Prelude
This is NOT the whole rulebook, just bits and pieces that people have quoted
from time to time.
An exception are the SB_* files, these have massive amounts of real text
scanned in by a list member.
Some of the actual commentary is also included, if I thought it was short,
clear, and pertinent.
Quoting copyrighted works for the purpose of criticism and commentary is not a
violation of copyright, so the attributed persons need not worry.
The act of collating them into a single place MAY be a violation of copyright -
feel free to report me to West End Games. If they care enough about it then I
will start caring.
Contents
Misc
World Books
Ammunition
Garrett Taylor
Starting from the section on Ammunition
firing a 'burst'/"multiple times at the same target" costs 3
rounds worth of ammo. Cross-referencing with the MOO Table and
keeping in mind that values in torg *should* be logrithmic - leads
to those 3 rounds 'ganging up' on the target for a +3 bonus.
Coincidentaly, the 'single fire as multi' option is worth +3. I
don't think that it would be a stretch to conclude that firing a
'burst' is firing three rounds.
For the situation of firing *two* bullets at Evil Guy you would be
giving him a +3 for 2 rounds - compare to +3 for 3 rounds from my
argument above.
Mechanics of Playing SubPlot Cards
Aardy R. DeVarque
Rulebook
Page 25
At the end of each scene, pick up the cards from your pool (but
see "Special Cards," below) and put them back in your hand; then reduce your
hand down to four cards by discarding the extras. After that (or if you
have four or fewer cards to begin with), you may discard one card you no
longer wish to hold in your hand. Now draw to fill your hand to four cards.
There are three types of cards that are specially tinted with
only gamemaster colors; these cards do not count against your hand total of
four at the end of a scene. Once played, they remain on the table (they are
considered to be "in your pool" even if the scene is not in rounds) until
they are used, or until the end of the adventure. These three types of
cards are SUBPLOT cards, CONNECTION cards, and ALERTNESS cards.
Subplots...do not count against your hand total when
replenishing your hand, and they are not picked up once placed in your pool.
If you would rather not play a subplot, you may discard the
subplot instead of putting it in your pool; you gain one Possibility for
doing so...Once you ACCEPT a subplot, you cannot later discard it for a
Possibility.
The gamemaster can disallow any subplot card that he feels does
not fit into the story. If the gamemaster disallows a subplot, discard the
card and gain one Possibility.
If you and the gamemaster accept a subplot, put the subplot in
you pool, where it stays until the end of the adventure. As a bonus for
accepting a subplot, you receive one extra Possibility at the end of EACH ACT.
Page 66
Once [subplot cards are] in play they stay in the pool for the
rest of the adventure.
By making the subplots into cards that each player has the
option to play or not, no player is forced to participate in a subplot that
he does not want. The player decides for himself what entangelments he
wishes to take for his character.
When a player plays a subplot into his pool, he may either claim
it or immediately discard it for one Possibility.
If a player plays a subplot and wants to keep it, and if you
have a subplot prepared for that card (or if, during the course of the
adventure you have seen how to work it in to the story) the player's
character takes on that subplot. If the subplot simply will not work in
that in the adventure, the player is awarded the Possibility and the card
must be discarded.
Page 67
A subplot card is left face up in the player's pool for the rest
of the adventure, but does not count against his limit of four cards for his
hand.
Subplot cards may not be traded.
A player may only have one subplot per adventure.
A character who has a subplot face up gains an additional
Possibility at the end of each act, to reward the player for taking on the
exciting, but sometimes detrimental, effects of the subplot.
If a player takes on a subplot and then consistently ignores the
story elements of that subplot, you should reduce the award his character
receives at the end of the adventure.
Page 68
The player of a character with a subplot may want to retain the
subplot for his character. To do this he, or another player, plays the
CAMPAIGN card while the subplot card is active (face up in the player's
pool). A player must agree to have his subplot become a campaign element,
even if another player lays down the CAMPAIGN card. The game master must
also approve the subplot as a campaign.
[Quin's (campaigned romance) love interest] may not be involved
in all adventures (he's a busy fellow, trotting all over the globe and
such), but when she is involved in an adventure, Quin automatically starts
with a ROMANCE subplot noted on his character template....the gamemaster
will have here there, waiting with a subplot. This, of course, gives Quinn
extra Possibilities at the end of each act.
The CAMPAIGN card, if discarded or disapproved, is worth one
Possibility, as any other subplot.
Pages 68 - 69
At the end of a scene all players must pick up all cards from
their pools (except subplots, ALERTNESS, and CONNECTION). Multiple cards
MUST be discarded if the hand is greater than four cards; one card MAY be
discarded if hte hand is at four or fewer cards. Once all discards are
made, a player can rebuild her hand back up to four cards.
Gah. Really poor wording on their part. This could be argued to say that
if there are more than four cards in a player's pool, then he only has to
discard any duplicates, so the player can possibly start the next scene with
more than four cards. That's *not* the correct interpretation, as the other
variations of the Law of Four state, but it's still really poor wording for
a book with no index for cross-referencing of such mentions...
High Lord's Guide
Page 14
If a player chooses not to pursue a subplot dealt him from the
deck--or if the gamemaster cannot figure a way to work the subplot into his
adventure--the player receives a Possibility, but does not receive a card to
replace the one his is discarding.
Orrorsh Sourcebook
Page 63
For one fear point the [Horror] may: -Take one card from any
player's pool. If no cards are in pools yet, the gamemaster may draw a card
at random from a player's hand. The creature may spend additional fear
points to steal additional cards.
Rulebook
Contents
Axiom
5
10
19
45
58
65
66
67
68
69
76
82
83
88
91
92
97
98
100
101
104
105
106
113
125
126
141
Axiom
Social
Garrett Taylor
- 13
- Financial concepts develop rapidly.
The idea of a company or royal monopoly,
a non-family owned venture sponsored by several partners, is possible.
Stock, commodities and financial exchanges possible.
The concept of collateral is invented.
Long fiction (novels) are possible.
- 15
- The nation-state is possible; while a city or province may rule a nation,
the nation as a whole has some say in forming policy.
A federal system of government possible.
- 17
- The "denaturization and/or miniaturization" of time possible,
i.e. the concept of a precise and arbitrary system for measuring time in
subunits of a day, even when at odds with local astronomical time.
- 18
- Economics, and the conceptof man as an economic being, is invented.
Capitalism, socialism and communism possible.
Page 5
Aardy R. DeVarque
At the end of each scene, pick up the cards from your pool
(but see "Special Cards," below) and put them back in your hand; then
reduce your hand down to four cards by discarding the extras. After that
(or if you have four or fewer cards to begin with), you may discard one
card you no longer wish to hold in your hand. Now draw to fill your hand
to four cards.
Page 10
Jim Ogle
In heroic fiction, characters who are friends move mountains to
help each other or defeat a common enemy... Try to come up with
a reason your character would feel friendship toward at least one
other member of the party... there has to be enough chemistry
to bond the group together through all the travails and troubles
ahead...
Page 19 - 20
The Reality Skill
Garrett Taylor
Characters with the reality skill are called possibility-rated
characters, because they can store possibility energy using this
skill. Possibility-rated characters are better connected to the
possibility energy of their cosm, giving them several advantages
over nonrated characters. For example, nonrated characters, or Ords,
roll the die again only on a 10, giving them far less of a chance of
performing a spectacular feat.
Uses of the Skill
If your equipment or abilities fail because of the difference in
realities, your Reality skill may get them to function once again.
You may try once per round to get your equipment or abilities
working.
The reality skill may be used to invoke a reality storm, a contest
between two possibility-rated characters from different cosms. The
contest is fierce and quite dangerous, ending with one opponent
stripped of all his Possibilities. A storm can drain you of
Possibilities, cause increasing physical damage to the area,
transform you over to the reality of your attacker, even lock you
into a swirling maelstrom of primal possibility energy, a cycle of
creation and destruction which may never end. Reality storms are
therefore to be used only with extreme caution. They can destroy
your character.
Ords
The Possibility Raiders coined the term "Ords" as a derogatory
contraction of "ordinaries" when referring to beings without the
reality skill. The usage has become common in all the cosms. 'While
Ords are more restricted than possibility-rated characters, they can
be quite powerful, as the only criterion for being an Ord is the
lack of a reality skill. The largest giant in the fantasy realm,
with strength enough to lift buildings, would still be considered an
Ord if he did not have the reality skill.
Stormers and Storm Knights
When the Possibility Raiders invade a cosm, one consequence is the
huge reality storms caused by the intermixing of two separate axiom
sets. These storms, filled with possibility energy that wrack and
warp reality, often create the conditions by which heroes reach
their potential and become possibility-rated characters. As the
Raiders observed that these heroes were found most frequently in the
wake of a storm, they called them "stormers".
One hero, a Tolwyn Tancred of the Aysle cosm, decided to use the
truth in the Possibility Raiders name, but to coin a more noble
title. She created the term Storm Knights to refer to those heroes
who oppose the High Lords and the other Possibility Raiders.
Page 20
Improving Attributes and Skills in the Player section
Steven S. DeSanto
If a skill requires knowledge not native to your character's cosm the cost
of learning the skill is doubled.
Page 45-47
Multiple Actions
Page 58
Reality
Garrett Taylor
This is a unique ability which carries a character's reality with
him into other cosms (see Gamemaster Chapter Eight). Reality
responds favorably to those with the reality skill, as opposed to
Ords, who do not have the skill. Without reality, a character cannot
store Possibilties. Reality is also the skill that a character uses
in a "reality storm," an extremely drastic form of conflict. How to
fight a storm battle is described in Gamemaster Chapter Nine.
Reality cannot be used unskilled.
Page 65
Roundhouse
HERO: The hero can be played to gain an extra
possibility for any acion. [...] Villains may negate a hero card used for an
additional roll, just as they can a regular possibility.
Page 66
Aardy R. DeVarque
By making the subplots into cards that each player has the
option to play or not, no player is forced to participate in a subplot
that he does not want. The player decides for himself what entangelments
he wishes to take for his character.
When a player plays a subplot into his pool, he may either
claim it or immediately discard it for one Possibility.
Page 67
Aardy R. DeVarque
Subplot cards may not be traded.
A player may only have one subplot per adventure.
Page 68
Aardy R. DeVarque
The player of a character with a subplot may want to retain
the subplot for his character. To do this he, or another player, plays
the CAMPAIGN card while the subplot card is active (face up in the
player's pool). A player must agree to have his subplot become a campaign
element, even if another player lays down the CAMPAIGN card. The game
master must also approve the subplot as a campaign.
[Quin's (campaigned romance) love interest] may not be
involved in all adventures (he's a busy fellow, trotting all over the
globe and such), but when she is involved in an adventure, Quin
automatically starts with a ROMANCE subplot noted on his character
template....the gamemaster will have here there, waiting with a subplot.
This, of course, gives Quinn extra Possibilities at the end of each act.
The CAMPAIGN card, if discarded or disapproved, is worth one
Possibility, as any other subplot.
Pages 68 - 69
Aardy R. DeVarque
At the end of a scene all players must pick up all cards
from their pools (except subplots, ALERTNESS, and CONNECTION). Multiple
cards MUST be discarded if the hand is greater than four cards; one card
MAY be discarded if the hand is at four or fewer cards. Once all discards
are made, a player can rebuild her hand back up to four cards.
Page 76
Jim Ogle
Any Os taken before a K result have no effect, and are not recorded.
Jim Ogle
Reality Storm:
Originally I thought it was total vs total and ran it that way for quite
some time but according to the rulebook and the Storm Knights Guide (page 76)
it's the same as normal combat, generated attack skill total compared
to the defender's skill value and you read the result points off of the
chart to find the 'damage'.
Page 82
Jim Ogle
an entire universe which was, at the time of its creation, physically
seperate from every other cosm
Pages 82 - 83
Jim Ogle
When the two cosms were linked, another, accidental discovery was
made: the clash of two realities caused a violent flux of energy,
dubbed a reality storm...as the two realities came into conflict, raw
possibility energy was unleashed by the "Everlaws" of the cosmverse...
this energy would ultimately explode into the violence of a reality
storm as nature attempted to reconcile the existence of two seperate
cosms in one place.
Jim Ogle
The realm is that part of the invaded cosm whose laws are changed by
the High Lord.
Page 88
Michael Vieths
For each new cosm invaded and subjugated, the Darkness Device can either
increase an attribute of the High Lord's choice by one to seven points,
depending on the possibility energy of the cosm, or grant the High Lord
three to 15 additional skill adds, again depending on the possibility
energy of the cosm. This is the only method by which a High Lord may
increases his skills and attributes.
Page 89
Jim Ogle
To become Torg means to fully merge with a Darkness Device
Page 91
Jim Ogle
[The Everlaws] are believed to be universal truths that hold from
cosm to cosm, no matter what the differences between the cosms.
Page 92
Jim Ogle
But there is an underlying structure in all cosms; each is built on
axioms, natural laws that define the limits of a cosm and the way the
cosm works within those limits... There are four areas governed by
axioms: Magical, Social, Spiritual and Technological.
Jim Ogle
A low axiom level may be the result of natural
laws or, more commonly, of a weak link between the living and unliving
aspects of the world. However weak the link, though, the unliving world
may still affect the living.
Page 97
Jim Ogle
axioms impose boundaries on what is possible within a world, but the
boundaries are flexible.
Page 98 - 99
Jim Ogle
Hardpoint: "An unliving object can have a strong connection with the
cosm in which it was created; such a connection can cause it to become
a hardpoint. The object continues to serve as a source for the unliving
laws of a cosm, even when totally surrounded by the rules of a foreign
cosm.
The connection is flexible and tough, but is it immobile. If you move
an object which was a hardpoint, it loses its properties in a matter of
hours, becoming useless within 20 hours, sometimes as little as 30
minutes.
Most hardpoints project an axiom zone; within this zone the axioms the
object apply, not those of the surrounding cosm. The radius of effect
depends on the object's mass, and whether or not it has absorbed significant
spiritual energy from the inhabitants of the cosm. The maximum radius
is given by this formula:
Radius Value = Weight Value/2 (round down) + Spirit Value
The axiom zone within a hardpoint's radius is a dominant area...
halving the radius value (rounding down) yields the value of the pure
zone radius.
For unknown reasons, some hardpoints have much smaller radii, or
none at all. Such objects maintain the axioms only for the object
itself.
Talismans: "A talisman is a mobile hardpoint that has been specially
altered, usually by a High Lord. A talisman decays at a slower rate
than an uprooted hardpoint, and may be recharged with the reality of
its land. To recharge a talisman requires an area with the axioms of
the talisman's home cosm, and possibility energy. The recharge time
is half as long as the decay time of talisman.
While the High Lords have the most knowledge about creating talismans,
those opposed to the Possibility Raiders have ways of creating talismans
as well. Often these talismans are created subconsciously, and so the
users have no idea how to recharge them.
Page 100
second column
Daniel J. Macchia
Until the link is repaired the
character may not use or roll for any tool whose axiom levels exceeds the
axioms of the current location. He may, however, exceed his own axioms
if they are lower than the axioms of the cosm he is in.
Jim Ogle
A character in her home cosm may repair the link without the
tool that was being used when the link was destroyed.
Page 101
Jim Ogle
A character who is transformed loses all of his possibility energy.
In addition, he now conforms to the new laws of the land, having been
successfully altered by the Everlaw of One...he cannot create any
kind of contradictory reality, for he has been completely drained of
possibility energy. If he crosses over into a different realm, he
must exist by the rules of both realms. The only way this is possible
is to take the lower axiom of each pair.
Page 104
Certain stories can even serve as a spark for
the Everlaw of Two, a slender thread of idea which the Law strengthens to
reconnect a person to her former reality.
Page 105
Jim Ogle
The reality storm seals off the contestants from all other beings,
objects, or energy...The Everlaw of One tries to minimize the number
of variables with which it must work; nothing affects the contestants
other than themselves until the storm is over.
Page 106
first column, "Transform"
Patrick McGraw
There is a chance that the transformed character will physically
transform into a denizen of the cosm which defeated him. Have the loser
make an immediate contradiction check (he is the 'tool' to which the cosm
objects). If the player rolls a 1, the character is physically
transformed into a being native to the cosm which defeated him.
Page 113
Jim Ogle
Magicians learn spells from grimoires... Once
learned, it is not necessary to consult the grimoire when casting the
spell. A magician may cast a spell from a written grimoire without
learning it first, and still receive the benefits of a grimoire spell.
Page 125
Jim Ogle
Agnostic target of a Spectaculr miracle will convert:
The only thing in the rulebook is that someone with no Faith
who is the subject of a Spectacular miracle will convert, though I'd swear
it says somewhere else that a Spectacular miracle can also convert someone
who has Faith in a different religion, not just agnostics.
Page 126
Jim Ogle
a worshipper's faith tenuously connects her with the originating cosm,
as well as other members of the community who hold the same faith.
Page 141
Jim Ogle
On Core Earth, no attribute may exceed 13.
High Lord's Guide
Page 14
Aardy R. DeVarque
If a player chooses not to pursue a subplot dealt him from the
deck--or if the gamemaster cannot figure a way to work the subplot into
his adventure--the player receives a Possibility, but does not receive a
card to replace the one he is discarding.
Infiniverse Update
Jim Ogle
Infiniverse Update #2 (originally in Iverse#30 I believe):
Dex Str Tou Per Min Cha Spi
Race 13 13 13 13 13 13 13
Tharkold 17 19 24 24 25 17 24
Cosms which aren't listed have straight 13's like Core Earth.
Dex Str Tou Per Min Cha Spi
Aysle 14 15 15 14 14 13 13
Living Land 13 14 14 13 13 12 14
Tharkold 17 19 24 24 25 17 24
Tz'Ravok 14 17 16 13 13 13 13
Atlantis 13 13 14 13 13 13 13
Characters from the Nile and the Land Below may have one attribute as
high as 14.
Pixaud's Practical Grimoire
Spell Design Instructions
Nile Sourcebook
Page 32
Saxon Brenton
Grand Temple of Ra in Thebes with "the gigantic artficial sun
suspened on posts above it"; raised on astronomically auspicious days at
dawn and lowered one hour after sunset, giving Karnak, Luxor and Thebes
an extra hour of daylight; "the sun rises to a height of 40 miles while
crossing the sky"; at low intensity raises temp by 10 degrees, at maximum
raises temp by 30 degrees [I presume Farenheight]; also used in military
campaigns; energy bolt with explosive burst radius in meters of
0-1500/2500/4000, damage value 55, range in miles of 0-60/100/150; builds
up charges at rate of 1/month, with maximum of 6 such charges being held
at any time; Dr. Mobius has built an 'engramometer helmet' onto firing
circuit, so it is attuned to fire its energy bolts only at his command.
Aysle
Casting
Permanent Magic
Throrvald's Observation
Page 57
Jim Ogle
The non-pattern magic skills used in creating
a spell "are only used to initially open up the window and bring (the
spell pattern) from the supernatural into the natural world.
Page 78
Jim Ogle
When a learned grimoire spell is cast,
the three magic skills other than the pattern skill are already
woven into the pattern.
There is one benefit to casting a learned grimoire spell over casting an
unlearned grimoire spell, according to the SB: when casting
an unlearned grimoire spell the Difficulty and Backlash are both
increased by four. And of course the magician doesn't have to stand
there reading out of a book. 8-)
Cyber Papacy
Page 8
John Field
Such is the rule of the High Lord, Pope Jean Malraux I, that none dispute
this medeival view of the world. And as Pope Jean Malraux's hold over his
cosm is absolute, Magna Verita does indeed conform to this perverse version
of Catholic truth.
Delphi Council
Page 9
Jasyn Jones
Over 98 percent of Core Earth still exists under the Tech 23 axiom level.
Page 52
David Molinar
In the box titled "A mixture of Magic And technology"
... Dwarven and Human Engineers Have been working to crete items that
work on both principles of Earth science and Ayliush Magic. They have
created guns that will fire bullets either using gunpowder or the Metal
knowledge(you just have to flip a switch)
... Goes on to describe a computer with a "bottle spirit" in it.
Nile
Staffan Johansson
The third law is the Law of Action. This law allows [blah, blah...New
paragraph]
In accordance with this law [blah, blah...New paragraph]
In addition, characters from the Terran cosm or from the Nile Empire
realm can have a single attribute as high as 14, rather than the normal
maximum of 13.
Page 68
Jim Ogle
Characters never acquire new powers once play begins;
they are stuck with those they already possess.
Nippon Tech
Page 14
Garrett Taylor
1st column - second pagagraph:
As would be expected, anti-pollution devices have become a major
industry in Marketplace. Along with air and water filtration systems for
buildings, manufacturers produce goggles to protect the eyes from smog,
PureAll chemical testing kits for water, and UV-resistant fashions. Perhaps
the most innovative step has been taken by a division of Asuga Hovercraft
in Hanwa, which opened an anti-pollution devices company, and at the same
time constructed a factory that produces nothing but pollution. No goods
are actually manufactured in this building, but gallons of waste and clouds
of thick, black smoke are pumped out every day.
Orrorsh
Page 63
Aardy R. DeVarque
For one fear point the [Horror] may: -Take one card from any
player's pool. If no cards are in pools yet, the gamemaster may draw a
card at random from a player's hand. The creature may spend additional
fear points to steal additional cards.
Space Gods Sourcebook
Page 98
Disconnecting with Biotech
David Molinar
Biotech requires the high Tech. and Spiritual axioms
of the Akasan realm to function properly.
I Under stand the tech axiom, But what link does biotech have to the Spirit
axiom?
Tharkold
Attribute Limits
Jim Ogle
Tharkoldu attribute limits
Dex Str Tou Per Min Cha Spi
Techno-Demon 13 17 17 13 13 12 12
Alpha 13 19 19 13 13 13 13
Greater Alpha 15 19 20 16 16 16 16
Demon Lord 16 20 23 20 20 19 19
Demon Prince 18 21 26 25 25 24 24
Miracle
Garrett Taylor
Good of the Race
Spiritual Rating: 9
Community Rating: 6
Difficulty: 1O
Range:touch
Duration: na
Effect: Judges the fitness of newborns
This tragic miracle came into being during the various times in the history
of the Race when a community could not afford to support anyone who would
not contribute to racial survival. It was, and on occasion still is,
invoked to test infants whose fitness is in question. The miracle will
instantly and painlessly kill a baby that is too sickly to grow to healthy
adulthood.
Apparently weak infants who survive this test frequently turn out to be
possibility-rated in later life. [bogus - transcendance can't be pre-seen]
Page 107-109
Garrett Taylor
Technomagical Implants
Page 109
Masakazu Ohshiro
If the demon disconnects, the LifeCyber keeps working.
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