Additional talents and some typos

[rabindranath72]

Hello all,
this is my first post!
I would like to say I like the idea of this project! I have been a fan of the Conan game for many years, and a fan of all things Conan (I have some credits for the d20 Conan game, too...although I do not like it very much; too many 3e-isms in there).

Anyway, I was thinking that it could be useful to add the Talents and equipment in the CN modules as additions to the basic system. If you need them, I can copy the text here (I have made OCR copies of the books).

About the typos, it is really something missing even in the original rules: there is no length for the period of study of Physical Laws magical talent. In my games I set it to 6 months.

Cheers,
Antonio

[artikid]

Hello Antonio,
I have been pushing -mildly- for Mark to publish an updated Talents chapter. Looking on the net I had found just the description of the Berserk talent on the internet and posted them to the forum.
Personally I'd like to see more of the Talents in CN3 so I say: go ahead!
Best regards
Artikid

[rabindranath72]

OK! So, these are the "new" talents (references to Conan names have been removed and the text adapted where possible):

NECROMANCY (Talent)
Talent Pool: Perception
Prerequisites: Arcane Languages, Lore, Medicine

Necromancy is the blackest of the magical arts. It
is akin to Summoning, for its purpose is to reach out
and draw upon the invisible. However, it is fundamentally
different. While Summoning attempts to
reach beyond the confines of this world and bring
alien creatures into it, Necromancy attempts to
rebind the dispersed energies of this world for the
purposes of preservation, knowledge, and animation.
Its practice is a heinous crime in all lands but
those which routinely practice sorcery.
Restraint is needed, for Necromancy is second
in danger only to Summoning. The simpler
spells of preservation and knowledge do not carry
as much inherent risk, but the restructuring and
animation of the dead is fraught with peril. The
purpose of such spells is to bring back from the
dead animals, monsters, or people. Unless the
Necromancer exercises care, his animations may
turn on him and the world.
One year of study is required before a character
can attempt any spells, and a character must
choose a magical weakness. Necromancy is a
draining art. Each time a character attempts to
cast a spell he loses 1 point from his Damage Talent
even if the spell is not successful. The loss is
permanent. The following spells are typical of
the type that may be learned:

Simple (Roll green or lower)
Preserve Organic Material (50 years)
History of Deceased*
Animate Small Animal Body**

Moderate (Roll yellow or lower)
Preserve Organic Material (1,000 years)
Question Deceased*
Animate Large Animal Body**

Difficult (Roll red or lower)
Preserve Organic Material (5,000 years)
Force True Answers from Deceased*
Animate Monster Body**
Animate Human Body**
Prolong Life***

*A small part of the original creature or object
must be obtained (feather, hair, dust) or an accurate
likeness of the creature.
**A large part of the original creature must be
obtained.
***May be cast on self or other, but may only be
attempted once per year. Success adds 10 years to
the subject's life, but cuts all Endurance Talents
in half immediately and permanently (although
lost points may be slowly renewed through the
gaining of new talent points).

Each time an animation of an animal or monster
is successful, the Necromancer can control
that creature for one service of limited duration.
After the service is performed, the creature
returns to its previous form. Animated humans
also perform one service the first time they are
animated, but if the same human is reanimated,
he is hostile toward the Necromancer unless
some form of coercion (such as mind control) is
employed. A reanimated human attempts to
destroy the Necromancer and escape into the
world to live a new life. Animations have talent
ratings equal in all respects (including spells) to
those they possessed before death except that
their Stamina rating is halved and they are invulnerable
to poisons. Animated creatures may be
dematerialized at the Necromancer's will.
Human animations attempt to resist dematerialization,
however, opposing the Necromancer's Will with their own.
Any time a white result indicates failure for a
spell of Difficult complexity, a magical fire (rating
25) engulfs the room. The Necromancer
should be allowed to escape or quench the fire.
His spell components may, however, be damaged.
Necromancy's need for components from
the original creature forces the character on
quests for various tombs, should he wish to animate
or question someone of ancient repute.



ARTISAN (Perception)
Your character is accomplished at an artistic
craft. There are four crafts, painting, sculpture,
ceramics, and clothwork, and each must be
developed as a separate talent. Each work of art
may be rolled for on the Resolution Table to
determine the quality and value of the piece.
White indicates a worthless piece of junk and red
indicates a masterpiece. Your character is also
able to appraise the value of items in his craft.



BERSERK (Insight)
Your character is able to enter a hypnotic state
of fighting rage in which he attacks furiously
without noticing normal wounds (Specific
Wounds are handled normally). He need not
check once his Damage Talent reaches zero or less
to see if he remains conscious. He automatically
remains conscious until his Damage Talent
reaches a negative score corresponding to his Berserk
Rating. For example, a character with a Berserk
rating of 5 does not fall unconscious until his
Damage Talent reaches -5. Once this score is
reached, however, the Berserker is automatically
dead. A Berserker must make a successful Resolution
check in the orange range against his Berserk
rating to enter a Berserk state (only one
attempt per Turn). He must also make a successful
check against his current Damage Talent rating
to leave the Berserk state (an orange or red
result indicates success). A Berserker who has not
left the Berserk state must continue fighting,
even if the only opponents available are friendly.
If his Damage Talent is negative when he leaves
the Berserk state, the Berserker automatically
falls unconscious.



FORGERY (Perception)
Your character may produce and detect forgeries
(including writings and works of art). After the
character attempts either to make or to detect a
forgery, the referee should make a secret Resolution
check. A white result indicates failure that is
immediately apparent to your character. A green
result indicates failure but your character will
think it a success. Any other color equals success.
Your character should not be advised of the degree
of his success unless the result is white or red.



SLEIGHT OF HAND (Prowess)
Your character is adept at concealing and
manipulating objects with his hands. He is able
to make small objects seemingly disappear, to
juggle, and to cheat at games of chance. Your
character's chance of successfully cheating is
determined by subtracting his opponent's
Observation (or General Perception) rating from
his Sleight of Hand (or General Prowess) rating.

[markkrawec]

Hi all

Obfuscating as fast as I can. Will have the revised talent list including the three CN3 talents posted as soon as possible. rabindranath72 - thanks for those.