Runebearer Grunj Racebook(1), Podreczniki RPG, Runebearer

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Grunj
often have an isolated, but thriving community of small,
grunj-owned businesses.
Description
Grunj are furry, humanoids standing between 3.5 and 4.5
feet tall. They have proportions similar to humans. Their
fur comes in varying shades of black, white, gray, and
brown. Most grunj have single-colored fur, but some have
spotted or striped markings. Grunj have snouts instead of
noses and short, pointed ears on the top of their heads. To
humans, the grunj look like humanoid dogs.
Other grunj have forsaken the Bostonian cities and moved
to remote locations in western Bostonia. It is not unheard
of to find a village of grunj existing in the depths of a
remote forest, or valley.
Family
Grunj females often have litters of 5-8 babies. However,
because of the small size of the children at birth, most of
them die before 2 weeks. Usually, one child will survive,
sometimes two. Because of this, grunj babies are
considered rawfwaul (ROF – waul) for the first month
after their birth. Rawfwaul means “between lives”. Grunj
feed and care for children who are rawfwaul, but will not
name them, and do not mourn their loss. Once a child
survives his first month, they are considered waulac
(WAL – auk), meaning “all here”. The waulac child is
named and becomes an official part of the family.
Grunj in Bostonia
According to grunj history, they grunj existed long before
humans emerged from the sea. Their once proud
civilization was torn by the battles of powerful warlords
who coveted the lands as their own. A few of these
warlords discovered caches of ancient weaponry. Soon
after they unleashed these terrible weapons on their foes, a
sickness spread among the grunj, and a staggering
percentage of them were killed.
The grunj civilization was devastated and the remnants of
their race dissolved into chaos as opportunists scrambled
to acquire as much wealth and power as possible in their
newly depopulated land. A small community of grunj fled
the lawless land and migrated to the coast, where they
founded a society based on pacifism.
Possibly because of the high death rate in grunj litters,
grunj are very gentle and loving with their children.
Waulac children are showered with gi fts and attention for
the first few years of their lives, and until they are about
10, their lives are filled with play. Once a grunj reaches 10
years of age, they are expected to help the family by
working. Very few grunj children attend school, but some
have tutors, or are taught to read by the Church.
When human tribes emerged from the sea, they
encountered the grunj and began aggressively settling
their lands. The pacifist grunj welcomed their new
neighbors. Those tribes that knew Stratus and Aestra
shared their religion with the grunj. The grunj found the
story of the ancients and Stratus to mirror their own
shameful past and many of them flocked to worship the
human gods.
A typical grunj family might consist of a mother and a
father living in a one or two room dwelling with 4-6
children. Families are close, but extended families living in
the same community are rare. Once children reach the age
of 15 or so, they are expected to hashcoi (HASH – co),
meaning wander. The grunj leaves his parents’
community and travels to find a new home.
Today, most grunj live as part of human society. Grunj
follow the laws of Bostonia, pay taxes to its lords, and
worship in its Church. Most Bostonian cities have ghettos
called "Grunjtowns" in which most of the grunj live. Grunj
are second-class citizens of Bostonia. While they are
allowed to work, do business, and even own a small
amount of property, they are not permitted to take part in
government, or hold a title in a guild, or enter the Church.
Grunjtowns
Most large Bostonian towns have a grunj neighborhood in
which the majority of grunj live and work. These
grunjtowns are often the poorest and most run-down
neighborhoods in the city. The buildings are dilapidated,
and the streets are muddy and pitted. Nevertheless,
grunjtowns will often have their own shops, inns,
churches, and even craftsmen that cater to grunj.
In addition to their second-class status, most Bostonians
hold a great prejudice against grunj. They are thought to
be dirty, unintelligent, and lazy. Many Bostonians will not
buy from grunj, or socialize with them. They are often
found performing manual tasks, or as servants to wealthy
Bostonians. A fortunate few make their living as
journeyman craftsmen or assistants to guildsmen.
The scope of these businesses depends on the size of the
grunjtown, and the disposition of the town’s regular
guilds. Some town guilds are sympathetic to the grunj and
allow the stores to run as though they were normal
human-run guild shops. Others collect high “dues” from
their grunj counterparts, or try to force grunj-owned
businesses to fold.
Because of the poor treatment of grunj in Bostonian
society, grunj who are resourceful enough to own their
own business usually cater to their own kind. Grunjtowns
1
Grunjtowns have their own unofficial governments. Grunj
elders and leaders will gather and make decisions about
their community. So metimes this committee, called a cach
(pronounced like catch), will collect money from the local
businesses to fund a public works project. The cach has
little power outside of grunjtown. If a matter is pressing
enough, the cach will consult the local priest who will
speak on behalf of the community.
Racial Traits
•
Attuned to the Spirit World:
Grunj have the unique
ability to perceive the spirit world. All grunj are
attuned to spirits and will often feel "chills" if a
nearby spirit has noticed them. Grunj shamans are
trained to hone their spirit sight and can see and
interact with spirits that are intangible and invisible
to others. In game terms, this spirit sense gives grunj
the ability to sense spirits that are close to the grunj
and have noticed him. The grunj has the ability to
notice such spirits 75% of the time. In addition, the
grunj can get a feel of the nature of the spirit (“It is a
fire spirit” or “It is a wolf spirit”) and the general
disposition of the spirit as well.
Bostonians tend to avoid grunjtowns because of their
disdain for the grunj. Conversely, grunj congregate there
because they feel comfortable there, and they have a better
chance of being accepted, finding work, etc.
Philosophy
•
Bilingual:
Most grunj spend their lives dealing with
Bostonians as well as their own race. Grunj who grow
up in or near Bostonian communities speak Bostonian
at level 3 as well as their native tongue. At the GM’s
discretion, a grunj character that comes from a rural
grunj village might NOT have this advantage.
Because of their history of war, nearly all grunj are
pacifists. They believe it is wrong to kill any sentient being
and will only kill for food. Most will even forego violence
in self-defense, preferring to flee or die before taking a life.
Grunj that forsake the pacifist norms are exiled from their
homes.
Templates
Religion
Hunter
When the grunj first encountered humans, they were
fascinated by the stories of the ancients’ fall. The grunj
identified with the tale of ancient mages dabbling in
forbidden magic and being destroyed for it. Many grunj
thought that their race had also been punished for its
hubris and desire for power. Because the teachings of the
Father deeply touched them, thousands of grunj converted
to the worship of Stratus and Aestra.
Climb
Combat: Bow +1
Combat: Knife
Craft: Furrier
Craft: Trapper
Kn: Game Animals
Kn: Regional Geography +1
Navigate
Survival (Choose 2 Regions & Set Snares)
Swim
Track
+27 Buy Points
Today, most grunj are devout followers of the Bostonian
Church. Grunj are not permitted to hold any position
within the Church; even the lowly position of Lay
Minister is beyond them. Regardless, grunj support the
Church by donating their money and services. Many
churches have several grunj volunteers that clean and
maintain the building. Churches in grunjtowns, or grunj
villages often retain “assistants” to advise the priests on
grunj issues.
Description
Hunters are grunj trained in archery, trapping, and
survival. They spend much of their time in the woods and
hills, hunting and setting traps. In rural villages, grunj
hunters are respected members of society. The meat and
fur they bring to the community are invaluable sources of
nourishment, clothing, and trade goods. In human
communities, grunj hunters are often hired as guides for
their survival skills, and regional knowledge.
Rules
Stat Modifiers
•
STR -3
Suggested Attributes:
DEX/PER/INT
•
AGI +1
•
TOU -3
Suggested Limitations:
•
WIL +2
•
SPI +2
•
PER +1
2
The Horde is named after the dreadful howl they let out
just before engaging in battle. The entire company will
growl, snarl, spit, and howl as though they were feral
beasts. The chorus of howls makes the Horde’s opponents
afraid and many have fled upon hearing it.
Adviser
Conversation +1
Kn: Church Hierarchy
Kn: Church Law
Kn: Local Grunj Community +2
Kn: Local Politics +1
Etiquette
Literate
Orate +1
Persuasion +1
Theology
+31 Buy Points
Suggested Attributes:
INT/CHA/PER
Suggested Limitations:
Cachi
Administrate +1
City Contacts: 4 pts.
Craft: Choose +1
Kn: City Officials
Kn: Grunj Community +1
Kn: Local Politics +2
Literate
Orate
Persuade +1
Trade +2
+25 Buy Points
Description
Most churches of Stratus that operate in grunj
communities retain an intelligent and literate grunj to
advise the Ilpaders on grunj affairs. These grunj are called
advisers. The Church provides advisers with religious
instruction, but they are not ordained, or permitted to
hold any office within the parish.
Advisers are intermediaries between the human priests
and the grunj in the parish. They teach the priests about
their people, provide advice on grunj customs, and act as
translators for grunj who do not speak Bostonian. Because
they have the ears of the priests, advisers are held in high
esteem among their peers.
Description
A cachi (CATCH – ee) is a member of a grunj committee
that oversees a grunjtown. They and their fel low
committee members deal with the Bostonian authorities to
protect the grunj under their care, and provide them with
better living conditions. Their work is complicated by the
miserable conditions of most grunjtowns and the
prejudice grunj face in the human world. To combat the
attitudes they face, cachi learn the workings of their city
inside and out. They learn to speak persuasively, and to
make friends whenever possible.
Suggested Attributes:
INT/CHA/PER
Suggested Limitations:
Howling Horde
Acrobat
Breakfall
Climb
Combat: Pole
Combat: Thrown
Juggling +2
Medical
Missile Deflection
Ritual Spell: Howl
+25 Buy Points
Suggested Attributes:
INT/CHA/PER
Suggested Limitations:
Shaman
Ancient Knowledg e
1 Bound Spirit
Herbalism
Kn: Spirits +1
Meditate
Ritual Spells: 6 Points
Ritual: Spirit Bind
Spirit Combat: Choose +1
Spirit Combat: Choose
Spirit Sight Power
+20 Buy Points
Description
The Howling Horde is a mercenary company of grunj who
have forsaken the pacifist ways of their brethren. The
Horde is 50 strong and its members fight as skirmishers,
using short spears and javelins. Horde warriors use a
fighting style that consists of tumbles and acrobatic
dodges to confound their opponents. This unique styl e
includes a maneuver where the horde member whirls his
spear about his head and shoulders, forming a barrier
against sling stones, spears, and arrows.
Description
Grunj shamans are powerful mages who bind spirits to do
their bidding. This template represents a shaman with
some minor experience including a spirit bound in a
previous encounter. Shamans are experts at finding spirits
and confronting them with cunning, or sheer willpower.
Suggested Attributes:
INT/WIL/SPI
3
•
Grunj can feel spirits, and grunj shamans can see and
interact with the spirit world.
Suggested Limitations:
•
Spirits can appear to mortals in dreams.
Shaman’s Apprentice
Like mundane creatures, spirits are defined by their
attributes, skills, and powers.
Ancient Knowledge
Herbalism
Kn: Spirits
Ritual: Spirit Bind
Spirit Combat: Choose
Spirit Sight Power
+50 Saved Checks
+20 Buy Points
Spirit Attributes
All spirits have the attributes INT, WIL, SPI, CHA, and
PER. In addition, they have the figured stat hit points:
Hit Points = (2xWIL + SPI + 8)
Spirits also have an additional figured stat called power.
Power is a measure of the magical energy of the spirit, and
its ability to affect the world. Spirits with low power can
do little but roam and spy on the mortal realm. Spirits
with high power scores can affect the real world by
moving objects, summoning creatures, possessing living
beings, and possibly even manifesting a physical form.
Description
This weak template represents a young grunj who has
recently started along the path to becoming a shaman.
Suggested Attributes:
INT/WIL/SPI
Suggested Limitations:
Power = (2xSPI + WIL + INT)
The Spirit World
Spirit Skills
Bostonians believe that when Stratus destroyed the
ancient world, millions of creatures were killed. The
spirits of these dead did not pass on to the afterlife, but
instead were condemned to roam the mortal world and be
ever tormented by its sights, sounds, and smells. Spirits
are everywhere, lurking just beyond consciousness,
watching with jealousy as mortals go about their lives.
Spirits can have any skills in the game. Spirits of
intelligent creatures retain the skills they had at the time of
their death. Because spirits do not perceive time as mortals
do, a spirit’s skills do not degrade, even through
thousands of years of disuse.
All spirits have the skills spirit walking, and one or more
spirit combat skills.
The Nature of Spirits
Spirit Powers
Spirits are manifestations of dead souls. They are the souls
of ancients that succumbed to the Deceiver and his
Church of Immortality, or the souls of pagans and those
forsaken by the Mother and Father. Other spirits are those
of animals, or powerful elementals that existed at the time
of the fireseeds.
In addition to attributes and skills, most spirits have
powers that allow them to produce magical effects. These
effects are unique to each spirit and can be anything the
GM can imagine. Common powers are magical attacks,
powers that allow the spirit to confuse, or charm mortals,
illusions, and summons.
Spirits can roam the spirit world and see mortal creatures.
They have no physical form, and can only affect the real
world with tremendous effort. In addition, spirits are
invisible and cannot be detected in normal circumstances.
However, there are times when spirits are visible to
mortals.
New Skills
These skills are typically limited to spirits, and grunj
shaman. At the GM’s discretion, other types of characters
can learn these skills, but there would have to be a very
good reason.
•
Bostonians believe that feverish, or delirious children
can see into the spirit plane.
All of the following skills cost 3/5/9/15 points to buy,
and take 5 improvement points to increase. All of the
following skills default to “half”, except for dream
combat, which defaults to “none”.
•
Spirits can appear as shadows, movement,
momentary reflections, or a glimpse out of the corner
of someone’s eye. Bostonians’ eyes never deceive
them – they are seeing spirits.
Combat: Dream
Dream combat is based on the attributes INT/WIL/SPI.
•
Some spells and artifacts can cause spirits to appear,
and some can even trap them.
•
Spirits cast reflections in spirit iron, and so can be
seen as reflections in many magical items, and
enchanted weapons.
•
Through great effort, or by having tremendous
power, spirits can sometimes affect the mortal world.
4
This skill is the ability to create changes in a dream
environment. Some spirits have the ability to trap a
character in a nightmare, and then manipulate the
nightmare to frighten the character, drive him insane, or
even kill him.
The spirit world corresponds to our own world. However,
movement in the spirit world is based on thought and
memory. If a spirit can find a place in his memory or
thoughts, he can appear there instantly. Finding a place
takes time, and requires that the spirit remembers it, or
has knowledge of it.
A successful combat: dream test allows the character to
alter the dream to suit his needs. The difficulty of the test
depends on the magnitude of the changes desired.
Generally, the GM can assign a difficulty by determining a
circle of spell that would generate a similar effect.
Spi rit walking is the ability of a spirit to find a location
and travel to it. The difficulty of the roll is based on the
familiarity the spirit has with the location in question. A
failed roll means that the spirit has to try again after the
proper amount of time takes place.
Situation
Example 1
st
Circle Effects
(DL 6-10)
•
Minor attacks and defenses that affect one individual
(2d4-2d6)
DL
Time
No knowledge of place
26+
1-6
months
•
Changing the temperature by 10 degrees
Traveler has been told of a place
20-24
1-6 days
•
Creating/destroying a small item that fits perfectly
with the paradigm of the dream
Traveler has been told of a place
in detail, has seen pictures
16-18
1-6 hours
•
Enhancing a stat or skill by a couple of points (1-2, +1
bonus)
Traveler has been to a place once
or twice
12-14
1-6
minutes
•
Making cosmetic changes in the environment
(changing an object’s color, changing the type of
flowers in a forest)
Traveler has frequented a place
8-10
10-60
seconds
•
Summoning or controlling a trivial creature (an insect,
a small rode nt)
Traveler has intimate knowledge
of a place
4-6
1 second
Spirit Combat
Example 2
nd
Circle Effects
(DL 12-14)
•
Moderate attacks and defenses that affect one
individual (2d8-2d10)
When a shaman encounters a hostile spirit, then combat is
possible. There are four types of spirit combat possible. All
spirits will not be able to engage in all types of combat.
The nature of the spirit determines what combat he can
initiate.
•
Minor attacks that affect more than one individual
•
Enhancing a stat or skill by a few points (3-4, +2
bonus)
•
Creating minor, but meaningful changes in the
environment (day to night, stopping it from raining)
In all types of spirit combat, the goal is to reduce your
opponent’s power low enough so that they might be
bound or possessed. To bind a spirit, the shaman must use
the Bind Spirit ritual spell while engaged in spirit combat.
On the other hand, if the spirit reduces the shaman’s
power to 0, he may possess, kill, or curse the shaman.
•
Summoning a minor creature (dog, wolf)
Example 3
rd
Circle Effects
(DL 16-18)
•
Example 4
th
Circle Effects
(DL 20+)
•
Altering the paradigm of the dream
Dream Combat
In dream combat, the spirit and the shaman duel in a
dream world. Typically, the spirit initiates dream combat
when the shaman is asleep. The landscape and initial
conditions of the dream are random, or determined by the
spirit. Only spirits that are intelligent can use dream
combat.
Combat: Riddle
Riddle combat is based on the attributes INT/INT/SPI.
This skill is the ability of the caster to create riddles,
paradoxes, and metaphysical quandaries. It also measures
the skill of the caster at finding answers to such questions.
Once the combat is entered, combatants can act just as
they would in the real world (with whatever weird
conditions the GM wants to impose on the dream world).
Combatants with the skill combat: dream can alter the
conditions of the dream by succeeding at a skill test.
Combat: Willpower
Willpower
combat
is
based
on
the
attributes
WIL/WIL/SPI.
This skill is the ability of the caster to withstand attacks on
his will, and direct attacks on the will of a spirit opponent.
In addition to drawing the shaman into the dream combat,
a spirit will also draw nearby sleeping mortals into the
conflict. These mortals can act in the dream world, but
cannot perform any dream alterations if they have combat:
dream.
Spirit Walking
Spirit walking is based on SPI/WIL/PER.
5
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Runebearer Grunj Racebook(1), Podreczniki RPG, Runebearer

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