On Magic

Magic is a part of everything in this world, but especially a part of human life. The funerary rituals of the people are important, because, if the dead were collected by an enemy (or the Enemy), their life could be turned into power. This is why Glauroth built his castle with blood and bones and why Unferth made a sword out of a human soul, and why Unfermund built a stone altar for sacrifices (see Mythology). This use of souls for personal purposes is the act of evil.

But relating with the souls of the dead is not evil, and can bring some measure of power to those who come with respect and humility.

Magic is also a part of the land. Some places--cross-roads, rivers--may affect your gifts.

On Demons

Well, I can't tell you too much, yet. But there are demons in this world, sometimes called The Shadow, sometimes The Enemy. Most came from ancient times, before the world was here. Others have been created since. Currently, the Shadow is very weak and in disarray, its power base being broken. Those demons that were not cast out of the world centuries ago are disembodied, hardly sentient spirits of ill will. They are hardly even able to whisper in the shadows (hence the name) anymore. The evil that is current is simply the evil that has always been in human hearts.

Because most everything in this world is magical, demons do not require "magic" weapons to slay. But don't let that make you foolhardy, should you by chance run across a demon in his power. These boys are nasty.

At any rate, evil is a perversion, and the line between what is human and demonic is vague and can be crossed. At least one direction.

On Goblins

Goblins are a very minor demon. That is, they are not a race of natural being, but a malformation, wrought out of evil and shadow and tortured souls. No two are alike. They may be 8" tall or 12' tall. They may have wings or gills or shells. They may use weapons, or their fists, or their teeth. They may be very stupid, they may be passingly bright, but they are rarely if ever brilliant. They are beholden to evil powers, possibly enslaved by them, but not necessarily "controlled" by them. They delight in mischief, misery, and violence.

On Gifts

Many characters will have magical gifts. Most will only have one gift, although that one gift may be expressed in multiple powers. Gifts are unique, no one else should have precisely the same gift, so players should take care to craft them in unique ways. Instead of buying "Telepathy" and saying you can "Read Minds," buy, for instance, a "Mind Walking" Gift, saying that a spiritual form of you actually walks through a symbolic representation of the characters thoughts. Define it as Telepathy and pick appropriate limitations. Or perhaps the character walks among emotions represented in strange living things. Such a Gift would be defined as Telepathy with a "read emotions only" limit, but might have a linked Mind-Control for emotions only, if he could manipulate the environment as well as see it, and might have a side-effect limit if the creatures representing anger could hurt him. Two "Powers," but one "Gift." Wee!

As noted above, excessively high stats, those over double the average for your race (or, in the case of Speed, 3 or more over the average), should generally be taken as a gift.

Characters wanting more than one gift will need a good reason (although see Glory). Gifts may be great or small at the players liking. Many of your fellows will have only 5 or fewer points in gifts, although if you want a 60 point gift, power to you! (just try not to unbalance yourself.)

The nature of gifts should be linked to the nature of your tribe, and the place you come from.

Wild Gifts

Many peoples, including the Nami, have what are called "Wild Gifts." "Wild" as in "Wilderness." These are gifts about living in the wilderness. Enhanced senses, physical abilities. Perhaps animal or plant gifts: imitating, adapting, shape-swapping, summoning. If it smells of deep forests or icy mountains or blistering deserts, it's a Wild Gift.

Spiritual Gifts

Many peoples may also have spiritual gifts. Communicating with ghosts (who are sources of knowledge), or other knowledge sources, summoning or influencing spirits. Necromancy falls into this category, but is a great evil (see On Virtue). So is the protection of spirits from Necromancy. One might also have abilities with the spirits of living things, including the spirits of living humans. The Nami have some gifts in this area, however, they focus more around the ghost-relation issue than the other variations.

Brews

The Nami are most renowned for their exotic brews, made from a potent potato-liquor steeped with sacred herbs and spices in mystical rituals. Their most famous is a heartening brew that their warriors drink before battle. Their second most famous is a healing brew they drink after battle. Stranger recipes have been spoken of, brews that cause forgetfulness, confusion, sleep, and, of course, death.

Other peoples may possibly be brewsters as well.

Special Gifts

Glory

This is a special gift for characters that are of high spiritual power. It does not count against the "one gift" rule, that is, a player can have a gift and also have Glory.

Characters of sufficient spiritual power to have Glory should also have appropriate knowledges, psych limitations, and even possibly physical limitations to reflect their nature, motivation, and experience. Exactly how Glory works is a secret known only to a select few (such as those who have it), but I can tell you that it typically only is used in times of great need in struggles against great evil. It provides both offense and defense when it comes into play. A moderate amount of Glory probably costs about 6-9 character points, a large amount 12-18 points. Certain characters ought to have it. I'll tell you if that's you.

Dread

You can't have it. It's kind of like Glory, except the other way around. Just wanted to warn you that it existed. There's only one defense against Dread, and it starts with a G.