EAD Entry from Mark at Pathfinder Chronicles - Klim

http://www.thepathfinderchronicles.com/2013/06/earthdawn-appreciation-day.html

Earthdawn Appreciation Day!It is Earthdawn Appreciation Day! +R.S. Tilton 's brain wave. In fact it is almost over in Australia but as I have been tied up with LUGCon gaming goodness I have been hard pressed to find the time to post but here is my component for it. Just let me say that Earthdawn is one of the greatest games that I have ever played, and still play today :). So now to the introduction of the greatest Windling Windmaster/Horror Hunter that ever lived...

"My name is Klim"  The little dark haired scarred Windling says to you as he flies low over your head. His body seems to have been ritually scarred so you have a hard time spotting an actual piece of fair skin on the normally jovial creature.  this Windling is surely not jovial in any way.  "What is yours?" He asks cooly sitting on the back of the chair opposite you.  "And paint it on the table with these, don't say it or I will drag your tongue from your mouth and cut it off so you will never speak again."  He looks as if he means it as he pulls from a sack a thin brush and a pot of green ink.

You think to laugh but see by his demeanour that he is not having a good day so you pop the top off of the ink well and dip the bristles in.  You glance down and then back up at the figure who is intently looking at your face.  With all the focus you can muster you look down and write your name on the tabletop, embellishing it perfectly like your mother had taught you with tribal symbols and patterns proving you not to be one of the Horror's minions.  The heat on your neck tells you he is still watching as after ten minutes you push the pot of ink back toward the diminutive winged, scarred figure.  He hops off the back of the chair and to the pot.  Leaning ever so slightly he puts the cap back on and places both back in his pint sized sack.  He walks directly up to your face and points to a wound on his arm.

"See that scar?"  He looks momentarily at the still infected wound.  "Well it will be a scar eventually.  You know how I got that?"  He smiles a grim smile as he looks for your response.  You silently shake your head from side to side.  "I got that last time I saw you."

"Liar."  The word escapes your lips, almost surprising you at its abruptness.  "I mean I have never met you before!" Your voice sounds strange, different somehow.  Like you are calling out in a tunnel or something.

"I'm not talking to you."  The weird little Windling named Klim seems to be talking to someone else but he looks at you.  "I am talking to the bag of meat that you are currently housed in.  I am sorry that I have to tell you this but I was one of the ones that opened the Kaer.  You fled into the desert and I have been tracking you ever since."  Some of that seems familiar to you, but you feel like it is distant.  A memory long forgotten.

"I have been tracking you as you bought with you an unwanted guest on your travels."  Klim hurls a pile of dust into your eyes and though it is only dust, somewhere you feel something in massive agony. "Look at your script."  Klim speaks directly to you now.  It is almost like he is in your head.

You obey and look at the image on the table.  It is not what you wrote.  You wrote an elegant script but that which is on the table is an image of Klim undoubtedly, but he has been impaled on a stake and crows sit eating his eyes.  You are beginning to wake and understand.  You know now that you are no longer in control.

"I cut this wound so the pain would remind me of the pain that I would have to deal to you when I dealt with your control would be mine to share.  I will remember you Olaf.  I will sing a dirge in your honour at the Moot of the Thunderclaw.  Know it to be true."  With tears the Windling hurls himself into the air and then plummets with a black blade toward you.  here in Travar, the last place you will ever know you welcome the power of the Horror Hunter as he plunges his blade into your eye and up into your brain.  He has come to set you free and forever more send your captor back to the hells that spawned them.

EAD Entries by Brian O - Trio of Goodies

Here is a Trio of articles that Brian posted last year on www.Earthdawncompendium.com

Spell Awaken the Clay http://www.earthdawncompendium.com/spells/show/4fe8a2227fa3d19617000043

3D Map of Barsaive http://www.earthdawncompendium.com/articles/show/4fdfd928db33ac2e4200004e

Trollslayer, Thread Armor http://www.earthdawncompendium.com/threaditems/show/4ff39f89b0efae6e0200000c

EAD Entry from Nico P - Poor Attack Test tables, and a new Talent Knack

The Attack test tables were published on German blogs, but are presented here in English for the English speaking audience.  The Talent Knack is brand new. These table look to be an interesting way to do a fumble table.

And here's the Talent Knack:

EAD Entry - Thread Items by John B.

This entry has some interesting concepts I'm seeing. I look forward to reading more:

Some Thread Items for Earthdawn

Most of these items are based on “What If?” As such, they may bend or break official published rules. In such a case, either adjust the item or assume this specific item breaks the rules [and maybe nothing else does]. It is magic, after all.

This article is released under Creative Commons.

Mr Fuzzywumpums

[Or, What If a young child gave an object a True Name?]

Mr Fuzzywumpums is a carved wooden bear, with a patchwork cloth vest, and holding a sword in his right hand and a shield in the left. He’s about one foot tall, and looks like a cunningly made toy rather than some fancy piece of art. He was made in a kaer, during the Scourge, by a woodcarver for his daughter.

Maximum Threads 5

Spell Defense 26

Rank 1 Cost 200

You must know that this item’s name is Mr Fuzzywumpums. No one who is over the age of young adulthood can weave a thread to this item, although someone can retain an already woven thread for a period of time. If a child has an attached thread, and experience to spend, he or she can increase the thread rank in a dream, even if he or she has no ranks in Thread Weaving.

A full sized, intelligent, bipedal  bear will appear in the dreams of anyone with a thread attached to this item, reducing the frequency and intensity of common nightmares, and helping defend against any sort of magical or horror related dream attack. Mechanically, it counts as a +3 spell or social defense, but only in that limited circumstance.

Rank 2 Cost 400

Once a season, the child will have an exceedingly vivid dream adventure. Often, it will relate in some way to the child’s life, leading to some useful tidbit of social related knowledge, such as how to make friends with a peer. Using this knowledge in a positive way counts as a repeatable 100 point Quest, which can be used only to increase the thread level.

+6 spell or social defense against a magical or horror related dream attack.

Level 3 Cost 600

 The Dreams continue, but occur less frequently, twice a year. Knowledge gained is aimed more at how to learn skills to function as an adult, or how to succeed at some task. Using the knowledge counts as a 200 point Quest, which can be used only to increase thread level.

+9 spell or social defense against a magical or horror related dream attack.

Rank 4 Cost 800

+12 spell or social defense against a magical or horror related dream attack.

Before an important threshold in becoming an adult [for example, turning a certain age], the child will have one last glorious dream adventure with Mr Fuzzywumpums. It will provide at least some hints to the child’s destiny, and if he or she isn’t already one, he or she might become an adept at this time.

After the dream, the thread rank will drop by 1 per week. While the person still has a thread, he can go to a young child or two young children and say: “This is Mr Fuzzywumpums. I am too old for him, but he can be your friend now.” Doing so snaps the first child’s thread, and weaves a rank 2 thread to 1 child, or a rank 1 thread to 2.

The Omnipotent Orb of Kodor The Magnificent

In appearance, it’s a 2 foot diameter hollow glass sphere, with what looks like grey fog inside. It has a 3 foot tall carved wooden stand, and is not meant to be used by an adventurer who walks across the land and gets into trouble. Instead, it looks like the kind of thing that belongs in the laboratory of a powerful wizard. Or, at least that’s what Kodor The Magnificent thought.

Kodor The Magnificent [aka Hodgell Lightfingers] was a Journeyman Thief Adept who lived either just before or just at the beginning of the Scourge. After a slight disagreement about property rights, he was exiled from his kaer and forced to wander.  He never came into direct conflict with a Horror, and he was able to live pretty well from the leavings of a couple of villages that had already gone into their kaer. But, he was pretty sure he’d have a much longer life if he could get inside a kaer.

Then Hodgell came across the tower of a dead magic worker. Hodgell was pretty sure he was dead because of the various body parts strewn around. So, he loaded up a cart with anything magical or valuable looking he could find, used a bit of disguise and acting skills to play the part of a wizard, and went in search of a kaer.

Hodgell found one, and playing the part of an elderly, powerful wizard, Kodor the Magificent, lived to a ripe old age. Whether he was ever found out, or whether his actions led to the people of the kaer depending on his non-existent magic ...well that’s a tale for another day.

The orb itself was originally a common magical tool used to help train Illusionist apprentices. Anyone can lay a hand on it, pay a point of strain, and after concentrating for a minute, will have whatever image they were concentrating on appear inside the orb. The more detailed the mental image, the more detailed the image in the orb. Anyone with a thread tied to the orb can block someone who doesn’t, and substitute his own image.

Rank 1 Cost 200

+1 social defense. Thread weaver must be within 10 feet of the orb for this to apply.

Rank 2 Cost 400

+1 social defense, +1 all skills or talents used to convince someone the user is a powerful user of magic. For example, disguise skill counts; thread weaving to cast a powerful spell does not. Arcane mutterings specifically counts. Thread weaver must be within 100 feet for this to apply.

Rank 3 Cost 500

+2 social defense, +2 all skills or talents used to convince someone the user is a powerful user of magic. Thread weaver must be within 1000 feet for this to apply.

Rank 4 Cost 800

+2 social defense, +4 all skills or talents used to convince someone the user is a powerful user of magic. Thread weaver must be within 10,000 feet for this to apply.

Unfortunately, if the thread weaver is a spellcaster, he or she will have a penalty equal to the skill bonus, if he or she is trying to pass as mundane or a much less powerful spellcaster.

The Ship of Sea and Sky

Built with inspiration from Upendal, Florannus, and with the aid of various elementals. It is a trading vessel and yacht, not a fighting ship. Oddly constructed compared to current designs, the normal masts used when on water fold down to wings when flying. Capable of much higher maximum speeds and rates of ascent than a normal airship, the cargo holds are both extradimensionally enlarged and capable of preservation. Opulent living quarters for the officers and owners, less for the crew. The captain must have a thread to the ship, and must have the talent of air sailing. In addition to crew, it requires True Air to fly, at approximately half the firel requirements of a riverboat.

Mechanically, using the rules for Large Scale Combat Earthdawn Companion 2nd ed:

In air, speed 9, maneuverability 10. In water, 6, 6. Firepower 0.

Hull armor rating 20, ramming 20, cargo 600. Assume a third of the cargo can be used to transport perishable items, roughly as well as a modern refrigerator can.

Crew: requires 100 on water, 80 as an airship, minus 5 per captain’s thread rank. Skill or talent level required to act as crew: 2 minimum. As this is a unique boat, crew rating and morale will vary, but likely higher than normal. Damage critical 36, derelict 126, destroyed 140. In theory there is space for 400 people on the ship. More usually, 100-125 crew are packed in that tightly, and 10-80 additional people have more luxurious accommodations [although not much larger].

As a thread item, maximum 1 thread, spell defense 25.

Reduced crew, as above. As thread rank is increased, more capabilities are given to the ship, instead of giving more power to the captain. Plus, the captain gets a +1 step bonus to  Air Sailing Talent rolls, affecting the speed or maneuverability of the ship.

Rank 1 cost 500

To weave a thread to the ship, you must know its name, and you must have the Air Sailing talent.

The Ship acts as a normal sailing ship.

Rank 2 cost 800

Ship gains limited mobility, able to move the parts of itself that normally move. For example, it can open and close doors, and make some minor adjustments to the sails. In some circumstances, it would give a slight penalty to a boarding force. It cannot raise or lower the anchor because it is too heavy.

Rank 3 cost 1,300

You must know the Name of the main questor of Florannus who was involved in building the ship.

The ship is able to fly, but more at the mercy of the winds than most airships. It rises and falls at about the speed of a hot air balloon. Falling quickly is possible, but not smoothly.

Rank 4 cost 2,100

The ship flies as a airship, as detailed.

Rank 5 cost 3,400

You must know the Name of the main questor of Upendal who was involved in building the ship.

The ship is able to create a dome of Air around it, and act as a submarine. This requires double the normal amount of elemental air. It is unable to dive particularly deep, so there are areas of the ocean that are inaccessible.

The Sword Called The Ceremonial Sword of the Ninth Wizard-Legate

While this is a thread item, it should function more as a plot device than a useful tool. Also, it will require some modification for each Earthdawn game.

More than 10,000 years ago, there was a Court, with the equivalent of Knights and Wizards, although they weren’t called that. The knights had traditionally been able to wear swords in the presence of their emperor, so the wizards, wanting to increase their standing, petitioned for the same right. This was granted.

However, they didn’t want to wear common swords- they were heavy, and having one might lead to a duel with the sword as the permitted weapon, which they would surely lose. So, they had a tradition of wearing something that was roughly sword shaped, but was clearly a piece of decoration, and intensely magical.

The important questions to answer:

1) What does this look like?

I have in mind a rapier, of a solid piece of colored unbreakable glass, approximately sized for a large troll. But it could be nearly anything, as long as it was gaudy and awe inspiring. Solid orichalcum? Living wood, with a huge ruby on the pommel? A short sword of living darkness, that moans when drawn? Whatever is chosen, it should be impossible to accidentally break, nearly impossible otherwise. And it should look like nothing else the characters have ever seen.

2) How does it enter the campaign?

Odds are, the characters stumble across it in some extremely remote location. A kaer from a previous Scourge [not the most recent one] is perfect. Or, some powerful NPC, to whom the characters owe a big favor, wants to find out more about it. A Great Dragon works well.

3) How does it influence the campaign?

Well, you can’t tie a thread to it without knowing its True Name. The Ceremonial Sword of the Ninth Wizard-Legate is what it was called, when it was spoken of in common society. That is not its Name, which is lost, unknown to any Name Giver in Barsaive, and is magically protected to boot. Simply as it is, one could use it in combat about as well as an unbalanced unbreakable stick.

However, it has several magical effects, one of which the characters will discover almost immediately. Once a day, defined as Sunset to Sunset, the first Name Giver to come within one foot of the sword triggers a magical mental message sent to everyone within thirty feet: “I am Called The Ceremonial Sword of the Ninth Wizard-Legate. Please return me to the Court of the Emperor Undying. A reward is offered.”

The sword is not intelligent. However, if you can somehow signal to it you’d like to return it, but don’t know where, it will indicate a rough direction to go [ie, generally north, not 13 degrees east]. This is not precise enough to triangulate, unless one is much closer.

4) Where the heck is the Court of the Emperor Undying?

Well, it died at least 9,000 years ago, if not much much longer. It should be located in a difficult to get to, poorly populated at best area. The Waste? Outside Barsaive? Only accessible through the Astral Plane? And it likely involved races that are not the common 8 Name Giver races.

5) After many adventures, the characters have found The Lost City of the Emperor Undying. Now what?

Well, it’s been long enough that the city is in ruins, and the civilization is gone. But there are some remnants. A really really bored elemental, conjured and stuck? A devolved race, whose oral history might provide some clues? A living ensouled computer of crystal, that wants one tiny favor?

After that, if a character manages to claim ownership of the sword, it should be impressive, but not particularly useful in combat. As a symbol of lordship, it may magically grant ownership of some land. A ten square mile area within The Waste, now greening? Otherwise, social bonuses should be primary, defensive magical secondary. 

EAD Entry by Sade

Sade has entered some artwork for the contest, an elf, ork and my favorite a t'skrang. Anyway have a look at them. Don't steal because of course these belong to the artist and all rights remain with her!

EAD Entry - The Legend of Rune & Songblade

This Entry is from Dan B. and Markus W. Originally posted for a RedBrick contest which was never published. It comes complete with audio track...(to follow)

            

The Legend of Rune and Songblade

            This story is one of unique importance for the world we live in.  The world is very different from what it was.  In the time before the Scourge, the land was powerful and name-givers took magic for granted, using and abusing it until the world began to stress from the wistfulness of it all.  Magic was pulled, torn, and distorted to the point it could allow corruption to manifest itself from its nethers in Astral space.  It started to strike back.  Those who worked with this power were going mad, their minds twisted by something that worked its way into their thoughts slowly, methodically, maliciously.  Others just disappeared, lost in the world they sought to control and exploit.

            This desecration brought with it not just death, but delayed death.  Pain, anguish, and cruelty were brought upon those who stood in its path, tortured endlessly before given their release from this new evil.  The world was losing its life and nothing could deny the will of its invaders.

            More and more magicians saw what was going on—the gathering evil and death—and urged others to make safe havens for all the races of the world and dig down to build kaers.  Some chose to join the other name-givers in their holes and keeps.  Others built citadels and fortresses of power to repel the gathering hordes of unseen evils.

             Last of those to make for safe haven was the obsidiman Rune.  Rune began a solemn march across Barsaive in the last days of enlightenment to the only thing an Obsidiman can describe as home—the Liferock.

            Rune carried a unique sword known as Songblade and was known to play it, flute-like, after a victorious battle, with the blade pointed toward the ground in repose.  The handle of the sword had been hollowed out and finger-holes had been carved into a straight line from pommel to bladeguard along the grip.  He would place his fingers along the handle and would exhale steadily through his mouth into the pommel.  Rune was not legendary in his deeds, or his battles.  But the music from Songblade was remembered by the survivors long after Rune left the battlefield. 

            Rune started east heading to the Caucavic Mountains from whence the earth herself had delivered Rune to her surface.  Rune ran through farms, communities, villages, all abandoned to await the coming horde.  From abandoned city to abandoned city Rune ran steadily, eventually noticing the coming quiet.  He noticed that even nature herself had grown silent, seemingly intuitively aware of the impending change.  Animals had made themselves scarce.  Soon only the wind, rain, earth, and sun touched Rune’s senses.

            Rune missed the birds’ songs most of all.  During rest he would play Songblade in poor imitation of their calls.  Their song was his light against the coming darkness.  But the only sound he heard was the howling wind.

            With the approaching gloom in both heart and the world, Rune knew he would not reach his Liferock in time.  A decision had to be made.  He passed by more sealed kaers, empty t’skrang enclosures, and abandoned structures where he could not convince others to allow him entry.  They were already safe, and he could not allow them to jeopardize that security.  But time was not up yet.  He hurried onward.

            He traveled close to the edge of the ancient elven woods and saw on the horizon the swarm of Horrors that bore down upon the earth.  He could not yet hear this despicable army but he knew his time was out.  He sought refuge within the woods.  He pushed onward, deep, hoping to delay the onslaught in the earth’s wooden embrace.  He ran until he came to a small clearing.  The open ground did not make him stop, it was the lone tree in the center of the clearing, which had a very stubborn or naive family of birds among its branches.  The only birds he had heard in weeks.  They were chirping and singing as loud as they could. 

            The darkness closed in as the invaders began to blot out the sun.  With the small hint of sunlight still visible on the tree, seemingly defiant against the oncoming horde, Rune looked to the tree and the large boulder nestled under it.

            The Scourge had reached the woods.  Knowing he could go no further, the first glimpses of evil permeating his senses, he drew Songblade.  Standing alone with the birds’ chorus forcing itself into his senses he raised his sword and steeled himself, awaiting his fate.

            The birds.  The birds kept singing.  They would die singing.  Rune thought that their song would be much more pleasant to listen to than the cacophonous sounds of battle.  His grip on Songblade tightened as he moved to the rock beneath the tree, and inverted Songblade.  If he were to die, he would die with a song on his lips.

            He put the pommel to his mouth and began to accompany the birds by playing the flute that was built into the hilt of the weapon.  He joined the chirps and tweets with short crisp notes, and felt his heart lighten.

            He let the birds sing as he began to play songs he knew from battles past; anthems and ballads, songs of victory, regret, loss, and rebellion.  Music began to overwhelm him.  Melodies sprang forth from Songblade like never before.  They rang out, coaxing the birds to sing louder, joining in the revelry.  Each song drew on memories of his Liferock, his friends both recent and long passed.  The music was weaving actions of the living world with the energy of the small vigor of life around him.

            Rune could see the Horrors approaching, pausing, savoring the life forces of their next victims here in this clearing.   Their slow and menacing movement was halted.  They could advance no further toward their intended victims.  Life itself had found a champion and was not to surrender its newfound heroes.

            The music had seemed to stop the evil at the edge of the woods around him.  Rune played more fervently.  En masse, Horrors began to advance painstakingly toward him, only to be pushed back.  They began to flail and throw themselves at him, striking out, with more anger and rage.  The notes and chords seemed to assault them on their approach with a ferocity no horror could match.

            Rune played on, and the birds sang with him.  For hours and days the obsidiman’s resolve did not waver.  Emboldened by the earth herself, channeled through the rock upon which he sat, his solace had been replaced by resolve.  He would not falter, he would not fail.  He would keep an innocent family of birds safe as long as he could draw breath to play Songblade.  And the patience of obsidimen draws from the durability of the mountains from which they come.

            Whenever Rune felt weak or tired, as if he could not play anymore, he felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder, urging him to go on.  Encouraging voices bade him sing song-like to keep playing.  He soon felt refreshed and exhaustion left him, replaced by new strength and peace while Horror after Horror flailed nearby.

            When the elves of this wood scarred themselves, tainted their homes, lands, and very souls to keep the Horrors out they could not corrupt this clearing.  Long after the Horrors fled, the elves futilely tried to encompass it.  Eventually the elves ceased their attempts to assimilate this clearing into the rest of the woods, refocusing on their own plights.  Over the years the rest of the wood grew up dark, twisted and tainted, but the clearing stayed the same as the day Rune stumbled in and chose to protect an all too stubborn family of birds.  The only new visible growth was the flowering ivy that grew over the tree, the earth and the rock like a cloak. 

           

            Since the opening of kaers across Barsaive, travelers who pass near the Bloodwood tell stories of faint music drifting on the breeze out of the woods, joyful music that sounds like nature renewed.  No one has been brave enough to enter the woods unbidden to find the source of the music and the Elves deny its existence and offer no explanation.  None will confess to the existence of a glen of the woods untouched by the Scourge or the legendary warrior/piper who supposedly protected it.

  

Gamemaster Information

            The Legend of Rune and Songblade is told by Troubadours and Warriors alike, especially those who may have traveled near the Bloodwood at some point.  This tale is told as a reminder of the place that beauty and art hold in the world against all forms of darkness and oppression.  It is also told as a reminder that at no time is hope lost forever, and that last acts of defiance may not involve violence.

The legend was not discovered until after the Scourge and the elves of the Blood Wood still deny these happenings.

            The fate of Rune is left to the gamemaster.  Rune could have been given safe haven by the Blood elves and, therefore, protected (they will deny this as well).  Rune could have fallen to the Horrors and now be a pawn in a current scheme.  Rune may have created a new Liferock in the boulder with the magic of a dying act.  Rune could have remained victorious during the Scourge, and once the Scourge ended he simply traveled onward, eventually merging with his Liferock.  Perhaps a passing dragon rescued Rune during his struggle. Who knows?

            In the case of Rune surviving (stranger things have happened) the Gamemaster may create Rune as a Warrior with the artisan skill of music, or as a Troubadour.

            Any of the above scenarios lends itself to a full adventure easily in search of either Rune, the Songblade, or the clearing within the Blood Wood.  Perhaps there is now a species of birds within the woods that can bestow magical healing properties.

            Regardless, the pre-Scourge sword known as Songblade (if to be used as a magical treasure) has the following statistics:

           

Songblade

Maximum Threads:  2

Spell Defense:  21

Thread Ranks

Rank 1                      Cost: 500

Key Knowledge:  Songblade is a two-handed sword with a flute created as a hollow-handle for the user to play as an instrument.  The weapon is played with the blade facing away from the user, the notes emanating from the flute near the bladeguard.  The user must know that the weapon is Named Songblade.

Effect:  The sword allows the user to detect the presence of Horrors and Horror constructs within a radius of 500 yards.  The user makes a Perception test against the Spell Defense of any Horrors or Horror constructs within range.  If successful the flute plays a melody of up to 5 notes.  Each note indicates the range of the Horror.  Example: The flute plays 3 notes to indicate that the Horror is within 300 yards.  Increase the wielder’s Social Defense by +1 .

Rank 2                      Cost: 800

Key Knowledge:  The wielder must learn the name of the town Rune was in when he started his final journey across Barsaive. 

Effect:  The sword adds +8 steps to the wielder’s Strength for Damage Tests.  Increase the wielder’s Social Defense by +2.

Rank 3                      Cost: 1,300

Key Knowledge:  The wielder must learn the name of the Air Spirit trapped within the flute of Songblade.  The Name of the Air Spirit is Kuwanlelenta.  The Spirit bound to the weapon is a benevolent spirit toward Name-Givers and also desires the removal of all Horrors from the world.

Effect:  Upon being played as a musical instrument, the sword grants the wielder a version of the Spirit power Enrage Element.  For 4 Strain points of Damage the music emanating from Songblade creates a physical barrier of sound that extends out a number of yards equal to 5x the wielder’s Willpower step.  The Damage Rating of this circle of sound is equal to the wielder’s Physical Defense and Spell Defense combined.  The barrier also has a Physical Armor rating equal to the Wielder’s Willpower step.

Rank 4                      Cost: 2,100

Deed:  The wielder must play the instrument during a battle in support of a combatant who is outnumbered 5 to 1.  The wielder cannot engage the opponents in combat.  If the weaker combatant wins the conflict this Deed is worth 2,100 Legend Points which the wielder can only use to weave threads to SongBlade.  If the weaker combatant is not victorious the wielder receives no Legend points towards this deed.

Effect:  The sword adds +9 steps to the wielder’s Strength for Damage Tests.  Even 1 Damage Point inflicted by the sword will cause a Wound on a Horror or Horror Construct.  The Wielder adds + 1 to both his Physical and Spell Defense.

Rank 5                      Cost: 3,400

Key Knowledge:  The wielder must learn the name of the Nethermancer who summoned and bound the Air Spirit to SongBlade.

Effect:  The sword allows the character to cast the Restrain Horror Spell (p. 365 EDPC).  The wielder uses his or her Thread Weaving Talent to weave the required threads and make the Spellcasting test.  The Effect step is determined as normal per the spell’s description.

Rank 6                      Cost: 5,500

Deed:  The wielder must find out what became of Rune and pay tribute to him at his Liferock.  This Deed is worth 5,500 Legend points which the wielder can only use to weave threads to SongBlade.

Effect:  The sword adds +10 steps to the wielder’s Strength for Damage Tests.  The sword allows the character to cast the Void Wave Spell (p. 368 EDPC).  The wielder uses his or her Thread Weaving Talent to weave the required threads and make the Spellcasting test.  The Effect step is determined as normal per the spell’s description.

Rank 7                      Cost: 8,900

Deed:  The wielder must take Songblade into the Bloodwood, find an open clearing a minimum of 5 yards in diameter, and stake the sword blade-first into the ground.  He or she must then wait until five birds have perched atop the sword, representing the five elements.  The union between the earth and the air symbolized, the sword and the wielder have then received Jaspree’s Blessing.  This deed is worth 8,900 Legend points which the wielder can only use to weave threads to SongBlade..

Effect:  The wielder may now call forth the Air Spirit bound to Songblade by speaking aloud its name.  The Spirit is a Strength 9 Air Spirit with the following powers:  Aid Summoner 9, Astral Sight 23, Engulf 22, Enrage Element 22, Manifest 9, Manipulate Element 22, Share Knowledge 9, Spear 22.  The Air Spirit will combat Horrors and Horror constructs only and will not combat Name-Givers unless they are under the control of, or possessed by, a Horror. 

EAD Entry - Queen's Ransom

Here's an entry from Dan B. 

            A few years ago while running Earthdawn and having my merry band of adventurers killing time in a riverboat crew en route to Parlainth I ad-libbed a game the riverboat crew were playing in their downtime.  For the players it involved rolling five d12 dice and hastily a set of rules were made up.  They had fun and we killed enough time playing the dice game we didn't hastily return to the role-playing.

            So once again, I submit to you the in-game game of “Queen’s Ransom” that all riverboat crew in my Barsaive are familiar with.  The game for Earthdawn players is primarily played with dice and is easy enough to grasp.  The rules are laid out as if it were a card game and one can purchase a game of cards called “Five Crowns” by SET Enterprises to adapt for use in this rule set.  Both dice rules and card rules are included. 

            -Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Enjoy.

            -Dan B

Queen’s Ransom Card Game Rules

The Deck

            Suits: There are five suits, though they play no role in this game. The dwarven suits are standard playing cards and the t’skrang suits are new.

T’Skrang style           color              Dwarven style

Tail                    green               Earth                       

Claw                  blue                 Water                    

Fin                  red                   Fire                          

Egg              yellow              Air                            

Kaissa    ßpurple / brownà      Wood                                 

            Ranks: There are 12 cards per suit—eleven cards numbered 1 through 11, plus one “flood” card, which counts for 12+ points but has a special property in Queen’s Ransom.

Play

            Each player is dealt 5 cards face down. Players then look at their hands. Flood cards must be laid face up immediately, and another card is dealt face down on each flood. If any of those are floods they must be turned over and each must have another card dealt on it, until a non-flood card is received. All cards dealt onto a flood must stay with it, as if they were all one card. Players then place bets into the kitty, with the dealer going first.

            Players take turns redrawing cards (up to all five) and then make a second bet (previous round’s winner first).

            “Queen’s Ransom” is announced by the previous round’s winner, signaling that all players should reveal their cards and announce their individual totals.

            Cards revealed are in this order, Leg, Leg, Arm, Arm, and the 5^th card turned over is the Tail Card (the Queen’s Ransom from the legend). {No idea what this means or how it affects play.}

            The object of the game is to get the highest number with his cards. But each player must either total his odd-numbered cards and subtract the evens or total his even-numbered cards and subtract the odds. A hand is written with the odds first and evens second, with a slash between them. The ranks on each side are listed in descending order with plus signs between them. For example: a hand with 2, 3, 5, 7, & 10 is written 7+5+3/10+2.

            In the event of a tie, the player going odds minus evens wins. Example: two players eventually reach a total of 16. One player has 1+1/10+4+4. The second player has 7+5+5+3/4. The second player wins the tie because he went odds minus evens, while the first player went evens minus odds.

           

Example hand with 3 players

            Player 1 is dealt: 11+3+3/8+4. He is better off with odds minus evens to get 17 – 12 = 5. Player 2 is dealt: 7+3+3/10+8. He is better off with evens minus odds to get 18 – 13 = 5. Player 3 is dealt: 9+7+1/6+6. He is better off with odds minus evens to get 17 – 12 = 5.

            Initial bets are placed.

Player 1 discards his two even cards, and is dealt: 10, 11. He now has 11+11+3+3/10. His new total is 18.

            Player 2 discards his two highest odd cards (7 & 3) and keeps his other 3. He is dealt: 5, 4. He now has 5+3/10+8+4. His new total is 14.

            Player 3 discards his 1 and two 6s, hoping to draw high odd cards and low even cards. He is dealt: 7, 5, 3. He now has 9+7+7+5+3/. His new total is 31.

            Final bets are placed, and “Queen’s Ransom” is called. The players lay their cards down face-up.

Player 3 wins the money in the pot and is required to place the first bet in both betting phases of the next hand dealt.

Example of a “flooded” hand

            Player is dealt: 5/12+10+8+4. His total is 29 points so far; however, his 12 “breaks the banks of the river” and “floods”. He must be dealt a card to add to the flood card. He gets a 3, which, since it is odd, also flips the 12 (now 15) to the other side of the slash. He now has 15+5/10+8+4. His new total is a lowly 2. His strategy now may be to trade in his high evens or to trade in his flood, which must take the 3 with it when it goes.

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            For Earth Dawn characters to play this, simply have each Earthdawn player roll 5d12 and re-roll any bonus dice if an initial roll of 12 is reached, in order to simulate the flood cards.  Yes this dice-based version can allow for more than a single Flood card per hand and significantly more than the 5 “Flood” cards based in each ‘deck’.

To play this game with actual cards, you can purchase the card game “Five Crowns” from SET Enterprises and since the numbered cards in the game are 3-10, change the value of the Jack and King cards to 1 and 2 respectively.  Leaving the Queen card as 12 (the Flood card).  Since T’Skrang are a matriarchal society the Queen should be the highest valued card.

Each aropagoi has a tale (since T’Skrang prize stories above most else) about a lahala being held captive, ransomed, imprisoned ; and the tale unfolds about a jik’harra T’skrang coming to her aid and being thwarted in any attempt to save her.  Once the T’skrang floods the river by bursting a damn, calling upon the passions, or summoning a water elemental; and uses the deluge of river water in the attempt, the T’Skrang is successful at having flooded the surrounding area and using the river’s help to free the lahala.

Other name givers, having difficulty in understanding the importance of a lahala in T’skrang society, devised their own interpretation for which the closest approximation is “Queen”, hence the re-named Queen’s Ransom in the dwarven language.  Lahala’s Ransom is how the T’skrang refer to their game.