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C O N T E N T S [v6/n04]
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Editorial -- Mechanicians and Alchemists {STILL} Wanted

Revised Optional Damage Rules -- Rodger Thorm

Additional Water Magics -- Jason Winter

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DragonQuest NET: Summer Doldrums

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EDITORIAL: Mechanicians and Alchemists {STILL} Wanted
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Things have been really slow of late on all DQ fronts, so I am going to re-run this call for submissions, and hopefully we can get one or two items this time...

Once again, there is not a lot of new material being submitted for upcoming DragonQuest Newsletters. Rather than putting out a general request for new material of any sort (although I will gladly take any new submissions), I thought I might stimulate some fresh ideas by making a couple of specific requests.

I would like to do an upcoming special issue on Mechanicians and Alchemists (or, if I get *really* lucky, a special issue on each). There is a lot of potential in both of these skills, but there is not a lot of guidance as to what sorts of things these two professions can build. There must be lots of things out there from various campaigns that different PC Mechanicians and Alchemists have built or created.

Send us your ideas of things that you, or your PCs, or that other characters have had in your campaigns, and we'll put together a list of useful items. This doesn't need to be more than just a sentence or two, so everyone can contribute! Other things that are related to these two skills, as well, will be useful.

Rodger Thorm
DQN Editor

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REVISED OPTIONAL DAMAGE RULES
-- Rodger Thorm <dqn@b...>
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This is only a preliminary draft of the proposed rule change. I have already posted a draft of this proposed rule in a couple places, but I would like to get additional comments as I refine it.

Proposed New Optional Rule:

In place of optional rule 18.5 substitute the following rules for bonus damage from A-class weapons.

New rule introduces different rules for added damage, SC bonus, and bonus to defense. These rules would also supercede the Fencing combat talent in Poor Brendan's Almanac.

Different schools of fencing teach different forms and styles of combat. Some emphasize offense, others defense or use of two weapons, or other things.

Precedent: Italian fencing vs French fencing vs Russian fencing. Different people emphasize different things in combat, so different fencing styles arise.

Study of a particular school of fencing provides bonuses affecting SC, DEF, Dam. Cost to study a school of fencing is a small percentage of cost to study weapon. Studying a particular school of fencing can be done simultaneously with the study of the appropriate weapon, or can be done separately at a later time.

This is not unlike studying True Names in order to improve spell cast chances. It also allows the GM to introduce additional flavor to combat. Any schools of fencing created by the GM need to be reasonable and balanced. This also allows for an additional level of mastery and distinction above and beyond basic weapon skill.

A character may learn more than one school of fencing, but each additional school adds +25% to the experience cost. A character's Rank in a school of fencing may never exceed that character's Rank with the weapon.

Example:
Arolic School Fencing
This school of fencing emphasizes defense and self protection until the opportunity to land a strike appears.
Effects: +5 + (1 per 2 Ranks) DEF; Dam +1 at Rank 4, +2 at Rank 7, +3 at Rank 9; subtract (10 - Rank) from SC.

Examples: Alphonse has Rank 3 in Rapier and Rank 2 in Arolic Fencing. He adds +6 to his defense, does no additional damage, and subtracts -8 from his SC. Aramis has Rank 7 Estoc and Rank 7 Arolic Fencing. He adds +9 to his defense, does +2 additional damage, and subtracts -3 from his SC.

This is just a first draft at this idea. My current gaming group is going to playtest this once we have a working draft.

Comments? Suggestions? Like it or hate it?

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ADDITIONAL WATER MAGICS
-- Jason Winter <Alarian@u...>
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[Note: This information was posted to the WebRPG site a while ago. I asked Jason Winter if we could reprint it in the Newsletter so that more people could see it, and so that a copy would be in the archives. He gladly agreed to this, although he also pointed out that not all of this was his work.

If you recognize something here as being your work, please let us know, so that we can ascribe proper credit. -- Editor]

New Water Magics
T-2 Sensing the Call of the Water
T-3 Ultravision
S-3 Walk on Water
S-4 Underwater Action
S-9 Wall of Water
S-10 Bolt of Water
S-16 Torrential Geyser
S-18 Spell of Fireproofing
S-19 Sashelan Blessing
S-20 Aura of the Sea
R-1 Ritual of Curing Decompression Sickness
R-3 Ritual of Conjuring Sea Storm
R-4 Ritual of Destiny Sail

The first two are talents.

2. Sensing the Call of the Water
This talent allows the Adept to sense major bodies of water, sensing all within a 10 mile range ( + 2 per Rank), with an accuracy of [PC + (5 * Rank)]. The Adept will not know the best route to arrive at the water, only the exact direction and distance. The experience multiple for this Talent is 125.

3. Ultravision
The Water Mage is able to see into the ultraviolet spectrum. As long as he is not under ground, he may see in the dark as if it were twilight, out to a range of 10 +10/rank (+25/rank if underwater) feet. This talent is very effective for seeing underwater. The experience point cost of this talent is 125.

The rest are Special Knowledge Spells.

3. Walk on Water
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 hr. + 1 per Rank
EXP Multiple: 175
Base Chance: 50%
Save: negates (if desired)
Effects: The target of this spell can walk on water. Strong waves will knock the target down, but they only land on a soft cushion of water, from which they buoy up to the surface like a cork. The spell can be cast on animals, wagons, items, etc., as well as unwilling targets. When walking on water, the target has one-half their normal TMR.

4. Underwater Action
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 hour + 1 hour/rank
EXP Multiple: 200
Base Chance: 20%
Save: none
Description: This spell allows the recipient to move freely underwater with no penalties. Thus weapons may be swung with no penalty. In addition, the recipient may survive at great depths without fear of being crushed by the pressure of the water. A character protected by this spell need not fear decompression sickness (the "bends").

9. Wall of water
Range: 5 feet + 5 feet/rank
Duration: 10 rounds + 1 round per rank
EXP Multiple: 150
Base: 30%
Save: none
Effects: This brings into effect an immobile wall of continuously churning water that looks very much like a tidal wave stuck in place. The wave does no damage unless someone attempts to pass through it. If a creature attempts to pass though it, they must make a saving throw. Is successful, target passes through the wall with no damage. If unsuccessful, the effects depend on the casters rank. At ranks 1-10, the target cannot pass through the wall. At rank 11 or higher, the target gets sucked into the wall and takes d-5 (+1 per 3 ranks) per round until they are able to free themselves of the wall. To free themselves of the wall, they must roll their AG+PS or less on percentile. If the target frees themselves of the wall, they have a 50% chance of landing on either side of the wall. They have no say in where they land.

10. Bolt of Water
Range: 15 feet + 15 feet/rank
Duration: Immediate
EXP Multiple: 200
Base Chance: 15%
Save: none
Effects: A bolt of water springs from the caster's palm and strikes the target causing 1 point damage per rank of the caster. This spell is effective both in and out of water.

16. Torrential Geyser
Range: 15 ft. + 15 per Rank
Duration: Concentration (max. 1 round + 1 per rank)
EXP Multiple: 575
Base Chance: 5%
Save: negates
Effects: This spell summons a geyser of water and fires it at a single target for the duration of the spell. The water does D ( + 2 per Rank) damage unless saved against, in which case it does no damage for that round only. In addition, the target is forced back 5 feet each pulse the spray strikes the target.

18. Spell of Fireproofing
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 minutes + 1 minute per 2 ranks
Save: None
EXP Multiple: 500
Base Chance: 9%
Area: 1 target
Effects: This spell was designed to protect ships from their worst enemy: fire. The mage is able to provide 10% protection vs. normal and magical fires to any one object that is standing or floating in water. The protection affords total protection, so if there is 30% protection on a ship and a roll of 30% or less is made, the fire does not even get started. This spell will protect a single sea-going vessel, including masts, rigging and sails, up to 10 feet in length at rank 0. As rank improves, the mages ability to protect larger ships and provide more protection also increases. For every rank with this spell, the mage may either protect an additional 10 feet in length of ships or, increase the protection of verses fires by 10% or any combination of the two. So a mage rank 5 in this spell could give 10% protection to a 60 foot ship, give 60% protection to a 10 foot ship or any combination in-between. In addition, the spell will also provide protection vs. magical fires. At rank 22, the mage can protect any size seagoing vessel with 100% protection against normal and magical fires. It should also be pointed out that this effects ALL fires. Existing fires that are on the ship when the spell is cast have a chance of being extinguished as well. This includes lanterns, a fire in the stove, etc. It also effects the lighting of fires as well by friendly crew members. So it would become very difficult for fire use against your enemy once this spell was cast as well as all attempts to light the ammo to launch would have a chance of not lighting. This spell can also be cast on a living creature and will protect them from normal fires at ranks 1-11 and normal and magical fires at ranks 12+. The protection extends to worn clothing and carried gear as well. The protected person must be standing or floating in water (i.e., some significant portion of their anatomy must be physically in the water).

19. Sashelan Blessing
Range: Touch
Duration: 2 hours/rank of caster
EXP Multiple: 100
Base Chance: 30%
Save: none
Effects: This spell places the target person into a state of deep slumber as its most immediate effect. It infuses the target(s) with the ability to breathe water, survive underwater pressure, and remain dry (including all belongings held when spell was cast) while under the effects of the Sashelan blessing. If the target of the spell remains above water, he continues to breathe air, but the spell only lasts for two rounds per level if the target is not submerged. The spell leaves a minor coral-pink glamour over the target that is visible only in the upper fifty feet of water. Once submerged below that point, the shifts in color make it invisible except by detect magic spells. This spell cannot be cast on someone who already has some active water-breathing magic (or the innate ability) active in her system, nor does it work on any creatures larger than man size. The target's slumber can be broken by damage or loud noises, but the hum of the deep (the constant background noise of the sea and its inhabitants) or any non-damaging impacts (with dolphins or the like) are not enough to break the spell. If the target is awakened, the water breathing effect remains for only 1d6 rounds.

20. Aura of the Sea
Range: Touch
Duration: 2 hours +1 hour /rank
EXP Multiple: 350
Base Chance: 25%
Save: none
Effects: This spell surrounds the target in a 2-foot-thick nimbus of green energy that quickly turns invisible in more than ten feet of water, as it lights up a 30-foot-radius around the caster. This aura provides the target with all the adjustments and aid needed for a surface dweller to venture deep into a body of water with little problem. It handles the usual problem areas of breathing, sight, hearing, speech, warmth, and undersea movement all at once.
� Breathing: The aura makes the water within it breathable and keeps the caster dry as if in air, but is still water.
� Sight: Looking out through the aura, the bearer of this magic sees normally for the depth in all conditions (including having a heightened chance at blindness while under the influence of this spell). In addition, the basic glow of the aura that provides a 60-foot-diameter space of its own light never drops below the conditions of moonlit night (see "Undersea Facts of Life").
� Speech and Hearing: PCs within aura of the sea hear normally. They can also engage in conversation, as the aura automatically translates both aquatic Elvish or the merfolk language into Common for the PC's ears and any PCs speech to aquatic Elvish. If neither speaker or listener understand these tongues, they at least have no problem clearly hearing the other's attempts at communication.
� Warmth: The aura provides a basic level of warmth equal to the air temperature at the water's surface when cast, regardless of the depth of the water.
� Movement: Rather than force a person to learn how to swim, the aura actually allows the target to move simply by thinking and with small body movements. In other words, the target gains a TMR 9 without any effort. In terms of other movement (including combat), the bearer has the effects of Underwater Action, allowing freedom of movement and the negation of the standard underwater combat penalties.

The remaining are Special Knowledge Rituals

1. Ritual of Curing Decompression Sickness
This ritual completely cure decompression sickness and all of its associated affects on the target. The ritual takes 1 hour to perform and may take no other actions during the time the ritual is being performed. The base chance for success with this ritual is 20%. The EXP Multiple is 100.

3 Ritual of Conjuring Sea Storm
This spell summons elemental forces of nature in a fierce sea storm. Waves range from 20 to 50 feet in height, heavy rains obscure vision for more than a few feet, winds blow at 25 to 60 MPH. The storm may be delayed up to 2 (+1/rank) hours after casting. The storm may be summoned anywhere within 1 mile (+1/4 mile per rank) and will last 1 hour (+1 hour/rank). It effects a 10 mile radius (+2/rank). The EXP Multiple for this ritual is 350. The base cast chance for this ritual is 15%.

4 Ritual of Destiny Sail
The mage may command the body of water to carry the target vessel to a specified and known destination. The caster will be entranced for the duration of the journey as he concentrates on this spell. The vessel's speed is increased by 2 (+1 per 2 ranks) knots while the spell is in effect. The destination must be a place which is in contact with the water (a bank, coast, etc.). The size of the vessel that may be transported with this ritual is based on the skill the mage has with this ritual. The size is 25 feet (+5 feet/rank for ranks 1-10, and +20 feet for ranks 11-21, and at rank 22 the mage may transport any ship). The casting time for this ritual is 5 hours. The base cast chance is 15%. The EXP Multiple is 700.

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DragonQuest NET
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Summer has been slow for DragonQuest (and appologies to all the Australians and New Zealanders (and others) who are forced to put up with my Northern Hemisphere bias; I know it's not summer everywhere).

In fact, it's been so slow that I'm not even getting any messages asking what is going on with the Newsletter and when will we see the next one.

Unfortunately, that also means there isn't much to say about new DragonQuest information on the Net. Hopefully things will pick up in the fall (or spring) and we'll see some new sites.

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