User Guide

Priest: Priests take every opportunity to practice the healing of those who
share their devotion. They often travel alongside Crusaders and Paladins,
healing the wounds their companions have taken in battle. As such, Priests
are known to excel in Light and Spirit Magic.
Druid: Druids concern themselves mainly with the preservation and
healing of nature. They are often found in the company of Rangers, or
anyone else who will fight to uphold their beliefs. Being intimately
connected to their environment, Druids are especially proficient in
Elemental and Spirit Magic.
STATS
"Stats" is a role–playing game term short for the word "statistics". These
are the features of each character that determine how they will fare
during gameplay. Basic Stats are the Stats you create each of the four
characters in your party with. These point totals can be adjusted to suit
each character’s personality, build, and Class needs. Derived Stats are
the characteristics that are created from your final Basic Stats.
When you first create each character in your party, the Basic Stats are
already filled in with default point totals that suit that character’s Race.
Then, in addition to each character’s Basic Statistics, you have a Points
Available pool that grants each character an additional 10 points with which
to adjust their Stats. As you adjust each Stat, unassigned points are
added back into the Points Available pool.
Some Races have bonuses and penalties for certain Stats, so the point
cost for increasing or decreasing that Stat will be doubled. For example,
Dwarves are poor Magic users. Therefore, to increase a Dwarf’s Magic
Stat by 1 point, it will cost you 2 points. Elves, on the other hand, are
excellent marksmen, so putting 1 point into their Accuracy will increase
it by 2 points.
Let’s imagine you are creating a Half–Orc Fighter. A Half–Orc’s Basic
Stats begin thusly:
Might 15
Magic 10
Endurance 14
Accuracy 10
Speed 9
Luck 10
Points Available: 10
Creating Characters 38
Ranger: Rangers are very similar to Paladins in their thoughts and
actions. They believe, however, that mankind can fend for itself; it is
nature that requires a champion. Rangers will fight to the death to
destroy those who would cause harm to nature. They are experts in
Elemental and Spirit Magic.
THE PATH OF MAGIC (INITIATE)
Should you choose the path of Magic, you will begin life as an Initiate.
Initiates are poor fighters, but can learn all the schools of magic. Unable
to employ the weapons of the Fighter, they rely on magic to vanquish
foes. As Initiates grow in experience, they will have to make a choice to
specialise as a studious Scholar or a devout Healer.
Scholar
Scholars have devoted much of their time to the study of things past,
giving them much insight into events to come. They are experts in
Elemental, Light, and Dark Magic. At some point during their studies,
Scholars will face a final choice: to continue on and become a Mage or
to follow the dark path and discover how to become a Lich.
Mage: The Mage is the ultimate spellcaster. Upon reaching the height
of their abilities, they are unequaled in the arts of magic. It is believed the
man known as Verhoffin, who caused the Great Cataclysm, was one such
mage. While skilled in all schools of magic, their specialties are Elemental and
Light Magic.
Lich: Should your choice lead you down the darker path, your goal will
be the ultimate transformation that a magical being may pursue – The
Lich. Shrouded in mystery, Liches have sacrificed their mortality in exchange
for legendary magical skills. As such, they are exceptional users of Elemental
and Dark Magic.
Healer
Healers are devoted to caring for the sick and diseased. They are often
found in hospitals tending to the ill, or in temples healing worshippers.
They are experts in Light, Dark, and Spirit Magic. As Healers develop
their magical skills, they will eventually be faced with the choice to
become Druids, who serve nature, or Priests, who serve mankind.
37 Creating Characters
MM9_inners UK 4/3/02 12:43 pm Page 37