Unwritten Legends: Background
Unwritten Legends: World Info


[ World Background ]
[ Regions of the World ]
[ Races of the World ]
[ Map of the World ]
[ Gods and Pantheons ]
[ Character Creation ]
[ Feats ]
[ Classes ]
[ Equipment ]
[ Armor ]
[ Weapons ]
[ Rules Changes ]
[ Back ]



The world is an early medieval world similar to earth for simplicity. The day is 24 hours long, made up of 60 minutes each of 60 seconds. Daylight is from 8 hours long to 16 hours long (depending on whether it is winter or summer, respectively). The week is tendays, and a month is thirty days long. There are five seasonal holidays, making the year 365 days long. There is also a special one day holiday every fourth year. The world has two moons, Selune and Mystral. Selune is larger, slower and brighter. Sometimes it can be seen during the day. Selune is full on the first day of every month. The second moon is Mystral, and it is smaller, faster, and darker. It can only be seen on the clearest nights, but it orbits the planet two to three times every night. The world also has twelve constelations in the zodiac, and five primary planets that also orbit (it is believed the world is heliocentric) the world's one yellow sun.

The planet is quite old, beyond anyones ability to record it, though elf historians have placed guesses in the neighborhood of 50,000 to 200,000 years old. The world is in its second age. Ages are marked by a beginning and or ending point. Prior to the first age, was the Age or Ages of Dragons, and point of some contention between scholars. Those came to an end, and the First Age Began with the conclusion of the War of the Wyrms. During the First Age, men first appeared, and Dwarves and Elves watched them struggle through barbarism. Gnomes and Halflings were seen rising out of the anarchy of tribal warfare too. When the Dwarves had ventured up out of the Ground, and the Elves came forth out of their forests and met at The Dwarven Halls to sign the first Alliance, that ended the First Age. During the Second Age, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings have seen the rise of man. In the two thousandth and thirty third year, Emperor Devlin's conquest of the Dragon Coast and finally proclaimed Chondath an empire. It is the only real human kingdom, all others are only a collection of warlords with similar social and geographic backgrounds. At this point the calander became a human one, though they still use the elven divions of months, days, and holidays, they call the months diffrently. It is now the two thousand, one hundredth, fourty-eighth year in the Second Age. The date we will be starting is Eightday, Ches 18th.

The gravity and atmosphere are earth normal. The seasons are much more severe, and resources more plentiful. The winters are frigid, and the summers hot; falls and springs are short. If this is a result of more axial tilt and planetary geography or the gods is unknown.

Even though magic is every person's ability, item creation remains out of reach of all but the greatest casters, alchemy and the sciences are progressing. Though slow even by earth medieval standards. Alchemy is widespread and developed. It encompases chemistry, astrology, astronomy, herbology, other natural sciences.

The languages of the known world are quite extensive. Heroes start with a selection of languages based on race and region. The following list is that of known languages. Names, classes, or groups in parenthesis get those in addition to their bonus languages. The languages on this list must be purchased with ranks in the Speak Language skill if it is not a bonus language for the hero. The name in []'s is the alphabet used, if any.


Units of measure:

Distance
Unit Description Modern Day
Hand Thumb to pinkie across palm About 4 inches
Digit Width of index finger About 3/4 of an inch
Span From thumb to pinkie with fingers outstretched Eight inches
Foot Lenght of a foot 12 inches; one foot
Fathom From fingertip to fingertip with arms outstretched six feet
Pace Two steps About five feet
The Rod Two paces One ten foot pole
Mile 1000 paces About 5280 feet

Weight/Volume
Unit Description Conversion
Grain one grain of barley or wheat 1 grain
Carat
12 grain
Pennyweight A common copper coin 2 carats
Ounce
20 pennyweight
Mark A common gold coin 12 pennyweight (24 carats)
Pound
16 ounces
Stone A big stone 14 pounds

Money

Money is also a common feature between all cities. Dwarves and Gnomes run the largest trading houses in any city. As such they are the largest bankers; known for their honesty and dedication. Banks are purely holders of money, and money changers. Both will trade gems for gold. They also mint the Adamantium and Mithril coins which are a standard, backed by the wealth of their people. They will also hold wealth and pay bills for their customers using check books. As both are master alchemists, it takes quite a bit to destroy their script, notes of credit, checks, or their coinage. For weights, see the Units of measure below. When making magic items with Trade Bars, use the Actual Metal Value, but when buying magic items use the Value.


Coins of the World
Coin Weight Coins/lb Abbrev. Value Shape
Dragon tooth 10 pennyweight 32 dt 10 cp Tooth
Copper piece 1 pennyweight 320 cp 1 cp Coin
Silver piece 2 pennyweight 160 sp 10 cp Coin
Dwarf Gold piece 1/2 mark 53 dp 5 sp Coin with center-hole
Gold piece 1 mark 26 gp 10 sp or 2 dp Coin
Platinum piece 12 carat 53 pp 10 gp or 20 dp Coin
Mithril piece 8 pennyweight 40 mp 10 pp Square coin
Admantium piece 8 pennyweight 40 ap 10 mp 15/75 Rhomboid with center-hole


Trade Bars
Bar Type Weight Actual Metal value Abbrev. Value Shape
Gold 5 lb 100 gp Gb 1,000 gp Bar
Platinum 5 lb 2,000 gp Pb 10,000 gp Bar
Mithril 10 lb 5,000 gpMb 100,000 gp Bar
Admantium 10 lb 15,000gp Ab 1,000,000 gp Bar


Calander

The calander of the realms, below, also shows the varrying holy dates of the many diffrent religions. The three letters note the religion and then after the dash, it indicates the strength of the hold day. (G) is a Greater holy day, (I) is an Intermediate holy day, and (M) is a Minor holy day. A number in parenthesis after the letter, indicates the length of the holy days, inclusive.

Human Holy Days.
Azuth (Azu), Bahamut (Bah), Chauntea (Cha), Denier (Den), Eldath (Eld), Gond (Gon), Helm (Hlm), Ilmater (Ilm), Lathander (Lat), Lliira (Lli), Milil (Mil), Mystral (Mys), Oghma (Ogm), Selune (Sel), Silvanus (Sil), Sune (Sun), Tempus (Tem), Torm (Tor), Tymora (Tym), Tyr (Tyr), Waukeen (Wau).

Dwarf Holy Days
Berronar Truesilver (Ber), Clangeddin Silverbeard (Cla), Dugmaren Brightmantle (Dug), Dumathoin (Dum), Gorm Gulthyn (Gor), Haela Brightaxe (Hae), Marthammor Duin (Mar), Mordain (Mor), Sharindlar (Shr), Vergadain (Ver).

Elf Holy Days
Aerdrie Eaenya (Aer), Corellon Larethian (Cor), Erevan Illesere (Ere), Hanali Celanil (Han), Labelas Enoreth (Lab), Rillifane Rallathi (Ril), Sehanine Moonbow (Seh), Solonor Thelandira (Sol), The Entire Elf Pantheon (Elf).

Gnome Holy Days
Baervan Wildwalker (Wil), Baravar Cloakshadow (Clo), Flandal Steelskin (Fla), Gaerdal Ironhand (Gae), Garl Glittergold (Gli), Segojan Earthcaller (Seg).

Halfling Holy Days
Arvoreen (Arv), Brandobaris (Bra), Cyrrollalee (Cyr), Shella Peryroyl (She), Yondalla (Yon).


The Calendar of Harptos
Month Elven Name - Chondathan Name - Common Name
1 Hammer Deepwinter January

1
Tyr-M(2)
Dug-M 		2
Wil-M 		3
Tym-M
She-M 		4
Ogm-M(4)
Ber-M 		5
Tem-G
Gor-M 		6
Tem-I
Ber-I
Fla-M 		7
Den-M(7)
Tem-M(3) 		8
Sun-M(6)
Cla-M
Fla-I
Seg-I 		9
Clo-M
Yon-G 		10
11
Den-I
Mys-I 		12
Cla-I 		13
Gon-I 		14
Hlm-I
Sel-M
Gli-M
Cyr-M 		15
Lli-M
Sil-I
Mar-M
Gli-I 		16
Cha-I
Mys-M(9)
Dum-M 		17
18
Dum-I 		19
Hlm-M(8)
Ilm-I 		20
Lat-M(10)
Shr-M
21
Azu-M(9)
Lat-I
Wil-I 		22
23
24
Cha-M(2)
Shr-I
Ver-M 		25
Bra-M 		26
Bah-M
Ilm-M
Sel-I
Seg-I
Gae-M 		27
28
Mor-M 		29
Arv-M 		30
Mil-M
Ver-I

Annual Holiday: Midwinter
Aer-I
Lab-I

2 Alturiak The Claw of Winter February

1
Tyr-M(2)
Fla-M
Dug-M 		2
Bah-G 		3
Tem-I 		4
Sun-I
Ber-M
Wil-M 		5
Bah-I
Gor-M
Gae-M 		6
Ber-I 		7
Cha-M,
Bah-M(8)
Sel-I
Cla-M 		8
Hlm-I 		9
10
Ogm-I
Hae-M
11
Gon-I
Arv-M 		12
Lli-M
Mil-M
Cla-I
Seg-M
Yon-M 		13
Ilm-I
Sel-M(2)
Tym-I 		14
15
Mar-M
Bra-M
Cyr-M 		16
Gon-M(6)
Dum-M 		17
Lat-M(7)
Mor-I 		18
Lat-I
Dum-I
Clo-M 		19
20
Mys-M(2)
Shr-M
Gae-M
21
Sil-M(2)
Mor-M 		22
Cha-I
Mys-I 		23
Tym-M 		24
Azu-M(4)
Shr-I
Ver-M 		25
26
Bah-I
Gli-M
She-M 		27
28
Mys-G 		29
30
Tem-M(4)
Ver-I

3 Ches The Claw of the Sunsets March

1
Lat-G
Tyr-M(2)
Dug-M 		2
Ogm-M(9) 		3
Lat-M(10)
Mys-I
Cyr-I
Bra-M
Wil-M
Fla-M
Seg-M 		4
Bah-M(2)
Sel-G
Ber-M 		5
Lli-M
Sel-M(6)
Tym-M
Gor-M 		6
Sel-I
Ber-I 		7
8
Mor-M
Cla-M 		9
Cha-I
Gae-M 		10
Hlm-M(9)
Hae-M
11
Tem-M(9) 		12
Cla-I
She-M 		13
Gon-M(5) 		14
Cha-M
Arv-I 		15
Hlm-I
Sun-M(5)
Mar-M 		16
Ilm-I
Dum-M
Arv-M 		17
18
Bah-I
Ilm-M(3)
Tem-I
Dum-I 		19
Spring Eq
Elf-G
Clo-M 		20
Gon-I
Shr-M
21
Ilm-M(7) 		22
Ilm-I 		23
24
Shr-I
Ver-M
Gli-M 		25
Ilm-I
Bra-M
Yon-M 		26
Azu-M(7)
Sil-I
Cyr-M 		27
Mil-M
She-I
Yon-I 		28
29
30
Lat-I
Mys-M(6)
Tyr-I
Ver-I

4 Tarsakh The Claw of the Storms April

1
Lli-M
Tyr-M(2)
Dug-M 		2
Tor-M(5) 		3
Mys-M(10) 		4
Tym-M
Wau-M(10)
Ber-M
Bra-M 		5
Tem-G
Gor-M 		6
Ber-I 		7
Cha-M
Bah-M(2)
Wil-I 		8
Bah-G
Lat-I
Cla-M
Fla-I
Wil-M
Clo-M 		9
Lat-M
Mil-M 		10
Hlm-I
Hae-M
11
Mys-G
Tem-I 		12
Azu-M
Cla-I
Arv-M 		13
Mor-M
Gae-M
Gli-M 		14
Mys-I 		15
Mar-M 		16
Ogm-I
Sel-G
Tem-M(3)
Dum-M 		17
Mor-I 		18
Dum-I 		19
Sil-M(8) 		20
Cha-I
Shr-M
21
Gon-I 		22
Gon-M(5) 		23
24
Ilm-I
Shr-I
Ver-M 		25
Sel-I
Fla-M
Cyr-M 		26
27
Sun-I
Seg-M
She-M
Yon-M 		28
29
30
Ver-I
Eld-M(10)

Annual Holiday: Greengrass
Ril-I
Ere-I

5 Mirtul The Melting May

1
Cha-M(5)
Sil-I
Tyr-M(2)
Gli-I
Dug-M 		2
3
Seg-I 		4
Tym-M
Ber-M 		5
Gor-M 		6
Ber-I 		7
Lat-M(7)
Tem-M(10) 		8
Azu-M(8)
Cla-M
Bra-M 		9
Lli-M
Eld-I
Clo-M 		10
Hae-M
Fla-M
Arv-M
11
Gon-M(3)
Ogm-I
Sel-I
Wil-M 		12
Bah-M(9)
Cla-I 		13
Hlm-I
Tym-I
Mor-M 		14
15
Mys-M
Mar-M
Gli-M 		16
Hlm-M(3)
Dum-M
She-M 		17
Cha-I 		18
Sel-M(2)
Dum-I
Gae-M 		19
Sun-M(6) 		20
Shr-M
21
Gon-I 		22
Ilm-M(3) 		23
Lat-I 		24
Mys-M
Shr-I
Ver-M
Cyr-M 		25
26
27
Ilm-I
Tem-I 		28
29
30
Bah-I
Ver-I
Seg-M
Yon-M

6 Kythorn The Time of Flowers June

1
Mys-M(4)
Tyr-M(2)
Dug-M
Yon-I
Fla-M 		2
Sel-G
Tem-M(2) 		3
4
Ber-M
Seg-M 		5
Tym-M
Gor-M 		6
Lli-M
Ber-I
Wil-M 		7
8
Hlm-M(8)
Cla-M
Arv-I
Gae-M 		9
10
Gon-I
Ogm-M(2)
Mor-G
Hae-M
11
12
Sel-I
Cla-I
Arv-M 		13
14
15
Hlm-I
Sel-M(5)
Mar-M 		16
Gon-M
Sil-M(5)
Dum-M 		17
Mor-I 		18
Dum-I 		19
Azu-M(12)
Sun-I
Tor-M(4)
Gli-M 		20
Summer Sol
Elf-G
Shr-M
21
Lat-G
Cyr-M
Yon-M 		22
23
Lat-I 		24
Mys-I
Shr-I
Ver-M
She-M 		25
Bah-M(8) 		26
Ilm-I
Lli-M
Tem-I 		27
Mor-M
Bra-M 		28
Cha-I
Mil-M 		29
Bah-I
Cyr-I
She-I
Clo-M 		30
Lat-M(5)
Tyr-I
Ver-I

7 Flamerule Summertide July

1
Sel-I
Tyr-M(2)
Dug-M 		2
Gli-I 		3
4
Lat-M(7)
Ber-M
Fla-I 		5
Cha-M(6)
Tem-G
Gor-M
Seg-M 		6
Gon-(4)
Ber-I 		7
Azu-M(14) 		8
Sel-M(5)
Cla-M 		9
Mil-M
Wil-I 		10
Ogm-I
Hae-M
11
Lli-M 		12
Cla-I 		13
Bah-I
Sun-M(7)
Fla-M
She-M 		14
Bah-M(6)
Tem-I
Cyr-M 		15
Mor-M
Mar-M 		16
Mys-M(3)
Dum-M
Arv-M 		17
Ilm-I
Clo-M 		18
Dum-I 		19
Hlm-I
Bra-M 		20
Shr-M
Gae-M
21
22
Gon-I 		23
Mys-I 		24
Sil-I
Shr-I
Ver-M 		25
Ilm-M(2)
Wil-M 		26
27
Tem-M(5)
Seg-I
Yon-M 		28
Lat-I
Tym-M
Gli-M 		29
30
Cha-I
Sel-G
Ver-I

Annual Holiday: Midsummer
Han-I
Ril-I
Yon-G

Holiday: Shieldmeet (every fourth year)
Cor-G

8 Eleasis Highsun August

1
Tyr-M(2)
Dug-M
Den-G
Mor-M 		2
Mil-M 		3
Azu-M(9)
Mys-I
Ogm-M(7) 		4
Bah-G
Wau-M(10)
Ber-M 		5
Hlm-I
Sil-M(5)
Gor-M 		6
Ber-I 		7
8
Gon-I
Cla-M 		9
10
Hae-M
11
12
Cla-I
Gae-M 		13
Cha-G
Sun-I
Tym-I 		14
Cha-M(10) 		15
Gon-M(8)
Lat-I
Mar-M 		16
Bah-I
Dum-M 		17
Mor-I 		18
Cha-I
Dum-I 		19
Bah-M(7)
Tem-I 		20
Mys-M(9)
Shr-M
21
Sel-M(9)
Bra-M
Tor-M(3)		22
Tem-M(6) 		23
Lat-M(3) 		24
Ilm-I
Shr-I
Ver-M 		25
Ilm-M(10) 		26
Sel-I 		27
28
29
Hlm-M
Clo-M 		30
Lli-M
Tym-M
Ver-I

9 Eleint The Fading September

1
Lat-G
Tyr-M(2)
Dug-M 		2
Sel-I 		3
4
Gon-I
Ber-M
Cyr-I
Gae-M 		5
Gor-M
Arv-M 		6
Ber-I 		7
She-I 		8
Lat-M(8)
Lli-M
Cla-M
Gli-M 		9
Bah-I
Tem-I
Arv-I
Yon-I 		10
Hae-M
11
Azu-M 		12
Cla-I 		13
Cha-I
Ilm-I
Clo-M 		14
Cha-M(4)
Lat-I 		15
Azu-I
Hlm-I
Sel-M(7)
Mar-M 		16
Dum-M
Fla-M 		17
18
Gon-M(10)
Ogm-I
Dum-I 		19
20
Tym-M
Shr-M
21
Autumn Eq
Bah-M(3)
Gon-I
Elf-G 		22
Mil-M
Tem-M(8)
Mor-M
Yon-M 		23
24
Shr-I
Ver-M
She-M 		25
Sil-I 		26
Gon-M(6)
Wil-M
Seg-M
Bra-M
Cyr-M 		27
28
29
30
Mys-M(8)
Sun-M
Tyr-I
Ver-I

Annual Holiday: Highharvestide
Sol-I
Gli-G

10 Marpenoth Leaffall October

1
Bah-M(6)
Tyr-M(2)
Den-I
Dug-M
Wil-M 		2
3
Tym-M
Wil-I
Yon-M 		4
Ber-M 		5
Sel-I
Tem-G
Gor-M 		6
Bah-I
Ber-I
Seg-M 		7
Lat-M(4)
Lli-M 		8
Lat-I
Mys-I
Cla-M
Arv-M
Bra-M 		9
Mys-G
Cyr-M 		10
Tem-M(4)
Hae-M
11
Gon-I 		12
Mor-M
Cla-I 		13
Azu-M 		14
Tem-I
Fla-M
Gli-M 		15
Cha-M(8)
Ogm-M(4)
Mar-M 		16
Hlm-M(3)
Dum-M 		17
Mor-I 		18
Sel-M(5)
Sil-M(7)
Dum-I 		19
20
Shr-M
21
Ilm-M(9) 		22
23
Mil-M
Fla-I
Seg-I
She-M 		24
Sun-I
Shr-I
Ver-M
Tor-M(2)		25
26
27
28
Gon-M(3)
Gli-I 		29
30
Cha-I
Hlm-I
Ver-I

11 Uktar The Rotting November

1
Tyr-M(2)
Dug-M 		2
Mor-M 		3
Sel-I 		4
Tym-M
Ber-M 		5
Gon-M(5)
Gor-M 		6
Ber-I 		7
Mys-M(7) 		8
Mys-I
Sel-M(7)
Cla-M 		9
Gon-I 		10
Hae-M
11
Ilm-I
Lat-M
Ogm-I
Clo-M 		12
Mys-G
Cla-I
Gli-M 		13
Cha-I
Tym-I
Seg-M 		14
Azu-M 		15
Bah-I
Mar-M 		16
Dum-M 		17
18
Bah-G
Dum-I
Wil-M 		19
Cha-M
Sun-M
Tem-I
Gae-M 		20
Shr-M
21
Bra-M 		22
23
24
Bah-M(10)
Shr-I
Ver-M
Fla-M 		25
Hlm-I 		26
Lat-I 		27
Lli-M
Sil-I 		28
Tem-M(9) 		29
Mil-M 		30
Ver-I

Annual Holiday: The Feast of the Moon
Sel-G
Seh-G

12 Nightal The Drawing Down December

1
Hlm-M(9)
Tyr-M(2)
Dug-M
She-M 		2
Gon-I
Gli-M
Yon-M 		3
Cha-I 		4
Cha-M(10)
Mys-M(4)
Ber-M 		5
Gor-M 		6
Tem-M(8)
Ber-I 		7
Sel-M(5) 		8
Cha-M(8)
Ogm-M(4)
Cla-M 		9
Lat-M(7) 		10
Hlm-I
Tem-I
Mor-G
Hae-M
11
She-I
Yon-I 		12
Cla-I 		13
Tym-M 		14
Mor-M 		15
Mar-M 		16
Azu-M(7)
Sun-I
Dum-M
Arv-I
Clo-M 		17
Mor-I
Cyr-M 		18
Sil-M(5)
Dum-I
Arv-M 		19
Mil-M 		20
Winter Sol
Bah-M(2)
Elf-G
Shr-M
21
Ilm-M(4)
Lat-G
Seg-M 		22
23
Lli-M 		24
Shr-I
Ver-M
Cyr-I
Wil-M 		25
26
Lat-I 		27
Bah-I
Sel-I 		28
Ilm-I 		29
30
Tyr-I
Ver-I


Stars and Cosmology

The sky above the realms is full with hundreds and thousands of stars. The stars, planets, and moons make up the cosmology of the realms. These play an important part in Astrology, as well as what sign the stars and planets are in, or their aspects to each other.

  • The Sun

    The most obvious celestial body is the sun. It rises each day, filling the land with life-giving warmth and light. People go about their lives to the regular rhythms of the sun.

    The sun also controls the seasons, which set the length of the year. At different times of the year it will be higher or lower in the sky, resulting in the familiar cycle of warmth and cold that produces summer and winter. The seasons define four specific dates: the solstices and equinoxes. The solstices occur in winter and summer, when the number of hours of daylight reaches a minimum or maximum, respectively. The equinoxes occur in spring and autumn, when there are exactly 12 hours of daylight and night. These dates are often celebrated with festivals, as they herald the changing of the seasons and form important markers for agricultural societies.

  • The Moons

    The moon is often regarded as the consort of the sun -- her silver compared to his gold. The moon represents emotional and unconscious aspects of personality. It controls the dreams, gives rise to impulsive urges, and can also be associated with death and mystery.

    The large moon of Selune moves rapidly with respect to the sun, changing through a series of phases approximately every 30 days (a "month") and moving through the zodiac almost as quickly. Its influence is therefore ephemeral, and its position important in determining differences in horoscopes cast for several days in succession.

    The other moon, named Mystral, is smaller and closer to the earth, resulting in a fast-moving moon. Moons like this travel across the sky in a matter of a hours. Astrologically, this means they provide a change in horoscope that can pinpoint influences and events down to a matter of a minute or so. Predictions will be very precise but, on the other hand, events such as births will need to be known to high accuracy if the child's horoscope is to be cast correctly. The associations of the smaller moon are magic, spellcraft, the unknown, and secrets.

  • The Planets

    To the ancients, planets were stars that wandered about the heavens. They are named after heroes to the gods. The planets are:

    Ustu: Completes a circuit of the stars in 88 days, making it the fastest planet. Ustu is in the service of Oghma, and is messenger. It is associated with the mind, science, communication, healing, and money.

    Feobor: The brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon, Feobor is in the service of the goddess of beauty, Sune or Hanali. She represents beauty, love, the arts, and friendship.

    Ixhi: A noticeably red planet to the visible eye, Ixhi is the deadliest Solar of Tempus, the warrior god. He is associated with aggression, ambition, courage, and justice.

    Zausar: The next brightest planet after Feobor, Zausar came to be seen as the herdsman, planter, and farmer of the gods. He is in the service of Chauntea and Silvanus. He brings joy, compassion, good fortune, and wisdom.

    Jeolib: Taking the longest of the planets to complete a cycle (29 years), Jeolib is associated with time, slow progress, difficulties, and old age. Jeolib is a servant of Laebelas.

    Planets move from day to day against the background of the zodiac (see below). As they enter different parts of the zodiac, their influences mingle with those of the constellations, and guide the lives of people for whom those constellations are significant. Also see Aspects, below.

    Sometimes, because of the orbital motions of the planets, a planet appears (from earth) to reverse direction and move backward for some time. This is called retrograde motion, and is associated with a disruption of the normal influence of the planet in question. Retrogressions of Ustu are traditionally considered most important, indicating times when starting journeys or entering into contracts are particularly risky. When an outer planet goes retrograde, it lingers for much longer than usual in a particular constellation. This brings about an extended period of influence, which can manifest as long spells of good or bad fortune for those whose lives are governed by the constellation in question.

  • The Zodiac

    The stars are, to all intents and purposes immutable objects in fixed positions relative to each other. They wheel around the earth approximately once per day -- a little faster than the sun. The sun therefore moves slowly among the background of stars, taking a year to complete a full circuit.

    The stars are divided into groupings called constellations, which are taken to be abstract representations of earthly objects (fancifully generated by "joining the dots"). Most of the constellations were assigned by either the ancient elves or the Chondathans, who used figures from their mythologies, as well as animals, and household items.

    The sun's annual journey takes it through 12 of the 88 constellations, forming a ring around the earth. It spends a different amount of time in each constellation. The ancients, however, standardized this into an idealized set of 12 constellations -- called the zodiac -- each deemed to contain the sun for an equal part of the year. The 12 zodiacal constellations (also known as star signs), with the idealized dates for which the sun is in them, and a brief set of influence keywords are:

    Astusah (21 Ches-20 Tarsakh): The Assertive, innovative, enterprising, energetic, selfish.

    Weolox (21 Tarsakh-21 Mirtul): The Great Gryphon. Persistent, patient, reliable, loyal, possessive.

    Amgusum (22 Mirtul-21 Kythorn): The Giant Owl. Communication, adaptable, intellectual, curios, restless.

    Frix (22 Kythorn-22 Flamerule): The First Dryad. Sensitive, kind, nurturing, emotional, secretive.

    Erni (23 Flamerule-23 Eleasis): The Troll King. Power, courage, pride, leadership, arrogance.

    Leomec (24 Eleasis-22 Eleint): The Displacer Beast. Perfectionist, methodical, skilful, vengeful, narcissism.

    Deoger (23 Eleient-23 Marpenoth): The Treant. Harmony, balance, peaceful, diplomatic, modest.

    Nezium (24 Marpenoth-22 Uktar): The Wolf. Intense, mystical, purposeful, introverted, self critical.

    Ozro (23 Uktar-21 Nightal): Lord of Beholders. Expansive, visionary, flexible, extroverted, inconstant.

    Ttok (22 nightal-20 Hammer): The Bulette. Prudent, resolute, ambitious, inflexible.

    Odril (21 Hammer-18 Alturiak): Queen of Unicorns. Idealistic, independent, inventive, humanitarian, eccentric.

    Fauyuy (19 Alturiak-20 Ches): The Great White Stag. Intuitive, sensitive, imaginative, spiritual, unrealistic.

  • The zodiac signs are grouped in two different ways (see diagram) -- by their relation to the seasons, and by the four Aristotelian elements.

    Cardinal Signs: When the sun moves into a cardinal sign, it indicates the start of a new season. Cardinal signs symbolize initiative and command.

    Fixed Signs: The sun enters these in the middle of each season. They represent stability and predestination.

    Mutable Signs: The final sign of each season represents versatility, compromise, and change.

    Fire Signs: These are volatile and full of energy, but also impatient and lacking perseverance.

    Earth Signs: Practical, cautious, trustworthy, but may lack imagination and creativity.

    Air Signs: Intellectual and logical, but lacking empathy and intuition.

    Water Signs: Emotional and spiritual, but lacking logic and focus.

  • Aspects

    As aspect is the angle formed between two planets (including the sun and moon), as seen from the earth. When the positions of the planets are plotted on a horoscope, particular aspects are noted for their modifying influences on the planets in question:

    Conjunction: When two planets are in the same sign and at almost the same angle, their influences combine and strengthen each other.

    Sextile: When planets are approximately 60 degrees apart, the aspect represents an opportunity waiting to be seized.

    Square: Two planets at approximately 90 degrees have their influences opposing one another, but in a way that provides dynamism and the chance for growth by resolving the conflict.

    Trine: Planets at 120 degrees to one another show a relaxing of their potential conflicts, bringing about ease and comfort in their relationship.

    Opposition: When two planets are almost directly opposite one another, their interaction produces a strong obstacle that must be overcome.


Holy Days

Some religions and cults may consider their holy days to be secret. Players know holy days have real power, but don't know when these days are. For a death cult, they may think twice about raiding an annual ceremony (or at least wish to gather more information, leading to additional opportunities for adventure). Players who know when holy days are, but have no specific knowledge of the game mechanics of these days, may grow intrigued when their fire spells work best on holy days to fire gods, and their summoned animals are particularly ferocious on the holy days of a druidic divinity. This can add depth and mystery to a campaign, and give players another dimension of the world to explore.

Holy days only apply to the faithful of that god's religion. Worshipers of a certain god gain benefits dependent on the Domains of that certain god, on his holy days days wherever they are, and worshipers of other gods gain no benefit (unless their gods also have the same domain).


Timeline

20,000 to 200,000 years ago: Elves found their first kingdoms after being brought here by Corellon, Dwarves do as well, after their creation by the Soul Forger. At the conclusion of the War of the Wyrms, the First Age Begins. They develop magic, science, agriculture, and weapons first. The power of their gods is mighty, and the gods take a personal intrest the lives of their followers.

10,000 or more years ago men develop agriculture in Chondath.

Around 8,000 years ago, other races develop agriculture, while some remain hunter/gatherers.

Around 2,000 years ago Dwarves and Elves meet, at The Dwarven Halls, form Alliance, end of the First Age.

Approximately 100 years ago Chondath Empire Forms. It is the first Kingdom of Men. Chondathan missionaries begin the spread of their religion, and the destruction of other deities of men.



E M P O W E R E D _ by GURPS by Steve Jackson Games


© Perpetual copyright 5,000 B.C. (Sumerian copyright) to and including 2057 A.D., Jeff Brawley, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. All rights reserved under penalty of whatever I can get in the cheapest court, with the meanest judge, in your jurisdiction.