Lords of the Ror-Cosmology and Magic System

[TheLonelyScribe]

There is the real, material world that you see about you, where I can reach out and touch you, see the glow of your eyes, hear the roar of your heart. But beyond this world lies the chaos of the Ror, and the great power that comes with it.

O.K, I'm going to tell you about this idea in several parts, starting with saying what Ror is:

The Ror is the only known plane other than the material world. In it dwell the Lords of the Ror, the Life-Givers, and, supposedly, the Creatives (more on all them later. When people refer to Ror as a substance they mean the pure energy that comes from this plane, the fuel of all life.

Because of being fuelled by Ror, creatures in this world are somewhat different from usual. Though it has little in-game effect, some of the following will make more sense if you know this. In the material world connected to the Ror a heart, instead of being a fleshy lump, is an apparently metal ring. Until its owner is killed potent Ror flows out of it, being converted into blood by systems in the body that are fuelled by oxygen. When the owner is suffocated, these systems fail, and cause the body to burn up, often leaving no sign of the heart.

Hearts are not products of normal, organic growth. They are given by the Lords of the Ror to those who make the appropriate sacrifice of blood (as the Lords of the Ror look to reclaim Ror from the material plane) or a heart (as the Lords of the Ror cannot actually create hearts and so must get their servants upon the material plane to steal them from other Lords). Each species is serviced by a particular Lord, and each heart is on loan for 80 years, but circumstances may change (more detail to come below).

People's brains and nervous systems do not contain blood (the liquid form of Ror) but they do contain its gaseous form. This glows a dusky orange, and people often judge whether someone is alive or not by whether there is a glow in the back of their eye. When someone is thinking hard (or hanging by their ankles, Ror is heavier than air) the glow becomes stronger.

The Ror and its Lords:

The Lords exist in the elemental fury of the Ror. Their realms are points of stability in the tempest, each one looking different depending on which Lord owns them. Surrounding these tiny islands are vast columns of pure Ror (which glows an almost insufferably bright white). These are the Life-Givers, and they are the source of the Ror that powers living beings. They are sentient (though not terribly intelligent) and will not allow a Lord to take Ror for any other purpose than to bring life into the world. The Creatives are beings of enormous power that live above this all, having created it. The do not interact with mortals or the Lords, but that doesn't stop the widespread worship of them.

A Lord will never break a promise, but that doesn't make them honourable. They are after only three things in their lives: Ror, hearts, and, above all, entertainment (although what they find amusing is often shockingly immoral). For instance, although they will not shut a heart off for 80 years after an individuals birth (unless the owner of said heart violates the contract by dying or by bleeding too much), they will sometimes 'graciously' allow a creature to have it for longer. About 1 in 100 lives to 81, 1 in 1000 to 82, etc. Often the Lords of the Ror will allow someone to wake up, alive, the morning after their 80th birthday only to die 5 minutes after they regain conciousness.

Spellcasting:

There are two types of magic, sorcery and witchery.

Sorcerers use the blood coursing through their veins to devastating effect. Ror is simply another form of energy for them, and behaves that way. It will not mysteriously keep certain creatures away and not others, or create huge walls in the blink of an eye. Instead, it is a powerful but delicate art that takes years to do anything with instead of random blasting. All sorcerers can 'Blast' (think warlock's eldritch blast but reflavoured, constitution based and deals damage to the user). Other uses of energy, such as creating sounds, causing strange lights to appear, pushing objects away (but not pulling them or making them levitate, and not affecting sentients less), and more finely manipulated blasts require expertise and delicacy, and must be mastered one by one. (Basically, a Sorcerer works like a warlock, but with different flavour and invocations, and constitution is their most important ability)

Witchery is making deals with Lords of the Ror. Their magic functions more like a mix of Ranger, Druid and Barbarian powers, but they are not necessarily connected with nature. They retrieve hearts from dying creatures for their masters (this requires swallowing the heart before the creature is completely dead (and the heart is still gushing blood, gross, I know)), in return for great power of life-force and Ror. They make deals with different Lords of the Ror, gaining greater control over more different species as their power grows. (basically, a Witch has bolstering and healing spells for their allies, and can gain a level of control over enemies depending on what Lords they deal with (and those Lord's associated species), all coming with a violent and dark flavour)

[TheLonelyScribe]

The Witch

Abilities: Constitution determines how long a Witch can go without eating a heart, and determines what spells they can cast and what bonus spells they get. It also determines the DCs of their spells. Wisdom is also useful for them, as many of their class features have effects determined by it.
Alignment: No requirements, but Witches are rarely good, as they are required to eat live creatures' hearts in order to retain their spells and abilities.

HD: d6

Skills: Bluff, Craft, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (The Ror, Arcana, Religion), Spellcraft, Profession
Skill Points per Level: 2 + int modifier

[TheLonelyScribe]

The Sorcerer

Abilities: Constitution determines the power of the Sorcerer's manipulations, and gives him extra hit points to fuel his abilities. Dexterity lets him hit with his Ror Blast more often.
Alignment: Any

HD: d10

Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Disguise, Intimidate, Knowledge (The Ror, Arcana, Religion), Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft
Skill Points per Level: 2 + int modifier

[TheLonelyScribe]

The Sorcerer
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Manipulations Studied

1st|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|

+0

|Ror Blast 1d6, Manipulation (least)|1

2nd|

+1

|

+0

|

+3

|

+0

|Ror Link|2

3rd|

+2

|

+1

|

+3

|

+1

|Damage Reduction 1/cold iron, Ror Blast 2d6|2

4th|

+3

|

+1

|

+4

|

+1

|Calm Blast|3

5th|

+3

|

+1

|

+4

|

+1

|Ror Blast 3d6|3

6th|

+4

|

+2

|

+5

|

+2

|New Manipulation (least or lesser)|4

7th|

+5

|

+2

|

+5

|

+2

|Damage Reduction 2/cold iron, Ror Blast 4d6|4

8th|

+6/+1

|

+2

|

+6

|

+2

|Ror Rejuvenation 1|5

9th|

+6/+1

|

+3

|

+6

|

+x

|Ror Blast 5d6|5

10th|

+7/+2

|

+3

|

+7

|

+3

|Ror Resistance 5|6

11th|

+8/+3

|

+3

|

+7

|

+3

|Damage Reduction 3/cold iron, Ror Blast 6d6, New Manipulation (least, lesser or greater)|7

12th|

+9/+4

|

+4

|

+8

|

+4

|Ror Infusion|7

13th|

+9/+4

|

+4

|

+8

|

+4

|Ror Rejuvenation 2|8

14th|

+10/+5

|

+4

|

+9

|

+4

|Ror Blast 7d6|8

15th|

+11/+6/+1

|

+5

|

+9

|

+5

|Damage Reduction 4/cold iron|9

16th|

+12/+7/+2

|

+5

|

+10

|

+5

|New Manipulation (least, lesser, greater or potent)|10

17th|

+12/+7/+2

|

+5

|

+10

|

+5

|Ror Blast 8d6|10

18th|

+13/+8/+3

|

+6

|

+11

|

+6

|Ror Rejuvenation 5|11

19th|

+14/+9/+4

|

+6

|

+11

|

+6

|Damage Reduction 5/cold iron|11

20th|

+15/+10/+5

|

+6

|

+12

|

+6

|Ror Blast 9d6, Ror Resistance 10|12[/table]

^kind of obviously ripped off of the Warlock^

[TheLonelyScribe]

Manipulations: A sorcerer has spent many years studying the subtleties of Ror, and their patience has paid off. As warlock invocations, but all effects are based on energy. They can only deal fire, electricity, force and sonic damage, as cold and acid are not forms of energy. They can create sounds, push back enemies and destroy objects through sonic damage, but they cannot summon creatures, turn things invisible, or allow flight.

Ror Blast: Any peasant can learn to do simple damage with their blood, as detailed in the upcoming feat Blood Shock, but a Sorcerer masters the art. As warlock Eldritch Blast, but causes Ror damage, and the sorcerer must deal at least 1 damage to themselves every time they use it. The damage increases by 1 for every point of damage dealt to use this ability.

Ror Link: A 2nd level sorcerer can sense other's life through the Ror. If you have spent a day or more in close quarters with an individual with a heart you can sense them as per the Status spell, except that it only works at a range of 1 mile per day you have spent with them.

Damage Reduction: A 3rd level sorcerer becomes fortified by their powerful blood. They gain damage reduction, but it can be disrupted by cold iron, just like the Lords of the Ror.

Calm Blast: A 4th level sorcerer can master their fears in battle. They can take 10 on their attack check to use their Ror Blast.

Ror Rejuvenation: As the warlock ability Fiendish resilience, but re-flavoured to be tricking the Life-Givers into increasing the flow of Ror into their body.

Ror Resistance: Gains the amount stated on the table as resistance to Ror damage.

Ror Infusion: When attacking with a melee weapon a sorcerer can use their Ror Blast in the same action, adding damage to their Ror Blast equal to the amount of damage dealt to the target by the weapon.

[TheLonelyScribe]

Manipulations: These can be re-flavoured versions of any of the Warlock invocations that can be imagined to be simple energy. All the blast shape invocations apply. Also, consider an invocation that allows the Sorcerer to use ghost sound, light, daze and flare at will.

New Feats

Ror Shock
You have the basic training needed to channel Ror as an attack.
Benefit: You may deal any amount of damage to yourself in order to make a ranged touch attack dealing the same amount of damage in Ror energy damage.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each time you do, add 1d3 to the damage done by the attack.

Ror Conversion
You have mastered the different energies contained within your blood.
Prerequisites: Ror Shock or the Ror Blast class ability
Benefit: Choose from either electricity, fire or sonic energy damage. You may deal that type of damage with your abilities that would otherwise deal Ror damage.

[TheLonelyScribe]

The Witch
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|

+1

|

+2

|

+2

|

+0

|Heart Rip, Heart Dependency, Nature Sense, Lord Patron|3|1

2nd|

+1

|

+3

|

+3

|

+0

|Woodland Stride|4|2

3rd|

+2

|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|Trackless Step|4|2|1

4th|

+3

|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|Resist Ror|5|3|2

5th|

+3

|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|Claw/Bite 1d6|5|3|2|1

6th|

+4

|

+5

|

+5

|

+2

|Pounce|5|3|3|2

7th|

+5

|

+5

|

+5

|

+2

|Claw/Bite 1d8|6|4|3|2|1

8th|

+6

|

+6

|

+6

|

+2

|Rake|6|4|3|3|2

9th|

+6

|

+6

|

+6

|

+3

|Venom Immunity|6|4|4|3|2|1

10th|

+7

|

+7

|

+7

|

+3

|Claw/Bite 2d4|6|4|4|3|3|2

11th|

+8

|

+7

|

+7

|

+3

|Speed +10|6|5|4|4|3|2|1

12th|

+9

|

+8

|

+8

|

+4

|Claw/Bite 1d12|6|5|4|4|3|3|2

13th|

+9

|

+8

|

+8

|

+4

|Speed +20|6|5|5|4|4|3|2|1-

14th|

+10

|

+9

|

+9

|

+4

|Claw/Bite 2d6|6|5|5|4|4|3|3|2

15th|

+11

|

+9

|

+9

|

+5

|Ror Immortal, Poison 1d4|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1

16th|

+12

|

+10

|

+10

|

+5

|Claw/Bite 2d8|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|3|2

17th|

+12

|

+10

|

+10

|

+5

|Poison 1d6|6|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1

18th|

+13

|

+11

|

+11

|

+6

|Claw/Bite 2d10|6|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|3|2

19th|

+14

|

+11

|

+11

|

+6

|Poison 1d8|6|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|3

20th|

+15

|

+12

|

+12

|

+6

|Claw/Bite 2d12|6|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|4|4[/table]

[TheLonelyScribe]

Heart Dependency: A Witch casts spells the way a Druid does, but their key spell-casting ability is constitution, it only takes them 2 minutes to prepare spells (they can prepare spells any time they could take 10 on a skill check) and they require at least 1 heart point (see below) in order to prepare spells.

Heart Rip (Su): As two full-round actions a Witch may make a heart rip attack. They may do this at any time and to any target as long as they are able to make a coup-de-grace against said target (although a heart-rip is anything but merciful) and the target is no more than two size categories larger than the Witch. The Witch dives into the target's ribcage with her bare hands and extracts their heart. Quickly, before the target dies, the Witch eats their heart, giving her one heart point. At the end of the action, the target dies. Heart points last for 24 hours, and have two uses. As mentioned above, it can be expended to prepare spells, however, it can also be expended to heal a Witch to full hit points during a rest of 8 hours or more.

Nature Sense (Ex): A Witch gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks, Knowledge (the Ror) checks, Knowledge (religion) checks and Survival checks.

Lord Patronage (Su): A Witch chooses a particular creature (such as kobold, wolf, spider or minotaur). Their powers are given to them by the Lord of the Ror that provides hearts for that species. They can not kill a member of that species, and members of that species must make a DC 15 will save in order to attack them. A Witch's claw/bite attacks and other such abilities take forms similar to an exaggerated version of this creature's.

Woodland Stride, Trackless Step, Venom Immunity: As Druid abilities of the same name.

Resist Ror (Su): A Witch is given resistance to Ror by their patron. They get a +4 bonus against effects that deal Ror damage or otherwise are dependent on Ror.

Claw/Bite (Ex): A Witch gets a claw or bite (as appropriate to their Lord Patronage) natural attack that deals the amount of damage as mentioned in the table 'The Witch'.

Pounce (Ex): The Witch can make a pounce attack with her claw or bite attack.

Rake (Ex): The Witch can make a Rake attack with her claw or bite attack, even if it is a bite attack.

Speed (Ex): The Witch gains the stated bonus to speed.

Ror Immortal (Su): The Witch is granted ever-flowing Ror by their patron. They cannot die of old age, but still accrue penalties as they age. If their penalties to constitution reduce it to 0 they die.

Poison (Ex): The Witch chooses an ability. Her claw/bite attacks have poison that requires a save equal to 15 + wis mod which deals damage to the chosen ability as stated on the table. This poison requires no secondary save, and has no secondary damage.

[TheLonelyScribe]

Witch Spell List: This includes some new spells, which are to be detailed. (c) means the Patron Lord's associated creature and (t) means that creature's type eg. Merithas the witch reveres the Lord of spiders. For her (c) means spiders and (t) means vermin.

Cantrips: Cure Minor Wounds, Daze, Flare, Ghost Sound, Guidance, Inflict Minor Wounds, Know Direction, Light (on self only), Purify Food and Drink, Resistance, Touch of Fatigue, Virtue

1st level: Calm Animals, Cause Fear, Charm Animal, Cure Light Wounds, Deathwatch, Divine Favour, Detect Animals or Plants, Endure Elements, Expeditious Retreat, Hide from Animals, Inflict Light Wounds, Lesser Confusion, Longstrider, Magic Fang, Produce Flame, Shillelagh, Sleep

2nd level: Aid, Barkskin, Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Calm Emotions, Cure Moderate Wounds, Dominate (c), Flame Blade, Gust of Wind, Hold Animal, Hold Person, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Rage, Remove Paralysis, Restoration (Lesser), Scare, Shatter, Sound Burst, Spider Climb, Status

3rd level: Animate Corpse (to come), Blindness/Deafness, Cogitation, Cure Serious Wounds, Daylight (on self only), Deep Slumber, Fear, Haste, Inflict Serious Wounds, Magic Fang (Greater), Poison, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Disease, Searing Light, Slow

4th level: Blight, Cure Critical Wounds, Divine Power, Flame Strike, Hold Monster, Inflict Critical Wounds, Locate Creature, Neutralize Poison, Poison, Repel (t), Restoration, Shout

5th level: Awaken, Commune (with Lord of the Ror), Cure Light Wounds (Mass), Inflict Light Wounds (Mass), Permanency, Raise Dead, Slay Living, Waves of Fatigue

6th level: Bear's Endurance (Mass), Bull's Strength (Mass), Circle of Death, Cure Moderate Wounds (Mass), Eyebite, Harm, Heal, Inflict Moderate Wounds (Mass)

7th level: Antipathy (type of creature must be (c)), Cure Serious Wounds (Mass), Destruction, Finger of Death, Inflict Serious Wounds (Mass), Insanity, Power Word Blind, Regenerate, Repulsion, Restoration (Greater), Sunbeam, Sympathy (type of creature must be (c)) Waves of Exhaustion

8th level: Cure Critical Wounds (Mass), Inflict Critical Wounds (Mass), Power Word Stun, Sunburst

9th level: Energy Drain, Heal (Mass), Harm (Mass), Implosion, Power Word Kill, Wail of the Banshee

[TheLonelyScribe]

Animate Corpse functions like Animate Dead except for the below changes, and: it has no material component, it can only create zombies.

To create a zombie a Witch must deal at least 5 points of damage to herself. This is in the form of blood which flows into the zombie, empowering it with a semblance of life. Each 5 points of damage dealt in this way increases the constitution score of the zombie by 1.

Zombies themselves are quite different from those in the MM, but not completely. The biggest difference is that, every midnight, they experience 1 point of constitution damage. Another is that, for every 5 points of damage they deal with their slam attack, they gain 1 point of constitution. They also contain vestiges of the personality of the person they were in life. This gives them 3 Int and 3 Cha, or however much they had in life, whichever is smaller. They lose toughness as a bonus feat. Their HD are not doubled, and they retain HD from class levels. Their alignment is always true neutral, but they thirst after blood constantly, and no longer know any better.

[TheLonelyScribe]

Repel (t) functions as Repel Vermin, but instead of affecting vermin it affects (t) (unless (t) is vermin, in which case the spell not only functions as Repel Vermin, it is repel vermin).

Dominate (c) functions as Dominate Monster, but the target must be a (c).


Also - no rules against feedback guys! Bit of E.A.C.Hing over here please!