Mahout, my coat!

MAHOUT (#21/31, #141/365) [POT]

SKILL: 7

STAMINA : 6

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Goad (as per Handaxe) or Spear

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: See below

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3

TYPE: Humanoid

REACTION: Friendly-Neutral

INTELLIGENCE: High

Similar to herders, MAHOUTS also tend to animals, though usually just one, and a very large beast at that. To determine what creature a group of Mahouts will have under their control, roll on the table below for type and habitat.

Roll Beast Habitat

1 Mammoth Towns, Ice, Mountains, Hills, Plains (Roll for type: 1-2 Common, 3-5 Tusker, 6 Black)

2 Elephant Towns, Jungles, Plains, Hills

3 Rhinoceros Plains, Wilderness

4 Hippohog Rivers, Lakes, Marshes, Jungles

5 Gunderwal Towns, Deserts, Plains, Wilderness

6 Sandcrawler Deserts, Plains, Wilderness, Towns

Such enormous creatures are typically used as battle-beasts in war, or transportation of either people or haulage, as well as being involved in construction and building. To control their large animal, most Mahouts will be armed with a goad or bullhook (a short, sharp pointed stick with a curved hook on one side), and a spear, with clothes appropriate for their terrain. They may well have some extra gear; roll 1-3 times on the table below for each Mahout present to determine any other possessions they may have.

Roll Extra Gear

1 a musical instrument (roll: 1-2 Bamboo Pipe, 3-4 Bronze Bell, 5-6 Bone Whistle)

2 1-3 steel or iron chains

3 a Leather Jack

4 a nice Hat

5 a Missile Weapon (Roll: 1-3 Javelins (1-2), 4-6 Sling and ammo)

6 a Net

Mahouts are semi-nomadic, usually having a home village that they periodically return to, but otherwise wander far and wide to find employment and food for their enormous creature companion. Mahouts with Tusker Mammoths, for example, are common sights on the roads between the various clan-cities of the kingdom of Kazan, while nomads of the Twin Sun and Scythera Deserts are known for their use of Sandcrawlers and Gunderwals respectively, as both heavy haulage and transport to augment their herds of camels and mules.

MULESKINNER (#22/31, #142/365) [POT]

SKILL: 7

STAMINA : 6

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Whip or Spear

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Towns, Plains, Deserts, Wilderness, Hills, Woods, Mountains

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3

TYPE: Humanoid

REACTION: Neutral

INTELLIGENCE: High

The caravans and mercantile missions that wind their way across the great overland trade-routes of Titan's three major continents requires countless mules for transport and haulage and these are provided for by MULESKINNERS. These specialized herders, who are invariably accompanied by 4-24 Mules (see Return to the Pit, p. 9), usually harnessed, which are being brought from an animal market perhaps, to join a caravan, or the reverse, for mules, being sterile hybrid offspring of horse and ass, have no natural herds of their own. Muleskinners will be wearing travel-stained clothes, and armed with a spear and a whip, as well as a full waterskin, and riding their own horse. They will also have 1-3 items of Extra Gear each; roll on the table below to determine what:

Roll Extra Gear

1 a musical instrument (roll: 1-2 Bamboo Pipe, 3-4 Six-stringed Lute, 5-6 Bone Whistle)

2 a pouch of Smoking Weed and a pipe or a Hip Flask of Special Brew

3 a Leather Hauberk (in the form of a long leather coat lined with sheep fleece)

4 a nice Hat

5 a Missile Weapon (Roll: 1 Javelins (1-2), 2 Sling and ammo, 3 Hand Crossbow and 10 bolts in case, 4 Flintlock Pistol and ammo, 5 Bola, 6 Shortbow and 20 arrows in quiver.)

6 a Net

Muleskinners and their herds of mules are found wherever there are trade routes, imperial roads, animal markets and large mercantile centres, or, conversely, they may be encountered out in the wilderness travelling from one bastion of commerce to another. In particular, the Battlegrounds of Khul, an area of grassy steppes near the city of Corda, are famous for its Muleskinners, known locally as Gauchos. Gauchos must protect their animal charges from the undead and chaos horrors that still lurk out there on the Battlegrounds, shambling leftovers from the Chaos Wars of almost three centuries ago. As such, Gauchos are heavily armed and armoured, with leather hauberks, flintlock pistols, bolas, whips and long thin-bladed spears, with which to more than adequately defend themselves!

SWINEHERD (#23/31, #143/365) [POT]

SKILL: 6

STAMINA : 7

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Staff or Dagger

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Woods, Plains, Hills, Towns, Wilderness

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1

TYPE: Humanoid

REACTION: Unfriendly

INTELLIGENCE: Average

The SWINEHERD is a specialised type of animal-herder, responsible for raising pigs as livestock. It is not a highly desirable vocation, and Swineherds are typically encountered as solitary individuals, accompanied by their herd of 3-18 swine. To determine what kind of pigs the Swineherd is looking after, roll on the table(s) below. All pigs will be of the same type.

Roll Type of Pig

1-5 Normal PIG (SKILL 5 STAMINA 4, Small Bite)

6 Special breed (only 1-6 of these)

For special breeds of pig, roll two dice and consult the table below:

Roll Special Breed of Pig

2 Parnassan Iron Hog (with wooden collars)

3 Great Boar

4 Savage Swine or Hellhog

5 Warthog

6 Hog-Mule

7 Wild Boar

8 Razorback

9 Cave Hog

10 Galomper

11 Red-Bellied Barrabang Pig

12 War Pig of Doom (unarmed)

A Swineherd will usually be found allowing their drove of pigs to forage in the wild, though never in drier climates, or taking their animals to market for sale and slaughter. Perhaps not surprisingly given their suine livestock, Swineherds wear grubby and often quite smelly clothing and are armed with a staff and a dagger. In addition, they will have 1-3 items of Extra Gear - roll on the table below to determine what:

Roll Extra Gear

1 a musical instrument (roll: 1-2 Bamboo Pipe, 3-4 Six-stringed Lute, 5-6 Bone Whistle)

2 a pouch of Smoking Weed and a pipe or a Hip Flask of Special Brew

3 a Leather Jack

4 a nice Hat

5 a Missile Weapon (Roll: 1-2 Sling and ammo, 3-4 Bola, 5-6 Shortbow and 20 arrows in quiver.)

6 another Melee Weapon (Roll: 1-2 Net, 3-4 Whip, 5-6 Club).

There is also a 1-3 chance the Herder will be accompanied by a trained DOG (SKILL 4 STAMINA 4 Small Bite).

Being a swineherd is often a lonely profession, and some are known to settle down in cities or towns to work as abattoirs or butchers. The city of Salamonis even has an infamous business known as the Slime and Swine Guttery that processes Razorback meat for consumption by the Salamonian populace, and guts for the production of the culinary delicacy known as lamoy. Curiously, the proprietors of the Guttery are the brothers Pigboy and Jowler, both members of the rare hog-headed people known as Snouters (thought to be related to Tuskers and Zwinians). If it seems perhaps bizarre that pig-headed creatures would slaughter actual pigs for meat, nobody has dared take it up with Pigboy and Jowler yet (although they are looking for an adventurer to help them deal with a Rattapillar infestation).

Of Bograts and brooding Nest Mothers...

"Skabulus, King of the Rat Men, has also arrived in force with a full brigade of musketeers and swordsmen, led by his lieutenants, hideous hybrids of Ogres and Rat Men. They have fortified their area of the dungeon with battlements and pill-boxes, a near-impregnable ring of defences around the Dragon's Lair."

- J. Thompson, Deathtrap Dungeon: The Bestiary (1998: p. 15).

BOGRAT (#8/31, #128/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 6

STAMINA: 6

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Shortsword or Sling

ARMOUR: Leather Hauberk

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Marshes, Rivers, Lakes

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-6

TYPE: Animal/Humanoid

REACTION: Unfriendly-Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: Low

Thought to be related to Rat Men, BOGRATS are a swamp-dwelling race of rodentine humanoids. These are dark, hairy creatures, short and skinny, with long toothy jaws and red, mean-looking eyes. A crest of yellow hair runs across the top of their skull down to the nape of their neck. Bograts wear leather hauberks made from the hides of various swamp beasts, and carry shortswords and slings as weapons. They are quick and tricky fighters, but not particularly strong, and will flee if confronted by clearly superior opponents.

If five or six Bograts are encountered, one will be a BOGRAT CHAMPION (SKILL 8 STAMINA 8), to lead them on their raids and depredations. Bograts rob and eat anything they think they can capture successfully, and have sometimes trained swarms of Swamp Rats to help them in their attacks. Bograts dislikes Fen Folk, fear Fen Beasts and Marsh Fiends greatly, and are sometimes friends with Marsh Goblins and Swamp Orcs. 

Bograt lairs are damp, cold burrows, dug into the sides of hills, rises and river banks, lit by candles and full of old bones and rubbish. The entrance to this bolt-hole will be a trapdoor hidden in the long grass of the swamp, and Bograts have been known to spring out of the trapdoor and attack anyone they hear passing by. In ancient times they were rumoured to dwell in some number at the aptly-named Bograt Hill in Mudworm Swamp, and indeed many are still found in nearby wetlands now, such as Scorpion Swamp, Minak Sikla, and the Bogomil Deeps.

RAT MAN (#9-15/30, #129-135/365) [OOTP IV]

                Soldier    Elite

 

SKILL:         6            8

STAMINA:     8            12

ATTACKS:

Rat Man Soldier - 1

Rat Man Elite - 2

WEAPON: See below

ARMOUR: See below

DAMAGE MODIFIER:

Rat Man Soldier - None

Rat Man Elite - +1 to Damage Roll

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

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-6

TYPE: Animal/Humanoid

REACTION: Unfriendly

INTELLIGENCE: Low-Average

RAT MEN are generally thought to be unfortunate Chaos-spawned beast people, with the body of a human and the head and tail of a rat, cursed to scavenge in the cities, ruins, and dungeons of Titan in search of sustenance and succour. However, some do rise above. Rat Men have been reported as serving as scouts or engineers in the diverse Chaos armies of both Imperial Silur Cha and independent warlords including Belgaroth the Dark Serpent. In legend a Rat Man was even noted as the chief servant to Princess Jet at her ancestral seat called the Tower of Ghosts. 

Nevertheless, for a humanoid race so long present upon the surface of Titan it is perhaps no surprise that variations exist, and often considerably so. Elsewhere in this volume can be found details of Bograts (see p. XX) and Rat-Ogres (see p. XX), while below are two major extensions to the original Rat Man as presented in Out of the Pit (p. 96).

More advanced in martial abilities than typical Rat Men, are the RAT MEN SOLDIERS, of which there are several different varieties. Unless otherwise stated, all encountered Rat Men Soldiers will be of the same type if met as part of a group. Roll for Rat Man Soldier table below to determine which type have been encountered:

Roll Rat Man Soldier Type

1 Swordsman: Sword, Chainmail Hauberk. The mainstay of a Rat Men army, SWORDSMEN are also the least trusted and respected of the troops. Prone to break and run if wounded, most adventurers can cut them down with ease. Unfortunately their strength lies in numbers, and where Swordsmen settle they dig in, fortifying their area with trenches, pillboxes and battlements.

2 Musketeer: Matchlock Blunderbuss, Bayonet (Sword), Chainmail Hauberk. Cunning engineers that they are, the Rat Men have equipped some of their more reliable troops with primitive muskets equivalent to the Matchlock Blunderbuss. These are relatively accurate, mostly owing to the spread of shot that can pepper the doughtiest of heroes or heroines with a cloud of musket balls. When faced with several of these dangerous opponents, slaying them as quickly as possible becomes a priority. Dwarf tunnel fighters would advise one to stay on the move, and use whatever you can find, but be careful, because RAT MEN MUSKETEERS are no slouch in hand-to-hand combat either, as they have vicious bayonets fastened onto the ends of their muskets.

3 Grenadier: Grenadier's Companion, 2-7 Grenades, Sword, Chainmail Hauberk. Some elite Rat Men are entrusted with the Grenadier's Companion (see EA:V2, p. XX), a simple but effective wooden grenade launcher. If an adventurer gets hit from one of these grenades, they will certainly know about it! RAT MEN GRENADIERS are pretty indiscriminate in their choice of targets, and will tend to try and overwhelm their opponents with a barrage of grenades. Sometimes this can be used to one's advantage. Again, Dwarfs say, that if a Grenadier is firing at you, head for the nearest group of enemies and let them share some of the heat. Otherwise, kill a Grenadier as soon as possible, using whatever means you have at your disposal, before they either blow you up, or bring the surroundings, especially if underground, down upon everyone in a dreaded ceiling collapse.

4 Assassin: Sword, Leather Cuirass. Special Abilities. Any/all other Rat Men in this group will be Swordsmen; the RAT MAN ASSASSIN will be in disguise among them. Rat Men Assassins are very stealthy. An Awareness roll has to be made when a Hero comes near them, or the Assassin will make their first attack from concealment gaining a +4 bonus on their combat rolls. There is also a 1 in 2 chance their weapon is Poisoned.

5 Priest: Staff, Robes. Roll for patron god/spirit: 1-2 Shreech the Rat King, 3-4 Shaman (Ancestors), 5 Disease, 6 Decay. Any/all other Rat Men in this group will be Grenadiers. For template ideas for the RAT MAN PRIEST, see the Shaman template in the Combat Companion (p. 47), or the Priest or alternative Shaman templates in the Priests Companion (p. 52).

6 Wizard: Staff, Robes. Roll for type: 1 Beastmaster (Rats), 2 Shadow Mage, 3 Sorcerer, 4 Technomancer, 5 Warlock, 6 Wizard. Any/all other Rat Men in this group will be Musketeers. For templates for the RAT MAN WIZARD see the Wizard template in the Combat Companion (p. 47).

Leading such a rabble of Rat Men Soldiers will be a member of the RAT MEN ELITE. Known generally as Rat Kings if male or Nest Mothers if female, these are monstrous humanoid creatures with rat heads and tails, standing up to three metres tall on their hind legs, with great clawed hands and rancid stinking fur. Rat Men Elite wear patchwork leather robes made from the hides of their vanquished enemies that counts as Medium armour. They can defend themselves with claws and bite (both Large), or may wield a weapon such as a club, sword or polearm.

Rat Men Elite will usually have 1-3 Rat Ogres (see p. XX) as bodyguards, and may also have a pet such as a Rattapillar or a Great Rat that accompanies them. In battle they may also call on a swarm of rats in their lair to provide aid. Each time a Rat Man Elite is wounded, they will let out a screech of anger summoning a small pack of rats to burst out of the filth and fling themselves at there enemies. For the next Attack Round, all the opponent's combat rolls are made at a -1 penalty, as the rats swarm across them, biting and scratching. Finally, anyone wounded in combat by a Rat Men Elite's putrid claws or fangs must Test their Luck or contract a disease.

The Rat Men Elite lurk at the heart of their rodentine empires, surrounded by squalour and looted riches in equal measure. Some accrue noted power indeed. The Nest Mother of the Khulian port of Ludria was known to guard the Orb of Shadows (see Adventure Creation System, p. 297), while the Rat King Skabulus threw his lot in with Baron Sukumvit of Fang and appeared in the third iteration of the Chiang Mai despot's Deathtrap Dungeon trial of champions. Skabulus was the toughest and most ruthless of the Rat-Ogres, and his gold crown and bejewelled club betrayed his status. It was necessary to defeat him to reach the Dragon's Lair deeper within the dungeon.

RAT-OGRE (#16/30, #136/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 7

STAMINA: 11

ATTACKS: 2

WEAPON: Club

ARMOUR: Light

DAMAGE MODIFIER: +1 to Damage Roll

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

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3

TYPE: Animal/Humanoid

REACTION: Unfriendly-Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: Low-Average

One of the weirder creatures to clamber out of the arcane spawning pits of the Rat Men wizards and priests is the enormous RAT-OGRE, a Rat Man in form, but with the build of an Ogre three metres tall. These hideous hybrids wield spiked clubs in battle and typically serve as the lieutenants for a Rat Men host of soldiers, such as the forces of King Skabulus who dwelt within the third incarnation of Baron Sukumvit's infamous Deathtrap Dungeon. Rat-Ogres can also be found living a quiet life in some isolated cave or den, decorated with their  weird and macabre collections of bones and trinkets, eating whatever they can subdue with their great strength. They rarely flee and will do all within their power to beat their opponents to death with their massive club, as Rat-Ogres can dish out a lot of damage as well as take it.

Golden Crown of Shreech (#17/31, #137/365) [EA:V2] (Artefact)

This is a golden crown, ornately decorated with rodentine motifs but unadorned with jewels or gems. In legend gifted to the worthy by the rat god Shreech, it was worn by King Skabulus, commander of the Rat Men soldiers who dwelt within the third incarnation of Baron Sukumvit's infamous Deathtrap Dungeon. It has all the powers of an Amulet of the Masters (see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1, p. 139, or Magic Companion, pp. 35-36), with respect to all kinds of rats, as follows:

• Control rodent: All rodents in the immediate vicinity are friendly for 60 minutes.
• Summon rodent: Wearer can summon 1-6 Giant Rats who will serve them for 60 minutes or until slain.
• Talk to rodent: Wearer can speak and understand all rodent languages for 60 minutes.
• Immune to rodents: Wearer is immune to all rodent attacks, including any diseases, for 60 minutes.

In addition, the Morale score of any Rat Men followers or Rat Men units in battle is increased by one if they can see the wearer of the Golden Crown of Shreech, and they are immune to any Fear spells or effects. These powers can only be used if the wearer of the crown is a follower of Shreech.

Unavailable to buy

Jewelled Club of King Skabulus (#18/31, #138/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item)

This is a great wooden club, banded with strips of iron and with a jewelled hilt. It was wielded by King Skabulus of the Rat Men soldiers who dwelt within the third incarnation of Baron Sukumvit's infamous Deathtrap Dungeon. The club counts as a magic weapon and confers a +1 bonus to the Attack Roll. It does damage as per a Greathammer, but must be used with two hands by any humanoids between a Dwarf and a human in size range. It is too big to be used by smaller humanoids, such as Halflings, while bigger humanoids, including Half-Giants, Half-Ogres, Half-Trolls and Rhino Folk may use it one handed. 

Unavailable to buy 

Orb of Shadows (#19/31, #139/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item)

This is a glassy orb about the size of an apple, filled with swirling shadows, usually kept in a pouch at one's belt. Once a day it can deepen the shadows around the holder (who must take it out of the pouch and hold it in the palm of their hand), so they gain a +2 bonus to their Sneaking tests for ten minutes. One of these magic orbs was known to be possessed by the Rat Men Nest Mother of the city of Ludria (see Adventure Creation System, p. 297).

Unavailable to buy

Grenadier's Companion (#20/31, #140/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item)

Some elite Rat Men soldiers are entrusted with the Grenadier's Companion, a simple but effective wooden grenade launcher that fires deadly sulphurous grenades at the enemy, at a much greater distance than simply throwing or hurling them. Using the Grenadier's Companion allows the wielder to double the missile weapon ranges for Grenades (see Blacksand, p. 8), but it takes one Attack Round to load the Grenadier's Companion, one round to prime the grenade, and one round to fire the weapon.

 Each grenade used as ammo counts as one individual item, so only a few are carried at a time. If a fumble occurs, the Firepowder Weapon Oops! Table (see Blacksand, p. 8) is used. When rolling for the Grenade damage result (see Blacksand, p. 7), an explosion 'in hand' indicates the grenade has exploded inside the Grenadier's Companion, causing regular damage plus destroying the weapon. In addition, any un-ignited grenades carried by someone in such an explosion, will also detonate and explode.

If an adventurer gets hit from one of these grenades, they will certainly know about it! Rat Men grenadiers are pretty indiscriminate in their choice of targets, and will tend to try and overwhelm their opponents with a barrage of grenades. Sometimes this can be used to one's advantage. Experienced Dwarf warriors say that if a grenadier is firing at you, head for the nearest group of enemies and let them share some of the heat. Otherwise, kill a grenadier as soon as possible, using whatever means you have at your disposal, before they either blow you up, or bring the surroundings, especially if underground, down upon everyone in a dreaded ceiling collapse.

250 GP

Ten secret herbs and spices...

BDELLIUM (#28/30, #118/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a shrub or small tree with thorny branches, thin, papery bark, small oval brown-green leaves, and red-pink flowers.

Distribution: Grows in arid areas such as the outlands of Arantis and the countryside of the Glimmering Sea city-states.

 

Effects: The Bdellium tree produces an opaque golden resin-like gum, which is extracted, dried, and used as a valuable incense in temples and shrines across these warm southern lands.

Cost: City 3gp, Town 5gp, Village 6gp (per exudate)

 

Availability: Common

 

Further Notes: For more information on spices and incense, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (pp. 85-88).

CAMPHOR (#29/30, #119/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a large tree with pale bark, bright green, glossy waxy leaves, and small black berries.

Distribution: Woods, hills and plains in Hachiman and Isles of the Dawn.

 

Effects: By passing steam through the woodchips of the Camphor tree, one extracts a pungently aromatic white crystalline substance. This Camphor residue is used for many things, including as incense or spice, for herbal remedies, and even as an insect repellent. Sniffing a vial of Camphor crystals allows one to deduct 1 from the dice roll when Testing their Luck to avoid disease for up to one hour in duration.

Cost: City 7gp, Town 8gp, Village 9gp (per vial of crystals)

 

Availability: Common

 

Further Notes: For more information on spices and incense, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (pp. 85-88).

CARDAMOM (#30/30, #120/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a bush-like plant with long broad pointed bright green leaves and lilac or violet flowers.

Distribution: Grows across grasslands and the forested foothills of the Anvils of the Gods.

 

Effects: The green, spindle-shaped seed pods of the Cardamom plant are used as spices and traded across the Old World. They are a common component of cooking in southern Lendeland especially.

Cost: City 7gp, Town 9gp, Village 11gp (per pouch)

 

Availability: Uncommon

Further Notes: For more information on spices and incense, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (pp. 85-88).

CLOVES (#1/31, #121/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a very tall tree with large green leaves and crimson flowers.

Distribution: Found only on the Island of Scars and its neighbour; the Isle of Despair.

 

Effects: The flower-buds of the Clove tree are brown, spindle-shaped and constitute a valuable spice, being traded far and wide across Titan as a valued commodity.

Cost: City 12gp, Town 15gp, Village 20gp (per pouch)

 

Availability: Rare

 

Further Notes: For more information on spices and incense, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (pp. 85-88).

GALANGAL (#2/31, #122/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a stiff-stalked plant with long green leaves and red fruit, with a root that resembles an oddly-shaped white tuber with budding green stalks.

Distribution: Grows naturally in the wild lands along the shores of the Strait of Knives and the Bay of Kulak, including plains, marshes, and riverbanks.

 

Effects: The root of the Galangal plant is ground down to make a spice that is an important component of the foods of southern Allansia.

Cost: City 8gp, Town 9gp, Village 10gp (per jar)

 

Availability: Uncommon

 

Further Notes: For more information on spices and incense, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (pp. 85-88).

NUTMEG (#3/31, #123/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a tall tree with dark green leaves,  and small bell-shaped pale yellow flowers. It produces bunches of round yellow fruit inside each of which is a pithy wooden seed.

Distribution: Found only on a few isolated islands of the Arrowhead Archipelago.

 

Effects: The Nutmeg tree produces not one but two very important spices. Mace is a reddish fibrous spice made from the seed-covering of the the Nutmeg tree. Nutmeg itself is a spice made by grinding the seed itself into a light brown powder. Both the Mace and Nutmeg spices are traded far and wide across Titan as valuable commodities.

Cost: City 13gp, Town 15gp, Village 17gp (per jar of Mace); City 16gp, Town 20gp, Village 24gp (per jar of Nutmeg);

 

Availability: Rare (Mace); Very Rare (Nutmeg)

 

Further Notes: For more information on spices and incense, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (pp. 85-88).

OLIBANUM (#4/31, #124/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a small tree with papery bark, irregular dark green leaves, and yellow-white flowers.

Distribution: Grows in arid areas such as hills, deserts and plains across southern Khul.

 

Effects: Olibanum gum can be extracted from the tree - it is a yellowish resin-like substance and is commonly used as aromatic incense in temples, shrines and the like.

Cost: City 4gp, Town 5gp, Village 6gp (per exudate)

 

Availability: Common

 

Further Notes: For more information on spices and incense, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (pp. 85-88).

PEPPER (#5/31, #125/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a green flowering vine, with large dark green leaves, star-shaped white flowers, and long cylindrical clumps of red-green berries called peppercorns.

Distribution: Grows naturally on the Shabak peninsula in plains, hills and woods.

 

Effects: Pepper seeds are ground down to form a black powder that is a common spice used in cooking across Allansia, Khul, and the Old World. A standard food in the wasteland city of Ashkyos for example, is a hot slice of peppered beef served in a poppy-seed bun, while among the city-states of the Glimmering Sea they prepare various spicy stews using pepper.

Cost: City 1gp, Town 15sp, Village 2gp (per vial)

 

Availability: Common

 

Further Notes: For more information on spices and incense, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (pp. 85-88).

SAFFRON (#6/31, #126/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a large vivid purple flower growing from a short herb with very narrow, linear, shiny dark green leaves.

Distribution: Grows in the drier areas of southern Khul, particularly the lands bordering the Inland Sea, including hills, plains and desert terrain.

 

Effects: Saffron is a spice made from the dried crimson stalks of the flower and used in preparing food dishes across this region, and also traded much further afield as well.

Cost: City 15gp, Town 17gp, Village 18gp (per bag)

 

Availability: Common

 

Further Notes: For more information on spices and incense, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (pp. 85-88).

SPIKENARD (#7/31, #127/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This short herb has long green leaves and pink, bell-shaped flowers.

Distribution: Can be found growing wild in mountainous areas of the Old World, such as Mauristatia, the Zanzunu Peaks, and the Anvils of the Gods.

 

Effects: An amber-coloured oil-like substance can be distilled from the root of the Spikenard herb. This is used as an aromatic incense in churches and temples across the many kingdoms of the Old World. Oil of Spikenard Essence can also be used in the Ritual of Consecration, to consecrate a holy place (see Priests Companion, p. 47-48)

Cost: City 4gp, Town 6gp, Village 8gp (per vial of oil)

 

Availability: Uncommon

 

Further Notes: For more information on spices and incense, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (pp. 85-88). Spikenard is related to Valerian (see The Titan Herbal, p. 71).

Always drink upstream from the herd...

HERDER (#27/30, #117/365) [POT]

SKILL: 6

STAMINA : 6

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Spear or Dagger

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Towns or see below

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3

TYPE: Humanoid

REACTION: Friendly-Neutral

INTELLIGENCE: High

Similar to shepherds, HERDERS are those who tend to a group of animals, though they are larger creatures than those of a shepherd's flock. Roll on or choose from the table below to determine the nature of these 3-18 herd animals and the habitat they prefer:

Roll Herd Animal Habitat

1 Camel Desert, Wilderness, Plains, Hills

2 Horse Plains, Wilderness, Desert, Forests, Hills

3 Donkey Hills, Plains, Wilderness, Desert, Mountains

4 Water Buffalo Marshes, Rivers, Lakes, Plains, Jungles

5 Cattle or Oxen Plains, Forests, Hills, Wilderness

6 Yak or Musk Ox Ice, Mountains, Hills, Wilderness

Herders can also be encountered in towns and other settlements, typically bringing their herd to the local livestock market for sale and trade, and pay some respects at the shrine to Varantar or Harrun or similar. 

If the Herder is encountered in the desert, they will be riding a camel; if in the mountains they will ride a mule; if in icy terrain, they will ride an elk or reindeer; if near water or jungle a Water Buffalo, in any other terrain they will have a horse. Their gear will depend somewhat on location, but generally all Herders are armed with a spear and a dagger, along with dusty, travel-stained clothing. To determine other possessions, roll 1-3 times on the table below for extra items of gear:

Roll Extra Gear

1 a musical instrument (roll: 1-2 Bamboo Pipe, 3-4 Bronze Bell, 5-6 Bone Whistle)

2 a Whip

3 a Leather Jack

4 a nice Hat

5 a Missile Weapon (Roll: 1-2 Javelins (1-2), 3-4 Shortbow and 2-12 arrows in quiver, 5-6 Bolas (1-2))

6 a Net

There is also a 1-3 chance the Herder will be accompanied by a trained DOG (SKILL 4 STAMINA 4 Small Bite). 

Herders, by nature of the size of their animal charges and the amount of food they consume on the hoof, are generally nomadic pastoralists shepherding their herds along the great trade routes, but also following seasonal trails, looking for food and pasture when the weather is warm and pleasant, and warmth and shelter when the weather turns cold. Their herds are valuable and they are lightly armed, so Herders are suspicious of strangers. They are grateful for protection however, and have been known to band together with other Herders or Merchant caravans, or even Mercenary bands or Strongarm riders, and are always happy to trade. The main enemy of the Herder tends to be Orc marauders, aggressive tribes of Centaurs and Felinaurs, and the occasional swarm of Xoroa, and they will gladly barter with a band of Heroes for protection travelling through a region rife with such dangers!

Bramblin' Man

"Magic swirls and eddies around Titan like an invisible flow of water. Slow and deep in some places, fast and bubbling in others. In very special cases wild magic bursts out in such force that strange events happen spontaneously. Magical creatures arrive to feed off the energy, enchanters try to trap it in odd machinery of their own devising."

-  Adventure Creation System, p. 327.

BRAMBLE SPRITE (#21/30, #111/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: A Bramble Sprite is a small humanoid creature composed entirely of thorny branches, like those of a species of bramble, such as raspberry, blackberry or Blackthorn bushes (see The Titan Herbal, p. 23).

Distribution: Forests, hills and wilderness across Titan.

 

Effects: These are elemental spirits from the lesser elemental realm of plants and wood, typically summoned by conjurers and enchanters to Titan. Here they are used to bathe in the occasional fonts of magic that break through, and then converted to an inert form, the Bramblewood Ball, whose innate magical power could be released at a later date.

Cost: City 12gp, Town 16gp, Village 21gp (per ball)

 

Availability: Rare

BRIARWOOD (#22/30, #112/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a small tree with dark green needle-like leaves and small honey-scented white bell-shaped flowers.

Distribution: Woods, hills, and plains across the hotter regions of Titan.

 

Effects: The wood of the Briarwood tree is extremely dense, hard and heat resistant. Taken from both the root and heartwood of the tree, the wood is used to make a variety of items from Briarwood pipes to sword handles to small shields. Someone using a small shield made from Briarwood may add +1 to the Damage Roll against all fire-based attacks.

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

 

Availability: Common

 

Notes: The Briarwood is no relation to the Tanglebriar (see The Titan Herbal, p. 66), despite the partial similarity in name.

 

BRAMBLE SPRITE (#23/30, #113/365) [OOTP IV]

 

SKILL: 7

STAMINA: 9

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Small Claws

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: -1 to Damage Roll

HABITAT: Woods, Hills, Wilderness, Towns, Caves

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-2

TYPE: Plant/Humanoid

REACTION: Unfriendly

INTELLIGENCE: Low

A BRAMBLE SPRITE is a strange creature, shaped like a small man made out of knotted thorn bush branches like those of a species of bramble, such as raspberry, blackberry or Blackthorn bushes (see The Titan Herbal, p. 23). These are elemental spirits from the lesser elemental realm of plants and wood, typically summoned by conjurers and enchanters to Titan. Here they are used to bathe in the occasional fonts of magic that break through, and then converted to an inert form, the Bramblewood Ball, whose innate magical power could be released at a later date.

The Bramble Sprite will never attack directly, and will only strike to defend itself, lashing about with thorn-laden arms; it is otherwise completely focused upon whatever its designated task is. When attempts are made to prevent the Bramble Sprite performing this task, it has a Dodge Special Skill rating of 5 in avoiding attacks (its high STAMINA score also reflects its agility and durability). Bramble Sprites have been encountered, in the wild, in forests, hills and wilderness across Titan, and are known to be an occasional menace in the city of Ludria (see Adventure Creation System, p. 327), thanks to the unpredictable magical flows present within that settlement.

Bramblewood Ball (#24/30, #114/365) [EA:V2] (Sundry/Trinket)

This is a small strange wooden ball, slightly irregular in shape, that radiates a faint magical aura, one that even those without the Second Sight Special Skill can recognize. When found, a Bramblewood Ball will contain between 2-7 Magic Points worth of magical energy (or 2-7 STAMINA points if the bearer is a Sorcerer). This can be used by the bearer when casting a spell while holding the  Bramblewood Ball in one hand; the cost of the spell will be deducted from the Bramblewood Ball first, before being drained from the caster's reserves if necessary.

Alternatively, the Bramblewood Ball can be used as a missile weapon and thrown at an opponent. If it misses, it explodes in a harmless puff of black smoke. If it hits, it will turn into a Bramble Sprite and attack the victim immediately for 2-4 Attack Rounds before likewise disappearing in smoke. Bramblewood Balls are made by summoning a Bramble Sprite to bathe in a font of magical energy, which is then absorbed by the sprite, which then returns to its enchanter to be forged into a Bramblewood Ball in a short simple ritual. They have one use only, except if some of their power reserves are left over after a use, which can then be reused or recharged, and thus valued among sensible spellcasters as a suitable defensive preparation.

50gp (once activated; 12gp if unactivated, costs 1 MP or STAMINA to activate)

Ritual of the Thorny Vessel (#25/30, #115/365) [EA:V3] (Conjuring)

Magic-Conjuration: 2

Type: Summoning

Components: Branch from a Tanglebriar (see The Titan Herbal, p. 66).

Time Taken: 2 hours

Rarity: Common

Description: This ritual summons a Bramble Sprite to serve the will of the conjurer. These small humanoid creatures are comprised entirely of knotted thorny branches. They can serve simple instructions, such as 'Go to the font of magic on Alembic Street, bath in the font, and then return here while avoiding everybody.' They will serve the conjurer for as many months as the conjurer's Magic-Conjuration rating before decomposing away to nothing, their allotted time being over.

Recipe: Bramblewood Ball (#26/30, #116/365) [EA:V3] (Enchanting: Sundry/Trinket)

Enchantment required: 1

Cost of recipe: 100gp

Cost of ingredients: 10gp 

Ingredients: Bronze bowl, one magically charged Bramble Sprite

Time to craft: 1 hour

Description: Bramblewood Balls are made by summoning a Bramble Sprite to bathe in a font of magical energy, which is then absorbed by the sprite, which then returns to its enchanter to be forged into a Bramblewood Ball in a short simple ritual. They have one use only, except if some of their power reserves are left over after a use, which can then be reused or recharged, and thus valued among sensible spellcasters as a suitable defensive preparation.

This is a small strange wooden ball, slightly irregular in shape, that radiates a faint magical aura, one that even those without the Second Sight Special Skill can recognize. When found, a Bramblewood Ball will contain between 2-7 Magic Points worth of magical energy (or 2-7 STAMINA points if the bearer is a Sorcerer). This can be used by the bearer when casting a spell while holding the  Bramblewood Ball in one hand; the cost of the spell will be deducted from the Bramblewood Ball first, before being drained from the caster's reserves if necessary. Alternatively, the Bramblewood Ball can be used as a missile weapon and thrown at an opponent. If it misses, it explodes in a harmless puff of black smoke. If it hits, it will turn into a Bramble Sprite and attack the victim immediately for 2-4 Attack Rounds before likewise disappearing in smoke.