Novus

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Introduction

“Heaven Fall – when the gods cast us from the Black Lands to live out our lives on Novus. That was the creation of our people, when the world was finished being formed by Those That Came Before. The mighty ruins of their fallen empire can still be seen dotted across Novus, great things formed of metal and other unusual materials. Fallen monuments, a testament to a once proud race brought low by some unknown disaster,” the quaking voice trails off at the sound of the church bell tolling, a confused look spreading across the elderly scholar’s features. “Bah, no sense of time anymore. That’s it for the day, tomorrow I expect all of you to be ready to learn about what we know concerning Those That Came Before.”

Scholar Ragnald turned away, beginning to wipe down the black board with a damp cloth as his students packed up their belongings and headed out of class, chatting with one another. “Scholar Ragnald?”

A soft voice caused the hunched old man to turn, squinting behind his glasses before smiling as he saw Liana, “Yes my dear? What can I do for you?”
The girl stepped up to the desk, thick leather bound tomes jumbled with a small metallic slate. She adjusted the thin rimmed spectacles that sat on her nose, the habit calming her nerves and focusing her thoughts. “I was wondering what you thought of the theories touted by Scholar Anais concerning the idea that Those That Came Before were our ancestors instead of a separate race entirely.”

Scholar Ragnald considered the question, chewing thoughtfully on the bottom of his beard before saying slowly, “Well, I am an old man – as you well know. But I believe there is some merit to her thoughts. As with anything concerning such an ancient people we are dealing primarily with speculation. It is a tragic consequence that all too often when we recover some piece of technology that might have record of them, like your auto-slate there, that when we utilize the mystical process of reviving them all known data is wiped from them.

“We are left in the dark about the truth of this seemingly great race – but to think that we are their inheritors – whether by the will of the Gods or some other, even more mysterious force, I cannot say.” He offered a sympathetic smile as Liana frowned thoughtfully at his words, “What I can say, though, is that in being an old man it is not my place to uncover these things. It is the place of future scholars with more vim and vigor than I possess! Tell me, Liana, what is your current apprenticeship?”

The girl blinked in surprise, a slight blush of embarrassment colouring her tanned features, “I… I don’t have one, Scholar Ragnald. My father couldn’t afford the fees of apprenticeship.”

Scholar Ragnald nodded his head, “Well, my dear, you have one now. I’m not too long for this world – and I would be honoured to finally mentor another in the ways of Those That Came Before and the history of our beautiful world of Novus.”

Liana’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped slightly, “I’d… I’d be honoured…”

Scholar Ragnald nodded, “Good! Then we’ll begin planning our trip to the Ruins of Utfguardia near the polar caps.”

~~

Novus was discovered in the year 2763 by the scientists of Earth. After nearly a century of study they deemed it habitable and began to organize the United Terran Fleet – a massive colony fleet that began its departure from Earth in 2843 and finished in 2987 AD. The gravity well of Novus having been calculated in a combination of imperial and metric units, the human fleet found their ships slamming into the planet. Of the nearly seven billion souls who had voyaged from the ruins of Earth to Novus, only a million survived the impact.

It has been five thousand years since the last ship crash landed in the semi-mythological event that is now known as the Heaven Fall. But, humanity did not just bring themselves to Novus – having brought along in many vessel the height of their technological capabilities – the Genesis Nanites. These tiny machines could bond with cells, able to constantly divide and create newer versions of themselves while simultaneously keeping those that they had bonded with alive for longer than average.

More importantly, though, the Genesis Nanites caused changes in the abilities of those they bonded with. In humans it was recorded as the ability to manipulate matter and energy with the appropriate amount of thought and will. In the chel and the elementals, it gave these creatures true life beyond their minimal, or nonexistent, sentience. In the zoans it sped up their evolution to such a rate that within five thousand years they had evolved to perfectly suit their needs. All of these creatures, and others, were rapidly changed and have gained the same ability as humans have to either greater or lesser degrees. The cause of this was the tanks containing the Genesis Nanites rupturing as the ships crash landed onto Novus, seeding the entire world with the machines.

For some, they absorbed enough of machines to go beyond the already radical changes that the Nanites gifted them with – able to manipulate matter and energy others just enough to become what they are now. In either case, it was the crash landing of humanity that forever changed the face of Novus.

Novus is locked in an interesting state where superstition and swords stand alongside a belief in science as magic and that the threats of an alien world press down upon races that have advanced and regressed into a point that looks as if it were the Middle Ages mingled with technological greatness. Novus has four moons and a single year is the equivalent of three years on Earth.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Character Creation

Creating a character in Novus is to create a character that sees both technology and magic as one in the same. They are just as comfortable wielding a sword as manipulating a piece of ancient technology. While humans are one of the most diverse of species they are not the only one to exist on Novus. Every race has its strengths and weaknesses to consider when making a character – but more importantly, what type of character you would have the most fun playing.

If you’ve played tabletop games before, then you should know the basics – but Novus does take those and do something new with some of them while sticking true to others.

Strength – This stat measures how well you can attack with one-handed to two-handed melee weapons as well as the damage you deal with them. This stat can be used to determine some social checks (Intimidate).
Agility – This stat contributes to a character’s Defense while also determining their skill in using light melee weapons and ranged weaponry, and the damage for these weapons. Agility also determines your character’s speed and their initiative as well as their Avoidance.
Constitution – This stat determines your character’s health pool as well as your character’s Endurance.
Intelligence – This stat determines a character’s knowledge of the world and its beliefs as well as determining their Focus and their use of any abilities granted by the Genesis Nanites.
Wisdom – This stat determines a character’s common sense as well as their Willpower. This also adds to a character’s Defense.
Charisma – How good at socializing your character is.
Armour – Is an equipment stat, the higher the armour the better it absorbs damage and how much it lowers a character’s Defense.
Defense – An average between a character’s Wisdom and Agility, defense determines how difficult it is for a character to be hit in combat. All weaponry is rolled against the character’s defense to see if it lands. If it does all attacks (unless otherwise stated) are targeted first against the character’s Armour and then the character themselves.

When creating a character in Novus, besides just thinking of race and stats, you also need to determine your character’s background – besides giving a character ‘life’, it will also give you bonuses to your abilities. Say your character spent much of her youth working as a bandit before retiring to become an adventurer (or maybe she’s still a bandit) – she would get bonuses to both her Agility and Charisma. Negatives can also occur from this too, if a character spent much of their life unhealthily, they might take negatives to any of their scores depending on their lifestyle.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Generating Stats

To determine your character’s starting stats in Novus all you require are 2d6 and knowledge of how to divide.

First, you roll 2d6 and then you divide by 2 – rounding up on those numbers where 2 does not divide into it evenly. For example:
I roll for my stats an 12, 5, 12, 8, 10, 11 – I’d then divide by two for each of these coming up to final stats of 6, 3, 6, 4, 5, 6. Before racial bonuses or background bonuses, 6 is the highest possible number for you to roll for your character.

When it comes to allocating the stats for the points there are two options, the first is allowing the player to put their stats wherever they want after they roll – allowing for an optimized character. The other is to have it where they roll the dice in order of the stats.

For health, at level 1, all characters start with the maximum number for their health die along with their full constitution bonus. At later levels the die must be rolled to determine a character’s health points.

Every four levels a character's stat of your choice goes up by 1.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Backgrounds

Backgrounds are a way of bringing more life to your character in Novus – beyond this, they will also give certain bonuses to stats or skills of a character. A character can have a total of three background options. Backgrounds should play an important part of your character. If you create a zoan warrior who spent his life in the gladiatorial pits, the penal legions, and finally as a hired thug – chances are he’s going to be a bit harder, maybe even more jaded and cynical, than the human girl who has born into high society, has had the best education, and has spent her life reading books and developing her magic while being sheltered.

This isn’t to say that the opposite isn’t true, but it’s far less likely.

There is no list of premade backgrounds in this, there are examples, but it’s up to the players to determine their own background events. Bonuses for a background generally add 1 point to the given stat or skill. In this, skills include attacks with weapons and magic.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Races

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Races

“This is Captain… Captain Cersei Heinz of the UTF Guardian. God above the pain… if you’re receiving this we were wrong. I repeat, we were wrong, the gravity well of Novus is much larger than we thought. Initial fleet crashed onto the planet… extensive damages, unsure of survivors. I… I don’t think I’m going to make it. No one is reporting in… I’m losing blood quickly… Please, for the love of God. Avoid Novus. Avoid Novus at all costs. Don’t… let this… happen again…”

Blood ran from the woman’s lips, glistening on her dark skin as she lay, slumped against the command chair. A length of glistening metal, wet with blood, was speared through her stomach. Deeper into the ship, more of the crew were strewn about in images of carnage – bodies broken and lain like rag dolls, others impaled on broken spars of metal and plastic or cooked from severed power cables.

In the hold where the colonists were kept in deep freeze – tanks were ruptured and belching their gases into the air, those within dying from the premature exposure. Other tanks were intact, though some were dark – the occupants had died within as systems had failed. Far too few had lights blinking weakly as systems booted and ran protocols to wake those they had been designed to safeguard.

The transmission had not been received, and the same scenes of destruction were replicated over and over for the next century. Humanity had managed to survive, to strive to go on. Despite their tumultuous beginning they had flourished on Novus – growing strong once more and spreading across much of the planet. They prospered and forgot about their turbulent past as fact and relegated it to myth and religion.

“Forward! For Queen Heinz! Long may she reign!” the cry was taken up by a thousand voices as human soldiers charged across the field of battle. Halberds were leveled as they covered the ground in a mad charge to get to grips with their enemies. Amongst the figures in their iron plates and leather straps were figures with dark blue cloaks flowing around them, bursts of superheated gas or spears of frozen ice launching from their hands while each and every one of them held a weapon with crackling energy. These figures were silent as they charged, grim sets to their faces.
Vicious bellows echoed opposite the soldiers, massive – simian creatures beating fists and weapons against the ground before they countercharged. The ground shook with their heavy loping strides. The galganns stood twice as tall and five times as wide as a man – yet the humans who charged the brutes showed no fear. Praises to Sek leaving their lips and fire burning in their eyes.

The two forces met in an explosion of blood and violence. Halberds bouncing from leathern hides, massive fists pulping the tiny soldiers who dared to charge them. The crackling weapons of the Black Brothers carved through flesh and bone as if it were wet mud, blasts of plasma burning great – angry holes into bodies or spearing the galganns with frigid icicles.

For queen and country, humanity would defend their lands from any who dared to try and take them. Through blood and sweat they would cut out the barbarian hordes and secure their homelands from threats. They would survive.

Humans

Roles – The quintessential race, humans are jacks of all trades and can even become masters of some. They are one of the most populous races on Novus and have formed cores of belief based on their own ancient history that has been forgotten.

Appearance – Humans range in appearance wildly coming from the varied cultures of Earth.

Religion – Humanity believes in a pantheon of gods and goddesses, these state average beliefs – it’s not wrong for a human to worship Tor but it might be considered odd in society:
Sek – The god of protection and defenders, he is commonly depicted as a warrior in a long navy blue cloak worn over black and golden armour. Sek is followed by a core of men known as the Brotherhood of Sek or the Black Brotherhood. These men believe in justice – not the law.
Medi – The goddess of healing and mercy, she is commonly depicted wearing flowing red and white robes and bearing a staff shaped into a winged serpent. Medi is worshiped by many, just as Sek is, but her own church is comprised mostly of women who are known as the Sisters of Mercy.
Vox – God of messengers and the quick witted, Vox is followed primarily by those who find their lives revolving around running constant errands, or those who pray for quick luck and the witty timing to induce laughter and stall a fight. Vox is commonly depicted as a small man with large ears and a big grin.
Tor – God of destruction, while not often worshiped it is respected. Tor is neither male nor female, like his brothers and sisters, but is commonly depicted as a dark figure surrounded by flame. Tor is prayed to alongside Sek when one tries to avert destruction.

Society – Humanity is divided into many kingdoms, they are an egalitarian society with the only gender restrictions being for the religious orders of Sek and Medi.

Human Adventurers – The lure of ancient mysteries, the call for treasure – humans will adventure for any number of reasons.

Names (Examples) – Any name that could make sense in any setting from modern to fantasy.
Base Speed - 30’
Racial Bonus – To represent their diverse nature, humans gain a +2 bonus to any stat of their choosing on top of bonuses they get from their backgrounds.

Jack of All Trades – Humans gain a bonus to their choice of a skill or their attack rolls. This bonus is permanent and stacks with other bonuses.

Ancient Knowledge – Humans gain a +2 bonus to utilizing their own ancient technology or identifying what it is capable of.

Born in High Places (Example Background Option) – This character comes from either a wealthy family or a family of nobles, as such they gain a +2 bonus to a social skill of their choice.

In the Dregs (Example Background Option) – This character spent enough time in the remorseless parts of a city where their own agility and wits kept them alive, this character gains a +2 bonus to a wisdom or agility skill of their choice.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Noble Eeya’chel distorted its body, avoiding the lunge from the grey wolf by splitting its body in two before reforming. The semi-mechanical and semi-skeletal monster landed with a crunch, turning and glaring at the vaguely humanoid shape of the creature it had decided to kill. Noble Eeya’chel once more distorted its body, the end of its left limb forming into a vaguely blade-like shape before the translucent green goo became opaque and almost crystalline.

Yellow eyes narrowed as the right limb of Noble Eeya’chel shifted and formed into a shield. The grey wolf snarled, the mechanical sound echoing dully in the woods before lunging forward again – jaws snapping at the crystalline shield as it was brought up to block. The sword descended, cleaving the grey wolf in two. Still, the jaws dragged against the surface of the shield before the oil coated blade rose and descended – spearing through a partially decayed skull and ending the half-life of the beast.

Noble Eeya’chel looked down at the creature, before looking up and watching as the last of its warband finished off the remaining greys – wolves and humanoid creatures laying broken and finally defeated at the feet of the chel. “Excellent work, my warriors,” the quavering, high pitched voice of Noble Eeya’chel filled the silence, causing the eyes of his people to look toward him. “Honoured Saya’chel, it is safe for you to emerge,” Noble Eeya’chel continued.

From the shadows of the forest a purple chel emerged, body rippling as it looked at the devastation surrounding them. Its blue eyes locked on the yellow of Noble Eeya’chel and it bowed its head, “You have assured our mission shall be prosperous, Noble Eeya’chel.” The chel flowed forward, looking down at the grey wolf. “It seems we will have much to discuss,” Honourable Saya’chel sunk down, extending a hand before Noble Eeya’chel could protest and placing it on the corpse of the grey. Energy glared between the connection, and the mechanical parts of the wolf vanished, leaving just a half-decayed corpse in its place.

“Honourable Saya’chel, that was extremely dangerous – we have no idea what the Grey will do to one of our kind,” Eeya’chel scolded, though a slight awe still tinged the quavering voice of the chel. “As impressive as your sorcery was, if the Grey had infected you like that wolf-“

“Then you would have either been forced to kill me, or you all would have been infected. Either way, the diplomatic mission with the humans would have come to a premature end,” Honourable Saya’chel focused its eyes on Noble Eeya’chel and rippled slightly. “I knew the risks, Noble Eeya’chel – but I had to see what would happen. The Grey has never come this far to the west before – we can no longer believe this threat to be contained,” Honourable Saya’chel glanced at the other corpses, resisting the urge to cleanse them. “Quickly, Noble Eeya’chel, in case more are lurking.”

Noble Eeya’chel nodded his head before gesturing to his warriors, the chel oozing forward to stand around Honourable Saya’chel and begin their long path to Coral City – the coastal capital of the human kingdom of Heldenholm.

Chel

Roles – The chel are a highly adaptable species, able to fill almost any role. While there are chel priests and warriors, there are very few chel paladins.

Appearance – The chel don’t truly have a uniform appearance, though the majority of the species tends to appear as a rather slender human-shape with no features save for a pair of eyes which also vary in colour. They have two limbs with their lower body ending in a wide, flat ‘foot’. Colouration of the chel coincides with their tasks in life – and a chel will even change colour if they go outside of their appointed tasks. Green chel serve as warriors, purple chel as diplomats and priests, blue chel as sorcerers, and black chel as communal leaders. Yellow or golden chel are those who have left their clan and have become outcasts.

Religion – The chel venerate concepts – while having priests, they are typically not religious instead having a firm belief in nature and life.

Society – The chel are divided into a caste society, no chel thinks of others as inferior but believes that everything has a place – straying from that place does not bring contempt or hatred but sorrow.

Chel Adventurers – Chel adventurers are most commonly outcasts, though some Clan Chel might journey out if so commanded by their communal leaders.

Names (Examples) – Chel names are composed of an adverb, two letters, their clan name, and then the name of their race. The known chel clans are the Ya, the Dev, the Col, and the Tu. Chel who have left their clan and become outcasts tend to adopt new names – keeping their adverb but taking on a name from anything that sounds appealing to them. (Clan)Vicious Shya’chel, Lovely Cotu’chel, Holy Ygdev’chel, Righteous Macol’chel. (Outcasts) Horrendous Klarn, Thieving Bob, Agile Tyren.

Base Speed - 30’

Racial Bonus – Chel receive a +2 bonus to their constitution score.

Adaptive Combatant – While the chel can wear armour and wield weapons, they can also form and harden parts of their body into weaponry. If a chel is disarmed they can form a limb into a weapon to battle with. The weapon formed deals half the damage of the true weapon.

Regeneration – Once a day a chel can stimulate its cells to quickly heal damage. Each round until combat ends or the chel reaches full health they regain 1d6 of damage.

Warlord (Example Background) – This chel dutifully served in the warrior caste before leaving to adventure with the other races. Gain a +1 bonus to all attacks made with melee weapons.

Healer of the Grey (Example Background) – This chel was one of the few who found it was able to resist the Grey. Gain a +1 bonus to resisting all diseases and immunity to the chance of catching the Grey.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

"What is your place, slave?” the lash cut through the water, striking scales from the back of the bound zoan and forcing cobalt blue blood to form a steady cloud around its writhing body. The female zoan arched up, making herself taller than the bound male and gripping the haft of the whip tight.

“In the pits… fighting for the joy of… the Cerulean Lady,” it grated out, going limp. Szal’kin had been lashed for the past four hours by the Cerulean Lady – his owner. The sinuous form of the female zoan thrashed around to float in front of the defeated male.

Her serpentine face leaned in close, long tongue flickering out as her blank black eyes stared into the blank black orbs of Szal’kin. “It is good you know your place, slave. A specimen as strong as you would have been a terrible thing to feed to the renders,” she hissed, her face striking out to leave marks on the surface of Szal’kin’s face. The act a declaration of desire and dominance. The Cerulean Lady drifted backward, gesturing with her free hand – the coils binding Szal’kin slipped loose, the freed gladiator sinking fully to the ground.

Groaning, the zoan male forced himself upright, watching as his mistress swam toward him – wrapping her sinuous tail around his body and pressing herself tight against him. Her arms hung loose around his neck, “Now – give me a strong brood to continue my lineage. Or are you as bad at that as you are at winning fights?”

Szal’kin snarled, grabbing her and forcing her up, above the waters and onto the dry ground of her private quarters. Their bodies writhing together – claws dragging against hardened scales, fangs snapping at each other.

When it was over, Szal’kin and his mistress lay side by side, she was breathing heavily in the throes of sleep. The scarred gladiator stared at her, remembering the beatings and him being forced to fight against numerous enemies – sometimes with nothing more than a sharpened rock. He cast his eyes about the room, the black gaze lingering on the profile of a beautifully crafted coral knife.

Slithering silently from the slumbering form of the Cerulean Lady, Szal’kin retrieved the knife – admiring the jagged edge of the blade and the soft blue colouration. It would kill quick, but painfully, with that toothed edge. He turned to face the Cerulean Lady once more…

Szal’kin was arrayed alongside the others of the penal legion, a rusted trident held in one hand – coral shell armour decorating his most vulnerable of spots. The others within the legion kept their distance from the scarred former gladiator – awe and fear playing on their features concerning the male that had slain, not only a female, but a highborn priestess.

Szal’kin wanted it that way. The hulking warrior gripped the haft of his trident tighter before slithering through the water and up onto the land where a force of kelkor were making their stand. The heavyset creatures holding crude clubs and wearing a patchwork of leather armour, or more often nothing but a loincloth. The leader was marked out by a crumpled iron helm perched on its wide, oval skull and the rusted iron greatsword it held loosely in one hand.

It spotted Szal’kin, and the emerging penal legion, and leveled a sausage-thick finger at them – bellowing out a challenge. Szal’kin’s jaws gaped and a horrible hiss left his throat in response.

Zoans

Roles – Zoan males excel as warriors, paladins and rogues while zoan females are typically priestesses and sorceresses.

Appearance – Zoan differ in scale colouration, generally in the cool blues and purples though those marked as having a great destiny sport red or gold scales. Zoan males are very broadly built and have a flared hood with thick bones sticking from the frill. Zoan females are generally much slighter and lack the hood, instead having four rows of spines, two running from the top of their skull to the middle of their back and the other two from the sides of their head to just below their shoulder blades. Both genders have fangs, lack visible ears, have black eyes and long tails. Males typically range from 9 to 12 feet long and typically ‘stand’ at 6 to 7 feet in height. Females range from 8 to 10 feet long and stand 5 to 6 ft in height.

Religion – The zoan worship the Mother of the Waves – a sea goddess of violent mood swings who governs the waves and the storms. Priestesses of the Mother of the Waves are known as Cerulean Ladies and paladins of the Mother of the Waves are known as Tide Lords.

Society – Zoan society is a matriarchal society where the males are seen as little more than warriors, guardians, and breeding tools by the ruling highborn. On some occasions it is possible for a male to rise above its station – but this is generally no further than what humans would consider a landed knight. There is severe importance placed upon blood sports – male zoans who have been bought as gladiatorial slaves are thrown into an arena to do battle against all sorts of creatures. This is done to both appease the violent temper of the Mother of the Waves and to weed out the weak from the strong.

Zoan Adventurers – Zoan adventurers may be either male or female. Male zoans tend to have the greatest drive to become adventurers, especially if they’ve suffered as a gladiator or if they’re one of the rare occasions of a male sorcerer. Female zoans, while rarer than males, are still relatively common – these are generally priestesses wishing to spread the word of the Mother – though some are also brutal warriors who have an urge to see the world beyond the waves.

Names (Examples) - Male zoan names involve hissing consonants with harsher vowels: Szal’kin, Shord, Heshar, Corsh. Female zoans, on the other hand, have softer names: Seline, Resule, Ysel, Ulsien.

Base Speed – 30’ land, 60’ water

Racial Bonus – Because of their hulking body and being selectively bred, male zoans gain a +4 to strength and a +2 to agility. Female zoans gain a +4 to intelligence and a +2 to wisdom.

Constricting Coils – Because of their long forms and their serpentine ancestry, male and female zoans have the ability to grapple targets and attack them in the same turn. Maintaining the grapple can also be made on the constricted enemy’s turn.

My Blood is Venom – Harming a zoan runs the risk of harming their attacker. Every time the zoan suffers at least 1 point of lethal damage or 2 points of nonlethal damage the attacker must make a DC 15 Endurance check or become poisoned and take 3 points of damage each round for how many under the DC he failed.

Gladiator Pits (Example Background) – The zoan was forced into the gladiatorial pits at a young age and spent many years there, gaining strength and honing their skills. Gain a +1 bonus to all attacks with a melee weapon.

Priestess of the Mother (Example Background) – The zoan was one of the few gifted with the ability to wield the energies of the Genesis Nanite. Gain a +1 to all spell attack rolls and a +1 to all healing.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

“We are the breath that splits the sky asunder…”

“We are the bones that remain unbowed in the harshest gale…”

“We are the flame eternal, raging at the heart of the world…”

“We are the life giving blood of Novus…”

“We are the children of Novus, and we are Novus.”

The chant came to a pause, the eyes of the four elementals opening to the bowed heads of reverence that comprised their brothers and sisters. Wind, Earth, Fire, Water – all gathered together for the Ceremony of the Four Moons, the single night of the entire year where all four moons shined their brightest in the sky. The four elementals who spoke spread their arms wide.

Gron’s body rippled, becoming slate grey granite and rooted to the ground he stood on.

Pyra’s body burst into flame, her hands forming a beating heart out of the flickering heat.

Syre’s body flowed, becoming a churning tidal pillar.

Sul’s body hissed, becoming a twisting tornado.

“We are Novus’ only children. We are of her flesh and bone.”

“We are Novus’ only children. Our veins flow with her blood.”

“We are Novus’ only children. Our hearts burn with righteous fire.”

“We are Novus’ only children. We breathe her breath each day.”

The prayer was echoed by all those gathered in attendance – the elementals within the crowd echoing the changes wrought upon the bodies of those who lead the prayer. Fire and water. Earth and air.

As a single voice the entire gathering spoke, “We are her guardians and her destroyers. We are her angels and demons. We are the immunity and the disease. We take more than we can ever return. We are the elementals. By fire and air. By water and stone. We are formed and are the life givers. We guard the cycle eternal and maintain the balance everlasting.

“Mother hear our prayer, for we raise it unto you with the breath you gave us. Mother cleanse our sins with the fiery heart you instilled in us. Mother drink our blood with the water you let flow through us. Mother take our flesh, the flesh of stone you gave us.”

The prayer came to its end, a silence hanging over the congregation before one by one the elemental aspect of each vanished to be replaced by a form altogether more human in appearance.

Gron was the first to look up, “Now! Time for the celebration!” He boomed – and the silence was broken by raucous cheers as the crowd flooded toward the refreshment tables – eager for food and drink while others surged toward instruments to play and an eager few remained in the center to dance.

Elementals

Roles – Elementals are like humans, they can be any role. However some excel at certain roles: earth elementals are able to turn their body into stone, making them excellent warriors; fire elementals are natural sorcerers and are able to unleash their own inner flame; water elementals are able to cleanse wounds of any filth making them perfect clerics; air elementals find no obstacles – even the smallest cracks are an entrance for these rogues.

Appearance – Elementals, when not in their true state, look very similar to humans. Only the earth elementals are markedly different from their kin as all are uniformly taller and broader than others. Elementals range from five to six feet in height, with earth elementals topping seven to eight feet. Other elementals are about two feet at the shoulders, with earth elementals nearly four feet. Skin colour is typically white, pale blue, black, orange, grey, tan, brown and light green. Hair colour varies even more wildly with any colour possible. In their elemental state they are composed of their purest form, though earth elementals are able to alter this.

Religion – Elementals venerate Novus who they believe to be their mother, and are correct in many ways as it was the Genesis Nanites that infested Novus which created the elementals out of their primal elements.

Society – Elemental society consists of constant wandering – they have no true structure, but instead act as free spirits who go and do whatever they want. They are also quick to fall in love, even when it is with a species that doesn’t otherwise feel such an emotion.

Elemental Adventurers – Much like humans, elementals are just called to adventure – though they do not need a specific reason to adventure.

Names (Examples) – Names of elementals tend to reflect their basic nature, but otherwise might not necessarily differ all too much from a human.

Base Speed - 30’

Racial Bonus – (Earth) To represent their hardy nature, earth elementals gain a +2 to strength and constitution. (Air) Air elementals gain a +2 to agility and charisma. (Fire) Fire elementals gain a +2 to intelligence and charisma. (Water) Water elementals gain a +2 to wisdom and agility.

Strength of the Earth (Earth Only) – An earth elemental can call upon his true form whenever he wishes, his skin becoming rock, bronze, iron, steel, or novium at levels 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 respectively.

Lashing Flame (Fire Only) – A fire elemental is able to unleash devastating blasts of flame, these bursts deal 1d6 points of damage for every 5 levels the elemental has, starting at level 1 – this can be used multiple times a day either as a targeted attack or area attack.

Cleansing Waters (Water only) – A water elemental is able to cleanse wounds of any toxin, including the Grey, as long as they can touch their target.

Breath of Wind (Air Only) – An air elemental is able to turn its body, and equipment, into a controlled breeze allowing it to slip through any space they otherwise could not.

Born of the Elements (All) – Each elemental gains immunity to the element they represent.

Gypsy (Example Background) – This elemental has traveled across all of the known world of Novus and has gained a +1 bonus to social skills.

Bounty Hunter (Example Background) – Traveling and seeing the worst that Novus can offer, this character may begin play either with a currently non-charged aura weapon or a +1 bonus on tracking.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Classes

The class of Novus are rather standard fantasy. Here is a summary of each class and what they’re all about.

Warrior – A profession as old as the human race. Warriors aren’t afraid to charge into the thick of the fight and crack a few skulls. In any form of armour and wielding a wide range of weaponry, the warrior is the master of arms and the most common sight on Novus.

Paladin – Akin to warriors, paladins are men and women who have given up their lives for something greater – be it their god or a moral code that resonates strongly with them. They are both paragons of justice and grim sentinels of divine retribution.

Rogue – Where the warrior and paladin are charging head long into the middle of a fight or standing proudly like a beacon of might. The rogue is skulking behind, wielding light weapons that are easy to conceal – be this knives or brass knuckles.

Ranger – At home in the woodlands of Novus more than the cities, rangers have long been the experienced trackers and woodsmen sought for armies in the more rural and densely wooded of areas. Wielding light swords and axes, bows and sometimes even a rare light-bow – rangers can either be seen with or without an animal companion at their side.

Mage – Masters of the elements of Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Aether/Force, magi are able to summon forth terrible powers through sheer will and find new and more inventive ways through their great intellect.

Cleric – Where paladins are the militant branch of any religion, it is the clerics who are the protectors of the flock. These men and women are able to call upon the powers of their belief far more ably than a paladin – making up for what they lack in strength with a repertoire of spells that can rival a mage.

In addition to these base classes, each class gains access to a Path at level 2. These are explored in more detail under each class. When it says a path bonus increases that means all numerical bonuses, extra dice included, increase. So, for example, if a path gains an additional 1d6 of damage at level 2, this increases for every level that is listed under paths for the boost to the bonus ending with a total of an extra 5d6.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Warrior

Roles: Warriors are able to fulfill a few roles within their party depending on the player. They can be the stoic Guardian, the violent Berzerker, or the skilled Master-at-Arms. No matter what role a warrior chooses to fill they are near always in the thick of the combat, surrounded by their enemies and loving every moment.

Stats:
Health: D12
Skill Points per level: 3
Trained Skills: Acrobatics (Agi), Bluff (Cha), Intimidate(Cha), Perception(Wis), Survival (Int).
Starting Wealth: 2d6x10 gold, 5d6x10 silver, 10d6x10 copper.

Level Attack Bonus Endurance Avoidance Willpower
1 +1 +2 +2 +1
2 +2 +2 +2 +1
3 +3 +3 +3 +1
4 +4 +3 +3 +1
5 +5 +4 +4 +2
6 +6/+1 +4 +4 +2
7 +7/+2 +5 +5 +3
8 +8/+3 +5 +5 +3
9 +9/+4 +6 +6 +4
10 +10/+5 +6 +6 +4
11 +11/+6/+1 +7 +7 +5
12 +12/+7/+2 +7 +7 +5
13 +13/+8/+3 +8 +8 +6
14 +14/+9/+4 +8 +8 +6
15 +15/+10/+5 +9 +9 +7
16 +16/+11/+6/+1 +9 +9 +7
17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +10 +8
18 +18/+13/+8/+3 +10 +10 +8
19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +11 +9
20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +11 +11 +9


Warriors are able to wield all weapons and wear all types of armour and utilize all types of shield.

At level 2 a warrior selects their Path and gain their immediate path bonus. The paths they can choose are Guardian, Berzerker, and Master-at-Arms.
At levels 6, 10, 14, and 18 the path gains a boost to its original path bonus.

Guardians gain a +5 to their movement speed and a +1 to their defense when using a one-handed weapon and a shield.

Master-at-Arms ignores 2 armour and can hit one extra enemy when wielding a two-handed weapon.

Berzerker gains an extra attack and the critical strike range decreases by 1 when dual-wielding two weapons. The extra attacks are made at their full attack bonus.