The Shaman

Shaman Professional Skills

control of self
detect traps
a class for the original EPT by James Maliszewski detect magic
produce flame
Empire of the Petal Throne assumes, for the sake of conveni-
ence, that all beginning player characters are foreigners speak with animals
who have arrived at the great Tsolyáni port city of Jakálla. nature control
Though foreigners, not every starting player character will cure light wounds
necessarily be a “barbarian” -- some might well come from medium
cultures that are older even than Tsolyánu! -- but some will neutralize poison
be, not least because the opportunity to portray a Teku-
cure disease
meláni-style Conan, aghast at the byzantine complexity of
Tsolyáni society, is too rich an opportunity to pass up. The commune
warrior class can be used as written for such characters, reincarnation
but what if a player wishes to play a magic-wielding bar-
barian? EPT's two spell-casting classes are clearly products Detect Traps: The shaman is able to locate any traps,
of highly civilized societies such as the Five Empires and whether natural, magical, or mechanical, within a radius of
make little sense in less sophisticated realms. 3 inches. Duration: 2 turns. Usable three times per day.

That's where the shaman comes in. This new class is an Detect Magic: The shaman is able to detect any magical
“uncivilized” spellcaster, with its own spells and skills, energy, whether placed on a person, place, or object within
many of them unique to it. Because these shaman rules 6 inches. Duration: 2 turns. Usable twice per day.
modify those in Empire of the Petal Throne, the information
below is organized according to the section numbers of its Produce Flame: The shaman can create a small flame in his
rulebook. If a section number does not appear, assume or her palm. The flame is roughly the same heat and
that no changes have been made. brightness as a lantern or torch. The flame so created does
no harm to the shaman, but it will burn flammable
310. Alignment materials which it touches. The shaman can hurl the flame
Depending on the remoteness of the shaman's native cul- up to 3 inches, after which it will go out. The shaman can
ture from the Five Empires, he or she may not serve one extinguish the flame at will and has a maximum duration
of the Tlomítlanyal or Tlokiriqáluyal but rather a different of 2 turns times the level of the shaman.
deity (or deities) or no god whatsoever (taking “spirits” of
some sort or another as patrons instead). Consequently, Speak with Animals: The shaman is able to speak with any
the choice of alignment is not as straightforward for a type of animal, gaining complete understanding of what it
shaman. The player of a shaman character must therefore says. “Animal” refers to any creature described in section
choose the alignment that he or she feels most closely 1128 of the EPT rulebook. Animals are not necessarily co-
approaches that of whatever beliefs the shaman possesses. operative and may conceal information or lie. Usable twice
per day. Range: 3 inches. Duration: 6 turns.
320. Choice of Sex
Shamans can be either male or female, depending on the Nature Control: This skill is identical to the magic-user
nature of their native society. Some foreign cultures are skill described in section 433 of the EPT rulebook.
strongly patriarchal, allowing no role for women as
shamans, while a few are matriarchal, allowing no role for Cure Light Wounds: This skill is identical to the priestly
males. Of course, other societies may consider shamans skill described in section 432 of the EPT rulebook.
“outside” the normal social strictures for different genders,
whatever they may be. In the end, choice of sex is entirely Medium: This skill identical to the magic-user skill
up to the player, subject to referee approval. described in section 433 of the EPT rulebook.

430. Specific Professional Skills Neutralize Poison: The shaman can eliminate the deleteri-
Use the following list for shaman player characters: ous effects of poison in one individual. Usable twice/day.

Control of Self: This skill is identical to the magic-user skill Cure Disease: The shaman can cure any one disease from a
described in section 433 of the EPT rulebook.. single person. This ability is usable once per day.

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Commune: The shaman may use this skill to commune shaman who created it or another shaman capable of
with immaterial spirits and ask the answers to up to three casting the spell stored in the fetish.
questions. The spirits do not lie, so the shaman can be 10. Comprehension: The shaman gains the ability to speak
certain of their veracity, although they may at referee dis- and understand any language for 5 turns. This excludes
cretion conceal the truth. Spirits are not omniscient and languages from the Latter Times, as well as the language of
may lack knowledge or be mistaken. Usable once per day. the Mihálli. The shaman also gains the ability to tell
whether a scroll or other written item is cursed before he
Reincarnation: The shaman returns a dead character's soul reads it.
to a new body as determined by the table below. This spell 11. Light and Darkness: At the choice of the shaman, this
must be used within a month of death. Usable once/day. spell creates either a powerful light that illuminates a 30-
foot area for 5 turns or an impenetrable darkness that
d20 Reincarnated as... d20 Reincarnated as... encompasses the same area for the same length of time.
1 Páchi Léi 11 Human Each magical effect can be dispelled by the casting of its
2 Pé Chói 12 Ahoggyá opposite on the same area.
12. Nutrification: This spell creates sufficient food and
3 Swamp Folk 13 Hlýss
water to feed up to 24 human beings (or their equivalents)
4 Pygmy Folk 14 Chnélh for 1 day.
5 Hláka 15 Dzór 13. Phantasms: The shaman can create illusions that have a
6 Tinalíya 16 Rényu 70% chance of being believed by unintelligent creatures
7 Hlutrgú 17 Sérudla and a 50% chance of being believed by intelligent and
8 Shunned One 18 Feshénga semi-intelligent ones. Artificial beings, such as automatons,
androids, and robots, are never fooled. Damage taken
9 Ssú 19 Thúnru'u from illusions believed by their targets is treated as real
10 Shén 20 Qól damage. This spell has a duration of four turns.
14. Fear: This spell is identical to the bonus spell of the
500. Bonus Spells same name described in section 510 of the EPT rulebook.
15. Spider Climb: The shaman gains the ability to climb
Group I: walls and ceilings at half his usual movement rate. The
1. ESP: The shaman can read the thoughts of other beings spell lasts for 1 turn.
at a distance of up to 6 inches. This spell cannot penetrate 16. Enlarge: The shaman can double the size of any living
either stone or metal. Duration: 12 turns. thing on which he casts the spell. While under its effects,
2. Water Breathing: The shaman can breathe underwater the target doubles its hit points and damage, but attackers
for up to 12 turns. gain a +4 bonus to hit it. The spell lasts for 1 turn.
3. Clairvoyance: This spell enables the shaman to see
through up to 2 inches of any solid matter within 6 inches. Group II:
4. Clairaudience: This spell enables the shaman to hear 1. The Blessing of the Planes: The shaman creates a 10
through up to 2 inches of any solid matter within 6 inches. foot diameter sphere of magical energy around himself.
5. Derangement: This spell drives the target permanently Anyone within the sphere gains a bonus of +2 to attacks,
insane, but the target does receive a saving throw. If the damage, and saving throws. The blessing lasts 2 turns.
target fails, the referee determines how he or she behaves. 2. Domination: This spell enables the shaman to control
The spell has a range of 30 feet and is ineffective against a the actions of any intelligent or non-intelligent being
target using the Control of Self spell. The insanity can be within 12 inches and lasts for three turns. A saving throw
cured only through the use of a Remove Curse spell. is permitted to any creature having the same or greater hit
6. Acclimatization: This spell protects the caster from the dice as the shaman. A creature with 1-2 hit dice less than
adverse effects of weather, such as extreme heat, cold, rain, the caster gets a saving throw only if it first rolls 50 or
snow, etc. for up to 6 hours. more on the percentile dice; a creature with 3-4 dice less
7. Favouring:This blessing grants its target two 6-sided dice must roll 65 or more; a creature with 5-6 dice less must roll
worth of “phantom” hit points, which last for 2 turns. 75 or more. If the target has 7 or more dice less than those
These hit points are the first to be removed if the target of the shaman, it cannot make a saving throw at all.
takes damage and will dissipate regardless at the conlusion Domination cannot force a target to perform self-
of the spell's duration. destructive actions, however.
8. Cure Serious Wounds: This spell heals two six-sided 3. Desiccation: This spell dries up the bodily fluids of its
dice worth of damage. target, causing internal damage that incapacitates the target
9. Minor Fetish: The shaman can create a disposable fetish if he or she fails a saving throw. The target is incapacitated
that stores the magical energy of a single Group I spell. for a number of days equal to two six-sided dice, but a
The spell can then be used later, after which the fetish is Cure Serious Wounds spell will restore mobility if applied.
used up in the process. The fetish is usable only by the
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4. Far-Seeing: The shaman gains the ability to see objects 5. Insubstantiality:The shaman can turn his body or that of
up to 300 feet away as if they were only 3 feet away. This one living creature insubstantial, allowing them to pass
spell lasts for 1 turn. through solid objects without any difficulty. While
5. Invisibility: The shaman becomes invisble for 2 turns, insubstantial, the creature cannot interact with any solid
during which time he adds +2 to his saving throws and all objects or creatures but can interact with -- and attack --
attacks against him suffer a -1 penalty. The shaman, while other insubstantial objects or creatures. The spell lasts 2
invisible, can only be detected by those naturally able to turns, after which the character returns to corporeality
perceive other planes or by the magic-user spell Seeing wherever he happens to be at that time -- even if inside a
Other Planes. solid object, such as a wall!
6. Fetish: Like Minor Fetish, except that it works for either 6. Stone to Mud: The shaman can turn natural stone or
two Group I spells or a single Group II spell. earth into mud for 3 turns. The area of effect is a 10-foot
7. Necromantic Domination: 1-20 undead beings can be diameter circle. Creatures moving into the mud with
controlled for up to 6 turns, although a saving throw is become stuck, moving at 10% of their normal speed.
permitted for any undead creature with more than 3 hit 7. Feeblemind: This spell works only against spellcasters,
dice. This spell has a range of 30 feet. such as priests, magic-users, and other shamans. If the
8. Sending of Evil: This is identical to the Group III Bonus target fails a saving throw, their Intelligence is reduced to
Spell described in section 510 of the EPT rulebook. 20 and they lose the ability to cast spells. The spell has a
9. Alter Self: The shaman can change the appearance of range of 12 inches and lasts until Dispel Magic is cast upon
one living creature (including himself or herself) into that the unfortunate victim.
of any other living creature, provided they are roughly the 8. The Eater of Souls: The shaman conjures up a twisted
same size and general shape. The spell lasts for 1 turn. mannikin that seeks out a single target (shaman's choice)
10. Stealth: This spell enables the shaman or another living until it finds it, after which it attacks until either it or its
being on whom he or she casts the spell to move in quarry is destroyed. Use the statistics for a Yéleth (p. 69 in
complete silence for 3 turns. the EPT rulebook) to represent the Eater of Souls.
11. Curse: This spell enables the shaman to bestow a 9. Enchanted Armor and Weapons: This spell allows the
permanent execration upon an object. Any member of a shaman to convert a single chlén-hide weapon or piece of
particular group chosen by the shaman, such as “followers armor into one with the hardness of iron or steel, imbued
of Sárku” or “Ahoggyá” who touch the object immediately with magical energy. Roll a 6-sided die to determine the
suffer three 6-sided dice of damage. magical bonus: 1-3 = +1, 4-5 = +2, 6 = +3. The hardness
12. Seeing Other Planes: The shaman can see other planes, and bonuses are not permanent, but last for 5 turns.
dimensions, invisible objects, and other “out of phase” 10. Weather Control: This is identical to the Group III
objects and creatures within 20 feet. The spell lasts 2 turns. Bonus Spell described in section 510 of the EPT rulebook.
13. Psychometry: By casting this spell on an object, the
shaman gains the ability to see and hear people and events 610. Experience Point Bonuses
associated with it. The stronger the connection to a Any shaman with a psychic ability of 81-95 adds 5 percent,
particular person or event, the clearer the knowledge the and a shaman with 96-100 adds 10 percent.
shaman gains. Thus, the bone of a deceased person will
give greater knowledge about that person's life than shreds 630. Levels of Experience
of clothing he or she once wore. The spell lasts 1 turn. Shamans use the same experience table as magic-users.

Group III: 700. Hit Dice

1. The Silver Halo of Soul Stealing: This is identical to the Use the following table for shaman hit dice:
Group III Bonus Spell described in section 510 of the Level Hit Dice
EPT rulebook. I 1
2. The Demon: This is identical to the Group III Bonus II 2+1
Spell described in section 510 of the EPT rulebook.
III 3
3. Zoomorphy: This is identical to the Group III Bonus
Spell described in section 510 of the EPT rulebook. IV 3+2
4. Etherealness: The shaman can enter a trance and send V 4
his spirit forth to observe -- but not interact with -- the VI 5+1
world within 3 miles of his current location. The spell lasts VII 6
2 turns, during which time the shaman's body is very
VIII 7
vulnerable to attack, as it is utterly insensate. If the body is
destroyed before the shaman chooses to return his spirit to IX 8+1
it, he is irrevocably dead and cannot be restored to life by X 9
any means.

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