| Geography Breathless will take place in the Duchy of Eustock, (ruled by Duke George Eustock) on the Eastern edge of the Formatian Empire. The Duchy of Eustock borders Benitia in the East and the Materian Forest in the Northeast. The Duchy of Eustock is divided into three Baronies: Sutherford, Warrick, and Hartley. The Eustock flag is red and white checkers, with a green scepter standard. The primary focus of action is in the barony of Warrick, ruled by Baron Rybald Warrick. Warrick is divided into four estates, Stonefield, Feyford, Marianburg, and Old Coventry. The capital city of Coventry Heights is in the highland of Old Coventry. In the East, the Silva forest touches the edges of the estates of Marianburg and Feyford. The locals refer to the wood as the Whispering Wood, due to the high concentration of Spectres. The estate of Stonefield is primarily farmlands, producing carrots, cabbages, potatoes, livestock, and the like. It is named for the stony earth which frustrates farmers to no end. The stones are harvested to build low walls surrounding properties. Houses are mostly made out of mortared stone. Stonefield is ruled by Lord Aaron Arder. The estate of Old Coventry is the oldest estate in the Duchy. It is difficult traveling land due to an abundance of rocky foothills. The rocky soil is alkaline and does not lend well to growing crops, but the estate does contain a small copper mine which fuels its economy. Coventry Heights, the Baronial Capital, is built on the edge of a cliff. It is widely considered a very safe town as its geography does not lend well to siege. The estate is ruled by Lord Bravael. Coventry Heights contains the Baronial Manor House which houses Baron Warrick. The Estate of Marianburg is half covered by the Whispering Wood, also known as the Silva Forest. There is a community of Sylvan Elves that live at the edge of the forest. They are not allied with Formatia in any way, as they live with the specters of the Whispering Wood. Marianburg is ruled by Lord Braxton The Estate of Feyford is the adventuring capital of the Barony. The city of Hope’s Stand is built on a large hill at the edge of the Whispering Wood. Great battles have been fought with the Specters of the Wood, who often creep out of the forest by night and slip into the city to feast on the spirits of the innocent. Hope’s Stand is full of adventurers and merchants, a hub of activity in the area. Feyford is ruled by Lord Talstrom. The Sylvan Elves of the Whispering Wood, called the Carendar tribe, live in harmony with their ancestor spirits. Rumor has it that they float the dead into a pond located within their hidden glade. The flesh-eating bacteria and highly acidic water of the pond consumes the flesh and bones of the dead, leaving nothing but the sleeping spirit. On the new moon, the spirits of the dead rise from the lake, becoming specters. The Spectral Lords live in their own section of the wood, surrounded by phase spiders and lesser undead. The Sylvan Elves will occasionally venture into this wood to seek advice and favors from the Spectral Lords, but this usually comes at a cost. The recklessly anarchist Specters often demand Formatian blood in exchange for services. The Sylvans have no qualms with paying this fee. Undead Types: Lesser Undead are mindless. They have only a berserker urge to destroy the living. They cannot sense spirits, so if someone is faking dead, the undead will ignore them. Lesser undead have no special form or powers. Greater Undead have sentience. They begin to remember their past lives. They can speak, and slowly gain back the skills they have from life. Greater Undead choose one of three paths upon attaining sentience – the cursed, the diseased, and the skeletal. High Undead have advanced along their path. They are more powerful than Greater Undead, and can often have their own entourage of Greater Undead to serve them. Master Undead are legends, household names. The longer-lived ones become known across the continent. Myths form about these titanic warriors, such as Arc Serpentis and Desmond Formatia. Specters have no corporeal form, though they can still be damaged by silver weapons. The Spectrals are typically Sylvan Elves, created in the Whispering Wood. They have their own community, but have been known to venture outside the forest. Being Sylvan Elves (primarily), the Specters are angry at the human civilization and bear a deep grudge against the Empire. Specters tend to be mages due to their weak physical strength. Non-skeletal Undead can be re-created as specters. Vampires, for the most part, still appear as they died. Many can pass off as human so long as they have fed recently. They drink the blood of the living in order to further themselves. Vampires are terrified of the sun, being damaged by direct light. During the daytime, they sleep, often in coffins or sarcophaguses. More powerful vampires gain control over wolves and bats, and some have the ability to shape-shift into lesser forms. If a non-skeletal undead is fed Vampire blood, he may become a vampire. Mummies are undead who have been encased in special wrappings. They can place great curses on the living if their crypts are violated. Mummies are one of the few types of undead who still have great love for physical possessions. They often horde gold and jewelry, covering themselves in ancient fineries. Mummies are severely burned by fire, being harmed twice as much as any other undead. Undead can become mummies by a special ceremony. Cursed Undead are relatives of the specters. They have lesser cursing abilities, parallel to specters. This is one of the three paths that undead may choose when they reach sentience. Skeletal Undead are the first to lose their flesh. They are the warriors of the undead. At later stages, they are called Death Knights. Their bones are brittle and can be damaged by strong blows. Skeletal Undead have little resistance to magic, though they are quick and agile. This is one of the three paths that undead may choose when they reach sentience. Diseased Undead are rotting corpses. They are covered with flies and maggots, wallowing in the filth of the dead. They can project their filth at people, causing nausea and sickness. This is one of the three paths that undead may choose when they reach sentience. PC Undead Progression In order to gain a blood point, the undead must kneel by the body as the spirit is leaving. As soon as an undead hits the minimum number of blood points for a category, his type upgrades- so if a greater undead at any point has 50 blood points, he becomes a High undead. Losing blood points will not push him back to a Greater Undead. Undead may buy powers from previous levels of their type-- so a High Cursed can buy from the Greater Cursed table, as well as the Lesser Undead table, however a High Vampire may not buy from the Greater Cursed table even if the Vampire was at one point a Cursed undead. Blood points may only be spent before or after adventures. All skills/powers bought must be shown to a host. PCs begin as a lesser undead who has just attained sentience. They must choose to be a Cursed, Diseased, or Skeletal undead. Through in-game means, they may become a vampire, mummy, or specter. Skeletal undead are restricted from becoming Vampires. Progression: Lesser Undead ? Greater Cursed ? High Cursed (Wraith) ? Master Cursed Lesser Undead ? Greater Diseased ? High Diseased (Revenant) ? Master Diseased Lesser Undead ? Greater Skeletal ? High Skeletal (Death Knight) ? Master Skeletal Non-Skeletal ? Greater Vampire ? High Vampire (Arch Vampire) ? Master Vampire Any Undead ? Greater Mummy ? High Mummy (Pharaoh) ? Master Mummy Any Undead ? Greater Specter ? High Specter (Spectral Lord) ? Master Specter Lesser Undead [under 10 blood] (zombies) Bonus: No effect to charm, disease, healing, death, life 1: HP + 5 Greater Cursed [10 blood] Automatic flaw: 15 damage from Remove Curse 2: "Curse Disarm" by packet x1 4: "Curse Immobilize" by packet x1 5: Invisibility (as per spell) x1 10: Permanent Claws at 2 damage. Add weapon profs. Greater Skeletal [10 blood] Automatic flaw: 15 damage from Crush attack that hits body or claw 2: HP + 12 10: Permanent Claws at 3 damage. Add weapon profs. 4: Critical Attack x1 5: Parry x1 Greater Diseased [10 blood] Automatic flaw: 15 damage from Remove Disease 2: "Feeble Disease" by packet x1 10: Permanent Claws at 2 damage. Add weapon profs. 4: "Plague Disease" by packet x1 5: "Weakness Disease" by packet x2 Greater Vampire [10 blood] Automatic Flaw: 10 damage per minute from sunlight Bonus: Will reform at crypt if not deathblowed with a wooden, silver, or mithril weapon 3: +1 strength for one hour 4: Cast one spell by 5 second eye contact 5: "Charm Mesmerize" by packet x1 Greater Mummy [10 blood] Automatic Flaw: 2x damage from flame Automatic Flaw: Must stay within 100 feet of jar containing heart Automatic Flaw: crumble to dust if heart is destroyed 3: "Curse Plague" by packet x1 4: Lesser Mummy Curse (RP effects only) 5: Special attack: Weakness Disease x1 Greater Specter [10 blood] Automatic Flaw: 20 damage from Remove Curse Bonus: Silver to-hit 10: Permanent Claws at 2 damage. Add weapon profs. 4: Invisibility (as per spell) x1 5: Phase x1 High Cursed [50 blood] (Lich) 3: Resist Remove Curse x1 4: "Curse Silence" x1 4: "Fear Curse" by packet x2 5: Magic to-hit for one hour 6: Phase x1 High Skeletal [50 blood] (Death Knight) 3: Resist Crush x1 4: +2 strength for one hour 4: Special Attack: Gash x1 5: Silver to-hit for one hour 6: Dodge x1 High Diseased [50 blood] (Revenant) 3: Resist Remove Disease x1 4: "Silence Disease" x1 4: HP + 24 5: Silver To-Hit for one hour 6: "Confusion Disease" x1 High Vampire [50 blood] (Arch Vampire) 3: +2 strength for one hour 4: Shapeshift to Rat, Bat, or Wolf for one hour. Animal may speak but not use PC skills. 4: Control Rats, Bats, Wolves by voice for one hour 5: "Charm Enslave" by packet x1 High Mummy [50 blood] (Pharoh) 3: "Curse Fear" by packet x3 4: Greater Mummy Curse (See Notes and Host) 4: +2 strength for one hour 5: Special attack: Sleep Disease x1 High Specter [50 blood] (Spectral Lord) 3: "Curse Fear" by packet x3 4: "Curse Paralyze" by packet x1 4: Magic to-Hit for an hour 5: 3-count Teleport within line of sight Master Level Undead [150 blood] Master Level undead may customize their powers. See Host to negotiate powers and abilities. Notes on Greater Mummy Curse: Can inflict lasting damage or special damage from certain effects. Negotiate effects with host. Some suggestions: 2x damage from flame, -1 to all magical healing received, impotence, may not use racial skills, next life spell does not effect, -4 HP in sunlight... All mummy curses are removed by three remove curse spells or resurrection. |
| Breathless: The Undead Campaign |