Bay 12 Games Forum

A brief overview from the manual.



Let us begin.
Main Theme
Introduction+Further Part 0 content







It is to be noted that only Atlus USA is saying this, Atlus Japan fully stands by this product and what it stands for.



I cannot find the track for this temple area since it is only shown once. Just watch a bit further into that linked video.



Elderly voice: “Such is the law of the heavens; the law of the earth.” Not gonna transcribe everything, but all the major scenes are going to be screenshotted or transcribed at least. Zero voice acting, it was a conscious decision to have unvoiced cutscenes as far as I know.



Worth noting here that our main character is wearing a Japanese military style school uniform from the Taisho Era (The game’s era) in Japan. Technically Raidou is a highschooler, although it is rarely ever mentioned in the game. I’m not sure he ever actually goes to school as we certainly don’t see it happen, although it hardly matters since he’s a demon crime detective.





Anyway, we get to pick a name. I put in a period appropriate filler name in for this part 0, but all of you are going to be picking the name or else you’re stuck with Lenin the rest of the game.



Elderly voice: “I will determine whether or not you are worthy of the Kuzunoha name. Now demonstrate your skill as a summoner!”



Raidou really loves his cape. I don’t blame him, he does look pretty cool with it.



Elderly voice: “In this place, those wishing to become Devil Summoners risk their lives to undertake the trial. You are to be commended for volunteering for this trial, Vladimir Lenin. Your spirit is exemplary, and for that I applaud you. But, not everyone passed. The equally exemplary spirits of those who have failed sleep here. Will you join the dead, Vladimir Lenin… ? Or, will you succeed and receive the honored Kuzunoha name Raidou Let us learn your fate! Begin!”



So here we learn about the combat controls. It’s pretty simple stuff, square to attack and x to block Triangle also shoots our revolver, which is important. Raidou never learns to use magic, so he uses magical bullets to do elemental damage.



Track: Battle

Our first enemies are the zombies, of the undead order. Undead order demons are traditionally unrecruitable in SMT and are just fodder for the main character. Raidou 1 is no exception. We can only obtain some undead (not these zombies) through fusion accidents which we’ll cover later if it ever happens. No bio from this game for me to use, but you probably know the deal with zombies. Also, I’m using the strong “group” attack here before the game tells us it exists.

We gain some yen, magnetite, regular bullets, ice bullets, and some xp from the battle, Afterwards there is another battle but it’s pretty much the same and just there to teach us that strong attacks, combos, and thrust slashes exist and we need to try them out.



It does however level us up. There are four stats in Raidou that we can choose from as you see here. Str affects physical damage (melee and revolver), Mag affects magic damage and defense for demons, and increases demon’s stats, lowers summon cost, increases magic defense, and increases combo attack damage if Raidou levels it. Vit affect defense and HP and luck affects everything. Crits, fusions accidents, demon gifts, etc. It’s an RPG luck stat so you sort of know what you’re getting. If anyone has a build idea we can probably use it. The game is rather easy, so we should be fine unless we only boost luck or something.

Elderly voice: “I see the basics of combat are little but child’s play to you… But only those who can control demons can call themselves Devil Summoners. How is your skill at converting demons to your own familiars?”
Demon: “What the…?”



Demon: “You ain’t thinkin’ of making me your ally, are you?”
Raidou: “DA TOVARISCH!”
Demon “Hyahaha! You slay me. So, you think you can use me as an ally, do you? Well, first you’ll see what I’m like as an enemy! Hyahahaha!”

So this is Ukobach, our first real, recruitable demon. He is, according to the bio given for Raidou 1 on the MegaTen wiki,

A lesser demon of Hell. Maintains the infernal boilers at Beelzebubs' command. Torments the humans in Hell by throwing burning coal onto them.

  Sounds like an asshole, but hey, we’re not on the job to make friends with these little jerks, unless… well, nevermind.

Here the game also gives its tutorial on confinement, this game’s version of demon recruitment. In most SMT games you have to negotiate with demons to recruit them, in Raidou 1 we just beat the shit out of them until they’re low health and stunned and then put them in our tube. This mechanic is unique to Raidou 1; Raidou 2 uses negotiation.



Magic bullets in action. Normal bullets exist too and do their own elemental damage (Gun damage) but we’re probably going to be using magic bullets a lot for weakness reasons. Hitting weaknesses allows us to crit and tube up demons.



Ukobach: “Can’t take your eyes of my skills, can you? Read ‘em and weep, pal! Yeah, I think I’m about ready to throw in with a human.” He says this like he wasn’t already captured by the Kuzunohas to be exam material. Also, yeah there is button mashing involved in the tube-up, it’s not too bad though.
We walk forward a bit and encounter the next part of the test.

Elderly voice: “Now we will see how you employ a demon in battle.  This is where the real test begins. Have you lost heart?”
Raidou: “DA TOVARISCH!”
Elderly voice: “One cannot turn his back on the destiny of a Kuzunoha.” Kuzunoha recruitment methods are never really explored, but I get the impression some kidnapping occurs, especially for the Raidou branch. “Pull yourself together and demonstrate your skill.”
Some zombies appear, and we are told that we’re going to learn how to use demons. It’s pretty easy,  just use the command menu to tell them what to do.



Raidou is saying something in this scene, but no voice acting so I have no idea what it is. Perhaps just a prayer?



Ukobach has become very loyal very quickly. Almost as if he was already a domesticated demon.



The zombies are scared? Maybe? I think they might just be confused. There is more to this scene but I recommend just watching it at the 3:45 point of the part 0 video. It’d be a lot of screenshots for a very simple scene.



Ukobach is a spell-focused demon so he mainly just blasts agi at things while we chop them up. It works pretty well.



We level up again and Ukobach levels for the first time. You might notice that unlike Raidou he has skills, which we’ll go over later, and has a loyalty bar. Loyalty is important as we need it to be full for a demon to consent to fusion among other things we’ll get to later. First level here gives us our combo attack with Ukobach: fire shot.



Game says some stuff, but you just need to know that combo attacks are gained after the first level, strong, and can be used by raising a demon’s morale, which goes up if you hit weaknesses and make critical attacks. Nice!

Another battle happens here but we’ll just skim over it since it’s just a less eventful version of the final tutorial battle.



Elderly voice: “Put all of your knowledge to use and overcome this final trial… and the title of Raidou Kuzunoha shall be yours!” Right before this the game gives us a nice review of all the mechanics so far, which we’ll just skip since I covered them.



Demon: “I count over and over again, but I’m always missing one! I cannot be free until I slay one-hundred Devil Summoners! …You will die for me, won’t you?” That’s a lot of dead almost-Raidous. Here is the first example of the 3d portraits that we'll be seeing for most of the game. They've aged pretty ok considering this game is from 2006.



Track: Old Foe

There is some zombie fodder protecting her, but we wipe them out pretty swiftly, and combo attack her into nonexistence. Ahh, yes since we’ve got her name I can do her bio now.

An insect demon that takes the form of a woman with her hands tied behind her back. It arose from the hatred of a girl named Okiku, who was falsely convicted of a crime and executed.

Very tragic, shame the Kuzunoha clan has no mercy for demons.

Okiku-mushi: “Ah… Such a feeling… Peace at least… Thank you, Devil Summoner. You were the one.”



“Okiku-mushi vanished” Bit of an understatement, but hey it works.
Elderly voice: “You have overcome your trial. Return to me at once.”

Track: Overcoming the Sadness





Elderly voice: “Thirteen times now has the first Raidou Kuzunoha been succeeded. From this day onward, you shall be known as Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th! You have a great responsibility, Raidou… You will go to the Capital and defend our land. With this duty comes great peril, so I will assign a partner to accompany you. Come forth, Gouto-douji.”

Voice: “… This is the 14th? Hmph, says you; the Raidou name used to command respect. (Ignore the mass of corpses of summoners who tried before Raidou.)



Voice: “Just call me Gouto. You’re Vladimir Lenin, right? Nice to meet ya.” He’s just busting our balls a bit, bastard cat that he is.



Track: Herald of Yatagarasu

Gouto: “Most people don’t pay much attention to this beat-up old shrine… But, it’s actually of great importance to the Kuzunoha clan. This is where we contact our client in the Capital.” And we thus we walk forward.



Mysterious woman: “You are that Devil Summoner, I presume? I am the Herald who brings tidings from Yatagarasu. I am the one who ordered the Kuzunoha clan to maintain peace in our capital city.”
Gouto: “So, long story short, you want Raidou here to keep watch over the capital city.” It really wasn’t that long of a story but you do you cat.
Herald of Yatagarasu: “Yes, the city is currently unstable because so many people have gathered there. The boundary separating this world from the Dark Realm is weak. Demons will start to appear. There will be serious ramifications if they should attack residents of the city. In order to prevent that from happening, I am calling on you, Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th.”

Herald of Yatagarasu: “Demons live in the Dark Realm, which normal humans are forbidden to enter. You, however, are permitted as a Devil Summoner. You must subdue the demons before they can cause any public harm.”



And so, we will leave off here. Put in name submissions, and the answer to this choice. We don’t get many personality defining questions in Raidou 1, so I decided to leave this one up to you guys. It won’t really affect anything, unlike other SMT games and Raidou 2.

"Ah, Microprose. Quite the gem of a city. So many boyhood memori-


_{Hey kid, I'm a gargoyle.}

"What grave sin did I commit to deserve death at the hands of such a creature!? I repent Father, I repent!"



"Matins already? I'm outta here see you later, mortal."


Microprose, Germany, 1974. The nights are odd, the ale cold, and the maidens Russian...


"No time to waste, CHAFHALAT is presenting today!"

"Hey you, yeah you, watch this!"
"BEHOLD MY POWER MORTALS"
"...I believe that will be my last ale for the evening."




"This is always the best part."


"Hi, I'm a tailor from Graf and I'll be teaching you basic witchcraft, the liberal dark arts, and Incubi husbandry."


Shiiiiiiii-



Wow, that was strange. What was Gutenburg doing there? What was the Emperor of the HRE doing there? Let's just Create a New World before more terrors approach.

Like every '90s RPG with the ability to create parties, there are a bunch of terrible pre-made characters; it's safe to say we lose nothing from me killing them.
Clicking create character we're greeted by this gaudy screen.

Names should be vaguely Medieval, but don't have to be Germanic. Abu Hassan Ibn Hadad al-Sarabi is fine, but XxxxBloodaxekillerxxxxX is not. Nicknames follow the same rules.

Male and female characters have some minor stat differences, but they aren't enough to matter so pick what you want.

Stats:

• Endurance, (amount of minor damage you can take, affects equip load.)
• Strength, (amount of major damage you can take, modifier stat for melee weapons, affects equip load.)
• Agility, (climbing, stealth, and dodging ranged attacks.)
• Perception, (detecting traps, and avoiding ambushes.)
• Intelligence, (alchemy and talking to scholars.)
• Charisma, (talking skills like Speak Common and Speak Latin.)
• Divine Favor, (what you expend to call saints, starts at 99 but skills are required to efficiently call saints)

Skills:

• Edged Weapons, (swords, daggers, and axes.)
• Impact Weapons, (clubs, hammers, mauls, and maces.
• Flail Weapons, (flails, flails, and flails.)
• Polearm Weapons, (spears, pikes, halberds, and staffs.)
• Thrown Weapons, (axes, javelins, darts, and knives.)
• Bow Weapons, (short-bow, longbows, and Asiatic composite bows.)
• Missile Device Weapons, (crossbows and hand-guns.)
• Alchemy, (crafting potions, bombs, and elixirs.)
• Religious Training, (knowledge of the Church, its institutions, organization and procedures; affects the success chance of saints.)
• Virtue, (moral character according to the Church; affects the success chance of saints.)
• Speak Common, (fast-talking and diplomatic wording.)
• Speak Latin, (speaking the tongue of priests and scholars.)
• Read and Write, (literacy)
• Healing, (treating and dressing wounds.)
• Artifice, (usage of delicate items; disarming traps and picking locks.)
• Stealth, (moving quickly without being detected)
• Streetwise, (general knowledge of city life.)
• Riding, (riding mounts, usually horses.)
• Woodwise, (knowledge of herbs, animals, and general forestry.)

Not all of these are useful as the others but your character is probably going to die anyway, so I wouldn't be too worried. The main thing to remember is that you need high strength and endurance (30+) A weak character in this game is just asking to be killed. Perception is good for an artifice character. Agility seems pretty worthless due to the fact that it decreases with heavy armor, and ideally everyone will be wearing plate by the end of this. Intelligence is only really worth it for alchemists and Charisma only worth it for talkers.

• Religion and Virtue are two of the most useful skills due to saint calling being able to heal both endurance and strength mid-battle while also having loads of non-combat applications.
• Alchemy is good for the same reasons and also because potions are only limited by your coin purse, not divine favor.
• Healing increases the amount you heal while resting, which helps a lot early on when you lack good saints and potion ingredients.
• Artifice allows you to disarm traps and pick locks, which is a big deal if your into raiding dungeons.
• Speak Common is used quite a bit to avoid combat and allows you to talk your way out of paying money occasionally.
• Speak Latin is vital for priests since it allows you to talk to monks which are the primary source of new saints.
• Read\Write allows you to read notice boards (which can help find things like dragons) and also is used to learn saints from monks.
• Woodwise can be used to avoid the wild hunt and other beasts like giant spiders. Very nice, but not necessary.
• Stealth is fairly mediocre as there are usually more common skills that can usually be used instead, but it isn't horrid.
• I don't think I ever found a use for Streetwise that Speak Common didn't already do, so if you want a fast-talking rogue go for Speak Common instead.
• Riding is used to out-run things on horses and joust with knights (if you have high polearm.) Horses themselves don't require it and horses in this game a pretty worthless, so unless you want to be a Arthurian knight I don't see the point.

That should be sufficient information about the skills. Weapons skills aren't listed because they should be raised during gameplay, not character creation. Suffice it to say that edged weapons are the best, but we won't be doing the main-story so you can pick whatever you want.


While I'm not going to even try transcribing all of the information these backgrounds and occupations have, but I do have a convenient link that will (mostly anyway.) Additional notes: EPs are used to raise skills and stats. The weird numbers that look like 3:06 or such are how much a background or occupation raises a skill, and how high that skill can be raised with the use of EP. Automatic skill being the former, EP skill the latter.

Since I didn't show off all the backgrounds, here is a list shamelessly stolen from the corpse of Euchrejack's Darklands LP. If you want to know more specific skills or stats, then ask me.

Military Occupations:
Recruit
Soldier
Veteran
Captain

Aristocratic Occupations:
Courtier
Noble Heir
Knights
Manorial Lord

Clerical Occupations:
Novice Monk/Nun
Monk/Nun
Priest
Abbot/Abbess
Bishop
Friars
Hermit
Oblate

Merchant Occupations:
Peddlers
Local Traders
Travelling Merchants
Merchant-Proprietors

Craftsmen Occupations:
Apprentice Craftsman
Journeyman Craftsman
Master Craftsman

Intelligentsia Occupations:
Student
Clerk
Physician
Alchemist
Master Alchemist

Commoners:
Laborer
Peasant
Hunter

Underworld and the Underclass:
Thieves
Swindlers
Bandits
Vagabond

The main thing to remember is that every time you take a occupation your get 5 years older, and at the age of 35 you start getting penalties to your attributes. You can also take backgrounds multiple times.

Part Prelude: Inspirational Incidents

Part Prelude-2: Characterizing Conflicts

Part 1: Dreadful Dwarf Dungeons

Part 1 1/4: Hans' Haberdashery of Havoc

Part 1 2/4: Arch of Asinine Ambiguity

Part 2: Catholic-Consuming, Cranky, Cathars


Pseudo-update 1: Upon the Rhine a Little Kingdom

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Ruprecht_III_%28Pfalz%29.jpg

Mistakenly thought this guy was the Holy Roman Emperor at the time. Looks pretty smug regardless.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Gutenberg.jpg

He's the inventor of the printing press, that should be reason enough. Also, that beard.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/John_Calvin_by_Holbein.png

Chosen because he looks miserable in it and also was a decently large part of the Reformation.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Paracelsus.jpg

His portrait is a thing of beauty, little else needs to be said.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Holbein_d_AE.jpg

Had a magnificent beard.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Hans_Holbein_the_Younger%2C_self-portrait.jpg

Related to the other Hans and also apparently made that fantastic portrait of Calvin. I think that qualifies him for a portrait.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Borromini.jpg

Guy looks extremely anxious in the portrait, and seemed like a decent fit to be the foreign dude.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Hugo_van_der_Goes_-_Saint_George_and_the_Dragon.jpg

Little needs to be said about this one.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/King_of_the_Holy_Roman_German_Empire_Henry_I._the_Fowler.jpg

Art gives him a face of Frankish anger that simply cannot be ignored.

Character Creation Music

Assassin - When diplomacy fails, assassination is often the only recourse. Renowned and respected for thier ability to resolve disputes with the least amount of bloodshed, cloaked by the shadows of the night, assassins are in high demand amongst all strata of society. Whether drawn from a petty dispute or a matter of state, blood is blood.
Faction reputations for assassin are: House Aurelian 1, House Crassus 1 (that makes very little sense for reasons we will discover in the AG storyline,) House Daratan 1, Boatmen of Styx (the AG) 3, Commercium 2, Imperial Guards -7, The Forty Thieves 0.

Thief (no not Thi4f) - Regardless of the social fabric, there will always be those that prefer to live in accordance with their own code of conduct - outside the law. To a thief, a world in ruins is a world of opportunity. While those that covet power are consumed by deceit, the Thieves are turning a tidy profit on their neglected wealth.
Faction reputations for thief are: HA 0, HC -3, HD -2, AG 0, MG -6, IG -3, TG 4.

Praetor - Always looking for promising individuals to serve their interests, Noble Houses elevate ambitious men with a diverse set of skills to the rank of Praetorian Guard. While most possess some martial training and patiently wait for the spoils and glory of bloodshed, others still favor the gentler arts of diplomacy and take a discrete, yet active role in the courts of nobles. (not you though because you work for House Diminutive)
Faction reputations for praetor are: HA -2, HC 0, HD 5, AG 2, MG 2, IG 0, TG 2.
(Loremaster, Grifter, Drifter, and Mercenary all use the same guildless dudemans art.)
Loremaster - Preserving and understanding pre-war knowledge and technology is a lucrative business. An increasing number of people see their salvation in the ashes of the past and thus the market is becoming saturated with icons and objects from the old empire, most without any real value. Always on the lookout for something of real worth, cataloging and appraising items, loremasters remain at the front line of this trade.
Faction reputations for loremaster are: HA 3, HC 3, HD 3, AG 1, MG 1, IG 1, TG 1.

Grifter - While most thieves prefer to form gangs and act under the cover of darkness, grifters see no reason to trade the laws of society for the laws of a guild. Preying upon the gullible with a combination of personal magnetism and persuasion, the grifter's art is rarely noticed.
Faction reputations for grifter are: all 0.

Drifter - While for most people the focus is on trying to belong and having a place to call their own, drifters display no such sentiments. Valuing freedom above all else and answering to no man, they prefer instead to move freely without the weight of any shackles, never staying in one place too long.
Faction reputations for drifter are: all 0.

Mercenary - In a world rife with conflict, those with martial skills are never idle for long. Most mercenaries take on personal contracts with individual clients, although they are occasionally embroiled in the greater machinations of the Noble Houses. Determined by gold, their allegiance lies with the highest bidder.
Faction reputations for mercenary are: HA 1, HC 1, HD 1, AG 0, MG 1, IG 2, TG 0.

Merchant - Behind every Noble's power and every struggle for territory lies the gold of a merchant, respected and feared. More then mere traders, merchants manipulate entire markets and those that depend on them. People, information, and favor all have a price, but only the merchants know their true worth.
Faction reputations for merchant are: HA 3, HC 3, HD 3, AG 2, MG 6, IG 0, TG 0.

House Aurelian
House Aurelian's main forces maintained order in the colonies, far away from the fiercest and bloodiest battlefields during the War. With the world decimated and society in chaos, General Gaelius moved swiftly to take firm control of the most strategic forts and towns. Today House Aurelian controls 70% of what's left from (of?) Maadoran, a town built around an old fortress, making every effort to make sure that the power balance remains in their favour. Resentment remains amongst the other Houses towards Aurelian's current standing.

House Crassus
Withdrawing from war and politics, House Crassus dedicated itself to the sciences and arcane research, particularly in planes of existence. Consequently, they were instrumental in the Summoning, having constructed the portal and the many machines that powered it. Most Mages perished in the last days, depriving the House not only of generations of wisdom and research, but of clarity and focus. Today House Crassus calls for proper worship and the restoration of the gods.

House Daratan
Once the largest and most influential Noble House, controlling seven provinces and more then 20 legions, House Daratan was almost destroyed during the War. Today less than 100 people still loyal to the Daratan name control a small town named Teron, that has definitely seen better days. As House Daratan draws its last gasp, some within are preparing for one last fight, to shift the balance of power and restore the Noble (was noble, changed it.) House at any cost.

Boatmen of Styx
In the halcyon days of the Empire, the Emperor commanded his own guard. Apart from their regular duties of protection for the Emperor, they were trained as experts in infiltration and assassination. Many political and military opponents would meet with unexplainable misfortune or death in the rapture of night, ensuring the long-standing stability of the Empire. After the fall, without a master to serve, the guard disbanded into the chaos of the fallen empire. Once outside they found that even as the world lay in ruins, their peacekeeping [] services were in great demand. An Assassins' Order was established that later bore the proud name of the Regiment: the Boatmen of Styx.

Commercium
Trade and merchant guilds have always existed, but in the shadow of the apocalypse wrought by the power of the sword, (not really, but whatever.) the power of gold has become a far greater influence in the affairs of state. The head merchants have now centralized, controlling all trade. Caravans, tariffs, mines, and marketplaces operate by the grace of the Commercium alone. Independent traders in outposts and remote villages still exist, but trading in towns is not without its problems or dangers.

Imperial Guards
Formed from the remnants of the Imperial Army, the Imperial Guards are an independent, influential and powerful faction, maintaining order and preventing open war between the Noble Houses. While the Noble Houses squabble amongst themselves, cloaked in subterfuge, espionage and counter-espionage, the Guards are more idealistic. Their primary goal is the restoration of the Empire to its former glory, regardless of how unrealistic this seems at the present.

The Forty Thieves
The Forty Thieves guild is a large and seemingly indefatigable network of thieves, smugglers, and other criminally inclined citizens, operating in every town and tracing its origin to the early days of the Empire. It's said that in the past, the forty kingpins of the (added that the) forty largest towns used to coordinate the network. Speculation is divided as to the relations and ties of the Forty Thieves of yore and its current incarnation, but the name persists.

Gloria Filiorum Patres=The Glory of Children


Ab Aeterno=From Eternity


ad maiorem Dei gloriam inque hominum salutem=to the greater glory of God and the salvation of men




Thanks to Sunfire for providing this map, it even has the Ordu camp from earlier versions!

Gold: "Gold coins stamped with the visages of emperors of varying antiquity."

Commercium Ring: "A ring with the Commercium insignia."

Loremaster's Garments: "The traditional Ashkaanian kaftan, worn with a sash, is designed for the desert expeditions so popular with loremasters. It shields the wearer from the sun during the day and warms him during the bitter desert nights."

Net: "A round, wide-meshed cast net with lead weights around the edges."

Bola: "A weapon consisting of two heavy balls secured to the ends of a strong rope, hurled to entangle the legs of cattle and other animals. It works even better on two legged animals and can be thrown to entangle legs or choke."

Barbed Missile "Designed to shred flesh, the wicked barbs on these arrows and bolts can cause devastating critical damage but have very poor armor penetration."

Armor Piercing Missile: "With narrow, dagger-like heads, these bolts and arrows will punch through the heaviest armor, but won't cause significant critical damage to the target."

Regular Missile: "Standard ammunition for bows and crossbows. While it can't match the penetration power of armor-piercing bolts or brutality of barbed arrows, regular ammo is non-discriminating and will leave a mark everywhere."

Metal Bronze: "A mass of metal cast in a convenient form for shaping, remelting, or refining."

Metal Iron: ""A mass of metal cast in a convenient form for shaping, remelting, or refining."

Whetstone: "A small sharpening stone."

Leather: "Cured, soaked, scrabbed, and tanned animal hide."

Lumber: "Good quality wood, ready for use."

Topaz: "A well-cut topaz."

Sapphire: "A well-cut sapphire."

Ruby: "A well-cut ruby."

Wine Amphora: "An amphora full of wine."

Rope: "Several coils of rope."

Traveler's cape: "An affordable protection from the cold and wind that can double up as a fashion statement."

Noble's cape: "The finest garment for customers with the most discriminative taste."

Khanjar: "A long, serpentine dagger from the Avagan Steppes. The wavy blade has a reputation for inflicting devastating wounds, but it is the length that makes the khanjar deadly."

Jambia: "A curved Scythian "honor" dagger. Once an oddity, the jambia became a common weapon of many street gangs, which had flourished after the fall of the Empire.

Yatagan: "A single-edged, recurved Turuk long blade. The recurved design has been ignored by the Empire's swordsmen, but was welcomed by knife fighters, who adopted the yatagan as a deadly and effective long dagger."

Pugio: "A traditional Imperial wide-bladed dagger. Originally a digging and back-up stabbing weapon of the legions, the pugio quickly became a popular choice among both respectable citizens and street thugs."

The Arbiter: "A family heirloom, this steel jambia is clearly the work of a master smith. The grinds are flawless and the edge is exceptionally keen. Once drawn, the dagger is said to be able to solve any dispute, hence the name."

Sefet: "A simple, straight Kemetian dagger favored by those who care less about style than the ease with which the sefet slips between an enemy's ribs."

Scimitar: "A two-handed, heavy Askkaanian sword with an oversized, curved, single-edged blade designed to mow through anything that stands in front of you. The weight adds impressive power to the strike, but makes the sword more difficult to control."

Handar: "A heavy, double-edged Bactrian broadsword with a wide, triangular blade. The handar is one of the most powerful one-handed weapons, built for slow, but devastating attacks

Shamshir: "A single-edged, deeply curved sword with a slim blade. While the shamshir is more suitable for cutting and slashing attacks, it's more than capable of delivering rising, descending, and hooking thrusts."

Gladius: "A double-edged short sword designed for thrusting and slashing in close quarters. Favored by the Imperial Guard, the gladius is a common sight throughout the remnants of the Empire."

Krokspar (the barbarian!) "Literally "barbed spear," the krokspar is a long-shafted weapon of Skanian design with a dagger-like head cross piece for blocking. The krokspar is too heavy to use single-handed."

Romach: "A long Thracian spear with a blade designed for use against lightly armored infantry and cavalry. The heavy shaft requires two hands to wield effectively."

Dori: "A spear favored by the hoplitai for its weight and versatility. The leaf-shaped head can be used for thrusting or slashing. The dori is too heavy to use single-handed."

Hasta: "A standard issue Imperial short spear with a broad triangular blade. The hasta can be carried in one hand and used with a shield."

Sledgehammer: "A heavy, two-handed hammer with a massive head. Not a weapon for those who prefer subtlety or finesse, the sledgehammer is brutally effective for its purpose. The chiseled ram's head design points to Kemetian origin."

War hammer: "A brutal Skanian two-handed hammer. The Skanians designed the war hammer in response to hard lessons at the hands of the Imperial Legions, who taught the raiders to respect and fear armored opponents."

Mallet: "Originally a multipurpose work hammer, this wooden hammer was adapted for warfare and reinforced with metal rings and striking surfaces. Due to its lighter weight, the mallet can be efficiently wielded in one hand."

Spiked club: "The club is thought by many loremasters to be the earliest weapon used by man. This evolution of the humble club features a long metal head bristling with two-inch spikes."

Marculus: "A small, one-handed smith's hammer. Typically used for shaping heated metal, it also does a fine job breaking skulls and other fragile objects."

Zaghnal: "An elaborately decorated Scythian fighting axe with a a crow's beak-shaped blade designed for greater armor penetration. Innumerable skirmishes between the legions and the desert tribes ensured a steady supply of Scythian weaponry."

Mineb: The unusual Kemetian one handed axe known as the mineb reflects a different school of weapon design. Over the centuries, many of these ornately decorated, gold-encrusted axes were brought from Kemet as gifts. Now they are to be found all over the Empire.

Labys: "A heavy two-handed Minoan axe. For the Minoans, the labrys was a religious and ceremonial symbol, but the Empire turned it to more practical applications as a devastating battlefield weapon."

Skeggox: "A deadly bearded axe, introduced to the protectorates of the former Empire by Skanian raiders. The skeggox's unusual blade provides an ample surface for slashing, while keeping the weight low."

Long Bow: "One of the most powerful bows, the longbow is fashioned from a length of yew wood. The longbow's power is limited only by the strength of the archer, and in the right hands can punch holes through even plate armor."

Recurved Ordu Bow: "A short, composite birch bow reinforced with deer horn. The Ordu bow is as much a part of the nomads' culture as the horse, and since it takes almost a year to craft a single one, it is never traded, only recovered from dead riders."

Recurved Scythian Bow: "This long and powerful Scythian bow, famous for its incurvation, is distinguished by the triangular center section and smoothly recurved tips."

Kemetian Bow: "A medium-draw bow used by Kemetian charioteers to deadly effect. Unlike most of its brethren, this bow is constructed entirely from horn, and bound to an acacia wood section in the center."

Short Bow: "A simple bow fashioned from a single piece of elm wood, this weapon lacks power and range, but is quick to shoot and has a low draw weight. It's suitable for small game, animal and otherwise."

Heavy Crossbow: "Used mainly as a siege weapon in the Great War, this weapon has a reinforced metal bow, granting extra power and penetration, but takes longer to arm. This crossbow is capable of penetrating any armor." So, very, very true.

Scoped Standard Crossbow: "A standard Imperial crossbow, combining basic single-shot design and reliability. These weapons were mass produced during the final years of the War, transforming untrained peasants into a deadly force. The scope increases the range by two tiles and adds a special Snipe attack."

Scoped Heavy Crossbow: "Used mainly as a siege weapon in the Great War, this weapon has a reinforced metal bow, granting extra power and penetration, but takes longer to arm. This crossbow is capable of penetrating any armor. The scope increases the range by two tiles and adds a special Snipe attack."

Standard Crossbow: "A standard Imperial crossbow, combining basic single-shot design and reliability. These weapons were mass produced during the final years of the War, transforming untrained peasants into a deadly force."

Hand Crossbow: "A small, handheld crossbow, invented by Medean loremasters renown for their clever gadgetry. Although its reduced size also diminishes its power and accuracy, many folks who make their livings in a dark alleys think it's a great conversation starter."

Pilum: "A tip-heavy javelin carried by legionnaires, the pilum has an iron head mounted on a wooden shaft. The pilum will penetrate enemy shields with ease, and can even be effective against heavy armor."

Handox: "A Skanian throwing axe designed for speed and penetration at close range. Skanian raiders are trained to throw these axes in volleys, wreaking havoc among enemy lines."

Chakram: "An exotic Sindhu throwing ring with a bladed outer edge, flat bottom, and asymmetric curved top, which ensures an accurate and stable flight with a high spin rate."

Plumbata: "A heavy dart with a lead (plumbum) ball on the wooden shaft to increase power and penetration. The plumbata was once a standard part of the legionnaire's arsenal, carried withing the hollow of the shield."

Karda: "A double-edged Scythian throwing knife forged from a single piece of metal. Carefully balanced, this knife is accurate enough for the thrower to target joints in armor and other weak spots in your enemy's defence."



Tower Shield: "A heavy rectangular shield with a slightly curved profile, the tower shield provides unparalleled protection for a stationary unit, but it is cumbersome and unwieldy, severely taxing its owner's mobility and response time."

Infantry Shield: "A larger, rectangular shield with a slightly curved profile, this piece was desinged for slowly advancing legionnaires who would utilize group defensive formation like the famous "turtle". It may be less useful to a lone fighter."

Calvary shield: "A medium-weight oval shield mostly used by cavalry and auxiliary troops. Oval shields could be found everywhere, from Kemet to Ashkaan. They offer good defence and reasonable mobility."

Buckler: "The smallest shield, favored by quick fighters. It has a convex shape designed to
ward off blows. Due to its small size, the buckler is useless in unskilled hands."

Silk Ordu Helmet: "A common leather hat of the Ordu, good for keeping the sun off and your hair in place."

Leather Ordu Helmet: "This distinctive conical leather helmet of the Ordu, with neckguard. Beware, lest you be mistaken for an Ordu at a distance."

Studded Ordu Helmet: "A heavier version of the leather Ordu hat."

Lamellar Ordu Helmet: "A metal Ordu helmet"

Heavy Numeri Helmet: "A heavy leather version of the Numeri helmet, topped with a fanciful metal spike."

Leather Numeri Helmet: "The Numeri were not known for the quality of their gear, but this leather helmet comes with a decorative spike on top."

Heavy Barbari Helmet: "Strike fear into primitive foes with this heavy leather helmet adorned with a bull's horns!"

Leather Barbari Helmet: "Basic leather headgear adorned with bull's horns. Among the barbarians this type of helmet is worn only by the bull killer himself."

Phrygian Helmet: "A very unusual piece of headgear, this helmet sports a high, conical peak resembling a common peasant hat, and a next-to-full facemask offering a combination of defense and relatively unimpaired vision."

Auxiliary Helmet: "A serious helmet for the fighter unconcerned with decorations and ceremonies, the Auxiliary helmet is reinforced with a metal ridge along the cranium for extra protection against overhead strikes."

Legionnaire Helmet: "The standard helmet of the Imperial Legions offers basic protection and cheek guards. The face is open, allowing for maximal field of view."

Studded Numeri Armor: "The leather armor of the Numeri augmented with metal studs by someone willing to part with a few silver coins."

Leather Numeri Armor: "Light leather armor once worn by the Numeri, irregular peasant troops recruited en masse during the War. The Numeri were drawn from ill-equipped provincial militia and impoverished immigrants hoping to buy citizenship with their blood."

Phyrgian Armor: "High quality leather armor crafted from overlapping upwards rows of lacquered pieces of hardened leather, laced together with silk threads."

Studded Barbari Armor: "A minor improvement on the plain leather armor of the southern nomadic tribes."

Leather Barbari Armor: "Light leather armor of the southern nomadic tribes, featuring near complete range of motion for the wearer. The term "Barbari" refers to any sort of primitive hailing from "Barbaricum", meaning anywhere outside the Empire."

Lamellar Ordu Armor: "Heavy Ordu armor made from parallel rows of metal lamellae laced together with silk threads. Ordu lamellar armor is significantly superior to chainmail, yet it's much lighter and less restrictive."

Leather Ordu Armor: "Leather armor of the Ordu warriors, worn with a silk undershirt. While the Empire emphasized brute force and heavy defence, the Ordu favored swiftness, and discovered new ways to reinforce leather without losing mobility."

Studded Ordu Armor: "Leather Ordu armor, reinforced with studs and worn with a silk undershirt. While the Empire emphasized brute force and heavy defence, the Ordu favored swiftness, and discovered new ways to reinforce leather without losing mobility."

Silk Ordu Armor: "A light tunic consisting of several layers of densely-woven Zhin silk. This armor offers some protection from glancing blows and arrows, and will plug wounds and protect flesh from tearing."

Lorica Segmentata: "Segmented armor comprised of overlapping metal strips fastened to leather straps. Simple and inexpensive, this standard armor of the Legions was an unofficial symbol of the Empire, recognized and feared everywhere."

Lorica Hamata: "A chain-mail armor made from interlocking rings of metal. Similar to Lorica Segmentata, Lorica Hamata offers better mobility but slightly less protection."

Auxiliary Armor: "Light leather armor with a metal shoulder guard. During the War, lightly armored auxiliary troops provided support to the Imperial Legions. When the Empire fell, surviving units formed mercenary companies whose only master was gold."

Praetorian Armor(Et tu, Brutus?): "Heavy, elaborately decorated metal armor of the Praetorian Guard. At the height of the Empire, the Praetorians were the hand-picked protectors of the Emperor and his generals. The Praetorians have since shifted their loyalty to the Noble Houses."

Imperial Armor: "Heavy armor of the elite Legio XIII Ferrata, meaning Ironclad. This armor provides superior protection, but greatly limited mobility, a potentially fatal drawback for solo fighters."

Lorica Musculata: "A stylized cuirass in the form of a muscled human torso, this was the preferred armor among officers and senators of the Empire."

 





Gracius' Map: "It's an ancient map you acquired from Gracius, who probably doesn't need it anymore."

Module\Power Tube: "It's a small glass tube encased in elaborate metal framework. The tube is very warm to touch and contains what appears to be constantly shifting liquid fire."

Large Module\ Large Power Tube: "It's a large glass tube filled with glowing energy."

Grooved sphere: "A small, metal sphere with grooves running around it."

The "Jellyfish" Artefact: "A crystal semi-sphere, encased in a metal dome. Thin metal rods of varying lengths protrude from the bottom, reminding you of a jelly fish. The crystal, despite its centuries buried under brick and stagnant water, glows with a pure, blue light."

Prospector's Amulet: "Adorned with beads and engraved with runes, it appears to be a ceremonial bowl of some sort. Strangely warped, but that isn't unusual for artefacts of the Old Empire - who knows what arcane forces had been unleashed on it? Two small, metal drums are affixed to the underside, too awkwardly angled to be supports for the bowl. Reservoirs, perhaps, containers of sacred liquid for the bowl?"

Respirator: "A breathing apparatus of the Old Empire. When charged with magical energies, it will allow you to breath in toxic environments. A valuable artifact, it's been handed down the generations from father to son. The magic powering up the device eventually ran out and the purpose was lost. All that was remembered is that it was a powerful charm protecting its wearer from unseen danger."

Oil Injector: "As the name suggest(sic), this device is responsible for injecting the right amount of fuel at the right time. Whoever's (sic) invented it had way too much time on his hands."

Air Valve: "A device designed to control the flow of air. Ingenious!"

Surgical Kit: "The case contains a folded section of parchment and what looks like a set of surgical instruments. There are both smooth and serrated blades of various sizes, hooks to part flesh, a drill with different bits, a few unpleasantly large needles, and a strange metal syringe that incorporates a dead power tube. Every item is gleaming and sharp, as if begging to be used for the first time."

The Ghost Hand: "It was said that some machines could never function in this world for they required different laws of physics. Thus, the Magi had built them in realms that exist elsewhere. They called them the Ghosts Worlds and used devices such as this one to bridge the gap between these worlds and ours."

The Crimson Eye: "A heavy, glowing red sphere, encased in a bronze reliquary."

Tower Ring: "The ring is heavier than it looks and has three rotating bands with markings on them."

Jar: "A strange, softly glowing jar."

Rock Oil: "A thick, flammable liquid that seeps out of fissures in the ground. It is believed that when the underworld comes close to the surface, its fiery rivers make springs ooze rock oil and gas instead of clean water. There are many who would experiment with such dark materials, and thus there are many who would risk their lives to gather it and sell at a profit."

Dragon's Blood Extract: "Contrary to popular belief, Dragon's Blood is a tree that owes its name to the red resin it produces. The resin has near miraculous curative and alchemical properties or so the alchemists claim. Unfortunately, the tree only grows on a small archipelago of four islands somewhere in the southern seas, which makes the Dragon's Blood's extract as rare as if it actually came from dragons."

Salt Petrae: "The salt of rock - a salt-like substance that encrusts cave walls. Unlike other salts, sal petrae has incendiary properties and burns with a purple flame, which makes it a popular reagent among alchemists."

Fools' Gold: "A mineral called pyrite, better known as fool's gold due to its uncanny resemblance to everyone's favorite metal. It's used to make cheap jewelry, ferrous sulphate to treat iron deficiency and make inks, as well as an incredibly potent acid - oil of vitriol."

Black Powder: "An explosive mixture of sulphur, charcoal, and sal petrae, ground into a powder. Discovered accidentally during a search for an elixir of immortality, the black powder failed to grant eternal life, but did a pretty good job blowing one's enemies to bloody bits, which, come to think about it, contributes greatly to one's longevity."

Sulfur: "Abundantly available, sulphur, or the burning stone, was first used as a medicine. Later, when its military applications were discovered, it was used to produce a different kind of medicine - acid, black powder, and liquid fire."

Quicklime: "A white, corrosive substance produced by heating limestone. It's used to make lime mortar, purify steel during metalsmithing, and waterproof boats, but if you're looking for more practical uses, it makes liquid fire ignite faster and burn longer."

Iron Balls: "Small iron balls made for unknown purpose."

Cassava Root: "A large, thick root that can be cooked and eaten. Often the only source of food in the wasteland, the plant doesn't require much water and can grow anywhere. An oily root paste can be rubbed on wounds to prevent infection and accelerate healing."

Quicksilver Roots: "While chewing quicksilver's leaves produces a stimulating and refreshing effect, the real power of the plant is in its roots. A skilled alchemist can extract the precious oil from the roots and distill it into a potion that quickens movement and reaction time."

Emoryl Root: "This unremarkable plant is known only for its ability to keep other alchemical compounds in the bloodstream longer, thus extending the duration of most potions and poisons."

Avatera Sprouts: "These light-green sprouts are a natural anti-venom. Every healer can cook a simple draught that can reduce the effects of snake and scorpion poison, but only a skilled alchemist can brew an elixir that can instantly counter the deadliest poison and render it harmless."

Kadura Leaves: "Like many other plants, the kadura relies on toxins, rather than thorns, to ward off animals. Usually, the poison causes nausea and irregular heartbeat, yet when distilled properly, it can kill a man in mere minutes."

Fennah Berries: "A natural coagulant, these berries are used by healers to stop bleeding. A skilled alchemist can create a powerful extract that will greatly increase blood coagulation and reduce the blood loss in combat. Unfortunately, the effect is temporary and thus poses a potential danger - after a few minutes the wounds will open again, causing unexpected damage."

Goldenberry: "Small, yellow berries growing densely along the branches of Goldenberry shrubs. Highly nutritious, the berries have a reputation of a cure-all, at least when it comes to respiratory and digestive disorders. The oil extracted from the berries can fortify healing properties of other plants."

Blood Mushroom: "Deep red mushrooms covered with white wart-like protuberances have been known for their mystical properties for quite some time. They were boiled to make intoxicating drinks, dried and chewed to enter the dreamworld, but it was Skanian priests who discovered how to brew a special draught that gives a man neither dreams nor drunkenness, but rage and bloodlust."


Healing Salve: "A medical ointment that's used to heal wounds. The effect is instant." Not usable in combat.

Neurostimulant: "A potent elixir that will speed up your reflexes and reaction in combat for a short time."

Antidote: "An antidote for poison - don't leave home without one. The antidote strengthens your body's resistance to poison, reducing or even negating its effects."   

Black Powder Bomb: "A clay pot, filled with black powder and small stones. When thrown, it explodes on impact, flinging stones waywardly with tremendous lethality."