Saraphmael
First Post
Highlander D20
D20 system
Credits and Legal Information
HIGHLANDER® is registered trademark of Rysher Entertainment.
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®and D20 MODERN® are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast.
This document does not represent a challenge to Wizards of the Coast or Rysher Entertainment held trademarks. Wizards of the Coast and Rysher Entertainment are not affiliated with this book in any way.
This document may be reproduced for personal use only, and may not be used to generate revenue of any kind. This document is entirely considered to be Open Game License material, and Open Game License is reprinted at the end of it.
The Watcher
If you have any comments or questions, please e-mail the author.
Written by: Paulo Frota, 5/oct/2004
E-mail: saraphmael@hotmail.com (MSN) or saraphmael@gmail.com
Please, inform us on your histories and campaigns. Let us know how these rules worked and help us improve. Send a log on your game session to saraphmael@gmail.com (just indicate on the subject your name, or your group’s name, and the note: REPORT ON GAME SESSION) and let us know you and your suggestions. No mail will be left unanswered.
Is you liked this document, from the same author you may also download:
CASTLEVANIA NOTES: HUNTER’S DIARY AND SECRETS: this document is a full conversion, with notes and ideas about how Castlevania myths and legends would work on d20 system, including descriptions of new spells, famous magic items and character sheets. Contains the storyline of all the Castlevania games, and notes on how to use it in your campaign. It also includes a full storyline and timeline and all main character’s bios and sheets. This document can be used with any D20 core rulebook, but D20 MODERN is strongly recommended. Available in English only.
STREET FIGHTER D20: conversion from the famous video game, all World Warrior’s statistics, 12 martial arts styles and all-new martial arts rules and major ideas for converting any world-famous fighting video game or anime (such as Streets of Rage, King of Fighters or Tenjou Tenge) to D20 system. Also contains 10 new advanced classes, and reviews and special modifications to both the Martial Artist and Brawler advanced classes, all special maneuvers from SFII and a fair amount of new, exclusive maneuvers. This document specifically requires the D20 MODERN core rulebook. Available in Portuguese only.
* * *
Introduction: First Death
Or
Here We Are, We’re the Princes of the Universe
Or
Here We Are, We’re the Princes of the Universe
From the Dawn of time we came, moving silently down through the centuries.
Living many secret lives, struggling to reach the time of the Gathering, when the few who remain will battle to the last.
No one has ever known we were among you... until now.
Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez
Living many secret lives, struggling to reach the time of the Gathering, when the few who remain will battle to the last.
No one has ever known we were among you... until now.
Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez
This document contains rules on playing Immortals. Mysterious gladiators, invincible, making blades shine in the darkness, these supernatural characters may seem inappropriate for most campaigns. And they are.
However, many Highlander fans would love to play an Immortal in their games. Or the Game Master may need a villain with all-new powers – and one quite hard to be defeated. An even a entire campaign using Immortal – both allies, enemies, PC and NPC alike – can be done, resembling the Highlander TV series.
An Immortal character can be played in any scenario, requiring only minor conversions from the GM. Since the Immortal’s origins were never explained, you don’t need to worry about explaining them in your game world – or maybe you come up with one of your own.
In fantasy, medieval worlds, Immortals would be great sorcerers, wizards or clerics with exclusive mystical powers – and even better fighters, being unable to die, except in dire circumstances.
These rules were developed so you can add an Immortal character to any existing campaign, be it medieval, fantasy or modern day-based. Immortal are also great challenge to any party of adventures in most campaign worlds, from low-level dungeon-crawlers to epic adventurers in fantastic worlds, and a mystery that any investigator from a horror campaign would thrill to solve. The rules work the same way, no matter what kind of campaign you are running.
Plus, if one of the player characters in your campaign dies… who said he’ll be that way forever? Don’t give the other players time to cry for him, or to bury him. Don’t let them have the time to raise him, and do not allow them the time to start counting gold pieces to pay for a resurrection spell. Throw 1d3+1 as a number of minutes and, at the end of that time, let him come back on his own, as one of the Princes of the Universe.
Interested in living forever? So keep on reading, with heart, faith and steel…
* * *
Chapter One: Generating an Immortal Character
Or
Who Wants to Live Forever?
Or
Who Wants to Live Forever?
I think you will do well with an eternal life of damnation. Just remember the most important rule: In the end, there can only be one.
Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod
Quickening Basics
Quickening is the one characteristic an Immortal character has that a mortal one doesn’t. This new characteristic measures the power of an Immortal; it is not based on character level – a 1st level Immortal may have a Quickening as powerful as a 20th level one… but it is quite rare! Normal mortals do not have a Quickening of zero – they lack the characteristic altogether.
Quickening is the life force of an Immortal, his power, knowledge and experience in raw form. It is an ancient form of energy that permeates all living things, but is much stronger in some people – and these people live forever and come back from the dead, unless their Quickening is taken from them. The only way to apart an Immortal and the Quickening is by taking his head off – or causing similar trauma, as completely turning him to ashes or dissolving him in a pool of lava or acid. If the trauma is not enough to destroy the Immortal completely or decapitate him, any wound will heal in a matter of minutes, and even death will be reversed in a matter of hours, if that much.
Quickening is measured in three separate characteristics: Quickening Level (the intrinsic power the Immortal has, much like a caster level for spells or manifestation level for psionic powers), Resonance (the numeric level of Quickening, gained when the Immortal ages or when he takes another Immortal’s head – raising Resonance is the only way to raise the Quickening Level) and Power Points (the energy the Immortal has, spent when he uses his powers, and it is determined by Quickening Level).
Resonance: This is probably the most important Immortal characteristic. Resonance is a numeric level of Quickening and works like “Quickening experience points”, which means that when you raise your Resonance to a certain amount, you raise your Quickening Level (the same way when you raise your experience points, your level eventually goes up as well).
When you take another Immortal’s head, you absorb 1/5 of the Immortal’s total Resonance (round fractions down, but you always absorb at least 1 Resonance) and add it to your own.
For example: our Immortal character (Arthur Chavalier, a 200-year old Immortal from France) has a Resonance of 56. He takes Ganga Zumba’s head (a 400-year old Immortal and a former slave, native to Brazil, with a total Resonance of 86), thus raising his own Quickening by 17 points (1/5 of Zumba’s Resonance: 86/5 = 17.2). Later on the campaign he takes Arnold Savage’s, a.k.a. Avalloch’s head (a 1500-year old Immortal from ancient Britain, with an amazing Resonance 331) and raises his own Quickening by 66 points (since 331/5 = 66.2).
Quickening Level: This characteristic works as a caster level for Immortal powers (whenever it is needed) and is the general statement of an Immortal’s total power. Since it is not based on character level, there can be a huge difference between a character’s level and his Quickening Level, especially because a low-level Immortal may have a couple of lucky duels and take the heads of much more powerful Immortals – thus, gaining a lot of power in a short time. This, however, is quite rare.
When your Resonance reaches the minimum needed amount, your Quickening Level immediately raises as well. Back to our example: our Immortal raised his Resonance from 56 (Quickening Level 6) to 73 after taking Zumba’s head. By the table, it is not enough to raise his Quickening Level to 7 (since the minimum Resonance for that level is 75). But, several adventures later, the character takes Ichiro Amakusa’s head (a 150-year old Japanese Immortal, and a former samurai, with a Resonance of 42). This raises the character’s Resonance by 8 points, from 73 to 81. Seeing of the table you learn this is enough, and that Arthur now has Quickening Level 7.
Finally, Quickening Level also determines how many Quickening Feats the character has. Quickening Feats are also called “powers”, and are the supernatural abilities an Immortal character gains. There are used, most of the time, with Power Points. You gain two Quickening Feats upon First Death, and one more at 3rd Quickening Level, and one more each three Quickening Levels beyond that (6th, 9th and so on). Quickening Feats may have prerequisites, just as regular feats, that must be meet before they are selected ad are explained in details on Chapter Three: It’s a Kind of Magic.
Power Points: An Immortal’s Power Points is how much Quickening energy he can amass for using his powers. They are spent to activate Quickening Feats. The base number of Power Points an Immortal has is based on his Quickening Level, as shown on the table bellow. Beyond that, every Immortal has an additional number of Power Points equal to the square of his Constitution modifier. So, if an Immortal has a Constitution of 15 (modifier +2) he’ll have 4 extra Power Points (his CON modifier squared, or 2*2 = +4).
Master Quickening Table: Resonance, Quickening Level and Power Points
Total
Resonance
Quickening
Level
Quickening
Feats
Power
Points
Total
Resonance
Quickening
Level
Quickening
Feats
Power
Points
1-4
1
1st, 2nd
1
350-499
11
61
5-9
2
2
500-749
12
6th
72
10-19
3
3rd
5
750-999
13
85
20-34
4
8
1000-1499
14
98
35-49
5
13
1500-1999
15
7th
113
50-74
6
4th
18
2000-2749
16
128
75-99
7
25
2750-3499
17
145
100-149
8
32
3500-4249
18
8th
162
150-199
9
5th
41
4250-4999
19
181
200-349
10
50
5000+
20
200
Resonance
Quickening
Level
Quickening
Feats
Power
Points
Total
Resonance
Quickening
Level
Quickening
Feats
Power
Points
1-4
1
1st, 2nd
1
350-499
11
61
5-9
2
2
500-749
12
6th
72
10-19
3
3rd
5
750-999
13
85
20-34
4
8
1000-1499
14
98
35-49
5
13
1500-1999
15
7th
113
50-74
6
4th
18
2000-2749
16
128
75-99
7
25
2750-3499
17
145
100-149
8
32
3500-4249
18
8th
162
150-199
9
5th
41
4250-4999
19
181
200-349
10
50
5000+
20
200
So, if Duncan’s Resonance is 65, his Quickening Level is 6, and he’ll have a base of 18 Power Points.
Beyond that, all Immortals have extra Power Points equal to their squared Constitution modifier. So, if Duncan’s Constitution is 14 (modifier +2), he’ll have 4 extra Power Points, for a total of 22.
A new Immortal begins play with a Resonance of 1. This is gained upon First Death, after which the character raises as an Immortal.
Starting Resonance and Raising Resonance
You also raise Resonance (and, by consequence, Quickening Level) through aging and leveling up. You add +1 Resonance for every 10 years of existence as an Immortal and (new level)d4 points for each level gained after First Death.
To determinate a new Immortal character’s starting Resonance: 1 + (current level)d4 +1/10 years of Immortal. So, a new, 1st level Immortal character, has Quickening 1 (basic starting value) + 1d4 (level bonus) plus 1 for every 10 years as an Immortal. If this was 100-year old Immortal, his Resonance would be 1 (basic starting value) + 1d4 (level bonus) + 10 (age bonus). If you were creating an 8th level, 400-year old Immortal, his starting Quickening Total would be 1 (basic starting value) + 8d4 (level bonus) +40 (age bonus).
For existing characters who turn out to be Immortal, you can follow the same rule, but you don’t add level bonus at First Death.
For example: a 4th level character has his First Death and becomes Immortal; he immediately gains 1 Resonance (Quickening Level 1). He then continues play as normal, without adding level or (obviously) age bonus. The GM advances his campaign in 20 years (granting him +2 Resonance, for a total of 3 – still Quickening Level 1). Then the character attains 5th level, and gains the level bonus of +5d4 Resonance. The result (in this case, 18 – damn lucky bastard) is added to the character’s Quickening Total (and now the character’s total Resonance is 21, enough for a Quickening Level of 4). The campaign continues, and the character gains another level (being now 6th level) and gains another 6d4 Resonance as level bonus; the result this time is 15, and it is added to his total Resonance. The character’s Resonance is now 36 (and his Quickening Level is now 5).
This is used to allow an Immortal character to gain Quickening without being obligated to take his companion’s heads. The GM may disallow this level-based gain if he wishes a more Immortal-combat oriented campaign, but shouldn’t disallow the age-based gain, that turns out to be the most important through long campaigns.
Ability Scores
An Immortal generates his ability scores normally, by any method a heroic character does in a given campaign. We strongly recommend players and GM characters use the 32-point buy method described on the core rulebooks.
Class and Level
An Immortal character can be of any of the basic classes described on your core rulebooks, or any advanced or prestige class which prerequisites he meets and the GM allows.
An important note: in the Highlander movies it’s stated that an Immortal is equal to a heroic mortal in ability and capacity… but with a way longer time to learn and develop his skills. An Immortal character can have any feat, class, skill or whatever available to a mortal one. Additionally, all Immortal are considered to be heroic characters (gaining normal advantages for that) – there are no “ordinary” Immortals. All Immortals also where, somehow, heroic character before their First Death. If the GM allows it, even classes with access to special abilities as magic (either arcane or divine) or psionic powers could be available to an Immortal character (and an Immortal sorcerer or similar would be probably an extremely powerful character, having centuries to develop his skills). These can be very powerful player characters – or even better villains.
Race
All Immortals characters should be human. But, if the GM allows and wishes Immortal status for a shadowkind or demihuman, use the same rules for humans.
Becoming Immortal
An Immortal is born as one. Before his First Death, however, he’ll appear absolutely normal, except for an extremely long lifespan. He doesn’t have any special qualities or powers, except that he is an exceptional person – a heroic one, in fact, even if his potential in untapped. Upon First Death, however, the Immortal will gain the special qualities of the Quickening, as described bellow. He will rise again on his own 1d3+1 minutes after “dying”, with 1 hit point, and start healing through his new Fast Healing ability.
First Death must always be a violent one. An Immortal will not rise if his “First Death” comes from old age – in fact, a pre-Immortal’s lifespan is extremely long, easily reaching 120 years. Around 20 years old, the aging process slows, and by 50 years, most pre-Immortals still appear only 35, by age 80 they appear only 50 and so on. A human pre-Immortal has ability modifiers due to age shown on the table bellow:
Character’s Age
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
Child (12 or less)
Adult (13-39)
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
Child (12 or less)
-3
-1
-3
-1
-1
-1
Young Adult or -1
-3
-1
-1
-1
Adult (13-39)
No change
No change
No change
No change
No change
No change
Middle Age (40-59)No change
No change
No change
No change
No change
-1
-1
-1
+1
+1
+1
Old (60-79)-1
-1
+1
+1
+1
-1
-1
-1
+1
+1
+1
Venerable (80+)-1
-1
+1
+1
+1
-1
-1
-1
+1
+1
+1
-1
-1
+1
+1
+1
The changes are cumulative; so, a pre-Immortal who has his First Death at age 65 will have ability scores adjustments: -2 to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution, +2 to Wisdom, Intelligence and Charisma.
After First Death, the Immortal’s appearance will remain the same and death and aging and death will no longer touch him.
Bonus Occupations
An Immortal lives many secret lives. Throughout the centuries, the character can become many things, and will gain additional occupations as bonus occupations. Usually, a character can only gain bonuses from one occupation, but older Immortals are an exception to this rule. This is one of the most important powers of an Immortal: the ability to amass limitless knowledge.
Immortal’s Age
Occupations
Immortal’s Age
Occupations
Up to 100 years old
Occupations
Immortal’s Age
Occupations
Up to 100 years old
Initial (1)
1001-1500
+1 (6)
101-250
+1 (2)
1501-2000
+1 (7)
250-500
+1 (3)
2000-3500
+1 (8)
501-750
+1 (4)
3501-5000
+1 (9)
750-1000
+1 (5)
+5000 years old
+1 (10)
You may select a bonus feat instead of a bonus occupation. So, a 400-years-old Immortal may select one occupation as normal, and two bonus occupations or two bonus feats.
Bonus occupations give new Class Skills, (maybe) a new bonus feat and Reputation and Wealth modifiers as normal. You may select the same occupation more than once, and its effects don’t stack – but you may select a new bonus feat and new bonus Class Skills if they’re still available, but you can’t select the same Class Skill from an occupation more than once.
If your game or core rulebook doesn’t use or mention Occupations, Reputation and Wealth, just assume you may add 2 extra Class Skills to all of the character Class Skills list (2 extra skills that are considered to be Class Skills for the character, regardless of class – not 2 extra class skill for each class), or a bonus feat, for each occupation the Immortal character would have, according to the table. So, a 400 year old Immortal (3 occupations) could have up to 6 extra Class Skills or 3 extra feats, or any combination of the two.
Special Qualities and Characteristics
These are an Immortal’s basic abilities and Special Qualities; these are to be added to the character’s statistics. If you use level adjustment rules, an Immortal’s level adjustment is +2 and his Challenge Rating is +1. So, a 10th level human Immortal has a CR of 11. Remember that every Immortal is a heroic character, even before his First Death.
Ability Score Rejuvenation (Ext): Immortals heal 1 point of temporary ability score damage per turn, if the damage was done to a physical ability (Strength, Dexterity or Constitution). The heal mental ability damage normally, but they are immune to permanent ability drain, both physical and mental. For an Immortal, permanent ability drain is treated as temporary drain and healed normally (either at normal or faster rate, for mental or physical abilities).
Age Freeze (Ext): Immortals don’t age. They will forever appear the age they had on the moment of their First Death. They do not suffer from aging effects, but any bonus or penalty they may already have remain in place. Including, a child Immortal will remain with his ability penalties forever (a child usually has -3 Strength and Constitution and -1 Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma).
Immortals may be magically aged (suffering normal effects of aging), but they cannot “die” of magically-induced aging and will automatically become younger again at the rate of one year per day (or faster, if that’s the case of the power used against them).
Disease Immunity (Ext): Immortals are immune to normal diseases, but not to magical or supernatural diseases (although they still can’t die from diseases).
Fast Healing (Ext): An Immortal gains Fast Healing with a rating equal to one-half his Quickening Level, minimum 1. So, if your Quickening Level is 6 or 7, you heal 3 HP per turn; if it his 14 or 15, you heal 7 HP per turn and so on. This ability is negated if the Immortal is “killed” (reduced to -10 HP or less) and will only begin to work again after 1d3+1 hours. When the Fast Healing restores the Immortal to full health, he lives again without any penalties.
If the Immortal’s body is sufficiently damage, however, the GM may rule that he is destroyed or killed. Any attack that would destroy completely an Immortal’s body (disintegration, being dissolved in a poll of lava or acid, etc.) kills him as normal, beyond his healing powers.
Note that Immortals are no more resistant to pain than mere mortals. So, they’re not immune to critical hits (in fact, these are quite dangerous), daze, stun, Massive Damage, ability drain and other effects, just as a mortal isn’t immune to them. When failing a Fortitude test to resist Massive Damage from an attack, they’re reduced to -1 HP and unconscious as normal (or killed, depending on the rules from your Core Rulebook), but their Fast Healing ability will be able to restore them after some time.
As usual, Fast Healing does not restore HP lost due starvation, thirst or suffocation, and Immortals do starve to death, if allowed to. They will also “die” from suffocation or similar effects, but 1d3+1 hours after “dying” of any of these conditions, they start heal again, to rise when restored to full health.
The Fast Healing ability heals the Immortal completely and leaves no scars, except if the damage was done to the neck area or in case of severed limbs – in this case, the Fast Healing restores hit points as normal, but the scars remain, forever.
Inability to Reproduce (Ext): Immortals are always infertile, even before their First Death. They may never impregnate or, if female, be impregnated by a mortal. The GM should carefully monitor this, and if a character with children ever becomes an Immortal, he should investigate this fact. And have a serious talk to his wife.
Slow Regeneration (Ext): Immortal regeneration is extremely slow; it doesn’t allow the Immortal to regain lost hit points (this is done by their Fast Healing ability), but it allows then to re-grow or reattach lost body parts. However, when an Immortal does this, there will remain a scar on the point where the limb was severed. To reattach a lost body part the Immortal must hold it to the stump for 10 rounds (one minute). If this cannot be done, the lost body part will slowly re-grow in a number of years equal to the damage dealt by the attack that severed the member.
Example: Duncan cuts Siannon’s hand off. The attack dealt 21 points of damage. To reattach it, Siannon needs to hold it to the stump for one minute. If he can’t do it, it will take 21 years to re-grow his hand.
Sense Quickening (Sup): Immortals can sense one another. For this ability no rolls are required, it is always active and it never can be surpassed – it is almost impossible, if not completely so, for an Immortal to catch another one by surprise.
The radius of this power is 100 feet, plus 10 feet per Quickening Level of the Immortal (or 30 meters, plus 3 meters per Quickening Level). So, if your Quickening level is 6, you can sense another Immortal to a distance of 160 feet (48 meters) in any direction (including up and down). Through this ability, the Immortal can also sense when he is standing on holy ground or not.
* * *
Chapter Two: The Rules on Immortality
Battling Other Immortals – The Game and the Prize
The Immortals fight eternally in a ritualized contest called “The Game”, where they battle for each other’s heads and powers. This eternal shadow war has but one objective: being the last surviving Immortal. It is said that the last surviving Immortal will receive “The Prize”. No one knows what The Prize is, but it is often said that The Prize is, effectively, the power of a god. Anyway, the last Immortal will have amassed the knowledge and power of every Immortal that have ever lived – this alone is enough to keep them fighting, despise The Prize’s actual meaning.
The Rules of the Game
Holy Ground, Highlander! Remember what Ramirez taught you!
The Kurgan
The Kurgan
Always Fight One-on-One: This is done for a good reason. When two or more Immortals face another one, only the Immortal who stroke the final blow absorbs the Resonance of the dead Immortal. Any other Immortal who interfered at the duel and was present during the following Lightning looses 1/5 of his current Resonance. These points are dissipated by the environment, and the winner of the duel does not absorb them.
Sanctuary: Immortals never fight each other on Holy Ground and will even avoid confrontation with mortals in such places. Through the use of their Sense Quickening special quality, an Immortal always knows when he’s standing on Holy Ground.
Not only churches qualify as Holy Ground. Graveyards, temples, ancient sites of god worship, and mystical places – as occult libraries and haunted houses – are also considered to be Holy Ground.
The reason for this rule is uncertain. Many tales tell about horrible things that might happen if two Immortals battle on Holy Ground. Some say that the Holy Ground absorbs all of the Quickening from a Lightning – from the dead Immortal and also 1/5 of the winning Immortal as well, who must save (Fortitude, CD 25) to avoid death from having his Quickening drained and being completely obliterated; the same would happen to any other Immortal standing on the site when the battle took place. Others say that natural disasters, as earthquakes, seaquakes and volcanic eruptions occur just after a Lightning in Holy Ground. These disasters would be as severe as higher the Quickening Level of the dead Immortal is, but are always spectacular.
Killing an Immortal – The Lightning
When an Immortal is beheaded, a supernatural manifestation of raw Quickening power called “The Lightning” or “Revitalization” occurs. This manifestation is the exit of Quickening from the dead Immortal’s neck and body, and it is always unique to each Immortal killed. The energies leave the body in a chaotic form; lightning irradiates through metallic bodies, electrical equipment start working on their own, explosions from nowhere occurs. Both Immortal’s auras collide against each other in heat and flame waves, breaking windows and setting fires. Sometimes, even gravity ceases, elevating the winning Immortal and the dead Immortal’s body high in the air as they are surrounded by energy.
The radius of this manifestation varies, but it is always at least equal to the dead Immortal’s level x5 feet (or the dead Immortal’s Quickening Level x1.5 in meters). Each person or unattended object in the area, must make a Reflex saving throw (DC 5 + the dead Immortal’s Quickening Level) or take (one-half dead Immortal’s Quickening Level)d4 points of energy damage, including the winning Immortal. This damage is raw energy, not electrical (even if most of the time it manifests as discharges of electricity). So, beheading an Immortal with Quickening Level 8 will cause a 4d4 energy damage in a 40 feet (12 meters) radius blast. The manifestation lasts for, at least, a full round – but most of the time, the Lightning lasts something from 30 seconds to a full minute.
The Immortal that won the fight may save against the Lightning damage if he wishes to, but if he does so, he will loose half of the Resonance he would gain by this victory – if he doesn’t roll a saving throw, he gains full Resonance, but also takes full damage. If the Immortal has and correctly uses the Dissipate Energy feat (see Quickening Feats on the next chapter), he may absorb this damage and still gain full Resonance (and some Power Points) from the Lightning.
After the Lightning, every and all active power or Quickening feat the winning Immortal may have activated will cease working; he then rolls a Fortitude save (DC 5 + the dead Immortal’s Quickening Level). If he fails, he is considered to be exhausted (move at half speed and cannot run or charge, –6 penalty to Strength and Dexterity; after 1 hour of complete, uninterrupted rest, an exhausted character becomes fatigued). If he passes, he’ll only be fatigued (can’t run or charge and take a penalty of –2 to Strength and Dexterity; after 8 hours of complete, uninterrupted rest, the character is no longer fatigued).
As you can see, after the Lightning, the Immortal will be more powerful, but he will also be helpless for some time. This temporary drain of power is only one of the reasons for the “always fight one-on-one rule” – it would be easier for an Immortal, watching two others fight, to take the winner’s head off, since the winner would be drained.
The Gathering
When only a few Immortals remain, say the legends, the Immortals will fell an irresistible urge towards a distant land where the Gathering will take place. There, the last surviving Immortals will battle to the last. Some Immortals say this is already happening.
The Prize
The Immortals fight for the Prize. No one knows what it is, only that the last surviving Immortal will receive it. Some mention the Prize is the power of a god, because it is constantly said that, if an evil Immortal gains it, “humanity will suffer an eternity of darkness”. Others say the Prize is only a myth, but the promise of infinity power keep most Immortals (especially evil ones) fighting.
It’s essentially up to each GM decide what the Prize really is, if it exists at all. If it ever becomes necessary for the Game Master decide what the Prize is, he can use these guidelines:
Divine Rank: If you use rules for Divine Rank in you campaign, the last surviving Immortal may gain at least Divine Rank between 6 and 10 (qualifying as a lesser deity) but probably higher, between 11 and 15 (qualifying as a intermediate deity). If your game is less powered, he may gain only Divine Rank 0, qualifying for some deific powers and abilities, but not being much more powerful than a regular Immortal. Or he may gain Divine Rank 1 and start playing a new Game, again battling Immortals – but this time he will battle against every other god in his game world.
And what if the existing gods in your game world were once Immortals who won the Game, eons ago? And after each one ascending to deific status, a new Game begins on material plane (with a set number of new Immortals being born through the coming centuries), and the winner gains the Prize – Divine Rank 1 and the right to battle the other gods. And the history repeats itself, forever. If you use this option, you may consider that a newborn Immortal god can raise his Divine Rank in the same way he could raise his Quickening Level – through aging (very, really, extremely slow) or by taking other Immortal god’s heads.
Death as a Mortal: The Immortal looses the Age Freeze and Inability to Reproduce special qualities upon gaining the Prize, but keeps all his other powers, including Fast Healing, Regeneration and Quickening Feats. He may now grow old and have children. This is shown in Highlander (the first movie) and is especially adequate to be used in conjunction with the “Power and Knowledge” option bellow.
Power and Knowledge: The Immortal will have every existing Quickening Feat (even those not described in this document, but that the GM decided that exist) and at least Quickening Level 40 (assume an Immortal gains +20 Power Points for every Quickening Level above 20; thus, a Quickening Level 40 would provide the Immortal with a base of 600 Power Points). Connor MacLeod mentions (in the original Highlander movie) that he could use his powers to read the mind’s of any person, anywhere in the world, and influence them. And this is only an example of such a powerful being’s powers.
Dark Quickening
There’s an evil side to Quickening. An Immortal absorbs all the knowledge, memories and powers from a dead Immortal. And, if that Immortal is evil, eventually the Immortal who absorbs too much Quickening from him will be tainted, gaining Dark Quickening points.
An Immortal has a chance of gaining a Dark Quickening point every time he absorbs the Quickening from an Immortal that is tainted or corrupted by Dark Quickening (see bellow) every time he commits an evil act. What exactly qualifies as an “evil act” depends on the GM and the campaign. Examples include killing an innocent, killing any mortal (even one not-so-innocent) or using a Dark Quickening feat. Killing another Immortal only qualifies as an evil act if it is not done in a duel (for example, if the Immortal uses mercenaries to shoot down the other Immortal, and then takes his head). Anyway, the more corrupted you are, the harder it is for you to gain Dark Quickening.
An Immortal is in his normal state when he has a number of Dark Quickening points less than one-half his Wisdom score. An Immortal in his normal state gains Dark Quickening every time he commits an evil act, as described above, or uses a Dark Quickening feat. Also, he must make a Will save every time he takes the head of an Immortal with Dark Quickening points (the DC is 10 for a mortal in his normal state, but with 1 or more Dark Quickening points; DC 15 for a tainted Immortal and DC 20 for a corrupted one). If the saving throw fails, the Immortal gains a Dark Quickening point.
An Immortal is tainted by Dark Quickening when he or she has a number of Dark Quickening points equal or greater than one-half his or hers Wisdom score. At this point, he only gains Dark Quickening from committing truly evil acts (murder, rape, etc.) or by taking the head of a corrupted Immortal (but the save for the Will DC is only 10). He does not gain Dark Quickening for using Dark Quickening feats, except if he uses the feat to commit an evil act (as use Quickening Lightning to slay a mortal).
An Immortal is corrupted by Dark Quickening when his number of Dark Quickening points is equal or greater than his Wisdom score. At this point he will rarely, if ever, gain more Dark Quickening points. Only the most atrocious acts of evil will give the character Dark Quickening. Also, he doesn’t need to make a Will saving throw when he takes another Immortal’s head, except if that Immortal has a greater number of Dark Quickening (even so, the save DC is only 5).
If you game uses alignment rules, a tainted Immortal can only be of chaotic, evil, lawful or neutral alignments. If he is of good alignment, his alignment changes by one step (from good to neutral), when he becomes tainted. A corrupted Immortal can only be of chaotic, evil or lawful alignments. Since the Immortal’s alignment is (probably) already neutral, it changes to evil when he becomes corrupted. If the Immortal’s alignment is already evil, nothing changes.
If your game uses allegiances, a tainted or corrupted Immortal can never have “good” allegiances, as justice, friends or others. Such allegiances are lost and change to “evil” allegiances, as self, profit and any other the GM sees fit.
Redemption: Loosing Dark Quickening
Dark Quickening can be removed from a character through extreme will and self-control. The Immortal must commit a truly selfless act (succeeding in a Will save, DC 20, to do so) to loose one point of Dark Quickening. If you game uses Action Points, it costs an Action Point to remove a Dark Quickening point from a character.
A great, selfless, heroic act can reduce a character’s Dark Quickening to one-half in Wisdom, less one point. The rules on this are left uncertain on purpose, so each GM can decide how strict loosing Dark Quickening will be in his campaign.
One last form of loosing Dark Quickening is taking the head of a truly honored and good Immortal! The same way a good Immortal must make a Will save to avoid gaining a Dark Quickening point, every time an evil Immortal absorbs the Quickening from a honored Immortal (one that is not tainted or corrupted; or, if you game uses alignment rules, one that is of good alignment), he must make a Will save (DC equal to the dead Immortal’s Will save modifier). If he fails, he looses enough Dark Quickening points to reduce the Immortal to his normal state (a number of Dark Quickening equal to one-half the character’s Wisdom, less one point).
So, when the evil Darius (Wisdom 14, Dark Quickening 15) takes a holy man’s head, he must make a Will save. The DC is equal to the dead man’s Will save modifier (DC 11, in this case). Darius fails, and is taken by regret from his evil acts. His Dark Quickening is reduced to 6 (one-half his Wisdom score, less one point).
When this happens, if you game uses alignment rules, you must change the Immortal’s alignment accordingly.
An evil Immortal can use an Action Point in this test before the GM reveals its result, as normal, to avoid becoming a “good guy” (and he probably will do so).
* * *
Chapter Three: Quickening Feats
Or
It’s a Kind of Magic
Or
It’s a Kind of Magic
Quickening feats are gained when the character gains Quickening Levels. When the character becomes Immortal, he immediately gains Quickening Level 1 and two Quickening feats. He gains another Quickening Feat at 3rd Quickening Level and another one each 3rd level after that (6th, 9th and so on). You may also select a Quickening Feat to which you meet the prerequisites as a regular feat gained at every 3rd character level (but never as a bonus feat from class features).
Some feats are Dark Quickening feats. You can only select and use them if you have a number of Dark Quickening points determined by the feat.
All Quickening Feats are marked [Quickening] or [Dark Quickening].
A character may also select a Quickening Feat as a regular feat, if he or she meet the prerequisites, or he may also take a regular feat in the place of a Quickening Feat. This happens because Quickening Feats are also obtained through the assimilation of knowledge and powers of beheaded Immortals, so it is natural for a character to develop these new skills after taking too many heads and increasing his Resonance. Every Quickening Feat has a certain Quickening Level as prerequisite, so, only Immortal characters may select them, no exceptions made.
In the end of this list are also described a number of new regular feats that any character may select if he or she meets the prerequisites. These are marked as [general] feats and appear after all Quickening feats. Here we describe 26 different Quickening feats, as seen on various Highlander movies and series, but the GM may create or allow more.
Amplify Senses [Quickening]
You can use the Quickening to enhance your normal sensorial capacities for a brief period of time.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 10+, Quickening Level 1+
Benefit: you gain a +4 Quickening bonus to any Listen, Search, Sense Motive or Spot checks made while this power is active. It also adds to Survival checks made to follow tracks. Activate this feats requires a standard action and costs 3 Power Points. The Quickening bonus lasts for 10 minutes.
Special: If time and Power Points are no factor, you can concentrate for 2 minutes and spend 60 Power Points to double the Quickening bonus you receive through this feat to +8. At the end of this power, it can be sustained with an equal expenditure of Power Points, as a free action.
Battlemind [Quickening]
You can increase your prowess in battle, using the Quickening to enhance your concentration and commitment to combat.
Prerequisites: Constitution 10+, Quickening Level 1+
Benefit: You make a Will saving throw upon activating this feat. You gain a bonus equal to your Quickening Level to this check. The result grants you a Quickening bonus to attack rolls as shown on the table bellow. You may decide to select a bonus that is less than the result you achieve, if you wish to.
Will Saving
Throw Result
Quickening Bonus
to Attack Rolls
Up to 4
Throw Result
Quickening Bonus
to Attack Rolls
Up to 4
+1
5 to 14
+2
15 to 24
+3
25 to 34
+4
35+
+5
Activate this feat requires a move-equivalent action and costs a number of Power Points equal to 2 plus the bonus achieved. So, if the result provides a +2 Quickening bonus, the Power Point cost is 4. The Quickening bonus lasts for 10 rounds (1 minute).
Special: At the end of this power, it can be sustained with an equal expenditure of Power Points, as a free action. You keep the same bonus you had achieved.
Beast Language [Quickening]
You can speak with creatures in a language they understand.
Prerequisites: Charisma 11+, Quickening Level 1+, Handle Animal 4 ranks
Benefit: You can communicate with natural animals. Each time you activate this ability, you choose the type of creature with which you can converse. You speak (or otherwise convey information) in a form that the creature understands, and you understand the information it conveys in that same fashion.
This feat enables you to use your Handle Animal skill to interact with a creature in the same way you would use Bluff, Intimidate, Gather Information or Sense Motive (skills that ordinarily don’t work on creatures). You can also use the Quickening Charm and Quickening Empathy feats to affect them normally.
An Immortal cannot communicate with a creature that normally doesn’t communicate (a microbe, for example).
Activating this feat is a standard action and costs 2 Power Points. The effect lasts for 1 hour.
Special: At the end of this power, it can be sustained with an equal expenditure of Power Points, as a free action.
Breathe Without Air [Quickening]
You can use the Quickening to be able to breathe even in airless environments, as underwater.
Prerequisites: Quickening Level 1+
Benefit: The Immortal still breathes, so he may be affected by gas and other forms of attack that affect a character’s breathing, but he won’t suffocate, independent of the environment (even in outer space). Note that the Immortal still may die from damage taken because of his environment – just because he can breathe even lava or acid, it doesn’t mean he’s immune to their effects!
Activate this feat requires a standard action and costs 1 Power Point. It lasts for 10 minutes.
Special: At the end of this power, it can be sustained with an equal expenditure of Power Points, as a free action.
Charge Weapon [Quickening]
You can imbue a non-powered metallic melee weapon (such as a sword, axe or spear) with the Quickening. The weapon flashes and sparks with raw Quickening power as the character exchange blows with his adversaries.
Prerequisites: Quickening Level 3+
Benefit: It takes a full-round action to empower a weapon with the Quickening, and it costs 2 Power Points, plus 1 Power Point per bonus damage die (see bellow). The benefit the weapon gain lasts for 10 rounds (1 minute).
The weapon deals an additional 1d6 points of damage, plus +1d6 for every 5 Quickening Levels above 3rd (+1d6 at 3rd Quickening Level, +2d6 at 8th, +3d6 at 13th and, finally, +4d6 at 18th Quickening Level).
This extra damage is considered to be raw energy damage, not specific energy damage (it is not electrical, ice or fire damage, for example, but all and none of these at once).
Special: At the end of this power, it can be sustained with an equal expenditure of Power Points, as a free action.
Dissipate Energy [Quickening]
You can dissipate and sometimes absorb energy damage and turn it to your advantage.
Prerequisites: Dexterity 13+, Intelligence 13+, Quickening Level 6+
Benefit: You may dissipate or perhaps absorb energy damage you would otherwise take because of your environment or because of an attack (as from the Quickening Lightning feat, for example). To do so, you make a Fortitude saving throw against a DC of 10 + the amount of damage inflicted. If the save is successful, you don’t take any damage and gain 1 Power Point for every 2 points of damage the attack would have dealt (but you can’t raise your Power Point total above your maximum). If the saving throw fails, you take full damage and are not allowed to make a Reflex saving (if there was one) to escape the attack.
Dissipate Energy is used as a reaction, and costs no Power Points.
Dream Control [Quickening]
You can invade other person’s dreams (mortal’s and Immortal’s), to send messages or horrible nightmares.
Prerequisites: Charisma 15+, Quickening Level 9+
Benefit: You can contact the target’s dreams. You must either know the target personally or know his current location and name for this power to be effective.
You must then concentrate for one minute and spend 9 Power Points to enter a trance and contact the target’s dreams.
If the recipient you intend to affect is awake when you use this feat, you can choose to end the trance (losing the Power Points) or keep the trance until the recipient goes to sleep, whereupon you become alert again and complete the power. If you are disturbed during the trance, this power ends. It costs an extra Power Point for each hour you keep the trance.
If you choose to enter a trance you are not aware of your surroundings or the activities around as long as the trance lasts. You also are considered to be helpless. Through the trance you can use any of the following powers, each requiring different concentration and Power Point expenditure:
Dream: You send a phantasmal message in form of a dream. The message can be of any length and can be composed entirely of emotions, sounds or any images you like, and the recipient remembers it perfectly upon awaking. The communication is also two-way, if you wish to communicate with the target. The target can ask questions or offer information, but in this case the power only lasts for 1 minute per two Quickening Levels you have.
Nightmare: You send hideous and unsettling visions to the target’s dreams. This nightmare prevents restful sleep (preventing the target from gain natural healing or regain spells) and deals 1d10 points of lethal damage. The nightmare also leaves the subject tired out and fatigued (unable to charge or run, -2 penalty to effective Strength and Dexterity) until the target can rest without interruptions for at least 8 hours.
The target can negate a nightmare with a successful Will saving throw (DC 10 + one-half your Quickening Level + your Charisma modifier).
Special: The target is not allowed a saving throw to resist the nightmare power if you can trick him into willing accept a gift from you. This gift can be anything (a medal, ring, statue or even a pillow!), but you must have crafted the item personally and embodied it with your Quickening (a process requiring at least 24 hours and an Action Point – or, if you game doesn’t use Action Points, the expenditure of 250 XP).
The item must be kept under the target’s possession (or, at least, at his home) in order to negate him a saving throw. A character with the Farseeing feat may track your Quickening through this object.
Enhance Ability [Quickening]
You can use the Quickening to enhance you Strength or Dexterity for a brief period of time.
Prerequisites: Constitution 10+, Quickening Level 5+
Benefit: This feat grants you a +4 Quickening bonus to your Strength or Dexterity. You can activate it twice, in different turns, if you wish to enhance both Strength and Dexterity.
Activate this feat is a standard action and costs 3 Power Points. The Quickening bonus lasts for 10 rounds (1 minute).
Special: If time and Power Points are no factor, you can concentrate for 2 minutes and spend 60 Power Points to double the Quickening bonus you receive through the use of this feat to +8.
At the end of this power, it can be sustained with an equal expenditure of Power Points, as a free action.
Farseeing [Quickening]
You can gain vague impressions of things happening at other times or places through the use of Quickening. These are impressions only and usually focus on strong imagery and emotions. The past and present can’t change, so viewing such events relies on you getting the correct impressions. The future, however, is always in motion, and is subject to change. With this feat you can sense when your friends are in danger, examine significant details from a past event or determine the probable outcome of a stated course of action.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 15+, Quickening Level 9+, Quickening Empathy
Benefit: You must declare what kind of vision you seek to experience – the time, place and/or person of the vision and make a successful Will save (DC 15 for the present, DC 20 for the past and DC 25 for a possible future). You add your Quickening Level as a bonus to this test.
Since the future is mutable, the accuracy from such visions can be far from perfect, but the higher you roll, the better and more details you glean.
You can also use this feat to gain a reroll after you fail an attack roll, saving throw or skill check. The DC is 25 and, if successful, you can gain a reroll on the failed test immediately. This means you had an earlier vision about your failure, and now you are taking advantage of this vision to change the course of events. Through the vision took place earlier, you spend the Action Point (if appropriate) and the Power Point cost (9) when you make the check. If you can’t spend Power Points and already used this feat this week, then you can’t use it to gain a re-roll.
To actively use this feat you must concentrate for at least one hour. Using this feat costs you 3 Power Points (for viewing the present), 6 Power Points (viewing the past) or 9 Power Points (viewing the future). It also costs one Action Point (if you can spend Action Points, see bellow).
Special: You can only use this feat once per week. If you can spend Action Points, you can use it as often as you want, but you must spend one every time you use it (but you don’t get the “free” weekly use).
Fear [Dark Quickening]
You can manipulate the mind of others through your Quickening, frightening them and making them more susceptible to the Dark Quickening.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 10+, Quickening Level 3+, 5 or more Dark Quickening points
Benefit: using this skill provides a -4 Quickening penalty to your target’s skill checks and attack rolls. The only way the target can negate this penalty is by accepting a Dark Quickening point. After that, the target will be immune against future uses of this feat by the same character.
Using this feat requires a standard action and cost 2 Power Points.
Special: Multiple uses of this feat against the same target aren’t cumulative, and after the target accepts a Dark Quickening point he becomes immune against future uses of this feat made by the same character.
High Quickening Mastery [Quickening]
You can accomplish Quickening feats with much less concentration than normal.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 17+, Quickening Mastery, any other Quickening feat, Quickening Level 11+
Benefit: Once per round, you can accomplish a Quickening-related task that normally requires a full-round action as a standard action. The Power Point cost for this action is double the normal cost (or 1 point, even if no cost is given).
Special: This feat is not cumulative with the effects of Quickening Mastery. That is, you cannot use both to reduce a full-round action to a free action.
Past Lives Memory [Quickening]
You can remember and access memories from your past lives and from the knowledge you have gained from absorbing the Quickening from other Immortals.
Prerequisites: Intelligence 10+, Quickening Level 1+
Benefit: Immortal live hundreds of years, time during which they see everything and learn much more. Besides that, when you behead another Immortal, you gain all his power, memories and knowledge, and all the power and knowledge from any Immortal he or she may have beheaded. This feat allows a character to use these memories and knowledge in his own benefit.
To use this feat, the character makes a Will save (DC 20). If the save is successful, the character can access the memories regarding a single skill for a whole encounter or scene, gaining temporary ranks in that skill. At the end of the scene, the character looses these temporary ranks. The maximum ranks a character can access via this power is equal to his Quickening Level +3. Activate this feat requires a full round action and costs a number of Power Points equal to the number of ranks gained. The GM may require also a good explanation about where and when the character learned or had contact with that skill, and may limit or negate access to skills he considers abusive.
Ranks gained through this power are not cumulative with the ranks the character may naturally possess. So, if an Immortal with 7 ranks in Treat Wounds uses this power to gain 5 ranks in that skill, he gains no advantage from it, because his actual knowledge is superior to his past one (or superior to the knowledge from the Immortals he beheaded). But if he has only 3 ranks in Drive and uses this power to gain 5 ranks in this skill, then he is able to use the Drive skill as if he had 5 ranks in it until the end of the scene or encounter.
Na Immortal can only access one skill at a time, unless he is able to spend Action Points (a single Action Point allows the character an extra use of this feat in a single scene).
Immortals with this feat may suffer from occasional flashbacks, as the GM sees fit. These flashbacks may be used by the GM in conjunction with other feats (as Farseeing) to advance the plot of a history.
Poison Immunity [Quickening]
You are immune to poison.
Prerequisites: Constitution 10+, Quickening Level 1+
Benefit: You are immune to all kinds of poisons and never need to make Fortitude saves to resist poison.
Quickening Charm [Quickening]
You can channel the Quickening through your power of presence, either to alter a target’s perceptions, to make a telepathic suggestion in another character’s mind or to daze him.
Prerequisites: Charisma 13+, Quickening Level 6+
Benefit: Declare if you are trying to alter a character’s perceptions, make a suggestion or daze an opponent when you activate this feat. The target is allowed a Will saving throw (DC 10 + one-half your Quickening Level + your Charisma modifier). If the target’s saving throw fails, you can do one of the following things:
Alter Perceptions: This creates a simple false stimulus, such as a brief sound or a fleeting image, detected by a single person and lasting no more than a single round. It is generally used to distract a target and, in combat, can have the same effect of a feint (see the Bluff skill in your core rulebook). This application of the feat costs 2 Power Points.
Suggestion: With this power, you can make an otherwise unpalatable suggestion seem completely acceptable by the target. You must be able to communicate with the target and the suggestion can’t obviously threaten the target’s life (no, the Immortal you’re facing won’t drop his sword). Anyway, the target won’t realize later that what he did was unreasonable. This application of the feat costs 4 Power Points.
Daze: You can use this power to daze a character, by annoying him with your words or making a strong suggestion (you’re tired… you can’t move your arms… your sword is heavier and heavier…). If the target fails his Will save, it will be dazed for a round (can’t take any actions, but suffers no Defense or Armor Class penalties, as appropriate). This application of the feat costs 3 Power Points.
Special: Using this feat takes a full round action and costs 2, 3 or 4 Power Points (see above). If a target successfully saves against this power, you may try to affect his mind again after some time has passed, but not in the same encounter or scene. The range for this power is 30 feet (10 meters).
Quickening Defense [Quickening]
You can use the Quickening to improve your resistance against Quickening-based powers and other attacks, wrapping yourself in an invisible shield of Quickening.
Prerequisites: Charisma 10+, Quickening Level 1+
Benefit: Quickening Defense adds a +8 Quickening bonus to any saving throw made against Quickening-base attacks (as the Quickening Lightning or Quickening Illusion feats, for example) and a +4 Quickening bonus to Defense or Armor Class, as appropriate, against any attack. This Quickening bonus lasts for 10 rounds (1 minute). Activate this feat is a full-round action and costs 6 Power Points. You can also activate it as a reaction to an attack, but in this case, the Quickening bonus you receive is only half of the given above (+4 to saving throws and +2 to Defense or AC).
Special: At the end of this power, it can be sustained with an equal expenditure of Power Points, as a free action. You keep the same bonus you had achieved.
Quickening Empathy [Quickening]
You can reach into a target’s surface emotions, getting a sense of the target’s general state of mind. You can also calm a hostile or unfriendly person or animal.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 10+, Charisma 10+, Quickening Level 1+
Benefit: Declare if you are trying to reach the target’s surface emotion or calm a person or animal.
Empathy: You can sense the target’s general mood, attitude and emotional state. You can tell if the target is happy, sad, angry or indifferent. The target gets to make a Will save (DC 10 + one-half your Quickening Level + your Wisdom modifier) to resist your empathic probe. This save is a reaction that the target’s even aware of. The target doesn’t know his emotions are being read.
If the target’s saving throw fails, you get a sense of the target’s mood. This grants you a +4 Quickening bonus on the next skill check you make against the target within the next 10 rounds (1 minute) using one of the following skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Perform or Sense Motive.
You can’t use this application of the skill on the same target again until 24 hours have passed. Using this feat is a standard action and costs 2 Power Points.
Friendship: You can alter the attitude of a hostile or unfriendly target or targets, changing it to something more amiable. You don’t need to be able to communicate with the target, since instead of using words you employ calming emotions through the use of the Quickening.
To use this feat you must make a Will saving throw, adding you Quickening Level as a bonus to the result. The base DC is 10 for an unfriendly target, or 15 for a hostile one. If the Will save is successful, the target’s attitude towards you improves by one step. Each 5 points above the base DC improves the target’s attitude by one more step, as the sequence bellow shows:
Combative – Hostile – Unfriendly – Indifferent – Friendly – Helpful
If the check fails (a result of 9 or less against an unfriendly target or 14 or less against a hostile one) worsens the target’s attitude by one step, with unfriendly targets turning hostile and hostile ones turning combative. If the check succeeds, the target maintains the new attitude towards the Immortal until a situation occurs to alter that state.
When the Immortal ends contact with the target (by leaving the target’s immediate vicinity), the target can immediately make a Will saving throw (DC 20) to shake off the effects of this feat. Otherwise, the Quickening-imbued friendship lasts for one hour.
You can make only one successful check involving a specific target per hour (you can’t follow with successive checks to improve the target’s attitude step by step). If the check fails, you can’t use this application of this feat against that target again until 24 hours have passed.
Using this application of the Quickening Empathy feat is a full-round action and costs 2 Power Points per target. The range is 30 feet (10 meters) and all targets to be affected must be within 30 feet (10 meters) of each other.
Quickening Illusion [Quickening]
You can use the Quickening to manifest false visual and auditory stimulus that seem completely real to those who perceive them.
Prerequisites: Charisma 13+, Quickening Level 9+
Benefit: You create illusions to trick, distract or even harm those who perceive them (though these illusions can’t cause direct physical harm, they may provoke fatal mistakes by those who don’t recognize then as unreal). The target can attempt a Will saving throw against the effect (DC 10 + one-half your Quickening Level + your Charisma modifier).
The maximum range for this feat is 600 miles (almost 1.000 kilometers). It takes a standard action to activate and costs a variable amount of Power Points, based on the distance of the illusion effect from the Immortal.
Distance
Power Point Cost/Round
30 feet (10 meters)
Power Point Cost/Round
30 feet (10 meters)
3
6 miles (about 10 kilometers)
5
60 miles (about 100 kilometers)
8
600 (about 1.000 kilometers)
10
You can maintain an illusion for more than a single round, paying the appropriate Power Point cost and using a standard action every round. An Immortal can’t maintain an illusion if engaged in combat or distracting activity.
Special: Each person who perceives the illusion perceives the same event. Characters encountering an illusion can’t attempt a saving throw to recognize it as illusory until they study it carefully or interact with it in a significant fashion.
A successful saving throw against a Quickening Illusion reveals it to be false and dispels the illusion.
A failed saving throw indicates the character doesn’t notice anything amiss. A character provided with certain proof that an illusion is not real doesn’t need to make a saving throw.
Is a character makes a successful saving throw against an illusion and communicates his knowledge to others in the area, each of these others immediately makes a Will save throw with a +4 circumstance bonus to recognize the illusion as unreal.
Using an illusion to perform a deadly act against a living being may receive a Dark Quickening point (see the Dark Quickening rules for details).
Quickening Lightning [Dark Quickening]
You can draw upon the Dark Quickening to blast one or more targets with deadly bolts of energy.
Prerequisites: Intelligence 13+, Quickening Level 6+, 8 or more Dark Quickening points
Benefit: You can blast a Quickening Lightning to a range of 30 feet (10 meters). The effect covers an area 20 feet (6 meters) wide, extending out from you in the direction you are facing, and can therefore affect more than one target at a time. Any target with at least one-half cover (such as one standing behind another target) is protected against the effect and takes no damage.
Those not so lucky are struck by the Quickening Lightning and suffer 3d8 points of damage. The target can attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC 10 + one-half your Quickening Level + you Intelligence modifier) to suffer only half damage.
Using this feat requires a standard action and costs 6 Power Points.
Special: You may gain a Dark Quickening point every time you use this feat (see the Dark Quickening rules for details).
Quickening Magic [Quickening]
You can use the Quickening to improve your spellcasting ability.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast arcane or divine spells, any one Metamagic feat, Quickening Level 1+
Benefit: You may empower metamagic feats with Quickening Power Points, thus using these metamagic feats without raising the level of the spell you cast.
If you prepare spells (as wizards and clerics), you must prepare the spell modified by the metamagic feat as normal, but it takes a normal slot instead of a higher level slot. You pay the Power Point cost when you prepare the spell. These Power Points can’t be recovered until you cast the spell you’ve prepared with it.
If you choose spells as you cast them (as sorcerers and bards) you must take more time casting the spell as normal, but you use normal slot instead of a higher level slot upon paying the Power Point cost.
The Power Point cost to empower a metamagic feat through the Quickening is equal to twice the spell slot augment, less one point. So, to empower the metamagic feat quicken spell through this feat, you would pay 7 Power Points, because Quicken Spell raises the spell slot needed to cast a spell by four (4*2 = 8 – 1 = 7). To empower the metamagic feat Maximize Spell through this feat, you would pay 5 Power Points, because Maximize Spell raises the spell slot by 3 levels, and so on.
Quickening Mastery [Quickening]
You can accomplish Quickening feats with less concentration than normal.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 15+, Quickening Level 7+, any other Quickening feat
Benefit: Once per round, you can accomplish a Quickening-related task that normally requires a standard or move action as a free action. The Power Point cost for this action is double the normal cost (or 1 point, even if no cost is given).
Special: This feat is not cumulative with the effects of High Quickening Mastery. That is, you cannot use both to reduce a full-round action to a free action.
Quickening Mediunics [Quickening]
You can see spirits of the dead and even talk to them.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 13+, Quickening Level 6+
Benefit: You can see ethereal creatures, spirits of the deceased and make them understand you. Activate this feat is a free action and costs 2 Power Points. Its effects last for 10 minutes.
Special: At the end of this power, it can be sustained with an equal expenditure of Power Points, as a free action.
Quickening Psionics [Quickening]
You can use the Quickening to improve your psionic ability.
Prerequisites: Ability to use psionic powers, any one Metapsionic feat, Quickening Level 1+
Benefit: You may empower metapsionic feats with Quickening Power Points instead of you normal psionic Power Points. The cost and rules are the same that would be for using the metapsionic feat with psionic Power Points, as normal, but you use Quickening Power Points instead of psionic Power Points.
Quickening Rage [Dark Quickening]
You can channel anger into a berserker fury, increasing your battle prowess as you let the Dark Quickening flow through your body.
Prerequisites: Constitution 13+, Quickening Level 3+, 5 or more Dark Quickening points
Benefit: You temporally gain +4 Strength, +2 hit points per level, and a +2 Quickening bonus to your Fortitude and Will saving throws, but you also take a -2 penalty to Defense or Armor Class, as appropriate.
While raging, you can’t use skills, feats or special abilities that require patience and concentration, such as Move Silently, Expertise and most Quickening feats.
A Rage lasts for a number of round equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier. At the end of this duration you loose the bonus hit point and become fatigued (-2 to Strength and Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for a number of turns equal to the duration of the Rage.
Activate this feat is a free action and costs 5 Power Points, but you can only do it during your turn. You can’t Rage as a reaction to another character’s action.
Special: If the character already has a similar ability from a class feature or other source, the effects of multiple Rages cannot be combined and don’t stack in any way.
You may gain a Dark Quickening point every time you Rage (see the Dark Quickening rules for details).
Speed of the Stag [Quickening]
The Quickening allows you to move exceptionally fast for a brief period of time.
Prerequisites: Constitution 13+, Quickening Level 1+
Benefit: You may increase your base speed to 10 times normal for 1 round. This increase adds +4 to your Jump checks for every 10 feet (3 meters) your base speed has above 30 feet (9 meters). For example, if your base speed is 30 feet (9 meters), when you use this feat it’ll be increased to 300 feet (90 meters) for a round. This adds +108 to your Jump checks that round. This amazing increase also has the side effect of multiplying your maximum Jump distance by 5 during this round. These bonus count as enhancement bonus.
Using this feat requires a full round action and costs 5 Power Points.
Telepathy [Quickening]
You can use the Quickening to establish a mental link with a specific target. Through the link, you can exchange emotions, send short images and communicate a single thought, such as “Go!”, “Help!” or “Danger!”.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 13+, Charisma 13+, Quickening Level 6+
Benefit: To use this feat you must succeed at a Will check. The DC is 10 for a friendly target. For hostile target’s, you must beat DC 15 or the target’s Will saving throw, whichever is higher. Add the distance modifier to the save result or the DC as appropriate. You receive a bonus to this check equal to you Quickening Level.
The maximum range of this feat and appropriate DC modifiers are shown on the table bellow. You use a move action and 3 Power Points to activate this feat.
Maximum Range
Distance Modifier to DC
30 feet (10 meters)
Distance Modifier to DC
30 feet (10 meters)
+0
300 feet (100 meters)
+10
3.000 feet (1 kilometer)
+20
Special: If time and Power Points are no factor, you can concentrate for 2 minutes and spend 60 Power Points to take 20 on your Will check. This also multiplies by 100 the maximum range of this feat.
Telekinesis [Quickening]
This very complex and powerful Quickening power allows you to move objects and living things through the Quickening and the power of your mind.
Prerequisites: Intelligence 15+, Quickening Level 9+
Benefit: Every time a saving throw is allowed against uses of this feat, the save DC is always 10 + one-half your Quickening Level + your Intelligence modifier. You can use any of the following powers:
Destructive Grip: You can use the Quickening to injure a single opponent by crushing his internal organs or his larynx with your telekinetic power. This attack deals 3d6 points of concussion (lethal) damage and the target can attempt a Will saving throw to halve the damage.
Using this application of this feat takes a standard action and costs 6 Power Points per round. It can be sustained with a standard action and normal Power Point expenditure each round.
Telekinetic Strike: You can attack with a invisible telekinetic push. This attack deals 3d4 points of concussion (lethal) damage. The range for this power is 30 feet (10 meters) and it can affect up to four adjacent targets. the targets can attempt a Reflex saving throw to halve the damage; those who fail are also blow back 5 feet (1.5 meters) and knocked prone.
Using this application of this feat is a standard action and costs 4 Power Points.
True Telekinesis: You can move objects and living beings with your mind. The object or target to be affected must be within 30 feet (10 meters) in the moment you pick it up. You must make a Will saving throw (DC 10) and spend 1 Power Point if the object weights 10 lbs. (5 kilograms) or less. For each additional order of magnitude in the object’s weight (100 lbs., 1.000 lbs. or 50 kg, 500 kg and so on), the DC raises by 5 and the Power Point expenditure doubles. So, to move an object weighting 100 lbs/50 kg the DC is 15 and the cost 2 Power Points. The DC is 20 and the cost 4 Power Points if the object’s weight is up to 1.000 lbs./500 kg, DC 25 and 8 Power Points is the object’s weight is up to 10.000 lbs./5.000 kg and so on.
If you use this power to move an unwilling target, the target can attempt a Will saving throw to negate the effect.
Using this application of the feat is a move action.
Violent Thrust: You can use this power to hurl one or more objects or creatures against a target. The DC is set by the heaviest creature or object you are trying to throw, as described above. Add +2 DC and +2 to the Power Point cost for every additional target or object.
You must succeed at ranged attack rolls (one per creature or object throw) to hit the target with, using your base attack bonus + your Intelligence modifier. Weapons cause standard damage (with no Strength bonus). Other objects cause from 1 point of damage per 25 pounds (12.5 kg), for less dangerous objects, as a barrel, to 1d6 points of damage per 25 pounds (12.5 kg), for hard, dense objects, such as a boulder. Anyway, you cannot inflict more than 1d6 points of damage per Quickening Level with this power.
Using this application of the feat is a full round action.
New General Feats
Quickening Ability Focus [General]
Choose a Quickening feat that requires a saving throw to resist, such as Quickening Lightning or Quickening Illusion. You are much more powerful using this ability than normal.
Benefit: You add +2 to the Difficulty Class for the saving throws against the feat you select to focus on.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new feat.
Swordsman Defense [general]
You are skilled at defending yourself with a chosen melee weapon.
Prerequisites: Base Attack +3, Dexterity 13+, Weapon Focus (any melee weapon)
Benefit: When wielding any melee weapon to which you have the Weapon Focus feat, you gain a +2 dodge bonus to you Defense or Armor Class, as appropriate. Despite this feat’s name, the benefits apply to any melee weapon to which you have the Weapon Focus feat, not only swords (including unarmed strikes).
Special: A condition that makes you loose you Dexterity bonus to Defense or AC (if any) also makes you loose dodge bonuses. Also, dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most types of bonuses.
* * *
Chapter Four: Immortal Combat
Or
Don’t Loose Your Head
Or
Don’t Loose Your Head
Critical Hits and Lost Body Parts (Optional Rule)
In games where the GM needs an additional level of complexity, he may decide that a critical hit may result in a lost or permanently incapacitated body part. This happens only if:
- The attack was a successful critical hit done with a piercing or slashing weapon (bludgeoning weapons can incapacitate, even permanently, but rarely sever a limb).
- The confirming attack roll comes up with a result in the weapon’s threat range. For example, a longsword threatens a critical hit on a result of 19-20. The attacker rolls a 20 on the attack roll, threatening a critical hit. The attacker then rolls a 19 on the confirmation roll. Since the confirmation roll is on the weapons natural threat range, the attack may sever or destroy a target’s limb.
- The attack deals Massive Damage. The target must save against Massive Damage, but with a DC of 15, +2 for every 10 points of damage dealt. If he fails, he suffers normal effects from the Massive Damage (is immediately reduced to -1 HP), and he has lost the limb (it was severed, if the attack was done by a slashing or some piercing weapons, or permanently incapacitated if the attack was done with most piercing or any bludgeoning weapon). If he passes, he loses the limb but is not dying. NOTE: if your game uses a different rule for Massive Damage, use this rule instead.
To find out where the target was hit, roll on the table bellow:
1d20 roll
Body Part Hit
Specific Hit (Roll 1d10)
1-2
Head
(1-2) Neck, decapitation if Fortitude save fails; (3-8) Face (includes eyes, nose and mouth); (9-10) Ears
3-6
Arm
(1-3) left arm; (4-5) left hand; (6-8) right arm; (9-10) right hand
7-14
Torso
Back or front, upper or low; GM’s choice
15-16
Vital Organs
Heart, lung or other (includes groins); GM’s choice
17-20
Leg
(1-3) left leg/knee; (4-5) left foot; (6-8) right leg/knee; (9-10) right foot
Body Part Hit
Specific Hit (Roll 1d10)
1-2
Head
(1-2) Neck, decapitation if Fortitude save fails; (3-8) Face (includes eyes, nose and mouth); (9-10) Ears
3-6
Arm
(1-3) left arm; (4-5) left hand; (6-8) right arm; (9-10) right hand
7-14
Torso
Back or front, upper or low; GM’s choice
15-16
Vital Organs
Heart, lung or other (includes groins); GM’s choice
17-20
Leg
(1-3) left leg/knee; (4-5) left foot; (6-8) right leg/knee; (9-10) right foot
* * *
Appendix: Setting and Characters
The Watchers
The Watchers is a secret organization, whose main objective is to keep records and histories on all supernatural creatures and events. The Watchers are divided into many different branches that oversee various supernatural events and creatures. There is a separate branch that specializes in recording the lives and events of the Immortals, another for vampires (should they exist or not), another one for ghosts and spirits, one for were-beasts and lycanthropes and so on.
This branch of the Watchers usually does not interfere with the events in an Immortals life or the Game; but from time to time, they have also been known to enforce the rules of the game. They prefer to remain in the background, observing and recording the events, but they will take action to protect the secrets they hold. The will also interfere with the game if the need arises. Now this "need" is open to interpretation and it could be used good as will as evil. The main headquarters for the Watchers is based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and the Immortal branch is located in Paris, France.
WATCHER’S HISTORY
The Watchers have some roots that go all the way back to the so called “Council of Atlantis”. After the fall, some of the survivors from Atlantis were scattered through out the world. A few members of the council were chosen to watch over those who were chosen to be sent forward to become Immortal.
These members kept all the records on the “Game” and any other supernatural events. These records were stored at the great library at Alexandria. The library became the Watchers original main headquarters. Unfortunately, the forces of darkness destroyed the library at Alexandria, and all was lost and nothing remanded of the old records and events. So the true nature of the Immortals, (where they came from, and why they are here), was lost and forever forgotten.
The Watchers did not appear again until the time of first Crusade near Leipzig, by a small group of knights. The knights found the chard remains of the library at Alexandria and began to reopen the lost knowledge of the past. This reawakening of knowledge brought the attention of the forces of darkness.
A deadly war was fought to put an end to the knights and their findings. Many of the knights paid with their lives for the ancient knowledge. The knights that survive swore to avenge themselves and reorganized into a secret organization known as the “Watchers”. Their goal was to rid the world of the forces of darkness and once more record the events of the Game.
The knights did not understand what part the Immortals played in world. It seemed that Immortals came in all forms of good, evil, and everything in-between. So they decided not to interfere with the Game, until it could understand it fully. They took a vowed to only watch and record the lives and events of the ones called “Immortals”. The game must be watched over very carefully. If in the end, the minions of darkness win the final battle, humanity will suffer a great blow and darkness with triumph over the world.
The Watchers try to keep accurate records on all the Immortals due to an old legend. The legend states that a “pure form of evil” will take on a physical form, once every 1000 years. Only an Immortal, (known as the chosen one), can defeat this supernatural being and return it back into remission.
Which Immortal is the “Chosen One” remains unknown until after the “Great Evil” forms. Current bets are on the MacLeod kinsman Duncan and Connor, and a handful of other honored Immortals.
Any comments? mail-us....
