The Vortex Parallel Rifts® Megaverse®

Slave Driving, Beasts, and New skills

Causeway Rituals

In the previous section I presented a whole batch of new spells, including those really useful Causeway spells. Please note the use of the word spells here, the Causeway spells only exist as spells, there is no version, which can be cast as a ritual. In time somebody will develop ritual versions of all of these spells (except Causeway of Water) but the ritual version and spell versions will differ substantially. The ritual version will allow the creation of a permanent (until destroyed) bridge. Because of this change the P.P.E. cost for casting the ritual version will be 10 times that required for the spell version and it will permanently drain P.P.E from the caster as below

Moving Slaves – Revisited

Slave Bracelets
When moving slaves short distances the easiest method of controlling them is to put them in irons. However, this slows them down, and makes it difficult for them to move over uneven or treacherous terrain. The Splurgoth have solved this problem using a combination of magic and technology. Each slave when captured is fitted with a slave bracelet, a magical locking band of about 50mm in width and 6mm in thickness. Bands are available in various diameters and can shrink or expand by 20mm to ensure a tight fit about the limb they are fitted to.
Each band is tuned to a controller unit, and each controller unit can handle 50 bracelets. The controller unit can lock, unlock, activate, and control each bracelet remotely up to a range of 2500 feet. Once a bracelet is activated it is in the slave's interest to stay between 50feet and 250feet of the controller unit and to do as instructed by the Slaver, Altarans, or other Minions.
The bracelet has several modes of operation, induce pain, stun, and kill, although the latter two are just instant applications of high levels of the first.
The pain induction mode works both on a signal from the controller and automatically. The levels of pain and the distances at which they are automatically inflicted are given below
Pain Level Automatic Distance (feet) Effect
0 50-250 None/Mild tingling sensation.
1 <50 or >250 Save vs Pain at +8 (ie 8 saves), M.E. and gender bonuses apply. If the save failed the character is -1 on initiative, -1 to strike, parry and dodge, -5% on speed. -1 to save vs pain.
2 <45 or >300 Save vs Pain at +6(ie 10 saves), M.E. and gender bonuses apply. If the save failed the character is -2 on initiative, -2 to strike, parry and dodge, -10% on speed. -2 to save vs pain. If the save made treat as level 1 failed save
3 <40 or >450 Save vs Pain at +4(ie 12 saves), M.E. and gender bonuses apply. If the save failed the character is -3 on initiative, -3 to strike, parry and dodge, -20% on speed. -3 to save vs pain. If the save made treat as level 2 failed save
4 <35 or >500 Save vs Pain at +2(ie 14 saves), M.E. and gender bonuses apply. If the save failed the character is -4 on initiative, -4 to strike, parry and dodge, -30% on speed. -4 to save vs pain. If the save made treat as level 3 failed save
5 <30 or >750 Save vs Pain(16 saves), M.E. and gender bonuses apply. If the save failed the character is -6 on initiative, -6 to strike, parry and dodge, -40% on speed, -1 attack. -5 to save vs pain. If the save made treat as level 4 failed save
6 <25 or >1000 Save vs Pain at -1 (ie 17 saves), M.E. and gender bonuses apply. If the save failed the character is -8 on initiative, -8 to strike, parry and dodge, -50% on speed, -2 attack. -6 to save vs pain. If the save made treat as level 5 failed save
7 <20 or >1250 Instant application of this level causes stunning, save vs pain, gender bonuses only apply. If the save is made the affects as below apply otherwise the character is rendered unconscious for 1D6x10 seconds. When consciousness returns it takes 2D6 minutes for the pain to subside.
Save vs Pain at -2 (ie 18 saves), M.E. and gender bonuses apply. If the save failed the character is -10 on initiative, -10 to strike, parry and dodge, -60% on speed, -2 attack. -8 to save vs pain. If the save made treat as level 6 failed save
8 <15 or >1500 Save vs Pain at -4(ie 20 saves), M.E. and gender bonuses apply. If the save failed the character acts last, is -10 to strike, parry and dodge, -75% on speed, -3 attack. -10 to save vs pain. If the save made treat as level 7 failed save
9 <10 or >1750 Instant application of this level causes unconsciousness and possibly death, save vs Electrocution@+2 (P.E. bonuses apply). If the save is made the character is rendered unconscious for 2D4x10 minutes. When consciousness returns it takes 2D6 hours for the pain to subside. If the save is failed then a second save vs Electrocution@+6 (P.E. bonuses apply) is required. If the second save is failed the character suffers a major heart attack and is dead unless immediate medical attention is available. See Rifts:Cananda. If the second save is made then the character is rendered unconscious for 2D4x30 minutes. When consciousness returns it takes 4D6 hours for the pain to subside.
Save vs Pain at -6(ie 20 saves), M.E. and gender bonuses apply. If the save failed the character acts last, is -12 to strike and parry, cannot dodge, -90% on speed, -4 attack. -12 to save vs pain. If the save made treat as level 8 failed save
10 <5 or >2000 Instant application of this level causes death, save vs Electrocution (P.E. bonuses apply). If the save is made the character is rendered unconscious for 2D4x30 minutes. When consciousness returns it takes 4D6 hours for the pain to subside. If the save is failed then the character suffers a major heart attack and is dead unless immediate medical attention is available. See Rifts:Cananda.
Save vs Pain at -8(ie 20 saves), M.E. and gender bonuses apply. If the save failed the character acts last, is -12 to strike, cannot parry or dodge, has a speed of 3, has 1 attack if they had 5 or more to start with, cannot use any special combat manoeuvres (paired weapons, leap kick, knockout/stun, critical strike etc), and is -15 to save vs pain. If the save made treat as level 9 failed save.

Anyone wearing the bracelet must save vs pain(16 or higher) every round they remain at a range that inflicts pain. Any non-magical or non-supernatural creature can endure the pain at level one for a number of melee rounds equal to 2xP.E+level unless they are somehow immune to the affects of pain. Magical and Supernatural creatures, which feel pain, can endure it for 5xP.E+2xLevel. Every two additional levels of pain count as double the amount of exposure, ie pain at level seven is equivalent to 8 rounds of pain at level 1. Once they reach their limit of endurance they must save vs pain (all bonuses an penalties apply) every round or collapse unconscious. This save is in addition to the save required for being the distance they are from the controller. Once unconscious they remain so for (30-P.E)x5 minutes. If the result is less than 5 minutes they remain unconscious for 3D6x10 seconds.

Bracelet Controller

The controller resembles a laptop computer about 3 inches thick, with a slot in the side for inserting bracelets. The controller has a specialised Braille display and keyboard, so that it can be used by the Altarans. It is nearly always carried by one of the Altarans who remains about 100 feet from the slaves. If a slave convoy is attacked and they are losing badly then all the slaves can be stunned/rendered unconscious/killed immediately at the press of a button. Destroying the controller, which has 50 M.D.C, causes all bracelets to act as if they had just received a kill signal. Similarly, attempting to cut a bracelet off, results in it reacting as if it had received a kill signal. Bracelets reacting in this way continue to do so every round for as long as they have remaining P.P.E .
Each bracelet has 15 M.D.C and 50 P.P.E.
Each level of pain costs 1 P.P.E per round to inflict and the bracelets regenerate 1 P.P.E per 10 minutes (twice this rate if within 1 mile of a ley-line, and 5 times this rate if within 1 mile of a nexus).
Only the controller, Dispel Magic Barriers, and Anti-Magic Cloud can cause the bracelet to unlock. In the latter two cases the bracelet is allowed a saving throw. Note: The Altarans are taught to use the controller, they are not taught to read. Each bracelet has a Braille code equivalent to the system of numerology used by the Romans and the keyboard is specifically designed to allow quick and easy entry of these codes.

Slave Prod

The other item used by the minions and often given to slave guards controlled by zombitrons is the Slave-prod. This is a 5ft (1.5m) long staff, conical in section, 1.5 inches thick tapering to 1 inches thick made of M.D.C material. The Staff can be used as a blunt weapon, to slash or strike at opponents and inflicts 2D4MD. The narrow end, however, rather than being blunt ends in two prongs, each about half an inch long. These, in combination with placing the thumb in one of the four indentations near the thick end of the staff, results in the administration of one of four levels of pain to anyone struck with the prongs. The first two indentations inflict level 2 and 5 pain from the table above respectively. The next two indentations can only cause activation if used by an Altaran as they are keyed on a genetic level. The third indentation inflicts level 7 pain (stun) and the last, level 10 pain(kill). The staff has 30 M.D.C and 70 P.P.E . Each level of pain costs 1 P.P.E per strike and the staff regenerates 1 P.P.E per 30 minutes (twice this rate if within 1 mile of a ley-line, and 5 times this rate if within 1 mile of a nexus).

Animals

Kursal

Imagine a bear twice the size of an elephant. Now give it the temperament of a grizzley crossed with a camel, place it on a world where the highest temperature recorded is 3oC and the average is -30 oC. Add in a landscape similar to the Himalayas and a wind that rarely drops below 25kph and you have the Kursal and its home world. As usual when the Splurgoth discover a new world they are never one to miss an opportunity and the Kursal looked a prime candidate for inclusion in arena fights. The problem is the Kursal reacts to temperatures above -10oC the way Polar bears react when the temperature rises above 10oC. They become lethargic, slow, and try to do as little as possible to prevent overheating. This means that on most worlds they are useless as arena attractions. Never to be deterred the Splurgoth set about creating a market for their skins, teeth, and claws. They have been somewhat taken aback by the enthusiasm of the market, especially amongst the Kydians who love whole skins with the skull still attached!

Alignment: Considered to be anarchistic predators
Attributes of Note: I.Q. 1D4+2, P.S. 3D6+20 (super human), P.P. 1D6+8, P.E. 5D6+15 (super human), Spd 2D6+4
Size: Body - 18-27 feet
Weight: 4000-9000 pounds(1814-4082Kg)
Hit points & S.D.C: P.Ex15 for females, P.E.x20 for Males
Horror Factor : 12
Natural Abilities: Immune to cold (to -100oC)
Vulnerabilities: Reduce attacks and speed by half when exposed to temperatures above -10oC, and by 90% if the temerature is above 0oC.
Normal fire inflicts double damage and plasma quadruple damage.
Attacks per Melee: 4
Damage: Bite:6D6 S.D.C, Claw 1D6x10 S.D.C
Bonuses: None
Magic: None
Psionics: None
Average Life Span: 10-20 years
Habitat: Arctic and high mountains above the permament snow line.

New Skills

Literacy-Braille

Characters with this skill can read and write the braille version of a language. If they are natuarally blind or have blind from an early age they get this as their native literacy skill if they are in a “modern” or “high tech” environment. This is not true of a lot of frontier settlements in Rifts. This skill can be selected repeatedly to add additional languages. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience.

History-General

This is the study and recording of events that chart the progress of the peoples of the earth over time. The skill gives the possessor a broard outline of the major events that have shaped the world up until the present day and provides bonuses to archaeological and anthropological studies. Base Skill: 25% +5% per level of experience. Requires: Literacy. Bonus: Adds 1% per 5% skill to both archaeology and anthropology.

History-<specific>

This is an in-depth knowledge of events and happenings within a particular geographical region for a given period in time. Time periods are either Early (pre 1800), Pre Rifts (1800 to End 21st century), Dark Ages (Beginning 22nd century to early 23rd Century). Post Rifts (circa Mid 23rd century to present day). Geographical regions are America (North), America (South), Europe, Central Asia, Eastern Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Africa, Middle East, and Australasia. Additionally specific History may be taken in the history of a specific Race or Culture, eg Greeks, Atlanteans, Wolfen etc.
Bonus: increases History-General in the specific area studied by 15% +5% per level. Requires: Literacy, History-General.
Note : The history skills are outlawed within Coalition Territory, since they are the true accounts of events, not the Coalition version. Rogue Scholars and Rogue Scientists get History-General and History as OCC skills.

Lore-Splurgoth & Minions

Base Skill: 25% + 5% per level of experience.

The Legal Bit
Rifts®, Megaverse®, and Rifts Books® are registered trademarks owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda and rifts Books, Inc.
© 2002 Kevin Siembieda; © 2002 Palladium Books®, All rights reserved world wide.
No part of this work may be reproduced in part or whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher.
All incidents, situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity to characters or persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.