GURPS: Church and State

Much more to come, basic intro:

The Barony of Rotbrueck (Red Bridge) lies in the southwest corner of the Kingdom of Valderland. Valderland struggles to maintain it's independence from the expansive (but declining) Holy Quadrangle Empire of Man to the south. Rotbrueck encompasses and protects a key pass through the Braunstein Mountains, called Fuessen Pass. The town of Rotbrueck lies at the convergence of two minor rivers, the Snow River and Greywater River, and is the only bridge over either. The Church of the Quadrant is shifting in influence from Esus, the Lady of Life, to Ampul, the Lord of Light. A vicious civil war lies 13 years in Valderland's past, and much of current politics is colored by the shift in the Church, or the redressing of grievances from the civil war.

Starting year: 1348 years since Burn's Crossing 3217 years from the founding of the Church of the Qaudrant (or the Church of the Four)

Genre: Fantasy

Information for Character Creation

Starting point value allowed for player characters: 160

Disadvantage limit: -80

Especially useful character types: Dungeon Fantasy series archtypes.

Especially appropriate professions: Assistant or primary positions in a medieval professions like Huntsman, Reeve, Sheriff, Bailiff, guild members, clergy, Men-at-Arms, Sergeant-at-arms, knights, errant knights, squires, mages, woodsmen, heralds.

PC races allowed: Human, Gani (elves/apache), Arbeiters (dwarves/swiss), Barghast (viking/orc), Trellan (hillpeople/ogre types); as well as the half breeds of any of the above.

Starting wealth: $1,500

Starting Wealth levels allowed: Any up to Wealth (20 pts)

Starting Status levels allowed: -2 to +2

Starting TLs allowed: TL2-4 (Normal is 3/4, but is TL 2 for some races)

Languages available: Valder, Maguir (ethnic group in Rotbrueck Barony), Imperial, Gethoi,

Cultural Familiarities available: Northman, Central Kingdoms, Imperial

Required advantages, disadvantages, and skills: None

Especially appropriate advantages: Combat reflexes, magery, High Pain Threshold, Status,

Especially appropriate disadvantages: Alcoholism, any motivational disad with a control number (jealousy, greed, bloodlust, bully, bad temper), intolerance,

Especially appropriate skills: Combat skills, heraldry, magical heraldry (new), thaumatology, current events, area knowledge, horsemanship, woodsman skill

Appropriate Patrons: clergy, guild masters, landed knight, Baron Rotbrueck

Appropriate Enemies: A given family (blood feud), another lord, a landed knight

Special Abilities Allowed for PCs:

• Exotic/supernatural traits: almost any bought with power modifier of magical or divine. No spacial, temporal, or flying powers.

• Cinematic skills: yes, if you have magical aptitude (skills will be affected by mana level).

Are PC mages allowed? Yes, encouraged.

General mana level: normal, with spots of low and high (sanctity as well)

Are any of the spells from Chapter 5 off limits? Yes. Higher necromancy is LC 0 and temporal gate spells are mostly unknown.

Are PC psis allowed? No.

Are PC gadgeteers allowed? No.

Legal or social restrictions on these abilities: Some spells have legality classes, Control Rating is 5 for Status -2 to 0, CR 3 for status 1-3, and CR 1 for status 4+. Castles have LC 1, towers and fortified halls have LC 2, siege weapons are LC 2.

All GURPS 4th edition rule books published by Steve Jackson Games and appropriate to the setting are in play. This includes but is not limited to:

   * GURPS Basic Set, 4th edition 

   * GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Series

   * GURPS Fantasy (and Banestorm in part for info on status, etc)

   * GURPS Magic, 4th edition 

   * GURPS Martial Arts

   * GURPS Mass Combat

   * GURPS Power Ups (Imbuements and Perks)

   * GURPS Thaumatology

   * GURPS Thaumatology: Magical styles