Casting cantrips for cold cash up front...

SPELL-FOR-HIRE (#17/31, #291/365) [POT]

SKILL: 6

STAMINA : 9

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Staff

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Towns, Dungeons, Ruins, Caves, Forests, Plains, Wilderness

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1

TYPE: Humanoid

REACTION: Neutral

INTELLIGENCE: High

The arcane, magic-using equivalent to a mercenary, the SPELL-FOR-HIRE is motivated by one thing only - gold, and lots of it, in exchange for the power of their magical spells. They wander the land seeking gainful employment as a spellcaster-for-sale, whose costs amount to 16gp a day in wages as a Hireling (see Heroes Companion, p. 32). Spell-For-Hires all have a MAGIC score of 6, but can vary in their eldritch professional knowledge - roll on the below table to establish their particular magical provenance:

Roll Magic Type and Scores

1-3 Wizard: has a Magic-Wizardry Special Skill of 2, with 16 Magic Points of Wizardry spells.

4 Demi-Sorcerer: has a Magic-Demi-Sorcery Special Skill of 2, with 16 Magic Points of Demi-Sorcery spells.

5 Illusionist: has a Magic-Illusionism Special Skill of 2, with 16 Magic Points of Illusionism spells.

6 Warlock: has a Magic-Warlock Magic Special Skill of 2, with 16 Magic Points of Warlock spells.

All Spell-For-Hires also have a Magic-Minor Magic Special Skill of 2 and 6 Cantrips. Spell-For-Hires tend to cultivate something of a flamboyant appearance and reputation in order to attract potential employers. Roll 1-3 times on the following table to determine what makes a particular Spell-For-Hire special:

Roll Flamboyant Accessory

1 a FAMILIAR!

2 a very large and ostentatious Hat!

3 an elaborate set of wizardly Robes

4 a potion rack with 2-4 Potions

5 an exotic Riding Steed

6 a scholarly collection of 2-4 Scrolls

In addition all Spell-For-Hires will have a Staff, a Potion of MAGIC, and their closely-guarded Spellbook.

The Spell-For-Hire lives something of a precarious existence, trying to champion their capable magical potency without being accused of witchcraft, annoying other spellcasters or Wizards' Guilds local to the area, or rousing the ire of the Abolish High Magicks brigade. It is perhaps not surprising that some then rejoin a guild or college to continue their training and studies, while others may become an amanuensis to a successful Battle Mage, as an assistant wizards to help them cast their spells (and hopefully learn some Battle Magic on the side).

Other Spell-For-Hires seem more than happy with the freelance life, whether in a busy cityport or out on the open road. Panesh the Potent (see Heroes of Titan, p. 52), is a Spell-For-Hire from western Khul, who rejected the gaudy showmanship of his master, Agravert Peltophas of Anghelm, for an existence based simply on a decent amount of gold pieces in exchange for spells that work. Others with similarly effective mercenary-like creeds include Prospero Seacharmer of Chalannabrad, hired for their expertise in dealing with the inhabitants of the Eelsea. A recent Spell-For-Hire with a growing reputation is Bhingara the Orc Mage of Port Blacksand, who deals with the jobs that city's Wizards' Guild are too busy for.

Stalking the Seas of Sand

XHOSS CACTI (#14/31, #288/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a large segmented, lobe-shaped cacti with pink or purple flowers, that grows in hot arid upland areas.

Distribution: Deserts, hot barren plains and wilderness areas across Titan.

 

Effects: Although it appears edible, the flesh of this cactus is poisonous. Anyone who eats a Xhoss cacti must Test their Luck or fall asleep for 1-6 hours. The mysterious race known as Sand Stalkers (see below) extract fluid from this cacti to create the sleeping venom for their weapons. A vial of Xhoss poison can be smeared onto a bladed or pointed weapon, or even onto one's gloved hands as contact venom (Sand Stalkers are immune to the venom and can use their bare hands). Anyone wounded by such a weapon or touched by venom-coated hands must immediately Test their Luck or be rendered unconscious for 10-60 minutes. It lasts for one battle only. 

 

Cost: City 20gp, Town 26gp, Village 32gp (per vial)

 

Availability: Uncommon

 

Further Notes: As it is a cactus, Xhoss is related to other cacti examples including the Barbthorn (see The Titan Herbal, p. 21), the Green Spikeball (see The Titan Herbal, p. 38), Hurscht (see The Titan Herbal, p. 40), Spiked Flesh-Eating Kakti (see The Titan Herbal, p. 63), and the Dragon Fruit Tree (see p. XX).

SAND STALKER (#15/31, #289/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 8

STAMINA: 7

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Sword, Longbow or Spear

ARMOUR: Light

DAMAGE MODIFIER: +1 to the Damage Roll

HABITAT: Desert, Plains, Wilderness, Volcanic Areas

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-6 or 4-24

TYPE: Animal/Humanoid

REACTION: Unfriendly-Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: High

Since time immemorial the SAND STALKERS have trekked across the dunes, from the Badlands and the Eternal Desert of the Irritarian era, to the current continents of Allansia and its Desert of Skulls, or the Scythera Desert and other wastelands of central Khul. They are tall and thin creatures, of scrawny build and with unusually long heads, wearing scraps of leather armour and armed with swords, longbows and spears, while carrying large sacks to collect loot. Sand Stalkers have large brown eyes and long, narrow tongues which dart out of their small mouths from time to time to wipe the wind-blown sand away from their eyes. Some may call them Camel People, for that is what they overwhelmingly resemble, but never to their face!

For Sand Stalkers are mean, evil hunters, patrolling the arid deserts as bandits and robbers, trapping their victims in pit traps and challenging them, in their high-pitched yodeling voices, to the game of Death Arrow in a bargain for their survival. Death Arrow is a game whereby an arrow is fired into the distance and the victim must reach it before the Sand Stalkers. The victim may be granted a head-start of the distance they can throw a rock, if they look especially pitiful or have companions they may have to carry on their race. Winners of Death Arrow go free, losers cede all their possessions to the Sand Stalkers and are tied up and left to the sun and the ants.

Though rumoured to have magical powers, where the simple touch of their sweaty hands shrivels the brain of a Sand Stalker opponent, actually, the Sand Stalkers are masters of the use of vials of Xhoss poison, a contact venom brewed from cacti. A vial of Xhoss poison can be smeared onto a bladed or pointed weapon, or even onto one's gloved hands as contact venom (Sand Stalkers are immune to the venom and can use their bare hands). Anyone wounded by such a weapon or touched by venom-coated hands must immediately Test their Luck or be rendered unconscious for 10-60 minutes. It lasts for one battle only.   

In addition, the weapons of all Sand Stalkers are razor sharp, allowing them a +1 Damage Roll bonus. This is because grindstones maintained by the Sand Stalkers use secret processes involving various cacti essences and different types of sand and dust to sharpen their weapons to deploy the absolute maximum in a cutting edge. Sand Stalkers typically operate in small bands, but are sometimes encountered in larger communities, known as 'herds', where one Sand Stalker will be either a leader (SKILL 10 STAMINA 12 ) or a Priest of Assamarra, the God of the Desert. One such infamous leader was Q'sar Quickbolt of the Found Tombs of Arvakaten, who led from the front to ensure the primacy of his Sand Stalker marauders! Sand Stalkers are generally on good terms with Caarth and Desert Lizard Men, less so with Laupers, Gnolls and Desert Elves.

Dagger of Dervish-Killing (#16/31, #290/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item) 

This appears as a throwing dagger with a bronze blade and a hilt shaped like a cat that is inlaid with jewels. They have been enchanted to slay Dervishes, who are the holy people of the Nomads of the Twin Sun Desert, many of whom follow Krsh the God of Death. If thrown at a Dervish Priest of Krsh (for it does not work against Dervishes who follow other gods), the Dagger of Dervish-Killing will hit automatically, causing 3-18 STAMINA points of damage. It has one use of this power only. Against other opponents the dagger counts as a regular Throwing Dagger, requiring a normal Missile Weapon Thrown attack, albeit one that is magical. However, once the Dervish-killing power has been used, the dagger, though now a regular weapon, is no longer an enchanted one. This is one of many enchanted trinkets often accumulated by the wandering trading race known as the Laupers (usually as protection against marauding bands of Dervish-led Twin Sun Nomads).  

85 gp

The return of MUNGO!

SAILOR (#13/31, #287/365) [POT]

SKILL: 6

STAMINA : 5

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Dagger or see below

ARMOUR: None or Leather Jack

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Towns, Seas/Sea-shore, Rivers, Lakes, Ice

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-6 or as per boat

TYPE: Humanoid

REACTION: Neutral

INTELLIGENCE: High

Across the twelve seas of Titan sails the SAILOR, as well as over lakes and up and down rivers too! Sailors are capable deckhands at using watercraft from a rowboat up to a galleon in size, depending on their location. Their choice of apparel also reflects their domain; sailors on warm, tropical waters typically wear a head-covering and light baggy clothing, while those in colder seas may wear so much padded waterproof hide it counts as a Leather Jack for armour purposes. All Sailors have a dagger stashed upon their person, as well as one other weapon of choice and the appropriate Special Skill(s). Roll on the table below to determine what that weapon is (or assume all Sailors are armed with Cutlasses or Belaying Pins):

Roll Weapon Type

1 Net (and roll again, ignoring any further rolls of 1)

2 Harpoon (as per Trident)

3 Cutlass (as per Scimitar)

4 Belaying Pin (as per Club)

5 Throwing Dagger

6 Pistol (Roll: 1-3 Flintlock, 4-6 Matchlock)

Sailors may be found in towns and cities on shore leave, along the waterfront and in dockside taverns, drinking in small groups, or, when encountered elsewhere, aboard their chosen vessel. To determine what boat is being sailed and how many Sailors are aboard, roll on the table below (reroll any result that does not feel appropriate for the Habitat type):

Roll Boat Type

1 Knarr/Rowboat (Crew: 2-7 Sailors)

2 Longship (Crew: 10 Sailors)

3 Cog (Crew: 10 Sailors)

4 Caravel (Crew: 10 Sailors)

5 Barge (Crew: 20 Sailors)

6 Roll: 1-3 Galley (Crew: 40 Sailors), 4-6 Galleon (Crew: 55 Sailors)

Each boat will also have a CAPTAIN (SKILL 10 STAMINA 10, weapons and armour as per Sailor), and, if there are at least 20 Sailors, a FIRST MATE (SKILL 8 STAMINA 9, weapons and armour as per Sailor). Both the Captain and the First Mate may have a Magical Tattoo on a roll of 6; roll on the table below to determine the type of Magical Tattoo:

Roll Magical Tattoo Type

1-2 Rising Sun

3-4 Dive of the Dolphin

5-6 Eye of the Raptor

The scores above can generate an average profile for the Sailors' Ship Characteristics as follows: CREW SKILL 6 CREW STAMINA 5, Crew Morale 7, Light Weapons, Numbers as per Boat type. To determine different profiles and/or Special Skills for the Sailors' Ship Characteristics, roll on one or both of the following tables:

Roll Sailor Crew Type

1 Novice Crew

2 Normal Crew

3 Veteran Crew

4 Navy Crew (see also the MARINES entry)

5 Pirate Crew (see also the PIRATE entry)

6 Elite Crew

Roll Sailor Crew Special Skill

1 Perception

2 Sea Lore

3 Close Combat

4 Ship Weapons

5 Crafts

6 Carousing

Given the dangers of sailing across any body of water on Titan, including dreadful storms, horrible monsters and bloodthirsty cutthroats, it is perhaps not surprising that some sailors switch professions. More than a few are tempted by illicit gains and become pirates, smugglers or wreckers, while others may go the other way, to become marines and gunners on warships. Still other Sailors become adventurers, merchants and explorers, perhaps dreaming of the day they can captain their own ship, or, better yet, retire to a nice cityport somewhere to run their own tavern! A reverse example was the adventurer Mungo of Oyster Bay, who retired to become a Sailor on the daunting coastline of north-western Allansia, on his small boat, the Blue Marlin. 

Orb versus Titan

Amulet of Strength versus Evil (#12/31, #286/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item) 

This amulet is made from the tip of a Unicorn's Horn, and engraved with strange magical runes. It increases the SKILL of its wearer by 2 when in combat with Priests of Evil gods.

Unavailable to buy

Dungeons & Dragon Fruit

DRAGON FRUIT TREE (#10/31, #284/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a strange type of large climbing cactus, with 3-18 succulent wave-lobed branches radiating out from a short central stalk. One third of the branches end in large white bulb-like flowers, one third end in red spiky ovoid fruit, and one third end in dragon-like carnivorous jaw-pods, that spit small blasts of flame.

Distribution: Jungles, deserts, wilderness, plains, and volcanic areas across southern Khul.

 

Effects: This weird carnivorous plant (see below for combat scores) is noted for its succulent red and green-scaled fruits, the black seed-studded succulent white flesh of each fruit is equivalent to one full Provision and sells for four Gold Pieces.

 

However, enterprising Nomads from the Twin Sun Desert have discovered that the dragon-like jaw-pod head, because it contains both a fuel bladder and a flame gland, can be primed like an impromptu Grenade (see Blacksand, p. 7). In addition, alchemists are also investigating its use in enchanting Potions of Fire Resistance.

 

Cost: City 10gp, Town 12gp, Village 20gp (per head)

 

Availability: Rare

 

Further Notes: The Dragon Fruit Tree is one of many plants cultivated on the Pangarian island of Cirrus. As it is a cactus, it is related to other cacti examples including the Barbthorn (see The Titan Herbal, p. 21), the Green Spikeball (see The Titan Herbal, p. 38), Hurscht (see The Titan Herbal, p. 40), Spiked Flesh-Eating Kakti (see The Titan Herbal, p. 63), and Xhoss (see p. XX).

DRAGON FRUIT TREE (#11/31, #285/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 8

STAMINA: 9

ATTACKS: 4

WEAPON: Small Bite, Fire Breath

ARMOUR: Light

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Jungles, Desert, Plains, Wilderness, Volcanic Areas

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1

TYPE: Plant/Monster

REACTION: Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: None

Spreading out from the Wastes of Chaos, into the hotter and even more arid areas of southern Khul, the DRAGON FRUIT TREE is a strange type of carnivorous creeping cactus. In appearance, it has 3-18 succulent wave-lobed branches radiating out from a short central stalk, of which one third of the branches end in large white bulb-like flowers, one third end in red spiky ovoid fruit, and one third end in dragon-like carnivorous jaw-pods, that spit small blasts of flame (hence the plant's name)!

When disturbed or angry, the Dragon Fruit Tree will attack by biting with its long-toothed jaw pods and also its fiery breath. Roll a die every Attack Round, on a roll of 1 or 2 everyone fighting the Dragon Fruit Tree suffers 1 STAMINA damage in burn wounds. Needless to say, this plant is immune to fire and fire damage itself! In fact, as well as its hardy nature, the Dragon Fruit Tree is easily cultivatable, being largely quiescent during the day, allowing smart farmers to harvest its succulent red and green-scaled fruits (the black seed-studded succulent white flesh of each fruit is equivalent to one full Provision and sells for four Gold Pieces).

There's a Wocket in my Pickpocket...

PICKPOCKET (#9/31, #283/365) [POT]

SKILL: 6

STAMINA : 7

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Dagger

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Towns, Towns (sewers), Ruins, Dungeons

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3

TYPE: Humanoid

REACTION: Neutral

INTELLIGENCE: High

Similar to the Cutpurse, the PICKPOCKET is a street-thief specializing in absconding with the valuables of townsfolk as they amble about a settlement. Unlike Cutpurses, however, who use a dagger to swiftly cut a purse free from its strap, the Pickpocket favours their dextrous agility to remove individual gold pieces and other trinkets directly from the pockets and pouches of the unwary, hence their name. They then make a fast getaway, but it is advised to be cautious in following the Pickpocket as they are usually equipped with a dagger with which to defend themselves more than adequately! They have little else in the way of possessions, other than the clothes they wear; any treasure they may have, has been likely taken from their last victim.

Pickpockets operate in cities and larger towns either individually or in a small team, with one as the picker, one as the lookout, and any others as backup. These roles may be varied to keep a team sharp, or chosen, or designated, based on skills and experience. The activities of a Pickpocket are almost always sanctioned under the auspices of the local Thieves' Guild; freelancers are given short and often violent shrift. In particular, the Pickpocket will target wealthy merchants and rich strangers, especially those without bodyguards or other protective measures. Yazmon of Tak (see Heroes of Titan, p. 43), one of the greatest Pickpockets of the city-states of the Inland Sea, notoriously favoured robbing drunken pirates on shore leave!  Note that all of these categories may include wandering adventurers, returning into town from a profitable expedition down the local dungeon, now heavily-laden with treasure and sundry sparkling objects - easy prey for a skilled team of Pickpockets!

May you live in Fortuitous Circumstances

Talisman of Fortuitous Circumstance (#8/31, #282/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item) 

This talisman is made from the highest quality jade and carved into the shape of a Tatsu dragon. Indeed, it is gifted by the Tatsu to only the greatest and most deserving of heroes, those who have won through against all odds or bested the Tatsu somehow, such as in a riddling contest or other battle of wits. Anyone wearing the Talisman of Fortuitous Circumstance gains a +2 bonus to their LUCK score. They lose this bonus as soon as they are no longer wearing the talisman. In addition, as long as the talisman has been acquired honestly, those who wear it will be regarded as dragon-friend by any Tatsu encountered, with a Reaction type of Friendly. One such example of this enchanted item was gifted to the current Shogun's champion, Kensei the Sword Saint, who slew Ikiru, Master of Shadows, with the fabled sword Dai-Katana (or 'Singing Death'); by the Tatsu who dwelt within the heart of the Forest of Shadows and fought alongside Kensei at the Tourney of the Planes, against the demonic forces of Ikiru's pet Dai-Oni.

Unavailable to buy