Ultima 5: Warriors of Destiny other - Book of Lore
The Book of Lore
FORWARD
The Book of Lore was commissioned by Lord British, at the dawn of the Fifth Age, as a compendium of common knowledge to this date. Its inspiration is the great prosperity and progress that has come about as a result of the defeat of the Triad of Evil and the rise of the Avatar ethic. Its purpose is to keep alive our understanding of the past and the present as safeguards for a bright future. The book also serves as a guide for youth and other travelers throughout Britannia.
Folklore 2 History and folklegend
Geography 6 Terrain and topography
Government 8 Political policy and structure
Economy 10 Industry, service, and the marketplace
Settlements 12 Centers of civilization, urban and rural
Populace 15 The people: adventurers and townefolk
Transport 16 The many methods of travel
Astronomy 18 Influences from the sky
Language 19 Runes to the present day
Music 20 Art and legend in sound
Combat 21 Strategies for war and wilderness
Armaments 23 Armour and weaponry
Creatures 25 Beasts of land and sea
Virtue 31 Elements of Avatarhood
Magic 32 Reagents and the eight circles of magicFOLKLORE
Long before the ascendance to power of Lord British, Sosaria, as it was then known, was made up of numerous citystates. The eight largest and most enduring of these are today the eight leading townes in Britannia.
Each citystate had its own ruler and some semblance of laws. However, there was constant bickering for power and resources, which meant that the smaller states often fell prey to the aggressions of the larger.
The Crossing
During this time, in another world, an idealistic youth was growing discouraged. All around him, he saw people pursuing personal wealth and power. Where were the heroes fighting for justice and prosperity for all people? Was there no leader willing to seek the way to a better world for everyone?
The youth took to spending his days roaming the hills. One autumn day, he came upon a rock-bordered clearing surrounded by towering oaks. From a bed of dry leaves, the glint of metal caught his eye. It was a silver medallion in the shape of a great serpent. In his hand, the medallion felt unusually warm.
Suddenly a line of blue light rose from the leaves, expanding into a door of shimmering light. The youth stared, astonished, then stepped through.
The door disappeared and autumn with it. Green fields now surrounded the youth. Feeling the medallion still in his hand, the youth slipped it into his pocket. He detected a wisp of smoke rising above a grove of trees in the distance, and headed towards it. There he surprised a slender, blond man chopping wood. As the man looked up, the axe struck the wood awkwardly, glanced off, and opened a gash in his leatherclad leg.
The youth rushed forward to help but the man put his hand up. Concentration replaced the pain that had flashed across his face. He knelt, touching his injured leg with one hand, tracing intricate patterns in the air with his other, and softly murmured. The bleeding stopped.
The man stood up, brushing woodchips from his clothes. He smiled broadly at the youth's amazement, then spoke with a deep voice.
"Aye mek mye leg feelle na panne, and ayee haellede it, too. Aye ought ha'kwit myne axynge. But aye dinna ken thou'rt icumen."
The youth's eyes grew huge. He actually understood this strange, new language. "But how did you heal your leg?"
The man's eye's twinkled. "Why, 'tis th' simplest of spelles. Nay?"
The man's name was Shamino. That night, the youth stayed in Shamino's house. The youth told Shamino about the land from which he came. Shamino could not fathom such a land, but believed the lad was sincere and telling the truth.
"What again was the name of thy birthplace?"
"Cambridge," the youth replied, "in the British Isles."
Shamino thought for a minute, "I like that. I shall call thee British."
The youth laughed, but accepted his new name.
Initially, British looked diligently for a way to return to his homeland, but over time his need to return to his own people lessened. It was only after he gave up looking for a way back that he discovered one. British made the journey several times. In fact, it's believed he brought back close friends to dwell with him in his chosen world - Iolo the Bard and the knight Dupre are almost certainly his landsmen. Among the evidence of this is the aging process. It appears that a decade in our world is equivalent to a single year in the homeland of British. He and his countrymen age at one tenth the rate at which we age. Through the years, British's deeds demonstrated both wisdom and bravery. As respect for him grew, British became the leader of a region of Sosaria including many citystates, and was awarded the title of Lord British.
The First Age of Darkness
At the time British arrived at Shamino's, a native lad was growing up in Sosaria, being trained in the ways of sorcery. He was a moody youth, given to sudden rages and fits of despondency. To offset the latter, he would take his dagger into the woods and hunt, leaving his prey to rot where they fell. He would return to his manor restored, strong in the confirmation of his power over life and death.
His name was Mondain, and Mondain's strange ways were a constant worry to his father, a busy, much respected mage. When Mondain was fifteen, his father took a stand.
"Thou shalt take a year off from magic, Mondain," his father said, "to improve thine attitudes and develop thy virtues. I have arranged for thee to live with the brothers in the abbey, where thou shalt practice compassion and humility.
"Learn thy lessons well, my son, and this ruby gem, which harnesses the power of the sun, shall be thine."
Mondain said nothing. The next night he slew his father and took the gem, for he was ready for power and his father was in his way.
At the same time as Lord British was gaining a reputation for fair and honest government over his provinces and attracting attention for his startlingly innovative ideas, Mondain was using his father's gem against itself to produce a black jewel that would render him and his evil immortal. Success meant gaining even greater power over the minions of darkness.
As terrors wrought by Mondain caused increasing unrest and dismay across Sosaria, British's ideas for unity of the citystates became more and more appealing.
But the time was not quite ripe, for the widespread evil was beginning to take a tremendous toll. Something new was needed, thought British. He absently reached for the silver serpent he wore about his neck. Touching it in contemplation, he envisioned the kind of hero Sosaria needed to deal with Mondain.
Within days, a stranger arrived in Sosaria. With utter devotion to truth and good, the stranger grew into a hero capable of facing Mondain. Eventually, the heroic stranger found the malevolent gem and destroyed it, along with its creator. With Mondain's destruction, the forces of Evil began to wane.
The Second Age of Darkness
But good was not to rise victorious for long. Mondain's apprentice in sorcery was a beautiful young woman. Underestimated because of her youth, Minax was furious at the defeat of Mondain and at the destruction of the gem, whose existence she had surmised, and which she had intended to study and replicate for herself.
Setting her fury aside, Minax decided to take control of the evils of the world without the gem. She succeeded. Through her network of beasts and her own frightening power, she rained evil upon the world.
Again Lord British sent out the call for a hero. Again a stranger appeared. Again the evil was hunted down and destroyed. And with the destruction of Minax, this stranger was able to alter the future of the world from destruction to peace.
The Third Age of Darkness
Decades passed in relative peace. Good leaders of the citystates turned more and more to Lord British for guidance, and Sosaria became a united land under his rule.
Then one day, a sailor reported to Lord British the appearance of a hitherto unknown island, fiery and emanating terrifying evil. Scouts began reporting malevolent occurrences that seemed to be the work of a great evil mind.
Once more, Lord British sent out the call. This time, four strangers appeared. They survived the horrors of great dungeons and, with the help of the mystical timelord, the heroes found the secret island fortress of Exodus, the only progeny of Mondain and Minax, and annihilated it.
The Triad of Evil was destroyed, and great celebration ensued. In honor of the day, the called the new world Britannia.
The Age of the Avatar
Tremendous growth and prosperity characterized the Age of the Avatar. The pursuits of scholarship, arts, and physical perfection flourished. The great castles of learning were established to study the principles of Truth, Love, and Courage. The eight citystates, now townes united under Lord British, were each dedicated to fostering the study and spread of a single virtue. Thus, virtue blossomed and spread, science was born and began to grow at a healthy pace, and happiness became a reality.
Now Lord British called for a single individual to be an example for his people. A champion of great devotion and dedication, the stranger who answered discovered the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom within the Great Stygian Abyss.
The Closing of Doom
After the downfall of the Triad of Evil, and even after the Age of the Avatar, eight terrible dungeons survived: Deceit, Despise, Dastard, Wrong, Shame, Covetous, Hythloth, and the Great Stygian Abyss.
When Lord British summoned the Great Council, they determined both to raise and enshrine the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom and to seal the dungeons, those pits so conductive to the breeding of evil. And so they did. Thus ended the influence of great evil in the world.
GEOGRAPHY
Britannia's terrain is rich in variety, from white sandy deserts to thick, lush forests to icy crags of towering mountains.
Land Terrain
The largest portion of Britannia is grassland. Vast rich green grasslands and fertile farming land stretch the vision and fill the heart with promise. For travelers, grasslands are fast and easy going. Although grasslands afford no cover against the hostile creatures that roam them, they enable thee to see danger approaching and prepare for it.
In the brush, seas of tall grass and scrubby shrubs, everything is as visible and vulnerable as on the grasslands; only the going is slower and tougher. There is no advantage to traveling through the brush over grasslands, unless thou doth need to reach a point within it or it is well out of thy way to circumvent it.
Forests cover nearly all of northwest Britannia. The cool, redolent softness of the leaf-covered earth and the sweet air of the deep forests have enchanted many a traveler into a false sense of well- being in one of the most treacherous terrains. Dense, dark and mysterious, the forests are haven to all sorts of creatures. Nor is the forest kind, for it allows no warning; a foe might be upon thee too quickly for thee to react.
The deserts of northeastern Britannia are hot, dry, and easy to lose one's way in. Besides all sand looking much like all other sand, the heat is apt to play tricks on the eye, misleading travelers with landmarks that are not really there.
The hills are rustically beautiful, but climbing is time-consuming, even when the rise is gentle.
Mountains are rugged natural barriers for anyone without proper equipment. Beware, however, of certain wild creatures to whom the rocky crags are home. The highest peaks are simply impassable.
Swamps are generally poisonous, yet some life-giving herbs grow nowhere else. Some use the deadly mire as fortress against intrusion, for even monsters dislike venturing into the putrid muck. At least, some monsters dislike it; there are rumors of rare and strange monsters that thrive on the swamps and use them to devour their victims.
Besides the toxicity, slogging through the slime and hip-deep ooze of the swamps is an extremely slow business.
Waters
Britannia's vast oceans are fed by many rivers and streams that find their origin in mountain lakes and jungle swamps.
There are two major lakes; Lost Lake, in western central Britannia, feeds Lost River, which empties into the delta on the northwestern shore, by means of a network of tiny estuaries; Lock Lake, in north central Britannia, is actually a cutoff inlet from the sea and still has a mix of salt water. Britannia's third largest lake, the one-time picturesque Lake Generosity, was a casualty of the great drought of the northeast and is now simply a bed of dry sand.
Whether river, lake, or sea, shallows are bubbly and impassable for large ships; coastal waters are ripply, deep enough for tall ships, calm enough for small boats; and deep ocean waters are rough, bumpy, and dangerous for any but the largest frigates.
GOVERNMENT
Under Lord British, Britannia has undergone a great transformation from totalitarian monarchy to representative democracy in what is called a monarchic republic. Instead of the single rule of the king, Lord British, Britannia is ruled by a combination of Lord British and a council comprised of representatives from each of the eight major townes. Although his intent for the future was that each towne elect its representative to the council, the first council was determined by appointment. British traveled to each towne, spending long hours with its leaders to determine the right choice for the first council.
The historic first meeting of the Great Council consisted of two parts. First, Lord British met with the council members and outlined his vision of participatory government. It was as follows:
This council and Lord British would begin to build a document, based on nature and reality, that set forth those rights of the people that should never be usurped. British believed that the eight virtues of the Avatar would play a major role in the nature of the document. Once adopted, the document would be binding on everyone, including Lord British himself.
Each year, a council member would be elected by each towne. That council member would conduct towne meetings at regular intervals to determine problems in the towne and to become acquainted with the needs and interests of the people. Several times a year, at regular intervals, the council member would travel to Britain to sit on the Great Council.
The council would ponder problems that occurred in Britannia and decide if the problems were in the purview of government. If so, they would determine the course of action government should take, perhaps writing a law, perhaps repealing a law, perhaps altering ways and means.
Council recommendations would then be presented to British, and he could accept them or object to them. If he objected, his own rules would require him to sit with the council to try to work out solutions acceptable to all. Nevertheless, Lord British reserved to himself the power of veto in the event that agreement could not be reached.
At that first gathering of the council, Lord British withdrew from the meeting after presenting his plan, directing the council to discuss the ideas and his rule in general.
After several days, the council was ready to present its findings. Its members were unanimously in favor of the new government plan Lord British had presented, and so it was enacted.
The first meeting continued for one month. Half the time was spent pounding out the new constitution and half the time was spent discussing affairs in what was to become normal council fashion. Since that time the council meets for two weeks four times a year, beginning on the solstices and the equinoxes.
The monarchy continues in some respects. The crown jewels, for example, continue to define the office of ruler, both figuratively and, by their magic content, truly. These precious emblems consist of the jewel-encrusted gold crown, believed to contain a perfect ray of sunlight; the pure gold sceptre, topped by the crystal orb of power; and the silver amulet, in the shape of the mighty earth serpent, said to have come from another world.
ECONOMY
The chief industry of Britannia is farming, but it is the distribution of farm products and other goods through a wide network of merchants that is most visible. Pubs and inns thrive throughout Britannia, forges of weapons and armour for stalwart adventurers are common, and healers and the sellers of herbs and reagents flourish.
Farming
Farming is the major occupation in most rural areas. Farms produce wheat, corn, barley, and in season, all the sumptuous fruits and vegetables Britannians love.
Merchants
Many shoppes and enterprises are available to citizens and knights throughout the land. Armouries provide a market for both weapons and armour. Most armouries will consider buying used equipment, as the recognise the likelihood that one will then need new. The prices they will pay vary, but expect not nearly full value, as they must make a profit on resale. The types of goods sold also vary among armouries; shoppers may have to visit many armouries to find the wares they seek.
Stables are not found in many cities, but there are a few in castles and private residences that will consider selling to the public. Most stables deal in strong plough horses, rugged mountain horses, swift steppes horses, and a few even have Valorian steeds, which are most excellent war horses. All carry full supplies for the well equipped rider.
Meals purchased at markets or in restaurants are often delicious and comfortably filling, but will not sustain travelers long on the road. Most markets offer travelers packs of rations in quantity. Prices vary greatly from towne to towne.
Pubs are oft found in markets and inns. Good ale and stout is complemented by a well-cooked leg of mutton, a fresh pheasant, or a juicy side of beef. A good customer may find the chef offering a taste of the day's special and of the local gossip as well.
Some of the best eating houses and pubs have music provided by minstrels. Do not hesitate to speak to the musicians and let them know how much their work is appreciated. Some musicians may have something interesting to tell, or may become friends or supporters.
Pub owners are a friendly lot. They chat with their clientele and they listen well. A good tipper may learn something very interesting in a pub.
Healers have shoppes in many cities and villages, and in some castles and keeps. Bold knights frequently incur serious wounds. Poison and plague also take their toll. Fortunately, medicine is advanced in the treatment of just these problems. While it is hard to say any price is unfair for saving a life, some healers are known for their reasonable prices and others are not. Skara Brae's healer has been known to heal even those who cannot pay at all.
Few health problems are beyond the ken of the healers, whether disease, wounds, or poison. Some healers are even experimenting with the concept of resurrection. There have rumbled persistent rumors of magical resurrection techniques being used by extremely adept mages within closeknit, secret groups. There is still some controversy over whether such techniques should be pursued, but Lord British is known to have supported the research at every turn.
Apothecaries are experts in growing and preparing herbs and reagents for use in magic. Shoppes generally offer mostly locally available reagents, although some apothecaries have better facilities for importing than others. Climate and terrain have a lot to do with plant availability and the consequent variable prices. Shop carefully, for the shoppe that has the best price on one herb or reagent may have the worst on another.
Inns are a source of pride for several Britannian townes and villages. They are comfortable and reasonable and usually provide a good, healing night's rest. The inn in the island city of Skara Brae even boasts a magnificent view.
Most inns also provide for long stays. If a party member has a long-term need for lodging, the party can rent a room by the month and pick up the friend at a later date.
Shipwrights are found in several port cities. These are where frigates and skiffs are built. Since shipbuilders are usually busy building ships, their shoppe hours are often short and sporadic. When the shipwright is in, one can buy skiffs alone, which are not very expensive, or frigates, which are very expensive and generally come with skiffs on board.
Guilds carry the ancient symbol of the thieves' trade, though many a good adventurer oft has need of their goods. In olden times, guilds sold such items as lockpicks, various kinds of glasses for seeing what the naked eye cannot, equipment for working clandestinely in the dark, and the like.
The Government, symbolised by the crown and the scales of justice, has its seat in the castle of Lord British, the king. But the government offices, where the day-to-day administration takes place, reside in Yew, the towne of justice. This centre houses the high court of justice and the public prison for all Britannia.
SETTLEMENTS
The Castles
The Castle of Lord British. Headquarters and home of Lord British, located on Britanny Bay. Those aspiring to the Way of the Avatar should become very familiar with this landmark. The marble and tile castle has been enlarged and improved since the Age of the Avatar. Now five stories, the castle has among its many features two kitchens, an excellent armoury, a rooftop observatory, and the finest stable in the land.
The Lycaeum. In the northwest corner of Verity Isle, ever searching the skies, the observatory tower that crowns Britannia's centre of learning can be seen from many leagures across the ocean. Libraries and laboratories, writing desks and discussion rooms, and every known tool for the discerning of truth are housed here.
Empath Abbey. Nestled quietly against the sheltering trees of the Deep Forest, just southwest of Yew, this cloister of love lies open to all of good heart. Here, by the shores of the calming sea, the sisters and brothers of Empath Abbey retreat to meditate, growing ever nearer to understanding and answers that will benefit us all.
Serpent's Hold. Staunchly guarding the deep harbor of the Isle of Deeds, itself bulwarked by mountains and streams, the Serpent's Hold stands as a monument to the courage of all those who fight for good. In this stronghold are gymnasiums to hone thy body and training fields on which to hone thy battle skills. Here also are healers to tend thy wounds, and sunny strands to heal thy soul. And finally here too are comrades in arms sharing stories of honour, valor, triumph, and restraint which are perhaps the greatest teachers and healers of all.
The Townes and Villages
Britain. Principal towne of the Empire of Britannia, the busy seaport of Britain lies in central Britannia on Britanny Bay. Because of the large number of visitors to Lord British's castle who pass through or headquarter in Britain, the bards headquartered in this towne of compassion and the arts put their emphasis on hospitality. Britain has a large hotel and outstanding pubs and food. There is also an armoury wherein thou canst buy the finest bows made.
The Britannys. These three important suburbs recently sprung up around Lord British's castle provide many of the goods and services needed by the court of Lord British. East Britanny specializes in shipbuilding and boasts a fine healer. North Britanny offers a small, rustic inn and fine stables among its several farms. West Britanny is a farming towne, supplying its own needs and those of the surrounding settlements, including the Castle of Lord British and Britain.
Buccaneer's Den. This island village lies due east of Paws. Said to be a centre for thieves and blackguards to this day, Buccaneer's Den is a thriving towne that offers some exotic shopping, as well as an inn, restaurant, armoury, and shipbuilder.
Cove. The magical village of Cove nestles among the mountains south of Lock Lake. Cove's healers and alchemists are among the best in Britannia. Here too is the magnificent temple of virtue, built to honour those on the quest of the Avatar.
Jhelom. Far off the mainland, among the mountains on the central and largest of the Valorian Isles, the bustling towne of Jhelom provides food and lodging to visitors as well as to its fighters and students of valor. A fine armoury and shipwright ensure safe access to the mainland.
Minoc. This towne in north central Britannia is renowned for the fine metalwork and armour of its tinkers. Minoc is the centre for studying the virtue of sacrifice. The homeless of Britannia are welcomed in Minoc; here they find refuge in the Mission of the Helpless, with ready access to a fine and charitable healer.
Located on the northern coast, Minoc has a large shipwright as well as its famous armoury.
Moonglow. Honesty and the quest for truth is foremost to the mages of Moonglow; in fact they abide no dishonesty and have no room for those who do. This towne, tucked on a southern tip of Verity Isle, has good food, reasonably priced herbs, and a fine observatory. There are rumors that thou mayst see thy future here.
New Magincia. A towne built on the ruins of old Magincia by a colony of humble people who understand well the dangers of false, self- serving pride and the beauty of humility. New Magincia has a healer and a restaurant tucked among its numerous modest farms and orchards.
Paws. A village nestled on a cove near southern edge of the Fens of the Dead, midway between Britain and Trinsic, Paws provides food and shelter for the traveler, as well as a change of horses.
Skara Brae. A centre for rangers, Skara Brae is a city immersed in the study of spirituality. The city lies on the southernmost of three isles just west of Spiritwood. A gentle towne of kind, thoughtful, and generous people, Skara Brae houses a fine but inexpensive inn, an excellent apothecary, and a healer who uses physical, magical and spiritual medicine. Those in need are always welcome at the Skara Brae healer, and can be healed regardless of their wealth.
Trinsic. On a grassy plain on the southeastern shore of Britannia, Trinsic's honourable paladins impress visitors with their courage and devotion to truth. A sunny towne of marble buildings and shaded parks, Trinsic has a lovely pond, and armoury, a healer, and a fine stable.
Yew. Long a gathering place for druids in their pursuit of justice, Yew is the site of the Supreme Court of Britannia and nurtures the great legal and judicial minds who practice there. Besides the courts, jail, and penal areas, Yew has one of the best restaurants, with a fine pub, an armoury, and an apothecary. Nestled beneath the trees of the deep forest, Yew is second in population only to Britain.
The Keeps
Keeps are fortified manors, often isolated, away from townes and villages. While many are personal retreats, some are schools for young people, cloisters, and organizations.
The Lighthouses
Rustic lighthouses were built throughtout Britannian waters during the recent years of peace; their bright presence has dramatically lowered the number of ships breaking up on reefs and shoals in dark and storms.
POPULACE
Adventurers are generally categorized by professional affiliation : mages, bards, and fighters. Druids, magicians who draw their very power from nature and natural phenomena, are regarded as a subset of mages. Tinkers are bards with a special knack for building or repairing who serve as keepers of our oral history as they move from towne to towne. And paladins, shepherds, and rangers, long having fought valiantly at the side of the elite fighters from the Valorian Isles, are generally associated with fighters.
Of course mages, bards, and fighters are not always adventuring. Often they may be found among the general populace along with villagers, merchants, minstrels, jesters, beggars, and guards.
Mages
Mage is the title subsuming all Britannians endowed with full magic powers and for whom magic is primary. Mages tend to settle in Moonglow, enjoying its proximity to the scholarly and esoteric treasures of the Lycaeum; indeed, many youngsters who show magical leanings early are sent to live with groups of mages near the Lycaeum and are schooled in its ways from an early age. Others favor Yew for its emphasis on nature.
Skill in magic requires serious study. With such sedentary childhoods, it is no wonder that most mages are not very strong. Do not, however, take that to mean they are not healthy; as a group, mages tend to live longer than any others.
Bards
Bards excel in dexterity and poise. They rightly choose professions that make good use of their talented hands and agile bodies: minstrel, archer, locksmith, and tinker are just a few. Fearless in battle, bards are often as quick of mind as of hand and their magic abilities are keen, although their power for magic is half that of mages.
Britain is a favorite gathering place of many bards. Others, especially tinkers, are based in Minoc.
Fighters
In the isolation of the Valorian Isles, valorous fighters are trained in the arts of battle. Strong and fearless, the fighters of Jhelom can overcome any known foe. They are trained in all weapons and they show dexterity in all armour. Most fighters prefer the sword or bludgeoning weapon, for they have the strength to wield the heaviest two-handed sword and to do extreme damage with it.
Often found fighting beside the best of Jhelom are the paladins of Trinsic, the fierce rangers of Skara Brae, and the humble shepherds of New Magincia.
Although fighters enjoy the advantages of magic, they do not practice it and seldom show any tendencies of talent in that direction. They do show an almost magical intuition about animals; no people train horses or outthink monsters better than fighters.
TRANSPORTATION
Most traveling in Britannia is done on foot, even though it is rough going, slow and dangerous. There are alternatives for those who can afford and handle them.
Horses
Many travelers enjoy riding on horseback; it is faster, less tiring, and a lot safer than walking, since horses can outrun many of the hostile types of creatures. Know, though, that horses cannot travel over water and are apt to wander away (with or without encouragement) if not properly secured when left.
Ships
Visiting island communities requires travel by ship. Despite rather outlandish rumors of people wandering the heavens in great airships, sailing on water is the fastest and most popular long- distance mode of transportation there is. The most common watercraft on the ocean are frigates. Tall, stately three-masters, the frigates cut through seas swiftly and smoothly. They generally have a two-level open deck and a below-deck with a foward cabin, rear bunkroom, and centre cargo hold. Most ocean going frigates are built to accommodate heavy cannons for broadside fighting and have two gangplank gateways on each side.
Speedy it is, but ocean travel is fraught with dangers, especially after dark near rocky coasts. Many unpleasant monsters populate the deep, and pirate ships are always on the lookout for moneyed prey.
Skiffs
Small double-lock rowboats, used as lifeboats on frigates, skiffs can make their way through all but the shallowest mud or swamp. Widely used for exploration of riverheads and mountain streams, they are also occasionally found being put to more recreational uses in townes. They provide a charming way to follow the little esturaries that crisscross Britannia. In fact, there are said to be little-known places unreachable by any other means. However, skiffs are unsafe on deep ocean waters.
Navigation
Speed is critical on the open seas. There are many dangerous inhabitants of the deep who will overtake and attack slow ships. Speed is optimized by traveling perpendicular to the wind. Angling directly into the wind affords only the slowest passage possible. When the wind dies completely, there is no option but to resort to the oars.
Too close to shore, speed can be fatal, and sails should be replaced with oars for careful maneuvering. Unfortunately, many foolhardy captains have run their ships up on reefs and shoals at full speed under sail, losing both ship and crew. Those that survive such wrecks have had to hole up and repair their vessels. Since extensive repairs take quite a while to accomplish, it is important to hole up in the safe harbors for this repair work.
ASTRONOMY
The definitive work in astronomy is Celestial Britannia by Sir John, astronomer and scribe at the Lycaeum. This passage is comprised of excerpts from his book recording his scientific discoveries and documenting Britannian astral theories that predate the emergence of science.
In the heaven beyond our skies, dwell stars whose numbers are beyond our reckoning.
Within our heaven, circling our word, sweeps our bright sun. Ten other orbs trace tight paths around our world. The twin moons Trammel and Felucca are desolate, their light only a reflection of the sun's brilliance.
The other eight orbs are thought by some to be planets like our own. According to the roles they play in our many legends, they have been named for the virtues of the Avatar. The closest is Honesty, followed further out by Compassion, Valor, Justice, Sacrifice, Honour, Spirituality, and Humility.
Many tales are told of knights traveling from towne to towne, even across water, merely by stepping into a wall of light. There are few verifiable reports of moongate travel. However, sifting through those reports that are verifiable, it has become clear that they operate as follows.
Each night at the apex of the first moon, Trammel, the eight moongates appear, rectangles of shimmering blue light rising from the ground. They remain until Felucca reaches her apex. While the moongates are open, a traveler entering one will be instantly transported to another moongate in a different locale.
The traveler's destination is determined by the phase of the moon closest to midheaven. Moongate travel is said to be fast and safe; however there have been confusing and conflicting reports of what transpires when the moons are equidistant in the midheaven. Moongate travelers should exercise caution.
Over the ages, comets, fiery nebulae, have torn through our skies as harbingers of impending doom. They appeared just before the emergence of the Dark Lord Mondain. They heralded the reign of the Enchantress Minax, and the foretold the impending danger of the hellborn Exodus.
Now, while we live in the midst of peace and enlightenment, the comets have begun again.
LANGUAGE
The language of Britannia is rich and poetic. It is derived from Old Sosarian, which varies mostly from the widesspread current language in its alphabet, which is more runic than today's. The old runes continue to be used widely in rural areas, and there is a movement to increase their familiarity to city people. Still, among the cityborn, translation of runic messages, letter for letter, is sometimes necessary. The Runic Alphabet is the earliest known system of writing sound using runes or letters. The most commonly used runes follow, with their modern equivalents. (Run 'GRAPHICS.COM' from your dos disk, then run 'CHARSET.EXE' and press Print Screen.)
MUSIC
Music is much loved throughout Britannia. Those wealthy enough often own a harpsichord, and the better pubs employ good lute playing minstrels to entertain their patrons.
Without question the best known name in folkmusic is that of Iolo FitzOwen. "Stones," a ballad about the mystic shrines, has long been popular among bards and the commonfolk. It is known to be a favorite of His Majesty, Lord British, as well. FitzOwen's masterwork, with lyrics by his wife Gwenllian Gwalch'gaeaf, is a sample of fine music.
Stones (on harpsichord, music : 678-987-8767653)
Long ago ran the sun on a folk who had a dream And the heart and the will and the power: They moved earth; they carved stone; moulded hill and channeled stream That we might stand on the wide plains of Wiltshire.
Now men asked who they were, how they built and wonder why That they wrought standing stones of such size. What was done 'neath our shade? What was pray'ed 'neath our skies As we stood on the wyrd plains of Wiltshire.
Oh what secrets we could tell if you'd listen and be still. Rid the stink and the noise from our skirts. But you haven't got the clue and perhaps you never will. Mute we stand on the cold plains of Wiltshire.
Still we loom in the mists as the ages roll away And we say of our folk, "they are here!" That they built us and they died and you'll not be knowing why Save we stand on the bare plains of Wiltshire.
COMBAT
Three important lessons have been derived from the great battles with evil in our past. The foremost is that neither magic, nor prowess at arms, nor purity of spirit alone is enough to defeat veil. Only the careful coordination of arms with magic by the virtuous will bring victory. The second lesson is basic: prowess comes only with practice and experience. The third lesson is this: the use of force against the innocent will always bring retribution.
Armaments have improved greatly over the years. Today's knights have a great selection of weapons and armour at their disposal. In addition, fortunate knights may come across magical rings and amulets to wear or use. Before battle, knights can ready several items of equipment carried by their party: helms, shields, suits of armour, and weapons from daggers to halberds. Weapons can be dropped or exchanged in the midst of battle, but no enemy has ever waited while a knight changed armour.
Strength and endurance may get a knight through a few battles, but none survive long without developing tactical skills. Successful leaders learn to design strategies around the strengths and weaknesses of their party.
In particular, fighters are known for their strength and ability to wield great weapons while wearing the heaviest of armour. In general, they are msot effective when formed into a shield wall in the frontmost ranks. There are exceptions--desperate situations where an offensively well-armed fighter may do well to charge headfirst into enemy ranks, attacking the key members.
Bards, while weaker than fighters, are proficient archers because of theri keen sight and excellent dexterity. Their dexterity also enables them to regroup faster and strike more blows against their opponents.
Mages, who are not as strong, often prefer to avoid warfare entirely, spending time instead in scholarly pursuits. However, those mages who choose to defend the crown are among the most fearsome fores of evil. An accomplished archmage may annihilate an entire horde of monstrous enemies with a single spell.
Missile weapons such as bows and crossbows are essentially useless in hand-to-hand combat; nearby foes are apt to seize the opportunity to interfere with an archer's fire as they do with a magic user's spellcasting. For this reason, mages and bow-wielders are generally best placed behind a cover of fighters, where they can effectively deliver their blows.
However, when a spell of cataclysmic and widespread effect is needed, a mage often must venture to the front lines and seek a niche in the shield wall from which to cast his spell, so the spell will not act to destroy friends as well as enemies.
ARMAMENTS
Armoury
The most courageous knight shows good sense to wear strong armour on any expedition. Full body armour, helmets, shields, magical rings and jewelry, and other magical trinkets are all worthwhile; but they are also expensive.
Body armour comes in a range of styles and degrees of effectiveness.
Cloth. Usually little more than a heavy quilted gambeson worn below a tunic, cloth armour is inexpensive and comfortable. But it affords only limited protection.
Leather. A cut above cloth, yet also fairly inexpensive, leather armour is made from thick leather hardened by boiling, often in paraffin.
Scale. Fashioned from four to six inch square overlapping plates attached to cloth or leather gambeson, scale armour looks like its namesake: fish scales. Although scale is often somewhat noisy, it offers good protection.
Chain. Chain mail is fashioned from small loops of metal wire linked in a manner to make something resembling metal cloth. The best chain mail has each link actually riveted shut. Chain mail provides very goof protection but is quite expensive.
Plate. Custom-made from hand-forged sheets of metal, plate armour affords its wearer the most complete protection possible. However, it is very expensive and can be borne by only the strongest.
Helms often match body armour in material and strength, but variations, such as offensively spiked helmets, are available.
Shields also vary greatly. Not all war rigs call for shields--any use of two handed weapons precludes them and they require some strength -- yet many thank shields for their lives.
Weaponry
The weapon is the most important material choice an adventurer has to make. A wide range exists.
Daggers offer two choices. The common dagger is useful when its ability to be concealed is a benefit; and it can be thrown in open combat. The main gauche is more formidable, especially when used as a second weapon.
Swords continue to be the most popular weapon. There are long and short swords, and the two-handed swords.
Missile weapons are carried by most experienced knights no matter what weapon they keep ready in theri hand. It is always an advantage to fell thine enemy from afar when possible, before the threats of his hand weapons can reach thee. Inexpensive and easy to port is the sling, and ammunition is plentiful in open country. Bows come from craftsmen in the deep forest. Made from strong and resilient yew, bows, and their stronger counterparts, crossbows, make formidable long- range weapons. Be aware, however, that one engaged in hand-to-hand combat is unlikely to be able to load such a weapon, much less shoot it.
Some knights prefer missiles they can hurl without mechanical aid. Popular throwing weapons include daggers, spears, axes, and flasks of flaming oil.
The effectiveness of most weapons depends upon the dexterity of the weapons' wielders, but mass weapons are often preferred by the very strong, if not so nimble, because these bludgeons depend upon the great strength of the wielder to crush through an opponents' defenses rather than evade them.
Oldest of all bludgeons, and probably of all weapons, is the club. Clubs are crude weapons, but when a blow connects it often does the trick. The mace is much more streamlined than the club. Its weight is balanced to derive the mose possible effect with the most possible accuracy. A "mace on a chain" is the morning star, which reaches over obstacles to smite thy foe at range. One blow straight on from this and the enemy is out till morning--at least. Finally, there is the two-handed hammer. It takes great strength to wield it, but the hammer can inflict devastating damage.
Polearms require much strength to wield but they're extremely effective. Most popular among those strong enough to wield it is the halberd, a long stout staff with a battleax blade at the end that allows its wielder to strike a foe at twice the distance of most weapons.
CREATURES
Wild creatures, intelligent and not, roam the countryside; others frequent the waters. Few of these creatures are evil; but many attack out of hunger or when surprised.
Creatures of the Land and Sky
Insect Swarms. Pesty insects have little muscle or brain, but their tiny size lets them move quickly, dodging and feinting. They bite more often than they miss, but their sting does little damage. Once hit, all insects are easily squashed. Rare is the insect that delivers a fatal bite, but a swarm of thousands can mean death.
Bats. These annoying creatures live by night, usually, and travel in flocks. Often their high pitched screech is heard before they are seen. Though flighty and hard to hit, bats are not difficult to kill. As attackers they are relentless and vicious.
Giant Rats. Natural agility and sharp teeth are rats' chief advantages. They are not strong and do not hit very hard. The mortal danger rats pose to knights comes from hteir capacity for passing on noxious germs and substances. Seldom do knights tangle with rats without someone in the group becoming ill with poison. At worst, the result of such an encounter is infection with plague.
Slimes. In appearance, slimes are gooey green splats. They are weak, clumsy, and not very damaging, individually. But they almost always travel in schools and, when a slime is hit, it is apt to split into two healthy, hostile slimes. If the slime does not split, it succumbs quite easily. Slimes carry no booty.
Giant Spiders. Although weak and slow, spiders take their toll: They poison, both on touch and by spitting venom from a distance. Spiders have been known to carry a few goods.
Snakes. Extremely poisonous and quite accurate when shooting their poison even from a distance, snakes are otherwise relatively harmless. They are easy to destroy, once engaged directly.
Orcs. Orcs are often more annoying than dangerous to the seasoned adventurer, but they can be a grave threat to the novice, especially when they travel in large groups or accompanied by a giant or two. Generally, they are fairly easy to defeat, do a modicum of damage if they hit, and carry meagre belongings.
Trolls. Large misshapen humanoids that like to live underground, trolls are strong and dextrous and can cause moderate damage to their victims. Fortunately, they are not very enduring. Trolls tend to lie in wait to ambush unsuspecting travelers. Trolls like treasures and often carry some with them.
Ettins. Strange two-headed creatures, ettins hurl large boulders with enough strength to do considerable damage. Though not magical, they are quite hardy and often carry a good many interesting belongings.
Gremlins. The blow of a gremlin is hardly felt, and he is not very hard to do in; but beware, for he travels in huge packs and he may leave you starving. The gremlin's ability to consume food at an inordinate rate is startling and dismaying. Once overcome, he usually leaves some goods.
Headlesses. No one knows exactly how the senses work on these mutant abominations. Do they sense the world through touch and feeling? Or do they "see" with some inner vision? Watever the answer, these relatively strong creatures are fairly enduring and do mild damage to their foes. They tend to carry goods with them.
Gazers. Giant, magical floating eyes, gazers mesmerize their foes, turning them against each other. They make up for their weak, clumsy physique with strong intelligence and a fairly good constitution.
Mimics. Masters of imitation, mimics make themselves so like treasure chests that many an adventurer has met his doom trying to open one. Mimics have little courage and even less patience, though, so if one is willing to wait a few minutes just a few steps away from suspect chests, they are apt to reveal themselves by shooting poison. Close up, mimics bludgeon with strength and dexterity, doing unpleasant damage. Getting past their deadly deceptions can reveal fine treasure.
Reapers. The strange, magical creatures known as reapers are strong, enduring, and do severe damage by bludgeoning. Their weakness, if it can be so called, it their immobility; although their arms strike out about them, they cannot change locations. They throw magical bolts at distant foes. They also bludgeon nearby creatures with their thick tentacles. Reapers are quite hardy, but often worth the trouble: they hoard good booty.
Wisps. It simply is not known exactly what a wisp is. Harmless looking little bits of flashing light, wisps are extremely agile and highly intelligent. Although they are not strong, they do serious damage, taking their victims by surprise again and again, blow after blow. They often attack in large groups and they teleport from place to place on the battlefield. Worst of all, they can magically possess members of the opposing party. Wisps seem to have impossibly strong constitutions and are quite difficult to destroy.
Sand Traps. Sand traps burrowing in the sand are nearly impossible to notice, but a party passing too close to one is in for trouble. Strong and agile, these desert monsters strike out at anything that comes near their hiding places, and they hit very hard. They are also very hardy, and their endurance has meant the demise of more than one adventurer. When a sand trap is overcome, however, generous treasure is revealed in the sand.
Dragons. Strongest and most feared of creatures, dragons shoot extremely damaging magic fireballs and are nearly impossible to defeat. They can attack while in flight and may do in an entire party before it has a chance to engage in close combat. Killing a dragon, however, can earn the slayer great treasure.
Creatures of the Sea
Sharks. Strong and agile in water, sharks are not particularly intelligent and cause little damage to creatures that are not in the water, despite their frightening appearance. They can endure quite a beating before dying.
Sea Horses. These graceful, appealing ocean creatures have nasty personalities. They enjoy shooting foes at range, which they do very effectively. They are also rather strong, flexible, even intelligent, and they take a fair amount of punishment to be defeated.
Squids. Squids are unintelligent, but the dexterity of their tentacles makes their considerable strength a real menace. They throw their poisonous ink from a distance, and it is always very damaging. These unpleasant sea creatures are hardy and difficult to overcome.
Sea Serpents. These serpents can appear from nowhere to rock a ship. Capable of launching great fireballs from a considerable distance--even across an entire island--they are among the most formidable of opponents. Since they are not intelligent and are easily outwitted, the best strategy is often to evade them and flee. However, if forced into battle, closing in to engage the serpent directly in combat will improve a ship's odds of surviving.
From Beyond the Grave
Ghosts. Spirits of the uneasy dead, these bodiless creatures compensate for their lack of strength with excellent dexterity and the ability to disappear at will. Although ghosts do not inflict much damage with a blow, defeating them will require cunning.
Skeletons. Perhaps the most common of undead creatures, skeletons lack strength and brains, but they are dextrous and can take a surprising amount of punishment. They often carry some goods.
Daemons. Very strong, agile, and smart, daemons have repertoires of magic that include summoning other daemons and possessing their opponents. They are extremely hardy and difficult to kill even if incapacitated. Daemons fly and can easily manage to cross rivers or shallow waters, although they are seldom encountered in mid ocean. When daemons possess another creature, they disappear into that soul, leaving neither trace nor treasure.
