Almost all Raevoring and Herodi take the
Athletic Human Package, as do many Jagrling and Hengsting and some
Huarthmunn
Almost all Pargori and many Huarthmunn take the
Trained Human Race Package
Wundvolding can go either way with the
Trained Human or
Athletic Human as they stress both trade skills and athleticism
Almost all Faendradi take at least the
Aelf-bludded Human Package, but some have even more Aelfing blood and
with GM permission a player might take the
Hannarau Haelfinan
Race Package.
Every character is an individual but there are definitely some broad
generalities that can be made about the sort of skill sets Machtig tend to fall into.
Barbarian Warrior:
a common sort of Machtig warrior among the Herodi and particularly the
Hengsting, and very suitable to a career of adventuring on farings.
Sea Reavers:
Most Raevoring and a rare few Pargori have the skills of a Sea Reaver.
Berserker: Some members of all of the Clans save the Faendradi
suffer from bloodlust, but it is common among the Ulthferen, Herodi, and
Raevoring.
Scout: particularly appropriate to Jagrling and Faendradi
characters, some Herodi and Hengsting serve ably as scouts as well.
Archer: particularly appropriate to Jagrling and Faendradi
characters, a few Herodi and Hengsting are also skilled as Archers.
Armiger: Many Wundvolding and some Huarthmunn are highly trained in
the use of heavier armors and general combat skills.
Bladesman: Some Pargori and those that have learned from or been in
the Huarthmunn Huscarl in particular have learned a more disciplined
fashion of fighting than most of the Machtig practice, while other Machtig
are simply masters of a particular weapon without the need of any formal
system of fighting regardless of what Clan they are from. (NOTE:
you may want to rename the Manuevers in the Package to something more Machtig flavored).
Scrapper: Some Machtig are as adept
at fisticuffs or grappling as they are with weapons.
Light Cavalry:
Many
Hengsting are particularly skilled and focused on fighting from horseback
and have highly prized and exceptional steeds, but feel free to exclude
that option for those that don't.
Medium Cavalry:
Though most Hengsting prefer lighter armors and skirmising tactics, some
are more heavily armored and like to fight more close in. Similarly most
Herodi that ride into battle prefer to do the same, and many ride in but
fight on foot like a dragoon. Most have highly prized and exceptional
steeds, but feel free to exclude that option for those that don't..
Skald: a fun sort of character to play, there are plenty of
reasons for a Skald to be encountered outside of the Vold. Requires GM
permission.
Druid: as the stewards of their people's spiritual wellbeing
and future survival it is sometimes necessary for a Druid to go on a
faring. Any of several Packages are appropriate for Druids:
Adventurer,
Advisor,
Champion,
Battlewise,
Primal Warrior,
Sylvan Seer,
Elder. However to play a Druid requires GM permission.
All of the Machtig are essentially considered to be Barbarians by most of
their neighbors, but individual Machtig reenforce or dismiss that stigma by
their own actions. Thus it is up to the player to decide how they intended
to play their character.
If a player intends to play into the overbearing, dirty, bloody minded
savage stereotype consistently they can and should take a Social Limitation
Disadvantage to represent this.
However players that intend to play their characters in more of a "noble
savage" vein need not and should not take this Disadvantage. If they take a
Profession Package that happens to have it or a similar Disadvantage by
default, simply exclude it from the Package.
As a general rule of thumb some among the Herodi, Ulthferen, and Raevoring
are prone to this sort of behavior, but most of the Macthig as a people are
not.
Barbarian: Social Limitation:
Barbarian
(Feared & Discriminated against in other lands) (Frequently; Minor;
Not Limiting In Some Cultures)
GEAR
There are some distinctive possessions that a character from the Vold might
have.
WUNDSTAHL
The Wundvolding have not yet discovered the secret of Varic
Durocaled but its not for lack of trying, and their steel is the better
for the effort. Wundvolding steel is more durable than normal steel; items made of
Wundstahl (whund-STAELE) have +1 DEF and Armor made from Wundstahl has +1 PD
/ +1 ED at the same mass point when compared to normal steel. There is a
10-25% premium placed upon Wundstahl items.
JAGRLING LEATHERS
Some among the Jagrling Clan are expert makers of leather armor. Jagrling
Leathers provide +1 PD
and +2 ED and weigh only a few kg more than normal leathers. However they
cost 10% more than equivalent normal leathers..
HENGSTING STEEDS
The Hengsting Clan produces extraordinarily fine horses. Characters can
purchase normal mounts with a standard HERO System Bestiary write up for
money, but those willing to pay character points can have an exceptional
mount that deviates from the standard write up. Typical improvements would
be a mount that was faster, quicker, tougher, more intelligent, having
better attacks, increased leaping ability, talents like rapid healing and
combat luck, or similar features.
Light Warhorse (75 Base;
175 -55 Disadvantages = 120/5=24 Real Cost); Real Cost: 24 points; Average
Market Price: 70 sp
Medium Warhorse (75 Base;
175 -55 Disadvantages = 120/5=24 Real Cost); Real Cost: 24 points; Average
Market Price: 75 sp
Heavy Warhorse (75 Base;
205 -55 Disadvantages = 150/5=30 Real Cost); Real Cost: 30 points; Average
Market Price: 90 sp
RAIMENT
Most Machtig use the armor and weapons favored by their Clan, and which
forms a part of the traditions of their people. Almost all weapons and armor
used by Machtig are either Varic from one of the three Varholds in or near
the Vold, or the product of the Wundvolding. However there are exceptions;
not all Waffshmied are Wundvolding (though most of them are), and also some
Machtig carry weapons that originated in other lands and made their way to
the Vold by violence, plunder, or purchase at some point in the past.
Varic items tend to be darker in color and have a certain heft to them; some
also have Runes engraved on them which are usually just decorative but
occasionally have real power. Varic weapon and armor construction tends to
be solid and practical with few flairs. Wundvolding items are similar to
Varic equivalents but are usually designed on a larger scale and are usually
a little more artsy, with some fluting and molding, but nothing that would
interfere with actual performance.
WEAPONS
Herodi tend to prefer swords obviously, but there is some variation
among individuals; after swords the spear and hand axes is probably the
next most common weapon. Most Herodi use a shield, so one handed weapons
are the order of the day for the majority of them. Herodi using two handed
weapons have a decided preference for the great sword though.
Raevoring are weapon agnostics and will use anything they care to, but
there is a tendency towards long handled axes, great swords, mauls, and
other large weapons among the large warriors both for their devastating
effects and the fear they inspire in others.
Wundvolding favor hammers, picks, falchions, and mourning stars.
Jagrling prefer long bows and long daggers.
Ulthferen favor double bitted axes, broad swords, and clubs.
Pargori favor short swords and daggers.
Huarthmunn favor axes, quarterstaffs, and martial versions of farming
implements but their premier warriors are sword trained.
Hengsting favor slightly curved horseman swords (use sabres) and
recurved horseman bows they make partially from horn. Some of them also
use whips or lariats to suprising effect.
Faendradi prefer longbows, daggers, and long swords.
ARMOR
Machtig armor runs the gamut; the Jagrling make exceptionally good leather
armor, the Ulthferen make serviceable leather and hide armors, and the
Wundvolding make all manner of metal armor.
The Machtig style shield is distinctive. It is large and round with a metal
backing covered in leather, with a metal boss in the center, and a metal
trim around the edge for extra durability. Two sturdy leather straps are
affixed to the back along with a thick pad intended to absorb the impact of
a blow. They are sturdier than most shields (+1 DEF), but cost 10% more as
well.
The Machtig buckler is essentially a down-scaled version of this worn on the
wrist and covering the hand and forearm but allowing the hand to be free.
Some thegns that weild two-handed weapons or fight two-handed favor them.
Herodi favor chain, scale, and banded mail in general, but there are
some among them that wear lighter or heavier armors as suits them
personally.
Raevoring almost uniformly wear long, loose chain shirts that hang
down to crotch or even knee length, which they can quickly slip into when
they have need of it and quickly out of it should they get tossed
overboard.
Wundvolding favor full plate, plate and chain, and heavy versions of
either.
Jagrling almost uniformly wear fine leather armor but some supplement
it with hide and others wear none at all.
Ulthferen that are wyr-cursed often don't need armor at all; the
merely human Ulthferen usually wear leather, hide, and fur armor but the
more wealthy among them might buy better metal armor.
Pargori prefer to go light and typically wear leathers or no armor
whatsoever, though there are exceptions.
Huarthmunn favor chain mail, but some among them in their western
lands wear plate and chain and occasionally full plate purchased from the
Wundvolding.
Hengsting favor leathers, metal reenforced leathers, chain, and scale.
Faendradi typically wear leathers or eschew armor altogether. A few
Faendradi warriors of the past have worn fantastic suits of Haelfsilver
armor that was said to be glorious to behold, but no outsider has seen
such a thing in several centuries.
RUNIC TATTOOS
Many Machtig of the Wundvolding, Herodi, and Raevoring Clans have mystical
Runic tattoos placed upon them by Runecrafters. These Runes can grant potent
powers, but cost both character points and gold from the characters starting
funds.
Runic Tattoos are bought as Powers with Charges and the Physical
Manifestation Limitation. Some sample Runes are provided below. The GM has
final approval of all Runic Tattoos.
Hearuns Rune of Protection: Force Field (8 PD/8 ED) (16 Active
Points); 1 Continuing Charge lasting 1 Minute (Recovers With 8 Hours Of
Rest; -1 1/4), Physical Manifestation (Rune of Protection, -1/4); Real Cost:
6 points; Average Market Price: 96 gc
Landras Rune of Mass: Density Increase (300 kg mass, +5 STR,
+1 PD/ED, -1" KB) (5 Active Points); 1 Continuing Charge lasting 1 Minute
(Recovers With 8 Hours Of Rest; -1 1/4), Physical Manifestation (Rune of
Mass tattoo, -1/4); Real Cost: 2 points; Average Market Price: 10 gc
Vurgens Rune of Imperviousness: Lack Of Weakness (-5) for
Resistant Defenses (5 Active Points); 1 Continuing Charge lasting 1 Minute
(Recovers With 8 Hours Of Rest; -1 1/4), Physical Manifestation (Rune of
Imperviousness tattoo, -1/4); Real Cost: 2 points; Average Market Price: 10
gc
Karaks Rune of Might:+10 STR (10 Active Points); 4 Continuing
Charges lasting 1 Turn each (Recovers With 8 Hours Of Rest; -3/4), Physical
Manifestation (Rune of Might tattoo, -1/4); Real Cost: 5 points; Average
Market Price: 50 gc
Daen's Rune of Mind Screams: Ego Attack 3d6 (30 Active
Points); 6 Boostable Charges (-1/2), Physical Manifestation (Rune of Mind
Screams tattoo; -1/4), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Extra Time (Delayed
Phase, -1/4); Real Cost: 13 points; Average Market Price: 390 gc
