Somnium RPG Core Rulebook

Sample file

Sample file

Sample file

Copyright ? 2017 by Seth Vannier

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied

in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental.



Sample file

Acknowledgments

Somnium owes thanks to many people, without which it would be nothing like the finished product it is now, if it existed at all. I would like to offer official thanks and kudos to the following sentients for their vital contributions:

First, I thank my wife Tia Vannier for being my biggest fan, devoted playtester, artwork assistant, and constant source of encouragement. Somnium was a big part of what brought us together, so perhaps not all the magic in

Lur-Asko is mere technology.

Official kudos to His Majesty Mister Jerry, King of Criticals, Guru of Gaming, El Grande Corsario de los dados, Spaulding, Emperor of the Tabletop. He introduced me to RPGs in the first place. This is all his fault.

To Josh Swisher, Grand Sage of the Highland Valley, my best GM, for his group's dependable feedback and help.

To Kathy Vannier for proofreading this big ol' rulebook.

To Quincy Slotemaker, an idea-starter, without whom this game would not have come about.

To Aimee Downing and Randy Stephens for providing many outdoor photos for use in the artwork backgrounds.

And of course, thanks to the legendary adventurers who stuck it out in my playtesting campaigns and online feedback group:

Adam Tucker Alex Faber

Andrew Dyer Austin Michl Edward Brush Forrest Vannier Harrison Leadlay Jerry Spaulding Johanna Swisher Josh Swisher Kathy Vannier Kyle Shane Layne Hyde Lordbenjamen Michael Womboldt P. Daniel Chauss? Russell Chilton Ryan "Leroy" Dailey Tia Vannier Trae Myers Trent Treziok

May their characters' names be preserved forever in the Keep of Heroes, the Tennebris Archives, the works of the Bardic Legends Tour, and/or the walls of the finest outhouses throughout Lur-Asko.

S D G o l i e o l o r i a

2

Part 1 - Basic Rules

Introduction ...................................... 5 Chapter 1 - Role-Playing .................. 7

What You Control .......................... 7 What is Covered ............................. 7 Player Vs. Character ....................... 7 House Rules .................................... 7 Chapter 2 - Stats & Rolling ............. 8 The Stats ......................................... 8 Base vs. Total Stats ......................... 8 Rolling on Stats .............................. 9 Process Actions .............................. 9 Chapter 3 - Races ........................... 10 Antecessoroid Races ..................... 10 Disparate Races ............................ 13 Chapter 4 - Classes .......................... 17 Basic Adventurer Classes ............. 17 Complex Adventurer Classes ..... 19 Commoner Classes ....................... 21 Ascension & Retirement .............. 21 Quick Start - The Character Sheet 22 Chapter 5 - XP & DP ....................... 23 Experience Points (XP) ................ 23 Depth Points (DP) ........................ 23 Uses for XP & DP ......................... 24 Elite Abilities ................................ 24 Chapter 6 - Physiology ................... 26 Sentience ...................................... 26 Damage & Incapacitation ........... 26 Health Factor ................................ 26 Healing ......................................... 26 Death & Passing ........................... 26 Disease .......................................... 27 Sleep & Rest .................................. 27 Encumbrance ............................... 27 Food ............................................... 28 Elixirs & Poisons .......................... 28 First Aid ........................................ 29 Minor Medicine ........................... 29 Chapter 7 - Combat ........................ 30 The Board ..................................... 30 Rounds & Turns ........................... 30 Turn Order ................................... 30 Free Actions .................................. 31 Movement ..................................... 31 Major Actions ............................... 32 Large Characters .......................... 33 Range ............................................. 33 Melee Attacks ................................ 33 Grappling ...................................... 35 Ranged Attacks ............................. 36 Vital Hits ....................................... 37 Energy Damage ............................ 38 Explosives ..................................... 38 Poison ............................................ 38 Cover ............................................. 38 Flight ............................................. 39 Falling ........................................... 39 Mounted Combat ......................... 40 Directing Non-Sentients ............ 40 Underwater Combat .................... 40 Stealth ........................................... 40

Sample file

Chapter 8 - Studies ......................... 43 Chapter 9 - Weapons & Armor ..... 46

Melee Weapons ............................. 46 Ranged Weapons ......................... 50 Armor ............................................. 53 Shields ........................................... 54 Kinetic Shields .............................. 55 Heavy Ranged Weapons .............. 57 Chapter 10 - Non-Combat Actions 58 Knowing/Remembering .............. 58 Searching ...................................... 58 Computer Use .............................. 58 Climbing ....................................... 59 Foraging & Hunting .................... 59 Concealing Items .......................... 59 Disguising ..................................... 60 Eavesdropping .............................. 61 Lockpicking ................................... 61 Pickpocketing ................................ 61 Chapter 11 - Money ......................... 62 Coins & Infras ............................... 62 Buying & Selling ........................... 62 Banking ......................................... 62 Other Investments ....................... 63 The Poor ......................................... 63 Chapter 12 - Weather ..................... 64 Chapter 13 - Vehicle Combat .......... 65 Crew ............................................... 65 Vehicle Movement ........................ 65 Firing Weapons ............................ 65 Defense Rolls ................................. 65 Damage ......................................... 65 Special Vehicle Combat Rules ...... 66 Chapter 14 - Vehicles ...................... 69 Land Vehicles ................................ 69 Aircraft .......................................... 70 Watercraft ...................................... 71 Ships & Airships ............................ 71 Vehicle Repair ................................ 71 Chapter 15 - Ship Combat ............... 73 Chapter 16 - Languages .................. 75 The 14 Languages .......................... 75 Learning Languages ..................... 76 Chapter 17 - Animals ....................... 77 Taming Animals ............................ 77 Docile Animals .............................. 77 Dangerous Animals ...................... 80 Dragon-Formed Animals ............. 84 Fiends ............................................ 86 Chapter 18 - Technologicals .......... 89 Binding Techs ............................... 89 Constructs .................................... 90 Reanimators .................................. 91 Amalgamators ............................... 92 Chapter 19 - Minor Sentients ......... 94 Chapter 20 - Dragons ..................... 97 Chapter 21 - Titans ......................... 98

Part 2 - Intermediate Rules

Chapter 22 - Philosophies ............... 101

Changing Philosophies ................. 104

Chapter 23 - Combat Additions ...... 105

Light Damage ................................. 105

Heavy Damage ............................... 105

Breaking Zones of Control ............ 106 Part 4 - World Lore

Power Rush .................................... 107 Chapter 41 - Geography ............ 167

Chapter 24 - Arcanists ..................... 108 Lur-Asko ................................... 167

White Arcanar? .............................. 110 Hal'Tayat ............................... 168

Gray Arcanar? ................................. 111 Nani ....................................... 170

Black Arcanar? ................................ 113 Macska ................................... 173

Chapter 25 - Inventors ..................... 115 Manusia ................................. 174

Inventions ....................................... 116 Skreti ...................................... 177

Chapter 26 - Splinters ..................... 124 I'Gremsul ............................... 179

Chapter 27 - Hedgedoctors ............. 127 Cevelky ................................... 181

Chapter 28 - Motivators .................. 129 The Gelid Isles ......................... 183

Abilities ........................................... 129 Unhartaren .............................. 183

Clerics ............................................. 129 Bril?antor ................................ 184

Bards ................................................ 131 The Far Remote ....................... 185

Chapter 29 - Conditions .................. 132 Wynthia ................................... 185

The T?pold....................................... 132 The Deep .................................. 185

Liches ............................................... 132 Chapter 42 - History .................. 186

Alcohol & Minor Drugs .................. 132 The First Aeon ......................... 186

H?coco ............................................ 132 The Second Aeon ..................... 186

Chapter 30 - Custom Vehicles ......... 133 The Third Aeon ....................... 189

Part 3 - Advanced Rules

Chapter 43 - Misc. Culture ........ 192 Calendar ................................... 192

Chapter 31 - Attributes .................... 137 The Tavern ............................... 193

Chapter 32 - High Martial Arts ....... 143 The Adventuring Trials ........... 193

Chapter 33 - Ranged Proficiencies 148 Sports ....................................... 194

Chapter 34 - Vampirism .................. 150 Chapter 44 - Historical

Chapter 35 - Lycanthropy ................ 152 Documents ................................ 195

Chapter 36 - Valkyries ..................... 154 The Taming of Chthon ........... 195

Chapter 37 - Nephils ......................... 155 The Creed of Atro Vys ............ 196

Chapter 38 - Darkeye Aterr ............. 157 Blind to Darkness ................... 196

Chapter 39 - Magi Disciplines ......... 161 The Journal of Captain

Chapter 40 - Relics ........................... 163 Manusia Carver ....................... 197

First Scroll of the Declaration

of Methods ............................... 198

The Warrior's Code, ch. 1 ........ 199

Chapter 45 - Dragon Lore ........ 200

Red Dragons ........................... 200

White Dragons ....................... 203

Chapter 46 - Science ................ 206

Matter & ?ther ...................... 206

Adamant .................................. 206

Dira Quartz ............................. 207

Volatite .................................... 207

Insendite ................................. 207

Solisium .................................. 207

Chapter 47 - Gadgetry .............. 208

Chapter 48 - Factions ................ 211

Part 5 - Appendices

Appendix A - Tips for GMs ...... 217

Appendix B - Pronunciations 220

Appendix C - Character Sheet 220

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download