Meleeworld
Guild Book: Ordo Arbiter Law and Order are basic needs in the Kingdom of Praelia and here we find those who help keep both needs available. The Ordo Arbiter are the Judges, Guards and Lawyers of the Kingdom.
Inside this book you will find
New Aptitudes
Techniques Benefits and Drawbacks
The Laws of the Kingdom
The history of Altarius and the Order The infamous Iscaraotes Most Wanted Criminals
A hulking brute, Dalcar Pyle is a solider who has been misunderstood by nearly everyone he meets. An imposing figure, he uses his size and brute strength to get by in a world where everyone is out to get him. To his allies, those whom he trusts, Dalcar is a strong and reliable friend. To his enemies, he is a terrifying monster of a man.
Mocked for most of his youth, Dalcar became a privateer so that he could escape his dead-end life and seek adventure on the high seas. He joined the Parris, a corvette under the command of Captain Hartman. As a crewman Dalcar was harassed by the captain when he made any mistakes. Verbally and often physically assaulted by the Captain, Dalcar soon was taken under the wing of the experienced Quartermaster Davis who helped Dalcar learn the ropes. Dedicated to becoming the best crewman he could be, Dalcar trained hard.
Soon, Dalcar was becoming quite adept with his duties. He even started to impress the Captain, although that did not stop Captain Hartman from breading every single mistake Dalcar made. One day, however during a particularly brutal storm, the Captain found Dalcar in the ship’s galley. There was a strange look about him, as if he had descended into the throws of madness. Reciting the crewman’s oath, Dalcar slowly stared down his captain. The captain yelled at Dalcar to return to his quarters, but Dalcar would have no more abuse. He pulled out his musket and killed the captain. It was then that Dalcar might have been arrested or worse, but fate intervened. The crash of a wave smashed the side of the Parris - tearing a hole in the hull and pulling Dalcar out to sea.
Dalcar awoke in a field near the Highland Farms of Nicholshire. It was not long before the discovered Triad and joined their ranks. His new captain, Bartholemew Ward, reminded him of his friend Davis. Their friendship tempered the views of Dalcar. He had been given a second chance. This time he would be no privateer, this time he would take no abuse. Pirate Pyle would be a name that would strike fear in his enemies.
The addition of procedures and techniques to the repertoire of a character adds for depth and versatility. Techniques open up combat to personalize a style on one hand, or simply offer an advantage over those who fail to learn them. Procedures advance the knowledge of aptitudes to allow for cross-pollination to improve efficiency. One must remember, this is not something that is inherent, they must be taught.
While these wonderful skills and abilities are useful, they are not widely available. Networking with others is a great way to improve your access to techniques and procedures. Guilds an Factions are a very direct source of this knowledge, however there are other sources that an astute adventurer may find. and Libraries often offer procedural training to those who work for them or learn from them. Training costs might be high, but the education is often very worthwhile.
It is not uncommon to find some techniques taught in scrolls and pamphlets, even in the fabled Fightbooks. One such book that has recently been printed is the Fightbook volume 1 by Master at Arms Thomas MacLeod. Sometimes these texts may be discovered in abandoned places, deep in the dungeons and catacombs that litter the landscape. Others may be awarded as prize for a particularly challenging quest.
South of the Analova Plains, and to the east of the Llogrebat lies the decrepit and sinister Kaylinn Swamps. Named for the evil witch that once inhabited the area, very few people call this region home. Secrets and treasure rumors abound as much as the very real threats of this wasteland.
As dangerous as they come, the swamp is rife with alligators, snakes and other creepy creatures including piranha and other monstrous beasts. The land is no more hospitable, with crags and quicksand pits all around the land, many a lost traveller has never found their way out of these deadly swamps.
The natural dangers of the region should be enough to keep any sane traveller out, but for those who still think themselves apt to travel, there are myriad stories of zombies and other undead creatures roaming the swamps are not uncommon. It is as if the entire landscape is cursed by black magic. Some say the dark wizard Raziel is responsible for the turmoil in the land, others fear something worse lives in this land.
The swamps eventually dry up into a desert before reaching as far south as Sulphurdale, and on the eastern border lies the mountains of Krymm, holding the darkness directly within the cauldron that is the Kaylinn Swamps. Only Eridu to the northeast is close to as dangerous as the land within this swamp. Travel into this region is strongly advised against.
Posts abound in the Cordilleria featuring great opportunities for builders and laborers to work on a construction job in the Kaylinn Swamps. Construction of some fortress is underway, headed by Raziel Mendoza and the Granite Spire.
Workers are being offered 50 letcher per week for working on the project. This is considerably higher than many wages here in Azara. It is no doubt many of will seek to join this project regardless of the rumors of evil and monsters in that wasteland.
Interested workers are encouraged to meet at Welch Gulch soon, while the hiring is still good.
~Brad Perry
Chronicler in Ashtonshire, Azara
Many have asked me, “Chancellor Hraldr, how can I create a persona? What characteristics do I need to focus on to make it as colorful, and as historical as possible?” It took me a couple of years to truly figure out the answer to this question. When I finally figured this out, I thought, “this should be easy and why did it take me so long to figure it out?” I realized that it wasn’t so easy; the research that’s involved is a strenuous process if you don’t have an idea of what you wish to be. So I began to postulate on what aspects should be focused upon minus any irrelevant details that may get in the way. These aspects are few yet important, for they will make the foundation of your persona’s story.
The first aspect you should focus on is the culture that you wish to represent. Ask yourself, “where am I from?” This question will take away a large chunk of the difficulty in the creation process; for if you have an idea of where you’re from, you can figure out what clothing you may wear, what weapons you will wield as well as possible timeline to come from. If you deliberate further on this question, you will find many details that will give color to your persona, such as names of the monarchy at the time, a city that you may hail from, as well as particular customs and holidays of the region.
The next aspect you should focus on is your persona’s occupation. What did your persona do when it was alive? Was your persona formally of the nobility or was it a peasant threshing wheat for the local baron? Maybe you were of the merchant class and you traveled extensively through the world selling your wares. Whatever that persona may be, knowing that persona’s occupation will help greatly help on how you interact with other personas on the field, especially if you have find someone whose persona shares the same occupation as yours. It would also give additional help when it comes to what garb you may wear. The job that your persona has will be a measure of what finances your persona may have experienced in life and therefore would decide what garb that persona would have availability to.
Another question that you could ask yourself is “what did my persona do for fun?” Having likes and dislikes, as well as hobbies will make further elaborate on what makes your persona what they are. Everyone has pet peeves and revealing these will make your persona look reasonable and helps it to look more like an actual person instead of just some character. If you have a question on what exactly to choose as such, then look to yourself. Ask yourself what your hobbies, what do you like or hate. More than likely you will notice that they can be just as good as making the information. However, stay away from using hobbies that are too modern. It is unbelievable for a peasant from Dark Ages France to have interests in video games or for a Spanish inquisitor to enjoy a riveting round of Monopoly. Putting such information in a persona takes away from its ambience.
The last question you should ask is “what’s my name?” This is one of the most difficult questions to answer for many people don’t know about naming practices in the dark and middle ages. The average name was usually without a surname which is commonplace in the modern day. In the past, the average name may reflect on a physical feature (ex. Ramon the Black), a city that they may have come from (Rochefort le Alsace), or a job they may be employed in (James the Miller). There were some exceptions prior to the Middle Ages, such as the Romans who usually would have a family name that they would just attach to their own, as well as the women’s custom of adding the family name of their husband and changing their first name to match their husband’s.
When a persona is created, it should be an extension of you. There will be difficulty to express this as you think about what you wish to be, but if you can answer these questions and apply them, the result will be evident everyday that you step on the field.
~Sorin Hraldr
Chancellor of Histories
Nicholshire
Many viewpoints about the land of Alluvium exist. While many attribute this land's properties of death and Return to one god or another, others tend to believe the land is instead cursed by some evil from within humanity. The church maintains that the land is part of the Lord's plan, and only by devotion to the church will ascension to the next world be attained.
This is a version told by the Cult of Altarius, an explanation for world of Alluvium from their perspective.
In the beginning, there was the darkness. The darkness formed a void of which no man nor did beast live. The void gave birth once to the Six children. These became the Greater Elemental Gods. The Greater Elementals were at one with the Void, creating the perfection of the Great Sepentary. The universe manifested itself in sevenfold directions, each governed by an Elemental, and becoming the sacred Unity of Nature, the Universe, and Gods. The Void commanded that no harm should ever be given to his children by his hand, so long as they did no harm to each other.
The day came when each of the Elements grew anxious. With the void as the great father controlling the actions of the children, the unity worked well. Life created Mana, Air adapted the Mana, and Fire changed the Mana. Water controlled the course of Mana, while Earth forged stability, finally Death destroyed Mana. The Void would cycle the Mana. Fire was the most ambitious, starting to quarrel with Earth.
Fire wanted Earth to stop restricting his changes. This disrupted the cycle, when Fire changed what Earth forged. Soon the elements were at war. Fire was attacking all of his brothers and sisters, with no regard for the cycle. Life stopped creation, and this disrupted the activity of Death. Water and Air were angry as they were overlooked, and disrespected as weak.
The war of the Void continued as the Void itself was thrown into Chaos. For untold Eons, the Elementals did battle with each other. All of the elements were in battle, though there could be no winner since they were all immortal. Finally the void threatened to consume the entire Sepentary into itself, and become nothing. The Elements were ready to create a truce. Peace was to restore Order to the cycle.
Fire was not faithful, as upon the day of Peace he burnt the body of Water. Water was believed destroyed, so the others knew they had to act. Earth sacrificed himself first. The Earth Element tackled and surrounded fire, and created firmament.
Fire was not easily stopped, and began to burst from the skin of Earth. Air blanketed the firmament to stop fire from leaving back to the void. So it came to pass that Fire was consumed within Earth, and suppressed over the new firmament of Earth by Air. Fire stretched and pushed on Earth to escape, and thus mountains and hills were created, but the two Elements were able to restrain Fire. The Void was pleased that he who violated the peace was restrained, but the Void had sympathy.
The day came to pass that the void spoke once again to his children. The void was saddened that Fire had been so reckless. The Void commanded Life to create again, and allowed Fire to act through small breaches in the firmament. Fire was good. And so it came to pass that Life Created again, and Fire changed, Air adapted and Earth gave stability to Mana once again. Death destroyed that which was to destroy, but held resentment against Life, and violated the peace.
Death attacked Life loosing his right arm in the fight after being struck by the Void. The Void now had hurt his child. Void was overcome with grief at breaking his commandment, and cut off his right arm to give to Death. Death now was able to work again, and the peace was restored.
It came to pass that Fire once again became anxious. Fire began to burst from the firmament as before. Earth had become angry at Life, and created great Quakes. Death was slow, as his right arm was unable to destroy. The day was dark when all neared war again. With Fire and Earth in fighting against air, the Firmament was nearly destroyed, and all of creation shattered. Water returned from the Void, as Rain. Rain became Flood, and Flood became Sea. Water had returned to help control creation. The weight of Water on Earth and Fire quenched the war.
And so it was that the Land of Earth was separated by Seas of Water, and the Fire was controlled by wind of Air. Life created much, and Death destroyed. So the Peace of Ages began. The creations of Life began to learn from the Elements. Civilizations began.
The day came to pass when Men had been created. Men were good, and the world was theirs. As their tribes were created, they began to worship the Greater Elemental Gods. The Elements now were so confined by their mutual work, that they could not act independently. Their bodies were formed into the World, and they could only interact through the world by the way of their followers. Weaker forms, Lesser Elementals, Avatars, and Elemental spirits, are now able to work for their masters.
January's release is from The Eternal Adventure line. An essential part of any good warrior's pack, presenting the Fightbook volume 1, A Treatise On The Techniques Of Combat, By Master Thomas MacLeod-With Notes From Other Masters At Arms.
The Fightbook features tips and explainations of fighting theory as well as mechanics of personal combat as described by Thomas MacLeod, first two-time kingdom-wide master at arms. On top of a wealth of descriptive content, MacLeod's notes go on to describe over 100 new techniques and counter-techniques to assure victory against an opponent.
Additionally, ten new martial arts and techniques are introduced by Master Bear of the Bear Monastery of Darkswald Wood. The Bear trains students in combative arts and has provided basic instruction these ten martial arts theory and practice.
Finally, ancient methods of the use of ranged combat are provided here for the first time. Originally chronicled from artifacts found in the Catacombs of Doolin's Keep, these letters are part of a book by Master Marksman Fabian Yaught. Master Yaught was fabled to be one of the most prolific marksmen in the Kingdom before he disappeared during the Shade Realm Wars in the Mythic Age.
The life of Brother Cedric has proven to be a test of faith. When Cedric was a young man he learned a great many lessons at the hands of his older brothers. Most of these lessons involved bruises and even a broken bone or two on occasion. It was his faith in the almighty that kept Cedric from lashing out in anger at his abusive family. Instead Cedric focused his energy to the study of the Lord and began his work in the church.
As a scribe, Cedric spent several years illuminating the Holy Bible. Many times over, he wrote the words of the Father until he was so familiar with them that he could recite verses with both accuracy and fervor. In time Cedric's manuscripts would be sought after by monasteries all across the Christian world. Cedric had found the path that the Lord had wished him to walk.
Unfortunately, tragedy would once again come into Cedric's life. War was endemic all across the land, Northumbria soon was overtaken by Egbert as the new overlord. This pillaging was devastating, as brutal as Mercia before, and Cedric's abbey was not immune to the slaughter. Raucous mercenary attackers took advantage of the chaos and looted the church. Cedric and his fellow monks tried to resist, and in the confusion several candles fell over starting a great fire. As the abbey blazed, Cedric watched his manuscripts and the beloved church burn all around him. He prayed to the Lord, and succumbed in penitent grief.
He awoke in the halls of a dark castle. Crawling through the cavernous dungeon, Cedric made his way to the light of day. There he saw the sign of Christ carved into a tree. Looking around the barren landscape, Cedric was certain that he had been saved from the conflagration by the almighty and put on a new path. The ruined dark caverns behind him were home to savage men that Cedric did not recognize. They began to emerge from the tunnels and approach him, but Cedric was not afraid. These mongrels took Cedric into their town nearby, where they forced him to carry lumber back and forth. But Cedric did not complain, for he knew his time would come.
Soon, Cedric was proven right. One day when he was out gathering mushrooms for his captors, Cedric was led to a grove with many fungi growing in the hollows of the rotten trees. Cedric stepped just out of the way when a tree fell upon his captor and killed him outright. Cedric was scared at first, but fear turned into gratitude as he saw what appeared to be the Christ mark scratched into the felled tree and an arrow pointing south. Cedric took the cue and fled to the south, where he walked for forty days and nights with only the mushrooms and the spring water to sustain him.
Still, Cedric grew strong and on the fortieth day he came across a large monastery. There Cedric learned of the world and he instantly knew that he had been granted another chance to make it right. And with that Cedric joined the Society of St Paul and began working on his first of many magnificent illuminated manuscripts. Eventually Brother Cedric would rise in prominence and help spread the gospel all across Alluvium.
Character and Scale
Average height of a character is around between 5 and 6 feet tall. This is equivalent to 4 cubits. To ease in game play, miniatures of 25-30 mm or 1/56 are considered to be the standard scale. Each inch on the gaming area is therefore is 3 cubits, or right around 5 feet. Scaling in this fashion includes all obstacles, walls, doors and other interactions, in three dimensions. Depending on the complexity of the scene and the needs of the players, some gaming tables may feature very detailed scenes. Be it a terrain filled three dimensional space, or simply lines on a piece of paper, this scale is an industry standard that allows for the vast majority of miniatures and terrain pieces available in game stores to be used with Melee: The Eternal Adventure and Melee: Factions and Orders. Keep in mind that scaling in this fashion also means that maps and other materials can be made to scale by using the 1 inch = 3 cubits = 5 feet conversion.
Range and Reach
The range of attacks by a ballistic weapon and the reach of a melee weapon are likewise measured in inches. Range and reach play a pivotal role in determining if an attack is successful. For ranged attacks, the target must be both within the range of the ballistic weapon and within the area of reach from the ballistic projectile. Melee weapons conversely only measure the reach from the attacker to the target.
Close Range is standard for all techniques and is always considered to be within 2 cubits or under 3 feet from the opponent, while Long Range is specified on some techniques and requires the enemy to be over 4 cubits or 6 feet away from the target. Of course a Long Range technique still requires reach to be effective, using a pole weapon that is 5 feet long at 7 feet away is not effective reach.
Variation in Scale
Variations in scale should be addressed first and foremost in the spirit of the game (does it affect the game), and ultimately the miniatures that vary dramatically from scale should be used as agreed upon by the players and the Arbitrator. To facilitate scaling issues further, in cases where the miniature is posed in such a way as to be confusing, consider all figures to have a square base underneath. When standing still or otherwise not obviously extending beyond standard personal space, the figure will take up the space allocated by the square base. This base should be between 20 and 25 mm, which are again industry standards. Should something come in contact with the area that this base takes up, regardless of figure pose, it is fair to say the character will be affected. Whether the character can dodge or otherwise mitigate this intrusion is up to the story and the dice.
What’s a Couple of Cubits Between Friends?
We have a saying, if there is no money on the game let it ride. This is basically a sportsmanship rule in all gaming. When using measurements and miniatures, there are bound to be moments wherein the players are in dispute as to how close or accurate they are. Inevitably once or more a game a player will be within a couple cubits of range, but not technically within range.
The rule here is simple. If it is within 2 cubits, or less than one inch, generally let it count as within range. Now this is not a license to add an extra inch to measurements, but rather a means to avoid arguments and slowing down of the game. Of course not all players want to extend this leniency, so all involved ahead of time should agree it upon the leniency, but we strongly encourage players to adopt this principle and just have fun with it.
