H AZAAR

B
ARPERS

Issue #7

August 2006

Introduction

Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................ 1
What Level is that Barmaid anyway? ................ 2
New Professions & Cyradon .............................. 3
Enchant Key Revisted .......................................... 5
Game Mastering 101 ........................................... 9
12 Magical Rings ............................................... 12

Welcome to the seventh issue of the HARPers

Bazaar. Things have been a bit hectic at work recently,
so this issue does not have an overall theme like
several recent issues have had. However, it does
contain a good selection of articles covering a wide
range of topics.
As always, I hope that you enjoy the material that you
find here, and that you come back for more next time.

WARNING! All Items in this PDF should be

considered optional and completely unofficial.

Credits
Author: Tim Dugger, Heike Kubasch
Editing: Tim Dugger, Heike Kubasch
Proofreading: Heike Kubasch, Monica Wilson
Pagemaking, & Layout: Tim Dugger
Artwork: Joel Biske, John Dollar, Eric Hotz,
Jeff Laubenstein, Colin Throm

ICE Staff
CEO: Bruce Neidlinger
President: Heike Kubasch
Office Manager/Cust. Service: Lori Dugger
Editor/Jack-of-All-Trades: Tim Dugger
Pagemaking: Sherry Robinson
Web Mistress: Monica L. Wilson
Office Cats: Rajah, Pheobe, & Matsi
My House Cats: Bandit, Coco, & Rascal
HARPers Bazaar Copyright 2006 by Aurigas Aldebaran LLC. All rights reserved. No reproductions without permission.
Produced and distributed by Mjolnir LLC, dba Iron Crown Enterprises 112 Goodman Street, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902.
Web: www.harphq.com and www.ironcrown.com.

HARPers Bazaar

Issue #7

WHAT LEVEL IS THAT BARMAID ANYWAY?

Note: These rules are only for determining the levels
of NPCs. Under no circumstances do they or should they
ever apply to player characterseven those out of play.
Contrary to popular player beliefs, killing monsters,
especially in HARP, is not the only way to go up levels.
The majority of the NPCs that characters encounter in
fantasy settings will be well above first level. To determine
the level of a random NPC the GM should take several
factors into account:

So what level is that bar maid in the FOO pub?

Sophy is 25 years old, which means that she is probably
at least fourth level. The GM does some quick thinking
about Sophy and comes up with the following facts:
1.

Sophy started working in the FOO pub part time

at age 16 to earn extra money. This early experience
is worth at least one additional level.
2. At 25 Sophy is single, but has turned down
plenty of offers.
3. Working in the FOO pub for 9 years has brought
her in contact with many interesting individuals.
She has had many opportunities to learn a variety
of unique skills including magic and some combat
skills from adventurers. Sophie actively seeks out
the company of adventurers and wheedles them
into teaching her new things.
4. Sophy works in the FOO pub because she likes the
people and the money is good.
The GM considers all these factors and decides that
Sophy is about tenth level. She has a mean right hook, and
some skill with a dagger and quarter staff. She can cast all
of the cantrips, and spells such as Minor Healing, Arcane
Bolt, Water Breathing, Transcription, and Repel Pests. Her
experience as bar maid has also given her the following
skills: First Aid, Persuasion, Streetwise, Trading, Perception,
and Brawling and some Lore skills. These are just the
obvious skillsSophie probably has a many more skills.

Age: How old is the individual? Page 25 of HARP

suggests adding one level for each age increment
of that the character or the NPC is above the
starting age. For humans, this works out to one
level for every 2 years above the age of 18. The
average 30 year old will be about seventh level
just through normal life experiences. In game
terms, this translates to up to 24 skill ranks in
skills the person has chosen to actively study.
Environment: What are the individuals
surroundings like? Are they living in a quiet
backwater, a lively metropolis, or a war zone?
People living in and surviving in high-stress
environments will likely be higher than
average level. What kind of educational
opportunities are available to the individual?
Does his or her lifestyle bring them into
contact with unusual individuals?
Personality: This is a sum total of
the persons ambitions and
interests. Adventurers tend to
be higher level than the general
population because they are
ambitious, actively seek out
interesting situations, and
make the most of their
opportunities to learn new
skills. Ambitious,
hardworking, intelligent and
well-educated people will likely
be higher level than
individuals satisfied with the
status quo. In this situation
Education is more than just
book learning, it also refers to
a persons craft training. All in
all, personality is probably the
most important factor in
determining level. Some
people may never rise above
fifth or sixth level no matter
how old they get, simply
because they cease to learn.

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Issue #7

What about other NPCs? A master craftsperson

is by default fourteenth level, since 40 skill ranks are
required to reach master level. A competent village
blacksmith will be about fifth level, while a savvy
experienced merchant can easily be fifteenth level or
higher. Most of the NPCs will not be spending all of their
Development Points each level, but there are always
exceptions.

NPC
Dedicated
Under-Achiever
Average
Individual
Ambitious,
Hardworking
*Stressful Life
Experience
*Backwater
Environment
*Access to
Education

NEW PROFESSIONS & CYRADON

Several issues of HARPers Bazaar, and more recently
The Codex, have added a number of new professions to
HARP. However, none of these new professions have been
discussed in relation to HARPs premier setting, Cyradon. The
following is a short overview of each of those professions, and
how they might best be incorporated into Cyradon.

PALADINS

NCP Level Guide

Level Range

The Paladin first appeared in HB #2, and he is

essentially a spell-using warrior for his deity. Paladins are
required to follow a code of ethics as set forth by their
religion, and the Paladin profession itself may be
customized according to its deity as well.
There are several distinct cultures and orders that may
support Paladins. From Anias, we have the Lightbringers of
Tarahir. This is actually two distinct orders, the
Lightbringers and the Firebrands. Of the two, the Firebrands
could easily be considered to be Paladins of Memra.
The order of The True Spear, a Skaldi religious order
could also easily support lesser branch of the order who
are Paladins. The order itself is primarily an order of
warrior-priests, so it is no small stretch of the imagination
to see Paladins as a welcome addition to their ranks.
Far to the south, in the Dwarven homelands, it is
also possible that one might find Paladins there as well.
Any Dwarven Paladins are most likely to be dedicated to
Vasila, and her aspect of protection.
Among the Gryx, it may be possible, though rare, to
find Paladins dedicated to the Shrine deities Rasa and
Rema, although Remanic Paladins tend to be more
volatile than most other types of Paladins.
On the continent of Cyradon itself, it will also be
easy to find Paladins. Among the Nagazi, the Sage,
Menhit, is a god of both law and war, among other
things. The Nagazi could quite easily have a small order
of Paladins who are seen as special protectors of the
Nagazi culture. Although dedicated to all 7 of the Sages,
the Paladins would be chosen or selected during the
annual festival held in honor of Menhit.
It is possible that there may even be Paladins among
the Janieal and Desnian cultures. However, if a GM is
going to allow such Paladins, they would likely to be
based upon the Spirit World information that is found in
HB #6, since the Arali are very spirit-oriented.

1st - 5th level max.

Add 1 level for each age increment
over the racial starting age.
Add 1 - 2 levels for each increment
over the racial starting age.
Add 1 5 levels to the persons
overall level depending on the
circumstances.
Add .5 levels for each age increment
over the racial starting age.
Add 1 5 levels to the persons overall
level. (Only if the individual is at least
average; underachievers do not benefit
from these opportunities.)

Stressful Life Experience: War (escaping the fall of New

Tarahir), plague, major crisis, individual suddenly
thrust into a leadership position.
Backwater Environment: Nothing to do but watch the
plants grow or the paint dry, or alternatively, a highly
sheltered environment.
Access to Education: A university, a gifted mentor, great
tutors, guild schooling, first class professional or
craft training.

BEASTMASTERS
The Beastmaster first appeared in HB #3. He is a
non-spell-user who specializes in the communication
with and the mastery of animals of all types.
Beastmasters will always be found among the more rural
cultures, and only very, very rarely be found among
cultures that lean more towards urban centers.
From Anias, Beastmasters are more likely to appear
among the Skaldi, the Sithi and the Gryx cultures. From
far to the south, there is a race of small beings who live in

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Issue #7

the Western Jungles, and who are friendly with the

Mablung Dwarves. It is very possible to find
Beastmasters among them as well.
From Cyradon, Beastmasters are more likely to be
found among the Rhona Gnomes and the Danae Elves than
any of the more civilized cultures. Beastmasters would likely
be found among the Nagaral and Aoifar cultures as well.

From Cyradon, it is likely to be found that the Arali

culture, both Janieal and Desnian, are more likely to
produce Adventurers than any other culture. The Nagaral
running a close second on producing Adventurers and
the Nagazi a distant third. The other cultures to be found
on Cyradon are all just as likely to produce the occasional
Adventurer, though this would be a very rare occurrence.

SHAMANS

DRUIDS

Shamans are masters of the Spirit World. They deal

with all sorts of spirits, although some cultures may deal
with just a single type of spirit or with a single type more
often than not. They first appeared in HB #6.
From Anias, the Sithi are the largest practitioners of
shamanism. Their deities are basically ancient and
powerful spirits that have grown immensely from their
humble beginnings ages ago. The Gryx could also be
considered to be practicing shamanism, due to their
veneration of the Shrine Deities of the Juras Mountains.
From Cyradon, the Rhona Gnomes, the Danae Elves,
the Arali Elves, and even the Gryphons all practice varying
forms of shamanism.
The Rhona Gnomes worship three powerful spirits
embodied in their totems of the Sun, Moon, and Earth.
Their practices involved venerating these three totem
spirits, and each tribes actual methods may vary slightly
from one to the next.
The Arali and the Danae Elves all practice Ancestor
Worship. And the Arali even have a variant version of the
spell, Spirit Travel, which allows them to move large
numbers of troops from one location to another relatively
quickly when compared to more conventional methods.
The Gryphons do not worship any specific spirits.
Theirs is a highly animistic belief, where everything is
possessed of a spirit, every rock, every plant, and every
animal. These spirits are known as Yazatas. The Gryphons
do not worship them, but they do respect them and might
ask them for intercession from time to time.
And finally, the Schirae also most likely practice
shamanism to a high degree. However, it is much more
likely that they like to capture and use the spirits without
any regard for the spirits themselves.

Druids were introduced in The Codex, and they are

essentially a nature-oriented magic user. It is not certain if
their power comes from nature itself, from a deity, or
from ambient mana like most other spell users.
On Anias, Druids are most likely to be found among
the Sithi and Skaldi cultures, although it is almost as likely
that they would be found among the Gryx as well.
Druids are unlikely to appear in any other Anias cultures.
On Cyradon, Druids can most likely be found among
the Rhona Gnomes, the Aoifar, and the Danae Elves than
among any other culture. It is possible that a Druid may
appear among the Gryphons or Nagazi, but it is highly
unlikely that one would appear among the Arali Elves.

MYSTICS
Introduced in The Codex, Mystics are masters of
spells relating to the mind and to mental powers, such as
misdirection, seeing the past and the future, and sensing
what is going on in other locations.
It doesnt matter what cultures are involved, Mystics
are just as likely to be present as any other type of Mage.
However, the Tarahiri, Janieal, Desnian, Nagazi and
Ashari cultures are quite likely to be where more Mystics
can be found than in any other culture.
The Ashari and the Desnians are likely to have more
Mystics than most any other culture simply because of
their desire to know what is going on elsewhere in what
they consider to be their realm.

SHADOWBLADES
Also introduced in The Codex, the Shadowblade is a
master of stealth and stealth related magics. Although he
can be found in just about any culture, he is more likely
to be found among the more civilized cultures than the
more rustic ones.
From Anias, Shadowblades are most likely from
Tarahir and the other Treaty Kingdoms than they are from
any other culture. Given the past of the Gryx, it is also likely
to find a few Shadowblade among their ranks as well.
Otherwise, Shadowblades are likely to be very rare.
From Cyradon, the Ashari, Desnian, and Nagaral
cultures are the three most likely candidates for cultivating
Shadowblades. The Gryphons might have a variant that
they call the Nighthawks, and it is possible that the Rhona
Gnomes and Danae Elves might have what they refer to as
Shadow Walkers, but both of these possibilities are likely to
be less violent overall than normal Shadowblades.

ADVENTURERS
Adventurers first appeared in The Codex. They are
the ultimate jack-of-all-trades, able to focus themselves
on what interests them, and even able to learn a number
of useful spells. Adventurers are more likely to be found
among any culture that has a fair amount of leisure time.
From Anias, Adventurers are more likely to be from
Tarahir, or the Treaty Kingdoms, or even from the
Theocracy of Asut, although any from this last are likely
to be outcasts and renegades from their homes. Mablung
Dwarves are another race that is likely to produce
Adventurers. While far less likely, it is still possible that
Adventurers might occasionally crop up among the Gryx,
Skaldi or the Sithi.

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Issue #7

ENCHANT KEY REVISITED

In a recent HARP product, The Codex, we introduced
a spell called Enchant Key. This spell was designed to
allow the creation of temporary magic items. We had
intended to include a section in the product devoted to
explaining and expanding upon the spell, but because of
space considerations, we decided to save the expanded
material for the HARPers Bazaar. In order to do this, we
will start off by reprinting the spell itself, and then
explaining the basics of how the spell works.

SPELL BASICS
The purpose of this spell is to allow mages to
create magical items that are meant to be part of a
larger structure or item that will need periodic
recharging. The word Key in the spells name refers
to keystone, such as the keystone of an arch, which is
what this spell was originally used to enchant and
from which it gains its name.

ENCHANT KEY
PP COST: 11
RANGE: Touch
DURATION: 1 Day
SPELL TYPE: Utility
RR:
SPHERES: Guild
DESCRIPTION: The caster may imbue an item with a
spell matrix capable of holding a spell of up to 5 PP,
with the eventual aim of creating a Key Item.
The base form of this spell embeds the spell or spell
effect into the Key Item being created by the caster. Once
complete, the Key Item remains dormant until 24 hours
after this spell is again cast on the Key Item using the
Activate Key Item scaling option. Other scaling options
may also be used to set specific targets or trigger effects.
This spell has a number of special scaling options:
Increase Matrix Potency: This allows higher-powered
spells to be added to Key Items on a 1 for 1 PP basis.
Activate Key Item: Cast on a Key Item once it has
been installed to make the imbedded spell active. This
scaling option is also used to recharge a Key Item,
allowing it to work for another year. This scaling
option may be used multiple times, each time
extending the basic active duration by 1 year.
Specific Target: This spell is cast prior to the
activation of the Key Item in order to set a specific
target for the spell that is activated when triggered.
Without the use of this spell, the target is the person or
object that triggered the spell.
Set Simple Trigger Event: Unless a Key Item is made
using the Constant Effect scaling option, it requires a
trigger. Use of this scaling option allows the caster to
set a simple trigger event.
Set Complex Trigger Event: Unless a Key Item is
made using the Constant Effect scaling option, it
requires a trigger. Use of this scaling option allows the
caster to set a complex trigger event.
Decrease Recharge Time: This scaling option
allows an imbedded spell to be triggered more often
than once per hour.

HARPers Bazaar

Trigger Effect: This scaling option allows the

imbedded spell to be activated every time that the
trigger event happens. The imbedded spell also causes
the spell to remain active so long as the trigger
condition is met. This may not be used with attack
spells or spells that do not have a specific duration.
Constant Effect: This scaling option allows the
imbedded spell effect to remain active all the time.
This may not be used with attack spells or spells that
do not have a specific duration.
Universal Key Item: This scaling option has 2 uses.
If used while creating the Key Item it allows any spell
caster who knows this spell to activate, recharge, and
set targets and triggers. This scaling option also
allows a spell caster to work on Key Items created by
another caster who did not use this option.
Area Effect: This scaling option allows the caster to
have a spell effect work on an area that is 10 x 10 x 10
in size. It can only be used during the creation of the
Key Item and cannot be used with attack spells.
Increase Area: This scaling requires that the scaling
option, Area Effect, be used, and it increases the area
covered by the spell by an additional 10 cube.
SCALING OPTIONS:
Increase Matrix Potency (per +1 PP)
Activate Key Item (per year of activation)
Specific Target
Set Simple Trigger Event (per event)
Set Complex Trigger Event (per event)
Decrease Recharge Time (10 minutes)
Decrease Recharge Time (1 minute)
Decrease Recharge Time (10 rounds)
Decrease Recharge Time (5 rounds)
Decrease Recharge Time (2 rounds)
Trigger Effect
Constant Effect
Universal Key Item
Area Effect (10 x 10 x 10)
Increase Area (by an additional 10 cube)

+1 PP
+1 PP
+2 PP
+2 PP
+4 PP
+2 PP
+4 PP
+6 PP
+8 PP
+10 PP
+10 PP
+20 PP
+4 PP
+4 PP
+2 PP

Issue #7

The caster has to craft the item to be enchanted using

this spell. This item could be a stone to be used in
building an arch or a wall, a plank of wood used to make
a floor or ceiling beam, a piece of tile to be used in a
mosaic or perhaps a wall sconce. The item could be
anything that is used in building. The spell caster who is
creating the item must enchant it following the same rules
for enchanting an item using the Imbue spells from
College of Magics. The only exception is that the caster
does not have to use the Power Projection skill to seal the
sigil imbedded into the item. This spell does that for the
caster, but in a limited fashion.
Items created by this spell are known as Key Items
because they are used in the creation of other items. Key
Items are items that are integral to the item that they are
built into. For example, a stone wall would not be
considered whole if one of the stones was missing
from its center. A wooden floor would not be
considered whole if a plank was missing,
however, a missing nail would not
change whether the floor was
complete or not. Another
aspect of Key Items is
that they must be
accessible to the
mage, since he has
to be able to touch
the Key Item in
order to cast the
spell to activate it.
One major
feature of a Key
Item is that once
activated, it cannot
be moved from its
location without
canceling the magic
that activated it.
Depending upon
what spell is
imbedded in the Key
Item, this may not cause
problems, as the item will
work again once it has been reactivated.
Key Items built into structures such as walls or floors will
have problems if they are moved as the targets and
trigger portions of the spell take the surrounding
structure into effect, and moving it from that original
structure means that the target and trigger conditions can
most likely never be met.
This inability of movement also means that Key Items
are rarely incorporated into hinges or doors as they both
move, and the act of doing so would disrupt the spell.
However, mages have found it convenient to incorporate
Key Items into larger items that are rarely moved, such as

HARPers Bazaar

Cold Chests (see below). Even though the Cold Chest has
moving parts, the Key Item itself is not among those
moving parts, and people who own a Cold Chest know
that it is often better to wait until time to re-activate the
chest before moving it, or to have a mage on hand who can
re-activate it once the Chest itself has been moved.
When the caster has completed imbedding a spell
into an item, the Key Item is dormant, and spell within
cannot be triggered. This will allow workman to use the
item safely in the structure of a building or other object.
Once the item has been properly placed, and the
construction is finished, the spell caster returns and casts
this spell on the item again. The Key Item has to be
accessible as the spell requires the caster to touch it. This
time he uses one or more of the scaling options
for setting the target of the imbedded spell
and for setting up the trigger.
Once these have been set they can
never be changed. This is because
these scaling options
incorporate the
surrounding structure
into the spell itself. For
example, if one of the
stones used in
building the wall of
a room is
imbedded with
a spell that
casts Mage
Light on the
wall sconces
when somebody
enters the room,
then the whole
room, but not its
contents, has been
incorporated into the
spell. If that stone were
moved the spell would not
work as it would be missing
the sconces and the walls, ceiling,
and floor of the room. Also, if the
owner enlarged the room the original
structure, imbedded into the target/trigger portions of the
spell would no longer match the spell and the Key Item
would be disrupted. The only recourse would be to
replace the Key Item with a new one, and set up new
targets and triggers.
Finally, once all that has been done, the mage is now
ready to activate the Key Item. This time he uses the
scaling option, Activate Key Item, which makes the magic
item active 24 hours later. Once activated, the item will
work for 1 year for each time the scaling option, Activate
Key Item, was used in this final casting.

Issue #7

it accidentally. This is especially important if the spell

in the Key Item is meant as a trap.
Specific Target: The default of any spell in a Key
Item is for the imbedded spell to target the person or
thing that triggered the Key Item. Sometimes this is
not wanted. For example the Mage Light spell is
imbedded in a stone used in creating the doorway into
a room. By using this scaling option, the caster can set
the target(s) to be sconces built into the walls of the
room so that the Mage Light appears in the sconces
whenever somebody walks through the doorway. This
scaling option is used after the item is completed, but
before it is activated. Prior to activation, the caster
may cast this spell with this scaling option and one of
the Set XX Trigger Event options. Once a specific
target has been set, it can never be changed.
Set XX Trigger Event: There are two types of
trigger events: Simple and Complex. A Simple Trigger
Event is very simple, such as somebody comes within
5' of the item or whenever somebody enters the
room. In any case, a Simple Trigger Event is always a
single, simple action that triggers the imbedded spell.
Complex Trigger Events normally consist of multiple
actions in a specific sequence. This could consist of the
recitation of a small phrase, or placing several small
objects, such as colored stones, in a specific order, or
even more complex actions. One of these two scaling
options is always used, sometimes with the scaling
option, Specific Target, prior to the activation of the
Key Item. If one of these two options is not used to set
up the trigger events, then the item cannot cast its
imbedded spell. Once set, the trigger conditions for an
item can never be changed.
Decrease Recharge Time: Once the spell imbedded
into a Key Item has been activated, it will not activate
again for 1 hour unless one of these scaling options are
used. This scaling option may only be used during the
creation of the item, to set the recharge interval.

RECAP: KEY ITEM CREATION STEPS

The creation and activation of a Key Item breaks
down into 4 simple steps, as outlined below.
Step 1 Creation of the Key Item, and the enchanting of
the item. These two are grouped together because the caster of
the spell is required to create the item he is enchanting. He may
not use an item created by another person.
Step 2 Use the item in construction. This need not
be building construction as the examples at the end of
this article show. The Key Item may be used in making
any item that is rarely or never moved. The mage who
created the Key Item need not be involved in the
construction of the item it is to be used in.
Step 3 Set the targets and triggers. If the creator of
the item has used the Universal Key Item scaling option in
the creation of the Key Item, then any mage who knows
the Enchant Key spell may perform this step. Additionally,
even if the original creator has not used that scaling
option, a mage who knows the spell may use that scaling
option himself to set the targets and triggers on a Key
Item created by another. Once the target and triggers for
a given Key Item has been set, they can never be changed.
Step 4 Activate the Key Item. Just as with setting the
triggers and targets, if the Universal Key Item scaling
option has been used in the original creation of the Key
Item, then any mage may activate the Key Item using the
spell and the proper scaling option. If the Key Item had not
been made using that scaling option, then the mage who
activates the item must use it when they do the activation.

SCALING OPTION EXPLANATIONS

The Enchant Key spell has a number of scaling options
that may not seem entirely clear, so we will expand upon
them here, so that they are much easier to understand.
Increase Matrix Potency: The basic spell only
allows spells of up to 5 Power Points (PP) to be used
in creating items. With this scaling option, the caster
may use more powerful spells in the creation of items
as repeated use of this option increases the allowed
amount of power points to be imbedded on a 1 for 1
basis. This scaling option may only be used during
the initial imbedding of spells into an item.
Activate Key Item: This scaling option serves
two specific purposes: the first is to activate a
dormant Key Item and the second is to make that
activation last for 1 year. The caster may use this
scaling option multiple times when activating the
item and each use increases the activation time by an
additional year, though it is rare for a mage to create
a Key Item that lasts longer than 5 years before
needing to be recharged. In order to activate the item
the caster uses the Enchant Key spell with just this
scaling option, and no others. Once cast, the item
will become active 24 hours later. This allows time
for the caster and any others to remove themselves
from the area of the item so that they do not trigger

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Issue #7

Increase Area: This scaling requires that the Area

Effect scaling option, be used, and it increases the area
covered by the spell by an additional 10' cube. This
additional area does not increase the area effect in all
directions. The additional area is another 10' x 10' x 10'
cube that is added adjacently to one face of the original
cube, making an area that is 10'x 10' x 20'. Each time
that this scaling option is used, another 10' cube is
added to the total area. Each cube must have one face
that is adjacent to at least one face of another cube,
but these need not be in a straight line. This scaling
option may only be used during the creation of the
Key Item, and the Select Targer scaling option is used
to configure the layout of all the area cubes.

Trigger Effect: This scaling option allows the

imbedded spell to be activated every time the trigger
event happens. The imbedded spell remains active so
long as the trigger condition is met. This may not be
used with attack spells or spells that do not have a
specific duration. This scaling option may only be used
when the item is being created. A good example of this
would be a Key Item that casts Mage Light upon some
sconces along the wall of a room whenever somebody
is in the room. With this scaling option, the lights
would not have a set duration, but would remain alight
as long as a living being was in the room.
Constant Effect: This scaling option allows the
imbedded spell effect to remain active all the time. This
may not be used with attack spells or spells that do
not have a specific duration. This scaling option may
only be used when the item is being created. This
scaling option would allow for the creation of special
rooms that maintained a constant temperature, such
as small room that acts as a freezer.
Universal Key Item: This scaling option has 2
uses. If used while creating the Key Item, it allows any
spell caster who knows the spell, Enchant Key, to
activate, recharge, and set targets and triggers. This
scaling option also allows a spell caster to work on
Key Items created by another caster who did not use
this option during the creation of the item. This
means that if the original creator of the Key Item is
not around, another caster can still recharge that Key
Item even if it is hundreds of years later.
Area Effect: This scaling option allows the caster
to have a spell effect work on an area that is 10' x 10'
x 10' in size. It may only be used during the creation
of the Key Item and cannot be used with attack spells.
The Key Item is not the center point of the area
affect. In fact, the area to be affected by the spell is
not selected or defined until just prior to the
activation of the item. By using the Select Target
scaling option the caster sets the specific area to be
covered by the spell. The Key Item does not need to
be the center point of this area, it could be in the
middle of one side of the cube, or at one of its
corners, or anywhere else, so long as the area of
effect covers or is directly adjacent to the Key Item.

HARPers Bazaar

USING ENCHANT KEY

This Enchant Key spell is a major part of any
magically-advanced society. While most mages will create
their own personal items to be enduring and long-lasting,
they do not want to put themselves out of work, or make
the general populace less dependent upon themselves or
their services. That was one of the major reasons that this
spell and other spells like it were created.
It provides the mage, and those who follow in his
footsteps, an opportunity for a recurring income. The
potential for the recurring income is so great, that mages
often charge much less for the creation of Key Items than
they would for permanent items of the same type.
Some excellent examples of uses of Key Items that
can often be found in highly magical societies include, but
are not limited to, the following:
Street Lights Magical lights that activate at
dusk and turn off at dawn.
Room Lights Sconces set into the walls of a
room that activate and stay active so long as a
living person is in the room.
Cold Rooms Special rooms set near kitchens
to store food and to keep it fresh. Some are just
cold, while others could be set at temperatures
that are at or below freezing.
Cold Chests Special, large chests, that stand
up on one end, and filled with shelves. Made
especially for smaller homes, homes without a
lot of servants.
Alarms These are often disguised as normal
building materials, and they set off spells, often
loud, noisy spells when unauthorized people
enter a given area.
Traps Somewhat more dangerous than
alarms, though often combined with them,
some traps are meant to ensnare and hold
intruders, while for more precious valuables
some traps may be more violent and lethal in
their protection.
Overall, Key Items allow for the creation of the
equivalent of many modern items.

Issue #7

GAME MASTERING 101

Welcome to Game Mastering 101. The purpose of this
recurring column is to provide you with tips and tricks to
make you a better Game Master overall.
The tips and tricks that I will be sharing may or may
not work for you. Every GM has his own individual style
and quirks when it comes to GMing, and not every tip
will be right for everybody. I just wanted to let you know
this upfront, so that you are not surprised if you do not
find a given article useful because your style of GMing is
different from mine.
Anyways, enough prattling from me, lets get on
with the show!

MANEUVER TABLE
The second and more important tool you have for
resolving unexpected and unusual actions is the
Maneuver Table found on page 66 of HARP. Also
beginning on page 66 and continuing through page 70
are guidelines for different methods of utilizing the
table in different situations.
Of the four columns, we will be most interested in
the Percentage, Bonus, and RR columns. With them, and a
standard All-or-Nothing roll, you have everything you
need. Read through the guidelines in the core rulebook on
how to use the table.

SUDDEN RESOLUTIONS

USING THE TOOLS

It has happened to every GM since the beginning of

roleplaying gamesat one point or another, the players
are going to want their characters to do something
unexpected or unusual, or even worse, something that is
both unexpected and unusual. Both types of actions can
cause severe disruptions in the game as you, the GM,
attempt to figure out how to resolve the actions that the
players want their characters to perform.
HARP actually took this sort of thing into
consideration when it was being designed, and as a result
you have 2 major tools to help you quickly come up with
a fair and equitable method of resolving these unusual
and/or unexpected actions. The 2 tools that I am referring
to are the Difficulty Level system and the Maneuver Table.
Together, these two items can be used to resolve just
about every possible action that characters might be able
to come up with. Lets go over each in a bit more detail
starting with the Difficulty Level system.

By using the following steps, the GM will be able to

retain control of the situation and keep the game moving
without having to dig through rulebooks looking for
some obscure rule.
Step 1: Assess the situation
The first thing that the GM needs to do when the
unusual or unexpected occurs is to stop and assess the
situation. This means that the GM needs to take a look at
the action that the character wants to perform. He needs
to determine if there is a skill that could apply, or if it
would be a Stat-Based Roll (HARP, page 67). If there is a
skill that applies, then he has to decide whether or not to
use the full skill bonus or half of it.
Step 2: Determine the Resolution Method
Once you know what sort of maneuver the player
wants his character to attempt, and what skills might
apply, it is time to decide how to resolve the action. In
many cases, especially if there is a skill involved, the
resolution method will be the one for that skill, but thats
not always the case. Sometimes a different resolution
method will be required because of what the character is
attempting to do with the skill.
It is even possible that you might need to combine
different resolution methods. The most common
combinations are likely to be the All-or-Nothing method
or the Bonus or RR methods. In such cases, results of less
than 101 are considered a failure, and only those that are
101 or above will consult the Maneuver Table to find out
what result to apply.
Step 3: Determine the Difficulty
Determining the Difficulty level is likely to be one
of the hardest steps since it is all subjective. Just like
everything else, if you take it a step at a time you
should not run into any problems. The first thing to
do is to determine what the base difficulty is going to
be. Most of the time, maneuvers will be of Medium
difficulty, but in some situations they will be
intrinsically easier or harder depending upon what the
character wants to do.

DIFFICULTY LEVELS
HARP contains 10 basic levels of difficulty. Each
Difficulty Level is progressively more difficult for the
character than the one before it, and each also has a
specific name. Difficulty Levels can be extended beyond
those named by applying another -20 modifier to the
action or maneuver being attempted, though this
should be very rare.
In determining the Difficulty Level on the fly, its a
good idea to become very familiar with the definitions of
the different Difficulty Levels. Those definitions, found on
page 30 of the core HARP rulebook, will provide you with
a method of gauging how difficulty an action might be.
As you gain more practice in using the Difficulty
Levels, you will be come more accomplished at
determining the levels on the fly and gauging how difficult
an action would.

HARPers Bazaar

Issue #7

Once the Base Difficulty has been determined, then

the GM must figure in the situational modifiers. Is the
character moving at more than a walking pace, is he
riding, is he in combat, are there other large distractions,
is the terrain stable, etc? Each item that you think of needs
to be classed as either Lesser or Greater. Greater modifiers
will change the base difficulty one whole step (i.e. from
Medium to Hard) while Lesser modifiers require 2
modifiers to move the base difficulty one step (i.e. a noisy
bar room and the curtains just catching fire behind you
are Lesser modifiers).
Step 4: Resolve the Action
Resolving the Action is the final step to this process
and I wont even mention it in the following example.
Once you have determined what to do, you do it and
resolve the action. You should also make a note to
yourself about how you resolved it and what the
situation was, so that you can check the books to see if
there was a better way listed in there.
If there was then you have 2 choices:
1) The first choice is to become familiar with the
official resolution to the situation and to let players know
it exists and that you will be using it the next time such a
situation arises.
2) Your second choice is to let the players know that
you found an official resolution, but that youre going to
stick with your method the next time the situation
arisesand knowing RPG players, it will arise again.
The main thing in both choices is to let the players
know what your gameplan is. Players like to have GMs
who are fair and consistent. This means that if you decide
to resolve something one way for a given situation, the
next time that same situation pops up, they expect you to
resolve it in the same manner.

Seeing that Markus failed this roll, you have Joe

make a Constitution-based RR (100) to have Makus
avoid serious damage. Joe fails this one as well, but only
by a few points rather than the fumble that he made on
the first roll. Thinking quickly, you decide that this
means that while Makus only takes a couple of d10s
worth of hits (rather than a potentially serious critical),
he is also knocked for 1d10 hours (adjusted downward
by Makus Constitution bonus). This still leaves him
unconscious for 4 hours.
Since Makus is unconscious now is a good time to
check to see if any wild animals or other creatures will
stumble across him. To do this, you decide to use the
Percentage column and you make a roll to get your target
number. Once you have that, you make a second roll. If
this second roll is higher than your target number, then
Makus is going to have visitors while he is sleeping. If it
is lower, he is left alone.
For your first roll you roll an 89, giving you a target
number of 80. Luckily for Makus, your second roll was a
23, well below the 80 mark, so as a result no animals
bother Makus while he is unconscious.
After Makus has been gone for over 6 hours, the rest
of the party decides that his little herbal expedition
has taken too long. After a short conference to plan,
they set out to look for him. Each party member is
leading his horse in case Markus has hurt himself.
Everybody agrees to meet back at the camp at
nightfall whether they have found Makus or not.
Each sets off in a different direction, Rorc taking the
game trail that he had pointed out to Markus
previously. The other party members go off in
different direction in case Makus got confused and
wandered off in some odd direction.

EXTENDED EXAMPLE

Rorc tries to follow Makus tracks on the trail, but the

ground is hard-packed and doesnt hold tracks well.
Ed, slightly discouraged that it would be a Sheer Folly
maneuver to track Markus on the
Rorc
hard-packed ground, thinks for a few
minutes, and then hits upon an idea.
He asks you if the ground on either
side of the trail is hard
packed, and immediately
seeing where this is going,
you tell him that it isnt.
Ed says that instead
of trying to follow barely
discernable tracks on the
hard ground, Rorc
decides to look for places
where Markus may have
left the trail (i.e. show
signs of somebody
passing through), and
then examine those areas
Makus
more closely.

For this example, Joe and Ed are two of your players.

Joe plays a Mage named Makus and Ed plays Rorc, a
Fighter who specializes in mounted combat.
Makus wanders off into the woods looking for
some wild herbs while the rest of the group is
recuperating from an extremely early morning
battle. After following a game trail for about 2
hours that Rorc had pointed out to him, Makus
spots some healing herbs to one side of the trail.
Makus goes to collect the herbs, but doesnt pay
enough attention to his surroundings and
stumbles over the edge of an embankment, falls
a short distance, rolls the rest of way down the
steep hillside and is knocked unconsciousness
for a few hours.
At this point the you make your first on-the-fly
resolution in this session. Since Markus does not have the
Acrobatics skill you give him a chance to avoid the fall by
making an Agility-Based RR (100). Joe makes the roll for
Markus, and fumbles it.

HARPers Bazaar

10

Issue #7

You decide that the Tracking skill is not quite right for
this maneuver, but that it would be helpful. You ask Ed to
make a Tracking roll for Rorc, and you look up the result
on the Bonus Column of the maneuver table. Ed gets an
open-ended roll followed by another good roll. This along
with his skill bonus gives him a total of 217 for the
maneuver. This gives Rorc a +50 on all his Perception
maneuvers to spot where Markus may have left the trail.
Luckily for Rorc, Markus only left the trail in one location.
Rorc eventually finds where Makus left the trail, and
is able to track him to where he fell over the edge of the
embankment. Going back to the trail to get his horse,
Rorc quickly finds another safer way down to the
lower ground via another game trail. As he reaches
the low ground, he heads back to the embankment.
where he finds Markus just waking up. Makus is
unhurt for the most part, but hes bruised and possibly
has a twisted ankle. He was very lucky, especially since
he landed just beside a pointy bit of log sticking out of
the ground. A few more inches in one direction and
he would have been skewered. Rorc helps Makus up
onto his horse, leads the horse out of the gully and
back up to the trail. Realizing that the branches on
the trees surrounding the trail are too low for safe
riding, Rorc decides it would be better to take a
different route. Knowing of an old, abandoned road
nearby, Rorc has Makus lay on the horses back as he
cuts cross country to the road.
On their way back to camp the pair runs across a
band of Orcs who easily outnumber them by at
least 5 to 1. The Orcs picked up their trail from
where they had cut across the forest to the old
road and cut through the woods using shorter
trails that the horse could not take; arriving at
edge of a small field just as Rorc and Makus arrive
from the old road that they are following.
After a hurriedly whispered conversation, Rorc and
Makus decide upon a plan. With Makus still slung
across Rorcs house, Rorc is going to charge across
the field, and Makus will attempt to cast a fireball
into the midst of the Orcs as they race past them.
Step 1: Stop and assess the situation
We have already established that Makus has no skill
in riding at all. We have also established that Rorc is the
one controlling the mount. Also, what Joe intends
for Makus to do is not really mounted
combat, as mounted combat presumes that
the person making the attacks is controlling
the mount as well.
Both Joe and Ed are arguing that the
fireball attack would not be mounted
combat, however, they have an ulterior
motive because if classed as mounted

HARPers Bazaar

combat, Joe would receive a -80 on his roll to see if

Makus can cast the spell accordingly.
You happen to agree with them that this would not
really be mounted combat as defined by the rules.
However, you also happen to believe that the spell will be
much more difficult than usual to cast because of Makus
position on the horse.
Step 2: Determine the Resolution Method
Since the action is the casting of a spell, we know that
the skill for the spell will apply. And since this is an attack
spell, it will get resolved normally.
Step 3: Determine the difficulty.
However, as you have already determined, there
should be modifiers to the casting of the spell based on
the difficulty from doing so mounted on the back of a
moving horse. Makus can meet all of the casting
requirements, one hand free and able to speak, so there
are no modifiers there. However, since, his concentration
is going to be split between staying on the back of the
horse, by holding on Rorc, and the casting of the spell;
the difficulty is going to be increased by 1 level.
Additionally, the jouncing and bouncing from the
movement of the horse is also going to increase the
difficulty by at least 1 level as well. Luckily for Joe and Ed,
the ground of the field is relatively level, as rough terrain
would have increased the difficulty by 2 or more levels.
Okay, the difficulty is increased 1 level from the
movement of the horse and 1 level from the split in
concentration required to keep hold of Rorc. Thus the
casting of the fireball, or any other spell, in this situation is
going to be 2 levels more difficult than normal, making the
casting of the spell a Very Hard maneuver to accomplish.
This means that Joe will have a -40 modifier on his roll to
see if Makus can cast the fireball on the Orcs.
Good Luck to Joe!!

SUMMARY
During the course of a game, players will want their
characters to perform unexpected and/or unusual
actions. Sometimes these actions will be easy to
adjudicate, sometimes they wont. By following the steps
outlined above, a GM can readily resolve almost any
situation on the fly without having to look up obscure
rules, and slowing down his game.
It does take some practice and getting used to, but
the GM in the Extended Example could have easily
completed steps 1 through 3 in about 30 seconds
total, including telling the PCs what his
decisions were. As you gain experience and
confidence in this method, you will be able
to trim things down to the smallest
amount of time required, all the better to
keep the game moving.
Well, this wraps up this first
installment of Game Mastering 101. I hope
you liked it!

11

Issue #7

A DOZEN MAGICAL RINGS

The following is a selection of a dozen magical rings
that might be found within a treasure trove. Each of the
rings are unique, thus there is no cost listed for the items.
Suffice it to say that a retailer attempting to sell one of
these rings is going to try to get as much as he possibly
can for them.
Also, all names and places mentioned in the
descriptions are completely separate from any particular
published settings. GMs are encouraged to expand and
even change the history of the rings to suit their needs.

THE ARCHMAGES RING

This ring is made of carved dragon bone with
traceries of dragons worked into the band. Legend has it
that it once belonged to the former emperor of Targas,
known only as the Archmage and that he wore it during
his entire reign. Other legends also whisper of a
mysterious figure that appears from time to time, in
widely spaced locations claiming the sobriquet of The
Archmage and claiming to be the rightful ruler of the
city of Targas.
Powers: The wearer is able to cast any spell at will
from the Mage Sphere (and the Elementalist,
Thaumaturge, Necromancer, Vivamancer, and Mystic
Circles), which has a base Power Point cost of 5 PP or
less. This ability may be used a number of times per day
equal to the twice the Insight bonus of the wearer. All
such spells have a casting modifier of +50. Once all of its
daily uses have been used, the ring becomes fully
recharged as of the next dawn. The ring also grants the
wearer a +20 to all other spell casting.
Should the wearer be killed the ring will wait 24
hours and then immediately teleport to a random
location up to 1,000 miles away so that it may be found
and used by another. Any person donning the ring must
immediately perform a Will Contest (HARP, page 168)
against the ring which has a Will of 60. Should the
character who dons the ring fail, he will believe that he is
The Archmage and that it is his destiny to rule the city of
Targas. If this happens, the character will be obsessed
with finding Targas so that he can properly rule it. The
ring does not supply the location of the city.
Campaign Notes: A GM could have a lot of fun
with this ring. Perhaps the city of Targas no longer
exists, and has even faded from memory. Perhaps the
only mention of Targas is in some ancient documents,
documents that will be extremely difficult and maybe
even expensive to track down. A clever GM can work
this into a long chain of adventures.
Perhaps the ring, if it wins the will contest, slowly
exerts its influence so that the characters personality does
not shift overnight, though that could be fun as well.

HARPers Bazaar

BEASTMASTERS RING
This ring is made from several different types of
carved bone, held together cunningly by tiny slots and
tongues. Each different type of bone has a different
animal carved upon its outer surface. The ring itself, while
looking fragile, is actually very sturdy.
Powers: Allows the wearer to speak with and
understand all types of non-magical animals and creatures.
Campaign Notes: If you remember the recent Dr.
Doolittle movie starring Eddie Murphy, then you, as GM,
can give the ring a more obvious ability like those in the
Eddie Murphy movie. You can make the ring bestow
Minor Regeneration, and allow the Animal Speech powers
to surface over time, with the PC hearing bits and phrases
being said when nobody else is around, and/or having the
animals react with major surprise when they find that
they can understand a human (or dwarf, or elf, etc.).

FIRE FIST
This is not a single ring, but five rings made as a set,
one ring for each finger. Each ring is made of gold, with
flames inscribed on the outer bands. The stone in each
ring is a bright red ruby. The rings are connected to one
another through a fine yet incredibly strong chain.
Rumor has it that these rings were crafts for the last High
Elementalist and that they were lost when he went on an
expedition and never returned.
Powers: The set of rings contains 50 PP that are
replenished with the rising of the sun every morning. The
50 PP may be spent to cast any of the following spells.
However, the spells may not be cast using scaling options,
unless the character knows the spells separately. If the
caster does not know them on his own the spells have a
casting bonus of 40 for all of the spells. The caster may
also learn an Arcane Lore skill that allows him to have
better aim with the elemental attack spells. If the caster
knows the spells on his own, then he may use his normal
spell bonus, if higher, and he may scale the spells up in
power as he likes.
Spell
Ignite
Elemental Bolt (Fire)
Elemental Aura (Fire)
Heat
Elemental Ball (Fire)
Campaign Notes: Imagine the surprise of the players
when they find that some small tribe of Kobolds is
terrorizing much larger monsters, such as Orcs or Trolls,
forcing them to raid nearby towns and villages because
the leader of the Kobolds has this set of rings. This makes
for a good twist to the one monster type subjugating
another scenario.

12

Issue #7

GLADIATORS RING
This ring is made of Black Alloy and White Alloy in
twisted strands. Legends and rumors have sprung up
around this ring, saying that the wearer of the
Gladiators Ring is unbeatable in combat. These rumors
grew out of the fact that the gladiatorial slave that was
given the ring never lost a battle, not even when he led a
slave revolt. At least, not until his friend stole the ring.
Neither this friend, nor the ring has been seen since the
ring was stolen from its owner just hours before the
battle in which he lost his life.
Powers: The wearer is able to pick up and use any
weapon, using his best weapon skill bonus as his OB. The
ring also grants a +20 to any criticals delivers (i.e. to
damage, not to hit), and a +30 to all attempts to resist
stun. The ring also supplies a +30 to the wearers DB.
Campaign Notes: The ring does not make its wearer
unbeatable, but it will enhance the wearers combat. For a
fun twist you could always make the ring semi-intelligent,
give it a Will of 60, and if the ring wearer fails the Will
Contest (HARP, page 168), then he begins to believe that
the ring makes him both unbeatable and invincible. If the
wearer should suffer any damage while under the
influence of the ring, he will believe that he let the foe hurt
him on purpose to make things more sporting overall.

GRYPHON RING
This ring is made of White Alloy. It looks like the
head of an eagle-like creature, with the wings spreading
out to form the band. This ring was created by a mage
who loved Gryphons and wanted to soar across the skies
with them. This mage disappeared one day while flying
with the Gryphons and has not been seen since.
Powers: The wearer is able to transform his body
into two different forms. The wearer can take the form of
a Gryph: a hybrid form halfway between that of a man
and a Gryphon. The Gryph form stands upright and has
hands tipped with sharp claws, but the feet are full talons.
The Gryphs head is like that of the Gryphon and is able
to produce human speech as well as Gryphon speech.
The second form is that of a full Gryphon. While
in Gryphon form the wearer is fully able to understand
and speak the Gryphon language, though the ring does
not teach him etiquette or anything about Gryphon
society. The ring wearer is able to freely change from
one form to another a number of times per day equal
to his Insight bonus.

HARPers Bazaar

Campaign Notes: To make things interesting, a GM

can require a Self Discipline-based maneuver roll to
change forms. The maneuver roll results are cumulative
using the Percentage Column of the Maneuver Table and
once the character has achieved a result of 100 or greater,
then he has completed the transformation. However,
when using such an option, fumbles should be equally
dangerous. If the wearer fumbles, he will automatically
transform into the full gryphon form and lose himself
and actually believe himself to be a true Gryphon. How
long he believes this will depend upon how badly he
fumbled. A minor fumble roll might mean that the effect
lasts a few hours, while a maximum on the fumble roll
could mean that he will never remember his true self
unless he has his memory jogged by somebody else

MORLINS RING OF BOLTS

This ring is made from several different pieces of
colored Laen. Each piece is a different color, and it shaped
like an elemental bolt, with the four bolts chasing
themselves around in a circle. This ring was made by an
eccentric mage who also made a staff in the same manner
as he worked in the bowels of an active volcano.
Unfortunately, this mage was murdered in his sleep as he
prepared for an expedition to find some lost artifact.
Powers: Any Bolt spell cast by the wearer
automatically has its range extended by 50, and the
caster gains a +20 to the casting of the spell. The
wearer is also able to simultaneously cast a single Bolt
spell of the four basic elements at the same time using
the ring. This multi-bolt cannot have any scaling
applied to it; in relation to the size and power of the
elemental bolts (i.e. they are all tiny). The caster need
not know all four types of Elemental Bolt spells
because the ring provides this information. This MultiBolt ability is usable a number of times per day equal
to the Self Discipline bonus of the caster.
Campaign Notes: Legends and rumors say that there
was also a staff made of the same material and in the
same manner of the ring. Perhaps the ring has an affinity
for the staff and can lead its wearer to adventure by
wanting to be with the staff. The wearer would feel a
slight pull in the direction that the staff lays, but it will not
interfere with any action,

13

Issue #7

QUIZZALS RING OF HEALTH

This is a plain gold band set with a small yellow
topaz cut into the shape of a heart.
Powers: The wearer gains +30 to his DB; Regenerates
injuries at a rate of 3 hits per round; Gains a +30 to all
Resistance Rolls against Stun.
Campaign Notes: The true origins of this ring are
unknown. One possible story is that it was stolen from its
true owner years before and shortly after coming into
possession of the ring, the party encounters the true owner
in a nearby city, and he wants his property back. The true
owner is quite likely to be a local noble and has both a
matching pendant (which has Lifekeeping and Lifegiving
spells imbedded) and drawings, or even a portrait,
showing him wearing the ring (which proves nothing).

RING OF THE ADEPT

This is a heavy gold band, inscribed with various
arcane symbols and set with a bright blue sapphire. It was
originally made for a powerful Mystic, a member of an
organization that hunter evil magic users. The ring was lost
shortly after original owners apprentice inherited it.
Powers: The wearer gains a +30 to all Will-based
Resistance Rolls, and he also gains a +30 to all spells from
the Mystic Circle that he knows.
Campaign Notes: This ring is a powerful item and any
Mystic would want to possess it. The ring is also distinctive
enough that those who belong to the original owners order
will recognize it on site, so will the many enemies of that
order. Those enemies are quite likely to think that the wearer
of the ring is after them, and to attempt to remove that
threat to their safety as quick as possible.

RING OF THE ALCHEMIST

This is an intricate ring made of 5 thinner
interlocking rings of plain gold. When together, the
interlocking bands look like they are woven together.
There are many legends surrounding this ring, though
few if any are likely to be true.
Powers: The ring acts as a +5 Power Point Adder for
use with the various Imbue spells. This is the only PP
Adder known to work with Imbue spells, but only if all 5
bands are woven together correctly. If the individual bands
are separated, each band will act as a normal +1 PP Adder,
meaning that it cannot be used with Imbue spells.
Campaign Notes: This is an extremely powerful item. Be
extremely careful about introducing it into your campaign.

RING OF GILKHOR
This ring is made of Laen tinted to be ice-blue and
carved to look like its made from ice on the verge of
melting. It gained its name because it was used by Gilkhor
the Ice Mage for many years.
Powers: The ring acts as a +5 Power Point Adder for
spells dealing with cold and ice. The wearer also gains a
+20 to his Resistance Rolls and DB versus cold-based
spells and attacks. Finally, the wearer is totally immune to
all affects of natural cold. However, continued use of the
ring (longer than a week) has the side effect of
permanently tinting the wearers skin a bluish hue.

HARPers Bazaar

Campaign Notes: As a GM, you can have all sorts of

fun with a character who has bluish skin. You could have
the hue color deepen the longer the character wears the
ring. It could be that the ring was stolen from a powerful
Ice Mage, who is looking to exact revenge upon whoever
has had possession of it, and the blue skin is usually a
good give-away on that. Conversely, you could have
some villagers and peasants think that the ring wearer is
some sort of water demon or troll come to plague them.
There are a lot of interesting ways to play it out.

RING OF FREE SPEECH

This is a silver signet ring with a design of two faces fused
together at the back of the head and staring in opposite
directions. This ring was created by a hapless mage who once
fumbled a Tongues spell so badly that he made himself totally
unable to speak coherently in any language. This ring allowed
him to speak normally for as long as he wore it.
Powers: The ring allows the wearer to understand
and speak any spoken language. It also grants him a +30
to all Influence skills.
Campaign Notes: This ring would be highly prized
by both trading houses and ambassadors to foreign
lands. While the more scrupulous would pay a fortune
for this item, those who are more morally deficient would
be among those who might go so far as to hire somebody
to steal the ring, with no thought to the fate of the owner.
As knowledge of this ring spread, lesser versions
were created, able to translate from the wearers native
tongue to a single specific language. The more
enterprising crafters of these lesser rings tended to make
their rings look like the real Ring of Free Speech.

SILENT RING OF YARISH

This ring is a simple band made of polished Keron.
One the face of the ring is a simple onyx stone set flush
with the band itself. It was originally created for the leader
of a guild of Shadowblades. The ring disappeared along
with that leader shortly before the Shadow Wars broke
out between various powerful Shadowblades vying to
replace that missing leader.
Powers: The wearer of the ring will not leave any
tracks, scent, or other sign of his passing. He is also able
to move silently at will, granting him a +30 bonus to Stalk
& Hide. The ring also acts as a +5 PP Adder for all spells
from the Shadowblade Sphere.
Campaign Notes: The GM could set the Shadow Wars
in any major city, and within any time frame. One of the
other Shadowblades could have stolen the ring but is afraid
that wearing it would turn the entirety of the guild against
him for disposing of the charismatic and popular leader.
The PCs could be hired to find the missing ring, or worse
yet hired to deliver it to one of those vying for control of
the guild while others are present to implicate him in the
disappearance of the leader.

Finis
14

Issue #7