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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Dec 6, 2012 8:29:50 GMT -6
Hah! Looking at that list, I have many of his favourites: Anomalous Subsurface Environment 1 & 2 Stonehell Many Gates of the Gann Demonspore Shadowbrook Manor Tower of the Stargazer* Barrowmaze 1 & 2 Wheel of Evil* Tomb of the Iron God* Inn of Lost Heroes Voyage to Plague Island* Barrow Mound of Gravemoor * - in pdf rather than printed To that I can add: PDF Only:Challenge of the Frog Idol Dolm River Fane of St. Toad Hidden Serpent Ironwood Gorge Kingmaker Manse on Murder Hill Sanctuary Ruin Skull Mountain Wheel of Evil Wrack & Rune Gone Fishin' Jungle Ruins of Madaro-Shanti Stonehell Supplements 1 & 2 Print:Temple of the Frog God Expedition to the Barrier Peaks Curse of the Witch Head Frozen Wave Satsuma Lost Keys of Solitude Pod-Caverns of the Sinister Shroom Sarcophagus Legion Stonesky Delve Fane of Poisoned Prophecies Plus the whole run of the new DCC RPG modules, and Rats in the Walls, Taken From Dunwich, and Charnel Crypt for AS&SH. Colin
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Dec 6, 2012 8:14:23 GMT -6
I have it, and it's great, but no, it doesn't really have Sanity Rules at all except as pertains to reading blasphemous tomes. Colin
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Dec 6, 2012 4:01:47 GMT -6
Let's not forget classics such as Temple of the Frog and Expedition to the Barrier Peaks either, as well as freebies such as Dyson's Challenge of the Frog Idol and Curtis' Fane of St. Toad. Curtis' Stonehell Supplement 2 also contains several appropriate mini-modules.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 25, 2012 2:18:01 GMT -6
Sounds nice, but although I love different flavours of ice-cream, I think you have to go a long way to beat a rich, thick, creamy vanilla with a dollop of clotted cream on top. Clotted cream for the win. Colin
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 24, 2012 14:48:49 GMT -6
Well, obviously one has poor tastes ( and no cultural class!) if they don't agree that black raspberry with jimmies, in a waffle cone is superior to all other selections! ;D I might agree if I knew what on Earth you were talking about. I know what a waffle cone is (I think; isn't it just a harder ice-cream cone with the sort of grid marks on it?), but the rest is gobbledygook. Some folks here call pyjamas "jimmies", but I don't think I want to eat pyjamas, covered in black raspberry jam or whatever it is.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 24, 2012 9:15:58 GMT -6
No worries at all, mate. Life would be boring if everyone agreed with each other about everything, and like you said, everyone should always tweak and adapt any given game to their own tastes. The whole "only play by the rules as written" trope that seems to spring up now and then in rpgdom is horrendous, because no ruleset can ever expect to suit every group out there, and I think it has its roots in a fear of tweaking brought on largely by more complicated interlocking rulesets. Besides, the fact that the Paladin is one of the very few things I would change about the game, means there's a heck of a lot more I absolutely agree with you on. It's all just like tastes in food or flavours of ice-cream in the end. Colin
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 23, 2012 18:21:33 GMT -6
I think that, even ignoring the issues of its thematic fit with Hyperborea, the Paladin class has always been possibly the worst considered class there is. So, it’s like a fightery cleric on one hand, stepping firmly on the shoes of the cleric archetype (which really represents the martial arm of the faith contrasted to the more scholarly/sorcerous Priest). Oh, but it’s also often a clericy knight too, stepping firmly on the shoes of the cavalier/cataphract archetype. Oh, but it’s like both, but with some extra bells and whistles as well. And then, of course, there’s the whole “Only Lawful Good” issue. What makes LG so special? Are only the LG entities capable of empowering such Super Soldiers? If not, why don’t other deities/powers have their own Super Soldier types? If so, why can’t or haven’t others? Is it something about being extreme in Alignment? So, what then about the polar opposite of Chaotic Evil? Ah, so then we have the Anti-Paladin. And you have a whole can of worms opened about, “Well, what would the empowered Super Soldier templars of X Alignment be like?” And then we get into all the old chestnut discussions about Detect Evil being a license to kill, “oh, but it’s detect evil intent”, “Lawful Good ain’t Lawful Stupid”, etc. Blech. That’s why my revised version is a) more about Law vs. Chaos than Good (so it fits Hyperborea more thematically), b) is open to Lawful Good and Lawful Evil (so you *can* have a trad-style Paladin, but you *can also have* a severe, bigoted, tyrannical, merciless bastard of a paladin too), and c) moves away from being a knight (so as not to kick the Cataphract class in the archetypal nuts). Besides, the idea of there being Lawful Good and Lawful Evil paladins of the same deity is too delicious to pass up, especially if they ever have to work together. Colin
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 22, 2012 18:44:16 GMT -6
I'm just starting to draft out my alternate take on the Paladin. Here're my note so far, any thoughts welcome. I wanted to take it a serious step away from the mounted knight archetype and from the strictly good approach too, to make it more an opponent of Chaos.
PALADIN (Fighter): The paladin is a martial exemplar of the Lawful alignment. Whereas others are seduced by the temptations of a world falling to Chaos, the paladin is unyielding. Though a paragon of dedication, loyalty to the cause, and a certain sense of honour, the paladin is not necessarily benign, and many display severity, intolerance, and mercilessness towards those not of similar faith or outlook. Only in striving to undo the works of Chaos on Hyperborea can the paladin be considered a champion. To the paladin, the Word and the Law are all.
Largely unchanged, except:
Alignment: Lawful (Good or Evil)
1) All instances of Lawful Good become Lawful. 2) All instances of powers being against Evil creatures becomes against Chaotic creatures, e.g. Sense Evil becomes Sense Chaos. 3) Honour: However severe, even tyrannical, the faith of some paladins might be, they do possess a sense of honour. Not necessarily that of mercy and good conduct, but of loyalty to the cause, dedication, vigilance, unswerving service to the precepts of the faith, stoicism, unflinching opposition to Chaos, and the inviolable nature of one’s own word when given. [text about possible loss of status, etc. here] 4) Remove Healing Hands, Horsemanship, Charge, and Sacred Mount Replace with:
Skilful Defender (as the Cataphract ability; seems apt for such unyielding warriors) Alertness (as the Ranger ability; ever-vigilant against Chaos) Unshakable Will (as the Monk ability, possibly to be gained at 5th level, reflects utterly indomitable will; not easily swayed from his path is the paladin) Longevity (as the Druid/Monk ability, reflecting unchanging nature of Law and its impact on the paladin’s physical nature)
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 21, 2012 18:51:45 GMT -6
I still love ya, mate, even if I don't like the Paladin. The 1997 Ivanhoe series was brilliant; a lot of excellent actors in it, but Ciarán Hinds (who played Julius Caesar in the HBO Rome series and Mance Rayder in Game of Thrones) as the tormented de Bois-Guilbert, and Christopher Lee as de Beaumanoir, really steal the show. The whole show is on YouTube apparently; not the ideal means to watch it, but better than nowt. Colin
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 21, 2012 18:24:58 GMT -6
In many ways I'd love to be able to envision Paladins in Hyperborea as akin to Christopher Lee (as the bigoted and ascetic Templar Grandmaster, Lucas de Beaumanoir) in this clip from the excellent Ivanhoe BBC series. Watch it from 8:44 to 9:32. No messing about, no "good", just the word, the Law, and stern opposition to Chaos.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 21, 2012 18:01:27 GMT -6
I think the difficulty with the Paladin is that it still has the horsemanship/special mount combination (which immediately ties it too closely to the typical knightly Lancelot concept), and that the greatest mount you can aspire to is a pegasus (a wise and compassionate Chaotic Good beast). Add in that the class is not just "Lawful" (which would fit the setting far better imo) but specifically "Lawful Good", and it just seems "too AD&D" for Hyperborea in many ways.
For example, even looking at the Lawful deities, a strict LG stance doesn't seem the best fit. Apollo is listed as being about "death, terror, distance, and awe" for instance; imagine the Lawful paladins who could follow those precepts; very Hyperborean. Or how about Paladins of Yig, who's also Lawful? Awesome.
A generalized Lawful paragon, fighting against the Chaotic forces of the setting is very cool, but I think a lot of potential coolness (and much stronger S&S flavour) was lost in making it adhere so strongly to the mounted goodly knight schtick.
Colin
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 21, 2012 16:51:15 GMT -6
My thought was that it should be (first and foremost) ice-based in terms of name due to the setting and to contrast more sharply with the fire/heat name of the Pyromancer. So I'd favour Cryomancer as a name.
I'd also be tempted to revise the weapons listing a bit more to make all entries effectively useful underneath and above the water. I'd have it be:
Dagger, Light Crossbow, Short Spear, Short Sword, Trident
Colin
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 19, 2012 17:53:20 GMT -6
Nice work so far, mate, and I have to echo the love for the lumpen mockery. Colin
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 19, 2012 17:47:35 GMT -6
I want to pick folk's brains for a moment. I've been making notes on the various classes and how they relate to the various cultures, and one class I'm not 100% sure what to do with is the Paladin. My gut instinct is that Paladins should be so rare, especially in a setting like Hyperborea, that they are *always* unique exceptions, and that no single culture can really claim to have a real connection to the class as a result.
Similarly, I don't think the various monastic Monk orders are strictly cultural either; rather, they accept any worthy supplicants.
What do you think?
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 18, 2012 15:12:37 GMT -6
Whatever works for you, mate. Colin
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 18, 2012 14:45:54 GMT -6
Basically, this thing will be as rooted as were my Names and Arms articles, with the same rationale (because it makes them more immediately understandable and accessible). There will be some tweaks and changes to fit, but it deals with the cultural baselines, not what every individual does with their own campaign or what individual players and GMs might come up with in terms of unusual combinations. If someone wants to write an article giving lots of ways in which you might have odd culture-class combinations or ways in which you might change every culture to easily allow every class, that's cool (and I'd love to see it) but it's not what I'm going for in this case. So, get writing that article on variant cultures and reasons for unusual culture-class combos, Benoist, me old mucker. It's your idea and baby now. Colin
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 18, 2012 11:04:05 GMT -6
I'm only going to be providing info. for the classes you most often *can* find in the various cultures. In the case of a Player wanting to play something off-the-wall in class-culture combination, they'll have to come up with a justification themselves as said character could easily be all but unique in the history of his people. So, someone wants to play an Esquimaux Cataphract (the Esquimaux culture not even using horses!) they have to provide their own rationale for their special and unique snowflake.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 18, 2012 8:13:43 GMT -6
Hey all,
For my next piece, I'm going to put together an overview of those classes most likely to be found in each culture. While technically any individual from any culture can be any class, it is pretty obvious that certain classes will be much more common in different cultures than others, and some all but unheard of. Where necessary, some flavour text will also be included to help define the classes according to their culture a little more too.
For example, in the Keltic section, it'll be noted that their Berserkers don't acquire animal attributes, but twist and distort in form more like the warriors seized by riastrad in mythology:
"The first warp-spasm seized Cúchulainn, and made him into a monstrous thing, hideous and shapeless, unheard of. His shanks and his joints, every knuckle and angle and organ from head to foot, shook like a tree in the flood or a reed in the stream. His body made a furious twist inside his skin, so that his feet and shins switched to the rear and his heels and calves switched to the front... On his head the temple-sinews stretched to the nape of his neck, each mighty, immense, measureless knob as big as the head of a month-old child... he sucked one eye so deep into his head that a wild crane couldn't probe it onto his cheek out of the depths of his skull; the other eye fell out along his cheek. His mouth weirdly distorted: his cheek peeled back from his jaws until the gullet appeared, his lungs and his liver flapped in his mouth and throat, his lower jaw struck the upper a lion-killing blow, and fiery flakes large as a ram's fleece reached his mouth from his throat... The hair of his head twisted like the tange of a red thornbush stuck in a gap; if a royal apple tree with all its kingly fruit were shaken above him, scarce an apple would reach the ground but each would be spiked on a bristle of his hair as it stood up on his scalp with rage."
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 17, 2012 20:28:22 GMT -6
Animal masks created by the ascetic half-bloods who touched the matter of myth and archetypes beyond the Veil of Consciousness through their endless meditations in the forests of the Savage Boreal Coast. Each of these masks is said to grant some specific abilities related to the animal or creature it depicts and the role it plays in the half-bloods' traditional dances and stories of Creation.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 17, 2012 15:27:00 GMT -6
Thanks, guys. Now I just have to find out who I have to kill to get Ian Baggley to illustrate some examples. Colin
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 17, 2012 10:54:20 GMT -6
I've done the same thing; it just seemed the natural thing to do, extending the mechanic across the board.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 17, 2012 10:52:53 GMT -6
What Benoist said.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 15, 2012 17:50:33 GMT -6
Thanks.
IXIAN ARMS Far more concerned with matters more sorcerous than martial, the Ixians brought little of their lineage’s military approach into Hyperborea, and given their geographical isolation, the extensive use of cavalry feel immediately into disuse.
Seeing themselves as the rightful inheritors of the Hyperborean’s former power, the Ixians have adopted many Hyperborean influences though their Scythian ancestry is still readily apparent in the heavy use of reds and gold for clothing and ornament.
Melee Weapons The Ixians, like the Hyperboreans, also disdain non-edged weapons, though not just for reasons of symbolism, but also because in Ixian culture, a weapon that is not clearly designed to draw blood is considered no weapon at all.
Ixian soldiers and eunuch guardsmen are well-equipped by their wealthy employers though they are relatively small in number. Like all Ixians, they bear their ancestral dagger the akinakes, a straight-bladed, double-edged dagger with a pommel shaped like curved devil horns, worn suspended from the right hip and ideally suited for surprise stabbing attacks; not altogether surprising given the sometimes treacherous state of Ixian social life. Some versions of the akinakes are so long as to be short swords.
As they became steeped in Hyperborean lore and pretensions, the Ixians also adopted the heavily-curved short scimitars, scimitars, and great scimitars of the former, especially favoring the use of the great scimitar for public beheadings.
Slender-bladed short spears and javelins are also common weapons among Ixian warriors, and just as with the Hyperboreans, many Ixian guards are equipped with elaborate glaives.
Ranged Weapons Beyond the short spear and javelin, the Ixians continue to use the composite short bow, but as their forces have concentrated on foot, they have also introduced the composite longbow as well.
Armor Wealthy Ixians oft-times wear heavily quilted or padded robes of red, black, and gold brocade (treat as Padded Armor), but when it comes to true armor, the Ixians favor only two: scale armor and lamellar. Even the fronts of many of their round or rectangular medium shields are faced with metal scales or lames.
The Ixian helmet is a deep, close-fitting pot helm with a short nasal, slightly-pointed top, and sometimes embossed with devil horns on the sides. The wearers of higher varieties of the helmet frequently wrap a short turban around the base of the helm also.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 15, 2012 15:37:24 GMT -6
Just the Ixians left to do.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 15, 2012 15:34:00 GMT -6
PICTISH (Half-Blood) ARMSIn reasserting their Tlingit heritage, the Half-Bloods have revived old warrior traditions. Great skirmishers, they still field wolf and raven berserkers, these more totemic than the wolf and raven berserks of the Picts. Melee WeaponsOf great import to the Half-Blood clans are their daggers, these handed down across generations, each with a unique history attached. Long, double-edged, and forged of copper or iron, they frequently feature large pommels carved in the shape of the family or clan crest, inlaid with pearlescent abalone. Others feature short, blade-like pommels instead, allowing the dagger to strike with a backwards stab also. Both types are carried in leather sheaths worn around the neck on a strap, this strap often wound around the wielder’s wrist in combat so as to ensure the dagger is not lost if dropped. Also common are barbed short spears, long spears, and javelins, some tribes also using short and broad or long and thin, heavily carved, paddle-shaped clubs, both light and war. Such clubs are also utilized in ritual dances, and are colorfully dyed using natural pigments. Ranged WeaponsThe standard short bow is the Half-Blood ranged weapon of choice, alongside any spears and javelins as might be thrown. ArmorWhile the Picts may disdain the use of armor in favor of a shield only, the Half-Bloods do not subscribe to such thinking. Many wear heavy elkskin tunics with multiple layers over vital areas (treat as Leather Armor), but when pitched battle is on the horizon, they don a war panoply (treat as Scale Armor). Such distinctive armor is worn over the elkskin tunic, and consists of a cuirass of wooden or bone slats, carved wooden collar, and high, broad-rimmed wooden war helmet. Highly stylized, this armor is carved and painted with natural pigments to represent an appropriate war animal, bird, or shamanic spirit. Unlike the Picts, Half-Blood warriors do not bear shields. Just replace the guns with spears and carved war clubs or short bows, and you've got the idea.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 15, 2012 14:58:11 GMT -6
Thanks, mate. Added a pistol crossbow to the Atlantean mix (seemed appropriate to be something they'd develop). And now, here's another fantasy race, the Krimmeans:
KIMMERIAN (Krimmean) ARMS Subterranean life has profoundly impacted the Krimmean approach to weapons and warfare, these proud warriors no longer the cataphracts and horse archers they once were, for underground life and the confines of vaults and tunnels, do not well suit horses.
Melee Weapons Moving away from bladed arms for the most part, for such weapons fare poorly when they clash with close-in stone walls, the Krimmeans have adapted the tools of mining and masonry as well as such weapons as are useful in corridors, tunnels, close-up melee, and portecting narrow entryways. Warhammers, footmen's maces, and war picks dominate, some stronger warriors also wielding great hammers and great maces.
Due to their ability to keep a foe at bay, especially in a narrow passage, there is some use of short and long spears, as well as the beaked poleaxe too, though these all tend to be only used in key locations by guards and in close defensive formation.
Ranged Weapons With space being at a premium and no need for arching shots, the traditional Kimmerian composite bow has been utterly displaced by the crossbow in Krimmean culture, both light and heavy varieties abounding.
Armor In terms of armor only, the Krimmeans largely resemble their steppe-dwelling counterparts. Warriors wear full suits of scale armor, chain mail, banded mail, or lamellar that in many ways resembles standard Kimmerian armor. Even the helmet is similar, albeit bereft of top-mounted spikes and decorations that might catch on low ceilings. To the horror of their surface-dwelling brethren, the Krimmeans have also adopted small round metal shields to bolster their defenses, lacking as they do the speed and defensive aid mounted combat provides.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 12, 2012 19:45:36 GMT -6
HYPERBOREAN ARMS Hyperborean choice in arms and armor is as indicative of their arrogance and self-superiority as any other facet of their culture. They refuse to entertain the purchase or use of substandard implements, and where possible invest in beautifully decorated weapons and armor, frequently plating other metals with copper, or inlaying exposed metal with fine copper-filled runes and sigils.
Melee Weapons When it comes to weapons, Hyperboreans favor the blade and swordsmanship for its elegance, power, and aristocratic association, disdaining nearly all other weapons as crude and simplistic. Whether slender and tapering, flammard (wavy), or heavily curved, they employ daggers, scimitars of all types, and swords short, long, bastard, and two-handed. The dagger, in particular, is an accoutrement of fashion and utility, for no Hyperborean knows when a rival may send an assassin their way, nor when opportunity may present the chance to remove an unsuspecting impediment to power with a swift knife between the shoulderblades.
Apart from knives and swords, some train in the use of the staff, an elegant weapon, crafted ideally from exotic hardwoods, that meshes well with their length of limb, and that also serves as a visible symbol of rulership, sagacity, and magical power.
Rarer than blade or stave is the cruelly-barbed and braided whip wielded by Hyperborean slave masters, and the often elaborately-engraved and appointed glaive polarm used by high-ranking Hyperborean guardsmen.
Ranged Weapons The only ranged weapon deemed worthy in the Hyperborean outlook is the well-crafted composite longbow, though archery is considered a distant second in favor to the skill of fencing.
Armor For armour, many Hyperboreans wear lightly-quilted, embroidered robes that conceal a thin layer of mail within (treat as Padded Armor), a subtle form of protection against the blade from the shadows. Some enjoy wearing exotic and embossed leathers, brigandine concealed beneath an outer layer of rich fabric, or chain mail that is blackened or plated with copper.
The most distinct element of Hyperborean armor is the helm, for it always features a pointed dome and curves around to protect the face with a short nasal and broad cheekguards, some individuals mounting the browridge with a stylistic crest representing the family of the wearer (see AS&SH Players’ Manual, pg. 41).
Shields are not used as they are seen as gauche, and given the preponderance of magic use within Hyperborean society, they prefer to keep their offhand free for the casting of sorceries anyway.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 12, 2012 18:02:19 GMT -6
Modified the Ketic and Esquimaux entries with slight tweaks (adding the spiked staff to the Kelts and Boomerang to the Esquimaux).
ATLANTEAN ARMS With the profound technological knowledge of their forefathers fading from memory, it is all the Atlanteans can do to keep some lesser relics operational. Although still advanced compared to many of Hyperborea’s cultures, they are but a shadow of their former glory, and as they become ever more tied to the sea, their approach to arms has changed significantly.
Melee Weapons A tool and a ready means to hunt and defend oneself, the dagger is the most common arm among Atlanteans, as with most men. Atlantean daggers are slightly-curved, single-edged, taper to a stabbing point, and have small round guards. They are carried in a shagreen sheath tied to the lower leg.
Other Atlantean melee weapons also possess utility both beneath the waves and above them, with tridents and short spears being used as commonly to hunt as fight. When it comes to pitched battle, however, small formations of pikemen and longspearmen are often brought to the fore.
Ranged Weapons Aside from the effectiveness of a thrown trident or spear, the lightly-armored Atlanteans bring several unusual ranged weapons to bear. They use all manner of crossbows, both light, heavy, and repeating, though these are markedly different than normal crossbows elsewhere. Rather than using limbs and a string to propel the bolt, Atlantean crossbows (more properly called “springbows”) have no limbs, and use a powerful spring inside a tubular setting for the bolt, the whole thing attached to a stock. Though no faster or more powerful than normal crossbows, they are obviously slimmer in design and less awkward to use underwater, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the small, one-handed Atlantean pistol crossbow.
Equally indicative of the current state of Atlantean technology is the hooked throwing knife, a weapon they designed to deal with shield-carrying foes. Most Atlantean hooked throwing knifes have folding knife-blades that spring out ready to be thrown with the push of a button. The most skillful of Atlantean warriors are even said to be able to increase the hooked throwing knife’s range by skipping it across the surface of a body of water as one would skip a flat stone.
Armor Given their amphibious nature, shields are eschewed in Atlantean culture as being simply too cumbersome, and armor worn is form-hugging and streamlined so as to impede less underwater and above; Atlanteans warriors often operate as skirmishers, and prefer to remain mobile. A hardened shagreen cuirass (treat as Leather Armor) or metal fish-scale cuirass (as Scale Armor) are the only armors encountered with any frequency, augmented by leather or metal bracers and greaves.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 8, 2012 17:08:58 GMT -6
I'm pondered adding some options to permit the legendary feats attributed to Celts and Vikings (namely catching thrown spears/javelins and throwing two spears at once), but haven't given it any serious thought at all yet.
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Post by Cthulhu Colin on Nov 6, 2012 8:40:28 GMT -6
Thanks, mate. I'll hold off on the Hyperboreans, Atlanteans, and Krimmean Kimmerians until I've had a chance to chew the fat with you about them, and made any tweaks you might like to the existing pieces.
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