Sorcerers

and

Steamworks
A Fantasy-Steampunk Setting for Unisystem
By Robert Warren

Version 2.1

The Unisystem trademark, CJ Carella's Armageddon, and CJ Carella's WitchCraft are copyright CJ Carella 1996-2002. Both are
trademarks of CJ Carella. CJ Carella's WitchCraft is published under exclusive license by Eden Studios. The CJ Carella's WitchCraft
trademark is used without Mr. Carella's or Eden Studios' permission and neither of those parties is responsible for the content of this
document. The rest of the document is copyright 2006 by Robert Warren. It may be freely distributed as long as it remains complete
and unaltered and with this notice attatched, and such distribution is free of charge and not for profit.

What is Steampunk?
From Wikipedia:
Steampunk is a subgenre of speculative fiction
which came into prominence in the 1980s and
early 1990s. It concerns works set in the past, or
a world resembling the past, in which modern
technological paradigms occurred earlier in
history, but were accomplished via the science
already present in that time period.
Works of this genre typically also fall into the
categories of either science fiction or fantasy. It
is often associated with cyberpunk and shares a
similar fanbase but developed as a separate
movement (though with considerable influence
on each other). Their main difference beyond
the chronological differences in settings is that
steampunk settings tend to be less obviously
dystopian.

Official definitions aside, the steampunk genre is

about discovery and adventure.
Exciting new
technologies, intricate political plots, and villains who
seek world domination are all common tropes of
steampunk. It bears a closer similarity to pulp than it
does to it's father cyberpunk.
To be brief: steampunk is an adventure in a past that
never was, but might, or perhaps should have been.

How to Use this Netbook

This netbook is just a setting. To play in the setting,
you will need a few other books by Eden Studios. A
copy of Armageddon or WitchCraft is necessary for
the basic rules of the system, especially Metaphysics
and the Crowd Effect. Pulp Zombies is needed for the
Gadgeteering rules. Fistful of Zombies would be
useful for weaponry, but isn't required. Dungeons
and Zombies has a lot of neat stuff for running fantasy
campaigns, and would be extremely helpful.

About the Author

Robert Warren is a transplanted Southerner. Since
leaving the land of iced tea on the veranda, he's lived
in Pittsburgh, PA and Cape Cod, MA. He currently
lives with Mike, his boyfriend of over three years; a
guy named Dave, who pays some of the bills and
pretends to be evil; and a psychotic cat named Isis.
He still mourns the loss of his Tokay gecko, Loki.

Brief Industrial History of

Astoria
Astoria was once a wondrous land, filled with magic
and mystery. Gods walked amongst men, sorcerers
cast spells of creation and destruction, and adventure
was around every turn.
Some of that has changed now. Fifty years ago, a
young Human by the name of Chadwick Moore made
a startling scientific breakthrough. He discovered
that, properly controlled, boiling water could be used
to move a metal wheel, which could be attached to a
variety of devices. He had invented the steam engine.
At first, his invention was poorly received. Why
should anyone use his engine when magic worked so
well? Soon, Moore demonstrated that with mere
hours of training, anyone could operate the steam
engine and the devices he created to draw power from
it. Magic took years of hard study, assuming that you
even had the natural gift to even use it. The laymen
were amazed, tinkerers were fascinated, and mages
were terrified and furious.
After Moore's demonstration of his engine, tinkerers
around Astoria began working on their own steam
powered devices. Everyday life became much easier
with steam powered clothes washing machines, steam
powered floor cleaners, steam powered logging
machines, and an ever increasing list of other devices
of dubious practicality and safety. Tinkerers were no
longer a laughing stock, playing with less than useless
toys. They were now legitimate technologists.
Soon, devices using even more exotic power supplies
were made. Devices harnessing the power of springs,
gravity, cold water, chemicals, and even lightning
were made.
The magical community finally decided to lash out
when Moore's latest invention was unveiled ten years
after his debut: the steam train.
Sorcerers had noticed their powers waning in areas
that fully embraced the new technology. The train
was the final straw. How could a self-respecting
mage make money on a teleportation service with this
cheaper, easier service?
A circle of mages in Dornihan, Moore's home city,

attempted to sabotage the first steam rail station in the

middle of the night. They chanted, and drew circles,
and tapped the extra power of the full moon, all for
naught. All of their magical power fizzled out upon
reaching the engine.
The phenomenon spread. All across Dornihan, mages
found their spells failing in the prescence of
technological devices. Even people with a highly
technological bent seemed to be more resistant to
magic.
The maiden voyage of the first steam train faired no
better. Fifty merchants and council members of
Dornihan died on the train when the engine
malfunctioned and exploded. The cause was later
determined to be a powerful mage amongst the
passengers.
The interaction between magic and technology
seemed to work both ways.
The presence of
technology impeded the flow of mystical energy, and
powerful magical forces wreaked havoc on
technological devices.
Moore, who had been
appointed head of the Dornihan Senate, pressed for
laws restricting the use of magic in the city. Soon it
was illegal for sorcerers to practice their craft in
certain districts of the city. Any practitioner of magic
was forbidden to board the trains.
Technology was on the rise in Dornihan, and magic
was fading into the shadows. As more developments
were made, weapons were created.
Dornihan's
monarchy was usurped by the Senate, and the
kingdom's name was changed to the Dornihan
Industrial Republic.
Surrounding kingdoms and
communities were annexed through war or
intimidation. The DIR's superior technology easily
overcame their neighbors' magic and steel.
Few human kingdoms remain free from the DIR's
rule. Celest leads the nations of Halsteria and
Stillwater in a shaky alliance designed to keep them
free of DIR control. The sorcerers of Celest devised a
mystical barrier around the three Free States that has
thus far kept technological influence out by causing
even the most advanced devices of the technologists
to malfunction upon crossing the border.
But with ever advancing technology, the barrier that
protects the Free States may not last for long.

The Elves, Dwarves, and the

Terrible Truth
The Humans, Gnomes, Half-Ogres, and most of the
Elves don't know the truth. Chadwick Moore did not
invent the steam engine.
Ten years before the unveiling of the first steam
engine, a young student at Dornihan University was
writing a research paper on the strange devices of the
Dwarven Clans. Through methods unknown to the
University staff, he was able to convince the Steel
Blaze Clan of Dwarves to allow him to live with them
and study their ways.
What he saw fascinated him. Metal and gears,
machines of cold steel, and a steam engine. He found
the Dwarf that had crafted the engine, and became
friends with him. The Dwarf was grateful of the
attention, and began to teach the boy the basics of
how the engine worked. Moore convinced the Dwarf
that if he were allowed to see the schematics, then he
might be able to improve upon the design. The Dwarf
allowed it.
Moore slipped out of the Dwarven city in the night,
taking the schematics with him. Rather than writing
his research paper on the Dwarven Clans and their
technology, he used the stolen schematics to create his
own engine and claim credit for the invention. The
Elves, being more in tune with the flows of magic,
were affected by Moore's creations long before any
Human wizard felt the effects.
The High Elves are, at their heart, a peaceful race.
They were distressed by the sudden change, but have
a philosophy of non-intervention. They believe that
all things have their place, so to them, the rise of
technology was just another part of the natural course
of Astoria's development.
Far to the south, in the Scarred Forest, the Dark Elves
had other plans. Exiled from the Silver Forest for
their belief that they are destined to rule over the
other, lesser races of Astoria, the Dark Elves felt
slighted by the rise of technology. How can a magical
race rule over a people who are implementing a force
that impedes even the greatest of magical powers?
Shortly before the unveiling of the steam train, the
Dark Elves began a Purge.
The Humans out

numbered the Dark Elves by several orders of

magnitude, so a direct assault on the race that was
ruining the Dark Elves' plans would be foolish.
Seeking someone to blame, the Dark Elves set their
eyes on the Dwarves, and began to systematically
eradicate the race. When Moore began his research
into the Dwarven people, there were over twenty
Clans. In the fifty years since the unveiling of the
steam engine, all but the Iron Delver Clan has been
eradicated.
Surviving Dwarves from various Clans have fled to
the cities, living amongst Humans and Gnomes,
abandoning their ancestral mountain homes. Many of
the survivors have gone quite mad, and nearly all of
them are extremely paranoid. The Dark Elves are less
zealous about the Purge in current times, though they
still kill Dwarves on sight.

Cosmology and Deities of

Astoria
Once upon a time, entire libraries were filled with
books about the daily dalliances of the gods, and of
exciting phenomena discovered on the Elemental and
Astral planes.
Apparently, the gods didn't like the steam engine. Or
they liked it so much that they decided that humanity
didn't need them anymore. Either way, shortly after
the industrialization of Dornihan, the gods left
Astoria, taking the Miracles they had granted their
devout followers with them.
When the gods left, Astoria was cut off from the other
planes of being where powerful mages had previously
made their homes. Not even the Elves can determine
if the severance was caused by the influence of
technology or the absence of the gods, but any time a
sorcerer attempted to contact one of the other planes,
the spell simply fails.
Not that it matters now. The new God of Astoria is
the steam engine! And life has never been better.
Though there are still rumors of Fate wandering
around...

Economy of Astoria
The Dornihan Industrial Republic uses a decimalbased currency system, with one hundred copper
Commons to one silver Crown. There are five
Crown, ten Crown, and twenty Crown pieces made
from gold. The currency of the DIR is accepted in the
Elven Forests, and the smuggler's port of Caliban, but
is useless in the Free States. The Free States use a
more basic currency, consisting of ten copper
Sparrows to one silver Dove, and ten silver Doves to
one gold Phoenix. Silver Forest and Caliban also
accept the Free States gold standard, though prices
tend to translate poorly from one currency to the other
and unfair transactions are common.

Languages of Astoria
Language in Astoria isn't quite as varied as it once
was. Before the rise of the DIR, each Human
kingdom had it's own language. Currently, the DIR
has instituted Dornihanian as the official language,
and requires that all signs be written in it and all
government employees are required to refuse service
if a citizen does not speak it. An exception is
generally made for those speaking Gnomish Merchant
Standard, however.
The Free States are another matter, allowing its
member nations to retain their native tongue, though
Celestis is spoken during official meetings between
representatives of the member states.
The High Elves have a language that they speak in
their homeland, called Jor'nain, though most of them
learn either Gnomish Merchant Standard or
Dornihanian before traveling to the outside world.
The Dark Elves have a similar language to the High
Elves, though thousands of years of cultural distance
has made the two tongues barely recognizable as
having the same roots, much like German and English
is our world. Dark Elves usually know at least one
other language, and will not speak Ku'nain in the
presence of outsiders.
Gnomes, being the merchant class for basically all of
recorded history, speak the most common language in
Astoria: Gnomish Merchant Standard.
Nearly
everyone in the world speaks it, and there have been
motions to have Dornihanian replaced with Gnomish

Merchant Standard as the common tongue of the DIR.

To date, these motions have failed.
The Dwarves are a mixed lot. Each Clan of Dwarves
had its own dialect of Dwarven, though the proper
dialect was that which was spoken by the Brass
Spokes Clan. In actuality, every dialect of Dwarven is
mutually intelligible with every other dialect, so it is
not that great of an issue.
Player Characters begin play speaking their native
language and Gnomish Merchant Standard at full
fluency. Characters from the Dornihan Industrial
Republic, but not the city of Dornihan and
surrounding areas, will typically speak Dornihanian as
a second language. Gnomes know Gnomish Merchant
Standard and one additional language of their choice.

Setting Specific Rules

Magical and Technological Affinity
Due to the dichotomy of magic and technology, a new
Secondary Attribute is introduced for Sorcerers and
Steamworks. This is the Magic or Technological
Affinity.
The Affinities range from -10 to +10. They are
inversely proportional: having one Affinity at 2 means
the other is at -2, for example. There is no mechanical
effect of having a negative Affinity: this is merely to
show the antithetical nature of Magic and Technology.

Determining Affinity
The Magical or Technological Affinity is determined
by a combination of Skills, Qualities, powers, and
race. Which races change the Affinity of a character
will be discussed in the Qualities section.
The Gift Quality raises Magic Affinity by one. Every
two levels in Essence Channeling or an Metaphysical
ability also raises the Affinity by one. Skills such as
Magic Theory, Occult Knowledge, and Magic Bolt
raise the character's Magical Affinity by one for every
three levels.
Technological Affinity is raised by one for every two
levels of the Technologist Quality. Every four levels
of Skills such as Science, Medicine, Guns, Mechanic,
and Engineer raise Technological Affinity by one.
If a character has both magical and technological
determiners, then take the highest and subtract the
other from the total. Thus, if a character would have a
Magical Affinity of three and a Technological
Affinity of two, then their final Affinity is 1 Magical.
During the course of play, new Skills and abilities
may change Affinity. If a character learns a skill
contrary to their Affinity, then they reduce their
Affinity by the amount the opposite would increase.
In the previous example, the character has a 1 Magical
Affinity. If he later used Experience to raise his Guns
Skill by four points, his Magical Affinity would be
reduced to zero.

A note on balance
The higher rate of increase for Magical Affinity
over Technological Affinity is intentional. The
benefits of having a high Technological Affinity are
better than the benefits of a high Magical Affinity.
Thus, the different rates of Affinity growth is an
artificial balance used to keep the two roughly
equal.
Also, note that the mechanics in Sorcerers and
Steamworks are decided biased in favor of
technology over magic. This is also intentional.
One of the themes of the world of Astoria is that
magic is dying. Technology is intended to have an
edge.

The Effects of Affinity

Affinity isn't just a number: it actually matters.
When a character is highly magical, any technological
device in their presence has a chance to malfunction.
The malfunction varies from incident to incident, but
is always dramatic and spectacular: steam engines
explode, electrical currents go haywire, guns backfire,
gears crack, or any number of other disastrous effects
may occur.
Whenever a magically aligned character is within ten
yards of a technological device, roll a task using the
Magical Affinity of the character for each device.
This roll is resisted by the Tech Rating (explained
later) of the device. If the roll is a success, then the
device malfunctions. Success Levels determine the
severity of the malfunction: one Success Level may
result in a gun jam, whereas three or more Success
Levels may result in the gun backfiring and damaging
it's user.
Even if the roll is failed, and the device does not
malfunction, then problems can still arise. This roll is
to be repeated every minute until there are no
technological devices left in the presence of the mage.
When in combat, the first time a particular device is
used against a mage, the malfunction Task is made.
This occurs even if the malfunction Task was already
passed within the last minute, as the mage
subconsciously lashes out at the device to protect

himself. If the mage succeeds in this Task, no matter

what the Success Levels are, the device becomes
unusable until the opponent takes at least a turn to
make a Guns or Mechanic (as appropriate) and
Intelligence Task.
Characters with a high Technological Affinity become
naturally more resistant to supernatural forces. For
every point of Technological Affinity, the character
gains a +1 bonus to resist any supernatural effect that
calls for a resistance roll. Additionally, every point
of Technological Affinity provides an Armor Value of
2 versus any supernatural effect that changes a
Secondary Attribute, even if that effect would
normally bypass armor. This includes the Lesser
Healing and Soulfire Invocations.
Individuals with high Technological Affinities also
have difficulty using magical items.
If a
technologically aligned character attempts to use a
magically powered object, then an amount of Essence
equal to the character's Affinity is negated from the
item's activation.
Thus, a character with a
Technological Affinity of 5 using a dagger that is
charged with the Lightning Bolt effect of the
Elemental Air Invocation at 10 Essence will only be
able to produce a 5 Essence lightning bolt from the
dagger. The negated Essence is still lost from the
item.
Items that are charged with a constant effect
enchantment are still impeded by technological
characters.
When using such items, roll for
malfunctions using the above rules for magically
aligned characters.

What is Technology?
Technically, anything requiring a level of
sophistication and intelligence above that of a
primate can be considered technology. When the
term technology is used in Sorcerers and
Steamworks, it means objects that require a higher
level of science and sophistication than was
possessed in the Dark Ages. Swords, crossbows,
and plate armor do not count. Guns, batteries, and
clockwork automatons do.

A note to Game Masters

Caution should be taken when running mixed
parties of magically aligned and technologically
aligned characters. Due to the antithetical
relationship between magic and technology,
mystical characters and scientific characters will
greatly impede each other's abilities.
One
suggestion for making things go more smoothly for
mixed parties would be that the malfunction Task
magical characters make for technological devices
be made only once total for each device, rather than
once every minute as the rules state. You lose some
of the flavor at the expense of smooth playing and
fewer die rolls, but some sacrifices must be made.
In the end, it's your fun that matters, so do what
works best for you.

A note on changing
Affinities
It is possible, though rare, for a character's Affinity
to completely reverse.
This is difficult for
technologically aligned characters, and disastrous
for magically aligned characters.
For a technologically aligned individual to change
Affinity to magic, he must find a way to become
Gifted and learning magic. The character will make
malfunction Tasks like any other magically aligned
character, even for his own devices.
Magical characters have an easier time becoming
technologically aligned, having simply to learn
some skills. However, if a character's Affinity
changes totally from Magical to Technological, then
they loose the ability to manipulate Essence, thus
are unable to use any of their Metaphysics until
their Affinity returns to Magical.

Starting Point Spreads

Characters who possess mystical abilities should be
made with one of the following point spreads: 15 for
Attributes, 10 for Qualities (and up to 10 in
Drawbacks), 25 for Skills, and 30 for Metaphysics; or
20 for Attributes, 15 for Qualities (and up to 10 in
Drawbacks), 30 for Skills, and 15 for Metaphysics.

Acute Senses Quality for both hearing and sight, and

one level of Attractiveness. They are haughty and
arrogant, however, and suffer from a two point
Socially Inept Drawback when dealing with nonElven people, and a two point Delusion of Grandeur.
High Elves typically live to around the age of 500,
and reach maturity at around 100 years old.

Characters with no mystical power, such as common

swordsmen, or technologists, should use the following
spread: 25 for Attributes, 20 for Qualities (and up to
10 in Drawbacks), and 35 for Skills.

High Elves are innately in tune

with the flows of magic, gaining a
1 point bonus to Magical Affinity.

For Chroniclers that wish to run a lower-powered

game, use the point spreads that are presented on page
20 of Dungeons and Zombies.

5 Point Racial Quality

Qualities and Drawbacks

The following section contains Qualities and
Drawbacks unique to Astoria. As with any other
game or setting, not everything here will be
appropriate for every game. Obviously, this list is far
from inclusive, so feel free to use Qualities from other
source books (as long as they are appropriate to the
setting) or make up your own.

High Elf (Jor'na)

5 Point Racial Quality
The High Elf, or Jor'na as they call themselves, are the
more common variety of Elf found in Astoria. Their
home is the Silver Forest, where they dwell in great
cities built in the canopy of the trees. They are a
peaceful people, given to delegation and diplomacy
over war and terrorism. Their disposition is at least
partially due to a great Schism that occurred
thousands of years ago.
The Jor'na have a inclusive philosophy on life:
everything, even their Dark Elf cousins, even
technology, has a place in the world. Everything in
Astoria is merely playing out the roles that they have
been given. Though they hold no resentment towards
the other races, they do view them as children who
need a helping hand from the wiser, more long-lived
Elves.
High Elves gain +2 to Dexterity and Perception, the

Dark Elf (Ku'na)

Dwelling in the nearly barren
Scarred Forest to the south, the
Dark Elves live out their self-imposed exile from the
sentimental and weak Jor'na.
Whereas the Jor'na believe that all things have a place,
the Ku'na believe that Elves are the destined rulers of
Astoria. Where the Jor'na are peaceful, the Ku'na are
willing to kill anyone foolish enough to challenge
their right to rule.
The Dark Elves considered the rise of technology to
be a direct attack on their people, a direct interference
with their destiny to rule over the other races. This
has embittered them greatly.
Like their High Elf cousins, Dark Elves gain +2 to
Dexterity and Perception, the Acute Senses Quality
for both hearing and sight, and one level of
Attractiveness.
However, due to the harsh
environment in which they have spent the past few
thousand years, Dark Elves also gain +2 to Willpower.
They are also haughty and arrogant, gaining the two
point Delusion of Grandeur. They have a one point
Emotional Problem (Prejudice towards all other
races), and a two point Emotional Problem (Prejudice
towards technology). Dark Elves are rare outside of
the Scarred Forest, but are capable of passing
themselves off as High Elves to the lesser races, and
thus suffer a one point Minority Drawback.
Dark Elves typically live to around the age of 500,
and reach maturity at around 100 years old.
Dark Elves are innately in tune with the flows of
magic, gaining a 1 point bonus to Magical Affinity.

5 Point Racial Quality

The Iron Delver Clan is the last remaining Clan of a
once great race. Few of them ever leave their home in
the Orebender Mountains, and even fewer outsiders
have been into their mountain home. They have been
reduced to paranoid hermits. Luckily, the Dark Elves
are less zealous about hunting them down in recent
days, and it has become safe for a few brave Dwarves
to venture once more into the outside world.

and have both the Addiction (Alcohol) and the

Humorless Drawback.
Dwarves live for 400 years on average, and reach
maturity at around 70 years old.
Even with all that they have been through, Clanless
Dwarves are still drawn towards metal works and
machinery, gaining a 1 point bonus to Technological
Affinity.

Half-Ogre
Iron Delver Dwarves gain +2 to Strength and
Constitution (and can raise each up to an 8), two
levels of Hard to Kill, and Infravision. On the
downside, they suffer from a one point Emotional
Problem (pick one), a one point Hunted (Ku'na
Assassins) Drawback, and a two point Honorable
Drawback. Iron Delver Dwarves also suffer from
either a one point Addiction (Alcohol) or the
Humorless Drawback (pick one).
Dwarves live for 400 years on average, and reach
maturity at around 70 years old.
Dwarves are naturally drawn
towards metal, gears, and stone,
gaining a 1 point bonus to
Technological Affinity.

Clanless Dwarf
5 Point Racial Quality
Destroying every member of a
Clan is a near impossible task,
even for the expert Dark Elf
assassins. Thus, a few stragglers from each of the
Nineteen Lost Clans have managed to make their way
into the human or Jor'na cities relatively safe. Of
body, anyway. While the Iron Delver Dwarves are
slightly paranoid hermits, Clanless Dwarves are
almost totally insane.
Clanless Dwarves are less strong and hardy than their
Iron Delver cousins, gaining only a +1 to Strength and
Constitution (though they have a maximum of 8 in
each), and one level of Hard to Kill. They have the
Infravision power, and due to the more dangerous
surroundings that they live in, gain two levels in
Danger Sense. They have the Paranoia Drawback, but
have managed to shirk the typical Dwarven honor,

5 Point Racial Quality

Ogres are practically
mindless animals, but
when one sets it's eyes on
a human mate, nothing
can stop them from their
business.
All Half-Ogres are the children of a human mother
and an Ogre father. For some reason, the coupling
doesn't seem to work the other way around.
Half-Ogres are dim-witted and ugly, but not nearly as
mindless as their fathers. They are usually raised in
orphanages, as their mothers rarely ever survive
childbirth. Orphanages that deal with Half-Ogre
children exclusively are all over the Dornihan
Industrial Republic, and a few are even in the Free
States.
Not all is lost for these freaks of nature and Fate,
however, as their sheer physical power and their
simple mind make them some of the best bodyguards
in the world. Having a bodyguard is as much a status
symbol as it is real protection, and any inventor or
merchant that doesn't have at least one Half-Ogre
guard is not a very successful or well recieved
gentleman.
Half-Ogres gain a +3 to Strength and +2 to
Constitution, and may raise each to a maximum of 10.
They gain two levels of Hard to Kill, and the
Nightvision power. They are dimmer than average,
and suffer a -1 to Intelligence. They just don't get
jokes (Humorless), and are ugly, suffering a two point
Attractiveness Drawback.
Half-Ogres can live for up to 60 years, but seldom do
they die of old age. They typically reach maturity at

around 15 years old.

Half-Ogres have no inclination towards magic or
technology, but due to their large size are usually
unable to use guns or other devices that are not
specifically made for
Half-Ogres.

Gnome
5 Point Racial Quality
Gnomes are renowned
as the fairest and
toughest merchants in
all of Astoria. If anyone has a need, be it a gun or a
magic sword, a potion or a battery, then a Gnome is
likely to be the go-to guy.

Elves' refusal to work for technologically oriented

people, but they manage to keep busy hunting down
Dwarves.
From their extensive training, Ku'na Assassins gain
+1 to Dexterity, +2 to Disguise, Lock Picking
(Mechanical), Notice, Stealth, and Surveillance. Due
to the current employment that all Ku'na Assassins
share, they gain a two point Adversary (Dwarves).
They also have a three point Obligation (Ku'na
Assassin Guild), and a one point Secret. The use and
existence of the Ku'na Assassin Guild may be an open
secret, but people would still be a bit nervous were
they to learn that they are dealing with one of it's
members rather than an indirect contact.

Hunted (Type)
Variable Social Drawback

Gnomes live in the cities, or travel the world, selling

and buying the products that make life worth living.
Seldom do Gnomes congregate (it's bad for business),
and most Gnomish marriages are of the prearranged
variety.
Gnomes gain a +1 to Intelligence, Perception, and
Willpower, and one point in Haggle and Craft (pick a
type). They are generally well-received by the other
races, gaining two points in the Charisma Quality. On
the downside, they are naturally slightly self-serving,
gaining the Covetous (Greed) and Covetous
(Ambition) Drawbacks at one point each.

Characters with this Drawback are hunted by some

person or organization. The value of the Drawback is
determined by the severity of the situation. Normally,
having a death contract with the Ku'na Assassins
would be worth five or more points, for example
(Dwarves have a cost reduction due to the age of the
contract and the near total annihilation of their race:
the assassins aren't quite as determined anymore), and
being hunted by the lawyers of a Gnomish merchant
whose daughter you seduced would be worth one
point.

Debutante
Only younger Gnomes that are just striking out on
their own don't have at least one point in Resources,
and many of the wealthier Gnomish merchants have
Half-Ogre body guards.
Gnomes can live to be around 120 years old, and
reach adulthood at 25 years of age.
Gnomes have no natural draw towards magic or
technology.

Ku'na Assassin
5 Point Profession Quality
Prerequisite: Dark Elf
Ku'na have some of the best assassins in the world.
Their skill is renowned, and their employment and
abilities are something of an open secret. Their use in
modern times is slowly dwindling, due to the Dark

5 Point Profession Quality

Prerequisite: Female Human, Elf, or Gnome
The daughters of the aristocracy are always the lucky
ones: money, beautiful dresses, men worshiping the
dog droppings they step in, and all the jewelry they
could ever want. The life of a Debutante is truly
bland and irritating. That's why a lot of them run
away with passing bands of dangerous-looking
adventurers.
The young Debutante on the run gains one level in
Appearance, two levels in Charisma, +1 to
Intelligence, +2 to Smooth Talk, Acting, Bureaucracy,
and Dancing (Ballroom), a +1 to Fine Arts (Pick one),
Humanities (Pick one), Singing, and Play Instrument
(Pick one). On the downside, all the years of
schooling and prepping have resulted in a -1 to both
Strength and Constitution and a two point Lazy

Drawback, and running away from home has left the

young Debutante with a -2 Resources, and a 2 point
Hunted (Daddy) Drawback.

Half-Ogre Bodyguard
15 Point Social Quality
Prerequisite: Resources 3 or higher
Half-Ogres aren't very bright, but they certainly have
their uses, and they are most talented at guard duty.
Wealthy and influential Gnomish merchants are the
most common employers of Half-Ogre guards, though
anyone with the proper funding can obtain one
through the Ogreblooded Bodyguard Corporation,
which has branch offices all throughout Astoria.
Half-Ogre bodyguards are created as normal
characters, using 20 points for Attributes (remember
to apply the racial Attribute changes), 20 for Qualities
(five of these points must be used for the Half-Ogre
Racial Quality), up to 10 in Drawbacks, and 30 for
Skills.

Technologist
3 Points per Level Profession Quality
This Quality works much the same way as the
Gadgetmaster Quality on page 42 of Pulp Zombies,
except that while the Gadgeteer Quality is purchased
with Metaphysics points, Technologist should be
purchased with Quality points. Every two levels of
the Technologist Quality adds 1 to the character's
Technological Affinity.

Magic Allergy
2 Point Supernatural Drawback
You're allergic to magic. It's that simple. While you
do gain a bonus of 1 to Technological Affinity, even
being in the presence of magical objects or sorcerers
while they are casting spells induces intense nausea,
inflicted a -2 penalty to everything to do until the
allergen is removed.

Celest College of Magic Graduate

5 Point Profession Quality
You are a Celest College of Magic graduate. As such,
you gain two levels of Magic Theory and Rituals, one
level of Occult Knowledge. Celest College of Magic
students pick one Invocation as a specialty during the

course of their studies. As such, graduates gain a +2

to any use of their primary Invocation, and a -2 to the
use of any others. Graduates also suffer from a one
point Delusion (Phobia: Technology) due to the
intense anti-technological rhetoric they are taught in
school.
Alternatively, a Celest College student can choose to
major in a more broad field. These broad fields are
Elemental Magic, Defensive Magic (Shielding,
Warding, etc), Combat Magic (Soulfire, damaging
applications of magic, etc), and Support Magic
(Lesser Illusion, Lesser Healing, Blessing, etc). If the
student chooses a broader major, he gains a +1 to all
uses of magic covered by his major, and a -1 to all
other applications of magic. The cost the the Quality
does not change.

Qualities from other Books

Fast as Hell and Number One With a Bullet from
Fistful o' Zombies are recommended. Number One
with a Bullet counts as one level in a Technological
Skill for determining Affinity. The Powers listed
on pages 27-28 of Dungeons and Zombies are also
recommended, and each counts as two levels of a
Magical Skill for the purposes of determining
Affinity.

Metaphysics in Astoria
Though magic is waning in popularity amongst the
masses, some people are simply born with the spark
for it, and find technology to be rather constraining.
Magic certainly has its benefits over technology: not
even Chadwick Moore denies that.
In Astoria, Invocations are the most commonly found
Metaphysical Art. Necromancy has quite a few
proponents as well, though its practice is expressly
forbidden in the Silver Forest and within the walls of
Celest under penalty of death. Divine Inspiration used
to be fairly common amongst the clergy, but when the
gods abandoned Astoria, they stripped away the
Miracles that they had been granting their followers.
With the rise of technology, the Gateway Invocation
no longer functions normally: for some reason, the
Elemental and Astral planes are no longer accessible,
and no one can figure out why. Rites of Summoning
still work normally, and sorcerers can summon all the
Elementals, Demons, and Astral spirits they could
ever want, but they are unable to visit those planes
themselves. The Walkgate Invocation still functions
normally, though few mages bother to learn it, as it
requires extensive knowledge of the all but useless
Gateway spell.
There have been rumors and reported sightings of the
old god Fate walking the world, though these are of
yet unsubstantiated. In the past, Fate rarely ever
granted Miracles to its followers, and if it is doing so
now, then the recipients of these powers are being
very careful not to display their new-found abilities.
Seer powers exist, but are extraordinarily rare. A
kingdom calls itself fortunate if they have a single
psychic resident. Psychics are usually consigned into
government service, as their abilities are extremely
useful in military applications and political intrigue.
Other Metaphysical Arts are unavailable to characters
in Astoria: they simply do not exist. Pariahs, Tao Chi
Masters, and Tainted Invokers simply do not exist.
Primal Powers exist, but are the sole province of the
Spirit World now that the gods have left.
Sadicas, however, certainly exists, though it is called
by another name.

With the waning power of magic, certain headstrong

mages refuse to give up their hard earned power, and
have turned to the darker side of mysticism. They
have discovered an ancient and potent form of energy,
which they call Cruor.
The practice of Cruor-based magic is illegal even in
the Dark Elf lands. It is a practice so horrible, that
even the twisted and selfish Ku'na would never even
consider it.
For rules on using Cruor Magic, use the Sadicas rules
presented in Mystery Codex. Every two levels of the
Sadicas Skill (here called Cruor Skill, obviously)
raises Magical Affinity by one.
Cruor-powered spells have one main benefit over
other forms of magic. If they didn't, then no one
would practice it. When spellcasting, if the mage is
using Cruor instead of normal Essence, then the
Crowd Effect that would normally be induced by
technological devices does not occur.
Highly
technological characters still have their inherent
benefits when attacked by Cruor Magic: only the
impeding effect of technological devices is altered.
There are whispered rumors of a hidden town high
within the mountains between Ku'ani and Caliban
where sorcerers of a more demented bent can go to
study the forbidden arts, though no one has yet found
it. Or, if they have, then they have either kept their
mouths shut about it, or never returned.

Technological Marvels
Characters with the Technologist Quality will make a
number of useful, if not strange, devices. The
Gadgeteering rules from Pulp Zombies suffice to
cover most every steampunk gadget that anyone could
devise. Some renaming is require, simply for flavor
purposes. A slight amount of retooling is also
required, because of the dichotomy of magic and
technology in Astoria.
First off, all technological devices have a Gadget
Rating (called Tech Rating here), not just the weird
science doodads created by technologists. The reason
for this is that technological devices cause the Crowd
Effect (WitchCraft pg 200, Armageddon pg 206) when
sorcerers attempt to use their Metaphysics within fifty
feet of the device.
To determine how much Essence is
negated by the devices, total
together the Tech Ratings of all
nearby devices, and use that
number as the size of the crowd
affecting the flow of magic.
Characters with a Technological
Affinity of 7 or higher add to the
Crowd Effect of the devices, but
characters with a lower Affinity do
not.
Second, and arguably most
importantly,
the
Disastrous
Consequences modifier is negated in this setting, as
all technological devices already have Disastrous
Consequences.

Tech Ratings of Common Items

Steamtrain 5
Home Steam Engine 3
Electric Light 2
Gun 1

Example Devices
Rotocain: Rating 3
(Advanced Complexity +2, Specialized Use +1)
This delightful spring powered device looks like a
normal cane until the gentleman presses a small

release button. When pressed, four heavy-duty metal

rotors pop out of the cane. When pressed a second
time, they begin to spin, allowing the owner to fly for
short distances. Depending on the user's weight, flight
of up to 5 miles per hour sustained for almost ten
whole minutes is possible!
Protecto-Brella: Rating 2
(Moderate Complexity +1, Specialized Use +1)
These specially treated umbrellas are capable of
blocking all but the most persistent of attacks. When
used properly (i.e. as a shield), the Protecto-Brella
provides an Armor Value of 15, with a Damage
Capacity of 30 and a Barrier Value of 12. Best of all,
they look great!
Electro Gun: Rating 3
(Advanced Complexity +2, Specialized Use +1)
No longer is the blasting of foes with lightning bolts
the sole province of mages! With the Electro Gun,
any technologist may fire off bolts of lighting till his
heart's content. Electro Guns look like ordinary
pistols with a cord leading to a battery pack on the
technologist's hip. The blast deal d6x1 damage to a
target on a successful attack roll using the Guns
(Pistol) Skill. The power knob may be turned up, to
allow the device to expend additional power and thus
raise the damage multiplier, though this drains the
battery more quickly. It takes one action to adjust the
power output. Typical Electro Gun batteries hold
enough charge to fire the device 30 times on the
lowest power setting. Dealing d6x2 damage would
take two charges, d6x3 would take three charges, and
so forth.
Essence Spectrometer: Rating 2
(Moderate Complexity +1, Specialized Use +1)
The Essence Spectrometer is a fantastic little device
that allows for the technologist to detect the ebb and
flow of magic.
Gone are the days when an
unsuspecting technologist is brutally murdered by a
magic spell he could not see coming! Gone are the
days when a simple incantation rendered a mage
invisible! With the Essence Spectrometer, the general
distance and direction of Essence manipulation can be
detected, and previously invisible attacks, such as
Soulfire, can be dodged. And best of all, it's the size
of a pocket watch, and comes with a wrist strap!

Faces of Astoria
There are a great number of important people in Astoria, as in any other world. Some Chroniclers may
want to have the group run into the movers and shakers of Sorcerers and Steamworks, and perhaps
even use them as villains. For those curious as to what level of the Technologist Quality Chadwick
Moore has, or how much Essence Mage-King Gabriel can bring to bear in one turn, or even what the
standard Ku'na Assassin looks like on paper, here it is.

Chadwick Moore
Str: 2 Dex: 2 Con: 1
Int: 6 Per: 5 Will: 3
Life Points: 22
Endurance: 23
Essence: 19
Speed: 6
Technological Affinity: 10

Gear
Revolver (d8x3), a nice suit, money, pencil and
notebook

Skills
Guns (Pistol) 5
Guns (Rifle) 5
Mechanic 10
Engineer (Mechanical) 10
Science (Chemistry) 10
Science (Biology) 5
Bureaucracy 5
Smooth Talk 3
Intimidation 3
Dodge 3
Notice 3
Research/Investigation 3
Language (Dornihanian, G.M.S., Jor'nain,
Dwarven) 5
Humanities (Astorian History) 2
Humanities (Dwarven History/Culture) 2
Myth and Legend (Dwarven) 1

Quote
You see, technology is really rather simple. If I
just turn this here, and weld this there, and hookup
this over there, then voila! You have a machine
capable of dissolving granite!

Age: 68

Personality
Chadwick Moore is the inventor of the steam
Qualities/Drawbacks
engine (as far as everyone knows), and the current
Technologist 10
ruler of the Dornihan Industrial Republic. He is a
Resources 5
brilliant man, both in matters of science, and in
Status 10 (World-renowned)
matters of government. Apart from his attempt to
Charisma 5
make all the conquered lands conform to
Half-Ogre Body Guard 30 (Grokk and Trang)
Dornihan's cultural and linguistic norms, he has
Honorable 2
Delusions (Uniting the Human race will bring been a kind and benevolent leader. He honestly
believes that by unifying the Human race, he will
peace) 3
bring peace and prosperity to Astoria.
Covetous (Ambition) 2

Special Notes: Moore leaves all of his

Device Slots open for spontaneous gadgets, so he
can have pretty much any technological device
that the Chronicler can imagine. Grokk and Trang
are intentionally left without stats, so that the
Chronicler can feel free to give them whatever
stats and skills they feel are appropriate.

Mage-King Gabriel
Str: 2 Dex: 2 Con: 3
Int: 4 Per: 3 Will: 6
Life Points: 45
Endurance: 38
Essence: 126
Speed: 10
Magical Affinity: 10

Gear
Magic sword (d6xStr and d6x5 Fire damage, 50
Essence stored, uses 5 per hit), chain mail (d6+6
Armor Value), royal robes

Qualities/Drawbacks
The Gift
Age 1
Resources 5
Status 5 (King of Celest)
Hard to Kill 5
Essence Channeling 10
Increased Essence Pool +100
Honorable 2
Delusions (Technology is Evil) 3
Paranoia
Covetous (Ambition) 2

Personality
Gabriel is a very bitter man. He was once a
benevolent king, loved by his people and
respected by foreign rulers. This is no longer the
case. He is paranoid to the extreme, and has been
known to throw people into prison cells for the
rest of their lives for even mentioning technology
within the city walls. He is no longer loved, or
even respected: he is only feared.

Skills
Magic Theory 5
Occult Knowledge 6
Magic Bolt 5
Rituals (Celesti) 5
Languages (Celesti, G.M.S.) 5
Bureaucracy 5
Smooth Talk 3
Hand Weapon (Sword) 3
Dodge 3
Riding (Horse) 2
Etiquette 5
Metaphysics
Elemental Earth 5
Elemental Water 5
Elemental Air 5
Elemental Fire 5
Soulfire 5
Affect the Psyche 4
Communion 4
Shielding 5
Warding 4
Blessing 4
Lesser Curse 3

Age: 150

Quote
Technology is a blight upon this land. If I had
my way, I would be the fire with which it is
purged.
Special Notes: Mage-King Gabriel appears
to be a man in his late forties or early fifties. The
sheer mystical power he possesses has slowed his
aging process to a crawl.

Senate Speaker Wysp Moonspire

Str: 3 Dex: 7* Con: 2
Int: 4 Per: 6* Will: 5
Life Points: 39
Endurance: 35
Essence: 77
Speed: 18
Magical Affinity: 7*

*Granted or modified by the High Elf Quality

Qualities/Drawbacks
High Elf
Acute Senses (Vision, Hearing)*
Resources 5
Status 5 (Leader of Silver Forest)
Charisma 5
Appearance 3*
Hard to Kill 3
The Gift
Essence Channeling 3
Increased Essence +50
Socially Inept 2*
Delusions of Grandeur 2*

Age: 300

Skills
Bureaucracy 5
Smooth Talk 5
Intimidation 5
Humanities (Elven Philosophy) 5
Humanities (Astorian History) 5
Humanities (Elven History) 5
Survival (Forest) 3
Hand Weapon (Bow) 3
Dodge 3
Hand weapon (Sword) 2
Languages (Jor'nain, G.M.S.) 5
Languages (Dornihanian) 4
Languages (Celesti, Halsterian) 3
Metaphysics
Affect the Psyche 3
Insight 3
Cleansing 2
Divination 2

Gear
Bow and arrows (d6xStr), Rapier (d6xStr on a
slash, d8xStr on a thrust), Senate robes (white
with two purple lines as trim), staff of office

Personality
Wysp Moonspire is the first female Senate
Speaker that the Silver Forest has ever had. The
Jor'na are not a misogynistic people, it's just that
no woman ever attempted to get the position.
Though she isn't malicious, she does feel as
though she has a lot to prove, and will not shy
away from using any means necessary to prove
that she was not a bad choice for the job. This
often results in her acting in ways she would
normally view as distasteful, all for the sake of
getting things done. She commonly uses magic to
persuade foreign diplomats, and has been known
to use her body to sway senators and foreign
representatives to her cause. She will not hesitate
to use Divination to gage the wisdom of a course
of action, nor will she hesitate to take dangerous
measures because her divining has shown her a
favorable outcome.
Quote
I can see that you mean well, but your proposal
will only end with disaster.

Ki'lun, Lord of Ku'ani

Str: 3 Dex: 7* Con: 3
Int: 3 Per: 6* Will: 8*
Life Points: 49
Endurance: 47
Essence: 108
Speed: 20
Magical Affinity: 10*
Qualities/Drawbacks
Dark Elf
Acute Senses (Vision, Hearing)*
Resources 5
Status 5 (Ruler of the Dark Elves)
Status 0 (When outside of the Scarred Forest)
Appearance 1*
Hard to Kill 5
Nerves of Steel
The Gift
Essence Channeling 5
Increased Essence +80
Prejudice (Technology) 2*
Prejudice (All other races) 1*
Minority (Ku'na) 1*
Delusions of Grandeur 2*
Cruel 3
Skills
Magic Theory 3
Occult Knowledge 5
Intimidation 8
Humanities (Elven History) 5
Humanities (Theology) 3
Rituals (Kirin) 4
Rituals (Ankura) 4
Dodge 3
Hand weapon (Sword) 4
Languages (Ku'nain, G.M.S.) 5
Languages (Dornihanian, Jor'nain) 4
Languages (Celesti, Halsterian) 3
Metaphysics
Necromancy Skill 6
Death Mastery 5
Death Speech 5
Death Lordship 7
Death Raising 5

*Granted or modified by the Dark Elf Quality

Gear
Necromantic Ritual Knife (d4xStr damage, and
deals Essence Damage as according to the
Necromantic Bolts power, has an Essence Pool of
100, each hit costs 3 Essence), chain mail (d6+6
Armor Value), black robes
Age: 480
Personality
Ki'lun is a demented, cruel man. He delights in
the suffering of others, even his own family and
servants. He rules the Scarred Forest with an iron
fist, and has been known to simply kill a random
civilian for looking at him twice. His rule is
unquestioned, and the powerful Necromantic
energies he can bring to bear keep it that way.
Quote
I can kill you with a thought, and then drag your
soul back screaming and kill you again. Oh, you
want to talk? Well, it's too late for that now.

Constable Grant Appleby

Str: 5 Dex: 5 Con: 5
Int: 2 Per: 2 Will: 3
Life Points: 65
Endurance: 44
Essence: 22
Speed: 20
Qualities/Drawbacks
Resources 3
Fast Reaction Time
Situational Awareness
Natural Toughness
Good Luck 5
Hard to Kill 5
Appearance -1
Cruel 1
Skills
Streetwise 5
Notice 4
Intimidation 5
Haggle 3
Research/Investigation 3
Hand Weapon (Bow) 4
Dodge 4
Hand weapon (Sword) 5
Languages (Dornihanian , G.M.S.) 5
Languages (Jor'nain) 4
Languages (Celesti, Halsterian) 3
Languages (Dwarven Dialects) 2

Gear
Bow
and
arrows
(d6xStr),
Greatsword
(d12x(Str+1)), chain main (d6+6 Armor Value),
hunting cloak
Age: 35
Personality
Constable Appleby is a very hard man. He was
born and raised in Caliban, and attained the post
of Constable after killing his predecessor.
Appleby and his assistants tend to leave most of
the residents and guests of Caliban alone unless
they cause trouble, but when they come looking, it
means that some blood is likely to flow. He has
zero tolerance for anyone who hinders Caliban's
ability to conduct its illegal business, and that
includes roughing up the other merchants who
have come to port.
Quote
Don't cause trouble.

Town Guard
Strength 5
Dexterity 4
Constitution 3
Intelligence 2
Perception 3
Willpower 3
Life Points 57
Speed 14
Essence 20
Endurance Points 29
Affinity: 0 or 1 Technological
Qualities and Drawbacks: Fast Reaction Time, Nerves of Steel, Hard to Kill 5, Cruel 1
Skills: Hand Weapon (Sword) 3, Gun (Pistol) 3 (DIR Guards only), Dodge 3, Intimidation 2,
Questioning 2, Notice 3, Research/Investigation 2
Attacks: Broadsword d8x5
Notes: Add racial Qualities as appropriate for region

Ku'ani Assassin
Strength 5
Dexterity 8
Constitution 4
Intelligence 3
Perception 7
Willpower 6
Life Points 61
Speed 24
Essence 53
Endurance Points 29
Affinity: 6 Magical
Qualities and Drawbacks: Dark Elf, Ku'ani Assassin, the Gift, Essence Channeling 2, Increased
Essence Pool +20, Fast Reaction Time, Acute Senses (Hearing, Vision), Situational Awareness,
Nerves of Steel, Hard to Kill 5, Cruel 3, Minority (Dark Elf) 1, Prejudice (Technology) 2, Prejudice
(All other races) 1, Adversary (Dwarves) 2, Obligation (Ku'na Assassin Guild) 3, Secret 1
Skills: Hand Weapon (Sword) 4, Hand Weapon (Knife) 3, Throwing (Knife) 3, Dodge 3,
Questioning 2, Notice 3, Disguise 2, Lock Picking 3, Stealth 4, Surveillance 4, Languages (Ku'nain
and one other) 5, Languages (any two) 3
Attacks: Shortsword d6x5, Dirk d4x4, Throwing Knives d4x4
Metaphysics: Affect the Psyche 2, Lesser Illusion 3, Communion 1

Gnomish Merchant
Strength 2
Dexterity 2
Constitution 2
Intelligence 4
Perception 6
Willpower 4
Life Points 26
Speed 8
Essence 20
Endurance Points 29
Affinity: 0 or 1 Technical
Qualities and Drawbacks: Gnome, Charisma 3, Resources 1, Acute Senses (Sight), Situational
Awareness, Covetous (Greed) 1, Covetous (Ambition) 1
Skills: Haggle 4, Craft (As appropriate) 3, Smooth Talk 3, Languages (G.M.S. and one other) 5,
Languages (any two) 3, Languages (any two) 2, Notice 3, Hand Weapon (Knife) 2, Dodge 2, Gun
(Pistol) 2
Attacks: Dagger d4x1, Flintlock Pistol d8x2
Notes: Gun skill may be omitted depending on the location and expertise of the merchant.