World of Fantasy/World of Fantasy (Art&Play)(1995).iso/excelsio/excelsio.lxt

Text File | 1995-08-14 | 30KB | 620 lines

                         The Fixer's Handbook to the

                              Singular World of




                                  LYSANDIA






                      Including notes on the populace,

                      the customs, the peculiarities,

                      things magical, etc., etc., etc...

























               Penned at the office of the Minister of Documents,
                and in accord with all policies and regulations
                       set forth by the Great Council.





















Excelsior Phase One: Lysandia
By Daniel Berke & Matthew Engle


Handbook Edition 1.0
By Matthew Engle
Map Illustration by Matthew Engle

(C) Copyright 1993 by Daniel Berke and Matthew Engle
All Rights Reserved.


Excelsior is distributed as shareware.  You are allowed to use the program for
a period of TEN (10) days for evaluation.  After the ten days, you are asked
to register the program or cease using it.  You may freely distribute copies
of Excelsior, but they must contain all files, including the README file.



                              TABLE OF CONTENTS


The Populace
     The Common Races                                            1
     The Common Classes                                          3
     Gender                                                      5
     Alignment                                                   5
     The Primary Attributes                                      5
     The Secondary Attributes                                    7
     Skills                                                      7
The Establishments
     Castles                                                     8
     Cities                                                      8
     Villages                                                    8
     Huts                                                        8
     Dungeons                                                    9
     Keeps                                                       9
The Mercantile
     Weapons                                                     10
     Armor                                                       11
     Materia Magica                                              11
     Staples                                                     12
     Transportation                                              12
     Miscellaneous                                               12
The Creatures, Great and Small                                   13
The Magical Arts
     On Spells and Spellcasting                                  15
     The Spells of the White Arts                                16
     The Spells of the Black Arts                                18
     The Spells of the Gray Arts                                 20
Addendum                                                         22

1



                               THE POPULACE



                             THE COMMON RACES

  There is a wide variety of life forms extant on Lysandia.  This overview
will cover only those which are sufficiently human-like in appearance and
possess enough rationality to be considered a race.  The term species perhaps
would be more fitting for the descriptions following, but tradition has it
that because they all possess some human qualities, they are known as diff-
erent races.

  The most common race by far is the aforementioned HUMAN.  Humans are the
essence of ordinariness and have no remarkable qualities.  They tend to band
together into various social groups.  They have a fondness for law and order,
and thus usually choose one of their own to be the leader of their group.
The leader of one group, however, could very well be a subordinate in another.
The land of Lysandia itself is governed by a human. Despite their lack of
notable features, humans habitually overestimate their importance in the
multiverse.

  Although they began as a slight evolutionary offshoot from the humans,
DWARFS have developed into a common race themselves.  The most noticeable
difference between the two is that the dwarf rarely grows taller than waist-
high to a human.  What they lack in stature they make up for in strength.
Dwarfs have taken to living in underground dwellings and rely on their own
muscle power to handle the work of building settlements and performing other
chores.  They have, therefore, evolved into a disproportionately strong race.
Due to their short, stocky stature, they tend to be a tad slower than the
human.  Because dwarfs are given to difficult manual labor, they are known to
be a slightly dour folk.

  ELFS are of roughly the same proportion as humans, but they are by nature
quite different.  Elfs are nimble and quick; they have fine, delicate
features, making them slightly less hearty than humans.  They like to believe
the legend that the ancestors of their race were magically blessed, and that
each one of them has innate magical residue working for them.  Elfs spend the
majority of their free time immersed in discussions about beauty, or engaged
in dance and song.  They live communally in small bands, but always welcome
other elfish visitors.

  GNOMES rarely grow more than three feet tall.  They have dark tan skin and
long, flowing locks of white hair accompanied by a thick beard.  They prefer
to live in shaded fields in symbiotic relationships with a multitude of
animals.  Gnomes often feel more akin to a graceful forest animal than to
humankind creatures, as they are wary of any animal larger than twice their
size.  They are a jolly bunch and are quick with a laugh and a pat on the
back.  Since they live outdoors, they have become rather dexterous, despite,
or perhaps because of, their size.

2

  At first glance, a HALFLING looks quite the same as a small human.  Half-
lings are a plump people who always look happy to see one another.  They pre-
fer the comforts of a good book or a tall tale among friends to a strenuous
adventure.  Their love of reading and conversation has made them, on the
whole, intelligent and pleasant to be with.  They live in underground, candle-
lit burrows, are honest and dependable, and enjoy passing down the lore of
their race to the young.  There are few other races halflings cannot at least
tolerate.  They go out of their way to be friendly, though never to the point
of sycophancy.

  At the other end of the spectrum are TROLLS.  They are vile folk of ex-
tremely low mentality, and pass the requirements for being categorized as a
race by just a hair.  Trolls have pale green calloused skin, and their noses
are usually as lengthy as their feet.  They have long, gangly arms which sway
loosely when they walk.  Trolls show just the basic framework of an organized
society and prefer to settle disputes among themselves by making use of a club
or mace.  Their speech consists of grunt-like syllables, and their vocabulary
rarely exceeds that of a five-season-old human.  The only enviable aspect of
trolls is their great strength and constitution, although they developed these
qualities because of their tendency to get into pointless fights.

  The IMP is a small, minor demi-demon of little consequence.  Imps are
thought to be more of a nuisance among the general public than a danger.
When a man loses the key to his cellar door, or other such trivialities, and
finds it in the last place he looks, it is often an imp at play.  Imps are
fragile, light-footed beings who have a persistent smirk.  They tend to have
an aura of good luck surrounding them.  As to the accusation that they use
slight magical abilities to get this luck, they do not respond.

  GLYNNS can be considered the opposite of imps, in that they are sometimes
known as the heaven's messengers.  This may be a slight exaggeration as to
their origin, but there is something mystical about their appearance.  A
glynn's body has a natural golden-yellow glow.  They are almost never seen
in multitudes, and rarely seen at all.  When they do appear, most humans
behave toward them in a more courteous and gentle manner than usual.  Glynns
possess large minds and are quick to learn.  Their intelligence exists at the
sacrifice of their strength, though.  They are a slightly weaker race than
most.

  Occasionally in the past, a human would grow far beyond the norm.  Several
of these GIANTS were banished to the mountains, and soon a new race came into
being.  Giants are usually twice at tall as a human male, and thus naturally
possess great strength.  They do not fit in well with the bulk of human
society, since their ancestors left them in the mountains in the hope that
they would die off.  Humans have always resented the fact that, quite the
opposite of their intention, giants continue to fare rather well as a people.
Due to their unusual size, giants are slower than the other races.

  GOLEMS cannot be considered a race proper.  They are actually the remains
of several dead members of another race medically re-assembled and then
magically endowed with life.  Due to the natural way a dead brain decomposes,
golems are rather unintelligent creatures.  They cannot reproduce their own
kind, since their kind consists of body parts of many other kinds.  A golem is
unusually strong, probably the residual result of the magic necessary to bring
it to life.  However, they have little charm among the other races, especially
when one recognizes a reused body part of someone he or she once knew.

3

  Mixed races and half-breeds also exist on Lysandia, of which the HALF-ELF is
the most successful.  A half-elf usually looks more human than elfish, al-
though they almost always retain the elf's distinguishing pointed ears.  Half-
elfs are not as deft as true elfs, and their legendary ancestral magic is not
quite as potent.  On the positive side, however, they have about the same con-
stitution and strength as humans.  They are freely accepted into both human and
elfish society.

  The HALF-GNOME falls somewhere between human and gnomic in stature.  Like
the half-elf, they are not as adroit as the pure gnome is, but, again, they
make up for this with a stronger constitution.  They are more comfortable
among humans, but following their gnomic roots, they live in lightly forested
areas.  The half-gnome's hair is not always white, and it has even been noted
that they do not all wear beards.

  Of all the mixed-races, the HALF-ORC is the only one universally considered
a mistake.  Half-orcs walk upright and have the same proportions as humans,
but their features are definitely orcish: large snouts, pointed, cuplike ears,
and large out-growing canine teeth.  Both orcs and humans are ashamed of this
joining of their kind, and each side blames the other for the initial union.
Half-orcs are stronger and heartier than humans, yet have smaller brain
capacities and little social grace.


                              THE COMMON CLASSES

  A person's class refers to his profession or area of specialization in which
he received training during his younger years.  There are therefore in-
numerable classes to be found on Lysandia - encompassing everyone from His
Majesty the King himself down to the local rat catcher.  Of this tremendous
variety, there are thirteen which particularly lend themselves to a Fixer's
task, and these are the ones which are described below.

  A WARRIOR is a basic man or woman-at-arms.  Warriors are experts in weapon-
ry, tactics and strategy.  They undergo intensive physical training from birth
and are quite a brawny class.  A warrior has a working knowledge of all
standard weapons.

  An ARCHER is essentially a warrior who specializes in missile weapons.
Archers are expert marksmen, but because of this specialized training, are not
competent with all hand-to-hand weapons.  Archers need not be a brawny as a
true warrior, but they do need to be fairly dexterous - it takes nimble
fingers to remove an arrow from a quiver, thread it on the bowstring, aim and
fire accurately at a rapid rate.

  A SWORDSMAN is the opposite of an archer.  Swordsmen are warriors who
specialize in hand-to-hand combat.  They are most effective with edged
weapons, and can wield all of them.  They too do not need to be as strong as
a warrior, but they must be dexterous and agile.

  A RANGER is a hunter or woodsman who relies not only on his weapon, but also
on his wits.  They are at home in the wilderness and are knowledgeable about
tracking, hunting, woodcrafting, scouting and survival.  Rangers are quite
muscular, but just as dexterous.  They are equally content to fight an enemy
face to face as to sneak around them, set a trap and hide in the branches of a
tree until the trap is sprung.

4

  A MILITIAMAN is basically a brute.  Militiamen like to compare themselves to
warriors, but they are not nearly as skilled in combat and nearly anyone can
become one.  Town guards, personal bodyguards and watchmen usually belong to
this class.

  MAGES draw upon arcane knowledge and have mighty spells at their disposal.
It takes decades of intensive study to become a fully competent mage.  The
process begins with many years of solitary study followed by many more years
of apprenticeship at the side of an elder spellcaster, and only after this
can one be considered a mage in his or her own right.

  CLERICS are equally skilled in the magical arts as are mages, but they work
to develop their spirituality.  Sometimes mages, so intent on developing their
craft, draw on power from the underworlds and become blind to the ethical
questions this may bring up.  Clerics look to the heavens for direction and
guidance for resolving this problem.

  There are few people to be found who are more noble than a PALADIN.  Pal-
adins combine the best aspects of warriors and clerics.  They are skilled in
the use of most types of weaponry, but also devote much of their time to
intellectual pursuits.  Paladins are able to cast spells at a level just
below the two spellcasting classes proper.  Finally, paladins devote them-
selves to spiritual pursuits, looking toward the gods for guidance and dir-
ection.  It is a rare person indeed who is able to qualify to become a pal-
adin.

  SCHOLARS are people who partake in intellectual pastimes and often train for
several different classes at once.  They are usually younger people who have
not yet decided what their life's calling is.  Scholars are able to wield
many, but not all, weapons and wear most types of armor.

  BARDS are travelling folk who are light-hearted and enjoy telling tales.
They are quite knowledgeable about the local folklore and often recount an
area's history through song and music.  During their travels and encounters
with various townsfolk, bards learn the rudiments of spellcasting and thus
posses a slight magical ability.

  ROGUES are people who think that the world owes them a living.  They usually
have a shady past, and attempt to maintain a high lifestyle while letting
other people do all the labor.  Stealing and swindling others out of money
are perfectly reasonable acts to a rogue.

  PIRATES are the rogues of the sea.  They never hesitate to attack another
ship, plunder the loot, and then leave it and its passengers to sink.  Pirates
are physically strong after working the seas for so long.  Pirates may some-
times be found on land when they dock to replenish supplies on their ship.

  ASSASSINS are people who make their living by killing others for pay.  It is
a thoroughly illegal profession.  Assassins use any means necessary to carry
out their assignments and they are always watching people out of the corner
of their eye.  Frequently assassins masquerade as one class during the day
and use the cover of nightfall to hide their true business.


5
                                    GENDER

  Aside from race and class, there are several other traits which compose a
person's personality.  Perhaps the most fundamental of these is the person's
gender, of which there are three varieties.  Anyone may be either MALE or
FEMALE.  A male is generally stronger than a female, yet because of his
greater muscle bulk, is slightly less quick and dexterous.

  The third possible gender is simply referred to as SEXLESS, and it is only
available to three races.  A sexless person has none of the inherent benefits
or drawbacks of the other two genders.  Both a glynn and an imp may be sex-
less, as it is possible for them to reproduce through magical means.  A golem
may also be sexless, since it is not essential for the creator of the golem
to assign it a gender in order for it to be endowed with life.  These three
races may, of course, also be either male or female.


                                  ALIGNMENT

  A person's alignment is a guide to his or her basic moral and ethical
attitudes toward others, society, good, evil and the forces of the multiverse
in general.  It is a subjective and ever evolving trait.  Although there are
an infinite number of possible alignments, they are grouped into the general
headings of GOOD, EVIL, and NEUTRAL.  Good and evil are at opposite ends of
the spectrum, with neutral in the middle.  Alignment affects how others react
toward someone, and it is of the utmost importance to the spellcasters, as it
partially determines how draining a particular spell would be to cast.  This
is described in more detail later.

  Certain classes, by their very nature, have restrictions on what alignment
they may identify with.  For instance, a good assassin is a contradiction in
terms.  Both clerics and paladins are unable to be fully evil in alignment,
while, rogues, and to a lesser extent, pirates, cannot identify too closely
with the good.


                            THE PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES

  There are six attributes to which a numeric value is assigned, three of
which are called primary attributes and three of which are called secondary
attributes.  The primary attributes are more essential to one's make-up than
are the secondary.  The six attributes together define the specific physical,
intellectual and spiritual development of a person.  The three primarily
attributes are described below, followed by the secondary attributes.

  A person's STRENGTH is a measure of his or her physical musclepower, as well
as endurance and stamina.  The stronger a person is, the more damage he or she
is able to inflict with each hit from a weapon.  Those with high strength are
also more likely to win an arm-wrestling match.  Strength is the primary
concern of the warrior class, since they are the most likely to wear bulky
armor and wield heavy weapons.

  INTELLIGENCE represents a person's raw intellect, although it is up to him
or her to determine how to apply it.  The presence of a high intelligence does
not automatically result in wise decisions.  Intelligence is of extreme
importance to the spellcasting classes, as the maximum number of magic
potential points one has is directly proportional to their intelligence.

6

  DEXTERITY reflects how adroit a person is in the use of the hands and the
body.  It encompasses qualities such as hand-eye coordination, agility and
reaction speed.  The higher someone's dexterity, the easier it is for him to
dodge an enemy's attacks.  A high dexterity is important for the rogue and
assassin classes, since both of these professions require stealthy and
cunning maneuvers.


                           THE SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES

  The higher someone's LUCK, the greater are his or her chances of defying the
odds in a wide variety of situations.  Luck may have an effect in everything
from the offensive and defensive aspects of combat to the chance of suc-
cessfully picking a lock to being dealt a winning hand in a local game of
Three Crowns Up.

  A person's CHARM is a reflection of his or her charisma, persuasiveness and
personal magnetism.  Oft times people are more likely to speak freely to
someone of great charm than to an oaf.  The local Lysandian shopkeepers
usually are content to sell their wares at lower prices to one possessing a
high charm, although they will seldom admit to this afterwards.

  PIETY is a representation of one's personal enlightenment, although this is
an admittedly difficult area to measure.  It reflects a person's devotion to
his or her god or gods of choice.  Piety is one of the main areas of concern
for both clerics and paladins.  (Note to Fixers: Please try not to become
conceited around those of high piety, despite the heavenly and divine nature
of your task.)


                                     SKILLS

  Many skills and trades which may prove useful for the assigned task exist in
Lysandia.  Skills are usually either passed down through family generations
or taught by experts.  Some classes are automatically considered skilled in
certain areas, since qualifying for that class presumes certain knowledge.

  The BANDAGE skill covers basic medical training available to those trav-
elling outdoors.  The proper use of medicinal herbs, animal fats and medical
supplies are elements of the bandage skill.  People who possess this skill
regain their health at a faster rate than normal.

  DARK EYES is a rather curious skill indeed, and in a way is not a skill at
all.  Some people, either because of their race or because of a freak genetic
mutation, are born with retinas that are hyper-sensitive to light.  They are
able to see clearly in what appears to most to be complete darkness.  Dark
eyes is listed as a skill because it is said that certain people are somehow
able to endow those with normal eyesight with this quality.

  Those skilled in the art of FENCING are cunning with blade weapons.  Fencing
improves swordsmanship technique and is considered a rather chivalrous art.

7

  The opposite of fencing in terms of chivalry is FIST FIGHTING.  While this
ability may often prove useful in hand-to-hand combat, its image is somewhat
tainted because of frequent brawls in the local pubs.

  The LOCKPICKING skill is an example of some of the more seedy skills which
may be attained.  While some locksmiths use this ability honestly and legally,
lock picking is considered required learning among thieves and scoundrels.

  While only a small fraction of the populace is devoted enough to become
fully competent spellcasters, it is possible for non magic-users to learn the
MAGIC skill.  This encompasses the rudiments of spellcasting and thereby
allows anyone to possess a small number of magic potential points.

  The MARKSMANSHIP skill improves a bowman's accuracy when using projectile
weapons.  Sire Williams, the land's most renowned marksman, was able to pierce
an apple with an arrow from a distance of twenty cubits while blindfolded and
riding backwards on a galloping mule.  Although possessing the marksmanship
skill will certainly not bring one to this level of expertise, it is quite
useful during long range combat.

  Possessing the MUSIC skill allows one to elicit pleasing sounds from musical
instruments, a favorite trade among bards.  Sometimes musicians join sailors
on long, monotonous voyages to provide musical accompaniment while they
warble a chantey.

  While most people in Lysandia possess basic literacy, the ability to read
and write obscure languages or ornate pencrafts is limited to the privileged
upper classes and magic users, who refer to their spellbooks.  Mastering the
SCRIBE skill allows one to read and write such unusual texts.

  The seas can be rough for those who do not have the SEAMANSHIP skill.
Anyone wishing to sail a ship must have this skill or certainly face disaster,
either by sinking, becoming hopelessly lost at sea, or by falling off the edge
of the world into Slavik's Void.

  The SURVIVAL skill teaches one how to live off the land for extended periods
of time when the food supply is low.  Some of the knowledge garnered in this
skill includes knowing which berries are safe to eat and which are poisonous,
how to remove the salt from sea water, and where to find edible dirt that is
rich in nutrients.

  Learning the SWIMMING skill allows one to swim either through rivers or in
the ocean.  Swimming is also an excellent form of recreation.

8

                               THE ESTABLISHMENTS



                                    CASTLES

  The land of Lysandia is a thriving kingdom and perhaps the greatest show of
power and legitimacy the royal family can do for its people is to construct
majestic and towering CASTLES.  There are currently three, all found on the
main continent.  King Valkery, sovereign of Lysandia, resides in the largest
of the three.  It is from this central castle that all universal laws for the
land are enacted.

  The other two castles house nobles who function as local governors.  They
watch over the day to day business of the region of Lysandia in which they
are situated.


                                     CITIES

  The primary areas of commerce are the CITIES.  Each city is a fairly self-
sufficient microcosm of society, as inter-city transportation, and thus trade,
is time consuming and difficult.  Trade does exist, however, but due to trans-
portation costs, these foreign goods tend to be slightly more expensive.  The
majority of the people are unaware of this, though, because they haven't
access to a merchant's import log book.  In areas where it is possible, trade
is conducted by way of the sea.  In fact, one city's entire livelihood relies
on sea trade and would not exist were it not for this type of commerce.


                                    VILLAGES

  VILLAGES are smaller and less self-sufficient than cities.  They are not as
well established and their populations are generally smaller.  However, for
many people, village life is ideal; the bustling crowds found in cities are
absent, yet the spirit of cooperation among its people is not.  Seldom a day
goes by when there is not a carnival, magic show, or great communal feast
occurring in one village or another.


                                      HUTS

  Those who prefer a solitary or near-solitary existence quite often con-
struct their own private HUTS.  Huts vary in size and design, but they are
generally constructed of natural materials - usually a combination of wood,
straw or wheat, and dried mud.  Those who choose to live in a hut often
decide to construct them in isolated places.  Unlike villages, carnivals are
usually not found in huts, for reasons of limited space.

9

                                    DUNGEONS

  DUNGEONS are sad reminders of days past on Lysandia, for the land was not
always such a peaceful place.  They consist of underground mazes and cavernous
chambers.  Monarchs of centuries past constructed the dungeons for a variety
of purposes.  These ranged from supply and storage areas to prisons to torture
chambers.  Nowadays, the dungeons are all but forgotten among the people.

  It is rumored that a few hermits and loners inhabit the now decaying dun-
geons, but this is believed unlikely, as it has been well documented that the
dungeons are now places infested with swarms of monsters.  The wise adventurer
never leaves anything of value unguarded in a dungeon level since hoards of
non-intelligent scavengers plunder anything that looks remotely appealing as
soon as they realize the threat of confrontation is gone.  In fact, the wise
adventurer does not enter the dungeons at all.


                                      KEEPS

  Keeps, like dungeons, are bitter reminders of the past.  Perhaps even more
so, due to their high visibility.  Keeps are inverted dungeons.  Underground
excavation was a slow and cumbersome process, and the King's answer to this
was to commence construction of the keeps.  They served the same purposes as
dungeons, but did not take as long to complete.

  Again, innumerable beasts inhabit the keeps, and some Lysandian car-
tographers even theorize a vast underground network of passages connecting
all the dungeons and keeps.  This claim is completely unsubstantiated, and
probably will remain so, as no one is eager to spend any length exploring
their mysteries.

10

                               THE MERCANTILE


                                  WEAPONS

  Few people venture far from home without bringing some sort of weapon, of
which there are many varieties.  Some weapons are light enough to be wielded
with one hand, in which case another one-handed weapon or a shield may be
carried in the other.  Some armaments are so heavy or complex that they
require the simultaneous use of both hands.  Also, by nature of one's class,
certain weapons may not be usable.  It may take some experimenting for each
person to determine his or her limitations with respect to weaponry.

  EDGED WEAPONS are the most common type to be found.  These include such
items as swords, daggers and axes.  They do their damage by lacerating or
impaling one's opponent.  Most edged weapons are made of the finest forged
steel and rarely need sharpening, but there are always tricksters to be found
who pass off shoddy merchandise as the real thing.

  POLE ARMS are an extension of edged weapons.  They usually consist of blades
mounted at the end of a six to eight foot mahogany pole.  Ranseurs, halberds,
spetums and common spears all belong in this category.  They are usually not
as heavy