oh, irony ~

In contemplating various ways to reskin the Therion basic ruleset, I think -- when I finish smoothing out and collecting the first draft into one document -- that the entire flavour of the game will change.

I like the idea of the human-therion interaction, I really do. But what I have written looks to work even better as a little game of people in power armour ~

So that, I think, might be my first semi-polished version. Time will tell.

What can I say? I love mecha ~

first draft: experience rewards

Of course, characters do not remain static; they learn from their experiences and gain new ability and skills. This is reflected in the experience points which are gained during play.


Gaining Experience

Experience points are rewarded by the referee based on the actions made by the characters during a game session. Some examples of xp rewards are:

Defeat weak adversary: 1 xp
Defeat average adversary: 2-3 xp
Defeat major adversary: 4-5 xp
Achieve minor goal: 2 xp
Achieve major goal: 4 xp
Especially cunning plan, enjoyable play, etc: 1 xp
Complete adventure/story arc: 5-10 xp


Spending Experience

Stat: desired stat x1; x2 if above 5
Skill: 2 per skill point
-> 3 per weapon skill point
-> 3 per dodge skill point

(it is possible for therion to gain skills via XP)

Hit Points: 2 per HP

Base Attack: 15 per 5% (10 for therion)

Mana Pool: 3 per MP
New Spell: MP cost of spell

Therion Skill: 5

Gaining Magic Ability?: 50?


In some campaigns it may be permissable to "cash in" experience points for currency or equipment, representing a "windfall" or treasure reward. 100 currency per xp is a workable starting baseline.

first draft: wonders

In many campaigns -- especially those with a more fantastical bent -- characters may discover equipment and objects with enchanted properties. These wonders may be weapons, magic wands, or very nearly any other item imaginable.

A few examples of wonders are:


Curative: This pearly liquid, stored in a golden flask, heals 5 hit points when consumed.

Thundercrash: When thrown, this smoky glass sphere explodes, unleashing lightning that causes 3 hit points of damage.

Gourd Tent: Plant this shimmering seed and a giant pumpkin sprouts, large enough to allow a person and therion to sleep in its dry, hollow interior.

Flameblade: All damage dealt by the translucent red blade of this sword is treated as fire (elemental) damage. If held against flammable substances for a minute, the sword may ignite them.

Kjala's Boon: This amulet of bluestone and pearls lessens all damage received by 1 point, and all ice-based damage by 2 points.

Lance of the Winds: This spear is of mirror-bright steel and has a barbed head. Its supernaturally-sharp edges inflict 10 hit points of damage.

Seastar: Each of these prickly sea-green jewels stores a single mana point. The seastar crumbles when its mana is used.

Rhyyah's Circlet: This delicate golden circlet grants a +1 bonus to Mystic Armour.

first draft: magic

Magic always comes at a price, and this is as true in the Therion RPG as it is in so many other places. A character with the ability to use magic (or psionics, or whatever “theme” a particular player may choose) loses aptitude elsewhere in exchange for that gift.

* A magic-using character receives only 7 points to put into stats and 15 points to put into skills.

* A magic-using character begins knowing a number of spells equal to their Psyche stat, and may “purchase” more spells at a cost of one skill point per spell. The character gains a pool of “mana points” equal to their Psyche stat multiplied by 2, and may likewise buy additional points using skill points.

* Casting spells: Casting a spell takes a number of segments equal to its MP cost divided by 2, to a minimum of 1 segment. The basic rules of the Therion RPG do not require more than intent and the ability to pinpoint the target of a spell.

* Expended MP are regained after a suitable rest period, such as a good night's sleep.

* Learning more spells: Copies of spells may be acquired in-game. These copies may be used to cast the spell they contain with a +1 surcharge to the MP cost. A character may learn a spell from such a copy by paying XP equal to its casting cost.

* Multiple spellcasters may pool their MP to cast a spell normally out of reach because of its MP cost.

* Mystic Armour is a stat that decreases the chance of a spell taking effect. There is a 5% chance of spell failure for every point of Mystic Armour.


Sample Spells

Simple Healing: regain 3 hit points. Cost: 1 MP
Advanced Healing: regain 7 hit points. Cost: 3 MP
Basic Blast: inflict 4 hit points of damage to a target. Cost: 2 MP
Powerblast: inflict 10 hit points of damage to a target. Cost: 4 MP
Detect Magic: identifies sources of magic within 100'. Cost: 1 MP
Dispel Magic: nullifies the affects of one spell, or suppresses an ongoing effect for one hour. Cost: 4 MP
Cure Affliction: removes poison or disease. Cost: 3 MP
Hex: give a target -2 to all modifiers for one hour. Cost: 5 MP
Curse: give a target -4 to all modifiers for one hour, or -2 until dispelled. Cost: 10 MP
Hide Magic: makes a spell or object appear mundane for a day. Cost: 3 MP
Fly: grants the ability to fly. Cost: 3 MP/hour
Elementality: grants an inanimate object the attributes of an element. Cost: 6 MP
Barrier: grants +3 Armour for an hour. Cost: 2 MP
Mystic Barrier: grants +3 Mystic Armour for an hour. Cost: 4 MP
Manablade: weapon of magical energy, lasts for 10 segments. Cost: 1 MP/2 points of damage
Mindspeech: speak telepathically. Cost: 1 MP/hour
Charm: turn subject into ally. Cost: 3 MP


Beast Skill: natural spellcaster -- gain knowledge of one spell and an MP pool equal to Psyche score

Beast Skill: bonus MP -- gain +5 MP.

first draft: equipment

Everybody needs gear to help them get by, even if that gear is just a change of clothes and a bite to eat. The TherionRPG offers a basic equipment list, but of course players may expand these lists for their own games.

Prices are given in “Currency” (cn.); this generic label may be swapped out for a more specific one; coin denominations, shells, metal ingots, sparks of mana, credits, corncobs – whatever works for the game.


Weapons

Knife D: 2, 1 cn.
Shortsword D: 4, 6 cn.
Longsword D: 6, 20 cn.
Bow D: 4, ranged, 8 cn.
Arrows, quiver of 12 2 cn.
Spear D: 5, ranged, 4 cn.
Axe D: 8, 18 cn.


Armour

Leather Ar: 2, 6 cn.
Buff Jacket Ar: 3, 10 cn.
Scale Ar: 4, 25 cn.
Maille Ar: 6, 50 cn.
Breastplate Ar: 8, 100 cn.
Fullplate Ar: 10, 500 cn.


Gear

Rations, 1 day: ½ cn.
Rations, 1 week: 3 cn.
Clothes, set: 5 cn.
Fancy Clothes, set: 20 cn.
Pack: 2 cn.
Tent: 7 cn.
Sleeping Roll: 4 cn.
Writing Kit: 5 cn.
Lantern: 2 cn.
Oil Flask: 1 cn.
Candle: 1/10 cn.
Waterskin: 1 cn.
Skill Kit: 10 cn.
Skill Kit, +5% bonus: 50 cn.

first draft: beasts

Any creature (and, perhaps, even some plants) may be encountered by a character, but only cetain beasts -- therions -- may be linked with. By forging a link, the two become effectively one and the therion's abilities join with those of the human character.

All therion possess their own stats, as characters do. Likewise they have hit points, which pool with those of the character when the link is being actively used. However, when in combat a therion's stat modifiers, as well as any special bond-granted modifiers, are added to those of the human character to create one pool. A therion's unique abilities also become accessible, within reason -- the human "half" of a link will not suddenly grow wings, but contact with a beast with resistance to flame will cause that resistance to be shared.

All therion possess a base attack of 5, though the exact form of the attack differs by beast type, and an effective "weapon skill" of 50% modified for Strength; a therion also possesses a special skill, chosen from the list below.

Small beasts have lower stats and deal only a base damage of 2, but gain two special skills.


Felid
Str: 3 Agi: 4 For: 2 Psy: 3 Attack: claws or fang Armour: 2 Dodge: 25%
Bond Skill: +1 initiative

Canid
Str: 3 Agi: 3 For: 3 Psy: 3 Attack: fang Armour: 2 Dodge: 40%
Bond Skill: +1 Armour

Avian
Str: 2 Agi: 5 For: 2 Psy: 3 Attack: claws or beak Armour: 2 Dodge: 60%
Bond Skill: +1 initiative (+2 if avian is non-volant)

Ungulate
Str: 4 Agi: 4 For: 2 Psy: 2 Attack: hooves or horns Armour: 3 Dodge: 40%
Bond Skill: +10% Dodge

Reptilian
Str: 3 Agi: 2 For: 5 Psy: 2 Attack: fang Armour: 3 Dodge: 20%
Bond Skill: +2 Armour

Ursid
Str: 5 Agi: 2 For: 4 Psy: 2 Attack: claws or fang Armour: 3 Dodge: 20%
Bond Skill: --

Draco
Str: 4 Agi: 3 For: 4 Psy: 4 Attack: claws or fang Armour: 4 Dodge: 25%
Bond Skill: --

Gryph
Str: 3 Agi: 4 For: 3 Psy: 4 Attack: claws or beak Armour: 2 Dodge: 40%
Bond Skill: --


Small Beasts

Felid: Str: 1 Agi: 3 For: 1 Psy: 3
Canid: Str: 2 Agi: 2 For: 1 Psy: 2
Avian: Str: 1 Agi: 3 For: 1 Psy: 2
Ungulate: Str: 2 Agi: 3 For: 1 Psy: 2
Reptilian: Str: 1 Agi: 3 For: 1 Psy: 3
Draco: Str: 2 Agi: 3 For: 2 Psy: 3
Gryph: Str: 1 Agi: 3 For: 2 Psy: 3


Special Skills

- +1 modifier to a stat
- +5 hit points
- increased damage: special attack (horn or horns, barbed tail, sabre fangs, etc) at 8 base damage
- increased base damage: +1 to base damage
- elemental attack: special attack, 6 damage, may be ranged
- flight (for non-avians)
- +2 Armour
- +10% Dodge
- +10% to attack skill
- elemental resistance (half damage)
- aquatic (shared with contact)

* special attacks have a 50% chance of success but may be modified by experience

first draft: combat

Combat in the TherionRPG is fairly straightforward: calculate your percentage chance to hit, then roll percentile. If you succeed, subtract your target's Armour from the base damage you inflict; the target loses the remainder from their current hit points.

Let's break this down, shall we?


Initiative

Initiative is determined by a percentile roll, with the highest score acting first and so continuing on down the line. Initiative may be adjusted in the following ways:

+5% per Psyche modifier
some therion companions may give bonuses to Initiative
some spells or enchanted items may give bonuses to Initiative


Attacking

The base chance to hit a target is 30%. This value is modified in the following ways:

+5% per Strength modifier (for melee weapons)
+5% per Agility modifier (for ranged or thrown weapons)
+10% per point in an appropriate weapon Skill

So, for example, if a character had a +2 modifier for Strength, 3 points in Shortsword skill and was wielding a shortsword, their chance to hit would be 70%.


Dodging

Being able to get out of the way of an incoming attack is a good thing! That's where dodging comes in. A character's Dodge value subtracts from the attacks chance to hit, and is scored as follows:

+5% per Agility modifier
+5% per point in Dodge Skill
and some therion companions also affect Dodge.

So, if the above character with 70% chance to hit attacked with a shortsword and their target had a +1 modifier to Agility and 2 skill points spent on the Dodge skill, they would have a 55% chance to hit.


Armour

Your character's Armour stat is, as noted in the entry on character stats, provided by armour and other equipment, by a therion companion if applicable, and if magic is used in the campaign some spells may raise or lower Armour.

For example, a shortsword has a Damage of 6. If a successful attack is made against a character with an Armour of 3, 3 points of damage are dealt.

Mystic Armour

If used in a game, Mystic Armour works on the same principle as the Armour stat, lessening damage from spells and other magical sources.


Damage

Every weapon (and other sources of potential damage) possesses a Damage score. Barehanded, a human inflicts 1 hit point of damage. This base damage may be increased by:

+1 point per Strength modifier
some spells may augment damage dealt by individuals or objects


Healing and Death

If a character is dropped to 0 hit points, they fall unconscious and will lose one further hit point per round, unless treated, until they reach -(their Fortitude score), at which point the character dies.

With rest but no medical attention, a character will heal a number of hit points per day equal to their Fortitude modifier or a minimum of 1 hit point. Application of an appropriate medical Skill allows the recovery of the character's Fortitude in hit points per day. Healing items or magic, if applicable, can speed the process up considerably.


Poison

Rare poisons have unusual effects, such as paralysis or loss of stats; but most poisons cause a loss of hit points over a given period of time, such 2 hit points per round for five rounds. A character's Fortitude modifier can lower the damage caused by poison or even negate it entirely.