Zager Krahl
Mongoose
Based on a Drakkar character that I am currently writing a story around. I have not had time to write up alot of fluff around the character class (read "The Dungeons of Torgar" to get an excellent primer of the Drakkarim and the Hammerlands), but here is the basic class. Feedback would be appreciated - my only previous exposure to this type of Magnamund adventuring was by reading Zipp's MSN adventures.
Hammerlandese Rekenarim
Trained from only the most capable of Drakkarim recruits, the Rekenarim of the Hammerlands are some of the most capable scouts in all of Northern Magnamund. Combining the armoured fighting prowess of the regular Drakkarim soldiers with the fieldcraft and stealth of the Shugtezna Rangers that patrol the upper reaches of the Hellswamp, the Rekenarim function as the eyes and ears - and occasionally, the hands - of Baron Shinzar's black legions, tracking enemy troops and infiltrating their lines with shadow-like ease.
Independent and well-nigh invisible, the Rekenarim will often flank enemy troops and ambush their supply lines, lying in silent readiness for days at a time before making their presence known with a volley of crossbow bolts and poisoned spears. When engaged by a larger foe, the Rekenarim will either scatter apart and disappear into the surrounding terrain, regrouping later to strike back at a time and place of their choosing, or will skillfully maneuver around the foe, some using spears to keep it at bay while others use crossbows tipped with deadly poisons to fire at unprotected flanks.
When not scouting or lying in ambush, the Rekenarim can also function as deadly assassins, capable of tracking a specific individual for many miles before descending on them with a wire garrote or a dagger to the back. They also have no compunction against using their poisons - some supplied by the military apothecaries, others culled straight from beasts of the field - against as many targets as possible, and dark rumours abound of Rekenarim poisoning town wells and food supplies to soften up resistance before moving in to kill their target.
01. Hands of Steel
The first strike is often the most deadly strike, and the Rekenarim excel in making sure that their victim only becomes aware of their presence when they feel the cold bite of steel on their neck. If a Rekenarim with this skill attacks his enemy from behind, he has the option to use his garrote on the enemy instead of his regular weapon. If he chooses to use his garrote in that round of combat, he adds his character level to his COMBAT SKILL (instead of any Weaponskill bonuses he may have been entitled to) and deals double damage to his target while ignoring any normal combat damage the target might deal in return. At the start of the next round of combat, the enemy has to make a check to see if it can escape from the garrote's snare. If the enemy manages to escape, that round of combat is resolved as per normal combat rules. If the enemy does not manage to escape, the Rekenarim still gets his character level as bonus to his COMBAT SKILL, as well as dealing double damage, but will now also take normal combat damage from his ensnared opponent. If, in any turn, the ensnared opponent deals more damage to the Rekenarim than the Rekenarim deals to it, the opponent automatically breaks free from the garrote and combat continues normally the next round.
02. Manhunter
As scouts, the Rekenarim are very proficient at following enemy tracks, and are especially able when it comes to man-made tracks. From boot trails in the wild, to horse-shoe tracks and wagon trails on a stretch of road, the Rekenarim can distinguish between different individuals, speed of travel, and even the weight they were carrying. A Rekenarim with this skill can add his character level to any checks involving man-made tracks or trails.
03. Keep At Bay
Not being as heavily armoured as the regular Drakkarim, the Rekenarim have to rely on speed and reach to avoid their enemies, and have been trained extensively in fighting styles that emphasize this need. A Rekenarim with this skill may choose to lower his COMBAT SKILL by 2 points when fighting a melee opponent, focusing more on defensive moves and staying out of reach of his opponent's attack. In return for this penalty, the Rekenarim can reduce the damage dealt to him that round by 1 point for every character level he possesses, to a minimum of 1 damage recieved. If fighting with a spear, a quarterstaff or a broadsword, the COMBAT SKILL penalty is only 1 point instead of 2.
This skill also allows the Rekenarim to add his character level to any checks involving throwing a weapon at a target, as long as the weapon he throws is a dagger, a knife, a spear or a shortsword.
04. Ranged Skirmisher
As scouts, the Rekenarim often have to withdraw from an encounter with enemy troops instead of fighting it out, knowing that their reports on the enemy's movement is more valuable than holding their ground and being slaughtered. To aid this method of operation, the Rekenarim rely heavily on ranged weapons like bows and crossbows, laying down surpressing fire in stages as they withdraw. They are also very aware of the debilitating effect that the death of a leader will have on any surrounding troops, and will often launch their ambushes by directing their arrows and crossbow bolts against any visible leaders in range. A Rekenarim with this skill can add half of his character level, rounded up, to any checks involving bows or crossbows. He may also add his character level to any checks involving identifying enemy officers or leaders, and gains an additional +1 bonus when directing a ranged attack against the identified leader.
05. Foraging
True to the independent nature of their missions, the Rekenarim are adept at living off the land they are travelling through, and each man can support himself comfortably in any terrain except deserts and wastelands. A Rekenarim with this skill does not need to eat when instructed to do so, and can instead spend an hour foraging the surrounding terrain for sufficient food.
06. Triage
Away from the comfort and support of battlefield surgeons, the Rekenarim have become proficient at treating most wounds they might suffer in the field - they can splint broken bones, staunch blood from an open wound, and know how to change bandages without risking an infection to the wound. They also know how to withdraw arrowheads and pieces of broken weaponry and armour from a wound without aggravating the bleeding, and can also - as a last resort - amputate limbs when the situation calls for it. A Rekenarim with this skill may restore lost ENDURANCE after a fight if he has a few minutes to treat his wounds. Pick a number from the Random Number Table and treat 0=10. On an even number, you may restore 6 ENDURANCE points; on an uneven number, you may restore 3 ENDURANCE points. In addition to this, you may also restore half your character level, rounded up, in ENDURANCE points.
This ability may also be used on a nearby ally, in which case you restore 7 ENDURANCE points on an even number, 4 ENDURANCE points on an uneven number, and one additional ENDURANCE point for every character level you possess.
07. Silent Watcher
The Rekenarim are scouts first and foremost, and regardless of all their other lethal abilities, it is as scouts that they prove their worth to Baron Shinzar's Drakkarim legions. Whether infiltrated behind enemy lines or watching an unfolding battle from a concealed position, the Rekenarim are masters of observation, and can quickly make accurate tactical deductions based on their observed target. A Rekenarim with this skill may add his character level to any checks involving deductions and observations based on a person or creature he has been studying, and can add +1 cumulatively to any of these observation checks that he repeats in following rounds. When striking from ambush, he may also add his character level to his COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the first two rounds of combat.
08. Blinding Strike
Ruthless as they are, the Rekenarim have long ago realised that while their ability to see and observe makes them dangerous assailants, depriving an opponent of that same ability will often leave them crippled and very easy prey. Consequently, one of their schools of melee fighting focuses specially on blinding their opponent before delivering the final blow. A Rekenarim with this ability may make up to three attempts against a single melee opponent to blind them with a strike from his weapon. On the first attempt, resolve the round of combat as per normal procedure, and then pick a random number from the Random Number Table. If this random number is smaller than the sum of the Rekenarim's character level and Combat Ratio for that round, then the strike has succeded and the opponent has been blinded, taking a -4 COMBAT SKILL penalty for the next three rounds. If the random number is larger, the strike fails and combat continues as per normal. The second attempt is treated in exactly the same fashion as the first attempt, except that the Rekenarim takes a -2 COMBAT SKILL penalty for the round in which he makes the second attempt, and a -4 COMBAT SKILL penalty for the round in which he makes the third attempt. After the first successful strike, he cannot make any more Blinding Strikes against that opponent.
09. Like a Skin
Living in the field has taught the Rekenarim the value of maintaining their weapons and armour, and their long missions mean that they often spend weeks wearing their armour without having access to a smith or armourer to maintain the integrity of their equipment. Because of this, they quickly gain an intimate familiarity with their armour and any restrictions it might place on them, and are more than capable of repairing the day-to-day wear and tear that the armour might be subjected to. A Rekenarim with this skill can add his character level to any checks involving repairs of his own armour, and may add half his character level, rounded up, to any repair attempts against other individuals' armour. When subject to ranged non-energy attacks like arrows and crossbow bolts, he may add half his character level, rounded up, to any checks to determine whether the missile penetrated his armour or not. He also does not take penalties for wearing light or medium armour when trying to hide or move silently.
10. Touch of Toxin
Of all the dark rumours surrounding the Rekenarim, their reliance on poison - both in and out of combat - is surely the one that causes the most fear and consternation among enemy troops. From poisoned blades and arrows, to extracting venom and potent toxins from creatures they have killed, the Rekenarim are consumate poisoners, and can even mix their own chimeric potions that few living creatures can resist. A Rekenarim with this skill gains prolonged use of any poison he applies to his weapon before combat, to the extent of one extra round of duration for every character level. They can also make a Withdraw Venom check against any venomous creature they have killed, which will give them a measure of the creature's venom to use in future fights.
Starting Equipment:
- Backpack & Money Pouch (roll 2d10 and multiply by 10 to get number of Kika)
- Sword (Weapon)
- Chainmail Waistcoat (+4 EP)
- Coil of Rope (can be used to increase potency of garrote attacks)
- Krorn-hide Boots (+1 EP)
Pick two from following list:
- Crossbow & Quiver with 12 bolts (2 bolts = 1 arrow for space purposes)
- Graveweed Poison
- Spear
- Telescope
- Mottled Cloak (bonus to Hide checks)
- Buckler (+1 CS)
- Two Meals
- Dose of Adgana
- Dagger
- Tinker Kit (bonuses to checks involving armour repairs or mechanical devices)
Starting attributes
Combat Skill: 9 + 1d10 (ranges from 10-19)
Endurance: 19+ 1d10 (ranges from 20-29)
Ranks
1. Orgar-Kuz (Conscript)
2. Hug-Shad (Trainee)
3. Shad (Soldier)
4. Rekenar (Scout)
5. Nartag-konkor (Flank Hunter)
6. Adez-hak (Linesman)
7. Tadat-guk (Footman)
8. Shezag-jetnaka (Blade Veteran)
9. Zourg-shad (Assault Trooper)
10. Zourg-oknar (Assault Leader)
Hammerlandese Rekenarim
Trained from only the most capable of Drakkarim recruits, the Rekenarim of the Hammerlands are some of the most capable scouts in all of Northern Magnamund. Combining the armoured fighting prowess of the regular Drakkarim soldiers with the fieldcraft and stealth of the Shugtezna Rangers that patrol the upper reaches of the Hellswamp, the Rekenarim function as the eyes and ears - and occasionally, the hands - of Baron Shinzar's black legions, tracking enemy troops and infiltrating their lines with shadow-like ease.
Independent and well-nigh invisible, the Rekenarim will often flank enemy troops and ambush their supply lines, lying in silent readiness for days at a time before making their presence known with a volley of crossbow bolts and poisoned spears. When engaged by a larger foe, the Rekenarim will either scatter apart and disappear into the surrounding terrain, regrouping later to strike back at a time and place of their choosing, or will skillfully maneuver around the foe, some using spears to keep it at bay while others use crossbows tipped with deadly poisons to fire at unprotected flanks.
When not scouting or lying in ambush, the Rekenarim can also function as deadly assassins, capable of tracking a specific individual for many miles before descending on them with a wire garrote or a dagger to the back. They also have no compunction against using their poisons - some supplied by the military apothecaries, others culled straight from beasts of the field - against as many targets as possible, and dark rumours abound of Rekenarim poisoning town wells and food supplies to soften up resistance before moving in to kill their target.
01. Hands of Steel
The first strike is often the most deadly strike, and the Rekenarim excel in making sure that their victim only becomes aware of their presence when they feel the cold bite of steel on their neck. If a Rekenarim with this skill attacks his enemy from behind, he has the option to use his garrote on the enemy instead of his regular weapon. If he chooses to use his garrote in that round of combat, he adds his character level to his COMBAT SKILL (instead of any Weaponskill bonuses he may have been entitled to) and deals double damage to his target while ignoring any normal combat damage the target might deal in return. At the start of the next round of combat, the enemy has to make a check to see if it can escape from the garrote's snare. If the enemy manages to escape, that round of combat is resolved as per normal combat rules. If the enemy does not manage to escape, the Rekenarim still gets his character level as bonus to his COMBAT SKILL, as well as dealing double damage, but will now also take normal combat damage from his ensnared opponent. If, in any turn, the ensnared opponent deals more damage to the Rekenarim than the Rekenarim deals to it, the opponent automatically breaks free from the garrote and combat continues normally the next round.
02. Manhunter
As scouts, the Rekenarim are very proficient at following enemy tracks, and are especially able when it comes to man-made tracks. From boot trails in the wild, to horse-shoe tracks and wagon trails on a stretch of road, the Rekenarim can distinguish between different individuals, speed of travel, and even the weight they were carrying. A Rekenarim with this skill can add his character level to any checks involving man-made tracks or trails.
03. Keep At Bay
Not being as heavily armoured as the regular Drakkarim, the Rekenarim have to rely on speed and reach to avoid their enemies, and have been trained extensively in fighting styles that emphasize this need. A Rekenarim with this skill may choose to lower his COMBAT SKILL by 2 points when fighting a melee opponent, focusing more on defensive moves and staying out of reach of his opponent's attack. In return for this penalty, the Rekenarim can reduce the damage dealt to him that round by 1 point for every character level he possesses, to a minimum of 1 damage recieved. If fighting with a spear, a quarterstaff or a broadsword, the COMBAT SKILL penalty is only 1 point instead of 2.
This skill also allows the Rekenarim to add his character level to any checks involving throwing a weapon at a target, as long as the weapon he throws is a dagger, a knife, a spear or a shortsword.
04. Ranged Skirmisher
As scouts, the Rekenarim often have to withdraw from an encounter with enemy troops instead of fighting it out, knowing that their reports on the enemy's movement is more valuable than holding their ground and being slaughtered. To aid this method of operation, the Rekenarim rely heavily on ranged weapons like bows and crossbows, laying down surpressing fire in stages as they withdraw. They are also very aware of the debilitating effect that the death of a leader will have on any surrounding troops, and will often launch their ambushes by directing their arrows and crossbow bolts against any visible leaders in range. A Rekenarim with this skill can add half of his character level, rounded up, to any checks involving bows or crossbows. He may also add his character level to any checks involving identifying enemy officers or leaders, and gains an additional +1 bonus when directing a ranged attack against the identified leader.
05. Foraging
True to the independent nature of their missions, the Rekenarim are adept at living off the land they are travelling through, and each man can support himself comfortably in any terrain except deserts and wastelands. A Rekenarim with this skill does not need to eat when instructed to do so, and can instead spend an hour foraging the surrounding terrain for sufficient food.
06. Triage
Away from the comfort and support of battlefield surgeons, the Rekenarim have become proficient at treating most wounds they might suffer in the field - they can splint broken bones, staunch blood from an open wound, and know how to change bandages without risking an infection to the wound. They also know how to withdraw arrowheads and pieces of broken weaponry and armour from a wound without aggravating the bleeding, and can also - as a last resort - amputate limbs when the situation calls for it. A Rekenarim with this skill may restore lost ENDURANCE after a fight if he has a few minutes to treat his wounds. Pick a number from the Random Number Table and treat 0=10. On an even number, you may restore 6 ENDURANCE points; on an uneven number, you may restore 3 ENDURANCE points. In addition to this, you may also restore half your character level, rounded up, in ENDURANCE points.
This ability may also be used on a nearby ally, in which case you restore 7 ENDURANCE points on an even number, 4 ENDURANCE points on an uneven number, and one additional ENDURANCE point for every character level you possess.
07. Silent Watcher
The Rekenarim are scouts first and foremost, and regardless of all their other lethal abilities, it is as scouts that they prove their worth to Baron Shinzar's Drakkarim legions. Whether infiltrated behind enemy lines or watching an unfolding battle from a concealed position, the Rekenarim are masters of observation, and can quickly make accurate tactical deductions based on their observed target. A Rekenarim with this skill may add his character level to any checks involving deductions and observations based on a person or creature he has been studying, and can add +1 cumulatively to any of these observation checks that he repeats in following rounds. When striking from ambush, he may also add his character level to his COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the first two rounds of combat.
08. Blinding Strike
Ruthless as they are, the Rekenarim have long ago realised that while their ability to see and observe makes them dangerous assailants, depriving an opponent of that same ability will often leave them crippled and very easy prey. Consequently, one of their schools of melee fighting focuses specially on blinding their opponent before delivering the final blow. A Rekenarim with this ability may make up to three attempts against a single melee opponent to blind them with a strike from his weapon. On the first attempt, resolve the round of combat as per normal procedure, and then pick a random number from the Random Number Table. If this random number is smaller than the sum of the Rekenarim's character level and Combat Ratio for that round, then the strike has succeded and the opponent has been blinded, taking a -4 COMBAT SKILL penalty for the next three rounds. If the random number is larger, the strike fails and combat continues as per normal. The second attempt is treated in exactly the same fashion as the first attempt, except that the Rekenarim takes a -2 COMBAT SKILL penalty for the round in which he makes the second attempt, and a -4 COMBAT SKILL penalty for the round in which he makes the third attempt. After the first successful strike, he cannot make any more Blinding Strikes against that opponent.
09. Like a Skin
Living in the field has taught the Rekenarim the value of maintaining their weapons and armour, and their long missions mean that they often spend weeks wearing their armour without having access to a smith or armourer to maintain the integrity of their equipment. Because of this, they quickly gain an intimate familiarity with their armour and any restrictions it might place on them, and are more than capable of repairing the day-to-day wear and tear that the armour might be subjected to. A Rekenarim with this skill can add his character level to any checks involving repairs of his own armour, and may add half his character level, rounded up, to any repair attempts against other individuals' armour. When subject to ranged non-energy attacks like arrows and crossbow bolts, he may add half his character level, rounded up, to any checks to determine whether the missile penetrated his armour or not. He also does not take penalties for wearing light or medium armour when trying to hide or move silently.
10. Touch of Toxin
Of all the dark rumours surrounding the Rekenarim, their reliance on poison - both in and out of combat - is surely the one that causes the most fear and consternation among enemy troops. From poisoned blades and arrows, to extracting venom and potent toxins from creatures they have killed, the Rekenarim are consumate poisoners, and can even mix their own chimeric potions that few living creatures can resist. A Rekenarim with this skill gains prolonged use of any poison he applies to his weapon before combat, to the extent of one extra round of duration for every character level. They can also make a Withdraw Venom check against any venomous creature they have killed, which will give them a measure of the creature's venom to use in future fights.
Starting Equipment:
- Backpack & Money Pouch (roll 2d10 and multiply by 10 to get number of Kika)
- Sword (Weapon)
- Chainmail Waistcoat (+4 EP)
- Coil of Rope (can be used to increase potency of garrote attacks)
- Krorn-hide Boots (+1 EP)
Pick two from following list:
- Crossbow & Quiver with 12 bolts (2 bolts = 1 arrow for space purposes)
- Graveweed Poison
- Spear
- Telescope
- Mottled Cloak (bonus to Hide checks)
- Buckler (+1 CS)
- Two Meals
- Dose of Adgana
- Dagger
- Tinker Kit (bonuses to checks involving armour repairs or mechanical devices)
Starting attributes
Combat Skill: 9 + 1d10 (ranges from 10-19)
Endurance: 19+ 1d10 (ranges from 20-29)
Ranks
1. Orgar-Kuz (Conscript)
2. Hug-Shad (Trainee)
3. Shad (Soldier)
4. Rekenar (Scout)
5. Nartag-konkor (Flank Hunter)
6. Adez-hak (Linesman)
7. Tadat-guk (Footman)
8. Shezag-jetnaka (Blade Veteran)
9. Zourg-shad (Assault Trooper)
10. Zourg-oknar (Assault Leader)
