Legendary Lives

In Legendary Lives, you'll play a hero in a fantastic realm of epic adventure. You'll pit your spells against the magic of powerful sorcerers, wield mighty weapons in battle with mythical creatures, and explore a world filled with sinister cults and strange societies.

Legendary Lives makes role playing easy. This manual contains everything you need to play, including a richly textured world for you to explore. There is no need to buy additional supplements or source books.

Even if this is your first role playing game, you'll have no trouble learning Legendary Lives. It's especially designed to welcome new players-even those who thought they would never enjoy role playing. And if you're an expert player, you'll find some new ideas that will make this game unlike any other. Legendary Lives stresses fast action and storytelling, helping you recapture the excitement of your first role playing experience.

Role Playing Basics

In a role playing game, each player controls a single character and reacts to people and situations according to the personality of his part. They do this by describing what their character does and says, not by physically acting out the role. One person serves as the referee. He is the interpreter of the rules, and in all disagreements, his decision is final. The referee does not control a single character like the players do, instead he plays the people and creatures they meet.

The Referee

Just as every story has a teller, every role playing game must have a referee. Using an outline prepared beforehand, the referee directs the course of the game according to the actions of the players. Legendary Lives occurs more in the imagination of the participants than on a playing surface. The players tell the referee what their characters are trying to do, and the referee tells them what happens, based on the skills of their characters, the luck of their die rolls, and the rules of the game. The referee uses vivid imagery, and sometimes simple maps or sketches to explain what the characters see and experience. With the help of Legendary Lives, he guides them though an imaginary world of his own making.

One of the referee's chief responsibilities is that of controlling the characters the players meet. The referee assumes new roles as needed, sometimes playing three or four characters at a time, all the while maintaining their unique personalities. The characters that the referee plays are called foes. As you will see in Chapter 11: Foes, not all foes are nasty. Some can even be friendly!

The referee is responsible for creating a challenging adventure for his friends. He must capture the players' interest and carry it through to the adventure's end. His job is not to kill the player characters. Instead, he should focus on running the game fairly and keeping the game enjoyable for all.

Because they have such an important role, referees should have complete knowledge of the rules. An experienced role player will make the best referee for your first Legendary Lives adventure. If you and your friends have never tried a role playing game, it really won't matter who referees. Odds are it'll be the person who owns this book. But don't let yourself get caught always being the referee. It's equally fun to be a player in someone else's adventure!

The Players

The players are impromptu actors within the scenes created by the referee. Each player assumes the role of a single character in the game. Your decisions directly affect the course of the story. The fun comes from interacting with the other characters, and with the imaginary world created by the referee.

For the duration of the game, try to immerse yourself in your role. This means you must refrain from using knowledge your character doesn't possess. For instance, you may know how to make gunpowder, but that doesn't mean your character knows.

By playing, you agree to abide by the referee's decisions and never purposefully antagonize him. If a referee does something with which you disagree, state your concern and then accept his judgment. Save arguments until after the game.

Although you should be familiar with your character, you don't need to know all the rules. The referee will answers questions as they arise, guiding you as needed. This will encourage you to be a lot more inventive in solving your characters' problems. All things are possible in Legendary Lives, and a little mystery fosters a lot of creativity.

Later, after you've gone through a few adventures and are ready to assume the mantle of the referee, you can read the rest of the manual yourself. But beware: once you know the secrets of the referee, you may very well lose the sense of wonder that will make your first games so memorable.

The Adventure

An adventure is a story, told by the referee, in which the players participate. You may play pre-written adventures like those in this manual, or your referee may create his own.

An adventure doesn't have to be played from start to finish at one sitting. A session ends when the referee finds a good stopping place, the adventure comes to its finale, or when half the players have fallen asleep and the sun is coming up. The next session picks up where the last one left off. To maintain interest, most adventures are finished within two or three sessions.

Characters who survive an adventure may be used later. Between adventures, characters heal wounds, squander treasure, run a business, or increase skills. Players who are interested in the daily maintenance of their characters can create detailed records explaining what their characters do between adventures.

Object of the Game

The first goal of a player is survival. Yes, your character can die during an adventure, and a dead character is completely gone. If your character is smart enough, bright enough, or lucky enough, he or she will survive to reap the benefits of becoming older, wiser, and more powerful.

But there are other goals than just mere survival. Each adventure has its own mystery or mission. Successfully achieving the goal of an adventure allows you to improve your character. Players may have individual goals as well.

There are no winners or losers in Legendary Lives. A successful player is someone who has enjoyed the game and brought enjoyment to his or her friends. Even if your character dies, you can always come back with a new character.

The referee's goals are different from those of the players. Since the referee does not run a single character, it doesn't really matter if his characters die. His challenge is to stay one step ahead of the players, while making the adventure as enjoyable as possible. His goal is to keep the game running smoothly. He is not the players' opponent.

Overview of Play

The referee sits at one end of a table with the Legendary Lives manual and any maps or notes he might need to run the adventure. He'll probably want extra paper for sketching rooms, villages, and other locations. He will also need dice for those rare occasions when he will need to make a die roll.

The players sit around the table. Each player needs a completed character sheet, a set of percentile dice, and a pencil. They should also have access to the rulebook.

If the players haven't already created characters, they do so now, following the rules in Chapters 2 to 7. The players introduce their characters to the group by giving a short description of their appearance, history and other noticeable attributes.

The referee starts the game by giving a little background on the adventure the characters are about to pursue. He sets up a scene by describing the setting, the foes that are present, and what is happening. He then presents a problem for the players to solve and asks, "What do you do?"

The players go around the table clockwise, each explaining as clearly as possible what her character wants to do. Try to be creative, and always try to act the way your character would behave. If your character is afraid of spiders, she'd be much more likely to flee a giant spider than rush to attack.

Once you've told the referee what your character would like to do, he will help you determine your degree of success or failure, using the rules of this game. Your action is resolved immediately, before moving to the next player.

After all the players have had a chance to act, the referee explains what the foes are doing, if any are present. The next turn then begins and the sequence repeats itself. The referee decides how long each turn lasts and how much a character can accomplish in one turn.

Semi-Diceless Gaming

The major difference between Legendary Lives and other role playing games is the limited use of dice by the referee. A referee has complete control over the game world. He decides the course of events based upon the skills of his foes and the requirements of the storyline-not by die rolls.

Still, events rarely go as the referee planned. The players roll dice to influence or resist the referee's world, adding a random element that makes the game always unpredictable.

The use of dice by the players and not the referee is called semi-diceless role playing, and Legendary Lives is the first game to employ this method. This innovative system takes many traditional pressures off the participants. It frees the referee and the players to concentrate on what they enjoy most. The referee focuses on running the adventure while the players concentrate on running their characters. Both receive the maximum amount of pleasure from the freedom Legendary Lives gives them.

The referee will need this freedom because he'll be doing a lot of thinking on his feet. Since the players are free to try most anything, they won't always go in the direction the referee has planned. The referee must learn to change his plot to accommodate the actions of the players, not the other way around.

Fortunately, the rules of Legendary Lives invite the player's creativity-and the referee's spontaneity. It's easy to introduce a new foe, or create a new situation on the spur of the moment. Almost any action the players can think of is easily resolved using a consistent system. Whether they succeed depends on their abilities, daring, and a fair amount of luck. Any action a player tries has a whole range of possible results, giving the referee greater flexibility in deciding what happens and making the game always unpredictable and exciting.

Requirements

Dice

Die rolls help you determine exactly what happens to your character out of a range of possibilities. They provide uncertainty and excitement. You can purchase dice at most hobby or game stores. It's easiest for the players to use their own sets of dice, but they can also share.

In these rules, we use a standard gaming notation to show the kind of dice to roll. For instance, d6 means to roll a six sided die. The "d" stands for die or dice, and the number after it shows how many sides the die has.

If a number appears before the "d" it indicates how many dice should be rolled and their results added together. For example, 2d6 means to roll two six-sided dice and total their results. If no number appears before the "d" you should roll only one die.

Sometimes, an addition appears after the die notation. This means to add the indicated number to the result of the roll. Thus, 2d6+1 means to roll two six-sided dice and add one to their total.

Percentile dice consist of two ten-sided dice of different colors. Together, they are used to generate numbers from 1 to 100. To do this, designate one color as high. Then roll both dice simultaneously, and read the high die as the first digit and the other die as the second digit. If both dice show zero, the result is 100 (also called 00, or double zero).

Example: A player rolls a red and a white die, calling red as high. The red die rolls a 0, and the white die comes up 7. The result is 07 (seven).

Using This Manual

Legendary Lives is divided into two sections, the Player's Primer and Referee's Rulebook. The Player's Primer contains all the information you need to create and play a character. The Referee's Rulebook includes rules for running an adventure, information on the game world, and two ready to run adventures to get you started.

Players should read only the Primer. The Referee's Rulebook is for the referee's eyes only. This will make the game world all the more mysterious and exciting.

Much of the manual is simply reference material. Players will read small parts of the Player's Primer during character creation and refer to the rest only as needed. The referee will want to read at least Chapters 8, 9, 10 and 11 before running the adventures in Chapter 15.

What's Next?

Turn now to Chapter 2: Character Races to being the character creation process. It may look formidable at first, but it's actually quite fun.

Chapter 2: Character Races

Your Character

To play Legendary Lives, you must first create a character, using a character sheet (you may make as many copies as you need for your personal use). As a player, a completed character sheet is almost all you'll need to participate in an adventure.

Your character is your alter-ego in the game world. Each player creates and controls a single character. Referees do not create characters at all (they design foes, but we won't get to that until Chapter 11: Foes).

The Character Sheet

Your character sheet includes places to record your character's skills, wounds, equipment, physical appearance, and background. Everything you need to know about him is listed in one place.

In the lower left hand corner of the character sheet is a large chart labeled Fail/Succeed. This is the Action Result Table (called the ART), and it is used to resolve any action that your character attempts. It is the only chart you will need to roll on while playing Legendary Lives, although several other tables are used during character creation. Since you don't really need to understand the chart to create a character, we'll explain it in Chapter 8: How To Play.

Races

The first thing to do when creating a character is to pick the kind of creature you want to play from those presented in this chapter. In general, character races are cooperative, social beings. Their abilities are balanced, so don't bother trying to find the best one--there isn't any. If you want to play a powerful fighter, choose a hob. If you want a cunning trickster, take a gypsy. There are dozens of races to select from. The choice is yours.

If you like, you may leave the selection of your race to luck by rolling on the Character Race table. If you aren't comfortable with what you roll, feel free to roll again, or, for that matter, select the race of your choice. Like many of the charts used in character creation, the Character Race table is intended to inspire you, not replace your creativity. You should never feel trapped into playing a character you don't like.

Character Race

Skills

In game terms, your character's abilities are defined by skills. No skill is more important than any other; it just depends on the type of character you want to play. A character with a high Strength and Stamina will be more successful at fighting, while a character with high Charm and Cunning will do better at talking her way out of trouble.

Skills are initially given a rating between 2 (which is really awful) to 19 (which is nearly superhuman). When we say a character has a Strength of 19, we mean he is incredibly strong. On the other hand, a character with an Agility of 3 is very clumsy.

A character's ability to perform a task is based on his skill. A character with a skill of ten has a 50% chance of using that skill successfully on an average task. For this reason, ten is considered normal for a typical character. If your character has a skill that is above ten, he is above average; below ten, he is below average. Each point of difference will change his chance of success.

There are twelve base skills possessed by every character. They are: Agility, Alertness, Charm, Cunning, Dexterity, Fate, Intelligence, Knowledge, Mechanical, Nature, Stamina, and Strength.

Beneath each base skill on your character sheet are additional skills that are related to it. For instance, Agility will help determine the skills of Dodge, Jump, Quickness, and Stealth as explained later. Once your character is created, all skills are treated exactly the same.

Base skills are explained briefly below. You'll find a more detailed description of all skills in Chapter 6: Skills.

Agility indicates your character's balance, grace, and physical flexibility. It's used when walking a tightrope or dancing.

Alertness indicates how well your character notices things. An especially alert character may hear a far away bird-call, or see a ship on the distant horizon.

Charm is your character's appearance, charisma, manners, and style. It's the impression he makes on others.

Cunning measures how devious, inventive and sly your character is. It's necessary when plotting to overthrow the king, or tricking your guards into giving you the keys to the jail cell.

Dexterity rates your character's ability to work with his hands. It's used when tying or untying knots, juggling, catching, and sewing.

Fate measures your character's luck and destiny. It shows whether he was born under a lucky star, or an ill-fated comet.

Intelligence is your character's swiftness of thought and ability to figure things out. It is also your character's understanding of mathematics, science, and logic.

Knowledge shows how much your character has learned in a variety of fields. Your character's background will influence the type of knowledge she has.

Mechanical covers your character's mechanical aptitude. It's used to understand and operate machines and other devices.

Nature indicates how well your character understands and interacts with nature. It's your character's ability to predict tomorrow's weather, or cope with living in the wilderness.

Stamina is your character's health, endurance, and ability to withstand adverse condition. A character with high Stamina can better resist illness, and travel longer without rest.

Strength measures your character's brawn. When your character wants to lift a heavy object, smash a door, carry an unconscious companion, or perform any other strenuous feat, he will use Strength.

Calculating Base Skills

The racial descriptions in this chapter show the base skills for each race. To each starting skill for your race, add the roll of a six-sided die to create the score for your character. Record the totals on your character sheet next to the appropriate base skill. This is called rolling a character. With twelve base skills, the element of luck averages out. It's almost impossible for two characters to be identical.

Example: Mike decides to play a dwarf character. He finds that his dwarf's Agility is 2 + d6. Mike rolls a six-sided die and rolls a 5. Since 2+5=7, Mike writes 7 next to Agility on his character sheet. Like most dwarves, his character is not very agile. Mike now moves to Alertness, and repeats this procedure for each of his base skills.

Specialties

Specialties further establish a character. A specialty is a skill a character is especially good at. For instance, dwarves prefer to fight with axes and maces, they like to live in underground cities, they have superb business sense, and they're good at repairing things. A dwarf character will have all of these tendencies. These natural traits are known as specialties, and they are given in the descriptions later in this chapter.

A specialty equals the base skill above it on the character sheet. Fill in the values of your specialties on your character sheet. Everything that is not a specialty equals half the base skill above it, rounded down. Except spells-they are equal to zero. Don't fill in the non-specialties yet. You will be gaining other specialties throughout the character creation process.

Example: Mike finds that dwarves have the following specialties: Caves, Business, Hafted, and Repair. His dwarf's Caves skill equals his Nature of 7. His Business equals his Intelligence of 13, his Hafted skill equals his Strength of 10, and his Repair skill equals his Mechanical of 16. Mike writes these values down on his character sheet next to the appropriate skills.

Age

Each race has its own method for calculating age, based upon the character's Intelligence and Knowledge. Although some races live longer than others, all mature at the same rate. Even though elves may live for hundreds of years, they reach maturity just as quickly as humans. Thus, a twenty year old elf is as fully developed as a human of equal age.

Since player characters are assumed to be just starting their careers, they all begin at a fairly young age. Note your character's age on your character sheet in the space provided on the back of your character sheet.

Example: Mike's dwarf has an Intelligence of 13 and a Knowledge of 15 for a total of 28. A dwarf's age equals Intelligence + Knowledge - 7 years, so Mike's dwarf is 21 years old.

Night Vision

Nocturnal or subterranean races can see better than others at night or in low light situations, an ability called "night vision." Night vision does not allow a character to see in total darkness. In a pitch black room, even a character with night vision would be blind.

There's a place on the front of your character sheet to note whether your character has night vision.

Racial Ability

Each race has its own special ability. This is something which only members of that race can do. Note your character's special ability and uses per day on the front of your character sheet.

Uses per day indicates the number of times a character can try to use her special ability in a game day. A failed attempt counts as a use, even though it has no effect.

Effects details how the character uses his special ability during play. For now, don't spend too much time trying to figure out how the special abilities work, or what "(Passable vs Agility)" means. These notations are explained in Chapter 8: How To Play.

Description

The racial descriptions in this chapter explain the race's appearance, personality, and culture. The thumbnail sketches presented here apply to the races in general. Individuals can be totally different from these stereotypes. Not all barbarians are morose, nor all goblins mischievous. You have the final decision on how you will play your character.

Height

Each race has its own Height, Weight & Family Background table. This is actually three tables in one. It allows you to easily generate important statistics about your character.

To determine your character's height, roll a six-sided die, add your character's Strength, and consult the height section of the Height, Weight & Family Background table for your race. It will tell you your character's height relative to an average sized human. The Actual Height table gives a more detailed breakdown of character heights.

Actual Height Table

Weight

To determine your character's weight, roll another six-sided die and add your character's Stamina. The weight section of the Height, Weight & Family Background table will tell you your character's build as compared to his height. Thus, a very short character who is heavy might actually weigh less than a very tall character who is thin.

Example: Mike's dwarf has a Strength of 10. He rolls a 3 for his height. The Height table for dwarves shows his character is Very Short (between four and four and a half feet tall). The dwarf has a Stamina of 13, and Mike rolls a 1 for his character's weight. A 14 on the Weight table for dwarfs means his character is thin.

Family Background

Your character's family history will influence his training and wealth. To determine the profession of your character's parents, roll a six-sided die and add your character's Fate, then consult the background section of the Height, Weight & Family Background table.

If you want to be from a background that's not listed on the table, talk to your referee about it. You might be able to convince him that dear old dad was a professional dragon tamer, and by god, it's in your blood!

Note your family background on the back of your character sheet. The table also shows the bronze you receive for having that background. Bronze pieces are the base unit of money in the world of Legendary Lives. A dollar sign ($) is used in this game to denote a bronze piece. Write your bronze down in the Treasure section of your character sheet. You'll be using it later to buy your character's starting equipment.

Your character's background will give him or her two additional specialties. These skills equal the base attributes listed above them on your character sheet. The background table for your race also shows how many free specialties your character receives. Later, you'll place these free specialties wherever you want. For now, just keep a tally of how many you have accrued at the top of your character sheet or on a piece of scratch paper.

Example: Mike's dwarf has a Fate of 8. To this, he adds the roll of a six-sided die. He rolls a 4 + 8 = 12. A twelve on the background table for dwarfs indicates his character comes from a family of engineers. Mike notes this on his character sheet. He also notes that his dwarf has $410 bronze pieces to buy starting equipment.

Because he came from a family of engineers, the dwarf receives Build and Siege as specialties. They are made equal to his Mechanical of 16. He also receives 4 free specialties which Mike will pick later. For now, he makes a note at the top of his character sheet that he has four free specialities.

What's Next?

Now that you have determined the racial background of your character, turn to Chapter 3: Character Types to learn more about his profession.

Races

Avian

Description

Avians (also known as "Sky Children") are endowed with fully functional wings. Completely humanoid in all other respects, avians distance themselves from ground-dwellers by living high in the mountains, or along the treacherous sea coast. Legend has it that they were once without wings, but a powerful spell-user cursed them for having voices more lovely than his daughters. Blekar, the sorcerer, would have transformed all the avians into birds, except their leader beseeched the sun god Ler to save them. Blekar's evil plans were thwarted, and his curse only half succeeded.

Because of this special favor from the sun god, avians consider themselves to be the children of Ler, and quite superior to other beings.

The wings, skin and hair of the avians range from white to dark brown. Their feathered wings are the same color as their flowing hair. They are slim, with thin, aristocratic features. Avians wearing cloaks to cover their wings may successfully disguise themselves as ground-dwellers. Their movements are nervous and abrupt when on the ground, for they are only truly comfortable when in flight.

Avians do not like being underground or confined in any way, and will become irrational if they feel trapped. Most avians seem to have trouble concentrating on one thing for any length of time. Rather than overcome adversity through hard work, they are more likely to go on to something new.

Avians live in close-knit groups controlled by a very strict pecking order. This hierarchy is established each year at an avian gathering known as the "Cloud Climb." All Avians take wing and fly toward their "father," the sun. The higher an avian flies the greater his status will be during the following year. Underlings may challenge their superiors in one-on-one flights. If the challenger wins, his rank rises to a level directly above that of his opponent. If the challenger loses, he loses all rank and rights until the next Cloud Climb. He may make no further challenges until he has regained his rank. To make things worse, his opponent has a right to claim all his property.

Avians have virtually no social structure. Those with high status are obligated to protect and nurture the clan, but in return they have complete control over the rest of the group. In fact, a high ranking avian may banish a lower caste avian for no reason at all. However, the banished avian may try to reestablish himself at the next Cloud Climb, or endeavor to join another avian group. Because of this strict caste system, avians generally stick to their own community, only mingling with others of their race at the annual Cloud Climb.

Avians love music, singing and story-telling, but because they are somewhat flighty, they have developed no written history, and only a few strong traditions have been established. Out-cast avians sometimes find employment with ground-dwellers as messengers, lookouts, trackers or traveling show attractions, but they are usually unhappy in such circumstances. An avian is only truly content when he is with his own people, flying to the sun.

Common Names: Flutter, Farflight, Nester, Brighteyes, Peck, Whistle, Singer, Wingwild, Polly, Nightwing.

Avian Height

Avian Weight

Avian Family Background

Barbarian

Description

Large and dull-witted, the barbarian fancies himself a king amongst men. All he needs is to win himself a crown.

Barbarians are born in the snowy mountains to the far north. They are almost always the last survivor of a clan that has been wiped out before their eyes. The barbarian swears vengeance on those that did it, but first he must find them. And that can take years.

Barbarians are a rough, crude people who take pride in strength and stamina above all else. They distrust magic (and magic users) and will not use magical items. They are often superstitious and will refuse to do something if they feel it is "bad luck." They are easily offended and trust no one outside their immediate family. However, if you can prove to a barbarian that you are worthy of his friendship, he will be loyal to you for life. Be forewarned-a barbarian who feels that you've betrayed him (whether you have or not) is extremely dangerous! In fact, all barbarians are extremely dangerous.

Barbarians find true happiness only when they are in battle. Both male and female barbarians are loud, boisterous folk, who are mysteriously overtaken by a strange moroseness at times. This is sometimes exacerbated by strong drink. In this state the barbarian may go utterly berserk, attacking both friends, enemies and innocent bystanders until his blood lust is satisfied.

On the other hand, the barbarian may fall into a dull stupor that can last up to 24 hours.

Some barbarian tribes live together in small towns, but most barbarians live in isolated clans. Usually, a clan will build a long, low lodge where all the family members dwell. Each clan has a totem animal (like a bear), that symbolizes the community. A shaman acts as healer and clan advisor, while the best fighters and hunters act as a clan council.

Common Names: Lars, Brunhilde, Velda, Bear-breath, Gunnar, Hammerhand, Kyrak, Erikki.

Barbarian Height

Barbarian Weight

Barbarian Family Background

Brownie

Description

Brownies are usually no larger than three feet tall. They have short brown hair all over their bodies, big noses and goofy-looking faces. Brownies are good-natured creatures who love rich food, silly stories and childish songs. They favor earthy colors and simple jewelry. Curious and inquisitive, they are sometimes mischievous, and are inclined to practical jokes. Brownies truly enjoy the company of others, and are notorious gossips. If you need to know the latest rumors, ask a brownie.

Brownies live in the hills and plains. They favor small towns made up of burrows and rock-walled huts. Matters of importance are decided by a council of adult brownies known for their wisdom (such as it is).

Hill folk dislike brownies because they often build their homes in prime grazing land. In some areas, this dispute has caused serious altercations between the two peoples.

Some brownies live with humans. Many are employed as jesters or minstrels while others are kept as slaves and pets. In any case, they are usually content so long as they are well-fed and in the company of others.

Most people regard brownies as cute little children, but brownies are not nearly as simple and child-like as they appear. A few make excellent spies because of their good memories and sharp wits. On the other hand, their innate talkativeness might cause them to spill the beans!

Common Names: Pibble, Dart, Sweetums, Jiffy, Max, Shorty, Delighta, Chubby, Jo-Jo.

Brownie Height

Brownie Weight

Brownie Family Background

Bush Person

Description

Bush people live in the hot, southern lands. They are easily recognized by their brown skin and black, curly hair, worn shoulder-length or longer by both sexes. Bush people live in large communities in the brush. Their huts of mud and wattle are often shared by large, extended families. In fact, the bush people consider themselves to be one big family. They stick to themselves, and ignore the doings of other races. They are generally peaceful and non-aggressive unless they feel threatened or provoked.

Because the bush people live in such a warm climate, they wear little clothing. Their hands and feet are well-calloused, for they must hunt and forage for food day by day. Bush people paint themselves with swirls of color extracted from berries; the colors seem to twist and distort the bush person's image, making him hard to see. Even though the bush people use only primitive weapons, they are renowned trackers and hunters.

The bush people have a simple social structure common to most tribal people. The oldest male member is considered the leader, followed by the shaman (male or female) and then the best hunters.

Bush people believe that animals are their spirit guides. A bush person will not eat the meat of his guide animal nor will he ever keep one as a pet. In fact, bush people have no pets other than dogs and chameleon-like, giant lizards.

Bush Person Height

Bush Person Weight

Bush Person Family Background

Corsair

Description

Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! Corsairs are a motley race of people who have wholly embraced the pirate ethic. Their creed is simply this: Eat, drink and be merry! To a corsair, there is no tomorrow, so why worry? Corsairs are adept at leading a moment-to-moment existence; they find it exhilarating. They particularly enjoy fleeting pleasures: drinking, gambling, dueling, etc., and many of them have a sweetheart in every port. In fact, most corsairs support several families (in different towns) but never actually settle down in one place. They are happiest when they are at sea.

Corsair villages are all coastal towns, many of them found on islands near popular trading routes. These islands are protected by natural coral reefs or clever mechanical devices that the corsairs have invented to discourage unwanted guests. These cities are some of the most beautiful in the world, having been financed by the loot of fat merchant ships.

Corsairs make their living in other ways besides pirating. Some work as coastal guides and mercenaries; others are known for their inventive abilities and many have great skill in sword and knife-making. However, a corsair will only take on such a job if it is exciting or the pay is extremely lucrative. Corsair women often become mainland traders, selling stolen goods back to their rightful owners for a profit. Yet no corsair will deal in slavery. The concept is abhorrent to their way of life. Likewise, corsairs hate galley ships which are usually powered by slaves. They will only sail on a ship powered by the wind.

Corsairs are often plagued by viking raiders who constantly pillage their small villages. They strike when the wind is calm, and flee in their galleys with their booty of treasure and slaves. The fleet galleys are also the main threat to the corsair ships, especially when the wind is still.

Corsairs are most readily recognized by their colorful shirts, scarves and hats. They are somewhat gypsy-like in coloring, but there are a few fair-haired corsairs to be found (with a healthy tan-corsairs love the sun). Nearly every corsair (including women) carry a beautiful bladed weapon, usually a knife. Gold and silver earrings and finger rings are also commonly worn by both sexes.

Corsairs have a very loose social structure. In fact, because most active pirates are men, the women generally run the villages. They train the youth until they are ready to serve on a ship, protect the town (corsair women are excellent fighters) and repair battered ships. Corsairs are considered outlaws by most other races, but they do not see themselves as criminal. They honestly don't understand why their way of life is condemned by others.

Common Names: Errol, Dash, Zarabelle, Rigger, Matey, Lucretia, Davey, Flynn, Blackbeard, Oceania, Hooke.

Corsair Height

Corsair Weight

Corsair Family Background

Draconian

Description

Draconians are a fearful race of dragon-like people. They are completely hairless, with a tough layer of green or gray scales. They have long, spindly arms and legs (they walk upright) and a thick, heavy tail. One of their most frightening features is their ability to flex the excess flesh in their necks. The skin rises into a hood, making the draconian appear twice as large as he really is. They use this ability to intimidate other creatures, which explains why draconians are specialists at bullying.

Draconians wear little clothing, typically leather halters studded with precious metals. They are cold blooded, and during cold winters they will hibernate.

Draconians are powerful magic users. Strong evidence indicates that they require human sacrifices for their rituals, something that draconians neither deny nor confirm. At any rate, other races stay far away from them. Draconians find their homes in caves and fetid swamps.

Draconian social structure is made up of an all powerful god-king, his retinue of apprentices, and their vassals. Every three years, a grand festival is held in the capital warrens. The draconians and their king participate in mysterious rituals, and at the climax of the festival, the god-king selects a new apprentice from the best of the sorcerers.

It is from his many apprentices that the god-king chooses his successor. The successor is known as the King's Chosen. When the god-king dies, the King's Chosen will take his place. Over the last few generations, the god-king has usually found his own son or daughter to be worthy of this honor.

Most draconians are unemotional and cold-hearted. Their only passion is magic and they will do anything to achieve greatness in this field, even if it means years of tedious study. Draconians rarely teach their legends and magical skills to those outside their race, but occasionally you will find a draconian apprenticed to a magic user of a different race.

There are many reasons why a draconian will leave his people. Some draconians leave to seek new knowledge. Others leave because they believe their god-king is corrupt. Still others disagree with the rituals performed by their brothers, and leave the swamp cities to seek other methods of spellcraft.

All draconians have sharp fangs and claws. In unarmed combat, they do normal damage instead of subduing damage.

Draconian Height

Draconian Weight

Draconian Family Background

Dwarf

Description

Dwarves are a numerous race found throughout the lands. They are short, stocky and rugged; mature dwarves wear beards, sometimes dyed with garish colors that match the bright primary colors of their garb. They have a fondness for long, pointed hoods (which make them look taller, and more formidable).

The dwarven society is divided into two segments; those of high birth who espouse the virtues of community spirit and hard work, and those of low social rank who actually do the work. Dwarves live in vast underground cities with the common dwarves living closest to the surface, and the Dwarf King and his inner circle live deep inside the earth. Having never been touched by the sun, the skin of royal dwarves is an alabaster-white. Their eyes tend to be sensitive to sunlight, making it difficult for them to see when outside on sunny days.

The noble dwarves try to keep their social circle tightly closed. They have a secret language, a secret handshake and secret arts of making fine jewelry and weaponry. All this elitism serves to separate the noble craftsmen from the commoners. It is the noble dwarves who benefit from the wealth of the earth. They are a happy and contented lot who believe that commerce, manufacturing and honorable work is the goal of every dwarf-provided the hard labor is done by the commoners. The job of the nobles is to profit by their rank. They throw lavish parties for each other and invest huge amounts of treasure into the creation and acquisition of finely crafted art objects. A noble dwarf will proudly spend a fortune for a knickknack to display on his mantel. And what's more, his associates will be quite jealous until they get something even more lavish.

Dwarf caves are plastered with signs, placed there by the nobility: Be a team player! Find fulfillment and satisfaction in your career! Be successful, or be a drag on productivity! They're designed to encourage the lower class to continue slaving for the benefit of the wealthy dwarves. Incredibly, it works. Although they have nothing to look forward to except a short, grim existence, most common dwarves seem to accept their lot in life. They believe their self worth is directly proportional to how much they produce.

Of course, there have been dwarf rebellions in the past, but these have been quickly suppressed by the king. Even so, nearly every dwarven city has an underground movement designed to overthrow the nobility.

It's easy to tell a noble dwarf from a common dwarf. The commoners are frequently hunchbacked (from years of hard labor), filthy-bearded, and short tempered. The nobles have silky beards, straight backs, and a finely developed sense of honor, which, unfortunately, does not encompass the common dwarf.

Dwarves think all goblins are thieves, and all hobs are buffoons. Many centuries ago, the hobs lived underground in vast, complex caverns. The dwarves tunneled into these huge caverns by accident, and thus began a war that lasted many years. The hobs were driven to the surface, their ancestral homes taken over by the dwarves. In the process, they became the butt of many a dwarf joke. Dwarves think of hobs as comical figures, not worthy of respect.

Common Names: Dumple, Stuanch, Eartha, Dolin, Rondo, Frieda, Rocky, Digger, Goldetta, Silverbeard.

Dwarf Height

Dwarf Weight

Dwarf Family Background

Easterling

Description

Easterlings are found (of course) in the eastern regions, generally in the mountains and a few coastal towns. Easterlings are usually short, with black hair and eyes. Their skin is tea-colored and they wear bright silks and cotton robes. They believe themselves to be the most sophisticated of all the races. They are skilled inventors, and have created many labor-saving devices unknown to the rest of the world. They stock-pile books, scrolls and magic items in their vast libraries and museums.

Easterlings value knowledge above all things. Their society educates the poorest member by public-supported schools and traveling teachers. Every easterling strives to reach godhood, and this can only be done through meditation and mystic knowledge. They seek to leave their bodies and become creatures of pure thought. They believe that only Sing Po and his grandson Li have ever achieved this state. Although they lived over a thousand years ago, they are still worshiped. It is believed that one who is properly attuned to Sing Po or Li can perform miracles. The goal of all easterlings is to join Sing Po and Li.

Easterlings are ruled by a group of philosophers known as The Great Circle. Anyone may become a philosopher/statesman by journeying to the capital city of Liu and appearing before the circle. If you can answer three questions posed by them, you automatically achieve equal status. Be forewarned: you must swear to justly rule over the land of the easterlings for the rest of your life. If you betray your duties you will be put to death. A "small circle" is found in every town, but a member is allowed to retire whenever he or she wishes.

While easterlings are not a war-loving people, they do have a swift and terrible sense of justice. Death is a common penalty for even the pettiest of crimes. Because of this, the land of the easterlings is nearly crime-free.

Easterlings love the finer things in life: jewelry, food, music, etc., and so they interact with many other races in the course of trade. They have strong ties with the corsairs for this reason. They do not encourage other races to visit their lands, but their border towns are usually great melting pots. While most easterlings stay close to home, others roam the world looking for wise men and women to act as their mentors. However, many easterlings view other races as little better then animals; their arrogance has been known to cause hard feelings.

Easterling Height

Easterling Weight

Easterling Family Background

Elf

Description

Elves are slim, graceful folk with pale skin, blond hair and blue eyes. They live in elven communities inside the hollowed out trunks of huge trees or amongst the branches of enchanted forests. Elves are only truly comfortable in the forest. Open skies makes them uncomfortable and being underground is virtually unbearable. Their lives center around nature, especially plants. They usually wear green clothing, and humans find them hard to see when in their native habitat.

Elves believe that everything contains a conscious spirit, not just people and animals, but trees and stones as well. Their respect for life extends to that of trees and even some inanimate objects.

Yet elves can be ferocious warriors. They have a keen eye with a bow, and favor ambushes from the shelter of trees.

Elves are ruled by an Elf Queen, a title that is passed to the eldest daughter after the queen retires. Elves are closely related to firbolgs and sidhe, and are more distantly related to spriggans. As a group, these races are known as the elf kin, or fairie folk.

Elves are innately magical, yet many of them are not actually magic users. They are a restless folk, and highly curious even though they are shy of others. Elves usually travel quite a bit, but they try to join their families for the mid-summer festival of the elves.

Elves love song and dance, and they also enjoy story-telling. Most are vegetarians, and sometimes tend orchards of their own. They are not skilled merchants, but they like to create little wooden knickknacks to give to their friends and family. Many of the knickknacks are useless, for their value is in the sentiment that goes with them.

Many elves (as well as most firbolgs and some sidhe) are members of the Seelie Court, meaning "The Court of the Blessed Ones." Members of the Seelie Court will not harm one another unless in danger or in retribution for a past wrong. An elf who violates the rules of the Seelie Court will be punished by his own kind.

An elf who has lived a long and full life will, one evening, strip himself of all worldly goods except a rough tunic and sandals, and go into the woods never to be seen again. These dying elves, it is said, are journeying to the secret burial ground of the elves. There they will breathe their last in peace and be taken by their ancestors into the blessed forests that await them. Only an elf near death knows the way to the elven graveyard. They never tell anyone where they are going, and no one has ever been able to follow an elf who is on his way to the burial ground.

This is fortunate for the elves, for it is rumored that the bones of elves are valuable in the researching and casting of spells. The burial ground could very well hold a fortune in elf bones.

Common Names: Silver, Arrowswift, Daphne, Sylvania, Breezy, Cosmo, Dawn, Brightstar.

Elf Height

Elf Weight

Elf Family Background

Elfin

Description

A child born from the union of a human and an elf kin is known as an elfin. They are very rare, for few fairie folk will mate with a human. Elfin are indistinguishable from humans except that their skin is very pale and faintly translucent. For this reason, some elfin are mistaken for human albinos (and vice versa).

Elfin are raised solely by their human parent (if they were raised by their fairie parent, they grow up to be elves in every way). On occasion, the fairie parent will visit the child, but usually the elfin child knows little of his true heritage. An elfin may find that he is looked upon as evil because of his mixed parentage. Many elfin are poorly treated; some of them are beaten, deliberately crippled or even killed.

The fairie folk treat the elfin with curiosity and a touch of animosity. Although they will let an elfin live in their community for a short while, they will ultimately encourage the elfin to live where the fairie folk believe he belongs: with other humans.

Elfin can see and sense things that humans cannot. Most elfin find this ability hard to live with, and they end up leading vicious, self-destructive lives. Many of them die at a young age; others simply disappear, without warning. The few elfin that are well-treated in their youth tend to become sympathetic champions of the underdog. They learn to live with their true sight abilities and use them wisely. The few that achieve this wisdom often become the finest artists or philosophers in their communities.

More than anything, elfin seek acceptance. For this reason, they make steadfast friends (although they may view an initial gesture of friendship with suspicion).

Elfin are clearly more human than elven. They are comfortable outside of the forest, do not fear being underground and their tastes in food and clothing are very human. On the other hand, they have the same respect for life and nature possessed by their elf kin cousins.

Elfin Height

Elfin Weight

Elfin Family Background

Entomolian

Description

Entomolians are fantastic creatures that look like giant insects. They have tiny heads, barrel-like chests, and chitinous skin. Entomolians are human-sized, walk on two legs, have two arms, and no wings.

The life style of the entomolian is similar to that of many insects. They live inside nest villages located under huge mounds of earth. The mother of all is the great queen. The entire society devotes itself to her and her children. Royal nursemaids feed the queen and her larvae. Sexless warriors prowl the surrounding countryside, seeking food for the nest. Male drones live a life of luxury, their sole duty being to fertilize the queen's eggs.

To an entomolian, the propagation of the species is of utmost importance, and a dead drone is normally given to the larvae to feed upon. In fact, while entomolians do not actively hunt their own kind as food, they see nothing wrong with cannibalism as a means of survival. A war party will not take provisions along; instead, the warriors will feast upon the dead.

Entomolians have a hive mentality. They will go to incredible lengths to serve and protect the members of their nest. An entomolian separated from his birth nest will often adopt companions (even of different races) as "nest mates;" his feelings of loyalty and sacrifice will transfer totally to them, and he will behave accordingly. These intense feelings may make an entomolian paranoid and belligerent; it is unwise to threaten an entomolian, but it is pure folly to threaten his nest mates.

Every nest has its own buzzing song, called the Song of the Nest. Because it is difficult to distinguish one entomolian from another, entomolians will sing this song in battle, and by this song know their friends from their foes. Because the song slowly changes over time, an entomolian who has been separated from his nest for a few years will not be recognized, and might be attacked as an enemy.

Entomolians may be separated from their hive while hunting, during a war, or they may leave on their own. While entomolians have an intense loyalty to their hive, they do have a consciousness all their own. A few leave their hive simply to see what lies beyond.

Entomolian Height

Entomolian Weight

Entomolian Family Background

Feral

Description

These are children that have been raised to adolescence by wolves, bears, badgers, or other wild animals. At some point, they are restored to civilization. Ferals are not a true race, and in fact they come from many different races.

Occasionally a baby or young child is either accidentally or deliberately abandoned in the wilderness. Perhaps the family can no longer support the child, or maybe the child simply wanders away from its parents and becomes lost. Some children are purposefully abandoned as sacrifices to the nature spirits, or because their parents were killed, or because they have some kind of deformity.

Though most children die under these circumstances, a few are accepted into the families of wild animals. A bear who has just lost her cubs may adopt a human child for her own. A she-wolf, for some inexplicable reason, may nurture a lost baby rather than devour it. No one knows why. Perhaps it is a sense of motherhood that spans all boundaries of species. Such children become ferals.

Ferals are captured and reintroduced to civilization between the ages of six and fourteen. Most ferals resist the change with bestial ferocity. Their wild heritage makes them stooped, their hands calloused from years of loping on all fours, and their teeth and fingernails long and sharp.

When first captured, ferals spend hours pacing swiftly back and forth on all fours, growling and howling with anger and fear. They will eat only raw meat and drink only water. However, with care and training the feral will learn to speak, walk, wear clothing, and accept his life as a human. Yet they will never lose the memory of their years with the animals.

Ferals retain many animal traits. They are particularly sensitive to smells, and seem to use their noses more than their eyes. Some can smell water, animals, fear and even danger, and they track by smell rather than sight. They do not speak much, and when they do their voices are rough-as though unaccustomed to forming human sounds. All ferals have an innate mistrust for mechanical things. They prefer to wear simple clothing and are uncomfortable inside any building. They feel much safer in the wilderness, and are awkward in social situations. Ferals often make blunders in etiquette at embarrassing moments.

Ferals assume the culture and beliefs of their adopted society. Their background roll will determine the race that adopts them. Please read the appropriate racial section for more information.

Original Race: Roll 2d6 on the following table to determine a feral's original race.

Feral Height

Feral Weight

Feral Family Background

Feral Race

Firbolg (fir-vu-log)

Description

Firbolgs are the most rugged of the Seelie Court, and the most dedicated to the service of that high cause. They are stockier and their skin is darker than other elf kin. Many of them are mistaken for humans. Firbolgs have no homeland; instead they can be found traveling throughout the land, alone or in small groups. They enjoy the intrigue of city life and often travel along trade routes.

Firbolgs are the guardians of the fairie interests in the world. In ancient times, they were warriors, dedicated to fighting any evil that threatened the Seelie Court. In these more peaceful times, they use their night vision to prowl around in the dark, keeping an eye on world affairs. They often meddle in the politics of others, giving a push here and a pull there to make world politics go in the direction desired by the Seelie Court. They like to go on dangerous quests and are quick to join a cause. But watch out, they'll try to convince you to go too! Firbolgs are painfully sincere and earnest. They truly believe if everyone lived according to their moral values, the world would be a better place.

Firbolgs meet occasionally with the Seelie Court to discuss the doings of the other races, but primarily they meet amongst themselves to share information, rumors and other important tidbits. They prefer to meet under large willow trees, so that their plans will be hidden under the shroud of branches. Sometimes they will plot together, but due to their low cunning, the more firbolgs involved in a scheme, the more likely it will go wrong. For this reason they prefer to work alone or with non-firbolgs.

Firbolgs dress plainly and modestly in browns, grays and other dull colors. They wear no jewelry and are generally uninterested in the arts, although they love a good story. Firbolgs are rather puritanical in thought and deed. They avoid drinking, gambling and other popular pleasures, unless they are "undercover." They look upon the other fairie folk as child-like and silly, and take great pride in their positions as Guardians. Other elf kin think they're old stick-in-the-muds, but are grateful for their service.

Firbolgs do not sleep; instead they meditate for approximately two hours a day. Their dreams are powerful and visionary, and often when a firbolg awakens, he'll have a bright idea for a new mission.

Firbolg Height

Firbolg Weight

Firbolg Family Background

Forester

Description

Foresters are a human race that live throughout the forest and mountain lands. They wear heavy furs and the men grow wild, thick beards. They make their living by hunting, trapping, and logging. They have few group settlements; instead they live with their families in secluded cabins. Foresters are a private people who live according to their individual desires. Each forester takes care of his own family, and stays out of his neighbors' business.

Foresters are generous with their friends and forgiving of their enemies, but they are mistrustful of strangers. People wandering into their territory may find themselves threatened or thrown out.

The people of the woods have strong traditions, and are suspicious of new ideas and innovative ways of doing things. People preaching new concepts are not welcomed by foresters. They will either be politely ignored, or driven away.

Foresters are most comfortable surrounded by trees, and they know the woods so well that they never seem to get lost in their own forest. Unlike some races, they do not live in harmony with wild animals. Foresters enjoy hunting for sport as well as food. Quite a few of them tame woodland creatures and keep them as pets.

Foresters utilize the wild lands to the fullest, oblivious to the respect that other races feel toward nature. While not malicious, they are unmindful of the delicate balance and natural beauty of the woods. They think of the forest as a resource to be used as needed. They cannot imagine that it will ever be used up entirely. Elves don't like foresters for this reason, and will use their magic to drive them from their homelands. Foresters regard elves as petty tyrants who selfishly horde prime timberland.

Common Names: Judd, Grizzly, McCoy, Joe-Bob, Woody, Buttercup, Mary-Sue, Seth, Zachary.

Legendary Lives

A Fantasy Role Playing Game

Table of Contents

Book 1: Player's Primer

Book 2: Referee's Rulebook

Chapter 1: Introduction

Heroic Fantasy

Role Playing Basics

The Referee

The Players

The Adventure

Object of the Game

Overview of Play

Semi-Diceless Gaming

Requirements

Dice

Using This Manual

What's Next?

Chapter 2: Character Races

Your Character

The Character Sheet

Races

Character Race

Skills

Calculating Base Skills

Specialties

Age

Night Vision

Racial Ability

Description

Height

Actual Height Table

Weight

Family Background

What's Next?

Races

Avian

Description

Avian Height

Avian Weight

Avian Family Background

Barbarian

Description

Barbarian Height

Barbarian Weight

Barbarian Family Background

Brownie

Description

Brownie Height

Brownie Weight

Brownie Family Background

Bush Person

Description

Bush Person Height

Bush Person Weight

Bush Person Family Background

Corsair

Description

Corsair Height

Corsair Weight

Corsair Family Background

Draconian

Description

Draconian Height

Draconian Weight

Draconian Family Background

Dwarf

Description

Dwarf Height

Dwarf Weight

Dwarf Family Background

Easterling

Description

Easterling Height

Easterling Weight

Easterling Family Background

Elf

Description

Elf Height

Elf Weight