Chapter 3 - Dominion and Realm Characters 

3.1 Dominions | 3.2 Realm Characters | 3.3 Species | 3.4 Attributes | 3.5 Knowledge | 3.6 Reputation | 3.7 Fame/Infamy | 3.8 Equipment | 3.9 Ascension

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3.1 Dominions

3.2 Realm Characters

The mainstay of your dominion, realm characters (RCs) are the individuals who perform the actions of the game. They are the actual characters in their adventuring careers. Your RCs are defined by the skill groups they pursue, their attribute scores, their fame and their reputation.

Realm characters live a hard life. The threat of death is ever-present. In order to keep your realm character alive, you must be cautious. When your health drops to 0, your realm character is rendered unconscious. If the RC is starving, or has a disease or malady which causes reoccurring health loss, then this will eventually lead to death. If brought to 0 or below during combat, the RC may be killed as well, depending on what struck the final blow. Rats, for example, will probably not kill you, but the crushing blow from a Frost Giant probably will. Your RC's Physical Strength score also modifies these chances.

If knocked unconscious or dead, the realm character is removed from the encounter and receives no share of the treasure. After the encounter is finished, unconscious realm characters immediately return to 1 health, and begin to heal naturally.

In order to prevent death from happening, there are a few steps to take. First, arm your character well when adventuring. Good equipment can help prevent damage taken in battle. Second, do not be reckless. In other words, if you're in your second month of processing with your realm character, do not venture to the bottom of a 20 level dungeon. Third, make sure you always have rations! This has claimed lives before, and it is the most avoidable death in the game. You can store up to 200 days worth of rations (half of the calendar year), so try not to fall below 50. A warning message appears if you have less then 1 month's rations remaining.

If your realm character does die, it is not the end of the world. High-level sorcerers can invoke Resurrection (if known) to bring a fallen comrade back to life again. Otherwise, you may be able to purchase a scroll of Resurrection from a guild or shop.

When a realm character dies, his/her body starts to decompose. After ten turns (one calendar year), if the body is not resurrected, it will disappear into nothingness. At that point, nothing will bring back the realm character. However, you have ten turns to bring them back.

When they die, their body will be in the same place they died. All realm characters that pass by can see the fallen body as well. If an RC with the appropriate abilities happens by, he/she can invoke Resurrection and bring back the life force of the fallen one. Any RC of appropriate skill can do this without restriction. In addition, certain mystical items may provide the same benefit.

However, if a realm character of appropriate skill comes by, the body can be retrieved and brought back to a city with a healer. In order to retrieve the body, a realm character from the same dominion (or a friendly dominion) must go to the location where the body is lying and use the GROUP WITH action. Instead of grouping with that realm character, the dead RC will group with you. For dominions that only have one realm character, if your only realm character dies, anybody in the world can use this order to retrieve the fallen body (allowing you a chance to continue in the game).

After retrieving the body, go to a healer, and perform the PURCHASE action indicating the service you wish to receive ("RESURRECTION"). You will be prompted to input the realm character identifier (six character code beginning with "R"). At that point, the cost for the resurrection is subtracted from the fallen realm character first. If he does not have enough money to cover his own resurrection, then the realm character who initiated the resurrection must cover the difference. After being resurrected, the realm character will have a health of 1. If a scroll is used instead, then it must be purchased and then used with the dead realm character's ID as the target.

If your last realm character succumbs to death and is not resurrected in time, you may continue to play by creating another realm character and starting over with all of the dominion's belongings in place. All realm characters are immune from death for the first 5 months of their adventuring career.

Premier members can gain additional realm characters over time, up to a maximum of 4. Realm Characters will become interested in your dominion through the course of your realm character's adventuring careers. In game terms, this means that you get a second realm character once your first realm character has a combined 15 total strength points (5's in Intellectual, Physical, and Mystical strength - or a combination that adds up to 15). Once your next realm character gets to that level, you are given the opportunity to create a third. The same requirements are there for creating a fourth RC.

Additional RCs may act independantly from each other (meaning they can go in different directions and perform different actions - but they are still subject to whatever reactions and benefits exist for your dominion as a whole).

3.3 Species

Realm characters can become one of 5 selected species in Storm World: Human; Brun; Dwarf; Elf; and Lizardman. Each has specific benefits which can be useful in different areas of the game. Each species is described below.

Human

They most predominant race in Scandiaca, humans dominate city life. They are strong and intelligent. They range in size from 5 to 61/2 feet tall, and weigh anywhere from 125-250lbs.
Attribute Benefits*: +1 Intellectual Strength
Preferred Weapons**: Swords (Short Sword, Broadsword, Long Sword, Great Sword)
Skill Benefits: +1 Level for all Merchant
Favored Terrain: Cities/Ruins
Maximum Age: 70-90 (68+d10+d12)

Brun

Brun are noble and proud, disciplined and honorable. The Brun are strong-willed but tempered with extreme wisdom. The Brun dominate the plains of the land, as well as the ocean. They stand just over 6 feet tall and weigh 150-250lbs. Brun have pale, almost chalk-white skin, and large eyes. They favor the colder regions of Scandiaca.
Attribute Benefits*: +1 Intellectual Strength
Preferred Weapons**: Polearms (Bardiche, Halberd, Glaive, Quarterstaff)
Skill Benefits: +1 Level for all Psionics
Favored Terrain: Plains/Grassland
Maximum Age: 70-100 (68+d12+d20)

Dwarf

Stern and strong, the Dwarves are one of the heartier races in the realm. They are clan-oriented, and shy away from large cities when possible. They usually stand around 5 feet tall, but weigh in excess of 250 pounds. They have rugged complexions and tend to favor facial hair (both genders).
Attribute Benefits*: +1 Physical Strength
Preferred Weapons**: Axes (Hand Axe, Battle Axe, Great Axe, Throwing Axe)
Skill Benefits: +1 Level for all Combat
Favored Terrain: Hills/Mountains
Maximum Age: 90-120 (88+d12+d20)

Elf

Most elves of Scandiaca are wood elves, favoring the natural environment of the forests rather then cities of earth and stone. They are clan-oriented, but there are a significant number of them which dwell inside the human cities. They are between 5 and 5¹/₂ feet tall and thin (usually between 110 and 175 pounds).
Attribute Benefits*: +1 Mystical Strength
Preferred Weapons**: Bows (Short Bow, Composite Short Bow, Long Bow, Composite Long Bow)
Skill Benefits: +1 Level for all Stealth
Favored Terrain: Forests/Groves
Maximum Age: 90-120 (88+d12+d20)

Lizardman

Lizardmen are very strong and agile. They are not credited with the intelligence of humans (although that is debatable) but their physical strength certainly is higher. They typically stand 6 - 7 feet tall, weigh over 250 pounds, but can run like any elf. They have bluish-white scales and black eyes. They are also one of the more short-lived races.
Attribute Benefits*: +1 Physical Strength
Preferred Weapons**: Spears (Spear, Long Spear, Javelin)
Skill Benefits: +1 Level for all Environment
Favored Terrain: Swamps/Marshes
Maximum Age: 60-90 (58+d12+d20)

Gnome***

Gnomes are inquisitive and rash. They tend to have brilliant ideas, but are too quick to act on them. The Gnomes enjoy city life more then life in the wild. They stand just over 4 feet tall and weigh 70-150lbs. Gnomes have large heads in proportion to their bodies, and even larger noses. They are natural magic-users, but they have as many accidents as they do successes. Gnomes have no language of their own and speak Dwarf.
Attribute Benefits*: +1 Mystical Strength
Preferred Weapons**: Firearms (Arquebus, Pistol, Musket)
Skill Benefits: +1 Level for all Sorcery
Favored Terrain: City
Maximum Age: 70-100 (68+d12+d20)

Halfling***

Halflings are short and slender, resembling humans in most ways. They have more facial and body hair (along the arms , legs and feet especially) with narrow eyes and slightly pointed ears. Halflings have no love for the wilderness and are perfectly at home inside of a large city or small village. They stand just over 4 feet tall and weigh 70-125lbs. Many halflings find themselves as scouts, rangers or thieves. Halflings have no language of their own and speak Elf.
Attribute Benefits*: +1 Intellectual Strength
Preferred Weapons**: Half-Spear, Sling
Skill Benefits: +1 Level for all Stealth
Favored Terrain: City
Maximum Age: 60-90 (58+d12+d20)

Ursus***

Ursus are humanoid bears. They have the posture and walk of primitive humans, and hair (not fur) covers them from head to toe. Their faces are a cross between human and bear, though still covered in hair. Ursi (plural) do not like city life, and prefer forested groves and hillsides. They stand just over 7 feet tall and weigh 200-380lbs. Ursus have no language of their own and speak Common.
Attribute Benefits*: +1 Physical Strength
Preferred Weapons**: Maul, Great Club, Throwing Hammer
Skill Benefits: +1 Level for all Combat
Favored Terrain: Forests
Maximum Age: 70-100 (68+d12+d20)

Note*: Attribute benefits are applied at character creation
Note**: Preferred Weapons gain the benefit of being treated as if the weapon had one additional magic level (a bonus "plus"). For example, a Battle Axe +1 in the hands of a Dwarf is treated as a +2 weapon for all combats statistics but not in magical ability. In other words, if the Dwarf with a Battle Axe +1 attacks a creature which requires a +2 weapon to damage, then the dwarf will not be able to damage the creature. However, against creatures which are harmed by a +1 weapon, the dwarf does damage and strikes as if the weapon were in fact +2. This bonus applies even for non-mystical weapons (which would be treated as +1 for combat statistics).
Note***: Gnomes, Halflings and Ursus are not standard species. Therefore, your first realm character cannot be one of these races. However, any subsequent realm character may be one.

3.4 Attributes

The most fundamental statistics associated with your Realm Character, your attribute scores dictate almost every aspect of the game in some way. All realm characters, henchmen and creatures in Storm World have attribute scores associated to them. They are divided into three areas: Intellectual Strength; Physical Strength; and Mystical Strength.

Intellectual Strength

Intellectual Strength is a measure of a realm character's intelligence, wisdom, logic, charisma and willpower. By far the most used attribute for skill checks in the game, it is an important attribute. However, even beyond its skill check benefits, Intellectual Strength applies to combat abilities as well – such as attack skill (your "to-hit" score) and your rate of attack ("attack speed"). Your henchmen also have more loyalty toward you if you have a higher Intellectual Strength. This attribute also benefits you when subjected to mental attacks such as insanity, disorientation and psionics.

Humans, Brun and Halflings begin the game with a +1 bonus to their Intellectual Strength.

Physical Strength

Physical Strength is a measure of a realm character's muscle, stamina, agility, dexterity and health. Most of the combat and survival-related skills are adjusted to your Physical Strength. High attribute scores directly relate to your maximum health ("hit points") and the damage you inflict during combat. However, Physical Strength also applies to your agility and dexterity. Your ability to avoid attacks and your manual skills (such as picking locks or disarming traps) are dictated by this attribute. Having a high Physical Strength also helps when subjected to a physical attack such as weakening, disease or poison.

Dwarves, Lizardmen and Ursi begin the game with a +1 bonus to their Physical Strength.

Mystical Strength

Mystical Strength is a measure of a realm character's understanding of mystical forces - both magical and psionic. This is a little more obscure of an ability, but important for many uses as well. It dictates your overall prowess with mysticism as well as your luck. This applies mostly to sorcery and psionics abilities (so if you are creating a mystic, be sure to keep this skill high). Spell and power levels are tied directly to your Mystical Strength. However, other abilities, such as foraging for components and your ability to use special abilities of mystical items are important for those who do not follow a mystical path. This also applies to your resistance to mystical attacks.

Only Elves and Gnomes begin the game with a +1 bonus to their Mystical Strength.

3.5 Knowledge

Every three levels of ability (every three CPs allocated) equates to 1 point of Knowledge. Knowledge is simply a broad skill group. It applies to all skills within the group. There are nine groups: Languages; Environment; Mariner; Merchant; Leadership; Combat; Stealth; Sorcery; and Psionics.

Because you begin the game with a total of 7 attribute points (you begin the game with a 1 in all three attributes, plus you get three more to allocate, plus you get the one-time species bonus), you begin the game with 2 Knowledge points. The first one is automatically allocated to your Language skill group (to acquire the native tongue of your species) and the second one is available for your choice of allocation.

In each skill group, there are a number of skills which automatically benefit from the point of Knowledge. For example, skills in the Environment group include Hunting, Foraging, Gathering, Hiking, Alchemy and more. If you apply one point of Knowledge toward Environment, then all of those skills benefit from it. In other words, you can always hunt, forage, gather, not to mention fight in melee, lead henchmen, burglarize homes and ply a trade, but by allocating Knowledge toward some specific skill group, you can perform those skills better.

There are some exceptions to this general rule.

(1) Language Knowledge applies directly to a language. Every time a Knowledge point is applied to Languages, then your RC learns to read/write/speak a new language. Once you know a language, your knowledge of that language is at its maximum, so any more knowledge will only expand your language list but not improve your existing list.

(2) Craft Knowledge is similar to Languages in that it applies specifically to a craft skill such as armorer, weaponsmith or entertainer. However, unlike Language, all known Craft skills improve with the addition of more Knowledge.

(3) You cannot pilot a boat until you have at least one point of Knowledge in the Mariner skill group. Although some skills in this group can be performed (such as diving and fishing), piloting a boat and navigating through deep water is unavailable until you have at least one point of Knowledge allocated.

(4) Similarly, you cannot cast Sorcerer spells nor invoke Psionic powers until at least one point is allocated toward Sorcery and Psionics (respectively). Note that your effective invocation level is governed by the number of Knowledge points you allocate. This means that if you allocate only 1 point of Knowledge to Sorcery, then you cast all spells at level 1 in effectiveness.

Consult Chapter 5 for a complete list of skills within each skill group. Also, note that all skills use a combination of the skill group level, and the appropriate attribute strength score. Therefore, having a high skill level is not the only thing needed to perform a skill well.

3.6 Reputation

Reputation is one of three uncontrolled statistics that applies to your RC. Uncontrolled simply means that you do not have direct control over its change, it changes based on actions your RC takes during his/her adventuring career. Every combat victory, lair clearing, dungeon exploration, etc. may increase your Reputation.

There is only a chance that your reputation will improve with each event. Obviously it is more difficult to improve your reputation when it is already extremely high. This means that by accomplishing tasks early in your adventuring career, your reputation will increase faster then in later years.

Over time, your reputation subsides, so you should still be diligent to continue adventuring in order to maintain a high reputation. The higher your reputation, the more likely it will decline over time.

Reputation has a number of benefits associated to it - all of which are in relating to interactions with Independent Realm Characters (in other words - all non-player-controlled individuals in the game). The higher your reputation, the more likely a store owner will offer special pricing or a unique item. Higher reputation scores are beneficial to acquiring some henchmen (even required by others). Guilds are attracted to people who have a good reputation as well.

Although you may have a high reputation, the way you get your reputation is tracked through the use of the Fame/Infamy scale.

Some actions which will affect your reputation include: (1) Combat; (2) Crafting Items; (3) Protecting the City; (4) Burglary and Theft; and (5) Guild Interactions.

3.7 Fame/Infamy

With most every action you perform in the game, your reputation is affected. The method by which you accomplish that objective is measured through Fame and Infamy. This is measured by a scale which starts at 50 and can increase (towards "Fame") up to 100 or decrease (towards "Infamy") down to 0. Also similar to Reputation, Fame and Infamy affects independent realm character interaction, and through time, eventually returns to 50.

For every act you perform through noble or heroic deeds, your Fame increases (the scale increments up towards 100). When already low, this increment is more dramatic and steady, but if already leaning on the Fame side, it takes more actions to achieve the same result.

The same is said for Infamy. Actions which are performed through illegal or immoral means slide the scale incrementally downward. If above 50, this decrease happens more steadily.

Certain organizations require different ratings. For example, an assassin's guild may be on the lookout for people with infamous pasts, while priests of a good-aligned deity may want people who are on the other end of the scale. Keep in mind that this is used in conjunction with the reputation scores to provide a modifier for interactions. The assassins guild mentioned above might have requirements of a reputation score of 20+ and a fame rating of less then 35. Obviously this does not get communicated explicitly to the player, you are simply given a response that your reputation is undeserving or you are too noble in spirit.

As examples, your fame increases when you perform city guard duty for the city, or when you clear out an evil lair. Your infamy increases when you burglarize homes or attack innocent people in the wilderness (by setting your intent to Aggressive). Other actions which affect this rating are found through adventure.

3.8 Equipment

Your character is more then just a collection of attribute scores and skills. You must equip your characters for them to survive the environs of Storm World. Your equipment includes weapons, armor, shields, helms, bracers, leggings, special items, treasure, and more.

To obtain weapons, armor or shields for your character, simply use the PURCHASE action from within a city and indicate which armament you wish to buy from which location. If you are outside of a city, this order will fail. Before you select that purchase, you must sure of several things. First, your realm character must have enough money (gold royals) to make the purchase. You also must make sure that the item is for sale at that time. Mundane weapons, armor, and shields are always available at the local shops, but mystical versions of these items are not. Also, make sure you know the physical requirements, as well as the mystical requirements, of the weapon chosen. Your realm character may not be able to wield it.

For example, let's say you wish to buy a weapon ("X1000", a dagger) from a weapon shop ("C0001" as an example). When you select the PURCHASE action, you will be prompted to enter the location you wish to purchase from (default is "CURRENT") and the weapon you wish to purchase (X1000 in this case) and press <ENTER> or click {OK} after each entry. You action queue will show the following entry: "[PURCHASE:X1000|C0001] ". Note that you may type in the word "dagger" instead of using the code X1000, but this makes it subject to more error.

You can also sell items in the same fashion, but you always sell items to the public when selecting SELL (trading between players requires a different method).

When you purchase weapons and armor, you must make sure to ready those armaments if you wish to use them, or they are nothing more then items in your inventory report. The areas you "ready" are as follows: Primary hand, Off hand, Missile Weapon, Armor, Helm, Bracers, Leggings, Miscellaneous item 1 and Miscellaneous item 2 (you have more miscellaneous slots available as you gain experience). You need not ready something for all of these areas, and in some cases you definitely wouldn’t.

Note that when you begin the game, you start with a Dagger ready in your primary hand, and Cloth armor as your armor. Also, note that your Physical Strength score dictates the equipment you use to arm yourself. The Bulk rating of an armament counts against your Physical Strength. The sum of all bulk ratings from all armed items cannot exceed your Physical Strength score. (A dagger and cloth armor both have a bulk rating of 0.)

Primary Hand: The item you have ready in your primary hand is your primary melee weapon. Only items listed as melee weapons can be armed in this slot. In the event that your primary weapon is a two-handed weapon (such as a pole arm or two-handed sword), then you may not ready anything in your off hand.

Off Hand: This slot may have one of three things. It is primarily used for carrying a shield (increasing defense), but it may be used to help wield large, two-handed weapons (see above), or you can ready another single-handed weapon (granting you an extra attack). Though technically this is your character's "off-hand", no penalties are assessed to items ready here. Also note that Sorcerer spells - including ones invoked from a scroll - cannot be invoked nor maintained unless your off hand is free (it cannot carry a shield, weapon, or help to wield a two-handed weapon - with the exception of a Quarterstaff) which is armed as your primary weapon. If a Sorcerer spell is initiated and then your off hand is in use, the sorcerer spells are disrupted.

Missile Weapon: You may only ready weapons which are listed as missile weapons here. If armed, you will be able to attack during the missile stage of combat (which always precedes melee). Ammunition for bows, crossbows, darts, etc, is not important (nor tracked), so you do not have to worry about running out of ammunition. Note that if you have some other missile attack ability (such as a sorcerer's Mage Blast spell or an innate breath weapon) you can use a missile weapon in conjunction with that attack unless specifically noted.

Armor: You may only ready an armor item in this slot. Nothing else can be readied here. Armor is your most effective defense, as the deflect damage rating applies to all strikes, regarless of hit location.

Helm: Helms are worn on the head (self-explanatory I think) and they help your defense score, but only attacks which strike your RC's head allow your helm to contribute it's deflect damage rating. Also note that Psionic powers cannot be invoked nor maintained while a helm is worn even if invoked from a gem. If a Psionic power is initiated and then a helm is worn, the psionics powers are disrupted.

Bracers: Bracers are worn on the arms and shoulders and help your defense score, but only attacks which strike your RC's arms allow your bracers to contribute it's deflect damage rating.

Leggings: Leggings are worn on the legs and help your defense score, but only attacks which strike your RC's legs allow your leggings to contribute it's deflect damage rating.

Miscellaneous: These two slots (#1 and #2) are special. Though weapons (melee and missile), armor, nor shield can be armed here, you can ready items such as potions, scrolls, or gems. If a situation comes up where these items are useful, your realm character may take advantage of them. For example, if your realm character has a potion of healing ready in miscellaneous slot #1, then it will be imbibed during combat (if he/she needs healing). Also, a realm character that has a mass-attack power imbued onto a gem, then it will be used during the mystical round of combat.

Note though, you cannot sell an item which is currently ready in any of the above slots. In order to sell it, you must either equip some other item or ready 'none' to that slot to unequip it.

3.9 Ascension

Although this is a skill-based game rather then a level-based game, there are certain milestones which can be classified as levels in the game. These levels (starting with level 1 and continuing to a maximum of level 9) carry with them certain benefits as well.

There is nothing special which must be done prior to achieving these levels. Once your character has enough skill, the ascension occurs automatically. In the table below, these levels are described.