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Empire of the Crescent Moon |
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Empire of the Crescent Moon |
Unofficial Errata The Crescent Empire book treats the tribes of the Empire as “mini-nations,” with their own advantages, magical abilities, and Swordsman Schools. This was a huge error in judgment. The corrected version of the Empire is a cohesive, single nation, and characters from the Empire have the following benefits:
All characters from the Empire receive a bonus Rank of Wits at character creation as their nationality bonus.
A character from the Empire may purchase any Swordsman School originating in the Empire, or the Rogers school, for 25 HP. It is very rare for a character to begin play with a mainland Swordsman school (or vice versa), though a GM may allow it, given a sufficiently plausible background.
While most common among the Kurta’kir tribe, the Duman’kir Sorcery may be purchased by any character from the Crescent Empire. Similarly, a Kurta’kir character may purchase Sha’ir Sorcery, but it is more commonly found among the other tribes.
All Crescent characters receive a one-point discount on the Accurate Slinger, Crescent Servant, and Warm Climate Conditioning Advantages. Any character from the Empire may purchase the Membership: Qatihl’i (for 5 HP) or Khêl’kalb (for 10 HP) Advantages, though they are most common among the Yilan’bazlik and Ruzgar’hala tribes, respectively.
There are only three languages and six accents in the Empire, and they are described here.
Finally and most importantly, the Crescent Empire is a discrete nation, ruled by a single Sultan (though, of course, there are always intrigues specific to the individual tribes).
Advantage: Bounded Mount (“Khêl’kalb”) (10 points, Crescent only)
The finest horsemen of the Cresent Empire seem to form a special bond with their horses, such that the rider and his steed become much more than the sum of their parts. You can communicate verbally with your horse, and make a Panache roll with a TN of 15 to attempt to understand when it tries to communicate with you. Furthermore, while you are mounted, you enjoy the following benefits:
You may add your horse’s Rank in a Trait to any Simple or Contested roll you attempt using the same Trait. You may also add its Rank in Brawn to your damage rolls, and its Rank in Panache to your Initiative total. (Note that these are bonuses to the totals of the rolls, not bonus dice added to the roll.)
Your horse may add similar bonuses to its rolls and Initiative total.
By spending a Drama Die when you sustain a Dramatic Wound, you may transfer that Wound to your horse, or vice versa.
This link can only exist between you and a single horse.
Advantage: Commission (Yenicer’i) (Varies, Crescent only)
The Yenicer’i consists of loyal troops representing the Sultan’s personal bodyguard, as well as the standing army of the Empire of the Crescent Moon since the late 14th century. It recruits almost exclusively from the children of its soldiers, although from time to time, the Sultan may award a commission to someone as a reward for meritorious service. The costs and benefits of this Advantage are the same as the Commission Advantage found in the Players’ Guide.
Advantage: Crescent Accent/Language
Civil Skill: Magician (“Shirbaz”)
Basic Knacks: Acting, Oratory
Advanced Knacks: Cold Read, Pickpocket, Prestidigitation, Sincerity, Snake Charming
Basic Knacks: Philosophy, Unobtrusive
Advanced Knacks: Contortion, Diplomacy, Mooch, Occult, Scrounging, Storytelling, Theology
Basic Knacks: Attack (Sling)
Advanced Knacks: Snapshot, Trick Shot
Curriculum: Athlete, Fencing
Knacks: Beat (Fencing), Exploit Weakness (Daphan), Lunge (Fencing), Pommel Strike (Fencing)
Apprentice: Unchanged.
Journeyman: Unchanged.
Master: Masters of Daphan make extremely forceful attacks. When they declare Raises for damage on an attack roll, they add Kept Dice (+1k1) to the damage roll, rather than Unkept Dice.
Swordsman School: Marikk
Curriculum: Acrobat, Knife
Knacks: Double Attack (Knife/Knife), Exploit Weakness (Marikk), Lunge (Knife), Whirl (Knife/Knife)
Apprentice: Marikk teaches its students to relentlessly attack its enemy with both katars. The student suffers no off-hand penalty when using a katar in each hand. In addition, for each additional attack a Marikk fighter makes against a single target in a single Phase, the target’s TN to be hit is reduced by twice the fighter’s Mastery Level. Thus, the second time an Apprentice attacks a TN 25 target in a single Phase, the TN drops to a 23 (for him only); the third time, the TN drops to a 21, and so on. A Brute Squad counts as a single target for this purpose. Apprentices receive an extra Rank in one of their Swordsman Knacks in lieu of membership in the Swordsman’s Guild.
Journeyman: The Journeyman has mastered an extraordinary somersaulting attack that places him behind his opponent. By spending two Actions (only one of which need be currently “legal”), he may perform a rear attack on his target. The target’s TN to be hit drops to 5 (for that attack only), and the TN for any Active Defense the target attempts is Raised by 10.
Master: Unchanged.
Swordsman School: Qor’qunq
Curriculum: Spy, Knife
Knacks: Exploit Weakness (Qor’qunq), Lunge (Knife), Poison, Wall of Steel (Knife)
Apprentice: The Apprentice of Qor’qunq is skilled at using his knife to make a single, deadly attack. He receives a free Raise on any Lunge he attempts with a knife. If this is the first attack he makes in a Round, he instead receives one free Raise per Mastery Level. Students of Qor’qunq do not receive membership in the Swordsman’s Guild. Instead, they receive a free Rank in the Throat Strike Knack (as a Specialty Knack, if they do not have access to Throat Strike in one of their Skills). This does not count against the student’s limit of three Specialty Knacks.
Journeyman: Unchanged.
Master: Unchanged.
Note: Poison is considered a Basic Knack for students of Qor’qunq.
Swordsman School: Sersemlik
Curriculum: Athlete, Heavy Weapon
Knacks: Exploit Weakness (Sersemlik), Feint (Heavy Weapon), Tagging (Heavy Weapon), Whirl (Heavy Weapon)
Apprentice: Once a Sersemlik warrior gets his blade moving, he is able to overcome its weight and bulk. He may wield a dilmekiri in each hand, or one in either hand, without penalty. He may also change hands without taking an Action to do so. If he wields the dilmekiri in his left hand, he receives the benefit of the Left Handed Advantage and suffers no off-hand penalty. Additionally, the Apprentice may perform a sword-twirling display of prowess in an attempt to cow his opponents, adding Unkept Dice equal to his Rank in the Whirl Knack to any Intimidate Repartee Actions attempted while his sword is drawn. Apprentices receive an extra Rank in one of their Swordsman Knacks in lieu of membership in the Swordsman’s Guild.
Journeyman: Journeymen of the Sersemlik style spin not only their swords, but their entire bodies, becoming a virtual cyclone of bladed death. Journeymen receive a free Rank of the Whirl Knack. This may increase their Rank in the Knack to a 6; if it does not, they may increase it from a 5 to a 6 later by spending 25 XP.
Master: Masters have learned to apply their skill at dispatching large groups of unskilled enemies when facing individual combatants with more talent. They may add the bonus to their attack rolls provided by the Whirl Knack when attacking a Henchman, Hero, Scoundrel, or Villain who is supported by a Brute Squad. Furthermore, They may add their Rank in the Whirl Knack to all damage rolls, whether their opponent is supported by Brutes or not.
Swordsman School: Vahiy
Curriculum: Archer, Commander
Knacks: Horse Archery, Orders (Advance, Charge, Envelop, Flank, Hold Ground, Regroup, Scout, Set vs. Charge, Trim Line, Withdraw)
Apprentice: Unchanged, except that Apprentices receive two Ranks in Riding (as a Specialty Knack if they do not have the Rider Skill) in lieu of Swordsman Guild membership. This does not count against their limit of three Specialty Knacks.
Journeyman: Unchanged, except that Journeymen receive one Drama Die per Mastery Level at the beginning of any combat in which they are on horseback.
Master: Unchanged.
Note: Horse Archery is considered a Basic Knack for students of Vahiy.
Swordsman School: Yael
Curriculum: Fencing, Performer
Knacks: Disarm (Fencing), Double Parry (Fencing/Fencing), Exploit Weakness (Yael), Feint (Fencing)
Apprentice: Yael teaches its students to use two slashing swords together. They do not suffer an off-hand penalty when using two scimitars, cutlasses, or sabres. Furthermore, they may substitute Dancing for Footwork as a Defense Knack, and they may add their Rank in the Dancing Knack to Active Defense rolls using Parry (Fencing). Apprentices of Yael do not receive membership in the Swordsman’s Guild; instead, they receive a free Rank in one of their Swordsman Knacks.
Journeyman: As they become more familiar with the fighting style of Yael, Journeymen learn the true importance that dancing has to the school. Their graceful attacks and parries allow them to add their Rank in the Dancing Knack to their TN to be hit when using Parry as a Defense Knack, when making an attack, or when attempting a Feint.
Master: Masters of the Yael school are able to make a quick flurry of attacks, allowing them to eliminate their opponents with a sudden explosion of slashes. After a Master makes a successful attack and inflicts damage, she may immediately make a Finesse + Dancing roll against a TN equal to her previous target’s TN to be hit. If this roll is successful, she may immediately spend another Action Die (even one that is not currently legal) to make another attack against the target of her choice. If this attack inflicts damage, she may make another Dancing check to attempt to spend another Action Die. This cycle continues until the Master wishes it to end, until she has used all her Actions for a Round, or until she fails to inflict damage with an attack or misses a Dancing check. Damage Rolls and Wound Checks are made after each successive attack.
Knacks: Charming, Constriction, Flexibility, Hiding, Slither
Apprentice: As you begin your journey down this path of power, your abilities manifest themselves in two ways. First, you are completely immune to venom from any kind of snake, even in concentrated form. Second, you are able to completely dislocate every joint in your body, allowing you to squeeze through holes and tunnels that are too small for other human beings. You must spend a Drama Die to activate this ability. Performing this feat requires thirteen Actions, minus the sum of your Ranks in the Finesse Trait and the Flexibility Knack. You can squeeze into any hole whose diameter is at least as wide as your head (approximately 9 inches for a normal human, 12 inches if you have the Large Advantage, or 6 inches if you have the Small Advantage).
Adept: By now, you have learned how to use your flexible body to perform greater feats. First, the minimum diameter of a hole into which you can squeeze yourself decreases by 1 inch. Second, you have learned how to relax your body and allow your supernatural flexibility to absorb the impact from a fall. You must spend a Drama Die to activate this ability, either to prevent damage when you fall, or to absorb extra damage when something falls onto you. Make a Wits + Flexibility roll against a TN of 5 for every teen feet you have fallen (thus, a fall of forty feet has a TN of 20). If you succeed, you treat the fall as if you have landed on a soft surface, negating all damage from the fall. If something is falling onto you, spending a Drama Die allows you to roll Brawn + Flexibility for your Wound Check. Regardless, to “reset” your limbs and resume normal activity requires six Actions, minus your Rank in the Flexibility Knack.
Master: As a Master Af’ai, you can squeeze your body into even smaller openings. The minimum diameter of a hole into which you can squeeze yourself decreases by another inch. Furthermore, you are able to temporarily become more powerful by drinking snake venom. Every time you drink snake venom, determine the number of Dramatic Wounds you would have sustained from one Interval of poison damage if you were not immune to it. For each Dramatic Wound you would have taken, you receive one Venom Die, which may be used like a Drama Die to increase the result of a die roll, to prevent the activation of your Flaw or Hubris, or to activate your Wile, Virtue, or other special ability (including the abilities granted by this sorcery). If unspent, Venom Dice go away when the Duration of the venom you drank has ended. Venom Dice never become Experience Points under any circumstances.
Note: Af’a straddles the fine line between sorcery and shamanism. Its effect on the Barrier is unknown, but is believed to be minimal, as the art is not terribly widespread, and comes from a relatively minor power. In addition to its other uses, Slither can be used as a Defense Knack while prone with no penalty.
Sorcery: Duman’kir
Knacks: Fangs, Mist, Pack, Senses, Silence
Apprentice: Unchanged
Adept: Unchanged
Master: Unchanged
Silence: When a wolf stalks its prey, it becomes nearly impossible to hear, and you move almost as quietly as it does. You may add your Rank in this Knack to any Stealth or Shadowing rolls you attempt. You also receive a number of Free Raises equal to your Rank in this Knack on any Ambush rolls you attempt. (Note that this is cumulative with the bonus to Ambush rolls described under the Adept ability.)
Notes: With the exception of the Silence Knack and the details below, this sorcery is largely unchanged from its description in the Crescent Empire sourcebook. Rather than being the source of the rakshasa myth, this sorcery is a gift from the powerful shapeshifting creatures. In generations past, rakshasa lords imbued their most trusted servants and protectors with the magic, and it has worked its way through the bloodlines. Like Af'a, it is difficult to characterize this art as either a Sorcery or a Shamanism; the relationship of the rakshasas to the Bargainers (or, indeed, their status as one of the Bargainer races itself) is unclear, and Duman’kir’s effect on the Barrier, if any, is unknown.
Sorcery: Rimâl, Ruzgar’canli, Sharkici, Sulimaq, Takim’aldiz
One of the worst ideas in the Crescent Empire book, these Sorcerous Advantages should be removed from the game. Instead, they have been rolled into the Sha’iri Sorcery, available to most tribes of the Crescent Empire.
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