Game Introduction & Character Creation Guide

1.0 Abbreviations used in this Guide RM2 RMC RMX RMSS SM2 ChL&CaL AL&CL SL RMCx C&Tx Rolemaster 2 - the 1989 release of Rolemaster. Rolemaster Classic - the 2007 re-release & update of RM2. Rolemaster Express - simplified RMC rule set designed for quick & easy play. Rolemaster Standard System - Mid 90's version of Rolemaster. RMSS is a very different game to RM2/RMC in many respects. Space Master 2 - RMs Sci-Fi sister product. SM2 follows the same rule set as RM2 & the two products are compatible. Character Law & Campaign Law - Game System Rule Book Arms Law & Claw Law - Combat System Rule Book Spell Law - Magic System Rule Book Rolmaster Companion x - x representing the Volume number (from one to seven) of the Companion. Example: RMCII - Rolemaster Companion II Creatures & Treasures. RMs beast & treasure compendiums. x represents the Volume number (from one to three). Example: C&TI - Creatures & Treasures I. Elemental Companion. RMs definitive tome on Elemental Magic & Creatures. Spell Users Companion. Optional rules & spell lists for Spell Users of all realms. Alchemy Companion. RMs definitive tome of Alchemy & Item Creation. Oriental Companion. Optional rules & professions with an Oriental flair. Sea Law. RMs Marine vessel rule book War Law. RMs Mass Combat System Player Character Non Player Character Offensive Bonus Defensive Bonus Armour Type Movement Maneuver Bonus Static Maneuver Bonus Special Skill Bonus Resistance Roll Bonus Development Points Experience Points Exhaustion Points Power Points Training Package Essence Channeling

EC SUC AlcC OrC SeaL WL PC NPC OB DB AT MM SM SP RR DP XP ExhP PP TP Ess Chan

Ment Mentalism 2.0 Some Things To Keep In Mind For Character Creation We will be using the full scope of the Core Rolemaster rule set, along with a number of optional rules from the old RM2 Companion books (these were books released in th late 1980's & early 90's which expanded RM in a number of different ways). I have provided you with RMX (Rolemaster Express) because it is the best summation of the Rules for beginners that I have found. But there are a number of things we will be adding to the basic rules of RMX. What follows are some of the details of the rules we will be adding. 2.1 Races First off, more then four races will be available for Player Characters. If you have read the Beginners Guide To The World Of Nytheun you would have quickly realized that there are more then just Common Humans, Dwarves, Wood Elves & Halflings populating the world. Because this campaign is set in the Grand Duchy of Ravenstone, players may choose from the following list of available PC Races found in the Grand Duchy: Race High Elf Grey Elf Wood Elf High Man Mixed Man Common Man North Man Dark Tribes Common Or Noble Oriental Man Dwarf Halfling 2.2 Professions When it comes to professions, all of the professions listed in Rolemaster Companion 2 (RMCII) are available - depending on Racial Restrictions. The following table lists the professions, Nytheun Culture Iperatesi Ronith Sosith High Erupuan Lesser Erupuan One of the Pliac Nations One of the Hanoteac Nations Raivarivar Zrilan Rhysemen Rhphemen RM Book Chl & CaL RMCI Chl & CaL Chl & CaL RMCI Chl & CaL RMCI RMCI OrC Chl & CaL Chl & CaL Rarity In Ravenstone Common Rare Common Common Common Common Common Rare Common Common Common

the Realm of Power, a short description & their suitability as a PC Profession rated from Rare; Poor; Fair; Good to Excellent. Profession Alchemist Animist Archmage Astrologer Barbarian Bard Beastmaster Burglar Cleric Conjuror Crystal Mage Dancer Delver Dervish Druid Fighter Healer High Warrior Monk Illusionist Lay Healer Magician Mentalist Monk Mystic Realm Ess Chan Arcane* Chan/Ment Arms Ment/Arms Ess/Arms Arms Chan Ess Ess/Ment Arms Ess/Arms Chan/Arms Chan Arms Chan Arms Ess Ment Ess Ment Ess/Arms Ess/Ment Description Creator of magical items Nature based cleric Powerful spell caster Information gatherer Unarmoured warrior User of song spells Animal master Specialized thief Religious priest Summoner of entities Spell power from gems Entertainer Information gatherer Uses dances & songs for spells Woodland spell caster Basic arms profession Healer who takes on the wounds of others Martial Arts zealot Creator of illusions Basic healing profession Basic spell caster profession Master of mental spells Spell using Martial Artist Deal with misdirection & illusions Poor Good Rare* Fair Good Good Good Good Good Fair Rare Fair Fair Fair Good Excellent Fair Good Fair Poor Excellent Excellent Good Fair Suitability

Necromancer Nightblade No Profession Paladin Ranger Rogue Runemaster Sage Scholar Seer Shaman Sorcerer Thief Trader Warlock Warrior Mage Warrior Monk Witch

Ess/Chan Ment Arms/Any Chan/Arms Chan/Arms Arms Ess Ment Arms Ment Chan Ess/Chan Arms Arms Chan/Ment Ess/Arms Arms

Summoner of the Dead Magic using thief/assassin Generic Catch-All Holy Crusader Wilderness Expert Jack Of All Trades Master of scroll enchantments Academic magic user Academic Prophet/Visionary Summoner of animal spirits Powerful magic user Basic thief profession Merchant Powerful manipulator Good with magic & weapons Basic Martial Arts Profession

Poor Good Poor Good Excellent Good Good Poor Poor Poor Good Good Excellent Fair Good Good Good

Ess/Chan Uses potions & demons Poor * Archmages draw their power from the Arcane Realm which was the only Realm of Power before Magic was split into the three Realms known today. As such, Archmages can learn spells from all three Realms & choose their Base Lists from the Arcane Spell Lists available in the various Companions. Due to the nature of their power, this profession is extremely rare. If a player wishes to play an Archmage, he/she will have to devise some special background to explain the source of the Mages knowledge of the Arcane. 2.3 Stats The Statistic system outlined in RMX is quite simple & does not allow for much Character variation. As such, we will be using a modified version from one of the Companions. Each player will make ten D100 rolls. Any values below 50 can be re-rolled. Any roll of exactly 100 allows the player an extra roll. If this second roll is 90 or more, the player then makes the stat 101. Once each player has their list of 10 values, he/she will assign a value to each of the ten temporary stats. Next, each player should swap out the values of their Primary Stats for 90s. At this point, Stat bonuses can be calculated. To calculate Development Points (DP), take each value of Constitution, Agility, Self-

Discipline, Memory & Reasoning and divide them by 5. Add up the results and this is your DPs for this level. To determine Potential Stats, roll for each stat. If the value rolled is higher then the temporary stat, this is the value of the Potential. If the value rolled is the same or less then the temporary stat, then the potential stat is the same as the temporary stat. Finally, we will determine the PCs tertiary stats. Appearance (AP) is determined by making a D100 roll and adding the PCs PR bonus. Luck (LU) is a simple D100 roll. Rationality (RA) is the average of the PCs RE & SD. Finally, Will (WL) is the total of the stat bonuses (not the Stats!) Of PR, EM, IN, SD, RE plus the Resistance Roll bonuses for Essence, Channeling & Mentalism for the PCs Race. These Territary stats do not affect skills but are used in certain game situations to help determine outcomes. 2.4 Background Options Each PC will have a number of Background Options that are determined by their Race. Players may use these Background Options on any of the ChL&CaL Background Tables or the Background Tables in RMCI. In the case of the RMCI Background Tables, a Player must choose either the Arms or Magic Table & can (only once) spend two Background Option Points to receive three rolls on the Table. Players will then roll on the Social Standing Table in RMCIII to determine their Social Status within their culture as well as their starting money to purchase additional goods & equipment. A Player may opt to also make a roll on the Idiosyncrasies Table (section 9.2 of Cyberspace) to further spice up their PCs background & personality. 2.5 Skills Again, we will be using the entire skill set from RM2 - the majority of which are summarized in Rolemaster Companion II (RMCII). Other skills are also available in later Companions as well as some of the other RM releases, such as Rolemaster Standard System (RMSS). If there is a skill that a Player thinks he/she will require during the game but is not covered in any of the RM2/RMC/RMSS products, the GM has the option of adding the skill to the list & determining a Skill Cost. However, the entire line of RM products cover just about ever imaginable skill one might need in a RPG. There is also the option of using the Training Packages (TP) from RMSS (without the Catagory ranks) if the Players are interested in them. Training Packages are packages of skills available for a set Development Point Cost (relative to the PC Profession) which represent some sort of Formal Training. Examples of TPs are City Guard; Con Man; Manipulator; Amateur Mage; &c TPs also have the advantage of giving the PC items relevant to the training as well as useful knowledge or contacts within the Game World. TPs are divided into two classes: Lifestyle & Vocational. A PC can only ever have one Lifestyle TP, whilst he/she may study as many Vocational TPs as the Player desires. Initially, Players can purchase a TP during their Adolescent Development (Level 0 Skill Development). Further TP purchases can be made only if the PC spends the allotted time in continuous training as indicated by the TP. This means no adventuring while learning the TP. TPs purchased in Adolescent Development will require that the Player explain the

Background of how their Character acquired this knowledge. Who was their teacher/mentor? How did the PC learn about the Training? How did the PC acquire any TP items or connections during the training? Was the PC a good student? There are TPs to be found in the RMSS rule book as well as a number of RMSS supplements & other sources. Players may pick TPs with the final approval of the GM. 2.6 Final Character Preparation The final step of Character Preparation are is to total up all the bonuses from skills & abilities (OBs, DBs, MMs, SMs, SPs, RRs, &c). After this is complete, each player should create their characters family using the tables in RMCI. Finally, each player should choose their character motivation, alignment, any allegiances (religious, political or other) as well as any sort of character goals they wish to achieve.

3.0 Game Play 3.1 Arms Law & Claw Law We will be using every Melee & Natural Attack & Critical table available throughout AL&CL as well as all of the Companions. As such, we will also be using the full RM Armour Type System (ATs 1 - 20). 3.2 Spell Law As with AL&CL, we will also be using the Spell Attack & Critical Tables available in SL as well as the Companions. We will also be using the full SL Spell System (i.e. Spells up to & beyond Level 50; Spell Learning System, &c). Spells offered in the Companions will also be available as per the normal SL rules. 3.3 Other Game Play Notes All other game play will be refereed by the GM. If there are questions about the rules at any given time during game play, the appropriate section of the RM Material will be referenced & the GM will have the final decision on what will transpire.