New Professions
Kai Lord
Cultural Background: Civilised
Common Skill Bonuses: Lore (regional) +5%, ride +5%, select one: Stealth +10%, Athletics +10%, Insight +10%, Persistence +10%, Resilience +10%, First Aid +10%. One weapon appropriate to your culture, at +10%
Advanced Skill Bonuses: Select One: Survival, Track, Disguise, Lore (Tactics)
Magic: Kai Mastery
Age
Unusually, Kai Lords are indoctrinated into their order at a very young age, and consequently when determining a characters age, subtract 5 years. Therefore young novices will start at 11+1D4 years of age, and a typical Seasoned Adventurer will be at least 16 years old
New Cult: Order of the Kai
Those wishing to become Kai Lords must join the Order of the Kai. However, Kai Masters will only accept 7 year old children from Sommerlund, typically from noble households, although this is not always the case. Therefore, other characters may not join this order after character generation.
Magic
Kai Disciplines: Animal Kinship, Camouflage, Healing, Hunting, Mind Over Matter, Mindblast, Mindshield, Sixth Sense, Tracking, Weaponskill
Magnakai Disciplines: Animal Control, Curing, Divination, Huntmastery, Invisibility, Nexus, Pathmanship, Psi-Surge, Psi-Screen, Weaponmastery
Grand Master Disciplines: Animal Mastery, Assimilance, Deliverance, Grand Huntmastery, Grand Nexus, Grand Weaponmastery, Grand Pathmanship, Kai Alchemy, Kai-Screen, Kai-Surge, Magi-magic, Telegnosis
New Order Disciplines: Astrology, Bardmanship, Elementalism, Herbmastery
Heroic Abilities: Lore Circle of Fire, Lore Circle of Light, Lore Circle of Solaris, Lore Circle of the Spirit
Membership
Novice
Novice spend their time around the monastery studying, cleaning and learning the fundamental principles of the Kai teachings, preparing their young bodies for the rigorous spiritual and physical journey they are about to journey on. After a year of study, young Kai Lords are given their true name, reflecting their growing personality, and truly renounce their earlier lives. From this point onwards, they dedicate their lives to the order.
Kai Titles: Novice, Doan, Intuit, Acolyte
Initiate
At this level, the default starting point for Seasoned Adventurers, Kai Lords will have mastered several Kai Disciplines, and be given growing responsibilities within the order. They are sent on missions across Sommerlund, and to nations bordering their realm. Initiates must have at least 30% in five of the cult skills, and possess Magnitude 2 in 5 Kai Disciplines.
Kai Titles: Initiate, Aspirant, Guardian
Journeyman/Warmarn
At this level, Kai Lords are sent either to act as spies and scouts across Sommerlund and beyond, or to command troops in the Sommerlund army. After a successful mission, they can be awarded the title of Journeyman or Warmarn. Journeymen or Warmarn must have at least 50% in five of the cult skills, and possess Magnitude 3 in 8 Kai Disciplines.
Kai Titles: Journeyman, Warmarn, Guardian, Initiate Master
Master
Kai Masters take on the role of teachers within the Kai Monastery, as well as learning yet further powers of the mind and body, known as Magnakai Disciplines. Kai Masters, now powerfully gifetd individuals, are given more dangerous missions that take them across Magnamund. Kai Masters must have at least 75% in five of the cult skills, and possess at least 3 Magnitude in all 10 Kai Disciplines.
Kai Titles: Kai Master, Kai Master Senior, Kai Master Superior, Primate,Tutelary, Principalin, Mentora, Scion Kai, Archmaster
Grand Master
Kai Masters that acquire all 10 Magnakai Disciplines, can become Grand Masters. If the Gm is running a campaign set during or before MS 5050, then only one individual may obtain this rankl, who is in charge of running the Kai Monastery. If running a campaign set in the New Order of the Kai, then there are more Grand Masters, who can begin to learn Grand Master disciplines, the pinnacle of a Kai Monks training. The most senior Grand Master will be in charge actually running the Monastery, a task left to Lonewolf himself. Grand Masters must have at least 90% in five of the cult skills, possess at least 3 Magnitude in all Kai and Magnakai disciplines, and possess all 4 Heroic Abilities.
Kai Titles: Grand Master, Grand Master Senior, Grand Master Superior, Grand Sentinel, Grand Defender, Grand Guardian, Sun Knight, Sun Lord, Sun Thane, Grand Thane, Grand Crown, Sun Prince, Supreme Master
Order Skills: Disguise, Perception, Persistence, Resilience, Stealth, Insight, Kai Mastery, Survival, Track, any Weapon skill
Kai Titles
Although their are 5 general ranks within the Order of the Kai, there are specific titles awarded to each Kai Monk, at various stages of their training. A Gamesmaster may wish to roleplay these awards, granting the character an increase in title, after a succeeding at a quest or series of trails etc.
Kai Disciplines
Kai Lords are able to use a new form of magic, known as Kai Disciplines. These disciplines are part psychic ability, part divine gift, and Kai Lords are taught to master these abilities. As each Discipline is mastered, the Kai Monk gains greater responsibilities, taking them further from their clositered home, and faced with greater challenges. Eventually, Kai Lords attain the rank of Kai Masters, when they take on the role as tutors to the younger Kai lords, but their training is far from complete. The can begin to master Magnakai Disciplines, yet more powerful abilities.
Kai Mastery (POWx2)
In order to use Kai Disciplines, a player must make a successful Kai Mastery roll. This skill covers using every Kai discipline, as well as Magnakai and Grand Master disciplines. A character who has Weaponskill and Tracking uses both at the same Kai Mastery value; the two abilities do not have discrete activation skills. However, when a character begins to master the greater disciplines, they must also require a different skill.
Kai Disciplines are more subtle than flashy magical spells, since they are extensions of the character. However the effects may be noticed by anyone with the Magic Sight trait. Some disciplines, notably Mind Over Matter and Healing, and most Magnakai and Grandmaster disciplines, can affect the environment or targets in a more obvious way, however. Such abilities will automatically be detected by any creatures within 10 metres times the Magnitude of the discipline. Example effects are included with each discipline description.
Situational Modifiers for Kai Disciplines
Like other magical skills, Kai Mastery is subject to circumstances which may inhibit a spell’s chance of success. Kai Disciplines are more reliable than other magic however, and do not require the Kai Lord to be able to gesture or speak power words to activate, like spells, so there are no general situational modifiers.
Activation Time
All Kai Disciplines take a number of Combat Actions to cast equal to half their Magnitude (rounded up). Thus a Sixth Sense 3 discipline would take 2 CA to use. More powerful disciplines take longer to use as the Adventurer seeks to harness the disciplines inherent power.No offensive Combat Action may be taken while using a discipline, though the Adventurer may slowly walk up to half his Movement rate or can act defensively, Parrying or Evading, for instance. The Adventurer need not have a hand free to use a discipline, with the exception of Touch spells, which must be delivered by touching their target.A discipline’s result takes effect at the end of its last casting Combat Action. Distractions or significant injuries inflicted on a Kai Lord as he activates (such as a Serious Wound) require unopposed Persistence tests to maintain concentration on the discipline. If the Kai Lord is incapacitated from a Major Wound or by some other effect, blinded for instance, then the discipline automatically fails.
Magic Point Cost
A discipline costs a number of Magic Points equal to its Magnitude. So, using a Magnitude 2 discipline costs 2 Magic Points.
Dismissing Disciplines
As a single Combat Action, a Kai Lord can dismiss any discipline he has activated. Ceasing to focus on a Concentration discipline is immediate and not a Combat Action.
Learning Disciplines
In order to learn a discipline, an Adventurer must be taught by a Kai Master who already knows it, which forms part of their training at the Kai Monastery. This makes it much easier for Kai Monks to gain disciplines than other magical professions, but this comes at a price. Kai Monks are bound by sacred vows and duty bound to fighting evil across Magnamund - their lives revolve around training at the Monastery, or being sent on increasingly dangerous missions.
Under certain circumstances, a Kai Lord may be able to learn disciplines when no tuition is possible, either through divine help or by studying Kai texts or artifacts (in the gamebooks, this is how Lonewolf developed his powers after the monastery was destroyed).
Every Kai discipline is graded by its Magnitude, a score that indicates its relative power. Magnitude 1 disciplines are the weakest and easiest to learn. Learning a new discipline takes one day per point of Magnitude and costs the equivalent number of Improvement Rolls.
A disciplines Magnitude also defines the psychic potential required by the individual to absorb, empower, and manifest the ability. The maximum Magnitude of a Kai discipline any Adventurer can learn is equal to his POW divided by three (rounding up). Thus Bright Fox, with POW 16 can learn any discipline up to a maximum Magnitude of 6. If Bright Fox wanted to learn the Mind Over Matter 2, it would cost him two Improvement Rolls and two days of study.
Increasing the Magnitude of a known discipline is similar to learning the discipline at that Magnitude from scratch. Thus, if Bright Fox wanted to increase from Healing 2 to Healing 3 he would need to find a teacher who knows Healing 3 and spend three days in study of the discipline. However, the number of Improvement Rolls required to learn a higher Magnitude version of a spell, is
equal to the difference in their Magnitudes, i.e. learning Healing 4, when you already know Healing 2, only costs a further two Improvement Rolls.
Learning a discipline at a higher Magnitude means that the Adventurer can still use the discipline at a lower Magnitude if he so chooses or needs. Thus Bright Fox could learn Healing 3 but still use Healing 1 and Healing 2.
Starting Disciplines
Novice Adventurers start with 6 points worth of Magnitude on up to 4 Kai disciplines. Seasoned Adventurers start with five disciplines at Magnitude 2, and may spend an additional 6 points worth of Magnitude on among those. Veteran Adventures start with eight disciplines at Magnitude 3, and may spend an additional 6 points worth of Magnitude among those. Master Adventurers start Magnitude 3 in all 10 Kai Disciplines, and may spend an additional 12 points worth of Magnitude among those. Grand Master Adventurers start with Magnitude 3 in all Kai and Magnakai Disciplines, and may spend an additional 24 points worth of Magnitude among those.
Discipline Traits and Descriptions
Kai disciplines potentially have all the traits associated with Common Magic spells
Kai Discipines
Animal Kinship
Concentration, Progressive, Magnitude 1, Ranged
If this discipline is successful, the Kai Lord may communicate with a number of animals equal to their Magnitude, for as long as he concentrates. This is a telepathic connection to the targets, and the level of communication is based on the intelligence and ferocity of the animal. For highly intelligent animals, such as Karkami or Noodnics, fluent conversion is possible, while birds and dogs may be conversed with using basic phrases. When communicating with less intelligent animals the Kai Lord is only able to infer and convey emotions and strong feeling, such as detecting if an animal is hungry, or wary. Although such animals affected will not automatically behave friendly to the Kai Lord, it is possible to make Influence rolls in order to calm down or persuade animals, just like humanoid targets. The Kai Lord may increase such tests by +10% for each level of Magnitude.
Situational Modifiers*
Target is:
Highly intelligent (Noodnic,karkami) +20%
Intelligent (Dog, bird, itikar) +10%
Reptillian or insectoid -10%
Small (mouse, cat) +10%
Carnivorous -10%
Large (bear, Kalkoth, doomwolf) -20%
Susceptible to psychic abilities (Kwaraz) +20%
* All modifiers are cumulative. Therefore if a Kai Lord wants to use this discipline on a Kalkoth, it would be made at -30% (Large carnivore). When used on an Itikar, it would be made at -20% (large, carnivore, intelligent). All modifiers apply to Kai Mastery rolls, and to Influence rolls made against those creatures affected.
Camouflage
Instant, Magnitude 1, Ranged Special, Progressive, Trigger
This discipline grants a +10% bonus per point of Magnitude to his next Stealth Skill Test
involving any sort of hiding or lurking or when passing close by to an enemy. Alternatively, this bonus may be applied to his next Disguise test when adopting local dialects or mannerisms. Either way,this bonus cannot stack with any other spell-effect bonuses.
This discipline may be used to locate the nearest source of safe shelter, be it an abandoned cave or shelter. If the Kai Mastery roll is successful, then the Kai Lord will have a general idea of such a location, if it is within 500 meters for each point of Magnitude. If the Kai Mastery roll yields a critical success, then the Kai Monk will actually be able to see an image of desired location, and will know exactly where it can be found.
Healing
Concentration, Instant, Magnitude 1, Progressive, Touch
This discipline enables a Kai Lord to enter a healing trance, in order to recover lost Hit points. The Kai Lord must make a Kai Mastery roll at the end of an entire, uninterrupted hour spent in the trance, during which they can do nothing other than concentrate on this ability, and are completely vulnerable to attack. If successful, the Kai Lord may repair 1 Hit Point of damage to each injured location, for each point of Magnitude, but cannot remove the last Hit Point.
For example, Bright Fox is badly injured, having lost 2 Hit points from his head, 3 from his torso, and 4 from his left leg. Bright Fox has only 3 Magic points left, and has healing 3, so enters a healing Trance. After an hour he makes a Kai Mastery roll, expends 3 Magic points, and is left with just 1 Hit point to each location.
A Kai Monk can also heal themselves or others instantly, by touching them. For every point of Magnitude of this discipline, the caster can repair one Hit Point of damage to an injured Hit Location. Using this discipline on creatures of a different species will have half the Hit Points restored.
This discipline cannot re-attach a severed limb, or heal a maimed one. Such wounds require stronger magic.
Hunting
Instant, Magnitude 1, Progressive, Trigger
This discipline grants a +10% bonus per point of Magnitude to his next Survival Skill Test when hunting for food, provided he is not in a desert or wasteland. Alternatively, this bonus may be applied to his next Stealth test, when stalking prey or moving silently, or to his next Athletics test when running. Any bonus gained cannot stack with any other spell-effect bonuses.
Mind Over Matter
Concentration, Ranged, Magnitude 1, Progressive
This discipline enables a Kai Lord to move small items with his mind alone, weighing no more than 1 SIZ or ENC, per point of Magnitude. The item may be moved 1 metre, plus 1 further metre for each extra point of Magnitude that exceeds the objects SIZ or ENC, but not with significant enough force to inflict damage unless it is naturally damaging (a bottle of acid, for instance). The player may continue to move the object affected every round, for as long as they concentrate.
For example, Bright Fox has Mind Over Matter 4, and wants to move a coil of Rope (ENC 2). As a Magnitude 2 ability, Bright Fox could move the rope 1 meter every combat round he concentrates, or choose to move it 3 meters a round, as a Magnitude 4 use.
This discipline may also be used to manipulate objects at range, such as pushing a button, picking a lock, or untying a rope. Simple tasks, such as flipping a switch, or untying a rope, just require a Kai Mastery test. Attempting to use the Sleight or Mechanisms skills at range require succeeding at both a Kai Mastery and Sleight or Mechanism roll to succeed at the task.
Mindblast
Instant, Magnitude 1, Ranged, Progressive, Resist (Persistence), Trigger
This discipline enables the Kai Lord to launch a psychic attack at a target, which, if successful, triggers a -10% penalty per point of Magnitude, to their next action, as psychic pain wracks their mind.
Mindshield
Duration special, Magnitude 1, Progressive
This discipline actively disrupts offensive mindforce attacks aimed at the Kai Monk. Mindshield will attempt to block the effects of any mental attack or mind control spell or ability aimed toward it. It will not have any effect on spells or abilities that are already affecting an Adventurer. The effects of Mindshield depend on relative Magnitude of both itself and the incoming spell or power - use the Countermagic Shield table (page 162) to determine the effect. Mindshield lasts until it is overcome with a mindforce attack. However, each time it protects against a weaker spell or ability, its Magnitude is reduced by 1.
Sixth Sense
Instant, Ranged Special, Progressive, Trigger, Magnitude 1
This discipline enables a Kai Lord to any detect danger that is about to befall a Kai Lord, within a radius of 100 meters per point of Magnitude. On a successful test, a Kai Lord will be warned if there is anyone or thing that may harm them, such as an ambush, patrolling soldiers, or trap, or will reveal the presence of an evil creature, even if invisible. Such information is vague as to the nature of the threat, such as "you feel an evil presence along the path, about 200 meters", unless a critical success is achieved, in which case the Kai Monk will form an image in his mind as to the exact danger.
This discipline may also be used to detect if a target is lying to them, by adding +10% per point of Magnitude, to the Kai Lords next Insight test.
Finally, Sixth Sense can be used to reveal the true purpose of an object or uniform encountered. On a successful test a number of pieces of information equal to the Magnitude, are revealed. Such information is extremely general and will never reveal personal details, but a critical success will reveal secret or hidden information, or very specific information.
For example, Lonewolf is in hiding, when he spots a group of soldiers approaching. Lonewolf has Sixth Sense 3, and makes his Kai Mastery test, gaining a critical success! The Gm reveals that the uniforms are for the Durenese army, Hammerdal regiment to be specific, and that their condition indicates the soldiers have recently been in battle. The third fact, however is most revealing in that the uniforms appear to have been taken from corpses, judging by the ill-fitting garb. Sickened by the act of treachery, Lonewolf unsheaves his broadsword, and prepares to deal with the corpse looters...
Tracking
Instant, Magnitude 1, Progressive, Ranged-special, Trigger
This discipline enables a Kai Lord to add +10% per point of Magnitude, to their next Track test.
In addition a Kai Lord may use this ability to locate a specific object, person or location. If the target is within 500 metres per point of Magnitude, the Kai Lord will get a general feel for the direction and distance. If the roll achieves a critical success, the Kai Lord forms a mental image of the target and will know exactly where it can be found.
Weaponskill
Duration Special, Magnitude 1, Progressive
This discipline augments a Kai Masters skill with a single Combat style, chosen when this discipline is first taken. With every point of Magnitude, the Kai Lord gains a +5% bonus to all attacks and defences, and deals 1 additional damage. These effects last for a number of minutes equal to the Kai Lords POW/2, rounding up. This discipline cannot be combined with any spell that enhances damage, but it can be used with other disciplines.
Magnakai Disciplines
In order to start learning Magnakai Disciplines, a Kai Lord must have reached the rank of Master, within the Order of the Kai, and therefore already possess the ten basic Kai Disciplines.
Animal Control
Duration - Special, Progressive, Magnitude 1, Resist (Resilience), Ranged
For every point of Magnitude, a Kai Master may add +5% to all Ride tests, and to attack or defence tests, while mounted. This effect lasts for a number of minutes equal to the Kai Masters POW.
A Kai Master is also able to repel an animal (Fixed INT 7 or less), that is intent on harming them by blocking its sense of taste and smell. The Magnitude required to repel such a creature is equal to its SIZ/10, rounding up. This test is resisted by the animals Resilience. If successful, the creature is repelled for a number of minutes equal to the Kai Masters POW rating, or in hours if the Kai Master gained a Critical success.
A Kai Master may also use this ability to call on a woodland animal (fixed INT 7 or less) within range, to aid them, either in combat, or to act as a messenger or guide. For each 2 full points of Magnitude, 10 SIZE worth of animals can be affected, but each animal is permitted a Resilience test to resist. Such creatures will aid the Kai Master for a number of minutes equal to their POW rating, or until the Kai Master acts against the animal, or causes it any harm directly.
Weaponmastery
Magnitude 1, Progressive
This discipline augments a Kai Masters Weaponskill discipline. With every point of Magnitude, the Kai Lord may choose an additional Combat Style to apply his Weaponskill bonus to. This requires no Kai Mastery roll or Magic points to activate - this effect is permanent.
Additionally, when using Weaponskill, for every point of Magnitude, the Kai Master may increase his attack and defence by an additional +5%, but doing so increases the Magic point cost by 1 point per +5% gained.
For example, Bright Fox has Weaponskill 4 (Sword and Shield), and Weaponmastery 2 (Bow, 2H Sword). When using his Weaponskill discipline, he may could spend 6 magic points, adding +30% to all attack and defences, and inficting +4 damage.
Grand Master Disciplines
A Kai Lord that reaches the rank of Grand Master may develop yet more powerful abilities of the body and mind. These Grand Master Disciplines represent the pinnacle of a Kai Lord powers.
Grand Weaponmastery
Duration Special, Magnitude 2 or 3, Touch
If the Kai Grand Masters has Magnitude 2 with this Discipline, they are able to wield two-handed weapons (i.e. Broadsword, Quarterstaff, and Spear) with full effect, using only one hand. This effect lasts for a number of minutes equal to the Kai Lords POW rating.
If the Kai Grand Master has this discipline at Magnitude 3, they can cause a metal edge of any non-magic weapon to ignite and burn fiercely. The weapon will inflict 1D6 points of magical fire damage, on top of its normal damage, and this effect lasts for a number of minutes equal to the Kai Monks POW/2, rounding up. This discipline cannot be combined with any spell that enhances damage, but it can be used with other disciplines.