Druid

When this skill is purchased, the character embraces the animalistic power of nature and gains the ability to call upon their guardian animal totem and merge with it, transforming their body into a bipedal version of the character’s guardian totem animal. All armor and items worn are unchanged in the new form.

When a character transforms, they must drop to their hands and knees or crouch for 1 minute to roleplay the shift. During this time, the character puts on the appropriate costuming for the animal which must be at least a mask and a tabard approved by Plot. The character can be attacked and harmed during this time and no skills or abilities can be used. The Druid may call latent spell defenses or invoke spell defenses from items, however. Taking damage will not interrupt the transformation unless the Druid is rendered unconscious or worse. If the character is interrupted, they do not use the skill for that Tag Cycle.

When transformed, the Druid gains the following abilities:
• +20 Body Points
• +1 Strength Bonus
• +1 Damage Bonus with their claws only
• One special ability based on the type of totem (see table below)
• Immunity to all charm effects
• Immunity to Fear
• May still use their Druid skills, even Nature Magic

They also suffer the following detriments while shapeshifted:
• They cannot speak common and therefore cannot use any skills, spells, powers, or items that require a verbal, but can understand what others are saying, and can be understood by Druids.

Category
Examples
Special Ability

Avians
Eagles, etc
Critical Attack 1x,
Flight levels 1 and 2

Insects
Ants, Beetles
20 Natural Armor,
Acid Spit: 18 points of damage x2

Bears
+10 Body Points,
+1 Strength Bonus, Non-Combinable

Canines
Wolves, Hyenas
+1 Damage Bonus,
Master Parry, Track By Scent

Felines
Lions, Tigers
+1 Damage Bonus,
Critical Attack, Track By Scent

Primates, Equines
+1 Damage Bonus,
Feat of Strength x2

Reptiles
Snakes, Lizards
10 Natural Armor, Threshold of 2 (stackable),
Poison Spit: Blindness

Scorpions
20 Natural Armor,
Poison Spit: 24 Point Damage x2

Spiders
10 Natural Armor,
Webbing x3

The character must receive approval from the Plot Director for their totem animal and the final category benefits. If a character has a totem that is not represented in the above table, the closest match will be assigned.

While in their aspect, the character appears as a half animal half man version. The character gains no special movement powers or the ability to walk on four (or more) legs. While in animal form, the character may use their Druid skills and Nature Magic spells. They still need to say the appropriate verbal but, in-game, the characters around them do not understand what they are saying. Also, they may use any latent spell normally. When the character changes back to their natural form and they are down Body Points, the bonus Body Points the character gains from changing are the first to be lost. Therefore, if the character normally has 20 Body Points and uses this skill they would have 45 Body Points. If the character was down 18 Body Points when they changed back, they would be at 20 Body Points – the normal for their natural form. Willingly changing back to their natural form takes the character however long it takes to remove their costume.

The change normally lasts 1 hour, but the character may change back to their natural form at will. If while in the animal form, the character is brought to the Brink of Death, they are forced back into their natural form.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

The character may only purchase Aspect of the Beast or Elemental Quintessence, not both. Once learned this skill cannot be unlearned in order to purchase the other skill.

This skill calls upon the strength and toughness of the trees to make the character stronger, adding 12 Body Points to the character that can be healed. These extra points are the first Body Points lost when the character is damaged.

To use this skill, the character must touch a living, healthy, normal, non-sentient tree with bark.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

This ability allows the character to turn one or both hands into claws and allows them to use an approved LAIRE claw in combat dealing 1 point of magical damage with each blow. The claws are part of the character's body and may not be coated with poison as doing so would poison the character. Even if the character were immune to the poison, the poison would be expended when applied. The character’s claws take damage and any damage dealt to the claws is taken from the character’s Body Points.

Damage Bonuses and special weapon attacks, like the Slay, Stun, Waylay, Assassinate, etc. skills, with the exception of the Speed skill and Inspire and Heroism spell songs, may not be used with the Claws skill. However, the character’s Strength Bonus does add to the damage.

Claws always swing for magic damage. The character has the option of using their Elemental Pool Points to increase the amount and type of damage dealt.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill

This skill uses the Druid’s influence and tie to nature to compel all natural animals within hearing range or Line of Sight of the character to obey their commands for 30 minutes. When the skill’s duration ends, all incomplete commands are forfeit, and the animals will return to their own will and react according to their nature. This skill can be countered by sorcery or any other spell or ability that charms the animal.

This skill is not a charm effect and only works on characters with the Animal type on their card (see LAIRE’s Codex of Monstrous Creatures).

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

This skill makes the character a Druid and gives the character access to the Druid Advanced Career Skill List.

With this skill, the character gains a limited immunity to necromancy. The character is immune to any undead creation spell in the Necromancy School. Damaging spells from that school still effects the character normally and a Death Slave spell effects the character as a Kill spell would. Undead creating sorcery rituals effect the character, but they are at half power, in other words, half the normal Body Points, Power Points, Strength Bonus, skills, etc. and is wracked with constant pain and agony.

This skill also allows the Druid to communicate with animals and plants at will. The Druid’s words are understandable to the people around them, but the responses from the plant or animal are not. The animals or plants are not automatically friendly or benevolent towards the Druid.

This ability will work on some “monsters” that are natural creations of the Mother. The player must learn about these in-game. For plants or animals not played by an NPC, a Marshal is required to use this skill. If none is available, the plant or animal has nothing to say

When the character learns the Elemental Pool skill, they gain one element of their choice that they can use with their pool. This skill allows them to attune themselves to one new element each time this skill is purchased.

This skill can only be purchased five times. Also, each purchase of this skill counts as a new master level skill.

Once this skill is purchased, the character gains an Elemental Pool. For each purchase of this skill, the character gains 20 Elemental Pool Points. The character may use this to deal magical damage of the type given in the table below. The character must choose one element from the table below when the skill is purchased. Later, the character can learn the Elemental Attunement skill to learn to wield more elements from the table below.

The character may use this pool to throw the elemental damage at a rate of one EPP for one point of damage up to the maximum of the character’s current pool total. The character may use this skill to increase the damage of their weapon strikes in addition to changing the type of damage to the element called upon. The character may use any amount of their available Elemental Pool to increase their damage on a one for one basis.

The character can also use their Elemental Pool to protect themselves and others from an elemental attack. The character can place a latent Elemental Protection that will stop any one elemental attack on a character for 15 EPPs. It will stop any elemental damage – even one augmented by a Warlock skill or damage suffixed with “Eldritch”, any spell from an elemental school, or damage from a physical elemental attack. The defense will not stop effects from physical attacks, for example: Slay, Assassinates, Disarms, Stuns (but it does stop the damage), etc. The Druid does not need to specify what the element is when the protection is granted and the Elemental Protection does not stack with itself.

Finally, the Druid may cast Nature Magic from their Elemental Pool in addition to no normal Power Points. It costs a number of EPPs equal to twice the listed Power Point cost.

This skill requires the use of a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill. Additionally the character must include the element called upon in the verbal when used as an attack. This skill can be delivered by touch or through a weapon. If delivered through a weapon, the targeted character must be struck, and unlike Channeled spells, weapons and shields will stop the attack. If the character misses their target or the target uses a martial skill to stop the attack, the skill is not used.

When this skill is purchased, the character embraces the elemental power of nature and gains the ability to call upon one element (chosen when the skill is purchased) and merge with it, transforming their body into a partial elemental. All armor and items worn are unchanged in the new form.

When a character transforms, they must drop to their hands and knees for 1 minute to roleplay the shift. During this time, the character puts on the appropriate costuming for the elemental which must at least be a mask and a tabard. The character can be attacked and harmed during this time and no skills or abilities can be used. The Druid may call latent spell defenses or invoke spell defenses from items, however. Taking damage will not interrupt the transformation unless the Druid is rendered unconscious or worse. If the character is interrupted, they do not use the skill for that Tag Cycle.

When transformed, the Druid gains the following abilities:

• +20 Elemental Pool Points

• Deals 2 points of damage for each EPP used when using their embraced element.

• Claws always swing the embraced element and magic

• One special ability from the table below

• Immunity to all charm effects

• Immunity to Fear

They also suffer the following detriments while shape shifted:

• The character becomes somewhat non-corporeal and loses the ability to wield weapons or shields.

Element
Special Ability

Air
Thunder and Lightning x3

Earth
Flesh to Stone/Stone to Flesh x2

Fire
Total Power Lava Burst x2

Water
Arctic Wind x3

Life
Elemental Life x2

Death
Elemental Death x2

For air, earth, fire, an water, the abilities are stopped by defenses that stop spells (including absorption which gives the appropriate Power Points). For life and death, the abilities are physical effects and are stopped by any magical defense that stops a physical attack. The abilities require no verbals and the player should suffix the spell effects with the word “…Spell”.

While in their quintessence form, the character appears as their character with aspects of the element. The character gains no special movement powers.

The change normally lasts 1 hour, but the character may change back to their natural form at will. If while in the quintessence form, the character is brought to the Brink of Death, they are forced back into their natural form.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

The character may only purchase Aspect of the Beast or Elemental Quintessence, not both. Once learned this skill cannot be unlearned in order to purchase the other skill.

For each use of this skill purchased, the character may become undetectable while standing next to a tree or shrub. Once invoked, the character may not move or speak or the effect is negated and the ability is used. To use this ability, the player stands next to a tree or shrub and crosses their hands or weapons over their head.

This skill cannot be used while in combat. This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

This skill allows the character to meld with nature and fall asleep for as long as the character wants, but:

• The time specified has to be longer than one week,

• The Duration has to specified at the time the skill is used, and

• Has to be used in a natural surrounding.

While hibernating, the character is safe from all outside harm and cannot be found. The character does not need to eat, sleep or excrete. They do not age nor do they have any sense of the outside world or the passage of time.

If this skill is used between Events, the character does not need to pay their upkeep and cannot learn any new skills.

To use this skill, the character cannot be in danger of being attacked, engaged in combat, and must sit and meditate for 1 hour. This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

Nature Magic is unique to Druids and their connection with The Mother.

Special Rules of Nature Magic:

Nature Magic works just like any regular low magic school; it must be learned rank by rank, requires the use of the correct full verbal and costs Power Points. Standard spell defenses will stop the effects of these spells – Negation, Spell Shield, etc – except the character gains no Elemental Pool Points or Power Points if an Absorption spell is used. A character can use the Redirect skill to redirect a Nature Magic spell.

Nature Magic spells cannot be used with Warlock skills, Create Scroll skill, or Sorcery Rituals.

Rank 1:

Spell Verbal: By Nature's Will, I...

• ...Create Food and Water       2 Power Points        Instant
  • With this spell, the Druid may produce an edible meal out of the earth. The meal created is the minimum requirement for healthy survival for one person for a day. The food is neither very filling nor great in quality. The Druid also causes a small jet of water to spring from the ground for one minute producing 4 liters of pure drinking water.
  • The Druid may produce food for themselves for the month instead of paying the monthly maintenance to Logistics.

• ...Repel This Being       3 Power Points        While Concentrating
  • This spell compels the target character to be unable to attack the Druid with attacks or spells. If the Druid attacks the target, the spell will end.
  • The spell lasts as long as the Druid concentrates. Out-of-game, in order to represent this, the player must hold their arm outstretched parallel to the ground with their palm facing towards the target.
  • This spell is a charm like effect and therefore can be stopped by Resist Suggestion spell, the Iron Will skill, Elven Resist skill, and other defenses that stop charms in addition to other defenses that stop spells.

Nature Magic Rank 2
Nature Magic Rank 3
Nature Magic Rank 4

Rank 2:

Spell Verbal: By Nature's Will, I...

• ...Entangle Your Limbs       4 Power Points        3 Seconds
  • This spell causes vines to rise up and entangle the targeted character’s arms and legs together and pinning them to the ground for 3 seconds. While under the effects of this spell, the character is unable to move and must place their arms at their sides and legs together.
  • If the target has a +10 or greater Strength Bonus, Non-Combinable they are unaffected at all by this spell. The character must have this before they are affected by the spell, they cannot invoke latent spells or skills or invoke items to gain the +10 Strength Bonus, NonCombinable after they are affected by this spell to free themselves.

• ...Heal Your Disease       4 Power Points        Instant
  • This spell will cure most diseases, including the one caused by the Cause Disease and Plague spells.

Rank 3:

Spell Verbal: By Nature's Will, I...

• ...Strike Your Down with Thunder and Lightning       9 Power Points        Instant
  • Target character suffers 30 points of damage from magical lightning and effected by a 5 second Torso Stun.
  • Shield will block the torso stun portion of this spell, but the damage will go through.

• ...Grow a Wall of Brambles       9 Power Points        End of Tag, or Until Destroyed
  • This spell creates a 10 foot by 10 foot by 1 foot nearly impassable wall of thorny vines and brambles. The wall is non-magical and can be destroyed by receiving 100 Body Points of damage or a Kill Spell. The wall suffers double damage from fire attacks.
  • Any creature attempting to pass through the wall suffers 14 points of normal damage and becomes stuck in the wall. Any creature stuck in the wall may push their way through in 5 seconds with a +3 or greater Strength Bonus. Characters with a +6 or greater Strength Bonus may pass unhindered but not undamaged.
  • The Wall of Brambles follows the normal wall spell rules except that the Druid need not concentrate to maintain the wall. The Druid must have a 10 foot long piece of green garland to represent the wall. When the wall is first cast, anyone in the area of effect must choose which side of the wall they wish to wind up on.
  • The wall remains until the end of the current Tag Cycle or the wall has taken enough damage to destroy it. The wall may not be removed by a Dispel Magic or Sever Magic spell and the wall cannot be healed, but the caster can freely pass through the wall at will. If the player who cast the wall leaves Line of Sight, they should sign and leave the Elemental Pool Points with the garland. Any damage done to the wall that does not destroy it should be recorded on the tag.
  • Other than what was stated above, this follows the normal wall spell rules.

Nature Magic Rank 1
Nature Magic Rank 2
Nature Magic Rank 4

Rank 4:

Spell Verbal: By Nature's Will, I...

• ...Travel Through this Tree to Another Place       12 Power Points        Special
  • By use of this spell, the Druid may transport themselves and all items carried and worn through one tree to another. The tree must be touched and be at least one foot in diameter. The Druid may take one other willing, living character with them.
  • After completion of the verbal, the character must put on a white headband. From the time the Druid puts on a white headband, they have 20 seconds to reach the other tree and the Druid cannot be blocked by other characters while moving. If the Druid does not reach another tree by that time, they are brought to the Brink of Death and rise up through the earth where the time ran out with everything they are carrying including another character. This additional character is not harmed.
  • The Druid cannot drop or pick up any items while they are tree walking.
  • Note that the player does not call a Hold to use this spell.

• ...Transmute Your Flesh to Stone Forever       14 Power Points        End of Event
  • The targeted character and all items carried or in hand including Mithril and magical items are turned to magical stone until the end of the current Event.
  • The target is not dead but in stasis, their Death Count and all other timed effects – alchemical durations, diseases, Death Slave, etc. – stop. They cannot be affected by physical attacks or spells including those augmented by Warlockery.
  • The affected character may be moved with a +6 Strength Bonus, Non-Combinable or better.
  • This spell may be undone with Oil of Stone to Flesh or Restore Flesh spell or certain sorcery rituals. Dispel Magic and Sever Magic spells have no effect on the stoned character. The Druid who cast the spell can remove it by touching the player.

• ...Restore You Back to Flesh Again       14 Power Points        Instant
  • This spell turns a character that is currently turned to stone back to being flesh again in the same state they were when turned to stone. Therefore, if a character was Mortally Wounded and then turned to stone, they are still Mortally Wounded and their Death Count continues.
  • This will undo most turn to stone effects such as a Basilisk’s gaze, a Gorgon’s Gaze, the Flesh to Stone spell or similar spells or effects.

Nature Magic Rank 1
Nature Magic Rank 2
Nature Magic Rank 3

When this skill is used the character becomes one with the land, rendering the character inoffensive to plants and animals for 10 minutes. Plants and animals may not attack the character but may attack anyone that may be with them. If the character willingly attacks any plants or animals while this skill is active, the creatures will fight back. A character that does so, loses access to all Followers of the Mother spells and abilities until the end of the next Tag Cycle, and must contact a Plot Marshal.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

This skill makes the character completely immune to all diseases, natural or magical. If the character loses their focus, they lose the protection of this skill.

This skill makes the character completely immune to all poisons, natural or magical, when invoked. The skill can be called as a defense to an attack, however the character must be conscious in order to use the skill.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus.

Once learned, this skill makes the character unable to be tracked either by skill, scent or other tracking abilities. The character may opt to leave tracks if they wish, but then any character with the appropriate skill can track them.

This skill will not prevent the character from being scried upon with sorcery.

When this skill is purchased, the character gains the ability to transform into a normal animal with stats from the normal form of the animal from the Codex of Monstrous Creatures each time the skill is used. All armor and items worn – magical or otherwise – change into the new form and any access to them is lost, however, the benefits of any magic item is still available to the character except magic items that need to leave the character to be useful.

When a character transforms, they must drop to their hands and knees for 1 minute to role-play the shift. During this time, the character puts on the appropriate costuming for the animal. The character can be attacked and harmed during this time and no skills or abilities can be used. The Druid may call latent spell defenses or invoke spell defenses from items, however. Taking damage will not interrupt the transformation unless the Druid is rendered unconscious or worse. If the character is interrupted, they do not use the skill for that Tag Cycle.

They also suffer the following detriments while shapeshifted:

• They cannot speak common, but can understand what others are saying

• They lose access to all skills, abilities, racial abilities, Body Points, etc of their old form and completely take on the stats of their new form.

• Cannot perform any physical activity the animal cannot naturally perform, for example, opening doors, writing, riding a horse, cooking dinner, etc.

• Cannot use any weapons or shields

While shape changed, the character appears as a completely normal and natural version of the animal form chosen.

When the character changes back to their natural form and they are down Body Points, they are down the same amount of Body Points in their normal form. If this would normally put them at zero or less Body Points, the character is at 1 Body Point.

The change normally lasts 1 hour, but the character may change back to their natural form at will. If while in the animal form, the character is Mortally Wounded or brought to the Brink of Death, they are forced back into their natural form. The character may expend another purchase of this skill at the end of the duration to continue staying in their shapeshifted form without changing back first.

To use this skill the character must have weapons and costuming appropriate to the animal form. Plot has the final say on the stats of the animal and if it is appropriate.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.