes, the very planes
that are the homes of other deities.
Once a stolock has opened such a
gate, Ergaath can-and frequent-
ly does-send forces through it to
contest dominance of the plane.
Several deities have lost planes
they considered safely hidden to
the depredations of Ergaath in
this manner.
It is said in the councils of the
gods that various deities have of-
fered massive bounties for the car-
cass of a dead stolock. It would
seem likely that there are a number
of bounty hunters-mortal and
divine-scouring the multiverse in
an attempt to collect. The largest
such bounty is said to be an entire
demiplane ...
Drado Barisman, Wars of the
Planes
124 Pawns: The Opening Move

5UffilTAffil
(soo-mee-TAH-mee) Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . Professional
Power Level . . . . 6 Melee Weapon Combat Skill ... Professional
Missile Weapon Combat Skill. . . Professional
Strength.. 40/3St Damage Rank
Health . . . . . . 35 Physical .. By weapon type (3x) (plus strength bonus)
Reaction ..... 30 Special Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nla
Intelligence Defense Strength 25
2S/30t Aptitudes
Destiny. . . . . . 40 Magical Aptitude . Legendary-a
Presence. . . . . 40 Mentalic Aptitude . . ... nla
Willpower . . . . 45 Primal Cost
Size . . 2 yds To Create . ....... 250 base
To Maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 flux per day
Speed. .. 12 yds/s

tThe first number applies

to males, the second to fe-
males.

"PPE"(1\1D\(1\"NeE females.
£r\
Sumitami resemble divinely beautiful human males or
Males typically stand 6'0" to 6'5" and mass 185
to 240 pounds; females stand 5'5" to 5'10" and mass 110 to 135 pounds. They
appear to come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, which shows in skin color,
facial features, and hair color and texture. Sumitami are all slender, with lean
but strong muscles. Their eyes are always deep lavender in color, a very striking
and distinctive hue. They emanate an aura of serenity, joy, and unshakable
confidence. Mortal humans who hear their voices experience a thrill of pleasure
based on something below the level of conscious awareness.
Sumitami always wear clothes of the highest quality, but appropriate in style
and color to the area through which they are traveling. They never wear armor,
and carry weapons only when protocol requires it.

o_ B" ()')GDOUND The sumitami are divine minions based

ORIGIN V (l\l.,f\ I \ on genetically perfect humans, created
through a combined effort by the more prominent human deities. Their purpose
is to maintain humanity, keep the race viable, and prevent it from sinking into
decline.
Some people consider sumitami simple "fertility gods," but this ignores
some important issues. Certainly, fertility and child-rearing are part of the
sumitami's purview, but so are issues that would, in an army, fall under the
heading of morale. There are many races in the multiverse that seem so much
more capable than humanity: they are stronger, faster, smarter, longer-lived,
more magically attuned, and so on. By comparing themselves to many of these
other races, humans could consider themselves inferior, and eventually sink
into decline.
The sumitami were created to prevent this from happening. Their task is
to maintain the fertility of the human race, and to keep its spirits up in many
subtle-or not so subtle-ways. There are thought to be about 50 sumitami in
existence.
Sumitami 125

h IH 'IOR
BEkIM V
Sumitami are kind and benevolent, and always seem to be ec-
statically happy. They see beauty in everything around them,
and are quick in trying to point out that beauty and share it with others. They
have incredibly well-developed senses of humor. They shun "coarse" humor
like practical jokes, preferring wordplay, puns, riddles, and paradoxes. Lan-
guage is never a barrier, and they can concoct cunning riddles in any human or
humanoid language, always speaking colloquially, like natives of the area.
Sumitami are unabashed romantics, treasuring all aspects and expressions
of love. Traveling in pairs throughout the world, sumitami act as matchmakers
and marriage counselors. Many sumitami are bards oflegendary skill, and when
they wish it their love songs work as charm spells.
Although basically peaceable, sumitami dislike-or even hate-any creature
or philosophy that would spread death or sterility, or would diminish the joy of
life. They will never attack such a creature unless it attacks them first, but they
will use their considerable skills to stir up the populace so that the creature or
belief system is driven from human society.
If forced into combat, sumitami are highly skilled with all weapon types.
They hate hand-to-hand combat, however, preferring to talk their way out of
trouble, convincing their would-be foes of the error of their ways. Sumitami
are not cowards or pacifists, however. When violence is the only solution to
a problem-which is not often-they become enthusiastic and very skilled
participants, doing whatever it takes to end the conflict immediately.
Each sumitami has a iso-carat blue diamond imbedded in his or her throat;
126 Pawns: The Opening Move
it is located where the larynx would normally be, and is concealed by a layer
of skin. This magical diamond allows each sumitami to remain in continuous
telepathic contact with all its fellows, regardless of intervening distance, planar
barriers, and so on.
Although sumitami are protectors of humankind, they show no prejudice
toward other humanoid races, as long as those races do nothing to threat-
en humanity directly. They gladly tolerate and even encourage crossracial
marriages-if there is true love involved-since these strengthen the human
race, both genetically and in terms of morale.
Sumitami travel by walking, riding-they have professional rank in animal
handling-dimension shifting, or plane shifting.

()OffiB" m Sumitami can use any form of weapon, although they prefer not
L lr\ I to have to. They will use spells in combat before they will mix
it up hand to hand. If pressed, a sumitami will tap his or her primal reservoir,
which contains 10 flux per day to strike primally.
The enchanted diamond in the throat of every sumitami absorbs a flat 75% of
all magical or energy-based damage inflicted on the creature in a single combat
exchange, excluding damage inflicted by primal. Further, the diamond will heal
the sumitami so that 50% of all damage taken in a combat exchange will be
healed at the beginning of the following combat exchange.

~PECI"lr\Llr (r\
V
"BlrlmIEC!
LJ I
Any sumitami can impregnate, or be impreg-
t.J nated by, a human of the opposite sex. This is
true even if the human is normally sterile or infertile.This ability has a Power
Rating of 88. For this reason, sumitami are sometimes sent to "assist" religiously
devout couples who are barren. The genes of a sumitarni are dominant, and any
union between one and a human will produce a young sumitami. If a sumitami
is born to a human woman, the other sumitami will allow her to raise the child
as her own to the age of 17, then will take the young sumitami to join his or her
fellows.

Walking in beauty, singing their

joy,
The sumitami come among us.
Glory to all, spreading their pas-
sion for life,
They show us how we should be
Forever.
Humanitys flower, the gods love
incarnate,
The sumitami walk in the world.
In the world, yet not of it,
They tell us of our immortal her-
itage
Forever.

Songs of the Spheres, Author

Unknown
 True Unicorn 127

TRUE UNICORN
Power Level . . . . 5 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Master
Strength . . . . . 35 Melee Weapon Combat Skill nl a
Health 35 Missile Weapon Combat Skill nla
Reaction . . . . . 30 Damage Rank
Intelligence 20 Physical . . . . . . .. Hoof-20 (2X each); Bite-20 (2X)
Destiny ... 45 Special Abilities Horn-30 (2X)
Presence .. 30 Defense Strength 35
Willpower. 45 Aptitudes
Size ..... 2.5 yds Magical Aptitude nla
Mentalic Aptitude . nla
Speed. .. 32 ydsls Primal Cost
To Create . . nla
To Maintain . . . . . . ......... nla

"PPE"Lr\JD\Lr\"N~E
V\
~rue unicorns rese"_lblelarger and ~or~ beaut!ful ver-
l.- sions of normal unicorns, but that like saymg that
IS
a perfectly cut blue-white diamond resembles a more beautiful version of a
shard of glass. True unicorns are the epitome of magic, majesty, natural beauty,
and complete freedom-everything that makes unicorns what they are. Many
naturalists insist that the unicorn is the most beautiful equine creature in exis-
tence, and true unicorns make their mortal cousins look like drab plowhorses
in comparison.
The coats of the true unicorns are purest white and soft as down, except for
their manes and "socks," which are brilliant gold. Their single horns shimmer
with a constantly changing prismatic display of colors. They are one and a half
times the size of their mortal kin. The scent of sweet flowers surrounds and
follows them.
The eyes of a true unicorn are the brilliant azure of a cloudless summer
sky, and they sparkle with obvious intelligence. Normally slow-moving, and
incredibly delicate and graceful for such large animals, they can run faster than
the wind when the need arises.

ORIGIN If0. B"Lr\l.-r\

~'}GROUND responsibility
Over ti"_le: ~everal deities ha~e claimed
for the creation of the
true unicorns. Despite this, most sages believe that the true unicorns were
not created, but arose spontaneously at the dawn of time as living embodi-
ments of wild faerie magic. There are only two true unicorns in existence, a
mated pair, and they have existed since virtually the first moment of recorded
time. The true unicorns are immortal, and will exist as long as faerie magic
does. Some sages speculate that the destruction of both true unicorns would
cause the extinction of all faerie magic and all associated races throughout the
universe. Few people fully believe this hypothesis, however, and even fewer feel
comfortable even pondering the issue.
All unicorns in the universe are descended from the pair of true unicorns. In
time of direst need, the true unicorns can request the aid of all normal unicorn
herds. So far, there has never been any need to call for this aid.
128 Pawns: The Opening Move

"UIOR
BE T;
kJlr\
True unicorns are even more reticent than their mortal kin.
They dwell in the most unspoiled sylvan glades, protected
from interlopers by bands of faeries who have dedicated their lives to guarding
the true unicorns. They shun all but those of undiluted faerie blood, or those
whose virtue is completely untarnished.
True unicorns are among the most majestic of creatures. This majesty leads
many people to consider them staid and conservative in nature, but nothing
could be further from the truth. In locales where they feel safe, the true unicorns
are free-spirited and playful, gamboling and frolicking through the forests and
racing each other and their guardian faeries for the sheer joy of it.
The true unicorns reserve their hatred for beings who would harm innocent
creatures or nature in general. They take no action against such individuals,
however, unless they are personally threatened, preferring simply to avoid those
whose violence they cannot understand.
True unicorns can gallop like the wind, and can use any other magical means
of transportation available in the game world. They have no home plane as such,
but wander throughout the universe, staying for a time wherever conditions suit
them.

()OffiB" m True unicorns generally use their great speed to avoid combat.
L lr\ 1 The only exceptions to this behavior are if one of the pair is
threatened, in which case the other will fight fiercely to protect its mate, or if
foes pose a serious threat to the natural order in general.
A true unicorn can attack with both its front hooves, with its jaws, and
with its horn, described below. Since the creatures prefer to keep some distance
between themselves and their opponents, however, they often attack with spells
from a distance before engaging in close combat.
The forces of nature and magic will refuse to cooperate in harming the true
unicorns, and will in fact act to protect them. Thus, no natural force or magical
spell will directly harm a true unicorn, and such spells or effects may rebound
against anyone who attempts to use them in this way. Magic can harm the
unicorns, however, if used indirectly.
True Unicorn 129

c:!pECI"Lr\ljr £.r\U
V
"RIr.lmIE~
lj I
The male true.unicorn:s horn is primally har~-
U ened so that It can pierce any matter, and It
instantly slays any living being it successfully strikes. The female's horn has
complementary effects; it immediately mends, heals, or even resurrects any-
thing or anyone it touches if she wishes it to do so.

The reputed powers of the horn

of a true unicorn are legendary.
In their horns, the faeries say, the
true unicorns carry the powers of
life and death. When they gallop,
the wind of their passage blows
through the convolutions of their
horns, creating musical tones of
the most haunting beauty. Many
races and civilizations have folk
tales that tell of would-be hunters
being enraptured by these tones
and falling into a kind of wak-
ing sleep, to emerge into full con-
sciousness decades or even cen-
turies later.
The more rapacious races be-
lieve that concoctions including
the powdered horn of a true uni-
corn will have almost unlimit-
ed powers. Effects speculatively at-
tributed to such concoctions in-
elude resurrection, magical im-
munity, and dominion over all
horselike creatures. Fortunately, it
is obvious that no one has succeed-
ed in obtaining the horn of a true
unicorn for such ignoble purposes.
May this always remain so.
Fionnuala, Demigoddess of Faerie,
The Sylvan Races
130 Pawns: The Opening Move

UR WR&\IT~
Power Level . . . . 1 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Veteran
Strength . . .. nl a Melee Weapon Combat Skill nla
Health ..... nla Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . Veteran
Reaction . . . . . 25 Damage Rank
Intelligence . .. 10 Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claws-20 (ix each)
Destiny. . 18 Special Abilities Negative Energy Blast-25 (1/3x)
Presence . . . . . 20 Defense Strength 20
Willpower . . . . 40 Aptitudes
Size . . .. 2.66 yds Magical Aptitude . . nla
Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... nla
Speed. .. 10 ydsl s Primal Cost
To Create .... 4 base
To Maintain. . . . .. none

"PPE(r\"R"Lr\lNPE
Vi
Ur wraiths appear as blood-red wraiths that stand eight
,'-- feet tall. They have total control over their own substan-
tiality' and can be totally insubstantial, or only semi-tangible at will. Their eyes
appear as sockets filled with flames.
They are totally silent and odorless. They appear to float a handspan above
the ground. They lower the ambient temperature around them by about 15°F.
Animals can detect their presence at a range of 100 yards, and react with fear.

ORIGIN If0_ B"(r\,--f\}GDOUND

PI
I \:
The Ur wra.iths,:ere create~ by Balco.t~,
Demon Pnncelmg, Lord HIgh InqUISI-
tor of the Pit. As a deity of the dead, Balcoth uses armies of undead to defend
his territories on the plane of the Abyss, and to invade the lands of his rivals
there and on other planes. Although a master of death magics, Balcoth proved
not a great tactician. His first battles were disasters; his forces were routed,
largely because he had not appreciated the need for ranged weapons and at-
tacks from his troops. While his undead legions were mighty in melee combat,
they had virtually no missile weapons or other "stand-off" attacks, and were
generally decimated by withering ranged attacks before they could close with
an opposing army.
Balcoth learned his lesson. To provide his hordes with the stand-off attacks
they so badly needed, he created some 5,000 Ur wraiths. Their sole purpose is
to serve his will and destroy his enemies from afar.

BE J;" nlOR
lu(r\ V
Ur wraiths hate everything that lives, and enjoy nothing more
than killing, preferably in a painful and messy manner. They
are loyal to Balcoth, however, and will follow his orders to the letter. When he
has no specific use for them, he allows them to wander the Abyss, killing any
intruders they happen to find.
Ur wraiths are totally fearless, with no instinct for self-preservation. They
will gladly sacrifice their own existence to destroy intruders or their master's
foes.
In mass combat, Ur wraiths provide "artillery" support for other undead
units. Once melee has begun, they will spread themselves throughout undead
formations to maximize the effect of their Aura of Corrupted Fate, described
below.
The creatures float above the ground. There seems to be no limit to the
altitude they can attain. They can also pass unhindered through any obstacle
UrWraith 131

short of a primal barrier. Ur wraiths are unable to travel to other planes unaided;
should this ever be necessary, Balcoth handles it.

(JomB"
L
m In melee, Ur wraiths maintain substantiality long enough to
Lr\ I strike with their two hands. A successful hit inflicts impact
damage, and also drains 10 points each of strength, health and willpower from
the target. Any victim reduced to fewer than 0 points in any of these attributes
is killed.
The ranged attack for which they were created is a blast of negative energy.
This takes the form of a beam of blackness, up to 160 feet in range. It inflicts
severe physical damage on any creature it strikes, as well as draining 1-8 points
of health.
Because they can control their substantiality, Ur wraiths can "dodge" phys-
ical attacks by going insubstantial. This ability is not automatic, however; the
Ur wraith must make a successful destiny roll. This "dodging" cannot protect
an Ur wraith from primal attacks, or from weapons that have been primally
reinforced.
132 Pawns: The Opening Move
Ur wraiths possess an innate 45% resistance to magical energies. Anyattacks
that comprise negative energy actually regenerate an Ur wraith, at a 1:1 ratio,
instead of inflicting damage.

<::!pEPI\.._ £r\l.l
t)
" r £r\U
"RlrlmIE~ An Ur wraith produces a terrible effect known as
u I v the Aura of Corrupted Fate. This aura extends
15 feet from the creature's body, and dampens the willpower, morale, and
concentration of any living creature caught within it. Any character within
15 feet of an Ur wraith makes all attack, defense, morale, and destiny rolls at
-40%. Note that this ability does not affect undead, since they are not living.
This ability has a Power Rating of 57.

Woe to those who are slain by

the dreaded Ur wraiths. For the
souls of these victims go not to the
home plane of their deity, there
to reside forever. Instead, they are
swept off to the Abyss, for an eter-
nity of torment at the hands ofBal-
eoth ...
Malaclypse the Elder, The Demo-
nomicon
 Valchis 133

(VAHL-cheesJ Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . Legendary-s
Power Level . . . . 7 Melee Weapon Combat Skill . Novice
Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . .... Novice
Strength . . . . . 75 Damage Rank
Health 60 Physical . . . . . . . . . .. Claw-so (2X); Beak=ao (IX)
Reaction . . . . . 35 Special Abilities .... . . . . . . . . . . . . .. nl a
Intelligence 35 Defense Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 70
Destiny. . . 35 Aptitudes
Presence . . 45 Magical Aptitude Professional to Legendary-a
Willpower . 35 Mentalic Aptitude ............... Master
Size . . . . . 12+ yds Primal Cost
To Create ... 50 base
Speed To Maintain . . ... none
Walk 3 yds/s; Fly
400 yds/st

t A valchis can reach a

speed of 80 yds/s in one
combat exchange, from a
standing start. On each
subsequent combat ex-
change, it can accelerate by
160 ydsl s until it reaches its
maximum speed.

"PPE"lr\lD\lr\"NPE
Lr\
Valchii appear as giant metal hawks, more than 50 feet
\.... long from beak to tailfeathers, and with wingspans in
excess of 60 feet. Their bodies are almost 20 feet in diameter. They are polished
silver in color, and their texture is more like scales of thin, flexible metal than
the feathers that one might expect. Their eyes glow yellow. On close inspection,
the eyes appear more like windows, or portholes, than actual sense organs, and
this is the truth of the matter,
The valchii are actually living machines created by a race of techno mages,
and thus have many features of mechanical flying machines. Access to the
interior of the "creature" is through a ramp lowered from the underbelly, or by
two flush-mounted doors, one above each wing.
Despite its true nature, a valchis moves in all regards like a real bird. Its
scream sounds like the cry of a natural hawk, except hideously amplified. Its
face sometimes exhibits expressions of strong emotions. Its skin is cool to the
touch, and exudes a very faint odor of hydraulic fluid and oil.

ORIGIN {j
(1_ B" (J'}GROUND
lr\Lf\
Several millennia ago, a humanoid race
known as the Kalaad dwelt on a plane
known as the Lunar Matrix plane. They were devout followers and loyal students
of Tomolin, God of Knowledge. During the last years of their existence in their
true form, the Kalaad created an item of techno magic, a combination of high
technology and magic, known as the Intellect Orb. An Intellect Orb could serve
as a repository for a Kalaad's soul and life force. From within the orb, the Kalaad
could still cast spells, perceive the universe through arcane senses, and control
various items of technomagic.
For several centuries, the Lunar Matrix plane had been under attack by
various forces of demonkind. These cross planar invaders had infested the Lunar
Matrix plane with planar parasites (p. 90) and then protected the parasites so
that the Kalaad could not eradicate them.
134 Pawns: The Opening Move
The Kalaad realized that their plane was doomed, as were they unless
they could find some way of escaping. To accomplish this, the technomages
created the valchii, to be used as "shuttles" to ferry the Kalaad race to other
planes. Eighty-fiveof the most powerful Kalaad volunteered to have their life
forces transferred to Intellect Orbs, and to pilot the craft. Sedecius, a demigod
supported by Tomolin, provided the primal energy necessary to create the
valchii and merge the Intellect Orbs with them, forming living machines. In
compensation, Sedecius requested and received 5 completed valchii, without
inhabited Intellect Orbs, for his own purposes. Nobody knows what he has in
mind for the vessels.
Unfortunately for the Kalaad, the destruction of their home progressed faster
than they had predicted, while the time it took to merge the Intellect Orbs with
the valchii took longer than expected. While the valchii were still merging with
the chosen Kalaad in protected underground caverns, the surface of the Lunar
Matrix plane underwent severe structural trauma that killed all of the Kalaad
still on the surface. When the valchii finally emerged from their caverns, they
were horrified at the destruction of their people, but had little time to brood
on this since they had all they could do to save themselves before the plane
imploded. Of the 85 valchii built, only 50 managed to escape before the plane
was finally destroyed.
With their plane and their race utterly destroyed, the surviving valchii had
little to live for except for serving Tomolin, and seeking vengeance against the
genocidal demons who destroyed the Kalaad. Over the millennia since these
tragic events, some of the valchii have almost forgotten that they were anything

.s<' 'I
/7
./ '.
\

r '\
.r>

•...••..

r_:_ -'

[. ..
~
l
 Valchis 135

other than what they now are. They still worship Tomolin and hate demons,
however.
The majority, however, cling to the hope that they can eventually recreate
their home plane, and all the Kalaad who were killed. Of course, the "resurrec-
tion" of an entire plane is well beyond the capabilities of even most deities. The
valchii believe, or try to convince themselves, that if they learn enough about
the makeup of planes and reality, they can somehow discharge their duty to
their dead race.

"\)IOR
BE h
IC)V\
Each valchis is an individ~al: with the range of p:rsonalit!es,
strengths, weaknesses, opmions, and even delusions typical
of humans. They take great, innocent pleasure in cruising the multiverse in
their metal bodies, and find fierce joy in hunting down and destroying demons
wherever they may encounter them. Most valchii are proud of their abilities,
even to the point of arrogance at times.
They serve Tomolin by gathering information about reality, planar geogra-
phy, physics, and other such matters, and then transmitting the data techno-
magically to the deity's home plane. They always, of course, keep copies of all
the data they collect, in the hope of eventually being able to recreate the Lunar
Matrix plane and its inhabitants.
Of the 85 valchii, fewer than 10 are females. Among the male valchii is
the unspoken fear that, should they ever leave their Intellect Orbs and try to
propagate their race in a natural manner, there will be insufficient females for
the job. Because of this, the male valchii are exceptionally protective of their
female comrades. The females, on the other hand, point out that the males could
always create female bodies for themselves if they really wanted to, and insist
that the males' "protectiveness" masks an attempt to dominate the females and
limit their activities. Though female valchii are as capable in every way as their
male counterparts, the males keep close watch on the females and try to ensure
that they are kept out of dangerous situations. Female valchii are almost always
accompanied by males, and any single valchis encountered will be male.

(JO B
L m Valchii attack physically using their massive claws and beak. If
AT the creature can swoop down on its foe from an altitude, it can
make only a single claw attack, but the damage from this strike is increased by
5 for each 160 yds/s of speed (or fraction). Thus, a valchis swooping at 161 yds/s
or more would do damage 55, while at 321 ydsls or more the damage rank would
be 60.
Each combat exchange, a valchis can also utter a deafening scream. This can
rupture eardrums, burst the heart of a foe, and shatter most forms of crystals.
Each creature within 450 feet of a screaming valchis must make a destiny roll to
avoid death by heart rupture, and another at a -25% penalty to avoid deafness.
Any crystalline structure short of an artifact must make a resistance roll at a
-75% penalty or shatter. Artifacts are immune to this attack, which has a Power
Rating of 70.
A valchis is totally resistant to the effects of gravity, sound-based attacks,
acid, light- or radiation-based attacks, and heat up to the temperature of the
core of a star. The "creature" has a base 50% resistance to all energy forms other
than those listed above. The hull of a valchis regenerates half the damage done
to it during a combat exchange by the end of the exchange. When a valchis is
performing a particularly important duty for Tomolin, the deity will sometimes
provide it with primal shielding.
In order to engage a valchis using rnentalics, the attacker must project his
or her consciousness into the creature's Intellect Orb. This projection negates
136 Pawns: The Opening Move
all mental defenses that the attacker might normally enjoy, and hence is an
exceptionally risky business.

~PE(JIL V\Ll
tJ
" r lr\"BlrlmIE~ Over the millennia: certa~n valchii have ~quip-
Ll 1 v ped themselves With varIOUS technological or
magical weapons. These are left up to individual GMs, but here are some sug-
gestions: a techno magical machine guns under the wings, a magical energy
cannon installed in the head, or a wand of lightning bolts under the chin.
The energy reservoir available to power one valchis's magical and techno-
magical accessories is 300 techno magic points. Although these techno magic
points are not primal energy, they can be used to power spells in the same way;
the number of techno magic points it costs to cast a given spell is the same
as the amount of primal flux it would take to cast the same spell. Remember,
even though technomagic points act like primal energy for the purposes of this
calculation, they are not primal energy. Magic resistance and immunity will
affect spells cast with them, and a primal shield or primally supported barrier
will stop a techno magical attack.
A valchis' s techno magical reservoir is generated by the interaction of gravity
with the metal from which the creature's body is made. A valchis can fully
recharge its techno magical battery by spending three hours in a gravity field
equal to that of earth. The recharge time is modified in proportion to the
strength of the field. Thus on the moon (1/6 g), recharging would take 18 hours,
"I dont know quite what it while on a zg world it would take only 1.5 hours.
was, as the Great Balancer is my
Valchii have flawless memories. They can store incredible amounts of data
witness.
"The demons were all over us, in techno magical memory banks and transmit this information at will directly
and I thought we were all dead to Tomolin.
meat. But then this hawk spiraled Valchii enjoy clairvoyance and clairaudience. Further, they can perceive and
down ... identify invisible and dimensionally nonstandard objects, and can even sense
"No, not a bloody regular
hawk, you buffoon, it was more when they are being observed from other planes or via scrying devices.
than a dagger-cast from head to
bloody tail, and it shone like bur-
nished armor. Screamed like an
avenging angel, too.
"Cut the demonkin to shreds,
that it did, in a minute. Never seen
anything like it. Bloody marvelous
to watch, I'll tell you that. Drove
them off, saved our lives. . . .
"Or most of us, at least. Auld
Josh, the man whdd rallied us in
the first place, he was down, and
we all knew he was dying. Women
weeping and wailing. Hells, I was
weeping myself for the old geezer.
':And then damned if the hawk
didnt set down near him. Some-
thing opened in its belly, and Josh's
body just kind of floated into it.
The belly closed, and it took off,
vanished into the sky.
"The priests say it was a servi-
tor of Tomolin himself, and it took
Auld Josh to the Immortal Halls,
to meet his god. Dartt know as I
believe that myself.
"But I hope it was true."
From a conversation with Willem
Spear
Warlord of Sardoen 137

W[\R~ORDOr 5[\RDOEH
Power Level . . . . 7 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . Professional
Strength . . . . 55. Melee Weapon Combat Skill . Legendary-z
Health . . . . . 60. Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . . . . . .... Master
Reaction . . . . 35. DamageRank
Intelligence . . 25. Physical
Destiny 40 Fist-35 (2X each) or by weapon type (ax) (plus
Presence . . . .. 45 strength bonus)
Willpower . . . . 60 Special Abilities . .............. nla
Size 4 yds Defense Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 40
Aptitudes
Speed. .. 12 ydsls Magical Aptitude · nla
Mentalic Aptitude · nla
Primal Cost
To Create .... · 50 base
To Maintain. . . 5 flux per day

"PPE"£r\1TJ\£r\"N(JE
£r\
The Warlords of Sardoen appear as immense, heavily
\...- armored humanoids standing about twelve feet tall and
massing almost 600 pounds. They are broadly built, bulging with powerful
muscles. Their shoulders are disproportionately broad, and their hands overly
large for their size. They have bullet heads on necks so broad that they hardly
seem to have necks at all. Their features are humanlike, but broad and coarse
except for their mouths, which show short curving tusks protruding from their
lower jaws. Short, spiky black hair crowns the very top of their skulls; otherwise
they are hairless. Their skin is a dusty red color, and is dry and slightly rough,
though very flexible. Their eyes are blood-red, and glow faintly when they
are aroused for combat. Each Warlord has the symbol of Sardoen-a stylized
handaxe in a circle of arrowheads-on its forehead, black against the red skin
like a tattoo.
Warlords have no sexual characteristics. They are thought to be androgy-
nous, incapable ofreproductionwithout their creator's intervention. Theywear
elaborate suits of plate mail much heavier and thicker than the armor construct-
ed by humans, but cunningly articulated so it does not interfere whatsoever with
their movements.
These minions rarely speak, but when they do they can speak any human
or humanoid tongue fluently. They communicate among themselves and with
Sardoen via natural telepathy. They move silently-even their armor makes no
noise-and have no characteristic odor.
Their faces are always expressionless, with only the glow of their eyes in-
dicating their emotional state. They seem to exude a sense of solidity, of de-
pendability, a sense that nothing in the universe short of destruction will sway
them from their course. Mortals who would face them in combat must make a
successful destiny roll or be too terrified to act against them.

ORIGIN V
0_ B"£r\\...-f\ DOUND
(J1JG" Sardoen, a God of Conflict and Battle,
I\:
created the first warlords many cen-
turies ago. At first, he created only 81 of the minions to serve him as personal
elite bodyguards. So successful were they at this task-and so proud of his
creations was Sardoen=-that the deity created many more over the next few
centuries. Today there are thought to be 9,000 of the minions.
Many still serve as Sardoen's personal entourage. Others are seconded to his
various armies, acting as military advisors to his generals. The vast majority of
138 Pawns: The Opening Move
the minions can be found on Sardoen's home plane, and on other planes that he
has claimed. Occasionally, however, he will dispatch groups of Warlords to other
planes, to guard something of great value to him: a shrine or temple, perhaps,
or maybe even an elite priest. Sardoen will never send Warlords to protect
something that he does not fear is in imminent risk; thus, elite priests who
request warlords as a standing bodyguard force, more for stature enhancement
than immediate need, will find themselves disappointed.

BE 'IOR
l; IH
IdM V
Warlords of Sardoen are totally and utterly single-minded
about discharging whatever duty their creator has assigned
them. They cannot be distracted, bribed or otherwise turned aside from this
duty. Even if sticking to their task will mean their destruction, they will not dis-
obey their orders or shirk their duties. They are, at heart, warriors, and so will
usually see things in terms of physical combat. They are not mindless automata,
however, and consider the overall result much more important than the means
they use to reach that goal. Thus, if it seems that communication will be more
efficient than combat in protecting whatever it is they are guarding, then they
Warlord of Sardoen 139

will first try to reason with any foes, or try to warn them off. They will not truly
negotiate, however; completing their task is the most important thing in their
existence, and they will not compromise their mission in any way whatsoever.
They will sometimes ask for surrender and offer terms for that surrender, but
those terms will never compromise their ultimate goal. To this end, Sardoen
has endowed them with the ability to speak any language they hear.
Warlords are organized into groups of nine, or multiples of nine. The only
time that fewer than nine warlords will ever be encountered is if some have
already been destroyed. Note that this restriction limits the kinds of things that
will have Warlord guardians. The object or person to be guarded must merit the
assignment of at least nine of these minions.
A warlord can planeshift once per day, but will not do so except under orders,
or if the tactical situation requires it.

()OmB"
\.....
m Warlords of Sardoen almost always carry enchanted weapons,
lr\ I often of extreme power. They will be equipped with the
weapons mix most appropriate to the task at hand. In any group, there will
almost always be at least three warlords armed with missile weapons for ranged
combat. If a warlord is somehow disarmed, it can still strike punishing blows
with its gauntleted fists. A warlord's armor will almost always be powerfully
enchanted.
These minions are immune to magics that affect the mind or the soul. This
immunity is directly supported by their deity.
Magical and physical damage can harm warlords, but will rarely destroy
them. If they are "killed" in combat as a result of normal injuries, they are not
destroyed. Instead, their strength and attack speed are both halved; otherwise
they are not affected, and can continue the battle. There is only one way to
truly destroy a warlord, and that is to strike a successful hit to a particular part
of its body. This area of vulnerability is different for each individual warlord.
On one warlord, it might be the forehead tattoo; on another it might be the
heart, the throat, the right hand, the left foot, and so on. Before combat begins,
you should decide just where the area of vulnerability is for each warlord. If an
attacker successfully strikes this spot for any amount of damage, the warlord
is instantly destroyed. Sardoen knows the area of vulnerability of each of his
warlords, but the warlords themselves do not. Thus it is impossible to determine
a warlord's vulnerability by observing which parts of the body it protects most
heavily.
Warlords have an innate understanding of strategy and tactics, and will use And so did the face of Sardoen
their forces in the most efficient way possible. They will only rarely be taken in Battlemaster smile down upon his
by feints or diversionary attacks. If foes retreat from the battlefield, the surviving most high battle-priest. As the peo-
warlords will decide, based on what they have learned of the attackers, whether ple looked on, so the Guardians,
their goal will be best served by letting the attackers flee, or by pursuing and the Warlords, stood fast around
him. Tall they were, the color
destroying them before they can mount another attack. of red sandstone. Their weapons

C!PE()I
tJ
" r "BlrlmIEc:!. When nine warlords are protecting a mortal-a
~ lr\LJ £r\ LJ I v high priest of Sardoen, for example-they set up
gleamed in the sunlight, a beau-
teous array of edges and points,
and the peoples hearts were uplift-
a defensive "causal field" around him. This causal field is primally reinforced by ed at the sight. And when the most
Sardoen himself. As long as the warlords remain within 100 yards of the mortal, high battle-priest went forth, the
any physical or magical attack that strikes the mortal inflicts no damage on him Guardians flanked him and ward-
ed him around. And the light of
or her. Instead, the damage is inflicted upon a randomly selected warlord. The battle, the will of Sardoen Battle-
causal field remains in existence until the very last Warlord is destroyed. Only master; shownfrom their eyes, and
then can the mortal be harmed. Prim ally supported attacks negate this effect, all who looked upon them were
however. This ability has a Power Rating of 75, plus one per Warlord in the causal sore afraid. . .
field, to a maximum of nine. If a Warlord dies, the field strength diminishes by Book of Truth (Sardoenic holy
one. writings)
140 Pawns: The Opening Move

WODr Or rENRI3
Power Level . . . . 3 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill . . Master
Strength .. 35 Melee Weapon Combat Skill ... nla
Health ... 35 Missile Weapon Combat Skill . . . . .. nla
Reaction . . 25 Damage Rank
Intelligence 15 Physical . . . . . .. Claw, 25 (tx): Bite, 25 (2X per head)
Destiny 15 Special Abilities nla
Presence . . . .. 25 Defense Strength . 25
Willpower 20 Aptitudes
Size 3 yds Magical Aptitude nl a
Mentalic Aptitude. . . . . . . . . . nla
Speed. .. 67 ydsls Primal Cost
To create . nla
To maintain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . nla

"PPE"lr\1D\lr\"NCE wolves
lr\
The Wolves of Fenris appear as huge, three-headed
about the size of a small elephant. They stand
about 8 feet at the shoulder and are about 12 feet in length, weighing in at
1,500 pounds. Their smoky silver fur is very coarse, often tipped with black and
bristling with energy. The creatures' red eyes burn maliciously. Their baying
can be heard from great distances, and they smell of dust and blood.
Though Wolves of Fenris do not exude a particularly strong aura of fear,
mortal animals are able to sense the creature's immortal ferocity. An animal
who sees or smells a Wolf of Fenris will flee from it, even if flight will lead to
its death. Animals can sense the presence of a Wolf of Fenris at many miles'
distance and will show signs of terror. Untrained animals, or those naturally
fearful, will flee from this distant presence whether or not they can see or smell
the wolf. Trained animals, or creatures with higher natural morale, will still act
edgy, uncomfortable, and easily provoked.

ORIGIN ti0_ Blr\"C'}GROUND

f\
There are many conflicting myths con-
cerning the origin of the Wolves of Fen-
ris. Some sages claim that the creatures were created by Garm, a godling serving
Hela, the Norse Goddess of the Underworld. These sages believe that the leg-
endary wolf Fenris itself was also involved in the process; no one knows whether
Fenris was a willing or unwilling participant.
Another hypothesis, more widely held, is that the creatures are the result of
a union between Fenris and some other creature of equivalent power. If this is
the case, then the Wolves of Fenris arose naturally, as much as that word can be
applied to such issues.
Whatever the truth of the matter, Wolves of Fenris seem to have only one
purpose: to serve the godling Garm and do his bidding. The former group of
sages take this as evidence that Garm created the wolves himself. Members of
the other historical camp believe that Garm mastered and tamed the wolves
after they had come into existence. After all, these sages point out, Garm has
always been known as the Beast Master, and he possesses an uncanny ability to
control animals and dominate their spirits.
Both groups agree that there are several thousand Wolves of Fenris in exis-
tence. Most of these can be found on Hela's home plane or acting as personal
bodyguards for her more powerful servants. Rarely, Garm may grant the ability
to summon a Wolf of Fenris to a particularly loyal and devout priest of Hela.
Wolf of Fenris 141

REI; TH
U
'IOR
k)tr\ V
Left to their own devices, Wolves of Fenris behave in many
ways like normal wolves. They congregate in large packs of
between 15 and 30 members. The leader is usually the most powerful male,
although there are some matriarchal packs as well. A wolf becomes pack leader
through challenge and combat; unlike normal wolves, Wolves of Fenris always
continue this combat to the death.
Wolves of Fenris are fierce hunters, incredibly violent and rapacious. Once
they have scented prey, they will use their magically enhanced speed and other
abilities to hunt it until they drag it down. Unless specifically ordered by Garm
or someone acting with Garm's direct authority, they will never turn away from
a hunt. Wolves of Fenris show no fear of any mortal creature, no matter how
powerful it may appear. They are intelligent enough to understand the powers
wielded by immortal creatures such as deities, and so give these beings a wide
berth unless ordered to act otherwise.

DOffin "m A Wolf of Fenris attacks by biting with its three sets of jaws
L LJtr\ I and raking with its clawed front feet. The creature is intelligent
enough to use its incredible speed to best advantage, often closing with an
opponent before missile weapons-and sometimes even spells-can be brought
into play. Because they excel at close melee combat, the wolves strongly prefer to
fight one opponent at a time and will use one of their special abilities, described
below, to force enemies into this kind of situation.
When operating under direct orders, Wolves of Fenris will fight to the death,
never having to check morale.

~PE(JI"
V
r "BlrlmIE<: ;! A Wolf of Fenris has the ability to "lock on" to
~ tr\Ll V\ u I u a single opponent and force it into one-on-one
combat. To achieve this, the wolf must face its opponent at a range of less than
10 feet and stare at it with all three heads. Instantly, the wolf and its opponent
reality shift to an alternate reality, a pseudo-dimension with terrain identical to
that of the original plane but barren of all other life. There the wolf is free to
engage its opponent in mortal combat.
142 Pawns: The Opening Move
The pseudo-dimension of combat is totally removed from all other planes
and dimensions. No plane shift or dimension shift spell can transport the oppo-
nent from the pseudo-dimension or call in assistance from elsewhere. Only pri-
mal energy can transcend the "reality boundary" around the pseudo-dimension.
The wolf continues the combat until it is killed or its opponent is dead. As soon
as one of the combatants is destroyed, the pseudo-dimension collapses and
both combatants-one of them dead-are returned to normal reality.
Wolves of Fenris base most of their pack tactics around this ability, using it
in conjunction with their excellent mobility so that the wolves all face and "lock
on" to different targets simultaneously. This forces opponents like thieves and
mages into the kind of toe- to- toe fight they usually struggle to avoid.
A Wolf of Fenris can accurately teleport, dimension shift, and plane shift at
will, allowing it to unerringly follow an opponent trying to use similar abilities
to escape. Garm can summon the wolves individually, by name, from virtually
any location in the multiverse, and they will respond instantly to his call.

Beasts they may be, yet in

many ways they act not like beasts.
Other wolves may have a sly an-
imal cunning that serves them
well. But the great Wolves of Fen-
ris have this and more. Those who
have looked into their glowing
eyes, if they live to tell, can re-
late that within burns an intelli-
gence greater than that of many
humans.
Aye, I have done so. I have
looked into the eyes of a Wolf of
Fenris and survived. To this day I
recall the feeling that it was weigh-
ing my life on a balance in its black
and fiery heart. It spared me sim-
ply because there was no reason
to do otherwise. I was no threat;
I was not the enemy it had been
dispatched to counter.
Yet I often wonder how things
would have gone had the beast
been hungry. . .
Iarneel Taal, AutumnWords
Zorgai 143

ZORGAI
Power Level . .. 10 Combat
Unarmed Combat Skill. . . . . . . . . . .. Legendary-s
Strength nla Melee Weapon Combat Skill Legendary-s
Health . . . .. nla Missile Weapon Combat Skill Legendary-s
Reaction ..... 50 Damage Rank
Intelligence 60 Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Varies
Destiny ... 60 Special Abilities Varies
Presence .. 45 Defense Strength Varies
Willpower. 65 Aptitudes
Size ..... Varies Magical Aptitude Legendary-a
Mentalic Aptitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Legendary-a
Speed. . .. Varies Primal Cost
To Create nl a
To Maintain nla

"PPE "R"NCE
(.r\ V\ V\.
A zorgai naturall!. ~hanges its appearance, size, s~eed,
and other capabilities each combat exchange. ThIS ap-
pears to be a random shapechanging power but is, in fact, something different.
Each combat exchange, the zorgai looks like a different creature-a human, a
cat, a vampire, a dragon, a magitor, or something far, far stranger. They ran-
domly shift forms among all natural creatures, existing or only potential, real or
imagined. And, since the imagination involved is theirs, they can take on some
fairly outrageous forms.
If it deems it necessary, a zorgai can take control of this form -shifting ability,
picking a particular shape and set of attributes and maintaining it for as long
is it likes. The creatures rarely do this unless forced by circumstances, however,
believing that their random shifting better reflects the multiverse and their place
within it.

ORIGIN li0. 13 V\"C'JGDQUND

1\ I \:
The zorgai are not creations, but natu-
rally evolved creatures that arose from
the inchoate energy that filled the multiverse at the dawn of time. Their abili-
ties come from their natural kinship with the most powerful of all energy forms:
raw primal energy. Because of this natural affinity for raw primal, many sages
consider zorgai to be demigods in their own right.
There are only ten zorgai in existence. There have never been any more, and
it seems unlikely that more will ever come into being. To this day, no one-no
deity and definitely no mortal-has ever succeeded in destroying a zorgai. If one
were to be destroyed, however, certain sages speculate that the basic structure
of the multiverse would spontaneously create another zorgai, probably at some
random location in a random plane, to maintain their numbers. Some sages
also believe that if all the zorgai were to be destroyed then the entire multiverse
would instantly come to an end. This is not a popularly held belief, however.
While creations are assigned a purpose by the deity who creates them, the
zorgai chose their purpose, or perhaps the multiverse itself chose it for them; the
effect is the same. Their sole goal is to keep the multiverse developing the same
way it has been. They do this by continuously exploring, locating new planes of
existence, and then "seeding" these new planes with appropriate physical laws,
planar constants, and lifeforms. Few believe that the zorgai actually create these
new forms of life. The most common belief is that they "transplant" lifeforms
from other planes.
144 Pawns: The Opening Move
The zorgai are members of an association known as the Council of Destiny.
This organization is a council composed of certain greater deities-the most
powerful-and other creatures of immense power who have a great interest in
maintaining the multiverse and allowing it to develop along the lines that have
constrained its past evolution. The members of the Council of Destiny keep
their membership roster inviolably secret. The zorgai are the only creatures
known definitively to be members. It is thought that Thoth is also a member,
but that has never been proven. As to the other members, there is nothing but
guesswork.

BE 'IOR
h IH
IJ(.r\ V
In the course of their explorations, zorgai frequently come
upon planes that have already been discovered by deities-
perhaps exceptionally distant ones, or those that the deities involved have been
concealing for some reason. When this occurs, the zorgai that discovers the
Zorgai 145

plane attempts to interfere in the deity's affairs long enough to confirm that
the plane is stable in composition and ecology, and "acceptable" according to
some set of criteria understood only by the zorgai themselves. If the plane is
"unacceptable," the zorgai will make modifications until it meets the creature's
criteria. If the owner of the plane is a demigod, all too often he or she has
nothing to say in the matter. While a lesser or greater deity could easily eliminate
an imprudent zorgai, the same cannot be said for demigods. Thus, the most
common outcome is for the owner of the plane to back off, and then return when
the zorgai is finished. Once the zorgai have arranged the plane appropriately,
they will rarely visit it again. The demigods can then come in and modify it
in whatever manner they see fit. It seems that the zorgai are less concerned
with the ultimate fate of a new plane than they are about starting it off right.
Predictably, this irritates or downright enrages many demigods, since it often
costs them more energy, time, and effort to reconfigure a plane to the state they
desire after the zorgai are through with it.
For their part, the zorgai tend to look on "mere" demigods with scorn. The
zorgai dislike the frequency with which such immature deities disrupt perfectly
good planes, but they rarely interfere directly, so long as the plane has been
given a good start, of course.
From time to time, particularly militant demigods have take issue with the
zorgai's interference in their affairs and have attacked the creatures. A zorgai
will usually respond to such an attack with utter stupefaction, and then calmly
and efficiently eliminate the attacker.
Powerful as they are, zorgai have no chance of surviving a scrap with a full
deity, and they know it. For this reason, they never visit the home plane of a full
deity, or any plane where a full deity is currently residing.
Zorgai communicate among themselves using a primally driven form of
telepathy. This is not attenuated by distance, intervening matter, or even planar
boundaries, and seems to be instantaneous. If they must communicate with
other beings-which is rare-they assume a form that can use a communica-
tion mode the other beings can understand. The only time when zorgai will
communicate with others is when there is a chance that someone knows the
location of a plane the zorgai have missed.
Zorgai can use any form of transportation simply by assuming the reality of
a creature that possesses that form. Regardless of the form they assume, they
can teleport and planeshift at will and without error.
Travelers most frequently encounter zorgai on a newly discovered plane of
existence. Very rarely, a zorgai will visit another plane, but usually just as a
way-station on the way to its ultimate destination. It is impossible to summon
or gate in a zorgai against its will, so they are almost never encountered on the
main plane.

()OffiB" m Although extremely adept at it, Zorgai shun physical combat.

\.... (r\ 1 With their control over the primal nature of reality, they have
little need to fight it out toe to toe with an opponent. If for some reason they
decide to do so, however, they simply assume the form of a creature with the
attack and defense forms most appropriate. A zorgai inflicts and resists damage
according to its form; in the form of a dragon it has the bite, claw, and tail
attacks, breath weapon, magic use, magic resistance, and natural armor of a
dragon. In terms of combat skill, however-its chance to actually hit a target-
it always fights with Legendary rank. Any time that a zorgai assumes a new form,
it regenerates all damage it may have suffered up to that point. As described
below, a zorgai does not just take the form of another creature-it becomes that
146 Pawns: The Opening Move
creature. Since it can do this, it can also become an uninjured version of the
creature.

~PECI l.r\LJ
e.J
" r £r\"BlrlmIE~ As mentioned
LJ I u shapeshifters.
above, zorgai appear to be
In fact, however, they do not
just assume the form of another creature as do normal shapeshifters. They
modify reality in a local manner so that, in one sense, they truly become the
other creature. This is why they can appear as creatures that have no existence
anywhere else in the multiverse.
Normally a zorgai shifts its form each combat exchange, assuming a random
shape and set of abilities while still keeping its own mentality. If it wishes,
however, it can control the pace of this change, and can select the form it wants
to assume. For example, it could choose to become a dragon and remain as
one for as long as it liked. At any point, should it be injured, it could choose to
become an unwounded dragon.
Since this is not standard, magical shapeshifting, spells and weapons that
affect normal shapeshifters have no effect whatsoever on zorgai.
Zorgai can, at will, alter the fabric of reality in their immediate vicinity. This
is a sphere of influence ability with a base power rating of 100. They can change
anything about their surroundings: gravity, temperature, weather, physical laws,
planar constants, any change for which they have sufficient primal. Zorgai have
7,500 base and 810 flux.
It is this ability that makes them a match for demigods. A zorgai could
batter down any primal shield a demigod could erect, and then use its sphere
of influence power. No demigods would willingly contemplate having their
spheres of influence changed, their planes' planar constants modified, their
magical or combat abilities diminished, their levels of intelligence dropped to
that of sponges, or their levels of health diminished to that of an invalid? A
"What can I say about the zor- zorgai could do all of these things and more.
gai that hasnt already been said?
They control reality itself. can alter
Lesser and greater deities could easily defeat a zorgai in direct combat. They
it to suit their needs. They could, if could erect a primal shield much too powerful for the zorgai to overcome, then
they so wished, destroy the power primally blast the creatures into oblivion. Deities are generally very conservative
base of any demigod in existence. and cautious, however. Even though they could, without a doubt, defeat the
The only reason that the demigods zorgai, the creature could do an amazing amout of damage to the rest of the
hauent hunted them down en
masse and destroyed them is that
plane-the area outside the shield. Deities have a lot to lose, and thus will not
the zorgai are allied with the enter into combat foolishly. For their part, the zorgai are too intelligent to start
Council of Destiny. And nobody- a fight they know they will lose.
not even the greater deities-know If they assume a form that has magical or mentalic aptitude, Zorgai can use
who its members are. How would the abilities appropriate to that form at legendary rank, regardless of the ability
a god know whether his would-be
ally is actually one of the Council rank of a normal example of that form.
of Destiny, workingfrom within to
destroy the alliance?
"Yes, the zorgai are as power-
ful as demigods, if not more so.
Then why arent they worshiped
as demigods? I think the only rea-
son is that they simply don't care
about worshipers. They doni need
the devotion of followers to give
them power. And who would wor-
ship something that doesnt give a
jar of warm spit if you worship it
arnot, hm'!'
From a conversation with Pasca
Decston, author of Speculations
on the Nature of the Realities
ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 147

IH1'EGRA1'IOH H01'E3
Here are the suggested integration notes to assist you in using Pawns with
your game system. Many of the most popular and some of the traditional game
systems on the market are represented. If the system you use isn't represented
here, we suggest reading the others to see if some other set fits well enough.
Usually, a system is missing because we couldn't find anybody sufficiently
familiar with the system to write the notes. If your favorite system is missing,
and you think you could write the integration notes, drop us a line!
Now for some legal stuff. Except where noted, these integration notes are not
to be considered official rules for their respective gaming systems, and were not
developed in cooperation with the publisher of that game system. Furthermore,
the publication of these suggestions should not be interpreted as an attempt
to usurp or contest ownership of these game systems or their trademarks. All
trademarks belong to their respective owners. For details on which trademarks
and game systems belong to whom, we direct your attention to the back of the
title page, where this information is laid out in detail.
The game systems are arranged alphabetically, and the order does not reflect
any preference on the part of the authors or Wizards of the Coast. Now, on to
the good stuff.

ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

Special thanks to Travis Casey, Randall R. Escoto, George Huber, Craig Ianssen,
Tadhg Kelly, Jeremy Lakatos, M. J. Ritch, and Ryk Erik Spoor for developing these
integration notes.
ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (AD&D) is the system of rules by TSR that
has formed the basis for numerous rules systems, campaigns, and supplements.
These notes are designed for both the first and second editions of AD&D, and for
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (D&D) as well; the conversion notes for all these systems
are identical except for the rules for mental abilities.
l\ 'P'PRJBU'PE3 Strength: Convert to AD&DStrength using Table 1.
Health: Convert to AD&DConstitution and hit dice using Table 1.
Reaction: Convert to AD&DDexterity using Table 1.
Intelligence: Convert to AD&DIntelligence using Table 1.
Destiny: Convert to an AD&D saving throw bonus or penalty using this table:
Pawns Destiny AD&D bonus/penalty to all saves
1-3 -2 penalty
4-7 -1 penalty
8-15 none
16-20 +1 bonus
21-30 +2 bonus
31-40 +3 bonus
41-50 +4 bonus
51 and up +5 bonus

Presence: Convert to AD&DCharisma using Table 1.

Willpower: Convert to AD&DWisdom using Table 1.
148 Pawns: The Opening Move

Table 1:
Pawnsvalue AD&Dvalue AD&Dhit dice
0 3
1 4
2 5 2
3 6 2
4 7 3
5 8 3
6 9 4
7 9 4
8 10 5
9 10 5
10 11 5
11 11 6
12 12 6
13 12 7
14 13 7
15 14 8
16 15 8
17 16 9
18 17 9
19 18 10
20 19 10
25 20 20
30 21 30
35 22 40
40 23 50
45 24 60
50+ 25 70

DMs who wish to make these creatures a bit tougher may choose to base hit
dice on the creature's power level instead, giving each creature 10+(power level
times 5) hit dice.

SIZE Convert Pawns size to an AD&D size class using the following table:
Pawnssize(yds.) AD&Dsize
<1 T(iny)
1 S(mall)
2 M(edium)
3-4 L(arge)
5-8 H(uge)
>8 G(argantuan)

SPEED Multiply Pawns speed by 3 to yield AD&D movement rate. A creature

with a Pawns speed of 4 yards per second has an AD&Dmovement rate of 12".

COffiBA'T' SI-<IGG RA'T'IHGS Convert the creature's skill rating to an equiv-

alent hit dice level on Table 2. For example, a creature with an unarmed skill
rating of professional would attack as a monster with 13 hit dice in unarmed
combat.
If the creature's actual hit dice level as computed from Pawns health is
higher than the given hit dice rating, you may wish to use the actual hit dice
figure instead.
ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 149

DAmAGE 3CALE Pawns damage rank converts to AD&D damage using the
following table:
Pawns damage AD&D damage
0 0
1-2 Id2
3-7 Id4
8-12 Id6
13-17 2d6
18-20 2d1O
25 2d20
30 4d20
35 8d20
40 8d20 times 2
extra +5 extra times 2

c\. 1'1' ACK 3PEED Pawns attack speed is equal to AD&D number of attacks
per round, so a creature with an attack speed of 3X would get 3 attacks per round.

DEVEH3E 31'REHG1'fc, Pawns defense strength converts to AD&D armor

class using the following table:
Pawns Pawns
defense defense
strength AD&DAC strength AD&DAC
0-2 10 20 0
3-6 9 21-22 -1
7-10 8 23-24 -2
11-12 7 25-26 -3
13-14 6 27-28 -4
15 5 29-30 -5
16 4 31-32 -6
17 3 33-34 -7
18 2 35-36 -8
19 37-38 -9
39- -10

mAGICAL c\'PTITUDE RATING Convert the creature's Pawns magical

aptitude rating to an equivalent AD&D magic- user level using Table 2.
Table 2:
Pawns skill rating AD&D equivalent level
Amateur 3
Veteran 8
Professional 13
~aster 18
Legendary 1 25
Legendary 2 30
Legendary 3 35

If the creature has specific spells with specific skill ratings listed in its
description, use this table to find an appropriate AD&D spell level for the spells:
Pawns skill rating AD&D spell JeveJ
Amateur
Veteran 3
Professional 5
Master 7
Legendary (any) 9
150 Pawns: The Opening Move
ffiEHT tl.LIC APTITUDE Rtl.TIHG If you are using First Edition AD&D,
convert the creature's mentalic aptitude rating to the various psionic statistics
using the table below.
If you are using Second Edition AD&D, convert the creature's mentalic
aptitude rating to an equivalent psionics level using Table 2.
If you are using D&D, which has no psionics system, this aptitude rating
cannot be translated directly. Therefore, if the creature's mentalic aptitude
rating is higher than its magical aptitude rating, you should use the creature's
mentalic aptitude rating instead of its magical aptitude rating when calculating
its magical abilities. If you use this method, a creature with a mentalic aptitude
rating of master and a magical rating of amateur would cast spells as an isth-
level magic-user in D&D.
Pawns Attack Defense Psionic Minor Major
skill level modes modes strength disciplines disciplines
Amateur 2 60 2 0
Veteran 2 3 go 3
Professional 3 4 120 4
Master 4 5 150 4 2
Legendary1 5 5 200 6 3
Legendary2 5 5 250 8 4
Legendary3 5 5 300 10 5
5 5

OTfclER 5TUIT Give the creature a magic resistance equal to 5% times its
Pawns power level. If the monster description mentions a high magic resistance
for the creature, add an extra 25%.

ARSMAGICA
Special thanks to David P. Martin, Mike Minnotte, and Richard Tomassofor
developing these integration notes.
AIls MAGlCA is White Wolfs game of legendary magi and magic in a "mythic
Europe" analogous to the historical Europe of the thirteenth century. For a
discussion of how Pawns concepts might fit into an Ars Magica campaign,
please see The Primal Order.
A TTRIBUTE3 Pawns strength converts to AIls MAGICA Strength using Table
1 below.
Pawns health converts to AIls MAGlCA Stamina using Table 1 below.
Pawns reaction converts to ARs MAGICA Dexterity and Quickness using Table
1 below.
Pawns intelligence converts to AIls MAGlCA Intelligence and Perception using
Table 1 below.
Pawns destiny converts to AIls MAGICA Confidence; the creature's Confi-
dence is equal to (destiny/sj-i, with a minimum of o.
Pawns presence converts to AIls MAGICA Presence and Communication
using Table 1 below.
Pawns willpower converts to AIls MAGICA Strong or Weak Will:
Pawns
Willpower ARS MAGICA Will
0-5 Weak Willed
6-15 Normal
16-25 StrongWilled
26-35 StrongWilledwith +6 bonus
36-45 StrongWilledwith +9 bonus
ARsMAGICA 151
Tablet:
Pawns Value ARs MAG1CA Value
0 -S
1-2 -4
3-4 -3
S-6 -2
7-8 -1
9-11 0
12-13 +I
14-1S +2
16-17 +3
18-19 +4
20 +S
extra +S extra +2
extra-no extra +S

51ZE Since Pawns size measures only height and width while ARs MAGICA Size
measures volume, assigning ARs MAGICA Size requires a judgment call by the
Storyguide.

3PEED ARs MAGICA running Speed, in paces per second, is equal to Pawns
speed. Since the average round is six seconds long, this means the creature can
run approximately (6 times Pawns speed) paces in a round.

COmBA l' 3KILL RA 1'IHG5 Convert to appropriate ARs MAGICA skill ratings
using this table:
Pawns Skill Level ARS MAGiCA Skill Rating
Amateur +0
Veteran +3
Professional +8
Master +IS
Legendary-l +20
Legendary-a +23
Legendary-3 +26

DAmAGE 5CALE Pawns damage rank converts directly to ARs MAGICA

damage. For example, a Pawns damage rank of 10 translates to an ARs MAGICA
damage of +10.

A 1'1' ACK 3PEED The Pawns attack speed of the attack the creature is using
adds to its ARs MAGICA First Strike roll; use the table below to find this bonus.
Attack Speed First Strike Bonus
1/2X -3
IX +0
2X +4
3x +8
4X +I2

DErEH5E 31'REHG1'fc) Pawns defense strength converts directly into ARs

MAGICA Protection.
152 Pawns: The Opening Move
ll1AGICAL l\P1'I1'UDE RA1'ING To find a creature's AIls MAGICA magic
abilities, first use the following table to determine how many XP to give the
creature for arts:
Pawns AptitudeRating ARs MAGICA XP in Arts
Amateur 7S
Veteran ISO
Professional 2S0
Master 400
Legendary-1 600
Legendary-2 800

Next, find the number of levels of spells to give the creature, and what
proportion of those spells are mastered, using the following table:
Pawns ARs MAGICA Levels Proportion
AptitudeRating of Spells Mastered
Amateur So none
Veteran ISO up to 1/10
Professional 2S0 up to 1/8
Master 3S0 up to lIS
Legendary 4S0 up to 1/4
Legendary-2 SSO up to 1/3
+100 up to 1/3

Remember that a creature cannot know a spell whose Level is more than
10 points higher than its Technique-Porm score for that spell. For creatures of
master level and above, you may wish to take away 5 levels of spells for every
spell the creature has mastered.
If the creature's description gives skill levels for specific spells it knows,
choose a similar spell from the AIls MAGICA rulebook, or invent one. Use the
following table to find an approximate AIls MAGICA level for the effect:
Pawns Level ARS MAGICA Spell Level
Amateur 2
Veteran 10
Professional 20
Master 30
Legendary-l 40
Legendary-2 So
+10
You may also want to give the creature some Hermetic virtues and flaws to
better match the creature's style of magic.
ffiEN1' ALIC l\P1'I1'UDE RA 1'ING Since AIls MAGICA has no separate men-
talic system, mental skill should be converted into magic abilities, using the
same tables used above for the magical aptitude rating, and adding the results
to those given from the magical aptitude rating. For example, a creature with
professional magic skill and veteran mentalic skill would have 250+150=400XP
in arts. You should concentrate this "mental magic" as much as possible on
Mentem magic, and magic with Mentem requisites.

01'~ER 51'UIT The creature's Might score should be equal to 15 times its
power level. This is also approximately the number of points of vis that can
be recovered from the creature's corpse. The Storyguide should determine the
type of vis.
GURPS 153

GURPS
Special thanks to R. Allan Baruz, Travis Casey, Bryan J. Maloney, Mark
Phasdrus, Laird Popkin, and Curtis Shenton for developing these integration
notes.
The GENERIC UNIVERSAL ROLEPLAYING SYSTEM (GURPS)is the system of rules
based on the GURPSBasic Set and expanded by several dozen sourcebooks and
worldbooks, including Fantasy, Magic, Cyberpunk, Horror, High- Tech, Space,
Supers, MartialArts, and so forth. This set of GURPSconversion notes assumes
that you are using the GURPS3rd edition rules. The Supers sourcebook may be
particularly helpful for implementing creatures' special powers, and the Aliens,
Fantasy Folk, Magic, MartialArts, and Psionics sourcebooks may be very helpful
as well.
Due to the extremely high power level of the creatures in this book, we
recommend that you don't worry about point totals, Unusual Background ad-
vantages, and so on.
/).. TTRIBUTE5 Pawns strength converts to GURPSST using the table below.
Pawns health converts to GURPSHT using the table below.
Pawns reaction converts to GURPSDX using the table below.
Pawns intelligence converts to GURPSIQ using the table below.
Pawns attribute GURPS attribute
0-3 3
4 4
5 5

19 19
20 20
25 40
30 80
35 160

50 1,280
(doublingwith everyextra 5)

Convert Pawns destiny to GURPS Good or Bad Luck using the following
table:
Pawns destiny GURPSLuck
0-3 Cursed
4-7 Unlucky
8-15' No effect
16-20 Luck
21-25 ExtraordinaryLuck
26-30 RidiculousLuck
31-35 Super Luck(fromGURPS Supers)
36-40 Super Luck+ Luck
41-45 Super Luck + ExtraordinaryLuck
46-50 Super Luck+ RidiculousLuck

Convert Pawns presence to a GURPS reaction roll bonus or penalty using

the following table. In GURPSterms, this could represent reputation, charisma,
odious personal habit, status, or social stigma depending on the description of
154 Pawns: The Opening Move
the creature.
Pawns presence GURPS +/- to reaction rolls
o -3
1-3 -2
4-7 -1
8-12 -0
13-15 +l
16-20 +2
21-25 +4
26-30 +8
31-35 +12
extra +5 extra +4
Convert Pawns willpower to the creature's GURPSWill score, using the table
given for ST IHT IDX/IQ above. To express this in GURPSterms, give the creature
enough levels of Strong or Weak Will to bring its Will up or down to this level.
For example, if a creature has an IQ of 13 and its Pawns willpower converts to 15,
then give the creature two levels of Strong Will, to bring its Will up from 13 to 15.
51ZE GURPSsize in hexes is equal to Pawns size.

5PEED GURPSmove is equal to Pawns speed.

COffiBt\l' 5~ILL Rt\ 1'IHG3 Use the table below to convert Pawns skill
ratings to GURPSratings:
Pawns skill rating GURPS skill rating
Amateur 10
Veteran 14
Professional 18
Master 20
Legendary 25
Legendary-2 28
Legendary-3 31
Legendary-a 34

Unarmed Combat: Ifyou are just using the GURPSBasic Set, give the creature
Brawling at the listed skill level. If the creature seems like it would know some
form of fighting similar to the martial arts, then give the creature either Karate
or Judo skill at the listed skill level. If you are using GURPS Martial Arts, then
give any creature with a skill rating of master or better the Trained by a Master
advantage and a fighting style from GURPSMartial Arts.
Melee and Missile Combat: Give the creature the listed skill level in all
appropriate weapons that it carries or uses.
GURPS 155

DAffil\GE 3eAuE Pawns damage rank converts to GURPS Thrust and

GURPSSwing using the following table:
Pawns damage GURPS Thrust GURPSSwing
0 0 0
1 0 Id-5
2-4 Id-5 Id-5
5 Id-5 Id-4
6 Id-4 Id-4
7 Id-4 Id-3
8 Id-3 Id-2
9 Id-3 id-i
10 Id-2 Id
11 Id-2 id-r
12 id-i Id+2
13 id-i zd-i
14 Id 2d
15 Id ad-r
16 Id+l 2d+2
17 id-i 3d-l
18 Id+2 3d
19 Id+2 3d+l
20 2d 3d+2
25 4d 7d
30 8d 14d
35 16d 28d

If the creature is using a weapon covered in the GURPSrules, you may wish
to use the damage value given in the GURPSrules instead.
/).. 1'1' AC~ 3PEED Divide the listed attack speed by two, and give the creature
that many attacks per second. If you use this method, a creature with a IX attack
can use it once every other second, a 2X attack can be used once per second,
and so on.
In some game worlds, particularly those where most players use light
weapons and therefore attack once per second, this may yield speeds that are
too slow. In this case, you may wish to use the attack speeds as listed, so a
creature with a 2X attack could use it twice per second.
DE?EH3E 31'REHG1'fc) Pawns defense strength converts to GURPSPD and
DR using the following table:
Pawns defense strength GURPSPD GURPSDR
0-3 0 0
4-7
8-11 2 2
12-13 2 3
14-16 3 4
17-19 3 5
20 4 6
25 5 12
30 6 24
35 6 48
6
156 Pawns: The Opening Move
ffiAGICAG Ap'T'I'T'UDE RA'T'ING Convert the creature's Pawns magical
aptitude rating to GURPSmagical abilities using the table below:
Pawnsaptitude GURPS # of GURPS highest GURPS ave. GURPS
rating spells known spell skill spell skill Magery
Amateur 5-10 10 8
Veteran 10-20 14 10 2
Professional 20-40 18 14 3
Master 40-80 20 18 4
Legendary 80-160 25 20 5
Legendary-2 160-240 28 23 6
Legendary-a 240-320 31 26 7

The creature will know about 10% of its spells at the listed highest spell skill
level and the rest at the average spell skill level. If you do not want to pick out
tens or hundreds of spells for a creature, just decide on a few spells that it knows
at the highest level and assume that it knows whatever other spells it needs at
the average level. The creature will also have the level of Magery listed; the listed
skill levels already include the Magery bonus.
If a creature's monster description lists specific spells, use the highest spell
skill column to convert the spell's Pawns level to a GURPSskill level. If you use
this method, a spell known at legendary-2 ability would be known at skill level
28 in GURPS.
ffiEN'T'AGIC Ap'T'I'T'UDE RA'T'ING Amateur-Give the creature a Power of
4 in one or two categories of psionics, and a skill of 10 in 2 or 3 skills. Or give the
creature a single skill Power of 8 and skill 12 in one skill.
Veteran-Give the creature a Power of 10 in one category and 1-4 in 2 or 3
others, and a skill of 14 in 9 or 10 skills.
Professional-Give the creature a Power of 12 in two categories and 5-8 in
most others. The creature has all the skills in one category at skill 16, and most
others at 12-14.
Master-Give the creature a Power of 15 in two categories and 10-12 in most
others. The creature has all the skills in two categories at skill 18, and most
others at 15-16.
Legendary-Give the creature a Power of 20 in all categories except Ansi-Psi,
which no psionic creature would normally have, and give it all skills at 20.
Legendary-2 and up-For each additional legendary level, increase Power
by 20 and skill by 3. If you use this method, legendary-a converts to Power 60
and skill 26.

HARNMASTER
Special thanks to Jonathan Sari for developing these integration notes.
HARNMASTER is a skill-based system in which characters gain bonuses in
various skils through experience. These bonuses are added to an appropriate
attribute, after being multiplied by the necessary multiplier, to calculate a
mastery level (ML) for determining success rolls on percentile dice.
HARNMASTER 157
/).. TTRIBUTE3 Pawns strength converts to HARNMASTER Strength using the
table below.
Pawns health converts to HARNMASTER Endurance using the table below.
Pawns reaction converts to HARNMASTER Agilityusing the table below.
Pawns intelligence converts to HARNMASTER Intelligence using the table
below.
Pawns destiny converts to HARNMASTERAura using the table below, possibly
modified by mental/spell abilities.
Pawns presence has no equivalent, though HARNMASTERVoice is roughly
equivalent.
Pawns willpower converts to HARNMASTER Will using the table below.
Pawns HARNMASTER Pawns HARNMASTER
0 3 11 11
4 12 12
2 5 13 12
3 6 14 13
4' 7 15 13
5 8 16 14
6 9 17 15
7 9 18 16
8 10 19 17
9 10 20 18
10 11 25 35
30 70

Every 5 Pawns points past 30, double the resultant HARNMASTER score.
HARNMASTER'S Dexterity, Eyesight, Hearing, Smell/Taste, Touch, and Voice
attributes have no direct Pawns equivalents; you will have to determine these
values based on the description of the creature.
31ZE No translation is necessary.

3PEED Multiplying Pawns speed by 3 gives HARNMASTER Speed. Multiplying

Pawns speed by 15 gives HARNMASTER Mob.

COmBAT 3KILL RATING Unarmed combat skill translates to Unarmed

skill using the table below. Melee and missile combat skills translate to skill in
the creature's specific weapons using the table below.
Skill title Skill level
Amateur OML-OML+20
Veteran OML+20-0ML+40
Professional OML+40-0ML+60
Master OML+60-0ML+80
Legendary-a OML+8o-0ML+IOO
Legendary-a OML+Ioo-OML+I20

DAmAGE 3CALE Converting Pawns damage to HARNMASTER is tricky. The

HARNMASTER damage tables are set up so that the same amounts of damage of
different types have different effects; this is realistic, but makes it difficult to
allocate damage based on Pawns damage rank, which doesn't specify damage
types. Therefore, it is up to your discretion what type of damage each particular
attack causes, and you can translate it using the appropriate table for the type
you choose.
158 Pawns: The Opening Move
Optionally, for simplicity, you could use just the Edge/Tear values for all
forms of damage.
Pawns
Damage Edge/ Point(Stab)/ Fire/
Rank Tear Blunt(Squeeze) Frost
0 no damage no damage no damage
1-2 0 0 0
3-4 1 1
5-6 2 2 2
7 3 2 2
8 4 3 3
9 5 3 3
10 6 4 4
11 6 4 4
12 7 5 4
13 7 5 5
14 7 6 5
15 8 6 5
16 8 7 6
17 8 7 7
18 9 8 7
19 10 9 8
20 11 10 8
21 12 11 9
22 13 12 10
23 14 13 11
24 15 14 12
25 17 15 13
26 18 16 14
27 20 18 15
28 22 19 17
29 24 21 18
30 26 23 20
35 40 35 30
40 60 53 45
45 90 80 68
50 125 120 100
55 187 180 150
60 280 270 225
65 420 405 340
70 630 607 510

To extend this table, add 50% of the previous value for every 5 Pawns points
above 40, or 8% of the previous value for every Pawns point above 40, so that
the value of a Pawns damage rank of 45 is 1.5 times the value of a Pawns damage
rank of 40.
In general, the equation for translation is: The value at 20 times 1.5 to the
power of ((Pawns value - 20) 15).
/)..TT ACJ.< 5PEED Pawns attack speed translates into a bonus or penalty
to HARNMASTER initiative. A creature with an attack speed of 2X receives a +10
bonus to initiative; a 3X attack speed gives a +20 bonus, and so on, with every IX
increase giving an extra +10. Likewise, an attack speed of 1/2X gives a -10 penalty
to initiative, a 1/3x gives a -20 penalty, and so on. This assumes that the creature
has only one attack form; for creatures with multiple attack forms that can be
used at once, add the attack speeds together and use the sum to determine the
initiative bonus. For example, a creature with a 2X claw attack and a IX bite
attack has a total attack speed of (2X+IX)=3X, which converts to a +20 bonus to
initiative.
HERO 159

DEX'EH3E 5TREHGTfc) Converting Pawns defense strength to HARNMASTER

suffers the same problem as converting damage rank. It is probably better for
you to make judgments for each creature, but we will provide some reasonable
values if you don't want to take the time. In many cases, natural armor does
not cover the eyes. Additionally, it may make sense for some creatures with very
high defense strength values to be affected only by enchanted weapons.
PawnsDS Edge Tear Point Blunt Squeeze Fire/Frost
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
2
3 2 2 2
4 2 2 2 2 2 2
5 3 3 2 2 2 2
6 3 3 2 3 2 3
7 4 3 3 3 2 3
8 4 4 3 4 3 3
9 5 4 3 4 3 4
10 5 5 4 5 4 4
11 6 5 4 5 4 5
12 6 6 5 5 4 5
13 7 6 5 6 4 5
14 7 7 5 6 5 5
15 8 7 6 6 5 6
16 9 8 6 6 5 6
17 10 8 6 7 6 6
18 10 9 7 7 6 6
19 11 10 8 7 7 7
20 12 11 9 8 8 7
21 13 12 10 9 9 8
22 13 12 11 10 10 9
23 14 13 12 11 11 10
24 15 14 13 12 12 11
25 16 15 14 13 14 12

This table uses the same 50% increase scheme per 5 Pawns points as the
damage table.
ffiAGICAl:, £APTITUDE RATING Specific magic- using abilities correspond
to magic (Shek-Pvar) skills using the skill table. Overall magic-using ability
is best represented by skill with multiple spells. An amateur magic-user will
have (Intelligence-Aura) Spell Levels of amateur or veteran skill. A veteran
magic-user will have «Intelligence times 2)+Aura) spells of amateur, veteran,
and professional skill. A professional magic-user will have «Intelligence times
3)+Aura) spells of amateur, veteran, professional, and master levels. A master
magic- user will have «Intelligence times 4)+Aura)spells of veteran, professional,
master, and legendary levels. A legendary magic-user of any legendary level will
have most available spells at professional skill level or better.
It may be appropriate for some creatures to have a convocation, at your
discretion. Because of the dependence of magic on Aura, some creatures may
have insufficient Aura, based solely on the Pawns destiny statistic, to warrant
their abilities. Therefore, Aura may demand some minor modification.
ffiEHTAl:,IC £APTITUDE RATING Mental abilities correspond to psionic
skills using the skill table, much the same as magic-using abilities.
160 Pawns: The Opening Move

HERO
Special thanks to Keith "Puma" Andreano, Dustin Laurance, Bryan J. Mal-
oney, Andrew Osterburg, Richard Tomasso, and Tom Wylie for developing these
integration notes.
The HERO System is the system of rules that forms the basis for the Champi-
ons, Fantasy Hero, Western Hero, Ninja Hero, Star Hero, Justice Inc., and Danger
International games by Hero Games and Iron Crown Enterprises Inc.
A TTRIBUTE3 Pawns strength is equal to HERO STR.
. Pawns health is equal to HERO CON.
Pawns reaction is equal to HERO DEX.
Pawns intelligence is equal to HERO INT.
Pawns presence is equal to HERO PRE.
Pawns willpower is equal to HERO EGO.
Pawns destiny is converted to HERO Luck or Unluck using the following
table:
Pawns Destiny HERO LuckfUnluck
0-1 3d6 Unluck
2-4 2d6 Unluck
5-7 Id6 Unluck
8-12 nothing
13-17 Id6 Luck
18-20 ads Luck
25 3d6 Luck

Each extra 5 destiny points over 25 yield an extra Id6 Luck.

SIZE Divide Pawns size by 2 to find HERO size in hexes. The creature's
Pawns height may also be converted into Growth or Shrinking levels, using
the Growth/Shrinking tables in the HERO rulebook. For instance, an 8-yard-tall
creature (8 meters for HERO purposes) would have 30 points of Growth and the
resulting changes to mass, BODY/STUN,and so on. A i/a-yard tall creature
would have 20 points of Shrinking and the resulting changes to mass, etc.

SPEED To find the creature's HERO inches of movement per phase, take its
Pawns speed, multiply it by 6, and divide it by the creature's HERO SPD as
converted above. If you use this method, a creature with a Pawns speed of 10
and a HERO SPD of 3 would have a HERO movement rate of (10 times 6) /3=20".
COmBe..T SI<ILL RLl.TIHG3 Pawns combat skill ratings convert to a bonus
or penalty to the creature's OCVor skill rolls, using the following table:
Bonusf Penalty
to DeVor
Pawns Skill Rating Skill Roll
Amateur -3
Veteran +0
Professional +2
Master +4
Legendary-l +6
Legendary-2 +8
PALLADIUM 161

DAmAGE SCALE Since there are so many options for HERO attacks (normal
versus killing damage, armor-piercing, increased stun multiple, and so on),
these integration notes can't precisely convert Pawns damage ranks into HERO
equivalents; you will have to make a judgment call regarding which options are
appropriate. You should use the number of active points listed on the table
below to design the creature's attack:
Pawns DamageRank HERO Active Points
0-2 0
3-5 5
6-8 10
9-10 15
11-13 20
14-15 25
16-18 30
19-20 35
25 45
30 55
Each extra 5 Pawns damage ranks add an additional 10 active points to the
HERO attack. GMs running Champions campaigns may wish to raise this rate of
increase.

l\TTACI< SPEED Double the Pawns attack speed to get HERO SPD; maxi-
mum SPD is 12. Use the sum of the creature's attack speeds for these calcula-
tions; for example, if a creature has a IX attack and a 2X attack that it can use
simultaneously, its total attack speed would be 3X, so its SPD would be 6.
DE'?EHSE STREHGT~ HERO PD and ED are equal to Pawns defense
strength, so a creature with a Pawns defense strength of 30 would have PD
30 and ED 30. Exactly how much of this PD and ED is resistant is up to you
to decide based on the description of the creature; making half of this PD and
ED resistant will be appropriate for most creatures. If you use this method, a
creature with a 30 Pawns defense strength might have a resistant PD of 15 and
a non-resistant PD of 15.
ffiAGICAL l\PTITUDE RATIHG Convert to appropriate powers, or to
a Variable Power Pool using the number of active points listed on the table
below. We suggest the following advantages/limitations to Control Pool: Limited
Special Effect (based on description of monster's magic ability) : -1/2; No Skill
Roll Required: +1.
Pawns HERO
Aptitude Active
Rating Points
Amateur 20
Veteran 30
Professional40
Master 60
Legendary-i 80
Legendary-2 100
Legendary-a 120

ffiEHTALIC l\PTITUDE RATIHGS Convert these in the same way that

magical aptitude is converted.
162 Pawns: The Opening Move

PALLADIUM
Special thanks to JesseMundis, Jonathan Sari, and Steven H. Underwood for
developing these integration notes.
The PALLADIUM system is the system of rules by Palladium Books that forms
the basis for the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game, TeenageMutant Ninja
Turtles, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas and Superspies, Robotech, Beyond the Super-
natural, and Rifts. These notes are designed for the Palladium Fantasy Role-
Playing Game, but you may be able to adapt them for use with the other games
in the line as well.

fATTRIBUTE5 Pawns strength converts to PALLADIUM PS using Table 1 below.

Pawns health converts to PALLADIUM PE using Table 1 below.
Pawns reaction converts to PALLADIUM PP using Table 1 below.
Pawns intelligence converts to PALLADIUM IQ using Table 1 below.
Pawns destiny converts to PALLADIUM saving throw bonuses using the special
table below:
Every point over 15 is a % + to save vs coma & death
0-10 Nothing
11-15 +1 save vs. poison
16-25 +1 save vs. all magic
26-30 +1 save vs. insanity
31-35 +1 save vs. psionics
36-50 +2 all saves
51-65 +3 all saves
66-80 +4 all saves
81-95 +5 all saves
96+ +6 all saves

Note that this chart is quasi-cumulative, like an HTH chart, and note as well
that these bonuses are in addition to any other bonuses to save.
Pawns presence converts to PALLADIUM MA using Table 1 below.
Pawns willpower converts to PALLADIUM ME using Table 1 below.
Table n
Pawns PALIADIUM
0 3
1-2 4
3-4 5
5 6
6 7
7 8
8 9
9 10
10-11 11
12-13 12
14-15 13
16 14
17 15
18 16
19 17
20 18
21 19
22 21
23 22
24 23
25 25
26 26
27 27
28 28
29 29
30+ 30
PALlADIUM 163
For attribute values significantly exceeding 30, just assume that the creature
can do whatever it wants to in that area.
SIZE Since PALLADIUM has no size attribute, Pawns size is not used except to
flesh out the description of the creature.
SPEED Multiply Pawns speed by 3 to obtain PALLADIUM Spd.

COffiBA'T 5KIGG RA'TIHG5 Unarmed skill: Translates to PALLADIUM HTH

skill using the chart below.
Melee skill: Translates to PALLADIUM WP skill using the chart below. In
general, you should use the soldier tables for the creature's proficiencies, though
of course you may choose to use other tables if they seem more appropriate.
Missile skill: Translates to PALLADIUM missile weapon WP skill using the chart
below.
Combat Skills
Pawns PALLADIUM
Amateur and
Veteran ath
Professional zth
~aster loth
Legendary isth
Legendary-a zoth

OAffitl.GE 5CAGE Convert Pawns damage rank to PALLADIUM figures using

the following table:
Pawns PALIADIUM
0 0
1 1
2-3 1-3
4-5 1-4
6-9 1-6
10 1-8
11 1-8 +l
12 1-8 + 2
13 1-10
14 1-12
15 2-12
16 2-12 + 1
17 2-16
18 2-16 + 1
19 3-18
20 3-18 + 2
25 6d6
30 12d6
35 24d6

t:AT'TACK SPEED PALLADIUM attacks per round is equal to Pawns attack

speed, so a creature with a 3X attack speed can attack three times per round
with that attack.
 Pawns: The Opening Move
DEYEN3E 3TRENGTfc:l Convert Pawns defense strength to PALLADIUM AR
using the following table:
Pawns PALLADIUM Pawns PALLADIUM
DS NaturalAR DS NaturalAR
0 5 12 12
I 6 13 13
2 6 14 14
3 7 15 14
4 7 16-7 15
5 8 18-19 16
6 8 20-24 17
7 9 25-29 18
8 9 30-39 19
9 10 40-49 Weapons must be "+I to strike" or better to hit
10 10 50-59 Weapons must be "+2 to strike" or better to hit
11 11

mAGICAL l\PTITUDE RATING Convert to proficiency level and num-

ber of spells known using the chart below. All creatures with any magic skill
automatically know all the "common knowledge" spells.

mENTALIC l\PTITUDE RATING Convert to proficiency level and per-

centage of psionic abilities using the chart below. See the PALLADIUM rules for
minor psionics.
Pawns Level of % Psionic # of Spells/Effective
Aptitude Rating Profiency Abilities Casting Level
Amateur 2nd 60% common +3/4
Veteran ath 60% common + 12 / 8
Professional 7th 100% common + 20 / 14
Master ioth 100% common + 40 / 20
Legendary 15th 100% common + 90 / 30
Legendary-a aoth 100% common + 140 / 40

OTfc:lER 3TUYY PB should be determined based on the description of the

creature.
In general the HP of a creature should be its PE + Id6 per level of the type
of skill of which it has the most (magical, psionic, or weapon). However, for
creatures with a health (PE) value off the scale, a slight adjustment is necessary.
For every 5 points above 30, the base value for HP doubles. For example, a isth
level creature with a PE of 40 would have (30 times 2 times 2) = 120 + 15d6 hit
points.

ROLEMASTER
Special thanks to Andrew C. Durston, GeorgeHuber, Michael R. Smith, and
Ryk Erik Spoor for developing these integration notes.
ROLEMAsTER is a system of rules for fantasy roleplaying by Iron Crown
Enterprises (ICE). It is mostly compatible with the Spacemaster and Cyberspace
systems, also by ICE, and a simplified subset of the ROLEMAsTER rules also make
up the MIDDLE EARTH ROLE PLAYING SYSTEM (MERP).
These notes are written for ROLEMAsTER and for MERP. Although the term
"ROLEMASTER" is generally used in these notes, the conversions apply to both
ROLEMAsTER and MERP, except in those sections in which different rules are
given for ROLEMAsTER and for MERP.
ROLEMASTER 165

A TTRlBUTE3 All of these attributes are converted using the "MERPIRM

Attribute" column on Table 1.
Pawns strength converts to MERP or ROLEMAsTER Strength.
Pawns health converts to MERP or ROLEMAsTER Constitution.
Pawns reaction converts to MERP Agility, or to ROLEMAsTER Agility and
Quickness. Also, use the "Bonus" column of Table-l to find the creature's
Maneuver Bonus (MN).
Pawns intelligence converts to MERP Intelligence, or to ROLEMAsTER Mem-
ory and Reasoning.
Pawns destiny converts to MERP or ROLEMAsTER Intuition.
Pawns presence converts to ROLEMAsTER Presence.
Pawns willpower converts to ROLEMAsTER Self Discipline.
If using MERP, take the average of the creature's Pawns presence and
willpower, and convert that average to MERP Presence. If using ROLEMASTER,
take the average of the creature's Pawns intelligence and willpower, and convert
that average to ROLEMAsTER Empathy.
Tablet:
Pawns MERP/RM Bonus PP/Level Quickness
Attribute Attribute Attribute
0 1-2 -20 0 30
1-2 3-4 -15 0 35
3-4 5-9 -10 0 40
5-6 10-24 -5 0 45
7-8 25-74 0 0 50
9-10 .75-89 +5 1 55
11-12 90-94 +10 1 60
13-14 . 95-97 +15 2 65
15-16 98-99 +20 2 70
17-18 100 +25 3 75
19-20 101 +30 3 80
30 107 +60 6 160
40 119 +120 12 320
50 143 +240 24 640
60 191 +480 48 1,280
70 287 +960 96 2,560
80 477 +1,920 192 5,120
90 863 +3,840 384 10,240
100 1,631 +7,680 768 20,480

SIZE To determine the creature's ROLEMAsTER size category, and which criti-
cals to use, take the creature's total height or length (whichever is larger), and
consult the table below:
Height/Length (yards) RM Size Category Criticals
under 1 ft. T(iny) Regular
Slmall) Regular
2 M(edium) Regular
3 L(arge) Regular
4-5 L(arge) Large creature
6 L(arge) Super-large creature
7+ H(uge) Super-large creature

Only use the critical modification given here if it is better than the one given
by defense strength.
166 Pawns: The Opening Move
SPEED In ROLEMAsTER, a creature's base movement rate is determined by its
quickness and its height.
To find the creature's quickness, use its Pawns reaction attribute and look
in the "Quickness" column in Table 1.
To find the height modifier to this movement rate, take the creature's height
or length (whichever is larger), subtract 2 yards, and multiply the result by 30,
or use the table below. Add this modifier to the quickness rate from Table 1 to
find the creature's final base movement rate, in feet per round.
Height/Length (yds.) Modification
-30
2 0
3 +30
4 +60
5 +90
10 +240
20 +540
30 +840

To find the creature's maximum pace, first multiply its Pawns speed by 30 to
find the creature's maximum speed in feet per round. Now divide this maximum
speed by the base movement rate you just found, and use the following table:
Max Speed/Base Speed Max Pace
5.0 or greater Dash
3.6-4.5 Fast Sprint
2.6-3.5 Sprint/Fast Run
1.8-2·5 Run
1.3-1·7 Fast Walk/Jog
1.2 or less Walk

To find the creature's MS and AQ, take the base movement rate you found
above, and use the following table:
Base Speed MS MS(Flee/ AQ(Charge/ AQ
Rate Category (Base) Evade) Lunge) FSP)
1-15'!rnd Inching -25 0 0 5
16-30 Creeping -20 0 0 10
31-45 Very Slow -10 0 0 20
46-60 Slow 0 0 0 50
61-75 Medium +10 5 -5 85
76--100 Medium Fast +20 10 -10 97
101-125 Fast +30 15 -15 101
126-155 Very Fast +40 20 -20 110
156+ Blindingly Fast +50 25 -20 120

For the meaning of the above abbreviations, consult Creatures and Treasures.

ComM T 3KILE RiATINGS Convert Pawns skill ratings to MERP or ROLE-

MASTER equivalents using the following table. The Offensive Bonus given does
not include any modifications due to attributes; you should add these in if
ROLEMAsTER 167

necessary.
Pawns Approx. Offensive
Skill Class RMLevel Bonus (OB)
Amateur 2 36
Veteran 7 79
Professional 15 135
Master 25 149
Legendary-1 35 157
Legendary-2 45 166
Legendary-a 55 177
Legendary-a 65 1BB
Legendary-s 75 19B

DAmAGE 5CAuE Since damage calculations in ROLEMAsTER involve so

many factors, it is nearly impossible to systematically convert Pawns damage
figures, which do not reflect many of the factors ROLEMAsTER considers. For
that reason, we recommend that you ignore the listed Pawns damage figures
and compute the attack's Offensive Bonus (OB) normally and as described in
the rest of these conversion notes.
For those situations in which you want a "quick and dirty" OB calculation,
or when there's not enough information given to compute the OB, use the
following table to convert Pawns damage directly to ROLEMAsTER OB:
Pawns Damage ROLEMAsTER OB
o -25
5 25
10 75
15 125
20 175

For every additional s Pawns damage points past 20, add an additional 10 to
the OB.

1A.1'1' ACK 5PEED Pawns attack speed is equal to the number of attacks the
creature can make with that attack each round. Therefore, a creature with a 2X
bite attack can attack with that bite twice per round.
DE'?EN3E 5TRENGTfcl The creature's ROLEMAsTER armor type is equal to
its Pawns defense strength attribute, with a minimum armor type of 1 and a
maximum of 20.
168 Pawns: The Opening Move

In addition, the creature's Pawns defense strength is used to determine how

well the creature can resist an attack, as shown on the following table.
Pawns
Defense
Strength Effect
o +oDB
+5DB
2 +10 DB
3 +15 DB
4 +20 DB
5 +25 DB
6 +30 DB
7 +35 DB
8 +40 DB
9 +40 DB, reduce criticalsby one level
10 +45 DB, reduce criticalsby one level
11 +50 DB, reduce criticalsby one level
12 +40 DB, reduce criticalsby two levels
13 +45 DB, reduce criticalsby two levels
14 +50 DB, reduce criticalsby two levels
15 +40 DB, use large creature criticals
16 +45 DB, use large creature criticals
17 +50 DB, use large creature criticals
18 +40 DB, use super-largecreature criticals
19 +45 DB, use super-largecreature criticals
20 +50 DB, use super-largecreature criticals

For every point of Pawns defense strength over 20, add an extra 5 to the
DB. The modifications to criticals from size (described under "Size") and from
defense strength are not cumulative; use the best result from the two tables and
ignore the other result. For example, if you have a s-yard-tall creature for which
the table tells you to use super-large creature criticals, and this creature has a
defense strength of 10, for which the table tells you to reduce criticals by one
level, you would ignore the one-level reduction and use the super-large creature
criticals instead. The creature would still get the +40 bonus to DB its defense
strength gives it, however.
mAGICAL APTITUDE RA TIHG For magical attacks, in addition to the skill
rating of the creature, itis necessary to determine ifthe creature is a pure/hybrid,
semi-, or non-caster for the purposes of determining its base OB, its directed
spell OB, and the total number of spell picks available for that creature. These
classifications are described below:
Pure/Hybrid is a creature whose best combat skill is at least four Pawns skill
classes below its magical aptitude;
Semi is a creature whose best combat skill is within three Pawns skill classes
of its magical aptitude.
Non is a creature whose best combat skill is at least four Pawns skill classes
above its magical aptitude.
For example, a creature with a legendary-l magical aptitude would be a pure
caster if its best combat skill was amateur (four steps below) or worse, a non-
caster if its best combat skill was legendary-s (four steps above) or better, and
a semi-caster if its best combat skill was anything in between. The following
table gives the directed spell and base spell OBs for the different types of casting
ROLEMAsTER 169

capabilities:
Pawns AppxRM Pure/Hybrid Semi-Caster Non-Caster
Aptitude Level DSpOB BOB DSpOB BOB DSpOB BOB
Amateur 2 36 2 30 2 5 0
Veteran 7 79 7 58 7 10 0
Professional IS 125 15 80 15 25 0
Master 25 150 25 90 25 40 0
Legendary-l 35 160 35 100 35 52 0
Legendary-2 45 170 45 110 45 60 0
Legendary-a 55 180 55 120 55 66 0
Legendary-a 65 190 65 130 65 71 0
Legendary-s 75 200 75 140 75 75 0

Notes: "DSp OB" is Directed Spell Offensive Bonus. "B OB" is Base Spell
Offensive Bonus.
Number of Spell Lists Available
The number of spell lists that a creature has available to it is a function of
its skill level in magic and its caster type:
Pawns Total Picks
Aptitude Rating Pure/Hybrid Semi Non
Amateur 5 3 0
Veteran 12 7
Professional 23 15 3
Master 38 25 5
Legendary-I 53 35 7
Legendary-2 68 45 9
Legendary-3 83 55 11
Legendary-a 98 65 13
Legendary-s 113 75 15

ffiENT ALIC t\PTITUDE RATING Use the above magical attack table, but
with the following limitations:
Amateur and veteran: Limit the creature to AIC picks from 2 fields and use
the semi-caster pick column for the total number of picks.
Professional: Limit to AIC picks from all fields and use the semi-caster pick
column for the total number of picks.
Master: Limit to BID picks from all fields and use the purelhybrid caster
column for the total number of picks.
Legendary: Limit to BIDIE picks from all fields and use the purelhybrid
column for the total number of picks.
Use Pawns willpower as the prime stat for determining the creature's power
points.
OT~ER 3TU,?,? Level: Use the creature's Pawns power level to obtain its
MERP or ROLEMAsTER level. Use Column A if 50 is considered the high end for
mortals and deities are around 200th level, as in Shadow World; use Column B
if deities can go up to 500th level (MERP).
Pawns A B
50G 501
2 69G 1001
3 88G 1501
4 107G 2001
5 126G 2501
6 145G 3001
7 164G 3501
8 183G 4001
9 202G 4501
10 220G 5001
170 Pawns: The Opening Move

For level variation in column B use the following guidelines:

Roll Level Variation
01-25 -idso levels
26-75 use averagelevels
76-100 +1d50 levels
Hit Points: To calculate a creature's base hit points, first multiply its level
by 5, assuming one rank on body development per level, using idio for hit
point determination. Next add 10% of the creature's MERP or ROLEMAsTER
Constitution to this number. Finally, modify the total by the size of the creature:
Large creature-c-nso, Huge creature-+250.
The total is the creature's base hit points. If the creature's magical aptitude
rating is professional or under, double this number.
To calculate a creature's total hit points, use its Pawns health attribute, and
find the bonus given in the "Bonus" column on Table 1. Then apply the following
formula: Total hit points = Base hit points times (1 + (Bonus/mol). If you use
this method, a creature with 200 base hit points and a bonus from Table 1 of +60
would have 200 times (1+(601100»=320total hit points.
You must determine the other encounter statistics (number per encounter,
treasure, bonus EP, and outlook) based on the description of the creature given
in the text.

RUNEQUEST
Special thanks to Loren Miller and Curtis Shenton for developing these inte-
gration notes.
RUNEQUEST is Chaosium's system of rules that forms the basis for a family
of games, including RUNEQUEST 3 (published by Avalon Hill), Stormbringer, and
Call of Cthulhu. While these conversion notes are primarily designed for 3rd
edition RUNEQUEST they should also work for the rest of this family of games.
51ZE RUNEQUEST SIZ is used for both mass and length, and Pawns size does not
reflect mass, so conversion from Pawns will require a judgment call by the GM.
As a guideline, use the largest Pawns size for the creature you are converting,
and multiply that size by 8 if the creature is roughly humanoid, by 12 if it has
between four and six legs, or by 20 if the creature is especially dense or compact.

1A. TTRIBUTE3 Pawns strength converts to RUNEQUEST STR using the table
below.
Pawns health converts to RUNEQUEST CON using the table below.
Pawns intelligence converts to RUNEQUEST INT using the table below.
Either Pawns destiny or Pawns willpower, whichever is higher, converts to
RUNEQUEST POWusing the table below. Pawns reaction converts to RUNEQUEST
DEXusing the table below.
RUNEQUEST 171

Pawns presence converts to RUNEQUEST APP using the table below.

Pawns RUNEQUEST

2 2
3 3

14 14
15 15
16-17 16
18-19 17
20 18
25 36
30 72
35 144

Optional: The RUNEQUEST attribute scores generated by Pawns scores

beyond 25 may be too high for some campaigns. Instead of doubling the
RUNEQUEST score for each 5 Pawns points beyond 25, you may wish to consider
adding 18 points instead. If you use this method, a Pawns score of 30 would
then convert to a RUNEQUEST score of 54, 35 would convert to 72, and so on.

5PEED Divide the creature's Pawns speed by two to find the creature's
RUNEQUEST movement rate.

ComBA l' 5KIGG RA 1'IHG3 Unarmed Combat: Give the creature a skill in
fist and! or kick (or the equivalent) at the skill level listed on the table below, and
martial arts skill equal to half that.
Melee and Missile Combat: Give the creature the skill level listed on the table
below in all weapons that the creature carries or uses.
Pawns Skill Rating RUNEQUEST Skill Rating
Amateur 60%
Veteran 80%
Professional 100%
Master 120%
Legendary 150%
Legendary-a 180%
Legendary-a 210%

Note: This is the highest skill level the creature has in one or two weapons,
attacks, or skills; the bulk of its other attacks or skills are about 30 percentiles
lower.

DAmAGE 5CAGE Pawns damage rank converts to RUNEQUEST damage

using the following table:
Pawns RUNEQUEST Pawns RUNEQUEST
Damage Damage Damage Damage
0 0 15 2d6
1 16 2d6+1
2 1d2 17 2d8
3 Id3 18 2d6+2
4-7 Id4 19 2d8+2
8-9 Id4+1 20 3d6
10 1d6 25 6d6
11 Id6+1 30 12d6
12 Id8 35 24d6
13 1d8+1
14 idio
172 Pawns: The Opening Move
DE?EN3E S1'RENG1'~ Pawns defense strength converts to RUNEQUEST
Armor Points using the following table:
Pawns Defense RUNEQUEST
Strength Armor Points
0-4 0
5-9
10-11 2
12-14 3
15 4
16 5
17-18 6
19 7
20 8
25 16
30 32
35 64

./)..1'1'ACK SPEED Divide the Pawns attack speed by two, round up, and give
the creature this many attacks. For the purpose of figuring out SR, treat each
of these attacks as totally separate, ignoring the fact that the creature is making
other attacks. If you use this method, for example, a creature that has a Pawns
attack speed of 3X with an attack can make 2 separate attacks against the same
foe with that attack. This is in addition to using the standard RUNEQUEST rules
for separating your attacks against foes when you have a skill level of over 100%.
mAGICAL /)..P1'I1'UDE RA 1'ING There are three schools of magic in
RUNEQUEST: spirit magic, divine magic, and sorcery. You must decide which
of these schools is most appropriate for the creature. As a rough rule or thumb,
if the creature largely relies on physical rather than magical prowess, give it
spirit magic; if it relies on magic, then give it sorcery; if it has close ties to a deity
or is somewhat divine itself, then give it divine magic. After deciding which type
of magic to give the creature, find its power level on the appropriate column of
the table below:
Pawns RQTotal Points Points Total Percentiles
Aptitude Number of in in in
Rating Spells Spirit Magic Divine Magic Sorcery Spells
Amateur 1-4 1-4 0 80
Veteran 5-10 6-12 1-4 300
Professional 8-14 10-18 2-8 500
Legendary 15-20 18-25 9-15 1,000
Legendary-2 20-30 26-30 15-25 1,500
Legendary-a 30-40 30-35 25-35 2,000

Note: The total number of spells includes things like spells in matrices,
known by spirits, and so on.
mEN1' ALIC /)..P1'I1'UDE RA 1'ING Although RUNEQUEST doesn't have any-
thing like mentalics, you may want to use this as a guideline for the types of
spells the creature possesses. A creature with sorcery that has a high mental-
ic aptitude rating would possess spells like Dominate, Sense Projection, and
Telepathy, while a creature with spirit magic and a high mentalic aptitude rat-
ing might have Befuddle, Control, Demoralize, and Mindspeech. If a creature's
mentalic aptitude rating is higher than its magical aptitude rating, you may
wish to raise the magical aptitude rating to equal the mentalic aptitude rating
to keep the power level of the creature roughly consistent with what the author
intended.
SHADOWRUN 173

SHADOWRUN
Special thanks to Randall R. Escoto, Tadhg Kelly, M. J. Ritch, Richard Tomasso,
and Tom Wylie for developing these integration notes.
SHADOWRUN is a skill-based system in which characters select an archetype
as a starting point, and then add skills to individualize the character. When
you are using Pawns with SHADOWRUN, the following rule change is suggested:
Cyberware does not inhibit magic for deities. Deities who learn about cyberware
might come up with all sorts of interesting variations of their own, such as
cyberware that connects directly into their primal reservoirs, or a cyberware
artifact.
fA1'TRIBU~E3 Pawns strength converts to SHADOWRUN Strength using the
table below.
Pawns health converts to SHADOWRUN Body using the table below.
Pawns reaction converts to SHADOWRUN Reaction using the table below.
Pawns intelligence converts to SHADOWRUN Intelligence using the table be-
low.
Pawns destiny converts to SHADOWRUN Karma when divided by 5, rounding
up.
Pawns presence converts to SHADOWRUN Charisma using the table below.
Pawns willpower converts to SHADOWRUN Willpower using the table below.
Pawns SHADOWRUN
Attribute Attribute
0-3
4-7 2
8-11 3
12-15 4
16-18 5
19-20 6
25 8
30 10

SIZE The Pawns size attribute is not used in SHADOWRUN other than to flesh
out the description of the creature.
SPEED Pawns speed converts to SHADOWRUN Quickness. Decide on a run
multiplier for the creature (usually X4), then divide Pawns speed by the run
multiplier to get Quickness. Quickness should not be greater than 8; if it is,
choose a larger run multiplier and recalculate Quickness.
COmM~ SKIGG Rtl.~IHG3 Unarmed: Converts to Unarmed Combat skill
using Table 1 below.
Melee: Converts to Armed Combat skill using Table 1 below.
Missile: Converts to an appropriate skill or skills for the creature's weapons
using Table 1 below. Appropriate skills may be Firearms, Gunnery, Projectile
Weapons, Throwing Weapons, and so on.
174 Pawns: The Opening Move

DAmAGE 5CAGE Pawns damage rank converts to SHADOWRUN damage

using the following table:
Pawns SHADOWRUN
DamageRank Damage
0-2 0
3-8 211
9-11 3M2
12-14 4M2
lS-17 sM2
18-20 6M2
2S 6M3
30 SS3
3S 6S3
40 SD3
For each 5 points of damage past 40, add 1 to power; for each 10 points of
damage past 40, add 1 to staging. You may wish to skip from power 6 to power
8, unless you have house rules that make power 7 meaningful.

A TTACI< 5PEED Pawns attack speed translates into extra initiative dice
for the creature in SHADOWRUN. Roll a number of initiative dice equal to the
creature's total attack speed. In other words, if the creature has a IX attack and
a 2X attack, its total attack speed is 3X, and it rolls three initiative dice.
DEYEN3E 5TRENGTfJ Convert Pawns defense strength to SHADOWRUN
dermal armor using this table:
Pawns Defense SHADOWRUN
Strength DermalArmor
0-3 0
4-6 1
7-9 2
lO-l1 3
12-13 4
14-1S S
16-17 6
18-19 7
20 8
Each extra +5 of defense strength adds +2 to SHADOWRUNdermal armor.
ffiAGICAG APTITUDE RATING Magical aptitude converts to Conjuring
and! or Sorcery, whichever is appropriate for the creature, using Table 1 below.
The creature knows a number of spells equal to at least double its Conjuring or
Sorcery skill, whichever is higher.
Creatures with magical aptitudes of professional or higher may be Initiated,
at your discretion. If so, the grade of the creature's initiation will be no more
than the level of its worst SHADOWRUN magic skill-Conjuring or Sorcery-or
double the creature's Pawns power level, whichever is less.
Table u
Pawns SHADOWRUN
Amateur 2
Veteran S
Professional 7
Master 9
Legendary-1 12
Legendary-2 IS
Legendary-a 18
TALISLANTA 175

ffiEH1' t\GIC l\P1'I1'UDE Rt\ 1'IHG Since SHADOWRUN has no mentalic sys-
tem, this cannot be converted into SHADOWRUN terms. Therefore, if the crea-
ture's mentalic aptitude rating is higher than its magical aptitude rating, the
magical aptitude rating should be raised to equal the mentalic aptitude rating
to keep the power level of the creature consistent with what it is in other systems.

TALI S LANTA
Special thanks to Mike Davis and Brian A. Hixon for developing these inte-
gration notes.
The TALISLANTA game system is the system of rules that forms the basis for
the TALISLANTA product line. When you are using Pawns with TALISLANTA the
following rule changes are suggested: Divine characters are not prohibited from
simultaneously having the Primary Magic and Primary Combat skills, are not
limited to four+INT extra-curricular skills, and never have major mishaps.

l\ 1'1'RIBU1'E3 Pawns strength converts to TALISLANTA STR using the table

below. Pawns health converts to TALISLANTA CON using the table below.
Pawns reaction converts to TALISLANTA DEX and PER using the table below.
Pawns intelligence converts to TALISLANTA INT using the table below.
Pawns destiny has no TALISLANTA equivalent.
Pawns presence converts to TALISLANTA CHA using the table below.
Pawns willpower converts to TALISLANTA WIL using the table below.
Pawns TALISlANTA
Attribute Attribute
0 -6
5 -3
10 0
15 +4
20 +9
25 +18
30 +36
+5 double above entry

51ZE TALISLANTA has no size attribute, so this is not converted.

SPEED Pawns speed converts to TALISLANTA SPD using the following table:
Pawns Speed TAUSlANTA SPD

2 4
3 7
4 10

COffiM l' 5f<IGG Rt\ 1'IHG3 Pawns combat skill ratings convert to TALlS-
LANTA CR using the following table. The base indicated in the table is the average
of the creature's DEX, SPD, and STR.
Pawns Skill Rating TAUSlANTA CR
Amateur Base + 3
Veteran Base + 7
Professional Base + 11
Master Base + 15
Legendary Base + 20
Legendary-a Base + 25
176 Pawns: The Opening Move
Dll.ffill.GE 3Cll.~E Pawns damage rank can be converted to TALISLANTA
damage using the following table:
Pawns TALISlANTA
Damage Rank Damage
0-2 no damage
3-5 Id4
6-S Id6
9-10 Ids
11 Ids+!
12 IdS+2
13 Idl0+3
14 IdlO+4
15 idio + 5
16 Idl0+6
17 IdlO+7
IS Id12+7
19 IdI2+S
20 Id12 + 9
25 Id20 + 10
30 2d20 + 15
+5 +1d20 + 5

C\1'1' ll.CI< 3PEED Pawns attack speed is equivalent to number of attacks in

TALISLANTA. For example, a Pawns attack speed of 2X means the creature gets
two attacks.

DEI'EH3E 31'REHG1'~ Pawns defense strength converts to TALISLANTA pro-

tection rating using the following table. Note that normal skin has a protection
rating of 0, leather armor has a protection rating of 10, and plate armor has a
protection rating of 20.
Pawns TALISlANTA
Defense Strength Protection Rating
o o
10
15 2
20 5
25 10
30 20
+5 double previous protection rating

mAGICll.~ C\P1'I1'UDE Rll.1'IHG Pawns magical aptitude ratings convert

to TALISLANTA MR using the following table. The base indicated in the table is
the average of the creature's INT, WIL, and PER. If you are using 3rd edition
TALISLANTA rules, apply this MR to as many fields of magic as you feel suit the
creature's description.
Pawns Magical Aptitude TALISlANTA MR
Amateur Base + 3
Veteran Base + 7
Professional Base + 11
Master Base + 15
Legendary Base + 20
Legendary-a Base + 25
TORG 177
ffiEHT t\GIC APTITUDE Ril.TIHG Since TALISIANTA has no mentalic sys-
tem, this cannot be converted into Talislantan terms. Therefore, ifthe creature's
mentalic aptitude rating is higher than its magical aptitude rating, the magical
aptitude rating should be raised to equal the mentalic aptitude rating to keep
the power level of the creature consistent with what it is in other systems.

TORG
Special thanks to Travis Casey, Jim Ogle, M.]. Ritch, and Richard Tomasso for
developing these integration notes.
TORG ("That Other Roleplaying Game") is the system of rules by West End
Games that has formed the basis for the TORGroleplaying system. The following
rule changes are recommended when using Pawns with TORG: Do not restrict
the number of PEs that a divine character can use at once; divine characters can
continue to apply PEs to a die roll indefinitely. Allow deities to convert primal
flux to PEs at a rate of three PEs for every two points of primal used. However,
PEs generated this way must be used within 24 hours or they are gone forever,
thus preventing deities from stockpiling ungodly amounts of PEs. The reverse
does not apply; deities may not convert PEs to primal flux.
ATTRIBUTES To find which Pawns attribute corresponds to each TORG
attribute, use this table:
TORG Attribute Pawns Attribute
Dexterity Reaction
Strength Strength
Toughness Health
Perception (Intelligence+ Reaction)12
Mind (Intelligence+ Willpower) 12
Charisma Presence
Spirit (Willpower+ Destiny)12

Use the following table to convert Pawns attribute values to TORGvalues:

Pawns TORG
Value Value
(}-1 0
2-3
4 2
5 3
6 4
7 5
8 6
9 7
10-11 8
12-13 9
14-15 10
16-17 11
18-19 12
20 13

For each 5 Pawns value beyond 20, add +1.5 to the TORGvalue.
31ZE No conversion is needed. Pawns size measurements (in yards) can be
used as TORGmeasurements (in meters) with very little loss of accuracy.
3PEED Multiply Pawns speed by 10, since TORG has to-second rounds, and
consult the TORGvalue chart to find the creature's Speed value.
For example, a creature that has a Pawns speed of 20 yards/second would
have a TORGSpeed value of 12, which is 151-250 meters/round.
178 Pawns: The Opening Move
COmBAT 51<1[,[, RATINGS Pawns combat skill ratings convert into ap-
propriate TORG skill ratings using the Skill Rating Conversion Table at the end
of these notes.

DAmAGE 5CA['E Pawns damage rank converts to TORGdamage using the

following table:
Pawns TORG
Damage Rank Damage
0 0

2 2
3 4
4 5
5 6
6 7
7 8
8 10
9 11
10 12
11 13
12-13 14
14 15
15 16
16 17
17-18 18
19 19
20 20

For each 5 points of Pawns damage rank beyond 20, add 1.5 points to TORG
damage.
C\TT l\CI< 5PEED The mechanics ofTORG allow anyone to attempt multiple
attacks using the One-on-ManyTable. Some official TORGcreatures have been
written up as having more than one attack per round, usually due to extra limbs,
tentacles, and so on. If the Pawns creature has a similar method of gaining extra
attacks, just allow the creature to attack a number of times equal to its attack
speed; attack speed 3X would then convert to 3 attacks.
However, if the creature gets its extra attacks because it is very agile, fast, or
magical, then instead of giving it free attacks, give it a bonus to the appropriate
combat skills based on how many extra attacks it gets:
Pawns TORG
Attack Speed SkillBonus
2X +2
3-4X +3
5-6x +4
7-IOX +5

This bonus applies both to the attack roll and the damage value. Do not roll
separately for each attack; the one die roll and the bonus account for all the
attacks the creature makes that round.
Remember to add this bonus only to the skill that uses that attack form, not
to all combat skills! If the creature has several forms of attack with different
speeds but that use the same skill, instead of adding the bonus to the skill, keep
it separate and make note of it next to the attack type.
For example, assume a creature is described as having two types of unarmed
combat attacks, a claw and a bite. The claw has a speed of 2X and the bite has
a speed of lX. The creature's TORGwriteup would note that due to its speed in
using its claws the creature receives a +2 bonus when attacking with claws.
TORG 179

If the creature is described as having several different forms of attack that

occur in one round, things get more complicated. For example, assume a
creature is described as getting two claw attacks and a bite attack all in the
same round. If this is the case, it is up to you to determine if you want to give
the creature two separate attacks in a round-one for the combined claw attacks
and one for the bite-or if you wish to combine all three into one die roll and
one damage value. If you choose the latter, you should reread the section of the
TORGrulesbook on combining effects (pp. 45-47).
DErEH5E 51'REHGl'Fc> Pawns defense strength converts to TORG armor
value using the table below:
Pawns TORG
Defense Strength Armor
0 0
1-4 +1
5-7 +2
8-10 +3
11-13 +4
14-16 +5
17-19 +6
20 +7

For each 5 points of defense strength beyond 20, add +1.5 to TORGarmor.

ffil\GICl\l:I l\Pl'll'UDE Rl\l'IHG Depending on the way the creature's

magical aptitude is described, the easiest way to convert this may be to find an
appropriate ability in one of the sourcebooks. Good places to look include the
SpaceGods, Nile Empire, Land Below, or Orrorsh sourcebooks or the "Spells" or
"Miracles" sections of other sourcebooks. Determining the necessary skills or
values for the magical aptitude will require using the power writeup and deter-
mining what the creature needs. In addition to looking at spells or powers in the
sourcebooks, you may also wish to consult the Magic Axiom level descriptions
to determine at what axiom level the creature's ability may become a contra-
diction. For example, a creature that can perform a Wish spell must be from a
reality with a Magic Axiom of at least 20. The Spiritual Axiom level descriptions
may also need to be consulted for some effects.
You may also just decide that what in Pawns is a spell requiring magical
aptitude can in your game world be a natural ability of the creature, with no
magical mechanics involved. In cases like this you may wish to convert the
Pawns value for such an ability as if it were either an attribute, a combat skill
rating, or a damage value to come up with a TORGvalue.
ffiEHl' l\l:IIC l\Pl'll'UDE Rl\ 1'IHG This can generally be handled in the
same way as magical aptitude. For example, a creature with telekinesis would
be using the Telekinesis power out of the Space Gods book. As with magic,
determining the necessary skills or values for the power will require using the
power writeup and determining what the creature needs. A creature that can
dematerialize would use the Dispersal power out of the Nile Empire sourcebook.
Note that there are several restrictions on the use of mentalic powers, the
least of which is a possible contradiction check. You may want to assign mental
abilities to mystic powers if the native reality of the creature does not easily
support mentalic abilities. Depending on the creature's native reality, it may
be possible to just assign special powers and abilities without needing an extra
set of mechanics to support them. For example, the Horrors of Orrorsh just
have powers; there's no skill necessary to use them. In cases like this though,
it is usually an automatic contradiction for the creature to use these powers
anywhere but its native reality.
180 Pawns: The Opening Move

Skill Rating Conversion Table:

Pawns TORG
Amateur 8/+0
Veteran 11/+2
Professional 15/+4
Master 20/+6
Legendary-l 25/+8
Legendary-2 30/+10

The TORGlisting is skill value/minimum number of adds. A monster would

need the skill value listed to be considered at that level of ability. The adds
indicate how much experience or work would be needed to obtain that level in
general. If a contest of skill versus skill came up, and the skill values were equal,
use adds, then the base stat. The add values tend to reflect that more normal,
near- human beings won't get very high skill ratings unless they are reality rated.

O'T'~ER 3'T'UIT For any creature that is intended to be scary, assign it a fear
rating of (Pawns power leveli/z, keeping fractions.
You must decide whether or not creatures are reality rated. If you're not
certain, roll a d20; if the result is less than or equal to (Pawns destiny-to) /4, the
creature is reality rated. No creature with a Pawns destiny of 10 or less is ever
reality rated. If a creature is reality rated, it has (Pawns power level times Pawns
destiny / 10) Possibilities, and (Pawns power level) adds in the Reality skill.
Creatures of a highly magical nature will be contradictions in realms with low
Magical Axioms. An axiom level of 9 is needed to support creatures of a minor
magical nature, such as giants and creatures that are amalgams of other possible
living beings. An axiom level of 10 is needed to support highly magical creatures
such as dragons, incorporeal creatures, elementals, and "embodiments of moral
virtues" (p. 93, TORGrulesbook).
Depending on the nature of the cosm that the creature is from, you may have
to come up with World Laws to reflect certain abilities or powers of the creature.
For example, a creature that inspires fear in all who gaze upon it may be from a
realm with rules similar to the Power of Fear in Ororrsh, or an extremely lucky
creature may have an ability similar to the Law of Action in the Nile Empire or
the Demon Luck ability in Tharkold.

WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAY

Special thanks to Andrew Akins, BrianA. Hixon, and Tom Wyliefor developing
these integration notes.
WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAY, referred to as WFRp, is Games Workshop's
system for roleplaying in a grim fantasy world. When you are using Pawns
with WFRP, we recommend some changes to the rules. Whenever a mortal is
exposed to any sort of divine power, whether an actual deity, a spell cast by
a divine being, or whatever, the mortal receives one insanity point and must
immediately make an insanity check. Deities can choose not to have this effect
on a mortal, if they so desire.
WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAY 181

A1'1'RIBU1'E3 Pawns strength converts to WFRP S using Conversion Chart

2.
Pawns health converts to WFRP T using Conversion Chart 2.
Pawns reaction converts to WFRP I using Conversion Chart 1.
Pawns intelligence converts to WFRP Int using Conversion Chart 1.
Pawns destiny converts to WFRP Fate Point potential using Conversion
Chart 3.
Pawns presence converts to WFRP Fel using Conversion Chart 1.
Pawns willpower converts to WFRP WP using Conversion Chart 1.
Chart 1 Chart 2 Chart 3
Pawns WFRP Pawns WFRP Pawns WFRP
Value Value Value Value Value Value
0 20 0 1 0 0
22 1 1 0
2 24 2 2 0
3 26 3 2 3 1
4 28 4 2 4 1
5 30 5 2 5 Id2
6 32 6 2 6 Id2
7 34 7 2 7 Id2
8 36 8 3 8 Id3
9 38 9 3 9 Id3
10 40 10 3 10 Id3
11 42 11 3 11 Id3
12 44 12 3 12 Id3
13 46 13 4 13 Id4
14 48 14 4 14 Id4
15 50 15 4 15 Id4
16 52 16 4 16 Id4
17 54 17 4 17 Id4
18 56 18 5 18 Id4+l
19 58 19 5 19 Id4+l
20 60 20 5 20 Id4+l
25 65 25 6 25 Id4+2
30 70 30 8 30 Id4+3
35 75 35 10 35 Id4+4
40 80 40 12 40 Id4+5
45 82 45 14 45 Id4+6
50 84 50 16 50 Id4+7
+5 +2, max 99 +5 +2 +5 add. +l

Note: Unlike some of the systems detailed in this work, WFRP is not open
ended on its stats. So, unlike those for many of the other systems, the Pawns stat
conversion for WFRP is not based simply on the doubling of attribute potential.
This was done to preserve the integrity of the WFRP rules system.

SIZE No conversion is necessary, as there is no WFRP size attribute.

3PEED Multiply Pawns speed by 1.5 to get Warhammer M.
COffiBl\ l' 31-<IGG Rl\ 'PING3
Paw'!5 Rating WFRP Rating + Skills
Amateur 15 + none
Veteran 30 + Strike Mighty Blow
Professional 45 + Strike to Stun
Master 60 + Strike to Injure
Legendary 75 + none
Each Leg. LvI. +5, to max of 99
182 Pawns: The Opening Move
Note: Strike skills listed on the above chart are cumulative. Therefore, a
creature with a legendary combat skill rating would have Mighty Blow, Stun,
and Injure.
Pawns Unarmed and Melee Combat Skills:Since WFRPmakes no distinction
between these two skills, take the largest of the two and convert into WFRPWS
using the above table.
Pawns Missile Combat Skill: Convert into WFRP BS using the above table,
but ignore the listed skills.
DAmAGE 5CAGE Since WFRP damage is based on the attacker's strength,
Pawns damage converts into a WFRP Strength figure, to be used for that attack
only.
Pawns Damage WFRP Attack Strength
0-1 2
2-4 3
5-6 4
7-9 5
10-11 6
12-14 7
15-16 8
17-19 9
20 10
+5 +2

l\ T"I'ACI< SPEED Pawns attack speed is equal to WFRP A. Use the sum of
the creature's attacks for this, so if a creature has a IX attack and a 2X attack that
it can use simultaneously, it would have a WFRPA of 3.
DE?EN3E 5TRENGTfc) Pawns defense strength converts to WFRP AP as
follows:
Pawns
Defense WFRP
Strength AP
0-6 0
7-12 011
13-17
18-20 2
25 3
+5 +l

mAGIC u mENT AGIC APTITUDE RA TING3 Since there are no mental

powers in WFRP, the creature's magic and mentalic aptitude ratings must both
be used to find its WFRPmagic power. To find the creature's overall magic rating,
take its magical or mentalic aptitude rating, whichever is higher. Then, if the
creature's magical and mentalic aptitude ratings are both legendary or higher,
raise the creature's overall magic rating by one extra skill level. For example, a
creature with a magical aptitude rating of professional and a mentalic aptitude
rating of master would have an overall magic rating of master; one with a magical
aptitude rating of legendary-a and a mentalic aptitude rating of legendary-2
would have an overall magic rating of legendary-a.
WARPWORLD 183

Now, convert this overall magic rating to a WFRPMagic Level using the chart
below:
PawnsOverall Magic Rating WFRP Magic Level
Amateur None
Veteran Petty
Professional Levell
Master Level 2
Legendary Level 3
Legendary-2 Level 4

Each additional legendary level adds 4d4 magic points.

01'FclER 31'UYY The WFRP stats Dex, Cool, and Ld are not included in the
above conversions. The following solutions are recommended:
Dex: Dex for all creatures is set at 40, unless the creature posesses no
manipulatory limbs, in which case it is o. If the creature is described as clumsy
or very agile increase or decrease this value by an appropriate amount, although
a creature with no limbs will always have Dex o.
Cool and Ld: Set these to the same value as Fel, and adjust if any comments
are made regarding the creature's morale or leading ability.

WARPWORLD
Special thanks to GregPorter, the original game designerfor WARPWORLD, for
developing these integration notes.
WARPWORLD is the system of rules by Blacksburg Tactical Research Center
(BTRC) for roleplaying in a fantasy environment in which the old gods have
returned to rule an earth centuries after a nuclear holocaust. It uses the same
game system found in the TIMELoRDS1l' nd SPACETIMEg ames, also by BTRC.

A1'1'RIBU1'E5 Pawns strength converts to WARPWORLD Strength using the

table below.
Pawns health converts to WARPWORLD Constitution and Stamina using the
table below.
Pawns reaction converts to WARPWORLD Dexterity using the table below.
Pawns intelligence converts to WARPWORLD Intelligence using the table
below. Add an "A" to WARPWORLD Intelligence if the creature is described as
nonsentient.
Pawns destiny has no equivalent in WARPWORLD.
Pawns presence converts to WARPWORLD Bravado using the table below.
Pawns willpower converts to WARPWORLD Willpower using the table below.
In addition, take the average of Pawns reaction and intelligence and convert
it to WARPWORLD Perception using the table below. Also, take the average of
Pawns health, intelligence, and presence and convert it to WARPWORLDAppear-
ance using the table below.
Power is converted based on the mass of the creature and its Body Points.
Mundane creatures get 1/4 of their Body Points (rounded off) as Power, moder-
ately magical creatures get 1/3, and extremely magical creatures get up to 1/2.
Body Points are based on the mass of the creature in kilograms, as per normal
WARPWORLD rules; this will require a judgment call, since Pawns statistics do
not include mass in kilograms.
Secondary attributes are converted from the primary attributes. These in-
clude Physical Speed ((Strength+Dexterity)/2, rounded down), and Body Points
(from mass, as in WARPWORLD).
1B4 Pawns: The Opening Move
Pawns WW Example (Strength)
0 4
1-2 5 Human child
3-4 6
5-6 7 Average morgo
7-8 8 Average elf
9 9
10 10 Average human
11 11
12 12 Average dwarf, medium bear
13 13
14 14
15 15
16 16 Average ogre, large bear
17 17
18 18
19 19
20 20
25 28
30 40
35 57
40 80

For each additional 10 Pawns points, double the resulting WARPWORLD at-
tribute value.
51ZE Pawns size in yards is equal to WARPWORLD Height/Length in meters.

5PEED Pawns speed equals WARPWORLD movement rate in meters per second.
COmBAT 5RILL RATINGS Convert Pawns skill ratings to the appropriate
WARPWORLD skills using
the following table:
Pawns WARPWORLD
Amateur 6
Veteran 8
Professional 12
Master 18
Legendary-l 22
Legendary-2 26

Every additional legendary level adds 4 to WARPWORLD skill.

Note that this need not include secondary skills for creatures, but that NPCs
may have specializations on certain skills to gain flexibility.
DAmAGE 5CALE Damage from attacks is converted from Pawns to WARP-
terms as follows:
WORLD
WARPWORLD 185
Pawns WW Equivalent
0-2 0
3
4 2
5 3
6 4
7 5
8 6 Dagger wielded by average-strength human
9 8
10 10 Short sword wielded by average-strength human
11 12
12 14 Low-caliber pistol
13 17
14 20 Strong fighter with longsword
15 23 Medium-caliber pistol
16 26
17 29
18 32 Large-caliber pistol
19 36
20 40 Conan with greatsword
25 63 Heavy assault rifle
30 90 Elephant rifle
35 125 .50 cal machine gun
40 180 zomm cannon

For each additional 10 points of Pawns damage beyond 40, double the
resulting WARPWORLD damage.

A 1'1' t\CI< 5PEED Derive this from WARPWORLD attributes; ignore the listed
attack speed. A physical creature's attack speed may not exceed 20. Those
creatures with attack speeds above 20 may attack twice during phases in which
they would get an action for a speed of (speed-zo): in other words, a creature
with an attack speed of 24 would act in every phase, and twice when it would
move with Speed 4.

DE'?EH3E 51'REHG1'fc) Pawns defense strength converts to WARPWORLD

Armor Value using the following table:
Pawns WW Equivalent
0 0 Human skin
1-3 1
4-6 2
7-8 3 Thick leather
9 4
10 6 Hardened leather armor
11 7
12 8
13 10
14 11
15 12 Standard plate armor
16 14
17 16
18 18 Hardened plate armor (same thickness as the iz-rated one)
19 21
20 25 Stops a light assault rifle round
25 35 Stops a heavy assault rifle round or maximum damage from
virtually any melee weapon wielded by a human
30 50 Stops an elephant rifle
35 60 Stops a .50 cal MG
40 go Stops a zomm cannon

For every 10 Pawns points beyond 40, double the resulting WARPWORLD
armor value.
186 Pawns: The Opening Move

ffiAGICA[' t\PTITUDE RATING Determine how many points of spells to

give magic-using creatures based on the following table:
Pawns WARPWORLD
Amateur Up to 100
Veteran Up to 200
Professional Up to 400
Master Up to 800
Legendary-l Up to 1,600
Legendary-2 Up to 3,200

Note that the average spell cost is 100 points each. Few humans ever get
past master level. Creatures mayor may not get a magic "school" bonus, at your
option, depending on the nature of the creature's magic. NPCs may also get
this bonus, if there is sufficient justification.
In addition, if the creature has specific spells listed in its spell description,
then convert those spells into approximate WARPWORLD equivalents. First con-
vert any listed damage to its Pawns equivalent using the damage scale table
above. Then assign a Concentration Skill appropriate to the Willpower and
Power of the creature, assuming that it makes average rolls on its skill.
The best way to explain this is by example. Say a creature has a WARPWORLD
Willpower of 20 and Power of 60. It has a fireball spell listed that does 20 points
of Pawns damage, which converts to 40 points of WARPWORLD damage. If the
average person has a Power of 10, the damage and modified effect of 40 means
it has a base effect of (40 times 10)=400. Since the creature has a Power of 60,
it can use 15 Power without weakening itself, so with a base effect of 400 and
with 16 Power used on the spell, it (on the average) makes its roll by (400116)=25
points. If the creature rolls a 10 on average for its spell roll, its base roll is 35
or less on idao. Since its Willpower is 20, its Concentration Skill for this spell is
(35-20)=15.
GMs desiring a quicker conversion can simply use the listed Pawns skill level
for the spell to find its WARPWORLD Concentration Skill, using the table in the
Combat Skill Ratings section above.
ffiENTA['IC t\PTITUDE RATING WARPWORLD has no mental magic, so
this statistic cannot be converted. Therefore, if the creature has a mentalic
aptitude rating higher than its magic skill rating, raise its magical aptitude
rating to equal the mentalic aptitude rating to keep the power of the creature
roughly consistent with other systems.