Characters in Empire of the Petal Throne

Masked guard – Priest Kings' Palace, Hmakuýal (by James Garrison)

Given the strong association of Empire of the Petal Throne and Dungeons & Dragons, similarity of game mechanics between the two is to be expected.  The differences are therefore noteworthy, such as the differences with regard to character creation.

The three 'classes' in original D&D are Fighting-Men, Magic-Users, and Clerics.  For EotPT, the differences are in name only; the three 'professions' are Warriors, Magic Users, and Priests.  Similarly, while D&D has six 'abilities' for characters, EotPT has six 'talents'; four of these abilities/talents are identical:  Strength, Intelligence, Constitution, and Dexterity.  However, instead of Wisdom and Charisma, EotPT has Psychic Ability and Comeliness.  Although EotPT talents and D&D abilities are alike, the scores are determined differently; EotPT employs a flat distribution percentile.  According to section 410...

Should a player roll a totally unsuitable character, the referee (at his option, not the player's) may allow the player to roll over for a totally new character.  Re-rolling individual basic talents is NOT allowed, nor is it possible to transfer points from one talent to another.

Of course, with a flat probability distribution, EotPT characters have a greater likelihood than their D&D analogs of obtaining extreme values (either high or low).  The talent score 'groupings' (and their descriptors) are shown in the table below.  Interestingly, the 'average' range for every talent other than Comeliness is 41-60; for Comeliness, the 'average' range is 21-50.

Psychic Ability “is one's ability to employ magic, attain communication with the Gods, etc.”  It is the prime requisite for Magic Users in EotPT; in contrast to D&D, the prime requisite for EotPT Priests is Intelligence.  'Non-Psychic' individuals are unable to use magic.  'Barely-Psychic' characters can cast spells except those from the highest tier.

Comeliness is only a measure of appearance, it does not include elements of 'personality' that are a part of Charisma.  In EotPT, there are no rules indicating that Comeliness affects NPC reactions or hireling loyalty.  Most of the talents have six 'groupings' while Comeliness has eight, ranging from 'Hideous' to 'Wildly Handsome/Gloriously Lovely'.

A mechanism exists for increasing a character's talent scores.  A percentile die is rolled for a character upon advancing to a new experience level.  With a result of 81-99, a talent score is increased by five points; with a result of 00, a talent score is increased by ten points.  The talent to be raised is determined by rolling 1d6.  If the indicated talent already has a score of 100, “the roll is simply null and void” and there is no talent increase for that experience level.

In addition to talents, EotPT characters have background skills.  A percentile die is rolled to determine how many and of which group; the player chooses the specific skill(s).  There are three 'groups' of background skills:  plebeian, skilled, and noble.  So, in effect, the 'background skill' roll determines a character's original social class – not that it matters.  There are six possibilities:

• One 'plebeian' skill
• One 'plebeian' skill and one 'skilled' skill
• One 'plebeian' skill, one 'skilled' skill, and one 'noble' skill
• One 'noble' skill and two skills from among the 'plebeian' and 'skilled' groups
• Three 'plebeian' skills and two skills from among the 'skilled' and 'noble' groups
• Four 'plebeian' skills and three skills from among the 'skilled' and 'noble' groups

The 'plebeian' group is comprised of various trade skills such as grocer, carpet-maker, miner, perfumer, etc.  Among the 'skilled' group there are:  sailor, bird-trainer, scribe-accountant, swimmer-diver, etc.  The 'noble' skills include scholar, botanist, physician, 'assassin-spy-tracker', poet, alchemist, 'courtesan/Don Juan', etc.  At certain levels of experience, there is a 50% of obtaining additional skills.  Alternately, a “skill may also be learned in the game itself” provided money, time, and a suitable instructor.

Each profession/class has its own list of 'professional' skills.  Each character starts with 2 – 5 professional skills and gain an additional professional skill with each experience level.  Other than during character generation, professional skills must be learned in order, from the top of the list down.  Skills near the bottom of the list cannot be learned during character generation, so those skills will only be possessed by higher level characters.

The Warrior list consists of various weapon skills (such as “axeman,” “bola-slinger,” “crossbowman,” et al.), but the last three skills on the list are:  “sapper,” “catapult-artilleryman,” and “strategist.”

Although termed as professional “skills,” most of the items on the Magic User list and the Priest list are spells.  The first two items on the Priest list are “knows 2 modern languages” and “knows 2 ancient languages.”  Other items look familiar – “detect evil/good,” “cure light wounds,” “protection from evil/good,” et al.  The last item on the Priest list is “revivify.”

The Magic-User list has “astrologer,” but the rest of the items are spells (such as “clairaudience,” “telekinesis,” “necromancy,” et al.)  The first item on the Magic-User list is “control of self,” which can be used for various 'mind-over-matter' effects twice per day.  Examples of “control of self” effects are:  hold breath indefinitely, stop heartbeat, enter into trance, total memory recall, et al.  The last item on the Magic-User list is ominous sounding – “the Grey Hand.”

There are a variety of other spells (called “bonus spells”) that are divided into three groups of increasing potency.  Upon advancing to a new experience level, Priests and Magic-Users have a chance of learning bonus spells.  Priests and Magic-Users choose from among the same population of spells; therefore, only the 'professional skill' spells are not shared between the two professions.

The City Half as Old as the World

Combatants in the Hirilákte Arena; Richard Launius (1987)

Two weeks ago, I indicated that introductory role-playing games ought to have introductory adventures.  By virtue of being one of the very first RPGs, Empire of the Petal Throne is an introductory role-playing game.  However, it does not have an introductory adventure; it has something arguably better.

I have previously discussed Professor Barker, his game, and his world – so there is no need to include that information in this post.  While the setting of Tékumel is too intricate for me to analyze it with any justice, I hope to gloss over what I consider to be some of the more interesting aspects of Barker's world in addition to exploring of the game's mechanics.  (Incidentally, the first edition rules are currently available electronically.)

Anyway, according to the section “Starting the Game,” all EotPT player characters are recently arrived foreigners in the Tsolyáni port city of Jakálla – “Princess of the River, Mistress of Cities.”  Specifically...

...it is assumed that [they] arrive in a small boat...It is also assumed that everyone speaks understandable, though non-native, Tsolyáni and can read the modern form of this language.

No reasons are suggested for why the characters are in this circumstance; none are needed.  Having come “from their (presumed) barbarian homelands,” their lives up to this point are inconsequential.  Strangers are limited to the foreigners' quarter, a sort of ghetto for adventurers.  The rules expressly advise beginning characters “to remain within the foreigners' quarter until contacted for a mission by some nonplayer Tsolyáni character.”  Player characters who venture out of the quarter unescorted “run the risk of making errors in speaking Tsolyáni or in the intricate rules of Imperial etiquette” – risks that can result in circumstances “from derision and laughter to a quick trip to the impalement stake.”

Jakálla Foreigners' Quarter; Craig James Smith

          Upon reaching experience level III, a player character may travel freely within the Empire.  When he or she attains level VI, Imperial citizenship is granted...

In Skyrealms of Jorune, player characters also attempt to become citizens.  This serves as both the motive and focus of play in Jorune, while in EotPT 'citizenship' seems more like an automatic, ancillary effect of successfully partaking in adventures.  Regardless, the “foreigners' quarter” restriction allows the characters and the players to be introduced to the alien nature of Tékumel at a gradual pace.  Yet life in the foreigners' quarter is not comfortable:  “The food is abominable – stomach complaints and diarrhea are common.”  Thus, there is an incentive to leave the quarter behind.  This is accomplished by undertaking missions.

While still dwelling in the foreigners' quarter in Jakálla...[player characters] are often visited by Tsolyáni seeking their services.  This form of employment is advantageous since such Tsolyáni employers or patrons can offer help, money, further personnel, and even magical items.  By undertaking these missions...[player characters] also form social contacts within the Empire and begin to establish a place for themselves, a circle of Tsolyáni friends, etc...

Possible visitors to the foreigners' quarter include (but are not limited to) Evil Priest/Priestess, Good Priest/Priestess, Magic User, Nobleman/-woman, Nonhuman, and Scholar.  Possible missions include (but are not limited to)...

Help in a quarrel, join in political intrigue, assassinate visitor's enemy...Join in an expedition to the nearest Underworld...Become the visitor's champion in the Hirilákte arena...Visit visitor's home (purpose decided by referee)...

Although not specified in the rules, I think there would exist 'agents' that facilitate contact between prospective employers and appropriate candidates.  I can't imagine that important Tsolyáni citizens would spend a significant amount of time in the foreigners' quarter in hopes of coming across a suitable employee among the riff-raff.  An agent would coordinate interests efficiently and with discretion...for a reasonable price, of course.

Inspiration: Arawan

Art by Chris White

          Centuries before the dawning of the New Age an awesome and terrible Dragon came to Arawan.  To the villagers, he was fearfully known as Brimstone.
          For countless years, Brimstone ravaged the land with sulphurous vapor and infernal flame.  Finally, a great and powerful mage, the fabled Thucidibes, came forth to challenge the Dragon's pitiless reign.
          With rites of unspeakable power, and swords of unparalleled worth, the mage launched his arcane assault against Brimstone.  Swords scored the Dragon's body, fire rained against the mage's defenses and magic electrified the air.  Each combatant strove with his mightiest efforts to end, forever, the other's deadly menace.
          Days passed, the conflict raged unabated.  Finally, the mage's defenses faltered before Brimstone's tireless assault.  Seconds before meeting Death, the mage realized that his arsenal lacked one vital ingredient – the unquenchable flame of Heroic Valor.  With his last mote of strength the dying mage dispersed his finest swords to the Kingdoms of Arawan and imbued them with protective cantrips and arcane power.  In the embrace of Death, every man's lover, he hoped the future would bring a man of awesome valor who would, by proven valor, earn one of these weapons and end forever Brimstone's reign of terror.
          Centuries passed.  The mage's death wish remained unfulfilled, Brimstone remained the true lord of Arawan.  Finally, with the dawn of the New Age, man is struggling against Fear's sleepy grasp.  Arawan's Hero-Kings, and their valiant followers, are contesting the Dragon's fearful imperium.
          Will their valor, and the potent Mageswords, suffice against the power that IS Brimstone?
          It is up to you!

Thus reads the introduction for Dragonhunt, “Avalon Hill's trademark name for its game of fantastic battle.”  Released in 1982, the credited designer is Garrett J. Donner.  The back of the box offers a bit more color:

          ...And in this way a New Age came to A Man and he shivered no longer in the darkness.  And in the Kingdoms of Arawan the New Age brought man a war of righteous retribution against the ancient peril of the land, Brimstone.
          We, the High Chroniclers of Arawan, could greatly detail the War of the Dragon for the student, but thus is knowledge too easily gained.  Instead, let the proclamation of the seventh year speak for our valiant progenitors:
          “By order of the Kings of Arawan, for the greater glory and majesty of our most holy God, Morah, let it be known that the Dragon, sometimes called Brimstone, is declared anathema in the sight of both Morah and man, a creature spawned in the darkest bowels of unholy perdition.  By this multitudinous acts of evil, and his centuries of the grossest violation of proper order, has he earned the just anger of man and the pious hatred of our lord, Morah.
          “All vassals and freemen of the six kingdoms are hereby called to arms, in service of Morah and their rightful liege lord, to rid the land forever of this, our scourge.
          “We, the Kings of Arawan, together and severally, do proclaim unceasing war on this Draconian blight and all secret servitors of his cause.  By binding oath, sanctified and potent, we do further declare and insure that he who shall slay the Dragon Brimstone shall be proclaimed, and enthroned, as High King and Lord of the Six Kingdoms of Arawan.  Let all men of true blood heed and obey this, our holy writ.”

Each of the Kingdoms of Arawan consists of a castle, a village, and a cottage.  In the game, the kingdoms don't have names per se, but they can be identified by their castles.  Clockwise from the north they are:  Castle of the North, Moss-Stone Castle, Castle of the Sea, Silver Castle, Sunken Castle, and Hidden Castle.  In terms of units, at the beginning of the game, each player controls a hero, four knights, two snipers (I would have called them archers), and six men-at-arms.

The object of the game is to destroy the Dragon; however, infighting is to be expected among the players.  By capturing castles and villages, a player increases the number of reinforcements to which he or she is entitled.  Of course, a player suffers a set back if his or her own holdings are captured by others.  So as to prevent player elimination, a player's cottage is inviolate.

Units have an attack strength and a defense strength.  The attacking unit rolls 1d6 and adds the result to the attack strength .  The defending unit rolls 1d6 and adds the result to the defense strength; also, the terrain that the defender occupies may provide a bonus.  If the attacker's total attack strength is greater than the defender's total defense strength, the defender is killed.  Likewise, if the defender's total defense strength exceeds the attacker's total attack strength, then the attacker is destroyed.  If both totals are equal, then both units are wounded.

Players roll dice to determine the movement of the Dragon, but any given player might have a choice regarding the direction in which the Dragon moves.  If, during its movement, the Dragon encounters a unit, it will attack that unit.  Dragon combat is handled differently than other combat.  Essentially, 2d6 are rolled and the defender's defense strength and any terrain modifiers are added to the result.  The Dragon Combat Table is then consulted.  When units attack the Dragon, attack strength is added to the roll instead of defense strength.  (Multiple attacking units may combine their strengths.)  The Dragon does not receive benefit from terrain except when attacked in his lair, in which case it is subtracted from the attacker's total.

The Dragon Combat Table allows for three possible outcomes.  One possibility is that a Dragon Card is drawn.  Otherwise, a number of units are killed (or wounded) and/or the Dragon is wounded.  The Dragon cannot die by virtue of the Dragon Combat Table.  The Dragon can endure any number of wounds with no effect other than the Dragon becomes enraged.  Dragon Cards can have various effects.  In some instances, the player drawing the card can direct the Dragon's attack; in other instances, the Dragon may attack the drawing player's units or holdings.  Among other effects, the Dragon may take a nap.

So what's the point in attacking the Dragon if you can't kill it?  Well, the Dragon can only be killed with a Magesword and the only way to get a Magesword is to “prove” your valor by wounding the Dragon three times.  Using a Magesword to attack the Dragon is handled differently than other forms of combat.  In Magesword combat, the attacker receives a random number of Magical Defense counters and the Dragon has a number of counters that represent his body.  Basically, the attacker rolls a die and the corresponding Dragon counter is removed.  Then someone rolls on behalf of the Dragon.  If the result of the roll corresponds to a Dragon counter that has not been removed, then one of the Magical Defense counters is removed.  The process repeats.  If the Magical Defense counters are depleted, the attacker loses.  If the Dragon's counters are depleted, the attacker wins.

Variety is added to the game by 'fantastic beings,' no more than two of which will be in play at any given time.  Based on turn order, players can choose which fantastic beings enter play and (to some extent) control their actions.

• Banisher – If the Banisher attacks a unit and prevails, the player controlling the Banisher sends the unit to any unoccupied hex on the board.
• Berserker – If the Berserker moves and kills a unit, it is possible for him to move and attack again that round.
• Demon – Other than Heroes, any unit killed by the Demon is removed from the game.  Units other than Heroes and the Dragon cannot kill the Demon but only wound it with a 'kill' result.  If a player's Hero kills the Demon, the forces of that player can obtain additional Magical Defenses for use in attacking the Dragon.
• Disperser – The Disperser can cause adjacent units, other than the Dragon, to move away from the Disperser.
• Dragon Charmer – If the Dragon Charmer is in the same row of hexes as the Dragon, he can cause the Dragon to move away from or towards him (but only if the Dragon is awake).
• Eagle – A player may use the Eagle either (1) to transport one of his or her units to an unoccupied hex on the board or (2) to 'harry' another player's unit.
• Paralyzer – Units adjacent to the Paralyzer cannot move or attack.  This power does not affect the Dragon, other fantastic beings, any unit in possession of a Magesword, or any unit occupying a castle, village, or cottage.
• Revivor – A player controlling the Revivor can return a dead unit to play.  This power does not work on units killed by the Demon.  “The Revivor has no power in Hell.”
• Teleporter – The Teleporter can be used to teleport a player's unit to any hex (presumably unoccupied) adjacent to the Teleporter.
• Troll – The Troll ignores 'wound' results.

A quest to kill a dragon is by no means original and – by itself – offers little in the way of inspiration.  It is the setting of Dragonhunt that offers inspiration for RPG scenarios.  Kingdoms ostensibly unified in combating a Dragon but taking advantage of the situation to gain territories at the expense of one another.  The Dragon is akin to a force of nature, but a kingdom can make surreptitious attempts to affect the Dragon's choice of targets by means of lures or magic or enlisting the aid of fantastic beings.  The hunt for the Dragon need not be the adventure, it can serve as a backdrop for a stage upon which Hero-Kings, fantastic beings, player characters, and a host of other entities may strut.

The Astrologer's Tower

( SPOILERS ! )

An introductory role-playing game ought to have an introductory adventure.  For Wizards' Realm, that adventure is called 'The Astrologer's Tower' which – including the floor plan – exceeds five pages by a couple of paragraphs.

Creating an introductory adventure can be a difficult prospect when you consider that, in effect, you are attempting to teach a first-time game master how to run an adventure.  Yes, it should also serve an an introduction for the players and demonstrate application of the rules, but educating a GM is most important.  Examples in the rulebook should show how to apply rules and – nowadays, thanks to computer games and other media – most people have a basic notion as to what players do.  GM advice and an example 'script' of a GM interacting with players is fine (if not necessary), but all of that is theory while the introductory adventure is actual practice.  The success or failure of how the adventure plays out affects the participants' liking of not just the game, but RPGs in general.  So, yes, it's quite important.

Ideally, the introductory adventure helps the game master create an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.  It is not necessary to hold the GM's hand (e.g., “Read the text in the grey box to the players...”) nor is it necessary to explore the subtleties and finesse of being a GM.  It's all a matter of achieving a balance.  Give the players enough information to get their interest, but don't subject them to an infodump.  Introduce an appropriate objective, but don't let the players think they're being railroaded.

So, the characters of the authors and playtesters of Wizards' Realm are all buddies and they call themselves 'The Company of the Keep.'  Stats are provided for some of these characters and some have a presence in Mousehole.  In the introductory adventure, the editor's character – Lady Felicity, 7th degree physician and fencer – has been abducted by the foul Wizardess Margali.  Most of 'the company' are conveniently indisposed; the one remaining member has a broken arm and recruits the player characters to rescue the damsel.  Besides the damsel-in-distress trope, the “You all meet at an inn” trope is also deployed.  In an introductory adventure, I think it's fine to use tropes blatantly.  Tropes are something recognizable to which participants can relate.  Tropes offer a comfort zone – a foundation upon which participants can role play.

Anyway – assuming the characters survive and the players have a continuing interest – the adventure provides the party with a monetary reward, the goodwill of powerful non-player characters who can act as allies/mentors/contacts, and their own base of operations in the form of the eponymous astrologer's tower.  These results, at least, seem well-suited to encourage further gaming.  However, the execution of the adventure is less than ideal.

The player characters are present when the proprietress – a member of 'the company' – receives “a note and a map” informing her of Felicity's abduction.  None of the inn's other patrons “are eager to be off to the 'haunted tower',” which leaves the player characters as the last hope.  The NPC says:

You look like a hardy lot...and I have need of your aid.  If you will take this map and can bring Lady Felicity back, I will see that you are handsomely rewarded.

There's that map again.  If the characters get a map, the players will want to see it.  Unfortunately, no map is provided.  So maybe what the map looks like isn't important; maybe it's just something that allows the characters to find the tower.  We'll see.  The NPC continues:

Be warned!...Margali is a potent foe, and she surely has henchmen waiting on the high road.  If she's prepared for Sir Tarl, she's more than ready for you.  Best you take the swamp paths to avoid the road entirely.

The adventure can be divided into three phases:  the introduction, “swamp encounters,” and the tower.  In case you couldn't tell, the party is expected to reach the tower by traversing the swamp.  After all, the high road “leads to certain doom!”  Now, if the henchmen were expecting Sir Tarl and/or his well known compatriots, why would they accost anyone else?  Are they supposed to prevent all traffic on the high road?  That's not the worst part.  It turns out that the tower is located on the coast – a fact that the players could clearly notice if they were allowed to see a map showing the tower's location.  The quickest means of getting to the tower is by boat and boats are available for hire in Mousehole.  So, characters are supposed to travel through the swamp only to find that the tower is on the coast – a fact they should have known by virtue of the map.

Also, without a map, there's no way for the game master to determine the amount of time it takes to reach the tower; the adventure only notes that the journey takes more than a day.  For every four hours, a roll is made on the encounter table.  Some encounters can only take place once; the only way there can be no encounter is if a 'once only' result is rolled a second (or later time).  Most of the encounters involve fighting something, like spiders or hobbit bayou bandits.  There's a quagmire that the party can avoid if they are “checking for such dangers.”  However, such caution cannot allow them to avoid the snake pit.  One of the encounters involves a poor man's Baba Yaga.

The adventure notes that “Margali's goons” have cleared out the tower.  Regardless, there are a few traps and obstacles, two of which make no sense if Margali's goblins are expected to report to her.  Here's the thing – Margali waits in a room on the highest level and that level has an observation deck.  If Margali has the wherewithal to station henchmen on the high road, why wouldn't she have a couple of goblins as lookouts?

The climax of the adventure occurs when Margali summons “doublegangers” to fight the party.  Each character confronts an exact duplicate of him or herself while Margali gets away.  Of course, Margali was expecting Sir Tarl and company and they would have fought their duplicates.  At least this is a plausible way for the party to survive a trap intended for characters much more powerful than they.

Although 'The Astrologer's Tower' has the potential of being a good introductory adventure, there are logical flaws with which a first-time game master should not have to cope.  Background information about the tower is provided to the game master, but there's nothing that instructs a beginning GM on how to convey any of this information to the party.  Ideally, the adventure should have accommodated alternate strategies or at least provided reasons for the party to prefer the swamp route.