Elric/Glorantha Character Generation

by Simon Hibbs

The Elric game has a much more open-ended skill system, so the skill points allocations may seem over-generous to people more familiar with RQ. If a character in Elric wants to be good at a skill, 101% is where you want to start at. That aside, I run a fairly high-powered game anyway

CHARACTERISTICS

All seven characteristics are generated using 2D6+6. Players may roll seven values then allocate the values to stats as they see fit.

STR
CON
SIZ
INT	x5 = Knowledge %
POW	x5 = Luck %
DEX	x5 = Dexterity %
APP	x5 = Charisma %

Damage Bonus

(STR+SIZ, Then see table.)

STR+SIZ	Damage Roll
02-12	-1D6
13-16	-1D4
17-24	zero
25-32	+1D4
33-40	+1D6
41-56	+2D6
57-72	+3D6
73-88	+4D6

For each additional 16 or fraction thereof, add 1D6 more.

The damage bonus is only added to damage inflicted by the character when using unarmed or melee weapons. i.e. when the physical strength and size of the character are brought to bear on the opponent.

Hit Points (Av. of CON+SIZ)

The character's Hit Points are equal to the average of the character's CON and SIZ characteristic values. Add them together and divide the result by two, rounding up. The character will have this many hit points, unless wounded or hurt.

Hit points may be temporarily lost, to simulate deterioration of the physical health of the character. Typical reasons for hit point loss include damage sustained in combat, poisoning, asphyxiation and many others. Lost hit points are recovered at the rate of 1D3 points per week of normal healing, topping out at the normal value.

Skilled medical care can heal additional hit points, whereas undue physical stress or hostile conditions may cause aggravation of the injury.

• If hit points drop to 0 or less, the adventurer falls unconscious.
• If hit points go negative by the adventurer's normal hit point score (i.e. the character has lost double normal hit points) the adventurer dies.

Magic Points (POW)

The character's Magic Points are equal to the character's POW characteristic value and may never exceed the character's current POW.

Magic Points may be sacrificed when casting magic, or be drained through the effects of offensive magic.

• If MPs ever drop to 0 then the character falls unconscious, they may not go negative.
• MPs are regained at the rate of 1 point every hour until restored to equal current POW.

Personality Modifiers

The following skills packages help to personalise your character according to the kind of person you would like to play.

1. Tough: If you want to play a character who usually tries to solve problems using physical force, then add 20% to each of Brawl, Climb, Dodge, Insight, Jump, Listen, Move Quietly, Ride, Sailing, Swim, Throw, any one class of weapon, and the Wrestle skill.

2. Experienced: If your character believes that technique, craft and expertise are the secrets of success, then add 20% to any Craft, Disguise, Dodge, Evaluate, Natural World, Navigation, Physik, Pick Lock, Ride, Sailing, Scribe, Trap and any one class of weapon.

3. Quick Witted: If your character prefers to outsmart the opposition to get ahead, add 20% to each of Brawl, Conceal Object, Disguise, Evaluate, Fast Talk, Hide, Insight, Natural World, Oratory, Own Language, Pick Lock, Search and any one class of weapon.

4. Educated: If your character is more of a thinker and planner, add 20% to one Art, Bargain, Disguise, Evaluate, Fast Talk, Insight, Oratory, any one Other Language, Own Language, Ride, Search and any one class of weapon.

Background Points

You get 400% to distribute as you wish among any 8 skills, and also to buy magic. You start at any age from 16 to 24, if you wish to be older than this you must modify the character as follows.

• For every full 5 years over 20 you get 20 skill points, and must deduct 1 from any attribute except SIZ.
• Up to 50 points can be spent on magic for most characters. Some specialists may spend more.

Note on Magic Skills

The magic rules are the same as RQ3, with the following changes.

The function of the sorcery Intensity skill in RQ3 is subsumed into the spell casting skill and is not used separately. The other sorcery manipulation skills are unaffected.

The Ceremony skill absorbs all the functions of the Enchant and Summon skills in RQ3.

Initiates

Initiates may spend up to 100 background points on magic from their cult.

• Spirit magic costs 10 background points per point.
• Divine magic costs 20 background points per point.
• The Ceremony skill costs 10 background points to learn a base (INT+DEX)%. Background points may be spend to increase it further, from the pool of 100.

See the RQ3 cult descriptions for the spirit and rune magic available.

Acolytes

The character must pass all of the normal requirements for priesthood in the RQ3 cult description. See me for skill equivalents. The character should be over 25, but gets normal skill benefits for this, detailed above. You must spend 200 skill points on magic.

• Spirit magic costs 5 background points per point.
• Divine magic costs 10 background points per point.
• Acolytes can train up their POW at the cost of 10 background points per point of POW, up to a maximum of 18 points.
• The Ceremony skill costs 10 background points to learn a base (INT+DEX)%. Background points may be spent to increase it further, from the pool of 200.

Remember, priests must have sacrificed for 10 points of divine magic to qualify, so at least 100 points goes on that.

Shamans

The character must pass all the normal requirements for shamanhood from RQ3. See me for skill equivalents. You must spend 200 skill points on magic.

• Each point of POW of your fetch costs 5 points per point of POW. (minimum of 1 POW)
• Shamans can train up their POW at the cost of 10 background points per point of POW, up to a maximum of 18 points.
• The fetch has an INT of 3D6 (no points cost).
• Spirit magic costs 5 background points per point.
• Divine magic costs 10 background points per point, if available from your cult. Shamans function as priests in some cults, so check the requirements.
• The Ceremony skill costs 10 background points to learn a base (INT+DEX)%. Background points may be spend to increase it further, from the pool of 200.

Malkioni (Lay Sorcery)

Westerners may spend up to 100 background points on sorcery spells.

• Spells cost 10 background points for a base skill of (INT+POW+DEX)% to cast the spell.
• Background points from the pool of 100 may be spent to increase skill in spells.
• The Ceremony skill costs 10 background points to learn a base (INT+DEX)%. Background points may be spend to increase it further, from the pool of 50.

Malkioni Wizards

The character must have minimum INT and POW of 16 to qualify for ecclesiastical training in a Malkioni sect. You must spend 200 background points on magic.

• The Range spell manipulation skill costs 10 background points to learn a base of (POW+DEX)%.
• The Duration spell manipulation skill costs 10 background points to learn a base of (INT+POW)%.
• The Multispell spell manipulation skill costs 10 background points to learn a base of (INT+DEX)%.
• Spells cost 10 background points for a base skill of (INT+POW+DEX)% to cast the spell.
• Background points from the pool of 200 may be spent to increase skill in spells and spell manipulation skills.
• The Ceremony skill costs 10 background points to learn a base (INT+DEX)%. Background points may be spend to increase it further, from the pool of 200.

This is quite an advanced campaign, so you can pick any personal equipment you like. Show it to me for approval though. Equipment peculiar to the Young Kingdoms is barred.

Magicians who want to summon big horrible demons, create Rings of Power, or perform other such feats before play starts are welcome, but should see me well in advance.

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