STRENGTH 12, AGILITY 13 INTUITION 13 WILLPOWER 13
EXOTIC BACKGROUND
In order to enter training, a prospective character should average these four statistics and add this number to a d20 roll. If the character wins a d20 roll off with the DM vs. 15, he may enter training. This roll off requires 5 non-refundable experience points to make; if the roll-off is made, the 5 points are applied to the Honan discipline.
Characters may attempt this roll off 3 times. Points from previously failed rolls may be applied towards Honan training once a successful application roll is made. If all 3 rolls are failed, these points may be applied to STR, AG,
Honan Fighting Style
Difficulty 7 Base: 10
(Standard: Empire of Man, Aquilia, Ancient Lands)
includes Sword, Combat Position, Acrobat per level
Missile Weapon, Flourish, Missile Dodge per odd level
Martial Punch, Martial Kick per even level
Variant: Honan Archer - Missile Weapon (Bow) is learned per level, Sword is learned per odd level
Easy Aim (Bow) is substituted for Flourish at odd levels
BASE SKILL PACKAGE
COST: 35 points for Level (0+1)
Focus (Diff: 4)
Literacy (Giantish)
Math
Survival (Mountains)
Tracking
Attentiveness (Honan maximum Attentiveness level is 7)
Wilderness Stealth
Mountain Climbing
At levels 4, 7, and 10, Honan gain +1 to the result of all dice rolls when checking for collapse due to Pain
For 10 points, Honan may also train at any or all of the following skills with Level 0+1 :
Breath Control, Base: 6 Diff: 4
Easy Aim/Weapon, Base: 3 Diff: 4
Shoot Twice, Base: 2 Diff: 4
Weaponmaster/Martial Punch/Martial Kick/Sword, Base: 2 Diff: 4 (each are separate skills)
Wearing Armor, Base: 0 Diff: 6
Quickdraw, Base: 1 Diff: 2
Honan warriors must be level 4 or higher at the Honan Fighting Discipline, Focus, and ALL Honan Package skills except Literacy in order to graduate. They must be Level 3 at Literacy. Honan must have mastered the use of at least their Acumen score in Honan Disciplines before starting play.
The origins of "The Way of the Warrior" are shrouded in mystery. Little is known of this strange fighting society, except that they will do anything for a price, although that price is usually exhorbitant. Closemouthed, inscrutable, and fanatically devoted to a strict and eccentric Code of Honor, the Honan warrior is the most feared, deadly, expensive, and sought after soldier for hire in any area where humans dwell in ordered society. A master Honan warrior can command virtually any price for his or her services.
Honans are known to exist in every area of human settlement in the World. Although their numbers in each area are always relatively small, and training styles can widely differ from one land to another, their Code and their distinct and recognizable uniform are always the same. Only an ignorant fool or a complete lunatic would risk the wrath of the Honan by wearing any outfit that might be remotely mistaken for that of one of this elite and secretive society.
Although Honan sometimes are associated with a group, they always fight alone in combat. To come to a Honan’s aid in combat is considered a grievous insult by the Honan. For multiple opponents to gang up on a Honan is considered a deadly offense; unless the Honan is killed, they will make a priority of killing anyone who dares to do such a thing. Honan also believe in absolute honourable loyalty to a client or mission once that client or mission has been accepted. Honan rarely accept more than one definite task at one time, but once the Honan has been paid (always in advance) he or she will pursue their mission with every bit of skill and tenacity that they possess. A Honan is not required to die in order to fulfill a particular quest (although this is considered the height of Honan honor) but a warrior should be absolutely certain that continuing with this mission will directly cause his or her demise before reneging on a client. If a Honan should ever choose to withdraw from a particular task, all monies paid must be refunded and the Honan warrior is obligated to perform, gratis, some other service for the client instead. A Honan who violates this code and is found to have done so by the Honan masters will be disowned, dishonored, and hunted down by all other Honan warriors who have an opportunity to do so.
Once personal combat is joined, absolutely anything goes. A Honan warrior feels that not only is a refusal to do certain things to win a fight foolishly limiting, but it is also condescending and contemptuous to one's opponent. Anyone who faces a Honan one-on-one, weapon-to-weapon, is considered a worthy opponent and is deserving of far too much respect to be insulted by a refusal to fight with anything less than the Honan's full resourcefulness. A Honan will, in general, refuse to interfere in another one-on-one combat; once such a fight is joined, it should be resolved by the two combatants. If a Honan feels he must help an outclassed friend or client, he will try to fight the enemy by himself, not as part of a team.
From time to time, a Honan may be contacted by the Honan Masters and given a task to perform. These should be done unquestioningly, and death is the only excuse for failure... there is no excuse for withdrawal or refusal. This is a very rare occurence, though, and shouldn't concern a PC overmuch.
Honan are extraordinary rare in any particular area; there are probably no more than a few hundred fully qualified Honan warriors in any one human domain. However, their reputation as deadly fighters of fanatic loyalty is known throughout the World to all warriors and men of power. To command a Honan warrior is quite a status symbol. To be a Honan warrior is to be respected, feared, and sought after.
Honan are expected to pay 20% of all monies and fees received for their martial services into a special account at the Temple of Silver and Gold. Much of this goes to the mysterious purposes of the Honan Masters, but this is also an emergency fund that Honan may, at great need, apply to for relief.
Honan serve no interests save for the client of the moment and their Honan masters. They give no allegiance to any king, Temple, Jhareesh, or political organization; they do not consider themselves to be citizens of any nation or followers of any deity. They do not join Clans or societies of any nature, and give their loyalty only where and for as long as it is bought. This does not preclude them from forming friendships, but close affairs and/or pair bondings are discouraged unless the Honan plans to retire from the field, for these tend to interfere with the typical Honan disregard for anything but the job he's being paid to do. Honan are the archetypical loners, and will generally ask for help only as a desperate last resort.
Honan are not required to help other Honan unless hired to do so; in fact, a Honan would probably assume that another Honan would be insulted by an offer of help. Often, Honan serving different masters end up battling each other; such occasions are cherished as rare tests of a warrior's true combat-worthiness.
HONAN DISCIPLINES
RATING: Acumen + (2 x FOCUS level)
Any disciplines done in combat will cause a -3 to Attack and Defense and will automatically give initiative to the opponent for the amount of time that the Honan is casting them. If the Honan is hit that round, the discipline is disrupted and goes away. If a Honan tries and fails a certain discipline, he should spend at least 20 minutes studying the discipline to refresh himself on it before trying it again. If he doesn't want to (or can't) he may try the discipline again at a cumulative +5 to the difficulty. If a Honan fails a discipline roll-off by 10, he has done something horribly wrong and must roll on the DMs dreaded Psionic Fumbles chart. This can be very bad to do in combat...
ARMOUR A telekinetic force field of sorts, this gives as many points of armour as a Honan can conceivably put up. Takes 10 rounds to perform, lasts for as many hours as the roll is made by but subtracts 1 from Attack/Defense/Initiative and 2 from TM per 4 points of armour protection given. COST: 5 DIFFICULTY: 10 (base) + 2 for each point of armour protection.
BARRIER A field effect that protects the Honan warrior from any witchcraft affecting him from another source. Requires 1 round, lasts the amount in hours the roll is made by. Precludes the Honan targeting any witchcraft on any exterior target while this is in effect.
COST: 5 DIFFICULTY: 12
BOLT This discipline gathers available bioelectrical energy in the area into a coherent ball of lightning and allows the Honan to hurl it at a target within 30yards. Damage = D3+ 1 per 2 roll is made by, d6 + 2 per 1 roll is made by if metal focus is used to intensify the energy. This is then thrown as a missile weapon and may be missile dodged; it takes half a round to form and has a missile initiative of -10, and an accuracy modifier at its only range (within 30 yards) of +7, +10 if the target contains a high concentration of conductive metal (chain or plate armor, for example). COST: 6 DIFFICULTY: 16
CLEAVE This forms a cutting field around the the blade of the sword that makes it virtually invincible; a blade so treated will cut through almost anything. This requires 10 rounds to cast and will last only 1 round of use, after which the blade’s s normal damage will be reduced one die size until sharpened (sharpening requires 1 hours time per damage dice done by the weapon).
COST: 8 DIFFICULTY: 17
EDGE This forms a cutting field around the blade of the weapon that increases its damage. This requires 1 round to perform and lasts the amount in rounds that the roll is made by. COST: 6 DIFFICULTY: 14 + 2 per extra damage point
GUIDE This adds +1 for every 1 roll is made by to a missile attack rating. Requires 1 round to perform. COST: 4 DIFFICULTY: 14
HEAL This allows the Honan to repair some of the damage done to himself after a fight is over. Usable only on himself, this allows the Honan to heal as many minuses as he has the ability for. Requires 1 hour of meditation for up to -5, +1 hour for every additional minus.
COST: 7 DIFFICULTY: 11 (base) + 4 for each minus removed.
INCREASE ATTACK/DEFENSE Allows the warrior to increase both Attack and Defense by +(1/2 Focus level) or either by + (Full Focus level). This requires 10 rounds to perform and lasts the amount in MINUTES the roll is made by. COST: 5 DIFFICULTY: 25
PERCEIVE Mentally "images" surroundings; useful in fog or darkness or if totally blind. Requiring 10 rounds, this lasts for the amount in HOURS that the roll is made by. COST: 5 DIFFICULTY: 14
POW! This discipline comes in three flavors of steadily increasing intensity:
PUNCH: A mild telekinetic smack; this does a d3 + (1 per 2 roll is made by) in damage. Requires 1 round to perform. COST: 5 DIFFICULTY: 12
BASH: A somewhat more vigorous telekinetic thumping; this does a d4 +( 1 per 2 roll is made by). COST: 5 DIFFICULTY: 14
STRIKE: Like getting hit with a telekinetic sledgehammer, this does a d6 + (1 per 1 roll is made by). COST: 6 DIFFICULTY: 15
Each discipline requires 1 round to perform. For an additional +6 to the difficulty, the Honan may specify where he would like to hit the target (face, generally). Otherwise, location is rolled randomly. All damage is considered to ignore armour, except for plate, which gives full protection (aim for face).
PROJECT This causes the Honan's opponent to believe the Honan is doing something completely different from his true intentions next round. For that round, the opponent will be considered FAKED, BOUND, and FORCE FUMBLED by Swashbuckling rules. Takes 1 round to perform, lasts 1 round.
COST: 6 DIFFICULTY: 14
SENSITIZE/RETURN Allows a Honan to sensitize an object so that it will return to his hand via telekinetics. Permanently sensitizing something requires 3 points, temporarily sensitizing something takes 1 round and will last for the amount of rounds that the roll is made by.
COST: 4 DIFFICULTY: 13 to sensitize, return automatic once sensitized for 1 exhaustion.
SHIELD Adds 15 + (2 per 1 roll is made by) to missile defense/target rating. Requires 1 round, lasts amount in rounds roll is made by.
COST: 5 DIFFICULTY: 14
TELEPATHY Lets the Honan know what his opponent is going to do before he does it; although opponent will still go first if he has initiative. Effective starting round after cast for as many rounds as roll is made by, takes 1 round to perform.
COST: 5 DIFFICULTY: 14